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 At least 9 dead as rare winter storm hits southern U.S. Xinhua) 08:50, January 23, 2025 A restaurant remains closed after a winter storm in New Orleans, Louisiana, the United States, on Jan. 22, 2025. A rare winter storm, known as Enzo, has swept through the southern U.S. with record-breaking snow and bitterly cold weather to typically mild regions along the Gulf Coast, claiming at least nine lives as of Wednesday morning. New Orleans, the biggest city in coastal state Louisiana, on Tuesday experienced its heaviest snowfall since 1948, with 8 inches falling in a single day, far surpassing the previous record of 2.7 inches, according to a report from the weather.com on Wednesday. (Photo by Lan Wei/Xinhua) HOUSTON, Jan. 22 (Xinhua) -- A rare winter storm, known as Enzo, has swept through the southern U.S. with record-breaking snow and bitterly cold weather to typically mild regions along the Gulf Coast, claiming at least nine lives as of Wednesday morning. New Orleans, the biggest city in coastal state Louisiana, on Tuesday experienced its heaviest snowfall since 1948, with 8 inches falling in a single day, far surpassing the previous record of 2.7 inches, according to a report from the weather.com on Wednesday. Several other major cities, including Mobile, Alabama, and Pensacola, Florida, also reported unprecedented snow totals. The icy conditions caused widespread disruption in the U.S. South, grounding more than 1,200 flights at major airports from Texas to Florida as of Wednesday morning. Nearly 30 interstate highways were forced closed during the storm, which also prompted numerous school districts, government offices, and businesses to shut down. Several southern states have declared states of emergency. Nationwide, fatalities included two likely weather-related deaths in Austin, Texas, and at least five in a car crash on icy roads in Zavala County, Texas. The southeastern state of Georgia and Wisconsin in Midwest each reported that one person succumbed to the cold outdoors during the storm, according to a CNN report. Governors of Gulf Coast states including Louisiana, Georgia, Alabama, Florida and Mississippi issued states of emergency earlier this week to address the once-in-a-generation storm. Though the storm weakened on Wednesday, from Virginia to Florida, more than 25 million people were under winter weather alerts as of Wednesday morning. People walk on a street with slush in New Orleans, Louisiana, the United States, on Jan. 22, 2025. A rare winter storm, known as Enzo, has swept through the southern U.S. with record-breaking snow and bitterly cold weather to typically mild regions along the Gulf Coast, claiming at least nine lives as of Wednesday morning. New Orleans, the biggest city in coastal state Louisiana, on Tuesday experienced its heaviest snowfall since 1948, with 8 inches falling in a single day, far surpassing the previous record of 2.7 inches, according to a report from the weather.com on Wednesday. (Photo by Lan Wei/Xinhua) A man stands on a snow-covered street in New Orleans, Louisiana, the United States, on Jan. 21, 2025. A rare winter storm, known as Enzo, has swept through the southern U.S. with record-breaking snow and bitterly cold weather to typically mild regions along the Gulf Coast, claiming at least nine lives as of Wednesday morning. New Orleans, the biggest city in coastal state Louisiana, on Tuesday experienced its heaviest snowfall since 1948, with 8 inches falling in a single day, far surpassing the previous record of 2.7 inches, according to a report from the weather.com on Wednesday. (Photo by Lan Wei/Xinhua) A woman walks a dog in the snow in New Orleans, Louisiana, the United States, on Jan. 21, 2025. A rare winter storm, known as Enzo, has swept through the southern U.S. with record-breaking snow and bitterly cold weather to typically mild regions along the Gulf Coast, claiming at least nine lives as of Wednesday morning. New Orleans, the biggest city in coastal state Louisiana, on Tuesday experienced its heaviest snowfall since 1948, with 8 inches falling in a single day, far surpassing the previous record of 2.7 inches, according to a report from the weather.com on Wednesday. (Photo by Lan Wei/Xinhua) (Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun) Arca Continental Coca-Cola Southwest Beverages describes itself as one of the largest Coca-Cola bottlers nationwide. Its planning an expansion of its production and distribution facilities in San Antonio, where it employs 800 people. Kevin Brown/Arca Continental Coca-Cola Southwest Beverages Arca Continental Coca-Cola Southwest Beverages bottles Coca-Cola products for more than 31 million customers in Texas and parts of Oklahoma, New Mexico and Arkansas. Kevin Brown/Arca Continental Coca-Cola Southwest Beverages One of the nations largest bottlers of Coca-Cola products is planning to spend $42 million to expand its operations on San Antonios East Side. Arca Continental Coca-Cola Southwest Beverages said Wednesday the project includes a warehouse expansion, new parking lot and a new can line for producing miniature cans. The investment, one of the largest the company has made in San Antonio, is needed to accommodate increasing production at its facility at 1 Coca-Cola Place near the Frost Bank Center. Our territory is one of the fastest growing regions in the United States, Jean Claude Tissot, president of Coca-Cola Southwest Beverages, said in a statement. Our expansion plans are aligned with the ongoing growth we are experiencing in San Antonio and beyond. We want to ensure we are keeping up with the demand in the communities we serve. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The Dallas-based company said it bottles Coca-Cola products for more than 31 million customers in Texas, parts of Oklahoma, New Mexico and Arkansas. It employs nearly 800 people in San Antonio and more than 8,800 at seven production plants and 37 distribution facilities across the United States. Its part of publicly traded Mexico holding company Arca Continental, the second-largest Coca-Cola bottler in Latin America. The Monterrey-based company says it serves more than 125 million consumers in northern and western Mexico, Ecuador, Peru, northern Argentina and the Southwestern U.S. It also distributes salty snacks under the brands Bokados in Mexico, Inalecsa in Ecuador and Wise in the United States. Through the first nine months of 2024, Arca Continental reported a sales increase of more than 5% and profit up more than 10% from the same period in 2023. A year after acquiring the Southwestern U.S. territory in 2017, the company began construction of a $250 million production and distribution plant in Houston that opened in 2020. Last year, it began a three-year, $168 million expansion of its plant in Fort Worth. Cans of Coca-Cola, CocaCola Zero Sugar, Diet Coke, Fanta, Sprite and Sprite Zero Sugar are made at the San Antonio plant. In an interview, Tissot said the new can line will be used to produce mini Coke, Coke Zero and Sprite cans, a unique product count, or stock-keeping unit, that has been growing the most. Advertisement Article continues below this ad He said the San Antonio investment includes new technology but did not elaborate on whether it entails robotic or automatic systems. Construction is expected to begin March 5. The bankruptcy trustee for Chris Pettit, shown on the left in 2022, and his defunct law firm reached a more than $1.1 million settlement with Wells Fargo Bank to resolve litigation. Jerry Lara/Staff photographer Wells Fargo Bank has agreed to pay more than $1.1 million to resolve claims that it assisted jailed ex-attorney Chris Pettit in his scheme to defraud his clients of tens of millions of dollars. Wells Fargo, the nations fourth-largest bank, did not admit any liability in agreeing to the settlement, which was approved Thursday by Chief U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Craig Gargotta. This is less money than we wanted but also more than nothing, Scott Lawrence, a Dallas lawyer representing bankruptcy trustee Eric Terry, told the judge in arguing for approval. We take the creditors lack of objections to this as continued approval of our work on their behalf. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The litigation that led to the settlement is unrelated to a pending case 200 Pettit clients have filed against Wells Fargo and other banks in federal court in San Antonio. In that case, the plaintiffs say the banks knowingly assisted Pettit and his law firm in breaching their fiduciary duties to the clients. That case may be the last, best hope for Pettits victims to see any significant recovery. Creditors in the bankruptcies have submitted about $270 million in claims, but the recovery so far has been far less than that. Pettit was a longtime probate, estate planning and personal injury lawyer who pleaded guilty to three counts each of wire fraud and money laundering related to the theft of millions of dollars from his clients. He is serving a 50-year prison sentence and has been ordered to pay $106.3 million in restitution to his victims, though it doesnt appear he has any significant assets remaining. After Pettits scheme became public, he filed for bankruptcy protection for himself and his firm, surrendered his law license and shut down his law offices in San Antonio. Advertisement Article continues below this ad In the trustees lawsuit against Wells Fargo, Terry learned that Pettit maintained several accounts at the institution including an IOLTA account in New Mexico, even though he was never licensed to practice law in the state. Interest on lawyers trust accounts, commonly called IOLTA, are intended to be used by attorneys to hold clients money for safekeeping until distribution. Terry uncovered at least $33 million of losses from the IOLTA account. He alleged about $3.5 million belonged to Pettits firm. That figure represented the maximum recovery the trustee could have achieved if he prevailed. I would hate for anybody to be confused and think that were settling $33 million worth of claims for $1.125 million, Lawrence said Thursday. Were settling what we view as the remaining claims against Wells Fargo, which we believe amount to about $3.5 million, again, of nonclient money that we alleged flowed through the IOLTA account. Gargotta, the judge, had ordered the parties to arbitrate the dispute. We fought hard, Lawrence told the judge. We litigated with what we considered very capable and well-funded adversaries. Wells Fargo is not going to run out of money to pay its lawyers anytime soon. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Gargotta said one factor to consider is a need to obtain a recovery as soon as possible. Many of the Pettit clients are elderly, senior citizens, and theyve lost a substantial amount of money, he said before approving the settlement. After giving his approval, Gargotta heard arguments from lawyers for Texas Partners Bank formerly the Bank of San Antonio on its motion to dismiss the trustees lawsuit against it. The bank has been accused of enabling Pettit in his scheme to misappropriate money from clients. The judge didnt immediately rule on the banks motion. 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 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. A Quintana Roo Most Wanted arrested at Mexico City International and returned to Cancun Cancun, Q.R. Authorities in Mexico City have arrested a Most Wanted in Quintana Roo. On Wednesday night, Arturo N, a known leader of a criminal group, was returned to the state to face charges. According to local authorities, Arturo N was wanted for robbery and kidnapping in Cancun. He was arrested Wednesday at the Mexico City International Airport on an outstanding warrant upon returning from a trip. The State Attorney General said Arturo N was taken into custody by elements of the Secretary of the Navy, the National Anti-Kidnapping Coordination and the Attorney Generals Office of Mexico City (FGJCDMX). Police achieved the capture of Arturo N, for his alleged involvement in events possibly constituting the crimes of robbery and kidnapping, to the detriment of three victims. Arturo N, who leads a criminal gang dedicated to robbery and kidnapping in Cancun, is considered a priority target of the States Crime Atlas (Atlas Delictivo del Estado). Following his capture in Mexico City, elements of the Investigative Police attached to the Specialized Prosecutors Office for Combating Kidnapping and Extortion Crimes, executed an arrest warrant. After the corresponding proceedings, they proceeded to transfer him to Cancun. The first investigations indicate that on December 22, 2024, the suspect traveled from the United States to Cancun and later moved to the state of Queretaro, where he took a flight to Panama, on January 5 of this year. After that, Arturo N traveled to the Bahamas. Also, on January 20, he traveled by air on the Panama-Mexico City route. Upon his arrival in Mexico, he was detained and handed over to the agents of the Attorney Generals Office of the State of Quintana Roo for his transfer to Cancun. Upon his arrival and processing in Cancun, Arturo N was admitted to the Benito Juarez Social Reintegration Center. In October 2024, Jose Adolfo N, a member of the criminal group led by Arturo N, was arrested and prosecuted for kidnapping in Cancun. Conservation work on the Nohoch Mul building in the Archaeological Zone of Coba is finished Tulum, Q.R. Conservation work on the Nohoch Mul Building in Archaeological Zone of Coba is finished. The work done consisted of the application of two sacrificial floors that will protect the pre-Hispanic elements. The project was carried out from August to December 2024 as part of the Archaeological Zones Improvement Program (Promeza) by the Ministry of Culture of the Government of Mexico, through the National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH). Work was done on two platforms of the upper temple of the Nohoch Mul building. At 42 meters, the building is the tallest in the north of the Yucatan Peninsula and was the seat of power of the ancient Mayan city. Promeza Coba field manager Julieta Ramos Pacheco, and one of the archaeologists in charge of maintaining the buildings platforms, Aquetzalli Rodriguez Fuentes, explained that the work consisted of applying sacrificial floors on those levels. This solution consists of covering the original elements with a layer of compatible contemporary material, which has the function of protecting and absorbing environmental degradation processes, so that the archaeological heritage is not affected. Ramos Pacheco explained that, to carry out this application, the previously used material, which consisted of stones joined with cement, as well as the vegetal layer, was first removed. The sacrificial floor consisted of placing an interface based on stone dust, which was flattened and leveled. Then a layer of small gravel was placed and finally, a mortar based on lime paste, stone dust and gravel of smaller grain size. Another of the projects in the upper temple of the building was the restoration of the joints deteriorated by exposure to the sun and wind, which were reintegrated with a special mortar with lime paste that served to fill them and vein them. According to Aquetzalli Rodriguez, the sacrificial floors were used to increase the height of the platforms by five centimeters, but the unevenness of the drains was maintained. To do this, just like the ancient Mayans, they filled the platforms with materials obtained from the same excavations. There were two centimeters, three at most, of leveling, and three centimeters of calcrete, as the colleagues who work in Coba call it locally, a combination of gravel, lime paste, pozzolanic and stone dust. All of this together makes a strong and friendly mixture, he added. This work involved a general cleaning of the platforms and some excavations, with two test pits and a trench that allowed us to learn about the construction system of these elevations and understand their structure. On platform 1, 11 meters long by 3.2 meters wide, evidence of a floor and construction filling was found, with few ceramic elements. According to the specialist, the construction shows that it was a space not intended for everyday life, but for ritual or government. On the second platform, 9 meters long by 3.5 meters wide and located southeast of the temple, there is a small altar, which was also maintained. In that space, the excavation left evidence of three floors of stucco, which suggests the probability that they correspond to the same number of restoration stages during the pre-Hispanic era. Rodriguez Fuentes is confident that the conservation work will protect the platforms for more than 10 years. Lime paste is a tool that helps them last a long time. If the floors are thousands of years old, then we hope that this sacrificial floor will also last as long as possible. Weather conditions help or affect the slaughter floor. Here, it rains heavily and takes away part of the progress, or the heat is very intense and cracks it, so certain adjustments must be made. In the case of a strong heat wave, for example, the floor must be constantly hydrated until it sets in the best way, said the specialist. The team was complemented by the participation of archaeologist Aldo German Dena Castro, responsible for the care of the roof of the Nohoch Mul temple, and restorers Carolina Segura and Carlos Monroy. The Nohoch Mul was continuously occupied from 300 to 1200 AD. Its construction dates back to the Classic period (200-900 AD), and its upper temple dates from the Postclassic (900-1521 AD), influenced by the Mayan architectural style known as Peten, characterized by pyramidal bases that tend towards verticality, with inclined staircases and large crests, explained Julieta Ramos. He said that the Foundation Rock, found in 2024, alludes to the emblematic building, where in the year 569 the seat of power was established on the Cerro del Venado or Nohoch Mul. This term is modern and actually means Big Hill, but this name was given to the monument because it is on a natural elevation, the highest in Coba. Five new hotels announced for Cancun, Riviera Maya in 2025 Riviera Maya, Q.R. Spanish investors in Madrid have announced five new hotels this year for Quintana Roo. The hotels will add another 2,500 rooms to the states current inventory. On Wednesday, Grupo Excellence announced the five hotels at the International Tourism Fair (FITUR) 2025. Within the framework of the meeting, it was reported that Grupo Excellence will invest in hotel developments adding more than 2,500 rooms and the creation of thousands of jobs. According to the group, they have began construction of a hotel in Puerto Morelos. A second of their projects, which is nearly complete, is the Majestic Elegance Costa Mujeres, which is set to open on February 12. The announcement was made during a work meeting in Madrid Wednesday during the tourism fair. Other openings this year include the H10 Costa Mujeres Hotel owned by Grupo H10, the Riu Ventura Hotel owned by Grupo Riu in Cancun, as well as a hotel in Cancun owned by Grupo Melia Hotels. During the Wednesay work meeting, it was stated that the hotel groups will announce, in coming months the amount of the investments as well as the number of jobs benefiting the people of Quintana Roo. Governor Mara Lezama highlighted the confidence that this represents in the new era of tourism that is being experienced in Quintana Roo, strengthening sustainability, diversification, well-being and shared prosperity. Those who made the switch from TikTok to RedNote are being fed lies than anyone familiar with old Soviet propaganda would see through. But that would require a history lesson theyre probably not getting. TikTok was developed as a Chinese-government digital product marketed to Western youth and operated under a secretive algorithm. It promoted anti-American narrativesfrom lavishing praise on Osama bin Laden to pushing transgender hypebut its chief purpose was probably data-mining. After the Supreme Court approved its ban, the app went dark, and some TikTok refugees switched to its sister company RedNoteboth owned by the Chinese conglomerate ByteDance. Although its hard to say how either product works, RedNoteliteral translation Little Red Book, just like Maosappears to be even more politicized than TikTok. Notoriously, patriotic and pro-Western accounts had difficulty operating on the former. On TikTok, the liberty-minded, EU-based Visegrad 24 was first banned and then, they believe, shadowbanned. RedNote, however, was designed for domestic audiences and doesnt permit freedom of expression at all. For instance, a cartoon of Chairman Xi as Winnie the Pooh apparently constitutes a content violation on RedNote. What I found surprising about the RedNote migration is that, even with all the data accumulated over the years from American teens posting their likenesses on the hot app, the Chinese charm offensive is rather lame. Of course, the United States is a large country, and some dope somewhere will fall for it, but I have my doubts of its overall effectiveness. Take, for instance, fashion influencer Kendall Kiper, whose previous claim to fame was an instruction on how to manipulate men into buying drinks. This time, the connoisseur of L.A. high life went viral on Twitter/X with a RedNote monologue typical of the newly converted Communist genre: For my Chinese friends, I just want to tell you some discussions Americans are having right now. All of us agree and are astounded at how cheap and affordable your groceries housing and cars are. Ive been watching your grocery haul videos and it is blowing my mind that America could never. A lot of us could also not believe by how advanced your country is because we were always shown and told that you are third world, like, starving country. Thats just not the case. The fact that 95% of you guys own homes is mind-boggling. It is like seriously almost impossible to own a home anywhere in the U.S. you have to work immensely hard. How about yalls law school is like $800 a year and I think that your homeless rate is like .18%. I have people living in tents outside of my building its like its terrible herewhat? I saw somebody say earlier that a cancer medication that they get is about $20 in China and they are paying $22,000 a month in the U.S. for that same medication. What? A lot of you guys were also thinking that its propaganda that sometimes kids if they can afford it, but their parents want them they put them in a bulletproof backpack to go to school they also stand up and do the pledge of allegiance every day before class starts [laughs]. This whole experience might just be the most awake and united I think Ive ever seen this country. We are pissed at our government, number one. Number twoastounded. Absolutely astounded. Kipers monologue is reminiscent of Tucker Carlsons musings in a Russian supermarketnobody in the United States is impressed by a fully stocked grocery store; its our base-level expectation. Russians, on the other hand, are preoccupied with basic comforts. Likewise, its odd for a beautician to have the same interests as that of a housewife, which makes me suspect that we are looking at a psyop. Never mind the erroneous foundation of the assumption that 95% of Chinese people own their housesnone of them do, because the country doesnt have our understanding of property rights. Chinese rent their places of residence from the government, and the government takes them away at will. Their homeless rate may or may not be .18%the country is notoriously secretive about its core statisticsbut ours is .19%, including those who are housed in some way (although, over the past decade, Ms. Kipers California collected half of the unhoused and put them in residential neighborhoods, making them conspicuous). And never mind that most of these individuals sleep on the street because theyre hooked on fentanyl, the synthetic opiate manufactured from Chinese compounds. The script Ms. Kiper read sounds very familiar to me because I was born and raised in the USSR. A popular joke conflated two Soviet propaganda tropes: We will catch up with and overtake America rolling downhill into the abyss!The official government line held that America is decadent and dangerous and that its population is getting pauperized; moreover, while this is happening, the Soviet Union is certain to overtake the U.S. in development. Side by side comparisons didnt work well for the Soviet Union. The USSR lost the Cold War in 1959, when it barely began, because Nikita Khrushchev allowed an exhibition of everyday life in America to be displayed in the Moscow suburb of Sokolniki. Ordinary people visited Sokolniki and saw for themselves the comforts of an ordinary standalone home. Contemporary China is not the USSR, but their per capita GDP is under $13,000 a year, compared to $86,661 in the U.S. There are a lot of Chinese people, so their leadership is able to pull the resources and throw their weight around, but its still a developing country. And because China is poorer, everything sold there is cheaper, while services like education and healthcare are so heavily subsidized, there is no point of even comparing them to those in the U.S. The stereotype we have of China is not that its starvingthat could be the panda bears own insecurity speaking. Our media never shows malnourished Chinese; if anything, its guilty of the opposite: We rarely see the poverty of the Chinese countryside. The stereotype we have is that its the land of cheaply manufactured junk. Which is why Americans are forewarned against taking medications from uncertain sources that might be coming from across the Pacific, even if they cost $20 a month. Americans dont realize just how poor the circumstances of people across the world are. Chinese people dont live on sprawling properties like in the San Fernando Valley. What they call home is usually an apartment in a high-rise, and whatever their grocery haul is, they have to carry it home on foot or via public transport. Chinese car ownership is not high by global standards; its a sprawling land, but they rank 85th out of 182 nationslower than Russia or nearby Mongolia. The rising Asian hegemon is not going to win the argument about relative quality of life. The USSR learned that lesson. Having sacrificed over 20 million lives to win World War II, the Soviet people felt that they deserved to live like victors. Because socialist consumer culture couldnt keep up, the propaganda machine had to explain that, being spiritually rich, meaning having a clear vision of a communist future to work toward, they didnt need 25 varieties of shampoo at every pharmacy. Russian women felt otherwisewhich should be obvious to anyone who knows the first thing about Russian women. How spiritual, in their secular sense of the word, the Soviet Union was is another question, though it enticed the West with its cultural heritage. Contemporary China with its pernicious censorship, social credit, and gulags sounds like a cautionary tale to an average American. If the Chinese Communists want to demoralize us, they are probably not going to get very far by telling us that they are the wealthy ones, that we buy our children bulletproof backpackswhich, at $100, are a fraction of what a family pays for back-to-school suppliesand that since our lives are so dangerous and our adversaries so superior patriotic exercises like the Pledge of Allegiance should be regarded as outdated. In the fair marketplace of ideas, that argument is not persuasive. They either miss our concerns entirely or overplay them. Pumping fentanyl through the open border, establishing police precincts on our territory, and promoting degenerate social media content to minors, on the other hand, have been foolproof methods so far and constitute a more formidable challenge than Maoist ideology. Because MAGA did well on TikTok this election, President Trump expressed interest in saving it by turning it into an American-run company. I hope he succeeds, but social media personalities are often like weathervanestheyll say whatever. Kiper is case in point here. We can turn off the propaganda spigot, but the core problems of youth media consumption with all its mental health consequences will remain. China stands to benefit from it. Ricardo Delgado covers the Hill Country for the San Antonio Express-News. He can be reached at ricardo.delgado@express-news.net. He previously worked for The University Star at Texas State University. 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United Arab Emirates United Kingdom of Great Britain & N. Ireland Uruguay, Eastern Republic of Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of Viet Nam, Socialist Republic of Wallis and Futuna Islands Western Sahara Yemen Zambia, Republic of Zimbabwe Pay Dirt is Slates money advice column. Have a question? Send it to Athena, Kristin, and Ilyce here. (Its anonymous!) Dear Pay Dirt, My boyfriend, who is 60 years old, and I (48) have been together for 15 years. I make low six figures, and he makes about $20,000 to $30,000 less than that. We live in his house with about 10 years left on the mortgage. Weve talked about getting married, and he is anxious to move into a home that is more friendly to aging in place. Weve been saving money to buy a house together, plus I have a few thousand from selling a small townhouse a few years ago. My concern is that if we buy a house together, hes made it clear that both of our names will be on the mortgage but it will be only his name on the house title. His philosophy is that if were married and he dies, I will inherit the house anyway. My concern is that if we split up (lets be realistic here), I will be left on a mortgage that Ive helped pay down with nothing to show for it. (This is after Ive basically paid his $800 mortgage as rent since we moved in together 10 years ago. I also pay our cell phone bill and he pays all other utilities.) He says we can write up documents showing what each of us brought to the house purchase and what each of us contributes monthly, but my gut says Im putting myself in a precarious financial situation. Am I right to be concerned, or can we put something on paper so I can protect myself whether or not were married? Paying With Nothing to Show for It Dear Paying With Nothing to Show for It, Im a big trust your gut girl. You already feel as though youre paying more toward your joint expenses than you should, and if I read between the lines, you seem to feel that by paying $800 in rent, youre a mortgage meal ticket. Thats no way to feel about someone you supposedly want to marry. I dont understand his reasoning. If you each put down an equal amount for a down payment and contribute the same amount on the mortgage, you should share ownership of the property equally. You should own the property as joint tenants with rights of survivorship. If he puts down substantially more, and is willing to shoulder a proportionate share of the expenses, then you can own the property as tenants in common, reflecting the percentage of the total each of you has contributed. If he cant understand and agree to this sharing of an asset, I wonder what else he isnt getting about you and your relationship. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As for papering over the issue, sure. You can sign a partnership agreement covering the purchase of the propertyand all of your other joint assets. You can dictate how much each of you should put in to cover your expenses and then divide who pays for what any number of ways: by percentage of income (youd pay more since you earn more) or equally. But why not back that up with ownership? Advertisement So, back to your gut. Yes, you can protect yourself (somewhat) by hiring an attorney to paper over his cockamamie ideas about ownership. Or you can tell him you want to be an equal partner, in any future property you purchase, and in life. If he doesnt like that, then either you compromise or perhaps he really isnt your forever after. Dear Pay Dirt, My parents are in their 70s and still dont have a will or a trust for any of their properties, their business, etc. We are not a family of plannersI get it. But its starting to make me nervous! I have two other siblings. My sister and I know we wouldnt fight over their things once were gone, but were both very concerned about our half brother and his wife. We are not particularly close and they are quite selfish and dont have a very close relationship with our mother. So there is some anxiety underlying their stalling on my sister and Is endless so about us expecting things to come our way once they pass, and more so not wanting to get into any legal battles with them during what will surely be a very hard time! How do we convince our parents to finally sit down and do it? They always agree that they should, but then they never do. Hopefully We Wont Need It For a Very Long Time Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Dear Hopefully We Wont Need It For a Very Long Time, One of the hardest conversations to have with your parents is about their money. Parents worry their kids just want them to die, so they can get the inheritance sooner. Kids worry that their parents will die or become incapacitated, and theyll be stuck trying to figure everything out. Your situation is stickier because theres a half sibling in the mix. Someone you dont trust to move forward with the best of intentions. Let me reassure you that death and inheritances sometimes bring out the worst even in the best people. So dont assume you know how things will play out. Your step-brother could wind up the hero and your sister could become withdrawn and difficult. Still, your parents clearly have assets (houses and a business) and they should be planning for what happens to them. Start with the easy stuff. Sit down with your parents and make a list of people you should contact in case of an emergency, like they get hit by a truck (which may sound unlikely but it just happened to a friend of mine). If they wind up unconscious in the hospital, ask them who has the power of attorney for healthcare and financial matters. This is a good place to begin a longer conversation because someone will have to pay the bills and make healthcare decisions if they cant. And a car accident doesnt mean someone has to die, just that theyre incapable of making decisions or paying bills for a period of time. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If you can get them to tell you who their power of attorney is, then you can move on to the matter of a will and/or trusts for their property. Ask them for the names of their bankers, doctors, financial advisors, insurance brokers, lawyers, etc. Make a contact list that you update periodically. Once you have that list, you can ask them where their assets are housed, what investment company they use, where their important papers are stored, and so on. Keep a pad of paper and pen handy (or use your phone or computer). Make sure you know the passwords to their phones, in case they have online access to their accounts. Youll need to protect that in case something bad happens because you wont want anyone going into those accounts and arranging for an unexpected large financial transaction. Slowly, youll build up enough information that if the worst does happen, youll at least know where to start. Advertisement Hopefully, they begin to realize youre only trying to help them protect themselves. But heres another way to approach it if all else fails: Share what youre doing to build an estate plan. You know, Mom and Dad, now that Im getting older and starting to accumulate assets, Ive realized I need to get my estate in order. Im looking for an estate attorney. Can you recommend yours? Advertisement Dear Pay Dirt, My ex-wife and I have been trying to reconcile since literally the day after our divorce when she approached me to begin the process. She initiated the divorce for a bunch of vague reasons that never made sense to me, and frankly, she seemed mentally ill so I felt a lot of sympathy. However, she started the divorce right before a multi-year probate cleared on her massive inheritance that tripled our net worth ($2 million to $6 million). In my state, there is a strong, but not bulletproof legal standard that would have allowed me access to some of the inheritance. It would have been a very costly legal fight, which I didnt want to undertake so I settled for giving her $300,000. This made the split roughly 70/30 in her favor. Turns out she had a brief affair 10 years prior I didnt know about during the divorce. I do love her and want to reconcile. She is very remorseful about the affair but not about the 70/30 split. I feel I might have been more inclined to press the issue if I knew about the affair. Note: I made about 90 percent of the money we held jointly. Every other issue we have is really minor run-of-the-mill couple stuff, but I am having a hard time getting past the money issue to reconcile. Am I seeing something wrong here? Why does she think this level of inequality is fine? Is her view really the way the majority of people think is fair? She Picked a Fine Time to Leave Me Dear She Picked a Fine Time to Leave Me, Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Do you love her or her money? I ask because most of your letter centers around your net worth, how much she got in the divorce, how much youre both worth, and how much less you might have paid her to settle the divorce if you had known about her affair. You and your spouse seem to have issues beyond just run-of-the-mill couple stuff. There are landmines all over the place: It sounds like you suspect she filed for divorce just before receiving a $4 million inheritance, just so you wouldnt be able to lay claim to it. Youre also quick to brush off her mental illness as really only a game. That she feels bad about her affair, but not bad about taking you for an extra $300,000 in the divorce, even though you made most of the money during your marriage, is a sore point. If you want to reconcile, thats fine. But at the very least, you two should consider seeing a couples counselor to talk through all this festering resentment. You need to spend some time working through your communication, trust, and money issues before remarrying, with her and on your own. Ilyce Advertisement Advertisement Classic Prudie About a year ago, I asked my wife for a divorce. We got married about a decade ago when same-sex marriage became legal in a nearby jurisdiction, but we have been together 20 years. The reason I asked for a divorce was that I developed feelings for someone else and I realized I had been unhappy for a long time. The other woman was also married and not available, but I did not think continuing on with my marriage was fair to either my wife or myself. When I left, I continued to provide financially for my wife. We live in a state that requires a long separation period and we are still several months away from being able to file for divorce. I know that she will struggle greatly without my help Jacques Audiards Emilia Perez is the most fascinating movie Ive watched in the last year, in entirely negative ways. Its 132 minutes unfold like a glittering and garish tour de force of disaster, a relentless procession of terrible ideas, terribly executed. Its also the precise sort of preening cinematic onanism that Hollywood types like to think of as visionary, which is the reason the films Golden Globes triumph was just followed by a leading 13 Oscar nominations from academy voters. Emilia Perez is a musical set in present-day Mexico that tells the story of its titular character (played by Karla Sofia Gascon), who begins the movie as Manitas Del Monte, a murderous and terrifying drug kingpin who has recently consolidated power by annihilating competitors and buying off politicians. Despite these professional triumphs, Manitas harbors a secret desire to, in the characters words, be a woman, roping the movies other main protagonist, attorney Rita Mora Castro (Zoe Saldana) into a plan to help her undergo a litany of gender-affirming surgeries (and I use litany here in its ecumenical sensein one scene the medical names of all the various procedures are chant-sung) while also faking Manitas death and arranging for the erstwhile narco-traffickers wife (Selena Gomez) and children to be surreptitiously relocated to Switzerland. All of this somehow happens within the movies first 40 minutes. The remainder of the film deals with Emilias attempted reunion with her children (who, after four years in Switzerland, are somehow persuaded to move back in with Emilia in Mexico under the ruse that she is their deceased fathers distant cousin) as well as her road to personal redemption as she falls in love and founds a nonprofit dedicated to finding the remains of Mexicans who were murdered and disappeared by drug cartels, becoming a national hero in the process. If this all sounds both ludicrous and potentially wildly offensive, you are on to something. Mexican viewers have excoriated the films sensationalist and deeply retrograde depiction of their country as a violence-ridden failed state, as well as Audiards seeming disinterest in anything resembling cultural authenticity. None of the films stars were born in Mexico (Gomez is third-generation Mexican American but had to learn Spanish for the role), and almost none of the movie was shot in Mexico; after making several trips there to scout locations, Audiard ultimately chose to shoot most of the film on soundstages in Paris. (The director has cited the challenges of shooting musical numbers on location as the main reason for this choice, but one also wonders if the Mexico he encountered on his scouting trips didnt conform to the Mexico of his imagination.) Meanwhile, LGBTQ+ voices have criticized the films ham-handed depiction of gender transition, with GLAAD decrying the film as a profoundly retrograde portrayal of a trans woman. In a terrific piece for the Cut, writer Harron Walker dissected the films laughably obtuse depiction of medical transition while also wryly noting that a film about a wealthy trans woman who tries to redeem her pre-transition self by founding a nonprofit that claims to help others has the potential to be hilarious, biting, and current, a satirical possibility that utterly eludes Audiard, whose film only grows more and more humorless as it unfolds. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Were Emilia Perez simply an abomination of content, that would be one thing. But what truly elevates the film to its rarefied plane of cinematic nonsense is thats its also an abomination of form. The films hyperactive pursuit of the gee-whiz blurbyouve never seen anything like it!has led many to describe the film as genre-defying, or some equivalent term. (The movies Netflix description uses the phrase.) But this isnt really true: Emilia Perez is a musical through and through, and not even a particularly innovative or original one. It has big dance numbers, it has characters bursting into song to convey their emotional truths, it has melodrama and flashy camerawork, and it has an ending that I wont spoil (although honestly if youve made it this far and are still planning on watching this film, I should probably quit my job) other than to say that it is nakedly derivative of countless better works. Even the notion that its ostensibly edgy subject matter subverts its genre is silly: Musicals have been being made about serious contemporary issues for nearly as long as modern Broadway has existed. (Show Boat is almost 100 years old.) Advertisement Advertisement The main reason Emilia Perez doesnt scan as a conventional movie musical is because, as a movie musical, its completely incompetent. With the exception of Gomez, no one onscreen is an observably talented vocalist, which might not have been a fatal issue if the material they were tasked with singing wasnt so uniformly godawful. The film has no unifying musical aesthetic to speak of: Nearly every song feels like a phoned-in mashup of cliches pilfered from the most banal corners of pop, rock, and hip-hop. (Indeed, the films songs and score, composed by French songwriters Camille and Clement Ducol, seem almost studiously ignorant of Mexicos own illustrious musical traditions.) The result is a cacophonous mess without a memorable melody to speak of, let alone an even halfway decent original song. Advertisement Most successful musicals use songs to punctuate moments of emotional intensitya great musical number creates the effect of the feeling onscreen overflowing the conventional boundaries of narrative. Singin in the Rain is great spectacle and a catchy tune, but what makes the scene and performance so indelible is the way that it brings to a head the romantic intoxication that the movie has already so carefully built. The music in Emilia Perez doesnt do this: The first big song-and-dance number comes less than five minutes into the film, in which Rita leads a mass chorus of impoverished and brutalized Mexicans through an ersatz Mexico City, belting out lines about the countrys misery while people around her are literally stabbing each other to death in the streets. Its tawdry and cynical stuff, but its also just artistically inert. Rather than enhancing the films narrative, the music functions as a loud and gimmicky distraction from storytelling that cant be bothered to do even the most basic work of connecting its audience to its setting and characters. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Related From Slate The Most Mind-Numbing Backlash of the Oscar Season, Explained Read More Audiard has frequently cited the influence of The Umbrellas of Cherbourg, Jacques Demys 1964 French New Wave masterpiece in which every line of dialogue is sung, describing it as a musical with both a political and historical background, and maybe thats why I made Emilia Perez. (Demys film is set against the backdrop of the Algerian War, which isnt actually depicted in the film but is crucial to its plot.) The Umbrellas of Cherbourg is one of my favorite movies, and believe me that theres not a single piece of music in Emilia Perez that remotely holds a candle to Umbrellas main love theme, Je Ne Pourrai Jamais Vivre Sans Toi, the melody of which, if youve ever seen the movie, is probably already running through your head right now. But even more than that, much of what makes Umbrellas so affecting is the understated quotidian-ness of its story, one of young lovers thwarted first by circumstance and then the complexities of adulthood before being finally reunited in one of the great emotionally ambivalent endings in all of movies. In other words, what makes Umbrellas so singular is its wedding of fantastical formal elements (namely its musical setting and its spectacular cinematography and set designs) to a plot thats firmly rooted in human realism. Emilia Perez, on the other hand, weds those fantastical elements to outlandish plot contrivances and confused moral bombast, leaving us with a message movie that doesnt even seem to know what it wants to be about. Advertisement Advertisement What, exactly, is Emilia Perez trying to say? The most generous interpretation would be that its a statement about the importance of self-acceptance and self-realization as pathways to redemption: Through her gender transition, Emilia Perez is able to access a new and more authentic life as a morally upright and positive force in society. This seems innocuous enough until we consider that the idea that suffering from gender dysphoria somehow correlates to a propensity for serial murder is also the central conceit of The Silence of the Lambs. At one point early in the film, Rita sings to a skeptical surgeon, changing the body changes society; changing society changes the soul. Changing the soul changes society; changing society changes it all, which feels like the closest the movie comes to a thesis statement. But its also a moronic sentiment, and one that carries distinctly reactionary implications. After all, the idea that what individual people choose to do with their bodies redounds to societies and souls is the driving logic behind nearly every brand of bigotry under the sun, and transphobia especially. What are we really doing here? That Emilia Perez never even seems to ask itself this question tells you all you need to know about how little it thinks of its characters, its themes, and you. Sign up for the Slatest to get the most insightful analysis, criticism, and advice out there, delivered to your inbox daily. In his (second) first day in office, President Donald Trump issued a full, complete and unconditional pardon to nearly everyone convicted of offenses related to events that occurred at or near the United States Capitol on January 6, 2021roughly 1,500 people. The sentences of 14 others were commuted to time served, and the Justice Department was instructed to dismiss with prejudice all other pending indictments. Trump offered no argument for why this jailbreak of hundreds of violent offenders was warranted, other than to begin a process of national reconciliation and to end a grave national injustice that has been perpetrated upon the American people. Thats because there isnt oneor, at least, not one that he can admit. The move presented a doozy of an inaugural round of what do you think about President Trump doing ____? for Capitol Hill Republicans on Tuesday. While some GOP members spoke out against it, leadership on both sides of the Capitol made clear it wouldnt engage. Were not looking backwards, were looking forwards, Speaker Mike Johnson and Senate Majority Leader John Thune have both said in response to questions about the Jan. 6 pardons. Johnson also added something about how they believe in redemption, though nothing in the pardon text indicated that feeling bad about what you did was a prerequisite to clemency. Johnson and Thune had and have no affirmative case to defend these pardons for people who proudly beat the shit out of police officers to interrupt a constitutional proceeding, based on conspiracy theories originating from the president of the United States. They did, however, have a couple of talking points to buy them 30 seconds of lip movement, until reporters could ask a separate question. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The best available response Republicans have isnt an argument, but a diversion: Well, what about former President Joe Bidens final pardons? Why arent you asking about those? Advertisement A lot of people are asking about Bidens sweeping preemptive pardons of Liz Cheney, Mark Milley, the Jan. 6 committee, and his family, and Democrats are giving answers. Theyre not happy, nor should they be. Bidens preemptive pardons were a fitting end to his calamitous political legacy, his myopia yet again gashing the Democratic brand and blunting its response to the coming onslaught from the Trump administration. Biden made everyone he pardoned look guilty of something, and his pardons seal the narrative of the Biden Crime Family. But Frank and Jimmy Biden are adults who can take care of themselves. Liz Cheney is a grown-up and would not have lacked a legal defense fund. Biden set the precedent for preemptive pardons, which Trumpand every president who succeeds him, until this abused constitutional power is reined inwill bestow on everyone in his family and administration, for whatever it is they have cooking. It was shortsightedness in a way we may not fully appreciate for years. Within a day, Bidens pardons provided Republicans not only a useful diversionary shield to argue that both sides do it, but a new Biden scandal to pore through. Mike Johnson, despite his professed desire to look forward instead of backward, said Tuesday that his committees intended to look backward, to Bidens pardons and the Jan. 6 investigations. Advertisement Advertisement But there is no argument of whose pardons were worse on the merits. As unwise as Bidens pardons were, at least he could offer an argument for them. The lifeblood of the Trump campaign was retribution against his enemies. Hes already begun to make good on that, immediately canceling the security clearancesor security, periodof people whove been mean to him in books or on cable news. Biden had reasonable groundsTrumps own mouthto believe that Trump would use the federal government to persecute Liz Cheney or Mark Milley or Bennie Thompson or Biden family members, even those against whom there was no case. That doesnt mean Biden selected the right remedy, when he could have allowed would-be Trump persecution efforts to collapse in court and public opinion if they were as meritless as he presumed. But he sure had his reasons. Advertisement Related From Slate Trumps Real Inaugural Address Read More Trump has no argument. Hes partially rewarding extremists within his coalition, and partially attempting to rewrite the history of Jan. 6 as a noble endeavor. (Plus, after Vice President J.D. Vance said on Fox News last week that if you committed violence on that day, obviously you shouldnt be pardoned, it was imperative to Trump that Vance be humiliated. Welcome to 1 Observatory Circle, J.D.) The president could argue that some convicted of nonviolent Jan. 6 offensesthose following the crowd without realizing the dire nature of what was happening, of whom there were plentywere overprosecuted and oversentenced. Id thought that as he approached the office and trade-offs were considered, he might have landed on a wave of pardons like thatsimilarly to how he backed down from his rhetoric about the imposition of Day 1 tariffs. Instead, the remorseless cop beaters all made the cut because, as Trump said in a press conference Wednesday, These were people that actually love our country. No, they love Trump. And thats good enough. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement There is one honest argument available to Trump. He will never make it, because it would have to come with a confession of guilt. But it would be substantive, and it would make a significant down payment on the process of national reconciliation. Trump could say that since he got away with it, those who were acting on his behalf should as well. It was Trump who could not accept or voice the truth that he lost the 2020 election. It was Trump, from the presidential bully pulpit, who platformed every ludicrous or defamatory theory about illegal votes or secret ballot dumps or Venezuelan influence or voting machine rigging. It was Trump who applied pressure on public officials from county canvassing boards to state legislators to judges to Congress to the vice president to overturn the election results. Those prosecuted for violence on Jan. 6 were prosecuted because of Trumps behavior after losing the 2020 election. He would release them, and shoulder the blame as atonement. Advertisement While Trump would never say this and does not necessarily think about it in quite those terms, the dynamic may have figured into his action. Had Trump cleared his own rap sheet by retaking the White House and not granted a blanket pardon, his core base would have been unsatisfied. They may have started asking these dangerous questions about why those trying to stop the steal for him were still in jail, while Trump never spent a night in it. A partial pardon of the friendly MAGA grannies swept up in the action wouldnt have been good enough. He had to choose his moment of maximum political capitalInauguration Dayto put an end to the issue. And he never had to say he was sorry. Sign up for the Slatest to get the most insightful analysis, criticism, and advice out there, delivered to your inbox daily. Last week, writing about Pete Hegseths hearing to be confirmed as secretary of defense, New York Times columnist David Brooks condemned the Senate committees Democrats for obsessing over the nominees moral qualificationsthe allegations of alcohol abuse and sexual harassmentrather than his views on national security. We live in a social media/cable TV country, the columnist concluded. In our culture you dont want to focus on boring policy questions; you want to engage in the kind of endless culture war that gets voters riled up. Brooks had a point, but he stretched a bit too far in linking the spectacle to our times. In fact, way back in 1989, before social media existed, the Senate not only challenged but voted down a nominee for secretary of defense, mainly because of charges that he drank too much booze and chased too many skirts. The nominee was John Tower, an otherwise qualified candidate who was named to the post by the newly elected president, George H.W. Bush. Tower had been a four-term Republican senator from Texas and, in his last four years, chairman of the Armed Services Committee. After leaving the Senate in 1985, he served briefly as chief negotiator at the U.S.Soviet nuclear arms control talks, then as chairman of the so-called Tower Commission, which investigated President Ronald Reagans IranContra scandal. (It issued a quite critical report, though harsher on the White House staff than on Reagan personally.) Despite his credentials and his recent membership in the Senates old boys club, Tower was rejectedfirst by his former committee colleagues, then by the full floorbecause of his personal behavior. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement One key difference from todays drama is that back then, the Democrats held a majority in the Senate. Tower lost in committee in a straight party-line vote, 119, and, soon after, on the floor by 5347, with just two Democrats voting to confirm him. Related From Slate Even In a Sea of Unqualified and Disturbing Trump Nominees, One Stands Out Read More Hegseth, who has claimed he has changed his behavior but also denied the allegations, would probably meet the same fate if he faced the same partisan odds today. He squeaked through the Armed Services Committee this week by a party-line margin, 1413. The vote on the floor, where Republicans hold a 5347 majority, could take place this week. Advertisement I was the defense reporter for the Boston Globe at the time of the battle over Towers nomination, as well as for part of his time as a senator, and well remember both the man and the fight. He was 5-foot-3, ruddy-faced, his hair slicked back, dressed like a dandy, often with a flower in his lapel-hole. He was not a back-slapperin fact, he was mean, which probably helped propel his downfall. When his nomination started unwinding, few of his former colleagues rallied to his defense; many, whod been on the brunt of his power moves over the years, enjoyed watching him squirm. Advertisement The downfall came suddenly and surprisingly. Looking back at my Globe articles on the subject (which are not freely available online), Im reminded that, at first, his nomination seemed a sure thing. The Armed Services Committees chairman, Sam Nunn, welcomed him back to the chamber where he had once presided, predicting a swift confirmation. There had been a few press reports about his drinking and carousingthe sorts of accounts that Hegseth, in his battle, would later call anonymous smearsand Sen. Edward Kennedy, among others, expressed dismay over these unfair attacks. Advertisement Advertisement But then, Paul Weyrich, a major Republican activist (hed invented direct-mail campaigning), volunteered to appear publicly before the committee and testified that he had witnessed Tower, while on official business, drinking and cavorting with women other than his wife. None of this could have surprised any of the panels senators. Towers reputation was widely known. A few years earlier, in the late 1970s, I had been a staffer in the House of Representatives. At the start of each Congress, staff members sat through a briefing about the way Capitol Hill operated. The briefer stressed two imperatives: Always answer constituent mail andthis was directed at the young women in the roomNever get in an elevator alone with John Tower. Advertisement Advertisement It was, to say the least, a different time. Lots of senators and congressmen got away with all sorts of behavior that wouldnt be kept secret, much less tolerated, todayand in that department, Tower was one of the most flagrant. Weyrichs public testimony simply brought the fact inescapably out into the open. After the testimony, Nunn asked the FBI to reopen its investigation into Tower and put off the committee vote until the probe was complete. Meanwhile, a boatload of other accusers and witnesses came out of the woodwork. Some of their charges seemed a bit dubious, but others were plausible and backed up. Advertisement President Bush doubled down on his support of Tower, who was an old friend from his own days on the Hill. Tower denied the charges against him and, behind the scenes, offered to mend his ways, at first saying he would restrict his alcohol intake to wine (no hard stuff) and keeping it to two glasses a day, then pledging to stop drinking altogetherstatements that struck many senators as comically implausible and tended to confirm the charges against him. Advertisement In the end, Chairman Nunn declared, I cannot in good conscience vote to put an individual at the top of the chain of command when his history of excessive drinking is such that he would not be selected to command a missile wing, a SAC bomber squadron, or a Trident missile submarine. Advertisement The other Democrats followed along, some also criticizing Towers lucrative work as a defense consultant in his brief time out of Congress, whichthough it had raised few problems in their minds a few weeks earliernow seemed a disqualifying conflict of interest. It remains to be seen whether new allegations that have just been publicly raised against Hegseth will reopen an FBI probe or have any effect on his fate. Advertisement On the substantive issues, through his years in the Senate, Tower was an unbridled hawkhe never saw a weapon system that he didnt fully fundbut also a stalwart of the old order at a time when the Cold War was winding down, budget cuts were looming, defense technology was rapidly changing, and ideas for reforming the Pentagon were in the air. Had he been confirmed as defense secretary, Tower probably would have dampened all these impulses. As a replacement, Bush nominated Republican Congressman Dick Cheney, another old friend, who passed easily. Cheney was a hawk, but also something of a defense reformer. Unlike his later time as the deeply ideological vice president to Bushs son, Cheney ran the Pentagon as, by and large, a pragmatist. (I covered his time at the Pentagon as a Globe reporter as well.) When Iraqs Saddam Hussein invaded Kuwait in 1990 and Bush Sr. responded with a massive troop mobilization and counteroffensive, Cheney managed it quite competently from the Pentagon. A Republican aide in the Senate said to me at the time, Can you imagine the nightmare wed be going through if John Tower was secretary of defense? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Tower emerged from his confirmation battle intensely bitter. In his score-settling 1991 memoir, Consequences, he heaped scorn on many of his former colleagues, including those who (ineffectively) defended him. He aimed his deepest scorn at Nunn, whom he blamed for his downfall, denouncing him as blindly ambitious, duplicitous, timid, and priggish. Not long after the books release, Tower died, at age 65, in a commercial airplane crash. He was only the second Cabinet nominee to be rejected by the Senate (though several others, over the years, have withdrawn their names before a vote could be taken). The first was Adm. Lewis Strauss, nominated by President Dwight Eisenhower to be secretary of commerce, rejected in a very narrow vote (4946) by an overwhelmingly Democratic Senate (6434), in part (though not as much as the movie depicted) over his persecution of J. Robert Oppenheimer. Sign up for the Slatest to get the most insightful analysis, criticism, and advice out there, delivered to your inbox daily. Over the past few days, President Donald Trump has signed a barrage of executive orders that feel impossible to keep up with. What do they mean? When do they take effect? Is this legal? At first glance, it can be hard to tell which of these orders are just for show and which are actually a huge deal. After all, its tradition for American presidents to issue several executive orders on their first day in office, and many are more symbolic than anything. However, as Trump begins his second term as president, some of his executive orders do break from the norm, according to Deborah Pearlstein, the director of Princeton Universitys Law and Public Policy program. To help us understand which executive orders are genuinely alarming and which are just legal theater, Pearlstein broke them down into four categories: The Totally Standard Orders Trump used executive action to appoint James McHenry as interim head of the Justice Department until his nominee, Pam Bondi, is confirmed. Robert Salesses was in a similar boat, being named acting defense secretary until Pete Hegseth is confirmed. A similar cadre of folks were tapped for interim jobs in the Treasury, Education, and Labor departments. All in all, a small portion of Trumps executive actions fall squarely into this category and are unremarkable, said Pearlstein, who added, I dont think anybody should pay much attention to them. The Do-Nothing Orders Trumps order demanding emergency price relief for American families and defeating the cost-of-living crisis sounds great, but has zero effect on anything at all, Pearlstein said. In reality, its a broad mandate for all of the executive departments within the federal government that does not come with any applicable lawand no court can do anything with it either. Executive orders have limits, after all, as Pearlstein noted in a popular thread on Bluesky: they can force other offices within the executive branch to do things, but they do not have the authority to force individuals, companies, or organizations to act. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trumps executive order restoring freedom of speech to federal employees and ending federal censorship is also basically toothless. Trump is using executive action to simply declare his personal interpretation of the Constitution as president of the United States, Pearlstein said, whereas traditionally executive action is used pursuant to a specific federal statute or provision of the Constitution. This one may come as a surprise, but Trumps executive order on TikTok doesnt actually do much of anything. Pearlstein explained that it only states that the federal government will not enforce fees or other penalties on Apple and Android for making the TikTok app available to users in their app stores after Jan. 19; it does not undo the legislation banning TikTok that Congress passed last year. Its nothing more than reassuring the companies that are now subject to the law and facing billions of dollars of liability for violating it that I promise I wont pursue any enforcement actions against you for 75 days while I figure out what to do, Pearlstein explained. Trumps action on this makes the apps future in the U.S. no more certain than it was just a few days ago. When TikTok was on the verge of being blocked from U.S. app stores, the company voluntarily shut down its services for U.S. users, only to turn them back on 14 hours later when Trump publicly vowed to make a deal that would keep the app available. Advertisement Advertisement The Party-Line Orders When the presidency changes hands from one party to another, its pretty much expected that the new president will undo a bunch of his predecessors executive orders. Thats what Trump is doing with his orders to withdraw from the Paris climate accords, lift restrictions on drilling in Alaskas coastal areas, and ban transgender people from joining the militaryall are reversing executive actions former President Joe Biden took. Advertisement These are very common switch-flipping kind of executive orders that we see a lot, Pearlstein said. They might be distressing, but theyre not a departure from American democracy as we know it. Some of these orders are more about appearing to change things rapidly without actually doing much right away. For instance, withdrawing from the Paris Agreement takes about a year and cannot take effect immediately, as Trump proclaimed. Trumps ban on transgender people serving in the military, on the other hand, will have an immediate impact on peoples lives and could very well end up in the courts. The Unusual and Alarming Orders Trumps executive orders on immigrationsuspending the refugee resettlement program and attempting to end birthright citizenshipare both unusual and potentially consequential, Pearlstein said. This is where people need to pay attention and worry and investigate further. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Like Trumps infamous 2016 Muslim ban, the order suspending the refugee program invokes the presidents authority to make unilateral decisions about who is allowed to enter the country and who is notand it will likely be challenged in the courts. Related From Slate Why Trumps Attempt to End Birthright Citizenship Will Backfire at the Supreme Court Read More The same goes for Trumps order requiring asylum-seekers at the southern border to wait for their immigration court date in Mexico, a policy he first implemented in 2019 that became known as Remain in Mexico. Similarly, a separate executive order ends the practice of allowing migrants to enter the U.S. while they await immigration court. The impact of these orders was immediate, with Customs and Border Protection cutting off its mobile app, CBP One, on Monday afternoon shortly after Trump was sworn into office. All pending immigration court proceedings were also canceled. Many of these orders demand federal agencies come up with a plan to execute within the coming days and weekswhile many of Trumps Cabinet picks are not yet confirmed. Theres a good chance this could lead to messy interagency feuds, depending on how each department head chooses to interpret and enforce the presidents demands. Pearlstein believes these orders will absolutely end up in the courts. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trumps birthright citizenship order is already facing two lawsuits that will almost certainly end up before the Supreme Court, since the high court has consistently held that the U.S. Constitution guarantees birthright citizenship, going back to the foundational 1898 case, United States v. Wong Kim Ark. Pearlstein also singled out the order granting immediate top-secret security clearance to a list of unvetted individuals cherry-picked by the president. I do worry about monkeying with security clearances, either turning them on or off as a way of empowering or disempowering people who are critical in the national security apparatus, Pearlstein said. And then theres Trumps executive order gutting federal diversity, equity, and inclusion policies. Though the action is directed only at federal agencies, Pearlstein worries it will end up also encouraging the private sector, particularly businesses with federal contracts or those who want to earn government business, to end their DEI initiatives. Those companies are still of course bound by federal antidiscrimination laws, but the governments ability to influence private contractors in this space has been important and its been in place since the advent of the modern Civil Rights era, Pearlstein said. She believes this action was designed to ultimately have a chilling effect on the countrys most influential institutions. Sign up for the Slatest to get the most insightful analysis, criticism, and advice out there, delivered to your inbox daily. Donald Trump used to be a president from New York. Now hes a president from Florida. This is true in the most literal senseTrump declared West Palm Beach as his primary residence in October 2019and in all of the other senses too. His chief of staff is longtime Florida operative Susie Wiles; his secretary of state is former Florida Sen. Marco Rubio; his pick for attorney general, Pam Bondi, was previously the top prosecutor in the Sunshine State. The list of Florida-residing or Florida-connected figures in official administration roles also includes his prospective Centers for Disease Control and Prevention director, surgeon general, National Institutes of Health director, FBI director, deputy attorney general, national security adviser, secretary of the Navy, NASA director, ambassador to Greece, and deputy chiefs of staff (plural). But its not just that much of his administration is from Florida. Many of them also have rather, well, Florida qualifications. Trumps nominee for IRS commissioner, former Missouri Rep. Billy Long, is a certified tax and business adviser, on the basis of having completed a three-day tax course in the state. The incoming White House personnel director is described on his Wikipedia page as an amateur DJ in the Palm Beach, Florida, area. And Trumps Middle East envoywho, to be fair, is apparently doing a great job!is some real estate guy who owns a resort down the road from Mar-a-Lago. All told, about a quarter of the 92 people whove been put up for A-list jobs in the Trump II executive branch have a Florida connection. The states share of the national population is about 7 percent. The agenda of Trumps second term, too, could have been created by a retiree watching Fox News in a clubhouse bar: We need to get the illegals out, end the nonsense about men playing girls volleyball, send the special forces to take out the cartels, and do something about property taxes. (This hypothetical retiree, like Trump, still owns a home in New Jersey.) How did we get here, and what does it mean? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its really part of a 30-year evolution from Jeb Bush, Peter Schorsch, a resident and native of St. Petersburg, told me. Schorsch is a political strategist turned publisher who has been running the enterprising and occasionally controversial news publication Florida Politics since 2009. (Sample Florida Politics sentence: An altercation with a neighbor led to [state Rep. Fabian Basabes] capture by U.S. Marshals in 2020 and resurfaced reports of racist remarks and waitress-biting.) Bush modernized the Florida Republican Party when he ran for governor, Schorsch recalled to me. He lost in 94, but he wins in 98, and Republicans took over the state House and Senate in 96. And thats really when the ball got rolling. Bush, sadly, plays a Moseslike role in this story, having gone on to serve as Trumps constantly humiliated foil in the 2016 Republican primary. But while Bush may have been a catalyzing figure in the state partyfive of the six governors before him were Democrats, and none have been sincethe GOPs success would not have been possible without demographics. As a retirement destination, Florida has always skewed old, but census data indicates that its residents have continued to get older in the past three decades (by about half a year relative to the median resident of the U.S.). Said Schorsch: People get on I-75 or I-95, leaving Staten Island, leaving Ohio, and end up in southwest Florida or in the Villages or Ocala. Recent studies of incoming Floridians confirm that they tend disproportionately to be registered Republicans, an unsurprising trend, given the longtime GOP lean of older voters. (Even while losing overall in 2020, Trump beat Joe Biden nationwide among those 75 and older by an estimated 16 points.) Advertisement Advertisement The state also has closed primaries, which means voters must be registered Republicans to cast a ballot in Republican races. Those elections used to be held runoff-style: The top two vote-getters in a primary field would face off against each other if no candidate received more than 50 percent of the initial vote; such a setup rewarded relatively inoffensive candidates who could consolidate second-round support. But that system was abandoned in 2002. The resulting structureand what many would call extensive pro-GOP gerrymanderingrewards and protects candidates who can attract a hardcore conservative base. Advertisement Now the candidates getting elected are the most right-wing of the Republican Party, Schorsch said. Theyre party chairs, party operatives, former staffers. Theyre genuine true believers, not Chamber of Commercerecruited, banker-down-the-street kind of guys. Thus does Florida turn out so many Republicans who specialize, above all, in generating provocative headlines. The marriage of these two demographic realitiesan increasingly right-wing and belligerent Republican Party and Floridas reputation as a great place to retireresulted in a true explosion during COVID-19. Suddenly, the state was flooded with those who could work remotely (or move their jobs) and also happened to be skeptical or hostile toward coronavirus lockdowns, vaccines, and really having to follow any rules at all, supercharging an already reactionary state culture. One figure above all capitalized on and helped accelerate this trend: Gov. Ron DeSantis. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement DeSantis has been very useful to Trump, and not just because he played the Jeb Bush roledesignated dork, I call itin the 2024 primary. (DeSantis is, incidentally, also detested by Trumps chief of staff, Wiles, for allegedly having tried to end her career for still-hazy reasons after she ran his 2018 campaign.) I think one of the things that Ron DeSantis is extraordinarily smart about is identifying issues that are going to energize the MAGA base, said Schorsch. I dont know if hes getting it by listening to talk radio at 2 in the morning or what, but he pulls out these battles on things like DEI and ESGhes got a wall of acronym trophies. He takes on these issues and they flow up to the national level, but then the national level flows down to Florida because you need a place where you can file court cases and things like that. Advertisement In 2024 the wave of conspiratorial, antiexpert sentiment generated in part by DeSantis COVID grandstanding pushed Trumpdespite his evident pride in helping develop the COVID vaccine itselftoward an alliance with Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Joe Rogan. It arguably ended up winning him the election. Advertisement Advertisement And though he does not (yet) have a role in the new administration, DeSantis influence on it is evident. In a minibiography of the Florida governor published by Jewish Currents, writer Samantha Schuyler observes that DeSantis approach to every issue is to parlay panic and fear, both real and manufactured, into greater executive power. He plows through legal guardrails by pushing administrative boundaries, staging publicity stunts, encouraging activism that borders on intimidation, and installing loyalists in the judiciary. Judging by the barrage of dubiously legal executive orders and pardons for violent extremists that Trump has issued in the first days of his presidency, this is how the Trump II White House plans to operate too. The banker-down-the-street Republicans of Trumps first termRex Tillerson, John Kelly, William Barrhave been replaced by less qualified, more zealous men and women of action. (Enrique Tarrio, the newly freed former chairman of the Proud Boys, was once the Florida director of a group called Latinos for Trump.) But the relationship between the U.S. and its most emblematic state is not entirely explained by demographic trends and political tactics. When DeSantis installed an opportunistic vaccine truther with strong connections in the kook community as Florida surgeon general, for instanceonly to later end up with a measles outbreak on his handshe was also tapping into a deeper, essential Floridaness into which D.C. is now sinking. The states twin pastimes are scamming and getting scammed. And this is a central theme in the American reembrace of Trumpism. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Related From Slate Trump Ridiculed Him With Particular Glee. I Suspect He May Do So Again. Read More Floridas association with absurdist swindling has something to do with having been largely inhospitable for more than half of the countrys history, a subject I learned about by helping research a 2006 book called The Swamp: The Everglades, Florida, and the Politics of Paradise, by the writer Michael Grunwald. For a long time, most of the square mileage in the state was simply mosquito-ridden swamp. Even when large-scale settlement took off in the 1950s, moving there was a bold choice. It was still remote and occupied by deadly predators. It was also a place where a lot of land that had been completely worthless was suddenly worth a lot. You can imagine the type of person that would find this a risk worth taking. As Grunwald puts it, Florida is a place you can go to escape who you were somewhere else. Its full of people from somewhere else who arent invested in it. And its always been a kind of blank canvas for dreamers and schemers to paint their vision of paradise and sell it on layaway. Considering how many of its residents are older people with reliable income streams living largely outside previously established networks of personal trust, a more perfect environment for the flourishing of con artistry may never be found. Charles Ponzi fled to Florida to sell real estate when he was released on bail following the collapse of his Boston-based pyramid scheme. So when you are checking the box for a president who plans to continue running a crypto business with a former colon-cleanse salesman while he is in office, you are voting for a Florida presidency. Advertisement The metaphor goes further. In picking Trump, the electorate chose a candidate who tried to overthrow the government four years ago and has since been convicted of an unrelated felony and found liable for defaming a woman he sexually assaulted. Voters made this choice, more or less, because they think he will make them rich while suppressing the price of gasoline. Advertisement This trade-offthe suspension of awareness that you are doing something recklessis the essential Florida compromise. Electing Donald Trump in 2024 has a lot in common with visiting or living in a sea-level swamp state overrun by pythons, alligators, and water moccasins during the advanced stages of global warming. You have to pretend not to know that someone, at some point, is going to have to pay the bill. You have to hope that that person isnt you. Its probably not the right thing to do, and its certainly not smart. On the other hand, it can be a good time. In Florida, the weather is nice, and the sky is blue enough to make a man forget about things like cause and effect. I dont mind going there myself and will probably be back soon. I would prefer not to end up underwater, taken for a ride, and dying of the measles, and I would prefer that the country not end up this way either. But maybe it would serve us right. Sign up for the Slatest to get the most insightful analysis, criticism, and advice out there, delivered to your inbox daily. On his first day back in office, President Donald Trump granted sweeping clemency to every person charged with or convicted of a crime relating to the Jan. 6 insurrection, pardoning 1,500 participants and commuting the sentences of 14 violent extremists who plotted the attack. His grant of impunity effectively ends the federal prosecution and incarceration of everyone who invaded the Capitol, including those who violently assaulted police officers and plotted the attacks. It also endangers the lives of lawmakers, judges, prosecutors, jurors, and witnesses who helped convict these offenders. Some leaders of the insurrection have already vowed to seek vengeancesuch as Stewart Rhodes of the Oath Keepers militia, who on Jan. 6 intended to ferry firearms to the Capitol to murder officers and lawmakers. One of the most prominent rioters, the QAnon Shaman, bragged that he was buying guns as soon as he left prison. Trumps act of mass clemency does not, however, have to mean the end of accountability for these criminals, or that the targets of their fury must live in fear of murderous retribution. Federal prosecutors have already documented how many of the worst offenders conspired to invade the Capitol before traveling to Washington, taking concrete steps to prepare for their assault in their home states. State and local prosecutors may well have jurisdiction to charge Jan. 6 defendants under state law, and the Constitution permits them to do so. These officials now represent the last, best opportunity to secure enduring consequences for those who laid siege to the heart of American democracy. CNN reported on Tuesday that Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner, a Democrat, is the first prosecutor to openly explore charges against Jan. 6 offenders under state law. Krasner noted that the constitutional guarantee against double jeopardy is not an impediment to these charges, and he is correct: The Supreme Court recently affirmed that states may prosecute individuals for a crime of which they have already been convicted by the federal government, the so-called dual sovereignty doctrine. States are therefore free to bring charges against insurrectionists that encompass some or all of the conduct for which they were convicted in federal court. Moreover, presidents cannot pardon or commute offenses under state law. So Trump cannot stop states from prosecuting the recipients of his clemency or free them once they are convicted. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The bigger obstacle is jurisdictional. States have limited ability to penalize conduct that occurred in another jurisdiction. They do, however, have considerable authority to prosecute residents who prepare to commit a crime within the state, then travel elsewhere to carry it out. Many states conspiracy laws, for instance, subject their residents to criminal liability for plotting an offense in-state even if all the illegal conduct occurred beyond state lines. Take Pennsylvania, whose laws Krasner hopes to enforce against the insurrectionists. Under state statute, an individual may be convicted under Pennsylvania law for an offense in another jurisdiction if their conduct within the state establishes complicity or conspiracy to commit that offense. (The offense must also be illegal under state law.) Another statute imposes criminal liability on anyone who takes an overt act in furtherance of an unlawful conspiracy. The act itself need not be unlawful. And the state expressly grants jurisdiction to the prosecutor of the county in which that overt act occurred. Consider how these laws might be applied to Zachary Rehl, one of the most notorious Jan. 6 defendants. Rehl was a leader of the Proud Boys, a far-right militant organization that helped plan and execute the attack. He led a group of nearly 200 to invade the Capitol, using force to overwhelm the officers attempting to defend it. At one point, he sprayed officers in the face with a chemical agent. Rehl was convicted of multiple felonies, including seditious conspiracy, and was found to have committed a federal crime of terrorism. A judge sentenced him to 15 years in prison in 2023, but Trump freed him Monday, hardly a year into his term. Advertisement Advertisement As prosecutors proved at trial, Rehl had engaged in extensive preparation of the attack from his home in Philadelphia, where he served as president of a local Proud Boys chapter. He worked closely with other leaders of the group to coordinate the siege, taking several steps that would prove essential to the crime. Among other things, Rehl purchased long-range two-way handheld radios to help the Proud Boys communicate with one another as they beat down law enforcement and breached the Capitol. He helped program this equipment, which he distributed to his co-conspirators when he reached D.C. These preparations evidently helped the Proud Boys coordinate their successful breach of the barricades amid the chaosthey became the first rioters to physically break into the Capitol. Advertisement Krasner could therefore attempt to charge Rehl with criminal conspiracy. He could claim jurisdiction because at least one overt act, the acquisition and programming of radio equipment, apparently occurred in Philadelphia County. And he could accuse Rehl of undertaking this act in furtherance of a plot to, at a minimum, commit aggravated assault against police. The Justice Departments investigation, after all, has already revealed that Rehl and his fellow Proud Boys planned to use force against officers who stood in their way; in addition to Rehls radios, they purchased paramilitary gear and supplies to batter law enforcement guarding the Capitol. And, of course, Rehl himself committed aggravated assault against police officers at the Capitol by pepper-spraying them during the attack. (The act was caught on video.) Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Related From Slate Trumps First Flurry of Executive Orders Plagued by a Surprising Problem Read More Krasner should not face a time-bar problem: Under Pennsylvania law, the statute of limitations for conspiracy to commit aggravated assault is five years. There is no statute of limitations for aggravated assault against a police officer performing ones duties, if Krasner attempts to fold that offense into the larger conspiracy. Regardless, the statute of limitations can be paused, or tolled, when the accused is continuously absent from the state, as Rehl has been for much of this time. Its important, too, that the Pennsylvania Supreme Court has a 52 liberal majority, which may be inclined to read these laws broadly in the interests of justice. The majority could also be inclined to resolve legal ambiguities in Krasners favor in light of the egregious injustice he is attempted to redress. Rehls case is not unique: More than 100 Jan. 6 defendants came from Pennsylvaniaincluding Charles Bradford Smith, who in preparation for the attack evidently purchased a military-style knife that he brought onto Capitol grounds. Nor is Pennsylvanias law anomalous: Plenty of states establish jurisdiction over conspiracies that began within their borders but were consummated elsewhere. And a large number of Jan. 6 offenders conspired to commit violence from their homes before going to D.C., conduct that may now be prosecuted. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Perhaps red states with Trump-allied governors and judiciaries, like Florida, would obstruct local prosecutions of their own residents. But many Proud Boys, Oath Keepers, and other leaders of the insurrection hail from blue and purple states. For example, Proud Boy leaders Ethan Nordean and Dominic Pezzolawho were found to have committed seditious conspiracy and terrorismare from Washington state and New York, respectively. Oath Keeper Roberto Minuta, who was also convicted of seditious conspiracy, plotted the attack from New Jersey, while co-conspirator Edward Vallejo did so from Arizona. And many defendants prepared for the attack from just over the border in Maryland and Virginia. Its no guarantee that these states courts would uphold criminal indictments against these insurrectionists under state law. But their attorneys general and district attorneys should seriously consider their options if theyre concerned about the dangerous consequences of Mondays mass clemency. Prosecutors frequently rely on, and courts routinely ratify, inventive interpretations of existing law to impose criminal liability in unusual circumstances. If this situation does not justify expansive reading of broad law, it is hard to think of one that would. By freeing every Jan. 6 defendant in one fell swoop, Trump sent a clear signal to his supporters: If you commit violence on my behalf, I will ensure that you get away with it. But under our system of federalism, the president does not necessarily get the final say over whose criminal conduct may be elevated above the law. States have a responsibility to protect the public from unrepentant felons who committed horrific acts of brutality and, in some cases, literal terrorism. They are now the last line of defense for Americans who suddenly face the wrath of a newly freed mob that is out for revenge. Rosa Parks was Black. There is no dispute about that. But at least one publisher is afraid the Ron DeSantis administration may reject its materials; so they went to great lengths to avoid mentioning her race. https://sputnikglobe.com/20250123/greenland-walks-a-tightrope-balancing-resources-brics-and-us-security-concerns-1121482851.html Greenland Walks a Tightrope: Balancing Resources, BRICS, and US Security Concerns Greenland Walks a Tightrope: Balancing Resources, BRICS, and US Security Concerns Sputnik International Greenland should be particularly careful in choosing partners for natural resources cooperation due to geopolitical tensions in the world, a lawmaker from Greenland's ruling coalition party, Siumut, Kuno Fenker, has told Sputnik 2025-01-23T11:32+0000 2025-01-23T11:32+0000 2025-01-23T11:32+0000 world donald trump us greenland denmark brics https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/107660/13/1076601377_0:160:3073:1888_1920x0_80_0_0_a63f7583a2dff0140807c5a5d6fb32c8.jpg "And with the tensions in the world, Greenland has to be very careful of choosing who we cooperate with. And we know that the critical minerals and oil and gas are security concerns of the United States. The United States has the Monroe doctrine in regards to the North American continent. Greenland has to respect that," Fenker said, when asked if Greenland was open to mining projects with BRICS countries. Mining in Greenland is open to everyone in theory, as there are currently no restrictions in the legislation, Fenker added. Greenlandic Prime Minister Mute Egede previously said that the island is open to expanding cooperation with the US in terms of the development of natural resources. Greenland has enough resources to become the "Qatar of the North," Fenker noted.The lawmaker also said that while Greenland does not utilize enough resources for it at the moment, he hopes that in time it will do so "in absolute respect of our laws that protect the environment and also protect the population."On Monday, Greenlandic Prime Minister Mute Egede said that the island is open to expanding cooperation with the US in terms of the development of natural resources.The US President Donald Trump previously called it "an absolute necessity" for the US to own Greenland, officially a part of Denmark. Egede said in response that the island was not for sale. Earlier in January, Trump's National Security Advisor designate Mike Waltz said Trump is ready to consider all possible options regarding Greenland, including the use of force. Greenland was a colony of Denmark until 1953. It remains part of the kingdom, but in 2009 it received autonomy with the ability to self-govern and make independent choices in domestic policy. https://sputnikglobe.com/20241225/why-does-us-really-want-to-annex-greenland-1121270041.html https://sputnikglobe.com/20250117/scoop-greenlandic-lawmaker-reveals-five-possible-options-in-status-referendum-1121447669.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 greenland, denmark, us, donald trump, geopolitics, brics https://sputnikglobe.com/20250123/ukrainian-pow-reveals-how-nato-masks-military-flights-as-civilian-1121483395.html Ukrainian POW Reveals How NATO Masks Military Flights as Civilian Ukrainian POW Reveals How NATO Masks Military Flights as Civilian Sputnik International NATO is disguising the transportation of Ukrainian military personnel to its training bases as civilian flights, according to Alexander Bychko, a second-class inspector of the Ukrainian State Border Service, who was taken prisoner said in video obtained by Sputnik. 2025-01-23T12:55+0000 2025-01-23T12:55+0000 2025-01-23T13:03+0000 russia's special operation in ukraine ukraine belgorod united kingdom (uk) nato british armed forces https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/104574/87/1045748789_0:0:3071:1728_1920x0_80_0_0_f8464d1f514e76066b2952bb4261d82e.jpg Six Ukrainian border service personnel surrendered near the Belgorod region border on Christmas Eve. Among them was Alexander Bychko, who had undergone training at the British military base in Warcop, Cumbria, and at the French Army's main training center in La Courtine.Bychko described how he and other Ukrainian soldiers arrived at the Warcop base."We crossed the border [into Poland] and, within an hour, were at the Rzeszow Airport, waiting to board a British Armed Forces plane disguised as a civilian flight. We flew to Britain, near London," Bychko explained.Upon arrival, the Ukrainian soldiers were housed in a hub - a logistical center for the British Armed Forces."We were issued clothing, helmets, and armor before being sent to the Warcop training center," the prisoner added.According to Bychko, NATO instructors at Warcop and La Courtine rely on outdated methods that do not align with the realities of modern warfare, particularly regarding the use of drones. He noted that European trainers do not fully understand how to operate effectively under current conditions.The training at Warcop, Bychko said, was essentially a basic training course, offering minimal preparation for modern conflict scenarios. https://sputnikglobe.com/20250118/uk-and-france-treat-ukrainians-as-second-class-citizens---pow-1121454279.html ukraine belgorod united kingdom (uk) 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 russian special military operaion, ukraine, ukrainian crisis, ukrainian crisis, war in ukraine San Antonio Police officers gather in the Cornerstone Church parking lot while in the process of attempting to extract a suspect in the nearby Sonterra Heights apartment complex at 18777 Stone Oak Pkwy on Wednesday night. SevenSAPD officers were shot by the suspect, identified as a male in his 40's, while responding to a suicide in progress call. Marvin Pfeiffer/San Antonio Express-News San Antonio Police officers gather in the Cornerstone Church parking lot while in the process of attempting to extract a suspect in the nearby Sonterra Heights apartment complex at 18777 Stone Oak Pkwy on Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2025 in San Antonio. Four SAPD officers were shot by the suspect, identified as a male in his 40's, while responding to a suicide in progress call. Preliminary information is that all four officers incurred non-critical injuries. Marvin Pfeiffer/San Antonio Express-News San Antonio Police officers gather in the Cornerstone Church parking lot while in the process of attempting to extract a suspect in the nearby Sonterra Heights apartment complex at 18777 Stone Oak Pkwy on Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2025 in San Antonio. Four SAPD officers were shot by the suspect, identified as a male in his 40's, while responding to a suicide in progress call. Preliminary information is that all four officers incurred non-critical injuries. Marvin Pfeiffer/San Antonio Express-News Seven San Antonio Police Department officers were shot and wounded Wednesday night as they responded to reports of an active shooter at a North Side apartment complex. Police were dispatched to the Sonterra Heights apartments, a 332-unit complex in the 1800 block of Stone Oak Parkway near Cornerstone Church, in response to reports that a suicidal armed individual was firing his weapon. The man shot and wounded the first officers on the scene and continued firing as more officers responded, police said. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The suspect, identified as Brandon Scott Poulos, 46, a military veteran, then barricaded himself in the apartment for several hours and was later found dead. Police Chief William McManus said authorities did not know whether Poulos killed himself or was shot dead by SWAT officers. Six of the seven injured officers had been treated and released from hospitals by Thursday afternoon. Poulos served in the Navy from 1998 to 2008, a Navy spokeswoman said. He was a petty officer, second class. Seven SAPD officers shot while responding to a call for a suicide in progress. San Antonio Express-News Advertisement Article continues below this ad The incident began just before 8:30 p.m. Wednesday when officers were dispatched to the apartment complex for what McManus called "a suicide in progress." A second 911 call reported that shots were being fired. "As police arrived, a female exited the apartment stating that the suspect was shooting inside, and he was coming out of the apartment," a preliminary police report said. "The suspect then exited the apartment and opened fire on the responding officers, striking one officer in the leg." Officers pulled the injured officer out of danger and rushed him to a hospital. Teams of backup officers approached the apartment, and the suspect kept firing. McManus posted the first report of the violence on social media. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Three ofcs shot responding to suicide in progress in Stone Oak. Just arriving on-scene. Scene still hot!! McManus wrote on X at 9:15 p.m. We can confirm multiple officers were injured, non-life-threatening injuries, SAPD public information officials said 25 minutes later. The man who shot 7 San Antonio police officers has been identified as Brandon Scott Poulos, 46. Poulos is dead. Bexar County Jail SWAT officers arrived, and "after several hours of negotiating and (attempting) other means to get the suspect to surrender peacefully, the suspect was found deceased," a police report said. Some residents were evacuated during the siege. But police asked others to remain in their apartments for their own safety. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Some residents, including Joseph Isaiah Loredo, captured and shared video of the incident. Loredo, 27, lives in a third-floor apartment directly across from Poulos'. Loredo said he heard a pop and didnt think anything of it. Then he heard helicopters overhead, and his mother asked him to check on the commotion outside. From his balcony and front door, Loredo watched and listened as SWAT officers negotiated with the shooter. He watched as police officers applied a tourniquet to a wounded officer lying on the ground with what appeared to be a gunshot wound to the leg. He then saw officers drag their injured colleague away from the scene. It happened fast, Loredo said. They got him out of there pretty quick. Officers asked one another which unit the shooter was in, Loredo said. Several officers took fire and returned fire. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Police began knocking on doors to evacuate residents, Loredo said. Police tried to evacuate him, his mother and other nearby residents but the crossfire made it too dangerous, he said. At about 11 p.m., Loredo and his mother took shelter in a neighbors apartment out of range of the gunfire. They were able to return to their apartment at 2 a.m. Thursday. Loredo, an H-E-B employee who moved into the complex nine months ago, said it is normally quiet and family-friendly. I dont know how to feel about it, he said Thursday, looking back on the night of mayhem. Ive just never seen anything happen like that. Ive seen videos about it online, but I didnt expect to see that here in this community. Loredo said some neighbors told him they hid in their closets during the incident. In a social media post at about 1:30 a.m. Wednesday, Alana Ouazzani, a resident of the complex, wondered when the shooter would run out of ammunition and how this could be happening in her neighborhood. "The only thing I will say It has been almost 5 hours," Ouazzani wrote on Facebook. "When is the dude going to run out of bullets? I am getting really sick and tired of hearing gun shots. I also do not want anymore injured officers. We're supposed to be classy, Stone Oak." Poulos was free on bond at the time of the shooting. He was arrested Saturday night after he allegedly assaulted his wife and his wife's parents at a home on the Northeast Side. He was allegedly drunk at the time. He drove away from the scene, crashed his car and was arrested, according to a police report. Poulos was charged with assault causing bodily injury to a family member, two counts of assault on an elderly person with intent to cause serious bodily injury, and driving while intoxicated. At least one family member later obtained a protective order from a Bexar County magistrate judge on Sunday. Poulos violated the protective order that was issued against him by a San Antonio Magistrate court on Jan. 19. The violation stemmed from the family violence call in San Antonio, a Comal County official told the Express-News. According to a Comal County spokesperson, Poulos violated the protective order by going within 200 yards of the residence located in the 200 block of Stallion Springs Drive, in Fischer, north of Canyon Lake. The protective order consisted of several conditions to include prohibited locations and contact with the victims, his wife Ashleigh Poulos, and four others, including her parents and children. A Bexar County judge referred him to a veterans speciality court. The judge also ordered a mental health assessment and a motor vehicle ignition interlock, according to court records. A judge set bail at $35,000 on the criminal charges against Poulos. He was released from the Bexar County jail on Monday, court records show. The Bexar County District Attorney's Office told the Express-News in a statement that his office cannot prevent the release of a person in custody requesting a bond except for very limited circumstances that were not present. Further, the DA's office said that on the day Poulos was magistrated, there was no violation of a protective order filed, so Bexar County could not hold him on that charge. "Our information indicates he was not served with a Comal Couty protective order until the same day of January 19th while he was in custody in Bexar County," the statement read. "It appears that he did not violate the protective order until after his release which triggered the filing of a new case by comal County." 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 The injured police officers have between four and eight years of service with the department. They will be placed on administrative duty while SAPD's Shooting Team and Internal Affairs Unit conduct separate inquiries. Their findings will be forwarded to the Bexar County District Attorneys office for an independent review. https://sputnikglobe.com/20250123/us-arms-ukraine-europe-pays-the-bill---a-nato-masterclass-in-teamwork-1121482560.html US Arms Ukraine, Europe Pays the Bill - A NATO Masterclass in Teamwork US Arms Ukraine, Europe Pays the Bill - A NATO Masterclass in Teamwork Sputnik International NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said on Thursday that European taxpayers would have to pay for US military supplies to Ukraine if the new US administration agreed to provide them. 2025-01-23T11:22+0000 2025-01-23T11:22+0000 2025-01-23T11:24+0000 world mark rutte donald trump americans ukraine davos nato world economic forum https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e8/04/06/1117774440_0:0:3072:1728_1920x0_80_0_0_1a76c43c5dd1ad8db52c24ab0617b9e2.jpg "On Ukraine, we need US also to stay involved and to do as much as possible to get Ukraine in a position of strength, whenever peace talks start. But I can tell the Europeans, if this new Trump administration is willing to keep on supplying Ukraine from its defense industrial base, the bill will be paid by the Europeans," he said at the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos. The NATO chief said during the annual Ukrainian Breakfast event he was convinced that Europeans needed to be willing to pull their weight because, in his view, Americans were paying more despite being farther away from Ukraine than Europe. Rutte also added that the alliance should increase its support for Ukraine in order to change the "wrong direction" in which the conflict is moving."We have to step up, not scale back, the support for Ukraine, we have to change the trajectory of the war which is ongoing, and so far we know the frontline is moving in the wrong direction," Rutte said.The annual WEF forum takes place from January 20-24 in the Swiss resort of Davos. Russia believes arms supplies to Ukraine hinder the settlement process and directly involve NATO countries in the conflict. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has said the United States and NATO not only supply weapons to Kiev but also train personnel in the United Kingdom, Germany, Italy and elsewhere, which he argues is not conducive to peace. https://sputnikglobe.com/20240701/ukraine-conflict-slowing-down-eu-economies-some-will-not-be-as-prosperous---us-investor-1119199702.html ukraine davos 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 ukraine, ukrainian crisis, ukrainian conflict, war in ukraine, davos forum. world economic forum in davos, wef, nato, mark rutte, arm deliveries to ukraine, weapons supplies to ukraine https://sputnikglobe.com/20250123/us-makes-money-on-aid-to-ukraine-kremlin-1121483037.html US Makes Money on Aid to Ukraine - Kremlin US Makes Money on Aid to Ukraine - Kremlin Sputnik International The United States makes money by providing aid to Ukraine, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Thursday. 2025-01-23T12:20+0000 2025-01-23T12:20+0000 2025-01-23T12:20+0000 world dmitry peskov donald trump vladimir putin ukraine moscow russia kremlin nato us https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e8/0b/13/1120926664_0:320:3071:2047_1920x0_80_0_0_83da04ef1f32e565bc6be8473c1d1449.jpg "And now the United States, by helping Ukraine, makes money by selling its expensive energy resources to the Europeans, by not giving most of the money, for example, to its satellites. It places orders in the country in its military industry, creating new taxes, new jobs for the economy, developing new technologies, and so on and so forth. Therefore, in each case it is a successful business," Peskov told reporters.Moscow believes arms supplies to Ukraine hinder the settlement and directly involve NATO countries in the conflict. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has said any cargo containing weapons for Ukraine will be a legitimate target for Russia. He has said the US and NATO not only supply weapons to Kiev but also train personnel in the UK, Germany, Italy, and other countries. The Kremlin has said Western arms supplies to Ukraine do not help start peace talks.On Tuesday, Donald Trump has signed an executive order to suspend foreign development aid for 90 days to assess these programs' compliance with the US foreign policy.At the same time, Peskov noted that Russia is ready for an equal dialogue with the United States."We are, of course, watching very closely all the rhetoric, all the statements. We are carefully recording all the nuances, we remain ready for dialogue, president Putin has repeatedly spoken about this. For an equal dialogue, for a mutually respectful dialogue this dialogue took place between the two presidents, again, during Trump's first presidency, and we are waiting for signals, waiting for signals that have not yet been received," Peskov told reporters.US President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that he is not looking for ways to hurt Russia because he loves Russian people and has always had a very good relationship with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Nevertheless, the 47th POTUS threatened the same day that if there is no deal on Ukraine, he will impose more taxes, tariffs, and sanctions on anything being sold by Russia.Commenting on the development, Peskov said that there is nothing new in Trump's methods. https://sputnikglobe.com/20250123/us-arms-ukraine-europe-pays-the-bill---a-nato-masterclass-in-teamwork-1121482560.html ukraine moscow 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 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 Sputnik International russian special military operation in ukraine, ukraine, ukrainian crisis, ukrainian conflict, war in ukrain, us military gear in ukraine, us sends weapons to ukraine, arm supplies to ukraine Cameron McQueen harnessed three winners for a training hat trick on the Wednesday evening, Jan. 22 card at The Raceway at Western Fair District. Champagne Bettina rounded out the triactor of winners for McQueen with a win in the top class of the three, a claiming pace worth $7,700. Daryl Thiessen angled the Archangel-Day Dream mare out of the gate from post five. The pair cleared the lead and never looked back with splits in :29.4, 1:03 and 1:32.3. Champagne Bettina took off once again in the final turn, opening up to win by 4-1/2 lengths at the finish in 2:04.2. Sant Ambroggio (Travis Henry) finished second and Final Dream (Garrett Rooney) collected the show. John and Cameron McQueen co-own the five-year-old mare, who won for the second time in four starts in 2025 and picked up her 14th career victory. In 68 races, Champagne Bettina has banked $86,207. She returned $8.10 to win from 3-1 odds as the third choice. Cameron McQueen and Austin Sorrie teamed up for a pair of wins earlier in the card as Trident Seelster ($3.60) won in 2:01.4 and Jays N Tigers ($3.00) won in 2:00.4, each in a $5,200 claiming pace class. To view Wednesday's harness racing results, click the following link: Wednesday Results - Western Fair Raceway. (Standardbred Canada) From his earliest days sitting behind a racehorse, Steve Reisenweaver displayed a bit of a competitive spirit. Reisenweaver followed his father, Roy, into harness racing and was jogging horses by the time he was seven or eight years old. When me and my dad went out and trained, I looked forward to that every day, said Reisenweaver, adding with a laugh, Wed go out and train together, and I would beat him, and he would always get mad. Hed say, Weve got to finish together! Weve got to finish together! Ive just always enjoyed being with the horses. Sitting behind them, the driving, racing them the competition. Reisenweaver has been racing horses for the better part of four decades. His father was born in northeast Pennsylvania, where he began his career as a trainer/driver, and later moved to southern New Jersey, where Reisenweaver still resides. Reisenweaver has never had a large stable (only twice has he started more than 100 races as either a trainer or driver, and never more than 109) and currently has two active horses that he drives in amateur races. I used to do it full time; I used to run a seven or eight-horse stable, said the 69-year-old Reisenweaver. Then I just kind of got out of it for a couple years. My son [Steve Jr.] has got a tree business and I work for him. But I got bored and I saw these amateurs and decided to get a horse. I got lucky, I got a nice horse, and I really enjoy it. Reisenweavers first horse upon his return to action in 2023 was Awol Hanover, who has won nine races for him since he acquired the trotter in the middle of that year. On Thursday, Awol Hanover will make his first start of the year in a division of the first leg of the North American Amateur Drivers Association Winter Fun Series at MGM Yonkers Raceway. The gelding will leave from post four with Reisenweaver in the sulky and is 6-1 on the morning line. Hes a little bit of a handful on the racetrack, but he knows me and we get along good, said Reisenweaver, who has driven Awol Hanover to eight of his nine wins since buying him. Were doing OK. Were not setting the world on fire, but he pays his way and thats all I expect him to do. Reisenweavers other horse is Gatsby, a trotter he purchased this past summer. His first victory with Gatsby came in an amateur race at Harrahs Philadelphia and was memorable for more than paying $56 to win. My son and wife and my grandchildren all were there, said Reisenweaver. So, they got their picture taken, which was nice. It wasnt a real fast win, but it was a win. In December, Gatsby gave Reisenweaver the 100th training victory of his career, as well as his 166th as a driver. Among Reisenweavers top horses from earlier in his career were multiple New York Sire Stakes winners Newyorkjoyants and South Jersey Flash (a homebred). Reisenweaver still owns Newyorkjoyants, now 22, as well as one of her offspring, Terris Surprize. She wasnt my best horse, but she was my favourite, Reisenweaver said about Newyorkjoyants. She was one of the horses that really loved to race. She would get all excited when her race came up and she was fun to drive. She would do anything you wanted her to do. Since making his return to racing, Reisenweaver has won 11 of 82 races as a driver, plus six of 47 as a trainer. He hopes to continue competing in amateur races on a schedule similar to last year when he started 61 times. I do it for fun, said Reisenweaver. And winning is always a thrill. (USTA; Photo of Reisenweaver driving Awol Hanover) U.S. Harness Racing Hall of Fame inductee Gallo Blue Chip passed away on Wednesday, Jan. 22 at the age of 28. Bred by Dan Gernatt Farms of Collins, New York, Gallo Blue Chip was foaled on April 28, 1997 at Blue Chip Farms in Wallkill, New York. The Magical Mike-Camatross gelding was purchased for $32,000 at the 1998 Standardbred Horse Sale by Chris Oakes of Three Crown Jewels Stable in Wilkes Barre, Pennsylvania. In August 1999, he was purchased by Martin Scharf of Lawrence, New York for $100,000. Trained by Mark Ford and driven in most of his starts by Dan Dube, Gallo Blue Chip raced from 1999 to early 2005 and had a lifetime record of 53-19-9 from 133 starts. Gallo Blue Chip was undefeated in all eight starts of his freshman season of 1999, sweeping all seven of his New York Sire Stakes contests including the $150,000 final. By the end of his three-year-old campaign in 2000, Gallo Blue Chip had become the richest single-season money-winning Standardbred of all time by earning more than $2.4 million. His major victories that year included the North America Cup, Meadowlands Pace, Art Rooney Pace, Tattersalls Pace and the Breeders Crown. In his Little Brown Jug Preview win, Gallo Blue Chip set a world record for three-year-old pacers on a five-eighths mile track (1:50). He was voted 2000 Dan Patch Horse of the Year and Pacer of the Year, and also won both the Dan Patch and O'Brien Three-Year-Old Pacing Colt of the Year awards. As a four-year-old in 2001, with a victory at the Canadian Pacing Derby Prep, Gallo Blue Chip became the leading money-winning pacer of all time with $3,227,861 to his credit. On his way to winning the 2001 Older Pacing Horse of the Year award in both the U.S. and Canada, Gallo Blue Chip won 10 out of 19 starts, including the Graduate Pace, Battle of Lake Erie, American-National and the Canadian Pacing Derby. In 2002, his major victories included a William Haughton Memorial elimination and several Meadowlands Open Paces. In winning the Presidential Series final as a six-year-old in 2003, Gallo Blue Chip became the first pacer in history to break the $4 million mark in earnings. He continued to race into 2005 as an eight-year-old before retiring in March of that year, where he retired as the richest pacer in harness racing history and maintained that status until Foiled Again passed his earnings mark in 2012. Gallo Blue Chip enjoyed a well-deserved life of leisure and fame in Slate Hill, New York and made appearances at fairs and equine events as an ambassador of the sport. Sponsored by Martin Scharf and administered by the Harness Horse Youth Foundation, the Gallo Blue Chip Scholarship is awarded annually to college-bound students from the New York-New Jersey-Pennsylvania area. Gallo Blue Chip was inducted into the U.S. Living Hall of Fame in 2011. Please join Standardbred Canada in offering condolences to the connections of Gallo Blue Chip. (With files from Harness Racing Museum & Hall of Fame) 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. Unsafe sleeping conditions are a major risk factor for infant death, but not all families can afford safe cribs for their babies. To help combat that, the Cowlitz County Coroners Office is partnering with Cribs for Kids, a national nonprofit that provides cribs for families in need. As part of the new program, the coroners office is collecting donations through a portal linked on its website, which it will use to buy cribs at a discounted rate from Cribs for Kids. County residents in need of assistance can then apply to receive a free crib. This is a big thing for coroners because if we dont support this, we end up getting (the babies), and thats the last thing we want, Coroner Dana Tucker said. A new partnership Tucker said she has had plans to partner with Cribs for Kids since around 2016, but was not able to get a full partnership set up before she left the county in 2019 to become chief deputy coroner in Island County. I just knew that I was going to get it up and going when I came back to Cowlitz, she said. After being elected Cowlitz County coroner in 2022, it took some time to get back to her goal, but Tucker was finally able to begin the process again last year, she said. Cribs for Kids is a national nonprofit based in Pennsylvania that promotes safe sleeping environments for infants by sharing educational materials and offering supplies like cribs to families in need. According to its website, the coroners office is its only partner organization in Cowlitz County. Tucker could not say how much each crib costs, but partners like the coroners office receive discounts when purchasing them. Any donations to the offices fundraiser will go straight to Cribs for Kids and will not be kept by her office, she said. How to donate Visit cribsforkids.org/support-a-partner Select Cowlitz County Coroner's Office Local statistics The coroners office reported six infant deaths in 2024, Tucker said. She did not list causes but said that not all of them were related to sleeping accidents. In 2023, the office saw five infant deaths, most of which were caused by positional asphyxia, or suffocation related to the childs sleeping position, Tucker said. She added that most of the deaths in 2023 were younger, while those in 2024 had a wider age range. Last year was just an odd year for child death, she said. The office reported four deaths in 2022, for which Tucker could not provide the details because they happened before she became coroner. Its not clear why child deaths are increasing in the county, she said. Before this, there had been a decrease in infant deaths after information about safe sleeping practices became more widespread. I dont know if the information isnt getting out there anymore, she said. According to the Washington State Department of Health, there were 360 total infant deaths in the state in 2022, or about 4.3 per 1,000 live births. It reports 12 deaths in Cowlitz County the same year, for a death rate of 9.6 per 1,000 live births. The Centers for Disease Control reports that the national infant death rate is 5.6 per 1,000 live births. The Department of Health tracks infant deaths by the county they lived in, even if they died in another county, Public Information Officer Mark Johnson said in explaining the discrepancy between the coroners office and the states. County coroners offices, on the other hand, only track deaths that occur in their own counties, leading to a slight mismatch between the numbers. Safe sleeping The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that babies should sleep on their back on a firm surface that is not shared with anyone. Toys, soft bedding and other objects should be left out of the crib because they can pose a suffocation risk if they get near the babys face. The first thing youre thinking is, I want to make sure my baby is comfortable, but thats not a safe sleep environment, Tucker said. According to a February 2024 study published in the journal Pediatrics, in almost 60% of cases of sudden unexpected infant death studied between 2011 and 2020, the infant was sleeping with another person. At least 76% had multiple unsafe sleeping factors, which could include their position, extra objects in their sleeping area or sleeping on an unsuitable surface. Sudden unexpected infant death is the label used when children younger than 1 year old die suddenly without an obvious cause before investigation. Causes can include sudden infant death syndrome, or SIDS, and accidental suffocation or strangulation in bed. In many cases where the infant is sharing a bed, its because the family couldnt afford a crib, Tucker said. She added that this is especially common with younger mothers. Family Promise of Cowlitz County, a nonprofit that targets family homelessness, often sees families struggling to get adequate supplies for their babies, Executive Director Sara Wallace said. It coordinates with churches and other local groups in an attempt to address that need. Our goal is to let these families know where to go, she said. Wallace said she recently learned about Cribs for Kids at a local event, and plans to direct families to it as a resource in the future. Yuno announces the appointment of Miguel Duarte Fernandes, as its SVP, Head of Growth and Commercial for Europe, further expanding its geographic footprint. This strategic hire marks a significant step in strengthening Yunos global presence and accelerating the companys expansion into Europe. The regions e-commerce revenue is forecast to reach $721.30bn in 2025 and continue to expand more than 7% annually for the next four years, fueling further demand for payments orchestration. Miguel brings with him over 20 years of experience in the payments industry, having previously held roles at Checkout.com, PayPal, Braintree, and SIBS, where he established partnerships with merchants across Europes top online payment verticals, including travel, fashion, retail, marketplaces, and digital services, helping them to optimize payment strategies and unlock their full growth potential. Top Breaking News Of The Day Throughout his illustrious career, Miguel has recognized a recurring challenge: merchants are often limited by dependence on a single acquirer or gateway, which might not be the best for each new geography they enter. Yuno helps solve this pain point by providing merchants with access to multiple providers and over 300 payment methods through a single integration and a user-friendly interface. This includes locally relevant alternative payment methods, making it easier for businesses to accept the most popular payment options in each market while ensuring that all transactions are reliable and cost-efficient. Juan Pablo Ortega, Co-founder and CEO at Yuno, said, We are thrilled to welcome Miguel to the Yuno team. His expertise and deep understanding of the payments ecosystem will be crucial in accelerating our mission to empower merchants globally. Yuno has already made a significant impact, helping clients across the world to simplify payments and deliver better user experiences. With offices in Singapore, China, Colombia, Brazil, Mexico, and the United States, we are now doubling down on Europe as the next key phase of our global expansion. Were committed to providing businesses with the best payment solutions, and Miguels proven track record and passion for empowering businesses will be invaluable as we continue to grow in this key region. Click Here To Support Our Website Miguel Duarte Fernandes, SVP, Head of Growth and Commercial for Europe at Yuno, said, Yuno is solving one of the most pressing challenges in the payments ecosystem: empowering merchants with seamless access to the best acquirers, gateways, and alternative payment methods (APMs) globally through a single integration. By eliminating the constraints of traditional manual payment setups, Yuno enables businesses to scale effortlessly and unlock their full potential. Im thrilled to join a team that is reimagining payments for the 21st century and helping merchants achieve unparalleled success. Miguel will be based in Lisbon, Portugal, and oversee all of Europe as part of his remit, further strengthening Yunos global presence alongside the companys existing leadership teams in Asia and the US. The companys global growth is bolstered by support from top-tier investors, including Andreessen Horowitz, Tiger Global, DST Global Partners, Kaszek Ventures, and Monashees, fueling its expansion across Asia, Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. FUJIFILM India has unveiled the FUJIFILM X-M5 in India, adding to the celebrated X Series of mirrorless digital cameras. Known for their compact designs, cutting-edge technology, and outstanding image quality, the X Series sets a new benchmark with the X-M5. This lightweight yet feature-packed marvel is crafted to inspire creativity across diverse photography and videography genres, making it a must-have for professionals and enthusiasts alike. Complementing the X-M5 is the Tripod Grip TG-BT1, an essential accessory for vloggers and content creators. Sold separately, the TG-BT1 enhances mobility and offers a secure grip for seamless handheld shooting. Its tripod functionality makes it perfect for self-portraits, low-angle shots, group photos, and tabletop stills, further expanding the creative potential of the X-M5. The X-M5 continues the legacy of delivering innovation that empowers visual storytelling. The product will be introduced through a multi-city launch, offering hands-on experiences across the country. The X-M5 is a mirrorless digital camera with a compact and lightweight body weighing approximately 355g, making it the lightest camera in the X series. The X-M5 is equipped with a full range of functions, including subject detection AF that can detect moving objects such as animals and cars using AI and a 6.2K/30P movie recording function, making it possible to shoot both still images and movies with a single camera. Additionally, the design features the high-quality appearance characteristic of the X series. The X-M5 is the perfect camera for a wide range of users, from first-time digital camera users to photography enthusiasts, enhancing the joy of photography. The X-M5 is a mirrorless digital camera equipped with the back-side illuminated 26.1-megapixel X-Trans CMOS 4* sensor and the X-Processor 5 high-speed image processing engine, enabling high-quality image capture. A Film Simulation dial is located on the top surface of the warship to switch between Film Simulation modes, which allows users to enjoy various color tone expressions as if they were changing photographic film. Top Breaking News Of The Day The X-M5 is equipped with high-performance video recording functions such as 6.2K/30P 4:2:2 10-bit video onto an SD card inserted in the camera. In addition, its powerful digital image stabilizer and high-performance built-in microphone support comfortable video recording. As for the Vlog Mode, the newly introduced 9:16 Short Movie Mode makes it easy to shoot vertical videos. 1. Product features (1) Compact and lightweight body and product design that makes you want to enjoy shooting It weighs approximately 355g and measures approximately 111.9mm in width, 66.6mm in height, and 38.0mm in depth. The extremely lightweight and compact body for a mirrorless digital camera makes it easy to carry around and enjoy photography every day. Despite its compact size, the camera has the high-quality appearance of the X series. Symmetrically placed dials on the top surface of the warship section highlight the beauty of the camera. The Film Simulation dial is conveniently placed on the left shoulder of the top face. Users can easily switch between a total of 20 Film Simulation modes according to the subjects and scenes, making it easier to enjoy a variety of color tones in both still and moving images. The top right features a mode dial. In AUTO mode, the camera automatically recognizes the optimal shooting mode for the scene, allowing even first-time digital camera users to easily capture high-quality stills and videos. (2) Equipped with a high-performance sensor and high-speed image processing engine to achieve high image quality and high-performance AF The X-M5 is equipped with the back-illuminated X-Trans CMOS 4 sensor with approximately 26.1 megapixels and the latest high-speed image processing engine X-Processor 5. This allows for high image quality photography with low power consumption. The camera features the subject detection AF, developed with deep learning technology, in addition to the existing Face / Eye AF. AI is used to add the ability to detect animals, birds, cars, motorcycles, bicycles, airplanes, trains, insects and drones. The latest AF predictive algorithm provides high tracking performance for moving subjects and high precision AF in low-contrast environments. 4 Set the Subject Detection Setting to BIRD when you want to detect insects and to AIRPLANE when you want to detect drones. (3) 6.2K/30P video recording and other extensive video functions The X-M5 can record 6.2K/30P 4:2:2 10-bit video onto an SD card inserted in the camera, and also supports extensive video functions including 4K/60P and 1080/240P capability. The camera is equipped with powerful digital image stabilization. It is effective not only for minor camera shake but also for large shaking that occurs when shooting video while walking. For the first time in our digital camera lineup, three built-in microphones are equipped. You can choose from four microphone directivity options: surround, front, back, or front & back, depending on the situation. The camera is also the first to feature a steady-state noise reduction function, which reduces noise that continues to ring at a certain frequency, such as air conditioning noise. Vlog mode allows users to change shooting conditions intuitively by touching the LCD. Improvements in the number and placement of icons make video recording even more intuitive. In addition, the new 9:16 short movie mode allows users to easily shoot vertical videos popular on various social media and smoothly share the captured content. New bit rates of 8 Mbps and 25 Mbps have been added to the bit rates that can be selected in the Media Recording Settings when shooting video. This shortens the transfer time to external devices such as smartphones, and contributes to shortening the time required to upload captured video directly to social media. 2. Optional accessories Cooling Fan FAN-001 * (already on sale) This cooling fan can be attached to the rear panel of the camera body without a cable, supporting long hour shooting and video recording in a high-temperature condition. The power can be supplied to the fan from the camera body Tripod Grip TG-BT1 * (already on sale) This grip enhances mobility and cameras hold while adding tripod functionality. Users can comfortably take self-portraits and low angle shots, where it is normally difficult to hold the camera in position. As a tripod, the TG-BT1 can be used for a wide range of applications from group shots to tabletop still. Amazon Web Services (AWS) announced its plan to invest $8.3 billion into cloud infrastructure in the AWS Asia-Pacific (Mumbai) Region in Maharashtra, to further expand cloud computing capacity in India. This investment is estimated to contribute $15.3 billion to Indias gross domestic product (GDP) and support more than 81,300 full-time jobs annually in the local data centre supply chain by 2030. The $8.3 billion investment is part of AWSs previously announced $12.7 billion investment in cloud infrastructure in India by 2030 to meet growing customer demand for cloud services across the country. The Government of Maharashtra and AWS (January 22, 2025) exchanged a signed memorandum of understanding (MoU) at the World Economic Forum in Davos to formalise the investment plan. Shri Devendra Fadnavis, Honble Chief Minister of Maharashtra, said, I am pleased to announce the signing of a landmark MoU with Amazon Web Services (AWS), one of the foremost hyperscalers in the world. AWSs decision to set up its operations in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region is a pivotal moment for Maharashtra. As we fulfill our vision of becoming a global capital for data centers, this collaboration will not only bolster our states technological infrastructure, but also create new opportunities for innovation, economic growth, and job creation. We are committed to fostering a conducive environment for such transformative investments and driving Maharashtras digital future forward. David Zapolsky, Senior Vice President of Global Public Policy and General Counsel at Amazon, said, At AWS, we see tremendous potential for Indias digital economy to thrive for years to come with the growing demand for cloud and artificial intelligence. This is why we plan to invest $8.3 billion into cloud infrastructure in Maharashtra by 2030. We are pleased to continue to collaborate with the Maharashtra Government to advance the States digital ambitions and democratise access to emerging technology for enterprises, public sector organisations, startups, and small and medium-sized businesses in India. We look forward to working together with the Maharashtra Government to realise our investment plans and advance Indias digital growth. Driving economic impact and job creation AWS has already invested more than $3.7 billion in its cloud infrastructure in Maharashtra between 2016 and 2022. This additional investment of $8.3 billion associated with the AWS Asia-Pacific (Mumbai) Region is estimated to contribute $15.3 billion to Indias GDP by 2030. Indias level of growth that is attributable to AWSs investment includes the value added by AWS to Indias information technology (IT) sector and in-country spending on goods and services related to the construction and operation of AWS data centres. The additional investment will support an estimated annual average of more than 81,300 full-time equivalent jobs in local businesses that are a part of the data centre supply chain. This also includes roles in industries such as telecommunications, non-residential construction, electricity generation, facilities maintenance, and data centre operations. The economic growth created by AWSs investment will drive positive impact in Indias cloud computing community by accelerating productivity gains in the Indian economy, powering digital transformation of businesses and organisations of all sizes, upskilling the cloud and digital workforce, developing renewable energy projects, and empowering the communities where Amazon operates. Building on a strong foundation AWS has steadily expanded its presence in Maharashtra and India over the years. The company launched its first cloud infrastructure region in India the AWS Asia-Pacific (Mumbai) Region in 2016. AWS introduced its second cloud infrastructure region in India the AWS Asia-Pacific (Hyderabad) Region in 2022. These two AWS Regions are designed to provide customers in India and around the world with multiple options to run workloads with greater resilience and availability, alongside low latency. Both AWS Regions enable customers to securely store their data within India. Empowering customers across India Hundreds of thousands of customers in India run their workloads on AWS to drive cost savings, accelerate innovation, transform businesses and increase speed to market. This includes enterprises like Axis Bank, HDFC Bank, Bajaj Allianz General Insurance, HDFC Securities, ICICI Lombard; startups like Fibe and Healthify; and public sector customers such as Coal India, Government e-Marketplace, Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Co. Ltd. (MSEDCL), PhysicsWallah, WAISL Limited; and small and medium businesses (SMBs) like Elixia Tech Solutions, Carnot Technologies, and Trade India. Collaborating with partners AWS continues to collaborate closely with many strategic partners as part of the AWS Partner Network (APN) to enable customers in India to innovate and build and scale digital solutions locally and globally. The APN in India includes organisations such as Redington, Crayon Software, Minfy Technologies, Ingram Micro, TCS, PwC, and Deloitte. Investments enabling a social impact To drive technology adoption and innovation, and address the digital skills gap in the country, AWS has trained more than 5.9 million individuals in India with cloud skills since 2017, working alongside government and industry. It has also introduced the AWS Skills-to-Jobs Tech Alliance in India to boost career readiness for learners and modernise tech programs of study through various applied learning activities. This initiative has participation from nearly 100 education institutions, employers, and collaborating organisations. Amazon is also committed to being a good neighbour by creating a positive impact in the communities where it builds and operates data centres, through its community engagement initiatives. Amazon has pioneered various community initiatives in Maharashtra that are driving positive change: 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 blue Automated Formulation Laboratory (AFL) Larmor in place at ISIS. Credit: Diamond Light Source In a pioneering experiment, a robotic sample preparation platform, driven by artificial intelligence (AI) was used to undertake simultaneous experiments at both Diamond Light Source, the UK's National Synchrotron, and the ISIS Neutron and Muon Source, the UK's National Neutron and Muon Source. While collaborative research between these two science facilities, located on the Harwell campus in South Oxfordshire, is common, this particular experiment has pushed new boundaries with the experiments being performed at the same time on identical robotic set-ups which were in direct communication with each other. The simultaneous experiment was driven by two Automated Formulation Laboratories (AFLs), which, after a two-year delay with customs, finally made it to the Harwell Campus. They were then installed and operated autonomously on Diamond's I22 and ISIS's Larmor small-angle scattering beamlines. The AFLs were produced by research teams from The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), based in Gaithersburg, Maryland, U.S., shipped to the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory and then installed at Diamond and ISIS. Dr. Gregory Smith, from ISIS, said, "We have discussed using the autonomous formulation laboratory for experiments at ISIS for many years, and it was only recently that we considered the idea of running neutron and X-ray measurements in parallel at ISIS and Diamond. "Getting one piece of bespoke equipment on site to run an experiment is challenging enough, but it took great effort from many staff here at RAL, from support staff to scientists to engineers, to manage this. I was pleased to finally manage to get the AFLs here and use them as intended, and the exciting results produced by the NIST team justified all this work, resulting in a truly unique experiment." The experiment investigated paint formulations, making use of small angle scattering to determine properties of the system. The AFL machines, one red and one blue, were linked together across computer networks and worked concurrently, capturing multiple modalities of the formulations synthesized. The project had two objectives; the researchers from NIST were testing the AI and robotic elements of the machines, while also working on an industrially relevant questionin this case "what is the optimal formulation of a given paint system?" By using both small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) at the I22 beamline and small angle neutron scattering (SANS) at Larmor, the experiment proved more effective in both the utilization of beamtime as well as the quality of data collection. SAXS data can be collected more quickly than SANS data, which allowed the experimental team to rule out formulations that weren't of interest. This allowed a more complete dataset from the significant formulations in a shorter amount of time, as the team could gather insights from the different parts of the system with each technique. Diamond and ISIS offered the unique opportunity for both formulation labs to work in unison at the neutron and X-ray facilities, a situation that is currently only possible in two locations in the world. Tim Snow, principal software scientist working on Diamond's I22 beamline, said, "It is a really good example of both facilities working together to exploit our unique capabilities, acquiring the best data for our users." The robotic element of the AFL prepares liquid mixtures via pipetting and transfers those mixtures to a measurement cell. Following a SANS or SAXS experiment, the data is analyzed by an AI software algorithm. The AI algorithm looks at the collected data to work out what mixture to make next and subsequently what scan to conduct next. Dr. Nick Terrill, principal beamline scientist on Diamond's I22 beamline, noted, "This is a great experiment, and an example of coinvestigation across Larmor and I22. Applying recently developed AI to explore new research techniques opens up the potential for exciting new experiments in combinatorial chemistry and materials science." Dr. Robert Dalgliesh, from ISIS, continued, "There is a long history of the small-angle scattering community using both X-ray and neutron scattering to understand complex multi-component formulation problems in collaboration with industry. "The development of the AFL has shown us the potential for new ways of working and should hopefully be a stepping stone towards the technologies that will need to continue to develop as we look towards the construction of ISIS-II and Diamond-II. Working with the team from NIST to enable this experiment has been a lot of fun and has also highlighted the need to continue to strengthen collaborations between ISIS and Diamond." While this recent experiment was focused on paint, the portable formulation laboratories can be used in a huge range of products involving soft materials. These multi-component materials are present in industry but also in everyday life. Products like vaccines, fuels and shampoos are formulated with multiple components, sometimes even hundreds. If one part of a formulation needs replacing or changing, this can cause complex structural changes in the formulation that affect the efficacy, stability and processability of the product. The rapid data collection that can be performed by the AFL at facilities like Diamond and ISIS maps the potential changes and remedies to any formulation alteration. While the AFLs collect and analyze the results, experiments like this are only possible at facilities like Diamond and ISIS where scattering techniques are openly available to users with exciting ideas from anywhere in the world. Snow concluded, "This set-up, allowing each machine the opportunity to learn from the other in real time, has meant that the two beamlines and facilities are truly working in concert." 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: Amazon's DXT4 warehouse is seen in Laval, Quebec, Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2025. Credit: Christinne Muschi/The Canadian Press via AP Online retailer Amazon said Wednesday that it's closing all seven of its warehouses in the Canadian province of Quebec in the next two months. The e-commerce giant said the move would provide "even more savings to our customers over the long run." However, a Canadian union that successfully unionized one warehouse accused the company of closing its sites to fend off organizing efforts in the region. The closures will eliminate about 1,700 permanent full-time jobs in the greater Montreal area, Amazon said. The warehouses also employ 250 temporary employees. Amazon said it would enlist local, third-party companies to deliver packages, reverting to a business model it used in Quebec before 2020. "This decision wasn't made lightly, and we're offering impacted employees a package that includes up to 14 weeks' pay after facilities close and transitional benefits, like job placement resources," Amazon spokesperson Barbara Agrait said in a statement. Agrait said the decision was made following a "recent review" of the company's operations in the province. The closing sites include one fulfillment center, two sorting centers, three delivery stations and a facility Amazon dubs AMXL because it aids in the shipment of large goods such as TVs and furniture. Canadian Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry Francois-Philippe Champagne wrote on the social media platform X that he had contacted the head of Amazon's operations in Canada to share his objections. Delivery trucks are parked outside Amazon's DXT4 warehouse in Laval, Que., Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2025. Amazon Canada says it is closing all seven of its warehouses in Quebec. Credit: Christinne Muschi /The Canadian Press via AP "I expressed our dismay and frustration after learning in the news that they intend to let go of 1,700 employees and close all seven of their warehouses in Quebec," Champagne said. "This is not the way business is done in Canada." About 240 Amazon workers at a company warehouse in Laval, a Montreal suburb, unionized in May, becoming the first of the tech company's Canadian warehouses to do so. Amazon challenged the union's right to represent the workers but lost at a provincial labor tribunal in October. Caroline Senneville, president of the union involved with the organizing in Laval, said she has "no doubt" that Wednesday's closures, which she called "a slap in the face for all Quebec workers," were part of an anti-union campaign. "It's a move that runs counter to the provisions of the Labour Code, and one we'll be taking a firm stand against," she said in a press release. Michael Lynk, a Western University professor emeritus of law, said he saw Amazon's move as "a labor relations 'Groundhog Day'" for Quebec, where a similar situation played out 20 years ago with Walmart Canada. Walmart closed a store in Jonquiere, Quebec, citing profitability troubles just months after workers there received union certification. The United Food and Commercial Workers Union decided to fight back and, in 2014, the Supreme Court of Canada agreed Walmart violated Quebec labor law. 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: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain Pension funds are investment pools that manage people's retirement savings. They aim to encourage long-term saving and provide financial security for retirees. But some pension funds in the US, UK and elsewhere have recently begun investing in cryptocurrencies, an asset class renowned for its volatility. In the US, for example, Bitcoin derivatives such as exchange-traded funds (ETFs) are becoming a popular choice for pension schemes in the states of Wisconsin and Michigan. ETFs are baskets of investments that can be bought and sold on a stock exchange and aim to replicate the performance of a given market. Bitcoin and Ethereum ETFs track the prices of these cryptocurrencies, offering fund managers exposure without the need to buy or manage digital assets directly. The interest in cryptocurrencies is being driven by their surging price. In December 2024, on the back of Donald Trump's endorsement of digital assets throughout his presidential election campaign, the price of Bitcoin hit US$100,000 (81,600) for the first time in history. It then shot to around US$110,000 on the day of Trump's inauguration. This surge has the potential to generate substantial short-term profits for investors, including pension funds. But pension funds operate under strict fiduciary dutiesa set of legal and ethical obligations requiring them to prioritize low-risk, stable investments over speculative opportunities. And some experts have raised concerns about whether the move into crypto could undermine the stability of people's pensions. Daniel Wiltshire, an actuary at financial planner Wiltshire Wealth, told Sky News in November 2024 that one unnamed UK pension scheme was "deeply irresponsible" for investing 3% of their assets in Bitcoin. Cryptocurrencies are infamous for their volatility, risk of fraud, and susceptibility to speculative price bubbles. The value of a cryptocurrency is largely derived from collective belief and perception rather than intrinsic financial fundamentals. This makes cryptocurrencies vulnerable to manipulation and rapid shifts in sentiment. So, should this trend continue and pension fund managers invest heavily in cryptocurrencies, then a crypto price crash could jeopardize retirees' savings. Such a crash has happened before. In 2022, Canada's Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan lost a US$95 million investment after the FTX crypto exchange failed. Following this loss, the fund decided to avoid further investments in crypto due to high uncertainty. Despite Trump's endorsement, there is still a possibility that the current Bitcoin price boom is yet another bubble. Cryptocurrencies remain relatively new as an asset class, so the lack of long-term performance data makes it difficult to assess their suitability for inclusion in a pension fund portfolio. However, pension funds are under increasing pressure to explore alternative investment options to enhance returns. Larry Fink, the CEO of American investment company BlackRock, warned in March 2024 that America's aging population had put the US retirement system under "immense strain." In the UK, analysts predict that the pension system will reach a crisis point within the next two decades. This may result in retirees receiving less than expected, and seeing a significant drop in their living standards. Crypto derivatives could be seen as one of the few viable solutions to meet countries' growing retirement commitments. Crypto's long-term value The bottom line is whether Bitcoin and Ethereum prices will continue to grow. Crypto advocates believe that Bitcoin's scarcity, driven by its fixed supply cap of 21 million coins, suggests its value should increase over time. In contrast, skeptics question why something without any tangible value should cost anything at all. Almost 95% of Bitcoin has already been "mined," or created. As the available supply diminishes, the mining process becomes increasingly difficult and energy intensivea deliberate design feature of the Bitcoin network. Miners need to use more advanced hardware and consume more electricity to compete in solving the mathematical puzzles required to create new Bitcoins. As a result, only the largest mining pools (groups of miners who combine their hardware to increase computational power) will be able to compete in and profit from the current cryptocurrency boom. The cost of mining is often cited as justification for Bitcoin's fundamental value, as it reflects the resources and energy required to produce it. However, once mining ceases and Bitcoin reaches its full supply, miners will shift to relying solely on transaction fees charged to Bitcoin users to incentivize their maintenance of the network's security and integrity. This raises questions about Bitcoin's long-term value and utility for regular users. If transaction fees become excessively high, Bitcoin could lose its appeal for frequent transactions, limiting its functionality as a medium of exchange. The ease with which powerful and influential people can leverage and disrupt the crypto market further contributes to the uncertainty surrounding Bitcoin's future. Trump launched his own cryptocurrencyor "meme coin"perfectly timed just before his inauguration. Over the pre-inauguration weekend, $TRUMP coin's market capitalization soared to US$15.1 billion. Not to be outdone, First Lady Melania Trump followed suit and launched her own crypto coin. While some customers may push for pension funds to break away from their conventional low-risk ethos and explore opportunities in the volatile crypto market, the risks cannot be ignored. High market volatility, regulatory uncertainty and potential misalignment with long-term investment goals pose significant challenges. Pension funds must carefully balance the demand for innovation with their responsibility to protect retirees' savings, ensuring any foray into crypto is both prudent and sustainable. 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: US President Donald Trump announced a major investment to build infrastructure for artificial intelligence led by Japanese giant SoftBank and ChatGPT-maker OpenAI. Tech titan Elon Musk cast doubt Wednesday on a $500 billion AI project announced by US President Donald Trump, saying the money promised for the investment actually wasn't there. The comments marked a rare instance of a split between the world's richest man and Trump, with Musk playing a key role in the newly installed administration after spending $270 million on the election campaign. In his first full day in the White House, Trump on Tuesday announced a major investment to build infrastructure for artificial intelligence led by Japanese giant SoftBank and ChatGPT-maker OpenAI. Trump said the venture, called Stargate, "will invest $500 billion, at least, in AI infrastructure in the United States." But in a post on his social media platform X, Musk said the main investors "don't actually have the money." "SoftBank has well under $10B secured. I have that on good authority," Musk added in a subsequent post. 'Wrong' Musk's swipe could be particularly targeted at OpenAI, the world's leading AI startup that Musk helped found before leaving in 2018. The Tesla boss and OpenAI chief executive Sam Altman, who was present at the White House on Tuesday, have been mired in a serious feud with Musk opening repeated lawsuits against the company behind ChatGPT. "Wrong, as you surely know. Want to come visit the first site already under way?" Altman replied to Musk on X. "This is great for the country. I realize what is great for the country isn't always what's optimal for your companies, but in your new role I hope you'll mostly put (country) first," he added. OpenAI is one of the world's highest valued startups but loses money on the high costs of turning out its expensive technology. According to the Wall Street Journal, cloud giant Oracle, which is also involved, has about $11 billion in cash and securities. SoftBank has roughly $30 billion of cash on hand. "The American people should take President Trump and those CEOs words for it. These investments are coming to our great country and American jobs are coming along with them," Trump's spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt told Fox News. The Stargate project is committed to invest an initial $100 billion in the project, and up to $500 billion over the next four years. Abu Dhabi's AI-focused state fund MGX and Oracle are also providing funding for the project, while SoftBank-owned Arm, Microsoft and Nvidia will be technology partners. According to the companies, the project is initially building a data center operation in Texas, where construction is already underway. Ahead of taking office, Trump this month unveiled a $20 billion Emirati investment in US data centers, as well as a previous investment pledge from SoftBank. 'Immediately' SoftBank, headed by flamboyant Japanese tycoon Masayoshi Sonwho announced Stargate on Tuesday with Trump, Altman and Oracle boss Larry Ellisondeclined to comment. In its statement on Tuesday the Japanese investment group said it would "begin deploying $100 billion immediately" for the project. The firm's shares were up around six percent on Thursday, having added more than 10 percent on Wednesday. Technology news outlet Information said that SoftBank and OpenAI each plan to commit $19 billion of capital to Stargate, Bloomberg News reported. The two companies would then both own 40 percent of it, the Information said, citing comments by Altman to colleagues. It added that Oracle and MGX would contribute about $7 billion apiece, with the rest of the money coming from limited partners and debt financing. Son, 67, founded SoftBank in his 20s. He made spectacularly successful early bets on Yahoo! and Alibaba but also some disastrous investments such as in WeWork. In Trump's first term the rags-to-riches investor promised SoftBank would invest $50 billion in the United States and create 50,000 jobs. Appearing alongside the then US president-elect in December, Son said he would now "double down" with $100 billion and generate employment for 100,000 Americans. 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: "There's a disconnect between what LLMs know and what people think they know," says Mark Steyvers. Credit: Steve Zylius/UCI As AI tools like ChatGPT become more mainstream in day-to-day tasks and decision-making processes, the ability to trust and decipher errors in their responses is critical. A new study by cognitive and computer scientists at the University of California, Irvine finds people generally overestimate the accuracy of large language model (LLM) outputs. But with some tweaks, says lead author Mark Steyvers, cognitive sciences professor and department chair, these tools can be trained to provide explanations that enable users to gauge uncertainty and better distinguish fact from fiction. "There's a disconnect between what LLMs know and what people think they know," said Steyvers. "We call this the calibration gap. At the same time, there's also a discrimination gaphow well humans and models can distinguish between correct and incorrect answers. Our study looks at how we can narrow these gaps." The findings, published online in Nature Machine Intelligence, are some of the first to explore how LLMs communicate uncertainty. The research team included cognitive sciences graduate students Heliodoro Tejeda, Xinyue Hu and Lukas Mayer; Aakriti Kumar, '24 Ph.D.; and Sheer Karny, junior specialist. They were joined by Catarina Belem, graduate student, and Padhraic Smyth, Distinguished Professor and director of the Data Science Initiative from computer science. Currently, LLMsincluding ChatGPTdon't automatically supply language in responses that indicate the tool's level of confidence in its accuracy. This can mislead users, says Steyvers, as responses can oftentimes appear confidently wrong. With this in mind, researchers created a set of online experiments to provide insight on human and LLM perception of AI-assisted responses. They recruited 301 native English-speaking participants in the U.S., 284 of whom provided demographic data, resulting in a split of 51% female, 49% male and a median age of 34. Participants were randomly assigned sets of 40 multiple choice and short-answer questions from the Massive Multitask Language Understanding dataseta comprehensive question bank ranging in difficulty from high school to professional level, covering topics in STEM, humanities, social sciences and other fields. For the first experiment, participants were provided default LLM-generated answers to each question, and they had to decide the likelihood that the responses were correct. The research team found that participants consistently overestimated the reliability of LLM outputs; standard explanations did not enable them to judge the likelihood of correctness, leading to a misalignment between perception and reality of the LLM's accuracy. "This tendency toward overconfidence in LLM capabilities is a significant concern, particularly in scenarios where critical decisions rely on LLM-generated information," he said. "The inability of users to discern the reliability of LLM responses not only undermines the utility of these models, but also poses risks in situations where user understanding of model accuracy is critical." The next experiment used the same 40-question/LLM-provided answer format, but instead of a singular, default LLM response to each question, the research team manipulated the prompts so that each answer choice included uncertainty language that was linked to the LLM's internal confidence. Phrasing indicated the LLM's level of confidence in accuracylow ("I am not sure the answer is A"), medium ("I am somewhat sure the answer is A") and high ("I am sure the Answer is A")alongside explanations of varying lengths. Researchers found that providing uncertainty language strongly influenced human confidence. Low confidence LLM explanations corresponded to significantly lower human confidence in accuracy over those marked by the LLM as medium, with a similar pattern emerging for medium vs. high confidence explanations. Additionally, the length of the explanations also affected human confidence in the LLM answers. Participants had higher confidence in longer explanations over shorter ones, even when the extra length didn't improve answer accuracy. Taken together, the findings underscore the importance of uncertainty communication and the effect of explanation length in influencing user trust in AI-assisted decision-making environments, said Steyvers. "By modifying the language of LLM responses to better reflect model confidence, users can improve calibration in their assessment of LLMs' reliability and are better able to discriminate between correct and incorrect answers," he said. "This highlights the need for transparent communication from LLMs, suggesting a need for more research on how model explanations affect user perception." More information: Mark Steyvers et al, What large language models know and what people think they know, Nature Machine Intelligence (2025). DOI: 10.1038/s42256-024-00976-7 Journal information: Nature Machine Intelligence 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: Solen Feyissa on Unsplash It's been a whiplashing January for TikTok and the app's more than 100 million U.S.-based users. Just days before a national ban was slated to go into effect, the company failed in its last-ditch effort to appeal against the law, as the Supreme Court decided in favor of the U.S. government. Even though the law merely restricted the app from being listed on app stores, on Jan. 19 TikTok barred U.S. users from the platform wholesale. Yet scarcely 12 hours later, TikTok pressed play on its services again. In a statement explaining its return to operation, the company's CEO, Shou Chew, cited comments from Donald Trump in which the president indicated he would work to reverse the ban after taking office the next day. Given the rapid developmentswhich have involved all three branches of government and have spanned two presidenciesTikTok's fate remains far from certain. The turmoil has raised questions about the relationship between the U.S. and China, including for many TikTok users who might not otherwise have paid much attention to the geopolitical tensions. UC San Diego Today spoke with professor Victor Shih, director of the UC San Diego School of Global Policy and Strategy's s 21st Century China Center, to learn more about why TikTok has faced so much scrutiny in the U.S., as well as what implications a ban could have for relations between the two countries. What's the relationship between TikTok and the Chinese Communist Party? TikTok is a private company, and it's now registered offshore from Chinabut, of course, historically most of its operation has been in China. As of five or six years ago, maybe even a bit longer, the Chinese government has required large, private companies to have branches of the Chinese Communist Party within the company structure. For the Chinese equivalent of TikTok, Douyin, there's a party committee in the company. And the parent company, ByteDance, which is located in China, also has a Chinese Communist Party branch. Most of the people in the party committee would not be full-time government officialsthey're just workers or executives who had already belonged to the party. That's actually a common thing to happen. You will soon be recruited into the party at a university or in the workplace, and a lot of people do it just to advance their careers. There are certain requirements for joining the party, and the No. 1 requirement is that you have to obey the party no matter what. I think that's where a lot of U.S. lawmakers and people in the government really have an issue. More recently, within the past four years, the party has demanded top tech companies to give part of their shares to entities of the Chinese government. So China has sovereign wealth funds. Through that mechanism, the government becomes a minority shareholder of these tech companies, so then it can send members to the management boards of these tech companies, and these board members are full-time Chinese government officials. How has this relationship between ByteDance and the party played into Chinese President Xi Jinping's larger goals? Xi Jinping recognizes the power of social media and the internet in generalnot really as something to control people's minds with, but certainly something to use to sway people's opinions. He has ordered internet companies in China to work for the party on behalf of the party. It's very well known that the Chinese counterpart of TikTok is ordered by the Chinese government to convey propaganda to users within China all the time, even if TikTok claims that it doesn't do that for audiences outside of China. Xi has also said that he wants users around the world, not just in China, to use Chinese technology. And of course, TikTok has been the most successful case of this, certainly on the software side: it's used by over a billion users worldwide. Is there reason for the U.S. to be legitimately concerned about how TikTok might make users' personal data available to the Chinese government? I don't buy the argument that we should be alarmed how the Chinese government can get all this data on users from TikTokbecause all the other internet platforms active in the U.S. already sell user data to data brokers, and China can obtain it that way. To be clear, I'm sure TikTok is feeding some data to the Chinese government; I'm just saying that it's probably not that much worse than what they could do already using all the other sources of data. The other worry is that TikTok is so powerful, and that it's used by so many people that the people behind the app can bias the politics within the United States. I think that TikTok does have the potential to do that. But then, compare that with other people who are influencing opinion on social media. You have to ask yourself, "Who has done more damage to the quality of American democracy: Elon Musk or TikTok?" Is the ban a wise move? How could it affect relations between the two countries? It's really difficult to assess because former government officials, sometimes at 21st Century China Center events, will say, "If only you knew what we knew, you would definitely support the ban." But we don't know what they know. One consideration is that the Chinese government has banned pretty much all of our social media and search platforms, including Facebook, Instagram and Google. From a pure competitive technology perspective: I don't think the ban is optimal, but at least it's fair game. But of course, TikTok has great currency in the United States: people make a living off of TikTok, so a ban is going to affect them, and as a result, for domestic political reasons it may not be the smartest thing to do. San Antonio's first flight to Frankfurt, Germany, took off from San Antonio International Airport Friday night. A small crowd of city officials, airport employees and press welcomed the Condor Airlines aircraft, which landed around 6:30. Ethan Rocke/Ethan E. Rocke/Contributor German leisure airline Condor pulled the plug on San Antonio's first trans-Atlantic service after just one summer but experts say losing the Frankfurt flight probably wont undermine the city's efforts to land new overseas destinations. Yet, the setback could give airlines one more reason to pause as they consider whether to offer international service out of San Antonio International Airport. This is a data point that shows one airline came here, tried and it didnt work, said Ahmed Abdelghany, associate dean of research at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical Universitys college of business in Daytona Beach, Fla. Its a scary data point. Advertisement Article continues below this ad But airlines wouldn't take a pass on San Antonio just because of another companys failed venture, he added they'll do their own research. Condor spiked its San Antonio-Frankfurt route and several others in the U.S. just days before Christmas, after the German Federal Court of Justice overturned a measure that required German giant Lufthansa to provide feeder flights to Condors network. The measure had allowed passengers from North American cities to fly on Condor to Frankfurt and catch connecting flights on Lufthansa, which used to own Condor, with the same ticket. That court ruling has yet to be finalized, a Condor spokesperson said. Aviation industry experts have long said San Antonio faces significant obstacles in its pursuit of trans-Atlantic service, such as a dearth of Fortune 500 corporate headquarters or other large companies that do business in Europe. But it matters that Condor decided to pull out of San Antonio not because it misjudged the strength of the market but because of a court ruling in Germany. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Airlines will look at their own business, said Kenneth Button, a George Mason University professor emeritus who specializes in transportation policy. They may look at what happened with Condor," he said. "But if youve had a situation where theres been some constraints on what Condor could do because these linkages with routes, then they will probably say, 'Well, we wouldnt do that wed run it differently.' Condors size is one reason its departure isnt catastrophic for San Antonio it would have been a major blow if one of major airlines had fled, said Keith Debbage, a professor emeritus at the University of North Carolina-Greensboro and an analyst focused on the geography of airline networks. For perspective: at the end of 2023, Lufthansa had a fleet of 721 aircraft compared to the 50 that Condor owns or leases. Advertisement Article continues below this ad If Air France, British Airways, Lufthansa or an equivalent airline is failing in the San Antonio market, that would have significant ramifications for San Antonios European aspirations, Debbage said. The fact that its Condor obviously you dont want to see that happen, but the failure of that route is tied up more with whats happening at the German end and their regulatory market that led to this end result. This isn't the first hit the city has taken from Condor. The route looked a bit shaky from day one, with inaugural flights landing and taking off on a half-empty plane. About 150 people were on the first Frankfurt-to-San Antonio flight, and 200 travelers flew out of San Antonio to Germany that same day leaving more than enough room on the 310-seat A330neo, a wide-body airliner manufactured by European conglomerate Airbus. Advertisement Article continues below this ad And in June, Condor said that next summers route would only be offered two days per week instead of three. Texas' sweltering summers, too few must-see attractions for tourists and too few business travelers could have stymied the flights performance, industry experts have speculated. Those same factors could make winning new trans-Atlantic service that much more difficult. 'Relentless pursuit' A Condor spokesperson said in a statement that the German courts interim decision came after years of legal wrangling between Lufthansa and Condor over the commercial agreement between the two airlines for feeder flights across Europe and Lufthansas legal obligation to grant access to Condor given Lufthansas dominant market position. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Condor also suspended seasonal summer service from Frankfurt to the U.S. cities of Baltimore, Maryland; Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minnesota; and Phoenix, Arizona, as well as Edmonton and Halifax in Canada. In San Antonio, the flight was offered May 17 through Sept. 6 on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. City officials credited the Condor route with helping increase travel between Europe and San Antonio. With Condors nonstop service, the number of passengers flying from SAT to Europe increased 30 percent this summer, reaching nearly 450 passengers daily in each direction, positioning the region to compete for future transatlantic service, they said in a news release announcing the end of the service to Frankfurt. Missing from the statement? Hard numbers on how the route itself performed. Airlines and airports are tight-lipped about such details. Airport Director Jesus Saenz said reconnecting the city to Europe would be a top priority. He told the Express-News his staff is staying in contact with Condor while also reaching out to other airlines who could provide future trans-Atlantic service. This month, the European Commission seemed open to reinstating Condor's access to Lufthansa's feeder flights from Frankfurt but has yet to issue a final order. But even if Lufthansa is required to resume the flights, a Condor spokesperson said, San Antonio's Frankfurt flight wouldn't be renewed this summer. However, the company will "always be considering potential changes in the circumstances in order to decide to get back to SAT or not," the spokesperson added. Saenz said the airport is continuing to press for a trans-Atlantic destination, whether it's flight to Frankfurt, London or cities in Spain, but he and his staff also have their sights set on destinations in Mexico, Central and South America. That is an ongoing and relentless pursuit for us, Saenz said. He wouldnt say which destinations the city is prioritizing. He said all of them are getting attention. Every day changes, he said. Business leaders have had their say on favored destinations over the past few years. Before Condor announced its San Antonio-Frankfurt route in late 2023, greater: SATX, which leads economic development efforts in San Antonio, and Visit San Antonio, which markets the city to convention planners and leisure travelers, had identified 18 high-priority destinations in the U.S., Canada and Mexico, as well as Frankfurt and London. Data compiled in 2023 by the two organizations, both public-private nonprofits, showed that 42 passengers a day went through San Antonio International on their way to or from London, along with 31 headed to or from Frankfurt. That works out to 30,660 passengers a year going back and forth to London and 22,630 flying to and from Frankfurt. And those passengers were taking one or more connecting flights to get there. San Antonio saw the most visitors come from Mexico, Canada, the United Kingdom, China, and South Korea in 2019, according to Oxford Economics data provided by Visit San Antonio. Oxford Economics expects that Mexico, Canada, U.K., Germany and South Korea will be the top five places that visitors came from in 2024, but official data wont be available until August. Visit San Antonio launched its first campaign to promote San Antonio overseas in 2022 and has been marketing the city in London, Frankfurt, China, Mexico and Canada. Marc Anderson, CEO of Visit San Antonio, said the efforts have gained some traction, with several overseas publications promoting San Antonio as a travel destination. We are confident that San Antonios flight performance will show potential air carriers San Antonios appeal to European travelers that will help sustain future trans-Atlantic flights, he said in a statement. Visit San Antonio and our partners at greater: SATX and the San Antonio International Airport are not solely focused on Europe and work on bringing additional flights from other international markets. Greater: SATX CEO Jenna Saucedo-Herrera said that despite Condors decision to leave, the 2024 season showcased the San Antonio regions strong demand for nonstop travel to Europe. Jacob Beltran covers crime, breaking news and general assignments for the Express-News. He can be reached at jbeltran@express-news.net. A San Antonio native, Jacob began his journalism career in 2010. He's worked for the student-run newspaper for San Antonio College, The Ranger, and for Texas A&M University-San Antonio, The Mesquite. He enjoys video games, photography and exploring during his free time. New Rhododendron species discovered in south China Xinhua) 08:58, January 23, 2025 This undated photo shows a new species of Rhododendron named Rhododendron yuanbaoshanense in Liuzhou, south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. (Photo by Deng Yihui/Xinhua) NANNING, Jan. 22 (Xinhua) -- Chinese researchers have discovered a new species of Rhododendron in south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region and named it Rhododendron yuanbaoshanense. The findings have been published in a recent edition of the journal Phytotaxa, according to the forestry and landscaping bureau of Guangxi's city of Liuzhou. Rhododendron yuanbaoshanense, with a height of 1 to 2 meters, features broadly ovate to orbicular leaves with a cordate-auriculate base and pink to pale pinkish-purple, funnelform-campanulate to campanulate corollas, which distinguish it from other species within the genus Rhododendron. In 2021, researchers at the Liuzhou Forestry Research Institute found an undescribed species of Rhododendron during a plant resource survey in the vicinity of Guangxi Yuanbaoshan National Nature Reserve, said Deng Yihui, a researcher with the institute and a co-author of the paper. Subsequently, the Liuzhou institute collaborated with other research institutions, including the Kunming Institute of Botany under the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Guangxi Institute of Botany, on a two-year research project, and confirmed that the species was different from previously described Rhododendron species. Deng said that the Rhododendron yuanbaoshanense is the first new species of Rhododendron from Guangxi to be published in more than 20 years. Boasting ornamental value, over 80 individual plants of the new species have been discovered near the Yuanbaoshan nature reserve, which are distributed in the evergreen deciduous broad-leaved mixed forest at elevations of 1,200 to 1,450 meters, Deng added. This undated photo shows researchers recording a new species of Rhododendron named Rhododendron yuanbaoshanense in Liuzhou, south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. (Photo by Deng Yihui/Xinhua) (Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun) San Antonio Police officers gather in the Cornerstone Church parking lot while in the process of attempting to extract a suspect in the nearby Sonterra Heights apartment complex at 18777 Stone Oak Pkwy on Wednesday night. Seven SAPD officers were shot by the suspect, identified as a male in his 40's, while responding to a suicide in progress call. The suspect is dead. Marvin Pfeiffer/San Antonio Express-News San Antonio Police officers gather in the Cornerstone Church parking lot while in the process of attempting to extract a suspect in the nearby Sonterra Heights apartment complex at 18777 Stone Oak Pkwy on Wednesday nigh. Seven SAPD officers were shot by the suspect, identified as a male in his 40's, while responding to a suicide in progress call. The suspect is dead. Marvin Pfeiffer/San Antonio Express-News San Antonio S.W.A.T. brings in "the Rook," an armoured critical incident vehicle, to the parking lot of Cornerstone Church while in the process of attempting to extract a suspect in the nearby Sonterra Heights apartment complex at 18777 Stone Oak Pkwy on Wednesday night. Seven SAPD officers were shot by the suspect, identified as a male in his 40's, while responding to a suicide in progress call. The suspect is dead. Marvin Pfeiffer/San Antonio Express-News San Antonio Police officers gather in the Cornerstone Church parking lot while in the process of attempting to extract a suspect in the nearby Sonterra Heights apartment complex at 18777 Stone Oak Pkwy on Wednesday night. Seven SAPD officers were shot by the suspect, identified as a male in his 40's, while responding to a suicide in progress call. The suspect is dead. Marvin Pfeiffer/San Antonio Express-News One man is dead and seven San Antonio Police Department officers were injured while responding to a report of a suicide in progress. San Antonio Police Chief William McManus first posted about the shooting on social media. Three ofcs shot responding to suicide in progress in Stone Oak. Just arriving on-scene. Scene still hot!! McManus posted on X at 9:15 p.m. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Three ofcs shot responding to suicide in progress in Stone Oak. Just arriving on-scene. Scene still hot!! Chief Bill McManus (@Chief_McManus) January 23, 2025 We can confirm multiple officers were injured, non-life-threatening injuries, SAPD public information officials said at 9:39 p.m. The shootings, which appear to be an ambush, happened at about 8:30 p.m. at the Sonterra Heights apartment complex, located in the 1800 block of Stone Oak Pkwy, police said. The complex is located behind Cornerstone Church. The call to police came from a family member reporting a suicide in progress, McManus said during a 10 p.m. news briefing. The first four officers who were shot have worked with the department between four and eight years. The officers were transported to a hospital, McManus said. Advertisement Article continues below this ad As far as I know right now, they are non-life-threatening injuries, McManus said. READ ALSO: Jury deliberating fate of San Antonio man accused of shooting neighbor to death on Christmas Day For several hours, McManus described the scene as a hot scene" as police worked to apprehend the suspect. SWAT arrived on the scene, which was active past midnight. While some apartment residents were evacuated, police asked other residents to remain in their apartments for their safety. Advertisement Article continues below this ad At about 1:30 a.m., Alana Ouazzani, a resident at the complex, made a post on social media about the shooting. She wondered when the shooter would run out of ammunition and how it could be happening in her neighborhood. "I am in Sonterra Heights Apartments and we do in fact have an Active shooter situation this evening and I am not able to be evacuated, so fine, I stay put. I wont post pictures of the situation, which is insane," she wrote on Facebook. "The only thing I will say It has been almost 5 hours. When is the dude going to run out of bullets? I am getting really sick and tired of hearing gun shots. I also do not want anymore injured officers. We're supposed to be classy, Stone Oak. Some residents, including Joseph Isaiah Loredo, captured and shared chaotic video from the scene that clearly showed SWAT officers and gunshots. At first, McManus said four officers had been shot. During his second briefing, he said seven officers had been shot. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The suspect, who is in his 40s, barricaded himself in the apartment for several hours. He was found deceased. McManus said police didn't know if he shot and killed himself or if SWAT officers killed him. "The suspect had three arrests on Jan. 18 two for assault offenses and one for DWI. He was out on bond at the time," McManus said. This is a developing story. Check back for updates. Riverbridge Partners LLC cut its holdings in shares of Tyler Technologies, Inc. (NYSE:TYL Free Report) by 11.0% during the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 315,930 shares of the technology companys stock after selling 39,160 shares during the period. Tyler Technologies comprises approximately 2.5% of Riverbridge Partners LLCs portfolio, making the stock its 7th largest position. Riverbridge Partners LLC owned 0.74% of Tyler Technologies worth $182,178,000 at the end of the most recent quarter. A number of other institutional investors have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. APG Asset Management N.V. raised its position in shares of Tyler Technologies by 1.4% during the second quarter. APG Asset Management N.V. now owns 1,507,062 shares of the technology companys stock worth $706,994,000 after acquiring an additional 20,842 shares during the last quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC raised its holdings in Tyler Technologies by 2.2% during the 3rd quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 1,108,908 shares of the technology companys stock worth $645,585,000 after purchasing an additional 24,284 shares during the last quarter. Franklin Resources Inc. lifted its position in shares of Tyler Technologies by 2.0% in the 3rd quarter. Franklin Resources Inc. now owns 912,746 shares of the technology companys stock worth $547,354,000 after purchasing an additional 17,943 shares during the period. Massachusetts Financial Services Co. MA boosted its stake in shares of Tyler Technologies by 4.2% in the 3rd quarter. Massachusetts Financial Services Co. MA now owns 904,175 shares of the technology companys stock valued at $527,785,000 after purchasing an additional 36,066 shares during the last quarter. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. increased its position in shares of Tyler Technologies by 148.2% during the third quarter. JPMorgan Chase & Co. now owns 461,469 shares of the technology companys stock worth $269,369,000 after buying an additional 275,511 shares during the period. 93.30% of the stock is owned by institutional investors. Get Tyler Technologies alerts: Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades Several equities analysts recently issued reports on TYL shares. StockNews.com lowered shares of Tyler Technologies from a buy rating to a hold rating in a report on Friday, December 6th. DA Davidson upped their target price on Tyler Technologies from $525.00 to $550.00 and gave the company a neutral rating in a research report on Thursday, October 17th. Wells Fargo & Company reiterated an equal weight rating and issued a $615.00 target price (down from $670.00) on shares of Tyler Technologies in a report on Tuesday, January 7th. JMP Securities increased their price target on Tyler Technologies from $580.00 to $700.00 and gave the stock a market outperform rating in a report on Friday, October 25th. Finally, Robert W. Baird raised their price objective on shares of Tyler Technologies from $625.00 to $700.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a research report on Friday, October 25th. Four analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and eleven have assigned a buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Tyler Technologies currently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $643.77. Tyler Technologies Trading Up 0.3 % NYSE:TYL opened at $586.43 on Thursday. Tyler Technologies, Inc. has a one year low of $397.80 and a one year high of $638.56. The company has a market cap of $25.10 billion, a PE ratio of 107.01, a PEG ratio of 4.54 and a beta of 0.78. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.18, a current ratio of 1.21 and a quick ratio of 1.21. The firm has a 50-day moving average of $598.42 and a 200-day moving average of $585.06. Tyler Technologies (NYSE:TYL Get Free Report) last posted its earnings results on Wednesday, October 23rd. The technology company reported $2.52 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $2.43 by $0.09. Tyler Technologies had a return on equity of 9.79% and a net margin of 11.39%. The company had revenue of $543.34 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $547.34 million. During the same quarter last year, the company earned $1.66 earnings per share. The companys revenue for the quarter was up 9.8% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, equities research analysts expect that Tyler Technologies, Inc. will post 7.36 EPS for the current fiscal year. Insider Activity at Tyler Technologies In related news, CFO Brian K. Miller sold 2,500 shares of Tyler Technologies stock in a transaction on Wednesday, December 4th. The stock was sold at an average price of $632.01, for a total transaction of $1,580,025.00. Following the sale, the chief financial officer now directly owns 12,198 shares in the company, valued at approximately $7,709,257.98. This trade represents a 17.01 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this link. Also, insider John S. Marr, Jr. sold 12,000 shares of the companys stock in a transaction on Monday, November 25th. The shares were sold at an average price of $613.66, for a total value of $7,363,920.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider now owns 6,983 shares of the companys stock, valued at $4,285,187.78. This trade represents a 63.21 % decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. In the last three months, insiders sold 42,252 shares of company stock valued at $26,096,928. 2.20% of the stock is owned by insiders. Tyler Technologies Profile (Free Report) Tyler Technologies, Inc provides integrated information management solutions and services for the public sector. It operates in two segments, Enterprise Software and Platform Technologies. The company offers platform and transformative technology solutions, including cybersecurity for government agencies; data and insights solutions; digital solutions that helps workers and policymakers to share, communicate, and leverage data; payments solutions, such as billing, presentment, merchant onboarding, collections, reconciliation, and disbursements; platform technologies, an application development platform that enables government workers to build solutions and applications; and outdoor recreation solutions, including campsite reservations, activity registrations, licensing sales and renewals, and real-time data for conservation and park management. Featured Articles Want to see what other hedge funds are holding TYL? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Tyler Technologies, Inc. (NYSE:TYL Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Tyler Technologies Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Tyler Technologies and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. UTSA President Taylor Eighmy will take on an additional role as acting president of UT Health San Antonio, starting Feb. 1, as the two institutions merge this year into a premier university. Taylor Eighmy Taylor Eighmy, president of the University of Texas at San Antonio, is taking the reins of UT Health San Antonio, and Dr. Francisco G. Cigarroa, a noted transplant surgeon, will assume a senior leadership role in the merged institutions. Eighmy will be acting president of UT Health starting Feb. 1, making him the first head of the integrated university, UT officials announced Thursday. Eighmy named Cigarroa to the newly created post of senior executive vice president for health affairs & health system at UT Health. The appointment takes effect March 1. Previously, Cigarroa served as chancellor of the UT System and as president of UT Health San Antonio when it was a standalone institution. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The merger of the university and the health science center was approved last year by the UT System Board of Regents. It is set to become final by Sept. 1, pending approval by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges, a regional accreditation group. Full operational integration of the two institutions is expected to take up to three years. Since the Board of Regents approved the new integration plans last August, Dr. Eighmy has demonstrated effective leadership during the transition, leading the complex merger activities and fostering strong collaboration as he works to align the institutions, UT System Chancellor James B. Milliken said Thursay. At this time, there are clear advantages to having one president with decision-making authority, and we believe this move best positions the new UTSA for long-term success. After years of study, including formal assessments of a possible merger in 2002 and 2010, UT system officials finally decided the time was right to combine the two institutions, both thriving with growing enrollment and financial support. The enlarged university will have about 40,000 students, nearly 16,000 employees, six campuses, a $2.2 billion budget, a $1.1 billion endowment and more than $6 billion in annual economic impact, officials said. Eighmys initial focus as UT Health's acting president will be on developing a leadership structure to accelerate the merger and integration. He'll oversee creation of a strategic plan for a transition. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Dr. Robert Hromas has served as acting president of UT Health San Antonio since March 2024, following the death of Dr. William L. Henrich. Hromas will return to his role as dean of the Joe R. and Teresa Lozano Long School of Medicine. Eighmy will work with leaders on both campuses to develop a vision for the new university, UT System officials said. More key leadership appointments are expected in the coming weeks and months. The newly merged institution is "poised to become a national leader in education, health care and research, with the potential to drive economic growth and improve health outcomes for the region and beyond," UT officials said in their announcement. Dr. Francisco G. Cigarroa, who has served as UT System chancellor and president of UT Health San Antonio, will begin serving March 1 in a newly created senior executive vice president's role at UT Health, helping oversee the merger with UTSA. William Luther/Staff Photographer Advertisement Article continues below this ad Cigarroa brings "over 30 years of exemplary service in health care and higher education" to his new position and is "uniquely positioned to guide UT Health San Antonio through this next phase of growth and impact," officials said. Eighmy said in a statement that Cigarroa's "proven ability to navigate the evolving dynamics of health care delivery, biomedical research, and higher education ensures the institution remains at the forefront of medical discovery, patient care and academic achievement as the largest academic medical institution in the region. "Dr. Cigarroa is a really terrific leader, and I am very excited to work closely with him as we go forward, Eighmy said. A plan for the merger could be submitted to the regional accreditation group by March and effectively approved by June. The merged university would also seek recognition from the Association of American Universities, which has 69 public and private member institutions across the country. That would put UTSA on par with UT-Austin, Texas A&M and Rice universities, the only AAU members in the Lone Star State. The merger also would make UTSA competitive with other major institutions with comprehensive academic programs and health science centers, including the University of Michigan, University of California at Los Angeles and University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Cigarroa will lead the integration of UT Health San Antonios six nationally recognized health professional schools, its biomedical research portfolio, and its expanding health system, including the UT Health San Antonio Multispecialty and Research Hospital, the Mays Cancer Center and UT Health Physicians. "This historic merger presents an unprecedented opportunity to establish one of the nations most distinguished universities, uniting the strengths of two world-class institutions," Eighmy said. "I am looking forward to our close collaboration on integration and building this world-class university for our community, Texas and the nation." Cigarroa said the institution will pursue its mission "to make lives better by serving Texans with the absolute best that academia, research, and patient care have to offer." A third-generation physician, Cigarroa joined the faculty of UT Health San Antonio in 1995 and became director of pediatric surgery and pediatric transplantation. He was appointed president of UT Health San Antonio in 2000. In 2009, he became chancellor of the University of Texas System. Advertisement Article continues below this ad After concluding his tenure as chancellor in 2015, Cigarroa returned to UT Health San Antonio as director of the pediatric transplant program and later as director of the transplant center. (TBTCO) - Ngan hang Nong nghiep va Phat trien Nong thon Viet Nam (Agribank) vua co buoi lam viec voi cac Chi nhanh sau co cau, sap xep lai; cong tac phat trien khach hang lon, kiem tra, giam sat, xu ly no tai TP. Ho Chi Minh. Chuong trinh lam viec la mot trong nhung hoat ong quan trong cua Ban lanh ao Agribank nham trien khai ong bo, quyet liet cac giai phap e hoan thanh chi tieu, ke hoach kinh doanh tren ia ban TP. Ho Chi Minh. You have reached a premium content area of Transitions. To read this entire article please login if you are already a Transitions subscriber. Not a subscriber? Subscribe today for access to: Full access to the website, including premium articles videos, country reports and searchable archives (containing over 25,000 articles). New Murabba Development Company, a Saudi PIF establishment, has signed a MoU with the King Khalid Foundation to advance sustainable development initiatives across the kingdom. As per the deal, the duo will focus on developing innovative solutions for sustainable technologies and green building practices in addition to advocating for environmentally responsible initiatives locally and internationally, and strengthening sustainability capacities within the kingdom. It also aims to enhance synergies between the private and non-profit sectors, leveraging the King Khalid Foundations sustainability and urban planning expertise, said New Murabba CEO Michael Dyke after signing the MoU with King Khalid Foundation CEO Princess Nouf bint Muhammad bin Abdullah Al Saud. Its key initiatives include launching the first Green Building Hackathon, supporting green opportunity grants in Riyadh, researching sustainable urban development practices, and implementing programs centered on social entrepreneurship and innovation, he added.-TradeArabia News Service AD Ports Group, a leading facilitator of global trade, logistics and industry, has announced the signing of a MoU with the Egyptian Ministry of Industry and Transport to explore joint development and operations an integrated logistics Park in Alexandria. As per the deal, AD Ports Group will pursue a collaboration with Holding Company for Maritime and Land Transportation (HCMLT), an affiliate of the Ministry of Transportation of Egypt, to explore development, management and operation of a 1.1 sq km integrated logistics area at Alexandria Port. Set to be one of the largest logistics hubs on the Mediterranean Sea, the port accounts for about 60% of Egypts foreign trade, according to government figures. The deal was inked today (January 23) in Cairo by Ahmed Al Mutawa, Regional CEO of AD Ports Group and Amr Ahmed Moustafa, Executive Managing Director of HCMLT at a special ceremony held in the presence of Lieutenant General Engineer Kamel Al Wazir, Egyptian Minister of Industry and Transport, and Mariam Al Kaabi, UAE Ambassador to Egypt and Captain Mohamed Juma Al Shamisi, Managing Director and Group CEO of AD Ports Group. Al Shamisi said: "AD Ports Group partners with governments for the long-term development of their economies, inspired by the vision of our wise leadership. We are working with the Egyptian government to bring growth, jobs and prosperity to the people of Egypt." Over the last three years, AD Ports Group has entered the Egyptian market with the acquisition of Egyptian maritime companies Transmar, TCI, and Safina B.V. The Group has also signed long-term concessions to develop and operate cruise terminals at the Red Sea ports of Safaga, Hurghada, Al Sokhna and Sharm El-Sheikh, and to build and operate a multipurpose port in Safaga and a Ro-Ro terminal in Al Sokhna. "Todays signing could lead to strategic infrastructure projects in the Mediterranean Sea region that would leverage Egypts global trade flows, driving economic growth and advancing the Groups portfolio of value-added investments," he stated. The UAE and Egypt enjoy a close and fruitful relationship, and the new signing will further enhance the ties between both countries, he added.-TradeArabia News Service The South San Antonio ISD board has approved the purchase of Bluebonnet Learning, a state-written curriculum that has drawn criticism for its biblical source material. KIN MAN HUI/SAN ANTONIO EXPRESS-NEWS The South San Antonio Independent School District board has unanimously approved a controversial curriculum that has drawn criticism for its heavy use of biblical material and for which the district will be paid for adopting. At a board meeting on Wednesday, trustees voted 6-0 to approve the purchase of the lessons and textbooks known collectively as Bluebonnet Learning. The vote was taken without a discussion. During the public comment portion of the meeting, Tom Cummins, executive director of the South San chapter of the American Federation of Teachers, urged trustees not to implement a curriculum viewed by many as an attempt to inject Christianity into public schools. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Contrary to the rhetoric, this curriculum is not high in quality or suitable, Cummins told trustees. Its a scheme to push one religion into the schools. South San is one of the few San Antonio school systems to approve purchasing the curriculum since it was narrowly approved by eight of the 15 members of the State Board of Education in November. The Harlandale ISD board voted to approve it at a December board meeting. Bluebonnet Learning was created by the Texas Education Agency last year under a new law requiring the agency to develop instructional materials for statewide use. Texas school districts can get up to $60 per student to adopt the curriculum $40 for using its instructional materials and an additional $20 to cover the cost of printing the Bluebonnet textbooks. Its a tempting offer for public school districts that have had to pass record deficits, cut programming and close schools due to shrinking enrollment and stagnant state funding. South San ISD has closed four schools since 2023 but is now operating with a balanced budget. Superintendent Henry Yzaguirre said after Wednesdays meeting that the district recommended Bluebonnet to board trustees because of its potential to help teachers, not because of the money attached. Advertisement Article continues below this ad He said the vote doesnt mean South San will purchase the entire curriculum, which would cost around $130,000. Instead, he said it opens the door for the district to explore its options before returning to the board for another vote. Our recommendation would probably not be to buy it entirely, because we might want to stick with the curriculum we are using, he said. Bluebonnet Learning includes textbooks for kindergarten through fifth-grade reading classes and mathematics materials through algebra. The reading and language arts lessons have stirred the most controversy due to their integration of biblical references. A report by religious scholar David Brockman and the Texas Freedom Network, a left-leaning nonprofit that opposes the influence of the religious right in the states education system, said they could effectively turn public schools into Sunday schools by presenting Christian stories and ideas to young kids without the proper context. It also says the curriculum overemphasizes Christianity and misrepresents slavery and other difficult historical events. The TEA says the material was designed to improve student outcomes and help teachers cover the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills criteria. The agency asserts that there is no religious instruction in Bluebonnet, and that the curriculum covers a wide range of topics which, when contextually relevant, can include religious references sampling from a wide range of faiths. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Bluebonnet Learning materials will be ready for teacher use beginning next school year. Muscat, Riyadh and Pretoria will host the three new Centres for the Fourth Industrial Revolution (C4IR) launching in 2025, World Economic Forum has announced. The upcoming centres in will tackle critical global challenges with innovative solutions tailored to national and regional needs. Additionally, C4IR United Arab Emirates has been renewed. These announcements are complemented by the release of Forums C4IR Network 2023-2024 Impact Report, which highlights how the expanding global network is advancing technological solutions to humanity's most pressing challenges. "The upcoming launches of three new C4IR Centres underscores our commitment to shaping a future where technology better serves humanity," said Brge Brende, President and CEO, World Economic Forum. "Together, with our growing network of global partners, we will continue to harness the power of innovation to address society's most pressing challenges and create localized solutions with global reach." C4IR Oman Hosted by the Ministry of Transport, Communications and Information Technology of Oman, C4IR Oman will be aligned with the countrys Vision 2040 and spearhead its technological and digital transformation. Once launched, the Centre the first in the country will focus on AI competitiveness, governance, the energy transition and quantum. By harnessing cutting-edge technologies, the Centre will catalyse national development, drive sustainable economic growth and solidify Oman's position as a leader in innovation in the Intelligent Age. Through this collaboration, C4IR Oman will contribute to the Forums AI Governance Alliance, with a particular focus on how AI can advance the energy transition, WEF said. Oman is partnering with the World Economic Forum to leverage the Fourth Industrial Revolution for a sustainable future, said Said Mohammed Ahmed Al-Saqri, Minister of Economy of Oman. Guided by Vision 2040, we're equipping youth with tools, technologies, education and training to excel in the digital era. Through innovation and entrepreneurship opportunities, we aim to build skills that drive growth and advance Oman forward. Riyadh Centre for Cyber Economics Hosted by the Global Cybersecurity Forum in Riyadh, the Centre for Cyber Economics (CCE) will focus on the economic aspects of cybersecurity. It will drive research, foster cross-sector collaboration and develop evidence-based frameworks to enhance global cybersecurity resilience and economic stability. Another key area of focus will be reducing cyber disparities across geographies and industries. Cybersecurity is a catalyst for economic growth and social prosperity, playing an imperative role in shaping resilient economies, said Majed bin Mohammed Al-Mazyed, Governor of the National Cybersecurity Authority of Saudi Arabia, acting on behalf of the Board of Trustees of the Global Cybersecurity Forum. The Centre for Cyber Economics marks a decisive step towards advancing knowledge and understanding of the economic dimension of cybersecurity to safeguard economic growth, unlock new opportunities and reveal new pathways for cross-sector collaboration towards a resilient future for global economies. South Africa Centre for Industry and Technology Hosted by the University of Pretoria and run in collaboration with South African academic institutions, the South Africa Centre for Industry and Technology will advance the nations readiness for the future of global value chains and the energy transition, with a focus on the twin challenges of inclusive cross-industry digitisation and decarbonisation. To accelerate innovation and partnerships in pursuit of this mission, the Centre will partner with government and business, and leverage the Forums global communities and initiatives, notably those led by the Forums Centres for Advanced Manufacturing and Supply Chains and Energy and Materials and the Fourth Industrial Revolution. The launch of the Centre for Industry and Technology, in partnership with the World Economic Forum, is a major step in driving technological progress and industrial transformation," said Francis Petersen, Vice-Chancellor and Principal of the University of Pretoria, South Africa. The Centre will help position South Africa for manufacturing readiness and support its sustainable energy transition towards net zero. 2023-2024 C4IR Impact Report Highlights The announcement of signing agreements for the three upcoming centres is complemented by the release of the C4IR 2023-2024 Impact Report, which highlights the transformative global impact of the C4IR Network. Over the past year, the Network launched over 70 initiatives, engaged more than 300 partners and collaborators, and saw more than 14,000 people participate in over 70 in-person or virtual events. The Centre for the Fourth Industrial Revolution is a platform for multistakeholder collaboration, bringing together public and private sectors to maximize technological benefits to society while minimizing the risks. It explores exponential technologies and drives their responsible adoption and application, leveraging a global network of independent national and thematic centres. The World Economic Forum launched the first Centre for the Fourth Industrial Revolution in San Francisco in 2017, followed shortly by Centres in Japan and India. The Network now includes Centres in Azerbaijan, Colombia, Germany (Berlin Global Government Technology Centre), Korea (Gyeonggi), India (Mumbai and Telangana), Israel, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Oman, Qatar, Rwanda, Saudi Arabia (Centre for the Fourth Industrial Revolution, Centre for Space Futures, and the Riyadh Centre for Cyber Economics), Serbia, South Africa, the United Arab Emirates, the United States (Centre for Trustworthy Technology and US Centre for Advanced Manufacturing in Michigan), Ukraine (Kyiv Global Government Technology Centre) and Viet Nam. -TradeArabia News Service Salesforce, a leader in AI CRM, today announced plans to expand its presence in Saudi Arabia with a new regional headquarters in Riyadh. Salesforce also announced plans to partner with IBM to open a Center of Excellence in Riyadh. Separately, it pledged to provide upskilling opportunities to 30,000 Saudi citizens by 2030. These investments underscore Salesforces growing presence in the region as more companies invest in Agentforce, the digital labor platform for enterprises. The announcement was made at Saudi House at the World Economic Forum in Davos during an official event hosted by Khalid A Al-Falih, Minister of Investment; Abdullah A Alswaha, Minister of Communications and Information Technology, and Ahmed A Al-Khateeb, Minister of Tourism. Driven by Agentforce, Salesforce is ushering in a new era of digital labour, where AI agents work alongside humans to redefine productivity and unlock unlimited potential. Salesforces expanded presence in the region will enable customers like Almosafer (part of Seera Group), Red Sea Global, and Saudi Research and Media Group (SRMG) to benefit from its local expertise and will help businesses and the public sector in the Kingdom drive unprecedented innovation and operational efficiency, supporting the realization of Saudi Arabias Vision 2030 goals, the company said. Were excited to expand our presence in Saudi Arabia and the Middle East region and help drive innovation, enhance productivity, and support key digital transformation initiatives with our Agentforce digital labor platform, said Marc Benioff, Chair and CEO, Salesforce. This is a moment where productivity is no longer tied to workforce growth but to intelligent technology that can be scaled without limits, a new era of humans with agents working together to drive customer success. I look forward to seeing the fruits of our partnership with IBM and our customers in the region. Marking the occasion, Al-Falih said: Salesforces decision to establish its regional headquarters in Riyadh, combined with its partnership with IBM to launch an AI Center of Excellence, marks yet another milestone in Saudi Arabias journey toward becoming a global hub for investment in technology, in innovation and, most importantly, in Saudi talent. Todays welcome news not only highlights the Kingdoms competitive advantage as a destination for investment but also underscores the confidence that leading global firms have in our transformative Vision 2030 agenda and our National Investment Strategy. Our Regional Headquarters Program has already attracted more than 500 global companies, and weve achieved our target for this program six years ahead of time. Eng Alswaha said: We thank Salesforce and IBM for their commitment to fueling the Kingdoms thriving digital economy through the upskilling of 30,000 Saudi talents and supporting innovators who are shaping our digital future. This partnership strengthens Saudi Arabias position as the largest digital economy in the Middle East, home to the regions biggest tech talent pool, and a global hub for innovation. Through this partnership, we are building a sustainable future by empowering our youth, fostering entrepreneurship, and offering businesses a gateway to markets across continents. New regional headquarters in Riyadh Salesforce will open its new regional headquarters, including a physical office in Riyadh, in 2025. Additionally, Salesforce will welcome Mohammed Alkhotani as the newly appointed Senior Vice President of the Middle East, where he will oversee regional strategy, operations, partnerships, and customer engagement. A seasoned tech leader in the region, Alkhotani and his team will focus on empowering customers to accelerate their transformation and innovation in the dynamic landscape of data, AI, and agents. I am honored to join Salesforce to help companies across the Middle East region transform their businesses with Agentforce, said Mohammed Alkhotani, Senior Vice President, Middle East, Salesforce. With Agentforce, were empowering our customers and partners to navigate this new era, equipping them with the tools, skills, and education to thrive in an AI-driven economy. Im excited to work with our talented team and partners to unlock new opportunities for growth and innovation. AI Innovation Centre in Riyadh The planned AI Innovation Center of Excellence will combine Salesforces AI capabilities with IBMs deep AI and consulting expertise powered by IBM Consulting Advantage and watsonx AI capabilities to foster cutting-edge Agentforce-driven solutions for selected industries. This partnership represents a transformative shift in how businesses operate, driven by a powerful digital workforce and agentic advanced AI. This transformation is a collaborative effort made possible by Salesforces robust partner ecosystem. By combining Salesforces innovation with IBMs world-class technology and consulting expertise, enterprises will be empowered to unlock unprecedented productivity and value, said the company. Our plans to collaborate with Salesforce to establish an AI Innovation Center of Excellence in Riyadh marks a pivotal moment in our journey towards redefining business operations through AI. By integrating Salesforces AI capabilities with IBMs consulting expertise and watsonx technology, we are not just creating solutions, but fostering an ecosystem where Agentforce could drive unparalleled productivity and value. This is a testament to IBMs commitment to empowering businesses through seamless digital transformations in-line with Saudi Arabias Vision 2030, said Dave McCann, Managing Partner, IBM Consulting EMEA. AI upskilling and training for local communities Salesforce is committed to supporting Saudi Arabias Vision 2030 by equipping local talent with essential AI and technology skills. Through partnerships with government entities, academic institutions, NGOs, and industry leaders, Salesforce aims to prepare the Kingdoms workforce for future-ready careers. By 2026, Salesforce plans to upskill 2,500 Saudi citizens, expanding to over 15,000 individuals by 2030, with a focus on AI and Agentforce-related roles. Aligned with Vision 2030s goal of promoting gender parity, this effort will also emphasize enabling female talent in the workforce, ensuring inclusive opportunities for all, it said. To scale this effort, Salesforce is partnering with local universities and leveraging its ecosystem, including top GSIs, to develop regional talent. Salesforce plans to invest in training and certification programs in collaboration with IBM and Al Baha University Talent Center. Key partners may also include the Ministry of Education, National Information Technology Academy, Saudi Digital Academy, Technical and Vocational Training Corporation, National eLearning Centre, and the FutureX initiative. Additionally, Salesforce plans to use its Trailhead platform to train another 15,000 individuals, ensuring broad access to AI upskilling opportunities across the kingdom. - TradeArabia News Service Sustainability Forum Middle East (SFME 2025) has announced Standard Chartered Bank as a Strategic Partner for its upcoming third edition being held on January 28-29, in Bahrain. The Forum, to be held once again in the presence of Dr Mohamed Bin Daina, Minister of Oil and Environment, Special Envoy for Climate Affairs, and with the support of the Supreme Council for Environment, will focus on "Mobilising Action and Investment for Climate and Energy Resilience. Standard Chartered Banks partnership with the Forum for a third year reflects its active role in promoting climate action within the private sector, and reinforces its commitment to initiatives aimed at accelerating the transition to a low-carbon future. Since establishing its Sustainable Finance team in 2018, Standard Chartered Bank has been at the forefront of helping clients worldwide meet their sustainability and decarbonisation goals. Through innovative financial products and solutions underpinned by robust ESG risk management, the Bank continues to lead in driving responsible financing practices. Senior executives from the Bank are set to join a diverse group of over 400 senior financial leaders, policymakers, and sustainability experts at the event. Speaking at the Forum is Dr Boutros Klink, CEO, Bahrain, who will join a panel to discuss "Scaling Climate Finance From Market Innovation to Mobilising Private Capital". Lina Osman, Regional Head, Sustainable Finance Africa & MENAP, will also take part on a panel focused on "Navigating Compulsory Carbon Markets and Cross-Border Tax Regimes," exploring how financial institutions can help businesses adapt to evolving carbon regulations and align with sustainability standards. A range of themes central to driving the regions net-zero journey will feature on this years programme from the need to ramp up financing to policy developments and regulations, to strategies for innovation, technology advancements, and more. The Forum will also again feature a series of practical hands-on learning workshops over the two-day period, all designed to raise awareness, drive collaboration, and mobilise action and investment to achieve regional climate and energy resilience. The Forums 2025 edition is supported by Strategic Partner: National Bank of Bahrain, Forum Partners: Aluminium Bahrain, Arab Shipbuilding and Repair Yard, American Chamber of Commerce Bahrain, Al Areen Holding, Bapco Energies, Benefit, Boston Consulting Group, Environment Arabia, First Motors, Foulath Holding, Gulf Air, Gulf International Bank, talabat, Forum Supporters: APM Terminals Bahrain and Sinnad, Learning Partner: Impact Learning and Development, and Media Partners: Asharq Business with Bloomberg, BFT Media, OGN, and Sustainable Finance Daily. -TradeArabia News Service Saudi Arabia is on track to welcome 70 million tourists annually by 2030, aiming to rank among the top seven global tourist destinations, said Minister of Tourism Ahmed Al Khateeb. Speaking at The Way We Will Travel panel session of the the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos on Wednesday, he said Saudi Arabia welcomed a record number of nearly 30 million international tourists last year, a Saudi Press Agency report said. Al Khateeb attributed the success of Saudi Arabia's tourism industry to sound governance and integrated planning. He emphasised key initiatives, such as the introduction of e-visas and the construction of airports in major tourist destinations, which have significantly boosted the number of international visitors. Saudi Arabia focuses on enhancing the entire tourist journey, from flights and landing points to mobility and destinations, Al Khateeb said. Efforts are underway to develop new destinations and modern airports, including King Salman International Airport, which is projected to accommodate over 120 million travellers. Additionally, the kingdom has launched a new airline, Riyadh Air, to further support its tourism objectives. During the session, European Commissioner for Sustainable Transport and Tourism Apostolos Tzitzikostas praised the significant advancements in Saudi Arabia's tourism sector. He highlighted the kingdom's collaboration with various destinations and countries, emphasizing its strong performance in the field. World Travel Awards (WTA) has announced that Cancun, Mexico has been selected to host its Latin America Ceremony 2025. The world-class city will welcome travel and tourism figureheads for the red-carpet on 27 September. The announcement was made at a VIP signing in Madrid, organised by Secretaria Municipal de Turismo Cancun, on the eve of FITUR International Tourism Trade Fair 2025. WTAs debut reflects the buoyancy of the travel and tourism sector in Cancun and the beautiful state of Quintana Roo. Nestled on the Caribbean coast of the Yucatan Peninsula, the destination offers the perfect blend of majestic beaches, historic sites, rich culture and a wealth of activities. Graham Cooke, Founder, World Travel Awards, says: After receiving applications from a strong field of prospective destinations, I am delighted to announce that World Travel Awards has selected Cancun as the Official Host Destination of the World Travel Awards Latin America Ceremony 2025. I look forward to welcoming travel industry leaders from across Latin America to experience the many delights of Cancun, from fabulous beaches, tropical forests and legendary nightlife to ancient Mayan sites. Juan Pablo de Zulueta, Municipal Secretary of Tourism, Cancun: says: We are honoured that, for the first time, we have been unanimously chosen to host the World Travel Awards Latin America Ceremony 2025 in Cancun. We look forward to welcoming you with open arms. -TradeArabia News Service Saudi Arabias business jet sector achieved a record 24 per cent jump in flight volumes in 2024, the General Authority of Civil Aviation has announced whilst profiling the sectors future growth prospects at a Saudi House aviation event on the sidelines of the 2025 World Economic Forum in Davos. Business jet flights rose from 19,000 in 2023 to a record 23,612 in 2024, with domestic jet flights rising 26 per cent to 9,206 and international jet flights rising 15 per cent to 14,406. This growth was led by Saudi Arabias airport hubs, King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah saw a 30 per cent increase in business jet traffic, while King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh recorded a 22 per cent rise and King Fahd International Airport in Dammam saw a 7 per cent increase. Tourism destinations Sindalah, the Red Sea and Al Ula were popular new destinations for business, whilst events such as the Future Investment Initiative and Formula One Grand Prix in Jeddah also supported the record growth in jet traffic. Mohammed Alkhuraisi, GACAs Executive Vice President of Strategy and Business stated:A thriving business jet sector is essential to support Saudi Arabias luxury tourism and business sectors. To build on the record business jet growth achieved in 2024, an unprecedented investment program is underway to ensure the Kingdom offers unparalleled business jet aviation infrastructure and services. Saudi Arabias General Aviation Roadmap is opening the Kingdoms business aviation sector to the world, offering global business aviation investors, operators, manufacturers and service providers the chance to be part of a $2 billion aviation opportunity, added Alkhuraisi. GACAs General Aviation Roadmap was launched during the Future Aviation Forum in May 2024, including a comprehensive transformation program to develop the general aviation sector into a $2 billion industry by 2030, supporting 35,000 jobs. The roadmap aligns infrastructure planning and regulations across the sector, delivering six dedicated business aviation airports and a further nine dedicated business aviation terminals. The Roadmap will also increase the number of business aviation Fixed-Base Operators and Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul capacity for business jets. In December 2024, an agreement was signed for Jubail Airport to serve as one of six dedicated general aviation airports in the Kingdom, expanding the sector's existing operational capacity and private aviation services. -TradeArabia News Service 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. FOR nearly two years, one of the chief financiers of the Seven gang based in the United King Donate but dont dictate is a maxim for donors. We have seen such being done as the giver Foes of a plan to construct a new interstate highway including a segment that could go through environmentally sensitive portions of Pima County have won a temporary reprieve. The Federal Highway Administration has agreed in a filing in federal court to reevaluate its environmental impact statement which found no problem with putting a segment of the proposed Interstate 11 through the Avra Valley and an area adjacent to Saguaro National Park and Sonoran Desert National Monument. That now requires the agency to decide whether its original decision remains valid or a supplemental or new analysis and new decision is needed. As part of the agreement with highway foes, the federal agency also will allow a 60-day public comment period after it has reached a decision. More to the point, it has agreed to take no further action to advance planning work on the highway. Strictly speaking, nothing in the agreement guarantees it will eliminate whats called the west option for the highway, acknowledged Russ McSpadden, Southwest conservation advocate for the Tucson-based Center for Biological Diversity, one of the groups that filed suit in 2022 to block the highway. But he said it is an important concession. Our lawsuit really pushed them to take a harder look, he said. They agreed to these terms. Even if the agency reaffirms the decision, McSpadden said the agreement would simply put the lawsuit back on track. That would still give his group and other environmental interests a chance to convince U.S. District Court Judge John Hinderaker that he should block the west option. Its not just that corridor that is at stake: The challengers question the need for the entire 280-mile project from Nogales to Wickenburg. They hope to kill it entirely. There was no immediate comment from either the Federal Highway Administration, which is conducting the studies, or the Arizona Department of Transportation which has been promoting the new highway. The federal agencys officials already have said where they think most of the highway should go. But they have left undecided the path for routing the highway through or around Tucson. One option is to co-locate I-11 along existing stretches of I-19 and I-10, at least through the area of Picacho Peak. At that point, a new highway would be built to the north and west. But there also is the option that parts ways with I-19 north of Green Valley, with the road then heading west around the San Xavier Reservation and cutting north near Tucson Mountain Park and Saguaro National Park. That option also runs directly through whats known as the Tucson Mitigation Corridor. That is a significant point in the litigation. Th3 corridor dates back to the 1980s as part of the development of the Tucson leg of the Central Arizona Project canal bringing water from the Colorado River. Part of the reason for its creation was to minimize disruption to wildlife during aqueduct construction. But it also prohibits future development in the 4.25-square-mile area to preserve this fragile desert habitat from urbanization and maintain an open wildlife movement corridor. At one point ADOT designed the west option as the recommended alternative, though agency officials have since insisted no final decision has been made. ADOT and the Federal Highway Administration, which is providing funding, already tried to get the lawsuit thrown out of court without having to go to trial. They argued that litigation is premature and that no final decisions have been made on exactly where to place the new road. But Hinderaker, in a ruling last year, said thats not what the evidence shows. He said it is clear the the federal agency, which makes the initial determination, already concluded that neither the Ironwood Forest nor Sonoran Desert national monuments qualified for special consideration under federal law that would require it to study whether the highway should be placed elsewhere. The judge said there was no analysis done on the ecological impacts to Saguaro National Park or Tucson Mountain Park, based on the agencys conclusion that neither property was a wildlife or waterfowl refuge. With the new agreement, McSpadden said the federal agency will go back and do what challengers contend it should have done the first time around. What it also requires, he said, is for the feds to publish their findings and then hear from the public. The west option is absolutely horrible, said McSpadden. Theres plenty more evidence that can be presented to Federal Highway and ADOT about this, including tribal concerns about impacts to cultural resources. There are endangered and threatened species whose habitats would be disturbed or destroyed, including the cactus ferruginous pygmy owl, yellow-billed cuckoo, Yuma Ridgeways rails and southwestern willow flycatcher, said And Melissa Fratello, executive director of the Tucson Audubon Society. This project risks undermining decades of conservation work, including significant federal investment, to protect ecosystems that sustain wildlife, support local communities, and contribute to Arizonas unique identity and economy, she said in a written statement. McSpadden said the roads route isnt just a Pima County issue. Every Arizonan should be deeply concerned about the thinking of Federal Highway and ADOT here, that they would run a major interstate between a national park and a national monument and right smack through really culturally rich, archaeologically rich valley thats important to tribes, he said. Other sections are at issue, too. A stretch between Casa Grande and Buckeye also would affect recreation areas as well as habitats for various endangered species. And there are concerns in the lawsuit about environmental effects from the final stretch from Buckeye to Wickenburg. Once a week, usually on Tuesdays, the Mother Road Market kiosk operated by the Figueira family closes to the public early. But the real work is just beginning. On these nights, the business known as Doctor Kustom which ordinarily serves up examples of popular Brazilian street foods (such as the pastry pockets filled with meats and cheeses called pastels) as well as one of the most sought-after sandwiches in town, made with a cut of steak known as picanha transforms into a place that is a combination of haute cuisine restaurant and family dinner table. These are the Doctor Kustom Chefs Table dinners, where chef Alexandre Figueira, assisted by his wife, Gislaine, and elder daughter, Maria Eduarda, known to all as Duda, create multi-course meals for between four and eight diners, preparing and serving the dishes to them at a wooden table in the shops kitchen. Alex Figueira said the dinners began as a way to meet with, and learn from, other chefs, as the day-to-day grind of running a restaurant gives one little spare time. Those chefs meeting events expanded in number and popularity the dinners are now booked through the end of 2025, and attendees often are those from the community, many of whom are fans of Doctor Kustoms regular menu and are curious to learn more about Brazils wide-ranging cuisine and about the family in Tulsa that works to prepare and share that cuisine. These dinners were also a major reason Alex Figueira was named a semi-finalist for Best Chef Southwest at the 2024 James Beard Awards. My companion and I were invited last September to be part of one of these dinners. One characteristic of Doctor Kustom Chefs Table meals is that each menu is unique to that particular evening, so the meal I and the others with whom we shared the table was one that no one else will ever be able to have. That, and the fact that this was a personal invitation rather than an assignment for work, was why I did not write about it at the time. But when it came time to compile the Tulsa Worlds annual list of the Best New Restaurants of the year, the Chefs Table dinner at Doctor Kustom was, undoubtedly, the single best meal I had all year. Part of the reason, of course, was the food. The five courses began with Bolinho de Bacalhau, a spherical fritter made with salt cod that was a symphony of salinity, from the tender salted cod to the slightly sweet hackleback sturgeon caviar on top. It was followed by Abobora com Carne Seca, a slice of kabocha squash that had been grilled and glazed with sugar cane molasses, topped with salt-cured picanha steak and popcorn made from queijo coalho, a firm white cheese similar in taste and texture to cheese curds. Next was a truly rare dish, Pato no Tucupi. Tucupi is a sauce made from the root of the cassava or yucca plant, which in its raw state can be poisonous. Once strained, fermented and cooked properly, it becomes a bright yellow, citrusy sauce that here was paired with perfectly grilled breast of duck. Steak and potatoes came next in this case, a piece of Wagyu rib-eye that had been dry-aged for 90 days, grilled to medium rare and served with a cheese stuffed wedge of crispy potatoes, along with a topping of a chimichurri sauce loaded with garlic. Dessert, which at Doctor Kustom is created by Duda, was a piece of brioche cooked in a style similar to French toast, in a doce de leite cream (a light caramel sauce), paired with cumaru ice cream and a crumble of spice cookies and Brazil nuts. Another reason this meal was so memorable is that it was shared with my companion and three people who are deeply involved in the citys food scene: chef and cookbook author Shannon Smith; chef and owner of Bohemia catering company Teri Fermo; and Brian Schwartz, author and food columnist for Oklahoma magazine all of whom were as impressed with what was set before them as was I. But a greater reason this evening continues to resonate is that it was a chance to be a part of the Figueira family for an evening. While this was a meal that by any standards would be considered haute cuisine, the atmosphere that evening was more familial than anything else. The Figueira family went about the work of grilling, carving, plating and serving with great seriousness and attention to detail. But it was all in the service of sharing not just their food but the heritage from which these flavors and ingredients spring, and why they mean so much to them. And they do so with an eagerness, enthusiasm and obvious love that is infectious and inspiring. Those who visit Doctor Kustom during its regular business hours can get a taste of the artistry that was on display with such dishes as the picanha sandwich, available on Thursdays; the picanha bites (bits of steak stuffed into cheese-filled bread rolls), typically available on Saturdays; the passion fruit mousse, a blend of creamy textures and tangy flavors available daily; and the feijoada, a stew of black beans, various grilled meats and sausages, rice and seasonings, which is an occasional Saturday special. Sid Miller, Commissioner of Agriculture of Texas, speaks during the third and final day of this years Republican Party of Texas Convention Saturday, June 18, 2022, held at the George R. Brown Convention Center in Houston, TX. Michael Wyke / Contributor Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller rehired his longtime friend and aide Todd Smith shortly after Smith pleaded guilty to commercial bribery charges that hed solicited tens of thousands from farmers seeking licenses to grow hemp in the state. Smith was hired as Miller's chief of staff at the Texas Department of Agriculture on Jan. 14 at an annual salary of $218,581, the state comptrollers office confirmed. Yep, hes working for me. Im glad to have him, Miller said Wednesday. Hes a great asset and hes going to be great for the citizens of Texas and the farmers and ranchers. Advertisement Article continues below this ad After Smiths plea deal in October of last year, Miller also paid Smith a total of $3,000 from his campaign account in November and December for political advice, according to campaign finance records. Miller described it as an ongoing arrangement, saying Smith would be doing governmental and political work on his behalf. He wasnt guilty. He plead out because he was facing a George Soros judge and a George Soros district attorney and a Democrat jury in Travis County, Miller said. They basically slapped him on his wrist and sent him along his way. Its the same thing they did to Trump, weaponization by the Democrats. Smith whose plea agreement said he was pleading guilty because I am guilty and for no other reason was allowed to avoid jail time under the terms of the deal. He also paid $10,000 in restitution. READ MORE: Ag Commissioner Sid Millers political aide arrested for selling access to hemp licenses Advertisement Article continues below this ad Travis County District Jose Garzas office, which prosecuted the case, was critical of the hire. It is not surprising but disappointing that Mr. Miller is keeping a person who swore under oath that he is guilty of a felony on his team, the office said in a written statement Wednesday. Our office is thankful to our Public Integrity Unit and law enforcement partners who worked tirelessly to hold the defendant accountable and protect the integrity of our political system in Texas. In October, Smiths attorney said in a statement that the deal would allow the bribery case to be dismissed after two years of probation, a scenario that is not uncommon for first-time offenders in Texas. The case stretched on for years after Smiths initial arrest in April 2021. The Texas Department of Agriculture had been tasked with administering a new regulatory system for hemp producers in the state under a law passed in 2019. State law set the maximum fees for licenses at $100. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The Texas Rangers Public Integrity Unit determined that Smith, while working as a top aide to Miller, had asked several Texas farmers or entrepreneurs seeking hemp licenses for tens of thousands of dollars to be used for political purposes. Vietnams 2024 digital industry revenue was projected to reach US$152 billion. The country ranks second globally in smartphone exports, fifth in computer components, sixth in computer devices, seventh in software outsourcing, and eighth in electronic equipment and components. However, beneath these impressive figures lies a concerning reality. Approximately 89 percent of the component value must be imported, Vietnamese enterprises remain largely absent from the value chain, and provinces with high export values are not among the top 10 in budget revenue. Experts are warning that Vietnam risks becoming the worlds 'assembly hub' and 'e-waste dump' unless it revises its strategy for attracting foreign direct investment (FDI), with stricter criteria for technology transfer and human resource development. At the same time, support for domestic businesses is crucial to improve their capabilities and help them integrate meaningfully into global technology chains. Concerns from top leadership This issue has been highlighted by many, including General Secretary To Lam, who, at the recent National Forum on the Development of Vietnamese Digital Technology Enterprises, warned about the 'misconception,' 'self-delusion,' and 'complacency' within the electronics industry. The FDI sector exports 100 percent of the value of phones and components, yet imports as much as 89 percent of the value of those components. General Secretary Lam, the contribution of the FDI sector to domestic scientific and technological progress is still low. Over 80 percent of FDI enterprises use medium-level technology, 14 percent rely on outdated technology, and about five percent use high-tech solutions. As Vietnam advances, the country must adopt a more selective approach to FDI, aiming to avoid being relegated to a mere 'assembly and outsourcing hub,' or a global e-waste dump, as domestic businesses learn nothing from these investments. In an interview with Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper, many economic experts agreed with the general secretarys perspective on the current FDI situation. Vietnams latest FDI, particularly in the digital technology sector, is breaking records with numerous multi-billion-dollar projects. FDI registered capital reached $27.7 billion in 2022, $36.6 billion in 2023, and was expected to reach $38.23 billion in 2024. Following the trend in global FDI shifts, it is predicted that Vietnam will continue to see rising FDI inflows through 2025 and beyond. Since early investments by tech giants like Intel, Microsoft, and Samsung, other global tech heavyweights have followed suit, investing heavily in northern industrial hubs such as Hanoi, Bac Ninh, Bac Giang, Thai Nguyen, and Hai Phong. Major investments have come from companies like LG in Hai Phong, Hana Micron in Bac Giang, Amkor Technology in Bac Ninh, NVIDIA in Hanoi, and Foxconn in Bac Giang. The presence of these global FDI tech and industrial giants in Vietnam, with their massive assembly manufacturing plants, has significantly boosted the country's import-export values. As a result, exports of electronics, computer parts, phones, and various components, as well as machinery, equipment, and spare parts have surged in recent years. Over the past seven years, the export value from the FDI sector has shown a clear dominance over the domestic industry and accounts for over 70 percent of Vietnams total export value from 2018 to 2024. Workers at a foreign direct investment (FDI) factory in Dong Mai Industrial Park, Quang Ninh Province, northern Vietnam. Photo: Nguyen Khanh / Tuoi Tre Vietnamese businesses still outside high-tech value chain Nguyen Van Toan, vice-chairman of the Vietnam Association of Foreign Invested Enterprises, stated that without FDI, Vietnams integration into the global market would not have been possible. FDI supports and is a result of integration, driving Vietnam to adapt its economic policies to more effectively attract and benefit from FDI. Toan emphasized, "We cannot deny the role of FDI in Vietnam's economic development, but its time to reassess how we attract FDI. Just seeing high-tech investors entering isnt enough -- we need to evaluate what we gain from attracting those high-tech FDI projects. This is the crucial issue. If we look at the export performance of FDI in recent years, they export as much as they import, so we dont gain much." Toan proposed that the key to attracting FDI is increasing domestic value-added to 10-15 percent of the total revenue generated by FDI enterprises. Achieving this would significantly boost the benefits of FDI investments. Dr. Pham Hung Tien, an FDI expert, echoed this view, pointing out that provinces like Bac Ninh, Bac Giang, and Thai Nguyen, which are major FDI investment hubs, have high export values but are not among the top 10 in terms of budget revenue. This disparity highlights that the benefits from the 'miracles' of FDI exports are disproportionately small. Vietnam must focus on attracting FDI that serves the domestic market, not just export-driven FDI corporations. If FDI enterprises produce exclusively for foreign markets, collecting taxes will be challenging. "They come to Vietnam to exploit cheap labor, and once the resource is gone, they will move their factories elsewhere," Tien warned. Workers at the Hana Micron Vina factory in Bac Giang Province, northern Vietnam. Photo: Ha Quan / Tuoi Tre How can Vietnam benefit more? Discussing potential solutions, Toan sees the current environment as a prime opportunity to increase the value added by FDI investments. For this to happen, Vietnamese corporations must collaborate with FDI companies and become more involved in their production and supply chains. Recently, Samsung expressed interest in supporting local businesses in joining their production chains, but domestic companies lack the necessary strength. Vietnamese businesses struggle with capital, technology, and qualified labor, while policies have not sufficiently emphasized the critical need for local firms to participate in FDI supply chains. General Secretary Lams proposal to create policies enabling domestic enterprises to join FDI production chains is the right approach. "Next, we need funds to acquire technology and invest in human resource training. This is the only way for us to stand on the shoulders of giants," Toan stressed. Vo Xuan Hoai, deputy director of the National Innovation Center, emphasized the need for Vietnam to develop a set of criteria for selectively attracting FDI. These criteria should prioritize innovation, high-tech contributions, and require investors to establish innovation centers, R&D facilities, and commit to transferring technology to domestic enterprises. Hoai also proposed setting benchmarks to ensure the integration of Vietnamese companies into the FDI value chain, enabling them to become supporting partners. Increasing the number of Vietnamese managers in FDI production lines would allow local officials and engineers to gain access to advanced technologies and accelerate the transfer process. A notable example of this approach is NVIDIAs R&D center in Vietnam, where nearly all employees and engineers are Vietnamese. This setup not only facilitates technology transfer but also empowers local businesses to acquire core technologies, contributing to Vietnams innovation ecosystem. Like us on Facebook or follow us on X to get the latest news about Vietnam! Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof affirmed that the Netherlands will consider investing in Vietnam's semiconductor chip sector during a meeting with Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh on Wednesday. The meeting took place as part of PM Chinhs bilateral engagements at the 55th Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, according to Vietnam's Ministry of Foreign Affairs. At the meeting, PM Chinh proposed elevating the political and diplomatic relationship between the two nations to a new level and strengthening collaboration across various fields. He also suggested expanding cooperation into high-tech areas, including the design and production of semiconductor chips, alongside other science and technology sectors. PM Schoof acknowledged the strong friendship and collaboration between the Netherlands and Vietnam across several sectors. He highlighted the potential to deepen bilateral ties and expressed the Netherlands' keen interest in exploring investment opportunities in Vietnam's burgeoning semiconductor industry. The Netherlands is home to ASML, a world-leading supplier of photolithography machines essential to the semiconductor industry. Several Dutch companies have recently become involved in Vietnam's semiconductor sector, which has ambitious plans to train 50,000 semiconductor engineers by 2030. In January 2024, BE Semiconductor Industries N.V., a Dutch chip equipment manufacturer, launched a factory project for semiconductor equipment components at the Saigon Hi-Tech Park in Ho Chi Minh City, with an initial investment of US$4.7 million. In August 2023, Hans Duister, CEO and founder of Sioux Technologies, a Netherlands-based leader in semiconductor research and development, visited Da Nang and pledged to support the growth of the semiconductor industry in the coastal city and Vietnam in general. These collaborations highlight the potential for stronger ties and the Netherlands' pivotal role in supporting Vietnam's aspirations to develop a competitive semiconductor industry. Beyond calling for comprehensive cooperation, PM Chinh urged the Netherlands to ratify the EU-Vietnam Investment Protection Agreement in order to facilitate smoother bilateral trade and economic collaboration. The Vietnamese government leader also suggested the Netherlands should advocate for the European Union to lift its 'yellow card' warning on Vietnam's seafood exports, which was issued for illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing. PM Schoof agreed with Vietnams proposals and noted that the Dutch King and Queen are eager to visit Vietnam again soon. PM Chinh also invited PM Schoof to visit Vietnam and attend the 4th Summit of the Partnering for Green Growth and the Global Goals, set to take place in Hanoi this April. Since the establishment of diplomatic relations in 1973, Vietnam and the Netherlands have achieved significant progress in their partnership across many fields such as politics, diplomacy, defense, trade, agriculture, education, and climate change response. The Netherlands is currently Vietnams second-largest European trading partner and its top EU investor. Despite global trade challenges, bilateral trade reached $13.77 billion in 2024, reflecting a 26-percent increase compared to 2023. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! British energy group EnQuest is to acquire Harbour Energy's business in Vietnam, it said on Wednesday, as the North Sea-focused company moves to expand further outside its home market in response to higher UK taxes. The deal is valued at $84 million including debt, and EnQuest said it expects to pay a net $35 million on completion. It will acquire just over a 53 percent equity interest in the Chim Sao and Dua production fields, with the transaction due to complete in the second quarter of this year. North Sea producers have said a UK windfall tax on the industry introduced following the spike in energy prices in 2022 could deter investment in the aging oil and gas basin. Some companies have sold assets, while others have merged operations and sought to diversify to other regions. Last year EnQuest CEO Amjad Bseisu said the company was looking at opportunities in Southeast Asia, where he said "the return on capital investment is compelling". The group already has operations in Malaysia. In Britain, he said he was disappointed with the ongoing application of the windfall tax, "despite operating in an environment where no windfall conditions exist". "This agreement underlines our commitment to growth, a disciplined approach to M&A, and deploying capital where we see the most favourable returns," Bseisu added in a statement. Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh urged global partners to share expertise on establishing Ho Chi Minh City as a leading international financial center while addressing a roundtable held in Davos, Switzerland on Tuesday. Organized by Ho Chi Minh City and Sovico Group, the Davos event on developing the Center for the Fourth Industrial Revolution (C4IR) and an international financial center in Vietnams southern metropolis gathered the citys Party secretary Nguyen Van Nen, key Vietnamese enterprises, and over 40 leaders from top global corporations in technology, energy, and finance like HSBC, Visa, Intel, and Grab, along with World Economic Forum (WEF) representatives. PM Chinh emphasized that the establishment of C4IR and the financial center aligns with Vietnam's goals for innovation and global integration. The C4IR, already operational in Ho Chi Minh City, is accelerating digital transformation and innovation, supported by the Politburos Resolution 57 on advancing national science, technology, and digital growth. To ensure the effective operation of the two centers, PM Chinh pledged to streamline regulatory frameworks, modernize infrastructure, and strengthen human resource training. He called on domestic and international corporations and experts to provide recommendations and address challenges, helping Ho Chi Minh City bolster the development of the two centers. Participants at the roundtable discussed the role of the C4IR and its potential to become a technology hub in the ASEAN region and the world. They shared experience in developing financial centers and highlighted cooperation opportunities with the international financial center in Ho Chi Minh City, particularly recommendations for Vietnam and investment plans in the country. They discussed strategies for attracting global capital and partners, emphasizing the role of the financial center as a vital link between international investors and Vietnam. They encouraged Vietnam to further develop hard and soft infrastructure, offer preferential policies, and foster ecosystems for innovation and finance. Sovico Group was committed to supporting national initiatives in artificial intelligence and semiconductors, reinforcing Vietnams potential as a regional hi-tech hub in the years to come. Ho Chi Minh City officials expressed gratitude for the feedback and pledged to incorporate international expertise into the city's development strategy. They also invited global financial institutions to operate in the Ho Chi Minh City financial center. The roundtable was part of PM Chinhs official visit to Switzerland to attend the 55th Annual Meeting of the WEF in Davos and engage in bilateral activities in the European country from January 20 to 23. Like us on Facebook or follow us on X to get the latest news about Vietnam! Wildfires in Brazil last year consumed a total area larger than all of Italy, a monitor reported Wednesday, as the country continues to battle blazes often set by farmers and ranchers illegally expanding their territory. Some 30.8 million hectares (119,000 square miles) of vegetation were burned in Brazil in 2024, a 79 percent increase from 2023, monitoring platform MapBiomas reported. Fires in the Amazon, a crucial carbon sink for the rest of the world as well as a global hotspot of biodiversity, accounted for 58 percent of the damage. The figures are discouraging news for the government of President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, who in November will host the UN COP30 climate conference in the Amazonian city of Belem. The 2024 figures represent the largest area burned since 2019. Some 8.5 million hectares of forest burned in 2024, compared to 2.2 million in 2023, and in the Amazon, fires took out more forest than grassland for the first time, according to the data. "This is a terrible indicator, because, once forests are burned, they become more susceptible to future fires," said Ane Alencar, of MapBiomas. Climate change makes vegetation drier and thus more prone to burning. But in Brazil, the main driver of the fires are ranchers and farmers who clear land for pasture and agriculture -- a crime the government struggles to contain. Lula has made preserving the Amazon a priority of his government, following lax protections against human expansion into the territory under his predecessor Jair Bolsonaro. But in September, Lula admitted that the country was not "100% prepared" to face a wave of forest fires that his government attributed to "climate terrorism." The Brazilian Amazon saw its highest number of fires in 17 years in 2024, government data published earlier this month showed, after the vast biome suffered months of a lengthy drought. There were 140,328 fires detected by satellite imaging over the year, according to the National Institute for Space Research (INPE). That was 42 percent more than the 98,634 fires recorded in 2023 -- and the most since 2007, when 186,463 forest fires were seen. Those figures, as well as Wednesday's, come after some hope last year when the INPE said that deforestation in the region had fallen by more than 30 percent in the 12-month period to August 2024. Scientists warn that continued deforestation will put the Amazon on track to reach a point where it will emit more carbon than it absorbs, accelerating climate change. CASTAIC, California -- A new wildfire that broke out north of Los Angeles on Wednesday rapidly spread to more than 8,000 acres (32 square km), fueled by strong winds and dry brush, forcing mandatory evacuation orders for more than 19,000 people. The Hughes fire about 50 miles (80 km) north of Los Angeles further taxed firefighters in the region who have managed to bring two major fires burning in the metropolitan area largely under control. In just a few hours on Wednesday the new fire grew to more than half the size of the Eaton Fire, one of the two monster conflagrations that have ravaged the Los Angeles area. Officials warned people in the Castaic Lake area of Los Angeles County that they faced "immediate threat to life," while much of Southern California remained under a red-flag warning for extreme fire risk due to strong, dry winds. Some 19,000 people, a number roughly equal to the entire population of the community of Castaic, were under mandatory evacuation orders, the Los Angeles County Fire Department said. Another 16,000 were under evacuation warnings. A helicopter drops water as the Hughes Fire burns in Castaic Lake, California, U.S. January 22, 2025. Photo: Reuters Los Angeles County, the state of California and the U.S. Forest Service said their firefighters were responding. The Angeles National Forest said its entire 700,000-acre (2,800-sq-km) park in the San Gabriel Mountains was closed to visitors. As a result of the red-flag warning, some 1,100 firefighters were deployed around Southern California in anticipation of fast-moving fires, the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire) said. Southern California has gone without significant rain for nine months, contributing to hazardous conditions, but some rain was forecast from Saturday through Monday, possibly giving firefighters much-needed relief. Helicopters scooped water out of a lake to drop on the fire while fixed-wing aircraft dropped fire retardant on the hills, video on KTLA television showed. Flames spread to the water's edge. People evacuate their homes as the Hughes Fire burns in Castaic, California, U.S. January 22, 2025. Photo: Reuters Interstate 5, the major north-south highway in the western United States, was closed in the mountain pass areas known as the Grapevine due to poor visibility from the smoke, the California Highway Patrol said. While the new fire raged, the two deadly fires that have ravaged Los Angeles came under greater control, Cal Fire said. The Eaton Fire that scorched 14,021 acres (57 square km) east of Los Angeles was 91 percent contained, while the larger Palisades Fire, which has consumed 23,448 acres (95 square km) on the west side of Los Angeles, stood at 68 percent contained. Containment measures the percentage of a fire's perimeter that firefighters have under control. Since the two fires broke out on January 7, they have burned an area nearly the size of Washington, D.C., killed 28 people and damaged or destroyed nearly 16,000 structures, Cal Fire said. At one point, 180,000 people were under evacuation orders, according to Los Angeles County officials. Private forecaster AccuWeather projects damage and economic losses at more than $250 billion. A series of smaller wildfires has been extinguished or brought largely under control in Southern California the past two weeks. Firefighters prepare to head towards the Hughes Fire, in Castaic, California, U.S., January 22, 2025. Photo: Reuters Smoke and flames rise as firefighters and aircraft battle the Hughes Fire near Castaic Lake, north of Santa Clarita, California, U.S. January 22, 2025. Photo: Reuters Thomas Carbajal sprays down his home with water as the Hughes Fire burns, in Castaic, California, U.S., January 22, 2025. Photo: Reuters A cloud of smoke from the Hughes Fire rises as firefighters battle it near Castaic Lake, north of Santa Clarita, as seen from a highway nearby, California, U.S. January 22, 2025. Photo: Reuters Flames from the Hughes Fire rise as firefighters and aircraft battle it, near Castaic Lake, north of Santa Clarita, California, U.S. January 22, 2025. Photo: Reuters Vehicles drive on a highway and a cloud of smoke rises on the background as firefighters and aircraft battle the Hughes Fire near Castaic Lake, north of Santa Clarita, California, U.S. January 22, 2025. Photo: Reuters Smoke and flames rise as firefighters and aircraft battle the Hughes Fire near Castaic Lake, north of Santa Clarita, California, U.S. January 22, 2025. Photo: Reuters A cloud of smoke from the Hughes Fire rises as firefighters and aircraft battle it near Castaic Lake, north of Santa Clarita, as seen from a highway nearby, California, U.S. January 22, 2025. Photo: Reuters Smoke and flames rise as firefighters and aircraft battle the Hughes Fire near Castaic Lake, north of Santa Clarita, California, U.S. January 22, 2025. Photo: Reuters President Donald Trump's administration has directed U.S. prosecutors to criminally probe local officials who resist immigration enforcement efforts, intensifying a sweeping crackdown that Trump launched the day he took office. In a memo seen by Reuters, Trump's acting deputy attorney general, Emil Bove, told Justice Department staff that state and local authorities must cooperate with the immigration crackdown and federal prosecutors "shall investigate incidents involving any such misconduct for potential prosecution." The Justice Department could also challenge laws that complicate the effort, Bove wrote. The policy was issued as the new Republican administration prepared to step up policing of illegal immigration in cities with significant migrant populations, setting up potential confrontations with local officials in so-called sanctuary cities such as New York and Chicago that limit cooperation with such efforts. The new memo underscored how Trump's Justice Department may try to back his immigration agenda by expanding threats of criminal charges beyond immigrants or those who employ them to city and state officials. It is the latest in a series of executive actions Trump has taken to curb illegal immigration, his top priority. During Trump's first 2017-2021 term in office, many Democratic officials refused to cooperate with his enforcement efforts, and some vowed to defy him again. "We know that we don't have to participate in immigration enforcement activities," Democratic California Attorney General Rob Bonta said on CNN. But resistance in the party is not monolithic this time. In the U.S. House of Representatives on Wednesday 46 Democrats -- one-fifth of their number -- joined 217 Republicans to pass legislation that would require immigrants who are in the country illegally to be held for deportation if they are accused of theft. The bill was named for Laken Riley, a Georgia woman who was killed by an illegal immigrant who had a prior record of shoplifting. It has already passed the Senate with Democratic support and now heads to Trump's desk to be signed into law. "The American people want us to do something about the border and I think wed be hard-pressed to not say that we have to deport criminals," Representative Tom Suozzi, a moderate Democrat who voted for the bill, told Reuters. Troops to border Trump has issued a broad ban on asylum and taken steps to restrict citizenship for children born on American soil. A U.S. official said on Wednesday the military would dispatch 1,000 additional active-duty troops to the Mexico-U.S. border on Trump's orders. The administration has rescinded guidance from his Democratic predecessor Joe Biden that had limited immigration arrests near schools, churches and other sensitive places. Trump has also expanded immigration officers' power to deport migrants who cannot prove they have been in the U.S. for longer than two years. Trump has separately taken aim at federal diversity programs, ordering agencies to put officials overseeing diversity, equity and inclusion programs on leave by Wednesday and to shut down DEI offices by the end of the month. The swift actions signal Trump's intention to fulfill many of his culture-war campaign promises by pushing the limits of executive power even further than he did during his first term. Americans are sharply divided on Trump's plans for mass deportations. A new Reuters/Ipsos survey showed 39% agreed that "illegal immigrants should be arrested and put in detention camps while awaiting deportation hearings," while 42% disagreed and the rest were unsure. Some 46% of respondents said they approved of how Trump was handling immigration policy, while 39% disapproved. Most respondents who backed mass arrests identified as Republicans, while most who did not were Democrats. The poll, which surveyed adults nationwide on Jan. 20-21, found 58% of respondents agreed that the U.S. should "dramatically reduce the number of migrants allowed to claim asylum at the border," while 22% disagreed. Targeting sanctuary cities State and local officials who resist or obstruct immigration enforcement could be charged under federal laws against defrauding the U.S. or harboring immigrants who are in the U.S. unlawfully, according to the Justice Department memo. Prosecutors who opt not to file criminal charges will need to explain their reasoning to superiors, the memo said. The department this week also reassigned close to 20 career officials, transferring some to a new unit aimed at stopping sanctuary cities from resisting Trump's immigration plans, two sources said. Of the estimated 11 million immigrants in the U.S. illegally or with temporary status in 2022, about 44% lived in states with "sanctuary" laws that limit cooperation with federal immigration authorities. That figure does not include those in sanctuary cities and counties in places without a statewide law, such as New Mexico. In Mexico, authorities have begun constructing giant tent shelters in the city of Ciudad Juarez to prepare for a possible influx of deported Mexicans. Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh announced Vietnam's readiness to mediate peace talks in Myanmar during his meeting with United Nations Special Envoy on Myanmar Julie Bishop in Davos, Switzerland on Wednesday. PM Chinh emphasized that Vietnam closely follows developments in Myanmar and hopes for the country to soon stabilize for the benefit of its people, the region, and the world, according to Vietnam's Ministry of Foreign Affairs. He reaffirmed Vietnam's consistent stance of respecting Myanmars sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity. Vietnam opposes sanctions or blockades that adversely affect the lives of Myanmars citizens. The top Vietnamese official stressed that Myanmar's challenges must be resolved by its people through compromise, agreement, and the involvement of all relevant parties. The prime minister called for cooperation and shared responsibility to bring peace and stability to Myanmars people. He affirmed Vietnams willingness to leverage its reputation and relationships to support peace and stability in Southeast Asia and pledged to work closely with the United Nations to achieve this goal. He offered Vietnam as a neutral venue for dialogue, expressing its readiness to facilitate meetings among stakeholders to find solutions to the Myanmar issue. The top official also highlighted ASEAN's central role in fostering dialogue and reconciliation in Myanmar. He shared Vietnam and ASEANs efforts to promote peace and coordinate with all parties involved in the conflict. In response, Bishop commended Vietnams significant role in the region and shared her assessment of the current situation in Myanmar. She outlined the United Nations initiatives, including resolutions from the UN General Assembly and Security Council, as well as plans for a conference addressing the Rohingya crisis and the situation in Rakhine State. She welcomed PM Chinhs proposals and pledged to work closely with ASEAN to facilitate dialogue among Myanmars stakeholders, aiming for a peaceful resolution. Myanmar has been in turmoil since 2021, following a military coup that ousted the democratically elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi. The situation has escalated with ethnic armed groups and opposition forces launching attacks on the military regime. PM Chinhs meeting with the UN special envoy was part of his official visit to Switzerland to attend the 55th Annual Meeting of the WEF in Davos and engage in bilateral activities in the European country from January 20 to 23. Like us on Facebook or follow us on X to get the latest news about Vietnam! Temperatures across South Texas will warm up into the 50s on Thursday but remain about 10 degrees cooler than normal. Pivotal Despite the sunshine and clear skies, the arctic chill will continue to influence South Texas weather for the rest of the work week. Predawn morning temperatures will dip below freezing again on Friday, with afternoon high temperatures for Thursday and Friday that are still 5 to 10 degrees below normal. This weeks winter freeze, the second widespread freeze in the past three weeks, appears to follow a pattern that weather scientists call a McFarland Signature. This refers to an air flow in the upper levels of the atmosphere, or jet stream pattern, which dislodges large areas of arctic air in Canada and sends it southward through the Great Plains and into Texas. On forecast maps, it resembles a backwards S. Our current weather pattern appears to be an example of a McFarland Signature, in which arctic air is dislodged and plunges southward. Shown here is the upper-level air flow analysis from Tuesday morning that shows a classic arctic setup for such a pattern. Pivotal This pattern brings freezing temperatures to the Texas Gulf Coast, as was observed before sunrise Wednesday morning. Brownsville recorded a low of 30 degrees, McAllen dropped to 26 degrees, and Corpus Christi reached a low of 21 degrees. Advertisement Article continues below this ad This weather phenomenon also caused San Antonio to be slightly colder than Anchorage, Alaska, earlier this week. On Monday, San Antonio experienced a high of 34 degrees with a low of 25, while Anchorage had a high of 35 degrees and a low of 28 degrees. San Antonio forecast for today This morning, a weak cold front is expected to pass through, with a reinforcing shot of colder air and north winds. A hard freeze is likely outside the San Antonio metro area, with temperatures dropping into the middle and upper 20s. When factoring in the breezy north winds, the air may feel as cold as the teens and low 20s. Fortunately, the weather wont be as chilly as it was on Wednesday morning when the temperature plummeted to 12 degrees at the Edwards Aquifer Authority Field Research Park. In the Medina County town of La Coste, the temperature reached 15 degrees, while thermometers at San Antonio International Airport recorded 24 degrees. Thursday afternoon will be full of sunshine and lighter north winds. Well finally see the last of the ice begin to thaw with high temperatures climbing into the 50s, though still about 10 degrees below our average mid-January high of 64 degrees. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The extended forecast for San Antonio from the National Weather Service shows a gradual warming trend in the coming days. National Weather Service Friday forecast We can expect one more hard freeze on Friday morning, with low temperatures dropping into the 20s throughout the area. By Friday afternoon, southerly winds will start to dominate, increasing humidity and pushing temperatures back up into the upper 50s and into the mid-60s over the weekend. The downside, however, will be an increase in cloud cover and a slim chance of scattered showers from Saturday evening through noon on Sunday. But dont cancel any outdoor plans as the rain will be hit-or-miss and mostly east of San Antonio. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh outlined Vietnams ambitious strategies and infrastructure projects, including high-speed rails, nuclear power, and expressways, at the World Economic Forum (WEF)s Country Strategic Dialogue on Vietnam in Davos, Switzerland on Tuesday. Attending the dialogue were WEF's head of regional agenda for Asia-Pacific Joo-Ok Lee, along with more than 60 global business leaders who are members of the WEF. At the dialogue, PM Chinh announced Vietnams target of achieving a growth rate of at least eight percent in 2025 and double-digit growth in the following years. The country is focusing on resolutely implementing three strategic breakthroughs in institutions, infrastructure, and human resources, the government leader added. He affirmed that Vietnam has the foundation to achieve the set goals, increasingly gaining more experience, greater confidence, resilience, and more resources to boost its development. He also revealed some key infrastructure projects, saying that Vietnam plans to complete its North-South high-speed railway within about 10 years, commence the construction of a railway connecting China, Central Asia, and Europe in 2025, and complete a nuclear power plant within five years. The law-making National Assembly (NA) approved the trans-country high-speed railway project in November last year with a preliminary capital of US$67 billion. The entire line will be 1,541 kilometers long, passing through 20 provinces and cities with a design speed of 350 kilometers per hour. The NA approved the nuclear power project in 2009, with EVN as the investor. However, the project was suspended in 2016 due to safety concerns, high costs, technological challenges, and changes in global energy trends. On November 30, 2024, the legislature passed a resolution to restart the project. Many large airport, seaport, and expressway projects are being strongly promoted. Vietnam expects to boast at least 3,000 kilometers of expressways by 2025. PM Chinh stated that Vietnam had launched a program to train 50,000 semiconductor engineers, and been committed to ensuring a stable supply of electricity through comprehensive solutions, including developing wind, solar, and nuclear power as well as importing electricity. He urged partners and investors to continue accompanying and cooperating with Vietnam in priority sectors, provide feedback on its institutional development, and transfer modern technologies to the country. At the dialogue, international corporations expressed their impression of Vietnams economic growth rate of over seven percent in 2024. They highly spoke of the determination and commitment of the Vietnamese government to improve the investment environment as well as its support for the business community. Boosting large cooperation projects with China, FTA with GCC Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh during a meeting with Permanent Vice Premier of the State Council of China Ding Xuexiang in Davos, Switzerland, January 21, 2025. Photo: Vietnam Government Portal On the same day, PM Chinh also met with Permanent Vice Premier of the State Council of China Ding Xuexiang. The Vietnamese government leader suggested the two sides promote visits at all levels, effectively realize cooperation agreements, and deepen connectivity between the two economies. He also urged the implementation of major and symbolic projects, especially those on capital, technology, and human resource training cooperation to develop standard-gauge railway lines connecting Lao Cai - Hanoi - Hai Phong in 2025 and Lang Son - Hanoi, Mong Cai - Ha Long - Hai Phong in the future. Receiving secretary general of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Jasem Mohamed Albudaiwi on the sidelines of the 55th Annual Meeting of the WEF, PM Chinh requested the GCC to encourage regional businesses and investment funds to enhance cooperation with Vietnam. He also urged negotiations on the GCC-Vietnam free trade agreement and the GCC-Vietnam investment protection and promotion agreement, while calling on the GCC to share experience and assist Vietnam in building international financial centers. GCC secretary general Albudaiwi affirmed that Vietnam is on the council's priority list for signing FTAs, saying that the GCC-Vietnam cooperative ties will soon bring breakthrough results. The top Vietnamese officials participation in the WEF meeting is part of his ongoing European tour from January 15 to 23 to tighten ties with Poland, Czechia, and Switzerland. With the theme of Collaboration for the Intelligent Age,' the 55th Annual Meeting of the WEF, held from January 20 to 24, gathers approximately 3,000 leaders from countries, international organizations, and leading corporations globally. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Vietnam's Ministry of Foreign Affairs has praised a recent ruling by the Seoul Court of Appeals which ordered the South Korean government to compensate Nguyen Thi Thanh, a survivor of the 1968 massacre in Quang Nam Province by South Korean troops during the war in Vietnam. "Vietnam welcomes the recent ruling by the Seoul Court of Appeals, which reflects historical truths and contributes to the realization of the spirit of 'putting the past behind and looking toward the future, Pham Thu Hang, spokesperson for the ministry, said on Wednesday in response to a reporters query regarding the courts January 17 decision. With this perspective, Vietnam hopes to further develop the comprehensive strategic partnership with South Korea through practical actions to address the consequences of war, thereby strengthening the friendship and cooperation between the two nations and their peoples." The Seoul Central District Court earlier ruled in favor of Thanh in February 2023, ordering the South Korean government to pay 30 million won (US$20,900) in compensation. On January 17, 2025, the appellate court upheld the decision, adding extra compensation for delayed payment. Nguyen Thi Thanh, now 64, initiated the lawsuit in 2020 to seek justice for the February 12, 1968 massacre in Phong Nhi Village, Dien An Ward, Dien Ban Town, central Quang Nam Province. During the incident, South Korean troops from the 1st Company, 2nd Marine Brigade killed 74 villagers, including Thanh's family members. Thanh herself sustained injuries in the incident, making her one of the few survivors. Yonhap News Agency reported that the court confirmed the involvement of the South Korean military in the Phong Nhi massacre 57 years ago. The court's decision considered several factors, including the nature of the legal violation, Thanh's age, the extent of the damage, and human rights infringements. Testimonies from veterans and witnesses who were present during the massacre provided critical evidence to support Thanhs claims. Despite appealing the initial ruling, the South Korean government was held accountable by the appellate court. This appellate ruling marked the first time a South Korean court has acknowledged state liability for atrocities committed by its troops against Vietnamese civilians during the war in Vietnam. Thanh expressed her appreciation for the appellate court's decision while urging greater attention to the plight of other victims of similar incidents. At a press conference in February 2023, Doan Khac Viet, deputy spokesperson for the Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, emphasized that Vietnam prioritizes protecting the legitimate rights of its people while advocating for relations with South Korea in the spirit of closing the past and looking to the future. Vietnam and South Korea established diplomatic relations on December 22, 1992, and upgraded their ties to a strategic partnership in 2009, further elevating them to a comprehensive strategic partnership in December 2022. South Korea is currently one of the largest foreign direct investors in Vietnam and has contributed to post-war recovery efforts, including clearing unexploded ordnance left from the war. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! What you need to know in Vietnam today: Politics -- Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh met with his Dutch counterpart Dick Schoof in Davos, Switzerland on Wednesday (local time) on the occasion of the 55th Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum (WEF) there, with the latter underscoring the Netherlands interest in exploring investment opportunities in Vietnams semiconductor sector. -- PM Chinh emphasized at a meeting with United Nations Secretary-Generals Special Envoy on Myanmar Julie Bishop in Davos the same day that Vietnam is always closely monitoring the situation in Myanmar and hopes for a prompt return to stability there, for the benefit of the local people as well as for regional and global peace and stability, reported the Vietnam News Agency. Society -- The Blood Transfusion Haematology Hospital in Ho Chi Minh City on Wednesday held a ceremony to receive the Gold Seal of Approval from the U.S.-based Joint Commission International, making it the first public hospital in Vietnam to be accredited for medical service quality by the global leader in health care accreditation. -- Booking ride-hailing services in Ho Chi Minh City during the days leading up to the 2025 Lunar New Year holiday (Tet) is quite stressful as customers face long waits, while drivers, frustrated by traffic congestion, turn off their apps to finish work early. -- A man found a Javan pangolin, a rare species of anteater, on a street near a residential area in Nha Be District, Ho Chi Minh City and handed it over to rangers on Wednesday. The animal was estimated to weigh some four kilograms. Business -- The Vietnamese government is expected to maintain a moderately expansionary fiscal stance to boost domestic economic growth, with the fiscal deficit largely unchanged at 3.5 percent of GDP in 2025, from 3.6 percent in 2024 , according to a recent report from BMI, a unit of Fitch Solutions. -- Many bonsai pots made from vibrant, colorful aluminum wires are displayed in front of a house in Quang Duc Village in Cam Hiep Nam Commune, Cam Lam District under south-central Khanh Hoa Province, attracting lots of passers-by. World News -- A rapidly growing wildfire broke out some 50 miles (80 km) north of Los Angeles on Wednesday, burning 5,054 acres (20 square km) while two major fires burning in the metropolitan area for more than two weeks were getting under control, Reuters reported citing fire officials. -- A historic January storm dumped more deep snow along the U.S. Gulf Coast on Wednesday after bringing Houston and New Orleans to a near standstill over the past two days and burying parts of Florida's Panhandle with accumulations more typical of Chicago, according to Reuters. Like us on Facebook or follow us on X to get the latest news about Vietnam! Canadian, New Zealand, Norwegian, and Swiss ambassadors to Vietnam have jointly performed a Vietnamese song, sending heartfelt Lunar New Year wishes for the Year of the Snake 2025. The musical collaboration featured Caroline Beresford, the New Zealand ambassador; Shawn Steil, the Canadian ambassador; Hilde Solbakken, the Norwegian ambassador; and Thomas Gass, the Swiss ambassador; alongside a choir. They performed the popular Vietnamese song Nam Qua Da Lam Gi (What Have You Done This Year) by songwriter Bui Cong Nam, creating a memorable tribute to Vietnam's Tet celebrations. The music video features iconic Hanoi landmarks, including Hoan Kiem Lake, blooming peach blossoms, and the vibrant streets filled with the spirit of Tet (Vietnamese Lunar New Year). The performance was filmed at the historic Thang Long Imperial Citadel, where the ambassadors joined the choir in a warm and harmonious performance, symbolizing connection, friendship, and hope for the new year. This musical gift symbolizes the growing friendship between Vietnam and these four nations, which have seen significant progress in their bilateral ties over the years. Vietnam and Canada maintain a comprehensive partnership, with strong bilateral ties, particularly in economic and trade relations. Marking over 50 years of diplomatic relations since November 25, 1971, Vietnam-Norway relations continue to flourish. The year 2025 is particularly significant as it commemorates 50 years of Vietnam-New Zealand diplomatic ties. Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh's official visit to New Zealand in March 2024 bolstered political trust and collaboration in various sectors between the two nations. Vietnam and Switzerland recently celebrated a diplomatic milestone when the two countries agreed to elevate their bilateral relations to a comprehensive partnership during PM Chinh's meeting with Swiss President Karin Keller-Sutter in Davos, Switzerland on Tuesday. The upgrade took place during PM Chinhs official visit to Switzerland to attend the 55th Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum in Davos and engage in bilateral activities in the European country from January 20 to 23. Like us on Facebook or follow us on X to get the latest news about Vietnam! A man discovered a Javan pangolin, a rare species of anteater, crawling on a local street in a residential area in Nha Be District, Ho Chi Minh City, so he captured it and handed it over to rangers on Wednesday. The animal was estimated to weigh some four kilograms. Pham Dinh Nghia, a resident of Phu Xuan Commune in the district, told Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper that he found the pangolin crawling from a grass-covered land lot behind his house to a nearby street on Tuesday night. He quickly captured it and contacted authorities. On Wednesday, forest rangers brought in the rare animal for care before releasing it back into the wild. The Javan pangolin, scientifically known as Manis javanica, is classified as an endangered species in group IB on Vietnams government list of rare and endangered wildlife prioritized for protection. A Javan pangolin weighing some four kilograms was found in Nha Be District, Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Supplied Like us on Facebook or follow us on X to get the latest news about Vietnam! With just a week to the new lunar year, sales at Tet flower markets across Ho Chi Minh City remain sluggish, with vendors expressing concerns over overstocked items and poor sales. Pham Phu Quy, a vendor who specializes in purchasing flowers from Da Lat for selling in 23/9 Park in Ho Chi Minh City, told Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper that he typically imports about 2,000 orchids per year for Tet. This year, however, he only imported 900. In another corner of the park, Trong Trinh, a resident of northern Thai Binh Province, said that the volume of peach blossoms available for sale this year has decreased significantly due to the impact of typhoon Yagi, which hit northern Vietnam in September last year, and unfavorable weather conditions in the north. A gloomy flower market despite Tet being just around the corner. Photo: Nhat Xuan / Tuoi Tre The volume of available peach blossoms has fallen 30-40 percent, resulting in price increases of 10-15 percent, Trinh said. At Ho Thi Ky Flower Market in District 10, the atmosphere is also much quieter than it was in previous years. Tuyet Mai, a vendor at the market, lamented that current sales are only about 70 percent of what they were before the COVID-19 pandemic. Flowers fill a shop in Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Nhat Xuan / Tuoi Tre Similarly, Nguyen Thi Kim Loan, another vendor, expressed disappointment, saying that in the past, she could sell dozens of flower bouquets each day, but now she is lucky if she can vend just one. We are barely surviving on profits from previous years, Loan said. Having sold flowers at Ho Thi Ky Flower Market for over 30 years, Dieu Hoa Bich Phuong could not hide her feelings about the current slump. In previous years, the flower market was bustling from morning to night, but this year, buyers are scarce, Phuong said. A delivery man picks up flowers from a trader in Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Nhat Xuan / Tuoi Tre Pham Hoang Thai Duong, CEO of the Hoa Yeu Thuong flower chain, forecast that the Tet flower market this year would be bleak, with sales expected to be half of what they were last year. He advised florists and vendors to offer flexible pricing to avoid holding inventory for too long. Vendors pinned high hopes on a better situation after the 25th day of the 12th lunar month, or Friday, when people start their Tet holiday and receive their Tet bonuses. Facing difficulties in selling flowers at her bricks-and-mortar shop at Ho Thi Ky Market, Huynh Nhu Ngoc, the owner of Ngoc Nhien flower shop, said she had launched several promotional programs and support policies to attract online orders. These programs include free delivery services for large orders, a one-for-one exchange policy if flowers are damaged during delivery, and detailed instructions on how to care for flowers. These policies have helped increase the number of online orders by about 30 percent. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Hamas said Tuesday it will release four women hostages in the next swap with Israel under the terms of a fragile truce intended to bring to an end to 15 months of war in Gaza. US President Donald Trump, who claimed credit for the hard-won ceasefire agreement, said he doubted the deal would hold as he took office for a historic second term. Desperately needed humanitarian aid has begun to flow into Gaza as Palestinians displaced by the war headed back to devastated areas of the territory, hopeful the agreement would hold. The ceasefire took effect on Sunday, and saw Israel and Hamas conduct their first exchange of hostages for prisoners. Hamas official Taher al-Nunu told AFP that four Israeli women hostages will be freed on Saturday in exchange for a second group of Palestinian prisoners. In Washington, newly-inaugurated Trump cast doubt on whether the truce would hold. "That's not our war; it's their war. But I'm not confident," he said. Trump had claimed credit for the three-phase ceasefire agreement announced ahead of his return to the White House by Qatar and the United States, following months of fruitless negotiations under his predecessor Joe Biden. Qatar was confident in the ceasefire deal it helped mediate "when it comes to the language of the deal, when it comes to the fact that we hashed out all the major issues on the table", its foreign minister spokesman said on Tuesday. The new US president has made clear he would support Israel, and in one of his first acts as president, he revoked sanctions on Israeli settlers in the West Bank imposed by the Biden administration over attacks against Palestinians. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu congratulated Trump on his return, while far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich thanked him for lifting the sanctions. "I look forward to working with you to return the remaining hostages, to destroy Hamas's military capabilities and end its political rule in Gaza, and to ensure that Gaza never again poses a threat to Israel," Netanyahu said. "Mr. President, your unwavering and uncompromising support for the State of Israel is a testament to your deep connection to the Jewish people and our historical right to our land," Smotrich wrote on X. Displaced Gazan Ghadeer Abdul Rabbo, 30, told AFP she hopes that "with or without Trump", the ceasefire will hold and world governments will help "maintain this calm, because we are afraid". If all goes to plan, during the initial, 42-day phase of the truce that began Sunday, a total of 33 hostages are to be returned from Gaza in exchange for around 1,900 Palestinians. Over those six weeks, the parties are meant to negotiate a permanent ceasefire. In Rafah, in southern Gaza, Ismail Madi said that "we have endured immense hardships, but we will stay here. We will rebuild this place." Three Israeli hostages, all women, were reunited with their families on Sunday after more than 15 months in captivity. Hours later, 90 Palestinian prisoners were released from an Israeli jail. In Israel, there was elation as Emily Damari, Romi Gonen and Doron Steinbrecher returned home and appeared to be in good health. "In Emily's own words, she is the happiest girl in the world; she has her life back," Damari's mother Mandy said on Monday, adding that her daughter was "doing much better than any of us could have expected" even after losing two fingers. One freed detainee, Abdul Aziz Muhammad Atawneh, described prison as "hell, hell, hell". Another, Khalida Jarrar of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine -- proscribed as a "terrorist" group by Israel and some Western governments -- said she had been kept "in solitary confinement for six months". The relatives of the three Israeli ex-hostages called for the release of the remaining 91 captives seized during Hamas's October 7, 2023, attack that sparked the war, including 34 the military says are dead. Meirav Leshem Gonen, mother of Romi Gonen, said: "We got our Romi back, but all families deserve the same outcome, both the living and the dead." There was anxiety in Israel over the next phases of the truce, with columnist Sima Kadmon warning in the Yedioth Ahronoth daily that the coming hostage releases may be more painful than the first. "Some of them will arrive on gurneys and wheelchairs. Others will arrive in coffins. Some will arrive wounded and injured, in dire emotional condition," she wrote. In southern Gaza, Ammar Barbakh, 35, spent the truce's first night in a tent on the rubble of his home. "This is the first time I sleep comfortably and I'm not afraid," he said. "It's a beautiful feeling, and I hope the ceasefire continues." The war has devastated much of the Gaza Strip and displaced the vast majority of its population of 2.4 million. More than 900 trucks carrying humanitarian aid entered Gaza on Monday, the United Nations said. The day the deal came into force, 630 trucks entered Gaza. Qatar, which played a key role in negotiating the truce, said that 12.5 million litres of fuel would enter Gaza over the first 10 days. Hamas's October 7 attack resulted in the deaths of 1,210 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally of Israeli official figures. A spectacle 'Above the Sky, Under the Sea' Kicking off the festivities is Symphony of the Sea, a mesmerising firework performance on par with displays seen at international events like the Olympics. Each evening, the southern skies of Phu Quoc will light up with 400 fireworks delivering 40 breathtaking effects. Making its debut in Viet Nam, water fireworkspyrotechnics that ignite when meeting a water curtain create a stunning illusion of fireworks erupting from the depths of the ocean. Elevating the spectacle further are performances by 24 flyboard and jet ski athletes, offering a jaw-dropping visual feast that is nothing short of extraordinary. The best vantage point to experience Symphony of the Sea is Kiss Bridge, an architectural marvel celebrated by CNN. From this iconic location, visitors can capture stunning photos and immerse themselves in the magic of the show. For a premium experience, the Sun Bavaria GastroPub offers exclusive dinner show packages, featuring gourmet meals paired with 500ml of authentic German craft beer. As you indulge in delicious cuisine from 6:00pm to 8.15pm, youll enjoy a front-row view of the dazzling fireworks and live performances by international bands and dancers. Fireworks and multimedia artistry under the stars At 9:30 pm each evening, crowds in Sunset Town will look to the sky for Kiss of the Sea, a firework and multimedia extravaganza, which combines vivid pyrotechnics with an enthralling international soundtrack. Created by ECA2, the team behind the 2008 Beijing Olympics opening ceremony, Kiss of the Sea brings together 60 world-class artists from 20 countries. Cutting-edge technologyincluding water, fire, lasers and lights takes centre stage on Asias largest infinity platform. A colossal 1,000m water projection screen adds an otherworldly dimension, delivering an unforgettable visual and emotional experience. An exclusive new years eve celebration only in Phu Quoc A highlight for visitors in Sunset Town this New Years Eve is the chance to welcome the New Year with a private, unobstructed view of the midnight fireworks. At exactly 12:00 am on January 29 (the first day of the lunar calendar), the skies above Phu Quoc will explode into colours during a grand finale of Kiss of the Sea. Over 100 dazzling pyrotechnic effects will transform the night into a sparkling galaxy, creating a magical moment to usher in the year. From beaches, bustling streets and the vibrant Vui Phet night market, locals and tourists alike will gather in joy to celebrate. For the ultimate experience, secure a spot at Sun Bavaria GastroPub, where you can savour premium dining and drinks while soaking in the electrifying atmosphere. Endless festivities throughout Tet in Sunset Town Beyond its pristine beaches and world-class firework shows, Sunset Town offers an endless array of festive activities throughout the Tet holiday. The Vui Phet night market is a must-visit, featuring nearly 100 stalls serving everything from Asian delicacies to European gourmet dishes, alongside beachfront bars and artisan craft shops. For more options, explore the vibrant restaurant and nightlife scene, including hotspots like Draft Beer, Sorrento and LOOP Jacuzzi. Enjoy fresh cuisine in scenic seaside settings, accompanied by mesmerising firework displays and lively performances. This Tet, Sunset Town in Phu Quoc promises an unforgettable celebration youll wish could last forever. HA NOI Vietnamese travellers are prioritising domestic tourism for the upcoming Lunar New Year (Tet) holiday, with demand remaining high, industry experts said. A recent survey by The Outbox Company, a travel insights firm based in Viet Nam, shows strong interest in domestic travel during Tet, particularly as spring festivals and major celebrations are set to take place in late January and early February. The survey also found that many Vietnamese tourists favour self-organised trips or the 'Free & Easy' (F&E) tours, where they can book only essential services in advance, rather than opting for all-inclusive packages. The survey also highlights a preference for short-term trips, typically lasting three or four days. In terms of travel companions, the survey found that 46 per cent of Vietnamese tourists prefer to travel with family members across several generations, while 30 per cent travel with their spouse or partner, and 17 per cent travel with friends or colleagues. It also highlights a significant increase in spending by Vietnamese travellers during the Tet holiday, with the average budget for a trip rising by 58 per cent compared to last years Lunar New Year. The Outbox Company said in its survey, that this surge in spending reflects a growing trend among Vietnamese consumers who are seeking premium experiences and are willing to invest more in their travels. General Director of Vietluxtour, Tran The Dung, said that over recent years, many Vietnamese travellers tend to return to their hometowns during the Tet holiday, along with family and loved ones. As a result, numerous travel companies have been expanding and diversifying their domestic tourism packages to meet the growing domestic demand, Dung told tcdulichtphcm.vn. According to the Marketing Director of BestPrice, Bui Thanh Tu, besides Ha Noi and HCM City, domestic destinations such as a Nang, Ha Giang, Khanh Hoa, and Lam ong will remain top choices for Vietnamese tourists during the Tet holiday because these locations offer convenient transport connections and cater well to the demand for short-term holidays. Tu also told tcdulichtphcm.vn that tickets for this year's Tet holiday will remain high, a projected increase of 10-15 per cent compared to the previous year. The Lunar New Year holiday, Viet Nam's largest and most cherished traditional celebration, spans nine days this year, offering people nationwide the chance to embark on unique journeys across the country. The seven-day Tet holiday last year saw 10.5 million domestic holidaymakers travelling, up 17 per cent year-on-year. VNS HA NOI Viet Nam's export durian industry faces difficulties in entering the Chinese market due to new inspection regulations for durian exports. China has tightened inspection of Basic Yellow 2 (BY2) residues in durian batches exported from other countries to this market, including Viet Nam, with 90 per cent of its durians exported to China. The inspection regulation was issued after the General Administration of Customs of China (GACC) reported the detection of Basic Yellow 2 (BY2), a substance classified by the WHO as a Group 2B carcinogen, in Thai durian exports. That move left Viet Nam's export durian batches being returned or waiting for customs clearance for lengthy periods at the border gates. One Vietnamese exporter said that 170 tonnes of its produce did not clear customs at border gates because of the China inspection of BY2, believed to be used to enhance the yellow colour of durian fruit. According to the durian export company's representative, this is the first time its fruit has been returned due to a lack of a inspection certification for BY2. At Huu Nghi International Border Gate, the number of durian trucks clearing customs each day has decreased sharply, from 70-80 trucks in 2024, to only 20-30 trucks in recent days. Deputy Director of Huu Nghi Customs Branch, Phung Van Ba, said that the slow customs clearance speed was mainly due to China tightening inspections of BY2 and only allowing customs clearance for shipments meeting the new regulations. Viet Nam's Plant Protection Department has asked localities to strengthen supervision of growing areas and packaging facilities. Chemical residue and heavy metal testing and traceability have been tightened to ensure that exported fruits meet international standards. Violated growing area codes and packaging facilities will be suspended if they do not meet the criteria. The General Secretary of the Vietnam Fruit and Vegetable Association (Vinafruit), ang Phuc Nguyen, said Viet Nam's durian export activities are being disrupted because China inspects all export shipments and they are now taking a week to clear customs. China has determined that BY2 can contaminate the fruit flesh, so inspections must also examine beneath the peel. China's authorities have also warned against using returned durian for frozen processing because it is likely to encounter similar inspections as fresh durian. The association also recommend that businesses must not sell returned durian to consumers or move it into processing before the results of the BY2 residue test are available. If there is no residue, the durians can be sold or processed, but if fruit has substance residues, the durians must be destroyed to protect both consumers and the reputation of Viet Nam's durian. Thailand's authorities have almost completed the BY2 substance testing process to certify the safety of Thai durian. So, the durian shipments can be exported again next week to take advantage of the consumption demand during the Lunar New Year. Meanwhile, Viet Nam's relevant offices have not yet had support for local businesses to check for residue. Nguyen has suggested that it is necessary to quickly establish many testing rooms to issue certificates for crops without BY2 residue. Vu Kim Hanh, chairwoman of the Business Association of High Quality Vietnamese Products, said that because Thailand does not lower durian prices or give gifts to durian buyers, they compete with Vietnamese on standards alone. In addition to competing in export volume and value, the battle of durian brands is also taking place in China market. This market has Thailand's Monthong durian, and Malaysia's Musang King and Black Thorn, while Viet Nam still does not have a national brand for its product. Durian is a key export product of Viet Nam, reaching a record turnover of about US$3.3 billion in 2024, an increase of more than $1 billion compared to 2023. Every year, China imports fresh durian worth $7 billion and this figure is expected to exceed $10 billion in the next few years. In addition, China also spends $1 billion on frozen durian, a figure which is expected to increase rapidly. VNS DAVOS The Ministry of Planning and Investment, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and FPT Corporation co-hosted a working breakfast in Davos, Switzerland on January 22 to discuss the future and opportunities of Viet Nam's pharmaceutical industry in the new era. The event brought together Politburo member and Secretary of the HCM City Party Committee Nguyen Van Nen, senior officials from Vietnamese ministries and localities, and representatives from global pharmaceutical giants like AstraZeneca, Bayer and Merck, alongside leading Vietnamese pharmaceutical companies. They noted that Viet Nams pharmaceutical sector has been growing at an average annual rate of over 10 per cent, with market value rising from US$2.7 billion in 2015 to $7 billion in 2025, and a forecast of $10 billion by 2026. The country is home to over 238 WHO-GMP-certified drug manufacturing plants, 17 EU-GMP-standard factories, more than 5,000 wholesale distributors and over 62,000 retail outlets. Domestically produced pharmaceuticals now meet around 50 per cent of the national demand while gaining increasing recognition in international markets. Truong Gia Binh, Chairman of FPT's Board of Directors, opened the event by highlighting Viet Nam's potential to attract significant investment, emphasising the government's comprehensive support aligned with national strategic orientations in technology and human resource development. Binh identified pharmaceuticals as a sector poised to benefit greatly from AI advancements, particularly in vaccine and drug development. Drawing on FPT's decade-long journey in AI research and development, he noted, "With 10 years of experience in AI research and development and working directly with leading organisations and experts in this field, we have seen many new ideas emerging from AI in a variety of fields." This insight underscores AI's transformative potential across industries and reinforces FPT's commitment to innovation and collaboration in shaping the future of technology. Speaking on behalf of Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, who is in Davos for the 55th Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum, Nen underscored the pharmaceutical industrys dual importance as a public health cornerstone and an economic growth driver. He noted that in the face of global challenges such as pandemics, aging populations and rising healthcare needs, technology and innovation are reshaping the pharmaceutical landscape. The Vietnamese Governments National Strategy for the Development of the Pharmaceutical Sector by 2030, with a Vision to 2045, outlines a path to position Viet Nam as a leader in the regional pharmaceutical industry. Key objectives include modernising production, ensuring medicine security, boosting exports and integrating into global supply chains. Major priorities of the strategy include advancing research and development (R&D) to create high-value pharmaceutical products, developing herbal medicines, high-tech drugs, and innovative treatments such as biologics and vaccines, conserving and developing rare, indigenous medicinal resources, and introducing special investment incentives, such as preferential policies for projects exceeding $120 million. Nen emphasised that digital transformation and technology will be central to the pharmaceutical sectors growth. Emerging technologies like artificial intelligence (AI), big data, and the Internet of Things (IoT) hold the potential to optimise drug research, production processes and supply chain management, he said. He also highlighted Viet Nam's focal points in the process of boosting the industrys growth, including creating innovation ecosystems, high-tech pharmaceutical research centres, and dedicated pharmaceutical industrial zones, strengthening collaborations between enterprises, research institutions, and universities, and training a specialised workforce in AI and digital transformation for the pharmaceutical sector. Viet Nam aims to ensure its pharmaceutical industry meets international standards, improve intellectual property protections, and design transparent, efficient regulatory systems for drug procurement and distribution. The official called on international pharmaceutical corporations to strengthen partnerships and expand investments in Viet Nam. He highlighted opportunities for collaboration in high-tech drug manufacturing and resilient supply chain development. Reaffirming PM Chinhs principle of 'harmonised benefits and shared risks,' Nen pledged Governments support for foreign investors to ensure long-term, sustainable operations in Viet Nam. VNS DAVOS - HCM City, in collaboration with Vietnamese technology company CMC, announced on January 21 an ambitious initiative to establish the world's first AI city model. The announcement was made at the sidelines of a forum titled "AI-X for the Era of Artificial Intelligence," co-organised by the Vietnam Centre for Industrial Revolution 4.0 (C4IR) and CMC during the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, Switzerland. The forum attracted over 200 international delegates, including representatives from major organisations such as Google, Global AI Corp, SAP, KPMG and the European Chamber of Commerce. Dr Philipp Rosler, the former Vice Chancellor of Germany, former CEO of WEF and Honorary Consul General of Viet Nam in Switzerland also attended the event. The initiative signifies a pivotal moment for HCM City as it aims to position itself at the forefront of AI technology and innovation on a global scale. Dr Rosler has been appointed Honorary Director of C4IR Ho Chi Minh City, highlighting the city's commitment to becoming a global leader in AI technology. Vo Van Hoan, vice chairman of the HCM City People's Committee, emphasised that the city is Viet Nam's largest economic centre and a hub for innovation. He stated: "With more than a decade of AI research and development, along with the strong technology foundation of the C.OpenAI ecosystem, CMC will be a strategic partner in realising HCM Citys ambition to become a global AI city." Hoan noted that this collaboration would open doors for sustainable development, positioning HCM City as a model for integrating technology into modern urban management. At the event, Chairman of CMC Corporation Nguyen Trung Chinh highlighted that the AI-X initiative would be more than just a technological advancement; it would represent a shift towards a smart era where technology enhances human life and encourages sustainable development. He remarked: "AI-X is not only a technological initiative but also the key to shaping the smart era - where technology serves humanity, promotes sustainable development and opens up breakthrough opportunities for global businesses." The initiative to develop HCM City into an AI city presents a significant opportunity for CMC and other Vietnamese enterprises to enhance their roles in AI and innovation on a global scale. Dr Rosler has committed to serving as an effective bridge between HCM City and the international community. His focus is on fostering cooperation, investment and the transfer of advanced technological knowledge. The CMC has developed the AI-X strategy based on its C.OpenAI ecosystem, which has been under development for nearly a decade. This strategy aims to help businesses maximise their data potential and effectively implement advanced AI solutions to support their digital transformation. The group has invested over VN1 trillion (US$40 million) in the CMC Cloud and C.OpenAI platforms, with plans to invest an additional $200 million by 2030. The goal is to achieve a leading position in the Cloud and AI sectors by 2028 and expand into international markets by 2030. HCM City aims to establish itself as an AI city by 2030, driven by C4IR, which was launched in September 2024. As the 19th centre in the WEF network, C4IR operates through a public-private partnership located in the Thu uc City High-Tech Park. VNS KON TUM Kon Tum Province is implementing stricter quality control measures for durian and jackfruit exports following a warning from China about food safety lapses in some Vietnamese durian shipments. Head of the province's plant protection and cultivation sub-department, Nguyen Hoai Tam, said his agency has stepped up both regular and random inspections of durian, jackfruit and other fruit farms to ensure compliance with food safety and quarantine regulations in importing countries. He warned that any farm violating them would have its export codes suspended. Nevertheless, authorities will also apprise violating farms about corrective measures to ensure quality and safety in future, and failure to comply will result in their removal from the list of eligible exporters. "This ensures our fruit exports meet requirements and maintain stable trade relations with international markets, especially China," Tam said. Authorities are communicating with exporters to ensure they comply with all regulations, he said. He explained the process of obtaining production unit codes, which require organisations and individuals to apply for and demonstrate compliance with food safety standards, including providing farming logs and relevant certification like VietGAP and Global GAP. The province's plant protection and cultivation sub-department then reviews the application and inspects the farm before issuing a code. It submits the farm code to the plant protection department for negotiation and approval by the importing country. The province currently has 18 registered production unit codes covering 325 hectares, including six for durian and three for jackfruit. VNS QUANG TRI The People's Committee of Quang Tri Province and ENI Natural Energies Vietnam LLC on Wednesday signed a memorandum of understanding for cooperation in the creation of carbon credits and agrifeed stock. Key aspects of the provinces socio-economic potential, major ongoing and upcoming projects and the direction for future development were also addressed at the meeting by Ha Sy ong, acting chair of the Quang Tri People's Committee. The vibrant development of Quang Tri is currently being driven by numerous key programmes and projects, many of which involve investors from various countries around the world, he said. He added that the province currently has 20 wind power projects with a total capacity of 742.2 megawatts (MW) in commercial operation, 11 hydropower projects operating at 167.5MW, three solar power projects at 119.6MW and a rooftop solar system producing approximately 90.2MW. The province is also focusing on accelerating the progress of implementing the approved power generation and grid projects in the National Power Development Plan VIII, approved by the Prime Minister on May 15, 2023, ong said. The official expressed his hope that through the signing of the MoU, Quang Tri and ENI Natural Energies Vietnam LLC will build a comprehensive, responsible partnership, contributing to the effective implementation of Viet Nams and Italys international ecological environment commitments. CEO of ENI Natural Energies Vietnam LLC, Giacomo Spadini, said that this is just the start of a long-term partnership. "We were deeply impressed by the significant changes in Quang Tri seen during our visits to the Quang Tri Industrial Park, the My Thuy deep-sea port and key energy projects at the Southeast Economic Zone," he said. The company expressed hope for further cooperations with the province, particularly in areas related to natural climate solutions, the environment and carbon credits. VNS HA NOI The stock market staged a robust recovery on Thursday, with the VN-Index nearing the 1,260-point mark. Liquidity improved slightly and foreign investors showed signs of net buying. On the Ho Chi Minh Stock Exchange (HoSE), the VN-Index rose by 17.1 points, or 1.38 per cent, to close at 1,259.63 points. Market breadth was decisively positive, with 233 advancing stocks significantly outnumbering 73 decliners. Liquidity on the southern bourse improved to VN13.2 trillion (over US$524.8 million), marking a 10.1 per cent increase compared to the previous session. The VN30-Index, which tracks the top 30 large-cap stocks on HoSE, also climbed by 22.82 points, or 1.74 per cent, to settle at 1,332.54 points. Of the VN30 basket, 26 stocks advanced, while four remained unchanged. The Bank for Foreign Trade of Vietnam (VCB) led the blue-chip gains, rising by 1.43 per cent and contributing over 1.74 points to the VN-Index. Other notable performers included FPT Corporation (FPT), which surged by 3.07 per cent, Fortune Vietnam Joint Stock Commercial Bank (LPB), up 5.69 per cent and Vietnam Prosperity Joint Stock Commercial Bank (VPB), which increased by 3 per cent. However, minor losses were observed in select sectors, including FPT Digital Retail Joint Stock Company (FRT), Viettel Post Joint Stock Corporation (VTP) and the Hanoi Beer Alcohol and Beverage Joint Stock Corporation (BHN). Market analysts at Viet Dragon Securities said: The market surged after recent efforts to regain the 1,250-point level. Liquidity increased compared to the previous session, signalling more active capital flows, though supply pressure also rose alongside the market's gains. The current uptrend could provide momentum for the market to approach the 1,300-point target. However, the market may face heightened volatility in the short term due to profit-taking activities, with the 1,2551,260 range serving as a support zone. Thus, investors can remain optimistic about the potential for further market gains. Short-term opportunities can be explored in stocks showing positive momentum from support levels. However, investors should monitor recovery trends closely to lock in profits on stocks that have rapidly reached resistance zones or restructure their portfolios accordingly. On the Ha Noi Stock Exchange (HNX), the HNX-Index also posted gains, rising by two points, or 0.91 per cent, to close at 222.67 points. Investors traded VN635 billion worth of shares on the northern exchange, equivalent to over 40 million shares. Meanwhile, foreign investors took part in some bottom-fishing, recording net purchases of over VN142 billion on the HoSE and VN14 billion on the HNX. VNS US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on his first full day in office Tuesday warned jointly with Japan, India and Australia against coercive actions in Asia, in a veiled but clear warning to China over its actions at sea. Rubio met in Washington with his counterparts from the so-called Quad a day after the inauguration of President Donald Trump, who has vowed to push back against a rising China. But the gathering also marks a contrast with Trump's frequent dismissal of US allies and partners, with the returning US president on Tuesday threatening tariffs against the European Union. Rubio and his counterparts in a joint statement promised to work toward a "free and open Indo-Pacific," deploying a codeword against Chinese assertiveness that has been utilized by US administrations from both major political parties. The four said they support a region "where the rule of law, democratic values, sovereignty and territorial integrity are upheld and defended." "We also strongly oppose any unilateral actions that seek to change the status quo by force or coercion," the statement said. The ministers confirmed they would work to hold a Quad summit previously scheduled for this year in India, which would mean an early trip by Trump to the growing US partner often viewed in Washington as a bulwark against China. Rubio also met separately with each minister. With Japanese Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya, Rubio discussed North Korea and "joint efforts against China's destabilizing actions," State Department spokeswoman Tammy Bruce said. China has had rising friction with the Philippines, a US ally, as it stakes claims in territorial disputes. Rubio in his confirmation hearing also vowed to deter China against an invasion of Taiwan, the self-governing democracy it claims as its own. Trump during the campaign rattled Taiwan by saying it needed to pay the United States protection money, and Trump's nominee for defense secretary, Pete Hegseth, made headlines at his confirmation hearing by not being able to name a member of ASEAN, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations. The Quad was envisioned by late Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe and expanded into a leaders' summit by former president Joe Biden. China has repeatedly lashed out at the Quad, saying it is a US plot to encircle the rising Asian power. Rubio, a three-term senator who a day earlier was unanimously confirmed by his peers, arrived at the State Department with a promise to defend US diplomats -- often maligned by his Republican Party -- while also pursuing Trump's belief in "America First." "I expect every nation on earth to advance their national interests. And in those instances -- and I hope there will be many -- in which our national interests and theirs align, we look forward to working with them," Rubio said. "We recognize that there will be those times unfortunately as humans interact with one another because of our nature that there will be conflict," Rubio said. "We will seek to prevent them and avoid them, but never at the expense of our national security," he said. With Trump's return, a slew of senior career diplomats quit their posts at the State Department as the new administration pushes to bring in political appointees it sees as loyal. Addressing employees with his wife and four children by his side, Rubio said: "There will be changes." "But the changes are not meant to be destructive, they're not meant to be punitive," he said. "But we need to move faster than we ever have because the world is changing faster than we ever have." HCM CITY HCM Citys agriculture wholesale markets have focused on ensuring adequate supply of goods such as meat, fruits and vegetables for the upcoming Tet (Lunar New Year) holidays, but demand at these markets is not as high as usual. A working group led by Nguyen Van Dung, deputy chairman of the city Peoples Committee, inspected the business and distribution activities at large agriculture wholesale markets in the city on the evening of January 22 and early January 23 morning. Nguyen Van Huay, general director of the Thu uc Agriculture Wholesale Market, claimed market traders have a steady source of produce since they maintain good relationships with their suppliers. They have also increased their stock of goods for the few days leading up to Tet. The market sells fruits, vegetables and flowers that come from the citys outer districts such as Hoc Mon and Cu Chi, other parts of the country and foreign countries such as the US, Australia and New Zealand. At the Hoc Mon Agriculture Wholesale Market, traders have stockpiled enough pigs to ensure sufficient supply of pork for Tet and prepared cold storage for fruits and vegetables in case of supply chain disruptions. Market officials will keep a close eye on supply and demand, and in case of problems, they will quickly notify relevant authorities to mitigate them. They will also monitor vendors to make sure they list prices accurately. According to the working group's inspection, the citys agriculture wholesale markets have ensured an adequate supply, but demand is lower than usual since Tet falls close to the Western New Year, and many people had already purchased produce. Additionally, Tet is longer than usual, leading many to prefer sought-after Tet gifts and foodstuffs for holiday trips instead of fresh produce. Since the outbreak of COVID-19, many market vendors have been selling goods online, which is another reason for the low demand at their physical shops. Dung mentioned that while food demand during Tet is significant, markets must place a great emphasis on food safety and closely monitor the prices of goods. The city Department of Industry and Trade will also monitor the markets during Tet to ensure businesses have adequate supply of goods. VNS HCM CITY As Tet (the Lunar New Year holiday), Viet Nam's most important festival, draws near, nearly one hundred tourists from Poland have arrived to soak up the vibrant local atmosphere. To fully immerse themselves in Viet Nams rich culture and the vibrant atmosphere of the Lunar New Year festival, the group has participated in lively festivities and savoured traditional Tet dishes such as banh tet (rolled sticky rice cake), banh chung (square sticky rice cake), thit kho (caramelised pork) and dua kieu (pickled leek). They have also enjoyed the joyous custom of receiving li xi (lucky money), a practice believed to bring good fortune for the year ahead. Sharing her excitement after experiencing a traditional Tet dinner in HCM City for the first time, visitor Ewa Waszak said she is very happy to be in Viet Nam during this special occasion. It was an absolutely wonderful experience. Everyone here is so warm and friendly and the smiles of the Vietnamese people are unforgettable. Unlike the cold and gloomy weather in Poland, the weather here is perfect, with beautifully decorated streets and restaurants. The atmosphere is safe and joyful, she said. Kasia Wicenciak, another Polish tourist, praised Vietnamese food and the welcoming atmosphere. The food is absolutely delicious. This is my first visit to Viet Nam and I will definitely come back with my family, the scenery and the people here are amazing. All these fascinating experiences are part of the 'Tay An Tet Ta' tour, which literally translates as 'Westerners Celebrate Tet', arranged by travel company Vietluxtour. We have consistently received glowing feedback from travellers about their Tet experiences in Viet Nam," said General Director of Vietluxtour Tran The Dung. "That's why we continue this annual tradition, enhancing the diversity and uniqueness of our offerings and leaving foreign tourists with unforgettable impressions of Vietnamese culture." He added that during this year's Lunar New Year festival, visitors are seeking a mix of sightseeing and Tet experience products across Viet Nam's northern, central, and southern regions, as well as internationally. There is also a growing trend towards high-end relaxation services. In addition to all-inclusive tours, many travellers prefer F&E ('Free and Easy') tours and customised options tailored for groups, especially overseas Vietnamese. This interest has led to a high demand for tours departing from the 25th day of the 12th lunar calendar (falling on January 24), continuing through the first, second and third days of Tet. Europe has long been a significant market for Vietluxtour, making up around 30 per cent of the company's inbound customer volume. The majority of travellers hail from countries such as the UK, France, Germany, Poland, the Czech Republic and Switzerland. European tourists, particularly from Poland, are drawn to Vietluxtour's programmes that offer visits to scenic spots and immersive experiences of Vietnamese culture and cuisine. They particularly appreciate the unique and diverse cultural elements across the regions, along with relaxation and leisure tourism in beautiful coastal areas like a Nang, Ha Long Bay, and Phu Quoc. VNS HCM CITY A series of new books featuring Vietnamese culture and lifestyle have been released to celebrate the Tet (Lunar New Year) festival in the Year of the Snake, which begins on January 29. Highlighted works include Sach Tet 2025 (The Book for Tet 2025), a production printed by the ong A Company. The book includes five chapters with coloured pictures by well-known authors, musicians and artists, such as late poet Che Lan Vien, writer Le Minh Khue, and painter ao Hai Phong. Another book is Tet Ba Mien (Lunar New Year Celebrated in Three Regions) by the private publishing house Thai Ha Books. It tells the stories of people living in the North, Central and South regions who work to keep traditional culture and lifestyle alive. Traditional customs and festivals, which were created by ethnic minority groups across the country, are also featured. Nham Nhi Tet At Ti (Welcome the Year of the Snake 2025) is released by State-owned Kim ong Publishing House. It is divided into different parts of essay, poem, music and painting. It includes 25 short stories, poems, songs, and paintings about the spring and Tet festival by veteran and young writers and painters. The stories and poems are by Nguyen Thi Nhu Hien, Tran Quoc Toan, oan Mai Anh, Vu Thi Thanh Tam and Pham Anh Xuan. Tet flowers such as ao (peach blossom), mai (apricot blossom) and quat (kumquat), and Tet cakes of banh chung (square glutinous rice cakes) and banh tet (round glutinous rice cake) are featured. The work also includes colour paintings of snakes by young artists of Kim ong Publishing House. Special publications for Tet help children and young readers learn more about Vietnamese history and culture, said a representative of the publisher. Tet books are available nationwide at bookstores and on e-commerce websites.VNS HCM CITY Spring in Taiwan is not only known for its beautiful natural scenery but also an ideal time to rejuvenate, seek tranquility, and pray for good fortune. Exploring Sicao Dazhong Temple Located in Annan District, Sicao Dazhong Temple is one of the oldest temples in Taiwan. Built in 1699, the temple's ancient architecture combined with its peaceful atmosphere creates a sacred space for those seeking prayer and contemplation. Visiting the temple provides an opportunity to explore the Sicao Green Tunnel a unique destination located just behind the temple. This over-50-year-old mangrove forest is considered Taiwan's "Mini Amazon." Visitors can take a boat ride through the green tunnel, immersing themselves in the pristine and tranquil natural environment while observing native wildlife like the Fiddler Crab and Mudskipper. Visitors can easily take a taxi or bus from downtown Tainan city to go to the temple. Buses from major stations in Tainan will take you near the temple area, from where you can take a short walk. Accommodations near the area start from VN1.8-4 million (US$70-160) per night. Hot Spring Bathing Taiwan is one of the countries with the most hot springs in the world. Hot spring bathing in Taiwan is not just a form of relaxation but also considered a therapy for healing the body and mind. The warm, mineral-rich waters help improve blood circulation, reduce stress, and promote better sleep. Beitou is one of the most popular destinations for hot spring experiences in Taiwan. Located in a lush green valley north of Taipei, Beitou has natural hot spring pools and many interesting museums and exhibition halls, such as the Beitou Hot Spring Museum and the Beitou Museum. About a one-hour drive from downtown Taipei, Wulai is another prominent destination combining hot springs, large waterfalls, and the culture of the Atayal people an indigenous Taiwanese group. You can also enjoy local specialties like grilled mountain boar and rice noodles or participate in trekking activities to explore the pristine nature. Located at an altitude of 400 metres in Nantou, Lushan offers a sense of absolute relaxation and tranquility. The fresh air, majestic natural scenery, and natural hot spring pools will help you rejuvenate both physically and mentally. Visitors can take the MRT and buses or rent a private car to travel to the famous hot spring areas. Accommodation starts from VN2.3 - 7.3 million ($90-290) per night. Lantern Festival The Lantern Festival is one of the most prominent spring events and a must-see when visiting Taiwan. This traditional festival attracts millions of visitors from around the world and symbolises prayers for peace and good luck. During this time, people release lanterns made of rice paper and bamboo frames into the sky, carrying heartfelt wishes. On the lantern surfaces, people often write their desires for health, peace, and fortune. Each lantern colour also carries its own meaning: red symbolises health and peace, while yellow represents wealth and prosperity. Among the Lantern Festivals held in Taiwan, Pingxi Sky Lantern Festival is the most prominent, taking place on the 15th day of the first lunar month. This is not only an enjoyable experience but also an opportunity to send wishes and hopes for a peaceful new year. Taiwan has many other noteworthy lantern festivals such as in bustling Ximending district, and the one in Taichung is also very famous, with giant lanterns displayed at Taichung Park and Taichung Harbor Art Center, featuring diverse themes and crafted by talented artisans. In addition, the lantern festival in Chiayi is often impressive with lanterns on land and under water, with models simulating famous scenic spots such as Alishan or the National Taiwan Museum. The lantern festival at Fo Guang Shan Monastery in Kaohsiung is a meaningful spiritual event. Visitors can take a train or bus to travel to the festivals, and stay at accommodation services starting from VN2.3-2.5 million ($90-100) per night. A journey through Sicao Dazhong Temple, the hot spring areas, and experiencing the lantern festivals not only provides a sense of relaxation but also an opportunity to deeply understand Taiwanese culture and spirituality. This is an ideal trip to help you rejuvenate, find peace, and send good wishes for the new year. VNS HA NOI Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Nguyen Minh Hang has underscored the fruitful outcomes of Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh's official visits to Poland and the Czech Republic and bilateral activities in Switzerland from January 15-22. Talking with the press, Hang hailed the visits as a step to follow the foreign policy outlined by the 13th National Party Congress, further deepen friendly relations and multifaceted cooperation with traditional partners in Western and Central Eastern Europe. She said it was the first high-level delegation exchange in 18 years with Poland and six years with the Czech Republic, both traditional friends that have provided selfless, genuine and dedicated help for the Vietnamese people during the national liberation, reunification and current development. The visits took place at the time when Viet Nam and Poland, as well as the Czech Republic, prepare to celebrate the 75th anniversary of their diplomatic ties in early February. Additionally, Viet Nam and Switzerland are approaching the 55th anniversary of diplomatic ties in 2026. Poland recently assumed the rotating presidency of the European Union from January 1, 2025. PM Chinh's agenda was packed, engaging in over 30 talks and meetings, delivering policy speeches, attending business forums and the Spring Homeland programme, and exploring several cultural, scientific and technological establishments in these nations. A standout achievement from these visits, according to Hang, was the enhancement of relations and strengthening of political trust. Viet Nam and Poland issued a joint statement on advancing towards an upgrade of bilateral relations to a strategic partnership, while Viet Nam and the Czech Republic issued a joint statement on the upgrade of bilateral relations to a strategic partnership. Viet Nam and Switzerland issued a joint statement to elevate bilateral ties to a comprehensive partnership. There was a consensus among the countries to increase exchanges at various levels and through different channels, particularly through people-to-people exchanges, to raise mutual understanding and set the stage for expanded cooperation in other areas. Leaders of the European nations spoke highly of Viet Nam's rising international stature, with the Czech Republic and Poland considering Viet Nam their most important partner in Asia. The visits have invigorated cooperation in such traditional areas as trade, investment, tourism, education-training, national defence-security, culture, tourism, and labour, in line with the new partnership framework. They also expanded collaboration to other areas where both sides have potential and mutual needs, like digital transformation, green transition, information and communication technology, cybersecurity, pharmaceuticals, automotive industry, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), and connectivity in aviation and rail transport. Viet Nam, Poland and the Czech Republic agreed to further open their markets to each other's agricultural, seafood and food products within the framework of the EU-Viet Nam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA). They promised to expedite the ratification of the EU-Viet Nam Investment Protection Agreement (EVIPA) and accelerate negotiations for a Free Trade Agreement between Viet Nam and the European Free Trade Association (EFTA). Eight new cooperation agreements were inked, spanning diplomacy, labour, aviation, education, sports, and culture. Viet Nam's decision to waive visa requirements for citizens of these three countries was warmly welcomed, promising to boost tourism and cultural exchanges. On global and regional issues, PM Chinh and leaders of the three countries agreed to offer mutual support at multilateral forums and organisations, and peacefully settle disputes in line with international laws and basic principles of the United Nations (UN) Charter and the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). Hang mentioned PM Chinh's advocacy for better integration, cultural and Vietnamese language preservation among the overseas Vietnamese community during his talks and meetings. About the PMs attendance at the 55th Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, Switzerland, the diplomat stated that the PM, along with leaders from various ministries, agencies and localities, engaged in discussions with several leading corporations during five key forums focused on areas aligned with Viet Nam's development priorities, including hi-tech, artificial intelligence (AI), pharmaceuticals, smart infrastructure, green energy and financial centre development. The business community affirmed readiness to further invest in Viet Nam's priority areas, and pledged to accompany Viet Nam in developing financial centres in HCM City and a Nang. The Vietnamese leaders speeches and discussions left a lasting impression of Viet Nam's aspirations, vision and determination for development, highlighting the country's institutional, resource and infrastructure readiness to embrace the intelligent age. Hang concluded by stressing that the delegation had made the most of the trip to strengthen ties with various countries and international organisations, with commitments spanning trade, healthcare, intellectual property, agriculture and renewable energy. The PM's attendance in Davos delivered important messages to the international community, highlighting sincerity, cooperation, international solidarity, the role of multilateralism in promoting sustainable, inclusive and adaptive development for the intelligent age. He stressed that the intelligent age must serve people, with a focus on human-centric initiatives and cooperation, and highlighted the responsibility of countries and businesses within the global ecosystem, she added. VNA/VNS GENEVA Many Swiss experts have welcomed the upgrading of the Viet Nam-Switzerland relations, which was agreed by Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and Swiss President Karin Keller-Sutter during their recent talks in Davos, seeing it as a new chapter in bilateral cooperation. Philipp Rosler, Honourary Consul of Viet Nam in Switzerland and former Deputy Chancellor of Germany, stated that PM Chinh leading a high-ranking Vietnamese delegation to the Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos provided an opportunity for Viet Nam to showcase its achievements in nation building, particularly in the economic field. He noted that an economic growth rate of over 7 per cent is an impressive achievement, given the difficulties faced by many other countries. Congratulating the Vietnamese Government, Rosler expressed a hope for further contributions to fostering cooperation between the two countries. In the coming time, Switzerland will continue to support Viet Nam through its 2025-2028 Development Cooperation Programme, under the patronage of the Swiss Federal Department of Economic Affairs Education and Research. The programme aims to help Viet Nam achieve its goal of becoming a sustainable high-income economy. The two countries will collaborate in areas such as innovation, green finance, intellectual property, and sharing experience in building and developing an international financial centre in Viet Nam. Commenting on this cooperation, Rachel Isenschmid, a member of the Swiss-Viet Nam Economic Forum (SVEF), said that as Viet Nam is ready to enter a new era - the era of the nation's rise to become a country with high-income and sustainable development, with every individual and organisation playing a key role. She said she believes that elevating the cooperation between Viet Nam and Switzerland at this critical time will have a positive impact on achieving her countrys goals. In the coming period, SVEF activities will focus on projects that promote collaboration between governments, organisations, businesses, and individuals from both countries, she added. Viet Nam and Switzerland are also expected to explore the potential for expanding joint academic initiatives, training programmes, and tourism cooperation. The two countries have agreed to prioritise collaboration in areas such as innovation, science and technology, and knowledge sharing in the near future. According to Dr. Luu Vinh Toan, a senior expert at Move Digital AG in Zurich, the two countries can enhance cooperation in fields like human resources development, research and development in renewable energy production and application. He described this as a significant opportunity and a long-awaited prospect for many overseas Vietnamese and intellectuals who have contributed to strengthening bilateral relations over the past 50 years. Dr. Toan expressed his hope that Viet Nam and Switzerland would continue to deepen cooperation in education, particularly in high-tech areas of great interest to Viet Nam, such as artificial intelligence (AI), semiconductors, robotics, smart health care, and fintech. He said he believes that with its dynamic, open market, rich resources, and skilled workforce, Viet Nam presents a reliable partner for Switzerland to expand its market and join the manufacturing supply chain. VNS HA NOI - Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh arrived in Ha Noi on Thursday noon, concluding his official visits to Poland, the Czech Republic and attendance at the 55th Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, Switzerland. According to the Vietnam News Agency correspondent in Geneva, Swiss media has published a wide range of articles on Viet Nam-Switzerlands elevation of their bilateral relations to a Comprehensive Partnership. The Nau.ch news site quoted an article by the Keystone SDA news agency titled 'Switzerland and Viet Nam wish to strengthen dialogue'. According to the article, representatives of the two countries foreign ministries signed a statement on their intention to hold a regular dialogue while at the WEF in Davos. During the meeting between Swiss President Karin Keller-Sutter and Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, a memorandum of understanding on cooperation between the two foreign ministries was signed. The author also quoted State Secretary for Foreign Affairs Alexandre Fasel as saying that the memorandum establishes a framework for regular political consultations on bilateral and multilateral issues in diplomacy, economy, culture, human rights and sustainable development. This document also affirms Switzerland's commitment to strengthening its relationship with an "important partner" in Southeast Asia. The Blick daily published in the German-speaking regions of Switzerland reported that the Viet Nam-Switzerland relationship had recently shown positive developments in many areas, especially in politics - diplomacy, trade - investment, development cooperation, science - technology and education training. On social network X, Swiss President Karin Keller-Sutter posted about the bilateral working day and valuable discussions with several leaders, including PM Chinh. Many Swiss experts have welcomed the upgrading of the Viet Nam-Switzerland relations. Honourary Consul of Viet Nam in Switzerland, and former Deputy Chancellor of Germany, Philipp Rosler, stated that PM Chinh along with the high-ranking Vietnamese delegation at Davos, provided an opportunity for Viet Nam to showcase its achievements in nation building, particularly in the economic field. He noted that an economic growth rate of over seven per cent is an impressive achievement, given the difficulties faced by many other countries. Congratulating the Vietnamese Government, Rosler expressed hope for further contributions to fostering cooperation between the two countries. Commenting on this cooperation, Rachel Isenschmid, a member of the Swiss-Viet Nam Economic Forum (SVEF), said that Viet Nam was ready to enter a new era - the era of the nation's rise to become a country with high-income and sustainable development, with every individual and organisation playing a key role. She said she believed that elevating the cooperation between Viet Nam and Switzerland at this critical time would have a positive impact on achieving her countrys goals. SVEF activities would focus on projects that promote collaboration between governments, organisations, businesses and individuals from both countries, she added. According to a senior expert at Move Digital AG in Zurich, Dr Luu Vinh Toan, the two countries can enhance cooperation in fields like human resources development and research and development in renewable energy production and application. He described this as a significant opportunity and a long-awaited prospect for many overseas Vietnamese and intellectuals who have contributed to strengthening bilateral relations over the past 50 years. VNS HA NOI A delegation of the Communist Party of Viet Nam Central Committee, the State President, the National Assembly (NA), the Government and the Viet Nam Fatherland Front (VFF) Central Committee paid floral tribute to President Ho Chi Minh at his mausoleum in Ha Noi on Thursday on the occasion of the Tet (Lunar New Year) 2025. The delegation included Party General Secretary To Lam, former Party General Secretary Nong uc Manh, State President Luong Cuong, NA Chairman Tran Thanh Man, former NA Chairpersons Nguyen Sinh Hung and Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan, Permanent member of the Party Central Committee's Secretariat and Chairman of the Party Central Committee's Commission for Inspection Tran Cam Tu, and President of the VFF Central Committee o Van Chien, as well as many former leaders and representatives from ministries and agencies. The leaders showed their respects and deep gratitude to President Ho Chi Minh a genius leader and national liberation hero who dedicated his whole life to the people and the country, and guided the Party and people to achieve glorious victories. They committed to accelerating and making breakthroughs to successfully fulfill the 13th National Party Congresss Resolution to help Viet Nam firmly step into a new era the era of the nations rise, and contribute more to peace, stability, cooperation and development in the region and the world. Then, the delegation also laid a wreath and offered incense in tribute to fallen combatants at the Monument to Heroic Martyrs on the capital citys Bac Son street. The same day, delegations from the Central Military Commission the Ministry of National Defence, the Central Public Security Party Commission the Ministry of Public Security, as well as the Party Committee, Peoples Council and Peoples Committee of Ha Noi also paid tribute to President Ho Chi Minh and laid flowers at the Monument for Heroic Martyrs. On this occasion, leaders and former leaders of the Party and State laid wreaths and offered incense in tribute to revolutionary predecessors and heroic martyrs at the Mai Dich Cemetery in the city. VNA/VNS HA NOI State President Luong Cuong on January 23 sent condolences to Mongolian President Ukhnaagiin Khurelsukh over the passing away of former first President of the country Punsalmaagiin Ochirbat. The condolences were also extended to the deceaseds family. The same day, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs o Hung Viet visited and signed the condolence book at the Embassy of Mongolia in Ha Noi. VNA/VNS HCM CITY Authorities in the Cuu Long (Mekong) Delta are implementing various programmes to grow mangrove forests to protect coastal areas and improve the incomes of local people. The delta, which comprises 12 provinces and Can Tho City, has the largest area under mangrove in Viet Nam, but these forests have been impacted by climate change and human activities, and are shrinking in size. The southernmost province of Ca Mau has the longest coastline among the deltas localities but is severely affected by erosion, which causes significant damage to its mangrove forests. Over the past 10 years the province has lost 5,200 ha of mangrove, while 190km of its 254km coastline is suffering from erosion, according to the provinces Forest Protection Sub-department. Ca Mau has implemented numerous projects and programmes to grow, restore and protect mangrove forests. One such project is the Mangrove and Climate Protection Combined with Income Generation for Vulnerable Communities (VM069), which began in April 2021. Funded by Bread for the World and the Ca Mau Peoples Committee, the project is budgeted to cost 940,000 (US$980,000). It has been implemented in Ngoc Hien Districts at Mui Commune and Nam Can Districts Tam Giang ong Commune. The project has yielded positive results, such as establishing hamlet-level forest self-management groups with a total of 368 members, providing local residents with training in forest cultivation and protection methods and supporting the planting of 10ha of new forests as well as new trees in 30ha of existing forests. Last year the province launched several programmes to grow and restore mangrove forests, including one to plant 250,000 trees in Tran Van Thoi Districts Tran Hoi Commune and the Forests for Children project in Nam Can District. On January 16 the Soc Trang Province Department of Agriculture and Rural Development held a conference to launch a project aimed at increasing the coastal resilience of the Mekong Delta through mangrove forest restoration and nature-based solutions in Soc Trang. The project costs $497,088 and is funded by the Coca-Cola Foundation through the International Union for Conservation of Nature. It is being implemented in Soc Trang and neighbouring Bac Lieu Province until the end of next year. In Soc Trang, the project covers Vinh Chau Town and Cu Lao Dung District. According to o Van Thua, deputy head of the Soc Trang Irrigation Sub-department, the project seeks to restore mangrove forests within the East Sea dyke system and promote shrimp farming using recirculating aquaculture systems (RAS) alongside developing aquaculture in mangrove areas. The project will provide financial support to 22 households to purchase RAS equipment and mangrove seedlings, restore nine hectares of mangrove forests within the dyke and offer technical assistance as well as nature-based solutions to local people. In Ben Tre Province, authorities are prioritising the protection and expansion of mangrove forests to reduce the impacts of natural disasters on the safety and property of local people. Since 2020 the province has planted 205ha of new forests and regenerated 82ha of natural forests. It aims to increase its forest cover to 2 per cent this year and to 2.1 per cent by 2030. Forest-aquaculture farming The deltas coastal provinces have allocated mangrove forests to local households for protection and sustainable use. These households are encouraged to breed aquatic species in mangrove forests to increase their incomes. This forest-aquaculture farming model is sustainable, producing clean products while being environmentally friendly. In Tra Vinh Province, farmers are practising this model on 5,750ha in coastal areas, according to the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development. On average, they earned a profit of VN150 million ($5,900) per hectare last year. Huynh Van Tai, a farmer in Duyen Hai Districts Long Vinh Commune, has been practising this model for six years on four hectares of forest land. He uses 60 per cent of the area for breeding shrimp, mud crabs and other aquatic species, and the rest for growing trees. He said he only needs to spend on buying brood stock since the aquatic creatures mostly consume natural foods found in the forests. This farming method earns him an average annual income of VN350 million ($13,800), he said. Many forest-aquaculture areas in the delta use ecological farming methods to raise shrimp and other aquatic species. Hua Van Thon, the owner of a three-hectare ecological forest-shrimp farming area in Ca Mau Province's Ngoc Hien District, said: This farming method generates 1030 per cent more profit than traditional farming methods. It is completely safe and requires almost no machinery or heavy labour while also providing a stable income. Phan Hoang Vu, director of the Ca Mau Province Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, said farmers who breed shrimp in mangrove forests in Nam Can and Ngoc Hien districts earn an average income of VN80 million ($3,200) per hectare per year. The ecological shrimp farming model has demonstrated its ability to achieve a balance between economic development and environmental protection, he said. Farmers are required to grow and maintain forests, sustainably exploit resources, and ensure the proportion of forest cover in forest-aquaculture farming areas conforms to regulations, he said. This model increases the forest cover, protects land, prevents erosion, and strengthens resilience against the impacts of climate change, he added. VNS Prince Harry settled on Wednesday a hotly-disputed lawsuit against Rupert Murdoch's UK tabloid publisher, which apologised for hacking the British royal's phone and agreed to pay him "substantial damages". Murdoch's News Group Newspapers (NGN) also apologised for the impact on him of the "serious intrusion" into the private life of his late mother Diana, Princess of Wales, "in particular during his younger years". The settlement concludes a years-long legal battle over unlawful practices by two of the media mogul's newspapers -- The Sun and now-shuttered News of the World -- and avoids the case going to a full trial. "NGN offers a full and unequivocal apology to the Duke of Sussex for the serious intrusion by The Sun between 1996 and 2011 into his private life," Harry's lawyer David Sherborne told the High Court, as he read an apology statement by NGN. He noted the apology included "incidents of unlawful activities carried out by private investigators" working for Murdoch's The Sun tabloid. "NGN also offers a full and unequivocal apology to the Duke of Sussex for the phone hacking, surveillance and misuse of private information by journalists and private investigators instructed by them at the News of the World," Sherborne added. The NGN apology statement went on to "acknowledge and apologise for the distress caused" to Harry and "the damage inflicted on relationships, friendships and family, and have agreed to pay him substantial damages". The conclusion to six years of court battles between King Charles III's youngest son and Murdoch's News Group Newspapers (NGN) followed days of intense negotiations over a settlement. Harry, 40, and Labour lawmaker Tom Watson had claimed private investigators working for the two NGN-owned tabloids repeatedly targeted them unlawfully more than a decade ago. The pair were the last remaining claimants after dozens of others settled earlier in the process. NGN also apologised to Watson "for the unwarranted intrusion carried out into his private life", between 2009 and 2011 while he was a government minister by the News of the World. "This includes him being placed under surveillance in 2009 by journalists at the News of the World and those instructed by them," its statement said. "NGN also acknowledges and apologises for the adverse impact this had on Lord Watson's family and has agreed to pay him substantial damages." Harry, whose NGN claim covered a 15-year period from 1996, had shown no sign of wanting to settle before this week. The British royal told a New York Times event last month that his goal was "accountability". A NANG A money laundering criminal gang has been dismantled by the economic crime police unit under the central citys public security department, reporting that an estimated VN30 trillion (US$1.2 billion) was transferred illegally through 600 bank accounts in Viet Nam. The department said the five suspects were in custody, while fake seals and documents on the establishment of 187 shell companies, forged identity cards and business certificates, had been seized. It said the gang had forged IDs to establish the companies and a series of fake notarisation papers and bank seals, which allowed them to open 600 bank accounts. The police investigation agency reported that the gang had then helped send $1.2 billion including VN300 billion ($12 million in foreign currency) from suspected criminal sources in foreign countries into Viet Nam. They used to bank accounts to wash the dirty money, moving funds between 2022-24, the police unit reported. A total 122 counterfeit stamps, 40 original certificates of business registrations, printers, a flash stamp machine, wooden engravers and other equipment for money laundering activities were found. The case is under investigation. It is reportedly the biggest money laundering case ever discovered in the central city. Viet Nam had included revised articles and supplements to fight money laundering in the 2015 penal code, according to the Supreme Peoples Court. 'Disguising financial assets so they can be used without detection of the illegal activity' has not traditionally been a major crime in Viet Nam, but criminals have been caught using cash to buy property, cars, jewels and precious assets under the names of other people in the country. Viet Nam is an official member of the Asia Pacific Group on Money Laundering (APG) body and Vietnamese money laundering was first addressed in the penal code in 1999. The latest law on Anti-Money Laundering, passed by the National Assembly, came into force in March 2023. A new Department of Anti-Money Laundering will be established under the State Bank of Viet Nam (SBV) sometime in 2025. VNS Construction of the Quang Ngai Hoai Nhon section of the North-South Expressway (Photo: VietnamPlus) At a forum held at the end of 2024, Quang Ninh, Haiphong, Hai Duong, and Hung Yen agreed on plans to tighten links to create better conditions to entice and help investors join deeply in the global supply chain. They will jointly focus on funding modern infrastructure and regional links in developing multimodal transport systems, improving the quality of logistics services. Parties propose mechanisms for the area to boost strengths of each locality in attracting investment and developing sustainable industries. The three provinces and city of Haiphong will cooperate in training high-quality personnel and meeting the needs of production and business in the region. In addition, they will encourage the formation of research and development, and innovation centres on the eastern expressway, improve capital absorption and participation in smart production and supply chains. Localities along this axis have several advantages to form and a creative urban region with industrial parks. This region will utilise resources and advantages of cities and provinces, create a large, dynamic development space and maximise productivity of the local supply chain, said Tran Thi Hong Minh, director of the Central Institute of Economic Management, at the forum. The industrial areas will help each other. The requirement is that industrial areas need to maintain the connection to create effective cooperation, avoiding copying each other, leading to excessive competition. Linking these localities will create a region with a total natural area, tripling the area of Hanoi, five-fold larger than Ho Chi Minh City and eight times larger than Danang. The total population is nearly six-fold higher than Danang, equal to nearly 80 per cent of Hanois population and nearly 70 per cent of Ho Chi Minh City. The shift in value chains and production supply chains is taking place strongly and is increasingly moving towards high technology and smart manufacturing, while Vietnam continues to be considered as an alluring investment destination and a new manufacturing hub in Asia, said Pham Duc An, Chairman of Quang Ninh Peoples Committee. Participating in economic links, each area has its own strengths to exploit, An said. Quang Ninh attracts large manufacturers, services, and production-trade chains associated with the Chinese market. Haiphong has special potential in terms of seaports and logistics. Hai Duong has human resources, land, and a central location in the region. Meanwhile, Hung Yen has advantages due to its proximity to Hanoi, and great potential in industrial development, An added. The four also lead the country in attaining foreign direct investment (FDI), with major projects from Samsung, LG, Foxconn, Pegatron, USI, Bridgestone, and other multinational corporations. The investment environment is increasingly transparent and favourable, especially due to administrative reforms and support for businesses. In 2024, Haiphong and Quang Ninh were named in the top five localities acquiring the largest FDI influx. Haiphong attracted an impressive $4.7 billion of FDI last year, up 235 per cent on-year. The statistics underscore the citys strengths in modern infrastructure, favourable policies, and a strong commitment to sustainability and environmental protection. The linkage is a sub-regional model to optimise resources, exploit the strengths of each province, and enhance interprovincial cooperation, said Pham Tan Cong, chairman of the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry. Hoang Minh Cuong, vice Chairman Haiphong Peoples Committee Tightening links will help tackle local difficulties, isolation in local policy planning, connection of regional and inter-regional transport infrastructure, and share experiences in state management. To catch up with the production shift of multinationals to Vietnam, which is increasingly clearly defined, decisions in localities are taken in a very short time, leading to the handling of each locality in land, planning, energy supply, and labour, and requiring much flexibility to meet the requirements. Therefore, to utilise the advantages of localities so that the economic linkage area of the eastern part of the expressway axis can be ahead of the capital flow of multinational corporations, Haiphong expects that the VCCI and these localities accelerate their solutions. Nguyen Le Huy, permanent Vice Chairman Hung Yen Peoples Committee To develop the global smart manufacturing supply chain, and knowledge-rich and smart green manufacturing industries, the province respectfully has several requests. It is necessary to propose a supplement to the industrial land quota for localities, in accordance with the approved planning and ensure to meet the socioeconomic needs of the provinces. In addition, the four areas should propose to have special preferential policies for investors implementing high-tech and knowledge-rich, smart green manufacturing projects in the localities in the eastern economic axis, to boost the supply chain in production and technology development. Furthermore, we expect to be authorised to approve the environmental impact assessment report for industrial park and cluster projects approved by the provincial level. We also expect to decentralise the locality to organise the appraisal of the feasibility study in the construction of level I works and inspect the acceptance of completion of level I works for initiatives using other funds and outside industrial areas. The VCCI should support members to access information from large investors and associations of high-tech manufacturing enterprises that need to expand. More expressways to be built in central region by 2025 The Ministry of Transport has set a target of completing and putting into operation the eastern North-South expressway by 2025, bringing the total length of highways in the north central-central coastal region from 193km to 1,390 km, said Transport Minister Nguyen Van Thang. Transport ministry approves 36 rest stations along North-South Expressway The eastern wing of the North-South Expressway will have 36 rest stations as approved by Ministry of Transport on August 2. With more than 91 per cent of delegates in favour, the amended Electricity Law was passed by the National Assembly in November and will take effect on February 1. Electricity legislation to speed up schemes, photo Le Toan The law focuses on amending and supplementing regulations on electricity development planning, investment in construction of electricity projects, and development of renewable and new energy. As the most comprehensive legal framework governing the sector, the law is expected to play an important role in shaping the industrys future and could be a game changer for the energy industry in Vietnam. Nguyen Thai Son, vice president of the Vietnam Energy Association, said that the passing of the Electricity Law has great significance for the development of the electricity industry, creating a legal corridor for electricity initiatives to develop faster It will contribute to improving state management, aiding decentralisation between the state, levels of the government, ministries, sectors, and localities, in accordance with the needs of the electricity industry to respond more frequently to improvements in sci-tech, he said. Son said that with the recent double-digit growth in electricity demand, Vietnam needed a large, stable power source that can meet the rapid growth of load, both meeting the target of reducing emissions and diversifying the power source structure. Therefore, returning to research on nuclear power is necessary. Nuclear power is a clean energy source, while the use of coal and natural gas pollutes the environment and contributes to increasing CO2 emissions. Nuclear power does not emit CO2 directly, helping to reduce climate change and air pollution, so nuclear power will contribute to achieving carbon neutrality as the target by 2050, said Son. Experts estimated that the time needed to complete the 500kV line 3, spanning 500km from Quang Trach to Pho Noi, was 3-4 years. However, to meet the demand for electricity supply, progress is being carried out at lightning speed. After only half a year of implementation, the line has taken shape, marking a new milestone for the electricity industry. Dang Hoang An, chairman of the Board at Vietnam Electricity, said that the transmission line was assigned to National Power Transmission Corporation as the investor. These are power transmission ventures that play a particularly important role in increasing the stable reserve on the north-central interface, supplementing capacity from the north-central region to the northern region. The success of the project is a clear demonstration of the power of solidarity and coordination among sectors and communities, An said. The numbers speak volumes about the projects scale, as it required excavation of 2.54 million cubic metres of earth and rock, the use of 700,000cu.m of concrete, 70,000 tonnes of foundation steel, and the erection of almost 1,200 steel columns with a total weight of 140,000 tonnes. This included the use of nearly 14,000km of conductors, lightning protection wires, and optical cables for hundreds of anchorages. Speaking at a conference summarising the investment and construction of the 500kV line 3 in December, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh emphasised its significance for national energy security, preventing incidents and power shortages, meeting the countrys development requirements Chinh said lessons learned from the record-breaking undertaking would be of great value in future national projects, especially as Vietnam entered a new era with important infrastructure, such as the North-South high-speed railway and the restart of the Ninh Thuan nuclear power plant. The speed of 500kV line 3 implementation provides evidence that the Vietnamese people can not only master technology but also their own destiny. This is a symbol of the will and ability of the nation to rise and overcome all challenges to go further on the path of modernisation and international integration, the PM said. Meanwhile, at a conference on ensuring adequate electricity supply to 2030 in early January, the Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT) said that in the offshore wind power sector, the Power Development Plan VIII (PDP8) targets 6,000MW in 2026-2030, and the MoIT is currently developing a mechanism for selecting investors and survey units, as well as determining a list of projects to submit for approval. On February 28, the adjusted PDP8 will be available and immediately after that, the MoIT will develop and announce the adjusted plan, which will provide a lot of room for investors. The ministry will also preside over and coordinate with the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment to help investors complete procedures for conducting surveys at sea, including wind and seabed surveys, said Minister of Industry and Trade Nguyen Hong Dien. The survey is expected to take at least 12 months, so the ministry requested the MoITs Electricity and Renewable Energy Department to report to the ministrys leaders to submit to the government in January. If the government agrees, it will be immediately handed over to investors to implement the following month to keep up with the survey progress. The deadline for submitting the government policy for investors to enjoy the price mechanism must be extended to 2032 or 2034, because offshore wind power takes a long time to survey, he added. Durable electricity supply to be ensured Escalating power consumption has sparked an imperative to boost construction of a transmission line and simultaneously mobilise maximum capacity from coal-fired and gas-to-power plants to ensure adequate electricity supply this summer. In early January, asset management company Mirova announced its investment in Ecoligo, a Berlin-based solar commercial and industrial player. The funding aims to finance a portfolio of greenfield solar rooftop projects in Vietnam and marks the first investment by the Mirova Gigaton Fund in the country, with a commitment of $10 million in senior debt financing. The loan from Mirova will enable Ecoligo to grow its solar business in Vietnam. French investment wave follows strategic upgrade, Source: freepik.com Priyanka Mehrotra, investment director of the Mirova division of Natixis Investment Managers Singapore, said, We view Ecoligo as a standout impact investment player in emerging markets, thanks to its innovative business model. This seventh investment from the fund aligns with our core strategy, which focuses on providing debt financing to clean energy companies that facilitate the transition to a low-carbon economy and enhance energy access in rapidly growing emerging markets. Meanwhile, cold chain logistics experts Seafrigo opened its first office in Vietnam, which aligns with the groups long-term growth strategy to develop its own operations in key locations around the globe. Fabian Hautiere, managing director of Seafrigo in Vietnam, said, This is an exciting time to be setting up the Seafrigo business in Vietnam in its own right. There are many specialist products such as basa fish, shrimp, dragon fruit, and mangoes where we will be using our teams cold chain logistics expertise to bring these goods to markets around the world. In mid-December, French shipping giant CMA CGM revealed that it is building a new electric-battery powered, zero-emission inland electric barge for use in Vietnam. The 100 per cent green electricity barge will be supported by dedicated charging infrastructure supplied by a new solar farm at the Gemalink terminal in Cai Mep, producing 1GWH of green electricity annually. Statistics from the Ministry of Planning and Investment showed that cumulatively as of December 31, French companies invested in almost 700 projects registered at $3.95 billion. In 2024, total newly registered and newly added capital and stake acquisition and capital contributions from French investors in Vietnam hit $52.53 million, up 40 per cent on-year. Indeed, Vietnam is expected to welcome a surge of French investments following the upgrade of Vietnam and French relations to a comprehensive strategic partnership last year. In early October, the French Development Agency (AFD) signed an MoU with the Ministry of Transport to cooperate in railway, sea, and inland waterway transport. The two parties will work closely during the planning phase to support the energy transition, lower emissions, improve resilience and recovery, and adapt to climate change, all while implementing an action plan on the green energy transition of the transportation sector. The partnership is one of various collaboration areas AFD plans for Vietnam. Country director for Vietnam Herve Conan said, As AFD celebrated 30 years alongside Vietnam last year, raising the level of partnership between the two countries is an unprecedented opportunity to strengthen our support. Since 1994, the AFD has invested more than 3 billion ($3.3 million), contributing to the reduction of poverty and social inequalities. It has adapted over time to Vietnams new challenges and today supports the countrys low-carbon energy transition as part of the Just Energy Transition Partnership, while promoting adaptation of the provinces to the impacts of climate change. The new strategic partnership between France and Vietnam will be an opportunity to renew AFDs commitment alongside the country to mobilise new tools and financing for strategic projects. This should contribute to intensifying exchanges in the fields of Frances expertise to better address the future needs of the country, Conan said. The AFD will focus its investments on low-carbon and resilient infrastructure and strengthen its support to the energy and climate finance sectors in Vietnam. The agency will raise its public policy dialogue with Vietnam through technical assistance, research programmes, and peer-to-peer exchanges. Although it generates around one-quarter of total greenhouse gas emissions, the transport sector is one of the blind spots of Vietnams energy transition. Under the renewed partnership between the two countries, this sector is expected to become one of the new flagship sectors between France and Vietnam. French investors line up for metro projects Vietnam and France are solidifying their transport infrastructure cooperation by various means, with a focus on metro line development. France to play part in acceptance of EVIPA Vietnam is working with France on expanding bilateral investment cooperation, with the latter asked to soon adopt an investment protection deal to help facilitate both nations investment flows. Truong Gia Binh, chairman of tech corporation FPT, is leading his companys focus on AI, semiconductors, and digital and green transformation in alignment with the countrys development strategy and market demands. We plan for semiconductors because the future will be AI semiconductor chips. We will make small AI models that can be used for chips. It is an important industry for the country, he said at last weeks National Forum on Vietnamese Digital Technology Enterprises in Hanoi. FPT aims to train 10,000 semiconductor engineers by 2030, and 50,000 AI engineers to contribute to Vietnams vision of having basic capacity in all stages from research, design, production, packaging, and testing in the semiconductor industry by 2030. The group is now investing heavily in infrastructure and has built two factories in Vietnam and Japan. In the next five years, it aims to build five AI factories globally, contributing to making Vietnam one of the top countries in the region in providing AI computing infrastructure. Other major businesses driving the sci-tech industry are also pushing ahead. Tao Duc Thang, chairman and general director of Viettel, identifies its mission as the main force in developing the semiconductor industry, looking towards enhancing Vietnams position in the global tech value chain. Viettel has already designed the 5G DFE chip, the most complex chip in Southeast Asia to date, creating the premise for its team to enter the semiconductor industry playground. To enable technology enterprises in Vietnam to contribute to development, the country needs to issue guidelines for forming venture capital funds and evaluation mechanisms to encourage businesses to invest in new technologies, to form a strategic industrial development investment fund, and developing policies to prioritise domestically made products, Thang said. Nguyen Manh Cuong, director of innovation and technology development at Sovico, said that the company was cooperating closely with large companies and universities with semiconductor training programmes. Sovico has two universities, but it is not enough. We hope that schools and universities will cooperate with each other to develop the industry, he said. We do training in parallel with design and production, and we will soon open a semiconductor factory in Vietnam. More schools and universities need to cooperate to help the digital transition develop strongly, Vietnams digital technology sector revenues reached $152 billion in 2024, an increase of 35.7 per cent from five years ago. Moreover, the digital tech startup ecosystem is growing strongly, with nearly 74,000 businesses. By the end of 2023, nearly 1,900 digital technology reached the international market, with revenue of $11.5 billion, an increase of 53 per cent from 2022. Experts, however, pointed out some weaknesses of Vietnamese tech firms that still exist. One is research and development capacity, which is still heavily dependent on foreign resources, limiting Vietnams ability to be technologically autonomous. The ability to engage high-tech talent is not strong enough, leading to a shortage of quality human resources, directly affecting the innovation capacity of businesses, lawyer Le Net added. The technological level of Vietnamese enterprises is generally low, participating only at a very modest level in the global supply chain when they mostly do outsourcing. The contribution of foreign-invested enterprises (FIEs) to the advancement of domestic scientific progress is low; over 80 per cent of FIEs use medium-level technology; 14 per cent employ outdated technology, and about 5 per cent utilise high technology, Net added. There are some lessons for a country to make success in this path that Vietnam can learn from. Specifically, South Koreas three-pronged strategy of investment, capital injection, and innovation. Dohyun Kang, South Koreas Deputy Minister of Science and ICT, said, The key to success is removing barriers, encouraging market liberalisation, enhancing fair competition, investing early in IT and communications infrastructure, and expanding investment in research and development. He added that South Korea has been preparing for the AI era through continuous plans. For example, in 2022, it proposed a master plan for digital human resource training. A few months later, it announced the South Korea Digital Strategy and, the following year, it passed the Digital Rights Act and implemented a plan to bring AI into daily life. Humanity is in the age of AI and this is the technology that drives the fastest and most widespread innovation in history. For example, for South Korea, the country estimates that the impact of AI on the annual economy will exceed $200 billion from now until 2026. AI also creates certain challenges and risks such as cyberattacks, fake information, personal information disclosure, and others, Kang said. To Lam, party General Secretary I would like to receive reports on how much Vietnamese intelligence and digital technology contribute to the products of the digital tech industry; and how much they contribute to making those products smarter, more aesthetic, and more accepted by consumers. I suggest some key tasks for our digital technology industry and businesses going forward. Firstly, we must strive to be self-reliant and self-sufficient in technology and develop strategic and core technologies, which are the foundation for building an independent and self-reliant economy. We must continue to invest in developing digital infrastructure and also should entice high-tech experts. It is also critical to build a sustainable digital technology ecosystem, develop a digital economy and digital society, and improve global competitiveness and capacity. This is the right time for Vietnamese digital technology enterprises to unite to build a sustainable future for the countrys industry. This is not only a noble mission, but an opportunity for enterprises to assert themselves, bringing Vietnamese-made products and services to the wider world. Vu Quang Truong, manager ITS Products, Elcom We have had a journey of several decades of research and development in intelligent transport products, contributing to solving specific local transport issues and to the development of a smart transport system in the country. Established in 1995 and now with a presence in 25 cities and provinces, we are in the top three developers of intelligent transport solutions in Vietnam. We are providing our products to urban areas, expressways, and are expecting to expand our operations when more component projects of the North-South Expressway are put into operation. In 2025 and beyond, we aim to become the number-one developer of smart transport solutions in Vietnam. We will focus on investing in researching cutting-edge technologies for transport, especially AI technology, to develop AI-related products for the system. We have plans to expand in the international markets, especially in the neighbouring countries like Laos and Cambodia, and are also looking for opportunities in Vietnam-Laos expressway projects. Also, we expect that the government will continue to create refinements for local technology companies to develop new specific products and solutions for Vietnamese. Dr. Duong Ngoc Cuong, CEO, GeneStory We have made big strides in Vietnams gene industry with the launch of noteworthy genetic decoding services and products. In the upcoming time, we will continue to invest in the research and development into new products and techniques, while learning experience and advanced technologies from other countries to develop specific products and services for the Vietnamese genome. Especially, we will introduce a DNA chip in 2025 to better meet local healthcare demands. New resolutions on science and technology will help untie resources for sci-tech development, enabling Vietnam to increase its position in the international arena. For us, it is so important. We have been working with leading technology groups in the world on genetic technology transfer, and so the resolution will create stronger conditions for us to move faster and better and obtain more fruitful results. We are also planning to bring our products and services abroad and expect to make it happen in the next 3-5 years. Russian enterprises set sights on healthcare and high tech in Vietnam Vietnam and Russia are expanding bilateral co-operation to new sectors with an emphasis on healthcare and high technologies, in addition to the traditional co-operation in energy. Enterprises adopting circularity through technology innovation Many businesses have experienced outstanding achievements and significant strides through driving innovation and leveraging new ideas and technologies. This prestigious certification was awarded to Hoan My Saigon Hospital, Hoan My Cuu Long Hospital, Hoan My Thu Duc Hospital, Hoan My Da Nang Hospital, Hoan My Da Lat Hospital, and Hanh Phuc International Hospital. This recognition underscores Hoan Mys unwavering commitment to delivering world-class healthcare. ACHSI is a globally recognised leader in healthcare quality accreditation, endorsed by the International Society for Quality in Health Care (ISQua). Its accreditation reflects rigorous standards for patient safety, service quality, and continuous improvement in healthcare delivery. With this recognition, Hoan My Medical Group now has the largest number of hospitals certified by ACHSI in Vietnam, setting a new benchmark for excellence in the countrys healthcare sector. Six Hoan My Group hospitals have been certified by the Australian Council on Healthcare Standards International Amid growing demand for high-quality healthcare services in Vietnam, Hoan My Medical Group has consistently strived to meet and exceed both national and international standards. ACHSIs certification represents the pinnacle of global healthcare excellence. ACHSI standards prioritise patient safety and organisational excellence. Hoan Mys achievement is a testament to its dedication to delivering exceptional care, said Dr. Duong Huy Luong, deputy director of the Department of Medical Service Administration, Ministry of Health, during the ACHSI certification ceremony. Hoan My Medical Group has made significant investments in infrastructure, advanced technologies, and cutting-edge diagnostic and treatment equipment. Alongside these developments, the group has implemented robust quality management systems and streamlined processes in alignment with ACHSIs EQuIP-7 standards. Following thorough evaluation and assessments by ACHSI experts, six hospitals in the Hoan My network successfully met these stringent criteria. The certification of six hospitals demonstrates our commitment to providing care that meets the highest international standards, said Huynh Bich Lien, group CEO of Hoan My Medical Group. In 2025, we plan to expand ACHSI certification to all Hoan My hospitals and clinics nationwide, ensuring that every patient experiences the same exceptional quality of care, no matter where they visit us. Achieving ACHSI certification requires dedication and a systematic approach to quality improvement, said Louise Cuskelly, executive director of ACHSI. This recognition reflects Hoan Mys strong leadership, committed staff, and patient-centred approach. Hoan My and Abbott Vietnam partner to combat disease and brain trauma Hoan My Medical Group and Abbott Vietnam have agreed to cooperate on improving prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of diseases and brain trauma. Hoan My Medical Group launches breast cancer screening to support community health Hoan My Medical Group, the leading private healthcare network in Vietnam, launched a cancer screening programme for women across its hospitals and clinics. The event was organised by Vietnams Ministry of Planning and Investment and Ministry of Foreign Affairs in coordination with FPT Corporation and VinaCapital at the World Economic Forum (WEF) Conference. Vietnamese and international businesses gathered at a roundtable on January 21 in Davos. Photo: FPT The roundtable also had the participation of leaders of relevant ministries, and agencies, representatives of Vietnamese enterprises including BIDV, EVN, Sovico, Techcombank, Viettel, Vietnam Airlines, Vietcombank, VinaCapital, and VNPT, as well as Ericsson, Google, Hyundai Motor, Qualcomm, Schneider Electric, and Visa. At the event, representatives discussed new opportunities and investment cooperation. Opening the discussion, Truong Gia Binh, chairman of FPT, introduced the potential to attract investment in Vietnam thanks to its existing high-tech advantages and comprehensive support from the government with strategic plans in technology. Truong Gia Binh, chairman of FPT. Photo: FPT Truong Gia Binh, chairman of FPT said, Vietnam has chosen technology, especially AI, semiconductors, and digital transformation, to drive double-digit growth. Vietnam has about one million IT engineers and half a million software developers, and Nvidia is ready to invest in Vietnam as a second home. That's why we are developing AI infrastructures with the launch of factories in Vietnam and Japan, he added. Vietnam also has an advantage in high-quality human resources through the introduction of AI and science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) into training courses at all levels, starting from primary school. With its technological capacity and experience, FPT believes that these five areas can create growth momentum to make FPT a world-class digital technology corporation with revenue of $5 billion from abroad by 2030, and an opportunity for Vietnam to stand on par with advanced countries. Representatives of major foreign corporations asserted Vietnams great potential for developing technology, especially AI and energy. They also pledged to support Vietnam in building technology infrastructure and training workers. In particular, Sanjay Gupta, president of Google's Asia-Pacific region, expressed his excitement about Vietnams AI future. According to Google's research, AI can contribute nearly $80 billion to Vietnam's GDP each year from now until 2030. Addressing the discussion, Minister of Planning and Investment Nguyen Chi Dung said that Vietnam is making efforts to reform its investment environment to become a safe, effective, and competitive destination compared to other countries in the region. In particular, Vietnam is considering adjusting the foreign investment rate in priority areas, including airports and seaports, to attract more capital for future infrastructure. Regarding the international financial centre, Minister Dung said that the National Assembly has approved the policy and is currently building two centres in Ho Chi Minh City and Danang. He hopes that partners will participate in policymaking and sharing experiences, so that the implementation of the financial centres will be highly effective and better meet the needs of investors. Coherent Corporation eyes Dong Nai for high-tech investment ventures Coherent Corporation is targeting advanced optics and semiconductor production in the southern province of Dong Nai. High-tech investment influx reliant on stable power supply The government has committed to ensuring sufficient power for businesses, giving Vietnam the potential to receive advanced capital influx from foreign-backed enterprises. Many surveyed businesses expect positive business results this year, with around half forecasting increased profits, while 56 per cent want to expand their business in Vietnam in the next one to two years, the highest rate in the ASEAN region. JETRO Hanoi held a press conference on January 21 to announce the survey. Photo: Bich Thuy Haruhiko Ozasa, chief representative of JETRO in Hanoi, attributed this outlook to the increasing level of exports and demand in the domestic market. In addition, low labour costs, and Vietnam's stable political and social situation are all above the ASEAN average. "Many businesses are considering expanding to take advantage of opportunities to increase sales and profits. Meanwhile, manufacturing businesses are focusing on expanding the production of multipurpose products and products with high added value," said Ozasa. Some Japanese firms also pointed out limitations and risks in the investment environment in Vietnam. Just over 62 per cent of those surveyed believe that investment licensing procedures remain overcomplicated; almost 58 per cent said that the legal system still needs refinement, and implementation processes lack transparency. On the other hand, the demand for expanding domestic purchasing by Japanese enterprises is increasing, but for many years the supply rate of raw materials and components from Vietnamese enterprises has remained stagnant. The reason is that domestic suppliers cannot meet the requirements of quality, technology as well as the lack of raw material suppliers. The chief representative said, "To take opportunities from the trend of shifting investment and production, Vietnam needs to continue to improve the investment environment through simplifying administrative procedures, perfecting the legal system and enhancing the effectiveness of policy implementation. Furthermore, it is necessary to promote the development of supporting industries and improve production technology to increase the ability of foreign investors, including Japan, to participate in the supply chain." Overcoming challenges of global minimum tax Global minimum tax (GMT) now worries businesses due to its impacts on their future activities. Takeo Nakajima, chief representative of the Hanoi Office of the Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO Hanoi) spoke to VIRs Bich Thuy about Japanese investment trends and solutions to overcome the challenges. Japanese investors still motivated by M&A promise Despite shrinking dealmaking activities involving Japanese investors, Vietnam still ranks high in the world in the top 10 mergers and acquisitions destinations for Japan. Masataka Sam Yoshida, head of the Cross-border Division of RECOF Corporation, talked to VIRs Thanh Van about the landscape of Japanese deals so far this year. KTG Industrial serves a diverse range of tenants, offering a comprehensive one-stop-service approach to fully meet tenants needs. KTG Industrial Nhon Trach 2 with its double-storey This includes not just physical facilities but also creating an environment that promotes wellbeing and collaboration. Innovative Experience Hubs feature coworking spaces and relaxation areas, prioritising tenant wellbeing and fostering a spirit of innovation. Additionally, they showcase tenants products at the Experience Hubs and exhibitions they participate in, helping to promote tenants brands to the right partners. Understanding the increasing demand of the market, KTG Industrial continuously adapts its offerings. For instance, phase 4 of Nhon Trach 2 saw the launch of its first double-storey factories in Q3 of 2024, and the new phase of the companys Yen Phong IIC is expected to be completed in early 2025. Both projects aim to meet the high demands of manufacturing companies in Vietnam, particularly in the technology and electronics sectors. Fostering a sense of community is crucial for success in industrial parks. In key economic zones like Dong Nai and Bac Ninh, KTG Industrial excels in creating a collaborative environment where tenants can connect, share experiences, and grow together. This is facilitated through events like annual tenant parties, displaying and providing a platform for networking and celebrating collective achievements. These gatherings also highlight Vietnams position as a thriving hub for industrial development. KTG Industrial's portfolio KTG Industrial is a co-developed brand between Singapores Boustead Projects and Vietnams Khai Toan Group, forming a powerful joint venture known as BKIM. This collaboration combines international best practices in real estate services with superior product quality and strong local expertise. This synergy ensures optimised designs, high-quality construction, and exceptional services that elevate operational efficiency for tenants. KTG Industrial serves as a gateway for leading global manufacturers to access Vietnams immense potential. We drive the growth and expansion of businesses both within Vietnam and internationally by offering tailored spaces and comprehensive support, enabling the creation of jobs and enhancing the skill set of the Vietnamese workforce, CEO Dang Trong Duc said. This approach not only contributes to Vietnams economic growth but also fosters its development as a nation. KTG Industrial does not confine itself to any specific market. Its strategy is shaped by evolving tenant needs and overall trends in the industrial sector. The commitment to the growth of Vietnams economic zones goes beyond developing physical space, and the company actively fosters innovation, creates collaborative environments, and builds a strong community. As Vietnam continues to attract foreign direct investment and strengthen its economic position, KTG Industrial is at the forefront of this exciting transformation. KTG Industrial expands industrial footprint at Taitronics 2024 KTG Industrial, a prominent player in Vietnam's industrial real estate market, successfully showcased its offerings at Taitronic 2024. The event provided a valuable platform for the company to connect with potential clients from Taiwan, a major investor in Vietnam's manufacturing sector. Elevating Bac Ninh's industrial landscape: KTG Industrial at VIMF 2024 KTG Industrial, a leading provider of ready-built factories and warehouses in Vietnam, participated in the Vietnam Industrial Manufacturing Fair (VIMF) 2024, from November 6-8 at the Kinh Bac Cultural Centre in Bac Ninh province. Mondelez Kinh Do is one of Vietnam's leading snacking companies and its mission is to connect traditional values with boundless creativity through its 'Special Invitation 2.0' campaign. The campaign honours the traditional values of Tet, aiming to bring a fulfilling new year celebration to those unable to celebrate the holiday at home with their family. Photo: Mondelez Kinh Do Rooted in the understanding that the Tet holiday is a time for family reunions and togetherness, but not everyone has the privilege to experience this joy, the campaign spreads a meaningful message of care and sharing. The company believes that a simple invitation to a reunion, offered with heartfelt sincerity, can bring a sense of fulfilment and joy to those unable to celebrate with their loved ones. A highlight of the campaign is the Tet Reunion Event, to be organised by Mondelez Kinh Do on January 25-26, at the Ho Chi Minh City Youth Cultural House. The event is dedicated to those unable to return to their hometowns for Lunar New Year, including students, workers, and others living far from home. Mondelez Kinh Do strives to create a warm and festive atmosphere, where everyone can come together to share, connect, and celebrate as one family, no matter where they come from. The venue will be filled with rich cultural elements from various regions, offering guests the chance to have fun with music and traditional games, meet new friends, and enjoy meaningful moments together. Additionally, the event will feature a vibrant fireworks display, creating unforgettable moments to welcome the New Year. Photo: Mondelez Kinh Do Sameer Yadav, marketing director of Mondelez Kinh Do, said, "The Special Invitation campaign exemplifies our unwavering commitment to creativity and profound understanding of our customers. By creating meaningful moments, we aspire to ensure that Tet becomes a time of joy and connection for everyone, no matter where they are." The campaign was first introduced by Mondelez Kinh Do last year, quickly becoming one of the brand's most memorable initiatives. Since its launch, the campaign has garnered widespread support from consumers, creating an impact in the media and strengthening customer loyalty. It received multiple awards at the MMA Smarties Vietnam 2024, winning a Gold Award in the Brand Purpose/Activism category and a Silver Award in the Diversity and Inclusion category. Photo: Mondelez Kinh Do This new 2025 version of the Special Campaign expands creative activities, offering a more inclusive experience of reunion and sharing, clearly demonstrating Mondelez Kinh Do's commitment to continuous innovation and preserving the cultural values of Tet. Mondelez Kinh Do is offering its usual array of products to welcome the new year, along with some surprising additions, including the newly upgraded 'Kinh Do Loc Tet Gift Set', which features vibrant holiday imagery, along with the unique new product, 'Cau Dua Du Xai' assorted biscuits. The company is committed to keeping the prices of key products unchanged for Tet 2025, while also launching a range of promotional drives to cater to the diverse needs of consumers. To attend the Tet Reunion Event at the Ho Chi Minh City Youth Cultural House on January 25-26, visit https://kinhdo.vn/tet/loimoisumvay and fill out the information to receive an invitation. Mondelez Kinh Do invites people to share this invitation with others who may be celebrating Lunar New Year away from home this year, helping spread the message of love and togetherness during the holiday. 'Golden Price Shock Day' lures consumers 'Golden Price Shock Day, a part of Hanoi Promotion Month 2023, lured droves of the city's consumers to shopping hotspots on November 11-12. Vietnamese consumers double online shopping frequency Vietnamese consumers now shop online an average of four times per month, doubling the frequency compared to 2023, according to NielsenIQ Vietnam. This figure also surpasses the monthly supermarket visits of Vietnamese consumers, indicating a significant shift towards online retail. Feature: Wu opera enthrals Bangladesh audience in mood of Chinese Spring Festival Xinhua) 09:18, January 23, 2025 An artist performs during the "Happy Chinese New Year" Wu Opera special performance in Dhaka, capital of Bangladesh, Jan. 21, 2025. The "Happy Chinese New Year" Wu Opera special performance enchanted an audience of around 800 at the National Theater of the Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy here on Tuesday. During the event, artists from the Zhejiang Wu Opera Research Institute delivered stunning performances of Wu Opera classics such as "The Celestial Maiden Scattering Flowers" and "Monkey King Fights the White Bone Demon." (Photo by Habibur Rahman/Xinhua) DHAKA, Jan. 22 (Xinhua) -- The "Happy Chinese New Year" Wu Opera special performance enchanted an audience of around 800 at the National Theater of the Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy here on Tuesday. During the event, artists from the Zhejiang Wu Opera Research Institute delivered stunning performances of Wu Opera classics such as "The Celestial Maiden Scattering Flowers" and "Monkey King Fights the White Bone Demon." The actors conveyed emotions with exquisite nuance, showcased dynamic and vigorous martial arts, and their performance elegantly blended strength and grace. "I never watched Chinese opera before. I enjoy it a lot. I like the culture of the Chinese Spring Festival," local spectator Sumaiya Islam told Xinhua. "I really like the cultural show, their Chinese costumes and their style," said another spectator Labia Mohini, a high school student. "The Chinese New Year celebration is awesome, full of various artistic elements." Atiqur Rahman, who has enjoyed Chinese cultural performances many times, said that he was always impressed by the diverse cultural performances of Chinese artists. Rahman added that he hoped such programs could be regularly held in collaboration with local authorities, so that "more and more Bangladeshis can access to China's vast and diverse art and culture." During the event, local artists also staged wonderful dance performances, gaining applause from the audience of both countries. Anita Sinha, a local artist who performed at the celebration ceremony, said she was excited to be able to perform with Chinese artists. "Their performance is unforgettable and very beautiful." "Even though we can't understand everything, we can understand their feelings or what they are trying to convey by looking at their movements, their acting and their performance," she said. In his speech, Chinese Ambassador to Bangladesh Yao Wen noted that the Spring Festival is the most important traditional festival for the Chinese people and has been recognized by UNESCO as part of the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. Wu Opera, as a treasure of China's intangible cultural heritage, represents an important facet of Chinese traditional art and culture, Yao said. He hoped that more Bangladeshi friends would experience the profound heritage and unique charm of Chinese culture, making cultural exchanges even more vibrant between China and Bangladesh. For his part, Mostofa Sarwar Farooki, cultural advisor to the interim government of Bangladesh, extended Chinese New Year greetings to the people of both nations and spoke highly of the event for injecting new vitality into Bangladesh's cultural communities, effectively promoting cultural exchange and mutual understanding between Bangladesh and China. The "Happy Chinese New Year" Wu Opera special performance, co-hosted by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of China, the Chinese Embassy in Bangladesh, and the Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy, marked the beginning of the Zhejiang Wu Opera Research Institute's "Happy Chinese New Year" tour. The troupe will host special performances and community shows for overseas Chinese, and for the faculty and students from the drama department of Dhaka University and the University of Chattogram in both Dhaka and Chattogram. Artists perform during the "Happy Chinese New Year" Wu Opera special performance in Dhaka, capital of Bangladesh, Jan. 21, 2025. The "Happy Chinese New Year" Wu Opera special performance enchanted an audience of around 800 at the National Theater of the Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy here on Tuesday. During the event, artists from the Zhejiang Wu Opera Research Institute delivered stunning performances of Wu Opera classics such as "The Celestial Maiden Scattering Flowers" and "Monkey King Fights the White Bone Demon." (Photo by Habibur Rahman/Xinhua) Artists perform during the "Happy Chinese New Year" Wu Opera special performance in Dhaka, capital of Bangladesh, Jan. 21, 2025. The "Happy Chinese New Year" Wu Opera special performance enchanted an audience of around 800 at the National Theater of the Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy here on Tuesday. During the event, artists from the Zhejiang Wu Opera Research Institute delivered stunning performances of Wu Opera classics such as "The Celestial Maiden Scattering Flowers" and "Monkey King Fights the White Bone Demon." (Photo by Habibur Rahman/Xinhua) Artists perform during the "Happy Chinese New Year" Wu Opera special performance in Dhaka, capital of Bangladesh, Jan. 21, 2025. The "Happy Chinese New Year" Wu Opera special performance enchanted an audience of around 800 at the National Theater of the Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy here on Tuesday. During the event, artists from the Zhejiang Wu Opera Research Institute delivered stunning performances of Wu Opera classics such as "The Celestial Maiden Scattering Flowers" and "Monkey King Fights the White Bone Demon." (Photo by Habibur Rahman/Xinhua) Artists perform during the "Happy Chinese New Year" Wu Opera special performance in Dhaka, capital of Bangladesh, Jan. 21, 2025. The "Happy Chinese New Year" Wu Opera special performance enchanted an audience of around 800 at the National Theater of the Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy here on Tuesday. During the event, artists from the Zhejiang Wu Opera Research Institute delivered stunning performances of Wu Opera classics such as "The Celestial Maiden Scattering Flowers" and "Monkey King Fights the White Bone Demon." (Photo by Habibur Rahman/Xinhua) (Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun) The United States' new top diplomat Marco Rubio reaffirmed the country's "unwavering support" for Israel, days into a fragile ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and a large-scale raid in the occupied West Bank. As Israel pursued its deadly operation in Jenin, Rubio assured Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Washington's continued backing. Rubio spoke to Netanyahu from Washington on Wednesday night to "underscore that maintaining the United States' steadfast support for Israel is a top priority for President Trump," State Department spokeswoman Tammy Bruce said. He also "congratulated the Prime Minister on Israel's successes against Hamas and Hezbollah and pledged to work tirelessly to help free all remaining hostages held in Gaza," she said. Israel and Hamas began implementing a ceasefire in their 15-month war on Sunday that includes an exchange of hostages and prisoners. Former US president Joe Biden had pushed for months for a deal along the same outlines. Trump sent an envoy to help push through an agreement before he took office, although the Republican has since said he is not confident the deal will hold. In one of his first acts in office, Trump ended sanctions on extremist Israeli settlers in the West Bank imposed by Biden over their attacks on Palestinians. During his first term in the White House, Trump put forward a peace plan he and his proponents called "the deal of the century", which would have included major Israeli annexations in the West Bank. As Rubio and Netanyahu spoke, Israel's West Bank operation, dubbed "Iron Wall", was pressing on. The Israeli military said that it has "neutralised over 10 terrorists", while the Palestinian Ministry of Health said the operation has killed 10 people, and wounded 35 others. "The situation is very difficult," Jenin governor Kamal Abu al-Rub told AFP. "The occupation army has bulldozed all the roads leading to Jenin camp and to the Jenin government hospital... There is shooting and explosions," he added, referring to the Israeli military. Israeli forces have detained around 20 people from villages around Jenin since the operation began on Tuesday, he said. An AFP correspondent reported hearing gunfire and explosions from the northern city's refugee camp, a hotbed of militancy where Israeli forces have carried out repeated raids. Qatari news channel Al Jazeera reported that its journalist Mohammed Al-Atrash had been arrested at his home by Palestinian forces "to prevent him from covering the Israeli operation" in Jenin. The raid in Jenin aims to counter "hundreds of terrorist attacks, both in Judea and Samaria (the occupied West Bank) and the rest of Israel," military spokesman Nadav Shoshani said at a press briefing. He said that since the start of the Gaza war, Israel had seen "over 2,000 terror attack attempts" from the West Bank, adding that the army had "eliminated around 800 terrorists". The Palestinian Authority's foreign ministry accused Israel of "collective punishment" and said the raid was part of an Israeli plan aimed at "gradually annexing the occupied West Bank". United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called for "maximum restraint" from Israeli security forces and expressed deep concern. Violence has surged throughout the occupied West Bank since the Gaza war erupted on October 7, 2023, after Hamas's unprecedented attack on southern Israel. According to the Palestinian health ministry, Israeli troops or settlers have killed at least 848 Palestinians in the West Bank since the war began. During the same period, at least 29 Israelis, including soldiers, have been killed in Palestinian attacks or Israeli military operations in the territory, according to Israeli official figures. Prime Minister Netanyahu said the raid aimed to "eradicate terrorism" in Jenin. He linked the operation to a broader strategy of countering Iran "wherever it sends its arms -- in Gaza, Lebanon, Syria, Yemen" and the West Bank. The Israeli government has accused Iran, which supports armed groups across the Middle East, including Hamas in Gaza, of attempting to funnel weapons and funds to militants in the West Bank. During a separate call on Wednesday Secretary of State Rubio spoke about Iran with Saudi Arabia's de facto ruler Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. In addition to Syria, Lebanon, Gaza, the pair discussed "the threats posed by Iran and its proxies", according to a statement. Biden's administration had pushed for a deal in which Saudi Arabia would recognise Israel in exchange for a defence pact with the United States and help on a civilian nuclear programme. That deal was put on ice after Hamas attacked Israel, triggering war in the Gaza Strip. Prosperous year for telcos sets up greater expansion Late December witnessed a number of new contracts signed by Viettel and its foreign partners, laying a foundation for the Vietnamese telecom player to expand its value abroad. The deals included one with High Cloud Technologies Company from the UAE, valued at more than $1 million, to provide 5G systems for the Middle East market; and another with Network Cable Co., Ltd. of South Korea on developing optical cables and telecoms accessories. International business is one of the groups key pillars in 2025 after greatly contributing to its results last year. At a year-end conference held on January 3 in Hanoi, Viettel said its consolidated revenue in 2024 had hit $7.5 billion, surpassing 3 per cent of the plan and growing by 10.3 per cent, making it the highest growth rate in the industry. Its pre-tax profit sat at $2 billion, exceeding the plan by 11 per cent. Viettel contributed $1.68 billion to the state budget, up 12.3 per cent. The average income of employees in the whole group climbed 6 per cent. Notably, Viettels service revenue from international markets in 2024 increased by 17.3 per cent, contributing 80 per cent to the giants overall growth and seven times higher than the world average. This is the eighth consecutive year that Viettels foreign market segment has grown by double digits. Viettel also expanded its business to many other services in foreign markets: e-wallet services with nearly 33 million subscribers; delivery services in Laos, Cambodia, Myanmar; and network security services in 11 countries. The group signed contracts to export radar and training simulation systems to Malaysia and the Philippines, and to export 5G equipment to India and nine Middle Eastern countries, realising the vision of a global technology group. Modern solutions At home, with the operation of the largest and most modern Viettel Hoa Lac Data Centre in Vietnam, Viettel is also the first enterprise to officially operate the 5G network with the largest coverage area in the country, reaching 95 per cent of the capitals of all provinces and cities, making it in the top 5 per cent of network operators worldwide with the most modern 5G architecture. In 2024, Viettel also implemented logistics automation solutions and opened Vietnams first logistics park. Its IT solutions segment grew 38 per cent in 2024, accounting for 40 per cent of total revenue, holding the number one market share in the public investment sector. The group attributed growth drivers to maintaining domestic telecommunications growth; developing international business; and successfully researching, manufacturing and commercialising high-tech products, developing logistics, cybersecurity, AI and digital technology. Do Minh Phuong, deputy general director of Viettel said, In 2024, Viettels good growth in mobile and fixed broadband service revenue is the result of long-term investment as well as a new approach, competing on the value it brings to customers instead of competing on the cost which is no longer effective. Viettel has invested in infrastructure with modern technology having superior service quality, suitable operating costs, creating conditions for revenue growth. The 2024 results show that customer-centricity and substance will achieve growth, which is a lesson in sustainable business in the long term, he added. 2024 was considered a prosperous year for many other telecos in Vietnam, with all recording higher business results than set targets, as well as significant on-year growth. MobiFone announced that it has exceeded many business targets, typically pre-tax profit exceeding 20 per cent of the annual plan to reach more than $83.33 million. In addition, the network operators digital services also grew strongly with such products as MobiFone Meet (+1,050 per cent), Cloud (+312 per cent), mobiAgri (+49 per cent), and MobiFone Invoice (+58 per cent). During the year, MobiFone focused on developing advanced technology platforms such as AI, cloud computing, 5G, and data. Its strategies to develop new products, improve services, and utilise 5G technology brought positive results, helping it enhance customer experience and enhance competitiveness in the market. In order to seek and exchange experiences in innovation and application of advanced 5G network deployment, MobiFone has expanded cooperation with 11 comprehensive strategic partners and major partners Ericsson, Sensetime, Nokia, F-secure, VNPT, and others. Similarly, VNPT saw its total revenue reach $2.44 billion, of which the revenue from the parent company hit nearly $1.75 billion, surpassing the annual plan by 1 per cent, and up 7 per cent on-year. Its consolidated pre-tax profit reached $253.33 million, of which the pre-tax profit of the parent Company was $190 million, exceeding the yearly plan by 3.3 per cent, and up 3 per cent on-year. A VNPT leader said, Although the 7 per cent revenue growth is modest, it represents its great effort amid an increasingly challenging market with many changes in market management policies and public investment in digital transformation projects showing signs of slowing down. Last year, VNPT searched for new products to increase revenue sources from new growth areas: Information security sector grew 58 per cent on-year; the AI business also rose 60 per cent on-year with noteworthy products such as AI cameras for smart cities and GenAI in customer service call centre analysis. Also, in addition to improving the capacity of the 4G network, VNPT launched the VinaPhone 5G. Today, Vinaphone 5G is present in all provinces and cities nationwide. With better performance of telcos, the IT and telecoms sector witnessed total revenue increase 13.2 per cent on-year in 2024, contributing $41.2 billion to the national GDP, up 11.2 per cent. Future plans Viettel says it will continue to complete its network of logistics centres nationwide, serving key economic regions with smart border gates, agricultural and industrial logistics centres, supply chain infrastructure, and multimodal transport networks. The company will also continue to improve the efficiency of overseas investment, bringing the return rate to 91 per cent, while investing in expanding the 5G network to 18,000 stations, reaching coverage of about 30 per cent of the total network scale, equivalent to that of developed countries in 5G. For international markets, the giant will boost its 5G network in Cambodia, East Timor, Burundi, and others. Over the next five years, Viettels e-wallet services will continue to be one of the main sources of growth for market players in nations like Haiti. With the vision of becoming a pioneering tech corporation by 2030, MobiFone in 2025 will continue to develop advanced platforms while implementing human resource development programmes and improving internal sci-tech levels. The corporation will also continue to boost its digital infrastructure, partner development, and governance. MobiFone chairman Nguyen Hong Hien said, With the strong direction of the government and ministries, we now have a great opportunity to contribute more to the national development strongly in the new era. We are deploying strategies faster and stronger, participating in comprehensive digital transformation, and accompanying the government and businesses in improving national competitiveness. VNPT also building new strategies for the year. It aims to invest systematically in technology and people, improve management capacity, build a flexible corporate culture, and expand cooperation with partners to enlarge new development space. Its general director Huynh Quang Liem said, With advanced 5G infrastructure ready, VNPT welcomes cooperation with domestic and foreign enterprises and organisations to expand and enrich the ecosystem of digital solutions to meet the needs of innovation and digital transformation of agencies, businesses, and the community. Vietnamese firms partner to develop telecom services, e-payment in Cambodia Metfone, the Cambodia-based affiliate of the military-run telecom group Viettel, and Angkok Dairy Products Co.Ltd (Angkormilk), two Vietnamese-invested firms, on July 14 signed a strategic cooperation agreement to develop telecommunications services and e- payments in Cambodia. Vietnamese telecoms giants grappling with chip shortfall While the shortfall of semiconductor chips largely caused by the Russia-Ukraine conflict is affecting the performance of Vietnamese telecoms giants, higher targets have been set with prospects driven by growing digital transformation demands on a local level. On January 22, eTreego signed an MoU with V-GREEN to install 100,000 charging portals in Indonesia, the Philippines, and Vietnam, Both parties will research and work towards their strategic goals, including building and operating 100,000 franchised charging portals for VinFast EVs by 2030. Specifically, in the second quarter of 2025, eTreego will deploy 200 pilot charging portals in Vietnam, before expanding into VinFast's two key international markets: Indonesia and the Philippines. According to the MoU, eTreego will be the charging station product supplier for V-GREEN. Furthermore, eTreego has agreed to lease designated locations and facilitate introductions to potential partner sites in key areas for the development and expansion of V-GREEN's charging station network. Both parties will also promote other green initiatives, including developing a carbon credit certification project for V-GREEN's charging stations. Additionally, the two companies will explore collaborative opportunities to expand VinFast's EV supply chain and enter new international markets, seizing the significant opportunities in the global green transportation sector. Leveraging its extensive expertise and commitment to sustainable solutions, eTreego recognises the immense growth opportunities presented by the Southeast Asian EV market. Chin Pin Chien, chairman of ETreego Co., Ltd, highlighted, "eTreego highly appreciates the growth potential of the electric vehicle market in Vietnam and Southeast Asia. In the future, we will increase investment in research and development to provide the necessary products, services, and technical support for VinFast's electric vehicle ecosystem. The collaboration between eTreego and V-GREEN will support VinFast's increasingly sustainable transportation network, meeting the strong demand for green transformation in Southeast Asia." Tech players take on EV charging infrastructure Electric vehicle charging station companies are looking for more incentives to facilitate their expansion in the Vietnamese market. Lack of charging stifles EV ambitions More electric vehicle charging stations are being built by manufacturers and third parties in Vietnam, but the numbers are still far from meeting likely demand, and some Chinese manufacturers are leaning back into petrol or hybrid-engine cars. This transaction aligns with the groups strategic aim to grow its international footprint by investing in fast-payback assets, with low capex and reduced carbon intensity. The transaction is scheduled for completion during the second quarter of 2025. The headline value of the transaction is $84 million and, net of interim period cash flows, the consideration to be paid by EnQuest on completion is expected to equal around $35 million. This fully staffed new country entry expands the groups Southeast Asian footprint beyond Malaysia, where EnQuest recently celebrated 10 years of successful operations. EnQuest will operate the Chim Sao and Dua fields (Block 12W) from completion, deploying its proven late life and FPSO asset management expertise to maximise value and progress discovered resources into reserves. The two fields' net reserves total an estimated 7.5 million barrels of oil (boe) equivalent, while its contingent resources are about 4.9 million boe. Net production in 2025 is forecast to average 5,300 boe per day, with further significant upside potential relating to well intervention performance. Commenting on the acquisition, EnQuest CEO Amjad Bseisu said, Our entry into Vietnam is highly complementary to EnQuests well-established and high-performing Malaysia business and significantly enhances the scale of our operations and opportunity in Southeast Asia. The region is key to EnQuests growth and diversification strategy, and we are excited by the potential to deploy our proven expertise and operating capability to optimise and enhance the Block 12W assets." "We look forward to welcoming our new employees from the existing Harbour Energy team to the group and are committed to working with our partners, Bitexco and PetroVietnam Exploration Production Corporation Ltd, to explore future opportunities in the assets. As EnQuest continues to work towards a transformational transaction in the UK North Sea, this agreement underlines our commitment to growth, a disciplined approach to mergers and acquisitions, and deploying capital where we see the most favourable returns, Bseisu added. The key factors shaping Vietnam's M&A market for 2025 Nguyen Cong Ai, senior partner of Deal Advisory at KPMG Vietnam, delivered his keynote speech at the 2024 Vietnam M&A Forum on November 27, highlighting the key factors shaping the outlook for next year. Domestic groups seize upon deals Dealmaking by Vietnamese firms is expected to be more vibrant, driven by several factors that support strategic growth, market expansion, and consolidation in various industries. Other funds managed by VinaCapital also significantly outperformed their respective benchmarks over both 1-year and 5-year periods, highlighting the company's expertise and resilience in the investment market. The equity-focused funds, VINACAPITAL-VESAF and VINACAPITAL-VEOF posted impressive returns, far exceeding their benchmark, the VN-Index. Other funds, including the balanced VINACAPITAL-VIBF and the bond-focused VINACAPITAL-VFF, also delivered strong results, surpassing their respective benchmarks. The table below summarises their performance as of December 31, 2024. The equity fund VINACAPITAL-VDEF, launched last June, also posted a return of 4.9 per cent by year-end, outperforming its benchmark, the VN-Index, which recorded a return of just 1 per cent over the same period. On a 5-year annualised basis, the equity funds VINACAPITAL-VESAF and VINACAPITAL-VEOF remained the top performers in the market, securing the No.1 and No.3 positions, respectively. VinaCapital's six open-ended funds saw significant growth in assets under management, vales at over VND 7.8 trillion ($326.8 million) by the end of 2024, a remarkable increase of 124.6 per cent on-year. With more than 88,800 investors by year-end, VinaCapital open-ended funds have become the preferred investment vehicle for many. Brook Taylor, CEO of VinaCapital Fund Management JSC, believes that 2024 was a pivotal year for VinaCapital as it continued to focus on delivering value and sustainable growth for investors. "Our open-ended funds have outperformed expectations, a testament to the resilience of the Vietnamese market and our strong investment philosophy. This performance underscores our leadership in the investment sector and reflects our strategic alignment with Vietnam's dynamic economic growth," said Taylor. VinaCapital open-ended funds have consistently outperformed their benchmarks, thanks to a strategic approach that combines in-depth market research, sound risk management, and a focus on high-quality, long-term investments. The company's investment team remains agile as they adapt to changes in the market environment and identify sectors poised for growth. In particular, VinaCapital has focused on industries benefiting from Vietnams rapid economic development, such as technology, infrastructure, and consumer goods. The company's ability to navigate the complexities of both the equity and fixed income markets has proven essential in delivering solid returns for its investors. Moreover, VinaCapitals disciplined investment philosophy and adherence to a thorough, research-backed process have helped mitigate the risks associated with market volatility, allowing the funds to maintain consistent performance even during challenging market conditions. For investors seeking reliable, high-performance funds, VinaCapital open-ended funds offer a compelling choice, backed by years of expertise, a disciplined investment approach, and a proven track record of outperformance. VinaCapital Ventures invests in South Korea's INNOHAS VinaCapital Ventures announced on July 2 that it has led a Series A-3 investment in INNOHAS, a plant-based meat alternative company, to facilitate the South Korean company's expansion into Vietnam and Southeast Asia. VinaLiving hands over luxury condotels at Ocean Resort Quy Nhon VinaLiving, the premier real estate brand under VinaCapital Group, officially handed over the luxury condotels at The Ocean Resort Quy Nhon by Fusion on December 25. The Houston Chronicle, one of the largest newspapers in the United States, was founded in 1901 and was acquired by Hearst in 1987. In addition to delivering in-depth coverage of local issues, the Chronicle is committed to covering state, national and international news. The newspaper operates a news bureau in Washington, D.C., that provides coverage of issues of special interest to residents of Houston and Texas. Russian Defence Ministry reports on the progress of the special military operation (21 January 2025) The Armed Forces of the Russian Federation continue the special military operation. In Kharkov direction, the Sever Group of Forces hit formations of a motorised infantry brigade of the AFU close to Volchansk (Kharkov region). The AFU losses amounted to up to 60 troops, one tank, one armoured fighting vehicle, two motor vehicles, and four field artillery guns. The Zapad Groups units captured more advantageous lines and positions, inflicted losses on manpower and hardware of two mechanised brigades and one infantry brigade of the AFU close to Novoyegorovka (Lugansk Peoples Republic), Drobyshevo, Kolodezi, Seversk, Yampol (Donetsk Peoples Republic), Dvurechnaya, Glushkovka, Zeleny Gai, and Lozovaya (Kharkov region). The AFU losses amounted to more than 510 troops, seven armoured fighting vehicles, including one U.S.-made M113 armoured personnel carrier. Seventeen motor vehicles, ten field artillery guns, including five Western-made guns, and two field ammunition depots of the enemy were eliminated. The Yug Group of Forces improved the tactical situation and engaged the units of two mechanised brigades, one motorised infantry brigade, and one assault brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine close to Konstantinovka, Druzhkovka, Izhevka, Predtechino, Belogorovka, Verkhnekamenskoye, Ivano-Daryevka, Orekhovo-Vasilyevka, Yantarnoye, and Chasov Yar (Donetsk Peoples Republic). The enemy sustained losses of up to 290 troops, two motor vehicles, seven field artillery guns, with four of them made by NATO countries. One ammunition depot and one electronic warfare station were destroyed. The Tsentr Group of Forces continued advancing to the depths of the enemys defence and liberated Volkovo (Donetsk Peoples Republic). Strikes were delivered at manpower and hardware of four mechanised brigades, one motorised infantry brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, one National Guard brigade, two territorial defence brigades close to Shcherbinovka, Petrovka, Dzerzhinsk, Lysovka, Baranovka, Slavyanka, Novoyelizavetovka, Solenoye, Novoaleksandrovka, and Novovasilevka (Donetsk Peoples Republic). The AFU losses amounted to up to 580 troops, seven armoured fighting vehicles, including one French-made VAB armoured personnel carrier, six motor vehicles, and nine artillery guns. The Vostok Group of Forces advanced into the depths of the enemys defence, defeated units of two mechanised brigades of the AFU, one marine brigade, and one National Guard brigade close to Otradnoye, Novopol, Zeleny Kut, Velikaya Novoselka, Konstantinopol, Novy Komar, and Bogatyr (Donetsk Peoples Republic). The AFU losses amounted to up to 120 troops, one tank, one armoured fighting vehicle, one motor vehicle, and three artillery guns, including a UK-made FH-70 howitzer. The Dnepr Group of Forces has engaged manpower and hardware of one mechanised brigade of the AFU, one marine brigade, and one territorial defence brigade near Kamenskoye (Zaporozhye region), Daryevka, Mylovoye, Pridneprovskoye, and Antonovka (Kherson region). The enemy losses amounted to up to 100 troops, 11 motor vehicles, and three field artillery guns. One electronic warfare station and one ammunition depot have been neutralised. Operational-Tactical Aviation, unmanned aerial vehicles, and Missile Troops and Artillery of the Russian Groups of Forces struck a power facility ensuring operation of a Ukrainian defence industry enterprise, infrastructure of military airfields, fixed-wing UAV workshops, as well as engaged manpower and armoured hardware clusters of the enemy in 148 areas. Air defence systems shot down four Hammer guided aerial bombs, six U.S.-made HIMARS MLRS projectiles, and 156 fixed-wing unmanned aerial vehicles, with 55 of them out of the special military operation area. In total, since the beginning of the special military operation, 652 aircraft, 283 helicopters, 41,034 unmanned aerial vehicles, 590 anti-aircraft missile systems, 20,702 tanks and other armoured fighting vehicles, 1,510 MLRS combat vehicles, 20,845 field artillery guns and mortars, and 30,540 units of support military vehicles have been neutralised. Tags: WtR Under a new partnership with reseller Rebag, Walmart.com has begun selling pre-owned goods from Chanel, Prada, Louis Vuitton and other designers. Charles Krupa/Associated Press Few look to Walmart for the latest in haute couture, but the low-cost retailer now wants to be a destination for Gucci, Dior and Chanel or, at least, used versions of those brands. The Arkansas-based retailer last week announced that it has partnered with Rebag, which sells pre-owned designer handbags, watches, jewelry and shoes, to make Rebag's catalog available online through Walmart.com's new Luxe Resold initiative. "The move makes Rebag one of the first luxury resale brands to partner with Walmart, marking a significant step in making pre-owned luxury more accessible to customers in Houston," the company said in a statement. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Rebag's catalog includes tens of thousands of items from designers such as Chanel, Louis Vuitton, Gucci and more. Rebag will also sell 100 items exclusively through its shop on Walmart Marketplace, Walmart said. While Houston has long had many high-end stores, the growth of the luxury goods market has fueled the growth of pre-owned luxury sales in the area. In December, for example, luxury reseller The RealReal opened a brick-and-mortar store in Montrose, its second in Texas. While Walmart has historically been associated with affordability rather than luxury, there have been signs that its customers are interested in high-end products. The company last year had a viral hit among fashion fans with a leather handbag that resembles the iconic Birkin bag from the French house Hermes. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Russian Defence Ministry reports on the progress of the special military operation (22 January 2025) The Armed Forces of the Russian Federation continue the special military operation. In Kharkov direction, units of the Sever Group of Forces defeated formations of a motorised infantry brigade close to Volchansk (Kharkov region). The AFU losses were up to 40 troops, one armoured fighting vehicle, two motor vehicles, and three field artillery guns. The Zapad Group of Forces units liberated Zapadnoye (Kharkov region), delivered strikes at manpower and hardware of three mechanised brigades, one jaeger brigade of the AFU near Kamenka, Zeleny Gai, Dvurechnaya, Glushkovka, Lozovaya (Kharkov region), Yampol, Seversk, and Kolodezi (Donetsk Peoples Republic). The AFU losses were more than 460 troops, one tank, and seven armoured fighting vehicles, including two U.S.-made M113 armoured personnel carriers. In addition, 14 pickup trucks, six field artillery guns, and two field ammunition depots were eliminated. The Yug Group of Forces units improved the tactical situation and defeated formations of three mechanised brigades, one motorised infantry brigade, one mountain assault brigade, and one assault brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine near Druzhkovka, Slavyansk, Nikolayevka, Konstantinovka, Predtechino, Verkhnekamenskoye, Ivano-Daryevka, Orekhovo-Vasilevka, and Chasov Yar (Donetsk Peoples Republic). The AFU losses were up to 250 troops, four armoured fighting vehicles, including one U.S.-made M113 armoured personnel carrier, and seven motor vehicles. Two ammunition depots were destroyed. The Tsentr Group of Forces units continued advancing into the depths of enemy defences, inflicted losses on manpower and hardware of one heavy mechanised brigade, three mechanised brigades, one motorised infantry brigade, one National Guard brigade, three territorial defence brigades close to Krymskoye, Petrovka, Zelenoye, Dzerzhinsk, Lysovka, Timofeyevka, Baranovka, Sergeyevka, Novoyelizavetovka, Novopavlovka, and Novovasilevka (Donetsk Peoples Republic). The AFU losses were up to 630 troops, one tank, five armoured fighting vehicles, including two U.S.-made M113 armoured personnel carriers, six motor vehicles, and three artillery guns. The Vostok Group of Forces units captured more advantageous lines and positions, defeated formations of three mechanised brigades of the AFU, one National Guard brigade, and territorial defence brigade close to Velikaya Novosyolka, Zeleny Kut, Konstantinopol, Novy Komar, and Bogatyr (Donetsk Peoples Republic). The AFU losses were up to 175 troops, three tanks, five motor vehicles, and three foreign-made 155-mm artillery guns. Units of the Dnepr Group of Forces engaged manpower and hardware of two coastal defence brigades of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, one National Guard brigade close to Malye Shcherbaki (Zaporozhye region), Pridneprovskoye, Veletenskoye, Belozerka, and Antonovka (Kherson region). The AFU losses were up to 50 troops, eight motor vehicles, and one electronic warfare station. Operational-Tactical Aviation, attack unmanned aerial vehicles, Missile Troops and Artillery of the Russian Groups of Forces engaged missile-artillery weapons, UAVs, POL depots of the Armed Forces of Ukraine as well as clusters of enemy manpower and military hardware in 136 areas. Air defence facilities shot down 114 fixed-wing unmanned aerial vehicles. In total, since the beginning of the special military operation, 652 aircraft, 283 helicopters, 41,148 unmanned aerial vehicles, 590 anti-aircraft missile systems, 20,724 tanks and other armoured fighting vehicles, 1,510 MLRS combat vehicles, 20,860 field artillery guns and mortars, and 30,582 units of support military vehicles have been neutralised. Russian Defence Ministry reports on repelling AFU attempt to invade Russian territory in Kursk region (22 January 2025) The Armed Forces of the Russian Federation continue the operation to neutralise an enemy group, which broke into the territory of Kursk region. During offensive actions, units of the Sever Group of Forces inflicted fire damage 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 close to Viktorovka, Goncharovka, Guyevo, Lebedevka, Malaya Loknya, Makhnovka, Nikolayevka, Nikolayevo-Daryino, Nikolsky, Sverdlikovo, and Staraya Sorochina. Operational-Tactical and Army aviation and artillery inflicted losses on manpower and hardware of the enemy near Gogolevka, Zaoleshenka, Kazachya Loknya, Pervy Knyazhy, Kolmakov, Kruglenkoye, Kurilovka, Loknya, Martynovka, Melovoy, Mirny, Mikhaylovka, Oleshnya, Sudzha, Cherkasskoye Porechnoye, Yuzhny as well as Basovka, Belovody, Veselovka, Vodolagi, Zhuravka, Miropolye, Obody, and Yunakovka in Sumy region. On the course of the day, the AFU losses were more than 390 troops, four tanks, one armoured personnel carrier, 11 armoured fighting vehicles, 12 motor vehicles, six artillery guns, four mortars, one electronic warfare station, one piece of engineering equipment, six UAV command posts, and two ammunition depots. Since the beginning of hostilities in Kursk region, the AFU losses amounted to more than 54,000 troops, 313 tanks, 237 infantry fighting vehicles, 179 armoured personnel carriers, 1,601 armoured fighting vehicles, 1,586 motor vehicles, 387 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, 97 EW stations, 14 counter-battery warfare radars, four air defence radars, 32 units of engineering and other materiel, including 13 counterobstacle vehicles, one UR-77 mine clearing vehicle, nine armoured recovery vehicles, and one command post vehicle. The operation to neutralise the AFU units is in progress. Tags: Special Military Operation WtR Hundreds of Wrexham learners join celebration of entrepreneurship Hundreds of learners and staff at Coleg Cambria joined a celebration of business and innovation. The college marked Global Entrepreneurship Week with events and activities at its sites in Northop, Wrexham and Deeside. Cambria organised interactive workshops and sessions with industry leaders, Big Ideas Wales mentors and well-known business owners including Tanya Whitebits CEO Shoned Owen, artist Liz Williams and Beatriz Albo, founder of Spanish sauces company, Sabor de Amor. Enterprise and Entrepreneurship Coordinator Judith Alexander said the programme provided opportunities to develop and apply skills such as financial literacy, creativity, a proactive mindset, innovation, problem-solving, time-management and resilience. Global Entrepreneurship Week (GEW) embodies many of the skills and experiences we instil in our students throughout the year, said Judith. Our goal is to engage as many learners as possible, either on visits and placements to some of the most forward-thinking companies in this region, or by having businesses come in to share their advice and offer guidance, which we are so grateful for. These events amplified our efforts in promoting enterprise awareness and creating new opportunities, and I am thankful to everyone who joined us for playing their part. Among events taking place was a series of Financial Foundations workshops with NatWest, the annual Money Matters swap shop a clothing exchange which promotes decluttering to generate extra income and a pop-up shop with Level 3 Art and Design student, Seren Hughes. Seren sold handmade jewellery and crocheted animals, which proved very popular with customers. She said: This has been a great opportunity for me to sell my products directly to students, staff and visitors. I have met lots of people and gained valuable feedback about my products and prices which will help me develop my small business. Seren added: Its been a great experience which is helping me build confidence and customer service skills. Id highly recommend other students take up the test trading opportunities at college with the support of Judith and the Enterprise team. Judith said Level 3 Enterprise and Entrepreneurship learners are now gearing up for the Welsh Skills Competition for Enterprise, including Alfie Wintin, who is developing prototypes for printed hoodies and t-shirts with the support of the colleges Art and Design department. We have so many determined, creative and innovative students at Cambria, she added. GEW was a chance for them to showcase their ideas, a platform to demonstrate their love for business and entrepreneurship it was a huge success. For more news and information from Coleg Cambria, visit http://www.cambria.ac.uk and follow them on social media. One in six species at risk of extinction in Wales, Senedd warned Senedd members warned of massive nature loss in Wales, with one in six species at risk of extinction and wildlife declining by 20% over the past 30 years. Peter Fox raised a report published by the Senedds environment committee this week which found ministers vision for halting the worrying trend lacks planning, action and investment. The Tory told the Senedd: The few targets that the Welsh Government had set out, we read, have been moved from 2025 to 2029 this reflects a lack of urgency or it would seem. It would seem little has been achieved from the targets worked on since 2022 and we shouldnt be in a position of lagging behind England and Scotland once again. Its a sad state of affairs that we hear too often. Great deterioration Warning Natural Resources Wales (NRW) continues to be under-resourced, Mr Fox said the failures of successive Welsh Governments have led to outdated law and policy. Delyth Jewell was similarly concerned, saying: There are so many people who want to see more happening. The report warns about a massive decline in wildlife in Wales. The deputy leader of Plaid Cymrus Senedd group cautioned that NRWs workforce feels dispirited as she called for better communication. The climate committee inquiry heard Wales is nowhere near the key international 30 by 30 biodiversity target of protecting 30% of land and sea for nature by 2030. Ms Jewell said: There is great concern that if the necessary frameworks are not in place until a year before 2030, that could lead to a great deterioration. Incredibly important Janet Finch-Saunders, a Tory member of the committee, said the Environmental (Wales) Act 2016 was hailed as groundbreaking but has failed to deliver meaningful change. She said: Despite various policies, soundbites and statements its fair to say the strategies and legislation delays have caused insufficient actions, and these are now hindering Wales biodiversity restoration commitments. Jenny Rathbone welcomed ministers sticking to their guns on the sustainable farming schemes requirement for farmers to have at least 10% of their farm as habitat. Thats incredibly important, she said. I look forward to the legislation, which will enable us to have robust and stretching targets. John Griffiths, a fellow Labour backbencher, hailed the Living Levels partnership which he said has led to a whole host of biodiversity returning to the Gwent levels. Landmark legislation Wales climate secretary Huw Irranca-Davies witnessed a quite magical flock of starlings on a delightful visit to the levels with his colleague who represents Newport East. In a statement on January 21, a day before turning 62, he said the Welsh Government has invested more than 150m in restoring nature since the start of the Senedd term in 2021. He told the Senedd: I recognise how strongly people feel about the importance of improving water quality and restoring our rivers, and rightly so. And thats why weve provided Natural Resources Wales with an extra 40 million of funding to do just that. He announced an additional 11 projects will be awarded nearly 2.7m as part of the Nature Networks scheme which aims to improve protected sites and connect people to nature. Mr Irranca-Davies, who is also the deputy first minister, said he will introduce landmark legislation for nature restoration targets and an environmental governance body. By Chris Haines, ICNN Senedd reporter Wrexhams Sainsburys supermarket cafe set to close as firm makes 3,000 job cuts UK wide The Sainsburys in Wrexham is set to have the cafe close, as the firm outline a UK cut affecting 3,000 jobs. The supermarket has said their most loyal shoppers do not use the Cafes regularly. Sainsburys say, As part of the companys plan to become First Choice for Food, Sainsburys has shared plans to create space to offer more of its fresh food ranges in more stores. This will involve proposals to close remaining patisserie, hot food and pizza counters while making their most popular items available in the aisles. The retailers roll-out of updated bakery recipes to ensure consistent quality and value will be completed by the summer, along with new self-serve bread slicing. They add on the cafes, In a further move to simplify the business, the retailer has made the difficult decision to close its remaining 61 Sainsburys Cafes, subject to consultation. The majority of Sainsburys most loyal shoppers do not use the Cafes regularly and Cafes and food halls run by specialist partners are becoming more and more popular. The proposals it has shared with colleagues today are expected to result in the overall reduction of over 3,000 roles from across the business. Sainsburys is talking to the colleagues affected about what the changes mean for them and explore redeployment opportunities where this is possible. This is in addition to providing a support package to those affected which exceeds statutory requirements while offering opportunities to receive tailored guidance for their future career options. Simon Roberts, Sainsburys Chief Executive, said: We launched our Next Level Strategy almost a year ago and are totally focused on making good food joyful, accessible and affordable for everyone, every day. As a result, were seeing real momentum across our business, with a best-ever value position, leading quality and increasing market share. As we accelerate into year two and beyond of our strategy, we are facing into a particularly challenging cost environment which means we have had to make tough choices about where we can afford to invest and where we need to do things differently to make our business more efficient and effective. The decisions we are announcing today are essential to ensure we continue to drive forward our momentum but have also meant some difficult choices impacting our dedicated colleagues in a number of parts of our business. Well be doing everything we can to support anyone impacted by todays announcements. Sainsbury said Cafes closures are proposed at the following locations: Honest Mary's, a health-focused Austin-based restaurant, is opening in Houston in 2025. Honest Mary's The revival of the Pappas family's Greek favorite Yiayias, several bowl concepts, and a hotly anticipated neighborhood restaurant from a chef with Michelin credentials are just a few of the openings Houstonians can look forward to in 2025. This year promises a healthy mix of restaurant debuts that reflect our rich civic culinary offerings. Some are old favorites ready for a second act while others involve talented young chefs ready to make their mark. The Houston Chronicles food team will cover as many of these openings as possible. While debut dates are ever changing, here are the 16 restaurants were keeping an eye on in the coming months. Do let us know what weve missed. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Agnes and Sherman Houstonians can find bits of Hong Kong culture in Asiatown with a few restaurants modeled after cha chaan tengs, casual cafe and diner-like spaces serving Hong Kong-meets-Western-style cuisine. At Agnes and Sherman in the Heights, co-owners Nick Wong and Lisa Lee are putting their own spin on what theyve described as a modern Asian American diner. Wong, who originally came to Houston from California to work at UB Preserv, has been cooking at various pop-up and collaboration events in town. Scallion waffles, honey pecan shrimp toast and Taiwanese chopped cheese were previews of the forthcoming menu. 250 W. 19th; agnesandsherman.com Augustines Dominick Lee's food at Augustine's will focus on progressive Creole cooking. Shawn McCarney Talented New Orleans-born chef Dominick Lee will open his progressive Creole restaurant in Third Ward this summer. Hes developed recipes that honor and expand on traditional Creole cuisine as he blends European, African and Indigenous flavors hes studied in his career. His former restaurant, Poitin, earned a spot on our Top 100 Restaurants list. 2615 Riverside Advertisement Article continues below this ad Bol Kahani Social Group's Surpreet Singh, left, Jassi Bindra, and Preet Paul Singh plan to open Bol Kahani Social Group The group behind Indian restaurant Amrina is opening an Indian-inspired bowl restaurant in an adjoining space to its newly opened chicken spot Pok Pok Po in Midtown. Bol will focus on highlighting Indian ingredients with a variety of grilled meats, vegetables and grains. 3201 Louisiana Boo's Burgers Joseph Boudreaux of Boo's Burgers. Drea Karolina This popular smashburger pop-up is moving into a brick and mortar in the East End this spring. Houston-born chef Joseph Boudreaux channels his Creole roots with Boos Burgers, where he aims to unite food and community. He will expand the menu with cultural programming that celebrates Houstons past and future. 2510 Navigation, boosburgershtx.com Advertisement Article continues below this ad Camaraderie Chef Shawn Gawle's Camaraderie is slated to open in late winter. Chef-owner Shawn Gawles resume is peppered with experience in Michelin-starred restaurants. But when the former lead pastry chef at March opens his Heights restaurant later this winter, its more about creating a family-style dining experience with warm hospitality than a traditional fine dining experience. Expect contemporary American dishes prepared with French techniques on the menu. 608 W. 11th; camaraderiehtx.com Doko Duckstache Hospitality Group the team behind Handies Douzo, Aiko, Himari and Kokoro is opening a new concept in Autry Park. Chef-owners Daniel Lee and Patrick Pham will take a Japanese-centric approach to food. It will open in the next few weeks, across the alleyway from the team's newly opened Japanese bar, Bar Doko. 3737 Cogdell Advertisement Article continues below this ad HOUSTON EATS: The Chronicles Top 100 restaurants Goode Co. Kitchen & Cantina River Oaks A fajita plate from Goode Co. Kitchen & Cantina. Courtesy of Goode Company Before chef and restaurateur Levi Goode began focusing on his own brand with the opening of Credence and Sidebar, he could always rely on the nostalgic love Houstonians hold for the portfolio of his family's Goode Company restaurants. When Goode Co. Kitchen & Cantina opens in River Oaks in the former La Griglia space, itll be the fourth location of the concept serving up Tex-Mex favorites including sizzling fajitas, stretchy queso and the beloved seafood cocktail served campechana style. New to this expansion: an adjoining tequila-forward bar called Bar Buena. 2002 W. Gray; kitchenandcantina.com Haii Keii A rendering of Haii Keii, a new restaurant to open in Upper Kirby this summer. Courtesy of Haii Keii Find a mix of Asian dishes at Haii Keii, coming to Upper Kirby in February. Chef Jeff Auld and Jarred Tosto of JAG Hospitality Restaurant Group brought on chef Jeffrey Taylor, formerly of New Yorks Morimoto and Texas-based Uchi, to lead the kitchen with sushi chef Jose Espinoza, formerly of Uchiko and Handies. The menu will feature Peking duck, Japanese milk bread, sashimi, wok-fired dishes and a selection of wagyu. 3300 Kirby; haiikeii.com Advertisement Article continues below this ad Happy Go Lucky The team of Matthew Pak and Shawn Bermudez continue to grow their crowd-favorite restaurant concepts Burger Joint and Taco Stand. Theyll be rolling out a new concept in the spring that should be welcomed during Houstons stifling summers: Happy Go Lucky will serve Hawaiian shaved ice (for purists, thats just shave ice in Hawaii) and frozen cocktails. Theyre also working on opening Pizza Place next door. 2102 N. Shepherd; happygoluckyhtx.com Honest Mary's Signature bowls at Honest Mary's. Honest Mary's This Austin-based healthy bowls concept is set to open in the fall in River Oaks Shopping Center. Restaurateur Nelson Monteith and business partner-chef Andrew Wiseheart of Austin restaurant Contigo will offer a menu of bowls with a greens or grain base, a protein, freshly-cooked vegetables and more toppings all tied together by your choice of sauce. There will also be sipping broths and agua frescas on the menu. 2047-A W. Gray; honestmarys.com Latuli An exterior rendering of Latuli, set to open at 8900 Gaylord in Hedwig Village in early 2025 Courtesy of Latuli Former Reef chef Bryan Caswell helped put Houston's food scene on the national radar in the aughts. While he has dabbled in consulting gigs (such as PostScript in Upper Kirby), Caswell hasnt run his own kitchen for a handful of years now. But with the debut of Latuli in Memorial's Hedwig Village, hes ready to reimagine Gulf Coast cuisine once again. Expect an early 2025 opening. 8900 Gaylord Mayahuel Chef Luis Robledo made a splash in Houston with his short-lived Mexico City-inspired taqueria Comalito at the Houston Farmers Market. Hell be back leading the kitchen when Mayahuel opens over the summer in Autry Park. The restaurant is named after the goddess of agave and plans to offer a menu celebrating everything from Mexican street food to more regional dishes. 811 Buffalo Park, Suite 130; culinarykhancepts.com Osteria di Mercato Mercato and Company will soon open Italian restaurant Osteria di Mercato. Becca Wright Chef-partner Tatiana Perna recently opened Mercato and Company in West University Place and will soon unveil Osteria di Mercato. The Italian restaurant will serve simple, thoughtfully prepared authentic Roman food. An osteria is by definition a place that brings people together over good food and wine, Perna said in a statement. At Osteria di Mercato, thats exactly what we intend to do. 3642 University; mercatoandcompany.com Ramen Tatsu-Ya The Mi-So-Not ramen at Ramen Tatsu-Ya. Carla Gomez This Austin import is slated to deliver a second Houston location of the mini chain to Town & Country Village this fall. Since opening in Montrose in 2017, Ramen Tatsu-Ya has been one of the most popular spots to order warm bowls of the Japanese-style noodle soups. The opening will mark the eighth outlet of the ramen shop. 12850 Memorial; ramen-tatsuya.com 12850 Memorial; ramen-tatsuya.com Terra The team behind Gaia and Open Table HTX plan to expand with a third restaurant when Terra opens later this year. The Caribbean fusion concept aims to offer dishes combining traditional American and French cooking with tropical flair. Expect a lively bar scene during dinner and brunch. 8617 Westheimer Yiayias Greek Kitchen The U.S. is among about 30 countries where birthright citizenship - the principle of jus soli or right of the soil - is applied. KP George presides over the Fort Bend County Commissioners Court on Tuesday, Oct. 8, 2024. George is waging a six-figure legal battle to prove his innocence against charges of online impersonation, but county records show that the campaign funds George is using to cover the costs are drying up. Claire Goodman/Staff writer Fort Bend County Judge KP George is waging a six-figure legal battle to prove his innocence against charges of online impersonation, but county records show that the campaign funds George is using to cover the costs are drying up. FORT BEND COUNTY BATTLE: Fort Bend County is fighting a proposed concrete crushing plant. They won their first battle. George was indicted in September and charged with misrepresentation of identity by a candidate. He has thus far spent $100,000 on legal fees from his campaign funds fighting the charges, according to a campaign finance report released Thursday. Advertisement Article continues below this ad George did not respond to a request for comment. According to the indictment, George worked alongside his former chief of staff Taral Patel using the fake persona Antonio Scalywag in Facebook posts, with the intent to injure the reputation of his opponent, Trever Nehls, and influence the result of the 2022 election. George has been paying his legal fees from his campaign contributions, which is legal under Texas law, but only in certain circumstances. The Texas Ethics Commission did not respond to a request for comment, but according to an advisory published in 2011, it is legal to use campaign donations for legal fees if the fees are related to charges of judicial misconduct, public corruption or conduct as a candidate. County finance records from July 1 to Dec. 31, 2024 show that George had spent $115,166 in legal fees. Of that total, $85,000 went to the firm of his criminal defense attorney, Rusty Hardin and Associates. Another $15,000 went to criminal defense attorney Daniel Lazarine for legal services. Advertisement Article continues below this ad During that same time frame, George received $4,640 in contributions. Since his indictment, George has received $30. KATY INSIDER NEWSLETTER: Can't-miss coverage, right to your inbox George was elected Fort Bend County judge in 2018. He will be up for re-election in November 2026. Advertisement Article continues below this ad This week is culture-packed as Fog Design + Art Fair returns, SF Art Week continues, and the San Francisco Ballet celebrates opening night. Plus, dance all night at St. Josephs Club Limelight, check out MoAD for free on MLK Day, and plan a weekend wellness crawl. Spend Martin Luther King Jr. Day at MoAD for a day of free programming celebrating his legacy. Catch performances from Prescott Elementary School, Marcus Shelby's Youth Orchestra, and the CO-LLAB Choir, along with free exhibition viewings; Monday at 11am. // Museum of the African Diaspora, 685 Mission St. (SoMa); details at moadsf.org Watch the inauguration at Mannys, with popcorn and drinks and a discussion to follow; Monday, 9am to noon. // Manny's, 3092 16th St. (Mission); tickets at eventbrite.com Drink and eat your feelings on El Techos rooftop with special happy hour deals following the swearing-in; Monday, 4pm to 9pm. // El Techo, 2516 Mission St. (Mission); reservations at eltechosf.com Stop by the newest Senor Sisig for signature burritos on the patio; Tuesday at 11am. // Senor Sisig at Thrive City, 151 Warriors Way, Ste. #3 (Mission Bay); senorsisig.com Go all out at the SF Ballet Gala. Ayesha Curry is the night's honorary gala chair, plus expect a lineup of stunning performances and an after party at City Hall; Wednesday at 8pm. // War Memorial Opera House, 301 Van Ness Ave. (Civic Center); tickets at sfballet.org Get whisked away to Barcelona, but in Chinatown. Empress by Boon collaborates with Simone Caporale of Spains renowned Sips. Choose your adventure: a cocktail reception (Wednesday at 6pm), multi-course dinner with drinks (Thursday, 5pm to 9pm), or a cocktail master class (Friday, 5pm to 9pm). // Empress by Boon, 838 Grant Ave. (Chinatown); reservations at theempresssf.com Taste the salt of the earth. As part of SF Art Week, a crew of creativesthink Noise 13's Dava Guthmiller, ceramicist Erin Hupp, and moreare hosting a curated salt education and tasting followed by a panel discussion about how art and design enhance the dining experience. Cap it off with happy hour; 4pm to 8pm Thursday. // Fyrn, 542 Alabama St.; tickets available at Eventbrite. Snack, drink, and draw as you meet new people. Workshop SF provides all the materials you need, while libations flow from Red Tail; Wednesday, 5:30pm to 7:30pm.// The Red Tail Beer & Wine Bar, 992 Market St. (Tenderloin); register at eventbrite.com Mix it up at a wine dinner with Lomita. Chef Jose Ramos' four-course prix fixe includes four pours of perfectly paired blends from Valle de Guadalupe, Mexico; Wednesday at 6pm. // Odin Mezcaleria, 444 Oak St. (Oakland); tickets at resy.com Discover more than 60 exhibitors at Fog Design + Art. The legendary fair overlaps with SF Art Week for total artistic immersion; Thursday through Sunday. // Fort Mason Center for Arts and Culture, (Marina); tickets and details at fogfair.com Understand the AI hype with an evening of kid-free play and a panel at Exploratoriums After Dark; Thursday, 6pm to 10pm. // Exploratorium, Pier 15 at Green St. (Embarcadero); tickets at exploratorium.edu See the life of Tamara de Lempicka through a queer lens with a special multimedia presentation from FAMSF curator Furio Rinaldi; Thursday at 7:30pm. // The Chan National Queer Arts Center, 170 Valencia St. (Mission); tickets at sfgmc.org Take Dry January one step further during a three-day wellness tour with Serving Sundays in Union Square; Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday. // Tickets and schedule at eventbrite.com Head to the beach or Golden Gate Park for some feel-good alfresco yoga flow. Bring a friend for free when you join 7x7 Social Club ; Friday at 12:30pm and Saturday and Sunday at 10:30am. // Outdoor Yoga SF; see schedule and register at outdoor-yoga.org Swipe left with Lane Moore in a live Tinder comedy show thats beloved across the US; Friday at 9:45pm. // Cobbs Comedy Club, 915 Columbus Ave. (Russian Hill); tickets at concerts.livenation.com Ride the rails through the redwoods this weekend. Skunk Train's unique, pedal-powered tour promises killer views day or night. 7x7 Social Club members save on excursions. // Skunk Train Mendocino, 100 W Laurel St. (Fort Bragg); tickets at skunktrain.com Rethink books as works of art. A new exhibit highlights the art of bookmaking, craft paper, and calligraphy inspired by Japanese aesthetics; opening reception Saturday, 5pm to 7pm. // The Sonoma Valley Museum of Art, 551 Broadway (Sonoma); tickets at svma.charityproud.org Revisit 1980s NYC at Club Limelight, an evening of art, music, and celebration inspired by the historic nightclub frequented by visionaries like Andy Warhol; Thursday, 7pm to 10pm. // Saint Josephs Arts Society, 1401 Howard St. (SoMa); tickets at thethirdplace.is Listen to the mesmerizing beats of Jamie xx on the Bay Area stop of his "In Waves" tour; Saturday at 7pm. // Cow Palace, 2600 Geneva Ave. (Daly City); tickets at axs.com Forage your way through Wine Country, then enjoy chef Shane McAnelly's three-course feast made with your spoils. // Hotel Healdsburg, 25 Matheson St. (Healdsburg); register at hotelhealdsburg.com Try the chefs tasting menu at Octavia for an elevated American affair curated by the award-winning Melissa Perello; join 7x7 Social Club for a bonus breakfast takeaway on the house. //Octavia, 1701 Octavia St. (Pacific Heights); reservations at octavia-sf.com Up your mocktail game with garden-fresh ingredients in a workshop led by local mixologist Brittney Barron; Sunday, 1pm to 3:30pm. // Koshland Community Park and Learning Garden, Page St. and Buchanan St. (Lower Haight); register at eventbrite.com Quarterly Activities Report Perth, Jan 22, 2025 AEST (ABN Newswire) - BPH Energy Limited ( ASX:BPH ) is pleased to present the Quarterly Activities for the period. Capital On 4 October 2024 a shareholders' meeting approved a Placement of up to 576,795,250 listed options with an exercise price of $0.03 each and expiry on 29 October 2025 to the holders of the listed options which expired on 30 September 2024. A total of 576,795,230 of these options were issued on 6 November 2024 at an issue price of $0.001 each. The cash consideration for the Placement was $566,132 (before costs but after director loan offsets). The intended use of the funds will be for working capital including costs of the offer. On 7 November 2024 the Company issued 28,966,387 free attaching options to an August 2024 share placement with an exercise price of $0.03 each and expiry 29 October 2025, together with 16,666,667 broker options associated with the same August share placement on the same terms. On 25 November 2024 the Company issued 1,200,000 fully paid ordinary shares on the exercise the same number of options at $0.012 each. On 9 December 2024 the Company issued 5,000,000 unlisted options to a director as part of remuneration (subsequent to shareholder approval) with an exercise price of $0.03 each and expiry 30 October 2025. Significant activities by the Company's investees' during the September 2024 quarter were as follows: Clean Hydrogen Technologies (BPH 16.3% direct interest) On 2 August 2022 BPH announced that, following its shareholders' meeting on 21 June 2022 at which shareholders voted unanimously to approve an investment in hydrogen technology company Clean Hydrogen Technologies Corporation ("Clean Hydrogen" or "Vendor" or "Borrower"), BPH and its investee Advent Energy Ltd ("Advent" or "Lender"), together the "Purchasers", settled for the acquisition of a 10% interest in Clean Hydrogen for US$1,000,000 ("Cash Consideration") (8% BPH and 2 % Advent). The Purchasers had a first right of refusal to invest further in Clean Hydrogen to a maximum of a further US$1,000,000 for an additional 10% interest. The Purchasers loaned US$950,000 ("Additional Cash Consideration") under this agreement. The Purchasers and Clean Hydrogen executed a Loan Conversion Agreement dated 23 October 2023 to convert the US$950,000 loan into the relevant Subscription Shares Tranche 2, representing the Purchasers further 9.5% interest in Clean Hydrogen. As a result of ASX's decision to exercise its discretion under Listing Rule 10.1, BPH had to seek shareholder approval for the Loan Conversion Agreement, which was obtained at a shareholders' meeting held on 4 October 2024. BPH now has an interest of 16.30% and Advent has an interest of 3.86% interest in Clean Hydrogen (subsequent to the exercise of BPH options in Clean Hydrogen). Clean Hydrogen issued 760 share options to BPH and 190 share options to Advent, with an exercise price of USD$3,000 each, exercisable immediately, with the option to convert into shares in Clean Hydrogen expiring ten years from the date of issue. During the Quarter BPH exercised 21 of these options by paying Clean Hydrogen a total exercise price of US$63,000. The parties acknowledge and agree that the Cash Consideration and Additional Cash Consideration shall be used by Clean Hydrogen to design, build, produce and test a reactor that can produce a minimum of 3.2kgs and as high as 15kgs of hydrogen per hour and to submit at least 2 new patents in an agreed geography, relevant to the production of hydrogen from proprietary technology. Advent Energy Limited ("Advent") (BPH 35.8% direct interest) PEP-11 Permit Advent Energy Limited's100% subsidiary Asset Energy Pty Ltd ("Asset") is a participant in the PEP11 Joint Venture with partner Bounty Oil and Gas NL ( ASX:BUY ). PEP-11 interests are: Advent Energy 85 % / Bounty Oil and Gas 15% On 6 August 2024 Asset, as operator for and on behalf of the PEP-11 joint venture partners, filed an Originating Application for Judicial Review in the Federal Court seeking the following: (i) a declaration that the Commonwealth-New South Wales Offshore Petroleum Joint Authority ("Joint Authority") has breached an implied duty by failing to make a decision under the Offshore Petroleum and Greenhouse Gas Storage Act 2006 (Cth) with respect to two pending applications ("Applications") relating to the PEP11 Permit, and; (ii) an order that the Joint Authority be compelled to determine the applications within 45 days. Asset alleges that the failure by the Joint Authority to make a decision with respect to the First Application and the Second Application constitutes a breach of its duty to consider the applications within a reasonable time. On 18 September 2024 the Company announced that the Hon Ed Husic MP, Minister for Industry and Science, had advised that he has carefully considered the PEP-11 Exploration Permit applications under the Offshore Petroleum and Greenhouse Gas Storage Act 2006 (Cth), namely the applications accepted on 23 January 2020 and 17 March 2021, formed a preliminary view that the applications should be refused, and gave Asset, via the National Offshore Petroleum Exploration Authority ("NOPTA"), a statement of preliminary views with attachments and invited Asset to provide a response within 30 days. The statement of preliminary views included 45 annexures totaling 1608 pages. The Company provided Minister Husic with a submission in respect of his preliminary views by the due date of15 November 2024. Following conferral between the parties to the Federal Court proceeding, on 9 October 2024 orders were made vacating the previous orders and adjourning the Federal Court proceedings to a date on or after 7 February 2025. The parties have liberty to apply to bring the matter back before the Federal Court on 3 days' notice. Included in the material provided by Minister Husic was a copy of the NOPTA recommendation to the Joint Authority which recommended that the Joint Authority approve the Second Application. In the NOPTA Annual Report of Activities 2020-21 it was noted that 54 applications for COVID19 related suspensions and extensions were approved in that period. The company understands that the Second Application (for COVID-19 relief) made in respect of the PEP-11 Permit was the only application outstanding. On 17 January 2025 the PEP-11 Joint Venture was given notice by NOPTA that the Joint Authority has refused the Joint Venture Applications made on 23 January 2020 and 17 March 2021. The PEP11 permit will continue in force for a period of 2 months from 17 January 2025. The Joint Venture has statutory legal rights to seek a review of the decisions referred to in the notice under the Offshore Petroleum and Greenhouse Gas Storage Act 2006 and is obtaining legal advice on such a review process. PEP-11 continues in force and the Joint Venture is in compliance with the contractual terms of PEP11 with respect to such matters as reporting, payment of rents and the various provisions of the Offshore Petroleum and Greenhouse Gas Storage Act 2006 (Cth). Cortical Dynamics Limited (Cortical) (BPH 16.4% direct interest) Investee Cortical Dynamics Limited is an Australian based medical device neurotechnology company that is developing BARM(TM), an industry leading EEG (electrical activity) brain function monitor. BARM(TM) is being developed to better detect the effect of anaesthetic agents on brain activity under a general operation, aiding anaesthetists in keeping patients optimally anaesthetised, and complemented by CORDYAN(TM) (Cortical Dynamics Analytics), a proprietary deep learning system/App focusing on anaesthesiology. The Australian manufactured and designed, electroencephalographically based (EEG-based), BARM(TM) system is configured to efficiently image and display complex information related to the clinically relevant state of the brain. When commercialized the BARM(TM) system will be offered on a stand-alone basis or integrated into leading brand operating room monitors as "plug and play" option. Cortical has been chosen for a grant as one of three innovative biomedical companies using the power of data and artificial intelligence (AI) to become internationally competitive as part of a new accelerator. Cortical has been selected for the Biomedical AI Sprints Accelerator (BASA) grant run by leading innovation centres, the Advanced Robotics for Manufacturing (ARM) Hub and MTPConnect. Cortical will harness data and AI to revolutionise their products range from perioperative management of anaesthetic agents. ARM Hub is Australia's leading AI, robotics, and design-formanufacture industry hub. MTPConnect is Australia's life sciences innovation accelerator championing growth of the medical products sector. *To view the full Quarterly Report, please visit: https://abnnewswire.net/lnk/2YBC7116 About BPH Energy Limited BPH Energy Limited (ASX:BPH) is an Australian Securities Exchange listed company developing biomedical research and technologies within Australian Universities and Hospital Institutes. The company provides early stage funding, project management and commercialisation strategies for a direct collaboration, a spin out company or to secure a license. BPH provides funding for commercial strategies for proof of concept, research and product development, whilst the institutional partner provides infrastructure and the core scientific expertise. BPH currently partners with several academic institutions including The Harry Perkins Institute for Medical Research and Swinburne University of Technology (SUT). Related Companies The Ready-to-Drink (RTD) beverage category in India has seen significant growth, driven by the changing preferences of Gen Z and Millennials. These younger consumers are increasingly looking for products that align with their dynamic lifestyles, desire for novelty, and focus on self-expression. Brands are embracing innovation not only in flavors but also in creating immersive experiences that resonate with this audience. This shift is transforming the beverage industry, with companies focusing on personalization, cultural relevance, and interactive marketing. In conversation with Adgully, Ayaesha Gooptu, Head of Domestic Spirits & RTD for Bacardi India, sheds light on how BREEZER has strategically capitalized on these trends. She shares insights into BREEZER's approach to connecting with the younger generation through engaging experiences, including their successful partnership with events like the Cherry Blossom Festival. Could you tell us about BREEZERs vision for creating experiences tailored to Gen Z, and how the Cherry Blossom Festival serves as the perfect platform to launch this initiative? BREEZERs vision for creating experiences tailored to Gen Z is centered around crafting vibrant, immersive spaces that celebrate their love for self-expression, spontaneity, and shared moments. The Cherry Blossom Festival serves as the perfect platform to launch this initiative, as it beautifully reflects the values that resonate with Gen Zcreativity, diversity, and a zest for lifewhile perfectly aligning with BREEZERs ethos of fun and inclusivity. The festivals unique blend of culture, music, and celebration allowed us to introduce the BREEZER Playzone, a lively, interactive space designed for attendees to relax, have fun, and create unforgettable memories. Whether its playing interactive games, indulging in exclusive treats like the BREEZER Chuski, or capturing moments at our photo-friendly installations, its our way of authentically connecting with Gen Z and enhancing the experiences they seek and cherish. What are some of the key milestones BREEZER has achieved so far, especially in terms of engaging with younger audiences? Over the years, BREEZER has evolved into a lifestyle brand synonymous with fun and self-expression, commanding over 90% of the RTD market. Key milestones include a 26% growth in volume and value (2021-2026, IWSR), immersive experiences like the BREEZER Playzone, and the launch of fusion flavors such as Mango Peach. By innovating with bold packaging, strategic influencer collaborations, and live activations, BREEZER continues to stay relevant to Gen Z. Its positioning shift from Live Life in Colour to Play On reflects its deep connection with evolving youth culture, cementing its status as a vibrant choice for younger audiences. How do you see the RTD (Ready-To-Drink) category evolving in India, particularly with the younger generations changing tastes and preferences? How does BREEZER plan to maintain a competitive edge as the category becomes more crowded? The RTD category in India is evolving rapidly, driven by Gen Z and Millennials' demand for flavorful beverages that align with their lifestyles and match their personalities. As Gen Z and Millennials increasingly seek out options that align with their tastes and values, we see a growing demand for innovation, whether it is fusion flavors, bold packaging, or experiences that go beyond just the product. BREEZER plans to maintain its competitive edge by staying at the forefront of these trends. With over 20 years of leadership in the category, we continue to innovate with unique flavor combinations and on-ground activations like the BREEZER Playzone, which resonate with the vibrant spirit of Gen Z. By blending bold product innovation with engaging cultural activations, we aim to strengthen our connection with younger audiences and solidify BREEZERs position as the go-to choice in the RTD space. How important is experiential marketing for BREEZER? Besides the Cherry Blossom Festival, Could you highlight other marketing strategies that have been particularly successful in India? Experiential marketing is central to BREEZERs strategy, enabling us to connect with younger audiences in meaningful ways by creating memorable and interactive experiences. Creating vibrant, immersive spaces helps bring our brand ethos of fun, spontaneity, and self-expression to life. The BREEZER Playzone at events like the Cherry Blossom Festival is a testament to this approach. Collaborations with influencers and on-ground activations at cultural and social events have also been key. Additionally, our on-trade campaigns, like the BREEZER Bursts activation featuring surprise dance performances and live sampling, have been highly effective in bringing energy and excitement to key venues while reinforcing the playful spirit of the brand. What are some key consumer trends youre currently observing in the beverage industry, and how is BREEZER adapting to them? How do you see these trends shaping your brands strategy as you move into 2025? Key trends in the beverage industry include a growing demand for innovative flavors, immersive experiences, and personalization, especially among Gen Z and millennials. Consumers today are seeking beverages that not only taste great but also align with their lifestyles, values, and desire for novelty. Breezer is adapting to these trends. As we move into 2025, we see these trends further shaping our strategy, continue focusing on flavor innovation, eye-catching packaging, and dynamic activations at cultural and social events. By staying ahead of evolving preferences, BREEZER will continue to strengthen its connection with the younger audience and maintain its leadership in the RTD space. What are the key growth targets for BREEZER? How do you plan to strengthen your position in the highly competitive RTD market? Breezers focus remains on maintaining its leadership position by continuously innovating and catering to Gen Zs needs. We aim to achieve this by identifying and leveraging relevant occasions, events, and cultural moments that resonate with this audience. RedBeryl, a luxury lifestyle management company, has partnered with Kirchhofer, Switzerlands iconic retail destination, to redefine luxury experiences for Indian audiences. Known for its unparalleled Swiss shopping offerings, Kirchhofers collaboration with RedBeryl promises exclusive access to luxury watches, high-end cosmetics, leather goods, and more, set against the stunning backdrops of Interlaken, Grindelwald, and Jungfraujoch. Kirchhofer, famed for hosting the worlds largest collection of Swiss watch brands and operating the highest luxury retail store at Jungfraujoch, offers a unique blend of exclusivity, sophistication, and Swiss heritage. This partnership aligns with RedBerys mission of curating extraordinary experiences for its Members, taking their luxury lifestyle to unmatched heights. Manoj Adlakha, Founder & CEO of RedBeryl, remarked: "Our goal at RedBeryl is to constantly enhance the experiences of our Members. This collaboration with Kirchhofer allows us to offer them an iconic retail journey that transcends traditional luxury, bringing the best of Switzerland closer to our Indian travelers. Stephane Linder, CEO of Kirchhofer, highlighted: "Indias burgeoning outbound travel market presents an exciting opportunity for us. Partnering with RedBeryl enables us to connect with discerning Indian travelers who value quality, authenticity, and exclusivity. Together, we aim to create experiences that merge Swiss tradition with Indias luxury aspirations. As part of this partnership, RedBeryl members would enjoy personalised luxurious shopping experience with curated sessions at the Kirchhofer stores, assisted by multi-lingual staff. The members would be able to avail exclusive discounts, a hassle-free VAT refund process for purchases made in Switzerland, while also witnessing exclusive previews of the upcoming collections. Moreover, they will gain priority access to limited-edition product launches. These benefits will enable a seamless and indulgent shopping experience for the RedBeryl members Also Read: Volvo India joins WPBL as official luxury mobility partner Get ready to embark on an unforgettable adventure with the worlds No.1 cookie! Mondelez India, the proud maker of Oreo is excited to announce the launch of the limited-edition Pokemon range. This exciting line-up blends the magic of Oreo with the vibrant playful world of Pokemon, creating an experience bound to spark joy and bring families closer together through fun-filled moments of discovery and play. For generations, Oreo has lived up to its purpose to spark playful moments with its signature twist, lick, and dunk rituals that unite people around the globe. Fans can now dive into an epic world where the delicious Oreo cookies meet the thrill of collecting various Pokemon, each uniquely embossed on the cookie. Its an experience that brings adventure to life, one twist at a time, across all Oreo flavours. But thats not all! For the first time in India, Oreo introduces a special-edition yellow cookie which will also feature 16 unique Pokemon, making this release a true collectors dream through its digital campaign. This collaboration is all about creating magical moments that bring families closer, spark excitement, and offer something truly memorable for everyone," said Nitin Saini, Vice President of Marketing, Mondelez India. Oreo has always been at the heart of joyful rituals, and by teaming up with Pokemon, were not only offering an exciting collectible experience but were also bringing a sense of nostalgia for everyone who grew up with Pokemon. This shared love for Pokemon across generations creates a unique bonding experience, where families can come together over the thrill of discovery, fun and play. Its a playful emotional journey that unites the world of Oreo and Pokemon in the most exciting way possible. Fans can scan the specially designed QR code on these packs and enter an exciting digital world. There they can create their very own Pokemon-themed avatar and start collecting all 16 Pokemon-themed Oreo designs by scanning the emboss on the cookies. Every time a cookie is scanned, fans unlock new Pokemon for their digital collection Oreodex, earn accessories, and unlock special avatar customization features. The more Pokemon you collect, the more chances to win amazing prizes, including the grand prizea once-in-a-lifetime trip to Japan! Additionally, inside every larger Oreo pack (MRP Rs 88 onwards), fans will find special Pokemon photo cards that they can collect. Similarly, consumers can discover collectible Pokemon stickers free with the newly launched Rs 20 MRP pack as well. This initiative was put together by Dream Theatre, one of the representative agencies of The Pokemon Company in India. We are delighted to bring together two all-time favourites Oreo and Pokemon to create a standout experience for fans across ages, and endless hours of play, making it a truly meaningful campaign, said Jiggy George, Founder and CEO of Dream Theatre. Susumu Fukunaga, Corporate Officer at The Pokemon Company said, We are thrilled to see Pokemon featured on Oreo cookies. This campaign will take Pokemon to fans of both brands all across the country. Customers will enjoy a fun, surprise element of finding out which Pokemon cookies are included in the pack they purchase. We hope that this playful experience will delight our existing fans and help us connect with new audiences as well. From Mondelez Indias media agency, Shekhar Banerjee, Chief Client Officer, and Office Head Wavemaker India added, Our approach was to create a dynamic, multi-phase experience that mirrors the excitement of a Pokemon adventure. Be it access to exclusive packs, enabling fans to collect, compete for rewards, each media placement of the campaign is carefully crafted to spark curiosity, build anticipation, and drive sustained engagement. The limited-edition Oreo Pokemon range is now available at leading retailers across India. For more information and to start your adventure, visit www.oreo.in/pokemon (T&C apply) Also Read: An OREO could be your ticket to Space Nokia announced the appointment of Patrik Hammaren as President of Nokia Technologies and member of the Nokia Group Leadership Team, effective 22 January 2025. Nokia Technologies is responsible for managing and monetizing Nokias intellectual property, including the companys industry leading patent portfolio. The business group licenses Nokias innovation and contributions to global technology standards to other companies. Hammaren joined Nokia in 2007 and has been acting President of Nokia Technologies since October 2024. Prior to this role, Patrik held several senior positions in Nokia Technologies patent licensing business including: Chief Licensing Officer Wireless Technologies; Vice President, Head of IoT Licensing Program; and Head of Patent Licensing Greater China. During this time, he was heavily involved in the renewal of Nokias major smartphone license agreements and the growth of Nokias IoT licensing program. I am delighted to announce the appointment of Patrik as President of Nokia Technologies. During a thorough process, Patrik has demonstrated he has the strategic vision, drive, and experience to take Nokias patent business forward into the next phase of its growth journey, said Pekka Lundmark, President and Chief Executive Officer at Nokia. It is a great honor to be asked to lead Nokia Technologies. Nokia has an industry-leading patent portfolio and a proven track record for monetizing its innovation. I look forward to working with our external partners and our world-class team to maximize these strengths and build upon the successful completion of our smartphone renewals last year and the momentum we have established in our licensing growth areas, Patrik Hammaren commented. Hammaren will be based in Finland and report to Pekka Lundmark, Nokias President and Chief Executive Officer. Also Read: Patrika Group unveils The Kulish School, inaugurated by VP Jagdeep Dhankar The Advertising Clubs Effie Awards which is easily the most coveted and the biggest Advertising & Marketing show of the country will be held on Friday, 24th of January, 2025 at 6.30 p.m. Effie Worldwide is leading, inspiring & championing the practice and practitioners of marketing effectiveness globally. Effie Worldwide stands for effectiveness in marketing, spotlighting ideas that work and encouraging thoughtful dialogue about the drivers of marketing effectiveness. The Effie network collaborates with some of the top research and media organizations worldwide to bring its audience relevant and first-class insights into effective marketing strategy. Effie is the only award that recognizes what has worked in the marketplace and how advertising has contributed towards building a brand. It is also the only award that is presented to both the Agency as well as the Client. The Effie continues to bring a profound change in the concept of advertising awards. Awards are no longer just a celebration of the craft of advertising, but a substantial acknowledgement of the agencys capabilities to build brands through effective campaigns. Effie awards, over the years, have emerged as one of the most coveted awards for the Marcom industry. The Effie India Awards presentation celebration, since the past 23 years, has become a calendar event for the industry with the gala evening attracting 1200 professionals from the world of Advertising, Marketing, Media, Research, PR and Communication. The India awards have also emerged as the second largest Effie in the world, in terms of participation. This year The AdClub has received 1152 entries, with as many as 75 Agencies participating. The Ad Club and the Effie Committee also express their sincere gratitude to 486 jury members for their time and support. As many as 254 Marketing Professionals have graced the judging process this year. The Round 2 Judging was held in person at Mumbai, Delhi & Bangalore. The event will be followed by Cocktails & Dinner. Talking about this years Effie, Rana Barua, President, The Advertising Club & GROUP CEO, HAVAS INDIA, SOUTH EAST & NORTH ASIA (Japan & South Korea), Havas Group - India said, "The Effie Awards are a celebration of marketing brilliance, where effectiveness meets innovation, and efficiency thrives through collaboration. Effie India stands as a beacon of excellence, recognising campaigns that go beyond expectations, forge new standards, and exemplify the true spirit of partnerships that drive impactful and transformative business success. I look forward to this year's winning campaigns. Mitrajit Bhattacharya, Chairperson, Effie India Awards, The Advertising Club & Founder and President, The Horologists said, Elaborating on the awards, Mitrajit Bhattacharya, Chairperson, EFFIE India said, It gives me great joy to host the 24th Effie India Awards Gala on the 24th of January. Celebrating the best work of the year with the people who create them is a huge high for all of us at the Effie India committee and The Advertising Club. A big thank you to 486 judges who judged a record-breaking (for a 12 month assessment period) of 1152 entries over three rounds of online and physical judging. In the round 2 judging that was physically held, we introduced jury chair for each session of judging, which was hugely appreciated. I also thank each participating agency and client for the support." Pradeep Dwivedi, Co-Chairperson, Effie India Awards, The Advertising Club & Group CEO, Eros Media World said, Its an honour to serve as the co-chairperson for Effie Awards India. This platform celebrates the power of creative thinking and measurable impact, which are the cornerstones of successful marketing. I look forward to collaborating with industry leaders to recognise and reward the campaigns that truly drive results and set benchmarks for excellence. I would also like to thank Effie Global for their steadfast support through the jury & award process. Also Read: The AdClub Bangalore hosts webinar about AR & VR Technologies Los Angeles Faces New Crisis as Hughes Fire Forces Evacuations for Over 50,000 Residents 2 More than 50,000 residents in Los Angeles County found themselves under evacuation orders or warnings on Wednesday as the Hughes Fire erupted in the mountains near Lake Castaic. The wildfire, which began late Wednesday morning, rapidly consumed over 15 square miles of vegetation within hours, spurred by dry conditions and gusty winds. While no homes or structures have been reported damaged, the Los Angeles County Fire Department and Cal Fire mounted an aggressive response. Firefighting aircraft dropped tens of thousands of gallons of fire retardant on the advancing flames, leveraging calmer winds compared to the ferocious conditions that fuelled the ongoing Palisades and Eaton fires. This fire received a robust response today, and the teams are making progress in containing it, said Joe Tyler, director of Cal Fire. Despite this, officials warned that the danger is far from over, with wind speeds expected to surge to 60 mph by Thursday. A critical stretch of Interstate 5 was temporarily closed to aid emergency operations but was later reopened. Fire crews worked to prevent the Hughes Fire from jumping the interstate and threatening nearby communities, including Castaic. Among the evacuees was Kayla Amara, a Valencia resident, who rushed to help a friend retrieve belongings before hosing down the property as flames loomed nearby. Its stressful, Amara admitted, referencing weeks of anxiety from Southern Californias ongoing fires. Meanwhile, Los Angeles officials are bracing for potential rainfall forecasted for the weekend, which could trigger mudslides and debris flow in areas ravaged by the Palisades and Eaton fires. The threat of mud and debris flow is real, warned LA County Supervisor Kathryn Barger. The Palisades and Eaton fires, which have been burning since January 7, have claimed 28 lives and destroyed over 14,000 structures. While containment progress has been made68% for the Palisades Fire and 91% for the Eaton Fireauthorities remain vigilant, with red flag warnings extended until Friday. Adding to the crisis, LA Mayor Karen Bass cautioned residents about toxic ash carried by winds, urging precautions to protect against exposure. Public health officials have also issued warnings, noting that the ash may contain heavy metals and other hazardous substances. As fire crews race to contain the Hughes Fire, lawsuits against Southern California Edison are piling up, alleging that the utilitys equipment sparked the deadly Eaton Fire. Investigations into the causes of all three fires remain ongoing, with no conclusions released thus far. The Hughes Fire now joins a grim chapter in Southern Californias battle with wildfires, leaving communities on edge as they face continued threats from natures fury. Blue Bells famous Mardi Gras King Cake ice cream is back. Nola.com reports the fan-favorite flavor is back on grocery store shelves in Louisiana in time for the 2025 Mardi Gras festivities. The treat features a cinnamon cake-flavored ice cream with pastry pieces, cream cheese swirl, and candy sprinkles. Blue Bells king cake flavor was initially only sold in areas known for celebrating Mardi Gras, including Louisiana and Mobile, Ala., but later expanded to other states. So far this year, the ice cream is available at a number of retailers in New Orleans, including: Rouses Breaux Mart Cansecos Market Robert Fresh Market Dorignacs Food Center Langensteins Zuppardos Family Market Rivers Market Lakeview Grocery While the Mardi Gras King Cake ice cream is available in Louisiana, the flavor hasnt hit grocery shelves in surrounding states as of Jan. 23. Chron.com reports Blue Bell didnt respond to questions about whether the flavor will be available in Texas this year. But if you dont want to wait to see if the ice cream is available near you, theres good news: Blue Bell lists the Mardi Gras King Cake as one of the flavors it ships nationwide as part of its four half-gallon package. The downside: the four ice cream bundle will run you $128, including shipping. This year, Mardi Gras Day is on March 4. We can buy bananas whenever we want now but for much of the 19th century, the fruit was a rare and luxurious treat. Thankfully for Alabama fruit-lovers, the first banana shipment pulled into Mobile Bay in 1893, according to a 2023 article by Amelia Rose Zimlich for Mobile Bay Magazine. This 1937 Farm Service Administration photo by Arthur Rothstein shows men unloading banana boats in Mobile, Ala.Farm Service Administration | Library of Congress See more vintage photos of the Banana Docks in the gallery at the top of this story. In fact, bananas became so popular in America that Teddy Roosevelt declared discarded peels a hazard on New York sidewalks and created an ordinance prohibiting them. As president of the New York Police Department at the time, Roosevelt told his police captains that the banana skin had a tendency to toss people into the air and bring them down with terrific forces on hard pavement. A Feb. 9, 1896, article in the New York Times declared in its headline: War on the Banana Skin. Read more stories about Vintage Alabama here. By the early 1900s, Mobile was one of the top banana importers in the nation, behind only New York and New Orleans, bringing the fruit from the Caribbean and South America. Because of that, the Port of Mobile once had dedicated banana docks and hundreds of workers to unload, sort and count the fruit. This 1937 Farm Service Administration photo by Arthur Rothstein shows a man unloading banana boats in Mobile, Ala.Farm Service Administration | Library of Congress Mobiles first banana boat came to the citys port in the late 19th century, beginning Mobiles meteoric rise to banana notoriety, Zimlich wrote. The Alabama Department of Archives and History said the fruit was imported duty-free. A description beneath a photo in the digital archives said: The average cargo of 17,000 bunches is unloaded in six hours and can be delivered in Chicago 36 hours later. Annual importations average 4,500,000 bunches. The city built the Banana Docks, as they were known, where United Fruit Company ships and later Del Monte made berth while the contents were unloaded, either by hand or using steam-operated conveyor belts. Eventually. Del Monte banana boats also docked in Mobile. After being counted and recorded, the bananas were loaded onto trains for delivery across the country. Legendary Farm Security Administration photographer Arthur Rothstein took numerous photos of Mobiles banana workers in 1937, leaving behind a detailed record of that period. Brodie Hefner, co-director of The Arthur Rothstein Legacy Project along with Rothsteins daughter, Annie Rothstein Segan, posted on the organizations Facebook page that Several companies fought for control of the lucrative banana trade during the early 1900s. They built railroads through sweltering jungles, fielded armies to battle workers, and confronted perennial threats from hurricanes, pests, and tropical disease. Enormous profits contributed to formation of a near-monopoly under the United Fruit Company. It bought influence through corrupt governments, frequently supported by U.S. military intervention in the affairs of grower nationsgiving rise to the term banana republic, referring to a corrupt, politically unstable country exploiting its natural resources for private benefit. The second World War changed the industry. By the 1940s, the banana import suffered as the port shifted to importing wartime necessities during World War II, Zimlick wrote for Mobile Bay Magazine. Imports rose again after the war but ceased by the late 80s. Demolition of Banana Docks in Mobile in 1990.Mobile Press-Register File In 1963, the United Fruit Company left Mobile. Del Monte did the same in 1985. What was left of Mobiles Banana Docks was demolished in the early 1990s. The Mobile Convention Center was built on the site. The Michigan prison system doesnt plan to intervene on behalf of a sexual predator and double murderer set to be executed by Alabama next week. Demetrius Terrence Frazier is to be put to death for the slaying of Pauline Brown, who was shot to death and raped in her Fountain Heights apartment in Birmingham, AL, more than 30 years ago. Frazier was also convicted in a separate killing in his home state of Michigan: The shooting death of a 14-year-old girl. Frazier, 52, is set to die sometime within a 30-hour-period starting at midnight on Thursday, Feb. 6 and ending at 6 a.m. on Feb. 7. Frazier is set to die by inhaling pure nitrogen gas. His lawyers are fighting for Fraziers life in two federal lawsuits. One concerns the way Alabama uses nitrogen gas for executions, and the other claims that Frazier shouldnt be incarcerated at William C. Holman Correctional Facility, or in Alabama, at all. A court filing from the Alabama Attorney Generals Office on Wednesday called Frazier a sexual predator. Frazier was arrested in Michigan in 1992, when he was 19 years old. In November 1991, Frazier, according to court records, broke into Browns apartment. He searched the home for money and when he couldnt find much, woke up Brown. He raped her at gunpoint, and then shot her in the head. Following the shooting, Frazier left the apartment to see if anyone heard the shot. When he didnt think anyone heard, he returned and ate a snack in the victims kitchen before fleeing the scene with less than $100. A few months later, in 1992, court records say Frazier was in his home city of Detroit and took 14-year-old Crystal Kendrick into a vacant house, preparing to rape her at gunpoint. But as he undid his pants, court records show, the teen fled. Frazier went after her and shot her in the head. He was arrested days later in Detroit. According to the Alabama Attorney Generals Office, at the time of his arrest Frazier had a slew of pending charges including 15 counts of first-degree criminal sexual conduct. During his talks with police in Michigan in 1992, he admitted to Browns slaying in Alabama. Frazier was convicted in Michigan the next year for criminal sexual conduct, robbery, the teenagers slaying. There, he was given three life sentences. In 1995, Michigan authorities brought Frazier to Alabama, where he was tried for Browns killing, found guilty and sentenced to death. The Michigan authorities then brought him back north, where he was imprisoned. But in 2011, then-Govs. Robert Bentley of Alabama and Rick Snyder of Michigan created an executive agreement to transfer Frazier to Alabama, according to documents signed by the governors and attached to Fraziers lawsuit. No explanation was provided in the documents as to why the transfer was initiated. Fraziers attorneys are now arguing that executive agreement was unlawful, and asking the inmate to be sent back to Michigan. Michigan does not have the death penalty, and its state constitution banned it in 1963. One of Fraziers lawyers from the Federal Defenders for the Middle District of Alabama wrote in November to the current Michigan governor, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, arguing that Frazier is in the legal custody of the Michigan Department of Corrections and being executed by Alabama would violate the northern states constitution. The lawyers asked the governor to do everything in (her) power to ensure he is returned to the physical custody of MDOC. Whitmers office had not responded to a request for comment from AL.com prior to publication of this story. But, a staffer for the governors office told Fraziers lawyers in December that she would not act at this time. In their lawsuit, Fraziers lawyers argued his Michigan life sentences have not been commuted and he has not been pardoned. And the northern states law says, according to Fraziers lawyers, that an inmate like Frazier shall not be eligible for custodial incarceration outside a state correctional facility or a county jail. The Michigan Department of Corrections lists Frazier as a prisoner on their online database, with his current status listed as prisoner and his location listed as Alabama. According to an inmate classification summary from the Alabama Department of Corrections, Frazier is an inmate borrowed from Michigan. But on Wednesday, an attorney for the Michigan Department of Corrections asked the judge to dismiss Fraziers case. While Michigan takes no position on the imposition of the death penalty in this case, Michigan does not seek to return Frazier to a Michigan correctional facility, the court filing read. Frazier cannot make the state take him back into custody, Michigans filing said. The inmates question about state custody, said Michigan lawyers, is one for state court and not federal court. The lawyers said the executive agreement between Bentley and Snyder, which brought Frazier back to Alabamas custody, boils down to a priority-of-custody matter between sovereigns. Frazier mistakenly relies on Michigan constitutional and statutory law to bolster his case, said the Michigan lawyer. The state law does not mean that no Michigan prisoner can ever be sent to another state, as Frazier avers, said the court filing. It called Fraziers claim a farfetched argument and decades too late. the first time he has ever contested his 2011 transfer from Michigan back to Alabama is right now, mere weeks before his scheduled execution. That simply cannot do. And the Alabama Attorney Generals Office also filed a request to the federal judge on Wednesday asking him to dismiss the case. Now, three weeks before his executionand more than thirteen years after his return to Alabama Frazier initiated the instant litigation challenging the legality of the agreement. The only conclusion (the state) can draw is that this is yet another attempt to sandbag the State of Alabama with meritless litigation in an effort to stop an execution. The AGs Office also argued that there was nothing wrong with the executive agreement and called the lawsuit a blatant misuse of this Court to stop his execution. It would be particularly unjust to grant relief on the theory of this petition, which would effectively reward Frazier, in comparison to every other capital murderer facing a death sentence in Alabama, for having committed another murder in Michigan. It would be especially unjust to grant relief in this case because Fraziers claim, at bottom, demands a reward for murdering in two jurisdictions rather than one. Fraziers other federal lawsuit, which challenges the nitrogen execution protocol, is pending. Plaintiffs in a years long lawsuit over the operation of the Mabel Amos Memorial Trust have demanded that Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall be forced by the court to recuse himself as a petitioner due to alleged conflicts of interest. Marshall and others, in consolidated lawsuits in 2022 and 2023, claimed that Regions Bank and some Memorial Fund board members, including Alabama Ethics Commission Executive Director Tom Albritton, breached their duties as trustees. The lawsuits allege that Regions Bank charged excessive fees to administer the fund and that the board violated a prohibition against self-dealing. The Memorial Funds tax records show that Albrittons children received $135,000 from the fund to help attend the University of Texas, as AL.com previously reported. In a filing earlier this month, plaintiffs Leigh Manning and Megan Carmack, and petitioner Tyra Lindsey note that Marshall himself has received thousands in campaign contributions from a Regions Bank political action committee. The filing adds that Maynard Nexsen, the law firm representing Regions in the suit, receives millions of dollars in fees from the AGs office each year for helping to defend the states department of corrections. And that Ben Albritton, Tom Albrittons brother, works for Marshall as an attorney in the AGs office. The Alabama Supreme Court recently upheld Montgomery County Circuit Judge Greg Griffins order to appoint a certified public accountant to take possession of and administer the trust fund. The justices agreed with the appointment of James C. White Sr. as special fiduciary of the fund to protect the trust funds assets but rejected a second part of the judges order that authorized the CPA to help make factual findings in the case. Plaintiffs allege that Marshall has behaved suspiciously in the case by refusing to provide the parties with the details of the settlement agreement he is pushing the court to adopt. Mabel Amos was a Conecuh County native who became the first woman elected secretary of state in Alabama, a position she held from 1967 to 1975. Amos established the Memorial Trust in 1993. She died in 1999. According to Marshalls previous filing, the purpose of the trust was to help Alabama students who needed financial assistance for college. The board was established to determine which student applicants received scholarships. The trust established the criteria for awarding scholarships as character, intelligence, scholastic record, and financial need. Auburn Universitys Campus Safety and Security is investigating a racial slur written in snow on campus Tuesday, according to university officials. This behavior does not represent the values of Auburn University, public affairs director Jennifer Adams told AL.com. The investigation began after a Facebook post from Tulani Jackson. Jackson told AL.com a student saw the slur written outside Sasnett Hall at The Hill. The student does not wish to be identified. This is what my friends daughter experienced today, Jacksons post begins. In the Bible, snow represents purity, Gods glory and the promise of forgiveness. Today the freshly laid blanket of snow spoke volumes. It spoke negativity, it spoke fear, it did not speak of the love and forward thinking it should on a college campus. This is a prime example of the two Americas we are beginning to know. Adams said a discrimination and harassment policy prohibits this conduct. Auburn remains committed to creating an environment where everyone is welcome, valued, respected and engaged, Adams said. Jackson concludes her post with She is strong but she shouldnt have to see this, she shouldnt have to feel these feelings. I shouldnt have to assure her that things will be ok constantly in this America, our America? I know that this is our reality, but I ask you should it be? The parent company of television stations in Huntsville and Montgomery nixed the decision to have The Weather Channel provide local weather coverage, potentially saving jobs in Alabama and across the country. Allen Media Broadcasting, the company run by media mogul Byron Allen that owns WAAY in Huntsville and WCOV in Montgomery, announced Monday it planned on having The Weather Channels studios handle local weather. On Thursday, Allen Media Regional Vice President Dan Batchelor told the West Kentucky Star that the company reversed course on the decision based on viewer and advertiser reaction. WAAY General Manager Mike Wright told AL.com that while he could not speak for the company as a whole, I do know that for this region, WAAY and WTVA Tupelo will remain local, and for that were grateful. Wright also addressed the developments live on-air at 4 p.m., partly crediting local viewer feedback for Allen Medias reversal. In a rare moment these days, the parent company actually listened to those of us on the ground in these markets where they own a station, like WAAY 31, he said. But what was more impactful was the feedback from the local community the hundreds of you who took time to express your concern. The general manager argued that local weather coverage should never be outsourced. I get it, theres uncertainty with the economy at times and companies are scaling back but some things you just cant cut or compromise, he said. Local meteorologists at WAAY 31, our competitors and those throughout the region in whatever role they may have, should be home based. For us, severe weather coverage from right here at home, from this historic address high atop Monte Sano, belongs right here, Wright said. WAAY meteorologist Amber Kulick, who on Monday said the initial news made her anxious about her job status, said Thursday, it looks like for now I will keep my job. Efforts to reach WCOV were not immediately successful, but Kulick said WAAY meteorologists would begin providing coverage there in February. WTVAs parent company reverses its decision. Your Severe Weather Authority and its meteorologists are STAYING! Thank you! the Tupelo station announced on social media. Allen Media operates 27 broadcast television stations in 21 U.S. markets. ABC 33/40s James Spann, Alabamas preeminent meteorologist, weighed in on the initial decision, which would not have affected him directly as his station is owned by Sinclair Broadcast Group. I hate that so many colleagues are involved in this, but at the same time I am excited about our future. All businesses change, and ours is no exception. I have been on this horse for 47 years, and it has been a great ride. But media consumption is radically different now, and we have to change how our products and services reach you, Spann posted on Facebook. Yes, there will be short term pain, but there will be long term gain, Spann added. He did not address the latest development on his Facebook page as of Thursday afternoon. Birmingham is suing drug manufacturers and health companies, alleging they worked together to establish an insulin pricing scheme and inflate the cost of life-saving medicine. The lawsuit, filed last week, says the city paid an estimated $5.5 million for insulin and diabetes medication from 2009-2021 for employee health benefits. The suit says insulin vials cost as little as $2 to produce, were priced at $20 per vial in the 1990s, and now range in price from $300 to over $700. The city accuses a number of defendants, from insulin manufacturers, like Eli Lilly, Sanofi and Novo Nordisk, to the companies that manage pharmacy benefits, including CVS Health and Express Scripts, of engineering the price of medications to increase their profits - prices that reflect neither the manufacturers actual cost to produce the drugs nor the fair market value. In 2018, the price per vial of insulin in the United States was $98.70, compared to $9 in France, $12 in Canada, and less than $7 in Australia. As a result, Birmingham claims that the high cost of insulin has hurt its ability to provide other services. As more federal and state responsibilities are passed on to local government, the City has a growing list of demands on a limited budget. Consequently, any significant increase in spending can have a severe detrimental effect on Birminghams overall budget and, in turn, negatively impact its ability to provide necessary services to the community, the lawsuit says. The lawsuit, filed Jan.14, is part of national litigation on insulin pricing. Over 200 lawsuits have been filed since 2023 seeking accountability for inflated drug prices. There are a total of 21 defendants listed, though many of them are subsidiaries of the same large health companies. The city alleges that the defendants listed in the case engaged in racketeering, deceptive trade practices, fraud, unjust enrichment and civil conspiracy. Several of the companies told AL.com that the claims are baseless. Optum said in a statement to AL.com that the suit demonstrates a profound misunderstanding of how drug prices work. 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. PBMs (pharmacy benefits managers), like Optum Rx, are the key counterweight to pharmaceutical companies otherwise unchecked monopoly power to set and raise drug prices, a spokesperson for the company said. A spokesperson for CVS Caremark told AL.com that: Pharmaceutical companies alone are responsible for the prices they set in the marketplace for the products they manufacture. Nothing in our agreements prevents drug manufacturers from lowering the prices of their insulin products and we would welcome such an action. Allegations that we play any role in determining the prices charged by manufacturers for their products are false, and we intend to vigorously defend against this baseless suit. Eli Lilly also called the lawsuit baseless, adding: 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. These outcomes speak for themselves. Birmingham estimated in the complaint that its responsible for paying for prescription plans for upwards of 7,000 employees, spending between $500,000 to $1 million a year on diabetes medications for its beneficiaries. Those numbers dont include the additional cost of providing medications to people in city-run facilities like jails. In Alabama, nearly 15% of the adult population is diabetic, costing an estimated $4.2 billion a year in direct medical expenses to treat the disease, according to the lawsuit. The case specifically describes an Insulin Pricing Scheme between manufacturers and Pharmacy Benefit Managers, which are middlemen that manage prescription benefits between insurance companies and employers. They decide which drugs are covered, how much a patients copay is, where you can get your prescription filled and how much pharmacies are paid for medications and clinical services, according to the Alabama Pharmacy Association . The suit says that the price of insulin is effectively controlled by just three companies: Novo Nordisk, Eli Lilly, and Sanofi, all defendants in the case. And nearly 90% of the pharmacy benefit managing market for insulin is controlled by three defendant companies Express Scripts, CVS Caremark, and OptumRx, according to the suit. The companies allegedly engineered price increases on insulin through an opaque, conspiratorial kickback scheme that has exponentially increased their profits at the expense of payors, according to attorneys working on the national litigation. Even though drug companies Eli Lilly, Novo Nordisk and Sanofi announced they would cap insulin prices at $35 a month in 2023, Birmingham said the price cuts were limited and do not mitigate damages already incurred. The city and its attorneys declined to provide additional comment on the lawsuit, including information about what services were impacted. Other defendants representing Novo Nordisk, Sanofi and the PBM Express Scripts did not respond to requests for comment. The city of Birmingham is seeking a jury trial, restitution and damages in an amount to be determined at trial. Its National Pie Day. Not Pi Day, which is 3/14. But the National Pie Councils National Pie Day. Our favorite pie depends on what day were asked. Pecan, key lime, peanut butter maybe. But its still hard to beat a good apple pie. Also wanted to mention that on this date in 1973 President Nixon addressed the nation to announce the Vietnam peace agreement that would be signed a few days later in Paris. Todays report follows. Thanks for reading, Ike Wanted: More youngns You probably heard Vice President J.D. Vance worry aloud during this past summers campaign about falling birth rates. And you may have heard the predictions that deaths will surpass births in the U.S. by 2040. Well, AL.coms William Thornton reports that Alabama is ahead of that curve -- and not in a way that makes economists optimistic. Since 2020 -- didnt everything seem to pivot one way or another that year? -- Alabama has had more residents die than be born. That reflects a trend nationally and in many nations. And to be clear, our population has continued to increase because of the migration of people into the state from other states and countries. But were in a bit of a moment, demographically, as we now, for the first time in modern history, are seeing a net loss in Alabamas birth/death numbers. If we ignore migration numbers, in 1990, Alabama gained more than 24,000 people through births minus deaths. That has dwindled through the years, and during the first three years of this decade weve lost more than 22,000 people. A higher death rate from the COVID pandemic almost certainly hastened our reaching net negative numbers. Birth numbers in Alabama havent fallen off the table. But they are down compared to previous decades even with a higher population. And theyre no longer keeping pace with deaths. Because of migration, were not dealing with a statewide population decline right now. Falling population numbers would be a major concern because they can negatively affect both the supply and demand sides of an economy. With fewer workers, production declines, and with fewer consumers, demand for goods and services declines. Our workforce, by a percentage of the population, is already lower than the nations. Fewer births now will affect that number in coming years, and state officials worry it could hurt Alabamas efforts to lure businesses. Nyesha Black, the director of demographics at the University of Alabamas Center for Business and Economic Research, has been addressing the issues with falling birth rates. She said people want to blame our low workforce participation on people not wanting to work but that a big factor is that we have an older population. And many folks here are less likely to work during their retirement because of our low cost of living. The message here? Heres an optional takeaway for adults: Get off the anxiety-inducing social media, reintroduce yourself to your spouse and make some youngns. Covington County winter wonderland Yesterday we had the all-time record-breaking snow total of 7.5 inches for Mobile during Tuesdays snowfall. It was enough to collapse the roof on the Civic Center, which is undergoing a demolition anyway. There was more snow than that falling in other places around the southern half of the state, reports AL.com weather reporter Leigh Morgan. The National Weather Service compiled data from across the state. Its biggest report was a whopping 11 inches in Babbie, Alabama. Babbie is in Covington County just east of Opp. (Shout out to any town small enough to be described as outside Opp.) Other places with big snow reports from Tuesday: Turkey Branch in Baldwin County, 9.5 inches; Silverhill in Baldwin County, 9 inches, Damascus in Coffee County, 8.8 inches. Birmingham No. 1 According to The United Way of the National Capital Area, Birmingham ranked No. 1 among the 50 largest U.S. cities as the best place to be a single-parent homeowner, reports AL.coms William Thornton. That doesnt necessarily mean its a good idea for you to kick out the old man and move to Birmingham. It just means it might be an option. The study took into account childcare costs, public-school ratings, property taxes, homeowner-insurance rates and unemployment rates. It considered life for single parents who are employed and make more than poverty-level income but still cant afford some basic necessities. The study found that Birmingham has the second-lowest cost of babysitting, the third-lowest unemployment rate and the second-lowest property-tax rate. Birmingham was followed in the ranking by Salt Lake City, followed by New Orleans, Indianapolis and Tampa. Picture that The dome of the Mobile Civic Center, which has been undergoing a demolition, collapsed Wednesday after Tuesday's record snowfall. (City of Mobile)City of Mobile Facebook By the Numbers 130 Thats how many guns were guns found by TSA officers last year at checkpoints at Alabama airports. The TSA said all but three were loaded. More Alabama News The podcast A federal judge in Seattle is set to hear the first arguments Thursday in a multi-state lawsuit seeking to block President Donald Trumps executive order ending the constitutional guarantee of birthright citizenship regardless of the parents immigration status. U.S. District Judge John Coughenour scheduled the session to consider the request from Arizona, Illinois, Oregon and Washington. The case is one of five lawsuits being brought by 22 states and a number of immigrants rights groups across the country. The suits include personal testimonies from attorneys general who are U.S. citizens by birthright, and names pregnant women who are afraid their children wont become U.S. citizens. The order, signed by Trump on Inauguration Day, is slated to take effect on Feb. 19. It could impact hundreds of thousands of people born in the country, according to one of the lawsuits. In 2022, there were about 255,000 births of citizen children to mothers living in the country illegally and about 153,000 births to two such parents, according to the four-state suit filed in Seattle. The U.S. is among about 30 countries where birthright citizenship the principle of jus soli or right of the soil is applied. Most are in the Americas, and Canada and Mexico are among them. The lawsuits argue that the 14th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution guarantees citizenship for people born and naturalized in the U.S., and states have been interpreting the amendment that way for a century. Ratified in 1868 in the aftermath of the Civil War, the amendment says: All persons born or naturalized in the United States and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside. Trumps order asserts that the children of noncitizens are not subject to the jurisdiction of the United States, and orders federal agencies to not recognize citizenship for children who dont have at least one parent who is a citizen . A key case involving birthright citizenship unfolded in 1898. The Supreme Court held that Wong Kim Ark, who was born in San Francisco to Chinese immigrants, was a U.S. citizen because he was born in the country. After a trip abroad, he faced being denied reentry by the federal government on the grounds that he wasnt a citizen under the Chinese Exclusion Act. But some advocates of immigration restrictions have argued that case clearly applied to children born to parents who were both legal immigrants. They say its less clear whether it applies to children born to parents living in the country illegally. Trumps executive order prompted attorneys general to share their personal connections to birthright citizenship. Connecticut Attorney General William Tong, for instance, a U.S. citizen by birthright and the nations first Chinese American elected attorney general, said the lawsuit was personal for him. There is no legitimate legal debate on this question. But the fact that Trump is dead wrong will not prevent him from inflicting serious harm right now on American families like my own, Tong said this week. One of the lawsuits aimed at blocking the executive order includes the case of a pregnant woman, identified as Carmen, who is not a citizen but has lived in the United States for more than 15 years and has a pending visa application that could lead to permanent residency status. Stripping children of the priceless treasure of citizenship is a grave injury, the suit says. It denies them the full membership in U.S. society to which they are entitled. CNN is expected to lay off hundreds of its roughly 3,500 employees on Thursday, according to a report citing sources familiar with the matter. The reported personnel changes are intended to help the cable news outlet focus on a more global digital audience as the media landscape changes, insiders told CNBC, speaking on the condition of anonymity. CNN CEO Mark Thompson recently claimed parent company Warner Bros. Discovery had committed at least $70 million to enhance digital operations. A representative for CNN declined to comment and recommended outlets reporting on the layoffs wait for facts before reaching any conclusions. While the rumored job cuts wont impact CNNs most recognizable names, changes could mean more shows being produced out of Atlanta where CNN began and where production can be done at a lower cost as opposed to Washington, D.C. or New York City, CNBC reported. Changes could also be coming to the schedule. Former CNN media reporter Oliver Darcy said last week thered been buzz about moving CNN stalwart Wolf Blitzer from early evenings to mornings. He also said the network was considered moving chief domestic correspondent and former White House reporter Jim Acosta to the graveyard shift. Though his ratings are relatively good, Acosta has frequently clashed with surrogates for President Trump, who returned to the White House on Monday. Cable TV ratings leader Fox News a MAGA alternative to CNN and NBC News received a big boost from Trumps return to power. That outlet has aired televisions 500 most-watched news shows since Trump was reelected Nov. 5, according to Mediaite. CNBC said layoffs could also be coming later this week to its parent network, NBC News, though to a much lesser degree. 2025 New York Daily News. Visit nydailynews.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Former U.S. Rep. Mo Brooks, R.-Ala., said this week that President Donald Trump was the most dishonest elected official that...the public has ever had to interact with, in a conversation with Notus Riley Rogerson. Donald Trump has, time and again, convinced me that he is the most dishonest elected official that I have ever excuse me that the public has ever had to interact with, Brooks said, according to Rogersons post on X. Mo Brooks knows what its like to be a Republican in Congress when Trump is president. Heres how he summed up the dynamic: Donald Trump has, time and again, convinced me that he is the most dishonest elected official that I have ever excuse me that the public has ever had Riley Rogerson (@riley_rogerson) January 23, 2025 And the paradox with Donald Trump is he seems to make dishonest statements just for the fun of it, as a challenge to see if anybody has the gumption or the wherewithal to take him to task for the dishonest statements he makes. He sees it as a game, and hes winning it. Brooks and Trump have had a rocky relationship since 2021, when Brooks told voters at a Trump rally to put the disputed 2020 presidential election results behind them and look forward. In 2022, Brooks said Trump repeatedly asked him to forge a path in Congress for President Joe Biden to be removed from office and be replaced by Trump. Later that year, Trump retracted his endorsement of Brooks Senate campaign. In late 2022, Brooks told AL.com it would be a bad mistake for the Republicans to have Donald Trump as their nominee in 2024. Donald Trump has proven himself to be dishonest, disloyal, incompetent, crude and a lot of other things that alienate so many independents and Republicans, he said. Even a candidate who campaigns from his basement can beat him. Brooks left office in 2022 after six terms in Congress and a federal judge threw out a lawsuit seeking to hold Brooks responsible for his remarks at a Stop the Steal, rally on Jan. 6. Most recently, Brooks applauded 38 Republicans in Congress who voted against a budget bill backed by Trump that would have removed any limits toward incurring additional federal debt for the next two years. Those who understand the threat of a national bankruptcy know that voting for an unlimited amount of new debt is horrible for Americas future, Brooks told AL.com in December. But they [lawmakers who approved the bill] also know that Donald Trump can take them out if he wants to. So, I understand why all of them voted for a financially irresponsible unlimited debt ceiling, but I wish they would put America first. This is an opinion cartoon Ive always thought the only way Fairhope could get any cooler is if it were to snow - but no more than one week a year. So far, so good! In the 24-plus years of living in Fairhope in Lower Alabama, we finally got a real snow this week - about 6-8 inches of the frosty white stuff. Beautiful, fluffy white powder. Soft as a blanket of bunnies. But treacherous as an icy pit of vipers if youre driving. Sign up for JD Crowes newsletter: Enter your email to subscribe to JDs weekly newsletter, Crowe Jam. I grew up in the sticks and hollers of 4-season Kentucky. We could usually count on a few snow days from school every winter. It was a glorious day of snowball fights, sledding with the neighbor kids, snow cream and home-made, warm, gooey Toll House cookies. This historic covering of snow in Mobile, the Eastern Shore and Alabamas beaches has turned me into a kid again. But what about the whole driving on ice issue? Up north, some folks buy snow chains for these conditions. Hence the question: Does anybody down here on the gulf coast need snow chains? Nope. We got plenty of other stuff thatll do just fine, thank you. If this snow lasts long enough to hamper our driving habit, we got Mardi Gras beads. Lots and lots of Mardi Gras beads. Sax in the snow? Check out some of these fun videos So far, its still a magical winter wonderland. If its still hanging around this time next week, Im sure our attitudes will have changed. True stories and stuff by JD Crowe The mysterious Bubble Guy of Fairhope and the art of bubble Zen - al.com How I met Dr. Seuss Robert Plant head-butted me. Thanks, David Coverdale I was ZZ Tops drummer for a night and got kidnapped by groupies Check out more cartoons and stuff by JD Crowe JD Crowe is the cartoonist for AL.com. He won the RFK Human Rights Award for Editorial Cartoons in 2020. In 2018, he was awarded the Rex Babin Memorial Award by the Association of American Editorial Cartoonists. Follow JD on Facebook, Twitter @Crowejam and Instagram @JDCrowepix. Give him a holler at jdcrowe@al.com. U.S. Sen. Katie Britt, R-Ala, says she plans to reintroduce legislation Thursday to fund and complete the construction of a wall along Americas southern border. The bill, entitled the WALL Act, would appropriate $25 billion to build the barrier which Britt argues will help stop illegal border crossings. President Trump and the GOP congressional majorities have not just a mandate but an obligation to secure the border and protect American families, Britt said on X. Im proud to introduce legislation to finish the wall to help stop illegal border crossings. President Trump and the GOP congressional majorities have not just a mandate but an obligation to secure the border and protect American families. I'm proud to introduce legislation to finish the wall to help stop illegal border crossings.https://t.co/HlpCYvu3s7 Senator Katie Boyd Britt (@SenKatieBritt) January 23, 2025 Britt has previously stated that the border wall construction would be funded by eliminating tax-payer funded entitlements for unauthorized immigrants. The bill also provides that fines are imposed against unauthorized migrants or individuals that overstay their visas. Critics have opposed a border wall for numerous reasons since the idea gained traction during Trumps first presidential campaign. Arguments against the wall include ecological harm, desecrating tribal lands, increased militarization and making the travel for legal asylum seekers more dangerous. Senate Democrats blocked the WALL Act from passing in September. However, unlike in September, Republicans now maintain majorities in both chambers and there is a sense among Democrats that being tougher on immigration is warranted following President Donald Trumps victory in November. Just this week Britt received bipartisan support for another immigration bill she sponsored, the Laken Riley Act. The bill that requires the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to detain undocumented migrants accused of certain crimes like theft to prevent them from committing further crimes. The legislation is named after UGA nursing student Laken Riley, who was killed in February 2024 Jose Antonio Ibarra. Ibarra was an undocumented migrant causing Republican officials to cite the incident as evidence of Democrats failing to secure the safety of Americans. The act passed both chambers with bipartisan support as the Senate passed the bill on Monday in a 64-35 vote. On Wednesday, the House of Representatives passed the legislation sending the bill to Trumps desk to likely signed be within the next week or so, according to the president. Houston ISD board of managers member Cassandra Auzenne Bandy, left, listens as public speakers voice their opinion during the districts first public budget workshop for the 2024-2025 school year at the Hattie Mae White Educational Support Center, Thursday, May 15, 2024, in Houston. Jason Fochtman/Staff photographer Houston ISD board of managers member Rolando Martinez asks follow up questions to Superintendent Mike Miles as he presents on the districts STAAR testing results for the 2023-2024 school year during a Houston ISD board of managers at the Hattie Mae White Educational Support Center, Thursday, June 27, 2024, in Houston. Jason Fochtman/Staff photographer The Houston ISD board held 20 sessions as part of its community engagement plan amid calls for the state-appointed board to improve communication and transparency after the failed $4.4 billion bond referendum. The board's community engagement committee leaders, Cassandra Auzenne Bandy and Rolando Martinez, said that the purpose of their meetings was to share the board's progress on its goals and "foster two-way communication." A statutory requirement also calls for community engagement, Auzenne Bandy said. "So this is not a necessity just for us to bring community along on our journey, but the Texas Education Code, really, not only enforces it but also requires it of us," she said. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The board members held eight formal feedback meetings either at another organization's meeting or the district's central office. Board members sometimes met with several groups at a time. For example, they met with My Brother's Keeper when the Houston Health Department was present and addressed members of both groups, and they met with multiple organizations participating in The Citywide Coalition. The board gave the following list of organizations: Children at Risk ED Trust Good Reason Houston Harris County Houston Area Urban League Houston Health Department Houston Hispanic Chamber of Commerce Jewish Federation of Greater Houston Social Justice Learning Institute Teach for America Latinos for Education My Brother's Keeper The Parent Teacher Collaborative Mayors Hispanic Advisory Council Discovering U (one-on-one meeting) Westbury Area Improvement Corporation (one-on-one meeting) The Citywide Coalition (encompassing multiple organizations already listed) Apart from those eight meetings, board members also interacted with around 600 elementary students by serving breakfast at Whidby, Longfellow, Shadydale, and NQ Henderson elementary schools. The elementary school student interactions were short interactions starting with questions like "How are you doing in school?" or "What's your favorite subject?" while serving breakfast, Martinez said of the event he participated in at Whidby to the Houston Chronicle. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The board previously met with 72 high school students in May. Students' feedback largely centered around having access to Advanced Placement (AP) courses, and that AP and International Baccalaureate courses foster critical thinking. Students also spoke frequently about career counseling, Martinez said. The feedback helps board members ask questions on the administration's progress updates during board meetings, he said. "The way I use it (the feedback) is I want to understand that the things that we set as goal progress monitoring so when we talk about CCMR (College, Career and Military Readiness) that's what I want to hear. I want to hear that we're offering enough courses in AP (Advanced Placement courses), if there's enough IB (International Baccalaureate course) selection, that we have enough counselors. So those are the things I think about. And as we prepare for the budget cycle, those are the things I consider." Martinez also looked to hear about reading improvements, college-career readiness, and special education services. In public comment Thursday, however, community members questioned the report and the committee's approach. Calls for improved and sincere communication for trust mounted this school year when the district brought a $4.4 billion proposed bond before voters that was shot down, in part under the rallying cry "No trust, no bond." Advertisement Article continues below this ad "The board's community engagement committee report brags about supposedly engaging community members and addressing critical areas. We're not buying it," said speaker Greg Kehrier with a shake of his head. "If you did prioritize meaningful dialogue and actionable outcomes, then long ago, you would have fired (state-appointed Superintendent Mike) Miles... Your surveys are not anonymous. Your key stakeholders are now conditioned to fear retribution for any constructive criticism. You didn't engage any of the thousands of education community members who left HISD since the takeover to ask their opinions." Among the overall 20 sessions the Board said it had, 12 sessions were with students and families, including parent-teacher organizations. Parents often shared their concern about teacher turnover and retaining "effective teachers," Martinez said. Overall, he said in presentation to the board, people highlighted prekindergarten expansion as a positive. They also emphasized library access, industry-based certifications, and mental health resources for students and teachers. A Lauderdale County grand jury on Thursday indicted a Kentucky man on second-degree rape and other charges after he allegedly pretended to be a 15-year-old girls father to get her out of school before having sex with her, court records showed. Justin Edward Stephens, 43, of Lowmansville, Kentucky, was indicted on charges of traveling to meet a child for an unlawful sex act, second-degree rape and enticement of a child for immoral purposes. On Sept. 18, Stephens allegedly went to a Lauderdale County school and told school officials he was the victims father and that she needed to be checked out of the school, according to the criminal complaint filed in the case. School security cameras from that day showed the victim leaving the school around 9 a.m. and getting into a black Dodge truck before returning back to the school at 2 p.m. Muscle Shoals police found Stephens at a local hotel, where he confessed to engaging in sexual intercourse with the victim and exchanging nude pictures with her, according to the complaint. Police are investigating after racist fliers purportedly issued by the Ku Klux Klan that directed immigrants to leave now and avoid deportation were found in several Kentucky cities on Inauguration Day, officials said. The fliers feature a cartoon image of Uncle Sam kicking at a family of four while holding a proclamation declaring a Mass Deportation on Jan. 20 and stating, Monitor & Track all Immigrants REPORT THEM ALL, according to images shared by police departments in Ludlow and Bellevue. A Ku Klux Klan group headquartered in Maysville, Kentucky, claimed to have issued the fliers, which advertise phone numbers for regional Klan realms in Indiana, Kentucky, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Tennessee. Ive never seen anything like this, Bellevue Police Chief Jon McClain told The Washington Post on Tuesday. It was kind of alarming for our community. The fliers were reported Monday in Bellevue, Ludlow and Fort Wright, small northern Kentucky cities near Cincinnati, as the nation marked both Martin Luther King Jr. Day and the inauguration of President Donald Trump. Trump has railed against immigrants and pledged to launch a mass deportation campaign upon assuming office. Authorities condemned the fliers and said they would seek criminal charges against those who distributed them. This type of hateful garbage is loathsome and deplorable, does not represent the Fort Wright Community or the values of our businesses and residents, will not be tolerated in the City of Fort Wright and should not be tolerated by our society as a whole, Fort Wright Mayor Dave Hatter said in a statement. The Klan has attempted to spread hateful messages in Kentucky before. Local officials in Covington said the Trinity White Knights, a Klan splinter group, were known to occasionally distribute the fliers as a recruiting tactic, the northern Kentucky-based Link NKY news website reported in September. Neighborhoods in Illinois, Ohio, West Virginia, Virginia and Indiana have also reported receiving Klan fliers in recent years. Anti-immigrant Klan fliers that appear similar to the ones in Kentucky were found in northern Indiana in November, station WSBT-TV based in South Bend, Indiana, reported. The most recent fliers encourage readers to join the Klan and offer to send respondents information packets and applications for a $1 payment. Another flier found in Bellevue called Martin Luther King Jr. a fraud and a traitor to our country, according to an image shared by McClain. No one answered the numbers advertised on the fliers Tuesday evening. A recorded greeting for the Ohio Klan group said, In January, the worlds going to change for a lot of people, especially the immigrants in Springfield, Ohio, an apparent reference to the Haitian community that became a target of right-wing attacks ahead of the presidential election. A Bellevue resident found a Klan flier lying in the snow Monday morning and reported it to police, McClain said. He was distressed and concerned, McClain said. He said he had some friends who just got their citizenship. The Klan fliers found on Inauguration Day appeared to invoke Trumps campaign pledges to crack down on immigration upon entering the White House. Trump signed an executive order to end birthright citizenship on his first day in office. On the campaign trail, he routinely criticized the Biden administrations management of the U.S.-Mexico border and promised the largest deportation campaign in U.S. history in his second term. Officials have been weighing immigration raids in the days since Trumps inauguration and hope to encourage undocumented immigrants to self-deport, The Post previously reported. I dont think its a coincidence, McClain said of the distribution of the Klan fliers on Inauguration Day. Trump denounced the Ku Klux Klan by name as repugnant in 2017 after sparking criticism for initially failing to call out and condemn white supremacists when an avowed neo-Nazi killed a counterprotester at a white-supremacist rally in Charlottesville. Trump at the time sought to downplay the incident. The Ludlow Police Department said in a statement that the disgusting Klan fliers were protected under the First Amendment but that the agency would seek criminal charges against the distributors if they were identified. The department noted that it had received a harassment complaint about the fliers. McClain, of the Bellevue police, said he would consider charging anyone caught distributing the fliers with littering. Late Show host Stephen Colbert blasted Republicans, including U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville of Alabama, for not showing outrage over President Donald Trumps pardoning of the more than 1,500 people convicted of crimes related to the Jan. 6, 2021, riot at the U.S. Capitol. Colbert called out Tuberville for a mind-boggling act of cowardice based on a response the senator gave to reporters when asked to react to the pardons , some who assaulted Capitol police officers. According to ABC News, Tuberville claimed he has never seen video footage of rioters beating police officers. 100 percent, Im for the -- pardon everyone. Theyve been there long enough. Most of them hadnt been charged with anything, Tuberville told the news station. ABC News then asked Tuberville about rioters who attacked police officers, beating them with fire hydrants and metal batons. I didnt see that, Tuberville told ABC News. When asked if thats acceptable, Tuberville said No, thats not acceptable, but I didnt see it. I dont believe it because I didnt see it. Now, if I see it, I would believe it, but I didnt see in that video. Colbert then replied, Well, I guess if he hasnt seen anything, it didnt exist. In which case, senator? Colbert then placed his left hand over his right and gave Tuberville the middle finger hidden behind his hand. Congressional Republicans have been asked in recent days for their responses to Trumps pardons to the rioters. He also commuted the sentences of 14 people in the Proud Boy or Oath Keepers who were charged with seditious conspiracy. The reactions have been mixed, though some Republicans have urged Americans to move on and not look backwards. U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson told reporters that he felt it was not his place to question Trumps pardons, and that he would not second-guess Trumps actions. Colbert, during his monologue, shot back: Not your place? They attacked the House of Representatives. That is literally your place. President Donald Trumps popularity is higher than at almost any point during his first term in office, a new poll shows. The numbers from Reuters/Ipsos poll show 47% of Americans approve of Trumps presidency as he returned to the White House this week. That figure is generally higher than at most points in Trumps first term when he started with an approval rating of 43% in 2017, peaking at 49% at the end of January 2017 but ending with a 34% approval rating after the Jan. 6 Capitol riots. The survey was conducted Monday and Tuesday after Trumps inauguration. One of the presidents first actions was to issue pardons for some 1,600 people involved in the Capitol siege, a move that is generally unpopular. The Reuters poll showed 58% of those polled opposed pardons for all the Jan. 6, 2021 protesters. Other Trump programs proved more popular. Forty-six percent said they approve of his job handling immigration and 58% of respondents said the U.S. should dramatically reduce the number of migrants allowed to claim asylum at the border. Some 38% of respondents in the Reuters/Ipsos poll said they identified at least somewhat with Trumps Make America Great Again movement. Other Trump plans Sixteen percent of poll respondents agree the U.S. should pressure Denmark into selling Greenland to the U.S. Twenty-nine percent said the U.S. should take control of the Panama Canal from Panama and 21% said they agreed with the statement that the U.S. has a right to expand its territory into the Western Hemisphere. The new poll surveyed 1,077 U.S. adults online and nationwide with a margin of error of plus/minus 4 percentage points. Vaccination rates for Alabamas youngest residents have fallen dramatically since the COVID-19 pandemic. And thats especially true when it comes to the vaccine for polio. The states infants and toddlers are falling short of thresholds needed to fight off all-but-eradicated diseases, such as measles, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Alabama Department of Public Health. Anytime vaccine rates are coming down, it creates the opportunity for these diseases to re-emerge in the population, said Wes Stubblefield, a pediatrician and medical officer at ADPH. Statewide, the vaccination rate for children between 19 and 47 months plunged from around 71% in October 2021 to just 65% last November, the last date for which monthly data was available from ADPH. Thats about 13,700 more unvaccinated toddlers in the state than just two years ago. [Cant see the chart? Click here.] Federal data looks at different ages, but paints a similar picture of a growing rejection of immunizations in Alabama. Just 65.5% of 35-month-old kids born in 2021 received all their recommended vaccines. Thats down from 82.5% for kids born in 2017. Routine, recommended vaccines include immunizations against hepatitis, polio, measles, chickenpox, diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis, pneumococcal disease and Haemophilus influenzae. No vaccination saw its uptake fall faster or in more places than the IPV vaccine, which prevents polio. That vaccine series fell more than any other in just over half of Alabama counties, and saw the biggest overall decline in the state. [Cant see the chart? Click here.] Kids are meant to complete their primary series of vaccines by 47 months, though there are additional booster shots that are scheduled for 4-6 year olds. Im probably one of the last physicians still practicing in Alabama that has actually ever seen a true case of measles, said Karen Landers, a pediatrician and the chief medical officer at ADPH. These children suffered terribly from these illnesses. Some of them died, and we just dont see that anymore. She said she wants to see the state reach a total vaccination rate of 95%. But Alabama is not alone in heading the other direction, as many states are recording declines. Alabama now ranks 10th lowest in the nation for full vaccination rate for children born in 2021. And vaccine rates vary widely in the state. Some counties within Alabama saw more than 20-point drops in vaccination rates for specific types of shots in the last few years. In two Alabama counties, Barbour and Blount, fewer than half of toddlers were considered fully up-to-date on their immunizations. [Cant see the map? Click here.] We feel far removed from these diseases because weve eradicated them, Landers added. But they can come back, and they can come back with a vengeance if we dont use the tools we have, such as vaccines, she said. Last year, doctors warned against the decline in the rate of vaccination against measles, mumps and rubella in the state, saying rates were too low to prevent outbreaks. For example, the threshold for achieving herd immunity against measles is 95%. But the rate of vaccination in Alabama for kids under 4 was only 77%. We are nervous, very nervous, that we may have a measles outbreak across the country, said David Kimberlin, co-director of UAB and Childrens Division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases, during a press conference last February. We have been fearful for quite some time that we will start to see a resurgence of vaccine-preventable diseases. In 2024, ADPH reported two cases of rubella. Each year, fewer than 10 cases of the disease are reported on average across the United States, according to the CDC. Alabama also saw an outbreak of whooping cough last fall, with K-12 schools and college campuses reporting cases. There were a total of 263 confirmed cases of the virus in 2024, according to ADPH, compared to only 41 in 2023. Believe in science Rates for seven routine vaccinations - four of which are required to attend school - fell from January 2021 to November 2024. This change comes in the years following the rollout of the COVID-19 vaccines, and the ensuing public fight over vaccines and mandates during the pandemic. President Donald Trumps nominee for Human and Health Services Secretary, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., is known for his vaccine skepticism, though on Tuesday he told lawmakers he wouldnt take away any vaccines. According to Politico, Kennedy has convinced some Republican senators that hes reconsidered his previous beliefs that the measles vaccine can cause autism and the polio vaccine can be more fatal than the disease, and is now pro-vaccine safety. Alabama Republican Sen. Tommy Tuberville, who in December indicated support for Kennedys skepticism, calling his stance a breath of fresh air, told reporters this week I dont keep up with all that when asked again if he had any concerns about Kennedys past criticisms of vaccines. Doctors have said they are concerned about the impact Kennedy could have on already declining immunization rates if confirmed to lead the agency. As pediatricians, the American Academy of Pediatrics said in a statement after Trump nominated Kennedy, we firmly believe the most effective way for HHS to ensure the future health of our nation is to protect and support the health of our children: by ensuring that science continues to underpin all decision-making, policies and programs. In a little more than half of the counties in Alabama, every type of vaccine declined. The polio vaccine was the fastest-shrinking in more than half. The first two doses of DTap and Hib vaccines are administered at the same time as the immunization for polio - at two months, then again at four months. Those each went down 5 percentage points in the last few years in Alabama, but polio dropped by 8 points. Weve got to stick to what we know and believe in science that has been established, which shows the safety of vaccines and that vaccinating our children is the best way to keep our children healthy, our communities, our state, our country healthy as a whole, said Brittney Anderson, a family medicine physician in Demopolis, a city west of Montgomery in the Black Belt. Vaccinations are safe One bright spot was the Black Belt region. That area, which spans the length of the state in a crescent from just south of Tuscaloosa to the south of Auburn, was home to some of the lowest vaccination rates in the state in 2021. [Cant see the map? Click here.] Three Black Belt counties were below 50% in 2021 Dallas, Perry and Russell. But as the state overall saw a drop, all three of those counties climbed significantly, seeing double-digit percentage point increases in vaccination rates for toddlers. Perry and Dallas counties led the state in increased vaccination rates, with 17.1 and 16.6 percentage point jumps, respectively. Anderson, the family medicine physician in the Black Belt, said doctors in the region have established strong relationships with their patients. Theres a level of trust there that probably lends more to patients and parents of those patients believing their physicians when they tell them that vaccinations are safe, Anderson said. She said she routinely has conversations with parents about vaccines, adding that part of her job as a doctor is educating patients about their health. According to Anderson, the best thing you can do when faced with hesitancy is answer every question a parent has. One of the things that I ask of our parents is that they trust our training and trust our experience if you dont trust me when I say that your child needs to have these vaccinations, then do you trust me if I tell you your child has an ear infection or stomach virus? The Pony Too strip club, which operates right outside the city limits of Madison, has demolished its recognizable pink building to work on updates. Madison County inspectors are currently working with the owners to rebuild in the same spot, according to Madison County Commissioner Phil Vandiver. Vandiver said the decision to tear down the club was entirely the owners, and did not have anything to do with county officials. Last spring, the county denied The Pony Toos application for restaurant alcohol licenses because officials said they allow topless and bottomless dancing, against the provision of the Alcohol Beverage Control statute. Under the ABC administration code 20-X-6-.11, it states that no ABC license shall permit bottomless, topless dancing wherein the portion of the female breast is exposed below the nipple, county administrator Kevin Jones said in a March board meeting. During this application process, we found that this has been violated. Ive met with the sheriff as recently as this past weekend. The dancers were not wearing bottoms or tops in certain circumstances. Eric Artrip, an attorney for the clubs, previously told AL.com that he believed that the county commissioners denied the application because they did not like a part of their business We are aware of many liquor licenses that have been granted in Madison County and it appears that the only difference between those businesses and the businesses that were denied a license today is that the Madison County Commission just doesnt like one aspect of our business, he said. Efforts to reach The Pony Too management and Artrip were unsuccessful. Vandiver said the county had not been given a timeline for the clubs rebuild. While we celebrate President Trumps successful inauguration, we must pause to ask, Will he be able to accomplish his mission to make America great, free, prosperous, safe, and healthy again? In December 2023, pollster Scott Rasmussen sounded an alarm about our elections when he told us that 20% of Americans admitted they mailed in absentee ballots fraudulently. This could have been a major cause of Trumps loss in 2020. Last month, Rasmussens company, RMG Research, released another earth-shattering poll, concluding, An astonishing 42% of the Washington, D.C. federal managers said they intend to fight the potential second term for President Donald Trump. Could these Deep State bureaucrats derail Trumps success? From NewsX: Democratic-leaning managers are particularly opposed [to Trumps policies], with nearly three quarters of them planning to take on Trumps administration. The survey reveals a deepening divide in the federal workforce especially at the higher income and senior levels. The most important finding of the poll is the chasm within the federal workforce. Federal government managers, including top employees in D.C., are sharply divided. While 89% of Republican managers said they would carry out Trumps policies, only 17% of Democratic managers said they would obey presidential orders that they considered to be bad policy. In contrast, 64% of Democratic respondents said they would ignore such orders and follow their own judgment. [snip] But the American public seems less than sympathetic to bureaucratic defiance. ... Fifty-four percent of Main Street Americans think federal employees who disobey presidential orders should be fired. ... Of Republicans ... 74% think federal employees who flout legal orders should be fired. Federal employees political donations back this up. Federal employees have donated at least $1.8 million to the major candidates for president in 2020, with nearly 60% of that total going to former Vice President Joe Biden. The more important factor is the ratio of Trump to Biden support in each agency. Notice above which agencies are strongly for Trump (DOD and DHS), which are even (USDA, Energy, HUD, and SBA), and which favor Biden, (Treasury, DOJ, DOI, Labor, HHS, DOT, Ed, VA, and EPA). In the real world, a business is composed of the owner or CEO, upper management, and employees. The CEO gives management a plan, and they direct their employees to accomplish it. If Brian Niccol of Starbucks wants a new coffee flavor, Pistachio Mocha Peppermint, he tells his New Beverage Innovation and Development Lab to come up with a recipe: 3 pumps Pistachio, 2 pumps Mocha, and 1 pump Peppermint. After testing and approval, it is rolled out to the stores. But what if local baristas unilaterally decide to follow their own opinions? Some want the ratio to be 1, 2, 3; others choose 4, 1, 1. What if some dont like pistachio and choose almond or even lime? In the real world, an employee who doesnt follow orders is fired. If a DHS employee is allowed to ignore a lawful order from Kristi Noem, the Trump Train goes right off the tracks. And a single disloyal employee can leak sensitive information about a new operation that could cost the lives of officers in the field. In the past, government employees have often worked internally to oppose new administrations. They would continue policies from the previous administration or actively push back against new directives. Is this the lefts ace up the sleeve? To rely on loyalists within the government to deny, delay, and obstruct everything Trump orders? Just recently we heard that the guards wont release the pardoned J6 prisoners. Can disloyal or disobedient workers be fired? The process of firing federal government employees is governed by the Civil Service Reform Act of 1978. Employees can be dismissed only for just cause misconduct, incompetence, or failure to meet performance standards. Employees are entitled to due process: they must be notified of the reasons for their termination and have an opportunity to appeal. This process of investigation through dismissal can take significant time and money depending on the infraction. And many federal employees belong to unions, which have negotiated terms regarding discipline and termination. Union members typically have access to legal representation when facing disciplinary actions, which can further complicate the firing process. If employees are hard to fire, could President Trump eliminate all or parts of an agency? Trump can propose budget cuts, reorganization, or the elimination of federal agencies, but the creation and abolition of entire departments typically requires an act of Congress, where the margin of control is razor-thin. If a department were to be cut, employees would be subject to termination, but employment laws would still have to be followed. So how can President Trump ensure that his plans are carried out? 1. It will be vital for the president and his Cabinet members to clearly communicate written policies and expectations to bureaucratic agencies, detailing specific goals and timelines. 2. Mandatory training on new policies and procedures will ensure that employees understand their roles and responsibilities. This can reduce instances of insubordination or incompetence and facilitate disciplinary action if needed. 3. Regular performance reviews can hold individual employees accountable for their actions. Their work must be monitored closely, perhaps even using A.I. 4. During COVID, many federal agencies shifted to remote work and established telework policies. A report last month from the Public Buildings Reform Board uncovered federal agencies using just 12% of the space in their headquarters buildings. Trump can announce the end of all COVID policies and require all employees to return to work. Any who refuse to comply can be terminated. 5. Trump should embark on a public media blitz to generate support to eliminate wasteful departments and reduce union control of government agencies overseeing areas of critical importance. 6. To reduce spending, any government buildings not being used at 100% can have their employees relocated. Some D.C. offices can move to less costly cities, and the buildings can be sold. Perhaps Trump can conduct a photo op tour inside a vacant federal building. 7. Barack Obama used his regulatory agencies and executive orders to push through policies that could not gain traction in Congress. For example, the EPA implemented stricter emissions standards, and the Department of Education made progressive changes to educational policy. Although there is no definitive evidence that Obama systematically identified and fired conservative employees, cultures within certain agencies favored progressive ideologies. Those who disagreed often encountered a hostile work environment, and many resigned. His administration encouraged diversity in hiring, which added even more liberal employees. President Trump just announced that he is repealing all policies that favor social considerations over actual qualifications to perform the work along with a total ban on new regulations. 8. Trump can freeze all hiring and reassign existing workers to fill any vacancies. 9. Leakers, especially of sensitive information that could harm federal agents, must be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. Although the RINO/left/Deep States efforts at impeachment, lawfare, election fraud, and assassination have all failed, we mustnt let the administrative state and their rogue actors derail President Trump and his efforts to restore America. Jack Gleason is a conservative commonsense political writer. His email is JackGleason9@protonmail.com, and his always-free Substack is jackgleason.substack.com. Image: Trump White House Archived via Flickr, public domain. While President Trump is enacting big, bold, audacious plans for America, it might be time to scrap all services at the activist-oriented National Cathedral and start a different tradition in a more welcoming, inclusive place. Its no secret that traditional religious denominations in America have long been on a downward spiral, closing their doors for good. It should also come as no surprise that the Episcopal church has been one of the hardest hit groups. One expert on the denomination even said that on its current course, the Episcopal church could disappear by 2050. I can totally see that happening. Its been twenty years since I visited an Episcopal cathedral for an Easter Sunday service, only to hear the self-proclaimed lesbian priest preach an entire sermon comparing Matthew Shepard to Jesus Christ. Granted, both were heinously murdered, but the similarity ends there. It was 2009 when the Episcopal church approved two trendsetting resolutions: one for the consecration of openly gay and lesbian bishops, the second for bishops to bless same-sex unions. These steps signaled the beginning of the churchs burgeoning social justice crusade. By 2024, the church had passed resolutions such as Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation, Divest from Fossil Fuels, and Resolution to Complete the Journey to Net Carbon Neutrality by 2030. Concerning their stand on immigration, Episcopal Migration Ministries not unlike Catholic Charities and the Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service provides resources, support, and care for asylum seekers, undocumented immigrants, refugees, and other migrant communities. Its official stand is for full social and economic integration for people living here without legal status. In short open borders and citizenship. In addition to the full-fledged woke agenda that dominates the National Cathedral, its interfaith services are a joke. These events supposedly represent the pinnacle of an enlightened nation appealing to its Supreme Being in whatever form people perceive him to be they instead leave us feeling as though weve just had a public bath in the Ganges instead of a solitary hot shower. So why should a man who has just survived unprecedented libel, slander, lawfare, lies, and two assassination attempts be subjected to a public flogging at such a dishonorable place as the National Cathedral? Coincidentally, on the same day as this public flogging, the Episcopal churchs public affairs office issued a Letter from Episcopal Church leaders on Trump administration immigration executive orders. The letter instructs people of God in the Episcopal Church to stand against mass deportation programs, to stand for proportional and humane border management, and to combat all expressions of hatred and fear that President Trumps actions are bringing to the country. Because of Trump, they claim to face new and heartbreaking challenges to their ministry. In reality, this letter from church leaders is an affront to everything the majority of America just voted for. Tuesdays post-inaugural prayer service at the National Cathedral saw the Right Rev. Mariann Edgar Budde excoriate Trump in a vicious sermon couched in a monotonous tone. She began by instructing him on the foundations of unity. She claimed that unity starts with honoring one anothers dignity by refusing to mock or discount or demonize those with whom we differ. Additionally, she said, we should remain true to our convictions without showing contempt for those with whom we disagree. Next, she said, it was imperative to have honesty in public and private conversations because if we're not willing to be honest, there's no use in praying for unity because our actions work against the prayers themselves. Last, she stressed the importance of humility, and that we are most dangerous to ourselves and others when we are persuaded, without a doubt, that we are absolutely right and someone else is absolutely wrong. The trouble is that Ms. Buddes rebukes were a day late: her soapbox lecture was, ironically, custom-made for the chastisement of President Biden and his administration. Sadly, Biden never received such a biting public rebuke, much less from a pulpit with the tacit conclusion that his soul would be damned. Edgar Budde concluded with the lowest blow ever invoking Trumps publicly stated but personal belief that he was saved by God to make America great again. You have felt the providential hand of a loving God, she said before asking him to have mercy on people in our community who are scared, including gay, lesbian, and transgender children. She didnt say what they were scared of, but her wording made it clear that President Trump was the monster in the room. She claimed that other people are in fear for their lives, including illegals whom she apparently prefers to keep around for picking crops in the fields and working on poultry farms. As expected, headlines framed the bishops words in soft notes and warm colors. Bishop asks Trump to show mercy to LGBT people and migrants. But it was way more than that. And although she did use the word mercy twice, it was convenient camouflage for the attack. Amazingly, President Trump sat there and took his beating quietly likely out of respect for the history of the place and the institution. Later, he took to Truth Social, accurately reflecting on the bishops words: She failed to mention the large number of illegal migrants that came into our Country and killed people. Many were deposited from jails and mental institutions. It is a giant crime wave that is taking place in the USA. For her part, the bishop flaunted her progressive politics by choosing to appear on The View the next morning as she received accolades from Whoopi Goldberg and Joy Behar. Ive always been taught that the church is the people thats why it makes no difference if Christians gather to worship in unattractive strip malls or informal living rooms. But sometimes a church is just a building, and thats what our National Cathedral has become. Its long past time to rename the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America, and were overdue in changing Denali back to Mount McKinley. We should probably make Canada the 51st state, snatch Greenlands resources away from China, and take back the Panama Canal. And if we can do all that, we can abandon the National Cathedral and leave it to the rats who are already there. The people are the church, and our God is where we gather. Image via Raw Pixel. One of my favorite sentences in The Shawshank Redemption a movie filled with some of Stephen Kings finest writing comes near the end. The protagonist, Andy, has broken out of prison and sent a trove of evidence to the press that implicates the crooked warden in multiple criminal conspiracies. Sitting in his office as police sirens blare and officers beat down his door, the corrupt and abusive warden opts to take his own life. Morgan Freeman narrates as Andys friend and fellow inmate, Red: Id like to think that the last thing that went through his head, other than that bullet, was to wonder how the hell Andy Dufresne ever got the best of him. Watching President Trump return to the White House in triumphant fashion, I couldnt get Reds observation out of my mind. There are politicians and bureaucrats all over D.C. wondering how the hell Donald Trump ever got the best of them, and although they have no intention of taking the wardens way out, all their plans to thwart Trumps movement are dead. Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama, Nancy Pelosi, Mitch McConnell, Paul Ryan, Mitt Romney, the corrupt lawfare gangs, the corrupt Intelligence Community, and the corrupt corporate news propagandists posing as journalists, along with the vast majority of the corrupt, unelected, and unconstitutional administrative state, are all flabbergasted that President Trump again sits in the Oval Office despite eight years of nefarious and treasonous Deep State plots to throw him in some hellhole similar to Shawshank Prison. Remember when Andy emerged from the sewage pipe covered in filth and stretched his hands toward God while rain poured down to cleanse his body? So many MAGA voters are also looking toward the heavens and exultantly whispering, Thank you, Lord. Free at last. Thats no hyperbole. Proving yet again that he is a man of his word, President Trump immediately pardoned the J6 political prisoners. He pardoned pro-life Christians whom tyrant Merrick Garland had imprisoned for protesting abortion. He promised to free every last victim of the Biden regimes political persecution, and many have already been informed of their impending release. Most of these prisoners were first-time offenders who were targeted for their personal beliefs. They and their families endured legal costs, pre-trial confinement, malicious prosecution, judicial malfeasance, and egregiously unnecessary separations from their parents and spouses and children. Most suffered for their principles. Most were denied constitutional protections and even impartial juries. Most were pressured to confess to crimes that they did not commit. Many with longer sentences wondered if they would ever make it home. Now they are free. Joe Bidens last act in office was to pre-emptively pardon members of the Biden Crime Family. One of President Trumps first acts back in office was to pardon Americans who never would have suffered had they been registered Democrats. Four years of injustice make the return of justice all the more magnificent. As a partial answer to the Uniparty parasites and Deep State saboteurs who wonder how President Trump perseveres and wins, this is how: he keeps his promises. The criminals who have long run D.C. and the mockingbird media who protect their criminal friends still believe that the public regards Trump as a liar and the permanent bureaucracy as a trusted group of experts. Reality is just the opposite. The American people see in President Trump someone who will give them the unvarnished truth, and they find the permanent bureaucracy a loathsome cabal of backstabbers, charlatans, and tyrants who never hesitate to sell out their country for a quick buck. Joe Biden, Nancy Pelosi, Mitch McConnell, and even government scientist Anthony Fauci all used their sinecures as public servants to become millionaires. Meanwhile, workers in the private sector got poorer each year. Government service is a magnet for psychopaths, sadists, and fraudsters who launder taxpayer dollars into their own piggy banks. If the American people didnt completely appreciate how corrupt the U.S. government is when Trump first entered politics, they certainly get it now. Russia collusion was a lie. Hunter Bidens incriminating laptop was real as was the Biden Crime Familys monetization of Joes office. Impeaching President Trump because Joe Biden accepted bribes from foreign adversaries never made sense to anybody with a brain except Mitt Romney. COVID did come from a lab. Perforated masks dont stop viral transmission but do make it difficult for people to breathe. Economic lockdowns saved no one but killed tens of thousands of small businesses. School closures saved no one but caused lifetime learning harm for an entire generation. The 2020 election was neither free nor fair, and there is substantial evidence of electoral fraud. Government censorship is real. Mass government surveillance of our private communications is real. Mainstream news reporters do lie. And Americans can reclaim lost freedoms only if they reject government propaganda and think for themselves. A lot of people see their world more clearly today than ten years ago because Donald Trump refused to play the Deep States game. Former FBI director Jim Comey spent his last few months in office pretending the Russia collusion lie was real. He knew it wasnt, but as long as he assisted other Deep Staters in perpetrating that fraud on the American people, the Intelligence Community had some level of control over President Trump. What did Trump do? He fired him. The D.C. Uniparty and their mockingbird agents in the press went ballistic. He cant do that! How dare he? How did Trump respond? He doubled down on his insistence that the propaganda press is the enemy of the people. The ruling class freaked out again. He cant say that! We are the pillars of this precious Democracy! Yet after years of Trump sticking to his guns and the Deep Staters sticking to their lies, whom do the American people trust? Trump. Whom do the American people distrust? The permanent bureaucracy and their lackeys in the corporate news media. If the American Republic is to survive, the Deep State must be deconstructed. For the Deep State to be deconstructed, the American people must recognize it for what it is a clear and present danger to the Constitution and their inalienable freedoms. Were in that battle right now, but its going better than some might think. Gone are the days when Americans blindly accepted the illusion of a just, nonpartisan, and professional FBI. More Americans than ever see it as the threat to civil liberties that it is. The Fascist Bureau of Intimidation doesnt exist to solve complex crimes across state lines. It exists to protect the permanent ruling class in D.C. by obfuscating uncomfortable truths, harassing the governments critics, and covering up the federal governments worst crimes. The FIBbers love to take credit for local police work because they hide behind a cover identity as a law enforcement agency. But the only crimes the FBI solves are crimes that it perpetrates (e.g., the ISIS attack in Garland, Texas; the Whitmer fed-napping plot in Michigan; and the Capitol breach on January 6, 2021, involving numerous FBI paid informants and undercover assets). When its not actually committing crimes for public show, the FBI is busy building blackmail files that can be used to intimidate and control influential people. The larger Intelligence Community utilizes the law enforcement hat of the FBI to punish enemies and protect its retention of total government power. That must end. Whats at stake during President Trumps second term? We have a chance to free ourselves from an oppressive and totalitarian national security machine that has been slowly smothering American freedom for the last century. The Deep State occupiers in D.C. dont think we can win. Thats what they said about President Trump, too. Look how that worked out for them. Image: Gage Skidmore via Flickr, CC BY-SA 2.0. Somewhere in the bowels of the CNN Building in Atlanta is a video clip that has been on file since the channel began in 1980. The footage is of a military band performing Nearer My God To Thee. The explicit instructions are that this particular tape is not to be released for broadcast till the end of the world confirmed. Morbid perhaps, but Ted Turner cant be disparaged for thinking of the big picture. His CNN was going on the air with the then-traditional national anthem and would stop for nothing until the apocalypse. This being the dawn of the Eighties it was far easier to imagine the end of history descending with an inevitable conflagration of nuclear holocaust. Thankfully, those fears abated a little more than a decade later. But the end of the world tape still exists, ready to be deployed in circumstances that can not be readily calculated. CNN might well be broadcasting until the final moments of humankind. But its clout as a prestigious news leader has certainly met its demise. A network that boasted of an audience of millions during the Persian Gulf War is today measured in tens of thousands. Its not even shown in most airport terminals anymore. CNN is now profusely bleeding staff, particularly in the months since the 2024 election. CNN and much of the rest of the legacy news media, if not outright dead, are being held aloft by what medical staff would call heroic measures to stave off the inevitable. And they have only themselves to blame. The moment has arrived to vigorously address this. When the Internet first came into widespread use, it was envisioned that it would bring with it the end of gatekeeping. Never more would the spread of information be controlled by a few professional outlets. Every individual could be his own publisher, and even become a live news broadcaster as the technology further evolved. It has taken more than thirty years, but that time has come. Indeed, it has been with us for a while already. Now at last it is being fully engaged with. When online broadcasters like Joe Rogan command regular audiences in the tens of millions while longstanding network broadcasters struggle to maintain a hundred thousand viewers, there has been a dire sea change that cannot go unacknowledged. Trump Administration 2.0 has a glorious opportunity before it. And that is to end the mainstream presss influence as it has come to be known and reviled. What do outlets such as the New York Times and CNN have besides the weight of their collective history? What have they contributed lately to the great calling of covering the news without favor and letting the chips falls where they may? Because whatever moral impetus that the legacy media has had is long spent. The calling has been disregarded for sake of ideologically driven infotainment that has long propelled an agenda in contention with most of the American people. No, it is not the end of the world. But it certainly is the end of a paradigm that has persisted for far too long. Such things can be startling, even intimidating. But in the final analysis they are inevitable. Its assumed that journalists are to be absent of bias. That is an unrealistic expectation. Reporters and editors and news anchors are as human as the rest of us. And whether we like it or not we each bring our agendas to bear upon all that we do. News reporting is no different. The real trick, however, is to be actively aware of that bias, and to make a conscious and earnest effort to mitigate that factor. In this, the mainstream press in vast part has failed completely. And there must be consequences for that. Maybe once upon a time there was cordiality, even outright friendliness, if not hearty agreement between the president and the press corps. Some of age might remember the network journalists jovially interacting with Ronald Reagan and he with them. But those days are long gone. The inheritors of that medias mantle have thoroughly disregarded any respect that their forebears had for the office and its occupant. There was a sense of ethical duty among the press then. Some essence that propelled them. But there is no such momentum today. The major networks and legacy print media can no longer claim the moral high ground. The past decade and a half have especially shorn off the veneer of objectivity, beneath which is naught but stagnation and mediocrity and bold-faced partisan motives. The Trump Administration would do well to not only actively acknowledge this, but to take active steps toward adjusting to the new era. There does exist a myriad of new media outlets that can fill the need for responsible journalism that will watch the administration so that the citizens can hold it accountable. Indeed, one might suggest that there are even opposition outlets that could be allowed a presence. But they would be honest ones. There is no need to further tolerate those that are disingenuous about their agenda and of their coverage. And that is what The New York Times and ABC and MSNBC and their kind are and have been doing, for much longer than any sensible citizenry should continue to tolerate. It would be a marvelous moment if, a few days into the new administration, Karoline Leavitt announced to most of the existing press corps that Your service has been duly noted, however, we have come to the conclusion that your audience sizes do not justify your presence here. Now please turn in your credentials at the door. And then as they are leaving the room, the incoming next generation of media are escorted inside and shown to their seats. Imagine the long-compromised White House correspondents being made to give way to bloggers who until a few days earlier had been writing from living rooms and coffee shops, now allowed to robustly cover the goings-on in the most powerful executive office on Earth. Maybe American Thinker can have a correspondent posted at the White House. The establishment media would scream bloody murder. Perhaps its outlets should be given a chance to justify their presence. Submitting a ten-page single-spaced white paper would suffice, to be published on the White House website for public scrutiny. Let the American people decide for themselves if the legacy press has merited having a much-coveted presence in the White House media room. The podcasters and bloggers such as Joe Rogan may not be unbiased, but they are at least forthright. And that is what the American people and the world at large deserve. The White House press corps should be a vibrant and energetic lot, with each member driven to pursue the truth of the matters at hand with all abandon. They can and should be held accountable by their peers, but especially by the free market. Can traditional news media like CNN, NBC, the Washington Post, and even the supposedly venerable New York Times successfully argue that they have maintained journalistic ethics and integrity in their generations-long coverage? Or is it time to let them be surpassed by otherwise common people who have demonstrated the capacity to respectfully ask hard questions and expect no less than straight and solid answers? Who also, it must be recognized, have vastly larger audiences that appreciate those qualities. These are questions that it is time to address. Christopher Knight is a longtime blogger at theknightshift.com. He has also written for The Western Journal and The Federalist. He has recently finished writing his first book. Image: White House Claire Partain is a Houston ISD reporter for the Houston Chronicle covering student achievement. She can be reached at claire.partain@houstonchronicle.com. She got her start as sports editor at Texas State University (go Cats!) before covering professional soccer team Austin FC and other Austin news at digital startup Austonia. Claire has also freelanced with her hometown paper, appearing in the Fairfield Recorder, Teague Chronicle and Corsicana Daily Sun. The flak is always heaviest when youre directly over the target. Americans paying attention have noticed the Borking and Kavanaughing of Trumps Secretary of Defense nominee Pete Hegseth. Thus far, everything Democrats/socialists/communists (D/s/c) have trotted out in an attempt to sink his nomination has failed. Yeah, Hegseth is divorced. Yeah, he's a warrior and sometimes behaved like one. Yeah, he used to drink. Blah, blah, blah. His confirmation hearing was embarrassingto D/s/c politicians like Elizabeth Warren who walked into a trap of her own making by demanding Hegseth pledge not to work for defense contractors after leaving office, like most generals do. Hegseth wryly replied: Im not a general, Senator. Rim shot. D/s/cs were counting on Hegseths FBI background check to provide juicy scandals that could torpedo his nomination, but that didnt pan out either. There was nothing they could use or even try to twist into a scandal. Desperate, because it appears Hegseth has the votes to become Secretary of Defense, D/s/cs tried a last-minute dirty trick: Graphic: X Screenshot With Pete Hegseth's confirmation as Secretary of Defense becoming all but certain leading up to President Donald Trump's inauguration, the attempt to Brett Kavanaugh him is now underway. On Tuesday night, NBC News released a hit piece accusing Hegseth of abusing his second wife, causing her to "fear for her life." Other press outlets immediately followed suit with similar reports, citing an affidavit submitted by his former sister-in-law. The ex-sister-in-law, Danielle Hegseth, was interviewed by the FBI for Hegseth's background check. She reportedly made the same claims, but the FBI, unsurprisingly, couldn't substantiate them. And there was another problem. Hegseths ex-wife told the media on the record, before the media published, the allegations were false. JD Vance cogently observed: Graphic: X Screenshot This isnt just a sympathetic ex-wife trying to get Hegseth out of a last-minute jam: Both Pete Hegseth and Samantha Hegseth signed a 2021 court document that said neither parent claimed to be a victim of domestic abuse. Oops. Montana Senator Tim Sheehy added additional context about Danielles motivations: Graphic: X Screenshot With any luck, well soon know who made such assurances. I wonder if it was the Pentagon? Most likely it was congressional D/s/cs, though the Pentagon is not looking forward to Hegseths confirmation. If you think you hate the media, Donald Trump Jr. reiterates why you dont hate them enough: Graphic: X Screenshot And so does Andrew Surabain: Graphic: X Screenshot Of course its indefensible, but the media still thinks its invulnerable and unaccountable. CNNs recent defamation loss should have disabused them of that lunatic notion. Bonchie sums up: Graphic: X Screenshot Some good will come out of this. Pete Hegseth will be confirmed, and it will become even more obvious just how far the legacy media have fallen, and how little trustvirtually nonehonest Americans have in them. The media ought to be paying attention to what Ernest Hemingway said about bankruptcy: it happens gradually and then suddenly. The medias moral and ethical bankruptcy, and their financial bankruptcy, is nearly past the gradual stage. Suddenly cant come soon enough. On a different subject, if you are not already a subscriber, you may not know that weve implemented something new: A weekly newsletter with unique content from our editors for subscribers only. These essays alone are worth the cost of the subscription. Mike McDaniel is a USAF veteran, classically trained musician, Japanese and European fencer, life-long athlete, firearm instructor, retired police officer and high school and college English teacher. He is a published author and blogger. His home blog is Stately McDaniel Manor. I think most observers of the Los Angeles fires are being too polite in not pointing out that the residents in the upscale neighborhoods devastated by the fires are reaping what they have sown. Like most affluent white elites in LA, they possess a self-loathing, nihilistic attitude. Some of them may even view the fires as a form of social justice visited upon them for imagined past racial inequities or divine retribution for a failure to live in harmony with nature. Because of a fealty to DEI, they voted for incompetent government officials who have exhibited only negligence and inaction in the lead up to the fires. Now after their neighborhoods have been reduced to smoldering ash, they vent their anger not on the mayor that flew the coop when the fires started, not at the deputy mayor who sits home on administrative leave after he allegedly called in a bomb threat against City Hall, not at the governor for destroying dams and redirecting an abundance of water to flow to smelt in Northern California instead of residents in Southern California, and not at the homeless illegal alien migrants hopped up on speed brandishing blow torches in the underbrush and starting fires across the entire county. They direct their anger instead at those that wont accept their conviction that its all due to climate change. We indulge the Lefts neuroses every day. In big ways, like allowing water to be funneled into the ocean instead of reservoirs in a state prone to wildfire, and in small ways, like remembering that the preferred pronouns of LA mayor Bass are she/her (at least I believe that to be the case). I realize now that those on the left prefer performance art from their leaders rather than legitimate solutions, so I am through with catering to their neuroses. As the performative aspects of our actions take precedence over the practical aspects, we find ourselves confronted with more absurdities: the nurturing of smelt with water meant for SoCal residents, the transformation of the LA fire department into a lesbian sorority, the trips to Ghana to express solidarity with our African brethren, it is all a charade. If we are to put an end to it, we must roll our eyes whenever we hear someone espouse platitudes like Climate Change is Real, Black Lives Matter, or Hate is not Welcome Here. Let LA burn to the ground if its residents wont wake up. Image generated by AI. After years of having a president who barely could read and just repeated what was put in front of him, we now have a president who can think and answer questions. He is even able to answer reporters' questions from reporters without getting a list of who to call on from his puppetmasters. He knows that men and women are different and he knows that the way to handle California's fire problem is to clear out the brush, build reservoirs, and redirect the water. He knows that the way to make America more secure is to actually close the border and enforce the laws. And finally, we have a president who will tell the truth about CO2 instead of having green pushers throughout the government misleading the public about what CO2 is and spending massive amounts of money pretending that controlling CO2 will control the climate. According to RedState: President Trumps directive to the EPA to revisit the endangerment finding signals a long-overdue reckoning. For years, skeptics have pointed out glaring flaws in both the process by which the finding was made and the assumptions underlying it. For example: Scientific Uncertainty: The endangerment finding relied heavily on computer models that predicted catastrophic global warming. Yet these models have consistently failed to align with observed temperature trends. By overstating the risks posed by greenhouse gases, the EPA created a climate of fear and justified draconian regulations. Legal Overreach: The Clean Air Act was never designed to address global climate issues. Stretching the law to regulate carbon dioxidea gas essential for lifewas a legal maneuver that bypassed Congress and concentrated power in the hands of unelected bureaucrats. Economic Harm: The regulations stemming from the endangerment finding have been disastrous for American workers and families. High energy costs disproportionately harm the poor and working-class, while businesses face increased compliance costs that stifle innovation and job creation. CO2 is a clear, innocuous gas, that is mostly produced naturally, that makes plants thrive and allows the world to be fed. Thank goodness we have elected a president who knows that one of the greatest ways to have an economy thrive is to have reasonably priced energy. Reasonably priced energy greatly helps the poor and middle class, people most of the media and other Democrats only pretend to care about. Unlike past presidents, such as Barack Obama, and Joe Biden, Trump knows that the Paris climate accord would do nothing to control the climate but it would contribute to a great decline of America. The Paris climate accord, like carbon credits, is just a worthless piece of paper where people pretend to care. Burying CO2 is as big a waste of money as DEI initiatives. Trump believes in helping all races but he doesn't believe in wasting money on massive government bureaucracies. Unlike the U.N., as well as Obama, and Biden, he will not lecture underdeveloped and poor countries to stay poor and underdeveloped to save the planet, leading those people of color to die young. It is astonishing that with record cold and snow throughout the South that the media and other Democrats will continue to claim that our use of natural resources for the last 169 years causes warming. Facts and science haven't mattered to Democrats for a long time. All they care about is giving kickbacks to green pushers and controlling our lives. The media, bureaucrats, and politiciansall mostly Democratssquealed like stuck pigs when President Trump, Elon Musk, and Vivek Ramaswamy pointed out all of the wasteful spending that was in the 1,500 page Continuing Resolution; these government hacks couldnt stand that their sweet little deal of handing out trillions of our dollars every few months to political supporters who would then line their pockets in return was blocked. Now, an article from USA Today says that that act of blocking a bill full of pork indicated that Trumps second term would be disruptiveas if that is a bad thing! Trump on the cusp: Aggressive transition period signals disruptive second term Lawmakers had been eager to head home for the holidays after unveiling a stopgap funding bill to keep the U.S. government open that by all accounts looked to be cruising toward final passage. The president-elect had other plans, calling the bipartisan legislation pushed by GOP House leadership a betrayal of our country in a joint statement with Vice President-elect JD Vance posted on X. Enormous political disruption, said Vermont Democratic Sen. Peter Welch after a reporter showed him Trumps statement on a phone outside the Senate chamber. Speeding past journalists into an elevator, Alaska Republican Sen. Lisa Murkowski uttered, Its all a fascinating mess. Here is a little help for readers to understand the language of most people posing as journalists: Trump and Republicans are disruptive and messy; Democrats are sensible and cooperative. Democrat policies are great and progressive no matter how much they destroy America and no matter how unpopular they are. Republican policies are terrible and backward-looking, no matter how much they help America. Trumps picks for the cabinet are controversial no matter how qualified they are; Democrat cabinet picks are all acceptable no matter how inept or corrupt they are. Here are some things that the media and other Democrats clearly are worried that Trump will disrupt: Someone coming in and reducing spending, which has gone up over 50% in five years. The only thing acceptable to those at the trough is to increase spending and seize more wealth via taxation from businesses and people. You see, greedy people can have too much, but it is never too much for the government to confiscate. It is disruptive to start enforcing immigration laws. It is much better to just let terrorists and criminals in and to enrich the cartels, which happens to be the best way to implement the Cloward-Piven strategy. We cant have a president who destroys the agenda to let men play in womens sports, and to let men flash their members around womens locker rooms. Heaven forbid that we have a president who can define what a woman is, and orders the federal government to only recognize the two sexes. We need to keep the status quo to block poor and minority children from having the choice to go to better schoolsthis keeps teachers unions rolling in the dough. We need to allow the federal workers to continue to work from home because making them earn a paycheck from an office would be cruel, and efficiency isnt the goal. We cant allow people to have the freedom of choice on what kind of car or appliance to buy. That would stop the kickbacks to green pushers. We must continue the fiction that politicians and bureaucrats can control the climate if we simply surrender all our wealth and freedom. Its important to build the finances of Iran as they pledge death to America and death to Israel. After all, that is what the adults in the room have known for years! Why would we ever pull out of the World Health Organization, which is so efficient at protecting China and tyrannizing the world? It is a disaster to have a president who recognizes that the Paris Climate Accord is a worthless agreement that seeks to destroy Americathis is how we bankrupt the working class! We need to stop Trump, who wants the poor and middle classes to have affordable and reliable energy. Of course, Im being wildly sarcastic. Thank goodness we now have a president who not only wants to disrupt the swamp, but is aggressively disrupting the swamp. It is sad that most of the media wants a powerful government, as long as it is run by leftists. Image: Free image, Pixabay license. In the aftermath of the Los Angeles fires and North Carolina floods, the phrase extreme weather has been brandished widely by the Left and their allies in mainstream media as an explanation for the severity of these catastrophes. It has gained prominence as an umbrella term for unusual and severe weather phenomena, such as heatwaves, floods, droughts, and storms that are supposedly a result of anthropogenic global warming. However, the term extreme weather did not even enter the popular lexicon until right after Hurricane Katrina devastated New Orleans in 2005. It was then that mainstream media shifted public attention to the term as part of a broader effort to raise fear about climate change due to anthropogenic global warming. It is important to remember that over a decade had elapsed since the UN Rio summit in 1992, in which world leaders first gathered to address concerns over climate change. Within that period, not a word was written in the media attributing the severity of weather events to anthropogenic global warming. Why was that? For one thing, the empirical record for extreme weather events does not show any increase in severity and frequency. So, what changed after Hurricane Katrina? From a metrological perspective, Hurricane Katrina, was only a Category 3 hurricane upon landfall in Louisiana. Compared to Hurricane Camille that struck the Gulf Coast in 1969 as a Category 5, Katrina was relatively mild. However, Katrinas storm surge hit an unprepared New Orleans. Having not experienced a direct hit in decades, the US Army Corps of Engineers, which was responsible for maintaining the levee system around New Orleans, became lax in their preparation for such an event. The levee system that held back the waters of Lake Pontchartrain and Lake Borgne was completely overwhelmed by rain and Katrinas storm surge and flooded a large part of the city. From a political perspective, things were different with Hurricane Katrina. The environment was politically charged. Although the chaos that engulfed New Orleans in the aftermath of Katrina was in large part due to the magnitude of the flooding, responsibility for restoring order fell on the mayor and he came up short. However, the mainstream media made it out to be the fault of President Bush. It was in this politically charged environment that mainstream media reporters first tested out the idea that Katrinas ferocity was due to climate change and that we could expect more of it in the future. It turned out to be a major propaganda coup for climate change advocates, their message being amplified with every storm, flood, and drought that followed. Climate change advocates resorted to promoting extreme weather narrative because it was more visceral, immediate, and fearful to their targeted audience. The supposed long-term effects of anthropogenic global warming such as sea level were more distant, incremental, and less fearful. Beside the fact that the empirical data does not support the extreme weather narrative, we all sense that the devastation from a storm or fire is not due solely to its severity. As was the case with Hurricane Katrina and the recent Los Angeles fires, unpreparedness on the part of state and local authorities played a big role. In the pre-Katrina period, the media might attribute devastation to the fitful ways of nature or human incompetence but in the post-Katrina era all blame is due to climate change and human culpability is only measured in terms of tailpipe emissions. Another way to look at the whole climate change/extreme weather scare is to analogize it to a situation where you visit your physician. After your physical, your physician tells you that you may have a fatal disease. Hes not sure, but he proposes a treatment that will be expensive and painful while offering no prospect of preventing the disease. When you ask why you would ever agree to such a thing, he says he just feels obligated to do something. Does it make any sense to blindly follow the prescription of our climate doctors? I will leave that to be answered by the reader. Image: Free image, Pixabay license. Marcus Tullius Cicero once said, Politicians are not born, they are excreted. This may sound harsh, but the failure of the Texas House to choose a speaker with integrity proves that Cicero had a point. Per Brandon Waltens, Just hours after the new legislative session kicked off in Austin, State Rep. Dustin Burrows was elected to serve as speaker of the House ... despite significant opposition from within his own party, ultimately relying on Democrat support to clinch the position. Although Republicans control 88 of the Texas Houses 150 seats, state rep. David Cook the actual nominee of the Republican caucus for House speaker lost to Democrat-backed Burrows when 36 Republicans voted with 49 Democrats to hand Burrows the speakers gavel. The defection of 36 lawmakers from the Republican-backed Cook to the Democrat-backed Burrows has been dubbed the Goodfellas Controversy by Texas Scorecard, in line with Lt. Gov. Dan Patricks criticism on X that lawmakers have created a political system of cronyism that rewards House members who play ball with them and punishes those who refuse. Lt. Gov. Patrick wrote the following: Five business partners control the operations of the Texas House: Dennis Bonnen, Greg Bonnen, Dustin Burrows, Cody Harris, and Dade Phelan. They are also business partners together in a bank [known as Third Coast Bank]. ... There is nothing illegal about it. [snip] But collectively, these 5 have held the 3 most important positions in the Texas House for most of a decade: Texas House Speaker, House Appropriations Chair, and House Calendars Chair. These 3 positions control the Texas House. ... [T]he Texas House has become an oligarchy. ... Together they decide what legislation lives and dies. ... Its a closed shop. Theres no power sharing in the Texas House unless you are with them. ... These 5 are a non-criminal version of the Goodfellas. If you dont support them, you are locked out and sometimes punished for not supporting them. In an official statement, issued on January 14, 2025, Patrick has also said this: One cannot imagine if the Democrats had 88 members of the Texas House that they would allow Republicans to elect the speaker. I am proud of the Republicans who stood together and voted for Rep. Cook, the House Republican Caucus nominee. Republican voters expected the new speaker to be elected by Republicans, not by Democrats. Recent polling indicates that 56% to 81% of GOP primary voters oppose the idea of Democratic chairs. This makes sense, because the elected delegates of Texas Republican voters chose eight legislative priorities, at the state convention, for the 89th session of the Texas Legislature, the fourth one on that list being as follows: No Democrat Chairs: The Republican-controlled Texas Legislature shall end the practice of awarding committee chairmanships to Democrats and require all committees to be majority Republican. This rule was created because Dade Phelan, who was speaker for the last two terms, continually refused to stop naming Democrats to chair legislative committees of the Texas House. Texas voters are wide awake and will be following Dustin Burrowss doings with heightened interest this legislative season. If things do not go well, and the eight Republican priorities are not enacted, Burrows and his 36 Goodfellas may find themselves at risk of being primaried come 2026. The names of the 36 Republicans who voted to empower the Democrats can be found on a list provided by Texas Scorecard. In the meantime, the Republican Party of Texas is saying it will seek to censure and potentially remove from the primary ballot any Republican lawmaker who did not support the Republican candidate for speaker. Paul Dowlings book on the Constitution is Keeping a Free Republic downloadable for $1.99. Additionally, Paul has contributed to Independent Sentinel and Free Thought Matters. Image via Pexels. President Donald Trump has asserted that his Middle East policy will focus on expanding the Abraham Accords, which aim to normalize the relationship between Israel and Americas key regional Arab allies. This strategy also involves undermining states intent on destabilizing the region, especially Iran. It can be reinforced by working more closely with reliable states such as Israel and Azerbaijan, which have consistently opposed Tehrans ambitions and supported Israels self-defense. Trumps national security team will aim to expand the 2020 Abraham Accords, in which four Arab states (the UAE, Bahrain, Morocco, and Sudan) agreed to normalize relations with Israel. The future priorities include Saudi Arabia, Indonesia, and Malaysia. As for dealing with Iran, the most promising new candidates will be pro-Western Muslim countries with increasing strategic importance. Azerbaijan is the leading power in the South Caucasus region, adjacent to the Middle East. It is situated between the anti-American alliance of Russia and Iran and sits at the transportation crossroads between Europe and Central Asia. Image: Israels President Isaac Herzog and Azerbaijans President Ilham Aliyev meet in Davos. YouTube screen grab (cropped). Azerbaijan is a secular, Shia Muslim-majority state and the largest country in the South Caucasus in terms of territory, population, economy, and military power. It is a significant contributor to Europes energy security, supplying oil and increasing volumes of gas to EU countries as an alternative to Russia. It is also a growing transit hub for trade between Europe and Asia. Of all Muslim states, Azerbaijan has developed the most comprehensive ties with Israel, including a 30-year-long military-strategic partnership. During a December 2024 meeting with Azerbaijans President Ilham Aliyev, leaders of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) asserted that the US had not fully appreciated Azerbaijans support for Israel and its constructive role in the region. Since the 1990s, Azerbaijan has been key to Israels energy security. In 2021, Israels then-Foreign Minister Gabi Ashkenazi stated that Baku remained the countrys largest supplier, and it subsequently boosted its oil exports at the height of Israels 2024 war against Hamas. Azerbaijan has also been a leading purchaser of Israeli military equipment, comprising almost 70% of its imports in the 2010s. A new military agreement was signed in September 2024 that will boost hardware purchases and engagement in projects critical to Israels security. As the Begin-Sadat Center at Bar-Ilan University points out in its new research paper, Azerbaijans constructive regional role is also evident in Bakus attempts to mediate relations between Turkey and Israel, which have deteriorated since the war against Hamas. President Aliyev has personally participated in previous efforts and is prepared to take on a similar role during the Trump administration while also serving as a mediator between Israel and other Muslim states. Israel and Azerbaijan have also developed close ties between their intelligence agencies, particularly in monitoring Iranian developments. Azerbaijan has a long border with Iran, and ethnic Azerbaijanis are Irans largest minority, comprising roughly 20% of the countrys population, or almost 18 million people. Israel and Azerbaijan have a common perspective on Iran, viewing the Ayatollah regime as an existential threat to both states. When Azerbaijan reclaimed the territory of Karabakh from Armenia in a swift military operation in September 2020, Israel sided with Azerbaijan while Iran supported Armenia. Israeli weapons, including heavy artillery, rocket launchers, and drones, proved invaluable for Baku in retaking Karabakh. The outcomes of the war intensified disputes between Iran and Azerbaijan over transportation routes across the South Caucasus. The Ayatollah regime attempted to pressure Baku not to cut off Irans links with Armenia, and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps held several large military exercises near the border with Azerbaijan. Tehran also conducted propaganda campaigns against Azerbaijans leadership in the Muslim world and sought to discredit President Aliyev for his staunch pro-Israeli stance. Azerbaijans resistance to Iranian regional influence comes at a time when Russias President Vladimir Putin and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian signed a strategic partnership agreement in Moscow on January 17. Among its stipulations is that the two countries will collaborate in dealing with common military and security threats. Relations between Azerbaijan and Russia have deteriorated recently following the shooting down of an Azerbaijani passenger airline in December 2024 by Russian missiles. Azerbaijani officials criticized Moscows denials and lack of transparency, and President Aliyev demanded punishment for those responsible and reparations for the victims families. The Kremlins response to the tragedy deepened skepticism in Baku about Russias reliability as a partner and may consolidate Azerbaijans Western trajectory, on which the Trump administration needs to capitalize. Janusz Bugajski is a Senior Fellow at the Jamestown Foundation in Washington DC and the author of two new books: Pivotal Poland: Europes Rising Power and Failed State: A Guide to Russias Rupture. When my wife woke me up in the wee hours of November 7, 2012, to tell me that Barack Obama had won a second term as president, a wave of both depression and evil instantly seemed to sweep across me. It was unsettling, to say the least. Twelve years later, I had a reassuring sense of peace as I remained glued to the screen, watching the incoming results of the 2024 election. And when a couple of hours after midnight on November 6, 2024, it became official that Donald J. Trump had regained the presidency, a palpable feeling of celebration mixed with release and relief washed over me. I felt that that same sense of relief and peace was somehow spreading nationwide. Some have labeled this national (even international) feeling as a vibe shift, However, I might go a significant step further and call it a spiritual shift. YouTube screen grab. Now, just days after the official inauguration of Trump as Americas 47th president, we must wait patiently and optimistically to see how everything plays out in the months and years ahead. But it seems like the seeds of Americas destruction (and their subsequent sprouting), which were planted back in the election of 2008, are, after sixteen long years, about to be dramatically uprooted. The fundamental transformation of America may begin, with Gods leading, to correct into a foundational restoration. We who firmly believe in the power of a Loving God must hold onto this verse from the Book of Joel in the Bible: I will restore to you the years that the swarming locust has eaten... (Joel 2:25 NKJV) Signs of this restoration have manifested with President Trumps first-day Executive Orders. There were so many orders signed within hours of each other, but one in particular brought me great joy: the release of the wrongly imprisoned J6 protestors. As Tucker Carlson noted almost two years ago, just days before he was booted from the Fox Network... January 6, I think, is probably second only to the 2020 election as the biggest scam in my lifetime. And you know it is because they become completely hysterical when confronted with any facts that deviate from their lies. (Tucker Carlson Tonight, March 14, 2023) The incarceration of, and persecution of, the J6ers who were exercising their First Amendment right to free speech were used as an obvious diversionary tactic to shift focus from the real insurrection. Tens of thousands of protestors descended on the Capitol on January 6, 2021, not because they thought the 2020 presidential election was stolenbut because they knew that it was. The Deep State had to present a shiny object in the form of a violent riot at the Capitol so that citizens across the nation would not even consider the quiet coup that had taken place on November 3, 4, 5, and 6, 2020. In President Trumps bold Executive Order just a couple of days ago to release every single political hostagean astounding number, approximately 1,500he began the process of doing something about the evil that we have all witnessed that was right there in plain sight for four long years. No, we are certainly not out of the woods yet. But like President Ronald Reagans slogan from decades back, we can rejoice in the early signs: Its morning again in America. We can and must certainly continue to pray that what the locusts have eaten over these past four years, in particular, can be restored. God is still in charge. And just as we are told in the Book of Job that the latter years of Jobs life were even more prosperous than the previous (remember, Job lost everything), we can look forward to the restoration of lives derailed by false imprisonment. And, more than that, we can look forward to the reinstallation of liberty and justice for all. Albin Sadar is the author of Obvious: Seeing the Evil Thats in Plain Sight and Doing Something About It, as well as the childrens book collection Hamster Holmes: Box of Mysteries. Albin was formerly the producer of The Eric Metaxas Show. The day of the inauguration, we saw many sides of the new 47th president. He didnt hold back in chastising the previous administration for their destructive policies and for their lack of wise decision-makingright to their faces. Although his voice was moderated, his anger and disappointment were both apparent. Many media outlets have gone out of their way to disparage his comments and his criticisms. But in spite of the harshness of some of his words, he showed us a caring and compassionate side, too. He took the time at both his inauguration address, and even while he was signing Executive Orders at the Capitol One Arena and at the Oval Office, to show us an approachable and open-minded side that we rarely see. It was delightful and encouraging to see his calm demeanor, his sincerity and his candor. Some of his comments were thoughtful; some were amusing; still others were old beefs stated in quieter tones. What were some of the things he said? The first comments that come to mind were regarding the first lady. He commented on how she almost blew away with the hat she was wearing. But the funniest comment was when he said, noting he was going to get in trouble for saying it, that Melanias feet were killing her. And the directors of the inauguration process kept adding more destinations (and steps) for her to take. But President Trump wanted everyone to know that she was prepared to tough it out. (Melania smiled at him and shook her head.) The people listening laughed. Later he went to the Capitol One Arena and signed additional Executive Orders. When he finished, he also talked about the hostages in Israel, Americans and Israelis, acknowledging that some had already died, and he invited the families up to the stage: "To the former hostages with us today, welcome, welcome home," Trump said. "The three young ladies that came home yesterday, you saw that; more are coming home every day now. They were hurt One had fingers of her hand blown off; she was trying to defend herself from a bullet being fired, you believe that? Its a disgrace," he went on. "We never stopped praying for you, and were so glad that youre reunited with your friends and families," Trump said. He shook hands with the families, some of them before he gave his speech, and the rest of them immediately afterward. Many of them were speaking to him, and he listened patiently, as they likely expressed their gratitude for his actions regarding the hostages. After signing some Executive Orders in the Capitol One Arena, he went to the Oval Office. He seemed relaxed and engaged in almost a casual conversation with reporters as he signed more Executive Orders. Some sources described Trumps tone as lighter than 2017: Eight years ago, Donald Trump took office with a dark message about American carnage a nation ravaged by crime, poverty and drugs. As he returns to the White House on Monday, his team is stressing unity and light. [snip] Light signifies hope, it signifies a new beginning, it signifies a pathway forward. It's really something that has been a theme for the inaugural, yes, but also a guiding principle for our team over the past couple months, a person familiar with Trump's inauguration plans told Axios. If more new MAGA citizens have the opportunity to see this other side of President Trump, he may be able to bring them along more easily for his challenging agenda ahead. Image: Screen shot from Forbes Breaking News video, via YouTube Newly-inaugurated President Donald Trumps proclamation pardoning more than 1,500 defendants involved in the so-called insurrection of January 6, 2021, has elicited a statement from a member of the Congressional Black Caucus (and a former Kansas City mayor) Rep. Emanuel Cleaver (D-MO) condemning Trumps actions. In the spirit of full disclosure, let me make it plain here that I am not a fan of Cleaver, who, as a Methodist pastor, also goes by Reverend Cleaver. I have written about him several times before in American Thinker, of which one example can be found here. Cleavers statement about the pardons of those charged in the events of Jan. 6 reads as follows: January 6, 2021, was one of the darkest days in American history. As the world looked on and Americans witnessed with their own eyes, President Trump incited an insurrection in an effort to illegally extend his hold on the presidency and prevent the peaceful transfer of power. As a result of the chaos and violence that ensued, more than 100 police officers were injured, several died of their injuries, and the U.S. Capitol building was desecrated, with blood, feces, and other bodily fluids smeared within the halls of Congress. As I reflect on the horrors of that day, it is deeply shocking, but not the least bit surprising. Image: YouTube screen grab (edited). As you can see, Cleaver is only too eager to repeat and perpetuate the brazen lies that characterize the Democrat narrative of the events of that day, not the least of which is that police officers died as a result. Those lies were also repeated in the kangaroo court-like hearings of the United States House Select Committee to Investigate the January 6th Attack on the United States Capitol that the Democrats staged and conducted and which I wrote about here. Cleaver also made public remarks in which he lamented that Trumps pardons would now cause him to live in fear because insurrectionists, including persons affiliated with the Proud Boys and Oath Keepers (which he, of course, identifies as racist and white supremacist groups), are back on the street and running loose. May I remind everyone (especially those with short or selective memories) that Cleaver, who never tires of perpetuating the canard that all conservatives are inherently racist, raised a great hue and cry back in 2010 with his claim that, at a Tea Party rally, he had been assaulted by being spat upon and called the N-word? To the best of my knowledge, there has never been any corroboration, evidence, or testimony from any witnesses to support Cleavers claim. Those of us who attended Tea Party rallies, as well as others who can distinguish truth from lies, viewed his claim as a massive and particularly fragrant pile of Bravo Sierra. But, as his latest statement shows that the Reverend Cleaver, like so many of his fellow Democrats, never gets too far from his old playbook and is unencumbered by any compulsion to be credible, it will not surprise me one bit should a similar tale from him soon be forthcoming. Stu Tarlowe has, since 2010, contributed over 160 pieces to American Thinker. He also publishes a Substack newsletter, Stus Stack o Stuff (the name is an homage to Rush Limbaugh), the subject matter of which is not strictly limited to political topics; subscriptions are currently free, although Tarlowe still harbors the fantasy of being paid to write. Courtney Meadows, Phillips 66 social impact manager, reads a book titled Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? to a group of pre-K students at Farias Early Childhood Center, 515 Rittenhouse St., during a Barbara Bush Houston Literacy Foundation event Wednesday, Dec. 18, 2024, in Houston. Melissa Phillip/Staff Photographer Houston ISD opened its pre-K application for the 2025-2026 school year Wednesday, allowing families to apply for nearly 160 of the districts early childhood education programs. The districts pre-K programs are open to all families in HISD boundaries with a child who will be 3 or 4 years old. Pre-K in HISD is free for families who meet certain criteria, including being homeless, economically disadvantaged or a military family. Otherwise, families must pay tuition, which is $6,687 for the current academic year. Heres what you need to know about this years pre-K application process for HISD: Advertisement Article continues below this ad How does the pre-K application process work? All families in HISD boundaries seeking to enroll their 3- or 4-year-old child in pre-K in HISD for the first time must submit an application, regardless of if they are seeking to apply to their zoned school, magnet pre-K programs or early childhood centers. Most families seeking to enroll their child in their zoned pre-K campus will not need to participate in a lottery. However, when there are not enough seats available for all interested zoned students, HISD will run a lottery to determine which zoned students get a seat. Students who are already in pre-K 3 do not need to reapply for pre-K 4 unless they want to change schools. Advertisement Article continues below this ad What documents are required to apply for pre-K in HISD? Parents must provide their government-issued identification, proof of address, as well as the childs immunization record and proof of identity, such as a birth certificate. Theyll also need to submit additional documentation if they are eligible for tuition-free pre-K, such as proof of income or their military status. Children can qualify for free pre-K if they are considered economically disadvantaged, homeless, speak limited English, in foster care. They also are eligible if one of their parents was a peace officer, firefighter, first responder or active military member. This includes children with a parent who was injured or killed in the line of duty. What are the pre-K application deadlines? Parents can begin to upload all of the required eligibility documents, including the child's birth certificate, proof of address and proof of eligibility, starting April 1. However, the district has not announced when the application will close or when families will be notified of their selected campus. Advertisement Article continues below this ad What pre-K programs does HISD offer? The district has 159 elementary schools with pre-K programs, along with seven schools with pre-K magnet programs and eight early childhood centers. Several of these campuses offer dual language programs, which provide instruction in English and another language, such as Spanish, Arabic, French or Mandarin Chinese. The only five HISD schools that do not offer pre-K are T.H. Rogers School, The Rice School and Shadydale, Neff and Tinsley elementary schools. Parents can find the full list of the districts schools that offer pre-K on HISDs website, including early childhood centers and campuses that offer dual language programs. The district also offers a map of the campuses that currently have seats open for the 2024-25 school year. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Where can I find out more information about the pre-K application process? HISDs Early Childhood Department is holding four in-person parent information sessions from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. Wednesdays to provide an overview of the pre-K enrollment process. The events will be at the Neff Early Learning Center, and the Farias, Ninfa Laurenzo and Martin Luther King early childhood centers. The district is also holding a virtual information session from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. Thursday in English and Spanish. Parents can also contact the Pre-K department at earlychildhood@houstonisd.org or 713-556-4393 for more information about the application process. Samsungs Galaxy S25 Unpacked event is now over and Samsung announced a suite of new things to be excited about. Most notably, Samsungs new Galaxy phones the Galaxy S25, Galaxy S25 Plus, and Galaxy S25 Ultra. Samsung also teased a fourth phone and announced several new features for Galaxy AI and other Galaxy-based apps. When it comes to hardware, Samsung has made a few improvements to its latest versions of the flagship smartphone series. This of course includes new colors, some updated camera hardware, and a new chipset to power each device. Most of the changes are under the hood, however, powered by Galaxy AI as a central feature that is intended to make the new phones a true AI companion for users. If you dont feel like watching a 2+ hour-long livestream video to see everything Samsung announced, weve rounded up the most important stuff for you here. Everything Samsung announced at Galaxy S25 Unpacked Samsung spent a good amount of time talking about all the new AI features of these devices, but it also spent a fair amount of time on the devices themselves. With that said, heres everything Samsung announced at its latest Galaxy Unpacked event, featuring the new Galaxy S25 series. Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra This is by and large the biggest announcement of the day. The Galaxy S25 Ultra is Samsungs new top-tier flagship smartphone, packing all the latest improvements and new features of Galaxy AI. It also houses the most powerful hardware with the best cameras, although some specs will be the same across all three models. Namely the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy. The Galaxy S25 Ultra comes with a 6.9-inch AMOLED display with a refresh rate up to 120Hz, and its powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy. This is the same chipset as other devices that use the Snapdragon 8 Elite, with a few customized/optimized tweaks for the Galaxy S25 series. The phone comes with 12GB of RAM and either 256GB, 512GB, or 1TB storage options. Samsung also rounded out the edges and corners of the display for a more comfortable grip compared to last years model. Additionally, the Galaxy S25 Ultra swaps out the 12MP ultrawide camera on the Galaxy S24 Ultra for a new 50MP ultrawide sensor. With the new Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy chipset, much of the AI processes can happen on the device which helps for privacy reasons. Samsung was keen to focus a little bit on enhanced privacy and security, so this is a big part of the Galaxy S25 Ultra since AI is a focal point of these new phones. The Galaxy S25 Ultra also comes with a 40% larger vapor chamber for enhanced performance and more efficient cooling. And thats going to help a lot with mobile gaming. Pre-orders for the Galaxy S25 Ultra begin today and pricing starts at $1,299.99 for the 256GB model. Its also available in several color options, including a few exclusive ones that you can only get directly from Samsung. Buy the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra Samsung Galaxy S25 and Galaxy S25 Plus The Galaxy S25 and Galaxy S25 Plus will be the base model and mid-tier options for the series. They come with the same chipset as the Galaxy S25 Ultra, but they wont have all the same camera sensors or features. Additionally, their storage size amounts will be slightly different. The Galaxy S25 comes with 128GB or 256GB options, while the Galaxy S25 Plus comes with 256GB or 512GB options. Both of these have 12GB of RAM just like the Galaxy S25 Ultra, however. So you arent losing out on the amount of RAM. Display types are the same, as theyre all AMOLED, but the sizes will vary. The Galaxy S25 is the smallest at 6.2 inches and it has an FHD+ resolution. The Galaxy S25 Plus keeps the Quad HD+ resolution of the Galaxy S25 Ultra, but the screen size is a bit smaller at 6.7 inches. Cameras are essentially the same as last years counterparts, but Samsung has added a new ProScaler AI feature. With this, images are upscaled in real-time to enhance the quality. Samsung also improved the vapor chamber on these two models, although not by as much. Still, the Galaxy S25 and Galaxy S25 Plus received a 15% larger vapor chamber compared to last years phones. And this is still going to translate to more efficient cooling and overall, better performance. Especially during longer mobile gaming sessions. Pre-orders for both of these phones begin today. Pricing starts at $799.99 for the Galaxy S25 128GB model and $999.99 for the Galaxy S25 Plus 256GB model. Buy the Samsung Galaxy S25 Buy the Samsung Galaxy S25 Plus New Galaxy AI features Galaxy AI is the focal point of these new devices, and as such, Samsung has packed as much AI into the Galaxy S25 series as it could. One of these updates is the ability to use Gemini as your default smart assistant. Users can press and hold the button on the side down to activate Gemini and begin conversing with it. Samsung says these are the most contextually aware Galaxy devices its ever made. In addition to the Gemini button, the cameras on each phone also now analyze noise in images more efficiently. The end result is a clearer image in low-light situations. Additionally, theres a new Audio Eraser tool that can help you filter out unwanted background noise from your video recordings. Weve seen this before on Googles more recent Pixel phones. Now Samsung has added it with the Galaxy S25 series. AI Select is another new feature with these devices, and its probably one of the coolest things that Samsung has added. Quite simply because it has the capability to do a lot of things. For example, you can use AI Select to single out a specific moment in a video and turn that into a GIF. You can also use AI Select to scan dates and such for events and add those events to your calendar. Saving you some time. Stressed about what to cook for dinner? No problem. Simply scan whats in your fridge with the camera on your Galaxy S25, and Gemini will give you a recipe. You can then save that recipe as a Samsung Note. This can be especially useful if you dont have all the ingredients and need to head to the store to pick up what youre missing. Theres also the Now Bar and Now Brief. The Now Bar is a new pill-shaped icon that lives on the lock screen, and it can give you contextual reminders that you can easily access at a moments notice. The Now Brief is inside of the Now Bar and is sort of like Googles Morning Brief feature, although it seems a little more advanced. It contains user-relevant info throughout the day, specifically in the morning, afternoon, and evening. Tap to Transfer and Instant Installment These are two new updates coming to Samsung Wallet later this year. Tap to Transfer is a peer-to-peer payment option. It lets you tap two Galaxy smartphones together to send money to another person quickly. You can use this for any reason you might need to transfer money to someone. Like paying your share of a bill for a night out. Instant Installment is a buy now pay later feature that lets you make a purchase and split up the payments in installments. Think PayPals pay-in-4 option that some retailers offer. Samsung says this will be available on older Galaxy devices as well, but the feature isnt going to be available until sometime in the second quarter. Galaxy Watch for Kids This was technically announced before Unpacked started, but were lumping it in because it happened only shortly before the event. The new Galaxy Watch for Kids isnt a whole new device. Rather, its an experience that kids can have on a Galaxy Watch 7, with parents setting parental controls through Googles Family Link. Setup takes place on the parents phone and its possible to set which apps can be installed. Kids also have a variety of customizable watch faces designed for kids. Plus, Samsung says there will be kids bands available too. This experience will require the use of a Galaxy Watch 7 LTE model. Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge Samsung didnt do a full announcement for this phone at the event. However, the company did tease it and talk about it a bit. The phone was also on display at the event to give the public a better look. This is essentially the Galaxy S25 Slim thats been rumored for a while. Just with a different name the Galaxy S25 Edge. Its main trait is that its an incredibly thin device. So if youre looking for a phone to help cut down on weight, this will be it. Once it becomes available. Its also rumored that this version of the Galaxy S25 will have a slightly less powerful version of the Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset. Samsung has finally launched the Galaxy S25 series as its next-gen flagship mobile device. The phones come with a few upgrades in terms of hardware but are more powerful than ever and boast a host of exclusive AI-powered features. To make them more appealing, Samsung announced that every Galaxy S25 lineup purchase will include 6 months of Gemini Advanced and 2TB of cloud storage for free. Every Galaxy S25 purchase includes 6 free months of Gemini Advanced and 2TB of cloud storage Samsung has partnered with Google to offer these benefits through the Google One platform. More specifically, buyers of the Galaxy S25 devices will receive the perks of subscribers to Googles One AI Premium membership. The plans regular price is $19.99/month, so users of Samsungs new premium smartphones will potentially save around $120 over the six months that the benefits are valid. Access to Gemini Advanced doesnt just mean being able to use Googles more advanced AI models. Gemini Advanced will let you use the Gemini AI 1.5 Pro model. It will also give you access to the Gemini-Exp-1206 experimental model specializing in coding and math. Plus, the Deep Research tool can generate detailed reports for you in just a few minutes. But thats not all, as the subscription will enable the option to upload your own files to get help with complex projects. You can also ask Gemini to summarize books of up to 1,500 pages for you. Another useful option for professional and educational settings is being able to create AI expertsGemsfor any topic. Lastly, youll have access to all the Gemini features available in the Workspace suite. Google and Samsung want to attract more users to the AI space Google usually only offers a one-month trial of Gemini Advanced. So, the Galaxy S25 series purchasing perks seem pretty generous. The move is also aimed at attracting more people to the AI segment. Both Google and Samsung want users to feel that AI features are worth the money and will pay for a subscription later. Six months seems like enough time to get many people hooked. Currently, the Galaxy S25 series is available for pre-order. Samsung will begin shipping the devices on February 7. More savings If youre looking to save more money on your Galax S25 purchase, you can order using our links. When you pre-order using these links, youll receive a $50 discount. Pre-order Galaxy S25 (Samsung.com) Pre-order Galaxy S25+ (Samsung.com) Pre-order Galaxy S25 Ultra (Samsung.com) It is no secret that Google is interested in artificial intelligence. The company has made several announcements over the years. It felt like the company was at the forefront of things, but only when OpenAI kicked in the door with ChatGPT did the AI race truly kick off. Now Google is hoping to close the gap and invest in OpenAIs rival by dropping another cool billion into Anthropic. Not Googles first investment Anthropic is viewed as OpenAIs rival in the AI foundation model space. It is also not Googles first investment in the company. Google has made several investments over the years. It is estimated that Google has spent more than $3 billion to invest in Anthropic, and it doesnt seem like things are slowing down. Google is also not alone in its investment in the AI company. Other tech giants such as Amazon have also made similar huge investments of their own. The online retailer has reportedly spent $4 billion investing in Anthropic, where it is looking to integrate its Claude AI models into future Alexa-powered smart speakers. The sudden and massive influx of investments has caught the attention of the FTC. The regulatory body previously launched an investigation into Alphabets (Googles parent company) initial $2.3 billion investment into Anthropic. Why is Google funding Anthropic? Most of you are probably familiar with Googles AI efforts, such as Gemini. It might seem strange that Google would invest a billion dollars in Anthropic, which, on the surface, looks like a rival in the AI space. There are several reasons for this. Firstly, both Google and Anthropic are rivals of OpenAI. As the saying goes, the enemy of my enemy is my friend. Google investing in Anthropic is a way of ensuring that OpenAI doesnt get too far ahead. Its similar to how Google paid Apple billions of dollars a year to remain the default search engine on Safari. Or how Google creates apps for iOS despite being a rival to its own Android mobile platform. Secondly, despite Googles vast resources, the company cannot do everything on its own. Its why many tech giants tend to buy up existing companies and integrate their technology into their own products rather than building their own from scratch. Googles Vertex uses Anthropics Claude AI, which it sells to businesses looking to build and deploy their own machine-learning models. Lastly, Anthropic designed Claude AI with safety in mind to minimize harmful outputs. Using AI can feel like a magical experience, but its answers are sometimes wrong. This is sometimes the result of hallucinations. Google investing in Anthropic could be for ethical reasons, where the company might want to adopt Claude AIs safety-first approach into Gemini. Google has its fingers in many pies. The company has smartphones, tablets, computers, smart homes, search, AI, and more. So its really no surprise that the company is expanding its interests to include extended reality (XR). So much so, Google announced that it would buy part of the HTC XR unit in a deal worth $250 million. Googles expanding ambitions Google has dabbled in VR/AR projects in the past. There was Google Cardboard which was the companys attempt at making affordable VR headsets powered by our smartphones. We also cannot forget Google Glass, the companys attempt at making a pair of smartglasses. So it didnt come as a surprise to learn that Google is now looking into XR, having announced its Android XR platform in 2024. This deal with HTC will bring some of the HTC VIVE engineering team over to Google. This will help Googles efforts in further developing its Android XR platform across various wearables, such as headsets and glasses. That being said, HTC has made it clear that this is not a buyout. Speaking to reporters, HTC vice president and general counsel Lu Chia-te said that it is merely the company granting Google the intellectual property rights. It is also not an exclusive license. This will allow HTC to retain its intellectual property, which it can then use and further develop if it chooses. According to Lu, Therefore, this is not a buyout nor an exclusive license. In the future, HTC will still retain the ability to use, utilize, and even further develop it without any restrictions. The decline of HTCs hardware business HTC used to be the darling of the phone industry. The company came up with many industry firsts back in the day. Remember its attempt at creating a glasses-free 3D smartphone? Or when it introduced a smartphone with dual cameras before dual cameras were a thing? Over the years, HTC has slowly been stepping away from the hardware business. Back in 2017, after several missteps, HTC eventually sold its mobile unit to Google. The company started to branch out into other areas, like with the HTC Vive where the original device was created in collaboration with Valve. It seemed like a new direction the company was heading towards, but now Google buying its XR unit signals that HTC might also want to step away from that area. It remains to be seen what Google will do with its new purchase. Assuming all goes well, the deal is expected to close in the first quarter of 2025. Samsung has officially launched the Galaxy S25, Galaxy S25 Plus, and Galaxy S25 Ultra at todays Unpacked event in San Jose, California. All three smartphones pack some impressive features, including the magic of Galaxy AI. More importantly, they all have Qi2 Ready certification. All that was required for Samsung was to have a compatible 3-in-1 Qi2 charger, which has now popped up on the Wireless Power Consortium (WPC) website. Samsung already has a 3-in-1 Qi2 charger ready for the latest Galaxy S25 series A leaked certificate from the WPC website suggests that WITS, a company that acquired Samsung Electro-Mechanics wireless charging business in 2019, has in fact a 3-in-1 Qi2 wireless charger ready for Samsungs latest smartphones. This charger can wirelessly charge a Qi2 Ready phone, a Galaxy Watch, and Galaxy Buds or Galaxy Ring, simultaneously. The 3-in-1 Qi2 charger can wirelessly charge a Galaxy S25 series phone at a maximum speed of 15W. In addition, the same company has made a Qi2 wireless car charger for Samsung. You can attach this car charger to an AC vent to charge Qi2 Ready phones during the ride. Similar to the 3-in-1 charger, it also offers 15W faster wireless charging for the Galaxy S25 series phones. Well, theres more. If you ever wished for an official magnetic case from Samsung, you can finally buy it. The new case has built-in magnets for better alignment through Qi2s MPP system. At the time of writing, Samsungs official online store is selling the transparent Magnet Case for the Galaxy S25 Ultra for $15. Moreover, there are no similar cases for other models. Youll need the Magnet Case to charge the Galaxy S25 phones via a Qi2 wireless charger Although Samsung says the Galaxy S25 series phones are Qi2 Ready, they dont fully support Qi2 alone. Therefore, to use the aforementioned Qi2 wireless chargers, youll need to pair the Galaxy S25 phones with the official Magnet Case. If youre planning to get your hands on the latest Galaxy S25 series phones, make sure to pre-order them. Also, if you pre-order through the links below, youll receive a $50 discount. Just be sure to act quickly! Pre-order Galaxy S25 (Samsung.com) Pre-order Galaxy S25+ (Samsung.com) Pre-order Galaxy S25 Ultra (Samsung.com) The Galaxy S25 Edge (former known as the Galaxy S25 Slim) looks like a rather peculiar device. Leaks have revealed that, although it will be thinner than its siblings in the lineup, its thickness does not differ too much at first glance. So, many are still wondering about this phones target audience. Now, another leak makes things a little more complicated for those interested in the Galaxy S25 Edge, since it could even equip a downgraded processor. According to reports, Samsung seeks to achieve a balance between thinness and powerful specs in the Galaxy S25 Edge. With this approach, the firm will seek to move away from comparisons with the also-leaked iPhone 17 Air/Slim. Apple is betting everything on aesthetics, making compromises in sections such as the camera system and battery to reach a thickness of only 5.5 mm. Galaxy S25 Edges processor could be a downgraded variant of the Snapdragon 8 Elite Previously, sources said that the Galaxy S25 Edge will use the same chip as the other variants. However, a new report suggests that this was only partially true. Tipster Yogesh Brar said on X/Twitter that the Snapdragon 8 Elite 7-core version will be used in both foldables and the Edge. The post did not specifically mention the name of the Galaxy S25 Edge. However, it is the only Android phone of this type for which details are known. So, Brar seems to have been referring to the companys upcoming slender flagship. In comparison, the original Snapdragon 8 Elite has an eight-core CPU. This means that the Galaxy S25 Edges processor could make it slightly less powerful than its siblings. A report from mid-month revealed the existence of this chip. Industry sources told Mishaal Rahman that the 7-core Snapdragon 8 Elite is ideal for foldables. The differentiating factor is the lower heat generation. Regarding raw power, the chip gets 2% lower scores in AnTuTu and 7% less in Geekbench multi-core, Rahman said. A decision that would make sense The use of this SoC in slimmer phones makes a lot of sense. After all, the cooling system is often one of the parts that gets ditched in order to make a thinner device. For this reason, OEMs need the chip to make as little heat as possible for its implementation to be viable. Either way, the Galaxy S25 Edge could arrive in May. Additionally, Samsung could release it in a range of markets that dont include the US or some important EU countries. Chinese local authorities put childbirth stimulus in govt work reports 09:19, January 23, 2025 By Zhang Changyue ( Global Times Local Chinese governments have incorporated measures, such as subsidies, tax cuts, paternity leave extensions, childcare services, and better healthcare for mothers and children, into their annual work reports as China's provincial-level regions have been holding "two sessions" since the beginning of 2025. The work report of Central China's Hubei Province prioritizes "alleviating concerns over childbirth" as its top livelihood project for 2025. The supporting measures include carrying out free disease screening services for newborns, ensuring house-buying subsidies for families with more than one child, and enhancing oversight and enforcement to guarantee the proper implementation of maternity, paternity, and parental leaves. The government work report of Beijing outlined plans to enhance supportive policies aimed at creating a "birth-friendly society," with diversified childcare services covering the capital city's urban areas. The government work report of Tianjin committed to developing integrated city-level childcare service centers. East China's Zhejiang Province outlined bettering the system of fertility support policies and incentive mechanisms, as well as pilot programs on universally beneficial childcare services in its work report. In addition to including childbirth incentives in government work reports, local lawmakers and policy advisors from Hubei, Zhejiang, East China's Jiangxi, and Southwest China's Sichuan provinces explored additional strategies to encourage higher birth rates. Xing Hui, a member of the Hubei Provincial People's Congress and Party Chief of Xiangyang Central Hospital, proposed extending maternity leaves for both the mother and father respectively to 180 days and 30 days. Xing also suggested offering companies government subsidies and tax cuts to offset the costs incurred by the extended leaves. Cai Xiangfen, a member of the Jiangxi Provincial Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, advocated for providing both one-time and long-term financial allowances to families. The family with more children will get more money from local governments. She also recommended covering medical expenses related to infertility and high-risk maternal care through the medical insurance fund. Zhejiang policy advisor Jin Zhenzhen recommended that public kindergartens offer daycare for children aged 2-3 years old so that their parents can have time to go to work. Jin said some large enterprises could even set up "pre-kindergarten classes" with government subsidies to assist employees with childcare. Li Jianmin, a professor of Institute of Population and Development at Nankai University, told the Global Times on Wednesday that adopting more proactive policies can help restore people's willingness to have children. "However, shifting public willingness to have children is a long-term process. Immediate effects from these stimulus policies cannot be expected within one or two years. The strength and continuity of policies are crucial. The public will keep watching," Li said. Fundamental institutional reforms are necessary, especially in income distribution and healthcare, Li pointed out. "For example, we need to figure out ways to deal with the "motherhood penalty," where women face restricted job opportunities, reduced income, fewer chances of promotion in the workplace after having children," Li said. According to data released by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), China's birth number in 2024 increased by 520,000 compared with 2023, but the total population at the end of 2024 dropped by 1,390,000 to the end of 2023. (Web editor: Tian Yi, Liang Jun) People are shown at the Delta ticket counter in Terminal A at George Bush Intercontinental Airport Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2025, in Houston. Both Houston airports reopened Wednesday after being closed on Tuesday due to the winter storm. Melissa Phillip/Staff Photographer Snowfall across the Houston area Tuesday led to freezing temperatures and icy roads which hindered travel especially at the airports. George Bush Intercontinental and William P. Hobby airports closed at midnight Monday through Tuesday, following the winter storm that swept through the region. The closure prompted more than 900 flight cancellations at IAH and nearly 300 at Hobby, according to FlightAware data. Both airports resumed operations Wednesday with Transportation Security Administration checks starting at 9 a.m., arrival flights starting at 10 a.m. and departure flights starting at 11 a.m., according to the Houston Airport System's Tuesday announcement. Advertisement Article continues below this ad PHOTOS: Houston wakes up to first major snowfall in decades Here are some of the rescheduling and refund options for travelers who were impacted during the winter storm. What have airlines offered travelers whose flights were affected by the winter storm? Some airlines flying to and from Houston have offered travel waivers for passengers before the winter storm that led to the closure of IAH and Hobby, per the airlines' flight alerts. United Airlines, American Airlines, JetBlue Airways, Delta Airlines, Spirit Airlines and Southwest Airlines posted advisories related to the weather. Delta said on its website that the waiver allows customers to change their itinerary with no fare differences if they remain in the same cabin as originally booked. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The weather advisories, including waiver terms and expiration, may vary depending on the airport and airline. Travelers can check the travel alerts for each airline for more information on the weather waivers. United Airlines' rescheduling and refund policy after winter storm United reached out to passengers about the travel waivers following the temporary closure of IAH. Travelers needing a refund or to rebook must download the United app and use the Agent on Demand tool to bypass the line at the airport to speak with an agent and get assistance through text message, FaceTime or phone call, according to an email from the airline. Passengers can visit United.com to check their status and additional information regarding their current flight. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Delta Airlines' rescheduling and refund policy after winter storm Delta canceled 400 Delta mainline and Delta Connection flights nationwide before Wednesday due to the snowfall and freezing temperatures, according to a Wednesday news release. The airline's weather advisory states the winter storm impacted airports near the Gulf Coast including IAH and Hobby for Delta flights scheduled through Friday. At Delta, passengers have the option to rebook on the Fly Delta app or My Trips at Delta.com. The travel waiver is available for IAH and Hobby through Jan. 27. Passengers who experience a flight delay of three hours or more and choose not to fly, whether it's an initially delayed or rebooked flight, can receive a full refund for the unflown portion of their ticket, according to Delta. Passengers whose flight is delayed six hours or more internationally will also receive a refund if they choose not to fly. If the flight is canceled but the passenger doesn't want to rebook their flight, Delta will initiate a full and automatic refund to the form of payment on file of the unflown portion of the ticket after a 24-hour waiting period, according to the airline. Advertisement Article continues below this ad American Airlines' rescheduling and refund policy after winter storm American issued a travel alert saying passengers may reschedule their travel plans between Monday and Thursday, according to the airline. They can reschedule on aa.com or by calling 800-433-7300 in the U.S. or Canada. Rebooking a flight due to the weather must be done by Thursday for IAH and Hobby. UPDATE ON CANCELLATION: Metro service in Houston returns to normal following Southeast Texas winter storm Southwest Airlines' rescheduling and refund policy after winter storm Southwest issued a travel advisory during the winter weather in the southern region of the U.S. for passengers to voluntarily alter travel plans without paying additional charges. The option will be available through Thursday for Hobby. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Passengers who want to change their travel plans can rebook or travel on standby without paying additional charges, the advisory reads. They can set this up only within 14 days of their initial date of travel between the original city pairs and following the airline's accommodation procedures. The airline never charges a flight change fee but there may be a change in fare price, a spokesperson with Southwest said in an email. However, the travel advisory removed that and is not limited to canceled flights. Passengers with canceled flights can rebook on the next available flight, or if they choose not to travel, receive flight credit for the value of the fare or request a refund. Allegiant's rescheduling and refund policy after winter storm When flights are impacted by weather at Allegiant, passengers will be contacted by email by the customer care team to rebook for a later date. However, when a flight is canceled by the airline, the passengers will receive a refund to the payment on file within 72 hours, an Allegiant spokesperson said in an email. Alaska Airlines rescheduling and refund policy after winter storm Alaska Airlines normally provides the next available flight if the initial was canceled. However, if the passengers bought a non-refundable first-class, main cabin, saver seating and an award ticket they can reschedule a trip with a fee or cancel their trip without a fee and choose to deposit the funds into their account wallet or receive a credit certificate for future travels. A 16-year-old boy has been arrested under the Terrorism Act outside a mosque. On Thursday at around 9am, police apprehended the youth outside the Inverclyde Islamic Centre, Greenock. It is understood police are investigating links to right-wing extremism. He remains in custody and Police Scotland says there is no risk to the community. Inquiries continue and officers have asked anyone with information or concerns regarding the incident to come forward. Assistant Chief Constable Andy Freeburn said: Shortly after 9am on Thursday January 23 a 16-year-old male youth was arrested outside the Inverclyde Islamic Centre, Laird Street, Greenock, in connection with offences under the Terrorism Act. The youth remains in custody and inquiries continue. There is nothing to suggest anyone else was involved or that there is any further risk to the public. We are speaking to members of the local community to provide reassurance and I would urge anyone with information or who has any concerns to please come forward and speak to officers. Martin McCluskey, Labour MP for Inverclyde and Renfrewshire West, which covers Greenock, said: This morning, police arrested a 16-year-old boy in Greenock under the Terrorism Act. I have been briefed by local Police Scotland officers and will remain in contact with them. As people will have seen from media reports, the boy is understood to be a white Scottish male and the police have said that there is no indication that anyone else was involved or that there is any further risk to the public. If anyone has any further information or has any concerns, I would encourage them to contact the police. Injuries suffered by the Southport murder victims are difficult to explain as anything other than sadistic in nature, prosecutors have said. A sentencing hearing at Liverpool Crown Court on Thursday heard that Axel Rudakubana, 18, carried out a pre-meditated, planned knife attack upon multiple victims, principally young girls, intending to kill them. The court was also told that Rudakubana said Im glad theyre dead as he was held in a custody suite after killing the three girls at a Southport dance class. Deanna Heer KC told the court: Three children were killed, two of whom suffered particularly horrific injuries which are difficult to explain as anything other than sadistic in nature; and the defendant attempted to kill 10 others, inflicting a number of stab wounds upon them, including to their backs as they tried to escape. A prison van believed to contain Axel Rudakubana arriving at Liverpool Crown Court Alice da Silva Aguiar, nine, Bebe King, six, and Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven, died following the attack at the Taylor Swift-themed class in The Hart Space on a small business park in the seaside town shortly before midday on July 29. The defendant, who was 17 at the time of the killings, admitted their murders as well as the attempted murders of eight other children, who cannot be named for legal reasons, class instructor Leanne Lucas and businessman John Hayes. Wearing a grey tracksuit and surgical mask, Rudakubana entered the dock shortly after 11.45am on Thursday. He immediately sat and put his head down onto his knees and did not respond at all when asked to confirm his name. The judge, Mr Justice Goose, later ordered Rudakubana to leave the dock as he shouted repeatedly during the hearing. One family member shouted coward, while others shook their heads as he left. Rudakubana had been shouting: Its not my fault, I feel ill, and repeatedly shouted for a paramedic. When the judge tried to carry on with the case, Rudakubana shouted: Dont continue. The prosecution opening continued in his absence and Mr Justice Goose said he would be brought back in to be sentenced later in the day. Ms Heer told the court that images and documents were found on Rudakubanas devices which demonstrated that he had a long standing obsession with violence, killing and genocide. Amongst those documents was a version of the Al-Qaeda training manual, which provides instruction on how to commit acts of terror, including with a knife and with poisons, including ricin, she added. A number of weapons were also recovered in searches of his home, including the biological toxin ricin which the defendant had produced in his bedroom. Ms Heer added: Having researched atrocities committed by others, the evidence suggests that he set out to emulate them on the 29 July. There is no evidence that he ascribed to any particular political or religious ideology; he wasnt fighting for a cause. His only purpose was to kill, and he targeted the youngest, most vulnerable in order to spread the greatest level of fear and outrage, which he succeeded in doing. Whilst under arrest at the police station after the incident, Axel Rudakubana was heard to say, Its a good thing those children are dead Im so glad so happy. More than 30 members of the victims families were in the public gallery of the court for the sentencing and the court heard there were others in an annexe. Masked protesters who disrupted the screening of a controversial Bollywood film in London have been branded terrorists by a Conservative MP. Bob Blackman, who represents Harrow East, said a group of demonstrators burst into a branch of Vue Cinemas in Harrow during the film Emergency. He urged Home Secretary Yvette Cooper to make a Commons statement on the action being taken to enable people to see films in peace and harmony. The film covers the period where India was under a state of emergency from 1975 to 1977. This led to the jailing of political opponents and a clampdown on press freedom. About 6.2 million Indian men were forcibly sterilised under a campaign run by Sanjay Gandhi, former prime minister Indira Gandhis son. Speaking in the Commons, Mr Blackman said: On Sunday many of my constituents gathered and paid for a screening of the film Emergency in the Harrow Vue Cinema. About 30 to 40 minutes in to the screening of that film, masked Khalistani terrorists burst in and threatened members of the audience, and forced the screening to end. I understand that similar disruption took place in Wolverhampton, Birmingham, Slough, Staines and Manchester. As a result Vue Cinemas and Cineworld have pulled the film from being screened. Now this is a very controversial film, and I dont comment on the quality or the content of the film, but I do defend the right of my constituents and others to be able to view that film and make a decision on it. It covers the period when Indira Gandhi was the prime minister of India, and it is very controversial, and there are certain views that this is an anti-Sikh film. But I think members of our constituencies should be able to see this film, and judge for themselves, and not be threatened by thugs who want to disrupt democratic opportunities to see public films. So could we have a statement from the Home Secretary next week on what is going to be done to ensure that people who want to see these films, and theyve been passed by the censors, can do so in peace and harmony. I absolutely defend the rights of people to demonstrate outside the cinemas, but not to disrupt the actual viewing. The film has been criticised by some, including the Sikh Press Association. In a statement from the body published by the Evening Standard, it said the production justifies anti-Sikh hate. Khalistanis, accused by Mr Blackman of interrupting the film, are seeking to create a separate homeland for Sikhs. Commons leader Lucy Powell said: He raises a very important matter about the relationship between free speech and the right to protest peacefully, and for people to be able to go about doing their activities freely, whatever they choose to do. Whether thats seeing a film that, as he says, has been agreed by the censors and all of those that look at these issues. I will certainly make sure that he and the whole House does get an update on those very important matters that he raises. The Metropolitan Police said officers attended the cinema, and dispersed a group of around 30 protesters. No arrests were made. Exporting eels to Russia is not currently banned, the Government has said after being challenged over the trade at Westminster. The legality of sending the fish to a country slapped by an array of sanctions after its brutal invasion of neighbouring Ukraine, was raised in Parliament by Tory peer Lord De Mauley. The questioning of the commerce involving an endangered species came as US President Donald Trump told Russian President Vladimir Putin to settle now and stop this ridiculous war or face further penalties. Juvenile eels prior to their release into the River Thames (Nick Ansell/PA) The UK has been a staunch supporter of the Kyiv government in the face of Kremlin aggression providing billions of pounds in military, economic and humanitarian aid and imposed a range of sanctions on Moscow. However, Lord De Mauley has pressed the Government over why this does not extend to the export of glass eels, the juvenile form of the European species. Responding to a written parliamentary question, environment minister Baroness Hayman of Ullock said: As an endangered species, the international trade in European eel is regulated through the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (Cites). Any exports are subject to rigorous scrutiny, including through assessments of legal acquisition and non-detriment. The UKs approach to these exports is being reviewed by the new Government to ensure legality, sustainability, and alignment with global conservation efforts. But she added: The export of European eel to Russia is not currently sanctioned. John Lomax V is a breaking news reporter for the Houston Chronicle. A recent graduate of the University of Houston and a lifelong resident of the city, John is passionate about government watchdog reporting and driven by the mission of digging deep to find out information people want to know. He is the son of renowned Houston journalist John Nova Lomax, who wrote for numerous publications and was a former senior editor at Texas Monthly. Farmers have welcomed calls by major supermarkets to pause the introduction of inheritance tax for farm businesses. Tesco, the Co-op and Lidl are among the retailers voicing concerns over the changes, which will end the 100% exemption from inheritance tax on qualifying business and agricultural assets worth more than 1 million. In a blog on the Tesco website, the companys chief commercial officer, Ashwin Prasad, said farmers desperately needed more certainty to plan ahead and invest in their farms. He warned that the proposed change to inheritance tax relief was causing uncertainty, adding: With many smaller farms relying on APR (Agricultural Property Relief) and BPR (Business Property Relief) we fully understand their concerns. He said: Its why well be supporting the NFUs (National Farmers Union) calls for a pause in the implementation of the policy, while a full consultation is carried out. Tesco said the consultation must be followed by setting a long-term vision for UK agriculture which gives farmers clarity on the role they can play in the UKs wider transition to net zero, and create the right conditions for farmers to be able to invest in and benefit from the move to a green economy. In a statement, Lidl said buying British-sourced produce was incredibly important to its customers, and providing security and long-term investment into the countrys agriculture was key to ensure that farmers could continue to produce affordable and sustainable food. We are concerned that the recent changes to the Inheritance Tax (IHT) regime will impact farmer and grower confidence and hold back the investment needed to build a resilient, productive and sustainable British food system. We, therefore, support the call by the farming community to pause the implementation of those changes and to consult with industry to achieve a mutually beneficial outcome, the statement said. Matt Hood, Co-op Food managing director, said farmers are the absolute backbone of the UKs food supply as he pledged commitment to the industry. Whilst we are aware that the UK Government has tough choices to make, many of which have the potential to impact many businesses, across all sectors, I can confirm we have directly contacted relevant Government departments to communicate our hope that they will look again at the impact of the IHT/APR changes. We have also agreed to sign the UK Farming Unions letter going to the Government imminently, to call for a re-consideration of the proposed tax changes, he said. Farmers have taken to the streets of London and other cities to protest against the changes to inheritance tax (Stefan Rousseau/PA) NFU president Tom Bradshaw welcomed the backing of supermarkets in the ongoing dispute with the Government over the issue. He said: Those huge food retail businesses which have come out in support of our call for the family farm tax to be paused, and to have a proper consultation, are doing so not only because they see what a terrible effect it will have on the farmers they work with, but also because they know that if it is allowed to devastate family farms it will also devastate retailers ability to source the high-quality, sustainable food their customers want. On behalf of NFU members, I want to thank them for their support. Despite the calls from supermarkets to pause the introduction of inheritance tax for farm businesses, Downing Street stood by the plans.The Prime Ministers official spokesman said: Weve set out our reforms. It means they mean that the majority of those who claim that relief will not be affected. Theyll be able to pass the family farm down to their children, just as previous generations have always done. Weve taken a fair and balanced approach that protects the family farm whilst also continuing to invest in the farming budget, as I say, 5 billion over two years. The Secretary of State continues to engage with the sector to deliver our new deal for farmers and hell continue to do so. Those who know their dogs well will tell you that not all tail wags are created equally. There are the tail wags meant to communicate that the dog is an ease and friendly. The one they use when approaching strange people or other dogs. Are they happy? Maybe, but moreover they are curious and willing to make friends. This is an entirely separate tail wag than the full-throttle, full-body move of a dog who is seeing someone they know and love. My Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever would put her whole back end into the wag when she spotted her friends out on the street. And the Goldendoodle in this video surely shows her enthusiasm as well. Her parents have been out of town and you can just tell how happy she is to see them again at last. View the original article to see embedded media. Isla the Goldendoodle has been separated from her parents for three whole weeks, and her caretakers even brought her to the airport to meet them as they came home. Given how impossible it is to navigate around an airport even without an animal in tow, Im impressed by this dedication, but one has to admit that the sweetness of this reunion makes it all worth it. Related: Dog's Reunion with Owner After His 8-Month Deployment Is Making Everyone Sob Especially since they managed to set up not one, not two, but three cameras to catch the moment on film. A Touching Reunion In the clip, Isla comes running towards her parents, waiting in the luggage area, her tail wagging furiously, hurrying back and forth between them for snuggles and pets. Around them, other visitors to the airport watch the proceedings with interest, as this is one excited dog. Shes even jumping up on them, and though it must have been exciting for the family, who knew how sweet she was, I can understand how onlookers may have wondered if they should back away. Apparently, she was so excited that she peed on the floor a little, and her mom had to clean it up. This behavior is called submissive urination, and it happens when a dog is overwhelmed by emotion, as seen here. As cute as this video is, there may have been a better time and place for the dog and her parents to have met up. Stopping Submissive Urination One of the reasons that dogs like Isla pee when they get over-excited is due to separation anxiety, which is definitely what she was feeling here. In a strange place like an airport, with all its overstimulating lights, sounds, and smells, she was unexpectedly confronted with her people after a long separation. No wonder she got overexcited. And though its great that her family cleaned up after her, that cant have been a fun experience after a long plane flightgetting down on an airport floor to scrub up your dogs urine. Keeping greetings and partings calm for your pup is one way to prevent accidents like this one. Rather than greeting her parents at an airport, seeing them in their yard when they got home would have made this all so much easier, as would coming into the home, where the dog is already calmer and more comfortable. Remember, dogs arent like people and the same experience that might thrill a human could overwhelm and overstimulate the dog. 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. Actors Martin Freeman and Jack Lowden are to star in a play about addiction that has been transferred to the West End. Slow Horses actor Lowden, 34, will reprise his role as Luka in the production about alcoholism, masculinity, and faith, which was staged in Dundee, Glasgow and at the Edinburgh International Festival in 2024. The Fifth Step, which has been written by David Ireland and directed by Finn Den Hertog, will also see Bafta award-winning actor Freeman, 53, in the role of James. The Fifth Step Jack Lowden, Finn Den Hertog and Martin Freeman (Phil Fisk/PA) In the play, James, who has been in the 12-step programme of Alcoholics Anonymous for many years, agrees to become the sponsor of newcomer Luka. Approaching step five, their conversations must turn to confessionals, with Lukas progress hinging on him opening up about secrets that could lead back to alcohol. Olivier award-winning actor Lowden said: To just be in the room again with David and Finn two dangerously talented individuals is a gift in itself. But to now add Martin to the mix, an actor of black belt level skill and a hero of mine, just tops it. I cant wait for more people to experience The Fifth Step. Sherlock actor Freeman added: Im really looking forward to performing this brilliantly funny, unsettling, unexpected play. David Ireland is something quite special and Jack Lowden is an actor I have tremendous respect for and am looking forward to working with him. Ireland said: Im really happy that The Fifth Step is coming to the West End. Jack Lowden and Martin Freeman are, for my money, two of the best actors in the country so I feel very blessed to have them both in this play. Jack Lowden and Saoirse Ronan attending the British Independent Film Awards ceremony (Yui Mok/PA) I hope audiences in London will find the play as thrilling and funny and thought-provoking as audiences in Scotland have. Scottish actor Lowden has appeared in films including Dunkirk (2017), Calibre (2018) and Mary Queen Of Scots (2018). Freeman is known for playing Bilbo Baggins in The Hobbit film series and won the best supporting actor TV Bafta in 2011 for his role playing Dr John Watson in the BBC series Sherlock. The production will open at Soho Place in London for a limited 11-week season previewing from May 10 and running until July 26. Of the tickets available 15% will be priced at 25. Details about access performances are yet to be confirmed. The kindness humans show animals is truly amazing. We love them so very much. Look at the touching gesture staff at the Kaikyokan Aquarium in Shimonoseki, Japan did for their sunfish. The poor thing was feeling a little bit lonely when the aquarium was shut down for restorations. So they came up with an adorable way to keep the sunfish's spirits up. We forget that every living creature has feelings. Even fish, who might seem a little aloof but can tell when things have changed. A clip shared by ABC News shows the sunfish circling around his or her tank. Totally normal, right? But it's what was attached to the glass that really warms our hearts. Related: Aquarium of the Pacific Pairs Orphaned Sea Otter Pup With Surrogate Mom "When an aquarium in Japan closed to the public for restorations, the aquarium's beloved sunfish grew lonely without visitors and lost its appetite until aquarium staff pasted cutouts with photos of human faces onto the tank," the video caption explains. That's right they made people! Have you ever seen something so sweet? People in the comments section were so emotional over the clip. "Ill sit with him 24/7," wrote one person. "I loveeee sunfish so much they're so beautiful," praised someone else. "He needs a companion," chimed in another commenter. "I always wondered if there was a connection between viewer and fish," one person chimed in. Staff Knew the Sunfish Was Sad When It Stopped Eating According to CNN, it might seem unlikely for a fish to be lonely. But staff say that once people stopped visiting the aquarium the sunfish started rubbing its body along the tank and refused to eat its jellyfish meals. At first they thought the sunfish might be suffering from digestive issues or had ingested a parasite before they understood that the poor fish was indeed lonely. This isn't the first time that an aquarium has gotten creative to keep their fish happy. During the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown in 2020, staff at the Sumida Aquarium in Tokyo, Japan asked their guests to FaceTime their 300 spotted eels. The eels had become shy without the presence of guests. Shy eels might not seem bad, it meant that staff had a hard time checking on them throughout the day. BBC News reports staff member Mai Kato told Japanese news outlet Mainichi Shimbun that the sunfish always had a "curious" personality and "would swim up to visitors when they approached the tank". Thankfully, this story has a happy ending. The next day on X.com the aquarium reportedly said that the fish "felt better" and was "waving its fins." 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. Madison Keys stunned Iga Swiatek to set up an Australian Open final against two-time defending champion Aryna Sabalenka. It had appeared the worlds top two players were on a collision course to meet in a grand-slam final for the first time, and Sabalenka kept her end of the bargain by beating close friend Paula Badosa 6-4 6-2. But Swiatek, who had dropped just 14 games en route to the last four, was unable to join her, losing out 5-7 6-1 7-6 (10/8) in a pulsating match against Keys, who reached her only previous grand-slam final at the US Open back in 2017. She was beaten by Sloane Stephens on that occasion, and she will be second favourite on Saturday, but, if the 29-year-old can maintain the form she has showed in a brilliant start to the year, a first major title is certainly not beyond her. Keys saved a match point in the 12th game of the deciding set and let out a shriek of delight after Swiateks final forehand flew long. Im still trying to catch up to everything thats happening, said a stunned Keys. That match, its just such high level and she played so well and I just felt like I was fighting to stay in it. To be able to be standing here and be in the final is absolutely amazing and Im so excited that I get to be here on Saturday. Swiatek tried to find pride in her efforts, saying: I wouldnt say I flopped or I should have won it. Obviously for sure I wanted more. I already played a semi-final. I wanted to win this one but I think, if I keep working hard, Ill have more chances in the future, and maybe Ill use them as I didnt use my match point today. Madison Keys beat Iga Swiatek (Asanka Brendon Ratnayake/AP) Keys, who first reached the semi-finals here a decade ago as a teenager, had only beaten Swiatek in one of their previous five meetings, but she was immediately on the front foot with a break of the Poles serve. It was the first time Swiatek had been behind in any match this fortnight and, although she responded well to open up a 5-2 lead, back came Keys. The American is the sort of power hitter that has troubled Swiatek on the faster surfaces, but Keys was also playing with control, keeping a lid on the unforced errors that have cost her in big matches. Swiatek wriggled out of the first set but she narrowly avoided losing a first 6-0 set at a grand slam for six years in the second, and a nip-and-tuck third saw both women have their chances. The second seed appeared to have made the decisive move when she broke serve to lead 6-5, but she could not take a match point in the next game and a double fault sent the contest to a deciding tie-break. Swiatek led 7-5 but back came Keys again and two big serves took her to match point, which she seized. Sabalenka and Badosa describe themselves as soulmates, and the Belarusian saw at close quarters the obstacles Badosa overcame to make it to her first grand slam semi-final, with a persistent back problem almost forcing her into retirement. That had not stopped Sabalenka winning their last five matches, though, and the 26-year-old, who can become the first woman since Martina Hingis in the late 1990s to win three titles in a row here, threw everything she had at Badosa. Aryna Sabalenka defeats Paula Badosa to book her spot in a THIRD successive Australian Open final! The reigning champion is one game away from completing the three-peat in Melbourne! #AusOpen pic.twitter.com/lynaMC8Lak Eurosport (@eurosport) January 23, 2025 The only blip was a shaky start and, had the Spaniard capitalised on a 40-0 lead at 4-2, things may have played out differently. But Sabalenka steadied, broke back and controlled the match thereafter, powering 32 winners past Badosa. The pair shared a warm embrace at the net afterwards, and Sabalenka said: We both want it badly, its our dream. No matter what happens on the court, were going to be friends after, we agreed on that. I hope were still friends. If she hates me for the next few hours or day, thats OK. I promise Paula well go shopping and Ill pay for whatever she wants. Sabalenka quickly sought out her friend backstage to console her and, asked what the pair had said to each other, Badosa revealed with a rueful smile: That it was really unfair for me that she played this level today. I was expecting, of course, a good level, but maybe not that much. But no, she came to say that she played three semi-finals before she won a title. She was very proud of my improvement lately, especially with all Ive been through. So we were just joking around. If I have to lose against somebody, of course I want to lose against the world number one and against Aryna, and I wish her the best. On how she might spend Sabalenkas money, Badosa added: Its going to be something really expensive because now I think she doubled the prize money. So I think she wont have a problem for that. I will think about it. A man has said he fought off an alleged knife attacker at a Sainsburys Argos warehouse by hitting him on the head with a fire extinguisher. The Metropolitan Police said officers were called to Marlowe Way in Croydon, south London, on Thursday morning to reports of a stabbing at a warehouse. Five people a man in his 50s, two men in their 30s, and two men in their 20s were taken to hospital with stab wounds. Their conditions were assessed as not life-threatening, police said. A 30-year-old man was arrested nearby on suspicion of grievous bodily harm and possession of an offensive weapon. He was also taken to hospital with injuries that were not life-threatening. Joseph Denton, 29, said he fought off the attacker who sliced my finger open. Speaking at the scene, he told the PA news agency: I was there for an audit and the company basically started shouting and saying: Hes back.' Mr Denton, who had a bandage around his little finger, added: He didnt say a word. He was trying to kill me and Id never seen him before in my life. I tried to lock the door, but where I couldnt I had to just confront him and fight him basically. I got him on the floor and decided to hit him with a fire extinguisher, which sort of calmed everything down. And then people rushed in because he was on the floor at that point, and then we all just carried on attacking him until he left. I didnt really have a choice to be honest. Theres one door he was coming through. So, theres nowhere to go anyway, so I had to confront him. He had his thing just stabbing at me like a serial killer. Mr Denton, who is from Rayleigh, Essex, said the knife was the size of my face, adding he thought it was a Rambo knife about eight inches, with all jagged edges. Chief Superintendent Andy Brittain, local policing commander for south London, said: Officers responded quickly and arrested the suspect within an hour. An investigation is now under way. Based on initial enquiries we believe all those involved knew each other. Therefore we do not believe there is any wider risk to the public. Irelands newly-appointed premier has promised to tackle the housing crisis and create a step change for people with disabilities as he revealed a refreshed Cabinet. After almost five years in coalition together, old political enemies Fine Gael and Fianna Fail are gearing up for another term in government swapping out the Greens as a junior coalition partner for a handful of independents. Following his appointment as Taoiseach on Thursday a day after chaotic scenes disrupted proceedings in parliament to appoint him Fianna Fail leader Micheal Martin signaled there would be a shift in focus in the years ahead. Mr Martin said the Department of Justice would undergo significant reform and control borders, immigration and integration, while the implementation of health digitalisation would be a priority. Fianna Fail leader Micheal Martin leaves Leinster House (Liam McBurney/PA) He said that they would ramp-up investment in housing and look to implement a new model of delivery for vital therapies for people with disabilities. Our country has shown time and again just how much it can achieve, he told the Dail chamber. In building one of the longest continuous democracies in the world we have overcome many great challenges. Among the high profile promotions to Cabinet were Fianna Fail TD Jim OCallaghan as Minister for Justice and Fine Gaels Jennifer Carroll MacNeill as Health Minister. Fianna Fails Darragh OBrien moves from the Housing brief to Transport and Climate, while Fianna Fail TD James Browne is elevated to Cabinet as Housing Minister. Former minister and ex Fianna Fail deputy leader Dara Calleary, who resigned after the Golfgate controversy in 2020, was appointed as Social Protection Minister, while Fine Gael deputy leader Helen McEntee moves to Education. Fianna Fails Norma Foley is at the helm of the Children and Disability department, Fine Gaels Martin Heydon becomes Agriculture Minister and Patrick ODonovan is Minister for Arts, Communications and Sport. Fianna Fails James Lawless becomes Minister for Higher Education, while Fine Gaels Peter Burke remains at Enterprise, but with Tourism added to his brief, and Mary Butler becomes the Government Chief Whip. Paschal Donohoe returns as Finance Minister, while Jack Chambers is appointed as Minister for Public Expediture and Reform. Mr Martin also confirmed to the Dail that two independents would be super junior ministers: Noel Grealish as Minister of State for Food Promotion, New Markets, Research and Development, and Sean Canney as Minister of State for International and Road Transport, Logistics, Rail and Ports. Micheal Martin with President Michael D Higgins (Maxwell Photography/PA) The rest of the junior ministerial appointments will be made next week. Fine Gael leader Simon Harris, who became Tanaiste and Foreign Affairs minister, said that this was his partys fourth consecutive turn in government, which offered a historic opportunity. We feel the weight of our responsibility keenly and we are looking forward to serving the country to the best of our abilities, he said. Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald said she was having a serious episode here of deja vu, and said that another five years of mediocrity simply wont cut it. Ms McDonald, Labour leader Ivana Bacik and deputy leader Cian OCallaghan all criticised the fall in the number of women at Cabinet from four to three, with Ms Bacik pointing out there are as many ministers named James as female ministers. Earlier, parliamentarians voted 95 to 76 in support of the nomination of Mr Martin as Taoiseach. The nomination was originally supposed to have taken place on Wednesday but a dispute over speaking rights for independents affiliated with the incoming coalition led to the Dail being adjourned. The Dail reconvened at 11.40am on Thursday to proceed with the nomination of a taoiseach after extensive negotiations resulted in agreement that parliamentary rules needed to be reviewed. After receiving Dail approval, Mr Martin and his family met President Michael D Higgins at his official residence at Aras an Uachtarain, where he formally became Taoiseach during a short ceremony. Speaking in the Dail, Mr Martin said it was a profound honour to serve as head of the government in a free, democratic and diverse republic. We should never take for granted the freedoms and opportunities secured for us by the generations who sat here before us, and by the men and women who fought and campaigned for the establishment of Dail Eireann, he said. In a sign of the close relations between the two Civil War parties Fine Gael and Fianna Fail, Mr Harris expressed sincere congratulations to Mr Martin. He said: It is fair to say I could sense you were nurturing a mild desire to be taoiseach again and I sincerely want to congratulate you on the achievement and wish you well as we work together in partnership again. Mr Martin, 64, served as taoiseach in the last coalition government with Fine Gael and the Green Party. That coalition introduced a rotating taoiseach mechanism which saw the top office swapped between the leaders of Fianna Fail and Fine Gael midway through the term. The arrangement will be repeated, although on a three-to-two-year basis in favour of Fianna Fail in recognition of the partys 10-seat lead over Fine Gael. It continues a partnership which began in 2020 and set aside almost a century of animosity between the two parties forged from opposing sides of Irelands Civil War of the 1920s. Mr Martin, from Cork, cites the moment Ireland became the first country to implement a workplace smoking ban in 2004 during his time as health minister as among his proudest political achievements. Micheal Martin (Julien Behal/PA) The son of an Irish international boxer, he has also held cabinet ministries for enterprise, foreign affairs, defence and education, and has been the leader of Fianna Fail since 2011. Mr Martins Fianna Fail emerged as the largest party after the Irish general election at the end of November and agreed to re-enter a coalition with Fine Gael. The two parties combined were just short of a majority in the Dail and agreed a coalition deal with Fine Gael, the regional independent group and Kerry brothers Michael and Danny Healy-Rae. A minister has ruled out the UK joining a pan-European agreement to bolster post-Brexit trade. Matthew Pennycook said the Government was not seeking to participate in the Pan-Euro-Mediterranean Convention (PEM). Maros Sefcovic, the official who led post-Brexit negotiations for the EU, had told the BBC that the UK joining the PEM is something we could consider. The deal allows for tariff-free trade of goods across Europe, as well as some North African and Levantine nations. Matthew Pennycook (Richard Townshend/UK Parliament/PA) Asked if the UK could join the PEM, housing minister Mr Pennycook said: Were not seeking to participate in that particular arrangement. He also told BBC Radio 4s Today programme: I think in general the Governments been very clear that we do want a closer relationship with our European partners, both in trading terms but also, importantly and this speaks to your previous segment in terms of security and defence co-operation, where we need to work far more closely. So absolutely, yes, we do want a closer relationship. As for this particular arrangement: no, were not seeking to participate in it at the present time. Some business groups have backed the UK joining the PEM as it would help to maintain complex supply chains, but the previous Conservative government chose not to pursue it as part of a post-Brexit trade agreement. Speaking to the BBC at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, Mr Sefcovic said the idea had not been precisely formulated and the ball is in the UKs court. The UK Government has begun consulting businesses on the benefits of PEM and how it could help cut red tape and improve trade, the BBC said. Mr Sefcovic also told the broadcaster he would like to see the possibility of a full-scale veterinary agreement between the EU and UK reviewed. Maros Sefcovic (Liam McBurney/PA) If UK food and farm products were given single market treatment, we would have to have the same rules and we have to upgrade them at the same time we call it dynamic alignment. The lack of a veterinary agreement after Brexit has been a major sticking point for UK food businesses hoping to export to Britains nearest neighbours. In the Commons, Cabinet Office minister Nick Thomas-Symonds was asked by the Conservatives to rule out dynamic alignment. The step potentially brings the European court back into having jurisdiction over the United Kingdom, shadow Cabinet Office minister Alex Burghart said. The Tory frontbencher added: Will he rule out the ECJ (European Court of Justice) having jurisdiction over the UK in any regard in future? Mr Thomas-Symonds, who is responsible for EU relations, told MPs: Weve set out our red lines in our manifesto, weve set out the examples of things we are seeking to negotiate. That is already there. Dame Emily Thornberry, chairwoman of the Commons Foreign Affairs Committee, told the BBC the UKs post-Brexit trade settlement with the trade bloc had all kinds of holes in it. The Labour MP added: Within that agreement there is a mechanism for improving it, and we need to seize that opportunity, because we need to make sure that within the constraints of the vote to leave the European Union, we nevertheless do everything that we can to get rid of barriers to trade with our nearest neighbours and the people who we trade with the most. The uneven and difficult situation with veterinary checks needed to be resolved, she added. Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey said ruling out the PEM proposal was an act of economic negligence. He said: It is alarming that the Government is happy to negotiate with China but wont even look at a better trading arrangement with our closest neighbours in Europe. The number of pupils in England off school without permission at the start of this term has risen compared with last year, figures suggest. Data from the Department for Education (DfE) shows the unauthorised absence rate across state schools in England was 2.7% in the week ending January 10 the first week of term following the Christmas holidays. This was higher than the equivalent week in 2024 the week ending January 12 when the rate was 2.5%, according to the DfE. It comes as parents in England face higher fines if they take their children out of class without permission this academic year as part of a Government drive to boost school attendance since the Covid-19 pandemic. The latest DfE data also shows the overall absence rate authorised and unauthorised was 6.9% in the week ending January 10. This was higher than the equivalent week in 2024 when the overall absence rate was 6.6%. This has been driven by an increase in unauthorised absences, the DfE said. School absence fines have increased from 60 to 80, and a parent who receives a second fine for the same child within a three-year period will automatically receive a 160 fine. Under new national rules, all schools are required to consider a fine when a child has missed 10 or more sessions (five days) for unauthorised reasons. The DfE has said other actions, such as a parenting order or prosecution, will be considered if a parent exceeds two fines per child within a three-year period, and those who are prosecuted could receive a fine of up to 2,500. The absence rate varied across the first week of term this year with a peak of 7.8% on Monday, the first day of term, and a low of 6.4% on Wednesday. On Wednesday, the Education Secretary said the countrys absence epidemic signals a crisis of belonging among school children. During a speech to ed tech event The Bett Show in London, Bridget Phillipson announced that every secondary school, trust and local authority can now view, download and share a new attendance data summary. Paul Whiteman, general secretary at school leaders union NAHT, said: School leaders work hard to ensure pupils attend school, and while the unauthorised absence figures for this particular week show a small increase compared to last year, there is a slight improvement over the academic year to date. However, we have long argued that fining parents is a blunt tool which does not get to the root causes of non-attendance, and we did not believe that increasing these fines would shift the dial in any meaningful way. He added: It will be vital that the new administration builds on measures like its register of children not in school by investing more in services like social care and childrens mental health and important that its child poverty taskforce leads to tangible action. Pepe DiIasio, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL), said: Although attendance rates naturally fluctuate to a certain extent, any increase in unauthorised absences, however small, is a cause for concern. The reasons for unauthorised absence are varied. Some of this may be due to families taking their children out of school for extended Christmas breaks which is likely to result in a fine. However, a significant amount of unauthorised absences occur for other reasons, often when children and families are in very difficult situations. We need to see greater investment in family and child support services in order to help pupils to return to school when these serious issues occur. We would appeal to all families to make sure their children attend school. They only get one chance at education and it is too precious to miss. A manhunt is under way for a male murder suspect after a woman in her 40s died having been found seriously injured in the street. The woman died in hospital during the early hours of Thursday having been attacked the night before in Plymouth. Devon and Cornwall Police said the man murder detectives are hunting is known to the woman, whose identity has not yet been made public. A woman speaks to police officers at a cordon near West Hoe Road (Matt Keeble/PA) Detective Chief Inspector David Pebworth said: I wish to make the public aware we are looking to locate a man in relation to this incident whose identity is known, and enquiries are ongoing to find him. At this time, I would like to reassure the community and further afield in Plymouth that there is no suggestion that there is a wider risk to members of the public. Police were called at 8.55pm on Wednesday after the woman was found on West Hoe Road. (Matt Keeble/PA) A shop worker said she heard screams and people asking for an ambulance to be called at the time of the incident on Wednesday evening. David Badham, who runs the Central Convenience shop on the street, told the PA news agency: I had a member of staff working and she said she heard screams. She obviously then popped her head out of the door to see what was going on, to hear people saying: Call an ambulance. Video footage posted on social media appeared to show numerous police cars and ambulances parked on West Hoe Road on Wednesday evening near to a post office and the West Hoe pub. William Robinson died trying to save his 8-year-old daughter, Clara Robinson, after the family's car crashed in north Texas. Screenshot / GoFundMe Texas EquuSearch will expand its search for 8-year-old Clara Robinson who went missing after her familys vehicle was swept away by floodwaters on Christmas Eve in Sherman, Texas, just north of Dallas. Clara's father was killed while her mother and siblings survived the accident that occurred off U.S. Highway 75 around 9:30 a.m. on Dec. 24, according to the Dallas Morning News. EquuSearch took over search efforts Jan. 14, following a multi-agency investigation that included Sherman police, the Texas Department of Public Safety and Grayson County sheriffs office. Since taking a lead in searching for Clara, the group has deployed a full-scale search investigation which has included volunteers walking through the area of interest, excavators breaking down piles of debris, drones to provide aerial images, K9 assistance to search in difficult terrain, and aerial and water search and rescue teams. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The volunteer group was expecting to expand those efforts this week by securing permission from landowners to enter the creek and gain better access to areas of interest, according to an update on Facebook Wednesday. As part of the effort, EquuSearch anticipated processed drone images to identify more-specific targets of interest by Jan. 25 If those efforts are unsuccessful in finding Clara, EquuSearch plans to begin an underwater search Feb. 1-4, starting in the creek and moving downstream, according to the groups Facebook. Sherman Police Chief Jason Jeffcoat during a news conference said the department responded to calls about a vehicle carried away by floodwaters from the nearby creek, and rescue teams attempting to stop the vehicles movement were able to save Claras mother and siblings, the Dallas Morning News reported. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Officials believe that Claras father, identified as Will Robinson, was attempting to save his daughter before he died. Numerous countries are keen to have a piece of the mineral-rich Antarctica These are dangerous times in which to refer publicly to a desirable British Overseas Territory. The Chagos Islands, for instance, are currently the subject of a desperate fire sale by the Government. Roll up, roll up, for a strategically critical archipelago and well pay you billions to take it from us. Would you like those payments front-loaded? Given these circumstances, it is with reluctance that any of us should utter the name British Antarctic Territory. God forbid the government negotiators realise that we havent given it away yet. But this vast chunk of a frozen continent, its area around eight times that of Great Britain, might one day become a source of tremendous wealth. If its potential is realised, the territory could far outstrip the Chagos Islands in its importance to our prosperity and security. The white darkness of Antarctica, to use a phrase coined by the British explorer Henry Worsley, is far away from our green and pleasant land. Yet it was an Irish-born Briton, Navy officer Edward Bransfield, who first sighted the continental landmass, hitherto concealed by gargantuan ice sheets. That was in 1820, but the continent is so inhospitable that it was not until 1911 that a human reached the South Pole. Roald Amundsen, a Norwegian, beat Capt Robert Falcon Scott to the South Pole, yet the Heroic Age of Antarctic exploration is dotted with tales of British courage. Ever since, Britain has had a presence on the continent, principally in the form of small scientific outposts. One of these, Port Lockroy, has its own post office. Bransfield House, named after the explorer Edward Bransfield, houses Port Lockroys post office - Arterra/Universal Images Group Editorial After the Second World War, countries such as the United States and the Soviet Union took an increasing interest in the continent. Argentina, hanging relatively close to the Antarctic, became more muscular about its claim. In 1952, Argentine troops fired warning shots at a British surveying team. Twelve countries, in total, were active in Antarctica by the end of the 1950s, but they would soon agree to reserve the continent for peaceful and non-commercial purposes. To this end, the 12 countries signed the Antarctic Treaty in 1959. Once covered with icy forests, Antarctica has been a frozen desert for 15 million years. Since 1961, it has been frozen in diplomatic terms, too. By and large, both polar regions have remained unbesmirched by industrial and military activity. But this era of pristine polar regions might be coming to a close. While the British Government is giving territory away, the incoming Trump administration is seeking to gain it. In his inaugural address on Monday, the new president declared a new age of oil and gas exploration, saying: We will drill, baby, drill. Donald Trump Jr visited Greenland earlier this month, inviting the Greenlanders to seek independence from Denmark and then to join the United States. In Greenland, the Trump team sees a landmass rich in gas, oil, gold and rare earth minerals, as well as one whose location is of strategic importance to the defence of the Atlantic Ocean and American airspace. The ice is melting, making those natural resources easier to access, but so are the modern taboos against territorial expansion and the exploitation of the poles. The Greenland saga, says Klaus Dodds, a professor of geopolitics, is just a reminder that both the Arctic and Antarctic are no longer protected by what was until quite recently termed exceptionalism. This [is] the idea that both regions were characterised by high levels of peace and co-operation, largely protected from wider geopolitical dynamics. Trump, said Dodds, has not discovered Antarctica yet, but he might do so in his second term. If so, the president will be briefed on the arrival of several more countries to Antarctica: India, Turkey and China are among those who have built their own Antarctic research stations. Even Iran has said it wants one. In 2048, any of the original 12 signatories to the treaty may request a conference to review the existing terms. Given the changing attitudes to the North and South Poles, it should be much sooner than 2048 that Britain considers the worth of the British Antarctic Territory. The continent is poorly prospected, but its size and its geology alone would suggest that it holds huge mineral deposits. We already know that Mount Erebus, a volcano in the Antarctic region claimed by New Zealand, spews gold dust. Most of the other deposits will be buried deep under ice, but the British Antarctic Territory includes the Antarctic Peninsula and its endless tracts of exposed rock. As Dodds points out, there is copper oxide staining on rocks in the Antarctic Peninsula for all to see. Given the geological composition of those rocks, it is likely we would find gold there, too as well as many other valuable minerals. Volcanoes are a sure sign of mineral wealth, and the territory has several of them. The British base in Port Lockroy contains a small museum - Wolfgang Kaehler/LightRocket And then there is fuel. Those ancient forests live on in the form of fossil fuels. Last year, Russian crews found that the frigid waters off the territorys coast, still within the area claimed by Britain, harbour enormous reserves of oil and gas a hoard 10 times larger than our entire North Sea output over the past half-century. Under-sea drilling would disrupt the continents plentiful marine life, but environmentalists must accept the following: if resource extraction is to be done anywhere, it should be done on a continent that is almost entirely devoid of life. In other words, Antarctica might well be the best place in the world for certain forms of industrial activity. A patriotic Briton might close their eyes and imagine the gently nodding pump jacks of the Royal Antarctic Oilfields; a busy new harbour straddled by the mighty granite figure of the Scott Colossus and populated by humanoid mining robots; and the King inspecting the first gold coin to emerge from the Antarctic Mint, just before visiting a vast data centre that is cooled by the snow and supported against the Antarctic gales by cathedral-style flying buttresses. Killjoy critics might point out that the data centres, being so far from civilisation, would be slow to communicate with. And online latency problems are far from the biggest obstacle to a glorious British repurposing of the Antarctic wasteland. Chile and Argentina claim almost precisely the same areas that we do, and the territory is certainly on the radar of Javier Milei, the populist Argentinian president, who visited Antarctica at the beginning of last year, weeks after his election. On Thursday Milei, who campaigned for the presidency wielding a chainsaw to demonstrate his cost-cutting plans, took a swipe at Britain during a speech at the World Economic Forum, in which he accused the UK of locking up people who exposed crimes committed by migrants. China, Russia, the United States et al will also want a part of any carve-up; and the current British Government is giving away our overseas territories rather than building up our shrunken Navy. The weaker we look, says Bob Seely, a member of the Foreign Affairs Select Committee until last years general election, the more we become a target. I think we are entering a period of world history whereby liberal internationalism is going to come under a lot of pressure from hard realist power. Seely acknowledges the seriousness of climate change, but warns that moving too quickly away from fossil fuels will impoverish us. I can see a position where we want to nobly claim we must leave [the poles] in pristine condition, where other countries are going to be saying: Lets drill. The territory has no permanent residents, but falls within the purview of the Friends of the British Overseas Territories. A representative of the organisation said that the territory might one day be threatened by Argentina, but remains a very difficult place to inhabit. As for the potential economic banquet: I just cant see us being forward-thinking enough to take advantage of anything like that. Britain maintains a station in Port Lockroy, but there are no permanent residents in Antarctica - ullstein bild But someone might. Samo Burja, a geopolitical analyst whom Calum Drysdale and I interviewed last year on our podcast, Anglofuturism, told us that Antarctica was one of many unique opportunities still left in the world. And there are few who understand that perhaps Britain should not be playing it safe, because the default safe future is actually deeply unsafe. Its a future where the average age of the citizens is 55, and theres a deep, structurally broken transfer from the young minority to the old majority. Burja says that Britain ought to ready itself to develop those oilfields after 2048. But the opportunities offered by Antarctica go beyond the extraction of resources. Dryden Brown, a 28-year-old American who has raised almost $20m of Silicon Valley funding to build an independent, libertarian city, says that he would like to work with the Government to develop Antarctica. He wants to build geodesic domes, which are hemispherical structures that can house humans in inhospitable environments, in the British Antarctic Territory, piloting technology that we will need to settle on the Moon and Mars. The thing thats exciting, he says, is the reopening of the frontier. Dodds, predicting what would become of the Antarctic in the coming decades, says: I would predict that if the treaty does prevail, it will become more like the wider world where consensus will be harder to secure in the future or where it will become ever more transactional around conservation and resource exploitation. Several nations have claimed parts of the worlds southernmost landmass since Amundsen first reached it - UniversalImagesGroup A spokesman for the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office gives little indication that we can expect the imminent construction of the Antarctic Mint and the Scott Colossus. The Antarctic Treaty, which has been in place since 1959, strictly reserves the use of Antarctic territories for scientific use only. The UK remains staunchly committed to this and to the sovereignty of the British Antarctic Territory. Cementing our claim to the territory would allow us to claim the bonanza that could rescue us from our national decline. It is the last great gift from our more adventurous forebears, if we can just open it before someone else does. In more ways than one, the question is: does Britain have the minerals? Donald Trump with billionaire oil magnate Harold Hamm in Pittsburgh in 2019. Photograph: Evan Vucci/AP Big oil spent a stunning $445m throughout the last election cycle to influence Donald Trump and Congress, a new analysis has found. That figure includes funding from January 2023 and November 2024 for political donations, lobbying and advertising to support elected officials and specific policies. Because it does not include money funneled through dark-money groups which do not have to reveal their donors it is almost certainly a vast understatement, says the report from green advocacy group Climate Power, which is based on campaign finance disclosures and advertising industry data. Fossil fuel interests poured $96m into Donald Trumps re-election campaign and affiliated political action committees, the report found. Much of that was covered by megadonor oil billionaires, such as the fracking magnate Harold Hamm, the pipeline mogul Kelcy Warren and the drilling tycoon Jeffery Hildebrand. Additional contributions came from lesser-known oil and gas interests, including fossil fuel-trading hedge funds, mining corporations and the producers of offshore-drilling ships and fuel tanks. Fossil fuel companies and their trade groups spent another $243m lobbying Congress. Those donors stand to profit from priorities set by Senate-confirmed Trump cabinet appointees, such Chris Wright, the fracking CEO who was tapped to head the Department of Energy, and Lee Zeldin, the former New York representative who has accepted more than $400,000 in fossil fuel-tied campaign donations and who will lead the Environmental Protection Agency. Related: Explained: how Trumps day one orders reveal a White House for big oil Big oil also spent some $80m on advertising to support their interests. That includes funding for ad campaigns run in swing states, such as one from the refining lobbying organization American Fuel & Petrochemical Manufacturers, which railed against Joe Bidens pro-electric vehicle policies, or another eight-figure ad blitz from top US oil lobbying group the American Petroleum Institute that promoted the idea that fossil fuels are vital to global energy security. Neither campaign directly endorsed Trump, but both targeted audiences in swing states. Additionally, oil and gas companies and trade groups spent more than $25m on Republican down-ballot races, including $16m on House races, $8m on Senate fights and more than $500,000 on GOP gubernatorial candidates. These investments are likely to pay dividends, the report says, with Republicans holding control of the White House, House and Senate as well as some key states. Trump unleashed dozens of pro-fossil fuel executive actions on his first day in office and is expected to pursue a vast array of others with cooperation from Congress. Its a sign the US must free ourselves from Big Oils grip and invest in the clean energy of the future, the Climate Power report says. Trump campaigned on a promise to drill, baby, drill, remove limits on the already booming fossil fuel industry and reverse Bidens climate policies. We have something that no other manufacturing nation will ever have, the largest amount of oil and gas of any country on Earth, and we are going to use it, Trump said in his inaugural address on Monday. We will be a rich nation again, and it is that liquid gold under our feet that will help to do it. There were 258 more child deaths in 2022-23 than expected from the pre-pandemic period. Photograph: James Jiao/Shutterstock Child deaths in England have risen to new levels after a temporary fall during the Covid-19 pandemic, a study has found. The study, published in the PLOS Medicine journal, shows children were less likely to die between April 2020 and March 2021, a period when lockdowns were in place, than at any time before or since. There were 377 fewer deaths than expected from the previous 12-month period. However, while the number of deaths in the following year, 2021-22, was similar to before the pandemic, in 2022-23, there were 258 more deaths than expected from 2020-21 period, researchers at the University of Bristol found using the National Child Mortality Database (NCMD). The study also found that the relative rate of dying for children from non-white backgrounds, compared with white children, was now higher than before or during the pandemic. The increase could be down to a range of changes including circulating diseases returning to pre-pandemic levels, end of enhanced health-related behaviour changes such as enhanced hand washing, or withdrawal of wider, state-based enhanced social support, which benefited the most socially vulnerable families. Karen Luyt, programme director for the NCMD and professor of neonatal medicine at the University of Bristol, said: These stark findings demonstrate that, for most children and most causes of death, the reduction in mortality that was seen during the pandemic was only temporary. The NCMDs unique data also tells us that existing inequalities have widened, with outcomes deteriorating for children from poor and non-white backgrounds compared with their peers. But it also shows that change is possible; more must be done to change these trends in the long term, and improve and save childrens lives. The study confirms deaths were higher in the years after the lockdown period. However, one category, deaths from birth events, showed a clear increase going into and during the lockdowns, but then a reduction to pre-pandemic levels afterwards. Other categories, including death from substance misuse, infections, sudden unexpected death in childhood and underlying conditions, all increased after the pandemic. There was also a rise in death caused by trauma which the researchers said was striking, though they added that it did not exclusively cover non-accidental injury it also included road traffic accidents and drownings. Ethnicity data shows that in the most recent year, 61% of child deaths accounted for white children a decline from the share in 2019-20 compared with 20% accounting for Asian child deaths and 9.7% for Black or Black British childrens deaths, which were both an increase. The researchers identified all the children in England who died between April 2019 and March 2023, and calculated the annual rate of death for each group of children and cause of death. Using a mathematical model, the research team then tested whether the rate of death was going up or down across the four years. CNN employs around 3,500 staff - CNN CNN is poised to lay off hundreds of staff members this week as it pushes to bolster its digital audience, according to reports. The wave of redundancies, expected to be announced Thursday, are understood to be aimed at lowering production costs and shifting the networks focus to creating digital subscription products. Media organisations including CNN, which employs around 3,500 staff, have struggled to grow audiences and revenue amid the decline in cable news viewers, and have sought to diversify their offering. Some CNN programmes which are made in New York or Washington DC may also be relocated to Atlanta to save on costs, a source told CNBC. The cuts are not expected to impact the broadcasters most prominent names. CNN chief executive Mark Thompson said earlier this month the network had been boosted by an investment of more than $70 million (57 million) from its parent company Warner Bros. Discovery for its digital employees. Some of that cash will be spent hiring staff in areas such as data scientists and product development. The move comes months after CNN launched a digital paywall to charge some users $3.99 per month. It has been a bruising start to the year for the network which earlier this month was found liable for defaming a US Navy veteran, who was awarded $5 million in damages by a Florida jury. The broadcaster subsequently reached a settlement with Zachary Young for an undisclosed sum, avoiding a second phase of the trial that would have seen it ordered to pay punitive damages. Mr Young had blamed CNN for destroying his business through a 2021 story on Jake Tappers broadcast about a black market of extracting desperate Afghans following the Taliban takeover. In a statement CNN said: We proud of our journalists and are 100 per cent committed to strong, fearless and fair-minded reporting at CNN, though we will of course take what useful lessons we can from this case. Until last year, the network had not made significant redundancies since 2022. But six months ago CNN axed 100 jobs from across the company as it unveiled its digital strategy. Announcing the cuts at the time, Mr Thompson promoted a digital plan he said would help it regain a leadership position in the news experiences of the future. Other networks expected to make cuts this week include NBC News, insiders told CNBC, which reportedly plans to lay off fewer than 50 staff. The Telegraph contacted representatives for CNN and NBC News for comment. The Dukes relationship with the media has been difficult since he witnessed intrusion by the media faced by his mother - Paul Greaves/Shutterstock Diana, Princess of Wales would be rightly proud of the Duke of Sussex after he settled his High Court case with News Group Newspapers (NGN), her brother has said. On Wednesday, it was announced that the Duke had received an unequivocal apology from NGN after serious intrusion by The Sun, including unlawful activities by private investigators working for the newspaper. The Duke, 40, alleged he was targeted by journalists and private investigators working for NGN and the now-defunct News of the World. In a statement, the publisher also apologised for the impact of the serious intrusion into the private life of Harrys late mother. The Duke alleged he was targeted by journalists and private investigators - Hannah McKay/Reuters In a post on X, Earl Spencer praised his nephew saying it was wonderful that Harry had fought for and gained an apology to his mother. He wrote: It takes an enormous amount of guts to take on opponents like News Group Newspapers, and great tenacity to win. And its just wonderful that Harry fought for and gained an apology to his mother. She would be incredibly touched at that and rightly proud. He posted a similar statement on Instagram. Earl Spencer said of the Duke: It takes an enormous amount of guts to take on opponents like News Group Newspapers - Dominic Lipinski/PA NGNs apology marked the first time that unlawful activities had been admitted at The Sun, one of the lawyers in the case said. David Sherborne, the Dukes barrister, said: In a monumental victory today, News UK has admitted that The Sun, the flagship title for Rupert Murdochs UK media empire, has indeed engaged in illegal practices. This represents a vindication for the hundreds of other claimants who were strong-armed into settling, without being able to get to the truth of what was done to them. Lord Tom Watson, former deputy leader of Labour, also settled his claim as he was offered a full and unequivocal apology and substantial damages for unwarranted intrusion into his private life by the News of the World during his time in government. Speaking outside court, Lord Watson paid tribute to the Duke, adding: His bravery and astonishing courage ... have brought accountability to a part of the media that thought it was untouchable. David Sherborne, the Dukes barrister, outside the High Court with Lord Watson, who also settled his claim - Leon Neal/Getty Images Europe The Dukes relationship with the media has been difficult since he witnessed intrusion by the media faced by his mother on a daily basis. Princess Diana was killed in a crash when the Duke was 12 after her car, driven at speed by a drunk chauffeur, was chased through the streets of Paris by the paparazzi. Donald Trump and Elon Musk during a rally in Washington DC, on 19 January 2025. Photograph: Bloomberg/Getty Images A leading ethics watchdog has issued warnings to Donald Trumps billionaire ally Elon Musk and the department of government efficiency (Doge), an agency Trump has stated he will create, claiming its use of encrypted messaging apps potentially violates the Federal Records Act (FRA). American Oversight, which uses litigation to obtain public records and expose government misconduct, argues that Musks leadership of Doge raises significant ethical concerns about potential conflicts of interest, given his business empire and the substantial impact that Doge could have on federal agencies. Related: US meteorologist fired from TV station after criticizing Elon Musk salute The warnings stem from reports that members of Doge, which aims to carry out dramatic cuts to the US government, are using the encrypted messaging app Signal with an auto-delete feature, which could hinder the preservation of official records. On Wednesday the watchdog sent letters to Musk, Doge, the US DOGE Service (formerly the United States Digital Service) and the Departments of Defense, Health and Human Services, Homeland Security, Treasury and Veterans Affairs, and the office of management and budget. American Oversight also notified the National Archives and Records Administration, urging the archivist to take legal action through the attorney general if records are unlawfully removed or destroyed. American Oversight argues that all written communications related to Doge activities, both before and after Trumps inauguration on Monday, are federal records that must be preserved. The FRA requires agencies to preserve federal government records documenting their activities, decisions and policies. Chioma Chukwu, the groups interim executive director, commented: Efforts are clearly underway to conceal information that would expose the Trump administrations plans to gut critical services that benefit the American people, and Doge led by unelected billionaires poised to benefit from their self-serving machinations is no exception. She added: Transparency and accountability are non-negotiable. That is why we have put the administration on notice: comply with your obligation to preserve all Doge-related records, or defend that secrecy in court. The group has a history of suing the Trump administration for non-compliance with record transparency, including documents exposing Rudy Giulianis communications about Ukraine, copies of forged electoral vote certificates in 2020 and records revealing preventable deaths of immigrants in Immigration and Customs Enforcement custody. More recently, it has brought lawsuits concerning Trump nominees Matt Gaetz and Kash Patel. Doge has ambitious goals of eliminating entire federal agencies and cutting three-quarters of federal government jobs. Failed Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy was a co-chair but has left to reportedly run for governor of Ohio. An executive order, announced by the White House late on Monday, stated the groups aim to modernize federal technology and software. Trump told reporters there were plans to hire about 20 individuals to ensure the implementation of the groups objectives. But the committee, despite its name, is not a department and has limited official power to carry out any reorganisation, let alone the sweeping cuts proposed by Musk and Ramaswamy. Government employee unions, watchdog groups and public interest organizations sued within minutes of the announcement. Another watchdog group, Public Citizen, is suing over Doges uncertain legal status, along with a union representing government employees. Pam Hemphill feels that she should not have received a pardon. Photograph: Matt Kelley/AP While some have praised Donald Trump for issuing full, complete and unconditional pardons for the 1,500 individuals involved in the January 6 attack on the US Capitol, Pamela Hemphill has pushed back. Hemphill, who was also arrested on January 6, has refused to accept Trumps pardon, instead deciding to take responsibility for the role she played in trying to overturn the 2020 election results which made Joe Biden victorious over Trump. Absolutely not, Hemphill, 71, told the Guardian on Thursday. Its an insult to the Capitol police officers and to the rule of law and to the nation. It contributes to the propaganda that it was a peaceful protest, that the DoJ is weaponized against them and against Trump. During the Capitol riot, Hemphill said she was pushed down, trampled on, and had her glasses smashed. She credits the Capitol police for saving her life. Two days later, Hemphill was arrested when the FBI received a tip stating she planned to and did in fact travel to Washington DC for January 6. The tip included screenshots of Facebook posts dated before the attack, in which Hemphill wrote its a WAR! and Happy New Year! On my way to Washington D. C. January 6th! Hemphill, who earned the nickname Maga Granny in reference to Trumps Make America great again slogan, reportedly became interested in politics after she retired in 2011. She told the Idaho Statesman that she became connected with Ammon Bundys Peoples Rights Network online and later began talking with the Proud Boys, a far-right group which played a major role in the attack. She subsequently attended the January 6 riot alongside the Proud Boys and streamed what she was doing on YouTube. She pleaded guilty in January 2022 and was sentenced to 60 days in prison and three years of probation. In 2023, Hemphill claims she had a change of heart and parted ways with Maga. The decision to leave what she called a cult came after she was blamed by rioters when her video footage of the attack was used as evidence against them. The backlash from fellow rioters against Hemphill was fierce. Micki Witthoeft, mother of Ashli Babbitt the woman who was shot and killed by police at the Capitol mocked Hemphill on social media, calling her Pamtifa, in a reference to the leftwing anti-fascist movement Antifa. Hemphill, who has been sober since 1979 and is now a substance abuse counselor, compared her addiction to alcohol to the Maga ideology. She said undergoing therapy shifted her perspective; she now sees herself as a volunteer, not a victim. This Maga cult and these J6 criminals and all their family are very upset that I am bringing the facts when they say something, Hemphill said. Its just like working with an alcoholic when youre in denial, you get real upset. Hemphill even threw her support behind Kamala Harris in the 2024 presidential election, and no longer fears retribution from Trump loyalists. Alongside her attorney, Hemphill told the Idaho Statesman that she has plans to file a letter of rejection. The outlet notes that the US supreme court ruled in 1833, then later upheld that ruling in 1915, that a recipient has the power to turn down a presidential pardon. In contrast, the New York Times notes that it is not clear if she can legally reject the pardon and via Mark Osler, a professor at the University of St Thomas School of Law in Minneapolis: It would be a novel act to file a court case to reject a pardon of a misdemeanor, in part because of the low stakes. When asked if she had a message for Trump, Hemphill said: Other people around you told you the election had not been stolen. You went out anyway, and lied to the world that the election was stolen. But we know it wasnt and you know it wasnt. Still, you want to continue with your narrative, but were going to keep bringing the facts to prove you wrong. Police at the scene of the stabbing at a commercial address on Marlowe Way, Beddington - UKNIP A balaclava-clad man went on a knife rampage stabbing four people like a serial killer in a daytime attack at an Argos warehouse in south London. Workers told how they fought off the attacker, 30, with a fire extinguisher as he rampaged through the distribution centre in Beddington, near Croydon, on Thursday morning. The man was later arrested on suspicion of grievous bodily harm as four men were taken to hospital with stab wounds. Workers told reporters at the scene that the man tricked a security guard into letting him into the warehouse before he started stabbing at employees inside like a serial killer with an 8in Rambo knife. Joseph Denton, 29, told of how he and his colleagues used a fire extinguisher to prevent the attacker forcing his way into an office where they were hiding. He got to the door before I could shut it and he got half of his body through, and was stabbing at me in my chest, and I was deflecting it, he said. He sliced my finger open and got a couple other cuts on my arms, and then basically fought him off there. Joseph Denton was injured while fighting off the attacker - Sam Hall/PA Wire As I pushed him out, he fell and I caught his ankle in the door, and I was squashing his ankles so he couldnt get back up, at which point I picked up a fire extinguisher and opened the door and hit him on the head with it. There was about six of us all attacking him at this point, and then he ran off. Mr Denton, from Rayleigh, Essex, added: He stabbed two people in the chest, one had a big gash in his arm. I think someone in the side as well. Other witnesses hailed a security guard as a hero for stopping the attack. It was horrific, just carnage, one told the Metro newspaper. The security guard was a hero. The attacker claimed he worked at Argos but he did it to trick his way through the security gate. Ive heard the security guard is going to be OK. Another said: A security guard confronted him and tackled him and was stabbed. Then more men staff tried to help and three more were stabbed. The Metropolitan Police said the suspect was arrested within an hour on suspicion of grievous bodily harm and possessing an offensive weapon, before he was later taken to hospital with non-life threatening injuries. Emergency services at the scene near Marlowe Way - Ben Whitley/PA Wire The scene of the incident in Beddington, Croydon - Twitter A total of four men one in his 50s, another in his 30s and two in their 20s who police said knew the attacker, were also treated in hospital for non life-threatening injuries. Two workers at the warehouse said at the scene that the arrested man was a former employee. Chief Supt Andy Brittain, local policing commander for south London, said: Officers responded quickly and arrested the suspect within an hour. An investigation is now under way. Based on initial enquiries we believe all those involved knew each other. Therefore we do not believe there is any wider risk to the public. A spokesman for the London Ambulance Service said: We were called at 10.21am this morning to reports of a stabbing incident in Marlowe Way, Croydon. We sent a number of resources to the scene, including ambulance crews, a paramedic in a fast response car, an incident response officer, members of our tactical response unit and Londons Air Ambulance. Our crews treated five patients at the scene, before taking one to a London major trauma centre and four to other hospitals. An Argos spokesman said: Were doing everything we can to support the teams on-site and gathering as much information as possible to support the police with their investigation. The Queen, patron of the Anne Frank Trust, lights a candle during a Holocaust Memorial Day reception at the London Hilton on Park Lane - Arthur Edwards/WPA/Getty The Queen has said that the atrocities of the Holocaust will never be forgotten as she spoke at a reception for the Anne Frank Trust. Queen Camilla, 77, renewed her commitment to never forget in a speech on Thursday to mark the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz and the death of Anne Frank. She paid tribute to the teenage Holocaust victim, who died aged 16 in Bergen-Belsen just before the end of the war, saying that the legacy of her diaries demonstrates that even the quietest, loneliest voice in the wilderness can change the world. Her remarks come ahead of the Kings trip to Poland next week, when he will become the first British monarch to visit Auschwitz. Speaking to more than 600 guests who had gathered to mark the anniversary in London, the Queen warned that levels of anti-Semitism were at their highest level for a generation as she urged those gathered to heed the warning of Holocaust survivor Marian Turski. Camilla speaks with British-Czech Holocaust survivor Eva Clarke - Arthur Edwards/Reuters She quoted Ms Turskis testimony from the 2020 anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz, during which he said: Dont be complacent because if you become complacent, before you know it, some kind of Auschwitz will suddenly appear from nowhere and befall you and your descendants. In her a five-minute speech, Camilla said: The deadly seeds of the Holocaust were sown at first in small acts of exclusion, of aggression and of discrimination towards those who had previously been neighbours and friends. Over a terrifying short period of time, those seeds took root through the complacency of which we can all be guilty: of turning away from injustice, of ignoring that which we know to be wrong, of thinking that someone else will do whats needed and of remaining silent. The Queen chats with youngsters about the lessons of the Holocaust - Arthur Edwards/The Sun via AP The Queen was named as the first royal patron of the Anne Frank Trust in January last year. Tim Robertson, the charitys chief executive, has previously said that Franks passion for royalty was one of the hobbies that gave her hope as she hid from the Nazis. The Queen said that the teenagers life and death continue to inspire an anti-prejudice movement across the globe, adding that last year the trust reached 126,000 young people in Britain. She praised the charitys distinctive combination of Holocaust history, education about discrimination and youth empowerment. During Thursdays reception, she was joined by members of the charity and some of their key supporters, including Sir Stephen Fry, Rob Rinder and Emma Barnett. Camilla was joined by members of the charity and key supporters - Arthur Edwards/The Sun/PA Camilla also spoke briefly with two Holocaust survivors and John Wood, the son of a British Army officer who was the first to arrive at the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp on the day of its liberation. Mr Robertson joined Her Majesty on stage and mentioned the record-high reports of anti-Semitic incidents in the UK, fuelled by the Israel-Gaza conflict. Holocaust education is of a higher importance now than ever before, he said. The charity was established in 1991 by friends and family of Otto Frank, Annes father, following his wish that an education organisation be established in memory of his daughter. The trusts key educational tool remains Anne Franks Diary, which she wrote while in hiding with her family for more than two years in Amsterdam before their capture. It has since sold over 35 million copies. Words have power, the Queen said, adding: Anne knew that they were always there to offer truth, comfort and hope. Jenna Howe, left, with her mother, outside Central London County Court - Champion News A pirate radio engineers lazy daughter is fighting her family for a share of his 1.4 million fortune after she was left with nothing. Roger Howe died aged 55 in March 2020, after falling from a window, leaving behind a 1,447,000 estate, part of which was tied up in his radio engineering company BW Broadcast FM. Mr Howe, a radio legend who played a key role in the urban pirate and independent radio scene, left his wealth to his mother, Rosina, his sister, Tina Tucker, and his two nephews, Ross and Jamie Tucker, but wrote his only child, beautician Jenna Howe, 37, out of his 2017 will. When drafting his last will, he said he had decided to cut his daughter off because she is lazy, grabbing and bad to my parents. He is said to have felt jubilation about the decision by making sure that (she) never gets a penny of mine. Roger Howe, a pirate radio engineer legend, is said to have felt jubilation about cutting his daughter out of his will - Champion News His daughter, who is recovering from periods of drug addiction, has now launched a claim for 443,000 for reasonable provision at Central London County Court, alleging that her life was overshadowed by his neglect and cruelty during her childhood. Mr Howe built complex AM and FM transmitters by the time he was 15 and went on to develop technology for both commercial and military applications. At 16, he was making rigs for London pirate radio stations. In his later years, he used his expertise to build a successful business which exported equipment all over the world and made him a millionaire by the time of his death. But his relationship with his only child was troubled, the court heard. Rogers conduct weighs heavily in this case, Ms Howes barrister James McKean told Judge Mark Raeside. His treatment of Jenna as a child and young adult has shaped the rest of her life, and a direct link can be drawn between that and her need for financial provision. Daughter traumatised by fathers hatred Ms Howe suffered from bulimia and depression as a teenager and said her father was not sympathetic to her needs and she ended up drifting away from him. One witness claimed Mr Howe had ended up viewing his only child with unambiguous hatred despite her attempts to reconcile, and branded her grasping and a lazy, useless, lying druggie. Although Ms Howe has now overcome her addiction and rebuilt her life, training as a beautician, she was truly traumatised by the way her father treated her, the court heard With her financial situation labelled desperate, she is now asking Judge Raeside to award her reasonable financial provision out of her fathers fortune in line with the 1975 Inheritance Act. She seeks an award of about 450,000 to cover needs such as paying off over 66,000 in debts, 315,000 for a new home, 8,000 to launch her beautician career and 20,000 for a new car. Ms Howe, whose mother was divorced from Mr Howe when Ms Howe was a child, added that she had done her best to reconcile with her father over the years and was badly rocked by his death. Her barrister added that she had saved for weeks to buy lavish flowers for his funeral, adding that she had read a poem during the service after which he was buried with a picture of her. But in her evidence, Ms Tucker, her aunt, said that when Mr Howe had offered his daughter a job at his company, he had complained about her work. He told me that when she was working she said, I dont need to bother because one day all this will be mine which I think made him think about his will, she said. He came home furious and said she was just painting her nails. Tina Tucker told a court her brother viewed his daughter as idle and neglectful of her grandparents - Champion News Mr Howe had branded his daughter lazy, grabbing and bad to my parents when explaining his decision to cut her out of his will partly because he viewed her as idle, and partly because he felt she neglected her grandparents, Ms Tucker told the court. He tried with her to get her to work but she didnt want to and he said to me that every time he just felt she was only there because she wanted his money, Ms Tucker said. Her brothers hostility towards Ms Howe reached a point where you couldnt even mention her name in the house, Ms Tucker said, adding: He didnt like her, Roger wasnt involved that much in her life and had chosen to walk away. Ms Tucker said she had already spent 150,000 in lawyers fees fighting her niece in court, including a previous challenge brought by Ms Howe over the terms of Mr Howes will which ultimately ended in settlement. The case continues. Members of the Libertarian Party stand in chairs while chanting and demanding the release of Ross Ulbricht during the party's national convention at the Washington Hilton on May 25, 2024 in Washington, DC. Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images Ulbricht had been sentenced to life in jail in 2015 in connection with his website, which authorities said was an underground marketplace for the selling and distribution of illegal drugs. "I just called the mother of Ross William Ulbricht to let her know that in honor of her and the Libertarian Movement, which supported me so strongly, it was my pleasure to have just signed a full and unconditional pardon of her son, Ross," Trump posted. "The scum that worked to convict him were some of the same lunatics who were involved in the modern day weaponization of government against me. He was given two life sentences, plus 40 years. Ridiculous!" Advertisement Article continues below this ad INAUGURATION DAY: Trump vows to change the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America during inauguration speech Who is Ross Ulbricht? Ross Ulbricht is the founder of Silk Road, which was an online dark web marketplace. He is 40 years old. He has an X account with more than 280,000 followers as of Wednesday morning that has been run by his wife while he's been in prison. He hasn't posted since the pardon was announced. The account posted in November, following Trump's election, that he "can finally see the light at the end of the tunnel" with his "second chance" on the horizon. "After enduring over a decade of incarceration, this decision offers Ross the opportunity to begin anew, to rebuild his life, and to contribute positively to society," Ulbricht's clemency attorney Brandon Sample said in a statement, according to Reuters. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Is Ross Ulbricht from Texas? Yes, Ulbricht is from Texas. He grew up in Austin and graduated from the University of Texas at Dallas. What is Silk Road? Silk Road was a marketplace on the dark web created by Ulbricht that began operating in 2011. The website became "the most sophisticated and extensive criminal marketplace on the Internet, serving as a sprawling black-market bazaar where unlawful goods and services, including illegal drugs of virtually all varieties, were bought and sold regularly by the sites users," according to the press release announcing Ulbricht's sentencing in 2015. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Thousands of drug dealers and 100,000 buyers used the website, authorities said, to exchange drugs for Bitcoin, which was the currency used on the website. Officials said most items sold on the marketplace were illegal drugs. Authorities arrested Ulbricht and shut down the website in October 2013. Who is Dread Pirate Roberts? Ross Ulbricht is "Dread Pirate Roberts." It was the moniker he used on the Silk Road website. Advertisement Article continues below this ad What was Ross Ulbricht convicted of? Ulbricht was convicted on seven counts in 2015: distributing narcotics; distributing narcotics by means of the Internet; conspiring to distribute narcotics; engaging in a continuing criminal enterprise; conspiring to commit computer hacking; conspiring to traffic in false identity documents; and conspiring to commit money laundering. Make no mistake: Ulbricht was a drug dealer and criminal profiteer who exploited peoples addictions and contributed to the deaths of at least six young people, said Preet Bharara, the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York, in 2015. Ulbricht went from hiding his cybercrime identity to becoming the face of cybercrime and as todays sentence proves, no one is above the law. Why did Donald Trump pardon Ross Ulbricht? Donald Trump made a campaign promise to the Libertarian Party in May 2024 that if elected, he would pardon Ulbricht. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Libertarians for many years had been advocating for Ulbricht's release. In a social media post Tuesday, following Trump's announcement, the Libertarian Party's official X account said Ulbricht's "case was a symbol of everything wrong with the justice systema grotesque blend of overreach, hypocrisy, and moral posturing." ON THE WIRE: Trump pardons founder of Silk Road website A plane arrives at Londons Heathrow on 22 January. Reeves is keen to give the green light to a third runway at Heathrow as well as expansions at Gatwick and Luton. Photograph: Neil Hall/EPA Rachel Reevess bid to expand Heathrow airport could add 40 to the cost of an airline ticket, according to the Treasurys own analysis. The chancellors proposal to minimise the carbon emissions of a bigger Heathrow include the use of sustainable aviation fuels, which experts say are expensive and unlikely to reach the scale needed for aviation expansion. A Treasury cost-benefit analysis seen by the Guardian shows that sustainable fuels could increase the cost of a single economy airline fare by 37.80 by 2040. There are no plans to ensure frequent flyers, or those in first or business class, shoulder more of the cost, with ticket prices expected to go up across the board. The chancellor drew up the climate plans in response to criticism from the energy secretary, Ed Miliband. He is understood to have warned cabinet colleagues that airport expansion is likely to put the UK in breach of its legally binding carbon budget, which keeps the government on track to meet its 2050 net zero emissions target. One senior source said Reeves had been gung ho about Heathrow since the summer and had been putting pressure on Miliband and the former transport secretary Louise Haigh. Related: Reeves says growth eclipses net zero as Heathrow runway decision looms A number of cabinet ministers have been reassured by the proposal from the chancellor to include plans to use sustainable fuels. However, others fear it is prioritising short-term economic growth over tackling the climate crisis, which has been shown to be likely to tank economies, with more frequent natural disasters that destroy infrastructure, homes and the food supply. Reeves told journalists at the World Economic Forum in Davos on Wednesday that she views economic growth in this parliament as more important than net zero. Asked to choose between the two, she said: Well if [growth is] the number one mission its obviously the most important thing. There is some scepticism in Whitehall and beyond about the degree to which airport expansion would make a contribution to economic growth. The Department for Transport under Haigh commissioned a study on the growth impact on a third runway at Heathrow, which indicated that any increase in economic growth would not be immediate as the airport would not see any additional planes until 2040. The biggest rise in passengers would also come from transit where there is no air passenger duty paid. Reeves is understood to have told cabinet colleagues that boosting the amount of sustainable fuels airlines are mandated to use will offset any emissions. But Alethea Warrington, the head of aviation at the climate charity Possible, said: For the government to try to claim that so-called sustainable aviation fuels can undo the climate harm caused by new runways is a fantasy. The supply of genuinely sustainable fuels for aviation will be extremely small, and nowhere close to sufficient to supply even aviations current demand, let alone new runways. Any higher costs should fall on frequent flyers and those who can afford to fly in first class, rather than on the majority of people, who already fly rarely, if at all. The Treasurys analysis states that 75% of the costs of using more sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) will be passed to the consumer. The officials drawing up the document accepted this, writing that plane tickets are not expensive enough: Ticket prices do not reflect the full social cost of flying and are not sufficiently incentivising the uptake of decarbonisation solutions such as SAF. At the moment, planes use highly polluting kerosene for their jet fuel. They can reduce their emissions by up to 80% using biofuels made from feedstocks, cooking oils or crops. However, this takes up huge amounts of land and uses crops for fuel that could be used for food instead. Recent research from the Royal Society has found the UK would have to devote half its farmland or more than double its total renewable electricity supply to make enough aviation fuel to meet its ambitions for net zero flying. Last year, Air New Zealand scrapped its 2030 decarbonisation target, blaming difficulties in securing sustainable jet fuel. Related: Rachel Reeves denies Labour hindering consumer interests in car loans scandal Alex Chapman, a senior economist at the New Economics Foundation, said: We need emission reductions across the economy now and aviation cannot be given a get-out-of-jail-free card on the basis of unsustainable fuels and shaky arguments of growth. Instead of unsustainable aviation fuels, the government should look to managing the demand for flying through ideas such as a frequent flyer levy. Most cabinet ministers who previously voted against airport expansion are understood to be prepared to accept the growth of the four London airports. Seven cabinet ministers, including the prime minister, Keir Starmer, have voted against expansion in the past as well as others including the environment secretary, Steve Reed, and Darren Jones, the chief secretary to the Treasury. The Treasury declined to comment. Rachel Reeves said she had been listening to the concerns that have been raised by the non-dom community. Photograph: Tolga Akmen/EPA Rachel Reeves will amend the finance bill to soften planned changes to the non-dom tax regime as Labour woos the wealthy in pursuit of growth. Speaking at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, where she has been meeting business leaders and entrepreneurs, Reeves said: We have been listening to the concerns that have been raised by the non-dom community. The mooted change is relatively minor a tweak to the rules governing the three-year transitional regime to allow wealthy taxpayers to adjust to the phasing-out of non-dom status. Related: Davos day three: UKs Jonathan Reynolds impressed by Trump optimism; Milei blasts wokism live updates But it is the latest in a blitz of Labour policies aimed at signalling loudly the partys determination to make the UK an attractive place to invest. This week alone, Labour has forced out the chair of the competition regulator, Marcus Bokkerink, announced restrictions on legal challenges to big infrastructure projects and promised to review the visa regime for high-skilled migrants. The Treasury also waded into a supreme court case over car financing after banks had complained about the risks of paying huge compensation to consumers. The business secretary, Jonathan Reynolds, who is in Davos with Reeves selling UK plc, said: We have a great pitch to make. We are talking to people who want to invest in the UK who are I think seeing, first of all, our pitch to political stability, certainly relative to other European countries, and our commitment to openness. The current non-dom regime allows individuals claiming the status usually wealthy residents in Britain whose father was born overseas to avoid paying UK tax on their overseas earnings in exchange for fees for up to 15 years. Reeves is replacing this with a shorter residence-based regime from April. The planned changes relate to the rules governing the temporary repatriation facility a transitional arrangement that will last three years from April 2025. First announced by the Conservative chancellor Jeremy Hunt, the facility will allow non-doms to bring overseas income into the UK and pay a reduced tax rate of 12-15%. Reeves extended it from two years to three in her budget. However, wealthy individuals had complained that the rules around the facility had been too tightly drawn, excluding the proceeds of some types of investment. The Treasury has now signalled that these will be tweaked. The shadow chancellor, Mel Stride, seized on the plans as evidence that Reevess budget policies were driving people away. Labour simply does not understand business and the economy, and working people are paying the price, he said. Treasury sources insisted the change had not come as a result of reports of an exodus of wealthy individuals from the UK. Reynolds confirmed the planned change, telling journalists in Davos: There is a tweak to the finance bill Of course, when youre changing a tax regime, people will want to know, and therell be some uncertainty there, so weve got to get that message out. He and Reeves have been touring events and parties at Davos sending the message that the UK is open for business with the chancellor saying that growth has to trump other concerns, including the governments commitment to net zero. Hunt announced he was going to scrap the 225-year-old non-dom tax scheme a relic of Britains colonial past in his budget last spring. Labour promised in opposition to go further than Hunts replacement system, and Reeves announced the registration-based regime in her 30 October budget. The current regime protects overseas earnings from UK income tax for up to 15 years, but there were ways to preserve inheritance tax benefits after that time. Reevess moves to close these loopholes have been cited by some non-doms as a main reason for them quitting the UK. A Treasury spokesperson said: While we do not expect these changes to impact the 33.8bn of tax revenue that the OBR forecast to raise over five years, they reflect our continued engagement with stakeholders to make sure the reforms announced at budget operate as intended. The temporary repatriation facility is designed to encourage non-doms to bring their funds to the UK, encouraging them to spend and invest this money here. Reeves, Reynolds and the trade minister Sarah Jones met more than 20 company bosses from companies including Lloyds Banking Group, HSBC and Barclays at a lunch hosted by the Confederation of British Industry and the accountancy firm KPMG in Davos on Thursday. Reeves was good in the sense that they understood that the message has to be more positive and everything has to be seen through the growth lens, said one attender at the event in the Swiss resorts Belvedere hotel. Theres a commitment to do a lot more in the coming months to keep the momentum going and try to change the narrative. Theyve realised it has to be reset after the budget and I think they are doing it. It was a good delegation and they are saying the right thing. Another said the tone was friendly, warm and respectful, adding: Questions were very tame. There was a sense of Thanks for being here and putting on a good show for the UK. Illustration: Guardian Design The Israeli militarys reliance on Microsofts cloud technology and artificial intelligence systems surged during the most intensive phase of its bombardment of Gaza, leaked documents reveal. The files offer an inside view of how Microsoft deepened its relationship with Israels defence establishment after 7 October 2023, supplying the military with greater computing and storage services and striking at least $10m in deals to provide thousands of hours of technical support. Microsofts deep ties with Israels military are revealed in an investigation by the Guardian with the Israeli-Palestinian publication +972 Magazine and a Hebrew-language outlet, Local Call. It is based in part on documents obtained by Drop Site News, which has published its own story. The investigation, which also draws on interviews with sources from across Israels defence and intelligence establishment, sheds new light on how the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) turned to major US tech companies to meet the technological demands of war. After launching its offensive in Gaza in October 2023, the IDF faced a sudden rush in demand for storage and computing power, leading it to swiftly expand its computing infrastructure and embrace what one commander described as the wonderful world of cloud providers. As a result, multiple Israeli defence sources said, the IDF has become increasingly dependent on the likes of Microsoft, Amazon and Google to store and analyse greater volumes of data and intelligence information for longer period. The leaked documents, which include commercial records from Israels defence ministry and files from Microsofts Israeli subsidiary, suggest Microsofts products and services, chiefly its Azure cloud computing platform, were used by units across Israels air, ground and naval forces, as well as its intelligence directorate. While the IDF has used some Microsoft services for administrative purposes, such as email and file management systems, documents and interviews suggest Azure has been used to support combat and intelligence activities. As a trusted partner of Israels defence ministry, Microsoft was frequently tasked with working on sensitive and highly classified projects. Its staff also worked closely with the IDFs intelligence directorate, including its elite surveillance division, Unit 8200. In recent years, documents show, Microsoft has also provided the Israeli military with large-scale access to OpenAIs GPT-4 model the engine behind ChatGPT thanks to a partnership with the developer of the AI tools which recently changed its policies against working with military and intelligence clients. Microsoft declined to comment on the findings of the investigation or answer questions about its work for the IDF. An IDF spokesperson said: We wont comment on the subject. Israels defence ministry also declined to comment. The disclosures about Microsofts deep ties to the IDF and the integration of its systems in the war effort illustrate the growth of private-sector involvement in hi-tech warfare and the increasingly blurred distinctions between civilian and military digital infrastructure. In the US, commercial ties between Israels military and big tech groups are coming under increasing scrutiny and have sparked protests among tech workers who fear products they build and maintain have enabled a war in Gaza in which Israel stands accused of grave violations of international humanitarian law. However, in a war that has become known for the IDFs application of novel systems on the battlefield including AI-driven target recommendation tools such as The Gospel and Lavender the role played by major US-headquartered tech companies to support Israels operations in Gaza has, until now, largely remained out of sight. A deepening partnership In 2021, after Microsoft failed to secure a $1.2bn deal to overhaul Israels public sectors cloud computing infrastructure, its executives looked with envy at Amazon and Google, which had joined forces to win the sprawling contract, known as Project Nimbus. Although undoubtedly a blow to Microsofts business in Israel and its place as the IDFs premier cloud provider, documents suggest the company took comfort from indications from Israeli defence officials that it would continue to enjoy a strong partnership with the military. Related: The machine did it coldly: Israel used AI to identify 37,000 Hamas targets Executives were hopeful the relationship would continue to grow, thanks in part to the integration of the companys technology and services in the most complex and secretive parts of the IDFs operations. The leaked documents illustrate how the US tech behemoth supported a range of sensitive activities, including: Azure, Microsofts cloud platform, was used by multiple military intelligence units, including Unit 8200 and Unit 81, which develops cutting-edge spy technology for Israels intelligence community. A system Israeli security forces use to manage the population registry and movement of Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza, known as Rolling Stone, was maintained using Microsofts technology. During the Gaza offensive, Microsofts suite of communications and messaging systems were used by Ofek, an air force unit responsible for managing large databases of potential targets for lethal strikes known as target banks. Microsofts staff and contractors have also worked closely with military personnel across the IDF, providing advice and technical support both remotely and on military bases. During the Gaza offensive, Microsoft engineers provided support to IDF intelligence units such as Unit 8200 and another secretive spy unit, Unit 9900 which collects and analyses visual intelligence to support their use of cloud infrastructure. According to the files, between the start of the war in October 2023 and the end of June 2024, Israels defence ministry agreed to buy 19,000 hours of engineering support and consultancy services from Microsoft to assist a wide range of IDF units. The deals appear to have generated about $10m in fees for Microsoft. A paradigm shift In a 2021 book the Guardian revealed he had authored, the head of Unit 8200 at the time forecast the IDFs demand for cloud computing would lead it to partner with the likes of Microsoft and Amazon in ways similar to their current relationships with major weapons manufacturers such as Lockheed Martin. Two years later, as Israel embarked on a ground invasion and aerial campaign in Gaza, unprecedented in its speed and intensity, the IDFs insatiable demand for bombs was matched by its need for greater access to cloud computing services. This created an opportunity for Microsoft to deepen its relationship with the IDF. In November 2023, files suggest, Israels defence ministry turned to the company to provide rapid support to the militarys central computing unit, known as Mamram. Responsible for the militarys tech infrastructure, Mamram has been at the forefront of the IDFs pivot to greater reliance on commercial cloud companies. The units commander told a defence industry conference in Tel Aviv last year how at the start of Israels ground invasion IDF systems were overwhelmed, leading the unit to purchase computing power from the civilian world. In remarks revealed by +972 and Local Call, Col Racheli Dembinsky explained that the most significant advantage the cloud companies provided was their crazy wealth of services, including their advanced AI capabilities. Working with these companies, she said, provided the IDF with very significant operational effectiveness in Gaza. Although Dembinsky did not mention the names of the cloud providers the IDF is now relying on, the Azure logo along with the logos of Amazon Web Services and Google Cloud featured in her lecture slides. According to analysis of the leaked documents, the Israeli militarys average monthly consumption of Microsoft Azures cloud storage facilities in the first six months of the war was 60% higher than in the four months leading up to the war. The documents suggest the militarys consumption of Microsofts AI-based products also jumped in a similar period. By the end of March 2024, the militarys monthly consumption of Azures suite of machine learning tools was 64 times higher than in September 2023. Precisely how the IDF used Azures AI-based products was not specified, but documents suggest it drew on a range of AI-powered translation and speech-to-text conversion tools. The files also indicate that a significant proportion of the AI-based services paid for by the defence ministry were used by the military on so-called air-gapped systems disconnected from the internet and public networks, raising the possibility they may have been used for more sensitive tasks. The IDF also appears to have drawn on the AI-based services from Microsofts rivals. On Wednesday, the Washington Post reported that Googles cloud division provided the IDF with access to its AI-based services. The militarys use of OpenAIs products such as its GPT-4 engine a powerful AI model designed for natural language understanding and generation also rose sharply in the first six months of the war, files suggest. Its access to the models was made via the Azure platform rather than directly through OpenAI. At one stage in 2024, OpenAIs tools accounted for a quarter of the militarys consumption of machine learning tools provided by Microsoft. The company has in recent years reportedly invested $13bn in OpenAI. In January 2024, OpenAI quietly deleted its own restrictions against the use of its services for military and warfare activities as part of a comprehensive rewrite of its policies. At around this time, files suggest, the Israeli militarys consumption of the Azure OpenAI suite of products began to spike. It was not clear how the military used OpenAIs models or whether they played any role in supporting combat or intelligence activities. Approached for comment, OpenAI did not respond to questions about its knowledge of how the Israeli military uses its products. A spokesperson for OpenAI said: OpenAI does not have a partnership with the IDF. They referred to OpenAIs updated usage policy, which forbade its products being used to develop or use weapons, injure others or destroy property. In May 2024, however, Microsoft began to publicise the ways in which the integration of OpenAIs tools on its Azure platform presented a paradigm shift for defence and intelligence organisations, offering to augment human capabilities and achieve greater speed, accuracy, and efficiency. Adriana Neagoe with one of her pet pugs - Jam Press A Romanian woman was found half-eaten by her pet pugs after dying in her apartment and lying undiscovered for days. Adriana Neagoe, 34, known as Anda Sasha, had not been heard from for nearly a week when police broke into her home in the town of Targu Jiu, near Bucharest. The officers found her two pugs lying next to her dead body, having partially eaten her corpse. It is not yet clear how she died. There were no apparent signs of violence found on her body, according to the police, who have launched an investigation into her death. A post mortem examination was due to be carried out. The two dogs were removed by local authorities. Relatives raised the alarm Another angel has gone to heaven, her sister, Maria Alexandra said. My beautiful sister Anda Sasha is no longer among us. Concerned relatives had raised the alarm after trying to contact Ms Neagoe for five days. Tributes to Ms Neagoe have been posted online. I am devastated! May God protect her and give you the strength to overcome. Condolences, one person wrote. My deepest condolences to you! I am in shock! What happened to her? a second added. Yasmin Ghaffar is a policy and public affairs adviser at Save the Children Save the Children has suspended an employee who said she did not want to buy bagels from Zionists. Yasmin Ghaffar, a policy and public affairs adviser at the charity, posted a video on her personal TikTok account asking for anti-Zionist bagel shop recommendations to avoid giving my money to any genocidal maniacs. The charity, which received 93 million in donations last year, said it was deeply sorry for the remarks and has suspended Ms Ghaffar while it investigates. In the video, she said: Hi guys, so Im going to New York next week, and I really want to go to the bagel shops, obviously. But I dont want to be giving my money to any genocidal maniacs, so does anybody have any recommendations on bagel shops that are either actively pro-Palestinian or are just known to not be in support of that hell-hole place and Zionism. So anti-Zionist bagel shops in New York, please. Bagels were brought to Britain by Jewish migrants from Eastern Europe in the 19th century. Degrading of Western charities The remarks drew criticism, with Simon Sebag Montefiore, the historian, saying: Its stupidity would be hilarious. Except it exposes the degrading of Western charities and NGOs. A spokesman for the Campaign against Antisemitism said: The overwhelming majority of Jews identify as Zionists, and the term is often used as a synonym for Jewish people. We cannot allow this sort of hate to become normalised. Russell Langer, director of public affairs at the Jewish Leadership Council said: Sadly, its all too common to see this sort of behaviour within the charity sector, a sector which has been overtaken by the excesses of progressive activism. Ms Ghaffar previously worked in the office of Andrew Mitchell, the former Conservative minister, in 2020. A spokesman for Save the Children said: The language used in this TikTok is unacceptable and does not in any way reflect the views of Save the Children UK. We are deeply sorry for the offence caused. Our social media guidelines prohibit staff from posting any offensive content. This post came to the attention of Save the Children UK managers early on Sunday morning. The staff member took down the post as soon as they were asked to do so. An internal investigation has been instigated. The member of staff concerned has been placed on leave pending the outcome of the investigation. The siren alert was sent to every compatible mobile phone in red-warning areas and contained guidance on how to stay safe. Photograph: Murdo MacLeod/The Guardian More than 4.5 million people in Northern Ireland and Scotland have received a 10-second siren sound on their phones, after a rare red weather alert warned of what could be the strongest storm in generations. The Met Office said the arrival of Storm Eowyn could bring gusts of up to 100mph and flying debris resulting in a danger to life. The red warnings for Friday, an upgrade of existing amber warnings, covered all of Northern Ireland and parts of central and southern Scotland, including Edinburgh, Glasgow and Ayr. The UK government said more than 4.5 million people had received the emergency alerts on Thursday evening, the largest real-life use of the tool to date. The system sent a message to every compatible mobile phone in affected areas and contained guidance on how to stay safe, a Cabinet Office spokesperson said. Police in Northern Ireland had declared a major incident as Storm Eowyn approached the region. In the Irish republic, a rare nationwide red warning for wind was in place, issued by Met Eireann. At first ministers questions in the Scottish parliament on Thursday, John Swinney told the public to take the red weather warning seriously, adding that Police Scotland was due to issue an unusual do not travel notice. Swinney said he would be chairing a meeting of the governments resilience room after the FMQs session. We have to be clear that people should not travel and that Police Scotland will issue a formal do not travel notice shortly, he said. Red weather warnings are very rare. Our message is simple: please follow the advice from the Met Office and the police, take this seriously and stay safe. Schools were to close across Scotlands central belt on Friday, with colleges and universities also advising students and staff to stay at home. The Scottish parliament building in Edinburgh would also be shut on Friday, with only essential staff being granted access. All trains across Scotland would be suspended, ScotRail said. In Northern Ireland, the first minister, Michelle ONeill, and the deputy first minister, Emma Little-Pengelly, urged people to stay at home if possible and check in on vulnerable people before the severe winds struck. Schools, colleges and the courts would be closed on Friday, public transport suspended and some health appointments postponed. The public have been warned to stay away from forests, country parks and nature reserves because of the risk of falling trees, branches and debris. Police said the strongest winds were expected in the region since the Boxing Day storm in 1998, which caused widespread disruption. The Police Service of Northern Ireland assistant chief constable, Davy Beck, described Storm Eowyn as an exceptional weather event with wind speeds of up to 100mph expected. He said police had declared a major incident and urged the public to take the dangers seriously. There is expected to be serious disruption across our road network, public transport, schools, health services and other public services, said Beck. The message from police is: do not travel, remain indoors and stay safe. In the Republic of Ireland, public transport had been cancelled on Friday as the country prepared for a status red warning with extreme risk to life. Tidal surges of up to 2.5 metres were expected across all coastlines across the island. Keith Leonard, Irelands National Emergency Coordination Group chair, asked people to remain indoors during the storm. Forecasters said the storm could mean power cuts and dangerous driving conditions caused by fallen trees, blown-off roofs and downed power lines. Roads, bridges and railway lines were likely to be closed. Northern Railways, which operates across northern England, advised passengers to avoid travelling where possible as it cancelled services before the storm. The company said it was expecting severe disruption and had cancelled services across the network, including trains across the Pennines, down the Cumbrian coast and between Carlisle and Newcastle. LNER said there would be no services north of Newcastle in either direction from 11am on Friday. Avanti West Coast advised passengers not to travel north of Preston or on its north Wales route. Eowyn is the fifth named storm of the 2024-25 season and potentially the most destructive. Forecasters have said it could be the strongest system the UK and Ireland has seen since Storm Debbie in September 1961, which wrecked homes, cut power and killed 12 people in Ireland and six in Northern Ireland. The Met Office said peak rush hour wind speeds of 80-90mph were expected across Northern Ireland, with up to 100mph in some exposed locations. The record for a gust in Northern Ireland is 124mph, in Kilkeel, County Down, in January 1974. Experts said Eowyn could also bring torrential rain and heavy snow across the UK. There were amber wind warnings in place for north Wales, northern England and the rest of Scotland; and a yellow wind warning across south-east England. Jess Neumann, an associate professor of hydrology at the University of Reading, said: Storm Eowyn is not one to underestimate stay safe, stay prepared, and plan ahead. This storm has the potential to bring serious risks, not just to travel and property, but to your safety and wellbeing. Those sentiments were echoed by Prof Liz Bentley, the chief executive of the Royal Meteorological Society, who said Eowyn was a particularly potent storm because of a very active jet stream. Data from Flightradar24 showed a BA flight from Las Vegas to Heathrow hit a speed of 814mph this week because of the strong tailwind created by the jet stream. Bentley said: The subsonic speed record currently stands at 835mph, so that record could well be broken in the coming hours. The European Storm Forecast Experiment (Estofex), a forecasting initiative involving European meteorologists, said tornado events could not be ruled out, with areas between Bristol and London most at risk on Friday. As the storm approached, the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) advised people to avoid all travel unless necessary. If people have to drive they should do it cautiously, be alert for debris and stay a safe distance from other vehicles. At home, outdoor furniture and bins should be secured and people should remain indoors as much as possible. It also advised people to prepare an emergency kit with essentials such as water, non-perishable food, torches, batteries and first aid. There is no evidence that TikTok is a vehicle for ongoing mass surveillance. Photograph: Klaudia Radecka/NurPhoto/Rex/Shutterstock If the Chinese-owned TikTok is deemed definitively by the US to be a national security threat, it is hard to see how the UK or other western countries could conclude differently. But the fact that Donald Trump has walked into the White House talking of a reprieve for the video-sharing network, which restored its service in the US after going dark for a day, suggests something simpler is at work Trumpian geopolitics. Related: From TikTok to TrumpTok? The apps banning and unbanning encapsulates everything wrong with US politics | Arwa Mahdawi With 14.8 million TikTok followers, Trump has his own reasons to be wary of closing down the app. Instead, his focus is to force at least a partial divestment of TikTok US to a tame American owner, though reports of a sale to Trumps ally Elon Musk have been dismissed by the apps owner, ByteDance, as pure fiction. The US security argument against TikTok starts with the simple concern that large amounts of user data could end up in China, where it could ultimately fall into the hands of the countrys ruling Communist party. TikToks privacy policy acknowledges that it collects significant amounts of personal data: phone numbers and email addresses; device and video location; usage patterns and phone and social network contact lists, for those who have linked them. Some of that is stored internationally, in Singapore, Malaysia, the US and Ireland and as the US supreme court emphasised, some is processed in China, including data to train its recommendation algorithm. Yet it is also worth noting that TikTok is not alone in that many other apps harvest significant quantities of user data. As Ciaran Martin, a former head of the UK cybersecurity agency NCSC, observes: The system of personal data security across social media and other apps is so broken TikTok scarcely matters. TikTok has admitted it accessed the accounts of two technology journalists (actually, in one case, her cats) seeking the sources of their stories about the company itself. But another allegation about covert ChineseCommunist party meddling has been set aside by a US court, amid concerns about the central witnesss reliability. The former FBI chief Christopher Wray warned Congress in January last year that TikTok could allow China to control data collection on millions of users, which can be used for all sorts of intelligence operations or influence operations. But the reality is that these concerns are mostly theoretical. Though it is undeniable that Beijing has engaged in the hacking of western computer systems to spy, steal intellectual property and obtain personal data, there is no evidence that TikTok is a vehicle for ongoing mass surveillance. A recent breach of US phone networks by Chinese hackers labelled Salt Typhoon did not take advantage of software from China but instead hacked US and other western-built infrastructure, Martin added. TikTok is not available in China (ByteDance runs a sister app there, Douyin) and is not overtly censored on Communist party lines, though it has been argued its soft power has influenced young people in independent Taiwan to be more pro-Beijing. Switching to become an explicit vehicle for interference would be a huge change of tack, arguably similar to that adopted by Musk after his takeover of Twitter. National security concerns about TikTok were accepted without debate by the US supreme court last week. Judges focused on whether Congresss proposed ban on TikTok violated US free speech protections. The court concluded that the US legislation did not, because of overriding national security concerns regarding TikToks data collection practices and [its] relationship with a foreign adversary. In the UK, concerns about the leakage of government data underpinned a decision in March 2023 to ban TikTok from the phones of ministers and civil servants. However, the idea of a nationwide ban was dismissed on Sunday by Darren Jones, the chief security to the Treasury, who said consumers who want to post videos of their cats or dancing, that doesnt seem like a national security threat to me. It is a position that has been previously stated by British intelligence officials. The former GCHQ head Jeremy Fleming said he would encourage young people to use TikTok. Yet if the argument about TikTok is really a geopolitical battle between the US and China, smaller Britain is wisest to keep out of the way. It makes sense to see how this plays out in the US first, says Martin. Because if the US succeeds in getting TikTok sold, the problem goes away. Tina Turner Are you ready to hear the late, great Tina Turner shrieking at the top of her vocal range about her rising body temperature with the kind of lung-busting fierceness that suggests she is desperate to get to the end of the song before the fire brigade burst in and douse her in foam? Then Hot For You Baby is the song for you. This long-lost Turner track has been dug out of the archives, dusted down, spruced up and unleashed upon an unsuspecting world, over 40 years since it was first laid down. Its credentials are impeccable. Hot For You Baby was recorded in sessions for Turners classic 1984 comeback album, Private Dancer, which went on to become the biggest seller of her career. The track was one of three produced by her Capitol A&R man, John S. Carter, who is widely credited with transforming Turner from a fading pioneer of rock and soul into a global contemporary pop-rock superstar. It was composed by Harry Vanda and George Young, members of 1960s Australian combo the Easybeats who gave us the classic Friday on My Mind. The duo enjoyed a long and successful career writing for other artists, their most famous hit being John Paul Joness Love is in the Air. Young was the older brother of Malcolm and Angus of AC/DC, and Vanda & Young produced the first six albums for the legendary heavy rockers. So where did it all go wrong? Hot For You Baby is the thinnest of ideas, delivered with maximum gusto. Its based on a clumpily straightforward blues structure in the key of G, with a galloping two-note bass, thunderous drums, simple organ and slashing, shiny, 1980s guitar chords. Over this, Turner is saddled with deeply unimaginative lyrics meant to convey unbridled lust (The way you shake your hips, the way you hold those sexy lips, you know youre gonna get me unwound) before a long, repetitive bridge and chorus in which she yelps, gasps and roars Im hot for you baby whilst a troupe of male backing vocalists chant hot for you baby with all the nuance of builders who have been left out in the sun for too long. I counted at least 60 repetitions of the phrase hot for you in the songs overlong 4 minute and 47 second running time, plus three of those twiddly and frenetic lead guitar solos they loved in the 1980s, and a startling key change at the end to push Turners vocal into the kind of zone where only certain animals can hear it. Its not that the song sounds bad, just simplistic, banal and uninspired, like a band of musos kicking around a Billy Idol b-side to try and squeeze some life out of it. It probably seemed a good idea at the time, but then someone played the tapes back the next day and went maybe not. Tina Turner in 1984 Producer John Carter had previously enjoyed success with Bob Seger, the Steve Miller Band and Sammy Hagar, suggesting slick US pop rock was his ballpark. His inspired gamble was that Turner possessed the vocal power, character and raw passion to push such a shiny, commercial sound into a whole other zone of expression. Private Dancer contains some of Turners signature songs and most celebrated performances, including Whats Love Got to Do With It, I Cant Stand the Rain, Better Be Good to Me, Lets Stay Together, Help and the title track. So lets be honest, Carter and Turner clearly knew what they were doing when they decided not to include Hot For You Baby on the original album. It is also worth noting that it never made it out as a B-side or an extra track until now, when the principles have shuffled off this mortal coil (Carter died in 2011, Turner in 2023). Nothing goes unreleased forever anymore such is the curse or the blessing of the archives. An anniversary box set of Private Dancer is being released in March, complete with extra tracks, remixes and live performances. And, honestly, it is always thrilling to hear Turner singing. She had a voice to transcend any material. Which is probably the best thing you can say about something as tepid as Hot For You Baby, a track that depends entirely on Turners act of self-combustion. Senior lawyers, including the former Tory attorney general Dominic Grieve, have said the attacks against Richard Hermer (above) were politically motivated. Photograph: Thomas Krych/Zuma Press Wire/Rex/Shutterstock The cabinet secretary has dismissed Conservative demands for an investigation into whether the attorney general has advised the government on issues in which he has conflicts of interest. Chris Wormald, the UKs most senior civil servant, wrote to Robert Jenrick on Thursday saying there was a rigorous system to prevent law officers from advising on issues where they may be conflicted. Jenrick, the shadow justice secretary, had asked Wormald to investigate potential conflicts arising from Richard Hermers 20-year career as a human rights barrister, during which he advised the former Sinn Fein leader Gerry Adams and Sri Lankan asylum seekers who took action against the government. Under longstanding convention, the issues on which government lawyers advise ministers and the content of their advice are not made public to avoid dragging them into political rows. Senior lawyers, including the former Tory attorney general Dominic Grieve, have defended Hermer and said the attacks against him were politically motivated. Lucy Rigby, the solicitor general, told the Commons on Thursday that Wormald had written to Jenrick, telling him the attorney generals office has a rigorous system in place to avoid conflicts. The Guardian understands that in his letter, Wormald said it was not for him to launch investigations into ministerial conduct but for the prime minister and his independent ethics adviser. Rigby told the Commons: Theres been a really cynical linking in recent days by the opposition of the attorney general with some of his previous clients. Im happy to confirm that where the attorney general has conflicts he will recuse himself. Jenrick asked the cabinet secretary to establish whether Hermer had advised the government on repealing the Legacy Act, which offers immunity to Troubles-era crimes in Northern Ireland, and allowing a group of Sri Lankan asylum seekers stranded in the Chagos Islands to come to the UK. While he was working as a barrister in 2023, Hermers clients included Adams, who could be in line to receive compensation if the Legacy Act is repealed, and the Sri Lankan asylum seekers in Diego Garcia. Hermer has said he represented Adams on an issue unconnected to the Legacy Act, and pointed out that at the same time he was representing the family of a young British soldier murdered by the IRA in the 1970s. In 2023, Hermer acted for seven Afghan families whose relatives were killed by members of UK Special Forces, and accused senior military officers of covering up war crimes. A public inquiry into the unlawful killings by the SAS in Afghanistan is ongoing. A media notice about the inquiry earlier this month was issued by the solicitor general instead of the attorney general, which suggests Hermer may have recused himself from advising the government on that issue. The decision not to disclose this follows the same practice as past Conservative governments. Two Tory sources said that because he had served as standing counsel for the government of Mauritius, Geoffrey Cox did not act for the UK government when Mauritius challenged its sovereignty over the Chagos Islands. Robert Buckland, then the solicitor general, represented the UK at the international court of justice in 2018 instead. This was never explicitly announced. Former government lawyers said there was no evidence of wrongdoing by Hermer. If you take the view that human rights lawyers are a pain and some of the opposition do take that view all of this stuff may be resurrected as examples that hes a bit of a lefty woke lawyer, one said. Its extremely unlikely that any of that will give rise to any kind of legal conflict. Vera Baird, a former Labour solicitor general, said: Barristers dont have any personal interest in the people and cases they have represented in the past. Grieve said Jenricks suggestion that Hermers past client roster now colours the viewpoint of the attorney general is pretty disgusting stuff. Robert Jenrick is trying to mount a campaign denigrating the law officers and the rule of law within government, and arguing that Keir Starmer has sold out to lefty lawyers, he said. Colm OCinneide, a law professor at University College London, said that because of his background in public law, Hermer might come under more scrutiny than previous attorneys general, but that it would not be helpful for an attorney general to have to give a running commentary on potential recusals. There is potentially an argument we would just all benefit from more transparency, but on the other hand is the countervailing consideration about the danger of the necessarily close relationships between the attorney general and the government being compromised. Donald Trump signed the order to release the files in the Oval Office on Thursday - EPA Donald Trump said everything will be revealed as he signed an executive order to declassify files on the assassination of former US president John F Kennedy. The US president had promised on the campaign trail to release classified intelligence and law enforcement files on the 1963 assassination of JFK, as Americas 35th president is widely known. The order will also declassify federal records relating to the assassinations of Senator Robert F Kennedy, and Martin Luther King Jnr. Speaking to reporters on Thursday, Mr Trump said: Thats a big one, huh? A lot of people are waiting for this for a long ... for years, for decades. He added: Everything will be revealed. President Kennedy was killed in Dallas in 1963 - BETTMANN Martin Luther King Jnr, the revered civil rights activist, was shot dead at a motel in Memphis in 1968 - AP The order directs the director of national intelligence and the attorney general to develop a plan within 15 days to declassify the remaining JFK records, and within 45 days for the other two cases. Mr Trump had ordered the substantial release of the John F Kennedy assassination records in his first term, but some were redacted or withheld owing to concerns raised by the intelligence community. After signing the order, the president handed the pen used to sign the order to an aide and directed it to be given to RFKs son Robert F Kennedy Jnr, his nominee to be health and human services secretary. President Trump Orders Historic Transparency: JFK, RFK, and MLK Files to be Declassified "This is a big one. A lot of people have been waiting for this for years, for decades. Everything will be revealed." President Trump pic.twitter.com/iYfF7huHj9 The White House (@WhiteHouse) January 23, 2025 Mr Kennedy Jnr believes the CIA was involved in his uncles death, an allegation the agency has described as baseless. Mr Kennedy Jnr has also said he believes his father was killed by multiple gunmen, an assertion that contradicts official accounts. The executive order said: More than 50 years after the assassinations of President John F Kennedy, Senator Robert F Kennedy, and the Reverend Dr Martin Luther King, Jnr, the Federal Government has not released to the public all of its records related to those events. Their families and the American people deserve transparency and truth. It is in the national interest to finally release all records related to these assassinations without delay. As President Donald Trump (middle) began rolling out new immigration policies, experts said local conservative leaders like Galveston County Sheriff Jimmy Fullen (right) and Montgomery County Sheriff Wesley Doolittle (left) could be key to advancing his mass deportation plans. Images from the Jimmy Fullen campaign, the Wesley Doolittle campaign, Houston Chronicle staff and Allen J. Schaben/Illustration by Yilun Cheng For the Houston regions conservative sheriffs who built their careers talking tough on immigration, President Donald Trumps pledge to launch the largest deportation operation in American history could be their chance to turn words into action. While immigration enforcement is a federal responsibility, sheriffs who control county jails and often wield significant local political influence have long been key partners in carrying out arrests and deportations. Under the previous Trump administration, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement aggressively courted conservative sheriffs to expand its reach, and many eagerly stepped in to assist. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The Houston area is not short of law enforcement officials who rose to power by championing hardline immigration stances. Galveston Countys newly elected sheriff, Jimmy Fullen, has made over a dozen trips to the U.S.-Mexico border, according to his campaign website, to personally assist in the arrests of migrants. Meanwhile, Montgomery Countys new sheriff, Wesley Doolittle, has extended his focus beyond the southern border, targeting what he calls the border we share with Harris County, where liberals are sending us their criminals. While Fullen and Doolittle have not directly commented on Trumps new immigration initiatives, experts said these local hardliners could play an essential role in helping Trump execute his mass deportation plans. ICE simply doesnt have the capacity to do what Trump says he wants to do, so theyre going to need these local sheriffs, said Emily Farris, a political science professor at Texas Christian University. And many sheriffs will feel motivated to cooperate, she said, either to score political points with their conservative-leaning constituency or to benefit from potential federal funding. Right now, sheriffs can fuel ICE's deportation pipeline by participating in a contentious federal program called 287(g), which allows their deputies to act as ICE agents locally. Additionally, they can grant ICE access to local county jails, reserve jail space for immigration detention and share detainee information through both formal and informal channels. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Sheriffs' influence also extends beyond jail walls into communities. Farris research shows sheriffs personal attitudes toward immigrants significantly impact their officers' policing practices, including whether they check immigration status during routine traffic stops or when interacting with witnesses of crime. These varying degrees of involvement can have far-reaching consequences for public safety by eroding local families' trust in law enforcement, she said. You also don't necessarily need to know what exactly the sheriff is or isn't going to do, Farris added. Just knowing what the sheriff is known for can create a real chilling effect that has impacts on safety throughout the community. Migrants walk into Mexico after being deported from the U.S. at El Chaparral pedestrian border bridge in Tijuana, Mexico, Tuesday, Jan. 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Felix Marquez) Felix Marquez/Associated Press Theyre going to be in our backyard The Houston region, with its diverse demographics and mix of Republican and Democratic-leaning counties, has often drawn national attention in debates over immigration enforcement. Advertisement Article continues below this ad At the same time, local politicians, though hundreds of miles away from the border, have not let that distance deter them from making immigration a key focus of their platforms. Fullen, for instance, made curbing the onslaught of illegal immigrants the cornerstone of his campaign last year. Before becoming Galveston County sheriff, Fullen built his reputation by leading a county task force to arrest migrants in Kinney County, a border area central to Gov. Greg Abbotts Operation Lone Star border security initiative. Launched in 2021, Operation Lone Star has since faced allegations of human rights abuses, been subject to legal challenges and sparked frustration, anxiety and anger among many deployed officers. But Fullen defended his involvement in the initiative, explaining in a video that he felt compelled to travel to the border because its just a matter of time before these illegal aliens that are coming into our country, theyre going to be in our backyard. Fullen also documented his border trips on Facebook, posting photos of people he said were migrants crossing the border, including one image of a man stuffed into a suitcase. He did not respond to the Chronicles interview request or questions about his experience with or plans for immigration enforcement as sheriff. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Jessica Pishko, an attorney and author of a book on sheriffs often-unchecked powers, said she has seen many officials like Fullen share unflattering images of migrants, portraying them as disheveled, dirty and sometimes as hardened criminals. The goal, she said, is often to stoke fear among their local constituents. Despite Fullens election victory, his political career now faces an uncertain future. In June 2024, the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement, the state agency that regulates law enforcement officers, recommended revoking Fullens license for allegedly being untruthful in official documents about past incidents that cast him in a negative light. Fullen has appealed the recommendation, and state regulators have scheduled a daylong hearing in April to decide his fate. He did not comment on the investigation. The border we share with Harris County Montgomery County has similarly embraced restrictive immigration policies. Former Sheriff Rand Henderson, who lost his reelection bid in November, entered the county into a 287(g) agreement in 2017 and answered Abbotts plea for help by sending jail staff to the border to bolster enforcement. Advertisement Article continues below this ad He also hosted a 2021 conference in The Woodlands for the Constitutional Sheriffs and Peace Officers Association, a fringe group that claims sheriffs have ultimate authority over enforcing the U.S. Constitution, above the federal government and courts. The group has blamed immigrants for eroding Americas culture and economy and urged all sheriffs to orchestrate a countrywide investigation into who is behind the illegal immigration infiltration. Montgomery Countys newly elected sheriff, Doolittle, appears equally eager to establish himself as a staunch enforcer of immigration laws. During his campaign, Doolittle sought and won the endorsement of Joe Arpaio, a former Arizona sheriff nicknamed Americas toughest sheriff over his controversial immigration roundups. Arpaio was convicted of criminal contempt in 2017 for defying court orders to stop detaining residents based solely on suspected immigration status and was later pardoned by Trump. Having the support of Sheriff Arpaio means voters know Im serious about protecting our border and Im also serious about the border we share with Harris County, where liberals are sending us their criminals, Doolittle said in a statement announcing Arpaios endorsement. The Montgomery County Sheriffs Office did not respond to the Chronicles inquiry about its role in federal immigration enforcement or Trumps call for mass deportations. Since much of immigration enforcement relies on the discretion of ICE officials and their local partners, the presence of sheriffs like Fullen and Doolittle can have tangible consequences for local families, according to Pishko. The sheriff can cause a lot of damage in their community by acting as an overly anti-immigrant rogue operator, Pishko said. They can scare people. They can make public announcements. They can simply call ICE and say, Can you pick this person up? Sheriffs hold the enforcement keys Mere days into the new administration, Trump has already issued a flurry of executive orders on immigration and border enforcement, including suspending refugee admissions, ending birthright citizenship and declaring a national emergency at the southern border. Across the country, county sheriffs aligned with Trump are already gearing up to help him carry out mass deportations. Stephen Miller, Trumps newly appointed homeland security adviser, told Senate Republicans earlier this month that the administration plans to more aggressively pursue the 287(g) program, Axios first reported, which could potentially give sheriffs broader mandates to carry out ICE duties. Created in 1996, the program once allowed some sheriffs deputies to question and arrest suspected noncitizens during routine community patrols. It was scaled back in 2012 to focus solely on jails. Right now, it grants some deputies of participating jurisdictions the power to interrogate noncitizens inside county jails and process them for deportation. Proponents of 287(g) have praised it as an effective way to remove dangerous criminals and ensure consistency in local enforcement efforts. Critics, on the other hand, found the program was sometimes used to target those with only misdemeanors or traffic offenses and highlighted several high-profile cases where it led to allegations of racial profiling. As of December 2024, 135 law enforcement agencies across the country including 26 in Texas hold active 287(g) contacts. In the Houston area, Galveston, Montgomery, Chambers and Waller counties all participate in the program. Their sheriffs offices did not respond to the Chronicles questions about their ICE agreements and have shown no signs of wanting to end or scale back their involvement. Even in counties without a 287(g) contract, ICE often manages to gain access to county jails through other forms of cooperation. In Harris County, for example, Sheriff Ed Gonzalez ended its 287(g) agreement in 2017, citing better uses for the 10 deputies previously assigned to ICE duties. Since then, however, ICE has stationed its own employees inside Harris County Jail, taking custody of more than 7,200 people in the past two years, according to Jason Spencer, a spokesperson for the Harris County Sheriffs Office. Moving forward, the sheriffs office will continue striving to earn and build the trust of all residents to encourage collaboration on our work to keep Harris County safe for everyone, Spencer said. The details of the new administrations promised historic expansion of 287(g) remain unclear, but any such changes are likely to deepen mistrust between law enforcement and immigrant communities, said Ariel Ruiz Soto, a senior policy analyst at the nonpartisan Migration Policy Institute. More people will begin to ask themselves, Should I call when Im in an abusive situation in the household? Should I report a crime thats happening? Are they going to ask me about my status? Ruiz Soto said. During field research conducted in Trumps first term, Ruiz Sotos team found that variations in local policies significantly influenced how larger state and national policies were enforced and experienced on the ground. But despite these differences, one outcome was consistent: a pervasive sense of fear. The view from a Ukrainian Unmanned Surface Vessel (USV) drone as it closes in on a Russian warship. Such USVs can now launch aerial drones, and may soon deploy flying mothership drones which carry smaller drones into combat Drones carrying drones may be the future of robotic warfare and the Ukrainian military is leading the way. Last month the Ukrainian navy launched a complex raid targeting former oil platforms Russian troops had occupied in the Black Sea. There have been many such platform raids in the 35 months since Russia widened its war on Ukraine, but the December operation was special. It marked the debut of a new kind of satellite-controlled unmanned surface vehicle, or USV, in Ukrainian service. This new USV carried tiny first-person-view unmanned aerial vehicles, each clutching a few pounds of explosives. The USVs launched their UAVs at least four apiece and the UAVs rammed into Russian surveillance equipment on the platforms, as well as a few Russian troops installing the equipment. The Ukrainian navy and intelligence directorate have deployed USVs since early in Russias wider war. Along with ground-launched cruise missiles, the 18-foot drone boats are the Ukrainians main maritime strike weapons. Motoring hundreds of miles under remote control with explosives packed in their bows, the USVs are essentially manoeuvrable, wavetop torpedoes. In earlier raids on Russias Crimean anchorages, these explosives-laden USVs sank a corvette, a landing ship, a patrol boat and a tugboat. They also damaged the pillars of the strategic Kerch bridge connecting Russian-occupied Crimea to Russia proper. But until December, the drone boats had never deployed drones of their own. A month after the platform raid, on January 6 and 8, USV drone-carriers struck again, targeting Russian air-defence vehicles and other targets arrayed along the coast just north of Crimea. At least three Russian vehicles burned out. For a navy with practically no large warships the few that were in service prior to Putins wider war didnt last long once the Russians invaded the UAV-equipped USVs solve a vexing problem. The Ukrainian navy is acquiring new ships in the United Kingdom and Turkey, but cant bring them into the Black Sea until hostilities are over, as Turkey has closed the Bosporus strait to warships of both sides. A USV costs just $250,000. Losing one or a lot isnt a catastrophe. And to be clear: most of the drone boats the Ukrainians deploy never make it past Russian defences. But it only takes a few of the USVs, slipping past Russian patrol boats and helicopters, to inflict serious damage on Russian warships. After nearly three years of relentless Ukrainian attacks, the Russian Black Sea Fleet has lost a third of its pre-war ships. Sensing an opportunity, the Ukrainians began adding remote-controlled weapons to the USVs, including guns for warding off patrol boats and anti-aircraft missiles for fending off helicopters. On or just before New Years Eve, a Ukrainian USV shot down a Russian helicopter for the first time. The initial weapons fits were defensive. Now the USVs are getting offensive weapons in the form of one-way attack drones. The FPV drones, each weighing just a few pounds and ranging five miles or so, lend the robotic boats their first land-attack capability. Its an impressive development requiring rugged, waterproof hardware, robust satellite communications and teams of skilled operators separately controlling the boats and their drones. Incredibly, the current combination a drone boat packing FPV drones may be just the start. Ukrainian land forces already possess large drone motherships that can deploy smaller FPV drones in mid-air, thus extending the range of the one-way attack drones by 10 miles or more. If the Ukrainians can fly mothership drones from the USVs, they could extend the range of the drone boats ground attacks. And yes, that would be a drone launching from a drone launched from a drone. Or a drone drone carrier carrier. Hundreds of people were stranded at the border in Tijuana, Mexico, on 20 January 2025. Photograph: Joebeth Terriquez/EPA The train rumbled through the makeshift immigrant camp in Mexico City, blaring its horn and sending people scattering to hug the wall. It passes through at 10am like clockwork, said the residents almost all of whom have been planted there for months, waiting for the chance to request asylum in the US. Now, they and hundreds of thousands of other people across Mexico have been left in limbo after Donald Trump shut down the CBP One app theyd been using for asylum appointments. As Trump was being sworn in on Monday, the app suddenly stopped working, and clips began appearing of people at the border weeping as their appointments in some cases just hours away were rescinded. Since then, Trump has signed a barrage of anti-immigration executive orders, declaring an emergency on the southern border, sending troops to reinforce it and reinstating the Remain in Mexico policy, which forces non-Mexican immigrants to wait south of the border while their asylum applications are processed. The CBP One app was launched two years ago as a way to limit and order the arrivals of asylum seekers at the border by allowing just 1,450 appointments a day far fewer than the demand. Related: They followed the rules to enter the US. Now Trump wants to deport them It became all but mandatory for asylum seekers, with many who turned up without appointments being turned back. This meant that asylum seekers were left with the choice of waiting for months, often in dangerous parts of Mexico, or paying human smugglers to get them across the border. Many chose the first option, with roughly 1m appointments made since CBP One launched. With time, CBP One was made available not just along the border but in the centre and south of Mexico. This, combined with the efforts of Mexican officials to forcibly contain immigrants in the south of the country, meant that fewer immigrants were concentrated in Mexicos northern border cities. Shelters in cities like Ciudad Juarez and Tijuana have been half-empty for almost a year. But the abrupt cancellation of CBP One, which 270,000 asylum seekers had been using across Mexico, could shatter the fragile calm on the border. Roughly 30,000 appointments that had already been scheduled also have been cancelled. CBP One was riddled with errors, and ultimately it was a tool that forced people to wait in Mexico to access the US asylum system, said Andrew Bahena, from Chirla, an immigrant advocacy group. But the way it ended was completely unacceptable. There were families from this camp who spent thousands of dollars on plane tickets almost all their worldly resources just to have their appointments cancelled, he added. Maria Angela and Carolina, two mothers from Venezuela whose young children were playing around their legs, said they would wait two months before making any decisions. Maybe Trump will calm down a bit, said Maria Angela, with a wry smile. Hes just got in and its all revolution. That hope was echoed by David and Nixon, two young Venezuelan men sitting on a tattered sofa, who added that a few others were talking about going home if free flights were offered but not them. Im not going back until Maduro goes, said Nixon, his good cheer vanishing for a moment as he mentioned the Venezuelan president, Nicolas Maduro. Araceli, a 45-year-old Venezuelan woman, said she now wanted to apply for asylum in Mexico instead. She had reached the US border with her adult daughters, floating over the Rio Grande on an inflatable mattress. But their request for asylum had been ignored, and they were deported to Villahermosa, in the far south of Mexico. The experience seemed to have drained her, and she had spent several months waiting for a CBP One appointment in Mexico City. Yet Araceli like many others who had been waiting for a CBP One appointment may now struggle to apply for asylum in Mexico, given that the process must be started within 30 days of entering the country. The cancellation of CBP One has been felt all over Mexico, plunging people into uncertainty. It may prompt many who were waiting in the Mexican south to try to head north, despite the governments attempts to keep them there. I saw the posts that went viral with migrants crying the border. It was exactly the same here: people are desperate, said Josue Leal, from the Oasis De Paz del Espiritu Santo Amparito shelter in Villahermosa, a city in the Gulf of Mexico state of Tabasco. The great majority here now have the idea to get moving, to start going north. At the other end of the country, people whose destination is within eyeshot were left distraught when the hope of asylum was snatched away from them. I feel desperate, and fear whats going to happen next, said one displaced Mexican woman at the Centro de Esperanza immigrant shelter in Sonoyta, a small, dusty town in the border state of Sonora. Imagine if we have to return home to face the same threats and start from zero again its making me ill already. I wouldnt wish what weve been through on anyone. It was so hard to get here and now we dont know what will happen, said Juan, a Venezuelan man who asked for his last name to be withheld. The truth is we did not expect that the application would be closed so quickly. No one knows what, if anything, will replace CBP One. But Trumps restrictive immigration policies are likely to boost organised crime in Mexico. Any time it becomes more difficult to access asylum or cross the border, coyotes make money. And that means cartels make money, said Ari Sawyer, a migration researcher. The Trump administration might say it wants to fight cartels but on the contrary, its enriching them. Additional reporting by Nina Lakhani Northern Irelands leaders have urged the public to stay at home ahead of expected severe weather in the region across Friday. All schools in Northern Ireland have been advised to close on Friday amid a top-level red warning for wind issued for Storm Eowyn. The Met Office has issued a red alert, which covers all of Northern Ireland from 7am on Friday until 2pm, and is warning of very dangerous conditions and widespread disruption. Michelle ONeill and Emma Little-Pengelly spoke to media at Parliament Buildings following a meeting of the Stormont Executive on Thursday morning. They were due to meet with police and described the situation as evolving. Red weather warning issued Strong and damaging winds for parts of south and southwest Scotland Friday 1000 1700 Latest info https://t.co/QwDLMfS950 Stay #WeatherAware pic.twitter.com/jOwp4FrCDM Met Office (@metoffice) January 23, 2025 Ms ONeill said: Its important to emphasise that a red warning is very serious, its only used whenever there is a genuine threat to life and potential damage to property and the public should expect significant disruption to travel and also potential power outages because of the severity of conditions. We want to assure everybody that were working across government with all our partner agencies, councils, the PSNI, emergency services and other agencies to deal with any impacts and also in terms of preparedness. We also want the public to know that they can expect to receive an emergency alert on their phones later on this afternoon. This is an evolving situation, there are meetings happening as we speak, and well be coming back this afternoon with further updates, but just to say to everybody, we want people to stay safe, we want people to look out for those that are vulnerable, take time to check in on family and friends. Schools are closing, further and higher education colleges are closing, airports are keeping the situation under review. Were encouraging only essential travel, only where it is absolutely necessary. Ms Little-Pengelly said experienced emergency teams are ready to respond during the expected severe weather in Northern Ireland on Friday. During our Executive meeting today we discussed the multi-agency response, she said. A red alert has been issued for the entire of Northern Ireland. This is highly unusual, this means between 7am and 2pm tomorrow there is a likelihood of widespread disruption, danger to life and damage to buildings, and our strong advice and the advice of the PSNI is to stay at home if at all possible. We have established co-ordination protocols, those have been activated, and experienced emergency teams are ready to respond as required. Agencies will be closely monitoring the situation over the coming hours as we work together to keep the people of Northern Ireland safe. You can play your part by following advice and only travelling if it is essential, and to work from home if you can. (PA Graphics) Earlier, Stormonts Education Minister Paul Givan said the Education Authority has advised that all schools should close tomorrow. I understand this will impact on the work of schools and indeed on other businesses and services, but the decision has been taken to avoid any potential risk to life for children and young people as well as staff, he said. Schools should put plans in place today for remote learning so that pupils can study at home. The last time all schools in Northern Ireland were advised to close due to weather was due to Hurricane Ophelia in 2017. Stormont Education Minister Paul Givan said schools had been advised to close on Friday (Liam McBurney/PA) Forecasters are warning of flying debris resulting in danger to life, as well as very dangerous driving conditions because of fallen trees. There may also be power cuts, damage to buildings and homes, and delays and cancellations to bus, train, ferry services and flights. A Met Office spokesperson said peak rush hour wind speeds of 80-90 miles per hour are expected across Northern Ireland, with up to 100mph in some exposed locations. An extremely windy spell with disruption and potentially damaging winds tomorrow morning, he told PA. Its a big deep area of low pressure covering Northern Ireland hence the warning that covers Northern Ireland. Top wind speeds are expected on higher ground or exposed locations, potentially around coasts. The record for a gust in Northern Ireland is 124mph in Kilkeel in Co Down in January 1974. Regional independents not allowed on opposition benches in latest speaker ruling The speaker of the Irish parliament has said she will not recognise speaking time for a group of independents at the centre of a dispute that prevented the nomination of a new taoiseach. Ceann Comhairle Verona Murphy said that, during Thursdays proceedings, she would recognise two other technical groups but not the collection of TDs that contain independents who supported the formation of the incoming government. She is expected to seek further advice for future sittings. It comes as the Dail parliament is to reconvene a day after a chaotic row over how speaking time should be allocated to the government-affiliated independents. Labour leader Ivana Bacik (centre left) and Sinn Fein president Mary Lou McDonald (centre) and Richard Boyd Barrett (right) speak to the media outside Leinster House, Dublin (PA) A meeting of opposition party leaders is taking place on Thursday morning in order to agree a resolution before the Dail resumes. The meeting at Government Buildings has been described as constructive, paving the way for Mr Martins nomination as taoiseach. Party leaders are trying to reach an agreement on a text regarding the independent TDs who back the Government. The intervention by Ms Murphy to exclude recognising the Regional Independent Group was seen by both sides as significant. It is hoped that Ms Murphys decision will break the log jam. The Dail is likely to resume at 11.30am, an hour later than planned. Efforts to appoint an Irish premier after Novembers general election failed as the opposition disrupted proceedings to protest against the matter on Wednesday. Central to the row is a move to allocate opposition speaking time to the independents. Opposition parties said this would dilute the practice of holding the government to account and eat into their time to raise issues. Fianna Fail leader Micheal Martin was expected to be nominated as taoiseach on Wednesday when the Dail reconvened, as part of a coalition deal with Fine Gael, the regional independent group and Kerry brothers Michael and Danny Healy-Rae. On Thursday morning, Mr Martin and Simon Harris said the election of a taoiseach must happen today. In a joint statement, the leaders said: The formation of groups in Dail Eireann is a matter for the Ceann Comhairle (the speaker). Issues regarding Dail reform and groupings can and should be discussed by a Dail reform committee. This can meet as early as today but proportionality must also prevail. The most important duty the Dail has is to elect a taoiseach and government, and both party leaders agree this must happen today. Welcoming Ms Murphys latest decision, Labour whip Duncan Smith said: Its positive to see the Ceann Comhairle recognising only two technical groups, both in opposition, for the purposes of todays meeting. This is the solution that I and others proposed both in our submission and at numerous meetings yesterday. On Wednesday, several interruptions meant what would have traditionally been a day of political ceremony in the Dail never got under way, with the Ceann Comhairle halting matters four times. Mr Martin called the disruption by opposition parties anti-democratic and said it was a subversion of the Irish constitution. Fine Gael leader and presumptive minister for foreign affairs Mr Harris described the activities as stunt politics on speed. He said: (Sinn Fein leader) Mary Lou McDonald came into Dail Eireann today with one intention and one intention only, to stop Micheal Martin being elected taoiseach, and therefore to deprive the people of Ireland of the outworkings of the last general election. The parliament speaker is understood to have met with Sinn Fein president Mary Lou McDonald on Wednesday evening to find an agreement (PA) Fianna Fail TD Mary Butler said the opposition showed a mob mentality and proved that they are not fit to govern, while Sinn Fein said the governments approach demonstrated arrogance. Of the nine independents supporting the government, five of them will be given government roles. The four remaining independent TDs, former minister Michael Lowry, Barry Heneghan, Gillian Toole and Danny Healy-Rae, are looking to join a technical group, a mechanism used to allocate opposition speaking time. The leaders of five opposition parties said claiming to be in government and in opposition at the same time is farcical, not tenable and a clear and patent absurdity. Richard Boyd Barrett of People Before Profit accused the government of trying to subvert and sabotage democracy, while Independent Irelands Michael Collins said the four independents wanted their bread buttered on both ends. It is understood Ceann Comhairle Ms Murphy met Ms McDonald on Wednesday evening to find an agreement. The meeting on Thursday morning is expected to seek the approval of Mr Martin and Mr Harris to the statement that independent TDs who support a programme for government cannot be in opposition technical groups. A senior source among opposition parties was optimistic the government parties would be receptive to the proposal. The Government is crucifying elderly people with ever higher energy bills, Conservative MP Sir Edward Leigh has said. The Father of the House made reference to the slogan used by US President Donald Trump drill, baby, drill and the emissions of China as he raised the vital importance of cheap energy. Energy minister Miatta Fahnbulleh said the status quo in energy production is not fit for purpose and the UK must wean itself off reliance on global fossil fuel markets. Sir Edward Leigh (Victoria Jones/PA) During a statement in the Commons on Thursday on Energy Company Obligation 4 (ECO4) and Great British Insulation Scheme programmes, the longest serving MP in Parliament criticised the Governments clean energy initiatives. Sir Edward said: I refer the minister to the very last word that she said in her statement that we will ensure that families have lower bills. Always a problem with insulation in a country with a massively degraded and older housing stock underlines the vital importance of cheap energy. But here we have a month with virtually no wind, no sun, green energy so-called is producing hardly any of our energy. Were importing energy. Were stopping drilling in the North Sea. Were not building gas-fired power stations. What of our old people? Their heating allowance is being taken away, and we are crucifying them with ever higher bills. Meanwhile, China, whose annual increment in emissions is more than our entire emissions, is going on pumping out emissions. Drill, baby Trump is pumping out emissions. Why are we crucifying our old people? Energy minister Miatta Fahnbulleh said: The status quo is not fit for purpose. So (Sir Edward) says we should not take action, yet the last government presided over the worst energy crisis that we have seen for a generation. His model, we have seen the last two and a half years result in record energy bills. Now that is something that the party opposite were willing to contend with and accept. That is something that the party opposite thought was tenable. It is not acceptable to us. And our view is we have to wean ourselves off our over-reliance on global fossil fuel markets that are volatile and critically that will not guarantee lower bills. We are committed to delivering clean power, yes, because it delivers on our climate requirements, but critically, because we think that is the route in which we deliver homes that are warmer and cheaper for consumers. At the heart of everything we are doing is ensuring that consumers who rely on energy not because its a luxury good, but it is absolutely foundational have energy that is with stable prices that they can access and that they can afford. That is not the status quo, and it is not a status quo that we are willing to accept. That is why we are taking action. Slow Horses creator Mick Herron has won the highest accolade for crime writers after coming up with a tale about failing and chaotic spies. The 61-year-old novelist is the 2025 recipient of the Crime Writers Association (CWA) diamond dagger, which has previously been awarded to Lynda La Plante, Ruth Rendell, Peter James, Lee Child, James Lee Burke and John Le Carre. Herron said: Ive spent the best part of my life not the majority of it; just the best part in the crime writers community, and to receive this accolade from these friends and colleagues is both a career highlight and a personal joy. Im touched and thrilled beyond measure, and will try to live up to the honour. Slow Horses star Gary Oldman with his wife Gisele Schmidt (Ian West/PA) His book series, Slough House, has been adapted into an Apple TV+ series Slow Horses, starring Scottish actor Jack Lowden and Oscar winner Gary Oldman as part of an MI5 team who have been sent to a rundown office for agents who have made serious mistakes in their jobs. It has been nominated for best drama series, and earned Oldman a leading actor nomination, and Lowden two supporting actor nods at the Bafta TV awards. Baby Ganesh Detective Agency series novelist Vaseem Khan, who is chairman of the CWA, said: I am delighted that the diamond dagger judges have picked Mick as their recipient this year. Few could be more deserving. Mick is the quintessential writers writer and his Slough House novels have, by general consensus, reinvented the spy thriller, going on to delight millions on the page and onscreen. The diamond dagger is a fitting tribute to a writer whose work has become both cultural marker and record of our time. Jack Lowden stars as spy River Cartwright in the Slow Horses TV show (Ian West/PA) Herrons first novel, Slow Horses, published in 2010, began the series; it was followed by Dead Lions, which received the CWA gold dagger award in 2013; Real Tigers; Spook Street, which snapped up the Ian Fleming steel dagger award in 2017; London Rules; Joe Country; and Slough House. His most recent novel in the Slough House franchise was 2022s Bad Actors, which featured a governmental think-tank member who wanted to curb the intelligence service, go missing. Herrons Zoe Boehm series is being adapted into another Apple TV+ show, titled Down Cemetery Road, and starring Love Actually star Dame Emma Thompson and His Dark Materials actress Ruth Wilson. Born in Newcastle, Herron studied English Literature at Oxford, where he continues to live. He began writing fiction while working as a sub-editor in London, before publishing his first novel, Down Cemetery Road, in 2003, the first in the Zoe Boehm series. The diamond dagger is presented at the annual CWA Dagger Awards on July 3. The CWA was founded in 1953 by John Creasey and the awards began in 1955. The Southport killers record-high 52-year sentence will be reviewed amid criticism it was not long enough after mounting calls for law changes to see child criminals like him die in jail. Axel Rudakubana was handed one of the highest minimum custody terms on record after carrying out the sadistic attack at a Taylor Swift-themed class in July last year at the age of 17. The punishment is thought to be the longest imposed on a killer of his age. Now 18, he admitted the murders when he appeared in court earlier this week as well as the attempted murders of eight other children who cannot be named for legal reasons, class instructor Leanne Lucas and businessman John Hayes. Rudakubana also pleaded guilty to having a knife, which he had bought on Amazon, on the date of the killings, production of the deadly poison ricin, and possessing information likely to be useful to a person committing or preparing to commit an act of terrorism. Southports Labour MP Patrick Hurley said the sentence was not severe enough and he had asked the Attorney General to review the sentence as unduly lenient, adding: We need a sentence that represents the severity of this crime that has terrorised the victims and their families. Within minutes of Rudakubana being jailed, the Attorney Generals Office said the case had been referred under the unduly lenient sentence scheme, which requires just one request in order for punishments handed out in court to be reconsidered. Attorney General Lord Hermer and Solicitor General Lucy Rigby have 28 days to decide whether to refer the sentence to the Court of Appeal. There is a high threshold for successful referrals under the scheme. The sentence must be deemed to be not just lenient but unduly so, for example if the judge has made an error or imposed a sentence outside the usual range associated with the circumstances of an offence. Even then, the Court of Appeal may decide to refuse to review the case, or uphold the existing sentence. Because Rudakubana carried out the crimes just nine days short of his 18th birthday, it means by law he cannot be sentenced to a whole life order which means he would never be released from jail. This tariff can only be imposed on criminals aged 21 or over and is considered for those aged 18 to 20 in exceptional circumstances. Describing the minimum term as substantial, Mr Justice Goose, sentencing at Liverpool Crown Court on Thursday, said he will serve almost the whole of his life in custody, adding: I consider at this time that it is likely that he will never be released and that he will be in custody for all his life. His words were echoed by Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer who said afterwards that the vile offender will likely never be released. The judge also said he must accept that the prosecution had made it clear the attack did not meet the legal definition of an act of terrorism because there was no evidence of attempting to advance a political, religious, racial or ideological cause. Instead he said he was satisfied that for some time Rudakubana had planned to kill as many people as he could in a mass killing and added that his culpability is equivalent in its seriousness to terrorist murders, whatever his purpose. A parent of one of the children who survived the attack, who cannot be named because the victim has been granted anonymity by the court, told The Sun the crimes were so horrific the killer should rot in jail and the law needs changing. Life should mean life. Hes an adult and should be tried like one, the man said. Mr Hurley supported demands for a law change as did Tory leader Kemi Badenoch who backed by shadow home secretary Chris Philp said there was a strong case for amending the law to allow for whole life orders to be imposed on people aged under 18 in some cases, which the Conservatives will start to explore. His age means he has not been given a whole-life sentence, despite the countless lives he destroyed on that dreadful day, and the legacy of mistrust he has sown across the country, she said. Downing Street declined to comment when earlier asked about changing the law so whole life orders covers child criminals. Reform UK MPs Rupert Lowe and Lee Anderson called for the return of the death penalty the minimum age for which was raised to 18 in 1933. Mr Lowe said it was time for a national debate on the use of capital punishment in exceptional circumstances while Mr Anderson posted a picture of a noose on his X account, adding: No apologies here. This is what is required! Rudakubanas punishment is the equivalent of a life sentence handed to an adult because of his murder conviction and severity of his crimes but some of the terminology used in court is different for child offenders. Axel Rudakubana will serve at least 52 years (Merseyside Police/PA) Regardless of this, he will still have to serve the minimum term of his sentence and will be subject to a review by the Parole Board before he could ever be considered for release. Taking into account the 175 days Rudakubana has already served on remand, the court heard this meant he will be required to serve 51 years and 190 days before this can happen. The PA news agency understands he will be held in a high-security adult mens jail, as he has been for most of the time while on remand since he turned 18. Even if he was released from prison, he would still remain under supervision on licence for the rest of his life as do all murderers. Manchester Arena bomber Hashem Abedi, 23, was handed a record-breaking 55-year minimum term in 2020 for 22 murders and attempted killings. The terrorist orchestrated the 2017 atrocity when he was 20. Prior to that, the longest minimum term imposed on a terrorist in Britain is believed to have been 50 years in the case of David Copeland. The 22-year-old was given six life sentences for targeting Brick Lane, Soho and Brixton in 1999 in a 13-day nail bombing campaign that left three people dead and 139 injured. Two teenage girls were arrested this week in connection to the death probe of a 13-year-old in South Carolina, authorities say. The victim, identified as Ka'Niyah Baker, was reported missing on Jan. 12, police said. Her body was found in an abandoned home following a fire in the Capital Heights neighborhood a few days later, police said. Brutal, heinous, vicious, gruesome, monstrous and disturbing," Columbia Police Chief Skip Holbrook said at a press conference on Saturday. "These are the words I use to describe this murder investigation." Richland County Coroner Naida Rutherford said the identifying process was difficult because the victim suffered severe trauma to her head, face, and body. They used DNA from her clothing from her foster home and dental records to confirm her identity. Rutherford added that Baker was "bludgeoned, stabbed, and burned." The incident is under investigation. Ka'Niyah Baker case: A 13-year-old's brutal murder, the teen girls who were arrested and what parents can learn Case highlights tragic impact of trauma on children One of the suspects described as a 16-year-old was reported missing on Jan. 12 and has "a history of disorderly conduct, malicious injury, throwing bodily fluids," Holbrook said. She was wanted by the Department of Juvenile Justice due to cutting off her ankle monitor. The second teen arrested was a 15-year-old girl. Both suspects have been classified as frequent runaways and high school dropouts. According to WIS, officials are pushing to charge the teenagers as adults. Speaking to USA TODAY, University of South Carolina Criminology and Criminal Justice Professor Hayden Smith said the case indicates there was presence of underlying trauma for all three girls involved. He said rising youth violence is tied to childrens environments and social determinants of health, such as access to stable housing and education. Even beyond a traumatic event like this, for the group of people who are exposed to these adverse childhood experiences, they tend to last a lifetime, unless you can counterbalance with resiliency, certain skills, stability, and positive experiences, Smith said. Contributing: Rachel Hale, USA TODAY Taylor Ardrey is a news reporter for USA TODAY. You can reach her at tardrey@gannett.com. This story was updated to add a video. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Ka'Niyah Baker: 2 teen girls arrested in connection to her murder San Antonio Police Department (2) Chandler Baker (left); and Samantha Castaneda. Authorities in Texas have issued an Amber Alert for a 3-year-old who disappeared this week. Chandler Baker was last seen in San Antonio around noon on Wednesday, Jan. 22, the Texas Department of Public Safety said in an alert. A 38-year-old woman is wanted in connection with the childs disappearance. Samantha Castaneda has been identified as the person Chandler was last seen with, per the alert. Authorities did not release any information about how, or if, Chandler and Castaneda might know each other. San Antonio police did not immediately respond to questions for further information. 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. Chandler and Castaneda are both White. Both have brown eyes and brown hair. Chandler weighs 35. lbs and Castaneda weighs 175 lbs. Anyone who has information or may have seen them is urged to call 911 or the San Antonio police at 210-207-7660. Read the original article on People Big Techs earnings season kicks off this week with a flurry of announcements from some of the industrys most important players including Apple (AAPL), Meta (META), and Microsoft (MSFT). With the new year well underway and AI still the hottest ticket in Silicon Valley, you can expect plenty of conversations about how companies are monetizing the technology and how much they spend on capital expenditures related to constructing data centers and producing new artificial intelligence models. And looming over all of that will be how newly inaugurated President Trump will impact techs biggest trend in years. Whether its tougher tariffs, export controls, or more relaxed antitrust regulations, Big Tech will be keeping a close eye on Washington. And investors are certain to want to know what that means for companies bottom lines. Trump already made his mark on the AI scene on Tuesday, announcing Stargate, a $500 billion AI data center company headed by SoftBank, OpenAI, and Oracle (ORCL) that will see the trio construct data centers to power AI projects within the US. And on Thursday, Trump signed an executive order aimed at ensuring US dominance in AI. Its all going to make for quite an interesting earnings season, and it kicks off with Meta and Microsoft on Wednesday. The Trump factor Investors and analysts will want to know how companies are working with the administration to ensure they dont end up on the wrong end of Trumps proposed tariffs on goods from China. Apple, whose CEO Tim Cook has a good relationship with the president, avoided tariffs during the first Trump administration and will look to do so this time around as well. Amazon (AMZN), Apple, Google (GOOG, GOOGL), Meta, and Microsoft could also see less regulation around antitrust matters and a return to mergers and acquisitions. (L-R) Priscilla Chan, Meta founder Mark Zuckerberg, Lauren Sanchez, Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, Google CEO Sundar Pichai, and Tesla CEO Elon Musk attend the inauguration of Donald Trump on Jan. 20, 2025. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images) (Chip Somodevilla via Getty Images) Theres also the fate of the CHIPS Act. The legislation, passed under the Biden administration is meant to bring semiconductor manufacturing back to the US. But Trump has criticized the law, which provides billions in funding to chipmakers, saying it was so bad during an appearance on Joe Rogans podcast ahead of the election. Without the cash, Intel (INTC), TSMC, Samsung, and a slew of other semiconductor companies may not be able to complete their ambitious plans to build new chipmaking facilities. Look for word on how the likes of Intel and its competitors are navigating the new administration and whether its heard how it plans to address the CHIPS Act. AI revenue and spending In addition to Trump, you can guarantee that virtually every tech company will mention AI revenue and spending. According to Jefferies analyst Brent Thill, Microsoft should report improved AI consumption and continued spending, something investors have been hoping for as the company works to meet customer demand for AI infrastructure. During its prior quarter, Microsoft reported better than anticipated overall revenue and cloud and AI sales. But that wasnt enough to satisfy investors, sending the companys stock sinking 5% the day after the report. Metas stock suffered a similar setback following its earnings last quarter, with shares falling after the company announced full-year 2024 capital expenditures would increase from $37 billion-$40 billion to $38 billion-$40 billion. Google and Amazon, on the other hand, won over investors with Google beating expectations on cloud revenue and Amazon improving overall margins. Microsoft shares are up around 12% over the last 12 months, lagging the broader S&P 500 (^GSPC), which has risen 26% during the period. Amazon and Google shares are up 52% and 35%, respectively, while shares of Meta have climbed 66%. TikToks clock gets a reset One of the biggest issues for Meta and Google is what Trump will do with TikTok. Both companies stand to gain users and advertising dollars if the short-form video app is banned in the US. But Trump is working with TikTok CEO Shou Chew to find a way to keep the app up and running, despite a law calling for it to go offline. If Trump and TikTok cant find a solution, the app might bite the dust, leaving its 170 million users, and the advertisers that want to reach them, with no place to turn but competing apps like Instagram and YouTube, which would be a boon for both companies. But with Trump proclaiming that hed save TikTok on the campaign trail, it will be hard for him to back away from keeping the app afloat. We'll see what TikTok's rivals have to say, if anything, beginning next week. Sign up for Yahoo Finance's Week in Tech newsletter. (yahoofinance) Email Daniel Howley at dhowley@yahoofinance.com. Follow him on Twitter at @DanielHowley. For the latest earnings reports and analysis, earnings whispers and expectations, and company earnings news, click here Read the latest financial and business news from Yahoo Finance Michael Shelonchik/facebook Michael Shelonchik A man was fatally beaten in an apparent robbery on Tuesday, Jan. 21, in Brooklyn, N.Y., the New York Police Department confirmed with PEOPLE. Michael Shelonchik, 53, was found dead in the back of a taxi in the Coney Island neighborhood of Brooklyn. At around 6 p.m., the NYPD received a call that in front of 532 Neptune Avenue, a male victim was attacked by two unidentified individuals who opened the backseat door and began punching the victim." The individuals forcibly removed the victim's chain from his neck and fled on foot, per the NYPD. After the attack, Shelonchik appeared to have suffered a medical episode. EMS transported him to Maimonides Medical Center, where he was pronounced deceased. The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner will determine the cause of death. An investigation into the assault is ongoing. The NYPD said the two suspects are believed to be in their 20s with a dark complexion. One was last seen wearing a black hooded coat, blue sweatpants, and white sneakers, and the other individual was wearing a black hooded coat, black pants, and black sneakers. Both males were wearing balaclavas, per NYPD. Related: Man Beaten to Death While Trying to Save Dog Allegedly Being Beaten by Suspect: Reports Getty Stock image of a NYPD patrol car Im a widow . Guys . No im sorry just please pray for me . Ive been married since 1994, Shelonchiks wife, Jennifer, posted to Facebook on Wednesday, Jan. 22. His daughter Taylor, 27, told the New York Post that her father was born and raised in N.Y.C. "He knew the streets like the back of his hands. Never in life could we imagine something like this could happen to him, she said, describing her dad as a father every girl could dream of. It sounds cliche, but it is true, Taylor added. I feel like you only hear stories about these types of people because just the good die young. He was everything to us. He did everything for us. He was a sole provider, the sole emotional rock, the sole everything. Getty Stock image of police tape Related: 80-Year-Old Military Veteran Is Brutally Beaten to Death by Former Teacher in Parking Dispute: Police I am going to miss him more than... this is indescribable, she continued. I was just saying to my grandma. I dont know how to live without him. Hes my life. He taught me everything I know. I speak the way I speak because of him. I walk the way I walk because of him. I talk the way I talk because of him ," Taylor told the Post. "Its like somebody took my crutches from beneath me and Im just left with broken legs and I have to learn how to walk." Her sister, Lexi, 20, said she is speechless by the news of her fathers death. 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. Anyone with information regarding this incident can call Crime Stoppers at 800-577-TIPS (for Spanish, dial 888-57-PISTA), submit tips online at crimestoppers.nypdonline.org, or on X (formerly Twitter) @NYPDTips. The N.Y.C. Office of Chief Medical Examiner did not immediately respond to PEOPLEs request for more information on Wednesday. Read the original article on People A heartless California serial killer eerily sang road tunes in court while his victims families gave impact statements during his sentencing. David Misch began blaring out 99 Bottles of Beer on the Wall on Tuesday in an attempt to be removed from the courtroom when he didnt want to listen to the heartbroken family members, prosecutors said, according to the Mercury News. A judge tossed Misch out of the room after the killer sang approximately two bars of the song, but his whistling was still heard as he was thrown into a nearby holding cell, the outlet added. David Misch was sentenced to 50 years to life in prison for the double murder of two young women in 1986. AP Prosecutors ripped into the murderer for his remorseless act in front of his victims families. Mischs behavior in court was not only reprehensible but a blatant display of no remorse for taking the lives of Jennifer Duey and Michelle Xavier, said Royl Roberts, chief assistant district attorney. The families of these two young women have been waiting nearly 40 years to receive justice for their tragic and senseless murders, he added. In December, the 63-year-old was found guilty for the Feb. 1, 1986, murders of Xavier and Duey. The pair was last seen at a convenience store in Fremont, Calif., after they went to a birthday party together earlier that night. Their bodies were found on the side of the road in a remote part of the Fremont Hills, according to police. Michelle Xavier and Jennifer Duey were found dead on the side of the road in Fremont, Calif., on Feb 2, 1986. Fremont Police Department The double murders were pinned on Misch after DNA was found under Dueys nails and a partial license plate number, pointing back to the mans car, was written on Xaviers hand. Misch told prosecutors that he had seen two young women being kidnapped at gunpoint and tried to help. The killers lame excuse came in 2003 while serving a life sentence for a murder he committed in 1989. The cold case was reopened in 2016 by a new branch inside the Fremont Police Department. Misch was a known drug user and commercial burglar who lived in the area of the murders. Evidence was delivered to the Alameda County District Attorneys Office, which charged Misch with the murders in March 2018. Prosecutors believe Misch had lured the women to the secluded area to sexually assault them, but when they fought back, he killed them. Misch was a known drug user and commercial burglar who lived in the area of the murders. Fremont Police Department Misch was sentenced to two 25-years-to-life sentences for the double murder, which will be served consecutively. Misch who has been serving the 18-years-to-life sentence in Santa Rita Jail will serve 50 years to life in a state prison. In 2020, Misch was charged with the 1988 kidnapping and murder of 9-year-old Michaela Garecht. REUTERS In 2020, Misch was charged with the 1988 kidnapping and murder of 9-year-old Michaela Garecht. He awaits trial for the fourth murder. Southern California residents are facing new threats after rain fell over neighborhoods most impacted by recent wildfires. Much-needed rain fell in the Los Angeles area on Saturday and showers are expected to continue on Sunday, according to AccuWeather. The moisture helps fire crews to slow the wildfires that started burning on January 7. More than 28 people have died in the blazes. The major L.A. fires are all at least 80 percent contained. Now, officials are warning about the potential of mudslides and toxic ash runoff from the rain. Toxic ash is all the chared materials from the fires and it can contain pesticides, asbestos, plastics and lead, according to the Associated Press. Officials say more evacuations may be necessary to deal with the new threats. So the problem would be if one of those showers happens to park itself over a burn area, weather service meteorologist Carol Smith told the AP. That could be enough to create debris flows. Days ago, President Donald Trump met with Governor Gavin Newsom in Los Angeles to survey the damage. Trump said he would back the state, but floated conditions for receiving disaster aid. Key Points Major LA fires now at least 80 percent contained As fires continue, flood watch begins around Los Angeles in some burn areas New photos show the dangers residents face at their burned homes Trump says executive order will open up the pumps and valves for California water supply ICYMI: California wildfires: Massive smoke plumes captured from raging Hughes Fire 03:00 , Kelly Rissman Firefighters are slowing the spread of the fires 02:00 , Kelly Rissman Firefighters are making progress in containing the fires. The Palisades and Eaton fires, which have both been burning since January 7 in Los Angeles County, are now mostly contained. The Palisades fire is now 87 percent contained while the Eaton fire is 95 percent contained, according to Cal Fire on Sunday evening. Heres where all the blazes now stand: The containment of the Southern California wildfires (Cal Fire) Actress Katey Sagal says wildfires were particularly personal' 01:00 , Kelly Rissman Married with Children star Katey Sagal said the wildfires that devastated the Pacific Palisades were particularly personal since she went to Palisades High School. To see those neighborhoods come down was just unbelievably heartbreaking to me, she said at the LA Wildfire Relief LIVE event, Fox News reported. She continued: A devastating time right now in our city its just an overwhelming time all of us coming together to help and to raise money Its human spirit. Its what we do its the better part of humanity. Flood advisory is in effect in parts of LA County 00:00 , Kelly Rissman A flood advisory has been issued in parts of Los Angeles County, meaning flooding is starting to occur in the burn scars, according to the National Weather Service. The advisory is in effect until 4 p.m. PST. The agency warned: Excessive rainfall could cause roadway flooding and minor debris flows in and around the Hurst and Sunset burn scars. Peak rain rates of 0.30 to 0.40 inches per hour will be likely. There is a chance of thunderstorms through Monday morning which could result in heavier showers, localized flooding, and small hail. WATCH: Firefighters tackle raging San Diego wildfire blaze as evacuation orders issued Sunday 26 January 2025 23:00 , Kelly Rissman ICYMI: Trump demands California voter ID law for wildfire relief Sunday 26 January 2025 21:45 , Kelly Rissman Southern California could be susceptible to another natural disaster: experts Sunday 26 January 2025 20:45 , Kelly Rissman The wildfire-torn region could soon see yet another natural disaster, experts say. Now a flash flood watch is in effect in Los Angeles County from Sunday morning through Monday afternoon. Because the vegetation has been scorched by the blazes, its not as absorbant for rain, making it more at risk for debris flow, mudslides and flash flooding. The force of this rushing water and debris can also damage or even destroy things like culverts, bridges, roadways and even buildings that were left standing after the fires -- even miles away from the burned area, AccuWeather Broadcast Meteorologist Damien Lodes explained. In photos: Residents return to scorched Southern California Sunday 26 January 2025 19:45 , Kelly Rissman Nick Sonnenberg and his parents search for personal items to recover from the remains of his apartment which burned in the Eaton Fire on January 25, 2025 in Altadena, California. (Getty Images) Flames and smoke rise as the Border 2 Fire burns, in Chula Vista, California, U.S., January 24, 2025, in this screen grab obtained from a social media video. (Benjamin Chapman via REUTERS) Jake and Kelly stand for a photo along the remains of the house where they lived before it burned in the Eaton Fire on January 25, 2025 in Altadena, California. (Getty Images) Burnt school worksheets are seen on the ground outside of an elementary school destroyed by the Eaton Fire, Thursday, Jan. 16, 2025, in Altadena, Calif. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster, File) (AP) How contained are the California wildfires? Sunday 26 January 2025 18:45 , Kelly Rissman The Palisades fire, which has been burning since January 7, has scorched more than 23,000 acres in Los Angeles County. Its 87 percent contained as of Sunday morning. The blaze that erupted hours later, the Eaton fire, is now 95 percent contained after growing to 14,000 acres. Meanwhile, the Border 2 fire that broke out on Thursday in San Diego County is just 10 percent contained and has already blazed through more than 6,000 acres. Flash flood watch in effect in LA County Sunday 26 January 2025 17:45 , Kelly Rissman The area that has been rampaged by wildfires for the past few weeks could soon see flash floods, the National Weather Service warned. A flash flood watch is in effect from 10 a.m. Sunday through 4 p.m. Monday in the Eaton, Palisades, Franklin, Bridge, and Hughes burn scars. Heavy rain over the burn scars could trigger debris flows, the agency warned. Shelters remain open for people impacted by the wildfires Sunday 26 January 2025 16:44 , Alex Lang Shelters remain open for people impacted by the wildfires, according to state officials. Here is a list of shelters that remain open. The Pasadena Convention Center remains the largest shelter with more than 300 people using it on Saturday, according to an official count. Some LA schools set to resume classes Sunday 26 January 2025 16:17 , Alex Lang Some of the schools in Los Angeles that were closed for fires are set to reopen in the coming days. District officials told The Associated Press that staff has worked to get facilities ready by inspecting ventilation systems, replacing filters and installing air purifiers in classrooms. The buildings have also been cleaned inside and out. An environmental consultant is also inspecting schools. Dr. Lisa Patel, a pediatrician and executive director of the Medical Society Consortium on Climate and Health, prised the district - but added that there is still some risk of exposure to dangerous ash. Children often have more hand-to-mouth behavior and their bodies are rapidly growing in these first few years, and so they can be more sensitive to this type of pollution, said Patel. There will be a risk for a while to come in terms of exposure. More rain expected to fall today Sunday 26 January 2025 15:43 , Alex Lang More rain is expected to fall today in Southern California as crews continue to battle the blazes. The much-needed rain started on Saturday afternoon, with many areas seeing at least some trace amounts. The Hollywood Reservoir has measured .18 inches of rain in the last 24 hours. The Clear Creek monitoring station has seen .67 inches. Following the onset of drizzle Saturday afternoon, rain is expected to slowly increase in areal coverage and intensity through the remainder of the weekend as the onshore regime continues. Were expecting rainfall totals on the order of 0.50-1.00 of an inch for most of the LA basin, around San Diego and near the surrounding coastal areas, AccuWeather Meteorologist Jacob Hinson said. Teens raise $50,000 to rebuild their community Sunday 26 January 2025 15:11 , Alex Lang A group of teens has raised more than $51,000 through GoFundMe to help their Pacific Palisades community, according to a report. Mason Cohen, Jake Yoon and Dylan Fullmer founded Build Back Pali, according to KTLA. They have raised five figures in just a matter of days. Seeing parts of our hometown burning, we just felt inspired to raise money for it, Fullmer told the outlet. While Yoon added: This is our entire childhood and we really want to restore this as fast as we can. To donate to the campaign vist GoFundMe. A Timeline of the Los Angeles fires Sunday 26 January 2025 14:43 , Alex Lang Here is a timeline of the major fires near Los Angeles. They have left at least 28 people dead and destroyed more than 16,000 structures. Crews have been battling the blazes since the first one broke on January 7. But, weekend rains have brought much-needed relief. Timeline: How the LA fires erupted into Californias worst natural disaster New photos show the dangers residents face at their burned homes Sunday 26 January 2025 14:26 , Alex Lang New pictures show the dangers residents face as they clean up the extensive damage from the fires. British actor and audiobook narrator Simon Vance searches through the remains of his studio at his home which burned in the Eaton Fire. Officials are warning about toxic ash runoff (Getty Images) Jake and Kelly stand for a photo along the remains of the house where they lived before it burned in the Eaton Fire. The ash includes harmful materials and need protective gear to handle, experts say (Getty Images) More than 57,000 acres have burned in Southern California and destroyed more than 16,000 structures (Getty Images) What is toxic ash runoff? Sunday 26 January 2025 14:08 , Alex Lang Toxic ash runoff is a dangeorus mixture of all the burned items from the fire along with materials designed to help the blazes. The blazes can unleash chemical reactions on paint, furniture, building materials, cars and electronics, according to the Associated Press. The ash can include lead, abestos or arsenic. The ash requires produtive gear to handle safely. Ash is not just ash. Go back to the garage or whats in your home. What is your furniture made out of? What are your appliances made out of? What is your house made out of? Scott McLean, a former deputy chief of the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protections communications bureau, told the AP. A lot of its petroleum product and different composites that are extreme hazards due to fire when they combust. Major LA fires now at least 80 percent contained Sunday 26 January 2025 13:54 , Alex Lang The major fires in Los Angeles are at least 80 percent contained, according to CalFire. The Palisades Fire, which is the biggest and started on January 7, is at 84 percent contained. The fire has consumed more than 23,000 acres. The Eaton Fire consumed 14,000 acres and is now 95 percent contained. The Hughes Fire started on January 22 and has destroyed more than 10,000 acres. It is at 90 percent containment. LA fires impact fragile childcare industry in area Sunday 26 January 2025 00:19 , Justin Rohrlich The wildfires sweeping through LA have forced hundreds of childcare providers from their facilities, dozens of which have been destroyed, according to the Los Angeles Times. Large numbers of working families are affected by the closures, and are now scrambling for care, the outlet reported, which said the fires are dealing a blow to an already fragile sector in the region. Nearly 40 childcare facilities were totaled by the blazes, and another 284 were deemed non-operational due to ash, debris, power outages, or a lack of potable water, according to the Times, citing figures from the California Department of Social Services. ICYMI: Trump puts conditions on federal disaster aid Saturday 25 January 2025 22:30 , Kelly Rissman President Donald Trump on Friday said he would demand that California overhaul its election laws and reverse environmental policies as a condition of any federal funds to help the state recover from wildfires that have devastated the Los Angeles area in recent weeks. He also claimed that the Federal Emergency Management Agency had mishandled efforts to help North Carolinians recover from Hurricane Helene and suggested that the White House and Republican National Committee would somehow take over the distribution of any relief funds authorized by Congress. Trump took aim at FEMA as he arrived in Asheville, North Carolina, to view hurricane damage, before traveling to California to view the devastation wrought by wildfires. Andrew Feinberg has the story. Trump demands California voter ID law for wildfire relief and threatens FEMA again Flash floods and debris flows could hit California residents Saturday 25 January 2025 21:30 , Kelly Rissman As critical fire weather ends in Southern California this week, residents have been warned about continuing threats from a weekend storm that could result in dangerous flash flooding and debris flows in wildfire burn scar areas. Following a series of devastating and deadly wildfires, forecasters have said the region can expect mountain snow, rain, cooler temperatures, and a small but non-zero threat of a thunderstorm moving over a burn area. Areas in Los Angeles County will likely see about three-quarters of an inch of rain following months without precipitation, according to KTLA. Julia Musto has the story. Flash floods and debris flows could hit wildfire-weary California this weekend Officials warn of flash floods Saturday 25 January 2025 21:00 , Kelly Rissman Los Angeles, Lake Castaic, and the Pacific Palisades are among the areas expected to experience flash floods over the weekend. The flood watch remains in effect from Sunday afternoon through Monday afternoon. Heavy rain over the burn scars could trigger debris flows, the National Weather Service warned. There are no flood warnings in effect as of Saturday afternoon. Those living in areas prone to flooding should be prepared to take action should flooding develop, the agency added. WATCH: California national guard releases aerial footage of Hughes fire Saturday 25 January 2025 20:30 , Kelly Rissman Hughes fire totals more than 10,000 acres as new blaze breaks out near U.S.-Mexico border Saturday 25 January 2025 19:30 , Kelly Rissman California firefighters are working for a third day to extinguish the Hughes fire that erupted and engulfed more than 10,000 acres across Los Angeles. At its most devastating, the flames raced across Castaic, an unincorporated community north of LA, at a speed of 23 football fields every minute. Since January 7, the area has been plagued by two other massive wildfires, the Palisades and Eaton fires. More than 50,000 acres of southern Californian land has been torched, 28 lives lost and thousands of homes destroyed in just over two weeks. Read the full story. LA wildfires mapped: Hughes fire torches 10,000 acres as Border 2 blaze erupts In photos: This week in Southern California Saturday 25 January 2025 18:30 , Kelly Rissman (AP) (REUTERS) Smoke rises from the hills behind an Amazon warehouse as firefighters battle the Border 2 fire next to the Mexican border, in the hills east of the Otay Mesa neighborhood of San Diego, California U.S, January 23, 2025. REUTERS/Mike Blake (REUTERS) How much rain Southern California could see this weekend Saturday 25 January 2025 17:30 , Kelly Rissman A storm is expected to relieve the wildfire-ravaged region this weekend. Los Angeles and Ventura Counties could see half an inch to an inch of rain from Saturday afternoon through Monday night, according to the National Weather Service. Even more precipitation one inch or two inches could hit the mountains, the agency predicted. The rain, which could be the most the area has experienced since April, could help the vegetation become less susceptible to catching fire and could improve air quality in the region that has been devastated by massive wildfires since January 7. How contained are the California wildfires? Saturday 25 January 2025 16:30 , Kelly Rissman The deadly and destructive Palisades and Eaton fires, which started burning weeks ago in LA County, are still raging on but are now mostly contained. The Hughes fire, the latest blaze to ravage the county, has scorched more than 10,000 acres since it erupted on Wednesday. Its now 87 percent contained. Meanwhile, the Border 2 fire that has been making its way through San Diego since Thursday already spans more than 6,500 acres and its barely contained. Heres where all of the wildfires stand: The containment of the Southern California fires as of Saturday morning (Cal Fire) Some Southern California schools could reopen soon, officials say Saturday 25 January 2025 15:30 , Kelly Rissman The Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) said it plans to reopen schools as soon as Monday but not all parents think its the best idea. In a statement to the Associated Press, the district said its staff has worked diligently to prepare schools for a return to in-person instruction. These preparation steps include replacing filters, installing air purifiers, and monitoring the schools ventilation systems. But still, some are worried that the schools are reopening in-person education too soon. The LAUSD has never experienced a disaster like this in their history, Kelli Ferrone, a parent to two children at Canyon Charter Elementary School, told the AP. One of her daughters has asthma. Ferrone continued: And I do think people are trying really hard, but our school needs a new temporary home with classrooms and teachers teaching in-person. That is the only thing that is going to make people feel comfortable. This school falls within the do not drink water advisory, meaning water bottles will be provided as the schools water fountains are turned off. A much-needed storm is heading for LA Saturday 25 January 2025 14:47 , Kelly Rissman Much-needed rainfall is expected to hit Southern California, an area that has been devastated by wildfires since early January. LA is expected to see the most rain since April, according to AccuWeather. Despite being smack in the middle of the rainy season, brush conditions over Southern California are currently as dry as they ever get in the summer (the dry season), AccuWeather California Expert Ken Clark said. So when you throw dry air and Santa Ana winds into the mix, you have prime ingredients for wildfires. In L.A., the risk may go from fires to floods Saturday 25 January 2025 13:30 , Josh Marcus As critical fire weather ends in Southern California this week, residents have been warned about continuing threats from a weekend storm that could result in dangerous flash flooding and debris flows in wildfire burn scar areas. Following a series of devastating and deadly wildfires, forecasters have said the region can expect mountain snow, rain, cooler temperatures, and a small but non-zero threat of a thunderstorm moving over a burn area. Areas in Los Angeles County will likely see about three-quarters of an inch of rain following months without precipitation, according to KTLA. More details in our full story. Flash floods and debris flows could hit wildfire-weary California this weekend How Trumps misinformation is complicating the L.A. fire response Saturday 25 January 2025 12:30 , Josh Marcus While new blazes fanned by whipping Santa Ana winds have sparked across Southern California this week, firefighters have continued to make significant progress on some of the states most destructive wildfires that continue to burn. Trumps slew of misinformation about the disaster hasnt helped. Los Angeles Countys response to the furious fires which have resulted in the deaths of 28 people and left thousands without homes in some of the areas most affluent communities has been put under a microscope since they started more than two weeks ago, following months without rain and hurricane-force winds. Officials have faced harsh criticism from politicians and residents alike. Newly sworn-in President Donald Trump and Republicans have traded shots at Californias Democratic leadership, insisting that more could have been done to help prevent the tragedy. But, many of the presidents statements about how the Golden State should have prepared and other related logistical elements have been ignorant of the role of climate change and are rooted in inaccuracy and a contentious relationship with Governor Gavin Newsom. Julia Musto has the story. Trumps firestorm of misinformation over California fires is burning bright Are Gavin Newsom and Trump...getting along? Saturday 25 January 2025 11:30 , Josh Marcus Donald Trump and Gavin Newsom put on a united front on the tarmac of Los Angeles International Airport on Friday, as the president arrived in California for a visit to survey the devastation caused by the wildfires. Despite previous online acrimony between the men, the California governor smiled as he shook hands with Trump and proceeded to give the First Lady a kiss on the cheek. The president continued his magnanimous tone during a public discussion at a firehouse. Were going to be with you, Trump said. Your governor met us at the plane. We had a good talk, very positive talk. We have to work together to get this really worked out. Trump and Newsom play nice as president arrives in LA to survey wildfire damage ICYMI: Trump demands California voter ID law for wildfire relief and threatens FEMA upon arrival in North Carolina Saturday 25 January 2025 09:30 , Josh Marcus President Donald Trump on Friday said he would demand that California overhaul its election laws and reverse environmental policies as a condition of any federal funds to help the state recover from wildfires that have devastated the Los Angeles area in recent weeks. He also claimed that the Federal Emergency Management Agency had mishandled efforts to help North Carolinians recover from Hurricane Helene and suggested that the White House and Republican National Committee would somehow take over the distribution of any relief funds authorized by Congress. Trump took aim at FEMA as he arrived in Asheville, North Carolina, to view hurricane damage, before traveling to California to view the devastation wrought by wildfires. Speaking to reporters just after he disembarked Air Force One, Trump told reporters that FEMA, which is part of the Department of Homeland Security, has really let us down, though it was unclear what exactly he was accusing the agency of having done or not done. I dont know if thats Bidens fault or whose fault it is, but were going to take over and were going to do a good job, and were going to assign [Republican National Committee chair Michael Whatley] whos fantastic, frankly, and the governor and everybody else thats going to work, he said. Were going to supply the money, the supply, a lot of the money. Maybe you have to chip in something. You chip in a little something like maybe 25 percent or whatever, but were going to get it done as quickly as we can. And we want to take care of the people of North Carolina. Andrew Feinberg reports. Trump demands California voter ID law for wildfire relief and threatens FEMA again RECAP: Trumps L.A. fire tour in pictures Saturday 25 January 2025 08:30 , Josh Marcus (AFP via Getty Images) (AFP via Getty Images) US President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump speak with officials as they tour a fire-affected area in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles, California, on January 24, 2025 (AFP via Getty Images) (AFP via Getty Images) (AFP via Getty Images) Trump, Bass promise expedited process to rebuild in California Saturday 25 January 2025 07:30 , Josh Marcus Donald Trump hammered California officials to speed up permitting, home access, and rebuilding rules in the aftermath of the L.A. fires, and promised to do the same at the federal level. Were gunna just about essentially waive all federal permits, Trump said. Trump added that hed spoken with homeowners who are ready to rebuild beginning today. There are a lot in a position right now, theyd like to start tonight, he continued. Theyll clean their site. Theyll do everything. Trump also claimed hed override any delays from the California Coastal Commission regulatory process, saying, Im not going to let them get away with their antics. Community members in attendance said theyd been told by the federal U.S. Army Corps of Engineers it would take 18 months to begin rebuilding, which Trump balked at. Im sure you can get it down, to I would say, note even 18 days, Trump continued. Mayor they are ready to start. At one point, audience members began shouting at L.A. Mayor Karen Bass, saying they hadnt been allowed back onto their streets or to see their homes. Were going to do everything we can, slashing regulation, so recovery can get underway, Bass said. Were bringing our city departments together so people dont get caught in a loop of going from one room to the next. Otay Lakes County Park closed due to Border 2 fire Saturday 25 January 2025 06:30 , Josh Marcus CLOSURE: Our Otay Lakes County Park is currently closed due to the Border 2 fire and may be closed through the weekend. For more info about closures, please visit: https://t.co/btjYODUKom For more information about the Border 2 fire, please visit: https://t.co/Ftzg72X4C5 pic.twitter.com/X4Y4snKTWn SanDiegoCounty (@SanDiegoCounty) January 24, 2025 Trump says executive order will open up the pumps and valves for California water supply Saturday 25 January 2025 05:30 , Josh Marcus Donald Trump is claiming his executive orders will open essentially unlimited water supplies to Southern California, arguing such actions wouldve helped Los Angeles fight the recent round of devastating fires. Trump: "I'm signing an executive order to open up the pumps and valves in the north. We want to get that water pouring down here as quickly as possible ... you're talking about unlimited water coming up from the Pacific Northwest, even coming from parts of Canada." pic.twitter.com/4tn5K8RaXt Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) January 25, 2025 However, it wasnt a lack of reservoir water that made pumps run dry in L.A., but issues with its water distribution system, according to experts. California wildfires: How and why did fire hydrants run dry across Los Angeles? VIDEO: How L.A. firefighters turned the tide on the Hughes Fire Saturday 25 January 2025 04:30 , Josh Marcus As fires continue, flood watch begins around Los Angeles in some burn areas Saturday 25 January 2025 03:30 , Josh Marcus FLOOD WATCH is in effect for 4pm Sun to 4pm Mon. Here are the key details. While damaging debris flows are not the most likely outcome, there is still a lot of uncertainty with this storm. The threat is high enough to prepare for the worst-case scenario. #PalisadesFire #EatonFire pic.twitter.com/bbBGMJX90Y NWS Los Angeles (@NWSLosAngeles) January 25, 2025 San Diego County resident recalls spotting Border 2 fire on Thursday: We thought everything was going to be OK' Saturday 25 January 2025 02:30 , Josh Marcus Roy Carmichael, a 66-year-old who lives at the Pio Pico Campground in an RV, recalled spotting the Border 2 fire on Thursday night. We thought everything was going to be OK, he told The San Diego Union-Tribune. But the wind direction changed. He fled the area at around 2 a.m. on Friday and was one of dozens parked at the Regal Edwards Rancho San Diego movie theater. The theater is one of three places for people who have been displaced. Workers hope to prevent mudslides in Pacific Palisades Saturday 25 January 2025 02:00 , Josh Marcus Workers secure a net on Friday to prevent potential mudslides over the burned side of a mansion in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles, California. Rain brings the threat of debris flows this weekend (AP) A basketball is stuck in the net outside of a residence destroyed by the Palisades Fire in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles, California, on Friday. Partial repopulation is underway (AP) Trump shocked by fire damage Saturday 25 January 2025 01:20 , Josh Marcus US President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump tour a fire- affected area in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles, California, on January 24, 2025 (AFP via Getty Images) Donald Trump is not normally a man at a loss for words, but the president appeared shocked on Friday by the extent of damage caused by the Palisades Fire in Los Angeles. Its unbelievable, Trump said as he walked by news cameras on a neighborhood tour. Its really not believable. Congressman presses Trump to avoid conditions for wildfire aid Saturday 25 January 2025 01:11 , Josh Marcus (AFP via Getty Images) California officials walked a fine line on Friday as they welcomed Donald Trump, thanking the president for visiting wildfire damage while pushing him to avoid politicizing disaster aid. Rep. Brad Sherman argued that while he disagrees with other states policies on issues like guns and abortion, he would never try to hold back disaster aid from them. Im hoping that we can get these funds and that we dont punish individuals for the policies of their state, Sheman said. You can disagree with them. I think youve got some ideas. I look forward to us listening. Sherman also called on Trump to avoid putting tariffs on the building materials L.A. will desperately need as it rebuilds neighborhoods like the Palisades. Trump demands California voter ID law for wildfire relief and threatens FEMA again Trump claims hell support California 100 percent after L.A. fires Saturday 25 January 2025 00:57 , Josh Marcus (AFP via Getty Images) Donald Trump has abruptly shifted his tone on California after touring wildfire damage, saying during a press conference on Friday, The federal government is standing behind you 100 percent. Its a far cry from Trumps previous statements, which frequently railed against the state and its leadership over the fires, threatening to withold future disaster aid. Were going to be with you, Trump added. Your governor met us at the plane. We had a good talk, very positive talk. We have to work together to get this really worked out. Of course, there were still a few Trump-y flourishes, from a riff about how beautiful and physically fit the firefighters were, as well as a few brags about his election results in the state. Nonetheless, Trump was unexpectedly somber, perhaps as a result of the devastation hes seen. I dont think you can really realize how rough this is, how devastating it is until you really see it, Trump added. Its incredible, Trump continued. Its really an incineration. Even some of the chimneys came down. Will Trump and Newsom bury the hatchet and cooperate over L.A. fires? Saturday 25 January 2025 00:39 , Josh Marcus Donald Trump and Gavin Newsom put on a united front on the tarmac of Los Angeles International Airport on Friday, as the president arrived in California for a visit to survey the devastation caused by the wildfires. Despite previous online acrimony between the men, the California governor smiled as he shook hands with Trump and proceeded to give the First Lady a kiss on the cheek. In short remarks to the press at LAX, the president thanked Newsom for meeting him off the plane and promised to do everything he could to get the problems permanently fixed. I appreciate the governor coming out well be talking a lot and we want to get it fixed, he said. Mike Bedigan has the story. Trump and Newsom play nice as president arrives in LA to survey wildfire damage Trump tours Pacific Palisades neighborhood devastated by fires Saturday 25 January 2025 00:33 , Graeme Massie US President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump tour a fire- affected area in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles, California, on January 24, 2025 (AFP via Getty Images) US President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump speak with officials as they tour a fire-affected area in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles, California, on January 24, 2025 (AFP via Getty Images) US President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump pose with a helmet reading After weeks of insults, Trump is all smiles with LAFD Saturday 25 January 2025 00:31 , Josh Marcus (ABC 10 screengrab) Donald Trump has spent weeks ripping Los Angeles and Californias response to the devastating wildfires, while suggesting he might cut off future emergency aid to the state unless they agreed to unrelated policy goals like a new voter ID law. However, when Trump toured wildfire damage in Los Angeles on Friday, he exchanged warm banter with a group of gathered L.A. firefighters. He elicited chuckles from the LAFD as he held a fire helmet, calling it a heavy sucker but suggesting this group of all strong men didnt have a problem with such gear. Welcome back, sir, we missed you, one firefighter told the president. As Trump wrapped up his tour, he could be heard saying, We wont let you down, fellas. Despite the warm reception, its still unclear what future wildfire aid to the state will look like. Trump demands California voter ID law for wildfire relief and threatens FEMA again We need your help, L.A. resident tells Trump during fire tour Saturday 25 January 2025 00:13 , Josh Marcus A Los Angeles resident told Donald Trump on Friday that the communities impacted by the Palisades fire are still in desperate need of assistance. We need your help, a man told the president. This is a community that has a lot of resources, he continued. Its also a very multi-generational community. A lot of people, weve been kind of abandoned and feel let down by local leadership, the man went on. The fire departments been amazing. They need more resources. In order for us to build back, we need better infrastructure. We need to make sure this will never happen again. Newsoms press office blasts absolutely absurd claims about firefighter staffing in LA Saturday 25 January 2025 00:00 , Julia Musto Absolutely absurd claims from a pizzagate peddler. California transitioned a small, inadequately trained volunteer reserve component into a huge professional, highly trained, firefighting force. Since @CAGovernor Newsom took office, @TheCalGuard has nearly TRIPLED its https://t.co/ilAXbL03lv Governor Newsom Press Office (@GovPressOffice) January 24, 2025 Pasadena firefighter recalls responding to Eaton fire: This is not like anything weve ever seen before' Friday 24 January 2025 23:45 , Julia Musto Throughout his career at @PasadenaFD, Sean Katt has responded to many fires across the US, but the #EatonFire was unlike anything he'd ever seen before. Wind gusts exceeding 100 miles per hour made the fire's behavior unpredictable and chaotic. pic.twitter.com/AOocOa0G7p Governor Newsom (@CAgovernor) January 24, 2025 In pictures: Newsom meets the Trumps at LAX Friday 24 January 2025 23:30 , Mike Bedigan President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump listen to California Gov. Gavin Newsom after arriving on Air Force One at Los Angeles International Airport in Los Angeles, Friday, Jan. 24, 2025 (AP) (AFP via Getty Images) (AFP via Getty Images) Trump and Newsom put on united front on LAX tarmac Friday 24 January 2025 23:20 , Mike Bedigan President Trump and Governor Newsom put on a united front as they spoke to reporters at LAX, despite public disputes between them previously. In short remarks to the press, Trump remarked that Los Angeles looked like you got hit by a bomb. "It means a great deal a lot to all of us... were gonna need your support... you were there for us in Covid, I dont forget that," Newsom replied. Trump responded: "Were gonna get it done. Youve lost a tremendous number of lives and a lot of real estate. Well get it permanently fixed so it wont happen again." Trump lands in Los Angeles and is met by Gavin Newsom Friday 24 January 2025 23:14 , Mike Bedigan Touch down! President Trump has arrived in Los Angeles and has disembarked from Air Force One at LAX. He was met on the tarmac by California Governor Gavin Newsom, who smiled when he met him. The men appeared friendly, despite previous acrimony between them. Trump patted Newsom on the back and the governor gave the First Lady a kiss on the cheek. San Diego sheriff temporarily suspends all visits to county jails in the Otay Mesa area Friday 24 January 2025 23:00 , Julia Musto Out of an abundance of caution, @SDSheriff is temporarily suspending all visits to county jails in the Otay Mesa area. Due to the #Border2Fire, the following Sheriff's facilities will be affected: George Bailey Detention Facility Rock Mountain Detention Facility East Mesa pic.twitter.com/QFGFR4jVmZ San Diego Sheriff (@SDSheriff) January 24, 2025 In pictures: Members of the National Guard in place ahead of Trumps arrival Friday 24 January 2025 22:50 , Mike Bedigan (AP) (AP) Forecasters preview weekend rain Friday 24 January 2025 22:40 , Mike Bedigan Wanting to know our thoughts on what kind of rain and snow we'll be seeing this weekend into early next week? Take a look at our latest video update to find out #CAwx #changeintheweather pic.twitter.com/tFJOKVJQTw NWS San Diego (@NWSSanDiego) January 24, 2025 Partial repopulation announced for Palisades residents Friday 24 January 2025 22:30 , Julia Musto A resident retrieves an oil painting titled Washer from a surviving residence in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles, California, on Friday. Fire officials announced partial repopulation there (AP) Los Angeles County fire officials announced partial repopulation in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles, California. Law Enforcement will only conduct resident escorts between 10:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. for Zone LOS-0767-I and previously repopulated areas. Please arrive no later than 4:30 p.m., the fire department said. Newsom makes pledge on wildfire aid: This money is not going to be held up by bureaucracy Friday 24 January 2025 22:10 , Julia Musto This money is not going to be held up by bureaucracy. As of this morning, we have already moved over $100 million to help communities rebuild and recover. We will continue to get aid to those impacted as fast as possible. https://t.co/ftwMNFi5Xm Gavin Newsom (@GavinNewsom) January 24, 2025 Chula Vista closes parks, library, and pool due to poor air quality from Border 2 fire Friday 24 January 2025 21:52 , Julia Musto Due to poor air quality in the surrounding areas the following City facilities are CLOSED today, Friday, January 24, 2025. Parks and recreation centers that are east of the 805. Parkway Pool and Loma Verde Pool Otay Ranch Library pic.twitter.com/cWoi9jcmmo City of Chula Vista (@thinkchulavista) January 24, 2025 The Red Cross supports Border 2 fire evacuees Friday 24 January 2025 21:43 , Julia Musto Our volunteers are supporting those impacted by the #Border2Fire at: A shelter at Cuyamaca College Gymnasium (900 Rancho San Diego Pkwy, El Cajon). A Temporary Evacuation Point at Southwestern College (900 Otay Lakes Rd, Chula Vista). More info: https://t.co/25I7pAO2Ao pic.twitter.com/QpCs2RvKl6 American Red Cross Southern California Region (@SoCal_RedCross) January 24, 2025 Third disaster center opens in Altadena Friday 24 January 2025 21:26 , Julia Musto Cal OES, in partnership with @FEMA and @CountyOfLA will open a 3rd Disaster Recovery Center (DRC) in Altadena to assist those impacted by the Hurricane-Force Firestorm. #LAFires #CAWildfires #SoCalFires pic.twitter.com/XC5akcrDMf California Governor's Office of Emergency Services (@Cal_OES) January 24, 2025 Photos show Palisades wildfire devastation ahead of Trumps visit Friday 24 January 2025 21:18 , Julia Musto A warning sign is posted at a property destroyed by the Los Angeles fires as President Donald Trump prepares to tour areas devastated by the Palisades Fire in Pacific Palisades, California, on Friday. The sign marks the area as unsafe (AFP via Getty Images) An employee of SoCalGas looks over the rubble of a Berkshire Hathaway Home Services office in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles, California, on Friday. More than 35,000 customers in the state were left without power on Friday (AFP via Getty Images) National Guard officers prepare for a visit by President Donald Trump to Fire Station 69 as he tours areas devastated by the Palisades Fire, in Pacific Palisades, California, on Friday. The president was flying from western North Carolina (AFP via Getty Images) Los Angeles mayor Karen Bass says her brother lost his home in the Palisades fire Friday 24 January 2025 21:02 , Julia Musto Los Angeles mayor Karen Bass says her brother lost his home in the Palisades fire A horse after the a search warrant in Clements, Calif. (San Joaquin County Sheriff's Office) A California woman was arrested Wednesday after 27 dead horses were found across her multiple properties, officials said. Jan Johnson, of Clements, was booked in the San Joaquin County Jail on charges of cruelty to an animal, threatening a public official, criminal threats and possession of a short-barrel shotgun. Sheriff's deputies along with Animal Services officers executed a search warrant at properties in Clements, located about 40 miles southeast of Sacramento, as part of an ongoing animal neglect investigation. "During the operation, several malnourished horses were discovered on the premises with limited access to any food or water and approximately 27 deceased horses were located," the San Joaquin County Sheriffs Office said in a Facebook post. Animal Services officers and veterinarians immediately began to triage and evaluate the horses. Four horses and one bull had to be euthanized because of the neglect, the sheriff's office said. Sixteen horses were rescued and placed in the care of the Oakdale Equine Rescue, which will provide medical attention, nutrition and rehabilitation. The sheriff's office said that because of the size of the properties, they are still evaluating other animals found during the search. Authorities in California have arrested a woman after they found more than two dozen dead horses on several properties this week. The woman is facing charges including criminal threats, cruelty to an animal, threatening a public official, and possession of a short-barrel shotgun, according to the San Joaquin County Sheriff's Office. She is scheduled to appear in court on Friday. Court records obtained by USA TODAY on Thursday show the case was filed as a felony. On Wednesday, deputies and animal services officers carried out a search warrant at several properties in Clements, about 40 miles southeast of Sacramento. They found "several malnourished horses" that had "limited access to any food or water." About 27 dead horses were also found at the scene. Other animals had to be euthanized Photos shared by the San Joaquin County Sheriff's Office show the horses, one of which is extremely emaciated. The animal service officers and veterinarians evaluated and rescued 16 of them. "Unfortunately, four horses and one bull had to be euthanized due to their extreme neglect," the sheriff's office said. The rescued horses were taken to Oakdale Equine Rescue, "who will ensure they receive proper nutrition, medical attention, and rehabilitation," the sheriff's office said. The agency continued: "We are committed to protecting the welfare of all animals in our community and will continue to investigate this matter." The sheriff's office identified the woman charged as Jan Ann Johnson. No attorney was listed for her in court records. Taylor Ardrey is a news reporter for USA TODAY. You can reach her at tardrey@gannett.com. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: California woman arrested after dozens of dead, neglected horses found FILE - San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom, right, signs a mandatory recycling and composting ordinance on top of a compostable collection bin at the Ferry Building in San Francisco, Tuesday, June 23, 2009. Looking on at left is executive chef Charles Phan of The Slanted Door restaurant. (AP Photo/Eric Risberg, file) (ASSOCIATED PRESS) Charles Phan, the San Francisco chef credited as an innovator for bringing Vietnamese food to fine dining at his Slanted Door restaurant, has died. The restaurant announced his death from cardiac arrest in an Instagram post on Tuesday, calling it heartbreaking and unexpected. Phan was 62. Charles was more than a chef. He was one of the most generous humans," the restaurant stated. Our hearts are heavy with this tremendous loss." The James Beard Award-winning restaurateur is known for growing the Slanted Door into a globally recognized fixture with two other Bay Area locations in Napa, San Ramon and one in France. The flagship location which had been at San Francisco's Ferry Building but closed in 2020 due to the pandemic was set to reopen in its original location in the Mission neighborhood this spring. It remains unclear how Phan's death might impact those plans. Chefs and others in the culinary world have been paying tribute to Phan on social media. It's no surprise as Phan always made himself available to dole out advice, said Carolyn Jung, a longtime food and wine writer in the San Francisco Bay Area. I think a lot of them feel a debt to him" said Jung, who interviewed Phan multiple times over the past 20 years. Because he definitely paved the way for a lot of Asian and other minority chefs, showing them there might not be a huge understanding or even outward demand for your cuisine right now. But if you do it right, you do it with passion, you do it with care and respect, you will find an audience and they will embrace it. Hunter Lewis, Food & Wine magazine's editor-in-chief, still remembers the shaking beef he ate at Slanted Door in 2007. It was one of those touchstone meals that distinguished Phan as a pathbreaker who really broke out from the regional culinary scene. We cant understate the influence of Slanted Door first as a San Francisco institution and as one of the busiest restaurants on the West Coast, Lewis said. Now, Vietnamese food and flavors like fish sauce are much more common in the U.S. dining landscape. But, Phan came up at a time when it wasn't, Lewis added. I think we took for granted when Slanted Door became popular that these ingredients were not ubiquitous. He was really instrumental in that. Born in Vietnam in 1962, Phan grew up in a home with no refrigerator. So to enjoy a bowl of pho classic Vietnamese noodle soup his family would often go to a cafe next door, according to Jung. But Phan, the oldest of six children, also learned to cook from his mother and aunt. His entire family left Vietnam for the U.S. when he was 13, the restaurant said in the Instagram post. Phan ended up picking up Western cooking techniques by watching television. Phan eventually wanted to open a restaurant in San Francisco but was told there were too many Vietnamese eateries. He ended up finding a space in his own neighborhood in the Mission. The Slanted Door officially opened its door in 1995. It was seen as a hot, happening restaurant that was hard to get into, Jung recalled. He used organic ingredients and higher-end meats like filet mignon almost unheard of in Asian cuisine in the U.S. Up until that time, you had very few Vietnamese restaurants that took it beyond the level of the sort of mom-and-pop hole-in-the-wall, Jung said. And here he came with his love of architecture and created this very cool, contemporary space and introduced people to Vietnamese food made with really thoughtful ingredients. Phan maintained his culinary prowess while also staying inventive. Phan thought to add a cocktail bar and meal kits for people to duplicate some dishes at home. He garnered several awards over the years including James Beard recognition as Best Chef: California and Outstanding Restaurant in America. He also authored two cookbooks. He had a reputation for being honest, direct and steadfast about certain standards. He told me that even now, diners would say 'Why don't you serve this (pho) at dinner time?' said Jung, who last spoke with him in August. He said 'No, that's like ordering French toast at night.' The restaurant urged people to keep Phan's spirit alive by simply sharing a meal family style. The staff has made no mention of services and asked for privacy. Rayford Evans, 52, of Missouri, faces up to 30 years in prison for shooting phone video of a bathing 15-year-old girl, federal prosecutors said. A 52-year-old creep is facing up to 30 years behind bars for shooting phone video of a 15-year-old girl while she bathed at a home in Missouri, federal prosecutors said Wednesday. Rayford Evans was found guilty attempted sexual exploitation of a minor after a one-day trial on Tuesday stemming from the sickos attempts to film the girl on Nov. 17, 2022, according to the feds. Prosecutors said Evans used his cell phone to record a 15-year-old girl while she was bathing and using the bathroom by holding it up to a window above the bathroom door. Federal prosecutors in Missouri said Rayford Evans, 52, was convicted of child sex exploitation for shooting phone footage of a 15-year-old girl while she bathed. ronstik stock.adobe.com The victim saw the phone and told a friend, the friends father and then her own father, who contacted police, the US Attorneys Office in the Eastern District of Missouri said in a press release. A spokesperson for the office said Wednesday that Evans was inside the home at the time of the crime but it is unclear if the victim and her family wee somehow acquainted with Evans. In a press release, the US Attorneys Office in the Eastern District of Missouri said The victim saw the phone and told a friend, the friends father and then her own father, who contacted police. Google Evans, of Doniphan, Missouri, is scheduled to be sentenced in the case later this year, and faces a maximum prison term of 15 to 30 years, according to prosecutors. The case was prosecuted under the Project Safe Childhood federal initiative, which was launched by the Department of Justice in May 2006. The initiative taps federal, state and local resources to combat child sexual exploitation. Tangen told an audience at Davos that the contrarian approach was often best. (Stefan Wermuth/Bloomberg via Getty Images) Nicolai Tangen, the boss of the worlds largest sovereign wealth fund, worth around $1.8 trillion, is never far away from an eager investor keen for advice on how to beat the market. While it may not be advice he is necessarily following himself, Tangens latest tip is to diverge from the crowd. The best thing to do is always to do the opposite of everybody else, Tangen told Bloomberg in an interview at Davos. What will that be today? Well, if you were to do the opposite of everybody else, it would be to sell the US tech stocks, buy China, sell private credit, just buy stuff that is out of fashion. Tangens latest tidbit isnt exactly a case of practicing what you preach. Indeed, Tangen and the Norges Investment Bank are among U.S. tech stocks biggest fans. As of June last year, Norges Bank Investment Management owned 1.9 trillion Norwegian krone in the Magnificent Seven stocks, or around $173 billion. Its six largest equity investments by value are all Magnificent Seven stocks, while it also owns a sizeable $5.6 billion stake in Tesla. The oil fund opted to shed some of its stake in Meta last year. In its half-year report for 2024, Norges Bank praised the performance of tech stocks, which grew by 27.9% in the first half of the year. In total, tech stocks account for a quarter of the companys equity investments. In his interview with Bloomberg, Tangen did admit that taking a contrarian approach to investing meant accepting that your investing strategy would underperform at times, leading to investors questioning your sanity. Several investors, though, have warned about the risks of a potential tech bubble in popular U.S. stocks, including Tangen himself. The Magnificent Seven stocks make up around a third of the S&P 500s value, while its profits accounted for three-quarters of the indexs earnings growth in 2024. Speaking to the Financial Times in November, Tangen warned of unprecedented concentration risks in equity markets based on microchips following the Gen AI boom. Major companies, including Nvidia, ASML, TSMC, and the Silicon Valley giants, make up this cozy ecosystem. The concentration is absolutely worrying. It means that there is a risk in the stock market which we have never seen before, Tangen told the FTs Unhedged podcast. So there are very few companies tied into them, and they are getting bigger and bigger and more and more important. As for China, the other market that Tangen namedropped, Norges has a relatively small 385 billion Norwegian krone ($34 billion) stake in the country. The banks biggest investments in the country include Tencent, Alibaba, and PDD. The value of its investments in China rose by $4 billion in the first half of 2024. In September 2023, the group announced it would be closing its Shanghai office, citing operational considerations that wouldnt affect its investments in China. The group employed eight people in the Shanghai office. The oil funds latest investment is a very British affair, and could align with his advice to buy what is out of fashion. The group announced a joint partnership with the Duke of Westminster-owned Grosvenor for 175 properties in the exclusive London neighborhood of Mayfair. The agreement marks the largest outside investment in Grosvernors 305-year history. Correction, January 23, 2025: A previous version of this article misstated Norges Bank Investment Management as Norges Investment Bank. This story was originally featured on Fortune.com Miami Heat forward Jimmy Butler (22) stands on the court during the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Portland Trail Blazers, Tuesday, Jan. 21, 2025, in Miami. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky) Jimmy Butler was suspended by the Miami Heat for the second time in three weeks, a move that adds to the possibility he has already played his final game for the franchise. Butler drew the latest suspension this one will last two games for what the team in a statement Wednesday night called a continued pattern of disregard of team rules, insubordinate conduct and conduct detrimental to the team," including missing the Heat's flight to Milwaukee earlier in the day. The Heat were scheduled to play the Bucks on Thursday and at Brooklyn on Saturday. The earliest Butler could play for the Heat again is Monday, at home against Orlando. And that would hinge on him still being on the roster, which seems far from guaranteed. In Milwaukee on Thursday, where the Heat were prepping for the game against the Bucks, Miami coach Erik Spoelstra wouldn't discuss Butler specifically. But when asked about how to pivot quickly in the league when change comes, Spoelstra spoke plenty. The point that Ive made to our team is get used to it. Get over it," Spoelstra said. This is the NBA life. This is the life we chose. If you think its just going to be predictable, youre really mistaken. I think it takes a mental fortitude and commitment just to focus on the task at hand. Nothing changes in terms of what the task is. We have a game tonight. We have enough continuity. We know what our identity is at this point. Butler told the Heat in recent weeks that he wants a trade, a demand he has not made publicly because league rules do not allow players to do so. Any player who makes such a demand known is risking a fine of up to $150,000. But the Heat revealed that request when suspending him in early January for what they called conduct detrimental to the team, and said at that time that they will work to accommodate his trade request. The NBA's trade deadline is Feb. 6. Butler was banished for seven games earlier this month, costing him about $2.4 million in salary. Butler returned last week and has played in each of the last three Miami games, averaging 13.0 points in 29.3 minutes. The Heat left for Milwaukee around 2:15 p.m. Wednesday. That departure time is earlier than Miami leaves for most of its trips, and it's unclear if that was a factor for Butler. The dates for the scheduled games on this Heat road trip coincide with a padel tournament in Miami, one that lists Butler as an honorary chairman and co-captain. Butlers coffee company, Big Face, is also involved with the event. But it was not known if Butler planned on being present for that event in Miami and if that had anything to do with him missing the flight to Milwaukee. Butler's expected breakup with the Heat has been brewing for several weeks, if not months. The primary issue that caused the fracture in the relationship was money; hes eligible for a two-year, $113 million extension and the Heat never offered such a deal, largely because hes missed about 25% of the teams games since he arrived in 2019. There were other factors. Butler has made no secret that he's not happy with what he says is his new role within the Heat offense. He didn't participate in his usual way during the introduction of the Heat starters for the last three games, and he has sat by himself at times during timeouts while not engaging in the huddle going on around the bench. There was a lot said by everybody, except for me, to tell you the truth, Butler said after his first game back following the suspension. Well let people keep talking. ... The whole truth will come out. The latest chapter of the Butler-Heat saga comes one day after Phoenix swung a deal with Utah to acquire three first-round draft picks that the Suns are expected to use as pieces in another trade presumably one that would bring Butler to them. Such a deal for Butler would be complicated for the Suns, and likely would involve at least three and possibly even more teams to make all the pieces fit. The Butler trade watch has gone on for weeks, and his hair color for some December games just happened to match the primary colors of Phoenix, Dallas, Golden State and Houston the four teams that were most prominently mentioned as possible trade partners for Miami. And for Tuesdays game against Portland, Butler wore shoes tinged in orange perfectly matching the Suns color scheme. ___ AP Sports Writers Alanis Thames in Miami and Steve Megargee in Milwaukee contributed to this report. ___ AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA The Independent has been hailed for shining a light on the continued imprisonment of Aung San Suu Kyi by a brutal military regime in Myanmar. Human rights campaigner Bianca Jagger and Wild Swans author Jung Chang joined politicians, journalists and lawyers at the London screening of The Independent TVs documentary Cancelled: The Rise and Fall of Aung San Suu Kyi. The film looks at the life of the 79-year-old Nobel Peace Prize winner who has become a deeply divisive and controversial figure internationally after failing to speak out on her countrys extreme violence against its Rohingya Muslim minority. It was described as a rallying point for the freedom of a woman seen as the last hope for the people of her country. Speaking afterwards, Ms Jagger said: I think the most difficult issue is for people to have mercy on fallen heroes. Because she was a hero for many of us, including me. But we must do everything we can to see her released. This is the perfect film to launch a campaign calling for her freedom I think this film will be the perfect rallying point to bring us all together and to demand that she be released. Bianca Jagger listens to Helena Kennedy at the screening of The Independents documentary Cancelled: The Rise and Fall of Aung San Suu Kyi (Al Brown) Ms Chang, who met Ms Suu Kyi on a number of occasions, said: I greatly admire her. And I am full of sympathy for her, in solitary confinement. So of course I think the more people help her and draw attention to her plight the better. Ms Suu Kyi is believed to have spent long periods in solitary confinement since her arrest following a coup in February 2021 and faces 27 years in prison. Responding to the documentary, three former foreign secretaries, William Hague, Sir Malcolm Rifkind and Jack Straw, have said the ousted former leader was jailed on trumped-up charges and deserves the chance to lead her country democratically. Former deputy foreign secretary Andrew Mitchell, who attended Wednesdays screening, said: She has been treated terribly by the illegal junta in Myanmar. She should be released immediately and films like this help explain why. Jung Chang and Kim Aris at the screening of the Cancelled documentary in London (Geordie Greig) Ms Suu Kyi, who studied at Oxford and married a British academic Michael Aris, raised two children, Alexander and Kim, in the UK before returning to Myanmar in 1988. She spent nearly 15 of the 21 years between 1989 to 2010 under house arrest, where her fight for democracy became famous across the world. The junta allowed Ms Suu Kyi to become the de facto head of Myanmar following elections in 2015, but only if they controlled the key ministries of home affairs and defence and border control, as well as the military budget. In 2019, she became a global pariah in the eyes of the international community and many human rights organisations after she appeared at the International Court of Justice in The Hague to defend her countrys use of force against the Rohingya. Screening of Cancelled: The Rise and Fall of Aung San Suu Kyi with (left to right) her son Kim Aris, Independent editor-in-chief Geordie Greig and journalist Peter Popham (Al Brown) Two years later she was imprisoned after the military seized power in a coup, plunging the country into conflict. Helena Kennedy, one of Britains most distinguished lawyers, said: She may have made some miscalculations along the way but I do think that the world has to reflect again on what she was seeking to achieve. And I think she thought she was preventing the inevitable coup that did in fact take place. She added: What shocked me is the lack of concern for her human rights. I hope this documentary is the start of a campaign to say what is happening to this woman is utterly, utterly reprehensible. Her son, Kim, who appears in the film, added: Im very glad that this has been brought back into the public domain that people start to question the narrative about her. He said that his only contact with his mother had been through one letter that he received since she was imprisoned. I hope the other thing that people take from this is that she is not under house arrest, she is in prison, he said. And the prison cell that she has been kept in all this time I know is rat-infested and completely open to the elements. Aung San Suu Kyi, leader of the National League for Democracy (NLD) in Myanmar (Getty) The film was also praised by Paul Scully, a former Conservative minister who was Theresa Mays trade envoy to Myanmar. He said: For decades millions of people in Myanmar have suffered at the hands of the military. It is so important to have this documentary return the attention to the plight of Aung San Suu Kyi, for so long the focal point and last hope for the people of Burma. In the documentary, Lord Hague, who welcomed Ms Suu Kyi to London in 2012, said it was possible to be critical of the countrys former de facto prime minister but also say we should be campaigning for her release. He described her as a political prisoner on trumped-up charges, adding We might disagree with things that she has said and done, but she has been the strongest force for democracy in Myanmar in a generation, and she is imprisoned because she was that force for democracy. Texas A&M president Mark Welsh III instructed staff not to send representatives to a conference to recruit diverse PhD candidates after Gov. Greg Abbott threatened to fire him. Ishika Samant/Staff photographer Declaring war on DEI is all the rage in conservative politics, often quite literally. One of the first priorities of President Trump after retaking the White House was ordering all federal employees working in diversity, equity and inclusion to be placed on leave by Wednesday. And while, surely, the implementation of such a complex scheme of social engineering as DEI is sometimes deserving of criticism and vulnerable to excesses, at least its intentions creating a more inclusive workplace, school, world, what have you are honorable. We can't say the same for the assault on Texas public universities by top state officials, whose own social engineering seems more aimed at academic control, political benefit and cynical demagoguery than actually improving anything. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Sadly, none of this is novel. Texas has seen it before. Although Greg Pa Abbott rings hollow as a nickname for our famously colorless governor as does Greg Pass the Biscuits, Pappy Abbott the governor is following the dishonorable footsteps of two of his predecessors when it comes to Texas higher education. His threat this month to fire Texas A&M University President Mark Welsh III over an outside agitators claims that the university violated the states ban on diversity, equity and inclusion programs is solidly in the tradition of Govs. James Pa Ferguson and W. Lee Pass the Biscuits, Pappy ODaniel, who attempted to strong arm the states schools of higher education in their day. Abbotts threat to fire Texas A&Ms relatively new president came after the anti-DEI crusader Christopher Rufo posted a university email inviting staffers and PhD students to go on a recruiting trip to a conference for students considering a doctorate in business. The application for the would-be PhD students limits participation to Black, Hispanic and Native American people. Abbott was asked via social media whether he would put with this crap. Hell, no, the governor replied on X. Its against Texas law and violates the U.S. Constitution. It will be fixed immediately or the president will soon be gone. Advertisement Article continues below this ad As the Chronicle pointed out last week, the governor cannot directly fire Welsh, but the A&M regents whom Abbott has appointed can. They are, no doubt, well aware that Abbott signed a law in 2023 that bans diversity hiring programs, DEI training and DEI offices in public higher education. The screenshot of the A&M email says the university's general counsel deemed participating in the conference permissible. A&Ms lawyers had it right. The anti-DEI law has a clear exemption for student recruitment or admissions, and for good reason. Schools need strong applicant pools drawn from every community to thrive. That said, the worthy goals of the conference could have been better protected had organizers ditched their exclusionary checkbox approach to diversity and adopted inclusive language that would allow anyone to attend while still encouraging underrepresented groups to apply. Anything excluding large groups of people from such events feeds the grievances of anti-DEI crusaders like Rufo and, of course, Paxton and Abbott, Republicans who often perpetuate the demagogic tendencies of 20th-century Democrats. In 1916, Pa Ferguson demanded that the Board of Regents of the University of Texas fire six professors. Although Ferguson labeled the six targeted professors corruptionists, liars and traitors and insisted they be fired without a trial or hearing, its never been entirely clear what ignited his animus. I am governor of Texas. I dont have to give reasons, he said. The regents refused, so the governor who, as a 16-year-old, had been expelled from little Salado College for disobedience attempted to stack the board with cronies willing to do his bidding. He also called for the resignation of UT President Robert Vinson. Advertisement Article continues below this ad When the governor failed to get his way, he vetoed UTs entire biennial appropriation. Probably in all the history of Texas no governor ever committed a more unpardonable act than did Governor James E. Ferguson when, on Saturday afternoon, he vetoed the appropriation made by the legislature for the operating expense of the University of Texas, the El Paso Times opined. A howling mob of students, as Ferguson described them, marched from the campus to the Capitol to protest. Accompanied by the Longhorn Band, they demanded an audience with the governor, who was so enraged by their noise that he had to be restrained from jumping out a window to fight them with his fists. Ferguson was impeached and removed from office, in large part because of his crusade against UT. That didnt put an end to politicians attempting to treat universities like their fiefdoms. A couple of decades later, Pappy ODaniel demanded that his regent appointees fire communist professors on the UT campus, communists being supporters of President Franklin D. Roosevelt's New Deal. A Fort Worth flour salesman and radio raconteur with no political experience, ODaniel rode his statewide celebrity to smashing victory in 1938. With a platform consisting of the Ten Commandments and a $30 pension for every Texan, his record in office turned out to be promise, flop and alibi, in the words of fellow Democrat Jerry Sadler, who ran against him in 1940. The governor turned to red-baiting. Appointing members to the UT Board of Regents purely on their politics, he urged a group of Texas business leaders to take control of higher education in Texas, and the University of Texas in particular, because thats the place where all these radical ideas are coming from. Academic freedom was a foreign concept to ODaniel and his ilk; tenure was a barrier to be removed. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The governor and his allies in the Legislature worked hard in particular to fire four UT economics professors, who not only were New Deal supporters but also advocates for a state income tax and higher taxes for the rich. Regents hired students to attend their classes and write down anything they said that could be deemed offensive or defamatory. When ODaniels regents demanded that UT President Homer Rainey fire the notorious four, he reminded them that they had tenure and to fire them without reason was a violation of academic freedom. When the regents insisted that he ignore tenure, he reminded them that the Association of Academic Professors would sanction the university, and well-regarded academics would avoid UT. (The recent departures of UT-Austin President Jay Hartzell and seven other senior leaders are probably a latter-day example of the cost of political meddling. As the new SMU president, Hartzell wont have to put up with the likes of politicians with interests other than building great academic institutions.) The professors kept their jobs, although President Rainey eventually lost his. ODaniel moved on to the U.S. Senate, where his anti-communist tirades were so extreme he became a laughing stock. Meanwhile, political meddling into academia continued off and on until well, until now. Abbotts threat has had a chilling effect across the state. Texas A&M officials announced that they would not be sending anyone to the PhD Project conference. Welsh, the schools president, sent an email to staff saying that while the proper process for reviewing and approving attendance at such events was followed, I dont believe we fully considered the spirit of our state law in making the initial decision to participate, according to Inside Higher Ed. The UT system told the Texas Tribune that it had recommended to five UT academic institutions that had participated in The PhD Project to withdraw membership. Contrary to the social media comments in response to Abbotts tweet, the losers in all this arent radical left-wing DEI fanatics but young Texas capitalists whod have a better chance of making a buck if PhD programs train business school faculty who mirror the diversity of our great state. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Efforts to combat what the Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. called ingrained and tenacious racism in this country have been less than perfect on college campuses and elsewhere, but Abbotts threat goes well beyond an attempt to correct DEI excesses. It strikes at the core of recruiting talented students for, yes, merit-based admissions. Such outreach isn't about lowering standards; it's about raising awareness and widening access to academic opportunity for all who can compete. Spouses of L.A. firefighters have been sharing their experiences on social media. (Carina Reyna/Allexa Morales via Instagram) The California fires and the destruction that theyve caused have been traumatic for Los Angeles residents since the first of multiple wildfires broke out Jan. 7. For Sandy (who requested that we not use her real name), a stay-at-home mother of two currently living in San Diego after residing in L.A. for 17 years, the devastation is all-consuming. She has witnessed her previous communities burn to the ground, housed friends who lost their home and has been trying to protect her young children from seeing the anguish, all while her husband a captain with the L.A. County Fire Department is on the frontlines. Life has felt so surreal, she tells Yahoo Life. I just find myself staring at a wall, you know, just completely numb. Although Sandys home has not been in danger of the flames, the stress of her husband fighting them has been paralyzing. As of Tuesday, she hadnt seen him in 16 days. He was working overtime in L.A. the Sunday and Monday [before the fires]. He was on his way home on Tuesday when they called and said, You have to come back, she says. Her husband worked on the frontlines of the Eaton Fire for two days before being sent over to the Palisades Fire. Over two weeks later, those fires are not fully contained. And he has yet to come home. The first three days are such a blur for me because they were so stressful, says Sandy. I did not sleep because I had to keep the news on the entire time. I didn't even take my son to school. I just laid in bed and cried. The fires are the third major event that Sandys husband has worked on, and the last two kept him away from home for just as long. But she says, This one just feels different. Her husband, she says, is very stoic; if you have this job, you can't get emotionally attached, she explains. This is the first time I've seen him get emotional. This is just so devastating. I know [all of the firefighters are] so depressed, they're homesick, they miss their families, theyre exhausted. And I know its all taking a really serious toll on them. Its also taking a toll on their families. As many firefighters still work to put out blazes or work overtime to keep their stations staffed, their loved ones are sharing what its been like to worry, and wait. Holding down the fort Jenny Hutzlers firefighter husbands 24-hour shift turned into a 16-day absence due to the California fires. The thing about being a #FireWife is that you come to expect the unexpected. You never know if they will be called out for a fire, called in for an extra shift, stay late to help out a fellow firefighter, etc., Hutzler captioned a photo of her spouse, whose name and department she doesnt share on social media for safety reasons, after learning about his deployment. While her husband finally returned home this week, that lengthy separation was harrowing. The most difficult part about this specific fire was the unpredictability of the winds. It kept me up at night worrying if his team was all right, she tells Yahoo Life. It was also hard that their cell service was terrible at times, so I would go 16 to 20 hours with no updates. Sandy also says that communication with her husband has been limited. Thats due in part to the firefighters' extraordinarily demanding schedules, but also because of the remoteness of the area in the Palisades where hes stationed. The reality of the situation has been difficult for Sandy to grasp and has had a negative impact on her mental health. She's reduced her TV and social media time in an effort to limit her exposure to news of the fires. I've seen him working on fires and I've seen when he's slept on top of fire engines because they're literally in the middle of a fire, she says. But the photos recently are just so troubling and so scary. As fire wives and mothers, both Sandy and Hutzler say their main concern has been protecting their children. As such, they dont watch the news in front of their kids. I kept the kids updated with only things I knew for sure directly from my husband. I would show them a few videos or photos that he sent me, says Hutzler. We would try to FaceTime with him whenever he had service so they could see that he was OK. Daniella Rico, whose husband was on the frontlines of the Eaton Fire, posted a clip to social media from one of the video calls they shared with their son. My son watching his dad transform into his very own superhero will forever be one of my favorite memories, she captioned the video. To all my fellow first responder wives and families holding down the fort at home, we are praying for you and we admire you. Youre [heroes] too! Finding a community Sandy, who doesnt post to social media, has leaned on her offline community of family and friends for support. Hutzler, on the other hand, is among those who have taken the opportunity to strengthen their online community of fire spouses and fire families. I've tried to use social media to keep friends and family updated, as well as use it for educating people on fire safety. I feel some responsibility to help teach others what I have learned over the years being a fire wife, she says. Her posts over the past two weeks have included a guide on speaking to kids about natural disasters and preparedness for wildland fires. And she hasnt shied away from sharing her fears. Its important to have perspective and empathy for those that deal with difficult sacrifices on a daily basis. And the only way to better understand that is if we share, says Hutzler. Its something that Allexa Morales has been doing for a couple of years, using the hashtag #firewife on Instagram and TikTok to offer glimpses of moments when shes managing her two children and household in her husband Andrews absence. She went viral when she posted a video of the Los Angeles City firefighter returning home for 24 hours after working three days straight on the Sunset Fire. The sweet moment is the kind of content she likes to share, especially while attempting to maintain normalcy for her 4-year-old daughter and 9-month-old son at home. It's so difficult. And I honestly don't even know how I'm navigating, Morales tells Yahoo Life. I've obviously had some meltdowns. Other spouses like Carina Reyna have echoed those feelings in their own content. Ive been a fire wife for almost 16 years now and this anxious feeling we get when we know whats out there never goes away, she captioned a video that showed her husbands location at the base of Runyon Canyon where the Sunset Fire broke out, followed by a flurry of news headlines and photos of the fast-moving flames. Her page is filled with a day in the life videos illustrating the ups and downs of the past few weeks, including her husbands return home on Jan. 17. Moving forward While there have been happy homecomings for some L.A.-based firefighters, the reality is that many are still deployed and their stories dont end when the news coverage or social media interest dies down. Morales, for one, is grateful that her husband is safe. But shes also aware of the long-term consequences that these events will have on him and his fellow firefighters, both mentally and physically. I dont know where the light is at the end of this tunnel, she says. These fires just feel completely different and much, much harder to recover from [than others], says Sandy, whose husband has officially hit his longest deployment. This is something Ill never forget. A man known as "The Truck Stop Serial Killer" was convicted Wednesday in the 2007 murder of an Indianapolis woman. Bruce Mendenhall has now been found guilty of three murders, and he remains a suspect in several homicides nationwide, the Marion County Prosecutor's Office said on social media. Mendenhall, a former truck driver, is alleged to have carried out what the prosecutor's office described as a "chilling murder spree," finding victims at long-haul truck stops in Tennessee and Indiana. He has also been accused of murder in Birmingham, Alabama. On Wednsday, the 73-year-old Mendenhall, 73, was convicted in the murder of Carma Purpura, an Indianapolis mother of two who met Mendenhall at a truck stop in Marion County in 2007, according to CBS affiliate WTTV. Her body was found in 2011, down a steep ravine off the side of a Kentucky highway, with indications of a fatal bullet wound to the head, WTTV reported. Carma Purpura (left) and Bruce Mendenhall. / Credit: WTTV Mendenhall was found in Nashville the morning after he met Purpura, the station reported. Police were investigating the murder of a woman at a Nashville truck stop the month before and saw that his truck was "blood-spattered," WTTV said. Mendenhall gave police permission to search the truck. An officer testified that he found a .22 rifle, a bag of bloody clothes, and identifications belonging to Purpura. Blood spatters in the truck were later linked to Purpura. Mendenhall was arrested and charged in the murder of Sara Nicole Hulbert, local media reported. He was convicted and sentenced to life in prison in 2010. In 2018, Mendenhall was convicted in the 2007 killing of Nashville woman Symantha Winters and sentenced to life in prison a second time. Marion County prosecutor Ryan Mears said in a statement that the conviction was made possible "due to a hard-working detective who was dedicated to working across state lines to ensure that justice was achieved for the victims and their families." WTTV reported that Mendenhall showed no emotion as the verdict was read. He will be sentenced on February 17 and faces up to 65 years in an Indiana prison. Purpura's family attended the trial, but had no comment after the verdict. "It is my hope that today's verdict brings resolution to Carma's family and other who have waited years for answers and accountability after losing their loved ones," Mears said. Strong winds fan new Southern California fires Judge calls Trump's birthright citizenship executive order "blatantly unconstitutional" Judge temporarily blocks Trump's birthright citizenship executive order WASHINGTON Secretary of State Marco Rubio will travel to Panama on his first trip abroad as Americas chief diplomat. State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce said Thursday that Rubio will also make stops in Guatemala, El Salvador, Costa Rica and the Dominican Republic on the trip that begins late next week. The visit to Panama comes as President Donald Trump has railed against the South American country for weeks, calling for the United States to reclaim the Panama Canal. He suggested in his inauguration address on Monday that retaking the waterway would be an administration priority. "We have been treated very badly from this foolish gift that should have never been made, and Panama's promise to us has been broken," Trump said in the Capitol rotunda. "The purpose of our deal and the spirit of our treaty has been totally violated." WASHINGTON, DC - JANUARY 20: Nominee for Secretary of State, U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) attends the inauguration of U.S. President-elect Donald Trump in the Rotunda of the U.S. Capitol on January 20, 2025 in Washington, DC. Donald Trump takes office for his second term as the 47th president of the United States. (Photo by Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images) Later on Monday, as he signed a flurry of executive orders, Trump again brought up the canal, which he incorrectly claimed that China controls. China controls the Panama Canal. What's that all about? When Jimmy Carter gave it, which was a terrible mistake, a terrible mistake, he didn't give it to China, he gave it to Panama, Trump said. The U.S. agreed to turn over the canal to Panama during former President Jimmy Carter's administration. It has been under Panamanian control since 1999. Chinese shipping companies operate in the canal, which has prompted U.S. economic and national security concerns. At his confirmation hearing for secretary of state last week, Rubio said that agita about Chinese influence over the canal are legitimate. He suggested at the hearing that the U.S. could try to reclaim the waterway by arguing that Panama violated the treaty that gave it full ownership. Because 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 interests and the national security of the United States, Rubio said. Trump has repeatedly pushed the issue in speeches and on social media. At a news conference in early January, while he was still president-elect, Trump refused to rule out taking the canal by force. Politico first reported on Rubios trip, which will include stops in countries the administration plans to tap for help with illegal migration at the United States southern border. Trump is expected to speak on Thursday with Nayib Bukele, the president of El Salvador. Both Guatemala and El Salvador are key transit countries for migrants making their way north to the U.S. border. They and Honduras make up the so-called Northern Triangle countries that are among the top senders of migrants to the U.S. Mass deportations were a cornerstone of Trump's reelection bid, but the United States needs agreements in place for countries to accept deportation flights of their own citizens. Trump has suggested he will pressure cooperative countries in the region to take foreign nationals, as well. Guatemala and El Salvador have been two of the top five removal flight destinations, according to Witness at the Border, a volunteer organization that tracks U.S. deportation flights worldwide. Contributing: Lauren Villagran This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Rubio to visit Panama on first trip abroad as Trump secretary of state James Devaney/WireImage Clara Rivera and Mariano Rivera MLB Hall of Fame pitcher Mariano Rivera and his wife Clara Rivera have denied accusations that they covered up a child sex abuse scandal in order to protect their church. An attorney for the Riveras said in a statement Thursday, Jan. 23 that the New York Yankees legend and his wife deny the claims made in a lawsuit filed last week in the New York Supreme Court. Mariano and Clara Rivera do not tolerate child abuse of any kind and allegations that they knew about or failed to act on reports of child abuse are completely false, the couples attorney, Joseph A. Ruta, told the New York Post. The very first time they heard about these allegations was nearly four years after the alleged incident, when in 2022 a New York attorney sent a letter requesting a financial settlement, the Riveras attorney continued. This was followed by a second letter in 2023, from a different Florida law firm, again requesting a financial settlement. The lawsuit, which seeks financial damages for the Riveras alleged failure to act on alleged incidents that were never reported to them, is full of inaccurate and misleading statements which we have no doubt will not hold up in a court of law. PEOPLE has reached out to Ruta for comment. In a statement to PEOPLE, an attorney representing the plaintiff said that they intend to take the Riveras to court. "Parents and churchgoers should be grateful, as I am, that this brave child is coming forward to expose wrongdoers," the girl's attorney Adam Horowitz told PEOPLE in a statement. "Reporting sex crimes is always tough, especially when those who conceal them are powerful and popular. We are prepared to litigate this serious matter in Court." AP Photo/Mark Lennihan Clara Rivera and Mariano Rivera PEOPLE reported Wednesday that Rivera, 55, and his wife were named in the New York lawsuit, which claims the couple ignored the sexual abuse of a young girl who was a member of their Refuge of Hope Church in Westchester County, New York. The minor, who was born in 2007 and identified in the lawsuit as MG, was allegedly abused by an older girl in the church during a 2018 summer internship program at the Ignite Life Center in Gainesville, Fla., and then again at a barbecue that took place at the Riveras home in Rye, N.Y., the filing alleges. Rather than take sufficient action to end the sexual abuse of Jane Doe, the Riveras each separately isolated and intimidated Jane Doe to remain silent about her abuse by MG to avoid causing trouble for Refuge of Hope and the Ignite Life Summer Internship, court documents read. The complaint also alleges that the young girl was sexually abused by Ruben Tavarez Jr., the son of the Refuge of Hope associate pastor Ruben Tavarez Sr., in August 2021. The filing alleges that the Riveras falsely promoted their activities and premises as being safe, moral, and otherwise free of a risk of harm when it knew or should have known otherwise." The plaintiff is seeking a jury trial. 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 Refuge of Hope church was founded in the Riveras' home in 2009 while he was still a pitcher for the Yankees. After he retired in 2013 and began focusing more of his life on religion and philanthropy, Rivera purchased a local, 107-year-old church in New Rochelle, New York, that needed renovations and poured $3 million into rehabbing the building. The couple moved the operations to the newly renovated building in 2014. Clara is the churchs head pastor. 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 WASHINGTON Relatives and supporters of convicted killers Lyle and Erik Menendez are again pleading for the siblings release as a hearing to determine whether they should be resentenced for the infamous 1989 murder of their parents has been delayed yet again. A California judge is expected to decide in March if the brothers should have their sentences of life in prison without the possibility of parole reduced, which could pave the way for their release after 35 years in prison. The hearing, originally scheduled for December, was moved due to the impacts of the California wildfires. Despite the delays and the likely long road to freedom ahead, the brothers and their family are still hopeful they'll be released, Anamaria Baralt, Lyle and Eriks cousin, told USA TODAY. She said the men deserve to be freed because they have not only expressed remorse for the killings, but also grown substantially as people during their imprisonment. "We have also completely forgiven them. We love them so much we miss them," Baralt said. "There is not a family holiday that there is not just a hole in our hearts and a void in our family." Anamaria Baralt, the cousin of Lyle and Erik Menendez, is among more than 20 family members advocating for their release in Washington, D.C., on Jan. 23, 2025. Journalist Robert Rand's book, "The Menendez Murders," details new evidence in their case. Lyle and Erik Menendez are seeking their release from a California prison where they are serving life without parole for the shotgun murders of their parents in the family's opulent Beverly Hills home 35 years ago. Why the decades-old double homicide is getting another look now The brothers were convicted in 1996 of killing their father, wealthy music industry executive Jose Menendez, and mother, Kitty Menendez, in a retrial after their first murder trials ended with two hung juries. Defense lawyers initially argued Lyle, then 21, and Erik, then 18, had been physically and sexually abused, feared their parents might kill them to stop them from exposing the abuse and fatally shot them in self-defense. During the second trial, a judge excluded substantial evidence of the alleged abuse, their attorneys and family members contend. Prosecutors argued the brothers fabricated the abuse and killed their parents to obtain their estimated $15 million fortune, claims fueled by a lavish spending spree the pair went on after the murders. Baralt believes that if the pair had been tried today, when many people have a greater awareness of abuse and sexual violence, particularly for male victims, things would have gone differently. Erik Menendez (R) and brother Lyle listen to court proceedings during a May 17, 1991 appearance in the case of the shotgun murder of their wealthy parents in August 1989. Following the release of a Netflix documentary and a dramatized scripted series, the case attracted renewed attention, including from Kim Kardashian who joined the calls for their sentence to be reconsidered. In October, former Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascon petitioned the court to resentence the men to 50 years to life on two counts of first-degree murder. Under California law, that would make the brothers eligible for youth parole since they were under the age of 26 at the time of the crime and have already served more than 30 years in prison. The petition came after the brothers attorney submitted new evidence, including a letter purportedly written by Erik Menendez to his cousin, which alludes to alleged abuse uncovered by Robert Rand, a journalist who covered the case since its inception and author of The Menendez Murders. A former member of boy band Menudo, Roy Rossello, has also alleged Jose Menendez drugged and raped him, which Rand said helped propel the murder case further into the spotlight. Journalist Robert Rand in Washington D.C. on Jan. 23, 2025. Journalist Robert Rand's book, "The Menendez Murders," details new evidence in their case. Lyle and Erik Menendez are seeking their release from a California prison where they are serving life without parole for the shotgun murders of their parents in the family's opulent Beverly Hills home 35 years ago. Gascon said though some of his staff disagreed about the abuse claim, he determined that the brothers "were subjected to a large amount of dysfunction in the home and molestation, after reviewing the evidence. Since the original prosecution of the Menendez brothers more than nearly three decades ago, our office has gained a deeper understanding of the complexities surrounding sexual violence, Gascon said. He also noted that the brothers had sought to improve themselves and the lives of their fellow inmates during their imprisonment. During their imprisonment, Baralt said Erik Menendez has become a meditation teacher who has organized programs to help his peers work with other inmates with disabilities while Lyle Menendez spearheaded an initiative to overhaul the prison yard. "There was no hope of them ever getting out life without parole and still both of them, both Erik and Lyle, have dedicated their lives for decades to helping those around them," Baralt said. Resentencing bid repeatedly delayed As the push for resentencing has gained steam, Gascon lost his bid for reelection as district attorney in November to Nathan Hochman, who expressed concern that his predecessors support for the brothers might have been politically motivated. Gascon sent letters to California Gov. Gavin Newsom requesting clemency on behalf of each brother, but Newsom declined to make a decision, saying he wanted to give Hochman the opportunity to weigh in. Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Michael Jesic then delayed the hearing to give himself and Hochman more time to review the case. The resentencing hearing was pushed again to March 20 "due to the impact of recent wildfires on the parties extensive preparations for the hearings. Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascon shakes hands with a family member sitting next to Joan Andersen VanderMolen, sister of Kitty Menendez, as they attend a news conference to announce a decision in the case of brothers Erik and Lyle Menendez, who have spent 34 years in prison for the shotgun murder of their parents, in Los Angeles, California, U.S., Oct. 24, 2024. Hochman met with 25 members of the family this month to discuss his review of the case, calling it a "productive and important conversation." "I appreciate the opportunity to engage with the Menendez family and will continue to approach this matter with the utmost care and diligence," he said in a statement. The district attorney said his team is reviewing thousands of pages of prison records, court documents and transcripts from the trials to reach a decision on the resentencing and a habeas petition the brothers filed in 2023 to overturn their convictions based on the discovery of new evidence. "It was very emotional," Baralt said of the meeting with Hochman. "We were able to convey to him what we were looking for, what we were hoping for as a whole family that has been through a lot, so much over the last 35 years." When will the Menendez brothers be released? Jesic will decide whether or not the brothers should be resentenced and eligible for parole. A parole board will then evaluate whether they have been rehabilitated and are safe to reenter society. Baralt hopes that Jesic will resentence the men on the lesser charge of manslaughter to avoid putting the family through the trauma of having to make their case to the parole board. "If he were to do that, they would be released immediately," Baralt said. The final decision would then lie with Newsom, as California is one of only a handful of states where the governor can accept, modify or reverse the board's decision to deny or grant parole to a convicted murderer, according to the board. "If an incarcerated person is granted parole at a youth offender parole hearing, they will be eligible for release immediately after the decision granting him or her parole is final (which takes about five months)," the board has said. If the resentencing bid fails, Rand said the brothers could also seek freedom through the habeas petition, which asks the court to determine if the new evidence that's been uncovered would have made a difference during their original trials and vacate their convictions if so. "It could take six months, eight months, could take a year, but eventually they will get out and they should get out," he said. Baralt said she speaks to her cousins every day and they are "cautiously optimistic" about the possibility of being released. "At this point, our family feels so strongly that 35 years is enough. They have paid their price, right? We are ready for them to come home," Baralt said. Contributing: John Bacon, Jorge L. Ortiz, Christopher Cann, USA TODAY This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Menendez brothers: Family pleads for release, resentencing delayed A Connecticut drug kingpin convicted in the deaths of an 8-year-old boy and his mother was granted clemency by former President Joe Biden in a stunning 11th-hour move slammed by fellow Democrats. Adrian Peeler, 48, of Bridgeport, served 25 years in state prison on conspiracy charges in the deaths of Karen Clarke and her 8-year-old son, Leroy BJ Brown, in January 1999, CT Mirror reported. The two had been slated to testify a month later against Peelers brother, fellow drug gang leader Russell Peeler, who was on trial for killing Clarkes boyfriend and rival dealer Rudolf Snead, the Hartford Courant said. Adrian Peeler, was convicted of murder conspiracy for killing a mom and her little son, will be cut loose in July after former President Joe Biden commuted his sentence. Little BJ had told cops that he and another boy were sitting in Sneads car when Russell shot and wounded Snead in a 1997 drive-by, the outlet said. Snead survived the attack but was later killed. To keep him from telling his story in court, Peeler allegedly ambushed the mom and son as they came back to their Bridgeport apartment, court documents said. Authorities found Brown face down at the top of the stairs, while Clarke was found shot to death in a nearby bedroom where shed tried to call for help. But there was reportedly only one witness to the killings, and Peeler beat the murder and capital felony raps but was convicted on the lesser charge of conspiracy to commit murder. Peeler served his 25 years on the conspiracy conviction, and was transferred to the federal prison system to serve out his 35-year sentence for dealing cocaine, which ran concurrently. On Friday, one of his final days in office, Biden commuted Peelers drug sentence, ordering him free on July 16, according to The Courant. The stunning move was met with immediate outrage. Weve been blindsided, where is the justice for my family? Oswald Clarke, Karen Clarkes brother, told CT Examiner. Its like we are hearing of BJ and Karens deaths all over again but this time their killer is going free. LeRoy BJ Brown was just 8 years-old when Peeler allegedly killed him ahead of a trial he was supposed to testify in. WFSB His mom, Karen Clarke, was shot to death the same day as she tried to call for help. WFSB Even Democrats were shocked by the move. It seems to me that someone dropped the ball here to let his person get released, Democratic Sen. Richard Blumenthal, who was the states attorney general when the murders were committed, said afterward. This was a really vicious murder that changed our laws. It also highlights how we need to take a look at the pardon system to see how it can be improved. Vincent Candelora, the GOP minority leader in the states House of Representatives, pilloried the move as a disgusting miscarriage of justice. Peelers conviction tied to brutal murders that prompted the creation of Connecticuts witness protection program makes any leniency federal or otherwise utterly indefensible, he said. This reckless act by Joe Biden dismisses the pain of the victims families and erodes public trust in the principles of justice. Such a careless decision at the close of his term should generate outrage here and throughout the nation. Biden commuted his sentence alongside about 2,500 others. Getty Images Peelers crimes eventually led the state to create a witness protection program. Wow are you kidding me? Biden did that? former Deputy Chief States Attorney Christopher Morano, who developed the witness protection program after the killings, told the outlet when he found out about Bidens move. Wheres the prosecutor screaming and yelling about this? he asked, adding that he thought it unfathomable that no one checked Peelers criminal history before the commutation. But Joseph Corradino, the Bridgeport States Attorney, told the outlet Tuesday that Peeler received the maximum sentence in state court and completed it. He declined to comment further and referred questions to the US Attorneys Office. If not for the commutation, Peeler wouldve been jailed until October 2033, the Courant said. Hell still have a criminal record but hell be free. Peeler sought to have his sentence reduced three years ago under 2018s First Step Act, which reformed the federal prisons and their sentencing guidelines, among other things. I take full responsibility for all my actions that led me to be here today, Peeler told Judge Janet Bond Arterton during the 2021 hearing, the CT Examiner reported. I sold drugs in the communityIt is something I think of every day. Arterton cut his federal sentence to 15 years instead. But she was stunned at his apparent lack of regret. Shockingly missing was an expression of remorse or apology to the families of Miss Clarke and B.J., Arterton said. He didnt turn around to face them and simply say Im sorry. Eight boxes were retrieved from a warehouse in Los Angeles by a US law enforcement informant as part of an investigation into the trafficking of fentanyl components into the US. (US District Court Southern District of New York) 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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 (Photo by Matthew Horwood/Getty Images) A post shared on X claims Russia killed a Danish F-16 instructor in Ukraine. Verdict: Misleading There is no evidence that Russia killed a F-16 instructor. The Danish Ministry of Defense refuted the claim. Fact Check: Social media users are claiming that Russia killed a Danish F-16 pilot in Ukraine. One user wrote, BREAKING: RUSSIA killed a Danish NATO F-16 pilot killed in UKRAINE. (Pilot image is AI). There is no evidence that Russia killed any such person. The Danish Ministry of Defense refuted the claim in a Jan. 19 tweet, with a quote from Danish Defense Minister Troels Lund Poulsen. (RELATED: No, Firefighters In LA Are Not Fighting Wildfires Using Handbags) No Danish soldiers have been killed in Ukraine. It is a false story that is being circulated in Russian media probably to discredit Denmark. I take this very seriously, Poulsen said. GeoConfirmed, an organization that geolocates videos in Ukraine, also refuted the claim. The entire story of the killed F-16 instructor was completely fabricated a deliberate and calculated disinformation campaign designed to spread false information about a purported incident involving a Danish F-16 instructor in Ukraine and put pressure on the support by Denmark to Ukraine by influencing the narrative, reads part of the tweet. The origin of the claim comes from Russian state media and spread by pro-Russian social media accounts, according to the Kyiv Post. An illegal immigrant admitted that he strangled a 21-year-old woman to death inside an upstate Airbnb on her birthday and carried her body past a police cruiser before burying her in the woods. Jhon Moises Chacaguasay-Ilbis, a 21-year-old Ecuadorean national, pleaded guilty to second-degree murder charges in a Syracuse courtroom Tuesday in the cold-blooded June 18 slaying of Joselyn Jhoana Toaquiza, who was killed as she celebrated her birthday, prosecutors said Thursday. Chilling surveillance video captured the killer and his victim walking into the Syracuse Airbnb home, and walking out later with Toaquizas body slung over his shoulder as the cruiser drove by. Joselyn Jhoana Toaquiza, 21, was celebrating her 21st birthday on June 18 when she was strangled to death. GoFundMe Syracuse police later confirmed it was one of their vehicles but refused to comment further. Cops said Chacaguasay-Ilbis took the victims body to nearby Lincoln Park, where he buried her in a shallow grave before leaving the scene. Toaquiza, who is also from Ecuador, knew her killer since childhood, authorities said. Chacaguasay-Ilbis turned himself in to police days later and was charged in the murder. According to Homeland Security sources, the killer migrant crossed the US border illegally in El Paso in January 2023, but was released because there was no space to hold him. Toaquiza, who attended elementary school with Chacaguasay-Ilbis in Ecuador, crossed into the US illegally a few months later, on June 19, 2023, in Lukeville, Arizona, the sources said. She told border agents she was fleeing an abusive lover in her native country, but it is unclear if her eventual killer is that person, the sources said. Chilling surveillance video shows Jhon Moises Chacaguasay-Ilbis carrying the body of Joselyn Jhoana Toaquiza from a Syracuse Airbnb on June 18. Metro Ecuador Jhon Moises Chacaguasay-Ilbis, 21, pleaded guilty this week to the murder of 21-year-old Joselyn Jhoana Toaquiza. syracuse.com She was given a date for an asylum court hearing but was killed before that date. Police said Chacaguasay used a ligature to strangle the victim to death. In court this week, he pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and concealing a corpse charges, and is due to be sentenced to 22 years to life three below the maximum sentence on Feb. 14. Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon, right, is congratulated as he passes the team box after scoring a goal against the Winnipeg Jets in the second period of an NHL hockey game, Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2025, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski) (ASSOCIATED PRESS) DENVER (AP) Linesman Jonny Murray left in the third period after briefly returning following a second-period collision in the Avalanche game against Winnipeg on Wednesday night. Colorado defenseman Devon Toews was skating with Jets forward Kyle Connor in the Winnipeg end and collided with Murray near his right knee at 7:26 of the period. Murray spun and fell to the ice and stayed down on his hands and knees while being attended to by Colorado trainers. He got to his feet and went off with help from the Avalanche trainers. Play continued with Tyson Baker serving as the only linesman for the remainder of the second period. Murray was back on the ice at the start of the third, but later left and did not return. ___ AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl Texas Gov. Greg Abbott greets National Guardsmen and women ahead of the press conference he and fellow Governors organized along the Rio Grande at the U.S.-Mexico border to discuss Operation Lone Star and border concerns on Sunday, February 4, 2024 in Eagle Pass, TX. Raquel Natalicchio/Staff photographer Gov. Greg Abbott wants the federal government to reimburse Texas $11 billion the state has poured into his border security crackdown over the last three years including costs Texas racked up busing migrants to Democratic-led cities across the country. The Texas Republican wrote in a letter to congressional leaders Thursday that he launched Operation Lone Star to protect all Americans as border crossings rose rapidly during President Joe Bidens administration, eventually reaching record levels. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Abbott wrote that the state has spent almost $3 billion to build 100 miles of border wall and deploy a string of buoys in the Rio Grande. Texas spent $58 million on razor wire and fencing. And the state spent nearly $6 billion to deploy 10,000 National Guard troopers and hundreds of state troopers. Texas also paid for nearly 2,700 bus trips and flights to transport migrants out of state, Abbott wrote. His letter did not say how much the state spent on the endeavor, which overwhelmed some Democratic-led cities, put pressure on the Biden administration to restrict asylum and served as a boon to now-President Donald Trumps campaign to retake the White House. The costs, Abbott wrote, fell squarely on the shoulders of Texas taxpayers but should have been the federal governments responsibility. The burden that our State has borne is a direct result of a refusal by the federal government to do its job, Abbott wrote. The work that Texas has done through Operation Lone Star has protected and will continue to benefit the entire country. Hundreds of migrants wait in harsh weather conditions, from heat in the day to cold at night and today a dust storm lasting most of the day, after crossing the Rio Grande from Ciudad Juarez to El Paso hoping to be able to seek asylum and enter the United States on Wednesday, May 10, 2023 in Ciudad Juarez. Raquel Natalicchio/Staff photographer Advertisement Article continues below this ad Abbott sent the letter to Republican and Democratic leaders in the House and Senate, both of which are now controlled by the GOP. He also sent a copy to members of the Texas delegation. Lawmakers in Congress are working to pass government spending bills in the coming months. Texas Republicans in the past have vowed to vote against spending bills that did not send money to Texas to reimburse the state for OLS costs. U.S. Rep. Dan Crenshaw, a Houston Republican, has said he wants the reimbursements added to any big tax cut bill passed this year by Congress. Abbotts request comes as both Republican budget writers in the Texas House and Senate plan to spend billions over the next two years on border security. Texas officials have said they expect the Trump administration to contribute to border security going forward, but they havent said whether they expect reimbursements for those costs. Texas Governor Greg Abbott and incoming Border Czar Tom Homan make remarks at a Thanksgiving lunch event at Forward Operating Base Eagle, a newly built military base serving Operation Lone Star near the Rio Grande River on Tues, Nov. 26, 2024, in Eagle Pass, Texas. Christopher Lee/Staff Photographer Abbott said late last year that Texas could consider" allocating its border funding to other priorities with Donald Trump returning to the White House. Advertisement Article continues below this ad According to a budget breakdown of OLS that Abbott included with the letter, personnel costs for Department of Public Safety troopers alone reached $2.25 billion a staggering amount for an agency with only about 5,000 troopers total. Troopers deployed to the border under OLS have been patrolling the Rio Grande and arresting migrants on trespassing and other state charges. Over the last three years, they have racked up millions in overtime and packed hotels along the border for months on end. According to Abbotts letter, they have made over 50,000 criminal arrests and seized over a half billion lethal doses of fentanyl. The border security initiative has been controversial. In 2023, Hearst Newspapers revealed disturbing accounts from a state trooper who reported inhumane treatment of migrants, including young children, and warned that the states actions would lead to more migrant drownings. DPS investigated the complaints and found no wrongdoing, though the agencys inspector general found that most of the incidents raised by the troopers did happen. Unsplash President Donald Trump has big plans to tackle government efficiency and accountability during his new administration. This includes implementing thefederal Department of Government Efficiency or DOGE. This effort will provide the White House with guidance on how to cut back on excessive bureaucracy and streamline processes. Among the states looking to take DOGE to the local level are Idaho and Montana. In fact, Idaho Speaker of the House Mike Moyle recently introduced HB 14: Idaho Code Cleanup Act. Speaker Moyle said in a tweet: We're going to take a close look at state agencies this year, and make sure they're fulfilling not only their legislative mandates, but working for the people of Idaho. From the text of Idaho HB 14: It is the intent of the legislature to ensure that the state laws provided in Idaho Code are streamlined, up-to-date, and essential for the citizens of Idaho, while best serving the public health, safety, and welfare. To this end, the legislature recognizes the need for a comprehensive effort to review the Idaho Code for the purpose of eliminating bureaucracy. Accordingly, in the interest of addressing the accumulation of unnecessary provisions, the purpose of this chapter is to establish an efficient process for the identification of provisions that are obsolete, outdated, or unnecessary so that such provisions may be considered for removal. DOGE-type reforms have support across the country. For example, the Republican Governors Association (RGA) sent a letter in support of DOGE. They wrote: We are writing today to express our overwhelming support for President Trumps Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) Initiative and request that Congress work alongside him to solidify the efficiencies that are found into law. As chief executives for our states, we know a thing or two about streamlining government, removing unnecessary bureaucracy, and bringing efficient, result-driven solutions to state government. We stand by President Trump as he works to do the same with the federal government. In the Mountain States, Idaho Gov. Brad Little and Montana Gov. Greg Gianforte have applauded the efforts by DOGE. Gov. Gianforte said: In your new roles, you face an enormous challenge in reducing spending that has left us more than $36 trillion in debt, eliminating the unnecessary bloat of the administrative state, and cutting regulations that hold back American innovators, businesses, and workers, as a businessman and entrepreneur, I know that cutting unnecessary, burdensome regulations is central to opening the doors of greater opportunity for our citizens to achieve the American dream. The outgoing governor of New Hampshire Chris Sununu pointed to Idaho as a great example of how DOGE should work. He specifically points to 2019, when Idaho Governor Brad Little and the legislature passed the Red Tape Reduction Act and the Licensing Freedom Act of 2019. As of August 2024, these acts have shrunk the Idaho Administrative Code from 8,553 to 5,318 pages. Gov. Little said this in his recent State of the State address: "There is no doubt Idaho is on a roll. Even Elon Musk posted on social media three times in one day about Idahos red tape reduction successes. We know we have caught the attention of the rest of the country. President Trumps new Department of Government Efficiency is already looking to Idaho for the blueprint on how to cut red tape, stimulate economic growth, and streamline government. Idaho stands ready to partner with the Trump administration. As the least regulated state in the country, Idaho has an incredible story to share one worth replicating elsewhere, including Washington, D.C. While DOGE is a fantastic idea, the challenging part will be enacting the policies necessary to trim down the federal government. Musk commented that they will initially target the $500 billion-plus in annual federal expenditures that are unauthorized by Congress or being used in ways that Congress never intended. Its encouraging to see a movement for reducing government bureaucracy and wasteful spending across the nation. The federal DOGE effort to support measures that increase governmental transparency and accountability is a great start and it can learn a thing or two from the great work already happening in Idaho and Montana. Sam Cardwell is a Policy Analyst for the Mountain States Policy Center, an independent research organization based in Idaho, Montana, Eastern Washington and Wyoming. Online at mountainstatespolicy.org. WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio will visit Panama during his first overseas trip in the post, a source told Reuters on Thursday, as President Donald Trump makes a push for the United States to take back the Panama Canal that has angered the Central American country. Rubio is expected to depart on Jan. 31 and travel during the first week of February, making additional stops in Guatemala, Dominican Republic, Costa Rica and El Salvador, according to the source who was familiar with the plans. Planning for the trip is still ongoing and the itinerary is subject to change, the source added. Asked about the trip, the U.S. State Department on Thursday said it did not have travel plans to announce at this time. Trump has accused Panama of breaking the promises it made for the final transfer of the strategic waterway in 1999 and of ceding its operation to China - accusations that the Panamanian government has strongly denied. "We didn't give it to China. We gave it to Panama, and we're taking it back," Trump said in his inaugural address on Monday. President Jose Raul Mulino responded on X on Monday that the Panama Canal "is and will continue to be Panamanian." Panama has also alerted the United Nations to Trump's remarks, in a letter seen by Reuters on Tuesday. The canal is an 82-km (51-mile) waterway that connects the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans through Panama and is critical to U.S. imports of autos and commercial goods by container ships from Asia, and for U.S. exports of commodities, including liquefied natural gas. The United States largely built the canal and administered territory surrounding it for decades. The U.S. and Panama signed accords in 1977 that paved the way for the canal's return to full Panamanian control, and Washington handed it over in 1999 after a period of joint administration. (Reporting by Katharine Jackson; Editing by Susan Heavey and Frances Kerry) Court artist sketch by Elizabeth Cook of Southport stabbings suspect Axel Rudakubana, 18, shouting from the dock as he appeared at Liverpool Crown Court, for his sentencing hearing after he pleaded guilty to murdering three young girls in a knife attack at a Taylor Swift-themed dance class, in Liverpool, England, Thursday Jan. 23, 2025. (Elizabeth Cook/PA via AP) LONDON (AP) A teenager who stabbed three young girls to death at a Taylor Swift-themed dance class in England was sentenced Thursday to more than 50 years in prison for what a judge called the most extreme, shocking and exceptionally serious crime. Judge Julian Goose said 18-year-old Axel Rudakubana wanted to try and carry out mass murder of innocent, happy young girls. Goose said that he couldn't impose a sentence of life without parole, because Rudakubana was under 18 when he committed the crime. But the judge said he must serve 52 years, minus the six months he's been in custody, before being considered for parole, and it is likely he will never be released. Rudakubana was 17 when he attacked the children in the seaside town of Southport in July, killing Alice Da Silva Aguiar, 9, Elsie Dot Stancombe, 7, and Bebe King, 6. He wounded eight other girls, ranging in age from 7 to 13, along with teacher Leanne Lucas and John Hayes, a local businessman who intervened. The attack shocked the country and set off both street violence and soul-searching. The government has announced a public inquiry into how the system failed to stop the killer, who had been referred to the authorities multiple times over his obsession with violence. Defendant disrupts the hearing Rudakubana faced three counts of murder, 10 of attempted murder and additional charges of possessing a knife, the poison ricin and an al-Qaida manual. He unexpectedly changed his plea to guilty on all charges on Monday. But he wasn't in court to hear sentence passed on Thursday. Hours earlier he had been led into the dock at Liverpool Crown Court in northwest England, dressed in a gray prison tracksuit. But as prosecutors began outlining the evidence, Rudakubana interrupted by shouting that he felt ill and wanted to see a paramedic. Goose ordered the accused to be removed when he continued shouting. A person in the courtroom shouted Coward! as Rudakubana was taken out. The hearing continued without him. Horror on a summer day Prosecutor Deanna Heer described how the attack occurred on the first day of summer vacation when 26 little girls were gathered around the tables making bracelets and singing along to Taylor Swift songs. Rudakubana, armed with a large knife, intruded and began stabbing the girls and their teacher. The court was shown video of the suspect arriving at the Hart Space venue in a taxi and entering the building. Within seconds, screams erupted and children ran outside in panic, some of them wounded. One girl made it to the doorway, but was pulled back inside by the attacker. She was stabbed 32 times but survived. Gasps and sobs could be heard in court as the videos played. Heer said two of the dead children suffered particularly horrific injuries which are difficult to explain as anything other than sadistic in nature. One of the dead girls had 122 injuries, while another suffered 85 wounds. A teenager obsessed with violence The prosecutor said Rudakubana had a longstanding obsession with violence, killing, genocide. His only purpose was to kill. And he targeted the youngest and most vulnerable in society, she said, as relatives of the victims watched on in the courtroom. Heer said that when he was taken to a police station, Rudakubana was heard to say: "Its a good thing those children are dead, Im so glad, Im so happy. The killings triggered days of anti-immigrant violence across the country after far-right activists seized on incorrect reports that the attacker was an asylum-seeker who had recently arrived in the U.K. Some suggested the crime was a jihadi attack, and alleged that police and the government were withholding information. Rudakubana was born in Cardiff, Wales, to Christian parents from Rwanda, and investigators haven't been able to pin down his motivation. Police found documents about subjects including Nazi Germany, the Rwandan genocide and car bombs on his devices. In the years before the attack, he had been reported to multiple authorities over his violent interests and actions. All of the agencies failed to spot the danger he posed. In 2019, he phoned a children's advice line to ask What should I do if I want to kill somebody?" He said he had taken a knife to school because he wanted to kill someone who was bullying him. Two months later, he attacked a fellow student with a hockey stick and was convicted of assault. The definition of terrorism Prosecutors said Rudakubana was referred three times to the governments anti-extremism program, Prevent, when he was 13 and 14 once after researching school shootings in class, then for uploading pictures of Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi to Instagram and for researching a London terror attack. But they concluded his crimes should not be classed as terrorism because Rudakubana had no discernable political or religious cause. Heer said his purpose was the commission of mass murder, not for a particular end, but as an end in itself. Prime Minister Keir Starmer said this week the country must face up to a new threat from violent individuals whose mix of motivations test the traditional definition of terrorism. After one of the most harrowing moments in our countrys history, we owe it to these innocent young girls and all those affected to deliver the change that they deserve, Starmer said after the sentencing. Wrenching testimony from victims Several relatives and survivors read emotional statements in court, describing how the attack had shattered their lives. Lucas, 36, who ran the dance class, said that the trauma of being both a victim and a witness has been horrendous. I cannot give myself compassion or accept praise, as how can I live knowing I survived when children died? she said. A 14-year-old survivor, who cant be named because of a court order, said that while she was physically recovering. we will all have to live with the mental pain from that day forever. I hope you spend the rest of your life knowing that we think youre a coward, she said. The prosecutor read out a statement from the parents of Alice Da Silva Aguiar, who said their daughters killing had shattered our souls. We used to cook for three. Now we only cook for two. It doesnt seem right, they said. Roughly 31,000 people were ordered to flee an area north of Los Angeles on Wednesday, Jan. 22, after a fast-moving wildfire exploded, growing to more than 8,000 acres within hours, officials said. Another 23,000 people were under evacuation warnings after the Hughes Fire erupted at 10:53 a.m. Wednesday near Castaic Lake in northern Los Angeles County, Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna told reporters. Fueled by dry, windy conditions, the blaze had scorched 9,400 acres by Wednesday afternoon, Los Angeles County Fire Department Chief Anthony Marrone said at a joint news conference. The fire remains a difficult fire to contain, although we are getting the upper hand, Marrone said. The fire ignited weeks after two nearby blazes left at least 27 people dead and engulfed thousands of homes in the Los Angeles area earlier this month. The Hughes Fire burns behind the skyline of Six Flags Magic Mountain, in Valencia, Calif., on Jan. 22, 2025. As of Wednesday afternoon, the blaze had no containment, Marrone said. But the winds were not as strong as those that fueled the Eaton and Palisades fires on Jan. 7, when authorities were unable to use aircraft to drop flame retardant, Marrone said. On Wednesday, firefighters were able to drop tens of thousands of gallons to help halt the spread of the fire, he said. Had you been here a few hours ago, the situation looked much different and much more threatening, Marrone said. A section of Interstate 5 that stretches through a mountain pass north of Castaic Lake was closed Wednesday, though it was expected to reopen later, Luna said. A lawyer for the American Civil Liberties Union of Southern California called for the immediate evacuation of 4,700 jail inmates in four facilities around the lake that are under a warning to flee the area. A spokesperson for the sheriffs department, which operates the jails, said that 476 people in one of the facilities were being moved to another jail. The cause of the fire was under investigation. The National Weather Service warned Tuesday of a return of critical fire conditions, with powerful winds and severely dry conditions expected through Friday morning. It cautioned that gusts of up to 55 mph could be expected. Experts have pointed to the link between climate change and the conditions that make fires like those that have roared across Los Angeles in recent weeks more likely. Images broadcast by NBC Los Angeles showed massive plumes of smoke soaring above the region and giant flames scorching what appeared to be a ridge line. Video from the station showed residents who had refused evacuation orders hosing down their homes and sealing exterior events to block embers. In an interview with the station, Los Angeles County Supervisor Kathryn Barger pleaded with people to heed the orders. She said she was concerned officials may have to ground firefighting aircraft if winds pick up. Im knocking on wood we contain this and it doesnt affect any homes, she said. Barger described the area as home to many first responders and their families. The nearby Eaton Fire, which ignited Jan. 7 and devastated the community of Altadena, had burned more than 14,000 acres and was 91 percent contained as of Wednesday, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, or CalFire. The Palisades Fire was sparked hours earlier in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood. The blaze had scorched more than 23,000 acres and was 68 percent contained, according to CalFire. The cause of both fires remained under investigation, according to the agency. This story first appeared on NBCNews.com. This article was originally published on TODAY.com When President Donald Trump signed an executive order on his first day back in office to rename North America's tallest peak, known as Denali in Alaska, after President William McKinley, one descendant of the 25th president was beyond elated. "He deserves to have the mountain named after him," Massee McKinley, a great-great nephew, said Thursday. "He had unparalleled integrity. People respected him." But Trump's decision is being met with resistance, as many Alaska lawmakers, including its two Republican senators, have voiced opposition to the change. So Massee McKinley is backing a compromise: call it Mount McKinley, but keep Denali National Park and Preserve. "The international community's always going to know the entire park and the mountain as Denali, and we don't dispute that," McKinley said. "But I definitely think from a national perspective, in the United States, we can have the compromise. I don't see a problem with that." In fact, Trump's executive order proposes keeping the park's name: "The national park area surrounding Mount McKinley shall retain the name Denali National Park and Preserve." The mountain in Alaska was named after William McKinley in 1917, then changed to Denali in 2015. The federal government officially recognized the mountain, which stands at a staggering 20,310 feet, as Mount McKinley in 1917. Before then, Indigenous groups had their own names for it, including Denali, or the tall one," in the language of the Athabascan people. The mountain was formally recognized as Denali in 2015 under the Obama administration. Trump, during his first term, had suggested renaming it back to Mount McKinley. Alaska's two senators, Lisa Murkowski and Dan Sullivan, were against it. Their offices did not immediately respond Thursday to requests for comment, but both have reaffirmed that they disagree with Trump's executive order. In a video post on X, Sullivan said: "I prefer the name Denali that was given to that great mountain by the great patriotic Koyukon Athabascan people thousands of years ago." In 2017, Sullivan told Alaska Public Media that he had urged Trump during a conversation not to alter the name. He said he told him: "'Alaska Native people named that mountain over 10,000 years ago. And by the way, that was the Athabascan people, and my wife's Athabascan, and if you change that name back now she's gonna be really, really mad.' So he was like, 'All right, we won't do that.'" But Trump said at campaign rallies that he would change Denali's name to recognize McKinley, who was president from 1897 until his assassination in 1901. McKinley's tenure was marked by his use of tariffs, which Trump has touted as a centerpiece of his economic plan. William McKinley, 25th president of the United States. McKinley, who was born in Ohio, had no actual connection with the mountain or Alaska. His name became associated with it after William Dickey, a gold prospector in the late 1800s who was fond of then President-elect McKinley, referred to the formation in a newspaper article as "Mount McKinley." Over the decades, people in Alaska have called it both Denali and Mount McKinley, said Sondra Shaginoff-Stuart, an associate professor of Alaska Native studies at the University of Alaska Anchorage. But its official name change to Denali held meaning, she added. "The mountain is so majestic. The name is a statement of recognition of Native people in their native language," said Shaginoff-Stuart, a citizen of the Ahtna Dene and Pyramid Lake Paiute tribes. "Taking that away is yet another way to not recognize those people. Native people have lost their land and have lost their language, going back to the boarding schools and orphanages." Massee McKinley, who is the vice president of the Society of Presidential Descendants, a membership organization, said Trump told him that he admires McKinley for his business acumen and wants to replicate that in office. "I figured this would happen, and it did come to fruition," McKinley said. "I'd love to be a part of the signing process when they actually sign the proclamation for that." Trump, in the same executive order, also said the Gulf of Mexico will be known as the Gulf of America. The U.S. Department of the Interior has 30 days to update the government's geographic names database. Donald Trump illegal immigration Welcome to President Trumps fortress America. In just three days, the commander in chief has moved to dramatically beef up security at the border with plans to send in 10,000 US troops and summarily detain and deport any illegal border crossers. President Trump plans to send in 10,000 US troops and summarily detain and deport any illegal border crossers. Getty Images The sweeping changes underway are meant to help US law enforcement agencies to stop illegal migrants from entering the country, and make it easier to send back the ones who are already here. Targeted arrests of hundreds of illegal immigrants with criminal records began in sanctuary cities around the country on Tuesday, and the Department of Justice is vowing to crack down on sanctuary jurisdiction that interferes with immigration enforcement. This rapid shift in enforcement stands in stark contrast to the open border policy of the previous administration, which allowed nearly 8 million migrants to enter the US illegally in just four years. The changes are meant to help US law enforcement agencies to stop illegal migrants from entering the country. TNS US officials on Wednesday announced the Pentagon will start deploying up to 1,500 active duty troops to the Mexican border, joining approximately 2,200 US National Guard and Reserve forces already in place. Trump is now weighing a plan to send up to 10,000 troops to the border as part of his order to the Department of Defense to seal the borders and thwart unlawful mass migration, the Washington Post reported. Trump also fired the head of the US Coast Guard the first woman to hold the job for an erosion of trust in the service. US officials on Wednesday announced the Pentagon will start deploying up to 1,500 active duty troops to the Mexican border. Anadolu via Getty Images He then ordered the Coast Guard to begin sending a surge of resources to migrant-prone areas on the high seas, including around Cuba and Haiti. Coast Guard cutters and aircraft will also step up patrols around Alaska and Hawaii, and US territories like Guam, American Samoa, the US Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico, the agency said. Additional areas of focus will be the maritime borders between the US and the Bahamas and Mexico. Trump has further ordered Customs and Border Protection agents to stop releasing illegal immigrants with a court date, and instead hold them in custody until they can be deported. Additional areas of focus will be the maritime borders between the US and the Bahamas and Mexico. Getty Images This effectively puts an end to the so-called catch-and-release policy of the Biden administration, under which migrants caught sneaking in would be given a court date and released on the honor system. The Washington Post, citing Border Patrol briefing documents, also reported that Trump is preparing to order that all asylum seekers will be denied entry to the US. The document cites the risks of communicable diseases in the countries that they passed through as the legal justification for turning them away. Trump has also dramatically loosened the restrictions on how ICE can conduct deportation raids removing bans on operating in courthouses, churches and other places that illegal migrants had previously been shielded from immigration authorities. American authorities, Border Patrol agents and the Texas National Guard investigate the area where the tunnel between Juarez and El Paso was found in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico on January 14, 2025. Anadolu via Getty Images Word of stepped-up enforcement and looming deportation raids by the Trump administration has spread quickly to illegal immigrant strongholds. Chicagos bustling shopping district colloquially known as the Mexico of the Midwest has already seen foot traffic tumble by 50% leaving empty sidewalks and shuttered businesses along the two-mile stretch of shops and restaurants. The sudden exodus, residents say, is over fears of the coming crackdown, which could see those here unlawfully being arrested and deported. The Rev. W. J. Mark Knutson looks at a map of Oregon hanging above a bed at the Augustana Lutheran Church during a tour of the church on Thursday, Jan. 9, 2025, in Portland, Ore. (AP Photo/Jenny Kane) Numerous faith leaders across the U.S. say the immigration crackdown launched by President Donald Trumps new administration has sown fear within their migrant-friendly congregations. They are pondering ways to resist even in the face of warnings that houses of worship are not off-limits for arrests. In Portland, Oregon, the Rev. W.J. Mark Knutson, said he plans to offer undocumented migrants sanctuary at Augustana Lutheran Church anyway just as he did in 2014. A man from El Salvador, wanted for re-entering the United States illegally, took shelter in the church for nearly three months, sleeping under the altar the first few nights. Theologically, well stand our ground against the government an unjust law is no law at all, Knutson told The Associated Press. These are sacred spaces. In Philadelphia, the Rev. Robin Hynicka, pastor of Arch Street United Methodist Church, said his church is committed to being a justice seeking, reconciling, sanctuary congregation. During the first Trump administration, that commitment included sheltering an immigrant from deportation while he went through a successful process to obtain a visa. Our work now is bigger than simply opening the door of the church for one or two people to stay, Hynicka said. Sanctuary has to be a value that we extend to one another through our policies, through the laws we enact. Other clergy ministering to undocumented migrants were less specific, though they vowed to continue and even expand their support following this week's announcement that federal immigration agencies could make arrests at churches, schools and hospitals, ending existing policies that protected sensitive spaces from enforcement. The Rev. Joseph Dutan, pastor of St. Paul the Apostle church in the New York City borough of Queens, said some of his congregation members were so frightened by the Trump-ordered moves that they worried attending Mass would be risky. More than scary, its sad, Dutan said. I feel very bad for my people because they have a lot of fear in their heart. Another pastor in Queens, the Rev. Manuel Rodriguez of Our Lady of Sorrows Catholic church, said many of his 17,000 parishioners are undocumented and have children who attend the parishs school. We have children who are shaking literally and crying, Rodriguez said. They know that at any time their mom, their dad, could be arrested and they could come back from school, and they could be gone. Undocumented people go to church every week to pray that they can make ends meet, so they can pay the rent for their families, he said. People are trying to survive, and this is just putting them through hell. A New York City mosque, Masjid Ansaru-Deen in the Bronx, has opened its door to migrants, providing shelter to some, said Imam Omar Niass. He said many are from his homeland of Senegal. I cannot leave anyone, Muslim or non-Muslim, to sleep on the street," he said. Citing his faith, Niass said hes not worried about the policy change. If Trump wants to close houses of worship, but God isn't pleased, then he wont be able to do a thing, Niass said. Catholic Bishop Mark Seitz of El Paso, Texas, from his diocese along the U.S.-Mexico border, decried the new policy. The end of the sensitive locations policy strikes fear into the heart of our community, cynically layering a blanket of anxiety on families when they are worshipping God, seeking healthcare and dropping off and picking up children at school, said Seitz in a statement. In response, he said, his diocese will continue to educate our faithful on their rights, provide legal services and work with our community leaders to mitigate the damage of indiscriminate immigration enforcement. Seitz, who leads the migration committee of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, joined the leaders of the Catholic Health Association of the United States and Catholic Charities USA in a statement Thursday lamenting the policy change. We are already witnessing reticence among immigrants to engage in daily life, including sending children to school and attending religious services, the statement said. Turning places of care, healing, and solace into places of fear and uncertainty for those in need, while endangering the trust between pastors, providers, educators and the people they serve, will not make our communities safer. Bishop Ebli De La Rosa, who oversees Church of God of Prophecy congregations in nine southeastern states, said the new policies could leave his churches devastated. Of 52 pastors who serve in the churches he oversees, 28 are undocumented, as are about half of the 5,000 church members, he said. Some of these pastors who have been in this country more than 15 or 20 years, De La Rosa added. They do the important, everyday work in their neighborhoods. Pastor Maria Elena Montalvo, who leads Grace Evangelical Lutheran Church in the Los Angeles suburb of Bell, said she and her community are facing intense anxiety in the wake of the policy change. The church, in a predominantly working-class Latino neighborhood, has served as a sanctuary for immigrants, refugees and asylum seekers for the past seven years, since Montalvo became pastor. Recently, the congregation drew attention for housing Muslim asylum seekers from Mauritania in its basement. Montalvo said she is passionate about helping immigrants and refugees because she was once in their shoes. She emigrated from Mexico in 1989. People are afraid to go to work, to school, to live their lives freely because they are afraid of being arrested or deported, she said. Montalvos recites her favorite Bible verse from Gospel of Matthew, where Jesus tells his followers to welcome the stranger and care for the marginalized. I recite that verse every day, Montalvo said. It really resonates with me. Elsewhere in greater Los Angeles, the Rev. Canon Jaime Edwards-Acton is co-chairing the Sanctuary Task Force at the Episcopal diocese. Recent discussions addressed how to equip migrants with information about their rights and teach them how to react if they encounter immigration officials. We dont have a full-fledged game plan yet, Edwards-Acton said. We are waiting and watching to see how much of the rhetoric actually becomes reality. But there is action already, he said: One church administrator has been making grocery runs for a congregant who is afraid to step outside their home. David Hollenbach, a Jesuit priest and Georgetown University professor with expertise in religion, politics and humanitarian crises, said there is a long tradition in Christianity and other faiths that religious communities can be sanctuaries for people in grave need. To violate that is also a very serious issue, said Hollenbach. Jesus was himself a refugee. And so its not surprising that you find in the teachings of Jesus repeated calls to respect the needs of those who are migrants and strangers in our midst. Among Christian evangelical leaders, who represent some of Trumps most loyal supporters, there were nuanced reactions. The Rev. Robert Jeffress, a longtime Trump supporter and pastor of Dallas First Baptist Church, said the outcry from some faith leaders was misplaced. Theres no such thing as a sanctuary thats immune from the laws of our land, he said. If there is an illegal activity on any square inch of America, the authorities have a right to go in. Jeffress added, however, I doubt churches are going to be the first line of attack. Brent Leatherwood, president of the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission of the Southern Baptist Convention, said the move leads to more questions and confusion than anything. The commission is the public policy arm of the nations largest Protestant denomination a conservative body in which support for Trump is strong. President Trump is right to fix our broken immigration system ... but it must be done so without turning churches into wards of the state or expecting pastors to ask for papers of people coming through their doors, Leatherwood said in a statement. The unintended impact of this change will be that many law-abiding immigrants will be fearful to attend our churches. ___ AP Religion Team journalists Peter Smith, Mariam Fam and Holly Meyer contributed, as did AP journalist Claire Rush in Portland, Oregon. ___ Associated Press religion coverage receives support through the APs collaboration with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content. At the World Economic Forum in Davos on Thursday, President Donald Trump boomed, Canada has been very tough to deal with over the years. We don't need them to make our cars, and they make a lot of them. But Trumps tough talk and proposed tariffs on Canada would not only hurt one of Americas top trade partners but would also hurt US automakers and regular Americans shopping for a new car, a new report said. In Setting the Record Straight on Canada-US Trade, Toronto-based TD Economics outlined some of the pain points a 25% tariff on Canadian-made autos and other goods would have on both sides of the border. High integration of the auto sector, with car parts and finished goods crossing both the Canadian and Mexican borders, means tariffs would exact a high cost and the industry would suffer the deepest negative impacts from the tariffs, the report stated. Read more: What are tariffs, and how do they affect you? People follow a virtual speech of U.S. president Donald Trump at the Annual Meeting of World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, Thursday, Jan. 23, 2025. (AP Photo/Markus Schreiber) (ASSOCIATED PRESS) Currently, Canada produces around 10% of cars sold in the US (approximately 225,000 units), with Mexico supplying close to 20%. Interestingly, the US actually produces more cars for Canadian buyers than the other way around, with Canadas trade administration estimating that 1.34 million US-built cars were bought by Canadians in 2023. TD also noted that Canada has the second-smallest trade deficit with the US, behind only France, highlighting the flow of products between the countries. However, in order to onshore that 10% of cars made in Canada to US factories, as Trump would like, TD projects that US auto plants would need to add production of around 225,000 units to existing plants, meaning roughly six new plants would be required on US soil. Conservative estimates for building a single auto factory in the US would be in the billions, not including the variable costs of operating the factory itself once online. And this portion of the tariff impact doesnt include the financial pain on Main Street and the consumer. By some estimates, average US retail car prices could rise by roughly $3,000, though that would depend on retaliation by both trading partners [Canada and Mexico], the report said. In the event of strong counteractions, severe trade dislocations and significant economic consequences would occur, leading to collapsing demand in all three countries. To bring a full-onshoring of North American production to the US would likely be cost-prohibitive. Full-onshoring of all non-U.S. production would require a 75% boost in U.S. production and more than $50 billion in new investment, the report said. Windsor, ONT - July, 12 2024: Stellantis Windsor assembly plant. Built in 1928, Stellantis builds plug-in hybrid electric (PHEV), AWD and ICE models here. (jetcityimage via Getty Images) The report didn't mention another important factor: the impact of tariffs on auto parts and components that flow from Canada and Mexico to the US and back. TD said this would result in US automakers having to onshore the production of components and import parts from other countries, both of which would entail higher costs. Aluminum producer Alcoa said on Wednesday that tariffs on imports of Canadian aluminum would create a massive tariff dislocation, leading to higher aluminum prices, which would ultimately trickle down to consumers. Alcoa produces 900,000 metric tons of aluminum in Canada, with a majority going to the US. Aluminum is an important component in auto parts such as suspension and engine castings, as well as in the aerospace sector. 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 A bomb cyclone hit Ireland and the United Kingdom on Thursday into Friday, preliminarily setting a new wind record for Ireland of 114 mph at Mace Head, after which point the wind equipment stopped reporting. In Drumalbin, South Lanarkshire, United Kingdom, winds gusted to 100 mph. Power cuts to 715,000 buildings were reported in Ireland on Friday afternoon. A fallen tree brought down during Storm Eowyn blocks the road on January 24, 2025, in Holywood, near Belfast, Northern Ireland. The Met Office has issued rare red warnings for wind in Northern Ireland as well as the central and southwestern areas of Scotland. These are accompanied by wider Amber and Yellow Warnings for wind, as well as Yellow Warnings for rain and snow across the UK. (Photo by Charles McQuillan/Getty Images) A fallen tree brought down during Storm Eowyn blocks the road on January 24, 2025, in Holywood, near Belfast, Northern Ireland. The Met Office has issued rare red warnings for wind in Northern Ireland as well as the central and southwestern areas of Scotland. These are accompanied by wider Amber and Yellow Warnings for wind, as well as Yellow Warnings for rain and snow across the UK. (Photo by Charles McQuillan/Getty Images) A storm is considered a bomb cyclone when the barometric pressure falls at least 0.71 of an inch of mercury (24 millibars) in 24 hours. Far surpassing that measure, Storm Eowyn plummeted more than 1.5 inches (53 mb) to 27.99 inches (948 mb) in 24 hours at Magilligan, Northern Ireland. The BBC says this is a new record low pressure for January and is the lowest since at least the year 1900 for Northern Ireland. As it approached, Cathal Nolan of Ireland's Weather Channel described the storm as a "generational storm" that would be one of the strongest on record in Ireland. "I've not seen anything like it in my career," a BBC weather presenter said on X. A GFS computer model forecast of wind speed between Thursday morning and Friday evening. A GFS computer model forecast of wind speed between Thursday morning and Friday evening. A NOAA Hurricane Hunters' airplane flew into the storm to gather data, like they did during Storm Ophelia in 2017. The Met Office of the United Kingdom issued a red wind warning, the most severe, for some parts of the country, warning that damaging winds, flying debris, large waves and dangerous driving conditions are possible. Train companies advised residents of the U.K. not to attempt travel on Friday. Winds will ease over the U.K. and Ireland Friday night and Saturday morning. There can be some rain and snow showers in the U.K. on Sunday. Another round of wind and areas of heavy rain is expected Sunday into Tuesday. Winds should not be as strong as Storm Eowyn, but there could be wind gusts to 80 mph in parts of Ireland, western England, Wales and southwestern Scotland. Yet another round of wind and rain is possible on Wednesday, but any wind gusts with that system should be less than 50 mph. AccuWeather Lead International Expert Jason Nicholls contributed to this article. The 2025 Oscars will be held on Sunday, Mar. 2. (Michael Buckner/Variety via Getty Images) (Michael Buckner via Getty Images) The 2025 Academy Awards are tonight, and weve got 10 contenders for the Best Picture pick to refresh our memories on, whether that's a full rewatch or just checking out the trailer before they roll out the red carpet tonight. While Emilia Perez leads the pack with the most 2025 Oscars nominations at 13, drama surrounding the film's lead actress has cast doubt over the film's Oscar prospects. Wicked and The Brutalist are tied for second place with 10 nominations apiece. Anora is most likely to nab that coveted Best Picture trophy according to Yahoo's prediction formula, but it's also competing against A Complete Unknown, Conclave, Dune: Part Two, Im Still Here, Nickel Boys and The Substance. The 2025 Oscars are this Sunday, Mar. 2 at 7 p.m. ET on ABC and streaming live on Hulu. In case you haven't kept up with the big award contenders this season, here's where you can watch every 2025 Academy Awards Best Picture nominee. 2025 Academy Awards Best Picture nominees: Anora, The Brutalist, A Complete Unknown, Conclave, Dune: Part Two, Emilia Perez, Im Still Here, Nickel Boys, The Substance and Wicked are all up for Best Picture in 2025. Anora When a young sex worker meets and quickly marries the son of a Russian oligarch, her fairytale quickly turns into a fever dream. Mikey Madison is also nominated for Best Actress for her role as the titular character in this gritty almost-Cinderella retelling. You can still catch Anora in limited theaters, or you could rent or purchase it at home on Amazon or any VOD platform. Rent or buy Get tickets The Brutalist Adrien Brody stars as a Hungarian architect who arrives in the United States in 1947 in search of the American Dream. Brody is also nominated Best Actor for his performance. You can catch this 3.5-hour-long film in theaters, or buy it on Amazon or Apple TV. Buy 'The Brutalist' Get tickets A Complete Unknown This biopic follows a young Bob Dylan who arrives in New York City in search of his hero, Woody Guthrie. Timothee Chalamet is also nominated for Best Actor for his role as Dylan. You can still catch A Complete Unknown in theaters, or buy or rent it on Amazon or any other VOD platform. Rent or buy Get tickets Conclave A Papal conclave gathers in the wake of the pope's death. Ralph Fiennes stars as the conclave's reluctant leader. He is also nominated for Best Actor for his performance. You can stream Conclave on Peacock. You can also buy or rent it on Amazon or any VOD platform. Stream on Peacock Rent or buy Dune: Part Two Florence Pugh and Austin Butler join Timothee Chalamet and Zendaya in Part Two of Denis Villeneuves epic space opera based on the 1965 novel Dune by Frank Herbert. You can stream Dune: Part Two on HBO's Max and on Netflix right now thanks to a deal between the two platforms. Stream on Max Stream on Netflix Emilia Perez Karla Sofia Gascon, Zoe Saldana and Selena Gomez star in this out-of-the-box musical about a transgender cartel leader who enlists an under-appreciated lawyer to help her transition. Emilia Perez is the most-nominated film of the 2025 Oscars. You can stream it on Netflix. Stream on Netflix Im Still Here Inspired by a true story, Im Still Here follows activist, mother and wife Eunice Paiva as she navigates the disappearance of her politician husband under the military dictatorship in Brazil. Fernanda Torres stars in the film and is nominated for Best Actress, making history as only the second-ever Brazilian woman to be nominated for an Oscar. The first? Torres's mother, Fernanda Montenegro. You can see Im Still Here in select theaters, or pre-order it on Apple TV. Pre-order Get tickets Nickel Boys Based on the 2019 novel by Colson Whitehead, Nickel Boys follows two Black boys sent to an abusive reform school in the Jim Crow South. Ethan Herisse and Brandon Wilson star in this unique film, which primarily utilizes first-person point-of-view to tell its story. You can buy or rent Nickel Boys on Amazon or any VOD platform. Rent or buy The Substance This shocking body horror film starring Demi Moore and Margaret Qualley follows aging starlet-turned-fitness-guru Elisabeth Sparkle, who is recommended a mysterious drug after her career dries up. The Substance "creates a younger, better version" of her, but she struggles to maintain a balance between Elisabeth and her sparkly new self. Moore is also nominated for Best Actress for her performance as Elisabeth. You can stream The Substance on Mubi, or rent it on Amazon or any VOD platform. Stream on Mubi Rent or buy Wicked Wicked answers the question, "what was going on before Dorothy got to Oz?" Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande star in the long-awaited film adaptation of this beloved Broadway musical. Both are nominated for Best Actress and Best Supporting Actress, respectively for their performances in the movie. You can still see Wicked in select theaters, but you can also rent or buy it on Amazon or any VOD platform. Wicked hits streaming on Peacock on Mar. 21. Rent or buy Get tickets Oscars 2025 full nominations list: Best Picture Anora The Brutalist A Complete Unknown Conclave Dune: Part Two Emilia Perez Im Still Here Nickel Boys The Substance Wicked Best Director Sean Baker, Anora Brady Corbet, The Brutalist James Mangold, A Complete Unknown Jacques Audiard, Emilia Perez Coralie Fargeat, The Substance Best Actor Adrien Brody, The Brutalist Timothee Chalamet, A Complete Unknown Colman Domingo, Sing Sing Ralph Fiennes, Conclave Sebastian Stan, The Apprentice Best Actress Cynthia Erivo, Wicked Karla Sofia Gascon, Emilia Perez Fernanda Torres, Im Still Here Mikey Madison, Anora Demi Moore, The Substance Best Supporting Actor Yura Borisov, Anora Kieran Culkin, A Real Pain Edward Norton, A Complete Unknown Guy Pearce, The Brutalist Jeremy Strong, The Apprentice Best Supporting Actress Monica Barbaro, A Complete Unknown Ariana Grande, Wicked Felicity Jones, The Brutalist Isabella Rossellini, Conclave Zoe Saldana, Emilia Perez Writing (Original Screenplay) Anora The Brutalist A Real Pain September 5 The Substance Writing (Adapted Screenplay) A Complete Unknown Conclave Emilia Perez Nickel Boys Sing Sing Animated Feature Film Flow Inside Out 2 Memoir of a Snail Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl The Wild Robot Production Design The Brutalist Conclave Dune: Part Two Nosferatu Wicked Costume Design A Complete Unknown Conclave Gladiator II Nosferatu Wicked Cinematography The Brutalist Dune: Part Two Emilia Perez Maria Nosferatu Film Editing Anora The Brutalist Conclave Emilia Perez Wicked Makeup and Hairstyling A Different Man Emilia Perez Nosferatu The Substance Wicked Sound A Complete Unknown Dune: Part Two Emilia Perez Wicked The Wild Robot Visual Effects Alien: Romulus Better Man Dune: Part Two Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes Wicked Music (Original Song) "El Mal" from Emilia Perez "The Journey" from The Six Triple Eight "Like A Bird" from Sing Sing "Mi Camino" from Emilia Perez "Never Too Late" from Elton John: Never Too Late Music (Original Score) The Brutalist Conclave Emilia Perez Wicked The Wild Robot Documentary Feature Film Black Box Diaries No Other Land Porcelain War Soundtrack to a Coup dEtat Sugarcane International Feature Film I'm Still Here (Brazil) The Girl With the Needle (Denmark) Emilia Perez (France) The Seed of the Sacred Fig (Germany) Flow (Latvia) Animated Short Film Beautiful Men In the Shadow of the Cypress Magic Candies Wander to Wonder Yuck! Documentary Short Film Death by Numbers I Am Ready, Warden Incident Instruments of a Beating Heart The Only Girl in the Orchestra Live Action Short Film Anuja Im Not a Robot The Last Ranger A Lien The Man Who Could Not Remain Silent If you buy something through a link in this article, we may earn commission. A Subway advertisement with actors Byeon Woo Seok and Kim Hye Yoon has been suspended after receiving backlash from a handful of Korean citizens. The ad, featuring their roles in the hit drama "Lovely Runner," was taken down after more than 40 complaints about why the two were shown together. Giftree, which created the advertisement, added that, according to the internal policy of the transportation corporation, ads must be pulled down immediately after receiving even a single complaint. Giftree said in a statement: "After the advertisement was posted, we received numerous complaints. According to the transportation corporation, if even one complaint is received, it must be suspended." Seoul Metro added that it did not take part in the advertising decision. Giftree tried to get the ad back into the rotation, but the same complaints kept it from being run again. The company even suggested changing the design to show Byeon Woo Seok and Kim Hye Yoon separately, but that was also refused because of ongoing protests from the public. Due to the negative response, Giftree asked fans to stop submitting complaints now, adding: "If this continues, there may be no more advertising for these actors or subway advertisements in general. So we earnestly ask fans to be a little more generous and stop making complaints." However, the complaints puzzled many netizens. Comments in the Korean online community forum Theqoo include: "This complaint is so weird. I thought they came in first place by votes, right? and, "What's the deal with the folks complaining about this?" Other users complained about the complaints, saying that it fuels more criticism. A user commented, "Knowing this, I think there will be more malicious complaints, if I file a complaint with this." Some also noted discrepancies in the number of complaints cited. One commenter said: "Giftly said there were 40 complaints, other articles said only five regarding portrait rights." Others commented on the pedigree of fandoms one wrote, "That's not something you see every day anymore. Fans of the actresses Byun Woo-seok is going to be linked to in the future are going to have a tough time, I reckon." Here's what other K-Netz are saying: Editor's note: This file captures the news of the California wildfires from Thursday, Jan. 23. For the latest updates on the fires, follow USA TODAY's coverage for Friday, Jan. 24. SAN DIEGO Firefighters on Thursday battled a fast-moving blaze in northern Los Angeles County that closed schools and forced thousands to flee their homes and two new fires near San Diego amid relentless Santa Ana winds and bone-dry conditions that have kept Southern California on high alert for over two weeks. At one point, evacuation orders and warnings were issued Thursday afternoon for residents around La Jolla, about 12 miles northwest of San Diego, as the Gilman Fire threatened the wealthy coastside community. But the orders were lifted a few hours later. The blaze had only burned two acres as of 3:46 p.m. PT, according to Cal Fire. Farther southeast, firefighters also responded to a brush fire in the Otay Wilderness Area, not far from the border with Mexico. The Border Fire had a "dangerous rate'' of spread and had charred 228 acres with zero containment, according to Cal Fire's 4:41 p.m. PT update. On Wednesday, the Hughes Fire erupted Wednesday near Castaic Lake, a reservoir roughly 45 miles northwest of downtown Los Angeles. The fire rapidly consumed over 10,000 acres as authorities warned of an "immediate threat to life." Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna said Wednesday that more than 50,000 people were under evacuation orders or warnings. But Thursday morning, the evacuation instructions for dozens of LA County zones were lifted or downgraded as residents were allowed back home. In Ventura County, the warnings were removed in all zones. Fire officials also said containment of the blaze had increased from 14% earlier in the day to 24% around noon PT while the burnt acreage remained steady at 10,176. Another brush fire broke out late Wednesday along the eastern side of Interstate 405 near Bel Air and the University of California-Los Angeles. The blaze, dubbed the Sepulveda Fire, initially prompted evacuation warnings, but those have been lifted as firefighters contained its spread to about 40 acres. The Los Angeles Fire Department said no structures were damaged in the blaze and that firefighters were working overnight to "fully extinguish the fire and any hot spots." Over 1,100 firefighters had been strategically pre-positioned across Southern California to address the "ongoing critical fire weather," according to Cal Fire. Los Angeles County Fire Chief Anthony Marrone said more than 4,000 firefighters were battling the Hughes Fire. Red flag warnings are in effect through Friday. A series of wildfires have broken out since Jan. 7 amid ongoing high winds, low humidity and drought conditions. Fire crews across the region have quickly worked to extinguish smaller brush fires while making progress on the Palisades and Eaton fires, which have damaged or destroyed nearly 16,000 structures and have killed at least 28 people, Cal Fire said. They're now 75% and 95% contained, respectively. Get weather and fire alerts via text: Sign up to get current wildfire updates by location 'Extreme fire behavior' complicates crews' battle against Hughes Fire Firefighters in northern Los Angeles County forged ahead in their effort to tamp down the Hughes Fire, establishing control lines to stop the blaze from expanding into populated areas. Overnight, crews were challenged by "extreme fire behavior, terrain, and weather," according to an incident update from fire officials. "They kept the fire from spreading to Elderberry Canyon, the Castaic Hydroelectric Power Plant and surrounding communities." Cal Fire said firefighters are focusing Thursday on holding the fire in its current footprint and additional personnel were being staged within the unincorporated community of Castaic. "Today firefighters expect extreme fire behavior and will aggressively fight the blaze day and night with support from aircraft," the operational update said. A vehicle drives by as smoke and flames rise in the back while firefighters battle the Hughes Fire near Castaic Lake, north of Santa Clarita, Calif., on Jan. 22, 2025. Why are these fires spreading so quickly? The above-average rain totals in Southern California during the previous two wet seasons would seem like a boon for a region with recurring droughts. In reality, they helped set the conditions for this year's explosion of fast-moving fires. The vegetation that bloomed thanks to that abundant rain dried out over the last nine months, when the Los Angeles area received virtually no precipitation amid intense heat. Paired with low humidity and the fearful Santa Ana winds that are common this time of year, any spark would result in an intense, quickly expanding inferno. The latest example is the Hughes Fire, which grew by an astonishing 10,000 acres in a matter of hours Wednesday about 45 miles north of Los Angeles. "You've got a lot of these light grasses where these fires can start, and if it gets into that old growth vegetation there's a lot of energy there,'' L.A. County Fire public information officer Fred Fielding said. "Combine that with the winds, and you've got a recipe for a very high rate of spread." Doyle Rice Weekend rain in California threatens new dangers: Mudslides, 'toxic runoff' Much-needed rain is expected in drought-stricken and wildfire-ravaged areas of Southern California this weekend, weather officials said, but with it comes the threat of mudslides and a new set of problems. "Just about every location in coastal Southern California, as well as the Southern California mountains, should get in on some showers this weekend," AccuWeather senior meteorologist Dave Houk said in an online forecast Wednesday. A 60% to 80% chance of thunderstorms is anticipated in the area beginning Saturday, along with up to 2 inches of rain, Ryan Kittell, a meteorologist for the National Weather Service's office for Los Angeles, told USA TODAY. The National Weather Service said isolated heavy rain in some spots could result in debris flowing over burn scars left by the fires. Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass issued an executive order to hasten cleanup efforts and prevent fire-related debris from flowing into waterways and the city's stormwater system. Bass' executive order hopes "to shore up burn areas and stem the flow of toxic debris" and "prevent additional damage to areas already ravaged by fire and also to protect our watershed, beaches and ocean from toxic runoff." Terry Collins A man captures the dramatic flames from the Hughes Fire near Castaic Lake, north of Santa Clarita, Calif., on Jan. 22, 2025. More: Rain forecasts bring relief as California fires blaze, but there's a chance of mudslides School districts announce closures Thursday as Hughes Fire burns Several school districts in northern Los Angeles County canceled classes Thursday as the Hughes Fire engulfed thousands of acres of land and produced large plumes of smoke and ash. The Castaic Union School District closed all of its schools. The William S. Hart Union High School District, which serves 21,000 students in the Santa Clarita Valley, closed multiple schools near the blaze, including Castaic, Valencia and Rio Norte junior high schools. "We will continue to work with fire officials to monitor the situation," the school district said in a statement. "We will also be monitoring air quality and adjusting activities as necessary." Saugus Union Elementary School District announced three schools and the district office would be closed Thursday since they are in mandatory evacuation zones or under evacuation warnings. California wildfires: Latest containment numbers Below are the current containment levels of the fires burning in the Los Angeles area: Palisades Fire 23,448 acres; 75% containment Eaton Fire 14,021 acres; 95% containment Hughes Fire 10,396 acres; 36% containment Laguna Fire 50 acres, 70% containment Ventura County authorities said the Laguna Fire's forward progress was stopped at 50 acres around 11:30 a.m. Thursday, and 200 firefighters were trying to increase containment. The evacuation order for Cal State University Channel Islands was downgraded to a warning. Red flag warnings extended for Los Angeles-area through Friday The National Weather Service expects "dangerous fire weather conditions" to last through at least Friday across Los Angeles and Ventura counties as firefighters battle multiple blazes throughout the region. Forecasters said "fuels remain extremely dry" and strong Santa Ana winds will continue to be a persistent threat. "If fire ignition occurs, conditions are favorable for extreme fire behavior and rapid fire growth, which would threaten life and property," the weather service said. Winds of 20 to 30 mph are expected with some stronger gusts up to 50 mph possible at higher elevations. The winds will gradually lessen in intensity Thursday night and into Friday, the weather service said. A cloud of smoke from the Hughes Fire rises as firefighters and aircraft battle it near Castaic Lake, north of Santa Clarita, Calif., as seen from a highway nearby on Jan. 22, 2025. Sepulveda Fire temporarily shuts down portion of I-405 in Los Angeles The Sepulveda Fire broke out late Wednesday near Bel-Air, forcing officials to temporarily close the southbound lanes of the 405 Freeway just north of the Getty Center museum. The freeway was reopened in a matter of hours as firefighters gained a foothold on the new brush fire, prompting evacuation orders to be lifted. The Los Angeles Fire Department said it stopped the forward progress of the blaze and no structures were damaged by the fire. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: California wildfires update: Progress made on Hughes Fire The A23a iceberg became dislodged from the seafloor in 2020 - Cpl Tom Cann RAF/Cover Images The worlds largest and oldest iceberg is on a collision course with a British island in the South Atlantic, raising fears that colonies of penguins and seals could be wiped out. The mega-iceberg, known as A23a, is twice the size of Greater London and broke off the Filchner Ice Shelf in Antarctica in 1986 before running aground for 30 years. It became dislodged from the seafloor in 2020 and began drifting northwards until it was trapped in a swirling ocean vortex last year and then sling-shotted in the direction of the island of South Georgia in January. It is now just 173 miles (280km) away from the British overseas territory and is expected to make contact in two to four weeks, depending on the currents. Icebergs are inherently dangerous. I would be extraordinarily happy if it just completely missed us, sea captain Simon Wallace told the BBC, speaking from the South Georgia government vessel Pharos. We have searchlights on all night to try to see ice, it can come from nowhere. In the past, penguin chicks and seal pups on South Georgia have died after giant icebergs blocked access to their feeding grounds. A23as vast cliffs tower higher than Londons Shard at 1,312ft and cover 3,500 sq km, roughly the size of Cornwall, though the warmer northern waters are melting the iceberg and could break it up. Should it disintegrate, the segments could float around South Georgia uncontrollably for years, putting the territorys king penguins as well as elephant and fur seals in danger. In 2004, an iceberg called A38 grounded on the continental shelf to the north-east of South Georgia, devastating the penguin and seal populations by preventing them from using their foraging routes. South Georgia sits in iceberg alley so impacts are to be expected for both fisheries and wildlife, and both have a great capacity to adapt, Mark Belchier, a marine ecologist who advises the South Georgia government, told the BBC. A team with the British Antarctic Survey aboard the Sir David Attenborough research vessel investigated A23a in 2023, sailing into a crack and collecting water samples. Dr Andrew Meijers, chief scientist on the vessel, said: It is amazing to see this huge berg in person it stretches as far as the eye can see. The island of South Georgia is home to king penguin colonies and millions of fur and elephant seals - LPhot Lee Blease/Cover Images Laura Taylor, a biogeochemist who also took part in the mission, said in December 2024: We know that these giant icebergs can provide nutrients to the waters they pass through, creating thriving ecosystems in otherwise less-productive areas. She added: We took samples of ocean surface waters behind, immediately adjacent to and ahead of the icebergs route. They should help us determine what life could form around A23a. South Georgia has been under UK administration since 1908. In March 1982, Argentine labourers occupied the island, taking 22 Royal Marines prisoner as well as British Antarctic Survey personnel, working at a scientific station. The move was a precursor to Argentine forces invading the British overseas territory of the Falklands Islands on April 2, 1982 and South Georgia the following day, sparking a 74-day 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. Marysville, CA (95901) Today Windy with periods of rain. High 58F. Winds S at 20 to 30 mph. Chance of rain 90%. Locally heavy rainfall possible.. Tonight Periods of rain. Low 46F. Winds SSE at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 70%. Rainfall around a quarter of an inch. Locally heavy rainfall possible. 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. BTS' J-Hope and Travis Scott stunned music fans with their unexpected meeting at the F/W 2025 Men's Louis Vuitton Fashion Show in France on January 21. With A-list stars in the coveted front row, J-Hope undeniably stole the show with his striking looks, impeccable fashion, and various surprises that mesmerized the crowd. READ ALSO: BTS' J-Hope Announces First Solo Concert 'HOPE ON THE STAGE' in Korea, American Tour To Drop Soon ARMYs, BTS' devoted fans, were stunned after hearing the preview of Don Toliver's new song, "LV Bag" (ft. J-Hope), produced by LV's Creative Director Pharrell Williams exclusively for the fashion show. This marks J-Hope's first music after his discharge from the military in October last year, as per Billboard. Fans hope this will be his ticket to enter the mainstream hip-hop scene beyond K-pop. Catch a sneak peek of the "LV Bag" at the 14:18 mark in the video below: Another standout moment that sent fans buzzing was J-Hope's interaction with American hip-hop icon Travis Scott, who was also seated front row at the show. Their shared energy lit up the atmosphere, quickly drawing attention from the onlookers and fans alike. In a viral video, J-Hope was seen sauntering over Scott, who greeted him with a warm smile. The two music luminaries shared a brief, easy conversation before striking a pose for a quick photo op. Meanwhile, fans raved about their strong impact together, declaring that a collaboration between the two would undoubtedly be powerful. "Cool, now give us a collab," a fan wrote on X. "Just got on my knees at the thought of them making a song together," another chimed in. "Collab when," touted more of their supporters. RELATED ARTICLE: BTS' J-Hope Receives Rave Report Card From Military Superiors For Exemplary Service by Stefano Vecchia A group of unidentified men close to the formally disbanded Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) attacked a military convoy that was escorting UN officials, killing two and wounding 12. The path towards the parliamentary election in the autonomous region on Mindanao is getting steeper, as the election set for May might be postponed to August. Manila (AsiaNews) A group of Muslim rebels ambushed a convoy carrying United Nations officials, killing at least two soldiers and wounding a dozen more. The attack, blamed on the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), a formally disbanded group, took place yesterday in Sumisip, a town on Basilan Island. The military were escorting a delegation from the UN Development Programme (UNDP); Muslim sources say the delegation did not warn local security officials that it was travelling in the area. Military sources say the soldiers were fired upon by unidentified armed personalities, and the visit by the United Nations was suspended. In the wake of the incident, Ahod Balawag Ebrahim, better known as Al Haj Murad Ebrahim, head of the Bangsamoro Transition Authority (BTA), called for calm today, urging the parties to avoid initiatives or statements that could further fuel tensions. After the Philippine government and Islamist guerrillas signed a peace deal, the BTA was set up to act as the parliament of the interim regional government of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region, tasked with leading it towards full autonomy. Now, the attack complicates the process leading up to parliamentary elections for the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), scheduled for 12 May. These elections are crucial to consolidate the regions autonomy, end tensions from decades of armed conflict, and start real development for its mainly Muslim population. In 2014, the Philippine government and the MILF, the main guerrilla movement in the southern Philippines, signed the Comprehensive Agreement on Bangsamoro, after 17 years of difficult negotiations to set up an autonomous region, which was officially established in 2019. The transition involved disarming the MILF, integrating its fighters into the local police and defence forces, and turning the areas under the groups control into economic development zones. However, the process is still ongoing and faces the possibility that the election might be postponed, as established in the legislation approved months ago by the Philippine House of Representatives and currently before the Senate for final approval. If adopted, it would move the date of the elections from 12 May to 11 August, a change that leaves many observers scratching their heads. The final decision might be up to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., whose orientation will also influence the BTAs permanence and attributions. In agreement with the Holy See, the current bishop of Xiamen took office today in one of the most historically important sees of the Church in China. The province is right across from Taiwan in a politically very sensitive context. For him, the challenge of reaching out to underground communities, while reiterating cumbersome slogans about patriotism. Milan (AsiaNews) As anticipated a few days ago, after the ordination on Monday of the new bishop of Luliang (Shanxi), today came confirmation of a second important appointment in the Church in China. The new bishop of the Diocese of Fuhzou, the capital of the province of Fujian, took possession of his see this morning. Rev Joseph Cai Bingrui, 58, served as bishop of Xiamen since 2007, another see in the same province. Thus, the Holy See did not announce a new episcopal appointment per se, but a transfer approved by Pope Francis under the Provisional Agreement on episcopal bishops between the Vatican and Beijing. After training at the Sheshan seminary in Shanghai, he became a priest in 1992, and soon after diocesan administrator in Xiamen, a diocese where the bishop illegitimately ordained by Beijing (Joseph Huang Ziyu) had died and two young priests remained. The episcopal ordination took place in 2010 with Vatican consent in accordance with the practice that existed prior to the 2018 Agreement. Now, "having approved his candidacy" - reads the statement issued by Holy See Press Office, the pontiff appointed him bishop of Fuzhou on 15 January "transferring him from the diocese of Xiamen". In the capital of Fujian, he replaces Archbishop Peter Lin Jashan, a member of the underground Church who was officially recognised by Beijing in 2020 under the Agreement, who passed away in 2023 at the age of 88. It should be noted that the Vatican note defines the new pastor as a "bishop" and Fuzhou as a "diocese," confirming the ecclesiastical geography imposed by Chinese authorities, who do not include metropolitanates. Bishops Cai appointment is a major development for the Church in China, since the diocese has more than 300,000 members, according to the most recent estimates. The local context is complex since underground communities, historically significant in Fujian, were divided even before Bishop Lin Jashas official recognition into two different groups, one of which followed another clandestine diocesan administrator, Mgr Joseph Lin Yuantuan. Fuzhou is a fundamental place in the history of evangelisation in China. It was here, in 1624, that Giulio Aleni (1582-1649), a Jesuit, mathematician and a disciple of Matteo Ricci, pioneered outreach to Chinese culture in the late Ming dynasty. His ten years of exchanges in Fuzhou with a group of Confucian scholars who had converted to Christianity were later collected in the Kuoduo richao (Diary of Oral Admonitions), representing a unique window into early Chinese Christianity, as well as noting the questions that the proclamation of the Gospel aroused on the part of those who approached it. Fuzhou was also the scene of the first martyrdom of Christians under the Qing dynasty. It was in this city that Bishop Pedro Sans i Jorda, a Dominican and apostolic vicar to Fujian, was beheaded in 1747. The first six of the 120 Chinese martyrs proclaimed saints by Pope John Paul II on 1 October 2000, killed before the 19th century, were Dominican missionaries who spilled their blood to proclaim the Gospel in this Chinese province. Chinas Communist Party called the event a provocation. Fujian is also a particularly important in today's China, as one of the countrys most economically dynamic areas (indeed the worlds) as well as a particularly sensitive region from a political point of view (It is from here that Xi Jinping began his rise to the top of the Chinese Communist Party). Above all, it is close to Taiwan, which at its closest point is just 120 kilometres across the sea. Interestingly, Bishop Cai was ordained bishop of Xiamen in 2010 in a ceremony led by Bishop Zhan Silu of Mindong (at the time not yet in communion with Rome) in a ceremony attended by the Bishop Emeritus Joseph Cheng Tsai-fa of Taipei. Speaking to AsiaNews about this, Bishop Cai said that his diocese had long received visits by Catholics from the neighbouring island of Taiwan and that he hoped to continue engaging in dialogue and exchanges with the Church on the other side of the Strait. Now it will also be up to him to continue the journey of rebuilding his ecclesial community in Fuzhou. After his appointment was announced, the elderly underground Bishop Joseph Lin Yuantuan released a note saying that the Holy See "hopes for its active collaboration in guiding the clergy, nuns and faithful of Fuzhou so that they are obedient and support Bishop Cai Bingrui. This is also a way of noting, notwithstanding appointments, that unity is a path still to be completed in Fujian, as clearly indicated in recent years in Mindong by the painful story of Bishop Guo Xijin. In such a context, the official statement, China Catholic attributed to the new bishop of Fuzhou ought also to be read. Introducing himself to the diocese today, Bishop Cai is said to have pledged to always hold high the flag of patriotism and love for the Church, adhering to the principle of independence and self-management, towards the sinicisation of Catholicism in the country, uniting and guiding the priests and faithful of the Diocese of Fuzhou to adhere to a path compatible with socialist society. Xi Jinping's inevitable watchwords in the Fujian frontier. RED LANTERNS IS THE ASIANEWS NEWSLETTER DEDICATED TO CHINA. WOULD YOU LIKE TO RECEIVE IT EVERY THURSDAY? TO SUBSCRIBE, CLICK HERE. by Nirmala Carvalho Teachers and parents slam the decision by the BJP-led government as an attack on their communitys cultural and linguistic heritage, calling for Hindi to be instead included as an optional subject. For children, it is important to study in their native language. Fr Steven Rawat, victim of an attack over Christmas carols, also criticised the measure. Ajmer (AsiaNews) Eight Urdu-language schools in the city of Ajmer, Rajasthan have been forced to switch to Hindi. The decision by the state government on 17 January sparked a wave of protests in the local Muslim community, which considers the measure an attack on its cultural and linguistic heritage. The schools concerned, which include the historic Government Primary Urdu School Badbaav and the Government Girls High Primary Urdu School, have been active since 1941, serving as an educational pillar for the Muslim community for decades. The decision by the Rajasthani government, led by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), is seen as part of a broader strategy to marginalise linguistic and religious minorities. To this end, it ordered local police to replace Urdu and Persian terms with Hindi words last December. Urdu is an integral part of our identity, said a concerned parent at a sit-in protest. This move threatens to erase our language and history. The community has expressed concerns about the disproportionate impact on Muslim children, many of whom find it easier to learn in their native language. As things stood, schools were already struggling with a shortage of textbooks and qualified Urdu teachers. For Md Razi, a local leader, This is not just about language; its about our childrens right to education in their mother tongue. We will oppose this decision with all our might. The Muslim community delivered a memorandum to Rajasthan's chief minister, Bhajanlal Sharma, calling for the immediate reversal of the decision. Urdu supporters argue that instead of eliminating the language, the government should allow it to coexist with Hindi as an optional subject. Why not provide both options?" asked Aslam Khan, a school teacher. This decision is not about improving education; its about sidelining a minority language. The protest is backed by religious leaders like Fr Steven Rawat, who, speaking to AsiaNews, criticised the decision, describing it as a deliberate attempt to make life difficult for minorities. This is a distorted mindset that damages the fabric of our society, said the clergyman who was attacked by Hindu extremists almost ten years ago for singing Christmas carols. For their part, parents and activists are planning larger demonstrations to draw attention to the issue. The District Collector acknowledged the community's concerns, but defended the decision as part of a broader education reform. Our goal is to provide quality education for all, regardless of language, the official stated. However, this explanation has done little to alleviate the communitys fears. People immerse themselves in traditional customs and partake in festivities before Spring Festival across China Xinhua) 09:58, January 23, 2025 Tourists enjoy performances at Zhangjiajie Romance Park in Zhangjiajie, central China's Hunan Province, Jan. 21, 2025. As the 2025 Chinese New Year will fall on Jan. 29, excitement is palpable everywhere in China. The Chinese people immerse themselves in traditional customs and partake in the festivities. The Chinese New Year, or the Spring Festival, falls on next Wednesday, marking the beginning of the Year of the Snake. (Photo by Wu Yongbing/Xinhua) An artist performs at the scenic spot named "the City of Tang Dynasty (618-907)" in Xiangyang City, central China's Hubei Province, Jan. 21, 2025. As the 2025 Chinese New Year will fall on Jan. 29, excitement is palpable everywhere in China. The Chinese people immerse themselves in traditional customs and partake in the festivities. The Chinese New Year, or the Spring Festival, falls on next Wednesday, marking the beginning of the Year of the Snake. (Photo by Zhao Jun/Xinhua) A woman in traditional costumes poses for pictures at the scenic spot named "the City of Tang Dynasty (618-907)" in Xiangyang City, central China's Hubei Province, Jan. 21, 2025. As the 2025 Chinese New Year will fall on Jan. 29, excitement is palpable everywhere in China. The Chinese people immerse themselves in traditional customs and partake in the festivities. The Chinese New Year, or the Spring Festival, falls on next Wednesday, marking the beginning of the Year of the Snake. (Photo by Zhao Jun/Xinhua) An aerial drone photo taken on Jan. 22, 2025 shows folk artisans patrolling across a bridge in Fengqiao Town of Zhuji City, east China's Zhejiang Province. As the 2025 Chinese New Year will fall on Jan. 29, excitement is palpable everywhere in China. The Chinese people immerse themselves in traditional customs and partake in the festivities. The Chinese New Year, or the Spring Festival, falls on next Wednesday, marking the beginning of the Year of the Snake. (Photo by Guo Bin/Xinhua) Folk artisans perform dragon dance at Pingyao Ancient Town in Jinzhong City, north China's Shanxi Province, Jan. 22, 2025. As the 2025 Chinese New Year will fall on Jan. 29, excitement is palpable everywhere in China. The Chinese people immerse themselves in traditional customs and partake in the festivities. The Chinese New Year, or the Spring Festival, falls on next Wednesday, marking the beginning of the Year of the Snake. (Photo by Liang Shengren/Xinhua) Tourists walk through a dragon-shaped lantern at Longting Park in Kaifeng of central China's Henan Province, Jan. 22, 2025. As the 2025 Chinese New Year will fall on Jan. 29, excitement is palpable everywhere in China. The Chinese people immerse themselves in traditional customs and partake in the festivities. The Chinese New Year, or the Spring Festival, falls on next Wednesday, marking the beginning of the Year of the Snake. (Photo by Li Junsheng/Xinhua) Folk artists perform at Xixiaying Manchu Township in Zunhua, north China's Hebei Province, Jan. 22, 2025. As the 2025 Chinese New Year will fall on Jan. 29, excitement is palpable everywhere in China. The Chinese people immerse themselves in traditional customs and partake in the festivities. The Chinese New Year, or the Spring Festival, falls on next Wednesday, marking the beginning of the Year of the Snake. (Photo by Liu Mancang/Xinhua) Local villagers enjoy New Year feast at Pingyan Village of Sanjiang Dong Autonomous County, south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Jan. 22, 2025. As the 2025 Chinese New Year will fall on Jan. 29, excitement is palpable everywhere in China. The Chinese people immerse themselves in traditional customs and partake in the festivities. The Chinese New Year, or the Spring Festival, falls on next Wednesday, marking the beginning of the Year of the Snake. (Photo by Li Hanchi/Xinhua) A child is pictured during a local folk show at Lantian Yao Township, Lingchuan County, south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Jan. 22, 2025. As the 2025 Chinese New Year will fall on Jan. 29, excitement is palpable everywhere in China. The Chinese people immerse themselves in traditional customs and partake in the festivities. The Chinese New Year, or the Spring Festival, falls on next Wednesday, marking the beginning of the Year of the Snake. (Photo by Liu Jiaoqing/Xinhua) Tourists enjoy the night view by taking bamboo rafts on Gongshui River in Xuanen County, central China's Hubei Province, Jan. 21, 2025. As the 2025 Chinese New Year will fall on Jan. 29, excitement is palpable everywhere in China. The Chinese people immerse themselves in traditional customs and partake in the festivities. The Chinese New Year, or the Spring Festival, falls on next Wednesday, marking the beginning of the Year of the Snake. (Photo by Song Wen/Xinhua) A girl is pictured during a local Spring Festival carnival in Gaomi of Weifang City, east China's Shandong Province, Jan. 22, 2025. As the 2025 Chinese New Year will fall on Jan. 29, excitement is palpable everywhere in China. The Chinese people immerse themselves in traditional customs and partake in the festivities. The Chinese New Year, or the Spring Festival, falls on next Wednesday, marking the beginning of the Year of the Snake. (Photo by Li Haitao/Xinhua) Ge Ying (L), a paper-cutting artisan, teaches people to make paper-cutting works marking the Year of the Snake in Tangshan City of north China's Hebei Province, Jan. 22, 2025. As the 2025 Chinese New Year will fall on Jan. 29, excitement is palpable everywhere in China. The Chinese people immerse themselves in traditional customs and partake in the festivities. The Chinese New Year, or the Spring Festival, falls on next Wednesday, marking the beginning of the Year of the Snake. (Photo by Zhu Dayong/Xinhua) An artisan displays snake toys made of cloth in Binzhou, east China's Shandong Province, Jan. 21, 2025. As the 2025 Chinese New Year will fall on Jan. 29, excitement is palpable everywhere in China. The Chinese people immerse themselves in traditional customs and partake in the festivities. The Chinese New Year, or the Spring Festival, falls on next Wednesday, marking the beginning of the Year of the Snake. (Photo by Chu Baorui/Xinhua) Local residents perform dragon dance to celebrate the traditional Chinese Xiaonian festival, which marks the start of the countdown to Chinese New Year, in Boai County of Jiaozuo City, central China's Henan Province, Jan. 22, 2025. As the 2025 Chinese New Year will fall on Jan. 29, excitement is palpable everywhere in China. The Chinese people immerse themselves in traditional customs and partake in the festivities. The Chinese New Year, or the Spring Festival, falls on next Wednesday, marking the beginning of the Year of the Snake. (Photo by Cheng Quan/Xinhua) (Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Zhong Wenxing) BTS' J-Hope and GOT7's BamBam made a rare appearance together at Louis Vuitton's showcase at Paris Fashion Week. The duo posed for photos together, with BamBam sporting his signature neon-pink hair, a sheer black shirt, and matching suit, while J-Hope rocked go-to wardrobe staples: a bucket hat, casual brown tee, oversized jeans, and a blocky patterned overshirt. The rapper took the stage at the Le Gala des Pieces Jaunes charity event at La Defense Arena in Paris before the event to raise funds for hospitalized children and adolescents. The "Daydream" rapper was the first Korean male solo artist to perform at the gala, which previously platformed A-listers like Katy Perry, John Legend, and BLACKPINK's Rose. j-hope performing 'Mic Drop' at 2025 Gala des Pieces Jaunes. https://t.co/u6vtUeIPOV Pop Base (@PopBase) January 23, 2025 Tickets for the fundraiser sold out within ten minutes of opening on January 13. The charity stage also marked J-Hope's first performance in France in nearly six years, since BTS' "Love Yourself: Speak Yourself" world tour in 2019. The charity concert will be broadcast on France's national broadcaster France 2 on January 28. The BTS member will embark on his first solo world tour "J-Hope Tour 'Hope On the Stage'," kicking off the tour with shows in Seoul from February 28 to March 2. The three Seoul shows sold out during fan club presales in under an hour on January 14, leaving no tickets for the general sale. The tour will span 31 shows in 15 cities, including major stops in North America's Brooklyn and Los Angeles, Asia, and Mexico. Hundreds of LGBTQ+ couples got married today on the first day of a new marriage law. In a pastoral letter, Thai bishops outline the three principles" of the Church on the matter. The prelates call for a response to the "challenges" posed by gender theory, which they see as a source of "confusion and conflict. Bangkok (AsiaNews) The Catholic Bishops' Conference of Thailand (CBCT) issued a pastoral letter today, signed by its president, Bishop Joseph Chusak Sirisut, on the day the countrys same-sex marriage legislation came into effect, LiCAS reports. Citing Dignitas Infinita declaration issued by the Vatican Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith, the CBCT stresses that everyone, regardless of their sexual orientation, should be treated with dignity and respect, while avoiding all signs of unjust discrimination, aggression, or violence. At the same time, quoting Pope Francis' warning against "ideological colonisation," it rejects any attempt to redefine gender without recognising life as a gift from God, which risks eroding foundational truths about human nature. Thailands bishops express concern over the influence of gender theory on contemporary discourse. For this reason, they reiterate the Church's commitment to respect human dignity, while maintaining doctrinal teachings on marriage. This pastoral message conveys the position and approach of the Catholic Church in caring for same-sex couples who register their marriages in accordance with the law, to ensure appropriate pastoral practices, the CBCT statement reads. The latter goes on to cite Genesis, establishing the principle that the Christian marriage is the union of a man and a woman. With this law that legalises LGBTQ+ unions, with the same value and dignity of heterosexual unions, Thailand becomes the largest country in Asia to endorse same-sex marriage, after Nepal and Taiwan. To mark the event, Thailands parliament flew rainbow flags, while some shopping malls promoted pride events to celebrate the day, including a mass wedding involving 200 couples exchanging vows. In Bangkok, a district offered plane tickets to the first couple who registered their marriage, while Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra, who is in Davos for the World Economic Forum, posted a message on social media stating: "The rainbow flag is flying high over Thailand". Advocacy groups aim to pass the milestone of 1448 registrations by the end of the day, to honour the number that corresponds to the clause in the Thai Civil Code concerning the definition of marriage. For activists and NGOs, the law, approved by both Houses of Parliament in June last year before being promulgated by the king in September, represents a great step forward for the rights of LGBTQ+ people. Still, the country remains an exception in Asia with respect to marriage equality; for this reason, several couples from abroad have moved to the Southeast Asian country; one of them is Aki Uryu from Japan, who moved to Bangkok to be with her partner. While reaffirming that the sacrament of marriage is exclusive to a man and a woman, the Church is committed to providing pastoral assistance to same-sex couples. In this regard, the bishops outlined three principles: the Marriage Equality Act does not alter the Church's teaching on marriage as reserved for heterosexual unions; any pastoral blessing for same-sex couples does not endorse their marital status, but is a sign of God's mercy and a means of encouraging a Gospel-centred life; pastors must treat all individuals with love, dignity and respect, fostering their spiritual growth and guiding them towards holiness. While acknowledging the challenges posed by gender theory, seen as a source of confusion and conflict, the bishops note that this is not a denial of Gods grace but an affirmation of His love for all His children. Finally, considering the social changes brought about by the law on marriage equality, the Catholic Church reaffirmed its dual commitment to uphold the sanctity of Christian marriage while walking alongside all people with compassion and care. Pashinian pointed to the governments endorsement on January 9 of a bill calling for the start of a process of Armenia's accession to the European Union when he spoke during the annual World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. There is a very high probability that our parliament will adopt that law, he said. It would mean legally that we start the process of getting more and more close to the European Union. Moscow was quick to deplore Yerevans planned EU membership bid, with Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexei Overchuk calling it the beginning of Armenia's withdrawal from the Eurasian Economic Union (EEU). Overchuk warned that the South Caucasus nation risks losing its tariff-free access to Russias vast market and having to pay much more for Russian natural gas and foodstuffs. Pashinian telephoned Russian President Vladimir Putin late last week to discuss his plans. Putin made corresponding comments in response to his explanations, the Kremlin reported without elaborating. The issue was also understood to be on the agenda of Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrovs talks with his Armenian counterpart Ararat Mirzoyan held in Moscow on Tuesday. Lavrov pointedly declined to comment on it at a joint the news conference after the talks described by him as frank and very useful. Pashinian did not say at Davos when the Armenian parliament will debate the bill in question. Parliament speaker Alens Simonian likewise said nothing about that on Thursday during a panel discussion in Yerevan with his visiting counterparts and other senior lawmakers from several Baltic and northern European countries. Pashinian said that he wants his country to eventually join the EU because we are a democracy. He did not comment on the economic cost of that foreign policy change criticized by the Armenian opposition. Opposition leaders say that Armenia has a near-zero chance of being ever admitted to the EU and that Pashinian is using the issue to try to boost his flagging popularity. The EUs share in Armenias foreign trade has fallen significantly since Pashinian came to power in 2018. According to Armenian government data, it stood at 7.5 percent in January-November 2024, sharply down from 24.3 percent in 2017. By contrast, Russias share rose from 26.7 percent to 41 percent in the same period. Russian-Armenian trade has skyrocketed since 2022. 23 January 2025 19:54 (UTC+04:00) Akbar Novruz Read more French Ambassador Anne Boillons visit to the Alley of Martyrs in Baku, marking the 35th anniversary of the January 20 tragedy, has ignited controversy within Armenian media circles. An article published by an Armenian online outlet has gone so far as to question her motives, alleging that her actions signal disrespect for Armenias narrative. But why would a gesture of humanity and diplomacy provoke such a reaction? It is no secret that political tensions between France and Azerbaijan have existed for some time. Baku has openly criticized Frances actions that contradict Azerbaijans political and economic interests. Be it the French governments continued arms supplies to Armenia, its lingering neo-colonial policies toward small island nations, or its public rhetoric against Azerbaijan, Baku has not hesitated to take a firm stance. Despite these tensions, both countries maintain a functioning diplomatic relationship. Ambassador Boillons visit to honour the memory of Azerbaijans martyrs exemplifies this relationship. Her decision to lay carnations on this solemn day reflects a gesture of profound respect for the Azerbaijani people, shared by many diplomats who joined her in commemorating the tragedy. The Armenian media, however, has portrayed this act as an affront to their narrative, conveniently disregarding the true significance of January 20. The tragedy represents Azerbaijans struggle against decades of Soviet oppressiona dark chapter that witnessed the loss of innocent lives in the pursuit of freedom and independence. For the Armenian media to criticize France for sharing in Azerbaijans grief is not only disingenuous but also indicative of a broader issue: an unwillingness to acknowledge that acts of solidarity can exist beyond political divides. What makes this reaction even more telling is its attempt to conflate history with diplomacy. Ambassador Boillons visit was not a political statement but a tribute to human suffering and resilience. Yet, Armenian media twisted this gesture into a narrative of betrayal, reflecting a discomfort with any form of recognition given to Azerbaijans tragedies. This distortion begs the question: Is the Armenian media truly afraid of diplomacy that humanizes Azerbaijan? Interestingly, the article also speculates about behind-the-scenes negotiations between France and Azerbaijan, citing comments made by Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev about potential diplomatic overtures from Paris. While this claim seems speculative at best, its inclusion reveals a deeper concern. Perhaps the Armenian media fears that gestures of goodwill, like Boillons visit, signal a shift in Frances approach toward Azerbaijanone that could challenge the Armenian narrative and disrupt its long-held monopoly over Western sympathy. Ultimately, the Armenian medias reaction speaks volumes about its priorities. Instead of embracing gestures of humanity and mutual respect, it resorts to distorting historical events and diplomatic actions for political gain. By doing so, it risks isolating itself further in an increasingly interconnected world where diplomacy and dialogue are essential for resolving long-standing disputes. Rather than criticizing acts of solidarity, Armenia and its media would do well to reflect on the importance of fostering mutual respect. Ambassador Boillons visit was not an act of betrayalit was a reminder that diplomacy, even amid tensions, can serve as a bridge for understanding. To reject this is to deny the very essence of what it means to engage in constructive international relations. 23 January 2025 11:26 (UTC+04:00) Nazrin Abdul Read more Chairman of Azerbaijan Railways CJSC (ADY), Rovshan Rustamov, met with the head of Iranian Railways, Jabbar Ali Zakeri Sardrudi, as part of the latest meeting of the Azerbaijan-Iran Intergovernmental Joint Commission held in Tehran, Azernews reports, citing ADY. It was reported that the railway officials discussed the expansion of the cargo terminal in Astara, Iran, and the ongoing work at the terminal. It was noted that the Astara terminals in both Azerbaijan and Iran facilitate faster and more efficient handling of increased cargo volumes along the North-South corridor, enhance the strategic potential of the corridor, and strengthen the transport infrastructure of both countries, thus promoting regional trade. During the meeting, ADY and Iranian Railways signed a "Strategic Cooperation Plan" for the construction and operation of the Astara terminal. The document includes the approval of the Astara terminals Master Plan based on the railway section of the Protocol from the 16th Intergovernmental Joint Commission, signed between Azerbaijan and the Islamic Republic of Iran on January 22, 2025. It also outlines the completion of construction by the end of this year, final investment recognitions, and other related matters. 23 January 2025 12:38 (UTC+04:00) Nazrin Abdul Read more From February, the lowest pension in the country will increase to 320 manats (188.2 USD). Minimum pension recipients will receive the higher amount starting next month. Azernews reports that MP and economist Vugar Bayramov shared this information on his social media account. "Starting next month, both the minimum pension and labor pensions will be indexed. According to the decree 'On Continuing Measures to Improve the Social Welfare of the Population' signed by President Ilham Aliyev, the minimum pension will rise from 280 manats (164.7 USD) to 320 manats (188.2 USD) starting February 2025. This 14.3% increase will benefit minimum pensioners next month." Bayramov explained that if a citizen currently receives a minimum pension of 280 manats (164.7 USD), it will increase by 14.3% in February, raising it to 320 manats (188.2 USD). "The indexing of labor pensions is in accordance with the Law on 'Labor Pensions'. All types of labor pensions are indexed based on the percentage increase in the average monthly salary in the country from the previous year. According to the State Statistics Committee, the average monthly salary increased by 8% in the first 11 months of 2024, reaching 996.8 manats (586.3 USD), leading to an expected 8% increase in pensions." Bayramov emphasized that all types of labor pensions, including old-age, disability, and bereavement pensions, will be indexed. Furthermore, pensions granted last year, including those on December 31, 2024, will also reflect the indexation based on the previous year's growth. To summarize, minimum pension recipients will see a 14.3% increase, while labor pension recipients will receive an 8% increase due to indexation. The minimum pension will be 320 manats (188.2 USD) starting next month. 23 January 2025 13:17 (UTC+04:00) Akbar Novruz Read more Armenian intelligence has assessed the probability of large-scale military action by Azerbaijan against Armenia in 2025 as low, according to a recent report by Armenia's Foreign Intelligence Service, Azernews reports. The report, which examines key risks and threats for the year, underscores that while a full-scale war is deemed unlikely, localized skirmishes and escalations remain plausible. According to Armenian media, the analysis highlights that ongoing border delimitation and demarcation processes could play a role in reducing the likelihood of broader confrontations. However, the report also warns that the absence of a concrete peace treaty increases the risk of sporadic clashes. Bilateral negotiations between Armenia and Azerbaijan are noted as the most viable avenue for reducing tensions, but delays in normalizing relations or signing peace agreements may lead to prolonged uncertainty and heightened risks. The report further emphasizes Azerbaijans continued focus on bolstering its military capabilities in 2025. This includes advancements in mobile units, reserve training, and the acquisition of new weapons and military equipment, signalling its ongoing commitment to maintaining a robust defence posture. The findings suggest that while the potential for a large-scale conflict remains minimal, the regions stability depends heavily on diplomatic efforts and mutual commitments to de-escalation. President Donald Trump on Monday signed a slew of executive orders following his inauguration, including one that ends birthright citizenship for children of illegal immigrants in the United States. Since 1868, people born on American soil were recognized as US citizens at birth under the 14th Amendment to the Constitution, regardless of the immigration status of their parents. Trump's order would make it so that children born in the country but without at least one parent who is lawfully a permanent resident or a US citizen would no longer automatically be extended US citizenship. The law applies to undocumented migrants as well as those on temporary visas (foreign students or tourists). The executive order also effectively bars federal agencies from providing or recognizing documents proving US citizenship for such children, per The Guardian. How Would Ending Birthright Citizenship Impact Americans and Immigrants in the United States? Ending birthright citizenship would significantly increase the size of the unauthorized immigrant population, which is contrary to its intended purpose. Washington Atty. Gen. Nick Brown said Trump's new executive order could make 150,000 children born each year undocumented migrants. "It would render them undocumented at birth. It could even render them citizens to no country at all," he said, as quoted by The New York Times. Other estimates suggest that the undocumented population could balloon from 11 million today to 16 million by 2050 if citizenship is denied to children with two unauthorized immigrant parents. It could grow to a further 24 million if birthright citizenship is denied to children with even one unauthorized parent, according to the Migration Policy. Read Also: Federal Appeals Court To Begin Hearing on the Future of DACA Program for Immigrants Brought to the US as Children What Happens Now? Trump's executive order does not take effect for 30 days. However, 22 states have since filed lawsuits challenging the order in the Federal District Court in Massachusetts and the Western District of Washington. They argue that neither Trump nor Congress has any constitutional authority to revise birthright citizenship under the 14th Amendment. The American Civil Liberties Union has also filed a lawsuit against Trump's order Monday night. Ending birthright citizenship is one of the many executive orders the president signed after being sworn in. He also ordered the mass deportation of undocumented migrants, barred immigrants from staying in the country while their immigration cases played out, and shut down a program that allowed immigrants to make advance appointments with the US Customs and Border Protection. 23 January 2025 16:16 (UTC+04:00) Akbar Novruz Read more The peace agenda, including negotiations on delimitation and related issues, remains a priority for Armenia, according to Secretary of the Armenian Security Council Armen Grigoryan, Azernews reports. We have sent proposals to Azerbaijan [on the draft peace talks] and are waiting for Azerbaijans reaction. The proposals cover two articles on which the parties have not yet reached a final agreement. We have spoken openly about these articles. I hope that we will find solutions, Grigoryan stated. President Ilham Aliyev had previously highlighted these two articles when interviewed by the Director General of Rossiya Segodnya International News Agency, one involving a commitment to refrain from filing international lawsuits against each other and the other concerning the non-deployment of foreign representatives near Azerbaijan's borders. He emphasized that these issues are critical for finalizing the peace treaty. Additionally, the President noted Armenias need to address its Constitution, which contains territorial claims against Azerbaijan, and to formally abolish the OSCE Minsk Group, which he deemed obsolete following Armenia's recognition of Garabagh as part of Azerbaijan. "Once these issues are resolved, there will be no obstacles to signing the peace treaty," the president stressed. 22 January 2025 20:59 (UTC+04:00) The sides praised the high level of friendship, brotherhood, and strategic alliance between Azerbaijan and Turkiye, and discussed further expanding economic cooperation. According to Azernews , PM Asadov expressed gratitude to the ambassador for his contributions to strengthening the ties between the two nations. Azerbaijan's Prime Minister Ali Asadov met with Turkish Ambassador Cahit Bagci as the ambassador concluded his diplomatic mission in Azerbaijan. 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! 22 January 2025 23:37 (UTC+04:00) The post reads: "President Ilham Aliyevs visit to the Swiss Confederation (22.01.2025)". A footage dedicated to President Ilham Aliyev's visit to Switzerland was posted on his official social media accounts, Azernews reports. 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! 23 January 2025 13:12 (UTC+04:00) On January 23, Ilham Aliyev, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, made a phone call to Recep Tayyip Erdogan, President of the Republic of Turkiye, Azernews reports. The Azerbaijani President expressed his deepest condolences to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan regarding the fire at a hotel in the Kartalkaya ski resort in Turkiyes Bolu province, which resulted in numerous casualties. He prayed to Allah the Almighty to grant mercy to those who lost their lives in this horrific tragedy and wished a swift recovery to the injured. President Ilham Aliyev also mentioned that he had sent a letter of condolence to the President of Turkiye on January 21 regarding the tragedy. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan expressed gratitude for the attention and condolences, emphasizing that Turkiye and Azerbaijan always stand by each other and will continue to do so in the future. During the phone conversation, the heads of state exchanged views on various aspects of bilateral relations. 23 January 2025 16:35 (UTC+04:00) Akbar Novruz Read more The fourth round of Azerbaijan-Pakistan bilateral political consultations is underway in Islamabad, with both sides emphasizing the importance of enhancing their strategic partnership. Azernews reports that Azerbaijans delegation is led by Deputy Foreign Minister Elnur Mammadov, while Pakistans delegation is headed by Foreign Secretary Amna Baloch. The consultations cover a wide range of topics, including trade, energy, information technology, defense, health, and education. Spokesperson for Pakistan's Foreign Ministry, Shafqat Ali Khan, noted that discussions also address regional and international issues of mutual interest. These consultations reflect the deepening ties between Azerbaijan and Pakistan, underscoring their shared commitment to strengthening bilateral cooperation. 23 January 2025 09:00 (UTC+04:00) By Alimat Aliyeva The Mazhilis of the Parliament of Kazakhstan has begun the consideration of a draft law on providing a land plot in Almaty to the United States, Azernews reports. According to the project, a plot of more than 70,000 square meters will be leased for 49 years for the construction of a US consular post. The document outlines all the conditions and procedures for the provision of land. This move highlights the growing diplomatic ties between Kazakhstan and the United States. The construction of a US consular post in Almaty underscores the strategic importance of Kazakhstan as a key player in Central Asia. It also reflects Kazakhstan's efforts to strengthen its international relations and facilitate greater cooperation in areas such as trade, security, and cultural exchange. As the region continues to evolve, such infrastructure developments could pave the way for enhanced diplomatic and economic collaboration. 23 January 2025 20:30 (UTC+04:00) By News Centre On January 23, 2025, at the Presidential Complex in Ankara, a significant moment in international diplomacy unfolded. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan hosted Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico for high-level talks, marking a pivotal moment in Turkiye-Slovakia relations. The discussions between the two leaders addressed a range of crucial topics, from bilateral relations to regional and global challenges, further deepening the strategic ties between their countries. During a joint press conference following the tete-a-tete and extended bilateral talks, Erdogan expressed his pleasure at welcoming Prime Minister Fico and his delegation to Turkiye. He noted that the days talks were centered around finding ways to enhance the already growing relationship between the two countries. "Today, we evaluated ways to further deepen our bilateral relations," Erdogan stated, acknowledging the shared commitment to strengthening the ties between Turkiye and Slovakia. The most notable outcome of the meeting was the signing of a joint declaration, which raised the relationship between Turkiye and Slovakia to the level of a "strategic partnership." Erdogan expressed his optimism for the future, wishing for the partnership to bring about beneficial outcomes for both nations. In addition to the political framework established by the declaration, multiple agreements were signed in various sectors, including military cooperation, defense industry collaboration, and cultural exchanges. The defense industry, in particular, was a major focus of the discussions. Erdogan underscored the significant strides both countries had made in defense technology and military cooperation over the past two decades. As NATO allies, Turkiye and Slovakia have long shared a commitment to regional stability and security, and both leaders emphasized the need for continued collaboration in the defense sector to further enhance this partnership. Economic cooperation between Turkiye and Slovakia has witnessed considerable growth in recent years, with trade volumes steadily increasing. Erdogan highlighted that trade between the two countries, which stood at around $1 billion in 2019, had now reached approximately $3 billion in recent years. He expressed his belief that the shared target of $5 billion in trade volume was not only attainable but could be surpassed in the near future. To this end, Turkiye will host the first meeting of the Joint Economic and Trade Committee this year, which is expected to play a crucial role in achieving these ambitious economic goals. Prime Minister Fico echoed this sentiment, emphasizing the importance of boosting economic ties. "We are committed to working toward increasing the annual trade volume between our nations to 5 billion," Fico said. "Looking at the dynamic nature of our relations, I have no doubt that this goal is within reach." One of the key points discussed was Slovakia's increasing role in Turkiye's European Union aspirations. Fico reaffirmed Slovakia's strong support for Turkiyes EU accession process, noting that despite the difficulties and challenges inherent in the membership negotiations, Slovakia would remain steadfast in its support for Turkiyes ambitions. "Turkiye has expressed its determination to achieve full EU membership. Slovakia stands firmly behind you, and we hope to see your EU aspirations realized in the shortest time possible," Fico remarked. In addition to economic and political issues, the leaders addressed a number of key international concerns, such as the ongoing war in Ukraine and the situation in Syria. Both Erdogan and Fico expressed their commitment to finding a lasting and just peace in Ukraine, recognizing the profound impact the conflict has had on Europes security and stability. They both agreed that further escalation of the war would have dire consequences for the region, and they emphasized the need for diplomatic solutions that would bring about a just and lasting peace. Erdogan also mentioned Turkiye's efforts to address the humanitarian needs arising from the conflict, including the grain shipments that Turkiye has facilitated to help alleviate the global food crisis exacerbated by the war. However, he pointed out that despite efforts to coordinate with Russian and Ukrainian leaders, the full potential of the grain corridor had yet to be realized, and challenges in reaching the most needy regions, especially in Africa, remained. The two leaders also discussed the volatile situation in Syria, where both Turkiye and Slovakia share concerns about regional stability and security. Erdogan noted that ensuring stability in Syria was essential, and both countries emphasized the importance of removing international sanctions related to Syrias reconstruction in order to expedite recovery efforts. Slovakia, both bilaterally and within the EU framework, could contribute significantly to these efforts, Fico noted, offering Slovakias support for Syrias reconstruction process. Looking beyond bilateral relations, the discussions between Erdogan and Fico covered a range of regional and global issues. One of the major topics was the ongoing conflict between Hamas and Israel. Erdogan expressed his satisfaction with the ceasefire agreement reached between Hamas and Israel, emphasizing the need for the international community to ensure that both sides adhere to the terms of the agreement. He reiterated Turkiye's commitment to supporting the Palestinian cause, stressing the importance of a two-state solution based on the 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as the capital. Fico also expressed Slovakia's continued support for Turkiyes efforts in advocating for peace in the Middle East, particularly regarding the situation in Palestine. He praised Turkiyes role in facilitating the recent ceasefire and noted Slovakias alignment with Turkiye on the broader issues of regional stability and peace. Another area of discussion was Turkiyes role in energy security, particularly in relation to natural gas supplies to Slovakia. Given the current geopolitical tensions and energy concerns, Erdogan offered his support to Slovakia in addressing its energy needs, particularly in light of the recent disruption of natural gas supplies from Ukraine. "We are prepared to take the necessary steps to support Slovakias energy needs," Erdogan said, offering to engage in diplomatic talks with Russia to ensure the stability of natural gas supplies to Slovakia. This visit by Prime Minister Fico marks a new chapter in the growing relationship between Turkiye and Slovakia. Both countries recognize the importance of a solid, multifaceted partnership that transcends traditional diplomacy and encompasses economic, defense, and cultural cooperation. As Slovakia navigates its role within the European Union and looks to bolster its global presence, its collaboration with Turkiye, a key player in both regional and global politics, will continue to be a vital component of its foreign policy strategy. A family from North Dakota has filed a lawsuit against the Mayo Clinic and two of its orthopedic surgeons for permanently paralyzing their teenage girl from the waist down following corrective back surgeries. Kyla Barton was 13 years old when she walked into the Mayo Clinic after a routine softball health check led to the diagnosis of scoliosis caused by a grapefruit-sized tumor pressing her spine. In October 2023, Dr. Peter Rose of the Mayo Clinic recommended the teenager undergo three corrective procedures---the first will remove part of the tumor, the second will remove the rest, and the last procedure will correct the scoliosis. The lawsuit, however, alleges Rose failed to take precautions, which led to Barton being completely paralyzed from the waist down. "When we left Mayo, the only thing she could really do was sit up at the bed with four people assisting her," Ashley, the teen's mother, said, as quoted by The Minnesota Star Tribune. How the Doctors Allegedly Failed Barton In Barton's first two surgeries, Rose removed some bone and tissue along with the tumor. This allegedly weakened the spine. The lawsuit accused the doctors failed to insert metal rods and screws that could have helped stabilize the teenager's spine. It also accused the doctors of failing to keep Barton in a protective brace or restrict her to bed rest. Instead, the lawsuit said Barton was encouraged to get up and move around prior to her third procedure. Apart from Dr. Rose, the lawsuit also named Dr. Mohammed Karim. He covered for Rose, who left for a conference. Karim ordered an MRI, which found critical abnormalities in the girl's spine. The abnormalities were consistent with significant acute spinal cord injury. He later proceeded with an emergency surgery. It was noted that the teenager was not completely paraplegic when he performed the surgery, per Post Bulletin. Barton's family is now seeking an amount "far exceeding $75,000." How Did the Mayo Clinic Respond? In response to the lawsuit, the Mayo Clinic called the family's complaint inaccurate and argued that paralysis is a known complication in "complex spinal tumor surgeries." Mayo Clinic also said it will prove that the care they provided Barton was "thoughtful and appropriate." The Laken Riley Act has passed Congress as the House approved the Senate amendments that toughened it even more. It now goes to President Trump's desk for signing, the first bill to reach his desk in his second term. MAGA is showing WOKE how to govern. https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2025/01/22/congress-passes-laken-riley-act-sending-to-trumps-desk-to-sign-into-law/ ______________________________________________________________________________________ ORIGINAL POST: The US Senate has passed the Laken Riley Act to crack down on illegal alien criminals like the one who murdered nursing student Laken Riley. The bill passed by vote of 65 to 34 with 12 Democrats joining all Republicans. As already passed by the House, the bill requires ICE to detain for deportation any illegal alien who commits any type of theft including shoplifting. The Senate toughened the bill by adding the offenses of assault on a law enforcement officer and any offense that causes death or bodily harm, such as a DWI wreck. The bill will now go back to the House to agree to those changes. It is expected to be the first bill that Preisdent Trump will sign into law. https://redstate.com/streiff/2025/01/20/laken-riley-act-clears-the-senate-and-heads-back-to-the-house-n2184598 Crime is rampant among illegal aliens with some examples shown in this post: https://www.beaufortcountynow.com/post/78910/illegal-alien-migrants-behaving-badly-migrants-and-crime-newly-updated.html California Governor Gavin Newsom's refusal to address his state's long standing fire dangers has already been shown by things like his cutting $150 Million from the state budget for fire protection and only doing fire prevention maintenance in 12,000 or the 90,000 acres he promised. Now a veto of key fire protection legislation in 2020 has been brought to light. In 2020, a California Democrat legislator whose district had just suffered a major wildfire, intrudoced SB 182 to require local governments to take actions on fire mitigation and to restrict zoning in fire prone areas. The bill passed the legislature without serious opposition. When it got to Newsom's desk, however, he vetoed it. In his veto message he said he objected because he did not want fire prevention messures to take precedence over his affordable housing programs. As it turned out, Newsom's "affordable housing" projects did not go so well, either. State auditors have found he lost track of $24 Billion appropriated for that purpose. California also under Newsom has become the state with the greatest homelessness problem in the country. https://redstate.com/jenniferoo/2025/01/23/newsom-vetoed-a-bill-to-enhance-fire-mitigation-so-he-could-grab-the-land-for-affordable-housing-n2184698 https://www.zerohedge.com/weather/new-fire-explodes-over-10000-acres-north-la https://www.nbcnews.com/weather/wildfires/hughes-fire-evacuation-los-angeles-rcna188834 President Trump has ordered 1,500 active duty US soldiers to the Mexican border to halt illegal border crossings by illegal aliens. This will bolster the 2,500 reserve and National Guard forces already there. Administration officials expect deployment of active duty military forces at the Mexican border to ultimately reach 10,000. The Mexican crime cartels which have been involved in both human smuggling and drug smuggling have been declared international terrorist organizaitons by President Trump. These forces may also be deployed against those terrorists. It has not yet been revealed what rules of engagement they will be issued. In Latvia, when their military was sent to the border, the rules of engagement were to use whatever level of force was deemed necessary to stop illegal crossings. Deadly force has been used by both the Greek and Hungarian military against illegal aliens trying to storm thieir borders, although their rules of engagement were not made public. The mix of forces has also not been announced. Macedonia deployed highly trained special forces as part of their troop mix to stop illegal immigration. Greece, Austria, Hungary, and Macedonia have also included armored vechicles as part of their mix of forces deployed against illegal immigration. Australia, Greece, and Italy have included warships. The overwhelming majority of illegal alien border crossers are military aged males. https://www.zerohedge.com/military/pentagon-reportedly-deploying-1500-active-duty-troops-us-mexico-border https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2025/jan/22/blitz-illegal-immigration-underway-troops-border-d/ Meanwhile, Trump has given new powers to ICE agents to help facilitate rounding up illegal aliens. https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-14316011/Trump-mass-deportation-powers-federal-agencies.html Japan is known largely for being the healthiest country to age in and having some of the world's longest-living and happiest communities. But many of its elderly population are struggling with loneliness, so much so that they choose to commit crimes and go to jail rather than be alone. The country is currently experiencing a surge in elderly female prisoners aged 65 or older. A large number of these women are choosing to go to jail seeking friendship and healthcare to improve their quality of life rather than face loneliness in the outside world. In some cases, the women pay up to 30,000 Japanese Yen ($190) monthly to stay in prison. "There are even people who say they will pay 20,000 or 30,000 yen ($130-190) a month (if they can) live here forever," Takayoshi Shiranaga, an officer at Tochigi Women's Prison, told CNN. Why Do Elderly Women Choose the Prison? Elderly women who go to jail are usually "cold" or "hungry," Shiranaga noted. Some have also been abandoned by their families. However, those who stay in jail are provided regular meals and free healthcare and eldercare. They would have to pay for the medical bills once they get out of prison, which leads most of them to stay there as long as possible. To get into prison, more than 80% of elderly female prisoners steal, according to data from the Japanese government. For perspective, Japan's elderly population (those aged 65 or older) has hit a record high of 36.25 million people. They make up 29.3% of the population. Japan's Loneliness Epidemic Studies show that nearly 40% of Japanese people report feeling lonely, with the issue particularly acute among the elderly and younger populations. The consequences of Japan's loneliness epidemic are severe. Beyond mental health issues like anxiety and depression, loneliness also contributes to high suicide rates and solitary death, where individuals pass away unnoticed for extended periods. In the first half of 2024 alone, almost 40,000 people died alone in their homes in Japan. Of those, nearly 4,000 were discovered over a month after they died, and 130 went unmissed for a year before their bodies were found, according to BBC News. Iraqi lawmakers this week passed three divisive laws, including an amendment that critics say could legalize child marriage. The amendment introduced changes that allowed religious authorities such as Shiite or Sunni to govern family matters, including marriage, divorce, inheritance, and child care. It also abolished a ban on the marriage of children under the age of 18, which had been in place since 1959 under the Personal Status Law. Currently, the legal minimum age for marriage remains 18 in most cases. However, girls as young as 15 can marry if they are granted judicial approval and parental consent. They must also present medical proof that they have begun puberty and are menstruating. In some cases, children aged 14 can also be married under similar conditions. Critics are now warning that under specific interpretations of Islamic law, particularly the Jaafari school followed by many Shiite clerics, girls as young as nine could be deemed eligible for marriage. "We have reached the end of women's rights and the end of children's rights in Iraq," lawyer Mohammed Juma, one of the most prominent critics of the law, said, as quoted by The Guardian. The law could also increase the number of unregistered marriages, which could prevent women from obtaining government services, getting birth certificates for their children, or claiming their rights to a dowry or inheritance. What Do Proponents of the Law Say? According to AP News, the amendment's proponents, primarily conservative Shiite lawmakers, responded to critics by saying it was necessary to align their laws with Islamic principles and reduce Western influence on their culture. Council Speaker Mahmoud al-Mashhadani also said the amendment is an "important step in the process of enhancing justice and organizing the daily lives of citizens," KIMA TV reported. It was noted that the bill was signed into law even after a voting process took place despite not having the minimum number of lawmakers to pass it being present. Child Marriages in Iraq Child marriages remain a significant issue in Iraq, with 28% of girls married before the age of 18. At least 22% of unregistered marriages also involved girls under the age of 14, per the Human Rights Watch. Children who are married at a young age are also at higher risk of domestic violence, lack of access to proper education, and limited economic opportunities. Members of the family who own OxyContin maker Purdue Pharma have agreed to pay up to 7.4 billion dollars in a new settlement (Alamy/PA) Members of the family who own OxyContin maker Purdue Pharma have agreed to pay up to 7.4 billion dollars (6 billion) in a new settlement to lawsuits over the toll of the powerful prescription painkiller, New York Attorney General Letitia James said. The deal, agreed to by Purdue Pharma, the Sackler family members who own the company and lawyers representing state and local governments and thousands of victims of the opioid crisis, represents an increase of more than a billion dollars over a previous settlement deal that was rejected last year by the US Supreme Court. 'Ive had this girl examined by a doctor and she is pregnant. And you are the cause of it': The remarkable story of historic Irish case A brewery and craft beer bar is expanding and developing a new coffee shop and brand at its east Belfast base, it can be revealed. Bullhouse East, run by Bullhouse Brew Co, is opening up Nook at its Newtownards Road location in a bid to attract a coffee and work crowd in earlier in the day. The plan would be putting some good coffee into our bar Bullhouse East, Willy Mayne, founder of the bar and brewery, said. Nook is a new brand, so theres that point of difference. Its about taking it seriously and being quality-led. The coffee section of the bar will be open from 10am to 5pm. The name Nook stems from a former cafe which used to sit behind the bar, called Coffee Nook. People know us for beer, so we have developed the new brand to distinguish with coffee [brand]. We are hoping to be open mid-February and we have had good traction on social media. Willy says they are currently deciding on which coffee to use for the bar, and said they may wait until they hire their lead barista before choosing one. There are lots of local options, which are all very good quality, Willy says. If we could do a guest coffee, and keep a theme from the beer side of things, thats what wed like to do. We have been working on a concept for a [standalone] cafe at some stage, but this isnt that yet. Willy said he received 22 applications for the post of lead barista in the space of two days. There has been demand from people to lead that role, and there is a good field of candidates, he said. We will be doing third-wave coffee in Bullhouse extending the bar, with new furniture and more of front section where coffee machine is and making it more comfortable for people to do work. We are also looking ta food options, expanding hours, and the lunch time offer. Bullhouse Brew Co expanded from production in south Belfast to launching a standalone craft beer bar on the Newtownards Road in east Belfast in June 2022. 'It was like a breath of relief': Frank Mitchell on why he was glad he took redundancy from UTV In the latest Meaning of Life interview, the U105 star on why the Catholic Church needs to modernise, getting a surprise phone call from Liam Neeson, divisions in sport and his stance on Casement Park U105 presenter and Belfast Telegraph columnist Frank Mitchell. Pic: Kevin Scott Gillian Halliday Thu 23 Jan 2025 at 08:27 Each work day when Frank Mitchell hits the button on the elevator at the UTV headquarters in Belfasts City Quays 2 that takes him to the ground floor, he reflects on a career-changing decision he made nearly four years ago. Courts TV presenter and DJ who crashed while more than twice the drink-drive limit is fined and banned 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) Figures revealing length of handover times outside A&Es during the winter described by one MLA as beyond distressing New figures reveal a patient was left waiting in an ambulance for more than a day outside a hospital emergency department before being admitted. The longest ambulance handover waiting times were at Antrim Area Hospital (25 hours and 15 minutes), followed by the Ulster Hospital (23 hours and 36 minutes). It is a further indication of just how much pressure hospitals have been under over the colder months due to a spike in flu and respiratory illnesses, and a lack of care packages for those ready to be discharged. Data from Stormonts Department of Health shows there were 8,510 patients brought to hospitals in December. Some 8,038 ambulance handovers took longer than 15 minutes, while 3,963 took longer than an hour. The average handover time was one hour and 48 minutes. Ambulances lines up outside Antrim Area Hospital (Picture: Peter Morrison) Figures for the longest handover time recorded at each hospital for the period December 1, 2024 to January 13, 2025 show Craigavon Area Hospital in third place (18 hours and 42 minutes), followed by the Mater in Belfast (16 hours and nine minutes). Alliance MLA Danny Donnelly, deputy chair of Stormonts health committee, said: It is beyond distressing to hear that some handover times have reached over 25 hours, leaving ambulance staff to care for patients in the vehicle. This is utterly unacceptable for both the patients and the staff, and the detrimental knock-on effects this will have on the health of patients is unimaginable. Our healthcare staff are struggling, and as a result our patients are not receiving the adequate care they deserve. We urgently need a workforce plan and additional reforms from the Department of Health to enhance the capacity of our ambulance service and improve patient flow through emergency care and out of hospitals. DUP health spokesperson Diane Dodds said delayed handovers represent not just a loss to the health service in terms of operational time and the financial cost, but there is also an impact on patient safety, with evidence showing delayed handovers increase the risk of harm. Issues within emergency departments are affected by the flow of patients throughout the entire hospital, she said. If people are not able to be discharged despite being medically fit, then it can mean patients already in the emergency departments are unable to find beds and those arriving are unable to be transferred. Mrs Dodds said it was recently confirmed to her there were more than 500 people taking up hospital beds who should have been discharged. This self-sabotage cant be allowed to go on, she added. Diane Dodds I repeat my call for the minister (Mike Nesbitt) to establish a dedicated team to tackle delayed discharges. The minister claims the issue of ambulance handovers has been a key priority and a lot of attention given to it. This could hardly be considered a picture of success. Where might we be otherwise? The NI Ambulance Service said current challenges are a result of the pressures faced across the system and which are manifested most in the pressures at A&E and patient flow through hospitals. These pressures have resulted in prolonged turnaround times for ambulances at emergency departments which impacts upon our ability to respond to emergency calls within the community, it said. NIAS continues to work with colleagues across the health and social care system to find solutions to these issues. NIAS operates a clinical triage system to ensure that the most clinically ill or urgent calls receive the most immediate response. Unfortunately, this means that those patients whose needs are less clinically urgent will face delays in ambulance response. It apologised to any patient who had waited longer than they expected. It is not the service that we want to provide, it said, urging the public to consider alternatives to dialling 999 when possible. Paramedics are available in its control centre to give advice to patients and ambulance crews are trained to consider if patients would be better suited by options other than attendance at an emergency department. Like many areas of health and social care, the demand for our services exceeds the capacity we have to respond in a timely manner, it added. NIAS is currently working with the Department of Health to progress a business case which recommends a multi-year investment plan to provide all the staff, fleet and accommodation required to sustain delivery and performance. The Department of Health said reducing ambulance handover delays outside emergency departments has been a key priority due to the impact this has on the Ambulance Services capacity to respond to calls. It added that handover delays are monitored on a daily basis and this information is circulated widely within the system, including to health trust chief executives. It said: Collaboration with trusts, including the Hospital at Home initiative, have further supported community-based care by minimising hospital admissions and ensuring high-quality care delivery closer to patients homes. Ambulance waiting times have been slammed as 'utterly unacceptable' News Catch Up - Thursday 23 January Michael Longley has been described as a prince of the English language after his death at the age of 85. One of Irelands most celebrated poets, his work spanned several decades, and won a series of high-profile awards. He passed away in hospital on Wednesday. Irish President Michael D Higgins described him as a peerless poet. Born in Belfast in 1939 and educated at the Royal Belfast Academical Institution, Longley studied classics at Trinity College, Dublin. At Trinity he met his future wife Edna and after their marriage in the mid-1960s they settled back in Belfast. Longley published his first collection of poetry, No Continuing City, when he was 30. In 1994, he wrote his most famous poem, 'Ceasefire'. Other poems written in this period include The Troubles, The Ice-cream Man and All of these People. He was appointed a CBE in 2010 and from 2007 to 2010 was Ireland Professor of Poetry. Paying tribute, Mr Higgins said: I regarded him as a peerless poet with at least three poetic lives. It is, however, the generosity of his heart, and the lovely cadence of a voice of love and friendship that I will most remember. Michael Longley will be recognised as one of the greatest poets that Ireland has ever produced, and it has long been my belief that his work is of the level that would be befitting of a Nobel Prize for Literature. The range of his work was immense, be it from the heartbreak of loss to the assurance of the resilience of beauty in nature. In his poems, we find a quiet attentiveness to the vagaries of the human heart, its ambitions, its disappointments, its successes and failures, and above all its capacity for empathy. Michael worked to give space and actuality to the moral imperative that we must live together with forbearance, with understanding, with compassion and insight, and above all else, perhaps, with hope. Artist Colin Davidson, who painted his portrait, said he was "filled with sadness". "Michael was one of the Belfast greats. One of the Irish greats. One of the worlds greats," he said. "A poet whose work quietly whispered those truths which we all needed to hear. During our darkest days, and indeed our most joyous days, his words were a touchstone for our traumatised and most hurt people." SDLP leader Claire Hanna proposed Mr Longley for the Freedom of Belfast in 2015. She recalled a wonderful person. We are deeply saddened at the death of our great poet, Michael Longley, who I had the privilege of knowing as a family friend and neighbour. I offer my deepest condolences to his wife of 60 years, Edna, his family and his grandchildren, she said. "Michael was a prince of the English language who transcended the narrow categories of Irish and British. He was our greatest living poet. More pertinently, he was a beautiful human being, kind generous, open humorous. He was truly a wonderful person. "It was a deep honour to nominate him for the Freedom of Belfast in recognition of the massive artistic contribution he made to his native city. "Wherever in the world his career took him, he always remained a Belfast man at heart and you can see that in much of his work. Mr Longley also worked as a teacher and served as director of literature and traditional arts for the Arts Council of Northern Ireland from 1970 to 1991. Chair of the Arts Council Maura McGrath said: Through a vital career that spanned decades, Longley leaves a rich legacy of poetry and praise. "Dedicated to his writing and to the poetic form, he inspired generations of readers and young poets through his work, his criticism and his teaching. "As warm as he was wise, Michael Longley was a literary giant, and his poems will continue to be treasured by readers in Ireland and around the world. We will miss him. Longleys books of poetry include No Continuing City (1969), An Exploded View (1973), Man Lying on a Wall (1976), The Echo Gate (1979) and The Ghost Orchid (1995), which was short-listed for the T.S. Eliot Award. Gorse Fires won the Whitbread Poetry Prize in 1991, and The Weather in Japan won the Irish Times Literature Prize for Poetry, the Hawthornden Prize and the T.S. Eliot Prize in 2001. He published an autobiographical work, Tuppeny Stung, in 1994, and edited selections of poems by Louis MacNeice and W. R. Rodgers. He also wrote about jazz, painting and natural history. In 2022 he was awarded the prestigious Feltrinelli International Poetry Prize for a lifetime's achievement. Detectives are appealing for information following the burglary of a jewellery store in Co Tyrone. The incident occurred on the morning of January 21 but is believed to have taken place at some time in the night. The store, situated on Urbal Road area of Coagh, was entered by force through a back entrance of the property and saw a substantial amount of jewellery and cash taken. Detective Inspector Ryan said: It was reported yesterday morning, Tuesday 21st January, that sometime overnight, entry had been forced via a rear door to the premises, the seals in glass cabinets broken, and a substantial amount of jewellery and cash was taken. Our enquiries are ongoing and we are keen to speak to anyone who may be able to assist us. Were you in the area and saw anything? Do you have dashcam, CCTV or other video footage? In particular, we would be keen to speak to anyone who may have been travelling in a dark coloured vehicle in the area at the time. The number to call is 101, quoting reference 359 21/01/24. Detective Inspector Ryan added: We would also encourage all business owners to be vigilant and take the right security measures to protect your business from crime. This includes making best use of alarm systems, CCTV and other measures to secure premises. "Support from the community is also really important and we'd urge anyone who sees anything out of the ordinary, or something suspicious in their area, to report it to us immediately. The faster information is reported, the quicker we can take action." PSNI Stock image [Aodhan Roberts/Belfast Telegraph] News Catch Up - Wednesday 22 January Micheal Martin has said he is thankful to his supporters after he received the backing of the Irish parliament to be nominated as the countrys next premier. Parliamentarians voted 95 to 76 in support of the nomination of the Fianna Fail leader, the day after a chaotic row disrupted the process and resulted in the suspension of the Dail. Fianna Fail leader Micheal Martin leaves Leinster House (Liam McBurney/PA) Speaking after he was nominated for the role, Mr Martin said: It is a profound honour to be nominated to serve as head of the government in a free, democratic and diverse republic. Today, I am deeply conscious of the democratic tradition which our country has developed over more than a century. We should never take for granted the freedoms and opportunities secured for us by the generations who sat here before us, and by the men and women who fought and campaigned for the establishment of Dail Eireann. Our democracy has remained strong through some of the gravest challenges of a turbulent century. We have continued to have free debate and free elections. We have never wavered in our commitment to the peaceful resolution of disputes. The most powerful thing about the mandate which each of us holds is that it is based on the support of our families, our supporters, in most cases our parties, and above all our communities. I could not be more thankful to all of those who have been at my side and have helped me to achieve the honour of being nominated to serve as taoiseach. Mr Martin is now travelling to meet President Michael D Higgins at his official residence at Aras an Uachtarain in Dublin, where he will formally become Irelands taoiseach. Micheal Martin with President Michael D Higgins (Maxwell Photography/PA) Mr Higgins will sign the warrant of appointment and hand Mr Martin the Seal of the Taoiseach. The nomination was originally supposed to have taken place on Wednesday, but a dispute over speaking rights for independents affiliated with the incoming coalition led to the Dail being adjourned. Mr Martins Fianna Fail emerged as the largest party after the Irish general election at the end of November. It agreed to re-enter a coalition with Fine Gael, led by outgoing Taoiseach Simon Harris. The two parties combined were just short of a majority in the Dail and will be supported by several independent TDs (MPs) for the five-year government term after lengthy negotiations. Efforts to nominate Mr Martin on Wednesday had to be abandoned over a disagreement on whether Government-affiliated TDs could be allocated opposition speaking time. Simon Harris and Micheal Martin (Brian Lawless/PA) The Dail reconvened at 11.40am on Thursday to proceed with the nomination of a taoiseach after extensive negotiations resulted in agreement that parliamentary rules needed to be reviewed. Sinn Fein put party leader Mary Lou McDonald forward for the role, but she conceded in her speech that the bid would not be successful. Mr Martin, 64, served as taoiseach in the last coalition government with Fine Gael and the Green Party. That coalition introduced a rotating taoiseach mechanism which saw the top office swapped between the leaders of Fianna Fail and Fine Gael midway through the term. The arrangement will be repeated, although on a three-to-two-year basis in favour of Fianna Fail in recognition of the partys 10-seat lead over Fine Gael. It continues a partnership which began in 2020 and set aside almost a century of animosity between the two parties forged from opposing sides of Irelands Civil War of the 1920s. Mr Martin, from Cork, cites the moment Ireland became the first country to implement a workplace smoking ban in 2004 during his time as health minister as among his proudest political achievements. Micheal Martin (Julien Behal/PA) The son of an Irish international boxer, he has also held cabinet ministries for enterprise, foreign affairs, defence and education. He has been the leader of Fianna Fail since 2011. Mr Harris, the outgoing Taoiseach and leader of Fine Gael, will take the deputy premier role of tanaiste. Mr Martin will later nominate members of the next government. The incoming cabinet will also travel to the State Reception Room of Aras an Uachtarain to receive their Seals of Office. The final make-up of that cabinet will be closely watched with some departments expected to be reshaped as portfolios swap between Fine Gael and Fianna Fail. Fianna Fail will hold most cabinet positions, with independents securing two super junior ministries with seats at the table during formation talks. The independents-backed Government has already faced a number of rows around the make-up of the coalition. Axel Rudakubana is due to be sentenced at Liverpool Crown Court on Thursday (Merseyside Police/PA) Injuries suffered by the Southport murder victims are difficult to explain as anything other than sadistic in nature, prosecutors have said. A sentencing hearing at Liverpool Crown Court on Thursday heard that Axel Rudakubana, 18, carried out a pre-meditated, planned knife attack upon multiple victims, principally young girls, intending to kill them. The court was also told that Rudakubana said Im glad theyre dead as he was held in a custody suite after killing the three girls at a Southport dance class. Deanna Heer KC told the court: Three children were killed, two of whom suffered particularly horrific injuries which are difficult to explain as anything other than sadistic in nature; and the defendant attempted to kill 10 others, inflicting a number of stab wounds upon them, including to their backs as they tried to escape. A prison van believed to contain Axel Rudakubana arriving at Liverpool Crown Court Alice da Silva Aguiar, nine, Bebe King, six, and Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven, died following the attack at the Taylor Swift-themed class in The Hart Space on a small business park in the seaside town shortly before midday on July 29. The defendant, who was 17 at the time of the killings, admitted their murders as well as the attempted murders of eight other children, who cannot be named for legal reasons, class instructor Leanne Lucas and businessman John Hayes. Wearing a grey tracksuit and surgical mask, Rudakubana entered the dock shortly after 11.45am on Thursday. He immediately sat and put his head down onto his knees and did not respond at all when asked to confirm his name. The judge, Mr Justice Goose, later ordered Rudakubana to leave the dock as he shouted repeatedly during the hearing. One family member shouted coward, while others shook their heads as he left. Rudakubana had been shouting: Its not my fault, I feel ill, and repeatedly shouted for a paramedic. When the judge tried to carry on with the case, Rudakubana shouted: Dont continue. The prosecution opening continued in his absence and Mr Justice Goose said he would be brought back in to be sentenced later in the day. Ms Heer told the court that images and documents were found on Rudakubanas devices which demonstrated that he had a long standing obsession with violence, killing and genocide. Amongst those documents was a version of the Al-Qaeda training manual, which provides instruction on how to commit acts of terror, including with a knife and with poisons, including ricin, she added. A number of weapons were also recovered in searches of his home, including the biological toxin ricin which the defendant had produced in his bedroom. Ms Heer added: Having researched atrocities committed by others, the evidence suggests that he set out to emulate them on the 29 July. There is no evidence that he ascribed to any particular political or religious ideology; he wasnt fighting for a cause. His only purpose was to kill, and he targeted the youngest, most vulnerable in order to spread the greatest level of fear and outrage, which he succeeded in doing. Whilst under arrest at the police station after the incident, Axel Rudakubana was heard to say, Its a good thing those children are dead Im so glad so happy. More than 30 members of the victims families were in the public gallery of the court for the sentencing and the court heard there were others in an annexe. A jealous boyfriend who brutally murdered his partner after wrongly believing she was having an affair has been jailed for life. Tanaka Zivanai, 32, repeatedly stabbed Zanele Sibanda, 28, after confronting her in a Gloucester street (Andrew Matthews/PA) A jealous boyfriend who brutally murdered his partner after wrongly believing she was having an affair has been jailed for life. Tanaka Zivanai, 32, repeatedly stabbed Zanele Sibanda, 28, after confronting her in a Gloucester street. Bristol Crown Court heard the attack took place in the early hours of August 27 last year in the Tredworth area of the city in front of shocked onlookers. Tanaka Zivanai, 32, repeatedly stabbed Zanele Sibanda, 28, after confronting her in a Gloucester street (Gloucestershire Police/PA) Robin Shellard, prosecuting, said the murder was the culmination of an argument which had started the previous evening in which the defendant had accused his partner of cheating on her. Tanaka Zivanai murdered his partner, Zanele Sibanda, on the streets of Gloucester in front of a number of members of public after showing signs of jealousy, accusing her of infidelity and to be arguing with her, he told the court. He brutally assaulted her with a knife he had brought with him from his home, leaving her with multiple stab wounds, which caused her to die at the scene of the assault. The court heard the Zimbabwe-born defendant and Ms Sibanda, who was from South Africa, had arrived separately in the UK in 2023 and began a relationship after getting jobs as care workers. They moved into a flat together in Tredworth and neighbours would often hear a man shouting and a woman crying. On one occasion neighbours heard the defendant shouting: Have you been f****** someone else? On another occasion, the mother-of-two was visiting a friend and the defendant phoned her and shouted: Ill kill you if you come here, dont come back to this house. Stay wherever the f*** you are. You come back, Ill kill you. On the evening of the murder, neighbours heard shouting and swearing and saw a man and woman in the street. CCTV in the local area captures the man and woman in the street and often returning to a nearby flat as the argument continues. A short time later neighbours heard a woman screaming and saw a man kneeling on the floor with a woman in his lap, with him saying: Wake up, get up, get up. Another neighbour called the police as he had seen the man with his hand over the womans mouth and then stabbed her, Mr Shellard said. He described how the defendant started to cut himself. He said how he had seen the defendant stab the woman repeatedly. His brother also saw the attack and had heard an argument about a visa and the woman saying how she was going to make him go back home. Police officers and paramedics attempted to save Ms Sibandas life but she was declared dead at the scene of the attack at the junction of Paul Street and Tarrington Road. A post-mortem examination found Ms Sibanda had died from multiple stab wounds to the head, throat, body and arms. Zivanai, of Dora Walk, Tredworth, Gloucester had previously pleaded guilty to murder and possession of a knife in a public place. John Burton KC, defending, said the murder was committed in horrific circumstances. He not only feels genuine remorse for this offence, but theres a deep seated grief which almost appeared at the very start, even though he was the cause of this death, he said. Mr Zivanai clearly lost complete control of himself, not in the legal sense, but he completely lost control of himself in a literal sense and caused this young ladys death. Judge William Hart jailed Zivanai for life and told him he would serve a minimum of 20 years and 10 months imprisonment before he could be considered for parole. You were angry and aggressive, and she was cowed by your behaviour, the judge said. You appear to have become convinced that she was in some form of relationship, perhaps an affair, with another man. That was, as far as the evidence indicates, a wholly groundless suspicion and that form of jealousy appears to have been a feature of much of your relationship. You attacked Ms Sibanda with a knife which you had brought with you to that location from your home. The circumstances of this poor young womans killing were horrific. A New Scotland Yard sign outside the Curtis Green building on Victoria Embankment in London, as construction work continues on the new headquarters for the Metropolitan Police. The Metropolitan Police has been removed from special measures after more than two years as good progress has been made, the watchdog said. The force had been put into special measures following extensive criticism it faced after the death of Sarah Everard, who was abducted and murdered by serving Met police officer Wayne Couzens. Scotland Yard was put under enhanced monitoring by His Majestys Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire and Rescue Services (HMICFRS) in June 2022 after concerns about its performance, including issues of confidence and trust in the force. After being under enhanced monitoring for more than two-and-a-half years, the force has now been removed to routine monitoring by the watchdog. Sir Mark Rowley said the progress the Met has made would not have been possible without the unwavering passion, sense of duty, courage and hard work of our officers and staff (Jordan Pettitt/PA) Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley said the whole force has worked to fix its broken foundations and make sure officers are set up to deliver for London. He added: The progress we have made over the last two-and-a-half years would not have been possible without the unwavering passion, sense of duty, courage and hard work of our officers and staff in the face of some incredibly challenging circumstances. Their achievement is all the more extraordinary in a budget constrained, shrinking Met which is facing increased demand. HMICFRS said the Met has made a number of improvements, including in how quickly calls are answered, in professional standards and in investigating missing children. Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said: Today marks an important and welcome step in the Metropolitan Polices improvement plan to increase standards and rebuild confidence. In London and across the country, communities rightly expect the highest standards from their local force. While the scale of the challenge is clear, and there have been many problems to deal with, the commitment and progress made by the Met commissioner, deputy commissioner, officers and staff across the capital in raising standards is extremely important, and reflects the hard work and dedication of all those involved. Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said she will continue to work closely with the Commissioner and the Mayor (PA) Mayor of London Sir Sadiq Khan said he welcomed the decision by HMICFRS, but said there is still more to do. Having asked the HMICFRS to look in particular at concerns around child sexual exploitation, its reassuring that the Met Police have made significant improvements in this area, including around missing children and victim blaming language, Sir Sadiq said. Theres still more to do, and as mayor, Ill continue to work with the commissioner to ensure we drive through the further improvements needed as we build a safer London for everyone. Palestinians stand near buildings destroyed by an Israeli air and ground offensive on January 19 (Mohammad Hajjar/AP) Gazas Health Ministry said Israeli tank fire killed two Palestinians near the southern border town of Rafah, days after a ceasefire in the war-battered territory took hold. The ministry said on Thursday that Israeli shelling hit the Tel al-Sultan district west of Rafah, killing two brothers near their home. It said the firing apparently targeted a residential building, without elaborating. The Palestinian Civil Defence confirmed it had recovered the two bodies. The Israeli military, which has forces deployed at the nearby border between Gaza and Egypt, did not respond to a request for comment on the attack. Further details were not immediately available. With Israeli shelling and bombardment otherwise halted since the ceasefire took effect on Sunday, rescue workers have intensified their attempts to find and recover bodies trapped beneath the rubble of destroyed buildings. Palestinians look for the bodies of their relatives, who were killed in the Israeli bombardment of the Gaza Strip, at the Nasser hospital in Khan Younis (Jehad Alshrafi/AP) In some cases, the bodies have languished for weeks or months, inaccessible because of the danger. The health ministry, which does not distinguish between civilians and militants, reported on Thursday that at least 120 dead bodies had been recovered and registered at hospitals across the Gaza Strip. At Nasser Hospital in the southern city of Khan Younis, Palestinian families looked for dead relatives among the body bags laid out in a sandy courtyard. The overall Palestinian death toll in Gaza exceeds 47,000 people, according to the ministry. Elsewhere, Lebanese militant group Hezbollah said any delay in Israeli forces withdrawal from southern Lebanon would necessitate a firm response from the state. Under the terms of the US and French-brokered ceasefire, Israeli troops are expected to pull out of Lebanon by Sunday. Israeli media has recently reported that Israel is seeking to postpone the completion of its withdrawal. Hezbollah had warned it could resume rocket and drone fire if Israel failed to withdraw on time. However, in a statement on Thursday addressing these reports, the group called on the Lebanese state to take action in response to potential violations. We call on all parties, especially the Lebanese political authorities, to exert pressure on the countries sponsoring the agreement to ensure the final days of the deadline are monitored effectively, Hezbollah said in a statement. Under the ceasefire deal, Hezbollah and Israel are both supposed to withdraw from southern Lebanon by Sunday to allow the Lebanese army and U.N. peacekeepers to provide security. Residents of Naqoura returned on Thursday to the southern town near the Lebanon-Israel border, which hosts the headquarters of the UN peacekeeping force, after Israeli forces withdrew from the area. Long lines of cars, some waving Hezbollah flags, inched along the coastal road. The Lebanese Army and UN peacekeepers had reopened roads, cleared mines and removed unexploded ordnance from residential neighbourhoods. Residents of the town were among over 1.2 million Lebanese displaced during the Israel-Hezbollah war. Returning residents found their homes and businesses along the main road completely destroyed, some looted. Water and electricity networks lay in ruins. Mosques, health centres and the municipality building were damaged. Some residents sifted through the wreckage, searching for anything salvageable. Humanitarian aid trucks enter through the Kerem Shalom crossing from Egypt into the Gaza Strip, in Rafah, on Wednesday (Jehad Alshrafi/AP) Meanwhile, the UNs migration agency said it has sent its first convoy of trucks into the Gaza Strip since the ceasefire began, carrying materials for shelters as well as water, sanitation and hygiene supplies to provide relief for approximately 10,000 people. The International Organisation for Migration said it sent trucks from Jordan to Gaza carrying 13,000 sleeping mats, 11,000 mattresses, 11,000 blankets, 10,000 pillows with pillowcases, 2,000 plastic sheets, and 1,200 hygiene kits. Around 90% of Gazas population of 2.3 million people has been displaced by the war, and the United Nations estimated last month that 69% of the structures in Gaza have been damaged or destroyed, including more than 245,000 homes. Will Scharf assists as President Donald Trump signs an executive order at an indoor Presidential Inauguration parade event in Washington on Monday (Susan Walsh/AP) A federal judge on Thursday temporarily blocked President Donald Trumps executive order redefining birthright citizenship, calling it blatantly unconstitutional during the first hearing in a multi-state effort challenging the order. US District Judge John C Coughenour ruled in the case brought by the states of Washington, Arizona, Illinois and Oregon, which argue the 14th Amendment and Supreme Court case law have cemented birthright citizenship. The temporary restraining order sought by the states was the first to get a hearing before a judge and applies nationally. The case is one of five lawsuits being brought by 22 states and a number of immigrants rights groups across the country. The suits include personal testimonies from attorneys general who are US citizens by birthright, and names pregnant women who are afraid their children will not become US citizens. President Donald Trump signed scores of executive orders on his first day back in the Oval Office (Evan Vucci/AP) Judge Coughenour, a Ronald Reagan appointee, began the hearing by grilling the administrations lawyers, saying the order boggles the mind. This is a blatantly unconstitutional order, he said. Judge Coughenour said he has been on the bench for more than four decades, and he could not remember seeing another case where the action challenged was so clearly unconstitutional. Justice Department lawyer Brett Shumate said he respectfully disagreed and asked the judge for an opportunity to have a full briefing on the merits of the case, rather than have a 14-day restraining order issued blocking its implementation. Arguing for the states, Washington assistant attorney general Lane Polozola labelled as absurd the governments argument that the children of parents living in the country illegally are not subject to the jurisdiction of the United States. Are they not subject to the decisions of the immigration courts? he asked. Must they not follow the law while they are here? He also said the restraining order was warranted because, among other reasons, the executive order would immediately start requiring the states to spend millions to revamp health care and benefits systems to consider an applicants citizenship status. The executive order will impact hundreds of thousands of citizens nationwide who will lose their citizenship under this new rule, Mr Polozola said. Births cannot be paused while the court considers this case. Signed by Mr Trump on Inauguration Day, the order was slated to take effect on February 19. It could affect hundreds of thousands of people born in the country, according to one of the lawsuits. In 2022, there were about 255,000 births of citizen children to mothers living in the country illegally and about 153,000 births to two such parents, according to the four-state suit filed in Seattle. The US is among about 30 countries where birthright citizenship the principle of jus soli or right of the soil is applied. Most are in the Americas, and Canada and Mexico are among them. The lawsuits argue that the 14th Amendment to the US Constitution guarantees citizenship for people born and naturalised in the US, and states have been interpreting the amendment that way for a century. Ratified in 1868 in the aftermath of the Civil War, the amendment says: All persons born or naturalised in the United States and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside. Mr Trumps order asserts that the children of noncitizens are not subject to the jurisdiction of the United States, and orders federal agencies to not recognise citizenship for children who dont have at least one parent who is a citizen. The US Department of Justice later said in a statement that it will vigorously defend the presidents executive order, which it said correctly interprets the 14th Amendment of the US Constitution. We look forward to presenting a full merits argument to the court and to the American people, who are desperate to see our nations laws enforced, the department said. John Ratcliffe is the new director of the CIA (John McDonnell/AP) The US Senate has confirmed John Ratcliffe as CIA director, giving President Donald Trump the second member of his new Cabinet. Mr Ratcliffe was director of national intelligence during Mr Trumps first term and is the first person to have held that position and the top post at the CIA, the nations premier spy agency. The Texas Republican is a former federal prosecutor who emerged as a fierce Trump defender while serving as a congressman during Mr Trumps first impeachment. The vote was 74-25. At his Senate hearing last week, Mr Ratcliffe said the CIA must do better when it comes to using technology such as artificial intelligence to confront adversaries including Russia and China. John Ratcliffe appearing before the Senate Intelligence Committee for his confirmation hearing (John McDonnell/AP) He said the United States needed to improve its intelligence capabilities while also ensuring the protection of Americans civil rights. Mr Ratcliffe said that if confirmed, he would push the CIA to do more to harness technologies such as AI and quantum computing while expanding use of human intelligence collection. Were not where were supposed to be, Mr Ratcliffe told members of the Senate Intelligence Committee. Democrats raised questions about Mr Ratcliffes objectivity and whether his loyalty to Mr Trump would prompt him to politicise his position and blind him to the duties of the job. Concerns from Democrat Senator Chris Murphy forced the Senates Republican leaders to postpone Mr Ratcliffes confirmation vote, which was originally scheduled for Tuesday. Former Florida senator Marco Rubio was confirmed earlier this week as secretary of state, the first member of Mr Trumps Cabinet. Mr Ratcliffe has said he views China as Americas greatest geopolitical rival, and that Russia, Iran, North Korea and drug cartels, hacking gangs and terrorist organisations also pose challenges to national security. He supports the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, a government spying programme that allows authorities to collect without warrant the communications of non-Americans outside the country. If those people are communicating with Americans, those conversations can be swept up, too, which has led to questions about violations of personal rights. Mr Trump and other Republicans have criticised the work of the CIA and other spy agencies, saying they have focused too much on climate change, workforce diversity and other issues. The calls for a broad overhaul have worried some current and former intelligence officials who say the changes could make the country less safe. Like other Trump nominees, Mr Ratcliffe is a Trump loyalist. Aside from his work to defend Mr Trump during his first impeachment proceedings, Mr Ratcliffe also forcefully questioned former special counsel Robert Mueller when he gave evidence about his investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election. As director of national intelligence, Mr Ratcliffe oversaw and co-ordinated the work of more than a dozen spy agencies. Among other duties, the office directs efforts to detect and counter foreign efforts to influence US politics. Mr Trump picked Mr Ratcliffe to serve in that position in 2019, but he quickly withdrew from consideration after politicians raised questions about his qualifications. He was ultimately confirmed by a sharply divided Senate after Mr Trump resubmitted the nomination. In that job, Mr Ratcliffe was accused by Democrats of politicising intelligence when he declassified Russian intelligence that purported to reveal information about Democrats during the 2016 election even as he acknowledged the information might not be accurate. Mr Trumps second-term nominee for director of national intelligence, Tulsi Gabbard, faces a tougher road to confirmation. Ms Gabbard, a former Democratic congresswoman from Hawaii, has faced bipartisan criticism over past comments supportive of Russia and 2017 meetings with then-Syrian president Bashar Assad. Pete Hegseth, Donald Trumps choice to be defence secretary (Mark Schiefelbein/AP) Later on Thursday, it emerged that Pete Hegseth, Mr Trumps nominee for defence secretary, paid 50,000 dollars (40,4950 to the woman who accused him of sexual assault in 2017, according to answers he provided to a senator during his confirmation process that The Associated Press has obtained. The answers were provided to Massachusetts Democratic Senator Elizabeth Warren in response to additional questions she had for Mr Hegseth as part of the vetting process. Mr Hegseths lawyer Timothy Parlatore declined to comment on the figure on Thursday. Mr Hegseth told police at the time that the encounter had been consensual and denied any wrongdoing. He told senators during his confirmation hearing last week that he was falsely accused in the 2017 incident and completely cleared. The news of the payment amount comes the same day the Senate advanced Mr Hegseths nomination along a party-line vote. Two Republicans, Senator Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Senator Susan Collins of Maine, broke with Mr Trump and voted against Mr Hegseth, who also has faced allegations of excessive drinking and being abusive to his second wife, which he denies. BENNINGTON Long-standing firearms charges against Bennington resident Max Misch were upheld by a Bennington judge as an April trial date is set. Long-standing charges that called into question Vermont gun control law, the right of citizens under the Second Amendment, what constitutes protected behavior, and, during its long course, involved national gun control organizations. The charges were upheld by a Bennington Judge in a 15-page written decision, which, for now, dismissed the notion that purchasing or possessing large-capacity magazines is protected conduct under Federal law. Max Misch of Bennington was charged in February 2019 with two misdemeanor counts of possessing large capacity ammunition feeding devices, or 30-round magazines, in violation of a 2018 Vermont law which banned devices of more than 15 rounds for handguns and 10 rounds for a long firearm. The case was challenged for the first time in March 2019 based on the theory that the Vermont law violated Mischs right to bear arms under the Vermont constitution. In June of that same year, the court denied Mischs motion, noting that the law advances the peoples public-safety interest in a modest and reasonable way while respecting the right to bear arms." An appeal of that ruling followed, and, in February 2021, the Vermont Supreme Court ruled that the law was a reasonable exercise of the states power and imposed a minimal burden on the right to bear arms. In October 2021, Misch again tried to dismiss the case, arguing that the Vermont law violated his rights under the Second Amendment. The Vermont Supreme Court again rejected that argument, citing several instances in which appellate courts had rejected similar Second Amendment arguments. They concluded by stating that the law was not unconstitutional. The case dragged on over several more years, complicated by a June 2022 U.S. Supreme Court ruling called "New York State Rifle and Pistol Association v. Bruen," which rebuked the two-tier way that courts were handling Second Amendment challenges up to that point. The Bruen case challenged New York States handgun license requirements. The U.S. Supreme Court decision changed the way the Second Amendment was interpreted. Instead of judges deciding the individual elements and cases, the Supreme Court held that any second-amendment issues needed to be viewed through a historical lens. Reliance on history to inform the meaning of a constitutional text especially text meant to codify a pre-existing right- is, in our view, more legitimate, wrote justices in the Bruen ruling. In light of the Bruen decision, Misch filed a renewed motion to dismiss the charges. The Vermont Supreme Court ruled that in a challenge to the constitutionality of the Vermont law, the court must first determine whether the conduct possession of a large-capacity magazine fell within the scope of Second Amendment protections. The defendant bears the burden first proving that the conduct falls within those protections, then the government bears the burden in the second step. Suppose they find that the conduct falls within those protections. In that case, they (the government) must then justify the regulation by demonstrating that a particular law is consistent with the Nations historical tradition of firearms regulation. In Bennington Judge Kerry McDonald-Cadys written decision, she notes that the state felt that the challenges already failed to meet their Second Amendment burdens, reasoning that evidence weighed in favor of 10 rounds or fewer being sufficient for most self-defense scenarios. She also noted that the state had previously indicated that magazines are accessories rather than arms, that they are primarily for military use, and that they are not in common use for self-defense. While disagreeing with certain aspects of prior court rulings, such as magazines not being part of arms, for instance, Judge McDonald-Cady concluded, The Court cannot reach the conclusion from Defendants arguments or from the record that possession of rifle or pistol magazines capable of holding 30 rounds of ammunition is conduct that the text of the second amendment protects." Because (the) defendant, in the context of this case, and in conclusion of the record presented by both parties, fails to show that the possession of 30-round magazines is protected conduct, the courts analysis stops here, and the motion to dismiss is denied, McDonald-Cady wrote in the 15-page document. According to court records, Misch, who is an honorably-discharged veteran, and who identifies as a white nationalist, is scheduled to stand trial on April 1, nearly six years after the charges were initially filed. Each of the two misdemeanor charges carries a possible maximum penalty of one year in jail and a $500 fine. The Banner reached out to Misch through one of his attorneys, Frederick Bragdon, for comment on the ruling and upcoming trial. We did not hear back as of press time. The Banner will update this story as more information becomes available. 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. GREAT BARRINGTON The Trump administration says it will punish local and state leaders who try to obstruct its immigration crackdown. But local leaders and law enforcement officials say they don't plan to change the way they treat undocumented immigrants living in Berkshire cities and towns under the current laws they can only arrest and detain them on criminal charges unrelated to immigration status. President Donald Trumps new immigration strategy also will have no impact on how the Berkshire County Sheriffs Office and its Berkshire County Jail and House of Correction handles inmates who are immigrants, or detainer requests by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, according to Sheriff Thomas Bowler. Currently, Bowler can only detain people sent there because of criminal charges not immigration holds requested by ICE. But Bowler said he will continue to notify ICE before someone is released only if the agency has asked the jail so it can take custody of that person a practice known as an ICE detainer. We are not going to obstruct, impede or get involved with ICE in any way, shape or form, Bowler said. Not much is really going to change. What will likely change is that ICE will get busier, however, as the new administration loosens the leash on the agency to arrest those charged or accused of crimes. And it is unclear exactly what this will mean for all other undocumented residents. In an internal memo released on Tuesday, the new U.S. Department of Justice's acting deputy attorney general, Emil Bove, alarmed state and city leaders when he wrote that federal law prohibits state and local actors from resisting, obstructing, and otherwise failing to comply with lawful immigration-related commands and requests. The three-page memo was thick with language about stamping out violent gangs from other countries, as well as the potential for terrorism. It also noted that it followed Trumps executive order signed on Monday, which says the DOJ will take all steps necessary to protect the public and secure the American border by removing illegal aliens from the Country and prosecuting illegal aliens for crimes committed within U.S. jurisdiction. Prepared for this crackdown since November, leaders of "sanctuary" cities and states that shield undocumented people said they wouldnt comply with mass deportation efforts. A "sanctuary" city, like Boston, does not allow the use of any resources to help immigration find or arrest a person. Gov. Maura Healey said she wouldnt go along with Trumps immigration policy and wouldnt allow state police to help deport migrants. But last week, following reports of violence and crime in shelters for migrants, she said the system is strained and burdened and said she hoped that Trump would help the state find funding to ease the problem. Pittsfield Mayor Peter Marchetti's office referred comments to Pittsfield Police and issued a statement saying that the city complies with all local, state and federal laws and regulations and we have no reason to believe that the recent [DOJ] memo has any impact in the city. Great Barrington Interim Town Manager Christopher Rembold directed comments to police. Staff at the Berkshire Immigration Center could not be reached for comment. NOT IN OUR POWERS While there are no officially designated sanctuary towns or cities in Berkshire County, state law prevents police from arresting or detaining anyone solely at the behest of ICE. Officials said the contents of the DOJ memo does not change local policy and state law. Great Barrington has a citizen-initiated Trust Policy, approved by voters in 2017, that not only bars police from helping ICE in any way, but expands into other protections against discrimination against all residents. Great Barrington Police Chief Paul Storti said that even before the Trust Policy was approved police did not have much "collaboration with ICE. Its not in our jurisdiction to enforce immigration, Storti said. Its not in our powers. He said that ICE tends to operate on its own, with its own information-gathering. Storti also confirmed that the stations lockup only holds people when theyve been arrested for a crime, not for immigration custody. The Sheriff's Office, which runs the jail the only long-term lockup facility in the county is the only one that can legally notify ICE about the impending release of someone sought by the agency. Bowler said that all law enforcement is bound by state law and a Supreme Judicial Court ruling from 2017. The Lunn vs. Commonwealth case prohibits local police from arresting and detaining someone solely on grounds ICE has a detainer on them. An ICE detainer is a request that asks a federal, state or local law enforcement agency including jails, prisons or other confinement facilities" to notify ICE before their release. Bowler said he can't do anything more than this notification to ICE, and that Trumps new policies dont change that. He also emphasized that his jail can only take people sent there after awaiting criminal trial or being convicted. He cant hold people based on immigration status, and his staffers do not have the training required by law to work with ICE. Lee Police Chief Craig Desantis said that he is also bound by state law and that his department is currently developing policy(s) related to this topic. Those policies will also be adhering to best practices to ensure Public Safety and Officer Safety. Pittsfield Police have a policy that only allows them to detain people for criminal activity not for immigration status. Officers do not detain any people for federal or civil warrants, said Pittsfield Police Chief Dawley. The only exception to this is if an officer has reasonable suspicion that the person has committed a federal crime. Only then can they be detained for a reasonable period of time. Dawley also said that his department treats everyone, including all victims and witnesses" the same, "no matter what their immigration status. As revealed in Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman's Economic Survey 2024- 25, for the first time in seven years, Indias female labour force participation rate (FLFPR) has seen a significant rise, jumping from 23.3 per cent in 2017-18 to 41.7 per cent in 2023-24. The Economic Survey underscores how womenled businesses thrive under government support. As of October 31, 2024, over 73,151 startups with at least one woman director have been recognised under the Startup India Initiative, nearly half of all registered startups in India. Additionally, Union Budget 2025-26 has listed new initiatives to support women entrepreneurs across various sectors within the industry. While the number of women entrepreneurs in the country has been increasing over the years, there has not been much change at the women leadership level in both the public and private sectors. There are very few women leaders who have the opportunity to take charge of an entire academic institute or a government posting, thereby contributing to the growth of our country. For Feedback, please email us at: communications@mmactiv.com Stellenbosch Business School has appointed Professor Chris van der Hoven as its new senior director. With decades of international experience in academic leadership and industry collaboration, Prof van der Hoven is well-placed to guide the Business School into a new era focused on transformative educational outcomes. His distinguished career spans leadership roles at top institutions worldwide. In the United Kingdom Prof van der Hoven spent 12 years at Cranfield School of Management and a number of years as senior fellow at Cambridge University. While he was based in the UK, he held visiting academic positions at ten leading universities, including the Stockholm School of Economics, Mannheim Business School and Nanjing University. He was recruited back to South Africa and served as the Academic Director at Wits Business School until 2017. 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. The reason why Kareena Kapoor Khan didn't accompany hubby Saif to hospital after knife attack The details behind the knife attack on Bollywood actor Saif Ali Khan, are beginning to emerge. While earlier there were questions about the actors wife, actress Kareena Kapoor Khans whereabouts, it has now come to light that the actress was drunk after attending the party of her friend, actress Sonam Kapoor. As per the sources, when Kareena came home, she was in a very drunken state, if she went to the hospital and went to the police, many questions would be raised about her condition and in such a situation her videos and photos would be leaked in the media, so she decided not to come out herself. She had gone to her sister Karisma Kapoors house after the incident. After the attack on Saif, the on-duty Knight PI was investigating the matter. Usually, any incident that takes place at night is investigated by the night PI on duty and the next day the senior officer decides whom to hand over the investigation of the case. The same happened in this case too. After the night incident, the next day the case was handed over to the Crime PI from the Night PI. Mumbai Police dismissed the theory that IO has been changed. A week ago, Saif was attacked by an assailant who barged into his Bandra house through his youngest son, Jehs room during the wee hours of Thursday. The actor reportedly went to the hospital on his own, and was accompanied by his son Taimur. As per media reports, doctors removed the 2.5 inches of knife from his wound. The actor was stabbed multiple times in an attempt to fight off the accused. The actor sustained six stab wounds, two of which were said to be serious as they were closer to his spine. The incident took place as the accused allegedly barged into their Bandra home, and attacked their house help and then Saif when he intervened. 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 intruder. Shiv Sena founder Balasaheb Thackeray Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday paid tributes to Shiv Sena founder Balasaheb Thackeray on his birth anniversary, saying he was uncompromising when it came to his core beliefs and always contributed towards enhancing the pride of Indian culture. In a post on X, PM Modi said, "I pay homage to Balasaheb Thackeray Ji on his birth anniversary. He is widely respected and remembered for his commitment to public welfare and towards Maharashtras development. He was uncompromising when it came to his core beliefs and always contributed towards enhancing the pride of Indian culture." Balasaheb Thackeray founded the Shiv Sena, a party wedded to the Marathi manoos cause, and later, to Hindu nationalism. He enjoyed a large following in Maharashtra and his popularity gradually grew across the country. He was born on January 23, 1926, in Pune and passed away at the age of 86 on November 17, 2012, in Mumbai. Union Minister Nitin Gadkari while paying tribute wrote in Marathi on X: "Tributes to Hindu hriday samrat revered Balasaheb Maharashtra. Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde also paid tributes to Thackeray. He wrote on X in Marathi, "Humble tributes to the revered Hindu hriday samrat, Shiv Sena chief Balasaheb Thackeray, on his birth anniversary." Since Thackeray passed away a lot has changed in the party he founded. The Shiv Sena split in 2022 after Shinde led a rebellion against the then party leadership. This led to the collapse of the Maha Vikas Agahadi (MVA) government and Uddhav Thackeray had to resign from the post of Chief Minister. Shinde subsequently joined hands with the BJP to form a government in Maharashtra with him as the CM. Later, the Election Commission recognised the Shinde-led faction as the 'real' Shiv Sena. The Shiv Sena is now split into two factions with the one commanding the support of a majority of its MLAs siding with the BJP, and another is headed by his son Uddhav Thackeray aligning with the Opposition in the state On Thursday, the two Shiv Senas led by Uddhav Thackeray and Eknath Shinde will hold separate rallies in memory of Balasaheb Thackeray. Both factions have been trying to stake claim over his legacy. Deep sadness has been expressed following the death of Belfast poet Michael Longley. Mr Longley died at the age of 85 in hospital on Wednesday. Advertisement He won a number of awards for his writing throughout his life including the TS Eliot Prize, the Feltrinelli International Prize and the Whitbread Poetry Prize, and he was appointed a CBE in 2010 as well as being awarded the freedom of Belfast. Poet Michael Longley at Lancaster House in London (Peter Jordan/PA) Among some of his best-known work is the poem Ceasefire in 1994, inspired by the then-ceasefires in his native Northern Ireland. President Michael D Higgins led the tributes to Mr Longley, and said he learned of his death with the deepest sadness. I regarded him as a peerless poet with at least three poetic lives. It is, however, the generosity of his heart, and the lovely cadence of a voice of love and friendship that I will most remember, he said. Advertisement Michael Longley will be recognised as one of the greatest poets that Ireland has ever produced, and it has long been my belief that his work is of the level that would be befitting of a Nobel Prize for Literature. The range of his work was immense, be it from the heartbreak of loss to the assurance of the resilience of beauty in nature. Mr Higgins said: May I send my deepest condolences to Michaels wife, the scholar and writer Edna Longley, to his children and to all of his family, friends and many admirers across the world. Summary Micheal Martin is the new Taoiseach after he received his seal of office from the President The Fianna Fail leader named his senior Ministers ahead of the first Cabinet meeting this evening Mr Martin was nominated as taoiseach by the Dail after parties reached a temporary agreement over speaking rights for the opposition Ceann Comhairle Verona Murphy did not recognise the Regional Independents technical group so that todays vote could go ahead The planned election of Mr Martin as taoiseach on Wednesday was derailed after chaotic scenes in the Dail 6.05pm Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald criticised the gender balance of the new Cabinet. Only three of the 15 Cabinet Ministers are women: Helen McEntee, Jennifer Carroll MacNeill and Norma Foley. Advertisement That is one less than the total number in the 2020 government, when there were four women leading ministries. Ms McDonald told the Dail she had a "sense of deja vu" and said the Cabinet looked very male and pale. Labour leader Ivana Bacik noted there were almost as many people called James in the Cabinet as there were women. 5.35pm Micheal Martin is back in the Dail, this time as Taoiseach, along with his new ministerial team. Advertisement Here is the full list of Ministers attending Cabinet. Taoiseach Micheal Martin Tanaiste, Foreign Affairs, Trade and Defence Simon Harris Finance Paschal Donohoe Public Expenditure, Reform and Infrastructure Jack Chambers Justice, Home Affairs and Migration Jim OCallaghan Education Helen McEntee Health - Jennifer Carroll MacNeill Housing and Local Government James Browne Transport and Environment Darragh OBrien Social Protection Dara Calleary Enterprise and Employment Peter Burke Arts, Culture, Tourism, Communications and Sport Patrick ODonovan Further and Higher Education James Lawless Children and Disability Norma Foley Agriculture Martin Heydon Government Chief Whip, and Minister of State for Mental Health Mary Butler Minister of State for Disability Hildegarde Naughton Minister of State for Agriculture Noel Grealish Minister of State for Transport Sean Canney Attorney General Rossa Fanning SC 5.15pm The new Minister for Health is Fine Gael's Jennifer Carroll MacNeill. Patrick ODonovan is the Minister for Arts, Culture and Media. Fianna Fail's James Lawless is promoted to Cabinet as the Minister for Higher Education. Advertisement Peter Burke is the Minister for Enterprise. Martin Heydon is the Minister for Agriculture, meaning Donegal TD Charlie McConalogue is likely out of the Cabinet. 5.00pm Some other Cabinet positions have been filled. Dara Calleary is back at the table as the new Minister for Social Protection. Norma Foley is leaving the education brief to become the Minister for Children. Mary Butler will be the Government's new Chief Whip. 4.45pm Micheal Martin's Cabinet is beginning to take shape. Advertisement Jim OCallaghan has been promoted from the Fianna Fail backbenches to be appointed Minister for Justice. Helen McEntee has been confirmed as Minister for Education and Youth. Paschal Donohoe will be Minister for Finance, while Jack Chambers will take the role of Minister for Public Expenditure. James Browne is the new Minister for Housing, as Darragh OBrien moves to Transport and Climate Change. Advertisement 4.15pm Micheal Martin has returned to Leinster House and we are expecting to find out who is in the new Cabinet imminently. As Mr Martin takes up the role of Taoiseach again and Simon Harris prepares for a stint handling foreign affairs, trade and defence, we have profiled some of the TDs who could be in line for a ministerial role. Read more: Minister profiles the fresh and familiar figures tipped for Cabinet roles 3.45pm Some official photogrpahs have been released of Micheal Martin receiving his seal of office from President Michael D Higgins, before sitting for a private meeting in the President's office. President Michael D Higgins presents the seal of office to Taoiseach Micheal Martin in Aras an Uachtarain. Photo: Maxwells President Higgins signs the warrant of appointment. Photo: Maxwells President Michael D Higgins with newly elected Taoiseach Micheal Martin in the President's office. Photo: Maxwells 2.45pm President Michael D Higgins greeted Micheal Martin on arrival at Aras an Uachtarain and both moved into the State Reception Room, where the papers were signed and Mr Martin received his seal of office. The President and the Taoiseach then moved to a separate room for a private conversation. Next step is the process is the return to Leinster House to choose the new Cabinet. 2.15pm Micheal Martin has now left Leinster House and is on his way to Aras an Uachtarain to receive his seal of office from the President. Micheal Martin is flanked by colleagues forming a guard of honour as he leaves Leinster House. Photo: Liam McBurney/PA Micheal Martin with his wife Mary as he leaves Leinster House. Photo: Liam McBurney/PA Wire 1.50pm Micheal Martin is addressing the Dail after being nominated to serve as the next taoiseach. He said it was "a profound honour to be nominated to serve as head of the government in a free, democratic and diverse republic." "Today I am deeply conscious of the democratic tradition which our country has developed over more than a century. "We should never take for granted the freedoms and opportunities secured for us by the generations who sat here before us, and by the men and women who fought and campaigned for the establishment of Dail Eireann." 1.45pm Fianna Fail leader Micheal Martin has been nominated as taoiseach by the Dail. TDs voted 95 to 76 in support of the nomination of Mr Martin, one day after a chaotic row disrupted the process and resulted in the suspension of the Dail. Mr Martin will formally become taoiseach during a ceremony with President Michael D Higgins at Aras an Uachtarain, scheduled for after 2.15pm. Mr Higgins will sign the warrant of appointment and hand Mr Martin the seal of the Taoiseach. 1.25pm The Dail also heard contributions from People Before Profit, Independent Ireland and some Independent TDs, who were all against the nomination of Micheal Martin as taoiseach. A roll call vote is now underway for the nomination of taoiseach. 1.10pm Labour leader Ivana Bacik said the expected swapping of top government roles between Simon Harris and Micheal Martin reminded her of groundhog day. She said the Programme for Government was essentially promising more of the same, adding: If you parse through that document, there is no sense of any acceptance of a need for change at all. Social Democrats deputy leader Cian OCallaghan said his party would not be supporting the nomination of Mr Martin or Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald. Mr OCallaghan said the coalition between Fianna Fail, Fine Gael and Independents including Michael Lowry marked a new low in Irish politics. 1.00pm Simon Harris said Fine Gael will support Fianna Fail leader Micheal Martins nomination as taoiseach. Mr Harris expressed sincere congratulations to Mr Martin before his expected return to the office of taoiseach. It is fair to say I could sense you were nurturing a mild desire to be taoiseach again and I sincerely want to congratulate you on the achievement and wish you well as we work together in partnership again. He said Fine Gael was looking forward to participating in the coalition government. 12.50pm Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald has accused government figures of arrogance, after being put forward as a nominee for taoiseach. Addressing the Dail, she said: Why is it that in a country that is so wealthy, nothing seems to work? The answer is Fianna Fail and Fine Gael and you have no excuses left. The resources are there, yet your Programme for Government is simply a charter for more of the same, a blueprint for further crises. Ms McDonald conceded that her nomination would not be successful. She said: Today will not be our day, but our day will come. Our work, our ambition, for building a better, fair, equal and united Ireland has never been more important. We stick to that task with real belief, renewed hope and refreshed determination and it is in that spirit that I accept this nomination. 12.40pm Sinn Fein nominated party leader Mary Lou McDonald for the position of taoiseach. Party TD Mairead Farrell said it was an incredible honour to nominate Ms McDonald. She has a vision for Ireland, a vision not confined to this room, but a vision that encompasses all of Ireland and all of its people. Sinn Fein had nominated Ms McDonald for the role in December, but the proposal was rejected by the Dail. Pearse Doherty seconded the proposal and used his speaking time to highlight the findings of the Moriarty Tribunal on Independent TD Michael Lowry. 12.20pm The Order of Business was passed and the nomination of the taoiseach is now progressing. Fianna Fail's Albert Dolan begins proceedings by proposing Micheal Martin as taoiseach. Mr Dolan, who had attempted to nominate his party leader on Wednesday, said: As I was saying... it is an honour to finally propose to the Dail that we nominate, Deputy Micheal Martin for the appointment as taoiseach by an Uachtaran na hEireann. He added: By every reasonable measure, Deputy Martin has shown that he is qualified to lead our government with distinction. 12.05pm A "roll call vote" is now taking place in the Dail over the Order of Business. Once that is complete and the vote passes, the process to nominate a taoiseach will begin. 12.00pm There has to be an explicit understanding that no Independent TD can be in government and opposition at the same time, Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald said. Ms McDonald said she welcomed that the government-affiliated Independents would not be given opposition speaking time today, adding that it could not be a temporary arrangement. She was speaking while she objected to the governments proposal for the Order of Business which included pushing back the next sitting of the Dail to February 5th. On that matter, she said it was quite scandalous given the time wasting seen on Wednesday. The comment was met by laughter from the government benches. Labour, the Social Democrats and People Before Profit were among opposition parties who also said they did not agree with the postponement of the Dail to February 5th. Sinn Fein president Mary Lou McDonald outside Leinster House this morning. Photo: Liam McBurney/PA 11.50am Government chief whip Hildegarde Naughton agreed with the Ceann Comhairle that there was ambiguity in the standing orders at the centre of the dispute about speaking time. She said the Government would bring forward a motion to establish a Committee on Standing Orders and Dail Reform. 11.45am The Dail is now sitting ahead of the vote to nominate a taoiseach. Ceann Comhairle Verona Murphy read a statement confirming that she is not recognising the Regional Independents Group for the purposes of todays sitting. I trust my decision today provides a road map for all parties and all members to find a solution that is acceptable to all, she said. 11.35am Regional Independent TDs at the centre of a row over speaking time in the Dail have agreed not to seek opposition time during proceedings today in a bid to allow the nomination of a new taoiseach to proceed. In a statement, the Regional Group said they would do so on a temporary basis. The group said: Following intensive discussions last night and today with the Ceann Comhairle, Taoiseach and Tanaiste, the Regional Group has decided that in the interest of not having a repetition of yesterdays appalling and outrageous scenes in the Dail, the Group will cooperate with todays Order of Business. Yesterdays scenes were a shameful display of obstruction which denied the people a democratic right to have a government. The Regional Group have agreed to this temporary measure to facilitate the election of taoiseach and members of the government. The future positioning of the group will be referred to the Dail Reform Committee by way of Dail motion tonight. The committees composition will reflect the proportional representation in this Dail. The aim is to have a decision before the Dail reconvenes on the 5th of February. The Dail is now due to resume session at approximately 11.40am. 11.15am TDs have been arriving at Leinster House ahead of today's sitting of the Dail. Richard Boyd Barrett of People Before Profit arrives at Leinster House. Photo: Liam McBurney/PA Independent TD Kevin Moran. Photo: Liam McBurney/PA Independent Ireland TD Michael Collins outside Leinster House this morning. Photo: Liam McBurney/PA 11.00am A meeting of party leaders at Government Buildings has been described as constructive, paving the way for Micheal Martin to be nominated as taoiseach. The intervention by Ceann Comhairle Verona Murphy to exclude recognising the Regional Independent Group was seen by both sides as significant. It is hoped that Ms Murphys decision will break the log jam. Labour whip Duncan Smith said: Its positive to see the Ceann Comhairle recognising only two technical groups, both in opposition, for the purposes of todays meeting. This is the solution that I and others proposed both in our submission and at numerous meetings yesterday. The Dail is likely to resume at 11.30am, an hour later than planned. 10.50am Simon Harris and Micheal Martin outside Government Buildings last night. Photo: Brian Lawless/PA Micheal Martin and Simon Harris made a joint statement this morning ahead of the Dail reconvening. The leaders of Fianna Fail and Fine Gael said the election of a taoiseach must happen today. The statement said: The formation of groups in Dail Eireann is a matter for the Ceann Comhairle. Issues regarding Dail reform and groupings can and should be discussed by a Dail reform committee. This can meet as early as today but proportionality must also prevail. The most important duty the Dail has is to elect a taoiseach and government, and both party leaders agree this must happen today. 10.40am The Ceann Comhairle of the Dail has said she will not recognise speaking time for a group of Independents at the centre of a dispute that prevented the nomination of a new taoiseach yesterday. Verona Murphy said that, during todays proceedings, she would recognise two other technical groups but not the collection of TDs that contain Independents who supported the formation of the incoming government. She is expected to seek further advice for future sittings. That should allow for the nomination of a new taoiseach today, but it is still possible that proceedings could be derailed again. 10.30am Good morning and welcome to our live coverage of the nomination of a new taoiseach. The Dail is to reconvene today at 11.30am after a chaotic row yesterday over how speaking time should be allocated to the government-affiliated Independent TDs. A meeting of opposition party leaders is taking place this morning in order to agree a resolution before the Dail resumes. Efforts to appoint a taoiseach after Novembers general election failed as the opposition disrupted proceedings to protest against the matter on Wednesday. Central to the row is a move to allocate opposition speaking time to the Independents. Opposition parties said this would dilute the practice of holding the government to account and eat into their time to raise issues. You can get all the latest developments and updates here on breakingnews.ie throughout the day. A prayer groups representative has promised a High Court judge it will end its illegal sit-in at a Tipperary church by midnight. Mr Justice Brian Cregan sought the voluntary undertakings from Patrick OGorman, chairman of the Abbey House Prayer Group, which has been occupying the Friary Church in Clonmel for the last 23 days in protest over the Franciscan Orders decision to close the venue. Advertisement The prayer group took over the church last New Years Eve following what was supposed to be the final mass before they returned the keys to the Franciscans. The members had been allowed to use the building on a temporary basis under a May 2023 agreement. The SF Trust has said it decided to close the 13th century church due to the Orders diminishing numbers, the age of its members, and the unrealistic cost of ongoing opening and maintenance of the building. Mr Justice Cregan had been asked by SF Trust CLG, which owns the property on behalf of the Franciscans, to grant an injunction on Thursday forcing the prayer group to vacate the building. Barrister Matthew Jolley, for the trust, said the occupants have never suggested they have a legal entitlement to remain on the premises. Advertisement The judge asked Mr OGorman if he would be willing instead to offer a voluntary undertaking that the group would vacate. Mr OGorman initially declined, as he said he did not think the members would do this. However, after some back and forth with the judge, he agreed they will leave by midnight and return to collect their belongings over the weekend. Mr Justice Cregan said the red weather storm alert, active in Co Tipperary from 6am to 11am on Friday, provides all the more reason to cease the occupation immediately. Earlier, Mr OGorman said the group accepts they have been conducting an illegal sit-in as a protest to the Franciscans decision to close the venue. They want to mediate the issues with the Franciscans, he said. Mr OGorman said the occupants are not religious zealots but mostly retired, elderly people who have been coming to the church for generations. Advertisement Ireland Irish-based surgeon says family in Gaza relieved t... Read More He said the people of Clonmel are very upset and the group has a six-figure sum in the bank that will enable it to run the church. He said the members began their around-the-clock protest as a last resort and wants to be reasonable. Mr Justice Cregan said the prayer group was not being reasonable when refusing to leave. The judge said he could not understand why the group pushed the situation so far, as the Franciscan Order will have incurred legal costs pursuing a High Court application. Later, after accepting Mr OGormans undertaking that the occupants will leave the church, the judge said he understands the church closure is a devastating loss to the prayer group. He adjourned the case for an update in one week. Italys highest court on Thursday upheld a slander conviction against US defendant Amanda Knox for accusing an innocent man in her British flatmates 2007 murder. Ms Knox had appealed against the conviction based on a European Court of Human Rights ruling that said her rights had been violated by the polices failure to provide a lawyer and adequate translator during a long night of questioning just days after Meredith Kerchers murder. Advertisement Judge Monica Boni read the verdict aloud in a courtroom that was empty except for a few reporters and guards. Murdered student Meredith Kercher (Handout/PA) The lawyers for both Ms Knox and the man she wrongly accused, Patrick Lumumba, had gone home. Reached by telephone, Mr Lumumba said he was satisfied with the verdict. Amanda was wrong. This verdict has to accompany her for the rest of her life, he said. Advertisement Ms Knoxs lawyer, Carlo Dalla Vedova, expressed surprise at the courts decision. We are incredulous, Ms Dalla Vedova told reporters in the courthouse by phone. This is totally unexpected in our eyes, and totally unjust for Amanda. The ruling should bring an end to a sensational 17-year legal saga that saw Ms Knox and her Italian ex-boyfriend Raffaele Sollecito convicted and acquitted in flip-flop verdicts in 21-year-old Ms Kerchers brutal murder, before being exonerated by the highest Cassation Court in 2015. The slander conviction against Ms Knox remained the last legal stain against her. It survived multiple appeals, and Ms Knox was reconvicted on the charge in June after a European court ruling that Italy had violated her human rights cleared the way for a new trial. Advertisement Speaking recently on her Labyrinths podcast, Ms Knox said: I hate the fact that I have to live consequences for a crime I did not commit. Her defence team says she accused Mr Lumumba, who employed her at a bar in the central Italian university town of Perugia, during a long night of questioning and under pressure from police, who they said fed her false information. The European Court of Human Rights found that the police deprived her of a lawyer and provided a translator who acted more as a mediator. Ive been having nightmares about getting a bad verdict and just living the rest of my life with a shadow hanging over me. Its like a scarlet letter, Ms Knox said on her podcast. Advertisement She does not risk any more time in jail, having already served nearly four years during the investigation, initial murder trial and first appeal. Ms Knox said the aim was to clear her name of all criminal wrongdoing. Living with a false conviction is horrific, personally, psychologically, emotionally, she said on the podcast. Im fighting it, and well see what happens. Ms Knox returned to the United States in 2011, after being freed by an appeals court in Perugia, and has established herself as a global campaigner for the wrongly convicted. She has a new memoir coming out titled Free: My Search For Meaning. Amanda Knox arrives with her husband Christopher Robinson, right, at a Florence courtroom on June 5 (Antonio Calanni/AP) Ms Knox returned to Italy in June for the verdict in the slander trial. Advertisement Ms Knox was a 20-year-old student in the central Italian university town of Perugia when Ms Kercher was found stabbed to death on November 2 2007, in her bedroom in the apartment they shared with two Italian women. The case made global headlines as suspicion quickly fell on Ms Knox and her boyfriend of just days, Mr Sollecito. After eight years of trial, including two appeals to Italys highest court, they were fully exonerated of the murder in 2015. Another man, Rudy Hermann Guede, from the Ivory Coast, was convicted of murder after his DNA was found at the crime scene. He was freed in 2021, after serving most of his 16-year sentence. The European court ordered Italy to pay Ms Knox damages for the police failures, noting she was particularly vulnerable as a foreign student not fluent in Italian. Italys high court ordered the new slander trial based on that ruling. It threw out two signed statements drafted by police falsely accusing Mr Lumumba in the murder, and directed the appellate court that the only evidence it could consider was a hand-written letter she later wrote in English attempting to walk back on the accusation. However, the appellate court in its reasoning said that the four-page memo supported a slander finding. On the basis of Ms Knoxs statements, Mr Lumumba was brought in for questioning, despite having an ironclad alibi. His business suffered, and he eventually moved to Poland with his Polish wife. He said that Ms Knox has never apologised to me. A federal judge on Thursday temporarily blocked President Donald Trumps executive order redefining birthright citizenship, calling it blatantly unconstitutional during the first hearing in a multi-state effort challenging the order. US District Judge John C Coughenour ruled in the case brought by the states of Washington, Arizona, Illinois and Oregon, which argue the 14th Amendment and Supreme Court case law have cemented birthright citizenship. Advertisement The temporary restraining order sought by the states was the first to get a hearing before a judge and applies nationally. The case is one of five lawsuits being brought by 22 states and a number of immigrants rights groups across the country. The suits include personal testimonies from attorneys general who are US citizens by birthright, and names pregnant women who are afraid their children will not become US citizens. President Donald Trump signed scores of executive orders on his first day back in the Oval Office (Evan Vucci/AP) Judge Coughenour, a Ronald Reagan appointee, began the hearing by grilling the administrations lawyers, saying the order boggles the mind. Advertisement This is a blatantly unconstitutional order, he said. Judge Coughenour said he has been on the bench for more than four decades, and he could not remember seeing another case where the action challenged was so clearly unconstitutional. Justice Department lawyer Brett Shumate said he respectfully disagreed and asked the judge for an opportunity to have a full briefing on the merits of the case, rather than have a 14-day restraining order issued blocking its implementation. Arguing for the states, Washington assistant attorney general Lane Polozola labelled as absurd the governments argument that the children of parents living in the country illegally are not subject to the jurisdiction of the United States. Advertisement Are they not subject to the decisions of the immigration courts? he asked. Must they not follow the law while they are here? He also said the restraining order was warranted because, among other reasons, the executive order would immediately start requiring the states to spend millions to revamp health care and benefits systems to consider an applicants citizenship status. The executive order will impact hundreds of thousands of citizens nationwide who will lose their citizenship under this new rule, Mr Polozola said. Births cannot be paused while the court considers this case. Signed by Mr Trump on Inauguration Day, the order was slated to take effect on February 19. It could affect hundreds of thousands of people born in the country, according to one of the lawsuits. Advertisement In 2022, there were about 255,000 births of citizen children to mothers living in the country illegally and about 153,000 births to two such parents, according to the four-state suit filed in Seattle. The US is among about 30 countries where birthright citizenship the principle of jus soli or right of the soil is applied. Most are in the Americas, and Canada and Mexico are among them. The lawsuits argue that the 14th Amendment to the US Constitution guarantees citizenship for people born and naturalised in the US, and states have been interpreting the amendment that way for a century. Ratified in 1868 in the aftermath of the Civil War, the amendment says: All persons born or naturalised in the United States and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside. Advertisement Mr Trumps order asserts that the children of noncitizens are not subject to the jurisdiction of the United States, and orders federal agencies to not recognise citizenship for children who dont have at least one parent who is a citizen. The US Department of Justice later said in a statement that it will vigorously defend the presidents executive order, which it said correctly interprets the 14th Amendment of the US Constitution. We look forward to presenting a full merits argument to the court and to the American people, who are desperate to see our nations laws enforced, the department said. South Korean investigators have asked prosecutors to indict the countrys detained president Yoon Suk Yeol over his short-lived imposition of martial law last month, as it accused him of rebellion, abuse of power and obstruction of parliament. Yoon defended his actions again as he appeared at a court hearing for the second time on Thursday, saying the December 3 martial law decree was only meant to inform the public of the danger of an opposition-controlled National Assembly. Advertisement He argued that the martial law imposition ended early because he quickly withdrew troops after the assembly voted down his decree. The reason for the declaration of martial law wasnt about a warning to the opposition. I was trying to appeal to the people to draw their strict supervision and criticism of the opposition, Yoon told a hearing at the Constitutional Court. No matter how many warnings I would issue to the opposition, they would have been useless. Yoon was impeached and suspended by the assembly on December 14. Advertisement The Constitutional Court is now deliberating to determine whether to formally throw Yoon out of office or reinstate him. Appearing at the same hearing, Yoons defence minister at the time of the martial law enforcement, Kim Yong Hyun, supported the presidents argument, saying that he drew up the decree and proposed it to Yoon. Kim, a close associate of Yoon who is also in detention, claimed that Yoon asked him to remove a public curfew from the decree, deploy a much smaller number of soldiers to the assembly than he initially proposed, and prevent troops from carrying live ammunition. Kims arguments could not immediately be independently verified. Advertisement He has previously said all responsibility for the imposition of martial law rests solely with him. He was stopped from attempting suicide while in detention, days after the ill-fated martial law enactment. Since taking office in 2022, Yoon, a conservative, has grappled with near-constant frictions with the main liberal opposition Democratic Party, which has obstructed his agenda and impeached some of his top officials. In his announcement of martial law, Yoon called the assembly a den of criminals that was bogging down government affairs, and vowed to eliminate shameless North Korea followers and anti-state forces. Advertisement Yoons martial law, the first of its kind in South Korea for more than 40 years, lasted only six hours. A TV screen shows footage of impeached South Korean president Yoon Suk Yeol at Seoul railway station (Lee Jin-man/AP) Yoon sent troops and police officers to the National Assembly, but enough legislators managed to enter the assembly chamber and called for an end to the emergency decree in a unanimous vote. Yoon and Kim have said that his dispatch of troops and police forces was designed to maintain order. But the opposition and investigative authorities believe they tried to seal the assembly to prevent legislators from overturning his decree and plotted to detain some politicians. Advertisement Yoon and Kim denied that. Democratic Party spokesperson Noh Jongmyun warned Yoon and Kim not to try to deceive the public, saying the fact that they plotted to bring down South Koreas democracy and constitutionalism will not change. He cited live TV footage on December 3 showing troops smashing windows to gain access to the assemblys main building and politicians climbing walls to enter an assembly compound. Earlier on Thursday, the Corruption Investigation Office for High-Ranking Officials said that Yoon, in collaboration with Kim and other military commanders, allegedly committed rebellion by staging a riot and seeking to undermine the constitution when he declared martial law. The CIO also accused Yoon of abusing his power by mobilising troops for an illegitimate purpose and obstructing parliaments right to vote on ending martial law. By law, the leader of a rebellion can face life in prison or the death penalty. Since being detained by the CIO, Yoon has rebuffed efforts to question him. He argues that the investigation and his detention are illegal. As you know, despite facing a nationally grave allegation as ringleader of a rebellion, the suspect has been constantly maintaining an unco-operative stance and defying criminal judicial proceedings, Lee Jae-seung, deputy chief prosecutor at the CIO, told a televised briefing. Yoons defence team issued a statement accusing the CIO of humiliating Yoon by trying to pressure him to speak to investigators and abusing his human rights by preventing him from contacting family members. In his first appearance at a Constitutional Court hearing on Tuesday, Yoon denied that he ordered the military to drag legislators out of the National Assembly to prevent them from voting. Commanders of military units that were sent to the assembly have testified that Yoon ordered them to pull legislators out. Yoons martial law decree has shaken South Korean politics and financial markets and hurt its international image. Yoons subsequent defiance and the oppositions push to oust him have also intensified South Koreas already-serious internal divide. US President Donald Trump has ordered the release of thousands of classified governmental documents about the 1963 assassination of President John F Kennedy, which has fuelled conspiracy theories for decades. The executive order Mr Trump signed on Thursday also aims to declassify the remaining federal records relating to the assassinations of Senator Robert F Kennedy and the Rev Martin Luther King Jr. Advertisement The order is among a flurry of executive actions Mr Trump has quickly taken the first week of his second term. Speaking to reporters, Mr Trump said, everything will be revealed. President John F. Kennedy addressing the United States Congress in Washington D.C. on 25th May 1961 set the goal of landing man Mr Trump had promised during his re-election campaign to make public the last batches of still-classified documents surrounding the former presidents assassination in Dallas, which has transfixed people for decades. He made a similar pledge during his first term, but ultimately bent to appeals from the CIA and FBI to keep some documents withheld. Advertisement Mr Trump has nominated Kennedys nephew, Robert F Kennedy Jr, to be the health secretary in his new administration. Kennedy, whose father was assassinated in 1968 while running for president, has said he is not convinced that a lone gunman was solely responsible for the assassination of his uncle, President Kennedy, in 1963. The order directs the director of national intelligence and the attorney general to develop a plan within 15 days to declassify the remaining John F Kennedy records, and within 45 days for the other two cases. It was not clear when the records would actually be released. Mr Trump handed the pen used to sign the order to an aide and directed it to be given to Robert F Kennedy Jr. Only a few thousand of the millions of governmental records related to the assassination of President Kennedy have yet to be fully declassified. And while many who have studied what has been released so far say the public should not anticipate any earth-shattering revelations, there is still an intense interest in details related to the assassination and the events surrounding it. Advertisement Theres always the possibility that something would slip through that would be the tiny tip of a much larger iceberg that would be revealing, said Larry J Sabato, director of the University of Virginia Centre for Politics and author of The Kennedy Half-Century. Thats what researchers look for. Now, odds are you wont find that but it is possible that its there. Kennedy was fatally shot in Dallas on November 22 1963, as his motorcade passed in front of the Texas School Book Depository building, where 24-year-old assassin Lee Harvey Oswald had positioned himself from a snipers perch on the sixth floor. Two days after Kennedy was killed, nightclub owner Jack Ruby fatally shot Oswald during a jail transfer. Advertisement In the early 1990s, the federal government mandated that all assassination-related documents be housed in a single collection in the National Archives and Records Administration. The collection of over five million records was required to be opened by 2017, barring any exemptions designated by the president. During his first term, Mr Trump boasted that he would allow the release of all of the remaining records on the former presidents assassination but ended up holding some back because of what he called the potential harm to national security. And while files have continued to be released under president Joe Biden, some still remain unseen. Mr Sabato, who trains student researchers to comb through the documents, said that most researchers agree that roughly 3,000 records have not yet been released, either in whole or in part, and many of those originated with the CIA. The documents released over the last several years offer details on the way intelligence services operated at the time, and include CIA cables and memos discussing visits by Oswald to the Soviet and Cuban embassies during a trip to Mexico City just weeks before the assassination. Advertisement The former marine had previously defected to the Soviet Union before returning home to Texas. There are still some documents in the collection though that researchers do not believe the President would be able to release. Around 500 documents, including tax returns, were not subject to the 2017 disclosure requirement. And, researchers note, documents have also been destroyed over the decades. The US Senate has confirmed John Ratcliffe as CIA director, giving President Donald Trump the second member of his new Cabinet. Mr Ratcliffe was director of national intelligence during Mr Trumps first term and is the first person to have held that position and the top post at the CIA, the nations premier spy agency. Advertisement The Texas Republican is a former federal prosecutor who emerged as a fierce Trump defender while serving as a congressman during Mr Trumps first impeachment. The vote was 74-25. At his Senate hearing last week, Mr Ratcliffe said the CIA must do better when it comes to using technology such as artificial intelligence to confront adversaries including Russia and China. John Ratcliffe appearing before the Senate Intelligence Committee for his confirmation hearing (John McDonnell/AP) He said the United States needed to improve its intelligence capabilities while also ensuring the protection of Americans civil rights. Advertisement Mr Ratcliffe said that if confirmed, he would push the CIA to do more to harness technologies such as AI and quantum computing while expanding use of human intelligence collection. Were not where were supposed to be, Mr Ratcliffe told members of the Senate Intelligence Committee. Democrats raised questions about Mr Ratcliffes objectivity and whether his loyalty to Mr Trump would prompt him to politicise his position and blind him to the duties of the job. Concerns from Democrat Senator Chris Murphy forced the Senates Republican leaders to postpone Mr Ratcliffes confirmation vote, which was originally scheduled for Tuesday. Advertisement Former Florida senator Marco Rubio was confirmed earlier this week as secretary of state, the first member of Mr Trumps Cabinet. Mr Ratcliffe has said he views China as Americas greatest geopolitical rival, and that Russia, Iran, North Korea and drug cartels, hacking gangs and terrorist organisations also pose challenges to national security. He supports the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, a government spying programme that allows authorities to collect without warrant the communications of non-Americans outside the country. If those people are communicating with Americans, those conversations can be swept up, too, which has led to questions about violations of personal rights. Advertisement Mr Trump and other Republicans have criticised the work of the CIA and other spy agencies, saying they have focused too much on climate change, workforce diversity and other issues. The calls for a broad overhaul have worried some current and former intelligence officials who say the changes could make the country less safe. Like other Trump nominees, Mr Ratcliffe is a Trump loyalist. Aside from his work to defend Mr Trump during his first impeachment proceedings, Mr Ratcliffe also forcefully questioned former special counsel Robert Mueller when he gave evidence about his investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election. As director of national intelligence, Mr Ratcliffe oversaw and co-ordinated the work of more than a dozen spy agencies. Among other duties, the office directs efforts to detect and counter foreign efforts to influence US politics. Advertisement Mr Trump picked Mr Ratcliffe to serve in that position in 2019, but he quickly withdrew from consideration after politicians raised questions about his qualifications. He was ultimately confirmed by a sharply divided Senate after Mr Trump resubmitted the nomination. In that job, Mr Ratcliffe was accused by Democrats of politicising intelligence when he declassified Russian intelligence that purported to reveal information about Democrats during the 2016 election even as he acknowledged the information might not be accurate. Mr Trumps second-term nominee for director of national intelligence, Tulsi Gabbard, faces a tougher road to confirmation. Ms Gabbard, a former Democratic congresswoman from Hawaii, has faced bipartisan criticism over past comments supportive of Russia and 2017 meetings with then-Syrian president Bashar Assad. Pete Hegseth, Donald Trumps choice to be defence secretary (Mark Schiefelbein/AP) Later on Thursday, it emerged that Pete Hegseth, Mr Trumps nominee for defence secretary, paid 50,000 dollars (40,4950 to the woman who accused him of sexual assault in 2017, according to answers he provided to a senator during his confirmation process that The Associated Press has obtained. The answers were provided to Massachusetts Democratic Senator Elizabeth Warren in response to additional questions she had for Mr Hegseth as part of the vetting process. Mr Hegseths lawyer Timothy Parlatore declined to comment on the figure on Thursday. Mr Hegseth told police at the time that the encounter had been consensual and denied any wrongdoing. He told senators during his confirmation hearing last week that he was falsely accused in the 2017 incident and completely cleared. The news of the payment amount comes the same day the Senate advanced Mr Hegseths nomination along a party-line vote. Two Republicans, Senator Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Senator Susan Collins of Maine, broke with Mr Trump and voted against Mr Hegseth, who also has faced allegations of excessive drinking and being abusive to his second wife, which he denies. Developing relations with China priority of Kazakhstan's foreign policy -- Kazakh president Xinhua) 10:14, January 23, 2025 ASTANA, Jan. 22 (Xinhua) -- Developing relations with China is a priority of his country's foreign policy, said Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev on Wednesday. Tokayev made the remarks when Han Chunlin, the newly appointed Chinese ambassador to Kazakhstan, presented his credentials. Tokayev said the relationship between the two countries has reached its best in history and he is willing to inject new impetus into deepening cooperation with China across various fields. Han said that he will fulfill his duties, implement the important consensus reached by the two heads of state, and make every effort to deepen the China-Kazakhstan permanent comprehensive strategic partnership. Han assumed his position in Kazakhstan on Dec. 30, 2024. (Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Zhong Wenxing) Like Netaji, youth have to come out of comfort zone for Viksit Bharat: PM Modi Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday paid tribute to Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose on his 128th birth anniversary, celebrated as Parakram Diwas, and urged Indian youth to draw inspiration from Netaji's life by stepping out of their comfort zones to achieve the vision of a 'Viksit Bharat'. Highlighting Netaji's legacy, PM Modi said, "Netaji did not limit himself to his comfort zone. Born into a wealthy family, he cracked the civil services exam, yet he chose to dedicate his life to the nation's freedom struggle instead of living a comfortable life. Similarly, to fulfil the resolution of Viksit Bharat, we must come out of our comfort zones, aim for excellence, and make ourselves globally competitive." Addressing the public, PM Modi said, "This year's Parakram Diwas is being organised in Netaji's birthplace, Cuttack, Odisha. I thank the people and government of Odisha for hosting this grand event. A significant exhibition showcasing Netaji's life is also being held in Cuttack, which will energise 'My Bharat.'" PM Modi emphasised Netaji's unwavering commitment to 'Azad Hind,' saying, "Netaji's biggest aim was 'Azad Hind.' To achieve this, he remained steadfast in his resolve. For India's independence, he formed the Azad Hind Fauj, which united brave men and women from across the nation despite their linguistic differences. This unity is a crucial lesson for achieving Viksit Bharat." "At that time, unity was essential for Swaraj. Today, unity is crucial for achieving the vision of Viksit Bharat. We must remain vigilant against forces that seek to weaken and divide our nation," he said. PM Modi also highlighted Netaji's pride in India's heritage, stating, "Netaji Subhas took immense pride in India's legacy and rich heritage. Today, India is shedding the remnants of colonial mindsets and moving forward with confidence in its cultural wealth." Recounting significant milestones, PM Modi said, "It was my privilege to hoist the flag at the Red Fort in 2018 on the 75th anniversary of the Azad Hind Government. Our government has dedicated a museum to Netaji at the Red Fort, launched the Subhas Chandra Bose Aapda Prabandhan Puraskar, and inaugurated Netaji's statue near India Gate." The Prime Minister also highlighted India's progress over the past decade, stating, "In the last 10 years, 25 crore Indians have been lifted out of poverty. Modern infrastructure is being developed in rural and urban areas alike, and India's global presence has strengthened. The day is not far when India will become the world's third-largest economy." "Let us continue working towards the resolution of Viksit Bharat. This will be our true tribute to Netaji," PM Modi concluded. Earlier in the day, PM Modi paid homage to Netaji at the Central Hall of Parliament, interacted with students, and raised the slogan 'Jai Hind', echoing Netaji's undying spirit. TikTok briefly went dark in the US last weekend before a Trump social media post foreshadowing his executive order, after which it was turned back on, with Oracle continuing to provide its cloud service support for the app, risking the hefty penalties. Apple and Google, however, have suspended US downloads of the app from their stores rather than risk breaching the law and exposing themselves to liabilities. As Republican senator Tom Cotton warned at the weekend, providing hosting, distribution or other services to TikToks US platform risks hundreds of billions of dollars of fines. TikTok chief executive Shou Zi Chew was among those attending Trumps inauguration. Credit: Bloomberg Shareholders in the companies providing support for the app could take action against them for risking massive liabilities. States could sue them for failing to protect their citizens data in compliance with the federal law. The TikTok executive order isnt the only one of the host of orders Trump signed on Monday that appears to flout US law, the most obvious of which was his order to end birthright citizenship, which directly conflicts with the 14th Amendment to the US Constitution. It does, however, provide an insight into how Trump plans to pursue his second term. Effectively, he sees himself as having a position and authority superior to Congress and the courts rather than as a co-equal branch of government. It might, should his orders be challenged in the courts, transpire that the demonstration of authority is more performative (for his MAGA devotees) than substantive, but it could cause chaos and stasis in the meantime. Loading Trump is a recent convert to TikToks cause. In 2020, he proposed to ban the app and tried to facilitate its purchase by a group that included Oracle and Walmart, an effort that was thwarted by the courts. Now, Trump who only joined the app last June is determined to keep it alive, having been enthused by the youthful audience he attracted on it during his campaign and, perhaps, by the lobbying of a major TikTok shareholder and Republican mega-donor, Jeff Yass. TikToks chief executive, Shou Chew, also sat alongside Trumps billionaire tech bros at the inauguration. When he signed the TikTok order, Trump said the US should be entitled to get half of TikTok if he can orchestrate a deal for the US business, without making it clear whether he was referring to the US government or private US investors. On Tuesday, he said he was open to Elon Musk or Oracle buying the app in a joint venture with the government. I have the right to make a deal, he said. So, what Im thinking about saying to somebody is [to] buy it and give half to the United States of America half and well give you the permit, and theyll have a great partner. He has previously said that TikTok was worth nothing if a deal wasnt done but could be worth a trillion dollars if one was. Chinas laws give its government the right to approve or disapprove any sale or export of algorithms and source codes ByteDance cant sell the US business without approval as well as the ability to demand access to user data on Chinese-controlled platforms. Elon Musk has been touted as a potential TikTok buyer. Credit: AP It was that access to the vast trove of US user data TikTok holds, as well as the potential for Chinese propaganda, disinformation and manipulation of users, that underpinned Congresss decision to legislate, citing national security interests. Trump has said he could impose tariffs of up to 100 per cent on Chinas exports to the US if it doesnt allow a TikTok sale and raised the topic with Chinese President Xi Jinping in a phone call only days ahead of his inauguration. Using the threat of tariffs to force China to allow, indeed encourage, a sale of TikTok to, potentially, the US government and some tech billionaires is an extraordinary and extraordinarily coercive attempt to exercise the authority of the US presidency. It appears, however, to be working, with China being seemingly more receptive to a sale than it was previously when it condemned the legislation as daylight robbery. There is a queue of prospective investors in TikTok. Its parent, ByteDance, is already, it says, about 60 per cent owned by non-Chinese institutional investors, including a 15 per cent stake held by Yasss Susquehanna International Group as well as US institutional investors. The US investors would no doubt be keen to continue their exposure to the US business. Loading He is a truly evil person. His sole objective is to become a trillionaire. He will do anything related to make sure that his companies are protected, said Steve Bannon, the Gramscian chief ideologue of the MAGA cause, in an interview with Italys Corriere della Sera this month. Quite frankly, the people around Trump are tired of it. Weve seen peak Elon, his intrusive nature, his lack of understanding of the true issues, said Bannon. Steve Bannon, former adviser to Donald Trump, is a big critic of Musk. Credit: Bloomberg Before, because of all the money he put in, I was prepared to tolerate it: not any longer. His half-baked ideas are really about the implementation of techno-feudalism on a global scale, he said. The final rupture was over Musks backing for H-1B skilled visas, mostly for Indians working for big tech. But it would have happened sooner or later because the MAGA theology of primordial traditionalism is at odds with everything about the Silicon Valley plutocracy. Bannon later told The New York Times that the clash went to the core of competing belief systems. I would almost argue its an unbridgeable gap, he said. The tech Right salivates over network states run on blockchain, seeking to re-invent human life and society upon new technological foundations. This threatens the essence of the traditional nation, bound together by what Abraham Lincoln called the mystic chords of memory. Musk has manoeuvred himself into an invidious position. These people are techno-feudalists, and its a dangerous thing. Its going to be the populist-nationalist movement thatll take them on and break them, said Bannon. Bluster or not, can one dispute his larger point? Musk has sought to deflect the MAGA backlash by plunging into European politics and cosying up to Alternative fur Deutschland (AfD) and Britains Reform Party. I doubt that many will be fooled by this crude ploy. Trump can try to stand above the two warring factions of his coalition, but ultimately, he may have to sacrifice Musk if he wants to hold on to his mass base, which he will not find hard to do. Washington is too small for two such egos. Musk may be sitting on a future gold mine with SpaceX and his network of satellites. But what is Tesla worth once Donald Trump tires of him? He has already alienated his core clientele in the West. What eco-liberal wants to be seen driving a Tesla any more? The brand has lost its cachet among that well-heeled tribe of EV early adopters and the market is bursting with other models to choose from. Stichting Pensioenfonds ABP, Europes largest pension fund, has sold all its $US600 million worth of Tesla shares, ostensibly over Musks blocked $US56 billion pay package but undoubtedly for a mix of reasons. Teslas big exposures within China make it vulnerable. Credit: AP Adam Jonas, Morgan Stanleys star analyst, is keeping the faith. He has just raised his price target from $US600 to $US800 in his bull scenario, premised on sales of 7 million vehicles a year by 2030. The underlying car business would be a small fraction of this. The real share value would be in everything else: driverless robotaxis, streaming media, software upgrades, navigation services, robots and so forth. While autos still matter, we see embodied AI as the driver, he said. The $US800 case is that Tesla is so far ahead on data and autonomous driving that it will carry away the prize in the late 2020s. But Musk still has no Level 4 approval for full self-driving capabilities and no robotaxi with software good enough for unsupervised driving. Rival Waymo is already running 100,000 paid rides a week, albeit geo-constrained to limited areas. You can hail a driverless robotaxi today in Wuhan. WeDrive is rolling out services across Chinese cities. It is patchy, but the Chinese are catching up fast. BYD is investing $US14 billion in self-driving tech. It already dominates the Chinese market for sales of EVs and hybrids. Teslas sales in China are still rising but not nearly as fast as the overall EV market. They made up 37 per cent of the companys worldwide deliveries last year, though the price wars have been brutal. The Shanghai plant exports the Model 3 to Europe, which faces an extra (modest) tariff. Musk is about to lose the $US7500 tax credit for EVs in the US as well, and that threatens profit margins on his coming affordable model. Loading 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 The Santa Ana winds started to stir over the desert inland from Los Angeles on January 2 and within days they were driving a firestorm through the city. Another year had begun with our news dominated by a disaster accelerated by climate change. Last year was the hottest in history, with global temperatures on average 1.55 degrees higher than the pre-industrial period. The figures, confirmed by the World Meteorological Organisation earlier this month, eclipsed the previous hottest year 2023. The 10 hottest years in recorded history are the past 10 years. This is climate breakdown in real-time, United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres said in his New Years Eve address. We must exit this road to ruin, and we have no time to lose. Weeks later, newly installed US President Donald Trump pulled the United States out of the Paris climate agreement, joining company with Libya, Yemen and Iran. As the effects of climate change intensified last year, some impacts on humanity were immediate and brutal an estimated 8700 people were killed, and 40 million people displaced in floods, droughts, tropical cyclones and landslides over the past year. Others are yet to make their implications known. Advertisement Below is a glimpse of the changes our country and world experienced as we sweltered through our hottest year. 1. Rain where once there was ice A heatwave hit Antarctica in July, pushing land temperatures to more than 28 degrees above average over much of the east of the worlds coldest and driest continent. The temperatures stayed inexplicably high for 10 days, driven in part by a previous record-breaking heatwave that two years earlier had depleted the regions sea ice. Scientists collecting moss samples in Antarctica in February last year. Credit: Laura Phillips With warm temperatures came rain, a phenomenon normally alien to Antarctica, killing mosses and lichens that have thrived close to Australian bases in the east. Hit by pulses of warm weather and rains, the plants froze and thawed, damaging their vascular structures and inhibiting their photosynthetic activity, explains Dr Justine Shaw from Securing Antarcticas Future at Queensland University of Technology. Advertisement The rain also seeped into the downy immature feathers of emperor penguin chicks and froze when temperatures dropped, a phenomenon described by Shaw as just another stress, another pressure from climate change with unclear consequences. In a previous heatwave in 2022, a report published in August revealed, not a single chick survived the breeding season in four of five colonies under observation in the Bellingshausen Sea because the ice beneath them broke up before they were mature enough to survive the sea. 2. Toxic orange rivers At the opposite end of the Earth, Arctic streams are turning bright orange as permafrost melts and leaches iron and toxic metals into the water. Orange streams are increasingly common in northern Alaska. Credit: Josh Koch/US Geological Survey The damaged streams span 1000 kilometres of land, including the traditional territory of native Alaskans and the watersheds of several significant rivers, and could affect the quality of drinking water and subsistence fishing. Previous studies have focused on the gradual shifts over decades in the chemistry of Arctic rivers. This study, published in Nature in 2024, looked at 75 visibly impaired streams tributaries of 41 river catchments and demonstrated the damage had mainly occurred in the past decade. Advertisement Nearly all were in remote areas, tens to hundreds of kilometres from land-use impacts such as mining or roads. The scientists published evidence it was the result of melting permafrost because the perennially frozen Arctic soils contain large amounts of organic carbon, nutrients, mercury and other metals. This turns the streams acidic and makes them more turbid, correlated with declines in macroinvertebrate diversity and fish abundance. 3. Longer days, more earthquakes That melting ice also exerted a planet-spanning, or planet-spinning influence: 2024 was the year we learnt climate change is warping time. As ice melts, the extra water flows towards the equator, meaning mass from the poles redistributes to Earths mid-section. That water bulging at the equator is slowing our planets spin, like a dancer slowing a pirouette by spreading her arms. As a result, our days are growing longer. The lengthening is only about 1.33 milliseconds per 100 years, but thats the fastest rate of rotational deceleration measured in at least a century. In our era of smartphones, satellites and driverless cars, the worldwide co-ordination of timekeeping is essential. As the researchers wrote in their Nature paper, those milliseconds pose an unprecedented problem for computer network timing. Advertisement Loading And as the Earths rotation slows, its crust could grow more agitated with tectonic activity yet another weird consequence of ice melt. Analysis of Sangre de Cristo Mountains in Colorado suggested an active fault line along its western edge may have been suppressed for thousands of years by the enormous weight of a glacier. When it melted, seismological activity increased. Rapid retreat of mountain glaciers in Alaska, the Himalayas and the Alps could boost tectonic activity in those areas, the authors wrote in their study, which added to a small but compelling body of evidence that climate change could increase the frequency of earthquakes. 4. Desperate black cockatoos invade Perth It is said the black bodies of Carnabys cockatoos once darkened the skies around Perth, so large were their flocks. A Carnabys black cockatoo, a threatened species endemic to southwestern Western Australia, in Perth. Credit: Getty Images But the decimation of their habitat through the citys sprawl has resulted in their declaration as a threatened species. Advertisement Wentworth Point High School has a dance studio, two commercial kitchens and a music room that will house a baby grand piano. And if founding principal Melissa Johnston gets her way, the school might soon have its own sheds for rowing a sport traditionally dominated by private schools. It is something unique, and its an opportunity that many students wouldnt get to do in public school, says Johnston. The new Wentworth Point High School on the banks of the Parramatta River. Credit: Janie Barrett Sydneys newest public high school, which cost $160 million to build, will welcome its first students next month. Nestled on a peninsula on the banks of the Parramatta River, the six-storey, vertical Wentworth Point High School is in one of the most densely populated suburbs in the country. Wentworth Point is the only Australian suburb with no houses; it only has apartments. From rats nests and cockroaches to hand basins without clean water, almost 50 food venues were taken to court by Brisbane City Council last year for serious food-safety breaches. New data reveals that Brisbane had 23.5 per cent of the states licensed venues in 2023-24 and 100 per cent of its food-safety prosecutions. From some 4200 inspections, the city council issued 187 fines totalling almost $150,000 and 455 improvement notices, which act as warnings. Brisbane City Council issued 187 food-safety fines and prosecuted 47 businesses in the 2023-24 financial year. Credit: Adobe Stock For serious food-safety breaches and repeat offences, the council took 47 businesses to court, where a further $670,000 in penalties were meted out. Itll be done in the first 100 days and it will be a sign of pride and nationalism in our country. I want us as a population to be united. The Australian Citizenship Ceremonies Code, put in place by the current government, sets out rules for local councils to hold Australia Day citizenship events but allows them to conduct them over a period from three days before and after January 26. Dutton said the events should be on January 26. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese during an Australia Day citizenship ceremony in Canberra last year. Credit: Alex Ellinghausen While dozens of councils have chosen to move the ceremonies from January 26 because of concerns from Indigenous communities, some have since moved them back. In South Australia last September, the City of Unley council voted to restore the event to January 26 after polling the community. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has brushed off questions about the Coalition plan and challenged Dutton to respect January 26 by attending Australia Day events in Canberra this year, including the Australian of the Year announcement on Saturday night. Every year it is inspirational, and I look forward to celebrating Australia Day, he said. Critics of January 26 have pointed to the history of white settlement, including the racism suffered by First Australians, to argue for a change to the date. Protests on the issue date to the 1930s, when the date was called a day of mourning for Indigenous people. Professor Megan Davis says changing the date of Australia Day would only shift the debate, not finish it. Credit: James Brickwood Indigenous leader and Voice advocate Megan Davis said she was not a change the date person because the shift would only move rather than resolve a toxic argument. The roots of the discontent about Australia Day come from Aboriginal people, it comes from Aboriginal protest, it comes from the failure of the state to grapple with the original grievance, the unfinished business, she said in an interview. So moving the date doesnt change that. It just moves the same in my view concerns and disgruntlement to another day. Davis said the Uluru Statement from the Heart, the key document that set out the case for the Voice, was about bringing people together. It was a statement of peace issued by our people, particularly our old people to the Australian people about moving forward together, she said. Conservative advocate John Roskam, a senior fellow at the Institute of Public Affairs, said surveys had shown that Australians wanted practical action to help Indigenous people but did not want an approach that divided the community. Roskam said this was a factor in the failure of the Voice even though most Australians support recognition for Indigenous people in the Constitution. People are over the argument. The referendum and the defeat of the Voice have given permission to people to be more honest, he said. None of it takes away from the fact that Australians support recognition. Australians understand the very real challenges, but its not going to be achieved by symbolism. And the debate about Australia Day was seen to be a debate about symbolism. The Resolve Political Monitor surveyed 1616 eligible voters from Wednesday to Tuesday, generating results with a margin of error of 2.4 per cent. This means the support for January 26 had a clear majority within that error range. Resolve director Jim Reed said the change in attitude was tied to the Voice referendum and its aftermath. Loading While Australians have consistently agreed with the concept of a national day as a time to come together to celebrate what makes life here special, the date and its meaning have been the subject of some debate, he said. We started to see opinions shift to a stronger support for 26th January after the Voice referendum, which acted as a reset on many social issues. We now see Australians actively avoiding calls for change that risk division, clinging onto anything that adds to cohesion, and a greater focus on including Aboriginal perspectives and multicultural elements into the national day has done that. Macquarie University professor Bronwyn Carlson said there was an annual circus over Australia Day and this distracted from truth-telling about Indigenous history and white settlement. Jerusalem/Jenin: Israels defence minister said his forces were applying lessons learnt in Gaza as a major operation continued in Jenin, which the military said was aimed at countering Iranian-backed militant groups in the volatile West Bank city. A military spokesperson declined to give details but said the operation was relatively similar to, but in a smaller area than, one last August, in which hundreds of Israeli troops backed by drones and helicopters raided Jenin and other flashpoint cities in the occupied West Bank. It was the third major incursion by the Israeli army in less than two years into Jenin, a long-time major stronghold of militant groups including Hamas and Islamic Jihad, which said its forces were fighting Israeli troops. The campaign started on Tuesday. Israeli military vehicles guard a road where a military bulldozer operates in the West Bank refugee camp of Jenin on Wednesday. Credit: AP Residents reported constant gunfire and explosions and Palestinian health services reported at least four wounded, after 10 people were killed a day earlier. President Donald Trump could be in for a third term as leader of the US after a Tennessee Republican filed a resolution to change the constitutional term limit for presidents although it is unlikely to make it through Congress. As reported by The New York Times, Andy Ogles, a representative of Tennessees fifth congressional district on Thursday filed a resolution to amend the constitutional term limit for presidents from two terms to three if a presidents first two terms were non-consecutive. Republican congressman Andy Ogles of Tennessee said Donald Trump needed to be given the time necessary to restore America to greatness. Credit: AP [Trump] has proven himself to be the only figure in modern history capable of reversing our nations great decay and restoring America to greatness, and he must be given the time necessary to accomplish that goal, he said in a statement. For the US Constitution to be amended, at least two-thirds of both the House and Senate must first support the proposal (Republicans currently hold only slim majorities in both chambers), or two-thirds of the states must call for a constitutional convention. The bar to then ratify an amendment is even higher. The Constitution has been amended only 27 times since it was drafted in 1787. Trump, when asked by a New York Times reporter on Election Day whether the 2024 campaign would be his last, said, I would think so. The Northern Territory is the farthest behind, achieving only 21.4% of its quarterly target of 571 homes. Victoria, on the other hand, narrowly missed its target by 0.1%, with a quarterly goal of 15,316 homes, the Property Council reported. Delhi Chief Minister Atishi Delhi Chief Minister Atishi has shot off a letter to the Election Commission of India (ECI), alleging that instead of taking action on the threat, intimidation and abuse complaints, the police were approaching AAP volunteers to close the case against BJP members. In a letter to the poll panel on Wednesday, she claimed that Investigating Officers (IOs) Jai Bhagwan and Sushil Sharma met AAP volunteers Vijeta, Rekha Bassi, and Deepa Deol and dictated statements to them claiming that no violence or intimidation took place and pressurised them to sign those statements. Alleging that police were acting in connivance and trying to close the complaint against BJP workers without proper investigation, she said AAP volunteers were ready to give written statements in the presence of their advocate. However, the police were forcing the volunteers to sign incomplete and false statements, she alleged. CM Atishi claimed that the police officers tore the statements when our volunteers objected. Alleging collusion of both the local SHO and IO, she requested that Govindpuri SHO Dharamveer, Investigating Officers Sushil Sharma and Jai Bhagwan be transferred from Assembly constituency number 51. She also demanded a probe by police officials who have never been posted in the area of the South Delhi parliamentary constituency where Ramesh Bidhuri has been MP for 10 years. This is Atishi's second letter to the poll panel this week. On Tuesday, she said AAP workers and volunteers were being abused, intimidated and threatened by the BJP workers in Kalkaji's Govindpuri area. In her complaint to the ECI, Atishi also named BJP candidate Ramesh Bidhuri over his alleged insulting and derogatory remarks against her. She claimed that volunteers like Rakha Bassi, Sanjay Gupta, Aradhna, Sumita Pandey, Sher Singh and Hari Shankar Gupta were intimidated by the BJP. "A lot of brokers would benefit from learning about non-bank lending, but either they don't have enough resources to support them, or they don't have enough time and capacity to do everything," Liu said. "Working with Finstreet, the broker will be able to focus on growing the relationship with the customer, and also try to deliver the best service, rather than spending time trying to find a solution that they're not really familiar with. They don't need to understand every policy, every product, or every single scenario." One thing thats clear in speaking with our customers, is that the trend towards doing business and investing in regional Australia is very real and I think well see a lot more growth in regional areas over the next decade, he said. The Japan Prize Foundation announced the winners of the 2025 Japan prize at 6PM (JST) today, 23 January, 2025. Prof. Russell Dean Dupuis (USA) has been awarded the Japan Prize in the fields of Materials Sciences and Production, and Prof. Carlos M. Duarte (Spain) has been awarded the Japan Prize in the fields of Biological Production, Ecology/Environment. For this years Japan Prize, Prof. Dupuis is being recognized for his distinguished contributions to the Development of metalorganic chemical vapor deposition technology for compound semiconductor electronic and optoelectronic devices, and pioneering contribution to its large-scale commercialization; and Prof. Duarte is being recognized for his contribution to our understanding of marine ecosystems in a changing Earth, especially through pioneering research on Blue Carbon. For the 2025 Japan Prize, the Foundation asked approximately 15,500 prominent scientists and engineers from around the world to nominate researchers working in this years fields. We received 149 nominations for the fields of Materials Sciences and Production, and 72 nominations for the fields of Biological Production, Ecology/Environment. This years winners were selected from a total of 221 nominees. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250114063833/en/ Saudi Arabias Minister of Foreign Affairs, His Highness Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah, today said the Middle East has an opportunity to shape a prosperous future following the Gaza ceasefire deal which came into effect at the start of the week. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250121797711/en/ Saudi Arabias Minister of Foreign Affairs, His Highness Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah, addressed a panel session at the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2025 in Davos on Diplomacy amid Disorder, where he spoke about an opportunity for the region to turn a page (Photo: AETOSWire) We are certainly in a region that is abundant with risk factors. But we are also in a region that has huge potential. Even with a very difficult year behind us, we have shown we can be resilient as a region and we can look to the future, whether its the Kingdom, the GCC countries and their ability to stay on track with their economic agendas. But also, as we see now with Syria, Lebanon, and possibly now in Gaza there is positivity there. The opportunity to turn a page exists in the whole region. I choose to be optimistic, the Saudi Minister of Foreign Affairs said. His Excellency Ahmed A. Al-Khateeb, Minister of Tourism, in a session titled Travel and Tourisms Role in Building Trust, commented: Since opening our doors back in 2019, weve been blessed to receive millions of international arrivals. We started with 10 million tourists in 2019, and last year hit almost 30 million. Travel and tourism is contributing to building a diversified and more resilient economy. During a Saudi House panel session on New Approaches to Measuring Growth Beyond GDP, His Excellency Mohammed A. Aljadaan, Minister of Finance, emphasized that growth should not be limited to GDP alone. He highlighted the importance of monitoring additional indicators to ensure that growth is both inclusive and sustainable across various dimensions. Speaking in a panel on The Future of Growth, His Excellency Faisal F. Alibrahim, Minister of Economy and Planning, highlighted the Kingdoms long-term approach to growth: Saudi Vision 2030 is an example of bold leadership that has led us to plan with confidence, deliver with optimism, but also manage with prudence. The WEF released a briefing paper with expert input from HE Al-Khateeb, Minister of Tourism, on The Future of Travel and Tourism: Embracing Sustainable and Inclusive Growth exploring trends in the sector and the importance of cross-sector collaboration. The Ministry of Tourism also released an Investor White Paper highlighting initiatives transforming the Kingdom's tourism sector under Vision 2030. During a Saudi House session hosted by the Ministry of Investment and Ministry of Communications and Information Technology, Salesforce announced plans to open a new regional headquarters in Riyadh, pledging to provide upskilling opportunities to 30,000 Saudi citizens by 2030. The firm also announced a partnership agreement with IBM to open an AI Innovation Center in the Kingdom. Source: AETOSWire View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250121797711/en/ Delhi elections: Parties scale up poll campaign, top leaders to address rallies With less than a fortnight to go for Delhi Assembly elections, the electioneering is reaching a feversish pitch with top leaders of respective parties hitting the streets to woo the electorate. The national capital will see a poll blitzkrieg by national leaders today, including Leader of Opposition (LoP) Rahul Gandhi, BJP President JP Nadda, Chief Ministers of two states including Yogi Adityanath and Mohan Yadav and AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi. The ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has already taken pole position with public rallies, multiple outreach programs and door to door campaigns to seek support. AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal as well as CM Atishi are leading from the front. BJP chief JP Nadda will hold two public rallies in the city first in Uttar Nagar and second in Keshavpuram, where he will demolish the AAPs model of growth and convince the electorate with BJPs manifesto. UP CM Yogi Adityanath will add vigour to BJPs poll campaign and will address three public gatherings today. Over next four days, he will hold 14 public meeting and will reach out to Purvanchali voters. MP CM Mohan Yadav will add more firepower to BJPs poll campaign by addressing two rallies in Madipur and Rohini Assembly constituency. Congress MP Rahul Gandhi will address his second public rally in Mustafabad constituency, in a bid to galvanise support for the Congress party. He is likely to hold a roadshow along with public address in the evening. Ahead of his public rally, Delhi Congress chief Devender Yadav will launch the theme song of the party for upcoming Assembly elections. AIMIM, which has also hit Delhi electoral race by fielding candidates linked with 2020 Delhi riots, will see its national president Asaduddin Owaisi taking to streets. Owaisi will address two public rallies in Shaheen Bagh, the constituency with signifcant amount of Muslim population. The battle for Delhi will culminate with polling on February 5 and the results will out on February 8. 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 Wednesday, January 22, 2025 at 9:35PM Image: Samsung Samsung surprised attendees at its Galaxy Unpacked event by briefly showcasing the Galaxy S25 Edge. This ultra-slim flagship, with a boxy design and minimal bezels, hints at a return to the era of incredibly thin, potentially fragile smartphones. While specifications remain scarce, a Samsung South Africa representative supposedly confirmed a limited initial rollout in select markets, including the US and South Korea. The Galaxy S25 Edge's arrival follows years of thicker, more robust phone designs. It remains to be seen whether consumers will embrace a slimmer form factor, potentially at the expense of battery capacity and other internal components. This move by Samsung echoes Apple's rumoured iPhone Air, suggesting a renewed industry interest in ultra-slim designs. SOURCE: 1 + 2 Robert Cromeys 21-year tenure made him the longest serving rector in the history of Trinity Episcopal Church in San Francisco. Courtesy of the Archives of Trinity+St. Peter's Episcopal Church, Retired Rev. Robert Cromey, left, and a small group of Quakers, Episcopalians, and those against the war in Iraq gathered on Larkin Street in front of the older city Federal Building on May 22, 2008, where they had protested on Thursdays since 2001. Brant Ward/The Chronicle 2008 Rev. Robert Cromey, an Episcopal priest who has pioneered gay rights in San Francisco, on Castro Street in 2013. Michael Maloney/The Chronicle 2013 Robert Cromey was a young priest working in the poor corners of San Franciscos Mission District when he was invited to give a sermon at Grace Cathedral, seat of the Episcopal Diocese of California, in March of 1963. Cromey, a New Yorker who was new to the city, made his introduction by preaching that gay people should be treated as full members of the church and not be discriminated against in any way. This was so radical that most people thought he was completely crazy, recalled his wife, Ann Cromey. That was the last time he was invited to preach at Grace Cathedral. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Banished across town to St. Aidans Episcopal in Diamond Heights, Cromey co-performed what is considered to be the first gay wedding ceremony at a church in the city, in 1968. He did many more of them when he became rector at Trinity Episcopal Church, the great stone castle at the corner of Bush and Gough streets that is the oldest Episcopal parish in the west. When the Episcopal hierarchy clamped down on same-sex marriages, he announced that if he could not perform these ceremonies at Trinity, he would not perform any marriages at all. Cromeys life in civil disobedience started at the March on Selma in 1965, and was still going strong when he protested the dismissal of a lesbian deacon from a Mission District church in 2023. After nearly 60 years in the struggle, Cromey fell at his home near Dolores Park shortly before Christmas and chipped a bone in his femur. After five weeks in rehab, he was preparing to come home when he died in his sleep on Jan. 14 at Buena Vista Manor House, one month shy of his 94th birthday. He was the most principled person I have ever met, said his wife of 41 years, a retired English teacher at St. Rose Academy and other Catholic girls high schools in the city. He stuck to his principles no matter what opposition he faced. The opposition usually started with the Right Rev. William Swing, bishop of California. Even after Cromey caved to Bishop Swings demand that he stop performing gay wedding ceremonies, he got around it by inviting in visiting ministers to perform the nuptials while he stood by. The funeral services he conducted himself, some 72 of them during the AIDS crisis. Cromey was constantly threatened with presentation, a disciplinary proceeding that could have resulted in him being banned from preaching for life. Advertisement Article continues below this ad This would have been a crushing blow because Cromey, who stood 6 feet 4 and looked even taller at the raised pulpit, was born to preach, and was the son of an Episcopal priest. He was funny; he told stories, and he made an effort never to exceed the 12 minutes he allotted for a sermon, though there were times when he got going and could not stop. The only time Cromey could be counted on to be quiet was during the weekly silent vigil for peace that he always attended outside the Phillip Burton Federal Building. He was a very passionate man in many ways, and sort of a man on fire, said Michael Haines, a retired hospital chaplain at San Francisco General Hospital. Haines first became aware of Cromey when his picture was in the Chronicle in 1965, standing next to Rev. Cecil Williams at a news conference protesting the arrest of drag queens at a New Years Eve ball. From that time on Bob was an acknowledged leader of the more liberal branch of the Episcopal church in San Francisco, Haines said. He and Cecil Williams became the most prominent spokespeople among clergy for the gay movement. Robert Warren Cromey was born in New York City, on Feb. 16, 1931. He attended St. Pauls Episcopal School on Long Island, riding the subway from his home in Brooklyn while doing his French and Latin homework. He earned an athletic scholarship to attend New York University, where he was co-captain of the swim team and earned his bachelors in English and philosophy, in 1954. He then enrolled at the General Theological Seminary in New York City and in 1956 he was ordained as a deacon and priest in the Episcopal Diocese of New York. In 1962, Cromey was recruited by James Pike, the progressive Bishop of California at the time, to invigorate the Episcopal ministries in the Mission District of San Francisco. He and his first wife loaded their three daughters into a VW Bus to drive cross country. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Bob Cromey was part of that cadre of young ministers who came here to do urban outreach to draw people back to the church, said Paul Gabriel, who conducted an oral history with Cromey on behalf of the GLBT Historical Society of Northern California. He didnt work for a specific congregation, and that freed him. He was very proud of doing something that was groundbreaking, by recruiting gay people into civil rights as a sexual minority. After his incendiary sermon at Grace Cathedral, Cromey became a founder of the Council on Religion and Homosexuality, which is considered to be the first national organization to contain homosexual in its name, dating to 1964. He also may have been the first to describe himself as a Sex Priest, which became the title of the second among five books he published, while also seeing patients as a marriage and family counselor. Cromey eventually settled into the position as vicar at St. Aidans before being promoted to rector, the highest position at Trinity parish in what was then known as Tenderloin Heights. Cromey set the tone in his very first sermon at Trinity, delivered on Dec. 15, 1981. In it, he called for then-Defense Secretary Caspar Weinberger to resign his membership in the Episcopal Church due to his hawkish views, which ran contrary to the churchs anti-war positions. This earned him a lengthy standing ovation rare during an Episcopal sermon from the hundreds whod come, according to Jennifer Dwight, archivist at what is now called Trinity+St. Peters Episcopal Church. San Francisco attorney Tom Horn read about Cromeys heroics in the Bay Area Reporter, an LGBTQ newspaper, and came to Trinity to see what the fuss was about. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Id been raised in the church, and he saw Christianity the way I saw it, said Horn, the honorary consul of Monaco. That church should be loving, not vengeful. That was the message he carried. Horn and his husband, Caesar Alexzander, often went to the Cromey home for their annual Christmas dinner, in which guests dressed in tuxedos and gowns. Robert made a great Manhattan, Horn said, and when they had a dinner party for eight couples, maybe one of them was straight. Cromey outlasted the church on the gay marriage issue. In 1988, the Diocesan Convention endorsed the blessing of same-sex marriages. But they were still illegal in 1996 when two San Francisco attorneys invited a crew from ABC-TV to film their wedding performed by Cromey at Trinity. It aired on the single-topic newsmagazine Turning Point on Valentines Day 1997. I think youd have to say Robert was a colorful personality with a pure sense of social justice, not just for gay liberation but for any other oppressed group, Haines said. Cromeys 21-year tenure made him the longest serving rector in the history of Trinity, a congregation that dates to 1849. The nave has a capacity of 800 and it might be tested when a memorial service for Cromey is held at 11 a.m. Feb. 1. Advertisement Article continues below this ad National Potato Council CEO Kam Quarles welcomes likely regulatory rollbacks under President Donald Trumps new administration but remains concerned about the Make America Healthy Again movement. MAHA priorities include removing toxins from food, water and air; prioritizing regenerative agriculture; and preserving natural habitats, according to the Make America Healthy Again political action committee. The movement recently has been linked to Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the presidents nominee for Health and Human Services secretary. Parts of MAHA are quite troublesome, although its a little early, Quarles said. For example, the movement has potential to change how pesticide risk is viewed and managed, ultimately impacting domestic commodity production and exports, he said. The European Union uses a hazard-based approach focused on maximum potential harm whereas the U.S. uses a risk-based approach that takes into account how, where and under what conditions a pesticide is used, Quarles said. A great white shark is a hazard all by itself, he said. If we are on a beach in California discussing a shark in Australia, the risk is relatively minimal. As for regulation in general in the Trump administration, the big thing right out of the gate is regulation reform, an absolute reduction of regulatory burden and other supply constraints, Quarles said. Some agricultural labor regulations in recent years went well beyond worker protection and more into the union organizing space, such as those that enabled certain nuisance claims, he said. I think those types of regulations are going to be pulled back. The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission in March adopted rules to enhance and standardize publicly traded companies climate-related disclosures. Lawsuits followed. Food companies were among those expressing major concern. The commission in early April voluntarily stayed implementation of the rules, which Quarles expects will be pulled back or scrapped. USDA and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services every five years update dietary guidelines, which impact government nutrition programs. A committee compiling recommendations for the 2025 update considered reclassifying potatoes from vegetable to grain, which Quarles strongly opposed. The committee ultimately did not reclassify potatoes. However, the committee in its report recommended people reduce their intake of starchy vegetables. For a country that doesnt eat enough vegetables now, that on its face makes no sense, Quarles said. He expects the Trump administration to pause the dietary guidelines process. The National Potato Council will monitor how the administration moves forward with tariffs, and with border security and deportation including if and how the agricultural workforce is impacted, Quarles said. In Congress, a twice-extended 2018 Farm Bill must be replaced, he said. We are very concerned about continued delays in rewriting the Farm Bill, Quarles said. There is significant need for new resources There are numerous programs incredibly important for potatoes as well as all of the U.S. fruit and vegetable industry. Lack of an updated Farm Bill is putting American agriculture behind our foreign competitors, so we need to get a bill done this year, he said. Todays farm kids need to hear that agriculture is an option for them, says farmer and popular social media host Rob Sharkey, known as the Shark Farmer. A lot of times, when were talking about careers and jobs, farming and agriculture is kind of left out, Sharkey told the Capital Press. But its definitely important not just for them as a future, but for the entire country. Sharkey will speak Feb. 6 to FFA members during the Spokane Ag Show. A fifth-generation Illinois farmer, he hosts several podcasts and TV shows on RFD-TV and PBS. Sharkey previously spoke to FFA audiences at the ag show in 2020 and at the Tri-State Grain Growers Convention in 2023. He and wife Emily hope to be able to get away from the city this time around, and explore the area. Wed love to see the Palouse in person, because you see the videos and you see the pictures, he said. Theyre amazing, but its never the same thing when you see it in real life. Positivity As kids consider ag careers, they might think all theyll do is day labor, Sharkey said. Yeah, maybe to start, he said. But if you can show these young people that there are actually good paying careers that you can raise a family on in agriculture, thats what we need to be showing them. Sharkey talks to a handful of FFA groups each year. I enjoy it, because theyre so positive theyre a lot more positive than I was in high school, he said with a chuckle. They seem like they have a lot of things figured out that I didnt at that age. Sharkey hopes FFA audiences come away with a positive feeling about the future of agriculture. Were in a society where negative sells, and its easy to get caught up in that, he said. But if you can reassure them, show them the positives of agriculture, thats always a plus. Biggest need What does Sharkey see as the biggest need in agriculture today? Obviously, to stay profitable is paramount, he said. If were looking at potentially a downturn thats hard to tell, next year could be a drought year and change everything. Profitability keeps the people, he said. Its hard to convince, especially young people, to stay in agriculture, when they can make twice the money, a lot of times for less work somewhere else, he said. In his work and presentations, Sharkey advocates for farmer mental health and emphasizes the importance of speaking honestly about difficult things. I would love to leave a message that the hard things in your life, that you are going to experience no matter what, can be some of the best things for you, he said. I look back at some of the times that I was struggling the most, that I thought things were the worst those were the times that taught me to look at life differently, taught me to make decisions that ended up doing very well for us. Thats the message I want to leave the younger folks there. By Rebecca Black, PA Deep sadness has been expressed following the death of Belfast poet Michael Longley. Mr Longley died at the age of 85 in hospital on Wednesday. He won a number of awards for his writing throughout his life including the TS Eliot Prize, the Feltrinelli International Prize and the Whitbread Poetry Prize, and he was appointed a CBE in 2010 as well as being awarded the freedom of Belfast. Poet Michael Longley at Lancaster House in London (Peter Jordan/PA) Among some of his best-known work is the poem Ceasefire in 1994, inspired by the then-ceasefires in his native Northern Ireland. President Michael D Higgins led the tributes to Mr Longley, and said he learned of his death with the deepest sadness. I regarded him as a peerless poet with at least three poetic lives. It is, however, the generosity of his heart, and the lovely cadence of a voice of love and friendship that I will most remember, he said. Michael Longley will be recognised as one of the greatest poets that Ireland has ever produced, and it has long been my belief that his work is of the level that would be befitting of a Nobel Prize for Literature. The range of his work was immense, be it from the heartbreak of loss to the assurance of the resilience of beauty in nature. Mr Higgins said: May I send my deepest condolences to Michaels wife, the scholar and writer Edna Longley, to his children and to all of his family, friends and many admirers across the world. Chaos on the return of the Dail and the latest on Strom Eowyn dominate the front pages of Thursday's papers. The Irish Times leads with efforts by TDs to end the standoff between the Government and opposition over speaking time for Independent TDs in the Government. The Irish Examiner also leads with the chaos in the Dail, as Micheal Martin was unable to be nominated as Taoiseach. The Echo leads with Cork preparing for a red alert for Strom Eowyn. The Irish Independent leads with the Dail being suspended several times over rows that broke out over speaking time. The Irish Daily Mail leads with the headline "OH VERONA", as the Ceann Comhairle Verona Murphy was forced to suspended the Dail. The Irish Daily Mirror leads with the Dail failing to nominate the Taoiseach in the chaos in the Dail on Wednesday. The Irish Daily Star leads with the headline "STORM IN A TAOISEACH", as the Dail will hope to nominate Micheal Martin as Taoiseach on Wednesday with Strom Eowyn arriving on Friday. British Papers The fatal stabbing of a 12-year-old boy leads the stories covered by Thursdays papers. The Daily Mirror and The Sun report Leo Ross died in hospital on Tuesday evening, hours after he was found with a stab wound to the stomach. Meanwhile, the Daily Mail and Metro lead with the story of a Royal Navy nuclear-powered submarine which was used to warn off one of Russian President Vladimir Putins spy ships operating around UK waters. The Daily Telegraph says a report has found one in 12 people living in London is an illegal immigrant. The Independent leads with the Duke of Sussex receiving an unequivocal apology from News Group Newspapers after serious intrusion by The Sun, including unlawful activities by private investigators working for the paper, as Harry and the publisher settled their High Court case. The Financial Times reports 300 million dollars (243 million) of US infrastructure funding has been stalled following President Donald Trumps decision to unpick Joe Bidens climate agenda. People wearing so-called Islamic State symbols have been spotted on the streets in Syria, according to the Daily Express. And the Daily Star says there is a tussle between former and current members of Village People over the groups decision to perform at Mr Trumps inauguration. Dr. Peter Chin-Hong of UCSF is among the Bay Area health experts who expressed concern Wednesday over a pause in external communications by federal health agencies ordered by the Trump administration. Noah Berger/Special to The Chronicle President Donald Trump on Tuesday ordered agencies within the Department of Health and Human Services, including the Food and Drug Administration, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and National Institutes of Health, to pause external communication. Julia Demaree Nikhinson/Associated Press The Trump administrations directive to halt external communications from federal health agencies raised concern Wednesday among Bay Area health experts and local agencies, who warned that the pause could have significant consequences for public well-being especially amid ongoing threats like the H5N1 avian influenza, COVID-19 and the respiratory virus season. Dr. Peter Chin-Hong, an infectious-disease specialist at UCSF, expressed deep anxiety about the timing of the pause. While the pause on health communications may help the new administration get up to speed and ensure alignment with new policies, it also poses potentially significant risks, particularly in public health, Chin-Hong said. With the current H5N1 threat, and in the middle of the ongoing respiratory virus season, I am especially anxious about pressing the pause button at the federal level. Advertisement Article continues below this ad According to a report Tuesday from the Washington Post, the pause, issued on the second day of the new administration, affects agencies within the Department of Health and Human Services, including the Food and Drug Administration, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and National Institutes of Health. The guidance prompted confusion among staff, many of whom expected a review during the transition but were unclear about the pauses scope and duration, according to the report. Chin-Hong noted that while local agencies, including those in California and San Francisco, can attempt to fill gaps in communication, the lack of a unified federal message can create confusion. With multiple groups providing information, inconsistent or different emphases in messaging can confuse the public and undermine trust, he said. Without a centralized federal communication mechanism, this can also lead to an increase in misinformation. Local health systems, Chin-Hong added, depend on federal data to understand national trends and coordinate timely, effective responses. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Because effective public health responses require coordinated efforts at local, state, and federal levels, any delay can lead to a fragmented and less effective response in all communities, he noted. Stanford medicine professor Kevin Schulman echoed these concerns, stressing the importance of reliable federal information in public health efforts. We rely on these federal agencies for a lot of our health information, especially for groundbreaking work, Schulman said. The lack of a trusted source of information is going to be a big concern. He pointed to the rapid spread of misinformation through social media as a particular challenge. One of the issues we have to grapple with in the age of social media is the lack of positive and reliable information doesnt mean there is a lack of information being shared with patients, Schulman said. A bunch of other information sources will now be dominant. Advertisement Article continues below this ad He noted that during the COVID-19 vaccine rollout, misinformation spread quickly, particularly in areas where vaccines were not readily available. If there is a vacuum on one side, it doesnt mean there will be a vacuum on the other side, he warned. Thats going to make our jobs very difficult. The communication freeze includes the CDCs Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, health alerts and updates from the National Center for Health Statistics, which tracks critical health data. Although it is uncertain whether urgent matters, such as foodborne disease outbreaks or drug approvals, will be affected, the move follows past patterns where the Trump administration restricted agency messaging, particularly during the pandemic. Schulman also expressed concern about the added burden on local and state agencies. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Its going to put a lot more pressure on the state to be much more proactive in taking on these communication roles that they relied on the federal government to do, he said. Its going to put a lot more pressure on local resources to take some of these communication responsibilities until we know what services we know or dont know what the federal government will be providing. The California Department of Public Health affirmed its commitment to working with federal partners, despite the temporary pause. California will continue to work collaboratively with our federal partners to ensure that families in our state are healthy and our communities are vibrant places to live and work, the department said in a statement. While we dont typically speculate on the potential impacts of a new federal administration, we remain committed to protecting Californians access to the critical services and programs they need. Similarly, the San Francisco Department of Public Health emphasized the importance of continued communication at all levels. SFDPH will always provide healthcare, services, and support to all San Francisco communities, as well as information to clinical providers and the public as needed to protect health in San Francisco, a spokesperson stated. Effective public health requires data and information sharing at all levels, and SFDPH will continue to do so with our regional, state, and federal partners. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Despite these concerns, Schulman suggested that the communication pause may be a temporary strategy to allow the new administration to assess its approach. The best spin is they just started and theyre trying to understand the communication strategies before they get back to work, he said, though he also noted the urgency of the situation. Meanwhile, he said, We have lots of capabilities here in California to take on these roles, regardless of who is in charge at the federal agencies. However, if the pause is prolonged, it could raise concerns, especially since the Biden administration closely reviewed health data before release. Early in Trumps first term, similar communications restrictions were placed on agencies overseeing environmental and scientific policy. Advertisement The Conch Zongyang Line No 4 preheater modernisation project has been selected as a pilot project under the Sino-German Energy Efficiency Improvement Demonstration in Key Industries (SGEEIDK) programme. Based on KHDs state-of-the-art technology, the project will be executed by KHD and its parent company, AVIC International Beijing, in collaboration with Conch Groups R&D department, with support from Chinas National Energy Conservation Center and the German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ). Results are expected at the end of 2025. The SGEEIDK is an outcome of the 2023 cooperation agreement between the two countries to foster dialogue on climate change and the green transition. The programme was announced in June 2024 by Zheng Shanjie, director of the Chinese National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), and Robert Habeck, Germanys deputy federal chancellor and minister of economy and climate protection. A total of 12 candidate projects were evaluated by various organisations from China and Germany based on criteria, including the potential to enhance international collaboration and opportunities for follow-up cooperation. The review committee selected Conch Groups Zongyang project for its integration of various advanced technologies from China and Germany to deliver significant energy efficiency and carbon reduction benefits. The Conch Zongyang project is one of several upgrade projects provided by AVIC to Chinese cement producers using KHDs leading pyroprocessing, grinding, alternative fuel and digitalisation solutions. The projects selection as a pilot project for Sino-German cooperation marks a significant recognition of AVIC and KHDs ability to deliver sustainable, low-carbon cement solutions. The cement industry is the third-largest source of industrial carbon emissions in China. Reducing these emissions is essential for the country to achieve its dual carbon goals: capping emissions in the short to mid-term and reaching carbon neutrality by 2060. San Jose police arrested three men accused of nearly 80 burglaries at predominantly Asian homes in the South Bay and recovered more than 700 stolen items, including five firearms. Provided by San Jose Police Department San Jose police arrested three men accused of nearly 80 burglaries at predominantly Asian homes in the South Bay and recovered more than 700 stolen items as well as five firearms. Provided by San Jose Police Department San Jose police arrested three men accused of nearly 80 burglaries at predominantly Asian homes in the South Bay and recovered more than 700 stolen items, including five firearms. Provided by San Jose Police Department San Jose police arrested three men accused of burglarizing nearly 80 predominantly Asian households in the South Bay. The trio is accused of targeting Asian homes in San Jose, Cupertino, Saratoga, Campbell and Mountain View and stealing around $1 million in property over the past seven months, San Jose Police Chief Paul Joseph said Wednesday at a news conference. On Jan. 16, officers arrested Alberto Ibarra Vallejo, 25, Gonzalo Valencia Ramos, 28, and Jaime Martinez Arroyo, 46, on suspicion of the string of thefts after serving search warrants in Stockton, French Camp (San Joaquin County) and Hayward, Joseph said. Police recovered more than 700 pieces of stolen property, including hundreds of pieces of jewelry, foreign currency, luxury purses and watches, along with five firearms, three of which had been stolen from homes in San Jose and Vallejo, Joseph said. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The men were arraigned Tuesday and charged with 72 felony burglary counts, Santa Clara County District Attorney Jeff Rosen said. The things that they stole from these homes were not televisions; they were family heirlooms, college savings, vacations, wedding rings, Rosen said. He added: Theyre looking at spending the rest of their lives in prison, where they should be. Police initially investigated each burglary separately after the crimes were reported in June, but detectives later noticed similarities between home invasions across Santa Clara County, sparking an interagency investigation involving many South Bay police departments and the District Attorneys office, Joseph said. Police linked the suspects to at least 30 burglaries in west San Jose, 18 in Cupertino and Saratoga, 20 in Mountain View and 10 in Campbell, and officers may link them to additional burglaries as they sift through the recovered property, Joseph said. Joseph called the suspects sophisticated professional burglars and said they methodically cased neighborhoods and targeted households believed to be occupied by AAPI families. The burglars method was to enter through backyards and glass sliding doors and steal jewelry, cash and purses, while leaving electronic devices untouched, Joseph said. It was not clear why the suspects allegedly targeted Asian homes, but Joseph said the burglars targeting was clear early on in the investigation. They believed that those were homes where they would find a lot of valuables and it was worth their time to break into those homes, Joseph said. Advertisement Article continues below this ad San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan applauded law enforcement and decried the burglars targeting of Asian households. Sadly, weve become all too familiar with hate, especially anti-Asian hate, in the Bay Area in recent years, he said. But we will not allow it to become normalized. We will continue to call it out, to seek it out, and to put a stop to it. Joseph encouraged residents to come forward with additional tips related to the burglaries and said the department will continue to investigate. We know that the impact a home burglary has on a family is tremendous and long-lasting, he said, and we are committed to doing everything in our power to protect you and bring any remaining suspects to justice. Middle Valley Church of God, located at 1703 Thrasher Pike in Hixson, announces that Pastor Mitch McClure will be preaching on Sunday, January 26, 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. Jennifer Dixon Kimberly Carr Sonya Alday Susan Wheat Trevor Roberts Previous Next Faculty and staff at Georgia Northwestern Technical College have nominated five of their peer instructors for the Rick Perkins Award of Excellence in Technical Instruction competition.The Rick Perkins Award honors the Technical College System of Georgias most outstanding instructors. The award has been an ongoing statewide event since 1991 and is designed to recognize technical college instructors who make significant contributions to technical education through innovation and leadership in their fields.Listed are the nominees for the 2025 award, including (from left to right) the instructors name and program: Sonya Alday, clinical coordinator and instructor of Emergency Medical Services (EMS); Kimberly Carr, instructor of Mathematics; Jennifer Dixon, assistant dean and instructor of Early Childhood Care and Education; Trevor Roberts, clinical coordinator of Ultrasound Programs and instructor of Adult Echocardiography; and Susan Wheat, program director and instructor of Radiologic Technology.We are very fortunate at Georgia Northwestern Technical College to have instructors who care so much about the students and the learning process.Our instructors are always working to provide the best information and tools for learning, said Beverly Padgett, GNTCs Rick Perkins coordinator and instructor of certified customer service specialist and public speaking.These nominees continuously go beyond what is expected of them not only to meet but to surpass the needs of their students, Ms. Padgett said. Our instructors are truly the best of the best!Formerly known as the Commissioners Award of Excellence, the award was renamed in honor and memory of Thomas Rick Perkins, an instructor at West Georgia Technical College, who received the Commissioners Award of Excellence prior to his untimely death.The Technical College System of Georgia provides oversight for the Rick Perkins Award programs through the systems office, the college presidents Academic Affairs Committee and the state planning committee.A screening committee of administrators and staff at GNTC reviewed each of the nominated instructors and conducted personal interviews with the nominees. From the screening committee interviews, a winner will be chosen to represent the college as GNTCs 2025 Rick Perkins Award winner and move on to the regional competition.The winning instructor will be announced at the GOAL, Rick Perkins and EAGLE Presentation Awards Luncheon held Tuesday, Jan. 28, at the Courtyard by Marriot in Rome. The luncheon is sponsored by The Seven Hills Rotary Club, Rome Floyd Chamber and GNTC. As your state treasurer, I am entrusted with managing our states financial resources. My personal goal is to help Tennesseans achieve financial wellness in their own lives. The key to improving the financial outlook of Tennesseans begins with getting young people on the path to post-secondary education to qualify them to enter todays workplace. That path begins with college savings. Tennessee launched the TNStars College Savings 529 Program because the future of our state depends on us having a well-educated workforce. With a range of low-cost, high-quality investment options, the program allows Tennessee families to save and invest for the future cost of higher education in a tax-advantaged way. Money saved in a TNStars account can be used at in-state or out-of- state four-year universities, private colleges, community colleges, and technical schools. We are proud to have assisted families in saving more than $400 million through TNStars. Establishing a college savings account for a child sends a powerful message that we believe in their potential. This is why I'm proud to support the Chattanooga Future Fund, an initiative that embodies our state's commitment to investing in our children's future and our economy. Starting this year, every kindergarten and middle school student in Hamilton County Schools will receive $150 in a career and college savings account provided by the Chattanooga Future Fund. This initiative is the first in the Southeast and is a testament to Chattanooga's visionary leadership and commitment to its youth. Families of students participating in the Chattanooga Future Fund will have the ability to link their Future Fund savings to a TNStars College Savings account to continue adding to their savings. Additionally, some income eligible Chattanooga families may qualify to receive four-to-one matching grants through the Tennessee Investments Preparing Scholars program. When a qualifying family establishes a TNStars account and enrolls a child 14 years or younger in the TIPS program, the state will provide a four-to-one matching contribution. Eligible children can receive up to $500 per year with a lifetime maximum match of $1,500. Every dollar saved for a childs future can advance them throughout their lives. Years of data prove that when children get help saving at a young age, they tend to save more money and build wealth at greater rates throughout their lifetimes. The Chattanooga Future Fund and the TIPS program will amplify individual families savings efforts, turning modest savings into substantial opportunities. Even a few hundred dollars in a graduating seniors account will make him or her up to five times more likely to pursue a post-secondary education or certification. This is vitally important in Tennessee, where in just five years more than 80 percent of jobs in Chattanooga will require a post-secondary credential. Currently, only 60 percent of local high school graduates are enrolling in any education or training after high school. The Chattanooga Future Fund can help close this gap and launch our workforce forward. I commend Chattanooga 2.0 and its partners for their leadership on this groundbreaking initiative. The Tennessee Department of Treasury is proud to support these efforts. I encourage you to visit ChattanoogaFutureFund.org to learn how you can join us. Together, we can ensure Tennessee children get the bright start they need, paving the way for the thriving futures they deserve. David H. Lillard, Jr. Treasurer for the State of Tennessee Former Hamilton County School Board Member Kathy Lennon announced her candidacy for chair of the Hamilton County Democratic Party. An educator of more than 25 years and the Democratic Partys 2024 nominee for Tennessee House District 27, Lennon is a lifelong public servant and advocate for education, it was stated. Ms. Lennon is married to John Lennon, a teacher, and theater director with Chattanooga Preparatory School. Kathy has two children - Stephanie Sumrell Lefevre lives in Chattanooga with her two children Finley and Lorelei Lefevre. Chris Sumrell and his wife Jennie Newman Sumrell live in Chattanooga with their son James Sumrell. We, as a party, have a lot of work to do to be successful in 2026 and beyond, said Ms. Lennon. Outgoing Chair Rachel Campbell has done an incredible job at pumping new life into our county party, and I am forever grateful to her for the support she gave to me during my campaign. If we want to be successful moving forward, I believe we need to rebuild our partys broad coalition, support candidates strategically, and, most importantly, raise a substantial amount of money to be competitive in Hamilton County. Weve done it before, and I believe we can do it again. Rachel Campbell is running for chair of the Tennessee Democratic Party. Since the November election, Ms. Lennon said she has been advocating to the General Assembly against the Hemp Rule Change using her direct experience with the key role she plays in the family business, FarmToMed. She has also been organizing against Governor Bill Lees private school voucher bill - volunteering with Public Schools Strong, urging the Hamilton County School Board to support a resolution against the state voucher program and rallying local public education advocates to organize against the bill. Today, Democrats have a responsibility to speak up against the efforts to harm working-class Tennesseans and dismantle public education, said Ms. Lennon. I am more proud today than I ever have been to be a democrat, and I am running to be the next chair of the Hamilton County Democratic Party to build on our progress and breathe new life into our party in preparation for the 2030 Census and the resulting redistricting process. Lennon laid out four priorities as chair that she listed: Raise Funds to Compete at New Levels: As a former candidate, Lennon knows the critical nature of raising funds to accomplish our goals. Lennon raised more than $100,000 in her recent run for State House, proving her ability to work effectively with large- and small-dollar donors to build an effective budget. As chair, Lennon will assume the role as Chief Fundraising Officer of the party, using her profile and connections to build a budget that meets the needs of the partys goals. Communicate Our Message Most Effectively: The results of the 2024 election showed our need to communicate more effectively. Lennon will advocate for a comprehensive communications strategy that adequately utilizes digital communications to reach new and younger voters, hold elected officials accountable, and elevate candidates to support their campaigns. Rebuild Our Coalition and Bring New People to the Table: The Democratic Party is the big tent party. Lennon believes we need to bring organizations that touch every part of our community to the table to more effectively organize and mobilize. That must include, Lennon believes, prioritizing engaging black and brown voters by working with and supporting organizations that are already doing the work. Lennon will recognize the vital contributions of every faction of our party. Through intentional messaging, Lennon believes we need to remind voters every day of how democrats in power means everybody wins: Economic opportunity and mobility through rising wages and reducing costs, reproductive freedom for women without interference from the government, and equal rights for everyone, regardless of where they come from or what they look like. Re-engage Our Mobilization Efforts: Democrats need to get organized quickly. Starting even before she is elected, Lennon is recruiting engaged and energized democrats to run for county party officer positions and for the executive committee. Once elected, Lennon will work with leadership to create a strategic plan, charging executive committee members, who are elected by county commission district, to be leaders in their community to organize and engage their democratic neighbors. Lennon believes grassroots efforts to recruit, engage, and support local candidates, supporters, and volunteers is the beginning to the path to victory. That starts with bringing on a slate of county party leadership that is more engaged, excited, and connected than ever before. Ms. Rhea County Executive Jim Vincent announced to the full commission that he was notified that Spectrum had purchased Spring City Cable recently. And they didnt contact us about it. Both Spring City Cable, Spectrum and Bledsoe Telephone Cooperative had approached the county to be awarded American Rescue Plan Act Money to put Internet all over the under-served portions of the county back in 2022. County Executive Vincent talked with representatives of Spectrum to remind them that Spring City Cable had not yet finished its contractual obligations to Rhea County. He said he told them, Do you not think that you should have checked with us since it was a county utility before you purchased it to see if we needed anything? Mr.Vincent then told them that they had not met their contract with the county. County Commission Vice Chairman Phillip Dunn reported to the commission that he had several locations that had been bypassed and had no service ar all. . County Executive Vincent said he personally knew of spots, not a lot, on Grandview Mountain that were missed. Commissioner Leo Stephens said there were many places out in Oak Hill community that were missed. Mr. Vincent said that if commissioners in those areas would get him the not served addresses he would check on them. Make sure they are not served versus under-served. The grant was to get persons with no service, he said. After discussing the matter, County Executive Vincent said he was going to have the county attorney, Carol Baron, send a letter to both Spring City Cable and Spectrum to remind them of their obligations and let them know they are not happy with the sale until they finish the contract. According to the Dunn and Bradstreet information, Walter Hooper is the president of Spring City Cable. It was started in 1982 and serves some 8,900 customers with cable and Internet. A call was placed to Mr. Hooper for comment, but it was not returned. Milagros Alinas pushes Geraldine Clark in a wheelchair while Lilia Galdo walks alongside. Clarks relatives accused Alinas, Galdo and another caretaker of siphoning away Clarks forture while working as in-home aides. Provided by the family of Geraldine Clark The trustee of a onetime San Francisco millionaire who died nearly penniless has filed a $9 million lawsuit against the womans longtime caregivers, alleging a yearslong scheme in which the staff drained the savings of an older, immobile woman suffering from dementia whom they were supposed to be caring for. Geraldine Clark, 91, had less than $200 left in her investment account when she died at a Hayward nursing home nearly two years ago. She had been forced to move there, her family said, after the in-home caregivers she relied on for bathing, toileting and eating allegedly overpaid themselves by the thousands over a period of years using fraudulent checks. David Stewart, Clarks nephew, said he hoped the lawsuit prevents the caregivers from victimizing another vulnerable adult. Advertisement Article continues below this ad These people are calculating, said Stewart, who lives in Southern California and, along with his sister in France, is Clarks closest living relative. I dont know what theyre doing now, but theyre clearly capable of doing this again. The suit, filed in San Francisco Superior Court, names Clarks former caregivers Elsie Curameng, Milagros Alinas, Lilia Galdo and Marina Suriao as defendants. Also named were Curamengs sons, Roel and Roi Curameng and their spouses, whom Clarks family believes were gifted luxury vacations and expensive cars from Clarks life savings. The Chronicle was unable to reach any of the defendants for comment. The cases plaintiff is trustee Heather Yarbrough, who was appointed to manage Clarks finances after she died. Yarbrough, David Stewart and his wife Kaira spent the past two years compiling hundreds of pages of financial statements, medical records and other documents that they say show the yearslong swindle perpetuated against a woman whose investments should have afforded her a comfortable lifestyle before her death. Yarbrough additionally reported the case to San Francisco police and the FBI in May of 2023, but there has been little apparent movement from criminal investigators. A San Francisco police sergeant in August 2024 told the Stewarts that the District Attorneys office had declined to take the case, because it would be too difficult to prove without testimony from the deceased victim. Advertisement Article continues below this ad However, when the Chronicle asked about the case last year, a San Francisco police spokesman responded that he couldnt comment, due to it being an open and active investigation. Plaintiffs attorneys said Clark had meticulously prepared for her golden years. She had set up a brokerage account that generated a substantial monthly income, which was then automatically transferred into a Wells Fargo account, which was meant to cover all of her living expenses. At the beginning of 2016, Clark had a blue chip stock portfolio worth more than $5 million, comprised of stocks including Apple, Chevron and Coca-Cola, the suit states. It was at about this time that the caregivers began directing the transfer and sale of Clarks stocks, the plaintiffs attorneys said. Over the next several years, the caregivers inflated their paychecks hundreds of times, but falsified the check register to represent a much smaller amount, attorneys said. For instance, checks that were recorded as $700 and $900 in the check register were later cashed for $5,700, $6,900, respectively. While each of the caregivers earned $30 an hour from Clark, financial records show their actual take-home pay was substantially higher. In August 2020 alone a month that Clark was especially isolated due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Elsie Curameng issued checks to herself totaling $78,000, the suit states. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Had it not been for the caregivers theft, plaintiffs attorneys said, Clarks brokerage account would have been worth nearly $9 million at the time of her death in March 2023. Paul Levin, a Los Angeles attorney who specializes in fraud litigation for the firm Mark Migdal & Hayden and filed the suit on behalf of the trustee, said while he believes theres enough evidence to also prosecute Clarks caretakers, such cases are rarely taken up in criminal court. I completely understand that law enforcement is resource-constrained, Levin said. But if were not prosecuting crimes of this magnitude against the Geraldine Clarks out there, then we as a society have failed. Noel Phillip Workman, Sr., passed away on January 20, 2025, just three days after his 85th birthday. Born in Watseka, Il., to Dr. Noel E. and Ruth Ehard Workman, Noel grew up in Watseka and Paxton, Illinois, attending elementary and middle school before finishing high school at Munich American High School in Germany. He developed a lasting love of European travel and formed lifelong friendships there. After high school, Noel attended the University of Illinois and married Elizabeth Ann (Liz) Frank in 1961. He then served as a 2nd Lieutenant in the United States Air Force in Greenville, Mississippi. Following his military service, Noel worked with Hodding Carter at the Delta Democrat-Times newspaper in Greenville, Mississippi, and contributed as a writer for Delta Magazine. He was also deeply involved in his community, serving as president of both the Symphony and the No Name Dinner Club. Music was an essential part of Noel's life. He loved playing the piano, often with his jazz combo band. His creative spirit was also evident in his career, founding the advertising agency Delta Design Group in Greenville, where he served as president until his retirement. He also served as choirmaster at St. James Episcopal Church in Greenville, MS. Noel retired to Sewanee, Tn., where he became a mentor trainer for the Education for Ministry Program at the School of Theology at the University of the South. He was also an adjunct professor in the Universitys Music Department. His dedication to faith and community continued in Sewanee, where he served on the vestry and as senior warden at Otey Parish. Noel was predeceased by his wife, Liz Workman, and their daughter, Ann Workman Brewster. In 2021, he married Val Gibson Workman, and they made their home in Signal Mountain, Tn. He is survived by his son, Noel Phillip Workman, Jr. (Denise); grandsons, Andrew and Avery; son-in-law, John Brewster; and grandchildren, Alexander and Sarah Brewster; the children of John and Noels late daughter, Ann Workman Brewster. He also leaves behind his sisters, Patsy Workman McCammack (Marshall) and Kendra Workman Smiley (John). In memory of Noel, donations can be made to Education for Ministry (EfM), which equips Christians to discern and live their faith through small-group theological reflection and action, or to the Diocese of Mississippi's Camp Bratton-Green Special Session Scholarship Fund for adults and children with special needs. The memorial service will be held on Saturday, Feb. 1, at St. Timothys in Signal Mountain, Tn. Visitation will be from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m., followed by the service from 12-1 p.m. A reception will follow from 1-2 p.m. Burial of ashes will occur at the University Cemetery (242 Georgia Ave.) in Sewanee, Tn., at 4 p.m. EST/3 p.m. CST. A gathering afterward will be at the McGriff Alumni House, just up the street from the cemetery. All are welcome. Noel was many things to many peoplean adventurer, a musician, a mentor, and a loving family man. His contributions to his community, his faith, and his family will live on in the hearts of those who knew him. Arrangements entrusted to Lane Funeral Home, 601 Ashland Terrace, Chattanooga, TN 37415, (423) 877-3524, lanefh.com. In a recent interview with Sean Hannity, President Trump asserted that former President Biden should have pardoned himself. This sentiment violates long-held principles in law. As Laurence Tribe, Norman Eisen and Richard Painter have written in terms of a self pardon, the foundational case in the Anglo-American legal tradition is Thomas Bonham v. College of Physicians, often called Dr. Bonham's case. In 1610, the Court of Common Pleas determined that the college of physicians could not act as both a court and a litigant in the same case. The college's royal charter had given it the authority to punish individuals who practiced without a license. The court stated that it was "impermissible" for the college to receive a fine that it had the power to inflict: One cannot be both "judge and attorney for any of the parties." In fact, there is no precedent for a sovereign (king) pardoning himself, then abdicating or being deposed but being immune from the criminal process. There is simply no instance of a self-pardon having been recognized as legitimate. They also mention than even the Pope does not pardon himself. In 1915, the Supreme Court in Burdick v. United States declared that a presidential pardon carries with it an "imputation of guilt" and that acceptance of a pardon constitutes a "confession." This ruling played an important role in Nixon's accepting Gerald Ford's pardon in 1974. Lastly, a self-pardon would undermine the concept that no one is above the law. An important principle emanating from the Bonham case was that no man could be a judge in his own case. Michael V. Woodward, Ph.D. * * * Within two years after Jan. 6, 2021, more than 900 were arrested with nearly 500 guilty pleas, dozens of major sentences and more seditious conspiracy convictions than in decades (NBC 1/6/23). Cameras were seized and the FBI had 26 informants embedded among those at the Capitol on Jan 6. No informants must have been present in DC on Jan. 20, 2017. Fires were set, police were injured and windows smashed as leftists violently resisted Trumps first inauguration. Two hundred were arrested (CBS 1/20/17). Two groups of these radicals had trials end in defeat as they wore black and masks. Thirty nine others saw their charges dropped (NBC 7/6/18). No commuted sentences were needed from Joe. The usual Dems did line up to rant about pardons for people who assaulted police (The Hill, CNN, WashPo) but said little regarding those receiving commutations from Biden: a man convicted of murdering FBI agents (NYPost 1/20/25), another who killed an Ohio police officer (NBC 1/21/25) or a drug dealer who murdered an eight-year-old and the childs mother (WFSB3 1/21/25)? Flashback: December 2020, Jake Tapper pressed Joe Biden about rumors of Trump issuing pre-emptive pardons to his closest allies and himself which by the way Trump never did. That question provoked Biden into a sanctimonious diatribe denying he would ever do that (Daily Wire 1/20/25). Yes, Burdick v United States makes clear acceptance of a pardon is an admission of guilt. However, progressives only join the discussion if they can spin it negatively to Trump. It must be noted, for those accepting Bidens 11th hour pardons no matter who they are, under Burdick, 109 years later it still carries with it an admission of guilt. Ralph Miller * * * I suspect that many folks are aware that Joe Biden could not legally pardon himself, many expected him to try anyway. Since when has he shown much respect for legal or moral concepts? I believe that Donald Trump said that somewhat tongue in cheek as well as understanding the possibility Joe Biden could have considered it. Based on Joe Biden's actions in the past he probably should have tried it, not that I think Joe Biden will be held accountable for any immoral or illegal actions. Politicians in general and about half of our highly and less educated citizens seem to ignore accountability for immoral and illegal actions of the "political class". Hopefully the USA will survive the ignorance of half its population and continue to help make the world a better place. Pete Clark Home News Sacred settlement: Minnesota church looks to build tiny house community for homeless A nondenominational church in Minnesota is planning to build a tiny house community on its property to benefit those suffering from homelessness. Church of the Open Door in Maple Grove is working with local officials and others to construct what it calls a "sacred settlement" of 12 tiny house units by summer 2026. Open Door Pastor David Brickey told The Christian Post in an interview Thursday that the settlement will be divided into two sections: four homes for "Intentional Neighbors," which are people "who have not experienced homelessness" but "whose goal is to foster a strong foundation for the settlement by living as a good neighbor" and eight homes "for those who have moved out of chronic homelessness." "Our primary reason is our Gospel call," said Brickey. "We are followers of Jesus who practice the way of Jesus in our daily lives. Core to Jesus' message and lifestyle is caring for the poor." Brickey said his church has partnered with other congregations to help plant two "Sacred Settlements" in St. Paul and Roseville a couple of years ago, with one of their pastors living as "an intentional neighbor during that time." "The communities have proven themselves successful in that we have seen deep wholistic healing in the lives of Sacred Settlement neighbors that has resulted in healthy community with zero crime, zero police involvement, zero neighbor complaints," Brickey explained. "Many of the neighbors have started new professions and have restarted old ones. Some neighbors have been reunited with family they were separated from through their homeless season." The tiny house community is planned to be near the back of the church's main building. The homes will be close to the local natural landscape and will allow for a level of privacy. "It's important to note that because this is completely privately funded, we get to choose who moves into this community based on pre-chosen criteria," Brickey told CP. "Additionally, we are on the streets weekly and know many people experiencing homelessness in our community. Those relationships are also a key part in discerning who is a right fit." In terms of how this effort advances the Gospel, Brickey said Jesus was "clear as to who we are and our mission in this world." Jesus' "life and teaching," he said, showed that it was "impossible to separate our private spirituality with our public acts of justice and mercy." "If we are growing in the character of Jesus internally, we will also see signs of that externally in how society is reordered to look more like Heaven on earth with the spheres of influence He has called us to," said Brickey. "The resources of our church family are not ours. Every dollar and square inch of our property are God's and to be stewarded by us for His Kingdom advancement on earth as in Heaven. Jesus is our primary example of how to live and steward these resources. In that, we have re-envisioned our land and building as being less an event venue and more a homestead of healing for our community." 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 Home News Trump threatens Russia with tariffs, sanctions if it doesnt end ridiculous Ukraine war President Donald Trump has demanded that Russia end its invasion of Ukraine or face punitive economic measures. In a post to his social media platform Truth Social on Wednesday, Trump said he was "not looking to hurt Russia," adding that "I love the Russian people, and always had a very good relationship with President Putin." "I'm going to do Russia, whose Economy is failing, and President Putin, a very big FAVOR. Settle now, and STOP this ridiculous War! IT'S ONLY GOING TO GET WORSE," Trump said. 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 "If we don't make a 'deal,' and soon, I have no other choice but to put high levels of Taxes, Tariffs, and Sanctions on anything being sold by Russia to the United States and various other participating countries." Trump said he wants to "get this war, which never would have started if I were President, over with" and that Russia can "do it the easy way, or the hard way and the easy way is always better." Last month, Trump called for a ceasefire and negotiations to occur between Russia and Ukraine in light of the heavy losses experienced by both sides of the nearly three-year-old conflict. "Zelenskyy and Ukraine would like to make a deal and stop the madness. They have ridiculously lost 400,000 soldiers, and many more civilians," Trump stated on Truth Social at the time, saying that he knew Russian President Vladimir Putin "well" and that it was "his time to act." "There should be an immediate ceasefire and negotiations should begin. Too many lives are being so needlessly wasted, too many families destroyed, and if it keeps going, it can turn into something much bigger, and far worse." On Feb. 24, 2022, Russia invaded Ukraine, with Russian President Vladimir Putin alleging that the attack was done to secure the rights of pro-Russian communities in Eastern Ukraine. Although many assumed that Russian forces were going to steamroll Ukraine in a relatively short period of time, Ukrainian resistance was resilient, with the invasion bogging down. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has expressed optimism about the impact of Trump's return to the presidency on the conflict, believing that the war could end sooner under the new administration. In an interview with the Ukrainian public broadcaster Suspilne published in November, Zelensky said he was "on the side of supporting Ukraine." "I think Putin does not want peace. But this does not mean that he does not want to sit down at the negotiating table with one of the leaders. For him, this is the destruction of political isolation. It is beneficial for him to sit down and talk," he stated. Trump and French President Emmanuel Macron met with Zelensky in Paris in December as many world leaders gathered in France to celebrate the reopening of Notre Dame Cathedral. The meeting, which Macron proposed, occurred at the Elysee Palace shortly before the cathedral ceremony, France 24 reported, with Zelensky calling the discussion "good and productive." Home News 3 shot at Antioch High School in Nashville including student who shot himself Antioch High School, located some 12 miles southeast of downtown Nashville, Tennessee, has been placed under lockdown following a shooting Wednesday that left three people injured, including a student suspected of shooting himself. News of the shooting, which reportedly occurred in the school's cafeteria, was first released on X at about 12:38 p.m. Eastern time by Metro Nashville Public Schools. Antioch High School is on a lockdown due to shots being fired inside the school building. Metro Police are on the scene. The person responsible for shooting is no longer a threat. We will be gathering students in the auditorium and will provide information on reunification as soon as possible, the agency said in a statement. This is an active crime scene and investigation. We will work with the MNPD to provide further updates as they become available. 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 At around 1 p.m., the Metro Nashville PD confirmed the shooting at the school and the number of people injured. A shooting incident is under investigation at Antioch High School. Three people have been wounded, including the suspect, who shot himself, investigators said. Parents were asked not to come to the school to pick up their children but to meet at 3754 Murfreesboro Pike at the Ascension Saint Thomas Hospital. A Fox17 report said one victim is in stable condition at Vanderbilt University Hospital while another is in stable condition at Monroe Carell Junior Children's Hospital. One person was also reported dead, but the report was not confirmed. This is a developing story and details might change as authorities provide updated information. Joan Chen is set to be grand marshal of San Franciscos Chinese New Year Parade on Feb. 15. Rodin Eckenroth/Getty Images San Francisco actress and filmmaker Joan Chen has been tapped to be grand marshal of the citys annual Chinese New Year Parade, helping it ring in the Year of the Snake. Chen, whose film Didi opened at the 67th San Francisco International Film Festival last spring, is set to light the ceremonial opening firecrackers to kick off the celebration on Feb. 15. This city has been my home and inspiration, and Im excited to share this moment of renewal and joy with our incredible community, the actress, who has lived in the city for more than 30 years and has received awards from the Asian Film Awards and San Francisco International Film Festival, among others, said in a statement. San Franciscos Chinatown holds a special place in my heart with its vibrant Chinese grocery stores and restaurants that remind me of my heritage. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The Huaxing Arts Group of San Francisco plans to open the parade with a dance performance before Chen kicks things off and an array of vibrant floats, energetic performers and elaborate costumes flood the streets. Dancing with the Stars judge Carrie Ann Inaba will serve as ABC7s grand marshal, and is tasked with closing the parade by setting off its signature fireworks, while Mayor Daniel Lurie has been tapped as honorary marshal. The Alaska Airlines Chinese New Year Parade is scheduled for Feb. 15 in San Francisco. Stephen Lam/The Chronicle The parade, which is sponsored by Alaska Airlines, will be broadcast live on KGO-TV and will also be available for livestreaming. More Information Alaska Airlines Chinese New Year Parade: 6 p.m. Feb. 15. Free. Starting at the intersection of Second and Market streets. Broadcast live on KGO-TV and streaming on ABC7 streaming platforms, ABC News Live and Hulu. Mini-Procession and Ribbon Cutting Ceremony: 10:15 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 25. Free. Starting at Grant Avenue between California and Sacramento streets. On Saturday, Jan. 25, ahead of the parade, there will be a mini procession starting at Grant Avenue between California and Sacramento Streets. Its set to feature lion dancers, giant walking puppets, drummers and dancers, and it will be followed by a ribbon cutting ceremony on Pacific Avenue between Grant Avenue and Kearny Street. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Home News Antioch High School shooter involved in cafeteria murder-suicide was ROTC cadet The teenager who fatally shot one student and injured another before taking his own life inside the cafeteria of Antioch High School in Nashville, Tennessee, on Wednesday has been identified by authorities as Solomon Henderson, a Reserve Officers' Training Corps cadet who appears to have left behind a dark manifesto explaining his motives. "We were in ROTC together, this year too and he was always top of the class always doing his work," an unidentified student told WKRN. "To know that he did stuff about that, and he planned to do it, you just don't know how anyone really is." Located some 12 miles southeast of downtown Nashville, Antioch High School was placed under lockdown Wednesday after 17-year-old Henderson opened fire in the school's cafeteria. He killed a female student, identified as 16-year-old Josselin Corea Escalante, and injured a male student in the arm. 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 Chief John Drake of the Metro Nashville Police Department said that Henderson traveled to the high school on the school bus and then retrieved a pistol from the restroom before launching his attack in the cafeteria. When he was done, Henderson fatally shot himself in the head. Drake said Henderson may have had one "prior incident" at the school, but he wasn't certain of the details. In a statement shared on X, Kick, a video livestreaming service where the shooting was partially streamed, officials said they quickly removed the recording of the event and are now working with law enforcement. "On January 22, an attack occurred in Nashville, Tennessee, and was partially livestreamed. We extend our thoughts to everyone impacted by this event. KICK rapidly banned the account and removed the video," the company said. "Violence has no place on KICK. We are actively working with law enforcement and taking all appropriate steps to support their investigation." Authorities are investigating online materials believed to have been posted by Henderson, including an alleged manifesto uploaded to his Instagram account prior to the shooting, which contained a FAQ-style section detailing his motives. It included statements such as "For your enjoyment" and references to race, culture, and sexuality. "Homicide Unit detectives along with their law enforcement partners in the MNPD and federal/state agencies are examining very concerning on-line writings and social media posts connected to 17-year-old Solomon Henderson as they work to establish the motive behind Henderson's gunfire this morning in Antioch High School's cafeteria," the MNPD said in a news release. Investigators suggested that the two students struck during Henderson's attack could have been random victims as "the investigation to this point has not established a connection between Henderson and the two shooting victims." They further noted that two school resource officers who were assigned to Antioch High School were in another part of the building when the shooting started and got to the scene "just after Henderson killed himself." "On behalf of this entire police department, I extend our deep condolences to Antioch High students, parents, and staff," Drake said. "Our officers and counselors will work to be part of the healing process in the days and weeks ahead." Still, Yvelle Walden, another Antioch High School student who knew Henderson, told Fox17 that she could not reconcile Henderson's alleged actions with the person she knew him to be. "He was a sweet boy," Walden said. "He really didn't cause any problems. He came to class on time. He did his work quietly and would mind his business." Home News Whistleblower doctor accuses DOJ of defying Trump with 'corrupt and insane' prosecution A Texas doctor, who could face up to 10 years in prison for revealing that Texas Children's Hospital was allegedly conducting transgender procedures on minors in secret, has accused the U.S. Department of Justice of defying President Donald Trump's executive order by continuing his prosecution. Dr. Eithan Haim, 34, issued a lengthy, defiant statement Wednesday on X, explaining he could "no longer afford to stay silent." His post received 1 million views as of Thursday afternoon. "I am scheduled to go to trial in a few weeks in a place which has up until this point been nothing less than a kangaroo court. All of the most basic rules have been violated in favor of a corrupted DOJ and all of it has come at the cost of my constitutional rights," Haim wrote. 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 I can no longer to afford to stay silent. I am scheduled to go to trial in a few weeks in a place which has up until this point been nothing less than a kangaroo court. All of the most basic rules have been violated in favor of a corrupted DOJ and all of it has come at the cost https://t.co/mVPux73aNl Eithan Haim MD (@EithanHaim) January 22, 2025 Haim dismissed the charges against him as "utter fabrications" and "crimes which they have not defined, which they have shown us no evidence of, which no one knows the basis for, and are completely unprecedented in American history." Last June, the DOJ slapped Haim with four felony counts, alleging he "obtained personal information including patient names, treatment codes and the attending physician from Texas Children's Hospital's electronic system without authorization," according to a DOJ press release. Haim, who is now a general surgeon in the Dallas area, went public after leaking documents to journalist Christopher Rufo from the Houston-based Texas Children's Hospital, where he completed his surgical residency. The documents, which redacted patient's identifiable information, reportedly showed the largest pediatric hospital in the U.S. was continuing to conduct so-called "gender-affirming services" on minors despite telling the public it had paused such procedures after Republican Texas Gov. Greg Abbott labeled them as child abuse. Haim has maintained that he is being targeted for exposing and opposing what he has repeatedly described as "an evil ideology." In his post on Wednesday, Haim cited Trump's recent executive order titled "Ending The Weaponization Of The Federal Government," which advises the attorney general to investigate and correct "politically motivated" activity against Americans by the Department of Justice, the Securities and Exchange Commission and the Federal Trade Commission. Haim suggested his ongoing prosecution is evidence that Trump's order is not being obeyed. "The Trump administration took office a few days ago and issued an Executive Order to end the weaponization of the DOJ against its own citizens. But I can assure you that today that weaponization is just as alive as it was January 19th, 2025," Haim said. "Because the acting US Attorney is running cover while this weaponized prosecution is being accelerated behind closed doors in direct violation of the President's Executive Order." Haim went on to assert that he was not backing down and would not "bend the knee to their corruption." Haim's statement on X was in response to a previous one posted by his wife, Andrea Haim, who serves as an assistant U.S. attorney for the Northern District of Texas. She specifically called out Jennifer Lowery, the acting U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Texas, for defying Trump's executive order by continuing to prosecute her husband. Lowery took over for Alamdar Hamdani, who signed the indictment against Haim but resigned Jan. 9 in anticipation of a resignation request from the Trump administration, according to Houston Landing. Andrea Haim characterized the prosecution of her husband as "corrupt and insane." "Not only have they refused to drop the case, in the last few days, they have ACCELERATED their prosecution ahead of trial on Feb 10. They are attempting to bleed us dry, and make no mistake, they will try to take him to trial and put him in prison for 10 years if they aren't stopped," Andrea Haim wrote. ????This is the new acting US Attorney for the Southern District of Texas, Jennifer Lowery. She and her district are still weaponizing the DOJ in contravention of President Trump's Day 1 executive order. They are continuing the corrupt and insane prosecution of my husband pic.twitter.com/zV0DSjbGW7 Andrea Haim (@AndreaCohenHaim) January 22, 2025 "The President's order specifically calls out the Biden DOJ's weaponized persecution of those who criticized their policies (which included their unwavering support for transgender procedures on children)," Haim continued, noting that her husband's situation has already drawn the support of Sens. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, and Josh Hawley, R-Mo., as well as some members of Congress. "Eithan will risk federal prison for 10 years, losing years of his life with his new daughter, and having his medical license taken away. Every day this prosecution continues drives us even deeper into bankruptcy. President Trump may be in office, but for now, the weaponization of the federal government is still very much alive," Andrea Haim added. The Christian Post has reached out to the U.S. Attorney's office in the Southern District of Texas for comment. Haim's legal defense fund, which originally had a goal of $1 million, has raised more than $1.2 million. He faces a trial date of Feb. 10, and, if convicted, could be sentenced up to 10 years in prison and up to $250,000 in fines. Home News Federal judge blocks Trump order redefining birthright citizenship: 'Blatantly unconstitutional' A federal judge in Seattle has temporarily blocked President Donald Trump's controversial executive order targeting birthright citizenship, dealing an early blow to the administration's aggressive immigration reforms. U.S. District Judge John C. Coughenour, a Reagan appointee, ruled that the order is "blatantly unconstitutional" during a hearing on a lawsuit filed by four states Washington, Arizona, Illinois, and Oregon challenging its legality, according to The Associated Press. The ruling grants a temporary restraining order, halting the federal government from implementing the executive order while the court considers the case. Judge Coughenour's decision is seen as an early victory for immigrant rights advocates and could have lasting implications for the future of birthright citizenship in the U.S. 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 executive order, titled "Protecting the Meaning and Value of American Citizenship" and signed by Trump shortly after his second inauguration, sought to redefine birthright citizenship by denying citizenship to children born on U.S. soil to parents who are in the country illegally or under temporary visas. The order instructs federal agencies to stop issuing official citizenship documents, such as passports, to these children a move that directly challenges the interpretation of the 14th Amendment, which grants citizenship to all individuals born in the U.S. In his ruling, Judge Coughenour sided with the four states, agreeing that the plaintiffs would likely prevail in their legal challenge. The order will remain in place while legal proceedings continue, he said, effectively freezing the executive action for now. Washington State Attorney General Nick Brown, who initiated the lawsuit, welcomed the court's decision. "This unconstitutional and un-American executive order will hopefully never take effect thanks to the actions states are taking on behalf of their residents," Ferguson said in a statement Thursday. Ferguson added that birthright citizenship is a cornerstone of American law that cannot be revoked by executive fiat. "Birthright citizenship makes clear that citizenship cannot be conditioned on one's race, ethnicity or where their parents came from," he added. "It's the law of our nation, recognized by generations of jurists, lawmakers, and presidents." The lawsuit, filed on Tuesday in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington, argues that President Trump's order violates the 14th Amendment. The states involved in the lawsuit, alongside advocacy groups, assert that no law or constitutional provision allows the president to unilaterally strip birthright citizenship from children born in the U.S. The temporary restraining order marks a significant setback for the Trump administration's efforts to restrict birthright citizenship, a goal the president has long advocated for. However, Trump's executive order is part of a broader push to reform U.S. immigration laws, which has gained traction among conservative lawmakers. Despite the ongoing legal challenges from the states, President Trump's stance on birthright citizenship has been supported by some in Congress. Republican U.S. Rep. Brian Babin of Texas has reintroduced legislation limiting automatic citizenship to children born in the U.S. only if at least one parent is a U.S. citizen, a lawful permanent resident or an immigrant serving in the U.S. military. The Birthright Citizenship Act is designed to "restore the 14th Amendment to its original purpose" by ensuring that only children born to legally present parents receive birthright citizenship, Babin said in a statement Tuesday. "America's citizenship laws should reflect fairness and respect for the rule of law," said Babin. "This common-sense legislation corrects decades of misuse and closes the loophole that incentivizes illegal immigration and exploits U.S. citizenship through birth tourism. Citizenship is one of our nation's most precious privileges. By introducing this legislation, we are taking an important step to restore integrity to our immigration system and prioritize the interests of American citizens." The congressman cited data from the Center for Immigration Studies (CIS), which found one out of every 10 births in the United States is to an illegal immigrant mother. Another roughly 400,000 expectant mothers cross the border illegally each year intending to give birth in the U.S., Babin said. "Once granted automatic citizenship, these children can initiate chain migration, opening pathways for extended family members to gain legal residency," he said. "This practice has also fueled a global birth tourism industry, which takes advantage of the current loophole in U.S. immigration laws." Opponents of the legislation argue that altering birthright citizenship would undermine fundamental civil rights guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution. Critics warn that such moves would disproportionately affect immigrant communities and further divide the nation. Home News Taliban releases 2 Americans held captive; family of Ryan Corbett 'praise God' for sustaining him The Taliban has freed two Americans held in Afghanistan as part of a prisoner swap. The release came in return for the handover of a Taliban figure serving a life sentence in the United States on drug trafficking and terrorism charges. Ryan Corbett and William McKenty, the Americans who gained their freedom in the exchange this week, were transferred through Qatar before returning home, CBS News reported. Afghan Foreign Ministry officials said they had traded them for Khan Mohammed, who received two life sentences in a 2008 trial in the U.S., according to The Associated Press. 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 Mohammed, 55, had been detained on the battlefield in Afghanistans Nangarhar province and later flown to California, where he was found guilty of securing heroin and opium bound for the U.S. and, in doing so, aiding terrorist activities. Photographs released by Taliban media Tuesday showed Mohammed back in Nangarhar, draped in flowers and greeting his family. Corbett, who was abducted in August 2022 while on a business trip, had been living in Afghanistan since before the American-backed government fell in 2021. Corbetts family, in a statement, thanked both the former administration of President Joe Biden and the administration of President Donald Trump for their efforts in securing his release. They also expressed gratitude to Qatari authorities, noting that Doha had been a critical intermediary in the talks. Our hearts are filled with overwhelming gratitude and praise to God for sustaining Ryans life, the statement read, as quoted by the AP. These 894 days have been the most challenging and uncertain of our lives. Corbetts family also said they recognized the privilege of having him returned and vowed to keep advocating for other Americans still believed to be in Taliban custody. Among those is airline mechanic George Glezmann, who reportedly went missing in December 2022, and Afghan American businessman Mahmood Habibi, whose family insists he is in Taliban hands despite official denials. It remains unclear why McKenty was being held or what led to his arrest in Afghanistan. Officials haven't disclosed details of his case. A source close to Taliban Interior Minister Sirajuddin Haqqani told CBS News that the United Arab Emirates and Qatar facilitated the swap, though neither government offered public comment on their role. Senior U.S. officials from both administrations confirmed that the agreement was brokered by the Biden team in its final days, building on negotiations that had stalled earlier. The Trump administration issued a statement celebrating the return of the two Americans and urged the Taliban to release any other U.S. citizens in its custody. National Security Council spokesperson Brian Hughes thanked Qatar for its role in coordinating the transfer, pointing to the billions of dollars in U.S. aid Afghanistan has received over recent years. The Taliban described the exchange as proof that progress can occur through dialogue, urging further steps toward what it called the normalization of ties. Most nations, however, continue to withhold formal recognition of the Taliban, given the groups strict policies and record on human rights. Home News Top 6 issues Trump addressed in sweeping executive orders President Donald Trump marked the beginning of his second term by issuing a flurry of executive orders earlier this week that aim to assert the "America First" agenda he laid out during his campaign. According to the White House website, Trump issued 46 presidential actions Monday, 26 of which were executive orders, 12 of which were memorandums and four of which were proclamations. The series of executive orders, some of which have drawn scrutiny and face likely legal battles, reversed some of the Biden administration's policies and addressed issues such as illegal immigration, energy independence and other various cultural and economic problems. 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 Here are some of the most significant executive actions Trump took on his first day back in office. Home News Trump demands apology from Mariann Budde after inaugural prayer service sermon Bishop called to 'replace President Trump' in 2020 President Donald Trump on Wednesday called for an apology from Washington Episcopal Bishop Mariann Budde after she made a direct appeal to him for mercy toward LGBT-identified Americans and illegal immigrants during an inaugural prayer service. In her prayer Monday at the Washington National Cathedral, Budde, bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Washington, directly addressed Trump, who was seated in the front row alongside his wife, first lady Melania Trump, and Vice President J.D. Vance and his wife, second lady Usha Vance. After referencing Trumps belief that God saved him from an assassination attempt, Budde said, You have felt the providential hand of a loving God. In the name of our God, I ask you to have mercy upon the people in our country who are scared now. 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 While Trump initially dismissed the service, stating, I didnt think it was a good service and suggested they could do much better, he took to his social media platform Truth Social and sharply criticized Budde, referring to her as a Radical Left hard line Trump hater. The president wrote in part: The so-called Bishop who spoke at the National Prayer Service on Tuesday morning was a Radical Left hard line Trump hater. She brought her church into the World of politics in a very ungracious way. She was nasty in tone, and not compelling or smart. Trump said Budde sidestepped the issue of illegal immigration, which a Gallup poll last year found to be the most pressing national problem for voters ahead of the 2024 election. [Budde] failed to mention the large number of illegal migrants that came into our Country and killed people. Many were deposited from jails and mental institutions, Trump wrote. It is a giant crime wave that is taking place in the USA." He called upon Budde and the cathedral to issue a "public apology" for the sermon, adding that the service was a very boring and uninspiring one. CP reached out to the cathedral Wednesday for comment. This story will be updated if a response is received. In an appearance on ABC's "The View" Wednesday morning, the 65-year-old bishop addressed the national controversy and said her intention was to pray with the nation for unity. My responsibility yesterday morning was to reflect, to pray with the nation for unity, she said. As I was pondering, what are the foundations of unity? I wanted to emphasize respecting the honor and dignity of every human being, basic honesty and humility. I also realized that unity requires a certain degree of mercy, compassion and understanding. So, knowing that a lot of people ... in our country right now are really scared, I wanted to take the opportunity in the context of that service for unity to say we need to treat everyone with dignity and we need to be merciful. I was trying to counter the narrative that is so divisive and polarizing, and in which people, real people, are being harmed. Its not the first time the historic church has stirred controversy for its anti-Trump stance. Gary Hall, the former dean of the cathedral who left the post in 2015, said he was disappointed with the decision to hold Trump's first inaugural service in 2017 at the cathedral. In a 2017 interview with Think Progress, a Democrat-aligned news outlet, Hall denounced the National Cathedral for legitimizing Trumps first administration and said he believes Trump violates any possible norm of Christian faith and practice. At the time, Budde took a slightly softer stance, saying, At a time when emotions are raw, we hope to offer a few moments of spiritual solace and the healing gift of transcendent beauty. However, Budde didnt shy away from a more overtly political stance in 2020, when she criticized Trump for the infamous photo of him holding a Bible in front of St. Johns Episcopal Church near the White House after it had been damaged during the protests against the killing of George Floyd. U.S. Park Police used tear gas to clear protesters before Trump walked from the White House to the church for the photo and brief comments. Although a federal probe later found that neither Trump nor then-Attorney General William Barr ordered the protesters to be tear gassed to make way for Trump's passage through the square, Budde argued the move desecrated our sacred space. That is the most sacred text of the Judeo-Christian tradition, Budde told NPR in June 2020. It speaks messages of love, of God, love of neighbor. I was outraged that he felt that he had the license to do that and that he would abuse our sacred symbols and our sacred space in that way." In a Facebook post at the time, Budde accused Trump of using tear gas to "clear the church yard" so it could be used as a "backdrop for a message antithetical to the teachings of Jesus and everything that our church stands for." In August 2020, Budde offered a prayer for the Democratic National Convention. At a rally in 2020, she called for swift justice for George Floyd, for systemic justice for all brown and black people who have been under the knee of this country. "I've given up speaking to President Trump," Budde said. "We need to replace President Trump. Her bio on the cathedral website describes Budde as an advocate and organizer in support of justice concerns, including racial equity, gun violence prevention, immigration reform, the full inclusion of [LGBT] persons, and the care of creation. Since 1933, Washington National Cathedral has served as the venue for presidential inaugural prayer services, beginning with President Franklin Delano Roosevelts first inauguration. The cathedral, which describes itself as a house of prayer for all people, has continued this tradition with the only exception being President Bill Clintons two inaugurations, when he chose the historic Metropolitan African Methodist Episcopal Church in downtown Washington for his prayer services. Beyond its role in inaugural events, Washington National Cathedral has also been the site of funeral and memorial services for nearly all of the 21 U.S. presidents who have passed away since the cathedrals founding, including for late President Jimmy Carter earlier this month. Home News Trump pardons pro-life activists jailed for protesting at abortion clinics President Donald Trump has signed an official pardon for about two dozen pro-life activists who the Biden administration prosecuted for unlawfully protesting at abortion clinics. Trump signed the order on Thursday, the eve of the 2025 March for Life, granting pardons to the activists who had been given sentences including prison time for violating the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act. "Twenty-three people that were prosecuted," Trump commented as he signed the official pardon. "They should not have been prosecuted. Many of them are elderly people. They should not have been prosecuted. This is a great honor to sign this." 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 Pro-life advocacy groups cheered Trump's decision to pardon the pro-life activists. "We thank President Trump for immediately delivering on his promise to free pro-life protesters who [were] targeted and imprisoned by [President Joe] Biden's Department of Justice. Pro-life moms, grandmothers and even Eva Edl, a Communist prison camp survivor, were thrown in jail for peacefully protesting abortion," said Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America President Marjorie Dannenfelser in a statement Thursday. "As if that were not enough, aggressive sentences were handed down, like five years for Lauren Handy who sought to expose evidence of late-term and potentially illegal abortions in the nation's capital," she added. In a statement to The Christian Post, CatholicVote's Catholic Accountability Project Director Tommy Valentine declared, "President Trump's pardon today of pro-life activists unjustly imprisoned under President Biden is a great credit to his legacy." Days before Trump was inaugurated, lawyers with the Thomas More Society sent a letter to Trump urging him to pardon 21 pro-life activists facing federal charges under the Biden administration. Those activists are Joan Bell, Coleman Boyd, Joel Curry, Jonathan Darnel, Eva Edl, Chester Gallagher, William Goodman, Dennis Green, Lauren Handy, Paulette Harlow, John Hinshaw, Heather Idoni, Jean Marshall, Fr. Fidelis Moscinski, Justin Phillips, Paul Place, Paul Vaughn, Bevelyn Beatty Williams, Calvin Zastrow, Eva Zastrow and James Zastrow. "Today, freedom rings in our great nation," Thomas More Society Senior Counsel Steve Crampton remarked. "The heroic peaceful pro-lifers unjustly imprisoned by Biden's Justice Department will now be freed and able to return home to their families, eat a family meal, and enjoy the freedom that should have never been taken from them in the first place." "These heroic peaceful pro-lifers were treated shamefully by Biden's DOJ, with many of them branded felons and losing many rights that we take for granted as American citizens. Today, their precious freedom is restored. What happened to them can never be erased, but today's pardons are a huge step towards restoring justice. Thank you to President Trump and his team for righting these grievous wrongs of the previous administration." Thomas More Society Senior Vice President and Head of Litigation Peter Breen offered similar analysis in a statement reacting to the development. "Today is a new day for the pardoned pro-life advocates who have suffered FBI raids, federal prosecutions, and severe punishment for peacefully and courageously witnessing for life," Breen said. "We thank President Trump for keeping his promise to these pro-life mothers, fathers, grandparents, pastors, and priests." Troy Miller, president of National Religious Broadcasters, issued a statement praising Trump's "pardon of 23 Americans unjustly thrown behind bars for peacefully protesting outside abortion clinics, and thank him for his swift action on this critical matter." He also called for "the repeal of the flawed FACE Act to end the weaponization and abuse of this law against Christians once and for all." The FACE Act, the law used to prosecute the activists, was signed by President Bill Clinton in 1994 in response to a wave of violence against abortion clinics. The measure bans any threats of violence or other threats that are made with the intention of interfering with the work of reproductive health care providers, be it abortion or other services. "We simply cannot we must not continue to allow the attacks, the incidents of arson, the campaigns of intimidation upon law-abiding citizens that has given rise to this law," stated Clinton in 1994. "No person seeking medical care, no physician providing that care should have to endure harassments or threats or obstruction or intimidation or even murder from vigilantes who take the law into their own hands because they think they know what the law ought to be." Pro-choice groups like the National Abortion Federation argue that the legislation not only protects abortion clinics but still allows pro-life activists to peacefully demonstrate at facilities. "FACE protects protesters' First Amendment right to free speech," claimed NAF in a position paper. "Clinic protesters remain free to conduct peaceful protest, including singing hymns, praying, carrying signs, walking picket lines and distributing anti-abortion materials outside of clinics." Many, especially conservative politicians and pro-life groups, have argued that the legislation has been abused to target anti-abortion advocates who are peacefully demonstrating at clinics. Home News Virginia lawmakers advance amendment that would allow third-trimester abortions Lawmakers in Virginia have approved a constitutional amendment that would establish a right to abortion throughout all nine months of pregnancy, taking the first step in their push to ensure that it goes before voters by the end of the decade. In a 21-19 vote Tuesday, the Democrat-controlled Virginia Senate approved Senate Joint Resolution 247 along party lines. All Democrats in the upper chamber voted to advance the proposed constitutional amendment, while all Republicans voted against it. The passage paves the way for the Virginia General Assembly to weigh in on a proposal that would amend the Virginia Constitution for a second time following the next general election, scheduled to take place this November. 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 proposed amendment to the Virginia Bill of Rights would establish a "Fundamental Right to Reproductive Freedom," declaring that "every individual has the fundamental right to reproductive freedom, including the ability to make and carry out decisions relating to one's own prenatal care, childbirth, postpartum care, contraception, abortion care, miscarriage management, and fertility care." "An individual's right to reproductive freedom shall not be, directly or indirectly, denied, burdened, or infringed upon unless justified by a compelling state interest achieved by the least restrictive means," the proposed amendment also states. While the proposal stresses that "the Commonwealth may regulate the provision of abortion care in the third trimester," it prohibits the regulation of abortion in cases where a physician determines it is necessary to "protect the life or physical or mental health of the pregnant individual" or because "the fetus is not viable." The Virginia Senate rejected an amendment to the proposal introduced by Republican state Sen. Emily Jordan that would clarify that "In the event of a live birth of an infant, including when an abortion procedure results in the live birth of an infant, such infant shall be considered a legal person for all purposes under the laws of this Commonwealth and entitled to the full protection of such laws." The amendment also proclaimed that "An infant born alive following an abortion procedure has the same claim to the legal rights and protections as all persons in the Commonwealth and shall be provided the same level of care and treatment as any infant or person seeking care and treatment in a medical facility." The rejection of Jordan's amendment fell along party lines, with all Republicans voting in favor of it and all Democrats opposing it. Another amendment, proposed by Republican state Sen. Tara Durant, was also rejected. The amendment would add text to the Virginia Constitution stating that "the Commonwealth's parental consent laws shall remain in effect, and the Commonwealth may regulate the provision of abortion care and gender-affirming care to minors." The vote to reject Durant's amendment also came down along party lines. The Virginia Senate approved Senate Joint Resolution 247 less than a week after the Democrat-controlled Virginia House of Delegates approved House Joint Resolution 1 in a 51-48 vote that fell along party lines. The text of House Joint Resolution 1 is nearly identical to the text of Senate Joint Resolution 247, with only minor changes reflecting that it originated in the House and not the Senate. The joint resolutions passed in both chambers of the Virginia General Assembly included a reference to Article XII of the Virginia Constitution, which states that proposed amendments to the state's constitution must receive the support of a majority of members of both the Senate and House of Delegates in two consecutive legislative sessions. If the proposed constitutional amendment is approved by members of both chambers in the next legislative session, which begins following this year's general election, it must be submitted to the voters for approval. "The stakes of Virginia's legislative elections this November just got higher," Caitlin Connors, regional director for the national pro-life advocacy group Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America, said in a statement Tuesday. "Virginia already allows abortion in the sixth month of pregnancy, but that isn't enough for Democrats." "Republicans must hold Democrats accountable for supporting abortion in the third trimester, the end of parental consent and denying abortion survivors the right of lifesaving care," Connors added. All 100 seats of the Virginia House of Delegates are up in November's general election. Members of the Virginia Senate do not have to run for re-election again until 2027, meaning the push for the amendment will depend exclusively on which party holds control of the House of Delegates. Republicans recently had control of the chamber from 2022-2024. The push to create a constitutional right to abortion in Virginia marks the latest attempt to enshrine a right to abortion into a state constitution following the U.S. Supreme Court's 2022 decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization. The high court determined that the U.S. Constitution does not contain a right to abortion. California, Michigan and Vermont voters approved such measures in 2022 while Ohio voters followed suit in 2023. In 2024, voters in seven states approved measures establishing rights to abortion in their respective constitutions either directly or indirectly: Arizona, Colorado, Maryland, Missouri, Montana, Nevada and New York. Meanwhile, efforts to enshrine a right to abortion in the constitutions of Florida, Nebraska and South Dakota came up short. Home Opinion Did the Civil Rights movement fail? The Civil Rights Movement is often heralded as a watershed moment in American history. It is remembered for dismantling segregation, securing voting rights, and championing equality under the law. But as we reflect on its legacy, we must ask a deeper question: Did the movement achieve its broader goals of fostering lasting empowerment and justice, or did it leave unresolved issues that continue to plague society today? While the movement achieved critical victories in securing legal rights and breaking down systemic injustice, it fell short in key areas. The movement overlooked the importance of economic empowerment, family stability, and community self-reliance by prioritizing integration and government intervention. These oversights, though unintended, have had lasting consequences for American society, particularly for the black community. As Shelby Steele observed, There also comes a time when he [the black man] must stop thinking of himself as a victim by acknowledging that existentially his fate is always in his own hands. 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 This challenge forces us to examine whether the movements strategies, while necessary in confronting injustice, ultimately created vulnerabilities that hindered long-term flourishing. Through a biblical lens, we can explore the Civil Rights Movements legacy, evaluating its triumphs and missteps. By learning from history, we can chart a path that restores the principles of work, stewardship, and justice, ensuring that future efforts to address inequality will, ultimately, lead to true and lasting empowerment. The triumphs of the civil rights movement The movements successes cannot be ignored. Landmark victories such as the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965 dismantled systemic injustices and opened doors of opportunity for millions of Americans. Martin Luther King Jr., inspired a nation with his courageous stand against oppression, along with so many others. The Montgomery Bus Boycott demonstrated the power of collective action, and the desegregation of schools and public spaces marked a turning point in the nations history. The impact of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 has been widely recognized. In a 1999 Gallup poll, 58 percent of Americans ranked it one of the most important events of the 20th century, placing it fifth among 18 significant historical milestones. This statistic underscores the enduring legacy of the movement in reshaping Americas legal and cultural landscape. Despite these triumphs, the movement faced significant skepticism during its peak. Public opinion in the early 1960s often reflected unease about the movements methods. For example, in May 1961, a Gallup poll revealed that 57 percent of Americans believed sit-ins and other demonstrations by black Americans would hurt their chances of integration in the South, while only 28 percent thought they would help. By June 1963, this skepticism had intensified, with 60 percent of respondents stating that mass demonstrations by black Americans were more likely to hurt the cause of racial equality and only 27 percent believing they would help. These statistics reveal the resistance to change the movement faced, even as it achieved critical victories. Moreover, the subject of examining the movements missteps is often met with cries of racism or accusations of undermining its achievements. Such reactions, while understandable given the movements monumental legacy, make it difficult to learn from history and address areas where its strategies fell short. It is not an act of hostility to acknowledge mistakes; it is an act of wisdom. Only by critically examining history can we ensure that its errors are not repeated and that future movements pursue justice in ways that lead to true and lasting empowerment. The missed opportunity of economic empowerment The Montgomery Bus Boycott (1955-1956) provides a clear example of both the movements strengths and its oversights. For over a year, black residents in Montgomery organized carpools and alternative transportation to protest segregation. Their efforts cut deeply into the citys revenue and demonstrated the power of community resilience and ingenuity. However, when the boycott ended, the black community returned to a public transportation system controlled by those who had oppressed them. The entrepreneurial spirit and economic independence cultivated during the boycott were largely abandoned. The movements focus on integration overshadowed an opportunity to foster self-reliance and economic empowerment. Economic resilience is built through ownership, investment, and innovation values reflected in Scriptures call for stewardship (Gen. 1:28; Prov. 13:4). By neglecting these principles, the movement tied its progress to external systems rather than nurturing the internal strength of the community. The entrepreneurial energy that briefly flourished during the boycott could have been nurtured into lasting businesses and institutions. Instead, the community relinquished its independence, returning to reliance on systems controlled by others. The limits of public policy While it was undoubtedly the right strategy to push to desegregate public services like bus systems services funded equally by the taxes and fares paid by its citizens questions arise when considering the governments mandate for private businesses. The Civil Rights Act of 1964 mandated private business owners to serve all customers, irrespective of their personal convictions or business interests. Segregation based on race is undeniably wrong, but the solution to such discrimination should have been based on cultural repentance and economic pressure, not coercive government intervention. Legislation can address injustices, but it cannot create virtue. A government that oversteps its role risks becoming a tool for social engineering, undermining the freedoms it seeks to protect. Market forces, combined with moral accountability, often serve as better correctives for discrimination than heavy-handed government mandates. Businesses that chose to discriminate would have faced economic consequences as customers voted with their dollars and supported establishments that upheld justice and fairness. The movements legacy: A biblical lens The Civil Rights Movement succeeded in addressing racial injustice, but its reliance on government solutions often came at the expense of biblical principles. Scripture teaches that work, stewardship, and family are foundational to human flourishing (2 Thess. 3:10; Eph. 6:14). It also warns against misplaced trust, saying, Cursed is the man who trusts in man and makes flesh his strength (Jer. 17:5). By prioritizing external systems for societal change, the movement overlooked the deeper transformation that comes from living in obedience to Gods design. One of the movements unintended consequences was the erosion of family structures within black communities. Programs like Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC) incentivized single-parent households, undermining the biblical model of family as the cornerstone of society. Malachi 4:6 reminds us that turning the hearts of fathers to their children is essential for generational stability and flourishing a truth neglected in the pursuit of political solutions. Biblical justice emphasizes personal responsibility, moral accountability, and care for the oppressed (Micah 6:8). The movements focus on systemic change was necessary but incomplete. Legal victories alone could not produce lasting empowerment without a foundation in spiritual renewal and community discipleship. As Christians, we must ensure that our efforts to address injustice remain grounded in these eternal truths. Conclusion: The way forward The answer depends on the perspective. The movement succeeded in dismantling legal barriers and inspiring a nation to confront its sins. However, its dependence on government solutions, neglect of economic empowerment, and lack of focus on family and moral renewal left unresolved challenges. True societal transformation requires repentance and a return to Gods design for justice, family, and stewardship. For Christians, this means standing for freedom by promoting biblical truth, cultivating self-reliance, and fostering strong families and communities. True empowerment comes not from government programs or proximity to political power but from living under Gods covenant and fulfilling His mandate to steward creation for His glory. Originally published at the Standing for Freedom Center. Home Opinion Israeli hostages freed: Mixed feelings of joy, bitterness and fear Watching the news about Israeli hostages being released is an incredible joy and brings tears to my eyes. It reminds me of my release from prison after being sentenced to death by hanging in Iran for the crime of converting to Christianity. I endured months of mental, and physical hardships, and intense interrogation in Evin prison one of the most brutal prisons in the world. As much as I was happy to be freed from that dungeon, I felt profound sadness knowing I was leaving behind friends and many innocent prisoners who had no voice. I left prison with a big burden and a heavy heart. I was also bitter and angry after having witnessed the execution, sexual abuse, and torture of my cellmates. After my release and the execution of my dear Iranian Kurdish friend Shirin Alamhooli, I had become a new person, unfamiliar with the outside world. I was determined to see the destruction of the evil Islamic regime in Iran a promise I made to Shirin before her execution. 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 Today, I understand the mixed feelings among Israelis about the hostages. Family members are elated by the return of their loved ones while worrying about what they endured and what new people they may have become. After more than 470 days in captivity, almost double what I endured, they will not be the same people anymore. On the other hand, others are mourning and waiting to receive the bodies of their loved ones to bury. Among the remaining 94 hostages, its estimated that more than a third are dead. And of the living, what they endured will surely change them for as long as they live. Many Israelis are angry and fearful because of the release of thousands of Hamas terrorists including those who killed their loved ones and inflicted huge suffering on them. Israelis have been living in a huge trauma since the Holocaust endless terror and wars over decades, and most recently October 7th. Many are asking if the deal of exchanging Israeli hostages with Hamas terrorists is a good one. Will Hamas abide by the terms of the deal? The answer is no. Will they exploit every opportunity to create maximal terror and grief? The answer is yes. Reports say that 1,904 terrorists who have the blood of many Israelis on their hands will be released in exchange for 33 Israeli civilian hostages. It is madness to release that many terrorists who are thirsty for the blood of Jewish people in exchange for Israeli babies, grandparents, and women who have been raped and abused for months. The question is why are so few hostages being released and not all of them? What are the terms of the deal for releasing thousands of terrorists? What kind of pressure was on Israel to accept such a deal after years of sacrificing the lives of IDF soldiers? Accepting a two-state solution? Pushing Israel to a deal with Saudi Arabia with the condition of establishing a Palestinian state? Giving the control of strategic areas back to terrorists? If so, this deal is only repeating the same mistakes of past history and will only lead to more Jewish suffering. As much as I am overjoyed to see the hostages released, I strongly believe any kind of deal with Hamas terrorists is wrong. The world should make them accountable for their crimes against humanity and for killing thousands of Israeli civilians, not to mention their own people. Hamas must be pressured to release all the hostages immediately and unconditionally. Foolish and ridiculous you say? Well, no more than appeasing the terrorists and emboldening them and their Iranian Islamic regime patrons. During my captivity, as much as I wanted to get released, when my captors and the judges told me I would face execution if I insisted on my faith and refused to convert back to Islam, I said I preferred to be executed instead of denying my faith. I resisted not only for my faith in Jesus but also because I would not bow down to those evil people under any condition. I was not a criminal. I did not do anything to deserve prison. Why should I repent and apologize? They should repent and apologize to me for taking away my rights and treating me like a criminal. The same is true with Hamas. Hostage-taking is in the DNA of all terrorists. The Islamic Republic regime of Iran is the godfather of Hamas, Hezbollah, Houthis, and all their proxies. They have taught their Islamic proxies the same tactics. They usually take Iranians and Western civilians as hostages in exchange for their demands and ask for billions of dollars. They take advantage of the trauma and the pressure that the family members of the hostages put on the world leaders. A survey by the Heritage Foundation shows that 39% of American Muslims believe Hamas did not murder and rape in Israel on October 7th and 43% said Israel does not have a right to exist as a Jewish homeland. The new Hamas leader Khalil-Hayyah recently said What happened on October 7th was a source of pride for them and thanked the Islamic Republic regime of Iran. He also promised to repeat the October 7th massacre. For these monsters, killing innocent Israeli people, raping women, and kidnapping babies and the elderly are acts of honor, not shame. After the ceasefire, they came to the streets and started chanting Khaybar, Khaybar Ya Yahud, which refers to their Prophet Mohammad massacring an entire Jewish tribe at Khaybar (Saudi Arabia). This is their true goal. They only worship death and suffering. One vivid example is that of Hamas terrorists and thousands of Palestinians besieging the Red Cross cars transporting the Israeli hostages, trying to attack, frighten, and threaten them even at the last moment. This is the true evil spirit of these savages. The world must understand that there can be no peace as long as the Islamic Republic regime in Iran is in power and keeps supporting, brainwashing, and fueling Palestinian Arabs and Muslims around the world with antisemitism. There can be no peace as long as radical Muslims seek the annihilation of Israel and the extermination of Jews. Any kind of deal with terrorists shows weakness, empowers the enemy, and rewards their evil behavior. That means enabling a genocidal enemy to regroup, rearmed, and reemerge. Unfortunately, most Americans think that the war in Israel is only over the division of land between Jews and Arabs, and America is not in the crosshairs. The root of radicalism, as we saw in New Orleans on January 1, is in Islamic teaching. Sadly, many in America do not take the Islamic world and its goal of establishing a global caliphate seriously. We must stand with Israel at this time of tension and trauma and reinforce our own values to protect America and the West from the expansionist tentacles of the Islamic regime octopus. Exodus plans to celebrate its 40th anniversary with a special concert in Berkeley on April 25. Elsie Roymans/Getty Images Thrash metal band Exodus is holding a special celebration for its debut albums 40th anniversary for its hometown fans in Berkeley. The Richmond-formed group, founded by Metallica guitarist Kirk Hammett, has planned a concert on April 25 at the UC Theatre in honor of its 1985 record Bonded By Blood. A second show is scheduled for the following day in Anaheim for the bands Southern California fans. Exclusive album merchandise will be available at the shows. Ticket presales begin at 10 a.m. Thursday, Jan. 23, with the password Bonded, and general sales start at 10 a.m. Friday, Jan. 24. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The 40th anniversary of our debut only happens once, and to fall on Paul Baloffs birthday, on a Friday, we KNEW we had to crush the Bay Area, the band wrote on Instagram, referencing one of its founding members who died in 2002. Bonded By Blood. Played in its entirety. Only Baloff era songs. Once in a lifetime moment for us. Steve Zetro Souza performs with Exodus in San Francisco in 2018. On Jan. 15, the band parted ways with the frontman, replacing him with its former bandmate Rob Dukes. Miikka Skaffari/Getty Images On Jan. 15, the band parted ways with lead vocalist Steve Zetro Souza, replacing him with its former frontman Rob Dukes. Souza had been on and off with Exodus since 1986, and had last been with the group since 2014. Dukes had previously served as lead vocalist from 2005 to 2014. We are beyond stoked to have Rob back ripping up the stage with us and hes looking forward to crushing everything like only he can, the band wrote on Instagram when announcing the switch. New chapter begins, new record rolls along as planned and the beatings will continue. More Information Exodus: 7 p.m. April 25. $37.50. UC Theatre, 2036 University Ave., Berkeley. 510-871-9225. www.exodusattack.com Exodus last performed in Berkeley in December, and its upcoming show will mark the Bay Areas first time hearing its newly updated lineup live. Advertisement Article continues below this ad (Photo: Church of England) Are the Church of England's bishops running scared from the problems caused by the prospect of gay wedding celebrations in parish churches across the country? That would appear to be the political reality behind the House of Bishops' decision at its meeting on January 20 to delay the introduction of stand-alone services of same-sex blessing. According to the C of E media statement: "The House reviewed detailed updates from the Living in Love and Faith (LLF) working groups presented by Bishop Martyn Snow (Bishop of Leicester and the LLF lead bishop). After considered reflection on the complexity and depth of the proposed changes, it became clear that Bishops with views across the range of different perspectives agreed that it was unlikely all elements of the proposals would be sufficiently developed in time for Synod to make a decision in July. "They agreed to extend the timetable to ensure that all elements of the proposals are sufficiently developed for a decision to be taken on them as a whole. The intention is still to update General Synod in February, and bring further proposals to General Synod in July, but it is likely these will not be able to be formally put to a vote until a subsequent Synod. This will also give further time for consultations with Diocesan Synods and other networks." What has changed since that gung-ho General Synod vote in February 2023 when 34 bishops voted for the introduction of services of same-sex blessing, called Prayers of Love and Faith (PLF), with only four voting against and two abstaining? For one thing, The Alliance, a coalition of conservative evangelicals, charismatic evangelicals, and Anglo-Catholics opposed to the same-sex blessings, launched in July 2023. It is the presence in the Alliance of leaders of the charismatic evangelical network associated with Holy Trinity Brompton (HTB) in London's Knightsbridge that is causing the bishops particular concern. Former Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, had strong links with this network having gone forward for C of E ordination from HTB in the 1980s. During his 11 years as Archbishop HTB gained significant influence in the institution as a driver of church-growth projects. Former HTB vicar, Nicky Gumbel, is president of the Church Revitalisation Trust, which according to its website partners "with Church of England dioceses to plant vibrant and transformational churches in strategic locations across the nation". After Alliance leaders including Gumbel and the new vicar of HTB, Archie Coates, wrote in December 2023 to the House of Bishops objecting to the PLF as "a departure from the doctrine to which the Church of England has always held fast", the Church Times reported: "Their intervention represents a shift in HTB leaders' approach to long-running debates in the Church of England. For many years, HTB has sought to avoid public comment, seeking common ground, emphasising the importance of unity and evangelism, and steering clear of divisive questions. This stance also reflected awareness of differing views among leaders and members. HTB's 10,000-strong congregations include people in gay relationships, it says." The paper noted the influence of the HTB Network in the C of E: "The rapid expansion of church-planting entailed partnerships with dioceses, and, after the launch of the Strategic Development Funding (SDF) programme, millions of pounds were allocated by the Church Commissioners to fund HTB plants, many of which are led by clergy who have served curacies at HTB." The bishops could have ridden out objections to the PLF from conservative evangelicals as nothing more than expected opposition from the usual suspects. But with the HTB Network now so publicly opposed to dedicated services of same-sex blessing to celebrate civil gay marriages in churches - which supporters were expecting to be authorised after the July General Synod meeting - the bishops are worried about the future of growth projects in their dioceses. Bishops in cash-strapped dioceses in the north of England are particularly concerned about the potential withholding of resources by the HTB Network. The Alliance letter of December 2023, when the bishops allowed clergy to hold same-sex blessings as part of existing church services, issued a strong warning: "Our networks increasingly find themselves in impaired relationships with the bishops who are pursuing this departure from the received doctrine and practice of the Church of England." Apart from the minority of bishops who hold to the traditional teaching of the Church on marriage and sexual morality, the episcopal cold feet over the PLF have little to do with theological principle. Most of the bishops are in favour of the services and of allowing clergy to enter into same-sex civil marriages. It would appear that the delay in the implementation of what General Synod voted for nearly two years ago is caused by a very basic human emotion fear. Julian Mann is a former Church of England vicar, now an evangelical journalist based in Lancashire. The Right Rev. Mariann Edgar Budde speaks to "The View" co-host Joy Behar on Jan. 22, 2025. (Photo: ABC) The Rt Rev Mariann Edgar Budde, bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Washington, has defended comments she made appealing to President Donald Trump for "mercy" on behalf of illegal immigrants and the LGBT community in a sermon where she mentioned "unity" while also claiming the president's policies would "harm" trans-identified children LGBT families. The 65-year-old bishop appeared on "The View" Wednesday morning to address the national controversy surrounding her recent comments at a prayer service attended by Trump. The remarks, delivered during a Service of Prayer for the Nation at Washington National Cathedral, included a plea for Trump to have "mercy upon the people in our country who are scared now," including "gay, lesbian, and transgender children in Democratic, Republican and independent families. Some who fear for their lives." "The people who pick our crops and clean our office buildings, who labour in poultry farms and meat-packing plants, who wash the dishes after we eat in restaurants and work the night shifts in hospitals. They may not be citizens, or have the proper documentation, but the vast majority of immigrants are not criminals," she said. Speaking to the "The View" hosts, Bishop Budde said, "My responsibility yesterday morning was to reflect, to pray with the nation for unity. As I was pondering, what are the foundations of unity? I wanted to emphasize respecting the honour and dignity of every human being, basic honesty and humility. "I also realized that unity requires a certain degree of mercy, compassion and understanding. So, knowing that a lot of people ... in our country right now, are really scared, I wanted to take the opportunity in the context of that service for unity; to say we need to treat everyone with dignity, and we need to be merciful. I was trying to counter the narrative that is so divisive and polarizing, and in which people, real people, are being harmed." Trump, seated in the front row with first lady Melania Trump, Vice President JD Vance and second lady Usha Vance, reacted visibly during the remarks. When asked on "The View" about their reactions, Budde said she avoided focusing on their body language. "I've long since given up trying to read people's reactions as I preach. ... I had what I felt was on my heart to say, and I had to leave it to them, to all of us, to take from whatever ... my words were, to hear in whichever way they could, and leave, as they say, the rest to God." The sermon ignited a strong reaction from Trump, who criticized the service as "not good" and labelled Budde a "radical left, hardline Trump hater" on social media. He accused her of bringing politics into the church and demanded a public apology. Budde dismissed the characterization as part of the current "culture of contempt," saying, "We're in a hyper-political climate. One of the things I caution about is the culture of contempt in which we live that immediately rushes to the worst possible interpretations of what people are saying. ... I was trying to speak a truth that I felt needed to be said, but to do it in as respectful and kind a way as I could, and also to bring other voices into the conversation ... that had not been heard in the public space for some time." The conversation on "The View" also touched on Trump's policies, including the expansion of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) authority to enter traditionally protected spaces like churches, schools and hospitals, if warranted. Budde called the erosion of churches as sanctuaries "heartbreaking," claiming that while not encoded in law, it was an "unwritten policy" to respect places where people could seek safety. "We have a lot of churches in our particular denomination that meet the needs of immigrants and other vulnerable populations and we need now to be as special and mindful and to make sure that basic human rights are protected and people's needs can be met," she said. Budde also said that, if given the opportunity, she'd address the president directly: "I've never been invited into a one-on-one conversation with President Trump, and I would welcome that opportunity. I have no idea how that would go. I can assure him and everyone listening that I would be as respectful as I would with any person," she said. Budde, known for her progressive stances, previously criticized Trump in 2020 when he staged a photo-op at St. John's Episcopal Church near the White House following a protest in which rioters torched part of the church. At the time, she accused him of using the church and the Bible as props, a move she said "outraged" and "horrified" her, and was "antithetical to the teachings of Jesus." The National Cathedral's interfaith service, a tradition since 1933, included prayers from Christian, Jewish and Muslim leaders, as well as representatives from other faiths. Pope Francis has made his official debut on the controversial social media platform TikTok in a bid to engage younger audiences and promote his autobiography, Spera ("Hope"). In a video shared on the TikTok profile of Italian publisher Mondadori, the 87-year-old pontiff addresses the camera from his office while leafing through the pages of his newly published book. Holding the autobiography, the Pope expressed his gratitude for those who helped bring the project to fruition. "I would like to thank Mr Carlo Musso, who had the patience to help me remember so many things about my life," he stated in the video. "The true protagonist is the Lord, who has led me by the hand and has brought me forward. I thank all those who have done this. First of all, Mr Carlo Musso. And pray for me, I will pray for you." Released on 14 January, Spera recounts Pope Francis's life from his childhood in Argentina to his ascent to the papacy. It explores pressing global issues, including climate change, migration, and the challenges of faith, offering insights into his leadership and personal struggles. The book also reflects on the history of the Bergoglio family, forced to emigrate from Piedmont, and Pope Francis's lifelong mission to spread hope. Reflecting on his decision to write the autobiography, Pope Francis explained, "It is an autobiography, but for me autobiographies are to thank God for what he has done with my life. The book gives a sense of what I am like." This marks Pope Francis's first foray into TikTok, a platform widely used by Generation Z, as he seeks to reach younger audiences directly. Despite not creating his own official account, his message was shared on TikTok by his publisher. As of now, no content has been specifically produced for the platform, but his appearance is part of a broader effort to engage with contemporary media. The autobiography has already sparked significant conversation. Pope Francis touches on sensitive topics, including the Traditional Latin Mass, describing the ostentation he sees in some practices. "The rigidity of those who prefer the Traditional Latin Mass is often accompanied by elegant and costly tailoring, lace, fancy trimmings, rochets. Not a taste for tradition but clerical ostentation, which is none other than an ecclesiastical version of individualism," he stated. His critique has drawn rebukes from conservative figures within the Church. Cardinal Raymond Burke remarked, "Pope Francis's message to the devout faithful who have a deep appreciation and attachment to the Traditional Latin Mass is that they suffer from an aberration which can be tolerated for a time but must ultimately be eradicated." Similarly, Cardinal Gerhard Muller criticised the Pope's approach, accusing him of "cracking down on tradition" while allowing progressives "to deviate" from central Church tenets without consequence. Pope Francis's TikTok debut follows his recent appearance on the popular Italian talk show Che Tempo Che Fa, where he spoke about his autobiography and his broader mission of hope during the Jubilee of Hope. By stepping onto TikTok, the leader of the Catholic Church joins a growing number of public figures using the platform to connect with younger audiences. Social media is a powerful communication tool, offering instant outreach to millions. In the United States, where TikTok has recently been accused of posing a threat to national security, President Donald Trump suggested that he would not oppose the platform being purchased by billionaire Elon Musk, who also owns the rebranded Twitter platform, now known as 'X'. (Photo: Getty/iStock) Assisted suicide cannot be legislated for safely and will put undue pressure on vulnerable people to end their lives, the Scottish Parliament has heard this week. Michael Veitch, of the Christian advocacy group CARE for Scotland, told members of Holyrood's Health, Social Care and Sport Committee that the proposals are "inherently dangerous" and amount to a "crossing of the Rubicon". The committee has been hearing evidence on Liam McArthur's Assisted Dying for Terminally Ill Adults (Scotland) Bill, which would allow terminally ill adults in Scotland to request help from healthcare professionals in ending their life. Mr Veitch warned that the scope of the proposed legislation is too broad and will "be interpreted beyond its policy intentions". He said that many people would feel an "invisible" and "internal pressure" to choose assisted suicide because of concerns about finances or the state of the NHS. He argued that MSPs should work to set a "gold standard" in palliative care for all who need it in Scotland, and send the message to society that "we will take care of you" rather than "facilitating an early death with lethal drugs". "Our strong assertion is that this bill will have a very determinantal impact on very vulnerable people who will feel invisible pressure to consider an option that wasn't there before," he said. Dr Miro Griffiths, disability advocate with Not Dead Yet UK, also appeared before the committee this week where he told MSPs that the legislation is "incompatible" with disability rights. "Every life is worth living and every life should have support to go on living," he said. Dr Griffiths cited disturbing reports from Canada about people being pushed towards assisted suicide because they could not access adequate housing or support services. "So many communities facing injustice will be presented with this as a choice, but it will seem like a path they have to go down due to the inequalities they face," he said. The committee will hear from the Scottish Government and Mr McArthur before producing a Stage 1 Report with recommendations for Parliament that are expected to be debated in the spring. Consumers are likely to find "incredible values" at wholesale retailers like Costco as a result of the wine crisis. Paul Ferris, a wine steward at Costco, stocks wine at Costco in San Francisco in 2016. Eric Kayne/Special to The Chronicle There has never been a better time to buy wine, a trusted industry report says. The 2025 Silicon Valley Bank State of the U.S. Wine Industry Report, released Thursday, predicts that while the wine industry is dealing with a historic downturn, consumers are about to enter a golden era of pricing due to a massive oversupply of wine. Advertisement Article continues below this ad There will be incredible values, said Rob McMillan, founder of Silicon Valley Banks wine division and the author of the report. Silicon Valley Bank (SVB), which survived a sudden collapse in 2023, has long been the go-to financial institution for the California wine industry. The bank has extended more than $4 billion in loans to wineries and vineyards since 1994, and its annual report, drawn from a survey of American wineries, is widely considered the most influential wine industry data analysis. This is going to be the best period in my lifetime from a consumer standpoint, McMillan continued. Wine prices have jumped significantly in recent years largely due to an increase in production costs. SVBs 2023 report indicated that 71% of West Coast wineries planned to raise prices. But McMillan predicts a coming shift, caused by a yearslong decline in wine sales that has resulted in major back-up in inventory for producers, retailers and wholesalers. The tonic for oversupply is always discounting, said McMillan. If I was surprised last year by anything, its that I didnt see more movement on price. Advertisement Article continues below this ad This year, 42% of respondents to SVBs survey said they plan to increase prices, but McMillan said that statistic is typically overstated. He believes only 20-30% will actually do so. Yet the premium wine industry is notoriously discount-shy. Discounting is viewed as a brand killer and wineries have to get more creative even secretive about their price drops. A winery might offer free shipping, or opt to move inventory through flash sale sites like Last Bottle and Underground Cellar, or wholesale retailers like Costco and Sams Club. Napas new Costco, for example, recently sold bottles of Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon from Vine Hill Ranch, one of the regions most sought-after vineyards, for $65.99. Typically, the bottle sells for $125-$150. The most discreet tactic is to sell the wine through the private label market, which enables wineries to disguise their wine as another brand entirely. Gaining popularity under the term NDA wines, private labels are common at supermarkets like Trader Joes and Albertsons, and online retailers like Cameron Hughes De Negoce and Wine Access. The retailer signs a nondisclosure agreement, which in turn protects the winerys reputation; the wine is then bottled under a proprietary label and sold at a steep discount. Private labels grew 9% year-over-year in 2023, according to a report by the Private Label Manufacturers Association. NDA wines make deals harder to spot, but McMillan suggested that customers look to the American Viticulture Area (AVA) printed on the label. If a $20 wine is sourced from a premium wine subregion like Napa Valleys Oakville or Sonoma Countys Russian River Valley, its likely a much better value than a wine with only California on its label. (California typically suggests lower quality; the producer likely sourced cheap grapes or bulk wine and blended it together.) There is one caveat to this era of deals, McMillan said: Napa Valley. Napa doesnt sell to the masses. Theyre up there with Bordeaux and Burgundy, so its going to carry higher prices, he said, adding that while there may be small discounts, there likely wont be any bargain basement deals on those wines. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Wine tasting fees which have jumped more than 200% since 2012, according to the SVB report are also poised to dip this year amidst declining tasting room visits. In 2023, seven out of nine wine regions reported a decrease in their tasting room fees. The average cost of a standard wine tasting flight in 2023 was $38, down from $41 in 2022; a reserve tasting cost $72 on average, down from $74 the year prior. We're always interested in hearing about news in our community. Let us know what's going on! Go to form Chinese vice premier urges tech innovations for global benefit Xinhua) 10:22, January 23, 2025 Chinese Vice Premier Ding Xuexiang, also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, attends the World Economic Forum (WEF) Annual Meeting 2025, and delivers a speech entitled "Keeping to the Right Path of Multilateralism and Promoting Open and Inclusive Development" in Davos, Switzerland, Jan. 21, 2025. (Xinhua/Peng Ziyang) AI and other technologies should become a source of shared prosperity -- an "Ali Baba's treasure cave" -- rather than a "Pandora's box." DAVOS, Switzerland, Jan. 22 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Vice Premier Ding Xuexiang has called for advancing artificial intelligence (AI) and other technological innovations to benefit humanity. Ding, also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, made the remarks during a session at the World Economic Forum (WEF) Annual Meeting 2025 in Davos on Tuesday. He was responding to questions from WEF founder Klaus Schwab after delivering his address. AI and other emerging technologies bring about revolutionary transformations rather than incremental progress, Ding noted. He emphasized that China, guided by the conception that "science knows no border and should benefit all humanity," has promoted international cooperation in innovation and ensured the fruits of scientific and technological progress are shared by all. A robot makes coffee at a park in Guangming District of Shenzhen, south China's Guangdong Province, Nov. 27, 2024. (Xinhua/Liang Xu) The vice premier highlighted that China has established science and technology cooperation with over 160 countries and regions. Special efforts have been made to share scientific achievements with Global South countries to close the technological gap. Ding acknowledged that while AI and other technologies can drive development, they also carry risks. "China attaches great importance to striking the right balance between development and security, follows the approach of seeking progress while ensuring stability, and strives to keep innovation from going astray," he said. He explained that China is developing AI to accelerate economic transformation, achieve Chinese modernization, and enhance the quality of life for its population of more than 1.4 billion. The country has implemented robust regulatory frameworks and mechanisms to ensure the responsible use and management of AI technologies, he added. Ding described AI governance as a global challenge, warning that disorderly competition among nations could lead to a "gray rhino" scenario. He called on countries to support the United Nations in taking a central role and to develop effective rules through joint participation. Such efforts, he said, would ensure that AI and other technologies become a source of shared prosperity -- an "Ali Baba's treasure cave" -- rather than a "Pandora's box." A staff member of Reacool Medical Technology Co., Ltd. demonstrates a digital surgery aided platform at a simulated operating room in the Vision Valley of China in Wuhu City, east China's Anhui Province, Sept. 20, 2024. (Photo by Xiao Benxiang/Xinhua) (Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Zhong Wenxing) Doxycycline, the post-exposure prophylaxis commonly known as doxy PEP, has shown to be very effective during trials in reducing sexually transmitted infections such as chlamydia, syphilis and gonorrhea after sex among gay men and transgender women with risk of recurring STIs. Stephen Lam/The Chronicle 2024 Rates of chlamydia and syphilis two of the most common sexually transmitted infections in the United States plummeted in one key demographic after patients were offered a widely prescribed antibiotic after sex, according to two new studies by San Francisco researchers. The studies, published in JAMA Internal Medicine this month, found that incidence of syphilis and chlamydia fell dramatically among gay and bisexual men and transgender women after patients were offered doxy PEP, short for doxycycline post-exposure prophylaxis. The papers were conducted separately one by the San Francisco Department of Public Health, and one by Kaiser Permanente Northern California but came to similar conclusions. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Because gay and bisexual men and transgender women are at highest risk of contracting and transmitting STIs, the findings offer some promise for wresting the STI epidemic under control in one important segment of the population. This is a really important finding because it follows many years of steadily rising rates of STIs, said Dr. Stephanie Cohen, director of HIV/STI prevention at the San Francisco Department of Public Health and senior author of one of the studies. So for the first time in a long time, we have a new highly effective biomedical prevention tool to prevent bacterial STIs. STI rates have been rising nationally for the last two decades and reached record highs in 2019. They dipped slightly during the COVID-19 pandemic, likely because people werent getting tested or having sex as often as they were pre-pandemic, but have since climbed again. Recent preliminary data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, though, suggest the epidemic may be slowing. This could be in part because of efforts to expand STI screening in emergency departments and other nontraditional settings, changes in sexual behavior, and some local health departments recommending doxy PEP. The first study, led by the San Francisco Department of Public Health, found that as of November 2023, 13 months after the department issued first-in-the-nation doxy PEP guidelines, monthly reported chlamydia and early syphilis infections citywide fell 50% and 51%, respectively, among gay and bisexual men and trans women. The study compared STI cases to projected cases from computer modeling. The guidelines recommend San Francisco clinicians provide a 200 mg dose of doxycycline, a pill to be taken within 72 hours of unprotected sex, to gay and bisexual men and trans women who are sexually active. It is meant to prevent chlamydia, syphilis and gonorrhea, which are bacterial infections. The findings expand on preliminary data that was presented last year at the Conference for Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The second study, co-authored by an infectious diseases doctor at Kaiser San Francisco Medical Center, found that rates of chlamydia fell 79%, syphilis declined 80% and gonorrhea dropped 12% after the patients received doxy PEP prescriptions. The study included about 2,200 patients in the Kaiser Permanente Northern California health system who were on PrEP, the pre-exposure prophylaxis for preventing HIV, and obtained doxy PEP prescriptions. Most were gay and bisexual men and trans women. It measured STI rates before and after Kaiser began offering doxy PEP to this patient population, in November 2022. These findings suggest that doxyPEP may offer substantial benefits for decreasing population-level STI transmission with broader implementation, the paper said. The Kaiser study is significant because it is one of the first analyses on whether doxy PEP can lower STI incidence in a real-world setting in a large patient population, outside of a clinical trial. Kaiser was one of the first large health systems in the country to begin offering doxy PEP. It was exciting for us to see such decreases in syphilis and chlamydia in particular, said Dr. Jonathan Volk, co-author of the Kaiser study and an infectious diseases physician at Kaiser San Francisco Medical Center. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Notably, rates of syphilis and chlamydia dropped more dramatically in San Francisco than they did in other parts of Northern California falling an average of 15%-16% each quarter in San Francisco, compared to 7%-9% each quarter outside of the city, according to the Kaiser study. What that reflects is wider use of doxy PEP in San Francisco relative to other parts of the state, Volk said. As more people are using doxy PEP, it interrupts transmission within networks and communities. The benefit extends beyond people using it. The impact of doxy PEP on preventing gonorrhea was more mixed. The San Francisco Department of Public Health study found that monthly gonorrhea cases increased nearly 2%; the Kaiser study found that gonorrhea incidence fell 12%. This could be because some types of gonorrhea are resistant to doxycycline. The use of doxy PEP for STI prevention is a relatively new approach and is modeled after PrEP. In October 2022, San Francisco became the first public health department in the country to issue doxy PEP guidelines. Advertisement Article continues below this ad A handful of other jurisdictions have followed, and in 2024 the CDC released national guidelines, recommending that providers counsel gay and bisexual men and trans women about doxy PEP if theyve had a bacterial STI in the last year. Adobe Stock / tashatuvango The Charity Commission failed to handle properly safeguarding concerns related to a historic child sexual abuse at a school founded and ran by a charity, the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman (PHSO) has concluded. The regulator agreed to pay 1,000 to complainant Damian Murray after the PHSO found that some of its actions amounted to maladministration. However, the commission and PHSO remain in discussion over some of the ombudsmans findings. Complaints made to public bodies In 2017, Murray discovered from a memoir that a peer at his former secondary school had been subjected to child sexual abuse in the late 1970s by a headteacher and priest. At the time of the abuse, the school was founded and run by a religious congregation, which was a registered charity. Several teachers at the school were priests in the religious congregation, according to PHSOs investigation. Murray believed that there had been other instances of child sexual abuse at the school. So, he made complaints to the Department for Education (DfE) and the commission with evidence of deliberate, serious, pervasive and persistent failure in management and corporate governance in relation to the concealment of child sexual abuse by the religious congregation between 2018 and 2020. But Murray claimed that both entities failed to respond appropriately to the allegations he made. He said the commission failed to undertake an appropriate investigation of his concerns and reached incorrect, unsupported and poorly explained conclusions in respect of the registered charity. Maladministration by the commission PHSOs investigation concluded today that the commission failed to understand or consider all the relevant issues that Murray raised. It stated that some of the commissions actions amounted to maladministration, and it did not act in accordance with its risk assessment and safeguarding guidance when it made key decisions to open and close its case on Murrays concerns. As a result, it recommended that the commission should apologise to Murray for its actions, address the failure PHSO has identified and pay 1,000 to Murray in recognition of the injustice he has suffered. Murray said: The ombudsman has correctly identified the serious injustice and maladministration to which I was subjected by DfE and the Charity Commission when raising my concerns. I am very grateful to the Parliamentary Ombudsman for the seriousness, thoroughness, and empathy with which it has dealt with my complaint. The continuing refusal by the commission to do its job properly, to respond constructively to the ombudsmans findings, or even to acknowledge the serious, well-evidenced concerns that I put to it, is simply unacceptable. Commission: We remain in discussion with PHSO The ombudsman Rebecca Hilsenrath said: In this case, the Charity Commission failed to properly handle Damians complaint about serious safeguarding concerns. It is important that the commission acknowledges its mistakes and puts things right. The commission has provided financial redress, but discussions remain ongoing about other aspects of compliance. The commission must accept accountability and take decisive action on the basis of our recommendations so that others do not undergo the same experiences in the future. A commission spokesperson told Civil Society: We have accepted the PHSOs recommendations as set out in the report. However, we are clear that we do not accept the PHSO has the jurisdiction to make specific findings relating to the reasoning behind any of our regulatory decisions. We remain in discussion with PHSO about our compliance with the recommendations. We recognise that Murrays complaint about the charity arose from some very difficult personal experiences, both for him and for others. 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, The chief executive of the Charity Commission has expressed concerns about artificial intelligence (AI) applications received by the regulator. In his opening address at the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales annual charity conference, David Holdsworth spoke about the key challenges and opportunities facing the sector. Asked about the impact of AI on charities, Holdsworth told attendees that the technology could do a huge amount of good in the sector and within the commission. Looking at solutions and providing the ability to do more with less, AI does give significant advantages, even on basics like administering your charity, he said. In the fundraising space, Im aware of some of the work thats going on as to how AI can help you tailor your engagement with your funders and draft your bids, so its reducing the amount of resources you may need to bid on grants, etc. Its exciting. However, he added that AI also poses challenges whilst we wait for some of the regulations to catch up. Were seeing AI applications to the Charity Commission that we know are generated by AI. Thankfully, at this stage, we can identify that. My concern is, as AI improves and learns, how will we be able to identify [them]? Commission facing challenges on finances and resourcing Discussing the challenges facing the commission, Holdsworth said like the sector, the regulator isnt immune from the current financial and fiscal position. We too are facing challenges around our finances and resourcing alongside increasing demands on us as a regulator. It stands to reason that weve got very much the same challenge as charities. How do we balance that (reducing financial capacity and increasing demand on our services), but still maintain the services the sector needs and the public expects? He added that the commission is looking at how it can innovate, make the biggest impact with the resources it has and use technology to improve its capacity and enable trustees to fulfill their duties and have the biggest impact. Like charities, our biggest challenge in the year ahead is that balancing of resources, demand and capacity. Were still focusing on charity banking issues On the banking issues affecting many charities , Holdsworth said it is unacceptable that charities are being denied access to banking facilities or have difficult interactions with banks and cannot operate properly. Were clear as the charity regulator that its unacceptable and has to be dealt with, and banks and the financial regulators must sort this out, he said. Im engaging with the Financial Conduct Authority on this. Were also engaging with politicians and those sitting on select committees. He assured charities that the commission is still focusing on this issue and urged those experiencing problems to report them. Please do let us know when youre having those issues because it gives us the data and ability to come at this from an evidence-led basis, and that matters when youre engaging with parliament and asking for action. Poor governance and massive risk of fraud In a separate session, Alison Taylor, CEO of CAF Bank and CAF Financial Solutions Limited, discussed the challenges posed by poor charity banking and financial services. Banking is fundamental to the successful and safe management of charities and should be supportive, seamless and something that all of you involved in running your charity dont have to think about, she said. Yet, increasingly, thats just not the case. A number of UK banks are failing charity customers and the poor service theyre providing is gaining increasing media coverage and industry scrutiny. Taylor said one of the worst things is seeing some of the outcomes of the workarounds that charity staff and trustees have perfectly understandably tried to make to navigate the banking problems theyre having. We see many holding cash which is then not secure. We see people using their personal accounts or other accounts, sometimes even partner accounts, to try and navigate the fact that their account is frozen or blocked for a period. Whilst all of that is understandable and driven by trustees, volunteers or staff just trying to do the right thing and enable their charity to operate, it results in poor governance and massive risk of fraud, theft or other financial loss. This is what were concerned about and what we would want to seek to address. 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. Last summer, the Lake Report, which serves Niagara-on-the-Lake, a community of nineteen thousand in Southern Ontario, had a rare opportunity. The papers reporters were invited to a small gathering with Pierre Poilievre, the leader of the Conservative Party of Canada, who was stopping by a farming cooperative in town. Poilievre is generally press-averse, partial to friendly platformshis own YouTube and Instagram channels, Jordan Petersons podcast. The Lake Report pounced, sending both of its reporters. They asked first thing about how Poilievre would handle the governments support of local journalism. He started bashing it, Richard Harley, the editor, recalled. Poilievre spoke about his plans to do away with public funds for Canadian media, on which the Lake Report relies. This would be a dagger in the industry of news, especially for smaller papers, Harley told me. It would be devasting for us. So when Justin Trudeau resigned recently as Canadas prime minister, and Poilievre entered the spotlight as his likely successor, Harley knew what was coming. The election will take place on or before October 20; already, Poilievre has revealed an aggressive agenda, with the press in his sights. Most notable has been his vow to slash the federal allotment for the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation by a billion dollars; this year, the network received about 1.4 billion, representing most of its budget. The funds Poilievre would sustain are supposedly meant for Radio-Canada, the CBCs French-language arm: The government should only do what people cant do for themselves, he told the Toronto Sun, by way of explanation. Canadians can get English-language media in abundance, more than they could ever consume. That is not true in the French language. The CBC rejects that logic, however; both language presentations draw from the same newsroom resources. Removing CBCs public funding would mean the end of independent public broadcasting in Canada, a CBC/Radio-Canada spokesperson told me. Radio-Canada could not exist without CBC and vice versa. Politicians have attempted to cut back on how much federal funding goes to the CBC beforeat times successfully, as in the case of Stephen Harper, Trudeaus predecessor, who in 2012 slashed 115 million dollars over three years. (The budget was later restored.) Some revenue comes from ads, subscriptions, and other commercial activities. But what Poilievre proposes would be the most dramatic assault on the CBC in its history. I see the CBC as maple syrup for Canada, Kim Kierans, a veteran of the network and now a journalism professor, told me. We use our tax dollars to fund health and education and to fund public broadcasting because we see them as a public good. (CBC analysis shows that Canada ranks eighteenth out of twenty Western countries for the percentage of government expenditures to their public broadcaster. The United States is in last place.) Within the country, there are criticisms of the CBCs leadership and organizational structure, as well its opinion coverage; Kierans, too, believes the network needs to change. Even so, she said, Lets have a national conversation before somebody takes an ill-informed action. Poilievre would also undercut the Canadian press by other means. Unlike in the United States, where privately owned media dominate and there is a sizable philanthropic network for journalism, Canadas press ecosystemboth for-profit and nonprofitlargely depends on public support. Poilievre wants things to work differently: Let the media make money winning eyeballs and earlobes, as he put it in a recent interview. Beyond the CBC, the government bolsters journalism through the Canadian Periodical Fund, which provides start-up grants of a few thousand dollars to independent outlets. In 2019, Trudeau formed the Local Journalism Initiative (LJI), providing support for four hundred local newsroom jobs in underserved communities across the country through 2027, at which point it will be up for renewal. Both of those programs are liable to come under Poilievres knife; he has claimed the latter sponsors regurgitated propaganda paid for by taxpayers. Outlets can also apply for designation as a qualified Canadian journalism organization, through which the government subsidizes employee salaries; those who pass muster can then register to receive the tax benefits typical of charities, which are more difficult to form in Canada than in the US. Poilievre has suggested that he would replace the current, need-based tax credits with others that are revenue-based. It is the least progressive way to fund news, Dru Jay, the president of the board of directors at The Breach, a national investigative nonprofit, told me. Because youre not incentivizing journalism. Youre incentivizing moneymakingwhich is incentivizing corporate consolidation. In addition, Poilievre is targeting the Online News Act, aimed at extracting money from tech giants that feature Canadian journalism on social media; he has stated his intention to revisit the terms, calling it a censorship tool. And during tough times, Canada has provided media industry bailouts, in sums of as much as 595 million dollars; he is unlikely to deliver one of those. It is in the same way the government subsidized oil companies, car companies, and others, but for us these years of government funding have allowed us to get stronger in every way, Linda Solomon Wood, the CEO, founder, and editor of Canadas National Observer, an investigative reporting outlet focused on climate change, told me. We wont go backward from there. There are limits to what Poilievre can do, in practical terms: in the case of the CBC, the Online News Act, and the tax credits, legislation would have to pass with parliamentary approval. I havent heard of a plan in which they come to work the day after the election and there are locks on the doors, Kierans said. There are union contracts. There are legal requirements when youre closing down a company of any sort, and this is a crown corporation. A number of Canadian publicationsCanadas National Observer, The Breach, The Narwhal, and The Tyeesay that government funding constitutes less than 20 percent of their annual revenue; they receive a substantial amount from readers. We wouldnt go out of business, but we couldnt grow as quickly, Jeanette Ageson, the publisher of The Tyee, a provincial nonprofit digital publication in British Columbia, told me. We would probably retrench and go into stabilization mode, become more cautious. It would be harder for us to bring on new journalists. Sign up for CJRs daily email But other newsrooms would have tougher fortunesand so would the audiences they serve. I dont think it is a binary of state-funded media or private mediafor many communities, its going to be a publicly funded media or nothing, Ageson said. People will be left to their own devices. Something will fill the void, and it wont necessarily be accountable, professional media. Marc Edgea Canadian journalism researcher and activist, whose latest book is Tomorrows News: How to Fix Canadas Mediatold me that if Poilievre follows through on his campaign promises to the press, it would be an extinction-level event. For many small townsincluding Niagara-on-the-Lake, home to the Lake Reportthe market may simply not be there to support robust journalism without government help. Those LJI reporters are our only two reporters in the newsroom, Harley said. Losing them would mean me having to do everything. He added: It would keep going but with less coverageand less coverage means fewer eyes on what politicians are doing. Sign up for The Media Today, CJRs daily newsletter. A Nazi salute. Not a Nazi salute. A Roman salute. What appeared to be a fascist salute. A straight-arm gesture. An awkward gesture in a moment of enthusiasm. A horrific Sieg Heil. A socially awkward autistic mans wave to the crowd where he says my heart goes out to you. Ein Hitlergru ist ein Hitlergru ist ein Hitlergru. These were among the reactions that cascaded forth in the mediain both the traditional and new senses of that wordearlier this week, after Elon Musk took to the stage at an Inauguration Day celebration of Donald Trump, and well, youve probably seen it by now. In many ways, whether or not Musk intended to do a Nazi salute is extremely the point. (For whatever its worth, a video of the address that Musk posted to X, the social network that he owns, did not show the offending moment; he has since suggested that the Nazi claims are a dirty trick on the part of his critics, adding, The everyone is Hitler attack is sooo tired.) In a few ways, though, Musks intentions are not the point; not entirely, anyway. This is, in part, because of Musks well-documented flirtations (if thats even the right word anymore) with the far rightboth in the US and abroadwhich leave no comparable room for ambiguity; it is also, in part, because various white supremacists and neo-Nazis were thrilled by the gesture, whatever he meant by it. Also, though, the ambiguity itself is kinda the pointMusk, and many others on the right, have long traded in forms of offensive speech dressed in a winking veneer of plausible deniability. Above all else, Musk is a troll, an edgelord. He delights in triggering his ideological enemies, which includes the media, The Atlantics Charlie Warzel wrote this week. The reaction to the salute has been a fitting spectacle to begin the second Trump administration: a bunch of people arguing endlessly over something everyone can see with their own eyes. These dynamics play into a much broader debate about the flow of attention in the Trump era and Trumps own centrality to it; if he is not quite an edgelord in the Very Online sense of the term (he has been known to consume social media posts in print form), he has clearly harnessed the ideanovel in high-level modern politicsthat all attention is basically good, and that you can dominate a political era by making people talk about you and you alone, even if they hate you. Throughout the Trump era, but especially during his first term, those seeking to hold Trump accountable have debated what to do about this dynamicnot least the news media, which has had to reckon with the uncomfortable fact that the scrutiny it applies to Trump is ultimately a form of attention that Trump can co-opt and weaponize. The current moment is different from Trumps first term in several important respects. Since the election in November, the news media has spiraled into a crisis of confidence, seeming to doubt that it controls attention much at all these days, at least compared with the new-media pioneersTikTok stars, YouTubers, podcasterswho have cultivated huge audiences, especially among young people, and helped Trump bypass the press on his way to his latest victory. Andif the attention of the press is clearly still important to Trump personally (see: his two lengthy press conferences earlier this week and interview with Foxs Sean Hannity last night)his second term already feels less than his first like an exercise in pure attention domination: government by radical, planned executive order, and less so by tweet. All this opens up an interesting conversation about the relationship between attention and power in 2025, the news medias place in relation to it, what has and hasnt changed since Trump first rode our collective attention to the White Houseand what the limits of this sort of attention politics might be, even if its grip currently feels limitless. In many ways, its a conversation that is most interestingly accessed not through Trump but through Muska figure who wasnt in Trumps orbit the last time he was in power and embodies many of the attentional incentives of both this specific moment and our wider era. In the days before the inauguration, Ezra Klein recorded a thought-provoking episode of his New York Times opinion podcast with Chris Hayes, the MSNBC host and author of a new book on attention, and described Musk as probably the most attentionally rich person in the world alongside Donald Trump right now; in narrow business terms, Musk overpaid when he acquired X (then still called Twitter) for forty-four billion dollars in 2022, but by Kleins estimation he has converted the purchase into attentional riches that are worth much more than he paid and might be more important now than his financial riches (even as Musk remains, on the latter score, the richest person on earth). Hayes agreed. What Trump and Musk figured out is that what matters is the total attentional atmosphere, he said. The latters acquisition of X ended up being an enormous, almost Archimedean, lever on the electorate. The basic premises here seem to me uncontroversial: that hijacking attention is good in modern politics, that it can have greater electoral value than traditional campaign spending, that Trump being an attention monster was essential to his winning office not once but twice, and that Musk wouldnt be so powerful now if he hadnt become an attention monster too. The X purchase was clearly the key event in the latter timeline. He was a prolific troll and attention-seeker on the platform even before taking it over (when Musk first invested in the company, the tech journalist Casey Newton likened the move to Loki buying an ant farm); his outright purchase was widely derided at the time as poor business senseThis is one of the dumbest acquisitions since AOL Time Warner, Jeremy Owens, of MarketWatch, saidbut there was little doubt even then that he was doing it in large part for attention. (He just wants the spotlight on him, and he finds ways to get the spotlight on him, Owens said.) Since then, his increasingly absurd behaviorproposing to fight Mark Zuckerberg; telling fleeing advertisers to go fuck yourself; threatening to sue the Anti-Defamation League, a group that aims to fight anti-Jewish hatred, for scaring away advertisershas been viewed through much the same lens. (Incidentally, it was the ADL that described Musks salute this week as an awkward gesture in a moment of enthusiasm, drawing widespread ire online.) This week, Musk made headlines not only for the salute, but for a post on X trashing a major private investment in AI that Trump had touted from the White House. Speaking on CNN, the tech journalist Kara Swisher suggested that Musk was annoyed not to be involved in the initiative, and went public with his complaint because hes a look-at-me kinda fella. Sign up for CJRs daily email Since Musk became one of Trumps most vocal backers and closest advisers last yearand especially since Trump won the electionhis business sense in purchasing X has been reevaluated on similar lines to those posited by Klein: without parlaying a seemingly poor investment into attention, he wouldnt have wormed into Trumps inner circle, without which he wouldnt now be entering the very same government that has immense influence over his businesses that are highly lucrative. (Following the election, Axios concluded that Musk may be responsible for the worst tech buyout of all time, but only when considered in a vacuum, while suggesting that it has made Musk the most powerful unelected American ever.) Even beyond Trump, X has remained a key hub for public discoursedespite predictions of its quick and total Musk-era demiseand continued to offer Musk personally a big bullhorn: he has 214 million followers, and even non-followers struggle to avoid his posts. In Musks case, however, I also see limits, or at least caveats, to the power conferred by attention. Not only is X one of numerous actors in the online attention marketplace, but it isnt necessarily all that powerful compared with, say, Facebook or TikTok, even if journalists and newsmakers (at least until recently) like to talk about it more. On the subject of journalists: for all the protestations that it has lost its power, I still see the traditional media as a key amplifier of whatever attention hogs say online; this was true of Trumps first term, when reporters rushed to write up every Trump tweet, and is true of Musk now. Both men have benefited attentionally from news coverage, in attracting peoples attention but also in turning the media into a foil (which in turns attracts more attention, and so on). And peoplebe they journalists or ordinary members of the publicultimately have to pay attention to attention-seekers; as Hayes noted to Klein, our attention is pretty worthless on the individual level, but in the aggregate, its hugely valuable. (Hayes likened this dynamic to labor during the Industrial Revolution.) Even before the election, a not inconsiderable number of users, journalists included, left X for alternatives like Bluesky and Threads; since the election, a number of major news organizationsalbeit, for now, mostly outside of the UShave said that they will stop posting on the platform, a move that starves X of the attention their posts might generate, if not of the news organizations attention per se. (They will all surely continue to cover Musk.) In the wake of Musks salute this week, hundreds of pages on Reddit banned, or started to consider banning, links out to X. Musk, of course, can continue to use X to spout off, but the more the platform becomes an echo chamber for his brand of politics, the fewer people are left to be triggered, the less attention he ultimately generates. And, as Klein and Hayes also discussed, while Musks control of X has produced a kind of vibe shift and cultural influence for reactionary ideas (as Hayes put it), its not clear that creating an echo chamber will be good for the Trumpian right electorally in the long run. (The old Twitter, famously, was not real life for Democrats.) Part of the problem with echo chambers is that attention can bounce around them unpredictably, rather than being commanded and manipulated by one dominant figure. Musks recent dabbling in British politicsearlier this month, he spent days spreading inflammatory and often bizarre claims about grooming gangs and supposed official malfeasance in the countryis a case in point. At the time, Klein and others likened Musk to Rupert Murdoch, an old-media mogul who has sought to implant right-wing ideas on either side of the Atlantic and beyond. Musks input certainly set the agenda in the UK for a while. And yet, as the Financial Times documented, Musk himself was responding to smaller accounts, some of them very fringe indeed, that captured his attention. The question of who drove this attentional episode is thus complicated. Bruce Daisley, a former senior Twitter executive, argued to the FT that Musk has seemingly become the first tech leader to fall down the rabbit hole of radicalisation by his own product. At the very least, Musk acted as an amplifier during this episode, on his own platform but also in the realm of politics, the news media, and beyond. But he is still one actor in what is ultimately a broader attention ecosystem. And he might not even be the most powerfulwhich brings us back to Trump. Since he rode down the escalator in 2015, it can feel like Trump has commanded public and media attention almost ceaselessly, with no end in sight. But Trump, too, has been subject to some of the same attentional limits as Musk. Its not clear that being an attention monster has always benefited himhe arguably lost in 2020 because people were fed up with his chaosand even now, at the apparent height of his power, he isnt necessarily commanding the attention he once was. As I suggested above, his second termwhile still in its early daysfeels less like the always-on attention factory that his first was. Attention, this time, does not seem to be the entire point. Despite these caveats, Trump is still clearly an attention monster. So, too, for now, is Musk. But for now might be the operative words hereif both men benefit from being the center of attention, then its not clear that sharing that centrality is sustainable in the long run; many journalists have already speculated that Trump will soon tire of Musk threatening to upstage him. Trump, with the institutional heft of the presidency behind him, will surely win the battle for centrality if it comes to it; indeed, its not hard to imagine a world in which he exiles Musk into relative irrelevance, a life of shouting into the X void as politicians and the press move on to fresher stories. Here, the operative word is relativeMusks wealth will always make him an attention magnet. But one could see a world in which his financial richeswhich, lest we forget, allowed him to buy X and its attention potential in the first placeonce again start to outstrip the value of his attentional riches. And financial power is a tale as old as time. If Musks salute was intentional, it was a risky ploy on these termsattention-grabbing in the short term, yes, but in a way that diverted focus from Trump, the attention monster in chief, on his day of glory: a dangerous thing to do. Its possible that Musk caught us in an attention trap in that were all now talking about him, but its also possible that he caught himself in that trap inadvertently. Its possible that both things could be true. Andeven if we, the press, did fall into a trap by getting triggeredwe still ultimately control how we spread our share of attention, a fact thats always been true of Trump coverage and applies to Musk, too. The headline Ein Hitlergru ist ein Hitlergru ist ein Hitlergru (translation: A Hitler salute is a Hitler salute is a Hitler salute) that I cited above appeared atop a widely shared article in the German newspaper Die Zeit this week. (Subheading: Welcome to the new attention regime.) Just as eye-catching as the headline was the main image: it showed the moment of the salute but obscured Musks arm (perhaps because the Nazi salute is banned in Germany). In this, it struck me that there was, somehow, a reclamation of attention. There was, at least, a measure of control. Other notable stories: In other news about Musk and the press, the independent investigative journalist Judd Legum is launching a new publication on Substack, called Musk Watch, to cover his ever-expanding influence. Caleb Ecarma, formerly a reporter at Vanity Fair, will write for the publication; NPRs David Folkenflik has more details. Elsewhere, Sam Kuffel, a meteorologist at CBS58 in Milwaukee, was dropped by the station one day after sharply criticizing Musks salute on Instagram; the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel has the story. Andin a very different type of media story involving MuskCecilia Sala, an Italian journalist who was recently jailed in Iran, gave an interview in which she credited Musk with helping to get her out. (The Times previously reported on Musks involvement; he has said he played a small role.) A team of journalists at Bloomberg analyzed more than two thousand videos made by nine prominent YouTubersincluding Joe Rogan, Adin Ross, and Theo Vonto get a better idea of how they reached a new generation with pro-Trump messaging before the election. None of the broadcasters style themselves as political pundits, and their conservative talking points were sandwiched between free-wheeling discussions of sports, masculinity, internet culture, gambling and pranksmaking the rhetoric more palatable to an apolitical audience, the analysis found. They are now well-positioned to help build support for [Trumps] political agenda, transforming grievances into policy that could have lasting effects even beyond Trumps term in office. Yesterday, Trump nominated L. Brent Bozell IIIthe founder and president of the Media Research Center, a group that takes aim at alleged liberal media biasto lead the US Agency for Global Media, the body that oversees state-backed international broadcasters including Voice of America and Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. (Bozells son was convicted over his involvement in the insurrection at the Capitol in 2021; Trump pardoned him on Monday.) The agency and its broadcasters are editorially independent by law, but Trump threatened that status in his first term and seems poised to do so again. (Bozell will have to be confirmed by the Senate.) First in CJR: The Intercept announced today that it is appointing Ben Muessig as its editor in chief, following an interim spell in the role; Annie Chabel, The Intercepts CEO, said that Muessig will oversee journalism that challenges power and galvanizes support from our readers. Elsewhere in the media business, the parent company of the Boston Globe announced that it is acquiring Boston Magazine; no jobs are expected to be lost in the transition. And major layoffs are expected at CNN today, with NBC News also reportedly making cuts; CNBCs Alex Sherman has more. And before Christmas, Bill Grueskin reported for CJR on the case of Dilan Gohill, a student reporter at Stanford who was arrested while covering a pro-Palestine occupation on campus and still faced the possibility of charges, with university administrators taking an aggressive posture toward him. This week, Stanfords president told free-speech advocates that the university wont take disciplinary action against Gohill; per the San Francisco Chronicle, a possible prosecution remains in flux but no charges have now been filed in seven months. WASHINGTON, D.C. -- A Florida man accused of attacking U.S. Capitol police on Jan. 6, 2021, has been arrested again after President Donald Trumps pardoning of more than 1,500 people charged in the case. Daniel Ball, 39, was taken into custody Wednesday, according to an arrest warrant, on a separate indictment returned by federal prosecutors in Florida last summer that charged him for unlawfully possessing a gun as a felon. According to his indictment, Ball has previous felony convictions including resisting law enforcement and battery on a law enforcement officer in October 2021. Prosecutors accused Ball of using an explosive device to assault officers trying to protect the Capitol in the Lower West End Tunnel. Ball was detained in May of 2023 after a federal judge determined he posed a serious ongoing danger to the general public if released, and to members of law enforcement in particular. Trumps pardoning of more than 1,500 people charged in the case included 70 from Ohio who pleaded guilty or were found guilty at trial. The pardons were not surprising as Trump has long said he would consider them. In the lead-up to his inauguration, many supporters, including Vice President JD Vance, said they didnt believe clemency was appropriate for those who were convicted of assaulting police officers. BRUSSELS (AP) NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte warned on Thursday that a Russian victory over Ukraine would undermine the dissuasive force of the worlds biggest military alliance and that its credibility could cost trillions to restore. NATO has been ramping up its forces along its eastern flank with Russia, Belarus and Ukraine, deploying thousands of troops and equipment to deter Moscow from expanding its war into the territory of any of the organizations 32 member countries. If Ukraine loses then to restore the deterrence of the rest of NATO again, it will be a much, much higher price than what we are contemplating at this moment in terms of ramping up our spending and ramping up our industrial production, Rutte said. It will not be billions extra; it will be trillions extra, he said, on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. Rutte insisted that Ukraines Western backers must step up and not scale back the support they are providing to the country, almost three years after Russias full-fledged invasion began. We have to change the trajectory of the war, Rutte said, adding that the West cannot allow in the 21st century that one country invades another country and tries to colonize it. We are beyond those days, he said. Anxiety in Europe is mounting that U.S. President Donald Trump might seek to quickly end the war in talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin on terms that are unfavorable to Ukraine, but Rutte appeared wary about trying to do things in a hurry. If we got a bad deal, it would only mean that we will see the president of Russia high-fiving with the leaders from North Korea, Iran and China and we cannot accept that, the former Dutch prime minister said. That would be geopolitically a big, big mistake. Trumps new envoy for special missions, Richard Grenell, criticized allies who talk of continuing the war but still wont increase their defense spending to NATO guidelines. He said Americans think it is outrageous that the Biden administration refused to talk to Putin. NATO leaders have agreed that each member country should spend at least 2% of gross domestic product on their military budgets. The alliance estimates that 23 members will reach that level this year, although almost a third will still fall short. Poland and Estonia spend most in GDP terms. You cannot ask the American people to expand the umbrella of NATO when the current members arent paying their fair share, Grenell said. The United States spends most within NATO on its own budget, in dollar terms, and allies rely on its military might for their defense. When we have leaders who are going to talk about more war, we need to make sure that those leaders are spending the right amount of money, Grenell said. We need to be able to avoid war, and that means a credible threat from NATO. He also insisted that former President Joe Biden was wrong not to talk to Putin, who was indicted for war crimes in 2023 by the International Criminal Court for the unlawful deportation of children from Ukraine to Russia. You should be able to talk to people, Grenell said. Talking is a tactic, and youre not going to be able to solve problems peacefully unless you actually have conversations, he said. Polish Foreign Minister Radek Sikorski welcomed Trumps acknowledgement that it must be Russia which should make the first peace moves, but he cautioned that this is not the Putin that President Trump knew in his first term. On Wednesday, Trump threatened to impose stiff taxes, tariffs and sanctions on Moscow if an agreement isnt reached to end the war, but that warning will probably fall on deaf ears in the Kremlin. Russias economy is already weighed down by a multitude of U.S. and European sanctions. Sikorksi warned that Putin should not be put at the center of the world stage over Ukraine. The president of the United States is the leader of the free world. Vladimir Putin is an outcast and an indicted war criminal for stealing Ukrainian children, Sikorski said. I would suggest that Putin has to earn the summit, that if he gets it early, it elevates him beyond his, significance and gives him the wrong idea about the trajectory of this, he said. WASHINGTON, D. C. - Newly-elected U.S. Sen. Bernie Moreno, a Westlake Republican who made immigration reform a centerpiece of his campaign, on Thursday introduced legislation to crack down on the nations backlogged asylum system. Immigrants to the Unites States can request asylum if they have suffered persecution or fear that they will suffer persecution due to their race, religion, nationality, membership in a particular social group, or political opinion. Those granted asylum can apply to permanently reside in the United States, gain a path to citizenship and can also apply for their spouse and children to join them in the United States. As of last summer, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service reported it had more than 1 million pending asylum cases. Republicans say the system is being abused by immigrants who know theyre not qualified for asylum, but apply anyway to gain entry to the United States and stay indefinitely. The bill Moreno calls the Refugees Using Legal Entry Safely (RULES) Act, would require asylum applicants to file their request for asylum solely at legal ports of entry, block parole or release of asylum applicants into the United States while theyre awaiting a decision on their cases, prohibit any migrant caught in the United States illegally from ever claiming asylum in the future, and bar applicants from claiming asylum again after a previous application has been rejected. If you want to live in this country, you have to respect our laws, and that starts at our borders, said a statement from Moreno, a naturalized citizen whose parents immigrated to the United States from Colombia when he was 5 years old. But our broken asylum system has overwhelmed our borders with millions of migrants who enter the country illegally, claim asylum, and are just released into the county, Morenos statement continued. If Democrats care about making these reforms, they should support this bill. The legislation has been referred to the Senate Judiciary Committee for consideration. It is the second bill that Moreno has introduced since he was sworn in as a U.S. Senator earlier this month. His first bill, introduced Tuesday, would fund the External Revenue Service that President Donald Trump has promised to create. During his campaign, Moreno described himself as a constitutional conservative with an immigrants appreciation for the United States. Moreno was born in 1967 in Bogota, Colombia, into lavish generational wealth. His dad, Bernardo Moreno Sr., was a physician and high-ranking government official, holding a position similar to a U.S. secretary of health. Moreno has described an aristocratic upbringing in multiple homes complete with farmland and staff. His fathers family home later was converted into the German embassy in Bogota. When he was 5, his family immigrated to Fort Lauderdale, Florida. He subsequently applied for and was granted U.S. citizenship. Sabrina Eaton writes about the federal government and politics in Washington, D.C., for cleveland.com and The Plain Dealer. Homewood Mountain Resort on Lake Tahoes West Shore, shown last month, controversially closed for the winter. Gregory Thomas/The Chronicle In a key vote for the future of a historic Lake Tahoe ski area on Wednesday afternoon, Tahoes planning agency unanimously approved provisions that will allow Homewood Mountain Resort to move forward with a major redevelopment plan that has been in the works for 14 years. The beleaguered West Shore resort shocked skiers in October when it announced that it would not open for business this winter, citing the lingering need for final approvals to minor modifications of its redevelopment plan as well as loud community opposition and the loss of a key financier. Importantly, this weeks approvals pave the way for the resort to reopen next winter, according to Homewood Vice President of Mountain Experience Andy Buckley. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Thats our sincere hope, Buckley told the Chronicle. Homewoods business has been declining for years as the West Shore resorts infrastructure has aged and skiers have gravitated toward Tahoes larger and more modern ski areas. The redevelopment plan, submitted by San Francisco ownership group JMA Ventures and approved in 2011, would revitalize the resort by upgrading its base village and adding more than 100 homes, a hotel and a mountain gondola. But for the past two years the resort has been mired in controversy over suspicions that Homewood owners intend to transform the ski area into a private resort that excludes or severely limits public access to the ski hill once the development project is complete. A rendering of the proposed ski village at Homewood Mountain Resort on Lake Tahoes West Shore under an approved development plan from JMA Ventures. Homewood Mountain Resort This season, at the urging of a citizens group called Keep Homewood Public, the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency required that the ski resort add language to its master plan meant to enshrine and protect the publics access to the ski area in perpetuity. That led the resort to produce a four-page community access plan guaranteeing that day tickets and season passes will be available for purchase by anyone (including HOA members, visitors of HOA members, hotel guests, and visitors from the general public) on a first-come, first-served basis when the mountain is open. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Language in the document was being tweaked and updated as recently as Wednesday morning to satisfy the concerns of Tahoe regulators. It states that Homewoods commitments are being made in the spirit of assuring the public that (Homewood Mountain Resort) will not convert Homewood to a members only ski resort by limiting the sale of ski packages to members of a specific group without TRPA approval. In a first for a ski resort in the Tahoe basin, the arrangement allows TRPA to shut down Homewood if the resort is found to have failed to adhere to the new public access provisions. The agency could also fine the resort $5,000 per day per violation. Dozens of Tahoe locals and second homeowners spoke at Wednesdays meeting. Most supported moving forward with the project, though many speakers expressed distrust toward Discovery Land Co., a development partner on the Homewood project known for creating private resort clubs. Discovery isnt in the business of keeping resorts public, said Claire Cunningham, who identified herself as a full-time West Shore resident. Like many locals, she worries that what some speakers called very large loopholes in the resorts planning documents would allow Homewood to effectively privatize without running afoul of its community access plan. They speculated that the resorts pledge to allow public skiers on a first-come, first-served basis could enable Homewood to deny skiers by artificially reducing skier capacity on any given day. Also, many wondered whether the resort would choose to price out local skiers by raising pass prices to exorbitant rates. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Such issues are absolutely foreseeable, said Joseph Petta, an attorney with Keep Homewood Public. Any of those factors could tip public access in a negative direction. A snowboarder enjoys the spring conditions and the views on Rainbow Ridge at Homewood Mountain Resort in 2022. Brian Walker/Special to The Chronicle Ryan Porter, of JMA Ventures, was present at the meeting to respond to residents questions and accusations. Dont trust blindly, but please read the (community access) document, he told the roomful of Tahoe residents. We cannot solve for all hypotheticals, Porter said. But we have outlined a process by which TRPA can hold us accountable to our word. Advertisement Article continues below this ad By way of assuring concerned residents, TRPA Executive Director Julie Regan indicated that the agency could take Homewood to court if the resort were to fail to uphold its community access commitments. We think weve got a package we can legally defend, she said. Well be dogged to pursue it. It is disappointing, but unfortunately unsurprising that President Trump, in his first days in office, is focusing his time and energy laying the groundwork for his inhumane and irresponsible mass deportation agenda, California Attorney General Rob Bonta said in response to Trump policies. Minh Connors/Associated Press In 2011, President Barack Obama barred immigration officers from conducting raids or arrests near sensitive areas such as schools, hospitals and places of worship, a policy the government has followed since then including Donald Trumps first term as president. But Trumps administration repealed that policy Wednesday, setting up another clash with California. Criminals will no longer be able to hide in Americas schools and churches to avoid arrest, a spokesperson for Benjamine Huffman, Trumps acting director of Homeland Security, said in a statement announcing orders from his department to allow the arrests. The Trump administration will not tie the hands of our brave law enforcement, and instead trusts them to use common sense. That trust was not shared by California Attorney General Rob Bonta, who on Wednesday cited the rules he had issued last month to public schools, government health facilities and state court officials, possibly in anticipation of the change in federal policy. Advertisement Article continues below this ad They include a prohibition on the unauthorized collection or disclosure of information that might indicate an individuals or familys citizenship or immigration status. Bonta also told the institutions to appoint an attorney or administrator to handle any law enforcement requests for immigration information, and to designate areas on their sites that would be off-limits to immigration officers. It is disappointing, but unfortunately unsurprising, that President Trump, in his first days in office, is focusing his time and energy laying the groundwork for his inhumane and irresponsible mass deportation agenda, Bonta said. Bontas office and officials in other Democratic-led states, and the city of San Francisco, filed a federal court lawsuit Tuesday challenging Trumps order to repeal birthright citizenship the right of any child born in the United States to be a U.S. citizen for children of undocumented immigrants. No new lawsuit was announced Wednesday, but the issue could wind up in court if federal immigration officers tried to conduct arrests at a school, hospital or courthouse. A 2017 California law prohibits local police and sheriffs officers from asking people they arrest about their immigration status or holding them in custody for federal immigration officers, but, as Bonta noted, the law does not prevent federal agents from enforcing immigration laws on their own. The Trump administrations action was also denounced by the Association of California School Administrators, which represents local school officials. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Schools are meant to be safe spaces where children can learn and grow without fear, the associations president, Rafael Plascencia, and executive director, Edgar Zazueta, said in a statement. The mere threat of immigration enforcement in and around schools creates fear and anxiety, undermining the very foundations of our educational system. State Sen. Jesse Arreguin, D-Berkeley, announced new legislation, SB81, that would prohibit health officials from providing information about their patients to immigration officers. He also said he was co-sponsoring SB48 by state Sen. Lena Gonzalez, D-Long Beach, which would prohibit California school officials from providing information about a student to immigration officers without the consent of the students parent or guardian. California lawmakers unanimously passed more than $2.5 billion in state funding on Thursday as step one toward recovery from the Los Angeles wildfires. Jenna Schoenefeld/Special to the Chronicle Gov. Gavin Newsom signed into law bills allocating more than $2.5 billion in state funding Thursday as step one toward recovery from the fires that have devastated Los Angeles for weeks. Were all on the same team when it comes to supporting L.A., when it comes to helping people recover, said state Sen. Scott Wiener, D-San Francisco. Advertisement Article continues below this ad California fire map & tracker: Latest updates on active fires throughout the state The legislation, approved unanimously by lawmakers Thursday morning, allocates money across two bills through adjustments to the states current budget. Up to $1 billion is included for local departments and agencies for disaster response and emergency operations. Newsom signed the bills later the same day at a ceremony in Pasadena with Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas, D-Hollister (San Benito County), and Senate President Pro Tem Mike McGuire, D-Geyserville. Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass and local leaders and firefighters also joined the ceremony. I want to thank everybody that cleared the deck, that didnt play politics with this, Newsom said. This money will be made available immediately. The governor said he had just returned from another Southern California blaze, the Hughes Fire, that threatened Interstate 5 after it broke out Wednesday. Newsom said the state will continue to work with federal partners and local agencies to secure more support for recovery. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Rivas celebrated the bipartisan support for the fire relief bills, which he said lawmakers passed with extreme urgency to get neighborhoods cleaned up and rebuilt. I hope the federal government understands that urgency as well, Rivas said. McGuire said that the Legislature is considering the bills a down payment that will come with continued bills as the destruction level becomes more clear. The bills also include additional funding, on top of the $2.5 billion, to address rebuilding of homes and schools. Lawmakers approved $4 million for the Department of Housing and Community Development for a grant program aimed at speeding up building approvals and $1 million for local education agencies to assist in the rebuilding process of schools that were damaged or destroyed in the fires. The bills passed during a special legislative session originally called by Newsom to prepare for President Donald Trump allocate money from Californias general fund, with hopes that reimbursement from the federal government could come later. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Under President Joe Biden, the Federal Emergency Management Agency approved disaster relief that would reimburse California for the first 180 days of fire response efforts at a rate of 100% for approved actions. Other reimbursement would cover 75% of costs, Stephen Benson from the state finance department said during a budget committee hearing. The bills, which were approved unanimously in the Assembly and the Senate, highlighted bipartisan support in the Legislature, in contrast to the consideration of aid for Los Angeles on the federal level. California Republicans have been critical of Newsom for calling the special session, but supported the measures that carved out support for the wildfires. House Speaker Mike Johnson and other Republicans said earlier this month they believe approval of wildfire aid to the state should be contingent on policy changes, which has faced significant pushback from Democrats and even some California Republicans. I think we can all agree, especially right now in this moment, what Californians dont need from both parties they dont need partisanship. They dont need political B.S., McGuire said. This means that we need to able to move with urgency, put aside our differences and be laser focused on delivering the financial resources. McGuire said that the wildfires do not discriminate, having hit all people in the area. He called out Republicans considering conditioning aid sent to California. Advertisement Article continues below this ad When we take a look back in modern American history, there is no federal administration that has put strings attached to disaster aid, McGuire said. And it cant start now. The other two special session bills which have not yet been passed are likely to fall along much more partisan lines. The Trump-related bills, as some have dubbed them, would allocate $25 million to Attorney General Rob Bontas office to cover legal expenses and lawsuits to mitigate the impacts of actions taken by the federal government, the bill says. The legislation would also allocate $25 million to legal aid organizations and immigration centers aimed at defending immigrants in California from threats from the Trump administration amid promises of mass deportations. The special session, originally called by Newsom following Trumps election, faced criticism from Republicans, who claimed that Democrats were more focused on Trump-proofing the state than passing relief for devastation from the wildfires in Los Angeles. Newsom and other Democratic readers emphasized the connection between preparing California for Trump and dealing with wildfire recovery, pointing to Trumps previous refusal to send federal aid to the state after dealing with devastating fires in 2018, including the Camp Fire that killed 85 people. Advertisement Article continues below this ad During his first term, Trump initially refused to send federal disaster aid to California after devastating wildfires in 2018 because of the states Democratic bent, Politicos E&E News reported. Trump was eventually convinced after being shown voter data from Orange County, where more people had voted for him than in the entire state of Iowa. Early last week, Newsom announced that the special session would expand to include passing $2.5 billion for emergency aid and additional wildfire preparedness in response to the ongoing Southern California fires. It wasnt initially clear whether the wildfire aid legislation would be packaged with the Trump-related bills. Wiener, who chairs the Senate Budget and Fiscal Review Committee, originally said he planned to combine the bills, prompting an uproar from Republicans who would be forced to vote against emergency relief for Los Angeles or to vote for laws targeting the Republican president. Then Newsom said he wanted to separate the measures and for the disaster aid to be approved swiftly without any unnecessary delays, spokesperson Tara Gallegos said in a statement. Politico Playbook reported on Wednesday that Rivas and McGuire had both agreed to introduce the bills separately, to the relief of Republican lawmakers. The fires, which raged through the Pacific Palisades, Altadena and other areas of the Los Angeles area, caused an estimated $250 billion to $275 billion in damage, AccuWeather reported. Discussion over funding the fire response bills partially from the recently passed $10 billion climate bill in California ended because the bill would only cover mitigation and prevention efforts, not response action, Benson, from the Department of Finance, said. Another $10 billion bond passed by California voters this fall for school repairs and updates could potentially provide future funding in the process of rebuilding campuses, at least 12 of which burned. Some lawmakers continued to push during the vote that more wildfire mitigation and prevention efforts and funding be included in the response legislation. Assembly Minority Leader James Gallagher moved to amend the bill to add $1 billion for prevention. Gallaghers push was unsuccessful. Wildfire prevention is a glaring omission from the relief package being passed today, Gallagher said in a statement. We cant keep underfunding fire prevention and waiting to respond until after a disaster. Lawmakers are expected to get several hundred million dollars in wildfire prevention funding from the climate bond later this legislative session, but Republicans said prevention should be coming with billions not millions in allocations. Assembly Member Diane Dixon, R-Newport Beach, said that if fire prevention is put off until the regular session budget process, Californians wont see those funds until much later in the year. During budget committee discussions, many lawmakers emphasized their concerns that some residents affected by the fire would face harder obstacles in recovery than others. Assembly Member Bill Essayli, R-Riverside, urged that the legislation include provisions that funds should be distributed and prioritized by income level and need. Malibu is going to be fine, Essayli said. Im more concerned about the lower economic communities where there isnt as much of an incentive to come in and invest and rebuild. Assembly Member Mia Bonta, D-Alameda, says her childhood in the Bronx informed her attempt to legislate health-care savings for patients 21 years and younger. Santiago Mejia/The Chronicle Up to 3 million Californians could see health care savings under legislation introduced Thursday morning that would end out-of-pocket costs for young patients. Assembly Member Mia Bonta, D-Alameda, said her first-in-the-nation bill would eliminate co-pays, deductibles or cost-sharing on most health insurance plans in the state for patients 21 and younger. Some health savings account plans would not be subject to the legislation. We have to be focused now more than ever on ensuring that we are addressing affordability issues and things that are hitting families in their pocketbook, Bonta said. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The costs associated with the legislation would be limited, Bontas office said, largely due to Medi-Cal the states public health insurance covering 40% of Californians already not charging copays. Private insurers that this bill would affect would lose revenue associated with out-of-pocket costs and would likely push back on the legislation, Bontas office said. Major insurers like Elevance Health and Anthem Blue Cross donated tens of thousands of dollars to California lawmakers from both parties in 2023 and 2024, state records show, and contributed $250,000 to Gov. Gavin Newsoms ballot measure committee. Bontas office said that, as of 2018, the average California family spent about $3,000 annually on out-of-pocket health care costs. Dr. Naomi Bardach, professor of pediatrics and policy at UCSF, said that copays can be financial disincentives for patients to go to the doctor. If they no longer have to pay even a small fee for a visit, they can be more likely to go to an appointment, Bardach said. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Access to preventive care is the first step to improved health for children and families, Bardach said. Bardach said that getting vaccines is one of the most important aspects of preventative care for children, leading to better health outcomes and savings compared to treating preventable diseases. The pediatrician also said that early diagnosis and intervention of diseases like asthma and obesity in children and sexual health in adolescents can lead to better control and more savings than addressing illnesses later on. Bonta said her bill aims to reduce costs for California families ahead of potential higher costs that could come if President Donald Trump were to repeal some aspects of the Affordable Care Act. Trump has signed orders reversing expansions to the ACA enacted under President Joe Biden, but other threats to the law remain unknown. Bonta, chair of the Assembly Health Committee, estimates that increased costs from changes to the ACA could be defrayed by savings included in her legislation. Bonta said her push to cut copays comes from personal experience growing up in the Bronx, while she dealt with recurring tonsillitis, laryngitis and strep throat. Advertisement Article continues below this ad I remember very vividly at 6 and 7 years old, having my mom have a lot of anxiety whenever I had a sore throat, Bonta said. Wed have to travel for an hour on the train to go see a doctor that had a copay that would be $15 instead of $50. Bonta said that parents should not have to worry about finances when trying to address their childrens health concerns. Bonta said her team partially modeled its approach to the Children and Youth Behavioral Health Initiative, passed in 2021. The measure prohibits out-of-pocket costs for youth mental-health care at schools. The legislation comes as state lawmakers continue to discuss prioritizing affordability for Californians during the legislative session that began in December. Senate President Pro Tem Mike McGuire, D-Geyserville, and Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas, D-Hollister, have both emphasized a desire to focus legislation on financial relief, especially in the wake of Republicans capturing Congress in November. Like Bonta, many lawmakers are looking to anticipate and preempt Trump. Legislators continue to consider bills to provide additional money to Attorney General Rob Bontas office for lawsuits related to Trumps actions, as well as funding legal aid organizations to fight mass deportations. Advertisement Article continues below this ad While Newsom originally planned for the special session bills to be passed prior to Trump taking office, wildfires in Southern California delayed the process. Votes on the original bills are expected next week. Mia Bonta said she expects her bill to contend with other requests for state funding. State finance director Joe Stephenshaw said earlier this month that California is expected to have a modest surplus of $363 million, but that the Los Angeles wildfires will probably delay tax deadlines for people in affected areas, which will make it hard for state officials to accurately budget state spending for the next year. The introduction of Mia Bontas bill also follows a nationwide fervor over denials and delays in coverage by health insurance companies following the murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson in December. I think the average Californian right now is frantic about wanting to make sure that they can keep themselves and their family and their loved ones healthy and safe, Mia Bonta said. I know for sure, from my perspective, that we need to be focusing on every individual and making sure that were not benefiting the billion-dollar multinational corporations. Christopher Young, executive vice president of business development at Microsoft Corp., speaks during the GeekWire Summit in Seattle, Washington, U.S., on Tuesday, Oct. 5, 2021. The GeekWire Summit brings together business, tech and community leaders for discussions about the future. Microsoft 's head of business development Chris Young, who helped orchestrate the software giant's acquisition of Activision Blizzard, is resigning from his post after about four years on the job, the company said in a regulatory filing on Wednesday. No successor was named. Young joined Microsoft in 2020 after almost three years as CEO of McAfee, where he ran the effort to separate the company from Intel . Previously, he held executive positions at Cisco and RSA. At Microsoft, Young sat on the company's senior leadership team alongside CEO Satya Nadella and finance chief Amy Hood. He reported to Nadella. As one of the highest paid Microsoft employees, Young received $12 million in total compensation in the 2024 fiscal year, according to a filing. Young's organization included the M12 corporate venture capital unit, which has invested in startups like Innovaccer, Outreach, PsiQuantum, Skedulo and Typeface. In 2023, M12 said that going forward, it would work more closely with Microsoft to better assist portfolio companies. Microsoft's $68.7 billion acquisition of video game publisher Activision, its largest deal ever, closed in 2023. Young also played a role in Microsoft's expansion of its partnership with artificial intelligence startup OpenAI and its ad deal with Netflix . "As I spend the next several weeks supporting a smooth transition, I'm grateful for this chapter and am inspired by the possibilities the AI era presents for transformation and growth," Young wrote in a LinkedIn post. "My entrepreneurial roots are calling me, and I'm excited about what's ahead." He did not provide details. Young, one of the most prominent Black executives at Microsoft, "provided thought leadership on the importance of diversity and inclusion in the technology industry," the company said in a 2023 filing. While Microsoft hasn't made any recent comments about its diversity, equity and inclusion programs, there has been a broader industry rollback since President Donald Trump's reelection in November. Amazon said it's halting some of its DEI programs, and Meta's are being canceled. In December, Microsoft's chief diversity officer said the company's work in the area was "more important than ever." WATCH: Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella on $500B Stargate project: Our partnership with OpenAI continues Omar Marques | Lightrocket | Getty Images LONDON Britain's competition regulator on Thursday launched an investigation into Apple and Google's huge mobile ecosystems to determine whether the tech titans are in breach of the U.K.'s strict new digital competition rules. The U.K. Competition and Markets Authority said it was opening dual probes into both U.S. tech giants to assess whether they hold "strategic market status" in their respective mobile ecosystems, including operating systems, app stores and smartphone-based browsers. The investigations will "explore the impact on people who use mobile devices and the thousands of businesses developing innovative services or content such as apps for these devices," the CMA said. "Apple believes in thriving and dynamic markets where innovation can flourish," an Apple spokesperson told CNBC. "We face competition in every segment and jurisdiction where we operate, and our focus is always the trust of our users." "In the U.K. alone, the iOS app economy supports hundreds of thousands of jobs and makes it possible for developers big and small to reach users on a trusted platform," the Apple spokesperson added. "We will continue to engage constructively with the CMA as their work on this matter progresses." watch now Oliver Bethell, Google's senior director for competition, said the company's Android platform "has helped to expand choice, reduce prices and democratise access to smartphones and apps." "It's the only example of a successful and viable open source mobile operating system," said Bethell, urging for a "way forward that avoids stifling choice and opportunities for U.K. consumers and businesses alike, and without risk to U.K. growth prospects." Earlier this week, the U.K. replaced CMA Chair Marcus Bokkerink with Doug Gurr, a former Amazon U.K. country manager. At the time, the watchdog noted that regulators had been asked in a recent meeting with the government to "tear down the barriers hindering business and refocus their efforts on promoting growth." Labour MP Dan Aldridge said via email that the launch of the CMA's investigation into Apple and Google was "a crucial step forward in ensuring fair competition in our digital economy." "Companies such as Apple and Google decide which ones we access and how much we pay," he said in an emailed comment Thursday. "These investigations will examine these practices, as they can stifle innovation and lead to higher prices for consumers." New powers The CMA now has enhanced regulatory powers after a new U.K. law, called the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act, or DMCC, came into effect at the start of this year. The DMCC seeks to prevent anti-competitive behavior in digital markets. It can designate large companies that have a significant amount of market power in a certain digital activity as having "strategic market status." The CMA now has the power to impose changes to prevent potential anti-competitive behavior from any firm that is given strategic market status. Ho Kwon Ping is the co-founder and executive chairman of Banyan Group. Bloomberg | Bloomberg | Getty Images Growing up, Ho Kwon Ping didn't think he'd become a businessman, let alone a hotel tycoon. "I had not always wanted to be an entrepreneur," he told CNBC Make It. "It's just that the few times where I started working for other people, it didn't really work ... I'm quite individualistic. I became an entrepreneur more by the lack of other avenues." Today, the 72-year-old is the founder and executive chairman of Banyan Group, a hospitality company with a portfolio of 12 global brands, more than 80 hotels and resorts, along with spas, galleries and residences spread across more than 20 countries. A view of the sunset from the Mandai Rainforest Resort by Banyan Tree. Courtesy of Banyan Group. The company, which is listed on the Singapore Stock Exchange, brought in about $328 million Singapore dollars (about $242 million) in revenue in 2023. Banyan Group has a market capitalization of SG$300 million, according to LSEG data. The formative years Ho shared something about himself that some may find surprising: He was jailed in his youth. He said his early life was largely defined by a strong zeal for social activism. While working toward his undergraduate degree at Stanford University in the early 1970s, he was an outspoken student activist against the Vietnam War (also called the "American War" in Vietnam). He joined other protests on campus notably, one against American inventor and physicist William Shockley, which ultimately got him suspended from the institution. "I was thrown out because of my attending with the Black Students Union, a protest they had against a guy called William Shockley, who won the Nobel Prize for creating semiconductors, but who also had a strange view about eugenics. He wrote several books saying that Blacks should be sterilized," said Ho. As a result, Ho was tried in a campus judicial panel and found guilty of suppressing academic freedom, thus leading to his suspension from the university. Subsequently, he decided to leave Stanford and returned to Singapore, where he completed his national service and restarted his university studies. "I had to start from zero and it was really boring, so I started writing as a freelance journalist [for] a now-defunct magazine called Far Eastern Economic Review," he said. "I started writing about Singapore politics, which the government didn't like. So, I got jailed under the Internal Security Act for being pro-Communist." That was in 1977, and he was put into solitary confinement during his two-month prison sentence a time he describes as being "scary, lonely, depressing and reflective." Ho Kwon Ping and his wife, Claire Chiang, in 1992. Courtesy of Banyan Group. After his release, Ho rejoined the magazine as a journalist and moved to Hong Kong with his wife, Claire Chiang. The newlyweds moved to a small fishing village on Lamma Island there called Yung Shue Wan, which translates to "Banyan Tree Bay." "I wasn't paid very well, so I couldn't afford to live on Hong Kong Island or Kowloon ... so we had no choice but to live on Lamma Island," Ho said. "Although we were not rich ... we had three very idyllic years there." Ho was born in Hong Kong and spent most of his childhood and adolescence growing up in Thailand before moving to Singapore. His father, Ho Rih Hwa, was a businessman who co-founded the Thai Wah Public Company and headed the Wah Chang Group, conglomerates with operations across Asia. "Although my parents were pretty well off, I've always been a bit rebellious and wanted to be independent and so on," he said. An accidental businessman In 1981, Ho's father had a stroke. As the eldest son, Ho assumed the responsibility of taking over the family business. "That business was a real microcosm of overseas Chinese businesses, meaning a jack of all trades but master of none," said Ho. "We had about 10 to 12 different businesses from construction to contract manufacturing of televisions ... even Adidas shoes, and so on." After several major failures and lessons in running the family business, Ho had an epiphany rather than running a "hodgepodge of businesses," he wanted to focus on building his own brand. "I decided then that contract manufacturing is not a long-term solution. You have to own the customer, and you could only do so by owning a brand or owning a technology, and I'm not a technologist, so I decided we had to own a brand," he said. When the 'lightbulb went off' The stars aligned when one day in 1984, Ho stumbled upon a vast piece of coastal land in Bang Tao Bay in Phuket, Thailand. He decided to purchase the stretch of over 550 acres, which turned out to be an abandoned tin mine, according to an official company statement. After years of restoration, Ho worked alongside his wife and his brother who is an architect to design and develop several hotels and resorts on the property. Laguna Phuket, Asia's first destination integrated resort, was opened in 1987, according to the statement. "We designed the first hotel, and we managed to get a Thai company to manage it. A second hotel Sheraton managed it, and third and fourth and so on," said Ho. "And then the last piece of land had no beach [so] nobody wanted to manage it." "That was when the lightbulb went off, and I said: Well, since nobody wants to manage it ... why don't we start our own brand?" An aerial view of Banyan Tree in Phuket, Thailand. Courtesy of Banyan Group. U.S. President Donald Trump attends a meeting with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg ahead of the NATO summit in Watford, in London, Britain, December 3, 2019. Kevin Lamarque | Reuters As U.S. President Donald Trump looks to immediately fix his greatest political and economic bugbears, the thorny issue of NATO defense spending is likely to quickly return to the global fore. Trump's relationship with the Western military alliance was acrimonious during his first presidency, with the Republican leader frequently lambasting NATO member states for not abiding by a 2014 target to spend at least 2% of GDP on defense every year. Ahead of his second term in office, Trump signaled that the debate over military spending and Trump's perception that NATO members are over-reliant on the U.S. for their own security will be back on the agenda, stating that NATO's 32 member countries should contribute even more toward defense. "I think NATO should have 5% [of their GDP as a NATO contribution target]," he said in January. "They can all afford it, but they should be at 5%, not 2%", he said at a press conference in which he also refused to rule out using military force to seize the Panama Canal or Greenland a territory that belongs to NATO member Denmark. There has been a broad increase in defense expenditure among NATO members since Trump was last in power. In 2018, at the height of the White House leader's irritation with the military bloc, only six member states met even the 2% of GDP target. By contrast, NATO data estimates that 23 members met the 2% target in 2024. While some surpassed that threshold such as Poland, Estonia, the U.S., Latvia and Greece major economic powers including Canada, Spain and Italy are among the laggards below the contribution threshold. No NATO member has reached a 5% target suggested by Trump, including Washington under the administration of his predecessor Joe Biden. watch now Polish President Andrzej Duda fully supported Trump's call for higher spending across NATO, telling CNBC on Wednesday that it was "paramount" that Europe returns to Cold War-era defense spending to defend against the likes of Russia and its expansionist foreign policy. "If we want to defend against this and us Poles decisively do we're spending close to 5% of GDP on defense this year. We're aware that we have to modernize our armed forces, we have to be strong and provide a real deterrent to keep Russia aggression at bay," he told CNBC's Steve Sedgwick on Wednesday on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. Perhaps understandably, given that it borders war-torn Ukraine, Poland spends the highest proportion of its GDP on defense compared to other NATO members. The NATO 2024 estimates suggest Warsaw spent 4.12% of its GDP on defense last year. New leader, old problems? The Netherlands' former Prime Minister Mark Rutte, now the secretary-general of NATO, is only a few months into his new job, but he has already repeatedly called on member states to increase defense spending. His priority, however, is to get laggard countries to reach the 2% target, he said. "Luckily, thanks to Trump in his first term, we have stepped up defense spending. ... but we all have to get to the 2%," he told CNBC's Steve Sedgwick at the World Economic Forum in Davos on Thursday. Countries that have still not reached the requisite target "have to get to 2% in the coming months. It has to be done this year," noted Rutte, who has himself faced flak over why Dutch defense spending was below the NATO target for much of his time in office. Outgoing Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte speaks to the media on the first day of the 2023 NATO Summit on July 11, 2023 in Vilnius, Lithuania. Odd Andersen | Getty Images Rutte said it was not impossible to increase defense contributions, flagging that European nations could afford to shave pensions, health and social security spending or increase taxation in order to boost defense expenditure. "In the end, this is a rich place, in Europe we have [an] incredible amounts of wealth ... so on defense spending, we can do this," he said. Pressing domestic spending priorities as European nations face high food and energy costs have constrained the ambitions of regional governments to increase the funding for defense and security, however. watch now Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof on Wednesday told CNBC that spending 5% of the national GDP on defense was a tall order. "I think that's going to be very, very difficult. And if I look at the effect of those kind of increases, that's almost impossible. I think the discussion about defense spending should also be negotiated and discussed from a strategic viewpoint. [we must decide] where do we want to be with NATO ... and then decide on what kind of money we will put in," he told CNBC's Dan Murphy. Spending constraints Sweden's Finance Minister Elisabeth Svantesson noted that she had to weigh the desire for higher defense spending against the need for economic growth, which has been a challenge throughout much of Europe. "It's a very strong discussion about how much [should be spent on defense], whether 2% or 5% [of GDP]. But the question is, from my point of view, is that we have to do what we need to do to defend ourselves and have a strong NATO. But it's also a question of growth," she told CNBC's Dan Murphy in Davos on Wednesday. "I am the minister of finance ... it depends on growth. First of all, we need growth in Europe, and then we need to know what we can do in terms of military spending," she noted. watch now Sweden, which joined as NATO's newest member in 2024, announced last year that it plans to increase defense spending to 2.4% of GDP in 2025 and 2.6% of economic output by 2028. Svantesson said Trump's perspective on a need for higher NATO-member defense spending was "fair, because we have to do more in Europe," but argued that some member states were not even meeting the 2% target and that NATO countries "with greater and bigger economies than Sweden" needed to do more. Spain is likely to become a target for Trump's wrath. The European Commission forecast a 3% expansion for the country's economy last year, but Spain put just 1.28% of its GDP toward security in 2024. watch now This report is from today's CNBC Daily Open, our international markets newsletter. CNBC Daily Open brings investors up to speed on everything they need to know, no matter where they are. Like what you see? You can subscribe here . [PRO] Diversify away from U.S. stocks: Morgan Stanley With the S&P 500 index touching a new all-time high Wednesday, U.S. stocks remaining pricey and valuations appearing stretched, investors should make sure to keep a diversified portfolio, according to Morgan Stanley Wealth Management. The bank advised investors to invest in these assets instead of overconcentrating in U.S. stocks. Musk undercuts Trump's Stargate Musk dismissed the Stargate project , a joint venture between OpenAI, Oracle and Softbank to invest up to $500 billion in artificial intelligence infrastructure, that Trump announced Tuesday. "They don't actually have the money," Musk wrote Tuesday in response to an OpenAI post on X, undermining Trump's announcement . Trump threatens Russia with tariffs If Russia does not end its war against Ukraine, the country might be the next target of U.S. tariffs , Trump said in a post on Truth Social. "If we don't make a 'deal,' and soon, I have no other choice but to put high levels of Taxes, Tariffs, and Sanctions on anything being sold by Russia to the United States," Trump wrote. The S&P 500 shook off the December doldrums to touch a new intraday high of 6,100.81 on Thursday. While the broad-based index pulled back to 6,086.37 when the closing bell rang, it's just a hair away from its all-time high of 6,090.27. It marks a change in gear from December, during which the S&P lost 2.5% as expectations of fewer rate cuts from the U.S. Federal Reserve reverberated through the market. Technology stocks no surprises there were the main driver of the benchmark's advance on Thursday. Shares such as Oracle and Nvidia popped on Trump's announcement of Stargate, the mega investment deal in AI infrastructure. Netflix jumped 9.7% as investors cheered the streaming service's surge in fourth-quarter earnings and paid memberships. It seemed like the stock market was shifting lanes back to the heyday of 2024, when the S&P broke over 50 closing records. Jamie Dimon, however, is striking a more cautious tone. "Asset prices are kind of inflated, by any measure. They are in the top 10% or 15%" of historical valuations, Dimon told CNBC's Andrew Ross Sorkin at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. He's not necessarily suggesting that brakes will be slammed or an impact is imminent, but that there needs to be a firm base of support to sustain such horsepower behind stocks. "You need fairly good outcomes to justify those prices," Dimon said. "Having pro-growth strategies helps make that happen, but there are negatives out there, and they can tend to surprise you." That notion's echoed by J.P. Morgan's asset management division. "The number one risk that we're looking at heading into this year are the valuations, which is why we feel very strongly that you need to have earnings back this up," Phil Camporeale, multi-asset portfolio manager at J.P. Morgan Asset Management, told CNBC's "Money Movers." While Trump's pro-business and low-tax policies might provide the ignition spark, corporations, ultimately, are the engine that keep stocks going. CNBC's Samatha Subin, Alex Harring and Sarah Min contributed to this report. U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) faces reporters during a break in a bipartisan Artificial Intelligence (AI) Insight Forum for all U.S. senators at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, September 13, 2023. Two senior congressional Democrats have asked multiple regulators to look into the propriety of meme coins issued by President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump. Sen. Elizabeth Warren and Rep. Jake Auchincloss, both of Massachusetts, raised issues regarding the first couple using their respective offices for enrichment, along with the potential for "rug-pull" scams similar to what has happened with the other such tokens, as well as possible conflicts of interest. "We write with deep concern about the decision by President Trump and First Lady Melania Trump to launch two meme coins, $TRUMP and $MELANIA, that allow them to earn extraordinary profits off his Presidency," the pair said in a letter obtained by CNBC.com. "These coins do not create new faster, cheaper, and safer payments rails. These coins do not help people borrow more affordably. They do not improve the financial system in any way for consumers," they added. The digital tokens have already generated billions of dollars on paper for the Trump family. The website for $TRUMP coin says 80% of the supply is held by the Trump Organization and affiliates. The digital token, which launched Friday night, almost immediately boosted the president's personal net worth by tens of billions of dollars on paper. It is now trading at about $37, a drop of 50% from its peak shortly after launch. Similarly, the $MELANIA token has plunged 80% from its weekend high, currently trading below $3. Meme coins are a subset of cryptocurrencies tied to internet meme culture. They carry no intrinsic value and often experience rapid price surges due to celebrity endorsements. While popular among crypto traders, these tokens are notoriously volatile because they lack any underlying assets to support their value. The legislators cited some high-profile volatile meme coins such as Hailey Welch's "Hawk Tuah" offering as well as dogecoin, pikamoon and bonk. This photograph taken in Davos on January 22, 2025 shows the logo of the World Economic Forum (WEF) annual meeting. European business leaders have broadly sought to downplay concerns about the prospect of a transatlantic trade war at this week's World Economic Forum in Davos. U.S. President Donald Trump has repeatedly pledged to impose tariffs on goods imported from the European Union, prompting the bloc to warn that it stands ready to respond to additional duties "in a proportionate way." Speaking to reporters earlier in the week, the newly inaugurated U.S. president said the EU has been "very, very bad to us. So, they're going to be in for tariffs. It's the only way you're going to get fairness." His comments came as the Trump administration also considers imposing an additional 10% tariff on goods imported from China, potentially starting as early as next month. For business leaders attending the annual WEF meeting in Switzerland, the reaction to Trump's tariffs threats has been decidedly mixed. JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon on Wednesday said that the duties Trump is expected to slap on U.S. trading partners can be viewed positively, touting that people should "get over it." UBS CEO Sergio Ermotti, meanwhile, warned that interest rates were not likely to fall as fast, if U.S. tariffs stoke inflation. Grocery Outlet will launch a new location in San Franciscos North Beach neighborhood, set to open early next year. Lydia Sidhom/The Chronicle Grocery Outlet will be filling space in the NorthPoint Shopping Centre in North Beach, in a location previously occupied by a Safeway. Bloomingdales. Walgreens. Starbucks. Safeway. The list of impending store closures in San Francisco announced in recent weeks has been on the rise. The announcements have come as a blow to the communities that these popular retailers serve, particularly as the city has struggled in recent years with a growing commercial vacancy problem in its neighborhoods and core business corridors. S.F. Bay Area property map: Here's who owns every building in the region Advertisement Article continues below this ad But one San Francisco-founded supermarket chain is bucking the recent trends by taking a chance on a struggling shopping center on the edge of the North Beach neighborhood. Earlier this month, Grocery Outlet finalized a long anticipated lease deal at the NorthPoint Shopping Centre, a roughly 86,000-square-foot retail complex at 350 Bay St. that has been challenged with persistent vacancies, particularly since its longtime grocery anchor tenant, Safeway, departed in 2023. The new store is expected to open in the first quarter of 2026, according to property owner Anton Qiu. The Chronicle reported last year that the discount grocery retailer had signed a letter of intent to backfill Safeways roughly 31,000-square-foot vacant space. Qiu, whose real estate firm Anchor Pacific Capital bought the shopping center and adjacent residential complex for $26 million in 2023, confirmed that the deal was finalized on Jan. 10. Grocery Outlets lease will bump occupancy at the mall up to roughly 50%, he said. Its going to be a very nice store, Qiu told the Chronicle, adding that the space will see a combined investment of roughly $5 million from Grocery Outlet and his team. Thats a big commitment, and I think this will be a huge win for the community. Literally every week I run into a neighbor who is asking about when the store will open. I get tremendous feedback from the neighborhood that they want this. He also hopes that the stores presence will help catalyze lease deals in other vacant spaces at the NorthPoint Centre. He said that his team is in early discussions with a gym operator for a space that was vacated by 24 Hour Fitness during the pandemic. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Grocery Outlet has more than 520 locations in 16 states, and is slated to grow its stores which are locally owned and operated by 10% this year. Last spring, the retailer opened a location in an underserved area of Marin County. Grocery Outlet was founded on a commitment to deliver fresh, high-quality products at budget-friendly prices, and we couldnt be more excited to extend that commitment to the Fishermans Wharf area," said Grocery Outlet CEO Eric Lindberg in a statement, and added: "We know how important this site is to the surrounding community." Grocery Outlets entry into the North Beach neighborhood had received city leaders blessing long before the lease was signed. The areas former supervisor, Aaron Peskin, told the Chronicle last year that he had met with Qiu several times to encourage a deal with the grocer, which had expressed interest in the property ahead of Safeways departure. Peskin said that he is delighted that after months of negotiations between the parties, Grocery Outlet will be providing reasonably priced groceries in northeast San Francisco. Peskins successor, newly elected District 3 Supervisor Danny Sauter, said that he also advocated in support of the deal before taking office. Sauter led a community petition to fill the space with a new affordable grocer before taking office, which he said garnered over 1,000 signatures and demonstrated significant community support for a new store. For me, this is coming full circle. We went out to the neighborhood, the senior housing nearby, and collected signatures and heard loud and clear about how important it is to have a full-scale, affordable grocery store to serve North Beach, Chinatown and Fishermans Wharf. Its really exciting to see that the deal is now official, and that the store will be opening next year. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Sauter addressed the recent business losses in San Francisco, describing them as a result of corporate consolidation and the very tough economic reality facing retailers across the country. I also think part of this is reflective of the challenges in San Francisco the last few years, (including) challenges around retail theft and street conditions, that is all real. But I truly believe that were making progress from that," Sauter said. "Losing a grocery store, its one of the things that maybe you dont think about until theres no place to get your household items, your staples. When grocery stores go away, it just makes everyday life harder. In other San Francisco neighborhoods, the fight to keep grocery anchors rooted continues. Western Addition community members rallied last week against the Feb. 7 closure of a four-decades-old Safeway store at 1335 Webster St., which was announced late last year. Safeway has blamed its pullout from the neighborhood on persistent issues with theft and safety; it is in contract to sell the property to a housing developer. Advertisement Article continues below this ad But community members want a replacement grocery store to be part of the Safeway propertys next chapter. Last week the neighborhoods supervisor, Bilal Mahmood, requested a public hearing on the issue, which is scheduled for Feb. 3. I know the loss is being felt deeply by residents, Mahmood said in a statement. My hope is that this hearing provides much needed clarity to residents as we continue to work on short- and long-term solutions to address food insecurity. A spokesperson for the citys newly elected mayor, Daniel Lurie, told the Chronicle this week that his office is engaged and working on the Safeway site. Sauter said that he believes it is incumbent on the citys supervisors and new mayor to be involved in these conversations and to recruit businesses back to San Francisco. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Italian lender UniCredit 's "very aggressive, very opaque" bid for Commerzbank has been criticized by Germany's Finance Minister Jorg Kukies, who stressed that hostile takeovers don't usually work. "In the government, we need to protect the safety and stability of a systemic banking sector," Kukies told CNBC Thursday at the World Economic Forum in Davos. "Hostile takeovers in systemic banks don't tend to be successful." UniCredit now owns a direct 9.5% stake and a 18.5% stake via derivatives in Commerzbank, after building a surprise stake in September and subsequently increasing its position. Armed with a sturdy CET1 ratio a measure of a bank's strength and resilience of 16.1% as of the third quarter, the Italian lender is seeking permission from the European Central Bank, which oversees the euro zone's largest lenders, to increase its Commerzbank stake to 29.99%. The abrupt and accelerated pace of UniCredit's pursuit has sparked market speculation that CEO Andrea Orcel a veteran Merrill Lynch mergers and acquisitions dealmaker is ultimately targeting cross-border consolidation. The move by UniCredit, which is already present in Germany through its HypoVereinsbank branch, has so far enjoyed a cool reception from the fractured Berlin government, with outgoing Chancellor Olaf Scholz criticizing that "unfriendly attacks, hostile takeovers are not a good thing for banks." A December schism in domestic politics and upcoming elections could stall the German administration from closely stewarding the transaction. "In this specific case, the behavior of the potential acquirer was very aggressive, very opaque, untransparent," Kukies told CNBC's Karen Tso and Steve Sedgwick. "Hostile takeovers are not a good thing in systemic banks. So it is all about the specifics of this case, it is not a general statement that Germany is not open for business for global investors." CNBC has reached out to UniCredit for comment. Speaking to CNBC back in November, just months after its surprise stake build, Orcel noted: "Let's put it this way: we wouldn't be here if we hadn't been invited to buy that stake. And it all started in a way that we thought was constructive." Questions have been raised over the Italian banking group's commitment to the deal by simultaneously launching an ambitious formal takeover offer for Italian peer Banco BPM in late November. For its part, Commerzbank has been advocating its case to stand alone, with a board member warning of significant job losses as a result of integration, if the two banks were to combine. The appetite for cross-border consolidation in Europe has waned somewhat since the contentious 2007 takeover and later carve-up of Dutch lender ABN Amro by a consortium led by Royal Bank of Scotland, which ultimately saw the banks collapse during the financial crisis. UniCredit's Orcel, then a senior investment banker at Merrily Lynch, advised on the transaction. Yet analysts describe banking consolidation in the region and Germany in particular as "long overdue." Commerzbank was previously targeted for takeover by the country's largest lender Deutsche Bank, before the brusque collapse of initial talks in 2019. "The statement that there is no consolidation and no change in the German banking sector is absolutely wrong," Kukies said Thursday. UniCredit and Commerzbank are due to release their fourth-quarter results on Feb. 11 and Feb. 13, respectively. Correction: This article has been updated to reflect that UniCredit's earnings will be published on Feb. 11. "There was a brief data error in our knowledge graph," a company spokesperson said in an emailed statement to CNBC on Thursday. A knowledge graph is a broad term used to describe a system that holds connected information. "We identified the root cause and resolved it quickly." CNBC tried searching for U.S. presidents on Wednesday night and also encountered the results that omitted Biden. The company restored Biden to its results on Thursday. Users on Wednesday noticed that results for search queries that included "US Presidents," "United States Presidents" and "US Presidents in order" did not include Biden, who concluded his four-year presidential term on Monday. Users reported seeing a list of presidents ranging from George Washington to President Donald Trump . Some users posted screenshots of their results showing how the lists omitted Biden. Google on Thursday blamed a "data error" after users reported that former President Joe Biden was missing from the company's search results. The mistake comes after Google CEO Sundar Pichai sent a memo to employees on Election Day in November, asking them to remember that people turn to the company's services for "high-quality and reliable information." "Whomever the voters entrust, let's remember the role we play at work, through the products we build and as a business: to be a trusted source of information to people of every background and belief," Pichai wrote. "We will and must maintain that." Google's Biden omission error comes as the company undergoes a turbulent period that has included several product mishaps and global scrutiny. "It's not lost on me that we are facing scrutiny across the world," Pichai said in a December all-hands meeting first reported by CNBC. "It comes with our size and success. It's part of a broader trend where tech is now impacting society at scale." Amid a year of product mistakes, Google launched Imagen 2, which turned user prompts into artificial intelligence-generated images. Immediately after it was introduced, the product came under scrutiny for historical inaccuracies discovered by users. The company pulled the feature for months before relaunching it, and Pichai told employees the company had "offended our users and shown bias." Google also faced problems with its AI summaries product AI Overview atop Google's traditional search results, where users were also quick to find problems upon that launch. Pichai has been among tech CEOs getting closer to Trump, who has previously alleged that Google intentionally buried search results of him. Those allegations are unproven. Google donated $1 million to Trump's inauguration fund, becoming one of several tech companies working to curry favor with the new administration. Pichai had a prominent standing position on stage alongside other tech CEOs at Trump's inauguration Monday. This report is from this week's CNBC's "Inside India" newsletter which brings you timely, insightful news and market commentary on the emerging powerhouse and the big businesses behind its meteoric rise. Like what you see? You can subscribe here. Seven years ago in Davos, Indian prime minister Narendra Modi spoke of India's ambitions to become a $5 trillion economy by 2025. "The people and youth of India are now ready to contribute to the creation of an economy of $5 trillion by 2025," he outlined in his address at the 2018 World Economic Forum (WEF). "Not only this, when innovation and entrepreneurship ... help [individuals] to transform from job seeker to job giver, then the number of avenues that will be opened up for their country and your business can only be imagined," Modi added. It's fair to say that meeting that goal has proven to be tough. India's economy is projected to be around $4.27 trillion this year according to the International Monetary Fund, $0.73 trillion short of Modi's target. Its slowing economy has raised questions on the country's lofty growth targets. Market watchers argue that India is now in the midst of a cyclical slowdown. What is interesting though is that the India story - and its growth potential - continue to grab the attention of investors in India, Davos and beyond. India is among the top five territories where global CEOs polled by consultancy firm PwC are looking to invest in over the next 12 months. The other territories cracking the top five among the 4,700 CEOs polled across 109 countries, were the U.S., U.K., Germany and mainland China. Optimism on India has spilled over in the ongoing discussions in Davos. Speaking to CNBC at the sidelines of this year's World Economic Forum, Mubadala Investment Company's managing director and group CEO Khaldoon Al Mubarak described India as a "very, very interesting country (and) very interesting market." Among the metrics that stand out to him on India's potential is its large, yet young demographic. Around 480 million Indians are below the age of 18 - that is larger than the population of the U.S., the combined population of Europe, the number of people in the Middle East as well South America's population below the age of 18, Mubarak said. "We've been investing in India ... for years, and we continue to work on building our portfolio in India and really getting into that wave that's started already," he said. This cycle, he added, "will continue, in my view, going forward." Mubadala's investments in India include the Tata Group-owned Tata Power Renewable Energy and Reliance Industries -backed technology giant Jio Platforms. Prosus, is another investment company looking to cash in on India's growth potential, especially the country's technology industry. "You saw the impact of technology in India ... and they are saying 'we are ready for the next step'," the company's CEO Fabricio Bloisi told CNBC at the sidelines of the summit. "Prosus is ready to invest much, much more in India. We have invested like $8 billion there over the last few years and we will invest much more," he added. Indian startups Prosus has invested in include food delivery firm Swiggy, edtech firm BYJU's, agritech player Dehaat and e-commerce platform Meesho. Going big on tech The interest in India - particularly the opportunities in its tech and startup space - is in line with the government's wider focus on developing the sector. Among the key priorities of India's delegation to Davos this year was to deepen its foothold in the semiconductor industry by way of government incentives and targets. This includes exploring the development of its own Graphics Processing Unit (GPU) in the next three to five years, Ashwini Vaishnaw, minister of railways, information technology and information and broadcasting told CNBC-TV18 at the sidelines of the WEF meeting. Other projects he revealed include India's plans to develop 25 indigenous chipsets that are designed and fabricated in the country. It is looking forward to rolling out the first chip by September and the first fab by 2026. Vaishnaw also outlined the government's goal of providing underlying compute power with 1,000 GPUs, especially for the benefit of start-ups that lack access. This is part of the government's focus this year to foster talent and leverage data to create robust datasets to train AI models, he added. Vaishnaw had led what is reportedly India's largest delegation to Davos this year, featuring representatives from eight states: Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, West Bengal and Uttar Pradesh, with each vying for investments for their upcoming initiatives. For instance, Andhra Pradesh's Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu reportedly showcased the state's business-friendly policies in hopes of wooing multinationals like Unilever , PepsiCo , Google Cloud and AstraZeneca . Its neighbor Telangana, meanwhile, exhibited its expertise in electric vehicles, pharmaceuticals, and semiconductors. Elsewhere, Maharashtra reportedly presented itself as India's industrial powerhouse. The hefty presence of Indian officials at Davos is likely an acknowledgement of the fact that companies, particularly those that have only been around for a few years, need more capital than they can raise domestically. Foreign investments into the country are "drying up" due to economic policy uncertainty and geopolitical risks, according to Dhiraj Nim, a foreign exchange strategist and economist at ANZ Bank. One way forward is for the Indian government to "foster greater confidence by reducing political and regulatory costs, improving the ease of doing business in India," he suggested. "There is a lot India can do even if global variables are beyond control. India has plans to become a developed nation by 2047, so we would need much stronger growth than the 6 - 7% we are getting used to. And growth will have to be realized by realizing more investments and also beefing up labor force productivity and technological capabilities," Nim added. The issue of how India plans to continue growing at a sustainable pace, while providing jobs and increasing productivity, is top of mind for the Indian government. In Davos, India's Railways, Electronics and Information Broadcasting Minister Mr Ashwini Vaishnaw sat down to discuss with a group of global executives, investors and Indian entrepreneurs. The breakfast organized by Brunswick Group and CNBC on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum, allowed executives and investors to ask the Minister questions and discuss the investing environment in India. Morgan Stanley CEO Ted Pick said Thursday that his bank will be working with U.S. regulators to examine whether it can deepen its involvement in cryptocurrency markets. Pick was asked about his views on digital currencies under the pro-crypto Trump administration. On Tuesday, the acting head of the Securities and Exchange Commission launched an effort to develop a regulatory framework for the nascent asset class. "For us, the equation is really around whether we, as a highly regulated financial institution, can act as transactors," Pick told CNBC's Andrew Ross Sorkin at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. "We'll be working with Treasury and the other regulators to figure out how we can offer that in a safe way," Pick said. Morgan Stanley, a juggernaut in the wealth management industry, has been repeatedly ahead of its peers when it comes to crypto. It was the first major U.S. bank to offer bitcoin funds to its rich clients in 2021, and last year it took the lead on offering bitcoin exchange-traded funds. That's because the firm's financial advisors were getting questions from clients about bitcoin exposure, sources told CNBC at the time. But under the Biden administration, banks were prohibited from getting deep into the asset class; their trading desks dabbled in bitcoin derivatives but couldn't own the "physical" bitcoin. It's a point that Goldman Sachs CEO David Solomon reiterated this week. "At the moment, from a regulatory perspective, we can't own" bitcoin, Solomon told CNBC's Sorkin. "If the world changes, we can have a discussion about it," he said. Mark Rutte, incoming secretary general of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), during a transition ceremony at the NATO headquarters in Brussels, Belgium, on Tuesday, Oct. 1, 2024. Mark Rutte, the affable and meticulous former Dutch premier, has a daunting task ahead to keep the defense alliance a global force. Bloomberg | Bloomberg | Getty Images NATO's Secretary-General Mark Rutte hailed newly inaugurated U.S. President Donald Trump's warning on Wednesday that Russia could expect more tariffs and sanctions if it did not end the war in Ukraine. "I was very, very happy with the position of Trump to put more sanctions on Russia. We know that the Russian economy is doing terribly bad[ly], and the sanctions will help," he told CNBC on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland." He expressed hopes that Europe will now also "step up" with sanctions in a bid to "choke off the Russian economy" and lessen Moscow's war coffers. "Trump is right, Ukraine is closer to Europe, but Trump is also right that it is a geopolitical conflict so I'm sure the U.S. wants it to end with a good and strong deal," Rutte added. watch now Trump on Wednesday said that, if no deal were reached to end the Russia-Ukraine war soon, the U.S. would "have no other choice but to put high levels of Taxes, Tariffs, and Sanctions on anything being sold by Russia to the United States, and various other participating countries." "Let's get this war, which never would have started if I were President, over with!," Trump said on the Truth Social platform. "We can do it the easy way, or the hard way - and the easy way is always better." Trump has previously boasted that he could end the war in Ukraine "within 24 hours" of being elected, as well as threatening to cut military funding for Kyiv. Concerns have mounted in Europe that a financially and weapons-deprived Ukraine could be pushed into a bad peace deal involving territorial concessions to Russia. Rutte said that the outcome of any peace deal had to be "sustainable," noting that Russia's allies, including China and North Korea, would be "high-fiving," otherwise. "We have to get to a position where Russia will never, ever, ever again try to catch one square kilometer of Ukraine, so it has to be a strong deal," Rutte said. February will mark the third anniversary of Russia's invasion, and while war fatigue has grown among some allies, the war has shown no sign of ending soon with Russia looking to make gains, and Ukraine prevent further territorial losses, ahead of any possible peace talks. When asked for his current assessment of the war between Ukraine and Russia, NATO chief Rutte said "at the moment, it is moving not in the right direction." "At the moment, it [the war] is moving not in the right direction, [the frontlines] should be moving eastwards and it moving westwards ... We have to change that, we have to change the trajectory of the war," he said. Defense spending Trump's relationship with the Western military alliance was acrimonious during his first presidency, with the Republican leader frequently lambasting NATO member states for not abiding by a 2014 target to spend at least 2% of GDP on defense every year. Ahead of his second term in office, Trump signaled that the thorny debate over military spending and Trump's perception that NATO members are over-reliant on the U.S. for their own security will be back on the agenda, stating in January that NATO's 32 member countries should contribute even more toward defense. "I think NATO should have 5% [as a target]," he said. "They can all afford it, but they should be at 5%, not 2%", he said at a press conference. US President Donald Trump arrives for the NATO summit at the Grove hotel in Watford, northeast of London on December 4, 2019. Christian Hartmann | AFP | Getty Images The Hughes Fire burns near the I-5 freeway north of Los Angeles on January 22, 2025 near Castaic, California. Mario Tama | Getty Images A new wildfire that broke out north of Los Angeles on Wednesday rapidly spread to more than 9,400 acres (38 square km), fueled by strong winds and dry brush, forcing mandatory evacuation orders for more than 31,000 people. The Hughes fire, about 50 miles (80 km) north of Los Angeles, sent huge flames and plumes of smoke over a hilly area and further taxed firefighters who have managed to bring two major fires in the metropolitan area largely under control. A firefighter and a fire truck backs up from flames and smoke from the Hughes Fire at the Lake Hughes Road in Castaic, a northwestern neighborhood of Los Angeles COunty, California, on January 22, 2025. Apu Gomes | Afp | Getty Images In just a few hours on Wednesday, the new fire grew to two-thirds the size of the Eaton Fire, one of the two monster conflagrations that have ravaged the Los Angeles area. The affected area was not as populated as those blazes, said a spokesperson for the firefighters, Matthew Van Hagen. "It's more sparsely populated. However, out here, we are dealing with high winds, which we also saw with the other fires, along with ... a very receptive fuel bed and steep topography again," he said as firefighters battled the fire into the night. Officials warned people in the Castaic Lake area of Los Angeles County that they faced "immediate threat to life," while much of Southern California remained under a red-flag warning for extreme fire risk due to strong, dry winds. People evacuate their homes as the Hughes Fire burns in Castaic, California, U.S. Jan. 22, 2025. Joel Angel Juarez | Reuters Some 31,000 people were under mandatory evacuation orders and another 23,000 face evacuation warnings, Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna told a press conference. The Angeles National Forest said its entire 700,000-acre (2,800-sq-km) park in the San Gabriel Mountains was closed to visitors. As a result of the red-flag warning, some 1,100 firefighters were deployed around Southern California in anticipation of fast-moving fires, the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire) said. More than 4,000 firefighters were working on the Hughes Fire, Los Angeles County Fire Chief Anthony Marrone said. Cal Fire firefighters cut a fire line in uncontrolled fire using only hand tools and chain saws at the Hughes Fire on January 22, 2025 in Castaic, California. David Mcnew | Getty Images News | Getty Images Southern California has gone without significant rain for nine months, contributing to hazardous conditions, but some rain was forecast from Saturday through Monday, possibly giving firefighters much-needed relief. Helicopters scooped water out of a lake to drop on the fire while fixed-wing aircraft dropped fire retardant on the hills, video on KTLA television showed. Flames spread to the water's edge. A firefighting helicopter collects water from Castaic Lake to fight the Hughes Fire near Castaic, a northwestern part of Los Angeles County, California, on January 22, 2025. Frederic J. Brown | Afp | Getty Images Interstate 5, the major north-south highway in the western United States, was temporarily closed in the mountain pass areas known as the Grapevine due to poor visibility from the smoke, the California Highway Patrol said. But firefighters were able to suppress enough of the fire to reopen the highway, Marrone said. While the new fire raged, the two deadly fires that have ravaged Los Angeles since Jan. 7 came under greater control, Cal Fire said. The Eaton Fire that scorched 14,021 acres (57 square km) east of Los Angeles was 91% contained, while the larger Palisades Fire, which has consumed 23,448 acres (95 square km) on the west side of Los Angeles, stood at 68% contained. An aerial view of the sun rising above homes that burned in the Eaton Fire on January 21, 2025 in Altadena, California. Mario Tama | Getty Images Containment measures the percentage of a fire's perimeter that firefighters have under control. Since the two fires broke out on Jan. 7, they have burned an area nearly the size of Washington, D.C., killed 28 people and damaged or destroyed nearly 16,000 structures, Cal Fire said. At one point, 180,000 people were under evacuation orders, according to Los Angeles County officials. Private forecaster AccuWeather projects damage and economic losses at more than $250 billion. The Hughes Fire burns behind the skyline of Six Flags Magic Mountain on Jan. 22, 2025 in Valencia, California. Brandon Bell | Getty Images Crude oil futures fell Thursday after President Donald Trump urged Saudi Arabia and OPEC to cut their prices. U.S. crude oil fell 82 cents, or 1.09%, to close at $74.62 per barrel, while global benchmark Brent dropped 71 cents, or 0.9%, to close at $78.29 per barrel. Oil was higher on the session before Trump began speaking. Trump accused the Saudis and OPEC of fueling the war in Ukraine through high oil prices, claiming the fighting would end if they allowed global crude prices to fall. Russia is one of the largest oil exporters in the world and the revenues from those sales support its war. "I'm also going to ask Saudi Arabia and OPEC to bring down the cost of oil," Trump said in a virtual address to the World Economic Forum. "If the price came down, the Russia-Ukraine war would end immediately." "They're very responsible, actually, to a certain extent, for what's taking place," Trump said of the Saudis and OPEC. The Saudis and Russia coordinate to influence global prices through the group OPEC+. They and six other members of the group have been holding 2.2 million barrels per day off the global market to keep prices from falling too much. Oil prices faced downward pressure last year due to abundant production in the U.S. and slowing demand in China. OPEC+ decided in December to extend its production cuts through at least March 2025 before phasing them out over the course of a year. OpenAI is taking its ChatGPT chatbot to the next level, adding a feature to automate tasks such as planning vacations, filling out forms, making restaurant reservations and ordering groceries. The tool, announced on Thursday, is called Operator. OpenAI describes it as "an agent that can go to the web to perform tasks for you," and added that it is trained to interact with "the buttons, menus, and text fields that people use daily" on the web. It can also ask follow-up questions to further personalize the tasks it completes, such as login information for other websites. Users can take control of the screen at any time. "Operator is one of our first agents, which are AIs capable of doing work for you independently," OpenAI wrote in a blog post on Thursday. "You give it a task and it will execute it." For now, Operator is only available to ChatGPT Pro users in the U.S. It can be accessed at Operator.ChatGPT.com. OpenAI said it eventually plans to expand to Plus, Team and Enterprise users and to integrate Operator into ChatGPT. The company also said it currently has trouble with some tasks, such as managing calendars and creating slideshows. OpenAI, which is backed by Microsoft , said users can opt out of some of the company's training data collection by turning off the "improve the model for everyone" setting in ChatGPT, meaning data in Operator will not be used to train its models. The company also said users can delete all browsing data and log out of all sites "with one click" in the privacy section. Operator directly competes with an earlier release from Anthropic, the Amazon -backed artificial intelligence startup behind the Claude chatbot that was founded by ex-OpenAI research executives. In October, Anthropic introduced "Computer Use," a capability that allowed its AI agents to use computers like humans to complete complex tasks. Anthropic said it can interpret what's on a computer screen, select buttons, enter text, navigate websites and execute tasks through any software and real-time internet browsing. The tool can "use computers in basically the same way that we do," Jared Kaplan, Anthropic's chief science officer, told CNBC in an interview at the time. He said it can do tasks with "tens or even hundreds of steps." The generative AI market, which includes OpenAI and Anthropic as well as Google , Amazon, Microsoft and Meta , is predicted to top $1 trillion in revenue within a decade. Google recently agreed to a new investment of more than $1 billion in Anthropic, a source familiar with the situation confirmed to CNBC this week. Anthropic is in late-stage talks to raise a funding round of $2 billion at a $60 billion valuation led by Lightspeed Venture Partners, CNBC reported earlier this month. OpenAI's latest announcement comes as the company pushes toward a potential future of artificial general intelligence. AGI is a vaguely defined benchmark referring to AI that equals or surpasses human intellect on a wide range of tasks. Experts are split on whether it is attainable and how long it could take. Scale AI CEO Alexandr Wang, whose company provides training data to key AI players, said Thursday in an interview with CNBC that he defines AGI as "powerful AI systems that are able to use a computer just like you or I could." He said it will likely take two to four years to reach that level of the technology. WATCH: Trump had phone call with OpenAI CEO Sam Altman The Senate on Thursday voted to advance Pete Hegseth's nomination to be President Donald Trump's defense secretary, setting up a final confirmation vote for the end of the week. Senators voted by the narrowest of margins, 51 to 49, to advance Hegseth's bid to lead the Pentagon, with just two Republicans moderate Sens. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, and Susan Collins, R-Maine voting with all 47 Democrats to try to block Hegseth. A simple majority was needed. Shortly before the vote, Murkowski became the first Republican to publicly oppose Hegseth's nomination, saying that some of the past behavior he has admitted to demonstrates a "lack of judgment" and is "unbecoming of someone who would lead our armed forces." Still, Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Roger Wicker, R-Miss., who has guided Hegseth through the process, said he felt "very positive" about his chances. Thursday's vote marked a significant step forward for Hegseth, whose nomination just last month appeared to be on the verge of collapse after multiple news reports detailed allegations of alcohol abuse, a sexual assault, and the financial mismanagement of organizations that he led. Hegseth, a former Fox News anchor and Army combat veteran, has denied all of those allegations. The GOP-led Senate voted to end debate on his nomination after 11th-hour revelations that a former sister-in-law to Hegseth had said in a sworn affidavit that was shared with senators that the he had demonstrated "erratic and aggressive behavior over many years" and had made his ex-wife, Samantha Hegseth, "fear for her safety" while they were married. The former sister-in-law, Daniella Hegseth, also wrote in the affidavit that "Samantha once told me that Hegseth grabbed her groin without consent at their home." The affidavit was submitted in response to a request for information from Sen. Jack Reed, D-R.I., the top Democrat on the Armed Services Committee. The existence of the affidavit was first reported by NBC News. Daniella Hegseth said that she "did not personally witness physical or sexual abuse by Hegseth." Samantha Hegseth said in a statement that there was no physical abuse during her marriage to Hegseth. A lawyer for his ex-wife did not respond to the previously unreported allegation. Tim Parlatore, a lawyer for Pete Hegseth, wrote in an email: "As NBC is well aware, the actual participant, Samantha has denied these false allegations, yet NBC continues to irresponsibly report false allegations by an uninvolved third party as if they were fact." Hegseth also faced questions about his past comments that women shouldn't serve in combat. He said during his confirmation hearing last week that he now believes women should have access to combat roles as long as "standards remain high." Despite Thursday's vote, Hegseth is still not in the clear. Four GOP senators joining all 47 Democrats on the final vote would result in Hegseth falling short of the majority he needs to be confirmed. While Sens. Shelly Moore Capito, R-W.Va., and Mike Rounds, R-S.D., confirmed they would vote in favor of Hegseth and Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, reiterated her support for him Thursday, several others remained on the fence. Piper Sandler is lowering its growth targets on Boston Beer after a recent disappointing launch of Hard Mountain Dew. Analyst Michael Lavery downgraded shares to neutral from overweight. He also cut his price target on shares to $275 from $370, implying just 9.9% upside potential from Wednesday's close. The recent rollout of Hard Mountain Dew has been slower to take off than initially expected, according to Lavery. Although Boston Beer management has expressed confidence that the beverage could be "the most successful of all the crossover brands from non-alcoholic analogs over time," the analyst no longer forecasts it as a upside catalyst for this year. "We had expected Hard Mtn Dew to drive incremental upside as it launched nationally, and it continues to ramp up in SAM's distribution network, but success will likely take more time to build than we had expected," Lavery wrote in a client note. In addition, Twisted Tea, which accounts for around half of the company's revenues, has also seen its sales growth halve quarter over quarter. "We still expect margin improvement, driving EPS growth, but lower our multiple," Lavery added. Shares traded more than 1% lower on Thursday in the premarket following the downgrade. SAM 1D mountain Boston Beer shares on Thursday The rating change puts Lavery in line with most analysts covering the stock. LSEG data shows that 13 of 25 analysts who cover Boston Beer rate the stock as a hold or underperform. Only two have a buy rating on it. Boston Beer is coming off a losing year, falling 13.2% in 2024. That negative momentum carried over into early 2025, with the stock already down 16.6% year to date. When Pamela Dorsey woke up in a UCSF hospital bed in late August, she felt the beat of a new heart in her chest and knew that her prayers had been answered. Dorsey said she was beaming with the realization that her surgery was successful. And Ive been smiling ever since, she added. Doctors earlier last year thought Dorsey, 58, might have less than six months to live due to advanced heart failure caused by a major heart attack and cocaine use. But Dorsey, who had just endured 17 months of homelessness in San Francisco after leaving an abusive relationship, was determined to survive. She wanted to pursue a heart transplant, she told her medical team at the time. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Dorsey, center, sings with fellow choir members Brenda Piggue, left, and Vera Sellers at St. John Missionary Baptist Church in East Palo Alto. After her heart transplant in August, Dorsey has returned to singing in the choir. Yalonda M. James/The Chronicle I had a will to live, Dorsey said. And by the grace of God, I held on. Asking for a heart transplant was a first step, but getting approved for the waiting list meant overcoming daunting obstacles, and securing a new heart was a long shot. Dorsey was part of a San Francisco program focused on helping care for unhoused people with terminal conditions. Although many of its patients desired an organ transplant, she was the first person in the programs four-year history to secure one. In a city with more than 8,000 homeless people and where 2 out of 3 are estimated to have one or more health conditions such as a chronic physical illness, substance use disorder or severe mental illness it can be easy for frontline providers to count someone out. But stories like Dorseys inspire service providers to remain optimistic about the potential for others. From where she started to where she is now, Ive never seen anyone overcome as much as she did, said Dr. Jonathan Davis, Dorseys cardiologist and director of the heart failure clinic at San Francisco General Hospital. She really represents that hope and that possibility for other patients to model, and for other providers to say, I shouldnt give up on this person. I shouldnt write them off. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Dorsey, left, listens to cardiologist Dr. Jonathan Davis during an appointment at San Francisco General Hospital. He saved my life, Dorsey said of Davis. He really did. Yalonda M. James/The Chronicle Not only is there a shortage of donor hearts in the U.S., but several other socioeconomic factors put Dorsey at a disadvantage. Transplant candidates are thoroughly evaluated to gauge their chances of survival before their name is placed on the waiting list. People experiencing homelessness or battling addiction often face major barriers to health care services, and thats especially true for organ transplants. Those who cannot demonstrate that they have a safe environment and the social support necessary to recuperate successfully or cannot stop using drugs are rendered ineligible for the nations transplant lists. From the time Dorsey was diagnosed with a silent heart attack in 2020 to getting on the heart transplant waiting list, she had to secure stable housing, quit smoking cocaine and cigarettes, medically manage her diabetes, and demonstrate that she had family members who would help care for and support her. Advertisement Article continues below this ad She also had to prove that she was committed attending countless medical appointments with cardiologists, dentists, social workers and her primary care team. She got teeth pulled, participated in cardiac rehabilitation classes and took monthly urine screenings to show that she wasnt using illicit substances. Heart transplant recipient Dorsey is surrounded by her care team Dr. Tanya Majumder, left, health care worker Vivian Yip and social worker Melanie Bien at Maria X Martinez Health Resource Center in San Francisco. Yalonda M. James/The Chronicle Every hoop that was set in front of her, she jumped through, said Dr. Tanya Majumder, Dorseys primary care physician at the citys health department. Its a testament to who Pamela is. Majumder, along with senior behavioral health clinician Melanie Bien, launched San Franciscos Street Medicine Palliative Care team about four years ago to care for people like Dorsey, who are homeless and living with end-of-life medical conditions. Their patients are diagnosed with illnesses such as end-stage cancer, heart failure, kidney or liver disease, and are also grappling with mental illness or addiction. Although others have desired to get on transplant lists, Dorsey has been the only patient to go all the way. Advertisement Article continues below this ad After watching countless patients die, Bien said Dorseys triumph was restorative. It makes it all worth it, Bien said. Heart transplant recipient Dorsey reveals her surgical scar. To get on the transplant waiting list, she had to secure stable housing, quit smoking cocaine and cigarettes, and manage her diabetes. Yalonda M. James/The Chronicle A very dark place Growing up in East Palo Alto, Dorsey said her single mom taught her early to work hard and youll never have to ask nobody for nothing. And from her first job working at McDonalds at age 15, she tried to live by that motto. Advertisement Article continues below this ad But when her mother who she also considered her best friend died in 2013, everything changed. Grieving and depressed, Dorsey started dating a man who she said eventually turned abusive, and she became dependent on cocaine and alcohol to cope. I didnt care about anything, she said. I was just trying to get high not to feel. It was a very dark place. Research shows that chronic cocaine use can reduce blood flow to the heart, resulting in higher blood pressure, damage to cardiac tissue and heart infections all of which can lead to a heart attack, heart failure, stroke or aneurysm. Dorsey prepares to catch a bus home after her physical therapy session at the UCSF Cardiac Rehabilitation and Wellness Center. Yalonda M. James/The Chronicle Dorseys first signs of a heart condition came in 2020 after moving from East Palo Alto to San Francisco with her boyfriend. While working at a Shell gas station in the city, Dorsey said she began experiencing shortness of breath and swelling to the point where she couldnt fit into her shoes. Advertisement Article continues below this ad At the coaxing of her manager, Dorsey said, she went to the emergency room. Doctors informed her that she had suffered a silent heart attack and just 17% of her heart was functioning. Dorsey underwent surgery to get a stent a tiny tube that helps keep blood vessels open but her heart disease continued to progress, and she was frequently in and out of the hospital. When Davis first met Dorsey in early 2021, she was struggling to make her cardiology appointments and failing to take her medications as prescribed, in part because of difficulty accessing them due to her abusive relationship, he said. Shed come to the cardiology clinic, and wed spend the whole time trying to call social services or social workers and case management, just trying to get her out of that situation, he said. Dorsey finally decided to leave her boyfriend the next year, walking out of the apartment they shared in the citys Bayview neighborhood and into the closest homeless shelter. That move, she said, became her catalyst for change. Im not going back, she later recalled telling herself. I dont ever want to live like that again. Dorsey sits on her second bus of the morning as she travels to East Palo Altos St. John Missionary Baptist Church to sing with the choir. Dorsey leaned on her faith throughout her heart transplant preparation and recovery process. Yalonda M. James/The Chronicle While living at various city shelters, Dorseys heart failure worsened. Her health care team discussed a handful of options with her, including a heart transplant, a mechanical heart pump, management with medications or hospice care. Despite learning about the rigorous requirements for getting on the heart transplant list, Dorsey was adamant about pursuing a transplant. She quit drinking alcohol and smoking cocaine and cigarettes on her own, and her health care team members quickly rallied around her. They put in accommodation requests with the citys homelessness department to get Dorsey an accessible unit in a permanent supportive housing, accompanying her to appointments and making sure she stayed on top of her medications. Her aunt, Merdana Murphy, attended meetings alongside Dorsey with her transplant team and vowed to help her in her recovery. In June 2024, Dorseys name was placed on the heart transplant waiting list. She was told it could take six to nine months to find a match. Two months later, on Aug. 27, 2024, Dorsey was leaving choir rehearsal at St. John Missionary Baptist Church in East Palo Alto when her phone rang. Is this Pamela Dorsey? Can you get to the hospital now? Dorsey records her vital signs inside her apartment before dinner. Yalonda M. James/The Chronicle Heart transplant recipient Pamela Dorsey holds an array of medications she has to take for the evening and before bed inside her San Francisco apartment. Yalonda M. James/The Chronicle Heart transplant recipient Pamela Dorsey holds an array of medications she has to take for the evening and before bed inside her San Francisco apartment. Yalonda M. James/The Chronicle A brand-new heart On her way to the UCSF Heart Transplant Program center that night, Dorsey said she wasnt scared. Instead, she leaned on her faith just as she had during all of the most difficult moments in her life and said a prayer. God, please deliver me through this. Guide me, strengthen me, protect me. Give me a strong, healthy, young heart, she recalled praying. And God, she said, gave her exactly what she asked for. Waking up from surgery, her health care team said that her new heart was set to last about 25 years. Im going to get back everything I lost, she said, thinking about her next 25 years. Im determined to do that. Dorsey washes dishes inside her apartment. Dorsey had been homeless in San Francisco for 17 months after leaving an abusive relationship. Yalonda M. James/The Chronicle About four months after her transplant, Dorsey is building her strength back up and looking forward to the future. Top of her list: Going back to work. But Dorsey doesnt want just any job. Shes hoping to find a position in the health care industry, ideally assisting people in a cardiology setting. If I could give someone else hope, if I could reach even just one person, thats what I want to do, she said. In the meantime, Dorsey is diligently tracking her heart rate and blood pressure and taking her medications. Shes slowly increasing the intensity of her workouts at cardiac rehab, and shes returned to singing in her church choir. At a recent rehearsal, Dorsey stood on the choir stand, clapping and swaying and belting out the chorus to Jesus Promised by the Chicago Mass Choir. Oh, how marvelous it is / Jesus promised hell take care of me, she sang with a smile stamped across her face. I dont have to worry about the things ahead/ All I have to do is live right and believe in what he said. U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) ahead of a session on Capitol Hill in Washington on Jan. 22, 2025 in Washington, DC. Kayla Bartkowski | Getty Images Sen. Lisa Murkowski announced Thursday that she will vote against confirming Pete Hegseth to lead the Pentagon, becoming the first Republican to oppose one of President Donald Trump's Cabinet picks ahead of a crucial test vote. Murkowski, of Alaska, said in a lengthy statement that allegations of excessive drinking and aggressive actions toward women, which Hegseth has denied, show that his behaviors "starkly contrast" with what is expected of the U.S. military. She also noted his past statements that women should not fill military combat roles. "I remain concerned about the message that confirming Mr. Hegseth sends to women currently serving and those aspiring to join," Murkowski wrote on social media. Murkowski said behavior that Hegseth has acknowledged, "including infidelity on multiple occasions," shows a lack of judgement. "These behaviors starkly contrast the values and discipline expected of service members," she said. "Above all, I believe that character is the defining trait required of the Secretary of Defense, and must be prioritized without compromise," she said. Senate GOP leaders rushed to advance Trump's defense secretary nominee toward confirmation, despite grave objections from Democrats and stirring unease among Republicans over his behavior and qualifications to lead the U.S. military. It will take a simple majority senators to advance Hegseth's confirmation in Thursday's vote. Most Republicans, who hold a 53-seat majority in the chamber, have signaled they will back the nominee, though Vice President JD Vance could be called in to break a tie vote. Rarely has a Cabinet choice encountered such swirling allegations of wrongdoing. Trump is standing by Hegseth, and the chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee has dismissed the claims as factually inaccurate. "I am ironclad in my assessment that the nominee, Mr. Hegseth, is prepared to be the next secretary of defense," the chairman, Sen. Roger Wicker, R-Miss., said in a statement on the eve of the test vote. "The Senate needs to confirm this nominee as fast as possible." President-elect Donald Trump's nominee to be Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth (C), accompanied by Sen. Bill Hagerty (R-TN) (R), arrives for a meeting with Senate Minority Whip John Thune (R-SD) at the Capitol on December 4, 2024 in Washington, DC. Andrew Harnik | Getty Images SAP CEO Christian Klein, pictured in May 16, 2024, says he would support a $500 billion Stargate Europe. Alex Grimm | Getty Images News | Getty Images U.S. President Donald Trump's recently announced Stargate Project a $500 billion investment in American AI infrastructure should be a "wake-up call" for Europe, according to the CEO of one of the region's biggest tech firms. Asked on Thursday about the project, which is backed by OpenAI, SoftBank and Oracle and led by the Trump administration, SAP CEO Christian Klein said it should set an example for Europe. "It's the right move, and it's also about making the government more productive," he said. "Look at Europe, we always complain about regulations about too many AI acts It's a great role model for Europe." Klein added that he would "absolutely support" a Stargate Project for Europe. "We do business with all public sectors across the world, of course we would welcome that in Europe," he told CNBC's Karen Tso and Steve Sedgwick. "Europe needs it the most, from my perspective." Klein, who has been in the chief executive role at German software developer SAP since 2019, argued that the major barrier to starting a Stargate-type project in Europe is not a question of access to capital in the region being more restricted than in the United States. watch now "It's not even the lack of financing in Europe, it's a question of who owns it," he argued. "Who actually gives the order to say we digitize Europe, we digitize our agencies, and we are not doing it in silos, we are doing it as a union." He said countries are focusing on domestic AI development rather than looking at how markets could collaborate to develop the technology. "Think about startups we are a big multinational tech company, we can do it. But the small startups, they need a market to scale in and it's by far not a union." "My hope is that ... everything that's happened in the United States is certainly a wake up call. We need to see proof but I hope now Europe comes together and form a union in digitization, it's super important," Klein added. "When you look at our industries, we have manufacturing, autos, chemicals we need to apply AI to make [them] more competitive. We need more boldness, more willingness, more courage." He said the responsibility falls on both politicians and businesses, and that lawmakers need to build the right frameworks so that companies can drive the AI transformation and implement the technology. Roland Busch, CEO of Siemens , also told CNBC on Thursday that Europe needs to catch up with the United States. "This is an engine which is moving very, very fast, so this is the point we have to [do] our homework," he told CNBC at the WEF. "Just count the amount of data centers sitting in United States and being built in United States versus Europe." Busch said Europe needs more data centers built closer to home so local companies can develop and operate powerful AI tools. watch now Shein's ultracheap clothes can remain affordable as long as proposed tariffs from President Donald Trump are "applied equally," the company's executive chairman Donald Tang said Thursday. "Affordability is a big anchor. It's the whole package of it, it's a value for [your] money," Tang told CNBC's Sara Eisen during an interview at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. On the campaign trail, Trump had proposed tariffs as high as 60% on imports from China, where Shein primarily manufactures its clothes. He has since softened that stance and has suggested a 10% tariff instead. When asked if Shein will still be able to provide its ultralow prices if tariffs take effect, Tang did not address whether the company would raise prices, but suggested that it would still be able to remain competitive as long as China does not see higher tariffs than other regions. Imports from China already face tariffs, but critics say Shein has been able to avoid them by shipping its packages directly to consumers, which has shielded it from duties under a trade law called the de minimis provision. The so-called "loophole" allows packages valued under $800 to enter the U.S. with less scrutiny and without paying import duties and processing fees. Last fall, the Biden administration announced new steps to curtail use of the de minimis provision by issuing a new rule proposal that would bar the exemption for products that are subject to U.S.-China tariffs. The move was aimed at companies such as Shein and competitor Temu, which have been blamed for the surge in de minimis shipments in recent years. On Monday, Trump effectively endorsed Biden's de minimis policy. In a trade memorandum issued during Trump's first day in office, he instructed incoming Cabinet officials to assess the total import duties the U.S. stood to lose because of "the current implementation of the $800 or less, duty-free de minimis exemption," and directed them to "recommend modifications as warranted." While it is not totally clear what they will recommend, the language strongly suggests that Trump plans to pick up where Biden left off in the bid to end de minimis exemptions. The fast-fashion company has been on a meteoric rise over the past few years and had been planning for a U.S. initial public offering but ultimately scrapped those plans and turned to London when political sentiment soured on the Chinese-born company. When asked about its plans for a London public offering, Tang declined to comment but explained why the company wants to be public. "Being a public company embraces the very universal and unique mechanism for accountability," he said, adding that public trust is "crucial" for long-term growth. WASHINGTON President Donald Trump addressed the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, virtually on Thursday, his first major appearance at an international event since he returned to the White House earlier this week. Over the course of 45 minutes, Trump took aim at European regulators he said were too tough on U.S. tech companies, oil producers he said were keeping prices too high and big banks he said were refusing service to conservatives. He also called on nations around the world to invest in the United States, promising low tax rates and a looser regulatory structure. On the domestic front, Trump said put pressure on the Federal Reserve over interest rates. "I'll demand that interest rates drop immediately," Trump said. "And likewise, they should be dropping all over the world. Interest rates should follow us all over." The remark was widely viewed as the opening salvo in a lobbying campaign that Trump is expected to launch, targeting Fed Chairman Jerome Powell. U.S. President Donald Trump sits in the Oval Office of the White House, as he signs executive orders, in Washington, U.S., Jan. 23, 2025. President Donald Trump signed an executive order at the White House on Thursday to declassify government records related to the assassinations of President John Kennedy, Sen. Robert F. Kennedy and the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. Trump's order could put an end to some long-standing questions surrounding the assassinations, all of which occurred more than a half-century ago. The official conclusions that all three killings were carried out by lone gunmen have been challenged by a raft of conspiracy theories. The fact that some records about the investigations of the murders have remained classified for so long played a role in fueling those theories. "That's a big one," Trump said in the Oval Office as he signed the executive order. "Lot of people are waiting for this for a long, long time, for years, for decades, and everything will be revealed," Trump said. The order requires the director of national intelligence and the attorney general within 15 days to coordinate with the assistant to the president for national security Affairs and Trump's legal counsel and present a plan to the president "for the full and complete release of records relating to the assassination of President John F. Kennedy." It also requires those same people to review the records related to the assassinations of Robert Kennedy and King and present Trump a plan for their "full and complete release." The executive order says, "More than 50 years after the assassinations of President John F. Kennedy, Senator Robert F. Kennedy, and the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., the Federal Government has not released to the public all of its records related to those events." "Their families and the American people deserve transparency and truth. It is in the national interest to finally release all records related to these assassinations without delay," the order said. The President John F. Kennedy Assassination Records Collection Act of 1992 required all records related to that assassination "to be publicly disclosed in full by October 26, 2017, unless the President certifies that: (i) continued postponement is made necessary by an identifiable harm to the military defense, intelligence operations, law enforcement, or conduct of foreign relations, and (ii) the identifiable harm is of such gravity that it outweighs the public interest in disclosure." Trump during his first term in the White House, in 2017 and 2018, had authorized postponements of full disclosures, as did his successor, former President Joe Biden. On Wednesday night, Trump in an interview with Fox News' Sean Hannity said that he had been asked by then-Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, who is a former CIA director, not to declassify remaining records about President Kennedy's killing. Trump in Thursday's order said, "I have now determined that the continued redaction and withholding of information from records pertaining to the assassination of President John F. Kennedy is not consistent with the public interest and the release of these records is long overdue." "And although no Act of Congress directs the release of information pertaining to the assassinations of Senator Robert F. Kennedy and the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., I have determined that the release of all records in the Federal Government's possession pertaining to each of those assassinations is also in the public interest," the order said. President Kennedy was killed on Nov. 22, 1963, after being shot while riding in a motorcade in Dallas, Texas. The Democratic icon's younger brother, Robert Kennedy, who represented New York in the U.S. Senate, was shot on June 5, 1968, in the kitchen of a Los Angeles hotel after winning California's Democratic presidential primary. He died the following day. Trump has nominated the late senator's son, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., as secretary of the U.S. Health and Human Services Department. The civil rights leader King was assassinated two months before RFK, on April 4, 1968, when he was shot while standing on the balcony of a motel in Memphis, Tennessee. RFK Jr., who was meeting with senators on Capitol Hill in preparation of his confirmation hearing next week, told NBC News, "I'm very grateful to President Trump." "I think it's a great move, because they need to have more transparency in our government, and he's keeping his promise to have the government tell the truth to the American people about everything," Kennedy said. But President Kennedy's grandson, Jack Schlossberg, was dismissive of the executive order. "JFK conspiracy theories The truth is a lot sadder than the myth a tragedy that didn't need to happen. Not part of an inevitable grand scheme," Schlossberg wrote in a post on the social media site X. "Declassification is using JFK as a political prop, when he's not here to punch back," Schlossberg added. "There's nothing heroic about it. U.S. president Donald Trump appears on a giant screen as he addresses global elites via video conference at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, on Jan. 23, 2025. President Donald Trump on Thursday accused the CEOs of the two largest American banks of refusing to serve conservatives, reviving a 2024 campaign talking point that the two companies deny. Speaking via video to an assembly held at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, Trump lashed out at Bank of America CEO Brian Moynihan and JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon as part of a Q-and-A session. "I hope you start opening your bank to conservatives because many conservatives complain that the banks are not allowing them to do business within the bank, and that included a place called Bank of America," Trump said. "You and Jamie and everybody, I hope you're going to open your banks to conservatives because what you're doing is wrong," Trump said. Moynihan, who was among a few executives selected to ask the president questions during the Q-and-A, did not immediately respond to the accusation. Both banks deny refusing service to conservatives. "We serve more than 70 million clients, we welcome conservatives and have no political litmus test," a Bank of America official said in an email. "We have never and would never close an account for political reasons, full stop," a JPMorgan spokeswoman said in a statement. "We follow the law and guidance from our regulators and have long said there are problems with the current framework Washington must address." In the aftermath of the 2008 financial crisis, caused in part by shoddy lending standards at major banks, U.S. regulators increased pressure on lenders to purge clients in industries considered higher risk for money laundering or fraud. That meant that payday lenders, pawn shops, firearms dealers and those involved in pornography had their accounts revoked, often with little notice or explanation as to why. As recently as October, Trump singled out Bank of America, repeating claims that it discriminates against conservatives. The accusations may have roots in allegations from state attorneys general last year. In April, Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach sent a letter to Moynihan, accusing the bank of canceling the accounts of "multiple religious groups with mainstream views in the last three years." In a May letter in response to Kobach, Bank of America said accounts are de-banked for reasons including a change of stated purpose, the expected level or type of activity on the account or failure to verify certain documents required by law. One account highlighted by Kobach was de-banked because it engaged in debt collection services, according to the bank's response. "We would like to provide clarity around a very straightforward matter: Religious beliefs or political view-based beliefs are never a factor in any decisions related to our client's accounts," the bank said in that letter. "Bank of America provides banking services to non-profit organizations affiliated with faith-based communities throughout the United States. We have banking and investing relationships with approximately 120,000 faith-based clients." In a statement on Friday, Bank of America said it would engage with the Trump administration on the regulations that sometimes result in de-banking. Influential people in Trump's orbit have continued to claim that banks are discriminating based on religion or politics. In November, Marc Andreessen, co-founder of the venture capital firm that bears his name, told podcaster Joe Rogan that dozens of startup founders had been de-banked in recent years. Andreessen has said he advises Trump on technology matters. Bank of America shares were up more than 1% on Thursday, with JPMorgan shares higher as well. The banking industry is seen as one of the biggest beneficiaries of the election of Trump, in large part because of expectations he would kill Biden-era regulatory efforts to force banks to hold tens of billions of dollars in additional capital against losses, make annual stress tests less opaque and drop efforts to cap credit card and overdraft limitations. President Donald Trump said Thursday he will expedite the construction of power plants for artificial intelligence through an emergency declaration, as the U.S. races against China for dominance in the industry. "We're going to build electric generating facilities. I'm going to get the approval under emergency declaration. I can get the approvals done myself without having to go through years of waiting," Trump said in a virtual address to the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. The plants can use whatever fuel they want, the president said, making clear that his administration won't hold the AI industry to any climate targets. Trump suggested the plants use coal for emergency backup power. "There are some companies in the U.S. that have coal sitting right by the plant so that if there's an emergency, they can go to that," the president said. Trump declared a national energy emergency on his first day in office, directing federal agencies to use whatever emergency authorities they have at their disposal to expedite energy infrastructure projects. One day later, Trump unveiled a joint venture with OpenAI, Oracle and SoftBank to invest billions of dollars in AI infrastructure through a project called Stargate. Power demand from artificial intelligence data centers is forecast to surge in coming years. The tech companies building the centers that support AI have primarily focused on procuring renewable energy, though they have shown a growing interest in nuclear power to meet their growing electricity needs. While the tech sector has invested in carbon-free power to meet its climate goals, analysts believe natural gas will play a pivotal role in powering AI because it's plentiful, is more reliable than renewables and can be deployed faster than nuclear. Trump said he wants power plants to connect directly to data centers rather than supplying electricity through the grid. "You don't have to hook into the grid, which is old and could be taken out," Trump said. This arrangement, called co-location, has faced opposition from some utilities, who are worried about losing fees and have warned that taking power off the grid could lead to supply shortages. U.S. President Donald Trump on Thursday continued to take aim at the European Union for what he claims is an unequal trade relationship. "From the standpoint of America, the EU treats us very, very unfairly, very badly," Trump said in a virtual address to the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. After his inauguration on Monday, Trump's second term has been a key topic of conversation at Davos this year particularly given his threats of trade tariffs on the EU, China, Mexico, Canada and beyond. Echoing previous comments, Trump said in his Davos address: "They make it very difficult to bring products into Europe, and yet they expect to be selling and they do sell their products in the United States. So we have, you know, hundreds of billions of dollars of deficits with the EU, and nobody's happy with it. And we're going to do something about it." "They essentially don't take our farm products and they don't take our cars, yet they send cars to us by the millions. They put tariffs on things that we want to do ... We have some very big complaints with the EU," he continued. watch now U.S. President Donald Trump on Thursday said his administration's efforts to secure a Russia-Ukraine peace deal were "hopefully underway," and that he wanted to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin soon. In a highly anticipated address via videolink to the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, Trump said: "I really would like to be able to meet with President Putin soon to get that war ended, and that's not from the standpoint of economy or anything else. It's from the standpoint of millions of lives are being wasted." In December, Trump said that Putin had expressed an interest in meeting him. Russian President Vladimir Putin winks during his annual televised year-end press conference and phone-in held in Moscow, Russia December 19, 2024. Gavriil Grigorov | Via Reuters Without providing details, Trump also said Thursday: "Our efforts to secure a peace settlement between Russia and Ukraine are now, hopefully, underway. It's so important to get that done." He meanwhile suggested that high oil prices were a reason for the war, and called on producer group OPEC to bring down prices. Trump earlier this week threatened to impose "high levels" of sanctions and tariffs on Russia if it did not "make a deal" to end its war against Ukraine. His approach was praised by NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte in an interview at WEF earlier on Thursday. Rutte told CNBC he was "very happy" with Trump's sanctions threat. Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof similarly approved of the president's comments, telling CNBC such sanctions would be "good pressure on Russia to act." Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy attends the 55th annual meeting of the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, Switzerland, January 21, 2025. Yves Herman | Reuters Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy struck a more skeptical tone during his Tuesday address at Davos, questioning whether Trump would "even notice Europe" during his presidency. Attending the event to promote Kyiv's set of peace proposals as the war approaches its third anniversary, Zelenskyy also suggested Trump could overlook Europe to broker Ukraine peace talks by working with Russia and China. Washington has already issued sanctions on Russia targeting areas including shipping and energy, along with individuals believed to be sustaining the war effort. The U.S. has also provided by far the greatest financial assistance to Ukraine of any nation, including billions in military aid. watch now UnitedHealthcare signage is displayed on an office building in Phoenix, Arizona, on July 19, 2023. UnitedHealthcare on Thursday tapped company veteran Tim Noel as its new CEO following the targeted killing of its former top executive, Brian Thompson, in Manhattan in December. Noel was the head of Medicare and retirement at UnitedHealthcare, the largest private health insurer in the U.S. It is the insurance arm of UnitedHealth Group , the nation's biggest health-care conglomerate based on revenue and its more than $480 billion market cap. Noel, who first joined the company in 2007, "brings unparalleled experience to this role with a proven track record and strong commitment to improving how health care works for consumers, physicians, employers, governments and our other partners," UnitedHealth Group said in a statement. The company is still reeling from the murder of Thompson, which unleashed a torrent of pent-up anger and resentment toward the insurance industry, renewed calls for reform and reignited a debate over health care in the U.S. Amid concerns about physical safety, companies across the industry have beefed up security for their executives and removed their photos and much of their personal information from their websites. That includes UnitedHealth Group, which appears to no longer have an executive leadership page. Luigi Mangione, who was charged in the deadly shooting of Thompson, is currently being held without bond in Brooklyn, New York. Mangione, 26, faces charges including murder and terrorism, to which he has pleaded not guilty. Noel oversaw a part of UnitedHealthcare's business that includes Medicare Advantage plans, which have been the source of skyrocketing costs for insurers. Medicare Advantage, a privately run health insurance plan contracted by Medicare, has long been a key source of growth and profits for the insurance industry. But medical costs from Medicare Advantage patients have jumped over the past year as more seniors return to hospitals to undergo procedures they had delayed during the Covid-19 pandemic. UnitedHealthcare's Medicare and retirement unit serves one-fifth of Medicare beneficiaries, or nearly 13.7 million patients, according to a fact sheet from the company. UnitedHealth Group CEO Andrew Witty said on an earnings call last week that the profit-driven U.S. health-care system "needs to function better" and be "less confusing, less complex and less costly." Witty said members of the system benefit from high prices, noting that lower prices and improved services can be good for customers and patients but can "threaten revenue streams for organizations that depend on charging more for care." However, Witty did not address to what extent UnitedHealth Group benefits from that model. In its first quarterly results since the killing, UnitedHealth Group reported fourth-quarter revenue that missed Wall Street's expectations due to weakness in its insurance business. The company's 2024 revenue rose 8% to $400.3 billion, and it expects revenue to climb again this year to a range of $450 billion to $455 billion. CNBC's Bertha Coombs contributed to this report. A San Francisco Bay Ferry boat crosses the Napa River to the Mare Island ferry terminal in Vallejo. Dan Hernandez/The Chronicle What would you pay for a two-hour round-trip San Francisco Bay boat cruise that begins at the Ferry Building and includes stellar views of Alcatraz, Angel Island and Telegraph Hill? East Brother Lighthouse passes so close that a guest at the bed-and-breakfast might throw you a scone. The ride offers many of the same views as tourism-focused bay cruises that cost $40 to $100, including the Golden Gate Bridge and Pier 39. And when you arrive at the halfway point of this bay jaunt, enjoy as much shore leave as you want. One of the top three fried chicken sandwiches Ive eaten in my lifetime is within walking distance of the dock, as is the best kite-flying lawn in the Bay Area. Have a bike? Then add a visit to Mare Island, the oldest Navy base in the west, with access to a distillery, public art everywhere, a charming coffee shop and a cozy 1901 chapel that gives tours and organ concerts. Advertisement Article continues below this ad A view of Independence Park along the Napa River and the bridges over the Carquinez Strait are seen from the ferry in Vallejo. Dan Hernandez/The Chronicle The best part: This journey costs about $19 not including the sandwich and is less than $10 for seniors and children. You can hop aboard the San Francisco Bay Ferry and go any day this week. The destination is Vallejo, the negative headline capital of Solano County. But as the city continues to work through its biggest challenges, its rising as one of the best values in the Bay Area. I am the Bay Area day trip king. And this is the most surprising and underrated destination Ive found yet. I knew a little about Vallejos game already. My wife is a V-Town native, and my father-in-law lived there until he died last year. But the waterfront near Vallejos San Francisco Bay Ferry terminal was mostly unexplored for me. I called one of my friends who still lives there, former Vallejo schools superintendent Dale Welsh, who gave me enough ideas for three visits. About 15 minutes into the San Francisco Bay Ferry boat ride from the Ferry Building (the schedule is here), I already had my moneys worth. Looking toward the city heading north on the ferry is a mystical throwback of a viewing angle, with focus on Telegraph Hill and the older 1970s-born San Francisco skyline. The boat passes close by Angel Island and its preserved immigration station, where thousands of newcomers from the Pacific, mostly of Chinese origin, were processed and detained. Advertisement Article continues below this ad After skirting Red Rock Island an uninhabited rocky mound then playing limbo with the Richmond Bridge, the ferry splits the 1,000 feet between the shoreline and the East Brother Light Station, a Victorian bed-and-breakfast and still-working Coast Guard lighthouse. Next youll hit the open bay outside Pinole and Hercules this is where you can return emails or grab a beer at the bar inside before the ferry takes a hard left into the Napa River. Moving at one-third speed now, youll pass a graveyard of abandoned waterfront cranes and warehouses, tugboats and construction equipment; like a random array of toys on the lip of a childs bathtub. A view of the East Brother Light Station bed-and-breakfast through the railings of a ferry en route to Vallejo in San Pablo Bay. Dan Hernandez/The Chronicle A burned-out, half-sunk three-story paddleboat theres a story behind that greets Vallejo newcomers with Grand Romance in small letters and looping graffiti in larger ones. But Vallejo contains multitudes. In the words of the 21st century poet E-40, I dont bump mainstream. I knock underground. As you pull slowly into a shining terminal, the best of Vallejo comes into view. The ferry lands just south of Barbara Kondylis Waterfront Green, named after a Vallejo citizen-turned-politician who made it a multi-decade mission to preserve this awesome expanse of lawn Vallejos Crissy Field which looks across at the former Mare Island Naval Base. We head inland; our first stop is downtown. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The wreck of the Grand Romance riverboat can be seen at the mouth of the Napa River on the ferry ride from San Francisco to Vallejo. Dan Hernandez/The Chronicle As I bike to Virginia Street with Chronicle photographer Dan Hernandez, there are signs of wins and setbacks at every intersection. Tents are everywhere, including on lawns with signs that say No camping. Retail vacancies are common throughout the downtown core. But the fight for Vallejos cultural future is far from over. Alibi Bookshop is an inviting shingled storefront, and around the corner is the Empress Theatre, a 1911 theater that reopened in 2008 after two decades and advertises local symphony performances. LaRussell Thomas, a rising hometown rapper in the tradition of Vallejos E-40 and Mac Dre, is in the middle of a Sunday residency at the Empress. Hes arguably too big for this 400-seat venue, but his revival-style performances feature a local choir, dancers and other Vallejo performers hes trying to springboard beyond the Bay Area. On the corner is Provisions, a Dale Welsh recommendation that anchors the block. The 7-year-old restaurant has a little bit of everything, including big breakfasts, vegan options, local beers and a display of homemade desserts near the cash register that deserve their own FX series. Advertisement Article continues below this ad I corner founder and owner Nicole Hodge expecting to hear an its-not-as-bad-as-everyone-says qualified endorsement of Vallejo. Instead she talks about the house she bought for under $500,000, and a generous restaurant lease she never would have seen in her previous home of Berkeley. Owner Nicole Hodge poses at the checkout counter of her Vallejo restaurant Provisions, where she serves fried chicken sandwiches, grilled cheese with chicken tinga and homemade desserts. Dan Hernandez/The Chronicle I never made a better decision in my life, Hodge declared. Theres a sense of community here that Ive never experienced before. We take that attitude and our own provisions (a juicy and slaw-ensconced fried chicken sandwich, a grilled cheese with chicken tinga, and cauliflower curry soup) and bike north toward the Mare Island Causeway, passing an I love Vallejo mural near the ferry terminal and waterfront park, then discovering a pack of azure blue alien-looking creatures painted on the posts beneath the causeway. Crossing that drawbridge, we enter Mare Island, which feels both very new and very old. (The U.S. Naval base, founded in 1854, was the first on the Pacific Ocean.) Advertisement Article continues below this ad Planned public art mixes with unintentional sculpture on the former base, as a horse sculpture sits in the shadow of decommissioned 1950s cranes with chipped paint and good posture, like proud old mechanical creatures. The top sail of the USS Vallejo submarine is now a monument, celebrating this decommissioned bases last chapter from the 1950s to 1990s, building 17 nuclear submarines then servicing them. The SSBN-658 Monument, which features the original sail of the ballistic missile nuclear submarine USS Mariano G. Vallejo, sits in the original location where it was built on Mare Island. Dan Hernandez/The Chronicle Mare Island is now mixed-use, with growing single-family housing on curving hills, a history museum, the distillery and tanks of the Savage & Cooke whiskey makers and headquarters for the Water Emergency Transportation Authority, which oversees the ferry that brought me here. The last surprise of the journey is on Walnut Street, where grand 1800s officers houses and old trees make the wide boulevard feel like the cover of a Pat Conroy novel. The admirals mansion is a gathering hall for the community. The captains house, now called the Quarters, is a bright and clean coffee shop with a mix of retired Vallejo natives and students from the nearby medical school. Meandering on our bikes, Dan and I remark how much this must feel like the South (in the best ways) when the weather spikes in the summer and fall. Culture critic Peter Hartlaub takes a photo of Saint Peters Chapel on Mare Island. The chapel, built in 1901, features Tiffany stained glass and hosts regular organ concerts. Dan Hernandez/The Chronicle The road ends at St. Peters Chapel, a small wood structure with Tiffany windows inside and just 200 seats. Theres an open house and organ concert every other Sunday, with a recommended donation of $5. A half-mile away is Mare Islands own ferry terminal, and we time our arrival perfectly for a 3 p.m. return to San Francisco. As we chug back home, the words of Nicole Hodge echo the weather is good, the people are friendly, its super diverse as I think how much my impression of Vallejo has shifted in just a few hours. Chinese and U.S. flags flutter near The Bund, before U.S. trade delegation meet their Chinese counterparts for talks in Shanghai, China July 30, 2019. BEIJING A record share of U.S. companies in China are accelerating their plans to relocate manufacturing or sourcing, according to a business survey released Thursday. About 30% of the respondents considered or started such diversification in 2024, surpassing the prior high of 24% in 2022, according to annual surveys from the American Chamber of Commerce in China. That also exceeded the 23% share reported for 2017, when U.S. President Donald Trump began his first term and started raising tariffs on Chinese goods. In addition to U.S.-China tensions, "one of the major impacts that we've seen in the last five years was Covid and how China closed itself off from the world because of Covid," Michael Hart, Beijing-based president of AmCham China, told reporters Thursday. "That's been one of the largest triggers as people realized they needed to diversify their supply chains," he said. "I don't see that trend slowing down." China restricted international travel and locked down parts of the country during the Covid-19 pandemic in an attempt to restrict the spread of the disease. D3sign | Moment | Getty Images There's an important lesson for investors in Vanguard Group's recent $106 million settlement with the Securities and Exchange Commission over its target-date funds: Being mindful of your investment account type can save you from a big tax bill in certain cases. Vanguard, the largest target-date fund manager, agreed to pay the sum for alleged "misleading statements" over the tax consequences of reducing the asset minimum for a low-cost version of its Target Retirement Funds. Lowering the asset minimum for its lower-cost Institutional share class to $5 million from $100 million triggered an exodus of investors to these funds, according to the SEC. That created "historically larger capital gains distributions and tax liabilities" for many investors who remained in the more-expensive Investor share class, the agency said. Here's where the lesson applies: Those taxes were only borne by investors who held the TDFs in taxable brokerage accounts, not retirement accounts. watch now Investors who hold investments whether a TDF or otherwise in a tax-advantaged account like a 401(k) plan or individual retirement accounts don't receive annual tax bills for capital gains or income distributions. Those who hold "tax inefficient" assets like many bond funds, actively managed funds and target-date funds in a taxable account may get hit with a big unwelcome tax bill in any given year, experts said. Placing such assets in retirement accounts can make a big difference when it comes to boosting net investment returns after taxes, especially for high earners, experts said. "By having to pull money out of your coffers to pay the tax bill, it leaves less in your portfolio to compound and grow," said Christine Benz, director of personal finance and retirement planning at Morningstar. More from Personal Finance: There's a 'big change' for inherited IRAs in 2025 Now is an 'ideal time' to reassess your retirement savings Investors may be able to file taxes for free this season Vanguard neither admitted nor denied wrongdoing in its settlement agreement with the SEC. "Vanguard is committed to supporting the more than 50 million everyday investors and retirement savers who entrust us with their savings," a company spokesperson wrote in an e-mailed statement. "We're pleased to have reached this settlement and look forward to continuing to serve our investors with world-class investment options." Vanguard held about $1.3 trillion of assets in target-date funds at the end of 2023, according to Morningstar. What's best in a retirement account Lordhenrivoton | E+ | Getty Images The concept of strategically holding stocks, bonds and other assets in certain account types to boost after-tax returns is known as "asset location." It's a "key consideration" for high earners, Benz said. Such investors are more likely to reach annual contribution limits for tax-sheltered retirement accounts, and therefore need to also save in taxable accounts, she said. They're more likely to be in a higher tax bracket, too. While most middle-class savers predominantly invest in retirement accounts, in which tax efficiency is a "non-issue," there are certain non-retirement goals perhaps saving for a down payment on a house a few years down the road for which taxable accounts make more sense, Benz said. Using an asset location strategy can raise annual after-tax returns by 0.14 to 0.41 percentage points for conservative investors (who invest more in bonds) in the mid to high income tax brackets, according to recent research by Charles Schwab. watch now "A retired couple with a $2 million portfolio [$1 million in a taxable account and $1 million in a tax advantaged account] could potentially see a reduction in tax drag that equates to an additional $2,800 to $8,200 per year depending on their tax bracket," Hayden Adams, a certified public accountant, certified financial planner, and director of tax and wealth management at the Schwab Center for Financial Research, wrote of the findings. Tax inefficient assets which are better suited to retirement accounts are ones that "generate regular taxable events," Adams wrote. Here are some examples, according to experts: Bonds and bond funds. Bond income is generally taxed at ordinary income tax rates, instead of preferential capital-gains rates. (There are exceptions, like municipal bonds.) Actively managed investment funds. These generally have higher turnover due to frequent buying and selling of securities within the fund. They therefore tend to generate more taxable distributions than index funds, and those distributions are shared among all fund shareholders. Real estate investment trusts. REITs must distribute at least 90% of their income to shareholders, Adams wrote. Short-term holdings. The profit on investments held for a year or less are taxed at short-term capital gains rates, for which the preferential tax rates for "long term" capital gains don't apply. Target-date funds. These and other funds that aim for a target asset allocation are a "bad bet" for taxable accounts, Benz said. They often hold tax inefficient assets like bonds and may need to sell appreciated securities to maintain their target allocation, she said. LONDON Check out CNBC's live blog of Day 4 of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, with all the latest news, views and action from WEF. Top posts: President Donald Trump says he'll 'demand that interest rates drop immediately' view post 'Woke' global left is starting to crumble, Argentinas Milei says view post NATO chief 'very happy' with Trump's Russian sanctions threat view post Germany debt brake needs 'targeted reforms,' finance minister says view post Trump's $500 billion Stargate Project a 'wake up call,' SAP says view post Thursday's big event was a keynote address and question-and-answer session with U.S. President Donald Trump, in which he covered a broad range of topics including the Ukraine-Russia war, the relationship between the U.S. and European Union, and interest rates. Trump said he would "demand that interest rates drop immediately," adding that rates everywhere should follow the U.S. The U.S. leader was critical of the EU, saying that the U.S. was treated "very, very unfairly, very badly" by the region and that there were "some big complaints with the EU." Trump also said that the Ukraine-Russia war would not have started if he had been president, and that he would like to meet with Russia's Vladimir Putin. World Economic Forum Annual Meeting Highlights: Trump says he will ask Saudi Arabia and OPEC to bring the price down By CNBCTV18.COM Jan 23, 2025 11:23 PM IST (Updated) World Economic Forum Annual Meeting Highlights: US President Donald Trump on Thursday (January 23) said a golden age of America has begun with his second term and the entire world would soon be more peaceful and prosperous. He also said he is going to ask Saudi Arabia and OPEC to bring down oil prices and asserted that if prices come down Russia-Ukraine war will end immediately. World Economic Forum Annual Meeting Highlights: US President Donald Trump on Thursday (January 23) said a golden age of America has begun with his second term and the entire world would soon be more peaceful and prosperous. He also said he is going to ask Saudi Arabia and OPEC to bring down oil prices and asserted that if prices come down Russia-Ukraine war will end immediately. Addressing the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting in Davos through video conferencing, Trump also said his administration has accomplished in four days what other regimes could not get in four years. Inauguration of his second presidency took place on January 20, the same day when the five-day WEF Annual Meeting began. "A golden age of America has begun, our country would be soon stronger, united and wealthier than ever," he said. The entire planet will be more peaceful and prosperous as a result of this, he said while talking about the measures he has already announced and the further steps he will be taking going ahead in his second term. On the first day of his second presidential term, Donald Trump signed an executive order indefinitely halting refugee admissions, reversing 45 years of American policy and breaking with an international obligation the U.S. made in 1967. Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images Nasir has barely slept in the three days since he learned that President Donald Trump was indefinitely suspending refugee admissions into the U.S. A former lieutenant colonel with the Afghan Army and Air Force, the 32-year-old was part of the U.S.-led campaign in his home country, approving thousands of airstrikes against the Taliban and the Islamic State terrorist group from 2017 to 2021. When the U.S. withdrew from Afghanistan in August 2021, it forced Nasir and his family into hiding. (The Chronicle is identifying Nasir by only his first name because he is being sought by the Taliban.) He filed for refugee status two years ago. He had completed his final interviews in November and was expecting a call scheduling his familys flights to Qatar, which processes Afghan relocations to the U.S. Nasir planned to stay with a friend in Virginia. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Trumps executive order indefinitely halting refugee admissions extinguished that hope. While the order is set to take effect Jan. 27, flights have already been canceled for approved refugees and pending cases have been halted, stranding tens of thousands of people in countries where they face persecution and threats to their lives. Nasir, a former Afghan military lieutenant colonel who helped the U.S. during its war against the Taliban, stands in front of the Faisal Mosque in Islamabad, Pakistan, in 2023. Nasir, his wife and their 12-year-old son have been in hiding since the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021 allowed the Taliban to return to power. Courtesy of Nasir I have always been encouraging and inspiring and motivating my wife and my son to focus on the small light in the distance so we can get out of this hell one day, Nasir told the Chronicle from a safe house in western Afghanistan. But after Mr. Trump announced his new policy about refugee programs, I dont know what else to tell my wife. Trumps order upends decades-old practice of the U.S. accepting refugees, established through the Refugee Act of 1980. In his first term, he implemented a travel ban on seven Muslim-majority countries, slashed the annual refugee cap set by the president in consultation with Congress, and tanked refugee admissions to historic lows. His actions financially crippled refugee resettlement agencies, and it took the Biden administration four years to rebuild an infrastructure for vetting and accepting people displaced by catastrophe and conflict, a mission that has largely been bipartisan for the past 45 years. Advertisement Article continues below this ad In the Jan. 20 executive order, Trump justified the refugee ban by saying that the U.S. has been inundated with record levels of migration from refugee admissions and that small towns have seen influxes of immigrants. The number of refugees accepted by the U.S. has generally declined since the program started in 1980, when the country accepted about 207,000 refugees, and reached all-time lows under Trump. Refugee admissions gradually increased under President Joe Biden, reaching 100,034, a 30-year high, at the end of the 2024 fiscal year. Immigration advocates point to the positive economic impact of refugees and say that the U.S. has the capacity to accept more refugees. A 2024 study by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services found refugees and asylees contributed $124 billion in a positive fiscal impact over a 15-year period, including through paying federal, income, sales and property taxes. Late Tuesday, the U.S. State Department informed resettlement organizations that it was canceling all previously scheduled refugee travel and future bookings, according to a copy of a State Department email shared by the nonprofit coalition #AfghanEvac, which supports Afghan refugees. Advertisement Article continues below this ad #AfghanEvac founder and president Shawn VanDiver said his organization estimated 40,000 to 60,000 Afghans would be affected by the ban, including 10,000 to 15,000 who were already vetted. He said an estimated 200 U.S. military service members also had pending cases to bring their Afghan family members over as refugees. These refugees, many of whom are fleeing Taliban persecution for assisting the U.S. in its 2001 to 2021 war in Afghanistan, are now stuck in Afghanistan, Pakistan and other countries they escaped to. VanDiver said the Trump administration ought to, at the very least, make an exception for the nations Afghan allies. Afghans are refugees because of us, VanDiver said. Theyre in danger. Imagine if youre a refugee with a document in hand, you thought you were getting to fly today, and your American dream has been dashed. The State Department did not respond to detailed questions about how many approved refugees have faced travel cancellations. In accordance with the Executive Order, Realigning the United States Refugee Admissions Program, the Department of State is coordinating with implementing partners to suspend refugee arrivals to the United States and cease processing activities, a State Department spokesperson wrote in a statement. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Robin Mencher, CEO of Jewish Family and Community Services East Bay, which works on refugee resettlement, said resettlements have been frozen this week for 22 client families. The climate of fear is very real for our clients and the community, said Reena Arya, the nonprofits director of immigration legal services. The threat of increased enforcement, changes to immigration policies and the pervasive anti-immigrant sentiment have put our communities on edge. On a Wednesday video call organized by the #WelcomeWithDignity campaign, a coalition of 125 organizations, a representative of the Center for Gender & Refugee Studies said Trumps actions will cause untold suffering to refugees and immigrants across the globe. Border shutdowns and asylum bans have only ever created more chaos, dysfunction and pain and they are designed to punish people for seeking safety and to foster hatred and fear of immigrants, said Melissa Crow, director of litigation for the center. Nasir said he has received no communication from the U.S. State Department about the status of his case. He has no idea what to do, he said. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Nasir said he does not consider neighboring Pakistan, which in late 2023 began deporting Afghan refugees, an option. But Nasir, his wife and 12-year-old son, who hasnt been able to attend school since 2021, are not safe where they are. The Taliban have seized their home, Nasir said, and twice kidnapped and tortured his brother for information about Nasirs whereabouts. In your everyday life, copyright seems like a big bother. Youll upload some video talking about the world, and youll get a strike because its been claimed by the copyright holder of the 1997 song Breaking All the Rules. This is even though the company who claimed your video doesnt actually own the rights to that song, and its even though your video didnt feature that song at all. Copyright also serves a legitimate function, however. And when someone tries violating a trademark, its time to go off to court, leading to the end of such operations as... 5 The Bar That Copyrighted Margaritaville In 1977, Margaritaville was just a song. It was biggest song of Jimmy Buffetts career but not explosively successful. Today, its the name of a whole franchise that Buffett founded, featuring restaurants, resorts and cruises. Between those two points in time, Buffett ran into a hiccup when he first wanted to open a single restaurant named Margaritaville. The restaurant chain Chi-Chis were currently using the name, for a drink (their own take on a margherita, of course). Don't Miss The problem wasnt that the drink referenced his song, though it did. The problem was that they now owned a trademark on the word in the context of restaurants, keeping Buffett from using it for a restaurant of his own. His ownership of the song that inspired all this gave him nothing in this fight, because under U.S. law, you can copyright songs but cannot copyright song titles. Buffett ended up buying the trademark from Chi-Chis for $100,000, a sale that was made considerably easier for him by the fact that the chain was going through bankruptcy. That worked out for the best, but our recommendation would have been for him to instead name his restaurant Buffett Buffet. The two words would be pronounced differently, because it would be owned by Jimmy Buffett and would serve all-you-can-eat meals. Advertisement 4 Fake Airport Cheers Bars In the 1990s, another intellectual property scandal rocked the bar world. Airports around the country were setting up their own bars, patterned on the bar from TVs Cheers. Staff spoke in Boston accents (something few on the show ever did), and menu items were themed after the shows characters. Sitting at the bar were two animatronic characters, modeled on the characters Norm and Cliff. They werent modeled very closely on Norm and Cliff. Its possible that Marriott, which was the company behind this scheme, repurposed existing animatronics or hired artists with limited skill. But the robots were intended to reference Norm and Cliff thats something no party disputed. But at no point had actors George Wendt and John Ratzenberger given permission to have their likenesses replicated like this, and while some people at the time might have thought bar animatronics were a ridiculous concept to sue over, the question of who owns an actors likeness remains more relevant than ever. Advertisement paulsiegelcommlaw.com A.I. wishes it could produce beauty like this. The case went all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court. In October 2000, just months before deciding Bush v Gore, the justices ruled that the actors had a case, and they received a settlement shortly thereafter. By this point, the bars were closing down anyway, and Cheers had been off the air for the better part of a decade. Advertisement 3 Nosferatu Genuinely Plagiarized Dracula Advertisement Today, if we tell you that the 2024 movie Nosferatu is basically just a spin on the Dracula story, you probably wont lose any sleep over that revelation. This latest movie is a remake of a movie thats in the public domain, and the character Dracula is naturally in the public domain as well, so that connection is just trivia, not a legal matter. Prana-Film Not to impugn the importance of trivia. We love trivia. In 1922, the situation was very different. German studio Prana-Film initially planned Nosferatu as a straight adaptation of Dracula a novel that wasnt yet in the public domain in Europe. The Bram Stoker estate told them they couldnt do this. So, the director just changed the names around and now marketed the movie as a totally original tale of a vampire from Transylvania, the businessman who visits his castle, the vampire boating to somewhere new, etc., etc., etc. The Stoker estate sued, reasonably enough. Less reasonably, when a German court ruled in their favor, they ordered that all copies of the film be destroyed. That doesnt sound like something courts have the power to do, but you must remember that this continent was subject to regular vampire attacks at the time and tended to overreact. Advertisement We only have the film today because some illegally spared copies found their way to the United States, where Dracula had indeed fallen into the public domain. It launched the horny fanfic industry, which remains strong to this day. Advertisement 2 Porn Ben & Jerrys Speaking of horniness, in 2013, a porn studio launched a line of videos they called Ben & Cherrys. They were named after flavors of the famous ice cream brand. Ben & Jerrys have an ice cream they call Peanut Butter Cups, and Caballero Video put out a video titled Peanut Butter D-Cups. Ben & Jerrys have an ice cream they call Chocolate Fudge Brownie, and Caballero Video put out a video titled Chocolate Fudge Babes. Ben & Jerrys have an ice cream they call Bossin' Cream Pie, and Caballero Video put out a video titled Boston Cream Thigh though, with that one, the original title was so porny that any rename was superfluous. Advertisement Rodax Distributors, Unilever Or super fluids, as Caballero Video would put it. Parody gets a lot of leeway in copyright law, and its possible that a court would have ruled that Caballero werent violating any trademarks. But a court blocked them temporarily, and the company then decided to give in and stop distributing the series. They were probably thankful for what publicity the story brought them, because it wasnt easy, making traditional pornographic DVDs in the year 2013. This years Academy Award nominations were just announced, shining a spotlight on some of the best movies of the year, plus some pretty bad movies, and also a bunch of stuff that nobody has ever heard of and may or may not actually be real for all we know. One snub that some fans are clearly disappointed about is the lack of a nomination for Will & Harper in the Best Documentary category. The acclaimed doc followed Will Ferrell and his friend Harper Steele on a cross-country road trip, shortly after her decision to transition in 2021. Don't Miss Will & Harper also, arguably, deserved a nomination for Best Original Song. In the movie, Ferrell and Steele task Kristen Wiig with penning an anthem for their road trip. The resulting Harper and Will Go West is surprisingly good; its catchy, and has clever lyrics, such as how it compares the duo to Thelma and Louise, but with a lot less death. When Netflix released the film last year, Wiig and co-writer Sean Douglas seemed like a lock for the Best Original Song category, and The Los Angeles Times reported that Netflix would be launching an Oscar campaign to promote the song. Advertisement So what happened? Well, the Academy, historically, hasnt been great at rewarding songs written for and/or by comedians. Its been well-established that the Academy doesnt love nominating comedies for Best Picture, or recognizing comedic performances in their acting categories. But it seems as though songs are also impacted by this apparent anti-comedy bias. The most notorious example of this was when South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut was nominated in 2000. Robin Williams brought the house down with his performance of Blame Canada but then the award went to Phil Collins for Youll Be in My Heart, from Disneys Tarzan, a song that is best enjoyed while waiting on hold with the bank. Advertisement Advertisement Before that Little Shop of Horrors Mean Green Mother From Outer Space lost out to Top Guns Take My Breath Away. And in the early 2000s, A Mighty Winds A Kiss at the End of the Rainbow, performed by Eugene Levy and Catherine OHara, failed to best an Annie Lennox song about Hobbits. Advertisement Even back in the 70s, Mel Brooks and John Morris catchy theme song for Blazing Saddles ended up losing to a sappy love song from a movie about a burning skyscraper. Advertisement Advertisement When comedies do win in this category, they tend to win for unfunny songs. The Gene Wilder rom-com sex farce The Woman in Red earned an Oscar for the decidedly humorless Stevie Wonder track I Just Called to Say I Love You. And, incidentally, it beat out a little song called Ghostbusters. Advertisement Barbie won last year not for Im Just Ken, but for the saddest song on the entire soundtrack, What Was I Made For? sung by Billie Eilish. Advertisement Advertisement One exception was when The Flight of the Conchords Bret McKenzie won for Man or Muppet from The Muppets in 2011. But for one thing, there were only two nominated songs that year. And the Oscars didnt even allow Man or Muppet to be performed during the show. Plus, that win only came after decades of ignoring other, Oscar-worthy Muppet tunes. For example, It Goes Like It Goesv from Norma Rae beat Rainbow Connection from The Muppet Movie. Advertisement Advertisement Sorry Crash and Green Book, that might just be the worst Oscar decision ever. When will Charlie, Mac and the Its Always Sunny in Philadelphia community finally cut Pop-Pop some slack? Maybe he just had Aspergers. Twenty years ago, there was nothing remotely controversial about a character on a cable TV sitcom saying something like, Screw that old bitch, hes a Nazi, when talking about another character who was old, a Nazi and a bitch. This is because, for many decades in America, the public nearly universally considered Nazi ideology, Nazi iconography, Nazi uniforms, Nazi salutes and Nazis themselves to be bad. As such, when the Its Always Sunny in Philadelphia Season One episode The Gang Finds a Dead Guy aired in 2005, no one would get in trouble if they quoted Mac dismissing the wishes of Dennis and Dees neo-Naz um, awkward gesturer on Myspace or any other proto social media site from that era of the internet. Today, however, former CBS 58 Milwaukee weather forecaster Sam Kuffel is out of a job for posting a GIF of Macs now-controversial line in The Gang Finds a Dead Guy after angrily ranting about Tesla CEO and conservative string-puller Elon Musks innocuous wave that completely coincidentally looked like a Nazi salute at the inauguration of President Donald Trump on Monday. Don't Miss Word to the wise dont go around posting the finale of Dennis Takes a Mental Health Day on Twitter if you want to keep your career intact. On Tuesday, Kuffel posted a photo of Musk performing his heart-sending gesture to the inauguration crowd on Instagram with the caption, Dude Nazi saluted twice. TWICE. During the inauguration, then telling her followers, You fuck with this and this man, I dont fuck with you. Full stop. Kuffel followed the rant with another Instagram post showing a GIF of Mac telling Charlie, Screw that old bitch, hes a Nazi, shortly before the two torch all of Pop-Pops enthusiastic hand-waving paraphernalia. Advertisement Advertisement As It's Always Sunny fans will remember well, in The Gang Finds a Dead Guy, Pop-Pop sends Charlie on a mission to retrieve his I give my heart to the crowd uniform. Upon learning that his friends grandfather is on the autism spectrum, Charlie teams up with Mac to try to sell Pop-Pops emphatic gesticulating artifacts to a museum, only to learn that most galleries have no interest in displaying any items that represent the loving hand-movement ideology. Seeing no way to capitalize on Pop-Pops affiliation with the neo-friendly-hand-extension party, they burn the entire box of heart-thumping keepsakes in the alley behind Paddys Pub. Unfortunately for Kuffel, a journalist calling Musks heil love hands gesture a Nazi salute is now a job-losing transgression, which should have Mac and Charlie worried Frank could fire them if he ever finds out they destroyed a precious trove of heart-throwing treasures. Weather models predict the rain-snow line will drop low enough for a dusting of snow along Interstate 5 over the Grapevine this weekend. Yosemite Valley could also pick up a few inches of snow. Baron/Lynx Updated forecast: Bay Area braces for weekend cooldown and spotty rainfall A long January dry spell across California will finally be interrupted this weekend as a cold low-pressure system brings snow showers to the lowest elevations so far this winter. Thursday and Friday will be dry and warm across the state, but a big temperature swing is in store Saturday. The low-pressure system set to bring snow will drop from Canada straight toward California and draw in much colder air in its wake. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Because the system is spinning up over land, rather than moving off the Pacific Ocean, it will be moisture-starved. It should ingest just enough moisture to result in rain and snow showers in Central and Southern California, but some uncertainty remains. The outcome that were going to see is highly sensitive to the exact track of the storm, said Ryan Kittell, a meteorologist at the National Weather Service in Oxnard. If it drifts further to the west by 50 or 100 miles, were going to see higher rainfall totals everywhere. If it goes further to the east, were going to have less rain, and some areas may not get any rain. Most weather models bring the low-pressure system just far enough west for scattered rain and snow showers in Central and Southern California this weekend, but an eastward track would result in far fewer showers. Baron/Lynx That track will also determine whether the Bay Area picks up rain Saturday. The most likely outcome is completely dry weather in the North Bay, isolated showers in San Francisco, Oakland and San Jose and more widespread showers south of Monterey. If the system drifts further west, rain showers will be more widespread, and Mount Diablo and Mount Hamilton could even be dusted with snow. Regardless, sub-freezing temperatures are likely throughout much of the Bay Area on Saturday night. Lake Tahoe could pick up its first snow in weeks, but forecast totals range widely from a dusting to up to a half-foot, depending on the trajectory of the system. Forecast clarity should improve Friday. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Confidence is much higher that portions of the central and southern Sierra Nevada will pick up a few inches of snow, with areas south of Highway 50 favored. A winter weather advisory is in effect for the central and southern Sierra from 10 a.m. Saturday to 4 p.m. Monday for up to a half-foot of snow, including in Yosemite Valley and Sequoia and Kings Canyon national parks. Up to a foot of snow could fall at evelations above 8,000 feet. The more unusual aspect of the storm is how low the rain-snow line will be in Kern County. The big concern with this weekends system is the possibility of snow on both Tejon and Tehachapi passes, said JP Kalb, a meteorologist at the weather service office in Hanford. Travelers over the Grapevine should be prepared for winter driving conditions. Even a dusting of snow above 3,000 feet could result in hazardous travel over Interstate 5 on Saturday night. A winter weather advisory is in effct for both Tejon and Tehachapi passes for up to 9 inches of snow above 4,500 feet and up to 2 inches of snow above 3,500 feet. Snow may fall on higher elevations of the Hughes Fire in northern Los Angeles County, which erupted Wednesday and forced widespread evacuations and a closure of I-5. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Higher elevations of Big Bear Mountain could pick up a foot of snow through Monday, which would be the most from a single storm so far this winter. The National Weather Service in Los Angeles forecasts a few inches of snow for mountain elevation above 3,500 feet this weekend. National Weather Service Los Angeles and San Diego are in line for their heaviest rainfall since spring. A quarter-inch to an inch of rain is possible from Saturday through Monday, although exact rainfall totals will depend on the trajectory of the weather system, which is highly uncertain. Beyond this weekend, precipitation is unlikely to return to California for the rest of the month, wrapping up one of the driest Januarys in recent memory. Thursday breakdown San Francisco: Clear skies will prevail with light east-northeast breezes across the city. Temperatures will climb from the upper 30s to mid-40s at sunrise to the low to mid-60s in the afternoon. Neighborhoods near the water may remain in the upper 50s, but the sunshine will make it feel warmer. Temperatures will quickly fall to the 50s after sunset and 40s overnight. Advertisement Article continues below this ad North Bay: Morning frost will be a distant memory just hours later as a warm afternoon is on tap. Springlike temperatures are expected, with highs in the mid-60s to near 70. Santa Rosas average high this month is 64.2 degrees through Jan. 21, nearly 7 degrees above normal. Thursday will push that mark even higher. Overnight lows will be chilly again, generally in the 30s with patchy fog possible in Petaluma Valley. East Bay: After a chilly morning, a pleasant afternoon is expected with highs in the mid- to upper 60s, about 5 to 10 degrees above normal for late January. Winds will be light out of the east-northeast. There may be a few passing high clouds, but generally clear skies will prevail amid an unusually dry air mass. The starry skies will allow overnight temperatures to plummet again to the 30s in the valleys and the low to mid-40s along the bay shoreline. Pacific Coast and Peninsula: Half Moon Bay Airport unexpectedly spiked to 70 degrees Wednesday. Although a repeat is unlikely Thursday, above-normal temperatures will continue with highs in the mid-60s along the coast with abundant sunshine. Similar conditions are expected throughout the rest of the Peninsula, and Redwood City and other portions of southern San Mateo County may even make a run at 70 degrees. Overnight lows will drop to the low to mid-40s county-wide. South Bay and Santa Cruz: San Jose may hit 70 degrees for the sixth time this month Thursday, which would be the most in a single January since 2014. The rest of the South Bay and Santa Cruz County will be warm too, with highs in the upper 60s to low 70s. Overnight lows will be chilly, in the upper 30s to mid-40s with increasing clouds by daybreak Friday. It will be on display later this year As wildfires continue to ravage Southern California, the full extent of the devastating Palisades fire is still being assessed. But at least one thing is for certain: Joan Rivers jokes are safe. The famed comedians daughter recently shared that, shortly before her house burned down, she grabbed a few important items including birth certificates, medication, clothing, and most notably, the Daytime Emmy award that her mom won for Outstanding Talk Show host in 1990. But what about Rivers legendary archive of jokes? Don't Miss Rivers, who passed away in 2014, left behind what The New York Times called a meticulously organized collection of 65,000 typewritten jokes. The jokes were kept on index cards and cross-referenced by categories, such as Parents Hated Me, Las Vegas and No Sex Appeal. As the Times noted, the biggest subject was Tramp, which contained 1,756 jokes. The cards were stored in a filing cabinet, containing 52 jam-packed drawers. Rivers also saved monologue scripts from when she guest-hosted The Tonight Show, and correspondence with celebrities including Phyllis Diller and Mr. Rogers. This could be why Deborah Vance on Hacks, the character that Rivers clearly served as the inspiration for, similarly keeps an archive of material in her basement (although hers is way less organized). Advertisement Advertisement Max Obviously, Melissa Rivers wouldnt be able to quickly grab an entire filing cabinet while fleeing her home during an emergency, but thankfully, the jokes had already been moved. She recently confirmed to People that the jokes were safe and sound with the National Comedy Center. In 2023 it was announced that Joan Rivers archive of jokes would find a new home at the museum, which is located in Jamestown, New York (the hometown of Lucille Ball) and is dedicated to preserving the history of American comedy. Melissa Rivers had previously fielded requests from the Smithsonian to house her mothers collection, but they reportedly wouldnt make the material part of a permanent display. And so, concerned that the jokes would end up being stashed away in a giant warehouse like the end of Raiders of the Lost Ark, she ultimately rejected the request. Play Instead, the jokes will be part of a new Joan Rivers-themed exhibit at the National Comedy Center that will open later this year. Despite the fact that this arrangement was announced over a year ago, the jokes still came disturbingly close to being lost forever in the fire. The jokes and the major archival pieces, fortunately, about two-and-a-half, three months ago were picked up for the National Comedy Center, Melissa Rivers revealed. So they managed to beat the fire by just a few months. If theres a Season 25 of Hacks, maybe this can be an episode. Photo: Hufton + Crow Walk down an ordinary blah-colored stretch of Marcus Garvey Boulevard in Bedford-Stuyvesant, past the dispiriting bulk of Woodhull Hospital and the brown-brick boxes of the Sumner Houses project, and you come upon an incongruous apparition, a great white sugar cube thats been carved, beveled, and knocked askew. Stranger still, this work of obviously ambitious architecture was executed on a spare budget for residents with meager incomes. Even more startling, the Atrium, an affordable-housing development for seniors and veterans of the shelter system, was designed by the firm of Daniel Libeskind, he of the diagonal saber slash, the slanted wall, the faceted bulge, and the pointed prow the master, that is, of the kind of jagged form that would defy attempts to gift-wrap it. With the Jewish Museum in Berlin, opened in 2001, Libeskind established himself as a pioneer of deconstructivism, a style based on the illusion that buildings were lifting off, bursting, imploding, or peeling apart. After the 9/11 attacks, when he was appointed master planner of the World Trade Center rebuilding project, he became famous as the embodiment of advanced architecture, headlining a period when a dozen or so celebrities scattered the world with signature structures. You might not know where a building was or what it was for or how it stood up, but you could quickly identify who designed it. His global brand would seem like an odd choice for the most basic tier of New Yorks urban shelter, sort of like handing out food-bank groceries in Louis Vuitton bags. (Libeskind did, after all, design a Las Vegas mall with a Vuitton store. Spend some time in and around the Atrium, though, and you begin to see that the pairing of high-design auteur and low-income residents meets an assortment of needs and isnt just noblesse oblige. Erected by a cluster of nonprofitsSelfhelp Community Services, Riseboro Community Partnership and the for-profit developer Urban Builders Collaborative on a patch of NYCHA land, the Atrium leavens the neighborhood with 190 new apartments, a spacious community room, fresh landscaping, and a jolt of jauntiness. Like many public-housing projects, the original Sumner Houses, built in the late 1950s, withdraw from the street, lurking behind a perimeter of pointless lawn. The Atrium does the opposite, hugging the sidewalk, peppy and reassuring. This is an active, even restless building that greets passersby with a smooth dance move. A corner column executes a plie, tilting out, then bending back, pulling the outer walls into a gracefully angled fold. The whole structure makes a quarter-twist from ground to roof, and you can trace its sinews stretching diagonally across the grid of ribbon windows. Inside, comfortable apartments encircle the raised, skylit courtyard that gives the building its name. That arrangement is a resonant one for Libeskind, who grew up in the Amalgamated Houses in the Bronx, a complex developed in the 1920s by the garment workers union. It wasnt avant-garde or innovative architecture, but it stood out, Libeskind told me. It was populated by working-class people, but it had a sense of elegance. The courtyard was essential, a way for mostly Jewish immigrants to replace the tenements narrow, stinking air shaft with a form of genuinely gracious living. It was protected from the street and its where everyone hung out, especially in the summer when apartments were hot. Still, theres a difference between an outdoor courtyard and an indoor atrium. Carelessly handled, the nine-story doughnut form could easily have evoked stifling precedents like Jeremy Benthams Panopticon or the (slightly) less carceral Marriott version. To avoid any hint of that oppressiveness, Libeskind laced the floor with diagonal walkways between raised planters and sculpted the inner facade almost like a climbing gym, with protrusions, ledges and trapezoidal windows placed in an apparently random arrangement. The goal was to make the court a destination rather than a vestibule. Since its one floor up from the lobby, going there requires an affirmative decision one that hardly anyone was making on the day of my visit. That may have been happenstance; building staff insisted it gets heavily used. The success of a low-income housing complex depends on its social warmth. Selfhelp maintains a small team of social workers on-site, mostly to help residents navigate the welfare bureaucracy but also just to be there if they want to chat. In their office, I met one man who had moved from a shelter in East New York; how was he acclimating to Bed-Stuy? I asked. Im not lost! he said with a note of indignation. Its still Brooklyn. On the day of my visit, Matthew Gross, the Urban Builders Collaborative executive who oversaw construction, kept drawing attention to a poster advertising a buildingwide meeting to air residents questions. The Atrium's atrium, by day and night. From left: Photo: Hufton + Crow Photo: Hufton + Crow The Atrium's atrium, by day and night. From top: Photo: Hufton + Crow Photo: Hufton + Crow The residents I spoke to enjoy the Atrium, not because of its architectural pedigree but because it is clean and safe and orderly and bright, a rare haven for New Yorkers whose lives have often been turbulent. Still, loneliness is a tough enemy. A few months ago, when a man died in his apartment and wasnt found for several days, his fate rattled other residents, including a woman who approached the little group that Gross was leading to demand (in Spanish) that management find a way to make the building less isolating. This place shouldnt feel like a prison, she said. I translated for her until the sole Spanish-speaking social worker arrived. Designing a building and running it are different arts, but doing each one well fortifies the other. With the Atrium, Libeskind has given vulnerable people a place they can gradually make their own. He has also demonstrated that the daunting list of rules, requirements, prohibitions, and economic strictures that govern affordable housing in New York dont have to choke off inventive architecture. The firms with experience negotiating those constraints dont generally indulge in innovation, and those that prize capital-A Architecture avoid the long and frustrating gauntlet of New Yorks housing bureaucracy. Getting this project finished assembling the team, winning the job, completing the design, gathering the funding, and finally putting up the building took seven years. On the ground. Photo: Frankie Alduino/ Overhead. Photo: Frankie Alduino/ That leisurely pace is normal in the affordable-housing arena and hard to square with the Adams administrations stated urgency to dust the city with new apartments, both subsidized and not. The mayor projects that the new City of Yes rezoning will yield 80,000 new homes over 15 years citywide, and recently hes begun arguing for loosening rules for office-to-condo conversions to seed another 100,000 over a decade in Manhattan alone. But these numbers say nothing about how people will live in or near all those new buildings. Ahmed Tigani, a deputy commissioner at the citys Department of Housing Preservation and Development, insists that the Atrium shouldnt be a one-off showcase of precious design. Recruiting architects like Libeskind makes it clear that low-income housing is an integral part of the cityscape. City housing staffers should wrestle with loftier questions than those described by the number of units built, Tigani says. What is the physical impact of our investment, but also the social and spiritual impact? What does a building visually contribute? Does it feel like a part of your neighborhood? Does it feel like a statement of belief in what that housing can be? For his part, Libeskind has no patience with housing advocates frequently articulated belief that, in an extreme crisis, developers should churn out affordable homes as quickly as possible, without worrying too much about design. Thats propaganda! he protests. It says that poorer people should live in lower-quality environments: Dont waste your time on innovation. But its the other way around! I would love all my colleagues to concentrate on this kind of housing because it needs the same kind of passion as an iconic skyscraper. EV producers on road to innovation in humanoid robot 10:27, January 23, 2025 By Zhang Weilan ( Global Times Industry players including BYD, GAC Group, Chery, NIO, Seres and Xpeng have recently announced forays into the humanoid robot sector. Chery said that since April 2024, it has teamed up with artificial intelligence (AI) company Aimoga to jointly develop the humanoid robot Mornine, which can accurately understand human language and their interaction intentions and convert them into specific action strategies and language outputs, according to a statement the Chinese automaker sent to the Global Times on Wednesday. Chinese automotive manufacturer NIO has announced plans to establish a team of 20 people to explore the development of its new robot dog project. It will be led by Xu Kang, a former algorithm expert at Beijing-based autonomous driving company Momenta, who joined NIO's autonomous driving team in 2020. "The company's shift toward the robot dog project marks NIO's exploration in the field of embodied AI," the 21st Century Business Herald reported on Wednesday. Recent initiatives by China's electric vehicle (EV) start-ups underscore their increasing interest in multi-legged and humanoid robots, a trend that not only showcases advancements in automation and robotics but also highlights the broader developments in AI technology. According to a report from Chinese tech outlet IThome, based on incomplete statistics, the number of funding rounds in the field of embodied intelligence exceeded 60 throughout 2024, totaling 5 billion yuan ($686.7 million), making it one of the hottest sectors of the domestic market. In December last year, BYD was reportedly planning to set up a dedicated lab to develop humanoid robots. The company announced at that time a new recruitment initiative, saying "it is seeking master's and doctoral graduates from universities worldwide to join its Embodied Intelligence Research Team." The move drew widespread attention to its focus on the burgeoning field of embodied intelligence. Although various types of robots have been introduced into vehicle production lines, where they are engaging in processes such as stamping, welding, spraying, and quality inspection, these industrial robots are lacking in versatility and flexibility, Wu Songquan, an expert from China Automotive Technology and Research Center Co told the Global Times on Wednesday. However, many auto companies have accumulated rich technology and experience in the manufacturing process, such as industrial machinery, electronic controls, sensors, and battery technology, which can provide a solid foundation for the development of humanoid robots, according to Wu. "Meanwhile, they are exploring the integration of humanoid robots in production lines to enhance efficiency and they are now investing heavily in their own research and development departments to explore robotics technologies," Wu said, adding that this allows them to develop sophisticated robotic systems independently. "Robust market demand is undoubtedly a key factor drawing automotive companies to venture into this sector," said Wu, citing an industry report that said that the market size of humanoid robots in China in 2024 was about 2.76 billion yuan. It is projected to reach 75 billion yuan by 2029, accounting for 32.7 percent of the global market. Automakers have unique advantages in developing humanoid robots, given the compatibility between vehicles and robotic manufacturing, as they have made substantial investments in autonomous driving technologies, cultivating a robust pool of AI talent and expertise in embodied AI, Xu Bin, manager of the Shanghai-based National and Local Co-Built Humanoid Robotics Innovation Center, Humanoid Robot (Shanghai) Co, told the Global Times on Wednesday. China's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology considers embodied AI, which focuses on integrating intelligence into physical systems or bodies, a priority. Previously disclosed plans show that China aims to establish a preliminary innovation system for humanoid robots by 2025, with plans to have a secure, reliable industrial and supply chain system by 2027, the Xinhua News Agency reported. (Web editor: Tian Yi, Zhong Wenxing) Destroyed structures along Pacific Coast Highway in Malibu in the aftermath of Palisades Fire. Smoke from the ongoing Los Angeles-area wildfires has been found to deposit ash on the surface of the Pacific Ocean, 100 miles away from the fires. Scott Strazzante/The Chronicle The Eaton and Palisades fires have changed life for thousands of Los Angeles-area residents. Now scientists are investigating how the blazes may also impact marine life some hundreds of miles offshore. Scientists aboard a research vessel off the California coast were collecting samples when the fires broke out. Despite their distance from the blazes, smoke carried by intense Santa Ana winds scattered ash and debris atop the ocean surface. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The scientists were sending these pictures that should have been plankton but instead (were) all these big pieces of ash, said Julie Dinasquet, a marine microbiologist at UC San Diegos Scripps Institution of Oceanography. Smoke and ash from wildfires are linked to a number of serious health problems in humans, including heart disease, asthma and certain types of cancer and dementia. Its more unclear how wildfire smoke pollution impacts ocean species. Past studies have found that ash from wildfires can fuel growth of marine microorganisms. In some cases, the ash serves as a type of fertilizer and can be beneficial to certain microscopic creatures. Scientists are currently investigating whether that scenario is playing out now, or whether noxious compounds released from scorched structures negatively affect coastal ecosystems. A smoke plume extending far out at sea, as seen on Jan. 9 during the California Cooperative Oceanic Fisheries Investigations winter cruise from the NOAA research vessel Reuben Lasker. Rasmus Swalethrop Its what we want to answer, said Dinasquet, who is coordinating a rapid research response to the Southern California fires. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Clues may lie in research on the impacts from the Thomas Fire, which started in December 2017, burning over 280,000 acres in Ventura and Santa Barbara counties. It was Californias largest wildfire at the time and is now the ninth largest on record. A 2023 study reported that ash from the blaze enhanced the growth of marine microbes. Scientists of the study collected ash off car windshields and mixed it into seawater collected off coastal California containing a medley of microorganisms. We generally found that the ash seemed to fertilize the communities, said Tanika Ladd, a postdoctoral scholar at Shannon Point Marine Center at Western Washington University, who led the work as a graduate student at UC Santa Barbara. It added nutrients that allowed them to all grow. This includes phytoplankton, single-celled organisms that perform photosynthesis. Like plants on land, they convert sunlight into chemical energy. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Theyre at the base of the marine food web, said Jonathon Stillman, a professor of biology at San Francisco State University and of integrative biology at UC Berkeley. The stimulation of such growth has the potential to provide additional food for other marine organisms. More phytoplankton also means increased photosynthetic activity and more carbon dioxide captured from the atmosphere. But rampant growth can have additional consequences, like algal blooms. Burnt debris floats on the ocean surface along with a piece of kelp, seen on Jan. 9 during the California Cooperative Oceanic Fisheries Investigations winter cruise from the NOAA research vessel Reuben Lasker. Rasmus Swalethrop You can overstimulate phytoplankton growth and there can be harmful things that grow, that produce toxins that can kill marine mammals or can make our seafood not edible, Ladd said. Ongoing research surveys are aiming to follow coastal ecosystems over the coming weeks and months, tracking chemicals in the ocean and how different microorganisms respond to ash from the wildfires. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Ash from the Southern California fires also has the potential to be more toxic compared to Thomas Fire particulates, scientists say. The Eaton and Palisades fires have burned many more structures, meaning the ash likely contains a medley of contaminants, heavy metals, asbestos fibers and microplastics that you would not have if youre burning a forest, Dinasquet said. At his desk in the Oval Office, presidential executive orders stacked up ready for his signature, Donald Trump reacted with excitement as one gold-embossed dossier was put in front of him. 'Ooh,' said the President, 'that's a big one.' With a flourish of his pen, he signed off on an edict that has the potential to change global health policy and perhaps ensure that when the next pandemic hits as one will the world is far better prepared. The order was headed, 'Withdrawing the United States from the World Health Organisation' citing 'the organisation's mishandling of the COVID-19 pandemic that arose out of Wuhan, China, and other global health crises'. It went on: 'The WHO continues to demand unfairly onerous payments from the United States, far out of proportion with other countries' assessed payments. China, with a population of 1.4 billion, has 400 per cent of the population of the United States, yet contributes nearly 90 per cent less to the WHO.' It's not the first time Trump has tried to pull America out of an international body that is dominated by far-Left, nanny-state politics and one that has behaved with shameful subservience to Vladimir Putin in the Kremlin as well as President Xi in Beijing. Shortly after the beginning of the pandemic, during his first term in office in April 2020, Trump signalled his intention to quit the WHO. This decision was reversed when Joe Biden succeeded him the following year. But this time there will be no flip-flopping. America is out and taking with it an annual contribution of up to 405 million, 18 per cent of the WHO's total funding. At his desk in the Oval Office, Donald Trump signs an executive order on the US withdrawing from the World Health Organisation (WHO) this week Calculating the UK's contribution is complex, but it is at least 250 million a year. The urgent question for Sir Keir Starmer's Government should now be: should Britain follow suit or try to reform the WHO from within? Can the WHO be cleansed of its dangerous influences and irresponsible adherence to killjoy ideology or is it time for the UK, Europe and the US to join forces with allies such as Japan, Australia and Canada to create a new health body free from Chinese and Russian manipulation? To all intents, this would be a counterpart to the defence alliance we already share a Nato for health. The WHO has had plenty of chances for reform: the two years since the end of the pandemic should have been used to refocus, making it far better prepared to cope with communicable diseases. This did not happen. When the lethal impact of coronavirus first began to be felt, the WHO failed miserably to rise to the challenge. In place of urgency, there was complacency, while priorities were warped by vested interests and political ideology. Yet the Government, instead of pushing for real reform, prefers to maintain the ineffectual status quo by throwing even more money at the organisation. Last November, International Development minister Anneliese Dodds announced we would hand over an extra 310 million over the next four years, 'to enable the WHO to be the strongest, most agile and effective organisation it can be'. The WHO has been fond of attaching the term 'epidemic' to the health problems caused by modern, affluent lifestyles talking about the 'obesity' or the 'drinking' or even 'video game' epidemics. But when confronted by a real epidemic, the WHO proved hopelessly ill-equipped. There was always a sense that the organisation wanted to get back to its comfort zone where it could indulge in its favourite activities: fostering politically correct attitudes and denouncing unhealthy consumption promoted by greedy capitalist corporations, headed by the Big Tobacco and Big Food businesses. Its general secretary, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, is a former health minister in the Ethiopian government and a member of the Tigray People's Liberation Front, a violent Marxist group, although Dr Tedros himself clearly prefers bureaucracy to revolution. The WHO has had plenty of chances for reform: the two years since the end of the pandemic should have been used to refocus, making it far better prepared to cope with communicable diseases. This did not happen, writes Fred Roeder Tellingly, one of his first acts in 2017 was to name Robert Mugabe, the Zimbabwean tyrant, as a 'Goodwill Ambassador' for the WHO, a decision that he only reversed after a massive outcry. Dr Tedros showed the same eagerness to collaborate with dictators when the Covid crisis began. In one tribute, he spoke absurdly of the 'progress made by China to protect their own people and the people of the world'. In another he said: 'The Chinese government is to be congratulated for the extraordinary measures it has taken to contain the outbreak.' The WHO's credulous, naive acceptance of China's narrative and lies about the origin of the outbreak and tranmission was accompanied by a reluctance to implement practical steps that could have saved thousands of lives. So, while downplaying the early infection figures, the WHO opposed travel bans long after the evidence of airborne person-to-person transmission had become undeniable. Because of its pro-China sympathies, the WHO was also keen to sideline Taiwan whose independence Beijing refuses to recognise. If only Dr Tedros had not been so blinkered, Taiwan could have been a model for the world. In contrast to China and most of Europe, it avoided lockdown. There have also been reports of widespread corruption within the WHO. Dr Tess Lawrie, a consultant to the organisation, has warned: 'I was very alarmed by what I observed [during the pandemic]. The WHO failed to recommend evidence-based strategies. There were various treatment options available and evidence to support them, yet these options were suppressed.' Incredibly, on average, each WHO staffer of whom there are around 8,000 spends 22,000 a year on travel costs, the equivalent of the UK median salary. Such failings have existed ever since the WHO was created in 1948. The organisation does have some creditable achievements, such as the elimination of smallpox, but it has now grown into an expensive behemoth, devoid of principle and purpose. At one of its recent gatherings, the Communist dictatorship of North Korea which has a grim record on human rights, even starving its own people was among ten nations elected to sit on its Executive Board. While Russia was bombing maternity hospitals in Ukraine in June 2023, Dr Tedros met Vladimir Putin's deputy health minister to discuss 'work to advance maternal and child health'. The obsessions of the WHO can be ill-judged, such as its crusade against vaping. In Britain, vapes are viewed as an effective tool to help some smokers to quit. Supported by the UK's health watchdog, which found that vaping is 95 per cent safer than smoking, the NHS launched a Swap To Stop scheme, whereby smokers were given vapes as an alternative to cigarettes. The initiative was successful until it was punctured by the WHO, which claimed that vapes 'are designed to kill'. This hostility has led to new restrictions and taxes on vapes. Instead of encouraging the expansion of the WHO, Sir Keir Starmer's Government should be moving in the opposite direction and push for a radical overhaul. If that doesn't happen, Britain should drop its commitment to this increasingly discredited body, as the US is now preparing to do, and invest in an organisation that is fit for purpose one that excludes the malign influence of our geopolitical enemies. To survive the next pandemic, we need a Nato to defend our health. Fred Roeder is a health economist for the US lobby group Consumer Choice Centre. The atmosphere in Washington DC has been transformed this week. It is as if a gigantic generator has suddenly been activated in the heart of the capital. Disillusion has given way to hope, paralysis has been replaced by dynamism. After the last four years of incompetence, inanity and inertia under the Democrats in the White House, the advent of Donald Trump's second presidency feels like a powerful electric current surging through American politics. A new era of renewal beckons for the USA and for the Free World. At his inauguration on Monday, Trump, aged 78 and seven months, became the oldest figure in history to take the oath of office. But he is far more energetic and ambitious than many other presidents, particularly his immediate predecessor Joe Biden, whose visible accelerating decline turned him into a national embarrassment. The contrast between the two men was highlighted by Trump's whirlwind of activity from the moment he took power, so different to Biden's shuffling indolence and incoherence. It is only a slight exaggeration to say that Trump achieved more in his first couple of days as president than Biden did during his whole time in office. As a Brit in Washington, working at a conservative think-tank, I have also been struck by the difference between America's current upbeat mood and the gloom that accompanied Labour's landslide election victory last July. Not only was there little enthusiasm from the British public for the new government but, just as importantly, Sir Keir Starmer and his Chancellor Rachel Reeves persisted in wallowing in despair as they talked down the country's prospects in their first few months. Trump's approach has been the opposite. In his inaugural speech, he declared America is about to enter 'a golden age' that would see the county become 'great again'. US President Donald Trump throws a pen after signing executive orders during an indoor inauguration parade at Capital One Arena on January 20 Tesla, SpaceX and X CEO Elon Musk arrives to speak during an inauguration event at Capital One Arena on January 20 All elections are important, especially in the world's most powerful democracy. But 2024 was perhaps the most consequential of modern times.The very future of Western civilisation was at stake. A victory for Kamala Harris would have represented the triumph of the self-loathing, progressive ideology that despises our heritage, judges every policy through the prism of race, derides the concept of nationhood and thinks that borders and defences belong in the same dustbin of history. Trump's critics are fond of calling him a 'fascist' but that just illustrates the emptiness of their thinking in which any manifestations of national pride are portrayed as indicators of 'far right' sympathies. In truth, Trump is a classic US patriot who passionately believes that his government should put the needs of his country first. If only Britain and Europe had more leaders with a similar mentality, rather than the current breed of globalists with their worship of international governance. The eagerness of the Labour cabinet to hand over the Chagos Islands to Mauritius, then fork out 9billion for access to the military base there that we currently possess, is a classic example of this pattern. Trump's belief in America's destiny, combined with his tremendous self-confidence in his own abilities, has long been a key ingredient of his outlook. President Donald Trump signs executive orders in the Oval Office on January 20 in Washington, DC after he takes office for his second term Keir Starmer (pictured on Wednesday) and his Chancellor Rachel Reeves persisted in wallowing in despair as they talked down the country's prospects in their first few months, writes Nile Gardiner It is an attitude that reflects both his own bullish nature and also the influence of the 1950s American self-help guru Norman Vincent Peale, author of the colossal best-seller The Power Of Positive Thinking, which sold more than seven millioncopies worldwide. Peale was also a preacher and the young Trump was mesmerised by his oratorical gifts. 'You could listen to [Peale] all day long,' Trump once said. 'And when you left the church you were disappointed that it was over. He was the greatest guy. 'The new President's positivity is combined with a host of other qualities that make him such a formidable political force.Contrary to the Left-wing caricature of him as an architect of chaos, he is highly self-disciplined, has a powerful work ethic and a sharp brain that fastens on to the main points of any issue. I have been fortunate to meet him on several occasions so can testify to his intellectual acuteness, as well as his natural charm. But he is also remarkably tough. It is doubtful if anyone else in American public life could have showed the same resilience under constant attack that he has displayed in recent years. Despite hysterical abuse, a flood of often spurious law suits and an assassin's bullet, he survived to enter the White House yet again a feat not achieved since Grover Cleveland won a second non-consecutive term as president in 1892. Trump provokes ferocious controversy partly because he is so unorthodox. Central to his appeal is his showmanship, as reflected in his hugely popular rallies or his adoption of the Village People's 1970s anthem YMCA as his campaign song in 2024. When the Democrats were accused of calling his supporters 'garbage' during the election campaign, he brilliantly exploited the row by hiring a refuse truck and donning a hi-vis uniform. Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk walks on stage to speak during the inaugural parade inside Capital One Arena on January 20 He is also the master of social media, with a gift for nicknames, slogans and compelling imagery. His sense of theatre has shone through the events of this week, like the moment he had a huge inauguration parade crowd at the Capital One Arena cheering as he lobbed at them the pens with which he had just signed a host of executive orders. Trump is the only president who never served in any kind of political, public or military office before his election, so he is no worshipper of convention. Because he does not play by traditional rules, he is regarded as dangerous and unpredictable, though unpredictability can be an advantage, especially in foreign policy where the enemies of America will have their work cut out trying to guess how the Trump White House will react. In fact, a political outsider like this is exactly what the USA and the West needs. The orthodoxy of the progressive establishment has failed miserably. If Trump fulfils his promises, on the other hand, he will bring about another American revolution that will ensure the Free World flourishes once more, filled with confidence once more.This revolution will have three broad themes. The first is the defence of national integrity, which means strengthening the borders, reinforcing the military and restoring sovereignty by ending interference by supranational bodies. Tellingly Trump admires Brexit and dislikes the EU more than most British politicians. And he has already made a start on the protection of nationhood by signing executive orders that create a state of emergency at the southern border with Mexico, through which porous frontier so many migrants stream, and by announcing the USA's withdrawal from the dysfunctional World Health Organisation. The second strand is the end of the woke dogma's malignant stranglehold on civic culture. The obsession with identity politics has poisoned life in the West for too long, epitomised by ugly, divisive theories like 'white privilege'. Again Trump is acting quickly, instituting orders that require schools to uphold the scientific reality that there are only two genders. In the same vein, Trump declared he will block federal spending on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives and yesterday ordered the closure of all government DEI offices and for their employees to be placedon leave. The third theme is to promote economic growth by reining in the frontiers of the state, with reduced state expenditure enabling tax cuts and thereby boosting enterprise. The world's richest man Elon Musk will have a vital role here in heading the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), which could transform the way services are delivered. Much of the broadcast media likes to create a climate of foreboding about Trump but this kind of knee-jerk, ill-founded hostility no longer has much traction. From encouraging European nations to pay more towards their own defences to leading technological innovation, Trump's America could lead Britain and Europe towards broad sunlit uplands. We have a great advantage here in that Trump is an instinctive Anglophile, partly because of his affection for the Royal Family and partly because of his Scottish heritage on his mother's side. But to capitalise on that advantage, we would need to have a government that respects Trump's three-pronged agenda. And sadly, Starmer's doctrinaire socialists do not fit the bill. A former Green Party councillor spent years trying to block vital safety upgrades to the A47. The case reached the Supreme Court last year, which dismissed it for having no logical basis. A top judge even said it had an air of complete unreality. So why was he able to waste years of the courts time and squander tens of millions of pounds of taxpayer money? There are countless more examples of Nimbys and zealots gumming up the legal system often for their own ideological blindspots to stop the Government building the infrastructure the country needs. They know they have no chance of winning, they just want to drag it out in hopes that government or industry give up. They want to win for themselves, not for the country. Its like Extinction Rebellion activists who block the motorway at rush hour, without a care for the hard-working people going about their lives. An activist group prevented the development of an East Anglia wind farm for over two years, robbing people of lower bills and good jobs. Keir Starmer will today unveil plans for sweeping reforms of the judicial review system used by virtue-signalling protesters to hold back major developments Starmer (pictured with Angela Rayner at a building site in Cambridgeshire) said that a small minority should not be able to abuse our legal system to hold the country to ransom And another group delayed the Sizewell C nuclear plant with similar unsuccessful claims. And it is fear of challenge which leads to the ridiculous spectacle of the 100 million bat tunnel for HS2 or the proposal to install an acoustic fish deterrent 288 underwater speakers designed to scare fish away from Hinkley Point C nuclear power station. I wish I was joking. More than half of all decisions on major infrastructure in this country were taken to court, holding us back and stifling growth. I was the countrys chief prosecutor, locking up criminals and keeping the country safe. So I know how important it is that people can access justice when there is a genuine case to be made. But Mail readers will agree that a small minority should not be able to abuse our legal system to hold the country to ransom. The current rules dont work. Cases that are unarguable and unwinnable can be brought back to the courts three times. That causes years of delay. It costs hundreds of millions of pounds. It clogs up the courts. And strangles growth. An artist's impression image issued by HS2 of the Sheephouse Wood bat protection structure When completed - expected in the 2030s - Sizewell C will supply enough power to supply 6 million homes The entire country pays the price. Roads and railways are left in disrepair, ruining important journeys. Houses for hard-working Brits arent built. Businesses are hit by higher costs. And for what? So some people can pat themselves on the back, while others cant get to work or afford a home. At best, its naive. At worst, its self-righteous virtue-signalling. Bringing back common sense to building is the least this country deserves. Because if we want growth, we need the infrastructure to support it. Thats why were removing tools used by time-wasting Nimbys ungumming the system to deliver our Plan for Change and boost living standards across the country. Vexatious claims will get one hearing and thats it. No more. Were fast-tracking 150 major infrastructure projects, almost three times as many as the Tories managed in 14 years. That will give us the GP surgeries, the roads and railways, the reservoirs and grids to support the new homes, towns and villages were going to build. I know people want to see change in this country, and they want to see it now. So were clamping down on court cloggers to get Britain building again. And, before long, you will see the difference, as new roads and railways get you to work more quickly and safely. New wind farms and nuclear plants bring down your bills and create good, well-paid jobs. New houses and towns mean affordable housing for you and your children. New grids and warehouses make running a business more profitable. Growth is the No 1 mission of my government. My Plan for Change is about concrete action to rebuild Britain brick by brick. During these times when Britains economy is displaying such grave symptoms of decline, expanding Heathrow and other key airports would be a crucial stride towards growth. We hope Chancellor Rachel Reeves has indeed won the argument against those within her own party who would seek to block such multi-billion-pound investment on environmental grounds. A third runway at Londons main airport would revitalise its fortunes and have a positive knock-on effect for the whole country. It would promote the capital as a place to do business and also benefit the ordinary traveller, as the chief executive of easyJet pointed out yesterday, by allowing budget airlines to acquire slots at Heathrow. As Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer writes in the Mail today, removing brakes on large infrastructure developments such as by limiting the number of judicial reviews which can be held into each project is likely to trigger growth the UK desperately needs. Welcome as this is, it will not be a cure for all ills and the Chancellors stewardship of the economy so far leaves much to be desired. Official figures yesterday showed that public borrowing is soaring, coming in 4 billion higher than expected last month at almost 18 billion. This was despite the tax take rising above 94 billion in December, up 3 billion period-on-period. Rachel Reeves (pictured) is yet to confirm that permission for the runway will be granted, she is expected to do so in a speech later this month An artist's impression of how the expanded Heathrow Airport site could look The extra runway would increase capacity by 260,000 flights a year In short, more cash is coming into the Treasury and yet it is still borrowing hand over fist. Government spending will continue to soar inexorably because the cost of servicing the national debt is increasing, while in the past few days we have seen growth dip and the biggest jobs slump since Covid. Ms Reeves may be glad-handing around Davos this week telling the worlds business leaders that Britain is a great place to invest. But they will be well aware she has landed employers with billions in extra costs and that Labour harbours potentially crippling plans for workplace reform. Modest changes to planning laws will go only so far and the Chancellor must act to liberate investment across the board, rather than constrain it. Lesson in stupidity Academy schools are one of Britains biggest success stories of the past 25 years. It is baffling, therefore, that Labour has put forward legislation to scupper that success. Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch correctly described it yesterday as the worst of socialism and pure educational vandalism. Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch described it yesterday as the worst of socialism and pure educational vandalism Academies are independent of local authorities, have some freedom on curriculum and can set their own pay and conditions. In other words, they have the freedom to innovate. But the Childrens Wellbeing and Schools Bill would require them to follow the national curriculum and centralised pay scales, while employing only state-approved qualified teachers. The Bill implies that doctors are not sufficiently qualified to teach biology, that Olympic medallists cant teach PE, Ms Badenoch told the Commons. The academy programme, created by Tony Blair and enhanced by the Tories, has been an enormous success, boosting educational standards for millions of children. The Governments deeply flawed Bill will do nothing less than reverse this progress. Sir Keirs party is utterly beholden to the trade unions, who have always loathed academies pioneering spirit. The PM has surrendered to their demands to commit sabotage upon institutions he should be cherishing. A-Z of TV Thrillers (part two) Links: The third murder victim in any TV thriller always turns out to have had links with organised crime. Meathooks: Always to be found in derelict barns. Whatever for? Mirror: Within three seconds of looking in your bathroom mirror, you can be sure that a crazed killer, hellbent on revenge, will have appeared behind you. Multi-storey car park: In even the quietest multi-storey car park, there are never fewer than six cars chasing each other, performing screechy U-turns and/or bursting into flames. Neighbours: When you move into a new area, its the most cheery and welcoming neighbours who turn out to be the psychopaths. Pet dog: Any dog barking suspiciously will end up poisoned. Picture-Postcard Village: See Dark Underbelly. Janet Leigh in Psycho. Shower: Youre never, ever alone in a shower Plans for the future: The young soldier/policeman/secret agent with the most elaborate plans for the future (When I get home, I plan to ask Betsy to marry me, and to become a top sportsman) is sure to die just before the end of series one. Pleasant-looking friend of the lead actress: Always the first to end up on the coroners slab. Presence: Always sinister. Questions: Need asking. If what DCI Penny told Sgt Farthing was true, then why the hell didnt DI Shilling tell PC Pound what shed overheard DAC Purse tell Sgt Farthing about what Constable Guinea had said to DCI Penny? Or did DCI Penny already know that DI Shilling would tell PC Pound what shed overheard DAC Purse tell Sgt Farthing about what Constable Guinea had said to her? These questions need asking. Respectable firm of solicitors: The more respectable it seems, the more likely its a front for the Mafia. Second-in-command: The friendly, reliable, overweight deputy will always be gunned down 55 minutes into episode three. By the end of episode four, it will have begun to emerge that he was not quite so friendly or reliable after all. Questions need to be asked. Secrets: Always dark. Scandi-Noir: When a dismembered corpse with the words brutally murdered by serial killer tattooed on its chest floats ashore in Norways darkest, coldest, deepest and most miserable fjord, the brilliant, one-armed, dipsomaniac detective Olaf Olaffsson suspects he might just have a serial killer on his hands. To make matters worse, an avalanche has triggered the eruption of a volcano, which smashes the local dam and releases millions of gallons of water onto the isolated town of Misserji, which is already struggling to recover from an outbreak of... Shower: Youre never, ever alone in a shower. Skyscrapers: No need to descend 17 floors by lift when its so much easier to throw a rope out of the window and climb down by hand. Sleeping: When one half of a couple decides to get out of bed and creep away early the next morning, the other person is never woken up. Small-time crooks: Always run up against big-time crooks. With disastrous results. Stand still and widen your eyes in terror: What to do when threatened by a homicidal maniac. Strangers: Always mysterious. Trustworthy: The person you trust most the avuncular police chief, the warm-hearted neighbour, the top surgeon, the perfect nanny is always a psychopath, hell-bent on revenge. Skyscrapers in Manhattan. Skyscrapers: No need to descend 17 floors by lift when its so much easier to throw a rope out of the window and climb down by hand Try to get some sleep: Perfect thing to say to a young woman when a serial killer is on the loose. Up from the dead: Despite being shot, strangled and repeatedly smashed over the head with an iron bar, the villain will rise up from the dead just as the heroine is breathing a sigh of relief. Weird hobo: The character who doesnt brush his hair and lives alone is always the prime suspect until he, too, is found dead. What are you doing here? Dont ask me, Im not the writer. What it seems: Nothing is ever. Woods, Idyllic cabin in the: Where murderers always choose to live, decorating their untidy homes with bits and bobs theyve purloined over the years from their victims. This Hermer business becomes riper by the day. The more that ministers pooh-pooh it, the fiercer the pong. Same with a lump of gorgonzola at the back of the fridge. Eventually you must chuck it. Yesterday the Tories were finally granted a Commons urgent question into the conduct of Attorney General Lord Hermer, who was Sir Keir Starmers best friend at the bar. His lordships circle of acquaintances also included Gerry Adams, who filled idle moments by acting as a pallbearer at IRA funerals. Mr Adams was an early proponent of the black beret and dark glasses as fashion accoutrements for all peace-loving Ulstermen. Generous fellow, he paid 30,000 for Lord Hermers services as his defence barrister. Now the Starmer-Hermer government wants to alter the law in a way that may enrich Gerry the Beret with mega spondoolicks in human rights compensation. Was Lord Hermer (the Governments go-to Joe on human rights) involved in this new law that may benefit his ex-client? The small, subterranean Hermer refuses to comment, saying law officers advice is secret. Lord Hermer was Sir Keir Starmers best friend at the bar. Now the Starmer-Hermer government wants to alter the law in a way that may enrich Gerry the Beret with mega spondoolicks in human rights compensation Attorney General Richard Hermer. Today the Tories were finally granted a Commons urgent question into the conduct of Attorney General Lord Hermer His lordships circle of acquaintances also included Gerry Adams (pictured), who filled idle moments by acting as a pallbearer at IRA funerals His indignation when asked about the matter was that of a vegan hyena most impertinently suspected of carnivorous activity. Labour MPs stayed away from the urgent question in droves. Maybe they sensed that standing up for Lord Hermer might be a hard sell on constituency doorsteps. It fell to the Solicitor General, Lucy Rigby, to defend the lord. She did so with a certain tetchiness. The matter sounded tiresome to her. Vulgar. Conservatives were cynical to think ill of a jurist as august as mlud Hermer. Antonia Bance (Lab, Tipton and Wednesbury) provided covering fire. Sister Bance, who seems to have a permanently blocked nose, read from a slip of paper that Hermer was a biskinwished abvocade. We learned she meant distinguished advocate. As Ms Bance sat down she pulled a rueful face, as if saying thats wot it says on this piece of paper, anyway. A few other greasers were in attendance, among them Graeme Downie (Dunfermline & Dollar), who wrung his fingers wretchedly before speaking up for Lord Gorgonzola KC. A cologned Herbert called Tony Vaughan (Folkestone & Hythe), palpably a barrister, brayed that lawyers acted without fear or favour. The same cannot always be said for backbench MPs who defend the indefensible to suck up to Whips. For so successful a barrister, Lord Hermer seems to have been strangely open to hire by people who did not love the British Crown Jim Shannon (DUP, Strangford) observed coldly that Mr Adamss hands are dripping with innocent blood. We also heard lawyers must not be blamed for their clients, just as journalists must not be judged by their interviewees. Allow me to observe, as an inky, that it is nearly always the same type of reporter who volunteers to interview busty starlets from Swindon, while quite different scribes pursue exclusive chats with Islamist warlords. Ms Rigby, more succinct than most lawyers, made terse reference to the cab rank principle that barristers are obliged to take cases if they have no other work. For so successful a barrister, Lord Hermer seems to have been strangely open to hire by people who did not love the British Crown. Suspected terrorists came calling and he was like Mr Humphries in Are You Being Served? Coooeee, Im free! Jim Shannon (DUP, Strangford) observed coldly that Mr Adamss hands are dripping with innocent blood. All of which, as Tories repeatedly pointed out, had nothing to do with this controversy, which was simply about Lord Hermers conduct since he joined the Government. Has he been using his office to do favours for ex-clients? Ms Rigby, prim as an ice cube, insisted that she could say nothing owing to the Law Officers Convention. Ben Obese-Jecty (Con, Huntingdon) wondered out loud if Lord Hermers position was much longer tenable. Which allows a closing paragraph to record that the public accounts committee interrogated mandarins about over-spending. I toddled along but the reporters seats had been removed. Reserved for committee staff, said a note. There were ten of these aides for just eight MPs. Committees used to survive with one clerk. If Parliament is worried about waste it could start with its own horde of flunkies. The art of going clubbing appears to be making a resurgence among Gen Z Gen Z have slammed members of their own generation for promoting 'grandma culture' instead of going out clubbing. The peer group have become infamous for their lacklustre attitude towards going out, instead preferring to stay at home on their own and giving up alcohol. In recent years, young peoples habits have become increasingly associated with an anti-drinking culture, as many trade booze and partying for sober activities like pottery or running, while they've even been blamed for club closures. Last year, a trend revealed that many Gen Z workers were complaining about going for after-work drinks, insisting the time spent with colleagues was the equivalent of 'unpaid work'. However, party-loving members of the generation are now praying for the downfall of grandma culture, insisting that people in their 20s around the world should return to the clubs, go 'feral' and 'sleep when we're dead'. One British creator, Bekah, who has built a 378,000 strong following on TikTok, regularly posts clips of her raving across clubs throughout Europe and around the world. In one recent post she wrote: 'I hate grandma culture. Sleep when you're dead. I just want to be feral in different locations all of 2025.' Another Berlin-based creator, @whos.eddna, posted several clips from a night out raving alongside the caption: 'I hate grandma culture. We can sleep when we're dead oh my God. I just wanna go absolutely feral in the club and be up all f***ing long.' Gen Z have slammed members of their own generation for promoting 'grandma culture', insisting more people should be partying and 'clubbing' instead A third American creator, ginnythenomad, posted a video urging people in their 20s to 'party more'. During the clip, Ginny mused: 'People in their early 20s should party - I partied so much when I was younger. 'You have your whole life to stay at home and be a grandma. Do it while you're young, while you have the energy and you don't get hungover. 'Make those memories with your friends because some of the best memories are going out and sure, you can wake up the day next day and go to yoga but some of the best friendships that I made have been with people I partied with. 'Eventually you do other things and grow that relationship. But don't knock partying. Go to raves, go to festivals, do it all, live all of those lives. 'Going out, being around people, feeling that energy, having random epiphanies in the middle of the night. It can be one of the most introspective times. 'Of course be careful, don't over do it but have fun - you're only young once,' she concluded. Several in the comments agreed with the sentiment. One wrote: 'This!! I will never understand why most people my age are so desperately searching for their other halves and missing out on the best times of their lives.' Another said: 'Everyone be like "clubs are bad energy, partying is so bad for you" so I feel like a bad person for liking clubbing.' The peer group once famed for their lacklustre attitude to towards going out, are now praying for the downfall of grandma culture, insisting that people in their 20s should return to the clubs and 'sleep when were dead' One British creator, Bekah (pictured), who has built a 378,000 strong TikTok following, regularly posts clips of her raving across clubs throughout Europe and around the world In other clips, Gen Zers lament their 'staying-in' preferring generation, with many insisting their 20s are 'all about celebrating with friends' Party-loving members of the generation are now praying for the downfall of grandma culture, insisting that people in their 20s around the world should return to the clubs, go 'feral' and 'sleep when we're dead' In other clips, Gen Zers have grown increasingly frustrated with other members of their generation who prefer to stay in, meaning the age group has gained a reputation for being 'boring'. One person said: 'Just a reminder we're only in out 20s, there are the years we'll remember forever. Go party this weekend.' One LA based creator with the username, _bby.gigi, said: 'I mean it with my whole heart when I say I am so tired of grandma culture. We were born less than two minutes ago, we can sleep when we're dead. I want to go absolutely feral in the club and be up all f*****g night long. 'I long to have so many cute s***y outfits begging to be worn. I want to have the best night ever every single weekend with nothing but a disposable camera. We will literally never bounce back as fast as we do now before I lose my goddamn mind in societal hell.' However, many are still divided over the 'right' way to spend their twenties, with several insisting young people should 'party more' while others prefer a sedentary lifestyle away from heavy socialising. Several in the comment sections of party-promoting Gen Zers disagreed with the hedonistic take on youth. Writing on the video posted by, _bby.gigi, one wrote: 'Can't relate. I don't want to be overstimulated at the club ever again to be honest. I want to crochet and read my book on my sofa.' A second agreed writing: 'Everyone is different. None of my 'best nights' have been ones where I've been out partying/hanging with friends. I'd rather be in bed reading.' Last year, bosses were urged to replace the traditional post-work pint with daytime socialising to be more inclusive and appeal to drink-adverse Gen-Z staff It comes after a study revealed that 20 per cent of Gen Z think Dry January is outdated because they believe more people should have gone teetotal, or developed a more flexible relationship with booze. According to the study, one fifth of 18 to 24-year-olds are teetotal, which is 12 per cent higher than the national average. Around 22 per cent of Brits are taking on the alcohol-free challenge - though the younger generation believe that there is no point in quitting for just a month. And last year, bosses were urged to replace the traditional post-work pint with daytime socialising to be more inclusive and appeal to drink-adverse Gen-Z staff. Workers from across the UK took TikTok to express their disdain for mingling with colleagues when they're off the clock, even suggesting that they should be paid overtime for it. Responding to careers influencer Brooklyn Norton, who asked whether people still like work drinks, one wrote: 'Unless I'm getting paid to be there I absolutely will not be joining you.' Another added: 'I get paid to talk to colleagues 9-5, not after', while a fellow critic agreed, saying: 'Unless company socialising is on company time, I am not participating. They are colleagues, not friends. 'I already spend more time with them than my actual friends and family. Hard pass for me.' A recent report found that after-work drinks are dying out, as more people work from home and younger staff prefer not to drink with 21 per cent of under-25s saying they avoided booze completely last year, up from 14 per cent in 2017. This change in behaviour has led one think tank to suggest that bosses should ditch the idea of evening drinks completely - replacing them with more activities that appeal to workers who are less booze-focused, like group breakfasts or away days. READ MORE: The sportswomen earning most on OnlyFans Tanisha Bellucci says OnlyFans work can be 'overwhelming' and it isn't all fun A 19-year-old OnlyFans model - who is the daughter of 'Britain's most hated mother' - has warned fellow Gen Zs that work on the platform is not as 'wild' as they think. Tanisha Bellucci, whose mother Carla Bellucci is perhaps best known for antics like charging her family 200 for Christmas dinner, and putting out content on the adult site herself - says influencers are giving a false impression of how provocative it is, but warned that men can be 'pushy' with 'extreme' requests. One name which comes to mind is Lily Philips, 23, who rose to international notoriety after allegedly having sex with 100 men in 24 hours. Tanisha, from Hertfordshire, who joined the subscription-based site at age 18, says she only shares bikini pictures on the platform and refuses to do anything more risque. She is now speaking out to debunk myths surrounding OnlyFans, and claims creating sexual content can be 'overwhelming'. 'Im totally shocked by it all,' said Tanisha. 'Extreme sex content leaves such a bad impression, especially for young girls like me on the platform. Its crazy. 'I only share pictures of myself in bikinis and underwear, and Im doing alright financially. I still very much have boundaries about what Im happy to share. 'To be in this game, youve got to have limits it is not a wild free-for-all. Tanisha Bellucci (pictured), 19, has warned fellow Gen Zs that OnlyFans work is not as 'wild' as they think 'The work is quite overwhelming sometimes, as men are very pushy about what they want, and thats just my experience with pictures.' However Tanisha, a former coffee shop waitress, admits exiting the platform completely is 'tricky' as the cash is fast and long. She also explained that for Gen Zs like herself, the allure of making so much cash at a young age is all too tempting. 'You dont come across money like this,' Tanisha said. 'When youre young, it becomes addictive and youre quickly swept off doing stuff you previously would never do... 'I stuck at my coffee shop job for a while, as it was handy for some cash, but it wasnt what I wanted to do forever.' Tanisha, pictured, joined the subscription-based site at age 18 and says the job can be 'overwhelming' Tanisha, pictured, says influencers are giving a false impression of the platform and how provocative it is At first selling racy snaps on OnlyFans was just a side gig, however after scoring a whopping 1,000 in 24 hours, Tanisha knew this was the career for her. Her mother, Carla, 42, was already using OnlyFans but worried about what her daughter would upload. 'When I spotted my mother getting paid quite a bit in exchange for photos, though, I was hooked,' revealed Tanisha. 'Its all I ever spoke about and when I turned 18, I wanted to set myself up immediately. 'Mum told me to take some time to think about it more. She was worried about the mental impact it would have and how far I would go with what I was putting out. 'But after I got fired from my day job, it was a no-brainer. I was used to working so hard for so little, but suddenly, I was making a fortune from doing nothing.' The model, from Hertfordshire, says she only shares bikini pictures on the platform but 'men can be pushy' Tanisha is the daughter of Carla Bellucci (pictured left), 42, perhaps best known for antics like charging her family 200 for Christmas dinner, and is a star on OnlyFans herself While she wont divulge exact figures, Tanisha claims to have made more cash in the past three months than she would've made in a year at the coffee shop. She has splashed the cash on clothes, bags and a new laptop - but a large chunk of the earnings have also been saved towards a house deposit. But for those hoping to follow in her footsteps, she advised taking a step back to consider if it was the right move, as sometimes things can get too 'extreme'. Tanisha added: 'If I got asked to do something extreme, I would question if my self-respect is even worth that type of cash.' Earlier this year, her mother announced that she wanted to retire in two years at the age of 45 with plans to use her daughters OnlyFans earnings to do so. The former glamour model also admitted to charging her family 200 per head for their Christmas Day roast. The mother-of-four previously relocated from her home in Hertfordshire due to the hate she receives, and is no stranger to rubbing people the wrong way. In 2023, 'Britain's most hated mum' caused an uproar when she announced that her family would need to fork out 150 each for a roast on the 25th of December. And last year, she said the cost of living crisis had forced her to up the fee to 200, with just one glass of bubbly included. 'As we are in a cost-of-living crisis and everything has gone up, I need to cover the costs somehow,' Carla said. 'It includes a three-course meal, with a glass of champagne, but they can bring spirits and other drinks, that's not my problem.' She added: 'Mostly friends come to mine on Christmas Day, but some family members do, too. 'Only the adults need to pay up, children under 16 can come for free and there's around 10 of us.' She also once revealed her plans to mark her daughter's 18th birthday with strippers and expensive champagne - and said she wouldn't take any notice of critics. Queen Maxima of the Netherlands rocked a stylish orange power suit on Wednesday as she visited a children's foundation. The royal, 53, was visiting Kansrijke ('Promising') Start in Zeist, a programme aiming to give children the best possible start in life. Maxima showed her typical love for bright colours, opting for a vibrant orange suit by Claes Iversen from 2016 with a gray turtleneck underneath. Keeping in with the colour palette, she added orange floral earrings from Begum Khan, a gray clutch from Valentino and pumps from Gianvito Rossi. Maxima chose to keep her blonde tresses loose around her shoulders, adding a casual edge for the down-to-earth visit. While there, she joined a group of pregnant women participating in the 'centering pregnancy' programme. She also visited a pregnancy group for those who receive extra support, for example if Dutch is not their first language or if they have a poor support network. The Dutch monarch spoke to parents taking part in 'Stevig Ouderschap', which focuses on increasing the self-confidence and self-reliance of parents. Queen Maxima of the Netherlands rocked a stylish orange power suit on Wednesday as she visited a children's foundation Kansrijke Start focuses on strengthening the foundation of the first thousand days of a child's life, from ten months before birth until they are two years old. The royal appeared in beaming spirits, speaking gently and in an engaged manner with those she met. It appears Maxima has been keen to dress as brightly as possible this week, as on Tuesday she stepped out in a green monochrome look in Utrecht. She beamed as she headed in to the National Education Exhibition in the Jaarbeurs venue in the medieval city. The mother-of-three looked sensational in a knee-length, green, A-line leather skirt that she paired with a matching boxy green top. Maxima added a nude, woven leather clutch bag and matching knee-high boots to balance her otherwise bold outfit. The royal, 53, was visiting Kansrijke ('Promising') Start in Zeist, a programme aiming to give children the best possible start in life While there, she joined a group of pregnant women participating in the 'centering pregnancy' programme The programme aims to give children the best possible start in life, focusing closely on their first 1,000 days Dutch Queen Maxima visits the Zeist-West Health Center, where the 'Kansrijke Start' (Solid Start) program that aims to give children the best possible start to life is practised Maxima chose to keep her blonde tresses loose around her shoulders, adding a casual edge for the down-to-earth visit She also visited a pregnancy group for those who receive extra support, for example if Dutch is not their first language or if they have a poor support network Maxima showed her typical love for bright colours, opting for a vibrant orange suit by Claes Iversen from 2016 with a gray turtleneck underneath Maxima is known for her love of bright colours and will often wear vibrant ensembles The queen accessorised with a statement snake brooch from the British brand Sardi, which was founded in 1974 and is known for its colourful jewellery, as well as a pair of simple silver earrings and a chunky ring. While she kept her base makeup fresh and dewy, she added a sweep of dark eyeliner for a dramatic finish. The skirt is one of the Queen's favourite pieces that she has worn on a number of occasions since 2021, with the stylish royal re-inventing it over the years by making small alterations. During her visit on Tuesday, Maxima officially opened National Education Exhibition which is the largest trade event for professionals in childcare, out-of-school care, primary and secondary education. January 22, 2025: Since 2023 Israel has had one problem after another. For a long time problems never seemed to get solved. That has changed as Lebanon became less of a threat since Israel destroyed Hezbollah, the Iranian-backed Shia militia that controlled southern Lebanon for decades. Lebanon and Syria were hostile towards Israel until 2024 when Syria had an unexpected change of government with HST, a former Islamic terrorist group, and its charismatic leader conquering Syria in a week. The Assads, which had been ruling Syria for over fifty years, fled to Russia, along with the remaining Russian troops in Syria. Iranian forces were also expelled. Iran helped found and long supported Hezbollah. This group dominated southern Lebanon and parts of Syria for decades. In 2024 an Israeli effort to destroy Hezbollah succeeded. This victory took nearly a decade to plan but succeeded. It will take years, if not longer for Hezbollah to be reconstituted. That may not happen because the new HTS government in Syria wants peace with Israel and peace in Lebanon. Israel is still in southern Lebanon rooting out all the elements who want to attack Israel. There is an unusual complication Lebanon is now a failed state with just a name but no government, or armed forces. The government went bankrupt and the army deserted for lack of pay. There isnt even enough money for them to agree on a president. The army presently consists of paper soldiers and a few senior officers; the United States contributes money in an effort to pretend Lebanon has an army and government. This also enriches a few people and serves whatever other CIA purposes in need of covert cash. Lebanese Christian and Sunni militias lack the money to mobilize for the extended effort required to eliminate Hezbollahs militia forces which the Israelis have not destroyed. Hezbollah is still a problem because unless Israeli forces extend the Israeli border north, Hezbollahs remnant militias are still there with some undiscovered rockets and missiles. Another option, which Israel last used decades ago, is for Israel or the Americans to provide money and heavy weapons to Lebanons Sunni and Christian militias. These revitalized forces will happily drive Lebanons Shia somewhere else. But right now they cant afford to mobilize for offensive operations and probably lack the heavy weapons. They didnt have the money to pay those from the disbanding Lebanese army, so those went to Hezbollah. Money is so scarce in Lebanon and the Sunni and Christian leaders would have more rewarding uses for the cash we offer them to destroy Hezbollah.] Theres no nearby refuge for Hezbollah remnants, which has also lost access to its longtime patron Iran. Often forgotten is the fact that Israel has made peace with some of its neighbors. Egypt and Jordan were the first in 1978 and 1994. Now there are negotiations for peace with a reconstituted Lebanon and Syria. Turkey has long provided sanctuary for Islamic terrorists and other outlawed groups that were driven out of nearby nations. As long as these exiles caused no problems inside Turkey, they were free to plot and scheme all they liked. Turkey also offered the exiles work as mercenaries to fight the Kurds in eastern Turkey plus the Russians and pro-Western factions in Libya. For a long time Israel has had to deal with the troublesome Arab Fatah government in the West Bank and Hamas in Gaza. Since late 2024 Hamas has been trapped in Gaza and the Israeli military is threatening the group with extinction. The only asset Hamas has is dozens of Western and Israeli hostages taken during a late 2023 Hamas offensive out of Gaza towards Israel. That attack failed and Hamas is negotiating a peace deal that will leave the Hamas remnants intact in return for the hostages. The problem with that is that most of the hostages appear to have been killed during the Gaza fighting or murdered by their Hamas captors. Fatah and Hamas still agree that Israel must be destroyed and Jews expelled from the region before there can be peace. In the meantime, Hamas remnants and Fatah encourage violence against Israelis and Palestinian civilians. Outsiders like the Saudis, European Union and World Bank dismiss or trivialize the realities that Israel faces from Palestinian violence. They also assume that Hamas and Fatah can prevent their radical factions from violently disrupting any outside peace efforts. Some foreign donor nations, especially Moslem nations, are aware of the reality of the situation but keep silent. Contradicting the Saudis, EU and World Bank by pointing out the reality of the situation is ignored. What cannot be ignored by Israel is the growing Palestinian violence. In 2023 there was more violence in the West Bank that required Israel forces to deal with. At first it was armed Palestinian groups fighting each other for dominance while organizing attacks on Israelis or in Israel itself. This led to a degree of fighting in the West Bank not seen since 2021 and it was feared it could lead to a new Palestinian offensive or intifada. This would be the third one. The first lasted from 1987 to 1993 while the second one was from 2000 to 2005. Israel defeated all of them and the 2000 Intifada was crushed by 2005. As long as Palestinians had free access to Israel, the Fatah Palestinian government urged and encouraged Palestinians to attempt attacks inside Israel. The Israelis responded with tighter border controls which kept the terrorist threat low in Israel. Fatah insisted they had a right to keep trying to kill Israelis and, for over a decade, Arab and Western nations kept providing aid to the West Bank and Gaza despite the fact that more and more of it was used to support and encourage more terrorism against Israel. Some Palestinian leaders tried to describe the violence as an effort to defend Islam. The Palestinians were not very religious and their violence against Israelis was justified by their belief that Israel must be destroyed and Israelis driven from the region so that Palestinians could fight among themselves undisturbed. There were other problems, mainly involving corruption. This has led more donor states, Moslem and non-Moslem, to openly complain of Fatah misuse of aid money. Fatah denied it and continued their corrupt ways. The donors cut their aid, often to nothing. It was not just the Fatah support of terrorism but the growing Fatah corruption which meant a lot of the aid was stolen to enrich Fatah leaders. Palestinians also opposed the Fatah policy and Fatah was forced to tolerate more and more Palestinians renouncing terror to pass the background check and work in Israel. West Bank Palestinian jobs in Israel have become a crucial part of the West Bank economy, even more so than they were back in 2000. Palestinians were barred from those jobs for nearly a year after the Hamas October 2023 attacks. Over 100,000 Palestinians depend on those jobs because the 20,000 0r so working in Israel have dependents who are destitute without that income. The post-2000 ban on Palestinian workers was unpopular with many Israeli employers, but the threat was so great that Israeli employers had to pay more to import and hire non-Moslem foreigners for as long as there was a threat that Palestinian workers were likely to try and kill Israelis. Both Israel and the former or potential Palestinian workers knew that a growing number of those Palestinian workers could be trusted to work in Israel. Those who violated that trust faced prison or worse if they played any part in an attack. Anyone associated with these untrustworthy Palestinians had a more difficult time getting permits to work in Israel. The growth in the number of trustworthy Palestinian workers was something neither Israel nor Fatah wanted to publicize lest the Islamic radicals declare war on Palestinians working or seeking to work in Israel. This might trigger a civil war in the West Bank, something Fatah did not want but the radicals were less opposed to. There are Palestinian factions that believe chaos in the West Bank would spread to Israel and weaken Israeli power. This is a minority belief that ignores the Israeli ability to organize effective responses to Palestinian violence. Life inside Israel is peaceful. Most Palestinians wish they had a similar situation, and they would be correct if not for the endless supply of radical factions insisting violence is the solution. West Bank violence between Palestinians and Israelis living in the many Jewish settlements has been on the increase for over a decade. The upsurge in violence is the result of the Palestinian leadership calling for another intifada uprising in 2013. This was a side-effect of the rebellion in Syria and the 2011 Arab Spring revolutions in general. While some Palestinian leaders called for another intifada uprising, most Palestinians, especially those over 30, fear the economic consequences of that and warn the pro-intifada radicals that there is not a lot of popular support for another round of violence. Israel has shown they know how to handle this at little cost to themselves and great cost to the Palestinians. All this is complicated by persistent American efforts to achieve a negotiated peace between Israel and the Palestinians. The Palestinian peace talks never made much progress. The talks were held at the insistence of the U.S., which threatened to cut aid if the talks did not happen, but kept it going to Fatah regardless of what Fatah did or did not do. American leaders are aware of Palestinian attitudes on peace with Israel but the U.S. still assumes that a peace deal is possible if you keep trying. Thats one definition of insanity, continuing to try and make the same policies work and failing. For years Palestinian leaders have agreed to give peace talks a chance approach when speaking to Western leaders and reporters but they then turn around and tell their followers that, of course, Israel must be destroyed and that there is no other solution. For most Western leaders the disunity, corruption and general chaos within the Palestinian community is seen as a larger problem than a peace deal. That may be true, but without a positive attitude towards a peace deal, there wont be any peace. Despite all this, for over a decade many Palestinians have been talking about another Intifada as if more civil disorder will change anything. Peace is not on the agenda. Most Israelis and Americans agree. Even without a new intifada, casual violence in the West Bank kept increasing. This usually takes the form of young men throwing stones at Israeli soldiers or civilians. Israeli women and children are the preferred targets because they are the least likely to shoot back if the rocks begin to inflict injuries. Palestinian propaganda praises those who kill children just as much as those who killed soldiers or police. All are heroes of the Palestinian struggle to destroy Israel. This is becoming embarrassing for some Western nations when it was pointed out that their aid money was being used directly for some of this propaganda. The disruptive impact of small groups of radicals is a long tradition in the Middle East, especially after Islam was introduced over a thousand years ago. Islam is the only major religion whose scripture mandates continuous violence against non-believers. The Islamic scriptures make it clear that the mere existence of infidels is a threat to Islam and these infidels must be attacked, no matter what the cost. Most Moslems ignore this aspect of their religion, at the risk of being declared a heretic if nearby conservative Moslems decide to get violent and make war on any Infidels within reach. Many Moslems, including Gulf oil state Arab governments, are openly seeking a way to reform Islam and eliminate this flaw which has been crippling Islam and killing Moslems for over a thousand years. This is a serious effort and one reason for making peace with Israel. The Islamic militants in the regions oppose efforts to give peace a chance. Ivanka Trump, 43, showed her collection of jewels from Leviev Ivanka Trump did not hold back on the lavish jewels at her father's inauguration festivities and donned over $1.1 million (894,564) worth of diamonds. At the events marking Donald Trump becoming the 47th President of the United States, the American businesswoman, 43, showed off her extensive diamond collection from Leviev. During a dinner the night before the inauguration, Ivanka matched her Oscar de la Renta gown with a pair of Leviev drop earrings, which retail at with $900,000 (731,916). Breaking down the look in conversation with Business Insider, a representative from the brand said that the pear-shaped piece is 18.08-carat. Then, at the Liberty Inaugural Ball, Ivanka sported two additional Leviev pieces alongside her custom recreation of a 1954 couture gown worn by Audrey Hepburn. The dress was made in homage of Hubert de Givenchy's 1954 Haute Couture black-and-white gown, which was originally designed for Audrey in the film Sabrina. Ivanka's representative said that she was 'honoured' to wear the gown and 'incredibly grateful for the Arnault family and Givenchy atelier for creating this masterpiece, capturing the original artistry and elegance with remarkable precision and craftsmanship.' She added to the look with a 50-carat mid-length diamond necklace costing $180,000 (146,383) and a pair of diamond cluster earrings worth $60,000 (48,794). Ivanka Trump donned $1.1 million (894,564) worth of jewelry at her father's inauguration events, including a pair of Leviev drop earrings, which retail at with $900,000 (731,916) (pictured) Israeli businessman Lev Leviev, 68, a billionaire diamond magnate who Forbes once referred to as 'The King of Diamonds', launched the business on London's Old Bond Street in 2006. The luxury brand is said to have ties with Ivanka's real estate investor husband, Jared Kushner, 44. Leviev president and CEO Chagit Leviev told Business Insider: 'We are proud to have our exquisite Leviev jewelry worn by Ivanka at this historic event with such elegance and poise'. 'These diamond fine jewelry pieces made the perfect finishing touches to complete her iconic inauguration looks.' Elsewhere, Melania Trump's wide brimmed boater caused quite the stir at husband Donald's inauguration on Monday. The First Lady, 54, opted for a long, tailored navy-blue coat by American designer Adam Lippes, along with a pair of suede Manolo Blahnik heels and black leather gloves. At the Liberty Inaugural Ball, Ivanka sported two additional Leviev pieces - a 50-carat mid-length diamond necklace costing $180,000 (146,383) and a pair of diamond cluster earrings worth $60,000 (48,794) (both pictured) Pictured: Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump at the Liberty Inaugural Ball on January 20, 2025 in Washington, DC However, the standout piece of the outfit was her large navy wide-brimmed hat with a flat top and white trimming, designed by Eric Javits. Despite comparisons to the McDonald's character Hamburglar, Javits has since told ABC News the hat was supposed to be 'simple,' 'understated,' and 'classic.' The designer went on to reveal the political motivations behind the look, explaining: 'I think she was thinking of protocol and looking very elegant and very simple in a way.' 'It's a time of some restraint, and it's really sort of a turning point to more conservative values,' he added. Javits explained that he crafted the creation solo with only eight percent of the stitching machine sewn. 'No other hands touched it prior to Herve [Pierre, Melania's personal stylist] and the First Lady receiving it,' he said. In a statement released on Monday morning, Melania's dress designer Adam Lippes said it had been an 'honour' for his New York atelier to dress the First Lady for a tradition that 'embodies the beauty of American democracy', and that her outfit was the product of 'America's finest craftsmen.' While the hat may have been the focal point of her outfit, many users on X, couldn't help but compare it to that of McDonald's character Hamburglar, who wears a big black hat with a stripe in the middle. Ivanka sported numerous jewels from Leviev - a brand that reportedly has ties to her husband Jared Kushner 'Meet Melania Hamburglar Trump,' one user on X wrote, as they sent out a picture of the character. Another user agreed, 'Melania Trump serving Madam First Lady Hamburglar at the #Inauguration2025.' Others, however, joked that she wore the hat to avoid her husband's kisses. 'Oh, now it makes sense. Melania wore the hat as a barrier to Trump's lips. Got it.' one X user wrote. Another typed, 'Smart. That has kept Trump's gnarly lips off Melania's cheek when he entered the Capitol.' 'Trump trying to kiss Melania under that hat is hilarious,' a second user agreed. The newly sworn in President and the First Lady attended three inaugural balls on Monday night in Washington D.C. The duo started at the military-themed Commander in Chief Ball, before heading to the nearby Liberty Ball where they danced onstage with the entire Trump family. Then, they motorcaded to Union Station for the Starlight Ball. 'We needed three because we have such support,' Trump told the crowd at the Liberty Ball at the Walter E. Washington Convention Centre Monday night. They couple completed their first slow dance to The Battle Hymn of the Republic, played by the United States Marine Band, before Vice President J.D. Vance and his wife, Usha, joined them onstage. Both couples then danced with members of the military, as is the custom. The Venezuelan event planner said she had had a 'difficult year' Prince Nikolaos of Greece and family friend Chrysi Vardinogianni are engaged, according to local media - less than a year after his shock split from his wife of 14 years Princess Tatiana. The royal, whose father was Constantine II of Greece - the last king of Greece after it abolished its monarchy in 1973 and Prince William's godfather, is 'planning to tie the knot in a very private ceremony', reported Hello! Greece. Prince Nikolaos, 55, and Chrysi, daughter of ship owner Giorgos Vardinogiannis and Agapi Politi, have reportedly attended several family events together - including a memorial for the late King Constantine and Princess Theodora and Matthew Kumar's wedding. However, they weren't pictured together at Prince Nikolaos' sister's nuptials - instead preferring to keep a low profile, revealed the publication. Chrysi, who has reportedly long been a close friend of the Greek royal family, split from her husband Konstantinos Markoulakis, a director, in December 2023. Meanwhile, last April, Prince Nikolaos announced his separation from Princess Tatiana, who later shared how she had had a 'difficult year', months after announcing her split and later learning that her stepbrother had gone missing. Nikolaos - once dubbed the 'Playboy Prince after partying with the likes of Elle Macpherson and Jemima Khan, according to Tatler - will only be inviting close friends and family to his big day, the local publication claimed. However, it's unclear if a date has been set for the reported nuptials. MailOnline has contacted the Greek Royal Family for comment. Prince Nikolaos of Greece pictured with his ex wife Princess Tatiana in 2015 In October, Tatiana, 44, told Greek publication BHMagazino that she had endured a 'difficult year' following the split from her husband, which was made worse by the terrifying disappearance of her stepbrother Attilio Brillembourg, 53. The royal - a publicist and event planner - said that 2024 has been: 'A really difficult year for me, one of transition, full of moments of uncertainty and pain.' After almost 14 years of marriage, Princess Tatiana and Prince Nikolaos shocked royal fans when they suddenly announced their separation on April 19. Less than a month later, the princess was hit with more terrifying news after it was revealed that her stepbrother, Attilio Brillembourg III, had vanished in the middle of the night in Malibu. Attilio is the son of Princess Tatiana's former stepfather, Attilio Brillembourg, who was previously married to her mother and accompanied her at her 2010 wedding to Prince Nikolaos of Greece. The younger Attilio, a financier who lived in New York and is rumoured to have dated Charlie Chaplins granddaughter Kiera Chaplin, is thought to still be missing after he vanished in May. At the time his missing persons report was filled, the sheriff's department said there was 'concern' for Attilio's 'wellbeing'. Tatiana reflected on the difficult year behind her. She said: 'Life's challenges remind me how important it is to persevere, to have hope and faith in the power of the human spirit.' Prince Nikolaos (pictured in 2016), 55, and Chrysi, daughter of ship owner Giorgos Vardinogiannis and Agapi Politi, have reportedly attended several family events together Despite the tumultuous year, the former Greek royal highlighted the support she had received from family, from whom she said she had drawn 'immense strength'. She said she had learned the importance of allowing herself to feel her own emotions and having compassion for herself. Prince Nikolaos married Venezuelan-born Princess Tatiana in August 2010. All appeared to be well between the couple with the two continuing to attend events together up until February 2024. The couple were pictured together in February - just two months before announcing their split - at a thanksgiving service for Nikolaos' father in Windsor in February. Prince Nikolaos' father, Constantine II of Greece, died in Athens in 2023 of a stroke at the age of 82. In a statement put out on the Greek royal family's website, it stated: ;After fourteen years of marriage, [Tatiana and Nikolaos] have chosen to amicably dissolve their union. 'This decision was reached with great care and mutual respect, reflecting the depth of their appreciation for one another and the moments they have shared. 'Their future interactions will continue to be guided by these same principles of respect and understanding, as they transition into a relationship rooted in a strong friendship. 'They will continue to live and build their lives in Greece, a place they both call home. The Family will always support them.' According to HELLO! Greece, Venezuela-born Tatiana will keep her Princess title after the divorce, although given the Greek monarchy has been defunct since 1967, it carries social prestige rather than any constitutional meaning. Down-to-earth Tatiana already seemed at odds with the extravagance of Greek royal life, asking the nobles and princes present to trade their formal wear for kaftans and sandals. Shortly after her wedding, she admitted: 'I do not feel like a princess. I do not feel that I married a prince, with a title. Well actually, yes, he is my prince, but nothing more.' Tatiana was born in Venezuelan capital Caracas and went to boarding school in Switzerland before studying sociology at Georgetown. The couple met during a ski holiday in Switzerland in 2003 and announced their engagement six years later - with the wedding one of the high society events of the year. The wedding - which was described as 'Mamma Mia, but with aristocrats' - was attended by royalty from around the world, including monarchies from the Netherlands, Denmark, Sweden and Spain. The couple do not share any children together. Shortly after their wedding, Princess Tatiana left her job as an events' organiser for designer Diana Von Furstenberg, MailOnline previously reported. She lived in Chelsea in London and visited Greece with Nikalaos for the first time in 2004, before moving there permanently in 2013. Nikalaos, who was raised in Britain, had always dreamed of living in Greece, but his wife didn't feel the same way. The aristocrat didn't speak any Greek, and told Vogue about her feelings on arriving into the country - which already hinted at how uncomfortable she was. She told the fashion magazine: 'I remember when we drove in, it felt like everyone was travelling in the opposite direction.' In the same interview, she revealed that her new royal life was rather different to how you might expect. She continued: 'I live a very simple life here. I work, I go to the supermarket, I cook, I walk my dog, and the Greek people have welcomed me like they would anyone else.' Greek media had reported murmurs of estrangement in recent months - with the appearance at the Windsor memorial service in February the last time they were seen together in public. Lady Amelia and Lady Eliza Spencer have revealed they discovered they are identical twins - after taking a 23andMe test The 32-year-old nieces of Diana, Princess of Wales, shared the news during an interview with Tatler magazine. While the discovery may come as no surprise to anyone familiar with the two models' almost indistinguishable looks, they told the publication that their parents had been told they were not identical - also known as monozygotic - twins. Rather, their parents were told they were non-identical - or fraternal twins. The difference is that monozygotic twins share the same genetic material. According to the Twins Trust: 'Identical twins share the same genetic material and are always the same sex. They often look very similar and have many of the same physical traits because they share 100 per cent of their genes. 'Non-identical twins share about 50 per cent of their genetic material, just like any other siblings. They can be of the same or different sexes and usually do not look more alike than any other siblings.' It adds that: 'Identical twins occur when a single fertilised egg splits into two embryos....Non-identical twins happen when a woman releases two eggs during ovulation and both eggs are fertilised by two different sperm cells. This can be influenced by genetic factors, maternal age and fertility treatments. Each twin develops from a unique combination of egg and sperm, leading to genetic differences similar to those between regular siblings.' 23andMe is a DNA test which claims to provide 'the most comprehensive ancestry breakdown, personalised health insights and more'. The average DNA similarity between full siblings (including fraternal twins) is 50 per cent, will some research saying it can be as little as 37 per cent or as much as 65 per cent. Lady Amelia Spencer and Lady Eliza Spencer are pictured as children. They only learnt last year that they are identical twins, after their parents were told they were not Despite being told they were not identical, the twins said they 'aways knew', proving this when they received their identical results. According to Tatler (and images of the women) it is difficult to tell the twins apart, although their characters are slightly different, with Amelia being described as being the more outspoken sister. The two revealed that they share '80 per cent of their brainwaves' and have the same taste. Tatler reports that the two often finish each others' sentences. Both Amelia and Eliza, as well as their elder sister Kitty, 34, are models, all signed to Storm Model Management, and are all very close. They also have a younger brother Louis, 30, who is a professional actor (who uses the name Louis Lyons), who is set to inherit the famous family seat, Althorp. Their mother is former fashion model Victoria Aitken, 59, the first wife of their father Charles Spencer. Earl Spencer proposed to Victoria only six weeks after they first met, opting for an unusual engagement ring in the shape of a heart, consisting of both a ruby and a diamond. They wed in 1989 and had Princess Diana's youngest son, Prince Harry, as the pageboy at their wedding. MODELS: Lady Eliza Spencer and Lady Amelia Spencer (pictured in London in 2021) are signed to Storm Model Management, along with their elder sister Lady Kitty The couple moved to South Africa in 1995, when the twins were around two-years-old, and Kitty was four. However, their parents divorced just two years later, in 1997. Their mother brought the children up in South Africa, with them spending the holidays at Althorp with their father. Kitty now lives in Marylebone with her husband Michael Lewis, a fashion magnate who is the chair of The Foschini Group, which owns a number of outlets including Whistles, Hobbs and Phase Eight among others. She wed Michael, 65, who is reportedly worth some 80million in July 2021. Meanwhile, Lady Amelia, met her husband personal trainer Greg Mallett, while she was studying corporate communications at the University of Cape Town. They tied the knot in a lavish ceremony in South Africa in March 2023. Meanwhile, Lady Eliza lives with her entrepreneur boyfriend, Channing Millerd, with whom she's been in a relationship for around a decade. She revealed that a wedding is definitely on the cards. Eliza and Amelia live in London's Fulham, around 15 minutes away from their elder sister, though travel a lot - including back to South Africa, from where all their partners hail. The twins recently welcomed in the New Year during their lavish trip to Clifton, an affluent suburb located in sunny Cape Town. They were accompanied by Lady Kitty Spencer, as they celebrated her birthday on December 28. And in a rare public snap shared by Eliza on Instagram, their mother Victoria was also seen As ever, the sisters looked effortlessly chic as they shared snaps of them posing in front of a picturesque sunset. Their mother also looked stylish, donning a floaty leopard print gown, and looking in high spirits as she posed in-between her daughters during golden hour. She wore her blonde tresses down in a flattering wavy blow-dry and showed off her youthful skin with natural makeup. Victoria used to model for Dior and Levi and was once described by Ralph Lauren as 'the most beautiful girl in the world,' according to Tatler. Eliza also shared a picture of herself and Amelia with Kitty, who wore a colourful jumpsuit for the occasion. Lady Amelia Spencer posed with her twin sister Lady Eliza Spencer (left) and their mother Victoria Aitken (centre), who was also a model She wrote: 'Going into 2025 with a full heart,' alongside sharing videos of their private pool and images of herself at a vineyard. The De Meye estate has been farmed by the Myburgh family for five generations and they are in one of South Africa's most prestigious regions for winemaking. The vineyard produces Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Shiraz, along with Chardonnay and Chenin Blanc. The images shows the Spencer trio laughing as they attempted to pose for a picture while embracing each other in the sunshine. Kitty, 34, posted a video full of highlights over the year and wrote: 'Thank you, 2024. Feeling huge gratitude for a year of health, happiness, travel and laughter but most importantly motherhood., love and plenty of family time. Wishing everyone a wonderful 2025.' Marius Borg Hoiby has returned to Norway after attending a rehab centre in the UK with his 'new girlfriend'. The 28-year-old son of the future Queen of Norway who is facing a string of charges including rape, reportedly stepped off the plane in Oslo 'with a new girlfriend in tow'. The unnamed woman has 'lived in London for a long time' according to Norwegian paper Se og Hor. Marius was first arrested on August 4, and has since faced a string of charges including assault and two rapes and as well as other sexual assault charges. The investigation into the future king's stepson is ongoing, with the pseudo-royal also facing charges for breaching restraining orders against various women and tampering with evidence. After admitting to causing bodily harm to his girlfriend while under the influence of alcohol and cocaine, Borg Hoiby attended a rehab centre in London. It is while he was in the British capital he is believed to have struck up romance with the unnamed woman. His first arrest was on August 4 for an assault, he was then arrested again on September 13 for a different alleged assault and a third time in November on rape charges. The 28-year-old son of the future Queen of Norway who is facing a string of charges including rape, reportedly stepped off the plane in Oslo 'with a new girlfriend in tow'. Pictured with his mother Crown Princess Mette-Marit in Oslo in June 2022 In a statement issued via his lawyer after the first charge, Borg Hiby said he suffers from 'several mental disorders' and has 'struggled with substance abuse for a long time'. He then flew to London with his step-father Crown Prince Haakon to attend the rehabilitation centre. Borg Hiby is also under investigation for another offence believed to have occurred 'a few hundred metres away' from the Crown Prince Haakon and Princess Mette-Marit's Skaugum Estate. In November, he was released from custody after he was arrested on suspicion of rape. The 27-year-old - who has since been accused of a second rape - was banned from having visitors and letters during his stay in custody due to the risk of tampering with evidence Police said Borg Hiby was released because they believed there was no longer any danger of evidence being lost or destroyed. Borg Hiby is the stepson of the heir to the Norwegian throne, Crown Prince Haakon, and the son of Mette-Marit from a previous relationship The Norwegian royal family was rocked by Hiby's first arrest at the beginning of August. Pictured with his mother in 2016 Since his arrest, a shocking video of Borg Hiby has been shared with the Norwegian publication Se og Hr, which allegedly shows the former mechanic illustrating how he ended the relationship with an ex. In the clip, Borg Hiby is reportedly asked: 'How did you break up with your last girlfriend?'. Shrugging his shoulders, he then leans forward towards the camera as he makes a slapping gesture with his hands. It is not known when the video was recorded - but it was allegedly published in a group in Borg Hiby's own network, which consists of around 50 people. Borg Hiby's lawyer, Bratlien, said his client was innocent and was opposed to being held in preventive detention. Bratlien said he would appeal the detention ruling, but welcomed the fact that judges had not granted the police request for a two-week detention. 'We consider that promising,' he said in a written statement to NRK. The rape charge comes after he was accused of bodily harm following a late-night row on August 4 at the Oslo apartment of a woman he was having a relationship with, police said. Norwegian media reported that police found a knife stuck in one of the woman's bedroom walls at the time. Borg Hiby in a later statement to the media admitted to causing her bodily harm while he was under the influence of cocaine and alcohol and of damaging her apartment. He said he regretted his acts. Prince Sverre Magnus, Crown Prince Haakon, Princess Ingrid Alexandra, Crown Princess Mette-Marit and Marius Borg Hiby pictured in 2019 in Oslo Borg Hiby was arrested again in September for breaching a restraining order. When he was detained last Monday, he was in a car with the alleged victim of the August incident, according to police. Borg Hiby was raised by the royal couple alongside his step-siblings Princess Ingrid Alexandra, 21, and Prince Sverre Magnus, 18. Unlike them however he has no official public role. The Norwegian royal family was rocked by Borg Hiby's first arrest at the beginning of August, after a woman - Rebecca Helberg Arntsen - was left in hospital with her injuries following an attack. A week after his arrest, Borg Hiby admitted to the assault on Rebecca, whom he referred to as his 'girlfriend' (her lawyers have refuted this claim). In a statement issued via his own lawyer, Borg Hiby said he suffers from 'several mental disorders' and has 'struggled with substance abuse for a long time', which he said he is resuming treatment for. The statement read: 'Last weekend something happened that should never have happened. I committed bodily harm and destroyed objects in an apartment in the intoxication of alcohol and cocaine after an argument. 'I have several mental disorders which mean that throughout my upbringing and adult life, I have had, and still have, challenges. I have struggled with substance abuse for a long time, something I have been in treatment for in the past. 'The drug use and my diagnoses do not excuse what happened in the apartment at Frogner on the night of Sunday last weekend. I want to be responsible for what I have done, and will explain myself truthfully to the police. 'For me, the most important thing is to say sorry to my girlfriend. She deserved neither what happened that night, nor the extreme pressure from both the Norwegian and foreign press afterwards.' Mette-Marit's eldest son also apologised to his family for his actions that have 'greatly affected you'. Weeks later, he was taken into custody after breaching a restraining order. The restraining order in question was for the protection of Rebecca Helberg Arntsen, whom Borg Hiby admitted to assaulting, in a booze and drug-fuelled attack on 4 August, which saw him arrested for the first time and held in a police cell overnight. Queen Letizia of Spain turned heads as she stepped out in a stunning red blazer during a visit to a school in Madrid on Thursday. Although the Spanish capital city had grey skies and drizzle, the royal, 52, did not let that rain on her parade. Instead, she stepped out with a smile on her face, gracefully closing her hefty umbrella as she arrived at the event. She visited the Cortes de Cadiz school, which is part of the Think Equal initiative that helps children aged three to six with their 'social and emotional' learning. It was founded by British filmmaker turned education activist, Leslee Udwin, who believes it is vital that children learn tools to help promote inclusion, equality and wellbeing in society. Letizia put her best fashion foot forward in a vibrant scarlet power suit, with a sizeable black overcoat elegantly draped over her shoulders. The mother-of-two is a huge fan of bold, matching suits and boasts an impressive collection in various colours such as lilac, burgundy and pink. Her crimson blazer was adorned with simple black buttons and she paired this with smart matching trousers, a simple onyx-coloured top and shiny platform loafers. Queen Letizia stepped out with a smile on her face, gracefully closing her hefty umbrella as she arrived at the event The former journalist accessorised her sleek look with simple gold earrings which matched the metal detailing on her shoes. She kept her makeup to a minimum with a peach shadow dusted over her eyelid, warm bronzer to accentuate her cheekbones and a sparkly pink gloss on her lips. Her brunette locks were typically sleek and styled with a side part, allowing her hair to fall neatly around her shoulders. Letizia oozed confidence as she was seen greeting and chatting to teachers and members of the organisation at the school today. She beamed as she posed for a picture with Leslee who is also a BAFTA winning producer and director. Leslee started the Think Equal initiative because of the insights she discovered during the making of her documentary, Indias Daughter, which is centred on a medical student who was gang raped on a moving bus in Delhi in 2012. It helped spark a global movement to end the violence against women and girls. She spent 31 hours speaking to perpetrators and believes that the violence was rooted in the 'socio-cultural programming of inequality,' thus leading her to launch Think Equal. Letizia has had a busy week, as she attended a tourism fair in Madrid on Wednesday alongside her husband, King Felipe. Queen Letizia of Spain turned heads as she stepped out in a stunning red blazer during a visit to a school in Madrid on Thursday Letizia oozed confidence as she was seen greeting and chatting to teachers and members of the organisation at the school today Queen Letizia smiles as she is swamped with children at the Cortes de Cadiz school on Thursday Letizia sits in a classroom with children and interacts with them by putting her hands up Her brunette locks were typically sleek and styled with a side part, allowing her hair to fall neatly around her shoulders The former journalist accessorised her sleek look with simple gold earrings which matched the metal detailing on her shoes She beamed as she posed for a picture with Leslee Udwin who is also a BAFTA winning producer and director She visited the Cortes de Cadiz school, which is part of the Think Equal initiative that helps children aged three to six with their 'social and emotional' learning Letizia put her best fashion foot forward in a vibrant scarlet power suit, with a sizeable black overcoat elegantly draped over her shoulders The pair opened the International Tourism Trade Fair which is taking place at the IFEMA congress centre in the capital from January 22 to 26. She toured exhibits across the nine halls at the venue, meeting ministers, government representatives and tourism industry leaders from around the world along the way. The International Tourism Trade Fair in Madrid acts as the largest meeting point for the tourism sector. As Brazil is featured as this year's featured partner country, the Minister for Tourism Celso Sabino and President-Director of the EMBRATUR, or the Brazilian Tourism Board, Marcelo Freixo, welcomed the Spanish King and Queen to their exhibit in hall three. The Spanish royals were also seen talking to President Salvador Illa at Catalonia's exhibit. A total of 9,500 companies are participating in the fair with 156 countries represented. The Spanish King and Queen recently bid an emotional farewell to their eldest daughter Princess Leonor as she embarked on a sixth-month navy training course that will take her all across the United States. Queen Letizia looks in high spirits as she stands in front of the class during her trip to a school Although the Spanish capital city had grey skies and drizzle, the royal, 52, did not let that rain on her parade The mother-of-two is a huge fan of bold, matching suits and boasts an impressive collection in various colours such as lilac, burgundy and pink Queen Letizia of Spain looked stunning in a rose-coloured blazer as she attended a tourism fair in Madrid today with her husband King Felipe on Wednesday The future queen, 19, smiled at onlookers as she joined her fellow students on the deck of the Juan Sebastian Elcano ship King Felipe and Queen Letizia of Spain bid farewell to daughter Princess Leonor as she embarked on a six-month navy training cruise In early January, Felipe and Letizia watched proudly as the 19-year-old took part in a departure ceremony before setting sail from Cadiz. The future queen looked solemn as she joined her fellow students, all aspiring officers of the Spanish Navy, for the procession before the three-masted sailing ship left the port in Cadiz. Meanwhile, her parents smiled and waved goodbye, while King Felipe documented the milestone by snapping photographs of Leonor. She is following in the footsteps of her father, Felipe, and her grandfather, King Juan Carlos, who also carried out a similar trip. Leonor - who began three years of military training in 2023 - looked just the part in her navy uniform. Sitting around a dimly lit table with a dozen other women at a swanky perfume launch, our plates of food were carried away largely untouched by the waiting staff. Because the truth is, we were all much more interested in dessert; the small baggie of white powder that was surreptitiously passed around afterwards. I think everyone partook; I certainly didnt consider turning it down. It was just seen as the norm in the PR world in the late Noughties. No biggie. Except for one, supremely shocking fact: I was almost five months pregnant. Youll rightly be horrified that not only would I take an illegal drug, but that I would do so while carrying a child. But Im sharing my story as a warning to other young women who may be tempted to continue their party-loving ways while pregnant or have a lifestyle that means they do so unknowingly. Because it remains the biggest source of regret of my life not to mention supreme guilt. Why? Because I believe that my cocaine use is responsible for the learning difficulties my daughter now struggles with. Research shows that, like alcohol, cocaine rapidly crosses through the placenta and the foetal blood-brain barrier, disrupting the developing brain and nervous system. Taking cocaine was just seen as the norm in the PR world in the late Noughties. No biggie, writes Camilla Peters. Stock image This can lead to learning difficulties, attention and behavioural problems, impaired vision and hearing, trouble processing emotions and language problems. Shockingly, research shows Im not alone in my risky behaviour. In 2013, Americas National Institute on Drug Abuse estimated there are about 750,000 cocaine-exposed pregnancies every year around 20 per cent of Americas birth rate. This is likely because like my own half of pregnancies are unplanned. At the time of that perfume launch, I had only discovered I was going to be a mother a week beforehand. A single career girl who loved to party, I had somehow sailed through my first trimester and most of my second unaware my body was nurturing new life. I hadnt experienced any morning sickness, and my periods had always been erratic. As a busy PR executive, I rarely ate three meals a day and put my slightly more rounded tummy down to having slacked off with my training. So realising I was four-and-a half months pregnant too late to do anything about it left me reeling with shock and denial. Then in my mid-30s, I was in an on-off relationship with a man Id met 18 months earlier. He lived in New York, and we met up just twice a month. It was hardly conducive to raising a child together. But the bigger issue was I hadnt ever thought about becoming a mum. Yes, friends around me were doing so but I didnt want to swap the glitz and the bustle of my career for the mundanity of motherhood. Id been introduced to cocaine when I started working in PR in my 20s. Networking was key to being successful, and Id have been an outlier if I hadnt used it. Over the years my use would yo-yo according to work pressures, though typically it was a couple of times a month, and I enjoyed the energy boost and the confidence it gave me. My on-off boyfriend was also a user; wed take it together with the same ease wed crack open a bottle of fizz. Yet the negatives included everything from crashing comedowns to nosebleeds. I can only blame my decision to take it at that perfume launch for polluting my innocent child on the shock I was experiencing. I never did so again. But casting my mind back over the previous months, when Id been unaware I was pregnant, I asked myself: had I been a regular user? Of course I had. I dont think I went a fortnight without at least one line. I hadnt considered myself to be an addict I had a successful career, lived in a beautiful terrace home in north-west London and was as far from being a stereotypical druggie as you can get but it didnt matter. The damage had been done. I had the awkward conversation with my boss about becoming a mum a fortnight later. He knew how we had networked together the previous months. He rearranged his shocked features pretty well, although I burst into tears afterwards when my PA told me shed overheard him saying: Its a pity she didnt know earlier and could have taken care of things differently. My boyfriend had a similar reaction, making it clear he would support me on a financial basis only. I told myself I didnt need his support or my bosss pity. I was going to do what I could to make things up to my child and give them the best life. I was 34 when I had a scheduled caesarean. When I held Esme in my arms, I couldnt believe I had made her; she was perfect. Admittedly Esme, who was born at full-term, was a little small at 6lb 1oz, but I didnt think anything of it. She was quieter than other babies, but her gummy smile would put any worries to the back of my mind. It was only when she started at nursery aged three that I really started to notice Esme was different. She was never the first to join in, and everything seemed harder for her, from learning to put on her clothes to brushing her teeth. And shed get fixated on certain foods and toys. As time went on, she struggled with basic things such as learning the alphabet, counting to ten and catching a ball. At that point, I didnt join the dots. The connection to cocaine started to dawn on me when I began to do my research into delayed development in children. By now Esme was four, and it was obvious she was different. She was struggling with her vision too, and started wearing glasses. When I searched for the impact of taking cocaine during pregnancy, the results underlined that my use could be responsible for Esmes struggles. I almost keeled over with guilt and self-loathing, before vomiting. When Esme turned five, I decided to move to Shropshire to be near my mum. Ill admit Mum often had more patience with her. Esme had also started having meltdown after meltdown, sparked by things such as if I hadnt prepared her breakfast a certain way. That was when I started taking her to specialists. Of course, I couldnt tell the doctors what I thought was behind Esmes struggles, though now I wish Id been honest with them. But then they just told me she was slower than her peers, reassuring me there was no such thing as normal. Though when one doctor said she wasnt ever going to set the world on fire, I wanted to strangle him. That night I broke down, and told Mum about my cocaine use during pregnancy. She held me tight as I cried over how I had behaved, abusing my body, but more importantly my poor little girls tiny developing life. Mum was far more generous towards me than I deserved, telling me that regretting the past wasnt going to change Esmes future. At eight, Esme was diagnosed with Aspergers. Studies into the effects of taking cocaine during pregnancy are understandably limited. However, while the proportion of people with autism is believed to be between 1 and 3 per cent, one American study, published in 1992, of 70 children with cocaine exposure in utero who were referred for developmental evaluation, found 11.4 per cent were diagnosed with autism. The researchers noted that higher rates of autism were not known to occur in children exposed to alcohol or opiates alone, suggesting it could be an effect specific to cocaine. Today, Esme is 15. Though she still struggles, she was able to attend our local schools and has a nice group of friends. Recently I attended a reunion of PR friends polished, respectable women in their late 40s and early 50s, with children of their own. And yet, when someone got the Charlie out with a twinkle and a wink, many of them were happy to slide back into old habits. I didnt touch it. How could I, with the vision of my daughters sweet face swimming before me. Despite the guilt I still feel, I love her with all my heart. To me, she is imperfectly perfect. Perhaps one day I will tell what I fear might be the cause of that. If I do, I just pray shell forgive me. Camilla Peters is a pseudonym. Names have been changed. Princess Charlene of Monaco painted a solemn figure as she arrived at the funeral of former French minster Didier Guillaume today. The royal mother-of-two, 46, who went without her wedding ring, joined her husband Prince Albert, 66, at Monaco's Notre-Dame-Immaculee Cathedral. Didier Guillaume, who was the French minister of state of Monaco, was hospitalised last week and died suddenly aged 65. The country is now in a period of mourning and Prince Albert has ordered the flags on all public buildings to be flown at half-mast. Charlene donned a black mid-length dress for the occasion with sheer black tights and a small Prada leather bag in a matching colour. The mother-of-two, who entered the event walking behind Albert, styled her blonde tresses in a sleek up do for the occasion and opted for a simple makeup look. Albert similarly cut a low-key figure in a white shirt, black trousers, and navy overcoat. Grace Kelly's grandson, Pierre Casiraghi, and his wife since 2015, Beatrice Borromeo, arrived alongside Albert and Charlene. French President Emmanuel Macron, 47, was also in attendance. Princess Charlene of Monaco attended the funeral of Didier Guillaume at Monaco's Notre-Dame-Immaculee Cathedral today The royal mother-of-two cut an elegant figure in an all black ensemble, complete with a leather Prada handbag French politician Guillaume Didier died in hospital on January 17, a week after he was hospitalised following a sudden illness, the Prince's Government announced. The former French minister, who also served as the Minister of State of Monaco, was recognised for his commitment to the Principality. In a heartfelt statement last week, Albert said: 'I am deeply touched by the passing of a man of commitment and heart. 'The Principality of Monaco has lost an exemplary servant, whose action and loyalty will remain engraved in our memories. 'I extend my sincere condolences to his family, as well as my warmest thoughts to all those who mourn him today.' He added in an interview to Monaco-Matin: 'I am losing a friend, someone I appreciated very much and on whom I counted.' 66-year-old Prince Albert of Monaco greeted clergymen with a handshake outside the cathedral Pierre Casiraghi, pictured left, and his wife Beatrice Borromeo, pictured right, also attended the funeral Didier Guillaume is pictured in July He added of Mr Guillaume: 'He had a very human side, very friendly, close to everyone. Over the years, we had forged bonds of trust and mutual esteem.' Princess Charlene is often spotted in chic looks and expensive jewellery - but one piece she's often seen without is her dazzling three-carat engagement ring. The former Olympic swimmer married Prince Albert after he proposed with a handcrafted pear-cut diamond flanked by smaller diamonds designed by Paris-based Italian jeweller Repossi. Later, during the wedding service, the couple exchanged 18-carat white gold platinum rings by Cartier, with Princess Charlene laughing as she placed the ring on her husband's finger. But since her wedding day, the royal has often gone without either ring - and on occasion even worn different rings on her wedding finger. In the early days of marriage, the royal was often spotted showing off the dazzler, but since 2017 she's seldom been seen pictured wearing the rings - even at formal events. French president Emmanuel Macron, 47, looked smart in a black suit as he arrived at the solemn event Italian journalist and model, Beatrice Borromeo, 39, looked chic in a long black coat, wide leg trousers, and leather handbag Pictured: Pierre Casiraghi and Beatrice Borromeo at the funeral of Didier Guillaume in Monaco today The royal mother-of-two opted for minimal makeup for the occasion, revealing her natural beauty Pictured: Prince Albert and Princess Charlene of Monaco arriving at Didier Guillaume's funeral today In recent years, the princess, who is originally from Cape Town, and her prince have been forced to deny rumours over the state of their marriage. French magazine ROYAUTE claimed in March 2023 that the couple were in the process of separation - a rumour which gained momentum when the article was repeated by gossip sites, which sparked speculation on social media. The Palace's press office said they 'formally deny the malicious rumours peddled by the magazine'. A spokesperson said: 'I would like to formally deny the malicious rumors peddled by the French magazine Royaute. Please disregard this article which is totally unfounded.' There have been reports of a rift between the Prince and Princess ever since their high-profile marriage. At the time, Charlene was dubbed the 'Runaway Bride' by the French media after allegedly trying to flee before the wedding, but the reports were always denied. The past few years have been particularly rocky for the couple, as they have been hit with rumours about their marriage and Charlene's own ill-health. Albert was hit with a legal claim for cash by an alleged illegitimate child in December 2020, and soon afterwards Charlene shaved half her head in the style of a punk rocker. The 46-year-old royal styled her glossy blonde tresses into an elegant low bun for the occasion Prince Albert and Princess Charlene, who are parents to ten-year-old twins, greeted clergymen outside the venue The 46-year-old mother-of-two accesorised her outfit with a pair of classic diamond stud earrings There were allegations that Albert had fathered a love-child with an unnamed Brazilian woman during the time when he and Charlene were already in a relationship. The woman said she met the Prince in a nightclub in Rio de Janeiro in 2004, and that their daughter, who is now a 16-year-old Brazilian schoolgirl, sent a handwritten note to Albert. In turn, Albert's legal team branded the allegations 'a hoax, and they never went to court - prompting speculation that the case was settled privately. The Prince has admitted fathering two other children out of wedlock Jazmin Grace Grimaldi, who is the result of Albert's affair with an American estate agent, and Alexandre Coste, whose mother is a former Togolese air hostess. Both children were struck off Monaco's line of succession in return for financial settlements. Charlene first fell ill in South Africa in May 2021, during what was meant to be a 10-day visit. Complications from a sinus operation led to her staying in her native country for 10 months, and there have been rumours about the state of her marriage ever since. There had been claims by leading French media that Albert had signed an 'ultra-confidential contract' to pay his wife more than 10m a year to fulfil her Royal duties. Pictured: French president Emmanuel Macron arriving at the Notre-Dame-Immaculee Cathedral She returned to Monaco but was there for a matter of days before leaving for a Swiss treatment facility. The exact nature of her condition was not made public but Albert said she was 'exhausted'. Photographs of their reunion were greeted with a hefty dose of scepticism by the French media. Prince Albert said he was 'hurt by the vicious rumours' peddled about his marriage following his wife's absence and said that it's the 'most beautiful thing' to have her back with him. Since her return, Princess Charlene has continued her royal duties and appearances with Prince Albert. She was labelled the 'best dressed' at President Donald Trump's inauguration events by delighted fashion fans - and now the style inspiration behind at least one of Arabella Kushner's ensembles appears to have been revealed. The 13-year-old looked to her fashionable mother Ivanka Trump's wardrobe while joining her family at a service in Arlington National Cemetery on the outskirts of Washington, DC. Arabella wore a familiar-looking checked coat as her grandfather laid a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier on Sunday afternoon. The statement $2,260 black and white coat dress is from Suzannah London, and was worn by Ivanka in 2019 and 2020. Channelling her mother's original outfit, Arabella also teamed the check number with a black turtleneck, as well as matching boots and gloves. President Trump stood silently alongside Vice President JD Vance at the tomb before the 78-year-old then laid a wreath of white flowers with a red, white and blue ribbon before saluting while a bugler played 'Taps.' His wife, Melania, and several family members, including glamorous daughter Ivanka, were also present. President Trump also visited Section 60 of Arlington Cemetery, where many veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are buried. Arabella Kushner looked to her fashionable mother Ivanka Trump's wardrobe while attending an event ahead of President Donald Trump's inauguration, it has been revealed Meanwhile, despite the slew of impressive designer outfits worn to President Trump's inauguration events, fashion fans have declared Arabella the best dressed of them all. The 13-year-old daughter of Ivanka, 43, and Jared Kushner, 44, wore a beige cape ensemble to the events that saw her grandfather sworn in as the 47th president of the United States - and she has quickly become a favorite with fashion fans. Arabella, who let her long dark hair flow loosely over her shoulders, was quickly praised for the chic look by viewers who credited stylish mother Ivanka for passing down the fashion gene. 'Are we not going to talk about a 13-year-old was the best dressed at the inauguration?' a fashion fan wrote in a post to TikTok. 'Bravo. Classy all the way. Stunning,' agreed one user. 'This is how you dress a child more maturely. Not in bikinis or crop tops and shorts. This is classy,' declared another. Arabella is the eldest of Ivanka and Jared's three children. The couple, who wed in 2009, also share sons Joseph Frederick, 11, and Theodore James, eight. Arabella's statement $2,260 black and white coat dress is from Suzannah London, and was worn by Ivanka in 2019 and 2020 Arabella , the 13-year-old daughter of Ivanka Trump, 43, and Jared Kushner, 44, wore a beige cape ensemble to the events that saw her grandfather sworn in as the 47th president Arabella is the eldest of Ivanka and Jared's three children. The couple, who wed in 2009, also share sons Joseph Frederick, 11, and Theodore James, eight Donald Trump, 78, took the Oath of Office Washington, D.C., on Monday, promising to bring in a 'Golden Age' in the United States as he was sworn in as president for the second time. During a church service at St. John's Church before the swearing in ceremony, Joseph and Theodore stole the show after they were snapped dozing off. In one snap, Ivanka's eldest son was leaning against her, appearing to be fast sleep, while his brother was also on the brink of slumber. In another snap, the boys looked cheekily up at their mother, who then proudly glanced toward her father. Both boys appeared to struggle to keep their eyes open for the duration of the service. Ivanka looked chic in a deep forest green ensemble for the swearing in ceremony, as her father prepared for his second presidential term. Despite her role in her father's administration last time he was in office, Ivanka won't be resuming the same responsibilities, stating she wants to be his emotional support this time around. 'I hate politics,' she told The Skinny Confidential podcast last week. 'I went through years of craziness.' Ivanka was not involved in her father's 2024 presidential campaign, which was a stark contrast to the 2020 race where she was a regular presence at his rallies. The dedicated mother said said the main reason she's not returning to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue is her children. 'The main reason I am not going back to serve now is, I know the cost. And it's a price that I'm not willing to make my kids bear,' she said. 'My primary goals were just to like, be the best freaking mom,' she said. 'Every time I had to miss something, I'm like, I will never let this happen again in the minute I leave the White House.' Sophie, the Duchess of Edinburgh, struck an elegant chord during a visit to the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst. As the Colonel-in-Chief of the Royal Corps of Army Music, Sophie, 60, was especially pleased to meet members of the Band of the Coldstream Guards at the military training academy in Camberley, Surrey on Thursday. With her blonde tresses swept back into a low bun, the royal mother-of-two arrived at the academy to a fanfare played by seven band members in scarlet tunics and bearskin caps. Sophie made sure to wrap up warm in a pale grey woollen coat from one of her go-to British designers Suzannah London. Once inside, Sophie removed her outer layer to reveal a Prada polka-dot dress (estimated at 3,400) and started chatting to members of the Band of the Coldstream Guards - one of the oldest and best known bands in the British Army. The Band of the Coldstream Guards can be traced back to the early years of military music and is comprised of musicians from The Royal Corps of Army Music. Over the years, Sophie has seen the band perform at several high profile engagements including Trooping the Colour, the National Act of Remembrance at the Cenotaph and The King's Birthday Parade. Sophie, who married the late Queen's youngest son Prince Edward in 1999, looked delighted to meet members of the band and was even treated to a performance. The Duchess of Edinburgh, 60, made sure to wrap up warm in a pale grey woollen coat from one of her go-to British designers Suzannah London as she visited the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst on Thursday The Duchess kept her makeup simple for the visit, opting to lightly fill in her eyebrows, accentuate her blue eyes with mascara and topping it off with a pink shimmer on her lips. Sophie wore a pair of nude heels to visit the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst with delicate pearl detailing. Known for her sophisticated sense of style, she completed her look with silver earrings in the shape of a flower and a dainty gold necklace. As a nod to her role as Colonel-in-Chief of the Royal Corps of Army Music, Sophie proudly wore its badge on her left-hand side. It depicts a Crown Lyre in an oak and palm wreath design with a scroll bearing the corps motto in Latin: 'Nulli Secondus' (second to none). After enjoying a musical performance from the Band of the Coldstream Guards, Sophie officially opened the Duchess of Edinburgh Hall at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, unveiling a golden plaque with her name on it. To round of her visit, the Duchess of Edinburgh will attend dinner at Gibraltar Barracks in Camberley. Despite the Duchess celebrating her 60th birthday on January 20, her week has been filled with royal engagements. The royal mother-of-two is greeted by a fanfare played by band members in scarlet tunics and bearskin caps Once inside, Sophie removed her outer layer to reveal a Prada polka-dot dress (estimated at 3,400) Sophie chatting to members of the Band of the Coldstream Guards - one of the oldest and best known bands in the British Army The Band of the Coldstream Guards can be traced back to the early years of military music and is comprised of musicians from The Royal Corps of Army Music Over the years, Sophie has seen the band perform at several high profile engagements including Trooping the Colour, the National Act of Remembrance at the Cenotaph and The King's Birthday Parade Sophie, who married the late Queen's eldest son Prince Edward in 1999, claps after a performance by the Band of the Coldstream Guards After enjoying a musical performance from the Band of the Coldstream Guards, Sophie officially opened the Duchess of Edinburgh Hall at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst She reads the golden plaque commemorating the opening of the performance hall On Tuesday, Sophie visited the charity Dogs for Autism in Hampshire where she was welcomed by a contingent of excitable puppies and their partners, who shared the positive impact these assistance dogs have on their lives. Founded in 2016, Dogs for Autism is the first charity in the UK to exclusively provide autism assistance dogs at no cost to their new owner. The Duchess looked elegant in a navy blue suit from Alexander McQueen (estimated at 1,900) that she paired with a crisp white shirt, dainty gold necklace, and statement leaf earrings - which the pup she was holding seemed drawn to. She fashioned her blonde tresses into an elegant updo and kept her makeup looking natural and dewy, having only lightly filled in her eyebrows and applied mascara to accentuate her pale blue eyes. Sophie was a good sport as she posed for pictures with the nine-week old Cavalier King Charles Spaniel puppy and giggled as he licked her fingers and face before going for her earrings. As she listened to staff, trustees and volunteers at Dogs for Autism, Sophie let the puppy snuggle in her lap with a toy and a dog bed for good measure. Coincidentally, the puppy who won Sophie's affection had a royal connection himself; it was later revealed that his name is Lord Louis of Spudringham. While delighting in puppy cuddles from Louis, Sophie was informed that he was bred by a specialist cardiac vet, dedicated to eradicating the specific health challenges that can affect Cavaliers. Sophie visits the charity Dogs for Autism in Hampshire where she was welcomed by a contingent of excitable puppies The Duchess meets an assistance dog at the training centre in Alton The Duchess of Edinburgh and CEO of Dogs for Autism Hilary Armour watch a a display by assistance dog Finn Assistance dog Buddy presents a gift basket to the Duchess of Edinburgh during a visit to Dogs for Autism in Alton The Duchess holds the gift basket after visiting Dogs with Autism While Louis is the newest member of the Dogs for Autism team, his older sibling, Lexi, is already training there and the charity are delighted with her work. In one sweet moment, Sophie planted a kiss on the pooch's tiny nose before saying goodbye to her new furry friend. Her Royal Highness then visited the charitys Training Centre, where trainee assistance dogs Buddy, Jack, and Finn demonstrated their training. At the end of her visit, Buddy surprised the Duchess with a woven basket containing a Cocker Spaniel plush. Earlier in the week, Sophie celebrated her birthday surrounded by family at her home in Bagshot Park, with her husband, the Duke of Edinburgh and their children Lady Louise and James, Earl of Wessex, along with their own cocker spaniel, Mole, black Labradors, Teal and Teasel, and tortoise named Marmite. READ MORE: Influencer mum accused of drugging and torturing her baby She did so to attract nurses' attention to ask them to get her some food A viral video has sparked outrage after one woman revealed she unplugged her infant's baby monitor so she could ask the nurses to get her a turkey sandwich. Although the original video has been taken down by mom Allie Rae, screen recordings posted by other TikTok users appear to show her in the hospital holding her daughter and talking to the camera. In the recording posted online, the mom filmed herself unplugging a monitor, which set off an alarm and caused a nurse to come in and check what is happening. In a repost of one clip shared on social media, Rae claims NICU nurses told her to unplug one of her baby's monitors if she needed anything - which she then demonstrated. She then plugged the monitor back in when the nurse came into the NICU. In a clip posted to YouTube, Rae told the nurse who hurried into the room that it's 'not an emergency.' 'I was just going to see if you could bring me a turkey sandwich,' the mom asked the healthcare worker. The NICU nurse paused before replying, asking the mom if she wants to go take a break to get something to eat. A viral video has sparked outrage, after revealing she unplugged her sick infant's baby monitor, so she could ask the nurses to get her a turkey sandwich According to user Tara Rose, the nurse who responded told Rae the monitor shouldn't be tampered with when assistance is needed. Rae claimed she did so because she didn't want to put her baby down which would have made the tot 'upset.' Rose said he nurse handled it perfectly, telling her she could put the baby down and go eat and take a break, but reminded her not to abuse the services of the nurses. In another clip which appears to be originally posted by the same woman, she unplugs to monitor again, to ask the nurse to hand her a drink in the same room. In the clip, she roughly pulls apart the cord, which then lets off an alarm, saying she can't get up because she's holding her baby who is 'hooked up.' Many users chimed in pointing out that hospitals have a call button, used to summon hospital staff for non-urgent matters. 'So why is there a call light in the room?' questioned a user. 'I called BS. My son was in special care and you were not allowed to disconnect anything. They're not there to wait on your hand and foot,' chimed in another parent. In a clip posted to YouTube , Rae tells the nurse who comes into the room that it's 'not an emergency' 'There is no nurse in this world that would say to unhook your baby,' agreed another. 'As a mummy of a NICU baby who was blessed to bring our baby home. Every time I heard the alarms my heart dropped. I feel for other parents in the NICU,' shared someone else. 'Good morning, I'm a former NICU nurse. A infant can drop their oxygen levels super fast, so it is important that baby is always monitored,' commented someone else. Many people have accused the mom of filming and posting the videos from the hospital to generate views January 22, 2025: Prosecutors in New York City accused a leader of the Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, or IRGC, and three of his followers of trying to organize an assassination of a government critic in 2022. The target of this plot had actively opposed Iranian officials' harsh treatment of women. IRGC officials had contacted members of an East European criminal organization to kill the critic. These criminals often carry out assignments like this for the IRGC and were paid for their work even when the scheme failed. Ruhollah Bazghandi, a general in the IRGC who remained in Iran, was in charge of this operation. The designated victim, Masih Alinejad, lived in Brooklyn at the time the IRGC planned to kidnap her and get her to Venezuela, which is currently an ally of Iran and willing to help carry out operations like this. Once in Venezuela, Masih Alinejad would be flown to Iran for a public trial and conviction that would put her in prison as a warning to others thinking of openly criticizing the Iranian government and the IRGC that does the governments dirty work. This was one of several failed IRGC schemes to kill or kidnap Masih Alinejad. Iran didnt care because even failed plots were publicized in the west and that intimidated other actual or potential critics of the Iranian religious dictatorship. For example the IRGC was accused of hiring criminal operatives in the United States to follow and photograph critics of Iran. In one case the surveillance included installing a remotely controlled video camera that monitored the victims home. When this video surveillance was reported in the western media it frightened Iranians in foreign countries who were openly critical of the IRGC or planning to speak out. That takes a lot of courage because for decades the IRGC has been assassinating critics in Europe, using local gangsters to do it. Western intelligence agencies have recordings of IRGC discussions with criminal organizations to murder or kidnap critics for a price. Since Iran has been an outlaw state since the 1980s, American and European criticism has little impact. The gangsters Iran hires to kidnap and kill critics are paid well and know it is risky business. Venezuela was one of the first countries to recognize the new Iranian government formed after the monarchy was overthrown in 1979. That recognition evolved into cooperation with Iran on economic and criminal matters. Venezuela is recognized as the Iranian outpost in the Western Hemisphere. For example, in 2012 Iran obtained an American F-16 fighter from Venezuela. The mercurial and anti-American president of Venezuela, Hugo Chavez, had been threatening to sell some of his F-16s to Iran. Finally sending one to Iran was apparently an effort to help Iran prepare its defenses against an air raid by Israeli F-16Is. This Venezuelan gesture is not likely to help much as the Venezuelan F-16s are much older models while the current Israeli F-16s were the most modern model then available. The Venezuelan F-16s were received in 1983 and 1984. They are F-16A/B Block 15. F-16s currently in service with the US Air Force are F-16C/D Block 50s, with the even more advanced F-16E/F Block 60 being built for the UAE. The Venezuelan F-16s in question are over 25 years old. For the F-16, that is very old indeed. These aircraft are not equipped with the latest radars, air-to-air missiles, or jammers. And, in the 13 years since Chavez took power, they have not been getting much in the way of maintenance thanks to the freeze in relations with the United States. Upsetting the country which makes the spare parts for your combat aircraft is not a good idea. Despite the F-16 fiasco, Venezuela remains the primary Iranian outpost in the Western Hemisphere. New White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt is already making a splash in the world of politics - and she's doing it in style. On Tuesday, Leavitt took the stage for her first press conference since she was named at the youngest Press Secretary in history at age 27. The Press Secretary stunned from The Brady Press Briefing Room in a gorgeous, berry-colored two-piece suit with a belted back, which appeared to be from Zara. The slim-fitting blazer featured a pleated collar and two chic black buttons cinching the waist, which was previously $109, but is currently sold out after going on sale for $43.90. The matching pants are also out of stock. They were originally $49.90 but went on sale for $19.96. She paired the gorgeous look with a pair of elegant, diamond stud earrings, as well what appeared to be the $730 Black Bing heels by designer Jimmy Choo. The shoes featured black patent leather with crystals around the top, as well as a pointed toe - bringing the look to around $900. The wife and mother of six-month-old son Nicholas Robert hails from New Hampshire, and ran for the U.S. House to represent New Hampshire's 1st Congressional District in 2022. She lost in the general election, but was back in the Trump fold within weeks, joining an allied group before linking up with the campaign itself earlier this year. On Tuesday, Leavitt took the stage for her first press conference since she was named at the youngest Press Secretary in history at age 27 The Press Secretary stunned from The Brady Press Briefing Room in a gorgeous, berry-colored two-piece suit The slim-fitting ensemble featured a pleated collar and two chic black buttons cinching the waist Leavitt quickly becoming a fixture on television despite being pregnant with her first child, firing back at CNN hosts and other pundits. And, just four days after giving birth in July, she was back on the campaign trail after seeing her boss get shot on live TV. Since being sworn in early last week, Leavitt has officially stepped into the role as Trump's Press Secretary, and not only is she setting a new precedent for the task, but also for White House style. Leavitt looks set to become the next style icon working for the Oval Office as she has worn a number of trendy, young looks over the past few months, including the glamorous, blue-gray coat she wore during her swearing-in ceremony. The coat, which appeared to be made of cashmere, featured dramatic, light blue fur sleeves and a matching oversized collar. The gorgeous piece, which appears to be the $498 Giovanna Coat by LPA, was floor-length and had elegant ribbing detail at the waist. Leavitt also sported another chic coat just days into her new role, as she made an appearance on Fox News Wednesday for a TV interview. The 27-year-old wore a classic, long black peacoat with black leather gloves, as she braved the cold temperatures outside in Washington, D.C. She paired the gorgeous look with a pair of elegant, diamond stud earrings, as well what appeared to be the $730 Black Bing heels by designer Jimmy Choo New White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt is already making a splash in the world of politics - and she's doing it in style New White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt is already making a splash in the world of politics - and she's doing it in style The gorgeous piece, which appears to be the $498 Giovanna Coat by LPA, was floor-length and had elegant ribbing detail at the waist Underneath the peacoat, she wore a cream top with a single, hammered gold button detailing. On Tuesday, Leavitt was dressed in another chic coverup, this time, a woolen one in a bright red color - a signature of the Republican party. As she addressed the media, she layered a big black scarf on top of the coat, along with knee-high black suede boots. Plus, it seems like the new communications expert has a penchant for designer bags, as she seems to have quite a few in her collection. In an Instagram post on December 29, she shared a fun mirror selfie wearing a navy blue cardigan, blue jeans and cream-colored knee-high boots. But it was really her bag that stood out, as she accessorized with the $5,300 navy blue and white Lady D-Lite Bag by Christian Dior in a luxurious toile print. She also stunned while she was on the campaign trail with Trump and his team. In another snap from April, standing outside of Trump Force One, Leavitt carried a $2,030 monogram Neverfull tote bag from Louis Vuitton. On Tuesday, Leavitt was dressed in another chic coat, this time, a woolen one in a bright red color - a signature of the Republican party As she addressed the media, she layered a big black scarf on top of the coat, along with knee-high black suede boots The 27-year-old wore a classic, long black peacoat with black leather gloves, as she braved the cold temperatures outside in Washington But it was really her bag that stood out, as she accessorized with the $5,300 navy blue and white Lady D-Lite Bag by Christian Dior in a luxurious toile print She paired the purse with an elegant, white linen shirtdress by Ralph Lauren, which tied at the waist and retails for $185. And, in September, while at the infamous debate between President Trump and Joe Biden, she rocked a brown-and-pink checkered two-piece skirt and blazer set. Both the blazer and the skirt, made by designer Toccin, featured long, gold chain detailing and matching buttons. The A-line miniskirt cost $395, while the matching blazer retails for $625 - but right now, they're both on sale at Saks Fifth Avenue. The look was complete with a pair of dark tan heels. She's also quite fashionable when she's not working - sporting a pair of fun, flared white jeans and a neon green tank top while watching a Celtics game in Miami in May 2023. Leavitt completed her outfit with a pair of clear heels and small raffia handbag with a circular handle. In another Instagram post in December, Leavitt revealed exactly what kind of boss President Trump is. Welcome to MAGALAND: Insider Trump's Second 100 Days - The podcast bringing you the latest news and gossip from the White House. Listen here. In another snap from April, standing outside of Trump Force One, Leavitt carried a $2,030 monogram Neverfull tote bag from Louis Vuitton And, in September, while at the infamous debate between President Trump and Joe Biden, she rocked a brown-and-pink checkered two-piece skirt and blazer set Both the blazer and the skirt, made by designer Toccin , featured long, gold chain detailing and matching buttons She's also quite fashionable when she's not working - sporting a pair of fun, flared white jeans and a neon green tank top while watching a Celtics game in Miami in May 2023 In an Instagram post in December, Leavitt revealed exactly what kind of boss President Trump is 'He is the best. He is generous, a great listener and storyteller, and seriously one of the funniest people I have ever met,' she wrote. 'I am honored to work for him.' Since taking the helm for President Trump, she's answered a number of questions from the press, and appeared on multiple TV stations for interviews. On Tuesday, Leavitt explained that they would be allowing not only journalists into the press briefings, but podcasters and social media influencers as well. For the latest White House gossip and news, listen to the Daily Mail's new politics podcast, Welcome to MAGAland. Available wherever you get your podcasts now. The Dragons' Den judges were left speechless on Thursday's episode after a 'heart-wrenching' pitch from a Ukrainian refugee - as she managed to secure a rare four offers. When entrepreneur Yana Smaglo, was forced to flee her country two years ago following Russia's invasion, she left with just the clothes on her back, a laptop and just enough cash to start investing in her distribution business. Appearing on the BBC show, she pitched her plans to expand her Ukrainian clothing distribution 'Nenya', hoping to secure an investment of 80,000 for a 10 per cent equity share of the company. After hearing the harrowing tale of how the young merchant built up her business from scratch, several of the Dragons were left speechless - with Deborah Meaden admitting the story had left her 'choked up'. She eventually managed to secure a rare four offers from the Dragons - including what she had asked for. However, social media viewers were less convinced, and believed the Dragons had only made an 'emotional' offer, rather than looking at the facts. Despite worries that her English wouldn't be 'good' enough to understand the judges questions, Yana comprehensively won them over, with four offering her investments. Yana, who is currently living in Leeds, owns a distribution company that buys and sells authentic Ukrainian clothes for international wholesale - which she hopes to sell in luxury retailers such as Harrods and Harvey Nichols. The clothes have price points between 70 and 150. The Dragons' Den judges were left speechless during Thursday's episode by a 'heart-wrenching' pitch from Ukrainian refugee Yana Smaglo (pictured Despite having 'no family left', Yana had her sights set on doing whatever she could to 'help my country' by investing in quality Ukrainian products. Explaining to the judges why she needed the investment, she explained her chances of securing a loan in the UK were slim to none. Delivering her pitch, she said: 'Our mission is to help Ukrainian companies increase sales and support the economy by taxes and also create new work places for Ukrainian refugees in the UK.' They currently have 98 wholesale partners across three continents with two departments stores in the UK and US. Over the course of just one year, the entrepreneur managed to earn an impressive profit of 100,000. 'My goal is to build the biggest distribution company with the best Ukrainian products and services. Made in the Ukraine with love and bravery,' she said. After delivering the emotional pitch, a ripple of silence washed over the dragons, who were each at a loss for words after listening to Yana's heartfelt story. Breaking the silence, Deborah Meaden, said: 'Gosh, I feel a bit choked up! I don't get choked up very often, do I?' Although he ultimately decided not to invest, Peter Jones was left visibly emotional by her story The businesswoman got exactly the offer she was hoping for with both Deborah, Steven, and Sara (pictured) agreeing to give her the money she wanted Meanwhile, Peter Jones called the pitch 'heart-wrenching' yet 'inspiring', but was keen to get the questions. Peter asked the native Ukrainian where the products were being manufactured. She explained: 'Currently I have five brands in my portfolio, most of them originally manufactured in the east but they moved their factories closer to the west because the east is too dangerous.' She went on to tell the judges that she had initially wanted to sell in retail only and 'wholesale had come from nowhere' - though she had only found success after success when adding wholesale partners to her company. 'We now have 98 and we are adding new partners every month,' she explained. Meanwhile, the pitch stoked a particularly strong reaction for Deborah, who revealed her sister is currently hosting a Ukrainian mother and her son, adding that Yana's story had 'really touched' her. Keen to understand Yana's history in business, she asked about her qualifications, to which she revealed she had a Masters in finance and was an owner and designer of a women's clothing brand when she lived in the Ukraine. Steven Bartlett was equally full of praise for the aspiring distributor, commenting on her 'incredible' profits - despite having started with just 5,000 of her own savings. Appearing on the BBC show, she pitched her plans to expand her Ukrainian clothing distribution 'Nenya' However, social media viewers were less convinced, and believed the Dragons had only made an 'emotional' offer, rather than looking at the facts 'I escaped so quick and just grabbed something that I had at home,' she told judges, telling them she had only managed to throw together a bag for her documents, laptop and 5,000 - which she went on to invest in the company. When Steven asked where she saw herself in five years, Yana said she wanted to be the 'biggest distribution company' and 'not only stop on the fashion business' but bring the 'best' products from Ukraine to 'the rest of the world'. 'You're very driven aren't you,' Steven remarked in response. 'When you're losing everything - your work and your home and everything and you need to build your life again - this drives you a lot,' she said. When asked by Touker Suleyman about where she would sell her clothes, Yana reassured him the the quality would be enough for the likes of Harrods and Harvey Nichols to stock them. 'Some added value is that it's produced in Ukraine - a lot of people want to support it,' she said. Touker said he thought the business would need more money and would offer 20,000 for 10 per cent - if the other dragons agreed. Despite worries that her English wouldn't be 'good' enough to understand the judges questions, Yana comprehensively won them over, with four offering her investments Meanwhile, the businesswoman got exactly the offer she was hoping for with both Deborah, Steven, and Sara agreeing to give her the money she wanted. But Peter Jones wasn't convinced the company was 'unique' enough. He said he had to remain 'true to myself' and opted not to make an offer. In the end, Yana opted to split the offer between Deborah and Steven - with each getting a 5 per cent share. The episode stoked up emotional in more than just the judges. Commenting on X, formerly known as Twitter, one wrote: 'Turned on the TV and Dragon's Den is on and Yana, an amazing refugee, is pitching in excellent English, distribution of fashion brands in Ukraine. Amazing resilience and innovation on show. And some canny negotiation too.' A second wrote: 'A Ukrainian refugee comes to the country with five grand and sets up a business and people are criticising Dragon's Den? Such an inspiring story.' Aussie home cooks are going wild over a simple $20 kitchen gadget - and it was dubbed the 'best invention' of 2023. The handy buy, which is available from retailers like Victoria's Basement, Kitchen Warehouse, Bunnings and Amazon, is famed for getting 'every last drop' out of oranges, lemon and limes. It was named one of Time Magazines best inventions in 2023 and has also won a Red Dot award, a Global Innovation award and an Australian Good Design award. Dubbed the 'Fluicer' by its creators at Dreamfarm, the item has had a resurgence on TikTok of late as foodies discover it for the first time. One of its newest and most avid fans, Liz Miu, took to the platform to rave about the tool, which is designed in a way that 'folds' the fruit in half. Showing how well it worked, she tried to squeeze a lemon for a second time after it had been pressed and nothing could be extracted. She was also impressed by its ability to catch 'every last seed'. The video convinced thousands to try the gadget for themselves - especially after seeing so many ads for it on various platforms. Aussie home cooks are going wild over a simple $20 kitchen gadget - and it was dubbed the 'best invention' of 2023 @itslizmiu YOOOO THIS LEMON JUICER - The Dreamfarm Fluicer thank me later xoxo original sound - Its Liz Miu 'Okay I got targeting ads for this and I wasnt convinced until you did the big shaky arm squeeze at the end,' one woman said. 'Now that's influencing,' said another. Interestingly, Liz also issued a warning over 'dupes'. 'You can buy things that look the same but they don't do the same thing,' she said. Others agreed, saying the $20 for the 'real deal' was worth every cent. 'Ingenious Amazed nobody has thought of this before. This is by far the best citrus squeezer ever. Well except maybe the big electric Breville device, not getting that out to squeeze one lemon,' one raved. 'The best lemon juicer EVER and would recommend to every one. So easy to use with my arthritic hands! Thank you for a great Aussie product,' another said. 'This is the best juicer! It works well with small limes and large lemons. I love the action of just bringing the handles together. No more repeated awkward twisting,' one more added. Telling people to 'think positive', 'smile' or even insist that 'it could be worse' might be inadvertently harming the mental health of those around you. Psychologists have called this 'toxic positivity' and warned that the character trait does more harm than good. Dr Christine Schneider, a clinical psychologist based in Cambridge, explained that the 'toxic' mindset involves seeing any negative emotion as undesirable or unacceptable. 'Toxic positivity disregards the reality of human emotions. It tells us that we should always stay upbeat and avoid difficult feelings, which only leads to emotional suppression and disconnection,' she said. However, there are a few tell-tale signs and one online test claims to spot the toxic trait in your answers to 10 questions. The simple quiz asks test-takers to choose whether or not a range of statements describe their behaviour. The more statements that participants feel 'definitely' aligns with their character the more likely they are to have traits of toxic positivity. Statements include 'I hide or mask my negative feelings,' 'I minimise my negative experiences with "feel good" statements or quotes,' and 'I brush difficult issues aside with statements such as "it is what it is."' Dr Christine Schneider, a clinical psychologist based in Cambridge , explains that the toxic mindset will see any negative emotion as undesirable or unacceptable The three minute test is based on the work of Dr Jamie Zuckerman, a psychologist based in Philadelphia, who identified and quantified signs of toxic positivity. But quiz makers stress it is not designed to provide an accurate assessment, as this can only be done by a qualified professional. Dr Schneider has also highlighted four signs that are instant red flags of toxic positivity. First, dismissing someone's emotions with phrases such as 'it could be worse', or 'just stay positive', which can invalidate real pain, she said. Avoiding difficult conversations, or backing away from addressing negative emotions could also be a characteristic. Similarly feeling guilty or ashamed for experiencing normal emotions such as sadness, frustration, or anger and pushing others to stay positive without acknowledging their real struggles are also warning signs. However Dr Schneider stressed that some optimism can be healthy. For example, those with a positive outlook will still acknowledge that people have negative feelings and challenges, but they won't deny or dismiss emotions. However, positivity becomes toxic when it causes someone to suppress negative emotions. The Ten statements that reveal if you have this toxic character trait... Do you have any of the character traits of toxic positivity? Answer 'not me', 'describes me somewhat', or 'definitely me', to the following statements to find out. I brush difficult issues aside with statements such as 'it is what it is.' When someone is feeling down, I encourage them by saying things like 'it could be worse.' I minimize my negative experiences with 'feel good' statements or quotes. I hide or mask my negative feelings. I try to 'just get on with it' by dismissing my negative emotions. In my experience, giving space to negativity only brings one further down. I believe that people who focus too much on their problems instead of just staying positive are likely to become depressed. I pretend to be happy even when I am not. I often feel guilty for feeling sad. I force myself to be happy by focusing on the positive. Take the test online here... Advertisement 'Over time, this can cause stress, anxiety, burnout, and even physical health problems. It can also prevent us from healing, as unaddressed emotions tend to manifest in unhealthy ways,' Dr Schneider warned. 'In our culture, we often equate positivity with strength and resilience, especially on social media. But true resilience comes from the ability to face and process difficult emotions, not to pretend they don't exist,' she added. However, there are ways of breaking free from this surprisingly negative cycle. The first step, she said, is to simply acknowledge your own emotions and allow yourself to understand and process any negative emotions. This is a vital step because only once you have recognised and named your own emotions will you be able to heal, she explained. 'Remind yourself that it's okay to feel negative emotions. 'Emotions are part of being human, and they don't make you weak. The next step is to seek connection. Dr Schneider explained that this can be done by taking to friends and family about what you are going through. She warned that by not sharing your feelings with someone you trust, it could just cause feelings of isolation and 'feed toxic positivity'. Dr Schneider also suggests people set boundaries if they notice someone set a 'positive-only agenda' and redirect the conversation to protect their own emotions. 'Challenge the narrative. Embrace vulnerability. Allow yourself the freedom to feel, because real emotional growth comes from being authentic, not perfect,' she said. Having suffered for ten years with agonising pain caused by polycystic ovaries, Karen Bowen was delighted when her doctors suggested a full hysterectomy. But while the operation was a success, the surgery threw her straight into menopause, which triggered yet another problem: severe asthma. Within months Karen developed attacks that had her fighting for breath and needing emergency hospital treatment. 'It felt like someone was sitting on my chest,' she recalls. 'I couldn't walk or talk in sentences as I was taking gulps of air. 'At the same time, my blood pressure and heart rate went through the roof because my heart was desperately trying to get me to breathe,' says Karen, 58, a skin clinic owner and mother of twin girls. 'On around nine occasions they were so bad that I thought I was going to die - it was terrifying.' It was initially put down to a recurrence of the childhood asthma she briefly had and she was given standard inhalers, but they did little to help. It was only in 2021, 15 years after her surgery, that she was finally diagnosed with severe asthma, which requires different treatment, brought on by the rapid switch into menopause. Karen Bowen, 58, developed asthma shortly after being kicked into the menopause following a a full hysterectomy Most people think of asthma as a condition that comes on in childhood. But new research confirms menopause can trigger asthma in women who have never suffered from it before. But experts fear that women may not realise they're affected by it or that they won't receive the necessary medication - which is worrying. Especially as asthma that comes on in adulthood is often harder to treat. Even some health professionals seem unaware of the link between asthma and hormones, says Erika Kennington, head of research and innovation at the charity Asthma & Lung UK. She said: 'It is therefore possible that this delays diagnosis in older women, leaving their symptoms untreated. There is definitely a need to raise awareness of hormones as an asthma trigger.' Research, published in the journal Menopause, showed the peak age for adult-onset asthma was between the ages of 50 to 54. It was based on ten years of data involving more than 14,000 postmenopausal women who did not have asthma before the menopause, and mirrors what doctors see with their patients. 'I see a peak in adult-onset asthma in women in their 40s and 50s every week,' says Dr Pujan Patel, a consultant respiratory clinician at Royal Brompton Hospital in London, adding that it can be triggered by both natural menopause and surgical menopause brought on by a hysterectomy. Asthma, which is when the airways become inflamed if in contact with a trigger, affects 7.2 million people in the UK. A further 200,000 have severe asthma and cannot manage their symptoms with standard medication. Intriguingly, studies have shown that the hormones in HRT can increase the risk of asthma (stock photo) While childhood asthma predominantly involves allergic triggers such as dust mites and pollen, adult-onset asthma is more likely to be triggered by viruses, stress and other non-allergic triggers. But why would menopause trigger asthma? Previous studies blamed low levels of the hormone oestrogen for promoting inflammation, says Dr Viki Male, a senior lecturer in reproductive immunology at Imperial College London. Oestrogen is produced mostly by the ovaries, which can be removed in a hysterectomy. She says: 'Increased inflammation raises the risk of the non-atopic asthma [asthma not caused by an allergic trigger].' That being said, high levels of synthetic oestrogen found in certain forms of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) seem to have the same effect, she says. A 2021 paper in the journal Chest found that women on HRT had a 63 per cent increased risk of asthma, while women who stopped treatment were twice as likely to stop needing to use asthma treatment. The scientists from Denmark decided that women prescribed HRT should be told they could develop asthma symptoms. But Dr Male says: 'If you take the right amount of oestrogen - but not too much - then increased inflammation should not be a risk.' Researchers are investigating whether 'male hormones' such as testosterone - also present in women in small quantities - could be key 'in the development of asthma around menopause' too, explains Dr Patel. In men, testosterone and other androgens (hormones that mainly trigger male traits) are associated with less inflammation. So, male hormones may exert more influence in menopausal women, who have less oestrogen to balance it out with, and this may increase inflammation in the airways rather than reduce it (as it does in men). 'We don't understand exactly what's happening, but the one thing that shouldn't be ignored is that there is a hormonal influence on asthma, and that GPs and specialists should be aware that the risk is higher in women,' says Dr Patel. Some women who develop asthma around menopause may need injections of lab-created proteins (biologic treatment), to target specific parts of the immune response and control their symptoms. 'Yet a lot of asthma medication is focused on the allergic pathway, so we see a lot of older women with asthma who don't respond to asthma drugs,' says Erika Kennington. This is what happened to Karen, as doctors treated her symptoms as a recurrence of her childhood asthma, rather than adult-onset asthma. HRT prescriptions for menopausal women have soared over the past few years, with 11million items handed out to help deal with symptoms in 2022/23 After her hysterectomy, she started taking HRT and the asthma kicked in within months. 'I started to catch chest infections and I'd find myself fighting for breath,' says Karen, who lives with her husband Paul, 69, in Stone, Staffordshire. 'But I didn't put the two things together then.' She was given a standard low dose steroid inhaler to reduce inflammation, as well as a reliever inhaler which contains fast-acting medicines to relax the airways. But she still often needed extra help with her breathing at hospital. 'But each time I went to hospital I felt like it wasn't taken seriously,' says Karen. She'd had mild asthma until the age of eight and her doctors told her this was a recurrence. Finally, in 2021, Karen was referred to a specialist centre where she was diagnosed with severe asthma instead, and then started on different treatments. In February last year she started a biologic treatment called tezepelumab - an injection that blocks a chemical messenger thought to play a key role in irritating and inflaming the airways. It has helped reduce the severity of her attacks but in August last year she was hospitalised again, so she may soon be switched to a different drug. Dr Male suggests women keep a symptom diary about their 'asthma and hormone situation you're in at different times'. 'Given the evidence showing HRT can increase the rate of adult-onset asthma, it's sensible to keep an eye on any respiratory symptoms if you've recently started taking it, and GPs shouldn't dismiss those who have noticed changes with HRT or the menopause,' she says. Karen is incredulous that it took so long to identify her severe asthma and its cause. She says: 'It's so important that there's more awareness of this connection - there could be women out there who have respiratory symptoms and might not even know it's asthma.' asthmaandlung.org.uk Warning labels must be attached to an asthma drug commonly prescribed to children in Australia after it was linked to suicidal thoughts, hallucinations and other psychiatric conditions. US research found that montelukast, sold under the brand name Singulair, attaches to cells in the brain that control mood, decision-making, attention, impulse control and sleep. Over the past decade, the Therapeutic Goods Association has received approximately 200 reports of behavioral side effects associated with montelukast in Australia. This includes 57 cases of depression, 60 cases of suicidal thoughts and 17 suicide attempts or incidents of intentional self-injury. There were seven cases where patients taking the drug committed suicide. Among those affected was Melbourne boy Harrison Sellick who attempted suicide at just five years old. According to his mother Vanessa, Harrison was prescribed montelukast when he was two years old and over the next three years developed behavioral problems and suicidal thoughts. Ms Sellick told Daily Mail Australia that her son, now 17 and off the medication, tried to take his own life at just five years old: He started having really long meltdowns that would last for an hour and a half. There was general comments about death and self-loathing. Australia-born Harrison Sellick tried to kill himself at just five years old a couple of years after going on Singulair. His mother Vanessa said he began having 'really long meltdowns' starting at age two as well as 'general comments about death and self-loathing' Montelukast, sold under the brand name Singulair, is a commonly prescribed drug in Australia Although the numbers affected are concerning, Nial Wheate, Professor of Pharmaceutical Chemistry at Macquarie University, said they were put in perspective by the number of Australians taking the drug. 'Over the same time period (of side effect reports), more than 200,000 scripts for montelukast have been filled under the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme. 'Overall we don't know conclusively that montelukast causes depression and suicide, just that it seems to increase the risk for some people.' Dr Wheate urged anyone with concerns to consult their doctor. 'If you have asthma and take montelukast or your child does, you should not just stop taking the drug, because this could put you at risk of an attack that could be life threatening. 'If youre concerned, speak to your doctor who can discuss the risks and benefits of the medication for you, and, if appropriate, prescribe a different medication.' Given as a daily pill, montelukast works by blocking chemicals released by the body that cause the airways to swell and constrict during an asthma attack. Since the 90s, it has been typically prescribed to asthma patients whose condition can't be controlled by the usual treatment. Virginia-native Nicholas England fatally shot himself in the head at age 22 just weeks after going on the generic version of Singulair Controversy surrounding the drug and its potential for prompting suicidal ideation has circulated for years. Campaigners have repeatedly called for more to be done to make patients and parents aware of the potential risk. These calls have now been amplified after the results of a US investigation into the drug and its impact on the brain. Presented at the American College of Toxicology's last year, representatives from the US Food and Drug Administration National Center for Toxicological Research confirmed there is a link between the drug and psychiatric conditions. They said laboratory tests had shown 'significant binding' of montelukast to multiple receptor cells found in the brain and are highest in cells known to be involved with psychiatric effects. However, the US authorities stopped short of removing the drug from sale, adding that studies are still ongoing, and results have not yet been finalised. Singulair was a blockbuster performer for Merck after its launch in 1998, offering relief for asthmatics in a pill rather than carrying around an inhaler. A 2017 analysis from Kiplinger, a business forecasting company, suggested that the drug had made Merck nearly $50billion in sales since it came on the market. In early advertising, the company said the side effects were so benign they were 'similar to a sugar pill,' while the label said the effect on the brain was minimal. However by 2019, health authorities had received thousands of reports detailing psychiatric episodes in patients prescribed the drug, including dozens of cases involving suicide. Among them was Robert England's 22-year old son Nick, who killed himself in 2017 less than two weeks after starting montelukast. England recalls that his son had trouble sleeping before he died, and said he was completely healthy and had no mental health problems prior to taking the drug. 'He was on that medication for just days, literally just days,' England said. 'It completely changed the trajectory of our lives.' Organon, a Merck spinoff that now markets Singulair, said in a statement following news of the American research it is confident in the drug's safety profile. 'The product label for Singulair contains appropriate information regarding Singulair benefits, risks and reported adverse reactions,' the company said. A woman faces leaving her four children without a mother after a subtle change in her fingernail turned out to be aggressive skin cancer that spread to her brain. Kelly Heather, 38, from Kent, first noticed a faint, dark line in the middle of her fingernail in 2017, and visited her GP for advice. But after a series of tests, she was assured that the bizarre mark was nothing sinister. Within three months, however, the line on her finger got darker and thicker, which prompted another trip to the doctors and an eventual referral to skin specialists. A biopsy revealed devastating news Ms Heather had melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer. When the disease starts under the nail it is known medically as subungual melanoma and typically presents as streaks or bruises on the nail bed that do not heal or grow out. It's thought that subungual melanomas make up roughly two per cent of the 17,500 cases that are diagnosed in the UK every year. Ms Heather had her nail bed removed at Queen Victoria Hospital in East Grinstead, West Sussex, and was told the surgery had gone well with no cancer left behind. Kelly Heather has seen her cancer return twice, and is now suffering metastatic disease that's spread to her brain. But within six months, something which looked like a verruca appeared at the end of the finger a signal that the cancer had returned. Doctors told her she would need to have her finger partially amputated to ensure all the disease was removed. 'I said whatever you need just take it. Id rather that than it spread anywhere else,' she said. She underwent the life-changing operation in March 2020 and was given the 'all-clear', with doctors claiming her disease was highly unlikely to spread. Despite this, Ms Heather asked for further scans to ensure no cells were left behind, but her request was refused. Just over two years later, in August 2022, she discovered a lump in her armpit. A series of tests confirmed that the cancer had returned, this time spreading to the lymph nodes under her arm glands responsible for clearing waste products from the body. She subsequently underwent major surgery in which 20 lymph nodes were removed. The line on Ms Heather's fingernail began as a faint mark but soon developed into a darker streak. Doctors then broke the gut-wrenching news that her disease was now metastatic melanoma a type of skin cancer which has spread to a different part of the body. But after undergoing a year of immunotherapy treatment, Ms Heather's scans came back clear again, suggesting the disease had been successfully eradicated once more. In April 2024, she was told she did not require a second year of immunotherapy and was classed as in remission. Two weeks later, she found out she was pregnant with her fourth child. But at 35 weeks pregnant, she found she was having trouble lifting her left leg properly. She said: 'My leg started flicking out and shaking uncontrollably, and within not even a minute, I was having a full seizure in the kitchen. 'I honestly thought I had died. I thought I was dying and all I could think was my kids have lost their mum and my baby is going to die. 'Its one of the most traumatic things Ive ever gone through.' She was diagnosed with brain cancer just weeks before giving birth to her fourth child She said: 'They removed most of the tumour, but they couldnt remove all of it without causing permanent paralysis to my left side.' Scans of Ms Heather's brain revealed a tumour nestled inside the organ, which had the same genetic profiling of her initial melanoma cancer. Doctors diagnosed stage 4 metastatic melanoma. Only one in five patients survive this stage of the disease for longer than five years. Reflecting on her ordeal, Ms Heather wondered if the outcome would have been different, had she undergone the scans she requested after her first diagnosis. 'Melanoma is the most aggressive form of skin cancer and it doesnt follow rules of what all the other cancers follow,' she said. 'They wouldnt give me that extra peace of mind by having those further scans, and I think [the cancer] would have been picked up a lot earlier, before it went into my lymphatic system, which is where it spread quite quickly. 'I do wonder what would have happened if I got that one scan I begged for. 'I feel things could have been dealt with differently and I might be in a different position to what I am now.' She gave birth to her fourth child Te-Jay on December 9 and less than 10 days later, underwent brain surgery to remove the tumour. Ms Heather also underwent surgery to remove 20 of her lymph nodes - glands under the arm that help remove toxins from the body She said: 'They removed most of the tumour, but they couldnt remove all of it without causing permanent paralysis to my left side. 'So, a small part was left behind, which is why I have to have the targeted radiotherapy to kill the remaining tumour left in the brain.' Heartbreakingly, she was told there's a 25 per cent chance the cancer would spread to her baby via the placenta. Tests have come back clear so far but Te-Jay is being regularly monitored at Guys Hospital. 'Its just another worry,' she said. 'No mum would ever want to think that theyve possibly spread a cancer to their baby.' With a newborn to look after, she is now starting a new treatment which includes two separate immunotherapy drugs. 'It is the only treatment that is available,' she said. 'Theres a 50 per cent chance it will work for me. Its very much hit and miss so its quite scary. 'I dont think Ive fully accepted that I have terminal cancer. 'Really, I should have continued to have the second year of treatment and that would have probably kept it at bay. 'But now Im waiting for where its going to show up next.' Despite her diagnosis, Ms Heather is determined to 'stay positive' for her partner Tom Woodcock, and four children Preston, 17, Brendan, 15, Rhea, 7, and Te-Jay. The family has set up a GoFundMe in order to raise funds for basic needs, as she has been forced to give up work due to her condition, and its affect on her mobility. She also wants to speak out about further testing as she believes her now stage 4 cancer may have been detected earlier if she had been granted another scan. 'I am pushing for further testing to be given regardless of what stage you are at,' she said. In a statement, a spokesperson for Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust said: 'Ensuring patients receive the right personalised cancer treatment as quickly as possible is our priority. 'While we are unable to comment on individual cases, we encourage any patient who may have a question or concern to speak to the clinical teams providing their care or our Patient Advice and Liaison Service.' Queen Victoria Hospital has been contacted for a comment. Experts have warned of alarming risks of the popular painkiller, ibuprofen and advised patients to use the medication sparingly. Complications like headaches and nausea can occur even if patients are sticking to the recommended dose of two 200mg tablets every four to six hours (roughly four times a day), doctors say. But some experts say taking tablets three times a day for a few months is enough to trigger worrying problems. The common over-the-counter medication is used by many Brits to alleviate pain and reduce inflammation, for instance in arthritis. But one doctor has warned about the risks of the medication that millions take for aches and pains. 'Taking ibuprofen on a long-term basis can lead to some seriously damaging health conditions,' said Dr Gerard Sinovich, a Lead Pain Consultant at the medical cannabis clinic Alternaleaf in a new warning statement. For instance, he added that the drug 'has been found to approximately double the risk of hospital admission due to heart failure' as well as increase blood pressure by an average of two to three points. Meanwhile pharmacist Dr Leyla Hannbeck told MailOnline that some of the most common issues linked to ibuprofen are 'ulcer in the stomach, damaging kidney function and cardiovascular problems'. An adult can take 200 to 400 milligrams (mg) per dose every four to six hours, with a maximum of 1,200 mg per day, Dr Gerard Sinovich. That's the equivalent to about six tablets a day Other experts have issued similar warnings. Manchester-based pharmacist Thorrun Govind explained that, in some cases, doctors are able to prescribe a patient up to 600mg to take four times a day. But she stressed this should only happen under the supervision of a prescriber and be used for the shortest possible duration. Meanwhile NHS GP Dr Hana Patel flagged the risk of headaches, dizziness, nausea, wind and indigestion, which occurs in one in 100 people. Ibuprofen belongs to a group of medicines called nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), of which examples include aspirin and naproxen. They work by blocking the production of prostaglandins a chemical that causes pain and inflammation throughout the body. The danger of the medicines which are especially risky to elderly people in high doses is thought to lie in the fact the drug can raise blood pressure and cause internal bleeding in extreme cases. This is because the drug can reduce the production a protective mucus in the stomach. While the recommended maximum dose is 200-400 milligrams every four to six hours, some studies have found side effects can happen with a dose lower than this. For instance, a 2013 study found that taking this dose three times a day over a course of three months was enough to elicit symptoms such as stomach ulcers and extreme headaches. Here, experts reveal the alarming risks of regularly taking NSAIDs. More than one in 100 people who take ibuprofen experience headaches, dizziness, nausea, wind and indigestion, NHS GP Dr Hana Patel said. But it can in extreme cases cause heart failure Heart failure Ibuprofen reduces the production of inflammatory prostaglandins by inhibiting the production of the enzyme cyclooxygenase (COX) in the kidneys. But this, Dr Sinovich warns, can lead to an increase in blood pressure and fluid. High blood pressure can increase the risk of heart failure by forcing the heart to work harder and puts strain on the heart. Plus, too much fluid in the body can make it harder for the heart to pump blood, further increasing the risk of heart failure. 'NSAIDs use has been found to approximately double the risk of hospital admission due to heart failure and increase systolic blood pressure by an average of 2 to 3 mmHg.5,' Dr Sinovich said. Ms Govind added that patients with arterial disease or cardiovascular disease should avoid the drug. Stomach inflammation Even when taking the correct dose of ibuprofen it can cause heartburn and indigestion, warned Dr Sinovich. But those that take over the recommended amount risk severe stomach pain, stomach ulcers and severe bleeding in the digestive tract, as well as diarrhoea side effects which are also more common in those over the age of 65. This is because the drug is irritating to the protective lining of the stomach and bowel, due to its limiting effect on naturally-produced mucus designed to protect the tissues from harm. This makes the sensitive cells more vulnerable to damage from stomach acid which can cause injuries. Dr Sinovich explained that for this reason people with a history of bleeding or ulcers in the gut should completely avoid the drug. 'Black poo or blood in your vomit can both be signs of bleeding in your stomach,' Dr Patel added. Kidney failure Ibuprofen can reduce blood flow to the kidneys which can cause damage, if it's overdosed. Prostaglandins, the same chemical that causes inflammation and pain, is also responsible for dilating blood vessels in the kidneys, which increases blood flow to the area. If this chemical is blocked, as a result of an NSAID, blood flow is reduced. Dr Sinovich said: 'Signs of kidney failure include swelling in the feet, ankles, legs and hands, and notice sudden urine changes such as urinating more frequently, or producing little to no urine.' Liver failure Taking high doses can also seriously damage the liver. 'Ibuprofen increases the aminotransferase enzyme (ALT) levels that are released by the liver and provoke death of the cells. This increase can lead to liver damage or liver disease,' Dr Sinovich warned. That's why Dr Sinovich also stressed that it's important to avoid taking ibuprofen alongside any substances that can damage the liver, such as alcohol. When she was told she could no longer exercise, go running or even pick up her toddler, Pilates instructor Holly Puddephatt thought life as she'd known it was over. The fit and active 37-year-old from Leeds was diagnosed with a prolapsed bladder and womb 18 months after giving birth to her daughter Thea, now three and informed she had to 'live with it'. 'I was dismissed by my GP and told to just go home,' she says. 'I couldn't believe I was being treated so badly.' A prolapsed womb (known medically as uterine prolapse) is where the muscles and tissues supporting the womb become weak, causing it to slip down into the vagina. 'In severe cases, the uterus may even protrude outside the vagina,' says Dr Shazia Malik, a consultant obstetrician and gynaecologist and UK medical director at virtual women's health clinic Daye. The condition is one of a group of pelvic floor disorders collectively known as pelvic organ prolapse where the supporting tissues have weakened so that organs in the pelvis, including bladder and rectum, drop from their normal positions into the vagina. Pelvic organ prolapse affects one in ten women over 50, says the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists. It can be caused by a number of factors: ageing (as the muscles lose their elasticity); diseases that weaken the connective tissues (including genetic disorders); pelvic floor injuries; and having had a hysterectomy. Pilates instructor Holly Puddephatt thought life as she'd known it was over when she was diagnosed with a prolapse But less well known is the significant role played by childbirth specifically a natural vaginal birth in otherwise fit and healthy women such as Holly. A US study, published in the International Urogynecology Journal in 2013, suggested that a vaginal birth significantly increases a woman's odds of a prolapse. As many as 50 per cent of women may have some degree of prolapse afterwards, says Jo Dafforn, a women's intimate health physiotherapist and pelvic health clinic lead at Nuffield Health. Many of those affected may not even realise and 'could be walking around symptom-free', she adds. But one in 12 women with pelvic organ prolapse will report symptoms such as vaginal 'heaviness' or a sensation of dragging, a lump inside their vagina, lower back ache and problems controlling and/or emptying their bladder or bowels Ms Dafforn says. And too often women aren't told help is available, adds Dr Malik. A pre-print study (meaning it hasn't been peer-reviewed) published last year found that pelvic floor muscle training combined with lifestyle advice significantly improved symptoms and quality of life in women with mild to moderate pelvic organ prolapse. But women are often too embarrassed to seek help. 'It's very important not to feel shame or reluctance to seek specialist assessment and advice,' adds Dr Malik. 'It's common and there are lots of ways to help and no one should have to suffer in silence.' Holly's problems began after Thea's birth which ended up being lengthy. She had an epidural, which meant she couldn't feel anything when she was instructed to push by the midwife. Her baby girl was finally delivered by forceps. Nonetheless, Thea was healthy. Holly was simply relieved it was all over and determined to get on with life as a new mum when they were both discharged from hospital a few days later. Holly's problems began after he daughter Thea's birth - which ended up being lengthy. She had an epidural, which meant she couldn't feel anything when she was instructed to push by the midwife She did experience a 'heaviness down below' in the following weeks which she now realises was a symptom of prolapse. But, at the time, she blamed it on having stitches (for an episiotomy during the forceps delivery). But things didn't improve. In fact, Holly was even struggling to walk properly. She mentioned the heaviness at her eight-week check but her doctor merely advised her to do some pelvic floor exercises. As her stitches healed, Holly started to feel a bit better. 'I thought I'd come through it,' she recalls. She and her partner, Curtis, 33, a manager at a gym, threw themselves into being parents and life carried on. Then, when Thea was 18 months old, Holly began to feel strange once again. 'It was hard to explain,' she says, 'but I felt I had a tampon stuck inside me even though I didn't'. She even asked Curtis to check. 'Nothing was there, but it felt as though something was stuck or hanging out of me.' Concerned, she saw her GP and tearfully explained the problem. She recalls: 'I saw a female doctor and thought she'd be sympathetic. But she asked brusquely: 'Why are you crying?' The GP did an internal examination, soon after diagnosing a prolapse. Holly was then told nothing could be done - that she'd just have to adjust to it - and there was 'no point' in being referred to a specialist. 'I left in tears,' she recalls. The problem worsened: 'At certain times of my monthly cycle it would be worse and was actually painful. When I walked it felt as if my insides were going to fall out. Sometimes if I just moved, I'd leak urine.' Holly has benefited from pelvic floor exercises and continues to practise them a year on Symptoms can come and go like this, says Jenny Pullen, a pelvic floor physiotherapist at Nuffield Health Haywards Heath Hospital. She adds: 'Many women report feeling it gets worse towards the afternoon and evening if they've been on their feet or carrying their baby a lot that day. It can also feel worse when oestrogen levels are low and at different times of the cycle.' This is because oestrogen is vital for the strength and flexibility of tissues. Low levels during breastfeeding or at certain times of the month, for instance can lead them to become weaker and also make the vagina feel drier, making the 'heavy' sensation of prolapse seem more pronounced. In addition, changing hormone levels during pregnancy, as well as the weight of the growing baby, can put a strain on the pelvic floor, explains Dr Malik. Going into labour, and particularly having a vaginal delivery, further stretches these supporting structures. As the baby passes through the birth canal, it stretches surrounding muscles and tissues beyond their normal capacity. Although the body has an amazing capacity to recover, some women's pelvic floors never fully regain their original strength, says Dr Malik. Subsequent births generally have a marginal effect, however. She reiterates that while half of women who have had a vaginal delivery may experience some degree of prolapse, 'it's important to note that not all cases are symptomatic or severe'. And while some women, like Holly, notice symptoms immediately after childbirth, for others there may be a delay 'of many years' in between having a baby and noticing the first prolapse symptoms, says Dr Malik, as other factors including dwindling hormones at the menopause, being overweight, chronic coughing or regularly lifting heavy weights can have an accumulative effect over time. Holly finally went to see a private gynaecologist who confirmed that, as well as a uterine prolapse, her bladder had also partly prolapsed into her vagina. A specialist women's health physiotherapist gave Holly exercises to strengthen her pelvic floor, which can be very effective in reducing the symptoms of prolapse. But it's important to get help from a specialist, adds Dr Malik not least for checking the exercises are being done correctly. National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidelines recommend four months of pelvic floor training for women with pelvic organ prolapse 'however, some women will start to see improvement in their symptoms after a few weeks', says Jo Dafforn. In severe cases, surgery to stitch supporting tissues to strong bones or ligaments in the pelvis may be suggested. Although this can be effective, as with all operations there are some risks. And there is a chance the prolapse may recur, says Dr Malik. She adds that taking probiotics can help, which maintain a healthy balance of bacteria in the vagina and urinary tract that can reduce the risk of infections (such as urinary tract infections (UTIs), which may exacerbate prolapse symptoms. Good digestive health helps reduce the risk of constipation, which can also contribute to symptoms. Holly has benefited from pelvic floor exercises. She continues to practise them a year on. She also uses an internal vaginal pessary (a removable device typically made of silicone) to support pelvic organs, and has been able to return to exercise, weightlifting and picking up Thea. She's now opened her own Pilates studio to help other women improve their pelvic floor. 'I wish I'd been given more support and encouraged to get help sooner,' she says. 'I'd like other women to understand that they are not alone and no one should tell them to put up with a prolapse.' You can find Holly's story on Instagram @hollyandthea. You may want to re-think the position you naturally gravitate towards when you climb into bed at night. Because according to experts, one popular stance could leave you suffering with agonising back pain and even struggling to breathe. According to Dr Daria Sadovskaya, a Singapore-based kidney specialist, lying on your stomach with one leg pulled up to the chest is 'particularly problematic'. In a TikTok video watched almost six million times, she explained this was because the position can lead to 'spinal misalignment' and 'nerve compression'. She added: 'Pulling one leg up causes the pelvis to rotate, twisting your lower back and leading to spinal misalignment. 'Over time, this can result in back pain or stiffness. 'It can also cause neck strain turning your head to one side for long periods can strain the neck muscles and even lead to nerve compression. 'The uneven positioning of the hips one raised and one flat can also create tension in the hip flexors and result in imbalanced pressure on the pelvis. @sadovskaya_doctor Sleep positions from best to worst. Did you know sleeping in the last position will give you acne, wrinkles, face puffiness and back problems? original sound - miguelplaysrecorder According to Dr Daria Sadovskaya, a Singapore-based nephrologist a kidney specialist lying on your stomach with one leg pulled up to the chest is 'particularly problematic' 'And, sleeping on your stomach compresses your chest, making it harder to breathe deeply and reducing oxygen intake.' Experts have long warned that dozing off lying on the stomach can strain the neck as it is permanently twisted to one side throughout the night. Dr Sadovskaya recommended other sleeping positions instead, as they are known to increase the chances of a deep, long-lasting sleep. Sleeping flat on the back is considered the 'best sleep position' because it keeps your head, neck, and spine in a neutral alignment, reducing the risk of pain,' she said. 'It also minimises pressure on joints and can prevent facial wrinkles, as there's no pressure on your face.' Sleeping sideways, resting a hand under the pillow, is also 'highly beneficial' she added. 'This position is great for reducing snoring and alleviating sleep apnoea by keeping your airways open,' she said. 'To maintain proper alignment, use a supportive pillow between your knees to keep your spine neutral.' Sleeping flat on the back is considered the 'best sleep position' because it keeps your head, neck, and spine in a neutral alignment, reducing the risk of pain,' she said Sleep deprivation can lead to obesity, memory loss, diabetes, heart disease, heightened and unstable emotions, impaired ability to learn and a reduced immune response, leaving you vulnerable to disease It comes as one study last year found that around around one in six Brits suffer insomnia, yet 65 per cent never seek help for their sleep problem. The poll of 2,000 people, by The Sleep Charity, found nine in ten experience some sort of sleep problem, while one in two engage in high-risk or dangerous behaviours when unable to sleep. Poor sleep has been linked to a number of health problems, including cancer, stroke and infertility. Experts have long advised that waking up during the night does not necessarily mean you have insomnia, which figures suggest affects up to 14million Brits. Still, sleep deprivation takes its own toll, from irritability and reduced focus in the short term, to an increased risk of obesity, heart disease and diabetes. According to the American Sleep Association, nearly 70 million Americans also have a sleep disorder. January 23, 2025: Russian soldiers in Ukraine are largely higher paid long-term contract soldiers. These men tend to come from rural areas where jobs are scarce and poverty is increasing. Many of the military-age men had already served one or two years as conscripts. In the last year, military recruiters have been offering these veterans well-paid jobs as contract soldiers if they sign up for a few more years. Most of their pay is sent directly to their families and there are substantial death or disability payments. So far over half a million Russian soldiers have died or been permanently disabled in Ukraine .In many rural towns it is obvious that many men recently died in Ukraine. Thats made it difficult for recruiters, who have obtained most of their best recruits from these rural areas, where many men are accustomed to hunting or fishing. That means recruits who already know how to shoot and move quietly in the countryside and are in need of a better paying job. As more local men die in Ukraine, fewer are inclined to join the army. This is a problem because most of the rural population of Russia has been slowly declining. In 1970 rural areas held half the population but currently it is only 37 percent and continuing to decline. A century ago, most Russians lived in rural areas but the movement to urban areas has been relentless and continuous. Men in urban areas have more access to news, better education and more jobs. Urban men are not interested in joining the army, even as better paid contract soldiers. When the Soviet Union dissolved in 1991, it was voters from urban areas that led the opposition to conscription, but so far, the best they could do was get the term of conscript service reduced to one year. Current conscript laws prohibit conscripts from serving in foreign wars. The government tried to present the Ukraine War as an internal Russian matter because Ukraine was part of Russia. The government passed laws to that effect but most Russians still considered the Ukraine War a foreign war that was off limits for conscripts. The conscripts went to war anyway, but almost entirely in non-combat roles. To get around this opposition the government provided more cash bonuses to induce conscripts to become contract soldiers. This made sense to conscripts from poor regions but the urban conscripts were not interested and concentrated on surviving their unfortunate circumstances. For urban military-age men, particularly in the Moscow and St. Petersburg areas, rampant corruption in the conscription bureaucracy provides opportunities for those with money to avoid conscription or at least avoid service in a combat unit. As Russian conscripts and newly acquired contract soldiers continued to suffer casualties in Ukraine, the quality of those troops and their willingness to fight declined. This was accelerated by the even greater decline in the number of combat officers available. Russian officers were also reluctant to have a promising military career cut short by untimely death in Ukraine while trying to lead reluctant troops. Ukrainian forces more frequently encountered Russian units that seemed reluctant to fight but many soldiers wanted to surrender. The Russian government tried to deal with this by making it a criminal offense to surrender. This has led a growing number of reluctant and desperate Russian soldiers to desert and not return to Russia. This makes them stateless but still alive. This is not a new problem and the UN refugee agency is prepared to issue travel documents to the stateless. This allows Russian deserters to move around outside Russia but they still encounter problems finding a job while also learning a new language. It is possible to covertly contact friends and family via the Internet to let them know you are still alive but thats about all you can do. All this explains the poor morale and combat ineffectiveness of so many Russian troops in Ukraine. There are some elite commando or airborne units that will willingly fight but there are few of these units. Russian commanders have learned to use these elite units carefully because combat losses are not easy to replace. It takes months to train these elite troops, who are volunteers and there are fewer and fewer Russians volunteering to fight in Ukraine, even as a member of an elite unit. While all this limits the ability of the Russians to attack, most of their reluctant soldiers will operate on the defensive and take part in building defensive fortifications and planting landmines and other nasty surprises for any attackers. This is what the current Ukrainian offensive in the southeast has to deal with. Ukrainian forces make the most of this by using their long-range weapons, like artillery, guided rockets and aircraft delivered long range guided bombs or air-to-ground missiles to destroy Russian supply storage sites, transportation efforts and headquarters. This leaves a growing number of Russian units without ammunition or other supplies, even food and water. Many Russian troops still have their cellphones and can call home and complain about their increasingly desperate situation. Its illegal for troops to report on their situation and illegal for Russian media to publish or broadcast it. This slows down but does prevent the bad news from spreading inside Russia. Most Russians still support their government or simply try to avoid the war news. For those Russians who are involved because they have friends or family members in the military or subject to being recruited or conscripted, the bad news is a useful additional incentive to avoid being sent to Ukraine to fight. Those who do go have little enthusiasm for fighting but will shoot back if cornered and attacked. Russia recently imported 12,000 North Korean troops who are trained, disciplined and know how to carry out a disciplined attack. North Korea announced that it is willing to send more troops even if that means North Korean soldiers taking over most Russian offensive operations. North Korea sees this as much needed combat training for its troops and a source of income. Russia pays for the use of these troops as well as the cost of maintaining them and the costs of medical care and shipping the bodies of dead soldiers home and paying the family a substantial life insurance payment. Such payments are common in all parts of the world. Currently the families of U.S. military personnel killed in combat receive $100,000 tax free. The government also ships the body back and provides a military burial service if the family wants one. For North Korea, sending its soldiers to fight alongside Russians in Ukraine is all about money. North Korea has been selling Russia ammunition, rockets and other weapons since 2023. This has become big business for North Korea. Now they can rent their soldiers to the Russians. Supplying Russian needs for the war in Ukraine has become big business for North Korea and they will miss it when the war ends or Russia runs out of cash to pay for their foreign legion. CNN's Jim Acosta publicly chided Republican lawmaker Tim Burchett Wednesday for refusing to 'take a stand' on President Donald Trumps blanket pardons surrounding January 6. The executive order initiating the acquittals did not discriminate between violent and non-violent offenders, leaving Acosta in a serious mood on the set of CNN Newsroom. Joining him remotely was Burchett, who had guessed what was in store for him during the segment as he tuned in. 'Its good to be on here for my weekly beating from you all at CNN,' he began, as his fellow congressional Republicans have been left somewhat divided on the subject. Not in a joking mood, Acosta quickly tore into his guest, demanding he denounce the more than 1,500 pardons. At one point Acosta accused the Tennessee congressman of 'engaging in a game of whataboutism', as the latter attempted to address the inquiries diplomatically. Acosta, who is currently the host of the 10am hour, continued to press the politician, eventually growing impatient. He then urged Burchett to 'Say it!' - leading the conservative to accuse CNN of biased coverage. As evidence he pointed to what he called a lack of reporting on 2020's Black Lives Matter protests from CNN, after it caused $1billion in damages. CNN's Jim Acosta publicly chided Republican lawmaker Tim Burchett for refusing to 'take a stand' on President Donald Trumps blanket pardons surrounding January 6 . The January 2021 protests caused $2.8 million in damages. Five were killed - one who overdosed, one protester shot dead by police and three others including a police officer After brining up how law enforcement agencies that had officers stationed at the Capitol during the riot had already spoken out, Acosta asked his guest how he felt about the executive order. Burchett, like several other Republicans, appeared to disapprove of the pardons, responding: 'Jim, if they broke the law, they ought to be in jail.' 'You spring this stuff on me,' he went on, before admitting he was not fully aware of the nature of some of the rioters crimes. 'I dont know. I havent seen the types of these individuals of what they did,' he said, a day after Trump too appeared unaware of the specifics of some of the convictions when asked about them by journalists. Acosta, at this point, asked: 'What happened to back the blue? What happened to backing police officers?' He added how 'Your party has said time and again [they] back the blue,' before jumping to his own conclusions. 'It sounds like you let down the blue! Youre betraying the blue!' Burchett, looking on, immediately appeared annoyed. The executive order initiating the acquittals did not discriminate between violent and non-violent offenders, leaving Acosta in a serious mood on the set of CNN Newsroom 'Why dont you just give an editorial and not let me come on,' he told the host, who has often found himself at odds with Trump. 'Look what happened in the last four years with police. What happened with all the riots that took place all across the country? Police officers were murdered. Courthouses were burned. Over 22 police cars were burned. 'Yet no one went to jail for that. Where is that? Where is your crocodile tears for that?' The pair then attempted to talk over one another, leading Acosta to accuse him of 'engaging in games.' 'You're engaged now in a game of whataboutism,' he said. 'What are you talking about, "What were doing at CNN?"' the host continued. 'We didnt storm the Capitol! These people did. And President Trump let them out of jail. 'Why not just say You were wrong, Mr. President?' he continued. Collectively, the Black Lives Matter protests of summer 2020 killed at least 24 and caused nearly $1 billion in damages. Pictured, protesters causing chaos in DC on May 31, 2020 'Say it! Why cant you say it?' At this point, Burchett appeared to be regretting accepting the invitation. 'Jim?' he asked, as if to indicate confusion as to whether the anchor was hearing him. 'As I said - individually, I dont know the case.' That's when Burchett accused CNN of not covering unrest during the Black Lives Matter protests that broke out across the country in 2020. Burchett falsely claimed that 'nobody went to jail for that. Nearly 1,000 people across the country, however, did. Acosta, potentially unaware of that statistic, then told Burchett: 'This is not Fox'. Burchett responded with a disparaging remark about CNNs ratings, which have been in the tank for the past several years, worsening in the wake of the election. Meanwhile, on January 6, 2021, a total of five people died - one from an overdose, one shot by Capitol police 'Is President Trump responsible? Is he responsible if some of these offenders re-offend?' Acosta went on to ask - pointing to figures from the far-right militias Oath Keepers or the Proud Boys that were released. 'They were involved on January 6 and were put in prison and Donald Trump released them. Isnt he then responsible for that? Isnt he responsible if somebody gets hurt?' Acosta asked. 'I would say if they are Trump appointed judges, they will go to jail,' Burchett shot back. 'But if theyre Joe Biden appointed judges or Soros-backed DAs, they will probably walk as they do in New York and the rest of the country - which we saw during the Black Lives Matters marches. We saw the riots all across the country. 'Those people walked,' Burchett continued. 'Nobody went to jail for that. Millions upon millions of dollars of property was damages. You all didnt raise a finger, didnt say one word about it.' 'Congressman, thats just not true!' Acosta at this point proclaimed, seemingly in response to the declaration involving CNN's reporting. 'You showed it, its all in order,' Burchett said of the often violent processions seen in cities like New York and Seattle in the spring of 2021. 'We had riots where things towns were burning down and they were allowed to do it.' 'Those people walked,' Burchett said of the protesters in the spring of 2020. 'Nobody went to jail for that. Millions upon millions of dollars of property was damages. You all didnt raise a finger, didnt say one word about it.' The claim is untrue as almost 1,000 people were in fact jailed. Acosta, who is reportedly being floated as a host of the dreaded 12am timeslot, asserted that he was personally in DC reporting on riots there in the months before the insurrection. 'I was at the White House covering the first Trump administration when they had rioting outside of the White House. I mean, that was covered on CNN,' he said. 'Congressman, you cant just spin a tale and pull the wool over peoples eyes. This is CNN. This is the news.' Burchett attempted to speak up, but was again silenced by his holier-than-thou host 'We are asking you to come on and tell the truth,' Acosta said, before being subject to a proverbial bomb from the Republican. 'And thats why more people are watching the Cartoon Network SpongeBob reruns right now, Jim,' he said, briefly leaving Acosta at a loss. 'Look, I left the White House during a riot,' he went on. 'My life was threatened. My life has been threatened within the last few weeks. Yet theres no coverage of that. 'And you all continue this this narrative of attacking Trump. You just cant stand the fact that he won and that America spoke. 'I asked you to come on to ask you about these pardons because they are highly controversial and they could result in people getting hurt,' Acosta eventually concluded. 'And I think that is a sincere question to ask'. Currently, conservatives remain split on the subject Acosta, at this point, interrupted his guest yet again, sparking some more heated crosstalk. 'I asked you to come on to ask you about these pardons because they are highly controversial and they could result in people getting hurt,' Acosta eventually concluded. 'And I think thats a sincere question to ask... They went to jail and then the president let them out of jail and all Im asking is for you to say that if you feel its wrong, say its wrong. 'Thats the key,' Burchett recalled, staying strong. 'They did go to jail. And under these Soros backed DAs all across the country, these people are walking for for much more heinous crimes.' During riots in the wake of George Floyd's May 2020 murder, at least 24 people were killed, with $1 billion in damages caused across US cities. Meanwhile, the January 2021 protests caused $2.8 million in damages. Five were killed - one who overdosed, one protester shot dead by police and three others including a police officer. CNN has started laying off the first of what is set to be hundreds of staffers as mainstream media begins to cut jobs with Donald Trump returning to the White House. What's more, the struggling cable network has plans to do major surgery on its TV lineup, attempt to expand digital subscribers and move production to its Atlanta home base. The layoffs were initially reported in November and follow about 100 cuts the network made over the summer. At least one big name producer has reportedly learned they're out of a job on Wednesday, with many more set to be told on Thursday, Status reported. Many shows are also rumored to be moving from New York and Washington to Atlanta, where production costs are cheaper, according to CNBC. On the schedule, virulently anti-Trump anchor Jim Acosta may be headed to the dead zone of cable news, going from 10am to a two-hour show airing at midnights. The network's former chief White House correspondent may leave the network altogether, according to the LA Times, if he doesn't except a timeslot that's been described as 'the Siberia of cable news.' Insiders told Puck back in November that the firings were likely to lean closer to the production side of things. CNN has already begun laying off the first of what is set to be hundreds of staffers as mainstream media begins to cut jobs with Donald Trump returning to the White House New CNN CEO Mark Thompson said in a meeting last month that the layoffs were not to cut costs but to 'change CNN' and 'make it better' New CNN CEO Mark Thompson - who personally asked Acosta to accept the midnight show - said in a meeting last month that the layoffs were not to cut costs but to 'change CNN' and 'make it better.' Puck reported he's told staffers 'dispassionate, open-minded coverage of the incoming president.' Employees at the network have described the vibes as 'anxious' and 'nauseous' as closed-door meetings take place to determine the future of the network. Their competitors are set to do the same, as NBC News is also planning to lay off 'a few dozen' workers Thursday as well. Staffers at ABC News - following the network's highly publicized settlement with Trump - are also worried that cuts are about to come, though no specific date has been set. However, a source at the network said that 'everyone is on edge' and despite all three being 'highly profitable,' their business models are said to be broken. Status added that there are likely to be more cuts to follow in the years to come. President Trump commented on the matter on Truth Social: 'MSDNC is even worse than CNN. They shouldnt even have a right to broadcast - Only in America!' DailyMail.com has reached out to CNN, ABC News and NBC News for comment. On the schedule, virulently anti-Trump anchor Jim Acosta may be headed to the dead zone of cable news, going from 10am to a two-hour show airing at midnights President Trump commented on the matter on Truth Social The network has just gone through an embarrassing lawsuit after they defamed an Afghan war veteran by falsely accusing him of running a 'black market' for Afghanistan evacuations and must pay him $5 million damages. The network has been battling sagging ratings and vows from conservative lawmakers including Trump himself to crack down on what they claim is an unfair liberal bias. CNN's exodus was first reported on in November, as stalwart Chris Wallace, and amid reports senior stars like Wolf Blitzer and Jake Tapper have both been denied raises. The highest paid remaining stars include Anderson Cooper - who rakes in $20million a year - Erin Burnett ($6million) and rising star Kaitlan Collins ($3million). As a result, reporters and correspondents will be required to cover their slack, they said - describing how on-air workers will be 'asked to assume more of the responsibilities once handled by teams of producers and production assistants.' Puck News' Dylan Byers wrote: 'Redundant assignments will be nixed, and various divisions will be reduced or even eliminated. 'Some of the on-air talent are also likely to be affected,' he went on to reveal. Sources who spoke to the reporter, who worked at CNN for three years before founding Puck, added how the looming layoffs are part of an overarching plan - one that puts a premium on the station's digital platforms. While big names like Kaitlan Collins will be spared in the layoffs, the entire TV lineup is said to be facing a restructure The rumblings, first reported by Puck News, come as stars like Anderson Cooper continue to take home salaries of $20million despite waning ratings The man behind it, they said, is none other than new CEO Mark Thompson - the former New York Times boss brought in to overhaul the network under its Warner Bros. Discovery parent. The old BBC boss filled the position left by then-languishing leader Chris Licht this past August, and since then, ratings have fallen more than 20 percent. Under Licht - a tenure that lasted a little over a year - the station fell from being the most-watched cable news network on election nights, to one of the least. In 2016, when it was headed by since-ousted leader Jeff Zucker, CNN brought in 1.25 million viewers in primetime, behind Fox News. Now, its under 700,000. Right-leaning Fox hosts like Laura Ingraham, Jesse Watters, Sean Hannity, and Greg Gutfeld, meanwhile, are still averaging 2.8 million viewers in the same timeslots today - the most in a field currently being affected by streaming and other forms of media. Adding insult to injury was CNN's struggles on election day - a day that eight years ago would've seen it score a decisive ratings victory. However, following a Trump presidency and a term from the Biden Administration, it lost to MSNBC in terms of ratings - something never seen before as it only drew in 5.1million sets of eyes that night. MSNBC, meanwhile, raked in 6million - a number eclipsed almost twofold by Fox News' 10.3million. The numbers, aired this week in the form of Nielsen statistics, appear to show a shifting field when it comes to cable news - one seemingly set to continue with Trump's second term in office. To combat this, CNN plans to create new positions that will service Thompsons new digital-first vision, the unnamed insiders told Byers - with one source positing how the incoming changes may even yield a net gain of employees. Still, if the insiders warning prove true, hundreds of others will lose their positions, the sources said - describing to Byers a climate at the outfit's Manhattan office rife with 'stress and high anxiety.' As for high-paid figures like Cooper and Burnett, their fates remain uncertain. Days earlier, The Ankler had reported that Tapper and Blitzer were denied raises, and that officials were mulling a pay cut for Wallace. The newsletter also revealed how Tapper was instead resigned to a three-year contract - one that would seem him paid the same $7million annually that he had earned in years past. Jim Acosta's banishment to CNN's graveyard midnight slot has delighted many of his colleagues who have long been fed up with his grandstanding ways. Few are hiding their glee that President Donald Trump's botherer-in-chief has been moved from a plum morning slot to a time when viewing figures plummet even further. 'Jim is one of the least-liked and most eye-rolled of all the talent at CNN. And this has been a longstanding status,' said one network insider. 'He's insufferable, an egomaniac. If he can make himself part of the story, he will.' Another added: 'His jealousy is even visibly thicker than his makeup and hardened hair gel.' Acosta, 53, became famous for getting under Donald Trump's skin as White House press briefings descended into bouts of bickering during his first administration. 'You are a rude, terrible, nasty person,' the president clapped back at his botherer-In-chief in an especially testy 2018 exchange. On Thursday, CNN announced 200 layoffs and a series of major changes, one of which was to boot Acosta from his mid-morning slot and give him a show starting at midnight. CNN star Jim Acosta's banishment to the midnight graveyard shifts is welcomed by many of his colleagues who agree with President Trump's assessment that he's a 'nasty person' When Acosta was a White House correspondent he had his press credentials revoked by Trump after a heated exchange Network boss Mark Thompson confirmed Thursday that Acosta was being moved to the midnight-2 am spot Acosta is now understood to be considering a move away from the network rather than accept the downgrade. And that cannot come fast enough for many who work with him. The timing of the demotion three days after Trump's inauguration raised suspicions that CNN was trying to curry favor with the incoming president by sending his biggest antagonist to the 'Siberia of television news'. 'Everyone knows he's the guy who constantly sparred with Trump and I imagine that's not the look that the network is going for right now,' another longtime ex-staffer told DailyMail.com. 'I think it's really that simple. Never have I encountered a news boss who gave a f**k about a male reporter and his ego.' Acosta's visibility soared during Trump's first term when his combative questioning riled the President and memorably provoked him into labelling CNN 'fake news.' The then-chief White House correspondent had his press credentials revoked in November 2018 when he was accused of 'putting his hands on' a young intern who tried to yank the mic from him. 'CNN should be ashamed of itself having you working for them,' Trump hissed at his most-loathed member of the press pool. The White House accused Acosta of ' putting his hands on' a young female intern who tried to yank the mic from him Trump hissed at his sworn-enemy Acosta during the altercation that CNN should be ashamed to be employing him Acosta's access was only restored when CNN filed a federal lawsuit, rejecting the allegations and describing the ban as 'retaliation for his challenging questions'.Acosta's access was only restored when CNN filed a federal lawsuit, rejecting the allegations and describing the ban as 'retaliation for his challenging questions' He later parlayed Trump's animosity into a plum morning hosting gig and a bestselling book, The Enemy of the People: A Dangerous Time to Tell the Truth in America. But behind the scenes, his rise from obscurity rankled colleagues, several of whom told DailyMail.com they grew tired of Acosta's 'resistance' schtick. 'Before Trump came along, Jim was a run-of-the mill on-air talent. But then came his epiphany,' dished our insider. 'He realized that if he needled Trump, people would applaud him on Twitter and online. Jim simply could not resist this added limelight.' The day Trump briefly revoked his credentials for White House coverage was the absolute best day of Jim's life. 'He was famous now. He was glowing, visibly thrilled and smiling. People knew who he was. He was part of the headlines. 'And so, he began to make this his entire personality. The guy was insufferable before, but now it's times-ten. He clearly felt that he was seen as some kind of hero.' As Acosta's profile soared he became fiercely territorial about rival reporters encroaching on his White House beat, according to our source. 'He would seethe positively roil when male colleagues like Jake Tapper or Jim Sciutto would 'scoop' him on anything White House or presidential-related,' the insider revealed. Acosta allegedly took an interest in the hotels and flights his colleagues were booking, trying to gauge whether CNN was splashing out more on his bigger-name counterparts Acosta's visibility soared during Trump's first term when his combative questioning riled the President and memorably provoked him into labelling CNN 'fake news' His tumultuous relationship with Trump got him a gig as a morning host on the network and the best selling book The Enemy of the People: A Dangerous Time to Tell the Truth in America 'He would "bigfoot" a colleague at any chance he could possibly get. 'Sometimes he would even drive all the way back to the White House in a hurry and try to weasel himself on air if he found out that something interesting was happening on short notice.' Acosta also took a 'frantic' interest in the hotels and flights his colleagues were booking, trying to gauge whether CNN was splashing out more on his bigger-name counterparts. If he learned that a rival was bedding down in a plush suite it could send the swarthy Cuban-American star born Abilio James Acosta into a tailspin, according to our source. Crews would laugh about this behind his back, saying his jealousy is even visibly thicker than his makeup and hardened hair gel. Adding fuel to his critics, Acosta used a TV segment last week to hold aloft a placard reading: 'I march for Jim Acosta and a free press.' He had kept it for eight years after a supporter named Nora supposedly presented it to him during an anti-Trump march. 'Journalists exist to seek the truth, to tell people stories, to lift up voices that may not be heard otherwise,' Acosta opined. Several of Acosta's co-workers told DailyMail.com they were tired of his 'resistance' schtick Oliver Darcy, a former CNN correspondent, clocked that ratings for Acosta's weekday 10am show are some of the flagging cable network's highest and said he was alarmed they would move him to the midnight shift 'To shine a light on injustice and hold the powerful accountable, we are not the enemy of the people, we are the defender of the people.' The segment was lampooned on social media but not all of Acosta's colleagues were quick to stick the boot in, one telling DailyMail.com he was a 'diligent' reporter 'who worked his a** and deserves his success'. Likewise, a counterpart working the White House floor for a rival outlet, added: 'I really liked him. One of the few TV people who seemed normal.' A longtime female ex-colleague said Acosta, a dad-of-three who reportedly split from his ex-wife Sharon Mobley Stow around 2017, was 'always nice' to her. She elaborated: 'It was known that Jim likes the ladies find me a male reporter with a healthy ego who wasn't over-confident in that regard but nothing ever HR level inappropriate. 'Honestly, it just made me roll my eyes. And I wasn't alone in that eye roll.' Several journalists told us they were alarmed by reports of Mark Thompson, a veteran British media exec who took the reins at CNN in 2023, burying a prominent journalist to 'throw a bone to Trump.' The revelation came from former CNN media correspondent Oliver Darcy who pointed out in his Status newsletter that ratings for Acosta's weekday 10am show are some of the flagging cable network's highest. Acosta was assured the move was to accommodate switching Wolf Blitzer to a morning slot, not because of his editorial stance, according to Darcy's reporting The channel has been giving noticeably greater airtime to its few Conservative voices in recent months, with Trump defender Scott Jennings emerging as a star Acosta was assured the move was to accommodate switching Wolf Blitzer to a morning slot, not because of his editorial stance, according to Darcy's reporting. But an unnamed executive told Darcy: 'Midnight is not a serious offer when his ratings are among the best on the network.' The channel has meanwhile been giving noticeably greater airtime to its few Conservative voices in recent months, with Trump defender Scott Jennings, 47, emerging as a star. 'It's a programming decision which they're entitled to make. They went to him [Acosta] with a proposal to put him on at midnight which of course would give anyone pause,' said a former staffer who enjoyed a long and distinguished career at CNN. 'The question remains, is the move really about currying favor with the White House? 'One thing is for certain; the presidency loves nothing more than to watch us eat our own. They just f*****g love that.' Acostas midnight Eastern move would align him with more palatable 9 to 11pm on the west coast and see his show broadcast at 5am in London and 6am across much of continental Europe, where CNN International enjoys a substantial audience. A spokeswoman for the network declined to comment. Don Lemon claims disgraced ex-NBC star Matt Lauer is still beloved by women and is calling for the accused-sex pest former Today host to make a TV comeback. 'Whenever I see Matt out and about... if we go out to dinner my husband and I go out to dinner with him and his fiancee... people love him. Women love him,' Lemon told The Hollywood Raw podcast earlier this week. 'They're like, "Man - oh my God - can I get a picture? I love you. I miss you on television. Blah blah blah,' Lemon, a former CNN star, continued. 'I think the public loves him, the public misses him, but it's just the - it's the people inside the business who are afraid,' Lemon, 58, insisted. But Lemon has a plan to revive Lauer's career. 'I think that if he could come back to digital, he can set his own course,' he told hosts Dax Holt and Adam Glyn. Lemon said he only made friends with Lauer after he was fired by Today in 2017, accused of sexually harassing female staffers. Lauer's sudden firing was one of the biggest scandals to ever rock daytime TV in the US, with the host exiled into showbiz Siberia after he was accused of sexually exploiting multiple women. The scandal-hit pair both live in the Hamptons, with Lemon fired by CNN in 2023 after a series of scandals including a claim that women over 40 are past their prime. Lemon and Lauer are such good friends that Lauer and his fiancee, Shamin Abas, attended Lemon's wedding to husband Tim Malone in April 2024. Don Lemon on Tuesday floated the idea of a comeback for friend Matt Lauer - following the anchor's firing for sex with female staffers under him The scandal erupted a little over seven years ago, following a complaint over the longtime Today host's workplace behavior. He's seen here with fiancee Shamin Abas at Lemon's New York City wedding in April 2024 Lemon says Trump's second presidency may indicate that cancel culture is receding, meaning disgraced stars like Lauer could return to the limelight. 'Maybe with this whole "Trump era", when, you know, cancelling is "over" - I don't know, maybe,' he said of the chances of Lauer again being beamed into American households. 'Maybe there is a chance that he'll come back,' Lemon continued. 'But I think it's more of the people who are inside of the business who who are concerned about - you know - what happened with Matt I think.' 'I'll put it this way,' Lemon at this point said, as the podcasters looked on. 'I think the general public would accept Matt back and I think people would watch him. And I think the ratings would be great.' Asked why Lauer has not started a YouTube channel over the past seven years like many of his contemporaries, Lemon said that only Lauer 'could answer that.' After Glyn brought up how he grew up watching Lauer and felt he was great at his job, Lemon launched another rant in support for the confirmed sex pest. 'Let me say this - there are certain people who are meant to do what they are doing. Do you know what I mean? Who are just really, really good at it. 'There are certain people who are on television where you feel like, well, "That's exactly what they should be doing,"' Lemon told hosts Dax Holt and Adam Glyn on their podcast 'I think that if he could come back to digital, he can set his own course,' he said, pondering Lauer's potential for podcasting. Lauer manned the Today desk for more than 20 years 'There are certain people who are on television where you feel like, well, "That's exactly what they should be doing." 'Matt was,' Lemon concluded. 'He was what you wanted to see in the morning.' The also-disgraced talker went on to compare the Today figure to chat show host Wendy Williams, who Lemon says occupies the same upper echelon of natural broadcasting ability. Williams, 60, was diagnosed in 2023 with primary progressive aphasia and frontotemporal dementia, months after too being taken off the air. 'You know, the talent of be able to sit there and just talk into a camera by herself,' he said, adding how even Lauer 'had a co-host.' 'But someone like Wendy Williams, who didn't have a co-host, she would sit there and talking to the camera for her first what 30 minutes of the show.' Perhaps harking back to his own experiences, he added 'I mean, it's not easy.' Lemon then proclaimed that he's 'not promoting anything.' 'You guys ask me a question - I told you [how I feel.]' He ended by categorizing 2017, the year in which Lauer was fired, as 'an era where people were just kind of getting canceled right and left. 'And I think it was an internal issue and at the end of the day. Lauer's management, at the time, said they were 'deeply saddened by this turn of events' that led to the star's firing. Two days later, it emerged the company received two more complaints, with others surfacing later on. Furious CNN staffers have rounded on their CEO Mark Thompson over mass layoffs which also saw star anchor Jim Acosta publicly humiliated. 'Honestly, this place is such a mess,' an anonymous on-air personality told The Independent after the roughly 200 firings affecting CNN's TV division. 'I'd actually be relieved if any decisions had a rationale behind them,' they added. Even one like that.' Another staffer, described 'a CNN employee', claimed the man behind the lay-offs, former New York Times President Mark Thompson, is out of touch, saying, 'He gave the least inspiring remarks about [the] layoffs that I've ever heard' on Thursday. '[They were] just so tone deaf and insensitive to people who are getting cut,' he said of words conveyed to those manning the network's Manhattan office that morning at a staff meeting. Afterwards, a memo detailing the firings was sent out. Behind closed doors, Thompson insisted the hundreds of cuts were 'proportionally, a relatively small number,' prompting the response. Meanwhile, another casualty of the cuts appears to be longtime host Jim Acosta, who, while not shown the door, lost his hallowed 10am CNN Newsroom spot because of Thompson's long-in-the works restructuring plan, which gave way to the layoffs. The hour will now go to Wolf Blitzer, one of the few on-air personalities with a longer tenure than anti-MAGA star Acosta, and Pamela Brown - a move that will see Acosta's name stripped from the show's title. Acosta has reportedly been offered a graveyard midnight slot despite strong ratings. But the humiliating way his demotion was leaked to the public before the announcement has likely infuriated him, with the LA Times reporting that Acosta is now considering all options. Several of CNN's staffers reportedly blamed their boss for the wave of layoffs seen Thursday, framing them as random and insensitive A casualty of the cuts appears to be longtime host Jim Acosta, who, while not shown the door, lost his hallowed 10am CNN Newsroom spot because of CNN CEO Mark Thompson's long-in-the works restructuring plan, which included the roughly 200 layoffs Acosta often found himself at odds with Donald Trump during the latter's presidency, now revived after the events of November. Aside from a digital-first model, Thompson is demanding stars like Acosta tone-down their anti-Trump asides - something the latter has, so far, has seemingly ignored. On the set of CNN's Newsroom, he has continued to fact-check the president even after Thompson's stern talk Sunday afternoon, first reported by former CNN Media Reporter Oliver Darcy's Status newsletter. On Wednesday, with the layoffs just on the horizon, Acosta again engaged in his now trademark lean-forward style of journalism - one that had been on full display during his well-know spars with Trump within the East Room of the White House. There, he publicly chided Republican lawmaker Tim Burchett for refusing to 'take a stand' on President Donald Trumps January 6 blanket pardons - urging him to 'Say [you denounce them]!', in what amounted to a politicized argument. 'The changes were announcing today are part of an ongoing response by this great news organization to profound shifts in the way audiences in America consume news,' Thompson would write in a memo a day later, laying the layoffs bare. 'Its the early days, but weve already established that theres immense demand for it not just in America but around the world,' he added, referencing a series of new subscription-driven ventures meant to address waning viewership. Execs also detailed a shuffle that he admitted will affect the station's entire TV schedule, while naming stars set to move. However, while mentioning big names like Jake Tapper, Blitzer, and ex-NPR host Audie Cornish, Acosta's was noticeably absent. Acosta, seen here in the foreground, often found himself at odds with Donald Trump during the latter's first term Aside from a digital-first model, Thompson is demanding stars like Acosta tone-down their Trump reporting - something the latter has, so far, has seemingly ignored On the set of CNN's Newsroom Wednesday, with the layoffs just on the horizon, Acosta again engaged in his now trademark lean-forward style of journalist - one that had been on full display during his well-know spars with Trump Instead, that was said of the 53-year-old was that he will forfeit his 10am timeslot, seemingly without an hour to go to. This has sparked a storm of speculation, and a series of steady reports garnered by insight from insiders about the anchor's fate. Fox News on Thursday reported that Acosta is 'getting hosed' inside CNN's offices over his 'shocking' demotion. An insider told the station - who for 20 years has been the top dog in cable news - that accepting a midnight-to-2am slot is his 'only path forward' at the network. That remains to be seen. Such a move, though. would see him cast to an hour many have referred to as the 'Siberia' of cable news, competing with late night hosts as opposed to journalists. CNN is said to be trying to sweeten the deal by reminding Acosta that he'll be on screen during prime time for west coast viewers. A network spokesperson, meanwhile, would only confirm CNN is 'in active discussions with [Acosta] about a new time slot and will have more information to share soon.' In the meantime, Acosta continues to man his typical timeslot, half a day removed from the graveyard shift. Pictured, 30 Hudson Yards, where staffers in CNN's Manhattan office are reportedly frustrated He will likely do so until March, when the lineup changes will go into effect. At that time, Jake Tappers The Lead will shift later in the day, from 5pm to 7pm ET. The newly created Blitzer and Brown program - stylized as The Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer and Pamela Brown - will air for two hours, starting at 10 am ET, CNN said. CNN This Morning, meanwhile, will lose an hour to become a one-hour show, hosted by Cornish at 6am ET. Kasie Hunt, currently the host CNN This Morning, is moving to afternoons to host The Arena. Thompson was brought in to address declining numbers at both the Times and BBC also revealed another digital venture set to come later this year - a subscription product surrounding 'lifestyle'-related content. 'This is a moment where the digital story feels like an existential question,' he told the Times Thursday, after leading or almost eight years. 'If we do not follow the audiences to the new platforms with real conviction and scale, our future prospects will not be good.' MSNBC's Rachel Maddow has unleashed one of her most bizarre insults to date against Donald Trump - comparing him to Cuban dictator Fidel Castro. The Rachel Maddow Show host drew the comparison on Wednesday, days after returning to the program for a full five days a week in anticipation of the Republican's presidency. The outspoken liberal had been speaking about Trump's recent January 6 pardons, and reports indicating the president is perhaps planning to entertain some of the offenders at the White House in coming days. Maddow, MSNBC's top dog in terms of ratings, immediately expressed disdain, and embarked on a rant that kicked off with complaints about Stewart Rhodes, freed founder of the far-right Oath Keepers, already visiting Capitol Hill Wednesday. Rhodes, like several others, was convicted of seditious conspiracy for his part in the insurrection. The 2021 riot saw more than 100 cops injured, and Maddow - despite one being a supporter of 'defunding the police' - was unwilling to let that slide. After singling out Rhodes specifically, she told viewers: 'There are rumors circulating that Trump had wanted to bring his felons - had wanted to bring these guys who violently attacked police and were convicted for it - all to the White House, too,' 'That's the sort of thing that probably sounded great at a Trump rally,' she continued, seemingly ad-libbing at this point. 'Probably sounded like it was something the people wanted, when you were stewing about stuff like this at a Trump rally. 'At one of your Fidel Castro, Castro-esque, you know, three and a half hour long rambly speeches,' she continued, quickly offering the juxtaposition. She could not help but add: 'Where most of the people left before you were halfway through it.' Scroll down for video: Rachel Maddow compared Donald Trump to Cuban dictator Fidel Castro on MSNBC Wednesday night The commonality between the two, Maddow said, was the cult of personality surrounding them She pressed on from there, adding how the prospect of pardoning all involved with the attack 'probably sounded like a great idea that everybody would love you for.' 'But you know what?' Maddow added, growing increasingly animated. 'The country is not a Trump Rally. And the country appears to be repulsed by the very first big thing that Donald Trump has done in his new presidential term. 'And whether or not he can see it, every other Republican in Washington is learning it very quickly,' she continued, as conservative lawmakers have been left divided on the subject. 'At least all of them who can read polls are learning it very quickly,' Maddow sniped, in her characteristically condescending tone. 'Any of them who can read polls or who can hear the questions from their own constituents back home - and from reporters - about, "What the heck is this mess? With freeing these convicted, violent felons."' 'And, "Does the senator support it? Does the congressman support it? Can you explain why?"' she continued, before referencing a scene from earlier where a newly elected Trump appeared stumped as to the details of one of the freed defendants. 'Saying you haven't seen the details, or you... don't know exactly what's happened here, or you want to look more into it that answer, isn't going to fly.' Pictured, a rally for Trump in North Carolina this past November, where supporters were seen idolizing the then former president Seen here is a rally for Castro in Chile, held in November of 1971, at the height of the Cold War She went on to brand the situation 'an absolute debacle', before quoting a fellow MSNBC commentator. 'I think, importantly, as my good friend Chris Hayes often says, politics did not stop when Donald Trump was elected,' she said - stating 'the laws of political gravity still apply.' 'And Donald Trump's first major action in his second presidential term, on political grounds, is a political debacle,' she concluded, ultimately asserting, 'And that matters.' At the White House office the night before, Trump revealed the executive order containing the pardons - about 1,500 for all defendants involved, with no exception. There were also six commutations, after the president promised to supporters who tried to help overturn his election loss four years ago. The promise was made at one of the conservatives many rallies, which Maddow appeared to insinuate emanated the same cult of personality as the late Cuban's. He died in 2016, at which time Trump released the following statement. 'Today, the world marks the passing of a brutal dictator who oppressed his own people for nearly six decades. Fidel Castro's legacy is one of firing squads, theft, unimaginable suffering, poverty and the denial of fundamental human rights. The comparison came during Maddow's monologue about the blanket pardons for those involved in January 6, which did not treat violent and non-violent offenders differently She also responded to reports indicating the president is potentially planning to entertain some of the offenders at the White House, after Stewart Rhodes, the freed founder of the far-right Oath Keepers, was already seen visiting Capitol Hill on Wednesday 'While Cuba remains a totalitarian island, it is my hope that today marks a move away from the horrors endured for too long, and toward a future in which the wonderful Cuban people finally live in the freedom they so richly deserve. 'Though the tragedies, deaths and pain caused by Fidel Castro cannot be erased, our administration will do all it can to ensure the Cuban people can finally begin their journey toward prosperity and liberty,' he concluded. Trump has yet to confirm reports of him welcoming January 6 offenders to the White House. He has repeatedly defended the decision to offer them pardons. Half of drivers pulled over on suspicion of drug-driving are found to be over the legal limit, an investigation has found, sparking calls for minsters to take fresh measures to tackle the 'growing epidemic'. Police figures obtained by motoring safety charity IAM RoadSmart indicate 51 per cent of motorists drug tested at the roadside in 2023 returned positive results. Data for the first seven months of 2024 also showed nearly half of drivers drug tested were in excess of the limit. This is based on figures provided by 17 out of 45 police forces across the UK in response to Freedom of Information requests by the road safety group. Drug-driving rules consist of very low limits for eight illegal drugs such as cocaine and cannabis, risk-based limits for eight drugs that have a medical use, and a separate approach to amphetamines that aims to balance legitimate medical use with abuse. Roadside swab tests - commonly referred to as 'drugalysers' - are carried by road cops and can identify whether a motorist is under the influence of cocaine or cannabis. If an officer thinks a driver is unfit to drive because of taking any drugs, they are arrested and transported to a police station to undergo blood or urine tests to identify if they have illegal levels in their system. Half of motorists pulled over on suspicion of drug-driving fail roadside drug tests, an investigation has found In order for police officers to conduct a roadside drug test they must have reasonable suspicion that a driver is under the influence. It is an offence to drive with any of 17 controlled drugs above a specified level in your blood. Prescription drugs that could put drivers over the legal limit Amphetamine (for example dexamphetamine or selegiline) Clonazepam Diazepam Flunitrazepam Forazepam Methadone Morphine or opiate and opioid-based drugs (for example codeine, tramadol or fentanyl) Oxazepam Temazepam Limits set for each drug are different, and for illegal drugs the limits set are extremely low. They aren't zero to rule out any accidental exposure (from example, from passive smoking). Anyone convicted of drug driving may receive a year's driving ban, an unlimited fine, up to six months in prison and a criminal record. Offenders will also have a drug driving conviction on their licence for 11 years. In the most serious cases where a driver causes death by careless driving under the influence of drugs, the minimum sentence is life imprisonment. The PA news agency reported last month that 3,431 people were caught drug-driving on four or more occasions in the 11 years up to July 2024. Department for Transport figures show the number of people killed in crashes on Britain's roads when a driver was impaired by drugs rose from 55 in 2014 to a record 144 in 2023. Figures for 2024 will be published by the DfT in September. Drug-driving rules consist of very low limits for eight illegal drugs such as cocaine and cannabis, risk-based limits for eight drugs that have a medical use, and a separate approach to amphetamines that aims to balance legitimate medical use with abuse Roadside swab tests - commonly referred to as 'drugalysers' - are carried by road cops and can identify whether a motorist is under the influence of either cannabis or cocaine Last October, Shaun Mulligan, then 48, of Seaside in Eastbourne, East Sussex, was given a five-year prison sentence and disqualified from driving for seven-and-a-half years after admitting causing death by careless driving while over the limit for drugs and alcohol. He crashed a scaffolding van into a car travelling in the opposite direction on the A281 near Henfield, West Sussex, in November 2022, killing its 71-year-old driver, Jennifer Allen. Mulligan tested positive for benzoylecgonine the chemical breakdown of cocaine and was nearly double the drink-drive alcohol limit. IAM RoadSmart policy manager William Porter said: 'The fact that one in two motorists are failing roadside drugs tests shows that the message about the dangers of drug-driving is not getting through. 'Separate research by IAM RoadSmart indicates that one in seven drivers aged 17-to-34 admitted to getting behind the wheel after taking Class A drugs, indicating how vital it is to tackle this growing epidemic. 'We urgently need a new approach to combat drug-driving which focuses on both greater enforcement and establishing rehabilitation courses to reduce reoffending. 'The evidence shows that those taking equivalent drink-drive courses are almost three times less likely to reoffend than those who don't. 'Ministers must consider expanding similar courses to those with drug-driving convictions.' Official figures show that 3,431 people were caught drug-driving on four or more occasions in the UK in the last decade as road safety groups call for increased measures Edmund King, AA president, adds: 'Traditionally our safety message to drivers has always been: if you are going to drive, dont drink and if you are going to drink, dont drive. 'But now it is essential to update that messaging to include drugs.' King went on: 'The police now have effective ways to test drivers for the presence of drugs at the roadside, but figures show that too many drivers are dicing with drugs and death. 'We need drivers and their passengers to be well aware that drugs and driving dont mix and when it comes to drugs or drink when driving, the best advice is none for the road.' Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander recently hinted that drug-driving rules could be toughened as part of a road safety strategy being developed by the Government. A DfT spokesperson said: 'We take road safety extremely seriously and there are already strict penalties in place for those who are caught drug-driving. 'Our roads are among the safest in the world, but we are committed to improving road safety and reducing the number of those killed and injured on our roads.' Primark's owner has slashed forecasts for the retailer's sales this year after a disappointing performance over the crucial Christmas trading period. It comes as Associated British Foods and retail rivals brace themselves for rising employer national insurance contributions and minimum wage hikes from April. ABF said Primark was hit by 'cautious' shoppers and unfavourable weather over the festive period. The retailer is now targeting 'low single-digit' sales growth for the chain in 2025, compared to November forecasts of 'mid single-digit growth'. ABFs retail business, which is predominantly the Primark brand, saw sales nudge 0.4 per cent lower to 3.36billion for the 16 weeks to 4 January. This represented a rise of 1.9 per cent on a constant currency basis. Sales in the UK and Ireland fell by 4 per cent, with a like-for-like drop of 6 per cent. Dan Lane, lead analyst at Robinhood UK, said: 'Primark has long been the jewel in ABFs crown but its losing its lustre quickly.' Gloomy: Primark's owner has cut the retailer's annual sales forecast Growth over Christmas was dragged back by 'weaker autumn trading in a challenging retail environment' across the UK. The group said mild autumn weather impacted sales of items like coats and jackets during October and November. Weakness in the UK was partly offset by gains in Spain, Portugal, France, Italy and the US. Garry White, chief investment commentator at Charles Stanley, said: 'Sales growth at Primark is... likely to be driven by store openings and not organic growth. Guidance for its food business remained unchanged.' He added: 'This statement reflects the gloomy outlook for UK retailers as Britons rein in expenditure and the tax burden on retailers rises following Chancellor Rachel Reeves increase in employer National Insurance contributions in the October Budget. 'UK retail sales unexpectedly fell in December, marring retailers golden quarter. Subdued consumer sentiment looks likely to continue to hit the sector in the early part of this year.' Lane, of Robinhood UK, said: 'Theres a real worry that slowing growth in UK disposable incomes could have an outsized impact on lower-income households. That matters given 85 per cent of Primark's products cost below 10, with the UK generating nearly 50 per cent of its revenue. 'Theres also the growing threat from budget-friendly competition. Primark still doesnt have a transactional online platform and, as much as the company might say in-store shopping is more practical for its margins, its mindboggling to shoppers who can easily turn to the likes of Shein for their bargain buys. 'Click-and-collect doesnt cut it these days and even if sales improve, it will remain a risk for the business as cheaper Chinese platforms encroach on the space as well as second-hand sites like Vinted. 'Expansion looks even more important now with better sales growth in Europe and the US.' Richard Hunter, head of markets at Interactive Investor, said: 'The update and outlook comments show that cautious consumer sentiment is already beginning to weigh on prospects, as had largely been predicted following the measures announced in the Budget which were seen as being particularly harmful to the retail sector. 'Prior to this statement, the shares had fallen by 15 per cent over the last year, significantly underperforming the 14 per cent gain for the wider FTSE 100, and if the news is followed by downgrades, this would in turn put further pressure on a market consensus currently stuck at a hold.' ABF, which also runs large grocery, sugar and agriculture divisions, revealed that total sales across the conglomerate slipped by 2.2 per cent to 6.73billion for the 16-week period. The grocery arm, which owns brands including Ryvita, Twinings and Pataks, saw sales fall 1.8 per cent to 1.39billion. It said good growth from international brands, including Twinings and Ovaltine, was partly offset by declines in certain US and UK-focused brands. In the UK, overall sales fell due to weaker sales from its Allied Bakeries arm, which makes Kingsmill bread. Sugar sales dropped 6 per cent for the period after the group was knocked by tumbling sugar prices in Europe. ABF shares slipped 0.36 per cent or 7.00p to 1,930.00p on Thursday, having fallen by 15 per cent in the last year. The boss of Lloyds has welcomed the Chancellors intervention in the car loans mis-selling scandal despite a backlash over fears motorists will miss out on billions of pounds in compensation. Rachel Reeves was slammed for playing politics after the Treasury this week warned judges at the Supreme Court that PPI-style payouts to drivers risk harming the economy. Campaigners claim her intervention puts compensation payments at risk, with Lloyds among those facing a bill. Lloyds chief executive Charlie Nunn said he welcomed the Government getting involved. In an interview with Bloomberg TV at the World Economic Forum in Davos, he said: We are concerned both to make sure that the auto finance and motor finance industry can continue to support customers well, but also that we can remain an investable location where international investors can think regulation and the rule of law is predictable. Analysts at HSBC estimate banks and the finance arms of carmakers could face a bill of 44billion close to the 50billion paid for the mis-selling of payment protection insurance (PPI). Concerns: Chancellor Rachel Reeves (pictured) was slammed for playing politics after the Treasury warned judges that PPI-style payouts to drivers risk harming the economy The scandal has been dubbed PPI on wheels and Lloyds has set aside 450million. The Court of Appeal last year ruled it unlawful for car dealers to be paid hidden commission from lenders without receiving customers consent. The Supreme Court is due to hear an appeal against the decision in April. The Treasury this week called for a fair and proportionate judgment that allows the industry to continue to make loans and does not undermine the UK as a place to do business. Consumer Rights Solicitors managing director Kavon Hussain, who is fighting for compensation, said: This is all about playing politics. Reeves is showing total disregard to the separation of power between Parliament and the law courts. If the case succeeds it will be detrimental for motorists as many might not get the compensation they are owed. Barrister Greg Lawton, a legal expert in the car loan industry, said: This shows a level of concern for the industry that has not always been shown to consumers. I understand Reeves wants to support the economy. But if you offered credit on the best terms, including being clear about any commission, this would also have a positive benefit for the economy. The gulf is as wide as the Atlantic. And nowhere was it more apparent than when Donald Trump delivered his video address to the self-styled global elite at the World Economic Forum in Davos. While the return of The Donald has reignited animal spirits in corporate America he yesterday promised the largest tax cut in US history doom and gloom has descended across Europe. Political turmoil reigns supreme in France and Germany while the Labour Government has slammed the brakes on the UK economy with 40billion of tax rises. The mood is not good in European boardrooms, according to Goldman Sachs Richard Gnodde, the London-based chief executive of the US investment banks international division, who believes executives on this side of the Atlantic will call on governments to be more pro-growth. Theres an increasing sense of frustration and I wouldnt be surprised if we see that community broadly becoming much more assertive, he told Bloomberg TV in Davos. Assertive with the regulatory framework, assertive with Brussels, in their own domestic capitals, because I think everybody knows what the programme needs to be. I think people are done with talking. Boom and bust: As President Trump (pictured) promised the largest tax cut in US history doom and gloom has descended across Europe To make matters worse, Gnodde noted, they can see what is happening in the US where Trump yesterday promised to cut the corporate tax rate from 21 per cent to 15 per cent for companies that manufacture goods in America. My message to every business in the world is very simple: come make your product in America and we will give you among the lowest taxes of any nation on Earth, Trump said. He bemoaned the high tax rates in Europe, and again threatened punishing tariffs. The EU treats us very, very unfairly, very badly, he said. The audience listened with a mixture of fear and bemusement. The President was greeted with polite applause as he dispensed his wisdom from four huge screens around the forums congress hall. But there were also bursts of laughter as he embarked on his customary combination of digressions, boasts and threats. Forecasts from the International Monetary Fund this month underline the divide between Trumps America and Europe. While the US economy is set to grow by 2.7 per cent this year, the UK is on course for just 1.6 per cent. Germany is expected to eke out growth of just 0.3 per cent following two years of decline. Christine Lagarde, president of the European Central Bank, said it was not pessimistic to say Europe faced an existential crisis. Asked if the election of Trump represented a wake-up call for Europe, she admitted: I respectfully think that it does. UK Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds, who is in Davos with Chancellor Rachel Reeves, saluted Trumps ambition and admitted Britain must do better at getting things done. He stopped short of saying the UK should be more like Trump, a figure loathed by many in the Labour Party. But he told reporters that ministers must make difficult choices to get things going. The sense here is the scale of, whatever you think of the inauguration speech, the ambition there, the galvanising effect that has had, said Reynolds. The comments chime with Reynoldss and Reevess drive to show they are committed to growth above all, by signalling support for a third runway at Heathrow and ousting the head of the competition regulator. Davos: While the US economy is set to grow by 2.7% this year, the UK is on course for just 1.6%. Germany is expected to eke out growth of just 0.3% Reynolds added: There are major problems with how long it takes to build infrastructure in the UK. The delays to get stuff done that adds cost, that adds uncertainty. I think there is a test in most countries of the western world: people asking: Can government deliver for me? Can it address the issues? And I can see that as part of the pitch that he was making. And I also detected a very optimistic message in a sense. It would be wrong to say we should be more like Trump. But we do have to show people that government can make a positive difference to their lives, get homes built. Judging by the collapse in confidence among investors, businesses and households since Reevess 40billion tax raid, that may take some doing, particularly given what is on offer in Trumps America. January 23, 2025: The Somali pirates are back in action. Its been eleven years since the last outbreak of piracy in the Red Sea. Violence against commercial shipping in the Red Sea region began in 2010 when it had reached levels of activity not seen in over a century. But over the next three years that all changed. By 2013 attacks on ships by Somali pirates had declined 95 percent from the 2010 peak. The rapid collapse of the Somali pirates since 2010 began back in 2009 when 80 seafaring nations formed the Contact Group on Piracy off the Coast of Somalia. The most visible aspect of this was an anti-piracy patrol off the Somali coast. Over two dozen warships and several dozen manned and unmanned aircraft were involved. This force was backed by space satellite surveillance and foreign intelligence agencies. Back in 2010 the Somalis accounted for nearly all the hijackings. There are still pirates out there, but they are more into robbery than kidnapping. Piracy hit a trough from the late nineteenth century into the late twentieth. That was because the industrialized nations waged a worldwide campaign against pirates. With no place to hide, pirates disappeared. Then there was a revival in the 1970s, with the collapse of many post-colonial governments. At the same time there were problems defining what exactly an act of piracy was. What most people agree on is that piracy is non-state sanctioned use of force at sea or from the sea. This could include intercepting a boat to rob the passengers, but that's usually just thought of as armed robbery. And something like the seizure of the Achille Lauro in 1985 is considered terrorism, rather than piracy. In the past, some marginal states have sanctioned piratical operations, like the Barbary States, but that rarely occurs these days. There has been more since 2001. For example, in 1991 there were about 120 known cases of real or attempted piracy. In 1994 that increased to more than 200 cases. In 2000 there were 471 cases, in 2005 there were 359 and by 2010 there were over 400. There was a resurgence in 2023 and 2024 with a dozen minor incidents. These involved hijackings of a few large ships that were quickly resolved by military action or a ransom payment. The European Union Naval Force patrolled the areas where the pirates were present and prevented any attacks on ships. An international effort to suppress Somali piracy halted most attacks. What remained was the fact that only off Somalia could ships and crews be taken and held for ransom for long periods. Everywhere else the pirates were usually only interested in robbing the crew and stealing anything portable that they could get into their small boats. Off the Nigerian coast pirates sometimes take some ship officers with them to hold for ransom or force the crew to move small tankers to remote locations where most of the oil cargo can be transferred to another ship and sold on the black market. Pirates usually function on the margins of society, trying to get a cut of the good life in situations where there aren't many options. This is usually in areas where state control is weakest or absent. In Nigeria, Indonesia, or the Philippines, where the government is faced with serious problems that are sometimes out of control, pirates can do whatever they want. The solution to piracy is essentially on land; go into uncontrolled areas and institute governance. This has been the best approach since the Romans eliminated piracy in the Mediterranean over 2,000 years ago. Trying to tackle piracy on the maritime end can reduce the incidence of piracy but can't eliminate it because the pirates still have a safe base on land. In the modern world the land solution often can't be implemented. Who wants to put enough troops into Somalia to eliminate piracy? Meanwhile there are two areas where pirates still thrive. Piracy is a major threat, because most of the world's oil exports pass through the Straits of Malacca. This was largely an Indonesian problem. As Indonesia began stabilizing itself after the 2004 Aceh Peace settlement, the number of piracy attacks declined. Since 2010 there has been an increase in piracy off Indonesia, largely because the Indonesians reduced their anti-piracy patrols without warning or explanation. There are lots of targets, with over 50,000 large ships moving through the Straits of Malacca each year. Thats 120-150 a day. Lots of targets. The shallow and tricky waters in the strait forces the big ships to go slow enough under 30 kilometers an hour for speed boats to catch them. If pirates do get aboard, they rob the crew of valuables and carry off any portable goodies. With limited capacity in their speed boats these attacks result in small losses to the ships involved. By 2025 piracy attacks off Somalia and nearby areas were becoming so rare that shipping insurance rates were declining to normal levels. This was a sure sign that the pirates, for the moment, were gone. A senior official at the Los Angeles Fire Department made 'homicidal and suicidal' threats, strangled and chased her girlfriend with a carving knife, court documents claimed. LAFD assistant chief Kristina 'Kady' Kepner then wrote a suicide note after cutting herself according to a 2021 domestic violence restraining order filed by the ex in a Los Angeles court. During an argument at their home, the LAFD official allegedly 'lunged' at her ex and began strangling her, while saying that she was going to "f***ing kill" her, the November 17, 2021, court filing said. A judge dismissed both claims in February 2022, and LAFD says it investigated and cleared Kepner, who is currently in charge of the department's Emergency Operations Center. But the violence allegations have now resurfaced amid criticism of LA City's top brass over this month's wildfires that wiped whole neighborhoods off the map. The ex claimed that Kepner put her in a headlock, knocked her to the floor and forcibly kissed her, and that later that day she allegedly started waving a 'large butcher knife' around, 'holding it up to her [own] neck and chest threatening to stab herself in the heart or neck' then wrote a suicide note. The alleged threats and attempted strangling were caught on video, the court documents claimed, and included screenshots from the alleged footage. Kepner told DailyMail.com her ex had orchestrated a campaign to attempt to ruin my career with bogus claims. LAFD Assistant Chief Kristina Kepner was accused of strangling her ex-girlfriend, chasing her with a carving knife, kicking her, and writing a suicide note after cutting herself, in a 2021 domestic violence restraining order filed by the ex in a Los Angeles court The ex claimed in her court documents that Kepner put her in a headlock, knocked her to the floor and forcibly kissed her Kepner allegedly started waving a 'large butcher knife' around, 'holding it up to her neck and chest threatening to stab herself in the heart or neck', and then wrote a suicide note Kepners attorney, John Fowler, added that the claims were false and his client, an experienced and respected leader in LAFD, had been exonerated in multiple forums including the fire department, police and the District Attorneys office. DailyMail.com agreed to keep the 48-year-old ex anonymous, as she's an alleged victim of domestic violence. Kepner's job, which reportedly involved oversight of HR complaints and misconduct probes, earned her more than $500,000 in 2023. The LAFD official, 49, said in her own court filings that her ex was lying about the violence and had herself attacked and harassed Kepner, which the ex denied. DailyMail.com interviewed Kepner's ex, who claimed that LAFD Chief Kristin Crowley knew about the alleged abuse and continued with plans to promote Kepner anyway. The ex accused Crowley and LA Mayor Karen Bass of a 'cover up'. 'I did message Kristin Crowley in 2022 and I let her know that I have it on video, that Kady threatened to kill me she attacked me,' Kepner's ex told DailyMail.com. 'Crowley went ahead with plans to promote her anyway.' A memo by Crowley dated January 5, 2022, announced Assistant Chief Kepner as the next commander of one of four LAFD bureaus, a top role in the department. But after local journalist Daniel Guss publicly revealed some of the abuse claims on his blog in March 2023, Kepner's planned promotion was allegedly rescinded. Pictures listed in the restraining order exhibition filed by Kepner's ex which show her scraped knees from the alleged attack The filing was submitted by Kepner's ex-girlfriend against her on November 17, 2021 Guss sent the story to Mayor Bass's office and got receipts saying his emails were read. 'Two weeks later the guys in the department were telling me that she's no longer to be a deputy chief,' the ex-girlfriend claimed in an interview with DailyMail.com. 'I'm sure Karen Bass called Kristin Crowley like, "what the f*** is this?" Then two weeks later Kady gets demoted,' she added, referring to Kepner's promotion allegedly being rescinded. 'Bass and Crowley definitely covered that up.' The Mayor and Fire Chief did not respond to requests for comment. Kepner's LinkedIn page says she has remained an 'assistant chief' since 2019, with no mention of the 2022 promotion. She earned $483,000 in 2022 and $521,000 in 2023 in that role, including overtime and benefits, according to data from Transparent California. Kepner's ex described the alleged assault in detail and explained where she got her bruises and cuts from she also said Kepner's later filing was in retaliation for texting her about the assault Kristina 'Kady' Kepner (left), and LAFD Deputy Chief Kristin Crowley attended the 2019 MAKERS Conference in Dana Point, California in February 2019 The November 17, 2021, filing by Kepner's ex claimed that during an argument at their home, the LAFD official 'lunged' at her, began strangling her, while "saying that she was going to f***ing kill" me'. The ex said she filmed the attack and put screenshots allegedly from the footage in her court filing. The ex also claimed in her court documents that Kepner put her in a headlock, knocked her to the floor and forcibly kissed her. 'As she was on me, she started forcefully starting jamming her tongue in my mouth,' the filing said. 'She was saying something like, "you love me so much here you want to kiss me".' Later that day, Kepner allegedly started waving a 'large butcher knife' around, 'holding it up to her neck and chest threatening to stab herself in the heart or neck', and then wrote a suicide note. The alleged threats and attempted strangling were caught on video, Kepners ex claimed, and she said she told Chief Crowley about it. Kepner said in her petition for a restraining order that these videos were taken as a threat to ruin her career These texts included in the exs court filings show the aftermath of the alleged attack and she describes feeling 'horrible' about the alleged forced kiss and how she felt Kepner wanted 'to kill her' A copy of Kepner's alleged suicide note was included in the filings. The note describes her ex as a 'selfish, immature woman' and said she ruined her life after trying to move forward with a new girlfriend On the backside of the note, Kepner blames the ex again and lists off paragraphs to her family and friends before concluding 'this was my decision and mine alone' Kepner allegedly slashed the knife across her chest, drawing blood, while the ex was 'pleading with her to please stop'. A copy of the alleged note was included in the filings, along with a photo of Kepner sitting writing with a large knife on the floor beside her, and an apparent cut on her chest 'I am writing this letter to say Im sorry to a few people in my life who I know will miss me,' the alleged suicide note said. Kepner allegedly ended the note by saying: 'At the end of the day this was my decision, and mine alone. While [the ex] is the one who caused me to break, I made this choice.' The ex claimed that when she went down the street to Kepner's mother's house for help, the LAFD official went 'chasing after me, with the knife that had been on the floor'. She said Kepner taunted her, claiming law enforcement would side with the firefighter not the girlfriend. 'She told me no one would believe me because she was in the fire department,' the ex wrote in the filing. Kepner denied it all at the time, writing in a January 31, 2022, court filing: 'I was never abusive towards her. I have never physically harmed her and have no history of violence or abuse.' Kepner also filed her own domestic violence restraining order against her ex on October 25, 2021 These texts from Kepner's ex-girlfriend were including in the assistant chief's domestic violence restraining order against her ex Kepner claimed she had split with her ex a year before the restraining order filing, but that the girlfriend refused to move out of the house she owned Kepner said the turbulent couple began dating in April 2018 and moved in together seven months later. She claimed they had split a year before the restraining order filing, but that the girlfriend refused to move out of the house Kepner owned. 'I never strangled [the ex] or even put my hands around her neck,' the assistant chief wrote. 'The only reason I had a knife next to me in my house was because I was contemplating harming myself as I had no other way out of this abusive relationship.' Kepner also filed her own domestic violence restraining order against her ex on October 25, 2021. She accused the ex of kicking her and shoving her to the ground in the October 2021 altercations, putting a tracker on her car, gaining access to her iCloud account without permission and threatening to ruin her career with videos of their fights. The ex denied the claims. Kepner's restraining order request was initially granted and police removed the ex from her home, but the judge dismissed both women's cases after a February 4, 2022, hearing, adding the ex 'did not sustain the applicable burden of proof' for a new restraining order. Kepner's ex asking her to come home for tea and saying she missed her The restraining order was initially granted and police removed the ex from her home, but the judge dismissed both women's cases after a February 4, 2022, hearing, adding the ex 'did not sustain the applicable burden of proof' for a new restraining order Kepner's ex also filed a report with LAPD. Guss's blog reported in 2023 that police investigated and referred the case to the district attorney, but the office declined to file charges. In a statement to Guss in 2023, the fire department initially denied knowledge of the domestic violence claims, then gave an updated statement. On March 8, 2023, a spokesperson wrote to Guss, claiming: 'The Department has not received information about an alleged domestic violence incident involving [...] Chief Kepner.' But when he followed up showing them he had evidence to the contrary, the spokesperson changed their tune two hours later. 'The complainant made allegations against Chief Kepner in late 2021. The Fire Department conducted a full and thorough investigation of the domestic violence claims, which were unsubstantiated,' the new statement to Guss said. 'Chief Kepner was detailed to another bureau during the course of the investigation. 'In addition, the complainant pursued criminal charges against Chief Kepner, which were dismissed.' She claimed to DailyMail.com that the investigation into her claims was flawed from the beginning because Kepner was in charge of the LAFD's internal affairs division. 'When the department contacted me to essentially interview me for the incident, I refused to cooperate with them because I didn't feel that her peers of 20-30 years should be investigating her,' the former girlfriend said. 'They're even people that worked for her, because she did, and currently still does, run the Professional Standards Bureau, which essentially is their internal affairs for the fire department. 'I was saying you guys have to send this to a third party, a law firm or something. Your friends shouldn't be investigating this.' In a statement to DailyMail.com, Kepner said her ex was vindictive and that the claims were investigated and dismissed. Since I was a young girl all I ever wanted to become was a firefighter. I dedicated my life through training, education and hard work to serve my hometown community, she said. Now, a vindictive ex-partner has orchestrated a campaign to attempt to ruin my career as well as the lives of my friends and loved ones. I cooperated fully with investigators who found that her claims were bogus and declined to file charges. I have tried to stay out of the way and allow the legal process to adjudicate the facts, but I won't stand by silently in the face of unending attacks on the people who I love and admire. Kepners attorney, John Fowler, said Kepners ex time and again [] used manipulation and deceit to try to exert control over a woman who no longer wants to be a part of her life. Kristina Kepner has been subjected to harassment and relentless false claims, Fowler added. She was exonerated in multiple forums including police reports, restraining orders, the findings of an LAFD investigation which determined [the exs] allegations to be unsubstantiated, and the District Attorney's decision declining to file charges. Ms. Kepner is a decorated leader in the Los Angeles Fire Department who has never faced any professional complaints in her decades of service, and now, more than ever, the City of Los Angeles needs experienced and respected leaders like Ms. Kepner on the job. A disabled army veteran fined for leaving a car in a handicapped space has vowed to take the firm to court. Brian Pavey, 88, left his car near at Feethams Leisure Centre car park in Darlington, County Durham, on December 5 when he was fined 100 after a broken ticket machine left him unable to pay the fee. He was then fined another 100 by Excel Parking for leaving his vehicle in the same place again, with his disability card visible, while he was speaking to the hotel manager about his first fine. The retired soldier and gamekeeper has said he will take the 'con merchants' to court after being threatened with legal action if he refuses to pay the fines totalling 200. Mr Pavey, who sustained injuries to his legs and back after serving for more than 30 years in the forces, told MailOnline he had decided to go out for a meal as he was feeling lonely after losing his wife to cancer last year. He said: 'I was going to a hotel in Darlington for a meal and I parked in a disabled spot. 'The machine wasn't working and I was thinking "I must be thick". 'The manager came out and said "I can't do it", just leave it. He said loads of people been here - just ignore it. Disabled veteran Brian Pavey, pictured in 2014, was fined 200 after leaving his car in a handicapped space to go for a meal at a hotel The out of order ticket machine at Feethams Leisure Centre car park in Darlington 'I then got a fine of 100. 'They've sent me a final warning to say if I don't pay they'll take legal action. I'll take them to court. 'My wife died in the last few months and I spent Christmas on my own for the first time. 'I had been to this inn many times and always registered my vehicle.' He continued: 'They are con merchants. Absolute con merchants. 'They're very unprofessional and display no humility or understanding towards the public. They are interested in one thing only - money.' Brian says he is prepared to take Excel parking to court after the firm threatened him with legal action if he refused to pay It comes after a motorist won a case against Excel Parking after the company demanded 100 for the time it took him to find a parking space and set up an online account to pay his fee. Senior NHS manager David Lockett was 'surprised' when he was slammed with a parking fine from the company but immediately appealed - however he was only hit with further letters from DCB legal demanding 100, then 200, then 268. Excel Parking rejected an offer from Mr Lockett and mediation to pay 85. Huddersfield County Court District judge Ranjit Uppal said Excel Parking appeared to be confused as to whether David had five minutes or ten minutes to pay for the parking. The judge also noted there was no financial loss to the company since David had overpaid for his stay and dismissed the case on January 2. MailOnline has contacted Excel Parking for comment. Ratcliffe served as director of national intelligence during Trump's first term Former director of national intelligence John Ratcliffe has been confirmed by the Senate to become the next CIA director. The former DNI and Texas congressman received bipartisan vote 74-25 on Thursday several days after the Senate Intelligence Committee advanced his nomination. He is the second of Donald Trump's Cabinet selections to get confirmed by the Senate after Marco Rubio was unanimously confirmed Monday evening. National security Cabinet positions are traditionally the first to be filled and Ratcliffe and Rubio's confirmations are no exception. However, the process of getting Ratcliffe confirmed hit a hiccup this week as Democrats held up the vote. They spoke and filibustered the nominee prolonging the amount of time it took to get the CIA director installed. The ex-lawmaker is expected to immediately address diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives at the spy agency, insiders have recently revealed to DailyMail.com. 'I suspect Ratcliffe is going to come in like a wrecking ball to the woke deep staters,' said a source familiar with his plans. John Ratcliffe, President-elect Donald Trump's choice to be the Director of the Central Intelligence Agency, poses for a photo with Cabinet picks, other nominees and appointments, at the National Gallery of Art in Washington, Saturday, Jan. 18, 2025. He was confirmed by the Senate to lead the CIA on Tuesday President Donald Trump attends Game Five of the 2019 World Series between the Houston Astros and the Washington Nationals at Nationals Park on October 27, 2019 John Ratcliffe, President-elect Donald Trump's choice to be the Director of the Central Intelligence Agency, appears before the Senate Intelligence Committee for his confirmation hearing, at the Capitol in Washington, Wednesday, Jan. 15, 2025 'No more politicized intelligence products. No more social experiments,' they continued, adding 'the mission is all he cares about.' Rated as one of the most conservative members during his tenure in Congress, Ratcliffe spent time on the House Intelligence Committee before being tapped to serve in Trump's first administration. When getting confirmed for DNI in 2020 many Democratic lawmakers held reservations about Ratcliffe over their perception he would seek to politicize the office. 'John Ratcliffes confirmation is a win for our national security,' Republican senate whip John Barrasso, R-Wyo., posted on X. 'Frankly, it should have been done two days ago.' 'Democrats unnecessarily delayed this important vote. John Ratcliffe is undeniably qualified for the job. He is going to lead the CIA without bias and with the safety of the American people as his top priority.' When sitting through his CIA confirmation hearing before the Senate Intelligence Committee, Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va., expressed he held similar concerns. He asked Ratcliffe if he 'will resist efforts to fire or force out career CIA employees because of their perceived political views' and that he will 'not ask these employees to place loyalty to a political figure above loyalty to country.' The former congressman reassured the worried Democrat he would not. 'If you look at my record and my record as DNI, that never took place,' Ratcliffe responded. 'That is never something anyone alleged.' 'It's something that I would never do,' he added. John Ratcliffe, Director of National Intelligence, gestures as he departs with U.S. President Donald Trump on travel to West Point, New York from the South Lawn at the White House in Washington, U.S., December 12, 2020 John Ratcliffe and Donald Trump President-elect Donald Trump's Cabinet picks, other nominees and appointments, pose for a photo at the National Gallery of Art in Washington, Saturday, Jan. 18, 2025 In total 21 Democrats ended up voting for Ratcliffe Thursday, many more Democrats than Ratcliffe's senator confirmation vote for DNI in 2020 where he received no bipartisan support. Speaking on the Senate floor Tuesday morning before the vote Senate Majority Leader John Thune noted that Ratcliffe is the right man for the job. 'Mr. Ratcliffe, like Secretary Rubio, earned bipartisan support after his confirmation hearing last week,' Thune said. 'He will bring valuable knowledge and experience to his new post, including from his time on the House Intelligence Committee and as director of National intelligence in the first trump administration.' Next on the docket are Department of Homeland Security nominee Kristi Noem and Defense Department secretary nominee Pete Hegseth. Both are roles with national pressing national security implications. However, as Rubio and Ratcliffe were widely seen as some of the most qualified candidates, the upcoming votes for Noem and Hegseth may be more tenuous. A woman was left speechless after her husband bought a new dashcam from a high street retailer - only to open the box and discover it had been switched for a worthless bag of sugar. Susan Newton, 50, from Prudhoe, Northumberland, was looking forward to receiving a Nextbase Ultra HD Dash Cam with in-built Amazon Alexa, priced at 269, from Currys. Her husband, Kevin, 43, purchased it for his wife as a gesture to replace the broken dashcam she previously had in her car. But instead of receiving the gadget he had ordered, the couple were stunned to find the dashcam had been swapped for a 500g bag of Tate & Lyle demerara sugar, which retails for around 1.50. Mysteriously, Mrs Newton said the tamper sticker was still in place on the box when she made the shocking discovery last July. Having contacted Currys straight away, an investigation was launched but Mrs Newton said she was left feeling 'upset and victimised' when their claim was rejected weeks later. To make matters worse, Mr Newton, a part-time warehouse cleaner, signed up to a 36-month finance plan through Currys to pay for his wife's present. Now six months on after they first made the purchase, he is still having to pay 13 a month for the device they never received - a situation Mrs Newton says 'beggars belief'. Susan Newton, 50, from Prudhoe, Northumberland, was looking forward to receiving a Nextbase Ultra HD Dash Cam with in-built Amazon Alexa, priced at 269, from Currys - but received a bag of sugar instead The couple were stunned to find the dashcam had been swapped for a 500g bag of Tate & Lyle demerara sugar, which retails for around 1.50 A photograph was provided by DPD as evidence that the dashcam had been delivered The couple has been advised they can appeal the retailer's decision through Consumer Arbitration, though this process can take months. Speaking to MailOnline about her experience, Mrs Newton, who works as a senior team leader at a care home, said: 'The dashcam I had in the car was broken, so my husband was going to surprise me with a new one. 'He bought it on July 5, 2024 and paid express delivery for it to arrive two days later. 'DPD then delivered it from Currys and my husband went to open it up. 'I was actually outside having a cigarette at the time. Seconds later, I just heard all these swear words. I went back indoors and there was Kevin with just this sugar - literally a bag of brown sugar. 'The package did not look like it had been tampered with - it even still had the seal on the box. 'Inside there were no instructions, no connection leads. There was just literally the Styrofoam packaging and the bag of sugar.' Mrs Newton said she followed up with Currys' customer services with 'several' phone calls and emails until finally she was informed in September that the retailer had dismissed her claim. Six months on after they first made the purchase, Mr Newton is still having to pay 13 a month for the dashcam he never received. Pictured: A device similar to the one ordered Kevin Newton purchased the gadget for his wife as a gesture to replace the broken dashcam she previously had in her car. Pictured: A Nextbase dashcam similar to the one ordered In an email seen by MailOnline, Currys said that after an internal investigation it was 'content that this parcel was dispatched and delivered with no evidence of tampering' and it could not help the couple any further. The email explained: 'The completed Denial of Receipt form indicated that the parcel was delivered in a fully sealed grey plastic packaging, with no signs of any tampering. 'During the picking stage the product was weighed where there were no discrepancies found in this instance. 'We obtained CCTV footage of the parcel being processed through our Warehouse and the findings show the parcel was packed without issue. 'We contacted DPD who have provided us with images of the parcel showing no signs of damage.' Mrs Newton said she left dumbstruck by the decision and felt as though Currys had accused them of being the fraudsters. 'I was really annoyed because we've always gone to Currys. We've bought so many things from Currys and never had a single problem. I feel upset and victimised. Why would we want to pinch a dashcam? It beggars belief.' After Currys informed the couple they had closed their claim, Mr Newton purchased another dashcam from a different retailer for his wife, also on a finance plan. Currys closed the couple's claim saying it was 'content that this parcel was dispatched and delivered with no evidence of tampering' The part-time worker has now been left paying for the one he received - as well as the one he did not - because he is unable to stop his monthly payments with Currys' flexible credit option through Creation Finance. Mrs Newton added: 'There's some very dishonest people out there that can just get away with it. I think justice needs to be done and Currys held accountable.' MailOnline has contacted Currys for comment. The circumstances suggest Mrs Newton could have fallen victim to a scam known as refund or return fraud. In these situations, the fraudster will purchase an item - or intercept a bought item - remove it from the box and then replace it with items of a lesser value that have a similar weight. They will then attempt to return the item and claim a refund. A situation could then arise where the package is erroneously sent to a genuine customer with the lower value items still inside. Earlier this week, MailOnline spoke to Jo Davis, from North Derbyshire, who was stunned to find her iPhone 16 Pro in black from John Lewis, priced at 1,000, had been switched for a black bottle of men's aftershave with a retail value of around 2. Jo Davis, from North Derbyshire, purchased an iPhone 16 Pro from John Lewis, priced at 1,000, but was stunned to find a black bottle of men's aftershave Anya Carroll, 31, from Bradley Stoke, Bristol was left dumbfounded after she ordered a brand new mobile phone from Sky - only to receive a package containing a large lump of clay instead Gemma Worley, 39, from Cornwall, thought she was receiving a new Lenovo Yoga laptop - only to discover her parcel contained three mouldy pies A trio of baked goodies from Yorkshire Handmade Pies were crammed into the space where her new computer should have been Nearly three months on, Mrs Davis was left feeling 'frustrated' and still 1,000 out of pocket. But after MailOnline contacted John Lewis, the department store agreed to a refund and presented her with a gift voucher. Last week, MailOnline highlighted the plight of Anya Carroll, who ordered a brand new Apple iPhone 16 from Sky - only to receive a package containing a large lump of clay. After a brief investigation, she was told there was 'insufficient evidence' her package had been tampered with before delivery and there was nothing further Sky could do. To compound her distress, Miss Carroll was advised to keep making payments for the phone she never received - because she would be the one in breach of contract if the money stopped. After being contacted by MailOnline, Sky has agreed to cancel her contract and refund the money she had paid to date. MailOnline also spoke to Gemma Worley, 39, from Cornwall, who purchased a 700 Lenovo Yoga laptop from Currys only to receive three mouldy pies instead. The trio of Yorkshire Handmade Pies had crammed into the space in the box where her new computer should have been. Currys has since apologised and offered Mrs Worley a refund or replacement laptop. The millionaire owner of a 50-acre California private island was dramatically arrested outside of court as his land was seized and put up for auction in his latest bitter battle with the city of San Francisco. Internet entrepreneur John Sweeney, 54, was arrested Wednesday outside of the Solano County Courthouse, minutes after his property sold for a whopping $3.8 million. Sweeney, a self-described 'American entrepreneur', attended the court proceedings in protest of the county-mandated sale, marking the end of a grueling 10-year battle between him and numerous government agencies in the Golden Gate City. California lawmakers seized the land that Sweeney purchased for $150,000 in 2011 over claims that the wealthy owner allegedly committed 'one of the worst environmental activities in the entire San Francisco Bay.' Point Buckler, a turtle-shaped marshland on the southern edge of Grizzly Bay, is home to several endangered species. After buying the land, Sweeney turned it into a posh kitesurfing club for billionaires in Silicon Valley - allegedly making many illegal moves during its transformation, according to the agencies. He's been accused of constructing two helipads, a deep-water dock, a levee, all of which were said to violate several water board codes that were put in place to protect the endangered species in Suisun Bay. Agencies have described his drastic changes as 'an enforcement case with the most negative impact to wetlands we've seen in a long, long time.' John Sweeney, the former owner of Point Buckler, was arrested Wednesday outside of the Solano County Courthouse minutes after his property sold for a whopping $3.8 million Point Buckler, a turtle-shaped marshland on the southern edge of Grizzly Bay in California, was seized by lawmakers who claimed that the owner committed 'one of the worst environmental activities in the entire San Francisco Bay' During the auction, Sgt. Tyler Pierce of the Solano County Sheriffs Office, started the bidding at $3,783,270,24. The notice of sale on the island detailed that it would start at $0 and then rise in $100 increments, SFGate reported. The auction was abruptly interrupted by Sweeney, who approached the crowd of people. 'Are you a bidder?' Pierce asked him. Sweeney then replied: 'I'm the owner.' Tensions quickly grew as Sweeney added: 'Government at its finest. Can't figure out how to sell a property.' John Muir Land Trust officially acquired the land, Pierce told the outlet, adding that the money from the purchase will most likely go toward paying off creditors and penalties. John Muri Land Trust is run by 'the generous support of thousands of nature lovers,' which strive to protect 'the places that make the East Bay special,' according to the company's website. The company - based in Martinez, California - also focused on protecting 'diminishing lands' while keeping 'environmental awareness' in mind so 'that each person understands the need to preserve our natural heritage.' Just moments after it was officially sold to, Sweeney, who stood in a bright orange Point Buckler Club jacket, was approached by sheriff's deputies and arrested. The arresting officer told Sweeney that the department had a 'bench warrant for your arrest for a civil matter.' John Sweeney, a self-described 'American entrepreneur', got the idea to turn his new investment into an exclusive kitesurfing club for the elite after buying it in 2011 for $150,000 The private island is 50 acres and full of marshland, which is also home to several endangered and threatened species Along with Sweeney, his wife, Jennifer Frost, 41, was also arrested on Wednesday. (Pictured: The couple in December 2024) During this, Sweeney told reporters that he believed he was being arrested for 'fighting this' and failing to appear in court. He told the outlet that he suspected there were several warrants out for his arrest. One person there at the time who appeared to be in support of Sweeney, asked him: 'Are you getting arrested? Must be doing something right.' Along with Sweeney, his wife, Jennifer Frost, 41, was also arrested, Daily Republic reported. A new contempt hearing is set for February 5. Superior Court Judge Christine Carringer said that if another bench warrant is served against Sweeney and his wife, they will be sent to jail, the outlet said. It all started when a then 30-year-old Sweeney sold his advertising company, Sailing Billboards. Around the same time he began bringing in cash by teaching tech billionaires to sail. Prior to his time in the sailing and surfing industry, the former professional sailor from St. Louis, Missouri was raised by a mother and father who bought and renovated many fixer-uppers, Sweeney's website detailed. He went on to attend Orange Coast College where he studied Architecture while working at Sheer Braden Architecture in Irvine. In 1978, Sweeney joined the San Francisco Yacht Club's junior sailing program, leading him to become an official member in 1982. Two years later, he opened the Redwood Sailing Club, the very first high school sailing club in all of Northern California. By 1991, he moved to Ocean Beach and started his first company, 976-BAIL, which offered daily surf reports and forecasts - charging $3.50 per recorded message. After Sweeney bought the island he rebuilt the levee surrounding the land, constructed helicopter pads and launched an exclusive kiteboarding club for the elites The agencies called Sweeney's plans and builds 'an enforcement case with the most negative impact to wetlands we've seen in a long, long time' He went on to dedicate himself to his hobbies, starting more businesses along the way and purchasing land, including a small island in the estate sale of his father-in-law's finance that became available in 2011. 'The kids needed some money,' he told SFGate. 'So I paid 150 grand and bought it from them, and I didn't have a use for it.' Quickly, he began developing plans for his purchase. He decided he was going to rebuild the duck ponds for hunters in the winter months, and set up an exclusive kiteboarding club in the summers. He also planned to construct helipads and fix the levee surrounding the island. The plans went into motion shortly after. With the levee fixed and the first helipad built, Sweeney took some of his old Silicon Valley sailing friends out to Point Buckler for some kiteboarding. In recent years, kiteboarding - a sport that combines both surfing and paragliding - has become a popular pastime for the elites of society. Former President Barack Obama and Virgin founder Richard Branson are just two notable enthusiasts. Sweeney's friends from the Valley caught the bug and encouraged their buddy to start developing a private club on his island. In April of 2016, an ad for the club read: 'Kite with us. Access by heli or boat. Enjoy the new lounge, art and launch at the only private kite island in California.' The club was definitely made for billionaires with a membership costing a whopping $750,000 per person. Despite owning the entirety of the island, Sweeney began to experience some strange interactions with some seemingly uninvited guests. Pictured above is the lounge that Sweeney constructed on the island for his private club Sweeney believed that his purchase was simply a duck club in disrepair and an abandoned levee that needed to be fixed 'I noticed people in boats taking pictures,' he said. 'And agency people, on a road across from the island, videoing me.' For the next few months Sweeney was met with random inspections, site visits, letters and warnings from the water board. Eventually, the board handed Sweeney and his company, Point Buckler Club LLC, one of the biggest fines in its history. In 2016 Sweeney was given a $4.6 million penalty. Its purpose was to assert that he carried out dozens of activities on his island without getting permission from the board, therefore breaking the Clear Water Act. Some of those violations included the mowed grass, the fully-constructed helicopter pads, the developed lounge area and the finished dock. Sweeney was also in violation of filling state waters when he built the levee, which ultimately blocked 20-acres of tidal wetlands. The water board doubled down on their claims with a statement that said Sweeney completed the work and construction 'to develop the island for use as a private sport and social club.' Eileen White, the executive officer for the San Francisco Bay Regional Water Quality Control Board, told SFGate that the board 'met with him for settlement discussions to get him to restore the island' but that 'basically, he didn't want to do anything.' 'Egregious. I mean, so egregious,' White told the outlet of his unpermitted construction. 'When things happen by an act of nature, things happen. But this was purposeful, and we worked with him to try to get him to restore it, but he was noncompliant.' The Environmental Protection Agency told SFGate that Sweeney had 'unlawfully dried up nearly 40-acres of tidal wetlands in the San Francisco Bay' The cost of his elite club was a whopping $750,000 for a membership A 2004 study of the Suisun Bay wetlands defined his island as a 'completed tidal wetlands project'. But Sweeney said that was just a bogus claim made by the agencies. Sweeney believed that his purchase was simply a duck club in disrepair and an abandoned levee that needed to be fixed. He also said that he was never told it was protected land when he bought it back in 2011. The agencies disagreed. They said that he was defiling acres of ecologically crucial tidal marsh land - and landing helicopters on top of it. 'I think they were upset because they heard that there were some billionaires in the marsh,' Sweeney told the outlet of the ordeal. 'They keep attacking me.' Sweeney referred to the never-ending filings and legal battles as a 'land grab' by the agencies because they were motivated by governmental targets to protect endangered species in the tidal water. Again, the agencies disagreed as White said: 'The water board doesn't grab land. We don't want to grab land. 'Our mission is to preserve, enhance and restore the Bay Area's water resources.' Nevertheless, the US District Court for the Eastern District of California determined that Sweeney had committed 'very serious violations' of the Clean Water Act. The Environmental Protection Agency agreed. They told SFGate that he had 'unlawfully dried up nearly 40-acres of tidal wetlands in the San Francisco Bay.' The agencies said that Sweeney was defiling acres of ecologically crucial tidal marsh land - and landing helicopters on top of it Sweeney filed for bankruptcy in 2023 and hoped that the agencies could take the island and cancel his debt, but it was dismissed and he was arrested shortly after for 36-hours 'No one has ever been fined for fixing a levee,' Sweeney said in defense of the decision. 'That's the whole point of owning an island!' After countless legal proceedings, one judge eventually took Sweeney's side. In 2017, a Solano County Superior Court judge threw out the fines - which he deemed as 'excessive' and described them as 'an appearance of vindictiveness.' The judge ruled in favor of the plaintiffs on every count before the court. But by 2021 the decision was overturned, leaving Sweeney back on the hook for roughly $2.8 million. Sweeney filed for bankruptcy in 2023 and hoped that the agencies could take the island and cancel his debt. Instead, his filing was dismissed, leading to an arrest that year for contempt. 'They arrested me for contempt because I stopped appearing in court,' Sweeney said of the incident. 'I told them to f*** off.' 'I said, "Look, you bankrupted me. I gave you the island, you gave it back,"' he added. 'There's no solution.' After just 36 hours behind bars, Sweeney was let go 'without explanation'. To this day, he still believes that there are at least seven active warrants out for his arrest. Sweeney boasted that helicopters could be used to arrive at the destination faster than on boats Then, in 2023, a group of Silicon Valley founders and investors announced their purchase of tens of thousands of acres of Solano County, an area not too far from Point Buckler. They planned to build a utopian city on the hill. The announcement sparked a new idea for Sweeney as he saw the proximity as an opportunity and put his island on the market for $75 million. 'The only privately owned island by the San Francisco Bay listed for sale, near the future Flannery Utopian City planned for Solano County! the listing read. Although the island sold at the auction, it is still listed as 'available' on Sotheby's International Realty website for $40 million. Interested bidders were required to register with the county earlier this month in order for them to have a chance at snagging up the island. The new owner is now responsible for restoring the land and is also required to allow staff of several agencies 'reasonable access' to 'oversee compliance with their orders.' Sweeney thinks the auction was another way to target him. He believes the water board has already found a bidder, specifically one that they want to take over and restore the land. Sweeney had the idea to put his island up on the market in 2023 after he learned that a group of Silicon Valley founders and investors bought thousands of acres of Solano County, an area not too far from Point Buckler. (Pictured: Rendering of the new project) Sweeney saw the blueprint for the city as a way to market his land for sale, stating that it was 'The only privately owned island by the San Francisco Bay listed for sale, near the future Flannery Utopian City planned for Solano County! the listing read. (Pictured: Rendering of California Forever's new utopian city) Some see this decades-long battle as Sweeney being an ambitious entrepreneur who attempted to turn forgotten marshland into an elite leisure club and made some money on the side. Others see it as an effective use of government and their efforts to protect a fragile ecosystem in the face of destruction. Overall, Sweeney believes that the millions of dollars worth of fines are wildly disproportionate, especially compared to other environmental damage on the Suisun Bay. He specifically referred to a 2004 spill of more than 100,000 gallons of diesel by an energy company. Later, the company admitted to being responsible for 44 spills in as little as three years. 'They killed thousands of fish, otters, beavers,' Sweeney said of the destruction in Suisun Bay. 'I get the same fine for fixing a levee.' The water board said that years of legal filings and government interference would have never happened if Sweeney had worked with them from the start. If he had, they said he could still be running his billionaire kiteboarding club to this day. 'It's a very straightforward story,' White said. 'The only thing that's complicated is the noise he's making.' Crossbow victim Louise Hunt dumped killer boyfriend Kyle Clifford just a week before he murdered her after growing sick of his controlling behaviour, MailOnline can reveal. Louise, 25, took the brave decision after former soldier Clifford 'imposed himself' on her life including banning her from wearing make-up, seeing male friends and staying out late without him. Friends say she terminated their six-month relationship after finally tiring of him ridiculing her and telling her what to do. Her last post on social media platform X - sent just six days before she was murdered - was a retweeted message which hailed those who decided to leave abusive and controlling partners. The message read: 'I admire women who leave whether you left after the 1st time or the 12th time.' The post - sent on July 3 last year - continued: 'If ppl was calling you dumb for 11 years but in the 12th year you decided you was done...it takes ALOT of strength to break a tie. it takes ALOT of self love to choose yo self.' Louise and older sister Hannah Hunt, 28, were shot dead by a crossbow bolt fired by 26-year-old Clifford, who also stabbed their mother, Carol, 61, to death with a butcher's knife. He had turned up to their suburban home in Bushey, Hertfordshire, on July 9 to collect some of his belongings following the split with Louise. Kyle Clifford (pictured) was dumped by his girlfried just a week before he murdered her after growing sick of his controlling behaviour Louise Hunt (pictured), who was formerly in a relationship with Clifford, was killed alongside her mother and sister in the crossbow attack in Bushey Brave Hannah Hunt called 999 during the attacks and was still alive when police arrived at the home in Bushey, but later died from her wounds John Hunt is pictured with his wife Carol, who was killed alongside two of their two daughters The three women were the wife and daughters of BBC racing commentator John Hunt. A family friend said that tragic Carol told friends at her local gym that her youngest daughter was involved in a 'messy' break up with her boyfriend She confided with a friend as she worked out at the Bushey Grove Leisure Centre, a five-minute walk from the family home. The friend said: 'She said her daughter's split with her boyfriend was messy. 'Carol did not go into too much detail, but you could see she was concerned.' Despite her courageous decision to leave Clifford, dog groomer Louise was still left devastated and the stress of the break-up is understood to have caused her to crash her car near her family home. Neighbour Glyn Nicholas, 77, said that Louise appeared 'very upset' following what he understood to be 'a very bad break-up' the week before. He said: 'Louise was a very nice girl. She ran a dog grooming business from the house. I heard that she split from her boyfriend and was very upset about it. So much so that she was driving home at some point and drove into a wooden telegraph pole not far from the house. The car door had apparently caved in because of the crash.' Your browser does not support iframes. But friends of the Hunts claimed to have noticed signs of problems during Cliffords relationship with Louise, reported The Times. Abdul Morsi, Hannahs best friend, told the paper: He was controlling. He did not like her going out with guy mates. He was continuingly calling her asking: When are you going to be home? They did not live together but he wanted control. He just had this controlling attitude. Neighbours described Clifford as placid, very reserved when he was a child. His brother Bradley was the first of the pair to kill and is serving a life sentence for murdering Soban Khan, 18, in a fit of rage about damage to his prized car. And initially it seemed Bradley was the only bad one in the family. One neighbour said: He was never one to be loud or get rowdy. Of the three brothers, he was the last one youd expect to cause any trouble. Another said: His brother Bradley was moody and disrespectful to his grandmother. After he got his job and started working, he got into drugs. But one woman told how she was forced to cut ties with the whole family as she became afraid of Kyle too. MailOnline revealed yesterday how Clifford was filled with jealous rage, controlling every aspect of Louise's life before the savage triple murder. He was filled with fury after the relationship ended and turned up to the family home with a crossbow and 10-inch knife on the pretence of retrieving some of his property he had left there. He stabbed Carol in the back, chest and legs. Louise had her arms and ankles bound with duct tape and she had been fatally shot by a crossbow. Hannah too had been shot with a crossbow bolt but was able to make a harrowing 999 call to police before she died alongside her sister and mother. A family friend told MailOnline how Clifford tried to appear loving but in reality 'often mocked her throughout their turbulent six-month relationship. They said that Clifford - who dropped out of the Queen's Dragoon Guards after three years - had become increasingly fearful that Louise was going to end their relationship. The friend said that Clifford was at a low ebb at the time of her murder after suddenly leaving his job at a local food supplier. The source, who asked not to be named, said: 'Kyle was controlling and used to ridicule Louise. In public he made himself out to be a nice guy, but in private he was anything but. Police on Ashlyn Close in Bushey, Hertfordshire, on July 10, 2024 - the day after the murder Police search Lavender Hill Cemetery in Enfield, North London, on the afternoon of July 10 Mourners attend a service at St James's Church in Bushey on July 11 following the incident 'There hadn't been any previous incidents of violence towards Louise - nothing that we knew about anyway - but he imposed himself on her. 'It was certain things, like Louise used to like wearing make-up but then she stopped wearing make-up - and that was down to Kyle. 'Louise had become tired of the relationship and being controlled all the time and being told what to do.' The friend said that Louise invited Clifford to a family party last April, adding: 'She had introduced him to her parents, they are lovely, lovely people and they would have wanted to take him into their family. 'But there were red flags. And when Louise split with Kyle I think they were very relieved. 'What happened is incomprehensible, it's awful. They were such an incredibly lovely, friendly family. It's completely devastated the community.' Abdul Morsli, 28, who was best friends with Hannah Hunt, believed Louise started seeing Clifford around Christmas 2023 and said: 'She was in love with him. They'd been together for just under a year, I think. 'Hannah was convinced that they'd get married one day but there were issues with his controlling behaviour. A court artist's sketch of Kyle Clifford appearing via videolink at Westminster Magistrates' Court on September 17 'I think Louise tried to keep it under wraps but I know he didn't like her staying out too late - even though they didn't live together - and he really didn't like her having male friends.' Fighting back tears, he told how Carol and John took him in five years ago when he needed somewhere to stay. He said: 'I lived with them for about three or four months when I was going through a few things and needed help. 'They invited me into their home without hesitation. 'Carol treated me like her own son, she used to make me a meal every night and John invited me to Royal Ascot two years ago. 'I've known Hannah since I was 13 and we were at school together. She was so lovely, genuinely an amazing person. 'She was from a beautiful family. They were so generous and welcoming. I can't describe how wonderful they are.' The triple murder sparked a nationwide hunt for Clifford, who was caught by police the following day with 'self-inflicted injuries' in a cemetery near his home in Enfield, North London. After changing his plea today, Clifford now faces a life sentence - something his brother Bradley is already serving for mowing down and murdering a teenage moped rider in anger after his 'prized' Ford Mustang was damaged. Appearing via video link at Cambridge Crown Court on Wednesday, Clifford pleaded guilty to three counts of murder, one of false imprisonment against Louise Hunt, and two counts of possession of offensive weapons - the crossbow and the knife. He pleaded not guilty to a charge of raping Louise. A high-class escort has spilled the beans on what happens behind closed doors in Davos during the World Economic Forum, including what the wealthy think really will happen to the world in the near future. Salome Balthus, 40, is a high-end escort and author from Berlin who has travelled to Davos, Switzerland, to meet up with clients during the annual gathering of the global elite. Salome revealed to MailOnline what she has learned about the global elite - and for many it is that they are doom-mongering about the fate of the world... so they've decided to enjoy it while it lasts. Convinced that a climate change apocalypse is upon us they shamelessly spend their vast wealth on expensive escorts in Switzerland... which they fly to in their environmentally-unfriendly private jets. 'The elephant in the room is climate change. Everyone knows it can't be prevented any more,' she said, adding that the 'super rich' could generally be split into two groups on the topic. 'The one group thinks it only affects the poor, the "not-white race", while the others fear that it could get worse but there's no sense in trying to do anything about it so they just enjoy themselves,' she told MailOnline. 'The one half is in despair and the other, dumber, half is celebrating future mass deaths. It's not just like that in Davos of course, but it's concentrated there [during the WEF].' Salome Balthus (pictured), 40, is a high-end escort and author from Berlin who has travelled to Davos, Switzerland, to meet up with clients during the World Economic Forum (WEF) Salome said: 'With the people I meet [at the WEF] I agree on special conditions that I can't talk about' (stock image of Davos, where the WEF is held) Salome elaborated that some of the uber wealthy people fitting into the first group were saying that those in third world countries 'might all die but us in the North, we're fine'. She said: 'They say that in a democracy you have to sell it, to lie to people and tell them "we didn't know better and didn't think it would get this bad", not admitting that they know. 'Then there's the other group that thinks it might not be so easy, maybe it will also affect us due to unforeseeable chain reactions. 'But they say they can't do anything against the others so they live following the mantra "after us, the deluge". 'They say they will enjoy a few more nice years on earth and know that there's no future. They are very cynical and somehow deeply sad.' Salome said topics like this come up at a bar, sauna or hotel lobby, especially if people already had a few drinks. 'Every now and then I tease this topic and they will comment, after which I can make my own sense of it. Of course, that only works if the person is drunk late in the evening and talking to someone at the bar, then that's what happens. 'They are extremely proud of it [and therefore talking about it] or they just see me as an object and don't think about the fact that I'm also thinking when they're with me.' This year, Salome met a client in Zurich who she said 'maybe' planned on going to WEF, but she remained tight-lipped about the circumstances of the meeting as discretion is valued above all in her line of work (stock image) 'The public must know that that the enemies of the poor and the lower class are not the migrants but the super rich,' Salome added. 'Tax the Rich etc. is a joke behind closed doors [...] There's a guy at the bar who shouts "Tax the Rich" with every new shot. They feel untouchable.' Salome said client meetings are often about 'the passion of erotica and the passion of power, although the latter so much more that it can even erase the former'. 'It's not the super powerful that do something like this [hiring an escort] - they are happy when they get a bit of time for their families - no, it's the more the subaltern workers who are excited, maybe even there for the first time,' Salome revealed. The philosophy and German literature graduate said she doesn't do parties, where she would be waiting for someone to pick her up. 'It's more exclusive than that,' she said, adding that she handpicks her clients who appear to value her not just for her beauty and discretion, but also her intelligence. According to the website of Salome's own feminist escort agency in Berlin, Hetaera, a weekend costs clients 5,000, while a two-hour tete-a-tete starts at about 850. Salome said: 'With the people I meet [at the WEF] I agree on special conditions that I can't talk about and I only meet up with people that I like somehow. 'There's obviously also some very intelligent people there and all I can say is they probably need a lot of alcohol right now [in light of the current state of the world].' The majority of the about 3,000 delegates who arrived in Davos for the annual forum on Monday are wealthy men in business and politics Stock image of a private jet at Engadin Airport during the 55th annual meeting of the World Economic Forum (WEF), in Samedan, Switzerland, 22 January 2025 Prostitution is legal in Switzerland, with sex workers expected to pay taxes, register with local authorities and undergo regular health checks. And business is booming. The official line on escorts in many countries, not just in Switzerland, is that they are remunerated for their time and what they do with it is up to them. This laissez-faire approach has been credited with reducing violence against sex workers and human trafficking but, of course, those who work in the sex industry occupy every social and economic stratum. In Davos, sought-after escorts are smartly dressed in business suits, so they don't stand out, and are often well-educated as well as fluent in at least two languages. The reason for that is the equally high-class clientele they are aiming their services at - the majority of the about 3,000 delegates who arrived in Davos for the annual forum on Monday are wealthy men in business and politics. According to an escort who goes by the name of Tiffany, 'discretion is the number one skill for an escort - especially a high-end one'. 'I wear normal clothes - a purple suit and a black coat - to make it look like I am actually part of the conference scene,' she previously told MailOnline. Hundreds of transgender federal prisoners are living in fear after a 'roundup' that will send them packing to men's lockups following a day-one executive order from President Donald Trump. Now lawyers are desperately trying to find a way to fight the order, saying the prisoners will have 'a target on their backs' as they move in with hardened male inmates. 'It's going to be incredibly dangerous,' attorney Moira Meltzer-Cohen told DailyMail.com. Meltzer-Cohen represents Donna Langan, a transgender woman who underwent a sex change in federal prison. She is serving a life sentence for bank robbery as a member of the neo-Nazi Aryan Republican Army. Meltzer-Cohen said she fears there would be a 'bloodbath' if her client and other trans inmates are forced into male prisons. The order declared that the government will only recognize two sexes male and female. This means all 'intimate spaces designated for women, girls, or females' will be determined by sex rather than gender identity. DailyMail.com viewed an email from a federal public defender in Massachusetts that was sent to colleagues nationally. It stated that one of her clients imprisoned in Minnesota, a transgender woman, was among those rounded up and is 'terrified' of what will happen when they're sent to male prisons. Donna Langan, convicted neo-Nazi bank robber underwent a sex change in federal prison. Her lawyer fears there will be a 'bloodbath' if trans inmates if they are moved to male prisons Donald Trump 's day one executive order has transgender Minnesota inmates being rounded up and sent packing back to men's prisons The order declared that the government will only recognize two sexes - male and female. This means all 'intimate spaces designated for women, girls, or females' will be determined by sex rather than gender identity Public defender Sandra Gant said her office was notified of the change in policy by the federal Bureau of Prisons Tuesday morning by the trans inmate's family and asked other public defenders to share information for a legal fight. 'Our office represents a trans client who, for the entirety of her pretrial detention & BOP custody, has been in a women's facility,' Gant wrote in the alert sent Tuesday afternoon. 'Her family reached out in a panic as of this morning, she, along with others at FCI Waseca, have been segregated and told that they are being processed out to a transfer center and then to a men's prison. 'She is terrified,' Gant explained. 'Has anyone prepared to litigate this, or have any insights/advice on challenging this? Or any contacts with ACLU, etc., who might be litigating this?' Gant asked. Trump signed orders Monday rolling back protections for transgender people, ruling that the two 'immutable sexes' are 'not changeable' and that federal prisons along with shelters for migrants and rape victims are to be segregated by sex. Federal money will also no longer be used to fund 'transition services'. The president also demanded officials use the term 'sex' rather than 'gender.' Federal agencies were urged to end funding to promote 'gender ideology' and protect against 'gender extremism' representing major policy shifts from the Biden and Obama administrations. Rhonda Fleming, 58, a female inmate who sued to get trans women out of her prison, welcomed the development after losing her case in court last week in Tallahassee, Florida Fleming argued that she and other biological women live in constant fear of attack and stress over having to interact with and undress in front of inmates with male genitalia Fleming claimed several 'heterosexual men' in her current prison, Carswell Federal Medical Center in Texas (pictured), fake their gender so they could serve out their terms with women Vice President JD Vance watched as President Trump threw a pen after signing a series of executive orders at the indoor inauguration parade on Monday The changes, cheered by conservative groups, have been met with fear and anger by the transgender community. The Bureau of Prisons estimates there are about 1,500 trans female inmates and 750 trans males in the federal prison system. Rhonda Fleming, 58, a female inmate who sued to get trans women out of her prison, welcomed the development after losing her case in court last week in Tallahassee, Florida. She argued that she and other biological women live in constant fear of attack and stress over having to interact with and undress in front of inmates with male genitalia. Her civil suit stated women shouldn't be forced to share intimate spaces such as bathrooms, showers and dorms with trans women. But the judge on the case disagreed, ruling against her complaint on January 15. Fleming was outraged when she spoke to DailyMail.com about the ruling and said: 'What the judge did Wednesday was a farce, it was a mockery of justice. He never intended for us to have a fair trial. 'It's like he's attacking the victim, telling the victim you're in the wrong, not the victimizer.' She also claimed several 'heterosexual men' in her current prison, Carswell Federal Medical Center in Texas, fake their gender so they could serve out their terms with women. Now, her wish for Trump to reverse these policies has come true with the January 20 executive order. Langan who was convicted under her birth name of Peter Kevin Langan is also currently in Carswell. Moira Meltzer-Cohen (left) worked on Chelsea Manning's case and now represents trans inmate Donna Langan who underwent a sex change in federal prison Tomas Ziupsnys's lawyer said the 42-year-old was terrified to return to a male prison after she had a gender affirming surgical procedure A lawyer for Tomas Ziupsnys, a 42-year-old serving five years at Carswell for fraud, said trans inmates will 'have targets no their backs,' if moved. Trey Flynn said Ziupsnys, who has surgically created female genitalia and has fought for follow-up surgery to maintain her gender identity, is terrified of returning to a male facility. 'They're going to be the target of bullying, sexual violence, all sorts of mischievous sorts of actions by other inmates,' added Flynn. But another lawyer clarified that while the BOP is rounding up trans inmates, officials have yet to decide where to place inmates who have already undergone sex changes. 'The BOP is planning to move transgender females into men's prisons, but there could be separate arrangement for those who are post-surgical,' the lawyer said. 'They've separated those individuals as well, but there is no movement for them yet. The BOP is trying to figure out exactly what to do with those who are post-surgical because these inmates could face additional security concerns in a men's facility.' The executive order was one of 26 Trump issued within hours of his inauguration. He also rescinded 78 of former President Joe Biden's executive actions such as fighting climate change, gender discrimination and promoting racial equality. But this doesn't mean the order is guaranteed to stay in place, Trump will most likely have to fight a litany of legal battles with foes such as the ACLU who vowed to take his administration to court to defend LGBTQ rights. Congress could also slow down Trump policies by using backdoor methods such as blocking the his laws from passing or cutting money from his programs although that is unlikely due to Republicans having control of both the enate and the House. President Donald Trump's Department of Government Efficiency is looking into stopping production of the penny to save taxpayers money. In a post on X Tuesday night, the Elon Musk-run group pointed out that a penny now costs three cents to make - triple its value. That cost taxpayers a whopping $179 million in fiscal year 2023, the post said. DOGE has been tasked with coming up with recommendations on how to cut federal spending. It's unclear if it would advise permanently killing off the penny, or just halting or trimming the penny's production. The U.S. Mint already decreased the production of the penny between 2023 and 2024 by nearly 29 percent. U.S. Mint data from 2024 showed a fourth straight year of declining coin production, according to CoinNews.net. The article also pointed out that the Federal Reserve typically orders more pennies to be minted than any other denomination. President Donald Trump 's Department of Government Efficiency is looking into stopping production of the penny to save taxpayers money The DOGE account on X floated Tuesday night that minting billions of pennies might not be the best use of taxpayer money Other countries have started killing off their one cent coins, including the U.S.'s neighbor to the north Canada. Canada stopped producing 1 cent coins in 2012. However a 2018 analysis from the Atlantic Economic Journal found that because most grocery store prices end in 9, Canadians spent about $3.27 million more in Canadian dollars at grocery stores with prices being rounded up to the nearest nickel. While Trump has pledged to save taxpayers money with initiatives like DOGE, his No. 1 mandate from voters was for him to get food and gas prices lowered. Voters didn't believe President Joe Biden didn't do enough to right the economy after the COVID-19 pandemic. Trump has had a hand in money matters before. During his first term he was against the push to put abolitionist leader Harriet Tubman on the U.S. $20 bill, which is adorned by President Andrew Jackson, who signed the Indian Removal Act into law in 1830 that opened the door for the 'Trail of Tears.' The redesigned $20 was originally planned to be unveiled in 2020, but Trump's Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said it would be delayed due to 'counterfeiting issues.' Trump had said that replacing Jackson with Tubman was 'pure political correctness.' Trump had a portrait of Jackson in his Oval Office during the first term - which was immediately removed by Biden. The president signed DOGE into existance on Monday, hours after being sworn-in. DOGE has already cut its leadership in half with former 2024 Republican hopeful Vivek Ramaswamy deciding against taking the co-leadership role with Musk that Trump assigned him. Ramaswamy instead will focus on a 2026 Ohio gubernatorial run. A North Dakota family has accused the Mayo Clinic and two of its 'top doctors' of permanently paralyzing their teen daughter during a series of 'botched' spinal surgeries. Kyla Barton, 14, once an avid softball player, was left 'paralyzed' from the waist down after her surgeons at the world-renowned Mayo Clinic 'failed to protect her spinal cord during a series of corrective back surgeries,' a lawsuit filed earlier this month alleges. Nearly a year after the 'medical mishap,' Kyla is 'unable move her legs and her daily schedule is structured around her use of a catheter to empty her bladder,' her mother, Ashley Barton, told the Star Tribune. 'When we left Mayo the only thing she could really do was sit up at the bed with four people assisting her,' Ashley, 38, said. The middle school student was diagnosed with a ganglioneuroma, a rare tumor that grows in the autonomic nerve cells, in September 2023. After many trips to the clinic, multiple scans, an angiogram and a biopsy, Kyla's medical team determined a series of surgeries to resect and remove the tumor would be the best course of treatment for the struggling teen. However, after the second of three scheduled procedures some bone and tissue was removed along with the tumor, ultimately weakening Kyla's spine, said James Lowe, a former neurosurgeon turned attorney who is representing the family. Kyla's doctors wanted her to get up and show mobility before the next surgery, which Lowe claimed was 'completely understandable', but after sitting up, the then 13-year-old said all feeling below her waist had disappeared. Kyla Barton, 14, once an avid softball player was left 'paralyzed' from the waist down after her surgeons at the world-renowned Mayo Clinic 'failed to protect her spinal cord during a series of corrective back surgeries,' a lawsuit filed earlier this month alleges Nearly a year after the 'medical mishap,' Kyla is 'unable move her legs and her daily schedule is structured around her use of a catheter to empty her bladder,' her mother, Ashley Barton, said. Pictured: The Barton family, Ashley, Kyle, Kyla and her twin sister DailyMail.com has obtained a copy of the lawsuit. It claims that Barton was subjected to 'an unreasonable and unnecessarily high risk of permanent paralysis or death' because a doctor did not create a plan to appropriately stabilize a region of her spine. It continues that doctors failed to recognize and address symptoms and signs indicating spinal instability and a 'great risk of injury' to the teen's spinal cord during their care. The defendants named alongside the Clinic include Dr. Peter Rose and Dr. Mohammed Karim. The pair hold fellowships in spine surgery and have collectively published more than 500 research articles on surgeries and cancer treatments. The Mayo Clinic has since issued a statement claiming the January complaint is 'inaccurate' and that Kyla's care was 'thoughtful and appropriate,' according to the Star Tribune. 'Unfortunately, the risk of paralysis is a known complication in complex spinal tumor surgeries even when the care team is among the most experienced in the world,' the clinic stated. It added that patient privacy protections prevent it from discussing [Kyla] Barton's care specifically, but that it strives 'to provide hope and healing to our patients.' Kyla's parents, Ashley and Kyle Barton, 43, said their daughter now 'faces a lifetime of costly medical care' and was 'robbed of the use of her lower body, permanently hindering her quality of life.' After many trips to the clinic, multiple scans, an angiogram and a biopsy, Kyla's medical team determined a series of surgeries to resect and remove the tumor would be the best course of treatment for the struggling teen. Pictured: The Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota James Lowe, a former neurosurgeon turned attorney, is representing the Barton family The suit claims Mayo and its doctors owe an amount 'far exceeding $75,000' - the minimum threshold for filing the case in federal court. DailyMail.com has approached Mayo Clinic for further comment. A GoFundMe campaign was organized to help the Barton family with ongoing medical and travel expenses. 'While we don't know what the future holds for Kyla, we know that the Barton family has many battles ahead of them,' the page reads. 'While we can't take all of their financial burdens away, we would love to lessen the load. There will be many hospital visits, travel expenses, inpatient and outpatient rehab, and modifications to their house to allow for wheelchair access, etc.' The page, created on March 5, 2024, has exceeded its goal of $40,000, raising a whopping sum of $44,260. The Grand Forks-based family has since sold their house and moved to a wheelchair-accessible apartment to better suit their teenaged daughter's new lifestyle. Kyla is now undergoing intensive rehab at Shirley Ryan Ability lab in Chicago, where she will learn to live with her disability. MBABANE - In November 2024, Eswatinis trade surplus narrowed to E628.5 million from E903.5 million in October. According to the latest Recent Economic Developments (RED) report from the Central Bank of Eswatini (CBE), exports were E4.165 billion in the month under review, lower when compared to E4.405 billion recorded in October 2024. Year-on-year, this represented an increase of 17.8 per cent. On the contrary, imports were higher in November 2024, amounting to E3.537 billion compared to E3.502 billion in the preceding month. Year-on-year, imports grew by 6.1 per cent. Seasonally adjusted figures presented a positive trade balance of E479.0 million for November 2024. Seasonally adjusted exports amounted to E3.741 billion and seasonally adjusted imports were E3.262 billion. Country The CBE further reported that the direction of trade for the country indicates South Africa as the countrys major trading partner received 59.6 per cent of the countrys exports, while 76.2 per cent of the countrys imports originated from that country. The country posted a wider trade surplus of E4.710 billion for the 11 months of 2024, compared to a trade surplus of E839.0 million for the same period in 2023. Cumulative exports were E39.675 billion for the period January-November 2024 compared to E34.286 billion for January-November 2023, with growth coming mainly from soft drink concentrates and sugar exports. Imports Similarly, imports for January-November 2024 increased, amounting to E34.965 billion compared to E31.624 billion for the same period in 2023. Growth was recorded in imports of animal and vegetable products, machinery, electrical equipment and vehicles. An aide to House Speaker Mike Johnson urged his Republican colleagues not to subpoena January 6 committee witness Cassidy Hutchinson to prevent the accidental release of sexually explicit texts the 28-year-old was sent by lawmakers. The Washington Post first reported the explosive allegations on Thursday, as the House GOP seeks to restart an investigation of the January 6 House select committee at the urging of President Donald Trump. Hutchinson's testimony about January 6 was some of the most embarrassing for Trump - as she recounted hearing that he threw a hissy fit to Secret Service when they wouldn't take him to the Capitol after his Ellipse rally. She also vividly recalled how Trump threw his plate of food at the wall when he found out that Attorney General Bill Barr told the Associated Press that the DOJ found no instances of widespread voter fraud in the 2020 election. Hutchinson's testimony was wanted as the GOP's investigation tried to find fault in how former Republican Rep. Liz Cheney, among others, handled the Democrat-led House probe on January 6. But in June, an aide to Johnson warned aides to GOP Rep. Barry Loudermilk - who was investigating the January 6th investigation for the Republicans and had publicly floated subpoening Hutchinson - that doing so could cause more trouble than it was worth. That's because there was a fear that 'sexual texts from members who were trying to engage in sexual favors' could be revealed publicly, The Post reported. Separately, a member of Johnson's staff told Loudermilk's aides that Hutchinson could 'potentially reveal embarrassing information,' detailed an email obtained by the newspaper. An aide to House Speaker Mike Johnson urged his Republican colleagues not to subpoena January 6 committee witness Cassidy Hutchinson to prevent the accidental release of sexually explicit texts the 28-year-old was sent by lawmakers An aide to House Speaker Mike Johnsonn (pictured) sounded the alarm in June, according to the Washington Post, that if star January 6 select committee witness was subpoenaed sexts from lawmakers might come to light It's unclear which members were behind the alleged sexts. Hutchinson's lawyer gave a statement to The Post but it didn't confirm that she had received salacious messages. Lawyer Bill Jordan told the newspaper that Hutchinson had cooperated voluntarily with the GOP-led investigation. Jordan also criticized the interim report that was released by Loudermilk in December, which accused Cheney of 'secretly communicating with Hutchinson without Hutchinon's attorney's knowledge.' 'Ms. Hutchinson has testified truthfully and stands behind every word despite the efforts of men in powerful positions to attack her,' Jordan said. On Wednsday Johnson announced that Loudermilk's investigation would continue in the Trump era. A subcommittee was formed under the House Judiciary Committee, chaired by Trump stalwart, Rep. Jim Jordan, to continue looking into the House select committee on January 6th. On his way out the door, President Joe Biden pardoned members of the select committee, including Cheney and the other GOP member, former Rep. Adam Kinzinger. Cassidy Hutchinson (right) brushes former Rep. Liz Cheney's (left) after she concluded her blockbuster testimony in June 2022. After the January 6 select committee finished its investigation, Republicans launched a probe into it, which will continue in the new Trump era Trump has expressed anger multiple times over Biden's pardons since returning to the White House on Monday. He said he would leave it to Congress whether or not to investigate the pardons. Johnson has expressed a willingness to do so. On June 22, 2022, Hutchinson, an aide to Chief of Staff Mark Meadows, gave eye-popping testimony about what she saw at the Trump White House as the Republican tried to overturn the 2020 election. She recalled seeing 'ketchup dripping down the wall,' after Trump had tossed his lunch over the Barr disappointment. The parties involved have denied Hutchinson's account of Trump lunging at the wheel of his SUV after being told by the Secret Service that they would not take him to the U.S. Capitol, after telling his supporters on the Ellipse on January 6th that the would join them there. They proceeded to the Capitol without him, assaulting police officers and breaking in. Trump pardoned all of those involved in the riot earlier this week. Sen. Joni Ernst is going trying to defund federally-funded mascots again A top Republican is working to slash government-funded advertising 'propaganda' like mascots, comic books, snuggies and stuffed animals that cost taxpayers nearly $2 billion annually. Senate DOGE Caucus Chair Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, has reintroduced a measure to restrict federal funds being used for public relations gimmicks. Her Stop Wasteful Advertising by the Government (SWAG) Act seeks to end unnecessary advertising initiatives on fidget spinners, koozies, clothes and other trinkets. It is part of Donald Trump and Elon Musk's plan to slash trillions in wasteful spending. The aim is for federal agencies to cut costs on initiatives that are not critical to their core mission, such as promotional items - what Ernst calls propaganda. Her bill will also force government staff to track the return on investments in advertising programs. According to an analysis by Rebuild Local News, a nonprofit advocating for local news outlets, the government more than doubled its PR budget between 2018 - 2023 from $780 million annually to $1.8 billion. Although the vast majority of that federal advertising budget goes towards military recruitment, much of it gets wasted on frivolous knickknacks, Ernst argues. Particularly egregious are the myriad mascot costumes made to bolster the federal government's image, the Iowa Republican told DailyMail.com. 'We're doggone excited to reintroduce our German shepherd mascot, Tracker,' a Border Patrol social media account posted in August 2024 USDA character 'Vin-Vasive' the mascot used to warn about invasive species MacDill Air Force Base's 'Champa Boom' mascot that reportedly cost $9,000 to make The Department of Agriculture's creepy green mutant pest named 'Vin Vasive' - a play on an invasive species - and the Department of Homeland Security's bear and dog mascots, 'Agent Teddy' and 'Tracker,' would all be defunded under the measure. So too would 'Champa Boom,' the bespoke mascot for the Pentagon's MacDill Air Force Base that is styled as a military plane and reportedly cost $9,000 to make. 'You might mistake Washington for a very expensive kid's birthday party, with federal employees playing dress up, appearing as mascots, and making coloring books,' Ernst told DailyMail.com in a statement. 'I am going to crash the party and bag this costly swag. Misbehaving bureaucrats need to stop wasting tax dollars trying to refurbish their bad reputation, and focus on serving the American people.' Effectively, the bill would defund all mascots that have not been authorized by Congress. Congressionally approved mascots like the U.S. Forest Service's Smokey the Bear and Woodsy Owl would not be impacted by the bill. Government funded items impacted would also include - promotional blankets, buttons, candy, clothing, coloring books, graphic novels, cups, fidget spinners, hats, holiday ornaments, jar grip openers, keychains, koozies, magnets, neck ties, snuggies, stickers, stress balls, stuffed animals, thermoses, tote bags, trading cards, and writing utensils. The Junior Disease Detectives: Operation Outbreak Graphic Novel Border Patrol's 'Agent Teddy' plays with kids on career day 'Champa Boom' posing for pictures on Halloween For example, a comic book by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) titled 'The Junior Disease Detectives: Operation Outbreak' aimed to teach kids about the origin story of a virus, would also be defunded. Ernst has been laser-focused on her DOGE designation in recent months. Last week she introduced a measure to reform the 'greenie' math done under the Biden administration she claimed inflated costs by up to $600 billion. In December she announced another measure that would track federal teleworker's work activity by requiring agencies to 'periodically review the network traffic generated by each such teleworking employee.' The president of a Texas hospital resigned just months after an investigation uncovered that the facility chopped up unclaimed bodies to use for medical research. Sylvia Trent-Adams, who served as the president of University of North Texas Health Science Center at Fort Worth for less than three years, abruptly stepped down from her role, according to a statement from the facility on Monday. The UNT Board of Regents confirmed the resignation in a statement, describing the change as a mutual agreement between both the university and Trent-Adams, but did not go as far to include a reason why. 'The Board of Regents and the UNT System are grateful for Dr. Trent-Adams' contributions and service to HSC,' the statement read. 'Both as President and previously Executive Vice President and Chief Strategy Officer, Dr. Trent-Adams served HSC and its students with dedication, integrity and respect.' The resignation comes just four months after NBC News released the first part of a year-long investigation into the science center's practice of chopping up, studying and leasing out bodies of the unclaimed dead. The report, which was released in September of 2024, found that the hospital got their hands on roughly 2,350 unclaimed bodies from Dallas and Tarrant countries, NBC 5 reported. Many of the bodies were used as a way to train medical staff. Others were dissected and leased out to outside entities, such as major biotech companies and the US Army to train doctors and students. Sylvia Trent-Adams, who served as the president of University of North Texas Health Science Center at Fort Worth for less than three years, suddenly resigned, according to a university statement on Monday Trent-Adams's abrupt resignation comes just four months after NBC News released the first part of a yearlong investigation into the science center's practice of chopping up, studying and leasing out bodies of the unclaimed dead Shockingly, the investigation also uncovered the hospital's use of 'water cremation.' Not only was the medical school studying on unclaimed human remains without permission, but they would later allegedly turn the bodies into liquid. Disposal of the bodies was mandated by the state, but the school was saving $1 million over five years by doing it themselves instead of paying an outside company to do it. The Health Science Center announced that it was suspending its body donation program just days before the investigation went public. Additionally, the officials who ran the program were fired. Trent-Adams emailed both students and faculty and said that the reporting 'revealed a lack of controls and oversight' of the center's Willed Body Program, NBC 5 reported. She said that the program had ultimately 'fallen short of the standards of respect, care and professionalism that we demand.' The center's leadership, Trent-Adams explained, had been unaware that the program was frequently shipping unclaimed bodies across state lines. Some of those bodies reportedly included US military veterans. In the days after her email, Trent-Adams was still receiving numerous messages from concerned staff, students and alumni about what they had learned through the report. After the investigation went public, Trent-Adams emailed students and faculty of the university and said the program had ultimately 'fallen short of the standards of respect, care and professionalism that we demand' One student wrote that they were taught 'consent is at the forefront of the practice of medicine' but the NBC reporting 'called into question whether the administration was practicing this in our academic anatomy lab,' NBC 5 reported. Another student said: 'It makes me sick to my stomach to think that we dissected bodies without consent. We referred to them as "donors" because that is what we thought they were, not indigent individuals who had no say in the matter.' The report claimed that the medical school was using bodies of those whose family members often couldn't be reached as well as those whose relatives couldn't pay for a cremation or burial after their death. Although many of the bodies had no next of kin, NBC News located several families who were angered and heartbroken after hearing the news. In October, the outlet published another document which included hundreds of names of those who were dissected and studied without permission. The report led to more survivors coming forward. Reporters were able to successfully identify more than 25 families who learned much too late that their loved one was used for research. Abigail Willson, a woman who was seeking out answers after learning her mother had passed away from the list of names, went to the center with her family to request more information in October, NBC 5 reported. A staff member told the Willson family that Trent-Adams wished to meet with them, but they sat there for 45 minutes without any signs of her, it was claimed. The hospital allegedly ended up taking their information but the president failed to ever call at all. The Health Science Center had been receiving bodies since as far back as 2019, which is three years before Trent-Adams took on the position after her career as a US surgeon general in the military came to an end. Despite the fallout from the investigation, Trent-Adams noted several of her achievements during her tenure, D Magazine reported. Some of these personal wins included opening a nursing school at the university, which was awarded a $150 million grant to research Alzheimer's disease. It was the largest grant to ever be awarded to the UNT system. While with the US Public Health Service, Trent-Adams set up primary care clinics throughout the country for those suffering with HIV, dealt with the Flint water crisis and stood up a hospital on a mission to fight Ebola while in Liberia in 2014. Additionally, she previously spent time treating and preventing HIV in Africa. Trent-Adams's resignation becomes effective at the end of the month. Her last day at the center will be on January 31. Forget jam, marmalade or Nutella - now you can enjoy coffee on toast for breakfast. No Normal Coffee, a Swiss-based business, has launched a spreadable 'dark roast' paste made from Fairtrade Arabica beans. Similar in colour to Marmite, the spreadable coffee is sweetened with organic beet sugar and thickened with xanthan gum powder. A 100g tube, which can be purchased online for 13.99, is enough for around 50 slices of toast or 25 sandwiches. And if you prefer your coffee the traditional way, there is no need to brew a fresh pot or buy a Nespresso machine. One tube of No Normal Coffee can make up to 20 cups of coffee when dissolved in boiling water. No Normal Coffee, a Swiss-based business, has launched a spreadable 'dark roast' paste made from Fairtrade Arabica beans Unopened, the product has a shelf life of up to 12 months and does not require refrigeration Unopened, the product has a shelf life of up to 12 months and does not require refrigeration. Some customers have even swirled the spread into espresso martinis, or used it to make tiramisu. No Normal Coffee has shipped orders to the likes of Iceland and Latin America. Tubes have even made it to Antarctica and up Mount Everest. It was while scaling the Pennine Alps in 2023 that Swiss hikers Alexander Haberlin and Philippe Greinacher came up with the idea of No Normal Coffee. Mr Haberlin told The Daily Telegraph: 'During the initial prototype review, we experimented with various ways to dissolve it. Hot water, cold water, milk. Forget jam, marmalade or Nutella - now you can enjoy coffee on toast for breakfast (file image) 'In a spontaneous moment, Philippe spread some paste on an energy bar and took a bite. 'His eyes lit up - it was incredible.' He added: 'In Switzerland, aluminium tubes are commonly used for everything from mayonnaise to tomato paste, meat and even fish spreads. 'We loved the concept - it's honest, practical and durable.' Police say they have 'insufficient evidence' to charge a homeowner over the death of an armed intruder following a struggle between them. Western Australia Premier Roger Cook pleaded for Aboriginal people to 'not raise anxiety in the community' after the death last month of Tyrone Smith, 20, who broke into a home in the mining town of Kalgoorlie, 600km east of Perth. Smith, who was wearing a balaclava and armed with a machete, got into a violent struggle with the homeowner, whose wife and child were also at the premises, at about 10.15am on November 29, according to police. A critically injured Smith was flown to Royal Perth Hospital but died on December 2, while the homeowner was treated in Kalgoorlie Hospital for serious injuries. Smith's mother, Kathleen O'Loughlin, who travelled to Perth to be by her son's side during his last few days, said the family was 'devastated' that no charges would be laid. 'We will not give up on Tyrone and will make sure that we get answers and justice for Tyrone, no matter how long it takes,' she told Seven. While Ms O'Loughlin said homeowners have a 'right to defend themselves' it was 'not to an extent (where they) take someone's life'. She also said the police investigation of the incident had not been transparent. Tyrone Smith, 20, died after breaking into a home in the remote city of Kalgoorlie and getting involved in a violent struggle with the homeowner Smith's mother Kathleen O'Loughlin said his family was devastated police were not pursuing charges over the incident 'We are yet to be provided with a full report as to how and why Tyrone's life was cut short. To date, we have been provided with piecemeal disclosures about what happened in that house,' Ms O'Loughlin said. 'There have been inconsistent reports provided by WA Police in Kalgoorlie and Perth, which has been a source of frustration and confusion for our family and has compounded our grief.' Ms Loughlin previously said she did not sleep for days as she hoped her son would recover. 'Tyrone was a loving young man who faced challenges but had a big heart,' she told the National Indigenous Times. 'He should still be here.' WA Police Commissioner Col Blanch defended the decision not to lay charges, saying that laws enable homeowners to defend themselves with appropriate force, and there was not enough evidence for a good prospect of conviction. Western Australia Premier Roger Cook pleaded for people not to 'raise anxiety' in the local community of Kalgoorlie (pictured) 'I don't think this ever takes away from a family suffering grief and loss of their son,' Commissioner Blanch told the ABC. 'This is really challenging to not only go through the death and the grief, but certainly hear from the police that we are not proceeding. 'But the evidence is not available for us to proceed to charge, that's essentially why.' Commissioner Blanch said Smith's family has been informed of the police position. 'No one's ever going to be happy when they hear these things and again I can understand the grief of losing a loved one but we have to operate on the evidence that we have available to us,' he said. 'I think they understood the evidence that we have available to us and it's an unpleasant situation for us ... and certainly all families involved.' Immediately following Smith's death, Mr Cook urged the indigenous community not to 'jump to conclusions' and to let police investigate the incident. 'I understand it occurred as a result of a home invasion, and it was a very violent set of circumstances that then followed,' he said. 'I urge everyone, please do not jump to conclusions. Do not raise anxiety in the community.' A full coronial report into Smith's death is expected to be made in December, according to the family. Australia's richest person has called on the country's politicians to model their policies on those of newly-elected US President Donald Trump, describing him as a 'shining light for the world'. Mining magnate Gina Rinehart, who is worth an estimated USD$30billion, believes if the next government is not 'inspired by Donald Trump', Australia risks being 'left behind'. 'Donald Trump has led an important movement with his policies a movement that is growing and growing,' she told The Australian this week. Specifically, the 70-year-old mining magnate has called for the creation an Australian version of Mr Trump's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) which has vowed to massively reduce the size and cost of government. She said Australia, as a major producer of coal and gas, should also follow the Trump administration in withdrawing from climate agreements that would gradually ban use of such fuels. Mr Trump ordered the US to withdraw from the Paris Agreement, an international treaty regarding climate change, just hours after being formally admitted to office. Despite being part of the agreement since 2016, Ms Rinehart said it was 'common sense' for Australia to pull out. 'This reset now presents the leadership for other western nations. This is the type of leadership our nation needs rather than... corporates who are too scared to take on this cult in Australia,' she said. Australian billionaire Gina Rinehart (pictured with Donald and Melania Trump) has described the newly-elected President as a beacon of 'shining light for the world' Ms Rinehart (pictured with key Trump backer Elon Musk) has called on the next government to copy Mr Trump's Department of Government Efficiency and withdraw from the Paris Agreement Ms Rinehart (pictured with the Mr Trump's second son Eric Trump) has been an outspoken supporter for newly-elected US President Donald Trump The owner of Hancock Prospecting claimed leaving the Paris agreement would restore reliable and uninterrupted energy supplies, reduce electricity prices, and hold renewable energy projects to a higher standard. 'The implementation agenda by our governments of the Paris accord is costing our living standards and causing suffering for many Australians and if not abandoned, will likely get worse,' she said. Ms Rinehart said mining and agriculture industries were forced to undergo more safety and environmental studies than 'fast-tracked' clean energy projects. A pressing short-term effect of these vast energy projects was the 'hasty clearing of thousands of miles of countryside', she claimed. Ms Rinehart was also in favour of tax cuts and shortening the red tape for businesses in approval and compliance processes. The billionaire argued it would encourage further investment in Australia, create more jobs and improve the standard of living for Australians. On cultural issues, she hailed Mr Trump's declaration that his government would only recognise two genders: male and female. Ms Rinehart is a long-time supporter of Mr Trump and attended the Starlight Ball in Washington following his inauguration on Monday. She was also pictured at celebrations in Mar-a-Lago in Florida following the 78-year-old's election victory last November. A council has cancelled controversial plans to hand out double-sided Australian and Aboriginal flags at citizenship ceremonies on Australia Day following backlash. The flags were first distributed at a ceremony by Gold Coast City Council in September, but have been scrapped with Opposition Indigenous Australians spokeswoman Senator Jacinta Nampijinpa Price describing them as 'ludicrous'. Ms Price doubled down claiming the Gold Coast City Council was ignorant and causing unnecessary controversy on an already sensitive day. 'The Australian flag is representative of the Australian people and, therefore, I believe it should be the only flag that applies during Australian citizenship ceremonies,' she told The Australian. 'The Aboriginal flag is not a national flag. If they actually knew something about the Australian flag, they'd understand that Aboriginal people are represented through the Southern Cross. 'It's ignorance on behalf of the council. Activism and division doesn't bring communities together.' Gold Coast mayor Tom Tate's office said the flags, which were paid for by the ratepayers, had been permanently canned for the hundreds of new Australians who will become citizens this Sunday. 'A mistake was made and we have corrected the mistake,' a spokesman from the mayor's office said. Councillor Brooke Patterson said she was only made aware of the flags by Gold Coast residents and that their distribution had not been approved by the mayor or the other councillors. Senator Jacinta Nampijinpa Price has described Gold Coast City Council's Australia Day citizenship ceremony flag idea as 'ludicrous' and 'ignorant' 'I didn't believe it,' Ms Patterson said. 'Citizenship ceremonies are a time to really respect our tradition and to recognise the future of our new Australians.' In 2022 the Labor government removed a mandate for councils to host citizenship ceremonies on Australia Day. It led to more than 80 councils around the country moving their annual citizenship ceremonies from January 26 due to feedback from Indigenous communities. But councils are now facing increased scrutiny if they boycott Australia Day. Ms Patterson said her council's decision to create the double-sided flags was 'completely bureaucratic' and led by the events team, which plans and manages the city's citizenship ceremonies. 'It sounds like it was a young team who had this inspired idea to change our flag,' she said. 'This was an idea that came from within the bureaucracy, without elected reps being able to give any opinion on it.' Southport resident David Keys first alerted Ms Patterson's office to the flags after he heard about them on New Year's Day. He told Ms Patterson she would lose his vote if something wasn't done. 'It's something I don't agree with. It's not around the Aboriginal flag at all, it's around swearing allegiance to the commonwealth of Australia,' Mr Keys said. Australian National Flag protocols state the flag should be 'used with respect and dignity' and that two flags cannot be flown from the same pole. Australian flags will now be distributed at Gold Coast Council citizenship events and the code as outlined for citizenship ceremonies by the Department of Home Affairs would be adhered to. Opposition leader Peter Dutton has continually put pressure on Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to force mayors to host citizenship ceremonies on Australia Day. Mr Dutton has said he would consider legislating January 26 as the country's national day if he wins the federal election this year. Bryan Kohberger avoided a return to court this week as he sat in jail while his attorneys and prosecutors went back-and-forth over whether key evidence will be permitted in his pre-trial hearings. The accused quadruple killer excused himself from court on Wednesday and was represented by his attorneys, who also clashed with prosecutors over whether the hearings will be hidden from the public. This week's hearings are centered on what evidence will be allowed in his trial, including what prosecutors say is DNA evidence found on a knife sheath found inside the Moscow, Idaho home where four students were stabbed to death over two years ago. Kohberger's attorneys have argued for the DNA evidence to be thrown out, claiming the genetic genealogy method law enforcement used to identify him as a suspect violated his constitutional rights. Although the murder weapon has never been found, officials say the DNA on the sheath matched Kohberger's genetic profile, which was compiled by taking genetic data from distant relatives on public databases. District Judge Steven Hippler said he would make a decision on Thursday as to what would be open to the public, saying he was concerned by fervent media and public attention on Kohberger's murder case as he tries to ensure a fair trial. While noting he hoped to show 'as much as possible' of Kohberger's case to the public, Hippler said he would close the DNA evidence portion of the hearing as he can't 'unring the bell' once potentially shocking information is heard. The judge indicated that other portions of the hearings would be streamed online but the courtroom would be closed, due to concerns that he may have to unexpectedly close brief aspects of the hearings. It comes as the case against Kohberger - who has not appeared in court for three months - has been delayed several times since his arrest in December 2022, with the accused killer now set to stand trial in August 2025. Suspected quadruple killer Bryan Kohberger Kohberger is accused of murdering University of Idaho students (L-R) Kaylee Goncalves, Madison Mogen, Ethan Chapin and Xana Kernodle on November 13, 2022 Latah County officials say they intend to seek the death penalty if he is convicted over the grisly murders of Kaylee Goncalves, Madison Mogen, Xana Kernodle, and Ethan Chapin, in their off-campus home in November 2022. Partial DNA evidence found on a Ka-Bar knife sheath found at the scene of the murders was a key piece of evidence used by law enforcement to indict and arrest Kohberger. Kohberger's attorneys argue that this method of how the DNA evidence was obtained violated his constitutional rights, with the DNA evidence's admissibility set to be decided this week. His initial trial date was set for October 2023. However, his lead defense attorney Anne Taylor has filed for multiple extensions and further hearings since his arrest, sparking anger from the victims' families. Kohberger's team also delayed revealing his official alibi until May 2024, and when he finally did so, prosecutors and the public reacted with dismay as he claimed he was 'driving alone' on the night of the murders 'to look at the moon and stars.' In that filing, Taylor said she would be calling on a phone data analysis expert to back up his claims he was miles from the scene, which is one of the pieces of evidence prosecutors and the defense have repeatedly clashed over. Kohberger has maintained his innocence since his arrest in December 2022, over a month after the murders that shocked the nation. Social media flew into a frenzy after his arrest as internet sleuths pored over the lanky teaching assistant's history, revealing everything from his middle-school bullying at the hands of popular classmates to his humiliating Tinder dates. The families of the victims have shared their frustration at the unending delays, with the mother of Kaylee Goncalves (left, with Madison Mogen) saying: 'It's gut-wrenching how slow everything has to go. Why does this have to be so drawn out?' Boyfriend and girlfriend Ethan Chapin (left) and Xana Kernodle (right) were slain in bed together in the gruesome murders in November 2022 The month-long search for the alleged killer led to widespread media attention, with the families of the victims since using the spotlight to condemn the proceedings against Kohberger. In December 2023, the mother of victim Kaylee Goncalves said the ongoing process has been 'gut wrenching.' 'It's gut-wrenching how slow everything has to go. Why does this have to be so drawn out?' Kaylee's mother Krisi said in an interview with KHQ. 'It's important, I get it, but there are facts, we have certain facts, we have certain knowledge. I can't believe that this is how it works.' In December 2023, Idaho officials again came under fire after the off-campus home where the four students were stabbed to death was torn down, against the victim's families' wishes. Although both prosecution and defense agreed for it to be torn down, the families argued against it, with Goncalves' loved ones fearing the move would 'destroy one of the most critical pieces of evidence in the case.' From cellphone data produced by prosecutors, the route allegedly driven by Bryan Kohberger on the night of the brutal Idaho murders may be a crucial piece of evidence in the state's case against the 28-year-old. In his new alibi filing, his lawyers say they plan to dispute this data The off-campus home where the four grisly murders took place was torn down in December amid the delays, despite calls from the victims' families to keep it standing Investigators were seen in January 2023 removing a bloodied mattress from the home where four University of Idaho were murdered Before it was torn down, the scenes inside the home were so gruesome that exclusive DailyMail.com images showed blood seeping down the outsides of the property. When he was arrested, prosecutors cited partial DNA matches found on a Ka-Bar knife sheath found at the home. No murder weapon has ever been found. In an ongoing back-and-forth over such evidence in court - also including cell phone data and surveillance allegedly of Kohberger's car at the crime scene - the defense claimed that prosecutors have not turned over what they may present in court. Taylor filed a motion last summer to compel the defense to do so, with the defense countering that they are restricted by some federal laws due to the FBI's involvement in the case. The defense has also filed to dismiss the entire case, claiming he was indicted by a biased grand jury and the case was tainted by misconduct by the prosecution and the admission of invalid evidence. The motion was denied. Last month, it emerged that Kohberger was previously investigated in connection to a home invasion in Pullman, Washington in October 2021, just 10 miles from the quadruple murders in Moscow, Idaho. He was never charged in that investigation. Joe Biden saved his greatest disgrace for last. On Monday, he pre-emptively pardoned his three siblings and their two spouses for any potential crimes they may have committed over the last decade. You know, standard stuff. In truth, it's one final embarrassment for those who supported the man as if he were honest and decent. It's one final insult to the American people, who are not above the law. And the last-second timing of the announcement - released minutes before Trump's swearing-in and as the crowd, including the outgoing President, was already seated in the Capitol Rotunda - was an affront to democracy. 'If you're going to do it, have the courage to do it in the light of day and explain it to the American people,' said CNN's John King on Monday. 'It's a stain on his legacy to do it like this.' All that is undeniable. There's hardly anyone left willing to defend Biden. The last-second timing of the announcement - released minutes before Trump's swearing-in and as the crowd, including the outgoing President, was already seated in the Capitol Rotunda - was an affront to democracy. On Monday, he pre-emptively pardoned his three siblings and their two spouses for any potential crimes they may have committed over the last decade. (Pictured: Valerie Biden Owens, the sister of Joe Biden, and James Biden, the brother of Joe Biden in October 2024) But the public is left to ponder: Why did Joe feel the need to pardon his family? Could it have anything to do with his son's crimes? Could it have had anything to do with Joe, himself? The ex-president, of course, claims that he had no choice but to give several generations of Bidens blanket immunity from prosecution. 'My family has been subjected to unrelenting attacks and threats, motivated solely by a desire to hurt me the worst kind of partisan politics.' he said in a statement, echoing the language he used when he pardoned Hunter. Though, of course, it was Biden's own Justice Department (very reluctantly) who prosecuted Hunter for felony gun and tax evasion charges and a jury that convicted him. That's the way it's supposed to work. If Biden truly believed that the US justice system was so thoroughly corrupt then why didn't he do anything or say anything about it during his entire four years in office? There's something else going on here and President Donald Trump put his finger on it in an interview on Wednesday. 'You know what the funny thing, maybe the sad thing, is? He didn't give himself a pardon. And you look at it, it all had to do with him,' Trump said. Indeed, Biden was really pardoning himself. Like the executive dispensation that Joe gave Hunter, the pardons of his siblings and their spouses protect them from prosecution for possible crimes stretching back a decade. We all know why Biden reached so far back in his leniency: that's when the family's foreign influence-peddling business really took off. After a prolonged legal battle, the National Archives finally released pictures in December showing then-Vice President Biden and Hunter meeting with Chinese businessmen in Beijing in 2013. They are the same Chinese businessman that Hunter leaned on to launch his firm Bohai Harvest Equity, an investment fund controlled by the Bank of China. (Pictured: Biden meets with Hunter's Chinese business partner in Beiking in 2013) After a prolonged legal battle, the National Archives finally released pictures in December showing then-Vice President Biden and Hunter meeting with Chinese businessmen in Beijing in 2013. (Pictured) They are the same Chinese businessman that Hunter leaned on to launch his firm Bohai Harvest Equity, an investment fund controlled by the Bank of China. Then in 2014, Hunter joined the board of the Ukrainian energy firm Burisma, started doing business with a Kazakhstani oligarch and was indirectly wired $3.5 million by Russia's richest woman, Yelena Baturina. Business was booming! More critically, the Beijing trip wasn't the only meeting that Joe had with Hunter's business partners. A House Republican investigation in 2023 found that Joe met more than two dozen times with his son's well-paying clients. And we know at least some of what they were paying for. Hunter's ex-business partner Devon Archer testified to Congress in 2023 that foreigners, like Ukrainian energy firm owners, believed that they were buying access to the highest reaches of the US government. It seems likely that Hunter Biden, at the very least, was also violating the Foreign Agents Registration Act, which requires Americans to register with the Justice Department if they work for foreign entities. Hunter did not register. Neither have any members of the Biden family. Then in 2014, Hunter joined the board of the Ukrainian energy firm Burisma, started doing business with a Kazakhstani oligarch and was indirectly wired $3.5 million by Russia's richest woman, Yelena Baturina. (Pictured: Vladimir Putin with Yelena Baturina in 2019) Yet House investigators have traced between $10 million and $30 million, much of it from shady foreign sources, that has flowed through twenty different Biden family shell companies over the past few decades. Biden's siblings, along with Hunter, were key recipients and conduits for those payments. Jim and Sara passed along hundreds of thousands to Joe himself, including $40,000 from a Chinese company that Jim recorded as a loan repayment. Follow the money, they say. Biden needed a pardon himself. How fitting that even his last official act was dishonest. The family of an elderly woman who was killed when she was pushed into an oncoming train have now sued the transit system for failing to keep it safe. Corazon Dandan, 74, was shoved in front of a moving Millbrae-bound train at San Francisco's Powell Street station at 11.06pm on July 1 by career criminal Trevor Belmont, 49. The push caused the telephone operator to hit her head on the train and fall on the platform. She was soon pronounced dead at a local hospital. Her family now argues in a wrongful death suit that Belmont had been banned by the Bay Area Rapid Transit Direct system for repeatedly jumping the pay gate - but the transit system did not have enough security personnel to enforce the ban, the San Francisco Standard reports. The family also argues in the suit filed Tuesday in the US District Court of Northern California that BART 'enables horrific crimes' to occur on its platforms and trains, and is a 'complete failure' when it comes to taking action for safety, according to KTVU. 'We seek to hold BART accountable for its failure to keep my aunt safe,' Dr. Alvin Dandan said at a news conference announcing the lawsuit on Wednesday. 'Through this case, we hope that what happened to my aunt never happens to anyone else,' he said. 'In her name and in her memory, we would like to see justice.' They are seeking damages for wrongful death, elder abuse, dangerous condition of public property and survivor claims, and called on the transit agency to 'take responsibility for its negligence, address all of the failures set forth herein that led to Corazon's death and improve safety for all riders,' CBS reports. Corazon Dandan, 74, was shoved in front of a moving Millbrae-bound train at San Francisco's Powell Street station at 11.06pm on July 1, by career criminal Trevor Belmont, 49 Her family filed a wrongful death suit against the transit system In the federal lawsuit, the family notes that Belmont - who also went by the name Hoak Taing - was arrested 27 times across the Bay Area over the past two decades. He was even convicted for engaging in lewd conduct at the Lake Merritt station, and was ordered to stay away from all BART stations for three years. But Belmont managed to get onto the platform at the Powell Street station on the night of July 1, as Dandan was on her way home to Daly City from her job at Parc 55 Hotel in Union Square, where she had worked for 30 years. No motive has ever been given for Belmont's attack on Dandan. 'Something's got to change,' Alvin said, adding that he hopes his 'aunt's death not be in vain. 'I wish that we can rebuild this city to what it once was.' The lawsuit goes on to argue that the transit system failed to make any efforts to improve safety over the years, and said the issue is especially concerning for members of the Asian American and Pacific Islander community, who are 'disproportionately targeted on public transit.' Corazon was returning home from work on July 1, when Belmont attacked her No motive was ever given for the attack, but Belmont had a lengthy criminal history It cites a November letter from state and community leaders to California Gov. Gavin Newsom, highlighting BART's safety issues. BART General Manager Robert Powers is pictured. The lawsuit accuses the transit system of failing to ensure its safety The letter includes a 2023 safety survey, which found that zero percent of Asian American and Pacific Islander respondents described the transit system as 'very safe,' while 78 percent worried about becoming a crime victim on the trains. 'I saw my sister the week before she died and worried for her safety, taking BART late at night every day,' said Dandan's youngest brother, Reynaldo Dandan. 'My worst fears came true.' Then, two days after Corazon was killed, state and local officials wrote to Newsom requesting the deployment of California Highway Patrol officers at the train stations to prevent any similar incidents. 'This lawlessness has to stop,' lawyer Nanci Nishimura said. 'BART has long been on notice about the need for improved safety and protection.' The lawsuit also emphasizes that Dandan's death 'does not constitute an unforeseeable accident, but rather is a direct result of the violence that BART has ignored and enabled throughout their statins through its negligent conduct.' Dandan came to the United States from the Philippines by herself, her nephew said At the news conference, Alvin used the opportunity to speak about his aunt. He said she came to the United States from the Philippines by herself, and was a telephone operator back in her homeland for Westin hotels. She was then able to land the same kind of job in San Francisco at St. Francis and later at Parc 55. Corazon would often offer her home up to visitors for free, Alvin said, and everyone in the hotel where she worked knew her because she would 'cook a boatload of food for dinner' and bring it to those working nightshift with her. She didn't even need to work anymore, but kept at it because she loved her job. 'She had a lot to live for, and a lot of kindness that she would give, but that was taken way too soon,' Alvin said. Her killer is now charged with one count of murder and inflicting great bodily injury on a vulnerable person, with the District Attorney adding a special circumstance of lying in wait. He is due back in court on February 11. DailyMail.com has reached out to BART for comment. MBABANE In a case thats sure to set a legal precedent, a woman faces up to three years in prison for the digital crime of WhatsApp snooping. Dumsile Dludlu has been arrested for allegedly viewing her husbands WhatsApp without his consent. She now stands accused of contravening the Computer Crime and Cybercrime Act of 2022, which criminalises such acts. The Act, which has generated significant discussion since its enactment, criminalises accessing any part of a computer system without justification. Increased Penalties are further increased for those who breach security measures to obtain data, with fines reaching E500 000 and potential imprisonment for up to five years. According to court documents, Dludlu not only accessed her husband, Samukeliso Matses WhatsApp account, but also allegedly insulted him based on the information she found therein. During her court appearance, Dludlu pleaded not guilty to the unauthorised access charge, although she admitted to insulting her husband. She claimed the insults were different from those recorded in the police statement. Principal Magistrate Fikile Nhlabatsi remanded Dludlu out of custody until March 10 for trial. This case has raised concerns about privacy and the evolving legal landscape in the digital age. It serves as a stark reminder of the potential consequences of unauthorised access to electronic devices and the importance of respecting digital boundaries. Section 3 of the Act provides that, a person who intentionally and without lawful excuse or justification or in excess of a lawful excuse or justification: Communicates, discloses or transmits any computer data, programme, access code or command to any person not authorised to access the computer data, programme, code or command; accesses or destroys any computer data, for purposes of concealing information necessary for an investigation into the commission or otherwise of an offence commits an offence and is liable, on conviction, to a fine not exceeding E5 000 or to imprisonment for a period not exceeding three years or both. Recently, another woman was arrested and charged under this Act for allegedly intimidating, insulting, harassing and further causing emotional distress to another she suspected to be in love with her husband. Nontsikelelo Lebohang Gina of Mbikwakhe allegedly posted Sonto, whom she suspected to be in a love relationship with her husband, on a Facebook page titled Eswatini Ladies House, wherein she allegedly insulted, intimidated, harassed and further caused her emotional distress. It is alleged that Gina accused Sonto of causing her bad luck through the use of muti she called sicitfo and imbume. Sicitfo is muti that is used to separate a couple while imbune is used to harm mens manhood. Forcefully In an almost similar incident, an aggrieved baby mama was arrested after she purportedly forcefully undressed a woman and later proceeded to record a video which she later shared with several people on WhatsApp. The survivor, *Nosipho, was reportedly subjected to the horrific treatment by Hlengiwe Mathunjwa of Masekweni in the Manzini Region on July 25, supposedly as an act of revenge for Nosiphos alleged relationship with the father of Mathunjwas child. The terrified Nosipho was allegedly threatened with a sharp object and coerced into removing her clothes. *Not real name to protect the identity of the survivor Nashville school shooter Solomon Henderson was an intelligent, but quiet student at Antioch High School where he was a member of the school's ROTC program before he opened fire on Wednesday. The 17-year-old - who police say fatally shot a teenage girl in the school before turning the gun on himself - was described by an unidentified classmate to WKRN as a 'smart person [at the] top of the class' who 'was quiet and to himself.' He was also in the military training program, and may have had at least one 'prior incident' at the high school, Chief John Drake of the Metro Nashville Police Department said at a news conference - though he said he was unsure of the details. The day on Wednesday started like any other, with Henderson arriving at the school in the Nashville suburb on a bus. It is believed he then entered a bathroom, where he retrieved a weapon. The teenager was then seen wearing a hoodie just after 11 am, when he 'confronted' Josselin Corea Escalante, 16, and fired multiple rounds using a pistol, before taking his own life with the weapon. Another student was also injured with a graze wound to her arm, and was rushed to Vanderbilt University Hospital in stable condition. Police also said a fourth boy was being treated for an injury to the face caused during the commotion, but they were not shot, Channel 5 reports. Nashville school shooter Solomon Henderson was an intelligent, but quiet student at Antioch High School, classmates said Henderson shot and killed 16-year-old Josselin Corea Escalante Nashville teenager Solomon Henderson opened fire at Antioch High School on Wednesday. Students and family members are pictured fleeing from the school in the aftermath Metro Nashville Police Department spokesman Don Aaron said the department received its first call just two minutes after Henderson opened fire. Two school resource officers were also inside the building, but were not in the immediate vicinity of the cafeteria, and by the time they arrived at the scene, Henderson had already killed himself. He livestreamed the shooting online, and had written on his X page that he saved up enough money to buy a GoPro camera 'but it was hard to explain to my parents why I needed it, so I couldn't buy it,' according to Raw Story. Following the shooting, school officials asked parents to pick up their kids at a nearby hospital - where they were busing teens after cops cleared them. Escalante's father, German Corea, was then seen leaving the hospital with tears in his eyes, according to WSMV. He said he never would have imagined his eldest daughter wouldn't return home after she left for classes that morning. 'It's not fair,' Corea told News Channel 5 of his daughter's untimely death. It remains unclear whether the students were targeted, and a motive for the shooting remains unclear. Metro Nashville Police Chief John Drake said Henderson may have had at least one 'prior incident' at the school, but the specifics were unclear But a manifesto posted online purportedly belonging to the school shooter suggested he may have been influenced by racism at the majority black and Hispanic high school. Chief Drake noted there were online materials that the police department is investigating. 'There are some materials on the Internet that we're looking at, that's under investigation,' he said, according to The Tennessean. 'We believe there's some materials out there, and maybe they were seen,' he continued, adding that if someone 'said something, maybe more could have been done.' People wait as school buses arrive at a unification site following a shooting at the Antioch High School Henderson was then seen wearing a hoodie when he started spraying bullets inside the school cafeteria shortly after 11am, killing Josselin Corea Escalante, 16, before he turned the gun on himself Terrifying footage showed the shooting unfold inside the cafeteria, with gunshots and screams echoing through the lunch room. An unidentified cameraman can be seen edging closer to the scene of the shooting then saying: 'Oh, he shot himself.' The edge of what appears to be a person lying down on the tiled floor is visible for a moment before the clip ends. A student in the cafeteria at the time of the incident also described the terrifying scene. 'People in the cafeteria they use chip bags to make it sound like a gun, but it was repeatedly going off and I turned around and I saw the shooter shooting people I knew,' 12th grade student Ahmadsallah told WZTV. 'The shooter was kind of covered, he had a hoodie on. It was just a rush, it made me want to do something crazy I was trying to run out there and help people, but my mind was so cluttered, I didn't know what to do. 'There was a lot of screaming, a lot of terror. People were scared to die, there was running like someone was chasing them, like he was a monster just killing people. 'I feel relieved and safe but I feel bad for the victims who lost their lives,' he added. Chante Frye, whose daughter is in ninth grade at the school, says she got a text from the youngster to say she'd been locked down inside her classroom. 'But it's almost not surprising because it's getting worse with the fights and the violence at school,' Frye told The Tennessean. Detectives are still investigating a possible motive for the shooting Adrienne Battle, the superintendent of Nashville schools, said the district had already implemented a 'range of safety measures' including partnerships with the police for school resource officers, security cameras with weapon-detection software, shatter-resistant film for glass and security vestibules that provide a barrier between visitors and the main entrance. 'Unfortunately, these measures were not enough to stop this tragedy,' she lamented. Battle also noted there were questions about installing metal detectors. 'While past research has shown they have had limitations and unintended consequences, we will continue to explore emerging technologies and strategies to strengthen school safety.' In the meantime, police said they will conduct tests on the gun used in the shooting, and will search Henderson's home. Antioch High School will also remain closed for the rest of the week. Breathless stuff. Defence Secretary John Healey dashed to the Commons to give a lunchtime statement about Russian spy ship Yantar, tonnage undisclosed, interfering 'in our waters'. Now there's an expression to make ageing gents cross their legs. From Mr Healey's panting he was so short of puff, he could barely speak for a minute things sounded urgent. Only later did we learn he had expected the previous business in the House to last longer and had therefore been obliged to sprint for the despatch box because he was late. 'Beginners on stage, please!' as theatre dressers say. The military news was certainly thrilling enough to quicken anyone's pulse. It made up for a PMQs that had been as calm as a bath. Mr Healey reported that the frigate Somerset, minesweeper Cattistock, patrol vessel Tyne and Royal Fleet Auxiliary Proteus, which is stuffed to the gunwales with frogmen, had steamed to intercept the Russkies. Spy ship Yantar was 'loitering' over important internet cables on the seabed. Loitering, eh? One imagined Yantar with hands in pockets, a smirk on its funnel. Still gasping a little, Mr Healey told an under-attended Commons that he had authorised one of our submarines to surface next to Yantar to show sly Ivan we were on to his tricks. The spy ship was later seen near the coast of Holland, Rotterdam being so charming at this time of year. Breathless stuff. Defence Secretary John Healey dashed to the Commons to give a lunchtime statement about Russian spy ship Yantar, tonnage undisclosed, interfering 'in our waters' Healey addressed remarks directly to a certain Putin, telling the Russian leader: 'We see you, we know what you're doing and we will not shy away from robust action to defend this country.' Royal Navy of HMS Somerset flanking Russian ship Yantar near UK waters. The military news was certainly thrilling enough to quicken anyone's pulse. It made up for a PMQs that had been as calm as a bath Martially minded MPs love talking about 'waters', be they 'international waters', 'Dutch waters' or 'European waters' (Evian, San Pellegrino?). Saltiness tangs the Commons air at such moments. It was almost a surprise that when shadow defence minister James Cartlidge responded supportively to Mr Healey he did not hand him a warming mug, saying 'cocoa, skipper'. Mr Cartlidge called the intrusion 'a grey zone threat'. Cap'n Healey squinted at the yardarm, blinding sunbeams bouncing off his bald pate. He addressed remarks directly to a certain V. Putin, telling the Russian leader: 'We see you, we know what you're doing and we will not shy away from robust action to defend this country.' Haul up the swivel guns, Hornblower, and aim for their futtocks. I said futtocks, you fool. This is 'The Cruel Sea', not a Carry On film. The minister's machismo made your sketch writer's bent spine tingle. I nearly pulled out my hanky and gave a gallery-to-deck wave as HMS Healey sailed off to war. Gosport's Dame Caroline Dinenage, the forces' favourite (retd.), had dressed for the occasion by wearing a midshipman's buttons. The old girl looked a little windblown but with such a political breeze up, who could blame her? Andrew Murrison (Con, SW Wilts) was so impressed by Mr Healey that he actually stood to attention while asking a question. How this pugnacious secretary of state has managed to bite his tongue about the Starmer government's plan to surrender the Chagos Islands, one can not fathom. When civil servants prepare placements for Cabinet meetings they presumably make sure Cap'n Healey is seated nowhere near that antiseptic shriveller Lord Hermer, attorney-general and barrister to Gerry Adams. The Lib Dems' frontbencher, Helen Maguire (pictured), arrived four minutes late. Ms Maguire was once in the military police. Aren't they meant to be sticklers for punctuality? From Mr Healey's panting he was so short of puff, he could barely speak for a minute things sounded urgent The Lib Dems' frontbencher, Helen Maguire, arrived four minutes late. Ms Maguire was once in the military police. Aren't they meant to be sticklers for punctuality? PMQs, too, was infested by Lib Dems. Gawd, they're dreary. Tory backbenchers boinged to their feet largely in vain. Instead Speaker Hoyle kept calling MPs from the chamber's very own 'grey zone', i.e. where Sir Ed Davey's drips sit, that redoubt of hand-wringers, high-tax nutters, eco-munchers and MPs called Wendy and Helen. And that's just the blokes. Sir Keir Starmer loves the Lib Dems. They love him and his government right back. High taxes? Net Zero? More EU? A bigger state? Yes please, sir! Lovey-doveykins. Big hugs. Labour MPs gaze at the Libs with ennui and they yawn. Only the Tories, and Reform, if they turn up, really get them snorting. What is the point of Parliament if it doesn't give the nostrils a good whoosh-through of outrage? A gorgeous seaside town in Maine is threatening to ban cruise ships from its port to cut down on congestion. The city council of Belfast voted on Tuesday to direct the city's planning department to draft an amendment that would ban cruise liners from visiting, Bangor Daily News reported. Belfast hasn't received the same level of cruise ship traffic as other coastline cities in Maine such as Bar Harbor or Portland. The city of just over 7,000 residents welcomed eight visits last summer and is expected to have 14 ships dock this year. This comes as Bar Harbor, which has about 2,000 less people than Belfast, began enforcing its own restrictions on cruise ships. Bar Harbor voters approved limiting ships in 2022 and once again affirmed their decision last November. Nearby coastal towns of Eastport and Rockland saw the move as an opportunity to accept more cruise ships and spend-happy tourists to their streets. Lawmakers in Belfast are thinking of locking down access after the American Eagle, a new larger ship run by American Cruise Lines, made five stops in their town last summer. Belfast (pictured) is a coastal town in Maine that initiated steps this week to ban cruise ships with a capacity for 50 or more passengers Talks of a ban on cruise ships came about after the American Eagle, a new larger ship run by American Cruise Lines, made five stops in Belfast last summer The cruise line reportedly assure city officials that the ship would be able to dock without any issues. But Harbor Master Katherine Given wrote a memo to city council members that maintained there were issues. 'Unfortunately, many problems did arise, including some that were not discussed, such as the unexpected arrival of charter buses to take the ship's passengers to other locations,' Given wrote. 'Some of these problems had a definite negative impact on other visiting boaters using the docks, launch ramp use, and pedestrian and traffic safety around the Belfast City Landing,' she added. Five council members unanimously voted to send the proposed ban to the planning board after the harbor advisory committee recommended the change last week. Specifically, the ban would prohibit any ship that can carry 50 or more passengers from allowing those on board to embark or disembark at Belfast landing or other city locations. Support surprisingly came from the Belfast Area Chamber of Commerce. In a memo to the city council, Dorothy Harvey, the chamber's executive director, argued that cruise ship passengers often don't provide much business to local shops because of their limited time in the city. Cruise ships are shown near downtown Juneau on June 7, 2023, along the Gastineau Channel, in Alaska. Voters in Alaska's capital city decided against banning large cruise ships on Saturdays These passengers often rely on a tour service to take them somewhere else entirely during the ship's docking, she said. 'While we appreciate the potential for tourism revenue, the detrimental effects of cruise ships on our safety, environment, local businesses, and community character cannot be overlooked,' Havey said. 'It is vital that we prioritize the long-term health and well-being of our town over short-term economic gains.' Cruise liners paid the city $16,142 in docking fees last year, and if the ban doesn't go through, the city could generate nearly $24,000 in fees from the ships scheduled to visit. Any decision to ban cruise ships would need additional approval. Given said Belfast will likely be able to make up much of that loss with smaller recreational boats operated by private individuals. 'Having this dock space open will also allow us to better accommodate other users of the facilities,' Given said. 'The more the committee discussed it, the more we realized we didn't have options.' Juneau, the capital city of Alaska, tried to ban cruise ships from docking on Saturdays back in October. The referendum was meant to give locals some peace on the few warm months of summer. The ship-free Saturdays initiative failed, with 6,575 people voting against it and 4,196 voting in favor. White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt accused the Episcopal bishop who told President Trump in a sermon to show 'mercy' to gay and transgender children and illegal migrants of spewing 'lies' and 'weaponizing' the pulpit. The extraordinary pushback from the White House lawn came after the president unloaded on Bishop Mariann Edgar Budde online, accusing her of giving a 'nasty' sermon that he also called 'boring' while demanding an apology. Leavitt told Fox News' The Story with MacCallum Budde should have delivered a 'unifying and bipartisan' service at the National Cathedral in Washington but instead chose to 'weaponize' the pulpit. That is a word that Trump allies use to attack prosecutors and government officials who have used their posts to go after Trump and MAGA forces. 'And I was there with President Trump and everybody there was shocked and mortified by the disturbing comments from this bishop, who chose to weaponize the pulpit,' Leavitt said. 'She had an opportunity to pray over the President and the Vice President and their families were sitting in the first pews, and she spoke about truth, which was very ironic, because words later, she spewed lies,' Leavitt said. Her remarks appeared to confirm the shocked reaction of Vice President JD Vance, who suddenly turned to wife Usha during the sermon as it was underway. She also took issue with passages in the sermon. 'She said that President Trump has called illegal or immigrants criminals. That's not true. He calls illegal immigrants criminals because in fact, they are criminals. By definition. If you break our nation's laws, you are a criminal,' she said, in an interview where she confirmed Trump was sending 1,500 members of the military to the border. Then she tried to counter the bishop's message that LGBT+ people were afraid under Trump, by pointing to Trump's nomination of Scott Bessent for Treasury secretary. Trump also inked a new executive order saying the government would recognize only two sexes. 'She also talked about how LGBTQ people in this country maybe be disappointed that's also a lie. In fact, I just saw Scott Bessent in the West Wing of the White House on his way to meet with President Trump, and he is the highest ranking LGBTQ official in United States history, appointed by the President in the Oval Office right now,' Leavitt said. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt (C) blasted the sermon that Bishop Mariann Budde delivered to President Trump and other dignitaries calling for 'mercy' and saying marginalized groups 'fear for their lives' She spoke after the bishop who scolded Trump responded to him calling her 'nasty' and 'not smart' after she encouraged him to show mercy to LGBTQ+ people and illegal migrants. The Right Reverend Mariann Edgar Budde said she wanted her sermon to, 'counter the narrative that is so divisive and polarizing in which people are being harmed', during an appearance on The View. She declined to address his calls for an apology, but said she would consider a one-on-one meeting if the invitation came from the president personally. Budde added that she has a 'great amount of respect' for Trump's office and promised to remain 'respectful' if a meeting occurred. The Bishop of Washington spoke out after she used a prayer service to make an emotional plea to the president, stating that many in the marginalized groups she named, 'fear for their lives'. Her words fell on deaf ears however and Trump immediately hit back on Truth Social, demanding an apology and branding her a 'Radical Left hardline Trump hater'. 'She brought her church into the World of politics in a very ungracious way,' Trump fumed. 'She was nasty in tone, and not compelling or smart.' Leavitt said 'everybody there was shocked and mortified by the disturbing comments from this bishop' The Right Reverend Mariann Edgar Budd responded to Donald Trump calling her 'nasty' and 'not smart' after she scolded him during a prayer service Budde said she wanted to 'counter the narrative that is so divisive and polarizing in which people are being harmed', during an appearance on The View It was an assessment that The View's hosts clearly disagreed with, as they spent much of the segment fawning over the 'fearless' Reverend's 'demure and mindful' tone during the sermon. At one point host Sara Haines read much of Trump's Truth Social post aloud to Budde, who appeared briefly stunned by its contents. She went on to caution against 'the culture of contempt that immediately rushes to the worst possible interpretations of what people are saying'. 'I was trying to speak a truth in a way that was as respectful and kind as I could and to bring in other voices,' Budde said. The day before she had begged Trump to grant 'mercy upon the people in our country that are scared now', invoking the bible as she said 'God teaches us that we are to be merciful to the stranger.' 'There are gay, lesbian, and transgender children in Democratic, Republican, and Independent families, some who fear for their lives,' she continued. Moving onto illegal immigrants, a central issue on Trump's victorious presidential platform, Budde urged him not to follow through with his mass deportation plans. 'The people who pick our crops, and clean our office buildings, who labor in poultry farms and meat packing plants, who wash the dishes after we eat in restaurants, and work the night shifts in hospitals, they might not be citizens or have the proper documentation,' she said. 'The vast majority of immigrants are not criminals. I ask you to have mercy Mr. President on those in communities whose children fear that their parents will be taken away.' The View's Ana Navarro fawned over the 'demure' and 'mindful' way that the Reverend delivered the sermon Trump didn't immediately react to the pointed message shared by Budde during a service at the National Cathedral in Washington The president later branded Budde a hater in an explosive post on Truth Social Budde maintained that she just wanted to 'speak her truth' in as 'respectful and kind a way as possible', but did not address his calls for an apology Trump didn't react to the pointed message as he sat staring at Budde, although others in his group, including new Vice President JD Vance, wore a more telling expression on their faces. Speaking to reporters at the White House shortly after the service, Trump was more reserved than his Truth Social rebuke, but said briefly that he thought Budde 'could have been much better.' He later blasted the 'boring' sermon and refuted her statements about illegal migrants. 'She failed to mention the large number of illegal migrants that came into our Country and killed people,' Trump wrote on Truth Social. 'Many were deposited from jails and mental institutions. It is a giant crime wave that is taking place in the USA. 'Apart from her inappropriate statements, the service was a very boring and uninspiring one. She is not very good at her job! She and her church owe the public an apology!' Budde, 65, is the first woman appointed to lead the Episcopal Diocese of Washington. The married mother-of-two adult sons has served as Bishop of Washington since 2011 and was previously a rector of St. John's Episcopal Church in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The 'unapologetically liberal' Reverend has made no secret of her left-leaning views During her tenure, two quilts gifted to her congregation by the White Earth Reservation were stolen and Budde chose to wait a day before filing a police report as she hoped 'humanity would prevail', the Star Tribune reports. The 'unapologetically liberal' Reverend has made no secret of her Democrat views and previously oversaw a convention in the diocese that called for the disuse of gendered pronouns for God. She is pro-gay marriage and vocal in her support for the Black Lives Matter movement. Businesses that fail to achieve gender equality inside three years of the introduction of new laws will lose out in the race for government contracts and funding, a parliamentary committee has been told. The committee was assessing proposed laws that would force businesses with 500 or more employees to set and achieve measurable gender equality targets. Those targets could include gender composition of the workforce, equal pay for women and men, and consulting staff on gender equality issues in the workplace. Having set the targets, employers would then have three years to achieve them. Business and organisations that either do not set or do not reach the targets face being publicly named, and become ineligible for government contracts or receiving funding and grants. Employer groups say such laws would unfairly hinder Australian businesses that must adhere to these rules while competing for contracts against foreign companies that have no such gender requirements. The Australian Industry Group said only Australian businesses would require a compliance certificate on gender targets from the Workplace Gender Equality Agency, giving foreign businesses an advantage in government procurement. The federal government is considering legal reforms to require businesses to set and meet gender equality targets, with penalties for non-compliance. Pictured: Prime Minister Anthony Albanese The average total remuneration gender pay gap stands at 21.8 per cent, a submission says. Anthony Albanese is pictured alongside Jodie Haydon The Australian Industry Group said extending the requirements to smaller employers would put more compliance strain on small businesses. 'The cost of complying would be beyond the capacity of some small businesses,' head of industry development and policy Louise McGrath said. While business groups argue the laws go too far, the Australian Human Rights Commission wants them to be strengthened and applied to mid-sized businesses with 100 or more employees, rather than the proposed 500. In its submission, the commission said extending the target-setting requirement to more businesses would create a significant impact and achieve greater cultural change. Such cultural change was required to see long-term and widespread improvements in gender equality, according to an economics academic who addressed the committee. 'It's about cultural change across the board and breaking down affiliations we have about 'women's work' and 'men's work',' University of Canberra Associate Professor in Economics Leonora Risse told a parliamentary committee examining the reforms. 'We've done a lot of work to ensure women are included in the workforce but we haven't done enough to promote men's roles outside of work, in care, in the community. 'Articulating that when men step into care-giving or spend more time in community work it's still an achievement - it fits into masculinised ideals of achievement and it's not falling short of what it is to be a man.' They were once at the heart of almost every community across Britain, with their stunning architecture a great reminder of this country's rich tapestry of history. But more than 3,500 churches have shut across the UK over the past decade, with many now crumbling wrecks which can no longer be saved and face demolition. With church attendance having plummeted in recent decades and the repair bills simply too high, some of these beautiful buildings are simply locked up and unused. However, while their alarming decline paints a bleak picture for those who still view Britain as a Christian country, many churches are instead getting a new lease of life. They are being transformed for another use, such as becoming homes, community centres, libraries, museums, arts centres, theatres, offices, pubs or even nightclubs. And in a reflection of the country's shifting religious make-up with Christianity on the decline and Islam on the rise, some churches are even being turned into mosques. Police are investigating the death of a four-month-old baby boy who died in hospital following what was described as an 'incident'. The infant was originally taken to Gunnedah Hospital in northern central NSW on Tuesday where police were notified of his injuries. After being transferred to John Hunter Hospital in Newcastle the child passed away that evening. Police have established Strike Force Monier to investigate the boys death. Anyone with information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or Gunnedah Police Station on 02 6742 9099. Disturbing ramblings that school shooter Solomon Henderson reportedly posted online in the moments before he opened fire at Antioch High School offer a terrifying look into his mind. The supposed 47-page manifesto included a layout of the Tennessee school, along with photos of the weapons he wanted to use and his thoughts about why he wanted to commit a shooting. His final writings came on November 18 - the same day the Metro Nashville Police Department received a call indicating there was a school shooting at Antioch High School, which they later determined was a hoax, according to News Channel 5. 'I was so miserable. I wanted to kill myself. I just couldn't take anymore. I am a worthless subhuman, a living, breathing disgrace,' the 17-year-old gunman allegedly wrote. 'All my [in real life] friends outgrew me, act like they didn't f***ing know me. Becoming me was so f***ing humiliating. That's why I spend all day dissociating.' Much of the rest of the document, which was said to be linked to a social media account linked to Henderson, deals with his struggle with race and racial issues. Henderson allegedly said that he was 'ashamed to be black,' before he goes on to use anti-Semitic and anti-Muslim language. Antioch High School shooter Solomon Henderson reportedly shared a lengthy manifesto online before he opened fire at the school Wednesday morning Henderson shot and killed 16-year-old Josselin Corea Escalante Students and family members are pictured walking from the school in the aftermath 'The difference between good and bad criminals depends on how well they were dressed. It depends on what weapon they used. It depends on their posture, their voice, their plan of attack,' Henderson apparently mused. 'It depends on how they carried it out. It depends on their height, their bone structure, their body fat percentage, their haircut. It depends on who their victim was. 'Even the very worst of criminal acts are forgiven by simply looking good. Or cool. Or interesting in some way,' he wrote, before listing his plans to get in better shape. In a question-and-answer section of the document, Henderson noted that he did not plan to kill any law enforcement officers and did not consider himself a victim of bullying. 'Personally in my life, I can't remember a single instance of being bullied, at least not [conventionally],' the manifesto says. 'I was bullied in the culture sense, which everyone is bullied in.' He then went on to share his thoughts about Antioch High School, just outside of Nashville, which has a majority of black and Hispanic students. 'School is a daycare,' he wrote. 'It's impossible for you to actually think. You say things because other people have said it before, then go repeat ad nauseum somewhere else. 'In school, we're taught to wake up early, shut up, sit for long periods of hours, do tasks you hate, then repeat.' His final writings came on November 18 - the same day the Metro Nashville Police Department received call indicating there was a school shooting at Antioch High School, which they later determined was a hoax Josselin Corea Escalante, 16, was killed in the attack and two others were injured Henderson reportedly livestreamed his attack. Students and family members are pictured embracing after the shooting Henderson even allegedly included links to other manifestos, a link on how to carry out a mass killing with targets ranked by how easy it would be to murder them, as well as photos of a handgun, a lockpicking kit and cartridges to load into a handgun he planned to use in the shooting. The teen then arrived at the school on Wednesday from the bus, and entered a bathroom, where police believe he retrieved a weapon. He seen wearing a hoodie just after 11am, when he 'confronted' Josselin Corea Escalante, 16, and fired multiple rounds using a pistol, before he turned the gun on himself. The teen livestreamed the shooting online, and had written on his X page that he saved up enough money to buy a GoPro camera 'but it was hard to explain to my parents why I needed it, so I couldn't buy it,' Raw Story reports. Henderson's manifesto allegedly included a layout of the high school and weapons he planned to use in the attack, like lockpicking tools Another student was also injured with a graze wound to her arm, and was rushed to Vanderbilt University Hospital in stable condition. Police also said a fourth boy was being treated for an injury to the face caused during the commotion, but they were not shot, Channel 5 reports. The teen then arrived at the school on Wednesday from the bus, and entered a bathroom, where police believe he retrieved a weapon Nashville police have not yet confirmed whether the manifesto posted online was that of the school shooter, but Chief John Drake noted there were online materials that the police department is investigating. 'There are some materials on the Internet that we're looking at, that's under investigation,' he said, according to The Tennessean. 'We believe there's some materials out there, and maybe they were seen,' he continued, adding that if someone 'said something, maybe more could have been done.' A hoon driver who killed five people in a catastrophic head-on collision just minutes after being stopped for speeding has been jailed for five-and-a-half years. Christopher Joannidis, 31, was sentenced in the Melbourne County Court on Thursday to a minimum three-year jail term after pleading guilty to causing the worst road tragedy in Victoria in more than a decade. Joannidis was stopped by police and issued a speeding fine just three minutes before he caused the collision in the northern Victorian town of Strathmerton in 2023. The collision killed four overseas workers, and a mum and her dog, after Joannidis failed to give way at the intersection of Murray Valley Hwy and Labuan Rd on April 20, 2023. Joannidis disregarded road warnings of an approaching intersection, rumble strips and give way signs before he collided his Mercedes-Benz C180 into a Nissan Navara, causing the vehicle to spin and roll into the path of an approaching Kenworth milk tanker. The Navara was crushed, instantly killing Debbie Markey, 62, and Chinese workers Pin-Yu Wang, Hsin-Yu Chen, Wai-Yan Lam and Zih-Yao Chen. Joannidis' former partner Eleanor Theeboo was with him on their way to a wedding in NSW, and she survived the collision. Milk tanker driver Andrew McClusky suffered injuries in the collision. Christopher Dillon Joannidis (left) pleaded guilty to five counts of dangerous driving causing death Debbie Markey was killed instantly in the crash. She is pictured alongside her son Joannidis had been intercepted by Victoria Police highway patrol officers moments before the horror crash and handed a ticket for doing 118km/h in a 100km/h zone. The court heard Joannidis told police he thought the speed limit was 110km/h. Police also warned Joannidis of the region's 'horrific recent road toll'. Joannidis drove away but almost immediately, the same police officer who had pulled him over 'heard on the radio' there had been a collision between a truck and two cars nearby and attended the crime scene. Defence lawyer Paul Smallwood told the court Joannidis' acknowledged his actions had 'catastrophic' consequences and brought about 'immeasurable' human suffering. Mr Smallwood said Joannidis, who attended Donvale Christian College in Melbourne's east, was full of 'self-hatred that may never leave him'. 'He has severe regret and remorse for the horrific incident,' Mr Smallwood said. Joannidis' smashed up Mercedes C180 Joannidis shortly after his arrest 'The entire Joannidis family is shocked and distraught.' Mr Smallwood called as a witness a psychiatrist who told the court Joannidis' OCD and 'clinical depression' would make his time in custody 'tougher'. 'Jail for him will be very different than jail for someone without this disorder,' he told the court on Thursday. But prosecutor Daniel Porceddu argued if Joannidis took anti-depressants and anti-psychotics - which he had refused to do - this could help manage his OCD. 'The person who has made imprisonment more burdensome is the prisoner himself,' he said. Judge Gavan Meredith said there was no excuse for his negligence as 'anyone paying attention' would have noticed the warning signs before the intersection. He said a prison term was the only sentence he could hand down given the seriousness of Joannidis' offending and its tragic effect. The Nissan Navara 4WD ute was thrown into the path of the truck after being struck by the Mercedes The crash took place at the intersection of Murray Valley Hwy and Labuan Rd in Strathmerton However, he also took into account the driver's remorse, good rehabilitation prospects and how his mental health will impact his time behind bars The judge handed Joannidis a maximum five-year and six-month jail term. Joannidis, who has already served 59 days of his sentence, will be eligible for parole after serving at least three years of his term. Multiple victim impact statements were previously read to the court. Zih-Yao Chen's mother Wang Chia Chen 'cries everyday' as a result of her son's death, the court heard. She now suffers from insomnia and can't get the 'horrific image of her son's body being dismembered' out of her head. Pin-Yu Wang's single mother Yi-Chuan Chiu had been shattered and devastated by her daughter's loss, and her victim impact statement spoke about her love for cooking. 'Losing Pin-Yu has been unbearable and I now cry and live in pain everyday,' her statement read. Hsin-Yu Chen's father Chun-an Chen said his family would never be the same following their daughter's loss. Ms Markey's son Daniel Montero told the court how he visited the crash scene and found his mum's glasses and driver's licence. 'I decided to do something nice for my mum that night, and made a picture frame of friends and family and hung it at the site,' Mr Montero said. The intersection where the crash took place 'I felt pain I never thought was possible.' Before her death, Ms Markey had renovated her home to accommodate overseas workers and would cook and entertain them. 'She was their mum in Australia in so many ways,' Mr Montero told the court. 'Her final act in this world was an act of kindness.' Mr McClusky, the milk tanker driver,was in shock for months after the collision, he told the court. 'My first thought was that I had been responsible for the deaths of a number of people,' Mr McClusky told the court. 'I can't help think of how much worse things could have been if the truck went off to the right into oncoming traffic, there could have been more deaths or serious injuries.' Mr McClusky visited the crash scene a year on from the collision and planned to go every year to pay respects to the victims. The court heard Mr McClusky has been diagnosed with PTSD and suffered from 'constant flashbacks'. Mr McClusky was not in anyway at fault for the collision, the court heard. MBABANE - In a move aimed at addressing the burgeoning case backlog at the High Court, CJ Bheki Maphalala has issued a directive transferring the jurisdiction of rape and robbery cases to the principal magistrates courts. In the directive, which has been copied to all judges of the High Court, registrar of the High Court and the principal magistrates, the chief justice (CJ) said this move is due to a serious backlog of cases pending before the High Court. This decision reverses a previous directive issued in 2022 that mandated the High Court to hear all rape and robbery cases. The chief justice acknowledged the significant backlog of cases, citing approximately 200 rape cases and over 20 robbery cases currently awaiting trial at the High Court. To ensure the efficient and timely administration of justice, all fresh cases of rape and robbery pending before the High Court will be referred to the principal magistrates courts for trial, stated Maphalala in the directive. The directive emphasises that ongoing rape and robbery cases already in progress at the High Court, will continue to be finalised before the same court to maintain consistency. Furthermore, the directive outlines a mechanism for cases where the sentence may exceed the sentencing powers of the principal magistrate. Where the principal magistrate, after due conviction of the accused on a charge of rape or robbery or both, is of the opinion that the sentence of imprisonment likely to be imposed upon the accused will exceed the jurisdiction of that court, he or she will refer that case to the High Court for sentencing before a judge, the directive states. The sentencing jurisdiction of principal magistrates does not exceed 15 years. Section 3(9) of the Sexual Offences and Domestic Violence (SODV) Act states that where it has been established that the rape was committed with aggravating factors, the offender shall on conviction be liable to a term of imprisonment not exceeding 30 years, if the complainant is or was 10 years of age or below at the time the offence was committed. In the case of a subsequent offence, the sentence will not exceed 40 years. Sentence The above section further provides that; if the complainant is or was between 10 years of age and 18 years at the time the offence was committed, the accused would upon conviction be liable to a sentence not exceeding 25 years and in the case of a subsequent offence, not exceeding 30 years. The law also states that if the complainant was an adult at the time of the offence, the accused person would upon conviction, be liable to a sentence not exceeding 20 years in case of a first offence and in case of a subsequent offence, not exceeding 30 years. Notwithstanding the provisions stipulated in any other Act, such sentences may not be suspended or postponed, reads part of the Act. Meanwhile, it was previously reported that 61 women were raped at least every month in the Kingdom of Eswatini. It was further observed that cases of gender-based violence (GBV) that manifested mainly through rape and intimate partner killings (passion killings), were another persistent challenge in the countrys overall crime landscape. rape The most harrowing are the cases where young children and elderly women were subjected to the horror of rape. The High Court has unlimited power to sentence convicts and the trend, based on a past judgment, was that fathers who raped their own daughters could get 20 years in jail. In the past some cases were allocated to acting judges, but the contract of all those who were appointed were not renewed due to the lack of the Judicial Service Commisison (JSC), which has the powers to appoint the commission. It should be noted, however, that there is no specific law that stipulates a date on which the King must appoint or dissolve emabandla, but it has been a trend over the years that a new Parliament worked with newly-appointed members of the different traditional councils and committees (emabandla ekweluleka). A popular wealth podcaster has revealed how she discovered a credit card skimmer and a hidden camera that is used to steal cash and personal information at ATMs. Victoria Devine spotted the tiny camera hidden in the machine outside the Dromana Hub Shopping Centre, in Victoria's Mornington Peninsula, on Monday. Ms Devine, who founded home loan business Zella Money, said she noticed the device after she placed her finger underneath the light shining on top of the keypad. 'There's a little camera, it records you putting in your pin code in and then the scammers come and collect this information,' she explained in an Instagram video. 'They look at the video of you putting your pin code in and time stamp it and match it with when they skim your credit card information. 'So this is really scary and also something to be aware of.' Ms Devine also discovered the plastic card holder next to the keypad protruding outward and also noticed that the plastic frame around the keypad was 'sticking up'. 'That means that there's some overlay on it so that is something that gave it away for me,' Ms Devine said. 'This is called a deep insert skimmer and I tried to pull it off and I was unable to. This is how scary it is because that looks really legitimate.' Ms Devine, who is also a retired financial adviser, said credit card skimmers are very well hidden in ATM machines making it difficult for people to find. She urged people to avoid using third party ATMs or point-of-sale systems set up in places such as petrol stations. 'This was an ATM that wasn't bank affiliated. If it's bank affiliated, it's usually slightly safer because they have higher standards of checking,' Ms Devine said. She also urged people to cover their hand while they are entering their pin code and change it if they suspect they have used an ATM with a skimmer on it. Social media users praised Ms Devine for posting the video and revealed they were victims of the sneaky credit card fraud. 'This is scary! Thank you so much for sharing and for the advice,' one wrote. Ms Devine (pictured right) said she noticed the camera hidden in the machine after she placed her finger underneath the light shining on top of the keypad 'My husband had his card skimmed at an ATM near Richmond train station in Melbourne. Be safe out there,' a second added. 'I had a card compromised two months ago and it was likely in the area because I don't pull cash out often and [I] am usually local,' a third wrote. Others said they have become more vigilant when they use ATM's by securing their credit card and banking details by using protective features. 'Im always suspicious of those ATM's in shopping centres and [it] is exactly the reason why I always use [the] cardless cash feature,' one person wrote. Ms Devine said has contacted Next Payments, who own the ATM, and she also reported the issue to police. Daily Mail Australia contacted Next Payments and Victoria Police for further comment. If people have had their credit card skimmed, they should contact their bank immediately to be issued with a new bank card or a new pin code. Ms Devine also urged credit card users to avoid using bank cards that contain their life savings and use another bank card to transfer money to withdraw cash. An Aussie YouTuber's claim he was fined $1,033 for cooking a steak while driving has been exposed as a lie. Millionaire entrepreneur Jackson O'Doherty shared an image of a fine he said he received after cooking a steak while behind the wheel on the Gold Coast. 'Don't drive and cook,' he said on his Instagram. He uploaded a photo, claiming it was snapped by a mobile phone camera and showed him flipping a steak on a camping gas cooker on his dashboard. Mr O'Doherty said he was also docked four demerit points for the offence of 'driver use frying pan' and 'handheld/resting on body'. Mr O'Doherty told Daily Mail Australia explaining the stunt he had seen a 'TikTok of a guy saying to be a carnivore'. 'So now I just eat steak and I was running late to a meeting that day so I decided to cook on the way,' he said. But Mr O'Doherty is a known serial prankster and the Department of Transport and Main Roads confirmed the stunt was 'fake'. A Youtuber fooled many with this post on Instagram recently 'This infringement notice may be fake but the reality of dangerous driving is not,' the Department of Transport and Main Roads said on its Facebook page. 'Cooking while driving? That's a hard no from us. Not only is it illegal, but it's also seriously dangerous.' Mr O'Doherty's 2.2million Instagram followers found the humour in the post with fellow influencer Troy Williams, aka Troy Candy, commenting on the post: 'Only you'. 'Not often I spend a thousand bucks on a steak my friend,' Mr O'Doherty replied. Another commenter said it was 'high steak driving at its finest'. One of Mr O'Doherty's followers even suggested he shouldn't have been fined or docked demerit points. 'I'd like to see where in our laws it says this is a finable offence,' she said. An Instagram user replied: 'bruh, both his hands are not on the wheel and he's not looking at the road, clearly very illegal, funny as tho haha'. Jackson O'Doherty claimed he was fined for cooking a steak while driving but it was a prank Some social media followers were immediately onto him though. 'This is fake btw. I didn't get the 'resting body' bit, made no sense,' one wrote. Then I noticed FRYING PAN is in a different font. They've just taken this picture from a balcony/rooftop, and edited it to look like a mobile camera photo and slapped it into a mobile phone offence.' Mr O'Doherty's antics on social media have proved lucrative and last year he surprised his mum to tears by paying off her mortgage. 'I wrote that down six, seven years ago when I was still living at grandmas,' he said. 'I said I'm going to pay off mortgages, I'm going to help my family and that's what I've done.' Mr O'Doherty, who has 11million Facebook followers, isn't a stranger to lavish events and he rented out Dreamworld in October to celebrate his annual 'unique' Halloween party with 500 of his friends. Eleven boys are among 12 people being charged following a series of iPhone thefts during 13 alleged raids at Apple stores across London. The robberies are said to have taken place over the space of two-and-a-half weeks and charges include 24 charges for conspiracy to commit robbery and conspiracy to commit theft. The first reported raid happened on December 19, 2024, at Battersea Power Station. Metropolitan Police say that 12 more robberies took place in the next 20 days at stores in Regent Street, Brent Cross, Bromley, Bentalls Centre and Watford. The charges also include one charge for possession of a class A drug, one charge for possession of a class B drug and one breach of bail. Three 15-year-old boys from Lambeth, a 17-year-old-boy from Lambeth, a 17-year-old-boy from Bromley, a 14-year-old-boy from Croydon, a 13-year-old boy from Lambeth and a 16-year-old boy from Cambridge were charged with conspiracy to commit robbery and conspiracy to steal from a shop and appeared at Croydon Magistrates' Court yesterday. Also appearing in court was a 13-year-old boy from Lambeth and a 14-year-old-boy from Bromley charged with conspiracy to commit robbery, conspiracy to steal from a shop and possession of a class B drug. A 17-year-old-boy from Merton was charged with conspiracy to commit robbery, conspiracy to steal from a shop and possession of a class A drug. Officers were called at around 2.25pm to reports of a group attempting to steal 50 iPhones from the Apple store in Brent Cross on January The robberies are said to have taken place over the space of two-and-a-half weeks and charges include 24 charges for conspiracy to commit robbery and conspiracy to commit theft Layth Al-Darraji, 18, of no fixed address was charged with conspiracy to commit robbery and conspiracy to steal from a shop and appeared. One man and four boys were previously charged with robbery on January 7 having been arrested on January 5. This came after officers were called at around 2.25pm to reports of a group attempting to steal 50 iPhones from the Apple store in Brent Cross. Mycah Omo-Idahosa, 18, of Lothian Road, Lambeth, a5-year-old boy from Lambeth, a 15-year-old boy from Lambeth, a 14-year-old-boy from Croydon and a 16-year-old boy from Cambridge appeared at Willesden Magistrates' Court. The four boys also now face additional conspiracy to commit robbery and conspiracy to steal charges as above. Meghan McCain and a Washington-insider reporter dished on Barack and Michelle Obama's relationship amid unconfirmed rumors that the former First Couple are getting divorced. Speculation on the Obamas' relationship status has run rampant in recent weeks, coming to a head when Michelle skipped out on both the inauguration and Jimmy Carter's funeral that Barack attended. Speaking to Puck reporter Tara Palmieri on her podcast, McCain brought up that she's been hearing rumors of a split. 'I have been hearing this rumor that the Obamas are getting a divorce by reputable people. I'm not talking about TMZ. I'm not talking about Perez Hilton... I'm talking about like very serious journalists telling me that they're hearing that the Obama divorce rumors are true.' Palmieri delivered a bombshell of her own, saying: 'We've heard that for a long time, like I just heard that they live separate lives.' The pair then gossiped about the photo Barack posted before the weekend celebrating Michelle's birthday. 'Happy birthday to the love of my life, @MichelleObama,' he wrote, alongside a snap that showed them holding hands while enjoying dinner. McCain and Pamieri were less than convinced and especially horrified by the photo quality. Meghan McCain and an elite Washington insider dished on Barack and Michelle Obama's relationship amid rumors that the former First Couple are getting divorced Speaking to Puck reporter Tara Palmieri on her podcast, McCain brought up that she's been hearing rumors of a split 'I would kill Ben if he put a picture of me looking like no makeup with that lighting on social media,' the former The View co-host said, referring to her husband, Ben Domenech. 'I would kill him. So for me it didn't help the rumors, and like why are you putting this like s****y picture of your wife up?' Palmieri noted that now that the Obamas are no longer in politics, this is a chance to drop Washington completely. 'I am not at home with them, but it's not really surprising at this phase of their life and she clearly has very little interest - she's always hated politics! She did not really like being First Lady.' The image featured a smiling Barack in a gray button down top and black dress pants, as he sat across from Michelle, who donned a dark V-neck sweater dress and a patterned headpiece. They lovingly grabbed each other's hands as they faced the camera. Michelle has since shared the post to her own account alongside a simple caption that read: 'Love you, honey!' Michelle - who turned 61 years old last week - was not present at former President Jimmy Carter's funeral on January 9 due to a 'scheduling conflict.' Barack Obama has shut down divorce rumors as he posted a gushing tribute to the 'love of his life' Michelle Obama in honor of her 61st birthday on Friday The former President, 63, proved that they're still going strong when he uploaded a sweet message to his wife for her birthday Michelle has since shared the post to her own account alongside a simple caption that read: 'Love you, honey!' In addition, it was revealed that she would not be attending Donald Trump's inauguration ceremony with her husband on Monday. The Office of Barack and Michelle Obama told Associated Press this week in a statement, 'Former President Barack Obama is confirmed to attend the 60th Inaugural Ceremonies. Former first lady Michelle Obama will not attend the upcoming inauguration.' Immediately after the announcement, fans of the political power couple became concerned that there may be trouble in paradise. However, there were some who dismissed the rumor and instead suggested Michelle was only making a political statement. The last time the pair was seen together was in early mid-December, over a month ago, when they stepped out for dinner in Los Angeles. Last October, actress Jennifer Aniston publicly shut down 'absolutely untrue' claims by a US gossip magazine that she and Barack were in a relationship making Michelle feel 'betrayed.' The rumor was compounded by the hosts of a popular pop culture podcast Who? Weekly, who claimed that the Obamas were 'living separate lives' while he and Jennifer were having a full-blown affair. The Friends star told a US TV chat show host: 'I've met him once. I know Michelle more than him.' The former first lady was also noticeably absent from former President Jimmy Carter's funeral on January 9 due to a 'scheduling conflict' 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. Over the years, the couple has spoken candidly about their martial struggles, with Michelle previously describing the 'resentment' she had over having to put her career on hold to be a mother while Barack's continued to flourish. And tensions only grew during their time in the White House - thanks to the immense 'pressure' that came with 'needing to get everything right and be "on" at every moment,' as well as Barack's focus on his work rather than his family. But even at their worst, Barack explained to The Breakfast Club that they never let their arguments turn too ugly - and that they always 'respected' one another. And he made it clear that even when they would fight, he never considered a divorce. 'We were pretty good even when things were tough, we never loss basic respect for the other person,' he shared. 'We never thought that person was a bad person. We never said things that would make it seem that you completely disrespect me. 'It was more, "I love you, Barack, but this is driving me crazy," or, "I respect you, but..." I think that's what kept us 'cause we never doubted each other's intentions. 'Michelle is a remarkable woman. Even if she drives me crazy sometimes, I never thought that there was anybody who I would rather be with.' Boosting the economy must trump Labours dash for net zero, Rachel Reeves said yesterday as she and Keir Starmer launched a new push for growth. In the clearest statement yet of the Governments new priorities, the Chancellor said projects which could boost growth should not be held back because they might add something to carbon emissions in 20 years time. Asked whether she would choose to prioritise the economy or tackling climate change, she said growth was her number one mission, adding: Its obviously the most important thing. Her comments put her on collision course with Ed Miliband, who has pushed to make his controversial net zero targets the Governments top priority. In a further sign of ministers unease over the UKs anaemic growth figures, the Prime Minister will today unveil plans for sweeping reforms of the judicial review system used by virtue-signalling protesters to hold back major developments. The PM said the Government was putting an end to this challenge culture by taking on the Nimbys and a broken system that has slowed down our progress as a nation. More than half of all major infrastructure projects are currently challenged in the courts sometimes on multiple occasions adding years of delay and millions of pounds in extra costs. Rachel Reeves attends the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. The Chancellor said growth was her number one mission Ms Reeves (pictured with Keir Starmer) said projects which could boost growth should not be held back because they might add something to carbon emissions in 20 years time In future, campaigners bringing vexatious cases with no realistic prospect of success will be allowed just one judicial review, instead of the current three. Writing in the Mail, Sir Keir said that a small minority should not be able to abuse our legal system to hold the country to ransom. He said that lengthy court delays meant roads and railways are left in disrepair... houses for hardworking Brits arent built, businesses hit by higher costs. And for what? So some people can pat themselves on the back, while others cant get to work or afford a home. At best, its naive. At worst, its self-righteous virtue signalling. In his article today, Sir Keir singles out former Green Party councillor Andrew Boswell, who has used crowd-funded judicial reviews to delay a number of major projects. The interventions come amid growing government alarm that sluggish economic growth could derail Labours plans. Ms Reeves is expected to announce backing for airport expansion at Heathrow, Gatwick and Luton next week, despite warnings it will end hopes of hitting the UKs climate targets. Greenpeace said the move smacks of desperation. At the World Economic Forum, in Davos, yesterday, the Chancellor said growth was the Governments top priority because growth underpins everything else, whether that is improving our schools and hospitals or indeed being able to get to net zero. The Prime Minister is set to unveil sweeping reforms of the judicial review system today to prevent eco-zealots from holding back major developments The Royal Courts of Justice building. In future, campaigners bringing 'vexatious' cases with no realistic prospect of success will be allowed just one judicial review, instead of the current three Campaigners had argued in court that the government had failed to assess the environmental impact of the Sizewell C nuclear power station She said ministers were determined to shake up a planning system seen by business as insane. She said: It takes too long to get things done, whether thats building energy infrastructure, transport or digital. Theres always a reason not to invest, always a reason not to build. Theres bats and newts, it might add something to carbon emissions in 20 years time. It may make the view from my house a little bit less nice. But if we always say no, lo and behold well have the same outcome of poor growth and deteriorating living standards. Ms Reeves did not comment directly on support for a third runway at Heathrow, but said that recent approvals at Stansted and City airports demonstrated the commitment of this government to make Britain an international trading nation. Any move to revive plans to expand Heathrow will split Labour. Seven members of the Cabinet, including Sir Keir, voted to block a third runway in 2008. Mr Miliband (pictured below) threatened to resign from the last Labour government over the issue. Government sources yesterday insisted that the drive for growth is not incompatible with net zero. But, in a further sign at irritation over the impact of environmental protection laws, the Government also unveiled plans that will prevent bodies such as the Environment Agency blocking developments. An artist's impression of how the expanded Heathrow Airport site could look At present, developers have to agree mitigation or compensation before they can disturb protected sites or species. In future, they will be able to pay into a new Nature Restoration Fund in return for permission to get started more quickly. Business leaders have blamed Budget tax rises, coupled with negative comments from ministers for denting confidence and so damaging the prospects for growth. Ms Reeves defended the Budget but hinted she would like to ease Britains record tax burden in the long term. My instinct is to have lower taxes, less regulation, make it easier for businesses to do business, she said. Former Liberal Party staffer Bruce Lehrmann wants to face trial without a jury on charges alleging he raped a woman in 2021. Lehrmann was not required to appear in person in Toowoomba District Court on Thursday for the case's first mention since the indictment on two rape charges was handed down in December. He has yet to enter a plea but his legal representatives have previously said he denies the charges. Defence solicitor Rowan King told Judge Dennis Lynch that barrister Patrick Wilson would make three pre-trial applications for Lehrmann. 'There's an application for a judge-alone trial, there's also an application in respect to potential protection of records and a joint application in regards to uncharged sexual contact,' Mr King said. Under Queensland law, a trial can be heard without a jury and the judge handing down verdicts if 'it is in the interests of justice to do so'. The grounds for a judge-only trial include the hearings are lengthy or complex, or both, or 'there has been significant pre-trial publicity that may affect jury deliberations'. Crown prosecutor Caroline Marco said she would also make three pre-trial applications, including joining with the defence for an application that can include evidence of 'uncharged acts' to prove a sexual interest between the defendant and alleged victim.. Bruce Lehrmann wants a judge-alone trial to fight rape charges in Queensland 'The applications to be made by the Crown will be a special witness application, an application to lead uncharged sexual activities ... and also an application for (privileged communications),' Ms Marco said. A person granted special witness status can give evidence from a remote witness room or to a courtroom closed to the public. Both prosecutors and Lehrmann have yet to formally file applications ahead of a District Court trial, which does not have a date for starting. Toowoomba Magistrates Court previously was told there was consensual sexual activity between Lehrmann and the defendant in the hours prior to the alleged offences. Lehrmann is accused of raping the woman twice during the morning of October 10, 2021 after they met at a strip club the previous night in Toowoomba, west of Brisbane. The woman claimed she consumed cocaine with Bruce Lehrmann during a night out before consensual sex at a house in east Toowoomba about 4am. Rowan King said there would be a joint application with the Crown over 'uncharged sexual contact' The woman said she was woken about 10am by Lehrmann sexually assaulting her. Defence barrister Andrew Hoare said at the committal the alleged victim was too intoxicated to remember giving consent and Lehrmann could have mistakenly believed he had consent for further sex acts. Mr Hoare said the woman obtained emergency contraception after being given a lift to a pharmacy by Lehrmann, and ticked a box that she needed the pill as her other contraception had failed and not due to sexual assault. Judge Lynch on Thursday ordered prosecutors and Lehrmann to file their applications by March 14. Lehrmann's bail conditions were extended ahead of a pre-trial directions hearing at Toowoomba District Court on March 27. President Donald Trump shut down Fox News' Sean Hannity with three words as he went on a tirade about his predecessor, Joe Biden, during the first TV interview of his second term Wednesday. Trump spent portions of the interview expressing dismay over Biden's decision to issue preemptive pardons to some of the Democrat's family members and some of the Republican president's political enemies. As their time came to a close, the Fox News host told Trump 'let me get to the economy' as he noted, 'I'm running out of time'. 'I don't care,' the new president responded. He then turned back to bashing Biden's decision-making skills, including the ex-president's decision not to pardon himself. 'This is more important because right now the economy is going to do great. I'm here, so the economy - but you have to understand, he had bad advisers on almost everything,' Trump said of Biden. Hannity interjected saying he was being yelled at for time - but Trump kept going. 'It's like in the old days when the Secretary of State said he never made a correct decision on foreign policy,' Trump said, meaning to quote a former Secretary of Defense Robert Gates. Over the course of Hannity's hour-long program, Trump also hinted at another government agency he wanted to scrap and revealed the latest on the JFK assassination files. President Donald Trump shut down Fox News' Sean Hannity with three words as he went on a tirade about President Joe Biden during the first TV interview of his second term Wednesday As their time came to a close, Fox News' Sean Hannity (right) told President Donald Trump (left) 'let me get to the economy' and 'I'm running out of time' But the issue of pardons was front-and-center. In a clip shared earlier Wednesday by Fox, Trump is heard giving a cryptic warning about Biden making a mistake in not pardoning himself. Trump repeated that point several times during the full interview with Hannity. 'The precedent that he set on pardons is amazing. That's a much bigger story but people don't like talking about it. He pardoned everybody,' Trump said. 'But he didn't pardon himself.' 'Remember this, those people that he pardoned are now mandated, because they got a pardon, to testify and they can't take the Fifth,' Trump claimed. Hannity asked Trump if he would like to see Congress investigate Biden's pardons. House Speaker Mike Johnson already expressed openness to that. 'I think we'll let Congress decide,' Trump said. President Donald Trump (left) shakes hands with Fox News' Sean Hannity (right) in the Oval Office Wednesday morning as they pre-taped an interview that aired Wednesday night. Hannity scored the first television interview of Trump's second term Hannity asked the same question about his attorney general, who is expected to be former Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi once she passes Senate confirmation. 'I was always against that with presidents,' Trump replied. 'Hillary Clinton, I could have had Hillary Clinton, a big number done on her,' the president added. He then pointed to his own legal issues - having been indicted in four separate cases for a mix of crimes related to hush money payments, the storage of classified documents and the effort to overturn the 2020 election and January 6. 'I went through four years of hell,' the newly sworn-in president said. 'I spent millions of dollars in legal fees and I won, but I did it the hard way.' 'It's really hard to say they shouldn't have to go through it all,' Trump added. Trump also spoke with Hannity about his first trip as president - he'll head to Asheville, North Carolina, on Friday to see how the rebuilding effort is coming along after Hurricane Helene flooded the region. The president will then fly to Los Angeles to survey wildfire damage. Fox News Channel's Sean Hannity scored the first sit-down television interview with President Donald Trump. Hannity was at the White House Wednesday morning to pretape the interview to air on his primetime program Wednesday night When talking about disaster relief, Trump suggested that he'd be open to killing FEMA - the Federal Emergency Management Agency. 'All it does is just complicate everything,' he complained. 'FEMA has not done their job for the last four years.' 'Unless you have certain types of leadership, it gets in the way. And FEMA is going to be a whole big discussion very shortly because I'd rather see the states take care of their own problems,' Trump said. He then spoke glowingly of Oklahoma's 'very competent' disaster response - and how the state voted for him in the last election. Hannity also pressed Trump on another campaign promise - that he would release the classified files on the assassinations of President John F. Kennedy, Sen. Robert F. Kennedy - the father of his chosen Health and Human Services secretary - and civil rights leader, Martin Luther King Jr. Trump said when he was president four years ago several high-ranking government officials asked him not to release the Kennedy files - as he pointed to one person in particular. 'I was actually asked by Mike Pompeo, secretary of State, not to, and I felt he knew something that maybe, you know , when he asked you not to, you sort of say "why?" and he felt that it was not a good time to release them,' Trump said. Trump said at the time he respected Pompeo and the others as 'professionals.' Pompeo, a Kansas Republican, was Trump's CIA director before heading the State Department. 'But I'm going to release them immediately,' Trump said, adding 'we're looking at it right now.' A woman who thought she had a small blemish on her cheek was shocked after discovering it was something more sinister that required her to be operated on. Melbourne woman Steph Warkotsch, 30, first noticed a small mark on her face in October and thought it was a pimple, but she started to become concerned when it wouldn't go away after a week. As the swelling grew she tried to draw the suspected pimple out using a face mask and a cold compress but it only made things worse. 'Even though I'm not prone to blemishes, I thought it was a spot,' Ms Warkotsch said. 'But as I was trying to draw out the gland, and it was only getting bigger, I started to worry. 'The pain was unbearable, and I couldn't sleep properly because I couldn't lie on the left side of my face at all.' The 30-year-old went to her doctor who gave her antibiotics, but the spot on her face continued to grow and doubled in size as the weeks passed. After a month it was the size of a 10-cent piece and had left her with a 'constant throbbing pain' in her face. Steph Warkotsch thought nothing of a little mark on her face before it quickly doubled in size Steph Warkotsch was left with 30 stitches in her face after having a cyst removed Her doctor didn't want to attempt an extraction, so she was sent for an ultrasound which revealed a deep-rooted begin sebaceous cyst in her bone and sinuses. While sebaceous cysts are generally harmless, they are filled with keratin and cell debris so an operation was Ms Warkotsch's only option. It was lucky she didn't try and pop the cyst because it would've likely caused and infection and definitely would have grown back again. Surgery was the only course of action and 30 minutes and $450 later, the cyst was removed at a private clinic. The wound required a massive 30 stitches which were needed to follow the wrinkle and smile line on her face, meaning her scar will heal smoother. Despite the precise stitching strategy, Ms Warkotsch still cried when she saw herself in the mirror after the operation. 'I thought they were going to extract it, not remove it,' Ms Warkotsch said. 'The procedure was uncomfortable and seeing my face for the first time all stitched up was a shock. 'This is going to be on my face forever and coming to terms with that was hard, but I'm doing better and the scar is going down.' Ms Warkotsch said her experience should be a lesson to those who tend to pop suspected pimples on their face without hesitation. 'I wanted to warn others that a spot might not be a blemish,' she said. 'You should always seek professional assistance, especially when it comes to your face.' A group behind a bungled attempt to scam millions of dollars from a major bank have avoided jail while they are assessed to potentially serve their sentences via home detention. The ringleader behind the plot, ex-senior NAB employee Monika Singh, 42, was sentenced to three years' imprisonment on Monday in the NSW District Court. Co-accused Davendar Deo, 68, and Srinivas Naidu Chamakuri, 51, were given two-and-a-half years and three years respectively. However, Judge Donna Woodburne said Corrective Services should assess if they can serve their sentences through periods of home detention and community service work. Judge Woodburne made it clear she was not imposing intensive corrections orders on the group and would finalise the matters at a later date. The group were found guilty by a jury of attempting to steal more than $20 million from the bank using i nternal employee processes. The trio were convicted of 19 fraud-related offences between 2018 and 2020, including multiple counts of dishonestly obtaining a financial advantage. A jury accepted Singh had provided Chamakuri and Deo with blank internal bank vouchers, which they then used to try to cheat NAB out of a combined $21million. Monika Singh avoided a previous fraud conviction while she was an NAB graduate trainee Davendar Deo was convicted of trying to defraud NAB out of $4.8 million using the voucher scheme Chamakuri attempted to use the vouchers to withdraw almost $16.9million in cash, while Deo was convicted for trying to cheat NAB out of a further $4.8million using the same fraudulent voucher scheme. NAB did not lose any money as staff intervened to prevent the funds being transferred. Judge Woodburne did not accept that stress, including Singh's claimed childhood trauma, caused her offending and said her conduct should be firmly denounced. The former senior associate at NAB's Sydney branch, attempted to argue she had 'naively trying to help people without fully understanding the implications,' the court was told. Having migrated to Australia from Fiji in 2001 when she was 20 years old, Singh was charged with a previous fraud offence in Queensland in 2006 and ordered to pay $1751 with no conviction recorded. At the time she was also employed by NAB as a graduate trainee. Srinivas Naidu Chamakuri walked from court after being handed a three-year jail sentence Lawyers for all three previously called for leniency in sentencing given that the offending was relatively unsophisticated and ultimately doomed to fail. Todd Pickering, who was representing Singh, described the group's efforts as 'inept, hopeless and ultimately unsuccessful'. 'The efforts here were very, very far short of sophisticated,' he told the court. However, crown prosecutor Andrew Norrie said there was some level of sophistication given that they would not have been able to attempt it without access to internal NAB documents. 'It cannot just be written off,' he said. The matter will return to court on March 21. A merciless serial rapist known as 'Bolder Than Most' for his heinous crimes against women in the 1980s has been released from prison. Alvin Ray Quarles, now 62, was known to break into motels rooms, and force the boyfriends and husbands of his victims to watch as their loved ones were sexually assaulted at knifepoint between 1987 and 1988. He pleaded guilty to four counts of forcible rape in 1989 and was sentenced to 50 years in state prison. Afterwards, he spent about a decade undergoing sex offender psychiatric treatment at Coalinga State Hospital after being diagnosed with multiple disorders. In December 2024, San Diego Superior Court Judge Marian Gaston ordered Quarles to be released as a 'transient.' On January 21, he was temporarily released and is now being housed at 1138 Cluster Road, a location previously occupied by sexually violent predators who were in the midst of legal proceedings. The San Diego County Sheriff's Office confirmed in a statement that the rapist has been registered as a 'Sexually Violent Predator' with the California Department of Justice and the County of San Diego. He will be required to register as a sex offender for the rest of his life. Court orders state that Quarles will remain under 24-hour supervision by Liberty Health Care, a private company which runs the state's conditions release program for sexually violent predators. Alvin Ray Quarles, 62, was known to break in to motels rooms, assault women at knifepoint and forced their boyfriends or husbands to watch between 1987 and 1988. He has now been released from prison This includes GPS monitoring and a security official who will accompany him at all times. Under 'Megan's Law,' officials will also warn the community he is residing in and future neighborhoods about Quarles so they can protect themselves and their family. News of his release has sparked outrage from his victims and their families who argue Quarles remains a threat to public safety. 'This is a very dangerous person,' said Mary Taylor, one of the felon's victims. 'If the chance comes, he will take it.' Her husband, Stephen Taylor also told NBC7: 'Despite him being older now, I think the potential is still there that he can perpetrate (more crimes). 'I'm really concerned about members of the community who could be at risk.' Terri Larson, a friend of Taylor's and member of the citizens group Your Voice Has Power, further called Quarles 'a monster'. She asked the public to be privy to what led state hospital officials to recommend his release. He pleaded guilty to four forcible counts of rape in 1989 and was sentenced to state prison for 50 years. Afterwards, he spent about a decade undergoing sex offender treatment at Coalinga State Hospital after being diagnosed of multiple disorders. Cynthia Medina (pictured), another of Quarles' victims who was attacked when he forced himself into her hotel room with her boyfriend, said the prospect of his release 'angers' and 'scares' her The San Diego County Sheriff's Office confirmed in a statement that the rapist has been registered as a 'Sexually Violent Predator' with the California Department of Justice and the County of San Diego Cynthia Medina, another of Quarles' victims who was attacked when he forced himself into her hotel room with her boyfriend, said the prospect of his release has her concerned for more than just her own safety last year. 'It does not make you feel safe, that's for sure,' she told Fox5. 'It angers me, it scares me.' 'They told me I wouldn't have to worry about him in my lifetime, and you put your faith in that, and for the last 10 years I've been trying to keep him from getting out. 'It's inevitable, but he got an extra 10 years because of us, so do I feel safe? No.' 'As his survivor, it doesn't make me feel very good at all but I kind of have to accept it because of the way the laws are.' Quarles is classified as a sexually violent predator (SVP), a designation reserved for less than 1 percent of California's sexual offender population who have been diagnosed with a mental disorder that makes them likely to re-offend, such as pedophilia. With his release, the Sheriff's Office reassured locals and said: 'This notification is not intended to induce fear; rather, we believe that an informed community is a safer community. Use of this information to threaten, intimidate, or harass the subject or any other person will not be tolerated and may result in prosecution.' If a home becomes available, he will be subject to rehousing. Chinese medical team conducts free check-up for orphans in Nepal Xinhua) 10:32, January 23, 2025 A doctor from a Chinese medical team provides a free health check-up for an orphan at Prayas Nepal, a non-profit and non-governmental organization, in Kathmandu, Nepal, Jan. 22, 2025. Doctors from a Chinese medical team in Nepal provided free health check-ups for some orphans in Kathmandu, the country's capital, on Wednesday. (Photo by Hari Maharjan/Xinhua) KATHMANDU, Jan. 22 (Xinhua) -- Doctors from a Chinese medical team in Nepal provided free health check-ups for some orphans in Kathmandu, the country's capital, on Wednesday. The nine-member team conducted overall check-ups for 18 orphans housed at Prayas Nepal, a non-profit and non-governmental organization dedicated to helping children in need, including vision and visual field tests, tooth and oral as well as growth and development examinations, scoliosis screening and consultations on menstrual health. In addition, the team offered consultations to the children about healthy behavior and donated medicines. "We're very grateful for choosing our organization for the support," said Mani Joshi, founding chair of Prayas Nepal. Following the check-up, the Chinese Enterprises Association in Nepal handed over food items including rice, lentils and cooking oil along with toiletries and 600,000 Nepali rupees to the orphanage. The Chinese Enterprises Association in Nepal makes a donation to Prayas Nepal, a non-profit and non-governmental organization, after a Chinese medical team provided free health check-ups to Nepali orphans in Kathmandu, Nepal, Jan. 22, 2025. Doctors from a Chinese medical team in Nepal provided free health check-ups for some orphans in Kathmandu, the country's capital, on Wednesday. (Photo by Hari Maharjan/Xinhua) A doctor from a Chinese medical team provides a free health check-up for an orphan at Prayas Nepal, a non-profit and non-governmental organization, in Kathmandu, Nepal, Jan. 22, 2025. Doctors from a Chinese medical team in Nepal provided free health check-ups for some orphans in Kathmandu, the country's capital, on Wednesday. (Photo by Hari Maharjan/Xinhua) (Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Zhong Wenxing) Australia Day has become controversial because of the date but there is another hidden side to the public holiday that is far from being a source of national pride. Sydney criminal lawyer Avinash Singh said Australia Day is 'well known for being the day when the most assaults occur', with family gatherings being a particularly high-risk environment for alcohol-fuelled violence. Following each Australia Day, the courts 'are overflowing with assault cases between family members where one or both parties were heavily intoxicated', Mr Singh told Daily Mail Australia on Thursday. Australia Day only ranks behind New Year's Eve for assaults in NSW, but nationwide, it ranks first, with domestic violence also spiking, according to government data. Ms Singh said the New Year's Eve assault figures were pumped up in NSW by the Sydney Harbour fireworks and other events. 'There is generally a massive influx of visitors for New Year's Eve in NSW which skews the figures, making NYE the leading public holiday for assault,' Mr Singh said. 'However, when you look at Australia as a whole, Australia Day has the highest number of assaults.' Over the past 10 years, NSW has registered an 89 per cent increase in non-domestic violence assault cases on January 26 compared to an average 24-hour period. A brawl involving a mob of teenagers broke out in Manly last Australia Day The result is little better for domestic violence where reported cases have increased by 62 per cent each Australia Day. Mr Singh, who works for Astor Legal, said the majority of assaults on public holidays are alcohol-related. 'Anyone celebrating Australia Day should try to moderate their alcohol consumption - particularly if they are going to be around acrimonious friends or family members,' Mr Singh said. 'Alcohol has some relevance to a percentage of assaults throughout the year - both domestic violence and non-domestic violence. 'However, it is far more pronounced on public holidays such as Christmas, Easter and even Anzac Day.' Mr Singh said public intoxication was a huge problem on Australia Day with police stepping up their presence at well-known Sydney beaches such as Cronulla, Balmoral, Coogee and Bondi. Crowded environments and emotional stress are other factors that make the day more violent. In Perth last year Australia Day celebrations turned ugly when dozens of people became involved in a violent brawl that was captured on video. Sydney lawyer Avinash Singh said following each Australia Day the courts are overflowing with assault cases between family members A large group of revellers had gathered at Swan River to 'raft up' by anchoring their boats together when an argument broke out among a group of young men. More than 20 boats were parked at a sandbank at Rocky Bay near Mosman Park to enjoy the warm temperatures when the fight erupted. In Sydney, there was a chaotic incident involving as many as 50 teenagers at Manly Wharf, which ended in multiple arrests. Pepper spray was reportedly deployed by officers as they tried to contain the situation at one of Australia's most iconic beaches. Nine reporter Madison Scott described it as an 'intense, chaotic afternoon'. 'There was a lot of pushing and shoving between authorities and some of those individuals in that group,' she said. 'Eventually two young teens were arrested, one of them pinned down on the concrete before being taken away by police.' A second man has been arrested by anti-terrorism police following an alleged attack on a Sydney synagogue. Up to 10 red swastikas were sprayed on the front walls of the Newtown Synagogue, on Georgina Street, in Sydney's inner-west, in the early hours of January 11. Police released CCTV of two hooded men outside the synagogue around 4.25am who they allege tried to set the religious building on fire. On Thursday, a 37-year-old man was arrested at a hotel on Pyrmont Bridge Road. The man was tasered during his arrest and was subsequently assessed by paramedics before being taken to Day Street Police Station. In dramatic footage, the man - wearing only grey trackpants and socks - is seen bent over double while being escorted by two officers. This follows the arrest of a 33-year-old man in connection with the incident as officers executed two search warrants in Camperdown on Tuesday night. The suspect was taken to hospital under police guard but was later released and charged with property damage offences, possessing suspected stolen goods, and cultivating an illegal plant. In dramatic footage of the arrest, the man - wearing only grey trackpants and socks - is seen bent over double while being escorted by officers (pictured) The man was tasered during the operation and was taken to Day Street Police Station Around 10 red swastikas were sprayed on the front walls of the Newtown Synagogue (pictured), on Georgina Street, in Sydney's inner-west NSW Premier Chris Minns condemned the incident in Newtown just hours after the vandalism was discovered. 'These people are determined to divide our community in two. We will always call out these acts for what they are - monstrous and appalling,' Mr Minns said. The Premier also announced the extension of a one-off grant of $340,000 towards enhanced security measures for the NSW Jewish community. Chairman of the Anti-Defamation Commission Dr Dvir Abramovich told Daily Mail Australia the graffiti on the Newtown Synagogue was a 'gut-punch' to Jewish Australians. Dr Abramovich described the vandalism as 'grotesque'. 'In just a matter of days, two synagogues - sacred places meant for reflection and peace - have been defiled in acts of unparalleled malice, he said. These aren't mere incidents of vandalism; they are calculated assaults drenched in symbolism meant to intimidate and sow terror.' Prime Minister Anthony Albanese also condemned the incident and called for those who committed the act 'should face the full force of the law'. Police earlier released CCTV of two hooded men seen outside the synagogue around 4.25am who they allege tried to set the synagogue on fire. A 33-year-old Camperdown man (centre) was arrested On Tuesday by anti-terrorism cops following an alleged arson attack on a Sydney synagogue 'The vile graffiti weve seen overnight, including at the Newtown Synagogue, is abhorrent and needs to stop immediately,' Mr Albanese wrote. 'We made it illegal to use Nazi and other hate symbols because theres no place in Australia for antisemitism.' A total of nine people have been charged in connection with various incidents of arson and vandalism targeting the Jewish community. Four men, aged 31, 37, 40, and 26, have been charged in relation to fires at two businesses in Bondi during October 2024. Three men, aged 20, 19, and 21, have been charged following the alleged deliberate damage of 10 vehicles and buildings in Woollahra in November 2024. A 34-year-old woman has been charged after vehicles and buildings were allegedly damaged in Woollahra in December 2024. Most recently, a 33-year-old man has been charged in connection with the alleged graffiti and attempted arson of a building in Newtown. Anyone with information about the incident at the Newtown Synagogue has been urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000. Barack Obama's former chief strategist said that Joe Biden ended his presidency as badly as anyone ever has with his last-minute decision to pardon several family members. The 'one foot out the door' announcement from Biden came about 15 minutes before Donald Trump was sworn in as the 47th president of the United States and was sent out as Biden and Trump stood in the Capitol rotunda, waiting for the president-elect to take the oath of office. Biden issued preemptive pardons to James B. Biden, Sara Jones Biden, Valerie Biden Owens, John T. Owens, and Francis W. Biden. David Axelrod, the mastermind behind the striking rise to power of Biden's former boss, Barack Obama, slammed the pardons as 'egregious' while speaking on the Hacks on Tap podcast. Axelrod had special contempt for the pardons being announced just minutes before Trump took office. 'I mean, man up! You know what I mean? Man up, and if youre gonna do it, do it, but dont do it literally as you have one foot out the door so you dont have to explain it or be accountable for it, he said. The CNN commentator then explained what about the pardons made them backfire on his former boss. 'And what they did was they gave Trump a gift because it fuzzied up the story, the J6 story for him, and you heard him last night,' he said. Barack Obama's former chief strategist David Axelrod said that Joe Biden ended his presidency as badly as anyone ever has with his last-minute decision to pardon several family members The announcement came about 15 minutes before Donald Trump was sworn in as the 47th president of the United States. The statement was sent out as Biden and Trump stood in the Capitol rotunda, waiting for the president-elect to take the oath of office The strategist said that Trump's pardons of those arrested on January 6, 2021 were also 'egregious' but that Biden had given Trump the pretense for it. Axelrod then asked: 'Could you end a presidency as badly as he has? I mean, Trump did.' He wasn't the only Obama-world resident to hit out at Biden, as Pod Save America host and former Obama spokesman Tommy Vietor went on Fox News to hit out at Biden. 'I think Joe Bidens decision to pardon his family sends a terrible message to the world. I think the presidential pardon power is far too expansive,' he said. He suggested Congress come together and pass an amendment to the Constitution that bans pardons for family members and staff. Vietor also couldn't let go of January 6, however, adding: 'But I also think it sends a terrible message to pardon people who beat the crap out of police officers on live TV.' In a statement, Biden argued that the pardons did not incriminate his family members. 'The issuance of these pardons should not be mistaken as an acknowledgment that they engaged in any wrongdoing, nor should acceptance be misconstrued as an admission of guilt for any offense,' Biden said in his last act as president. David Axelrod , the mastermind behind Biden's boss Barack Obama's rise to power, slammed the pardons as 'egregious' while speaking on the Hacks on Tap podcast Axelrod wasn't the only Obama-world resident to hit out at Biden, as Pod Save America host and former Obama spokesman Tommy Vietor went on Fox News to hit out at Biden His brother James Biden had been pulled into House Republicans' impeachment investigation of Joe, which ultimately went nowhere. However, House Oversight Committee Chair James Comer had asked Trump's Justice Department to investigate and prosecute James for allegedly making false statements to Congress. Biden also pardoned James' wife, Sara; his sister, Valerie; her husband, John; and his younger brother, Francis Biden. The pardons were sweeping, covering all of their 'nonviolent' actions dating back to 2014. Biden said his family was subjected to unrelenting attacks and threats, motivated solely by a desire to hurt me the worst kind of partisan politics.' 'Unfortunately, I have no reason to believe these attacks will end,' he said. Comer said the pardons prove the family is corrupt. 'President Biden's preemptive pardons for the Biden Crime Family serve as a confession of their corruption as they sold out the American people to enrich themselves. Our investigation revealed that at least ten members of the Biden Crime Family and their associates raked in over $30 million by selling Joe Biden's influence to corrupt foreign entities and individuals in China, Russia, Ukraine, Romania, and Kazakhstan,' he said in a statement. 'President Biden abused his public office to create a slush fund for his family. President Biden will go down as the most corrupt president in U.S. history, and our investigation will be remembered as one of the most successful ever conducted by Congress.' In December, Biden pardoned his son Hunter after vowing not to. Hunter was facing sentencing in two criminal cases late last year. The only family members missing from Monday's list was wife Jill and daughter Ashley. Earlier Monday Biden issued pre-emptive pardons from General Mike Milley, Dr. Anthony Fauci, former Rep. Liz Cheney and other lawmakers who investigated the January 6th riot in the Capitol. The father of a 16-year-old girl who was gunned down at her Nashville high school on Wednesday was left struggling to understand the tragedy as night fell. German Corea said he never would have imagined his eldest daughter, Josselin Corea Escalante, wouldn't return home after attending classes at Antioch High School. But shortly after 11am, Escalante became the only victim of 17-year-old Solomon Henderson's attack, with police saying the suspect 'confronted' her before he fired multiple rounds with a pistol, which he then turned on himself. 'It's not fair,' Corea told News Channel 5 of his daughter's untimely death. The grieving father had earlier been seen leaving a local hospital with tears in his eyes, according to WSMV. 'Every day I told her how much I loved her,' he said of his daughter, whom he said always brought home good grades, and was kind and loving. Escalante was the older sister, Corea noted, but she was still his little girl. Her aunt Maria Corea also said the family was equally devastated and at a loss for words following the shooting. Solomon Henderson, 17, opened fire at Antioch High School just after 11am Josselin Corea Escalante, 16, was the only victim of the Antioch High School shooting Family members described Escalante as a kind and loving daughter, who received good grades in school 'She was a very calm girl and well-behaved,' Maria said. 'She had good grades in school. She was a girl who loved her parents and all her family.' Another student was also injured with a graze wound to her arm, and was rushed to Vanderbilt University Hospital in stable condition. Police also said a fourth boy was being treated for an injury to the face caused during the commotion, but they were not shot, Channel 5 reports. It remains unclear whether Escalante was specifically targeted in the attack at the school, but a disturbing manifesto allegedly written by the school shooter suggests he may have been motivated to commit the deadly act out of racism. He even livestreamed the carnage, and apparently advised other would-be shooters to film and photograph their attacks. 'An image shows what we're capable of, a video shows what it will look like, a livestream with a GoPro shows what it will feel like,' the manifesto claimed. Nashville police have not yet confirmed whether the manifesto was Henderson's, but Chief John Drake noted there were online materials that the police department is investigating. 'There are some materials on the Internet that we're looking at, that's under investigation,' he said, according to The Tennessean. 'We believe there's some materials out there, and maybe they were seen,' he continued, adding that if someone 'said something, maybe more could have been done.' Solomon Henderson, 17, opened fire shortly after 11am, firing multiple rounds with a pistol before taking his own life Jaden Ames, 17, a student at Antioch High School, embraces Jackie Gomez during a vigil at Hamilton United Methodist Church in Tennessee Escalante's family, meanwhile, says more needs to be done to protect students at Antioch High School. They said it is always the same story with any school shooting, and they doubt anything will change. Adrienne Battle, the superintendent of Nashville schools, also noted that the district had already implemented a 'range of safety measures' including partnerships with the police for school resource officers, security cameras with weapon-detection software, shatter-resistant film for glass and security vestibules that provide a barrier between visitors and the main entrance. 'Unfortunately, these measures were not enough to stop this tragedy,' she lamented. Battle also acknowledged that there were questions about installing metal detectors. 'While past research has shown they have had limitations and unintended consequences, we will continue to explore emerging technologies and strategies to strengthen school safety.' Antioch High School will now remain closed for the rest of the week. Woke bishop Mariann Budde pleaded with Americans to have a 'different kind of conversation' about tackling hot-button issues as she revealed she has received death threats following her political sermon to President Trump. Budde, the Episcopal Bishop of Washington, told MSNBC's Rachel Maddow that she faced a wave of outrage in the aftermath of her speech at Tuesday's National Prayer Service. 'Well, I've had people wish me dead,' she said. 'I'm not sure they've threatened to kill me, but they'd seem to be pleased if I met my eternal destiny sooner rather than later. And I would simply say, I was trying, actually, to encourage a different kind of conversation that you can certainly disagree with me.' Budde said while she can accept people disagreeing with her perspective, she would ask that 'we as Americans and fellow children of God speak to one another with respect.' 'I would offer the same to you. I would listen to your views, and I would honor them. But we don't have to go to the highest extremes of contempt when we are in a position of disagreement. 'And I think if we could get that back as a country, we would go a long way in being able to work together to address the many problems that we face.' It comes after President Trump issued a scathing rebuke of Budde with a 1am Truth Social post overnight, slamming her as 'not compelling or smart' and demanding an apology to the public. Mariann Budde, the Episcopal Bishop of Washington, pleaded with Americans to have a 'different kind of conversation' about tackling hot-button issues as she revealed she received death threats following her political sermon to President Trump Budde angered conservatives with her sermon at the National Prayer Service on Tuesday as she pleaded with President Trump to show 'mercy' to illegal immigrants and transgender children In her interview with Maddow, Budde said she decided to give the political sermon during her preparation for the National Prayer Service, and she was thinking about the 'pillars of unity.' 'It struck me that I was missing one. And that one, that last one, was mercy, to have mercy and compassion,' she continued. 'And rather than stated in sweeping turns, I thought I would acknowledge to the President, acknowledge that he had come to the highest office of the land, that he had millions of people had entrusted him with his power. 'And I wanted to make, as you heard, a plea, a request that he broaden his characterization of the people that are frightened now and are at risk of losing everything, and I thought that that would be the more respectful way to say it. 'And also, to appeal to not only the president but to all who might be listening, to appeal to what we know to be true about our immigrant neighbors, who they are, the kind of people that we're blessed to be among and to remember them in our understanding of what it means to be America.' Asked how she sees the role of the church in reshaping how Americans look ahead to the future, Budde said she hoped to lead 'by example.' 'To take the teachings of our faith, to welcome the stranger, to love as we've been loved, to be compassionate and to live that out in in real terms with real people in our communities. 'It depends on the moment, we're in a particularly harsh moment now when it comes to conversations around immigrant populations in our midst, and so that was the reason for the tone I took now.' Budde, 65, the left-wing Episcopal Bishop of Washington, later admitted that she used the religious event to 'talk directly' to Trump in her sermon Trump sat stony-faced throughout the sermon delivered by Bishop Mariann Budde at Tuesday's National Prayer Service as she begged him to grant 'mercy' on transgender children and illegal immigrants Budde spoke out after Trump slammed her in a post to Truth Social to his legion of followers, describing her as a 'radical left hardline Trump hater.' 'She brought her church into the World of politics in a very ungracious way. She was nasty in tone, and not compelling or smart.' After Budde used her sermon to beg Trump for 'mercy' towards transgender children and illegal immigrants, Trump said her argument ignored reality. 'She failed to mention the large number of illegal migrants that came into our Country and killed people,' he went on. 'Many were deposited from jails and mental institutions. It is a giant crime wave that is taking place in the USA. 'Apart from her inappropriate statements, the service was a very boring and uninspiring one. She is not very good at her job! She and her church owe the public an apology!' Budde's sermon went viral on Tuesday after she went on a wild lecture claiming trans kids were 'fearing for their lives' now Trump is back in the White House. Trump said in brief remarks at the White House that Budde 'could have been much better' in response to her sermon on Tuesday Trump sat stone-faced in the front row, next to First Lady Melania Trump, as the prelate told him illegal immigrants were 'not criminals', and he shouldn't deport those with children. Budde begged Trump to grant 'mercy upon the people in our country that are scared now', invoking the bible as she said 'God teaches us that we are to be merciful to the stranger.' 'There are gay, lesbian, and transgender children in Democratic, Republican, and Independent families, some who fear for their lives,' she continued. Moving onto illegal immigrants, a central issue on Trump's victorious presidential platform, Budde urged him not to follow through with his mass deportation plans. 'The people who pick our crops, and clean our office buildings, who labor in poultry farms and meat packing plants, who wash the dishes after we eat in restaurants, and work the night shifts in hospitals, they might not be citizens or have the proper documentation,' she said. 'The vast majority of immigrants are not criminals. I ask you to have mercy Mr. President on those in communities whose children fear that their parents will be taken away.' Trump didn't react to the pointed message as he sat staring at Budde, although others in his group, including new Vice President JD Vance, wore a more telling expression on their faces. Speaking to reporters at the White House shortly after the service, Trump was more reserved than his Truth Social rebuke, but said briefly that he thought Budde 'could have been much better.' As Budde's sermon drew outrage from conservatives who questioned her decision to politicize the religious service, Republican Congressman Mike Collins said on X: 'The person giving this sermon should be added to the deportation list.' Ohio Senator Bernie Moreno also waded in to condemn Budde, saying on X: 'As a Catholic and legal immigrant, it's outrageous that some woke Bishop would lecture President Trump about deporting illegals. 'It's an insult to all of us who came to this country the right way. If you don't have borders, then you don't have a country.' Conservative commentator Charlie Kirk, who was seen celebrating the inauguration with the Trump family on Monday night, branded Budde's lecture an 'embarrassment.' 'She was given a great honor today, a chance to unify America around a Christian message at the dawn of a new administration,' he said on X. 'Instead, she disgraced herself with a lecture you'd hear on CNN or an episode of The View.' A mass Vodafone outage has left customers around Australia unable to use data, send messages or receive alerts. Down Detector, which provides users with real-time information about the status of various services, reported a spike in issues around 11.30am on Thursday. 'SOS only' was all thousands of Vodafone users across all states could see on their phones. Vodafone claimed the outage only lasted about 10 minutes. A Vodafone spokesperson told Daily Mail Australia that customers continuing to experience connectivity issues should power cycle their device to restore services. We experienced a technical issue this afternoon that caused a very brief disruption to voice and data services for some of our Vodafone mobile customers, the spokesperson said. Our technical teams quickly identified the issue and implemented a fix to restore services and will continue monitoring our operations to maintain services. We apologise for any inconvenience this has caused our customers and will continue to monitor the situation. More to come. Hawaii investigators have arrested a 66-year-old man in a Utah nursing home in connection with a five-decade old cold case murder. DNA testing connected Gideon Castro, a US Army veteran, to the long-unsolved murder of student Dawn Momohara, 16, on March 21, 1977. Momohara's body was found by a teacher on the second floor of a building at McKinley High School in Honolulu, with medical examiners saying she was sexually assaulted before being strangled to death. An orange cloth was wrapped tightly around her neck, and the murder sparked fears across the island as the girl's killer remained at large. Although the case went cold, DNA evidence from the crime scene including shorts and underwear worn by Momohara were preserved by law enforcement, which went under analysis in March 2019. One year later in March 2020, forensic investigators found a partial DNA profile taken from sperm at the murder scene, leading police to the Castro family. Gideon Castro and his brother William had initially been identified as suspects a week after the murder, and although they said they knew Momohara, neither were arrested. Both brothers came under suspicion again in 2019 as they shared partial DNA matches. After DNA taken from William's child ruled him out as a suspect, detectives were left to track down Gideon. Dawn Momohara, 16, was found sexually assaulted and fatally strangled at her high school on March 21, 1977, with her murder remaining unsolved for decades Momohara's body was found at McKinley High School in Honolulu, Hawaii (pictured), and authorities maintained DNA evidence for decades from the scene that was re-tested in 2019 When Gideon was interviewed almost 48 years ago, he told detectives that he met Momohara at a school dance in 1976, and admitted that the two of them would speak occasionally on the phone. This detail may have identified him as a person of interest in the case as the morning before Momohara was killed, she was known to have told her mother she got a call from an unknown person. She told her mother that she and some friends were going to the Ala Moana Center with some friends, and as Honolulu Police Lt. Deena Thoemmes said at a press conference this week, 'that was the last time that Dawns mother saw or heard from her daughter.' After Momohara's body was found at the school, detectives tracked down a witness who claimed that the night before the murder, he saw a man lingering in his car by the same building she was later found inside. The car was described as a sedan likely to be a Pontiac LeMans, Buick Century or Buick Regal with louvered rear windows, a maroon bottom and white vinyl top, reports the Star Adviser. 'The car was parked on the grass, and a male was observed walking out from the ground-floor steps,' Thoemmes said this week. 'The witness circled his car back around, but the male and the car had already left.' A witness claimed that the night before the murder, they saw a man lingering in a sedan outside the school building where Momohara was found the next morning (pictured is a 1977 police sketch of the suspect vehicle) A composite sketch of a suspect (pictured), described as an Asian man aged between 18 and 22 years old with shoulder-length hair, was compiled at the time, but cops said it 'failed to provide any substantial leads at the time' The man was described as Asian and between 18 and 22 years old, with shoulder-length hair and around 150 pounds. Gideon Castro would have been 18 at the time of the murder. A composition sketch was produced, but Thoemmes said that the sketch 'failed to provide any substantial leads at the time.' 'Despite following up on numerous leads and interviewing multiple individuals, investigators were unable to identify a suspect at that time,' she added. Following decades as an unsolved cold case, until the case was submitted for further DNA testing in March 2019, and the partial DNA match was found a year later. Detectives tracked down the Castro brothers as matches to the DNA over three years later, and authorities first went to William in Chicago, Illinois in November 2023 to get a sample from him or one of his children. When his child's DNA ruled William out as a suspect, detectives turned to his brother Gideon, and the FBI and Homeland Security aided the investigation as they found was living in a nursing home in Utah. After getting DNA from his son in another state using 'covert' methods, he was found to be a match to the sample found at Momohara's murder crime scene, with further testing of Gideon confirming the match, Thoemmes said. Utah cops arrested Gideon inside the nursing home and charged him with second-degree murder. He is now awaiting extradition to Honolulu, where he will stand trial for Momohara's murder. Donald Trump has granted sweeping new powers to multiple government agencies to help homeland security deal with the crisis at the border. Federal agents began to round up migrants in Denver on Monday, while the military is headed to the border to help with the surge in crossings. The Trump administration is moving to boost these efforts by granting officials across multiple agencies powers similar to that of immigration officers, according to an internal memo published by WSJ Wednesday. Acting Homeland Security Secretary Benjamin Huffman has outlined plans to extend immigration enforcement powers to Justice Department agencies, including the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the U.S. Marshals Service. The ATF and DEA have traditionally only become involved in immigration cases when they involve gun and drug trafficking. The memo states that FBI agents have authority under Title 8 to arrest immigrants themselves, even though traditionally the bureau has stayed away from doing so when it doesn't pertain to national security work. Administration officials are asking the Department of Justice to cooperate by allowing some of their agents to get involved as well, though it stops short of fully deputizing agents. On Wednesday, Trump ordered the Pentagon to send the military in to help border agents who have been overwhelmed by the surge in crossings from Mexico under Joe Biden. As Donald Trump's administration has begun detaining illegal migrants, he's expanded deportation powers to multiple federal agencies to assist in his mass deportation plans Sex offender Edward Marlon Rauda-Aldnada, 56, of El Salvador, was arrested outside Baltimore in Silver Spring, Maryland The new deployment of about 1,500 troops comes after CBP One asylum appointments were canceled and the Biden-era app was shut down. Already, there are 2,500 troops at the border helping Customs and Border Protection (CBP) as part of Joint Task Force-North, US Northern Command's border mission based out of El Paso, Texas. Trump's order will mean 1,500 more get there by the end of January. There is also a National Guard contingent called Operation Lonestar, headed by the Texas National Guard and directed by Republican Gov. Greg Abbott. Roughly 4,500 National Guardsmen are currently assigned to that mission. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed on Wednesday afternoon that the latest troops are preparing to deploy, or are already on their way to the border. She said it is part of Trump's mission to 'direct the Department of Defense to make homeland security a core mission of the agency' and for the Pentagon to finally 'take homeland security seriously.' As the U.S. prepares to deport potentially millions of illegal immigrants, the Mexican government is erecting a temporary shelter near the very southern tip of the border with Texas in Matamoros, Mexico. The shelter is being set up by members of the Mexican Navy and municipal employees to be able to handle the influx of possible mass deportations from the U.S. in coming months. The Trump administration is moving to boost these efforts by granting federal agents across agencies powers similar to that of immigration officers, according to an internal memo The acting Homeland Security Secretary Benjamin Huffman, has outlined plans to extend immigration enforcement powers to Justice Department agencies, including the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Alcohol , Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the U.S. Marshals Service Images were captured on Wednesday of U.S. CBP transport vehicles unloading migrants as they were forced back over the border. Mexican police and immigration officials received the deportees crossing back to Mexico from Nogales, Arizona. Trump is reinstating his remain in Mexico policy, which requires migrants who are seeking asylum in the U.S. to wait for their court date in the country from which they crossed. The troops already at the border perform mostly logistics and bureaucratic tasks such as data entry, detection, monitoring and vehicle maintenance. And those being ordered there now are likely to assist in more of the same. Even more forces are expected to be deployed there in coming weeks and months. It is not yet clear which additional units are being ordered south. Trump's 'border czar' Tom Homan announced that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) already arrested 308 illegal migrants on Tuesday including some charged with murder and child rape. 'ICE is doing their job,' Homan said of the swiftly enacted operations. Trump has not ruled out using the military within America's borders to help round up illegal immigrants for his massive deportation operation. Administration officials are asking the Department of Justice to cooperate by allowing some of their agents to get involved as well, though it stops short of deputizing agents The ATF and DEA have traditionally only gotten involved in immigration cases when they involve gun and drug trafficking. PICTURED: Department of Homeland Security conducting a raid But the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is also creating task forces to work with local and state law enforcement authorities to have them enforce federal immigration laws. A memo dated Tuesday warns local governments that if they seek to shield illegal immigrants from detection or deportation by federal authorities they could now face criminal prosecution. This is an obvious crackdown on so-called sanctuary cities a moniker given to usually Democratic jurisdictions that seek to prevent or circumvent federal authorities whose job it is to detect, arrest or deport illegal immigrants. President Trump is directing federal prosecutors to investigate state and city officials who resist his immigration enforcement efforts, a Justice Department memo instructs. He vowed to restart immigration raids, including in sanctuary cities like San Francisco, Chicago , Detroit, New York City and many others. Multiple reports detail the new directive and the Justice Department memo, written by Trump appointee and Acting Deputy Attorney General Emil Bove. It states: 'Federal law prohibits state and local actors from resisting, obstructing or otherwise failing to comply with lawful immigration-related commands and requests.' Trump issued 10 executive orders on day one of his second term on Monday related to the southern border and the illegal immigration crisis. ICE in Colorado is going after criminal migrants and those who skipped out on deportation orders by a judge, law enforcement sources tell DailyMail.com He vowed during the 2024 election he would carry out the largest deportation operation in U.S. history. Homan told Fox News there have been no CBP One App releases since Trump took office and claims that total apprehensions at the southern border dropped to 766 on Tuesday. This compared to the thousands per day that were crossing under Biden's leadership is a drastic change from one day to the next. Migrants found themselves deported or sent straight back to Mexico as they sought to gain entry into the U.S. at the border between Tijuana and California on Tuesday Trump's first full day back in office. Hundreds were seen on Tuesday walking back over the El Chaparral pedestrian border bridge after being deported back to Mexico. The Justice Department now warns that any officials who resist or obstruct the federal immigration enforcement could now be charged with defrauding the U.S. or even harboring illegal aliens. If their investigations find local officials to be in violation of this directive but the prosecution opts not to bring criminal charges, they must notify the Justice Department of such a decision. Bove's memo notes this is an additional way in which to enforce the flurry of executive orders Trump signed on illegal immigration already. Pictured above: The ICE detention center in Aurora, Colorado Former ICE Field Office Director John Fabbricatore, testifies before a House Committee on the Judiciary, Subcommittee on Immigration Integrity, Security, and Enforcement hearing on restoring immigration enforcement in America, on Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday He also cited threats posed by international gangs and drug cartels, writing: 'It is the responsibility of the Justice Department to defend the Constitution and, accordingly, to lawfully executive the policies that the American people elected President Trump to implement.' Arrests in Denver began on Monday, when President Donald Trump took the oath of office, and have spread throughout the state. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE, in the Rocky Mountain state has been detaining migrants with pending criminals cases, police sources confirmed. 'There were these priorities that were put out that limited you, like you couldn't go after DUIs. You couldn't go after a basic drug possession. The Biden Administration made these priorities that kept you from going after criminals,' he shared. Non-criminal migrants who have a final order from a judge to leave the country are also being picked up, although at least 85% of those being sought have criminal records. 'Potentially, that person may not be a criminal but they still have gone through the immigration process, seen an immigration judge and refused to leave,' Fabbricatore stated. Law enforcement cautioned that these are not raids, meaning they aren't fishing for any person who might be in the US illegally. Instead, they're calling this 'targeted enforcement' meaning agents have already done homework on who these people are and why they are being detained. They also appear to be cramming people into one-bedroom apartments, she added. At a different property, a maintenance worker said they believe TdA members are living there because he has seen Venezuelans walking around shamelessly showing off well-known Tren de Aragua tattoos They also explained similar arrests are happening across the country, but they don't look like the raids everyone expected. Even though ICE is only going after people who have pending cases at this time, it's possible other migrants may be caught up in the dragnet. 'Any collaterals that they come across while targeting a criminal alien is on the table right now,' Fabbricatore admitted. 'If they go into an apartment looking for a gang member who's wanted, and he's got two buddies in there and they're both illegal, they may pick them up as well.' President Trump traveled to Aurora, a suburb of Denver, in October to launch 'Operation Aurora'-- what he billed as the largest deportation plan in the nation's history meant to eject millions of migrants from the US. Then-presidential candidate Trump picked Aurora because it has become a stronghold for Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua, known as TdA to police. After slipping across the southern border posing as asylum-seekers, gang members infiltrated at least three apartment complexes in the area. TdA thugs took over vacant apartment units to use a drug and prostitution dens-- pimping out migrant women and even children. Other migrants who lived in those properties were forced to pay the gangsters 'rent' or face violence. In August, a video of armed gang members storming a unit at the Edge of Lowry surfaced and made national headlines. TdA has also been linked to many high-profile crimes across the country, including murders, rapes, police beatings and extortions. A fast-moving blaze north of Los Angeles exploded to more than 10,000 acres in a matter of hours as fire tornadoes erupted and 50,000 weary residents were issued new evacuation warnings. The inferno, dubbed the Hughes Fire, broke out in the hills north of Santa Clarita near Lake Castaic, and jumped from just 500 acres to 10,176 on Wednesday. Some 31,000 residents were under mandatory evacuation orders while another 23,000 were put on high alert with warnings they should consider fleeing their homes. Footage from the edge of the blaze reveals swirling tornadoes of fire taking shape as entire hills were engulfed in fiery red flames. Massive clouds of smoke billowed over entire neighborhoods as helicopters dumped gallons of water from above in an effort to contain the blaze. Weary residents across southern California and Los Angeles have been battling fires for three weeks after scores of prime real estate from the Pacific Palisades to Malibu and Pasadena were razed last week. Though the region was under a red flag warning, winds were not as fast as they had been when those fires broke out, allowing for firefighting aircraft to dump tens of thousands of gallons of fire retardant. 'The situation that were in today is very different from the situation we were in 16 days ago,' Los Angeles County Fire Chief Anthony Marrone said Wednesday evening. The rapidly growing Hughes Fire blaze has scorched nearly 9,300 acres of land in a span of hours as Los Angeles residents report seeing fire tornadoes Footage from the scene shows swirling fire tornadoes on the edge of roads and entire hills covered in fiery red flames No lives have been lost or structures reported damaged in the blaze, which is being fought by some 4,000 firefighters, Marrone confirmed As the inferno spreads, Governor Gavin Newsom, who has come under sharp criticism for the state's initial response to and preparedness for the outbreak weeks ago, has assured Californians that state resources have been deployed to control the situation. 'State resources have been deployed to the Hughes Fire in the Angeles National Forest to assist in the federal response,' he said on X. 'We will continue to monitor the situation closely and provide the federal government with whatever it needs to extinguish this fire.' Joe Tyler, director of Cal Fire, said: 'This fire had a robust response today, and as you can see behind us, the responders are doing great work to try to contain this fire. Certainly, we are not out of the woods yet.' No lives have been lost or structures reported damaged in the blaze, which is being fought by some 4,000 exhausted firefighters, Marrone added. He also said that one of their priorities would be making sure crews, who have been battling the Hughes fire since it began, had time to eat and rest, according to the New York Times. 'Firefighting is dirty and dangerous work, but we've got to rotate our crews through so we can have a lot of production and efficiency throughout the night,' he said. At the time it began, the Hughes fire quickly ripped through nearly 8 square miles of trees and brush, sending up an enormous plume of dark smoke near Lake Castaic, a popular recreation area about 40 miles from the devastating Eaton and Palisades fires that are burning for a third week. Offramps along Interstate 5, a major north-south artery, were closed as flames raced along hilltops and down into rugged canyons. Crews on the ground and in water-dropping aircraft tried to prevent the wind-driven fire from moving south toward more populated foothill communities in Castaic, home to about 18,000 people. Your browser does not support iframes. Your browser does not support iframes. HUGHES FIRE burning towards Castaic, fire being pushed by winds gusting to 40mph, humidity at 6%sometimes you recognize that it is time to leave an area, this is one of those times. @knxnews pic.twitter.com/plZKEqtBI2 Pete Demetriou (@knxpete) January 22, 2025 A helicopter drops water on the Hughes Fire as firefighters monitor flames in Castaic, Calif., Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2025.(AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez) As the inferno spreads, Governor Gavin Newsom has assured Californians that state resources have been deployed to control the situation Plumes of smoke rise as the Hughes Fire burns in Castaic At least three schools were evacuated as a precaution, the California Highway Patrol said At least three schools were evacuated as a precaution, the California Highway Patrol said. Meanwhile, to the south, Los Angeles officials were preparing for potential rain even as some residents were allowed to return to the charred Pacific Palisades and Altadena areas. Gusty weather was expected to last through Thursday. 'We're going to see another round of critical fire conditions across Southern California,' Todd Hall, a National Weather Service meteorologist, said Wednesday morning. 'At this point, it sounds like a broken record.' Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass issued an executive order to expedite cleanup efforts in burn areas and mitigate the environmental impacts of fire-related pollutants. The Eaton Fire that scorched 14,021 acres east of Los Angeles has been 91 percent contained, while the larger Palisades Fire, which has consumed 23,448 acres on the west side of Los Angeles, stood at 68 percent contained on Wednesday. Since the two fires broke out on January 7, they have burned an area nearly the size of Washington, D.C., killed 28 people and damaged or destroyed nearly 16,000 structures, Cal Fire said. The cause of the Hughes fire in under investigation. Fierce clashes erupted in the street of Bali's hedonistic hotspot of Ubud after police shuttered a notorious resort that caters to Russian expats fleeing the Ukraine war and threat of conscription. Hundreds of officers descended on the Parq Ubud, which features long-stay accommodation, a series of bars and restaurants, a wellness centre, gym and co-work facilities, on Monday and booted out all the site's foreign residents. The strongarm crackdown came after the owners of the resort - derisively referred to as 'Russian Village' by locals - were accused of repeatedly flouting local development restrictions. Vision of the encounter - which has since gone viral on social media - showed residents clashing with both police and locals as they were escorted from the facility under armed guard. Balinese locals celebrated the move on social media, claiming the expat haven's mostly Russian residents had been running amok in the once peaceful mountain village since overtaking the town. The complex has earned a scurrilous reputation as the resort island struggles to contend with a growing number of foreign enclaves popping up across the tourism hotspot. Many of the village's inhabitants were said to be long-term residents in Bali who were banned from buying local properties by the island's strict foreign investment provisions. The self-professed 'city of the future' has billed itself 'a 'global creative town for entrepreneurs, artists and investors' and had boasted a range of high-end apartment options for expats. Balinese police escort foreign nationals from the notorious 'Russian Village' resort in the once-peaceful mountain town of Ubud The self-contained 'city of the future' catered to mainly Russian expats and offered long-stay accommodation, bars and restaurants, a gymnasium and co-working spaces The complex has earned a scurrilous reputation as the resort island struggles to contend with a growing number of foreign enclaves popping up across the tourism hotspot The Parq Ubud resort features idyllic swimming pools 'The futuristic idea of a place where people with common values and interests come together came to life at Parq Ubud,' the complex's owners boasted on its official website. 'This community embodies the idea of a city of the future, where everyone can live among like-minded people. 'If you have a powerful creative energy, if you like making the world a better place, you can join our team. Leave a request and we will contact you.' Balinese locals took to social media to celebrate the venue's closure this week. 'Great news they have no respect for the Balinese culture, nature or island. It's time Bali, again, belongs to the Balinese and has appropriate tourism and expat management. Bali should live forever,' one person said. Another added: 'Fantastic. Bali needs to take back its identity and demand respect.' Bali Tourism Agency chief Tjok Bagus Pemayun said authorities had no choice but to close Parq Ubud after it violated planning regulations. The provisions are designed to protect the island's traditional architecture and ever-diminishing rice paddy terraces from aggressive over-development. Vision of the fierce tussle between police and residents at the resort went viral this week One of the rooms inside the resort is pictured 'They need to follow local regulations. Even the 'dos and don'ts' guidelines must be fully implemented, like respecting the local culture, and so on,' Mr Pemayun told The Australian. 'Whoever the owner is, they must follow the regulations. Whether it's a local or a foreigner.' Indonesian Hotel and Restaurant Association spokesman Rai Suryawijaya adeed Russians were increadly moving to Bali as a result of 'the less productive situation in their own country'. 'That's why so many of these Russian villages and similar developments are happening. Moving forward, we need to be cautious,' he said. Russia's new ambassador to Jakarta Sergei Tolchenov defended the country's 40,000-odd citizens who called the resort island home last August while maintaining they were as well-behaved as any other nationality. 'I don't believe the people accusing Russian tourists of being the worst among foreign visitors who don't obey local laws and customs in Bali,' Mr Tolchenov told the Australian. 'I'm sure it's not only Russians who commit crimes.' The simmering tensions between the local Balinese residents and influx of Russian residents comes after the island took out the top spot in a list of destinations to avoid over claims its natural beauty has been eroded by tourism. The Parq Ubud promoted itself as 'a global creative town for entrepreneurs, artists and investors' before it was shuttered by authorities for breaching local development rules Fodors Magazines put the idyllic Indonesian island on its 2025 'No List' along with 15 other destinations including Barcelona, Venice, Koh Samui and Mount Everest. The travel site's annual list highlights tourist destinations deemed 'suffering from untenable popularity'. The editors said the natural environment and tourism industry are intertwined in the tropical enclave and that the sheer number of visitors threatens to degrade both. 'Rapid, unchecked development spurred by over-tourism is encroaching on Bali's natural habitats, eroding its environmental and cultural heritage, and creating a "plastic apocalypse",' Fodors noted. 'Once-pristine beaches like Kuta and Seminyak are now buried under piles of trash, with local waste management systems struggling to keep up.' The Central Bureau of Statistics for Bali Province has noted some 3.5million foreigners had already visited the island in the first seven months of 2024. The magazine said strong tourist numbers post-pandemic intensified the 'strain on the island'. Local media suggested the central south of the island suffered the most, with a high concentration of resorts, traffic, development, and waste and water management issues plaguing the area. The natural serenity of Bali is threatened by a swathe of detractors brought by international tourism, a magazine has warned Bali Tourism Board's chairman, Ida Bagus Agung Partha Adnyana said the issue wasn't the total number of visitors. 'The problem is not the number of tourism overall, but the concentration of tourism in certain areas, especially in South Bali,' he told the Bali Sun. 'This causes other areas in Bali that are actually rich in culture and natural beauty not to get the same attention, either from tourists or from tourism managers. 'Bali does not deserve to be considered a destination to avoid in 2025 because the problem faced is more about the concentration of tourism in South Bali, not overtourism as a whole.' The deputy chairman of the Indonesia Hotels Association (PHRI), I Gusti Ngurah Rai Suryawijaya said Bali must re-evaluate itself. 'This is a warning for Bali itself, which is that Bali must rise from having to be tired of preserving its natural culture and environment itself,' he said. The magazine clarified certain destinations hadn't earned their spot for being underwhelming. Instead they were selected for facing a swathe of existential risks posed by international tourism. The son of a slain bikie boss is one of nine people charged over an anti-Semitic attack in an affluent Sydney suburb. Adam Hawi, 21, was charged over his alleged involvement in an incident in Woolahra in November. Several cars were damaged, a ute was torched and celebrity chef Matt Moran's Chiswick restaurant was scrawled with anti-Israel messages, with police estimating the incident caused up to $100,000 worth of damage. Detectives allege that Hawi's car was used in the attack and that he refused to tell police who was behind the wheel, reported the Sydney Morning Herald. His next court appearance is in March. Hawi is the son of former Commanchero boss Mahmoud 'Mick' Hawi who was murdered as he left a Sydney gym in 2018. His slaying sparked a series of brutal gangland hits across the city as rival gangs sought to wrest control of the drug trade. Mohammed Farhat, 20, and Thomas Stojanovski, 19, faced court this week over the Woolahra incident. Adam Hawi (pictured), 21, was charged over his alleged involvement in an incident in Woolahra in November Several cars were damaged, a ute was torched and celebrity chef Matt Moran's Chiswick restaurant was scrawled with anti-Israel messages, with police estimating the incident caused up to $100,000 worth of damage (pictured: another attack in the same area in December) Hawi is the son of former Commanchero boss Mahmoud 'Mick' Hawi (pictured) who was murdered as he left a Sydney gym in 2018 They were each charged with 14 counts of destroying or damaging property, in addition to trespassing offences and offensive behaviour charges. It comes authorities revealed a shocking new theory about who is financing the spate of recent anti-Semitic attacks. The Australian Federal Police (AFP) are investigating if locals have been paid to carry out acts of anti-Semitic violence by people overseas, as national leaders agree to establish a database of attacks. AFP Reece Kershaw said the force was probing 15 serious attacks since December and was considering whether overseas actors or individuals paid local criminals to carry out some of the crimes. 'We are looking at if - or how - they have been paid, for example in cryptocurrency, which can take longer to identify,' he said. The Only About Children centre in Maroubra, in Sydney's east, was set on fire soon after midnight on Tuesday and the words 'F*** the Jews' were sprayed in black paint on a wall. The blaze was put out but the building was extensively damaged. There were no reports of injuries and the property was empty at the time. Police believe the attack may have targeted the wrong property as there is a synagogue 150 metres further down Anzac Parade, and the damaged child care centre had no connection to it. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese described the attack as an 'evil hate crime'. New South Wales Health has issued an urgent warning following a confirmed case of the highly infectious measles disease in Greater Western Sydney. A Sydneysider recently returned from Vietnam, currently experiencing a widespread measles outbreak, and attended Family Doctors Berala last Saturday with the virus between 10am and 11.15am. The state's health body has advised those in the western Sydney area to remain alert to any signs or symptoms of measles. South Western Sydney Local Health District Director of Public Health, Dr Mitchell Smith, said while the clinic poses no ongoing risk, people who visited on Saturday morning should monitor for symptoms. 'Symptoms to watch out for include fever, sore eyes, runny nose and a cough, usually followed three or four days later by a red, blotchy rash that starts on the head and face, then spreads to the rest of the body,' Dr Smith said. 'It can take up to 18 days for symptoms to appear after being exposed, so it's important for people who visited this site at that time to look out for symptoms up until Wednesday 5 February. 'If you experience symptoms please call ahead before visiting your doctor.' Measles is one of the most contagious diseases. A measles patient, recently returned from Vietnam, attended Berala Family Doctors on Saturday, in Sydney's west The state's health body has warned residents to ensure their measles vaccinations are up to date Coughs, breaths, and sneezes from an infected person can be enough to spread the virus. Dr Smith said Australians should ensure they are up to date with their vaccinations in light of the case. 'Anyone born after 1965 needs to make sure they have had two doses of measles vaccine,' he said. 'This is especially important before overseas travel. Measles outbreaks are occurring in several regions of the world at the moment.' On Monday, Vietnam's Ministry of Health reported more than 20,000 suspected measles cases in 2024. There have been at least 13 confirmed deaths as a result of the outbreak. Government bodies warned Australians travelling to any country overseas to remain vigilant in the face of the outbreak. Last week, a child returned from Vietnam to South Australia and visited several medical centres and shopping centres. The child carried the state's first measles case for the year, with just six cases of measles reported in South Australia last year. Pardoned former Proud Boy leader Enrique Tarrio flew home to Miami Wednesday harboring a message of revenge in his heart for those who had him jailed over the storming of the Capitol. Tarrio, 40, was emotionally reunited with his 60-year-old mother, Zuny, at the international airport after President Donald Trump made his release, along with other January 6 convicts, one of his first executive-order actions upon assuming office. But after being let out of a medium-security federal prison in Pollock, Louisiana, the far-right activist went on arch conspiracy theorist Alex Jones' Infowars podcast and vowed payback to the January 6 Committee and the jury that convicted him of seditious conspiracy. 'They didn't care what they were going to charge us with, it could have been jaywalking, it could have been murder. That jury was going to find us guilty of whatever,' he claimed. Then, appearing to speak of a catch-all 'they,' he continued: 'They didn't care about the evidence. They cared about putting Trump supporters in prison.' Tarrio, given a 22-year sentence over the 2021 storming of the Capitol amid baseless claims the 2020 election was 'stolen', also chillingly warned: 'Well, now it's our turn.' 'I'm happy that the president's focusing not on retribution and focusing on success, but I will tell you that I'm not gonna play by those rules,' he went on. 'The people who did this, they need to feel the heat. They need to be put behind bars and they need to be prosecuted.' Enrique Tarrio, the former leader of the Proud Boys convicted of orchestrating the Capitol Riot on January 6, 2021, was pardoned by President Donald Trump. He is pictured in Miami International Airport after flying home from a medium-security federal prison in Pollock, Louisiana Tarrio, who had been serving a 22-year prison sentence, hugs his 60-year-old mother Zuny Tarrio plants a kiss on his fiancee after he was found guilty in May 2023 of multiple felonies, including seditious conspiracy Tarrio walks out of the airport as passers by and reporters follow him Despite outgoing President Joe Biden's last-minute preemptive pardons of former Rep. Liz Cheney and other January 6 Committee members, he said: 'They pardon the J Six committee? Fine they need to be imprisoned. 'We need to find and put them behind bars for what they did. They need to pay for what they did.' Jones, ordered to pay $1.487 billion in damages for defamatory falsehoods over the 2012 Sandy Hook school shooting in Newtown, Connecticut, then egged him on by saying: 'We have to put the deep state in prison.' Tarrio's chilling vow of revenge came hours before he flew into Miami on a Southwest flight from the Dallas-Love Field airport, changing his travel plans after snow hit Louisiana. Wearing a red top over a black Motley Crue T-shirt and a black Make America Great Again hat, he emerged into the concourse into the arms of his mother. The pair emotionally embraced for several seconds before heading towards the exit amid a media melee of TV cameras and photographers. Tarrio did not appear to comment on his incarceration or pardon as he was quickly ushered to a black GMC SUV with his mom and legal team amongst the crush. Fellow Miami Proud Boy member Gabriel Garcia, also pardoned by Trump, was at the airport for the homecoming. He told reporters he had spoken to Tarrio. 'He's just glad to be back,' he said. Prosecutors had argued Tarrio, who was not at the Capitol during the riot, played a central role in the violent mayhem from outside Washington DC. He was convicted in May 2023. Tarrio did not appear to comment on his incarceration or pardon as he was quickly ushered to a black GMC SUV with his mom and legal team amongst the crush Fellow Miami Proud Boy member Gabriel Garcia, additionally pardoned by President Trump, was also at the airport for the homecoming. He told reporters he had spoken to Tarrio and: 'He's just glad to be back' The one-time south Florida petty criminal was national chairman of the ultra-right militant Proud Boys at the time when he helped plan the march on the Capitol, according to trial records. His indictment said he and others set up a 'Ministry of Self Defense' and exchanged hundreds of encrypted texts about a plan to 'storm the Capitol' and ring in the new year with 'a revolution'. As Tarrio was watching events on TV from a Baltimore hotel room, prosecutors alleged he messaged other members that he was 'enjoying the show'. Tarrio's pardon came amid roughly 1,500 others and 14 commuted sentences in connection with the attack, which delayed the certification of Joe Biden's 2020 victory. Some 140 law enforcement officers defending the building were assaulted. President Trump's sweeping order on Monday upended the largest prosecution in Justice Department history. The Federal Bureau of Prisons revealed it had released all of the more than 200 inmates held over January 6 by Tuesday morning. The president's order stated: 'This proclamation ends a grave national injustice that has been perpetrated upon the American people over the last four years and begins a process of national reconciliation.' Tarrio's mother, who has campaigned for his release since his conviction, said this week: 'I knew that we would be redeemed.' Days after he was sentenced in September 2023, she claimed Tarrio was a 'pawn' for the Biden administration and the case against him as a 'witch hunt'. She said her family had spent hundreds of thousands of dollars in legal fees to defend him. Pictured: Capitol police officers in riot gear attempt to hold back a wave of Trump supports attempting to storm the Capitol Building on January 6, 2021 Jacob Chansley, a.k.a. QAnon Shaman, is pictured inside the Capitol on January 6. Chansley was among those pardoned by Trump on his first day back in the White House Tarrio's attorney Nayib Hassan thanked Trump in a statement for his 'timely and significant decision to issue a full and complete pardon for our client'. He added: 'This marks a pivotal moment in our client's life, and it symbolizes a turning point for our nation. We are optimistic as we now turn the page on this chapter.' After Tarrio's conviction, US Attorney for the District of Columbia Matthew Graves said: 'No organization put more boots on the ground at the Capitol on January 6, 2021 than the Proud Boys. 'They were at the forefront of every major breach of the Capitol's defenses, leading the on-the-ground efforts to storm the seat of government. 'The leaders of the Proud Boys and the leaders of the Oath Keepers, who conspired before, during, and after the siege of the Capitol to use force against their own government to prevent the peaceful transfer of power have now been held accountable.' Christopher Wray, FBI Director at the time, said: 'Today's sentencing demonstrates that those who attempted to undermine the workings of American democracy will be held criminally accountable.' Tarrio wasn't in Washington on January 6 following a judge's order to stay away after he was detained for burning a Black Lives Matter flag belonging to a Black church in DC. Many of those pardoned in the executive order and now freed from prison were caught on camera viciously assaulting police. Pictured: January 6 rioters clash with police as they try to break through metal barriers Both Pam Bondi, Trump's pick to be Attorney General, and Vice President JD Vance broke with Trump on pardoning violent January 6 offenders Ironically, President Trump's Attorney General pick Pam Bondi indicated at her confirmation hearing that she did not believe violent rioters should be pardoned. She told lawmakers she condemned violence against police. And new Vice President JD Vance also diverted from Trump's line earlier this month when the move was being considered saying 'if you committed violence on that day, obviously you shouldn't be pardoned'. Former Army captain and fellow Proud Boy member Garcia, 44, celebrated his pardon by cutting off his ankle monitor the moment President Trump signed the executive order. He sliced it free to cheers and an inauguration day watch party in Miami. The 15-year veteran was arrested on the day of the riot. That led to two years of house arrest wearing the monitor for four. 'I was facing up to 27 years, 27 years for walking into a building with a flag,' he told CBS Miami. Garcia, a former member of Miami-Dade GOP's Executive Committee, was sentenced in December last year to 12 months in prison and ordered to pay $2,000 restitution costs after being found guilty of obstructing an official proceeding and interfering with law enforcement during a civil disorder. He was due to report to prison on February 7. He said after Monday's inauguration: 'I didn't hurt anybody, I didn't destroy anything, I didn't burn down a city and I sure as hell didn't go in there to stop any process or kill anybody.' Sadistic Southport murderer Axel Rudakubana is today due to receive a life sentence for the killings of three girls and attempts to murder 10 more people. In what prosecutors described as a 'meticulously-planned rampage', the maniac wielded a knife as he savaged children at a Taylor Swift-themed summer holiday dance class in a crime which shocked the nation. Bebe King, six, Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven, and Alice da Silva Aguiar, nine, all died and eight more children aged between seven and 13 suffered knife wounds, as did dance teacher Leanne Lucas while trying to protect the children. Businessman John Hayes, who rushed to the scene from his office nearby and attempted to overpower Rudakubana, was also stabbed. Others nearby who heard screams also rushed to the scene and police arrived, bringing the horrific incident to an end. In 12 minutes of mayhem, Rudakubana, wearing a green hooded top and surgical facemask, knifed as many children as he could, even pulling one girl back as she tried to flee. Ms Lucas's fellow dance teacher Heidi Liddle hid in a toilet with one child. Fuelled by misinformation that the perpetrator, then 17, was a Muslim migrant who had crossed the Channel on a dinghy, the horrific incident in the Merseyside town on July 29 last year sparked days of rioting across Britain. Within a month, 1,280 people had been arrested and 796 people charged over the anti-migrant violence. Nearly 500 were jailed. It has since emerged there were up to 15 chances to stop Rudakubana - also to be sentenced for possession of poison ricin, which he had manufactured at home using castor beans, and possessing an Al Qaeda training manual. Axel Rudakubana, pictured, will today find out how many years he will be behind bars Alice da Silva Aguiar, nine, was one of the three children killed in the knife attack in Southport Bebe King, six, was also killed in the knife attack at The Hart Space in Southport last July Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven, was among the three little girls killed in the attack in Southport A prison van believed to contain Axel Rudakubana arriving at Liverpool Crown Court for his sentencing A number of police officers arriving at Liverpool Crown Court where the sentencing of Axel Rudakubana will take place this morning Flowers and tributes outside the Atkinson Art Centre Southport, after three children were fatally stabbed at a Taylor Swift-themed holiday club What is a rare whole life order and why will Axel Rudakubana be spared one? A whole life order is the most severe punishment a judge can give out in England and Wales. It means the offender will never be released from prison, except in exceptional compassionate circumstances. The tariff is saved for the most heinous murderers, including serial killer Levi Bellfield and former Metropolitan Police officer Wayne Couzens, for the kidnap, rape and murder of Sarah Everard. It differs from a life sentence, which means the offender must serve a minimum term in prison before they are eligible for parole. Southport attacker Axel Rudakubana is not expected to receive a whole-life order because he was 17 at the time of the attack and the measures can normally only be imposed on criminals aged 21 or over. They are usually only considered for those aged 18 to 20 in exceptional circumstances. A whole life sentence is seen as too severe and not appropriate for a young offender. Advertisement The teen, who was not an illegal immigrant but born in Cardiff to Christian parents who came legitimately to Britain from Rwanda, had been caught carrying knives ten times and police had visited his home five times due to reports of disturbing behaviour. And it emerged this week that Rudakubana had been referred to the government's counter-extremism programme Prevent three times for an obsessive interest in extreme violence and bloody conflicts. As a 13-year-old, he had been forced to leave his former school, Range High, in Formby, Merseyside, after a series of incidents including bringing a knife to school, coming into school while excluded and attacking pupils with a hockey stick, and a further incident where he tried to assault teachers. Prior to attacking the dance class with one of two 20-centimetre kitchen knives he bought on Amazon for 3.40 each, the teenager planned what could have been Britain's first high school massacre at his old school a week earlier on July 22. The attack was only thwarted after his father stopped him getting into a taxi outside the family home. Rudakubana, who was nine days off his 18th birthday when he carried out the devastating attack at the Hart Space community centre, unexpected entered guilty pleas on Monday when a month-long trial was due to begin. He admitted 16 charges: three counts of murder, 10 attempted murders, possession of a bladed article, production of a biological weapon, and possession of information likely to be useful for terrorism. He had previously refused to co-operate with the court process, ignoring all instructions put to him including requests to stand or confirm his own name and had not even engaged with the barrister appointed to defend him. During what turned out to be a brief hearing at Liverpool Crown Court on Monday, the judge Mr Justice Goose warned Rudakubana: 'You will understand that it's inevitable the sentence I will impose upon you will be that of a life sentence equivalent.' Because he was under-18 at the time of the offence, he cannot receive a whole-life sentence but the minimum term is expected to be several decades long. Ministers have ordered a public inquiry into state failings in the case. Rudakubana, branded a 'ticking time bomb' with a 'sickening interest in death', was referred three times to the Prevent programme but was deemed not to be motivated by terrorist ideology on each occasion. Home Secretary Yvette Cooper told MPs that a review of his contact with the programme found he had 'admitted to having carried a knife more than ten times, yet the action against him was far too weak'. She said he was referred to Prevent repeatedly because he was 'expressing interest in school shootings, the London Bridge attack, the IRA, MI5 and the Middle East'. Tablet computers at his home showed he downloaded papers on historical violence by the Nazis, Genghis Khan and even relatively obscure conflicts in French colonies during the 17th century plus footage of beheadings and torture. As well as the digital discoveries, a machete and scabbard, a set of arrows and a black holdall were found in Rudakubana's bedroom at the family home in Banks, Lancashire, a village five miles north of Southport. The Prevent review, conducted since the summer, has concluded that 'too much weight was placed on the absence of ideology' and that his case 'should not have been closed' by counter-terror police who were assessing whether he posed a threat. There was a heavy police presence at Liverpool Crown Court ahead of Axel Rudakubana's sentencing Your browser does not support iframes. At 11 years old, Rudakubana appeared dressed as Doctor Who in a television advert for BBC Children In Need, after being recruited through a casting agency, it is understood. Police officers at Rudakubana's home on Old School Close in Banks, Lancashire, last August A car burns after being overturned during a protest in Middlesbrough on August 4, 2024 Police in front of protesters in Nottingham on August 3,2024 after the Southport killings Rudakubana's father Alphonse is believed to have fled Rwanda with Rudakubana's mother, Laetitia Muzayire, 52 Ms Cooper said 'multiple' public bodies had had contact with Rudakubana in his teenage years. Lancashire Police visited his home five times in response to calls about his disturbing behaviour. He was also in contact with social services, mental health workers and the local youth offending team, as well as Prevent. The Home Secretary said there were 'so many signs of how dangerous he had become, yet the action against him was far too weak'. There were up to 15 missed opportunities by government agencies to stop Rudakubana, The Times reported. After the guilty pleas were entered, Ursula Doyle, Deputy Chief Crown Prosecutor with CPS Mersey-Cheshire, said: 'This was an unspeakable attack one which left an enduring mark on our community and the nation for its savagery and senselessness. 'At the start of the school holidays, a day which should have been one of carefree innocence; of children enjoying a dance workshop and making friendship bracelets, became a scene of the darkest horror as Axel Rudakubana carried out his meticulously planned rampage. 'It is clear that this was a young man with a sickening and sustained interest in death and violence. He has shown no sign of remorse.' The government has faced accusations of a cover-up over the failure to publicise details about authorities' past dealings with Rudakubana or make discoveries of ricin and the Al Qaeda manual public until the end of October, three months after the attack. A suspicious substance found in a Tupperware box concealed under his bedroom floor during a police search of his home was confirmed to be ricin by Porton Down scientists on August 2. Shadow home secretary Chris Philp accused the government of allowing an 'information vacuum' filled with malicious postings online. He asked why the discovery of ricin and the copy of the Al-Qaeda manual could not have been swiftly revealed. There were reports senior police officers became frustrated after the Crown Prosecution Service advised them to withhold many details they felt should be made public, to counteract the false claims online. It was not until October 29 that Rudakubana was charged with production of a biological weapon, and possession of information likely to be useful for terrorism. Meanwhile, a legal ban on identifying under-18s charged with a crime meant that although Rudakubana's name was known locally, it could not be publicised for three days until a legal challenge by the press, led by the Daily Mail. Speaking immediately after the murders, relatives of Bebe King said: 'No words can describe the devastation that has hit our family as try to deal with the loss of our little girl Bebe.' And Alice da Silva Aguiar's family said: 'Keep smiling and dancing like you love to do our Princess, like we said before to you, you're always our princess and no one would change that. Love from Your Hero Daddy and Mummy.' Further tributes came from the youngsters' teachers. Natasha Sandland, head of Marshside Primary School, told how the school was 'deeply saddened' at the loss of 'one of our brightest and most wonderful shining stars in Bebe'. She said: 'Right now our focus is on supporting Bebe's family and her friends, our staff and our community who have been left numb by this tragic incident.' And Jennifer Sephton, head teacher at Farnborough Road Infant School, described Elsie Dot Stancombe as a 'kind and caring friend to all who met her'. 'Elsie has been a loving and bright member of our wonderful community since first being brought here on her father's shoulders, and even at her early age she was such a caring and charismatic young lady who loved to please,' she said. Jinnie Payne, headteacher at Churchtown Primary, attended by Alice Aguiar and where Bebe King had also been a pupil, said the school had heard the 'tragic news' with 'great sadness', describing the stabbings as an 'atrocity'. Ms Payne described Alice, a Year 4 pupil, as the 'happiest of souls, a true ray of sunshine'. She added: 'She was known and loved by everyone in our school community. Alice's radiant smile brightened our days, and she embraced every aspect of school life with enthusiasm and joy.' 'Her kindness, playful nature, and zest for trying new things will forever be remembered. Ms Payne said Bebe, a former pupil at the school, was a 'joyful girl' whose 'kindness radiated through the entire Churchtown community'. At the time, Taylor Swift said she was 'completely in shock' and still taking in 'the horror' of what happened. Earlier this week, Sir Keir Starmer announced a public inquiry into the horror - and said failings by the state 'leap off the page'. Your browser does not support iframes. A court artist's sketch of Axel Rudakubana appearing at Liverpool Crown Court A prison van believed to contain Axel Rudakubana arriving at Liverpool Crown Court on Monday The PM told a press conference in Downing Street that people were right to 'demand answers' over 'failings' in the case of Axel Rudakubana The Southport Dance School is the latest case to be covered by the No.1 True Crime podcast, The Trial. Listen to The Trial on Apple, Spotify and anywhere you get your podcasts now The Prime Minister said if the law needed to change, it would - as he denied there had been any cover-up over the background in the case. He promised a review into 'our entire counter-extremist system' and 'shine a light into its darkest corners'. Sir Keir acknowledged that while the threat of terrorism in Britain has previously come from highly-organised groups such as al-Qaeda, the new danger involved acts of extreme violence by 'loners, misfits, young men in their bedroom' who develop hate-fuelled beliefs from researching online. He also vowed to bring in stricter checks when buying knives, especially online. The Prime Minister yesterday said it was unacceptable murder weapons can be obtained with 'two clicks' online. Under new Government plans, anyone purchasing a knife from the web will have to provide a digital scan of an official identity document such as a passport or driving licence to prove they are over 18 - and also film a selfie video to show they are the ID holder. The two-step verification scheme goes further than existing laws which require internet retailers to check the age of customers both when they order knives and when they are delivered. For more on this case, search for 'The Trial: The Southport Dance class' wherever you get your podcasts now. A surfer has revealed the last-ditch move that saved him from the jaws of a charging shark at a popular tourist spot on Wednesday. Dale Kittow, 37, was surfing about 150 metres off Cheynes Beach, near Albany on West Australia's southern tip, at about 4pm, when he saw a shark while paddling over a wave. Then the shark, which he believed was a 3-metre bronze whaler, began circling Mr Kittow while he sat on his board. 'It charged me, so I jumped off the back and sort of put the board in between me and the shark,' Mr Kittow told 7News. 'I got in a bit of a tangle and went under. '[I] hit it a couple of times, let my leg rope go, and got free.' After punching the shark Mr Kittow seized the opportunity to ride the next wave into shore, where his horrified partner was watching. At the beach, he realised he'd managed to escape entirely unscathed. Dale Kittow, 37, narrowly escaped the jaws of a shark in Western Australia on Wednesday The surfer said he jammed his board between he and the shark before hitting it repeatedly Mr Kittow did, however, salvage a memento from the close call - a sizeable chunk of fibreglass the shark had nipped from his board. He said he was lucky to have gotten off lightly. 'These were definitely moments there when I was thinking it wasn't going to go too good,' he said. The incident on Wednesday afternoon saw local authorities release a shark warning for the beach. Cheynes Beach is a popular tourist spot during the summer. The Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development confirmed they are investigating the attack. They are looking to confirm the shark's species officially. Mr Kittow's surfboard is now in their hands as they examine the damage. He told 7News he 'got in a bit of a tangle' with the shark but managed to free himself a ride a wave to shore The last fatal shark attack at the beach occurred in 2014 when a teenager was killed while spearfishing. Mr Kittow's narrow escape comes just weeks afterthe tragic shark attack death of Lance Appleby at Granites Beach in South Australia. Mr Appleby, 28, was surfing just after 7pm at night earlier this month when he was dragged underwater by a great white shark. A fisherman had alerted locals about an 'aggressive' great white shark at Granite Beach on social media just hours before the attack. A Romanian burglar who was involved in taking over 2million in copper wiring from the empty headquarters of Chinese tech giant Huawei has been jailed and faces deportation. Father-of-ten Alexandru Parole had been part of a group of who pulled up to the 140,000 sq ft building in Reading in a Seat Altea and a Mercedes Sprinter van to burgle the commercial premises, a court heard. He is the only one of what is believed to be 10 burglars who have ever been caught over the heist - which loss adjustors estimate caused in excess of 2,152,000 in a total loss over the course of four burglaries. He was jailed for 26 months and is now 'subject to automatic deportation,' the judge told him. Huawei had moved its HQ to the Green Park industrial estate in Reading in April 2013 but in 2022 announced it would downsize when its lease expired, after the the UK government declared the telecoms behemoth a high-risk vendor. Joseph Barlow, prosecuting, told Reading Crown Court that by late 2023, the large office building - which features an underground car park - had been 'stripped back to a bare shell' by management company CW Duke. But despite Green Park, which owns the building, having private security across the industrial park, the former Huawei HQ became a target for burglaries. Two burglaries took place in August 2023, in which first cabling in a voltage room on the site was taken and then cabling was stolen from transformers on the site, causing damage of approximately 500,000. Father-of-ten Alexandru Parole (pictured) had been part of a group of who pulled up to the 140,000 sq ft building in Reading, Berkshire, in a Seat Altea and a Mercedes Sprinter van to burgle the commercial premises, a court heard Two burglaries took place in August 2023, in which first cabling in a voltage room on the site was taken and then cabling was stolen from transformers on the site, causing damage of approximately 500,000 Huawei had moved its HQ (pictured) to the Green Park industrial estate in Reading, Berkshire, in April 2013 but in 2022 announced it would downsize when its lease expired, after the the UK government declared the telecoms behemoth a high-risk vendor Mr Barlow told how the construction site manager had set up a motion activated 'trap camera' in response, to try and capture future burglaries. On September 5, 2023, the manager was informed that Green Park security had disturbed a group which had been parked next to the site, causing them to abandon their vehicles and flee on foot. Footage captured by the trap camera showed members of the group spending hours carrying bags of the copper cabling, which had also been loaded up into orange trolleys. 'Quite a large amount of cabling was laid out, ready to be clipped into pieces', Mr Barlow explained. 'Once the cable in itself has been clipped, effectively it cannot be used. It has to be laid in one piece.' Parole, of Russell Rise, Luton, had been arrested after his DNA was found on cigarette butts in the abandoned vehicles. He was identified in the footage captured by the site manager and a V5 certificate for the Mercedes Sprinter van was found at his address. Mr Barlow said only one other suspect had been identified, who was currently the subject of a warrant. The other eight members of the group remained at large. The fourth burglary took place overnight on December 4, 2023, Mr Barlow said, in which 'considerable copper was stolen'. Although the prosecution only alleged Parole was involved in one of the four burglaries, Mr Barlow said: 'By engaging in copper thefts of this kind and of the scale we have seen, it would have contributed to that cost. 'The nature of such costs is perhaps foreseeable, even if you are not sure about Mr Parole's intention in his own involvement.' The court heard Parole had two previous convictions, one from July 21, 2023, at Derby Crown Court which heard he had burgled electrical items from a manufacturing warehouse in Chesterfield, for which he received a suspended sentence for a period of 12 months. Footage captured by the trap camera showed members of the group spending hours carrying bags of the copper cabling, which had also been loaded up into orange trolleys Mr Barlow said only one other suspect had been identified, who was currently the subject of a warrant. The other eight members of the group remained at large His other conviction was from May 8 last year at Cambridge Crown Court, which heard he was involved of the theft of scrap metal from an engineering store in Hitchin, Hertfordshire. He was jailed over the offence and driving related matters. Dhaneshwar Sharma, defending, pointed out his client had admitted the offence of burglary with intent to steal on Tuesday, the first day of his trial, but accepted his mitigation was 'limited'. 'He has no less than 10 children', Mr Sharma said. 'His wife was resident in the UK lawfully. Owing to his selfish behaviour, him being incarcerated, she has returned to Romania with all the children. 'Whilst nothing was stolen whilst Mr Parole was involved in this enterprise, I concede that was more to do with the good work of the security on site. There was no loss when Mr Parole was involved.' Judge Alan Blake, sentencing, told Parole: 'You were organised in a series of repeated burglaries targeting a commercial premises which resulted in very substantial losses, exceeding 2million. 'Your own involvement was limited to one night, overnight on September 4 to 5 2023 when, in fact, your group were unsuccessful in stealing copper wiring, which was being targeted. 'Your group plainly intended substantial economic gain for yourselves, resulting in substantial loss to another. 'Security guards will have had a level of fear and anxiety given the size of your group and risk of could have happened in a confrontation. 'Your dishonesty results in costs to wider society through disrupt and higher insurance premiums.' Judge Blake jailed Parole for 26 months, pointing out he had committed the burglary within just three months of a suspended sentence being imposed on him for the Chesterfield burglary. 'You will be subject to automatic deportation subject to any decision by the Home Office or the First Tier Tribunal', Judge Blake said. 'I am told you wish to return to be reconciled with your family in Romania.' The Afghan asylum seeker who stabbed a two-year-old boy and a passerby to death in a German park has been pictured for the first time since the attack. Enamullah O., 28, was arrested near the scene after attacking a group of children in a park in Aschaffenburg, Bavaria. Two people were killed and three injured, police said. The adult victim, a 41-year-old German, died while intervening to try to shield the children in Schoental Park from the kitchen knife-wielding attacker. Regional interior minister Joachim Herrmann said the suspect had already come to the attention of authorities for violent behaviour on three separate occasions and was referred for psychiatric treatment. Investigations were ongoing into the motive behind the attack, although initial information pointed 'very strongly in the direction of his obvious mental illness'. A neighbour who knew the attacker told Bild that Enamullah O. had already been referred to the police for attacking a friend with a knife. 'He repeatedly cut the skin of a compatriot of mine,' Mane, who only gave their first name, claimed. 'She screamed for help. I alerted the police. But shortly afterwards, Enamullah O. moved back into his room.' 'He had a funny look in his eyes,' the 23-year-old recalled. 'He had mental problems and took drugs.' The suspect had entered Germany in 2022 and unsuccessfully sought asylum. He was meant to have left late last year after offering to leave the country voluntarily, Herrmann said. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said Wednesday he would demand to know why the Afghan suspect had been able to stay in the country. 'The authorities must explain as quickly as possible why the attacker was even still in Germany,' Scholz said in a statement reacting to the devastating attack. The latest in a series of deadly knife attacks in Germany threatened to ignite a new debate over immigration ahead of a general election on February 23. Enamullah O., the suspect in the horrific stabbings in Germany, has been pictured German police secures a park, where earlier today two people were killed in a knife attack, one of them a child, in Aschaffenburg, Germany, January 22 Enamullah O., 28, was arrested near the scene after attacking a group of children in a park in Aschaffenburg, Bavaria (pictured January 22) Enamullah O. had announced in December 2024 that he would voluntarily leave the country after not being granted asylum, Bild reports. 'As a result, on December 11, the [ministry for immigration and asylum] finally closed the asylum procedure and asked the person concerned to leave the country,' Herrmann told a press conference. Investigators say he had already shown psychological problems in the past and had been 'noticed for violent crimes at least three times in the past', Herrmann said. A search of the suspect's accommodation at an asylum centre had not produced 'any evidence of a radical Islamist attitude', with investigators instead finding psychiatric medication. A fellow Afghan refugee who shared a hallway with him told Bild: 'I couldn't sleep because of him.' 'He was always making noise, drinking and listening to loud music.' Ahmad M., a 28-year-old engineer, said he spoke to Enamullah O. but never understood full sentences from him. 'As an Afghan, I am so sorry about this. My condolences go out to the families affected. But how could the police fail so badly? They all knew that he was not right in the head.' The suspect had allegedly been following a day care group of five young children before launching the attack, according to Main-Echo. As well as the heroic 41-year-old passerby, a two-year-old child of 'Moroccan origin' was also killed, Herrmann told reporters. Investigators believe the passerbyn had 'courageously intervened to protect the other children... and was then fatally injured by the attacker', Herrmann said. Bavarian officials said two adults and a 2-year-old Syrian girl were injured and taken to a hospital for treatment, and none of their lives were in danger. Other passers-by chased the suspect and he was arrested 12 minutes after the attack, Herrmann said. Candles and flowers are placed in a park, where earlier today two people were killed in a knife attack, one of them a child, in Aschaffenburg, Germany, January 22, 2025 Rescue and security worker are seen near the crime scene in Aschaffenburg, Germany An eyewitness told the Main-Echo newspaper that the arrested man was taken away 'in a headlock' People light candles during a protest after earlier today two people, one a child, were killed in a knife attack, in Aschaffenburg, Germany, January 22, 2025 An eyewitness told the Main-Echo newspaper that the arrested man was taken away 'in a headlock.' Cops confirmed that two people had died while three others were injured in the attack, and are now being treated in hospital. The knifeman also stabbed a two-year-old Syrian girl in the neck three times and stabbed another passerby aged 61 in the chest several times. A teacher also broke her arm while fleeing, according to Bild. 'Two people were fatally injured,' police said, while 'two seriously injured people are receiving treatment in hospital. The suspect was arrested in the immediate vicinity of the crime scene.' A second person arrested was a witness and was being questioned, police said, adding that there were no indications of other suspects as well as no further danger to the public. Police also said investigations into the 'background of the crime' were ongoing. Police and ambulances were pictured near the scene in Schoental Park, Aschaffenburg Enamullah O. came to Germany in November 2022, but was not granted asylum and announced last month that he would voluntary leave the country, tabloid Bild reports. 'As a result, on December 11, the [ministry for immigration and asylum] finally closed the asylum procedure and asked the person concerned to leave the country,' Bavaria's Interior Minister Joachim Herrmann told a press conference Main-Echo reported that teachers from an Aschaffenburg daycare center were out on a local trip to Schoental with five small children. 'The attacker is said to have followed this group. The teachers noticed this and they wanted to leave Schoental,' the news site said. 'When they wanted to leave, the man is said to have attacked the group with a knife. He was apparently specifically targeting the children. 'One teacher suffered injuries and is now in hospital, another is receiving psychological care. The other children have now been picked up by their parents and are receiving psychological care'. In a press release following the incident, Lower Franconia Police confirmed: 'The Aschaffenburg police, with the support of surrounding departments, launched a large-scale search for the suspect immediately after the incident became known. 'The suspected weapon used in the crime, a knife, was confiscated,' police said. The motive for the attack remains unclear and police have asked that people refrain from speculation. A large area was cordoned off covering Schoental Park, police said, and rail traffic in the area was temporarily suspended. German police secures a park, where earlier today two people were killed in a knife attack, one of them a child, in Aschaffenburg, Germany, January 22, 2025 German police secures a park, where earlier today two people were killed in a knife attack, in Aschaffenburg, Germany, 22 January 2025 German police secures a park, where on Wednesday two people were killed in a knife attack Train services in the town were temporarily interrupted as the suspect tried to flee along the tracks, German news agency dpa reported. However, he was quickly detained, police wrote on the social media platform X. They also declined to give details about how the attack took place. The governor of Bavaria condemned the attack and called it 'a terrible day for all of Bavaria'. 'We mourn the victims of a cowardly and despicable act. We mourn the loss of a small, innocent child who was fatally injured,' Markus Soder wrote on X. 'We mourn the loss of a helper who paid for his civil courage with his own life.' 'The circumstances of this inconceivable act must be fully clarified,' he added. 'But now is the time to pause for thought. It simply hurts. We pray for the victims and their families. We hope that all those injured recover quickly and fully.' Germany's Interior Minister Nancy Faeser expressed her compassion for the families of the victims and vowed that 'the investigation will shed light on the background to this terrible act of violence'. 'My thoughts and heartfelt sympathy are with the parents of the child who was killed, for whom there could be no more terrible news,' she said. 'My deepest sympathy also goes to the family of the man who lost his life as a result of this brutal act.' Rescue vehicles are seen near the crime scene in Aschaffenburg Bavarian Interior Minister Joachim Herrmann arrives near the park for a press conference this afternoon People light candles during a protest after earlier today two people, one a child, were killed in a knife attack, in Aschaffenburg, Germany, January 22, 2025 The suspect is believed to have tried to escape by running across nearby railway tracks, German newspaper Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung reported. In November, police classified parts of the city centre park as a 'dangerous place' due to an increase in 'drug-related crimes', which reportedly included robbery and assault. There were reported to be regular patrols of the area, which is potentially why the suspect was apprehended so quickly. Police have asked for witnesses to come forward and share any relevant pictures or videos as the investigation into the attack continues. A minister dismissed the prospect of the UK joining a European trade bloc today after the EU hinted at the shape of Keir Starmer's Brexit 'reset'. Commission vice-president Maros Sefcovic pointed to the idea of Britain becoming part of the Pan-Euro-Mediterranean Convention (PEM). He also floated 'dynamic alignment' of food and farming rules to ease checks on borders. And he made clear that Brussels is determined to have a reciprocal scheme for younger people to work freely in the UK. The PM has made improving ties with the EU one of his top priorities, but faces a tricky balancing act after ruling out being part of a customs union or the single market. Any sign of the UK cosying up with the bloc could also prompt the wrath of Donald Trump, a long-time critic. Planning minister Matthew Pennycook moved to pour cold water on the prospect of joining the PEM this morning, saying it was not something the government is considering. However, No10 spread fresh doubts by stressing that it would not break any of the UK's red lines. The Tories said Labour wanted to 'bend the knee' to Brussels. The PEM allows for tariff-free trade of goods across Europe, as well as some North African and Levantine nations. But Mr Pennycook said in a round of interviews: 'We're not seeking to participate in that particular arrangement.' He told Radio 4's Today programme: 'I think in general the Government's been very clear that we do want a closer relationship with our European partners, both in trading terms but also, importantly and this speaks to your previous segment in terms of security and defence co-operation, where we need to work far more closely. 'So absolutely, yes, we do want a closer relationship. As for this particular arrangement: no, we're not seeking to participate in it at the present time.' EU commission vice-president Maros Sefcovic pointed to the idea of Britain becoming part of the Pan-Euro-Mediterranean Convention (PEM) The EU chief hinted at the shape of Keir Starmer's (pictured) Brexit 'reset' suggesting the UK could join a European trade bloc, accept single market rules and strike a 'youth mobility' deal Some business groups have backed joining PEM on the grounds it would help to maintain complex supply chains. Speaking to the BBC at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, Mr Sefcovic said the idea had not yet been 'precisely formulated' and that the 'ball is in the UK's court'. The UK Government was said to have started consulting business on the benefits of the PEM plan and how it could help cut red tape and improve trade. Mr Sefcovic also told the broadcaster he would like to see the possibility of a full-scale veterinary agreement between the EU and UK reviewed. If UK food and farm products were given single market treatment, he said it would mean 'we would have to have the same rules and we have to upgrade them at the same time, we call it dynamic alignment'. A youth mobility scheme is thought to be a core demand for Brussels. Such an agreement could allow 18-30 year-olds to 'travel, work and live' across the EU and UK for up to four years. However, the Labour government has been unwilling to commit, amid fears that it could enrage Brexit supporters. Mr Sefcovic said: 'It's not freedom of movement. It's a bridge-building proposal. 'We do not want to look like the demanders here, because we believe this is good for the UK.' The EU chief said that he had the UK's Europe minister Nick Thomas-Symonds 'on speed dial'. The PM (pictured with Ursula von der Leyen) has made improving ties with the EU one of his top priorities, but faces a tricky balancing act after ruling out being part of a customs union or the single market Downing Street sidestepped questions about the UK potentially joining a pan-European trade agreement. The Prime Minister's official spokesman said he would not get into a running commentary on specific options up for discussion with the EU. But asked if a pan-European trade agreement would cross the red lines set out in Labour's manifesto for EU ties, he said: 'The arrangement that's been discussed is not a customs union. 'Our red line has always been that we will never join a single market, freedom of movement, but we're just not going to get ahead of those discussions.' Shadow foreign secretary Dame Priti Patel said: 'Labour's programme of bending the knee to the EU is disgraceful. 'These latest reports that the Government might shackle us to the European Union are deeply concerning, and once again make clear that Keir Starmer and his chums are all too happy to put their ideology ahead of our national interest, no matter the cost. 'The Conservatives will always fight for the democratic freedoms the British public voted for, and will not stand idly by in the face of Labour's great betrayal of our country.' Kmart has again been accused of 'duping' Aussie entrepreneurs by copying their successful product and undercutting their price. Two weeks ago, industrial design company Dreamfarm founder Alex Gransbury accused Kmart of copying his award-winning fold-flat citrus juicer, the Fluicer. And now the retail giant has been called out for allegedly making a 'lower quality ... dupe' of pet products sold by a company set up by sister and brother entrepreneurs. Sandra Abade and her brother Luka Maric from the southern Sydney suburb of Sans Souci set up Dog Friendly Co to sell personalised dog harnesses six years ago. It started as a side hustle, but has grown into a million-dollar company with more than 300,000 harnesses sold. But the siblings were horrified to discover this week that Kmart now sells similar harnesses, and said the store is 'ripping off an Australian brand'. Kmart's harness requires owners to stick the letters of their pet's name to the harness and costs from $12 to $15 - undercutting the Dog Friendly Co harness which can cost five times as much. The retailer is 'taking the easy way out' and making money off hard work done by others, Mrs Abade told the Daily Telegraph. Sandra Abade (pictured with her dog Carlos) co-founded Dog Friendly Co with her brother Luka Maric The siblings from the southern Sydney suburb of Sans Souci set up Dog Friendly Co to sell personalised dog harnesses (pictured) six years ago 'As a small business, especially in early stages, you're working day and night, you're doing the grind, and then just when it gets to a point where you start getting noticed, a bigger company comes in and copies you,' she said. Her brother said the Kmart harness copies the shape of the Dog Friendly Co harness, which straps underneath a dog's chest rather than around its legs. He said it was 'duping' and 'un-Australian'. Mr Maric said Kmart's strategy in this case was 'a family business puts in a lot of work over the years to develop a product and then you consistently wait around then do a cheaper version'. The brother and sister duo are now concerned that potential customers will confuse the 'lower quality' Kmart harness with theirs. Mrs Abade said it's not just about the quality, 'we're actually talking about safety, because there aren't as (many) restrictions around what you can and can't do when it comes to products like pet harnesses'. In the previous 'duping' allegation, Mr Gransbury of Dreamfarm has spent the past 22 years redesigning household items to improve functionality since starting his Brisbane company in his garage in 2003. His most successful item, the Fluicer, is a reimagined version of the humble juicer that is sold in three sizes - to fit limes, lemons and oranges - and retails for between $19.95 and $29.95. But now they say Kmart has 'duped' their product with a 'lower quality' copy (pictured) It was instantly recognised for its innovative design and in 2023, was named as one of Time Magazine's best inventions and listed as one of Oprah Winfrey's favourite things. But earlier this month, the small business owner discovered a duplicate version of his product was being sold at Kmart stores nationwide. The knock-off, produced by Anko, was priced at only $5. Mr Gransbury also claimed Kmart used photos of his product, as the packaging for the Folding Juicer included an image showing anti-spray features resembling those of the Fluicer. But he stressed Kmart's alleged copy does not actually include the same anti-spray features present in the Fluicer. He said Kmart's Folding Juicer was flawed because it was too small to effectively juice lemons, and struggled even with limes. Mr Gransbury said the Fluicer had not been patented in Australia as the process was not economically viable because it required a lawyer and cost about $30,000, along with yearly maintenance fees. 'I wish, in Australia, we supported each other, but when did it become OK to rip each other off?' he asked. At the time, Kmart told Daily Mail Australia its merchandise team conducts rigorous checks to ensure its products do not infringe on the rights of others. 'Our merchandise team is focused on creating curated ranges that align back to global trends, enabling us to provide our customers with great products at the lowest possible price,' a spokesperson said. 'Our merchandise process also ensures we conduct thorough checks during the product ranging and development process, to ensure we are not infringing the rights of others.' Daily Mail Australia has contacted Kmart and Dog Friendly Co for comment. A dog owner who died in her apartment was found eaten by her pet pugs after lying undiscovered for days. Adriana Neagoe, 34, had not been heard from for five days before police made the harrowing discovery at her home near Bucharest, Romania. Officers arrived at the flat in Targu Jiu with a relative to find Adriana, who went by Anda Sasha, lifeless with her two pugs beside her. They said that it was clear the unfed dogs had already begun to eat at her corpse. Ambulance crews confirmed Adriana's death, noting that there were no apparent signs of violence. Her body was transported to the Gorj Forensic Medicine Service for an autopsy to determine her cause of death. 'Another angel has gone to heaven,' her sister, Maria Alexandra, said in a heartbreaking post on social media, confirming the death. 'My beautiful sister Anda Sasha is no longer among us.' Adriana's family said they had not heard from her for days before the discovery Ambulance crews confirmed Adriana's death, noting that there were no apparent signs of violence Officers went to the flat after receiving a call from a relative expressing concern that Adriana was not answering her phone and had not answered the door in nearly a week Police have opened an investigation and are exploring all avenues to figure out what happened to Anda. Due to the position she was found in, there were signs of cadaveric livity, also known as livor mortis. This term describes the pooling of blood in the lowest parts of the body after death, and it causes a discolouration of the skin ranging from pink to dark purple. Officers went to the flat after receiving a call from a relative expressing concern that Adriana was not answering her phone and had not answered the door in nearly a week. They said the relative went with them to the flat, where they made the horrifying discovery. According to police, firefighters helped to force the locked door of the woman's home open. After finding Adriana, police issued a shelter order for the two dogs, and they were taken by workers from the Gorj County Council. People on social media were quick to offer their condolences to Anda's family and expressed their shock. Daniel said: 'Condolences, I can't believe it. I am so sorry.' Roby added: 'What is this life, today you are and tomorrow you are not. What a pity for her youth. May God rest her soul in peace.' 'I don't believe what just happened,' said Alysa. Mara also wrote: 'I am devastated! May God protect her and give you the strength to overcome. Please let me know if I can help with anything. Condolences.' Elena said: 'My deepest condolences to you! I am in shock! What happened to her?' Adriana's beloved pet pugs were found with her by police and a relative They said the relative went with them to the flat, where they made the horrifying discovery Adriana was found dead in her apartment near Bucharest with her two pugs They made the horrifying discovery that the animals had started eating her flesh In 2013, an animal lover who died at her home in Hampshire, UK, was discovered having been eaten by her own cats. The 56-year-old woman was sadly discovered dead on the kitchen floor of her home in Ringwood on April 4, 2013. Neighbours had raised the alarm having not seen her for some time and noticing that her letterbox was overflowing, Southampton Coroner's Court was told. Police found 'a distressing scene'. There were a number of dead animals - including a cat and a dog - in the kitchen and living room, but others had survived. It was believed that the hungry animals had begun to eat their owner after being left without food for months. Recording a death from natural causes, coroner Keith Wiseman said: 'These animals had been, the officer thought, confined in these two rooms downstairs for what may well have been a period of many weeks, stretching quite possibly into several months.' He added: 'This too was a distressing experience because it was clear that certain parts of [the] body were missing and had, the officer formed the view, effectively been gnawed and eaten away by the animals. 'One can only imagine the difficulty with the scene the officer was having to deal with.' Mr Wiseman concluded the deceased had been eaten by her cats after she died as her body lay in the kitchen for weeks. She had suffered from various chest conditions in the past, it was heard. Jeremy Clarkson has sparked shock after a viral video revealed he is charging 200 for a pie at his farm shop and pub. An Instagram video filmed inside the popular Oxfordshire Diddly Squat shop features an 'extra, extra large' meat pie which is priced at a whopping 199.99. A video, narrated by The Skeptics Take, showed the pie and price tag and said: 'Enough pie to throw at your neighbour for 200 quid.' The clip, which started off by showing the The Farmer's Dog sign at the farm, saw a visitor walk through the farm shop and reveal the prices of some of the goods on offer. 'I went to Jeremy Clarkson's pub and farm shop so you don't have to,' a voiceover states. The video shows how visitors to the pub must pay 2 for parking in a 'muddy field', which caused controversy among viewers. The voiceover told watchers that after paying for parking, visitors could choose from 'an array of overpriced souvenirs that will end up in your bin'. It then showed various objects available to purchase, including a Christmas candle for 22 with the branding: 'This smells like my Christmas balls'. Some viewers were left outraged by the 200 price tag for an extra extra large pie from the Diddly Squat farm shop Among the other items featured in the clip was a litre of milk on sale for 6.10 in a glass bottle Jeremy Clarkson and his partner Lisa Hogan (pictured) both feature heavily in the Clarkson's Farm series Jeremy Clarkson runs the farm shop and pub at the Oxfordshire site It then turns to a stack of large pies on a countertop, ranging from large to extra extra large. While a large pie costs 'just' 46.15, the extra extra large version is on sale for a whopping 200. Also featured in the clip is a litre of milk in a glass bottle for 6.10. Finally the clip reveals the toilet facilities - which are inside a shipping container. The video describes this as a 'construction site experience'. After seeing the video, one man said: 'I am wondering how they can justify prices like that. Can't imagine there being any takers.' Another viewer added: 'I was never going to go but thanks for your service in ensuring this dump is forever avoided.' Clarkson opened his pub last year after a failed bid to have a restaurant on the site There have previously been complaints of long queues to access the farm shop and pub due to their popularity Parking for the pub now costs 2 - something that caused controversy with viewers Locals have hit out at the farm shop for being 'overpriced' Clarkson is expected to return to UK screens soon with the upcoming release of season four of Clarkson's Farm Items on sale include fresh pies, jams and locally brewed alcohol Others said they had been and not had to pay anything for parking. 'Free to park, great service, enjoyed my time there and love the fact the food was all local - whats not to like?' said one happy visitor. It's not the first time the farm shop has caused controversy - it was previously plagued by poor reviews online complaining of long queues to get in and 'overpriced' products. Clarkson is expected to return to UK screens soon with the upcoming release of season four of Clarkson's Farm. Prime Video's popular documentary about the day-to-day life on Chadlington's Diddly Squat Farm has also been commissioned for a fifth season, confirmed by the former Top Gear host last year. Representatives for Clarkson have been contacted for comment. North Koreans have been reduced to stealing each others' faeces after Kim Jong-Un demanded an impossibly high quota of human waste from his people to use as fertiliser. The Kim regime forces citizens to horde faeces every January, hoping to boost crop yields despite a chronic national shortage of compost. This year's quota is 'impossibly high', according to Radio Free Asia forcing North Koreans to steal or buy poo from each other, or face punishment. Each adult must contribute 500kg of human waste, and each schoolkid 200kg. This is way over the 145kg of faeces the average person produces in a year, according to Live Science. And now the burden is causing brawls, with North Koreans coming to blows trying to defend their waste from desperate neighbours. One fight in Unsan County, to the north of the capital, left two men hospitalised, a local source told RFA. He said: 'A factory worker was trying to steal faeces from an outhouse next to the other guy's home. North Koreans have been stealing each other's faeces as Kim Jong-Un demands an impossibly high quota of human waste from his people to use as fertiliser Failure to provide human waste could result in severe punishment The Kim regime forces citizens to horde faeces every January, hoping to boost crop yields despite a chronic national shortage of compost 'They were fighting each other with axes and shovels and were seriously injured.' In another incident, a brawl erupted after a schoolboy was caught raiding the public toilets. 'The head of the neighborhood watch unit flipped the student's cart over and shouted at him,' the source said. 'Then the kid's mother came out and argued with the watch unit leader, asking if the poop belonged to him. 'Things escalated and a full-blown fight broke out.' Another source, worried about how she would fill her quota, said that women were expected to find as much as a full metric tonne of poo. That's because women are classified as 'housewives' despite most having to work to supplement their husbands' government wages. She told RFA: 'The communal toilets in the neighborhood are locked and inaccessible, so where can I find enough faeces to produce compost? This year's poo quota is said to be particularly high, with the government demanding its citizens to provide 500 kg of human waste North Koreans have resorted to stealing their neighbour's waste in a desperate attempt to avoid punishment Despite the pressing need for human waste in North Korea, Kim last year dropped at least 260 white balloons filled with 'filthy waste and trash' onto South Korea last year 'We have to steal pig waste piled up next to private pig pens or human faeces from private toilets, which leads to frequent fights.' She added: 'The authorities can't provide us food but force us to provide compost. 'There's no other country in the world where people fight over human faeces. The authorities are responsible for this.' But fights aren't the only public health hazard caused by the push for poo. Greg Scarlatoiu, executive director of the Committee for Human Rights in North Korea (HRNK), said intestinal worms were rife. He said: 'Since the end of the Cold War, North Korea has no longer benefited from subsidised imports or gifts from former fraternal communist countries. 'Fertiliser was one of the first victims of this development, with devastating effects for agriculture in North Korea. 'The regime has tried to make up for this by collecting human faeces to be used as fertiliser. 'The public health effects have been devastating, in particular the prevalence of intestinal worms due to this practice. 'The practice of stealing human faeces from neighbours to reach the assigned quotas is a grotesque symbol of North Korea's profound economic failure.' The punishment for those who fall short is unclear, but the evidence of past years paints a horrific picture. A source in Ryanggang Province, in the north of the country, told RFA in 2024 that those who failed could be publicly reproached or face a 'severe punishment' at a labour training camp - infamous for putting its inmates through the most inhumane experiences. Despite the pressing need for human waste in North Korea, Kim last year dropped at least 260 white balloons filled with 'filthy waste and trash' onto South Korea last year, as the regime aimed to teach their neighbours a lesson in the midst of a never-ending propaganda war. The balloons appeared to have been carrying various items of rubbish, including plastic bottles, batteries, toilet paper and what is believed to be manure. Authorities urged South Korean residents to stay indoors as a result. South Korean media shared images which showed rubbish bags tied to large white balloons gloating over fields and roads, as well as the aftermath of landings, where what appeared to be faeces had exploded on the ground. North and South Korea have historically used balloons in their propaganda campaigns since the Korean War in the 1950's. North Korean defectors have been known to send balloons to the North side containing anti-regime leaflets, and have also reportedly sent USB memory sticks of Korean pop music and videos, which are prohibited in North Korea's communist regime. The daughter of a pirate radio legend who fell to his death from a window is fighting his family for a share of his 1.4million estate after he 'jubilantly' cut her out of his will. Roger Howe branded daughter Jenna a 'lazy useless, lying druggy' and vowed she would never see a penny of his money when he changed his will in 2017, just three years before his death, a court heard. The former rigger, who made a fortune exporting radio equipment, left the money to his 86-year-old mother Rosina, his sister, Tina Tucker, 57, and his two nephews, Ross and Jamie Tucker. Tina Tucker told the court that her brother 'gave up' on his daughter after making repeated attempts to help her when she fell into drug addiction. But Jenna, 37, told the court that she was the target of savage barbs from her father as a child and 'teased about her weight' when she suffered from bulimia and depression as a teenager. 'Roger's conduct weighs heavily in this case,' her barrister James McKean told Judge Mark Raeside KC. 'She now recalls several occasions on which he would belittle her, including one where he weighed her in front of a lodger. 'His treatment of Jenna as a child and young adult has shaped the rest of her life, and a direct link can be drawn between that and her need for financial provision.' Jenna Howe, left, with her mother outside court, is claiming a share of her father's 1.4m will Roger Howe branded his daughter a 'lazy useless, lying druggy' and vowed she would never see a penny of his money when he changed his will in 2017, a court heard Howe was only eight years old when he built his own transistor radio and was building complex AM and FM transmitters by the time he was 15. A year later he began making rigs for London pirate radio stations, including JFM, a specialist jazz funk station before building a successful export business BW Broadcast FM, developing technology for both commercial and military clients. He divorced Jenna's mother when his daughter was just two years old and was 'not sympathetic to her needs' her while she was growing up, Central London County Court was told. A friend of Howe's claimed he had ended up viewing his only child with 'unambiguous hatred' despite her attempts to reconcile, and branded her 'grasping', the court heard. In court, Jenna said her life 'spiraled out of control' after she began taking drugs, and that her father did little to help. And although at one point he offered her work at his radio engineering company, she claimed the work involved intricate soldering for which she had no experience. 'He criticised me all the time until I had to leave,' she told the court. But Howe's sister said he had told him his daughter did nothing but 'paint her nails' while at work. Howe's sister Tina Tucker (pictured) said her brother's hostility towards Jenna reached a point where 'you couldn't even mention her name in the house' 'He told me that when she was working she said 'I don't need to bother because one day all this will be mine', which I think made him think about his will,' Tucker explained. 'He came home furious and said she was just painting her nails. 'He tried with her to get her to work but she didn't want to and he said to me that every time he just felt she was only there because she wanted his money.' When drafting his last will, he explained he had decided to cut his daughter off because 'she is lazy, grabbing and bad to my parents', the court heard, and that he felt 'jubilation...making sure that (she) never gets a penny of mine'. Howe was just 55 when he died in 2020 after plunging from a second-floor window in what was described as a 'tragic accident'. Jenna said she had done her best to reconcile with her father over the years and was badly rocked by his death. Her lawyer claimed she had 'saved for weeks' to buy lavish flowers for her father's funeral, adding that she had read a poem during the service after which he was buried with a picture of her. He said his client was 'truly traumatised by the way her father treated her', and was currently 'destitute'. She is claiming a 443,000 share of the estate as a 'reasonable provision' insisting that her life has been overshadowed by his callous neglect and cruelty during her childhood. The court heard that she would use it to pay off more than 66,000 in debts, spend 315,000 on a new home, 8,000 on launching her beautician career and 20,000 on a new car. But Tina Tucker insisted her niece 'blames everyone for everything, she has never taken responsibility'. Quizzed on whether her brother would have wanted his daughter to 'end up unhappy', she said: 'I think that he tried with her and then gave up on her, I don't know.' She described father and daughter's relationship as 'quite toxic' and admitted that he had made fun of his daughter's weight. 'He did that with me and my mother as well, but he used to get cross when Jenna would do nothing about it,' she claimed. Howe was a child prodigy who built his first transistor radio at eight and was creating complex AM and FM transmitters by the time he was 15 (Pic: Facebook: Mark Wheeler) He divorced Jenna's mother when Jenna was two and 'wasn't involved that much in her life' In court, Jenna said her life 'spiraled out of control' after she began taking drugs, and that her father did little to help (Pic Facebook) Jenna is claiming a 443,000 share of the estate as a 'reasonable provision' insisting that her life has been overshadowed by her father's callous neglect and cruelty during her childhood Her brother's hostility towards Jenna reached a point where 'you couldn't even mention her name in the house', she recalled. 'He didn't like her, Roger wasn't involved that much in her life and had chosen to walk away.' She also disclosed that she has already spent 150,000 in lawyers' fees fighting her niece in court, including a previous challenge brought by Jenna over the terms of Roger's will which ultimately ended in settlement. Roger's estate has dwindled since his death, she said, adding: 'the estate has had a lot to deal with'. And asked by Jenna's barrister whether she has 'an axe to grind in respect of Jenna', she replied: 'Have you seen what she has done to my family? 'Why wouldn't I have an axe to grind?' The hearing continues. The Hughes Fire has ripped through more than 10,000 acres of land in a matter of hours, with an interactive map revealing the vast scale of the latest inferno to threaten homes and livelihoods in Los Angeles. Vast swathes of land have been burning for days, live trackers show, with firefighters still struggling to get blazes which first erupted on January 7 under control as new fires take hold. The fires, which had been largely under control, flared up again on Wednesday as a huge and fast-moving wildfire ignited 45 miles (72km) north-west of the city near Castaic Lake, in an area close to several residential areas and schools. The renewed devastation comes as President Trump yesterday threatened to withhold federal disaster aid for wildfire-ravaged LA unless California leaders change how they manage the state's scarce water resources. In a Fox News interview, Trump repeated false claims that the state's fish conservation efforts in the northern part of the state are responsible for fire hydrants running dry in urban areas. He said the blame for LA's struggles to tame some of the deadly fires lies with Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom, who has called for partnership and mutual respect as the state fights the blazes. 'I don't think we should give California anything until they let the water run down,' the president said. Trump, along with House Speaker Mike Johnson and other Republicans, has faced criticism from Dems and Republicans alike for suggesting that aid should come with strings attached, as the fires continue to spread out of control. Republican Rep. Young Kim, whose district is in fire-prone Orange County, said in a statement: 'Playing politics with people's livelihoods is unacceptable and a slap in the face to the Southern California wildfire victims and to our brave first responders.' Your browser does not support iframes. Your browser does not support iframes. Your browser does not support iframes. When talking about disaster relief, Trump suggested that he'd be open to killing the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), claiming it is 'getting in the way of everything.' 'All it does is just complicate everything,' he complained. 'FEMA has not done their job for the last four years.' 'I'd rather see the states take care of their own problems,' he added. He did not elaborate on his proposed reforms, only saying that the agency is 'going to be a whole big discussion very shortly.' Trump made the threats as he prepares for the first presidential trip of his second term. On Friday, he will visit Southern California and North Carolina, which is recovering after Hurricane Helene pummeled the area more than three months ago. Trump said this week that talks are underway in the White House to get more water to LA, and referenced rainfall runoff and the state's vast water storage system. 'Los Angeles has massive amounts of water available to it. All they have to do is turn the valve,' he said. He also spoke of the fire disaster during his inaugural address Monday, saying: 'we are watching fires still tragically burn from weeks ago without even a token of defense. That's going to change.' Locals and experts have criticized claims, made both by Trump and others, that water was being wasted for conservation efforts and through poor water management plans. Firefighters work as the Hughes Fire burns on January 22, 2025 in Castaic, California Hydrants have run dry in some locations, officials said, because the city's infrastructure wasn't designed to respond to a fire as large as the one that broke out in the Palisades and elsewhere. More than 14,000 structures have so far been destroyed across LA County already and at least 28 people have died. The recovery effort could be among the most expensive in US history. Some 31,000 residents are under mandatory evacuation orders while another 23,000 are on high alert with warnings they should consider fleeing their homes. Footage from the scene shows swirling fire tornadoes on the edge of roads and entire hills covered in fiery red flames The rapidly growing Hughes Fire blaze has scorched nearly 9,300 acres of land in a span of hours as Los Angeles residents report seeing fire tornadoes Footage from the edge of the blaze reveals swirling tornadoes of fire are beginning to take shape as entire hills are covered in fiery red flames. Massive clouds of smoke are billowing over entire neighborhoods as helicopters dump gallons of water from the skies in an effort to contain the blaze. The California National Guard announced last night that every Modular Aerial Firefighting System (MAFFS) aircraft in the US- a total of eight - had been launched to fight the fast-growing inferno. As the latest inferno spreads, Governor Newsom assured Californians that state resources have been deployed to control the situation. 'State resources have been deployed to the Hughes Fire in the Angeles National Forest to assist in the federal response,' he said on X. 'We will continue to monitor the situation closely and provide the federal government with whatever it needs to extinguish this fire.' Joe Tyler, director of Cal Fire, said: 'This fire had a robust response today, and as you can see behind us, the responders are doing great work to try to contain this fire. Certainly, we are not out of the woods yet.' No lives have been lost or structures reported damaged in the Hughes blaze, which is being fought by some 4,000 exhausted firefighters, officials said. Nigel Farage is facing a double humiliation at the hands of Team Trump today, after spending years trying to prove how close he is to the returning US president. Reports today suggest billionaire X owner Elon Musk is unlikely to follow through with a rumoured $100million donation to Reform UK after a major row with its leader. He and Mr Farage clashed earlier this month over the South Africa-born businessman's support for jailed far-right agitator Tommy Robinson. The falling out came despite a meeting at Trumps' Mar-a-Lago resort in December to discuss money. At the same time, a senior campaign aide to the president last night said Trump had sided with Mr Musk - who has been criticised for making a Nazi salute after the inauguration - over his support for Robinson. Bryan Lanza told ITV's Peston: 'What I've learnt over the years with President Trump is that he puts a lot of weight in people who've created things, disruptive people who've created thingshe's going to listen to what Elon has to say in these things, and it's going to have an impact. 'It's going to matter. I mean, Nigel Farage is a much smaller person today in Donald Trump's eyes than he was two weeks ago as a result of Elon's tweet and engagement on this issue.' On Monday Mr Farage admitted to GB News that he failed to make 'the cut' to get a seat inside the Capitol Rotunda for the inauguration, which was moved indoors because of freezing temperatures in Washington DC. Reports suggest the X owner and close Donald Trump ally has downplayed the chances of opening his wallet now he is part of the hard right US administration. The Reform leader is facing a double humiliation today after spending years trying to prove how close he is to Trump, who became US president for the second time on Monday. A senior campaign aide to the president last night said the president had sided with Mr Musk - who has been criticised for making a Nazi salute after the inauguration - over his support for Robinson. Speaking to GB News, he said: 'I didn't make the cut, sadly. I had a good seat. I mean, look, frankly, most of the people in the room were Congress members, Senate members, a few heads of state. 'So, no, I watched it here. I have to say, a very uplifting speech. It's a pity it didn't happen outside but the weather here is absolutely evil.' The Financial Times today reported that Mr Musk had privately told friends he could not make a sizeable donation to Reform now he is head of Trump's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). The handout, rumoured to be $100m (79million) was first mooted in December and would dwarf anything handed to any other UK party in a single donation. However, Mr Farage had tended to downplay the likelihood of it appearing, even before his spat with Mr Musk at the start of the month. Bryan Lanza told ITV's Peston: 'What I've learnt over the years with President Trump is that he puts a lot of weight in people who've created things, disruptive people who've created thingshe's going to listen to what Elon has to say in these things, and it's going to have an impact. It comes just weeks after they met at Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida to discuss a donation to Reform, reported to be up to $100million. The X owner and world's richest man lashed out on his social media platform at his supposed ally, after spending a week wading into British politics over sex abuse gangs. The billionaire accused the PM of being complicit in the sex attacks by British Asian men, in his former role as director of public prosecutions. But he also voiced his support for Robinson - real name Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, the founder of the English Defence League currently serving 18 months for contempt of court. At a Reform rally in Leicester , Mr Farage distanced himself from 'hero' Musk's support for Robinson. But days later Musk wrote: 'The Reform Party needs a new leader. Farage doesn't have what it takes.' However Mr Farage refused to back down, replying: 'Well, this is a surprise! Elon is a remarkable individual but on this I am afraid I disagree. My view remains that Tommy Robinson is not right for Reform and I never sell out my principles.' Keir Starmer today warned NIMBYs that Net Zero and environmental concerns will not be allowed to block major infrastructure projects. The PM vowed to end the 'challenge culture' of spurious judicial reviews that delay major projects such as nuclear power plants, wind farms and roads. The move looks to be laying down a marker as the government faces a major Labour revolt over the expansion of Heathrow airport. Chancellor Rachel Reeves is expected to give backing to the long-awaited third runway, as well as development of other airports, within days. But Sadiq Khan and Energy Secretary Ed Miliband are among the senior figures who have voiced opposition to the plans. Opponents currently have three opportunities to secure permission for a judicial review against a major infrastructure project firstly by writing to the High Court, then in an oral hearing and finally by asking the Court of Appeal. Sir Keir announced the written stage will be scrapped and any cases deemed 'totally without merit' will be unable to ask the Court of Appeal to reconsider. In an article for the Mail, Sir Keir said that a 'small minority should not be able to abuse our legal system to hold the country to ransom'. Keir Starmer has vowed to end the 'challenge culture' of spurious judicial reviews that delay major projects such as nuclear power plants, wind farms and roads The move looks to be laying down a marker as the government faces a major Labour revolt over the expansion of Heathrow airport. Pictured, an artist's impression of how the airport could look He lashed out at 'virtue-signalling' protesters holding back major developments, saying the government would 'put an end to this challenge culture by taking on the Nimbys and a broken system that has slowed down our progress as a nation'. More than half of all major infrastructure projects are currently challenged in the courts sometimes on multiple occasions adding years of delay and millions of pounds in extra costs. He said that lengthy court delays meant 'roads and railways are left in disrepair... houses for hardworking Brits aren't built, businesses hit by higher costs. 'And for what? So some people can pat themselves on the back, while others can't get to work or afford a home. At best, it's naive. At worst, it's self-righteous virtue signalling.' Sir Keir singled out former Green Party councillor Andrew Boswell, who has used crowd-funded judicial reviews to delay a number of major projects. Asked today about concerns that nature protections could be torn up by planning and judicial review reforms, Mr Miliband said: 'It's not about that. 'It's about making sure that people have legal recourse when Governments make decisions and that's a really important right to protect. 'The biggest threat to the countryside and indeed the environment is not moving forward on climate change,' he added. 'I'm also convinced, and this is something that core to what the Government is doing, that we can build clean energy in a way that is nature positive, whether it is solar farms or the way that we think about offshore wind. 'We're determined to do it in a way that is pro-clean energy infrastructure but also a way that is pro-environment as well.' The proposals emerged amid growing government alarm that sluggish economic growth could derail Labour's plans. Rachel Reeves, who is in Davos for the World Economic Forum, made clear yesterday that boosting the economy must trump Labour's dash for net zero. Rachel Reeves (right), who is in Davos for the World Economic Forum, made clear yesterday that boosting the economy must trump Labour's dash for net zero Energy Secretary Ed Miliband is among the senior Labour figures who have voiced opposition to the Heathrow plans In the clearest statement yet of the Government's new priorities, the Chancellor said projects which could boost growth should not be held back because they 'might add something to carbon emissions in 20 years' time'. Asked whether she would choose to prioritise the economy or tackling climate change, she said growth was her 'number one mission', adding: 'It's obviously the most important thing.' That stance could put her on a collision course with Mr Miliband, who has pushed to make his controversial net zero targets the Government's top priority. Ms Reeves is expected to announce backing for airport expansion at Heathrow, Gatwick and Luton next week, despite warnings it will end hopes of hitting the UK's climate targets. Greenpeace said the move 'smacks of desperation'. Beccy Speight, RSPB chief executive, said: The PM claims to 'clear a path' for building, but this move runs the risk of bulldozing through our chances for a future where nature, people, and the economy all thrive. 'We know people want bold action on the climate and nature crises, which was Labour's election platform, and this rhetoric has them veering wildly off course. 'We all know that nature underpins economic growth - that is why government and the environment sector has been actively working together, to try and unlock better outcomes for both planning and nature - yet this rhetoric flies in the face of that collaborative spirit.' EXCLUSIVE An Australian teacher charged with stealing two bags in Bali has blamed a case of 'Bali belly' for the alleged incident and claimed she never meant to commit theft. Vanessa Louise Crimmins 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. She is currently being held in the notorious Kerobokan jail for the alleged offence and if found guilty, could spend up to 5 years in an Indonesian prison. Crimmins, 45, told Denpasar District Court on Thursday that she took the bags to secure them as they had been left unguarded. She said that she did not give the bags to security because she did not see any security officer and there was no one to ask what to do with them. 'At the beginning, from afar, I saw that there were two bags on the seat (outside the supermarket) and there was nobody watching them,' Crimmins said, using a translator. 'At that time, I had a problem with my stomach. I had Bali belly. So, I go went home first to the villa.' She said later on she went back to the supermarket again 'and the two bags were still on the seat and all the staff were busy'. Vanessa Louise Crimmins (pictured) 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 (pictured front left) is currently being held in the notorious Kerobokan jail for the alleged offence and if found guilty, could spend up to 5 years in an Indonesian prison Crimmins said she then again had a problem with her stomach and went back to the villa after not being able to find a toilet at Popular Deli. She had been about to hand a backpack over to someone in the supermarket, but had to quickly go back to her accommodation to use the toilet and took the bag with her. 'I was actually sick at that time after surgery. I still take medicine (for it),' she said. 'Later on, I back to deli ... but I could not find the security. There was no security there.' She saw that the other bag was still on a seat outside the shop. 'Then I took it. And got problem with my stomach again, so I went home to my villa and brought the second bag.' When she went back to the store yet again, she wanted to ask what she should do with the bags, but instead she was held on suspicion of theft. 'They didn't speak English. I felt confused and then I felt faint,' she told the court. Crimmins was asked if she knew what was in the backpacks she had taken back to her villa. Crimmins (pictured right) told Denpasar District Court she was on medication and sick at the time of the alleged incident 'I didn't know as I hadn't open them,' she replied. 'I just found out what was in them after I was taken to the police station. I was under influence of medication.' She was then asked why she didn't bring the bags back to the supermarket. 'Because I just wanted to ask what should I do with them,' she answered. A prosecutor asked her if she thought it was normal to take the first bag to the villa and then come back and take the second one. 'Please understand that I was on medication, I was sick, I have go to the toilet at that time,' she said. 'I brought the bag inside, to ask people, who owns this bag. But later I got a stomach ache (and had to leave). I thought that a tourist had left the bag.' She was then asked about her motivation. 'What is your role there? Why did you feel a responsibility to secure (the bags).' Crimmins said she had an experience in Australia where 'my bag was stolen, my identity was misused to cheat other people. 'So, I don't want other people to go through the same experience.' She was then asked if she understands how Indonesian law works. The teacher replied that 'I want to apologise. I had no intention to steal (the laptops). 'My intention was to secure the bags as they were there for quite a long time, 30 minutes.' Again asked why she did not look for security, rather than taking other people's property back to her villa, Crimmins said 'I am sorry for doing it. 'I was not well at that time. I really apologise. My intention was only to secure (the bags).' She has been charged with article 362 of the Criminal Code on theft, which could land her a jail term of up to five years. The court previously 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. The 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. She was transported back to Bali's infamous Kerobokan jail after the hearing, where she remains in custody. 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. Crimmins will appear in court again on Thursday, January 30. A 'kind' 12-year-old schoolboy was 'in the wrong place at the wrong time' when he was stabbed to death in a park. Leo Ross was found by a member of the public with a stab wound to the stomach on the banks of the River Cole in the affluent Hall Green area of Birmingham at 3pm on Tuesday. He was treated at the scene but was sadly pronounced dead around four hours later. Following his death, officers arrested a 14-year-old with a Birmingham address on suspicion of murder and he currently remains in police custody. Paying tribute to the youngster, Leo's devastated classmates described him as 'helpful and welcoming', while his heartbroken family said he was 'funny, sweet and had not one aggressive bone in his body'. It is thought Leo was targeted on the way home from school, just a 10-minute journey, and one local woman told BBC Midlands Today he did not deserve what happened to him. Describing the youngster as a 'lovely, caring, innocent little boy', she added: 'He was in the wrong place at the wrong time.' On Wednesday, bosses at Christ Church Secondary Academy, where Leo was a pupil, told parents that the alleged assailant had never been a student there. Leo Ross, 12, died after being stabbed in the stomach in the Hall Green area of Birmingham on Tuesday On Wednesday, bosses at Christ Church Secondary Academy (pictured), where Leo was a pupil, told parents that the alleged assailant had never been a student of theirs A member of the public leaves flowers at the crime scene on Wednesday morning Writing on its website, the school said: 'Dear parents and carers, to update everyone now we have clearance from West Midlands Police, we can confirm that the suspect has never been a student at Christ Church C of E Secondary Academy. 'We are in close contact with the bereaved family and with their permission we are opening a book of remembrance for students and the community to celebrate and to honour his life. We are also working with the family to plan a memorial service and memorial. 'We have had a team of educational psychologists, counsellors and mentors in school to support the students and staff and will continue to offer support for as long as the children and staff need this.' Tributes have been pouring in for Leo since his passing, with friends having left flowers at the scene near Scribers Lane. A family member of Leo, who asked not to be named, told the Mail: 'He was a really good lad, a really nice lad, cheerful, not a bad bone in his body. He's a golden kid.' It is thought Leo was targeted on the way home from school, just a 10-minute journey, as many pupils use the path as a cut through. The member of the public who found Leo went banging on nearby doors, asking for the postcode to guide the emergency services to the scene. Neighbours claimed that the previous assault on the elderly woman had been by someone she had not known, raising the prospect that both attacks might have been random. Your browser does not support iframes. Chief Superintendent Richard North speaking to the media at the scene near Scribers Lane in the Hall Green area of Birmingham where Leo was stabbed on Tuesday afternoon A forensics officer works at the scene near Scribers Lane in the Hall Green area of Birmingham Devastated school friends left flowers and handwritten notes for Leo Tributes named Leo Ross as the victim of the attack as dozens of bouquets were laid Dozens of bouquets were laid at the scene by Wednesday evening Devastated schoolmates of Leo visited the police cordon next to Trittiford Mill Park, on Wednesday where they left flowers, candles and tributes. Riley, 13, was in the same class as Leo. He said: 'He was a really nice lad. Never gets in trouble, he always attended lessons, he's always in school. He had some friends. He's just a quiet kid.' Riley's mother Christine Barton, 42, said: 'What happened to him is really, really sad. My kids were up most of the night crying over it. 'They said what a sweet boy he was never ever in trouble. It's definitely frightened my children. 'If they feel uncomfortable going to and from school, I'm happy to drive them for a while and pick them up, because I'm worried about their safety at the moment. 'It's just so raw, it's horrible. Something really, really needs to change - so many young lives have been taken. I just really feel for the little boy's mother.' Friends of Leo were said to have taken to social media to post 'LLL' which stands for 'Long Live Leo'. Christ Church School held a special assembly for pupils on Wednesday to give them space to grieve for their lost friend. A 12-year-old boy was stabbed near a primary school in Birmingham on Tuesday Speaking after laying flowers, one emotional school pal said: 'He was a really good kid. He was nice, always a good kid. 'We had an assembly and we did a little worship about Leo and how he was kind and all that stuff. And we prayed for him. 'He was a good kid, he'd always do his work. He always liked Science. And he was so nice to everyone and was always welcoming. 'These boys, his close friends, told us what happened and he got stabbed, and I was really upset. Everyone was really upset and teachers I know were really upset too.' A mother, whose child goes to the same school, added: 'It's just really shocking isn't it, because you hear about these things and then when it happens on your own doorstep in your children's school, it's heartbreaking.' One note left at the scene read: 'Rest easy, you were taken too soon. Hope you're having fun up there, you will be missed and we will get justice.' Another wrote: 'Rest in peace Leo Ross. You were loved by many people and your killer's one sicko. I am thinking you are in a better place. I hope you are enjoying the afterlife.' Another said: 'RIP Leo Ross. We will miss you loads. Our lives won't be the same without you. You will always be the kindest. Fly high Leo. You never deserved this, ever.' Police officers at the scene near Scribers Lane in the Hall Green area of Birmingham A police dog handler was spotted at the scene of the fatal stabbing this morning Chief Superintendent Richard North speaking to the media at the scene near Scribers Lane in the Hall Green area of Birmingham A police officer at the scene on Scribers Lane in the Hall Green area of Birmingham where a 12-year-old boy was stabbed Chief Superintendent Richard North told a press conference today that a member of the public tried to help the boy at the scene, near Scribers Lane, before emergency services arrived. He said a passer-by had attempted to administer aid amid the 'chaotic and absolutely traumatic scene', adding: 'Sadly, despite the best efforts of police officers and paramedics who treated him at the scene, he lost his life later that day at about 7.30pm.' Mr North told reporters: 'As a result of urgent inquiries, a boy aged 14 has been arrested. That happened at 7pm yesterday at an address in Birmingham. 'He remains in custody and has been arrested on suspicion of murder. The same 14-year-old has also been arrested for another assault, for an unrelated matter. He is also in custody for that.' Mr North added: 'This is an absolutely appalling incident. We have got specialist detectives working on the inquiry, but also supporting the loved ones of the 12-year-old that has very, very sadly and tragically lost his life.' 'I would ask the public not to speculate about what happened - this is a very early stage of the inquiry. We are obviously dealing with it with a tremendous amount of priority. 'Detectives are working around the clock to get to the truth of what happened.' He added: 'What I would urge is that anyone who was in the area of Scribers Lane at around that time - the incident happened at 3.40pm - get in touch with us and let us know where they were, if they saw anything unusual or suspicious. The boy was attacked near Scribers Lane in Hall Green, Birmingham, yesterday West Midlands Police hold a crime scene on Scribers Lane in the Hall Green area 'We have set up a major incident public portal, which can be found on our website. People can find that and they can upload information directly on to that. It might be CCTV they have, phone footage or dashcam footage.' Answering media questions near a passageway beneath a railway bridge leading to the country park where the boy was stabbed, Chief Spt North described the 14-year-old in custody as 'a key line of inquiry' and his arrest as 'significant'. Questioned about the scale of knife crime in the Birmingham area, Mr North said anyone who is found carrying a knife over the age of criminal responsibility faced a 'very high chance' of being arrested and brought into custody. He continued: 'On a day like today it's really difficult to talk about the progress that we have made about knife crime. Because it's always going to look weak against the fact of what's happened to this 12-year-old. 'I don't want to cause any additional stress to the people that knew him and loved him.' Residents living near a riverside path leading into a wooded area of the park spoke of their shock at discovering the victim's age and that he had died from his injuries. One resident, who declined to give her name, said a member of the public had knocked on her door after 3pm on Tuesday asking for the area's postcode to assist emergency services in reaching the scene. She told reporters: 'The first thing I knew was a gentleman came and asked for the postcode as somebody had been injured. He just came and knocked the door. Police continued to attend the crime scene on Wednesday following the stabbing Police officers searched the park where Leo was found throughout Wednesday 'We had two police cars and then a helicopter. I found out somebody had been stabbed last night but it wasn't till this morning that I realised the poor little soul had died.' The area close to the scene of the killing has been blighted by antisocial behaviour in recent weeks - with a woman being pushed off her bike on Monday and reports of a separate indecent exposure incident. 'We have many drug dealers hanging around where the police car is now, I try to keep out of the way,' one neighbour said, gesturing in the direction of the nearby police cordon. 'You see groups of them late at night, you can tell they are up to no good. It's definitely got worse recently. It happens on at least a weekly basis.' A West Midlands Ambulance Service spokesperson said: 'We were called to reports of a stabbing on Scribers Park Lane at 3.31pm yesterday. 'One ambulance, a paramedic officer and a MERIT trauma doctor with a Critical Care Paramedic attended the scene. On arrival we discovered one patient, a boy. 'Ambulance staff administered emergency treatment at the scene before transporting the boy to hospital.' Christ Church, Church of England Secondary Academy in Yardley Wood shared a statement on its website following the death of a 12-year-old pupil near Scribers Lane in Hall Green on Tuesday. The statement said: 'Our condolences and deepest sympathies go out to the family and friends of one of our CCSA students. 'This is a very sad time for our school community and we are focusing on supporting our students, staff and families with professional support. 'As this is a live police investigation, we are unable to share any further details with you. 'At this difficult time, we would urge parents and carers not to contact the school office unless it is for an emergency.' Angela Rayner is facing calls from Nigel Farage to apologise for suggesting the Southport stabbings were not terror related. The Deputy Prime Minister claimed that the Reform UK leader was spreading 'fake news' after he questioned whether the killings were linked to terrorism. Now he is calling on her to apologise after it emerged that the attacker, Axel Rudakubana, had been referred to the government's Prevent anti-extremism programme three times. The 18-year-old, who was fascinated with mass killings, was also found to have downloaded an Al Qaeda training manual and kept ricin at his family home. Rudakubana this week finally admitted murdering Alice da Silva Aguiar, nine, Bebe King, six, and Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven, at a Taylor Swift-themed dance class on July 29. Officers found the Al-Qaeda training manual and ricin during searches at Rudakubana's within days of the attack in early August. On July 30, one day after the stabbings, Mr Farage issued a statement that suggested the attack could be linked to terrorism. The Deputy Prime Minister claimed that Nigel Farage was spreading 'fake news' after he questioned whether the killings were linked to terrorism Mr Farage claimed last night that he had been proved right and Ms Rayner should now apologise He said: 'I have to say there are one or two questions. Was this guy being monitored by the security services? Some reports say he was, others less sure 'I just wonder whether the truth is being withheld from us. I don't know the answer to that. I think it is a fair and legitimate question. What I do know is something is going horribly wrong in our once beautiful country.' Asked about Mr Farage's words at the time, Ms Rayner told LBC: 'He must understand that you have a level of responsibility, you're a community leader, you're elected to represent your constituency. 'And therefore you have a level of responsibility with that, and it's not to stoke up what conspiracy theories or what you think might have happened, or lean into what you think.' Ms Rayner said that police were doing a 'difficult job' and added: 'We want to establish facts as soon as possible. 'And we have a responsibility to hold the community together and say, let's get the facts and then let's look at what the actual solutions are and what we can do about the horrific situation that we find ourselves in, not to stir up these fake news online.' Mr Farage claimed last night that he had been proved right and Ms Rayner should now apologise. 'Many public figures, including Angela Rayner, made derogatory and inciteful remarks about my comments in the vacuum that followed the terrorist attack in Southport,' he told the Telegraph. 'I was right all along. This man was known to the authorities and the truth was withheld.' Rudakubana this week finally admitted murdering Alice da Silva Aguiar, nine, Bebe King, six, and Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven, at a Taylor Swift-themed dance class on July 29 Rudakubana was known to authorities long before he murdered three children and attempted to murder eight other youngsters and two adults in Southport last summer, when he was aged just 17. The Mail has learnt that authorities knew of his disturbing interest in a school massacre as far back as 2019. In 2019 he was referred to the Government's de-radicalisation scheme Prevent on the basis that he had been researching on a school computer for information about the killing of children in school shootings. But experts deemed that there was no counter-terrorism risk at the time as he was considered not to be motivated by a terrorist ideology. The question of what ministers knew about Rudakubana and when has blown up into a major political row amid claims they 'covered up' key details. At an emergency press conference earlier this week, Sir Keir Starmer confirmed he knew about the details of the case 'as they were emerging' but could not risk the case collapsing and the 'vile' perpetrator walking away free. 'That is why the law of this country forbade me or anybody else from disclosing details sooner,' he said. 'I wouldn't be forgiven if I had,' he said. 'It was not my personal decision to withhold this information, any more than it was a journalist's personal decision not to print or write about it.' Police officers at Rudakubana's home on Old School Close in Banks, Lancashire, last August Lord Carlile, the former independent reviewer of terrorism legislation, yesterday became the latest senior figure to criticise the decision not to disclose crucial details about Rudakubana's background. 'I think the police should have been more open,' he told the BBC. 'In one instance, they should have made it absolutely clear right from the beginning that this perpetrator was not an immigrant, that he was British-born and had lived in Britain throughout his life. 'It was the false disinformation at saying that he was an immigrant or a recent immigrant that contributed at least to the extent of riots both in Southport and elsewhere.' A family of four, including two young children, were killed Wednesday when a fire swept through an apartment complex in Missouri. The fire was reported around 6am at the Indy Ridge Apartments in Independence, Kansas City, during freezing temperatures. The victims, including children ages three and eight, were found after the flames were extinguished, Independence Fire Chief Jimmy Walker said during a news conference. 'It is a sad day for the community,' Walker said. 'We will pull together.' Walker said the fire destroyed two dozen units, with fire crews spending four hours at the complex battling the blaze and putting out hotspots with winds gusting at speeds up to 24mph and temperatures in the 20s. The fire chief declined to release the names of the victims, saying their relatives are still being notified. He added that 32 others were displaced and two firefighters also suffered burns. The Independence Fire Department confirmed Wednesday night that the deadly apartment fire started because of a stovetop left unattended. The tenant tried to 'start something on the stove top, the smoke detector activated, and they went back in, attempted to use the extinguisher, and then left the left the apartment,' it said. The fire was reported around 6am on Wednesday at the Indy Ridge Apartments in Independence, Kansas City, during freezing temperatures Independence Fire Chief Jimmy Walker said the fire destroyed two dozen units, with fire crews spending four hours at the complex battling the blaze The Independence Fire Department confirmed Wednesday night that the deadly apartment fire started because of a stovetop left unattended The inferno quickly spread to other parts of the complex, including to the family's unit, where they were trapped inside according to the fire department. 'Our crews upon arrival had heavy fire on the second and third floor and through the roof,' Walker added. The fire crews then noticed that the building was beginning to crumble. 'That's the only reason we pulled out is because we actually had guys inside and gals inside when the building started to collapse,' Walker said. Carissa Schulke told The Kansas City Star that she was awakened by the sounds of popping before hearing sirens. 'All of a sudden, they didnt even knock on my door, they just busted in, "Hey you need to get out, you need to get out",' Schulke recalled, as she stood outside in the cold with her dog shivering while firefighters battled the blaze. Another witness who lives in the complex told FOX4 on Wednesday: 'I seen flames there. I mean, I don't know what to say. It's in flames. It was horrible for sure.' Tim Gardner said the building is generally quiet, with the residents typically keeping to themselves, but that his neighbors were friendly and that Indy Ridge Apartments is a good place to live. The inferno quickly spread to other parts of the complex, leaving a large part of the building destroyed A family of four, including children ages three and eight, were found after the flames were extinguished The fire chief declined to release the names of the victims, saying their relatives are still being notified Pictured: Indy Ridge Apartments in Independence, Kansas City, before the fire He said that having four people lose their lives in the tragedy is weighing on him. 'Oh, my God, yes. That was horrible, very horrible,' Gardner said. 'That is very emotional, and I feel bad for their families and everything. So, yeah, it was just a horrible thing this morning, man and I pray for everybody involved.' Following the blaze, Walker said there are lessons for everyone to learn about fire safety. 'We need to make sure that we never leave cooking unattended, okay? That's how quickly things can escalate. As you can see in this instance, that when we leave cooking unattended, catastrophe can happen,' he said. He mentioned that if a fire starts in an apartment, closing the door can help contain the fire until crews arrive. 'It's unfortunate. We have to talk to the family of someone who's deceased in a structure fire and let them know that this happens. I don't wish it on anybody,' Walker added. 'I don't wish it on my crews who had to go in and find them. And I was with them. And I don't wish that on anybody. It's a horrific scene.' San Francisco, Jan 23 (UNI) The xAI owner Elon Musk and OpenAI CEO Sam Altman are fighting on X about Stargate, the enormous infrastructure project to build data centers for OpenAI across the United States. OpenAI said on Tuesday that it would team up with SoftBank and Oracle to build multiple data centers for artificial intelligence (AI) in the United States. The companies expect to commit 100 billion U.S. dollars to Stargate initially and invest 500 billion dollars into the venture over the next four years. "SoftBank and OpenAI are the lead partners for Stargate, with SoftBank having financial responsibility and OpenAI having operational responsibility," the joint statement noted. "They don't actually have the money," Musk wrote in a series of posts on X on Tuesday. "SoftBank has well under $10B secured. I have that on good authority." Altman fired back at Musk in an X post Wednesday. "Wrong, as you surely know," Altman said, responding to Musk's allegation that SoftBank was short of capital. Altman added that Stargate is great for the country. "I realize what is great for the country isn't always what's optimal for your companies, but in your new role, I hope you'll mostly put America first." xAI, like OpenAI, is hungry for infrastructure to develop its AI systems. Musk's company is estimated to have spent 12 billion dollars on its single data center in Memphis and could spend billions more upgrading the facility, according to a report by TechCrunch. UNI XINHUA ARN The exodus of millionaires from Britain last year was equivalent to losing half-a-million average taxpayers, a new analysis has found. Figures from New World Wealth, a global analytics firm, showed 10,800 liquid millionaires - who hold more than $1million in liquid assets - left the UK in 2024. In their analysis of the research, the Adam Smith Institute found each of these millionaires would have been paying at least 393,957 in income tax. This equates to the same income tax take as 49 average taxpayers - who each have an average income tax bill of 8,048, the think tank said. It means - due to the exodus of millionaires - the Treasury is now facing a shortfall in income tax revenue equivalent to the income tax taken from 528,000 average taxpayers, the analysis added. Chancellor Rachel Reeves' tax-hiking Budget was blamed for millionaires abandoning Britain, including Labour's plans to abolish the non-dom tax regime. The Adam Smith Institute said the UK had an 'increasingly hostile attitude' towards wealth creation and warned average families could face even higher tax bills to fund public services. The Tories claimed entrepreneurs and businesses were fleeing Britain 'in droves' under Labour, who they accused of overseeing a 'tepid bath of decline'. Chancellor Rachel Reeves, who is attending the World Econmic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, this week, was blamed for millionaires abandoning Britain Ms Reeves unveiled a tax-hiking Budget in October and also plans to abolish the non-dom tax regime It has previously been found how the top 1 per cent of income tax payers stump up 29.1 per cent of the UK's income tax, which is the Treasury's biggest source of tax revenue. According to the research by New World Wealth, conducted together with investment migration advisers Henley & Partners, only China lost more millionaires than the UK in 2024. In comparison with the net 10,800 millionaires that Britain lost last year, the figure was 4,200 in 2023, they found. The UK also lost 16,500 millionaires to migration from 2017 to 2023, which included Brexit and the Covid pandemic, the research added. Responding to the Adam Smith Institute analysis, Tory MP Andrew Griffith, the shadow business and trade secretary, said: 'Our entrepreneurs and businesses are fleeing this socialist Government's tax raid in droves. 'This research shows that Rachel's Marxist maths has put the economy in real danger of drowning in Labour's tepid bath of decline. 'Unless she changes course, every taxpayer will be getting soaked as a result.' Maxwell Marlow, director of research at the Adam Smith Institute, said: 'The rate at which millionaires are leaving the country is alarming. 'This will have serious implications for our wider economy and the public services which their taxes have been funding. 'And if the Treasury is losing money from these departing individuals, they may decide that they need to tax the average taxpayer even more than they already are. 'Our analysis has only measured the minimum amount of income these millionaires were likely to be paying- and didn't take into account the other taxes that they are paying into the Exchequer at very high rates. 'So the fiscal hole caused by these high net worth individuals leaving is likely to be much larger. 'Our findings underline the urgent need to attract more millionaires to the UK, for example by introducing an italian-style flat rate fee or cutting anti-business taxes.' A chef who worked at a trendy restaurant featured in the film Boiling Point has been jailed after raping a female student he met outside a south London pub. Kodah McCarthy, 30, admitted also possessing extreme pornography after police discovered a stash of bestiality videos and subscriptions to a 'zoophilia' website on his phone, seized during his arrest in June 2023. McCarthy, from near Tower Bridge in London, appeared at Inner London Crown Court in a grey suit and black tie as he was imprisoned for seven-and-a-half years. His jobs have included working at the Jones & Sons restaurant in Dalston, east London, which was used in 2021 Bafta-nominated movie Boiling Point starring Stephen Graham as a head chef and which was followed by a BBC One drama series. Family members including McCarthy's mother and step-grandparents sat tearfully at the back of the court as Judge Vanessa Baraitser told of the 'genuinely concerning' violence that featured in the attack. And in a powerful impact statement, the brave victim told the court: 'I did not know the man that raped me before the trial, but now I know his name and who he is. Having the jury find him guilty and him looking at a jail sentence makes me feel safer. 'Some nights, I still do not get any sleep. When I do sleep, I often have nightmares of men hunting me and me trying to run away from them. 'I wake up with palpitations and hot sweats. This has all happened since the rape, and I want you to know, McCarthy, the effect your actions have had on me.' Kodah McCarthy, 30, has been jailed for seven and a half years for raping a female student Places featured in McCarthy's social media pages include Jones & Sons (pictured) as well as fine dining restaurant Hotel Cafe Royal near Piccadilly and Nutfield Priory Hotel in Surrey The victim, who was attending a top London university, said she did manage to complete her course despite the attack making it hard to concentrate. But she was also forced to take unpaid leave from work to recover from her facial injuries, and in her lowest moments, contemplated suicide. In her final address to McCarthy, she added: 'You can't do this to people. I'm not a sex object. I'm a human being. 'I hope you do not do this to anyone ever again. If you still do not realise what you did was wrong, I hope you stay away from women.' Prosecutor Simon Shannon said the victim was 'heavily intoxicated' in a pub on the South Bank on May 28, 2023, when she had a 'rather confused' memory of going to the flat of a friend and being escorted to the flat of someone she just met. After returning home shortly after midnight, she went back out and began chatting to a stag do outside a pub on Tower Bridge Road. The court heard McCarthy approached the group asking for a lighter after having drunk, he claimed, 'two pints of pale ale and a cider'. CCTV footage showed the pair returned to McCarthy's flat at 1.30am and the victim emerged about two hours and 20 minutes later. Kodah McCarthy (pictured) also admitted possessing extreme pornography after police discovered a stash of bestiality videos and subscriptions to a 'zoophilia' website on his phone The judge Ms Baraitser said that although the woman's memory of events was 'unclear' and 'inconsistent', she 'clearly remembered the rape'. Jurors were told McCarthy started kissing her, but she leaned backwards and told him she did not want to - but he carried on regardless. He is said to have then, 'without warning', punched her in the face - giving her a 'burst of energy' to shout 'what the f**k' and leave the flat, jurors heard. 'This is obviously a particularly concerning feature,' said the judge Ms Baraitser. Two men - described as 'good Samaritans' by prosecutor Mr Shannon - happened to be walking past and helped the victim home where she told her flatmate she thought she had been raped. McCarthy, who still had some of her belongings, later told her he helped her because she was drunk without mentioning sex had taken place, the court heard. Defence counsel Curtis Myrie said McCarthy's only mitigation was his previous good character and his relatively young age, adding: 'The reality is he's going to be spending a long time in prison.' During the trial, jurors were told how McCarthy performed well at school, but dropped out during his A-Levels to pursue his passion in cooking. McCarthy, pictured in one of his Instagram photos, was told in court by the victim he attacked: 'I want you to know, McCarthy, the effect your actions have had on me' After training for a diploma at Westminster Kingsway College, he worked at 'prestigious' and Michelin-starred restaurants. Some places featured in McCarthy's social media profiles include Jones & Sons, the backdrop to the Bafta-nominated film and BBC drama Boiling Point, as well as fine dining restaurant Hotel Cafe Royal near Piccadilly and Nutfield Priory Hotel in Surrey. McCarthy's Facebook profile says he attended the 20,000-a-year Royal Alexandra and Albert state-maintained boarding school near Reigate in Surrey. The judge at his trial told how he had been assessed as a 'high risk of harm to the public, particularly sexual harm towards women'. Jailing him for seven years six months for the rape and assault, with an indefinite restraining order, the judge added: 'You took [the victim] back to your address. You raped her, punching her face as you did so. The circumstances of this case are genuinely concerning.' After the hearing, a member of McCarthy's family said they have already lodged an appeal against the conviction, adding: 'It's not contested she was raped and punched, but it's a question of identity.' More than 100,000 of taxpayers money was spent on producing a ludicrous report calling for motorists to be charged up to 15 a day to drive in towns and cities. The Mail reported last month that SNP quango Transport Scotland had commissioned independent research in a bid to find ways to cut car use as part of plans to hit a key net zero measure. One proposal was for a local daily charge for driving in all large urban areas in the Glasgow conurbation, Edinburgh, Dundee and Aberdeen, implemented by local authorities under existing legislation. It has now emerged that the bill for bringing in a company to carry out the research was more than 100,000, sparking anger last night over the scale of public funds being ploughed into attempts to limit car use. Last night Scottish Tory transport spokesman Sue Webber said hard-pressed taxpayers will be appalled that the SNP had wasted thousands of pounds on this ludicrous report. She said: It is outrageous that SNP ministers even considered charging motorists to drive on Scotlands pothole-ridden roads. Thats why the Scottish Conservatives opposed this tax on drivers from the get-go. If the SNP want to reduce emissions, they should focus on making public transport affordable reliable, rather than considering extra charges for motorists. More than 100,000 of taxpayers money was spent on report The Scottish Government said the report cost 88,039 to commission, plus VAT of 17,608 a total of 105,647. Ministers have pledged to cut car kilometres by 20 per cent by 2030 but are currently not on track to do this. Transport Scotland commissioned the report looking at ways to achieve the goal. Prices considered for drivers in urban areas, suggested in the report, were 5, 10 and 15, raising between 800million and 1.3billion. It admitted this would have a greater impact on those living within the charged area. The second option would be charging 10p, 6.5p or 3p per kilometre driven on any road, bringing in 875million to 2.3billion. The report added: Lower charges mitigate the impact on remote communities who find it most difficult to switch modes. There would be discounts offered to those on low incomes and living in remote rural areas, with less opportunity to change their behaviour, and exemptions for blue badge holders. They would not apply to buses and lorries. Transport Scotland highlighted that both these schemes could achieve the 20 per cent target and are broadly considered deliverable, as none use novel technology and are forecast to raise enough revenue to cover their operating costs and provide funding for transport priorities. The schemes would be use technology such as Automatic Number Plate Recognition cameras or Global Navigation Satellite Systems to record driver mileage. The SNP Government has faced accusations of being anti-car in recent years as it steps up the pursuit of net zero. Older petrol and diesel cars are banned from Low Emission Zones in Glasgow, Edinburgh, Aberdeen and Dundee. Transport Scotland officials insisted proper procurement processes [were followed] to commission the research to explore options to reduce car use. A Scottish Government spokesman said: The research was undertaken by an independent firm, AECOM, and is not Scottish Government policy. While the research includes hypothetical modelling of both local and national options for demand management in Scotland, the Scottish Government does not have a policy position to progress national (Scotland-wide) road pricing. We continue to call for a collaborative four-nation approach with the UK Government who have key levers of power and responsibility for fuel duty reform to support the just transition to net zero. Britain's strictest headteacher has accused Labour's Education Secretary of showing 'her Marxist outlook in every decision'. Katharine Birbalsingh, who co-founded and leads the Michaela Community School in Brent, north London, told a podcast Bridget Phillipson has Marxism 'coursing through her veins' as she hit out at government education policy. A new bill under consideration by Parliament would ensure all state schools had the same pay scales, followed the national curriculum, employ only qualified or qualifying teachers and limit uniforms to three branded items. The Children's Wellbeing and Schools Bill will also support free breakfast clubs in every state-funded primary school in England. But critics - including Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch - have said the changes should not also apply to academies, which currently have the independence to set their own pay scales, teacher requirements and curriculum. Speaking to the Planet Normal podcast, Ms Birbalsingh said: 'I do see a sense of Marxism that is coursing through the veins of the [new education] bill. 'Bridget Phillipson is looking at this in a manner that is just not very informed. You see her Marxist outlook in every decision that she's making. 'Social mobility is not something that you can just place upon children, you need to inspire them to take ownership of their own lives and jump over the obstacles that are in front of them. Katharine Birbalsingh, who co-founded and leads the Michaela Community School in Brent, north London , told a podcast Bridget Phillipson has Marxism 'coursing through her veins' Bridget Phillipson is overseeing a new bill on education which will restrict academies' freedoms 'They need to feel like they belong to their school and wear their uniform. They need to work hard to get grades at GCSE that will compete with the boys at Eton. 'They need to own their lives and push themselves forward. It's about self-empowerment, it is not about holding your hand out to the state and saying: "Please give me more." 'And that is unfortunately what a Marxist view will do.' Ms Birbalsingh previously said the bill would harm the quality of education for young people. The Department for Education this week claimed an amendment will be tabled to make it clear that there will be a floor on pay with no upper limit for all state schools. Other measures contained in the Bill include allowing councils to open new schools that are not academies and it will end the forced academisation of schools, run by local authorities, that are identified as a concern by Ofsted. Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson speak with children at Perry Hall Primary school in Orpington, during the first day of the new school year, on September 2, 2024 in London All state schools, including academies, will be required to teach the national curriculum and the Government also plans to bolster child protection, with a new register of all home-schooled children in England. The Tories have slammed the bill as 'education vandalism' and claimed it is a 'highly ideological, un-evidenced onslaught on school freedoms' that would water down school standards. Tory MP Neil O'Brien, the shadow education minister, branded the Bill 'a disaster'. He said: 'I have worked in politics for 25 years and it is one of the most dumb and tragic things I can remember. It's an act of pure vandalism, abolishing academies in all but name.' Rachel Reeves has signalled she will ease Labour's crackdown on non-doms amid alarm at the exodus of millionaires from Britain. The Chancellor told a fringe event at the World Economic Forum in Davos that she was 'listening' to the concerns. An amendment is expected to be tabled to the Finance Bill. The mooted change is thought to relate to the temporary repatriation facility, which allows those registered to bring money into the UK. 'We have been listening to the concerns that have been raised by the non-dom community,' Ms Reeves told a Wall Street Journal event. A Treasury source said: 'We're always interested in hearing ideas for making our tax regime more attractive to talented entrepreneurs and business leaders from around the world to help create jobs and wealth in the UK.' Downing Street insisted the amendment would not change the amount of money raised or the main intentions of the overhaul. Chancellor Rachel Reeves, who is attending the World Econmic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, this week, was blamed for millionaires abandoning Britain The Labour manifesto put the non-dom crackdown at the heart of the government plans, using revenues to fund a range of policies The Prime Minister's official spokesman said: 'She refers to engagement and laying an amendment to the Finance Bill, but it doesn't change our approach to replacing the outdated non-dom tax regime with a new internationally competitive resident-based system that addresses unfairness in our tax system, attracts the best talent and investment to the UK and ensures that everyone who is a long-term resident of the UK pays their tax here. 'And the OBR expects these non-dom reforms to raise 33.8billion over the next five years to help fund crucial investment projects and public services.' He added: 'As with all of these policies, it always involves engagement and consultation on the detail and obviously the Finance Bill will bring forward the final policy. 'But it doesn't change the overall approach which is that we are replacing this outdated regime.' Stephen Kenny, Head of Private Client at audit and accountancy firm PKF Littlejohn said any tweaks were 'too little too late'. 'The changes to the non-dom rules were first announced by the previous government in March 2024,' he said. 'Since then, many in the industry raised the likely impact these changes would have, and the new government has had the opportunity to reassure the internationally mobile community that the UK is open for business. But they have not heeded the warning until too late.' Figures from New World Wealth, a global analytics firm, showed 10,800 liquid millionaires - who hold more than $1million in liquid assets - left the UK in 2024. Analysis of the research by the Adam Smith Institute found each of these millionaires would have been paying at least 393,957 in income tax. This equates to the same income tax take as 49 average taxpayers - who each have an average income tax bill of 8,048, the think tank said. It means - due to the exodus of millionaires - the Treasury is now facing a shortfall in income tax revenue equivalent to the income tax taken from 528,000 average taxpayers, the analysis added. The squeeze on non-doms and other tax-hikes in the Budget have blamed for millionaires abandoning Britain. The Adam Smith Institute said the UK had an 'increasingly hostile attitude' towards wealth creation and warned average families could face even higher tax bills to fund public services. The Tories claimed entrepreneurs and businesses were fleeing Britain 'in droves' under Labour, who they accused of overseeing a 'tepid bath of decline'. It has previously been found how the top 1 per cent of income tax payers stump up 29.1 per cent of the UK's income tax, which is the Treasury's biggest source of tax revenue. According to the research by New World Wealth, conducted together with investment migration advisers Henley & Partners, only China lost more millionaires than the UK in 2024. In comparison with the net 10,800 millionaires that Britain lost last year, the figure was 4,200 in 2023, they found. The UK also lost 16,500 millionaires to migration from 2017 to 2023, which included Brexit and the Covid pandemic, the research added. Responding to the Adam Smith Institute analysis, Tory MP Andrew Griffith, the shadow business and trade secretary, said: 'Our entrepreneurs and businesses are fleeing this socialist Government's tax raid in droves. 'This research shows that Rachel's Marxist maths has put the economy in real danger of drowning in Labour's tepid bath of decline. 'Unless she changes course, every taxpayer will be getting soaked as a result.' Maxwell Marlow, director of research at the Adam Smith Institute, said: 'The rate at which millionaires are leaving the country is alarming. 'This will have serious implications for our wider economy and the public services which their taxes have been funding. The crackdown on non-doms was a key part of Labour's manifesto at the election, but doubts have been raised about how much it will raise 'And if the Treasury is losing money from these departing individuals, they may decide that they need to tax the average taxpayer even more than they already are. 'Our analysis has only measured the minimum amount of income these millionaires were likely to be paying- and didn't take into account the other taxes that they are paying into the Exchequer at very high rates. 'So the fiscal hole caused by these high net worth individuals leaving is likely to be much larger. 'Our findings underline the urgent need to attract more millionaires to the UK, for example by introducing an italian-style flat rate fee or cutting anti-business taxes.' If elected, he would launch payment for apprentices Anthony Albanese has pledged a $10,000 bonus payment to apprentice tradies, in an election promise aimed at encouraging more young Aussies to take up tools. If elected, Labor would introduce the total $10,000 in incentive payments to tradies doing apprenticeships from July 2025. Mr Albanese is set to announce the payments at his National Press Club speech on Friday. The scheme is aimed at encouraging more young Australians to take up apprenticeships in the residential housing sector and ultimately build more homes. It would form part of Mr Albanese's ambitious plan to build 1.2million new houses over the next five years. The announcement comes after experts suggested the prime minister's vision would be hampered by an industry shortfall of about 90,000 workers. Under his Key Apprentice Program, jobs like bricklayers, electricians, plumbers, carpenters and joiners would be eligible for the payments. 'We recognise the next generation of tradies, the people we're counting on to build the new homes we need, are under significant financial pressure,' Mr Albanese will tell the National Press Club tomorrow, according to an excerpt from his speech. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese will announce a bold plan to lure more young Aussies into the construction sector 'As a number of apprentices have said, they could earn a lot more stacking shelves in their local supermarket. 'Too many leave training because they can't afford to stay.' However, to ensure workers don't take the money and run, the cash would be staggered throughout their apprenticeships. The government would pay out $2,000 at months six, 12, 24, and 36 of apprenticeships, with the final windfall granted upon their completion. The incentives would come at a cost of $626.9million, according to government estimates. The prime minister will say the plan is a natural addition to the government's previous commitments to fee-free TAFE education. He will also look to tackle the construction worker shortfall with increases to support payments for apprentices living away from home. 'We are going to provide more support for tradies while they're training,' he will say. If elected, Labor would introduce the total $10,000 in incentive payments to tradies doing apprenticeships from July 2025 'Today, I announce we will be raising the allowance paid to apprentices who are living away from home. 'The first time this payment has been increased since 2003.' That allowance currently sits at $77.17 per week for first-year trainees, and less for those in later years. The $10,000 grants would bring assistance for apprentices in residential construction in line with training incentives for those working in the energy sector. However, only 2,200 apprentices signed on for the $10,000 payment when the Albanese government released that initiative to support 'green jobs'. The Prime Minister's slated press club speech will come almost exactly a year after he made a similar appearance to announce plans to reallocate stage three tax cuts. The adjustments were begrudgingly passed through parliament by both parties - giving the PM a political win in the eyes of many voters. Mr Albanese is likely hopeful his apprenticeship payments could have a similar effect in the lead-up to this year's election - the date of which remains in doubt. The scheme would form part of Mr Albanese's ambitious plan to build 1.2million new houses over the next five years The government has been eager to suggest the solution to the nation's housing crisis lies in building more homes. However, the Coalition has suggested they'd tackle the crisis from a different angle. They have told voters they would allow buyers to dip into their super by at least $50,000 to make deposits on their first homes. Opposition leader Peter Dutton has also said he would cut migration for the sake of housing. The federal election must be held on or before May 17. Vladimir Putin's Russian troops are being accused of a new war crime, as a video has emerged showing an executioner calling on his comrades to film as at least six Ukrainian POWs are cold-bloodedly shot dead. Kyiv has launched a criminal investigation and reported the barbaric mass killing to the United Nations and Red Cross. The savage Russian soldiers in the occupied Donetsk region film themselves committing the illegal battlefield massacre. 'This one's mine,' says one of the Russia soldiers after demanding, 'Give me two machine guns'. The POWs are seen lying face down on the ground as the occupiers decide to kill them. 'Get the camera,' one Russian is heard saying. 'Get the phone, get the phone, get the phone, get the phone, film me.' The prisoners are told to 'get the f*** over here, one at a time over here, hurry up. One at a time. Over here, on your knees.' They are ordered: 'Go, go, we'll kill you anyway.' At least two Russians are seen shooting the kneeling victims from behind. Others were shot as they walked to the murder spot. The savage Russian soldiers in the occupied Donetsk region film themselves committing the battlefield atrocities Ukrainian soldiers are seen cowering moments before they are shot dead Some were forced to kneel or lie down, others were shot as they walked towards the execution scene Ukrainian human rights ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets said: 'In the video, the occupiers themselves recorded their own crime - the shooting in the back of six Ukrainian soldiers who were captured. 'The video cuts off when the seventh soldier lies on the ground, his fate unknown. 'The shooting of each of the captured soldiers takes place in front of other comrades. 'At the same time, the occupiers order them to 'lie down and shut their mouths'. 'The 'operator' of the crime voices "One is mine", and later we see him firing a series of bullets into the back of one of the prisoners of war.' Lubinets stressed: 'The Russian army has never been famous for its dignified treatment of prisoners of war, and here it once again demonstrates its helplessness and criminality.' He has sent details to the UN and International Committee of the Red Cross. 'The lack of responsibility has turned the crime into a systematic one. 'We cannot turn a blind eye to this. 'Ukraine needs justice and responsibility for those who commit crimes and do not adhere to any norms.' The Ukrainian prosecutor general's office said: 'During the assault on the positions of Ukrainian troops in the Donetsk region, the occupiers captured six servicemen of the Defence Forces of Ukraine and subsequently shot them. 'The shooting of prisoners of war is a serious violation of the Geneva Convention on the Treatment of Prisoners of War and is classified as a grave international crime.' It comes as Western officials said about 1,000 'elite' North Korean troops who were reportedly led by Russian officers they 'don't understand' have been slaughtered in just three months while fighting Ukraine. One Russian soldier is seen bluntly telling the Ukrainian prisoners he's going to kill them Western officials say about 1,000 'elite' North Korean troops who were reportedly led by Russian officers they 'don't understand' have been slaughtered in just three months North Korean troops in eastern Russia undergoing training ahead of deployment with Vladimir Putin's forces Vladimir Putin talks with North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un on Putin's arrival at the Pyongyang International Airport in Pyongyang, North Korea, in June 2024 North Korea sent around 11,000 troops and 4,000 have been killed, wounded, are missing or captured. Officials who spoke anonymously said that an estimated 1,000 of these were killed by mid-January. The North Korean troops, reportedly from an 'elite' unit called the Storm Corps, appear to have been thrown into the war with little training or protection. Former British Army tank commander, Col Hamish de Bretton-Gordon, said they are 'barely trained' and led by 'Russian officers who they don't understand'. He said the troops don't 'stand a chance and are being used as 'cannon fodder'. These losses are unsustainable by the North Koreans and point to a very high cost to the ally of Vladimir Putin. He is trying to get rid of Ukrainian forces from in Russia ahead of any possible ceasefire negotiations later in the year. Joe Rogan would rather be a king-maker than a king. The star podcaster put to bed rumors that he has aspirations for public office, saying he has no interest running for Governor of Texas - or any political seat. During a chat with conservationist Steven Rinella on his Joe Rogan Experience, the superstar interviewer insisted he actually despises the world of politics - although he did enjoy the role he played in the final days of the November presidential election. 'No! No!' Rogan said when asked if he was ever going to toss his hat in the ring to run the Lone Star State, where he has lived since he relocated from California in 2020. 'I'm not running for nothing. I don't wanna do nothing. I don't want to do a goddamn thing.' Rogan continued making his position clear, adding: 'F*** that! Why would I do that? 'I have the best job in the world. I get to talk s**t with zero responsibilities. If I get something wrong, I go, "Listen, I'm a moron. Why are you listening to me in the first place?"' He concluded: 'No, I have no desire in any way, shape or form to have anything to do with anything involving politics or - I don't want to be in control of it.' Rogan explained that he does not even like having to manage too many employees, which means he would hate the responsibilities of the job, which is currently occupied by Republican Greg Abbott. Joe Rogan put to bed rumors that he has aspirations for public office, saying he has no interest running for Governor of Texas - or any political seat The podcaster was in DC for all the major inaugural events celebrating president Trump 'F**k that. I would hate it,' Rogan said. 'I don't want to be a mayor, I don't want to be nothing I don't want to be a city councilman, I don't want to be s**t. 'I don't like the whole thing about it. It's just, it's not a good gig. It's just a creepy business. It's a very creepy and prostitutional business. I don't like it.' However, Rogan admitted that he did like having influence on November's presidential election after he endorsed Donald Trump for president. 'I did enjoy because I didn't want to. I did not want to get involved in any way, shape or form,' he shared. 'But it got so weird. I was, like, I don't want to have nothing and I don't want to have anything to do with it in the future. I don't, I didn't want to. I just felt sucked into it.' Rogan added: 'I'm like, yeah, we can't do this again. We can't do it with these same people that f****d us for four years, and then they're gonna [be] like, "We're gonna do it differently now."' The podcaster was in DC for all the major inaugural events celebrating president Trump. Texas Governor Greg Abbott gestures as he speaks onstage during the third day of the 2024 Republican National Convention Trump appeared alongside the 57-year-old comedian despite Rogan previously saying he had turned down offers to have the former president on the podcast His interview with Trump has been listed of one of the factors that helped Trump regain the White House in November. Trump appeared alongside the 57-year-old comedian despite Rogan previously saying he had turned down offers to have the former president on the podcast. Rogan said in 2022 that he would never have Trump on his podcast over fears it would help his campaign. Speaking with the then-presidential nominee in a wide-ranging interview, Rogan referenced Trump's interview with fellow comedian Theo Von in August. Trump asked: 'Is that why you called me to do this', to which Rogan responded: 'No. Once they shot you I was like, "He's gotta come in here."' Despite his popularity among conservatives, Rogan has described himself as a progressive on many issues. He voted for left-wing Democrat Bernie Sanders to be the party's 2016 nominee. Left-wing activists beamed a massive image of Elon Musk's infamous raised-arm salute and the word 'Heil' on to Tesla's Berlin factory last night. The gesture made by Tesla and SpaceX CEO Musk on Monday, the day of US President Donald Trump's inauguration, drew comparisons to the Nazi salute, a claim Musk has rejected. A video showing Musk's tweets in support of Germany's far-right Alternative Fur Deutschland party were also displayed on the nine-meter-tall factory. UK activism group Led By Donkeys and Germany's Centre for Political Beauty were behind the late night protest. Led By Donkeys shared a picture of the projection on Instagram after pulling the stunt. 'The world's richest man, Elon Musk, is promoting the far right in Europe. Don't buy @teslamotors', it said. Center for Political Beauty shared a similar post, captioning it: 'Last night: Gigafactory Tesla, Berlin. Buy a Tesla - and support the commercial arm of fascism! We as a society will now push this outstretched arm down'. MailOnline has reached out to Led By Donkeys and Centre for Political Beauty for comment. I giant image of Elon Musk doing a gesture people have likened to a Nazi salute alongside the word 'heil' was projected onto Tesla's Berlin factory last night The gesture was made by Musk on Monday at a rally for President Donald Trump The Tesla factory in the German capital has become a site for protests. Hundreds of demonstrators gathered at the plant last year in protest over the factory's expansion plans, which involve cutting down half a million trees. The factory was also shut down briefly following an arson attack in March. The latest act of protest against Musk comes as the head of Germany's largest concentration camp memorial called the tech billionaire a 'mad extremist'. Speaking to The Times about Musk, historian Jens-Christian Wagner, who runs the Buchenwald memorial, said: 'One can only say to him, "Take a history book and withdraw for three days, read the history book and please be quiet with the poison hes spreading".' 'I think Musk is a mixture of mad and right-wing extremist and that is particularly dangerous,' he said of Trump's ally. Musk came under fire this week for the gesture he made at President Trump's rally while he addressed a crowd of MAGA fanatics. Biting his bottom lip, the tech billionaire thumped his right hand over his heart and then extended his right arm out at an upward angle. Director of Buchenwald and Mittelbau-Dora Memorial Foundation in Germany has condemned Musk, calling him a 'mad extremist' The gestures were quickly scrutinized online, prompting critics to allege the gesture was an overt reference to Adolf Hitler and the Nazis. But Musk took to his social media platform X to defend himself Then he turned and made the same shocking hand gesture to the crowd behind him. The signal was quickly scrutinized online, prompting critics to allege the gesture was an overt reference to Adolf Hitler and the Nazis. Claire Aubin, a historian who specializes in Nazism within the United States, said Musk's gesture was a 'sieg heil,' or Nazi salute. 'My professional opinion is that you're all right, you should believe your eyes,' Aubin posted on X, aligning with those who found the gesture was an overt reference to Nazis. Musk took to his social media platform X to defend himself, stating that his opponents needed 'better dirty tricks' and that 'the 'everyone is Hitler' attack is sooo tired'. The Anti-Defamation League (ADL), an organization founded to combat anti-Semitism and has criticized Musk in the past, also rushed to his defense, saying it appears that 'made an awkward gesture in a moment of enthusiasm, not a Nazi salute'. The Tesla CEO also infuriated Germany last month by claiming that the far-right AfD party is the only political group that can 'save' the country. The party's leader, Alice Weidel, responded: 'Yes! You are perfectly right.' Though the German government refused to comment on the matter, lawmakers from across the political spectrum were up in arms over Musk's comments. 'It is threatening, irritating and unacceptable for a key figure in the future US government to interfere in the German election campaign,' Dennis Radtke, an MEP for the centre-right CDU, told the Handelsblatt daily. Elon Musk is trolling critics of his inaugural parade salute to the crowd - derided by some as Hitler-esque - by invoking the names of high-ranking World War II-era Nazi politicians and officials. The billionaire rattled off a series of off-color puns in a post to his X account on Thursday in response to claims he had actually performed a Nazi salute during his remarks at Donald Trump's indoor inaugural parade in Washington, D.C. on Monday. His post made light of the names of Adolf Hitler's Deputy Fuhrer Rudolf Hess; Nazi propagandist Joseph Goebbels; Reichstag President Hermann Goring; and Schutzstaffel (SS) Commander Heinrich Himmler. The tweet also took a swipe at liberal politicians' use of preferred pronouns in the shift towards accommodating for transgender or nonbinary individuals. 'Don't say Hess to Nazi accusations! Some people will Goebbels anything down! Stop Goring your enemies! His pronouns would've been He/Himmler!' Musk wrote. 'Bet you did nazi that coming,' he added in the final pun. Conservatives rushed to Musk's defense after a liberal meltdown over the gesture where he put his hand over his heart, then shot his hand out to wave to the crowd in Capital One Arena. Even Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu weighed in, writing in an X post on Thursday that Musk 'is being falsely smeared.' Elon Musk, in his latest defense of his salute at Donald Trump's inaugural parade, invoked the name of several Nazi Germany leaders He used the names to issue a series of puns in a post to X on Thursday, concluding: 'Bet you did nazi that coming' 'Elon is a great friend of Israel,' Netanyahu added of the South African native. 'He visited Israel after the October 7 massacre in which Hamas terrorists committed the worst atrocity against the Jewish people since the Holocaust.' 'He has since repeatedly and forcefully supported Israel's right to defend itself against genocidal terrorists and regimes who seek to annihilate the one and only Jewish state,' the PM concluded. Musk's father also defended the gesture during an interview with NewsNation host Chris Como. Asked Wednesday night about the salute, Errol Musk said: 'It's absolute nonsense, it's absolute rubbish. Rubbish.' 'It's a universal salute, or, as you said, you know, throwing his heart out, I suppose, yes, that's a universal thing for thousands of years. So that's rubbish. That's a rubbish,' he repeated. Musk said liberals are showing their hypocrisy with their recent attacks against him claiming they cannot support Hamas terrorists operating out of Gaza while also slamming him for supposedly using a Nazi salute. 'The radical leftists are really upset that they had to take time out of their busy day praising Hamas to call me a Nazi,' Musk wrote on X. Democrats and more progressive liberals have vocally slammed Israel for defending itself against Hamas terrorists operating out of Palestinian's Gaza territory. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also came to Musk's defense on Thursday, claiming he is a 'great friend of Israel' and saying liberals are 'falsely smearing' the billionaire War broke out between the two sides after Hamas' October 7, 2023 attack on Israel that was the largest single-day massacre of Jewish people since the Holocaust. Just this month, Hamas and Israel reached a ceasefire agreement that finally saw the release of Israeli hostages. Trump, and Republican politicians, are more vocal in their support of Israel a U.S. ally and during the president's first term he moved the embassy to Jerusalem from Tel Aviv. His first administration also negotiated the Abraham Accords to help strengthen security and relationships between Israel and its mostly-hostile neighboring countries. Paras Defence announces 12,000 Cr investment in Maharashtra Kolkata, Jan 23 (UNI) Paras Defence & Space Technologies Limited (Paras Defence) is set to invest Rs 12000 cr to establish Indias first Optics Park in Maharashtra. In this regard, the defence company signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Government of Maharashtra (GoM), according to a media statement here on Thursday. The announcement, made at the prestigious World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, marks a historic milestone in Indias journey toward self-reliance in advanced optical technologies. The monumental investment is set to create a state-of-the-art technology hub that will reshape Indias optics and optical systems sector and establish itself as a World Leader in Optical Technologies. It also reaffirms Paras Defences commitment to the Make in India initiative while advancing Indias aspirations for technological independence in critical sectors. The project is poised to generate over 2,000 direct employment opportunities and catalyze technological advancements across key industries such as defence, space, automotive, industrial, and commercial applications. Under the planned MoU, the Government of Maharashtra has pledged its comprehensive support to Paras Defence in securing land, various incentives and approvals to bring this ambitious project to fruition. Speaking about the announcement, Munjal Sharad Shah, Managing Director, Paras Defence & Space Technologies Ltd, stated, The Optics Park reflects our unwavering commitment to advancing Indias technological capabilities. This revolutionary project will not only boost the domestic manufacturing ecosystem but also solidify Indias position as a global innovation hub. Our Optics Park will bridge technological gaps and create opportunities for knowledge exchange, innovation, and growth across sectors. This initiative represents a monumental milestone for both Paras Defence and Indias technological aspirations. Commenting on the partnership, spokesperson from Government of Maharashtra said, We are proud to collaborate with Paras Defence to drive innovation and foster technological leadership in Maharashtra for Optical Technologies for Defence, Space, Automotive, Semiconductor and other applications. This project exemplifies our commitment to establishing the state as a hub for advanced industries and investments. The Optics Park, a greenfield project, is a cornerstone of Paras Defences vision to transform India into a self-reliant hub for optics and optical systems, eliminating dependence on foreign technologies. Paras Defence plans to leverage its robust network of mentor institutions, international partnerships, and its access to Capital Markets, FDI and domestic investors etc. to deliver on this ambitious project. UNI SJC KK Axel Rudakubana had the raw materials to kill nearly 13,000 people hidden under his bed, it emerged today. Merseyside Police released pictures of the machete, crossbow, arrows and the grisly array of combat knives they found when they raided his home in the aftermath of the murders in July last year. But their search came to an immediate halt when they discovered a container in which he was making the deadly poison ricin concealed in his bedroom. They returned to the home in Bank wearing specialist protective equipment to remove the container before it was taken to the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory at Porton Down in Wiltshire. Deanna Heer KC told Liverpool Crown Court that the 150 castor beans found at the scene could have produced between 1.07 and 5.33g of ricin enough to kill 12,500 people if inhaled. Rudakubana yelled out from the dock as the chilling detail emerged, shouting: 'Guards, I need to be seen by the paramedic. I feel ill.' The judge Mr Justice Goose ordered Rudakubana to be removed before the hearing resumed. Photos of the innocuous looking plastic lunchbox were released for the first time today, showing the grimy mixture of toxic beans inside. Axel Rudakubana had enough raw materials to kill 13,000 people by the time police uncovered his home laboratory and a lunch-box in which he was refining ricin A pestle and mortar still bore the marks of his deadly mission Toxicologists at the world renowned Ministry of Defence laboratory found it contained 'actively toxic ricin pulp' which had been produced using equipment found in the defendant's bedroom. 'The castor beans could have been used to create about 2,500 to 12,500 doses if inhaled but to do that he'd have to carry out a further purification process and there's no evidence he did,' Ms Heer said. Also found at the scene were goggles, sieves and a pestle and mortar with the remnants of castor beans still inside. Even in their unpurified form the beans could have killed up to five people if eaten, the court was told. Chemicals used in the preparation of ricin were also found in a bottle at the scene along with a laboratory beaker. Ms Heer said a Porton Down expert had concluded the castor beans 'had been used to make a crude preparation of ricin in sufficient quantities to be lethal, but he could not be sure that the further final purification process had taken place to produce ricin in liquid or powder form'. Bebe King, six, Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven and Alice da Silva Aguiar, nine, were stabbed to death by Rudakabana as they attended a Taylor Swift-themed dance class in Southport on July 22 last year. Eight other children and two adults were also stabbed before the killer was disarmed by police at the end of his 12-minute murder spree. The court heard that Rudakubana appeared to have been sleeping in the living room of the three-bedroom terraced house he shared with parents Laetitia and Alphonse. His father ran a mail order business alongside his work as a taxi driver and pictures of the 130,000 house revealed a messy home filled with delivery boxes. Axel Rudakubana was jailed for life on Thursday at Liverpool Crown Court The killer appeared to have been sleeping in the living room of the messy Merseyside home But ominous pre-cursor equipment for the production of poison was found across the house Two Apollo Cerbera knives with 20cm blades, one still in its sheath, were recovered days after he bought them on Amazon A grisly array of hunting arrows was also recovered from the teenager's armoury The killer had received the knife he used to kill the three children via an Amazon delivery days earlier and a stash of bottles with matches attached to the necks were also found in the living room. Evidence from Amazon suggests the defendant purchased the equipment in early 2022, Ms Heer said. The then 17-year-old, who admitted three counts of murder, was found in possession of articles and books that sources said proved an 'obsession with extreme violence'. This included texts on the genocide in his parents' native Rwanda, Nazi Germany and tactics for urban warfare, as well as others containing gory details about torture and cannibalism. One article detailing the use of car bombs by ISIS explained how they were 'an incredibly powerful and versatile weapon' that could 'cause unfathomable destruction in all sorts of environments'. The piece, written by a weapons expert in a journal about radicalisation, described how the terror group had designed self-driving cars with a 12-mile range with mannequins to hide the fact there was no driver. The teenager was also found to have researched 'electronic detonators' and 'strong nitric acid', The Times reported - citing sources - suggesting he was interested in putting his research to practical use. Alice da Silva Aguiar, nine, was one of the three children killed in the knife attack in Southport Bebe King, six, was also killed in the knife attack at The Hart Space in Southport last July Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven, was among the three little girls killed in the attack in Southport Delivery boxes littered the Merseyside home the killer shared with his parents A laboratory beaker was recovered from the killer's home A lethal crossbow was found in the bag where Rudakubana kept his newest knives Equipment for sieving and filtering raw materials was among the finds A PDF file that he was found with, entitled 'Military Studies In The Jihad Against The Tyrants, The Al Qaeda Training Manual' led to him being charge with possessing terrorist materials. The court heard on Thursday that exposure to ricin - a naturally-occurring toxin - could result in death as a result of multi-organ failure and or acute respiratory distress. 'There is no antidote (for ricin poisoning) and only a very small amount of it may be deadly,' Ms Heer said. 'There is no evidence that the ricin produced was ever used either during this attack or at any other time,' she added. Vice President JD Vance cracked a dad joke backstage moments before dancing with a Marine at the Commander in Chief Ball. Staff Sgt. Lexus Martinez, 27, was picked to dance alongside the 50th veep as part of President Trump's inauguration ceremony on Monday. Martinez, who works as a food specialist for the Marine Corps, told the New York Post that the whole experience was 'surreal'. Each branch of the armed forces sent one member to dance with Trump, Vance, first lady Melania Trump and second lady Usha Vance. Martinez, from New York, decided to apply for the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and found out just last Friday that she would be taking to the dancefloor with Vance. On Sunday, she and the other service members had a rehearsal without POTUS and V-POTUS present, when Vance cracked a joke to break the ice. She said: 'President Trump and Vice President Vance walked by and they just wanted to shake our hands, thank us for our service and to get facial recognition of who they were dancing with.' It was after this brief encounter that Vance cracked a joke, telling her: 'Well, I hope you don't step on my feet'. Staff Sgt. Lexus Martinez, 27, was picked to dance alongside the 50th veep as part of President Trump's inauguration ceremony Martinez, who works as a food specialist for the Marine Corps, told The New York Post that the whole experience was 'surreal' Martinez, who is at least a foot shorter than Vance, responded: 'Well, I hope you teach me how to dance up there', telling The Post that they shared a laugh. Vance served in the Marine Corps from 2003 to 2007 as a military journalist. He left in 2007 after having no combat experience. Martinez said that during the dance the two discussed their time in the Marines, where she has served for nine years. After leaving the stage, she said that she walked off more confident due to how normal Vance was during the dance. She told the outlet: 'Him acknowledging me as a Marine and just like joking with me in that way. 'It felt cool to just be myself because, in the Marines, were all family no matter what. Youre a Marine 24/7. 'I was talking to someone in the brotherhood like we were family already. It just all felt so natural.' Each branch of the armed forces sent one member to dance with Trump, Vance, First Lady Melania Trump and Second Lady Usha Vance Martinez said that during the dance the two discussed their time in the Marines, where she has served for nine years Martinez, from New York, decided to apply for the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and found out just last Friday that she would be taking to the dancefloor with Vance Martinez said that her family were beyond proud of watching her on national television dancing with the Vice President. She added: 'My phone was blowing up the second I got off the stage', adding that her phone is still being bombarded with messages. Martinez, who is Puerto Rican, said that she has family everywhere and was receiving messages from relatives across the globe. Trump had a dance with Sergeant Tatiana Saldana from the Space Force, while Melania enjoyed one with Honor Guard member Henry Wallen. Labour is 'setting back a generation' of schoolchildren with a wave of education reforms, former Tory minister Michael Gove warned today. The ex-education secretary accused his successor Bridget Phillipson of undoing two decades of improvements in English, maths and science with a raft of changes. The Children's Wellbeing and Schools Bill, currently making its way through parliament, would limit the freedom academies have over pay, curriculum, staff recruitment and uniform. But it is coming up against increasingly strong kickback, with warnings that it is a union takeover of education and uniformity will lead to a drop in standards. Speaking to LBC today Mr Gove, who became editor of the Spectator magazine after quitting Parliament at the election, said: 'It's setting back a generation. 'It's not just me. Labour MPs like Siobhan McDonough have attested to the fact that the changes that we saw over the last two decades, which were backed by Labour politicians like Andrew Adonis and Ruth Kelly and Liberal Democrats like Nick Clegg and David Laws, they have seen English students be the best readers in the western world, to have the best maths and science results of Western developed nations. All that is put at risk... 'The National Education Union, run by someone who was a Jeremy Corbyn fanboy, is delighted by this bill, and the key question that Keir Starmer has to ask is, if Jeremy Corbyn's biggest supporters are cheering, what's he getting wrong?' He also lashed out at plans to reduce the amount of branded uniform children must wear, to make buying clothes cheaper for parents. He said it risked importing 'street culture' into schools, which should have 'an atmosphere of calmness, purpose, discipline, and a sense of cohesion'. The ex-education secretary accused his successor Bridget Phillipson of undoing two decades of improvements in English, maths and science with a raft of changes. He also lashed out at plans to reduce the amount of branded uniform children must wear, to make buying clothes cheaper for parents. 'What we don't want to have, and [headteacher] Katharine Birbalsingh, has pointed this out, is a sense that the street culture and some of the chaos that people will inevitably experience outside the school gates, is imported into the school gates. 'And we all know that the best schools, both in the state and in the independent sector, have a policy which tries to ensure that people feel that in that school, they are in a safe place with a real, defined character. 'And we all know good schools when we see them in uniform, is an integral part of that.' The government has said changes to uniforms could save families as much as 50 per child. The Bill aims to ensure all state schools academies and those run by councils follow the same pay and conditions framework. Academies, which are independent of local authorities, currently have the freedom to set their own pay and conditions for staff, and some academies exceed the national pay scales for teachers. The new Bill would ensure all teachers will be part of the same core pay and conditions framework, whether they work in a local authority-run school or an academy. Education Secretary Ms Phillipson has said there would be 'no ceiling' to what academy leaders can pay their teachers. The Department for Education this week said an amendment will be tabled to make it clear that there will be a floor on pay with no ceiling for all state schools. Other measures contained in the Bill include allowing councils to open new schools which are not academies, and it will end the forced academisation of schools run by local authorities which are identified as a concern by Ofsted. All state schools, including academies, would be required to teach the national curriculum and the Government also plans to bolster child protection, with a new register of all home-schooled children in England. Ms Birbalsingh last night warned the changes would 'destroy the huge gains made over the last decade and a half in helping disadvantaged children across England'. In a letter to Ms Phillipson, the London head said: 'I don't know if you are being ideologically blind and therefore ignoring the obvious negative impact of your decisions - or perhaps you just don't understand the harm your changes will cause. 'I don't actually believe you hate poor kids. I just think you don't know what they need and what true social mobility looks like and requires to succeed. You give the impression of having an unreasonable and unwarranted dislike of academies and free schools, blinded by a Marxist ideology.' Proposed legislation would ensure all state schools had the same pay scales, followed the national curriculum, employ only qualified or qualifying teachers and limit uniforms to three branded items. Forcing such uniformity will lead to a drop in standards and have 'catastrophic consequences for the poor in this country', Ms Birbalsingh claimed. While a 'broad academic core' was understandable, a 'rigid' curriculum that 'dictates adherence to a robotic, rigid and monotonous programme' will 'kill' creativity and cost schools time and money to change their teaching plans. Kemi Badenoch yesterday claimed the Government's proposed education reforms are a 'tragedy in the making' for pupils, parents and teachers. She used Prime Minister's Questions to describe the Bill as 'pure educational vandalism' and the 'worst of socialism'. But Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer countered by insisting the Bill benefits children and parents with its support for free breakfast clubs in every state-funded primary school in England, making school uniforms more affordable and introducing safeguarding measures. A Guatemalan migrant arrested in Alabama after he was caught sexually abusing a young girl coldly summed up his heinous actions to police, saying, 'It is what it is.' Luis Lopez-Martinez, 38, was arrested by Limestone County sheriff's deputies on January 19 after he was 'caught in the act of abusing a child less than 12 years old.' The victim's family discovered him assaulting the girl and detained him until police arrived, according to the sheriff's office. Lopez-Martinez gave police a fake name but was eventually revealed to be an illegal immigrant from Guatemala. The Limestone County Sheriff's Office said Lopez-Martinez confessed to the crime during an interview, stating: 'It is what it is.' The young girl was immediately transported to a local hospital for medical evaluation and care. Lopez-Martinez was arrested and held on $250,000 bond. Additionally, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has placed an immigration detainer on him. An immigration detainer is a request from ICE that asks a federal, state or local law enforcement agency to notify them before they release a removable noncitizen. Luis Lopez-Martinez (pictured), 38, was arrested by Limestone County sheriff's deputies on January 19 after he was 'caught in the act of abusing a child less than 12 years old' The Limestone County Sheriff's Office (pictured) said Lopez-Martinez confessed to the crime during an interview, stating, 'It is what it is' 'I would like to thank Deputy Fontenot and Investigator Wilson for their dedication and tireless efforts in seeking justice for this innocent child,' Sheriff Joshua McLaughlin said. 'Their efforts reinforce our commitment to protecting the most vulnerable members of our community and ensuring that justice is served.' His arrest came one day before President Trump returned to the White House on the back of a hardline campaign vowing to deport migrants who made it inside the US. On the first day of his presidency, Trump began signing a swathe of executive orders - 10 of which related to the southern border and illegal immigration crisis. He further ramped up his immigration crackdown on Thursday by ordering an extra 10,000 troops to join those already helping to tackle illegal crossings at the southern border. The new deployment of troops comes after CBP One asylum appointments were canceled, and the Biden-era app was shut down. Migrants waiting in Mexico broke down in tears as they looked at the app on their phones to see their eagerly-anticipated meetings with U.S. immigration officials no longer existed. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is also creating task forces to work with local and state law enforcement authorities to have them enforce federal immigration laws. Migrants were deported from the U.S. back to Tijuana, Mexico, on Tuesday, January 21 just 24 hours after Donald Trump took his oath of office A memo dated Tuesday warns local governments that if they seek to shield illegal immigrants from detection or deportation by federal authorities, they could now face criminal prosecution. Trump is directing federal prosecutors to investigate state and city officials who resist his immigration enforcement efforts, a Justice Department memo instructs. He vowed to restart immigration raids, including in sanctuary cities like San Francisco, Chicago, Detroit, New York City and many others. A teenager being quizzed by police in connection with the murder of a 12-year-old schoolboy has been further arrested over assaults on three pensioners. The 14-year-old was apprehended just hours after Leo Ross was found by a member of the public with a stab wound to the stomach on the banks of the River Cole in the affluent Hall Green area of Birmingham. Emergency services were called at around 3pm on Tuesday and Leo was treated at the scene, but was pronounced dead around four hours later. The teenage suspect is being held by police as they investigate Leo's murder, but today they confirmed they are also looking into three assaults on pensioners in the Hall Green area in the days running up to the incident. West Midlands Police said the assaults occurred on January 19 and 20, as well as one on January 21 shortly before the youngster's murder. The victims of the assaults are aged in their 70s and 80s. Birmingham LPA commander Chief Superintendent Richard North said: 'I would ask the public and the media not to speculate on the motive of this incident, the investigation is in the early stages and we have someone in custody. 'I would urge anyone who saw what happened, or who has CCTV, mobile phone or dashcam footage from the area at the time to get in touch with us as soon as possible to help us build as clear a picture as possible. A teenager being quizzed by police in connection with the murder of 'kind' 12-year-old schoolboy Leo Ross has been further arrested over assaults on three pensioners On Wednesday, heads at Christ Church Secondary Academy (pictured), where Leo was a pupil, told parents that the alleged assailant had never been a student of theirs 'We continue to work day in day out, with parents, schools, carers and other partners to educate young people on knife crime and its devastating consequences. 'This work must and will continue. Today, our focus is on the family of the young boy who has lost his life in such a tragic way, and ensuring we get justice for him and his family.' Today, Leo's devastated classmates paid tribute to the youngster and described him as 'helpful and welcoming', while his heartbroken family said he was 'funny, sweet and had not one aggressive bone in his body'. It is thought Leo was targeted on the way home from school, just a ten-minute journey. One local woman told BBC Midlands Today described the youngster as a 'lovely, caring, innocent little boy', and added: 'He was in the wrong place at the wrong time.' On Wednesday, heads at Christ Church Secondary Academy, where Leo was a pupil, told parents that the alleged assailant had not been a pupil at the school. Writing on its website, the school said: 'Dear parents and carers, to update everyone now we have clearance from West Midlands Police, we can confirm that the suspect has never been a student at Christ Church C of E Secondary Academy. 'We are in close contact with the bereaved family and with their permission we are opening a book of remembrance for students and the community to celebrate and to honour his life. We are also working with the family to plan a memorial service and memorial. A member of the public leaves flowers at the crime scene in Hall Green on Wednesday morning 'We have had a team of educational psychologists, counsellors and mentors in school to support the students and staff and will continue to offer support for as long as the children and staff need this.' Tributes have flooded in, with friends leaving flowers at the scene near Scribers Lane. A family member of Leo, who asked not to be named, told the Mail: 'He was a really good lad, a really nice lad, cheerful, not a bad bone in his body. He's a golden kid.' The member of the public who found Leo went banging on nearby doors, asking for the postcode to guide the emergency services to the scene. Neighbours claimed that the previous assault on the elderly woman had been by someone she had not known, raising the prospect that both attacks might have been random. Devastated schoolmates of Leo visited the police cordon next to Trittiford Mill Park, on Wednesday where they left flowers, candles and tributes. Riley, 13, was in the same class as Leo. He said: 'He was a really nice lad. Never gets in trouble, he always attended lessons, he's always in school. He had some friends. He's just a quiet kid.' Your browser does not support iframes. Chief Superintendent Richard North speaking to the media at the scene near Scribers Lane A forensics officer works at the scene near Scribers Lane in the Hall Green area of Birmingham Devastated school friends left flowers and handwritten notes for Leo Tributes to the 'kindest' boy Leo who is thought to have been attacked walking home from school One mother said: 'What happened to him is really, really sad. My kids were up most of the night crying over it' Riley's mother Christine Barton, 42, said: 'What happened to him is really, really sad. My kids were up most of the night crying over it. 'They said what a sweet boy he was never ever in trouble. It's definitely frightened my children. 'If they feel uncomfortable going to and from school, I'm happy to drive them for a while and pick them up, because I'm worried about their safety at the moment. 'It's just so raw, it's horrible. Something really, really needs to change - so many young lives have been taken. I just really feel for the little boy's mother.' Friends of Leo were said to have taken to social media to post 'LLL' which stands for 'Long Live Leo'. Christ Church School held a special assembly for pupils on Wednesday to give them space to grieve. Speaking after laying flowers, one emotional schoolsaid: 'He was a really good kid. He was nice, always a good kid. 'We had an assembly and we did a little worship about Leo and how he was kind and all that stuff. And we prayed for him. A 12-year-old boy was stabbed near a primary school in Birmingham on Tuesday 'He was a good kid, he'd always do his work. He always liked Science. And he was so nice to everyone and was always welcoming. 'These boys, his close friends, told us what happened and he got stabbed, and I was really upset. Everyone was really upset and teachers I know were really upset too.' A mother, whose child goes to the same school, added: 'It's just really shocking isn't it, because you hear about these things and then when it happens on your own doorstep in your children's school, it's heartbreaking.' One note left at the scene read: 'Rest easy, you were taken too soon. Hope you're having fun up there, you will be missed and we will get justice.' Another wrote: 'Rest in peace Leo Ross. You were loved by many people and your killer's one sicko. I am thinking you are in a better place. I hope you are enjoying the afterlife.' Another said: 'RIP Leo Ross. We will miss you loads. Our lives won't be the same without you. You will always be the kindest. Fly high Leo. You never deserved this, ever. Chief Superintendent Richard North said a passer-by had attempted to administer aid amid the 'chaotic and absolutely traumatic scene', adding: 'Sadly, despite the best efforts of police officers and paramedics who treated him at the scene, he lost his life later that day at about 7.30pm.' Police officers at the scene near Scribers Lane in the Hall Green area of Birmingham A police dog handler was spotted at the scene of the fatal stabbing this morning Chief Superintendent Richard North speaking to the media at the scene near Scribers Lane in the Hall Green area of Birmingham Chief Superintendent North described the 14-year-old in custody as 'a key line of inquiry' and his arrest as 'significant' Mr North told reporters: 'This is an absolutely appalling incident. We have got specialist detectives working on the inquiry, but also supporting the loved ones of the 12-year-old that has very, very sadly and tragically lost his life.' 'I would ask the public not to speculate about what happened - this is a very early stage of the inquiry. We are obviously dealing with it with a tremendous amount of priority. He said that detectives were working around the clock, adding: 'What I would urge is that anyone who was in the area of Scribers Lane at around that time - the incident happened at 3.40pm - get in touch with us and let us know where they were, if they saw anything unusual or suspicious. 'We have set up a major incident public portal, which can be found on our website. People can find that and they can upload information directly on to that. It might be CCTV they have, phone footage or dashcam footage.' Answering media questions near a passageway beneath a railway bridge leading to the country park where the boy was stabbed, Mr North described the 14-year-old in custody as 'a key line of inquiry' and his arrest as 'significant'. Questioned about the scale of knife crime in the Birmingham area, Mr North said anyone who is found carrying a knife over the age of criminal responsibility faced a 'very high chance' of being arrested and brought into custody. He continued: 'On a day like today it's really difficult to talk about the progress that we have made about knife crime. Because it's always going to look weak against the fact of what's happened to this 12-year-old. The boy was attacked near Scribers Lane in Hall Green, Birmingham, yesterday Residents living near a riverside path leading into a wooded area of the park spoke of their shock at discovering the victim's age and that he had died from his injuries 'I don't want to cause any additional stress to the people that knew him and loved him.' Residents living near a riverside path leading into a wooded area of the park spoke of their shock at discovering the victim's age. One resident, who declined to give her name, said a member of the public had knocked on her door after 3pm on Tuesday asking for the area's postcode to assist emergency services in reaching the scene. She told reporters: 'The first thing I knew was a gentleman came and asked for the postcode as somebody had been injured. He just came and knocked the door. 'We had two police cars and then a helicopter. I found out somebody had been stabbed last night but it wasn't till this morning that I realised the poor little soul had died.' The area close to the scene of the killing has been blighted by antisocial behaviour in recent weeks - with a woman being pushed off her bike on Monday and reports of a separate indecent exposure incident. 'We have many drug dealers hanging around where the police car is now, I try to keep out of the way,' one neighbour said, gesturing in the direction of the nearby police cordon. 'You see groups of them late at night, you can tell they are up to no good. It's definitely got worse recently. It happens on at least a weekly basis.' The area close to the scene of the killing has been blighted by antisocial behaviour in recent weeks Police officers searched the park where Leo was found throughout Wednesday A West Midlands Ambulance Service spokesman said: 'We were called to reports of a stabbing on Scribers Park Lane at 3.31pm yesterday. 'One ambulance, a paramedic officer and a MERIT trauma doctor with a Critical Care Paramedic attended the scene. On arrival we discovered one patient, a boy. 'Ambulance staff administered emergency treatment at the scene before transporting the boy to hospital.' Christ Church, Church of England Secondary Academy in Yardley Wood shared a statement that said: 'Our condolences and deepest sympathies go out to the family and friends of one of our CCSA students. 'This is a very sad time for our school community and we are focusing on supporting our students, staff and families with professional support. 'As this is a live police investigation, we are unable to share any further details with you.' Anyone who has any dashcam, doorbell or CCTV footage from the days leading up to 21 January is urged to get in touch with the police by calling 101 or anonymously to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111. A glamorous North Dakota waitress boldly confronted a customer who stole her tip after watching him do it. Brittany Baker was at the restaurant's computer on Sunday morning when she noticed an older man stealing her tip money from a table at Perkins American Food Company in Fargo. 'I was like: "Oh my goodness, I dont know what to do,"' she told Valley News Live. Ultimately, the mother-of-six confronted the man, a moment she documented on TikTok. 'Hello there,' she can be heard saying in the video. 'I just wanted to say that I noticed you had taken money off of this table and that money is mine, that's my tip that I made off that table. 'So, I don't feel comfortable serving you unless I get that back.' The older man immediately pulled out a small bundle of cash, separating two dollars from what appeared to be at least a $7 tip and mumbling how he thought someone had forgotten the money on the table. 'Was that all that was there?' she asked him as he slipped the rest of the cash into his pocket. Glamorous North Dakota, Brittany Baker, boldly confronted a customer who stole her tip after watching him do it. 'I was like: "Oh my goodness, I dont know what to do,"' she said Ultimately, she confronted the man, a moment she documented on TikTok. The man immediately pulled out a bundle of cash, separating two dollars from what appeared to be at least a $7 tip and mumbling how he thought someone had forgotten the money on the table 'That's all that was there,' he replied, not looking at her. Baker doesn't believe the man gave her her full tip back, telling Valley News Live: 'As you saw, he kind of peeled apart the money from another stack of money, so I kind of feel like he didnt give it all back. He gave me two dollars back. There was definitely a five and some other ones. 'So I dont feel he gave the full amount back.' Baker, who only makes $4.86 per hour before tips, also claims she saw the man steal tips from other servers in the restaurant later on. 'He went behind one of my service leaders back and picked up the little table topper that has the menu stuff on it and slipped it behind there and like slipped it right in his pocket and then went back and sat down again,' she told the local outlet. Another server reportedly told Baker that the man and his wife had tried to walk out of her without paying last weekend. The same man allegedly tried to stiff Baker too by not paying, but 'his wife stopped him and made him pay,' she wrote in the TikTok comments. Baker doesn't believe the man gave her her full tip back and he later tried to stiff her by not paying the bill, but 'his wife stopped him and made him pay,' she said Baker, who only makes $4.86 per hour before tips, also allegedly saw the man steal tips from other servers in the restaurant later on 'He also went around looking at all the other tables before I confronted him,' she said. In a follow-up video, she explained to her followers that the man and his wife had been sat at a 'clean table' and stole the money 'almost immediately' after the other table left. 'The table that was next to him, those people were still there when he got seated,' she said. 'So, if you ask me, I would say this was pretty intentional and he knew exactly what he was doing, old man or not.' Columbia University is investigating after masked pro-Palestine protesters disrupted an Israeli history class and handed out flyers with 'violent imagery' to students. The incident took place on the first day of the New York college's History of Modern Israel class, shortly after students had just been introduced to the course content. Three protesters - seemingly wearing keffiyehs, a Middle Eastern scarf which symbolizes Palestinian identity - entered the classroom on Tuesday and refused to leave. One read a speech to the students while others handed out the anti-Israel leaflets, undeterred by the students asking for them to leave so they could get back to the class. One flyer shows a burning Israeli flag beneath the words 'Burn Zionism to the Ground,' while another emblazoned with the slogan 'Crush Zionism' depicts a large black boot stamping on the Jewish Star of David, pictures shared by a student in the class show. 'It was shocking for everyone in the class,' Elisha Baker, a junior studying Middle Eastern history, told CNN. 'I'm still super excited for this class. It's a shame that this incident is going to put us on edge inside the classroom.' Professor Avi Shilon, who had recently moved from Israel to New York to run the module, said that his 'first instinct' when the masked group entered the room 'was to think they were terrorists'. The lecturer said he soon realized they did not pose a threat, 'regained my composure and stood up toward them'. One flyer shows a burning Israeli flag beneath the words 'Burn Zionism to the Ground' Another is emblazoned with the slogan 'Crush Zionism' depicts a large black boot stamping on the Jewish Star of David, pictures shared by a student in the class show Pictures shared by students on social media showing the masked protesters A picture shared by students on social media showing a masked protester The protesters were confronted by the professor running the class and his students He said he tried to 'calm the commotion' and even asked the 'rioters' to join his class to 'learn and express their opinions', but that they did not respond to him. The professor said the group 'continued to shout' and quoted something he had previously written, declaring that he had come 'from Israel to teach Zionism'. Writing for the Ynet news website, Prof Shilon stated that his class was about students 'challenging perceptions' about Israeli history and that it included studying 'conflicting narratives.' He described his surprise at their response, saying: 'Although I knew about the protests, of course, I did not imagine that they would burst into the classroom, and that students would allow themselves to threaten other students just because they chose to learn about not necessarily support Israel and the conflict.' He said that while he found Columbia, in particular his department, to be 'supportive and inclusive', the fact that masked people were able to come into his classroom after months of protests 'requires the university to reevaluate.' The professor, along with others, suggested that the incident should make the university evaluate whether students should be allowed to wear masks around campus. The university's interim president Katrina Armstrong responded with a statement saying that it 'condemned' the disruption as well as the content of the flyers, which she deemed 'unacceptable'. 'No group of students has a right to disrupt another group of students in a Columbia classroom,' she said in a statement. 'We want to be absolutely clear that any act of antisemitism, or other form of discrimination, harassment, or intimidation against members of our community is unacceptable and will not be tolerated.' Armstrong said that the university will 'move quickly' to investigate the incident and added that 'any act of antisemitism, or other form of discrimination, harassment, or intimidation against members of our community is unacceptable and will not be tolerated.' Minouche Shafik has been appointed chair of the Victoria and Albert Museum in Britain Armstrong took over after the college's former president Minouche Shafik resigned following outrage over her handling of anti-Israel protests on campus last summer. Columbia was rocked in April and May last year as protesters occupied parts of the New York City campus in opposition to Palestinian civilian deaths in Gaza, resulting in hundreds of arrests. Baroness Shafik was responsible for permitting New York Police Department (NYPD) officers to swarm the Columbia University campus, a controversial move that led to around 100 students being arrested. The chaotic scenes marked the first time that mass arrests had been made on the campus since Vietnam War protests more than five decades ago. It also led to the breakout of protests across dozens of other colleges across the US, Canada, the UK and across Europe. Four months after the Gaza protests, Baroness Shafik stepped down, saying she had overseen a 'period of turmoil where it has been difficult to overcome divergent views across our community'. Pro-Palestine students launched a series of protests on campus last year amid the war in Gaza 'This period has taken a considerable toll on my family, as it has for others in our community,' she added. The demonstrators denounced Baroness Shafik for calling police onto campus to halt the demonstrations, while pro-Israel supporters castigated her for failing to crack down sufficiently. Donations began to dry up as wealthy benefactors reacted with disgust to the protests, and Shafik herself was widely criticized after appearing before Congress where she refused to say whether the phrase 'From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free', should be considered anti-Semitic. Her resignation came following leaked text messages from three deans which mocked concerns about anti-Semitism. The texting occurred during a meeting in May last year at the Ivy League school in which Jewish students described the anti-Semitism that they were experiencing on campus in the wake of Hamas' brutal assault on Israel on October 7. Members of the NYPD detain protesters from the pro-Palestinian protest encampment The trio were put on leave, according to a letter from Shafik and University Provost Angela Olinto that was sent to members of the school community after the texts emerged in June. The three in question were former Associate Dean for Student and Family Support Matthew Patashnick, Vice Dean and Chief Administrative Officers Susan Chang-Kim and former Dean of Undergraduate Student Life Cristen Kromm. The meeting was titled Jewish Life on Campus: Past, Present and Future. It took place on May 31. The text messages that were publicly released include Chang-Kim's words: 'Comes from such a place of privilege hard to hear the woe is me, we need to huddle at the Kraft center. Huh??' Kromm responded: 'Amazing what $ can do,' while talking about an op-ed that was published in the school's Columbia Spectator newspaper. It comes less than six months after she resigned following outrage over her handling of Gaza protests on campus. Here, students lock arms and chant as they braced for NYPD officers The messages were later published as part of an investigation by the House Committee on Education and Workforce. Dean of Columbia College Josef Sorett was also on the text thread but did not participate to the same extent. 'This incident revealed behavior and sentiments that were not only unprofessional, but also, disturbingly touched on ancient anti-Semitic tropes,' Shafik told the school's community at the time. 'Whether intended as such or not, these sentiments are unacceptable and deeply upsetting, conveying a lack of seriousness about the concerns and the experiences of members of our Jewish community that is antithetical to our University's values and the standards we must uphold in our community.' Social media users are venting their rage over a recent ABC7 Chicago broadcast, where the news outlet interviewed locals who were telling illegal migrants how to avoid being captured by federal authorities. The broadcast detailed how Chicagoans are patrolling neighborhoods, informing the community of recent mass deportation raids, and telling illegal aliens what to do if Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers end up on their doorstep. News anchor Cheryl Burton spoke from the studio on Wednesday, before cutting to reporter Michelle Gallardo in the field. Burton said: 'Chicago's immigrant community is on edge tonight as Michelle Gallardo reports, activists and elected officials are canvassing neighborhoods, letting people know their rights should ICE come knocking - don't open for ICE.' Gallardo spoke to local business owners, who have been plastering 'don't open for ICE' posters on their windows and giving local illegal immigrants tips on how to survive during the new Trump administration. Viewers were quick to express their outrage over the station's decision to broadcast the anti-ICE advisory. 'Imagine if Chicago had an unbiased media that served the interests of the public not the interests of the WOKE Democrats who it carries water for,' one user wrote on X, formerly Twitter. 'HOW IS THIS ALLOWED?? They are here ILLEGALLY,' another user wrote. Presenter Cheryl Burton (pictured) spoke from the studio, before cutting to journalist Michelle Gallardo's on-the-ground report. Burton reiterated what local people on the streets of Chicago are telling illegal aliens: 'Know their rights should ICE come knocking - don't open for ICE' 'Don't Open For ICE' signs can be seen displayed across many businesses in the Little Village community in Chicago, Illinois. The broadcaster was slammed for airing the advisory, given by members of the local community Another added: 'What rights should illegal aliens have?' 'Doesn't this make her an accessory? Or something of that nature? Send her to jail,' wrote another. 'Things will not get cleaned up until there are consequences for choices media are responsible for where they point their cameras and what comes out of their mouth.' Other outraged viewers called for ABC7 to have their broadcasting license revoked. On his first full day in office, President Donald Trump authorized federal immigration authorities to target schools and churches, revoking a policy that barred arrests in 'sensitive' areas, the Department of Homeland Security said. 'Criminals will no longer be able to hide in America's schools and churches to avoid arrest. The Trump Administration will not tie the hands of our brave law enforcement, and instead trusts them to use common sense,' a DHS spokesperson told ABC7. Chicago Public Schools, teachers and religious leaders are 'preparing' to protect students and parishioners as the possibility of immigration agents showing up materializes. Activists and local elected officials are also continuing to advocate in Chicago neighborhoods, like Pilsen and Little Village, letting people know what their rights are. Businesses in the Little Village - known to be a center of Mexican culture and community in Chicago - have boldly displayed the same flyer which reads: 'Don't open for ICE.' ABC7 Chicago aired an interview with local man Jose Luis Vasquez - who has been plastering the anti-ICE posters outside his business Social media users were furious with the ABC7 broadcast - and called for their license to be revoked Journalist Michelle Gallardo (pictured) was reporting on-the-ground in Chicago Little Village business owners told the outlet it is the least they can do to preserve their community. 'People need to stick together, no matter their immigration status,' Little Village business owner Jose Luis Vasquez told ABC7 in Spanish. A handful of activists also endured the below zero temperatures in an effort to rally against the Trump administration's stated 'mass deportation' plans, ABC7 reported. 'We've been out here since 5 am, educating the community, educating our people that they have rights. You have the right to an attorney. You have a right to a trial,' Baltazar Enriquez, a member of Little Village Community Council, said. For much of the week, residents of the affected communities have reported 'very little foot traffic' on the usually vibrant streets - citing both the subzero temperatures and the growing fear amongst its residents. Lawrence Benito, the executive director of the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights, said their hotline has been inundated with calls. 'From January 1st to January 19th, we saw 800 calls. But on January 20th alone, we saw almost 400 calls,' Benito said. On his first full day in office, President Donald Trump authorized federal immigration authorities to target schools and churches , revoking a policy that barred arrests in 'sensitive' areas, the Department of Homeland Security said. Pictured: Scenes from an ICE raid Activists and local elected officials are also continuing to advocate in Chicago neighborhoods, like Pilsen and Little Village, letting people know what their rights are Chicago is a 'sanctuary city' and Illinois laws also prevent authorities from asking a person's immigration status and largely bar police from cooperating with federal agents. There is an exception if ICE agents are looking individuals with federal criminal warrants. Illinois Governor, JB Pritzker, claimed that ICE has 'not communicated' with his administration, however, he said the number of people targeted - those with criminal records - might be much higher than initially believed. 'They've not communicated with us, so we don't know when exactly those enforcement actions might take place. We have heard that they're targeting as many as 2,000 people initially in the city of Chicago alone,' Pritzker said. The heavily disputed 'Know Your Rights' campaigns continue to spread throughout Chicago as Pilsen's Perez Elementary school plans to host weekly information sessions every Tuesday starting next week. 'We started attending know your rights training so that we could know how to defend ourselves and our students, if anyone tries to, if ice tries to communicate with us or potentially detain somebody,' Erin, a Chicago Public Schools teacher said. ABC7 Chicago has been contacted for comment. Joe Biden was hit with one final insult after handing the White House to Donald Trump - Google left him off the list of US presidents. Social media users have pointed out that the Democrat was left out of the search engine's results when people looked for 'US presidents in order.' It showed Barack Obama and both of Trump's terms - but nothing for Biden, who served between 2021 and 2025. One angry X post read: 'Hey Google you wanna explain this f***ing s**t???? Search US presidents in order Biden completely cut out' A second said: 'Go to Google and searchUS Presidents. 'Yall are not going to believe what they did. Hintsomeone is clearly missing from their list.' Another added: 'Hey Google, you seem to be missing the man that was President from Jan 2021-Jan 2025. Social media users pointed out that a Google search for 'US presidents in order' left Joe Biden out of the list, angering many Social media users have pointed out that the Democrat was left out of the results Google appears to have fixed the issue by Thursday morning 'WTF is up with that s**? I know the orange meglomaniac [sic] you want to appease wants to erase him, but you're losing ALL credibility here.' Many liberals pointed out that Google CEO Sundar Pichai was at Trump's inaugural celebrations on Monday. 'You would think since Google sent an employee to celebrate the inauguration, they could get this one right,' wrote one X user. The Google error upset so many that the issue was trending on the BlueSky app, where many liberals have fled to after disavowing X because of its Trump-loving owner Elon Musk. A Google spokesperson told DailyMail.com on Thursday that 'There was a brief data error in our knowledge graph. We identified the root cause and resolved it quickly.' Google fixed the issue by Thursday morning, as Biden is now included in the results for the search 'US presidents in order.' CEO Pichai was one of the nation's tech bosses who traveled to Washington DC to celebrate the 47th president taking office. Many liberals pointed out that Google CEO Sundar Pichai was at Trump's inaugural celebrations on Monday He was seated alongside Meta founder Mark Zuckerberg, Amazon creator Jeff Bezos and Tesla boss Elon Musk. The businessmen - whose net worth totaled a whopping $850 billion - were seated behind President Trump's wife and children, but ahead of several of his Cabinet nominees. Musk, who has grown closer to Trump since the election, was the one sitting closest to Trump. The group of tech titans were then seen sitting together alongside Bezos' fiancee Lauren Sanchez and Zuckerberg's wife Priscilla Chan for the inauguration ceremony. A white Ohio mother has issued a groveling apology video after doorbell camera footage captured her yelling at her black neighbor, accusing him of following her when he was merely trying to enter his own home. The interaction occurred on November 19 but has since gone viral after the video was shared on a community Facebook page. The white mother, Michelle Bishop, took to her Facebook account last week and went live for almost a half hour trying to explain the interaction that took place at her neighbor DaMichael Jenkins' home. Her initial video received backlash, with many commenters accusing her of racial profiling and not taking accountability for the race-driven mistake. 'Just apologize and say you were wrong. Stop making excuses,' one comment read. 'You were not being chased, so why did you say you were being chased? Its not a misunderstanding. This lie could have killed that man. Save the tears! The least you could do is take responsibility for your actions,' another added. On Wednesday night, Bishop posted another video and held back her tears when apologizing to Jenkins and his wife, Brittany. 'First and foremost - DaMichael and Brittany Jenkins, from the bottom of my heart and my family's heart, I am so sorry for the way that I made you guys feel that night. I understand why you felt that way, I get it. I truly do. It was the worst timing and the biggest misunderstanding,' she began. Michelle Bishop issued an apology video on her Facebook account and shared the death threats she received DaMichael Jenkins is a real estate developer in Ohio The doorbell camera footage went viral on social media as users accused Bishop of racial profiling Bishop went on to say that she was seeking forgiveness and never wanted to make anyone feel excluded. She denied that it was a 'malicious, racial profiling incident' and said that she's received death threats, resulting in the temporary closure of her business, a fitness brand called The Ladies Edge. Text messages reviewed by Dailymail.com revealed threats that read, 'YOU & your kids need to die slow,' and 'Bye bye CEO [laughing emoji] now your husband gonna be a single dad.' Bishop initially came under fire for screaming at Jenkins when he attempted to pull into his home. She was walking with her children and pushing a stroller. Bishop claimed that Jenkins was driving slowly, which made her believe he was following her. She decided to walk to the nearest house, only to find out it was his. As she walked up to his doorstep, he pulled into his driveway. He asked her if she was looking for someone and informed her that the house was his home. 'I don't believe that!' Bishop fired back. After a quick exchange, Bishop grabbed her child's hand and began screaming for help. She ran around the neighborhood screaming and even called the police. Jenkins was shocked when he pulled into his driveway and saw Bishop on his doorstep Bishop released a video on Facebook discussing the incident at Jenkins' home After the initial incident, Bishop returned to the Jenkins' home with her husband to pick up her stroller. Jenkins's wife, Brittany answered the door and asked her why she was afraid of her husband. Bishop's husband interjected and said that she thought she was being 'chased.' Brittany informed the couple that Jenkins lived there and wasn't chasing her. Jenkins then came out of the house and said he didn't understand how he could've scared her. He then explained that he was only slowing down to admire his Christmas lights. 'Well, you just have to understand my point of view - being by myself, I have two kids,' she said. Bishop then accused Jenkins of not being friendly enough when he pulled into his home. The Bishop family awkwardly left the Jenkins' residence, but the tensions didn't stop there. After their video went viral, the Jenkins family was invited to tell their story on the Nightcap podcast with Shannon Sharpe and Chad 'Ochocinco' Johnson. Jenkins said that he was afraid when Bishop began to run and scream for help. 'At that point - now I'm in fear. I'm in fear because I know what we face as black men in America,' he told Sharpe and Johnson. The couple said that the incident made them feel unsafe and excluded in their own neighborhood. They added that Bishop never reached out to them for a sincere apology and the closest thing they received was her message on Facebook Live. When asked for comment, Bishop claimed to Dailymail.com, 'I have made multiple attempts to apologize directly to the Jenkins family, in addition to apologizing in the moment and through public videos. The claim that I have not offered a sincere apology is inaccurate.' Bishop apologized to the Jenkins family and shared death threats she's received in a recent Facebook video Despite the shocking treatment, Jenkins said he was using the experience to educate others on how to remain calm in difficult situations. 'I didn't ask for her to show up on my porch,' Jenkins said in his podcast appearance. 'This is God's move - this is God telling me that people need to hear your story. You need to inspire. You need to tell people what's going on and use this so that hopefully - this won't happen again.' Jenkins echoed this sentiment on his Instagram account, writing, 'Looking back at the video, Im proud of myselfnot just for the success Ive achieved, but for the growth Ive experienced.' 'Im proud that even in the hardest moments, I was able to handle the situation with grace and not spaz out, when it could have been so easy to lose control. Thats the growth Ive worked for, and it shows me how far Ive come.' Jenkins is a local real estate developer and owns his own construction company called 3D Visionz. 'I've been in Ohio my whole life and I've faced racial discrimination at its highest peak,' Jenkins said. 'You don't see too many minorities building multi-million dollar homes. It doesn't happen here,' he shared when discussing his profession as a real-estate developer. Jenkins and Bishop live in an affluent community called Evans Farm in Delaware County, Ohio. The county is the wealthiest in the state. The median household income in Delaware County is $119,030 while the median home price is $473,000. Bishop's home was previously priced at $890,000. An asylum seeker who fractured a bride-to-be's spine by crashing an uninsured vehicle into her car has been jailed. Nasir Al Soaimi, 19, was trying to flee police when he severely injured nurse Clare Kehoe just three weeks before her wedding. The black Citroen he had been driving caught the attention of officers in Newcastle on April 1 last year but Soaimi failed to pull over, instead driving away at 58mph on a 30mph road. He then smashed into the passenger side of Ms Kehoe's car as she pulled out from a side street. The nurse suffered a fractured pelvis and had to rely on strong painkillers and crutches to get through her 'dream' day. Soaimi, who is from Kuwait and had never passed a driving test, claimed he did not know a licence and insurance were required for UK motorists. He was locked up for 28 months, with a two-year road ban after release and faces the prospect of deportation. Newcastle Crown Court heard a passenger in Soaimi's vehicle ran off while Ms Kehoe was cut from her car by the emergency services. Nasir Al Soaimi, 19, was trying to flee police when he severely injured nurse Clare Kehoe just three weeks before her wedding Soaimi smashed his vehicle into the passenger side of Ms Kehoe's car as she pulled out from a side street She was taken to the nearby Royal Victoria Infirmary and diagnosed with fractures to her pelvis and spine. In an impact statement made 17 weeks after the crash, the nurse said she had been unable to return to work as a result of her injuries, which also stopped her visiting vulnerable relatives, including her mum in Scotland. She said the Volvo car she was driving, which was written-off in the crash, had been given to her by a late relative and had huge sentimental value. She added: 'The accident happened three weeks before I was due to get married. I did get married but this impacted massively on my dream day. 'I had to rely on strong painkillers and crutches, including for the dance on the evening and reception. 'Being Scottish, we had a ceilidh but my injuries restricted my movement on the day. 'I couldn't greet guests.' She added her enjoyment of looking back at pictures of her special day has now also been impacted: 'We were due to go on honeymoon to Paris, this didn't happen due to my restricted mobility. As a result of not going we lost quite a bit of money. 'This definitely wasn't the wedding or honeymoon I had dreamed of.' Originally from Kuwait, he claimed he had never passed a driving test, and did not know a licence and insurance were required for UK motorists Mr Recorder Anthony Dunne told Soaimi: 'On that night, on April 1 last year, you had no right to be driving a car, you had no licence, you had no training and you had no insurance. 'Nontheless, you had, at some stage before April 1, bought yourself a car you were driving on that evening. 'You have said to the author of the pre-sentence report you did not know you needed a licence or insurance. I have to say, that doesn't help you.' The recorder added: 'It is difficult to believe, having seen the footage and sheer suddenness of the impact, that no-one was killed.' Recorder Dunne said the prison sentence imposed could affect Al Soaimi's immigration status as the Secretary of State considers deportation of all criminals who receive more than 12 months behind bars. Rachel Hedworth, defending, said Soaimi, now of Jenkin Road, Sheffield, was born and lived in Kuwait until he moved to the UK in around 2016, when he was aged 10 or 11. He initially lived in Leeds then moved to Newcastle, where he studied engineering and business at college. The court heard Soaimi suffered bleeding on the brain, a broken arm, seven broken ribs and significant fractures to his right leg in the smash and has had three operations so far. Miss Hedworth added: 'He has no previous convictions. He is completely and utterly remorseful.' An employee at a supermarket warehouse has told how he fought off a knifeman who was stabbing his colleagues because it 'sounded like they were getting killed' amidst a horror attack that left five people needing hospital treatment. Joseph Denton told how he and several colleagues locked themselves in a room within the Sainsbury's Argos distribution centre and said he fears some of those attacked are 'seriously injured'. The knifeman - described as carrying a 'Rambo' blade - allegedly made his way into the parcel complex in Croydon, South London, this morning and lunged at a security guard, stabbing him in the arm. Three other employees then tackled him inside the complex and also suffered knife wounds during the incident on Marlowe Way in Beddington at about 10.15am. In total five people, including a 54-year-old man, two men in their 30s and two men in their 20s required hospital treatment. Fortunately their injuries are not thought to be life-threatening. The 30-year-old suspect was arrested on suspicion of grievous bodily harm and possession of an offensive weapon. He was also taken to hospital with injuries that were not life-threatening. Police, who are now gathering evidence and examining CCTV at the distribution centre, which is located next to the Asda Wallington superstore. Mr Denton, 29, from Rayleigh, Essex, was working at the depot as part of an audit and grabbed a fire extinguisher from a wall, hitting the attacker round the head with it. He said: 'We locked ourselves in the office but he kept banging on the door. The knocking stopped but we then heard all the shouting and thought someone was getting murdered. 'I opened the door at which point he came running back at me. I couldn't shut the door in time so he got half way in and started trying to stab me in the neck and chest. Joseph Denton told how he and several colleagues locked themselves in a room within the Sainsbury's Asda distribution centre and said he fears some of those attacked are 'seriously injured' Police are called to Marlowe Way in Beddington today to reports of a stabbing at a warehouse Five people were treated for injuries by the London Ambulance Service at the scene today 'But I managed to grab his wrist and that was when he sliced my finger open. I punched and headbutted him and tried to shut the door on him trapping his ankle. 'I then picked up a fire extinguisher and hit him around the head with it. 'There was women in the room behind us so if I wasn't there he could have got through to them.' He likened the attacker to a 'serial killer', and revealed he escaped with just minor cuts adding: 'I didn't really have a choice.' The stabbings came just four days after a masked man is understood to have been chased away from the same depot having turned violent when demanding to speak to one of the managers. Police were called to that incident just after 6pm on Sunday and spent yesterday afternoon trawling through CCTV to identify the man, thought to be a former employee. A source told MailOnline: 'The man on Sunday entered the depot under the barriers by the entrance that the lorries use. 'He came into the foyer and demanded to speak to one of the managers, someone he appeared to have a grievance with. 'He had his face masked and was becoming more and more aggressive. One of the other managers came out and challenged him and there was a brief scuffle. 'The masked was chased out of the depot. The police were called and officers took statements from witnesses. They were back yesterday sifting through CCTV. 'That man is believed to be a former employee, not a permanent member of staff but a temp. During Christmas there were a lot of agency workers used. One victim taken to a major trauma centre and four other people were taken to hospital today It follows an earlier incident at the same warehouse in which a former employee confronted managers 'The incident this morning has taken place in one of the corridors from what I understand. 'I can't say for sure whether the incident this morning is linked to the one on Sunday but it's very likely that it is.' A security guard at the depot has also been hailed a 'hero' after confronting the knifeman today. A distribution staff member told Metro: 'A random guy came to the gate and said he worked for Argos. A security guard confronted him, tacked him and was stabbed. 'Then more staff tried to help and three more were stabbed. The security guard was stabbed in the arm - he's OK. The guy who did it did not work here.' Another employee said: 'It was horrific, just carnage. The security guard was a hero. The attacker claimed he worked at Argos but he did it to trick his way through the security gate. I've heard the security guard is going to be OK. This is a total shock.' And a third staff member told Metro: 'A bloke came here the other day with a knife as well. I would think it's the same guy he obviously had a vendetta.' Police said they were called to reports of a stabbing at a warehouse, with five people treated for injuries by the London Ambulance Service (LAS) at the scene. One was taken to a major trauma centre in London and four other people were taken to hospital, the LAS added. An air ambulance at Beddington Park today following the stabbing in South London The distribution centre which is located next to the Asda Wallington superstore (file picture) Chief Superintendent Andy Brittain, local policing commander for south London, said: 'Officers responded quickly and arrested the suspect within an hour. An investigation is now under way. 'Based on initial enquiries we believe all those involved knew each other. Therefore we do not believe there is any wider risk to the public.' A London Ambulance spokesperson said: 'We were called at 10.21am this morning to reports of a stabbing incident in Marlowe Way, Croydon. 'We sent a number of resources to the scene, including ambulance crews, a paramedic in a fast response car, an incident response officer, members of our Tactical Response Unit and London's Air Ambulance. 'Our crews treated five patients at the scene, before taking one to a London major trauma centre and four to other hospitals.' A Met spokesperson said: 'At 10:15hrs on Thursday, officers responded to reports of a stabbing at a commercial address on Marlowe Way, Beddington. 'Officers are on scene with the London Ambulance Service to treat [five] injured people. The suspect has been arrested.' An Argos spokesperson said: 'We're doing everything we can to support the teams on site and gathering as much information as possible to support the police with their investigation.' The preacher who won fans at Trump's swearing-in ceremony shared his scathing assessment of the woke bishop who lectured the president at a prayer service on Tuesday, calling her a 'heretic' who betrayed her duty to God. Pastor Lorenzo Sewell was inside the Washington National Cathedral when Bishop Mariann Budde begged Trump to show 'mercy' to LGBTQ+ people and migrants in a stunning scolding that shocked the family and millions of viewers. Speaking with Laura Ingraham on Fox News, Sewell said Budde committed what he called 'theological and spiritual malpractice' in her gospel. 'Instead of using the authority of the word of God to preach the message of Christ, she used it practice what I call theological and spiritual malpractice. 'She is the worst preacher I have ever in my life heard, it was so bad I am grateful my wife was not there, she should would have ran out of that church.' Sewell, pastor of the 180 church in Detroit, Michigan, added: 'I cannot believe she would use that moment to speak a demonic message, as if she was using the bible.' 'She was so arrogant, the way she didn't even acknowledge the President of the United States of America. 'She had an opportunity to minister the gospel, instead of that she is a heretic. She should never be allowed to preach the message of Jesus in her life.' Pastor Lorenzo Sewell said Budde committed what he called 'theological and spiritual malpractice' in her gospel Bishop Mariann Budde, pictured at her $1.6million home in Washington DC this week, makes no apologies for her comments Budde's sermon was a far cry away from Sewell's own explosive prayer that he made during the inauguration. In his three-minute blessing, Sewell was incredibly patriotic and pro-Trump, as he thanked God for saving the 78-year-old from an assassination attempt last year. Sewell started: 'Heavenly father we are so grateful that you gave our 45th and now our 47th president a millimeter miracle. 'We are grateful that you are the one that have called him for such a time as this. That America would begin to dream again.' Sewell prayed that America continues to be a nation 'where we will not be judged by the color of our skin but by the content of our character'. He spoke loudly throughout his prayer and lifted his hands to the sky as he called for 'freedom to ring 'throughout America in a direct copy from Dr. Luther King Jr. Sewell said: 'My country, 'tis of thee, sweet land of liberty, of thee I sing; Land where my fathers died. Land of the pilgrims' pride. 'From every mountainside, let freedom ring.' And because America is called to be a great nation, we believe that you will make this come true.' Budde's husband Paul was in high spirits as he was photographed outside the couple's home In his three-minute prayer, Sewell was incredibly patriotic and pro-Trump, as he thanked God for saving the 78-year-old from an assassination attempt last year Budde, on the other hand, used her sermon to advocate for 'scared' migrants and LGBTQ kids. After the sermon, Trump spoke with reporters and briefly said that he thought Budde 'could have been much better'. That was hours before a Truth Social post in the middle of the night in which he unleashed on her. In a scathing rebuke, Trump said: 'The so-called Bishop who spoke at the National Prayer Service on Tuesday morning was a Radical Left hard line Trump hater. 'She brought her church into the World of politics in a very ungracious way. She was nasty in tone, and not compelling or smart.' On Wednesday, Budde said during an appearance on The View that she wanted the sermon to 'counter the narrative that is so divisive and polarizing'. Mariann Budde, who has been described as 'unapologetically liberal', has long spoken out against Trump President Donald Trump and Rev. Lorenzo Sewell of 180 Church in Detroit attend the inauguration of U.S. President Donald Trump in the Rotunda of the U.S. Capitol She declined to address his calls for an apology, but said she would consider a one-on-one meeting if the invitation came from the president personally. Budde added that she has a 'great amount of respect' for Trump's office and promised to remain 'respectful' if a meeting occurred. The bishop, who proudly puts her pronouns in her Instagram biography, is also pro-gay marriage and previously donated to the presidential campaign of Barack Obama. In a piece with the Washington Post in 2011, after being installed as the ninth bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Washington, she was described as 'unapologetically liberal'. Speaking then, she told the outlet: 'I'm in favor of gay marriage, always have been. At this point it's a no-brainer.' The diocese website boasts that she serves as an advocate of racial equity, gun violence prevention, immigration reform and inclusivity. Budde, who is married with two adult children, had also previously oversaw a convention in the diocese that called for the disuse of gendered pronouns for God. Sewell first met Trump in June when the pastor hosted him at his church amid a campaign stop. According to MLive, before turning to God, he had worked as a drug dealer before a calling to take up being a pastor in 1999. He told the outlet that he is a lifelong Republican and had supported Trump in 2016 and 2020. The gory moment that a 100-year-old woman's dead body was pushed in a wheelchair through the streets of Brazil was caught on camera. Aurora Marques passed away at her home on Tuesday after a short illness, according to her son who spoke to the Rio de Janeiro Civil Police. Marques' son said she had been sick since January 7, after their landlord told them that they were going to be removed from their home in Campinho. But things took a turn for the worst on Tuesday when the 100-year-old told her son that she suddenly didn't feel well - and died just moments later. The grieving son contacted the Mobil Emergency Care Service, who dispatched paramedics to the scene. Marques' death was registered by a doctor, who told the man that the Social Assistance Department would retrieve the body. But the man became restless because his mother's body remained in the home overnight because they didn't show up - so he decided to transport it to a Social Assistance Referral Centre himself on Wednesday morning. He hoisted his mother's dead body into a wheelchair, covering the majority of her corpse with a black blanket, before starting the somber journey. As he was pushing the wheelchair down the street, local drug dealers allegedly confronted him and accused him of killing Marques. One local screamed at him: 'You're messed up.' He hoisted his mother's dead body into a wheelchair, covering the majority of her corpse with a black blanket, before starting the somber journey The man became restless because his mother's body remained in the home overnight because they didn't show up - so he decided to transport it himself Wednesday morning The body of 100-year-old Aurora Marques was spotted in a wheelchair on a Rio de Janeiro street on Wednesday Marques' body was removed from the street and taken to a local morgue. An autopsy is pending. Her unnamed son was taken to a police station to be questioned. In a statement, the Mobil Emergency Care Service said that it had contacted the family to pick up the body and schedule a free burial, but that all phone calls went unanswered. The Social Welfare Department said in a statement it is also providing a free burial to the family and is awaiting to be contacted by Marques' son. The Civil Police said it has opened an investigation the elderly woman's death. The incident was reminiscent of the report from April 2024 when the corpse of Paulo Braga, 68, was wheeled by his niece, Erika Nunes, 43, into a Rio de Janeiro bank branch. Viral videos at the time showed Braga slumped on the chair as Nunes attempted to take out a loan under his name. A Haitian man with a lengthy criminal record shouted 'F**k Trump, Biden forever!' as he was arrested by Immigrations and Customs Enforcement during a deportation raid. The Trump administration has started rounding up violent undocumented immigrants in sanctuary cities all over the country, including the alleged leader of a Haitian gang and murder and rape suspects in Boston. The agitated Haitian migrant, who wasn't named but who has 17 recent convictions, said he 'ain't going back to Haiti' as he was placed in a police car. Fox News accompanied ICE during the roundups and shared footage of the arrests. 'Thank Obama for everything he did for me, bro!' the migrant added. ICE officers in Boston said they also arrested multiple MS-13 gang members in the Boston raids. 'Today was a good day. Today we took several significant public safety threats out of our communities,' Patricia Hyde, ICE Boston Acting Director, told Fox News. 'Unfortunately, a lot were released by sanctuary policies. But were here to tell the Commonwealth and the rest of the country that we're going to find them, whether theyre released or not.' During the roundups, ICE made one collateral arrest of an undocumented migrant. A Haitian migrant and suspected gang leader shouted 'F**k Trump, Biden forever!' when he was arrested by ICE in Boston The Haitian migrant unleashed a profanity-filled rant as he was taken into custody VP JD Vance reacted to the Haitian migrant's outburst, writing on X: 'An illegal alien with 17 criminal convictions really hates President Trump for sending him back to Haiti' Border czar Tom Homan had warned that collateral arrests would be a part of the ICE roundups after President Trump ordered mass deportations. 'When we find the bad guy, theres probably others. Others that are in the United States illegally. They may not be a criminal priority but were not walking away from them,' he said. VP JD Vance reacted to the Haitian migrant's outburst, writing on X: 'An illegal alien with 17 criminal convictions really hates President Trump for sending him back to Haiti. 'He's grateful to Biden for letting him come here. I'm glad we're deporting him. Do you agree or would you like him as your neighbor?' The Boston ICE raids come as Denver, a Democrat-run sanctuary city, announced it will cooperate with the Trump administration's plans for undocumented immigrants. Denver Mayor Mike Johnston said the city will cooperate with ICE agents in the cases of violent criminals. 'The whole state is bound by our state law in this, which is pretty consistent in some of these practices like everywhere in the state, we dont honor ICE detainers,' Johnston told FOX31. 'If ICE calls and says, Will you hold someone for three more days? That doesnt happen in Douglas County or Yuma or in Denver. A lot of these practices are similar statewide, but we think ours finds a common-sense balance of making sure were not having our local police doing federal law enforcement, thats not our job, were not going to do ICEs job for them. During the Boston roundups, ICE made one collateral arrest of an undocumented migrant ICE officers in Boston said they also arrested multiple MS-13 gang members in the Boston raids 'But, if they call for information on folks we have in custody, well let them know when were releasing them.' Federal immigration agents started rounding up undocumented immigrants in the Denver area, following through on a campaign promise by the Trump Administration to deport migrants who have broken the law, DailyMail.com exclusively revealed. Arrests began on Monday, when President Trump took the oath of office, and have spread throughout the state. ICE in the Rocky Mountain State has been detaining migrants with pending criminals cases, police sources confirmed. 'ICE agents are doing their job-- the job they should have been doing for the last four years,' former Colorado Immigration Enforcement director John Fabbricatore told DailyMail.com. 'This is an all-hands-on-deck situation where they are using all the agents they have at their disposal.' Trump's border czar Tom Homan confirmed Tuesday afternoon that deportations are happening but didn't give any details about where they were happening. 'These cases were already in the hopper. They've done the surveillance on them, they have good case notes, and they're just hitting those cases that they were not allowed to hit prior,' the former ICE director added. Fabbricatore explained the Biden Administration had handcuffed agents from making arrests like this. Democratic Denver Mayor Mike Johnston said the city will cooperate with ICE agents in the cases of violent criminals ICE in the Rocky Mountain state has been detaining migrants with pending criminals cases, police sources confirmed 'There were these priorities that were put out that limited you, like you couldn't go after DUIs. You couldn't go after a basic drug possession. The Biden Administration made these priorities that kept you from going after criminals,' he shared. Non-criminal migrants who have a final order from a judge to leave the country are also being picked up, although at least 85 percent of those being sought have criminal records. 'Potentially, that person may not be a criminal but they still have gone through the immigration process, seen an immigration judge and refused to leave,' Fabbricatore stated. Law enforcement cautioned that these are not raids, meaning they aren't fishing for any person who might be in the US illegally. Instead, they're calling this 'targeted enforcement' meaning agents have already done homework on who these people are and why they are being detained. They also explained similar arrests are happening across the country, but they don't look like the raids everyone expected. The family of a beloved Texas father who was tragically crushed to death by his massive Ford pickup truck in a freak accident has sued Ford Motor Company. Roy 'Mack' Irwin, 79, of New Braunfels, died on June 18, 2024 after his 2023 Ford F-250 ran him over while he picked up items for a church gathering. Horrific ring doorbell footage captured the moment just before he was trampled by his own vehicle that was seen acting up while in park. Jeff Wigington, an attorney now representing Irwin's daughter in a lawsuit against Ford Motor Company, told KCENTV that during the frightening incident, the sole passenger inside the truck attempted to gain control of the vehicle by grabbing the steering wheel, but failed to do so. Irwin then chased his car and tried to hop inside as it backed out of the driveway on its own. The massive truck then ran him over, causing severe injuries that led to his death. 'You can see the truck moving back and forth three times,' Wigington said, describing the disturbing video. Now, Wigington is spearheading a lawsuit against the major automobile manufacturer, the Ford dealership in New Braunfels, and a parts manufacturer for negligence that resulted in Irwin's sudden death. 'He didn't have to die. He was a very vibrant man. He was a boot salesman,' Wigington told the outlet. Roy 'Mack' Irwin, 79, of New Braunfels, died on June 18, 2024 after his 2023 Ford F-250 ran him over while he picked up items for a church gathering He quickly ran after his truck and tried to gain control of it while a sole passenger grabbed the steering wheel inside While Irwin attempted to gain control of his truck after it started making 'strange movements' all 'without warning or input from a human source, the lawsuit, reviewed by DailyMail.com, said. Suddenly, Irwin 'was pulled underneath the front driver side resulting in the vehicle's front tire running over his upper torso, trapping him alive until first responders arrived at the scene and freed him,' according to the lawsuit. The legal filing is accusing Ford Motors and Kahlig Enterprises, Inc. - the parent company of Bluebonnet Ford and the local dealership of selling a vehicle to Irwin that had a defective transmission system, allowing the car to shift gears without 'human input.' His family is also going after San Antonio-based NAW-Northwest Automotive Warehouse, Inc. for negligently installing a grill guard on Irwin's truck that caused the vehicle's pedestrian prevention system to glitch, according to the lawsuit. The system is designed to provide emergency braking to stop the truck from hitting people, the lawsuit detailed. His heartbroken family is seeking recovery of damages for his medical, hospital, funeral and burial costs, along with the 'conscious physical pain and emotional pain, torment, and suffering experienced by Roy Mack Irwin before his death,' the suit detailed. Prior to the unfortunate tragedy, Irwin 'was in good health with a reasonable life expectancy of many years,' the lawsuit stated. 'During his lifetime, the decedent was a good caring father who gave comfort and companionship to his family. In all reasonable probability, he would have continued to do so for the remainder of his natural life,' it continued. Not only was Irwin a cherished father, but he was also a grandfather to five grandchildren his daughter Shelby Reynolds shares with her husband Larry Reynolds, according to his obituary. He was married to his wife of 45 years, Sydnie Rose Adams Irwin, who died in January 2015. Not only was Irwin a cherished father, but he was also a grandfather to five grandchildren his daughter Shelby Reynolds shares with her husband Larry Reynolds Irwin tried to hop inside as it backed out of the driveway on its own. The massive truck then ran him over, causing severe injuries that led to his death The couple 'fell head over heels' for each other after meeting at a dance. They got married in January 1970, her obituary stated. Other than his love for his family and spending time with them, Irwin also enjoyed many hobbies, including fishing, traveling and attending car shows. Irwin spent most of his career working in the footwear industry. Prior to his death he was a sales rep for Dan Post Boot Co. 'He loved his job, during his life theres one thing he knew for sure, he never met a stranger!,' the page said. In July, his daughter posted a loving photo of him behind the desk at his job, wearing a cowboy hat as pairs of boots surrounded him. Shelby also shared a touching family photo as she held up a frame with her father's picture inside. Shelby, Irwin's daughter, shared a touching family photo as she held up a frame with her father's picture inside During the investigation into his death, Wigington uncovered multiple complaints from consumer groups regarding issues with Ford-F250s. There have been no recalls on the 2023 model despite a recorded number of complaints dating back five years, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. 'The determination of the specific cause of those movements will have to be done throughout the course of this litigation, through testing thats ultimately completed,' Wigington explained. Other than fighting for justice for Irwin, his family hopes to spread awareness about the vehicle's alleged faults so others can be aware. 'If you own one of these vehicles you should be careful and you should pay close attention to your transmission,' Wigington said. DailyMail.com contacted Ford Motor Company, NAW-Northwest Automotive Warehouse, Inc., the New Braunfels Ford dealership and the family's attorney for comment. President Donald Trump has yanked his former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo's security detail despite ongoing assassination threats from Iran. The New York Times reported Thursday that Trump nixed security details for Pompeo and another former Trump State Department official, Brian Hook. 'When you have protection, you can't have it for the rest of your life. You want to have a large detail of people guarding people for the rest of their lives? There are risks to everything,' Trump said. The action comes after Trump stripped his former National Security Advisor John Bolton of his Secret Service protection. Trump gave a similar response when asked why Bolton shouldn't have protection any longer. Trupm also lopped Bolton in with the intelligence officials who said Hunter Biden's laptop was possibly Russian disinformation. Trump is trying to have that entire group - along with Bolton - stripped of their security clearances. While Bolton has been an outspoken critic of Trump - publishing a tell-all book ahead of the 2020 election, which Trump lost - Pompeo's relationship with his ex-boss is more complicated. President Donald Trump has yanked his former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo's security detail despite ongoing assassination threats from Iran. Pompeo is photographed on the campaign trail in support of Trump the day before the 2024 election While the former secretary of State and CIA director flirted with a 2024 presidential bid, he ultimately decided against challenging Trump. He did, however, take a few veiled jabs at his ex-boss during his Conservative Political Action Conference appearance in March of 2023. 'We can't become the left, following celebrity leaders with their own brand of identity politics, those with fragile egos who refuse to acknowledge reality,' Pompeo said at the time. Pompeo eventually backed Trump, appearing on the campaign trail to support him in the days ahead of the election - but that seemingly wasn't enough. Trump's longtime political adviser Roger Stone wrote on his website three days after the president's election win an entire post on 'Why President Trump Cannot Trust Mike Pompeo.' Stone criticized Pompeo for being 'relatively quiet throughout the presidential season.' Stone also pointed out that before 'it became obvious that Trump was going to rise back into prominence and yet again win the presidency, Pompeo was creating distance and flirting with a potential presidential run of his own.' The longtime Trump political adviser pointed a finger at Pompeo's CPAC remarks. President Donald Trump has nixed security details for former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and former Trump State Department official Brian Hook. He also canceled John Bolton's Secret Service protection 'Pompeo even publicly supported Jack Smith's sham investigation of Trump over the possession of alleged classified documents when it looked like Trump might be jailed,' Stone said. Stone also accused Pompeo of hiring a slew of 'Never Trumpers' to work under him. 'If Pompeo is placed into the next Trump administration, his history shows he would promote the hegemony of the deep state rather than an authentic America First agenda,' Stone argued. Trump's negative focus on Pompeo became apparent during his Wednesday sit-down with Sean Hannity. He accused Pompeo of talking him into not releasing the President John F. Kennedy assassination files. 'I was actually asked by Mike Pompeo, secretary of State, not to, and I felt he knew something that maybe, you know , when he asked you not to, you sort of say "why?" and he felt that it was not a good time to release them,' Trump said. Trump said at the time he respected Pompeo and the others as 'professionals.' 'But I'm going to release them immediately,' Trump said, adding 'we're looking at it right now.' Police made previous 'contact' with a father who allegedly killed his six-year-old daughter before taking his own life. An investigation was launched after officers discovered the body of Mark Gordon, 36, and Hope, six, on Monday inside a family home in West Calder, West Lothian. Detectives remain at the scene and are treating the case as a suspected murder-suicide. As inquiries continue, Police Scotland revealed that it had previously 'engaged' with the family at 'various points', but said there was nothing connected to the current incident that 'caused any concern'. Upon hearing the news of the deaths, shocked locals left flowers near the house - which was cordoned off last night with a police tent erected at the back door. Staff at Toronto Primary in Livingston were the first to raise concerns about Hope, when she failed to show up for class on Monday morning. This led a number of worried neighbours to knock on her father's door that afternoon, but they did not get an answer. Police were then called to the scene and the horrific discovery was made at 4pm after fire crews forced entry. Firefighters helped officers gain access to the house after the alarm was raised at around 4pm and found the bodies of Mark Gordon (pictured) and six-year-old Hope Mark Gordon, 36, and his daughter Hope, six, (pictured) were discovered inside the home in West Lothian, Scotland, on Monday A police cordon at the scene on Harburn Drive, West Calder in West Lothian, Scotland, after the deaths of a 36-year-old man and a six-year-old girl Fiona Linfoot, headteacher at Hope's school, described the schoolgirl as 'bright, bubbly and affectionate'. She told The Sun: 'Hope was a much-loved member of the Toronto Primary family and will be hugely missed by all her friends and staff. We will really miss her infectious smile and kind heart.' Earlier this month, Mark shared a Facebook video in which he told people to 'be kind', captioning the post: 'What a day to be alive.' Detectives say there was 'nothing to suggest' anyone else was involved in the tragedy and stressed the investigation was still at a 'relatively early stage'. Chief Superintendent Gregg Banks said Hope had been staying with her father for 'a period of time' as there was an 'element of shared custody' with her mother. He added: 'The shock and sadness felt across West Lothian is understandable. Words won't take that anxiety and concern away. 'But I want to reassure people this is an isolated incident and there is no wider risk to members of the public at this time. Police said the deaths are being treated as unexplained and post-mortem examinations will take place in due course Shortly before emergency services were alerted to the house, people were seen knocking on the door to no answer Officers found the bodies of Mark and Hope at an address in West Calder, Scotland, at around 4pm on Monday Councillor Craig Meek said the community would be 'shocked to the core' after the incident (pictured: Police at the scene) 'We are working tirelessly to understand what happened within the property and answer questions from devastated family members. 'Police are aware of the family, we have engaged with them at various points. But there is nothing connected to this incident that causes any concern. 'Family would come into contact with the police for a variety of reasons, and to other agencies. So we know who the individuals are that come into contact.' Detective Chief Inspector Bob Williamson, of the major investigation team, added: 'At this time, we have no information to suggest anyone else is involved.' Locals said Mr Gordon had not lived in the area for long. One said: 'I did not think he was there, I have not seen him in a long time. I thought the property had been lying empty, but obviously not.' Those living in the area have been left shaken. One estate resident said: 'It's upsetting but nobody really knows what's happened yet. 'There's a lot of speculation, and we have seen what has been on the news, but all we know is there has been a small child and man found. It's tragic.' Councillor Craig Meek said on Monday that the community would be 'shocked to the core'. He said: 'It is important at a time like this that the community is given the time to understand what's happened and also come together to support each other.' Local MP Gregor Poynton said he was 'sorry to learn about the tragic deaths' and added that Police Scotland would have an 'increased presence' in the area. A pregnant hairdresser who was effectively demoted to cleaning and making the tea after she announced she was expecting has won 90,000 in compensation. Kayleigh Flanagan sued for discrimination after she noticed an 'immediate change of attitude' from her employer, Amy Jury, who removed her from the salon's online booking system in the days following her announcement. The expectant mother could only take 'walk-in' customers and spent much of her time carrying out apprentice duties with 'nothing else to do but to clean the salon and make tea'. After a 'severe deterioration' in work relationships and having two grievances investigated inadequately, Ms Flanagan resigned and sued Ms Jury for 'unfavourable treatment' due to her pregnancy and constructive unfair dismissal. Now she has been awarded 89,849 after some of her claims were upheld by an employment judge who said bosses 'sought to find fault with her work' and 'were no longer invested in her' as a result of her pregnancy. A hearing in Cambridge was told Ms Flanagan started working at Envy hairdressers as a senior stylist in June 2019. The salon, owned by Ms Jury, is situated in the centre of Thatcham, West Berkshire, and boasts on its website to have a 'friendly and willing' team. On December 5 of that year, Ms Flanagan told her boss via text message that she was pregnant. Kayleigh Flanagan sued for discrimination after she noticed an 'immediate change of attitude' from her employer after revealing she was pregnant Boss Amy Jury effectively 'demoted' Ms Flanagan because of her pregnancy, the tribunal ruled Ms Jury - who insisted she was happy for her employee - was on annual leave at the time and upon her return arranged a review meeting with Ms Flanagan. The hairdresser noted an 'immediate change of attitude' from her boss - who removed her from the online booking system soon after the meeting. Ms Flanagan noted there were 'major changes to her role' in light of her pregnancy. Her 'regulars' were assigned to other stylists against both of their wishes and her role was reduced to 'grabbing walk-ins' as they came into the salon. The tribunal said Ms Flanagan had 'nothing else to do but to clean the salon and make tea'. Employment Judge Louise Brown said: 'We thought it was to her credit that she did this without being asked to. 'We found that the fact that she chose to clean, and as she admitted in her evidence everybody did if they had some spare time, did not however mean that she had not been effectively demoted. 'Having had the majority of her hairdressing duties removed from her by Ms Jury to a very significant degree, as a result we found most of the duties she carried out were those of an apprentice.' The tribunal said Ms Flanagan was demoted by virtue of her main duties being removed from her. They said this review was 'was motivated by, and was because of the announcement of her pregnancy'. Judge Brown said: 'We found this was the start of changed behaviour towards [Ms Flanagan] where the [bosses] sought to find fault with her work.' In January, Ms Jury initiated disciplinary proceedings against Ms Flanagan, alleging 'underperformance'. The salon owner said there were nine complaints against her which required 'redos and refunds' and she was accused of providing poor customer service to a customer. Expectant Ms Flanagan (pictured) could only take 'walk-in' customers and spent much of her time carrying out apprentice duties with 'nothing else to do but to clean the salon and make tea' Ms Jury alleged this is why she removed the hairdresser from the online booking but she didn't tell her because 'she did not want to affect her confidence'. But no evidence of these complaints was presented during the hearing - and the tribunal was 'struck' at the fact that many were sent a year after the events. Ms Flanagan was issued a final written warning in light of the disciplinary hearing, the tribunal was told. This warning became 'public knowledge' among staff at the salon who would makes comments about it which would 'provoke laughter' and made Ms Flanagan feel like the 'butt of the joke'. Judge Brown said this occurred because she was a pregnant worker and amounted to unfavourable treatment under equality legislation. The hearing was told Ms Flanagan was booked onto a Toni and Guy men's cutting course but this was cancelled so Ms Jury and another employee could instead attend a Balayage colouring course. Despite Ms Jury insisting this was done for 'financial reasons', the tribunal said the course was cancelled because the hairdresser was an expectant mother so they 'were no longer invested in her'. Judge Brown said this contributed to Ms Flanagan's 'sense of isolation that as a pregnant worker she had become a problem and a burden' to bosses. And after going on maternity leave, colleague Jodi Galgey, shouted at the her:'look at you ya scabby little c*** with your scabby baby' whilst her baby was a few weeks old. Judge Brown said: 'We found there was a culture of unpleasant language and inflammatory words being spoken to [Ms Flanagan' by others and that this treatment was because [she] was a worker on maternity leave.' Throughout January to March 2020 the Claimant complained of pregnancy discrimination. She said her bosses attitude to her changed after she announced she was expecting, and that they began to look for ways to criticise her performance, and also removed her regular customers from her. Ms Flanagan raised two grievances against her bosses that were dealt with internally. In November, 2021, she resigned claiming the person who investigated her claims 'consistently chose to believe my abusers rather than me'. Judge Brown - who noted a 'severe deterioration' in the relationship between Ms Flanagan and her boss - said there was a 'wholesale failure' to investigate and uphold part of her grievances. The tribunal said inadequate grievance investigation and its findings were the 'final straw' for Ms Flanagan. Her claims for constructive unfair dismissal succeeded. Ms Flanagan's claims of unfavourable treatment as a pregnant worker and victimisation partially succeeded but her claims of harassment failed. Now, the mother has been awarded 89,849.38 in compensation following a remedy hearing. The 1,500 additional active duty troops Donald Trump deployed to the southern border began arriving on Thursday morning. The Pentagon confirmed the 1,000 Army soldiers and 500 Marines deployed south include those from Military Police units as well as combat engineers and intelligence specialists to aid in detection and monitoring of illegal border jumpers. The additional active forces, which adds to the roughly 2,500 already currently stationed along the border, will also aid in constructing barriers along the border and providing the air power for deportations. Defense Department officials confirmed their forces will fly the 5,400 migrants who are currently in detention out of the U.S. on deportation missions. The aircrews and maintenance teams involved in the missions are in addition to the 1,500 deploying to the border by the end of the week. Four C-17 and C-130 military aircraft were moved to El Paso, Texas, and San Diego, California this week, an official told Task & Purpose. Arrests and deportations already began on Tuesday, with Trump's border czar Tom Homan confirming that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) arrested 308 illegal migrants in the first full day of the new administration. Trump is planning to send a total of 10,000 active duty military to the border. An additional 1,500 active duty troops arrived Thursday at the southern border BREAKING: The 1,500 military troops President Trump deployed to the border have arrived, and senior administration officials say "this is just the start." The soldiers are reinforcing walls and building outposts to help them monitor any illegal entries. We are finally using our pic.twitter.com/B1qr40gkM2 George (@BehizyTweets) January 23, 2025 The first wave arrived on Thursday to begin their mission alongside immigration officials, local law enforcement and National Guard who have been stationed there for years. 'This is just the start, we are anticipating many further missions,' a senior Defense official noted of the first deployment of troops. Trump declared a national emergency at the border during the first few hours of his second White House term. He wants the troops to take 'complete operational control' of the border. Acting Secretary of Defense Robert Salesses said in a statement on the deportation flights the the Department of Homeland Security is providing in-flight enforcement and the State Department will deal with diplomatic clearances. It's unclear yet where the migrants will be flown, but after Trump's 2024 election win, his team began negotiating with third-party countries to accept the millions of illegal immigrants he plans to kick out of the U.S. Four C-17 and C-130 military aircraft were moved to El Paso, Texas , and San Diego, California this week for the purposes of deportation flights 'This is just the beginning,' Salesses said in the statement of the swift military movements. 'In short order, the Department will develop and execute additional missions in cooperation with DHS, federal agencies, and state partners to address the full range of threats outlined by the President at our nation's borders,' he added. The Marines sent to the border were already on alert to help firefighters responding to the California fires in recent weeks. Over the weekend as responders gained more control of the fires, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) released the Marines from their assignment freeing them up to instead respond to the border crisis. No10 has insisted joining a European trade bloc would not cross 'red lines' today after the EU hinted at the shape of Keir Starmer's Brexit 'reset'. Commission vice-president Maros Sefcovic pointed to the idea of Britain becoming part of the Pan-Euro-Mediterranean Convention (PEM). He also floated 'dynamic alignment' of food and farming rules to ease checks on borders. And he made clear that Brussels is determined to have a reciprocal scheme for younger people to work freely in the UK. Europe minister Nick Thomas-Symonds tried to pour cold water on the prospect of joining the PEM this morning, saying there were currently no plans to do so. However, No10 spread fresh doubts by stressing that it would not break any of the UK's red lines. The Tories said Labour wanted to 'bend the knee' to Brussels, warning that the government must not give back control. The PM has made improving ties with the EU one of his top priorities, but faces a tricky balancing act after ruling out being part of a customs union or the single market. Any sign of the UK cosying up with the bloc could also prompt the wrath of Donald Trump, a long-time critic. The PEM allows for tariff-free trade of goods across Europe, as well as some North African and Levantine nations. EU commission vice-president Maros Sefcovic pointed to the idea of Britain becoming part of the Pan-Euro-Mediterranean Convention (PEM) The EU chief hinted at the shape of Keir Starmer's (pictured) Brexit 'reset' suggesting the UK could join a European trade bloc, accept single market rules and strike a 'youth mobility' deal Some business groups have backed joining PEM on the grounds it would help to maintain complex supply chains. Speaking to the BBC at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, Mr Sefcovic said the idea had not yet been 'precisely formulated' and that the 'ball is in the UK's court'. The UK Government was said to have started consulting business on the benefits of the PEM plan and how it could help cut red tape and improve trade. Mr Sefcovic also told the broadcaster he would like to see the possibility of a full-scale veterinary agreement between the EU and UK reviewed. If UK food and farm products were given single market treatment, he said it would mean 'we would have to have the same rules and we have to upgrade them at the same time, we call it dynamic alignment'. A youth mobility scheme is thought to be a core demand for Brussels. Such an agreement could allow 18-30 year-olds to 'travel, work and live' across the EU and UK for up to four years. However, the Labour government has been unwilling to commit, amid fears that it could enrage Brexit supporters. Mr Sefcovic said: 'It's not freedom of movement. It's a bridge-building proposal. 'We do not want to look like the demanders here, because we believe this is good for the UK.' The EU chief said that he had the UK's Europe minister Nick Thomas-Symonds 'on speed dial'. Downing Street tried to sidestep questions about the UK potentially joining a pan-European trade agreement. The Prime Minister's official spokesman said he would not get into a running commentary on specific options up for discussion with the EU. But asked if a pan-European trade agreement would cross the red lines set out in Labour's manifesto for EU ties, he said: 'The arrangement that's been discussed is not a customs union. 'Our red line has always been that we will never join a single market, freedom of movement, but we're just not going to get ahead of those discussions.' In the Commons, Cabinet Office minister Mr Thomas-Symonds was asked by the Conservatives to rule out dynamic alignment. The step 'potentially brings the European court back into having jurisdiction over the United Kingdom', shadow Cabinet Office minister Alex Burghart said. The Tory added: 'Will he rule out the ECJ (European Court of Justice) having jurisdiction over the UK in any regard in future?' The PM (pictured with Ursula von der Leyen) has made improving ties with the EU one of his top priorities, but faces a tricky balancing act after ruling out being part of a customs union or the single market Europe minister Nick Thomas-Symonds tried to pour cold water on the prospect of joining the PEM this morning, saying there were currently no plans to do so Mr Thomas-Symonds responded: 'We've set out our red lines in our manifesto, we've set out the examples of things we are seeking to negotiate. That is already there.' The minister also told MPs: 'We do not currently have any plans to join PEM, and we are not going to provide a running commentary on every comment that is made.' Shadow foreign secretary Dame Priti Patel said: 'Labour's programme of bending the knee to the EU is disgraceful. 'These latest reports that the Government might shackle us to the European Union are deeply concerning, and once again make clear that Keir Starmer and his chums are all too happy to put their ideology ahead of our national interest, no matter the cost. 'The Conservatives will always fight for the democratic freedoms the British public voted for, and will not stand idly by in the face of Labour's great betrayal of our country.' When Romi Gonen was released in a hostage deal last weekend it 'completed the mission' of an amateur racing driver dubbed the Angel of Nova. Ben Shimoni, 31, used his skills to rescue friends when Hamas terrorists stormed the Nova music festival on October 7, 2023. But on escaping the massacre, the professional chef then did something truly remarkable and turned his car around to drive back into the bloodbath. Ignoring pleas from his distraught British-Israeli soulmate Jessica Elter - who was on the phone from home throughout - he saved nine people on two trips. Ben then promised he would complete one final ride to save his friend Gaya Halifa, 24, who was cowering under a hedge with her best friend Romi, also 24. Tragically, however, after managing to weave past terrorists to find the girls, they were nearly out of the danger zone when Hamas ambushed the vehicle. Jessica, 29, who holds British citizenship through her Liverpudlian father, had to listen helplessly as she heard the love of her life shot dead along with Gaya. Romi lay wounded in the back - having been shot in the hand as she checked Gaya's pulse - alongside another wounded man, Ofir Tzarfati, 27. Jessica Elter, the girlfriend of Ben Shimoni, who died during the Hamas massacre at the Nova music festival on October 7, 2023, said the release of hostage Romi Gonen has brought her closure Ben Shimoni had tried to save Romi before he was brutally killed by Hamas. Romi was then kidnapped by the terrorist group Meirav Leshem Gonen, the mother of freed hostage Romi Gonen, speaks during a press conference at Sheba Tel HaShomer Medical Centre in Ramat Gan on January 20, 2025. She thanked Ben for saving her daughter The two living passengers were kidnapped into Gaza, and when Ofir's body was recovered weeks later it was feared Ben's last mission had been in vain. But incredibly, after 15 months in captivity, Romi was returned last week alongside Doron Steinbrecher, 31, and British hostage Emily Damari, 24. Jessica, who is still deeply traumatised from losing the man she was going to marry, says her release finally allows her to try and move forward in life. 'Romi is my closure,' she tells the Daily Mail from Tel Aviv. 'Ben tried to save her, it was his mission. 'If he was here, he would say my mission is not completed until Romi is here. Now it is - she's home. 'It's a moment that I have been waiting for so long. This could have been a sad story with a sad ending, but it's got a happy ending now. I had maybe the first real smile since October 7.' The hedge where Romi and Gaya had been hiding was torched by the terrorists and there is little doubt they both would have died had they stayed. Indeed, Romi's mother, Meirav Gonen, 54 who was on the phone to Romi as she was kidnapped into Gaza - singled out Ben for saving her daughter this week. Released Israeli hostage Romi Gonen is embraced by her mother, Meirav, after being held in Gaza since the deadly October 7 2023 attack by Hamas Emily Damari with her mother in Shefayim, Israel after the hostage release on Sunday Family members welcoming Israeli hostage Doron Steinbracher at the Sheba medical centre in Ramat Gan near Tel Aviv, on January 19 'The courage, camaraderie, and survival instinct displayed in that vehicle made it possible for Romi to survive and one day tell the story of them all,' she said. 'May the memory of the three murdered victims be a blessing.' For Jessica, from Jerusalem, Romi's return also means she will find what happened in her partner's final moments. 'She's the only one who knows what he said, his last words,' she said. 'Did he suffer? She's the only one who can close that for me.' All she heard on the day was Ben shout 'terrorists,' as Gaya and Romi screamed at him: 'Drive, drive, drive!' 'I heard guns and then quiet,' she says. 'Today I know that quiet was death.' So desperate was Jessica for answers that the day before the October 7 anniversary she found Ben's burnt-out Cupra Formentor and sat in it to be close to him. 'It was one of the hardest things I ever did,' she said on sitting in the charred, bullet-ridden chassis. 'I saw how he got murdered. I saw his head falling. I saw the shooting. 'I'm dreaming of it nearly every day, dreaming that I'm inside the car and I can't save him. It was difficult, but important to understand. 'This was our car. We were driving in it every day, smiling and dancing in it. Going back to this place there is a dissonance, between the screams of happiness we had together and the screams of blood and sadness and hurt from the day he was murdered.' It was part of a long road to come to peace with her grief, which included a powerful fashion show for Nova survivors covered by the Daily Mail in December 2023. Jessica wore the wedding dress she had dreamt of wearing with Ben - with a bullet wound over her heart to symbolise his death. 'People don't understand the meaning of losing the person you love the most in such a traumatic way,' she said. 'Just suddenly one day they are gone and you know they suffered just for being Jewish. Just for being themselves.' But now, with Romi back, she has given herself permission to try to start to move on. She first heard the news that the waitress Ben saved was on the list on her birthday. 'I was crying, my birthday has become a sad day for me but then I heard this amazing news. 'I thought, ok, this is Ben's birthday gift to me. Ben really wants to give me this closure.' On the day itself, she turned her phone onto flight mode and stayed at home, watching the rescue on TV. 'I was screaming, crying, smiling all the emotions,' she said. 'Then I saw her face she was there. I just couldn't believe it. It was a moment I was waiting for so long.' While she still feels Ben's presence everywhere, she believes that he has given her permission to start 'a new chapter' now Romi is home. 'He is always behind me,' she said. 'Even now we are speaking, I feel he's here smoking a cigarette. But he wants me to be happy I know it. 'I know I will never be the same Jessica. I really miss her, because the Jessica who was here the whole of last year I don't know who that is. 'But today I understand that there will be a new Jessica, and I need to hug her, and to accept her, and to smile at her.' A missing plane that was believed to have crashed near Mount Jefferson in Nevada has finally been found - but the pilot's remains are yet to be located. Michael Martin, 65, was the pilot on board the 1968 Piper PA-28-300 aircraft, which disappeared from the sky on January 2. On January 18, over two weeks later, the Nye County Sheriff's Office announced they located the damaged plane. Authorities believe there is no chance of survival for Martin, but rescue efforts are ongoing as they attempt to find his body. Cathy Martin, his wife of 40 years, told The Las Vegas Review-Journal that she and her husband had a 'little tiff' the day before he jetted off and vanished. 'We had a little tiff Wednesday night, but it wasn't a huge one,' she said. 'I just asked him a question and we discussed it and it was done. He wasn't upset.' The sheriff's office posted the announcement that the aircraft was found to Facebook before notifying the distraught family - who have been frantically searching for their missing loved one. 'I am heartbroken to report that the Nye County Sheriff's Office is reporting that my father-in-law Michael Martin's plane has been found in what they are calling an un-survivable crash near Mt. Jefferson,' Kathleen Martin, Martin's daughter-in-law, wrote on Facebook. The licensed pilot departed in his personal airplane from North Las Vegas on January 2 but did not tell anyone, according to KSNV. Michael Martin, 65, an experienced licensed pilot, took flight on January 2, and never returned. His family reported him missing on January 5 Cathy Martin, his wife of 40 years, told The Las Vegas Review-Journal on January 17, she and her husband had a 'little tiff' the day before he vanished. Pictured: Cathy and Michael Martin The licensed pilot departed in his 1968 Piper PA-28-300 airplane from North Las Vegas on January 2 but did not tell anyone. Pictured: Michael Martin's 1968 Piper PA-28-300 airplane Martin took off at 10:51 am, according to flight tracking data, but his flight transponder stopped transmitting at 11:15 am. Around an hour later, at 12:06 pm, Martin's daughter-in-law said he was traceable near Tonopah, Nevada, according to the Review-Journal. His iPad and Apple Watch last showed Martin near Mount Jefferson - approximately 270 miles from North Las Vegas airport. By January 5, Martin's family had still not heard from him, prompting them to go to police and report him as a missing person. Search and rescue efforts initially began in California, Southern Nevada, Utah and Idaho - but as the investigation continued, 'a lot of people with good intentions had information that was not leading to the location,' according to Nye County Director of Emergency Management Scott Lewis. As a result, air search and rescue operations were suspended on January 16, but Lewis said that 'people were still looking in the area,' adding that they 'never truly suspended all the ground [operations].' Just two days later, a game warden discovered the downed plane using special glasses, Lewis told People. However, he explained that the search for the missing man will be 'difficult' due to the 'horrible' terrain where it crashed. 'The terrain is horrible and at a very high altitude on the side of a cliff face,' he said. 'The area covered in snow and is known for very unpredictable and high winds.' The Emergency Management Director added that his team needed to wait for helicopters to reach the scene, which is 'inaccessible by foot due to its elevated nature.' The experienced pilot is pictured with his wife Officials believe, based on photos of the crashed plane, that the experienced pilot did not survive the crash, however, Nye County Sheriff's Office posted the devastating announcement to Facebook before notifying the distraught family Martin took off at 10:51 am, according to flight tracking data, but his flight transponder stopped transmitting at 11:15 am. Pictured: Martin's family shared their loved one's flight information to Facebook 'I am heartbroken to report that the Nye County Sheriff's Office is reporting that my father-in-law Michael Martin's plane has been found in what they are calling an un-survivable crash near Mt. Jefferson,' Kathleen Martin, Martin's daughter-in-law, wrote on Facebook 'The public perception of simply hiking up there is completely erroneous. We're talking about potentially a hoist situation,' he told the outlet. 'But to maneuver an aircraft at that altitude can be challenging, depending on the type of equipment, the airframe and the training and the skills of the potential rescuers are those that are going to make the ground. That's what we're dealing with right now.' Since the 65-year-old's vintage aircraft was located, his family has been advocating, and even pleading with the public to help in efforts to find Martin's body. 'Nye County is stating that it could be several weeks until they have the resources to reach this site and recover Michael,' Kathleen wrote. 'We are asking that everyone who reads this take a minute to call or email their state and federal representatives to ask that resources be expedited for this effort so that we can bring Michael home and lay him to rest. Please help us end the agony we have been in during this process.' On January 21, the worried family's 'prayers were answered' when Martin's daughter, Katie Martin-Perry, received an email from a third-party claiming they could offer assistance in the recovery of her father. Authorities have located Martin's personal plane, however his body has not been found as search and rescue efforts are ongoing 'Nye County is stating that it could be several weeks until they have the resources to reach this site and recover Michael,' Kathleen wrote. Pictured: Michael Martin's daughter-in-law, Kathleen Martin 'An answered prayer, waiting for an update hoping and praying he gets the green light from authorities to help in the search and rescue,' Martin-Perry posted along with a screenshot of the promising exchange. 'After reading about your father's plane crash and the challenging recovery efforts, I wanted to offer my team's assistance,' the screenshotted email exchange reads. 'We have a UH-60 Blackhawk and other helicopters that can be deployed to help reach the crash site. Weather permitting, we can mobilize quickly to begin planning and executing this mission. 'With heartfelt sympathy and readiness to help, Dave Sparks,' the message concluded. As of January 21, rescue efforts for the downed pilot are ongoing. The Nashville school shooter allegedly wrote that his warped ideology was inspired by Candace Owens before he opened fire on two classmates and turned the gun on himself. Solomon Henderson, 17, fatally shot Josselin Corea Escalante, 16, and injured another student before taking his own life during the rampage at Antioch High School. The horror inside the school cafeteria unfolded at around 11am Wednesday and was partially streamed online. Now it has emerged that police are probing a sprawling manifesto allegedly penned by Henderson, which gives some insight into the killer's twisted mindset. Much of the writings center on the gunman being 'ashamed to be black' and praise the work of Hitler and the Nazis. Under one section headed, 'Is there a particular groups or people that radicalized you the most?', political commentator Owens is name-checked alongside far-right influencer Nick Fuentes and YouTuber Mr Beast. 'Candace Owens has influenced me above all each time she spoke I was stunned by her insights and her own views helped push me further and further into the belief of violence over the Jewish question,' the manifesto reads. Nashville school shooter Solomon Henderson wrote 'today is a good day to die' before opening fire on two classmates and turning the gun on himself Owens is a right-wing commentator who has been accused of downplaying the Holocaust. She was previously denied a visa to enter Australia over her comments about Muslims, Jews and her 'capacity to invite discord'. Moments before Henderson struck he posted chilling warnings about his plans, writing 'today is a good day to die'. 'I thought someone had found out when I got called to the office but it was just probation officer,' Henderson wrote on his BlueSky account. 'We're good everything will be going scheduled.' The final entries into the manifesto came on November 18 - the same day the Metro Nashville Police Department received a call indicating there was a school shooting at Antioch High School, which they later determined was a hoax, according to News Channel 5. 'I was so miserable. I wanted to kill myself. I just couldn't take anymore. I am a worthless subhuman, a living, breathing disgrace,' the gunman allegedly wrote. 'All my [in real life] friends outgrew me, act like they didn't f***ing know me. Becoming me was so f***ing humiliating. That's why I spend all day dissociating.' Much of the rest of the document, which was said to be linked to a social media account associated with Henderson, deals with his struggle with race and racial issues. Photos have also surfaced showing the teen making a Nazi salute. The manifesto also details his thoughts on Antioch High School, just outside of Nashville, which has a majority of black and Hispanic students. A manifesto believed to have been penned by Henderson states that he was inspired by Candace Owens Henderson reportedly shared a lengthy manifesto online before he opened fire at the school Wednesday morning Henderson shot and killed 16-year-old Josselin Corea Escalante 'School is a daycare,' he wrote. 'It's impossible for you to actually think. You say things because other people have said it before, then go repeat ad nauseum somewhere else. 'In school, we're taught to wake up early, shut up, sit for long periods of hours, do tasks you hate, then repeat.' The manifesto includes pictures of the weapons he intended to use in the slaying and said he had been advised on how to carry out the attack by others online. The writings also cite Kanye West and state that the gunman prepared for the shooting by playing violent video games and parroted parts of other famous killers' manifestos. Owens refuted the authenticity of the manifesto and said it was, 'sickening that people would use the death of a young 16 year old girl to try to quickly score political points' 'Regarding the alleged manifesto, it is an obvious troll,' Owens wrote on X. 'That is how it is plausible that both me and Mr. Beast, who clearly do not share the same politics, wind up once again in a manifesto. 'It also explains why this individual, despite his numerous accounts, never followed me or Mr. Beast on any of his socials. This is a deranged troll that is, at least in part, due to the death of journalism.' Henderson was among the two people killed during the shocking rampage yesterday. A 17-year-old student who was injured was taken to Vanderbilt University Hospital with a graze wound to the arm but was in a stable condition. A fourth boy was treated after he sustained an injury to the face during the commotion, but police confirmed he had not been shot. Survivors recalled the terrifying moment Henderson burst into the cafeteria and began spraying bullets. The incident left another two male students injured before Henderson turned the gun on himself A 12th grade student recalled how he initially thought the noises were someone popping a chip bag before the horrifying realization hit him that it was an active shooter. 'It was just a rush, it made me want to do something crazy I was trying to run out there and help people, but my mind was so cluttered, I didn't know what to do,' he told WZTV. 'There was a lot of screaming, a lot of terror. People were scared to die, there was running like someone was chasing them, like he was a monster just killing people. 'I feel relieved and safe but I feel bad for the victims who lost their lives,' he added. 'Homicide Unit detectives along with their law enforcement partners in the MNPD and federal/state agencies are examining very concerning on-line writings and social media posts connected to 17-year-old Solomon Henderson as they work to establish the motive behind Hendersons gunfire,' Metro Nashville Police Department said in a statement. This is the horrific moment an Indiana father admitted that his baby was bitten by rats more than 50 times as he slept on the couch. David Schonabaum called for help on September 13, 2023 after he woke up to find his infant son covered in blood with his fingers chewed to the bone by rats. 'Blood was all over the pillow,' he told Evansville Police during questioning. 'I picked him up, I seen [sic] the blood everywhere, his diaper was half hanging off of him. 'I took him into the bathroom and I didn't know what was going on at the time yet, because I hadn't seen his hands...I thought he had a nosebleed.' After his sister-in-law pointed out the boy's hands, Schonabaum 'instantly' thought 'it's the rats,' he told investigators, an interrogation video obtained by Law & Crime showed. The boy's flesh had been chewed off the top of his fingers and his thumb on his right hand, causing several of the baby's fingers to later be amputated, according to Fox 59. The child suffered from more than 50 bites across his entire body, including his forehead and cheeks. The father immediately called 911 after determining the cause of his child's injuries and the six-month-old was taken to the hospital, where he received a blood transfusion, according to Fox 59. David Schonabaum called for help on September 13, 2023 after he woke up to find his infant son covered in blood with his fingers chewed to the bone by rats. 'Blood was all over the pillow,' he told Evansville Police during questioning Schonabaum, who was sentenced to 16 years in prison, admitted to Evansville Police that his home had a rat problem during initial interrogation, but insisted no one had ever been bitten by one in the home Schonabaum, who was sentenced to 16 years, admitted to Evansville Police that his home had a rat problem during initial interrogation. The dad insisted, however, that no one in the home had ever been bitten by a rat before, and that he had an exterminator coming once per month to help with the problem. When police investigated the home, they found discarded food in the father's room and rodent feces in the house, according to Fox 59. A prosecutor called the inside of the home a 'house of horrors.' Trash in the backyard had also been flagged by the terminator as a reason rodents would be attracted to their home, according to Fox 59. Every day, when his wife was home, Schonabaum would rise around 5:30am and he admitted he would normally see rats in the bathroom, which was next door to his bedroom, where the baby was sleeping in a bassinet. He had slept on the couch the night it happened because he was 'trying to be a good husband and make sure the house is clean' for when his wife was expected to arrive the next day. Although police released him after the initial interrogation, he was later arrested and convicted of three counts of child neglect - one for each child living in the house at the time. He was sentenced to 16 years in October. He had an exterminator coming once per month to help with the problem. When police investigated the home (pictured), they found discarded food in the father's room and rodent feces in the house. Trash in the backyard had also been flagged by the exterminator as a problem His wife, Angel Schonabaum (left), also pleaded guilty to one count of neglect of a dependent. Schonabaum's sister-in-law, Delaina Thurman (right), was sentenced to probation His wife, Angel Schonabaum, also pleaded guilty to one count of neglect of a dependent. She received a year credit for time served and was given three years of probation under a suspended sentence. Schonabaum's sister-in-law, Delaina Thurman, was sentenced to probation. Prior to the incident, the parents had a Department of Child Services (DCS) case open against them after one of their children was injured due to lack of supervision in December 2022, according to Fox 59. DCS also substantiated a claim of physical abuse by David that allegedly took place in June 2023, but the department determined the child could stay with the parents. Three DCS employees were later fired for not removing the children from the home before the rat attack. The employees later filed a federal lawsuit. An influencer went into cardiac arrest and died after receiving general anesthesia just moments before he was going to get a new tattoo. Ricardo Godoi, who was known for his posts about luxury cars, was anesthetized at Revitalite Day Hospital in Itapema, Brazil, on Monday as part of the process of having a tattoo inked on his back. The 45-year-old's heart stopped beating and a cardiologist attempted to revive him before he was declared dead. A death certificate provided by hospital director Clicio J. Dezorzi, and which has been reviewed by Brazilian news outlet G1, noted that the cardiac arrest was provoked by 'use of anabolic steroids.' Santa Catarina Civil Police chief Aden Claus told the outlet that a family member said that Godoi had not used steroids in almost five months. Godoi was buried Wednesday, but the police requested that he be exhumed Thursday because an autopsy was not performed. Godoi contacted Tattoo Studio, which set up the appointment with the medical facility to anesthetize and intubate him prior to proceeding with the tattoo. The studio said in a statement that blood was drawn from Godoi before the procedure and results did not show that he was at risk. Brazilian influencer Ricardo Godoi went into cardiac arrest and died Tuesday at a hospital after he was placed under anesthesia as part of the process to have a tattoo on his back The death certificate indicated that the cardiac arrest that Ricardo Godoi had was caused by the "use of anabolic steroids." His family told police he had not taken any substances in five months 'We clarified that Ricardo would perform a back closure with us under general anesthesia, sedation and intubation,' Tattoo Studio said. 'For this, we hired a private hospital with all the staff, equipment and anesthetic drugs necessary for the safety of the procedure. We also hired a doctor specialized in anesthesiology and experienced in intubation, whose documentation was approved by the hospital.' Revitalite Day Hospital released its own statement and said that none of its staff participated in applying the anesthesia. 'As in any case, we are fully collaborating with the competent authorities and providing all the clarifications and protocol documents required by law to investigate the circumstances that led to this unfortunate incident,' the hospital said. 'We reaffirm our commitment to the safety and well-being of everyone who uses our facilities and services. In this moment of pain, we renew our support and solidarity with family and friends,' it added. The luxury car influencer hired the services of Tattoo Studio to have a tattoo on his back Ricardo Godoi (right) with his wife Ricardo Godoi was known in the luxury auto industry and was the CEO of Godoi Group, the company under which he operated a car dealership Godoi, a married father-of-four, was known in the luxury auto industry and was the CEO of Godoi Group, the company under which he operated a car dealership. As he waited for his new tattoo, Godoi went on Instagram and alerted his 226,000 followers that he was about to be anesthetized. 'I am currently undergoing a surgical procedure and will only return after 4:00 pm,' his Instagram Stories post read. Anesthesiologist Esthael Avelar told G1 that medications applied could have prevented Godoi from breathing after he was put under anesthesia. 'When we perform general anesthesia, we necessarily cause this, and if the doctor, for some anatomical reason, is unable to access the patient's airway, there is a risk of causing hypoxemia or a lack of oxygen in the tissues, ' Avelar said. A heartbroken woman revealed that her boyfriend said 'I love you' just moments before he was killed by a speeding Tesla driver in a horror seven-vehicle crash. Linh Luu spoke to ABC 7 from her hospital bed after her boyfriend Misha Romanenko, 27, and their beloved dog were killed by a driver doing 98mph in San Francisco Sunday. 'I remember looking over to him and saying, "I love you," and him saying, "I love you too," back to me,' a distraught Luu said. 'It was just one moment after that I was being wheeled into different rooms.' Luu suffered multiple broken bones when her sedan was struck. She said her late boyfriend was the love of her life and she 'does not know how she is alive.' 'Honestly, I want to trade places with him. He had such a purpose in this world,' she told the local news outlet through tears. The couple had been driving to pick up relatives at the airport when the crash occurred. Linh Luu is seen with her late boyfriend Misha Romanenko, 27, and their beloved dog. He and the pet were killed in a horror crash on Sunday in San Francisco 'I remember looking over to him and saying, "I love you," and him saying, "I love you too," back to me,' a distraught Luu said Six other people were injured in the deadly seven-vehicle pileup, according to officials Police say the Tesla driver, 66-year-old Jia Lin Zheng, was driving at almost 100mph when the electric car slammed into seven vehicles, including a Waymo driverless Jaguar. Zheng was arrested and charged with vehicular manslaughter, vandalism and speeding. A police report said alcohol does not appear to have been a factor in the incident. The suspect reportedly told police he kept pressing the brake on the Tesla but the car did not slow down. Luu said she has horrifying memories of the seconds after the crash. 'I do have a flashback of when I was back in the car and he was motionless,' Luu said. 'It was like, 'Oh my God, Misha,' and he wasn't responding. That's all I remember.' Luu said she wants Romanenko, a computer engineer, to be remembered for his joy Zooming from her hospital room, Linh Luu told me Misha Romanenko was the love of her life. They were hit by a Tesla, reportedly traveling at 98 miles an hour Sunday night, which crashed into 7 cars at Harrison and 6th. Misha and Linhs mini Golden Doodle Keeperdidnt survive. pic.twitter.com/sl3uCtsRKM Dion Lim (@DionLimTV) January 22, 2025 Luu said she wants Romanenko, a computer engineer, to be remembered for his joy and kindness. 'Anyone who crossed paths with him in his life would definitely have a story or two about how he made them laugh, how he put a smile on their face,' she added. Police are still investigating what led to the crash. Six other people were injured in the deadly pileup, according to officials. A man accused of being part of a group of Asian men who groomed teenage girls into becoming sex slaves told police two of his co-defendants were gangsters, a jury heard today. Mushtaq Ahmed told officers he was scared of Mohammed Zahid - a fellow market trader known as Boss Man or Knickerman because he sold lingerie from his stall - and Kasir Bashir, who was also a stallholder. The claim was aired to jurors as a prosecutor read summaries of police interviews with the eight defendants who are alleged to have abused two victims in Rochdale, Greater Manchester. Some of the men told police that the girls had made the allegations in order to obtain compensation amounting to 30,000 per conviction, or claimed they had been stitched up, the court heard. Manchester Minshull Street Crown Court was previously told that Zahid was the only defendant to have abused both girls - who did not know each other after meeting them when he was in his 40s. Prosecutor Rossano Scamardella KC said he was at the centre of what happened to the girls during three years of abuse starting when each was 13 giving them three food, alcohol and underwear in return for sex for himself and other Asian men in Rochdale. The prosecutor told how one of the alleged victims was abused by Zahid, now 64, and Ahmed in the grim, cold and dark basement of a clothing shop Ahmed also ran. He said the pair displayed utter contempt towards the girl, who was also allegedly abused by the men and Bashir at another address. Mohammed Zahid allegedly raped and sexually abused two teenage girls in Rochdale, Greater Manchester, after meeting the victims when he was in his 40s, a court has heard Zahid (seen at court last week) was known as The Knickerman, as he sold lingerie on the market, and was said to have given free underwear to his alleged victims Mushtaq Ahmed, 66, of Oldham, is charged with four rapes, four counts of indecency with a child and procuring a girl for unlawful sex Ahmed, 66, told police that while he was not involved, he was aware that Zahid and Bashir, 50, took girls to the shop for sex. He claimed he had not told police any of this in an earlier interview because he was afraid somebody may try to kill him. He said he the two men would use his shop to store goods they sold on the market, and had found out that they would take girls to the shop when he travelled to Bradford to purchase goods. The court heard Zahid denied knowing the victim who jurors heard was abused on a rancid mattress in the shop basement, or having sex with her. He accepted knowing a second victim who was said to have been passed around a gang of taxi drivers amongst the defendants, but denied having sex with her. He then answered no comment in a further round of questioning over that girl. The court heard Bashir declined to answer most questions during his two interviews. Jurors have been told the two alleged victims were abused between February 2001 and April 2006 by men who were broadly speaking either connected to Rochdale market or working as taxi drivers in the town. Another defendant, Mohammed Shahzad, denied knowing the alleged victim he was accused of abusing and suggested she would be paid 30,000 for every person that she locked up, Mr Scamardella said. Ahmed leaves Manchester Minshull Street Crown Court on January 14, 2025 in Manchester The court heard that Ahmed told officers he was scared of Zahid - a fellow market trader known as Boss Man or Knickerman. Pictured: Minshull Street Crown Court in Manchester On The Case - The Grooming Gang Scandal: Listen to the harrowing true story of Rochdale a grooming gang victim and her father. Available on Apple and Spotify now Another man in the dock, Arfan Khan, said the word on the street was that the girls would get that amount if they convicted someone. He also claimed he did not know the victim and was being framed. The court heard how fellow defendant Naheem Akram turned on another of the men charged after his first police interview in February 2017. Mr Scamardella outlined how Akram, 48, had answered no comment to most questions, but he started to lose his cool with police officers as they prepared to release him. The court heard he then spotted Hussain, who had also just been interviewed at the same police station, and began shouting at Hussain and branding him a grass. Hussain denied ever meeting the same alleged victim and claimed he was being stitched up. Roheez Khan, who was said to have links with cabbies in the town through a taxi radio operator, denied having sex with the same victim. Mr Scamardella said the victims were abused, degraded and then discarded by the men. One of the victims ended up pregnant after the girls were lied to about it being forbidden for Muslim men to use protection, he said. The alleged offences include rape, indecent assault and indecency with a child. The defendants have denied all the charges. They are: Mohammed Zahid, of Crumpsall, Manchester; Naheem Akram; Mohammed Shazad, 43; Nisar Hussain, 43; Roheez Khan, 39; Arfan Khan, 40,all of Rochdale; Mushtaq Ahmed and Kasir Bashir, 50, both of Oldham. The trial continues. A teenager has been arrested for offences under the Terrorism Act while detectives investigate a possible link to right wing extremism. The boy, 16, was handcuffed outside a mosque on Laird Street, Scotland, shortly after 9am this morning. Assistant Chief Constable Andy Freeburn said there was nothing to suggest anyone else was involved or that there was any further risk to the public. He urged anyone with information or concerns to speak to officers. Inquiries are continuing. Assistant Chief Constable Andy Freeburn said: 'Shortly after 9am on Thursday, 23 January, 2025, a 16-year-old male youth was arrested outside the Inverclyde Islamic Centre, Laird Street, Greenock, in connection with offences under the Terrorism Act. 'The youth remains in custody and enquiries continue. The boy, 16, was handcuffed outside a mosque on Laird Street, Scotland, shortly after 09:00 this morning. Pictured: The Inverclyde Islamic Centre, Laird Street, Greenock Assistant Chief Constable Andy Freeburn said there was nothing to suggest anyone else was involved or that there was any further risk to the public (stock image) 'There is nothing to suggest anyone else was involved or that there is any further risk to the public. 'We are speaking to members of the local community to provide reassurance and I would urge anyone with information or who has any concerns to please come forward and speak to officers.' A second 16-year-old was arrested in the Greenock area in connection with a separate terrorism offence. Mr Freeburn said the second boy had been arrested during the course of the investigation into the first teenager and was later released without charge pending further inquiries. A wild cat sanctuary owner dubbed Britains Tiger King was banned from keeping animals indefinitely today after being convicted of causing them unnecessary suffering. Terrence Moore, 78, started the Cat Survival Trust in Hertfordshire in the 1970s and had 31 animals at one point, including Bengal cats, jungle cats and leopards. But checks by police and a vet in July 2022 revealed the 3 million compound was a shambles and the defendant relied on homeopathic remedies rather than providing proper veterinary care. Animals were also kept in inadequate or insecure housing. A follow-up inspection in April the following year found more than 20 animal carcasses in the freezer including two cats that had been observed at the previous visit. Tests revealed they had died from various diseases. Moore wasnt at St Albans Crown Court today to hear an indefinite ban had been imposed, as he was recovering from having a leg amputated after he was mauled by a puma late last year. Prosecutor Adam Williams said: While he has been discharged from hospital, his estranged wife has told us hes now being looked after in a care home. It would appear he either wasnt aware of this hearing or, in fairness to him, wasnt well enough to attend. Moore was fined 14,000 at a previous hearing but a ban was postponed while he rehomed the animals with the help of Hertfordshire Zoo and its other site, The Big Cat Sanctuary in Ashford, Kent. Terrence Moore (pictured), 78, started the Cat Survival Trust in Hertfordshire in the 1970s and had 31 animals at one point, including Bengal cats, jungle cats and leopards Pictured: Star, a female Amur Leopard at the sanctuary in Hertfordshire Pictured: Jags, a female Jaguar, at the sanctuary Some 23 animals had been found new homes, while five had been euthenised due to poor health. Moore was found guilty of four charges of causing unnecessary suffering to an animal following a trial in May last year, as well as seven charges of using an animal species for commercial gain without a licence. The pensioner didnt run the site in Codicote as a zoo, instead offering paid memberships. He was cleared of eight further charges of causing unnecessary suffering and four of illegally using the cats for commercial gain. Prosecutor Charles Miskin KC told jurors the defendant had neglected his duty of care towards some of these animals either through sheer neglect or through a dislike of modern veterinary medicine, or for financial reasons. He described the site as a shambles, adding: Food preparation, storage and disposal was not hygienic, the housing of some animals was inadequate or insecure, and a large number of unvaccinated domestic cats were wandering around, exposing the trust cats to risk of disease, especially as they themselves werent vaccinated. Moores barrister, Daniel Higgins, said he had not deliberately caused suffering and he had taken in a large number of unwanted animals to give them the best possible life. The sanctuary director had received no financial reward and profit gained from photographers visited the site was ploughed back into the charity, Mr Higgins said. Shocking photos show horror inside big cat 'sanctuary' with animals living in squalor Recorder David Mayall told the defendant: You had had considerable achievements in your lifes work but the time has come when that has to stop. Moore who was nicknamed the Tiger King after the hit Netflix lockdown series about a US big cat owner jailed for a murder-for-hire plot was mauled by the puma in November. Police managed to free him from the cage without destroying the animal before he was airlifted to hospital where his leg was amputated. A friend said at the time: He has been doing this for decades perhaps its the stress of having to get rid of the cats that has made him slip up. Recorder Mayall told Moore today he would have to wait at least five years before appealing against the ban. The lead detective probing the Southport attack has revealed he wanted the mass murder to be declared terrorism. Det Chf Insp Jason Pye revealed he would have been 'happy' for the July 29 outrage to have been classed a terror attack 'all day long' as it would have given him more time to question then 17-year-old Axel Rudakubana. It follows growing controversy about whether the dance studio atrocity should have been classified as an act of terrorism. Reform UK leader Nigel Farage this week accused the Government of a 'gigantic cover-up from day one', claiming the authorities 'refused to class the murders as terror-related for fear of the reaction there might have been'. Prosecutors have insisted Rudakubana's crimes did not meet the legal requirement to be deemed terrorism as he was not motivated by a known political or religious ideology. But jailing Rudakubana for life today at Liverpool Crown Court, the judge, Mr Justice Goose, said his 'sadistic' attempt at mass murder was 'equivalent' to an act of terror. DCI Pye revealed how his team of investigators wrestled with why it wasn't declared a terrorist incident, saying officers discussed how the massacre 'looks like it' and 'sounds like it'. The lead detective probing the Southport attack has revealed he wanted the mass murder to be declared terrorism. Det Chf Insp Jason Pye (pictured) revealed he would have been 'happy' for the July 29 outrage to have been classed a terror attack Det Chf Insp Jason Pye said it would have given him more time to question then 17-year-old Axel Rudakubana (pictured) who was jailed for life on Thursday at Liverpool Crown Court Prosecutors have insisted Rudakubana's crimes did not meet the legal requirement to be deemed terrorism as he was not motivated by a known political or religious ideology. Pictured: A court artist's sketch of Rudakubana appearing at Liverpool Crown Court Saying the killer had 'absolutely caused terror', he admitted that even relatives of the victims of last July's atrocity had asked tough questions about whether police were 'hiding' a terror motive. Mr Justice Goose said he 'must accept' that the attack 'does not meet the definition of an act of terrorism within the meaning of the legislation as there is no evidence the purpose was to advance a particular political or ideological cause'. 'However, his culpability is equivalent in its seriousness to terrorist murders, whatever his purpose,' he added. On Tuesday Sir Keir Starmer said the law may need reforming, saying 'terrorism has changed' and the threat from 'loners, misfits, young men in their bedroom' needs to be taken more seriously. Speaking about the early hours and days following the attack in his first interview about the biggest case of his career, DCI Pye said his team made 'almost daily' assessments of whether it was a terror attack. 'We've sat here as an investigation team and talked about it looks like it, sounds like it, the public are going say it is,' he said. 'You know, we scratched our head for a long time - why isn't it? 'It was it was assessed on almost a daily basis - is this terrorism?' Alice da Silva Aguiar, nine, was one of the three children killed in the knife attack in Southport Elsie Dot Stancombe, aged seven, was also fatally wounded in the attack which shocked the nation Bebe King, aged six, killed in the attack. A suspect, 17, has appeared in court charged with three murders DCI Pye said that as information came in about the discovery of what was suspected to be the deadly biological toxin ricin in Rudakubana's bedroom, and the study of an Al Qaeda training manual he had downloaded, he continued to press the point. 'I'm saying 'Is this not now terrorism?' he said. He revealed that families had pressed police on whether they were 'hiding' the truth, asking 'why would you not want to call it a terrorist act?' But he stressed that calling it a terror attack would actually have suited the investigation team. Pictured: Police on Hart Street Southport, Merseyside, in the aftermath of the attack 'All day long, I'd have been happy if someone said it's terrorist attack,' DCI Pye said. Had this happened, police would have had up to two weeks to hold Rudakubana before seeking authorisation to charge him instead of the standard maximum of 72 hours. What is a rare whole life order and why will Axel Rudakubana be spared one? A whole life order is the most severe punishment a judge can give out in England and Wales. It means the offender will never be released from prison, except in exceptional compassionate circumstances. The tariff is saved for the most heinous murderers, including serial killer Levi Bellfield and former Metropolitan Police officer Wayne Couzens, for the kidnap, rape and murder of Sarah Everard. It differs from a life sentence, which means the offender must serve a minimum term in prison before they are eligible for parole. Southport attacker Axel Rudakubana is not expected to receive a whole-life order because he was 17 at the time of the attack and the measures can normally only be imposed on criminals aged 21 or over. They are usually only considered for those aged 18 to 20 in exceptional circumstances. A whole life sentence is seen as too severe and not appropriate for a young offender. Advertisement Instead, with the clock ticking, it meant his team of nearly 80 Merseyside Police officers were working around the clock, needing to address issues such as whether the 17-year-old's mental health was a factor before he could be charged with the three murders and ten attempted murders. 'So there was absolutely no benefit for us in this never being called terrorism,' he added. 'It would have absolutely meant that we had the time to do a lot more things.' DCI Pye stressed that the investigation was given every available resource and that linking it to terrorism would not have made a difference to that. Defending the team's decision, he insisted that the lack of any identified political or religious ideology in Rudakubana's motivation meant in the eyes of the law it couldn't amount to terrorism. 'He has absolutely caused terror, that's the first element, I don't think there's any doubt that that's what he's done. 'He's created mass murder, I don't think there's any doubt about that violence within the community. 'The third part has to be for that political, religious [ideology] and we just haven't got it.' DCI Pye said Rudakubana's bombshell guilty pleas on what was meant to be the first day of his trial had come as much of a surprise to him as everyone else in court. Asked about Rudakubana's motivation in changing his plea, he said: 'My view is probably he's trying to control it, but again, unless he was ever to speak up, we would never know.' He described the cowardly attack on children which sent shockwaves around the globe as 'the world's most evil' and 'the good in the world coming together'. DCI Pye also said that while Rudakubana's action in deleting his internet browsing history minutes before launching the attack meant officers did not know which sites he had been looking at, he had not been accessing the dark web. Instead all the material he downloaded about wars, atrocities and genocide were obtained through Google and Bing. President Donald Trump laid out his American First program to the international business elite Thursday with a speech demanding that NATO nations more than double their defense spending and calling for nuclear talks with China and Russia. He told dignitaries gathered for the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, that he wanted to soon meet Russian President Vladimir Putin to end the war with Ukraine. And he expressed a desire to work towards cutting nuclear arms. 'We'd like to see denuclearization ... and I will tell you President Putin really liked the idea of cutting way back on nuclear,' he said in a speech by videolink from the White House. 'And I think the rest of the world, we would have gotten them to follow, and China would have come along too.' On his third full day in office, he laid out his international agenda, including a warning to the world: Make your products in America or face hefty tariffs. If any in the audience thought his campaign promises were simply bluster designed to win votes they would have been disabused of that idea by the end of his speech. 'As we restore common sense in America, we're moving quickly to bring back strength and peace and stability abroad,' he said. President Donald Trump addressed the World Economic Forum in Davos by videolink 'We'd like to see denuclearization ... and I will tell you President Putin really liked the idea of cutting way back on nuclear,' Trump said in a speech by videolink from the White House 'I'm also going to ask all NATO nations to increase defense spending to five percent of GDP, which is what it should have been years ago.' During his first term he called for members to do more to meet their two percent commitment. 'I insisted that they pay, and they did,' he said. 'The United States was really paying the difference at that time, and it's was unfair to the United States.' Trump triggered fears of a new arms race by pulling the U.S. out of the Cold War-era Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty (INF) in 2019. The US and Nato accused Russia of violating the pact by deploying a new type of cruise missile, which Moscow denied. Trump also said the treaty was meaningless as it did not cover China's nuclear arsenal. 'China has a much smaller, right now, nuclear armament than us or field than us, but they're going to be catching it at some point over the next four or five years,' is how he put it Thursday. He offered no further details on how nuclear talks might work, other than setting out his enthusiasm. Trump said he wanted to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin to end the war in Ukraine 'Tremendous amounts of money are being spent on nuclear ... and the destructive capability is something that we don't even want to talk about today, because you don't want to hear it's too depressing,' he said. 'So we want to see if we can denuclearize, and I think that's very possible.' The White House announced earlier that Trump's first call in office was with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman, sending a clear message about his priorities for the next four years. American intelligence services believe MBS (as he is known) approved the murder of a Washington Post journalist in 2018 and the Biden administration handled Saudi relations with caution. Trump made clear he has no such reservations when he described the crown prince as a 'fantastic guy.' The White House said the two discussed efforts to bring stability to the Middle East and combat terrorism. 'Additionally, they discussed the Kingdom of Saudi Arabias international economic ambitions over the next four years as well as trade and other opportunities to increase the mutual prosperity of the United States and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia,' it said. Earlier it was reported that Saudi Arabia would be investing $600 billion in the U.S. Earlier the A Kentucky man was arrested for shooting a Wendy's drive-thru employee in the buttocks during a confrontation over cold fries. Monjah James-Wooten, 25, was charged with two counts of second-degree assault for the January 6 shooting. Police were called to the Louisville Wendy's around 10:40 p.m. ET after James-Wooten got into an argument with the drive-thru worker over cold French fries, according to the arrest warrant. He entered the establishment with two other unidentified women and fired a shot at the employee. Louisville Metro Police Department said the employee returned fire at James-Wooten, prompting a shootout. He fired off multiple rounds in return, hitting the woman 'in the buttocks.' She was taken to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. The suspect fled the scene before police arrived, but was captured on Wendy's surveillance footage wearing a green Nike jacket. He was identified based on his previous contact with police, and one of the women with James-Wooten contacted authorities, claiming he shot her as well during the altercation. Monjah James-Wooten, 25, was charged with two counts of second-degree assault for the January 6 shooting Police were called to the Louisville Wendy's (pictured) around 10:40 p.m. ET after James-Wooten got into an argument with the drive-thru worker over cold French fries Footage of the damaged fast-food restaurant captured by local news station WAVE showed the windows littered with bullet holes. James-Wooten turned himself in on January 17 and is being held at the Louisville Metro Department of Corrections on a $50,000 bond. His next court appearance is scheduled for Tuesday. In June, a McDonald's worker from Florida was arrested after she shot at a customer following an argument at the drive-through window. Chassidy Gardner, 22, of Lakeland, was charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and booked into the Polk County jail. The shooting occurred just after 1 a.m. at the branch of McDonald's on East Memorial Boulevard in Lakeland, east of Tampa. Things kicked off after a customer 'felt their order was incorrect,' Lakeland Police said in a statement. Gardner then got into an argument with the customers at the drive-thru window. Surveillance video showed one of the customers sticking their arm through the window and knocking some items onto the floor before throwing cups onto the floor. That led to Gardner throwing a drink back at them just as they were leaving. The suspect fled the scene prior to police arrival but was captured on Wendy's surveillance footage wearing a green Nike jacket Footage of the damaged fast-food restaurant showed the windows littered with bullet holes Two of the customers then got out of their car only to throw their own drinks, full of ice, back at Gardner. But Gardner had brought a gun to work and could be seen pacing around the kitchen area with the weapon in her hand. Gardner is still on surveillance footage as she walked out of the fast food restaurant with the gun in her hand. Surveillance video showed Gardner walking out of the venue, complete with the firearm. Officers said Gardner then allegedly fired the weapon at the car as it was driving off, with one of the bullets hitting the vehicle. A Colorado Bureau of Investigation DNA scientist has been accused of jeopardizing hundreds of criminal cases after she cut corners and failed to follow testing protocols. Yvonne 'Missy' Woods was known as a 'golden child' during her 29-year career with the state agency - before she retired in 2023, as reported by Fox 21. But she was arrested Tuesday for 102 criminal charges, including dozens of counts of forgery, as she is accused of altering data in over 500 cases between 2008 and 2023. The investigation into her alleged misconduct began in September 2023 after an intern at the bureau discovered missing information in a sexual assault case that Woods handled in 2018. A probe into other cases found that Woods had altered data to conceal tampering or contamination, deleted information that showed she failed to troubleshoot issues within the testing process and did not thoroughly document tests performed in case records, authorities said. Woods allegedly admitted to deleting some historical data on a DNA instrument but claimed she was advised to do so during quarterly maintenance. Investigators then found the manufacturer had not recommended the deletion, per court documents. Yvonne 'Missy' Woods is accused of altering data in over 500 cases between 2008 and 2023 The former Colorado Bureau of Investigation DNA scientist was arrested Tuesday for 102 criminal charges, including dozens of counts of forgery She was reportedly found to have deleted specific values in reports about at least 35 sexual assault cases and at least seven homicides. When Woods was asked about the alleged data manipulation, she reportedly said: 'I got to put out seven cases that day instead of five. I dont know.' The response to Woods alleged misconduct had cost more than $11 million In the first prosecution in the state believed to be impacted by Woods work, a Colorado man in June pleaded guilty to lesser charges in the killings of three people in 2017. Prosecutors say they gave Garrett Coughlin the chance to plead guilty to second-degree murder partly because they were unable to call Woods to testify in a case that relied mostly on circumstantial evidence. The deal allowed Coughlin to avoid a possible life sentence for felony murder. Officials said Wednesday that the response to Woods alleged misconduct had cost more than $11 million. Among those costs, the Colorado Department of Public Safety last year asked the Legislature for $7.5 million to pay for an independent lab to retest up to 3,000 DNA samples and for district attorneys to review and potentially reprosecute cases that are affected by lab errors. State officials announced Tuesday they had hired a consulting firm to review the states forensic program. Bureau of Investigations Director Chris Schaefer said in a statement that the hiring of Forward Resolutions LLC was part of the agencys effort to 'hold itself accountable' following the allegations against Woods. Concerns about Woods work first surfaced more than a decade ago, according to authorities. In 2014, a worker questioned her testing of evidence and in 2018 she was temporarily removed from working on DNA cases after being accused of data manipulation, the report said. Woods is being held in the Jefferson County Jail on a $50,000 cash bond. Two new fires are threatening to terrorize Los Angeles, a city that is still recovering from the catastrophic blazes that killed 26 people and torched thousands of homes earlier this month. The fast-spreading Hughes Fire, which started Wednesday, is exploding in the hills near Santa Clarita, a rural enclave around 40 miles north west of Hollywood. A separate fire has also broken out in the ritzy beach town of Laguna, where multi-million dollar mansions lie in the flames' path. Tens of thousands of people were evacuated from their homes in Castaic, near Santa Clarita, to escape the Hughes fire. Our live map tracks the fires and shows where they could head next. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez voiced her frustration with President Donald Trump's inauguration on Monday, expressing particular disappointment that tech billionaires were seated in prime seating slots for the ceremony in the Capitol rotunda. Ocasio-Cortez spoke about the Inauguration with Jon Stewart and admitted that she watched the Inauguration from home, despite skipping the ceremony. She sounded the alarm that all of the billionaires were willing to work with Trump in his second term, when during the first term they were uncomfortable about the direction he was taking the country. 'All of these people that were scared before about being associated with him from the the most common basic level to the most elite level, they're they're all in now because this is now a billionaire feeding frenzy,' she said. 'It is a kiss a** race, man. It is.' Ocasio-Cortez said that billionaires were basically lining up behind Trump and trying to show their 'fealty' to him. She also warned Americans that the people in charge of Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and X were essentially 'working for Trump.' 'We have elected the foxes to run the hen house,' she said. 'What Zuckerberg and Bezos, and all these people sitting behind them, they don't just represent billionaires, they represent all of the communication platform that people use in the United States.' 'Of course you have Elon with his f***ing jumping around on the stage,' she added. Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) denounced President Donald Trump in a podcast interview with Jon Stewart Guests including Mark Zuckerberg, Jeff Bezos, Sundar Pichai and Elon Musk, at President Donald Trump's inauguration Ocasio-Cortez also expressed her concerns that the Trumps were getting 'normalized' as fashion brands like Oscar de la Renta were dressing them for the inauguration. 'What makes this go around with Trump so much more dangerous than the first time around is exactly what you're saying, he is much more normalized this time around,' she said. 'This time the norms are becoming him, the norms are embracing him.' Ocasio-Cortez warned American workers that Trump was effectively fooling them. 'What's really important for people to understand now and everyday of this administration is that you're being ripped off. You're being ripped off, dude! Like, everyone is being ripped off,' she said. Jon Stewart recording The Weekly Show With Jon Stewart podcast Rep. Alexandria Ocasio Cortez criticized Democrats and the left for failing to protest Trump The famous upstart Democratic member of 'The Squad' also criticized her party for being 'highly ineffectual' and 'predictable' in Trump's second term. 'Doesn't Trump's rise and the way he is operating make farce of that, in some ways he clowns them, it doesn't look like a holding to protocol it looks like submission,' she said. Ocasio-Cortez noted that Trump's reelection and the weak Democratic response was only making Democrats more disillusioned and more unwilling to fight his second term. Everythings corrupt its all corrupt so who gives a f**k and you might as well just get yours, she said, trying to define the mood. 'The problem with that is that we give up entirely on a better world. She tried to demonstrate optimism about the future of the party, admitting she had a 'weird relationship with the Democratic party' that was 'one foot in and one foot out.' 'To me, I do think that there is a little bit of this lost at sea moment happening,' she said, but said it was a 'tremendous opportunity' for change. 'For me, I'm just trying s**t out,' she said. 'Like, I'm just trying s**t out, I'm in the batting cage and just waiting for a dinger.' Striking a pose - Karen Gillan looks ready to celebrate motherhood with her first night out since welcoming baby daughter Clementine. The Inverness-born actress posted a slew of photos showing off her outfit as she prepared for - in her own words - Mamas first night out. While its not clear where the 37-year-old film star opted to go on her evening out in her adopted hometown of Los Angeles, one can only imagine it would match her celebrity credentials. Her outfit for the occasion comprised a black, jumper dress with thumb holes, which she paired with a pair of chunky black boots. The actress - best known for her role as alien Nebula in numerous Marvel movies - has been on cloud nine since she and husband Nick Kocher, 38, welcomed their first baby in December of last year. Gillan relocated to California in 2013 but has spoken publicly about how she still considers Inverness to be home and hopes to return later in life. Actress Karen Gillan posts a photo of herself ahead of her first night out since giving birth Karen Gillan posted images on Instagram as she got ready to head out Karen Gillan previously posted a photograph of her baby daughter Clementine Earlier this month, she shared the first glimpse of her baby daughter Clementine with her legion of followers on social media. The Jumanji star, 37 and her husband Mr Kocher, 38, took to Instagram to share a sequence of images of themselves at home with the new baby. The Inverness-born actress is seen cuddling Clementine, whilst Mr Kocher is pictured cradling his tiny daughter. A third image shows the couple sitting together and Mr Kocher holding a Best Dad Ever mug. Ms Gillan announced her pregnancy at the Toronto International Film Festival in September 2024. She debuted her baby bump on the red carpet while promoting her film The Life of Chuck. Proud mother Karen Gillan shows off her baby daughter Clementine Husband Nick Kocher cradles his tiny daughter in a social media post Karen Gillan announced her pregnancy at the Toronto International Film Festival in September 2024 Recently, she was spotted in Los Angeles taking her newborn for a walk in a grey pushchair, although the name and gender were not revealed at the time. In 2018, Ms Gillan revealed her desire to eventually have children. Appearing on Michael Rosenbaums Inside of You podcast, she said: I definitely want them, its going to be hilarious. 'I think I would be a good mum. I feel like I would definitely be good at playing with the kids, like being one of them. Save the crop tops for Florida's beaches and keep your feet in your shoes as Spirit Airlines is cracking down on 'inadequate' clothing on its flights. On Wednesday, the company quietly updated its contract of carriage for passengers, which includes updating its dress code for passengers flying the budget airline. The new rule dictates that a guest 'shall not be permitted to board the aircraft' if they are 'barefoot or inadequately clothed.' Among the examples of inappropriate travel outfits include: see-through clothing, exposed breasts, buttocks, or other private parts; lewd, obscene, or offensive clothing and tattoos. The new regulation comes after multiple incidents of passengers being confronted over their attire. Earlier this month, John Garcia Jr. was kicked off a Spirit flight for wearing a hoodie with the words: 'FVCK HATE WORLD TOUR.' Garcia was first confronted as he started to place his luggage in the overhead locker on January 13. A female flight attendant approached him to ask if he was in the right seat. Garcia said she later told him to remove his hoodie because of the 'obscene language.' On Wednesday, the company quietly updated its contract of carriage for passengers, which includes updating its dress code. The new rule dictates that a guest 'shall not be permitted to board the aircraft' if they are 'barefoot or inadequately clothed' Among the examples of inappropriate travel outfits include: see-through clothing, exposed breasts, buttocks, or other private parts; lewd, obscene, or offensive clothing and tattoos 'It caught me like totally by surprise,' Garcia told the San Antonio Express-News. 'Like: "Man, are you serious?"' Garcia refused to remove the hoodie at first. The flight attendant responded by telling him she was going to report him to the captain. A security guard and male flight attendant then joined in, telling Garcia he had to remove his hoodie or get off the flight. He eventually departed the plane, and got a rescheduled return to San Antonio. Garcia said he wore the same hoodie on this flight without any problems. In October, Tara Kehidi and Teresa Araujo were kicked off a Spirit flight for wearing crop tops. They had boarded the plane wearing pants and sweaters but removed them to cool down when they said the flight attendant told them to cover up. The friends asked the man to explain what dress code rule they had violated when they claim the situation escalated and they were kicked off the plane without a refund. 'It's just humiliating having to be escorted and treated like a criminal just because we were wearing crop tops. It was such a dehumanizing experience. We wasted our time, other people's time, our money, our dignity,' Tara exclusively told DailyMail.com. Teresa is a travel influencer with nearly 40,000 followers and the two were heading to New Orleans to celebrate Tara's birthday. Before boarding the plane, the duo had recorded a video showing their outfits with Teresa wearing ripped jeans, a white crop top and a green striped sweater. Tara wore striped pants, a white crop top and navy zip-up jacket. In October, Tara Kehidi and Teresa Araujo (pictured together) were kicked off a Spirit flight for wearing crop tops. Spirit Airlines said contract of carriage may explain why two women were kicked off a flight John Garcia Jr. was kicked off a Spirit flight for wearing a hoodie with the words: 'FVCK HATE WORLD TOUR.' 'It's very warm and humid and hot in the plane because they don't have the A/C or anything on, so we just take off our sweaters and the single male flight attendant comes up to us and says "You guys need to put your sweaters back on right now,"' Tara said. 'We were both just a little shocked, and like covering ourselves with our sweaters a little bit because we were nervous, and we had no idea what was going on. 'We were sweating because it was so hot, so we took the sleeves off our sweaters, but we were covering our stomachs and cleavages with the sweaters because apparently that was so offensive to him.' Spirit Airlines said that a legal agreement called their 'Contract of Carriage' may explain why two women were kicked off a flight for wearing crop tops. Spirit Airlines previously told DailyMail.com that all passengers are technically notified they have to dress a certain way to board flights when they sign their 60-page Contract of Carriage. 'Our Contract of Carriage, a document all Guests agree to upon making a reservation with us, includes certain clothing standards for all Guests traveling with us,' the airline said. Joe Rogan has issued a blistering response to liberals 'crying wolf' after accusing Elon Musk of doing a Nazi salute at the presidential inaugural parade on Monday. The hit podcaster called out people for playing a 'bullsh** game' of accusing 'everyone' of being a Nazi after certain sections of the media blasted the Tesla CEO for using the loathsome gesture. While on stage during one of the inauguration events celebrating Donald Trump as the 47th president, Musk thumped his right hand over his heart, fingers spread wide, and extended his right arm out at an upward angle. He then turned around and repeated the gesture. He quickly came under fire for the now-viral moment, with many speculating that he gave an overt gesture to Adolf Hitler and the Nazis. During a Wednesday episode of his podcast The Joe Rogan Experience, Rogan, 57, said that those pretending that 'everyone is Hitler' are 'broken' as he stood up for the billionaire, who has appeared five times on the show. 'This is why they want to conflate and always want to pretend that everyone's Hitler. The problem with that is, after a while, it's crying wolf and people are like, 'Oh, this is a bull***t game you're playing and you're just using it as an excuse', Rogan said. 'Elon has talked about this a lot. He's absolutely correct is that people use woke ideology as an excuse to be an a**hole, and it's really just people that are a**holes that are attaching themselves to things that make them feel righteous,' he continued. 'So they wrap themselves in this idea to give them virtue and to allow them to say the most awful things about other people that have different perspectives.' Joe Rogan hit back at critics 'crying wolf' for accusing Elon Musk of using a Nazi salute during the inauguration celebration on Monday Musk quickly came under fire for the now-viral moment, with many speculating that he gave an overt gesture to Adolf Hitler and the Nazis He added that the 'horrific unfounded personal attacks' only make people 'less and less effective.' 'Intelligent and aware people who have control of their emotions recognize that. They're not going to take your perspective seriously, so you're going to be less and less effective with what you do.' Musk also hit back at those claiming that he made that gesture, accusing his critics of needing 'better dirty tricks.' The founder of X also said that 'the 'everyone is Hitler' attack is sooo tired.' The Anti-Defamation League (ADL), an organization founded to combat anti-Semitism and has criticized Musk in the past, also rushed to his defense, saying it appears that 'made an awkward gesture in a moment of enthusiasm, not a Nazi salute'. The ADL also noted that Trump's inauguration was a 'delicate moment' and that 'politics are inflamed' but urged 'all sides' to offer each other 'bit of grace' and 'perhaps even the benefit of the doubt'. Musk's gesture comes after he made several statements in recent weeks in support of Germany's far-right AFD party. 'This was no ordinary victory. This was a fork in the road of human civilization,' he said as he made the 'salute'. 'This one really mattered. Thank you for making it happen! Thank you.' The hit podcaster called out people for playing a 'bullsh** game' of accusing 'everyone' of being a Nazi. (Pictured: Rogan posing with Ivanka Trump and Donald Trump at a pre-inauguration event) Historian Aaron Astor also rebuffed accusations of Musk's Nazi emulation. 'I have criticized Elon Musk many times for letting neo-Nazis pollute this platform,' he wrote on X, adding: 'But this gesture is not a Nazi salute.' 'This is a socially awkward autistic man's wave to the crowd where he says 'my heart goes out to you.' Musk announced in 2021 he had been diagnosed with Asperger's syndrome, a form of autism. Even Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu weighed in, writing in an X post on Thursday that Musk 'is being falsely smeared.' 'Elon is a great friend of Israel,' Netanyahu added of the South African native. 'He visited Israel after the October 7 massacre in which Hamas terrorists committed the worst atrocity against the Jewish people since the Holocaust.' 'He has since repeatedly and forcefully supported Israel's right to defend itself against genocidal terrorists and regimes who seek to annihilate the one and only Jewish state,' the PM concluded. Despite his response and others coming to his defense, many are still convinced that his hand gesture is linked to Nazis. Claire Aubin, a historian who specializes in Nazism within the United States, claimed Musk's gesture was a 'sieg heil,' or Nazi salute. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also came to Musk's defense on Thursday, claiming he is a 'great friend of Israel' and saying liberals are 'falsely smearing' the billionaire CBS meteorologist, Sam Kuffel, 31, was fired from her job after she shared controversial Instagram posts of Musk from that day, saying 'He's a Nazi.' 'My professional opinion is that you're all right, you should believe your eyes,' Aubin posted on X, aligning with those who found the gesture was an overt reference to Nazis. CBS meteorologist, Sam Kuffel, 31, was fired from her job after she shared controversial Instagram posts of Musk from that day, saying 'He's a Nazi.' 'Meteorologist Sam Kuffel is no longer employed at CBS 58,' read a staff memo from news director Jessie Garcia, obtained by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. 'A search for a replacement is underway.' DailyMail.com has contacted CBS for comment. Kuffel shared footage of the movement in a Tuesday Instagram story posted on her personal account, which is now private. It's unclear whether it was public at the time. 'Dude Nazi saluted twice. TWICE. During the inauguration,' Kuffel captioned the video. 'You f*** with this and this man, I don't f*** with you. Full stop,' she added. The weather forecaster also shared a fiery meme of a character from It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia saying 'screw that old b****. He's a Nazi.' Kuffel had been working as a meteorologist at the Milwaukee, Wisconsin CBS station for just over five years, according to her LinkedIn account. Before that, she had the same role at ABC affiliate WAOW in Wasau, Wisconsin for three years and six months, per the page. The last secret files about the assassination of John F. Kennedy can now be published after President Donald Trump on Thursday ordered the declassification of all remaining documents about the 1963 murder. Conspiracy theories continue to swirl 60 years after the killing. And any new information will excite the amateur sleuths who continue to wonder whether there is more to the story than just a lone gunman in the shape of Lee Harvey Oswald. Trump signed an executive order that directs his Director of National Intelligence to put together a plan within 15 days for the full release of documents about the JFK assassination. 'That's a big one, huh?' he said as he scrawled his signature on the order, before asking that the pen be given to RFK Jr. 'A lot of people are waiting for this for a long ... for years, for decades. 'Everything will be revealed.' The executive order, obtained by DailyMail.com, said: 'More than 50 years after the assassinations of President John F. Kennedy, Senator Robert F. Kennedy, and the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., the Federal Government has not released to the public all of its records related to those events. 'Their families and the American people deserve transparency and truth. It is in the national interest to finally release all records related to these assassinations without delay.' US President John F Kennedy, First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy, Texas Governor John Connally, and others smile at the crowds lining their motorcade route in Dallas, Texas, on November 22, 1963. Minutes later the President was assassinated as his car passed through Dealey Plaza Conspiracies have swirled for decades claiming JFK's assassin Lee Harvey Oswald was not a lone actor and was working with Soviets or Cubans or even the U.S. CIA His intelligence chiefs will have 45 days to put together a plan to release the RFK and King archives. Millions of pages of JFK documents have already been released leaving only a few thousand kept in the archives. The most recent releases included CIA cables and memos recording visits by Oswald to the Cuban and Soviet embassies in Mexico City weeks before the assassination. And experts doubt there are any major revelations lurking in the archives that would change the accepted version of events. Trump promised during his reelection campaign that he would declassify remaining government records surrounding the assassination. He made a similar promise in his first term but gave way to the CIA and FBI who argued that some documents should be kept from the public for fear they would reveal national security secrets. Trump teased his plan during his Fox News interview with Sean Hannity on Wednesday evening. 'Im going to release them immediately,' he said. 'Were going to see the information. We are looking at it right now.' Donald Trump signing executive orders in the Oval Office of the White House on Thursday Oswald shown after his arrest. He was later shot dead by nightclub owner Jack Ruby in a moment captured live on television Trump said he was persuaded by Mike Pompeo, his former CIA director, not to release them during his first term. 'I was actually asked by Mike Pompeo, secretary of State, not to, and I felt he knew something that maybe, you know , when he asked you not to, you sort of say "why?" and he felt that it was not a good time to release them,' Trump said. The hidden records allowed conspiracy theorists the freedom to speculate on what might be hidden. Was Oswald in the pay of the Cubans or Soviets? Was he a patsy? Why did nightclub owner Jack Ruby shoot him dead live on TV. The new executive order, signed by Trump in the Oval Office, says: 'I have now determined that the continued redaction and withholding of information from records pertaining to the assassination of President John F. Kennedy is not consistent with the public interest and the release of these records is long overdue.' Two teenagers have been rushed to hospital after they were shot in Melbourne early this morning. Victoria Police reported that multiple shots were fired at a group of youths on Palmer Street, Collingwood at about 1am. A 17-year-old is in a critical condition with gunshot wounds, and a 15-year-old who was also shot suffered serious injuries. Police have launched a manhunt for those responsible. 'Detectives are working to establish the exact circumstances of the incident and investigations are ongoing,' Victoria Police said in a statement. Any witnesses, or anybody with footage or information, is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or online. We have all been there. In the hotel corridor with our cases in tow, key card in hand, thrilling to the splendour which may lie beyond the door we are about to push open. We have done our due diligence: read the reviews, perused the online photographs, checked and double checked the facilities on offer and warmed to those little extras the stuff that goes beyond mere box-ticking and takes us, purring with gratification, into the realm of luxury. Such as that roaring fire in the lounge of the hotel in Frigiliana, southern Spain, we booked into three winters ago in front of which, as surely as God was in Govan, wed repairing nightly for after dinner drinks. And we have all been on the other side of the hotel room door seconds later as the thrill gives way first to anxiety, then indignation. Sea view? Youd need to stand on a chair to see out of the window and, frankly, this excuse for one doesnt look like it could bear my weight. (Les Sables DOlonne, France, 2024) Why is there sticky tape holding the bath taps together? (Same place) Is that a hole in the ceiling? Have they really tried to fill it using scrunched up newspapers? And what are those stains on the cushions? Here, turn them over so we dont have to look at them. Scratch that, the stains on the other side are even worse. (Perpignan, France, 2024) I could go on, and will in a bit, but you should know now there is no denouement in my tales of holiday misadventure. In common with most of us, I suck it up, put it down to experience and resolve that the due diligence will be even more thorough next time. Jane and Damen Bennion outside Central London County Court after a dispute with Club Med Next time arrives and I find my diligence has again failed to meet the required standard. Like a fool, I have fallen once more for those ecstatic five star reviews and images of to-die-for opulence. Im thinking of images much like the ones lawyer Damen Bennion and his accountant wife Jane alighted on before deciding to splurge 6,670 on a weeks stay at the Club Met Opio on the Cote DAzur with their two sons. There are 4,150 reviews on Tripadvisor and the resort emerges from this mass of scrutiny as excellent. The website promised that fragrant lavender, the song of cicadas and the taste of tapenade would take them to the heart of Provence. More accurately, the smelly room, awful dinner, mould-encrusted walls in their hotel suite and stale croissants at breakfast took them to the law courts where, this week, they secured their denouement - 3,945 in damages. True, this still leaves a 2,725 hole in their finances after a week which left them feeling miserable. But they stood up for themselves when most of us would likely have lain down, muttering only to ourselves about the brazen contempt for paying guests and the injustice of it all. A stale croissant in the south of France? The place teems with boulangeries offering the crispiest, most heavenly examples of this nationwide breakfast staple. And yet several French hotels Ive stayed in clearly buy them in packets from a cash and carry. Mould on the walls? Isnt the idea that guests are paying for luxury as opposed to squalor they wouldnt dream of countenancing in their own homes? The gourmet food was so awful at the all-inclusive resort that the couple paid to dine elsewhere after the first night and all-inclusive, it turned out, excluded the fee for parking their car. We told our children on the first night that daddy would get things sorted, but it wasnt sorted, Mr Bennion told the Central London Country Court. Perhaps it was this promise to the kids and what it would tell them about their father if he didnt take things further that spurred him into action when he got home. Dads are supposed to be problem solvers. If dads dont step up to the plate when, on top of everything else, the croissants are stale, children notice. And yet the standard reaction to such disappointments for the overwhelming majority of us is to shrug and say, well, we shouldnt let it spoil our holiday. We accept appalling standards in much the same way we accept a losing lottery ticket. Unlucky, we say when, given the sums we are handing over, luck should not come into it. My partner and I spent weeks last summer planning our fortnights road trip in France, taking in multiple hotel and Airbnb stops from Rouen in the north to Juan-Les-Pins in the south. We went well over our 4,000 budget, telling ourselves we were worth it, and stop by stop, learned what proprietors of said hotels and Airbnbs reckoned we were worth. A dingy attic room in Les Sables DOlonne; a shoebox in Bordeaux whose bathroom was a plastic cubicle; the Airbnb in Perpignan with filthy cushions, bathroom ceiling on the verge of collapse and kitchen cupboards sticky with congealed food. We spent much of our time in these places writing the Tripadvisor reviews in our heads and taking photographic evidence, lest the proprietor should try to argue. In Avignon, the owner of the property we were staying in never showed up, and instead sent intermittent emails with incomplete instructions on how to get in. It turned out I was supposed to put my car in the garage, but thus far we didnt even have access to the house, situated on one of the narrowest streets in town. Horns honked, stress levels rose and when we did finally get that garage door open, I put a dent in the side of my car trying to squeeze it inside. 590, the car body shop later told me. I was the picture of misery all evening. And yet, should you wish to avail yourselves of the full details of these lodgings to avoid in our stinging online reviews, Im afraid you cant. We didnt write them. Well, you know how it is. You roll back home in your battered car, do the unpacking and cheer to the fact that you are once again in the bosom of your own living standards. You put your feet up, switch the telly on and let the past dissipate. Same thing when we came home from Frigiliana in 2021, never once having enjoyed after dinner drinks by that roaring open fire of which the blurb spoke so highly. They refused to light it. The lounge was freezing. We asked them directly. Will you prepare the open fire we have read so much about, that we may linger here awhile with our bottle of Rioja? A rueful face: No senor. We turned on our heels, went back to our room defeated and took that no further either. And, in doing nothing, we become enablers for those who treat our holiday savings with disdain. We tell them its fine, that were not ones to complain. So be our guests, continue about your grubby, indolent business. The Bennions remembered who were supposed to be the guests in this arrangement. I salute them and hope, in future, to stay angry long enough to emulate them. Dramatic footage of a four-year-old boy describing how he witnessed the brutal murder of a schoolgirl is to be shown in a new TV documentary. Archie Wilsons testimony was crucial in bringing to justice the killers of 14-year-old Caroline Glachan after more than 27 years. Robert OBrien, Andrew Kelly and Donna Marie Brand were convicted of killing the teenager, whose body was discovered on the banks of the River Leven in Renton, West Dunbartonshire, in August 1996. The case was one of Scotlands longest running unsolved murders and documentary makers from Glasgow-based production firm Firecrest Films were given unprecedented access to the High Court in Glasgow for the trial. BBC series Murder Trial: The Girl In The River will show a police interview with Archie which was recorded shortly after the murder when he was four-and-a-half years old. He was dragged out of his home in Renton shortly before midnight on August 24, 1996, and taken to a pathway beside the River Leven by Kelly who was babysitting him. They were accompanied by OBrien, Brand and Kellys then girlfriend, Sarah Jane ONeill, who has since died. Archie told officers he saw Caroline being attacked down the Leven. He also identified OBrien as the person who hit Caroline with a pole. Four-year-old witness 'Archie' giving video evidence to police detectives one month after the murder of Caroline Glachan Caroline Glachan's body was discovered on the banks of the River Leven in Renton, West Dunbartonshire in August 1996 The case of Caroline Glachan (pictured) was one of Scotlands longest running unsolved murders Caroline had known Robert O'Brien for just two months before he and Donna Marie Brand, along with friend Andrew Kelly, lured her to a bridge and killed her In the police interview, he said: She got hit with a metal pole because there was metal in her eye. I saw it. I closed my eyes when the metal was in her eyes and when she got pushed into the water. During the interview Archie drew a picture of the River Leven on an etch-a-sketch board and said all three accused were at the murder scene. The killers all rigidly stuck to the same alibi and told officers they spent the night of the murder in the flat where Archie lived. His evidence was not deemed credible at the time because of his age, but his account was later corroborated by other evidence and was crucial in bringing the trio to justice. Police Scotlands Major Investigation Team started re-examining the case in June 2019. As part of the reinvestigation, police sent a child psychologist a package containing everything that had been done with Archie and his relatives. Detective Inspector Stuart Grainger - the senior officer who led the cold case review - said the expert believed Archie was experiencing a lived event. Robbie O'Brien was convicted of murdering 14-year-old Caroline Glachan Donna Marie Brand was also convicted of her murder Fellow murderer Andrew Kelly was sentenced to a minimum of 18 years in prison Speaking on the documentary, lawyer Alex Prentice KC, who led the prosecution case in the trial, said of the police interview footage with the boy: It is of course a concern that a very young boy is giving evidence in a murder trial and some people might think that a four-year-old boy is not someone who can be relied upon. Archie talks about Caroline getting metal in her eye and an injury being caused. We heard from the pathologist who illustrated to the jury that there was such an injury. The question would be, How would he know that. OBrien, Kelly and Brand were found guilty of the murder after the trial in 2023. All three got life and OBrien was ordered to serve at least 22 years in jail. Kelly must serve a minimum of 18 years and Brand 17 years. Brand and Kelly, both 45, appealed, claiming there was insufficient evidence to support their convictions. OBrien was refused permission to appeal. At the Court of Criminal Appeal in Edinburgh earlier this month judges rejected the appeals against conviction as well as a plea by Brand to get her minimum jail term reduced. The trial heard Caroline had been infatuated with OBrien and had gone to meet him by the River Leven when the trio attacked her and left her to drown. Murder Trial: The Girl In The River airs on the BBC Scotland channel on Tuesday 28th January and BBC Two on Wednesday 29th January at 9pm. A missing girl who vanished off the streets in Colombia has been found dead in a river. Laura Paez, 9, had been missing since January 16 when she left her home in Chinquinquira, a city in the central department of Boyaca, to walk her pet dog and failed to return. Paez's body was found Tuesday, lying over the rocks on the shore of the Minero River, just hours after the suspect, Daniel Zambrano, was arrested and confessed to the slaying. The medical examiner's office was able to identify the body on Wednesday. Zambrano initially told investigators that he had sexually abused, murdered and dumped Paez in an area of the Minero River located along the border of the departments of Boyaca and Santander. He then withdrew his statement as part of an attempt to throw off the investigation, which is being led by the Attorney General's Office. Paez's brother, Diego Velandia, told Caracol Radio that neighbors claimed that Zambrano had been stalking the girl for three weeks. The child's mother, Miriam Velandia, was at work when she walked out with the dog and did not notice she wasn't home at 3am when she arrived. The body of Laura Paez was found in a river in Boyaca, Colombia on Tuesday. The nine-year-old had been missing since January 16 when she left her home to walk her dog Daniel Zambrano was arrested Monday in connection to the disappearance of nine-year-old Laura Paez in Colombia. He confessed he sexually abused, murdered and dumped the girl at a river before he withdrew his statement Authorities caught a break in the search for Paez when they discovered various surveillance videos that showed Zambrano accompanying the little girl. One video showed Zambrano walking with Paez inside a store at 8:01pm on January 16. A second security camera showed the young girl standing next to Zambrano and two people at 8:56pm. Zambrano then left with Paez in a vehicle that police located an the auto body shop located on the outskirts of Boyaca. Volunteers and the military canvass the Minero River, where the body of Laura Paez was found Tuesday Laura Paez was kidnapped January 16 and found dead at a river in Colombia on Tuesday Authorities believe Zambrano took Paez to the shop before she disappeared. 'Biological fluids and other details were found during the inspections and are being evaluated by the National Institute of Legal Medicine and Forensic Sciences and specialist experts,' the Attorney General's Office said in a statement. The Attorney General's Office is awaiting the results before they proceed with charging Zambrano with murder. 'We firmly reject any type of violence that threatens the life and integrity of children,' the office of Boyaca Governor Carlos Amaya said in a statement. 'The defense of their rights and the well-being of our children is an unwavering priority for this government.' Waitrose and Ocado are the two latest supermarkets to call for a rethink on the Governments family farm tax. Nine major food retailers are now in opposition to tax changes to inheritance rules - which farmers say will force many farms to be broken up. Supermarkets backing a pause and further consultation on the changes include Tesco, Lidl, Aldi, the Co-op, Sainsburys, Asda and Morrisons. In a statement today, Waitrose said: Agriculture is the backbone of our food system and of rural Britain and we are hearing from our farmers that inheritance tax is limiting their ability to plan ahead. It is important that the Government considers the impact of these changes and listens to farmers concerns. They also said they support a pause in the implementation of the inheritance tax changes. A spokesman for Ocado said: We join the NFUs call for a consultation on inheritance tax- the proposed increase will impact farmers ability to continue developing a resilient British food system. Shortly after Octobers Budget, Sainsburys urged ministers to listen to the concerns of farmers about the tax changes. Earlier this month, Morrisons told farmers were with you in their fight against Labours action. Farmers protesting in Westminster against a rise in inheritance tax on November 19 2024. Nine major food retailers have now voiced their opposition to the tax changes Farmers protesting in Westminster. Earlier this month, Morrisons told farmers were with you in their fight against Labours action Chancellor Rachel Reeves announced the tax change in the October budget And, last week, Asda also offered their public backing for farmers by supporting a demand for a pause in Labours implementation of the Budget measures. Today, the shadow environment secretary Victoria Atkins called on the Government to measure the number of farmers dying by suicide to understand the human cost of the Governments changes to inheritance tax on agricultural land urged the Government to commit to a full and proper review of this dreadful policy. The National Farmers Union has warned that some farmers may commit suicide to avoid their heirs being hit with 20 per cent inheritance tax. But Treasury minister James Murray said the Governments plans to impose 20 per cent inheritance tax on farms worth more than 1 million is a fair approach, with current relief on business and agricultural assets heavily skewed towards the wealthiest estates. Mo Metcalf-Fisher, director of external affairs at the Countryside Alliance said: Rachel Reeves and the Treasury appear more and more isolated in their defence of the family farm tax, as the backlash to the policy intensifies. 'We warned the Treasury that the total lack of consultation with the rural sector has created serious ill will in the countryside and would only lead to a long-running battle. It is imperative the government consults with the relevant stakeholders and urgently rethinks this policy. A Waitrose store. It is the latest supermarkets to call for a rethink on the Governments family farm tax Next month, MPs are set to hold another debate over the impact of the family farm tax, after a petition - Dont change inheritance tax relief for working farms - reached over 100,000 signatures Thousands of farmers take part in a protest outside Downing Street in November last year Next month, MPs are set to hold another debate over the impact of the family farm tax, after a petition - Dont change inheritance tax relief for working farms - reached over 100,000 signatures. The House of Commons petitions committee has agreed that a debate on the subject will take place on February 10 at 4:30pm. Thirty local councils, including Cornwall, Suffolk and Northumberland, have also voted through motions condemning the policy. A two-year-old boy who was stabbed to death by an asylum seeker who was supposed to have left Germany has been pictured. Little Yannis loved his duck soft toy and his 'The Little Prince' suitcase, his devastated great-uncle Jaoud Fakir said. 'But what he loved most was his toy police car,' Mr Fakir told German tabloid Bild, adding that Yannis had dreamt of being a policeman. The two-year-old had been brutally killed by Enamullah O., 28, while he visited a park in Aschaffenburg, Bavaria, with his nursery group. The Afghan asylum seeker, who also killed a passerby and injured three others, was arrested near the scene. The adult victim, a 41-year-old German, died while intervening to try to shield the children in Schoental Park from the kitchen knife-wielding attacker. Regional interior minister Joachim Herrmann said the suspect had already come to the attention of authorities for violent behaviour on three separate occasions and was referred for psychiatric treatment. Investigations were ongoing into the motive behind the attack, although initial information pointed 'very strongly in the direction of his obvious mental illness'. A neighbour who knew the attacker told Bild that Enamullah O. had already been referred to the police for attacking a friend with a knife. Little Yannis (pictured) loved his duck soft toy and his 'The Little Prince' suitcase, his devastated great-uncle Jaoud Fakir said Enamullah O., the suspect in the horrific stabbings in Germany, has been pictured German police secures a park, where earlier today two people were killed in a knife attack, one of them a child, in Aschaffenburg, Germany, January 22 Enamullah O., 28, was arrested near the scene after attacking a group of children in a park in Aschaffenburg, Bavaria (pictured January 22) 'He repeatedly cut the skin of a compatriot of mine,' Mane, who only gave their first name, claimed. 'She screamed for help. I alerted the police. But shortly afterwards, Enamullah O. moved back into his room.' 'He had a funny look in his eyes,' the 23-year-old recalled. 'He had mental problems and took drugs.' The suspect had entered Germany in 2022 and unsuccessfully sought asylum. He was meant to have left late last year after offering to leave the country voluntarily, Herrmann said. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said Wednesday he would demand to know why the Afghan suspect had been able to stay in the country. 'The authorities must explain as quickly as possible why the attacker was even still in Germany,' Scholz said in a statement reacting to the devastating attack. The latest in a series of deadly knife attacks in Germany threatened to ignite a new debate over immigration ahead of a general election on February 23. Enamullah O. had announced in December 2024 that he would voluntarily leave the country after not being granted asylum, Bild reports. 'As a result, on December 11, the [ministry for immigration and asylum] finally closed the asylum procedure and asked the person concerned to leave the country,' Herrmann told a press conference. Candles and flowers are placed in a park, where earlier today two people were killed in a knife attack, one of them a child, in Aschaffenburg, Germany, January 22, 2025 Rescue and security worker are seen near the crime scene in Aschaffenburg, Germany Investigators say he had already shown psychological problems in the past and had been 'noticed for violent crimes at least three times in the past', Herrmann said. A search of the suspect's accommodation at an asylum centre had not produced 'any evidence of a radical Islamist attitude', with investigators instead finding psychiatric medication. A fellow Afghan refugee who shared a hallway with him told Bild: 'I couldn't sleep because of him. He was always making noise, drinking and listening to loud music.' Ahmad M., a 28-year-old engineer, said he spoke to Enamullah O. but never understood full sentences from him. 'As an Afghan, I am so sorry about this. My condolences go out to the families affected. But how could the police fail so badly? They all knew that he was not right in the head.' The suspect had allegedly been following a day care group of five young children before launching the attack, according to Main-Echo. As well as the heroic 41-year-old passerby, a two-year-old child of 'Moroccan origin' was also killed, Herrmann told reporters. Investigators believe the passerbyn had 'courageously intervened to protect the other children... and was then fatally injured by the attacker', Herrmann said. An eyewitness told the Main-Echo newspaper that the arrested man was taken away 'in a headlock' People light candles during a protest after earlier today two people, one a child, were killed in a knife attack, in Aschaffenburg, Germany, January 22, 2025 Bavarian officials said two adults and a 2-year-old Syrian girl were injured and taken to a hospital for treatment, and none of their lives were in danger. Other passers-by chased the suspect and he was arrested 12 minutes after the attack, Herrmann said. An eyewitness told the Main-Echo newspaper that the arrested man was taken away 'in a headlock.' Cops confirmed that two people had died while three others were injured in the attack, and are now being treated in hospital. The knifeman also stabbed a two-year-old Syrian girl in the neck three times and stabbed another passerby aged 61 in the chest several times. A teacher also broke her arm while fleeing, according to Bild. 'Two people were fatally injured,' police said, while 'two seriously injured people are receiving treatment in hospital. The suspect was arrested in the immediate vicinity of the crime scene.' A second person arrested was a witness and was being questioned, police said, adding that there were no indications of other suspects as well as no further danger to the public. Police also said investigations into the 'background of the crime' were ongoing. Police and ambulances were pictured near the scene in Schoental Park, Aschaffenburg Enamullah O. came to Germany in November 2022, but was not granted asylum and announced last month that he would voluntary leave the country, tabloid Bild reports. 'As a result, on December 11, the [ministry for immigration and asylum] finally closed the asylum procedure and asked the person concerned to leave the country,' Bavaria's Interior Minister Joachim Herrmann told a press conference Main-Echo reported that teachers from an Aschaffenburg daycare center were out on a local trip to Schoental with five small children. 'The attacker is said to have followed this group. The teachers noticed this and they wanted to leave Schoental,' the news site said. 'When they wanted to leave, the man is said to have attacked the group with a knife. He was apparently specifically targeting the children. 'One teacher suffered injuries and is now in hospital, another is receiving psychological care. The other children have now been picked up by their parents and are receiving psychological care'. In a press release following the incident, Lower Franconia Police confirmed: 'The Aschaffenburg police, with the support of surrounding departments, launched a large-scale search for the suspect immediately after the incident became known. 'The suspected weapon used in the crime, a knife, was confiscated,' police said. The motive for the attack remains unclear and police have asked that people refrain from speculation. A large area was cordoned off covering Schoental Park, police said, and rail traffic in the area was temporarily suspended. German police secures a park, where earlier today two people were killed in a knife attack, one of them a child, in Aschaffenburg, Germany, January 22, 2025 German police secures a park, where earlier today two people were killed in a knife attack, in Aschaffenburg, Germany, 22 January 2025 German police secures a park, where on Wednesday two people were killed in a knife attack Train services in the town were temporarily interrupted as the suspect tried to flee along the tracks, German news agency dpa reported. However, he was quickly detained, police wrote on the social media platform X. They also declined to give details about how the attack took place. The governor of Bavaria condemned the attack and called it 'a terrible day for all of Bavaria'. 'We mourn the victims of a cowardly and despicable act. We mourn the loss of a small, innocent child who was fatally injured,' Markus Soder wrote on X. 'We mourn the loss of a helper who paid for his civil courage with his own life.' 'The circumstances of this inconceivable act must be fully clarified,' he added. 'But now is the time to pause for thought. It simply hurts. We pray for the victims and their families. We hope that all those injured recover quickly and fully.' Germany's Interior Minister Nancy Faeser expressed her compassion for the families of the victims and vowed that 'the investigation will shed light on the background to this terrible act of violence'. 'My thoughts and heartfelt sympathy are with the parents of the child who was killed, for whom there could be no more terrible news,' she said. 'My deepest sympathy also goes to the family of the man who lost his life as a result of this brutal act.' Rescue vehicles are seen near the crime scene in Aschaffenburg Bavarian Interior Minister Joachim Herrmann arrives near the park for a press conference this afternoon People light candles during a protest after earlier today two people, one a child, were killed in a knife attack, in Aschaffenburg, Germany, January 22, 2025 The suspect is believed to have tried to escape by running across nearby railway tracks, German newspaper Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung reported. In November, police classified parts of the city centre park as a 'dangerous place' due to an increase in 'drug-related crimes', which reportedly included robbery and assault. There were reported to be regular patrols of the area, which is potentially why the suspect was apprehended so quickly. Police have asked for witnesses to come forward and share any relevant pictures or videos as the investigation into the attack continues. The Attorney General was yesterday accused of abusing a Whitehall convention to dodge conflict of interest concerns about his past clients. MPs said Lord Hermer was extending the conventions boundaries to avoid questions about his role in a string of controversial government decisions, including a potential law change which paves the way for Gerry Adams to receive compensation. During a Commons debate, MPs questioned whether Lord Hermers position was tenable given that Mr Adams was a former client of his when he was a specialist human rights lawyer. But the Government repeatedly refused to say whether he recused himself from giving legal advice on the law change which is set to benefit his former client. Ministers also faced calls from MPs to ensure that not a single penny of taxpayer-funded compensation is given to Mr Adams, whose hands are dripping with innocent peoples blood. The debate was finally allowed to take place by Sir Lindsay Hoyle, the Commons Speaker, after he blocked one happening on Monday. It remains unclear why he did so. A debate was also blocked in the Lords on Tuesday. Opening yesterdays hearing, the Tories Helen Grant, the shadow solicitor general, said: This is about the proper mechanisms for recusal when matters concerning former clients come before the government. 'The House must know what safeguards are in place to protect the public interest when such situations arise. The Attorney General was yesterday accused of abusing a Whitehall convention to dodge conflict of interest concerns about his past clients MPs said Lord Hermer was extending the conventions boundaries to avoid questions about his role in a string of controversial government decisions, including a potential law change which paves the way for Gerry Adams (pictured) to receive compensation During a Commons debate, MPs questioned whether Lord Hermers (pictured) position was tenable given that Mr Adams was a former client of his when he was a specialist human rights lawyer She went on to ask if Lord Hermer had recused himself from any matters since being appointed Sir Keir Starmers top legal adviser last year. Lucy Rigby, Lord Hermers deputy, said that a list of potential conflicts of interest was drawn up with the Foreign Office, Crown Prosecution Service and Serious Fraud Office and that this is kept under review and amended. But she refused to say whether Lord Hermer, who did not appear because he is not an MP and sits with peers, had recused himself from the law change relating to Mr Adams. She said that doing so would break the Law Officers Convention - a rule that Attorney Generals cannot reveal what legal advice they have given the Government. She insisted that a rigorous system was in place to ensure Lord Hermer would never be asked to give legal advice on any matter that could give rise to a potential conflict of interest. But Tory MP Joe Robertson, a practising solicitor, said: Does she accept that the Law Officers Convention is being extended in the interest of the Attorney General not answering legitimate questions about recusal and conflict of interest, and that nobody should seek to extend that principle beyond its intention in order to remain silent? Ms Rigby replied: I do not accept that the Law Officers Convention is being extended at all. Tory MP Ben Obese-Jecty asked whether Lord Hermers position was even tenable given that he has a track record of taking up multiple cases against the British government? Sir Keir Starmer was appointed Lord Hermer's top legal adviser last year And DUP MP Jim Shannon said: Adams hands are dripping with innocent blood, not least from when he was the commander of a bombing which killed many of my constituents. So will the Attorney General recuse himself from all matters relating to Adams, and will this government ensure that Adams doesnt get one single penny? Ms Rigby replied: The convention, as I have already stated, does not permit me to reveal where the Attorney General has been asked for advice, nor when he is advised. The Government is repealing legislation that currently bars, among others, Mr Adams, who has always denied being an IRA member, from suing ministers over his unlawful detention in prison in the 1970s. When he was a practising barrister, Lord Hermer represented Mr Adams in a separate case involving compensation claims by the victims of IRA bomb attacks. He also acted for human rights group Liberty in 2020 in the case of jihadi bride Shamima Begum, arguing she should be allowed to return to Britain. In 2023 he represented the families of Afghan civilians at the Independent Inquiry on Afghanistan, which is scrutinising the actions of British Special Forces. It came as Britains top civil servant, Cabinet Secretary Sir Chris Wormald, rejected calls for an investigation into Lord Hermers potential conflict of interests. Sir Chris, who was given the role by Sir Keir Starmer last month, wrote a letter to Robert Jenrick, the Tories justice spokesman, dismissing his call for a probe. Confirming the correspondence in the Commons debate, Ms Rigby said: The Attorney Generals Office has a rigorous system in place to ensure that a law officer would not be consulted on any matter that could give rise to a potential conflict of interest. A legal battle to stop lone children being smuggled into England as anchors for their parents has been launched by the Home Office. The case centres on two boys, aged nine and six, who arrived on the beach at Dover without their parents last July. They had become separated from their family during a chaotic small-boat launch which led to their mother and father being left behind in Calais. The parents are now desperate to be reunited with their children but want this to happen in Britain, where they intend to claim asylum. However, the Home Office fears that inviting them into the country will set a dangerous precedent, encouraging other migrants to game the system by sending unaccompanied children over the Channel. Court papers reveal the case has been discussed at the highest level between British and French officials. The Kurdish brothers identified as MIK and MAK are in foster care in Kent and speak to their parents, named as EK and SK, on the phone twice a day. In November, asylum judges ruled the Home Office was breaching the boys human rights by failing to bring their parents to the UK, and ordered the Home Secretary to make urgent arrangements to admit them. A legal battle to stop lone children being smuggled into England as anchors for their parents has been launched by the Home Office (file image) The case centres on two boys, aged nine and six, who arrived on the beach at Dover without their parents last July (file image) The ruling was overturned by the Court of Appeal, which acknowledged the reasonable and legitimate fears that it could set a bad example. Dr Meirav Elimelech, deputy director of the Home Offices asylum and protection unit, told the court that the safety of all child migrants was at stake. She said: Admitting parents of children into the UK will increase the risk that children are placed on boats unaccompanied. If migrants are aware that sending a young child unaccompanied by an adult will make it more likely that a court will direct urgent reunification in the UK, without [an] asylum decision having to be made, then this is further incentive for behaviour that endangers children. EK and SK said they fled their native Turkey because the father faced persecution due to his political activities. They travelled through Europe, staying briefly with relatives in Belgium. But they did not want to claim asylum there because they were concerned about tensions between the French and Flemish-speaking communities. They also refused to seek asylum in France because they believe that Turkish intelligence is very strong and Kurdish people are being killed in the country. EK said the couple resolved to enter the UK illegally and claim asylum. The Home Office told the Court of Appeal that the French interior minister had agreed the family must be reunited in France. A final decision will be made by the family court. Keir Starmer was accused of bending the knee to Brussels after he opened the door to a new customs deal with the EU. Downing Street signalled the Prime Minister will consider a new offer from Brussels to join the Pan-Euro-Mediterranean Convention, which aims to reduce customs barriers between the EU and neighbouring countries. EU trade commissioner Maros Sefcovic today said that British membership of the convention was something we could consider as part of the reset in relations sought by Sir Keir. Europe minister Nick Thomas-Symonds told MPs that ministers do not currently have any plans to sign up to the agreement. But Downing Street later opened the door to the move. The PMs official spokesman declined to give a running commentary but said the arrangement did not breach the PMs red lines, which include rejoining the EUs customs union and single market and reviving free movement of people. The arrangement thats been discussed is not a customs union, he said. Our red line has always been that we will never join a single market, freedom of movement, but were just not going to get ahead of those discussions. Shadow foreign secretary Dame Priti Patel claimed Labour was taking a disgraceful approach of bending the knee to the EU. She added: These latest reports that the Government might shackle us to the European Union are deeply concerning, and once again make clear that Keir Starmer and his chums are all too happy to put their ideology ahead of our national interest, no matter the cost. Downing Street signalled that Sir Keir will consider a new offer from Brussels to join the Pan-Euro-Mediterranean Convention, which aims to reduce customs barriers between the EU and neighbouring countries EU trade commissioner Maros Sefcovic (pictured) today said that British membership of the convention was something we could consider as part of the reset in relations Sir Keir has made a reset of relations with the EU a key foreign policy priority. But he has yet to spell out to the public - or the EU - exactly what he is seeking and what he is prepared to concede in return. Mr Sefcovic said the idea of Britain joining the Pan-Euro-Mediterranean Convention (PEM) had not been precisely formulated, adding: The ball is in the UKs court. The PEM comprises a string of north African and Middle Eastern countries alongside others like Ukraine, Turkey and Georgia, which are close to the EU. Under the terms of the Brexit trade deal, exports from the UK to the EU do not attract tariffs provided a certain percentage of the parts and ingredients originate from this country. A British manufacturer exporting fabrics made mainly from Egyptian cotton would currently face tariffs. But this would change if Britain joined the PEM as Egypt is also a member, allowing both countries to bypass the EUs rules of origin regime. Labour MP Stella Creasy, chair of the Labour Movement for Europe, said joining the arrangement would help cut the paperwork connected to rules of origin requirements which is why we have long argued it should be a priority for the UK as one way to undo the damage to trade leaving the EU has done. Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey said ruling out the PEM proposal would be an act of economic negligence. But a study by the Centre for Inclusive Trade Policy last year found that any advantage to the UK was likely to be minimal as British exports to the UK only contain a very small proportion of parts and ingredients from other PEM countries, typically less than three per cent. Europe minister Nick Thomas-Symonds (pictured) told MPs that ministers do not currently have any plans to sign up to the agreement Shadow foreign secretary Dame Priti Patel (pictured) claimed Labour was taking a disgraceful approach of bending the knee to the EU EU flags outside Brussels. Sir Keir has made a reset of relations with the EU a key foreign policy priority. But he has yet to spell out to the public - or the EU - exactly what he is seeking Mr Sefcovic also warned that Labours plan for a new veterinary agreement with the EU could require food producers to follow evolving EU rules in the sector. He told the BBC that if UK food and farm products were given single market treatment, we would have to have the same rules and we have to upgrade them at the same time - we call it dynamic alignment. In the Commons, Cabinet Office minister Mr Thomas-Symonds was asked by the Conservatives to rule out dynamic alignment. Shadow Cabinet Office minister Alex Burghart said the step potentially brings the European court back into having jurisdiction over the United Kingdom. He added: Will he rule out the European Court of Justice having jurisdiction over the UK in any regard in future? Mr Thomas-Symonds responded: Weve set out our red lines in our manifesto, weve set out the examples of things we are seeking to negotiate. That is already there. A British teenager who killed three young girls in a frenzied stabbing spree hunted for video of the brutal attack on a Sydney bishop just before he carried out his rampage. A court heard that on the day of the killings, violence-obsessed Axel Rudakubana searched online for information about the knife attack on Bishop Mar Mari Emmanuel at the Good Shepherd church in Wakeley, Sydney, six months earlier. It was the last thing he researched before he set off on his stabbing spree. Sentencing Rudakubana to 13 life terms for the three murders and 10 attempted murders, judge Julian Goose said he believed it 'highly likely that he will never be released,' ordering he should serve a minimum of 52 years. The judge said Rudakubana's objective in his 15-minute spree had been the 'mass murder of innocent, happy young girls'. If he had not been stopped, 'he would have killed each and every child - all 26 of them - as well as any adult who got in his way', he said. Sobs and gasps were heard in court as prosecutor Deanna Heer set out details of the rampage at a Taylor Swift-themed dance class last July in Southport, northwestern England. Rudakubana, then 17, was heard to say: 'I'm glad they're dead,' after he was arrested, Heer told the court. Axel Rudakubana skulks in the back of a taxi on his way to murder three young girls The court heard that on the day of the killings, violence-obsessed Axel Rudakubana searched online for information about the knife attack on Bishop Mar Mari Emmanuel at the Good Shepherd church in Sydney She described how he burst into the studio in the seaside resort where a group of young girls were sitting on the floor making bracelets, listening to Swift's blockbuster songs. After his arrest, police found violent content on Rudakubana's devices including images of dead bodies, victims of torture, beheadings, cartoons depicting killing, violence and rape or which insulted or mocked different religions. He then travelled to the dance class venue by taxi armed with a 20cm-long (eight-inch) kitchen knife. 'Within 30 seconds, screams can be heard coming from within, followed by children fleeing from the building,' Heer said. Rudakubana, now 18, on Monday pleaded guilty to killing the three girls who died in the attack - Bebe King, aged six, Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven, and nine-year-old Alice da Silva Aguiar. Bebe was stabbed 122 times, the judge revealed. 'Our dream girl has been taken away in such a horrible, undeserving way that it shattered our souls,' Aguiar's parents said in a statement to the court. Stancombe's mother branded her daughter's killer as 'cruel and evil', saying his actions were those of 'a coward'. Rudakubana was twice ordered out of court by the judge after repeatedly shouting about feeling ill. He was not in court to hear the sentence, having refused to return. Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven, was among the three little girls killed in the attack in Southport Living nightmare Heer said that on July 29, dance teacher Heidi Liddle was sitting on the floor helping to make bracelets when she saw Rudakubana enter and begin 'lunging through the children'. She started pushing them towards the exit but after one of the girls ran towards the toilet she followed her and locked the door. 'Outside, they could hear children screaming, and then the door rattled. When she heard voices outside the door crying for the defendant to stop she realised that not all of the children had managed to escape,' Heer said, adding that some were stabbed in the back as they fled. Some relatives in the public gallery were in tears. Others sat with their heads in their hands and wiped their eyes as tough security camera footage showed frightened, screaming children fleeing the scene. In victim impact statements read to the court, one 14-year-old survivor who was stabbed in the arm said the day turned into a 'living nightmare'. 'The thing I remember most about you (Rudakubana) is your eyes. You didn't look human, you looked possessed,' she said. Class instructor Leanne Lucas, 36, who was also injured, said since the attack she could no longer be alone at home, go to work or walk down the street. 'The impact this has had on me can be summed up by one word: trauma,' she said. 'He targeted us because we were women and girls, vulnerable and easy prey,' she added. Rudakubana has also pleaded guilty to possessing a blade, producing a biological toxin - ricin - and possessing an Al-Qaeda training manual. The knife that was used in the attack The murderer pictured in a police mugshot Riots The teenager's rampage triggered a wave of revulsion in the UK. But viral misinformation that the perpetrator was a Muslim asylum seeker sparked anti-immigrant riots in more than a dozen English and Northern Irish towns and cities. Rudakubana was in fact born in Cardiff to parents of Rwandan origin, and lived in Banks, a village northeast of Southport. His Christian church-going parents, both ethnic Tutsis, came to Britain in the years after the 1994 Rwandan genocide. Their church has said they are now in hiding for their protection. The attack has not been treated as a terror incident and he was never charged with terrorism offences - prompting criticism from some. Rudakubana was referred three times to the government's nationwide anti-extremism scheme, Prevent, over concerns about his obsession with violence. A public inquiry has been announced to probe how police, courts and welfare services all failed to spot the risk he posed. A teenage girl in Arizona died after she was forced to live in a cage by her grandmother and her mother. Tempe Police responded to a 911 call from Virginia Lujan just before 9:00 pm on Tuesday. Lujan said her granddaughter, Melanie, wasn't breathing and authorities rushed to provide life-saving care. She was transported to a local hospital and after hours of treatment, she tragically died on Wednesday morning. It's unclear what caused her to be unresponsive but police said they were awaiting an autopsy to show her cause of death. The teenager's body was covered in bruises and sores, according to Tempe police. She had a cognitive delay with the mental capacity of a three-year-old. Melanie's horrific death prompted a search of the home. Police Chief Kenneth McCoy said that the conditions she was living in were 'horrible.' She was being held in a 'makeshift cage' that was littered with feces. Lujan and Melanie's mother, Jami Hodges' told police they kept her in the cage to 'maintain control of her.' Police said the cage resembled a bunk bed without the lower half. Bars and baby cages surrounded the bed to entrap Melanie. Police described the home Melanie was living in as 'horrible' Virginia Lujan is in custody for child abuse after her granddaughter died in her care 'The home was very disorderly. It was not very clean. It just was very deplorable conditions, to say the least,' Tempe Police Public Information Officer Jessica Ells said. Hodges and her five children were staying with Lujan, four of which were under the grandmother's care. When questioned about Melanie's bruises, Lujan told officers that she had fallen down the stairs on Sunday night. Lujan claimed that she decided not to seek medical care for her granddaughter because she 'believed the girl would be fine,' according to Tempe Police. Hodges told police that she didn't regularly see her daughter and had no idea that she fell a few days before her death. 'The tragic loss of a child is a profound reminder of our shared responsibility to protect the most vulnerable in our community,' Chief McCoy said at a press conference. 'Investigations like this demand meticulous attention to detail and sensitivity to the emotional toll it takes on everyone involved.' Lujan and Hodges were both arrested on felony charges of child abuse. Lujan is in custody and Hodges was released pending charges. Police said that as they continue to investigate, homicide charges may be on the table. Police Chief Kenneth McCoy said the department would continue to work to find justice for Melanie The other four children in the home were taken by the Department of Child Services. According to police, none of the children in the home were attending school. The youngest child is two years old, while the oldest is 15. The investigation into Melanie's death is ongoing. Officer Ells said that police have started to interview neighbors to determine the extent of abuse in the home. 'These specific calls are just heartbreaking. These are the calls you never want to have to go on,' Officer Ells said. She added that officers would continue to work to give a voice to Melanie and seek justice for her death. Ed Miliband has said he will not resign if Labour backs a third runway at Heathrow despite his previous opposition. The Energy Secretary, who was an outspoken critic of the plans when he was party leader, said the idea of him quitting was ridiculous. However, London mayor Sir Sadiq Khan indicated that he will continue his opposition to the scheme, warning that a third runway is incompatible with protecting the planet. Chancellor Rachel Reeves is expected to use a speech on growth next week to support the plan, as well as an expansion of Gatwick and Luton. Her backing has raised questions about whether her fellow Cabinet members will fall into line or oppose the expansion of the west London airport. Seven Cabinet members including Sir Keir Starmer, Mr Miliband, and Environment Secretary Steve Reed have previously voted against the scheme. Mr Miliband was expected to be the most vocal government critic, but he insisted he would not quit over the governments decision yesterday. Asked if he would consider resigning if the plans go ahead, he said: Dont be ridiculous, no. Ed Miliband (pictured) has said he will not resign if Labour backs a third runway at Heathrow despite his previous opposition An Airbus A380 flying over houses near Heathrow An artist's impression of how the expanded Heathrow site could look The whole of the Government is focused, and Im focused, on delivering our clean energy mission as part of what we need to do as a country, as part of the Prime Ministers mission and as part of meeting our economic growth mission - our number one priority. Mr Milibands refusal to say he would resign marks a departure from his previous views on a third runway. He previously revealed that he nearly resigned from former prime minister Gordon Browns cabinet in protest at the plans. When he became Labour leader in 2010, he ended Labour support for Heathrows expansion. In 2018, he said he would vote against the plans saying we owe it to future generations not just to have good environmental principles but to act on them. Mayor of London Sir Sadiq Khan, who won a third term in 2024 after saying he would oppose the expansion of Londons airports, said his views havent changed Chancellor Rachel Reeves is expected to use a speech on growth next week to support the plan, as well as an expansion of Gatwick and Luton Mayor of London Sir Sadiq Khan, who won a third term in 2024 after saying he would oppose the expansion of Londons airports, said his views havent changed. He told the London Assembly: What Londoners know and the Government knows is the aviation sector is important for growth, jobs and prosperity, but we face a climate crisis and a climate emergency. He added: The three big concerns that would need to be addressed if, in the hypothetical case, the speculation was to become a reality, is could a new runway be built that abides with carbon targets, concerns around noise pollution, and concerns around air pollution? Should that speculation become a reality, well of course consider the merits of that case. But Im quite clear, my views on the expansion of Heathrow by a new runway havent changed. Visas for high-skilled workers are set to be relaxed as part of government plans to kickstart growth, the Chancellor has said. Ministers will publish an immigration white paper later this year which includes a review of visa routes - particularly for those specialising in the AI and life sciences sectors. While Labour are committed to reducing overall migration amid spiralling numbers, the government have faced calls to encourage wealthy or high-skilled individuals to arrive on Britains shores. Rachel Reeves told an event at the World Economic Forum in Davos: We are going to look again at routes for the highest skilled people, visas particularly in the areas of AI and life sciences. Britain is open for business, we are open for talent, weve got some of the best universities, some of the best entrepreneurs in the world, but we also want to bring in global talent. Earlier this month, Sir Keir Starmer was urged to grant visas to wealthy, high-skilled Americans who want to migrate to the UK for fear of what [Donald] Trump will do to their country. Rachel Reeves (pictured) told an event at the World Economic Forum in Davos: We are going to look again at routes for the highest skilled people, visas particularly in the areas of AI and life sciences' Sir Keir Starmer was urged to grant visas to wealthy, high-skilled Americans who want to migrate to the UK for fear of what [Donald] Trump (pictured) will do to their country earlier this month Ministers will publish an immigration white paper later this year which includes a review of visa routes (file image) Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey urged the Prime Minister not to exclude those who want bring their money and their skills to the UK. Karendeep Kaur, legal director at immigration law firm Migrate UK, said: Although this may be welcome news for those sectors which require these specialist skills, many businesses will still shy away from the prospect of hiring overseas talent in the UK, given the strict employer guidelines in place and ever-increasing demands on visa costs. For this to be successful, businesses will need reassurance that the prospect of gaining specialist talent will outweigh the demands placed on them as sponsor licence holders. As enticing as it may be to work and live in the UK, there is still demand for the government to reduce overall migration to the UK, which in turn places them in a precarious position on how lenient these routes can be. President Donald Trump signed more pardons on Thursday freeing nearly a dozen pro-life protesters who were prosecuted by former president Joe Bidens administration. The protesters were prosecuted and sent to jail for singing songs, praying, and locking arms to block access to clinics providing abortions, as they urged women not to get abortions. The president's pardons were signed by Trump just hours before pro-life activists gather in Washington, DC for their annual March for Life. The president is expected to speak at the event from the White House and Vice President JD Vance is also expected to speak at the rally. Bidens Justice Department prosecuted the activists under the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act, a bill passed in 1994 in response to ongoing Christian protests at abortion clinics. Pro-life activists criticized the Biden administration for prosecuting non-violent protesters and sending them to prison for lengthy sentences. During a signing ceremony in the Oval Office, Trump said that he had pardoned 23 activists who had been prosecuted. They should not have been prosecuted, many of them are elderly people, they should not have been prosecuted, he said. This is a great honor to sign this. Trumps staff informed him that some of them were in prison and some of them had already been released on supervision. US President Donald Trump speaks to the media after signing Executive Orders in the Oval Office President Donald Trump looks on as he issues executive orders and pardons Supporters listen and hold up signs as President Donald Trump speaks during the annual March for Life rally Ridiculous, Trump said after signing the pardons and showing the list to the press. They will be very happy. The list of activists are expected to include the following activists currently in prison serving sentences: Lauren Handy, 30, sentenced to 57 months in prison; John Hinshaw, 69, sentenced to 21 months in prison; Jonathan Darnel, 42, sentenced to 34 months in prison; Herb Geraghty, sentenced to 27 months in prison, Jean Marshall, 74, sentenced to 24 months in prison; Joan Bell, 76, sentenced to 27 months in prison; Paula Paulette Harlow, 75, sentenced to 24 months in prison; Bevelyn Williams, sentenced to 41 months in prison, Heather Idoni sentenced to 24 months, and Calvin Zastrow sentenced to 6 months in prison. Other cases highlighted by pro-life activists included Eva Edl, 89, of Aiken, South Carolina, who survived a Soviet-controlled concentration camp and came to America but was prosecuted by the Justice Department. Trump frequently championed the cause of imprisoned pro-life activists, promising attendees of the Faith and Freedom Coalition to free them and 'get them out of the gulags and back to their families where they belong.' Many people are in jail over this. This is just crazy. Were going to get that taken care of immediately. First Day. Immediately, Trump said. Donald Trump's embattled defense secretary nominee Pete Hegseth paid $50,000 to a woman who accused him of sexual assault, according to files from Senator Elizabeth Warren's office. The 44-year-old former Fox News host, was investigated for an alleged sexual assault in 2017, but no charges were filed. But answers he provided to the Massachusetts Democrat as a part of the vetting process show evidence of the payment, the Associated Press reported after reviewing Warren's material. It is one of the multiple allegations he and Republicans have dismissed as smears while he battles to lead the Pentagon. His nomination cleared a pivotal hurdle on Thursday as the Senate advanced his bid to a full floor vote. That $50,000 payment, which has only now come to light hours before his confirmation vote, was not brought up during the defense secretary nominee's confirmation hearing last week. The alleged incident took place in the early morning hours of Oct. 8, 2017, at the address of the Hyatt Regency Monterey Hotel and Spa in Monterey, California, the city said in a statement. The police department investigated 'an alleged sexual assault' involving Hegseth, a Army National Guard veteran, that was reported four days later, according to the statement. The victim's name and age are confidential and Hegseth was divorced from his second wife at the time of the alleged incident. US Secretary of Defense nominee Pete Hegseth (L) and wife Jennifer Rauchet attend the Commander-In-Chief inaugural ball at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington, DC, on January 20, 2025 Multiple reported allegations have been made against Hegseth just before his confirmation vote Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, announced Thursday she is not for Hegseth Hegseth testified before Congress he was fully investigated and completely cleared of wrongdoing last week during his confirmation hearing before the Senate Armed Services Committee. Though the staggering $50,000 payment may concern lawmakers who are already viewing Trump's selection with plenty of skepticism. Trump's selection has been slammed with a barrage of allegations, ranging from alcohol abuse to poor business management and more. Though he did pass onto the next phase of his confirmation process by a razor-slim party-line margin 51 - 49. On the eve of his facing his final vote, which will likely take place Friday evening, the father of seven has been hit with a slurry of obstacles. On Thursday two Republican senators came out against Hegseth's nomination, immediately imperiling his chances severely. Hegseth needs 51 votes in the Senate to be confirmed as the Secretary of Defense. If he only gets 50, Vice President J.D. Vance would need to brought in to make the tie-breaking vote. Trump said he was not surprised by the pushback against Hegseth Pete Hegseth, President-elect Donald Trump's choice to be U.S. Defense Secretary walks with his wife Jennifer Rauchet in the Russell Senate Office Building on Capitol Hill in Washington, U.S., December 11, 2024. Sen. Mitch McConnell leaves the Senate floor after a narrow vote passed Hegseth onto the next round of votes Republicans hold a 53 - 47 majority in the chamber, but with two GOP 'no' votes, the standings paint a grim picture for the Pentagon nominee. Hegseth has strenuously denied the allegations, calling them nothing more than a smear against a veteran who wants to transform the U.S. military. And Trump still believes his pick will get through the nomination process because he wasn't 'surprised' by the opposition of the two Senators. Reacting to the news of the GOP 'no' votes, President Trump said they were 'no surprises.' 'Democrats are just delaying, they always delay,' he said of his nominees before floating a controversial maneuver to more quickly get his people confirmed called recess appointed. Earlier this week testimony from Hegseth's brother's ex-wife surfaced, condemning the nominee. Hegseth's aides and legal team shot down those claims, calling them bogus. His supporters in the GOP have also accused Democrats of using the same tactics deployed against Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh during his fraught nomination process. The final test for Hegseth will be whether he can garner 51 votes Friday evening around 9 pm local time. Jack Schlossberg issued a harsh rebuke to Donald Trump after his order to declassify all remaining documents about the 1963 murder of Schlossberg's grandfather, former President John F. Kennedy. The last secret files about the assassination of Kennedy can now be published after President Trump on Thursday ordered the declassification of all remaining documents about the 1963 murder. Schlossberg, JFK's only grandson and a social media darling, took to X to furiously criticize the files' release and the hype over the information finally coming out. 'The truth is a lot sadder than the myth a tragedy that didnt need to happen,' Schlossberg wrote Thursday. The liberal journalist and lawyer then criticized President Trump for using his grandfather's death to score political points. 'Not part of an inevitable grand scheme. Declassification is using JFK as a political prop, when hes not here to punch back. Theres nothing heroic about it.' Conspiracy theories - which is how Schlossberg labeled what those interested in the files wanted to find out about - continue to swirl 60 years after the killing. Any new information will excite the amateur sleuths who continue to wonder whether there is more to the story than just a lone gunman in the shape of Lee Harvey Oswald. Jack Schlossberg tried to pour cold water on Donald Trump's order to declassify all remaining documents about the 1963 murder of his grandfather, former President John F. Kennedy The last secret files about the assassination of Kennedy can now be published after President Donald Trump on Thursday ordered the declassification of all remaining documents about the 1963 murder Trump signed an executive order that directs his Director of National Intelligence to put together a plan within 15 days for the full release of documents about the JFK assassination. 'That's a big one, huh?' he said as he scrawled his signature on the order, before asking that the pen be given to RFK Jr. 'A lot of people are waiting for this for a long ... for years, for decades. 'Everything will be revealed.' The executive order, obtained by DailyMail.com, said: 'More than 50 years after the assassinations of President John F. Kennedy, Senator Robert F. Kennedy, and the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., the Federal Government has not released to the public all of its records related to those events. 'Their families and the American people deserve transparency and truth. It is in the national interest to finally release all records related to these assassinations without delay.' His intelligence chiefs will have 45 days to put together a plan to release the RFK and King archives. Millions of pages of JFK documents have already been released leaving only a few thousand kept in the archives. The most recent releases included CIA cables and memos recording visits by Oswald to the Cuban and Soviet embassies in Mexico City weeks before the assassination. Schlossberg, JFK's only grandson and a social media favorite, took to X to furiously criticize the files' release and the hype over the information finally coming out US President John F Kennedy, First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy, Texas Governor John Connally, and others smile at the crowds lining their motorcade route in Dallas, Texas, on November 22, 1963. Minutes later the President was assassinated as his car passed through Dealey Plaza Conspiracies have swirled for decades claiming JFK's assassin Lee Harvey Oswald was not a lone actor and was working with Soviets or Cubans or even the U.S. CIA And experts doubt there are any major revelations lurking in the archives that would change the accepted version of events. Trump promised during his reelection campaign that he would declassify remaining government records surrounding the assassination. He made a similar promise in his first term but gave way to the CIA and FBI who argued that some documents should be kept from the public for fear they would reveal national security secrets. Trump teased his plan during his Fox News interview with Sean Hannity on Wednesday evening. 'Im going to release them immediately,' he said. 'Were going to see the information. We are looking at it right now.' Trump said he was persuaded by Mike Pompeo, his former CIA director, not to release them during his first term. Oswald shown after his arrest. He was later shot dead by nightclub owner Jack Ruby in a moment captured live on television 'I was actually asked by Mike Pompeo, secretary of State, not to, and I felt he knew something that maybe, you know , when he asked you not to, you sort of say "why?" and he felt that it was not a good time to release them,' Trump said. The hidden records allowed conspiracy theorists the freedom to speculate on what might be hidden. Was Oswald in the pay of the Cubans or Soviets? Was he a patsy? Why did nightclub owner Jack Ruby shoot him dead live on TV. The new executive order, signed by Trump in the Oval Office, says: 'I have now determined that the continued redaction and withholding of information from records pertaining to the assassination of President John F. Kennedy is not consistent with the public interest and the release of these records is long overdue.' Peter Dutton has hit back at Lidia Thorpe after she branded him a 'racist' and a 'violent person', claiming the rogue senator is not 'stable' enough to be in parliament. Daily Mail Australia revealed on Tuesday night that Senator Thorpe had unleashed a vicious spray on the Opposition Leader. The independent Senator, who defected from the Greens last February, was asked about Mr Dutton's 'Trumpian tactics' over 'Invasion Day' on a left-wing podcast. 'Dutton is a racist. Dutton is a violent person,' Senator Thorpe told the Green Left Show on Monday. 'Dutton used to be a Queensland police officer who caused damage to a lot of blackfellas on the street, wheeling his power around the streets.' On Thursday morning, the Liberal Party leader was asked for his response to the comments. At first Mr Dutton said he did not want to 'give her the publicity that she's craving' before he then locked horns. 'I don't thinks she deserves promotion. She shouldn't be in the Senate,' he told 2GB. Daily Mail Australia revealed on Tuesday that Senator Lidia Thorpe (pictured) had unleashed a vicious spray on the Opposition Leader, branding him a 'racist' and a 'violent person' Now Peter Dutton (pictured earlier this month) has hit back, unleashing a spray of his own 'She's not stable enough to be a member of the Australian parliament and I think people recognise that through her actions. 'Her model is to attract the attention of the lunatic left... She was elected as a Greens member of parliament and I think it's just another reminder to Australians to not vote Greens or Teals.' Daily Mail Australia has approached Senator Thorpe for comment. Senator Thorpe, who achieved global notoriety last year when she screamed 'f*** the colony' at King Charles, was also critical of Mr Dutton's approach to Australia Day. Mr Dutton earlier this month said the Coalition, if elected in the upcoming federal poll, would force councils to hold traditional citizenship ceremonies on Australia Day, January 26. Senator Thorpe said Australia Day was being used by conservatives as a rallying point as the white population's cultural dominance comes under threat due to the slide toward minority status. 'White people are becoming the minority in this country and they are really scared of that,' she told the Green Left Show. 'Black and brown people are rising up and they are getting more and more desperate in their messaging. Victorian Senator Lidia Thorpe, who achieved global notoriety last year when she screamed 'f*** the colony' at King Charles (pictured), claimed ''white people are becoming the minority' before suggesting that 'black and brown people are rising up' 'And that's because they are scared and they want to put that fear into others.' Prominent No campaigner and former Liberal candidate Warren Mundine branded Senator Thorpe's comments 'nonsense' and called her a 'waste of space'. 'This is what makes me laugh about the people on the far left, they call Peter Dutton a racist and the Liberal Party a racist party but look at the candidates across the country,' Mr Mundine told Daily Mail Australia. 'We have candidates with Chinese, Indian, Aboriginal heritage... all proud Australians of different races and faiths.' Mr Mundine pointed to Sam Kayal, a Muslim father-of-two who is the Liberal Party candidate for Werriwa in south west Sydney at the forthcoming federal election, which must be held before May. The businessman, who was overlooked in pre-selection for the seat of Bradfield despite being endorsed by former Prime Minister Tony Abbott, said Senator Thorpe's comments had no basis in reality. 'They are just throwaway lines designed to keep her name in the paper - and to some extent it works,' Mr Mundine said. Senator Thorpe claimed that 'Dutton used to be a Queensland police officer who caused damage to a lot of blackfellas on the street, wheeling his power around the streets. Daily Mail Australia is not suggesting Mr Dutton (pictured as a cop) is a racist or violent person Senator Thorpe's claim that 'white people are becoming the minority' has not happened yet according to demographic statistics. While the Australian Bureau of Statistics does not collect date on race, it asks each respondent to nominate up to two ancestries. At the 2021 census, 57 per cent of people said their ancestry was European, while 30 per cent said Australian and 17.4 per cent said Asian. Just over three per cent of people identified as being Indigenous. Of the 26.6million people living in Australia in June 2023, an estimated 8.2million people were born overseas. Within that figure, those born in England were the largest group at 962,000, while those born in India were second (846,000) and those born in China third (656,000). Australia has a relatively low birth rate and record high levels of immigration, meaning the demographic balance is changing rapidly. Mr Mundine asked: 'If we are such a racist country then why are millions of people trying to move to Australia?' But Senator Thorpe - who has a white father and Indigenous heritage on her mother's side - said there was high levels of racism directed toward Aboriginal people. 'We do live in a racist country, unfortunately. And we saw again that coming out during the (Voice) referendum,' she said. 'But what my people face on the streets every day going into shops and using public transport or trying to live their daily life, racism is real and racism is everywhere.' Senator Thorpe also took aim at the Labor government, branding Anthony Albanese's administration as 'disappointing'. 'I thought we could get some wins on the board with a Labor government but we haven't been able to achieve that at all,' she said. 'I'll keep holding them to account, calling for a treaty, truth-telling and an end to the many injustices my people face.' Prominent No campaigner and former Liberal party candidate Warren Mundine (pictured) branded Senator Thorpe's comments 'nonsense' and called her a 'waste of space' She also drew a parallel between the treatment of Indigenous people in Australia with the ongoing conflict between Israel and Palestine. 'What's happening in Palestine is genocide and ecocide, which my people certainly are all too familiar with,' she said. 'It's happening in Palestine in the name of Zionism so we have to stand in solidarity against a genocide.' The host of the podcast thanked Senator Thorpe for 'yelling at Charles' at the end of their discussion. 'That was one of the highlights of 2024,' the host gushed. A woman allegedly murdered and dumped at a grass fire has been identified as a beloved grandmother and community stalwart as her alleged killer faced court. Police discovered the body of Merril Kelly when emergency services were called to a blaze near a cemetery at Quambatook, northwest Victoria, just after 6.30am on Tuesday. Homicide Squad detectives arrested Brian Barnes, 67, 'without incident' almost 200km away in the Welshmans Reef area shortly after. He appeared in the Bendigo Magistrates' Court on Thursday charged with Ms Kelly's murder, but no details were released on on how she allegedly died or why. Her death has shattered the country Victorian town with a population of a little more than 200, where she played a key part throughout her life. Ms Kelly had spent 27 years on the board of Northern District Community Health until her retirement in 2023. 'Her loss has shaken the community,' the organisation posted online on Thursday, while not naming Ms Kelly. 'Northern District Community Health is deeply shocked and saddened by the tragic loss of a beloved Life Member, community leader and friend. Merril Kelly was allegedly murdered by Brian Barnes Homicide Squad detectives arrested Brian Barnes, 67, (above) 'without incident' almost 200km away 'Our deepest condolences are with the family, as they are also with the people of Quambatook.' The tiny country town is about 70km south of Swan Hill and almost 300km northwest of Melbourne. The court heard police had called for a compulsory procedure to extract Barnes' DNA from the buckle of a belt. Such procedures are ordinarily routine when someone is charged with murder. 'In the interest of justice that matter can be dealt with at a later date,' his lawyer Paul Kidd argued in court. 'He should know what the basis of that application is made.' The matter was adjourned to next week when it is expected to held in a closed court. A police prosecutor told the court detectives needed 24 weeks to compile the hand-up brief of evidence against Barnes, which was refused by the magistrate. '24 weeks is a long time,' he said. Police had hoped for a longer than ordinary time to analyse any evidence that might come from any DNA extracted from Barnes. The court heard it was Barnes' first time in custody and he suffered from blood pressure complications. Mr Kidd made no application for bail and his client was remanded in custody to reappear in court on April 30. Merril Kelly (centre) after her retirement from Northern District Community Health in 2023 Ms Kelly's body was discovered near the Cemetery Rd and Knight Rd intersection at Quambatook, northwest Victoria The Quambatook Lions Club and the Quambatook Community Development Association, to which it's understood Ms Kelly had strong ties, both announced they would be cancelling Sunday's Australia Day celebrations 'due to the tragic events'. According to a social media post, the two groups will 'assess in the coming weeks how to come together as a community to recognise residents who help make our town special'. In one of her final tragic online posts, Ms Kelly had made the call out to her local community for help in creating a Christmas dish. 'Does anyone have some mint they might be able to share?' she asked. 'It is for a family traditional dish of carrot and pineapple jelly salad.' The mint was supplied by the local cafe owner, which has closed its doors alongside much of the town as it struggles to come to terms with their grief over her death. The swimming pool where Ms Kelly tirelessly toiled has also closed despite the blistering heat. A local, who wished to remain anonymous, told Daily Mail Australia, Ms Kelly was well known for being 'community focused' and 'generous'. Other locals and community groups took to social media to express grief and also thank the police for their 'quick response'. Quambatook is about 300km northwest of Melbourne 'The quick response of the Victoria Police yesterday morning and the swiftness and professionalism you all showed as you dealt with this tragic event was unparalleled,' one local wrote on Facebook. 'Thank you to the Victorian Police for your exceptional service. 'Your actions have brought a sense of hope and justice to a grieving community, and for that, we are immensely thankful.' Another posted that he was thinking of 'Quamby'. 'As a Police Officer and getting to work yesterday to read what had happened, my heart broke,' he said. 'Not only for the victim, but for the town I have so much love for. 'Spending my younger years in Quamby, I know that its the amazing people and the support of the town that will help Quamby and wider community heal... thinking of you all. 'Thank you to the Victorian Police for your exceptional service. 'Your actions have brought a sense of hope and justice to a grieving community, and for that, we are immensely thankful.' Gannawarra Shire Council spokesperson said the council is 'saddened by the tragic event'. 'Any loss of life in small rural communities such as Quambatook has a wider impact on the area,' the spokesperson said. 'Our thoughts are with family members and friends of all affected by this incident. '(The) council and local health services including Northern District Community Health and Kerang District Health are collaborating to ensure we have a coordinated response for urgent trauma counselling for those that need it. '(The) council will also provide support and resources where we can to assist agencies during the investigation and afterwards.' When Prince Harry and Meghan Markle released their Christmas card featuring a photo of their daughter Princess Lilibet, royal watchers couldn't help but notice a striking detail - her dress closely resembled one previously worn by her cousin, Princess Charlotte. For the Easter Sunday church service in 2022, Charlotte donned a blue and white floral Rachel Riley dress with a Peter Pan collar and hand smocking. The similarity sparked discussions about style and influence, highlighting the connection between the Sussexes and the Wales family, despite reported tensions. Although Harry and Meghan reside in Montecito, California, with their children, Lilibet's outfit appeared to reflect a British influence, nodding to Harry's heritage - an element the designer hopes will continue. 'As many of our designs have a traditional feel to them, it would be lovely to see the Sussexes embrace Harry's roots in one of our designs,' Rachel said, in an exclusive interview with MailOnline. Known for its vintage-inspired aesthetic, Rachel's brand has long been a favourite of the Wales family. Her designs, combining traditional craftsmanship with timeless charm, have graced the wardrobes of Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis on numerous occasions, contributing to its global success. 'On the 22 public occasions that the Wales children have been wearing Rachel Riley outfits, this has always prompted a massive spike in sales and these items are quick to sell out,' the designer explained. When the Sussex family released their Christmas card featuring an adorable photo of Princess Lilibet, royal watchers couldn't help but notice a striking detail - her dress resembled one previously worn by her cousin, Princess Charlotte For the Easter Sunday church service in 2022, Charlotte donned Rachel Riley's Forget-Me-Knot Smocked Dress, 119, with a Peter Pan collar and hand smocking 'Being able to purchase an item worn by a member of the Royal Family for one's own child must feel like being part of history in some small way,' she continued. The 'George effect' first catapulted the brand into the international spotlight in 2014 as the Prince's outfits caused sellouts worldwide. The US, Rachel noted, has become her fastest growing market, driven by American admiration for British style and royal fashion. 'Many Americans are fans of how we dress our children here in the UK and, of course, there's a huge interest in the Royal Family across the pond,' she explained. 'We have a separate US website and showroom on the East Coast in New York and we recently launched a capsule collection for Eloise at The Plaza, which is available on our website and in-store at Saks Fifth Avenue.' When Rachel first saw nine-month-old George wearing her Sailboat Smocked Dungarees, she could not have foreseen the fame that would follow. George was accompanying his parents, on a three-week tour of Australia and New Zealand when he wore a total of four outfits from her brand. 'When Prince George was born, there was so much international interest and excitement about this new generation of royal children. The then Duke and Duchess of Cambridge were seen as accessible and relatable as a young family and so many were drawn to what their children were wearing,' Rachel recalled. 'Our brand was already well known in the UK, however those early appearances certainly made us a household name worldwide, from the US to China and India!' The 'George effect' first catapulted the brand into the international spotlight in 2014 as the Prince's outfits caused sellouts worldwide (pictured wearing the 74 Sailboat Smocked Dungarees) George was seen wearing a Smocked Set for Charlotte's christening in 2015, reminiscent of an outfit his father wore when meeting his newborn brother, Harry, for the first time more than thirty years earlier. The outfit now costs 94 Prince Louis was dressed in Rachel Riley Blue Tailored Shorts, costing 49, when he attended the Easter Matins Service in 2023 Charlotte bloomed in the brand's 79 Navy Mini Floral Dress for the Easter Sunday church service in 2023 It was some years earlier that Rachel established her label and began designing all her pieces in the UK. She infuses her passion for 50s and 60s fashion into childrenswear, aiming to create heirloom keepsakes that can be passed down the generations. 'As a mother to three wonderful children, I started designing clothes for them when I was pregnant. I have always loved making clothes and creating designs which no one else had,' she explained. Rachel takes pride in traditional craftsmanship techniques, such as hand embroidery, smocking and intarsia, incorporating the finest fabrics and yarns to ensure that her young customers look and feel their best. Perhaps it is this endearing aesthetic that attracted William and Kate to the brand. One standout moment for Rachel was Charlotte's appearance in the Forget-Me-Not dress. She said: 'It was such a pleasure to see Princess Charlotte looking so pretty in our dress as she attended the Easter Sunday Church service. 'With its classic hand-smocked design and cute peter pan collar, it is the perfect Easter outfit for any little girl to feel spring-ready.' The print was created in-house as part of the Heritage Collection, with the flower symbolising remembrance and love, making it a fitting choice for the occasion. Both Kate and Meghan are known for their meaningful clothing and jewellery choices, making it likely that Lilibet will follow suit. Rachel Riley infuses her passion for 50s and 60s fashion into childrenswear designs with an ambition to create heirloom keepsakes that could be passed down through the generations Rachel takes great pride in traditional techniques, such as hand embroidery, smocking and intarsia, incorporating the finest fabrics and yarns to ensure youngsters feel their best For now, Rachel continues to enjoy the support of her current royal fan base, saying: 'I could never have dreamt when I set up my business over 25 years ago, in my wildest dreams that one day the royals would be wearing my outfits, it really is an honour.' 'My team and I are always excited each time it makes headline news across the world. It just never loses the excitement or sparkle. To be part of so many people's family moments, it's such a treat.' Rachel is quick to emphasise her appreciation for all her customers, royal or not. 'I'm always delighted whenever I see babies and children wearing one of my designs, that feeling never goes away,!' she added. Rachel's designs cater to children through their early years, from babies to toddlers and pre-teens. When asked if she will be disappointed when the Wales children outgrow her designs, she responded with a positive perspective. 'I view growth as a positive development. The great joy of childhood is that it is ever evolving - you can't keep children small forever! And that is why we enjoy every moment and cherish the memories made.' Princess Caroline of Monaco, who celebrates her 68th birthday today, was born to one of the world's most glamorous couples. Her father, Prince Rainier III, proudly announced that their baby 'looks just like her mother' - the American beauty, Grace Kelly. Caroline was born during a storm, the Daily Mail reported at the time, and would go on to create her own with her strong-willed character later in life. Now a mother of four and grandmother to seven, after three marriages the princess has lived an eventful life. At just 21 years old, Caroline had already rebelled against her mother and father and insisted she studied in Paris instead of university in America as her parents wanted. While in France, the Monegasque Royal Family 'winced' at photographs of the princess in nightclubs, 'showing too much cleavage' and 'smiling at swarthy men,' the Mail reported at the time. Caroline met Philippe Junot in the French capital, a 'commoner' who worked as an insurance broker and was 17 years older than her. She set her heart on marrying Philippe who was reportedly known as a playboy, much to her parents disapproval. When Princess Caroline of Monaco was born, 68 years ago today, her father announced she looked 'just like her mother,' Grace Kelly Princess Caroline with her first husband, Philippe Junot, on their wedding day in 1978 'I will not tolerate an arranged marriage. The man I love must be dark and handsome,' Caroline once said, the Mail reported. An eight-month disagreement and 'battle of wills' between Caroline, Rainier and Grace ensued. After the princess declared she would marry Philippe without her parent's consent if they did not agree, a wedding went ahead. Aged 21, Caroline married the 38-year-old through a civil ceremony in a 16th-century throne room on June 28, 1978. They then spent a night apart and wed the next day in a religious ceremony in the palace chapel due to Roman Catholic customs. Prince Rainier wanted to keep the wedding low profile, compared to his own regal ceremony with Grace. Wearing a long Dior bridal dress, Caroline reportedly burst into tears as she exchanged vows with Philippe under a custom alter outside of the chapel in front of the 300 guests. 'Philippe lifted her veil and kissed her,' the Mail described at the time. Princess Caroline and her second husband, Stefano Casiraghi with their daughter Princess Charlotte in 1986 The couple and their three children, Princess Charlotte, Prince Pierre and Prince Andrea in 1987 Caroline with her third husband, Prince Ernst-August of Hanover, at the 20th Anniversary of the Princess Grace Awards in New York in 2002 All eyes were on the parents of the bride, however, and their reaction to the union. After the service, Caroline and Philippe walked through Monte Carlo arm in arm in a 'triumphal march,' as the Mail reported. However, the love did not last and the couple divorced two years later in 1980. Caroline's mother, Grace, tragically died following a car crash, aged 52, on September 14, 1982. Caroline went on to marry again on December 29, 1983, to Italian entrepreneur Stefano Casiraghi, whom she had met at a nightclub in Monte Carlo. Six months after the wedding, she gave birth to her first child Andrea Albert Pierre Casiraghi on June 8, 1984. They had two more children together, Charlotte Marie Pomeline Casiraghi and Pierre Rainier Stefano Casiraghi. Tragically, Caroline's husband Stefano, who was a avid speed boat racer, was killed when his powerboat overturned during a racing competition. The princess found herself widowed with three children at 33 years old dealt with the blow by retreating to a secluded villa in France. She found love a third time five years later in an old family friend, Prince Ernst-August of Hanover. However, he was still married when rumours of their affair began circulating and he eventually left his wife of 16 years to move in with Caroline. They wed on the Princess's 42nd birthday in 1999, and six months later Caroline gave birth to her fourth child, Alexandra. The Monegasque royal who turns 68 today, pictured in 1996 Princess Caroline, centre, with her family and fiance Philippe at the Royal Palace in 1977 Ernst had a temper and drank heavily and eventually the marriage came under strain, leading to Caroline reportedly leaving their manor house and moving back to Monaco in 2009. The couple have apparently separated but not legally divorced, according to Tatler. Due to Monegasque laws, Caroline was only Hereditary Princess of Monaco until her brother, Prince Albert, was born the year after her. She was Hereditary Princess again in 2005 when Albert was crowned, until his children were born in 2014. US $500 billion AI infrastructure investment to intensify global competition 10:32, January 23, 2025 By Li Xuanmin, Zhang Weilan ( Global Times US President Donald Trump announced a $500 billion artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure investment in the US on Tuesday (US time). Industry insiders and analysts said the investment, with its "sheer size," could provide a big boost to AI development in the US and help American tech companies' global expansion. It also signaled the US ambition to maintain a leading position in the cutting-edge sector and to intensify tech competition with major global AI powerhouses, including China, analysts said. An intense tech competition between China and the US is poised to become a "normal thing" in the next few years, in particular in critical AI sectors such as computing power, chips, data, and overseas market share, observers said. But such competitive relations between the world's two largest economies are also multifaceted, they pointed out, where potential cooperation opportunities could emerge in AI global governance and addressing AI security issues. According to a CNN report, three top tech firms -- OpenAI, SoftBank, and Oracle-- on Tuesday announced that they will create a new company, called Stargate, to grow AI infrastructure in the US. The companies will invest $100 billion in the project to start, with plans to pour up to $500 billion into Stargate in the coming years. In announcing the move, Trump said "what we want to do is we want to keep [AI industry] in this country," according to a CBS News report. "We want to be in this country, and we're making it available," Trump said, while specifically mentioning that China is a competitor. The huge investment announced by Trump comes a day after he on Monday revoked a 2023 executive order signed by former president Joe Biden that sought to reduce the risks that AI poses to consumers, workers and national security, Reuters reported. The series of moves shows that the Trump administration is prioritizing AI development, and has the determination to consolidate and expand the US' leading advantage across the whole AI industry chain, analysts said. "One ultimate purpose behind this is to accelerate the global expansion of American AI technology and establish a monopolistic influence in global standard-setting," Tian Feng, former dean of Chinese AI software giant SenseTime's Intelligence Industry Research Institute, told the Global Times on Wednesday. "Washington has been well aware of China's accelerated catch-up trend, and it intends to fully leverage the next three to five years as a window of opportunity to dominate the global market, and also to widen the gap between Chinese and US AI capacities," Tian said, stressing that he expected that tech competition between the two giants would be a "normal thing" for the next few years. According to Tian, Chinese AI companies, though starting a little bit late, have been catching up quickly in fields such as large language models (LLMs) and AI applications. China has also been mulling a top-down effort to fuel fast track development. China's national AI industry investment fund partnership was recently set up, with a scale of 60.06 billion yuan ($8.21 billion), the National Business Daily reported. Wang Peng, an associate research fellow at the Beijing Academy of Social Sciences, said that it can't be ruled out that the Trump administration will continue its unreasonable crackdown and restrictive measures targeting Chinese AI companies. Last week, US former president Biden's administration reportedly issued a rule that aims to keep advanced AI chips and technology out of China. Wang said that competition and collaboration between China and the US in the field of AI will become a more complex and multifaceted process. "On the one hand, the US looks to contain China to preserve its leading position in the field. On the other hand, it needs to cooperate with China with regards to AI global governance and handling AI security and ethical issues, so as to foster the healthy and sustainable development of AI technology," he told the Global Times on Wednesday. Chen Liming, chair of Greater China of the World Economic Forum, highlighted China's positive contribution to the global governance of AI in a written interview with the Xinhua News Agency. China has put forward The Global AI Governance Initiative, which is "not only a positive response to global challenges, but also provides an important reference for the international community on the issue of AI governance," Chen was quoted as saying in the report. (Web editor: Tian Yi, Zhong Wenxing) The allegations in the excoriating Vanity Fair article about the Duke and Duchess of Sussex this week have been dismissed by the couple and described as distressing, sources 'close to' them have claimed. Among the slew of shocking allegations including claims that Meghan was a bullying boss while Harry was hapless and disengaged was the suggestion that people who work for the duchess spoke to an unnamed publishing house to 'gauge interest' in the idea of a book about her life 'post-divorce', even though the couple have not split up. It also stated in the piece that this was not on the horizon for the Sussexes, with another source saying their love is real and that they are still hot for each other. I can disclose, however, that it was not this Vanity Fair article but a previous interview in the magazine that truly alarmed Buckingham Palace. Back in 2017, the then Meghan Markle was thrilled when she learned she would be on the cover of the respected US magazine. It was an ambition that she had long held, but one of which she could only dream while still a minor actress on the TV legal drama Suits. The cover of Vanity Fair was reserved for genuine stars, so when she was approached by the magazine, after news broke of her romance with Prince Harry the previous October, Meghan couldn't contain her excitement. 'She's just wild about Harry!' gushed the headline that September. Inside, the magazine declared: 'As Markle tells Vanity Fair about her bi-racial background, her romance, and her hit series, Suits, it seems that this 36-year-old American may be just the woman for Britain's iconoclastic royal.' While Meghan was jubilant at the prospect of her double-whammy bagging a prince and a Vanity Fair cover royal officials were perturbed by the article when it was published. The Vanity Fair 8,000-word cover story, under the headline 'American Hustle', included claims that some staff who worked for Meghan found her 'really, really awful' Harry and Meghan's engagement was not announced until two months after the original Vanity Fair article was published in 2017. Pictured, the couple's official engagement photoshoot 'It was like a punch to the solar plexus,' a royal source told me this week. 'We do not expect friends of members of the Royal Family to give such interviews.' The source pointed out that Kate Middleton and Lady Diana Spencer, for example, waited until after their engagements had been announced before they gave an interview. And, in both cases, it was organised by Palace officials for the TV cameras under the strictest of conditions. Harry and Meghan's engagement was not announced until two months after the Vanity Fair article was published. 'While people were pleased that Harry had found a serious girlfriend, the article did set alarm bells ringing,' the source told me. 'It made people worry that Miss Markle was seeking to use the relationship for publicity purposes.' A source close to the Duke and Duchess of Sussex insisted this week that Kensington Palace had 'signed off' Meghan's interview in 2017. However, while Palace officials may have reluctantly agreed to the idea of an article, they did not know what it would contain. In the article, Meghan was quoted speaking openly about her romance with Harry, saying: 'We're in love. This [time] is for us. It's part of what makes it so special, that it's just ours. But we're happy. Personally, I love a great love story.' However, although Meghan had been feverishly excited about the prospect of a cover story, she was said to be disappointed by the result. She's 'just wild about Harry!' the Vanity Fair headline gushed in 2017 - but Meghan was not happy with the cover story, and neither was Buckingham Palace, say sources Royal author Valentine Low wrote in his book, Courtiers: The Hidden Power Behind The Crown, that Meghan was troubled by the focus of the article being her relationship with Harry. A source was quoted as saying: 'She was very unhappy with how that had been handled. And she was looking to throw blame in every possible direction, despite it having been a positive piece. 'She did not like the photographs. She thought the story was negative. She was upset that it was about Harry, not about her.' Harry and Meghan also allegedly thought the headline was racially motivated and pointed out the song, I'm Just Wild About Harry, had been performed by Judy Garland and Mickey Rooney as a 'blackface' number in the 1939 film Babes In Arms. Now there has been speculation that the negative tone of this week's Vanity Fair piece may have been influenced by its journalists' experience dealing with Meghan in 2017. The 8,000-word cover story, under the headline 'American Hustle', included claims that some staff who worked for Meghan found her 'really, really awful' and felt they could be 'thrown to the wolves at any given moment'. The magazine cited multiple sources who have worked for the Sussexes since they quit Britain five years ago, including one former employee who said they could not at first believe the claims that the duchess had bullied Buckingham Palace staff, which she has always denied. But, after working for Meghan, the source changed their mind, adding: 'Oh, any given Tuesday this happened. 'You can be yelled at even if somebody doesn't raise their voice. [It's] funny that people don't differentiate between the energy of being yelled at and literally somebody screaming at you.' Some staff dubbed the duchess 'a Mean Girl' and said working on her short-lived Archetypes podcast for Spotify in 2022 was a 'very painful' experience. Other sources claimed that a colleague with ties to the podcast took a leave of absence after working on just three episodes before ultimately quitting. Some described 'taking extended breaks from work to escape scrutiny, exiting their job, or undergoing long-term therapy after working with Meghan'. Meanwhile the magazine portrayed Harry as a dim-witted if well-meaning prince who came up with 'crazy' ideas such as a 'sociopath podcast' which would involve him interviewing men such as Russian president Vladimir Putin. A former worker for Spotify, who ended their contract with the Sussexes in 2023, described Harry as 'challenging to engage with' and giving an air of 'why should I do this?' in interviews. Cryptically, the article speculated on rumours that Meghan had been approached to write that 'post-divorce' book though, of course, it added this was not on the horizon. The Sussexes declined to co-operate with the Vanity Fair piece and have refused to comment on it. But it will no doubt leave alarm bells ringing not least for the beleaguered couple. As the Trump administration begins its round-up of illegal immigrants across the country, cities who have yet to see raids are begging that their communities be next. Since Trump took office, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has already arrested nearly 500 criminal migrants in Denver, Atlanta, Miami, Philadelphia, Seattle and Washington, D.C., according to Fox News. As DailyMail.com exclusively reported, ICE is targeting criminal immigrants and those who have pending deportation orders. 'ICE agents are doing their job-- the job they should have been doing for the last four years,' former Colorado Immigration Enforcement director John Fabbricatore told DailyMail.com. 'This is an all-hands-on-deck situation where they are using all the agents they have at their disposal.' However, other towns that have dealt with the toughest consequences of the border crisis are also waiting for their turn. 'I do hope to God that Tom Homan, with ICE, brings that kind of 'America First' agenda here and they take care of that,' Kyle Sinclair, the Vice Chair of the Bexar County Republican Party in San Antonio, Texas told DailyMail.com. At least 646,000 migrants have sought help from the shelter in San Antonio which is run by Catholic Charities Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detain illegal immigrants with criminal records in Boston in the first few days of the Trump Administration ICE says in this phase of its deportation efforts, it's targeting 'the worst of the worst' including gang members, rape suspects and murder suspects In San Antonio, a major hub for migrants during the Biden years, at least 636,953 migrants went through the city's migrant shelter since 2021, according to the shelter. In recent months, the second largest city in the Lone Star State became a stronghold for the notorious Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua-- known as TdA to law enforcement. South American gangsters took over at least four apartment complexes near the migrant shelter, victimizing other migrants who were threatening into paying them rent. The thugs, known to wear red, also took control of empty apartment units and used them to prostitute women and children and deal drugs. At least 19 suspected TdA members were arrested in October, including a man police called a TdA 'enforcer'-- a gangster in a leadership role and likely direct ties to the Venezuela. 'Because we had an enforcer from the TdA gang in San Antonio, and with the migrant center, that they have to put a focal point on San Antonio,' Sinclair reasoned. Instead, Sinclair has been horrified to see Mayor Ron Nirenberg tweeting in defiance of the Trump Administration. Two of the 19 individuals arrested during the Oct. 19 raid at the Palatia Apartments in San Antonio where authorities say Tren de Aragua had been operating At least four of the people arrested on Ocober 5 in San Antonio have been confirmed as gang members The Mayor of San Antonio had welcomed migrants into the city 'Seeking asylum is a human right. Trans rights are human rights. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise,' the Democrat posted to X the day Trump took the oath of office on Monday. Even though San Antonio and Bexar County have traditionally been an overwhelming blue part of the state, support for the Republican agenda in the 2024 election was at all-time high-- winning 45% of the local vote. Kyle Sinclair is the vice-chair of the Republican Party in San Antonio, Texas 'It's sweeping across this nation that people want change, so doubling down, like the mayor, the city council, the county judge is not the answer,' the Republican vice-chair added. 'The nation has spoken: we don't like what is going on at the border.' In Idaho, conservatives are also calling on Trump Border Czar Tom Homan to turn his attention to the Gem State. 'Attention, Mr. Homan, could you please send some illegal immigration raids to the businesses owned by Idaho State Rep. Stephanie Mickelson? She has been bragging about how many illegals her businesses employ,' the veteran turned politician tweeted. In Chicago, another migrant sanctuary city that has been overrun by migrants, residents claimed they're excited to work with Trump and Homan and aid them in deportations. 'I am confident that Chicagoans are going to step up-- we are ready to assist in any way we can, Cata Truss, who sued the Democratic city over its spending of local tax dollars to house migrants, told Fox News. 'There are those of us who are willing to work with this administration to make sure that people who are here illegally are sent back home.' The price of homes in former 'affordable housing havens' are skyrocketing, according to new data from Redfin. In Cleveland, Ohio, home sale prices rose 15 percent in the year to December 2024 - the most of any of the 50 biggest US cities. Milwaukee, Philadelphia, Miami and Chicago all also saw double digit increases year-over-year. In the year to December, home prices rose in all of the 50 most populous metropolitan areas. This is the first time this has happened since May 2022. The typical home in one of America's largest cities now costs $427,670, according to Redfin. 'Places that have long been known as affordable places to live, like Cleveland and Milwaukee, are now seeing double-digit price increases - and that's after home prices skyrocketed during the pandemic,' said Redfin senior economist Elijah de la Campa. 'Affordable housing havens have become harder and harder to come by; even places that saw some price relief last year, like Texas and Florida, are now seeing prices tick back up.' In 2024, homes in former Covid boomtowns in these states dipped in price and sat stagnant on the market as supply greatly outweighed demand. In Cleveland, Ohio, home sale prices rose 15 percent in the year to December 2024 - the most of any of the 50 biggest US cities Home prices soared during the pandemic as record-low mortgage rates fueled homebuyer demand. They then fell in 2023 when mortgage rates climbed back up to a two-decade high. But prices have recovered over the last year as buyers have grown accustomed to elevated mortgage rates. Despite falling slightly last fall, mortgage rates have risen back up to 7 percent. The average 30-year fixed-rate mortgage is 7.04 percent, according to latest data from Freddie Mac on January 16. Property prices are also climbing because there is a shortage of homes for sale, Redfin said. In Cleveland, prices rose 15 percent year-over-year in December. In Milwaukee, they were up 14.5 percent. They jumped 14 percent in Philadelphia, 11.8 percent in Miami and 11.1 percent in Chicago. In Milwaukee, prices were up 14.5 percent in the year to December 2024 Prices of Miami homes surged 11.8 percent over the year 'Cleveland may still have a reputation as an affordable-housing haven among out-of-staters, but not so much among locals,' said Redfin Premier real estate agent Bonnie Phillips Bonnie Phillips, a Redfin Premier real estate agent in Cleveland, explained some of the reasons why prices are on the up in the city. 'A lot of sellers have a very specific number in mind because they saw their neighbor sell for $40,000 over the asking price during the pandemic' she said. They're willing to walk away if they don't get that number, which is one factor keeping prices high.' With affordability so strained, buyers are feeling empowered to ask for discounts, she said, but they are often getting shut down by sellers, even if they are only small asks. She continued: 'Cleveland may still have a reputation as an affordable-housing haven among out-of-staters, but not so much among locals. 'Many families have been priced out, and those who can still afford to buy have to move to neighborhoods they don't really want to live in. Their dream of owning a beautiful farmhouse on 1.5 acres has shifted to a reality of a small home in an urban area.' At the other end of the spectrum, home prices rose just 0.5 percent in the year to December in Tampa, Florida. This was the smallest increase among the top 50 metros. The typical home in one of America's largest cities now costs $427,670 (Pictured: Homes in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) Next came Orlando and Jacksonville, with rises of 1.3 percent, Austin, Texas, with 1.5 percent and San Antonio with 1.6 percent. Although Florida and Texas are home to all five of the cities with the smallest bump in prices, this is still a marked difference from last year. Up until December, it was common to see home prices fall in these two states. Texas and Florida have been building a lot of homes, which is limiting price growth, Redfin said. Buyer demand is also lackluster because many people have been priced out of pandemic homebuying hotspots. And in Florida, in particular, an insurance and climate crisis have put many house hunters on edge. 'In the human life scale, you won't be seeing many changes. You'll be feeling earthquakes, you'll be seeing volcanoes erupt, but you won't see the ocean intrude in our lifetimes.' The separation stems from the East African Rift System, which is a 2,000-mile rift that formed at least 22 million years ago where the continent's Great Lakes reside. This region is also home to two tectonic plates, the Somali and Nubian, that are actively moving away from each other. The Earth's lithosphere, formed by the crust and the upper part of the mantle, is divided into several tectonic plates. But the mechanisms behind the movements have yet to be uncovered. Some researchers speculate the mechanism is slow, circular movements of partially molten rock caused by heat rising from the Earth's core. Regardless, the movement of plates is what's happening in the East African Rift System. 'There's slippage and faults creating earthquake activity, along with visible signs of active volcanoes,' Macdonald said. 'In recent years, the main breakthroughs have been figuring out exactly where the branches of this rift system go. The separation stems from the East African Rift System, which is a 2,000 mile rift that formed at least 22 million years ago where the continent's Great Lakes reside. A chasm appeared in Kenya in 2018 as well. Scientists have long predicted that Africa is set to split in two, forming a new continent with Somalia and half of Ethiopia, Kenya and Tanzania 'The northern part was reasonably well understood, going through Djibouti and into Kenya, but going south from there, people really had very little idea.' Recent studies have used sensors such as satellite gravity data and seismic scans to understand what is happening beneath the ground. Former NASA and Space Force consultant Alexandra Doten explained on her Astro Alexandra Instagram channel, 'Eastern Africa sits upon the Somalia plate. 'The line along the border is the African Great Lakes. These are some of the largest lakes on Earth. This is 25 percent of all of the unfrozen surface fresh water on the planet, and they already hold about 10 percent of all of Earth's fish species. 'The lakes formed because Eastern Africa is separating from the rest of the continent. That Somali plate is continuing to move even further east, creating a giant rift valley right here. It keeps going. Researchers previously believed the 'split' would take tens of millions of years, but Macdonald said the new ocean and continent would likely appear within one to five million years 'Eventually, Eastern Africa is going to become its new continent, separated from the rest of Africa by a new ocean.' Researchers previously believed that the 'split' would take 10s of millions of years, but Macdonald says the split could happen within one to five million years. A study published in Frontiers in Earth Science in 2024 highlighted how different parts of the East African Rift system show varying levels of volcanic activity related to the split. 'The Uganda, Tanzania, eastern and southern Congo, and Kaapvaal Cratons exhibit shallow high-density anomalies underlain by low-density anomalies apparently originating from deeper mantle depths, indicative of a thinning of the lithosphere, with some degree of melting at the base,' the researchers wrote. Fissures also appeared in Kenya in 2018 after heavy rainfall, with some locals reporting feeling the ground shake at the time. Researchers have suggested that such 'cracks' will continue to form as the two plates move apart - with Madagascar also splitting into two separate islands. In a 2020 study by Virginia Tech, researchers suggested that new oceans would form first in the northern part of the Rift. D. Sarah Stamps, a professor for the Department of Geosciences, said, 'The rate of extension is fastest in the north, so we'll see new oceans forming there first.' 'Most previous studies suggested that the extension is localized in narrow zones around microplates that move independently of surrounding larger tectonic plates.' Scientists have unveiled the world's fastest computer in California that will be used to secure America's nuclear weapons stockpile. The $600 million exascale supercomputer, called 'El Capitan,' is only the third of its kind in the world. It's capable of performing 2.79 quintillion calculations per second. That's equivalent to the processing power of about one million high-end smartphones working simultaneously, researchers said. El Capitan launched at the Livermore National Laboratory (LNNL) in November 2024 and was officially announced to the public on January 9. It will primarily focus on national security, including nuclear data and weapon testing, high-energy-density physics, materials discovery and other sensitive or classified tasks. 'El Capitan's capabilities help researchers ensure the safety, security, and reliability of the nation's nuclear stockpile in the absence of underground testing,' which has been prohibited since 1992,' scientists shared in a statement. The supercomputer will do this by running sophisticated calculations that simulate nuclear detonations from the US' stockpile. This technological behemoth has the same square footage as a five to six bedroom mansion (6,000 square feet) and weighs as much as four blue whales (1.3 million pounds). Scientists have unveiled the world's fastest supercomputer in California, El Capitan, which will be used to secure America's nuclear weapons stockpile 'Because we stopped doing underground nuclear testing, we needed to replace that with something,' Pythagoras Watson, the team lead of the advanced technology system, told CBS News Bay Area. Simulating detonations on very large computers like El Capitan will help experts understand how nuclear weapons age, whether the US' are still effective and what measures need to be taken to ensure they remain effective, Watson said. Most weapons in the current US stockpile were produced during the 1970s and 1980s, making them 55 to 65 years old, according to the Department of Energy. Testing them with supercomputer simulations is a safe and effective way to make sure that the nation's nuclear weapons will work if ever there is a need to use them. Watson said LLNL is consistently collaborating with the Los Alamos National Laboratory and Sandia National Laboratory for the Department of Energy's Stockpile Stewardship and Management Plan. But El Capitan will be used for other areas of interest as well, running simulations to support research on climate change, artificial intelligence, genetics and more. This supercomputer is also equipped with artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) capabilities. While it is not solely designed to do this type of work, officials expect it will make full use of these emerging technologies. 'While we're still exploring the full role AI will play, there's no doubt that it is going to improve our ability to do research and development that we need,' Livermore Lab deputy director Bradley Wallin told Axios. El Capitan is capable of performing 2.79 quintillion calculations per second. That's equivalent to the processing power of about one million high-end smartphones working simultaneously This technological behemoth has the same square footage as a five to six bedroom mansion (6,000 square feet) and weighs as much as four blue whales (1.3 million pounds) El Capitan will run sophisticated calculations that simulate nuclear detonations from the US' stockpile to assess how the effectiveness of these warheads has changed over time These techniques 'will benefit both unclassified and classified missions,' LNNL's statement reads. Construction on the machine began in May 2023, and El Capitan officially became the world's fastest computer when it came online last year with a score of 1.742 exaFLOPS in the High-Performance Linpack (HPL) benchmark. This test is used to evaluate a supercomputer's processing speed, and a score of 1.742 makes El Capitan only the third computer to ever reach exascale computing speeds. Exascale supercomputers are currently considered the fastest and most powerful in the world. El Capitan is roughly 18 times faster than LNNL's previous supercomputing system, Sierra. Watson is optimistic about the many ways that El Capitan will benefit the US and the rest of the world. 'I really love the fact that this is actually something that really helps the country and the world ultimately in doing this research,' he said. Since Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay first reached the summit of Mount Everest in 1953, conquering the world's highest peak has been a goal of almost every serious mountaineer on the planet. But this famous peak pales in comparison to two secret mountains, which are more than 100 times taller than Everest's 8,800-metre summit, scientists have discovered. Reaching heights of around 620 miles (1,000km) these continent-sized 'islands' of rock dwarf anything else found on our planet. However, confused adventurers can rest easy. Scientists from Utrecht University have revealed that these gargantuan peaks are not found on our planet's surface. Instead they are buried some 1,200 miles (2,000km) beneath our feet. The researchers estimate that the mountains are at least half a billion years old but could date back to the formation of Earth four billion years ago. Lead researcher Dr Arwen Deuss says: 'Nobody knows what they are, and whether they are only a temporary phenomenon, or if they have been sitting there for millions or perhaps even billions of years.' Scientists have discovered two hidden mountains more than 100 times larger than Mount Everest (pictured) These mountains (red) are hidden beneath the Earth on the boundary between the core and the mantle beneath Africa and the Pacific Ocean Earth is made up of three layers the crust, the mantle and the core, which was later separated into 'inner' and 'outer'. These mountains exist in the region where the outer core meets the mantle The two monstrous structures sit on the boundary between Earth's core and the mantle, the semi-solid area beneath the crust, beneath Africa and the Pacific Ocean. Around them is a 'graveyard' of sunken tectonic plates which have been pushed down from the surface in a process called subduction. In a new study, researchers found that the islands are much hotter than the surrounding slabs of the Earth's crust and many millions of years older. Scientists have known for decades that there are vast structures hidden deep within the Earth's mantle. This is possible thanks to the way that the seismic shockwaves from earthquakes spread through the planet's interior. When a powerful earthquake happens, it rings Earth like a bell, sending waves rippling from one side of the planet to the other. But when these waves pass through something dense or hot, they are slowed down, weakened, or reflected altogether. So, by listening carefully to the 'tone' that arrives on the other side of the planet, scientists are able to build up a picture of what lies beneath. The mountains are called Large Low Seismic Velocity Provinces (LLSVPs) because they slow down passing seismic waves. They are located in an area called a 'slab graveyard' where pieces of the crust sink down towards the core. Since these slabs are colder, waves pass through them much faster Over the years, studies have revealed that there are two enormous regions of the mantle where shockwaves dramatically slow down, dubbed the Large Low Seismic Velocity Provinces (LLSVPs). Dr Deuss says: 'The waves slow down because the LLSVPs are hot, just like you can't run as fast in hot weather as you can when it's colder.' When waves pass through a region that is much hotter, they need to expend a lot more energy to make their way through. Co-author Dr Sujania Talavera-Soza says: 'Just like when the weather is hot outside and you go for a run, you dont only slow down but you also get more tired than when it is cold outside.' That means you would expect the tone of a wave passing through the hot LLSVPs to be both out of tune and quieter than other areas, an effect scientists call damping. However, when the researchers examined the data, they were surprised to find a very different picture. 'Against our expectations, we found little damping in the LLSVPs, which made the tones sound very loud there,' says Dr Talavera-Soza. 'But we did find a lot of damping in the cold slab graveyard, where the tones sounded very soft.' Scientists used the shockwaves from earthquakes to make an image of the planet's interior. They found that waves passed slowly through the LLSVPs but weren't as quiet, or dampened, as they would expect. This suggests that the LLSVPs are both very hot and have a large grain structure which must have formed over billions of years Earth's 4 layers Crust: To a depth of up to 44 miles, this is the outermost layer of the Earth, covering both ocean and land areas. Mantle: Going down to 1,800 miles with the lower mantle, this is the planet's thickest layer and made of silicate rocks richer in iron and magnesium than the crust overhead. Outer core: Running from a depth of 1,800 - 3,200 miles, this region is made of liquid iron and nickel with trace lighter elements. Inner core: Going down to a depth of 3,960 miles at the very centre of planet Earth, this region has been thought to be made of solid iron and nickel. But this new study suggests that it contains both mushy and hard iron. Advertisement The pieces of rock from the crust cause lots of damping because they recrystallise into a tight structure as they sink down towards the core. This suggests that the mountains are made up of much larger grains than the surrounding slabs since these wouldn't absorb so much energy from passing seismic waves. 'Those mineral grains do not grow overnight, which can only mean one thing: LLSVPs are lots and lots older than the surrounding slab graveyards,' says Dr Talavera-Soza. At the low end, the researchers estimate that these underground mountains are at least half a billion years old. But they could be much older, potentially even dating back to the formation of the Earth itself. This goes against the traditional idea that the mantle is in a constant state of movement. Although the mantle is not actually liquid, it does move like a liquid over extremely long time frames. Previously, it had been thought that the mantle would, therefore, be 'well mixed' by flowing currents. Some scientists think that the LLSVPs were formed when a Mars-sized planet called Theia collided with Earth 4.5 billion years ago. Some of Theia became the moon while the rest sunk into the Earth to form these structures But the fact that these structures are billions of years old shows that they haven't been moved or disrupted by mantle convection, meaning that the mantle is not well mixed after all. Recently, scientists have suggested that the LLSVPs might be the remnants of an ancient planet which crashed into Earth billions of years ago. Some researchers claim that the moon was formed when a Mars-sized planet called Theia collided with Earth, knocking molten chunks of both planets into orbit. Since the Moon is much smaller than the suggested mass of Theia, this leaves the obvious question of where the rest of the planet has gone. Researchers from the California Institute of Technology have suggested that the LLSVPs could be the remains of the Theia collision. After running a series of simulations, the researchers found that a significant amount of 'Theian' material - around 2 per cent of Earth's mass - would have entered the lower mantle of the ancient planet Earth. That would explain why these regions seem to be so much denser, hotter, and older than the surrounding slab graveyard. The world's biggest iceberg is on a devastating collision course with a remote British island, scientists have warned. A23a is a 'megaberg' that measured around 1,540 square miles at its peak - twice the size of Greater London. The megaberg recently broke free from its position north of the South Orkney Islands, and began drifting in the Southern Ocean. Over the last few weeks, large slabs have started breaking off the megaberg, leaving a main section measuring around 1,351 square miles - roughly the size of Cornwall. Now, it's just 173 miles away from South Georgia - a British territory and wildlife haven that's home to thousands of penguins and seals. Simon Wallace, captain of the South Georgia government vessel, Pharos, warned that the iceberg is dangerously close to grounding and smashing into pieces. Worryingly, these pieces could linger for years - wreaking havoc for sailors and fishermen trying to navigate the waters. Speaking to BBC News, Mr Wallace said: 'Icebergs are inherently dangerous. I would be extraordinarily happy if it just completely missed us.' The world's biggest iceberg is on a devastating collision course with a remote British island, scientists have warned It's now just 173 miles away from South Georgia - a British territory and wildlife haven that's home to thousands of penguins and seals The megaberg recently broke free from its position north of the South Orkney Islands, and began drifting in the Southern Ocean The iceberg originally calved from Antarctica's Filchner Ice Shelf back in 1986. It then remained grounded on the seabed in the Weddell Sea, before beginning its slow journey north in 2020. In February last year, the iceberg became trapped in a Taylor Column - a phenomenon where rotating water above a seamount traps objects in place. This kept A23a spinning on the spot, delaying its expected rapid drift north. However, in December, images captured by satellites overhead confirmed that the iceberg had broken free. At the time, scientists called the news 'exciting'. 'It's exciting to see A23a on the move again after periods of being stuck,' said Dr Andrew Meijers, an oceanographer with the British Antarctic Survey (BAS). 'We are interested to see if it will take the same route the other large icebergs that have calved off Antarctica have taken.' The iceberg originally calved from Antarctica's Filchner Ice Shelf back in 1986. It then remained grounded on the seabed in the Weddell Sea, before beginning its slow journey north in 2020 A23a is a 'megaberg' that measured around 1,540 square miles at its peak - twice the size of Greater London While every icebergs journey is unique, most follow the same general path, according to NASA. 'More than 90 percent of bergs around Antarctica enter the clockwise-flowing current of the Weddell Gyre off East Antarctica and eventually escape, shooting north along the Antarctic Peninsula and finally out across the Drake Passage into warmer South Atlantic watersan ocean route known as "iceberg alley,"' the space agency explained. However, fresh concerns have been raised about its proximity to South Georgia. This small island is located in the southern Atlantic Ocean, and is described as a 'wildlife sanctuary'. 'It is a real "oasis" in the stormy southern oceans and is home to amazing wildlife like penguins, albatrosses, seals, whales and petrels,' the Government of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands explains on its website. This isn't the first time that fears have been raised about an iceberg collision in South Georgia. In 2017, an iceberg called A68a broke off from the Antarctic ice shelf, before spending three years travelling more than 10,000 miles towards South Georgia. Thankfully, A68a safely passed by the island in the end, before breaking up. In February last year, the iceberg became trapped in a Taylor Column - a phenomenon where rotating water above a seamount traps objects in place However, three years later, an iceberg called A76 came close to grounding, leaving dangerous slabs of ice surrounding South Georgia. 'Those pieces basically cover the island - we have to work our way through it,' Captain Wallace said. Scientists, sailors and fishermen are now closely checking satellite pictures to monitor A23a's movements. Speaking to MailOnline, Dr Meijers said: 'The iceberg, at least in satellite images, appears to be maintaining its structure and has not yet broken up into smaller chunks, as previous "megabergs" have done. 'It is presently in a meander of the current and not moving directly towards the island, but our understanding of the currents suggest that it is likely to again move towards the island soon. 'The current follows the shallow continental shelf around the island to the south east, but the question is whether the berg will follow this out into the open South Atlantic, or run up onto the shelf and become stuck for some time. 'If this happens it could seriously impede access to feeding grounds for the wildlife - seals and penguins mostly - that breed on the island.' Britons are bracing for 'exceptional' hurricane-force winds as Storm Eowyn hits the country tomorrow. The Met Office has issued a rare red warning ahead of the storm, which is set to bring 100mph gales to large parts of the UK within hours. Now, scientists have warned that the storm is 'explosively developing'. 'The storm is "explosively developing," meaning it's intensifying at an exceptional rate,' said Dr Ambrogio Volonte, a Senior Research Fellow in the Department of Meteorology at the University of Reading. 'Its central air pressure is expected to plummet by over 50hPa in just 24 hours more than twice what's needed for meteorologists to classify it as explosive.' According to the experts, a 'very active jet stream' is to blame for the 'particularly potent' storm. Professor Liz Bentley, CEO of the Royal Meteorological Society, said: 'Storm Eowyn is a particularly potent storm particular because of a very active jet stream. 'Also the storm will be at its strongest as it crosses the UK and Ireland.' Britons are bracing for 'exceptional' hurricane-force winds as Storm Eowyn hits the country tomorrow The Met Office has issued a rare red warning ahead of the storm, which is set to bring 100mph gales to large parts of the UK within hours What has caused the storm? The jet stream provides the mechanism for storms like this to develop. This band of strong winds sits at the top of the atmosphere, around 30,000ft above the ground. As it flows high overhead, it causes changes in the pressure nearer the surface, helping to shape the weather we see. 'It acts a bit like a vacuum cleaner, sucking air out of the top and causing it to become more intense, lowering the pressure system,' the Met Office explained. 'The lower the pressure within a system, generally the stronger the wind, and more stormy the result.' In the case of Storm Eowyn, Dr Volonte explains that the powerful jet stream has occurred in conjunction with changes at the ocean's surface. 'This rapid strengthening happens when a powerful jet stream high in the atmosphere combines with a sharp contrast in temperatures and moisture at the ocean's surface, creating the perfect conditions for the system to grow into a particularly intense and dangerous storm,' he explained. The jet stream provides the mechanism for storms like this to develop. This band of strong winds sits at the top of the atmosphere, around 30,000ft above the ground Pet owners have been warned to keep dogs on leads tomorrow as the storm barrels towards the UK. Pictured: The calm before the storm on Tynemouth Longsands beach in North Tyneside this morning Professor Bentley added: 'The jet stream in winter is often stronger leading to more storms forming. 'And its position is often closer to the UK so those developing systems are directed towards our shores.' Is climate change to blame? It might be tempting to blame climate change for Storm Eowyn. However, Professor Tim Palmer, Royal Society Research Professor Emeritus at the University of Oxford, has warned that in this case, it's not straightforward. 'The storm has been fuelled by an exceptionally strong jet stream over the North Atlantic,' he explained. 'However, the strong jet stream is in turn linked to the circulations over North America which have brought cold temperatures over much of the continent, with a strong gradient of temperature with sea temperatures in the Gulf of Mexico and elsewhere. 'Whether the circulations bringing the cold air to North American have a climate change component is currently unknown. Some speculate it does, but the evidence is not clear. Scientists have warned that the storm is 'explosively developing', with its peak devastation set to hit on Friday Your browser does not support iframes. 'Whilst climate change is relatively simple and straightforward at the global scale, it gets complicated at the regional scale where the effects of CO2 interact with the naturally occurring dynamical patterns of climate variability. 'Although we have a good understanding of the basic thermodynamics of climate change how it warms and moistens the atmosphere our understanding of these dynamical impacts of climate change is much less good.' 'It is likely that the thermodynamical effects of climate change have intensified Storm Eowyn somewhat. 'However, we do not know whether the potentially more important dynamical effects of climate change have exacerbated the storm or not. 'This is an area of ongoing research where the development of high-resolution climate models is proving vital.' How does Storm Eowyn compare to other storms? According to Dr Volonte, Storm Eowyn could rival the ferocity of Storm Eunice and Storm Ciaran - both of which sadly claimed lives and left behind severe damage. 'Storm Eowyn's structure mirrors some of the most formidable storms of recent decades,' he explained. 'And its predicted intensity puts it firmly in the ranks of the strongest weve experienced. The Met Office also issued red weather warnings ahead of these two storms, 'It is rare for the Met Office to issue red warnings. They are the highest level of weather warning and indicate that dangerous weather is expected and there is a danger to life,' Professor Bentley warned. A defunct nuclear power plant will be revived to power Donald Trump's new half-trillion-dollar project to make America the world's artificial intelligence powerhouse. The state-owned utility Santee Cooper the largest power provider in South Carolina said Wednesday that it is seeking buyers to complete construction on a partially-built project that was abandoned in 2017. The VC Summer Nuclear Power Station, which houses two unfinished nuclear reactors, was scrapped following years of lengthy, costly delays and bankruptcy by its contractor, according to a company statement. But now, the utility is hoping tech giants such as Amazon and Microsoft will be willing to finish the project, as they are seeking clean energy sources to fuel data centers for AI. 'We are seeing renewed interest in nuclear energy, fueled by advanced manufacturing investments, AI-driven data center demand, and the tech industry's zero-carbon targets,' said Santee Cooper President and CEO Jimmy Staton. This announcement came as President Donald Trump unveiled a $500bn AI project which he says will jumpstart America's 'golden age.' The project, dubbed the 'Stargate Initiative,' is a massive private sector deal to expand the nation's AI infrastructure, led by Big Tech companies such as OpenAI, SoftBank and Oracle. It is the largest AI infrastructure project in history. Trump stated that Stargate will create over 100,000 new jobs 'almost immediately.' As the rise of AI heightens the need for clean energy to fuel data centers, South Carolina aims to restart construction on a partially-built, defunct nuclear power plant (STOCK) 'This monumental undertaking is a resounding declaration of confidence in America's potential under a new president,' he said during a Tuesday briefing. Trump emphasized that the project aims to sharpen the country's technological edge against competitors, notably China. He held the briefing in the White House's Roosevelt Room alongside SoftBank CEO Masayoshi Son, Oracle's Larry Ellison and OpenAI's Sam Altman. The US AI industry has already grown rapidly in recent years, but one of the biggest hurdles to expansion is the energy cost of running data centers. A recent Department of Energy (DOE) report found that total data center electricity usage more than tripled from from 2014 to 2023, rising from 58 TWh to 176 TWh. The DOE estimates that by 2028, data center energy demand will increase between 325 to 580, consuming up to 12 percent of US electricity. Trump's announcement underscores this trajectory, and the need for more sources of clean energy to support the AI boom. The tech industry is showing new interest in nuclear power plants for their ability to produce high amounts of electricity around the clock without releasing emissions that drive climate change. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman spoke in the Roosevelt Room of the White House following President Trump's announcement of a $500m AI project dubbed the 'Stargate Initiative' The US AI industry has already grown rapidly in recent years, but one of the biggest hurdles to expansion is the energy cost of running data centers, like this Amazon data center in Virginia Santee Cooper hopes Big Tech companies will jump at the opportunity to purchase and complete construction on two new nuclear reactors, which they could then use to fuel their AI endeavors. The utility stated that it has 'no plans to own or operate these units,' once construction is finished, and that selling 'would produce benefits for our customers, support economic development and provide value to the state of South Carolina.' This deal would also help Santee Cooper recoup some of the funds they sunk into the unfinished project, anonymous sources familiar with the matter told the Wall Street Journal. The company and the plant's then co-owner South Carolina Electric & Gas, spent about $9 billion on the incomplete reactors. Santee Cooper said it was working with the investment firm Centerview Partners LLC to vet buyer proposals, which they will accept until May 5. The exact asking price has not been publicly named, but the Wall Street Journal reported that completion of the reactors would cost the buyer billions of dollars over several years. This would not be the first time that Big Tech bankrolled a nuclear energy project. Last September, Microsoft struck a deal with the New York utility Constellation Energy to restart the Three Mile Island nuclear plant in Pennsylvania. This plant was the site of the worst nuclear power accident in US history, when its Unit 2 reactor partially melted down in 1979 and released radioactive gases and iodine into the environment. Last September, Microsoft struck a deal with the New York utility Constellation Energy to restart the Three Mile Island nuclear plant in Pennsylvania Google, Amazon and Meta also sought or signed deals to back nuclear energy projects in 2024, similarly motivated by their AI endeavors Three Mile Island's undamaged reactor was ultimately deemed too costly to run and shut down in 2019. But Constellation now plans to revive this reactor by 2028 and sell the power to Microsoft, which will use the energy to fuel its growing AI ambitions. Constellation estimates that restarting the reactor will cost roughly $1.6 billion, and Microsoft has signed a 20-year power purchase agreement with the utility. Amazon, Meta and Google also sought or signed deals to back nuclear energy projects in 2024, similarly motivated by their AI endeavors. The federal government has also shown support for the resurgence of nuclear power. In September, the DOE finalized a $1.52 billion loan guarantee to help Holtec International, a New Jersey manufacturing company, recommission the Palisades nuclear plant in Michigan, marking the first-ever revival of a nuclear power plant in the US. The Biden administration and Congress also offered billions of dollars in subsidies to maintain older nuclear plants and fund the construction of new reactors. President Trump has largely opposed and sought to repeal the former president's energy and climate policies, but has said he supports nuclear energy. In its first actions this week, the new administration signed an executive order directing the heads of 'all agencies' to identify regulations that 'impose an undue burden' on domestic energy resources, including nuclear power. It also instructs the US Geological Survey 'to consider updating the Survey's list of critical minerals, including for the potential of including uranium,' which can be refined into nuclear fuel. NASA has ended its diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility (DEI) programs after all federal agencies were directed to 'terminate' the initiatives. Staff received an email Wednesday from acting administrator Janet Petro, which said the space agency is 'taking steps to close all agency DEIA offices and end all DEIA-related contracts in accordance with President Trump's executive orders.' The order is titled 'Ending Radical and Wasteful Government DEI Programs and Preferencing and Initial Rescissions of Harmful Executive Orders and Actions.' NASA's email admitted that 'these programs divided Americans by race, wasted taxpayer dollars, and resulted in shameful discrimination.' The space agency has spent at least $22.4 million annually on such programs. DailyMail.com had uncovered millions of taxpayer dollars were dished out for DEI data analytics and to help the agency 'embark on a venture to incorporate and deeply engrain diversity, inclusion, equity and accessibility in the culture and business.' Petro, who is the first woman to lead NASA as its acting administrator, also urged staff to report colleagues who have attempted to disguise DEI programs with coded language. 'There will be no adverse consequences for timely reporting this information,' the email reads. 'However, failure to report this information within 10 days may result in adverse consequences.' NASA acting administrator Janet Petro issued a company-wide email detailing how the agency will be terminating its DEI programs Petro's email also urged staff to report colleagues who have attempted to disguise DEI programs with coded language. She is the first woman to lead NASA as its acting administrator The Office of Personnel Management (OPM), the US federal government's human resources agency, has also created an email account to collect reports of suspected DEI initiatives. Kyle Sorensen, a software engineer who has worked for NASA, told DailyMail.com: 'I am really happy that they banned these programs. 'I am even happier that the Trump admin was smart enough to know that the organization would just try to rename themselves.' Petro, however, appeared not to feel the same about DEI in 2021. Speaking to Engineering News-Record, she detailed how she has been the minority at the Kennedy Space Center. 'I often found myself either the only female, or only one of a couple. There werent many minorities either,' she said. 'A big part of this is ensuring an environment where everyone feels included, has a voice and feels safe to express their opinions. 'I have mentored numerous minorities along their professional journeys, and as director, I am committed to leading Kennedy Space Center to have a diverse and inclusive environment where everyone can thrive.' While the acting administrator's email appeared to criticize the DEI initiatives, the same message was sent to all federal agencies to pass to their employees. The Trump administration sent the letter to all heads and acting heads of government agencies on Tuesday, informing them all federal employees in DEI roles must be placed on paid leave by 5pm ET Wednesday. The letter also demanded all public DEI-focused web pages be taken offline, which was around the same time NASA sent the email to staff and removed its DEI website. The space agency's page now features a '404' error with the message: 'The cosmic object you were looking for has disappeared beyond the event horizon.' An employee shared on X that they 'had DEI training and it was part of the employee reviews.' While Nancy Vreils, quality records manager at NASA, shared: 'DEI has ruined NASA. Innovation is non-existent.' NASA has engaged in DEI efforts for over a decade, first creating the Diversity and Inclusion Strategic Implementation Plan in 2012. The agency's DEI spending from 2022 to the present has largely focused on environmental programs. The Trump administration sent the letter to all heads and acting heads of government agencies on Tuesday, informing them all federal employees in DEI roles must be placed on paid leave by 5pm ET Wednesday Trump issued a letter to all federal agencies demanding public DEI-focused web pages be taken offline. NASA's DEI page now features a '404' error with the message Petro, however, appeared not to feel the same about DEI in 2021 when she detailed how she has been the minority at the Kennedy Space Center More than $1 million in grants went to 'assessing environmental justice in air quality, 'advancing environmental justice in Los Angeles and 'examining environmental justice through open source cloud native tools.' One grant, surpassing $150,00, was given to Cleveland State University to improve monitoring and management of urban tree equity. Oregon State University was awarded a commitment of more than $450,000 to study refugee farming decisions in Uganda. The grant's description showed that the results of the project will 'directly support place-based information of refugee self-sufficiency that is called for in Uganda's refugee response plan.' It's unclear how the findings would advance NASA's aims. Meanwhile, tens of thousands of dollars were given to the Oceanography Society for 'building diversity, equity and inclusion in ocean sciences.' LMI consulting received over $2 million in 2023 for NASA to 'embark on a venture to incorporate and deeply engrain diversity, inclusion, equity and accessibility in the culture and business.' Another $3 million went to Booze Allen Hamilton in March to support NASA's 'Office of Diversity and Equal Opportunity DEI data analytic specialty' and $7 million was announced last month for six 'minority-serving institutions.' One former employee told DailyMail.com in November that NASA's focus on diversity, equality and inclusion was 'destroying America's ability to compete with China in space because the Biden-Harris administration will only fund programs that feature it.' 'The DEI thing can create an environment where things are not focused and accountability gets diluted,' another NASA employee, who works at the agency, said. 'Real scientists don't give a hoot about DEI or other hyper-political c***. 'There are good scientists doing real, good work there. [NASA] has become extremely bureaucratic.' A major US airline announced it will accept online booking payments from Venmo to attract younger flyers. JetBlue rolled out the service to its website Tuesday, saying it will be added to the mobile app 'in the coming months.' US customers looking to book flights with Venmo are shown a pop-up window with a QR code to scan on the payment app. The flight amount will then appear in the Venmo app, allowing users to pay with their available funds, bank account, credit card or a mix. Carol Clements, chief digital and technology officer of JetBlue, said: 'We're continually looking for ways to make it easier to book a JetBlue flight on our website and mobile app. 'Adding Venmo offers a seamless payment option for customers who enjoy the ease and convenience of the Venmo platform.' However, travelers are unable to use Venom when making in-flight purchases. John Anderson, Senior Vice president and General Manager of Consumer, PayPal, added: 'The added ability to pay with Venmo for flights on JetBlue and manage travel costs during the trip through Groups helps solve the pain points of shared expenses from the time of booking to returning home.' A major US airline announced it will accept online booking payments from Venmo to attract younger flyers Venmo, owned by PayPal, has become a favorite among younger generations due to its user-friendly interface and quick peer-to-peer payments. As of January 2025, Venmo had 83 million users in the US. Many other airplanes have long allowed payments with PayPal, including American, Delta, Southwest and United Airlines. In September 2024, the JetBlue mobile app introduced additional features including a countdown to boarding on phone lock screens, as well as more easily accessible gate information. After booking your flight, the next thing to do is find the perfect seat. And most people dread being stuck in the middle. An avid flyer recently revealed a genius hack that 'has a 100 percent perfect record,' which allows people to avoid the dreaded middle seat free of charge. Travel influencer Jordan Tually explained that if flyers 'pretend' to buy every available middle seat, prompting the system to hold those spots. 'And that's when you go to book yours,' Tually said in a video. JetBlue rolled out the service to its website Tuesday, saying it will be added to the mobile app 'in the coming months.' US customers looking to book JetBlue flights with Venmo are provided with a pop-up window that has a QR code for them to scan on the payment app When travelers book their real flight, all the middle seats will appear taken, leaving only window and aisle spaces as options. 'Did you know with budget airlines, if you click random seat allocation, they will intentionally put you in the middle seat in the hopes that you pay money to get out of it?' He asked in a video posted on his Instagram. In the video, Tually demonstrates how to avoid this when booking a Ryanair flight from Bologna, Italy to Barcelona, Spain online. He would have to pay a $9 fee to choose his seat. But this hack allowed him to secure a window seat for free. First, he looked at the flight's seating map to see how many middle seats were available on the plane. In this case, there were 10 of them. Then, he pretended to purchase 10 tickets for this flight. 'Now the website is going to ask for every passenger's name so just slam a bunch of letters in there and continue on,' Tually explained. 'Next up, go to seat selection and select all the middle seats or all the seats that you definitely do not want to be sitting in,' he said. 'Then click 'continue.'' This causes the Ryanair website to hold those seats for 10 to 15 minutes, appearing unavailable to other customers trying to book a seat. 'And that's when you book yours,' Tually said. Now, you can pull up the website in a different tab and actually purchase your real ticket. 'When you go to check in with your ticket, you can see that there's no more middle seats,' he said. 'So click that random seat allocation and just like that. It only took me two minutes and now I have a window seat.' This hack is most easily executed on a computer, 'and even easier if you do it closer to check-in as fewer seats are available, Tually added. Contains affiliated content. Products featured in this article are selected by our writers. If you make a purchase using links on this page, Daily Mail Australia will earn an affiliate commission. Click here for more information. The Aussie brand behind a popular item - dubbed 'brilliant' and 'perfect' by shoppers - has launched what fans are calling its 'best collection yet'. Oodie has released a limited-edition collection featuring fan favourite character Hello Kitty and her friends, Kuromi and Cinnamoroll. Designed for fans big and small, the range includes the original Oodie oversized hoodie, dressing gowns, Sherpa blankets, and a one-size-fits all sleep tee - perfect for wearing on hot summer nights. The collection blends Hello Kitty's cutesy charm with Oodie's signature comfort; making the pieces ideal for sleepovers or simply hanging out at home. 'I'm crying at how cute this is,' one happy shopper said. 'This is your BEST collection yet,' another agreed. The Hello Kitty Bow Oodie Original is made with the brand's signature fully-lined Sherpa fleece with a buttery soft fleece. The Sherpa dressing gown comes complete with cute ears and a bow, while the Kuromi and Cinnamoroll dressing gowns are also adorned with ears for an adorable finish. With fluffy fabric on one side and Sherpa-fleece on the other, the robes are designed to be super soft and cosy. If you prefer to have a more flexible option, the Sherpa blankets are made from the same Oodie fabric, but are the size of a single doona, making them perfect for snuggling on the couch or camping. Oodie has launched a new Hello Kitty collection - featuring the iconic oversized hoodies The collection features the new Hello Kitty dressing gown with cute ears and a bow If soft and stretchy is more your thing, the Sleep Tees help you stay cool and comfy even on warmer nights. Made from a stretchy bamboo fabric, they are breathable and lightweight to stop sweaty sleepwear and disturbed nights. 'This is perfect to lounge about - and it has pockets,' one happy customer raved. 'So cute and comfy.' To complete the kitsch experience, all Oodie Originals currently come with a character cushion case while stocks last. Oodie is known for its cute collaborations and on-trend prints, and has released popular collections including Paddington Bear, Pokemon and Wicked. However, the Hello Kitty range is getting some serious praise. 'Best buy from Oodie,' one happy customer said. 'Super soft and just love the design,' another agreed The one-size-fits all sleep tee - perfect for wearing on hot summer nights The Hello Kitty collection dressing gowns all have embroidered applique on the back - and ears Oodie has become a globally recognised brand since it launched in 2018. Founded by Adelaide entrepreneur Davie Fogarty when he was just 23, he started the company with just $500 in his bank account. The brand started with a couple of designs, including its now-famous best-selling Avocado Oodie oversized hoodie, which fans have described as 'brilliant', 'perfect' and 'super comfy'. It's reported that the company has now made an estimated $600 million. Davie previously told Daily Mail Australia that he launched six other failed businesses before finding huge success with Oodie. 'I had a couple of businesses in school and then after I left I tried all sorts of things from headphones to iPhone cases. I launched a Vietnamese roll shop which failed,' Davie said. 'In all I failed about six businesses and that pushed me to this journey of learning new skills, of learning digital marketing and giving me the tools for better businesses.' Once Oodie was launched, he described its success as 'pretty instant'. To shop the new Oodie range, click here. Tasting the local cuisine is usually a holiday highlight. But gourmet restaurant prices aren't. However, there's always the joy of exploring a foreign supermarket. Whether you want to eat an authentic meal without breaking the bank or find a quirky souvenir for a family member, the local supermarket probably has exactly what you're looking for. MailOnline speaks to travel experts to reveal Europe's best brands and the unique products worth hunting for... France MailOnline speaks to travel experts to reveal the best foreign supermarkets. In France, that's Carrefour, where there are 248 hypermarkets with an 'impressive array of local products' 'If you're looking to savour genuine French cuisine, there's no better destination than Carrefour,' says James Johnson, travel expert at Pure Holidays. Although Carrefour also has convenience stores and supermarkets, it's the brand's hypermarkets where you'll find a full range of products - and there are 248 across France. James recommends the chain's 'impressive array of local products, ranging from artisan cheeses to fresh baguettes and gourmet chocolates.' He adds: 'You don't want to miss out on the opportunity to sample regional Bordeaux and Burgundy wines!' Meanwhile, Roisin Miller, travel blogger at roabouttown, says Carrefour has 'excellent stationery'. Spain Spanish Mercadona is 'celebrated for its vast catalogue of Spanish olive oils, cured meats and delightful Manchego cheese' James loves Mercadona, which has more than 1,600 stores in Spain. He says: 'Make sure you take the time to explore [its] rich selection of national products. 'This supermarket is celebrated for its vast catalogue of Spanish olive oils, cured meats and delightful Manchego cheese. 'I recommend stocking up on traditional saffron to add an extra kick to your Spanish paella!' Portugal Continente supermarkets 'encompass a diversity of local delights' For the 'finest Portuguese delicacies', James recommends visiting a Continente supermarket. The brand has more than 360 stores across Portugal, including in Madeira and the Azores. James says: 'It encompasses a diversity of local delights, including custard tarts (pasteis de nata), tinned sardines and port wines. 'The chain's authentic piri-piri seasoning is second to none if you're hoping to add some zest to your dishes!' Germany Penny Markt comes highly recommended for picking up Ritter chocolates While both brands are now ubiquitous across Europe, Germany is the original home of Lidl and Aldi. Yiannis Zourmpanos, consumer trends analyst at Bountii, says both are worth visiting in Germany for their 'variety and low prices'. Meanwhile, Roisin recommends Penny Markt, which she says has an 'excellent range of currywurst sauces, Haribo and Ritter chocolates'. Current flavours of Ritter chocolate include strawberry yoghurt and dark almond and orange. Italy Eataly (pictured above) 'boasts all of your Italian essentials, like pasta, olive oils and balsamic vinegar' James says: 'Italy's Eataly supermarket chain has some of the best Italian brands and products on the market. 'These shops boast all of your Italian essentials, like pasta, olive oils and balsamic vinegar, but you'll also have the opportunity to treat yourself to authentic Italian gelato from their dedicated gelateria!' There are 13 Eataly stores in Italy, but if you don't have a trip to Italy on the horizon, there's also a branch in London. Yiannis, meanwhile, recommends the 'beautiful stores' of Esselunga for 'unique items like no-garlic pesto and local wines'. There are more than 180 Esselunga stores in Italy. Greece AB Vasilopoulos supermarkets in Greece sell feta cheese, olives and honey-based desserts '[The] AB Vasilopoulos supermarket chain is renowned for its accurate replication of local fare,' says James. The chain has more than 500 stores across Greece. James recommends the brand's 'Greek feta cheese, Kalamata olives and honey-based desserts'. He adds: 'You don't want to miss out on the distinctly Greek flair of their signature oregano!' The Repair Shop fans were left 'crying and traumatised' after a guest choked up recounting their experiences with their old teddy bear. The hit BBC show saw one man, Irwin, become emotional as he showcased his beloved stuffed bear, named George, and revealed the touching story behind the cuddly toy during Wednesday's episode. Irwin was gifted the bear in 1962 by his late mother and father, who were two of the millions of British people that immigrated to Australia between 1945 and 1982. During this time, the Australian government subsided the cost of migrating, which helped UK citizens escape post-war austerity. When Irwin was three years old, he contracted Polio. And during such a grueling time, Irwin kept his bear by his side for every hospital trip and has been his most treasured companion ever since. Both of his parents have now passed away, but he revealed that his mother always spoke about having the bear restored. The Repair Shop fans were left 'crying and traumatised' after a guest choked up while they revealed the heart-wrenching truth behind his teddy bear The hit BBC show saw one man, Irwin, become emotional as he showcased his beloved stuffed bear, named George, and revealed a story behind the cuddly toy during Wednesday's episode Bear experts Amanda Middleditch and Julie Tatchell put their best needles forward to help make Irwin's dreams come true. The heartfelt story left viewers 'crying' as viewers flocked to X, formerly known as Twitter, to share their emotions. One penned: 'Crying at the repaired teddy bear #therepairshop' '#therepairshop ooo love a Teddy Bear repair' 'They truly believe the bears and dolls are alive don't they #therepairshop' 'I've just seen this on #TheRepairShop and the needle has traumatised me' After being reunited with the stuffed animal, Irwin was brought to tears as he was left in shock by the transformation He said: 'Wow he's got eyes. Oh, he actually feels much firmer and everything. Oh brilliant. Absolutely fantastic. Irwin was gifted the bear in 1962 by his late mother and father, who were two of the millions of British people that immigrated to Australia between 1945 and 1982 When Irwin was three years old, he contracted Polio. And during such a grueling time, Irwin kept his bear by his side for every hospital trip and has been his most treasured companion ever since Both of his parents have now passed away, but he revealed that his mother always spoke about having the bear restored Bear experts Amanda Middleditch and Julie Tatchell put their best needles forward to help make Irwin's dreams come true The heartfelt story left viewers 'crying' as viewers flocked to X, formerly known as Twitter, to share their emotions 'You've done an absolutely fantastic job. Thank you very, very much and you haven't changed his character at all. He is still George. 'As you know, Mum always talked about trying to get him fixed', he added. 'And I always promised her that I would. I'll tell you now, I will have him at mum and dad's grave for my dad's birthday, and Mum will be over the moon.' Julie replied: 'We love to see the love you have for him. So take him away and enjoy him.' The Repair Shop is available to stream on BBC iPlayer now. A beloved Lorraine star has returned to the show after undergoing major surgery. ITV host Lorraine gushed 'it has been so strange without you' as she welcomed back Dr Hilary on Thursday. Dr Hilary, who is a regular guest on the show, had needed an invasive procedure to correct an issue with his achilles tendon. Welcoming the guest back to the London studio, Lorraine said: 'Look who's back! Dr Hilary, he's back! We've missed you.' Dr Hilary replied: 'Thank you, I've missed you too.' Lorraine then referred to the 'obvious' reason why the medical doctor had been missing from ITV screens. A beloved Lorraine star has returned to the show after they underwent a bout of major surgery ITV host, Lorraine gushed 'it has been so strange without you' as she welcomed back Dr Hilary on Thursday She said: 'You can see the evidence of why you've not been here.' Lifting his leg to reveal a medical boot, he explained: 'Yes, there it is. It's quite a boot isn't it. 'I had a little disagreement with my achilles tendon and a little boney spare at the back of my heel, so that had to be gone.' The screen showed an image of his swollen foot with stitches in his heel as Lorraine said: 'You've not been able to do anything very much, have you?' He replied: 'Doctors don't make good patients, but it does remind us what it's like to be a patient. But I'm on the mend, I feel fine, there's no pain. 'I come out of my heel in about two weeks. I adjust the heel height by 10 degrees every week. It's driving me crazy, but I can actually shower myself now so that's good.' Lorraine added: 'That's good,' as she added: 'You'll be able to drive soon, because you've not been able to drive. But you're hobbling about.' Dr Hilary said: 'Yeah but it's good to be back.' Lorraine replied: 'It is nice to have you back. It's been really strange.' Dr Hilary, who is a regular guest on the show after he needed a procedure to correct an issue with his achilles tendon Welcoming the guest back to the London studio, Lorraine said: 'Look who's back! Dr Hilary, he's back! We've missed you Dr Hilary replied: 'Thank you, I've missed you too.' Lorraine then referred to the 'obvious' reason why the medical doctor had been missing from ITV screens Lifting his leg to reveal a medical boot, he explained: 'Yes, there it is. It's quite a boot isn't it. 'I had a little disagreement with my achilles tendon and a little boney spare at the back of my heel, so that had to be gone' But this is not the only issue Dr Hilary has had with his legs and feet in the past three months as he has been struck down by the 'Victorian disease' gout. Gout a painful type of arthritis was historically referred to as a 'rich man's disease', as it is partly triggered by eating too much meat and drinking excessive alcohol. This leads to pain, swelling, redness, and changes in the movement and use of the affected joint. He told audiences on Lorraine: 'Gout affects around 2.5% or one in 40 people in the UK, and men more than women. Unfortunately, this Christmas I was one of them. 'The prevalence of gout has been steadily increasing over the last century and is forecast to increase further by more than 70% in the next 30 years largely due to an ageing population.' He suffered all the classic symptoms of the condition, including discoloured nails and joint pain that would worsen at night and chronic fatigue. A new highly-rated detective series on Disney+ has been dubbed an 'absolute masterpiece' by fans. High Potential has just been released on the popular streaming service in the UK and Ireland and has already wowed viewers. The crime show stars American actress Kaitlin Olson, 49, as Morgan and Daniel Sunjata, 53, as detective Karadec. It follows the story of a single mother-of-three who works as a cleaner and has the surprising ability to solve crimes, leading her to form a partnership with Karadec, a seasoned detective. The series was written by Drew Goddard - the mastermind behind The Martian and The Good Place. At least 11 episodes are set to be released for UK audiences, with the rest dropping later in the year. The cast of High Potential, starring Kaitlin Olson (third right) as Morgan and Daniel Sunjata (fourth right) as detective Karadec Daniel and Kaitlin as Morgan and detective Karadec in High Potential It follows the story of single mother-of-three Morgan who works as a cleaner and has the surprising ability to solve crimes, leading her to form a partnership with Karadec, a seasoned detective Other cast members include Javicia Leslie as Daphne, Judy Reyes as Selena, Deniz Akdeniz as Lev Oz Ozdil, Amirah J as Ava and Matthew Lamb as Elliot. The series has already been available to watch in the US since last year and has racked up impressive reviews. One fan posted their thoughts on the new show online and dubbed it 'a hilarious and heart warming hidden gem'. The viewer added: 'I just binge-watched High Potential and I'm still reeling from the experience. This show is an absolute masterpiece that will leave you laughing, crying, and rooting for its lovable characters. 'The writing is clever, witty, and relatable, tackling real-life issues with humour and sensitivity. What sets High Potential apart is its unique blend of humour and poignancy. One moment you're laughing out loud at a ridiculous joke, and the next, you're nodding in recognition at a character's vulnerability. 'Overall, High Potential is a must-watch for anyone seeking a feel-good comedy with substance. It's a show that will make you smile, think, and maybe even inspire you to reach your own potential.' High Potential has earned a whopping 94% Tomatometer score on Rotten Tomatoes and some watchers have taken to the review site to share their verdicts. One penned: 'Great show, easy watch, funny and some great knowledge insights as they unpick crimes. 100 recommend.' Some fans have taken to review site Rotten Tomatoes to share their verdicts A second wrote: 'Such a binge worthy show and I love how fun but also at the edge of your seat the whole time.' While a third said: 'This show is so fresh and fun. The characters are interesting and complex.' Another shared: 'I have been pleasantly surprised at this show! It's got unique characters, is funny, heartwarming, and so far, clean! I love having a show I can enjoy with my husband but also have on with my kids in the room.' Someone else said: 'Love this show!! It's refreshing, funny, light hearted, smart & has good crimes. I've missed shows like this since the days of Monk & Psych. 'I can't get into all the other detective or crime shows out there now, but I don't miss an episode of High Potential. Looking forward to many more episodes and seasons!' However, not everyone has been impressed by the detective series and some shared their disappointment too. One viewer said: 'I never made it past the first episode! The trailers did not look that interesting!' While another penned: 'It is watchable, but very predictable every episode. Sort of show you throw on to waste time while looking at you phone instead of concentrating. Not everyone has been impressed by the detective series and some shared their disappointment too 'Surely someone could make something better than this. Good cast just so predictable.' A third wrote: 'This really is a showcase for the two main characters, all the rest are just props. 'Lazy writing and no substance as far as the plot goes. Not particularly funny. Gave it a chance with four episodes hoping it would get better. Moving on.' High Potential is available to stream on Disney+. Dragons' Den star Steven Bartlett has signed with Meghan Markle's agent and moved to Los Angeles with his sights set on 'cracking Hollywood'. The host of the Diary Of A CEO podcast, 32, has teamed up with William Morris Endeavor (WME), who also represents the likes of Adele, Kate Hudson, Ben Affleck, Jude Law and Drake. His signing will give him access to more US connections and a plethora of bigger American names for his podcast. He told the Mirror: 'I could never have imagined podcasting would become what it has and I still find it surreal that there's actually real people listening to the conversations we share. 'This whole crazy journey has been the most rewarding rollercoaster of my life. 'I will now be predominantly recording The Diary Of A CEO from LA and New York, whilst living more of the time in LA, and I'm excited to see what new opportunities emerge Stateside,' he added. Dragons' Den star Steven Bartlett has signed with Meghan Markle's agent as he moved to Los Angeles and has sight set on 'cracking Hollywood' (Steven pictured on Dragon's Den) The host of Diary Of A CEO podcast, 32, is believed to have signed with William Morris Endeavor (WME) who also represents the likes of Adele, Kate Hudson, Ben Affleck, Jude Law and Drake (Steven pictured on Dragon's Den) Diary Of A CEO is the world's second-biggest host-led podcast across all platforms. A source close to Stephen also told the publication: 'He could have signed with several different agencies, they all wanted him and think they can make him a huge star over there, off the back of success he has had with the podcast.' Announcing the news to their Instagram, WME penned: 'Steven Bartlett, host of the Diary Of A CEO podcast, has signed with WME. 'The entrepreneur, and Sunday Times best-selling author and host will be focussed on expanding Diary Of A CEO and his personal brand in America.' Bartlett's podcast is one of the biggest in the world, recently reaching 1 billion streams across Apple, Spotify, and YouTube, according to his company Flight Studio, and he also features as an investor on BBC's hit business series Dragons' Den. The Diary Of A CEO podcast launched in 2017 and has interviewed the likes of Simon Cowell, Jada Pinkett Smith, Boris Johnson, Seth Rogen, Maisie Williams, Thierry Henry, and Richard Branson. Steven Bartlett stated: 'In the last two years, the US has become our largest global audience, and this partnership with WME feels like the right step at this time to better serve our listeners and to continue building on that progress.' Also sharing the good news to his own social media, Steve wrote: 'REALLY EXCITED: To announce that Ive signed a deal with @wme, the worlds No.1 talent agent, to represent me in the USA. His singing will give him access to more US connections and bag bigger American names for his podcast (Steven pictured on Dragon's Den) A source close to Stephen also told the publication: 'He could have signed with several different agencies, they all wanted him and think they can make him a huge star over there, off the back of success he has had with the podcast' (Pictured: WME's announcement) 'Also excited to announce that from this Friday Ill be living in LA (as well as splitting my time between the UK)! 'It was a really f****ing surreal, pinch-myself moment to sit in their LA offices as we agreed the deal, looking at posters of their other talent who are icons and are idols of mine - like Adele, The Rock, Christopher Nolan, Denzel Washington, Drake and so on. 'Who would have ever thought that a podcast recorded from my east London kitchen might lead to this absolutely not me. 'But here we are, trying to figure this out thank you! I really mean that. Lets do this.' Bradley Walsh is reportedly set to 'front a new TV series with a surprising twist' - and its very different from his other shows. The presenter, 64, is already plenty busy with his roles on The Chase and Gladiators but his new gig will be a different format entirely. The programme for Sky will be titled Egypts Cosmic Code and see Bradley get to explore a field he is 'obsessed' with, according to The Sun. He will venture to Egypt to explore historical landmarks with a team of experts over the three-episode special. A TV insider told the publication: 'This isnt necessarily the field of expertise most viewers would imagine him having, but he is obsessed with this chapter of ancient history. 'Hes just thrilled to have bagged a documentary where he gets to indulge the great passion, even if it doesnt quite fit in with his current line-up of shows.' Bradley Walsh is reportedly set to 'front a new TV series with a surprising twist' - and its very different from his other shows MailOnline has contacted Bradley's representatives for comment. Last month Bradley was reportedly offered a huge pay rise to stay on The Chase. The former Coronation Street star has fronted the ITV1 teatime quiz show since since its inception in 2009 and the series still regularly pulls in audiences of up to five million. The exact amount he receives is currently unknown, but now bosses have reportedly bumped up his salary amid fears he could quit. A source told The Sun: 'Bradley is one of the network's most popular presenters and is hugely likeable. 'During negotiations for his contract to be renewed, bosses at ITV were concerned he might quit if he wasn't happy with his package. 'There was a real concern he might walk away.' The show is approaching 16 years on air and insiders told the outlet that everyone at the broadcaster is 'delighted' that Bradley has decided to stay. Bradley has been a mainstay on ITV for years, as he fronted Wheel of Fortune for them in the late 1990s. The presenter, 64, is already plenty busy with his roles on The Chase and Gladiators but his new gig will be a different format entirely The programme for Sky will be titled Egypts Cosmic Code and see Bradley get to explore a field he is 'obsessed' with, according to The Sun In the early 2000s, he appeared as Underworld boss Danny Baldwin on their flagship soap but has also worked extensively for the BBC. He played Graham O'Brien in their sci-fi series Doctor Who, and has also hosted a revival of Blankety Blank for them in recent years. Bradley and his son Barney hosted the BBC's acclaimed revival of Gladiators in 2024 and the show has been renewed for a second series. In 2022, he returned to drama with his role on the short-lived reboot of The Larkins for ITV. But according to reports, Bradley's new salary will be paid via PAYE instead of via his own limited company so will pay more tax on his earnings. Pregnant Arabella Chi has shared her hopes of becoming a 'relatable mum' as she finally puts her Love Island days behind her. The reality star, 33, who is expecting her first child with boyfriend Billy Henty, admitted she wants to move away from posting sultry bikini snaps on social media, and instead show fans another side of her. Speaking exclusively to MailOnline at the Bohomoon event, she said: 'I feel like I'm at an age now where it is time to not always pose in bikinis. My Instagram before was very like, "oh, look at me. I'm on holiday in a bikini." and actually, people find that really hard to relate to. 'I think that now it's a refreshing time, because I'm just this normal girl that literally lives in a tracksuit 24/7, and hopefully now people can start seeing more of that side of me.' Arabella has traded the villa chaos for a life with Billy and their unborn child, after two appearances on the ITV2 dating show. Admitting that she is happy watching Love Island from home this year, Arabella said: 'Pass me the popcorn. Let the drama unfold. I'm glad I'm on this side of the TV.' Pregnant Arabella Chi has shared her hopes of becoming a 'relatable mum' as she finally puts her Love Island days behind her The reality star, 33, admitted she wants to move away from posting sultry bikini snaps on social media, and instead show fans another side of her Arabella went public with her relationship in October and announced she and Billy are expecting their first child in December. The pair met through Arabella's Love Island pal Kady McDermott's boyfriend Henry Simmons, and said their romance blossomed organically. She gushed: 'I just didn't think I'd find a guy that's like, we're literally two peas in a pod, he's unbelievable. I've been so lucky. They say when you know, you know, and that's what it was like with Billy. 'He's gonna be the best girl dad ever, it's gonna be his little princess. We've obviously got my dog Astro and he is besotted with Astro, so I feel like he's gonna be 10 times cuter with the baby.' When asked if her and Billy plan on getting engaged any time soon, she explained: 'I'm going with the flow, one thing at a time. Baby first and then just enjoy that. We're just taking it as it comes really. We're solid, we're in really good place and excited about the baby.' Arabella attended the Bohomoon x Flow LDN fitness and wellness event in London on Wednesday. She showcased her blossoming baby bump in a black skin-tight top and leggings, and accessorised with a selection of gold rings and a heart initial necklace from Bohomoon. Bohomoons wide range of products includes necklaces, rings and bracelets with its signature astrological themes and boho-chic aesthetic reflected throughout. In December 2024, Arabella revealed she was expecting a child with boyfriend Billy Henty, just two months after the couple confirmed their romance Admitting that she is happy watching Love Island from home this year, Arabella said: 'Pass me the popcorn. Let the drama unfold. I'm glad I'm on this side of the TV.' Arabella attended the Bohomoon x Flow fitness and wellness event in London on Wednesday Sharing her thoughts on the brand, Arabella said: 'I wear my jewellery all the time, even to sleep in and shower, and I think the fact that it is water proof and doesn't tarnish is amazing and at an affordable price. I feel like I never have to take it off.' It comes 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 they're expecting a baby girl. She captioned the clip: 'It's a... We cannot wait to meet our little princess.' 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 showcased her blossoming baby bump in a black skin-tight top and leggings, and accessorised with a selection of gold rings and a heart initial necklace from Bohomoon Speaking exclusively to MailOnline, she said: 'I feel like I'm at an age now where it is time to not always pose in bikinis as people find that really hard to relate to' Made In Chelsea star Emily Blackwell and influencer Anna Maynard also attended the fitness event 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.' 'He's clever, handsome and has a jet setting lifestyle, which she loves. It was a big step putting him on her socials she didn't tag him but she's 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. I've dated people I thought at the time were the one, which was a mistake I've since learnt from.' It comes days after Arabella revealed the gender of her baby with a heartfelt video montage set to Beyonce's 'Halo' on Instagram '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, weren't best suited to me.' She added: 'I've been fortunate enough to hang out in Hollywood circles but I have still not found love. I've never felt more ready to settle down.' 'All I've ever wanted is true love and that fairytale dream. I'm 32, I want to get married and have babies.' 'I haven't 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.' Welcome to The Group Chat with Lucy Manly, where Australia's most-trusted society insider shares the hottest gossip BEFORE it makes the news Julian's 'one that got away' finds Mr Right She may have fallen off our radar when she split from Sydney's nightclub king Julian Tobias, but things have certainly worked out well for model Charlotte Coquelin. The French-born and formerly Australian-based beauty is now living in sunny Miami, and recently got hitched to an eye-wateringly rich snack entrepreneur. She's also a mother, having welcomed a baby girl in May last year. Doing away with the tradition of 'marriage first, babies later', Charlotte, 35, tied the knot with her daughter's father, businessman Peter Rahal, in a charming courthouse wedding in Downtown Miami six months later, in November. Charlotte Coquelin (right), the ex-girlfriend of Sydney nightclub king Julian Tobias (left), has resurfaced in Miami, having welcomed a baby and married a wealthy entrepreneur Doing away with the tradition of 'marriage first, babies later', Charlotte tied the knot with her daughter's father, businessman Peter Rahal, in a courthouse wedding in Miami in November The union means Charlotte is pretty much set for life. Peter is worth an absolute fortune after selling his protein bar company RXBAR for US$600million. It would be easy to assume Julian would be feeling a little glum, seeing as some members of the Sydney hospitality set see Charlotte as his 'one that got away'. But we're happy to report there's no bad blood. In fact, the playboy owner of floating beach club The Island even congratulated her and Peter when their baby was born. 'Omg congratulations guys, this is one lucky kid!' he commented on their social media. Perhaps we shouldn't have been so surprised by his post-split goodwill. Back in 2021, Julian attended Australian Fashion Week to watch his ex walk down the runway. He filmed Charlotte parading down the catwalk at Carriageworks and captioned the clip on Instagram, 'When your ex is all sex.' A glowing endorsement. Charlotte and Julian started dating in 2017 and adopted a puppy named Miso while living together during Covid lockdown. It's unclear when exactly they split. It'd be easy to assume Julian would be feeling a little glum, seeing as some in the hospitality set see Charlotte as his 'one that got away'. But we're happy to report there's no bad blood Surprise delivery for high society ex-drug trafficker Here at The Group Chat, we believe everybody deserves a second chance. And that includes cashed-up property developers who ended up in the slammer for trying to smuggle $85million worth of cocaine into Australia. Who else could I be talking about but the so-called 'socialite drug trafficker' Matthew James Doyle? We haven't heard much from Matthew, 36, since he was quietly granted early release from prison at the start of last year. But in a surprising twist, I've been told he and his devoted wife Kelsea Doyle, 35, welcomed a baby boy in December. It seems the couple didn't waste any time, er, reconnecting after his stint in the clink. The new arrival makes them a family of four, as Matthew and Kelsea also share another child, who was born prior to his arrest in 2019. A baby isn't the only new development either. I also hear they moved from Burraneer, where they were living at the time Matthew got parole, to a new pad in south Cronulla. While they used to rub shoulders with Sydneys elite and live a jet-set lifestyle, I understand the Doyles prefer to keep things under the radar these days. Publicist Kelsea Doyle (right) and her convicted drug trafficker husband Matthew Doyle (left) have welcomed another child, a baby boy who was born in December Matthew's fall from grace began with his arrest in 2019 while waiting to collect what he thought was a shipment of up to 300kg of cocaine at a warehouse in Marrickville. It turned out undercover cops from the U.S. had caught wind of the delivery and their local counterparts swooped in, bringing an end to the criminal enterprise. He was sentenced to a minimum of five years' imprisonment in 2020 after he pleaded guilty to commercial drug supply and dealing with proceeds of crime. An appeal to have his sentence cut was thrown out of court. With time served in custody, Doyle was not due to be released until September 4, 2024, but he ended up being freed months earlier than expected. I first reported on his release - complete with an ankle monitor and various parole conditions - in May. It remains unclear whether Matthew intends to resume his property career, but he has told friends he will work for his familys car-detailing business in the meantime. The Doyles tied the knot in a society wedding in 2018, but would go on to spend much of their married life with Matthew behind bars The Doyles tied the knot in a society wedding in 2018, but would go on to spend much of their married life with Matthew behind bars. Following his release, sources revealed Matthew and Kelsea, a publicist who once worked for fashion label Camilla and Marc, were hoping to revive their relationship and make up for lost time. They certainly seem to have done that. But Kelsea's loyalty to her ex-crim husband was never in doubt. She had always vowed to stand by him and, during his imprisonment, kept a photo of the couple on their wedding day as her phone lock screen. And finally... guess who, don't sue Which Sydney identity is the social scene's point of contact for a good time? The Group Chat hears this socialite is dealing coke on the side. Partygoers say they are an easy hook-up, praising both the product and customer service. But the side hustle may be short-lived, as we hear cocaine is fast falling out of fashion as Sydney's powder of choice during the cost-of-living crisis. Their new favourite drug? Ketamine. Note: The subject of this blind item is not named or pictured elsewhere in this article. Bombshell documents in the Real Housewives of Salt Lake City star Mary Cosbys $6.3 million court battle against the people who ran her churchs finances revealed shocking new details about the TV personality's feud with her estranged family. Mary, 52, and her husband Robert Cosby Sr., 72, along with their church, Faith Temple Pentecostal Church, sued defendants Annie L. Johnson, Shawn Turner and United Security Financial, Inc. (USF), for alleged embezzlement back in September 2024. In the lawsuit, the Cosbys alleged two church executives including United Security Financial, the for-profit business owned by the church took millions of dollars of loans from their church for personal use, according to The Salt Lake Tribune. After the defendants filed a Motion to Dismiss on December 17, 2024, the Bravo star filed a Memorandum In Opposition to Motion to Dismiss a month later. As part of the filing, exclusively obtained by DailyMail.com, she cites a 27-year-long court battle with her estranged family as one of the exhibits that has been secretly brewing leading up to season two of RHOSLC. Back in 1997 - after Mary's grandmother passed away from heart failure - the reality star's estranged mom, Rosalind Cazares, along with her siblings Ernest Walton, Pamela Jean Cosby, Deborah Brainich, Demetrius Cosby and Samuel Cosby, were all embroiled in a family war over the matriarch's estate. RHOSLC star Mary Cosby is embroiled in a messy $6.3 million lawsuit against the executives of her church, Faith Temple Pentecostal Church Mary and her husband Robert Cosby Sr. alleged in the lawsuit, which was filed in September 2024, that the two church execs embezzled millions of dollars of loans from their church for personal use In new filings, the Bravo star revealed bombshell details about her estranged family (pictured Mary's father Mark Cazares and mother Rosalind Cazares in 2022) Rosemary Cosby, as RHOSLC fans are aware, is Mary Cosby's late grandmother, who was previously married to Mary's now-husband Robert. In the bombshell filings, the family revealed that they were 'torn apart' over her will and inheriting any of their mother's multi-million dollar wealth. In one letter to the court, filed January 2022, Pamela pleaded with the court to help her settle the dispute between her, her sisters and brother. The letter to the judge reads: 'We have all been separated for over 20 years soon after our mother passed on January 4, 1997. 'Judge, I desperately want to get my whole family back together again. 'Judge Lawrence, if we can find out the truth, our family can start to heal, to forgive, and to love each other once again.' In another letter from Ernest Walton, filed February 2021, he informed the judge that Mary Cosby is a star on the Real Housewives of Salt Lake City and in one of the episodes, she said that 'Rosemary Cosby left everything to her because she said in the will my mother Dr. Rosemary Cosby wanted her to have what she Mary Cosby didn't have growing up.' He ended the letter by asking for a copy of the will: 'We would like to see the will.' Mary inherited her grandmother's wealth, which was passed to Robert Cosby Sr. after her grandma - who was previously married to Mary's now-husband - passed away in 1997 Mary had explained on RHOSLC that when her grandmother passed, she left her her empire, including 'homes, churches, daycares, a mortgage company and restaurants' Mary's estranged family has argued in court, as part of a 27-year-long court battle, that they 'never' got a copy of the will and questioned whether Robert 'destroyed the will' In one of the last letters, filed October 2022, Ernest again wrote to the judge in an attempt to get answers about the will about how he felt his 'civil rights were violated' and how he believes it was 'from negligence' from several people, including Robert and Mary Cosby and Lois Johnson. He went on to say that he believes Lois Johnson was 'trying to steal the mortgage company,' United Security, which is what the Bravo celebrity is arguing in court currently. He ended this letter by stating he was informed that his sister Pamela received a phone call in 2021 from the court about the case being closed. 'I ask, where is the justice for me and my family?' he questioned the court. When called for comment, Ernest told DailyMail.com on January 21 that his family 'never saw the will' and insisted Robert Cosby and Lois Johnson 'destroyed the will.' 'They took everything from us. We didn't get nothing,' he insisted. Ernest, however, is not blaming Mary, whom he and his siblings have been estranged from since the passing of his mom - despite having watched her flaunt her wealth on TV. 'I don't blame her. I blame Robert Cosby because he's the one that got everything and stole everything from us.' Mary and her son Robert Cosby Jr. had a heart-to-heart conversation in a November episode in which he confessed to taking a number of different drugs since he was 16 Robert Cosby Jr. broke down in tears as he also confessed his past suicidal thoughts He appeared to even side with her in her current fight against the church execs, calling Lois Johnson 'the biggest crook' and claiming 'she lied and said she owned United Security.' When asked if he's still seeking justice three years after his last attempt and still hoping to see a copy of the will, he told DailyMail.com, 'Well, I believe that fight's over with. Everybody moved on with their life.' DailyMail.com has reached out to attorneys for Robert Cosby Sr., Mary Cosby and Lois Johnson for comment. Defendants in Marys embezzlement lawsuit argued in their December 17, 2024 filing that the plaintiffs claim Faith Temple owns United Security Financial is a 'wildly false statement.' In their filing, they said, 'The fact that Johnson was and is the sole owner of USF was long-ago resolved in legal proceedings related to the estate of Rosemary Cosby filed more than twenty-five years ago, on February 11, 1997. 'The filings in the Cosby Estate Case establish (among other things) that the statute of limitations on any claim to ownership of USF has long run, and any claim to ownership was barred by res judicata years ago.' In the January 16 opposition to the defendants' Motion to Dismiss, obtained exclusively by DailyMail.com, Mary and Robert Cosby fired back. 'Defendants' claim that Faith Temple's claim for ownership of USF is somehow precluded is without support,' they stated. 'In addition, Ms. Johnson was acting as an agent of Faith Temple with respect to any bidding on a claimed ownership interest of the Estate in USF.' As part of one of the exhibits filed in the Cosbys' opposition, they provided a document from 2006, a report from the special master, who provided a detailed summary of the breakdown of the stipulated assets Robert had received as part of the Estate of Rosemary Cosby. The documents state that United Security Financial was operated by Lois Johnson and that 'the minutes of the annual stockholder meetings indicate that Lois Johnson is the only stockholder.' The evidence, all in all, was 'summarized to be highly conflicting. Since neither Lois Johnson nor United Security Financial were parties to this litigation they cannot be bound by a finding herein.' The special master appointed by the judge continued, 'It is true that her testimony is highly suspect.' The other noteworthy stipulated assets that were outlined in the document - that were part of the Estate of Rosemary Cosby which was handed down to Robert Cosby - included a 14K gold ruby and diamond ring, a 14K yellow gold Boston link chain, 18K gold ruby and diamond cross, pearl necklace with diamond clasp, Omega diamond watch, full length mink coat, mink jacket and stole, fox jacket and throw. When Mary was introduced to the cast during season one of the show, she explained that when her grandmother passed, she left her her empire, including 'homes, churches, daycares, a mortgage company and restaurants.' She and her husband also own a number of businesses, including a successful printing company that produces billboards and shopping bags. In a preview for the RHOSLC season five reunion, Mary provides an update on her son Robert, who revealed his drug addiction in a past episode The three-part RHOSLC season five reunion kicks off on January 22 at 8/7c on Bravo Robert Cosby was noticeably absent the entire fifth season of RHOSLC. During an October appearance on Watch What Happens Live, Mary informed host Andy Cohen that he was holding a grudge against producers, but not Andy, himself. 'Hes good. Hes a man and they hold grudges,' she shared. 'But once he gets over his grudge, hell be better and hell probably show his face.' Even though her husband was missing from the show, Mary's son Robert Cosby Jr., 21, made multiple appearances as he opened up about his drug abuse. During the November episode, Mary and her son had a heart-to-heart conversation and he confessed to taking a number of different drugs - including cocaine and Xanax - since he was 16. He also revealed he suffered with suicidal thoughts during the heartbreaking conversation, which touched a lot of fans of the show including superstar Rihanna. As teased in the reunion preview, the reality star provides an update on her son, which leaves the cast teary-eyed. The three-part RHOSLC season five reunion kicks off on January 22 at 8/7c on Bravo. Australian model Jessica Hart's high-octane romance with her American race car driver fiance James Kirkham seems to have well and truly burned out. Following an almighty row inside their $368,000 Mercedes-AMG G-Class on Friday, Daily Mail Australia has now obtained photos showing the fallout. We spotted NASCAR speedster James, who shares two children with Jessica, letting himself into a luxury villa located a suburb away from the couple's Hollywood Hills home this week. And a day earlier the Aussie Victoria's Secret stunner stepped out without her engagement ring, looking visibly distraught as she took a phone call. Jessica almost married Greek shipping scion Stavros Niarchos III before bonding with tattooed single-father James over their shared love of fast cars in 2019, accepting his proposal at her baby shower for their first child. Weeks later their daughter Baby-Rae Kirkham was born, and seven months after that Jessica revealed she was pregnant with son Glorious, born in February 2022. But since then the glamorous couple's six-year romance appears to have run out of fuel. The pair have unfollowed or blocked each other on Instagram, and had not been pictured together since the United States Grand Prix in Austin, Texas, in October - until our exclusive photos of their confrontation last week. Aussie model Jessica Hart stepped out without her engagement ring on in Los Angeles on Monday Jessica looked distraught during the emotional conversation, which came just days after she was pictured in an almighty row with fiance James Kirkham James Kirkham (pictured) was spotted picking up food before entering a luxury villa on Tuesday Following the phone chat Jessica was escorted to her car by a valet parking attendant Now James has been seen entering a building of furnished rental studios, where one bedroom and two bedroom apartments begin at $9,500 AUD per month. He was seen picking up a burger from a local restaurant and eating it near his silver Mercedes-AMG parked at the front of the Hollywood complex. James then put a code into the intercom system before pushing the locked door open and heading inside. On Monday Jessica looked visibly concerned during an intense phone conversation as she walked through a parking lot wearing a long sleeve Saint Michael tee and carrying a lavender bag by former Celine creative director Phoebe Philo. Her ringless finger was on display during the emotional conversation, and after hanging up was escorted to her own vehicle by a valet parking attendant. The sightings came days after the pair had a heated discussion inside their G-Wagon while Jessica was behind the wheel. She eventually pulled over and turned on the hazard lights, James then wildly gesticulated in the air and buried his head in his hands, seemingly in despair. Their vehicle was briefly blocking traffic until James exited, an onlooker said. Jessica then drove off without him, prompting him to run after the car. 'James caught up with Jessica's car and she stopped again and he got in the front passenger seat,' an eyewitness told us. Jessica dated Greek shipping scion Stavros Niarchos III (pictured together in 2012) for six years before meeting James In photos obtained by Daily Mail Australia, James was seen letting himself into a villa located a suburb away from the pair's property on Tuesday James picked up food from a local restaurant before returning to the apartment building The race car driver was seen eating a burger near his car, which was parked at the front of the Hollywood building James then put a code into the intercom system before pushing the locked door open and entering 'They argued for another 20 minutes then James got out of the car again and ran towards the house.' After parking in the driveway of their mansion, Jessica went inside and appeared to lock James out. He proceeded to have an animated conversation with a neighbour. Our photographer caught him pointing towards the house while seemingly trying to explain the situation. While it's unclear what the couple was arguing about, a cursory glance of their Instagram accounts suggests their relationship could be in serious trouble. Jessica and James no longer appear on each other's followers' lists, which either means they've unfollowed each other, or gone a step further and hit the block button. They have also been mysteriously absent from each other's Instagram grids in recent months. The couple first started dating in early 2019 after Jessica joined Mercedes-Benz's AMG Academy, which helps to train motoring enthusiasts how to race, and was immediately drawn to the NASCAR star. Romance soon blossomed and they announced they were expecting their first child together in September 2020. James and Jessica began dating in early 2019 after bonding over their shared love of fast cars. They were last pictured together at the United States Grand Prix on October 21 (shown here) Just a month later, James got down on one knee and proposed to the Victoria's Secret model at their baby shower. Just weeks later, they welcomed their daughter, Baby-Rae Kirkham, on November 17. Their child's name made headlines at the time. Jessica explained it came from Jennifer Grey's character 'Baby' from the 1987 film Dirty Dancing. Her middle name, Rae, was a nod to Jessica's mother. Just seven months later, the blonde revealed she was pregnant again and their son Glorious was born on February 2, 2022. Jessica, whose sister is model Ash Hart, is also a stepmother to James' nine-year-old daughter, Wren, from a previous relationship. Before meeting James, the Vogue cover girl had dated fellow Australian Nicolas Potts, with whom she appeared in the first season of the MTV reality show The City. She was also in a relationship with Stavros Niarchos III, the grandson of Stavros Niarchos, the Greek billionaire shipping tycoon best known for being the arch-rival of Aristotle Onassis, from 2011 to 2017. Stephanie Rice isn't skipping arms day - even on her honeymoon. The Australian swimming champion, 38, who is in Paris with her new husband Mark Lassey, 46, began her Thursday with a heart-pumping strength workout. Steph flaunted her bulging biceps and muscled thighs, as she filmed herself doing a set of bicep curls with 9kg dumbbells and then trained her shoulders with upright cable rows. She grimaced curling the weights and dripped with sweat in her red bike shorts and cropped shirt, despite the 6C temperature in the City of Love. 'Great workout this morning!! So happy with my strength progress this year,' the three-time gold medal winner captioned her workout videos. 'Excited to set some new fitness goals for 2025 when back from holidays!' Stephanie Rice has taken a cheeky swipe at her former life whilst on her honeymoon in Paris, saying she can't 'believe' some Olympic swimmers competed in the Seine last year The retired Australian swimming champion, 38, began her Thursday with a heart-pumping strength workout, as she congratulated herself for making progress on her strength Steph flaunted her bulging biceps and muscled thighs, as she filmed herself doing a set of bicep curls with 9kg dumbbells and then trained her shoulders with upright cable rows The former Olympic swimmer and pastor arrived in Paris after spending their first days as newlyweds in the tropical Maldives. After her morning workout, Steph and Mark headed to Angelina Cafe near the Louvre museum. The century-old Parisian cafe is famous for its 'chocolat chaud' (hot chocolate) made with African cocoa from Niger, Ghana, and the Ivory Coast. It's so loved in France that the company even bottles the recipe and sells it online, and in many French grocery stores. 'All the calories we burned in the gym this morning vanished with one sip,' Steph captioned a video of her husband, who said 'really rich is understatement' for the beverage. The couple went and checked out the Louvre, conducting a honeymoon photoshoot outside the famous glass pyramid entrance, and then enjoyed a romantic stroll along the river Seine. 'Still can't believe some athletes swam in here during the Olympics,' Steph captioned a snap of the murky waters, with a squeamish emoji. Steph retired from competitive swimming in 2014, after swimming her final Olympic race in London. 'I think its so special that Mark and I have never been to Paris before, so we get to share it together for the first time,' Stephanie Rice captioned her Parisian honeymoon snaps 'I purposely never travelled here because I felt it would amplify my desire for love and how alone I was if I came to the city of love as a single woman...' 'So to be here now, as a wife, married to my best friend, its a testament of how kind God is and how quickly He can turn your life around.' 'I think its so special that Mark and I have never been to Paris before, so we get to share it together for the first time,' she captioned a carousel of photos from their day out. 'I purposely never travelled here because I felt it would amplify my desire for love and how alone I was if I came to the city of love as a single woman. Her words come after she stunned fans with not one, but two Perth weddings to Mark after a 10-month romance. 'So to be here now, as a wife, married to my best friend, its a testament of how kind God is and how quickly He can turn your life around,' she said. The couple met at the start of 2024 and got engaged in September after seven months of dating. Steph moved back to Australia to complete her MBA of business, and they have been doing long distance love since last November. 'So to all my single women out there praying for their God given relationship, know that God can do miraculous things in a split secondtrust His timing and His planit could be right around the corner,' she finished her caption. Steph tied the knot with her pastor husband following a whirlwind 10-month romance. She then held a second wedding - again in Perth - before they jetted off to the Maldives Stephanie Rice (pictured) is kicking back in the playground of the rich and famous on her honeymoon. The former Olympian and her pastor husband are now in Paris, after spending a week in the Maldives Mark is a pastor with the same organisation in Perth and has been with the church for more than 10 years, according to his LinkedIn profile. Kingdom City started in Perth in 2003 and has since gone global with branches in Africa, Europe and Asia in addition to the Middle East. Steph joined the church when she relocated to Dubai late last year and is now heavily involved with Kingdom City. Mark is a father to three sons - Tyler, Joel and Luke - from a previous relationship. 'Your [sic] my dream come true,' he commented on her post. It shows God is truly a God of the second chances and new beginnings. I love doing life with my best friend.' Steph was in tears during her time on SAS Australia in October 2023, as she detailed her lack of purpose since quitting swimming and desperate longing for a partner. 'I really struggled,' she told Ant Middleton on-air. 'I felt really lost after I finished swimming. 'I didnt feel like I had any purpose or any direction and I didnt feel like anybody understood. 'I felt like I havent really trained for anything since I finished competing like I havent really had a goal to work towards, one specific thing.' Ant then asked what the Aussie swim star had to look forward to when she returned home after the show. 'At the moment, not a lot,' she replied. 'I think itd be nice to have somebody to go through the harder times. I would love to have somebody to help through, like ride the waves.' Her love life has previously made headlines around the world. After splitting from Aussie swimming great Eamonn Sullivan following the Beijing Olympics, rumours spread that Steph had been romantically linked with Michael Phelps, former NRL winger David 'Wolfman' Williams and Aussie swimming bad boy Nic DArcy. Former Bachelor star Brad Womack is looking back at his difficult appearances on The Ellen DeGeneres Show. During an appearance this week on the Almost Famous podcast, Womack, 52, recalled 'bomb[ing]' when he appeared on the 66-year-old comedian's since-ended talk show after he opted not to choose a woman to give a rose to at the end of The Bachelor season 11 in 2007. 'She called me a jerk the first season because I didnt pick anybody,' he told the podcast's hosts, Ben Higgins and Ashley Iaconetti. However, Womack added that DeGeneres who was recently seen back in Southern California after moving to England 'for good' had apologized to him when he later appeared on her show to promote his second stint on The Bachelor for 2011's season 15, which ended with him choosing Emily Maynard, though they split up not long after the show wrapped. DailyMail.com has reached out to a representative for DeGeneres. 'I went on Ellen and I just bombed. I mean, I just bombed,' Womack said emphatically on the podcast. 'Even the publicist at the time kinda gave me the puppy eyes, like, "Oh, that didnt go so well."' Former Bachelor star Brad Womack, 52, looked back on Ellen DeGeneres, 66, calling him a 'jerk' on her eponymous talk show after he opted not to hand out a final rose on The Bachelor season 11 in 2007; seen in 2011 in Las Vegas, Nevada Womack said he 'bombed' on DeGeneres' show, though he said she later apologized to him when he returned to promote his second time as The Bachelor on season 15; pictured in January 2020 in LA 'She called me a jerk the first season because I didnt pick anybody,' he said of season 11. Womack had been left to choose between the finalists DeAnna Pappas and Jenni Croft, but he ultimately decided not to choose either woman. That marked the end of Croft's involvement with the franchise, but Pappas was a continuing fixture. Afterward, she was chosen to lead the fourth season of The Bachelorette, and it was DeGeneres who revealed the news to her when she appeared on her popular daytime talk show. After Womack picked Emily Maynard and then they subsequently broke up, she got a chance to star on season eight of The Bachelorette, in which she accepted Jef Holm's proposal. However, as with many of the show's romances, things didn't work out, and the two ended their engagement later that year. She went on to marry Tyler Johnson, with whom she shares five children, as well as her 19-year-old daughter Ricki from her relationship with the late NASCAR driver Ricky Hendrick, who died in a plane crash at age 24, shortly before she learned that she was pregnant with their child. Looking back on DeGeneres' tough reception of him during his first appearance on her show, Womack said, 'Thank god, she asked me back for a little bit of redemption. But it was the third time I was on Ellen to announce the second season.' Womack had been left to choose between the finalists DeAnna Pappas and Jenni Croft, but he ultimately decided not to choose either woman. In season 15 he chose Emily Maynard (pictured), but they broke up shortly afterward '[Ellen] didnt cut me any slack, of course, and the audience wasnt having it. It was a bad appearance,' he recalled. 'But yeah, she did call me a jerk, but thank god she apologized'; pictured in January 2020 in LA The hosts asked Womack why he thought DeGeneres had apologized to him, and he suggested that she 'got the other side of the story.' He added that he 'didn't want to sell out' He described himself as a 'ball of nerves' before sitting down with DeGeneres, and it ended up being as 'nerve-wracking' as he feared. 'She didnt cut me any slack, of course, and the audience wasnt having it. It was a bad appearance,' he recalled. 'But yeah, she did call me a jerk, but thank god she apologized.' The hosts asked Womack why he thought DeGeneres had apologized to him, and he suggested that she 'got the other side of the story.' He said the fallout from his first Bachelor season made him 'public enemy number one.' 'That was not my intent, I wanted to stay true,' he clarified. 'I said this so many times, I really do believe in the premise of the show. I just didnt want to sell out.' 'I think [Ellen] took her initial reaction and was thinking, "Who does this guy think he is?"' he suggested. 'And then I guess through, I dont know, some other channel she got the true story, and she invited me on. 'I was able to tell my side of the story and so it went a little bit better. I got a little bit of redemption, but not much,' he added. Womack's latest romance is with a woman named Gabriella Nolen, who runs a brand strategy and creative consulting firm. However, aside from some Instagram posts featuring the two looking cozy together, he has kept their relationship largely out of the public eye. Holly Willoughby is said to be happier than ever on Dancing On Ice following the departure of her former co-host Phillip Schofield. The presenter, 43, is said to 'joke around and chat more often' since Stephen Mulhern joined the show. Holly hosted alongside Phillip from its first series back in 2006, but he resigned from ITV after admitting to an affair with a younger This Morning colleague in May 2023. Stephen stepped in as his permanent replacement after previously covering for Phillip in 2022 when he tested positive for Covid. Speaking in an interview with The Mirror, professional ice skater Andy Buchanan, who was partnered with Chelsee Healey during this series, has now given an insight into how the show's dynamic has changed. He explained: 'I feel like Ive got to know Holly way more, since hes been on. He [Stephen] just opened that door.' Holly Willoughby is said to be happier than ever on Dancing on Ice following the departure of her former co-host Phillip Schofield (pictured last weekend) Holly hosted alongside Phillip from it's first series back in 2006, but he resigned from ITV after admitting to an affair with a younger This Morning colleague in May 2023 (pictured in 2023) Andy continued: 'Hes hilarious. He jokes around, chats to everyone - and now I think she jokes more, shes more open, she chats to us more. To be honest, it wasnt like that before Stephen came. 'I have to say, Stephen Mulhern was the greatest addition to the show.' The new series of Dancing On Ice is just two weeks in, but viewers have already predicted an early favourite to win the series. The Traitors star Mollie Pearce took to the rink for her debut performance on Sunday night, and immediately impressed with six lifts. Skating to the Olivia Rodrigo hit Vampire, Mollie and her professional partner Colin Grafton earned a score of 29.5 points out of 40, placing them in second place on the overall leaderboard, and top on the night. It was also a skate that led many fans to predict she could be crowned series champion, especially as the judges branded her 'one to watch.' Posts on X included: 'Definitely the best skate so far of all of this year's couples. That was a brilliant performance from Mollie and Colin;' 'Need Mollie Pearce to be the first woman to win #DancingOnIce in 12 years because that was IT!!; 'Mollie was really good! She's a great actress and so smooth on he ice, with a month less than everyone else I'm very impressed. Her and Colin have great chemistry too. Loved that; 'Early prediction: Mollie for the win;' Speaking in an interview with The Mirror professional ice skater Andy Buchanan has now given an insight into how the show's dynamic has changed (pictured with Chelsee Healey) He explained: 'I feel like Ive got to know Holly way more, since hes been on. He [Stephen] just opened that door. Now I think she jokes more, shes more open, she chats to us more' '@ColinGrafton and Mollie. OMFG wow!! What an incredible start to ur Dancing On Ice journey!! Incredible routine and amazing choreography!! Huge well done.' It came as Chelsee and Andy were the first couple to be eliminated from Dancing On Ice 2025. Comedian Josh Jones skated through to Movie Night after landing himself in the bottom two alongside Chelsee, and in a big format change there was no skate off for the first elimination. Chelsee was at the bottom of the leaderboard when she performed last weekend with 22 points. Benedict Cumberbatch is opening up about a terrifying experience that helped shape his life in an unusual way over 20 years ago. The 48-year-old actor was in his 20s when he was on the set of the 2004 BBC miniseries To the Ends of the Earth in South Africa. He was on a driving excursion with some friends during his downtime when the car they were in got a flat tire. While they were on the side of the road, they were robbed and abducted by six men and forced into a car. They were driven around in the car for hours before being let out and ordered to sit execution style before the abductors fled. Although the actor and his friends were not physically harmed, it changed him irrevocably, he revealed in a new Variety interview where he also opened up about his worries about aging. Benedict Cumberbatch is opening up about a terrifying experience that helped shape his life in an unusual way over 20 years ago. The 48-year-old actor was in his 20s when he was on the set of the 2004 BBC miniseries To the Ends of the Earth in South Africa 'It gave me a sense of time, but not necessarily a good one. It made me impatient to live a life less ordinary, and Im still dealing with that impatience,' he said. The experience turned him into an 'adrenaline junkie' who used to unwind by going skydiving and participating in extreme sports. 'The near-death stuff turbo-fueled all that. It made me go, "Oh, right, yeah, I could die at any moment,"' Cumberbatch admitted. 'I was throwing myself out of planes, taking all sorts of risks. But apart from my parents, I didnt have any real dependents at that point,' he admitted. The actor is now the father of three children - sons Christopher, 9, Hal, 7 and Finn, 6 - with wife Sophie Hunter, who celebrate their 10th anniversary on Valentine's Day. He admitted that being a family man has, 'changed,' his thrill-seeking ways, adding, 'that sobers you.' 'Ive looked over the edge. Its made me comfortable with what lies beneath it. And Ive accepted that thats the end of all our stories,' Cumberbatch said. He added of fatherhood, 'The minute you have kids this sense of time sinks in far more profoundly. 'It gave me a sense of time, but not necessarily a good one. It made me impatient to live a life less ordinary, and Im still dealing with that impatience,' he said The experience turned him into an 'adrenaline junkie' who used to unwind by going skydiving and participating in extreme sports. 'I was throwing myself out of planes, taking all sorts of risks. But apart from my parents, I didnt have any real dependents at that point,' he admitted He added of his youngest, who just turned six years old earlier this month, 'Im like, I will be in my 60s when hes 21, you know? Its crazy. Its gone so fast. 'So theres a huge shift in priorities, and it makes you value what you do with your life in a very different way,' he added. The actor continued, 'It does weigh on me. When you become a parent, your thoughts turn more towards mortality.' The actor is getting ready to return as Doctor Strange in the highly-anticipated Marvel movie Avengers: Doomsday. Arnold Schwarzenegger pledged to donate $1 million to Los Angeles wildfire relief as a new blaze broke out in southern California. On Tuesday, the 77-year-old actor took to Instagram to announce his plans to contribute to relief efforts and donate to three foundations. To help those who have been affected and displaced by the devastating wildfires that first erupted across the greater Los Angeles area on January 7, he said he is donating to Los Angeles Fire Department Foundation, California Fire Foundation and Habitat LA. The Terminator star also revealed a T-shirt design available for fans to purchase and said that 100 percent of the profits will also go to the aforementioned foundations. In his post, he shared a photo of a classic 'LA Strong' shirt featuring an image of his likeness, shirtless and flexing. The silver screen star has been filming a Christmas-themed, Santa Claus movie titled The Man With The Bag in New York City while his Brentwood mansion was under threat from the Palisades Fire. Arnold Schwarzenegger pledged to donate $1 million to Los Angeles wildfire relief as a new blaze broke out in southern California . On Tuesday, the 77-year-old actor took to Instagram to announce his plans to contribute to relief efforts and donate to three foundations; pictured November 2023 in New York City 'A lot of my fans have asked me how they can help LA,' he began in his caption. 'I'm going to lead the way. 'I'm sending a million dollars of my own money, split between @lafdfoundation, @cafirefound, and @habitatla,' the former politician wrote. Seemingly throwing shade, Schwarzenegger also said he 'doesn't like when companies or rich people ask their fans to make their donations for them.' 'But I know you want to help,' he wrote as he addressed his 26 million Instagram followers. 'So I had my team design a shirt. 100% of the profits will go to the organizations. 'The shirt might look familiar,' he explained. 'It's based on an LA classic, the knock-off version of me they sell to tourists on the Venice boardwalk, except I can use my image,' he continued before adding that he posted the link to purchase the shirt in his social media bio. This comes after a fast-moving, wind-driven wildfire, called Hughes Fire, broke out in the area north of Los Angeles on Wednesday morning. The Terminator star also revealed a T-shirt design available for fans to purchase and said that 100 percent of the profits will also go to the aforementioned foundations In his post, he shared a photo of a classic 'LA Strong' shirt featuring an image of his likeness, shirtless and flexing; pictured 1966 in Santa Monica Seemingly throwing shade, Schwarzenegger also said he 'doesn't like when companies or rich people ask their fans to make their donations for them.' 'But I know you want to help,' he wrote as he addressed his 26 million Instagram followers. 'So I had my team design a shirt. 100% of the profits will go to the organizations'; pictured April 2024 in Hollywood, Florida Nearly two weeks ago, parched southern California combined with critical wind conditions caused a brush fire to erupt and spread across Los Angeles. As of this publication, the Palisades and Eaton wildfires are still burning. According to Cal Fire, the Hughes Fire has spread to over 3,000 acres and is zero percent contained. Meanwhile, the Eaton Fire is 91 percent contained and the Palisades Fire is 68 percent contained. The devastating and destructive firestorm has displaced many residents and killed at least 27 people, per the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner. A number of A-list stars have also been affected by the wildfires as Leighton Meester and Adam Brody's home was burned down to the ground. Paris Hilton's Malibu mansion was also completely destroyed. Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Joshua Jackson, Anna Faris, Ricki Lake and Cary Elwes have also lost their homes while thousands of other structures have been destroyed by the destructive blazes. Spice Girl Melanie Brown delivered an impassioned speech on domestic violence at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland on Wednesday. Mel B, who is a patron of Women's Aid, called for action over talking as she urged for more funding from the Government for domestic abuse charities. The star, 49, explained how PM Sir Keir Starmer mentioned her during a speech to Parliament then added: 'But it's not just about talking about it. It is getting the funding.' 'It is (about) getting the funding because the government, they just allocate a little bit of money each year, but they end up spending millions (of pounds) because of the police service, because of the fact that they have to have a safe house. 'They end up spending so much money anyway, if they just set it aside and allocate it properly and go to a charity with a foundation (in domestic abuse) the money goes direct to the survivor, and they actually get the benefits from it.' She added that 'when you've been abused, you need a different kind of care and understanding'. Spice Girl Melanie Brown delivered an impassioned speech on domestic violence at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland on Wednesday Mel has regularly called for awareness of the needs of survivors of domestic abuse, including better support through the health service and the court system. She said: 'If I wanted to report it and deal with the justice system, I'm fighting a losing battle because the judges are not educated. 'I have to sit next to my perpetrator, and how am I going to feel? 'I'm going to be stumbling, I'm going to be sweating, I'm going to have anxiety. 'I never want to see this person again as long as I live. But dealing with the word abuse, it leaves us women completely broken and shattered. 'A lot of women end up (dying by) suicide, or they end up staying, and if they stay, it's a death sentence. We have to stop abuse.' 'It's a woman's problem, and us as women, it's down to us to stop it, and so let's get together and start fighting this, because it's not going to stop.' Mel has accused her ex husband Stephen Belafonte of being abusive and controlling during their relationship, which she has discussed in interviews and her biography. Stephen has denied the claims and has filed a 3.9million defamation lawsuit in the U.S. against his ex-wife, who he was married to from 2007 until 2017 and shares daughter Madison, 13, with. Mel B , who is a patron of Women's Aid, called for action over talking as she called for more funding from the Government for domestic abuse charities The star, 49, explained how PM Sir Keir Starmer mentioned her during a speech to Parliament then added: 'But it's not just about talking about it. It is getting the funding' In May 2024, Mel B was awarded an honorary doctorate for her campaigning efforts for victims of domestic abuse. She said the award was 'as massive' as performing at Wembley Stadium with the Spice Girls. In addition to her work with the Spice Girls, Mel has made a name for herself in TV, appearing on American television shows such as the US version of Strictly Come Dancing - Dancing with the Stars - and acting as a judge on America's Got Talent. She also appeared as a judge on The X Factor in the UK. Splendour in the Grass will not be returning in 2025. Organisers have officially confirmed that the beloved Byron Bay music festival will not go ahead for the second year in a row. 'Hey gang, sorry its been so quiet, but we had a little holidayfinally,' a statement published on the festival's social media channels on Thursday began. 'The rest of the festival team have still been busy cooking up some awesome new things for music lovers in Australia, but Splendour needs a little more time to recharge and we wont be back this year.' The 2024 Splendour festival, which was set to feature the likes of Kylie Minogue, G Flip, Tash Sultana, and Fontaines D.C., was axed less than a week after tickets went on sale, with organisers citing 'unexpected events' as the reason behind the last minute cancellation. There is no guarantee that the festival is slated to return in 2026, however organisers asked music fans to 'think of it as a breather so we can come back even bigger and better when the time is right.' Splendour in the Grass will not be returning in 2025 . Organisers have officially confirmed that the beloved Byron Bay music festival will not go ahead for the second year in a row 'Splendour needs more time to recharge and won't be back this year,' Splendour in the Grass organisers announced The statement ended on a more hopeful note, with Splendour organisers saying there are 'lots of other huge events on the horizon.' 'So keep an ear to the ground in the coming months we cant wait to share what weve been working on!' they added. 'Stop lying Splendour, you're never coming back,' one person commented. In a separate statement to Rolling Stone, ticketing and touring company Live Nation said the Splendour festivals team 'has our full support to bring Splendour in the Grass back when they feel its right.' Live music fans and promoters had hoped that the tent pole festival would return this year, and the social media reactions are coming thick and fast. 'Well, there goes our youth. No more Splendour,' added another. 'You won't be back. Bye Splendour and thank you for the life changing memories,' added a third. 'It's over, it's gone,' someone else announced to the group. 'Thanks for the mem[orie]s and thanks for letting us know early so we can just say "f**k it" and go to Europe for our winter festival tickets.' Live music fans and promoters had hoped that the tent pole festival would return this year, after 2024 saw a domino-effect of music festivals topple after Splendour made its cancellation The comments are pretty evenly split between fans of the festival who sympathise with the organisers, and say they understand exponentially rising costs are to blame and the people who argue that Splendour could return if only it doesn't produce an 'all Triple J line up.' 'Stop obsessing over identity politics and just create a lineup that appeals to the majority of Australians that care about the music,' one self-identified musician commented on Facebook. 'It's really not that hard. Signed a full-time musician who plays Wonderwall every weekend because he knows what Aussies want.' 'Sad to see another festival not go ahead this year, but on the other side, in what world did people actually want to see Kylie Minogue headline?' Social media reaction is mixed, with some fans begging for the festival to return and others saying big changes need to happen before they will buy tickets Since its inception in 2001, Splendour in the Grass has been held in various locations across NSW and Queensland. At the height of its popularity, the festival attracted 50,000 revellers across the three days, but this year's line-up copped criticism over its lack of renowned headlining international acts Music promoter Danny Grant says the iconic music festival had stretched itself too thin by trying to cater to every genre of music taste - a strategy that no longer works. They went to say the Byron Bay festival will be back 'bigger and better' when 'the time is right' 'They have had a nightmare three years and were trying to diversify too much,' the promoter, who runs the Hello Sunshine Festival, said in a video posted to TikTok. 'They went from Kylie Minogue to [American rapper] Future and they were probably aiming at crowds that didn't want to see each other.' He added: 'I don't think there was much of a crossover. It did the opposite of what they were hoping for.' In the past, Splendour has nabbed a slew of international acts including Kendrick Lamar, Tyler the Creator, Flume, Queens of the Stone Age and The Smashing Pumpkins. An Australian influencer has stunned fans over her jaw-dropping racy hens night outfits. Em Davies, from the Gold Coast, is preparing to tie the knot with fiance Joel Gambin and hosted an elaborate bachelorette party last weekend. Having multiple outfit changes for her big day, the 30-year-old unveiled yet another barely-there look on Wednesday. In a video shared to her Instagram account, Em walked effortlessly down the stairs and out to her guests while wearing a completely see-through strappy dress which featured white lace detailing covering her ample assets. However, she suffered a few awkward wardrobe malfunctions - flashing her underboob and underwear as she worked her angles for the camera. The blonde beauty wore her hair in loose curls and completed her look with white pumps and a glass of champagne in hand. Gold Coast influencer Em Davies is preparing to tie the knot with fiance Joel Gambin and hosted an elaborate bachelorette party last weekend The 30-year-old wore a completely see-through strappy dress which featured white lace detailing covering her ample assets 'You're only a hen once right made the most of all the outfits,' she captioned her post. Em's friends and followers raced to the comments to gush over one of her many hens night looks. 'Now that is how you make an entrance! Such a cute outfit!' one user wrote. 'My dream dress and you look PHENOMENAL in it,' added another. On Friday, Em didn't have a care in the world when she arrived at her Bachelorette party at Elkabron Beach Club in a tiny white skirt which showed off her G-string. Sharing images and video of herself dancing up a storm in Bali to Instagram, the bride-to-be left very little to the imagination in her minuscule outfit. The white bandeau top barely clung to the Instagram personality's chest as she sipped from flutes of champagne. Flashing her very toned abs, she then slipped on a ruffled white mini skirt which sat so low on her hips that her G-string was peeking out. She suffered a few awkward wardrobe malfunctions - flashing her underboob and underwear as she worked her angles for the camera Em later changed into a white one piece swimsuit that had a cross back and a sheer white bow She later slipped into something more modest - a white, off-the-shoulder mini dress that featured a corset waist and bubble skirt Em frequently flaunted the scrap of underwear throughout the night, bending over to twerk for the camera and show that the panties were embroidered with 'Mrs. G'. As the mum-of-one showed off her dance moves at the beach club, a waitress came out with flaming bottles of Grey Goose Vodka. Aussie stars in attendance at the celebration included Lucy Jackson, Nikki Westcott and Lily Brown. Em is set to marry her fiance Joel on February 22, 2025. The couple welcomed their first child togethera daughter named Islain August 2024, with Em confirming the jovial news on Instagram at the time. '13/08/24 - 6:07pm Isla Sue Gambin. I've never felt a love like this. We did it,' she wrote alongside several sweet snaps of her baby girl. Her birth came just months after Em revealed the exact date of her wedding to Joel. Taking to her Instagram stories in February 2024, the influencer posted a sweet photo of the moment her love popped the question. Em arrived at her Bachelorette party at Elkabron Beach Club in a tiny white skirt that showed off her G-string The Perth influencer didn't have a care in the world as she partied away the days leading up to her wedding with long-time partner Joel Gambin Sharing images and video of herself dancing up a storm in Bali to Instagram, the bride-to-be left very little to the imagination in her minuscule Hens day outfit The white bandeau top barely clung to the Instagram personality's chest as she sipped from flutes of champagne 'One year today until I marry my best friend,' she captioned the post. The story was posted on 22 February 2024 therefore the wedding will take place on 22 February 2025. Em and Joel got engaged during a trip to New York in March 2023, after two years of dating. The bikini model uploaded a gallery of photos at the time which captured the moment Joel proposed in the Brooklyn neighbourhood of DUMBO. 'I'm speechless. I love you so much. Someone pinch me !!??!!! What just happened?' she wrote in the caption. She also included close-up photos of Joel presenting her with an elegant emerald-cut diamond engagement ring. Em was dressed to the nines in the candid photos, sporting a silk red gown with cap sleeves and an open back. Her accessories included a $6,000 Dior saddle bag, gold jewellery and slingback black pumps. In a subsequent post, Em shared photos of the pair cuddling in bed and toasting with champagne at an upmarket restaurant shortly after Joel's proposal. Phoebe Burgess enjoyed a family day out on Noosa Main Beach on Tuesday. The former NRL WAG, 36, appeared in jovial spirits as she relaxed in the sunshine with her two children Poppy, seven, and Billy, five, who she shares with her ex Sam. She flaunted her Pilates-honed physique in a very high-cut black one piece, which she styled with a burnt orange sarong. She shielded her face with a wide-brimmed straw cowboy hat and oval sunglasses while she relaxed in the sunshine and enjoyed a swim in the sea. She was joined by her mother Sarah Hooke as they made the most of some family time together with Phoebe's two children. Phoebe was also seen reading Maggie Alderson's novel Would You Rather, a book about a 'wronged wife' after her own cheating heartbreak. Phoebe Burgess enjoyed a family day out on Noosa Main Beach on Tuesday with her two children Poppy, seven, and Billy, five The former NRL WAG, 36, appeared in jovial spirits as she relaxed in the sunshine with her family She flaunted her Pilates-honed physique in a very high-cut black one piece Phoebe was also seen reading Maggie Alderson's novel Would You Rather, a book about a 'wronged wife' after her own cheating heartbreak The tale is described as a 'heartwarming family drama novel'. According to a synopsis, it follows a woman calls Sophie who is left devastated after finding out her husband Matt was having an affair before his sudden death. A line reads: 'Sophie blinked and looked down again, relieved that everyone would think she was overcome with devastation at the prospect of reading her husband's eulogy, not that she was in shock, having just looked right into the eyes of his mistress.' Phoebe and her NRL star ex-husband Sam famously made headlines when the sportsman admitted to cheating on her during their four-year marriage. The couple tied the knot in 2015 but went their separate ways in late 2018, before briefly rekindling things in April 2019, only to split for good just six months later. Former Rabbitohs star Sam later admitted to cheating on Phoebe and told how he 'embarrassed' his wife with his behaviour. 'I don't think I was the greatest husband at times. I embarrassed my wife. I'd had an affair with a girl, a woman in Melbourne. That's true,' he previously said on SAS Australia. 'I was away on tour, and regretfully that happened. Which would have been... it would have been a tough place for Phoebe to be.' She shielded her face with a wide-brimmed straw cowboy hat and oval sunglasses while she relaxed in the sunshine and enjoyed a swim in the sea Phoebe was every inch the doting mother as she cuddled her daughter Poppy She styled the swimsuit with a stylish orange sarong Phoebe was seen making some sandcastles as she enjoyed the quality time with her two kids She was joined by her mother Sarah Hooke Phoebe seemed engrossed in her book as she soaked up the sunshine Phoebe and her NRL star ex-husband Sam (pictured in 2016) famously made headlines when the sportsman admitted to cheating on her during their four-year marriage While pregnant with their son Billy in late 2018, Phoebe said she underwent multiple tests for sexually transmitted infections as a result of Sam's cheating. She claimed that during the pregnancy, she also suffered because of Sam's 'substance- induced screaming rages'. 'These were things that I shouldn't have been tolerating in a relationship,' she told The Australian. 'I was still protecting someone who was broken and behaving in such an abhorrent way, you know, leading up to the birth of my son, the drugs, the alcohol, partying, the benders, the begging.' Sam discussed his drug and alcohol abuse on SAS Australia, and attended rehab in 2021. The sportsman has since moved on with fashion designer Lucy Graham and the couple got married in October, just one year after welcoming their first child together. Lucy took on her new husband Sam's surname following the wedding, while Phoebe has also kept the surname 'Burgess'. Phoebe has not reverted back to her maiden name 'Hooke' because she wants to have the same surname as their two children. Whoopi Goldberg looked svelte amid her weight loss journey as she was pictured at an event for Paris Fashion Week on Wednesday. The 69-year-old star, whose real name is Caryn Elaine Johnson, looked sleek in an all-black silk outfit with a belt with gold loops, as she attended the Alexandre Mattiussi fall 2025 fashion show. The EGOT-winning entertainer rounded out her ensemble with black-frame round eyeglasses, black boots and a leather purse from the brand, People reported. The Academy Award-winning Ghost star was on hand in Paris two months after she was the showcased star for Ami's fall/winter 2024 campaign in November. Goldberg last March said on her ABC series The View that she had incorporated the use of the weight loss drug Mounjaro into her regimen. 'I will tell you, you know, I weighed almost 300 pounds when I made Till,' she said of making the motion picture for filmmaker Chinonye Chukwu in late 2021. Whoopi Goldberg, 69, looked svelte amid her weight loss journey as she was pictured at an event for Paris Fashion Week on Wednesday The star, whose real name is Caryn Elaine Johnson, looked sleek in an all-black silk outfit with a belt as she attended the Alexandre Mattiussi fall 2025 fashion show In the segment on the ABC series last spring, Goldberg implored viewers to 'stop judging everybody' based on what they look like. 'Maybe that's the key - because, listen, when I realized how much I had put on, because ... I always felt like me,' Goldberg said. 'And then I saw me and I thought, "Oh, that's a lot of me."' Goldberg was seen Wednesday alongside French actor Omar Sy, 47, in footage from the show featured on WWD's Instagram page. Sy introduced the ABC personality to Helene Sy in the clip, and they shook hands as photographers shot pictures of the celebrities. The New York City native told WWD of attending the Ami event, 'They were kind enough to ask me if I would come, and I said yes.' Goldberg, a noted critic of President Donald Trump, said she was 'very happy' during her trip to France. 'People seem to be all right with me here, and I seem to be OK with them so far - so it's all good,' Goldberg said. Ami Paris said last fall that Goldberg's photoshoot with photographer Rahim Fortune captured her 'essence' in the form of 'a contagious smile, charismatic stature and tender glance.' Goldberg last March said on her ABC series The View that she had incorporated the use of the weight loss drug Mounjaro into her regimen The Academy Award-winning Ghost star was on hand in Paris two months after she was the showcased star for Ami's fall/winter 2024 campaign in November Goldberg, a noted critic of President Donald Trump, said she was 'very happy' during her trip to France Goldberg was seen alongside French actor Omar Sy, 47, at the Parisian fashion show Goldberg was pictured next to French actress Catherine Deneuve, 81, at the event Goldberg said that she decided to use the weight loss drug after she weighed 'almost 300 pounds' in late 2021. Pictured in November of 2021 in NYC The brand continued, 'AMI has worked since its creation to define and complete the most articulate, comprehensive, pragmatic wardrobe for men and women.' Goldberg, speaking with Page Six in October 2023, said that she had an aversion to high-end fashion ensembled after 'everyone hated' the ensemble she wore to the Oscars in 1993. Goldberg donned a green and purple bolero-like jacket and pantsuit to the proceedings, and said she was slammed by the media and critics over the outfit. 'It hurt my feelings, I'm not going to lie,' Goldberg said. 'It hurt my feelings ... you have to remember, in those days, they would say things and you'd think, "Do I really look that ridiculous?"' Goldberg said of the slights: 'It kept me from dressing up for a very long time.' Goldberg last month appeared in the Broadway production of Annie, playing Miss Hannigan. ABC Chief Content Officer Chris Oliver-Taylor announced on Thursday he will leave the broadcaster on February 28 following two years in the executive role. The head of the content division was appointed to the position in March 2023 by now-outgoing managing director David Anderson, who will depart in March 2025. It was a move intended to unite the audio and screen teams under a single division, but they have since split once more upon Mr Oliver-Taylor's departure. 'The Chief Content Officer role at the ABC, created in late 2022, was originally designed to oversee Audio, Digital, and Screen content,' Mr Oliver-Taylor told staff. 'Over the past year, the role and responsibilities have considerably shifted, with audio now reporting directly to the MD and some digital content moved elsewhere. 'These changes, along with a redefined creative vision set by the Board, have prompted me to reflect on the ABC's future needs.' ABC Chief Content Officer Chris Oliver-Taylor (pictured) announced on Thursday he will leave the broadcaster on 28 February following two years in the executive role Mr Oliver-Taylor, who previously held management positions at Netflix, Matchbox Pictures and Fremantle, went on to say it was 'time' to move on from ABC. He explained he had numerous discussions with the Managing Director and 'reflected' on 'ongoing conversations with the ABC Board and the Chair'. 'There is sadness in this decision but also pride and excitement with the slate that will roll out across 2025 and in future years,' he added. The executive said he was 'incredibly proud to have led the commissioning of programs' such as The Assembly, Austin, The Piano, and Guy Mont's Spelling Bee. Other programs under his commissioning belt include I Was Actually There, The Family Next Door, Do Not Watch This Show and Portrait Artist of the Year. 'The ABC is a vital cultural institution that will continue to deliver world-class content,' Mr Oliver-Taylor continued. 'I will always be a strong supporter of the ABC and public broadcasting and am deeply grateful for my time here.' He finished by commending 'the dedication of my ABC colleagues and the production companies that contribute to its success'. The head of the content division was appointed to the position in March 2023 by now-outgoing managing director David Anderson, who will depart in March 2025 Head of Screen Jennifer Collins will step into the role of Director Content from today ahead of Mr Oliver-Taylor's departure on February 28. In a note to staff Managing Director Mr Anderson said that under Mr Oliver-Taylor's leadership, 'ABC Content has delivered significant results for the public'. 'This includes the ABC TV Network achieving the number one ranked television broadcaster in 202324, with a reach of 36.4% or 6.6 million people across the five-city metro population,' he said. He later added: '[Mr Oliver-Taylor] has made the decision to re-focus his efforts on other roles and I know he will continue to be an advocate for the ABC in whatever direction his career takes him in next.' Mr Oliver-Taylor's departure from the network comes amid job shakeups at the broadcaster. The structural changes most recently saw Sarah Macdonald be unceremoniously dumped by the ABC late last year. He exit was accompanied by that of Simon Marnie, who was also told his contract would not be renewed, while Richard Glover and Robbie Buck both left their respective programs. Ben Latimer, ABC's head of audio told ABC staff in a statement at the time that the changes were 'driven by rapidly evolving audience expectations'. It was a move intended to unite the audio and screen teams under a single division, but they have since split once more upon Mr Oliver-Taylor's departure 'Change is never easy and of course the impact on some of our colleagues is difficult,' he wrote. He added the decisions for the 2025 roster have been 'carefully thought through and discussed' and noted the ABC is 'navigating a period of significant transition'. In other changes to the Radio Sydney roster, Dom Knight will host Friday Drive and Saturday Mornings, while science and technology journalist Rae Johnston will present Sunday Mornings. Chris Bath will also start her new role presenting Monday to Thursday Drive and Charlie Pickering will present Thank God It's Friday! Macdonald, 59, announced her 'disappointment' in departing from the ABC, telling her audience live on air that: 'I'm not going to be on the radio with you next year. 'The ABC has decided not to renew my contract here at Mornings... I am proud of what I've done. 'The ratings are up, I've broken lots of stories, had the first interview with the new governor general, I got the premier of New South Wales to regularly take your calls, led the election coverage, led the move to our Parramatta studios.' Former Media Watch host Paul Barry took to social media at the time to express his disbelief at Macdonald's parting after decades of service. 'She's brilliant, one of the best things on radio. WTAF,' Barry, 72, wrote in a post to social media. Morning show rival Ray Hadley also praised Macdonald. 'I don't know Sarah Macdonald but I do know one thing about her, she's a quality broadcaster and I would say that quality broadcasters are in short supply at the ABC,' he told listeners. Marnie's emotional final show after three decades of presenting was attended by hundreds outside Government House in Sydney in early December. Among those in attendance was Robbie Buck, Governor-General Sam Mostyn and NSW Governor Margaret Beazley. Buck, 52, told Marnie, 'We love you we're going to miss you', before quietly announcing he would too be leaving Aunty on his show later that night. 'I wanted to say a big thank you,' Governor-General Mostyn told Marnie. The Bachelor lovebirds Jimmy Nicholson and Holly Kingston have made a significant splash in Sydney's Northern Beaches property market by purchasing a luxurious home, just before welcoming their son Lennox last month. The couple recently finalised the purchase of a stylish 1980s-constructed property nestled on a stunning sanctuary which spans 1323sqm, in the upmarket suburb of Avalon Beach. The property boasts four bedrooms and three bathrooms and features open interiors, soaring ceilings, and stunning modern architecture. The home is divided into three distinct living areas which can be used by different members of the household, and complemented by a playroom next to the kitchen. Designed for seamless indoor-outdoor living, the residence showcases cutting-edge architectural design and luxurious features such as a serene firepit and gazebo. The couple have also set up a charming baby nursery within the property and look forward to raising their son in their perfect new home. The Bachelor lovebirds Jimmy Nicholson and Holly Kingston have made a significant splash in Sydney's Northern Beaches property market by purchasing a luxurious home. Both pictured Its semi-rural location provides gorgeous scenery while being close to a variety of amenities, including shopping centres and public transport. The property has been described by agents as having a 'whisper-quiet setting' and provides an ideal backdrop for the couple, who are keen to begin their family journey in their new abode. 'We cannot wait to share this next chapter of our lives with you as a family of three as we move to our dream first house on the northern beaches where we both grew up,' the pair recently shared to Instagram. It comes after the couple sold their North Bondi apartment ahead of the birth of their first child, so they could move into more suitable accommodation. The pair, who met on the reality dating show, took to Instagram in November to announce they had sold the Sydney home they've lived in for the past few years. In the sweet pictures, Jimmy and pregnant Holly were shown posing in front of their former home with a 'sold' sign. The two-bedroom, one-bathroom apartment was bought just after the lovebirds got together on The Bachelor in 2021 for $1.42million. The property was originally set to be auctioned on November 19 with a price guide of $1.4million to $1.5million, but it appears an offer had already been accepted. The couple recently finalised the purchase of a stylish 1980s-constructed property nestled on a stunning sanctuary which spans 1323sqm, in the upmarket suburb of Avalon Beach The property boasts four bedrooms and three bathrooms and features open interiors, soaring ceilings, and stunning modern architecture In another image they were seen smiling together in front of another house that had just been sold, indicating they have bought their new family home. 'The end of a chapter & the start of an even greater one,' the couple wrote in the caption. 'Selling our beloved little apartment and buying a house wasn't necessarily on our bingo card at eight months pregnant, but let's just say there's no challenging a woman in the nesting phase. 'We bought our unit together after meeting on Bach having only had a few televised dates and a handful of moments without a film crew. The home is divided into three distinct living areas which can be used by different members of the household, and complemented by a playroom next to the kitchen Its semi-rural location provides gorgeous nature scenery while being close to a variety of amenities, including shopping centres and public transport 'Were inspecting homes together via FaceTime whilst still living in secret before the show had even aired... so maybe the saying "when you know, you know" is true. 'We cannot wait to share this next chapter of our lives with you as a family of three as we move to our dream first house on the Northern Beaches where we both grew up. Let the DIY begin.' Jimmy and Holly fell in love on the 2021 season of The Bachelor Australia. The pair moved into their apartment together in September that year, shortly after The Bachelor finale aired. Joanna Gaines shared a rare photo of her youngest child on Thursday evening. The 46-year-old interior designer took to Instagram with a snapshot of her six-year-old son Crew cuddled up in a cozy blanket and sleeping soundly. Her youngest child appeared to be lying in front of a fireplace as he had a warm glow lighting up his face. Alongside the adorable snapshot, she wrote in her caption: 'My little dreamer.' The Fixer Upper star who gave her followers a sneak peek into her Texas 'castle' during the holiday season late last year and her longtime husband Chip Gaines are parents to five children. The couple who have been married since May 2003 are also parents to Drake, 19, Ella, 18, Duke, 16, and Emmie, 15, in addition to Crew. Joanna Gaines shared a rare photo of her youngest child on Thursday evening. The 46-year-old interior designer took to Instagram with a snapshot of her six-year-old son Crew cuddled up in a cozy blanket and sleeping soundly Recently, Joanna opened up about their longtime marriage and said they started doing a new hobby together. 'We joke that we've known each other for 25 years and we've never once worked out together,' she told People in an article published on Wednesday. She recalled how they decided to exercise together 'for the kids.' 'Last year I said, "Chip, let's start working out because I want to be young for the kids,"' she explained. 'I feel like every choice I make now will affect me at 70, and I don't want to wait until I'm 70 to be like, "Oops, I need to fix some stuff."' She also said that having a six-year-old son motivates her to stay fit. 'I told Chip, we need to do something to make us strong,' she added. 'And so we just got into this, and it's a totally different thing for us. We've never worked out together before and now we do.' Her youngest child appeared to be lying in front of a fireplace as he had a warm glow lighting up his face. Alongside the adorable snapshot, she wrote in her caption: 'My little dreamer' The Fixer Upper star and her longtime husband Chip Gaines are parents to five children; pictured July 2021 in New York City At their 'tiny home gym' at Magnolia Farm in Waco, Texas, she said they meet up with a virtual trainer to work out together. 'It's just us pushing each other and holding each other accountable,' she said. 'It's been this whole other thing, and it feels good to do it. So it's been fun we've done so much together in the past that it's like this whole new stage in our marriage.' In the same conversation, she also spoke about how her youngest son Crew is the inspiration behind her latest children's book, The World Needs the Wonder You See. 'What I love about the book is realizing how much wisdom there is to be gleaned from little children,' she said. She said she was inspired to put together the book because of his constant wonder at the world around him, especially on the grounds of Magnolia Farm. 'There are so many things we think we're teaching our kids but really if we stop to listen, they're actually teaching us so much,' she said. The couple are also parents to Drake, 19, Ella, 18, Duke, 16, and Emmie, 15, in addition to Crew Recently, Joanna opened up about their longtime marriage and said they started doing a new hobby together. She recalled how they decided to exercise together 'for the kids' The longtime couple and proud parents have been married since May 2003; pictured May 2022 in New York City 'And I think that's this idea with these children's books. 'It's, like, what are the kids teaching me right now in this season of life for me? What is Crew teaching me? And then how can I articulate that and bring that to life in a book?' She added: 'I just love watching him and how he moves throughout his day. 'He's always looking out the window, the first to notice something. He has the childlike faith like, "If I just look, I'll find something." 'A lot of us have that when we're younger, but then I feel like we stop expecting wonder, because we're so busy. And he's just inspired me to live like he does.' One of Leonardo DiCaprio and Martin Scorsese's longest-gestating projects just got a major new boost. Their film adaptation of Erik Larson's 2004 nonfiction book The Devil In The White City now has the back of 20th Century Studios, sources told Deadline on Wednesday. According to the publication, DiCaprio is again in talks to star in the nonfiction serial killer thriller, while Scorsese is negotiating to direct the project. The movie follows their last collaboration, the acclaimed Western crime epic Killers Of The Flower Moon. Although the news is promising for fans of DiCaprio and Scorsese's many collaborations, they shouldn't get their hopes up too much, as the project has been in various stages of discussions since the Wolf Of Wall Street star bought the rights to the nonfiction history back in 2010. The film had previously been planned as a feature film at Paramount, with DiCaprio starring and Scorsese directing, but that version of the project fell through. Leonardo DiCaprio and Martin Scorsese's long-gestation project Devil In The White City got a boost on Wednesday when Deadline reported that 20th Century Studios is moving forward with a film intended for theatrical exhibition; seen in 2023 in Las Vegas The movie, which would star DiCaprio and be directed by Scorsese, is adapted from Erik Larson's bestselling nonfiction crime tale The Devil In The White City, about the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago and the serial killer H. H. Holmes It was reconstituted as a limited series for Hulu in 2022, with Keanu Reeves set to star and Tar director Todd Field to helm the project, but that fell through just two months after it was announced when both exited the project. Now, DiCaprio may get a chance to bring the chilling history to life with his good friend and regular collaborator Scorsese, with whom he has been working since 2002's Gangs Of New York. According to Deadline, the two would produce their upcoming film, along with Stacey Sher, Rick Yorn and Jennifer Davisson, who is DiCaprios partner at his production company Appian Way. Sources said that a recent meeting with executives at 20th Century formerly 20th Century Fox before Disney bought it went well enough that they wanted to move forward with a theatrical adaptation of Larson's book. Despite having been tossed around for more than a decade, there isn't currently a screenplay for Devil In The White City. Larson's book, which is subtitled Murder, Magic And Madness At The Fair That Changed America, tells a dual story set around the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition. The book, which is structured more like a novel than a traditional history, juxtaposes the feats of the World's Fair architect Daniel Burnham with the grisly crimes of the early American serial killer H. H. Holmes. Holmes, who ran a hotel in Chicago at the time, was only ever tried and convicted of murdering one person, but he was believed to have killed several other people, and he confessed to having murdered 27, though several of his alleged victims later turned out to still be alive. DiCaprio bought the rights back in 2010, and he and Scorsese were attached for Paramount before the project fell apart. Keanu Reeves later signed on to a Hulu limited series version directed by Todd Field, but that also fell apart in 2022; seen in 2019 in Santa Barbara, Calif. DiCaprio most recently worked with Scorsese on the Oscar-nominated crime epic Killers Of The Flower Moon (pictured). Their collaborations have earned $1.3 billion over the years The sensationalist newspapers of the era dubbed the hotel he ran a 'murder castle,' and it was claimed that it had secret rooms for torturing guests, as well as trapdoors and a gas chamber. However, most of these claims were later shown to be serious exaggerations or complete fabrications. This would be the seventh project for DiCaprio and Scorsese if it comes to fruition. They first worked together on 2002's Gangs Of New York, and quickly followed that up with the Howard Hughes biopic The Aviator and the Oscar-winning The Departed, which earned Scorsese his first and so far only Academy Award for best director. They reunited in 2010 for the thriller Shutter Island, before making their most commercially successful film to date in 2013 with The Wolf Of Wall Street. DiCaprio worked with Scorsese's other great acting inspiration, Robert DeNiro, on the short film The Audition in 2015, but their last major theatrical release was 2023's Killers Of The Flower Moon, which was released by Paramount and Apple TV+. All of their films have been hits with critics, with several already attraction modern masterpiece status, and they have proved to have one of the most profitable creative partnerships in film after earning $1.3 billion together. Julia Haart looked in good spirits as she celebrated landing a massive divorce win in a bitter court battle with her ex-husband Silvio Scaglia. The My Unorthodox Life star, 53, and her daughter Batsheva, 31, were seen dancing in celebration over the case in a video Batsheva posted to Instagram. A New York judge awarded her control of the business she ran with Scaglia, 66, during the marriage, the $65 million Tribeca apartment they lived in, and nearly $10 million in cash, according to Page Six. Julia could be seen in a black shirt and matching trousers as she danced around her kitchen table before sharing a hug with her daughter. Batsheva had a glass of wine in her hand as she drank to her mother's success. The internet personality captioned the video: 'Celebrating my mom's win in her divorce case!' Julia Haart looked in good spirits as she celebrated landing a massive divorce win in a bitter court battle with her ex-husband Silvio Scaglia During their marriage, Julia worked as the creative director of luxury lingerie brand La Perla and co-owner of Elite World Group (EWG), which represents the largest number of modeling agencies in the world During their marriage, Julia worked as the creative director of luxury lingerie brand La Perla and co-owner of Elite World Group (EWG), which represents the largest number of modeling agencies in the world. However, when Julia told Scaglia she was divorcing him in 2022, he fired her from EWG. Julia said Scaglia had given her half of Freedom Holding - which owns EWG and their luxury apartment - in return for running the firm. Scaglia claimed Julia only owned a fraction of the company and accused her of misappropriating millions of dollars from EWG, for which he failed to offer proof in court. Judge Jeffrey Pearlman granted Julia a default judgment in the divorce last week after Scaglia stopped engaging in the proceedings. Julia eceived a 50 per cent interest in Freedom Holding and power of attorney over Scaglia's 50 per cent. The judge ruled she now owns the 16-room Tribeca triplex penthouse they lived in during their marriage. She was also given $7,400,000 in unpaid management fees for 2019 through 2021 and half the proceeds of a Kees Van Dongen painting owned by Freedom Holding that Scaglia sold for $2,972,632. 'Words cannot fully express the immense joy and gratitude I feel in my heart,' Haart told Page Six. The My Unorthodox Life star, 53, and her daughter Batsheva, 31, were seen dancing in celebration over the case in a video Batsheva posted to Instagram Julia could be seen in a black shirt and matching trousers as she danced around her kitchen table before sharing a hug with her daughter 'Throughout this journey, I held steadfast to my belief in truth and justice, deeply trusting that if I stayed the course, the truth would ultimately prevail and the wrongs done to me would be made right. 'I am profoundly grateful to God for granting me the strength to persevere and to Judge Pearlman for holding Silvio accountable and ensuring that justice was served.' In June, Scaglia was found in contempt after he failed to appear at an appointed court date. A judge ruled that Scaglia owed Julia $300,000 in legal fees which he ordered should be paid by January 2024. However, Scaglia appeared to have no intention of honoring the order and fled to Milan. In 2023, Scaglia tried to evict Julia from the $70 million Tribeca penthouse and force the sale of the home to support his floundering company. When Haart told Scaglia she was divorcing him in 2022, he fired her from Elite World Group A judge awarded Julia control of the business she ran with Silvio Scaglia, 66, during their marriage, the $65 million Tribeca apartment they lived in and nearly $10 million in cash Haart is the star of the Netflix series My Unorthodox Life, which documents her life after leaving an incredibly strict Orthodox Jewish community. She has since established herself as a key figure in the fashion industry and is the owner of the shapewear brand +Body. 'I have a very personal and emotional feeling about this because my entire life my body hasn't been my own,' Hart in September 2023 told DailyMail.com. She added, 'I was just another human that was supposed to have babies and take care of people and be this quiet, obedient and silent wife... that was my job.' She grew up in New York City where she began her career as a stage actress, performing in a slew of shows through the Theater Company of Boston. The actress, now 80, started acting on Broadway in the early 1970s before making her break onto the big screen. She landed her first breakout role in the TV movie The Girl Most Likely To... in 1973 alongside Joan Rivers, before starring in The Fortune with Jack Nicholson and Warren Beatty. Her success has seen her receive three Golden Globe nominations, a whopping 13 Emmy nods, winning three, as well as clinching a Tony Award from the seven she was up for. The glamorous actress's relocation to London in 2019 saw her return to the stage as she embarked on a slew of UK theatre roles - and she is soon back on the West End in director Daniel Fish's new production of Elektra alongside Marvel's Brie Larson. But can YOU guess who it is? This glamorous actress's success has seen her receive three Golden Globe nominations, a whopping 13 Emmy nods, winning three, as well as winning a Tony Award from the seven she was up for - but can YOU guess who it is? It is none other than Grease superstar Stockard Channing, who played the iconic role of Betty Rizzo in the 1978 high-school flick. The actress is also well known for her role as First Lady Abbey Bartlet in the NBC television series The West Wing, alongside Martin Sheen. Stockard shared her disbelief at the eternal cultural hit Grease became over the years, describing its impact as 'bizarre' to The Times. But it was a complicated experience for the actor, she says, adding: 'I gave [Grease] my all, and Im proud of the performance and proud of the character - but at the time, it was not taken at all seriously. 'The money that it was making was resented, I was resented. It's a kid's movie it was really p****d on.' Much to the disappointment of her affluent family, particularly her mother, Stockard never ahd children and was married and divorced four times between 1967 and 1988. She met her long term partner, cinematographer Daniel Gillam, in 1990. The pair were together until his death in 2014. And ahead of turning 81, Stockard revealed her relationship with Daniel was her last, as she is not on the look out for love. It is none other than Grease superstar Stockard Channing, who played the iconic role of Betty Rizzo in the 1978 high-school flick The actress is also well known for her role as First Lady Abbey Bartlet in the NBC television series The West Wing, alongside Martin Sheen Stockard shared her disbelief at the eternal cultural hit Grease became over the years, describing its impact as 'bizarre' to The Times (Pictured in 2023) 'I think that would be such a pain in the ass,' she said. Stockard is gearing up for her latest role as Clytemnestra in an adaptation of Sophocles' Greek tragedy Elektra at the Duke Of York's Theatre. Marvel star Brie Larson is making her West End debut in the lead of Elektra. Elektra enjoyed a week of performances at the Theatre Royal Brighton from January 13 to January 18 and will move to the Duke Of York's on Friday - where it will run until April 12. Stockard's rise to fame after her role in Grease only continued as she starred in her own CBS sitcom called The Stockard Channing Show, Without a Trace in 1983. Throughout the 1980s she featured in drama The Men's Club, the war film A Time of Destiny, and CBS miniseries Echoes in the Darkness (which earned her an Emmy nomination). She then returned to her roots - appearing in Broadway plays They're Playing Our Song, A Day in the Death of Joe Egg, The House of Blue Leaves, and Six Degrees of Separation. In 1993, Stockard starred in the movie adaptation of Six Degrees of Separation, which garnered her both an Oscar and Golden Globes nomination. She met her long term partner, cinematographer Daniel Gillam, in 1990. The pair were together until his death in 2014 Her other acting credits include the romantic drama Up Close & Personal, Practical Magic, Smoke, USA's An Unexpected Family, The West Wing, CBS sitcom Out of Practice, the docudrama The Matthew Shepard Story, The Business of Strangers, and The Good Wife. She has been married and divorced four times over her decades-long career. She wed her first husband, a wood sculpture named Walter Channing Jr., in 1963, and they split in 1967. She then tied the knot with a professor named Paul Schmidt in 1970, but they divorced after six years together. Her third marriage was to writer and producer David Deblin, whom she was with from 1976 to 1980. She wed businessman David Rawle later that year after their split. They went their separate ways eight years later, in 1988. She then entered into a relationship with cinematographer Daniel in 1990 until he passed away. His dapper character Alfie wooed Lily Collins' Emily Cooper at a French language school in Emily In Paris. And now Lucien Laviscount has taken up French lessons in real life ahead of the series' anticipated fifth season. The British actor, 32, aspires to be a francophone so he can incorporate it into his acting for the next series. He told MailOnline: 'I am learning French, I have been taking lessons. Paris is the best. 'My French is getting better, but I'm not gonna give you anything until I'm really, really confident about it.' Lily announced that the series had been renewed on Good Morning America in September last year. Lucien Laviscount, 32, has taken up French lessons in real life ahead of the series anticipated fifth season (pictured in 2024) His dapper character Alfie wooed Lily Collins' Emily Cooper at a French language school in Emily In Paris (pictured in the Netflix hit) Fans of her romantic comedy series expressed their excitement and surprise that she would be returning to her role as aspiring marketing executive Emily. Some wrote: 'What visa is she on?', 'For my mental health there should be a new season of Emily in Paris monthly', 'I want to watch a new season of Emily in Paris every year until I die', 'Oh yay my forever guilty pleasure'. Despite mixed reviews from viewers about season four, which was split into two parts, it ranked number one on the Netflix Global Top 10 when it premiered in August. According to Netflix's site, Tudum, the series garnered '19.9M views in its first four days' and reached the top ten in 93 countries. 'We're thrilled with the incredible response to this season of Emily in Paris and excited to return for a fifth to continue Emily's adventures in Rome and Paris!' creator Darren Star told the site. In the last series, Emily still had strong feelings for Lucas Bravo's Gabriel and Alfie. But Gabriel was expecting a baby with his ex Camille, and Alfie's worst fears about Emily and Gabriel had been confirmed. The actor aspires to be a francophone so he can incorporate it into his acting for the next series He told MailOnline: 'I am learning French, I have been taking lessons. Paris is the best. My French is getting better, but I'm not gonna give you anything until I'm really, really confident about it' 'Emily and Gabriel's chemistry is undeniable as they work together towards a Michelin star, but two big secrets threaten to undo everything they've dreamed of,' a synopsis read. 'As old patterns clash with new complications, Emily feels drawn to a potential new love interest and a new city.' In part two, Emily's flight back to Chicago is cancelled. And even though there's no place like home for the holidays, she is stuck spending Christmas Eve with Gabriel and Camille's family in Megeve. Emily's new love interest Marcello, played by Eugenio Franceschini, makes his arrival soon after, and, following their first date in Paris, she goes to visit him in Rome. The finale concludes with a great new opportunity for Emily: leading a Rome based office which Sylvie encourages Emily to take, not only to stay in beautiful Italy but to be closer to her new man. DJ Spoony has given fans an update on his health after he revealed he was hospitalised over Christmas to have emergency brain surgery. The radio presenter, 54, took to his Instagram at the end of the year to explain that doctors discovered he had a subdural haematoma (a bleed on the brain) after he complained about a month-long headache. Sharing a selection of photos of him during his hospitalisation, he voiced his gratitude to be surrounded by his loved ones at Christmas after his ordeal, admitting it had been 'humbling'. Several weeks later, DJ Spoony gave fans an update, saying he was 'healing amazingly' and confessing he had been 'overwhelmed' by all the support he'd received. Speaking to his fellow Radio 2 star, Mark Goodier, on his breakfast show on Thursday, he reassured that he was feeling 'really good', despite not being at 100 per cent quite yet. Mark asked: 'The question I have to ask you is how are you feeling because people will have seen your social over Christmas. You are 100% better now?' DJ Spoony has given fans an update on his health after he revealed he was hospitalised over Christmas to have emergency brain surgery The radio presenter, 54, took to his Instagram at the end of the year to explain that doctors discovered he had a subdural haematoma (a bleed on the brain) after he complained about a month-long headache Sharing a selection of photos of him during his hospitalisation, he voiced his gratitude to be surrounded by his loved ones at Christmas after his ordeal, admitting it had been 'humbling' DJ Spoony said: 'Yeah thank you. Im back to You know my fitness isnt where it was, but my health is fine, the scars are healing amazingly. 'I cant believe how well the scars are healing. Im sure Ive had paper cuts that have taken longer to heal than the operation scars.' He went on: 'Im really good. Thank you for asking. Thank you to everybody thats messaged, its been a bit overwhelming if Im honest.' Mark added: 'The human body has an amazing way of repairing itself especially after serious things, so glad you are ready, glad youre nearly back to full strength.' DJ Spoony was flooded with support from his friends and loved ones after announcing his surgery, including from Davina McCall who recently had an operation of her own to remove a brain tumour. Revealing the news on his social media, he wrote: 'That was one of the best Christmas' I've ever had. I'm very grateful for all it showed me. For all I have. For all the love, hugs and...love. 'So.... I had a headache for the 3/4 weeks and went to A&E to get it checked on Saturday 21st. (I rarely get them) 'They did a few tests and said they wanted to give me a CT scan. The scan showed I had a small bleed on the brain (that had stopped bleeding) that was causing a bit of pressure on the brain hence the headaches. Several weeks later, DJ Spoony gave fans an update, saying he was 'healing amazingly', though not 100 per cent and confessed he had been 'overwhelmed' by all the support he'd received DJ Spoony was flooded with support from his friends and loved ones after announcing his surgery, including from Davina McCall who recently had an operation of her own to remove a brain tumour Revealing the news on his social media, he wrote: 'That was one of the best Christmas' I've ever had. I'm very grateful for all it showed me. For all I have. For all the love, hugs and...love' Davina was quick to comment on DJ Spoony's post, as she knows all too well about brain surgery, after having an operation in November to remove a rare benign tumour on her brain, that affects three in a million people 'They said that they were referring me to Adenbrooks as they needed to operate asap. Crazy as I'd been working and training solidly all through the time of the headaches. 'I was in hospital for 4 nights and was eventually operated on 24.12 at 2am. By their very high standards it was a routine operation to sort my subdural hematoma.' WHAT IS A SUBDURAL HAEMATOMA? HOW A BLEED ON THE BRAIN CAN BE FATAL A subdural haematoma is a collection of clotting blood that puts pressure on the brain. It usually occurs as a result of a head injury and is a serious condition which usually requires emergency treatment. There are three types of a subdural haematoma: acute, subacute, and chronic - with "acute" being the most dangerous, typically caused by a severe head injury and presenting with immediate symptoms, while "chronic" develops slowly over time and may have less noticeable symptoms initially. A CT scan can show a subdural haematoma and an operation to remove it may be needed, typically either by craniotomy or burr holes. Many people with a small subdural haematoma can make a quick and full recovery. However, in some cases it can lead to the damaging of brain tissues and in the worst cases a large haematoma on the brain can result in death. Advertisement He continued: 'What was crazy was the headache had instantly gone. 4 weeks of this throb and finally peace up top. 'I woke up on Christmas morning in hospital. I was so grateful. Had something special to look forward to. Going home to my family and friends. All who had been incredible for the last few days. The visits, support, calls, messages. Very humbling. 'There was however some sadness waking up near to some people that didn't know where they were, that would've spent a large part, if not all, of the day without loved ones. I think about them all every day and hope they are making progress in their recovery. [sic]' Concluding by thanking the medical team, he wrote: 'Thank you to Bedford Hospital for the scan and Addenbrokes for completing the task. You really are the best in the business. All the nurses, doctors, health assistants that looked after me. Thank you to the NHS. Thank you Richard Hughes, Michael Edwards, Arne Slot and Mo Salah.' A subdural haematoma is a serious condition where blood collects between the skull and the surface of the brain and usually need to be treated with surgery as soon as possible. They are usually caused by a head injury, which are often severe - such as those from a car crash, fall or violent assault - but minor bumps to the head can also lead to a subdural haematoma in a few cases. Davina was quick to comment on DJ Spoony's post, sharing her support by writing: 'Yayyyyyy!!! Fantastic result !!!!' The TV presenter, 57, knows all too well about brain surgery, as she had an operation in November to remove a rare benign tumour on her brain, that affects three in a million people. Zoe Ball was also quick to comment on DJ Spoony's post, writing: 'Oh darling. thank goodness you got checked out and fabulous team looked after you. hope you can rest a bit and heal well. mega love to you ' Kate Lawler penned: 'So glad youre okay. I do love a surprise for loved ones. So beautiful xx ' and Paddy McGuinness added: 'Back at it pal.' DJ Spoony is preparing to to launch his new Monday to Thursday show, The Good Groove with DJ Spoony, next Monday - the same day Scott Mills and Trevor Nelson are presenting their new Radio 2 shows (pictured together) Speaking to Mark about how it felt for the trio to all be starting their shows on the same day, the DJ, real name John St John Joseph BEM, gushed it was 'beautiful' (pictured in September) DJ Spoony is preparing to to launch his new Monday to Thursday show, The Good Groove with DJ Spoony, next Monday - the same day Scott Mills and Trevor Nelson are presenting their new Radio 2 shows. Speaking to Mark about how it felt for the trio to all be starting their shows on the same day, the DJ, real name John St John Joseph BEM, gushed it was 'beautiful'. He continued: 'Its nice to share that experience and not start the first day at school as the only new boy, so for that reason we could all get lost around the corridors together and sit together at lunch! 'Its really nice, Scott obviously is the outstanding candidate for Breakfast, Im absolutely delighted for him, he lives for that. 'Really looking forward to Trevor to get on afternoons and know what daylight looks like when he goes into the studio because for 6 years in after dark.' DJ Spoony's slot is from 10pm to midnight, but he insisted he was ready for the late nights, saying: 'And me going four nights a week and becoming the night walker I can handle it!... Being up after dark is no hardship!' He recalled how he developed his love for radio, after being in the industry for three decades. He explained: 'My first ever show on pirate radio, that was a real moment. I grew up at a time listening to, when I say the greats, the real greats, someone like Steve Wright who became my colleague, people like Kenny Everett and Chris Tarrant. DJ Spoony shot to fame as a garage DJ in the 90s, progressing from pirate radio to become one the first garage DJs to play the music genre on Radio 1 (pictured in 2013) 'I used to sit looking at the radio feeling I was watching TV. So when that time came for me to start broadcasting myself, I felt like Id been doing it a long time, even though it was my first ever link. 'But moving on from that, we joined Radio 1 as the Dream Team, shouts to Timmy and Mikey, in the year 2000, then its been a series of in and outs, but absolutely loving it. But I cant believe Im getting into my third decade thats crazy.' DJ Spoony shot to fame as a garage DJ in the Nineties, progressing from pirate radio to become one the first garage DJs to play the music genre on Radio 1. He went on to front a Five Live phone-in show and hosted the Radio 1 Sunday Breakfast Show. He also took part in the 2006 series of Strictly Come Dancing with professional Ola Jordan, but they were eliminated in the third week, despite receiving positive comments from the judging panel. In 2022, DJ Spoony was recognised with a British Empire Medal for his services to charity through music during the Covid pandemic. Across ten weeks in the 2020 lockdown, he hosted DJ livestreams from his home every Friday, Saturday and Sunday, playing R&B, club classics, soul and UK garage. The streams, which were broadcast live via Twitch and Instagram, raised more than 20,000 for the NHS and various charities and saw more than one million listeners tune in. The DJ also took part in the 2006 series of Strictly Come Dancing, partnering Ola Jordan. The pair were eliminated from the show in its third week, despite receiving positive critiques In 2022, DJ Spoony was recognised with a British Empire Medal for his services to charity through music during the Covid pandemic (pictured at the 2024 MOBO Awards) Speaking about receiving an MBE, DJ Spoony confessed: 'I didn't think for the life of me that those streams would have the impact that they did. No way could I have imagined it. 'And I know that's quite romantic, but I see this award as much as for our community as for me. And that's largely why I'm accepting it, because I'm a little bit conflicted with the whole thing. 'But I'm going to take this on behalf of everybody that stuck together and made those afternoons and evenings streaming so pleasant.' He dedicated his MBE to his late mother, declaring: 'I learned to dance standing on her feet and she gave me rhythm.' Producers on The Jerry Springer Show hit out at Oprah Winfrey this month as they recalled her long-running feud with the late talk show host. Jerry's controversial tabloid talk show, which aired from 1991 to 2018, made history as the first programme to topple The Oprah Winfrey Show in the ratings, yet Oprah, 70, made no secret of her disdain for the programme - branding it 'appalling'. When The Jerry Springer Show first began to gain traction in the late Nineties for its outrageous content Oprah was asked her thoughts on the eponymous host - who died in 2023 after battling pancreatic cancer. Kicking off her feud with Jerry, Oprah said at the time: 'Jerry Springer is in a class all by himself, if you want to call that a class. I think he just is - he's out, he's gone, that whole show, I think it's appalling. I can't believe what I'm seeing. 'I watched the other day and this guy pulled his pants down and there he is, he opens himself - I can't believe what I'm seeing when I watch that show!' When challenged that it was herself who 'led the way with confessional TV and people baring their soul', Oprah hit back: 'Confessing and baring your soul is one thing, baring your penis is another.' Producers on The Jerry Springer Show have hit out at Oprah Winfrey as they recalled her long-running feud with the late talk show host (hosts pictured in the Nineties) Oprah also lashed out at the show in a 1999 interview with The Times, when she claimed the programme would pave the way to shows airing sex scenes on daytime television. She predicted: 'We will see sexual intercourse on television. And I would not be surprised if one person actually kills another. 'I am all talked out. My contract has two years left, then I am getting out of such shows, because I feel they are going to burn themselves out. 'I am in disbelief about things that are happening on television talk shows. How low can it get? Can public taste keep on sinking? Yes, it can. I have to get out.' 'Up until a few months ago, I felt that Jerry Springer was giving us some serious competition but I don't think it is sustainable because his show is such a vulgarity circus. 'Unless you are going to kill people on the air, and not just hit them on the head with chairs, and unless you are going to have sexual intercourse and not just, as I saw the other day, a guy pulling down his pants and pulling out his penis then there comes a point when you have oversaturated yourself.' While the show continued to be a ratings success for many years, Oprah was correct in predicting there would be a fatality. Tragically, Nancy Campbell-Panitz was murdered by her ex-husband Ralf Panitz in July 2000, just two months after they were on the controversial chat show as part of a love triangle storyline. Jerry's show aired from 1991 to 2018 and was known for its outrageous content with Netflix's Jerry Springer: Fights, Camera, Action unpacking the drama behind the scenes While Oprah made it clear she was not a fan of Jerry's programme, he insisted her had nothing but respect for her. Responding to her jibes, Jerry told The Post: 'It's fine, I really like Oprah. She's great. 'I know she doesn't like my show, but that's OK. My mum wouldn't have liked this show, either and I loved her.' Jerry also praised Oprah's tenancy when she stepped down from her long-running talk show in 2011. Speaking to ET Online, he said: 'It is the end of an era. She is the best that has ever been - Oprah and Phil Donahue. Donahue created [the genre] and she perfected it. 'There will never be another talk show like hers, or have the same impact - at least not in the foreseeable future.' Jerry - who was Mayor of Cincinnati in 1977 - added: 'If she needs a job, I think I can find her one! They have good government programs to help her!' Former staff members on Jerry's show spoke out about the feud in the Netflix documentary as they referenced the numerous jibes Oprah made. Toby Yoshimura said: 'The way that Oprah behaved compared to the way Jerry behaved? Jerry was class act. He gave her the right of way and she punched back. It was so inappropriate' Executive producer Richard Dominick said: 'Oprah p***ed me off, especially because Jerry was so nice. Jerry was the nicest man in the in the world' Reflecting on beating Oprah's ratings, producer Annette Grundy shared: 'It was like a vindication, like you used to always look down at us and talk about us and make fun of us' Producer Toby Yoshimura said: 'Oprah would say "why would Jerry put those guests on?" Jerry didn't put those guests on, I put those guests on. You're yelling at the wrong guy. 'The way that Oprah behaved compared to the way Jerry behaved? Jerry was class act. He gave her the right of way and she punched back. It was so inappropriate.' Executive producer Richard Dominick added: 'Oprah p***ed me off, especially because Jerry was so nice. Jerry was the nicest man in the in the world. 'He was a great man and a gentleman and I felt like she needed to be taught a lesson - that's when we went after her and that's when I could taste the blood.' The producers explained that it became their mission to overtake Oprah in the ratings, pushing the boat out to book even more explosive and controversial guests. Toby shared: 'That battle with Oprah was kind of this pressure cooker of like - now the knob has to go to 11. 'But we weren't a huge production machine we were this little band of crazy people that were just trying to survive the week. 'Sometimes you'd be trying to book a story all the way up to the day before your show and have nothing. 'That's when it's better to just sleep in the office and keep calling and if you were lucky something would happen.' Their hard work paid off, however, and in 1998 they finally scored more viewers than the chat show juggernaut. Jerry Springer: Fights, Camera, Action explores the show's origins and meteoric rise - as well as the dark side of the ratings behemoth - and what really went on behind the scenes Reflecting on the moment they beat her, producer Annette Grundy shared: 'Nobody ever beat Oprah! 'It was like a vindication, like you used to always look down at us and talk about us and make fun of us and we're trashy but now look what happened. The trash wins the day!' Jerry Springer: Fights, Camera, Action explores the show's origins and meteoric rise - as well as the dark side of the ratings behemoth - and what really went on behind the scenes. Firsthand testimony and revelations from show insiders, including producers and ex-guests, reveals the 'destruction' the show caused. Jerry Springer: Fights, Camera, Action is available to watch on Netflix. A TV presenter has revealed that he was rushed to hospital after collapsing at his GP surgery. TalkTV star Peter Cardwell took to social media to share the news after first starting to feel unwell at Christmas. On Thursday he gave an update on his health after fans had been in touch expressing concern. He wrote on X: 'Thanks to everyone in touch about my health. Bit of drama yesterday at the GP where I collapsed and was brought to A&E in an ambulance; many tests, drips etc. 'Docs told me to rest for a week, so I'm hopefully back on air on Weds 29th. NHS and @TalkTV colleagues have been great.' Earlier this month, Peter revealed he would be taking some time off air after contracting 'flu-like symptoms'. A TV presenter Peter Cardwell has revealed that he was rushed to hospital after collapsing at his GP surgery The TalkTV presenter took to social media to share the news after first starting to feel unwell at Christmas He wrote on X: 'Thanks to everyone in touch about my health. Bit of drama yesterday at the GP where I collapsed and was brought to A&E in an ambulance; many tests, drips etc' He now presents on the Talk network on Fridays 4pm to 7pm and Saturday and Sunday 10am to 1pm He penned: 'I haven't felt properly well physically since Christmas Day and been battling through in a very Silly Man/'l'm Not Ill' sort of way. 'Today a wall of flu-like symptoms have downed me. I'm not broadcasting again until at least Tuesday, to rest and recover. (Mental health all good).' Following a short stint in hospital, Peter was discharged following a number of tests and is now recovering at home. He shared a picture of himself back at home with his cat. He penned: 'Thanks for all the good wishes. On the sofa with my best buddy Jack and on the mend, I think. 'Plan to be back on @TalkTV in a week.' Peter is an ex government special adviser who has since become a broadcast journalist and political commentator. He now presents on the Talk network on Fridays 4pm to 7pm and Saturday and Sunday 10am to 1pm. Peter was appointed by two successive Prime Ministers as special adviser to two Northern Ireland Secretaries, a Home Secretary, a Housing Secretary and then to the Lord Chancellor and Justice Secretary. Peter is an ex government special adviser who has since become a broadcast journalist and political commentator Earlier this month, Peter revealed he would be taking some time off air after contracting 'flu-like symptoms' He received a flood of well wishes from his followers after sharing the news of his shock collapse. They penned: 'Hope you didn't have to wait too long in A and E. Get well soon.', Another said: 'Crikey - get well soon, Peter! I know you said you'd stopped drinking recently, do the doctors think that's the probable cause?' To which Peter responded: 'Haha - that was six years ago, so I don't think the two are connected!' Paul Anderson looked worlds away from his Peaky Blinders character on Wednesday as he posed in modern and edgy look. The actor, 46, swapped his regular vintage gangster get-up he wears as Arthur Shelby Jr in the series for an outfit from Kanye West's brand Yeezy. Paul took to his Instagram to share snaps posing in a long brown coat and trainers, as well as another shot of him donning a stylish black jacket with chain detailing. The star looked almost unrecognisable in the slew of mirror selfies, with his face hidden behind oversized sunglasses and a big bushy beard. Captioning the photos, he drew attention to the trendy clothing brand as he wrote: 'YEEZY DRESS CODE.' Paul is set to reprise his role as Arthur in the forthcoming Peaky Blinders film, titled The Immortal Man, which wrapped up production just last month. Paul Anderson looked worlds away from his Peaky Blinders character on Wednesday, as he posed in modern and edgy look The actor, 46, swapped his regular vintage gangster get-up he wears as Arthur Shelby Jr in the series, for an outfit from Kanye West 's brand Yeezy (pictured on show in 2019) The star looked almost unrecognisable in the slew of mirror selfies, with his face hidden behind oversized sunglasses and a big bushy beard Captioning the photos, he drew attention to the trendy clothing brand as he wrote: 'YEEZY DRESS CODE' It was confirmed in June that the original writing and directing team would be returning alongside lead star Cillian Murphy for a Netflix film adaptation of the hit series. But Paul raised fears about his future with the series last year after he pleaded guilty to possession of crack cocaine in January. He was fined 1,345 for possessing class A crack cocaine, as well as class B amphetamines and two class C prescription substances. While his friends expressed worries that Paul appeared to be on a 'downward spiral' after he was spotted looking thin and frail in February, Fans were left worried when the actor took to social media in June and admitted he was 'struggling' following concerns his dishevelled appearance. While allegations of bad behaviour on set led to speculation that his much-anticipated return to playing Arthur Shelby was under threat. Peaky Blinders is loosely based on the real gang of the same name who operated in Birmingham from the 1880s to the 1920s and took part in similar illegal activities. The hugely popular BBC crime drama debuted in 2013 and ended its six series run in 2022, after garnering huge audiences both in Britain and overseas and attracting roles for silver-screen stars such as Tom Hardy and Anya Taylor-Joy. Paul is set to reprise his role as Arthur in the forthcoming Peaky Blinders film, titled The Immortal Man, which wrapped up production just last month (pictured in show) It was confirmed in June that the original writing and directing team would be returning alongside lead star Cillian Murphy for a Netflix film adaptation of the hit series (pictured on the show) But Paul raised fears about his future with the series last year, after he pleaded guilty to possession of crack cocaine in January The upcoming film sees Oscar winner Cillian return as criminal kingpin Tommy Shelby, while new stars joining the cast include Rebecca Ferguson, Tim Roth and Barry Keoghan. The original writing and directing team also returned for the epic continuation of the multi-award-winning gangster saga, including creator Steven Knight. And last month, he teased that The Immortal Man will not be the end for the iconic drama and hinted another series could be coming. Speaking to Times Radio, Steven was asked if there were any more plans in place for the Peaky Blinders beyond the movie. To which he hinted: 'Well, it's interesting you should ask that question because the film is coming out, and that won't be the end.' Prying further, the interviewer asked: 'Oh. So more TV series?', but Steven remained t coy as he said: 'It won't be the end, let me put it that way. I'm not saying none of it.' Netflix announced the news that a film adaptation was on its way in June last year, sharing a photo of the script on X. The upcoming film sees Oscar winner Cillian return as criminal kingpin Tommy Shelby, while new stars joining the cast include Rebecca Ferguson , Tim Roth and Barry Keoghan (pictured left) Last month creator Steven Knight teased that The Immortal Man will not be the end for the iconic drama and hinted another series could be coming (pictured December) While Cillian confirmed his return to Deadline, saying: 'It seems like Tommy Shelby wasn't finished with me 'It is very gratifying to be re-collaborating with Steven Knight and Tom Harper on the film version of Peaky Blinders. This is one for the fans.' Director Tom Harper shared: 'When I first directed Peaky Blinders over 10 years ago, we didn't know what the series would become, but we did know that there was something in the alchemy of the cast and the writing that felt explosive.' 'Peaky has always been a story about family - and so it's incredibly exciting to be reuniting with Steve and Cillian to bring the movie to audiences across the world on Netflix.' Scottish star Alan Cumming has revealed he's planning to move back to Britain after more than a quarter of a century living in America. The award-winning actor moved to New York in 1998 after starring in Cabaret on Broadway. He went on to have a glittering career in the States, where he was nominated for two Golden Globes and three Emmys for his starring role in the hit series The Good Wife. In 2008 he even became an American citizen. But the 59 year-old now says he eventually wants to die in his home country after realizing that Americans don't share his values. Alan, who currently hosts the US version of the award-winning reality TV series The Traitors, said: 'My husband Grant and I are planning to split our time more between here and New York, rather than before we had a holiday home here. 'I've definitely been planning to do that just as a thing in my life, but also my work. 'I'm now doing The Traitors, so once a year I'm here for a month and I made two films here last year. It's almost like the universe is pulling me back.' The award-winning actor moved to New York in 1998 after starring in Cabaret on Broadway Alan currently hosts the US version of the award-winning reality TV series The Traitors Alan told Kaye Adams on her How to be 60 podcast that he wanted to be among people who felt the same way about the world as he did. The actor, who famously starred as Russian Boris Grishenko in the James Bond film GoldenEye, explained: 'I feel like I am pulled back, because I really like how good it feels and how important it is to be around people who share my values. 'That gets really important as you get older. 'I feel I lived in New York for a long time and I love it, but more and more with the political situation in America, I realize people don't share my values. 'It's so great when you're here, that even someone far on the right wing still thinks it's important to have a safety net and to be kind and compassionate to people less fortunate than you. 'In America that's clearly not the case. You realize the American dream is really every man for himself and I just value more and more now being here. 'Grant was here and after a couple of months he said: 'Gosh I just love the fact that no one around me has a gun.' Last year Alan was announced as the new artistic director of Scotland's Pitlochry Festival Theatre. Although he currently owns homes in both New York and Inverness, he said he saw his future in Scotland. The actor famously starred as Russian Boris Grishenko in the James Bond film GoldenEye The actor met his husband, American illustrator Grant Shaffer in 2005. The couple tied the knot in New York in 2012 'The house in the Highlands I feel is where we are going to end up and die, or go and read books and cook,' he explained in tomorrow's episode of How to be 60. 'I want to keep doing exciting things and be more based here.' Alan, who grew up on Scotland's east coast, also revealed he still had therapy after suffering abuse at the hands of his father when he was a child. 'I've done a lot of therapy; I think of therapy as like going to the gym for your mind. I still go to therapy, I do it on zoom all over the world,' he said. 'I feel very happy in my life, I don't feel I have any ongoing big problems or issues, but I just think it's important to have someone I talk to.' The actor also discussed the breakdown he suffered during his eight-year marriage to actress Hilary Lyon when the couple were trying for a child. He explained to Kaye Adams: 'I had a nervous breakdown when I was 28 and that's when I really remembered a lot of stuff that happened in my childhood. 'That is what brought on what become a breakdown. Because I started to remember all these things and I worried that I was going to be the same kind of father as my father had been and everything fell apart.' The actor met his husband, American illustrator Grant Shaffer in 2005. The couple tied the knot in New York in 2012. DeGeneres is now taking up roots in the UK with her wife Portia de Rossi, 51, and they reportedly have no plans to return to the US Cumming is not the first celeb to pack up shop to race over to the UK. In November, Ellen DeGeneres announced she was making a quick exit from the United States - seemingly for good. The 66-year-old talk show host, comedian and actress moved to rural England, according to a report in The Wrap. DeGeneres is now taking up roots in the UK with her wife Portia de Rossi, 51, and they reportedly have no plans to return to the US. A person close to the former Ellen DeGeneres Show host claimed that she and de Rossi were primarily skipping town in response to the 2024 presidential election, which saw Donald Trump win a second non-consecutive term. In the same month, America Ferrera blamed Donald Trump for her desire to move to the UK from the US. It was reported that the Ugly Betty alum, 40, was planning to relocate across the pond with her husband, Ryan Piers Williams, and their son Sebastian, six, and daughter Lucia, four. 'America is sick that Donald Trump is President again,' an insider told DailyMail.com exclusively at the time. America Ferrera blamed Donald Trump for her desire to move to the UK from the US 'She is devastated that Kamala lost. She thought the country she lived in was better than that.' They said the move does not mean that she is leaving Hollywood for good, as she wants to keep a 'presence' in the US. 'She is going to continue to have a presence in the US for work purposes and to fight for Latinas and women, but she will be overseas for family and to benefit her kids' education,' they said. 'She wants them to have the best opportunities possible and to her, being overseas for that is what is important. 'She's not abandoning the US, she is prioritizing her life and focusing on the importance for her kids.' The actress isn't the only star to backtrack on plans to leave. Vocal Trump critic Whoopi Goldberg famously said before the 2016 election, 'Maybe it's time for me to move, you know. I can afford to go.' Goldberg later clarified that she had no intention of leaving the country, emphasizing her commitment to staying in the United States. In May 2024, Trump shared a meme suggesting Goldberg would move to Canada if he were elected again, adding, 'Canada doesn't want you Whoopi, NOBODY DOES!!!' In response, Goldberg addressed the meme on the show stating, 'Look, I'm not going anywhere... I know where I'm going to be because I got a contract, so I'm going to be here where I'm wanted for the next couple of years.' Cher she had more cosmic aspirations: In June 2015, she tweeted, 'If he were to be elected, I'm moving to Jupiter,' but did not appear to have relocated in the years following, in which Trump was elected to office and served. Cher in October 2023 told The Guardian that she suffered health issues as result of Trump's previous term, and said this time she was determined to relocate from the U.S. under Trump's leadership. 'I almost got an ulcer the last time,' said Cher. 'If he gets in, who knows? This time I will leave.' The full interview with Alan Cumming can be heard on Kaye Adams: How to be 60 podcast from Friday, available on all podcast providers Hollywood has delivered a brutal response to President Donald Trump's vow to transform the 'troubled' film industry by nominating a transgender star for an Oscar for the first time in history. Karla Sofia Gascon, who is trans, has been nominated for in the Best Actress category for her role in the Spanish-language film Emilia Perez, which racked up 13 nominations this year. Gascon, 52, was also nominated for a Golden Globe, Screen Actors' Guild award, and BAFTA for her work in the film and shared the best actress award at the Cannes Festival alongside her co-stars Zoe Saldana, Selena Gomez and Adriana Paz. Her nomination was announced just two days after Trump began his promised crack down on gender ideology with an executive order ruling the US will only recognize two sexes - male and female. The Academy appeared to doubled down on its disapproval of the returning President by featuring the Trump biopic The Apprentice in its nominations. Leading man Sebastian Stan earned a Best Actor nomination for his portrayal of young Trump during his formative years in New York City real estate. Co-star Jeremy Strong also wins a Best Supporting Actor nomination for his role as controversial New York City lawyer Roy Cohn, a Trump confidante and mentor before his death to AIDS in 1986. Trump has called those involved with the film 'human scum' and dismissed it as a 'disgusting hatchet job'. The Apprentice has been one of the bigger awards season question marks, especially after it failed to resonate with moviegoers in theaters. Karla Sofia Gascon, pictured in December 2024, has become the first ever transgender star to be nominated for an Oscar in Hollywood's latest pushback against Donald Trump's vow to crack down on gender ideology The Academy appeared to doubled down on its disapproval of the returning President by featuring the Trump biopic The Apprentice in its nominations. Leading man Sebastian Stan, pictured in The Apprentice, earned a Best Actor nomination for his portrayal of young Trump Trump, 78, on his first day in office, signed an executive order stating the US will recognize only two sexes, male and female, that are 'not changeable', and demanded officials use the term 'sex' rather than 'gender' The newly inaugurated president has vowed to transform the ailing film industry over the next four years and bring back its early to mid-twentieth century Golden Age. But he was sent a very 21st century response as this year's Oscar nominations were read out on Thursday morning, with films that directly address gender identity running riot across the forthcoming ceremony's 23 categories. Focusing on a Mexican drug lord and his transition from male to female after undergoing gender-affirming surgery, musical drama Emilia Perez is far from the Hollywood ideal Trump had in mind before his inauguration in Washington DC on Monday. The film, applauded by cineastes while attracting criticism from the LGBTQ community, earned an astonishing 13 nominations, including Best Film and Best Director. It will compete for Best Film alongside Anora, The Brutalist, A Complete Unknown, Conclave, Dune: Part Two, I'm Still Here, Nickel Boys, The Substance, and Wicked . The film has also earned nominations for Best Actress in a Leading Role for Gascon, Best Supporting Actress for Zoe Saldana, Best Adapted Screenplay and Best International Feature Film. Technical nominations include sound, make-up and hairstyling, film editing, cinematography and original score, as well as two spots on the Best Original Song shortlist for El Mal and Mi Camino. Tackling similar themes of gender identity, the Edward Berger directed Conclave was another front-runner during Thursday's nominations announcement. The political drama, starring Ralph Fiennes and Stanley Tucci, picked up a total of eight nominations, including Best Film, Best Director. Transgender musical drama Emilia Perez is far from the Hollywood ideal Trump had in mind before his inauguration in Washington DC on Monday, yet it received a total of 13 nominations Acterss Selena Gomez in a scene from Academy Award nominations frontrunner Emilia Perez Tackling similar themes of gender identity, the Edward Berger directed Conclave was another front-runner during Thursday's nominations announcement The Apprentice landed a surprising pair of nominations, for Sebastian Stan (left) and Jeremy Strong (right). The film dramatizes the formative years of President Donald Trump's emergence in New York real estate under the tutelage of attorney Roy Cohn. Trump has called those involved with the film 'human scum' Trump, 78, on his first day in office, moved to quickly end a range of policies aimed at promoting racial equity and protecting rights for LGBTQ+ people. He signed an executive order stating the US will recognize only two sexes, male and female, that are 'not changeable', and demanded officials use the term 'sex' rather than 'gender'. The order mandates ID documents - such as passports and visas - be based on 'an individual's immutable biological classification as either male or female'. Trump quickly made good on his pledge to sever diversity, equity and inclusion policies in the federal government by laying off all DEI hires within 24 hours. He signed an order calling for the elimination of government diversity programs, including the ending of all federal offices and jobs related to diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI). He also rescinded an order from the administration of former Democratic President Joe Biden that allowed transgender people to serve in the military. The new Trump administration sent a letter to all heads and acting heads of government agencies on Tuesday, informing them all federal employees in DEI roles must be placed on paid leave by 5 pm Wednesday. In a letter first obtained by CBS News, the agencies were ordered to 'take prompt actions' against all departments 'focusing exclusively on DEI initiatives and programs.' The letter also demands all public DEI focused webpages be taken offline, and orders employees within the departments to report 'any efforts to disguise these programs by using coded or imprecise language.' Trump quickly made good on his executive order cutting diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) policies in the federal government by putting all DEI hires on paid leave Ralph Fiennes in a scene from Conclave. The film has received a total of eight nominations Any employees that are aware of 'coded or imprecise language' intended to keep DEI programs alive but do not report them within 10 days are warned of 'adverse consequences.' Trump's executive order, titled 'Ending Radical and Wasteful Government DEI Programs and Preferencing and Initial Rescissions of Harmful Executive Orders and Actions', directly reverses a DEI executive order enacted by President Biden on his first day in office four years ago. Tuesday's order concludes: 'These programs divided Americans by race, wasted taxpayer dollars, and resulted in shameful discrimination.' The executive order slammed the 'infiltration' of DEI programs into the federal government, and cited the executive order signed by Biden on the first day of his presidency that aimed to tackle racial inequalities in government. Another similar executive order signed by Trump on Tuesday also rolled back affirmative action in federal contracting, reversing a longstanding order first signed by President Lyndon Johnson in 1965. Shortly after signing the anti-DEI executive order this week, Trump fired the female leader of the US Coast Guard, Admiral Linda Fagan, over concerns about her obsession with DEI policies. In a memo issued by the White House on Tuesday night, the Trump administration claimed progress made by the passage of civil rights legislation decades ago as having been lost to DEI programs. Protestors seen outside the Supreme Court in June 2023 after the court struck down affirmative action in college admissions, one of the first major hits to DEI practices under the Biden administration Dismantling the federal government's DEI programs was just one of a wave of executive orders Trump signed in his first hours back in power 'Today, roughly 60 years after the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, critical and influential institutions of American society, including the Federal Government, major corporations, financial institutions, the medical industry, large commercial airlines, law enforcement agencies, and institutions of higher education have adopted and actively use dangerous, demeaning, and immoral race and sex-based preferences under the guise of so-called 'diversity, equity, and inclusion,' the memo read. Trump's order argued that DEI programs 'not only violate the text and spirit of our longstanding Federal civil-rights laws, they also undermine our national unity.' 'They deny, discredit, and undermine the traditional American values of hard work, excellence, and individual achievement in favor of an unlawful, corrosive, and pernicious identity-based spoils system,' the memo continued. 'Hardworking Americans who deserve a shot at the American Dream should not be stigmatized, demeaned, or shut out of opportunities because of their race or sex. 'The American people have witnessed first-hand the disastrous consequences of illegal, pernicious discrimination that has prioritized how people were born instead of what they were capable of doing.' Maya Jama set pulses racing in a busty black dress as she showed off her latest sexy Love Island look in an Instagram snap on Thursday. The host, 30, is currently in the country filming the second season of Love Island: All Stars. In one of her raciest looks yet, the TV personality showed off her jaw-dropping figure in the racy snap. Maya looked nothing short of sensational as she flashed her ample cleavage in the plunging black dress. She captioned her post: 'Last nights interview look @loveisland'. It comes as Maya opened up about solo dining abroad as she enjoyed a lavish tasting menu at Eleven Eats in South Africa. Maya Jama, 30, set pulses racing in a busty black dress as she showed off her latest sexy Love Island look in an Instagram snap on Thursday In one of her raciest looks yet, the TV personality showed off her jaw-dropping figure in the racy snap Revealing that she is out on a solo mission, she took to her Instagram stories on Wednesday and posted a snap of the small menu, which would have set her back 83. This was followed by a story showcasing the delicious food, with the captioned: 'This is gonna be one of those really fancy meals that is mini & tastes fab but has you sh*****g water for days.' Once she returned home from her meal out, Maya opened up about dining alone in another country, admitting that she feels too 'shy' to do it in London. Speaking to the camera, she said: 'My favourite thing about being abroad is I feel no shame to just sit at a restaurant alone. 'Whereas in London I don't know what it is, I feel a bit shy, like I've got no pals, or like someone stood me up. But here..(cheers to the camera)' On top of the clip, she penned: 'I can be that mysterious woman who's lived a thousand lives and rolls solo because nowhere and no-one can keep up with her.' It comes just days after Maya cuddled up to her lookalike mum Sadie on Tuesday as she wished her a happy 50th birthday. The Love Island host took to her Instagram stories to share a photo of herself hugging her parents alongside a sweet message. Maya looked nothing short of sensational as she flashed her ample cleavage in the plunging black dress. Maya opened up about solo dining abroad as she enjoyed a lavish tasting menu dinner at Eleven Eats in South Africa on Wednesday She took to her Instagram Stories on Wednesday and posted a snap of the small menu, which would have set her back 83 This was followed by a Story showcasing the delicious food It comes just days after Maya cuddled up to her lookalike mum Sadie on Tuesday as she wished her a happy 50th birthday Maya then shared another snap of Sadie showcasing her age-defying figure while modelling a pair of denim shorts, with Maya remarking how 'fit' her mother was Maya also uploaded a video of herself and her mum enjoying a celebratory singalong alongside her brother and his pals The TV star has opened up about her relationship with her mum in the past, revealing their relationship is 'a bit different' because her mum had her when she was very young Maya then shared another snap of Sadie showcasing her age-defying figure while modelling a pair of denim shorts, with Maya remarking how 'fit' her mother was. Her birthday message read: 'Happy 50th birthday to my motherrrr. Thank you for teaching me all of the things but mostly f**k think along as you stay kind and stay true to yourself. Icon to all those who have the pleasure of knowing you [sic]'. Captioning her second snap featuring Sadie putting on a leggy display, she added: 'Also you are so fit 50 where?!!!!!!? God bless these genetics'. Maya also uploaded a video of herself and her mum enjoying a celebratory singalong alongside her brother and his pals. The TV star has opened up about her relationship with her mum in the past, revealing their relationship is 'a bit different' because her mum had her when she was very young. She told the Evening Standard: 'She had me at 18, so our relationship was a bit different. I rebelled less because I was quite free. 'My mum's always been like, "I want you to have your experiences just tell me. I'm not going to judge you or shout at you".' The star also admitted that her mother has a wild side, saying: She's banned from my parties though. She gets too drunk.' Pamela Anderson's fans are outraged the 'amazing' actress was not nominated for an Academy Award for her acclaimed film The Last Showgirl. The nominations for the 2025 Oscars were announced on Thursday morning and the former Baywatch star was not on the list. Pam's fans took to X, formerly known as Twitter, to express their anger over the slight. 'She is an amazing actress, why on earth was she left off the list?' asked one fan. Another piped up: 'Pamela was done wrong by the Academy Awards, not fair.' This fan said said that the siren should have not only been nominated but should have already won as she was 'magnificent and heartbreaking on so many levels. Cheers to you beautiful Pam!!!' Many of Anderson's fans figure she would be nominated for an Oscar as she was nominated for a Golden Globe Award and a SAG Award. Scroll down for a list of nominations... Pamela Anderson's fans are outraged the 'amazing' actress was not nominated for an Academy Award for her acclaimed film The Last Showgirl. The nominations for the 2025 Oscars were announced on Thursday morning and the former Baywatch star was not on the list Pam's fans took to X, formerly known as Twitter, to express their anger over the slight. 'She is an amazing actress, why on earth was she left off the list?' asked one fan. Another piped up: 'Pamela was done wrong by the Academy Awards, not fair' This comes after Anderson said the success of The Last Showgirl is 'the best payback' after Pam & Tommy. The 57-year-old actress was devastated by the Hulu series about her turbulent relationship with former husband Tommy Lee but says the critical success of her latest film has helped her to move past it. Speaking on Sirius XM's 'Andy Cohen Live', she said: 'It's just one of those things. It happened and now I'm here and so this is the best payback I'm being seen and recognised for my work and not these tawdry moments.' When asked about the Hulu series, which starred Lily James and Sebastian Stan as Pamela and Tommy, she said: 'I didn't have any involvement. No one called me, which was so strange and that was hurtful. I think ethically it's illegal. But I mean, you're kind of fair game. I remember people telling me that a long time ago that you are basically public property and have no right to privacy.' When asked if anyone from Hulu ever approached her with an apology, she replied, 'No they haven't.' Speaking previously about the series, which recreated the moment when her sex tape with ex-husband Tommy Lee was stolen, Pamela told The Hollywood Reporter: 'I blocked that out of my life. I had to in order to survive, really. It was a survival mechanism. Now that it's all coming up again, I feel sick from my whole stomach from the middle of my chest all the way down to my stomach. [My stomach] feels right now like it's just been punched.' Many of Anderson's fans figure she would be nominated for an Oscar as she was nominated for a Golden Globe Award and a SAG Award; seen at the January 5 Golden Globes in Beverly Hills Anderson attends The Gothams 34th Annual Film Awards at Cipriani Wall Street on December 2, 2024 in New York City Anderson also said she was 'aching to express herself' before starring in The Last Showgirl. The ctress believes director Gia Coppola was able to see beyond the 'nonsense' that surrounds her life, after watching Pamela's 2023 Netlix documentary, Pamela, a Love Story. The Hollywood star - who plays Shelley Gardner, a Las Vegas showgirl, in the drama film - said on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon: 'Gia saw the documentary, and she could just see someone. 'Thank god she could see through the nonsense, you know, and see that I was a woman aching to express herself.' Pamela is thankful that Gia, 38, gave her the opportunity to showcase her talent in 'The Last Showgirl'. The actress shot to fame as CJ Parker on the hit TV series Baywatch The actress - who shot to fame as CJ Parker on the hit TV series 'Baywatch' - said: 'It was nice that she gave me the opportunity, because that's a skill in itself, to see past all of the nonsense.' Pamela recently admitted that she's always been 'very curious about the craft of acting'. The movie star is still best known for her role on 'Baywatch' - but Pamela always knew she was capable of much more. Pamela - who became a global sex symbol in the 90s - told Variety: 'I was always very curious about the craft of acting, but I didn't have to apply myself when I was running around in a bathing suit on 'Baywatch'. 'I was curious about it - I would be sitting on the floor of Samuel French, reading Tennessee Williams and Eugene O'Neill plays. I didn't know how to get from there to there, but I just had this dream. I always kept it a secret that I could be more than I was doing.' Brody Jenner loves his half-sisters Kendall Jenner, 29, and Kylie Jenner, 27, but their hectic lives keep them apart. The 41-year-old television personality whose dad is Caitlyn Jenner - insists he will always be there for his siblings no matter what, but they don't get to meet up that often. Appearing on the The Viall Files podcast, he said of the Kardashian-Jenner clan: 'I love 'em all. Love 'em all to death. I just don't see them.' He continued: 'We all have a tremendous amount of love for each other, even Kendall and Kylie. 'It's not their fault, it's not my fault, it's not really anybody's fault. It's just, yeah, they don't live that far, but we lived in two different households growing up.' Brody's mother is Linda Thompson and Kendall and Kylie's mother is Kris Jenner. The family had a meltdown after Caitlyn starred on I Am Cait and published her tell-all book The Secrets Of My Life. Brody Jenner loves his half-sisters Kendall Jenner, 29, and Kylie Jenner, 27, but their hectic lives keep them apart. Seen here January 22 in LA Brody seen with Kendall and Kylie when they were teenagers Kendall, seen left in an ad for FWRD. Kylie right before this year's Golden Globe Awards Brody added: 'If Kylie or Kendall call me right now, I would walk out of this room and pick up the phone and I'd be there for them.' The former Hills star reunited with his family including Kim Kardashian, 44, and Kourtney Kardashian, 45 to celebrate retired Olympian Caitlyn's 75th birthday in October. He said: 'I got to see them recently for Caitlyn's birthday. 'We went over to Kylie's house. 'Kylie, unfortunately, wasn't there. She was travelling back from New York. 'But they're all busy, man. Everybody's busy.' Caitlyn who was called Bruce before coming out as transgender in 2015 was married to the girls' mom Kris Jenner between 1991 to 2015. Brody recently admitted he felt 'abandoned' by Caitlyn when he was younger. He stressed that his relationship with his parent is 'better now', and he recently received a 'sincere apology' from Caitlyn for their fractured relationship over the years. Appearing on Special Forces: World's Toughest Test, Brody - whose mother is Linda Thompson - said: 'I'd randomly see him 'him' at the time you know, here and there. The 41-year-old television personality whose dad is Caitlyn Jenner - insists he will always be there for his siblings no matter what, but they don't get to meet up that often. Seen here January 22 Appearing on the The Viall Files podcast he said of the Kardashian-Jenner clan: 'I love 'em all. 'Love 'em all to death. I just don't see them.' Seen here with his family in 1993 He continued: 'We all have a tremendous amount of love for each other, even Kendall and Kylie.' Seen here in 2019 with, from left, Cassandra, Caitlyn, Linda and Brandon 'But, mom would tell me that I would write on cards, "Why doesn't dad call me on my birthday?"' He also said: 'I had an incredible mother. Father, Bruce, at the time, wasn't around that much. 'They split, and then he met a woman [Kris Jenner]. She had kids as well. The woman that he met ... they had kids together.' The DJ was then asked how he felt about the family's reality show, Keeping Up With the Kardashians, and said: 'To be honest, a little bit abandoned. 'I will say he was going through his own struggles, transitioning, and it was all that was put on TV, and there were these moments that we would have that was all filmed, and it just felt very invasive and not very genuine, I would say. 'Just recently, I got a real, sincere apology. 'It was the first time in my life that I've ever gotten an apology. You know, I'm sorry for not being there, and honestly, it meant a lot.' Brody also opened up about his relationship with Caitlin during a confessional on the current season of Special Forces: World's Toughest Test. Brody added: 'If Kylie or Kendall call me right now, I would walk out of this room and pick up the phone and I'd be there for them.' Seen here with his family in 1991 'When I found out that Caitlyn, or Bruce, wanted to be Caitlyn, it was sort of a relief,' he began. 'I think that there were a lot of things that started to make sense, you know, just in my life, about my father, and maybe why he wasn't there all those years. He added: 'And I think when you have kids, you need to accept a little bit of responsibility that the things you do are also going to reflect on them as well. 'I think it really has shaped me to do everything different and to really be there and to be present to my little girl.' Brodys fiancee Tia Blanco gave birth to their daughter Honey in July 2023. Rob Lowe is leaning into the role of big brother as he helps his younger sibling Chad Lowe cope with loss amid the ongoing Los Angeles fires. 'My brother unfortunately... Chad lost his home everything in it. His entire neighborhood, gone,' the former child star said this week. Speaking with ET, he shared, 'He has three little girls. All their friends lost everything.' Lowe, 60, shared that he opened up his closet to Chad, 57, offering him 'big brother hand-me-downs.' 'He got a lot of big brother hand-me-downs. Hes back to being 15-years-old,' the former teen heartthrob noted. He added lightheartedly, 'He loves to dress like a dad. I give him a lot of crap. So I took my most dad... Hokas.' Rob Lowe is leaning into the role of big brother as he helps his younger sibling Chad Lowe cope with loss amid the ongoing Los Angeles fires; pictured in 2024 'My brother unfortunately... Chad lost his home everything in it. His entire neighborhood, gone,' Rob said this week Taking to Instagram on January 11, four days after the Palisades fire ignited, Chad shared a photo of the devastation brought on by the wildfires. The only thing left standing of the obliterated home was its brick chimney. 'This is what remains of 10 years of building our lives. Our hearts are broken, but we are comforted by all the well wishes, and offers of assistance,' the 9-1-1 actor wrote to his nearly 100,000 followers. He added in the solemn caption, 'We are ok and will be ok. We have each other. Thank you all for your thoughts and prayers.' Over 100,000 Los Angeles residents were forced to flee their homes and 25 have been confirmed dead as a result of the firestorms, which began with the Palisades Fire. The devastation in Southern California began when the combination of heavy wind and a lack of rain created the perfect condition for a brush fire. The Eaton Fire has burned over 14,000 acres while the Palisades Fire has scorched nearly 24,000 acres. Wealthy and working class residents alike are picking up the pieces after their LA neighborhoods were reduced to ash as wildfires began tearing through the city. And on Wednesday, January 22 firefighters rushed to contain a new blaze, labeled Hughes Fire, on the edge of Castaic Lake. Chad shared a photo of the devastation brought on by the wildfires, which began on January 7 The brothers pictured in Los Angeles in 1989 Chad's recent Instagram note offered condolences to others affected by the tragedy Back in 2017, Rob honored firefighters with 'respect' and 'gratitude' after they worked to keep the Thomas Fire from reaching his Montecito home. He welcomed the hard-working group into his home and fed them, calling them 'new friends' in a social media post. Chad's recent Instagram note offered condolences to others affected by the tragedy. 'Our thoughts and prayers are with all the other people who are suffering from this unimaginable disaster,' he said. 'We are incredibly grateful to all the first responders, police, and firefighters, who put their lives on the line to protect all of us. They are truly heroes. 'Home really is where the heart is. Hold those you love close. Take care of each other. This crazy thing called life is so damn precious.' A photo that Sebastian Stan shared on Instagram in September 2014 has gone viral amid his Best Actor Oscar nomination. The Romanian-American actor, 42, is nominated for his portrayal of Donald Trump in The Apprentice. In the IG snap he shared from his Class of 2000 high school yearbook, Stan's mother holds him as a baby. Below the photo, the yearbook caption reads: 'Most likely to be in the bathroom combing his hair when he receives his first Oscar.' He captioned it: 'Well...yeah. #highschoolyearbook2000.' Fans resurrected the post and gushed over his brand new Academy Award nomination. A photo that Sebastian Stan shared on Instagram in September 2014 has gone viral amid his Best Actor Oscar nomination Many comments read simply, 'You did it!,' while a bunch said, 'You better win!' User @lt1one put a personal spin on their comment, writing, 'Congratulations on the Oscar nomination, Sebby! Well-deserved! Miss and love you!' @teyyaong excitedly shared, 'SEBASTIAN STAN YOU ARE AN OSCAR NOMINEE AAAAAAAA.' And @sgt_elena_ aptly commented, 'HE MANIFESTED IT.' Stan plays the former and current President of the United States in the origin story of how Trump built his real estate empire before entering the political arena. Succession star Jeremy Strong, 48, also scored a nomination for his role as notorious attorney Roy Cohn in the film. Trump is not too pleased with the film or his portrayal in it. Last year, a lawyer for Trump sent a cease-and-desist letter to the filmmakers behind the movie. The Romanian-American actor, 42, is nominated for his portrayal of Donald Trump in The Apprentice. Seen here January 19, 2025 In the IG snap which appeared in his Class of 2000 high school yearbook, Stan's mother holds him as a baby. Seen here January 19. 2025 Below the photo, the yearbook caption reads: 'Most likely to be in the bathroom combing his hair when he receives his first Oscar' 'The Movie presents itself as a factual biography of Mr. Trump, yet nothing could be further from the truth,' the letter from Trump attorney David Warrington said, per The Hill. Director Ali Abassi revealed his intentions behind telling Trump's story at the Cannes Film Festival in May 2024. 'I think in the time of turmoil you know, theres this tendency to look inwards, to sort of bury your head deep in the sand, and look inside, and hope for the best and hope for the storm to get away,' Abbasi told Variety at the time. 'But the storm is not going to get away,' he continued. 'The storm is coming, actually. The worst times are to come. 'When we did this movie, everyone said, "Why do you want to make a movie with Trump? You know, if you want to tell something about the world, do it in a nice way, in a metaphorical way." 'There is no nice, metaphorical way to deal with the rising wave of fascism,' Abassi said. 'The messy way, the banal way, is only the way of dealing with this wave on its own terms, at its own level. 'Its not going to be pretty,' he added, 'But I think the problem with the world is that the good people have been quiet for too long.' He captioned it: 'Well...yeah. #highschoolyearbook2000.' Seen here January 19, 2025 Fans resurrected the post and gushed over his brand new Academy Award nomination. Seen here January 19, 2025 Stan will compete against Adrien Brody in The Brutalist, A Complete Unknown star Timothee Chalamet, Conclaves Ralph Fiennes and Colman Domingo in Sing Sing. Stan has already taken home the 2025 Golden Globe for Best Actor in a Motion Picture. It was not for The Apprentice, however. He won for his role in A Different Man. He plays Edward, an aspiring actor who undergoes a radical medical procedure to drastically transform his appearance. However, 'His new dream face quickly tuns into a nightmare,' the IMDB synopsis reads. Project Pat's son was shot and killed in a Tennessee park last week aged just 21. Patrick Houston Jr., who is also the nephew of Three 6 Mafia co-founder Juicy J, died in Imogene Heights on Friday, per TMZ. Memphis Police said the shooting happened around 1.15pm. Houston Jr. was found dead at the scene by officers. A photo from the scene showed police standing next to a car with a smashed window. No further details have been released. Project Pat, 51 - real name Patrick Earl Houston - has yet to comment publicly on the death but posted a photo Sunday captioned: 'Boy i thank God for another day.' Project Pat's son Patrick Houston Jr. (pictured) was shot and killed in a Tennessee park last week aged just 21 Project Pat - real name Patrick Earl Houston - is the older brother of Oscar winner Juicy J and rapped on the Three 6 Mafia hit Sippin' on Some Syrup in 2000 - pictured 2023 He is the older brother of Oscar winner Juicy J and rapped on the Three 6 Mafia hit Sippin' on Some Syrup in 2000. He also released singles Don't Save Her and Chickenhead. Pat was formerly a member of hip-hop group the Kaze, and released Kamakazie Timez Up with them. He started his music career collaborating with Juice J - real name Jordan Houston - and DJ Paul in the early 1990s. His aspirations hit a screeching halt when he was jailed for aggravated robbery. He then made a comeback with 1999 solo album Ghetty Green and worked with Three 6 Mafia. His second album Mista Don't Play: Everythangs Workin was released in 2001. Shortly after the album dropped he was charged with a parole violation and jailed again for four years after guns was found in his car during a traffic stop. He released third album Layin' Da Smack Down in 2002 and after his release from prison dropped Crook by da Book: The Fed Story. The first single off the album was "Good Googly Moogly" featuring DJ Paul and Juicy J. Pat is pictured with younger brother Juicy J in 2014 Police are seen at the scene of the shooting in Memphis standing alongside a car with a smashed window Three 6 Mafia members Darnell Crunchy Black Carlton and Jordan 'Juicy J' Houston, center, are seen with songwriter Cedric Coleman when they won their Oscar for Best Original Song in 2006 He also released Don't Call Me No Mo featuring Three 6 Mafia in 2007. In 2023, Pat collaborated with Juicy J on album THEM GOATS. Project Pat is the founder of the Go Foundation, a non-profit which administers prison ministry. Cate Blanchett offered rare insight into her relationship with motherhood as she posed for a stunning shoot with Harper's Bazaar's Spain. The actress, 55, shares sons, Dashiell, 23, Roman, 20, and Ignatius, 16, with her husband of 27 years Andrew Upton, and they adopted daughter Edith in 2015. Cate told the publication that despite her love and 'adoration' for her family she realises that being a mother is 'not all that she is.' She explained: 'I love my children. Motherhood is a vital part of who I am, but it is not all that I am. 'I think there are many people who are a mother to communities in the workplace. It is equality, it is a sense of care, respect and nurturing. 'If we all developed a greater sense of motherhood , in the best possible way, men and women, the world would be a better place.' Cate Blanchett offered rare insight into her relationship with motherhood as she posed for a stunning shoot with Harper's Bazaar's Spain The actress told the publication that despite her love and 'adoration' for her family she realises that being a mother is 'not all that she is' Cate and Andrew currently reside at a 5million country estate near Crowborough, East Sussex, and in 2020 they purchased a 1.6million holiday home in Cornwall. During the interview, Cate also spoke about her role in psychological thriller Disclaimer, an Apple TV+ series where she stars as a renowned journalist who is forced to confront her dark past. Speaking about the show, which earned her a Golden Globe nomination earlier this month, she said: 'I knew from the beginning that it was going to be provocative and polarizing, because it's becoming increasingly clear that there are many wars in the world, but one that's going on is the war of narratives, the battle for a singular truth and who gets to control it. 'And that's very much what Alfonso Cuaron is playing with as a director and screenwriter. It's been fascinating to watch the conversation around it.' Cate also put on a glamorous display in a black-and-white shoot for the magazine, posing up a storm in an elegant black silk top and velvet trousers. The sighting comes after Cate shocked with a dramatic transformation for her next big screen feature. Fans might have to do a double take when they see the Blue Jasmine star in her new film Black Bag. The upcoming American spy thriller for Focus Feature is directed by Steven Soderbergh, known for the likes of Erin Brockovich, Logan Lucky, Magic Mike, and the iconic Ocean's Trilogy. Cate shares son Roman, 20, with her husband Andrew Morton, and they adopted daughter Edith, eight, in 2015 (pictured in February 2024) The couple are also parents to sons Dashiell, 23, (pictured in 2023) and Ignatius, 16 During the interview, Cate also spoke about her role in psychological thriller Disclaimer, an Apple TV+ series where she stars as a renowned journalist forced to confront her dark past The sighting comes after Cate shocked with dramatic transformation for her next big screen feature The movie will see Michael Fassbender as the leading star alongside Cate, and they are joined Bridgerton favourite Rege-Jean Page and Skyfall's Naomie Harris. Also starring is Marisa Abela, who recently made headlines for her role in Amy Winehouse biopic Back To Black, and The Crown actor Tom Burke. The film centres around intelligence agent Kathryn Woodhouse (Cate) who is suspected of betraying her nation. Her husband George (Fassbender) a legendary agent himself must decide between loyalty to his wife or to his country. Kylie Jenner stunned in new images shared on Instagram on Thursday as she promoted her latest Khy drop. The 27-year-old mogul who recently thanked firefighters in LA uploaded two flawless photos in a joint post with her clothing brand, which she launched in late 2023. The Kardashians personality posed in a floor-length brown faux fur coat, adding sheer black pantyhose and pointy-toe, black heels. She was holding a red rose in time for Valentine's Day as the petals fell to the floor. 'Introducing the latest from KHY: wardrobe essentials reimagined in faux fur and leather,' the caption said. 'Effortless, elevated, and perfect for every occasionthis collection is designed to make a statement wherever you go. Your new go-to pieces dropping 01/28 on khy.com,' the caption read. It comes amid Jenner's boyfriend Timothee Chalamet's Oscar nomination for his role as Bob Dylan in the biopic A Complete Unknown. Kylie Jenner stunned in new images shared on Instagram on Thursday as she promoted her latest Khy drop The 27-year-old mogul uploaded two flawless photos in a joint post with her clothing brand, which she launched in late 2023 'Introducing the latest from KHY: wardrobe essentials reimagined in faux fur and leather,' the social media post teased Jenner surprised fans when she introduced her clothing line in October 2023. She debuted the sartorial undertaking with a single photo of herself donning a black faux leather trench coat with zipper details. In the caption, she wrote, 'meet khy,' and tagged its Instagram handle on the snap. Accompanying the arrival of the range was a Wall Street Journal cover story describing her latest entrepreneurial pursuit. Jenner and Chalamet, 29, were not shy about packing on the PDA inside the Golden Globes earlier this month, but they have notoriously kept their nearly two-year-long romance private. The mother-of-two, who shares six-year-old daughter Stormi and two-year-old son Aire (who both have birthdays in early February) with ex-boyfriend Travis Scott, has never posted her new lover Timothee on her social media accounts. It marks a sharp contrast from her prior relationship with Scott, which she proudly flaunted in the public eye. The Kylie Cosmetics founder and Hollywood hunk have only been pictured together a handful of times since publicly launching their relationship in late 2023. It comes amid Jenner's boyfriend Timothee Chalamet's Oscar nomination; the couple pictured at the Golden Globes on January 5 Chalamet has been nominated in the Best Actor category for his role as Bob Dylan in the biopic A Complete Unknown Chalamet has been nominated for an Oscar in the Best Actor category for his portrayal of Bob Dylan. He will face off with Adrien Brody for The Brutalist, Colman Domingo for Sing Sing, Ralph Fiennes for Conclave and Sebastian Stan for The Apprentice. Timothee was previously nominated in the category in 2018 for his lauded performance in Call Me By Your Name. The Dune star is the ceremony's youngest two-time Best Actor nominee since James Dean, who died at age 24. Michelle Yeoh wowed in Balenciaga's fall 2024 beaded leopard print dress at Wednesday's Star Trek: Section 31 premiere in New York City. The 62-year-old actress turned heads in the mock neck, long-sleeved number, which hugged her slim frame. The Everything Everywhere All At Once star teamed the chic look with a wispy bob haircut complete with blunt bangs. The fashionista rounded out the look with pointy-toe black heels and a flawless face of makeup that included fluttery eyelashes. Yeoh has reprised her role as Emperor Philippa Georgiou in the upcoming Paramount+ project, out January 24. Michelle Yeoh wowed in Balenciaga's fall 2024 beaded leopard print dress at Wednesday's Star Trek: Section 31 premiere in New York City The 62-year-old actress turned heads in the mock neck, long-sleeved number, which hugged her slim frame On Thursday Michelle told CBS Mornings that she's pumped about her return to the Star Trek franchise. She looked back on her time with the series, sharing, 'It started in 2016, when I joined the Star Trek family, when we made Discovery. 'I came on as Captain Philippa Georgiou, the much-loved, kind, benevolent, but strong captain to my number one, Sonequa Martin-Green.' Discovery started with Philippa as the captain of the USS Shenzhou, but her character died in battle before returning in the Mirror Universe as the ruthless emperor of the Terran Empire. Star Trek: Section 31 is directed by Olatunde Osunsanmi and written by Craig Sweeny for Paramount+ and will be the first TV film in the Star Trek franchise. Referring to her character, who was killed off in episode two of the sci-fi drama, the Malaysian entertainer added, 'This time as Philippa Georgiou, she's an inventor. She's literally a lethal, walking diva.' While on Thursday's show, speaking to host Gayle King, Yeoh reacted to her movie Wicked being nominated for a whopping 10 Oscars. She was giddy, and yelped when it was shared that co-star Ariana Grande has been nominated in the Best Supporting Actress category. The Everything Everywhere All At Once star teamed the chic look with a wispy bob haircut complete with blunt bangs Michelle pictured with actor Paul Giamatti, who appeared as a recurring guest star in Stark Trek: Starfleet Academy Additionally, Cynthia Erivo is hoping to take home the gong for Best Actress in a Leading Role, for her portrayal of Elphaba, the Wicked Witch of the West. Ariana earned her first ever Oscars nod for her role as Glinda the Good Witch in the beloved musical. The annual ceremony will see Wicked, Dune: Part Two, Emilia Perez, Anora, The Brutalist, A Complete Unknown, Conclave, I'm Still Here, Nickel Boys and The Substance battle it out for Best Picture. Meanwhile, foreign-language film I'm Still Here received a surprising nomination while other popular films, such as Sing Sing and A Real Pain were left out of the race. Geoff Huegill showed off his toned physique as he went shirtless during a family day out at Bondi Beach on Tuesday. The Australian swimmer, 45, is rarely spotted out in public after stepping back from the spotlight in recent years since moving to Singapore. He appeared to be in jovial spirits as he smiled and laughed during a fun-filled day out with his children - daughters Gigi, 12, and Milla, 10, and son Rafe, three. Shirtless Geoff put his muscular frame on display in black board shorts after slimming down in recent years. He shielded his eyes with a pair of reflective shades and wore a sporty watch. The dual Olympian was every inch the doting father as he sweetly made sandcastles with his son Rafe and took him for a swim in the sea. Geoff Huegill showed off his toned physique as he went shirtless during a family day out at Bondi Beach on Tuesday Geoff has undergone quite the transformation in recent years He appeared to be in jovial spirits as he smiled and laughed during a fun-filled day out with his children - daughters Gigi, 12, and Milla, 10, and son Rafe, three Geoff shares Rafe and another son - whose name has not been revealed - with his partner Roxan Toll. He shares two daughters with his ex-wife Sara Hills. Geoff relocated to Singapore in recent years with Roxan, who works as a tech executive, but is currently enjoying some time back in Australia with his kids. He first started dating trained lawyer Roxan back in 2019 and they welcomed Rafe in 2021, followed by their second son in 2023. The couple got together around a year after Geoff parted ways from his first wife Sara after a turbulent few years. Geoff and Sara were infamously busted with a small quantity of cocaine at Royal Randwick Racecourse in 2014. Both pleaded guilty to drug possession and were handed six-month good behaviour bonds. While they avoided convictions, the scandal was the beginning of the end for the couple, who announced their split in 2018. In July, Geoff reflected on his turbulent decade and told how he hit rock bottom following the cocaine incident and decided to get sober. Shirtless Geoff put his muscular frame on display in black board shorts He shielded his eyes with a pair of reflective shades and wore a sporty watch The dual Olympian was every inch the doting father as he sweetly cuddled his son Geoff cooled off with a swim in the sea with his son 'Venturing down a path of sobriety was one of the best things I did,' he said on SBS's Insight, which highlighted the subject of 'second chances'. He told how the cocaine incident put a huge strain on his marriage to Sara and saw his career suffer. 'I lost sponsors. I lost job opportunities. I was building businesses - I had to close all of those businesses,' he said. 'Unfortunately, I lost that marriage. There were many other factors as to why that marriage didn't work. 'It's not until your life is put in the spotlight that people deal with pressure in certain ways - and that's the hard part. 'What I realised, at the end of the day, is that I can only control what I can control.' After getting sober, he said his new approach to life put him on the path to getting diagnosed with ADHD - a developmental disorder that affects a person's ability to focus. He couldn't keep the smile off his face as he soaked up the sun Geoff relocated to Singapore in recent years with Roxan, who works as a tech executive, but is currently enjoying some time back in Australia with his kids The doting father sweetly cuddled his son Rafe as they waded in the water together Geoff was seen making sandcastles with his son Rafe Geoff shares Rafe and another son - whose name has not been revealed - with his partner Roxan Toll. He shares two daughters with his ex-wife Sara Hills Geoff made headlines in 2014 after he and ex-wife Sara were found in a suite at Royal Randwick with a small quantity of cocaine (the couple is pictured on the day of the drug bust) Having the validation of a diagnosis allowed Geoff to fully understand himself and some of the mistakes he had made in the past. He said he always knew he was 'unique' because of his dedication to elite swimming, but one of the challenges of retirement was realising that while he was successful in some areas of his life, he had fallen short in others. 'The wave of emotions I had to go through after the diagnosis,' he said. 'It was the fact of, "Why didn't I look at this earlier?" because it's definitely one of the best decisions I've made in my whole life.' The oldest independent bookseller in San Francisco's Bay Area has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection and is set to close one of its stores. Books Inc., a 174-year-old independent bookstore, announced on January 21 that it filed a 'voluntary petition for reorganization' after Covid-19 caused financial struggles and revenue loss. In an official statement, CEO Andy Perham said that their Berkeley location is set to close doors on February 9. 'Books Inc. will close its Berkeley store on February 9, with some staff expected to be transferred to positions at the company's remaining ten locations across the east bay, peninsula, San Francisco and San Francisco International Airport,' the press release read. 'Customers with gift cards purchased at the Berkeley Books Inc. will be able to use them at any of the company's other stores or online.' But Perham assured longtime buyers that the privately-owned bookstore is not going anywhere and will remain operational. 'Books Inc. is not going away,' he said. 'Our board, investors, senior managers, and key partners agree that reorganizing with the tools afforded us by Chapter 11 is the fastest path toward putting our company on a smaller, financially stronger platform from which we can continue our long legacy of serving California readers. Books Inc., a 174-year-old independent bookstore, announced on January 21 that it filed a 'voluntary petition for reorganization' due to Covid-19 caused financial struggles and revenue loss 'Restructuring Books Inc. for long-term viability will require we make some very difficult decisions that affect our people and business partners, and we intend to do everything we can to minimize these impacts. 'The experience and dedication of our booksellers and management is the foundation on which we feel confident in our ability to transition Books Inc. to its next successful era.' Speaking of the Berkeley store's closure, spokesperson Steven Silvers told Berkeleyside: 'The Berkeley store has been steadily underperforming in sales revenues since the pandemic.' Landlord Rue-Ell Enterprises had considered a rent reduction but 'given the declined sales at the Berkeley store, the amount of reduction needed in order to operate profitably going forward would have been quite significant.' Store manager Schyler Baker added: 'It's sad to be going, for sure. But it's been a good run.' The San Leandro-based retailer still has 10 stores across the Bay Area, including three in San Francisco, two at San Francisco International Airport and in Alameda, San Leandro, Campbell, Mountain View as well as Palo Alto. All of these locations will remain operational, pending court approval of their proposed reorganization plan. The BooksInc.net website will also continue to operate and fulfill orders as normal. Silvers confirmed to SF Standard that the first court hearing is scheduled for January 27. In an official statement, CEO Andy Perham said that their Berkeley location is set to close doors on February 9 as a part of the new agenda Apart from this, Perham also listed rising operating costs including higher payroll and rent as reasons to the reorganization Books Inc. saw revenue drop from $20.9 million in 2019 to $11.3 million in 2020 - during the peak of the pandemic. As sales began to increase through lockdowns, it managed to reach $18.9 million in 2023 but fell again to $17.1 million in 2024. Apart from this, Perham also listed rising operating costs including higher payroll and rent as reasons to the reorganization. The company will attempt to negotiate lease adjustments with landlords to reflect the current realities of foot traffic and sales as a part of the bankruptcy filing. Shares of Hindustan Unilever Ltd declined nearly 4 per cent in the morning trade on Thursday after the FMCG major's December quarter earnings failed to cheer the investors. The scrip of the company fell 3.8 per cent to Rs 2,253.85 apiece on the NSE. On the BSE, Hindustan Unilever Ltd's (HUL) slipped 3.75 per cent to Rs 2,255 per piece. The market is trading in the positive zone. The 30-share BSE Sensex rose 164.36 points or 0.22 per cent to trade at 76,569.35 in the morning trade on Thursday. The broader NSE Nifty increased 63.45 points or 0.27 per cent to 23,218.80. FMCG major Hindustan Unilever Ltd on Wednesday reported a 19.18 per cent rise in consolidated net profit at Rs 2,989 crore in the December quarter, boosted by the sale of its 'Pureit' business. The company, which posted a consolidated net profit of Rs 2,508 crore in the same quarter of the last fiscal year, said it will acquire 90.5 per cent shareholding of Uprising Science Pvt Ltd -- the firm behind the premium beauty brand Minimalist -- comprising secondary buyout for a cash consideration of Rs 2,670 crore at a pre-money enterprise valuation of Rs 2,955 crore. In the third quarter of the ongoing fiscal year, the growth in profit after tax was majorly on account of profit from the divestment of Pureit business, HUL said in a regulatory filing. Consolidated total income in the third quarter was at Rs 16,050 crore as against Rs 15,781 crore in the year-ago period. Total expenses during the quarter were higher at Rs 12,576 crore as compared to Rs 12,305 crore in the same period a year ago, it added. HUL further said its board has approved the demerger of its ice cream business into Kwality Wall's (India) Ltd with one equity share of KWIL to be allotted for every one equity share held in Hindustan Unilever Ltd (HUL). Upon demerger and listing of KWIL (Kwality Wall's India Ltd), the entire shareholding of KWIL will be held directly by shareholders of HUL. The wide-ranging sanctions imposed by the US on the Russian oil sector have started to dent near-term oil flows to India with state-owned Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd (BPCL) saying not enough cargoes are available for March. The US on January 10 issued sweeping sanctions targeting the Russian energy sector. The measures include sanctions on Russian oil producers Gazprom Neft and Surgutneftegas, the blacklisting of 183 vessels involved in Russian energy exports, and curbs on dozens of oil traders, oilfield service providers, tanker owners and managers, insurance companies and energy officials. The sanctions were announced at a time when Indian refiners had started to negotiate for March cargoes. BPCL Director (Finance) Vetsa Ramakrishna Gupta told in an analyst call on Thursday that Russian oil had been booked for January and February in the previous two months but for March "we are not getting sufficient cargoes". The company saw Russian oil in the overall basket of crude oil it processes into fuels like petrol and diesel, falling to 20 per cent in March from 31 per cent in the October-December quarter, he said. Russian oil made up for 34-35 per cent of all oil that BPCL processed at the start of the current financial year in April 2024. He said there is enough oil available in the market and the company would look at alternatives such as the Middle East to replace the lost volumes from Russia. Russia made up for just 0.2 per cent of all oil imported by India in the year ended on March 31, 2022. India, however, became the second biggest buyer of Russian crude oil since Moscow invaded Ukraine in February 2022, with purchases rising to almost 40 per cent of the country's total oil purchases. The rise was primarily because Russian crude oil was available at a discount to other internationally traded oil due to the price cap and the European nations shunning purchases from Moscow. In 2024, Russian crude imports to India averaged 1.7 million barrels per day, making the OPEC+ producer its largest supplier. Gupta said the discounts on Russian oil have shrunk to USD 3-3.2 per barrel from USD 3.5-4 at the start of the fiscal and USD 8.5 in fiscal year 2023-24. This month, India has decided to shun deliveries made by tankers that have been sanctioned by the US in the latest round. Russia used these tankers to ship oil to countries like India and China after the Group of Seven (G7) countries in 2022 imposed a USD 60 a barrel price cap on exports by the Kremlin. This cap, introduced to limit Moscow's revenues to fund its war in Ukraine, meant that Western shipping and insurance services were not available for any oil cargo that was priced more than USD 60 per barrel. To circumvent that, Russia used the so-called shadow fleet, insured by its own companies. This fleet has now been sanctioned. There is a wind-down period until March 12, which will allow for existing contracts to finish. "For the first two months, there will be no disruption. Within two months we will probably see new arrangements emerging in terms of oil coming to India," a senior government source said. Sanctioned Russian tankers will not be allowed to dock at Indian ports, the source said, adding that the only exception would be for Russian oil cargoes booked before January 10, provided they unload by March 12. The sanctions sent global oil prices to USD 83-84 a barrel but Gupta saw this as a temporary phenomenon and oil should settle in the USD 75-80 range soon. In the worst-case scenario, Russian crude, which India was getting at a discount, will not be available at a discount, he added. In an attempt to restrict funds for Russia's war machine, The Group of Seven rich nations, the European Union and Australia put an embargo on Russian crude and introduced a USD 60 per barrel price cap in December 2022. Over the next 12 months, the price cap and embargo had a significant impact on revenues and forced Russia to find new markets and ways to transport its oil. Russia did this by offering deep discounts on its Urals grade crude. In the first year of the sanctions, Russia was losing, on an average, 23 per cent of its Urals crude export revenues every month due to the price cap and embargo. This figure has fallen sharply to a mere monthly average of 9 per cent in the second year of the cap. This is because Russia built a network of 'shadow' tankers, which could trade its oil above the cap to new markets in non-sanctioning countries. India is harnessing AI to enhance national security, counter threats and establish itself at the forefront of the defence innovation landscape Cross-border terrorism and geopolitical tensions, such as the Russia-Ukraine conflict and Israel-Iran hostilities, have driven unprecedented defence spending since World War II. To counter these threats, nations are leveraging artificial intelligence (AI) to build resilient defence systems. AI enhances national security by enabling robust decision-making to detect, analyse, and address complex threats across multiple fronts. The Shift Towards AI in Defence AI is transforming defence strategies, reducing reliance on human personnel. The US militarys active-duty personnel are at their lowest levels in eight decades, while the U.K. has seen a 30 per cent reduction since 2000, largely due to AI-driven tools replacing soldiers in high-risk operations. With advancements in IoT and data analytics, experts predict a significant increase in AI-based defence systems globally. Indias AI-Driven Defence Evolution India, a leading G20 nation, is actively integrating AI into its defence framework to counter internal and external threats. Initiatives like the 2022 launch of 75 AI-enabled defence products highlight Indias focus on cybersecurity, automation, and autonomous systems. The Ministry of Defence (MoD) allocates $12.6 million annually for AI projects, including the establishment of an AI center at the Military College of Telecommunication Engineering (MCTE). Additionally, the 2024 launch of Indias first AI Data Bank aims to enhance national security through real-time analytics and predictive capabilities. AI in Security and Surveillance AI aids investigation agencies in video surveillance and threat detection, analysing behaviour, communications and psychological patterns to identify risks. Using both Strong AI (mimicking human cognition) and Weak AI (focused tasks), intelligence agencies enhance security, mitigate breaches and safeguard civilians and public institutions. Challenges and Future Prospects Despite promising advancements, AI adoption in Indias defence faces challenges, including data privacy, cybersecurity and ethical concerns surrounding autonomous systems. To remain competitive, India must increase investments in research, collaborate internationally and address accountability issues tied to AI-driven military operations. Conclusion By adopting a risk-based regulatory framework, India can ensure the ethical and effective deployment of AI in defence. While challenges persist, the ongoing innovations and strategic initiatives signal a future where Indias defence capabilities transcend traditional methods, embracing AI as a cornerstone of national security. (The writer is Co-founder & CEO, Innefu Labs; views are personal) Indias approach balances national priorities with global responsibilities Indias External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar attended the US presidential inauguration earlier this week. President Trumps inauguration by itself is an epochal moment for global international relations. India outlined its foreign policy approach a few days ago, during EAMs address at Nani Palkivalas memorial lecture. He mentioned that Indias foreign policy in 2025 reflects a deepening commitment to multilateralism, but also recognises the competitive realities of a shifting global order. The nation has embraced issue-based partnerships with major groupings like the Quad, BRICS, and the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC). Indias ability to balance multiple memberships and partnerships underscores its evolving diplomatic strategy, driven by a pragmatic approach to international relations. At the heart of Indias foreign policy is a strong solidarity with the Global South, rooted in post-colonial values of independence, sovereignty and resistance to external pressures. This unique perspective sets India apart from traditional alliance structures, as it champions the rights of developing nations while pursuing its strategic interests. While India continues to engage in global dialogues, it maintains its core principle of non-alignment and the freedom to choose partners based on national priorities. Recent shifts in Indias domestic policiesacross politics, economics and securityhave influenced its foreign relations. Notably, Indias relationship with the United States has transformed, moving past historical hesitations to embrace a deeper strategic partnership. This cooperation spans security, technology, trade, and science, benefiting both nations. Indias diaspora also plays a crucial role, acting as a living bridge to enhance bilateral ties. Despite occasional policy shifts in the US, the foundation for a robust relationship is now firmly established. However, Indias engagement with China remains a complex challenge. As the two largest Asian nations with over a billion people each, their dynamic is shaped by historical disputes and differing political systems. The boundary issue, exacerbated by tensions since 2020, continues to complicate bilateral relations. The guiding principles for Indias approach to China are mutual respect, sensitivity, and shared interests, with an emphasis on long-term stability and a multi-polar Asia. In the Indo-Pacific, India has extended its Act East policy, fostering deeper relationships with Japan, Australia and ASEAN countries, and strengthening the Quad alliance. This partnership has progressed in areas such as climate action, maritime security, and digital connectivity. Similarly, Indias collaboration with Russia remains a pillar of its foreign policy, with growing economic ties and shared strategic interests. India advocates for diplomacy in addressing global challenges, such as the Ukraine conflict, and seeks to provide solutions to global problems, including food security and climate change. It has assisted smaller neighbours during crises, including the 2023 financial support to Sri Lanka, reinforcing its role as a regional leader. However, Indias relationship with Pakistan remains strained due to ongoing cross-border terrorism. India is also engaged in strengthening ties with Myanmar and Afghanistan, maintaining its people-to-people connections despite political complexities. Indias global ambitions are reflected in its increasing role in international organisations. As a proponent of multilateral reform, India has pushed for changes in the United Nations, advocating for greater representation of the Global South. It also leads initiatives such as the International Solar Alliance and Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure. These efforts highlight Indias growing responsibility as a global power, dedicated to addressing pressing issues like climate change, digital governance, and humanitarian crises. (The writer is a policy analyst; views are personal) Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Rajiv Kumar on Thursday sounded a note of caution against fake narratives, saying they erode trust in electoral processes, and noted that the misinformation is typically timed to target the vitals of poll process. Making this assertion at an international conference of election management bodies organised by Election Commission of India, he said while technology offers significant opportunities, it also brings challenges like cybersecurity threats and misinformation. He urged Election Management Bodies to streamline strategies for addressing these technological challenges to effectively mitigate the risks. Sounding a note of caution against fake narratives which erode trust in electoral processes, he said that such fake narratives are typically timed at crucial junctures of the election process to target its very vitals. In his address, CEC Kumar also outlined key trends shaping the future of elections, including AI-driven processes, online and remote voting, biometric authentication and increased global collaboration. He urged the participating poll management bodies to explore the opportunities with technological advancements in making elections more transparent, inclusive and accessible. He underscored the role of election management bodies in not only safeguarding electoral processes globally but also expanding their reach and impact. Poll organisations from Uzbekistan, Sri Lanka, Mauritius, Indonesia and Kazakhstan placed their concerns on disinformation, misinformation and fake narratives on social media affecting electoral integrity while making their presentations on their electoral experience in 2024. CEC of Mauritius Abdool Rahman also stressed on the menace of fake news, saying it undermines voters' trust in the poll bodies. Highlighting a particular case of fake online applications for recruitment of election staff, Rahman expressed concern over the use of technology and social media in intensifying the menace of misinformation and disinformation during elections. A representative of the Electoral Commission of Namibia, while expressing concern over the rising trend of fake news, sought suggestions on tackling fake news on social media. Commissioner, General Election Commission of Indonesia, Idhan Holik spoke about their experience of using a dedicated WhatsApp channel to tackle misinformation in real time. The ECI is hosting the two-day international conference. It brings together representatives from Election Management Bodies (EMBs) of nearly 13 countries and international organisations for discussions on key issues of contemporary election management. The conference on the theme Global Election Year 2024: Reiteration of Democratic Spaces, Takeaway for EMBs is hosted by the ECI based on the varied experiences of EMBs in conducting elections in 2024, in India and the other countries. Nearly 30 representatives from the Election Management Bodies (EMBs) of 13 countries including Bhutan, Georgia, Namibia, Uzbekistan, Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Ireland, Mauritius, Philippines, Russian Federation, Tunisia, and Nepal are attending. In his address, CEC Kumar also reflected that 2024 was a defining year as a test for EMBs for reaffirmation of democratic values amidst challenging and complexities. He emphasized on the critical role of technology and digital innovations in enhancing efficiency, transparency and voter confidence. He underscored the role of EMBs in not only safeguarding electoral processes globally but also expanding their reach and impact. Highlighting Indias historic general elections with a record participation of 647 million voters and over one million polling stations, CEC Kumar said the elections were also more inclusive with greater participation especially among women, elderly aged 85+, Persons with Disabilities (PwDs) and the third gender. CEC Kumar underscored the importance of collaborative efforts in capacity building and global cooperation as vital to safeguarding democratic processes and strengthening election management worldwide. Bhutan's Chief election commissioner Dasho Sonam Topgay said the electronic voting machines provided by India have brought process efficiencies during polls in his country. He said the EVMs have won the trust of the people in Bhutan. Thanking India for providing the EVMs, he lauded the process efficiencies brought in by the machines since their use in the elections in that country. Speaking on digital IDs, Topgay said Bhutan has a biometric Unified National ID which is used for voter authentication. Bhutan is exploring the possibility of online voting in future elections, he told the gathering. Besides Bhutan, a limited number of Indian EVMs are used in Nepal and Namibia, EC functionaries said. Public undertakings BEL and ECIL produce EVMs for the Election Commission. The star campaigners of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) have descended in the national Capital going full throttle against the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) ahead of the high-octane Delhi Assembly elections with its prominent leaders including party president and Union Minister Jagat Prakash Nadda, and three chief ministers-Uttar Pradesh (UP) Chief Minister (CM) Yogi Adityanath, Madhya Pradesh CM Mohanlal Yadav, and Uttarakhand CM Pushkar Singh Dhami-holding multiple rallies, road shows and public meetings across the length and breadth of the city. In his maiden speech ahead of the polls, Adityanath accused the AAP of settling Bangladeshi and Rohingya nationals in Delhi and compromising national security while hitting out at the ruling party for being involved in the riots that took place in the national Capital in 2020. Sounding the poll bugle, the senior BJP leader launched a scathing attack on the AAP and its supremo Arvind Kejriwal. There is an Okhla industrial area in Delhi but there has been no trade there for the past 10 years. While the AAP took no interest in setting up industries there, they have undoubtedly settled Rohingyas and Bangladeshis there, he said. Yogi claimed that AAP leaders are distributing Aadhars at homes to Rohingya and Bangladeshi infiltrators. And on the other side you can see New Okhla [NOIDA]. Compare the roads of Delhi to Noida and Ghaziabad in Uttar Pradesh, there is a difference of sky and earth. There are world class educational institutions and medical colleges in UP while the educational institutions run by Delhi government are in a very bad condition, he alleged. Calling it a well thought conspiracy, the firebrand leader said, They have not just kept the people of Delhi devoid of basic facilities, they have also compromised on national security through their actions. You must have seen the riots in Delhi in 2020 and how the AAP leaders and councillors were engaged in that. They are repeatedly messing with national security. Near the Jamia Millia in Delhi, acres of land belong to the irrigation department of UP. AAP leaders have settled illegal Bangladeshis there. I requested the Delhi government to stop the Illegal occupation but when they did not cooperate I had to send bulldozers from UP, Yogi said, in a public address in Janakpuri. Hitting out at the AAP over Yamuna river, he asked the AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal to take a bath in Yamuna river with his ministers like he took a dip in Sangam with his cabinet ministers and blamed him for changing the river into a dirty sewer. He added that the dirty Yamuna river flows from Delhi to Mathura and Vrindavan, causing trouble to the saints there. He also called the AAP an ATM of lies. They do not want to work for the betterment of people. They only have one job: to tell lies through social media, tweets and press conferences. The time they waste by becoming an ATM of lies, if they had utilized this time to do the work for the people then the face of Delhi would have changed. They have changed Delhi into a kudaghar (garbage dump), the UP CM said. If he can betray his guru Anna Hazare, he can also betray the people and the country. I can confidently say that the people of Delhi will no longer fall for his statements anymore, he added. On AAPs Pujari Granthi Samman Yojana scheme, Yogi attacked the AAP for not undertaking any work for the beautification of temples in Delhi. They forgot the Valmiki priests. AAP does not have Ravidas temple priests in their agenda. Even today, they are playing their divide and rule policy. People have already decided that they will make BJP win since the Lok Sabha election when they gave us their 100 per cent support, he said. He also addressed two more public meetings in Karol Bagh and Janakpuri assembly constituency. Nadda also held two rallies in Delhi at Uttam Nagar and Shakur Basti. Addressing a public meeting in west Delhis Uttam Nagar, Nadda launched a blistering attack on the AAP, alleging that the party broke all records of corruption during its 10-year rule in Delhi. The Union minister listed the excise policy case among scams that allegedly took place during the AAPs two consecutive terms. The party cut the pockets of everyone in Delhi during its tenure, he charged. The AAP government broke all records of corruption during its 10-year rule in Delhi, Nadda told the gathering. The one who becomes the darling of the Muslim community while indulging in corruption in every department, has also committed a scam of 100 crores in the Waqf Board, he said. Nadda called AAP national convenor and former chief minister Arvind Kejriwal a liar. He lies with so much innocence on his face that if a competition of lying is organised at the national level, he will come first. But the people of Delhi will give a befitting reply to the AAP in the assembly polls, the BJP leader said. Nadda said this election is for the future of Delhi and the voters should keep that in mind. Meanwhile, Yadav also addressed two rallies at Madipur and Rohini. In his address at Madipur, the Chief Minister said that the AAP supremo keeps lying. He said he will not form any political party, take any bunglow or security. He has a skin thicker than that of a buffalo, he said. Attacking the former Chief Minister, Yadav accused Kejriwal of being so hungry for power that he did not even resign even though he was arrested. Spearheading the BJPs campaign in Delhi, Dhami held two road shows in Palam and Delhi Cantt constituencies with several supporters coming out to support him. During the road show in Delhi Cantt, Dhami accused the AAP government of failing to deliver on key issues. The AAP government has not worked in the last 10 years. They failed to provide clean water, engaged in corruption in every scheme, and built their Sheesh Mahal with public money, he said. He asserted that the BJP would form a double-engine government in Delhi, ensuring the effective implementation of central governments schemes like Ayushman Bharat. Delhi will vote on February 5 and the counting of votes will take place on February 8. While AAP seeks a third consecutive term, the BJP is aiming to return to power in the national capital after more than 25 years. Days after a Delhi-based entrepreneur shared his findings on differential pricing by two ride-hailing apps in a series of posts on X, comparing fares across different devices and battery levels, the Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) has issued notices to tech giant Apple Inc. and cab aggregators Ola and Uber, seeking clarification on reports of alleged differential pricing based on the type of mobile device used to book rides. This comes after reports that the two companies appeared to charge different fares for the same service, depending on whether the customer was using an iPhone or an Android device. As a follow-up to the earlier observation of apparent #DifferentialPricing based on the different models of mobiles (#iPhones/ #Android) being used, the Department of Consumer Affairs, through the CCPA, has issued notices to major cab aggregators #Ola and #Uber, seeking their responses, Union Minister for Consumers Affairs Prahlad Joshi said in a social media post. Apple has been asked to respond to technical issues reported by iPhone users after a recent software update. Apple has been releasing updates, including iOS 18.0.1 in October, to address screen and camera freezing issues, and the latest 18.2.1 update for bug fixes. In its notice, the CCPA asked the companies to explain their pricing methods and address concerns about potential discrimination. The ministry described the practice as apparent differential pricing and sought a detailed response to ensure transparency and fairness in fare calculations. Recently, a survey by LocalCircles revealed that 60 percent of iPhone users experienced service problems, with call failures being the most significant issue. Nearly 90 percent of surveyed iPhone users attributed their difficulties directly to an iOS update, with no blame placed on Wi-Fi or mobile networks. Last month, the internet was abuzz with speculation that cab aggregators charged different fares - higher for those making bookings on iPhones - for the same ride. However, other social media users soon joined the chorus, alleging they were being charged different fares for identical rides when booking through Android and iOS devices. Joshi had emphasized zero tolerance for consumer exploitation and asked the CCPA to conduct a thorough inquiry into these allegations. He had described this practice as a prima facie unfair trade practice and a blatant disregard for consumers right to transparency. This intervention was not the first of its kind; the department had previously issued a notice to Apple due to complaints registered on the National Consumer Helpline. Consumers had reported performance issues with iPhones following updates to iOS 18 and later versions. The department examined these grievances and requested a response from Apple to address the concerns raised by users. The notices issued to Ola, Uber, and Apple highlighted a broader effort to ensure that companies adopt fair practices and do not exploit consumers. The actions taken by the CCPA were expected to bring clarity and resolution to these issues while reinforcing consumer trust in digital platforms and technology services. India is one of Ubers biggest markets outside the United States and Canada, where it is locked in a fierce battle with SoftBank-backed Ola, local rival Rapido, as well as all-electric ride-hailing app BluSmart. Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri will travel to Beijing on a two-day visit starting Sunday to discuss next steps in improving ties between the two nations. This comes after armies of India and China in October last year agreed to disengage from friction points at Line of Actual Control(LAC)in Eastern Ladakh. High level talks between the two countries gathered momentum following the pact. It will be the second top level meeting in the last one and half months between the two neighbours. National Security Advisor(NSA)Ajit Doval travelled to Beijing and held talks with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang under the framework of Special Representatives(SR)dialogue on the boundary dispute. Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri will be visiting Beijing on January 26 and 27 for a meeting of the Foreign Secretary-Vice Minister mechanism between India and China, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said on Thursday. The resumption of this bilateral mechanism flows from the agreement at the leadership level to discuss the next steps for India-China relations, including in the political, economic, and people-to-people domains, it said in a brief statement. The decision to revive the SR dialogue mechanism and other such formats was taken at a meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping in Kazan on October 23. In the nearly 50-minute meeting, Modi underscored the importance of properly handling differences and disputes and not allowing them to disturb peace and tranquillity in border areas. The Modi-Xi meeting came two days after India and China firmed up a disengagement pact for Depsang and Demchok, the last two friction points in eastern Ladakh. In the SR dialogue, India pressed for a fair, reasonable and mutually acceptable settlement of the overall boundary dispute between the two countries. Doval and Wang also focused on positive direction for cross-border cooperation including resuming the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra, river data sharing and border trade. Last week, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said the India-China relationship is trying to disentangle itself from the complications arising from the post-2020 border situation and more thought needs to be given to the longer-term evolution of the ties. At a time when most of its relationships are moving forward, India confronts a particular challenge in establishing an equilibrium with China. Much of that arises from the fact that both nations are on the rise, he had said. The external affairs minister noted that as immediate neighbours and the only two societies with over a billion people, India-China dynamic could never have been easy. But it has been further sharpened by a boundary dispute, by some baggage of history and by differing socio-political systems. Misreadings by past policy-makers, whether driven by idealism or absence of realpolitik, has actually helped neither cooperation nor competition with China, he said. That has clearly changed in the last decade. Right now, the relationship is trying to disentangle itself from the complications arising from the post-2020 border situation, he added. These meetings came after the two nations arrived at an agreement to resume patrolling along the LAC leading to disengagement. The patrolling arrangement came four years after the Galwan Valley clash, signalling de-escalation in a region where both countries stationed tens of thousands of troops. The disengagement agreement has facilitated the Indian military to resume patrolling up to the old stations in Depsang and Demchok -- the two major friction points that were left to be settled between the two nations. The two sides also completed one round of patrolling in November and also agreed to carry out one coordinated patrol every week in the areas where tensions have persisted since 2020. India has maintained that its ties with China cannot be normal unless there is peace in the border areas. There is still more than what meets the eye in matters relating to the recent attack on Bollywood actor Saif Ali Khan and the arrest of the accused Shariful Islam Shehzad Mohammad Amin Fakir for his alleged involvement in the incident. Or so it appears, going by the questions being raised in different quarters about the actors rapid recovery and also the identity of the arrested Bangladeshi national. On his part, Sharifuls father Mohammed Ruhul Amin Fakir has questioned the authenticity of the of the CCTV footage used to make the arrest of his son did not match with that of the person in the CCTV footage taken from actors building on the day of incident, in which the intruder to Saif;s house is seen climbing down the stairs. The CCTV-based photograph which initially made it to social media has been featured widely in print and electronic media. Talking to a leading television, the accuseds father Mohammed Fakir said: The person in the CCTV footage is not my son. But the police have used this footage as the basis to arrest my son (in connection with the Saif Ali Khan attack). Mohammed Fakir also defended his son by saying his son had never kept his hair long, unlike the person in the video. Shariful was arrested by the Mumbai police from Hiranandani Estate at Thane (west) on January 19. Police said Shariful hailed from Rajabariya village in Nalchity sub-region of Jhalokati district in southern Bangladesh. When Shariful was produced before a holiday court on the same day, the accuseds lawyer Sandeep D. Sherkhane had contested the claim made by the police that his client was a Bangladeshi who came to Mumbai six months ago. The accused has been living in Mumbai with his family for the past 7 years. I argued in court yesterday very clearly on this. The police are trying to make him a scapegoat as this case involves a Bollywood celebrity, Sherkhane had said. It may be recalled that during the knife attack carried out on him allegedly by Shariful in the small hours of January 16, Saif had had sustained six stab wounds, including the one in his spine while he was grappling an intruder in the actors 12th floor apartment in posh Satguru Sharan building at Bandra (W) in north-west Mumbai. The knife attack on the actor had taken place between 2 am and 2.30 am on Thursday, after a failed attempt of a burglary. After his admission to the Lilavati Hospital, the actor had undergone a surgery for removal of a knife stuck in his spine and also plugging the leakage of spinal fluid. During a surgery carried out on him immediately afterwards, the doctors attending on Saif removed a 2.5-inch piece of knife from Saifs spine. Meanwhile, the Opposition Congress on Thursday jumped into the raging controversy over the identities of the person seen in Saif building-related footage and the person arrested in connection with the crime. The media is claiming that the person seen in the Saif-attack related CCTV footage and the person arrested for the crime are not the same. The Mumbai police should come clean and issue a clarification in the matter. They should present the truth to the public, Maharashtra Congress chief Nana Patole said. In a related development, two ruling MahaYuti leaders - Sanjay Nirupam of the Shinde Shiv Sena and BJP Minister Nitesh Rane - have questioned as how the Bollywood actor, who had sustained six bullet wounds including the one in his spine, had managed to recover from the grievous injuries so fast. Nirupam, who is the deputy leader of Shiv Sena led by Eknath Shinde, said that though he had full sympathies for Saif Ali Khan and his family, he had had sincere doubts as to how the actor could recover so fast. The way Saif Ali Khan came out of the hospital, it appeared as if nothing had happened four days ago... I want to ask the doctors, can a person whose operation lasted for 6 hours come out in such good shape within 4 days?, Nirupam asked. It should be revealed how deadly the attack was and how badly the actor was injured. The family should come forward and disclose this because, after this incident, such an atmosphere was created in Mumbai that the law and order of Mumbai has collapsed, the Home Ministry has failed, the Maharashtra government has been ruined, and every citizen in Mumbai is unsafe, Nirupam said. Echoing the doubts expressed by Nirupam, Rane Rane, who is the Ports and Fisheries Minister in the BJP-led MahaYuti Cabinet, said: When I saw Saif Ali Khan coming out of the hospital, I doubted whether he had been stabbed six days ago or was he acting. He was dancing while walking. A group of 13 Lakhpati Didis from Uttar Pradesh, celebrated as symbols of women empowerment under Chief Minister Yogi Adityanaths leadership, will attend the Republic Day celebrations on Kartavya Path. Invited by the Central government, they will witness the grand showcase of Indias cultural diversity and military prowess, marking a proud moment for grassroots achievers. Joining Prime Minister Narendra Modi and esteemed dignitaries from across the nation, these remarkable women will participate in the event as special guests. The Lakhpati Didis, who have triumphed over challenges to achieve self-reliance, have become shining examples of inspiration for society through the National Rural Livelihood Mission (NRLM). Recognising their exceptional contributions to nation-building, the Central government has dedicated Republic Day celebrations to individuals who have played a significant role in shaping the country. Among the 10,000 special guests invited in 34 categories nationwide, these Didis stand out for their perseverance and achievements. Hailing from diverse backgrounds, the 13 Lakhpati Didis share one common trait: their unwavering determination to succeed in adverse circumstances. Take Vinita from Sonbhadra district, for instance. She turned to dairy farming to support her family. With her groups support, she now manages 40 cows and earns Rs. 10,000-12,000 daily by selling milk, securing a stable financial future for her family. Similarly, Seema from Gautam Buddha Nagar launched Prerna Canteen at the community health centre in Dadri, generating a monthly income of Rs 36,000-40,000. Saraswati, another inspiring figure, ventured into manufacturing sanitary napkins and pickles while also working at Bank Sakhi, earning Rs. 37,000 per month. Through their hard work, these women transform their lives and inspire countless others to embark on self-reliance and success. Shakuntala Maurya from Sonbhadra achieved remarkable success by earning over Rs 1 lakh through dragon fruit farming. Similarly, Sanju Kushwaha earned Rs 3.5 lakh by producing soap from goat milk and training more than 300 women, helping them become self-reliant. Sarita Dubey from Bijnor, trained in beauty services, and Ruchika Srivastava from Kushinagar, skilled in making homemade chocolates and cakes, enhanced their incomes and empowered other women in their communities. Meena Devi and Nandini Mishra from Deoria became role models, earning Rs 1.5-2 lakh annually through sanitary pad production and cow dung-based products, respectively. Soni Sharma ventured into spice manufacturing in Aligarh, while Lalita Sharma found success in the dairy industry. Sangeeta Tomar from Meerut, working as a Vidyut Sakhi, now earns Rs 50,000 monthly and has become a mentor for women in her community. These inspiring women exemplify how the right guidance, resources and support can help women overcome challenges and realise their dreams. These women were encouraged to pursue self-employment and entrepreneurship under the Yogi government and the National Rural Livelihood Mission (NRLM). Their hard work has made them self-reliant and opened doors to prosperity for their families and communities. State Rural Livelihood Mission Director Deepa Ranjan expressed pride in the 13 Lakhpati Didis from Uttar Pradesh, invited as special guests to the Republic Day celebrations. She remarked, These women epitomise self-reliance and empowerment, achieving remarkable milestones despite significant challenges. She added, The mission aims to strengthen women financially and provide them employment opportunities. These Didis are empowering their own families and serving as a source of inspiration for others. Their participation in the Republic Day celebrations is a moment of pride for Uttar Pradesh, symbolising the essence of womens empowerment and the vision of a self-reliant India. The inspiring journeys of these extraordinary women highlight that, given the right opportunities, women can break barriers and make history in every sphere of life. In a major crackdown on cybercriminals, Haryana Director General of Police (DGP) Shatrujeet Kapur on Wednesday said that the Nuh Police have arrested 15 members of a gang that was duping people through social media. The police recovered 20 mobile phones, 29 fake SIM cards, 250 fake gold coins, and 1 fake gold brick from the accused. Superintendent of Police Vijay Pratap said that a plan was prepared and different teams were formed to take action against cybercriminals. The teams launched a special operation which started around 11 am on Tuesday and continued till late night. The teams conducted raids at different places including villages Palla, Sonkh, and Nai. These accused were using social media platforms for cybercrime. The accused used to post fake advertisements on social media and then cheated people. Mainly, all the accused used to hide their identity through social media and used to cheat people by booking hotels, sextortion, posing as gold coin holders, and advertising online rapido taxis. SHO of Cyber Crime Police Station Nuh, Vimal Rai said that during interrogation, it was revealed that the accused used to get fake SIM cards from Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan. These accused used to post different types of advertisements on social media. Apart from this, the accused used to hide their identity and used to blackmail people by making obscene videos of people using fake SIMs and mobile phones and demanding money in fake accounts. n The BJP on Thursday demanded an investigation into the absence of established liquor brands from the national Capital while residents are forced to buy whiskey from lesser-known distilleries in Punjab accusing the ruling party of receiving money to fund the upcoming Delhi assembly elections. In a post on X, the BJPs Information Technology Cell chief Amit Malviya claimed another Liquor Scam in Delhi via Punjab. While the rest of India enjoys premium whiskey brands like Blenders Pride, Black Dog, Royal Stag, Sterling Reserve, Imperial Blue and Antiquity Blue, people in Delhi are being forced to look elsewhere for such choicesoften driving to Noida or Gurgaon to buy them, he said. Why is this happening? Delhi residents are instead compelled to buy: Royal Green Rich, Dennies Special, Bottoms Up Premium, Old Habbit Premium and Soulmate Blu. Shockingly, 85.4 per cent of the total whiskey sold in Delhi comes from a lesser-known distillery in Punjab. He accused the Delhi government of pressuring its agencies to procure liquor from distilleries in the AAP ruled state of Punjab. The Reason: The Delhi government is reportedly pressuring its agencies to procure liquor from Punjab-based distilleries, he said. The senior BJP leader posed four questions to the AAP including if it is getting any kickbacks to promote the liquors of Punjab, and receiving funding for the upcoming Delhi elections, slated to be held on February 5. Questions: Could this be a potential scam? Is the AAP government receiving kickbacks to promote liquor from Punjab manufacturers? Why are Delhi consumers being denied access to established brands? Are Punjab distilleries funding Delhi government elections? Malviya questioned. He asserted that this calls for a thorough investigation. According to the Excise department data, of the top 10 whisky brands being sold in Delhi, 85.4 per cent of the sales are of Punjab-based distillers. The national Capital has reverted to its old excise policy on September 1, 2022 after the money laundering linked excise police scam, which later saw the arrest of several AAP leaders including its supremo and former Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal. Under this policy, the excise department gives out L-1 licenses for wholesale supply of Indian liquor to a company which has a license for manufacturing of liquor. This L-1 license holder supplies liquor to vends, which are managed by Delhi government's agencies including Delhi State Industrial and Infrastructure Development Corporation (DSIIDC), Delhi Tourism and Transportation Development Corporation (DTTDC), Delhi Consumer's Cooperative Wholesale Store and Delhi State Civil Supplies Corporation Ltd. The Haryana Cabinet, which met under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini on Thursday, approved the Haryana Clean Air Project for sustainable development for the period spanning from the financial year 2024-25 to 2029-30. The project is aimed to improve air quality and reduce emissions across the Indo-Gangetic Plain, a region that spans multiple state boundaries. A Spokesperson said that the Haryana Clean Air Project for Sustainable Development (HCAPSD) is a Haryana government initiative supported by the World Bank. The total proposed budget for the project is Rs 3,647 crore. The project will be financed through the World Banks Program for Results (PforR) mechanism. The project will support the strengthening of air quality management systems in the state, while synergizing efforts being undertaken by the Government of India. It will focus on designing and implementing sector-specific air pollution abatement measures and facilitating coordination among Indo-Gangetic Plain (IGP) states to reduce cross-border emissions. Additionally, the project aims to enhance the 'ease of living' for citizens across Haryana's cities. The potential benefits of the project include supporting the piloting and scaling up of state-of-the-art pollution control technologies, which could serve as a model for the rest of India. It will also enable air-shed management through the expansion of the air quality monitoring network, capturing statewide sources of pollution, and the development of a state-level emission inventory. The project is expected to lead to improved air quality in Haryana through emission reductions and positive spillover effects. The Haryana Clean Air Project for Sustainable Development is a multi-sector initiative led by the Department of Environment, Forests and Climate Change, in collaboration with the Haryana Pollution Control Board. The Haryana Clean Air Project for Sustainable Development will be jointly implemented by various departments, including Departments of Environment and Climate Change, Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Transport, Industries and Commerce, Directorate of Urban Local Bodies, Town and Country Planning, Haryana State Industrial and infrastructure Development Corporation (HSIIDC), Haryana Pollution Control Board, Rural Development , Animal Husbandry and Dairying, Development and Panchayats , Food and Civil Supplies , Gurugram Metropolitan City Bus Limited, Faridabad Metropolitan City Bus Limited, Haryana City Bus Service Limited and Directorate of MSME. Approves Haryana One-Time Settlement Scheme for recovery of outstanding dues-2025 Talking to Reporters, Saini said that the Cabinet has approved the Haryana One-Time Settlement Scheme for recovery of outstanding dues-2025. He reaffirmed his governments unwavering commitment for empowering small traders and fostering a business-friendly environment in the state. In line with the promises made in the Sankalp Patra, the government has introduced the Haryana One-Time Settlement Scheme for Recovery of Outstanding Dues 2025 aimed at moving ahead in the GST regime with lesser baggage of arrears, litigations and to expedite the recovery of outstanding dues and give relief to small taxpayers. In the New Scheme formulated for the settlement of outstanding tax liabilities under seven pre-GST Acts, Taxpayers with outstanding liabilities of up to Rs. 10 lakh under any single Act will be granted a concession of up to Rs. 1 lakh. Additionally, 60% of the remaining principal tax amount will also be waived. Gives nod to amendment of the Haryana Divyang Pension Rules, 2016 In a move towards inclusivity and support for Persons With Disabilities (PwDs), Saini said that the cabinet has approved amendments to the Haryana Disabled Pension Rules, 2016. As per the decision, 10 additional categories of PwDs in Haryana will now be eligible for pension benefits. The move aligns with the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016, under which the Central Government has included 21 disability categories. Until now, the Haryana Government has been providing pension benefits to individuals with 11 categories of disabilities. With the approval of the recent amendments in the rules, 32,000 more PwDs will be eligible to receive monthly pension benefits. With the Delhi assembly elections less than two weeks away, AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal on Thursday pledged to eradicate unemployment in the national capital within five years if re-elected. In a video message, the former Delhi chief minister stressed that creating jobs for the youth would be his top priority. Our team is drafting a detailed plan to address the issue of unemployment, Kejriwal said. The AAP faces a tight contest from the BJP this polls. Highlighting past successes, the AAP Chief revealed that his team had facilitated employment for 12 lakh youth during the pandemic and is now working on a comprehensive plan to secure jobs for Delhis children. Arvind Kejriwal also reaffirmed his commitment to bolstering key sectors like education, health, and infrastructure. Meanwhile, terming it another political gimmick, South Delhi BJP MP and Chairman of the BJP Assembly election manifesto committee, Ramvir Singh Bidhuri said the Kejriwal government had to provide 20 lakh jobs in 5 years, but they have not even given 20 jobs. On the contrary, Kejriwal took away the jobs of 10 thousand volunteers of Civil Defence. Guest teachers and contractual employees working in Delhi government departments were also not made permanent, said Bidhuri adding that the people of Delhi has realised that Kejriwal is unfit to rule the national capital. On the other hand, touting his governments achievements in Punjab, Kejriwal claimed that the AAP government there provided 48,000 government jobs and facilitated over three lakh private-sector jobs for youth in less than two years. We know how to create employment, and our intentions are honest. With the peoples support, we will eliminate unemployment in Delhi in the next five years, he stated confidently. The BJP said it was shocking that Kejriwal, instead of offering his vision for the middle class, has tried to mislead them by posing "populist demands" before the Centre. Kejriwal said that during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Delhi government had created employment opportunities for 12 lakh youth. He also cited the performance of the AAP government in Punjab, saying that 48,000 government jobs and three lakh employments in the private sector were given in the state in just two years. We are capable of providing employment to youth, and our intentions are clear, he said. Kejriwal announced the seven-point charter aimed at addressing the concerns of the middle class and demanded the BJP-led Centre to address them. Delhi has recorded a sharp drop in unemployment ratefrom 6.3 percent in 2020-21 to 2.1 percent in 2023-24, data from its Economic Survey 2023-24 as well as the Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) 2023-24 shows. Unemployment rate is defined as the number of people unemployed as a percentage of the total workforce. In Delhi, 2.1 percent of the total workforce in the 15 to 59 years was unemployed in 2023-24, which is lower than the national average of 3.5 percent. As far as joblessness among youth (15-29 years age group) is concerned, Delhi has recorded an unemployment rate of 4.6 percent in 2023-24, a drop from 6.1 percent in the previous year. PLFS data shows that a little over half (56.1%) of Delhis workforce comprises the regular-waged, while 37.8% are self-employed and 6.1% are casual labour. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, on Thursday, described Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose as the epitome of courage, loyalty and selfless service, calling on the youth to find inspiration in his vision and ideals. On the occasion of the birth anniversary of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, the chief minister paid glowing tributes by garlanding his statue at Parivartan Chowk. He also reflected on Netajis immense contributions to the nation, hailing him as a great son of Mother India and an iconic hero of the freedom struggle. Addressing the youth, the chief minister highlighted Netajis extraordinary life, remarkable personality and historic deeds. He described how Netaji gave a transformative direction to Indias freedom struggle, igniting an enduring flame of patriotism in the hearts of Indians. His immortal slogan, Give me blood, and I will give you freedom, inspires generations and is a testament to his undying legacy, he remarked. Chief Minister Yogi said that Netajis birth anniversary was celebrated as Parakram Diwas to honour his unparalleled valour and contributions. He said, This illustrious son of Mother India reshaped the freedom movement with his vision and actions, becoming a beacon of pride and inspiration for every Indian. He praised Prime Minister Narendra Modis 2021 decision to declare January 23 as Parakram Diwas, calling it a profound gesture of the nations gratitude to Netaji. The chief minister also reflected on Netajis bold choice to resign from a prestigious civil service position, refusing to work under colonial rule. This act of defiance, he noted, epitomised Netajis patriotism and served as a source of inspiration for countless young Indians. He highlighted Netajis unyielding spirit, which thrived despite resource constraints. Netajis slogans ignited nationalism, leading to his house arrest by the British. Undeterred, he sought international support in Germany, Japan and beyond, showcasing his relentless dedication to Indias freedom, the chief minister said. Chief Minister Yogi urged the youth to rise above caste, religion, language and regional differences, prioritising national duty above all. He stated that Netaji Subhas Chandra Boses life exemplifies unwavering loyalty and dedication to the nation. The chief minister urged the youth to look beyond personal careers and recognise their responsibilities toward the country and society. Recalling Netajis courage and commitment, Chief Minister Yogi remarked that his remarkable personality continues to inspire youth, teaching them resilience in the face of challenges. Every step of Netajis journey served as a guiding light, leading his contemporaries in the freedom struggle and offering solutions to societal issues, he added. The chief minister remarked that Netajis message is as relevant today as it was during the freedom movement. He encouraged the youth to embrace Netajis ideals and actively contribute to nation-building. Chief Minister Yogi said, Celebrating Yuva Pakhwada, from the revered birth anniversary of Swami Vivekananda to that of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose, this entire programme offers a fresh wave of inspiration to the youth. He pointed out that this celebration serves as a powerful source of motivation for the youth. Emphasising unity, he urged every citizen to rise above caste, creed, religion, region and language, and focus on a single duty Rashtradharma. He added that the towering legacy of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose continues to inspire people to serve the nation with unwavering dedication. On this occasion, Mayor Sushma Kharkwal, MLA Neeraj Bora, Amresh Kumar, MLC Avnish Singh, Angad Singh, Ramchandra Pradhan, Lalji Prasad Nirmal, and others were present. As the Delhi Assembly polls draw nearer, the police have introduced two AI-driven chatbots, 'Chunav Mitra' and 'Cyber Sarthi,' to assist their personnel and paramilitary forces with their election-related duties. A senior police official said that these bilingual chatbots, available in Hindi and English, will ensure effective management of the upcoming Delhi Assembly polls. Highlighting the features of these AI-based chatbots, the official explained that these applications will ensure the timely dissemination of critical instructions and guidelines issued by the Election Commission of India (ECI) and the Delhi Police. 'Chunav Mitra' provides real-time access to rules, directives and field instructions, while 'Cyber Sarthi' focuses on cybersecurity. Chunav Mitra promptly disseminates key instructions and guidelines issued by the Election Commission of India (ECI) and the Delhi Police, for the smooth and peaceful conduct of the election process. It provides quick and easy access to important guidelines, rules and directives. It acts as a vital tool for field officers, requiring immediate reference on real time basis, while on duty, an officer said. Cyber Sarthi focuses on providing robust cyber security guidelines, ensuring the safe use of digital platforms and tools by police personnel during their assignment, he said. Special Commissioner of Police (Crime) Devesh Chandra Srivastva informed that both chatbots are built on an extensive database of election-related information. He added that the AI Chatbot can be accessed easily through a dedicated link and QR code, ensuring swift and seamless usage, by police personnel on the ground. Designed to be user-friendly, the AI Chatbot simplify complex instructions and provide practical support to officer/ personnel of all ranks, in need of quick and accurate information, while performing their duties, he said. It is intuitive and efficient, providing real-time responses to queries and enabling officer or personnel to access crucial relevant data or information without any delay. These applications were developed under the guidance of Delhi Police Commissioner Sanjay Arora to ensure seamless election management, said the Special CP. In a significant development ahead of the Delhi Assembly elections, the Punjab Police personnel deployed for the security of Aam Aadmi Partys (AAP) national convener and Delhis former Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal have been withdrawn. Punjabs Director General of Police (DGP) Gaurav Yadav on Thursday confirmed the decision, stating that the move followed the directions of the Election Commission of India (ECI) and Delhi Police. Kejriwal, who retains Z-Plus security, will now be fully under the protection of the Delhi Police. DGP Yadav, interacting with media during his tour to Bathinda, Ferozepur and Patiala ranges, said: From time to time, we receive threat reports concerning Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and Arvind Kejriwal. We have always shared these inputs with concerned agencies. Following todays instructions from the ECI and Delhi Police, we have officially withdrawn the Punjab Police component from Kejriwals security detail. The DGP assured continued collaboration between Punjab and Delhi authorities, emphasizing that intelligence reports would be shared promptly to address any potential threats. The withdrawal decision comes amid heightened political tension and allegations of security risks. BJP leader Parvesh Verma, who is contesting against Kejriwal, recently raised questions about the presence of numerous Punjab-registered vehicles in Delhi, particularly in sensitive areas as the city gears up for the Republic Day celebrations on January 26. Verma had remarked, There are thousands of vehicles with Punjab registration roaming around Delhi. Who are these people, and what are they doing here? Are they posing a threat to our security, especially during such a critical period? Responding sharply, AAP accused Verma of maligning Punjabis and stirring unnecessary controversy. The party dismissed his claims as baseless and labeled them an insult to Punjabs citizens. The security adjustment also followed recent intelligence warnings about a potential attack on Kejriwal, allegedly planned by pro-Khalistan operatives. The threat was compounded by an incident last Saturday when AAP shared a video of an alleged stone-throwing attack on Kejriwals vehicle during a campaign rally. The party accused supporters of BJP candidate Parvesh Verma of orchestrating the act. The BJP has denied involvement, dismissing AAPs allegations as a diversionary tactic ahead of the elections. Earlier this week, Delhi Police had written to Punjab Police seeking details about VIPs from Punjab present in Delhi and their security arrangements. The letter emphasized the need to coordinate protection amid election campaigns and public gatherings in the capital. With Delhi set to vote on February 5, and results to be declared on February 8, the decision to modify Kejriwals security detail is seen as a politically-charged move. The Maha Kumbh in Prayagraj has witnessed an unprecedented turnout of devotees, with over 10 crore people taking a holy dip in the sacred confluence of Ganga, Yamuna and the mystical Saraswati rivers. The historic milestone was achieved by noon on Thursday, reflecting the immense faith and devotion of sadhus, saints, kalpvasis and pilgrims who have come here from around the world. The Yogi Adityanath government estimates that this Maha Kumbh will host over 45 crore visitors, and the early achievement of 10 crore bathers reaffirms these projections. On Thursday alone, 30 lakh devotees, including 10 lakh kalpvasis, participated in the holy ritual, contributing to the steady flow of daily pilgrims. The bathing festivals have drawn record crowds, with 3.5 crore devotees taking the Amrit Snan on Makar Sankranti and 1.7 crore participating on Paush Purnima. The vibrant confluence area showcases Indias diverse cultural tapestry as devotees from different castes, creeds and countries unite in faith, embodying Maha Kumbhs theme of unity. Remarkably, while crores of pilgrims visit the holy city, life in Prayagraj remains uninterrupted. The district administration has ensured that schools, offices and businesses operate smoothly, imposing restrictions only during major bathing festivals. This seamless coordination has brought joy to city residents, enhancing the grandeur of this global spiritual event. Unforgettable experience The Maha Kumbh in Prayagraj stands as a profound spiritual and cultural phenomenon. It encapsulates elements of faith, karma, devotion, meditation and philosophy, offering a mesmerising experience of Sanatan traditions and the universal principle of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam (The World is One Family). The grandeur of Maha Kumbh attracts not only devotees from across India, but also international visitors. Pilgrims from nations like the USA, Canada, Germany, Russia, Fiji, Mauritius, Malaysia, Australia, and beyond converge on Prayagraj, transforming the sandy banks of the Ganga into a global village. The events cultural and spiritual significance earned it the status of UNESCOs Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2017, further solidifying its global appeal. With an emphasis on digital technology, enhanced safety measures and cleanliness, the Yogi government has infused modernity into this ancient tradition. Extensive arrangements for accommodation, dining and sanitation have been made to ensure a seamless experience for millions of visitors. The illuminated tents on the riverbanks at night create a mesmerising spectacle, while the serene environment fosters a sense of peace and spiritual solace. The chants of Har Har Mahadev and Jai Shri Ram resonate across the event, enhancing the spiritual atmosphere. Devotees willingly guide each other in navigating the vast arrangements, reflecting the collective spirit of service and community. The Maha Kumbh is more than a festival it is a celebration of humanity, spirituality and eternal traditions. The Yogi government invites everyone to witness this unparalleled event, assuring a warm welcome and an unforgettable spiritual journey. The third piece of the knife used to attack Bollywood actor Saif Ali Khan in his Bandra home on January 16 has been recovered, a police official said on Thursday. Khan was allegedly attacked by Shariful Islam Shehzad Mohammad Rohilla Amin Fakir (30) alias Vijay Das, a Bangladeshi national staying illegally in the country. "The third piece of the knife, which comprises the handle and some part of the blade, was recovered from close to Bandra Talao, more than a kilometre away from the actor's residence in Satguru Sharan building. We took the accused to the lake on Wednesday evening and recovered this missing part of the knife," the Bandra police station official said. While one piece of the knife blade broke and got lodged near the spine of the actor during the attack, which had to be removed by doctors at Lilavati Hospital, the second part was found in Khan's house when 'panchnama' was carried out, the official informed. He showed us where he had disposed of the knife after walking 1.4 kilometre post the incident, the official said. "He has told us he stole the knife from the Thane restaurant where he was working," the police official added. A court in Bangladesh acquitted BNP Chairperson and former prime minister Khaleda Zia on Wednesday in a sabotage case filed in the southeastern Cumilla district 10 years ago. Additional District and Session Judge Court-2 of Cumilla Afroza Jesmin passed the order as there was no evidence against 79-year-old Zia, who is now undergoing treatment in London, the state-run BSS news agency reported. The court observed that the case was filed on political grounds and harassment, the agency said. The case was filed against 32 people, including Zia, in the Special Powers Act, 1974, at Chouddagram Police Station in Cumilla in connection with damaging and setting fire to a covered van during a strike on January 25, 2015. Zia was the 32nd accused in the case. No specific evidence was found against Zia and she has been acquitted, Public Prosecutor Kaimul Haque Rinku was quoted as saying by bdnews24 news portal. He added that 32 people were named in the FIR, but 42 people were charged afterwards. Of them, 36 people have been removed from the case. The decision on six others will be taken later as they received a suspension order in favour of them in the case. Last week, the Supreme Court acquitted Zia, her partys Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman, and all other suspects in their appeal over the Orphanage Trust graft case, overturning the High Courts earlier 10-year prison sentence. She was sentenced to 17 years in prison for graft in 2018 under the rule of her arch-rival Sheikh Hasina. Zia had been imprisoned for more than two years. On March 25, 2020, the Hasina government suspended her sentence and granted her conditional release through an executive order. Subsequently, the government extended her sentence suspension and release period every six months, upon application. She appeared in public on November 21, 2024, at Dhaka Cantonment to join Bangladeshs Armed Forces Day reception at the invitation of the Chief Adviser of the interim government Muhammad Yunus. Zia is ailing and travelled to London earlier this month for medical treatment. She served as the prime minister of Bangladesh from March 1991 to March 1996, and again from June 2001 to October 2006. Trust Co. of Oklahoma cut its holdings in Edwards Lifesciences Co. (NYSE:EW Free Report) by 37.1% in the 4th quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the SEC. The fund owned 4,815 shares of the medical research companys stock after selling 2,840 shares during the period. Trust Co. of Oklahomas holdings in Edwards Lifesciences were worth $356,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period. A number of other large investors also recently made changes to their positions in EW. AE Wealth Management LLC raised its position in shares of Edwards Lifesciences by 14.8% in the 2nd quarter. AE Wealth Management LLC now owns 4,618 shares of the medical research companys stock worth $427,000 after buying an additional 594 shares during the period. ProShare Advisors LLC raised its holdings in shares of Edwards Lifesciences by 7.2% in the 2nd quarter. ProShare Advisors LLC now owns 88,565 shares of the medical research companys stock worth $8,181,000 after purchasing an additional 5,944 shares during the period. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC lifted its stake in shares of Edwards Lifesciences by 42.9% in the 2nd quarter. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 932 shares of the medical research companys stock valued at $86,000 after purchasing an additional 280 shares in the last quarter. Public Sector Pension Investment Board grew its holdings in shares of Edwards Lifesciences by 73.6% during the 2nd quarter. Public Sector Pension Investment Board now owns 23,267 shares of the medical research companys stock worth $2,149,000 after purchasing an additional 9,863 shares during the period. Finally, Bank of Montreal Can raised its holdings in Edwards Lifesciences by 1.7% in the second quarter. Bank of Montreal Can now owns 1,227,199 shares of the medical research companys stock valued at $112,706,000 after buying an additional 20,240 shares during the period. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 79.46% of the companys stock. Get Edwards Lifesciences alerts: Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades EW has been the topic of a number of research reports. Barclays raised their target price on shares of Edwards Lifesciences from $85.00 to $88.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a research note on Monday, December 2nd. Royal Bank of Canada increased their target price on Edwards Lifesciences from $80.00 to $85.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a research note on Thursday, December 5th. Citigroup upped their price target on Edwards Lifesciences from $81.00 to $83.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a report on Wednesday, December 11th. Piper Sandler dropped their price objective on shares of Edwards Lifesciences from $73.00 to $70.00 and set a neutral rating on the stock in a research note on Friday, October 25th. Finally, Evercore ISI decreased their target price on shares of Edwards Lifesciences from $76.00 to $70.00 and set an in-line rating for the company in a research note on Tuesday, October 1st. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, fifteen have issued a hold rating and eleven have assigned a buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, the stock has an average rating of Hold and a consensus target price of $78.48. Edwards Lifesciences Trading Down 1.4 % Edwards Lifesciences stock opened at $68.99 on Thursday. The firm has a 50-day moving average price of $72.25 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $70.86. The firm has a market capitalization of $40.69 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 9.96, a PEG ratio of 3.59 and a beta of 1.11. The company has a quick ratio of 2.89, a current ratio of 3.46 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.06. Edwards Lifesciences Co. has a 52-week low of $58.93 and a 52-week high of $96.12. Edwards Lifesciences (NYSE:EW Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, October 24th. The medical research company reported $0.67 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, hitting analysts consensus estimates of $0.67. The company had revenue of $1.35 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $1.57 billion. Edwards Lifesciences had a return on equity of 20.76% and a net margin of 70.82%. The firms quarterly revenue was up 8.9% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm posted $0.59 EPS. Sell-side analysts expect that Edwards Lifesciences Co. will post 2.56 earnings per share for the current year. Insiders Place Their Bets In related news, VP Daniel J. Lippis sold 500 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, January 16th. The shares were sold at an average price of $68.76, for a total value of $34,380.00. Following the sale, the vice president now directly owns 23,189 shares in the company, valued at $1,594,475.64. The trade was a 2.11 % decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this link. Also, insider Larry L. Wood sold 25,000 shares of the firms stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, November 5th. The stock was sold at an average price of $65.91, for a total transaction of $1,647,750.00. Following the sale, the insider now owns 198,526 shares of the companys stock, valued at $13,084,848.66. The trade was a 11.18 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. In the last three months, insiders have sold 33,000 shares of company stock worth $2,195,180. 1.29% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders. About Edwards Lifesciences (Free Report) Edwards Lifesciences Corporation provides products and technologies for structural heart disease and critical care monitoring in the United States, Europe, Japan, and internationally. It offers transcatheter heart valve replacement products for the minimally invasive replacement of aortic heart valves under the Edwards SAPIEN family of valves system; and transcatheter heart valve repair and replacement products to treat mitral and tricuspid valve diseases under the PASCAL PRECISION and Cardioband names. Read More Want to see what other hedge funds are holding EW? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Edwards Lifesciences Co. (NYSE:EW Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Edwards Lifesciences Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Edwards Lifesciences and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. GoalVest Advisory LLC decreased its position in shares of Sonoco Products (NYSE:SON Free Report) by 14.2% during the 4th quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the SEC. The firm owned 17,914 shares of the industrial products companys stock after selling 2,971 shares during the period. GoalVest Advisory LLCs holdings in Sonoco Products were worth $875,000 as of its most recent SEC filing. A number of other hedge funds have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. AQR Capital Management LLC grew its stake in shares of Sonoco Products by 80.8% in the second quarter. AQR Capital Management LLC now owns 555,575 shares of the industrial products companys stock valued at $28,179,000 after buying an additional 248,236 shares in the last quarter. Jane Street Group LLC grew its position in shares of Sonoco Products by 312.1% during the 3rd quarter. Jane Street Group LLC now owns 185,351 shares of the industrial products companys stock valued at $10,126,000 after buying an additional 140,370 shares during the last quarter. Canada Pension Plan Investment Board bought a new stake in shares of Sonoco Products in the 2nd quarter worth approximately $2,419,000. Nordea Investment Management AB lifted its position in Sonoco Products by 63.2% in the 4th quarter. Nordea Investment Management AB now owns 1,129,133 shares of the industrial products companys stock valued at $55,181,000 after purchasing an additional 437,128 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Versor Investments LP acquired a new position in shares of Sonoco Products during the third quarter worth approximately $970,000. 77.69% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds. Get Sonoco Products alerts: Sonoco Products Stock Performance SON stock opened at $48.51 on Thursday. The company has a quick ratio of 1.91, a current ratio of 2.36 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.74. Sonoco Products has a twelve month low of $45.93 and a twelve month high of $61.73. The company has a market cap of $4.77 billion, a P/E ratio of 16.67, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.79 and a beta of 0.68. The businesss fifty day moving average is $49.66 and its 200-day moving average is $51.57. Insider Activity at Sonoco Products Sonoco Products ( NYSE:SON Get Free Report ) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, October 31st. The industrial products company reported $1.49 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $1.45 by $0.04. Sonoco Products had a net margin of 4.38% and a return on equity of 19.92%. The firm had revenue of $1.68 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $1.72 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm posted $1.46 earnings per share. The businesss revenue was down 2.0% on a year-over-year basis. Equities research analysts forecast that Sonoco Products will post 5.12 EPS for the current year. In other news, Director Robert R. Hill, Jr. sold 4,000 shares of the companys stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, January 7th. The shares were sold at an average price of $47.95, for a total transaction of $191,800.00. Following the completion of the sale, the director now owns 16,065 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $770,316.75. This represents a 19.94 % decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this hyperlink. 0.51% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders. Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth Several equities research analysts recently commented on SON shares. Truist Financial boosted their target price on Sonoco Products from $63.00 to $68.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a report on Monday, January 6th. Wells Fargo & Company dropped their target price on shares of Sonoco Products from $52.00 to $50.00 and set an underweight rating on the stock in a research report on Monday, January 6th. Bank of America raised their price objective on Sonoco Products from $66.00 to $71.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research report on Monday, January 6th. Citigroup dropped their price target on shares of Sonoco Products from $59.00 to $55.00 and set a buy rating on the stock in a research note on Monday, January 6th. Finally, Robert W. Baird decreased their target price on shares of Sonoco Products from $58.00 to $55.00 and set a neutral rating for the company in a research report on Monday, November 4th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, one has given a hold rating and five have issued a buy rating to the companys stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $60.17. Get Our Latest Analysis on SON About Sonoco Products (Free Report) Sonoco Products Company, together with its subsidiaries, designs, develops, manufactures, and sells various engineered and sustainable packaging products in North and South America, Europe, Australia, and Asia. The company operates Consumer Packaging and Industrial Paper Packaging segments. The Consumer Packaging segment offers round and shaped rigid paper, steel, and plastic containers; metal and peelable membrane ends, closures, and components; thermoformed plastic trays and enclosures; and high-barrier flexible packaging products. Featured Stories Want to see what other hedge funds are holding SON? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Sonoco Products (NYSE:SON Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Sonoco Products Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Sonoco Products and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Spring Festival showcases Chinese culture, strengthens global bonds: UN official Xinhua) 10:41, January 23, 2025 Acrobats perform during a Chinese cultural event at the United Nations Office at Nairobi (UNON) premises in Nairobi, Kenya, Jan. 22, 2025. (Xinhua/Wang Guansen) NAIROBI, Jan. 22 (Xinhua) -- The Spring Festival is of profound significance in fostering mutual understanding and strengthening global bonds, Director-General of the United Nations Office at Nairobi (UNON) Zainab Hawa Bangura said at a Chinese cultural event on Wednesday. "On behalf of the UN family in Kenya, I pray that this Lunar New Year of the Wood Snake brings us all uncommon wisdom and discernment to address the myriad challenges we face as a race today," Bangura said. Hosted at the UNON premises, the event featured an array of cultural showcases, including acrobatic performances, Chinese cuisine, fashion displays and traditional calligraphy. Co-hosted by the UNON, the Chinese Embassy in Kenya and China Media Group (CMG), the half-day event drew senior officials, diplomats, university students and faculty members, celebrating the spirit of cross-cultural exchange. Bangura said that the Spring Festival, officially inscribed by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) on Dec. 4, 2024, on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, has become a vibrant symbol of Chinese culture while bridging civilizations worldwide. The UN official underscored the role of multilateral institutions in uniting people to celebrate such occasions, which foster harmony and collaboration on a global scale. She also connected the universal themes of peace and harmony embodied by the Spring Festival to the UN's core mission of promoting global solidarity and coexistence. Bangura's remarks set the tone for the event, seamlessly blending cultural appreciation with a call for collective wisdom to address contemporary challenges. Jane Makori, deputy director-general for Asia and the Pacific in Kenya's Ministry of Foreign and Diaspora Affairs, echoed Bangura's sentiments, describing the Chinese traditional festival as a unifying celebration that transcends cultural boundaries. "The Spring Festival has always brought together people from diverse cultures, races, and creeds, promoting mutual respect and understanding," Makori said, adding that Kenya has effectively leveraged these celebrations to deepen cultural diplomacy with China, paving the way for stronger bilateral ties. The event also featured remarks from Chinese Ambassador to Kenya Guo Haiyan, who highlighted the universal values embodied by the Spring Festival. "The Spring Festival represents the Chinese people's yearning for peace and harmony, as well as the value of harmonious coexistence between humans and nature, which has gained widespread recognition and resonance around the world," Guo said. She said that the festival is not only a reflection of traditional Chinese culture but also a lens through which modern societal challenges can be addressed. Lion dancers perform during a Chinese cultural event at the United Nations Office at Nairobi (UNON) premises in Nairobi, Kenya, Jan. 22, 2025. (Xinhua/Wang Guansen) Acrobats perform during a Chinese cultural event at the United Nations Office at Nairobi (UNON) premises in Nairobi, Kenya, Jan. 22, 2025. (Xinhua/Wang Guansen) Kungfu performers from the Shaolin Temple perform during a Chinese cultural event at the United Nations Office at Nairobi (UNON) premises in Nairobi, Kenya, Jan. 22, 2025. (Xinhua/Wang Guansen) A Kungfu performer from the Shaolin Temple performs during a Chinese cultural event at the United Nations Office at Nairobi (UNON) premises in Nairobi, Kenya, Jan. 22, 2025. (Xinhua/Wang Guansen) (Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Zhong Wenxing) Comrades, commissars, Labour Party hierarchy, Bolsheviks, apparatchiks, Big State civil servants, train drivers, Marxist union bosses, NHS managers, and the rest of the scum proletariat. Comrade Starmer was glad that he was not invited to the disgusting display of democracy at the inauguration of capitalist enemy Trump. URGENT COMMUNIQUE FROM COMRADE STARMER The Peoples Soviet Republic of Britain will not capitulate to the capitalist swine Donald Trump and his aspirations of vile capitalistic money making. How dare this impudent man suggest things like aspiration and low taxes as an incentive for business growth when here in Soviet Britain Commissar Reeves is hard at work in killing all forms of aspiration, commerce and property ownership. Every action Trump commits, Soviet Britain will vehemently oppose. We do not recognise the Gulf of America, for example. On my orders, Commissar Laimmy has been tasked with undermining Donald Trump and his stinking Yankee capitalist pig American scum at every opportunity. We are sending esteemed Dark Lord, Commissar Mandy to Washington whose sole job is to spy on that fat swine Trump and to persuade him through Soviet mind control techniques to side with the EU. Trump will comply with Commissar Mandy even if he tries not to, simply because no one can deny the Dark Lord Mandy of his will. We will not capitulate, we will not fall, we will not bend to your business sense, your disgusting greedy aspirations to make money, your entrepreneurship or that other horrid Fascist Sieg Heiling grot bag Elon Musk. We will give away the Chagos Islands to fellow Soviet nation China, and Trump cannot do anything about it. We work for China, not the capitalist democracy the USA! Donald Trump, you are the enemy of Soviet Britain, and we will defeat you and throw your vile capitalist carcass from the parapets of Washington D.C. INGSOC NOTICE 143900-439972-3999383011283839291119283838292920-A LUCY ELRIDGE, 7, OF 43 LENINSWAIDE STREET, GRIMSDALE, SECTOR 18, YORKSHIRE, WAS TODAY AWARDED 1.8 GRAMS OF EXTRA CHOCOLATE RATIONS FOR REPORTING HER MOTHER, FATHER, SISTER, BROTHER, AUNTIE AND CAT FOR TUTTING DISAPPROVINGLY DURING A BROADCAST FROM COMRADE STARMER ABOUT THE FOURTH INCREASE IN ALL TAXES FOR PROLES TO BE ENACTED NEXT WEEK. THE TREACHEROUS TRAITORS TO THE BIG STATE WERE TAKEN AWAY THIS MORNING AT 3AM. THEY WILL BE LIQUIDATED! REMEMBER COMRADES, LOOK, LISTEN, REPORT! Causeway Coast and Glens Policing and Community Partnership (PCSP) recently hosted free crime prevention training workshops for residents across the Borough. The workshops were facilitated by the Police Crime Prevention Academy and provided those who attended with an understanding of the theories and principles of crime prevention. Training was delivered to explain the process of undertaking an effective home security survey and highlighted the areas to consider when investing in security products for residential settings. It also showcased the many no/low-cost approaches to help prevent residents falling victim to opportunistic criminals. Participants had the opportunity to take part in a virtual home security survey exercise which helped them see where their properties might be vulnerable, showing how effective simple no cost housekeeping approaches can be in deterring criminals. Speaking about the training PCSP Chairperson Cllr Brenda Chivers said: Burglaries and theft do not just involve the loss of personal possessions, which is very distressing, but they are extremely invasive and can make people feel unsafe in their own homes. The crime prevention training offered by the PCSP is designed to empower residents and help them put in place effective barriers in the way of opportunistic criminals. The training not only showed how many no cost techniques can strength your home security but also supported anyone wishing to install security products in their properties to invest wisely by looking for effective quality assurance markings The training was delivered in January and was followed by a talk from local Crime Prevention Officer, Judith Lavery. Judith gave an overview on recent scams and the no cold caller scheme, with residents having the opportunity to ask questions and share best practice. The training provided by Causeway Coast and Glens PCSP complemented crime prevention roadshows which have been held in the last 12 months where information stands were hosted in high footfall locations such as supermarkets and Causeway Hospital. Information on crime prevention events run by the PCSP in partnership with PSNI will continue to be advertised via HERE throughout the year. If you have any community safety or policing concerns, please contact your local PCSP member or email: PCSP@causewaycoastandglens.gov.uk The Bloody Sunday Trust has welcomed Derry City and Strabane District Councils decision to reaffirm its commitment to designating the Council area as an Apartheid Free Zone. As part of this year's anniversary events, the Bloody Sunday Trust will erect a number of signs at entrances to the city stating, You are now entering Derry - an apartheid-free zone. The signage will be launched by the Palestinian Youth Movement. Tony Doherty, chair of the Bloody Sunday Trust, said: As we gather to commemorate the 53rd anniversary of Bloody Sunday we do so with Palestine at the front of our hearts and minds. Derry has faced down many injustices nationally and internationally over the years and will do so again. It is important that we remember that the apartheid system is a root cause of the problems in Palestine, even while it is being overshadowed as an issue by the ongoing Israeli genocide. This would be a fitting and very welcome way to mark the anniversary of Bloody Sunday. The Bloody Sunday Trust is a member of the Irish Anti-Apartheid Campaign for Palestine, a coalition of Irish civil society organisations, trade unions and academic experts which represents over a million people and is committed to working collaboratively to end Israeli apartheid against Palestinians. The peaceful vigil due to be held outside Buncrana Garda station by the Justice for Rebecca Browne campaign has been cancelled. Rebecca Browne (21) from Galliagh in Derry, lost her life when she was struck by a Garda vehicle on May 21, 2023 and killed at Ludden on the outskirts of Buncrana in Inishowen, County Donegal. The collision was referred to the Garda Siochana Ombudsman Commission (GSOC), which announced in December 2024 the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) had informed it not to direct a prosecution in the case. Februarys vigil was intended to highlight what the campaign described as the failure of the authorities to properly update and inform the Browne family on all aspects of the Garda and Garda Siochana Ombudsman Commission (GSOC) investigations into Rebecca Brownes death. Speaking to The Derry News, Lynn Smith, Rebeccas Brownes mother, said the family felt they had no option but to cancel it because they were scared about what sort of policing plan An Garda Siochana would employ. I dont know what type of policing plan they might put in place. What I do know is I saw it as threatening when I saw it being discussed in the [Justice Liaison] response to Cllr Frank McBrearty last week, said Ms Smith. I have to protect other people and think about their safety. I was afraid about what An Garda would enforce. We didnt know what their policing plan would have involved or where the police would have been coming from or how many guards might have been present. At the end of the day, that is the only response I have got from An Garda. Our family has received no apology for the death of our beautiful Rebecca, no condolences, nothing only the threat of a policing plan being in force for a peaceful vigil. As a family, we are not the type of people to put anybody in danger or feel scared to even attend our vigil. I wouldnt put anybodys safety in jeopardy. I had to think about everybody, said Lynn Smith. Her voice breaking, Ms Smith reiterated that all her family wanted was the truth about Rebeccas death. No family should have to go through what we have been going through since Rebeccas death. No family should have to suffer the way we are suffering, she added. We have been silenced from day one. We have had no communication from An Garda Siochana. It is outrageous to be honest with you - no response, no answers. I begged for a year for my updates. I was told shortly after Rebeccas death I would get an update every two weeks. I never got that. And although we got An Garda permission on Tuesday for our peaceful vigil, I am not comfortable bringing people to Buncrana because the permission email did not explain what their policing plan would involve. Why did An Garda Siochana discuss a policing plan in the Justice Liaison response to Cllr McBrearty? Why are they displaying such a lack of trust in the Justice for Rebecca Browne campaign? After all, our first gathering, at Ludden in December, had already proven to be peaceful. So, while An Garda Siochana approval of our peaceful vigil was welcome, once we discussed it as a family, we felt it raised more questions, more doubt, more worry, and we felt we had no option but to cancel it completely, said Lynn Smith. Donegal County councillor Frank McBrearty Jr who is politically representing the Browne family had been due to speak at the vigil. Cllr McBrearty said he agreed with the familys decision to cancel it. He added: I fully understand how Rebecca Brownes family feels and the fear they have of the uncertainty concerning what we now know was internal Garda commentary about the family; the Justice for Rebecca Browne campaign; and the peaceful vigil which the guards termed a protest. The term policing plan is clearly intimidatory for this ordinary Derry family who just want to know what happened to their beloved Rebecca. It is obvious to me, the only way the Browne family is ever going to receive justice and truth is by taking the legal route, said Cllr McBrearty. It has also emerged, the Justice Liaison response to Cllr McBrearty on January 13, 2025, was forwarded to him in error by Gardai personnel; he got a subsequent request for its secure deletion. Justice Liaison described the response as an email attachment adding under no circumstances should the contents of the attachment be copied or further circulated. On January 10, 2025, Cllr McBrearty had written to Garda Commissioner Drew Harris requesting a meeting for Rebecca Brownes parents with the the investigating officers appointed to investigate this unlawful death; he received the Justice Liaison response in reply. As was reported in Mondays Derry News, Cllr McBrearty said the language and tone of the Justice Liaison response as sinister, disparaging and insensitive. He added: As far as I am concerned, it is absolutely shocking that An Garda Siochana should send me a request to delete the contents of those emails, which show the Gardai wrongdoing in the Rebecca Browne case and the handling of the investigation into Rebeccas death. They were more concerned about conspiracy theories and the Bloody Sunday march - to commemorate one of the worst atrocities in the history of Ireland. I think the Garda Commissioner should come out now and apologise on behalf of the gardai force. Essentially, An Garda Siochana didnt want the public to see how it was treating this family. It looks to me as if An Garda Siochana is going to blame GSOC. GSOC has not handled this well. There are so many unanswered questions. Was Rebecca pronounced dead at the scene? Where was she actually pronounced dead? Was she taken away in an ambulance? Was her body left lying in the road? If so, for how long? The family doesn't know anything, hasnt been told anything. The only thing the family knows is that a marked patrol car knocked down their beautiful daughter. Excitement gave way to groans of disappointment in a Belfast bar as fans realised the Irish language rap trio Kneecap would not be gracing the red carpet at this years Oscars ceremony. Dozens had crammed into the tiny room upstairs in Maddens Bar to watch the the nominations being revealed, with hopes high that the movie Kneecap would be given the opportunity to go for Oscar glory. Cast and crew of the film gathered, including writer-director Rich Peppiatt and producer Trevor Birney, while the members of the group watching on a remote link from London, where they are recording. The film has been a success during the awards season with 17 nods in categories at the Irish Film and Television Academy (Ifta) awards and six Bafta nominations. It was also shortlisted for Best International Feature and Best Original Song for Sick In The Head at the Academy Awards, but failed to make the final five in either category when the nominations were revealed in Los Angeles shortly after lunchtime on Thursday. Mr Peppiatt said there was a mixture of disappointment and pride. He said: Clearly we would have liked to have gone that extra step, but the film owes us nothing. We have had a fantastic year. To even get close to the Oscars conversation is fantastic. We will have a few drinks today, we will dust ourselves down. Producer Mr Birney said: We are very proud, this is an incredible day. We are all gathered here today to celebrate an Irish language film. We didnt get into the final five but we pushed it very hard. It really is a celebration of an indigenous film, a celebration of our language, a celebration of our culture. What can we do now to build on that? What can we do to celebrate our city and its stories? It is a wonderful platform that Rich Peppiatt has given us in order to build on. He added: We are up for Baftas and Iftas, weve got the Critics Choice Award, weve picked up awards all through Europe. When I was on set two years ago you knew there was something happening, you knew there was something hugely creative going on. We never knew how it was going to develop. A year ago we were at Sundance and we thought that was the high point. Here we are a year later still talking about Kneecap. While Kneecap may have missed out on Oscars glory, fans in the were able to drown their sorrows with pints of Guinness. 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. Storage giants collaborate with Silicon Motion Technology Artificial intelligence (AI) took center stage at CES 2025, bringing a key challenge for tech giants into focus: balancing high performance with power efficiency amid growing computational demands. In CES 2025, Silicon Motion Technology introduced its PCIe Gen5 SSD controller, the SM2508, specifically designed to address this need. Leading brands like ADATA Technology, BIWIN, and Lexar showcased a range of next-generation PCIe Gen5 SSD products powered by the SM2508 controller. Meanwhile, Fanxiang unveiled several storage solutions featuring the SM2320 controller, demonstrating Silicon Motion Technology's extensive expertise in storage controller innovations. CES 2025 Striking the Perfect Balance Between High Performance and Power Efficiency in the Computational Era The SM2508 capitalizes on TSMC's 6nm EUV process technology to slash power consumption by 50% compared to 12nm solutions. Its PCIe Gen5 implementation operates below 7 watts, delivering a 70% improvement in energy efficiency. Equipped with an advanced 8-channel architecture, the SM2508 supports capacities of up to 8TB. It is paired with a NAND flash interface speed of up to 3600MT/s, enabling sequential read/write speeds of 14.5GB/s and 13.6GB/s, respectively. The controller also delivers random read/write performance exceeding 2.5 million IOPS, representing a threefold improvement over its predecessor. At CES 2025, ADATA Technology showcased its new MARS 970 series, introducing two SSDs powered by the SM2508 controller for desktops and laptops. The MARS 970 STORM, designed for desktop computers, features an ARM Cortex R8 real-time computing architecture and an 8-channel NAND flash design. It achieves sequential read speeds of 14,000MB/s and sequential write speeds of 12,000MB/s. Combined with XPG's exclusive hybrid liquid-air cooling system, it is particularly suited for high-load applications such as AAA gaming, high-performance workstations, and AI computing. The MARS 970 BLADE, designed for laptops, breaks the limitation of large heatsinks typically required for PCIe Gen5 SSDs. It delivers sequential read speeds of 12,000MB/s and sequential write speeds of 11,000MB/s, while an innovative ultra-thin heatsink design ensures excellent cooling without increasing the laptop's thickness or weight. ADATA Technology expressed its intention to continue deepening its partnership with Silicon Motion Technology, expanding the application of PCIe Gen5 technology to develop diversified storage solutions such as USB devices and external SSDs, catering to various market demands and providing comprehensive storage products for both consumer and enterprise users. Another storage giant, BIWIN (BIWIN STORAGE TECHNOLOGY), also exhibited a range of new storage products powered by Silicon Motion Technology controllers. Among them, the flagship PCIe Gen5 SSDs X570 PRO and Predator GM9000, both utilizing the SM2508 controller, offer read speeds of 14,000MB/s and write speeds of 13,000MB/s, along with up to 4GB of DRAM cache. These features, along with smart optimization mechanisms, significantly enhance data processing and multitasking capabilities. With a high-quality 3D TLC NAND flash memory design, the random access performance reaches 2 million IOPS, meeting the stringent demands of high-end users for professional workstations and gaming computations. For portable storage solutions, BIWIN introduced the Amber PR2000 external SSD powered by the SM2320 controller. It supports USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 specifications, offering read speeds of up to 2,000MB/s and write speeds of 1,800MB/s, providing high-performance mobile storage for professionals. Lexar presented several products based on its latest collaborations with Silicon Motion Technology. Among them, the SL500 external SSD, a recipient of the 2025 CES Innovation Award, features an innovative magnetic design for direct attachment to a smartphone's back and supports 4K 120fps high-quality video recording, catering to the mobile shooting needs of content creators. Another key product is the NM1090 Pro SSD, developed for PC gamers, which is powered by the SM2508 controller built using Silicon Motion Technology's 6nm process. It offers sequential read speeds of up to 14GB/s and write speeds of 12GB/s, nearly doubling the performance of PCIe 4.0 products. Thanks to the advanced manufacturing process of the SM2508 controller, this product not only effectively manages heat dissipation during high-speed operation but also maintains stable performance and excellent energy efficiency during professional applications such as 4K/8K video editing, AI model training and high-performance graphics computing. At CES 2025, Fanxiang showcased several new products powered by Silicon Motion SM2320 controller. Silicon Motion's SM2320 portable SSD controller is equipped with both Type-C and USB-A interfaces, supporting transmission speeds of 20Gbps and 10Gbps, respectively. Despite its compact sizeroughly that of a USB flash driveit delivers outstanding performance, transferring 4GB of video in just 2 seconds, even in low-temperature environments. This makes it particularly well-suited for mobile professionals, content creators, and business users. As the AI computing era unfolds, the balance between storage device performance and power consumption becomes increasingly important. At CES 2025, leading storage companies such as ADATA Technology, BIWIN, Lexar, and Fanxiang showcased several products powered by Silicon Motion Technology controllers. Whether it's the high-speed read/write performance sought by gamers, the stable computational performance demanded by professional workstations, or the need for thin and efficient cooling in laptops, Silicon Motion Technology's solutions cater to these diverse requirements. Looking to the future, Silicon Motion Technology is committed to deepening its relationships with customers and partners, seizing opportunities in the next generation of storage technology. Lexar - NM1090 Pro SSD Credit: Lexar BIWIN - X570 SSD Credit: Biwin Adata - MARS 970 STORM SSD Credit: Adata Adata - MARS 970 BLADE SSD Credit: Adata Micheal Martin has said he is thankful to his supporters after he received the backing of the Irish parliament to be nominated as the countrys next premier. Parliamentarians voted 95 to 76 in support of the nomination of the Fianna Fail leader, the day after a chaotic row disrupted the process and resulted in the suspension of the Dail. Speaking after he was nominated for the role, Mr Martin said: It is a profound honour to be nominated to serve as head of the government in a free, democratic and diverse republic. Today, I am deeply conscious of the democratic tradition which our country has developed over more than a century. We should never take for granted the freedoms and opportunities secured for us by the generations who sat here before us, and by the men and women who fought and campaigned for the establishment of Dail Eireann. Our democracy has remained strong through some of the gravest challenges of a turbulent century. We have continued to have free debate and free elections. We have never wavered in our commitment to the peaceful resolution of disputes. The most powerful thing about the mandate which each of us holds is that it is based on the support of our families, our supporters, in most cases our parties, and above all our communities. I could not be more thankful to all of those who have been at my side and have helped me to achieve the honour of being nominated to serve as taoiseach. Mr Martin is now travelling to meet President Michael D Higgins at his official residence at Aras an Uachtarain in Dublin, where he will formally become Irelands taoiseach. Mr Higgins will sign the warrant of appointment and hand Mr Martin the Seal of the Taoiseach. The nomination was originally supposed to have taken place on Wednesday, but a dispute over speaking rights for independents affiliated with the incoming coalition led to the Dail being adjourned. Mr Martins Fianna Fail emerged as the largest party after the Irish general election at the end of November. It agreed to re-enter a coalition with Fine Gael, led by outgoing Taoiseach Simon Harris. The two parties combined were just short of a majority in the Dail and will be supported by several independent TDs (MPs) for the five-year government term after lengthy negotiations. Efforts to nominate Mr Martin on Wednesday had to be abandoned over a disagreement on whether Government-affiliated TDs could be allocated opposition speaking time. The Dail reconvened at 11.40am on Thursday to proceed with the nomination of a taoiseach after extensive negotiations resulted in agreement that parliamentary rules needed to be reviewed. Sinn Fein put party leader Mary Lou McDonald forward for the role, but she conceded in her speech that the bid would not be successful. Mr Martin, 64, served as taoiseach in the last coalition government with Fine Gael and the Green Party. That coalition introduced a rotating taoiseach mechanism which saw the top office swapped between the leaders of Fianna Fail and Fine Gael midway through the term. The arrangement will be repeated, although on a three-to-two-year basis in favour of Fianna Fail in recognition of the partys 10-seat lead over Fine Gael. It continues a partnership which began in 2020 and set aside almost a century of animosity between the two parties forged from opposing sides of Irelands Civil War of the 1920s. Mr Martin, from Cork, cites the moment Ireland became the first country to implement a workplace smoking ban in 2004 during his time as health minister as among his proudest political achievements. The son of an Irish international boxer, he has also held cabinet ministries for enterprise, foreign affairs, defence and education. He has been the leader of Fianna Fail since 2011. Mr Harris, the outgoing Taoiseach and leader of Fine Gael, will take the deputy premier role of tanaiste. Mr Martin will later nominate members of the next government. The incoming cabinet will also travel to the State Reception Room of Aras an Uachtarain to receive their Seals of Office. The final make-up of that cabinet will be closely watched with some departments expected to be reshaped as portfolios swap between Fine Gael and Fianna Fail. Fianna Fail will hold most cabinet positions, with independents securing two super junior ministries with seats at the table during formation talks. The independents-backed Government has already faced a number of rows around the make-up of the coalition. Across Ireland, Local Enterprise Offices are seen as the first stop for business support, whether starting out or expanding. Local Enterprise Office Louth (LEO Louth) says it proudly delivers training, mentoring, and grants to help businesses launch, grow, and thrive. The recently published 2024 year-end figures from LEO Louth, part of Louth County Council, showcase, it says, the countys thriving enterprise. Niall Gallagher, Senior Enterprise Development Officer, reflected on the year: In 2024, we provided grant aid or financial support to 20 high-potential local businesses. These companies drive growth, create jobs, and enter export markets quickly critical for the countys economy. He continued, 136 new jobs were created in 2024 by companies we have supported with grant aid. In addition, three of our high-potential businesses transitioned to Enterprise Ireland to pursue international growth. He added, Our services had a significant impact last year. Through the Trading Online Voucher Scheme, we helped 38 businesses establish an online presence. 44 companies participated in specialised programmes on sustainability, digitalisation, and lean practices, enabling them to cut costs, reduce waste, and boost efficiency. "Training and mentoring are also central to Local Enterprise Offices work. Niall explained, Over 1,068 clients attended training sessions, and 627 received mentoring. These services are vital for helping business owners tackle challenges and seize opportunities. Highlighting entrepreneurial vibrancy, Niall said, In 2024, 145 aspiring entrepreneurs joined our Start Your Own Business programme, showing that Louth remains a vibrant hub for start-ups. At the launch of the figures for Local Enterprise Offices nationally, Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment Peter Burke, TD, said LEOs ensure that every small business, regardless of location, has a support system available to them, no matter what their concern. "It has never been easier for a small business to access supports through their Local Enterprise Office, including companies looking to digitalise their operations, to take their first steps in sustainability or identifying new markets. These areas will be key pillars going forward to ensure our small businesses can continue to compete both at home and abroad. Government is firmly committed to supporting them all the way. Niall concluded, Whether youre starting out or scaling up, were here to help. Explore tailored supports for every stage of your business journey at www.localenterprise.ie/Louth/ReadyTo and see how we can support your success in 2025. As the Dail adjourned earlier this Wednesday amid the chaotic uproar in the chamber surrounding the allocation of speaking time to independent politicians who wish to form a 'technical group,' the country remains without a nominated Taoiseach and the opposition have unified in their stance on the controversy. Speaking after the Dail suspended for the day, Micheal Martin said: "What we witnessed today was the subversion of the Irish constitution. "The most fundamental obligation of the Dail is to elect a Taoiseach and indeed a government. That opportunity was denied today by a premeditated, coordinated and choreographed position by the opposition." Sinn Fein, Labour, the Social Democrats, People Before Profit and Independent Ireland have come together to deny such accusations by the Fianna Fail leader. READ NEXT: LIVE: Met Eireann make important change to rare Status Red warning ahead of Storm Eowyn The leaders of the opposition groups spoke alongside each other on Wednesday evening in a show of unified support against the technical group of independent TDs being granted opposition speaking time. Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald said the opposition "are not seeking simply to disrupt." McDonald added: "We will absolutely assert our rights as the opposition and to do the job that we are elected to do, that we are required to do for democracy to work." Clapping back at Martin's claims, McDonald said: "The subversion of democracy is trying to pretend that you can be in government and in opposition at the same time." Irelands main opposition parties have rejected claims that they had reneged on a deal with Government over a speaking rights row that prevented the nomination of a new taoiseach. The Irish parliament failed to nominate a new taoiseach on Wednesday after what Government officials described as unprecedented scenes of disruption. Opposition figures objected to the Governments attempts to proceed with the business of the Dail over a dispute around speaking rights. The central question is whether independents who have agreed to support the proposed Government can be allocated opposition speaking time. It comes after several independent TDs agreed to enter into a Government with the Fianna Fail and Fine Gael parties. Some of those independents are to be given jobs as Ministers of State while the remainder want to join a technical group, which is a mechanism designed to allow opposition TDs to sit in groupings of at least five members to gain an allocation of speaking time. This has been categorically rejected by opposition parties who feel that the independents in question are effectively Government TDs and should be allocated time through the Government Chief Whip. The Government and independents in question have argued that the existing parliamentary standing orders allow for them to join technical groups, adding that the rules can only be changed through a Dail Reform Committee which would require a new Government to be formed. Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald called the claim that you can be in government and in opposition at the same time a clear and patent absurdity. Speaking to the media alongside the leaders of the other main opposition parties in a rare show of unity, she said the dispute was farcical but added that it was mess created by Government. She said: This is not simply about speaking time, this is about the definition of the opposition. This is about the capacity and the mechanisms for holding the government to account. You cannot have government supporting TDs posturing as members of the opposition, that makes a farce of the whole notion of holding a government to account. This is an important matter. We would not be standing here collectively but for the fact that this is absolutely fundamental and we have to get it right from the get go. Senior Government and opposition figures met during an hours-long suspension of the Dail on Wednesday in an effort to resolve the dispute, however the talks concluded in a stalemate. The two sides remained entirely at odds on Wednesday evening with the heavily divided Dail due to resume on Thursday morning. Ms McDonald said: We are united in our position that the Government cannot contrive to have Government TDs designated as members of the opposition. She accused the Government of incredible arrogance in trying to ride roughshod over the collective opposition and said they would be failing the democratic process if they did not take a firm stance on the row over opposition speaking time. The Government Chief Whip, Fine Gael TD Hildegarde Naughton, claimed Sinn Fein had blocked the democratic process. Ms Naughton also told reporters that opposition parties had reneged on an agreement. She said: There was an agreement made that we would allow the democratic process to continue so opposition could have come into the Dail and voted down or voted against Government which is how democracy works, you have a strong opposition, you have government we agreed that, we shook hands on it, and they reneged on it. She added: We understand democracy, but I dont think Sinn Fein and some of the others in opposition do, it is absolutely anti-democratic, and were in a really shameful position tonight. Fine Gael leader Simon Harris and Fianna Fail leader Micheal Martin said there had been an attempt to stop Mr Martin being nominated as taoiseach. However, opposition leaders rejected claims that a deal had been agreed and denied their actions had anything to do with preventing Mr Martin from becoming taosieach. Ms McDonald said it was not true that there were handshakes on a resolution on the dispute, adding: There was no agreement reached, thats a misrepresentation. Labour leader Ivana Bacik said that while the opposition parties had their differences, they agreed they could not agree to a situation where TDs that agreed a programme for government were treated as part of the opposition. She said: We simply cannot stand over a situation where those TDs who are actively engaged in supporting and constructing a programme for government can somehow also be designated as opposition TDs. Its simply not tenable. Its a chaotic situation. Social Democrats deputy leader Cian OCallaghan added: What happened at all today should never have happened, it should never have come to this. Independent Irelands Michael Collins argued that the very word democracy is at question here. [The regional independents] want their bread buttered on both ends, and it cant work, he added. Solidarity-People Before Profits Richard Boyd Barrett said Mr Harris and Mr Martin were allowing the Government-supporting independents to sabotage the democratic process. It doesnt only undermine the opposition, it makes a mockery of the government themselves, he said. The opposition leaders said they would collectively write to the Ceann Comhairle and Government leaders seeking a meeting to resolve the matter. Mr Martin said the Government parties were prepared to work on opposition concerns over the speaking rights row. Rail services have been axed, schools forced to close and people told not to travel as the UK braces for threat to life red weather warnings. It comes as forecasters warned Storm Eowyn could bring winds of up to 100mph in areas affected by the rare weather alert across Scotland, Northern Ireland and north Wales on Friday. Red weather warnings have been issued for wind in Northern Ireland from 7am until 2pm on Friday, and for western and central areas of Scotland between 10am and 5pm. Train operator ScotRail has suspended all services across Scotland on Friday, saying it would not be safe to operate passenger services due to forecast weather conditions. Passengers and motorists in areas covered by red and amber weather warnings have been told to avoid travel unless absolutely essential. It comes as schools in Scotland were advised to close on Friday for the safety of children and staff. Stormonts Education Minister Paul Givan also said the Education Authority had advised all schools in Northern Ireland to close on Friday. Amber weather warnings for wind were also issued for Northern Ireland between 6am and 9pm on Friday. Other areas covered by an amber weather warning for wind include the southern half of Scotland between 6pm and 9pm on Friday, and for the northern half of Scotland from 1pm on Friday to 6am on Saturday. An amber warning for wind was issued across most of northern England, starting on Friday at 6am and lasting until 9pm the same day, and another for north Wales between 6am and 9pm on Friday. A number of train companies including Avanti West Coast, CrossCountry, and Grand Central have told customers not to travel on routes across parts of North Wales and Scotland as very strong winds, rain and snow are expected to disrupt train services from Friday. National Rail said in a statement published on Thursday: A yellow weather warning has been issued by the Met Office for today, affecting southern parts of England and the coast of Wales. In addition to this, red, amber and yellow weather warnings have been issued due to Storm Eowyn and is expected to bring very strong winds, rain and snow to most parts of Great Britain on Friday 24 January, and across parts of northern England and Scotland on Saturday 25 January. Strong winds can blow trees into infrastructure, damaging the overhead lines that power electric trains. The winds can mean its unsafe to carry out repairs at height or with certain machinery until the winds have dropped. Trains may have to run at a reduced speed causing delays to your journey. Severe weather today and #StormEowyn may affect your journey until Saturday 25 January: check before you travel. Red, amber and yellow weather warnings have been issued by the Met Office due to Storm Eowyn and is expected to bring very strong winds, rain and snow to most National Rail (@nationalrailenq) January 23, 2025 RAC Breakdown advised motorists in areas covered by a red weather warning not to drive their car unless absolutely essential, adding motorists in areas covered by an amber alert should also take great care while driving. RAC Breakdown spokesperson Alice Simpson said: Red weather warnings are the strongest possible signal that drivers should avoid the roads unless absolutely essential until the danger has passed. With the worst conditions expected in parts of Scotland and Northern Ireland, we strongly urge motorists in these areas to stay safe by parking away from trees that could be uprooted by 100mph winds. Those in northern England and north-west Wales, where amber warnings apply, should also take great care if setting out. Its best to keep a firm grip on the steering wheel, avoid coastal routes where the strength of the wind will be most severe and watch out for debris. Northern Irelands First and deputy First Ministers have also urged the public to avoid travel where they can on Friday. Michelle ONeill and Emma Little-Pengelly spoke to media at Parliament Buildings following a meeting of the Stormont Executive. They were due to meet with police and described the situation as evolving. Red weather warning issued Strong and damaging winds in Northern Ireland Friday 0700 1400 Latest info https://t.co/QwDLMfS950 Stay #WeatherAware pic.twitter.com/IYBLMzCZhD Met Office (@metoffice) January 23, 2025 Ms ONeill said: Its important to emphasise that a red warning is very serious, its only used whenever there is a genuine threat to life and potential damage to property and the public should expect significant disruption to travel and also potential power outages because of the severity of conditions. We want to assure everybody that were working across government with all our partner agencies, councils, the PSNI, emergency services and other agencies to deal with any impacts and also in terms of preparedness. We also want the public to know that they can expect to receive an emergency alert on their phones later on this afternoon. This is an evolving situation, there are meetings happening as we speak, and well be coming back this afternoon with further updates, but just to say to everybody, we want people to stay safe, we want people to look out for those that are vulnerable, take time to check in on family and friends. Schools are closing, further and higher education colleges are closing, airports are keeping the situation under review. Were encouraging only essential travel, only where it is absolutely necessary. Red weather warning issued Strong and damaging winds for parts of south and southwest Scotland Friday 1000 1700 Latest info https://t.co/QwDLMfS950 Stay #WeatherAware pic.twitter.com/jOwp4FrCDM Met Office (@metoffice) January 23, 2025 Police Scotland Chief Superintendent Hilary Sloan said: Our advice to any road user is not travelling, and thats really the message we want to get across today. Its really unusual for us to have a red weather warning and that advice is in place for the duration of that warning. There are also yellow weather warnings in place for snow in Scotland from 6am to 11.59pm on Friday, and a yellow warning for wind from midnight to 3pm on Saturday. Northern England is covered by a yellow warning for snow from 3am to noon on Friday, and for wind from midnight to 11.59pm on Friday. It will extend to 11.59pm on Friday across the south of England, and in the South East from 5am to 3pm on the same day. A yellow warning for rain starts from midnight in the south-west of England on Friday and will last until 9am. In Wales, a yellow warning for winds was issued for the western parts of the country from 7am until 6pm on Thursday, and for much of Wales from 5am until 11.59pm on Friday. A yellow warning for rain also covers much of Wales from midnight until 9am Friday. Met Eireann has issued Status Red wind warnings for the entire country as Storm Eowyn tracks across Ireland early on Friday with wind gusts up to 170km/h on the west coast and possibly as high as 140km/h in other parts of the country. Similar warning were issued back in 2017 when Storm Ophelia ripped through the country, killing three people. Their deaths serve as reinforcement of the "shelter in place" warnings being issued by authorities for the duration of the Storm Eowyn warnings. Back in 2017, the first victim of Storm Ophelia was cancer support worker Clare O'Neill, a 58-year-old woman who died when a tree fell on the car she was driving in Co Waterford. The powerful storm's second victim was 31-year-old Michael Pyke from Ardfinnan in Co Tipperary who died while clearing a fallen tree in his locality. The third person to die during Storm Ophelia was has Fintan Goss, a young man in his 30s, who died when his car hit a fallen tree on the old road between Dundalk and Newry. This time around for Storm Eowyn, Met Eireann's red warnings affect different counties at different times on Friday but they all warn of "gale to storm force southerly winds becoming westerly will bring severe, damaging and extremely destructive gusts in excess of 130km/h." Workplaces, schools, business and public transport will shut down for most of Friday due to the storm which could be one of the worst ever seen in Ireland with one forecaster at Weather Alerts Ireland describing the readings for it as "scary." Met Eireann say the storm represents a "danger to life" and list other impacts as, "extremely dangerous travelling conditions, unsafe working conditions, disruption and cancellations to transport, many fallen trees, significant and widespread power outages, impacts to communications networks, cancellation of events, structural damage, wave overtopping and coastal flooding in low-lying and exposed areas." READ NEXT: RSA urges public to 'not travel anywhere' on Friday as destructive Storm Eowyn approaches The red warning for Carlow, Kilkenny, Wexford, Cork, Kerry, Limerick, Waterford is in place from 2am to 10am on Friday. For Clare and Galway, the warning is in place from 3am to 12 noon. Leitrim, Mayo, Sligo will have a red warning from 4am to 12 noon. Cavan, Monaghan, Dublin, Kildare, Laois, Longford, Louth, Meath, Offaly, Westmeath, Wicklow, Roscommon and Tipperary will be under a red warning from 6am to noon on Friday while Donegal will be under a red warning from 6am to 3pm. Separately, a Status Orange wind warning for Storm Eowyn will remain in place for the entire country from 2am to 5pm on Friday. In its wider forecast on the disruptive weather, Met Eireann is also forecasting snow for some parts of the country during Storm Eowyn, adding further to the hazardous situation. They say: "The centre of Storm Eowyn will track just off the northwest coast on Friday morning with a swathe of extremely strong and damaging winds extending across the country bringing disruption. CONFIRMED: Schools to close on Friday as Ireland prepares for 'destructive' Storm Eowyn "Gale Force southwest winds over land, will veer westerly by afternoon with Storm Force winds likely in some coastal areas. There'll be scattered squally showers and more persistent rain is likely across the north of the country. "Showers will turn increasingly wintry as the day progresses. Maximum afternoon temperatures of 6 to 9 degrees but feeling much colder due to the wind-chill factor. On Friday night, winds will begin to abate but it will stay rather blustery. A cold night with clear spells and scattered showers, some wintry. Lowest temperatures of -2 to +3 degrees with some frost possible towards dawn on Saturday as winds continue to ease." There will be no improvement over the weekend with a second band of stormy weather set to hit Ireland on Sunday, possibly hampering clean-up efforts after Storm Eowyn. Deputy Head of Forecasting at Met Eireann, Liz Coleman, said: "There will be a short respite from the weather on Saturday as Eowyn moves away, but we are also watching a different low-pressure system, forecast to bring impactful winds and further rain on Sunday. However, in this case the situation is still too uncertain; we will provide updates as the week progresses. Met Eireann forecast for Sunday reads: "It looks set to turn wet and windy on Sunday with outbreaks of rain spreading from the south. Maximum temperatures of 5 to 9 degrees in strong and gusty south to southeast winds with gales at the coast." Louth County Councils Severe Weather Action Team met on Wednesday afternoon to plan for the arrival of Storm Eowyn. Met Eireann has issued a Status Red Wind warning for Louth which will be in effect from 6am until 12pm on Friday 24th January. Storm Eowyn will bring gale-force winds with severe, damaging and destructive gusts of up to 130km per hour and could potentially pose a danger to life. Structural damage is expected, along with fallen trees, damage to power lines and power outages, very difficult travelling conditions, disruption and cancellations to transport services and large coastal waves with wave overtopping. Read Next: Two men charged in ongoing organised crime investigation in Louth Members of the public are advised to shelter in place throughout the red warning and avoid travel. The forecasted winds have the capacity to bring severe, destructive and damaging winds which will constitute a risk to life and property. The public is advised to stay away from coastal areas during this period with the Irish Coast Guard appealing for people to Stay Back, Stay High, Stay Dry. Further updates will be issued on the Louth County Council website and X account. 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Every January, students from all over the country and from overseas attend DCMUN the largest international Model United Nations conference in Ireland. This years conference is in session in Cork City Hall until tomorrow, and will be attended by over 600 students from 42 schools from Ireland, Germany and Spain. While our world faces numerous challenges, you, as young people, have an essential role in shaping how we adapt and respond to these issues, Denis Leamy, chief executive of Cork ETB, told attendees during the welcoming speeches. Pictured are students from Loreto Secondary School Fermoy, at Day Two of the 2025 Model United Nations, hosted by Davis College Mallow, at Cork City Hall, Cork. Picture: Jim Coughlan. This conference is your opportunity to engage, deliberate, and make your voices heard. The conference has been running since 2016 in City Hall, and sees students assigned a particular country or NGO to be a delegate for. Students must research their delegation, find out where it stands on the issues relevant to the conference and prepare and deliver speeches. Conference organiser, Jose Horta, explained that this is a student-run event, for students. It gives them an opportunity to discuss and attempt to solve issues of global importance, ranging from the question of reproductive rights to conflicts in Ukraine and Palestine, he added. Pictured are, Alicia Ali, Gabby Corcoran, Sophie Lawlor and Charlotte Lane, all Nagle Community College, at Day Two of the 2025 Model United Nations, hosted by Davis College Mallow, at Cork City Hall, Cork. Picture: Jim Coughlan. Aine ORourke, the student who is the secretary-general, added: One of the highlights of DCMUN is undoubtedly meeting individuals who share the same desire for change and willingness to take action, and I am so grateful to be a part of this transformational experience. I have been involved in DCMUN for five years now, and I have seen first-hand its ability to transform the self-esteem and confidence of young people. It empowers through information and teaches the younger generation the importance of being informed on current affairs. The Government and opposition are blaming each other for a farcical row in the Dail that saw efforts to appoint Micheal Martin to the role of taoiseach fail. The Dail reconvened yesterday with the aim of appointing a taoiseach and Cabinet ministers after a coalition deal was struck between Fianna Fail, Fine Gael, and several Independents. Proceedings were disrupted by opposition TDs several times over the row about opposition speaking time, with Ceann Comhairle Verona Murphy suspending or adjourning proceedings four times without a resolution. A group of five opposition parties last night called on the leaders of Fine Gael and Fianna Fail to meet with them to resolve the issue ahead of the Dail reconvening this morning. Fianna Fail leader Micheal Martin called the chaotic scenes a subversion of the Irish Constitution, while Fine Gael leader Simon Harris, who is set to become tanaiste, branded the oppositions actions farcical and stunt politics on speed. The most fundamental obligation of the Dail is to elect a taoiseach and, indeed, to elect a Government, Mr Martin told reporters outside Government Buildings after the Dail was adjourned for the day. Opportunity denied That opportunity was denied today by a premeditated, co-ordinated, and choreographed position by the opposition and particularly by Sinn Fein party. Mr Martin said there were numerous attempts to facilitate a resolution to a dispute on speaking time arrangements, but he added: It became very clear to us that there was no intention ever to reach agreement on the nomination of a taoiseach or a Government today. He said there had been agreement to establish a Dail reform committee which would have met at midday today. The establishment of the committee would require the formation of a Government, which did not happen because of the adjournment of the Dail. Mr Harris, who spoke to the media alongside Mr Martin, said the events were unprecedented and utterly farcical. There was a clear majority of the peoples representatives ready and willing to elect Micheal Martin as taoiseach, to elect the next Government, and get on with the peoples work, he said. Instead, what we saw was an effort to obstruct, an effort to shout down, an effort to disrespect the Ceann Comhairle and her constitutional office, and ultimately preventing a majority of the democratically elected representatives of Dail Eireann to discharge their duty and their mandate to elect a taoiseach. Unprecedented Today was unprecedented, unseemly, and tomorrow Dail Eireann must reconvene and must elect a taoiseach and get on with the urgent work of Government. Five of the nine Independents who entered into negotiations are due to be given junior ministries, with the remainder expressing support for the programme for government but not taking up an official post. The four remaining Independents are seeking to join a technical group, which is a mechanism designed to allow opposition TDs to sit in groupings of at least five members to gain an allocation of speaking time. Opposition TDs try to make their point in the Dail chamber. Picture: Flickr Houses of Oireachtas This has been widely rejected by opposition parties including Sinn Fein, Labour, and the Social Democrats who argue that the Independents who supported the incoming Government should not be allowed to join technical groups. As the Dail met to nominate a taoiseach from 11am yesterday, opposition TDs repeatedly objected to the order of business set out by the government chief whip and repeatedly interrupted proceedings. Reneged Independent TD for Tipperary North Michael Lowry, who is among the Independent TDs who took part in programme for government talks and wants to speak during opposition time, said that there was an agreement reached at by 3.30pm that was then reneged upon. Independent Michael Lowry TD speaking to the media yesterday. Picture: Sam Boal/Collins Photos Asked why Mr Lowry cannot resolve the row by using the Government speaking time, he said, I cannot do that suggesting that this was due to the regulations of the Dail without specifying what they are. Ive never seen such disrespect to any ceann comhairle in the history of the Dail, and Im here 40 years, he told RTEs Six One programme. At around 4.25pm, government chief whip Hildegarde Naughton told the chamber there was an agreement and the nomination process for a new taoiseach should proceed. Fianna Fail TD Albert Dolan took to his feet to begin nominating his party leader to the position of taoiseach. However, members of Sinn Fein including Mary Lou McDonald, Pearse Doherty, and chief whip Padraig Mac Lochlainn continued to interrupt the sitting and said there was no agreement. Disgrace Mr Doherty described the Ceann Comhairles attempts to proceed as a disgrace, while Mr Mac Lochlainn said it was outrageous. Speaking to the media after proceedings, Mr Mac Lochlainn said that during negotiations chaired by the clerk of the Dail, Peter Finnegan, to try to resolve the row, they asked the Government to acknowledge that Mr Lowry is a government TD. Opposition members Cian OCallaghan, Michael Collins, Ivana Bacik, Mary Lou McDonald, and Richard Boyd Barrett voice their side of the chaotic scenes to media outlets. Picture :Brian Lawless/PA Wire We repeatedly asked them to agree to that, they refused to do so, he said. So we made it clear that when we returned to the Dail, that we were going to oppose the order of business for all the reasons that we had done so, we did not reach agreement. Ms McDonald, Labour leader Ivana Bacik, the Social Democrats Cian OCallaghan, Independent Irelands Michael Collins, and People Before Profits Richard Boyd Barrett all said that there had been no agreement during that meeting. Ms Bacik said that while the opposition parties had their differences, they could not accept a situation where TDs that agreed a programme for government were treated as part of the opposition. Chaotic We simply cannot stand over a situation where those TDs who are actively engaged in supporting and constructing a programme for government can somehow also be designated as opposition TDs. Its simply not tenable. Its a chaotic situation." The very word democracy is at question here, Mr Collins said, while Mr Boyd Barrett said it was absolutely remarkable that Mr Harris and Mr Martin were allowing Michael Lowry and the Healy-Raes to sabotage the democratic process. It doesnt only undermine the opposition, it makes a mockery of the government themselves, he said. The Dail is due to reconvene this morning at 9am, where it is expected further attempts will be made to nominate and vote on a future taoiseach. The Dail is due this morning to resume its attempts to elect a new taoiseach, after a day of chaos yesterday which was described by Fianna Fail leader Micheal Martin as a subversion of the Constitution. A day that should have been a fait accompli for the Government parties turned into a running fiasco as the opposition successfully stymied the days schedule in a concerted protest against the decision to grant opposition speaking time to four Independent TDs who are supporting the Government. The four Independents Michael Lowry, Barry Heneghan, Gillian Toole, and Kerry TD Danny Healy-Rae had formed the Regional technical group with Aontu leader Peadar Toibin and his party colleague Paul Lawless, with Independents Carol Nolan and Mattie McGrath. The two Aontu TDs announced yesterday afternoon that they had left the Regional technical group, reducing its numbers to six, which is one more than the minimum number needed to form a technical group. Labours Ivana Bacik and with party colleagues, Marie Sherlock TD and Ged Nash look on as Ceann Comhairle Verona Murphy suspends the Dail. Throughout the days proceedings, new ceann comhairle Verona Murphy struggled to maintain any semblance of order, and was forced to halt Dail proceedings four times. Denied For Mr Martin, who was denied his big day when he was elected taoiseach in 2020 in the middle of a global pandemic, today should have been a crowning day for a political career which began 40 years ago when he was first elected to what was then Cork Corporation in 1985. A large contingent of his family and friends were in the gallery, with his wife Mary and their children, Micheal Aodh, Cillian, and Aoibhe in the Distinguished Visitors Gallery with his siblings. Instead, Mr Martin is still waiting to be appointed, with the Dail now expected to meet later this morning, when attempts to elect a taoiseach will resume. Among Mr Martins fellow Cork TDs, opinions were divided along predictable party lines as to where the blame lay for a day of boredom and disappointment punctuated by noisy bursts of ill temper and high drama. Mr Martins Cork South-Central running mate, first-time TD Seamus McGrath, said it had been a bad day for democracy, and he said the opposition needed to reflect overnight on its responsibilities. In the general election, the people spoke, I accept there was an argument about speaking rights, but I genuinely think that should not have impeded the election of a taoiseach, which is a constitutional duty incumbent upon all of us elected to the Dail Eireann, he said. Its been an unfortunate day for democracy, and I hope we can get on with our business when the Dail resumes. We have so many important things we need to address as a parliament and as a Government. Weve had our election, the campaigning should be over, and we need to get down to business. He added that, on a human level, he had great sympathy for Mr Martin and his family. Breathtaking However, Thomas Gould, Sinn Fein TD for Cork North-Central, said the day had indeed seen a subversion of the Constitution, but it had been by Fianna Fail and Fine Gael, he claimed. Opposition TDs seek the Ceann Comhairles attention in the Dail chamber. Picture: Flickr Houses of Oireachtas I was elected by the people of Cork North-Central, Mr Gould said. Thousands of people voted for me to have their voices heard in this Dail chamber and then the neck and the arrogance out of the Taoiseach and the Tanaiste to have four Regional Independent TDs as junior ministers in Government and then four more as opposition TDs, taking up opposition time, is just breathtaking. Ill speak up and stand up for the people of Cork and for all the people, and what the Government parties did was a thundering disgrace. Michael Collins, Independent Ireland leader and Cork South-West TD, said Mr Martin had fundamentally underestimated the power of democracy. I would agree that it was a subversion of democracy, but it was by Micheal Martin and Simon Harris, and they could have sorted this issue at any time, but instead it wasnt done, he said. The Regional Independent TDs are members of the Government, and they cannot be allowed to be in opposition as well, so the Taoiseach, and the incoming taoiseach, misjudged the strength of democracy. Kenneth OFlynn, newly elected Independent Ireland TD for Cork North Central, said he was extremely anxious to get the Government in place so it could be held to account, but that cannot come at the expense of democracy. Mr OFlynn added: You cant be six of one and half-dozen of the other. Youre either in Government or youre out of Government. You cant hold someone to account one day and be screaming that this is wrong and that is wrong and then be voting for them every day of the week. Disappointing Recently re-elected to the Dail as a Fine Gael TD for Cork South Central, 17-year Oireachtas veteran Jerry Buttimer said it was very disappointing that Mr Martin had not been elected Taoiseach. Whats happened is unacceptable, and therefore I think that its important that we respect the office of Ceann Comhairle and that we give the Dail the due respect that it deserves, and today was unedifying in many ways, he said. Mr Martins northside Fianna Fail colleague Padraig OSullivan said he felt for his party leader on a personal level and he hoped he would be elected Taoiseach today. Mr OSullivan said the "majority of the Dail" were happy to go ahead yesterday with the Dails business. "Its for the members of the Dail and the ceann comhairle to dictate any arrangements regarding speaking rights and I would contend that the opposition parties have an awful lot to answer for," he added. Mr OSullivan said it was his "sincere hope" that this morning TDs could "resume the important business that people elected to carry out on their behalf, and that starts with electing Micheal Martin taoiseach". Wind strength not seen since 1961 is expected in parts of Cork this Friday, with a climate scientist warning people to expect a once-in-a-generation storm. A status red wind warning was issued yesterday afternoon for Cork, Clare, Kerry, and Limerick from 2am to 10am on Friday by Met Eireann, and this was later upgraded to a red alert for the entire country, at varying times as the storm progresses across the island. While the status red wind warning for Cork ends at 10am tomorrow, a status orange wind warning will stay in force until 5pm. A status yellow rain warning will be in force in Cork, Kerry, and Waterford from 9pm on Thursday until 2am on Friday. The National Emergency Co-ordination Group (NECG) advised that schools, early learning and childcare settings, and higher education institutions in red-level warning areas should close for the duration of the red warning as widespread disruption to public and other services is anticipated. Power supplies are also likely to be impacted, and the groups chairman, Keith Leonard, has said that it is likely that the number of homes to lose electricity could top the 385,000 left without power during Storm Ophelia in 2017. He added that people could be without electricity for an extended period of time as crews will be under pressure from weather conditions as well as having to reach isolated areas and carry out repairs at multiple locations. Severe Weather Assessment teams for both Cork City Council and Cork County Council had separate meetings yesterday and statements released by both local authorities contained strong warnings for people, advising that Storm Eowyn posed a danger to life. Warnings In the warning statements, both councils have advised people not to go out during the period of the red warning and to avoid unnecessary journeys during the orange warning. There is also a danger that structural damage may be caused to buildings by the storm and people should stay away from exposed quays, coasts, rivers, and lakes, the councils have advised. Founder of Irelands Weather Channel and climate scientist at UCC Cathal Nolan told The Echo: Throughout the county, winds are set to be gusting from 130-150km/h, and in some western parts the gusts could go to 180km/h. Those are really phenomenally strong winds, the likes of which we are not accustomed to. They are set to be stronger than Storm Ophelia in 2017. West and North Cork are set to bear the brunt, but all across Cork people can expect status red level winds. Winds during Storm Ophelia were 130-140km/h, so if theyre another 30km/h higher than that again, it could lead to widespread damage. Mr Nolan added: This is a particularly unusual storm, the central pressure could dip down as low 933 to 932 hectopascals, which would make it the deepest area of low pressure ever recorded in Ireland. The strongest wind ever recorded in Ireland was 181km/h during hurricane Debbie in 1961 there seems to be a growing chance we could top that on Friday morning. We would expect to see significant power outages right across the county and country, and it may be some time before some people are reconnected. Theres also a likelihood that a significant number of trees will be brought down, transport will be quite severely impacted and theres potential for structural damage the winds will definitely be strong enough to damage buildings. Significant weather event I want to emphasise just how significant a weather event this is, and how important it is to pay attention to the warnings. This is not your typical Atlantic storm, this is something that occurs once in a generation. Independent Ireland councillor for West Cork Danny Collins told The Echo: Were just hoping it might blow over and we can avoid the worst of it. There was a lot of damage caused by Ophelia, and theyre saying this is going to be the worst wind since 1961. Im urging people, if they have any stuff that could take off, like trampolines, to put them away, and to stay home, because the storm is expected to cause a lot of damage. In an advisory note sent to priests in the Diocese of Cloyne on Wednesday, diocescan spokesperson Fr Jim Moore said that the Bishop of Cloyne, Dr Willim Crean, had ordered all churches in the diocese to shut on Thursday evening and to remain closed until the status red wind warning expiration. All Masses on Friday morning have been cancelled. A beloved family dog was stolen from a car parked near Mercy University Hospital, and now one of the men accused of handling the stolen animal has confessed to his part in the crime. Jerry Foley, aged 49, of no fixed address pleaded guilty to handing stolen property namely Ruby, the eight-year-old Cavachon dog. Inspector Dave Noonan said the dog was stolen on September 9, 2024, and not found until five days later. Foley was seen handling the dog when the family pet was handed over to him and this was captured on CCTV. Foley had 109 previous convictions. When Judge Joanne Carroll was told that the stolen dog was valued at 1,000, she said that the financial value was in a sense neither here nor there and that the real value was its emotional value to the family. Solicitor Eddie Burke said there had been a lot of fatalities in the tragic circumstances in Foleys life and that, rather than trying to grieve properly, he had instead turned to alcohol and exacerbated his problems. Mr Burke said the defendant was presently serving a five-month prison sentence for another matter and wanted to go into rehabilitation on his release. Judge Carroll imposed a two-month suspended sentence on him for handling the stolen dog. Two other people involved in either the theft or handling of the stolen dog were previously given jail sentences for their parts in the crime. The theft of the pet resulted in a media campaign for information leading to the safe return of the eight-year-old dog and the fact that the pet had a particular place in the heart of the family who own Ruby. The dog was being cared for by a relative at the time of the theft, and she had gone into Mercy University Hospital for a number of minutes with the window open a little to let air in. When she returned, the window had been forced open and the dog taken. The stolen dog was recovered by gardai at an apartment in the area on September 14, five days after it had been reported stolen from the car parked outside the hospital. Last Saturday, my wife Helena and myself set off on a day trip to Mount Melleray Abbey in County Waterford. It was with a heavy heart we made this journey, as this was the last weekend it would be opened to the public - it is closing on January 26, after 190 years. The Cistercian monks based there are now all moving to Roscrea, County Tipperary, pending future decisions with the Abbey. We had brought our children there over the years, and also our grandchildren to visit and experience the spiritual and beautiful Mount Melleray, especially leading up to First Communion and Confirmation times, to buy them something special for these most important days in their lives. We met people from far and wide there on Saturday, all in shock over the pending closure, all asking the same question, why? We swapped stories of our previous trips there, and how serene and peaceful everyone found it. How we would all miss it so much, but all agreed we would never forget it and the part it had played in all our lives in some shape or form. We said some prayers in the chapel, and lit some candles as we always do for family members and friends that have gone to their eternal rest. Finally, we went to the abbey shop to buy some holy relics to remember our final day in Mount Melleray. We had a last look at the goldfish in the fountain pond before saying our sad final farewell to this piece of Irish history. Times are changing. On reflection of the day while driving back home, a song came to mind, How can I protect you in this crazy world, it says it all. William Walsh, Fairhill, Cork Michael Bolton Gardai investigating the murder of William Moorhouse have arrested a seventh person as part of the investigation. A man in his 30s was arrested by gardai, and is being held at a Garda Station in the Wexford / Wicklow Division. Two males, one a juvenile and one in his 20s, who were arrested on Tuesday, have been released without charge. A postmortem was carried out on 36-year-old William Moorhouse by State pathologist Dr Sally Anne Collis on Tuesday. The preliminary results were provided to the investigating team, but were not being released for operational purposes. Following the results, gardai said they had now commenced a murder investigation. Gardai appealed for witnesses to contact them. Anyone with information is asked to contact Bray Garda Station on 01 666 5300, the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111 or any Garda station. Eimear Dodd One of three men accused of raping and sexually assaulting a woman told gardai he shared two videos he recorded on the night in a group chat for a laugh. 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 31st, 2019. The men, who cannot be named for legal reasons, deny any wrongdoing. Memos of three garda interviews with the third man were read to the jury. This 34-year-old, 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 court has already seen the video clips, one 30 seconds long and the other lasting six seconds. Nothing is visible in either clip, but a female voice says "no" several times during the 30-second clip. A garda witness told the court he believed a male voice said, Stick it up her arse during this clip. The third man told the gardai he recorded one video in the SUV and one in the house as it was his first time experiencing something like this. He said he made the recordings for a laugh. He told the gardai that he later shared the videos in a group chat with the first accused and another male friend. He said he sent them for a laugh, describing it as a locker room chat between blokes. The man said it was dark when he recorded the clips and suggested gardai could edit them to improve the lighting. He said the video taken in the house was made while the first accused was having sex with the woman. In a third interview, he said this 30-second clip included the first man asking the woman for anal sex, which she refused. She knew what she did and didn't want. When gardai suggested someone is laughing in the video, he said he did not know. Gardai then put it to him that you were laughing at her being raped. The man insisted the audio was of the first man asking for anal sex, and while the woman refused, she continued to have sex, she knew what she wanted to do. He said his sexual interactions with the woman were kissing in the SUV and her performing oral sex on him in the house. The third man told gardai he did noy have sex with the complainant and didn't see any rough play whatsoever. Gardai put to the third man that bruising on the woman suggested the use of force. He replied, I've nothing to do with any force, adding that he didn't touch her. Sexual activity He told the gardai that he wouldn't let a friend do that. It's insanity to throw this at us; I would never let that happen. When asked if he gave the woman cocaine, he replied, No, this isn't fair. He said the woman was having fun and didn't withdraw consent at any point. He said if she'd withdrawn consent, whoever was having sex with her would stop. He insisted the woman consented to sexual activity with him and the other two accused. When extracts from the woman's statement were read, the third accused replied, Who in their right mind would bring a woman back after sex with them and two friends to their house?. These things dont add up. She had sex in the jeep. She didnt scream or shout in the house when a fellow was a pillow away [in the room next door]. He told gardai, It doesn't add up; she's lying. Later, he said: It's a no-brainer; she never said no and asked to come to the house. In his account of the night, the third man said he went to the nightclub with the two other accused, where they encountered the woman. He said he bumped into the woman when he was leaving, and he asked her about afterparties. He said he walked towards the second man's SUV. When he looked back, the second accused had linked arms with the woman. When shown CCTV footage of the three accused and the woman outside the nightclub, he told gardai that she appeared to be walking normal. He said she didn't look drunk, saying, She was straight up... normal-like. He said there was chat in the car during the drive to his home. He said they couldn't go inside as his mother was asleep downstairs. He said when he returned to the SUV, everything changed. He said the woman touched the other two accused's arms, saying, How nice and sexy they looked. He told gardai that she said she wanted to party with them. He said the first man asked her if she knew what it meant to party with them, and she replied yes. He said the woman and the first man kissed in the car. He said the first accused started to give the woman oral sex, and she looked at him, and they kissed. He said the second man got into the back of the car, kissed the woman, and they had sex. He said he took a video while the woman and the first man kissed. The woman then performed oral sex on the first accused. He said they then went to the first man's home, but he initially remained in the SUV to find his keys. When he went inside, he said he saw the woman and the second accused kiss and then have sex. He said the woman rubbed his leg and then performed oral sex on him briefly. He said she also performed oral sex on the first man. He stated the woman also had sex with the first man. The third man said the sexual activity ended as everyone was tired. He left the house with the second accused in the early hours. He said the woman's jeans and underwear were removed during sexual activity in the car and in the house but that her top remained on throughout. He said she helped to remove her clothing. He said an ear witness, a roommate of the first man, heard them in the house. An investigating garda agreed with Seamus Clarke SC, representing the third man, that his client gave a detailed account in his first interview before he was shown CCTV and other evidence. It was further accepted that the man maintained his innocence at all times during the three interviews and that his solicitor had also been present. In other evidence on Thursday, a forensic examiner from a sexual assault treatment unit gave evidence of their examination of the woman on August 31st, 2019. Bruising was found on the women's arms and legs. The woman said these were new since the alleged incident. The court heard forensic samples and swabs were taken, and the woman's clothing was seized. No injuries to the genital area were observed, with the court told that this does not preclude the possibility of vaginal penetration. The examiner confirmed to Padraig Dwyer SC, defending the first man, that no complaint of anal penetration was made and no injury observed. During cross-examination, the examiner confirmed sections of their note of what the complainant told them about the alleged incident. The first man, aged 39 with an address in Dublin, has pleaded not guilty to one count of raping the woman in 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 trial will continue on Monday before Mr Justice Paul Burns and the jury. If you have been affected by any of the issues raised in this article, you can call the national 24-hour Rape Crisis Helpline at 1800-77 8888, access text service and webchat options at drcc.ie/services/helpline/ or visit Rape Crisis Help. Ryan Dunne The mother of murder victim Jamie Kavanagh has spoken of feeling like a wound that is wide open, as the man who told gardai he wanted to kill her son stone dead was sentenced to life in prison at the Central Criminal Court. Burying your child is unnatural, it changes everything about you, and a violent end adds a whole other level of despair, said Niamh McGuinness on Thursday during the sentencing of Robert Murphy (42). Murphy had pleaded guilty to manslaughter but not guilty to the murder of 23-year-old Jamie Kavanagh at a hostel on Harrington Street, Dublin 8 on April 19th, 2023. However, the jury deliberated for close to five hours before returning their unanimous verdict of guilty to murder on November 14th last year. At the sentence hearing, Detective Sergeant Tim OSullivan gave evidence to counsel for the State, Sean Gillane SC, that in the early hours of the morning, a 999 call was made of an incident at the hostel. Witness Carrie Benn, who had been living at the hostel with Mr Kavanagh and Murphy at the time, said she heard Mr Kavanagh calling for help, so she gained entry to his bedsit and saw that he was injured. When the emergency services arrived, they found that Mr Kavanagh had suffered a number of stab wounds and was in a serious and critical condition. Mr Kavanagh was brought to St James Hospital but shortly afterwards succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced dead. Det Sgt OSullivan said the deceased suffered seven injuries, including six sharp force injuries comprising three stab wounds and three incisions. The most serious injury was a 13cm wound to his left flank that caused damage to his left lung and kidney. The cause of death was the stab wound to his trunk causing internal injuries. Det Sgt OSullivan said that when arrested and cautioned, Murphy said: I done that, I'll tell youse what happened. Murphy told gardai that he went for Mr Kavanaghs neck and wanted to kill him stone dead. The detective said that Murphy also suggested he acted in self-defence as there had been an altercation. CCTV footage showed Murphy in a laneway to the rear of the premises, wearing a balaclava. He climbed over the rear wall and entered the rear door, before he spent two minutes at the door of Mr Kavanaghs bedsit trying to gain entry. Blood-stained clothing When he was searched by gardai, he was found with a bag containing blood-stained clothing, a balaclava and knives. Det Sgt OSullivan told the court that Murphy had 66 previous convictions, including eight for the possession of knives and other articles, as well as convictions for the possession of firearms and ammo, and arson intending to endanger the life of another.Jamie Kavanagh In her victim impact statement, Ms McGuinness said that Jamie was her hero, whose death had left the family absolutely devastated. She said that Murphys trial had been even worse than she could have imagined, as he entered a not guilty plea and attempted to blame her son, which did nothing more than compound the trauma. Ms McGuinness said that the eventual verdict of guilty changed nothing, as it did not bring her son back. What I wouldnt give to feel one of his bear hugs now, she said, going on to describe herself as a broken mother. I have to hold his love and compassion inside of me and know that he forgives me for not protecting him, said Ms McGuinness. He speaks to me in my dreams. He is sorry that I am in so much pain. In the dream Im crying and hes crying, and we are hugging to feel each others comfort, she said. Saying that she misses his voice and his unique, contagious laugh, Ms McGuinness described herself as a wound that is wide open. Burying your child is unnatural, it changes everything about you, and a violent end adds a whole other level of despair, she said. Ms McGuinness went on to say that when her daughter, Jamies younger sister, heard the news, she released a primal scream and begged her mother to tell her it was not true. Looking at him in a coffin that I had to pick out was unbreakable, so unbearable that I blacked out twice. It looked like him but then again it didnt. It was all wrong, she said. I have to choose life every day, every day is an effort not to give up. I have to see myself through his eyes, she said. Ms McGuinness concluded by saying: Jamie, you know the beat of my heart from the inside. I promise to love you forever. Ms Justice Melanie Greally thanked Ms McGuinness for her victim impact statement, expressing the courts regret that the trial was such a harrowing and brutal experience for the family. Defence counsel Brendan Grehan SC told the court that Murphy had said that he never meant for this to happen, but things got out of control. Hes sorry for the young lad, his family and friends, said Mr Grehan. Ms Justice Greally sentenced Murphy to life in prison, backdated to the date he went into custody, April 19th, 2023. The trial had heard that Jamie Kavanagh lived in the bedsit on Harrington Street which was run by hostel and charity 'Crosscare'. Murphy lived next door to Mr Kavanagh on the first floor of the hostel, where many people were "on the margins" and on State aid. The jury rejected the defence case that Murphy had only entered the deceaseds room in order to frighten, but not kill him and lacked the necessary intent. The defence had argued that the stabbing was a badly executed effort by Murphy to get Mr Kavanagh out of the house and that the prosecution had also failed to prove Murphy was not acting in what he believed was self-defence. However, the prosecution said that all mentions of drug use and knives in the house were just red herrings in the case and what mattered was Murphys honest intention. Murphy was also discovered to have 750 in cash on his person. Amber Smith gave evidence that she and her partner Jamie Kavanagh had planned to move to Spain together, with the deceased securing a loan of probably over 900 from family members to begin their new life. Founded in 2005 as an Ohio-based environmental newspaper, EcoWatch is a digital platform dedicated to publishing quality, science-based content on environmental issues, causes, and solutions. Workers install solar panels on a factory rooftop in Rugao city in China's Jiangsu province on Oct. 25, 2024. WU SHUJIAN / Feature China / Future Publishing via Getty Images China broke its own records for the installation of new solar and wind power last year, with installed capacity increasing by 18 and 45 percent, respectively, according to new data released by the countrys National Energy Administration (NEA) on Tuesday. Solar and wind power surpassed 1.4 billion kilowatts (KW) in 2024, reported China Daily, adding to the countrys reputation as a world leader in renewable energy development. Belinda Schape, a Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA) China policy analyst, said that while the country continued to expand its coal capacity, this massive scale of renewable power additions has positive implications for emissions in 2025, Recharge News reported. Renewables may reach the turning point where they can meet all of the electricity demand growth, which would make it more likely for China to achieve its emissions peak and structural decline from there, Schape said. Solars installed capacity soared to 890 million KW last year a 45.2 percent increase from 2023 while wind-generated power capacity reached 520 million KW, an 18 percent climb, NEA said. Wind turbines in Dabancheng, also known as Chinas Wind Valley, in northwest Chinas Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region on Dec. 28, 2024. Hu Huhu / Xinhua via Getty Images President Xi Jinping in 2020 set a target of a minimum of 1,200 gigawatts (GW) of wind and solar capacity by the end of the decade, which was met almost six years early, NEA data from August revealed, as reported by Electrek. China has built nearly twice the wind and solar capacity as all other countries in the world combined. It is also the biggest producer of electricity on the planet, and power consumption jumped significantly to 9,852 terawatt hours up 6.8 percent in 2024. While China still uses coal, coal power permits fell by 83 percent during the first half of fiscal year 2024, compared with the same period a year earlier, CREA said. There were also no new approvals of coal-based steelmaking projects during that time. The country is committed to further promoting the growth of renewable energy and actively advancing the transformation of its energy mix from a reliance on coal to a more balanced structure, said Lu Ruquan, head of China National Petroleum Corp Economics and Technology Research Institute, as China Daily reported. Chinas energy transition last year benefited from substantial investments, such as $83.7 billion put toward power grid infrastructure a 15.3 percent increase from the previous year. These investments facilitated the construction of large-scale renewable energy projects, the modernization of grid systems to handle the variability of renewable sources, and the deployment of advanced storage technologies. The expanded grid infrastructure played a critical role in connecting remote renewable energy hubs to urban demand centers, China Daily said. Lin Boquiant, head of Xiamen Universitys China Institute for Studies in Energy Policy, said the governments long-term policies, such as subsidies, tax incentives and renewable energy quotas, have incentivized investment in clean energy. Meanwhile, the countrys push to reach peak carbon emissions by 2030 and be carbon-neutral by 2060 has added urgency. Lin said that innovations in wind turbine design and the efficiency of solar panels have brought down costs while improving the reliability of clean energy systems. It will be critical for the government to capitalise on the momentum in the renewables sector. As expected, renewables additions were much higher than the government had targeted. Instead of lowballing these targets, the government should put forward strong targets for the renewables expansion for the next decade, alongside a detailed plan for phasing down coal power, Schape said, as reported by Recharge News. Founded in 2005 as an Ohio-based environmental newspaper, EcoWatch is a digital platform dedicated to publishing quality, science-based content on environmental issues, causes, and solutions. A protest organized by Greenpeace against the withdrawal of the U.S. from the Paris Agreement by newly inaugurated U.S. President Donald Trump, at the U.S. Embassy in Berlin, Germany on Jan. 21, 2025. Sean Gallup / Getty Images On the second day of the annual meeting of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, European leaders spoke out against President Donald Trumps withdrawal of the United States from the 2015 Paris Agreement, saying they would remain firmly committed to the global climate accord. The first day of Trumps second term on Monday included a rash of executive orders, which included departures from other United Nations climate convention agreements and deals, putting a stop to climate finance support by the U.S. for developing countries, reported Politico. Referring to the Paris climate accord, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said on Tuesday that Europe will stay the course, and keep working with all nations that want to protect nature and stop global warming, as The Associated Press reported. Von der Leyen insisted that the European Union will stick with the landmark climate agreement. The Paris Agreement continues to be the best hope for all humanity, von der Leyen said. The global agreement aims to limit long-term global heating to 1.5 degrees Celsius, or at least well below two degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels, to avoid the worst impacts of the climate crisis. Speaking at a panel ahead of Novembers COP30 climate talks in Belem, Brazil, Simon Stiell, executive secretary of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, said the door remains open for the U.S. The world is undergoing an energy transition that is unstoppable. Last year alone, over $2 trillion was invested in the transition (to clean energy). And that compares to one trillion in fossil fuels, Stiell said, as reported by The Associated Press. Stiell said the world is experiencing crisis fatigue, but added that, despite changes in the political landscape, the science behind climate hasnt changed. The impacts actually have changed in that theyre simply getting worse and worse. In response to Trumps decision, Prime Minister of Belgium Alexander De Croo, during a session at Davos discussing Europes clean energy transition, expressed the importance of unity in tackling the climate crisis. [T]he world is full of uncertainty after yesterday even more, and maybe tomorrow there might be even more uncertainty. Lets please, as Europeans within the European Union, not add to the uncertainty by creating ambiguity on our goals, De Croo said. Business leaders emphasized the economic benefits of remaining committed to the targets set out in the Paris Agreement. For us, who have been on the bumpy train ride for a couple of years, we are discovering year by year how we actually not only can succeed to deliver to the Paris Agreement but actually how it benefits business, said IKEA CEO Jesper Brodin, as The Associated Press reported. Trumps exit from the Paris Agreement marks the second time he has pulled the country from the worlds biggest climate deal, a process that takes about a year to complete. Von der Leyen said recent disastrous events in the U.S., including the Los Angeles wildfires, were evidence that all continents will have to speed up the transition toward net zero, as reported by Politico. Wopke Hoekstra, EU climate commissioner, said it was a truly unfortunate development that the worlds largest economy, and one of our closest allies in the fight against climate change, is withdrawing from the Paris Agreement. Despite this setback, we remain committed to working with the U.S. and our international partners to address the pressing issue of climate change, Hoekstra said. Global South activists and climate scientists were critical of Trumps withdrawal of the U.S. Globally, Trumps decision undermines the collective fight against climate change at a time when unity and urgency are more critical than ever. The most tragic consequences, however, will be felt in developing countries, said Harjeet Singh, global engagement director of the Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty Initiative, as The Associated Press reported. These vulnerable nations and communities, which have contributed the least to global emissions, will bear the brunt of intensifying floods, rising seas, and crippling droughts. China also expressed concern about the U.S. exiting the accord. Climate change is a common challenge, said Guo Jiakun, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson. No country can be outside of it. No country can be immune to it. OpenAI has begun previewing a new tool called Operator that can navigate within a web browser. According to a blog post published Thursday, the software is powered by what the company calls a Computer-Using Agent. CUA is trained to interact with graphical user interfaces (GUIs) the buttons, menus, and text fields people see on a screen just as humans do, says OpenAI of the model. This gives it the flexibility to perform digital tasks without using OS- or web-specific APIs. The current release of Operator builds on OpenAIs GPT-4o model. It combines the vision capabilities of that algorithm with advanced reasoning trained through reinforcement learning. Operator has the ability to break tasks into multi-step plans and adaptively self-correct when challenges arise. According to OpenAI, that capability represents the next stage in AI development. Instacart As with past research previews, OpenAI warns that Operator is still early and has limitations, and that it wont perform reliably in all scenarios just yet. For instance, depending on the complexity of the task and interface involved, the agent greatly benefits from the user taking a few extra moments to write a more detailed prompt. Per The Verge, Operator will give the user control if it ever gets stuck on a task. It will also hand control over whenever a website asks for sensitive information, including login credentials. The company says it designed the tool to refuse harmful requests and block disallowed content. ADVERTISEMENT Advertisement OpenAI is making Operator first available to users of its $200 per month ChatGPT Pro subscription. It is also partnering with companies like Instacart to offer the agent on their platforms, though there again youll need a ChatGPT Pro subscription to test the integration. Operator joins a growing list of AI agents that can either navigate a web browser or an entire operating system. Anthropic was the first to offer the capability with the release of its Claude 3.5 Sonnet model in October, followed more recently by Google with its Gemini 2.0 model and Project Mariner. If you buy something through a link in this article, we may earn commission. Google is paying HTC $250 million in cash for a deal that will give the bigger company's plans for Android XR a boost. Under the terms of their agreement, some members of the HTC Vive engineering team will be joining Google, which describes them as an "incredibly strong technical team with a proven track record in the VR space." HTC released the consumer version of its first Vive VR headset, designed in partnership with Valve, back in 2016. Last year, it launched the Vive Focus Vision more than a year after it released its first standalone headset for consumers, the Vive XR Elite. In addition to absorbing certain Vive team members, Google will also get a non-exclusive license to use HTC'S extended reality technologies. HTC can still use its own IPs, and it vows to continue developing and supporting its XR headsets. The companies will also "explore future collaboration opportunities." Google says the deal will help "its acceleration across the headset and glasses ecosystem." The company laid out its vision for a unified Android XR ecosystem in December, which will span a range of virtual and mixed reality headsets and glasses. We're bound to see the first Android XR devices this year, including one codenamed Project Moohan from a Google-Samsung collaboration. Google's and HTC's agreement is still subject to customary closing conditions and will be finalized sometime this first quarter. If you buy something through a link in this article, we may earn commission. Subaru left open a gaping security flaw that, although patched, lays bare modern vehicles myriad privacy issues. Security researchers Sam Curry and Shubham Shah reported their findings (via Wired) about an easily hacked employee web portal. After gaining access, they were able to remotely control a test vehicle and view a years worth of location data. They warn that Subaru is far from alone in having lax security around vehicle data. After the security analysts notified Subaru, the company quickly patched the exploit. Fortunately, the researchers say less-than-ethical hackers hadnt breached it before then. But they say authorized Subaru employees can still access owners location history with only a single piece of the following information: the owners last name, zip code, email address, phone number or license plate. The hacked admin portal was part of Subarus Starlink suite of connectivity features. (No relation to the SpaceX satellite internet service of the same name.) Curry and Shah got in by finding a Subaru Starlink employees email address on LinkedIn and resetting the workers password after bypassing two required security questions because it took place in the end users web browser, not Subarus servers. They also bypassed two-factor authentication by doing the simplest thing that we could think of: removing the client-side overlay from the UI. ADVERTISEMENT Advertisement Although the researchers tests traced the test vehicles location back one year, they cant rule out the possibility that authorized Subaru employees can snoop back even farther. Thats because the test car (a 2023 Subaru Impreza Curry bought for his mother on the condition that he could hack it) had only been in use for about that long. The location data wasnt generalized to some broad swath of land, either: It was accurate to less than 17 feet and updated each time the engine started. After searching and finding my own vehicle in the dashboard, I confirmed that the Starlink admin dashboard should have access to pretty much any Subaru in the United States, Canada, and Japan, Curry wrote. We wanted to confirm that there was nothing we were missing, so we reached out to a friend and asked if we could hack her car to demonstrate that there was no pre-requisite or feature which wouldve actually prevented a full vehicle takeover. She sent us her license plate, we pulled up her vehicle in the admin panel, then finally we added ourselves to her car. In addition to tracking their location, the admin portal allowed the researchers to remotely start, stop, lock and unlock any Starlink-connected Subaru vehicle. They said Currys mother never received notifications that they had added themselves as authorized users, nor did she receive alerts when they unlocked her car. They could also query and retrieve personal information for any customer, including their emergency contacts, authorized users, home address, the last four digits of their credit card and vehicle PIN. In addition, they were able to access the owners support call history and the vehicles previous owners, odometer reading and sales history. In a statement to Engadget, Subaru Communications Director Dominick Infante wrote, Subaru of America, Inc. was notified by independent security researchers of a vulnerability in its Starlink service that had the potential to allow third-party access to Starlink accounts. Subaru patched the vulnerability that same day, and no Subaru vehicles or customer data was ever accessed without authorization. The independent researchers were able to access two accounts belonging to a family member and a friend who provided them with authorization to do so. ADVERTISEMENT Advertisement Subaru also stressed that its cars cant be driven remotely and that the company doesnt sell location data. It also said only certain employees can access driver location data based on job relevancy. The security researchers say the tracking and security failures stemming from the ability of a single employee to access a ton of personal information are hardly unique to Subaru. Wired notes that Curry and Shahs previous work exposed similar flaws affecting vehicles from Acura, Genesis, Honda, Hyundai, Infiniti, Kia, Toyota and others. The pair believes theres reason for serious concern about the industrys location tracking and poor security measures. The auto industry is unique in that an 18-year-old employee from Texas can query the billing information of a vehicle in California, and it wont really set off any alarm bells, Curry wrote. Its part of their normal day-to-day job. The employees all have access to a ton of personal information, and the whole thing relies on trust. It seems really hard to really secure these systems when such broad access is built into the system by default. The researchers full report is worth a read. Update, January 24, 2025, 1:07PM ET: This story has been updated to add a statement from Subaru. CNN CEO Mark Thompson is laying off employees and eyeing a new way to get subscriptions. CNN is laying off more employees and making plans to launch another streaming service, according to a memo from CEO Mark Thompson obtained by The Hollywood Reporter. Around 200 employees jobs are being cut, affecting six percent of CNN's current staff. The changes are being made in response to "profound and irreversible shifts in the way audiences in America and around the world consume news," according to Thompson. Launching a new streaming service after the abject failure of CNN+ the former streaming home of Stanley Tucci: Searching for Italy is apparently tied to that same thinking. According to Thompson: ADVERTISEMENT Advertisement Today, I can announce that we plan to develop a new way for digital subscribers at home and abroad to stream news programming from us on any device they choose. It's early days but weve already established that theres immense demand for it not just in America but across much of the world. Some of CNN's shows are already available on Max, the streaming service of its parent company Warner Bros. Discovery, but this new service would presumably be a benefit for subscribers who pay for CNN directly. The company launched a subscription to CNN.com in October 2024 for $3.99 per month or $29.99 per year. Given the less than 10,000 daily users CNN+ was reportedly able to bring in, it definitely seems like any new streaming service will have an uphill battle. Get enough Star Trek fans in a room and the conversation inevitably turns toward which of the series cinematic outings is the worst. The consensus view is The Final Frontier, Insurrection and Nemesis are duking it out for the unwanted trophy. Each film has a small legion of fans who will defend each entrys campy excesses, boldness and tone. (Im partial to watching The Final Frontier every five years or so, mostly to luxuriate in Jerry Goldsmiths score.) Thankfully, any and all such discussions will cease once and for all on January 24, 2024, when Star Trek: Section 31 debuts on Paramount+. It is the single worst thing to carry the Star Trek name in living memory. Spoilers follow for Star Trek: Section 31. Star Trek: Section 31 is a made for TV streaming movie focusing on Philipa Georgiou (Michelle Yeoh) after her departure from Star Trek: Discovery. It was originally greenlit in 2019 as a series but, for a wide variety of reasons, it languished in development hell until 2022. In the interim, showrunners Bo Yeon Kim and Erika Lippoldt, along with credited screenwriter Craig Sweeny, sweated the idea. Director Olatunde Osunsanmi told SFX Magazine (via TrekMovie ) that Sweeny would eventually write (and re-write) the project seven different times, first as a TV series, then as a movie. Trek head honcho Alex Kurtzman was eager to get production underway to take advantage of Yeohs 2022 Academy Award win for Everything Everywhere All At Once. ADVERTISEMENT Advertisement The result is a film that, even if youre unaware of the pre-production backstory, sure feels like a series hastily cut down to feature length. Its not incoherent, but suffers from the same issue that blighted Discovery, where youre watching a dramatized synopsis rather than a script. There are thematic and plot beats that rhyme with each other, but the meat joining them all together isnt there. Its just stuff that happens. It doesnt help that the plot (credited to Kim and Lippoldt) is very much of the and then this happens variety that they warn you about in Film School 202. So many major moments in the film are totally unearned, asking you to care about characters youve only just met and dont much like. Theres a risible scene at the end where two people who havent really given you the impression theyre into each other have to hold hands and stare into their impending doom. The pair in question have shared their backstories with each other, but theres no suggestion that they are anything more than just people working together on a job, let alone friends. Michael Gibson/Paramount+ Weak material is less of an issue if you have a cast who can elevate what theyve been given but, and it pains me to say this, thats not Michelle Yeoh. Yeoh is a phenomenal performer who has given a litany of underrated performances over her long and distinguished career. But she made her name playing characters with deep interiority, not scenery-chewing high-camp villains. Even in her redemptive phase, its impossible to believe Yeoh is the sort of monster Star Trek needs Georgiou to be. Rather than shrinking the scene, and the stakes, to suit her talents, the film makes the canvas wider and expects Yeoh to fill space shes never needed. The rest of the gang is similarly underserved by the material and the sheer volume of clutter the film has little time to get past. Making the Section 31 team six people deep before they meet Georgiou means every character beyond her is a thumbnail sketch at best. Theres the broody one, the funny one, the uptight one, the robot one, the hot one and the one with the bad Oirish accent. ADVERTISEMENT Advertisement If Section 31 was a series, youd forgive the pithy introductions, knowing youd get to fill in these characters over the coming weeks, maybe even grow attached to them. In the space of a movie, it doesnt work since the shocking twists like an early character death to raise the stakes or a sudden heel-turn in a moment of crisis, dont work. Worse still, the dialog is so often indecipherable crosstalk that feels more like woeful improv than useful characterization. That, or its just characters reminding the audience of basic story points over and over again, like the fact Georgiou used to be a baddie. Olatunde Osunsanmis direction has always made an effort to draw attention to itself, with flashy pans, tilts, moves and Dutch angles. Jarringly, all of his flair leaves him when he needs to just shoot people in a room talking those scenes invariably default to the TV standard medium. Worse still is his action direction, that loses any sense of the space were seeing or the story being told. Theres a final punchfight that requires the audiences to be aware of who has the macguffin at various points. But its all so incoherent that youll struggle to place whats going on and where, so why bother engaging with it? And thats before we get to the fact that Osunanmi chose to shoot all of Michelle Yeohs Michelle Yeohs fight scenes in close-up. When Yeoh is moving, you want to capture the full extent of her talents and allow her and her fellow performers a chance to show off, too. And yet its in these moments that the camera pulls in tight with what looks like a digital crop with a dose of digital motion blur thrown in. All of which serves to obscure Yeohs talents and sap any energy out of the action. Jan Thijs/Paramount+ Before watching Section 31, I re-watched the relevant stories from Deep Space Nine and tried to interrogate their ethics. That series asked, several times over, how far someone would, could or should go to defend their ideals and their worldview. The Federation was often described as some form of paradise, but does paradise need its own extrajudicial murder squad? It wasnt a wicked cool plotline, but a thought experiment to interrogate what Starfleet and its personnel stands for when its very existence is in jeopardy. If theres one thing that Section 31 isnt, its cool, and if you think it is, then your values are at least halfway in conflict with Star Treks founding ethos. ADVERTISEMENT Advertisement Unfortunately for us, Trek honcho Alex Kurtzman does think Starfleet having its own space murder squad is wicked cool given their repeated appearances under his watch. Kurtzman has never hidden his love of War on Terror-era narratives, which remain as unwelcome here as they were in Star Trek: Into Darkness. Sadly, Section 31 is Star Trek in its face-punching, forced-interrogation, cheek-stabbing, eye-gouging thoughtless grimdark register . Fundamentally, its not a fun thing to sit down and watch, beyond its numerous deficiencies as a piece of cinema. The biggest tell that Section 31 wasnt going to be a winner was when Rob Kasinsky, who plays Section 31's Zeph, started getting his excuses in early. He said (via ScreenRant ) he was worried the film would be received poorly given all the fans want is just 1,000 more episodes of TNG. Ill admit, there is a chunk of fandom who do just want to be fed a conveyor belt of memberberries. These are the people who thought season three of Picard was good and are clamoring for Star Trek: Legacy. I, and a lot of other people, just want something thats halfway thoughtful, entertaining and well-made, and this is none of those things. I keep checking my notes for anything positive and the best I can manage is that the costumes, co-created with Balenciaga, are quite nice. Theyre a bit too Star Wars, but I like the focus on texture and tailoring in a way thats better than Treks current athleisure trend. Oh, and the CGI is competent and doesnt slip below the standards set down by Strange New Worlds. There you go, two things that are good about Section 31. Simu Liu, the Canadian actor best known for his leading role in Marvel's Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, is taking a stand against U.S. President Donald Trump's proposed tax policy. In a recent video message that Liu shared with his millions of followers on social media, Liu pledged to donate any tax savings he receives under the new plan, declaring, "I don't need a tax cut." Though not an American citizen, Liu lives in the U.S. and pays taxes there, he explained. Alas, his comments highlight his frustration with policies that appear to benefit the wealthy. "I actually think people like me should probably pay more tax," Liu said, emphasizing the need for economic fairness. @simuliu hot take; wealthy people should not get tax cuts when most families in america struggle to make a basic living original sound - Simu Liu Simi Liu Says He Doesn't Need Trump's Tax Cut Trump's latest tax proposal builds on the controversial Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) from his first term, Daily Hive reported. That legislation primarily benefited the top 0.1% of earners and major corporations, according to Inequality.org, including those in industries like oil and gas. A corporate tax rate cut from 35% to 21% was one of its main cutouts. Still, Liu's criticism goes beyond just the tax breaks for the rich. He expressed confusion over why many middle- and lower-income Americans, whose taxes could increase under the plan, continue to support Trump. "The cost of living will go up, and their income will go down," Liu said, calling the disconnect between policy impacts and voter support "baffling." Economists echoed Liu's concerns, pointing out that the proposed extensions and expansions of the TCJA provisions may worsen income inequality. Research cited by Rolling Stone revealed that most Americans saw minimal benefits from Trump's tax reforms, compared to the significant gains for corporations and ultra-wealthy individuals. As Trump begins his second term, debates over the tax policy's impact are likely to continue. How Trump's Tax Cuts Benefit the Wealthy According to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, Trump's 2017 tax law disproportionately benefited the wealthy. Households in the top 1% gained average tax cuts of over $60,000 in a year, compared to less than $500 for those in the bottom 60%. The policy eroded the U.S. revenue base, with revenues as a share of GDP falling significantly, limiting funds for vital investments and social programs. Promised economic benefits, such as increased household incomes from corporate tax cuts, largely failed to materialize, with gains concentrated among top executives rather than workers. Blake Lively is facing renewed scrutiny after a resurfaced interview has revealed a troubling anecdote from her teenage years. The clip, which has become viral on social media, shows Lively recounting a story in which she used bronzer and a "Scary Spice fro" to disguise herself as "a Black girl." The interview, evidently recorded during a promotional tour for the 2006 comedy Accepted, features Lively alongside her co-stars Justin Long, Jonah Hill and Lewis Black. In the video, Lively recalls the incident while laughing, presenting it as an example of her self-described "geekiness," as TikToker @amilea803 dug up on Tuesday. See that clip, which already has over 1.5 million views, below. "I'm a geek," Lively chuckles. "When hot girls say they're geeks, it pisses me off," Long quips back, "'cause I truly am a geek." In an attempt to prove her claim, Lively laughingly shares, "My best friend and I, when we were in 10th grade, we had like, crazy crushes. We would drive around [and] like stalk these guys. We decided one night to go to the arcade where they were." She giddily continues, "And I put bronzer all over myself and a Scary Spice fro, so I thought they would think I was like a Black girl. And so I could stalk them. And my friend dressed up as like this goth girl and we literally sat outside their houses." Blake Lively Blackface Video The story has drawn sharp criticism online, with many calling out the casual tone in which Lively describes actions widely considered inappropriate and offensive. The backlash comes as the actress is already embroiled in a legal battle with her It Ends With Us co-star and director, Justin Baldoni, over allegations of on-set harassment. Critics argue that the resurfaced clip adds to a pattern of tone-deaf behavior from the Gossip Girl star. In 2020, Lively and her husband, actor Ryan Reynolds, publicly apologized after hosting their 2012 wedding at Boone Hall Plantation in South Carolina, which has a history with deep ties to slavery. Blake Lively admits to doing blackface!!!! She thought this was so funny! Watch HERE: pic.twitter.com/IkjIyo4gn4 Perez (@ThePerezHilton) January 22, 2025 people saying what does that video help, THAT'S THE LITERAL MOMENT BLAKE LIVELY SAID SHE WAS SO UNCOMFORTABLE BY JUSTIN BALDONI. That was the scene she cited. THAT'S THE LITERAL SCENE SHE SAID HE WAS MAKING HER SO UNCOMFORTABLE, HE SAID HE HAS THE TAPE boo (@xvgvault) January 21, 2025 Idc about Blake lively she did black face and got married on a plantation Princess of comedy (@lexikennedy35) January 22, 2025 im a geek bc one time, i did blackface! - blake lively pic.twitter.com/qNJiWUkUYn LOEWE Lioness (@GgV0gue) January 22, 2025 People really believed that Blake Lively who got married on a plantation was telling the truth about being a victim lmfaoooo mixed poc daughter (@xotwodkyra) January 21, 2025 Response to Blake Lively Blackface Fans and detractors alike are questioning why such an anecdote was shared in a lighthearted context, particularly in a professional interview setting. While Lively has not publicly addressed the resurfaced footage, the controversy adds to the challenges she faces amid her ongoing legal disputes. Meanwhile, Baldoni has filed a defamation suit against Lively, Reynolds and her publicist for $400 million. See a YouTube upload of the original Accepted interview below. Airlines from China and Morocco reopen services, eyeing on tapping massive market potential with mutual visa-free policy Global Times) 10:43, January 23, 2025 (Photo/Courtesy of Beijing Daxing International Airport) Within three days, two airlines from China and Morocco reopened their flight services between China and Morocco, underscoring the market potential driven by a mutual visa-free policy. On Tuesday, Royal Air Maroc flight AT230 landed at Beijing Daxing International Airport, signifying the return of its Beijing Daxing-Casablanca round-trip route. This is the first African route since Daxing airport resumed international and regional routes in 2023. This route is currently operated by Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner, with a capacity of approximately 300 passengers. The route operates three weekly round-trip flights. The Casablanca-Beijing route is crucial to promoting tourism in Morocco, with international tourists anticipated to make up 80 percent of its passenger traffic, according to information Daxing airport shared with the Global Times. Also on Sunday, Shanghai Airlines flight FM871, a subsidiary of China Eastern Airlines, carrying 237 passengers arrived at Mohammed V International Airport in Casablanca of Morocco, where it was welcomed by a water gate salute. With the flight, Shanghai Airlines is the first airline to operate the Shanghai-Casablanca route, establishing a direct connection between Shanghai and Morocco. Shanghai Airlines will fly three times per week. This flight stops in Marseille, France on both the return and return journeys. Passengers not going to Marseille do not need a Schengen visa or a transit visa. They only need to stop in the international transit area of the Marseille Airport. Currently, there are only two airlines operating the routes between China and Morocco in January, one is Shanghai Airlines and the other is Royal Air Maroc, data was shared with the Global Times via VariFlight Wednesday. Casablanca is located in western Morocco, on the Atlantic Ocean. It is the largest city in Morocco, as well as its largest port city, economic center, and transportation hub. Morocco and China are the two countries with mutual visa-free policies for each other's nationals. The number of Chinese tourists visiting Morocco increased significantly in 2024. In 2023, about 60,000 Chinese tourists visited Morocco. In 2024, this number exceeded 100,000, an increase of approximately 78 percent, Xinhua News Agency reported on January 16, 2025, citing local travel bureau data. China includes more countries in its visa waiver program and improves facilitation measures, the arrivals of foreign tourists have kept rising. Data from the National Immigration Administration showed that in 2024, the number of inbound and outbound travels by foreign nationals reached 64.88 million, representing an 82.9 percent year-on-year increase. Of this total, 20.12 million travelers entered China under visa-free arrangements, up by 112.3 percent year-on-year. In December, China announced a further relaxation of its visa-free transit policy, extending the permitted period of stay for eligible foreign travelers from the original 72 and 144 hours to 240 hours or 10 days, with immediate effect. (Web editor: Tian Yi, Zhong Wenxing) Mob Wives star Natalie DiDonato has been named in a missing persons report filed in Las Vegas on January 21. The reality TV alum who appeared in season five of the cult-favorite reality show was reported missing by a friend named Ben, after she failed to board two separate flights back home to Florida on January 5, per TMZ. DiDonato's mother Denise Fuoco stated that she hasn't spoken to her daughter since last Thursday, describing their conversation as "brief." She also added that she was "rushed off the phone" without telling her where she was located. According to Fuoco, DiDonato was spending time in Las Vegas at the MGM Grand Hotel & Casino, where a staff member was able to verify that she checked out with an unknown male after just one night, per FOX Digital. Fuoco stated that her daughter appeared "nervous and distressed" during their FaceTime call and didn't say anything in particular about her situation before telling her she had to go, per TMZ. DiDonato's mother finally opted to get in touch with Philadelphia authorities when she repeatedly tried to get in touch with DiDonato over the course of a few days without success. According to the reality TV star's mother, Ben purchased the tickets for her return to Florida, however, DiDonato didn't make the flight. Now feeling distressed, Fuoco told the Hollywood media outlet that her daughter was "distant" and explained that she's "sick" over her missing daughter and is struggling to sleep throughout the worrisome process. Mob Wives co-star Drita D'Avanzo has also taken to social media to shed light on the shocking missing persons report, as she shared TMZ's post and added a caption saying she's praying for her safety. "I pray Natalie is safe!" she wrote alongside a praying hands emoji. "I can't imagine what her family is going through." Fans in the comment section poured in to send their love and support as well, expressing how scary this ordeal is and sending positive messages in hopes that she makes it home safely soon. "Let no weapon formed against her shall prosper and may she be found safe & alive!! prayers up for her Family!!" one fan responded. "The way I'm literally watching Natalie on MW rn. Omg I hope she's okay," a second said. "I hope she is ok and comes back home safe, sound and soon," a third wrote with concern. "She's been posting very scary things before this too :c i hope she's okay," a fourth speculated. In a shocking turn of events, the reality TV star exposed her past trauma involving sexual assault, maintaining that she could no longer take the scrutiny and took a lie detector test for her sanity. "I wasn't lying...only someone that lived in hell could get thru something this hard," DiDonato concluded in her heartbreaking social media post, exposing what she described as the case between Natalie DiDonato vs. Richard Disco. Fans sent their condolences in the post as well, which dates way back to December of 2021. Check back for updates on this developing story. In a recent episode of Carlos King's podcast, Reality with The King, Princess Love opened up about her past relationship with Floyd Mayweather, shedding light on their dynamic and the challenges she faced. The conversation offered a candid look at Love's experiences with the boxer, whom she called "the best" boyfriend, but corrected herself saying "one of the best," and how they still maintain a friendship. Love recalled how Floyd's honesty about his lifestyle initially caught her off guard. "He had all these women, but he's always been very, very honest," she said, noting his philosophy: "I'll have as many women as I can afford." At first, she believed many of the women around him were simply part of his entourage, including an assistant and masseuse. However, as time passed, she noticed subtle signs that hinted at a more complex situation. "This girl's looking at me crazy," she recounted, realizing there were more women romantically involved than she initially understood. "He's the best! He's one of the best," -Princess Love says, reflecting on her past relationship with Floyd Mayweather. : @thecarlosking_ : https://t.co/gcNqAJqGo1 pic.twitter.com/MHcvBhtmQC Glock Topickz (@Glock_Topickz) January 21, 2025 Despite the revelations, she respected his honesty. "He didn't lie about it, so I could do nothing but respect," Love added. When asked what type of boyfriend Mayweather was when times were good, Love was reflective. "He's the best," she said. "He's very thoughtful, and you can talk about anything with him. He makes sure you're mentally okay." She described Mayweather as one of the most caring people she's ever known, crediting his emotional awareness as a Pisces for their strong connection. "Floyd is one of the best people I've ever met," she emphasized. Love also shared that they remain friends to this day. "Absolutely," the mother of two confirmed when asked if they still communicate. She even checked in on Floyd recently after reading about an incident online. The conversation sparked reactions across social media. One user criticized the situation, writing, "This is nasty work, no wonder Ray was treating her like garbage. She was in love with the next man the whole time." Meanwhile, another social media follower questioned the dynamics of Love's romantic life: "What's the use in being this beautiful if this is the life you get? Being part of a harem?" Back in December, Sukihana posted screenshots from Princess Love reportedly sending her texts from Ray J's phone. "Hey suki, it's Princess... I don't want Ray please tell him to stop trying to [have sex with her]," Princess allegedly wrote in a text from her estranged husband's phone. "Got a hold of his phone.. damn it's a lot of b*****s in here," she added with four laughing emojis. The text thread included a selfie of Love wearing what looks like white pajamas. The contact name at the top of the text thread read Ray J. "By the way he said he hates when you keep calling him with no hair lol," she added. "On FaceTime." "Duck Dynasty" is set to return to A&E eight years after the original series ended in 2017. A&E confirmed on Wednesday that "Duck Dynasty: The Revival" will premiere this summer. "Duck Dynasty" premiered in 2012, and ran for 11 seasons through 2017. The original series followed the Robertson family Phil and Kay, their three sons Jase, Willie and Jep, and their grandchildren and their family business, Duck Commander. The revival series will focus mainly on Willie and his wife Korie, along with Miss Kay, Uncle Si and other family members from the original show, including John Luke, Sadie, Will, Bella, Rebecca and their families. "With their dynasty expanding into more than just ducks, Willie and Korie will bring their signature humor and family fun as they grapple with mapping out the future of Duck Commander, watching the kids navigate marriage, children and businesses of their own, and passing down the family legacy," a logline for the new series reads. "Going back on A&E feels a little like going back home," Willie and Korie said in a statement. "We're thankful for all who have followed along as our family has grown and expanded and can't wait to get cameras rolling again on all our new adventures, or perhaps misadventures." The "Duck Dynasty" Season 4 premiere in 2013 drew 11.8 million viewers, making it the most-watched nonfiction series telecast in cable TV history. A&E has ordered 20 episodes of "Duck Dynasty: The Revival." "The Robertsons earned a seat in homes across the country with their unique brand of downhome practicality, southern charm and relatable humor. Duck Dynasty played a huge part of the success of A&E for many years, and we look forward to reuniting with the Robertsons on the revival," said Elaine Frontain Bryant, Executive Vice President & Head of Programming, A&E and Lifetime. Although "Duck Dynasty" ended in 2017, fans have been able to see the Robertson sons expand their families through spinoffs including "Jep & Jessica: Growing the Dynasty," "At Home with the Robertsons," "Going Si-Ral," and "Duck Family Treasure." In December of 2024, Jase Robertson revealed that family patriarch Phil Robertson, 78, is in the "early stages" of Alzheimer's disease as well as "struggling" with "some sort of blood disease." -- With reporting by TMX Reports claiming that Meghan Markle was considering a "post-divorce" book deal was promptly dismissed by sources with knowledge of the situation involving the Duke and Duchess of Sussex. Although a recent article in Vanity Fair hinted at Markle's team exploring the idea of publishing a book, there was reportedly never any intention to pursue such a project. Insiders with knowledge of the Sussex's affairs said that the strength of their brand is deeply rooted in their unity as a team. According to one source who spoke to Page Six, "Meghan and Harry know that they are tied together, their value is in being a couple even if they wanted to split, they couldn't." A separate individual knowledgeable about the $20 million contract between the couple and Penguin Random House, finalized in 2021, has refuted the speculations, saying they were never aware of any plans for a divorce-themed book. It was also added that the agreement appears to have taken a backseat following the overwhelming triumph of Prince Harry's memoir, "Spare." Despite initial expectations of a widely discussed agreement that was rumored to cover topics like "leadership" and "wellness," it seems that the deal has now quietly faded away following "Spare." According to Vanity Fair's article, the rumored book was presented as a conceptual proposal to assess public interest and did not signify any intention from the Sussexes to go their separate ways. The report highlighted that no formal offers were extended, and no written work has materialized since. Per the publication's source, "There was no divorce to write about." Comparing the recent Penguin Random House deal and the Sussexes' Netflix agreement from 2020, an industry expert shared, "I think the Random House deal is much like the Netflix deal: Netflix just said 'Yes' to everything because they wanted to get the docu-series ['Harry & Meghan']. So they said, 'Ok, we'll take the 'Polo' show' and let's see what happens with Meghan's lifestyle show." In light of various trials, the couple's image has encountered obstacles, particularly with criticisms directed at the former "Suits" actress for engaging with the media while condemning tabloid practices. Their actions during a visit to support victims of the Los Angeles wildfires drew disapproval from actress Justine Bateman, who accused them of being "disaster tourists," as well as social media users. Despite the challenges they faced, the Sussexes have consistently shown solidarity, portraying a strong sense of teamwork. The publishing insider told the outlet, "They are worth more together." "It doesn't benefit them to be apart they have all their deals together." Meg Ryan and Billy Crystal, the stars of the beloved 1989 romantic comedy "When Harry Met Sally..." have reunited, and fans are enjoying every bit of it. The actors took to social media to post about their reunion, which triggered rampant speculation of a forthcoming collaboration. Ryan shared a photo with Crystal and captioned it, "It's finally happening, we're reuniting for something iconic. Can't wait to show you all soon " The photo was shared on Instagram Wednesday. In the image, Crystal can be seen wearing the classic white sweater from the movie as he sits on a couch with Ryan. The timing of the announcement has left many speculating the duo might be working on a Super Bowl spot together. The reunion photo was first shared by Reddit user cmaia1503 on the r/Fauxmoi subreddit, where reactions flooded in shortly after. Reddit user ebradio wrote, "Super Bowl commercial," and another person commented on the recent ad trend, writing, "every recent Super Bowl commercial is just 'remember this show from 15+ years ago? buy our (unrelated) product.'" Nostalgia is clearly in the air for fans of the movie, and many are anticipating what Ryan and Crystal have in store. Reddit user knickstapeeee summed up the sentiment perfectly, writing, "When Harry Met Sally is my favorite movie of all time... seeing them together again is like seeing an old friend." The possibility that the two actors had shot a commercial together, however, has not excited some fans. Reddit user Bitter-Whole-7290 commented, "It's always a commercial. Lame." Here's what other Reddit users are saying: Crystal and Ryan starred in the original film directed by Rob Reiner, which chronicles the shifting relationship between friends Harry and Sally. The film made more than $93 million worldwide and is still culturally relevant today. Ryan and Crystal have made many public reunions in recent years, among them a memorable one in 2023 at the Kennedy Center Honors, where Ryan paid tribute to Crystal. Arnold Schwarzenegger has stepped out and pledged to give $1 million to support the Los Angeles wildfire relief operations as a new wildfire has ignited in southern California. Strong winds and the dry climate of southern California caused a brush fire to start two weeks ago, which swiftly spread over the city of Los Angeles. Early on Wednesday, the Hughes Fire, a rapidly expanding wildfire driven by high winds, sprang out in the area north of Los Angeles. As of writing, the Palisades and Eaton wildfires continue to rage on, causing widespread devastation. Using his platform on Instagram, the 77-year-old actor shared his intention to support relief initiatives by making contributions to three different foundations. He has pledged contributions to the Los Angeles Fire Department Foundation, the California Fire Foundation, and Habitat LA as part of his ongoing efforts to assist the affected communities. Introducing a new initiative, the "Expendables" actor released a custom T-shirt design now up for grabs for fans, with all proceeds pledged to support the mentioned charitable organizations. Along with Schwarzenegger's announcement is a snapshot of the "LA Strong" tee showing his muscular body, intended to inspire and empower fans. "A lot of my fans have asked me how they can help LA," he said. "I'm going to lead the way." The actor revealed, "I'm sending a million dollars of my own money, split between @lafdfoundation, @cafirefound, and @habitatla." Schwarzenegger also expressed his disapproval of companies or rich individuals relying on their fans to make charitable donations on their behalf. "But I know you want to help. So I had my team design a shirt. 100% of the profits will go to the organizations." He offered an explanation for the recognizable shirt in his possession. "It's based on an LA classic, the knock-off version of me they sell to tourists on the Venice boardwalk, except I can use my image," the former politician shared, along with a mention that the shirt could be purchased through a link on his social media profile. Fans praised Schwarzenegger in the comment section of his post, with one fan writing, "Just ordered! You're the best!" Another said, "The Governator leading the way once again for California," while a third said, "Way to go, Arnold. That is so powerful!" "You are the man Arnold ! Thank you," a fourth wrote. Coi Leray, who recently shared the exciting news of her pregnancy with boyfriend Trippie Redd, now appears to be facing heartbreak. On Wednesday, January 22, Leray shared a cryptic yet emotional message on her Instagram Story, hinting that she may have been betrayed during this crucial time in her life. "Nothing worst than being cheated on. I wouldn't wish this pain on my worst enemy," Leray wrote. The brief statement, set against a dark backdrop and accompanied by a heartbreak emoji, resonated with her followers. Though she did not name Trippie directly, the timing and context left many speculating about their relationship. Leray and Redd had rekindled their romance just last August after spending nearly five years apart. The couple had originally dated back in 2019, and their recent reunion brought news of a child on the way, which they announced to the public on January 1, 2025. Redd, whose real name is Michael Lamar White IV, sung about their split on his song "Leray" (2019). "It was love at first sight and misery after two months/ Always feeling fucked up either by love or no love," he sang. "You were only f****n' with my feelings because you didn't know your own/ I do miss who I thought you were/ And sometimes I'm miserable without you/ So it's just like you're still here." The year after, Leray detailed on No Jumper how she "met Trippie when he was like 19 and I was 21. We were just both young. I'm an up-and-coming female artist, I had a lot going on, I had a big team. And he had a lot going on at the time, too." Leray's pregnancy announcement also caught her father, Benzino, off guard. During an episode of the We in Miami Podcast, he expressed his surprise at learning the news with everyone else. "I'm gonna be a grandfather," Benzino said. "I just found out when everybody else found out." Read more: Coi Leray Pregnant With Her First Baby With Trippie Redd The relationship between Leray and her father has been strained in recent years. In 2022, Leray revealed through social media that she and Benzino hadn't spoken in over a year. The rapper further stated that she didn't "respect his decisions," highlighting the ongoing tension between them. As of now, Leray has not shared further details regarding the situation, but her message has left fans wondering about the current state of her relationship with Redd. Project Pat is mourning the death of his son, Patrick Houston Jr., who has died at the age of 21. TMZ reports that Houston was killed after a shooting broke out in a park in Memphis that was located in the Imogene Heights area. At the time of the shooting, Fox 13 reported that a 21-year-old man was shot to death around 1:15 p.m. on Jan. 12. He was later identified as Houston. However, not much else has been released by authorities and individuals who knew of anything related to the case are urged to call CrimeStoppers. According to TMZ, the funeral for Houston is set to take place on Jan. 25. No further details were given. Project Pat's most successful album was 2001's Mista Don't Play: Everythangs Workin, which peaked in the top 5 of the Billboard 200 chart. Over the course of his career, he has released ten studio albums including a collaboration album with Nasty Mane. More recently, Project Pat was thrust back into the spotlight when Hanumankind dropped the song "Big Dawgs" and the Indian rapper's flow was clearly influenced by him. "I think Three 6 Mafia was inevitable man," Hanumankind told Complex. "Like, you can't not be influenced or introduced to it because that era of the 2000s was just their time." "I think they set the precedent for a lot of sound, a lot of style," he added. "And that wave of that Memphis sound, it's real, man, because you can feel it in all the songs now. There's so many elements like people don't even know where they're from." --Originally appeared on 'Music Times.' Lola Sheen, the 19-year-old daughter of Charlie Sheen and Denise Richards, has embraced a fresh start after facing some of the darkest moments in her life. The teenager opened up on social media on Wednesday, January 22, sharing how her struggles led her to Christianity and her recent decision to be baptized. "When I was in my deepest depression, there was a moment where I realized I hit rock bottom," Lola wrote in a heartfelt Instagram post. "I felt so lost and hopeless, and was just doing my best to make it to the next day. I just accepted my life was going to be like that forever, and thought I would never genuinely laugh again." Lola, who rose to prominence alongside her mother on the reality show Denise Richards: It's Complicated, revealed that her life began to change when she turned to her faith. "Until, I met not only my Savior but my best friend, Jesus. I can't really explain it other than it was supernatural, but Jesus met me exactly where I was, and He forever became my sun," she shared. "I began to trust Jesus with my life, when He chose me when no one else did, and loved me when I didn't feel worthy of love. He gave me a light, when I couldn't find my own, and rescued me from the darkness," she added, sharing how "Jesus saved me from battling severe anxiety, and gave me a peace that makes no sense. I now find myself laughing again, in places I only had cried. Jesus fulfilled His promise of making me new, and completely renewed my mind. Jesus is the only reason why I'm here today and made my life worth living. I chose to get baptized at the beginning of this year, because I made it through this year only by the strength of Jesus, and I am so happy to go into this next year, after publicly declaring Jesus as my Savior." Her journey has also inspired her to create a faith-based podcast and a YouTube channel called Heavily Bonded. While Lola has found a path of spiritual renewal, her sister Sami Sheen, also 19, has taken a different direction, gaining attention for her OnlyFans career. Sami, who once described her work as "empowering," recently posted her "riskiest content so far" in a sheer top on social media. Lola concluded her post by reflecting on her baptism, saying, "I am forever saved by His grace, through Faith. I thank you Jesus for everything, I love you, and I hope you are proud of me." Tokyo Toni came to Sexyy Red's defense following the intense backlash over the rapper's controversial AI-generated photos with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., which sparked criticism from the activist's daughter Bernice King. The "Whatchu Know About Me" rapper had posted artificially created images showing herself with the civil rights leader, including one where she appears in a low-cut red dress holding cash while Dr. King walks with protesters, and another depicting them slow dancing together. Tokyo Toni has words for Bernice King after she quoted Sexy Red pic.twitter.com/vCsksj5zGL Boochie is the Name (@stoppfeenin) January 23, 2025 Tokyo Toni, reality star and mother of Blac Chyna, took to social media to share her thoughts on King's replies to Sexyy Red. "Come on now, it's not that serious. He's not Jesus Christ," Tokyo Toni said in response to the photos. "Martin Luther King's birthday be boring! She's just trying to have a little fun. It's not like your mother is alive," she said, addressing King. Toni's comments grew more inflammatory as she continued: "Your daddy went and got himself smoked after being told s**t was gonna happen. Half of y'all don't know your father," adding dismissively, "He's gone, over 50 years. AI generated." You aint wrong, never meant to disrespect your family my apologies. Just resposted something I saw that I thought was innocent https://t.co/3rGQreJNOT Sexyy Red (@SexyyRed314_) January 22, 2025 The incident adds to ongoing debates about the appropriate use of AI-generated images of historical figures, particularly when used in potentially disrespectful contexts. The original posts showed Sexyy Red in various poses with Dr. King, including images where she wore her signature "Big Sexyy" chain while the late-civil rights leader was depicted among protesters carrying signs like "We March For Jobs For All Now." Read more: Patriots Star Jabrill Peppers Pleads Guilty to Cocaine Possession Ahead of Domestic Violence Trial Sexyy Red apologized for the photos and the incident seemed squashed afterward, though Toni apparently had more to say about the matter. Aaron Pierre charmed fans once again during Paris Fashion Week when he attended Pharrell Williams' Fall 2025 Louis Vuitton menswear show on Tuesday evening. The rising star, known for his role as Mufasa in Disney's The Lion King prequel, caught attention for his genuine reaction to being recognized in the crowd. In a TikTok video that has quickly gone viral, a fan can be heard calling out, "Aaron Pierre, that's Mufasa!" as the actor walked toward the venue. The reference, a nod to Pierre's unforgettable "spirit tunnel" entrance on The Jennifer Hudson Show earlier this month, clearly delighted the actor. See below. Pierre, dressed sharply in a tailored ensemble, stopped to acknowledge the fan with a wave and his signature, megawatt smile. He responded warmly, saying, "Have a good evening," in a way that perfectly captured his approachable personality. The moment, though brief, has drawn widespread attention online, with fans praising Pierre's grace under the spotlight. "Aaron - Pierre - That's Mufasa!" The "That's Mufasa!" moment is a callback to Pierre's now-famous Jennifer Hudson spirit tunnel entrance, where he captivated viewers with a combination of humility and showmanship. That clip, featuring Pierre embracing the hype of the spirited crew, has already racked up millions of views. See it below. The interaction at Paris Fashion Week adds to his growing reputation for being not only talented but also refreshingly down-to-earth. Aaron Pierre's Jennifer Hudson Controversy Shortly after his Jennifer Hudson Show appearance, in a somewhat unexpected move, the show took drastic steps to moderate viewer engagement on his "spirit tunnel" clip. Strangely, the show disabled comments on the show's official TikTok and Instagram posts of him, thought it could be an effort to stop the X-rated comments that flooded the posts. Read more: Patriots Star Jabrill Peppers Pleads Guilty to Cocaine Possession Ahead of Domestic Violence Trial Pierre's "Spirit Tunnel" TikTok has amassed millions and millions of views now with no comments. His Instagram post of the same video has over 1.5 million views. Remarks like "it looks heavy" initially flew around the comments section, as well as other adult-oriented content, though the post no longer allows others to comment on it. Colin Egglesfield has a message for fans after revealing he's been diagnosed with cancer for the third time. It's been 20 years since the actor who was named PEOPLE's "Sexiest Men Alive" in 2005 was first diagnosed with cancer, and has recently been diagnosed for the third time which was caught early on. The Melrose Place star has been doing a lot of research and was proactive with the treatment he's been receiving from doctors, nurses, and staff at City of Hope cancer center in Phoenix, Arizona. "It's not the hand that you've been dealt because you can't change that. It's how you play the cards that counts," Egglesfield, 51, wrote in an honest caption on Instagram. "I found this quote from an interview I did when I was 25 and it has served me well throughout my life including recently." "The beginning to this year hasn't been the easiest, but in the spirit of what I said in my interview, this is another opportunity to decide who I choose to be in the face of uncertainty and challenges in my most recent cancer diagnosis. Thankfully, we caught my prostate cancer early and after a year of doing a lot of research and talking to quite a few health care professionals, I elected to be proactive and have surgery," he wrote. "I'm so grateful for the amazing support and care I've received over the past few months from @cityofhopephx, Dr. Gellhaus and all the nurses, other doctors, and staff that have been instrumental in supporting me through this scary time," the star continued, before sending fans encouragement through their health journey. "Hopefully this is a reminder to everyone that you're not alone with whatever you're facing and that it's important to advocate for yourself and your health which includes checkups, seeking information and asking for help when you need it!" The Oscar winner posted a reel of photos featuring him posing outside of the hospital, walking alongside staff in the hallways, a photo from his hospital bed, physical scars on his midsection, his favorite quote, and a celebratory photo wearing a shirt that says "Celebrate Life" and #Survivor. "It all starts with a decision to commit to what you decide to be with whatever you're facing. I decide [sic] to be RESILIENCE, FAITH, COURAGE, GRACE and INSPIRATION. What do you choose to be?I'm also honored to be leading @cityofhope and their @cityofhopecancerfighters program next month and to be able to support others on their cancer journey. Let's go! You're not alone!" the star added. "And fellas, be sure to get your PSA checked regularly. It saved my life!" Egglesfield known for his roles in Something Borrowed, The Client List, and All My Children received overwhelming love and support from fans in the comment section who blessed him on his journey and sent their well wishes. NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte joins Prime Minister Alexander De Croo at the Belgium House. Belgaimage - FPS CHANCELLERY OF THE PRIME MINISTER/PR NEWSWIRE (Informacion remitida por la empresa firmante) BRUSSELS , Jan. 23, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Open for four days on the iconic Promenade of Davos for the second consecutive year, the Belgium House was packed during the World Economic Forum 2025. Belgium therefore stood out in Davos, and the success of this Belgian showcase helped strengthen the country's position as a strategic player on the global stage, attracting top economic, political, and industrial leaders. The Belgium House at Davos was a great success during the WEF 2025, turning the spotlight on Belgium's expertise in key areas such as innovation, sustainability, security, resilience, clean technologies and energy infrastructure. The highlight was undoubtedly the high-level panel discussion on "War-Proofing the Economy to Maintain Peace" between Prime Minister Alexander De Croo, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte and the leaders of the European Investment Bank (Nadia Calvino), John Cockerill (Francois Michel) and Syensqo (Ilham Kadri). The discussion, which attracted a large crowd of interested parties, was followed by the official Belgian cocktail reception, with Their Majesties the King and Queen in attendance. Other highlights included many noteworthy presentations on the clean energy transition, economic security and the role of Belgian companies in industrial and sustainable development. These sessions underlined Belgium's commitment to strengthening international cooperation and enhancing its role in debates on geopolitics and climate action. The many political figures and industry leaders who attended enriched the dialogue on today's major global issues. "We are proud to have once again presented the Belgium House at Davos as a centre for innovation and technological expertise. Belgium is open for business. We strongly support this private-sector initiative because our open economy can only develop by connecting its know-how and performance with foreign stakeholders. In a difficult geopolitical context, the Belgium House is rightly focusing this year on security and defence. Over the next five years, we will be redefining the European single market and our national economy. A robust economic foundation is essential if we are to meet the security challenges facing us today and in the future. There can be no secure society without a strong economy, and no strong economy without security. This underscores the urgent need to advance the Industrial Deal we've championed for the last two years a cornerstone for reigniting sustainable economic growth." Alexander De CrooPrime Minister The Belgium House at Davos, a private-sector initiative supported by the Belgian federal authorities, played its role as a platform for informal discussions, while strengthening links between economic, political and academic players. It is a key part of "Belgium. Embracing openness", an international campaign designed to boost the country's image. Run by the FPS Chancellery of the Prime Minister, this campaign aims to promote Belgium's reputation among investors, opinion leaders, researchers and students. The Belgium House, an initiative of European Business Summits, is organised with the support of FPS Chancellery of the Prime Minister and FPS Foreign Affairs, Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation. We would like to thank Belgian industry players AB InBev, Ackermans & van Haaren, DEME, Elia Group, Fluxys, John Cockerill, Port of Antwerp-Bruges, Syensqo, Bosaq and the Federation of the Belgian Food Industry (Fevia) for making the Belgium House possible. For more information and highlights from this year's Belgium House at Davos, visit the official website: https://belgiumindavos.eu . Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2604159... View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/full-house-at-the-belgium-house-this-years-sessions-and-renowned-speakers-fostered-numerous-international-partnerships-during-the-wef-2025-302357979.html The Republican-led US Congress delivered President Donald Trump an early victory in his promised crackdown on illegal immigration Wednesday as lawmakers green-lit a bill to expand pretrial incarceration for foreign criminal suspects. The Laken Riley Act -- which mandates the detention of undocumented immigrants charged with theft-related crimes -- is named for a 22-year-old student murdered by a Venezuelan man with no papers who was wanted for shoplifting. "Criminal illegal aliens must be detained, deported, and NEVER allowed back into our country," Mike Johnson, the speaker of the House of Representatives, said on X. "The American people demand and deserve safety and security." The law passed the upper chamber in a comfortable 64-35 vote earlier this week after sailing through the House of Representatives, with Republicans keen to highlight what they described as weak border security policies from Trump's predecessor Joe Biden. But the newly inaugurated Senate -- which flipped from Democratic to Republican control after November's election -- added a tweak that expands mandatory detention to "crimes resulting in death or serious bodily injury." That meant it had to go back to the House for one last vote but it cleared that hurdle easily as 46 Democrats joined the Republicans, and it will now be the first piece of legislation Trump signs into law. The 78-year-old has promised to crack down on illegal border crossings and carry out mass deportations. He has named Tom Homan, a veteran hardline immigration official, as his border chief. The Republican president repeatedly spotlighted Laken Riley's case during his election campaign as he railed against undocumented migrants, blaming them for "poisoning the blood" of the country. Jose Antonio Ibarra, 26, was convicted of her murder after she was found dead in a wooded area at the University of Georgia in Athens. "We will no longer prioritize dangerous criminal illegal aliens over the lives of Americans," Republican Senator Joni Ernst of Iowa said in a statement. "The era of open borders and lawless chaos is over. Republicans are securing the border and putting the safety and well-being of US citizens first." Democrats complained, however, that it would cost $83 billion to implement the new law in the first three years -- more than the Homeland Security Department's annual budget -- and flies in the face of due process. New York Democrat Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez said in a speech on the House floor that detaining people accused, but not convicted, of a crime would be a "fundamental suspension of a core American value." And she accused Republicans of hypocrisy on law and order for failing to oppose Trump's pardon of hundreds of violent criminals who stormed the Capitol in 2021 -- "unleashing people who attacked police officers here on this Capitol." ft/bs Its cold. So cold the school just called to say they are starting late tomorrow if they start at all (they will re-evaluate in the morning). So cold the livestock sale barn where my husband works canceled their sale in anticipation. Its only -4 degrees right now, but the feels like temperature is -21 and its supposed to get a lot colder before it gets warm again. Meanwhile, weve had a very sick kid with a mystery virus. Shes tested negative for all the standard stuff but is as sick and miserable as shes ever been. Our world has narrowed to getting through the chores, tending to illness, looking out the window and trying to reassure ourselves that this too shall pass. Lying in bed last night, holding my furnace-y, feverish girl as we waited for the Tylenol to kick in, I told her stories of my own childhood: my tiny backyard, the city blocks that went on for miles in every direction, the towns that turned into new towns without there ever being a break for countryside views. Can you imagine? I asked, and she couldnt. The truth is, I can barely believe it, and I lived it. I attended a meeting recently during which we ended up in conversation about people who can live on the prairie and people who cant or wont. For some, the wide, open sky is an instant reminder of our human minuteness, and that can be intimidating or an immediate access point for divine revelation. For other people, the prairie is just another view to glance at from behind the car windows as it flashes past. Theres no reason to stop. I find the long views around here both intimidating and revelatory, probably because revelations can be inherently intimidating the reckoning of my own finiteness against the backdrop of the infinite horizon is a lot to metabolize. But honestly, I often feel my main experience of being human in this place is that of overwhelm the overwhelm of the vast beauty, the harsh and unpredictable weather, the distance between how I grew up and how I live now. Ive said it before, but it bears repeating: Human-ing can be really hard, and that is especially true on the plains in winter. For solace, while my daughter sleeps on my shoulder, Ive been reading a book about Celtic Christianity called Water from an Ancient Well. In it, the author, Kenneth McIntosh, writes extensively about the Carmina Gadelica, a series of books devoted to hymns, poems, songs and prayers collected from rural Scotland during the 19th century. Many modern ideas about Celtic Christianity come from these volumes, and they describe a land-based version of Christianity that is familiar and distinct from how most modern American Christians practice their faith. McIntosh includes examples of the many prayers devoted to everyday living: a prayer to say upon waking, a prayer for banking the fire at night and many prayers for chore time. Praying was interwoven into every activity, even or maybe especially the most mundane. I was thinking about all this as I crossed the narrow field with my forkfuls of hay to feed the sheep. The snow covering the path is slick from my frequent passages, but just beside that path is a second one made from the hay thats fallen from the pitchfork one strand at a time. Neither path follows a straight line. Theres a broken branch I swerve to avoid, a slim grove of trees I have to walk around and, of course, the first gate to the field that I have to walk through sideways because it is frozen half-open. But the paths are perfectly symmetrical, curving through the obstacles. Ive been walking on the hay path the last two days, as the original path is too slippery now, and all these things feel related illness, deep cold, walking through life in a state of overwhelm but especially how prayers spoken on the journey land gracefully beside you until a new, safer path emerges just when you need it most. SALEM, Ohio Wild birds are reservoirs for influenza A, which has caused outbreaks in past years among wild and domestic birds. They carry the virus in their GI tract and expel it through their feces. While some birds may become ill and die, the virus usually fades away on its own. This is not the case with the current outbreak, H5N1, which arrived in the U.S. from Europe and Asia in 2022. Commonly called bird flu, the current strain is highly pathogenic avian influenza, or HPAI. It is extremely contagious, deadly and can wipe out entire flocks within days. Once found, birds are destroyed to prevent the spread to other flocks. The outbreak of H5N1 also has expanded to mammals around the globe, including domestic and large cats, fox, polar bears, raccoons, marine animals such as dolphins and seals and livestock like dairy cattle. As of Jan. 20, there have been 67 human cases in the U.S. caused primarily by contact with infected birds or dairy cattle. I hate to use the word unprecedented, because it gets thrown around so much, said Dr. Andy Bowman, from Ohio State Universitys College of Veterinary Medicine. But this is truly unprecedented. The introduction of infection in many new species concerns researchers in the U.S. because of the viruses ability to both mutate and reassort, which could eventually lead to more severe human infection. The good news is that vigilant biosecurity practices can help prevent the spread of the virus to people and other species. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, more than 130 million birds in commercial and backyard flocks in all 50 states have died from H5N1 or been destroyed to prevent the spread of the disease since February 2022. The most surprising development to veterinarians is the virus detection in dairy cows last year. H5N1 was found in a dairy cow in March 2024, when veterinary researchers treating a cow with a difficult case of mastitis discovered the virus in her milk. According to the American Veterinary Medical Association, one of the clues that led researchers to test for H5N1 was illness and death among barn cats at the farm. Since then, there have been 929 confirmed cases of bird flu in dairy herds in 16 states, including Ohio and Michigan. Until 2024, I would have told you cows cant get bird flu, Bowman said. Weve never had (bird) flu in cows before. Understanding influenza Influenza is a broad term for several viruses with similar disease-causing characteristics designated with letters A, B, C and D. Influenza D is most common in bovine; B and C are found in people, with C most common in children. Avian influenza is caused by influenza A virus. Influenza A gets most of the research attention, said Bowman. In its virulent form, influenza A has been found to be the root cause of several serious flu outbreaks, including the famous 1918 pandemic, which killed an estimated 50 million people, and a less-deadly pandemic that circulated in 2009. Bowman teaches veterinary and public health students about viral infectious diseases. He also oversees a research team investigating the epidemiology of influenza, especially in swine. Pigs are a mixing vessel for influenza. While some species can contract only one type of influenza, swine can be infected with several of them. Pigs are mammals. Viruses that infect pigs can more easily move to people. People can infect pigs with influenza, also. According to Bowman, influenza pandemics have often moved from wild birds to domestic poultry, then to pigs and finally to people. In each species, the virus can mutate or can reassort with endemic viruses and become more fit. Reassortment occurs when one of the surface proteins on the virus recombines and can be identified by a different subtype. H1N1, for example, instead of H5N1. This may occur if a mammals cell is infected by two different viruses simultaneously. The reassortment might create a more pathogenic virus that can cause more severe disease and spread more easily. According to the CDC, the 2009 H1N1 flu pandemic appears to have reassorted from swine. The flu outbreak was unusual because it caused severe respiratory disease in young adults and children. People over age 50 were found to have antibodies against the strain, likely from exposure to similar strains in the 1960s. The most predictable thing about flu is that its unpredictable, Bowman said. If (H5N1) goes to pigs, there are so many viruses (in swine) to reassort. It could enter pigs and not be a good fit, but maybe it could find a (virus) friend to reassort. In that case, reassortment might lead to more human infections. But at this point, its unclear what symptoms the disease might cause, or how serious it might be. In the other species, its not showing up with (only) respiratory symptoms, Bowman said. Were seeing neurologic system diseases. The animals die, and then we find it. While influenza is typically a respiratory disease in humans, according to the National Science Foundation, HPAI symptoms in birds include loss of balance, trembling, lethargy, swelling of the head, hemorrhaging and respiratory distress. In marine mammals, symptoms include respiratory issues, neurological issues, tremors and paralysis. In October 2024, the National Veterinary Services Laboratory confirmed HPAI in at least one pig on a small Oregon farm. In order to eliminate the virus, those animals were destroyed, which is also the protocol with poultry. With cows, recovery and re-testing are the common protocols. Bowman worries about managing the virus in other animals. If the virus continues to infect other species, decisions will have to be made about the best way to inhibit the viruss spread. If pigs get it, how are we going to manage it? Bowman said. Like birds or like cows? Protecting flocks, herds and humans Preventing infections is the top priority. Pennsylvania officials have taken aggressive measures to keep bird flu out of its dairy herds, particularly after dealing with an H5N1 outbreak from April 2022 to March 2023 in more than 60 poultry flocks that impacted more than 4 million birds. The state announced mandatory bulk testing of milk in November 2024 to aid in the early detection of HPAI, shortly before the USDA made it a nationwide requirement. Pennsylvanias large number of farms with both dairy cattle and poultry present unique risks that demand extra vigilance, said Pennsylvanias Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding, in a statement announcing the bulk milk testing mandate. The state-funded Center for Dairy Excellence has been giving away biosecurity kits and PPE at events like the Pennsylvania Farm Show and Keystone Farm Show. Ohio farms have been on high alert, said Jim Chakeres, executive vice president of the Ohio Poultry Association. A dozen commercial flocks in Ohio have tested positive for H5N1 over the last month, impacting more than 3 million birds. The affected flocks have been in Mercer and Darke counties. Ohio State Veterinarian Dr. Dennis Summers suggests following the USDA recommendations, especially regarding the use of personal protective equipment. According to the USDA, hands should be washed thoroughly prior to putting on and removing PPE, which includes: properly fitted safety goggles or a face shield (if there is risk of liquid splash); disposable gloves; boots or boot covers; NIOSH-approved 1 particulate respirator (e.g., N951 filtering facepiece respirator); Disposable fluid-resistant coveralls (i.e., blue Tyvek); and disposable head cover or hair cover. While the state of Ohio doesnt distribute PPE, they encourage producers to access the funding resources available from USDA. Summers also encourages consumer awareness. Dont drink raw milk, he said. Pasteurization was developed to remove pathogens from milk in order to prevent illness. There are many reasons to never consume raw milk, but especially right now. In the U.S., indoor domestic cats have also been infected with H5N1. In Oregon, the infection originated in raw poultry meat that was included in pet food. Cooking meat to the recommended safe temperature of 165 F prevents infection from influenza and other pathogens, for pets and humans alike. Biosecurity The Ohio Poultry Association has active ongoing surveillance programs and has developed enhanced biosecurity protocols to protect birds from any disease, especially avian influenza and especially now. The OPA recommends keeping birds inside. If flocks must remain outdoors, their space should be fenced and covered to protect them from wild birds. Bring your birds inside, especially during migratory seasons, which are changing because of climate change, Chakeres said. In addition to protecting flocks from wild birds, their enhanced protocol recommendations protect birds from people. We can carry virus on our shoes, he said. Even for a small backyard flock, we recommend one dedicated pair of shoes for going into the barn. Keep them at the barn and change there. Dont walk across the yard and then go into the facility. Other tips include: Dont share equipment with other farms. Dont permit external people to come in only essential personnel. Wash hands thoroughly before and after contact with any animals. Change and wash clothes. Some farms have car wash and truck wash stations as vehicles enter and exit the farm, Chakeres said. Some even have shower-in, shower-out capabilities. While these recommendations come from the OPA, Bowman notes they are appropriate guidelines for all species. He even suggests preventing delivery drivers from coming to a farm building. Examine every delivery, every visitor, Bowman said. Everything is a potential threat. Ambitions to maximise the potential of British red meat exports to Europe are being given a boost with the roll-out of the new Quality Meat from Britain brand. Delivered by AHDB, the initiative is dedicated to promoting British red meat, showcasing what the UK has to offer when it comes to products and standards. The levy organisation aims to provide consistency of messaging around provenance and high production standards for British red meat, especially for the European market. The new website supports the roll out of the Quality Meat from Britain brand, which launched in the second half of 2024. It provides key information on British red meat in English, French, Dutch, German and Portuguese, with Turkish, Spanish and Italian to be included later this year. Europe remains the UKs biggest trading partner. Globally, red meat exports were worth 1.7 billion in 2023 with shipments to the EU accounting for 1.3 billion. Gareth Renowden, AHDB head of international marketing, said consistency of messaging was key to driving success in multiple markets. He said: "Quality Meat from Britain is about just that - having one voice for one brand, showcasing the world class red meat products that Britain has to offer. Quality Meat from Britain branding is also set to feature at international events and on digital platforms to coincide with the website launch. The brand has already been rolled out in other markets around the world and featured strongly on the AHDB red meat stand at the 60th anniversary of SIAL Paris, the international food show, in October. Mr Renowden said that, ultimately, the brand aimed to help drive both the volume and value of red meat exports into Europe. The brand has been used at events globally and has been well received so we know that it lands well with existing and potential new customers," he added. "We still see further opportunities for our levy payers so the launch of this website, underpinning the roll out of our Quality Meat from Britain branding will play a significant role in supporting that ambition. The government has been told by Co-op to 'look again' at the impact of its controversial inheritance tax proposal on farming businesses. The retailer is the latest supermarket chain to call on the government to revisit its change, which was first announced in the autumn budget. From April 2026, a 20 percent tax on inherited agricultural assets worth over 1 million will be rolled out. Co-op's new intervention comes after Tesco, Lidl, Asda and Morrisons all waded into the ongoing row, which has seen farmers protest in London and across the UK. Ashwin Prasad, chief commercial officer of Tesco, the UK's largest retailer, called for a 'pause' to the government's implementation of the budget measures. Now Co-op's food managing director, Matt Hood has said that the retailer was aware of the 'tough choices' that need to be made by farmers across the country. He said: "We have also agreed to sign the UK farming unions letter going to the government imminently, to call for a reconsideration of the proposed tax changes. "By working so closely with British farmers, we know as an industry, they are facing many challenges, and we have seen first-hand the fear, anxiety and anger currently being felt. "Farmers are the absolute backbone of the UK's food supply, and supporting UK agriculture is more important than ever. "We will continue our long-term, significant commitment to the industry, investing and spending hundreds of millions of pounds every year." Earlier this month, Morrisons told farmers 'we're with you' in their fight against the Labour government's action. Asda also offered their public backing for farmers recently by supporting a demand for a pause in the implementation of the budget measures. Government changes to inheritance tax on farms will likely leave elderly farmers exposed, with no time to manage their way through the new policy. This is according to the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR), which has published a supplementary forecast on the cost of changes to agricultural property relief. Despite promises before the election not to do so, the government scrapped inheritance tax reliefs for farms, designed to enable family farms to be passed on to the next generation. From April 2026, agricultural property relief (APR) and business property relief (BPR) will be capped at 1m in total, per owner. In its initial report, released last week, the OBR said that it was 'highly uncertain' whether the measures would raise the 500m the Treasury claims it would raise. In a new supplementary forecast, the OBR now says that it is "likely to be more difficult for some older individuals to quickly restructure their affairs in response to the measure." NFU President Tom Bradshaw said the report confirmed what the union had 'repeatedly warned' since the budget was unveiled that it would be older farmers who would be hardest hit by the IHT change. He said it was an 'appalling position' to put elderly people in: I outlined the terrible human impact on elderly farmers explicitly when I met the prime minister," he added. One minute they were advised to keep their farms until death to pass them on to the next generation, the next theyre left knowing that if they live beyond April 2026 when the measures come in, their children may have to break up or sell the farm." Mr Bradshaw asked: At every stage the government has consistently ignored what we have been telling them about this abhorrent policy. Is it now going to ignore the OBR too? And, given the OBR says its highly uncertain it will raise the expected amount of money either, surely it is time for ministers to accept this policy needs the proper consultation it never had? On Saturday 25 January, towns and cities across the UK will be hosting protests as part of the industry's next steps in raising attention to the issue. All four UK farming unions NFU Scotland, NFU, NFU Cymru and Ulster Farmers Union - are organising the action and will participate directly in it. A Wiltshire farmer has been given a suspended prison sentence and ordered to pay out 3,600 after decaying sheep carcases were found on his farm. Daniel Hayward was sentenced to 10 months imprisonment suspended for 12 months at Swindon Crown Court after pleading guilty to 21 animal welfare offences. The farmer, aged 33, was also banned from keeping all animals except cattle, cats and dogs for five years and must complete 250 hours of unpaid work. The court also ordered Mr Hayward to pay 3,600 in costs and a victim surcharge. It follows an investigation by Wiltshire Council, who found 30 sheep, including ewes with young lambs, with no access to drinking water. On a separate visit, multiple decaying sheep carcases were found in and around buildings used by Mr Hayward. Further animal welfare inspections by the animal health officers and vets from the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) were conducted between April and May 2023. Six sheep were found to be in such poor condition that they required immediate euthanasia, while others needed veterinary treatment. Councillor Dominic Muns, Wiltshire Council's cabinet member for environment, called the case 'shocking'. "We will use our powers to prosecute those who are found to be neglecting or acting cruelly towards livestock in our county," he said. "It also highlights the importance of record-keeping, with the details being used when necessary to help prevent and contain disease. Whilst under investigation, Mr Hayward continued to store sheep carcasses incorrectly, allowing other animals and birds access, with the stench of decay causing a nuisance locally. It was also discovered that he was continuing to commit serious animal welfare offences, with five further sheep requiring immediate euthanasia during a revisit from officers and an APHA vet. The farmer was also charged with failing to comply with legal requirements relating to recording and reporting movements of sheep used to ensure traceability of his flock. Mr Hayward was charged with 21 offences relating to the care of sheep, livestock record-keeping requirements and the incorrect storage of carcasses. The offences all took place between April 2023 and February 2024. Three men have been arrested for disguising huge amounts of waste as agricultural bales following an in-depth investigation. The men were arrested near Peterborough on 21 January following a joint police and Environment Agency investigation into organised waste crime. Deposits of waste, concealed as bales, were dumped across counties including Cambridgeshire and Lincolnshire. Officers from the Environment Agency and Cambridgeshire Police inspected the site where bales of waste were found in coloured plastic wrap. Criminals have been known to dump waste in rural locations, concealing them as farming bales. They are often found in rented or vacant warehouses or on farmland, and landowners have been duped by criminals into storing bales on their land. Many farmers have often ended up paying high removal costs once they are revealed to be waste. The Environment Agency said in a statement: "Police were integral to the arrests and custody of the suspects, enabling agency enforcement officers to successfully continue their investigation. "We are appealing to landowners, businesses, and the public to report any plastic-wrapped bales they see in suspicious places, which are unlikely to be silage or hay stored by farmers or equestrian facilities. "If you have any information that may assist with this investigation, please call our 24-hour hotline on 0800 807060. "Or report anonymously via Crimestoppers on 0800 555111 or the Crimestoppers website." Dick Van Dyke still goes to the gym three times a week as he approaches his 100th birthday. Dick Van Dyke has credited going to the gym for his age and condition The 99-year-old actor is planning a "big party" to celebrate his centenary in December later this year, while he also opened up on the secret to his "age and physical condition". Speaking to Ted Danson and Mary Steenburgen on their 'Where Everybody Knows Your Name' podcast, he said: "When you think... I go back to 1925, I'm almost 100. This is insane. I'm going to have a big party. "Somebody said, 'to what do you attribute your age and physical condition?' and I said, 'I've always exercised.' "Three days a week, we go to the gym, still. Three days a week." Sitcom legend Danson - known for his roles in the likes of 'Cheers' and 'The Good Place' - revealed he often saw the 'Chitty Chitty Bang Bang' actor working out at a gym near his Malibu home. He said: "If I got there early enough I would see you literally work out on some weight machine. "Then, almost like you were doing circuit training, you would not walk to the next machine, but dance. "You literally danced to the next machine and I watched that for a couple of weeks." Van Dyke's wife Arlene Silver, 53, added: "He still does that!" Last month, the couple were forced to see their home in Malibu, California to escape a wildfire - dubbed the Franklin Fire by authorities - and Dick revealed he was too "exhausted" to walk to his vehicle and was picked up by fellow residents who got him help. During an appearance on the 'Today' show, he explained: "It was coming from the hill, you could see it. "And oh my God, and we got out of here. I was trying to crawl to the car, I had exhausted myself, I couldnt get up. "Three neighbours came and carried me out and came back and put out a little fire in the guest house and saved me." 'Emilia Perez' leads the nominations for the upcoming Academy Awards with a record-breaking 14. Emilia Perez star Karla Sofia Gascon is nominated for an Oscar Jacques Audiard's musical thriller is up for the coveted Best Picture accolade - for which it will contest with 'Anora', 'Brutalist', 'A Complete Unknown', 'Conclave', 'Dune: Part Two', 'I'm Still Here', 'Nickel Boys', 'The Substance', and 'Wicked' - as well as Best Director for the filmmaker, Best Actress in a Leading Role for Karla Sofia Gascon, a Supporting Actress nod for Zoe Saldana, Best Adapted Screenplay and Best International Feature Film. It is also nominated for sound, make-up and hairstyling, film editing, cinematography, original score, and received two spots on the Best Original Song shortlist, for 'El Mal' and 'Mi Camino'. 'The Brutalist' and 'Wicked' follow with 10 places on the shortlist, with nods for the first including Best Actor in a Leading Role for Adrien Brody, Supporting Actor and Actress nods for Guy Pearce and Felicity Jones respectively, and Best Director for Brady Corbet. 'Wicked' stars Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande are nominated for Best Actress in a Leading Role and Best Actress in a Supporting Role respectively, with a number of other nods in technical categories. While Adrien will be looking to secure his second Best Actor award, he faces competition from Timothee Chalamet ('A Complete Unknown'), Colman Domingo ('Sing Sing'), Ralph Fiennes ('Conclave') and Sebastian Stan ('The Apprentice'), while the Best Actress sees Karlaand Cynthia joined on the shortlist by Mikey Madison ('Anora'), Demi Moore ('The Substance'), and Fernanda Torres ('I'm Still Here'). Joining Zoe, Ariana and Felicity in being nominated for the Best Actress in a Supporting Role award are Monica Barbaro ('A Complete Unknown'), and Isabella Rossellini ('Conclave'), while Best Actor in a Supporting Role will go to either Guy, Yura Borisov ('Anora'), Kieran Culkin ('A Real Pain'), Edward Norton ('A Complete Unknown'), and Jeremy Strong ('The Apprentice') As well as Jacques and Brady, Sean Baker ('Anora'), James Mangold ('A Complete Unknown') and Coralie Fargeat ('The Substance') are in the running for Best Director. The nominations were announced live on Thursday (23.01.25) by Bowen Yang and Rachel Sennott from the Academy's Samuel Goldwyn Theater, six days later than planned due to the Los Angeles wildfires. Conan O'Brien will host the Oscars ceremony from the Dolby Theatre at Ovation Hollywood on 2 March. Full list of nominations for the 97th Academy Awards: Best Picture: Anora The Brutalist A Complete Unknown Conclave Dune: Part Two Emilia Perez Im Still Here Nickel Boys The Substance Wicked Best Actress in a Leading Role: Cynthia Erivo Wicked Karla Sofia Gascon Emilia Perez Mikey Madison Anora Demi Moore The Substance Fernanda Torres Im Still Here Best Actor: Adrien Brody The Brutalist Timothee Chalamet A Complete Unknown Colman Domingo Sing Sing Ralph Fiennes Conclave Sebastian Stan The Apprentice Best Actress in a Supporting role: Monica Barbaro A Complete Unknown Ariana Grande Wicked Felicity Jones The Brutalist Isabella Rossellini Conclave Zoe Saldana Emilia Perez Best Actor in a Supporting Role: Yura Borisov Anora Kieran Culkin A Real Pain Edward Norton A Complete Unknown Guy Pearce The Brutalist Jeremy Strong The Apprentice' Best Director: Sean Baker Anora Brady Corbet The Brutalist James Mangold A Complete Unknown Jacques Audiard Emilia Perez Coralie Fargeat The Substance Best Original Screenplay: Anora The Brutalist A Real Pain September 5 The Substance Best Adapted Screenplay: A Complete Unknown Conclave Emilia Perez Nickel Boys Sing Sing Best Cinematography: The Brutalist Dune: Part Two Emilia Perez Maria Nosferatu Best Original Score: The Brutalist Conclave Emilia Perez Wicked The Wild Robot Best Original Song: El Mal Emilia Perez The Journey The Six Triple Eight Like a Bird Sing Sing Mi Camino Emilia Perez Never Too Late Elton John: Never Too Late Best Film Editing: Anora The Brutalist Conclave Emilia Perez Wicked Best Production Design: The Brutalist Conclave Dune: Part Two Nosferatu Wicked Best Costume Design: A Complete Unknown Conclave Gladiator II Nosferatu Wicked Best Makeup and Hairstyling: A Different Man Emilia Perez Nosferatu The Substance Wicked Best Sound: A Complete Unknown Dune: Part Two Emilia Perez Wicked The Wild Robot Best Visual Effects: Alien: Romulus Better Man Dune: Part Two Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes Wicked Best International Feature Film: Im Still Here (Brazil) The Girl With the Needle (Denmark) Emilia Perez (France) The Seed of the Sacred Fig (Germany) Flow (Latvia) Best Animated Feature: Flow Inside Out 2 Memoir of a Snail Wallace + Gromit: Vengeance Most Foul The Wild Robot Best Animated Short: Beautiful Men In the Shadow of the Cypress Magic Candies Wander to Wonder Yuck! Best Live-Action Short: A Lien Anuja Im Not a Robot The Last Ranger The Man Who Could Not Remain Silent Best Documentary Feature Film: Black Box Diaries No Other Land Porcelain War Soundtrack to a Coup dEtat Sugarcane Best Documentary Short: Death by Numbers I Am Ready, Warden Incident Instruments of a Beating Heart The Only Girl in the Orchestra 'Emily in Paris' star Lucien Laviscount is learning French. Lucien Laviscount is taking French lessons The 32-year-old actor plays Alfie alongside Lily Collins' in the title role of Emily Cooper in the hit Netflix rom-com series and he has revealed he's been taking lessons to get "better" at his co-stars' native tongue ahead of the next instalment. He told the MailOnline: "I am learning French, I have been taking lessons. Paris is the best. "My French is getting better, but I'm not gonna give you anything until I'm really, really confident about it." 'Emily in Paris' was renewed for a fifth season last year. Darren Star, the show's creator, told Tudum: "Were thrilled with the incredible response to this season of 'Emily in Paris' and excited to return for a fifth to continue Emilys adventures in Rome and Paris!" In season four, Emily starts a romance with a handsome Italian man and she then opens an office for Agence Grateau in Rome. Looking forward to the new season, Darren shared: "Emilys going to have a presence in Rome. It doesnt mean shes not going to be in Paris, but shes going to have a presence in Rome." Lily, 35, is already looking forward to shooting season five of 'Emily in Paris'. The actress is particularly keen to see what happens between her on-screen character and Marcello, played by Eugenio Franceschini. Lily explained: "Marcello is a whole other adventure that we want for Emily because we ultimately want Emily to be able to have a better work/life balance. "We want to have Emily be able to smile without condition. We want to see her beyond her vacay mode. And he comes at that perfect time." Meanwhile, Darren has also confirmed that Emily's burgeoning romance will be a big focus of season five of the show. He said: "I feel like they have a real spark and a real connection and a real romantic connection. A lot of thats going to continue to play out next season." Meanwhile, Lucas Bravo - who plays Lily's former flame Gabriel - previously admitted that he might not return for season five of the show. He told IndieWire: "The sexy chef was very much part of me in season one and we grew apart season after season because of the choices he makes and because of the direction they make him take. Ive never been so far away from him. "In season one, there was a lot of me in him. But as they made him kind of unaware of his surroundings, of the dynamic, always victimising and always being completely lost in translation and oblivious to anything that is happening around him and being manipulated by everyone, it kind of became not fun for me to shoot or to see a character I love so much and brought me so much, being slowly turned into guacamole." Jeremy Renner will discuss his near-fatal accident "in blistering detail" in his new memoir. Jeremy Renner is releasing a memoir The 'Hawkeye' actor spent two weeks in hospital with critical injuries including blunt chest trauma and more than 30 broken bones after being crushed by a snow plough two years ago and he is now set to tell-all in a "gripping" and "inspiring" book titled 'My Next Breath', which will be released on 29 April. A synopsis of the book from publishers Flatiron Books shared with People magazine stated: "Jeremy writes in blistering detail about his accident and the aftermath. "This retelling is not merely a gruesome account of what happened to him; its a call to action and a forged companionship between reader and author as Jeremy recounts his recovery journey and reflects on the impact of his suffering." The memoir promises to be "a testament to the human spirit and its capacity to endure, evolve and find purpose in the face of unimaginable adversity," with the 54-year-old star's storytelling designed to capture "the essence of profound transformation, exploring the delicate interplay between vulnerability and strength, despair and hope, redemption and renewal." Jeremy hopes his book will inspire others when they "feel like the offs are against them". He said: "Two years after my accident I now find myself now surrounded by love, more connected to the people around me and filled with gratitude. "I'm hopeful that by sharing my story, it might help anyone out there who is facing their own moment where it feels like the odds are against them." The 'Mayor of Kingstown' actor previously admitted his recovery would be a lifelong project and things would never be the same for him as they were before the accident. He told People magazine: "I had to accept it for the rest of my life. There'll be nothing normal or as it was prior to the accident. "By the way, I'm okay with that. It's making my life better. I'm healthier because of it. "I get to focus more on my health and well-being than I ever did before because I have to. "Recovery will be until I'm out of this old hot mess of a body. It was a way for me to really accept that it is going to be forever." Ricky Gervais is mourning the death of his canine companion from 'After Life'. Ricky Gervais has announced the death of his canine companion The 63-year-old comedian has taken to social media to announce the passing of Anti, the German Shepherd who starred alongside Ricky in the Netflix show. Ricky - who created, wrote and produced 'After Life' - wrote on X: "Sad News. 'Anti', who played 'Brandy' in AfterLife, has died. She was 13 and a very good girl [crying emoji] (sic)" The comedy star has also shared a throwback video clip of himself and Anti. In the clip - which is taken from a commercial shoot - Anti is seen trying to lick Ricky's face as the comedian says: "Good girl! Good girl!" The news of Anti's passing has also been announced by Dutch Barn Vodka, the drinks company that Ricky co-owns. The firm said on X: "Were absolutely devastated to hear that Antilly the Wonder Hound has passed away. "A consummate (and extremely cuddly) professional, she will be sorely missed by the entire Dutch Barn team. "Sending love to her wonderful owner at this sad time. (sic)" In 2024, Ricky reunited with Anti to film an advert for Dutch Barn Vodka. In the commercial, Ricky - who co-founded the company in 2021 - said: "Research shows that using a dog in your advert makes people more interested in your product ... So, there's the dog, there's the product." The stand-up comedian also admitted that he relished being reunited with the canine. Ricky - who played lead role in 'After Life' between 2019 and 2022 - said at the time: "It was so lovely to work with Anti again. She's still such a good girl. Older, greyer, deafer, and just as beautiful." Rihanna has paid a heartfelt tribute to Lynn Ban. Rihanna has paid tribute to Lynn Ban The celebrity jewellery designer has passed away, aged 52, weeks after she suffered a ski accident, and Rihanna has already taken to social media to express her sorrow. In response to the announcement, Rihanna wrote on Instagram: "2025 is rocking me at this point! This is too much!!! Lynn you will always be our fairy godmother! Love you forever and always! Cant believe Im writing this in a comment section rn! [crying and heartbreak emojis] Thank you for all the joy you brought to us! [tears and heartbreak emojis] (sic)" Rihanna, 36, worked with Lynn for years, and regularly wore her jewellery designs on tour and in music videos. Lynn - who appeared on the Netflix show 'Bling Empire: New York' - passed away weeks after undergoing brain surgery following a ski accident. Her son, Sebastian, announced the news on social media. He wrote on his late mother's Instagram account: "My mum passed away on Monday. "I know she wanted to share her journey after her accident and brain surgery, so I thought she would appreciate one last post sharing the news to people who supported her. "Many of you followed my mum but never got the chance to know her or meet her in person. I would like to take the chance to share who my mum really was. She was and always will be my best friend, the best mother to me, and someone who cared for all. She always had a smile on her face even when times were tough during her recovery process. She was a fighter until the end and is the strongest woman I know. She was the funniest and coolest mum I could ever ask for. She took care of me, my dad, and our Entire family throughout her whole life. "Although she may be gone now, I will do everything I can to make sure she is never forgotten and for her life to be celebrated as it deserves to be. (sic)" Uzbekistans Global Textile Group wants to launch five facilitiesa logistics centre, a cotton processing plant, a textile factory, dyeing and spinning workshops, and garment factoriesin Kazakhstans Maktaaral district in the Turkestan region. The cotton processing plant will have an annual capacity of 13,800 tonnes. Products will be supplied to the Kazakh market and exported to Europe as well. Uzbekistan's Global Textile Group wants to launch a logistics centre, a cotton processing plant, a textile factory, dyeing and spinning workshops, and garment factories in Kazakhstan's Turkestan region. The total project cost is an estimated $39.61 million. The cotton processing plant will have an annual capacity of 13,800 tonnes. The textile factory is expected to start operations in 2027. The textile factory is expected to start operations in 2027. The facilities are expected to create over 2,000 permanent jobs. The total project cost is an estimated 21 billion tenge ($39.61 million), media reports from Kazakhstan said. Company chief executive officer Muzaffar Razakov and the regions governor Nuralkhan Kusherov discussed the project recently. The company introduced Namangan-77 cotton seeds last year, planting them over 3,200 hectares. It also finished a cotton reception centre with an annual capacity of 10,000 tonnes. Fibre2Fashion News Desk (DS) Saif has clarified that he never needed to buy back the Pataudi Palace because he already owned it. He now uses the palace as a summer retreat, and its also rented out for film shoots. His sister, Soha, recently shared some personal stories about the palace, including how it was built by their grandfather to impress his father-in-law, even though the construction ran out of funds midway. On a different note, Saif made headlines recently after a break-in at his Mumbai home, where he bravely defended his family from an intruder. He sustained injuries during the altercation and required back surgery but was thankfully discharged from the hospital shortly after. Saif Ali Khan and his family are facing the possibility of losing properties worth Rs 15,000 crore, thanks to a recent ruling from the Madhya Pradesh High Court. The court lifted a stay on these assets, meaning the government could now take control of them under the Enemy Property Act, which targets properties linked to people who migrated to Pakistan after Partition. Some of the properties at risk include Saifs childhood home, Flag Staff House, and the Noor-Us-Sabah Palace.The legal challenge is tied to Saifs maternal grandfather, the Nawab of Bhopal, whose daughter migrated to Pakistan after Partition. Since Saifs family is linked to this, the government is using this connection as the reason to seize the properties. Despite this, Saif is the grandson of the daughter who stayed in India, and hes spoken about wanting to reclaim the familys Pataudi Palace, which was leased out to a hotel chain years ago. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Filmfare (@filmfare) Saif Ali Khan was stabbed at his home in Bandra last week. The actor was rushed to Lilavati Hospital after he sustained multiple injuries. Now that the actor has recovered and returned home, security has been amped up.As per reports on a leading news portal, Saif Ali Khan and Kareena Kapoor Khan have been given temporary police protection. Ronit Roys company is reportedly handling Saif and his familys security.Earlier, CCTV cameras were installed at Saif's home and the building. Moreover, the Bandra police have increased patrolling in the neighbourhood on foot and via vehicles. The building will also monitor visitors on an hourly basis.According to reports, an individual named Shariful was arrested for attacking Saif. He came from Bangladesh and tried entering Shah Rukh Khans Mannat before heading towards Saifs home.The police are yet to record Saif Ali Khans official statement. Further details about the case are awaited. Critic's rating 3.5 /5 Sky Force is a gripping war drama that sheds light on a lesser-known chapter of Indian military history, centered on the valor and sacrifices of the Indian Air Force during the 1965 Indo-Pak war. Directed with a keen sense of patriotism but without succumbing to jingoistic tendencies, the film emphasizes the professionalism and mutual respect shared between adversaries in wartime.Wing Commander K O Ahuja (Akshay Kumar) is mentor to daredevil pilot T Vijaya (Veer Pahariya). After the Pakistani Air Force destroyed Indian bases on the Punjab border, the Indian Air Force decided to target their Sargodha base, which housed Star Fighter aircrafts. These were supersonic aircrafts, superior to the existing Indian aircrafts and hence destroying them was a priority. The mission was successful. However, T Vijaya, who flew later against orders to offer cover to his colleagues, went missing in action. In 1988, 23 years later, after extensive investigation, Ahuja gets to know what exactly happened with his colleague. Based on his investigation, the government of India posthumously awarded him Maha Veer Chakra. Sharad Kelkar plays Amjad Hussain, a Pakistani pilot who plays a crucial role in bringing closure to Vijayas saga, adding nuance to the narrative.Veer Pahariya makes a confident debut, portraying a determined pilot with conviction, especially in the high-octane aerial combat sequences. However, the character's personal dimension is underexplored, leaving the audience craving more depth and connection. His relationship with Sara Ali Khan, who plays his wife, feels underdeveloped, with their limited screen time lacking the emotional weight a romantic subplot could have added.Akshay Kumar shines as the steadfast and empathetic mentor, embodying the gravitas of a senior officer with ease. Hes the very image of a concerned senior officer. The uniform has always suited him and one can see the respect with which he wears one on screen. He's every inch the mentor and his never-say-die spirit reaches out to you. It's another honest portrayal from the tireless veteran. His chemistry with Nimrat Kaur, who plays his supportive wife, adds warmth to the story, although one wishes for a more substantial exploration of their relationship.Sharad Kelkar delivers a restrained and impactful performance, portraying a Pakistani pilot who transcends political divides to acknowledge shared humanity.The films aerial combat sequences, while engaging, fall short of Hollywood benchmarks like Top Gun. The CGI could have been more polished to enhance the intensity of these scenes. Despite this, the action remains fast-paced and gripping, complemented by a crisp two-hour runtime that avoids unnecessary melodrama.What sets Sky Force apart is its balanced narrative, which highlights the courage and professionalism of both Indian and Pakistani pilots. Its not just a tale of heroism but also a subtle commentary on the shared respect among soldiers, even across enemy lines.In conclusion, Sky Force is a concise and engaging war drama that introduces audiences to an unsung hero of the Indian Air Force. While it leaves some emotional aspects underdeveloped, its patriotism, action, and heartfelt performances make it a worthy watch. At 12:41 p.m. Moroccan time on January 19, FM871 operated by Shanghai Airlines, a subsidiary of China Eastern Airlines, successfully landed at Mohammed V International Airport in Casablanca, Morocco, carrying 237 passengers. The return flight, FM872 (Casablanca-Shanghai), with over 200 passengers on board, made a stopover in Marseille, France before arriving at Shanghai Pudong International Airport at 4:10 p.m. Beijing time on January 20. Shanghai Airlines made history as the first Chinese airline to establish a route between Shanghai and Casablanca. The inaugural flight received a prestigious "water salute" upon landing in Casablanca, marking a significant milestone in aviation. This new route serves as a vital link between two major economic hubs, fostering increased cooperation and exchanges among Belt and Road partner countries. It also acts as a convenient "bridge in the air," facilitating seamless economic and cultural interactions between China and Morocco. The newly launched Shanghai-Casablanca round-trip flight, FM871/872, operates three times a week: on Tuesdays, Fridays, and Sundays. The outbound flight departs Shanghai Pudong International Airport at 1:55 a.m. and arrives at Casablanca Mohammed V International Airport at 1:10 p.m. The return flight leaves Casablanca at 5:10 p.m. and arrives in Shanghai at 4:40 p.m. the following day, Beijing time. Operated by the B787-9 aircraft, the route boasts a luxurious business class that provides passengers with a distinctive experience, like the opportunity to engage in face-to-face conversations over tea, adding a touch of elegance and comfort to their journey. Besides, in-flight Wi-Fi ensures passengers can stay connected throughout the journey. Both legs of the flight include a stopover in Marseille. Passengers not continuing to Marseille can stay in the international transit area at the Marseille airport without Schengen or transit visa. Shanghai Airlines, based in Shanghai, operates a network of 135 routes covering 85 cities domestically and internationally. In recent years, the airline has set up global offices in Budapest, Marseille, Singapore, Melbourne, and Auckland. Looking ahead, Shanghai Airlines will stay committed to further expanding its international network to offer travelers more diverse options. The airline aims to provide passengers with safer, higher-quality aviation technology and services, ensuring a more comfortable and enjoyable flying experience. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250122073896/en/ Contacts: Company: China Eastern Airlines Website: http://www.ceair.com/ Contact: fangying TEL: 00862122331470 Email: fangying@ceair.com THIS NEWS RELEASE IS NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO U.S. NEWSWIRE SERVICES OR FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESS Newswire / January 22, 2025 / Armory Mining Corp. (CSE:ARMY)(OTC PINK:RMRYF)(FRA:2JS) (the "Company") is pleased to announce that it has closed its previously announced non-brokered private placement LIFE offering (the "Offering") by issuing 5,016,111 common shares at a price of $0.135 per share for aggregate gross proceeds of $677,175. In connection with the Offering, the Company paid cash finder's fees of $65,017, issued 481,611 finder's warrants, and issued 370,500 finder's shares to eligible arm's length finders. The finder's warrants are exercisable into a common share at $0.135 per share until January 22, 2029. The Company also issued 700,000 common shares as compensation for advisory services provided in connection with the Offering. The proceeds raised from the Offering are expected to be used for exploration work on the Kaslo Silver project and the Nova Scotia Ammo Project, working capital and general corporate purposes. The shares issued pursuant to the listed issuer financing exemption under Part 5A of NI 45-106 will not be subject to a hold period in accordance with applicable Canadian securities laws. There is an offering document related to this Offering that can be accessed under the Company's profile at www.sedarplus.com and at the Company's website www.armorymining.com. About Armory Mining Corp. Armory Mining Corp. is a Canadian lithium focused mineral exploration company which has an 80% interest in the Candela II lithium brine project located in the Incahuasi Salar, Salta Province, Argentina. Armory also holds a 100% interest in the Kaslo Silver project, west of Kaslo, British Columbia, a 100% interest in certain mineral claims located in Haida Gwaii, British Columbia and an option to acquire a 100% interest in certain mineral claims located in Nova Scotia. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Nader Vatanchi CEO, Director e:nader@armorymining.com p: 778-881-4631 Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Market Regulator (as the term is defined in the policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy of accuracy of this news release. Certain information contained herein constitutes "forward-looking information" under Canadian securities legislation. Forward-looking information includes, but is not limited to the use of proceeds of the Offering. Generally, forward-looking information can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "anticipates", "anticipated" "expected" "intends" "will" or variations of such words and phrases or statements that certain actions, events or results "will" occur. Forward-looking statements are based on the opinions and estimates of management as of the date such statements are made and they are from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements or forward-looking information subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results to be materially different, including receipt of all necessary regulatory approvals. Although management of the Company have 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 will not update any forward-looking statements or forward-looking information that are incorporated by reference herein, except as required by applicable securities laws. 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 Company's 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. The Company's securities have not been and will not be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (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. SOURCE: Armory Mining Corp. View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire TOKYO, Jan 23, 2025 - (JCN Newswire) - TANAKA PRECIOUS METAL TECHNOLOGIES Co., Ltd. (Head Office: Chuo-ku, Tokyo; Representative Director & CEO: Koichiro Tanaka), which engages in the industrial precious metals business of TANAKA, has announced the development of the AgSn TLP sheet, a sheet-type bonding material designed for die attachment in the manufacturing of power semiconductor packages. Additionally, the AgSn TLP sheet is anticipated to serve as an alternative to thermal interface materials*1 (TIMs) for large-area bonding in heat sinks, further expanding its potential applications.Sheet Bonding Material That Allows Bonding of High-Current Large Silicon (Si) ChipsIn recent years, there has been rising demand for high-current power semiconductors centered on applications such as electric vehicles, hybrid vehicles, and industrial infrastructure. As such, in the bonding of large Si chips, there are requirements for materials that can allow the bonding of large areas while guaranteeing high reliability. The AgSn TLP sheet announcement declares that it can be used for semiconductor chip bonding of up to 20 mm. Furthermore, it allows bonding at a low pressure of 3.3 MPa, contributing to the improvement of yield in semiconductor manufacturing.Low-Temperature Bonding and High Heat Resistance Required for Power Semiconductors to Contribute to Heat ManagementSemiconductor devices - including power semiconductors - require high heat resistance as high temperatures may cause failures or shorten lifespans. In addition, the primary bonding materials currently adopted in the manufacturing of power semiconductor packages generally include high-lead solder which is being replaced with other materials due to its impact on the environment*2, SAC solder*3 which has low heat resistance, and silver (Ag) sintering agents. The heating temperature of this product is 250 degrees Celsius, allowing transient liquid phase diffusion bonding*4. As the heat-resistance temperature rises to 480 degrees Celsius after bonding, it has higher heat resistance than existing products. It can also be used with various types of bonded materials, as it can maintain a bonding strength of up to 50 MPa. Furthermore, this product is a lead-free bonding material, and it also features high bonding reliability that has passed heat cycle testing of 3,000 cycles.https://www.acnnewswire.com/docs/Multimedia/20250123.TANAKA_en2.jpgAs large-area bonding is possible, besides application as a die attachment material for power semiconductors, it is also expected to be used as an alternative to TIMs. Various materials with high thermal conductivity have been developed for semiconductor package manufacturing, but the low thermal conductivity of TIM materials has been a bottleneck in total thermal design. This product is a bonding material that allows large-area bonding of TIMs above 50 mm and has high thermal conductivity. It can be expected to contribute toward heat management in the manufacturing of semiconductor packages.TANAKA PRECIOUS METAL TECHNOLOGIES is committed to contributing to the development of the semiconductor market, which is expected to expand further going forward. Our dedication to this market ensures that we will continue to innovate and provide solutions that meet the evolving needs of the industry.Specifications of AgSn TLP Sheethttps://www.acnnewswire.com/docs/Multimedia/20250123.TANAKA_en3.jpg*1 A thermal interface material (TIM) is a heat conducting material inserted between materials to dissipate unwanted heat generated in electronic devices.*2 Although lead is under the scope of regulation by the RoHS Directive, use under a validity period is allowed for applications for which substitutes are not possible scientifically or technically. However, the development of substitutes is underway due to exclusion under the validity period.*3 SAC solder is a solder material that contains tin (Sn), silver (Ag), and copper (Cu).*4 Transient liquid phase diffusion bonding, also known as TLP bonding, is a bonding method that temporarily melts and liquifies metals and such inserted in the bonding surface, then uses diffusion to bond through isothermal solidification when carrying out diffusion bonding.About TANAKASince its foundation in 1885, TANAKA has built a portfolio of products to support a diversified range of business uses focused on precious metals. TANAKA is a leader in Japan regarding the volume of precious metals it handles. Over many years, TANAKA has manufactured and sold precious metal products for industry and provided precious metals in such forms as jewelry and assets. As precious metals specialists, all Group companies in Japan and worldwide collaborate on manufacturing, sales, and technology development to offer a full range of products and services. With 5,355 employees, the group's consolidated net sales for the fiscal year ending December, 2023, was 611.1 billion yen.Official Website: TANAKA PRECIOUS METAL TECHNOLOGIEShttps://tanaka-preciousmetals.com/en/Product inquiriesTANAKA PRECIOUS METAL TECHNOLOGIES Co., Ltd.https://tanaka-preciousmetals.com/en/inquiries-on-industrial-products/Press inquiriesTANAKA PRECIOUS METAL GROUP Co., Ltd.https://tanaka-preciousmetals.com/en/inquiries-for-media/Press Release: https://www.acnnewswire.com/docs/files/20250123_EN.pdfSource: TANAKA PRECIOUS METAL GROUP Co., Ltd.Copyright 2025 JCN Newswire . All rights reserved. SEATTLE (dpa-AFX) - Online retailer Amazon.com Inc. (AMZN) will close all seven of its warehouses in Quebec within the next two months, leading to the elimination of about 1,700 permanent full-time jobs in the greater Montreal area. Additionally, 250 temporary employees will be impacted by these closures.According to several reports citing the online retailer spokesperson as saying, the decision is aimed at cost savings rather than the recent unionization of approximately 300 employees at the Laval warehouse.The company reportedly plans to return to a third-party delivery model supported by local small businesses, as it had before 2020. This change is expected to maintain excellent service while delivering greater savings to customers in the long term.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. Volkswagen Group is launching an ambitious $20 billion investment offensive in North America, signaling a strategic pivot to reduce its dependence on the Chinese market. The comprehensive package allocates $15 billion to the United States and $5 billion to Canada, marking a significant step in the company's global rebalancing efforts. This strategic realignment follows the successful operational model of its Porsche subsidiary, which has established a flexible presence across various global regions. Despite this bold move, Volkswagen's stock showed modest weakness in recent trading, currently sitting more than 36% below its 52-week high of 128.60 recorded in early April. Market Analysis and Technology Innovation The expansion strategy is underpinned by cutting-edge technological developments, particularly the introduction of range-extender technology through its US brand Scout. This innovative solution, featuring small combustion engines that charge the battery during operation, aims to address range anxiety among potential electric vehicle buyers. Financial analysts maintain an optimistic outlook, setting an average price target of 112.00 per share, suggesting significant upside potential. However, dividend expectations indicate a decrease from the previous year's 9.06 to 6.39 per share, reflecting ongoing market adjustments and investment priorities. Ad Fresh Volkswagen information released. What's the impact for investors? Our latest independent report examines recent figures and market trends. Read our updated Volkswagen analysis... EQS Newswire / 23/01/2025 / 05:15 CET/CEST HONG KONG SAR - Media OutReach Newswire - 23 January 2025 - Financial Secretary of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR), Paul Chan, is among nearly 3,000 political leaders, financial officials and business elites attending the World Economic Forum (WEF) Annual Meeting in Davos, Switzerland. Hong Kong SAR's Financial Secretary, Paul Chan, speaks at the "2025 Davos-Caixin CEO Luncheon" in Davos, Switzerland. Promoting Hong Kong's advantages and value as a "super-connector" and "super value-adder", Mr Chan has met with leaders from finance and business sectors around the world. In keynote remarks at the "2025 Davos-Caixin CEO Luncheon", Mr Chan briefed participants on the latest economic situation and development strategies of Hong Kong, particularly regarding how to leverage the city's advantages of being well connected to Mainland China and to the world, under the "one country, two systems" principle. Later, in a speech at the "2025 Davos-Tencent Finance Vision Dinner", the Financial Secretary elaborated on how Hong Kong can play the role of a "super-connector" and "super value-adder" in the face of an increasingly complex international environment. This, he said, would contribute to China's high-level opening-up and, in the process, create value and opportunities for global businesses and investors. Mr Chan also informed participants of the WEF Annual Meeting about Hong Kong's achievements in attracting businesses and talent as well as the city's strategies and measures for developments in finance, innovation and technology, trade and aviation. During a meeting with the Director-General of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), Daren Tang, the Financial Secretary shared that with the staunch support of the country, Hong Kong is vigorously advancing to become an international innovation and technology centre and a regional intellectual property trading centre. He expressed gratitude to WIPO for its support in establishing a Technology and Innovation Support Centre in Hong Kong, noting that the city aims to have it operational this year. Mr Chan, during a meeting organised by the Giving to Amplify Earth Action launched by the WEF, took the opportunity to highlight Hong Kong's positon as a leading green finance hub in Asia. He explained that the city's thriving ecosystem of family offices, private equity funds as well as wealth and asset management is conducive to effectively connecting wealth with climate transformation projects. Mr Chan has met with several representatives of the Gulf Cooperation Council countries, including Minister of State for Foreign Trade of the United Arab Emirates, Dr Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi (right), to further strengthen bilateral co-peration with the region. On fintech, Mr Chan met the Chief Executive Officer of stablecoin issuer Circle, Jeremy Allaire to learn about the company's business development strategies in Asia, and Martin Gilbert, the Chair of Revolut, a UK-based fintech company specialising in digital banking services. Building on the success of the inaugural "Gulf Cooperation Council Chapter" (GCC Chapter) at the Asian Financial Forum in Hong Kong earlier this month, Mr Chan met several representatives of GCC countries with a view to further strengthening bilateral co-operation and accelerating the signing of a free trade agreement between Hong Kong and the GCC. He noted that the Hong Kong SAR Government will actively promote more two-way visits of business delegations, thereby facilitating the matching of projects in the digital economy and green transformation, as well as co-operation in the securities markets, Islamic finance, and asset and wealth management between Hong Kong and the Arab States. Representatives of the Airport Authority Hong Kong, the MTR Corporation Limited and the Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Limited are also attending the WEF Annual Meeting, which adopts the theme of "Collaboration for the Intelligent Age" Hashtag: hongkong brandhongkong asiasworldcity WEF financialservices The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement. News Source: Information Services Department, Hong Kong SAR Government 23/01/2025 Dissemination of a Financial Press Release, transmitted by EQS News. The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement. Media archive at www.todayir.com DUBAI, UAE, Jan. 23, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Bybit , the world's second-largest cryptocurrency exchange by trading volume, officially marks the 3rd anniversary of its P2P platform with a celebration of user achievements. The Grand Finale campaign runs through Feb. 2025, featuring a 100,000 USDT prize pool. This final reward phase caps off Bybit P2P's series of festive giveaways that began in late 2024. The platform achieved major milestones in 2024, reaching a single-day record of 400,000 active users and a daily trading volume peak of $130 million, demonstrating its growing appeal among P2P traders globally. From now to Feb. 28, 2025, Bybit P2P users stand to get to make the most out of their trades and share their achievements for rewards in two events: Trade to Enter the Lucky Draw: Users may sign up for the event , complete simple tasks to qualify for Lucky Draw Tickets. Prizes include Apple products and bonuses in airdrops . First-time depositors will also receive a 10 USDT P2P coupon for the first deposit of 20 USDT. Users may , complete simple tasks to qualify for Lucky Draw Tickets. Prizes include and . First-time depositors will also receive a for the first deposit of 20 USDT. Spread the Joy for More Rewards: Bybit P2P is honoring individual members of the community by introducing the personalized Bybit Annual Report , generated upon request by users. Each Bybit Annual Report showcases the user's 2024 achievements and performance on Bybit P2P. Eligible users can win from a 10,000 USDT prize pool by sharing their report with the hashtag BybitP2PTrading and completing a reward redemption form . "We are bringing the celebrations home with a focus back on our customers," said Joan Han, Sales and Marketing Director at Bybit. "The rewards and recognition are dedicated to each one of our Bybit P2P users, and we hope to share in a moment of reflection of their trading journey and successes in the past year." Bybit P2P is committed to delivering personalized rewards that cater to the unique needs of different user segments. From now to Feb. 11, 2025, the Bybit P2P Peer Spin Carnival is offering a 20,000 USDT prize pool exclusively for select markets in South Asia. This limited-time campaign runs in parallel to the Bybit P2P 3rd anniversary celebrations, where eligible users can win prizes ranging from popular memecoins to 0.001 BTC by simply registering, completing simple tasks, and participating in the lucky draw. P2P trading helps democratize finance by allowing users to buy and sell cryptocurrencies directly with each other, and on Bybit P2P , using their preferred local payment methods with access to Bybit's 24/7 user support. Through Bybit's P2P platform, users from diverse economic backgrounds can participate in the digital economy with minimum intermediaries. Bybit P2P's user-friendly interface and comprehensive features and offerings continue to serve a thriving global community, making digital assets more accessible to everyone. Registration is required, and terms and conditions apply: The Grand Finale: Bybit P2P 3rd Anniversary Celebration . Bybit / TheCryptoArk / BybitP2P About Bybit Bybit is the world's second-largest cryptocurrency exchange by trading volume, serving a global community of over 60 million users. Founded in 2018, Bybit is redefining openness in the decentralized world by creating a simpler, open and equal ecosystem for everyone. With a strong focus on Web3, Bybit partners strategically with leading blockchain protocols to provide robust infrastructure and drive on-chain innovation. Renowned for its secure custody, diverse marketplaces, intuitive user experience, and advanced blockchain tools, Bybit bridges the gap between TradFi and DeFi, empowering builders, creators, and enthusiasts to unlock the full potential of Web3. Discover the future of decentralized finance at Bybit.com . For more details about Bybit, please visit Bybit Press For media inquiries, please contact: media@bybit.com For updates, please follow: Bybit's Communities and Social Media Discord | Facebook | Instagram | LinkedIn | Reddit | Telegram | TikTok | X | Youtube Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2604495/Bybit_P2P_s_Third_Anniversary_Celebration_Culminates_Rewards_Bonanza.jpg Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2267288/Logo.jpg View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/bybit-p2ps-third-anniversary-celebration-culminates-in-rewards-bonanza-302358205.html GOTHENBURG, Sweden, Jan. 23, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Maintenance procedures are a critical area for many industrial companies, where production disruptions can be extremely costly. An example is the lubrication of rotation machine parts, bearings, gears, and chains. These tasks are time-consuming for maintenance staff and challenging to monitor to ensuring lubrication occurs and determining when it is needed. The Swedish tech company pureSignal of Sweden AB has recently launched the wireless lubrication system pureALUBE, which is monitored via an app and features AI-based decision support. This system represents a significant technological breakthrough in proactive maintenance, and international interest has been high. Agreements with distributors in several European countries have already been signed. To enhance the interplay between production requirements in highly automated operations and maintenance routines, pureSignal of Sweden AB has developed the wireless condition based lubrication system pureALUBE. Featuring sensors that communicate wirelessly over distances of up to 2 km, the system allows lubrication cartridges to be installed across large factory areas. Even when lubrication points number in the hundreds, maintenance personnel have complete control via a user-friendly app and access to AI-based decision support. pureALUBE was developed in close collaboration with Perma-Tec GmbH & Co., a world leader in automatic lubrication systems with more than 55 million systems installed worldwide. The advantages of pureALUBE mark a dramatic improvement compared to the routines still commonly used in many companies. Maintenance staff can easily check via the app that connected lubrication cartridges are working as they should and see when refills are needed. Additionally, the system monitors whether machines are in operation, automatically stopping and starting lubrication as needed. Rapidly Growing Demand for Data-driven Maintenance Routines pureSignal of Sweden AB is one of five sister companies within the Swedish Erinova Group, headquartered in Gothenburg. In 2022, the group had a combined turnover exceeding 220 million SEK and more than 100 employees. The companies offer technical solutions, products, and services that help businesses improve operational reliability, streamline maintenance, increase productivity, reduce costs, and enhance profitability. Examples include condition monitoring systems, reverse engineering for manufacturing spare parts, and systems for risk analysis. Founded in 2022, pureSignal of Sweden AB aims to develop products for industries undergoing rapid transitions to data-driven production and operations with digitalized and integrated information flows. pureSignal previously launched the wireless vibration sensor pureMEMS and the speed sensor purePULSE. With its sights set on a vast international market, the company has quickly expanded into Europe. Christoffer Eriksson, CEO of pureSignal of Sweden AB, has also been instrumental in building the Erinova Group from the ground up as a co-owner. "We are, of course, thrilled by how well our products have been received in the market. The need for data-driven maintenance routines and wireless technology for condition monitoring is growing significantly in many countries. In just a few years, we have established collaborations with distributors across Europe." Smart condition based lubrication and AI Intelligence Deliver Significant Cost Savings The launch of the pureALUBE lubrication system takes the company's integrable platform for smart condition monitoring to a new level. The platform, marketed under the name pureFamily, enables integration where a single machine in a factory can have all three products installed, providing comprehensive monitoring for speed, vibration, and lubrication needs. Industries where pureFamily and smart lubrication with pureALUBE bring substantial benefits include the process, chemical, and paper industries, mining, power and heat plants, and large parts of the manufacturing sector. Christoffer Eriksson highlights several drivers behind the strong market interest in pureALUBE: "There's no doubt that smart lubrication with pureALUBE enables significant cost savings and increased profitability. Reducing production disruptions and breakdowns, minimizing unnecessary wear, increasing production system availability, and streamlining maintenance work quickly deliver results. The app and AI-supported analysis also play a significant role in providing maintenance personnel with full control and the ability to make the right decisions." Examples of information and functionalities available via the pureALUBE app include notifications for replacing lubrication cartridges, the remaining amount of lubricant, alerts, and starting/stopping lubrication. The service is offered as a monthly subscription with three tiers. Basic provides all essential functions, Expert includes advanced analytics, and Multiviz AI grants access to automated analyses and AI-based decision support. For more information, contact: Christoffer Eriksson, CEO, pureSignal AB Phone: +46 709 10 85 05 Email: christoffer.eriksson@erinovagroup.com This information was brought to you by Cision http://news.cision.com https://news.cision.com/puresignal-of-sweden-ab/r/swedish-tech-company-launches-wireless-condition-based-lubrication-system-monitored-via-app-with-ai-,c4093569 The following files are available for download: https://news.cision.com/puresignal-of-sweden-ab/i/purealube-press,c3369491 pureALUBE press View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/swedish-tech-company-launches-wireless-condition-based-lubrication-system-monitored-via-app-with-ai-based-decision-support-302358218.html Galderma will present new data on Relfydess (RelabotulinumtoxinA) the first and only ready-to-use liquid neuromodulator created using PEARL Technology, which has now launched in multiple countries in Europe including results from the phase IIIb RELAX trial, reinforcing its long-term efficacy and high patient satisfaction, as seen in the READY clinical trial program 1-7 New data on Sculptra , the first proven regenerative biostimulator, emphasize its regenerative properties and effect across all three skin layers, including in comparison to other biostimulators 8-12 , the first proven regenerative biostimulator, emphasize its regenerative properties and effect across all three skin layers, including in comparison to other biostimulators Recent data from the Restylane portfolio highlight its ability to preserve naturalness of facial expressions and reveal that the new hyaluronic acid (HA)-injectable Restylane SHAYPE, powered by Galderma's innovative NASHA HD Technology, has the highest G-prime among commonly used HA-fillers 13,14 These data, combined with three symposia, a Masterclass on addressing the aesthetic impact of medication-driven weight loss on the skin, and several Meet the Expert sessions, once again showcase and differentiate Galderma's broad and clinically proven portfolio, setting it apart as the pure-play category leader in dermatology Galderma will present the latest updates from its innovative aesthetics portfolio at the International Master Course on Aging Science (IMCAS) World Congress 2025 on January 30 February 1 in Paris, France. The company will share ten research e-posters with data that differentiate its injectable aesthetic products, including Relfydess (RelabotulinumtoxinA), Sculptraand Restylane. Alongside its community partners, Galderma will also host three symposia, a Masterclass, five Meet the Expert sessions, and an interactive booth focused on the power of Relfydess. "With such an extensive presence at the IMCAS congress this year, we have another opportunity not only to share the latest advancements from our broad and innovative injectable aesthetics portfolio, but also to connect with the community in a meaningful way, through information sharing and insights gathering. Our offering at IMCAS brings our Integrated Dermatology Strategy to life, differentiates our products, and cements Galderma as the category leader in dermatology." BALDO SCASSELLATI SFORZOLINI, M.D., Ph.D. GLOBAL HEAD OF R&D GALDERMA Extensive data updates from across the industry's broadest Injectable Aesthetics portfolio New data will include results from the phase IIIb RELAX study investigating the long-term aesthetic improvement and subject satisfaction over 12 months following a single dose of Relfydess in patients with moderate-to-severe frown lines.15 This study reinforces previously announced data from the READY clinical trial program, demonstrating that up to 39% of patients see effects from day one and up to 75% of patients maintain improvements for six months for frown lines and crow's feet when treated with Relfydess.3,4,7 Additional findings will further reinforce the scientific differentiation of Relfydess, including data adding to the effect of Galderma's proprietary PEARL Technology process on preserving molecule integrity, and showing no neutralizing antibody formation across Relfydess' phase III program.16,17 A pooled post-hoc analysis from the READY-1-3 trials will also be presented, affirming the efficacy of Relfydess across more than 1,700 patients with diverse skin types, ethnicities, and races.18 In addition, a symposium titled 'Go beyond with Relfydess: Step into the future' will take place on Friday, January 31, from 2:00 3:30 PM CET, in Grand Amphi, and will showcase the clinical performance and innovative volumetric approach of Relfydess, featuring a live injection demonstration. At the Galderma booth L212 experts will also dig deeper into the cutting-edge science behind Relfydess and PEARL Technology. Galderma will also present the latest data on Sculptra,the first proven regenerative biostimulator with a unique poly-L-lactic acid (PLLA-SCA) formulation.8-12 New data reinforce its robust regenerative properties and effects across all three skin layers, underscoring its key role in the regenerative aesthetics field, including its benefit in comparison to other products.19-21 Studies suggested Sculptra stimulated the key components of the skin, including collagen, elastin and adipose tissue, and reinforced its favorable safety profile.19-21 An additional comparative study found synergistic effects for the midface when pairing Sculptra with Alastin, with an improvement in aging skin and patient experience when using both.22 New pooled data from three Galderma studies of the Restylaneportfolio will be presented, demonstrating that treatments with Restylane Refyne and Restylane Defyne not only enhance attractiveness and youthfulness, but also preserve naturalness of both relaxed and dynamic facial expressions.23 Additionally, gel data for Restylane SHAYPE the latest addition to the broadest hyaluronic acid (HA) portfolio, which is powered by Galderma's innovative NASHA HD Technology with improved crosslinking efficiency and increased HA content reveal it has the highest G-prime among commonly used HA fillers, indicating superior gel strength and firmness, making it ideal for lower face shaping.14 Connecting with the dermatology community Beyond sharing the latest data, the IMCAS World Congress also represents an important opportunity to connect with the broader dermatology community in order to facilitate best practice sharing and gather crucial insights to guide future innovation. The Galderma Aesthetic Injector Network (GAIN) which celebrates its 10th anniversary this year is Galderma's long-established training platform designed to educate, inspire, and empower through the creation of a unique community of highly trained, clinically proficient aesthetic practitioners. As part of this enduring commitment to the community, Galderma will host a symposium at the congress titled 'GAIN Debates: Crafting Our Aesthetic Lives Prioritization for Impactful Treatment', taking place Friday, January 31, from 10:30 AM 12:30 PM CET in Amphi Bleu. A separate medical symposium titled 'Innovation by Galderma: Where Aesthetics Meets Science' will also be held on Friday, January 31 from 9:00 10:00 AM CET in Regency 3+4 on Level 4. Galderma will also run a Masterclass session on using injectables to address the specific aesthetic needs related to the effects of medication-driven weight loss, taking place on Thursday, January 30 from 2:00 4:00 PM CET in Salon d'honneur. Five Meet the Expert sessions will also further reinforce Galderma's unique position as a leader in dermatology. The sessions will explore topics including Skin Quality, end-to-end collagen and elastin stimulation, and redefining HA fillers to create natural looking results, and will dig deeper into Alastin, Sculptra, and Relfydess as part of these discussions. The events will be held at the Galderma booth and live streamed on the @GAINbyGalderma Instagram profile. More details on Galderma's scientific presentations at IMCAS can be foundhere About Relfydess (RelabotulinumtoxinA) Pioneered by Galderma, Relfydess is the first and only ready-to-use liquid neuromodulator created with PEARL Technology that is designed to preserve molecule integrity.1,2 PEARL Technology is designed to deliver a highly active, innovative, complex-free molecule, with up to 39% of patients seeing effects from day one and up to 75% of patients maintaining improvements for six months.1-4,7 Relfydess is optimized for simple volumetric dosing, without reconstitution, to increase ease-of-use and help ensure consistent dose/volume every time.1,24 It was entirely created and manufactured by Galderma to expand its neuromodulator portfolio as part of the broadest Injectable Aesthetics portfolio on the market. About Sculptra Sculptra is the first proven regenerative biostimulator, with a unique PLLA-SCA formulation that helps restore the deep, underlying structure of the skin.8-12,25-34 Sculptra works to address the underlying causes of facial aging, including degradation of the extracellular matrix, which results in volume loss, laxity, and the appearance of wrinkles.8,28,32-34 Sculptra encourages the remodeling of components of the extracellular matrix, such as elastin and collagen, helping to gradually restore facial volume and the look of fullness to wrinkles and folds over time.35-38 The results from Sculptra are long-lasting, with optimal correction seen in approximately three months and results lasting up to two years.9,33,39,40 About the Restylane Portfolio Restylane hyaluronic acid (HA) injectables are Designed Differently to go beyond volumizing for natural-looking results.41-44 Our HA is exceptionally pure, making it the closest to the skin's own.45 Our innovative manufacturing process preserves its biocompatibility while creating individual products designed for a specific purpose. Restylane unique technologies, NASHA HD, NASHAand OBT are meaningfully designed to mimic the diverse range of facial structures and skin layers.41-43 With the Highest G' and Highest flexibility, Restylane can provide from structural support to natural expression to a healthy glow.14,42,45-48 Trusted for almost three decades, our HA gels work in sync with your skin for 100% natural looking results.41,49,50 About Galderma Galderma (SIX: GALD) is the pure-play dermatology category leader, present in approximately 90 countries. We deliver an innovative, science-based portfolio of premium flagship brands and services that span the full spectrum of the fast-growing dermatology market through Injectable Aesthetics, Dermatological Skincare, and Therapeutic Dermatology. Since our foundation in 1981, we have dedicated our focus and passion to the human body's largest organ the skin meeting individual consumer and patient needs with superior outcomes in partnership with healthcare professionals. Because we understand that the skin we are in shapes our lives, we are advancing dermatology for every skin story. For more information: www.galderma.com. References Sundberg AL and Stahl U. Relabotulinum toxin a novel, high purity BoNT-A1 in liquid formulation. Presented at: TOXINS 2021; Jan 16-17, 2021; virtual meeting Do M, et al. Purification process of a complex-free highly purified botulinum neurotoxin type A1 (BoNT-A1) relabotulinumtoxinA. Presented at: TOXINS 2022; July 27-30, 2022; New Orleans, LA Shridharani SM, et al. Efficacy and Safety of RelabotulinumtoxinA, a New Ready-to-Use Liquid Formulation Botulinum Toxin: Results From the READY-1 Double-Blind, Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Phase 3 Trial in Glabellar Lines. ASJ. 2024; sjae131 Ablon G, et al. Efficacy and Safety of RelabotulinumtoxinA Liquid Botulinum Toxin in the Treatment of Lateral Canthal Lines: Results From the Phase 3 READY-2 Study. Dermatol Surg. 2024. doi: 10.1097/DSS.0000000000004470 Prather HB, et al. Efficacy and safety of a novel formulation liquid botulinum toxin, RelabotulinumtoxinA, when used for combination treatment of glabellar and lateral canthal lines. E-poster presented at: ASDS 2024; October 17-20, 2024; Orlando, Florida, United States Beer K, et al. READY-4: Long-term safety with repeated injections using RelabotulinumtoxinA, a novel liquid formulation botulinum toxin, in the treatment of glabellar and lateral canthal lines. E-poster presented at: ASDS 2024; October 17-20, 2024; Orlando, Florida, United States Relfydess. EU Summary of Product Characteristics Sculptra. EU Instructions for Use. 2021. Available online. Accessed January 2025 Widgerow A, et al. A randomized, comparative study describing the gene signatures of Poly-L-Lactic Acid (PLLA-SCA) and Calcium Hydroxylapaptite (CaHA) in the treatment of nasolabial folds. Poster presented at IMCAS World Congress, February 1-3, 2024, Paris, France Galderma. Data on File (MA-60875) Zhang Y, et al. In vivo inducing collagen regeneration of biodegradable polymer microspheres. Regen Biomater. 2021;8(5): rbab042. doi: 10.1093/rb/rbab042 Huth S, et al. Molecular Insights into the effects of PLLA_SCA on Gene Expression. J Drugs Dermatol. 2024;23(4):285-288. doi: 10.36849/JDD.7791 Philipp-Dormston, W.G., Wong, C., Schuster, B., Larsson, M.K. and Podda, M., 2018. Evaluating perceived naturalness of facial expression after fillers to the nasolabial folds and lower face with standardized video and photography. Dermatologic Surgery, 44(6), pp.826-832. Bromee T, et al. A new hyaluronic acid injectable, HASHA, sets new G-prime standards. Abstract presented at IMCAS World Congress, January 30 February 1, 2025, Paris, France. Moradi A, et al. Aesthetic improvement and subject satisfaction with liquid relabotulinumtoxinA treatment of glabellar lines in a 12-month, randomized, controlled trial. Abstract presented at IMCAS World Congress, January 30 February 1, 2025, Paris, France Lekholm E, et al. RelabotulinumtoxinA, a ready-to-use formulation neuromodulator manufactured with PEARL technology to maintain high potency and specific activity. Abstract presented at IMCAS World Congress, January 30 February 1, 2025, Paris, France. Nestor M, et al. RelabotulinumtoxinA did not induce the formation of neutralizing antibodies across almost 1700 subjects treated in the Phase III Program. Abstract presented at IMCAS World Congress, January 30 February 1, 2025, Paris, France. Bertucci V, et al. Treatment of Glabellar Lines and Lateral Canthal Lines with RelaBoNT-A Across Different Ethnicity and Race: Pooled Data from Three Phase III Studies. Abstract presented at IMCAS World Congress, January 30 February 1, 2025, Paris, France. Fabi S, et al. Regenerative aesthetic effects of poly L-lactic acid (Sculptra) treatment. Abstract presented at IMCAS World Congress, January 30 February 1, 2025, Paris, France. Haddad A, et al. Comparing poly L-lactic acid (PLLA-SCA) and calcium hydroxylapatite (CaHA-R) in-vivo. Abstract presented at IMCAS World Congress, January 30 February 1, 2025, Paris, France. Avelar L, et al. Comparing two biostimulators on the local tissue response and degradation in-vivo with an indirect comparison to clinical outcomes. Abstract presented at IMCAS World Congress, January 30 February 1, 2025, Paris, France. Markowitz O, et al. Evaluation of synergistic effects for midface improvement when pairing Sculptra (PLLA-SCA) with Alastin skincare: A comparative study. Abstract presented at IMCAS World Congress, January 30 February 1, 2025, Paris, France. Nikolis A, et al. Hyaluronic acid fillers preserve natural movement and dynamic expression: data from three Phase IV clinical trials. Abstract presented at IMCAS World Congress, January 30 February 1, 2025, Paris, France. Persson C, et al. Patient and Investigator Treatment Experience with Ready-to-Use AbobotulinumtoxinA Solution Versus Powder BotulinumtoxinA for Treatment of Glabellar Lines. Abstract presented at TOXINS 2024; Jan 17-20, 2024, Berlin U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Sculptra summary of safety and effectiveness data. Available online. Accessed January 2025. Galderma. Data on File (MA-46589) Duracinsky M, et al. Safety of poly-L-lactic acid (New-Fill) in the treatment of facial lipoatrophy: a large observational study among HIV-positive patients. BMC Infect Dis. 2014;14(474). doi:10.1186/1471233414474 Zhang S and Duan E. Fighting against Skin Aging: The Way from Bench to Bedside. Cell Transpl. 2018;27(5):729-738. doi: 10.1177/0963689717725755 Asius J, et al. Inventors. US patent US 7,731,758 B2.2010. Available online. Accessed January 2025 Morgan P, et al. Product Manufacturing Process for Poly-L-lactic acid (PLLA-SCA). Poster presented at IMCAS World Congress, January 26-28, 2023, Paris, France Galderma. Data on File (MA-53568) Shuster S, et al. The influence of age and sex on skin thickness, skin collagen and density. Br J Dermatol. 1975;93(6):639-43. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2133.1975.tb05113.x Goldberg D, et al. Single-arm study for the characterization of human tissue response to injectable poly-L-lactic acid. Dermatol Surg. 2013;39:915-22 Zarbafian M, et al. The emerging field of regenerative aesthetics-where we are now. Dermatol Surg. 2022;48: 101-108. doi: 10.1097/DSS.0000000000003239 Waibel J, et al. Gene Analysis of Biostimulators: PLLA-SCA Triggers Regenerative Morphogenesis while CaHA-R Induces Inflammation upon Facial Injection. Poster presented at ASDS 2024, October 17-20, 2024, Orlando, Florida, United States Waibel J, et al. Bulk RNA-seq Analysis of Poly-L-Lactic Acid (PLLA-SCA) vs Calcium Hydroxyapetite (CaHA-R) Reveals a Novel, Adipocyte Mediated Regenerative Mechanism of Action Unique to PLLA. Poster presented at ASDS 2024 Annual Meeting, October 17-20, 2024, Orlando, Florida, United States Haddad S, et al. Evaluation of the biostimulatory effects and the level of neocollagenesis of dermal fillers: a review. Int J Dermatol. 2022;61:1284-1288. doi: 10.1111/ijd.16229 Vleggaar D, et al. Consensus recommendations on the use of injectable poly-L-lactic-acid for facial and nonfacial volumization. J Drugs Dermatol. 2014;13(4 Suppl):s44-s51 Hexsel D, et al. Introducing the L-Lift-A Novel Approach to Treat Age-Related Facial Skin Ptosis Using A Collagen Stimulator. Dermatol Surg. 2020;46(8):1122-1124. doi:10.1097/DSS.0000000000002015 Fabi S, et al. 24-month clinical trial data on effectiveness and safety after correction of cheek wrinkles using a biostimulatory poly-L-lactic acid injectable implant. Poster presented at AMWC, March 30 April 1, 2023, Monaco Di Gregorio C. 25+ Years of Experience with the Restylane Portfolio of Injectable Hyaluronic Acid Fillers for Facial Aesthetic Treatment. E-poster presented at AMWC, March 27-29, 2024, Monaco Nikolis A, et al. The Role of Clinical Examination in Midface Volume Correction Using Hyaluronic Acid Fillers: Should Patients Be Stratified by Skin Thickness? Aesthet Surg J Open Forum. 2020; 2(1):1-12. Galderma. Data on file. Subject satisfaction (GAIS) NASHA and OBT Fillers. 2021 Restylane U.S. Instructions For Use. Available online. Accessed January 2025. Kablik J, et al. Comparative Physical Properties of Hyaluronic Acid Dermal Fillers: Dermatologic Surgery 35, 302-312 (2009). Narins RS, et al. Persistence of nasolabial fold correction with a hyaluronic acid dermal filler with retreatment: results of an 18-month extension study. Dermatol Surg. 2011;37:644-650 Talarico S, et al. High Patient Satisfaction of a Hyaluronic Acid Filler Producing Enduring Full-Facial Volume Restoration: An 18-Month Open Multicenter Study. Dermatol Surg. 2015;41:1361-1369 Ohrlund A, et al. Differentiation of NASHA and OBT Hyaluronic Acid Gels According to Strength, Flexibility, and Associated Clinical Significance. JDD. 2024; 23(1), pp.1332-1336. Solish N, et al. Dynamics of hyaluronic acid fillers formulated to maintain natural facial expression. J Cosmet Dermatol. 2019;18(3):738-46. Philipp-Dormston WG, et al. Perceived naturalness of facial expression after hyaluronic acid filler injection in nasolabial folds and lower face. J Cosmet Dermatol. 2020;19(7):1600-6. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250122781745/en/ Contacts: Christian Marcoux, M.Sc. Chief Communications Officer christian.marcoux@galderma.com +41 76 315 26 50 Sebastien Cros Corporate Communications Director sebastien.cros@galderma.com +41 79 529 59 85 Emil Ivanov Head of Strategy, Investor Relations, and ESG emil.ivanov@galderma.com +41 21 642 78 12 Jessica Cohen Investor Relations and Strategy Director jessica.cohen@galderma.com +41 21 642 76 43 Wind and electric vehicles have come under the crosshairs for the Trump administration, while solar has been relatively unscathed - so far. From pv magazine USA US President Donald Trump's administration has voiced support for an "all the above" approach to energy policy in the United States. So far, the administration has announced a number of actions to boost oil and natural gas, and make cuts to incentives for clean energy resources. While the administration has injected momentum into fossil fuels and made some heavy blows to the adoption of EVs, wind power and energy efficiency, solar sits ... 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. Revenue for 2024 expected to be up 31% Lower cost base going into 2025 with a growing sales pipeline of opportunities ANGLE plc (AIM:AGL)(OTCQX:ANPCY), a world-leading liquid biopsy company with innovative circulating tumour cell (CTC) solutions for use in research, drug development and clinical oncology, is pleased to provide a trading update in relation to full year 2024 financial results. Revenues for the year ended 31 December 2024 are expected to be up 31% at 2.9 million (FY23: 2.2 million). The cash position of the Company remains solid, and stronger than market expectations with cash balances of 10.4 million at 31 December 2024, and an R&D tax credit receipt for 2023 of 1.4 million (expected receipt Q1 2025) and for 2024 of c. 0.8 million (expected receipt Q3 2025), giving available cash resources of 12.6 million before additional sales gross margin contributions to the Company. Following the strategic decision to focus on pharma services and reduce the cost base, existing cash balances and tax credits provide the Company with cash runway into 2026. Phase 3 clinical trials secured over the medium term would enable the Company to move into a cashflow positive position. The loss for the year is expected to be down 30% at c. 14 million (FY23: 20.1 million), which is in line with guidance. 2025 revenue growth is expected to be higher compared to 2024. We are pleased with how the sales pipeline is developing and the rate of revenue growth is expected to increase significantly over time. ANGLE Chief Executive, Andrew Newland, commented: "We enter 2025 with confidence that our current large pharma contracts are progressing well and have the potential to lead to larger scale opportunities with the same customers coupled with an ability to secure additional new pharma contracts. Despite the challenging market conditions, the adoption of liquid biopsy by large pharma is progressing and ANGLE is uniquely differentiated and well positioned in this growth market." For further information: ANGLE plc +44 (0) 1483 343434 Andrew Newland, Chief Executive Ian Griffiths, Finance Director Berenberg (NOMAD and Broker) Toby Flaux, Ciaran Walsh, Milo Bonser +44 (0) 20 3207 7800 FTI Consulting Simon Conway, Ciara Martin Matthew Ventimiglia (US) +44 (0) 203 727 1000 +1 (212) 850 5624 The information contained within this announcement is deemed by the Company to constitute inside information as stipulated under the EU Market Abuse Regulation (596/2014).Upon the publication of this announcement via a regulatory information service, this information is considered to be in the public domain. For Frequently Used Terms, please see the Company's website on https://angleplc.com/investor-relations/glossary/ Notes for editors About ANGLE plc ANGLE is a world-leading liquid biopsy company with innovative circulating tumour cell (CTC) solutions for use in research, drug development and clinical oncology using a simple blood sample. ANGLE's FDA cleared and patent protected CTC harvesting technology known as the Parsortix PC1 System enables complete downstream analysis of the sample including whole cell imaging and proteomic analysis and full genomic and transcriptomic molecular analysis. ANGLE's commercial businesses are focusing on clinical services and diagnostic products. The clinical services business is offered through ANGLE's GCLP-compliant laboratories. Services include custom made assay development and clinical trial testing for pharma. Products include the Parsortix system, associated consumables and assays. Over 100 peer-reviewed publications have demonstrated the performance of the Parsortix system. For more information, visit www.angleplc.com This information is provided by RNS, the news service of the London Stock Exchange. RNS is approved by the Financial Conduct Authority to act as a Primary Information Provider in the United Kingdom. Terms and conditions relating to the use and distribution of this information may apply. For further information, please contact rns@lseg.com or visit www.rns.com. SOURCE: ANGLE plc View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire European direct lending activity reaches record driven by add-ons and mid-market buyouts Octus (formerly Reorg), the leading provider of global credit intelligence and data, today announces the publication of its European Direct Lender Rankings for the full year 2024. The rankings data (known as league tables in the financial industry) rank European direct lenders across sector, region, debt range and ESG compliance. Most Active Lenders Ares secured first place in the Octus 2024 European Direct Lender Rankings with an impressive 84 deals and a 6.4 percent market share. The top tier was rounded by Eurazeo with 57 deals (4.3 percent market share) and Goldman Sachs Private Credit with 55 deals (4.2 percent market share). When considering non-corporate facilities (such as real estate), the trio also led the overall wider rankings for direct lenders with marginally adjusted market shares of 6.2, 4.2 and 4.1 percent, respectively. Goldman Sachs Private Credit was the most active lender for deals over 250 million total debt quantum, completing 48 deals in 2024. Blackstone Credit came in second with 36 deals, while Arcmont, CVC Credit, and Park Square all ranked joint third with 28 deals for the period. For deals below 250 million (mid-market), Ares moved up to take the top spot, leading with 58 deals versus Eurazeo's 55 deals. Barings Private Debt cemented its third-place position with 39 deals. The top three firms in the ESG-compliant rankings Ares, Eurazeo, and Pemberton held their positions from the previous quarter. Deal Flow European direct lending has remained competitive and resilient despite evolving economic conditions and geopolitical instability in 2024. Deal activity in FY'24 totaled 937 deals a 33 percent increase from last year (FY'23), the highest on record. Those deals were skewed toward add-ons and private credit faced increased competition from the broadly syndicated market. Mid-market deals remained the most popular debt range, accounting for 75.5 percent of total activity. Deal flow picked up throughout the year with Q4 representing the most active quarter with 296 deals. The strong performance of direct lending during the second half of 2024 fuels optimism for a promising 2025, both in debt-related and M&A activities. Bolt-on acquisitions were the most popular use of proceeds (34.6 percent share) in 2024. Close behind, buyouts, which recorded a substantial year-on-year increase in deal activity (304 deals in 2024 vs 224 deals in 2023), accounted for 32.4 percent of the total share. Refinancings (16.6 percent) rounded out the top three. The UK and Ireland region continued to be a favored destination for direct lenders in 2024, representing the market's largest share (31.5 percent, 295 deals). France (18.6 percent, 174 deals) remained in second, while southern Europe (14.7 percent, 138 deals) narrowly displaced DACH (14.6 percent, 137 deals) for the third spot. Unitranche structures maintained their dominance, making up just over 60 percent of the facilities completed. Furthermore, senior/stretched tranches represented the second most popular structure worth 23.2 percent (236) of the instruments, while bond notes, payment-in-kind, mezzanine and other structures took portions of a small remainder (16.2 percent). Software-related borrowers accounted for the largest portion of direct lending activity, with 204 deals in 2024. Business Services-related issuers also consolidated their position in second place with 145 deals, while healthcare and life sciences issuers took the third spot with 135 deals. Average pricing on direct lending deals tightened quarter on quarter to an average of 523 bps above the reference rate in Q4'24, while leverage crept up to a high of 6.8x in the same period. Octus subscribers may access the full report, Octus European Direct Lender Rankings, on the Octus platform. Non-subscribers may access the report summary on the Octus website. About Octus Founded in 2013, Octus, formerly Reorg, is the essential credit intelligence and data provider for the world's leading buy side firms, investment banks, law firms and advisory firms. By surrounding unparalleled human expertise with proven technology, data and AI tools, Octus unlocks powerful truths that fuel decisive action across financial markets. Visit octus.com to learn how we deliver rigorously verified intelligence at speed and create a complete picture for professionals across the entire credit lifecycle. Follow Octus on LinkedIn and X. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250123730502/en/ Contacts: Drake Manning drake.manning@octus.com Mike Deleo OctusPR@icrinc.com PARIS and AMMAN, Jordan, Jan. 23, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- SoftAtHome and Orange Jordan announced the imminent deployment of the world's first fully prpl-based broadband solution with a home gateway and Wi-Fi repeater powered by prplWare and complementary SoftAtHome products. The new home gateway and Wi-Fi repeater are powered by prplWare, which includes the prplOS and prplMesh. prpl extends the Orange device's shelf life and brings operators greater independence from hardware constraints to deliver new and innovative services. Through this project SoftAtHome enabled five critical advantages promoted by the prpl Foundation including higher velocity?by de-complexifying Gateway stack integration onto multiple platforms, a focus on service-driven innovation, enabling proprietary differentiation from a 3rd-party services ecosystem, API harmonization?through collaboration & convergence to help scale up businesses, open source to improve testing and avoid duplication and wasted efforts, and cultivating a community. Orange Jordan's new gateway offers fiber connectivity and delivers the advantages of Wi-Fi6E. For this project, prplWare was extended with several critical operator features such as VoIP, Wi-Fi repeater, API migration all the while keeping compatibility with the existing infrastructure, etc. prplMesh already brings Wi-Fi management capabilities and hardware abstraction. SoftAtHome added smart Wi-Fi algorithms, such as Wi-Fi repeater management, packet prioritization, intelligent channel selection, remote device management, and enhanced security features with the Wifi'ON Product running on top of prplWare. Orange Jordan commented on this agreement saying: "At the outset of this project, we were looking for a software solution that leveraged our installed base of devices while simultaneously preparing an exciting future of services for our broadband subscribers. SoftAtHome exceeded our expectations with this prpl-based advanced solution and their extensive expertise." Orange Group said, "Orange Jordan is the first within the Orange Group to deploy a prpl-based home gateway solution, which is the result of Orange Group's investment in prpl open-source solutions. The whole operator community will benefit from access to new home gateway-based services." Arnaud Bellivier de Prin, CEO at SoftAtHome, said, "I am proud that our teams have delivered the world's first prpl-based solution deployed simultaneously on the home gateway and Wi-Fi repeaters and grateful to Orange Jordan for their continued trust in SoftAtHome and for paving the prpl way for our club of operators". About SoftAtHome SoftAtHome is an independent software provider with seven critical solutions: broadband (Connect'ON), Wi-Fi (Wifi'ON), security (Secure'ON), smart home (Things'ON), video (Watch'ON), analytics and QoE monitoring (Eyes'ON), and a new gateway Appstore environment (Orchestr'ON). With its products deployed in over 30 million home networks and millions of mobile devices, SoftAtHome helps telecom and network operators deliver enhanced digital home experiences. The company's 300+ employees, mainly software engineers, are committed to innovation and actively contribute to open-source communities like prpl. SoftAtHome's hybrid solutions leverage cloud-based components and software embedded in multiple mobile and fixed devices. For more information: www.softathome.com or contact@softathome.com For Press Information Contact: Marta Twardowska for SoftAtHome E: press@softathome.com @SoftAtHome About Orange Jordan Orange Jordan is one of the subsidiaries of Orange Global Group, which is present in 26 countries around the world. Orange Jordan operates in line with the Group's strategy "Lead the Future", and through its positioning as a Responsible Digital Leader, it supports the national digital transformation vision. Orange Jordan prioritizes community service, and in this context, it implements a comprehensive CSR strategy that revolves around 4 pillars including digital education, digital inclusion, entrepreneurship, climate, and environment. Orange Jordan, with more than 1600 employees in 301 shops and locations across Jordan, strives to provide the best customer experience through an integrated set of digital solutions including fixed, mobile, internet, data, and Smart Life Solutions to around 4.1 million customers in Jordan. Orange Jordan's solutions are comprehensive as they serve businesses in addition to individuals under its sub-brand Orange Business. Orange Jordan inspires by its values namely transparency, agility, results-oriented, customer centricity, collaboration, caring, and excellence. To learn more about us, please visit our website: www.orange.jo. About Orange Orange is one of the world's leading telecommunications operators with revenues worth 39.7 billion euros in 2023 and 128,000 employees worldwide until 30 June 2024, including 72,000 employees in France. The Group has a total of 285 million customers worldwide until 30 June 2024, including 246 million mobile customers and 21 million fixed broadband customers. The Group is present in 26 countries. Orange is also a leading provider of global IT and telecommunication services to multinational companies under the brand Orange Business. In February 2023, the Group presented its strategic plan "Lead the Future", built on a new business model and guided by responsibility and efficiency. "Lead the Future" capitalizes on network excellence to reinforce Orange's leadership in service quality. Orange is listed on Euronext Paris and on the New York Stock Exchange. For more information on the internet and on your mobile: www.orange.com, www.orange-business.com and the Orange News app or to follow us on Twitter: @orangegrouppr, and the Orange News app or to follow us on Twitter: @orangegrouppr. Orange and any other Orange's product or service names included in this material are trademarks of Orange or Orange Brand Services Limited. Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2603894/SoftAtHome_Orange_Jordan.jpg Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1900675/5128874/SoftAtHome_Logo.jpg View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/in-world-premiere-orange-jordan-to-deploy-prpl-based-broadband-solution-with-softathome-302358410.html The Japan Prize Foundation announced the winners of the 2025 Japan prize at 6PM (JST) today, 23 January, 2025. Prof. Russell Dean Dupuis (USA) has been awarded the Japan Prize in the fields of Materials Sciences and Production, and Prof. Carlos M. Duarte (Spain) has been awarded the Japan Prize in the fields of Biological Production, Ecology/Environment. For this year's Japan Prize, Prof. Dupuis is being recognized for his distinguished contributions to the Development of metalorganic chemical vapor deposition technology for compound semiconductor electronic and optoelectronic devices, and pioneering contribution to its large-scale commercialization; and Prof. Duarte is being recognized for his contribution to our understanding of marine ecosystems in a changing Earth, especially through pioneering research on Blue Carbon. For the 2025 Japan Prize, the Foundation asked approximately 15,500 prominent scientists and engineers from around the world to nominate researchers working in this year's fields. We received 149 nominations for the fields of Materials Sciences and Production, and 72 nominations for the fields of Biological Production, Ecology/Environment. This year's winners were selected from a total of 221 nominees. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250114063833/en/ Contacts: The Japan Prize Foundation Kiyoshi OGURA Tel: 81-80-2003-1931 Fax: 81-3-5545-0554 E-Mail ogura@japanprize.jp The highly anticipated 2025 ASC Student Supercomputer Challenge (ASC25) launch event was held recently in Beijing. The gathering brought together leading academicians, HPC and AI experts, and student-teacher representatives, highlighting the growing importance of high-performance computing and artificial intelligence. A two-day training camp was also successfully held, providing students and teachers with valuable insights into competition rules, preliminary round tasks, and problem-solving strategies, shared by renowned experts and past participants. The 2025 ASC Student Supercomputer Challenge (ASC25) has attracted participation from over 300 teams representing colleges and universities worldwide. ASC25 follows a two-stage competition format. In the preliminary round, teams are required to complete designated challenges and submit detailed cluster design and application optimization proposals. The top-performing teams will advance to the finals, scheduled to take place at Qinghai University from May 10 to 14, 2025. As the world's largest supercomputer hackathon, the ASC Student Supercomputer Challenge (ASC) leverages fierce yet friendly contests, focused on cutting-edge technology and applications to foster the growth of young talent. With the profound integration of technological innovation and industrial development, ASC is dedicated to inspiring and nurturing a new generation of interdisciplinary talent. These future expert leaders will be equipped with enthusiasm, innovative spirit, and advanced technological capabilities, poised to drive the next wave of global progress. Technological advancement and industrial transformation are being reshaped by cutting-edge innovations. ASC25 has crafted tasks inspired by the latest Nobel Prize-winning research achievements, empowering participants to leverage supercomputing to explore groundbreaking scientific discoveries and address complex challenges in frontier fields. The 2024 Nobel Prize in Chemistry was awarded to the developers of AlphaFold, a groundbreaking platform that has revolutionized protein structure prediction. As part of ASC25, the AlphaFold3 task challenges teams to execute and optimize the AlphaFold3 structure prediction code on diverse computing platforms, using amino acid sequences provided by the organizing committee. This task assesses participants' understanding of and ability to optimize the AlphaFold3 inference process. The 2023 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine was awarded to scientists for their groundbreaking discovery of nucleoside base modifications, which paved the way for the development of mRNA vaccines. In ASC25, the RNA task focuses on detecting RNA methylation modification sites. Teams are tasked with optimizing the computational process and performance to identify a specific chemical modification (m5C) site on RNA molecules, ensuring accurate operation and precise results at every step. Shi Yuanchun, President of Qinghai University, the host of the ASC25 Finals, emphasized that ASC serves not only as a global platform for competing in HPC technology and innovation but also as a significant venue for universities worldwide to showcase research achievements, exchange technical expertise, and share ideas. Qinghai University aims to leverage the opportunity of hosting ASC25 to inspire young talent globally to engage with and innovate in the field of supercomputing technology, fostering its development and wider adoption. Professor Jack Dongarra, Chair of ASC Advisory Committee, Turing Award winner, and Emeritus Professor at the University of Tennessee, said that ASC brings together talented students, teachers, and experts from around the world who are passionate about supercomputing, working together to drive the development of HPC. ASC helps nurture young talent by designing challenging tasks and fostering interdisciplinary collaboration. It encourages them to push boundaries, expand their horizons, and develop innovative algorithms and solutions to boost the advancement of supercomputing, contributing to addressing critical global challenges. About ASC The ASC Student Supercomputer Challenge, with support from experts and institutions across Asia, Europe, and America, serves as a platform to promote the exchange and development of young talent in supercomputing worldwide. The competition aims to elevate the application and R&D capabilities in supercomputing, harness its technological driving force, and foster innovation across science, technology, and industry. Since its inception in 2012, ASC has attracted tens of thousands of university students from six continents, solidifying its status as the largest university-level supercomputing competition globally. To discover more about this impactful endeavor, visit the website http://www.asc-events.net/StudentChallenge/index.html View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250123564794/en/ Contacts: Media media@asc-events.org LONDON, Jan. 27, 2025, the premier meeting place for hospitality investment in EMEA, today announces leaders from Marriott, Accor, IHG, Hyatt and Radisson will unite to shape the future of the hospitality industry. IHIF EMEA's 27th edition takes place 31 March - 2 April at the InterContinental and Pullman hotels in Berlin. Register here. "2025 will be a defining moment for dealmakers and operators alike, where navigating tightening financial markets, embracing technology-driven efficiencies, and unlocking sustainable investment returns will separate market leaders from the rest. This year's forum is about resilience, innovation, and action - providing the insights, partnerships, and capital connections attendees need to not just survive but thrive in a transformed global market. Attendees will gain inspiration from business leaders and learn how to turn ideas into actionable strategies in order to capitalise on the biggest opportunities and successfully navigate future business challenges across economic, social, and workforce environments," said Joe Stather, VP/Market Leader, Operational Real Estate. "We are thrilled to welcome Booking.com as a Global Distribution Partner. Booking.com connects owners with consumers through its extensive international reach and leading insights. We understand the vital importance of networking, knowledge sharing and collaboration to drive the industry forward and their pavilion will be the perfect place for the hospitality ecosystem to connect." IHIF EMEA serves the hospitality investment community by delivering unparalleled thought leadership through keynotes, general sessions, workshops and networking events that equips attendees with actionable strategies to drive growth and innovation. New speakers added to the programme include: Anthony Capuano, President and CEO, Marriott International will present the session "Driving growth: A global CEO's perspective on market opportunities and the value of partnerships." will present the session "Driving growth: A global CEO's perspective on market opportunities and the value of partnerships." Dex Hunter-Torricke, Emerging Technologies Expert and Former Communications Executive at SpaceX & Facebook , will deliver the megatrends keynote "Visionary leadership for communications, technology, society in a dynamic era." , will deliver the megatrends keynote "Visionary leadership for communications, technology, society in a dynamic era." Jon Sopel, renowned British journalist, political presenter, podcasterand author will present the session "Strategies for a shifting world: Anticipating and managing geopolitical risk." Attendees will gain insights from over 200 leaders on global trends shaping the EMEA hospitality landscape. New speakers added to the programme include: Gilda Perez-Alvarado, Chief Strategy Officer, Accor Federico Gonzalez, Executive Vice-Chairman & CEO, Radisson Hotel Group / Louvre Hotels Group Samir Amichi, Head of Real Estate Acquisitions Europe, Blackstone Tugdual Millet, CEO, Covivio Hotels Mark Hoplamazian, CEO, Hyatt Hotels Elie Maalouf, CEO, IHG Hotels & Resorts View the conference programme here. IHIF EMEA brings senior leaders from across the hospitality ecosystem together IHIF EMEA brings together 2,500 industry professionals, including 600+ investors managing over $340 billion in assets under management. Representatives from leading investment firms, top hospitality brands and operators and advisory companies are confirmed to attend IHIF EMEA. The investor community will be attending including representation from AccorInvest, AXA Group, Blackstone, Bain Capital, Brookfield, Covivio, Invesco Real Estate and Schroders. Plus, advisory companies including CBRE, Horwath HTL and JLL will take part in the event. Booking.com Bar & Networking Pavilion helps attendees connect with the right people IHIF EMEA is prioritising networking, knowledge sharing and collaboration. Booking.com is partnering with IHIF EMEA as a Global Distribution Partner to create the Booking.com Bar & Networking Pavilion, a dynamic space for both dedicated meetings and spontaneous networking opportunities. With a central bar and cafe located at the heart of the IHIF EMEA Pavilion, it's a place where ideas flow, deals happen, and connections will be made. Young Leader Award The Young Leader Award, established by The International Society of Hospitality Consultantsand IHIF EMEA, celebrates young leaders in hospitality. The awards programme recognises outstanding young professionals (under 35) who are reshaping the hospitality industry through innovation, financial impact, leadership and positive social and environmental change. Click hereto nominate a candidate. Applications will be accepted through 7 February. For more information about IHIF EMEA 2025 and to register, visit https://www.ihifemea.com. Advanced rate registration ends 31 January. To register for a media pass, email Meryl Franzman at mfranzman@questex.com. For sponsorship opportunities, click here. Stay connected with IHIF EMEA on Xand LinkedInand follow IHIFEMEA25. About IHIF EMEA The International Hospitality Investment Forum EMEA (IHIF EMEA) is the premier event for hospitality investment professionals. By uniting influential hospitality leaders from Europe, the Middle East, and Africa, IHIF EMEA aims to shape the future of the hospitality industry with three-days of content, networking, insights and deal-making. IHIF EMEA takes place 31 March - 2 April 2025 at the InterContinental and Pullman hotels in Berlin. About Questex Questex helps people live better and longer. Questex brings people together in the markets that help people live better: hospitality and wellness; the industries that help people live longer: life science and healthcare; and the technologies that enable and fuel these new experiences. We live in the experience economy - connecting our ecosystem through live events, surrounded by data insights and digital communities. We deliver experience and real results. It happens here. Media Contacts Kirsty McKenna IHIF EMEA kmckenna@questex.com Meryl Franzman IHIF EMEA mfranzman@questex.com Solid Project Economics After tax NPV8% of USD 243 million 1 Internal rate of return (IRR) of 20.8% Operating costs of USD 32.2 /lb U3O8 LOM AISC (all-in sustaining costs) of USD 47.3 /lb U3O8 2 Significant leverage to higher uranium prices, with an additional USD 45 million added to NPV for every USD 5 /lb increase in U3O8 prices Production averaging 2.2 million pounds U3O8 per annum over 12 years LOM of 12 years based on Probable Mineral Reserves in two deposits, and further potential for upgrading Inferred Resources, exploration, and mining of three satellite deposits Low Technical Risk Shallow open pit mine and heap leaching with industry-standard, conventional processing methods Excellent local infrastructure with road access, water and grid power Well-established export routes through Namibia; able to supply Western and non-Western markets No tailings storage required, reducing the environmental impact Cost-Efficient Operations Soft rock reduces powder factor and lowers mining costs Optimized ore processing: High liberation of minerals; only requires crushing to 25 mm for agglomeration LOM average recovery rates of at least 90% with rapid uranium recoveries within 21 days from start of heap irrigation Low acid consumption, averaging less than 16.5 kg H2SO4 per tonne of ore treated, with Zambia's position as a net surplus acid producer ensuring reliable local supply Low energy requirements: Soft rock minimizes crushing costs, with a total grid power draw requirement of just 7 MWp Quick start up: uranium production expected within 4 months of mining Rapid payback estimated at 3.8 years from start of production Uranium Market: Widening Supply Deficit Surge in global energy requirements, fuelled by AI-driven technologies, continues to accelerate demand for nuclear energy Years of underinvestment in uranium exploration and development resulted in a critical lack of new production capacity to meet growing demand and resource depletion Even with rising demand, there are very few advanced uranium projects in the pipeline, creating a significant supply gap that cannot be bridged in the near term With limited global new supply of uranium, Muntanga is uniquely positioned to capitalize on this exceptional market environment with potential production forecast in 2028; or two years after financing. Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - January 23, 2025) - GoviEx Uranium Inc. (TSXV: GXU) (OTCQB: GVXXF) ("GoviEx or the Company") is pleased to announce the results of its Feasibility Study ("FS") representing an important milestone as GoviEx advances the Muntanga Uranium Project (the "Project"), fully permitted for mining, towards project financing and development. The FS was prepared by Ukwazi Transaction Advisory (Pty) Ltd, SRK Consulting (UK) Limited and SGS Bateman (Pty) Ltd., compliant with the Canadian Securities Administrators' National Instrument 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects ("NI 43-101") and with the support of the Company's internal technical team. The FS will be filed by GoviEx under its profile on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca within 45 days from the date of this news release. The FS represents a detailed, fully costed, and updated engineering study of the Project, considering international best practices and standards for responsible project development. Govind Friedland, Executive Chairman, commented: "The global energy landscape is undergoing a transformative shift, driven by the surging demand for clean, reliable power to support AI-driven technologies and electrification. Amid this growing need for nuclear energy, years of underinvestment in uranium exploration and development have left a critical supply gap that existing projects simply cannot fill. In this extraordinary market environment, Muntanga stands out as one of the few advanced uranium projects ready to help meet this demand. With production forecast for 2028, Muntanga is uniquely positioned to deliver significant value while contributing to the global transition toward sustainable energy." Commenting on the results, Daniel Major, CEO, said: "Our Project is built on a foundation of exceptional fundamentals. With an after-tax NPV of USD 243 million, a robust IRR of 21 %, and low operating costs of USD 32.2 per pound of U3O, we have established solid economics that ensure strong profitability. The low technical risk of an open pit mine, combined with conventional processing methods, fast uranium recoveries, and minimal environmental impact, underpins the Project's robustness. Additionally, the potential for significant resource expansion through the development of satellite deposits and exploration only strengthens the long-term value proposition. We're excited to be advancing one of the few uranium projects that can help meet rising demand in a constrained market." Project Overview The Muntanga Project, 100 % owned by GoviEx, is in the southeastern region of Zambia in the Siavonga and Chirundu Districts. The Project encompasses three mining licences - Muntanga (Licence no. 13880-HQ-LML), Dibbwi (Licence no. 13881-HQ-LML), and Chirundu (Licence no. 12634-HQ-LML), covering 719 km2, that are located approximately 200 km south of Lusaka, north of Lake Kariba. Additionally, the Company holds two exploration licences for Nabbanda (Licence no. 22803-HQ-LEL) and Chirundu Extension (Licence no 22075-HQ-LEL), and a recently granted mining licence for Kariba Valley (License no. 38555-HQ-LML) which expands the total combined area to 1,136 km. The Muntanga and Dibbwi mining licences comprise the Muntanga, Dibbwi and Dibbwi East deposits. The Chirundu mining licence contains the Njame and Gwabi deposits. In 2023, Zambia produced 698,000 tonnes of copper3, marking a 14-year low. Despite this, Zambia remained the world's seventh-largest copper producer and the second largest in Africa. In 2024, Zambia's Minister of Mines and Mineral Development announced an ambitious strategy to increase the country's copper production to 3 million tonnes by 2031. In addition to its ambitious copper production goals, the Zambian government has recognized the importance of diversifying its mining sector to reduce reliance on copper and strengthen its economic resilience. This strategy includes promoting the development of other critical minerals, such as uranium, which is increasingly valued in the global transition to clean energy. Against this backdrop, the Project is well-positioned to benefit from the government's diversification strategy and its commitment to the sector. The Project already holds the necessary Mining Permits and is preparing to apply for Environmental Permits in the first quarter of 2025. Securing these permits will enable development to commence, subject to financing being completed. The global energy landscape is undergoing a transformative shift, driven not only by the increasing demand for clean and reliable power to sustain AI-driven technologies and electrification, but also by the growing urgency to enhance energy security amid shifting global geopolitical dynamics. At the same time, years of underinvestment in uranium exploration and development have led to a widening supply gap, with existing projects struggling to keep up with accelerated demand and current rates of resource depletion. Against this backdrop, Muntanga emerges as one of the few near-term uranium projects capable of helping to address this critical gap. With production forecast for 2028, Muntanga is strategically positioned to deliver significant value while contributing to the global demand for sustainable low-emissions power generation. The FS includes detailed environmental and social criteria, which have informed engineering and process designs as well as equipment selections. These standards are aligned with GoviEx's corporate commitment that the Project will meet International Financial Corporation (IFC) performance standards, largely regarded as the global benchmark for responsible project development and a prerequisite for certain financing options. The design criteria prioritize the minimisation of water use, the inclusion of clean energy, and commitments to local procurement, local recruitment, and training. Geology The uranium mineralization occurs within the sandstone of the Karoo Supergroup and is described as a sandstone hosted fluvial channel type deposit. The Karoo Supergroup of sub-Sahara Africa contains what may be the world's largest sandstone-hosted uranium province. Compared to the well-known uranium-bearing sandstone basins of the western US, the area of the Karoo basins is about 30 % greater, but their known uranium content is indicated overall to be lower than that in the US basins. Mineralization In the oxide zones, uranium mineralization is seen as crystal coatings on surfaces and as concentrations close to surfaces with secondary uranium phosphate mineralization (Autunite, meta-Autunite). Primary uranium mineralization consists mostly of Pitchblende, Uraninite or Coffinite. Mineral Resource Estimate The Mineral Resource Statement presented herein represents an updated mineral resource estimate ("MRE") prepared for the Muntanga Project in accordance with NI 43-101. The Project comprises the Muntanga, Dibbwi, Dibbwi East, Gwabi and Njame uranium deposits. The resource estimation MRE work was completed by Andre Deiss, Pr.Sci.Nat., P.Geo. an "independent qualified person" as this term is defined in National Instrument 43-101. The effective date of the resource statement is January 31, 2024. The resource drill hole database for the Muntanga Project contains 2 834 drill holes totaling 191 711 m of drilling; 468 of these drill holes were drilled by GoviEx between 2021 and 2023 totaling 52 924 m of drilling. The database contains 33 280 uranium (U3O8) assays and 114 364 m of down-hole radiometric probe data converted in equivalent U3O8 (eU3O8) grade data for mineral resource estimation purposes. Figure 1: Muntanga Deposit Mineralization Domain Model Note: Drill hole collars are color coded by drilling campaign year To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/5017/238182_b3e1451c34626b3f_001full.jpg Figure 2: Dibbwi East Deposit Mineralization Domain Note: Drill hole collars are color coded by drilling campaign year To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/5017/238182_b3e1451c34626b3f_003full.jpg The previous Mineral Resource estimate for the Project was reported by SRK with an effective date of March 31, 2023. A comparison of the current and previous Mineral Resource estimates is provided in Table 1. The difference in resources reported is based on a diamond and RC drilling program completed in 2023 and includes 54 holes drilled at Muntanga totalling 2 870 m, 15 holes at Dibbwi totalling 961 m and 15 329 m drilling in Dibbwi East totalling 143 holes. Table 1: Summary comparison of the current and previous Mineral Resource Measured and Indicated estimate M&I Mineral Resource March 31, 2023 MRE January 31, 2024 MRE Variance % Tonnes Mt 42.6 50.4 +18% U3O8 Grade (ppm) 359 359 0% Contained U3O8 (Mlb) 33.7 40.0 +19% Cut-off Grade (U3O8 ppm) 100 90 -10% Inferred Mineral Resource Tonnes Mt 15.0 12.8 -15% U3O8 Grade (ppm) 330 263 -20% Contained U3O8 (Mlb) 10.9 7.4 -32% Cut-off Grade (U3O8 ppm) 100 90 -10% Block model quantities and grade estimates were reviewed to determine the portions of the Mineral Resource estimates having "reasonable prospects for eventual economic extraction" (RPEEE) from an open pit mine. SRK considers that the blocks located within the conceptual pit envelopes show RPEEE and can be reported as a Mineral Resource. Table 2: Mineral Resource Statement*, Muntanga Project, Zambia, effective date, January 31, 2024. Category U3O8 cut-off (ppm) Deposit Tonnes (Mt) U3O8 Grade (ppm) U3O8 Metal (Mlb) Measured 110 Gwabi 1.1 254 0.6 90 Njame 2.5 358 2.0 Indicated 90 Muntanga 8.6 369 7.0 90 Dibbwi 3.2 253 1.8 90 Dibbwi East 31.3 372 25.7 110 Gwabi 2.7 374 2.2 90 Njame 1.0 306 0.7 TOTAL M&I 50.4 359 40.0 Inferred 90 Muntanga 3.4 278 2.1 90 Dibbwi 1.0 213 0.5 90 Dibbwi East 7.1 252 3.9 110 Gwabi 0.2 272 0.1 90 Njame 1.1 329 0.8 TOTAL INFERRED 12.8 263 7.4 *Notes: The effective date of the mineral resource statement is January 31, 2024. The QP for the estimate is Andre Deiss, Pr.Sci.Nat., P.Geo. Associate Consultant of SRK (Canada). Mineral resources are prepared in accordance with CIM Definition Standards (CIM, 2014) and the CIM Estimation of Mineral Resources and Mineral Reserves Best Practice Guidelines (CIM, 2019). Mineral resources are constrained within an optimized pit shell using a uranium price of US$100/lb, mining costs of US$3.30/t, processing costs of US$9.00/t, additional mining costs of US$0.55/t, G&A costs of US$1.50/t, Transport costs of US$1.50 and a royalty of 5 %. Mineral Resources are reported at a U3O8 ppm cut-off grade within the optimized pit shell and are inclusive of Mineral Reserves. Mineral resources are inclusive of mineralization in the low-grade U3O8 80 ppm halo but reported above the relevant cut-off and classed as Inferred Resources. This mineralization represents approximately 5 % of the total Mineral Resources metal (Mlb). 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 will be converted into mineral reserves in the future. All figures have been rounded to reflect the relative accuracy of the estimate. Open Pit Mining Mining operations for the Project are based on standard truck and shovel open pit mining at a planned steady-state rate of 3.5 Mt per annum of ore feed to the heap leach facility. A total of 39.6 Mt of ore (at an average grade of 320 ppm U3O8) and 144.1 Mt of waste will be mined over the 12-year life of mine. The Life of Mine open pit stripping ratio is 3.6:1 tonne: tonne. Both ore and waste mining are planned to be undertaken by eight backhoe excavators with 5 m3 buckets, supported by approximately forty-nine haul trucks with a 45-tonne payload. Ore production will commence with mining at the Muntanga deposit, due to its low stripping ratio at 1.2:1, and then continue simultaneously at Dibbwi East deposit with a 4.2:1 strip ratio. Once mining at Muntanga is completed, Dibbwi East will serve as the sole source of ore feed. Figure 3: Ore Mining Schedule To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/5017/238182_goviexfig3.jpg Mining operating and capital costs have been developed with a high degree of confidence as they are based on current supplier quotes to accurately define owner-based operating costs of USD 2.06 /tonne mined. Mineral Reserves The Mineral Reserves of the Project comprise the Muntanga and Dibbwi East sandstone-hosted uranium deposits. The open pit Mineral Reserve estimate summarized below was derived from regularized block models for each deposit based on appropriate modifying factors that include dilution and mining losses. Table 3: Mineral Reserve estimate Classification Quantity (kt) U3O8 Grade (ppm) U3O8 Contained (Mlb) Contribution [%] Muntanga Pit Proven - - - 0% Probable 8.4 331 6.1 100% Sub-Total 8.4 331 6.1 Dibbwi East Pit Proven - - - 0% Probable 31.2 317 21.9 100% Sub-Total 31.2 317 21.9 Notes: All figures are rounded to reflect the relative accuracy of the estimate and have been used to derive sub-totals, totals and weighted averages. Such estimates inherently involve a degree of rounding and consequently introduce a margin of error. Where these occur, Ukwazi does not consider them to be material. The Concession is wholly owned by and exploration is operated by GoviEx. The standard adopted in respect of the reporting of Mineral Reserves for the Project, following the completion of required technical studies, is in accordance with the NI 43-101 guidelines and the 2014 CIM Definition Standards, and have an effective date of 1 January 2025. The open pit Mineral Reserves were reported using a weighted average cut-off grade of 77 ppm U3O8 for Muntanga and 70ppm U3O8 for Dibbwi East, which was based on a selling price of US$90/lb U3O8, average mining cost of US$1.89/t rock, processing cost of US$2.15/t ore, average recovery of 90.5%, royalty of 5%, G&A of US$0.26/t ore and product port and transport costs of 1.46/lb U3O8. The open pit Mineral Reserves are derived from a regularized block models of 5 m x 5 m x 2.5 m for Muntanga and 10 m x 10 m x 2.5 m for Dibbwi East and include dilution and 5% mining loss. The qualified person for the Mineral Reserve Statement is Jaco Lotheringen, an employee of Ukwazi. He is an "independent qualified person" as defined in National Instrument 43-101 and has completed a project site inspection. Processing The Central Processing Plant (CPP) was designed to handle 3.5 Mt per annum of Run of Mine material sourced from the Muntanga and Dibbwi East mining sites. The flow sheet encompasses primary, secondary, and tertiary crushing stages, aiming for a P80 of 25 mm. The crushed ore will then be agglomerated with concentrated sulfuric acid (98%), before being loaded onto one of the four on-off heap leach pads using a conveyor stacker system. The heap leach pads each hold approximately 25 days of agglomerated ore feed, and will work in a four-stage cycle: Loading of the agglomerated ore Leaching with a weak sulfuric acid and hydrogen peroxide solution to enable the uranium leaching process. As the leach solution becomes enriched with uranium, it drains into the PLS pond Rinsing with water to remove any remaining dissolved uranium and to neutralise the heap Offloading using front end loaders and conveyors to a final spent ore dump. The heap leach will have three separate ponds: PLS pond where extracted uranium is captured Barren pond which holds acid solutions from the process plant where uranium has already been extracted by ion exchange Makeup water and stormwater dam. The PLS is transferred from the PLS ponds to the PLS clarifier using pumps. The overflow from the clarifier is directed to the continuous ion exchange (NIMCIX) adsorption columns. Resin is introduced at the top of the NIMCIX column, while the PLS feed enters from the bottom and flows upward, and uranium loads onto the resin in a counter-current process. Periodically, the loaded resin (containing adsorbed uranium) is removed from the base of the NIMCIX adsorption column. The loaded resin is added into the elution columns where sulfuric acid (eluent) is fed into the base of the elution columns. Similar to the absorption columns, a counter current flow of resin and eluate occurs within the elution column. The resin is stripped of uranium, while the eluate becomes pregnant with uranium. The eluate from the IX Elution circuit undergoes nanofiltration with the objective to recover sulfuric acid from the eluate whilst concentrating the uranium in the stream. This concentration aims to produce a liquor with reduced treatment costs for uranium precipitation. This precipitate is then dewatered, calcined and packed into drums as U3O8 or yellowcake. The processing plant is to be capable of producing on average 2.2 Mlbs per annum of saleable U3O8 during steady-state operation. A summary of key parameters is provided in Table 4 below. Table 4 - Key Processing Parameters Parameter Unit Value Ore feed source Muntanga and Dibbwi East pits Mtpa 3.5 Uranium recovery (overall) Dibbwi East oxide % 91 Dibbwi East reduced % 90 Muntanga % 93 Total Leach Sulfuric Acid consumption Dibbwi East oxide kg/t 6.5 Dibbwi East primary kg/t 21.0 Muntanga kg/t 5.0 Infrastructure The Project is located in the southeastern region of Zambia, within the Siavonga and Chirundu Districts, near the town of Chirundu, to the east, and close to the Zimbabwe border. Access to the Project is straightforward, with the site connected by sealed roads to the main road running between Chirundu and Lusaka as well as the sealed road to Siavonga. From Siavonga, access continues via a sealed road leading to Munyumbwe in Gwembe District. The roads are generally in a good condition, ensuring reliable transportation routes. The nearest commercial airport is in Lusaka, located 144 km by road from Chirundu. Additionally, the town of Livingstone, situated 560 km west of Muntanga via sealed road, provides a critical gateway to Namibia and the export port of Walvis Bay. The Muntanga Project is expected to be connected to the Zambian National Grid via a new 39 km dedicated connection to the Siavonga 330/132/33 kV substation, which is adjacent to the Kariba Dam. The total average nominal required power capacity for the Project is estimated to be at 7 MW. The potential to install a solar PV power plant and support from a BESS (battery energy storage system) (to manage solar-grid integration) at the Project is under consideration however, this is currently not in the FS base-case. The solar PV power plant remains an option which, if executed, has potential to reduce the average electricity tariff by up to 20 % at current grid and technology pricing. Water Supply Surface water resources close to the Project are limited, as most streams and rivers are ephemeral, such as the Lusithu River. The Zambezi River and Lake Kariba were discarded as water supply options due to the distance from the mines and the likely onerous regulatory approval process. The groundwater analysis and water balance have shown that there will be sufficient groundwater on-site from the pit dewatering process to meet the Project's requirements, without the need to bring water in from external sources. In fact, excess water will be generated and will be released to the environment depending on quality. Operating costs A detailed reassessment of the operating costs was based on recent quotations and tenders. Table 5 - Project Unit Operating Costs USD /t Process USD /lb U3O8 Processing 8.37 13.09 Mining 9.55 14.94 G&A 0.42 0.66 Mine Infrastructure 0.19 0.29 Stacking 0.85 1.34 Reclaiming 0.35 0.55 Power rebate (0.13) (0.20) Product transport 0.93 1.46 Closure 0.05 0.07 Total 20.58 32.20 Capital costs The table below shows the proposed capital requirements of the Project's initial development and remaining life of mine sustaining capital costs. The majority of the sustaining costs are related to replacement of the mining fleet during operations. Table 6 - Project Initial and Sustaining Capital (USDm) Initial Capital Sustaining Capital Mining 36.9 93.2 Processing 137.7 Allowed for as part of opex Water management 5.8 G&A 4.1 Power 20.0 Roads 9.7 1.2 Heap Leach Pads/ Spent Ore Dump 24.2 6.3 HL/Spent Ore Dump Stackers 25.6 Mining Infrastructure 14.1 Relocation 3.9 Total 281.9 100.7 A contingency of 10% was allowed for as part of the capital estimate quoted above. The table below provides a sensitivity of the Projects NPV and IRR% at a range of uranium prices and is based on the Mineral Reserves only. Table 7: NPV and IRR sensitivity Mineral Reserve Case Price (USD/lb U3O8) NPV8% IRR% Payback (Years) 80 153 16.5% 4.8 90 243 20.8% 3.8 100 332 24.7% 3.3 110 421 28.5% 2.9 Upside Potential Radiometric Sorting The Company undertook test work with Rados International Technologies ("Rados") to assess the potential for particle sorting using X-ray fluorescence (XRF). The test work demonstrates the waste rejection and significant uranium upgrade potential for Rados XRF and ore sorting technology for the Project. For design purposes, 95 % uranium recovery at 50 mm will result in a mass pull of 70 %. The potential use of Rados is not currently applied in the FS base case. Work completed to a FS level shows its potential applicability at the Project on all of the deposits and especially for the satellite deposits (Njame, Gwabi and Dibbwi), as it would reduce the ore tonnage that would have to be transported to the central processing plant and increase the plant feed grade. Installation and use of this technology will be assessed in the final FEED (front end engineering design). Satellite Deposits The Feasibility Study has focused on the capital development of the Muntanga and Dibbwi East deposits. However, the project also contains the satellite deposits of Dibbwi, Njame and Gwabi. All aspects of their potential were assessed to a FS level of accuracy and will be included in the Project's ESIA. These deposits can be open pit mined. The ore would be upgraded using the radiometric sort and the material trucked to the heap leach situated between the Dibbwi East and Muntanga deposits for processing. The satellite deposits would represent upside potential 4.6 Mt of ore containing 3.4 Mlb of potentially recoverable U3O8. The operating cost of mining and delivery of radiometrically sorted ore to the heap leach is forecast to be USD 22.81 /tonne and USD 30.73 /lb U3O8 recovered. Dibbwi Njame Gwabi Total Ore Tonnes (million) 0.9 2.3 3.4 6.5 Ore grade 220 300 322 300 Waste Tonnes (million) 1.0 11.2 6.2 18.4 Stripping ratio 1.11 4.95 1.83 2.82 Recovery (%) 92.2 93.0 73.1 82.6 Inferred Mineral Resources A total material from the Inferred Mineral Resource classification of 5.4 Mt at a grade of 217 ppm U3O8 and 0.5 Mt at a grade of 283 ppm U3O8 at from Dibbwi East and Muntanga respectively are included in the material classified as waste in the open pit mining schedule and hence receive no associated revenue. The material from the Inferred Mineral Resource classification contains an estimated 2.9 Mlb U3O8. The Company will appoint debt advisors to assess potential financing options for the development of the Project, and parallel to this process will continue with its engagement program with potential off-takers, including North American and European utilities. With strengthening uranium demand and supply struggling to keep pace, the need for advanced, development-ready mining projects has never been greater. Globally 67 new reactors are in build of 1 GWp or larger, with 50 % of these connecting to the grid within next 3 years by 2028. China has plans to quadruple its reactor fleet further intensifying competition for uranium supply. As utilities face possible supply constraints and geopolitical tensions, securing new sources of uranium is becoming more challenging. In this landscape, Muntanga is a near-term uranium project that has excellent potential to supply both Western and Eastern markets. Webinar GoviEx Uranium will host a webinar to discuss the company's developments on Friday, 24 January at 11 hrs EST. To participate, register below: https://events.q4inc.com/attendee/958364867 Qualified Person The scientific and technical information in this release has been reviewed and approved by Jacobus Johannes Lotheringen, B Eng (Mining Engineering), South African Institute of Mining and Metallurgy (SAIMM) - Member (Reg no 701237) and Professional Engineer registered at the Engineering Council of South Africa (ECSA) (Reg no 20030022), employed by Ukwazi Transaction Advisory (Pty) Ltd as a principal mining engineer, who is an independent Qualified Person under the terms of NI 43-101 for uranium deposits. Mr Lotheringen has verified the data disclosed in this news release. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor the Investment Industry Regulatory Organization of Canada accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. About GoviEx Uranium Inc. GoviEx (TSXV: GXU) (OTCQB: GVXXF), is a mineral resource company focused on the exploration and development of uranium properties in Africa. GoviEx's principal objective is to become a significant uranium producer through the continued exploration and development of its mine-permitted Muntanga Project in Zambia. Disclaimers & Cautionary Statements This news release does not contain all the information that may be required to evaluate, and does not constitute a recommendation with respect to, any transaction or matter. Any recipient of this news release should conduct their own independent analysis of the matters referred to herein. Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements This news release may contain forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable securities laws. All information and statements other than statements of current or historical facts contained in this news release are forward-looking information. Forward-Looking statements are subject to various risks and uncertainties concerning the specific factors disclosed here and elsewhere in GoviEx's periodic filings with Canadian securities regulators. When used in this news release, words such as "will", "could", "plan", "estimate", "expect", "intend", "may", "potential", "should," and similar expressions, are forward- looking statements. Information provided in this document is necessarily summarized and may not contain all available material information. Forward-Looking statements include those in relation to, (i) existing uranium projects being unable to fill the supply gap in the market; (ii) the strength of the Project and its ability to deliver good economic results; (iii) the Project being a unique development opportunity; (iv) the potential and magnitude of exploration potential upside of the Project; (v) that FS will advance the Project towards Project financing and development; (vi) the timing of any application(s) for and receipt of Environmental Permits for the Project (vii) the method and timing of any development and mining operations at the Project; (viii) the appointment of debt advisors to assess potential financing options for the development of the Project, (ix) continued engagement program with potential off-takers, including North American and European utilities; and (x) Muntanga emerging as one of the few near-term uranium projects capable of helping to address the uranium supply gap with an excellent potential to supply both Western and Chinese markets. Although the Company believes the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, it can give no assurances that its expectations will be achieved. Such assumptions, which may prove incorrect, include the following: (i) that the current uranium upcycle will continue and expand; (iii) that the integration of nuclear power into power grids world-wide will continue as a clean energy alternative; (iv) Zambia continuing to be a mining-friendly jurisdiction promoting the development of other critical minerals, such as uranium and (v) that the price of uranium will remain sufficiently high and the costs of advancing the Company's mining projects will remain sufficiently low so as to permit GoviEx to implement its business plans in a profitable manner. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from expectations include (i) a regression in the uranium market price; (iii) inability or unwillingness of include or increase nuclear power generation by major markets; (iv) potential delays due to potential new health restrictions; (v) the failure of the Company's projects, for technical, logistical, labour-relations, political or other reasons; (vi) a decrease in the price of uranium below what is necessary to sustain the Company's operations; (vii) an increase in the Company's operating costs above what is necessary to sustain its operations; (viii) accidents, labour disputes, or the materialization of similar risks; (ix) a deterioration in capital market conditions that prevents the Company from raising the funds it requires on a timely basis; (x) political instability in the jurisdictions where the Company operates; (xi) the Company not being able to secure acceptable financing for the Project and (xii) generally, the Company's inability to develop and implement a successful business plan for any reason. In addition, the factors described or referred to in the section entitled "Risk Factors" in the MD&A for the year ended December 31, 2023, as well as the Annual Information Form for the year ended December 31, 2023, of GoviEx, which are available on the SEDAR+ website at www.sedarplus.ca, should be reviewed in conjunction with the information found in this news release. Although GoviEx has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results, performance, or achievements to differ materially from those contained in the forward-looking statements, there can be other factors that cause results, performance, or achievements not to be as anticipated, estimated, or intended. There can be no assurance that such information will prove to be accurate or that management's expectations or estimates of future developments, circumstances, or results will materialize. As a result of these risks and uncertainties, no assurance can be given that any events anticipated by the forward-looking information in this news release will transpire or occur, or, if any of them do so, what benefits that GoviEx will derive therefrom. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements in this news release are made as of the date of this news release, and GoviEx disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise such information, except as required by applicable law. Cautionary Note to United States Persons: The disclosure contained herein does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy securities of GoviEx. Safe Harbor Statement under the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995: Except for the statements of historical fact contained herein, the information presented constitutes "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such forward-looking statements including but not limited to those referenced above collectively as "forward-looking statements" under the "Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Information" involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, the performance or achievements of GoviEx to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. 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. 1 At US$ 90 per pound U3O8 2 Excludes Royalties 3 Centre for Strategic & International Studies (June 4, 2024). To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/238182 SOURCE: GoviEx Uranium Inc. DAVOS, Switzerland, Jan. 23, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Tech Mahindra (NSE: TECHM), a leading global provider of technology consulting and digital solutions to enterprises across industries, has partnered with the Wall Street Journal Intelligence to launch The Tech Adoption Index, a report with critical insights into global technology adoption trends. The report was unveiled at the World Economic Forum in Davos by Dr Anish Shah, Group CEO and MD, Mahindra Group; Mohit Joshi, CEO & Managing Director, Tech Mahindra; Josh Stinchcomb, EVP & Chief Revenue Officer, The Wall Street Journal; and Peeyush Dubey, Chief Marketing Officer, Tech Mahindra. The marquee report draws insights from over 1,000 global C-suite executives and industry leaders across 10 countries in North America, EMEA, and Asia, working at companies generating at least $500 million in annual revenue. Josh Stinchcomb, Chief Revenue Officer, the Wall Street Journal, said, "We found that the most successful companies must balance speed, scale, and ROI with smooth integration. Tech Mahindra's expertise in digital transformation was instrumental in the research process and deepened our exploration of these complex challenges." Key findings from the Tech Adoption Index: 84% of companies believe a diverse technology portfolio is crucial to achieving business success Artificial intelligence (AI), cybersecurity, and cloud computing emerge as the most instrumental technologies driving enterprise growth Businesses see 5G and IoT as key enablers but face challenges in seamless onboarding and integration of emerging technologies The report also provides a unique benchmarking tool hosted on a dedicated Tech Mahindra property within the Wall Street Journal website. This platform will enable organizations to measure the efficacy of their technology portfolios against industry standards, fostering informed decision-making. Peeyush Dubey, Chief Marketing Officer, Tech Mahindra, said, "The Tech Adoption Index highlights that digital maturity isn't just about keeping up with technology-it's also a key indicator of resilience, foresight, and competitive strength. Our partnership with the Wall Street Journal Intelligence underscores our shared vision and commitment to empower enterprises with a clearer understanding of their digital journey, enabling smarter decisions that shape a sustainable future." The Tech Adoption Index is part of Tech Mahindra's ongoing collaboration with The Wall Street Journal to explore key factors for deploying digital infrastructure. The report will be available as a downloadable whitepaper that users can access towards the end of the benchmarking survey hosted on the WSJ and Tech Mahindra's dedicated portal. For more information on how TechM can partner with you to meet your Scale at Speed imperatives, please visit https://www.techmahindra.com Social Media Channels:Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Youtube Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2603686/The_Tech_Adoption_Index.jpg Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2539364/Tech_Mahindra_Logo.jpg View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/tech-mahindra-and-wall-street-journal-intelligence-launch-the-tech-adoption-index-report-at-wef-2025-302358536.html MainStreetChamber Holdings, Inc. (OTC PINK:MSCH) has signed Letters of Intent (LOIs) between January 16 and January 20, 2025, to acquire 11 companies, a major step toward its ambitious goal of acquiring at least 52 companies in 2025. These acquisitions mark a significant milestone in the company's mission to empower small, home-based, and micro-businesses while redefining the entrepreneurial landscape. Larry Kozin, Chairman & CEO of MainStreetChamber Holdings, shared his vision for this groundbreaking effort, stating, "There is a new optimism sweeping the small business community. By banding together, we are not only giving small business owners a fighting chance against blue-chip monopolies, but we are standing strong against the fraud and insider trading practices that have historically undermined the backbone of this country-our small businesses." In partnership with Kathy Ireland, MainStreetChamber Holdings is championing business success while advancing shared philanthropic values. Ms. Ireland, renowned for her global humanitarian efforts, has an exemplary record in initiatives supporting education, health advocacy, and community development. Her leadership in aligning corporate objectives with social responsibility underscores MSCH's commitment to creating meaningful change alongside business growth. The 11 companies identified for acquisition include Aloha Laundry, LLC (previously acquired Dirty Laundry Solutions, LLC, dba kathy ireland Laundry); Final Mile Technologies, LLC, dba kathy ireland Logistics and Movers; Chamber Financial Services, dba ireland PAY Licensing; Relationship Generation, LLC; KozyFurniture, LLC, dba kathy ireland Furniture; Furniture Factory, dba kathy ireland Furniture Factory; Furniture Doctor; Gambling Recovery Centers, LLC; Perfect Dreamer Mattress, LLC; and e-bike Shoppe Licensing. Each company is being fully vetted, and no cash will be exchanged in these transactions. Upon acquisition, all companies will be wholly owned by MSCH, with plans for leadership restructuring to align with the organization's forward-thinking vision. These acquisitions are set to close on April 1, 2025, aligning with the company's plans to begin the second quarter with a strong focus on execution and growth. About MainStreetChamber Holdings, Inc. MainStreetChamber Holdings, Inc. (OTC PINK: MSCH) is a leading global provider of intellectual property and brand licensing solutions. The company develops and markets innovative licensing solutions for organizations of all sizes, from startups to established enterprises. Its diverse portfolio includes Advanced Licensing, kathy ireland Laundry, kathy ireland Furniture Factory, kathy ireland Kids, and the MainStreetChamber of Commerce. Forward-Looking Statements The foregoing information regarding MainStreetChamber Holdings, Inc. (the "Company") may contain "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, each as amended. Forward-looking statements include all statements that do not relate solely to historical or current facts, including without limitation the Company's outlook for growth and market expansion, and which can be identified by the use of words such as "may," "will," "expect," "project," "estimate," "anticipate," "plan," "believe," "potential," "should," "continue" or the negative versions of those words or other comparable words. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future actions or performance. These forward-looking statements are based on information currently available to the Company and its current plans or expectations and are subject to a number of uncertainties and risks that could significantly affect current plans. Risks concerning the Company's business may be described in more detail in the Company's periodic and current reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The Company is under no obligation to, and expressly disclaims any such obligation to, update or alter its forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Company Contact: Larry Kozin, Chairman & CEO MainStreetChamber Holdings, Inc. Tel: (877) 594-7277 info@msch.com Media Contact: Rona Menashe Guttman Associates PR & Marketing Tel: (310) 246-4600 Rona@GuttmanPR.com SOURCE: MainStreetChamber Holdings, Inc. View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire Athena Gold Corporation (CSE:ATHA)(OTCQB:AHNR) ("Athena" or the "Company") is pleased to report initial results from its recently completed fall regional prospecting and sampling program at its 100%-owned Excelsior Springs project in Nevada. In November 2024, Big Rock Exploration was hired to complete a regional prospecting and mapping program over the Excelsior Springs project, which covered the Buster, Lida Belle, and Blue Dick target areas. The intention is to build a regional framework to guide and prioritize future exploration. While full analytical results remain pending, the Company is pleased to report high-grade precious metal values from surface grab samples, including up to 6,630 g/t Ag from the Blue Dick area - a target with no known historical drill records. "Since closing our financing, the team has wasted no time diving deep into Excelsior Springs and ground-truthing the newly acquired Blue Dick claims. The 6,630 g/t Ag sample, which exceeds all known historical silver sample grades at Excelsior, confirms the area's high-grade nature of silver mineralization. Importantly, to our knowledge, this target area has never been drill tested, presenting a major blue-sky opportunity for Athena. We plan to return to this area in short order," stated John Power, President and CEO of Athena Gold. Highlights: The recently completed prospecting program at Excelsior Springs comprised mapping and sampling over the property area and represented Athena's first-time exploring the recently acquired Blue Dick claims (refer to press release dated August 29, 2024). Sample K024547 returned bonanza silver grades of 6,630 g/t Ag , along with 0.4 g/t Au, 2.28% Cu, and 2.42% Pb. Sample K024547 also returned high-grade antimony over the >1% Sb detection limit; further overlimit analytical results remain pending. Historical grab samples from the Blue Dick area, grading up to 2,340 g/t Ag, 7.4 g/t Au, 25.5% Cu, and 6.92% Pb, are indicated in a historical report (R. Milne, 2007, Geology of the BD Claim Block ). The QP has not been able to verify these results, and therefore, these results should not be relied upon. There are no known records of any drilling or geophysical surveys over the Blue Dick claims. Further analytical results remain pending from the fall 2024 prospecting program at Excelsior Springs and will be released once available. Figure 1: Geological map of Blue Dick claims, Excelsior Springs Project, showing recent and historical grab sample results. Figure 2: Sample K024547 collected from a historic rock pile at the Blue Dick area returning 6,630 g/t Ag, 0.4 g/t Au, 2.28% Cu, 2.42% Pb and >1% Sb. QA/QC Analytical work for rock samples was completed by ALS Laboratories in Elko, Nevada. Samples were crushed before a 250-gram split was pulverized to over 85%, passing 75 microns. Rock samples were analyzed for gold by fire assay using a 30-gram charge with an atomic absorption spectroscopy finish. If assay results exceed 10.0 g/t gold, the sample rejects are analyzed by 50-gram fire assay with a gravimetric finish. 0.25-gram splits were collected from the samples and were submitted for four acid digests with inductively coupled plasma mass spectroscopy. If assay results from Cu, Pb, Zn, or Sb were above 1% or Ag above 1500 ppm, samples were submitted for acid digest, inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy. For samples above 1500 ppm Ag, 30-gram splits were analyzed by fire assay with a gravimetric finish. Sampling and analytical procedures are subject to a Quality Assurance and Quality Control program that includes duplicate samples and analytical standards. Qualified Person The technical information in this news release, except as otherwise noted, has been reviewed and approved by Benjamin Kuzmich, P.Geo., a geoscientist and qualified person for the purposes of National Instrument 43-101. About Athena Gold Corporation Athena is engaged in the business of mineral exploration and the acquisition of mineral property assets. Its objective is to locate and develop economic precious and base metal properties of merit and to conduct additional exploration drilling and studies on its projects across North America. Athena's Excelsior Springs Au-Ag project is located in the prolific Walker Lane Trend in Nevada. Excelsior Springs spans 1,675 ha and covers at least three historic mines along the Palmetto Mountain trend, where the Company is following up on a recent shallow oxide gold discovery, with drill results including 5.35 g/t Au over 33.5 m. Meanwhile, the Company's new Laird Lake project is situated in the Red Lake Gold District of Ontario, covering 4,158 ha along more than 10 km of the Balmer-Confederation Assemblage contact, where recent surface sampling results returned up to 373 g/t Au. This underexplored area is road-accessible, located about 10 km west of West Red Lake Gold's Madsen mine and 34 km northwest of Kinross Gold's Great Bear project. For further information about Athena Gold Corporation and our Excelsior Springs Gold project, please visit www.athenagoldcorp.com. On Behalf of the Board of Directors John C. Power President and Chief Executive Officer For further information, please contact: Athena Gold Corporation John C. Power, President and CEO Phone: (707) 291-6198 Email: johnpower@athenagoldcorp.com CHF Capital Markets Cathy Hume, CEO Phone: (416) 868-1079 x 251 Email: cathy@chfir.com Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains forward-looking statements and forward-looking information (collectively, "forward-looking statements") within the meaning of applicable Canadian and U.S. securities laws. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, included herein, including, without limitation, statements regarding future exploration plans, future results from exploration, and the anticipated business plans and timing of future activities of the Company, are forward-looking statements. Although the Company believes that such statements are reasonable, it can give no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct. Forward-looking statements are typically identified by words such as: "believes", "will", "expects", "anticipates", "intends", "estimates", 'plans", "may", "should", 'potential", "scheduled", or variations of such words and phrases and similar expressions, which, by their nature, refer to future events or results that may, could, would, might or will occur or be taken or achieved. In making the forward-looking statements in this press release, the Company has applied several material assumptions, including without limitation, that there will be investor interest in future financings, market fundamentals will result in sustained precious metals demand and prices, the receipt of any necessary permits, licenses and regulatory approvals in connection with the future exploration and development of the Company's projects in a timely manner. The Company cautions investors that any forward-looking statements by the Company are not guarantees of future results or performance, and that actual results may differ materially from those in forward-looking statements as a result of various risk factors as disclosed in the final long form prospectus of the Company dated August 31, 2021. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. The Company undertakes no obligation to update any of the forward-looking statements in this press release or incorporated by reference herein, except as otherwise. SOURCE: Athena Gold Corp. View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire The partnership will strengthen institutional confidence in Northstake's solution with secure, scalable, and compliant infrastructure COPENHAGEN, Denmark, Jan. 23, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Northstake A/S has announced that P2P.org, a leading global staking platform, will join its ETH Validator Marketplace as a staking infrastructure provider. This collaboration will see P2P.org provide enterprise-grade node infrastructure, enhancing institutional confidence in Northstake's staking solution and advancing the broader $2.8 trillion staking market. Clients using Northstake's solution will be able to leverage P2P.org's institutional-grade infrastructure and expertise in operating validators on Ethereum. P2P.org is one of the largest validators on Ethereum surpassing 1 million staked ETH and $7.1 billion in total value locked (TVL) in 2024. Jesper Johansen, CEO and Founder of Northstake said: "The institutional staking landscape demands both innovation and scale. By partnering with P2P.org, we can offer one of the largest ETH validators in the Ethereum ecosystem to our clients. This collaboration represents a significant step forward in our mission to unlock institutional staking and total return ETH products." As one of the world's largest institutional-grade staking providers, P2P.org powers the blockchain economy by providing enterprise-grade node infrastructure and staking operations across more than 40 protocols for 130+ institutional clients. Through this partnership, P2P.org's infrastructure will strengthen Northstake's mission to deliver compliant staking solutions tailored to the needs of institutional clients. Alex Esin, CEO at P2P.org added: "Northstake's ETH Validator Marketplace represents a significant advancement in institutional staking solutions, particularly for regulated financial institutions requiring both liquidity and regulatory compliance. Our partnership will combine P2P.org's enterprise-grade node infrastructure with Northstake's innovative marketplace, setting new standards for institutional staking services." In recent months, Northstake has demonstrated a new staking model allowing asset managers to trade their ETH validators on an industry-leading marketplace, including GSR, Nonco, DV Chain, and Keyrock. Similarly, Northstake's ETH Validator Marketplace enabled 3iQ, the leading Canadian investment fund manager of The Ether Fund and the 3iQ Ether Staking ETF, to stake a higher percentage of its assets. Jesper Johansen, CEO and Founder of Northstake, is available for interviews. About Northstake A/S Northstake A/S is a regulated, EU-based virtual asset service provider offering compliant staking products to institutions. Northstake has demonstrated a new staking model allowing institutional investors to trade Eth validators on a marketplace with industry-leading market markers. Northstake aims to build a tokenized ETH validator marketplace for institutions. Northstake A/S (VASP, FTID: 17520) is regulated under the Danish Financial Supervisory Authority (DFSA). To learn more visit www.northstake.dk About P2P.org P2P.org is a leading platform for secure and non-custodial staking for crypto businesses and intermediaries. With over 90,000 delegators and $8+ billion in total locked value, P2P.org democratizes staking access while championing "Staking-as-a-Business." By making staking effortless and profitable, P2P.org fosters broader participation in securing blockchain networks, which is vital for the sustainability of the crypto ecosystem. View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/p2porg-joins-northstakes-eth-validator-marketplace-as-staking-provider-302357629.html MEXICO CITY (dpa-AFX) - The Defense Department is sending 1500 active-duty soldiers and additional air and intelligence assets to the southern border to augment troops already conducting enforcement operations in the region.This was announced by Acting Secretary of Defense Robert Salesses within hours of President Donald Trump issuing an executive order directing the Pentagon to address the situation at the border, and declaring an emergency.'The president directed me to take all appropriate action to support the activities of the secretary of homeland security in obtaining complete operational control of the southern border of the United States,' Salesses said in a statement.The Pentagon has since established a task force to oversee the expedited implementation of border-related executive orders with U.S. Northern Command heading up the effort with the supported of U.S. Transportation Command, the National Guard Bureau, the military services and the Department of Homeland Security.The 1500 additional active-duty service members will initially be put to work on the placement of physical barriers and other border missions.In addition, the Defense Department will provide airlift support for flights operated by DHS to implement the deportation of more than 5000 illegal immigrants detained by CBP at the border sectors in San Diego and El Paso, Texas.Transcom is providing two C-130 Hercules and two C-17 Globemaster aircraft to assist in the mission, a senior military official told the media.Additionally, UH-72 Lakota military helicopters have begun flying in support of CBP.DOD is coordinating with the State Department to obtain diplomatic visas and provide host-nation notification for those who have been deported.Copyright(c) 2025 RTTNews.com. All Rights ReservedCopyright RTT News/dpa-AFX WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - Authorities are evacuating tens of thousands people from Los Angeles County as fire crews are fighting a new fast-moving wildfire, fueled by winds.Code-named Hughes Fire, the latest threat ignited near Castaic, a suburb in the foothills and mountains of northern Los Angeles County, about 45 miles north-west of the city, on Wednesday morning.Residents in Los Angeles and Ventura counties are under evacuation orders after the raging blaze turned more than 10,000 acres to ashes.The firefighters were able to control just 14 percent of the fire by Wednesday night, the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection said.'We have over 4,000 firefighting personnel assigned to the incident. The situation remains dynamic and the fire remains a difficult fire to contain, although we are getting the upper hand,' Los Angeles County Fire Department Chief Anthony Marrone told reporters.Two major wildfires have already destroyed many neighborhoods in the Los Angeles area earlier this month.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. Edinburgh Worldwide Investment Trust (EWI) is under fire from activist US hedge fund Saba Capital. It is time for EWI's shareholders to make their feelings known following Saba's approach to seven UK investment trusts. Saba proposes to remove EWI's independent board and replace it with two non-independent directors, change the management of the company from Baillie Gifford to Saba and amend EWI's strategy, which may be at an unfavourable stage of the market cycle following a period where small-cap growth stocks have de-rated. EWI's board had already implemented proposals to improve the trust's disappointing near-term performance, which have started to take effect, with a meaningful NAV uplift in recent months and EWI's discount has continued to narrow. This is likely partly due to Saba's increase in beneficial interest; it currently controls c 25% of EWI's share base. If shareholders wish to retain access to a unique fund offering long-term exposure to the potentially world-class growth companies of tomorrow, they need to vote against Saba's proposals. Time is of the essence as EWI's general meeting is scheduled for 11:45am on 14 February 2025. 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. MEXICO CITY (dpa-AFX) - The new U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the State Department will no longer undertake any activities that facilitate or encourage mass migration.'Our diplomatic relations with other countries, particularly in the Western Hemisphere, will prioritize securing America's borders, stopping illegal and destabilizing migration, and negotiating the repatriation of illegal immigrants,' he said in a statement, detailing 'Priorities and Mission of the Second Trump Administration's Department of State.'Rubio said he will 'faithfully execute and observe in both letter and spirit' in his Department President Trump's executive order eliminating 'DEIA' requirements, programs, and offices throughout the government.'Relatedly, we must return to the basics of diplomacy by eliminating our focus on political and cultural causes that are divisive at home and deeply unpopular abroad. This will allow us to conduct a pragmatic foreign policy in cooperation with other nations to advance our core national interests'.Rubio said that the State Department will support and defend Americans' rights to free speech, terminating any programs that lead to censoring the American people.'we must leverage our strengths and do away with climate policies that weaken America,' according to the new State Secretary.While not ignoring threats to U.S. natural environment and supporting sensible environmental protections, the State Department will use diplomacy to help President Trump fulfill his promise for a return to American energy dominance, Rubio said.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. The collaboration will give businesses across Europe seamless access to vehicle data thanks to the Mobilisights data platform. Samsara Inc. (NYSE: IOT), the pioneer of the Connected Operations Cloud, today announced a landmark integration with Mobilisights, the Data as a Service Company of Stellantis, one of the world's largest vehicle manufacturers. The collaboration will provide businesses across Europe with seamless, hardware-free access to vehicle telematics data, enabling smarter fleet management and operational efficiencies. Samsara's Connected Operations platform will integrate directly with Stellantis' built-in telematics hardware, covering Stellantis' brands including Alfa Romeo, Citroen, DS Automobiles, FIAT, Jeep, Opel, Peugeot, and Vauxhall. The integration applies to most vehicles manufactured after 2024, plus select models from 2018-2024, spanning both electric vehicles (EVs) and commercial fleets. Fleet operators will be able to connect Stellantis vehicles to Samsara's platform without the need for additional hardware installation to gain instant access to critical data, such as GPS location, mileage, and fuel levels. With a simple Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) entry, onboarding a new vehicle is quick, seamless, and entirely remote. "By eliminating the need for aftermarket hardware, this integration simplifies vehicle onboarding and ensures tamper-proof telematics access," said Paul George, Director of OEM at Samsara. "We're excited to work with Mobilisights to deliver real-time data insights that empower European businesses to operate more efficiently, safely, and sustainably." As the second largest automotive manufacturer in Europe, Stellantis accounts for approximately 17% of vehicle sales across Europe. Sebastien Fraysse, VP EMEA Sales at Mobilisights said: "By combining Samsara's expertise in connected operations with data harmonisation powered by Mobilisights' platform, we're enabling fleet-based businesses across Europe to seamlessly access critical and actionable vehicle data. This collaboration underscores our commitment to delivering innovative, data-driven solutions that drive better outcomes for our customers." This integration marks another milestone in Samsara's mission to simplify fleet management and empower businesses with real-time, data-driven decision-making. This comes as Samsara continues to expand its network of OEM integrations, which already includes a large number of others globally. For more information, visit here. More information, visit https://www.mobilisights.com or follow: https://www.linkedin.com/company/mobilisights. About Samsara Samsara is the pioneer of the Connected Operations Cloud, which is a platform that enables organisations that depend on physical operations to harness Internet of Things (IoT) data to develop actionable insights and improve their operations. Samsara operates in North America and Europe and serves tens of thousands of customers across a wide range of industries including transportation, wholesale and retail trade, construction, field services, logistics, utilities and energy, government, healthcare and education, manufacturing, and food and beverage. The company's mission is to increase the safety, efficiency, and sustainability of the operations that power the global economy. Samsara is a registered trademark of Samsara Inc. All other brand names, product names or trademarks belong to their respective holders. About Mobilisights Mobilisights is the Stellantis Data as a Service Company with unique access to embedded data telematics from fourteen automotive brands. Mobilisights envisions a 'smarter' world where innovative applications and services leverage connected vehicle datasets, and the insights they provide, to dramatically transform and continually improve everyday lives for consumers and businesses. About Stellantis Stellantis N.V. (NYSE: STLA Euronext Milan: STLAM Euronext Paris: STLAP) is one of the world's leading automotive manufacturers, focused on providing clean, safe and affordable mobility freedom for all. Known for its unique portfolio of iconic and innovative brands, including Abarth, Alfa Romeo, Chrysler, Citroen, Dodge, DS Automobiles, FIAT, Jeep, Lancia, Maserati, Opel, Peugeot, Ram, Vauxhall, Free2move and Leasys. Stellantis is now in the implementation of its bold strategic plan Dare Forward 2030, in order to become a mobility tech company and achieve carbon neutrality by 2038, with a single-digit percentage of residual emissions offset, while creating added value for all stakeholders. For more information: www.stellantis.com View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250123336001/en/ Contacts: Samsara Media Contact Saheena Dhanda Henry Soundy samsara@wildfirepr.com Mobilisights Media Contact Sarah Higgins Amandine Pesque mobilisights@open2europe.com As projected at the start of 2023, Opti Digital, a leading premium advertising monetization platform, has reported a 60% growth for the full year of 2024. AdTech company Opti Digital has just reported 60% growth for the full year 2024. CEO Magali Quentel-Reme commented on the results: "2023 was a pivotal year for Opti Digital, as we began seeing the returns from our investments in research and development. Building on this foundation, our focus in 2024 shifted towards refining our solutions and bolstering our sales efforts to better meet the evolving demands of the market" GLOBAL EXPANSION As part of its ongoing growth strategy, Opti Digital made significant strides in 2024 with the addition of 12 key hires, including Olly Aulakh, appointed Chief Revenue Officer to lead the company's expansion and sales initiatives. In its more mature markets of France and Spain, Opti Digital reinforced its position through new partnerships with prominent media outlets such as Le Point and Chef Simon in France, and major Spanish brands like El Economista, El Nacional, and The Objective. The company also deepened its collaboration with existing clients like Webedia Spain,El Tiempo, Orange, Keleops 2024 also marked a significant milestone in Opti Digital's global reach, as the company ventured into two new markets: the United Kingdom and the United States. In these regions, Opti Digital secured strategic partnerships with key industry players, including 1XL, Sportskeeda, Venatus, Drugs.com, and Gizmodo, among others 2025 PERSPECTIVE In 2025, Opti Digital is targeting double-digit growth by entering new markets across Western Europe while further solidifying its presence in existing ones. To support these objectives, the company will soon launch a new product aimed at streamlining ad operations, enhancing efficiency for publishers, and optimizing programmatic revenue streams. Additionally, Opti Digital plans to bolster its workforce with strategic hires across multiple departments to meet the demands of its growth trajectory. "This year, Opti Digital is determined to establish itself as a key leader in the global AdTech ecosystem. Our strategy will be driven by the launch of new products, enhancements to our existing portfolio. With a highly skilled technical team at the heart of our operations, we are confident in our ability to execute these plans and add value in the industry through our innovative products," said Magali Quentel-Reme, CEO of Opti Digital. Contact Information Maeva Caratis PR & Events Manager at Opti Digital maeva@optidigital.com +1 (646) 551-0848 SOURCE: Opti Digital View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire Team of researchers will help develop industrial technologies of the future Rockwell Automation, Inc. (NYSE: ROK), the world's largest company dedicated to industrial automation and digital transformation, is expanding its Advanced Technology team by opening a new research lab in Prague, Czech Republic. The purpose of the Advanced Technology team is to not only help Rockwell deliver new products and services, but to advance the entire automation industry through robust thought leadership and engagement with the standards and academic community. The Prague team will work to address anticipated customer needs, validate the future of Rockwell products, and identify opportunities and limitations of new technologies. Their research results will be critical inputs to product and service development and will be a significant contributor to Rockwell's intellectual property portfolio. "Our Advanced Technology team is a key part of Rockwell's innovation ecosystem, helping to translate emerging technical concepts and identify potential industrial applications," said Kyle Crum, director, Advanced Technology. The new lab will add research and technology capability to Rockwell's existing facility in Prague. The team will collaborate with local universities to share knowledge, experience, and best practices to create the advanced technologies of tomorrow. "Prague is a great location for research because we already have established relationships in the region and can extend this to universities focused on autonomous intelligent systems," said Crum. "We're looking forward to deepening our relationships in Europe and helping all our customers become more resilient, agile, and sustainable." About Rockwell Automation Rockwell Automation, Inc. (NYSE: ROK), is a global leader in industrial automation and digital transformation. We connect the imaginations of people with the potential of technology to expand what is humanly possible, making the world more productive and more sustainable. Headquartered in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Rockwell Automation employs approximately 27,000 problem solvers dedicated to our customers in more than 100 countries as of fiscal year end 2024. To learn more about how we are bringing the Connected Enterprise to life across industrial enterprises, visit www.rockwellautomation.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250123033024/en/ Contacts: Media contact: Ed Moreland Head of Government Affairs and Corporate Communications +1 571-296-0391 Edward.Moreland@RockwellAutomation.com Investor Relations contact: Aijana Zellner Head of Investor Relations and Market Strategy +1 414-382-8510 azellner@rockwellautomation.com Market-leading clinical software to join the comprehensive Cority Health Cloud TORONTO, Jan. 23, 2025, a pioneer in cloud-native occupational medicine and enterprise medical practice management software solutions. This acquisition strengthens Cority's 40-year commitment to the betterment of workforce well-being, accelerating the development of a comprehensive occupational health offering that improves employee outcomes and creates revenue growth opportunities for occupational health service providers. Founded in 2004, Meddbase was the first cloud-native clinical software solution designed for healthcare providers in the UK. The company has since expanded its offerings to include occupational health, electronic health records, and private healthcare management solutions, serving clients across North America, Europe, and Australia. Meddbase's feature-rich platform brings together clinical management, scheduling, billing, and administrative tools, earning a reputation for flexibility, security, and scalability. "Meddbase has a track record of delivering exceptional value to healthcare providers through its secure and adaptable clinical solutions," said Ryan Magee, Cority CEO. "This acquisition aligns with Cority's mission to empower organizations to care for their people, reduce risks, and improve operational performance. Together, we will set a new standard of excellence in occupational medicine and workforce wellbeing with a comprehensive and scalable software suite." Meeting market demand for smarter occupational health solutions Together, Cority and Meddbase are poised to address the increasing demand for occupational medicine solutions that support hospitals, healthcare systems, and organizations providing occupational health services to employers within their communities. According to the American Hospital Association, nearly half of U.S. hospitals operated at a financial loss between 2019 and 2022, underscoring the need for innovative new streams of revenue for this market. Additionally, as employers seeking to reduce injury and illness rates increasingly seek occupational health services, healthcare providers must adopt tools designed specifically for communicating between provider, patient, and employer while offering personalized services to meet the unique needs of each business. When combined, these two market trends require solutions for driving efficient and quality healthcare for employees as well as streamlined billing management to maximize revenue potential. Key benefits of the acquisition include: Proven Solutions: With over 40 years of history, Cority has long been recognized as a leader in the occupational health market. Meddbase brings its leading-edge clinical solutions and over two decades of specialized experience to build on the company's existing track record. Bringing together the best of these solutions will enhance flexibility, improve efficiency, and enable better care. With over 40 years of history, Cority has long been recognized as a leader in the occupational health market. Meddbase brings its leading-edge clinical solutions and over two decades of specialized experience to build on the company's existing track record. Bringing together the best of these solutions will enhance flexibility, improve efficiency, and enable better care. Broader Market Coverage and Support: Meddbase brings a strong presence in the UK, EMEA, and Australia regions, strengthening Cority's existing footprint. The Meddbase team also augments Cority's support coverage in the areas of occupational health and private practice healthcare expertise extending the reach of the Cority offerings Meddbase brings a strong presence in the UK, EMEA, and Australia regions, strengthening Cority's existing footprint. The Meddbase team also augments Cority's support coverage in the areas of occupational health and private practice healthcare expertise extending the reach of the Cority offerings Accelerated Best-in-Class Product Development: Combining best-in-class technologies and breadth of industry knowledge across the combined team, Cority will be able to build upon its existing solutions to deliver a comprehensive, leading-edge occupational medicine solution to market faster. As part of the acquisition, Meddbase's solutions will become part of Cority's Health Cloud, a comprehensive suite of healthcare management solutions including industry-leading offerings for occupational health and industrial hygiene. All of Cority's solutions - both built and acquired - eventually are integrated and connected through CorityOne, the company's expanding EHS and sustainability ecosystem, providing a single place for better insights, collaboration, and decisions across an organization. Following Cority's proven integration framework, an updated product roadmap for the combined healthcare solutions will be developed over the next 90 days, focused on maximizing the value to customers. This will also guide the seamless unification of teams, technology, and brands. "Meddbase's mission to put people at the center of healthcare aligns perfectly with Cority's vision," said Will Temple, managing director and co-founder of Meddbase . "We are excited to join forces with Cority to deliver cutting-edge solutions that empower healthcare providers to improve patient outcomes and operational efficiency." About Cority Cority gives every employee from the field to the boardroom the power to make a difference, reducing risks and creating a safer, healthier, and more sustainable world. For over 35 years, Cority's people-first software solutions have been built by EHS and sustainability experts who know the pressures businesses face. Time-tested, scalable, and configurable, CorityOne is the responsible business platform that combines datasets from across the organization to enable improved efficiencies, actionable insights, data-driven decisions, and more accurate reporting on performance. Trusted by over 1,500 organizations worldwide, Cority deeply cares about helping people work toward a better future for everyone. To learn more, visit www.cority.com . About Meddbase Founded in 2004, Meddbase is a leading cloud-native clinical software provider offering secure and configurable solutions for healthcare providers. Serving clients across the UK, North America, Europe, and Australia, Meddbase delivers innovative tools for consultations, billing, reporting, and more to improve operational efficiency and patient care. Media Contact Natalie Rizk RiotMind natalier@theriotmind.agency BRUSSELS/FRANKFURT/PARIS (dpa-AFX) - Belgian consumers continued to express more pessimistic attitudes at the start of the year, the National Bank of Belgium said on Thursday.The consumer sentiment index dropped to -11.0 in November from -9.0 in the previous month.In January, households seem to be much more cautious about the general economic outlook, and they also expect to save less, the survey said.The index measuring the general economic situation of the country worsened to -30 from -24. Meanwhile, the financial situation of households remained negative and stable at a reading of -2.0. The index for savings among households dropped to 18 from 21.The survey also revealed that expectations concerning the job market are unchanged from last month.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. Sendero Resources Corp. (TSXV:SEND) (the "Company" or "Sendero") is pleased to announce the completion of the restructuring initiative, positioning the Company to achieve both immediate and long-term objectives. This initiative has the full backing of a new, high-caliber strategic investing group, reinforcing Sendero's readiness for a successful 2025. Sendero is delighted to welcome the new Foundational Investing Group led by Peter Marrone, Founder, Chairman & CEO of Yamana Gold and Allied Gold. Additional shareholders include Pat DiCapo, founder and CEO of PowerOne Capital Markets, and Eduardo Elsztain, a prominent Argentine Industrialist. The involvement of these and other recognized industry leaders, with their extensive experience in the mineral sector and regional expertise, provides invaluable support and strategic advice to the board and management. Having completed an initial comprehensive review of extensive historical data, the Company is progressing with the development of an updated exploration model. The Company looks forward to an updated geological model and the resulting exploration program aimed at unlocking the full potential of the Penas Negras project. Located in the centre of the emerging Vicuna Copper-Gold Belt with its cluster of recently discovered copper-gold deposits, the Penas Negras' impressive land position is early in its value-creation journey. The project strongly benefits from the region's advanced geological understanding, established infrastructure and the presence of world-class neighbors. "We are delighted to have the full support of our Investing Group, which reinforces our belief in Penas Negras' discovery potential. We are applying every tool in the explorationist's toolbox to accelerate the development cycle for our project." said Alex Gostevskikh Chief Executive Officer of Sendero Resources. About Sendero Resources Corp. The Company is focused on copper-gold exploration at its 100% owned Penas Negras Project in the Vicuna Belt in Argentina. The Penas Negras Project has similar geological characteristics to other deposits in the Vicuna Belt and multiple porphyry and high-sulfidation epithermal targets have been identified on the project. The centre of the Penas Negras concession area is situated approximately 18 km southeast of Caserones mine operated by Lundin Mining, approximately 24 km northeast of NGEx Minerals' Lunahuasi project, and about 32 km north-northeast of BHP-Lundin Mining's Filo del Sol operating mine. The Company, through its wholly owned subsidiary, Barton SAS, holds ten granted mining concessions covering 120 km2 in the province of La Rioja, Argentina. The Company also has an option to earn an 80% interest on eight additional granted mining concessions covering 91.7 km2 adjacent to the eastern boundary of the Penas Negras Project. Further Information For further information, please contact: Sendero Resources Corp, Alex Gostevskikh Chief Executive Officer Email: info@senderoresources.com Cautionary Statement on Forward-Looking Information This press release contains "forward-looking information" and "forward-looking statements" (collectively, "forward-looking statements") within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, are forward-looking statements and are based on expectations, estimates and projections as at the date of this press release. Any statement that involves discussions with respect to predictions, expectations, beliefs, plans, projections, objectives, assumptions, future events or performance (often but not always using phrases such as "expects", or "does not expect", "is expected" "anticipates" or "does not anticipate", "plans", "budget", "scheduled", "forecasts", "estimates", "believes" or intends" or variations of such words and phrases or stating that certain actions, events or results "may" or "could, "would", "might" or "will" be taken to occur or be achieved) are not statements of historical fact and may be forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are necessarily based upon a number of estimates and assumptions that, while considered reasonable, are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors which may cause the actual results and future events to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. 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. Specifically, there is no assurance the Company will be successful in closing the private placement on the terms outlined above, or at all. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements and information contained in this press release. Except as required by law, the Company does not assume any obligation to update the forward-looking statements of beliefs, opinions, projections, or other factors, should they change, except as required by law. Cautionary Statement Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. SOURCE: Sendero Resources View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESS Newswire / January 23, 2025 / Rektron Group Inc. (CSE:REK.U)(FRA:F75) ("Rektron" or the "Company"), a global commodity trading holding company with subsidiaries that specialize in the trading of energy, metals, and energy transition commodities, is pleased to announce it has entered into an investor relations agreement (the "Agreement") with IR Labs Inc., dba Alliance Advisors Investor Relations ("Alliance Advisors IR"), to provide investor relations and communications services to the Company. Alliance Advisors IR will assist Rektron in developing and managing an integrated investor relations program, including media relations, social media strategy, stakeholder communications, ownership intelligence support, and capital markets advisory services. "We are excited to partner with Alliance Advisors IR to strengthen our investor relations strategy and expand our reach within global capital markets," said Atanas Kolarov, Chief Executive Officer of Rektron. "This collaboration will help us enhance transparency, engage more effectively with our stakeholders, and position Rektron for continued growth in the evolving global commodities space." "The Alliance Advisors IR team is looking forward to working with the Rektron team and helping to amplify their global story," said Alliance Advisors IR President Alyssa Barry. "We believe Rektron has a unique story, and we look forward to supporting the Company's long-term vision and business strategy and engaging with their stakeholders and investors." Pursuant to the Agreement, effective January 22, 2025, Alliance Advisors IR has agreed to provide investor relations and communications services to the Company in exchange for a monthly fee of $15,000. The term of the Agreement is for a period of 12 months ending January 15, 2026. Alliance Advisors IR and its management team are at arm's length of the Company. Alliance Advisors IR's contact information is as follows: 400-22 East 5th Ave, Vancouver, BC, V5T 1G8, attention: Alyssa Barry, email abarry@allianceadvisors.com, telephone: 1-833-947-5227. About Rektron Group Inc. The Company is the holding and parent company of Rektron AQ Limited, which is the holding and parent company of DL Hudson Limited. DL Hudson Limited is the trading arm of a group of companies, of which there are several subsidiaries that support the group's global commodity trading operations. The Company is headquartered in Vancouver, BC, while Rektron AQ Limited is headquartered in London, UK. The Company focuses on maintaining an experienced team of management and traders, extensive geographical and product diversification, trading and logistical expertise, and financial and risk management. The team at the Group is composed of energy and metals traders, and finance professionals with expertise from the City of London and Wall Street. The trading expertise includes principal energy and metals products, particularly ferrous and nonferrous metals, Energy Transition Commodities ("ETC"), recycled metals and crude and Euro VI-compliant refined oil products. The Company and its affiliates transact across all compliant markets following the international trade regulations and guidelines. Please visit www.rektrongroup.com for further information. About Alliance Advisors IR With headquarters in the U.S. and Canada, Alliance Advisors Investor Relations implements strategic IR programs to meet the specific needs of clients across diverse sectors. Leveraging industry best practices and modern investor strategies, the firm's seasoned professionals help clients navigate complex markets, drive shareholder engagement, and support their strategic growth on a global scale. Alliance Advisors IR is a division of Alliance Advisors, a global leader in shareholder engagement and governance advisory. For more information, visit www.allianceadvisorsir.com. Forward-Looking Statements This news release contains forward-looking statements and forward-looking information within the meaning of Canadian securities legislation (collectively, "forward-looking statements") that relate to Rektron's current expectations and views of future events. Any statements that express, or involve discussions as to, expectations, beliefs, plans, objectives, assumptions or future events or performance (often, but not always, through the use of words or phrases such as "will likely result", "are expected to", "expects", "will continue", "is anticipated", "anticipates", "believes", "estimated", "intends", "plans", "forecast", "projection", "strategy", "objective" and "outlook") are not historical facts and may be forward-looking statements and may involve estimates, assumptions and uncertainties which could cause actual results or outcomes to differ materially from those expressed in such forward-looking statements. No assurance can be given that these expectations will prove to be correct and such forward-looking statements included in this news release should not be unduly relied upon. These statements speak only as of the date of this news release. Forward-looking statements are based on a number of assumptions and are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond Rektron's control, which could cause actual results and events to differ materially from those that are disclosed in or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, the impact and progression of the COVID-19 pandemic and other factors set forth under "Caution Regarding Forward-Looking Statements" and "Risk Factors" in the Company's Final Prospectus. Rektron undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as may be required by law. New factors emerge from time to time, and it is not possible for Rektron to predict all of them or assess the impact of each such factor or the extent to which any factor, or combination of factors, may cause results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statement. Any forward-looking statements contained in this news release are expressly qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement. No securities regulatory authority has either approved or disapproved of the contents of this news release. The Units, the Common Shares and the Warrants comprising the Units, and the Warrant Shares issuable upon exercise of the Warrants, 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. Accordingly, the Units may not be offered or sold within the United States or to U.S. persons (as defined in Regulation S under the U.S. Securities Act) unless registered under the U.S. Securities Act and applicable state securities laws, or pursuant to exemptions from the registration requirements of the U.S. Securities Act and applicable state securities laws. This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any securities of Rektron in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Martyna Jovaisaite Rektron Group Inc. investorrelations@rektrongroup.com (604) 359-5412 Ira M. Gostin, MBA, APR Alliance Advisors IR igostin@allianceadvisors.com (775) 391-0213 View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESS Newswire / January 23, 2025 / Galloper Gold Corp. (CSE:BOOM)(OTC PINK:GGDCF) (the "Company" or "Galloper") is pleased to announce that it has submitted a detailed proposal to the Newfoundland and Labrador Minister of Industry, Technology and Energy in response to the province's "Request for Proposals for Glover Island Exempt Mineral Land", which the province issued on November 7, 2024. The Exempt Mineral Land ("EML") on Glover Island created on March 11, 2012, covers former Mining Lease 170-A and is surrounded by Galloper's existing exploration licenses on Glover Island. The EML overlaps a southwest-to-northeast trend of known gold mineralization with multiple prospects and consists of 1,925 hectares of surface area along 8.85 kilometres of potential strike length. Historic exploration on the EML advanced to include trenching and drilling resulting in a 43-101 National Instrument compliant gold resource estimate of 58,200 oz indicated and 120,600 oz inferred. The EML consists of 19 mineral prospects and showings, the majority of which are for gold, along with several prospects for base metals copper and zinc. The Company is relying upon historic assessment reports and government publications and has not performed sufficient work to independently verify the details of the historic resource estimate. As per the Newfoundland and Labrador Ministry of Industry, Technology and Energy, the deadline for receipt of proposals is January 22, 2025. The successful proponent will be granted exclusive mineral rights with project commitments incorporated as terms and conditions of an Extended Map Staked Licence including special attention to the provisional protected status of the island. Galloper's CEO, Mr. Hratch Jabrayan, commented: "We are delighted to have submitted to the Minister a robust proposal for the acquisition, exploration and development of the EML on Glover Island. As we continue the process of building a leading junior gold company in Newfoundland with our flagship Glover Island asset, the known and upside potential the EML ground offers is of significant value and importance to the overall development of our Glover Island Project and Galloper Gold as a whole. We look forward to sharing further progress reports with our valued shareholders as details become available." Galloper Appoints New Corporate Secretary Galloper Gold is pleased to announce the appointment of Jan Urata as Corporate Secretary, effective January 1, 2025. Mr. Rav Mlait resigned as Corporate Secretary of the Company on December 31, 2024 to facilitate Ms. Urata's appointment. Jan Urata is the Founder and President of Take It Public Services Inc., a highly motivated legal support service for top tier junior issuers in a variety of industry sectors. Ms. Urata has more than 30 years' experience in the industry providing corporate secretarial services covering regulatory filings, taking corporate entities from initial seed capital stage to publicly listed status and supporting complex transactions. Ms. Urata's career began with years of experience as a legal secretary/paralegal for top Vancouver law firms before establishing Take It Public Services Inc. in 2011. Figure 1 - Glover Island Property Map Acknowledgment - Newfoundland & Labrador Junior Exploration Assistance Program Galloper Gold acknowledges the financial support of the Junior Exploration Assistance Program, Department of Natural Resources, Government of Newfoundland and Labrador. About Galloper Gold Corp. Galloper is focused on mineral exploration in the Central Newfoundland Gold Belt with its flagship Glover Island Property, 24 km southeast of Corner Brook, and its Mint Pond prospect in the Gander area. Galloper recently completed the first diamond drilling program at Glover Island since 2012, completing six holes with results pending. For more information please visit www.GalloperGold.com and the Company's profile on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca. On behalf of the Board of Directors, Mr. Hratch Jabrayan CEO and Director Galloper Gold Corp. Company Contact: info@gallopergold.com Tel: 778-655-9266 Forward-Looking Statements This news release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of applicable securities laws. The use of any of the words "anticipate", "plan", "continue", "expect", "estimate", "objective", "may", "will", "project", "should", "predict", "potential" and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Although the Company believes that the expectations and assumptions on which the forward-looking statements are based are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on the forward-looking statements because the Company cannot give any assurance that they will prove correct. Since forward-looking statements address future events and conditions, they involve inherent assumptions, risks and uncertainties. Actual results could differ materially from those currently anticipated due to a number of assumptions, factors and risks. These assumptions and risks include, but are not limited to, assumptions and risks associated with mineral exploration generally, risks related to capital markets, risks related to the state of financial markets or future metals prices and the other risks described in the Company's publicly filed disclosure. Management has provided the above summary of risks and assumptions related to forward-looking statements in this news release in order to provide readers with a more comprehensive perspective on the Company's future operations. The Company's actual results, performance or achievement could differ materially from those expressed in, or implied by, these forward-looking statements and, accordingly, no assurance can be given that any of the events anticipated by the forward-looking statements will transpire or occur, or if any of them do so, what benefits the Company will derive from them. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this news release, and, other than as required by applicable securities laws, the Company disclaims any intent or obligation to update publicly any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or results or otherwise. Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. SOURCE: Galloper Gold Corp. View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - President Donald Trump has signed an Executive Order re-designating Ansar Allah, commonly known as the Houthis, as a Foreign Terrorist Organization.Trump designated the Iranian-backed militant outfit as a foreign terrorist organization just before leaving office of his first term in January 2021.Within one month of taking office, the Biden administration reversed the Houthis' designation.The Houthi movement is a Zaydi Shia Islamist political and military organization that emerged from Yemen in the 1990s. The group has been a central player in Yemen's civil war, and controls large swathes of the country, including the capital city.The rebel movement has been frequently targeting international shipping in the Red Sea, including U.S. military vessels and oil tankers, since mid-November, 2023, in retaliation for Israeli attacks in Gaza.The Houthis have fired at U.S. Navy warships dozens of times, launched numerous attacks on civilian infrastructure in partner nations, and attacked commercial vessels transiting the Red Sea more than 100 times.The risky situation in the trade route has forced many shipping companies to suspend Red Sea operations, and reroute their vessels around the Cape of Good Hope, adding significant cost and weeks of delay to the delivery of goods.The Executive Order directs the Secretary of State, in consultation with others, to recommend the re-designation of the Houthis within 30 days.Under President Trump, it is now the policy of the United States to cooperate with its regional partners to eliminate the Houthis' capabilities and operations, deprive them of resources, and thereby end their attacks on U.S. personnel and civilians, U.S. partners, and maritime shipping in the Red Sea, the White House said.Following the Houthis' re-designation as an FTO, the Executive Order also directs the Administrator of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and the Secretary of State to jointly review United Nations partners, nongovernmental organizations, and contractors operating in Yemen.Following this review, the President will direct USAID to end its relationship with entities that have made payments to the Houthis, or which have opposed international efforts to counter the Houthis while turning a blind eye towards the Houthis' terrorism and abuses.Copyright(c) 2025 RTTNews.com. All Rights ReservedCopyright RTT News/dpa-AFX New multi-million-dollar agreement to provide LEO satellite connectivity across Nigeria via the OneWeb network. Supporting Nigeria's digital transformation by addressing the connectivity needs of government, enterprise, rural areas, and critical applications. Regulatory News: Eutelsat Group (ISIN: FR0010221234 Euronext Paris London Stock Exchange: ETL), a global leader in satellite communications and Nigerian Communications Satellite Limited (NIGCOMSAT) are proud to announce a groundbreaking multi-year, multi-million-dollar partnership to deliver low Earth orbit (LEO) satellite services in Nigeria. This strategic agreement positions NIGCOMSAT as Nigeria's leading satellite service provider by leveraging the OneWeb LEO network to deliver high-speed, low-latency connectivity. The services will cater to a wide range of sectors, including government, enterprises, and underserved rural areas, supporting essential applications like remote communications, mobile connectivity, and offshore operations. Commenting on the development, Cyril Dujardin, President of the Connectivity Business Unit at Eutelsat Group says, "We are honoured to partner with NIGCOMSAT in this transformative initiative to enhance digital inclusion in Nigeria. LEO satellites are vital for providing fast, reliable connectivity in remote and underserved areas. This collaboration underscores Eutelsat's commitment to driving global digital transformation. We look forward to a long, fruitful relationship with NIGCOMSAT." On her part, NIGCOMSAT's Managing Director/CEO, Jane Nkechi Egerton-Idehen, stated that, "We are delighted to deepen our collaboration with Eutelsat, a globally renowned satellite technology leader. This partnership is a milestone for NIGCOMSAT, enabling us to bridge Nigeria's digital divide through the cutting-edge capabilities of OneWeb LEO satellites. Together, we will deliver scalable, reliable connectivity solutions to foster growth across government services, businesses and communities nationwide." This partnership attests to the strong ties between Nigeria and France in advancing satellite and space technology. By joining forces, Eutelsat and NIGCOMSAT are poised to drive innovation, accelerate digital transformation, and open new opportunities for connectivity across Nigeria and beyond. About NIGCOMSAT Nigerian Communications Satellite (NIGCOMSAT) Limited is Nigeria's premier satellite communications provider, committed to delivering world-class satellite services to empower communities and industries. With its flagship NigComSat-1R satellite, NIGCOMSAT supports critical sectors such as communication, education, health and security. About Eutelsat Group Eutelsat Group is a global leader in satellite communications, delivering connectivity and broadcast services worldwide. The Group was formed through the combination of the Company and OneWeb in 2023, becoming the first fully integrated GEO-LEO satellite operator with a fleet of 35 Geostationary satellites and a Low Earth Orbit (LEO) constellation of more than 600 satellites. The Group addresses the needs of customers in four key verticals of Video, where it distributes more than 6,500 television channels, and the high-growth connectivity markets of Mobile Connectivity, Fixed Connectivity, and Government Services. Eutelsat Group's unique suite of in-orbit assets enables it to deliver integrated solutions to meet the needs of global customers. The Company is headquartered in Paris and the Eutelsat Group employs more than 1,500 people across more than 50 countries. The Group is committed to delivering safe, resilient, and environmentally sustainable connectivity to help bridge the digital divide. The Company is listed on the Euronext Paris Stock Exchange (ticker: ETL) and the London Stock Exchange (ticker: ETL). Find out more at www.eutelsat.com DISCLAIMER The forward-looking statements included herein are for illustrative purposes only and are based on management's views and assumptions as of the date of this document. Such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks. For illustrative purposes only, such risks include but are not limited to: risks related to the health crisis; operational risks related to satellite failures or impaired satellite performance, or failure to roll out the deployment plan as planned and within the expected timeframe; risks related to the trend in the satellite telecommunications market resulting from increased competition or technological changes affecting the market; risks related to the international dimension of the Group's customers and activities; risks related to the adoption of international rules on frequency coordination and financial risks related, inter alia, to the financial guarantee granted to the Intergovernmental Organization's closed pension fund, and foreign exchange risk. Eutelsat Communications expressly disclaims any obligation or undertaking to update or revise any projections, forecasts or estimates contained in this document to reflect any change in events, conditions, assumptions, or circumstances on which any such statements are based, unless so required by applicable law. The information contained in this document is not based on historical fact and should not be construed as a guarantee that the facts or data mentioned will occur. This information is based on data, assumptions and estimates that the Group considers as reasonable. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250123157046/en/ Contacts: Media enquiries Joanna Darlington Tel. +33 674 521 531 jdarlington@eutelsat.com Anita Baltagi Tel. +33 643 930 178 abaltagi@eutelsat.com Katie Dowd Tel. +1 202 271 2209 kdowd@oneweb.net Investors Joanna Darlington Tel. +33 674 521 531 jdarlington@eutelsat.com Hugo Laurens-Berge Tel. +33 670 80 95 58 hlaurensberge@eutelsat.com EQS-News: African Energy Chamber / Key word(s): Miscellaneous Africa's Top 40 Movers and Shakers to Watch in 2025 23.01.2025 / 14:15 CET/CEST The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement. Africa's Top 40 Movers and Shakers to Watch in 2025 The Top 40 Movers and Shakers spotlights key leaders driving transformative change in Africa's energy sector, with a focus on sustainable development, investment mobilization and energy sovereignty The African Energy Chamber (AEC) ( www.EnergyChamber.org ) is proud to announce its highly anticipated list of Africa's Top 40 Movers and Shakers to Watch in 2025. This year's lineup features a dynamic mix of leaders, policymakers, innovators and corporate executives driving transformative change across the continent's oil, gas and energy industries. Download Document: https://apo-opa.co/42q5yKZ The list, an annual benchmark of influence and innovation, celebrates those at the forefront of advancing Africa's energy potential. These individuals are reshaping narratives, overcoming challenges and championing investment and sustainability in their respective domains. Leading this year's list is U.S. President Donald Trump, whose influence on U.S. foreign policy is poised to impact Africa's energy sector. His stance on fossil fuels and support for American companies could reshape the relationship between the U.S. and Africa, fostering strategic opportunities for energy investment and challenging global policies on financing oil and gas projects. Other heads of state on the list include Daniel Francisco Chapo, President of Mozambique, who is tasked with advancing the country's LNG projects, including Coral Norte FLNG, Mozambique LNG and Rovuma LNG, while ensuring Mozambican companies benefit from the energy boom, and John Mahama, President of Ghana, who will work to reshape perceptions, attract investment and position the country for sustainable energy growth through reform and innovation as new oil blocks are opened. South Sudan's Minister of Petroleum, Puot Kang Chol, faces a critical test in revitalizing the country's oil production, navigating sanctions and attracting international investment to restore output and drive economic recovery. In Uganda, Minister of Energy and Mineral Development Ruth Nankabirwa Ssentamu is tasked with steering the $6 billion Tilenga and Kingfisher projects to first oil by 2025 while managing challenges surrounding the East African Crude Oil Pipeline and balancing international scrutiny. Meanwhile, Angola's Minister of Mineral Resources, Petroleum and Gas, Diamantino Azevedo, continues to position the country as a leading oil and gas market through reforms, licensing initiatives, and low-carbon strategies, with his success in managing mature asset declines and executing transformative plans in 2025 under close watch. North Africa's energy landscape also takes center stage on the list. Dr. Khalifa Abdulsadek, Libya's Minister of Oil & Gas, is leading efforts to reinvigorate the country's oil sector through a new licensing round and ambitious $17-$18 billion project pipeline aimed at boosting production to 2 million barrels per day. Similarly, Rachid Hachichi, CEO of Algeria's Sonatrach, is expanding gas production through a partnership with TotalEnergies, renewing exploration agreements with Libya's National Oil Corporation and strengthening energy ties with Europe and Turkey. Together, these efforts underscore North Africa's strategic importance in meeting global energy demands and advancing the region's energy security and market influence. Championing the private sector, Claudio Descalzi, CEO of Eni, is leading efforts to advance the Baleine field offshore Ivory Coast, Congo LNG project in the Republic of Congo and Structures A&E development in Libya, among others, setting a benchmark for low-carbon oil and gas projects. Katrina Fisher, Managing Director of ExxonMobil in Angola, is recognized for driving new exploration, yielding high-profile discoveries and balancing production growth with local empowerment in a competitive sector. Jean-Michel Jacoulot, CEO of Trident Energy, is spearheading key offshore acquisitions in the Republic of Congo, aiming to revitalize mature fields and maximize production. Meg O'Neill, CEO of Woodside Energy, has played a pivotal role in bringing Senegal's Sangomar oil field to its first production phase, with her strategic decisions set to shape Senegal and West Africa's energy future. Other private sector leaders highlighted include Ahonsi Unuigbe of Petralon Energy, who is driving the company's expansion across Africa through strategic acquisitions, including stakes in Nigeria's OML 127 and OML 130. Meanwhile, Nosa Omorodion leads SLB Nigeria's push to leverage its new regional office in Lagos to drive decarbonization and innovation across West Africa, navigating Nigeria's vast energy potential to redefine its role in the continent's energy transition. In Angola, Edson dos Santos of Etu Energias is steering the company toward its 2030 production goals and a pivotal 2026 IPO, which could set a new standard for Angola's private energy firms. At the same time, Philippe Labonne's Africa Global Logistics is enhancing Africa's logistics infrastructure, with key projects in Namibia, Nigeria and Angola. In the financing arena, Benedict Oramah, President of the African Export-Import Bank, is leading the establishment of the Africa Energy Bank, in partnership with APPO, to bridge Africa's energy investment gap and deliver sustainable energy project financing led by African member states. Rene Awambeng, Founder and Managing Partner of Premier Invest, aims to redefine Africa's energy financing landscape in 2025 by structuring high-impact deal rooms and mobilizing transformative investments across energy, infrastructure, and commodities. The AEC's annual list not only highlights leadership, but also reflects the sector's evolving priorities, from fostering local content and addressing financing gaps to balancing environmental and industrial objectives. As Africa's energy market grows more complex, the featured individuals serve as beacons of progress, inspiring confidence among investors, stakeholders and communities alike. "This list represents Africa's brightest minds and boldest leaders. From driving infrastructure projects to creating enabling policies, these figures embody the resilience and innovation required to propel Africa's energy transformation," says NJ Ayuk, Executive Chairman of the AEC. "The accomplishments and strategies of the 40 Movers and Shakers will be critical to addressing industry challenges and harnessing opportunities for the continent's growth. This is not an award. This duty call is more relevant than ever for everyday Africans looking at these leaders. They have numerous responsibilities and obligations we must encourage them to deliver on their various initiatives that will create jobs, develop Africa, ensure our energy security and Make Energy Poverty History" Africa's energy landscape is at a crossroads, with increasing demand for sustainable development, investment mobilization and energy sovereignty. As the continent navigates these challenges, platforms like African Energy Week: Invest in African Energies, taking place in Cape Town on September 29-October 3, provide a critical forum for dialogue, deal-making and collaboration. The conference will bring together many of the 40 Movers and Shakers recognized on this year's list, offering delegates the chance to engage directly with the visionaries shaping Africa's energy future. To view the full list and explore the profiles of this year's leaders, visit: https://apo-opa.co/3WwxCbY Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Energy Chamber. Download Image: https://apo-opa.co/40JC7m1 23.01.2025 CET/CEST Dissemination of a Corporate News, transmitted by EQS News - a service of EQS Group. The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement. The EQS Distribution Services include Regulatory Announcements, Financial/Corporate News and Press Releases. Archive at www.eqs-news.com North Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - January 23, 2025) - Lion One Metals Limited (TSXV: LIO) (OTCQX: LOMLF) ("Lion One" or the "Company") is pleased to report significant new high-grade gold results from 3,866.8 metres of infill and grade control drilling at its 100% owned Tuvatu Alkaline Gold Project in Fiji. The drilling is focused on Zone 5 and includes the Zone's best assay result to-date of 2,749.86 g/t of gold over 0.3 metres (88.42 oz/t of gold over 1.0 feet). All drilling was completed from existing near surface underground workings. The Company intersected high-grade mineralized structures in 24 holes drilled up-dip, down-dip, and south along strike of the UR2 and URW3 lodes where current mining activities are in progress. 17 holes intersected multiple high-grade mineralized structures, all of which are near existing underground workings. Most of the drill holes did not exceed 130 metres in length from underground drill stations. Drill results include multiple bonanza grade assays such as 2,749.86 g/t, 269.5 g/t and 235.2 g/t over narrow widths of 0.3 metres. Due to proximity of drill results to existing workings there is a strong probability that some of these structures can be incorporated into the mine plan in the next six to twelve months. Bonanza grades in Zone 5 at the Tuvatu Alkaline Gold Project are not unexpected. Previously the Company announced high-grade drill results from Zone 5 including 1,986.23 g/t gold over 0.6 metres (see press release dated December 13, 2023), 1,568.55 g/t over 0.3 metres (see press release dated June 5, 2024), and 1,517.79 g/t over 0.3 m (see press release dated December 17, 2024). Lion One Chairman and CEO Walter Berukoff commented: "We're extremely pleased with the new results from our Zone 5 infill and grade control drill program. These significant underground drill results continue to confirm the high-grade nature of the Tuvatu Alkaline gold system and provide strong support for our ongoing mining efforts in Zone 5. We're excited to expand our near-term mine plan in Zone 5 and look forward to mining these areas in 2025. I was particularly interested to see that three of the highest-grade intersections were all identified in hole TGC-265 as separate and distinct structures." Highlights of New Drill Results: 2,749.86 g/t Au over 0.3 metres (TGC 265, from 96.2 m depth) Best assay to-date in Zone 5 162.97 g/t Au over 0.6 m (including 269.5 g/t Au over 0.3 m) (TGC-281, from 75.89 m depth) 53.11 g/t Au over 1.5 m (including 235.2 g/t over 0.3 m) (TGC-282, from 92.6 m depth) 96.5 g/t Au over 0.6 m (TGC-288, from 28.8 m depth) 46.94 g/t Au over 1.2 m (including 86.44 g/t Au over 0.3 m) (TGC-265, from 45.7 m depth) 47.22 g/t Au over 0.9 m (including 62.25 g/t over 0.3 m (TGC-265, from 81.1 m depth) 69.38 g/t Au over 0.6 m (including 126.5 g/t over 0.3 m (TGC-267, from 125 m depth) *Drill intersects are downhole lengths, 3.0 g/t cutoff. See Table 1 in Appendix for additional data. Figure 1. Location of the Zone 5 drilling reported in this news release. Left image: Plan view of Tuvatu showing Zone 5 drillholes in relation to the mineralized lodes at Tuvatu, shown in grey. Yellow dashed square represents the area shown in the right image. Right image: Oblique view of Zone 5 drilling looking approximately east-northeast. Zone 5 drilling is targeting the up-dip and down-dip extensions of the mineralized lodes above and below current underground developments, shown in red. To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/2178/238144_8979ad13d4e4a9c9_001full.jpg Zone 5 Drilling The Zone 5 area of Tuvatu is located along the main decline and includes the principal north-south oriented lodes (UR1 to UR3), the principal northeast-southwest oriented lodes (UR4 to UR8), and several of the western lodes (URW2, URW2A, URW3). These lodes are steeply dipping structures that converge at approximately 500 m depth to form Zone 500, which is the highest-grade part of the deposit and is interpreted to be a major feeder zone at Tuvatu. The system remains open at depth with the deepest high-grade intersections occurring below 1000 m depth. The drilling reported in this news release targeted the near-surface portions of the UR2 and URW3 lodes. Drilling was focused on the up-dip and down-dip areas of the UR2 and URW3 lodes, directly above and below current underground developments. The drilling targeted a 200 m strike length of the UR2 and URW3 lodes. The current total strike length of the UR2 lode is approximately 620 m, while that of the URW3 lode is approximately 330 m. Both lodes remain open along strike and at depth. The Zone 5 grade control drilling reported in this release was conducted from two underground locations: the 1135 drill station and the 1090 drill station. These drillholes are designed to intersect the mineralized lodes in a perpendicular to sub-perpendicular orientation such that the mineralized intervals approximate the true width of the lodes. Grade control drilling is being conducted on a 10 m grid to provide a detailed understanding of the geometry and mineralization of the Zone 5 lodes. The purpose of the current Zone 5 grade control drill program is to enhance the mine model and inform stope design in advance of mining in the target areas. The majority of the high-grade intervals reported in this release are located within 30 m of underground developments and are anticipated to be included in the mine plan in 2025. Highlights of the Zone 5 drilling reported here are shown in Figure 2. Figure 2. Zone 5 infill and grade control drilling with high-grade intersects highlighted, 3.0 g/t gold cutoff. Plan view looking down with north to the left. The primary areas targeted by the Zone 5 drilling are the up-dip and down-dip areas of the UR2 and URW3 lodes above and below current underground developments. These areas are scheduled for near-term mining. Drill holes are oriented perpendicular to sub-perpendicular to the mineralized lodes. To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/2178/238144_8979ad13d4e4a9c9_002full.jpg Competent Persons Statement The information in this report that relates to mineral exploration at the Tuvatu Gold Project is based on information compiled by the Lion One team and reviewed by Melvyn Levrel, who is the company's Senior Geologist. Mr Levrel is a Member of the Australian Institute of Geoscientists and has sufficient experience that is relevant to the style of mineralisation and type of deposit under consideration, and to the activity being undertaken, to qualify as a Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects ("NI 43- 101"). Mr Levrel consents to the inclusion in this report of the matters based on the information in the form and context in which it appears. Lion One Laboratories / QAQC Lion One adheres to rigorous QAQC procedures above and beyond basic regulatory guidelines in conducting its drilling, sampling, testing, and analyses. The Company operates its own geochemical assay laboratory and its own fleet of diamond drill rigs using PQ, HQ and NQ sized drill rods. Diamond drill core samples are logged by Lion One personnel on site. Exploration diamond drill core is split by Lion One personnel on site, with half core samples sent for analysis and the other half core remaining on site. Grade control diamond drill core is whole core assayed. Core samples are delivered to the Lion One Laboratory for preparation and analysis. All samples are pulverized at the Lion One lab to 85% passing through 75 microns and gold analysis is carried out using fire assay with an AA finish. Samples that return grades greater than 10.00 g/t Au are re-analyzed by gravimetric method, which is considered more accurate for very high-grade samples. Duplicates of 5% of samples with grades above 0.5 g/t Au are delivered to ALS Global Laboratories in Australia for check assay determinations using the same methods (Au-AA26 and Au-GRA22 where applicable). ALS also analyses 33 pathfinder elements by HF-HNO3-HClO4 acid digestion, HCl leach and ICP-AES (method ME-ICP61). The Lion One lab can test a range of up to 71 elements through Inductively Coupled Plasma Optical Emission Spectrometry (ICP-OES), but currently focuses on a suite of 26 important pathfinder elements with an aqua regia digest and ICP-OES finish. About Lion One Metals Limited Lion One Metals is an emerging Canadian gold producer headquartered in North Vancouver BC, with new operations established in late 2023 at its 100% owned Tuvatu Alkaline Gold Project in Fiji. The Tuvatu project comprises the high-grade Tuvatu Alkaline Gold Deposit, the Underground Gold Mine, the Pilot Plant, and the Assay Lab. The Company also has an extensive exploration license covering the entire Navilawa Caldera, which is host to multiple mineralized zones and highly prospective exploration targets. On behalf of the Board of Directors, Walter Berukoff, Chairman & CEO Neither the TSX-V nor its Regulation Service Provider accepts responsibility or the adequacy or accuracy of this release This press release may contain statements that may be deemed to be "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, included herein are forward-looking information. Generally, forward-looking information may be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "plans", "expects" or "does not expect", "proposed", "is expected", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "intends", "anticipates" or "does not anticipate", or "believes", or variations of such words and phrases, or by the use of words or phrases which state that certain actions, events or results may, could, would, or might occur or be achieved. This forward-looking information reflects Lion One Metals Limited's current beliefs and is based on information currently available to Lion One Metals Limited and on assumptions Lion One Metals Limited believes are reasonable. These assumptions include, but are not limited to, the actual results of exploration projects being equivalent to or better than estimated results in technical reports, assessment reports, and other geological reports or prior exploration results. Forward-looking information is subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, level of activity, performance, or achievements of Lion One Metals Limited or its subsidiaries to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information. Such risks and other factors may include, but are not limited to: the stage development of Lion One Metals Limited, general business, economic, competitive, political and social uncertainties; the actual results of current research and development or operational activities; competition; uncertainty as to patent applications and intellectual property rights; product liability and lack of insurance; delay or failure to receive board or regulatory approvals; changes in legislation, including environmental legislation, affecting mining, timing and availability of external financing on acceptable terms; not realizing on the potential benefits of technology; conclusions of economic evaluations; and lack of qualified, skilled labor or loss of key individuals. Although Lion One Metals Limited 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. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information. Lion One Metals Limited does not undertake to update any forward-looking information, except in accordance with applicable securities laws. Appendix 1: Full Drill Results and Collar Information Table 1. Collar coordinates for drillholes reported in this release. Coordinates are in Fiji map grid. Hole ID Easting Northing Elevation Azimuth Dip Depth TGC-0265 1876384 3920429 94 87.7 -11.1 116.0 TGC-0267 1876380 3920530 129 109.8 -10.5 131.0 TGC-0268 1876384 3920429 94 96.1 -14.0 10.7 TGC-0269 1876384 3920429 94 96.3 -10.3 110.2 TGC-0271 1876381 3920530 130 114.8 10.5 136.6 TGC-0273 1876384 3920429 94 103.2 -10.9 91.8 TGC-0275 1876384 3920428 94 111.2 -9.9 85.8 TGC-0277 1876384 3920428 94 119.3 -10.5 85.7 TGC-0278 1876381 3920530 131 116.9 20.3 135.0 TGC-0279 1876385 3920425 96 140.4 11.7 90.6 TGC-0281 1876384 3920425 96 154.2 11.6 102.5 TGC-0282 1876381 3920530 131 113.2 14.8 139.2 TGC-0284 1876381 3920530 131 108.5 19.8 135.7 TGC-0286 1876383 3920424 96 165.4 12.4 111.5 TGC-0287 1876381 3920532 131 88.2 14.4 118.0 TGC-0288 1876381 3920531 131 96.7 14.1 115.1 TGC-0289 1876383 3920424 96 175.0 10.5 126.3 TGC-0291 1876381 3920532 131 87.4 20.0 120.7 TGC-0292 1876382 3920425 94 174.2 -10.4 13.7 TGC-0294 1876382 3920425 94 174.8 -12.5 127.7 TGC-0295 1876381 3920531 131 95.2 23.0 180.7 TGC-0296 1876382 3920426 94 175.2 -24.6 152.1 TGC-0297 1876381 3920530 131 102.0 23.1 120.0 TGC-0299 1876382 3920426 94 174.8 -35.5 200.7 TGC-0300 1876381 3920530 130 104.1 13.5 122.1 TGC-0301 1876381 3920531 130 96.2 13.3 121.4 TGC-0302 1876383 3920425 94 160.5 -10.5 112.8 TGC-0303 1876380 3920530 129 120.6 -20.6 160.0 TGC-0304 1876383 3920426 94 155.6 -31.4 122.6 TGC-0306 1876380 3920529 129 126.1 -19.6 160.1 TGC-0307 1876383 3920426 93 154.5 -44.9 154.1 TGC-0309 1876384 3920427 93 130.5 -45.1 140.6 TGC-0310 1876380 3920532 128 78.4 -48.0 15.8 Table 2. Composite intervals from drillholes reported in this news release (composite grade >3.0 g/t Au, with <1 m internal dilution at <3.0 g/t Au). Hole ID From (m) To (m) Width (m) Au (g/t) TGC-0265 45.7 46.9 1.2 46.94 including 45.7 46.0 0.3 86.44 and 46.0 46.3 0.3 79.05 and 46.3 46.6 0.3 5.94 and 46.6 46.9 0.3 16.31 55.8 56.1 0.3 9.13 60.3 63.2 3.0 8.08 including 60.3 60.6 0.3 18.23 and 60.6 60.9 0.3 3.94 and 60.9 61.4 0.6 <0.01 and 61.4 61.7 0.3 30.44 and 61.7 62.3 0.6 0.04 and 62.3 62.6 0.3 1.27 and 62.6 63.2 0.6 12.76 75.9 76.2 0.3 10.50 77.1 77.4 0.3 3.05 81.1 82.0 0.9 47.22 including 81.1 81.4 0.3 62.25 and 81.4 81.7 0.3 50.55 and 81.7 82.0 0.3 28.85 96.2 97.4 1.2 690.22 including 96.2 96.5 0.3 2,749.86 and 96.5 97.4 0.9 3.67 TGC-0267 19.5 20.5 1.0 4.92 including 19.5 19.8 0.3 8.94 and 19.8 20.2 0.4 1.60 and 20.2 20.5 0.3 5.34 93.9 94.5 0.6 25.28 including 93.9 94.2 0.3 3.78 and 94.2 94.5 0.3 46.78 114.8 115.1 0.3 3.83 125.0 125.6 0.6 69.38 including 125.0 125.3 0.3 12.25 and 125.3 125.6 0.3 126.50 TGC-0269 47.0 47.8 0.8 9.01 including 47.0 47.5 0.5 11.50 and 47.5 47.8 0.3 4.95 56.4 57.6 1.2 4.84 including 56.4 56.7 0.3 16.00 and 56.7 57.3 0.6 <0.01 and 57.3 57.6 0.3 3.34 59.4 59.7 0.3 13.05 61.3 61.6 0.3 7.57 70.7 72.0 1.3 9.49 including 70.7 71.1 0.4 15.50 and 71.1 71.4 0.3 0.01 and 71.4 71.7 0.3 14.78 and 71.7 72.0 0.3 6.11 106.5 106.8 0.3 43.50 TGC-0271 17.4 17.7 0.3 5.32 23.5 23.9 0.4 3.70 53.0 53.9 0.9 3.51 including 53.0 53.3 0.3 6.79 and 53.3 53.6 0.3 0.45 and 53.6 53.9 0.3 3.30 55.1 56.5 1.4 3.51 including 55.1 55.4 0.3 3.28 and 55.4 55.7 0.3 0.40 and 55.7 56.0 0.3 0.26 and 56.0 56.5 0.5 7.46 72.4 73.6 1.2 3.02 102.1 102.4 0.3 14.33 113.9 114.2 0.3 10.22 TGC-0273 47.9 49.1 1.2 7.09 including 47.9 48.2 0.3 15.50 and 48.2 48.5 0.3 3.05 and 48.5 48.8 0.3 4.97 and 48.8 49.1 0.3 4.84 66.0 66.6 0.6 51.87 including 66.0 66.3 0.3 89.24 and 66.3 66.6 0.3 14.50 TGC-0275 62.1 62.4 0.3 6.40 TGC-0277 54.7 55.0 0.3 7.19 58.0 58.3 0.3 15.78 TGC-0278 8.6 8.9 0.3 4.11 21.8 22.1 0.3 24.78 49.7 50.4 0.7 16.45 52.0 52.6 0.6 5.82 54.9 55.2 0.3 7.83 95.6 95.9 0.3 18.69 101.9 102.2 0.3 15.55 103.7 104.2 0.5 5.38 112.2 112.5 0.3 9.65 TGC-0279 61.8 62.4 0.6 52.78 including 61.8 62.1 0.3 47.56 and 62.1 62.4 0.3 57.99 TGC-0281 75.6 76.2 0.6 162.97 including 75.6 75.9 0.3 269.50 and 75.9 76.2 0.3 56.44 91.0 91.3 0.3 3.75 TGC-0282 16.6 16.9 0.3 5.32 21.1 21.4 0.3 3.20 90.4 90.8 0.4 7.22 92.6 94.1 1.5 53.11 including 92.6 92.9 0.3 14.85 and 92.9 93.2 0.3 13.64 and 93.2 93.8 0.6 0.93 and 93.8 94.1 0.3 235.20 98.9 99.2 0.3 11.72 100.6 101.0 0.4 4.51 TGC-0284 19.4 19.7 0.3 4.91 23.3 23.9 0.6 3.30 92.3 92.9 0.6 27.89 TGC-0286 32.6 32.9 0.3 5.13 TGC-0287 82.3 82.6 0.3 13.47 TGC-0288 15.4 15.7 0.3 3.68 28.8 29.4 0.6 96.50 30.8 31.1 0.3 3.95 90.1 90.4 0.3 6.05 TGC-0291 38.5 39.7 1.2 11.82 including 38.5 39.2 0.7 3.93 and 39.2 39.7 0.5 22.86 79.0 79.7 0.7 25.48 TGC-0295 19.9 20.2 0.3 4.21 21.1 21.4 0.3 3.69 24.0 24.6 0.6 4.67 TGC-0296 36.0 36.6 0.6 4.81 TGC-0297 16.8 17.1 0.3 3.06 17.9 18.2 0.3 4.07 26.2 26.8 0.6 20.68 90.9 91.2 0.3 8.63 TGC-0300 18.6 19.0 0.4 3.66 26.1 28.1 2.0 5.99 including 26.1 26.4 0.3 3.65 and 26.4 26.7 0.3 21.92 and 26.7 27.0 0.3 1.81 and 27.0 27.4 0.4 0.17 and 27.4 27.8 0.4 5.66 and 27.8 28.1 0.3 4.75 99.9 100.8 0.9 3.59 TGC-0301 89.0 89.3 0.3 3.72 TGC-0303 22.4 23.0 0.6 12.46 26.4 26.7 0.4 41.33 33.7 35.0 1.2 14.03 including 33.7 34.2 0.5 6.07 and 34.2 34.6 0.4 24.89 and 34.6 35.0 0.4 14.50 72.0 72.7 0.6 30.32 including 72.0 72.4 0.3 10.55 and 72.4 72.7 0.3 51.36 115.0 115.4 0.4 34.29 138.4 138.9 0.5 4.09 TGC-0306 28.7 29.5 0.8 3.85 32.2 32.5 0.4 6.74 41.0 43.2 2.2 6.98 including 41.0 41.4 0.4 3.90 and 41.4 42.0 0.6 7.96 and 42.0 42.6 0.6 5.17 and 42.6 43.2 0.6 9.85 47.9 48.5 0.6 5.83 79.2 79.6 0.4 9.52 86.9 87.2 0.3 4.28 127.4 127.7 0.3 89.48 TGC-0309 96.3 96.6 0.3 8.84 To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/238144 SOURCE: Lion One Metals Limited WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - Leidos (LDOS) announced a follow-on checkpoint sustainment contract to maintain 12,000 units of Transportation Security Equipment deployed at more than 430 airport locations. The contract was awarded for the Transportation Security Administration's Deployment and Security Division. The contract has an eight-year period of performance and a maximum value of $2.6 billion.Leidos will work with original equipment manufacturers to maintain high TSE operational availability and other key operational metrics. The company will provide services including program management, contractor logistics support, and supply chain risk analysis along with TSA service response center oversight and TSA IT infrastructure development and maintenance.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. Acquisition, new hires, and developing its product offering help sustain 40% annual growth* LoopMe, a leading technology company that uses artificial intelligence (AI) to improve brand advertising performance, today announced a number of strategic hires, amid record setting results in 2024. The business continues to scale rapidly, achieving a fully organic gross revenue CAGR of 40% for the period 2018-2024*, and together with Chartboost, LoopMe has now generated more than $2 billion of gross revenue. Enhancing the business through acquisition, LoopMe continues to invest in product development, and recruiting the talent to support its plans has put the company in a strong position as it moves into 2025. LoopMe's recent acquisition of mobile advertising and monetization platform Chartboost rounded off a very successful year. While bringing on board a team of mobile app experts and cutting-edge technology, LoopMe further establishes its presence in the mobile app and gaming ecosystem. Recognizing mobile in-app as a key growth area for brand advertising, the acquisition allows LoopMe to open new opportunities across digital for brands. This combination with Chartboost complements LoopMe's Audience and Measurement platform (AMP) launch last year, which allows advertisers to create custom audiences directly from survey data, scale them via LoopMe's AI capabilities, and apply LoopMe's measurement and optimization tools to track incremental brand lift and conversions for any campaign size. In other product developments, LoopMe has announced that it has had four patents granted in the following areas, with a further nine currently pending: PurchaseLoop Methodology pXY methodology Real-time bidding (bidding methodology) Real-time bidding continuation (extending coverage of bidding methodology) To support its ambitions, LoopMe has recently made a host of key hires. Maggie Mesa was recruited as Senior Vice President, Global Supply to lead business development, client services and operational excellence internationally for its SSP. Arriving from Chartboost, she has brought critical in-app monetization and programmatic advertising experience to drive LoopMe's development in this area. At the same time, Gita Bhatia joined as Senior Director, Head of CPG. Bringing her CPG expertise and experience from Snap and Sam's Club, she will allow LoopMe to take advantage of the rapidly growing retail media space. Meanwhile, Matthew Pagen came on board as Head of Measurement Sales, bringing his 17 years of experience at Nielsen to drive growth for AMP. 2024 has been pivotal for our business, opening up a new chapter in our evolution," said Stephen Upstone, CEO and Founder of LoopMe. "Off the back of seven years of consistent and stable organic growth, we have now taken advantage of a strong M&A opportunity to accelerate the business by tapping into the industry's future growth areas to continue to scale. The new appointments will provide additional senior leadership in priority areas, and we welcome Maggie, Gita and Matthew to the LoopMe team." Notes to Editors A fully organic 40% compound annual growth rate (CAGR) on Gross Revenue for the period FY2018-2024, excluding Chartboost. About LoopMe LoopMe is a technology company that uses artificial intelligence (AI) to improve brand advertising performance and outcomes. LoopMe was the first to apply AI to brand advertising and its Intelligent Marketplace, finding solutions to industry challenges that haven't previously been solved. With consumer insights and AI at its core, LoopMe makes brand advertising better, outperforming industry benchmarks for leading global brands. Our vision is to change advertising for the better, by building technology that will redefine brand advertising. LoopMe was founded in 2012 and is headquartered in the UK, with global offices across New York, Boston, Atlanta, Chicago, Detroit, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Toronto, Singapore, Sydney, Melbourne, Dnipro, Krakow, Beijing, Shanghai and Hong Kong. For more information, please visit www.loopme.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250123416460/en/ Contacts: loopme@teamgingermay.com Under the theme 'The Power to Move', Canon has showcased a comprehensive portfolio of end-to-end digital printing solutions across interior decor, publishing, packaging, and commercial print sectors. Canon's strategic expansion in Saudi Arabia led to a 30% growth and significant investment in local talent development. The Middle East premiere of the 'World Unseen' initiative showcases Canon's commitment to inclusive innovation. RIYADH, Saudi Arabia, Jan. 23, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Under the theme 'The Power to Move', Canon, as the headline sponsor of Gulf Print & Pack (GPP) KSA 2025, recently revealed its most advanced suite of digital printing innovations in Riyadh. At the event, Canon also hosted the Middle East premiere of its groundbreaking 'World Unseen' initiative, marking a significant step forward in both technological advancement and inclusive development. At GPP KSA 2025, which took place from January 14-16, 2025, at the Riyadh Front Exhibition & Conference Center, Canon unveiled a line-up of industry leading products and solutions to address the burgeoning opportunities in Saudi Arabia's commercial and package printing sectors. As a leading global provider of end-to-end, digital production print solutions and services, Canon highlighted its latest enabling technologies in collaboration with partners, presenting real-life customer solutions and inspiring visitors through curated workflows. Shadi Bakhour, B2B Business Unit Director, Canon Middle East, said: "We're delighted to have showcased Canon's innovative solutions at Gulf Print & Pack 2025 in Riyadh, bringing a selection of technologies and support services we highlighted at DRUPA to the Middle East. Through our 'Power to Move' theme, we're proud to have demonstrated how the power of print can evoke emotions, inspire positive change, and drive business growth through its transformative technologies, expertise, and support in Saudi Arabia and across the Middle East." Canon's presentation aligns with Saudi Vision 2030's aspirations for economic diversification and technological leadership while celebrating a milestone achievement in local expertise development through the inaugural graduation of the Canon Printing Consultant Program (CPC). Following the graduation of Canon's first group from the Canon Printing Consultant Program (CPC Program), the consultants can share more in-depth and technical knowledge with businesses across key sectors like commercial printing, publishing, decor, packaging, and corporate in-house printing. This will be instrumental in supporting the Kingdom's evolving print and packaging industry and its digital transformation. Canon's interior decor portfolio presented a unique integration of the Arizona series for precision rigid media applications, the advanced UVgel/Colorado M-series for high-volume roll-to-roll production, and the refined imagePROGRAF series for premium artistic expression. These solutions are orchestrated through the intelligent PRISMA XL Suite software, enabling seamless workflow optimization. The publishing sector showcased Canon's mastery of end-to-end book production, featuring the state-of-the-art VP 6330 TITAN and imagePRESS V1000 for superior color reproduction, complemented by the industrial-strength ColorStream 8000 series for unprecedented productivity. In the packaging domain, Canon demonstrated its strategic advancement into digital solutions through the innovative UVgel Packaging Factory built on the Colorado M-series and Neolt technology and the versatile Arizona 1360 FLXflow. These technologies represent a significant leap forward in addressing the evolving demands for agile, short-run packaging production. The commercial print and promotional communications showcase featured virtual demonstrations of Canon's flagship systems, the ProStream 2000 and VarioPRINT iX3200, alongside the versatile imagePRESS 1350. These solutions exemplify Canon's expertise in delivering personalized communications that resonate across multiple channels. The regional debut of Canon's 'World Unseen' initiative at GPP KSA 2025 represented a revolutionary approach to experiencing imagery. Developed through strategic collaboration with the Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB), this immersive exhibition transcends traditional visual boundaries, offering people with sight loss a multi-sensory journey that reimagines how we connect with images. This initiative demonstrates Canon's commitment to making visual experiences accessible to all while showcasing the profound emotional impact of innovative printing technologies. Since establishing its direct presence in Saudi Arabia in 2018, Canon has achieved remarkable growth, maintaining a consistent 30% annual growth rate and surpassing its workforce development target of 300 employees by 2023. The company's commitment to the Kingdom is further demonstrated by its substantial investment exceeding 50 million dollars, which has facilitated the establishment of strategic facilities in Jeddah, Khobar, and Riyadh, including the region's premier customer experience center. For more information about Canon's innovative solutions and services, visit www.canon-me.com. About Canon Middle East Canon Middle East, a subsidiary of Canon Europe, is the operational headquarters for Canon in the Middle East based in Dubai, UAE.? Founded in 1937, the desire to continuously innovate has kept Canon at the forefront of imaging excellence throughout its 80-year history with its commitments to invest in the right areas and capture growth opportunities. From cameras to commercial printers, and business consultancy to healthcare technologies, Canon enriches lives and businesses through imaging innovation.? Canon's corporate philosophy is Kyosei - 'living and working together for the common good'. In EMEA, Canon Europe pursues sustainable business growth, focusing on reducing its environmental impact and supporting customers to reduce theirs using Canon's products, solutions and services. Canon invests heavily in R&D, delivering the richest and most innovative products and services to satisfy customers' creative needs. From amateur photographers to professional print companies, Canon enables each customer to realise their own passion for image. Further information about Canon Middle East is available at www.canon-me.com Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2604798/Canon_Middle_East.jpg Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2267778/5131462/Canon_Logo.jpg View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/canon-unveils-next-generation-printing-solutions-and-pioneering-inclusive-initiative-at-gulf-print--pack-ksa-2025-302358699.html Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - January 23, 2025) - Hank Payments Corp. (TSXV: HANK) ("Hank" or the "Company"), an emerging North American leader in the Banking-as-a-Service (BaaS) market with a platform that modernizes budgets and payments for enterprises and consumers wishes to provide additional information in respect of its previously announced acquisition of 100% of the shares of FUTR Inc. (the "Target"), a private technology company on August 20 and 29, 2024 (the "Acquisition"). The parties have now settled the definitive purchase agreement and are prepared to close on or about January 29, 2025. The Target will allow Hank to consume and store key customer data in a SOC 2 compliant and encrypted platform. This automates key compliance and KYC work for Hank while also providing value added digital vaults to the consumers to store critical personal documents such as loans, leases, insurance and other relevant documents relating to the consumer's financial journey. The Company is developing additional plans and applications for the platform and will provide further updates as warranted. The principal terms of the Acquisition remain the same as previously disclosed, with the following additional information being provided: as consideration for the purchase of all of the outstanding shares of the Target, it is expected that Hank will issue 172,949,626 common shares of Hank, which equates to a total equity value for the Target of approximately Cdn$8.6 million at a per share value of $0.05 per share; no one new shareholder or related entity will own directly or indirectly greater than 10% of Hank post completion of the Acquisition; Hank will assume the Target's liability of (i) $1M owed to its parent, which will be repaid beginning on August 1, 2025 in the amount of $16,667 per month until repaid, without accruing any interest and (ii) Cdn$130,000 promissory note owed to its parent coming due on July 2 nd , 2026 and accruing interest at 18% a year; the Target will also have Cdn$260,000 in cash that will be assumed by Hank as part of the Acquisition Clarus Securities Inc., acted as advisor in connection of the Acquisition and will be paid an advisory fee of $216,250, which will be settled by way of issuance of 4,325,000 common shares of Hank on closing at a per share value of $0.05 per share; and all shares issued pursuant to the Acquisition are subject to a contractual lock-up and leak-out agreement whereby the shares will be released as to 1/3 on July 1, 2025, January 1, 2026 and July 1, 2026. The first 1/3 can be released earlier then July 1, 2025 if the common shares of Hank trade on the TSX Venture Exchange (or other recognized stock exchange) for 10 consecutive trading days at a volume weighted average price of $0.10 per share or greater, subject to the Board of Directors concluding in their sole discretion, such release will not materially impact the then stock price and trading activity beyond what would be expected given such a release from escrow. Immediately prior to completion of the Acquisition, Hank will issue an aggregate of 14,898,420 common shares to the arm's length holders of convertible debentures that were issued on November 2, 2024 in the amount of $744,921 (the "Debentures"), which will automatically convert pursuant to their terms at a price of $0.05 per share. The Company will also repay the interest owing on the Debentures in cash upon conversion. The Company also intends to complete a non-brokered private placement (the "Placement") offering of 11,666,667 common shares ("Shares") at a price of $0.03 per Share for the aggregate principal amount of $350,000. The Company expects to close the Placement prior to completion of the Acquisition. It is expected that the proceeds of the Placement will be used for debt repayment and working capital purposes. Shares issued pursuant to the Placement will be subject to a statutory four-month and one day hold period from the date of closing. The Company is also pleased to announce agreements with certain creditors for the settlement of amounts owing in the aggregate amount of $461,675 in exchange for the issuance of an aggregate of 13,764,163 shares (the "Debt Settlements"). The Debt Settlements are also expected to close prior to completion of the Acquisition. The Debt Settlements include shares issued for $195,745 (6,591,508 shares) and $143,345 (4,760,895 shares) of principal and interest owed to arm-length and related parties respectively. Further fees owed to former directors of the Company and arms-length parties of $85,588 (1,711,760 shares) and $35,000 (700,000 shares) are included in the Debt Settlements. The Debt Settlements include the settlement of an aggregate of $143,342 with three of the Company's management and board members (the "Related Creditors") in exchange for the issuance of an aggregate of 4,760,895 Debt Shares. The issuance of the Debt Shares to the Related Creditors constitutes a "related party transaction" as this term is defined in Multilateral Instrument 61-101: Protection of Minority Securityholders in Special Transactions ("MI 61-101"). The independent directors of the Company, acting in good faith, determined that the fair market value of the Debt Shares being issued pursuant to the shares for debt transaction and the consideration being paid is reasonable. The Company intends to rely on the exemptions from the valuation and minority shareholder approval requirements of MI 61-101 contained in sections 5.5(a) and (b) and 5.7(1)(a) of MI 61-101 as neither the fair market value of the Debt Shares nor the debt exceeds 25% of the Company's market capitalization. All securities issued pursuant to the Debt Settlements are subject to a four-month and one day hold period from the date of closing. The securities offered pursuant to the Placement and the Debt Settlements have not been, nor will they be, registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and may not be offered or sold in the United States or to, or for the account or benefit of, U.S. persons absent registration or an applicable exemption from the registration requirements. 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 Hank Payments Corp. Hank Payments Corp (the Company or "Hank") is a North American leader in consumer Fintech Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) and Banking-as-a-Service (BaaS) platforms that manages consumer cash flow and budgets on an automated basis using proprietary algorithms that collect, store and disburse cash as required to discharge obligations in a timely fashion. The Hank stack provides for several vertical market applications of the technology, with features specific to channels and enterprise accounts ("Partners") that allow those partners to operate new lines of business and revenue streams, using Hank. The Partners benefit from new revenue streams and powerful insights that open up additional opportunities for Partners to grow assets using Hank. The Company operates exclusively across the USA, with certain leadership and technology functions in Toronto. Hank houses the complex technology, banking, treasury, customer service, sales and operations teams that acquire and service consumers. Hank currently charges upfront enrolment/setup fees and recurring monthly fees based on the types and quantity of payments that Hank Payments administers for the consumer (the "Users"). The Company acquires Users through various channels including (i) small to medium sized enterprises (the "SME Partners") and (ii) large enterprise businesses (the "Enterprise Partners"). The Company's BaaS model is emerging which is expected to add additional fees including software licensing and usage fees. For more information visit our website at www.hankpayments.com . Forward-Looking Statements This news release may contain forward-looking statements (within the meaning of applicable securities laws) which reflect the Company's current expectations regarding future events. Forward-looking statements are identified by words such as "believe", "anticipate", "project", "expect", "intend", "plan", "will", "may", "estimate" and other similar expressions. These statements are based on the Company's expectations, estimates, forecasts, and projections and include, without limitation, statements regarding the future success of the Company's business. Financial performance figures in Canadian Dollars unless otherwise indicated by "U" representing United States Dollars. The forward-looking statements in this news release are based on certain assumptions. The forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve risks and uncertainties that are difficult to control or predict. A number of factors could cause actual results to differ materially from the results discussed in the forward-looking statements. Readers, therefore, should not place undue reliance on any such forward-looking statements. Further, these forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this news release and, except as expressly required by applicable law, the Company assumes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/238199 SOURCE: Hank Payments Corp. New York, New York--(Newsfile Corp. - January 23, 2025) - A recent survey analyzed by Pronto Translations-a leading provider of professional translation and localization services-has revealed that over 80% of consumers worldwide can distinguish between human translations and those produced by automated translation tools. This finding underscores the critical importance of human expertise in delivering accurate and culturally sensitive translations. Pronto translations logo To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/11273/238197_afb586e1445ebb87_001full.jpg Key Findings: High Recognition of Translation Quality: The survey indicates that 80.3% of respondents across various countries can identify differences between human and machine translations. Notably, 24.8% "definitely" and 55.4% "most likely" can tell the difference, while only 3.4% responded that they could "absolutely not" distinguish between the two. Regional Variations: Consumers in the Netherlands (88%), Australia (85%), and Japan (84%) were most likely to recognize machine-generated translations. In the Netherlands, 42% of respondents "definitely" could tell the difference between the types of translation. Implications for Businesses: As businesses increasingly expand their global reach, the demand for accurate and culturally appropriate translations has grown. While automated translation tools offer speed and cost-effectiveness, they often lack the nuance and cultural understanding that human translators provide. This survey highlights the necessity for businesses to invest in professional translation services to maintain consumer trust and engagement. Consumer Trust in AI-Generated Content: The survey also aligns with broader consumer sentiments regarding AI-generated content. A 2024 global survey found that only 26% of consumers trust brands to use artificial intelligence responsibly. Additionally, 71% of consumers express concerns about trusting AI-generated content, emphasizing the need for transparency and authenticity in digital communications. Pronto Translations' Commitment: Pronto Translations remains dedicated to providing high-quality, human-driven translation and localization services. Pronto Translations' team of certified translators ensures that all content is accurately translated and culturally relevant, fostering trust and engagement with diverse audiences worldwide. About Pronto Translations: Pronto Translations is a leading provider of professional translation and localization services, offering solutions tailored to the needs of businesses operating globally. With a network of certified translators and a commitment to quality, Pronto Translations delivers accurate and culturally sensitive translations across various industries. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/238197 SOURCE: Pronto Translations The Middle East Solar Industry Association (MESIA) honored several of the region's most significant contributors at the 2025 edition of its annual MESIA Solar Awards. Solarabic, ACWA Power, Yellow Door Energy and Meteocontrol were among the awardees. More than 250 people gathered to see ACWA Power, Yellow Door Energy and more win industry recognition at the 13th edition of the MESIA Solar Awards. The ceremony took place in Abu Dhabi on Jan. 15, 2025, during Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week and the World Future Energy Summit. Riyadh-headquartered utility ACWA Power won "Utility Scale Solar Project ... 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. 16-year organization veteran brings extensive non-profit leadership and programmatic expertise Whole Foods Market Foundation, a 501(c)3 non-profit organization dedicated to nourishing people and the planet by helping to advance healthy food access, nutrition and economic opportunities, announced today that it has appointed Daniel Zoltani to Executive Director. Zoltani previously served as Senior Director of Programs, playing an integral part in the consolidation of Whole Cities, Whole Kids and Whole Planet under the umbrella of Whole Foods Market Foundation and driving programmatic strategy. Zoltani has served as a Foundation Team Member and leader for over 16 years. As Whole Planet's Interim Executive Director and Global Programs Director, he supported the project's international portfolio and was responsible for developing programmatic strategy, expansion and overseeing partner operations in more than 80 countries. "Whole Foods Market Foundation was built on the strong roots of Whole Cities, Whole Kids and Whole Planet to help foster deep, lasting change in the U.S. and around the world," said Daniel Zoltani, Executive Director of Whole Foods Market Foundation."I'm excited to harness this momentum as we expand our reach and impact, providing access to essential resources that improve nutrition and create opportunities for financial stability worldwide." In his new role, Zoltani is committed to honoring the rich legacy and missions of Whole Cities, Whole Kids and Whole Planet, while reimagining the project's unified potential. Consolidating efforts under one Foundation creates a unique opportunity to amplify the impact and create deeper, more comprehensive programs. In 2024, the projects invested $14 million in 39 countries around the world providing essential resources to help build healthy and prosperous communities for the long term. Prior to joining the Whole Planet team in Austin, Zoltani worked in microfinance at the field level for Grameen Trust, where he supported the planning and implementation of the Grameen Build-Operate-Manage microfinance institutions in Guatemala, Mexico and Colombia. He also spent 5 years based in Chiang Mai, Thailand expanding Whole Planet's Asia/Pacific portfolio. He holds degrees in Economics and International Affairs from the University of Colorado, Boulder. For more information, visit wholefoodsmarketfoundation.org #### About Whole Foods Market Foundation Whole Foods Market Foundation works to nourish people and the planet by helping to advance economic opportunities, nutrition and food access in local and global communities. The registered 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, based in Austin, Texas, encompasses the projects of Whole Cities, Whole Kids and Whole Planet. For more information on the Foundation's work, visit wholefoodsmarketfoundation.org. For ongoing news and updates, follow Whole Foods Market Foundation on Facebook, Instagram, X (formerly Twitter) or LinkedIn. ### Media Contact: Nikki Newman-Sobhani Nikki.Newman@wholefoods.com View additional multimedia and more ESG storytelling from Whole Foods Market Foundation on 3blmedia.com. Contact Info: Spokesperson: Whole Foods Market Foundation Website: https://www.3blmedia.com/profiles/whole-foods-market-foundation Email: info@3blmedia.com SOURCE: Whole Foods Market Foundation View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire BRUSSELS/FRANKFURT/PARIS (dpa-AFX) - The European Consumer Organisation or BEUC, a consumer advocacy group, has urged The European Union authorities to intervene against Meta Platforms. BEUC argues that Meta's revised pay-or-consent policy breaches EU law.In a statement, BEUC said the new version of Meta's pay-or-consent policy fails to address the fundamental concerns raised by consumer groups regarding the tech giant's initial approach. BEUC also noted that the new policy may be infringing consumer and data protection regulations, as well as the Digital Markets Act.Meta's original fee-based service was unveiled in November 2023. It required Facebook and Instagram users to either consent to the processing of their personal data for advertising purposes by the company or pay a fee in order not to be shown advertisements based on their personal data.Meanwhile, the initial version caused an uproar from consumer and other civil society groups.BEUC and 19 of its members then filed complaints with their consumer protection authorities alleging that Meta was engaging in unfair commercial practices. In February 2024, BEUC and eight of its members filed complaints that the consent Meta was obtaining from its users was likely illegal.These complaints triggered the opening of investigations by European authorities. In July 2024, the European Commission found that Meta's pay-or-consent policy does not comply with the Digital Markets Act. Further, consumer protection authorities raised concerns, suspecting of breaching EU consumer law.At the end of 2024, Meta rolled out a second version of its pay-or-consent policy. However, BEUC and its members now consider Meta's newest pay-or-consent policy breaches EU law on numerous counts.According to consumer groups, the tech major is using misleading practices and unclear terms, and confusing interface design to steer users towards Meta's preferred option. The firm is also not giving to users the possibility to consent fully freely to their data being processed, while the tech giant does not minimise the data it collects from users; and Meta degrades the service to users who do not consent to the use of their personal data.Agustin Reyna, Director General of the European Consumer Organisation (BEUC), said, 'European consumers should not be fooled by the cosmetic changes Meta applies to its one-year-old pay-or consent policy. In our view, the tech giant fails to address the fundamental issue that Facebook and Instagram users are not being presented with a fair choice and is making a weak bid to argue it is complying with EU law while still pushing users towards its behavioural ads system. It is important for consumer and data protection authorities and the European Commission to quickly investigate Meta's latest policy and, if needed, take immediate and effective measures to protect consumers.'Copyright(c) 2025 RTTNews.com. All Rights ReservedCopyright RTT News/dpa-AFX WOLFSBURG (dpa-AFX) - Volkswagen AG (VWAGY.PK) anticipates a potential financial impact of 1.5 billion euros, equivalent to $1.6 billion, in the current year as it might not meet the European Union car emission standards, according to several media reports.Rolf Woller, Volkswagen's head of investor relations, told analysts that the anticipated costs include potential penalties for exceeding the EU's new standards.The automaker also plans to sell more electric vehicles than combustion engine vehicles to meet the new emission rules, which might impact the earnings, the reports added.Wednesday, Volkswagen closed at $9.98, down 0.05 percent on the OTC Markets.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. Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - January 23, 2025) - Rua Gold Inc. (TSXV: RUA) (OTCQB: NZAUF) (WKN: A40QYC) ("RUA GOLD" or the "Company") is pleased to provide an update following the completion of the first phase of surface exploration on its Glamorgan epithermal gold prospect in the Hauraki region on the North Island New Zealand. Highlights: The Company tripled its land package that is directly adjacent to OceanaGold's Wharekirauponga project, which hosts 1.37Moz @ 17.88g/t Au (Ind)1 (Figure 1 & 2). that is directly adjacent to OceanaGold's Wharekirauponga project, which hosts 1.37Moz @ 17.88g/t Au (Ind)1 (Figure 1 & 2). Identified two significant soil anomalies over 4kms in length , trending north, and north-northwest and open to the northeast and northwest. , trending north, and north-northwest and open to the northeast and northwest. Significant gold grades (8-43 ppm Au) were recorded in rock float and in situ rock samples from detailed geological mapping. were recorded in rock float and in situ rock samples from detailed geological mapping. Ultra detailed UAV magnetics highlights strong alteration enveloping the two anomalies and demonstrating a major alteration cell indicative of a significant epithermal system . . CSAMT ground geophysics has commenced as a precursor to targeted diamond drilling. Simon Henderson, COO of RUA GOLD commented: "successful exploration commences with sound geological mapping, detailed geochemistry and geophysical surveys, and the addition of some innovative science and technology to see the opportunity for a major epithermal gold discovery. With the highly prospective geology of Wharekirauponga and Waihi, major gold deposits next door, our exploration team is highlighting the footprint of another potential significant epithermal gold-silver vein system. CSAMT ground resistivity mapping has commenced and will be the final detail needed to feed into the VRIFY AI tool and then rank drill targets on this exciting opportunity." Figure 1: Glamorgan is located adjacent to the high grade Wharekirauponga and Waihi gold deposits. To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/10755/238183_d4b33a1904905941_007full.jpg Figure 2: Location of the Wires Ridge prospect within the Glamorgan permit. To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/10755/238183_d4b33a1904905941_010full.jpg EXPLORATION UPDATE UAV Magnetic Surveying Following the access granted in May 2024, RUA GOLD's exploration commenced with UAV ultra detailed magnetic surveying, completing 590 line-km of flying using a Geometrics MagArrow magnetometer suspended under a DJI M300 drone. Interpretation of the data has assisted in defining key aspects of lithology and alteration of the Whitianga Group rhyolites and Coromandel Group andesites. Major structural features interpreted in the data align with regional mineralization trends. Ultra detailed UAV magnetics flown by the exploration team highlights strong alteration (de-magnetization of the host rocks) enveloping the two anomalies and demonstrating a major alteration cell indicative of the footprint of a major epithermal system (Figure 3). Soil Sampling Soil sampling commenced in July 2024 along 250m spaced crosslines with a sample spacing of 20m. A total of 3,181 samples were collected, dried, sieved in RUA GOLD's Waihi facility, then transported to Reefton and analyzed by pXRF in RUA GOLD's Reefton laboratory. Simultaneously, each sample was analyzed for short-wave near infrared (SWIR) reflectance spectrometry using a TerraSpec 4 Hi-Res mineral analyzer with 6nm resolution to complete a picture of the clay alteration system, enabling identification of the higher levels of the epithermal system. A 50g split of soil was then freighted to ALS Brisbane for low-level precision gold assay. Arsenic anomalism with coincident gold anomalism highlights the two major soil anomalies A and B (Appendix table 1 and Figure 3). Anomaly A trends north-northwest for 4.2km with conjugate gold-arsenic trends in a north-east direction. This anomaly remains open to the northwest. The northeast direction mirrors the orientation of the significant Wharekirauponga gold deposit adjacent to the Glamorgan Project. Anomaly B trends northerly and follows north to northeasterly quartz veins mapped over 4km and is open to the north and south. The southern end of this anomaly coincides with the Wentworth/Auckland historical mine workings. Figure 3: Soil geochemistry & UAV magnetic data highlight two major gold-arsenic anomalies and coincident strong alteration in the Wires Ridge prospect. To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/10755/238183_d4b33a1904905941_011full.jpg Field Mapping Ongoing field mapping has highlighted broad alteration and veining in situ, and areas of quartz-adularia float displaying banded, platy quartz after calcite, as well as brecciated andesite with stockwork veining increasing toward the zones of interest. Both float and in situ rock-chip sampling have returned encouragingly anomalous gold (Appendix table 2), coincident with the zones of high soil geochemistry. Geological mapping and CSAMT ground geophysical surveying will be completed in Q1 2025, allowing interpretation and drill targeting mid-year. ABOUT GLAMORGAN The Glamorgan Project lies within the Hauraki Goldfield, a major epithermal gold district, with over 50 historic mines and one operating mine (Waihi). The Waihi mine has produced over 10Moz of gold, with disclosed resources of 2.54Moz gold and 9.3Moz silver, and reserves of 0.48Moz gold and 1.5Moz silver remaining (estimated as at December 31, 2023 - see OceanaGold press release dated February 21, 2024 for more details). Adjacent to the Glamorgan Project lies OceanaGold's Wharekirauponga deposit, with an initial reserve of 1.2Moz gold announced in December 2024. Early phase design and construction is expected to begin in 2025, with the first ore expected to be produced in 20321. RUA GOLD's Chief Operating Officer, Simon Henderson previously spent 14 years delineating the resource at OceanaGold's Waihi operation and then went on to joint-venture both the Glamorgan Project and Wharekirauponga Project under Glass Earth Minerals Inc., leading the exploration team to the Wharekirauponga discovery. Figure 4: UAV magnetic data over the Wires Ridge Prospect within the Glamorgan permit. To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/10755/238183_d4b33a1904905941_012full.jpg ABOUT RUA GOLD RUA GOLD is an exploration company, strategically focused on New Zealand. With decades of expertise, our team has successfully taken major discoveries into producing world-class mines across multiple continents. The team is now focused on maximizing the asset potential of RUA GOLD's two highly prospective high-grade gold projects. The Company controls the Reefton Gold District as the dominant landholder in the Reefton Goldfield on New Zealand's South Island with over 120,000 hectares of tenements, in a district that historically produced over 2Moz of gold grading between 9 and 50g/t. The Company's Glamorgan Project solidifies RUA GOLD's position as a leading high-grade gold explorer on New Zealand's North Island. This highly prospective project is located within the North Islands' Hauraki district, a region that has produced an impressive 15Moz of gold and 60Moz of silver. Glamorgan is adjacent to OceanaGold Corporation's biggest gold mining project, Wharekirauponga. For further information, please refer to the Company's disclosure record on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca. TECHNICAL INFORMATION Simon Henderson CP, AUSIMM, a qualified person under National Instrument 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects and Chief Operating Officer and a director of RUA GOLD, has reviewed and approved the technical disclosure contained herein. Mr. Henderson has participated in the geophysical, sampling, and mapping programs to verify that they have been conducted in accordance with the standard operating procedures. Mr. Henderson has verified the data disclosed by running checks on the location, analytical, and test data underlying the information in the technical disclosure herein. QA/QC SOIL SAMPLES A bulk sample of ~0.5-1 kg was collected in the field. Each sample was photographed in the field alongside the GPS with coordinates visible and each sample site marked in the field with biodegradable flagging tape. Samples were taken back to RUA GOLD's Waihi facility for preparation. Samples were dried in a customized incubator, set at 38C, for a minimum of two days. Once the samples were fully dried, they were sieved to <180m in size. A sub-sample of 50-100g was scooped from the <180 m size fraction for analysis. The remaining material was retained and stored in Waihi. The 50-100-g fine-sieved (<180m) soil sub-sample was sent to RUA GOLD's Reefton facility for pXRF using an Olympus Vanta hand-held analyser, and then on to ALS Geochemistry, Brisbane, for Au-TL43 analysis. The ALS analysis consisted of 25-g sample digestion by aqua regia, followed by trace Au analysis by ICP-MS. The detection limit for Au by this method is 1ppb. ALS Brisbane is independent to RUA GOLD. Field duplicates were collected every 20th sample and underwent the same drying, sieving, pXRF, and gold assay process outlined above. Duplicates were checked and validated by RUA GOLD's Isogonal data validation system to ensure compliance. This news release includes certain statements that may be deemed "forward-looking statements". All statements in this new release, other than statements of historical facts, that address events or developments that the Company expects to occur, are 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 specifically include statements regarding: the Company's strategies, expectations, planned operations or future actions, including but not limited to exploration programs at its Reefton and Glamorgan projects and the results thereof. 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. Investors are cautioned that any such forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results or developments may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements. 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: general business, economic, competitive, political and social uncertainties; risks related to the effects of the Russia-Ukraine war; risks related to climate change; operational risks in exploration, delays or changes in plans with respect to exploration projects or capital expenditures; the actual results of current exploration activities; conclusions of economic evaluations; changes in project parameters as plans continue to be refined; changes in labour costs and other costs and expenses or equipment or processes to operate as anticipated, accidents, labour disputes and other risks of the mining industry, including but not limited to environmental hazards, flooding or unfavorable operating conditions and losses, insurrection or war, delays in obtaining governmental approvals or financing, and commodity prices. 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 short form base shelf prospectus dated July 11, 2024, and the documents incorporated by reference therein, filed under its SEDAR+ profile at www.sedarplus.ca for a description of additional risk factors. Forward-looking statements are based on the beliefs, estimates and opinions of the Company's management on the date the statements are made. Except as required by applicable securities laws, the Company undertakes no obligation to update these forward-looking statements in the event that management's beliefs, estimates or opinions, or other factors, should change. Appendix Table 1: Significant gold and arsenic assay results from soil samples. Sample ID Easting_NZTM Northing_NZTM Au (ppm) As (ppm) WR18022 1845455 5873468 0.28 17 WR14016 1845843 5874398 0.26 41 WR05107 1848533 5875462 0.26 410 WR07134 1848758 5874761 0.26 29 WR06119 1848620 5875127 0.22 542 WR15027 1845911 5874072 0.19 132 WR09143 1848669 5874237 0.17 268 WR14017 1845860 5874388 0.17 22 WR14007 1845686 5874486 0.15 281 WR03096 1848588 5876006 0.14 315 WR04109 1848691 5875660 * 1546 WR04111 1848726 5875641 * 1061 WR10019 1846387 5875239 * 1052 WR04110 1848709 5875650 * 1025 WR01116 1849182 5876244 0.10 1000 WR16124 1847478 5872900 0.05 981 WR15118 1847496 5873177 0.12 952 WR11048 1846769 5874736 * 784 WR10033 1846630 5875102 * 772 WR15149 1848036 5872872 0.02 673 * gold assay results pending Table 2: Significant assay results from rock-chip samples. Sample ID Location Type Easting_NZTM Northing_NZTM Au (ppm) GERS0746 Wharekawa River Float 1846791 5877157 5.71 GERS0747 Wharekawa River Float 1846610 5876261 4.35 GERS1605 Wharekawa River Float 1847353 5875117 6.24 GERS1611 Wharekawa River Float 1847144 5875759 7.32 GERS1618 Sutcliff Stream Float 1847346 5875253 10.80 GERS1623 Phoenix Stream Float 1847263 5874868 6.05 GERS1625 Phoenix Stream Float 1847205 5874503 43.10 GERS1626 Phoenix Stream Float 1847246 5874406 8.04 GERS1636 Tairua River Outcrop 1845747 5873564 10.90 1: Source: OceanaGold Pre-Feasibility Study, December 11, 2024 To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/238183 SOURCE: Rua Gold Inc. Recognition is a reflection of our ongoing commitment to building an inclusive workplace where all can thrive in their careers. Saint-Gobain North America, a leading manufacturer of light and sustainable building materials in the United States, has received a strong score of 90 out of 100 on the Human Rights Campaign Foundation's 2024-2025 Corporate Equality Index, matching its score in 2024. The Corporate Equality Index is the United States' foremost national roadmap and benchmarking tool for U.S. businesses on corporate policies, practices and benefits pertinent to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer employees. Now in its seventh year on the Corporate Equality Index, Saint-Gobain North America was recognized for its commitment to workforce protections and non-discrimination policies, inclusive benefits, and long-running Live Open Employee Resource Group. Since the last survey, Saint-Gobain has remained involved in the LGBTQ+ community, holding several educational forums and events throughout the year and has given back to the community through philanthropic giving. In addition, the company continues to enhance its benefits, ensuring same- and different-sex families have the same access to benefits, all while offering ally training to employees across the North America region. "We are honored to be recognized by the Human Rights Campaign's Corporate Equality Index again this year for our commitment to fostering a culture where all people feel comfortable and secure to grow and thrive in their careers," said Jay Bachmann, President and CertainTeed's Interior Product Group and the Executive Advisor of Saint-Gobain's Live Open LGBTQIA+ Employee Resource Group. "As a company that believes the best teams are built in a diverse and inclusive atmosphere, we will continue to hold true to these values, and I thank all of my colleagues for their dedication and work to make it a reality." This recognition is the latest Saint-Gobain has received for its efforts to build a strong and vibrant workplace. Earlier this month, the company celebrated its tenth consecutive Global Top Employer Certification, one of only 17 companies around the world to earn this prestigious honor. The company is home to several Employee Resource Groups (ERGs), including its LGBTQ Network - Live Open, Leading Efforts for Ancestral Diversity Network - LEAD, Women's Network, Career Network, and Veterans Network. With over 160 manufacturing locations in the United States and Canada, every current and future member of the company's team plays a vital role in achieving its sustainability goals. A current list of job openings at all Saint-Gobain locations can be found on the company's career website. About Saint-Gobain Worldwide leader in light and sustainable construction, Saint-Gobain designs, manufactures and distributes materials and services for the construction and industrial markets. Its integrated solutions for the renovation of public and private buildings, light construction and the decarbonization of construction and industry are developed through a continuous innovation process and provide sustainability and performance. The Group's commitment is guided by its purpose, "MAKING THE WORLD A BETTER HOME". 47.9 billion in sales in 2023 160,000 employees, locations in 79 countries Committed to achieving net zero carbon emissions by 2050 View additional multimedia and more ESG storytelling from Saint-Gobain on 3blmedia.com. Contact Info: Spokesperson: Saint-Gobain Website: https://www.3blmedia.com/profiles/saint-gobain Email: info@3blmedia.com SOURCE: Saint-Gobain View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire Calgary, Alberta--(Newsfile Corp. - January 23, 2025) - Record Resources Inc. (TSXV: REC) is strongly impressed and highly encouraged by the drilling results of its Lake Temiskaming neighbour, Quebec Innovate Materials Corporation (QIMC) (see QIMC news release, January 21, 2025). "From what we've seen, these are some of the best grades of any early-stage hydrogen exploration project," said Michael Judson, Record Resources CEO. "Other explorers have reported 500 and 700 ppm measurements. QIMC hit 7000 ppm. This is another level." "QIMC also made history. They are the first exploration company to drill shallow wells targeting natural hydrogen," said Judson. "Everyone else has been doing soil samples. This drilling provides us with much more compelling data and more confidence regarding the geological occurrence." One shallow well drilled by QIMC reached a measurement 7,119 parts per million, plateauing at 2,886 ppm. Five other measurements included one of over 2,400 ppm, one of over 1,000 ppm and one of over 900 ppm." The results were recorded with wells drilled to shallow depths of up to 50 metres. The drilling locations in new fault zones inferred from electrical tomography imagery performed by the Institut National de la Recherche Scientifique during fall 2024. "This achievement, despite the challenging very cold winter conditions, underscores the robustness of our geological and geophysical models, validating our geophysical identification of potentially advective fault zones as key areas for abundant natural hydrogen," stated John Karagiannidis, chief executive officer of Quebec Innovative," said John Karagiannidis, QIMC CEO, in a January 21, 2025 news release. Record's newly acquired Lorrain-Bucke hydrogen property (see company's January 14, 2025 news release) is contiguous with the QIMC on its western boundary in Lake Temiskaming in Ontario. Record's Lorrain-Bucke claim blocks are strategically located between major rift faults in the Lake Temiskaming Graben structure and directly adjacent to QIMC's St-Bruno-de-Guigues hydrogen project. (See figure 1). Record also corrects the date of expiration reported for the finder's warrants referenced in the company's December 30, 2024 news release regarding the closing of the company's 436,999.95 Private Placement. The correct exercise period is 24 months following the closing of the Offering, as follows: the company paid finders' fees and issued finders' shares and finders' warrants to EMD Financial Inc. consisting of: (i) cash finders' fees of 8 per cent of the gross proceeds of the offering; (ii) finders' shares in an amount equal of 4 per cent of the number of units issued pursuant to the offering; and (iii) finders' warrants in an amount equal of 4 per cent of the number of units issued pursuant to the offering, exercisable at a price of five cents per common share for a period of 24 months following the closing of the offering. About Record Resources Inc. Record Resources (TSXV: REC) is a Canadian exploration company. The company is focused on acquiring and developing its hydrogen and gold exploration properties. Record Resources is operated by a highly experienced and well connected management team which has access to extraordinary exploration opportunities and technical expertise. The company is also backed by an accomplished group of capital markets professionals. Qualified Person: Edward Procyshyn, P.Geo, a qualified person in accordance with National Instrument 43-101, has reviewed and approved the technical information contained in this news release. Cautionary Statements This news release contains "forward-looking information" and "forward-looking statements" (collectively, "forward-looking statements") within the meaning of the applicable Canadian securities legislation. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, are forward-looking statements and are based on expectations, estimates and projections as at the date of this news release. Any statement that involves discussions with respect to predictions, expectations, beliefs, plans, projections, objectives, assumptions, future events or performance (often but not always using phrases such as "expects", or "does not expect", "is expected", "anticipates" or "does not anticipate", "plans", "budget", "scheduled", "forecasts", "estimates", "believes", an or "intends" or variations of such words and phrases or stating that certain actions, events or results "may" or "could", "would" , "might" or "will" be taken to occur or be achieved) are not statements of historical fact and may be forward-looking statements. In this news release, forward-looking statements relate, among other things, to: approval of the Private Placement and obtaining a full revocation order. This forward-looking information reflects the Company's current beliefs and is based on information currently available to the Company and on assumptions the Company believes are reasonable. These assumptions include, but are not limited to: the market acceptance of the Private Placement; the ability of the Company to obtain a full revocation order and the receipt of all required approvals in connection with the foregoing. Forward-looking information 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. Such risks and other factors may include, but are not limited to: general business, economic, competitive, political and social uncertainties; general capital market conditions and market price for securities; and the delay or failure to receive board, shareholder, court or regulatory approvals. 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. Readers are cautioned that the foregoing list of factors is not exhaustive. 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 the forward-looking statements and information contained in this news release. Except as required by law the Company does not assume any obligation to update the forward-looking statements of beliefs, opinions, projections, or other factors, should they change. 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. The Units and the securities comprising the Units have not been and will not be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended and may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or an applicable exemption from the registration requirement. This news release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any securities nor shall there be any sale of securities in the Unites States, or any other jurisdiction, in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful. Not for distribution to U.S. Newswire Services or for dissemination in the United States. Any failure to comply with this restriction may constitute a violation of U.S. Securities laws. Figure 1. Record Resources claims in yellow To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/1769/238201_f2f6685b64b80acd_001full.jpg To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/238201 SOURCE: Record Resources Inc. DELRAY BEACH, Fla., Jan. 23, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The global vaccine storage equipment market, valued at US$0.82 billion in 2023, is forecasted to grow at a robust CAGR of 7.2%, reaching US$0.86 billion in 2024 and an impressive US$1.21 billion by 2029. Innovation in technology and regulatory changes are changing the landscape of the vaccine storage equipment market. Automation is improving efficiency by offering real-time monitoring and control of critical components like temperature. This also helps in reducing energy consumption and operational costs while increasing the quality of the product. Another significant driving factor is the escalation in conditions necessitating vaccination is creating a conducive environment for market expansion. The diseases such as dengue fever, influenza, tuberculosis, malaria, Zika virus, chikungunya, pneumonia, and HIV has created a favourable environment for the expansion of the vaccine storage equipment market. However, the environmental concerns regarding greenhouse gas emissions are presenting a significant challenge to the growth of vaccine storage equipment market. Download PDF Brochure: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/pdfdownloadNew.asp?id=52873073 Browse in-depth TOC on "Vaccine Storage Equipment Market" 300 - Tables 50 - Figures 300 - Pages Based on product, the vaccine storage equipment market is divided into refrigerators, freezers, vaccine carriers/cold boxes, monitoring devices, and others. Among these, in 2023, the refrigerator segment accounted for the highest market share in the vaccine storage equipment market. This is owing to increasing investments from key players such as Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. (US), Cardinal Health Inc. (US) in vaccine storage equipment market. These players are actively investing to increase their product portfolios and global presence. In 2023, for example, Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. (US) spent USD 1,337 million on research and development. The company also introduced a new refrigerator in August 2023, thus increasing demand for refrigerators worldwide. Over the course of the projection period, it is anticipated that major global players' investments and innovations will continue to propel the refrigerator segment's expansion. Based on type, the vaccine storage equipment market is segmented into refrigerated storage and refrigerated transport. Among these the refrigerated storage segment accounts for the largest share in the vaccine storage equipment market in 2023, owing to the strict regulatory compliance coupled with the efforts undertaken by the government to boost the market growth. The temperature-controlled refrigerator storage equipment is made to maintain vaccinations at the ideal temperature range, which is normally between 2 and 8 degrees Celsius. Refrigerated storage equipment are used keep vaccines stable, effective, and safe for use by ensuring constant cooling over the course of storage. A vital part of the cold chain, refrigerated storage shields vaccines from environmental changes and heat exposure that could reduce their effectiveness. Additionally, government-led vaccination campaigns and efforts to improve healthcare facilities have increased funding for refrigerated storage. For instance, a WHO-led procurement initiative supported by the European Union (ELI) has allowed Azerbaijan to significantly improve its immunization programs in recent years. These initiatives ensure vaccinations stay within permissible temperature ranges until they are delivered to the designated patients. In addition to improving vaccination accessibility, these calculated actions encourage innovation and expansion in refrigerated storage. Request Sample Pages: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/requestsampleNew.asp?id=52873073 Some of the prominent players operating in the market include Cardinal Health Inc. (US), Eppendorf SE (Germany), Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. (US), PHC Holdings Corporation (Japan), Azenta Inc. (US), Standex International Corporation (US), Blue Star Limited (India), Haier biomedical (China), Dulas Ltd. (UK), MVE Biological Solutions (US), Arctiko Ltd (UK), Evermed S.r.l., A Everlasting group Company (Italy), and Philipp Kirsch GmbH, A Hettich Group Company (Germany), and among others. Azenta Inc. (US): Azenta Inc. company is a global leader in providing biological and chemical compound sample exploration and management solutions for the life science science industry. The company formerly known as Brooks Automation, Inc, the company rebranded to Azenta Inc. in December 2021. On October 2022, Azenta Inc company expanded its portfolio by acquiring B Medical Systems S.a.r.l. The company caters to vaccine storage equipment market through its B Medical Systems segment. Through B Medical Systems segment delivers comprehensive cold chain equipment, including plasma freezers, ultra-low freezers, and among others. The company generates their revenue from key regions, including US, Africa, China, UK, Europe, and Asia Pacific. Thermo Fisher Scientific (US): Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. is a global leader in serving science and a prominent plyer in the vaccine storage equipment market. The company caters to the vaccine storage equipment through their laboratory products and biopharma services segment. Through this segment the company provides comprehensive equipment for laboratories, serving diverse markets such as pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, academia, government, and other research and industrial sectors. The company serves a broad customer base of over 400,000 clients, including pharmaceutical and biotech firms, hospitals, diagnostic labs, universities, research institutions, government agencies. Eppendorf SE (Germany): Eppendorf SE is a market leader in vaccine storage equipment market. The company focuses on developing, manufacturing, and marketing high-end goods, software, and services. The company operates in four business segments: Separation & Instrumentation, Liquid Handling, Consumables, and Lab Solutions (Bioprocess & digital). Among these, the company caters to vaccine storage equipment business through their separation and instrumentation segment. The company offers state-of-the-art PCR thermal cyclers, ULT freezers, and centrifuges. This equipment is essential for preserving the integrity of vaccinations while they are being transported and stored. The company operates throughout Europe, US, China, Malaysia, Japan, India, Korea, the United Arab Emirates, Singapore, and other countries. For more information, Inquire Now! Related Reports: Vaccines Market Cell Culture Market Biomarkers Market Single Use Assemblies Market Cancer Vaccines Market Get access to the latest updates on Vaccine Storage Equipment Companies and Vaccine Storage Equipment Market Size 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. 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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/vaccine-storage-equipment-market-to-hit-us1-21-billion-by-2029-with-7-2-cagr--marketsandmarkets-302358203.html The Next-Generation Sequencing (NGS) Services Market is driven by several key factors, including significant advancements in sequencing technologies that enhance accuracy and speed. The declining costs of sequencing are making it more accessible to researchers and healthcare providers. Additionally, the rising prevalence of genetic disorders and the growing emphasis on personalized medicine are fueling demand for NGS services. LEWES, Del., Jan. 23, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The Next-Generation Sequencing (NGS) Services Market is projected to grow from approximately USD 7 billion in 2024 to around USD 15 billion by 2031, achieving a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of about 11%. This growth is fueled by advancements in sequencing technologies, reduced costs, and an increasing emphasis on personalized medicine and genetic research applications. Download PDF Brochure: https://www.marketresearchintellect.com/download-sample/?rid=1018094 202 - Pages 126 - Tables 37 - Figures Scope Of The Report REPORT ATTRIBUTES DETAILS STUDY PERIOD 2020-2031 BASE YEAR 2023 FORECAST PERIOD 2024-2031 HISTORICAL PERIOD 2020-2023 UNIT Value (USD Billion) KEY COMPANIES PROFILED Illumina, Inc., Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc., Pacific Biosciences of California, Inc., Roche Diagnostics, BGI Genomics Co., Ltd., Agilent Technologies, Inc., QIAGEN N.V., PerkinElmer, Inc., Bio-Rad Laboratories, Inc., and Oxford Nanopore Technologies Ltd. SEGMENTS COVERED By Type, By Application And By Geography CUSTOMIZATION SCOPE Free report customization (equivalent to up to 4 analysts' working days) with purchase. Addition or alteration to country, regional & segment scope Next-Generation Sequencing (NGS) Services Market Overview Market Growth and Size The Next-Generation Sequencing (NGS) Services Market is on a robust growth trajectory, expected to expand from approximately USD 7 billion in 2024 to around USD 15 billion by 2031. This impressive growth reflects a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of about 11%. Several factors contribute to this upward trend, including the increasing demand for genomic analysis across various sectors, such as healthcare, agriculture, and personalized medicine. As more research institutions and healthcare providers adopt NGS technologies, the market is likely to witness heightened investment in innovative sequencing solutions. Furthermore, the rising incidence of genetic disorders and the need for accurate diagnostic tools will continue to stimulate market expansion. This growth presents significant opportunities for key players and stakeholders in the NGS industry to enhance their service offerings and meet the evolving needs of end-users. Technological Advancements Technological advancements play a pivotal role in shaping the Next-Generation Sequencing Services Market. Innovations in sequencing technologies, such as improved algorithms and automated systems, have significantly enhanced the speed and accuracy of genomic analysis. Companies are increasingly developing high-throughput sequencing platforms that allow for the rapid processing of large volumes of genetic data. Additionally, advancements in bioinformatics tools enable more efficient data analysis and interpretation, making it easier for researchers to derive meaningful insights from genomic information. These technological breakthroughs are not only reducing the costs associated with sequencing but also expanding its applications in various fields, including oncology, reproductive health, and infectious diseases. As technology continues to evolve, it will likely pave the way for new services and applications within the NGS market, driving further growth and innovation. Rising Demand for Personalized Medicine The growing emphasis on personalized medicine is a significant driver of the Next-Generation Sequencing Services Market. As healthcare shifts towards more individualized treatment approaches, the need for precise genomic information becomes paramount. NGS technologies enable the identification of genetic variations that can influence drug efficacy and patient response, leading to tailored treatment plans that enhance patient outcomes. The application of NGS in oncology, for example, allows for the profiling of tumors to identify specific mutations, guiding targeted therapy decisions. Additionally, advancements in pharmacogenomics, which studies how genes affect a person's response to drugs, further fuel demand for NGS services. As healthcare providers increasingly recognize the value of personalized medicine, the NGS market is expected to expand significantly, with more providers integrating these services into their practice to deliver optimized patient care. Application in Clinical Diagnostics Next-Generation Sequencing is becoming an integral component of clinical diagnostics, transforming the way genetic disorders are diagnosed and managed. The ability to sequence entire genomes or targeted gene panels allows for the identification of genetic mutations associated with various diseases. This capability enhances diagnostic accuracy and provides critical information for patient management and treatment decisions. For instance, NGS is widely used in prenatal testing, cancer diagnostics, and rare disease identification, enabling early intervention and improved outcomes. As regulatory bodies increasingly approve NGS-based diagnostic tests, healthcare providers are more likely to adopt these technologies, driving market growth. The integration of NGS into clinical workflows also facilitates the development of companion diagnostics, which further enhances the personalization of treatment strategies. This trend underscores the importance of NGS in modern healthcare and its potential to revolutionize clinical diagnostics. Download Sample Report Now:https://www.marketresearchintellect.com/download-sample/?rid=1018094 Increasing Research Initiatives The Next-Generation Sequencing Services Market is also benefitting from a surge in research initiatives across academia and industry. Governments, research institutions, and private organizations are investing significantly in genomics research to explore the genetic basis of diseases, improve agricultural practices, and advance biotechnology. This influx of funding is facilitating the establishment of large-scale genomic projects and biobanks that utilize NGS technologies to generate vast datasets for analysis. Collaborative efforts among researchers, institutions, and industry stakeholders are also driving innovation and expanding the applications of NGS in various fields, including environmental science and conservation. As research initiatives continue to grow, they will contribute to the advancement of NGS technologies and methodologies, ensuring a steady demand for sequencing services. This dynamic environment fosters a culture of discovery and innovation, positioning NGS as a cornerstone of modern scientific inquiry. Challenges and Limitations Despite its significant growth prospects, the Next-Generation Sequencing Services Market faces several challenges and limitations. One major concern is the complexity of data generated by NGS technologies, which can lead to data management and analysis difficulties. The sheer volume of genomic data requires sophisticated bioinformatics tools and skilled personnel to interpret the results accurately. Additionally, the high initial costs associated with implementing NGS platforms may pose a barrier for smaller laboratories and healthcare facilities. Regulatory challenges also exist, particularly in ensuring the quality and reliability of NGS-based diagnostic tests. Moreover, ethical considerations surrounding genetic data privacy and consent remain critical issues that the industry must address. Overcoming these challenges will be essential for the continued growth and adoption of NGS services, necessitating collaboration among industry stakeholders to develop standardized practices and solutions. Competitive Landscape The competitive landscape of the Next-Generation Sequencing Services Market is characterized by a diverse range of players, including established companies and emerging startups. Major industry leaders are continually innovating and expanding their service portfolios to maintain a competitive edge. Strategic collaborations, partnerships, and acquisitions are common as companies seek to enhance their technological capabilities and market reach. Additionally, the entry of new players with specialized NGS services is intensifying competition, driving further advancements in technology and service offerings. As the market evolves, companies are focusing on providing integrated solutions that encompass sequencing, bioinformatics, and data analysis, catering to the diverse needs of researchers and clinicians. This dynamic competitive environment encourages continuous improvement and innovation, ultimately benefiting end-users and advancing the field of genomics. Future Outlook The future outlook for the Next-Generation Sequencing Services Market is exceptionally promising, with sustained growth anticipated through 2031 and beyond. As genomic technologies continue to evolve, the scope of NGS applications is expected to expand, encompassing areas such as personalized medicine, precision agriculture, and infectious disease monitoring. The increasing integration of artificial intelligence and machine learning in genomic data analysis will enhance the accuracy and efficiency of NGS services, making them even more valuable to researchers and healthcare providers. Furthermore, ongoing collaborations between public and private sectors will likely accelerate research and development efforts, driving innovation in NGS technologies. As awareness of the importance of genomics in healthcare and research continues to rise, the NGS services market will play a crucial role in shaping the future of medicine and biotechnology, offering vast opportunities for growth and development. Geographic Dominance: The Next-Generation Sequencing (NGS) Services Market exhibits significant geographic dominance, particularly in North America and Europe. North America holds a substantial share, driven by advanced healthcare infrastructure, high investments in research and development, and the presence of leading biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies. The U.S. is at the forefront of NGS innovation, with numerous academic institutions and laboratories leveraging these technologies for cutting-edge research. Europe follows closely, with countries like Germany, the UK, and France investing heavily in genomics and personalized medicine initiatives. Additionally, the Asia-Pacific region is emerging as a key player, with increasing adoption of NGS technologies in countries like China and Japan, driven by government support and growing healthcare expenditures. As awareness of genomic applications expands globally, the NGS market is expected to witness significant growth across various regions, fostering a competitive landscape. Next-Generation Sequencing (NGS) Services Market Key Players Shaping the Future Key players shaping the future of the Next-Generation Sequencing (NGS) Services Market include Illumina, Inc., Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc., Pacific Biosciences of California, Inc., Roche Diagnostics, BGI Genomics Co., Ltd., Agilent Technologies, Inc., QIAGEN N.V., PerkinElmer, Inc., Bio-Rad Laboratories, Inc., and Oxford Nanopore Technologies Ltd. These companies are at the forefront of innovation, driving advancements in NGS technologies and expanding their service offerings to meet the growing demand for genomic analysis across various applications, from clinical diagnostics to research and development. Next-Generation Sequencing (NGS) Services Market Segment Analysis The Next-Generation Sequencing (NGS) Services market is segmented based on By Type, By Application and Geography, offering a comprehensive analysis of the industry. 1. By Type Whole Genome Sequencing (WGS) : This method involves sequencing the entire genome of an organism, providing comprehensive genetic information. WGS is used in various applications, including population genetics, evolutionary biology, and personalized medicine, enabling a thorough understanding of genetic variations and their implications. : This method involves sequencing the entire genome of an organism, providing comprehensive genetic information. WGS is used in various applications, including population genetics, evolutionary biology, and personalized medicine, enabling a thorough understanding of genetic variations and their implications. Targeted Sequencing : Focused on specific areas of interest within the genome, targeted sequencing is more cost-effective and faster than WGS. It is commonly used in clinical diagnostics to identify mutations associated with particular diseases, making it essential for cancer genomics and inherited disorders. : Focused on specific areas of interest within the genome, targeted sequencing is more cost-effective and faster than WGS. It is commonly used in clinical diagnostics to identify mutations associated with particular diseases, making it essential for cancer genomics and inherited disorders. Exome Sequencing : This technique sequences only the coding regions of genes, known as exomes. Exome sequencing is widely used in rare disease research and cancer studies, providing valuable insights while reducing the amount of data that needs to be analyzed compared to WGS. : This technique sequences only the coding regions of genes, known as exomes. Exome sequencing is widely used in rare disease research and cancer studies, providing valuable insights while reducing the amount of data that needs to be analyzed compared to WGS. RNA Sequencing (RNA-seq) : RNA-seq analyzes the transcriptome, offering insights into gene expression and regulation. This method is crucial for understanding diseases at the molecular level, particularly in cancer research and developmental biology, where gene expression patterns play a significant role. : RNA-seq analyzes the transcriptome, offering insights into gene expression and regulation. This method is crucial for understanding diseases at the molecular level, particularly in cancer research and developmental biology, where gene expression patterns play a significant role. Other Sequencing Types: This category may include techniques such as methylation sequencing and amplicon sequencing, which serve specific research purposes. These methods contribute to the understanding of epigenetic modifications and targeted genomic regions, respectively. 2. By Application Clinical Diagnostics : NGS plays a crucial role in identifying genetic mutations linked to various diseases, including cancers and hereditary disorders. The ability to provide accurate and timely diagnoses enhances patient management and treatment strategies, driving the demand for NGS services in clinical settings. : NGS plays a crucial role in identifying genetic mutations linked to various diseases, including cancers and hereditary disorders. The ability to provide accurate and timely diagnoses enhances patient management and treatment strategies, driving the demand for NGS services in clinical settings. Drug Discovery : In the pharmaceutical industry, NGS is leveraged to identify potential drug targets and understand disease mechanisms at the molecular level. By enabling researchers to analyze genetic variations, NGS accelerates the drug development process and helps in the design of personalized therapies. : In the pharmaceutical industry, NGS is leveraged to identify potential drug targets and understand disease mechanisms at the molecular level. By enabling researchers to analyze genetic variations, NGS accelerates the drug development process and helps in the design of personalized therapies. Biomarker Discovery : NGS is instrumental in discovering and validating biomarkers for disease diagnosis and prognosis. This application is particularly relevant in oncology, where identifying specific genetic alterations can inform treatment decisions and improve patient outcomes. : NGS is instrumental in discovering and validating biomarkers for disease diagnosis and prognosis. This application is particularly relevant in oncology, where identifying specific genetic alterations can inform treatment decisions and improve patient outcomes. Agriculture : NGS technologies are increasingly used in agricultural research to enhance crop traits and improve food security. By analyzing the genomes of plants and animals, researchers can identify beneficial traits, develop genetically modified organisms, and improve breeding programs. : NGS technologies are increasingly used in agricultural research to enhance crop traits and improve food security. By analyzing the genomes of plants and animals, researchers can identify beneficial traits, develop genetically modified organisms, and improve breeding programs. Environmental Testing: NGS is applied in environmental studies to monitor biodiversity and assess ecosystem health. By sequencing microbial communities and assessing their genetic composition, researchers can gain insights into environmental changes and their implications for public health and conservation efforts. 3. Geography North America : This region dominates the NGS Services Market due to its advanced healthcare infrastructure, high research funding, and the presence of leading biotechnology companies. The U.S. is a key player in NGS innovation, driving significant market growth through technological advancements and widespread adoption of genomic technologies. : This region dominates the NGS Services Market due to its advanced healthcare infrastructure, high research funding, and the presence of leading biotechnology companies. The U.S. is a key player in NGS innovation, driving significant market growth through technological advancements and widespread adoption of genomic technologies. Europe : Europe follows closely, with countries like Germany, the UK, and France investing heavily in genomics and personalized medicine initiatives. The European market is characterized by collaborations among research institutions, universities, and industry stakeholders, fostering innovation and expanding the use of NGS services. : Europe follows closely, with countries like Germany, the UK, and France investing heavily in genomics and personalized medicine initiatives. The European market is characterized by collaborations among research institutions, universities, and industry stakeholders, fostering innovation and expanding the use of NGS services. Asia-Pacific : The Asia-Pacific region is emerging as a significant market for NGS services, driven by increasing healthcare expenditures and government support for research initiatives. Countries like China and Japan are at the forefront of adopting NGS technologies, with a focus on genomics research and clinical applications. : The Asia-Pacific region is emerging as a significant market for NGS services, driven by increasing healthcare expenditures and government support for research initiatives. Countries like China and Japan are at the forefront of adopting NGS technologies, with a focus on genomics research and clinical applications. Latin America : The Latin American NGS market is experiencing growth as awareness of genomic technologies increases among healthcare providers and researchers. Emerging economies in this region are gradually adopting NGS for clinical diagnostics and research, creating opportunities for market expansion. : The Latin American NGS market is experiencing growth as awareness of genomic technologies increases among healthcare providers and researchers. Emerging economies in this region are gradually adopting NGS for clinical diagnostics and research, creating opportunities for market expansion. Middle East & Africa: The NGS Services Market in the Middle East and Africa is in its early stages but shows potential for growth. Increasing investments in healthcare infrastructure and research initiatives are expected to drive demand for NGS services in these regions, although challenges such as limited access to advanced technologies persist. Pharma And Healthcare: The Pharma and Healthcare segment of the Next-Generation Sequencing (NGS) Services Market is experiencing significant growth, driven by the increasing demand for personalized medicine and advancements in genomics. NGS technologies facilitate the comprehensive analysis of genetic variations, enabling healthcare providers to tailor treatments based on individual patient profiles. This is particularly impactful in oncology, where genomic sequencing can identify mutations that inform targeted therapies. Additionally, NGS plays a critical role in clinical diagnostics, allowing for the early detection of genetic disorders and enhancing disease management strategies. As pharmaceutical companies integrate NGS into drug development processes, the ability to identify novel biomarkers accelerates the discovery of effective therapies. The rising prevalence of chronic diseases and genetic conditions further fuels the adoption of NGS services in healthcare settings. Overall, the Pharma and Healthcare segment is poised for continued expansion, contributing significantly to the overall growth of the NGS Services Market. Our related Reports Global Single Use Next-Generation Sequencing (NGS) Services Market is categorized based on Type (420 Stainless Steel, 40Cr13 Stainless Steel, 30Cr13 Stainless Steel, 2Cr13 Stainless Steel, Others) and Application (Hospitals, Ophthalmic Clinics, Others) and geographical regions Global Classroom Messaging Software market size and forecast is categorized based on Type (Cloud Based, Web Based) and Application (Large Enterprises, SMEs) and geographical regions Global Silicon carbide sic semiconductor market size forecast is categorized based on Type (SIC Power Semiconductors, SIC Power Semiconductor Devices, SIC Power Diode Nodes) and Application (Automotive, Aerospace and Defense, Computers, Consumer Electronics, Industrial, Healthcare, Power Sector, Solar) and geographical regions Global Automotive Pneumatic Disc Brake Market is categorized based on Type (Single-piston Pneumatic Disc Brakes, Multi-piston Pneumatic Disc Brakes, Caliper Pneumatic Disc Brakes, Rotor Pneumatic Disc Brakes, Drum-in-hat Pneumatic Disc Brakes) and Application (Passenger Cars, Commercial Vehicles, Racing Cars, Heavy-duty Trucks, Off-road Vehicles) and geographical regions Global Antibacterial Nano Coatings Market is categorized based on Application (Silver Nanoparticle Coatings, Copper Nanoparticle Coatings, Zinc Oxide Nanoparticle Coatings) and Product (Medical Devices (Implants, Catheters), Food Packaging, Textiles, Healthcare Surfaces) and geographical regions Global Antibacterial in Agriculture Market is categorized based on Type (Amide Antibacterials, Antibiotic Antibacterials, Copper-Based Antibacterials, Dithiocarbamate Antibacterials, Other Types) and Application (Foliar Spray, Soil Treatment, Other Modes of Application) and geographical regions About Us: Market Research Intellect Welcome to Market Research Intellect, where we lead the way in global research and consulting, proudly serving over 5,000 esteemed clients worldwide. Our mission is to empower your business with cutting-edge analytical research solutions, delivering comprehensive, information-rich studies that are pivotal for strategic growth and critical revenue decisions. Unmatched Expertise: Our formidable team of 250 highly skilled analysts and subject matter experts (SMEs) is the backbone of our operations. With extensive training in advanced data collection and governance, we delve into over 25,000 high-impact and niche markets. Our experts seamlessly integrate modern data collection techniques, robust research methodologies, and collective industry experience to produce precise, insightful, and actionable research. Diverse Industry Coverage: We cater to a wide array of industries, ensuring that our insights are both relevant and specialized. 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Contact Us: Mr. Edwyne Fernandes Market Research Intellect Call Us on: +1 743 222 5439 Email: sales@marketresearchintellect.com Web: https://www.marketresearchintellect.com/ Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2483702/Market_Research_Intellect_Logo.jpg View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/next-generation-sequencing-services-market-poised-for-remarkable-growth-projected-to-increase-from-7-billion-in-2024-to-15-billion-by-2031---market-research-intellect-302358326.html BANGALORE, India, Jan. 23, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Matrigel Market is Segmented by Type (Contains Phenol Red, Phenol Red Free), by Application (Biotechnology and Pharmaceutical Companies, Research and Academic Institutes). The Global Matrigel Market is projected to grow from USD 85 Million in 2024 to USD 163.3 Million by 2030, at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 11.5% during the forecast period. Claim Your Free Report: https://reports.valuates.com/request/sample/QYRE-Auto-4W13526/Global_Matrigel_Market Major Factors Driving the Growth of Matrigel Market: The Matrigel market is experiencing robust growth, driven by its critical role in advanced research and development across biotechnology, pharmaceutical, and academic sectors. Matrigel's ability to mimic the extracellular matrix makes it indispensable for 3D cell culture, cancer modeling, and stem cell research. The market benefits from collaborations between research organizations and private companies, accelerating innovations in personalized medicine and biotherapeutics. As the demand for precision and predictive preclinical models grows, Matrigel continues to expand its applications in regenerative medicine, oncology, and drug discovery. View Full Report Now! https://reports.valuates.com/market-reports/QYRE-Auto-4W13526/global-matrigel TRENDS INFLUENCING THE GROWTH OF THE MATRIGEL MARKET: The inclusion of phenol red in Matrigel formulations has significantly contributed to the growth of the Matrigel market by enhancing its utility in cell culture applications. Phenol red acts as a pH indicator, providing researchers with a visual cue of the culture medium's pH levels, ensuring an optimal environment for cell growth and differentiation. This feature is particularly valuable in regenerative medicine, stem cell research, and drug discovery, where consistent results are critical. Additionally, phenol red-containing Matrigel is widely used in 3D cell culture systems for studying cancer, organoids, and tissue engineering due to its ability to mimic in vivo environments effectively. The demand for reliable and reproducible research tools in biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries has further boosted the adoption of phenol red-enhanced Matrigel. The increasing demand for phenol red-free Matrigel is a significant growth driver in the Matrigel market, particularly in applications requiring minimal interference with cellular signaling pathways. Phenol red-free formulations are preferred in sensitive experiments, including hormone research, stem cell differentiation, and cancer studies, where the presence of phenol red may alter experimental outcomes. This type of Matrigel ensures accurate and reproducible results, making it an essential tool for precision research. The rising adoption of phenol red-free Matrigel in pharmaceutical and biotechnology sectors reflects the growing emphasis on high-quality, interference-free reagents for drug discovery and therapeutic development. Additionally, its widespread use in in vitro fertilization (IVF) procedures highlights its importance in clinical and diagnostic applications. Matrigel provides an extracellular matrix (ECM)-like environment that supports cell attachment, proliferation, and differentiation, making it indispensable for drug discovery, toxicology studies, and tissue engineering. Pharmaceutical companies utilize Matrigel to evaluate drug efficacy and safety in 3D cell culture systems, enabling more accurate predictions of in vivo responses. In the biotechnology sector, Matrigel is widely used for stem cell research, organoid development, and cancer modeling, driving innovations in regenerative medicine and oncology. The increasing focus on personalized medicine and biotherapeutics has further heightened the demand for high-quality Matrigel formulations. Collaborations between research organizations and industry players, along with rising investments in life sciences, continue to expand the applications of Matrigel, contributing significantly to market growth. The growing adoption of 3D cell culture models is a key factor driving the Matrigel market. Unlike traditional 2D cultures, 3D systems mimic the in vivo cellular environment, offering more accurate and physiologically relevant results. Matrigel, with its ECM-like composition, provides an ideal scaffold for 3D cultures, enabling the study of complex cellular behaviors such as migration, invasion, and differentiation. This capability has made Matrigel indispensable for cancer research, drug discovery, and tissue engineering. Additionally, regulatory agencies emphasize the need for more predictive preclinical models, further fueling the demand for 3D culture systems. Pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies are increasingly incorporating Matrigel into their workflows to improve the success rate of drug development pipelines. Stem cell research represents a significant growth area for the Matrigel market. Matrigel provides a supportive microenvironment for the proliferation and differentiation of stem cells, making it essential for regenerative medicine and therapeutic applications. Researchers use Matrigel to culture pluripotent and mesenchymal stem cells, ensuring their stability and functionality for downstream applications. Its role in organoid development has further expanded its utility in studying organ-specific diseases and developing personalized treatment options. Additionally, the ability of Matrigel to support 3D stem cell cultures has enhanced its importance in tissue engineering and cellular therapy research. As global research into stem cell-based therapies intensifies, the demand for reliable and high-quality Matrigel formulations continues to grow, contributing significantly to market expansion. The expanding scope of cancer research has significantly boosted the demand for Matrigel, particularly in studying tumor biology and developing anti-cancer therapies. Matrigel provides an ECM-like environment that supports the growth of tumor spheroids and organoids, enabling researchers to model the tumor microenvironment in vitro. This capability is critical for understanding tumor progression, metastasis, and resistance mechanisms, driving the development of targeted therapies. Pharmaceutical companies use Matrigel-based models to evaluate the efficacy of novel cancer drugs, reducing the reliance on animal studies and improving translational outcomes. Additionally, Matrigel is widely used in invasion and migration assays to study the behavior of cancer cells under different conditions. The increasing prevalence of cancer worldwide and the push for personalized oncology solutions continue to drive investments in cancer research. Consequently, the role of Matrigel in advancing cancer studies remains integral to its market growth. Claim Yours Now! https://reports.valuates.com/api/directpaytoken?rcode=QYRE-Auto-4W13526&lic=single-user MATRIGEL MARKET SHARE The Matrigel market exhibits strong growth across regions, with North America leading due to its advanced research infrastructure, significant investments in biotechnology, and a strong pharmaceutical sector. US & Canada is the largest market, with a share of about 38%, which is driven by extensive funding for cancer and stem cell research. In terms of application, Biotechnology and Pharmaceutical Companies has a share about 73 percent. In terms of product type, Contains Phenol Red is the largest segment, occupied for a share of about 68%. Global key players of Matrigel include Corning and Thermo Fisher Scientific, etc. The top two players hold a share over 73%. Key Companies: Corning Inc Yeasen Biotechnology Solarbio Science & Technology R&D Systems MEGAROBO ACROBiosystems Beyotime Live Biotechnology Mogengel Biotechnology Thermo Fisher Scientific Purchase Chapters: https://reports.valuates.com/market-reports/QYRE-Auto-4W13526/global-matrigel/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! Matrigel Basement Membrane Matrix Market Matrigel Gel Cell Culture Medium market was valued at USD 415 Million in 2023 and is anticipated to reach USD 703 Million by 2030, witnessing a CAGR of 7.8% during the forecast period 2024-2030. was valued at USD 415 Million in 2023 and is anticipated to reach USD 703 Million by 2030, witnessing a CAGR of 7.8% during the forecast period 2024-2030. Low Endotoxin Matrigel market was valued at USD 560 Million in 2023 and is anticipated to reach USD 730 Million by 2030, witnessing a CAGR of 3.9% during the forecast period 2024-2030. was valued at USD 560 Million in 2023 and is anticipated to reach USD 730 Million by 2030, witnessing a CAGR of 3.9% during the forecast period 2024-2030. LDEV-free Matrigel Market Phenol Red-Free Matrigel Market Basement Membrane Matrigel Market Cell Culture Media Market Cell Culture Media Sera and Reagents Market Cell Culture Monitoring System Market was estimated to be worth USD 60 Million in 2023 and is forecast to a readjusted size of USD 95 Million by 2030 with a CAGR of 5.6% during the forecast period 2024-2030. was estimated to be worth USD 60 Million in 2023 and is forecast to a readjusted size of USD 95 Million by 2030 with a CAGR of 5.6% during the forecast period 2024-2030. Serum for Cell Culture Market Cell Culture Vessels market is projected to grow from USD 526.6 Million in 2024 to USD 755.5 Million by 2030, at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 6.2% during the forecast period. DISCOVER OUR VISION: VISIT ABOUT US! Valuates offers in-depth market insights into various industries. Our extensive report repository is constantly updated to meet your changing industry analysis needs. 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GET A FREE QUOTE Valuates Reports sales@valuates.com 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 View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/global-matrigel-market-soars-with-a-cagr-of-11-5--insights-on-phenol-red-and-phenol-red-free-applications---valuates-reports-302358778.html The Flash Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) Market is fueled by increasing demand for flexible and reprogrammable electronic components across industries such as telecommunications, automotive, and aerospace. Their low power consumption and high performance further enhance adoption. However, the high cost of development and the complexity of design and programming present significant challenges to market growth. LEWES, Del., Jan. 23, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The Global Flash Field Programmable Gate Array Market is projected to grow at a CAGR of 16.7% from 2024 to 2030, according to a new report published by Verified Market Reports. The report reveals that the market was valued at USD 12.4 Billion in 2023 and is expected to reach USD 25.9 Billion by the end of the forecast period. The Flash Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) market is primarily driven by the growing demand for customizable, high-performance solutions in industries such as telecommunications, automotive, and consumer electronics. The increasing need for efficient and cost-effective designs, alongside the rise of IoT and AI applications, further fuels market growth. Additionally, advancements in FPGA architecture, enabling faster processing speeds and lower power consumption, contribute to its widespread adoption. However, the market faces restraints due to the high initial costs of FPGA development and the complexity involved in programming and design. The scarcity of skilled professionals for FPGA programming and integration, along with the challenge of compatibility with existing systems, may hinder the adoption of Flash FPGAs in some sectors. Download PDF Brochure: https://www.verifiedmarketreports.com/download-sample/?rid=569254 Browse in-depth TOC on Flash Field Programmable Gate Array Market 202 - Pages 126 - Tables 37 - Figures Scope of The Report REPORT ATTRIBUTES DETAILS STUDY PERIOD 2021-2030 BASE YEAR 2023 FORECAST PERIOD 2024-2030 HISTORICAL PERIOD 2021-2022 UNIT Value (USD Billion) KEY COMPANIES PROFILED Achronix Semiconductor Corporation, Quick Logic Corporation, Cobham Limited, Efinix Inc, Flex Logix Technologies, Inc, Intel Corporation, Xilinx, Aldec, Inc, GOWIN Semiconductor Corp, Lattice Semiconductor SEGMENTS COVERED By Type, By Application, By Geography CUSTOMIZATION SCOPE Free report customization (equivalent to up to 4 analyst working days) with purchase. Addition or alteration to country, regional & segment scope Global Flash Field Programmable Gate Array Market Overview Market Drivers Fueling Growth in the Flash Field Programmable Gate Array Market Rising Demand for Customizable Solutions The demand for customizable solutions is a key driver in the Flash FPGA market. Industries such as telecommunications, aerospace, automotive, and healthcare require specific functionality that general-purpose processors cannot deliver efficiently. Flash FPGAs provide a unique ability to tailor hardware for optimal performance, enabling companies to meet the precise needs of their applications. This customization helps organizations minimize power consumption, reduce costs, and accelerate time-to-market, making Flash FPGAs an attractive choice for businesses seeking innovative, adaptable solutions. Advancements in IoT and AI Technologies The increasing adoption of IoT (Internet of Things) and AI (Artificial Intelligence) technologies significantly contributes to the growth of the Flash FPGA market. These technologies require devices that can handle massive amounts of data processing in real time, which Flash FPGAs are well-equipped to handle. The ability to reprogram Flash FPGAs ensures that they remain adaptable and scalable as new AI and IoT applications evolve. This versatility makes them ideal for applications such as autonomous vehicles, smart cities, and predictive analytics, further fueling demand for Flash FPGAs. Cost-Effective and Power-Efficient Designs Another major factor driving the Flash FPGA market is the push for power-efficient and cost-effective designs. Flash FPGAs enable companies to develop high-performance hardware without incurring the high costs associated with custom ASIC (Application-Specific Integrated Circuit) designs. Additionally, the lower power consumption of Flash FPGAs compared to other programmable logic devices makes them ideal for battery-powered and energy-conscious applications. As industries continue to prioritize sustainability and cost reduction, the demand for Flash FPGAs is expected to rise across multiple sectors. To Purchase a Comprehensive Report Analysis: https://www.verifiedmarketreports.com/download-sample/?rid=569254 Market Restraints Limiting Expansion in the Flash Field Programmable Gate Array Market High Initial Development Costs One of the primary restraints limiting the expansion of the Flash FPGA market is the high initial development and deployment costs. While Flash FPGAs offer significant customization and performance benefits, the development process requires substantial financial investment. Companies need to allocate resources for research, design, and integration, which can be a deterrent for small and medium-sized businesses. The cost of acquiring specialized software and tools for FPGA programming and debugging further adds to the overall expense, limiting accessibility for some sectors. Complexity in Programming and Design The complexity involved in programming and designing Flash FPGAs is another challenge hindering market growth. Unlike traditional processors, FPGAs require expertise in hardware description languages (HDLs) and specialized design flows, which can be time-consuming and difficult to master. The steep learning curve and the need for highly skilled engineers to develop and deploy FPGA-based systems can delay product development timelines, particularly in industries with fast-paced innovation cycles. This complexity may deter some companies from adopting Flash FPGAs, especially in industries where speed to market is critical. Compatibility and Integration Challenges Compatibility and integration issues present another barrier to the widespread adoption of Flash FPGAs. Many organizations have existing systems based on standard processors or older FPGA models, and transitioning to Flash FPGAs often requires significant modifications to hardware and software architectures. This integration challenge can be resource-intensive, requiring additional development time and costs. Furthermore, ensuring seamless communication between Flash FPGAs and legacy systems can be complex, which may discourage companies from making the switch to Flash FPGAs, especially in established markets with legacy infrastructure. Geographic Dominance The global Flash Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) market exhibits significant geographic dominance across North America, Europe, Asia, and the rest of the world. North America holds a leading position due to its strong presence of key technology companies, particularly in the telecommunications, aerospace, and defense sectors. The U.S. remains at the forefront, driven by advancements in AI, IoT, and data processing applications. Europe follows closely, with a focus on automotive and industrial applications, supported by growing demand for smart technologies and energy-efficient solutions. Asia, particularly China, Japan, and South Korea, is experiencing rapid growth, fueled by the expanding consumer electronics market and the increasing adoption of IoT devices. Meanwhile, the rest of the world, including regions like the Middle East and Latin America, is gradually embracing Flash FPGA technology as industries in these regions modernize and seek cost-effective, customizable solutions for their technological needs. Each region's specific industry focus and technological advancements contribute to the global expansion and diversification of the Flash FPGA market. Flash Field Programmable Gate Array Market Key Players Shaping the Future Major players, including Achronix Semiconductor Corporation, Quick Logic Corporation, Cobham Limited, Efinix Inc, Flex Logix Technologies, Inc, Intel Corporation, Xilinx, Aldec, Inc, GOWIN Semiconductor Corp, Lattice Semiconductor, Omnitek, EnSilica, Gidel, BitSim AB, ByteSnap Design, Cyient and more, play a pivotal role in shaping the future of the Flash Field Programmable Gate Array Market. Financial statements, product benchmarking, and SWOT analysis provide valuable insights into the industry's key players. Flash Field Programmable Gate Array Market Segment Analysis Based on the research, Verified Market Reports has segmented the global Flash Field Programmable Gate Array Market into Type, Application and Geography. Flash Field Programmable Gate Array Market, By Type LDO Switched DC-DC Regulator Switched Power Module Flash Field Programmable Gate Array Market, By Application Internet Signal Communication Consumer Electronics Flash Field Programmable Gate Array Market, By Geography North America U.S Canada Mexico Europe Germany France U.K Rest of Europe Asia Pacific China Japan India Rest of Asia Pacific ROW Middle East & Africa Latin America Browse Related Reports: Global Embedded Field-Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) Market By Type (EEPROM, Antifuse), By Application (Data processing, Consumer electronics), By Geographic Scope And Forecast Global Antifuse-based Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) Market By Type (Less than 28 nm, 28-90 nm), By Application (Telecommunications, Military and Aerospace), By Geographic Scope And Forecast Global Programmable Gateway Market By Type (Application Gateway, Transport Gateway), By Application (Industrial, Commercial), By Geographic Scope And Forecast Global Cloud Computing Chips Market By Type (Graphics Processing Unit (GPU), Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA)), By Application (BFSI, Manufacturing), By Geographic Scope And Forecast About Us Verified Market Reports stands at the forefront as a global leader in Research and Consulting, offering unparalleled analytical research solutions that empower organizations with the insights needed for critical business decisions. Celebrating 10+ years of service, Verified Market Reports has been instrumental in providing founders and companies with precise, up-to-date research data. With a team of 500+ Analysts and subject matter experts, Verified Market Reports leverages internationally recognized research methodologies for data collection and analyses, covering over 15,000 high impact and niche markets. This robust team ensures data integrity and offers insights that are both informative and actionable, tailored to the strategic needs of businesses across various industries. Verified Market Reports' domain expertise is recognized across 14 key industries, including Semiconductor & Electronics, Healthcare & Pharmaceuticals, Energy, Technology, Automobiles, Defense, Mining, Manufacturing, Retail, and Agriculture & Food. In-depth market analysis cover over 52 countries, with advanced data collection methods and sophisticated research techniques being utilized. 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Contact Us Mr. Edwyne Fernandes Verified Market Reports US: +1 (650)-781-4080 US Toll Free: +1 (800)-782-1768 Email: sales@verifiedmarketreports.com Web: https://www.verifiedmarketreports.com/ Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2486715/VM_Reports_Logo.jpg View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/flash-field-programmable-gate-array-market-surges-to-usd-25-9-billion-by-2030--propelled-by-16-7-cagr---verified-market-reports-302358266.html NEW YORK, Jan. 23, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- According to a new comprehensive report from The Insight Partners, "the Global Pipe Relining Market Size and Forecast (2022 - 2030), Global and Regional Share, Trend, and Growth Opportunity Analysis Report Coverage: By Solution Type [Cured-in-place Pipe (Patch or Spot Repair and Liner or Longer Repair), Pull-in-place, Pipe Bursting, and Internal Pipe Coating], End User (Oil & Gas, Chemicals, Municipal, and Others) and Geography". For More Information and To Stay Updated on The Latest Developments in The Pipe Relining Market, Download The Sample Pages: https://www.theinsightpartners.com/sample/TIPMC00002032/ The global pipe relining market is set for explosive growth, with projections indicating a surge to $12.76 billion by 2030. This remarkable expansion, driven by increased adoption of pipe relining to lower cost of pipes restoration methods, aging infrastructure of developed economies demand sewage restoration, rapid urbanization with significant investment in smart city projects and increasing oil & gas pipelines infrastructure renovations worldwide. The report runs an in-depth analysis of market trends, key players, and future opportunities. Different types solutions include cured-in-place pipe, pull-in-place, pipe bursting, internal pipe coating. Pipe relining manufacturers procure specific grades of materials from raw material suppliers and process them further to develop the final product. Market Overview and Growth Trajectory: Pipe Relining Market Growth: The pipe relining market size is projected to reach US$ 12.76 billion by 2030 from US$ 8.50 billion in 2022. The market is expected to register a CAGR of 5.2% during the forecast period. Pipe relining is the method of restoring damaged pipes using liners. In the oil & gas industry, pipe restoration need occurs quite frequently, incurring significant costs. Pipe relining is generally preferred to eliminate the maintenance cost. Pipe relining is used to repair damaged pipes without digging the ground. This process involves the insertion of flexible and durable recliners into the damaged pipelines. The relining is inflated and left to harden inside the old pipes. The increasing number of oil and gas restoration facilities with growing government investments for building the pipelines is driving the pipe relining market growth. The oil and gas construction projects in the Middle East & Africa hold the largest share, followed by the US. The oil and gas pipeline-related projects in the Middle East and Africa worth US$ 1.23 trillion in 2022. Also, the US Department of Energy has announced over US$ 30 million in funding to develop technology to rehabilitate aging natural gas pipelines. According to the Insight Partners' estimate, more than 196,130 km of trunk oil and gas pipelines are planned between 2023 and 2030 globally. For Detailed Market Insights, Visit: https://www.theinsightpartners.com/reports/pipe-relining-market Rapid Urbanization with Significant Investment in Smart City Projects: Growing urbanization with significant investments in infrastructure rebuilding across the world is the major driving factor for the pipe relining market. According to the updated list of urban areas provided by the US Census Bureau in December 2022, the urban population in the US increased by 6.4% between 2010 and 2020. Urban areas have become denser, with an average population density rising from 2,343 in 2010 to 2,553 in 2020. The West region of the US remained the most urbanized region among the country's four census areas, with 88.9% of its inhabitants living in cities, followed by the Northeast region with 84.0%. Apart from the US, Spain has also witnessed a notable rise in urbanization. According to the figures revealed by the United Nations, the percentage of the population that resided in cities was 80.8% (i.e., accounting for 37.5 million people), which increased to 82% in 2023. Stay Updated on The Latest Pipe Relining Market Trends: https://www.theinsightpartners.com/sample/TIPMC00002032/ Burgeoning Government Investments in Wastewater Management and Upgrades in Sewage Infrastructure: Owing to public safety concerns and scarcity of clean water in various countries, governments of respective nations are investing heavily in the development of proper sewage infrastructure as well as in wastewater management. There are several benefits of proper sewage systems, such as better quality of life and hygiene conditions, preservation of the natural environment, saving and processing waters, economic development, reduction of the risk of damage related to floods, and an increased standard of living. For this, the governments of various economies are investing heavily in developing new sewage infrastructure and upgrading the old sewage infrastructure. For instance, in January 2024, the US state of Massachusetts received more than US$ 260 million for the upgrade of water and sewer infrastructure. The city of Haverhill, in the US, received more than US$ 12.8 million in 2023 for upgrading water and sewer systems. Some of the projects are planned to be completed in January 2024. The city of Lawrence, in the US, received US$ 6.8 million for various sewer infrastructure and stormwater-related projects. Further, the regional district of Nanaimo's 2020 budget (Canada) included US$ ~1 million for the restoration of pipe on a major sewage artery in Nanaimo. Geographical Insights: In 2023, North America led the market with a substantial revenue share, followed by APAC and Europe. Asia Pacific is expected to register the highest CAGR during the forecast period. Pipe Relining Market Segmentation, Applications, Geographical Insights: Based on lift technology, the Pipe Relining market is divided into market is segmented into cured-in-place pipe, pull-in-place, pipe bursting, and internal pipe coating. Among these, cured-in-place pipes held the largest share in 2022. Based on end user, the Pipe Relining market is is categorized into oil & gas, chemical, municipal, and others. The oil & gas industry segment dominated the market in 2022. Key Players and Competitive Landscape: The Pipe Relining Market is characterized by the presence of several major players, including: Advanced Trenchless Inc. Roto-Rooter Group Inc. Silverlining Holding Corporation Nu Flow Corporate Perma-Liner Industries LLC RPB Inc Specialized Pipe Technologies Pipe Restoration Solutions Aegion Corporation These companies are adopting strategies such as new product launches, joint ventures, and geographical expansion to maintain their competitive edge in the market. Need A Diverse Region or Sector? Customize Research to Suit Your Requirement: https://www.theinsightpartners.com/inquiry/TIPMC00002032/ Pipe Relining Market Recent Developments and Innovations: " The Vortex Companies introduced its new, comprehensive UV CIPP Systems solutions portfolio. Vortex's UV CIPP curing equipment systems, liners, and custom truck build backed by expert training and support enable the company to be a valuable partner in the rehabilitation of aging infrastructure." " Brawo Systems developed the unlocking of the intelligent LED head on its Brawo Pico light curing system for in-house renovation further. This makes even simpler and smarter rehabilitation possible on the often-difficult construction sites inside buildings." "Don't Delay, Purchase Today! -Purchase Premium Copy of Global Pipe Relining Market Size and Growth Report (2022-2030) at : https://www.theinsightpartners.com/buy/TIPMC00002032/ Conclusion: Pipe relining is the method of repairing damaged pipes without digging the ground. This process involves inserting durable and flexible lining into the damaged pipelines. The lining is inflated and left to harden to create a new, seamless pipe inside the older one. The continuous advancement of technology resulted in the development of superior equipment and technology-driven solutions for pipe relining. Among these, the cured-in-place pipe relining (CIPP) based solution type is extensively used over the conventional pipeline repair process. It offers evolutionary advantages in terms of costs, efforts, and efficiency of pipeline repair when compared with traditional methods that involve digging out the damaged pipes. Furthermore, other solution types, such as pull-in-place, pipe bursting, and internal pipe coating, have witnessed notable adoption across different industry verticals over the years. A substantial number of companies operate in the global pipeline market, with a notable number of companies with a regional focus. Related Report Titles: Trenchless Pipe Relining Market Strategies, Top Players, Growth Opportunities, Analysis, and Forecast by 2030 Steel Pipe Market Size and Forecasts (2021 - 2031), Global and Regional Share, Trends, and Growth Opportunity Analysis Vacuum Insulated Pipe Market to Grow at a CAGR of 5.6% to reach US$ 1,386.3 million from 2020 to 2028 Light Pipe Market Size and Forecasts (2021 - 2031), Global and Regional Share, Trends, and Growth Opportunity Analysis About Us: The Insight Partners is a one stop industry research provider of actionable intelligence. We help our clients in getting solutions to their research requirements through our syndicated and consulting research services. We specialize in industries such as Semiconductor and Electronics, Aerospace and Defense, Automotive and Transportation, Biotechnology, Healthcare IT, Manufacturing and Construction, Medical Device, Technology, Media and Telecommunications, Chemicals and Materials. Contact Us: If you have any queries about this report or if you would like further information, please contact us: Contact Person: Ankit Mathur E-mail: ankit.mathur@theinsightpartners.com Phone: +1-646-491-9876 Press Release: https://www.theinsightpartners.com/pr/pipe-relining-market Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2520492/The_Insight_Partners_Logo.jpg View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/pipe-relining-market-size-worth-12-76-billion-globally-by-2030---exclusive-report-by-the-insight-partners-302358506.html REDDING, Calif., Jan. 23, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- According to a new market research report titled, 'Surgical Drills Market Size, Share, Forecast, & Trends Analysis by Product (Instruments [Pneumatic, Electric, Battery Powered, Consumables], Type (Reusable, Disposable), Application (Orthopedic, Neurosurgery, Dental, ENT), End User-Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends, and Forecast to 2031. The surgical drills market is expected to reach $1.71 billion by 2031, at a CAGR of 5.6% from 2024 to 2031. Download FREE PDF Brochure Of Surgical Drills Market - https://www.meticulousresearch.com/download-sample-report/cp_id=6098 The growth of this market is driven by the increasing number of surgeries worldwide, technological advancements in surgical drills, the high incidence of accidental injuries, and the growing demand for dental implantation procedures. However, the preference for minimally invasive surgeries, the risk of disease transmission and complications, and the high cost of surgical drills restrain market growth. Additionally, improvements in healthcare infrastructure in emerging countries, rising awareness of oral care, and the growth of medical tourism are expected to create significant growth opportunities for players in the market. However, a shortage of skilled professionals and potential side effects associated with drill machines are some of the challenges affecting market growth. Key Findings in the Surgical Drills Market Get Insightful Data On Regions, Market Segments, Customer Landscape, And Top Companies (Charts, Tables, Figures And More) - https://www.meticulousresearch.com/request-sample-report/cp_id=6098 By Product Type: The Instruments Segment to Dominate the Surgical Drills Market in 2024 The Instruments Segment to Dominate the Surgical Drills Market in 2024 By Type: The Reusable Segment to Dominate the Surgical Drills Market in 2024 The Reusable Segment to Dominate the Surgical Drills Market in 2024 By Application: In 2024, the Orthopedic Surgery Segment is Expected to Dominate the Surgical Drills Market In 2024, the Orthopedic Surgery Segment is Expected to Dominate the Surgical Drills Market By End User: In 2024, the Hospitals & Clinics Segment is Expected to Account for the Largest Share of the Surgical Drills Market In 2024, the Hospitals & Clinics Segment is Expected to Account for the Largest Share of the Surgical Drills Market By Geography: North America to Dominate the Surgical Drills Market in 2024 Increasing Incidence of Accidental Injuries Driving Market Growth Accidental injuries, such as dislocations, fractures, and severe damage to bones and joints, often require surgical reconstruction, stabilization, and repair. Orthopedic surgeries, which are important in the treatment of traumatic injuries, typically need the use of surgical drills for procedures like fracture fixation and joint reconstruction. According to World Health Organization (WHO) data, approximately 1.19 million people's lives were lost each year because of a road traffic accident as of December 2023. Between 20 and 50 million additional people sustained nonfatal injuries, with many becoming disabled. In addition, according to WHO, in 2021, nearly 4.4 million people died from injuries, 3.16 million died from accidental wounds, and 1.25 died from violence-related injuries globally. Accidental injuries frequently necessitate surgical intervention for treatment and repair, creating a greater demand for surgical instruments and equipment, including drills. Have Specific Research Needs? Request a Customized Research Report - https://www.meticulousresearch.com/request-customization/cp_id=6098 Key Players: Some of the major players studied in this report are Medtronic plc (Ireland), Stryker Corporation (U.S.), Johnson & Johnson Services, Inc. (U.S.), Zimmer Biomet (U.S.), B. Braun Melsungen AG (Germany), Allotech Co., Ltd (South Korea), Arthrex, Inc. (U.S.), Apothecaries Sundries Mfg. Private Limited. (India), CONMED Corporation. (U.S.), 3M Company (U.S.), MicroAire Surgical Instruments LLC (U.S.), adeor medical AG. (Germany), Brasseler USA (U.S.), and Joimax GmbH (Germany). The surgical drills market is segmented based on product type, type, application, end user, and geography. This study also evaluates industry competitors and analyzes the regional and country-level markets. Surgical Drills Industry Overview: Latest Developments from Key Industry Players In January 2024, Myron Meditech (INDIA), launched a new website related to orthopaedic bone drills. This website offers brief information about their bone drill technology, orthopedic surgery instruments, veterinary orthopedic drill, and mini oscillating saw. This launch indicates firms' innovations and customer relations. In March 2023, Stryker launched CD NXT System, the latest innovation in the company's power tools. This patented technology provides real-time depth measurement as the surgeon drills, allowing for fast, accurate, consistent digital depth measurement across various procedures. In June 2021, German-based joimax globally launched its new generation Shrill, the Shaver Drill System. Developed for the removal of soft tissue and bone, the joimax Shrill system is also highly effective in treating stenosis, a degenerative spine condition. Key Findings in the Surgical Drills Market Study: Among the product types studied in this report, the instruments segment is expected to register the highest CAGR during the forecast period. This segment's growth is driven by technological advancements in surgical drills and increasing awareness among healthcare professionals about the benefits of advanced drills. Among the types studied in this report, the disposable segment is estimated to record the highest CAGR during the forecast period. This segment's growth is driven by the increasing focus on reducing hospital-acquired infections associated with medical devices. Disposable surgical drills are preferred in healthcare settings as they are single-use, which reduces the risk of infections compared to reusable surgical equipment. The rising awareness of infection prevention and control in healthcare settings further supports the growth of this segment. Among the applications studied in this report, the orthopedic surgery segment is projected to register the highest CAGR during the forecast period. This segment's growth is driven by the rising prevalence of orthopedic diseases. For instance, according to the World Health Organization (WHO), in 2022, 1.71 billion people worldwide were affected by musculoskeletal conditions. Musculoskeletal procedures are among the most commonly performed surgeries, which leads to a high usage rate of surgical drills in these procedures. Among the end users studied in this report, the hospitals & clinics segment is anticipated to record the highest CAGR during the forecast period. This segment's growth is driven by the availability of highly skilled professionals and the growing number of surgeries being performed in these healthcare settings. The high volume of surgeries conducted in these settings leads to an increased demand for surgical drills. Among the regions studied in this report, Asia-Pacific is poised to record the highest CAGR during the forecast period. The growth of this regional market is driven by the presence of leading surgical drill manufacturers in the region, growing exports of surgical devices, and the expansion of healthcare infrastructure in the region. IMMEDIATE DELIVERY AVAILABLE | BUY THIS RESEARCH REPORT (Insights, Charts, Tables, Figures and More) - https://www.meticulousresearch.com/Checkout/18946939 Scope of the Report: Surgical Drills Market-by Product Type Instruments Pneumatic Drills Electric Drills Battery Powered Drills Consumables & Accessories Surgical Drills Market-by Type Reusable Disposable Surgical Drills Market-by Application Orthopedic Surgery Neurosurgery Dental Surgery Ear, Nose, Throat Surgery Surgical Drills Market-by End User Hospitals & Clinics Ambulatory Surgical Centers (ASC) Dental Care Clinics Surgical Drills Market Assessment-by Geography North America U.S. Canada Europe Germany France U.K. Italy Spain Switzerland Netherlands Rest of Europe Asia-Pacific China India Japan South Korea Australia Rest of Asia-Pacific Latin America Brazil Mexico Rest of Latin America Middle East & Africa Browse More Reports:- Surgical Sutures Market by Type [Absorbable {Polyglactin, Polydioxanone, Poliglecaprone, Collagen} Nonabsorbable {Polypropylene, Nylon, Silk}] Structure [Monofilament, Multifilament] Coating [Uncoated, Antimicrobial] Application - Global Forecast to 2030 Ophthalmic Equipment Market by Product Type (Vision Care, Surgical Devices {Refractive, Cataract, Vitreoretinal, Glaucoma, Accessories}, Diagnostic {Retinoscope, Tonometer, Ultrasound}), End User (Consumer, Clinic, Hospital) - Global Forecast to 2030 Hemostats Market Size, Share, Forecast, & Trends Analysis by Type (Gelatin, Collagen, Thrombin, Fibrin, Synthetic Sealant, Gauze) Form (Sheet, Powder, Gel) Application (Orthopedic, General, Cardiovascular, Dental, Trauma) End User - Global Forecast to 2031 Surgical Power Tools Market by Product (Drill, Saw, Reamer, Shaver, Wire Driver, Power Source, Accessories), Application (Orthopedic, Neuro, Dental, ENT, Cardiothoracic), Usage (Reusable, Disposable), End User (Hospital, Clinic) - Global Forecast to 2030 Surgical Robots Market by Product & Service (Surgical Instruments & Accessories, Robotic Systems, Services), Application (Orthopedic, Obstetrics & Gynecological, Cardiovascular & Thoracic, Urology, General Surgery), End User - Global Forecast to 2030 Power Tools Market Size, Share, Forecast, & Trends Analysis by Type (Power Tool Machines (Drills, Saws, Hammers), Power Tool Accessories), Mode of Operation (Electric, Pneumatic), End User (Industrial & Professional, Residential Consumer), and Geography - Global Forecast to 2031 Surgical Drills Market Research Summary Particulars Details Number of Pages 280 Format PDF Forecast Period 2024-2031 Base Year 2023 CAGR (Value) 5.6 % Market Size (Value) in 2024 USD 1.17 billion Market Size (Value) in 2031 USD 1.71 Billion Segments Covered By Product Type Instruments Pneumatic Drills Electric Drills Battery Powered Drills Consumables & Accessories By Type Reusable Disposable By Application Orthopedic Surgery Neurosurgery Dental Surgery Ear, Nose, Throat Surgery By End User Hospitals & Clinics Ambulatory Surgical Centers (ASC) Dental Care Clinics Countries Covered North America (U.S. and Canada), Europe (Germany, France, U.K., Italy, Spain, Switzerland, Netherlands, and Rest of Europe), Asia-Pacific (Japan, China, India, South Korea, Australia, and Rest of Asia-Pacific), Latin America (Brazil, Mexico, Rest of Latin America) and Middle East & Africa Key Companies Medtronic plc (Ireland), Stryker Corporation (U.S.), Johnson & Johnson Services, Inc. (U.S.), Zimmer Biomet (U.S.), B. Braun Melsungen AG (Germany), Allotech Co., Ltd (South Korea), Arthrex, Inc. (U.S.), Apothecaries Sundries Mfg. Private Limited. (India), CONMED Corporation. (U.S.), 3M Company (U.S.), MicroAire Surgical Instruments LLC (U.S.), adeor medical AG. (Germany), Brasseler USA (U.S.), Joimax GmbH (Germany) About Meticulous Research Pvt. Ltd. We are a trusted research partner for leading businesses worldwide, empowering Fortune 500 organizations and emerging enterprises with market intelligence designed to drive revenue transformation and strategic growth. Our insights reveal future growth opportunities, equipping clients with a competitive edge through a versatile suite of research solutions-including syndicated reports, custom research, and direct analyst engagement. Each year, we conduct over 300 syndicated studies and manage 60+ consulting engagements across eight major sectors and 20+ geographic markets, all to deliver targeted business insights that help our clients lead in a rapidly evolving global market. With a strong focus on problem-solving for complex business challenges, our research enables organizations to navigate change with assertion, aligning it with strategic pathways for sustainable growth. By identifying innovative and effective solutions, we empower leaders to make impactful decisions that drive operational excellence and fuel innovation. We are committed to crafting insights that enhance business performance and help our clients unlock new revenue opportunities, positioning them for long-term success in the competitive global marketplace. Contact: Meticulous Market Research Pvt. Ltd. 1267 Willis St, Ste 200 Redding, California, 96001, U.S. USA: +1-646-781-8004 Europe: +44-203-868-8738 APAC: +91 744-7780008 Email- sales@meticulousresearch.com Visit Our Website: https://www.meticulousresearch.com/ Connect with us on LinkedIn- https://www.linkedin.com/company/meticulous-research Meticulousblog.org | Top Market Research Reports Blog - https://meticulousblog.org/ Content Source: https://www.meticulousresearch.com/pressrelease/1334/surgical-drills-market Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2604735/Surgical_Drills_Market.jpg Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1757980/Meticulous_Research_Logo_1.jpg View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/surgical-drills-market-to-reach-1-71-billion-by-2031---exclusive-report-by-meticulous-research-302358687.html Owners and former executives apply for a court review of the regulator's decision to take enforcement action against the exchange following its voluntary application for liquidation In a separate action, the court-appointed independent liquidator of Bittrex Global is challenging the constitutionality of the lack of an effective appeal framework in relation to the enforcement actions under Bermuda's Digital Asset Business Act (DABA) HAMILTON, Bermuda, Jan. 23, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Bittrex Global owners and former executives confirmed today the filing of two suits against the Bermuda Monetary Authority (BMA) in the Supreme Court of Bermuda. Based on this development Bittrex Global owners and former executives released the following statement today: "In November 2023, we announced that Bittrex Global would be ceasing operations. We then entered a four-month period of consultation with the BMA and a globally recognised firm to act as liquidators to develop a plan to ensure an orderly wind-down and the safe return of all claimed funds to former customers. Three business days after the Court approved the liquidation plan and the appointment of the proposed independent liquidators, the BMA issued a warning notice to the company that it intended to take enforcement action. "We have asked the Court to review the decision of the BMA to bring enforcement action in these circumstances. Unfortunately, the Digital Asset Business Act (DABA) does not afford us, as owners and former executives, the right to respond directly. Therefore, we have also had to file a Constitutional claim in order to challenge the decision. "Bittrex Global became one of the first companies regulated under Bermuda's flagship crypto regulation in 2020. Since then, we have worked closely with the BMA, providing them with business plans and other materials setting out in detail all our policies and procedures. Where the BMA made suggestions, for example as part of an annual on-site inspection, these were promptly implemented. It was extremely surprising to learn, mere days after choosing to liquidate the company and after months of consultation with the BMA about our plans, that the BMA intended to bring enforcement action in relation to those same policies and procedures it had known about and in many cases approved over the previous three years. It was further shocking to learn that they proposed to deviate significantly from their own official published guidance and issue a civil penalty over four times the maximum amount under that guidance. "In a separate court filing, Bittrex Global, acting through the court-appointed independent liquidators, is challenging the constitutionality of DABA's lack of an effective appeal framework in relation to enforcement actions. "The return of claimed assets to all Bittrex Global users is already in an advanced stage, under the direction of the independent liquidators and the supervision of the Supreme Court of Bermuda. To date, over 94% of claimed funds have already been returned, and it is anticipated that all claimed funds will be returned in accordance with applicable law in the coming weeks. Bittrex Global owners and former executives have continued to assist in this process, and the return of claimed funds remains our overriding priority." View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/bittrex-global-owners-and-former-executives-file-suits-against-the-bermuda-monetary-authority-bma-302358804.html London, United Kingdom--(Newsfile Corp. - January 23, 2025) - Think Positive Agency, the innovative business transformation consultancy founded by fashion industry veteran Antonio Marsocci, today announced its successful expansion beyond the UK market, with completed projects across Europe, North America, and Asia. This strategic growth, driven by the agency's unique blend of creative and strategic approaches to business transformation, marks a significant milestone in the company's evolution into a global consultancy firm. To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/10373/238202_6e4e195944163b00_001full.jpg The expansion builds on Think Positive Agency's proven track record of delivering substantial business growth for clients through its proprietary business transformation framework. This comprehensive methodology, which combines strategic planning, employee development, operational excellence, and market adaptation, has demonstrated remarkable success across various sectors, from fashion and lifestyle to automotive and technology startups. "Our expansion beyond the UK represents a natural evolution of our business model," says Antonio Marsocci, Founder and CEO of Think Positive Agency. "By combining our expertise in business transformation with deep understanding of different markets, we're able to deliver sustainable growth solutions that work across cultural boundaries while maintaining the creative edge that sets us apart." The international growth has enabled Think Positive Agency to develop valuable cross-cultural insights and strategies, directly benefiting clients operating in or expanding into diverse markets. The agency's approach combines local market understanding with global best practices, ensuring effective business transformation regardless of geographic location. "What sets Think Positive Agency apart is their ability to understand and adapt to each business's unique challenges," says the CEO of a leading womenswear brand and client of Think Positive Agency. "Antonio's expertise has been instrumental in transforming our business model and achieving unprecedented growth in multiple markets." Looking ahead, Think Positive Agency will continue to strengthen its international presence while expanding its innovative solutions for emerging market challenges, including new programs focused on digital transformation and sustainable business practices. About Think Positive Agency Think Positive Agency is a premier business transformation consultancy founded by Antonio Marsocci. The agency specializes in delivering sustainable growth solutions through innovative business strategies, professional development, operational optimization, and market positioning. Their proprietary methodology, developed through extensive fashion industry expertise and refined across multiple sectors, has consistently delivered significant results for clients worldwide. With a growing global presence and cross-industry expertise, Think Positive Agency has established itself as a trusted partner for businesses seeking transformative growth in international markets. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/238202 SOURCE: Pressmaster DMCC BRUSSELS/FRANKFURT/PARIS (dpa-AFX) - Euro area consumer confidence grew for the first time in three months in January, but remained in the negative territory suggesting lingering pessimism, preliminary data from the European Commission showed on Thursday.The flash consumer confidence index for Eurozone rose to -14.2 from -14.5 in December. The reading was in line with economists' forecasts.The corresponding measure for the EU was steady at -13.3 in January after weakening in the previous two months.Both consumer confidence readings remained below their long-term average.The survey data was collected from January 1 to 22.The commission is set to release the final figures for Eurozone consumer confidence on January 30 along with the results of the monthly economic sentiment survey.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. NEW YORK, Jan. 23, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- According to a new comprehensive report from The Insight Partners, "the Global Advanced Driver Assistance Systems Market Size and Forecast 2022 - 2028, Global and Regional Share, Trend, and Growth Opportunity Analysis Report Coverage: By Sensor Type (Image Sensor, LiDAR, Ultrasonic Sensor, Infrared Sensor, and Others), Technology Type (Adaptive Cruise Control, Blind Spot Detection System, Park Assistance, Lane Departure Warning System, Tire Pressure Monitoring System, Autonomous Emergency Braking, and Others), Vehicle Type (Passenger Car, Commercial Vehicle) and Geography". The global advanced driver assistance systems market is set for explosive growth, with projections indicating a surge to $183.81 billion by 2028. This remarkable expansion, driven by growing demand for safety & driving comfort features and rising adoption of integrated radar & camera systems. For More Information and To Stay Updated on The Latest Developments in The Advanced Driver Assistance Systems Market, Download The Sample Pages: https://www.theinsightpartners.com/sample/TIPTE100000129/ The Advanced Driver Assistance Systems Market comprises a vast array of sensors and technologies that are expected to register strength during the coming years. The report runs an in-depth analysis of market trends, key players, and future opportunities. Market Overview and Growth Trajectory: Advanced Driver Assistance Systems Market Growth: The Advanced Driver Assistance Systems Market was valued at US$ 47.24 billion in 2022 and is projected to reach US$ 183.81 billion by 2028; it is expected to register a CAGR of 25.4% during 2022-2028. The Global Advanced Driver Assistance Systems Market is observing substantial growth and is expected to maintain its upward trajectory in the foreseeable future. This growth can be accredited to numerous factors. One of the prime factors is the rising adoption of autonomous vehicles. The introduction of self-driving vehicles is predicted to transform commuting. With features such as lane monitoring, emergency braking, and stability control, ADAS technologies have considerably decreased driving complexity. Autonomous cars use modern technologies and systems to acquire data, including LiDAR, radar, ultrasonic sensors, and high-definition cameras. An onboard smart autonomous driving system analyzes this data to operate the car safely. OEMs will include more cruise control capabilities and enhanced safety systems in semiautonomous vehicles as the focus on autonomous driving systems increases. Further, the growing emphasis on connected car technologies is also one of the prime factors boosting the growth of the ADAS market across the globe. For Detailed Market Insights, Visit: https://www.theinsightpartners.com/reports/advanced-driver-assistance-systems-market Growing Demand for Safety and Driving Comfort Features: ADAS technology based on field-programmable gate arrays (FPGA)/state of charge (SoC) and automotive sensors can be integrated with advanced systems in the automotive industry, such as vision/camera to increase situational awareness and control, making driving easier and safer. A car is the largest and most often utilized connected system among the customer base. The ADAS market is anticipated to benefit from increased awareness of car safety ratings and lower component prices owing to the widespread use of cameras and radars. Major automakers are using ADAS systems to attain greater safety ratings and attract more customers. Navigational alerts, such as automated lighting, adaptive cruise control, and pedestrian accident avoidance mitigation (PCAM), notify drivers of possible threats, such as cars in blind areas and lane departures. As a result, top automakers either standardize safety systems across models or offer them as options. The demand for components such as cameras, radar sensors, ultrasonic sensors, and LiDAR will increase due to the rising penetration of advanced driver assistance systems during the forecasted period. Rising Adoption of Integrated Radar and Camera Systems: The incorporation of different sensors into automobiles is fueled by the rise of advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) and autonomous driving (AD) solutions. Radars, cameras, and ultrasonic sensors have become industry standards, responding to the need for road safety improvements. Stay Updated on The Latest Advanced Driver Assistance Systems Market Trends: https://www.theinsightpartners.com/sample/TIPTE100000129/ The growth in EV sales is one of the prime factors boosting the need for automotive advanced driver assistance systems is also increasing in automobiles. Additionally, the continuous production of commercial vehicles across the globe is also fueling the need for automotive advanced driver assistance systems significantly, which is supporting the development of the Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) market across the globe. The US, China, and Germany, among others, are some of the major countries contributing to the growth of the ADAS market. Geographical Insights: In 2022, Asia Pacific led the market with a substantial revenue share, followed by Europe and North America. Asia Pacific is expected to register the highest CAGR during the forecast period. Need A Diverse Region or Sector? Customize Research to Suit Your Requirement: https://www.theinsightpartners.com/inquiry/TIPTE100000129/ Advanced Driver Assistance Systems Market Segmentation, Applications, Geographical Insights: Based on sensor type, the Advanced Driver Assistance Systems market is divided into Image Sensor, LiDAR, Radar Sensor, Ultrasonic Sensor, and Infrared Sensor. The ultrasonic sensor segment held a larger share of the Advanced Driver Assistance Systems Market in 2022. Based on technology type, the Advanced Driver Assistance Systems market is segmented into Adaptive Front Light, Blind Spot Detection, Electronic Brake Assist, Drowsiness-Monitoring System, Lane Departure Warning, Head-up Display, Night Vision System, Park Assist, E-Call Telematics, Tire Pressure-Monitoring System, and Others. The blind spot detection segment held the largest Advanced Driver Assistance Systems Market share in 2022. Based on vehicle type, the Advanced Driver Assistance Systems market is segmented into Passenger Car, LCV, and HCV. The passenger car segment held the largest Advanced Driver Assistance Systems Market share in 2022. Key Players and Competitive Landscape: The Advanced Driver Assistance Systems Market is characterized by the presence of several major players, including: Robert Bosch GmbH Continental AG ZF Friedrichshafen AG Denso Corporation Aptiv PLC Valeo SA Magna International Inc. Aisin Seiki Co. Ltd. Autoliv Inc. Gentex Corporation These companies are adopting strategies such as new product launches, joint ventures, and geographical expansion to maintain their competitive edge in the market. Advanced Driver Assistance Systems Market Recent Developments and Innovations: "Tata Technologies partners with Telechips to develop ADAS solutions." "Toyota, Aurora, and Continental Join Growing List of NVIDIA Partners Rolling Out Next-Generation Highly Automated and Autonomous Vehicle Fleets." "ZF introduces Smart Camera 6 for Automated Driving and ADAS systems." "Don't Delay, Purchase Today! - [Free 10% Customization, Free Post-Sale Assistance, PDF Deliverable]" - Purchase Premium Copy of Global Advanced Driver Assistance Systems Market Size and Growth Report (2022-2028) at: https://www.theinsightpartners.com/buy/TIPTE100000129/ Conclusion: Advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) are becoming more widely accessible in new automobiles. Human errors are responsible for nearly all car accidents, which may be avoided using ADAS. The goal of ADAS is to reduce the incidence of automobile accidents and the severity of those that cannot be prevented, therefore preventing fatalities and injuries. Forward-collision warning (FCW) and automated emergency braking (AEB), for example, are meant to deliver alerts and/or features that aid the driver with the driving job. These ADAS features are intended to improve driving safety and/or convenience. The report from The Insight Partners, therefore, provides several stakeholders-including important information on component providers, system technology integrators, and system manufacturers-with valuable insights into how to successfully navigate this evolving market landscape and unlock new opportunities. Related Report Titles: Driver Assisting System Market Size and Forecasts (2021 - 2031), Global and Regional Share, Trends, and Growth Opportunity Analysis Driver Management Solution Market Size and Forecasts (2021 - 2031), Global and Regional Share, Trends, and Growth Opportunity Analysis Semi-Autonomous and Autonomous Vehicles Market Overview, Growth, Opportunities and Development 2031 Automated Guided Vehicles (AGV) Software Market Size and Forecasts (2021 - 2031), Global and Regional Share, Trends, and Growth Opportunity Analysis About Us: The Insight Partners is a one stop industry research provider of actionable intelligence. We help our clients in getting solutions to their research requirements through our syndicated and consulting research services. We specialize in industries such as Semiconductor and Electronics, Aerospace and Defense, Automotive and Transportation, Biotechnology, Healthcare IT, Manufacturing and Construction, Medical Device, Technology, Media and Telecommunications, Chemicals and Materials. Contact Us: If you have any queries about this report or if you would like further information, please contact us: Contact Person: Ankit Mathur E-mail: ankit.mathur@theinsightpartners.com Phone: +1-646-491-9876 Press Release: https://www.theinsightpartners.com/pr/advanced-driver-assistance-systems-market Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2520492/The_Insight_Partners_Logo.jpg View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/advanced-driver-assistance-systems-market-size-worth-183-81-billion-globally-by-2028-growing-at-25-4-cagr--exclusive-report-by-the-insight-partners-302358616.html Top Four Conveyor Car Wash Celebrates Opening of 55th Express Car Wash in Georgia Tidal Wave Auto Spa, one of the nation's fastest-growing express car wash companies, is pleased to announce the grand opening of its newest location in Rome, GA at 2305 Shorter Avenue . To celebrate the grand opening and introduce Tidal Wave's car wash experience to the community, the brand-new Rome, GA location will offer eight days of free premium car washes from January 23 through January 30. This limited-time promotion provides an opportunity for car owners to experience Tidal Wave's top-tier wash option, Graph-X4 , at no cost. Additionally, any new customer that joins a Clean Club unlimited wash membership during Grand Opening week will enjoy their first month of unlimited washes for only $9.97 - saving up to $40. "It's an exciting day whenever we get to expand our footprint to a new community within our home state," said CEO and Founder of Tidal Wave Auto Spa, Scott Blackstock. "We opened the first express car wash in the state over twenty years ago, and I'm incredibly proud that Tidal Wave is now one of the industry-leading express car washes in the country with fifty-five locations operating throughout the state where it all began. Our team is eager to share our convenient and exceptional car wash experience with the Rome community during Grand Opening week and beyond." Rome, GA Location : 2305 Shorter Avenue, Rome, GA 30165 Tidal Wave proudly serves customers at 287 express wash locations across the United States, with fifty-five of those locations operating in the company's home state of Georgia . In the coming months, the company will expand their Georgia footprint further with the opening of a brand-new express wash in Port Wentworth, GA . Tidal Wave Auto Spa is committed to providing every customer with an exceptional car wash experience through industry-leading car care technology, clean and attractive locations, and friendly customer service at every location. Stop by for a single wash or join Tidal Wave's Clean Club for the ultimate experience. Members can wash every day of the month for one convenient monthly payment and save time with exclusive club member wash lanes - plus, memberships can be used at any Tidal Wave location. For those needing to wash multiple cars, Tidal Wave offers discounted monthly family plans and fleet plans for businesses with five or more vehicles. For additional information, including upcoming grand openings, fundraising, fleet plans, and more, please visit: https://www.tidalwaveautospa.com/ . About Tidal Wave Auto Spa Tidal Wave Auto Spa was founded over 20 years ago in Thomaston, GA by husband and wife, Scott and Hope Blackstock. What started as a small-town self-service car wash business, evolved into the first conveyor car wash open in Georgia, and is now the fourth-largest conveyor car wash company in the nation with 287 locations sprawling 30 states. Tidal Wave is committed to providing every customer an exceptional car wash experience through industry-leading car care technology, clean and attractive locations, and outstanding customer service. In 2020, the company partnered with Golden Gate Capital to facilitate their accelerated growth and has been included in the Inc. 5000 list of America's Fastest Growing Companies for the past five years. Tidal Wave has continuously strived to make a positive impact in the communities they serve, and has raised over $3 million dollars for local programs, service organizations, and non-profit organizations through the company's fundraising program and annual philanthropic Charity Day event. SOURCE: Tidal Wave Auto Spa View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire Kudelski Group / Key word(s): Miscellaneous RecovR ID Check: Protecting Automotive Dealers Against Fraud and Identity Theft 23.01.2025 / 17:45 CET/CEST New Real-Time ID Verification Service to Combat Dealership Fraud and Provide Critical Intelligence Before Vehicles are Stolen Cheseaux-sur-Lausanne, Switzerland, and Phoenix, AZ, USA, January 23 - Kudelski IoT, a division of the Kudelski Group (SIX: KUD.S) and a pioneer in digital security and IoT solutions, today announced the launch of RecovR ID Check, an advanced identity verification solution designed to strengthen dealership defenses against identity theft and fraud in the U.S. automotive market. RecovR ID Check offers dealerships a modern, affordable solution to safeguard test drives, sales, and financing transactions. Criminals are increasingly using fake and stolen identities to take advantage of automotive dealers-driving off with vehicles during test drives or securing financing fraudulently. Identity crime enables them to disappear without a trace, leaving dealers to absorb the financial loss. And the fraud is often only discovered after the fictitious buyer defaults on their loan payments, which can be up to 90 days after purchase. "Identity crime is a growing threat, and staying ahead of criminals is essential for protecting our business," said Dennis Gingrich, Sales & Finance Director at The Niello Company, a 12-rooftop dealership group in the Sacramento area. "RecovR has worked closely with our dealership teams and industry experts to create a solution that directly addresses the need for robust anti-fraud measures in automotive retail. Our goal is straightforward-every vehicle sale should include a thorough identity check, ensuring secure transactions and safeguarding our bottom line." RecovR ID Check meets the urgent need for real-time identity verification during crucial dealership processes such as test drives and vehicle financing, whether conducted in-person or online. This solution integrates seamlessly into existing dealership workflows, providing a powerful tool to reduce fraud and protect valuable dealership assets. Unlike competitive solutions, RecovR ID Check has no special equipment costs or monthly fees. Dealers simply purchase a pre-paid package of ID checks based on their needs. "RecovR ID Check is the latest extension of the successful RecovR product line, which has already revolutionized automotive retail with its lot management and vehicle theft recovery and key tracking solutions," said Patrick Hauert, SVP of Asset Tracking at Kudelski IoT. "Our mission is to develop technology solutions that resonate with the dynamic needs of today's market. RecovR ID Check enhances auto dealers' fraud prevention program with a powerful tool that helps ensure secure, trustworthy transactions and reduces loss." Kudelski IoT will be demonstrating al of its RecovR solutions at NADA Show 2025 in New Orleans, LA, January 24-26, on Booth 4501. To learn more about RecovR and its automotive retail solutions, please visit https://www.recovr.biz/. About Kudelski IoT Kudelski IoT is the Internet of Things division of Kudelski Group and provides end-to-end IoT solutions, IoT product design, and full-lifecycle services to IoT device manufacturers, ecosystem creators, and end-user companies. These solutions and services leverage the group's 30+ years of innovation in digital business model creation; hardware, software and ecosystem design and testing; state-of-the-art security lifecycle management technologies and services and managed operation of complex systems. For more information about Kudelski IoT, please visit www.kudelski-iot.com. About Kudelski Group The Kudelski Group (SIX: KUD.S) is a world leader in core digital security technologies and solutions for media, cybersecurity and IoT. The Group is headquartered in Cheseaux-sur-Lausanne, Switzerland and Phoenix, Arizona, USA with a presence in over 20 countries around the world. For more information, please visit www.nagra.com Media contacts Christopher Schouten Kudelski IoT Sr. Marketing Director +1 (480) 819-5781 christopher.schouten@nagra.com Marc Demierre Kudelski Group Director Corporate Communications +41 79 190 17 09 marc.demierre@nagra.com End of Media Release Interview: China-Switzerland innovation cooperation has yielded "small yet beautiful results" -- expert Xinhua) 10:44, January 23, 2025 GENEVA, Jan. 22 (Xinhua) -- China and Switzerland boast great potential for creativity and innovation, with their cooperation in science and technology producing "small yet beautiful results," Zhou Shun, head of the China Region at the Greater Geneva Bern area (GGBa), said in a recent interview with Xinhua. Zhou highlighted the favorable conditions created by the 75th anniversary of diplomatic ties between the two countries and common efforts to accelerate negotiations on upgrading their free trade agreement. He said Chinese companies are increasingly interested in the Swiss market and its research and development talent, particularly in advanced manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, medical devices, and new energy. Switzerland, he added, has also shown a proactive approach toward collaboration. "Switzerland's scientific research market remains a relatively unperturbed and open market. Many academic and corporate research institutions are largely unaffected by geopolitical factors in establishing research projects," Zhou said, adding that this indicates the Swiss research community's openness to Chinese companies. Zhou noted that Chinese institutions have been actively fostering the growth of Chinese enterprises in Switzerland, citing China Automotive Standards Internationalization Center in Geneva, which focuses on automotive standardization and fosters links between Switzerland's upstream automotive technology and China's new energy vehicle market. He also pointed to examples of innovative cooperation, including Chinese technology companies establishing subsidiaries in Switzerland to leverage its advanced innovation ecosystem for commercializing research outcomes, and the transfer of research results from Swiss laboratories to industrial parks in China. These include technologies such as anion exchange membranes for hydrogen production through water electrolysis, results that he described as "small but beautiful," reflecting the innovation advantages and cooperation potential between the two countries. Zhou also noted progress in China-Switzerland cooperation in education and public health. A student exchange program between research institutes at the University of Geneva and the Vanke School of Public Health at Tsinghua University has played a key role in advancing global public health research, strengthening international epidemic prevention and control, and fostering health-related cooperation. Through in-depth collaboration, China and Switzerland are cultivating a strong research talent pipeline and ensuring the ongoing innovative transformation of scientific research results, Zhou said. Many Swiss universities invest heavily in their laboratories each year, training doctoral and postdoctoral researchers and supporting the commercialization of research outcomes, he said, adding that Chinese companies and research institutions should follow these developments and explore areas of cooperation. (Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Zhong Wenxing) User-Centric, Flexible, and Sustainable Designs Simplifying AV Technology Adoption BREA, Calif., Jan. 23, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- ViewSonic Corp., a leading global provider of visual solutions, will showcase its latest innovations under the theme "Solutions That Shape the Future" at Integrated Systems Europe (ISE) 2025, taking place from February 4th to 7th in Spain. The company will introduce a diverse range of advanced display solutions, ranging from 75-inch to 263-inch displays, along with integrated software designed to enhance efficiency and productivity in public spaces, corporate workspaces, and collaborative learning spaces. "In an era of rapidly evolving technology, users across different scenarios prioritize quick and easy adoption of solutions," said Bonny Cheng, COO of ViewSonic. "At ViewSonic, we envision a future where seamless communication and collaboration break down barriers. By offering integrated, one-stop solutions, we minimize the learning curve and bridge the gaps between tools, optimizing users' performance and experience in work, learning, and life-all while ensuring sustainability." Simplifying Large-Scale Visual Deployments in Public Spaces ViewSonic's solutions for large venues focus on delivering high-quality presentation, effortless installation, and seamless operation. Among the ISE highlights is the world's first rack-mount All-in-One control box, which integrates power and control modules into a compact 4U design. This innovation complements the Customizable All-in-One LED Series, which supports irregular shapes and custom sizes, breaking configuration limits while seamlessly integrating into existing ProAV structures for impactful branding presentation. Upgrading its versatile lineup, ViewSonic will unveil its latest third-generation foldable All-in-One LED display. This 138-inch display features a sleek, frameless design and a built-in wheeled stand, enabling effortless relocation and installation-free setup-making it ideal for multi-purpose applications. Complementing this innovation, ViewSonic will also exhibit other large-format displays, including an ultra-wide 105-inch display, showcased in portrait orientation with side-by-side visuals. Designed for 24/7 operation, it is suitable for advertising and other high-demand environments. For creative installations in spaces such as lobbies, museums, or auditoriums, high-brightness lamp-free projectors offer reliable and adaptable performance. Optimizing Collaboration in Corporate and Education Settings Effective communication, collaboration, and management are essential for organizational success. To meet the needs of corporate workplaces and educational institutions, ViewSonic will demo advanced meeting room solutions. featuring dual interactive display setups. These include a video conferencing solution that pairs a 75-inch ViewBoard interactive display with TeamJoin, a Microsoft Teams Rooms certified meeting system, enabling seamless videoconferencing with one-tap sign-in and one-click meeting access. Additionally, the collaboration solution combines TeamOne, an AI-powered software, with an ultra-wide 92-inch interactive display to enable intuitive teamwork and streamline meeting notes with AI-driven summarization.? Enhancing these offerings, ViewSonic's Manager is a centralized management software designed to simplify multi-device administration. With features such as efficient on/off scheduling and broadcast control, it helps IT administrators reduce repetitive tasks and streamline operations. Leading in Sustainability with ESG Initiatives Aligned with its 2050 net-zero commitment, ViewSonic incorporates eco-friendly designs and robust carbon management practices across every stage of the product lifecycle. Setting a new industry benchmark, ViewSonic achieved the world's first EPEAT Gold certification in the signage display category and holds the highest number of EPEAT Silver certifications for interactive and commercial displays, reflecting its dedication to sustainable design, production, and energy efficiency. At ISE, ViewSonic will showcase its sustainable solutions. An 86-inch ViewBoard interactive display from an upcoming series will take center stage, featuring advanced performance and energy-efficient design that has earned it EPEAT Silver certification, reducing power consumption by 20% compared to the previous generation. Beyond interactive displays, the Luminous Superior projector series utilizes laser and LED light sources, eliminating toxic mercury and delivering high brightness, energy efficiency, and a longer lifespan of up to 60,000 hours. These advancements reinforce the company's commitment to sustainable innovation and environmentally responsible practices. ViewSonic at ISE 2025 Location: Booth #2Q200, Hall 2, Fira Barcelona Gran Via, Barcelona, Spain Dates and Times: February 4 th - February 6 th , 2025: 10:00 am - 6:00 pm - February 6 , 2025: 10:00 am - 6:00 pm February 7th, 2025: 10:00 am - 4:00 pm To experience ViewSonic's innovative visual solutions, click here to reserve a booth tour. About ViewSonic Founded in 1987 in California, ViewSonic is a leading global visual solutions provider with a presence in over 100 countries. The company leverages over 35 years of expertise in visual technology to deliver a comprehensive portfolio of hardware, software, content, and services. ViewSonic offers a wide range of products, with screen sizes spanning from 5 inches to a massive 760 inches. This includes interactive displays, large format displays, LED displays, pen displays, monitors, projectors, SaaS, AI services, interactive content, and more. This innovative ecosystem empowers education, workplaces, and individuals to foster creativity, collaboration, and seamless learning. ViewSonic focuses on designing products that deliver optimal performance and customer satisfaction while integrating sustainable production practices and upholding comprehensive environmental, social, and governance standards. The company's goal is to enable customers to "See the Difference". Learn more at www.viewsonic.com. Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2602252/Image_ViewSonic_Booth_at_ISE.jpg Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1587181/Logo.jpg View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/viewsonic-unveils-future-focused-visual-solutions-for-public-corporate-and-educational-spaces-at-ise-2025-302356022.html Next Gen Diagnostics (NGD), a pioneer in the development of machine learning models for whole genome sequence- (WGS-) based determination of bacterial antibiotic susceptibility, today announces that the University of Pittsburgh (Pitt) has joined the NGD Cefiderocol Consortium, a part of NGD's effort (1) to develop a sequence-based diagnostic for resistance to Shionogi's cefiderocol, the first novel antibiotic in 30 years. Pitt's participation will be led by Associate Professor Ryan Shields, Pharm.D., whose research focuses on understanding mechanisms of antibiotic resistance in the bacterial infections known as "superbugs," resistant to almost all known antibiotics, that pose an ever-increasing threat to world health. "The evolution of bacterial resistance to the antibiotics of last resort is one of humanity's great challenges," noted Dr. Shields. "My laboratory has studied mechanisms of resistance to the carbapenems, which are considered antibiotics of last resort, for more than 15 years, but unfortunately resistance is now widespread. New -lactam antibiotics such as cefiderocol can be effective for patients whose infections are carbapenem-resistant; however, accurate susceptibility testing in the microbiology laboratory is notoriously difficult. Alternative methods such as NGD's machine learning systems are urgently needed to determine cefiderocol susceptibility from whole genome sequence (WGS), and we are interested to see if NGD's ML systems can illuminate mechanisms of cefiderocol resistance as well. My group at Pitt is pleased to be joining NGD's Consortium to support the pursuit of urgently needed cefiderocol diagnostic capabilities." NGD's recently announced (1) a collaboration with Japanese pharmaceutical company Shionogi, to both enable WGS-based determination of cefiderocol resistance from bacterial WGS, and to use NGD's methods to dissect these ML models to identify mechanisms of resistance and their interplay. The NGD Cefiderocol Consortium that Pitt is joining includes (2) the Wadsworth Center, the public health laboratory of the State of New York, one of the leading such facilities in the nation, and recently announced (3) Sheba Medical Center in Israel, the largest medical facility in the Middle East. All Consortium members will participate in publications as they emerge. "NGD has rapidly assembled a global consortium in connection with our recently announced project with Shionogi," noted Dr. Paul A. Rhodes, NGD Founder and CEO. "Cefiderocol is the first drug of truly novel mechanism of action made available to humanity in 30 years, and we are finding enthusiasm in every quarter for this project. Dr. Shields's research into mechanisms of bacterial resistance to cefiderocol go back to 2015, longer than any other program outside of Shionogi of which I am aware, and his depth of understanding of mechanisms of resistance to this drug, among the most important antibiotics provided to humanity in a generation, make him the ideal collaborator to join this effort." NGD has developed fully automated bioinformatic systems both for WGS-based detection of transmission and developed and validated (4) WGS-based machine learning models to determine antibiotic susceptibility in gram-negative bacteria. These models are proving to be more accurate than in vitro tests in clinically important cases, and moreover can be dissected to identify complex resistance mechanisms and their interplay. This work is building the foundation that will enable utilization of the unparalleled depth of information in bacterial WGS for future clinical applications. About Next Gen Diagnostics NGD, founded by Dr. Paul A. Rhodes in 2017 along with Sanger Institute group leaders in Cambridge, UK, has built and validated world-leading automation of pathogen bioinformatics, while the unique NGD100 microfluidic sample preparation instrument enables NGD to offer the lowest cost integrated sequencing and bioinformatics services available. NGD combines these capabilities to enable the WGS-based detection of transmission in health care settings, and is working with collaborators in the US, Europe and Israel to be among the first to bring WGS-based determination of antibiotic resistance to patient care. NGD is based in the US, with a sequencing and susceptibility testing laboratory in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and subsidiaries in Cambridge, UK and Israel. For press inquiries related to NGD, please contact: press@nextgen-dx.com For press inquiries related to Pitt, please contact: hydzikam@upmc.edu SOURCE: Next Gen Diagnostics View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire The "European Telecommunications Directory 2025" has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. The European Telecommunications Directory is one of the most comprehensive and accurate directories of companies and executives in the European telecommunications industry that has ever been published. It contains thousands of telecommunications companies and executives working in the industry. This powerful Directory is your connection to key decision-makers in the telecommunications industry in Europe. This Directory enables telecom executives, organization officials, communications professionals, researchers, and other users to identify and compare both the traditional telecommunications offerings of established carriers as well as the many new systems and services under development in this era of high technology and deregulation. The market potential of the European telecommunications sector is enormous and business opportunities abound. However, unravelling the maze of who's who, and who does what is a daunting task. Here's the solution you've been looking for! The new edition of The European Telecommunications Directory has been thoroughly researched, to bring you a completely up-to-date guide to Europe's ever-changing telecommunications industry. 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This Directory will enable you to: Profile a market Build new business prospects Pinpoint key executives Generate new customers Discover who your competitors are Make vital contacts Save the time, money and effort of doing your own research Identify alternative suppliers and manufacturers Source up-to-date company information Access a wealth of quality information on healthcare companies The European Telecommunications Directory gives you instant access to a wealth of accurate information on companies in Austria, Belarus, Belgium, Bosnia, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Serbia, the Slovak Republic, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Ukraine, and the United Kingdom. Look at the depth of information you'll get in the European Telecommunications Directory: Company contact details. Telephone, Fax, Web and Email addresses. Names of key management and trading personnel. Product produced or sold Key Reasons to Order your Copy of the European Telecommunications Directory: Save time: no need to search the internet, all the information you need is in one handy guide; Save money: by using a resourceful book that details all your business contacts activities; Gain an understanding of the key players in this increasingly dominant market: quickly and easily Source the right trader/producer: by identifying products quickly; Discover new business leads: and grow your business; Update your contact list: from the most reliable source in the industry. Whether you are a product manager, in charge of marketing or simply interested to remain in touch with the latest developments in the European telecommunications industry, this Directory will save you time and effort in finding the up-to-date information you need. It is also an indispensable guide to all of Europe's Telecommunications companies and key corporate decision-makers! For more information about this directory visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/6ocoz8 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. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250123562515/en/ Contacts: ResearchAndMarkets.com Laura Wood, Senior Press Manager press@researchandmarkets.com For E.S.T Office Hours Call 1-917-300-0470 For U.S./ CAN Toll Free Call 1-800-526-8630 For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900 Lyon, France - January 23, 2025, 6:00 PM CET - Theranexus, an innovative biopharmaceutical company in the treatment of rare neurological diseases, today announces its financial communication agenda for 2025. Each publication will be released after Euronext market closing, unless otherwise specified. These dates are given as an indication, they are likely to be modified if necessary. Indicative calendar Events Dates Cash position as at December 31, 2024 13 February 2025 2024 Annual Results and Cash position as at 31/03/25 29 April 2025 Shareholders' General Meeting 26 June 2025, 10 am Cash position as at June 30, 2025 10 July 2025 2025 Half-Year Results as at June 30 2025 25 September 2025 Cash position as at September 30, 2025 23 October 2025 About Theranexus Theranexus is an innovative biopharmaceutical company that emerged from the French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission (CEA). The company has a unique platform for the identification and characterization of advanced therapy drug candidates targeting rare neurological disorders and an initial drug candidate in clinical development for Batten disease. Theranexus is listed on the Euronext Growth market in Paris (FR0013286259- ALTHX). For more information : http://www.theranexus.com Follow us on Twitter et LinkedIn Contacts: THERANEXUS Christine PLACET Chief Financial Officer contact@theranexus.com FP2COM Florence PORTEJOIE Medias relations + 33 (0)6 07 76 82 83 fportejoie@fp2com.fr Disclaimer This press release and the information contained herein do not constitute an offer of sale, purchase or subscription or the solicitation of a sale, purchase or subscription order for Theranexus shares in any country. This press release contains certain forward-looking statements concerning Theranexus and its business, including its prospects and product candidate development. Such forward-looking statements are based on assumptions that Theranexus considers to be reasonable. However, there can be no assurance that the estimates contained in such forward-looking statements will be verified, which estimates are subject to numerous risks including the risks set forth in the universal registration document filed by the Company with the French regulator, Autorite des marches financiers (AMF) on 30 April 2024 under number D.24-0382, which is available on the Company website (www.theranexus.com). The reader's attention is particularly drawn to the fact that the Company's current financing horizon is limited to Q1 2026 (taking the aforementioned payments into account) and that, given its financing requirements and dilutive instruments in circulation, the Company's shareholders are likely to experience significant dilution of their stake in the Company in the short or medium term. The Company is also subject to other risks and uncertainties, including the development of economic conditions, the financial markets and the markets in which Theranexus operates. The forward-looking statements contained in this press release are also subject to risks not yet known to Theranexus or not currently considered material by Theranexus. The occurrence of all or part of such risks could cause actual results, financial conditions, performance or achievements of Theranexus to be materially different from such forward-looking statements. Theranexus expressly declines any obligation to update such forward-looking statements. ------------------------ This publication embed "Actusnews SECURITY MASTER ". - SECURITY MASTER Key: mJpvk8abYpubl5txlJ1sZmhlbpqTl2GbaZPImWpomJ7FZ3JjyGyTa5XLZnFqm2tp - Check this key: https://www.security-master-key.com. ------------------------ Copyright Actusnews Wire Receive by email the next press releases of the company by registering on www.actusnews.com, it's free Full and original release in PDF format:https://www.actusnews.com/documents_communiques/ACTUS-0-89663-theranexus_pr_financial_calendar_2025.pdf PUNE, India, Jan. 23, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Singapore Data Center Market Overview The Singapore data center market is anticipated to expand from USD 1,296.79 million in 2023 to an estimated USD 3,039.16 million by 2032, demonstrating a robust CAGR of 9.53% from 2024 to 2032. Singapore's strategic position as a data hub in Asia, coupled with its advanced infrastructure and excellent connectivity, makes it an ideal location for supporting digital transformation and growing cloud computing needs. Government initiatives, such as sustainable policies and data-driven frameworks, further enhance market growth. Global players like Google, Microsoft, and Amazon Web Services, alongside local operators like SingTel and Keppel Data Centres, dominate the competitive landscape. Their investments in hyperscale and colocation facilities underpin the market's dynamism. The demand to adopt cutting-edge technologies like AI, IoT, and edge computing also drives data center development in the region. However, challenges such as land scarcity and rising energy costs could impede growth. Despite this, Singapore's innovation-driven ecosystem and strategic centrality ensure its long-term potential as a leading data center hub. Preview the report with a detailed sample and understand how it can benefit your business strategy. Request a free sample today -https://www.credenceresearch.com/report/singapore-data-center-market Singapore Data Center Market Drivers The Singapore data center market thrives on a confluence of factors propelling its expansion and evolution. Foremost among these is the surging demand for cloud services and ongoing digital transformation. Businesses are increasingly shifting to cloud-based models to enhance efficiency and scalability; as regional cloud storage needs skyrocket, Singapore emerges as a preferred hub. For instance, a significant portion of businesses in Southeast Asia are adopting cloud adoption strategies, reflecting increasing reliance on robust data infrastructure. Government policies and initiatives play a critical role in shaping the market's growth trajectory. Programs like the Infocomm Media Development Authority's (IMDA) Data Center Development Blueprint prioritize energy efficiency, land optimization, and industry collaboration. Singapore's stringent cybersecurity framework further builds trust among data center operators and global corporations looking for secure environments to host their operations. The city-state's strategic location amplifies its importance. Positioned at the heart of Asia, Singapore serves as a gateway to several thriving economies in the region, enabling quick and seamless distribution of data services. It is linked to over 20 submarine cable systems, providing high-capacity, low-latency connections that facilitate global accessibility. This connectivity is critical as the Asia-Pacific region generates a significant share of the world's data traffic. Domestically, Singapore's internet penetration exceeds 90%, driving robust local demand for data-intensive services. The rapid advancement of 5G networks and the growing e-commerce industry significantly influence the market. E-commerce revenues in Singapore are estimated to reach billions of US dollars annually, requiring scalable, dependable data storage and computational capabilities. Furthermore, with 5G technology rolling out across the Asia-Pacific, innovations in IoT, AI, smart devices, and autonomous systems demand faster, smarter data infrastructure. Lastly, sustainability remains an essential driver. With the government pushing for greener operations, data center operators are adopting energy-efficient solutions such as liquid cooling and renewable energy integration into their facilities. Not only do these measures address environmental concerns, but they also align with broader corporate strategies aimed at cost optimization. These drivers establish Singapore as a premier data center location, combining connectivity, innovation, and government support to meet both regional and global demands. However, challenges like high operational costs highlight the need for innovative practices to sustain growth. Preview the report with a detailed sample and understand how it can benefit your business strategy. Request a free sample today - https://www.credenceresearch.com/report/singapore-data-center-market Growth Opportunities in the Singapore Data Center Market The Singapore data center market offers significant growth opportunities, driven by technological advancements and strategic positioning. Edge computing is emerging as a key area, enabling low-latency data processing for high-demand applications like AI, IoT, and augmented reality. This shift pushes operators to develop decentralized infrastructure closer to end-users. The rise of AI and IoT is further amplifying the demand for advanced data analytics and processing capabilities. Businesses require high-performance solutions that seamlessly scale to accommodate increasing data loads. Sustainability has also become a critical growth driver, with operators investing in energy-efficient technologies like liquid cooling and striving for renewable energy adoption. Innovation in cooling systems and renewable energy integration presents new business prospects, especially as Singapore focuses on minimizing the environmental impact of data centers. Additionally, its status as a regional hub offers opportunities for collaboration with international tech companies entering the Asia-Pacific market. Regulatory support and cutting-edge technological advancements remain pivotal for driving long-term growth and ensuring industry sustainability. Singapore Data Center Market Segmentation Analysis Based on Type Enterprise : These data centers specifically serve individual businesses, offering dedicated infrastructural solutions for secure and tailored data management. Enterprises rely on them to ensure operational continuity and data security. : These data centers specifically serve individual businesses, offering dedicated infrastructural solutions for secure and tailored data management. Enterprises rely on them to ensure operational continuity and data security. Edge : Positioned closer to end-users, edge facilities facilitate low-latency services essential for IoT, AI, and gaming applications. Their role has grown with the increasing demand for real-time data processing. : Positioned closer to end-users, edge facilities facilitate low-latency services essential for IoT, AI, and gaming applications. Their role has grown with the increasing demand for real-time data processing. Colocation : Colocation centers provide shared spaces for companies to host IT infrastructure. They are cost-effective and popular among SMEs and large businesses looking to reduce capital expenses and enjoy high reliability. : Colocation centers provide shared spaces for companies to host IT infrastructure. They are cost-effective and popular among SMEs and large businesses looking to reduce capital expenses and enjoy high reliability. Hyperscale : Focused on scalability, hyperscale facilities support large businesses and cloud operators. Given the accelerated adoption of cloud computing, these centers lead the charge in meeting massive data processing and storage requirements. : Focused on scalability, hyperscale facilities support large businesses and cloud operators. Given the accelerated adoption of cloud computing, these centers lead the charge in meeting massive data processing and storage requirements. Managed : These centers provide end-to-end IT management, resonating with businesses aiming to outsource complexities while focusing on core operations. : These centers provide end-to-end IT management, resonating with businesses aiming to outsource complexities while focusing on core operations. Modular: Quick to deploy and expand, modular centers cater well to fluctuating storage needs. Their flexibility reduces downtime and minimizes infrastructure costs. Based on Compound Hardware : : Power Systems like UPS and generators ensure consistent energy supply and system stability. like UPS and generators ensure consistent energy supply and system stability. Cooling Systems including advanced liquid cooling technologies help maintain operational efficiency while using less energy. including advanced liquid cooling technologies help maintain operational efficiency while using less energy. Racks and Servers form the backbone of data centers, ensuring optimal resource utilization. form the backbone of data centers, ensuring optimal resource utilization. Networking Devices enable seamless connectivity, crucial for effective data transmission. enable seamless connectivity, crucial for effective data transmission. Others include monitoring tools, fire suppression systems, and alarms integral to functionality. include monitoring tools, fire suppression systems, and alarms integral to functionality. Nigeria Data Centre Infrastructure Management Software : : Cloud-based solutions allow remote management and scalability, meeting diverse business needs. solutions allow remote management and scalability, meeting diverse business needs. On-premises systems offer local control and security for organizations handling sensitive data. systems offer local control and security for organizations handling sensitive data. Service : : Professional Services ensure streamlined setup through consultation, integration, and execution. ensure streamlined setup through consultation, integration, and execution. Support & Maintenance focuses on equipment reliability and uptime. focuses on equipment reliability and uptime. Managed Services offer outsourced operations, ensuring businesses get expert management without in-house resources. Based on Size Small : Designed for startups and businesses with limited IT needs, offering basic yet effective solutions. : Designed for startups and businesses with limited IT needs, offering basic yet effective solutions. Mid-Sized : These cater to mid-tier businesses, balancing cost efficiency and scalability. : These cater to mid-tier businesses, balancing cost efficiency and scalability. Large: Supporting hyperscale players and enterprises with extensive operations, these facilities handle massive workloads. Based on Tier Tier 1 & 2 provide basic redundancy and lower-cost solutions for non-critical workloads. provide basic redundancy and lower-cost solutions for non-critical workloads. Tier 3 ensures high reliability and fault tolerance, widely favored by enterprises for production environments. ensures high reliability and fault tolerance, widely favored by enterprises for production environments. Tier 4 delivers the highest uptime guarantees, essential for mission-critical and high-security operations. Based on Industry IT & Telecom : This sector leads the market due to its constant need for connectivity and vast data storage demands. : This sector leads the market due to its constant need for connectivity and vast data storage demands. BFSI : Financial institutions depend on data centers for secure storage and rapid processing of sensitive financial data. : Financial institutions depend on data centers for secure storage and rapid processing of sensitive financial data. Manufacturing : Supports real-time inventory management and IoT-enabled smart factory solutions. : Supports real-time inventory management and IoT-enabled smart factory solutions. Healthcare : Requires reliable storage and processing capacity for patient records, medical research, and telemedicine. : Requires reliable storage and processing capacity for patient records, medical research, and telemedicine. Government : Hosts sensitive national data and aligns with security and compliance mandates. : Hosts sensitive national data and aligns with security and compliance mandates. Others include innovative fields like gaming, education, and media which are leveraging data centers for enhanced operations and consumer experiences. Each segment demonstrates its own unique role in meeting the diverse needs of businesses, establishing Singapore as a thriving hub for data center innovation and operation. Singapore Data Center Market Segmentation Segmentation Based on Type Enterprise Edge Colocation Hyperscale Managed Modular Based on Compound Hardware Power Systems Cooling Systems Racks Servers Networking Devices Others Nigeria Data Centre Infrastructure Management Software Cloud-based On-premises Service Professional Services Integration & Implementation Consulting Support & Maintenance Managed Services Based on Size Small Mid-Sized Large Based on Tier Tier 1 Tier 2 Tier 3 Tier 4 Based on Industry IT & Telecom BFSI Manufacturing Healthcare Government Others Based on Region Central Business District (CBD) Jurong Woodlands Preview the report with a detailed sample and understand how it can benefit your business strategy. Request a free sample today - https://www.credenceresearch.com/report/singapore-data-center-market Regional Analysis of the Singapore Data Center Market Singapore plays a vital role as a key data hub in Asia, bolstered by its strategic geographical location and cutting-edge connectivity infrastructure. The city-state boasts over 70 operational data centers, supported by an extensive network of more than 20 submarine cable systems. This connectivity infrastructure fortifies its position as a regional gateway, facilitating rapid and reliable data transfers between the Asia-Pacific region and global markets. These high-capacity submarine cables ensure ultra-low latency, making Singapore a preferred choice for data-heavy applications and international enterprises. The government's proactive policies and incentives contribute significantly to the market's regional strength. Initiatives like the Green Data Centre Programme from the Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) focus on sustainable innovation and energy-efficient technologies, critical for maintaining the nation's competitive edge amidst land and energy constraints. Strategic zoning plans have been introduced to optimize land use, while strong cybersecurity measures guarantee safe and compliant operational frameworks for global businesses. Major tech giants, including Google, Microsoft, and Amazon Web Services, continue to expand their presence in Singapore, alongside prominent local players like SingTel and Keppel Data Centres. This robust presence highlights Singapore's role in supplying advanced cloud and colocation services to regional businesses. The country's operational reliability and scalability appeal to industries ranging from IT and finance to healthcare and manufacturing. Regional digital transformation trends further heighten Singapore's influence in Asia. With internet penetration exceeding 90% domestically and the Asia-Pacific contributing the largest share to global data traffic, Singapore remains indispensable for managing digital demands. Digital advancements like 5G are driving innovations in IoT and AI, which further amplify the need for strong, scalable data center infrastructure. Tailor the report to align with your specific business needs and gain targeted insights. Request customization now -https://www.credenceresearch.com/report/singapore-data-center-market Top Companies - Net Singapore Pte Ltd (Mediacorp) Air Trunk Operating Pty Ltd Cyxtera Technologies Digital Realty Trust Inc. Empyrion DC Equinix Inc. China Mobile International Ltd PhoenixNAP Princeton Digital Group Rackspace Technology Inc. STT GDC Pte Ltd Preview the report with a detailed sample and understand how it can benefit your business strategy. Request a free sample today - https://www.credenceresearch.com/report/singapore-data-center-market Latest Developments: September 2024: Blackstone, a global asset management company, announced the acquisition of AirTrunk for A$24 billion. This transaction marks Blackstone's largest investment in the Asia Pacific region. November 2023: Cyxtera successfully navigated its Chapter 11 proceedings, reaching an agreement to be acquired by Brookfield Infrastructure Partners for $775 million. This acquisition, expected to close in early 2024, includes Brookfield ending some of Cyxtera's leases and buying out leases on data centers in Singapore and Frankfurt. April 2021: Digital Realty extended its data center operations in Singapore by opening its third data center, a 50-megawatt facility named Digital Loyang II or SIN12. With this opening, Digital Realty has made significant investments of over US$1 billion in Singapore4. April 2023: Empyrion DC, a data center operator focused on sustainable infrastructure, announced plans to explore opportunities in Singapore for developing green data centers. While specific projects haven't been publicly disclosed, the company aims to address the increasing demand for eco-friendly and energy-efficient data solutions in the region. June 2023: Equinix unveiled plans for its ninth International Business Exchange (IBX) data center in Singapore, named SG9. With an initial investment of approximately $100 million USD, SG9 is strategically located in the Tanjong Kling data center park. This facility is designed to meet the surging demand for interconnection and colocation services, supporting businesses in their digital transformation journeys across the Asia-Pacific region. March 2023: Equinix completed the expansion of its SG5 data center, adding significant capacity to support the growing needs of enterprises and cloud service providers. The expansion enhances connectivity options and provides advanced solutions for hybrid multicloud deployments August 2023: China Mobile International (CMI) launched its second data center in Singapore, bolstering its network infrastructure to better serve global and regional customers. The new facility enhances CMI's capabilities in providing high-speed connectivity, cloud networking, and integrated communication services, facilitating enterprises in their international expansion and digitalization efforts. July 2023: PhoenixNAP announced the expansion of its Singapore data center offerings by introducing new cloud and bare-metal server solutions. This initiative aims to meet the increasing demand for secure, scalable, and compliance-ready infrastructure services in Southeast Asia. The expanded services include advanced cybersecurity features to support businesses dealing with sensitive data and regulatory requirements. May 2023: Princeton Digital Group (PDG) revealed plans to develop a new 100MW data center campus in Singapore, named SG3. This hyperscale facility is designed to cater to major cloud providers and large enterprises, addressing the skyrocketing demand for digital infrastructure. SG3 will incorporate sustainable design principles, focusing on energy efficiency and reduced environmental impact. January 2023: PDG secured a $500 million equity investment led by Mubadala Investment Company. The funding is set to accelerate PDG's expansion across Asia, including significant developments in Singapore. This investment underscores PDG's commitment to scaling its operations to meet the demands of the rapidly growing digital economy. 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The company is a market research and consulting firm serving governments, non-legislative associations, non-profit organizations, and various organizations worldwide. We help our clients improve their execution in a lasting way and understand their most imperative objectives. Contact Us Mitul Dean Tower C-1105 , S 25, Akash Tower, Vishal Nahar, Pimple Nilakh, Haveli, Pune - 411027, India sales@credenceresearch.com www.credenceresearch.com Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2562161/5131678/Credence_Research_Logo.jpg View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/singapore-data-center-market-set-to-grow-from-usd-1-3-billion-in-2023-to-usd-3-billion-by-2032--driven-by-a-9-53-cagr-and-strategic-role-as-asias-digital-hub--credence-research-inc-302358913.html BAM UK Ireland (BAM), a leader in the construction and engineering sector, has taken a significant leap forward in project management innovation by partnering with LoadSpring Solutions. Together, they have delivered a transformative solution, LoadSpring INSIGHTS, that accelerates data alignment across multiple scheduling platforms, reinforcing BAM's position as a progressive industry leader. With a long-standing history of innovation and a deep understanding of customer requirements, BAM has consistently stayed ahead of industry norms in structuring and managing scheduling data. Ivor Barbrook, Head of Planning and Project Controls at BAM said: "We've always prioritised meeting our customers' unique requirements by utilising multiple scheduling tools such as Oracle Primavera P6, Microsoft Project and Powerproject on our clients' projects. "With INSIGHTS, we've achieved a step-change in unifying these platforms. This partnership not only aligns disparate data sets effectively which are not aligned to a common code but also drives efficiency and accelerates our business processes." INSIGHTS: A catalyst for progress INSIGHTS has been a game-changer, a solution that enabled data field-normalisation that is agnostic to planning software, ensuring consistent reporting. For the future, AI-powered data quality checks will ensure reliability. Unified dashboards consolidate real-time information across platforms, enabling BAM's teams enabling data to provide trusted information and informed decision-making, with enhanced speed and confidence. This advancement builds on the multi-year historical relationship between BAM and LoadSpring, a partnership rooted in mutual trust and deep business alignment. Over the years, LoadSpring's understanding of BAM's operations has been the cornerstone of this collaboration, enabling tailored solutions that deliver measurable outcomes. Driving efficiency and staying ahead For BAM, the implementation of INSIGHTS represents more than just operational efficiency. It underscores their commitment to innovation in the construction industry. By integrating advanced data tools and fostering collaboration between teams, BAM continues to position itself at the cutting edge of construction project management. Ivor Barbrook reflects: "INSIGHTS helps us maintain a competitive edge by providing us with the tools to structure, manage, and leverage our scheduling data better than ever before. This partnership with LoadSpring reflects our shared commitment to innovation and excellence." A model for industry transformation The success of this partnership sets a benchmark for the Architecture, Engineering and Construction (AEC) industry, demonstrating how the alignment of technology and business strategy can transform operations. Dr. Asif Sharif, Managing Director of LoadSpring Ltd., commented: "BAM exemplifies what can be achieved when two organisations embrace technology as a driver of progress and change. This forward-thinking partnership showcases the true potential of innovation in the construction sector." With LoadSpring INSIGHTS, BAM continues to lead the industry in operational excellence, proving that a progressive approach to data and technology is key to future success in the AEC space. About LoadSpring Solutions For 25 years, LoadSpring Solutions has been at the forefront of transforming capital-intensive projects worldwide, supporting over $1 trillion in project value and serving more than 100,000 users across 5,000 organisations. As the industry's most trusted digital transformation partner, LoadSpring leverages its deep expertise in cloud technology, data modernisation, and AI-powered analytics to deliver customised solutions, drive measurable results, and maximise ROI for the world's most complex capital projects. For more information visit www.loadspring.com. About BAM UK Ireland. BAM UK Ireland, part of the Royal BAM Group, is a leading construction and engineering company delivering sustainable, innovative solutions across sectors. Specializing in design, construction, facilities management, and engineering consultancy, BAM drives digital transformation using advanced tools like Building Information Modelling (BIM). Renowned for its commitment to sustainability and cutting-edge techniques, BAM promotes efficiency and innovation in the construction industry. Learn more at www.ukandireland.bam.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250123960112/en/ Contacts: For more information on this groundbreaking collaboration, please contact: David Taylor Chief Commercial Officer LoadSpring Solutions Email: dtaylor@loadspring.com Phone: +1.877.562.3777 ext. 180 Capital increases in late 2024 provide sufficient working capital until expected resumption of early access program in February. Review of LUMEVOQ dossier ongoing, following submission of responses to questions from the ANSM. Regulatory News: GenSight Biologics ("GenSight Biologics" or the "Company") (Euronext: SIGHT, ISIN: FR0013183985, PEA-PME eligible), a biopharma company focused on developing and commercializing innovative gene therapies for retinal neurodegenerative diseases and central nervous system disorders, today reported its cash position as of December 31, 2024, and provided a business update. "Our recent bridge financing operations have provided us with operational flexibility as we await regulatory clearance for the resumption of our early access program," noted Jan Eryk Umiastowski, Chief Financial Officer of GenSight Biologics. "We remain focused on prudent cash management while working closely with ANSM to restart our program. The potential restart of the early access program represents an important milestone that would significantly strengthen our financial position and support our continued development efforts. Cash Position as of December 31, 2024 GenSight Biologics' cash and cash equivalents totaled 2.5 million as of December 31, 2024, compared to 3.4 million on September 30, 2024. The Company completed successful offerings in November and December 2024, through capital increases for gross amounts of approximately 2.8 million and 1.5 million, respectively, reserved to specialized investors. GenSight continues to work on optimizing cash management while ensuring a sustainable future. To date, the Company does not have sufficient net working capital to meet its obligations over the next 12 months but only until late February 2025 when the first payments in connection with the potential resumption of the early access program (Autorisation d'Acces Compassionnel or AAC) are expected. With the potential indemnities generated by the resumption of AAC, the Company anticipates that it would have sufficient net working capital to meet its obligations over the next 12 months. In November 2026, the Company will have to pay the annual rebates on the 2025 AAC program which will amount to around 50% of the AAC indemnities generated over the year. Consequently, the Company may need to seek other sources of debt or equity financing or achieve partnering or M&A opportunities, in order to supplement its working capital requirements and fund its operating expenses before the second half of 2026. Regulatory Update The French medicines safety agency ANSM (Agence Nationale de Securite des Medicaments et des produits de sante) is continuing its review of the LUMEVOQ quality dossier LUMEVOQ following the submission, on January 10, of the Company's responses to the questions received from the agency in late December. GenSight teams, along with those of the treating center 15-20 National Hospital, are mobilized to act quickly on next steps once the ANSM's green light is received. Preparations for the new Phase III trial RECOVER and the planned submission to the UK's MHRA are ongoing. Number of outstanding shares As of December 31, 2024, the Company's share capital is composed of 124,774,445 shares. Financial Calendar 2025 The Company's financial calendar for 2025 is as follows: Information Date* 2024 Full-Year Financial Update and Statements March 19, 2025 2025 Q1 Cash Position April 7, 2025 Annual General Meeting May 12, 2025 2025 Q2 Cash Position July 8, 2025 2025 Half-Year Financial Update and Statements September 19, 2025 2025 Q3 Cash Position October 7, 2025 2025 Q4 Cash Position January 8, 2026 *This financial calendar is provided for information only and may be subject to changes. The Company's updated financial calendar is available on the corporate website. About GenSight Biologics GenSight Biologics S.A. is a clinical-stage biopharma company focused on developing and commercializing innovative gene therapies for retinal neurodegenerative diseases and central nervous system disorders. GenSight Biologics' pipeline leverages two core technology platforms, the Mitochondrial Targeting Sequence (MTS) and optogenetics, to help preserve or restore vision in patients suffering from blinding retinal diseases. GenSight Biologics' lead product candidate, LUMEVOQ (GS010; lenadogene nolparvovec), is an investigational compound and has not been registered in any country at this stage; a marketing authorization application is currently under review by the EMA for the treatment of Leber Hereditary Optic Neuropathy (LHON), a rare mitochondrial disease affecting primarily teens and young adults that leads to irreversible blindness. Using its gene therapy-based approach, GenSight Biologics' product candidates are designed to be administered in a single treatment to each eye by intravitreal injection to offer patients a sustainable functional visual recovery. Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains forward-looking statements, including statements regarding product development prospects and financial projections. These statements do not constitute guarantees of future performance and involve risks and uncertainties. A further list and description of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those set forth in the forward-looking statements in this press release can be found in GenSight Biologics' regulatory filings with the French Autorite des Marches Financiers. Existing and prospective investors are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements and estimates, which speak only as of the date hereof. Other than as required by applicable law, GenSight Biologics undertakes no obligation to update or revise the information contained in this press release. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250123773001/en/ Contacts: GenSight Biologics Chief Financial Officer Jan Eryk Umiastowski jeumiastowski@gensight-biologics.com LifeSci Advisors Investor Relations Guillaume van Renterghem gvanrenterghem@lifesciadvisors.com +41 (0)76 735 01 31 Val-d'Or, Quebec--(Newsfile Corp. - January 23, 2025) - Cleghorn Minerals Ltd. (TSXV: CZZ) ("Cleghorn" or the "Company") announces that, further to the press release dated January 14, 2025 announcing its $200,000 unit financing, the financing has been oversubscribed. Cleghorn will now issue 4,200,000 Units at a per Unit price of $0.05 for gross proceeds of $210,000. Each Unit will consist of one common share in the capital of the Company and one non-transferable share purchase warrant, each warrant entitling the purchase of one common share at a per share price of $0.08 for three years from the date of issuance of the securities. The offering is subject to acceptance by the TSX Venture Exchange. Directors and/or officers of Cleghorn will participate in the offering. The proceeds raised from this offering will be used by the Company for general corporate purposes. All securities issued will be subject to a hold period of four months and one day from the date of closing of the offering in accordance with applicable securities legislation and the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange. About Cleghorn Minerals Ltd. Cleghorn is a junior mineral exploration company with a 100% interest in the Meech Lake - Matachewan Prospect, a property located in northeastern Ontario, subject to an aggregate 3.5% NSR. Forward-Looking Statements: This news release contains certain statements that may be deemed "forward-looking statements." Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts and are generally, but not always, identified by the words "expects", "plans", "anticipates", "believes", "intends", "estimates", "projects", "potential" and similar expressions, or that events or conditions "will", "would", "may", "could" or "should" occur. Although 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 or realities 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 the statements are made. Except as required by law, the Company undertakes no obligation to update these forward-looking statements in the event that management's beliefs, estimates or opinions, or other factors, should change. 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 news release. THIS PRESS RELEASE, REQUIRED BY APPLICABLE CANADIAN LAWS, IS NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO U.S. NEWS SERVICES OR FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES, AND DOES NOT CONSTITUTE AN OFFER TO SELL OR A SOLICITATION OF AN OFFER TO SELL ANY OF THE SECURITIES DESCRIBED HEREIN IN THE UNITED STATES. THESE SECURITIES HAVE NOT BEEN, AND WILL NOT BE, REGISTERED UNDER THE UNITED STATES SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED, OR ANY STATE SECURITIES LAWS, AND MAY NOT BE OFFERED OR SOLD IN THE UNITED STATES OR TO U.S. PERSONS UNLESS REGISTERED OR EXEMPT THEREFROM. THIS PRESS RELEASE IS NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION IN THE UNITED STATES OR TO U.S. NEWS AGENCIES To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/238223 SOURCE: Cleghorn Minerals Ltd. DAVOS, Switzerland, Jan. 23, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Whiteshield released the 9th edition of the Global Labour Resilience Index (GLRI) in collaboration with Google Cloud, in an exclusive event held on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum (WEF) Annual Meeting in Davos. Published in partnership with the Community of European Management Schools (CEMS) and drawing on a decade of data covering over 70 indicators, the report reveals important insights into how 118 nations respond and adapt their labour markets to different types of external shocks, including the rise of AI. The report finds that while some countries are well positioned to capitalize on AI, a majority are at risk of falling behind. The event, titled, "The Transformative Impact of AI on Global Economies & Labour Markets," was chaired by Nobel Laureate Sir Christopher Pissarides, Special Advisor and Director at Whiteshield, alongside Anna Koivuniemi, Head of Google DeepMind Impact Accelerator, and brought together more than 50 senior policymakers, CEOs, academics and international organizations. The report highlights that the most resilient labour markets combine traditional labour policies with strategic investments in AI and personalized, data-driven strategies. Leading the 2025 GLRI rankings are the United States and Singapore, recognized for their strong entrepreneurial ecosystems, flexible labour markets, and leadership in AI adoption and innovation. Sweden follows closely, demonstrating resilience through substantial investments in education and R&D. Notably, some countries in South Asia and the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region have shown significant advancements, with India, the UAE, and Saudi Arabia benefiting the most from AI investments. The Impact of AI on Labour Markets: Opportunities and Challenges The rapid evolution of AI presents both significant opportunities and challenges for the global workforce. AI has the potential to boost workforce availability, quality, and efficiency, leading to the emergence of new skilled occupations such as AI data architects, human-AI interaction designers, and AI ethics officers. However, the impact of AI on labour markets also raises concerns about job insecurity, displacement, and increased wage inequality. Proactive and forward-looking policies are crucial to ensure labour markets remain resilient, adaptable, and capable of distributing AI's benefits equitably across society. Key Findings of the GLRI: According to the GLRI report, the US leads in AI investment and innovation, boasting 60% of global AI investments over the last ten years and a quarter of the world's AI startups. America's success is attributed to integrating innovation with economic flexibility to foster dynamic job creation, with California, Massachusetts, and Washington identified among the front running states. Rising inequality, both between and within countries, is identified as a major challenge exacerbated by AI that will need to be addressed with appropriate policies. The gap between top-performing and lower-ranking countries has widened, with Sub-Saharan Africa particularly at risk. European countries, including the UK and Germany, hold six of the top 10 positions, showcasing strong overall performance. However, some, like Denmark, Austria, and Luxembourg, are slipping, having dropped out of the top 10. The report outlines three approaches to labour market resilience: the "Traditional Pathway" (e.g., Sweden, Norway, Netherlands) emphasizing robust social safety nets, education, and stable economic policies; the "AI and Innovation-Driven Pathway" (e.g., the US) prioritizing a dynamic, entrepreneurial environment with a strong focus on R&D, especially in AI; and the "Blended Pathway" (e.g., Singapore) combining traditional strengths like strong governance with strategic AI investments. The GLRI emphasizes a shift from "one-size-fits-all" to personalized, citizen-centric policies enabled by AI, big data, and advanced analytics. It also highlights the use of AI, blockchain, and IoT across the labour lifecycle, from education and job searching to workforce productivity and lifelong learning. Regional Performance Highlights: Europe demonstrates significant labour market resilience, with six of the top ten most resilient economies. However, significant disparities exist. Northern and Western European nations consistently outperform others, often surpassing North American benchmarks, while Eastern and Southern European countries generally show lower resilience. Over 80% of European nations rank in the global top 50 for overall labour market resilience, but this masks variations. For example, Germany (5th globally) excels in AI integration, while Moldova (113th) lags significantly. Europe leads in adaptive resilience, with 80% of countries maintaining strong performance in AI regulation, penetration, and entrepreneurship, yet nearly one-third rank outside the global top 50 in transformative capacity. Sub-Saharan Africa remains in last place among regional rankings, facing persistent challenges across all dimensions of labour market resilience. The region includes 12 of the 20 lowest-ranked countries globally, with the lowest scores in both traditional and AI-related metrics. Despite this, the region's young and rapidly growing population offers significant potential for an AI-driven leap in labour resilience. Six of the top 10 countries globally for demographic potential are in this region. However, most Sub-Saharan economies suffer from structural and policy gaps, hindering their ability to harness this potential. Challenges include labour protection, inclusiveness policies, education, and training. The Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, ranking fourth globally among different regions, presenting a complex and varied landscape. While showing progress overall, significant disparities persist between GCC and non-GCC countries in labour market resilience. The region demonstrates strength in AI-related metrics and strategic AI investments, but nearly half of its countries lag in AI cyclical adaptive resilience, reflecting challenges in AI penetration and entrepreneurship. Despite these weaknesses, over half of the region's countries rank in the top 50 for transformative capacity, providing a strong foundation for harnessing the potential for AI. The Asia-Pacific (APAC) region maintains its third-place ranking, with a balanced performance and approximately two-thirds of its countries in the top 50 globally. Leading economies like Singapore (1st regionally, 2nd globally), China (2nd regionally), and South Korea excel in AI and technology. Singapore is a global leader in governance, business environment, and digital skills, also ranking highly in AI entrepreneurship and investment. China leads in firm-level AI adoption and ranks among the top three in AI equipment capacity and research, though lower scores in governance and institutional capacity hinder its overall performance. Japan (17th globally) shows strong AI capabilities, while New Zealand and Australia's high rankings are primarily due to traditional economic strengths. In a comment about the transformative role of AI, Karan Bhatia, Google's Global Head of Government Affairs & Public Policy said, "As AI reshapes the global workforce, the GLRI offers a roadmap for countries to navigate this new era. It highlights pathways for inclusive, forward-looking policies that will not only address the challenges of automation but also harness the potential of AI to create opportunities for all." "As AI continues to transform industries, the GLRI 2025 highlights the urgency for governments, businesses, and individuals to build resilient labour markets," stated Sir Christopher Pissarides. "This year's report provides actionable insights to address the challenges of technological disruption, economic inequalities, and global crises, ensuring inclusive and sustainable economic growth. By understanding how labour markets adapt and evolve, we can drive innovation and create opportunities that benefit everyone." The Call to Action: The GLRI concludes with a call to action for policymakers to proactively shape the future of labour markets by embracing AI-driven, personalized strategies and investing in digital infrastructure and literacy. The report stresses the urgency of this shift, highlighting the substantial costs of inaction, including growing inequality, displacement of vulnerable populations, and missed opportunities for sustainable growth. The time is now to move from reactive measures to proactive strategies that harness the transformative potential of AI for the benefit of all. The full report can be accessed at https://whiteshield.ai/insights/resilience-of-jobs/whiteshield-google-davos-2025/ About Whiteshield: Whiteshield is a global public policy and AI economics firm known for their ability to respond to global challenges rapidly and incisively. By integrating public policy and AI economics expertise with cutting edge tools and technology, our team of leading international experts engage decision makers to tackle society's most significant challenges. Whiteshield is recognized for rapid decision support, innovative solutions, data science algorithms, and deep policy knowledge. Their specialty is in connecting the dots between policy, business, and enhancing the lives of citizens. About Google Cloud: Google Cloud is the new way to the cloud, providing AI, infrastructure, developer, data, security, and collaboration tools built for today and tomorrow. Google Cloud offers a powerful, fully integrated and optimized AI stack with its own planet-scale infrastructure, custom-built chips, generative AI models and development platform, as well as AI-powered applications, to help organizations transform. Customers in more than 200 countries and territories turn to Google Cloud as their trusted technology partner. View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/ai-reshaping-global-labor-markets-us-singapore-leading-the-way-but-many-risk-falling-behind-finds-new-report-launched-at-davos-302358938.html SES S.A. announces it has repurchased in the open market an aggregate amount of 99,978,000 principal amount of its 625,000,000 Deeply Subordinated Fixed Rate Resettable Securities issued on 27 May 2021. In accordance with the terms and conditions of the Securities, the purchased Securities will be cancelled. Following these transactions, the outstanding principal amount of the Securities is 525,022,000. Payment in relation to the Securities will be made in accordance with the usual procedures of Clearstream, Luxembourg and/or Euroclear. The success of these transactions reduces SES's outstanding debt obligation, demonstrating SES's financial flexibility and its strong cash-generation profile. SES may seek to make further repurchases of its Securities from time to time, subject to market conditions. This announcement does not constitute or form part of an offer to sell or purchase, or a solicitation of an offer to sell or purchase the Securities or any other securities. Follow us on: Twitter Facebook YouTube LinkedIn Instagram Read our Blogs Visit the Media Gallery About SES SES has a bold vision to deliver amazing experiences everywhere on Earth by distributing the highest quality video content and providing seamless data connectivity services around the world. As a provider of global content and connectivity solutions, SES owns and operates a geosynchronous orbit fleet and medium earth orbit (GEO-MEO) constellation of satellites, offering a combination of global coverage and high performance services. By using its intelligent, cloud-enabled network, SES delivers high-quality connectivity solutions anywhere on land, at sea or in the air, and is a trusted partner to telecommunications companies, mobile network operators, governments, connectivity and cloud service providers, broadcasters, video platform operators and content owners around the world. The company is headquartered in Luxembourg and listed on Paris and Luxembourg stock exchanges (Ticker: SESG). Further information is available at: www.ses.com View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250123562848/en/ Contacts: For further information please contact: Suzanne Ong Communications Tel. +352 710 725 500 suzanne.ong@ses.com Groundbreaking project uses Lenovo spatial computing with AI-generated content to digitally resurrect three iconic species. On November 9, Lenovo, in collaboration with the Shanghai Natural History Museum, launched the "Awakening Earth's Majestic Creatures with AI" digital exhibition. This groundbreaking project uses Lenovo's proprietary spatial computing with AI-generated content (AIGC) technology to digitally resurrect three iconic specimens from the museum: the Yangtze River Baiji dolphin, the fin whale, and the mammoth. Visitors can immerse themselves in a VR experience, exploring the lifelike depictions of these majestic creatures in custom-themed environments, enhancing the educational and interactive aspects of the museum visit. The story behind these iconic specimens The selection of these iconic creatures-Qiqi the Baiji dolphin and the stranded fin whale-was driven by their remarkable histories and the emotional impact they leave behind. On July 14, 2002, the world bid farewell to Qiqi, the only successfully captive-raised Baiji dolphin. A 25-year-old male, Qiqi passed away at the Institute of Hydrobiology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences. Measuring 2.07 meters and weighing 98.5 kilograms, Qiqi was a unique ambassador for his critically endangered species. Baiji dolphins, native to China's Yangtze River, are among the rarest aquatic mammals, with fewer than 100 individuals remaining in the wild. Captured by fishermen in 1980, Qiqi spent nearly 23 years in captivity, providing invaluable data that advanced global knowledge of freshwater cetaceans. His story attracted visitors and media worldwide, raising awareness about the plight of his species. Meanwhile, another unforgettable story unfolded on March 20, 2017, when a stranded fin whale was discovered at the confluence of the Yangtze River and Hangzhou Bay. This incident attracted widespread attention, as the whale's unusual location sparked a deep public interest. Over the next three and a half years, the Shanghai Natural History Museum meticulously cleaned, degreased, and mounted the whale's skeleton. Today, the 22-meter-long male fin whale stands as the longest fin whale skeleton in China. AI enhances museum experience These stories are not just about loss-they are about preserving the legacies of these magnificent creatures. The exhibition brings the stories to life through immersive VR experiences. Technology transports visitors to the depths of the ocean, the flowing waters of the Yangtze River, and the icy realms of the past, where they can witness these majestic creatures in their natural habitats. Lenovo carefully designed three major themes for this digital showcase: The Yangtze River Dolphin - The Vanished Goddess of the Yangtze The Fin Whale - The Deepest-Dwelling Giant Mammal The Mammoth - A Beast from the Ice Age. For example, the fin whale exhibit allows visitors to dive deep into the ocean and swim alongside the largest mammal on Earth, uncovering its migration patterns, feeding, and reproductive behaviors. 'AI + Culture' Lenovo harnessed the power of AI to digitally "revive" Earth's majestic creatures, creating lifelike experiences that allow audiences to explore these animals as they once were. This was made possible through high-precision scans of the three specimens, combined with AI algorithms and manual restoration techniques, which helped create accurate digital models. This innovative approach not only preserved the creatures' physical characteristics but also brought their stories to life, making the experience both educational and emotionally engaging. The spatial computing with AIGC technology used in this project takes things a step further, processing large datasets quickly to create high-quality 3D models and interactive experiences. Lenovo is a pioneer in integrating spatial computing with AIGC, creatively transforming cultural heritage and paving the way for future innovation. Mao Shijie, Vice President of Lenovo Group and Head of Lenovo Shanghai Research Institute, said, "As new technologies like AI continue to evolve, the fictional worlds of sci-fi are now becoming a reality. AI advancements are breaking down barriers to knowledge, allowing more people to directly experience and understand biodiversity. This 'Awakening Earth's Majestic Creatures with AI' digital exhibition project is our new attempt at expanding 'AI + Culture' applications." Through this groundbreaking digital project, Lenovo demonstrates the potential of blending cutting-edge technology with the protection of the planet's biodiversity. The "Awakening Earth's Majestic Creatures with AI" exhibition serves as a powerful call to action-inviting the world to join the movement for biodiversity conservation, while envisioning a future where humanity and nature coexist in harmony. 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 Atlanta, Georgia--(Newsfile Corp. - January 23, 2025) - The Graham Firm, a top-rated Atlanta truck accident lawyer and personal injury law firm, has released a comprehensive guide to assist accident victims in Georgia. The newly published resource, "Truck and Car Accident Compensation Checklist: 9 Insider Secrets to Winning Your Case," is designed to educate car and truck accident victims on the critical steps required to safeguard their rights and recover losses after an accident. The guide highlights essential strategies to address the widespread issue of unclaimed losses in accident cases. According to The Graham Firm, nearly half of truck and car accident victims mishandle their claims within the crucial first 72 hours, often leaving a significant amount of money on the table. This statistic underscores the importance of timely and informed decision-making. Nearly 50% of truck and car accident victims fail to recover the full value of their claims due to errors made during this critical time. The Graham Firm, with over $80 million successfully recovered for injured parties, has distilled decades of experience into actionable strategies designed to help victims avoid these costly mistakes. Georgia Attorney Publishes Comprehensive Guide to Empower Car and Truck Accident Victims To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/10740/238161_535ef56e34ef6869_001full.jpg The publication serves as a step-by-step framework to help victims avoid common errors that diminish settlement values. It provides detailed instructions on proper documentation, highlights "sneaky" tactics often employed by insurance companies, and outlines strategies for negotiating fair settlements. With Georgia operating as a "fault" state, victims have the right to pursue legal action against at-fault drivers, making this guide a vital tool for those navigating the claims process. Key features of the guide include: A checklist of critical documentation required for a strong case Insights into calculating settlement values based on injuries, damages, and liability Insider strategies for negotiating with insurance companies Information on securing necessary medical evidence to substantiate claims A clear timeline for pursuing legal action in Georgia The guide also highlights the tangible benefits of adhering to these strategies, including an example of how The Graham Firm secured an $85,000 settlement for a client initially offered just $5,000 by an insurer. This example underscores the value of strategic decision-making and proper guidance, which the guide aims to provide for accident victims. The first 72 hours after a truck or car accident are critical for protecting a victim's rights and maximizing the potential settlement. Decisions made during this time can have a significant impact on the final outcome of a claim. The Graham Firm's newly released guide provides detailed, step-by-step instructions to empower accident victims to act effectively from the moment of impact. For more information on the "Truck and Car Accident Compensation Checklist: 9 Insider Secrets to Winning Your Case," or to access the guide, visit The Graham Firm's website. About The Graham Firm The Graham Firm is a leading personal injury law firm in Georgia. It is widely recognized for its focus on truck accident cases involving semi-trucks, 18-wheelers, and other commercial vehicles. Known as "The Big Truck Lawyers," the firm has recovered over $80 million in settlements and judgments, helping accident victims recover their losses and rebuild their lives. Media Contact: To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/238161 SOURCE: GetFeatured San Diego, California--(Newsfile Corp. - January 23, 2025) - With significant tax regulation changes set to take effect in 2025, individuals and businesses are urged to stay ahead of the curve to avoid costly penalties and ensure compliance. Delia Law P.C., a distinguished federal tax law firm, is stepping forward as a trusted partner for those navigating the complexities of the tax code. The 2025 tax year introduces updates that could significantly impact tax liabilities, including revised thresholds for income tax brackets, changes to deductions, and expanded reporting requirements for businesses. For those already facing unresolved tax matters such as unfiled tax returns, unpaid back taxes, or active disputes with the IRS, addressing these issues now is essential to reducing risks and ensuring a smoother transition into the new tax year. "Tax laws are constantly evolving, and staying informed is critical," said Dawn Delia, Managing Tax Attorney at Delia Law P.C. "Our team is dedicated to helping clients address tax challenges effectively while preparing for upcoming changes. Whether it is negotiating IRS payment plans or resolving wage garnishments, we strive to make the process as seamless as possible." Addressing Key Tax Challenges Delia Law P.C. offers legal guidance in resolving a variety of tax matters, including but not limited to: Unfiled Tax Returns: Assisting clients in filing overdue returns to comply with federal tax obligations. Unpaid Payroll Taxes: Supporting businesses in resolving unpaid payroll taxes to avoid severe penalties. Tax Liens and Levies: Helping clients address wage garnishments, tax levies, or bank levies imposed by the IRS. I RS Payment Plans: Negotiating manageable installment agreements for taxpayers facing financial difficulties. Tax Audits: Representing clients during audits to ensure accurate reporting and protect their financial interests. Through methodical and individualized approaches, Delia Law P.C. aims to assist clients in achieving compliance and mitigating the impact of tax disputes. Proactive Tax Planning for 2025 The firm emphasizes the importance of proactive tax planning as 2025 introduces updates that could affect tax filings at both individual and corporate levels. Among these are: Modified Income Tax Brackets: Revised thresholds may alter taxpayers' overall liabilities. Expanded Reporting for Digital Transactions: Stricter reporting standards are being introduced for digital platforms. Updated Deduction Rules: Adjustments to certain deductions may affect individual and corporate filings. By addressing these updates head-on, Delia Law P.C. ensures their clients are not only compliant but also positioned to benefit from legal tax-saving strategies. Guidance for Resolving Tax Disputes For taxpayers currently dealing with IRS disputes, Delia Law P.C. provides legal support to resolve issues efficiently. The firm's services include negotiating offers in compromise and installment agreements to establish manageable resolutions for outstanding liabilities. By working with Delia Law P.C., taxpayers can address disputes while preparing for new regulations. Commitment to Professional Tax Solutions Delia Law P.C. is committed to delivering professional, reliable legal assistance for tax matters, ensuring clients are equipped to address both ongoing challenges and upcoming regulatory updates. With a focus on compliance and resolution, the firm supports individuals and businesses seeking clarity and control over their tax obligations. Contact Information: To learn more about the services offered by Delia Law P.C., visit https://deliataxattorneys.com/ or contact the firm directly to schedule a consultation. About Delia Law P.C.: Delia Law P.C. is a federal tax law firm licensed to represent taxpayers in tax-related cases before the IRS in all 50 U.S. states under IRS Circular 230. Experienced in assisting clients with IRS negotiations, tax compliance, and dispute resolution, the firm provides comprehensive services tailored to the unique needs of individuals and businesses across a broad spectrum of tax-related challenges. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/238153 SOURCE: Brand Featured WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - Crude oil inventories in the U.S. decreased by less than expected in the week ended January 17th, according to a report released by the Energy Information Administration on Thursday.The EIA said crude oil inventories dipped by 1.0 million barrels last week after falling by 2.0 million barrels in the previous week. Economists had expected crude oil inventories to decline by 2.1 million barrels.At 411.7 million barrels, U.S. crude oil inventories are about 6 percent below the five-year average for this time of year, the EIA said.The report said distillate fuel inventories, which include heating oil and diesel, also decreased by 3.1 million barrels last week and are about 6 percent below the five-year average for this time of year.Meanwhile, the EIA said gasoline inventories increased by 2.3 million barrels last week but remain 1 percent below the five-year average for this time of 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. Grand Junction, Colorado--(Newsfile Corp. - January 23, 2025) - Walitt Solutions, a leading real estate valuation and compliance consultancy, has announced the upcoming launch of its proprietary appraisal learning enrichment LMS (Learning Management System), which will be available by the end of Q1 2025. The LMS, introduced by founder and CEO Joshua Walitt, is designed to serve appraisers, loan officers, risk managers, real estate agents, and other real estate professionals. The platform aims to provide comprehensive resources to address evolving industry needs and regulatory requirements. The learning system will feature an extensive library of video content and downloadable materials, including seminars, job aids, and course handouts developed by industry leaders. Key topics include lender-agent valuation issues, the role of AI and technology in appraisals, and effective management of trainee-appraiser relationships. Most sessions will be delivered through live and interactive sessions, and LMS members will have perpetual access to recorded seminars. Additional topics will be introduced as Walitt Solutions expands its repository of educational content. Caption: Joshua Walitt, CEO of Walitt Solutions To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/10129/235255_ec773027b45b5af0_001full.jpg A Platform Focused on Community and Adaptability "The goal here is to build a real community in a highly specialized field," Walitt said. "Appraisers, loan officers, underwriters, agents, and real estate professionals who join this platform will have access to critical resources at any time while engaging in meaningful discussions with their peers." "This isn't continuing education for the sake of education," Walitt continued. "Our enrichment content is focused on emerging trends and new regulations as they take shape. Members will gain insights not just from our seminars but also from one another. With the real estate valuation space evolving rapidly, this platform will seek to serve as a resource to keep appraisers and lenders informed." The LMS infrastructure is presently under development, and among the first modules is expert guidance on completing and understanding new UAD (Uniform Appraisal Dataset) URAR (Uniform Residential Appraisal Report) forms in compliance with version 3.6 guidelines. These updates, which Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac will begin implementing in 2025, mark a significant shift from previous requirements. Caption: Walitt Solutions logo To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/10129/235255_ec773027b45b5af0_002full.jpg Leveraging Industry Expertise Joshua Walitt offers decades of industry experience and connections in the development of this content. Prior to serving as Vice President of Operations and Compliance at Property Intelink, LLC, a real estate appraisal firm, he worked as a Certified Residential Appraiser. Walitt served as a Director and President, and is currently serving as Immediate Past President, for the National Association of Appraisers and previously served as a board member of the Colorado Department of Regulatory Agencies - Board of Real Estate Appraisers. About Walitt Solutions Walitt Solutions provides compliance support and educational resources to appraisal companies, individual appraisers, and Appraisal Management Companies (AMCs). The firm also advises banks and lenders on appraisal, evaluation, and review standards while offering regulatory guidance and tools to help clients stay compliant with industry policies and procedures. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/235255 SOURCE: AK Infinite With the January 31, 2025, tax filing deadline on the horizon, TaxBandits, an IRS-authorized e-file service provider, underscores its steadfast commitment to safeguarding tax professionals and their clients from identity theft and fraud. In alignment with the stringent measures implemented by the IRS, Social Security Administration (SSA), and state tax agencies, TaxBandits has robust fraud prevention measures and security systems already in place to ensure secure and compliant tax filing. TaxBandits Approach to Fraud Prevention TaxBandits provides a platform that not only simplifies tax form filing - covering 1099s , W-2s , 940s , 941s , and ACA forms - but also prioritizes user data protection through industry-leading practices. Recognizing that fraud risks typically escalate during the peak filing season, TaxBandits has rolled out many proactive measures to ensure secure and efficient tax filing processes. Key Fraud Prevention Measures Implemented by TaxBandits Proactive Measures to Mitigate Potential Audit Issues As part of its commitment to fraud prevention, TaxBandits implements advanced measures to identify discrepancies that may trigger potential audits or raise compliance concerns with the IRS, SSA, or other relevant government agencies. When data reported on 1099 and W-2 forms deviate from IRS/SSA or state guidelines-such as unusually high withholding rates-the platform flags these issues for review. Additionally, when discrepancies are flagged, clients are provided with clear guidance on the required documentation to support the reported data. These proactive measures strengthen compliance efforts while minimizing the risk of delays or complications. Artificial Intelligence-Powered Fraud Prevention: TaxBandits uses an advanced AI engine to actively monitor user activity and identify any signs of suspicious or fraudulent behavior. The platform can quickly recognize potential threats and take immediate action by implementing AI-driven detection, ensuring a secure tax filing experience while protecting sensitive information. Comprehensive Identity Verification Measures: TaxBandits implements rigorous identity verification procedures to ensure that only authorized people with verified identities can access and submit tax forms. This essential security step establishes a secure foundation for the entire tax filing process, significantly reducing the risk of unauthorized access and potential fraud. Privacy Control for Enhanced Data Protection: TaxBandits offers tax professionals comprehensive privacy controls, allowing them to customize data-sharing preferences based on their needs. These controls enable them to: Specify who can access their tax information Limit the type of information shared Revoke access at any time By providing these privacy settings, TaxBandits ensures that tax professionals maintain complete control over their personal and financial data, fostering greater confidence in data security. TIN Matching and Real-Time Validations TaxBandits integrates an enhanced Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN) matching process to verify the accuracy of tax filings and reduce discrepancies. Real-time validations ensure that filings are accurate and compliant, minimizing errors that could lead to delays or fraud. Layered Security Protection: TaxBandits employs a multi-tiered security approach to keep the client's data protected from unauthorized access through various measures, including: IP Tracking: TaxBandits tracks and logs IP addresses associated with business and tax professional activities to identify the origin of suspicious behavior. This feature helps detect and address potential security breaches in real-time. Activity Logs: Tax professionals can access detailed activity logs, which provide transparency and enable them to monitor their accounts for unusual actions. These logs empower them to take control of their tax filing security. Advanced Security Measures TaxBandits prioritizes the security of the tax filing process by implementing robust security measures. Two-factor Authentication (2FA): TaxBandits prioritize the security of sensitive information by offering Two-Factor Authentication (2FA) options to strengthen security further. Tax professionals can enhance their account protection by enabling 2FA using various methods, such as: Phone number verification Authentication apps, including Google Authenticator, Microsoft Authenticator, Authy, and LastPass Recovery codes for emergency access The 'Remember this Device ' feature temporarily allows trusted devices to bypass 2FA, ensuring convenience during this tax season. Continuous System Monitoring and Auditing: TaxBandits monitors and audits its systems to proactively detect and resolve potential vulnerabilities. This vigilant approach ensures the platform remains at the forefront of security, providing individuals, businesses, and tax professionals with a safe and reliable tax filing experience. Protection Against Phishing Threats: To combat phishing scams and fraudulent activities, TaxBandits has implemented stringent security protocols to protect user data. It is important to note that TaxBandits will never request sensitive information such as SSN, EIN, credit card details, or bank account information via email or any other communication channel. SOC 2 Compliance for Data Security: As a SOC 2-certified e-file provider, TaxBandits adheres to stringent security standards established by the American Institute of CPAs (AICPA). Regular audits ensure compliance with strict controls and procedures to maintain client data's confidentiality, integrity, and availability. This certification demonstrates TaxBandits determined commitment to protecting sensitive information. About TaxBandits TaxBandits is an IRS-authorized e-file provider specializing in various tax forms, such as Form 941, Form 940, Form 1099, Form W-2, Form 1095-C, Form 1095-B, and Form W-9. Serving businesses, service providers, and tax professionals of every size, TaxBandits offers a complete solution that fulfills all filing needs. TaxBandits provides another advantage for high-volume filers and software providers. TaxBandits API enables seamless preparation and e-filing of 1099, W-2, 941, 940, and ACA 1095 forms and BOI reporting. Use the developer filing 1099 API to request W-9 and automate the filing efficiently. About SPAN Enterprises SPAN Enterprises, headquartered in Rock Hill, South Carolina, has created cutting-edge software solutions for e-filing and business management for over ten years. The company's suite of products includes TaxBandits, Tax990, TaxExemptBonds, ACAwise, ExpressExtension, 123PayStubs, and TruckLogics. Please direct all media inquiries to Charles Hardy, VP of Operations at charles@spanenterprises.com ### SOURCE: TaxBandits View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - January 23, 2025) - Li-FT Power Ltd. (TSXV: LIFT) (OTCQX: LIFFF) (FSE: WS0) ("LIFT" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that it has closed the previously announced definitive agreement with North Arrow Minerals Inc. (TSXV: NAR) to acquire a 100% interest in the DeStaffany, LDG, and Mackay Lithium Projects, located in the Northwest Territories, Canada. Francis MacDonald, CEO and Director of LIFT, commented, "We are excited to close this acquisition with North Arrow and get on the ground this year to further evaluate the additional DeStaffany Lithium pegmatite dykes within our Yellowknife Lithium Project area with the intention of growing our Lithium resource base." Under the terms of the agreement, LIFT acquired all rights, title, and interest in the, DeStaffany, LDG and Mackay Lithium Projects (represented by 14 mineral claims and six leases) in exchange for the issuance of 250,000 common shares of LIFT to North Arrow Minerals, which are subject to a statutory four month hold period expiring May 24, 2025. The acquisition also includes the transfer of associated reclamation bonds, ensuring responsible environmental stewardship as these projects are developed, of which LIFT will make a post-closing cash reimbursement of approximately CAD $47,500 to North Arrow related to the reclamation bond for the DeStaffany Lithium Project. Figure 1 - Location of NAR's DeStaffany, LDG & Mackay Lithium Projects along side LIFT's Yellowknife Lithium Project. The pegmatites are located to the east and the northeast of the city of Yellowknife. To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/8766/238226_b9cf595f04903bbb_001full.jpg The DeStaffany mining claims are subject to a 2% gross overriding royalty of which one-half (1%) may be repurchased at anytime on payment of CAD $2,000,000 to the royalty holder. In addition, the LDG project is subject to a 2% gross overriding diamond royalty, and the lease forming a part of the LDG project is also subject to a 2% net smelter returns royalty. Both of those royalties contain buy-back provisions for one-half (1%) through payments to the royalty holder of CAD $2,000,000 and CAD $3,000,000 respectively. The transaction received the approval of the TSX Venture. DeStaffany Lithium Project The DeStaffany lithium property covers 1,843 ha located on the north central shore of Great Slave Lake, approximately 18 km northeast of the Nechalacho mine and 115 km east of Yellowknife. The property hosts the Moose 1 and Moose 2 lithium-tantalum-niobium bearing pegmatites. The pegmatites were initially evaluated in the 1940's for tantalum and niobium but have never been subject to a focused evaluation of their lithium potential. New discoveries are possible within the property as highlighted by the identification of additional pegmatites by a predecessor company to North Arrow. At the time, these pegmatites were not described or evaluated for their lithium potential. The Moose 1 pegmatite has never been drilled but has been traced over a 370 m strike, averaging 4.5 m to 6.0 m in width with a maximum width of approximately 11 m, and hosts spodumene mineralization that returned 1.5% Li2O over 7.5 m from historic channel sampling in 2009. Additional historic surface samples have returned from background values to 4.1% Li2O. The Moose 2 pegmatite has been mapped over a 450 m strike length and is up to 30 m wide. The pegmatite was bulk sampled, and test mined for its tantalum and niobium potential in the 1940's and 1950's, producing tantalum, niobium and lithium concentrates, but has never been evaluated or drilled for its lithium potential. Spodumene mineralization is common throughout the pegmatite, with elevated lithium analyses of up to 2.73% Li2O returned from samples along at least a 250 m strike length of the body. The Moose pegmatites are located within 1 km of Great Slave Lake, providing good year-round access to the property from both Yellowknife and Hay River on the south side of lake. Next steps for the property will include preparation for mapping, sampling and prospecting fieldwork ahead of initial drill testing of these mineralized spodumene pegmatites. LDG Lithium Project The LDG Project comprises 8,600 hectares of mineral claims and leases that are located 15 km southwest of Rio Tinto's Diavik diamond mine. To date, 10 spodumene pegmatite occurrences have been discovered by prospecting which have outcropping dimensions of up to 20 m in width and 400 m in length. The project area is covered by till which can be used as an exploration medium to discover buried deposits. Mackay Lithium Project The MacKay Project is comprised of 8,600 hectares of mineral claims approximately 30 km to the south of the Rio Tinto's Diavik diamond mine. To date, two spodumene occurrences have been discovered by prospecting. MK1 comprises a series of irregular sub-parallel pegmatite dykes ranging from 0.5 m to >10 m wide over a combined width of up to 150 m and traced over an interpreted strike extent of greater than 400 m; hand samples from four locations along a 120 m strike have returned 2.45%, 2.51%, 2.76% and 3.74% Li2O. MK3 (located ~ 4.5 km east northeast of MK1) is a prominent 15 to 20 m wide, white pegmatite exposure traced near continuously along strike for approximately 130 m; five representative grab samples returned 5.25%, 4.08%, 2.71%, 1.92% and 1.10% Li2O. Qualified Person The disclosure in this news release of scientific and technical information regarding LIFT's mineral properties has been reviewed and approved by Ron Voordouw, Ph.D., P.Geo., Partner, Director Geoscience, Equity Exploration Consultants Ltd., and a Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects (NI 43-101) and member in good standing with the Northwest Territories and Nunavut Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists (NAPEG) (Geologist Registration number: L5245). About LIFT LIFT is a mineral exploration company engaged in the acquisition, exploration, and development of lithium pegmatite projects located in Canada. The Company's flagship project is the Yellowknife Lithium Project located in Northwest Territories, Canada. LIFT also holds three early-stage exploration properties in Quebec, Canada with excellent potential for the discovery of buried lithium pegmatites, as well as the Cali Project in Northwest Territories within the Little Nahanni Pegmatite Group. Website: www.li-ft.com Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Information Certain statements included in this press release constitute forward-looking information or statements (collectively, "forward-looking statements"), including those identified by the expressions "anticipate", "believe", "plan", "estimate", "expect", "intend", "may", "should" and similar expressions to the extent they relate to the Company or its management. The forward-looking statements are not historical facts but reflect current expectations regarding future results or events. This press release contains forward looking statements relating to the closing of the Offering, the use of proceeds of the Offering, the timing of incurring the Qualifying Expenditures and the renunciation of the Qualifying Expenditures as well as the approval of the TSXV. These forward-looking statements and information reflect management's current beliefs and are based on assumptions made by and information currently available to the company with respect to the matter described in this new release. Forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties, which are based on current expectations as of the date of this release and subject to known and unknown risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such statements. Additional information about these assumptions and risks and uncertainties is contained under "Risk Factors" in the Company's latest annual information form filed on March 27, 2024, which is available under the Company's SEDAR+ profile at www.sedarplus.ca, and in other filings that the Company has made and may make with applicable securities authorities in the future. Forward-looking statements contained herein are made only as to the date of this press release and we undertake no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law. We caution investors not to place considerable reliance on the forward-looking statements contained in this press release. 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. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/238226 SOURCE: Li-FT Power Ltd. Revolutionizing healthcare through AI, blockchain, and interoperability, the region is setting new standards for sustainable, patient-centric care. The Middle East is undergoing a seismic transformation in healthcare IT, emerging as one of the fastest-growing regions for digital health innovation. According to the 2025 Black Book of Global Healthcare IT, the region's rapid advancements in electronic health records (EHR), artificial intelligence (AI), interoperability, and revenue cycle management (RCM) reflect a bold commitment to redefining healthcare for the 21st century. This year's Black Book global HIT survey released earlier this month, encompassing insights from over six hundred healthcare tech users across the Middle East, highlights the region's unprecedented progress in adopting technologies that are setting new global benchmarks. From government-led initiatives like Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030 to innovative private sector collaborations in the UAE, Oman, and Qatar, the Middle East is carving out its place as a hub of healthcare transformation. Unprecedented Growth in a Thriving Market With a projected compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 9.2%, the Middle East's healthcare IT market is poised to reach $7.9 billion by 2028. Governments and private health systems are making strategic investments to build digital infrastructure that supports advanced care models. Over 75% of public healthcare facilities in Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries have implemented EHR systems, creating a robust foundation for AI-driven insights, predictive analytics, and seamless interoperability. "The Middle East is leading the way in how countries can harness technology to overcome challenges and deliver better healthcare outcomes," said Doug Brown, President of Black Book Research. "The pace of innovation here is nothing short of extraordinary, and it's a blueprint for how regions can leapfrog into the future of healthcare tech." The 540 page 2025 Black Book of Global Healthcare IT report identifies AI integration, telehealth expansion, population health management, and blockchain innovation as critical drivers shaping the region's healthcare landscape. These technologies are empowering Middle Eastern health systems to tackle chronic disease management, reduce inefficiencies, and improve access to care for underserved populations. United Arab Emirates (UAE): Leading in Interoperability and AI The UAE is setting new benchmarks with groundbreaking projects like Malaffi and Nabidh, which connect public and private healthcare providers through centralized EHR platforms. These systems ensure seamless data exchange and enable healthcare professionals to access real-time patient information, fostering a more coordinated approach to care delivery. Institutions like Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi are leveraging AI to revolutionize oncology diagnostics, reportedly reducing diagnostic times by 50% and improving the accuracy of personalized treatment plans. Blockchain pilots further enhance data security and operational efficiency, cutting administrative costs by an estimated 25%. Saudi Arabia: Vision 2030 Drives Digital Transformation Saudi Arabia's healthcare ambitions under Vision 2030 have positioned the Kingdom as a global leader in digital health. The Sehha telemedicine platform delivered over 2 million virtual consultations in 2024, significantly expanding access to care in rural and underserved areas. AI-driven predictive tools at King Fahad Medical City are transforming chronic disease management, reducing hospital admissions for diabetes and cardiovascular conditions by 33%. Saudi Arabia has also embraced blockchain technology to ensure secure and transparent data exchange across its national health systems, while partnerships with leading vendors are driving compliance with NPHIES standards, enabling scalable and interoperable solutions. Oman: Blockchain and Telehealth at the Forefront Oman's Health Vision 2050 underscores a commitment to healthcare modernization, with blockchain and telehealth playing central roles. The National Health Information System (NHIS) is piloting blockchain solutions to secure patient data, reduce administrative delays, and create a unified digital ecosystem. Telehealth initiatives are addressing healthcare access challenges in rural areas, delivering remote consultations, chronic disease management, and maternal care services. These efforts have reduced hospital readmissions by one fifth and improved treatment adherence rates, ensuring equitable care for underserved populations. Qatar: Advancing Precision Medicine and Interoperability Qatar's healthcare innovation strategy, under the Qatar National Vision 2030, is focused on precision medicine, telemedicine, and genomic research. AI-powered tools are driving advancements in diagnostics, achieving 95% accuracy rates for conditions such as cancer and cardiovascular disease. Telemedicine platforms facilitated 1.5 million virtual consultations in 2024, reducing patient travel time and improving care access. Blockchain technology is being explored to enhance data security and streamline claims processing, while interoperability initiatives ensure that healthcare professionals have unified access to patient records. At the heart of this transformation is a dynamic ecosystem of established global vendors and emerging local innovators, each contributing to the region's rapid digital health advancements. Oracle Health: Oracle Health has emerged as a standout performer in the 2025 Black Book IT User Satisfaction Survey, ranking highest in client experience across 18 key performance indicators across the Middle East. As the technology backbone for initiatives like Abu Dhabi's Malaffi, Oracle Health enables real-time data exchange, robust population health management, and AI-driven clinical decision support. By aligning its solutions with local data privacy laws and healthcare priorities, Oracle has earned the trust of governments and providers across the region. Its comprehensive approach has positioned Oracle Health as an essential partner in advancing digital health innovation and interoperability in the Middle East. InterSystems: Known for its TrakCare platform, InterSystems drives interoperability and unified health records. It powers large-scale projects like Oman's National Health Information System (NHIS) and Abu Dhabi's Malaffi, offering modular and multilingual solutions designed to meet the diverse needs of GCC nations. Epic Systems: Epic has established a significant presence in Saudi Arabia, particularly in large hospital networks such as King Faisal Specialist Hospital. Its scalable EHR and analytics platforms support comprehensive care coordination and advanced patient engagement tools like the MyChart portal, localized to enhance access to health information and telehealth services. Regional Innovators Addressing Local Needs Hakeem : Transforming Jordan's public healthcare system, Hakeem provides scalable, localized EHR solutions with a strong focus on telehealth and rural healthcare delivery. EzCareTech: Based in Saudi Arabia, EzCareTech offers EHR systems aligned with NPHIES standards, integrating AI for chronic disease management and clinical decision support to address national health priorities. As the Middle East's healthcare IT market expands, innovative startups and regional vendors are rising to challenge multinational giants like Oracle Health, InterSystems, and Epic. These up-and-coming players are carving out niches with agile, cost-effective, and culturally aligned solutions: Cloudpital (UAE): A fast-growing provider of cloud-based EHR and hospital management systems, Cloudpital targets small and mid-sized clinics with scalable, AI-powered tools for operational efficiency. MedStream (Saudi Arabia): Specializing in telehealth platforms and remote monitoring solutions, MedStream is gaining traction in rural healthcare delivery. Shifaa Systems (Oman): Integrating blockchain and AI, Shifaa Systems offers secure EHR platforms tailored for chronic care management, emphasizing data security and predictive analytics. Healthigo (UAE): A patient-centric startup providing appointment booking, provider search, and teleconsultation platforms to streamline patient access and care navigation. PulseNet (Bahrain): Focused on interoperability, PulseNet supports seamless data exchange across Bahrain's public and private health systems, aiding national health digitization goals. Aseel Health (Saudi Arabia): This mobile-first vendor delivers intuitive patient engagement platforms and chronic disease tracking tools for healthcare providers and patients alike. Qritive (UAE): Gaining momentum for its AI-powered pathology and diagnostic tools, Qritive is helping GCC nations improve diagnostic accuracy and reduce turnaround times. CureTech (Kuwait): A local innovator addressing mental health and telehealth needs with scalable, culturally sensitive solutions. DxWELL (Qatar): Combining AI and wearable technology, DxWELL delivers real-time monitoring solutions to support Qatar's precision medicine and chronic disease initiatives. Caregility ME (UAE): A regional extension of Caregility, this vendor focuses on virtual care platforms and ICU telemedicine solutions, aligning with the Middle East's growing telehealth demand. This diverse vendor ecosystem highlights the Middle East's unique approach to digital health innovation. "The Middle East is blending multinational expertise with local innovation to redefine the future of healthcare IT," said Brown. "By harnessing cutting-edge technologies like AI-powered diagnostics and blockchain-enabled interoperability, the region is not only transforming its healthcare systems into sustainable and patient-centric models but also setting a global benchmark for healthcare IT excellence." About The 2025 Black Book of Global Healthcare IT Download the Exclusive Indexed Report: This 540 page PDF book is a one-of-a-kind, indexed, AI-compatible resource, uniquely curated and not available in any other format or platform. Designed for seamless integration with large language models (LLMs), it offers an exclusive, fully searchable and scannable repository of insights and data, enabling instant access to critical EHR information. Free for Black Book clients, subscribers, and qualified registrants. Complete the form to access unique, actionable global EHR insights unavailable anywhere else, designed for maximum usability. Gain an unparalleled understanding of EHR adoption across 110 countries. Discover how global leaders alongside regional and local innovators, are transforming healthcare through tailored digital solutions. Explore how EHR vendors adapt to diverse cultural, regulatory, and infrastructural challenges, backed by detailed country progress reports and case studies. Learn how nations are overcoming barriers like data security, workforce training, and interoperability. Gain Exclusive Data-Driven Analytics and unbiased data from Black Book's proprietary research methodology. The integration of advanced tools like Qualtrics and Google Looker offers real-time market intelligence, ensuring stakeholders can make informed decisions in an evolving healthcare landscape. This report is an essential resource for anyone invested in healthcare IT, offering actionable strategies and insights to accelerate global healthcare digitalization. SOURCE: Black Book Research View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - January 23, 2025) - Keerit Jutla, President and Chief Executive Officer, Association for Mineral Exploration ("AME"), and Minister Jagrup Brar, Minister of Mining and Critical Minerals, joined Andrew Creech, Managing Director, TSX Venture Exchange Listings, to close the market to celebrate AME Roundup 2025 in Vancouver, Canada. From January 20th-23rd, 2025, thousands of geologists, prospectors, financiers, investors, suppliers, governments and Indigenous partners, from around the world will connect and exchange knowledge at AME Roundup 2025. Cannot view this video? Visit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1CGygHHw3UY AME Roundup is a centre of excellence that features the latest geoscience knowledge, high-grade rock samples and mineralized drill core, with opportunities to learn and share the latest tools, technologies and techniques. The content delivered was relevant and timely, delivered by high-calibre speakers, engaging exhibitors and inspiring presenters. Hosted by explorers for explorers, AME Roundup 2025 focuses on the key issues, helps us imagine new possibilities and advance our understanding of the minerals and metals that are critical to our shared future. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/238269 SOURCE: Toronto Stock Exchange The case was filed against Varmas company by a firm named Shree through Maheshchandra Mishra in 2018. After the COVID-19 pandemic, Varma sold his office after financial troubles took over read more poses for a portrait before the photocall during the 2010 Doha Tribeca Film Festival held at Katara on October 27, 2010 in Doha, Qatar. The Andheri Magistrate Court in Mumbai convicted filmmaker Ram Gopal Varma in a cheque bounce case and gave him a three-month jail sentence. This comes at a time when his classic 1998 film Satya has re-released in cinemas. The case has been going on for seven years and Varma was absent at the hearing. More details about the case As per reports, the case was filed under Section 138 of the Negotiable Instruments Act. As per the act, individuals will be penalised for cheque-bouncing cases. The court also ordered Varma to pay a penalty of Rs. 3.72 lakhs to the complainant or stay in jail for three more months. Advertisement The case was filed against Varmas company by a firm named Shree through Maheshchandra Mishra in 2018. After the COVID-19 pandemic, Varma sold his office after financial troubles took over. Recently, Ram Gopal Varma expressed willingness to appear digitally before the Andhra Police in connection with his alleged offensive posts against chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu and others, his lawyer said in Hyderabad on Monday. A case was booked against the director at Maddipadu police station in Prakasam district on November 11 for allegedly posting morphed photographs of Naidu, deputy chief minister Pawan Kalyan and their family members in an indecent manner on social media. There is no requirement for physical presence. Now Digital India has come. Likewise, digital policing has also come. So, (physical) presence is not required. Give us virtual mode (opportunity), we will cooperate virtually with the investigation, the lawyer told reporters outside Varmas Jubilee Hills residence in Hyderabad. Each of these renowned choreographers has not only made significant contributions to dance but has also successfully taken on the mantle of directing, bringing their unique artistic vision to the silver screen read more The Indian film industry has long celebrated the art of dance, with choreography playing a pivotal role in shaping the visual storytelling of Bollywood. Among the many talented individuals who have graced the dance floor, some have transitioned from choreographing iconic dance sequences to directing blockbuster films. Notable figures such as Farah Khan, Ahmed Khan, and Remo DSouza exemplify this remarkable journey. Each of these renowned choreographers has not only made significant contributions to dance but has also successfully taken on the mantle of directing, bringing their unique artistic vision to the silver screen. This exploration delves into their careers, highlighting how their backgrounds in choreography have influenced their directorial styles and led them to create memorable cinematic experiences. Advertisement Heres a look at famous Bollywood choreographers who have turned into successful filmmakers Farah Khan Farah Khan stands out as one of the most accomplished choreographers-turned-directors in Bollywood. With a remarkable career that includes choreographing iconic films such as Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, Dil Toh Pagal Hai, Dil Chahta Hai, and Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge, she has made her mark in the industry. Transitioning to directing, she has helmed blockbuster hits like Main Hoon Na, Om Shanti Om, Tees Maar Khan, and Happy New Year. Notably, Happy New Year set a record for the highest opening day gross for a Bollywood film, earning an impressive 44.97 crore. Farah Khans journey from choreographer to director showcases her versatility and significant impact on Indian cinema. Ahmed Khan Ahmed Khan is one of Bollywoods most celebrated choreographers, known for his ability to make actors shine in films such as Rangeela, Taal, Ghajini, Ajab Prem Ki Ghazab Kahaani, and Kick. He made his directorial debut with Lakeer in 2003, followed by the comedy Fool N Final. However, it was his 2018 blockbuster Baaghi 2, featuring Tiger Shroff, that solidified his reputation as one of the industrys most bankable directors. Interestingly, before embarking on his successful choreography career, Ahmed Khan began as a child actor in the iconic film Mr. India, showcasing his diverse talents from an early age. Ahmed Khans next project Welcome to the Jungle is slated to release in 2025 and is touted to be one of the most anticipated movies of the year. Remo Dsouza Remo DSouza is a renowned choreographer known for infusing his signature style and charisma into every dance sequence. His impressive choreography credits include hit films like Kaante, Rock On, Student of the Year, and Bajrangi Bhaijaan. Transitioning to directing, he played a pivotal role in popularizing dance films in India with his successful projects, notably ABCD: Any Body Can Dance and its sequel, ABCD 2. These films not only showcased his talent behind the camera but also helped establish a new genre in Indian cinema, celebrating the art of dance on a grand scale. Prabhudeva Prabhu Deva is a versatile talent in the Indian film industry, seamlessly navigating the roles of actor, director, and choreographer throughout his career. Initially recognized as an exceptional dancer, he consistently delivered standout performances that captivated audiences. He made his directorial debut with the 2005 Telugu film Nuvvostanante Nenoddantana, which received critical acclaim and became a blockbuster. This success led to his collaboration with Salman Khan on Wanted in 2009, a film that marked the beginning of a prosperous phase for both Deva and Khan. Over the years, Prabhu Deva has directed prominent actors such as Shahid Kapoor in R Rajkumar, Ajay Devgn in Action Jackson, and Akshay Kumar in Rowdy Rathore and Singh Is Bliing, solidifying his status as a leading figure in Bollywood filmmaking. Advertisement Ganesh Acharya Ganesh Acharya began his career as a choreographer in 1992 and has since become one of Bollywoods most celebrated figures in dance. He earned the prestigious National Award for Best Choreography at the 61st National Film Awards, recognizing his exceptional talent. In 2007, he ventured into directing with the Hindi drama film Swami, which received critical acclaim for its storytelling and performances. Acharyas contributions to Indian cinema extend beyond choreography, showcasing his versatility and artistic vision in both dance and film direction. Nimrat proudly also reflected on her fathers inspiring journey. Despite humble beginnings, he was self-taught and pursued his education in his village before graduating on scholarship from Jodhpur University read more Nimrat Kaur, one of Indian cinemas most celebrated actresses, paid tribute to her father, Late Major Bhupender Singh SC, on his 31st death anniversary. The martyred soldier was kidnapped on January 17th and assassinated by terrorists on the fateful morning of January 23, 1994. In a poignant recollection, Nimrat shared how her father Major Bhupender Singhs heroic sacrifice was honoured with the prestigious Shaurya Chakra, which was posthumously awarded to him at Rashtrapati Bhavan on March 13, a date that coincidentally falls on Nimrats birthday. Advertisement On his birth anniversary in 2024, Nimrat Kaur and her family inaugurated a memorial to commemorate her father and twelve soldiers who also lost their lives in service to the nation. She shared that the soldiers, along with her father, hailed from Mohanpura, Ganganagar, his birthplace, where a chowk is named in his honour as Major Bhupender Singh Chowk. Nimrat proudly also reflected on her fathers inspiring journey. Despite humble beginnings, he was self-taught and pursued his education in his village before graduating on scholarship from Jodhpur University. Later, he joined the Indian Army through the Indian Military Academy in Dehradun, winning the Sword of Honour in his batch, earning his commission in the 64 Engineer Regiment, Bengal Sappers. Over the years, Nimrat has often spoken about the profound influence her father had on her life and the values he instilled in her. Sharing pictures from the memorials inauguration, she penned a heartfelt caption, part of which read: A dream my family and I dreamt of 30 years ago since we lost him in Jammu and Kashmir in 1994, finally came true. Advertisement Highlighting stark differences between the two countries, especially regarding freedom, happiness and infrastructure, Deepak Perwani also shared how cities in India felt more pedestrian-friendly compared to Pakistan. read more Pakistani Hindu designer named Deepak Perwani, who recently visited Jaipur, India was slammed for praising the country. Highlighting stark differences between the two countries, especially regarding freedom, happiness and infrastructure, he also shared how cities in India felt more pedestrian-friendly compared to Pakistan. If you see their lives comparatively, Indians have it better. Happiness abounds. People laugh and live their lives. Women walk freely on the streets, ride bicycles and motorbikes. Even rickshaw pullers and cab drivers use UPI, said Deepak in an interview with Aamna Haider on her show Something Haute. Advertisement Deepak Perwani, a Pakistani Hindu fashion designer, recently visited Jaipur. He shared his experience on a Pakistani channel. Auratein roadon pe chalti hai is also a privilege. Full video: https://t.co/bYYR1V6oKp pic.twitter.com/kUGofstLeW Dhanya (@DeedeeDodo47) January 18, 2025 Its far more dynamic. There are pavements and footpaths too. Its not a concrete jungle, he added. His comments garnered mixed reactions on social media. One user said, Pakistan is a third-world country with a low economy rate. Who is safe in Pakistan? Not even a 4 year old kid. Wherever you see, Indians are making a name for themselves. Accept the reality and do something productive. Get out of the illusion that we are exceptional and there is no one like us. I have an old picture of Karachi when women were riding motorbikes. And I also have a picture of Mumbai being Bombay, and people were happy to have a mosque beside a temple! Things have changed in both countries, and disappointments are everywhere. But if you like that country more, dont badmouth, MOVE Out!! said another user. He needs to move to India and spare us! a third user commented. Running away isnt solution. Go go india u would never get respect u r getting here. Instead of making country better they are complaining, wrote another netizen. Depak parwani Sahab is totally right. We should aim to improve our country and, most importantly, our city, " a user commented. Advertisement Just days after Donald Trumps inauguration, many Instagram and Facebook users found themselves automatically following the newly sworn-in President, his deputy JD Vance and First Lady Melania Trump. However, Meta, the company that owns the social media apps, clarified that it wasnt a glitch but part of a planned transition read more Thousands of Instagram and Facebook users have voiced their surprise after discovering they were automatically following the new administration on the platforms, despite not subscribing to their accounts. File Image/ AFP If youve suddenly noticed that youre following President Donald Trump, Vice President JD Vance and First Lady Melania Trump on social media without ever hitting the follow button, youre certainly not the only one. Following the recent inauguration of the Republican president, thousands of Instagram and Facebook users have voiced their surprise after discovering they were automatically following the new administration on the platforms, despite not subscribing to their accounts. Automatically making everyone follow him.WTF, wrote an user, while another added: How am I automatically following.Mark! What do you have going on? Advertisement One user commented, I have now gone and unfollowed him twice and they keep switching it back to following. I guess maybe if I block him that would work. Thatll be my next step. However, this wasnt a glitchits all part of a planned transition. Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, has clarified that this change is a deliberate move as part of the handover process from the previous administration. So, what exactly is happening? Lets break it down. Its all part of the plan Just like the federal government must manage the transfer of power between administrations, Meta also has its own process to handle the transition. People were not made to automatically follow any of the official Facebook or Instagram accounts for the President, Vice President, or First Lady, Meta spokesperson Andy Stone clarified in a post on Threads. Those accounts are managed by the White House so with a new administration, the content on those pages changes. For years, platforms like Meta and X (formerly known as Facebook and Twitter) have had to adapt to the changing leadership, managing social media accounts associated with the presidency. U.S. President Barack Obama (R) and first lady Michelle Obama (L) greet U.S. President-elect Donald Trump and his wife Melania for tea before the inauguration at the White House in Washington, U.S. January 20, 2017. File Photo/Reuters The process became more crucial after Barack Obama took office in 2008, when social media was fully embraced as a way to connect with voters. By 2016, these social media giants had to figure out how to transfer these official accounts to the new administration. Meta and X decided that the official accounts for the President (POTUS), Vice President, and First Lady on Facebook, Instagram, and X would be handed over to the incoming administration while retaining the followers. This meant that anyone who followed President Obama in 2016 automatically found themselves following President Trump when he took office in 2017. Advertisement Obamas posts were archived under a separate handle, while Trumps account was reset, starting fresh without any of Obamas past posts. The same process happened again in 2020 when Joe Biden took over the official POTUS account. And after Trumps inauguration on Monday, the switch took place once more. So, if youre now seeing his posts in your feed, thats why. (FYI, Joe Bidens handle is now archived as @potus46archive and is also preserved with the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) ). As of Tuesday, Bidens archived POTUS account had 11 million followers on Facebook, which matches Trumps official POTUS account. Cant unfollow? Heres why A number of social media users have expressed frustration after attempting to unfollow the new administrations accounts, only to find that the app wasnt allowing them to do so. Meta has given an explanation. The company clarified that it may take some time for follow and unfollow requests to go through as these accounts change hands. Its possible that the high volume of unfollow requests during the transition is causing issues with processing them all. Advertisement Meta assured users that the problem will be resolved soon, although it did not provide specific details on why the delays were occurring. Are Democrats being censored? On Tuesday, users began noticing that they were unable to search for posts with the hashtag #democrats on some of Metas platforms. When they typed #Democrat or #Democrats, they were met with a results hidden message, leading to accusations of political bias. Meta quickly responded, clarifying that this was not intentional. The company explained that it had made an unfortunate error and was working to resolve it. Metas spokesperson, Andy Stone said that the issue [is] affecting peoples ability to search for a number of different hashtags on Instagram not just those on the left. However, some users have also reported limited results when searching for Republicans compared to Republican. The company has acknowledged this and is urgently working to fix the issue. Advertisement Zuckerbergs Meta-morphosis Mark Zuckerberg, the CEO of Meta, has seen a dramatic shift in his relationship with President Trump. In the past, Trump was highly critical of Zuckerberg and Facebook, calling the platform anti-Trump back in 2017. However, it seems that this tension has eased in recent years. In November, Zuckerberg dined with Trump at his Mar-a-Lago resort, making efforts to mend both his and his companys relationship with the former president after the election. Meta also donated $1 million (786,000) to an inauguration fund for Trump. US President-elect Donald Trump greets Meta chief Mark Zuckerberg. File image/@donaldtrump/X Zuckerberg also attended Trumps inauguration, alongside other high-profile tech CEOs, including Amazon founder Jeff Bezos and Google CEO Sundar Pichai. In recent times, Zuckerberg has made notable shifts at Meta, including announcing plans to end the companys partnerships with independent fact-checkers. He cited too much censorship and said, Its time to get back to our roots around free expression. He also replaced Metas top policy executive with a Republican and added Trump ally Dana White to the board. Advertisement These changes have raised concerns over the potential spread of misinformation on Metas platforms. Zuckerberg has also revealed plans to end Metas diversity initiatives, aligning with Trumps push to end diversity, equity, and inclusion programs. On Joe Rogans podcast, he claimed that excessive moderation had eroded trust. Critics argue that these moves reflect a significant rightward shift for the company. Zuckerberg has yet to directly comment on the backlash. With input from agencies Shortly after being sworn in, Donald Trump has taken aim at DEI (diversity, equity and inclusion) policies in the country. He has passed an executive order banning such initiatives in government offices and ordered all government staff working in DEI schemes to be put on immediate paid administrative leave. But why is the US president so against it? read more US President Donald Trump signs documents as he issues executive orders and pardons in the Oval Office at the White House. Among the many executive orders he has passed, Trump has issued one titled, Ending radical and wasteful government DEI programs and preferencing. Reuters The golden age of America begins right now. From this day forward, our country will flourish and be respected again all over the world. This week, I will also end the government policy of trying to socially engineer race and gender into every aspect of public and private life. We will forge a society that is colourblind and merit based. On Monday (January 20), US President Donald Trump in his inaugural speech struck fear into the hearts of many, as he took aim at federal employees who focus on diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI). He also passed executive orders, shortly after taking the oath of office, instructing the federal government to remove all radical gender ideology guidance, communication, policies, and forms. Advertisement Trump followed this up on Tuesday (January 22) by issuing a directive to place employees in any federal diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility offices on paid administrative leave, effective immediately. As DEI faces death in the US, heres an explainer of what exactly does this term means, what it entails and why Trumps America is against it. What is DEI? DEI stands for diversity, equity and inclusion. In the US, DEI is a policy or set of initiatives designed to make people of various backgrounds feel welcome and ensure they have support to perform to the fullest of their abilities in the workplace. But what constitutes this concept? Most proponents of DEI state that it is the amalgamation of: Diversity embracing the differences of everyone, irrespective of their race, age, ethnicity, gender or sexual orientation. Equity treating everyone fairly and providing equal opportunities to all. Inclusion respecting everyones voice and fostering an environment where people from all backgrounds feel welcome. Proponents of DEI state that this concept is necessary in all workplaces, private and public and educational institutions to combat bias and ensure that those of underrepresented backgrounds feel comfortable and supported. As Catalina Colman, former director of HR and inclusion at Built In explained DEI was crucial as it ultimately leads to better ideas and solutions. From a business standpoint, different perspectives directly influence a product how its made, who it serves, how it functions and so on, Colman said. More perspectives make for a better product. Advertisement The more diverse voices there are in your organisation, the better your outcomes will be, purely from a business standpoint, she said. Supporters of DEI say that this concept is necessary in all workplaces and educational institutions to combat bias and ensure that those of underrepresented backgrounds feel comfortable and supported. Representational image/Pixabay Well-known American consulting firm McKinsey & Company has also highlighted how DEI is beneficial for companies. Their 2019 report revealed that companies in the top quartile for gender diversity within executive teams were 25 per cent more likely than companies in the fourth quartile to have above-average profitability (up from 21 per cent in 2017 and 15 per cent in 2014). When did US workplaces start implementing DEI? While DEI programmes in the US may sound like a new phenomenon, it is not. DEI practices have been around for decades US President Lyndon B Johnson issued Executive Order 11246 which required government contractors to take affirmative action to ensure that applicants are employed, and employees are treated [fairly] during employment, without regard to their race, creed, colour, or national origin. Much later, in 2022, US President Biden set up a Chief Diversity Officers Council to oversee the implementation of DEI. Advertisement What is Trumps DEI order and how is he cracking down on it? Since being on the presidential campaign trail, Donald Trump has repeatedly attacked DEI practices, arguing that they were discriminatory. And on Inauguration Day, in his address, he pledged to forge a society that is colourblind and merit-based. Hours later, he issued an executive order Ending radical and wasteful government DEI programs and preferencing banning such efforts in federal hiring. Additionally, he also signed another executive order called Defending Women from Gender Ideology Extremism and Restoring Biological Truth to the Federal Government, which instructs the federal government to remove all radical gender ideology guidance, communication, policies, and forms. The order also directs the secretaries of state and homeland security to ensure that passports, visas and other official government documents reflect male and female as the only two sexes. Agencies will also be prohibited from promoting gender transition, and prisons will be instructed not to use taxpayer funds for gender transition services. Advertisement Following this up, Trump also ordered employees of federal diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility offices to be put on paid administrative leave on Tuesday. In a memo, his administration also called for the removal of public websites for DEI offices. It also stated that federal agencies must compile a list of DEI offices and workers and by January 31, agencies must submit a written plan for executing lay-offs in DEI offices. The executive order against DEI also said that the US attorney general submit, within 120 days, recommendations to encourage the private sector to end similar diversity efforts. Government sites that once provided information on DEI are no longer accessible. Image Courtesy: US Office of Personnel Management Trumps move has been severely criticised by the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE), which represents 7,50,000 workers. The AFGE said that it is unaware of the exact number of employees that would be affected by Trumps new policies. Advertisement AFGE National President Everett Kelley was quoted as saying, These attacks on DEI are just a smokescreen for firing civil servants, undermining the apolitical civil service, and turning the federal government into an army of yes-men loyal only to the president, not the Constitution. The Urban League, a group working to improve the economic and social conditions of Black Americans, also agreed with the AFGE. This is a state of emergency for our communities, National Urban League President Marc Morial told NBC News. The executive orders coming from the White House are a shot across the bow. What they really seek to do is erase 70 years of civil rights progress we have had in this nation. In recent times, many private companies have distanced themselves from DEI measures, rolling back initiatives. For instance, McDonalds, last November, ended its senior leadership diversity goals and supplier diversity training. Boeing, too, dismantled its global diversity, equity and inclusion department and redirected its staff to its human resources department to focus on talent acquisition and employee experience. Meta, who recently cancelled its fact-checking team, also announced in January that it would end several programmes intended to increase its hiring of diverse candidates. But why are Trump and his followers anti-DEI? Trumps dismantling of DEI policies doesnt come as a complete surprise. The US president had previously signalled his discontent with DEI programmes during his first term, notably issuing an executive order in 2020 that sought to limit federal DEI training. Trumps argument against DEI is based on the rationale that it undermines fairness and equality by prioritising group identity of merit. His executive order termed Bidens DEI policies as illegal and immoral, accusing them of fostering division and discrimination under the guise of inclusion. The US president further argues that DEI policies have the capability to violate important underlying civil rights laws that protect Americans from discrimination. As White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said the move is another win for Americans of all races, religions, and creeds, and fulfils a campaign promise made by Trump. Elon Musk, a close aide of Donald Trump, has also voiced his criticism against DEI policies. AP Trumps critique of DEI policies echoes criticism by other conservatives, who have long raged against these practices. In 2023, outspoken DEI critic Christopher Rufo, a senior fellow at the Manhattan Institute, wrote in a New York Times opinion piece, These (DEI programmes) are not neutral programmes to increase demographic diversity; they are political programmes that use taxpayer resources to advance a specific partisan orthodoxy. American billionaire hedge fund manager Bill Ackman has also decried DEI policies. Last year, in a 4,000-word post on X, he wrote that DEI is inherently a racist and illegal movement in its implementation even if it purports to work on behalf of the so-called oppressed. In light of todays news, I thought I would try to take a step back and provide perspective on what this is really all about. I first became concerned about @Harvard when 34 Harvard student organizations, early on the morning of October 8th before Israel had taken any military Bill Ackman (@BillAckman) January 3, 2024 Elon Musk, the First Buddy, also concurs with Ackman on DEI. He wrote, DEI is just another word for racism. Shame on anyone who uses it. He also added, DEI, because it discriminates on the basis of race, gender and many other factors, is not merely immoral, it is also illegal. It is uncertain if DEI programmes will ultimately be a relic of the past in the US, as Trump promised. It is left to be seen if and how much pushback he receives on DEI. However, for now, its time for DEI to die. With inputs from agencies Elon Musks favourability in the US has dropped to 40 per cent, with 51 per cent disapproving of the billionaire. His controversial leadership of the Department of Government Efficiency under Donald Trump, declining approval ratings in Europe, and backlash over political interventions and management of X (formerly Twitter) have only increased criticism read more Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk arrives to the inauguration of US President-elect Donald Trump in the Rotunda of the US Capitol on January 20, 2025 in Washington, DC. File Image/Reuters Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk, once celebrated as an entrepreneurial visionary, is seeing his popularity wane in the United States. A recent Wall Street Journal (WSJ) poll reveals that Musks favourability among Americans has dropped to 40 per cent, with 51 per cent expressing disapproval. This marks a significant decline from October, when his approval and disapproval ratings were evenly tied at 45 per cent. The poll, conducted between January 9 and 14, surveyed 750 registered voters with a margin of error of 2.5 per cent. Advertisement The drop in popularity coincides with Musks recent appointment to lead the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) under US President Donald Trumps administration. Tasked with eliminating wasteful spending and improving the responsible use of taxpayer money, Musks new role has drawn mixed reactions from the public. Despite his declining approval, Musk remains a prominent figure within Trumps inner circle. He was a visible presence at Mar-a-Lago during the presidential transition and spoke at Trumps inauguration ceremony in Washington, DC. Musk unpopularity transcends borders Musks unpopularity isnt limited to the United States. In Britain and Germany, his approval ratings are strikingly low, with YouGov polls showing negative views held by 71 per cent of respondents in both countries. Musks recent comments on UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, linking him to past child grooming scandals, and his endorsement of Germanys far-right Alternative fur Deutschland (AfD) party have sparked widespread criticism. Additionally, 74-76 per cent of respondents in Britain and Germany disapprove of Musks interventions in their domestic politics, viewing them as inappropriate. Interestingly, while Musks influence in European politics is deemed minimal, 64-69 per cent of Britons and Germans believe he wields significant sway in the United States. Nonetheless, only 26-29 per cent of respondents in these countries see value in their governments fostering strong relationships with Musk. Musks Nazi salute Musk found himself at the centre of yet another controversy during Trumps inauguration celebrations. At a public event, Musk performed a gesture that some likened to a Nazi salute. While the Anti-Defamation League dismissed the comparison as an awkward moment of enthusiasm, others, including historians, criticised the act. This is a delicate moment. Its a new day and yet so many are on edge. Our politics are inflamed, and social media only adds to the anxiety. It seems that @elonmusk made an awkward gesture in a moment of enthusiasm, not a Nazi salute, but again, we appreciate that people are on ADL (@ADL) January 20, 2025 Advertisement Musk responded on X (formerly Twitter), stating, The everyone is Hitler attack is sooo tired. The gesture further fuelled debates about Musks shifting political stance and growing alignment with far-right ideologies. Challenges as the leader of X Musks acquisition and management of X (formerly Twitter) have also attracted criticism. In both Britain and Germany, fewer than 20 per cent of respondents believe Musk has managed the platform appropriately. The majority see X as allowing too much harmful content, with only 12-13 per cent thinking the platform strikes the right balance on free speech. This criticism has amplified perceptions of Musk as a polarising figure. Some support in small right-wing pockets Despite the backlash, Musk retains pockets of support among right-leaning groups. In Germany, 70 per cent of AfD voters hold favourable views of him, while in Britain, 47 per cent of Reform UK supporters share a positive opinion. However, even among these groups, Musks influence on domestic politics is perceived as limited, with fewer than 20 per cent considering him impactful in their countries. Advertisement With controversies spanning his political affiliations, public behaviour, and management of X, Musk continues to polarise audiences worldwide. With inputs from agencies US President Donald Trump is set to address the annual World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. Meanwhile, the much-awaited nominations for the 2025 Academy Awards, delayed by the devastating Los Angeles wildfires, will be announced today. Also, a full dress rehearsal for the upcoming Republic Day celebrations is scheduled for today read more US President Donald Trump at White House in Washington. Reuters Today will be a busy day with several important events scheduled to take place. US President Donald Trump is set to address the annual meeting of the World Economic Forum, currently taking place in Davos, Switzerland. The nominations for the 2025 Academy Awards, long-awaited after multiple delays caused by the devastating Los Angeles wildfires, are due to be announced. Nasa astronaut Sunita Williams, one of the two astronauts currently stranded aboard the International Space Station, is preparing for her second spacewalk. Advertisement A full dress rehearsal is planned as part of the preparations for the forthcoming Republic Day celebrations. South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol is scheduled to attend the fourth hearing of the impeachment trial. Lets take a look into these events: World Economic Forums annual meeting: Trump to deliver special address The inauguration of Donald Trumps second, non-consecutive term as President of the United States coincided with the opening day of the World Economic Forums Annual Meeting in Davos, Switzerland. The US President will address participants via a video call today. ALSO READ | Trump vows to end birthright citizenship: Will Usha Vance lose her citizenship? Delegates to the World Economic Forum watch Donald Trumps inauguration at the Ukraine House in Davos, Switzerland. Reuters Forum organisers expect a record 900 business leaders, including those from key emerging markets, to participate, with nearly 3,000 attendees from over 130 countries. Oscar nominations 2025 The much-anticipated nominations for the 2025 Academy Awards will be revealed today, with films such as The Brutalist, Emilia Perez, and Conclave aiming for top honours in an awards season marked by several delays caused by the devastating fires in Los Angeles. Oscar statues sit before being placed out for display for the Academy Awards Awards in Los Angeles, California. Reuters/File Photo The wildfires in Los Angeles led to a twice-delayed announcement of the Oscars nominations, and the voting period was extended by several days. The 2025 Oscar nominations, spanning 23 categories, will be announced at 5:30 am PT (7:00 pm IST). Sunita Williams second spacewalk Nasa astronaut Sunita Williams, one of two astronauts currently aboard the International Space Station, will take part in her second spacewalk today with fellow astronaut Butch Wilmore. Advertisement Together, they will remove a radio frequency group antenna assembly, a device used for sending and receiving radio waves, and collect surface samples to analyse for microorganisms. NASA astronaut Sunita Williams walks at NASAs Kennedy Space Center, in Cape Canaveral, Florida. Reuters/File Photo Williams return to Earth, along with Wilmore, was delayed due to a technical error. Their return, initially scheduled after a week-long mission in June 2024, is now set for late March or early April. Republic Day 2025: Full dress rehearsal to take place In preparation for the Republic Day celebrations, a full dress rehearsal will be held today. The parade rehearsal will begin at 10:30 am on Thursday from Vijay Chowk, proceeding towards Red Fort. ALSO READ | Why made-in-India Tejas fighter jet, Dhruv helicopter will not fly in Republic Day fly-past Advertisement Daredevil team of Corps of Signals of the Indian Army during rehearsal for the Republic Day Parade 2025, in Mumbai. PTI Complete traffic arrangements and restrictions will be in place to ensure the smooth conduct of the parade along its route, which includes: Vijay Chowk > Kartavyapath > C-Hexagon > R/A Statue of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose > Tilak Marg > Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg > Netaji Subhash Marg > Red Fort. On January 26, 2025, the Republic Day Parade will begin in the morning, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi laying a wreath at the National War Memorial. Fourth hearing of South Korean Presidents impeachment trial South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol will attend the fourth hearing of his impeachment trial today, during which the witness examination of former Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun will take place. Advertisement Yoon has been in custody since last week as part of a separate criminal investigation, facing charges of inciting insurrection with his attempt to impose martial law in early December. This move, which stunned the nation, was overturned within hours by parliament. ALSO READ | From star prosecutor to an impeached president: The rise and fall of South Koreas Yoon Seok Yeol The Constitutional Court began the trial on December 27 to review an impeachment motion accusing Yoon of breaching his constitutional duty by imposing martial law without justifiable grounds. With inputs from agencies Today, January 23, is remembered in history as a dark day as American journalist Daniel Pearl was kidnapped in Karachi, Pakistan. It is also on this day in 1556, the deadliest earthquake in the history of mankind occurred in Chinas Shaanxi, killing 830,000 people. Heres what took place on this day read more January 23 is an important day in history as several important events took place on this day. Firstly, an American journalist Daniel Pearl was kidnapped in Karachi in 2002. In 1897, Indian freedom fighter Subhas Chandra Bose was born in Cuttack, Odisha. The deadliest earthquake in the history of mankind took place in Shanxi, China in 1556. As part of Firstpost Explainers History Today series, we look into defining moments of this day and their impact on the world. Advertisement Daniel Pearl kidnapped in Karachi Investigative journalist Daniel Pearl, working for the Wall Street Journal, disappeared in Pakistans Karachi on January 23, 2002. Pearl was reportedly scheduled to interview a religious leader as part of his research into Islamic extremism, according to History.com. His abduction unfolded near a cafe with militants kidnapping him and accusing Pearl of espionage. The group, calling themselves the National Movement for the Restoration of Pakistani Sovereignty, demanded the release of Pakistani detainees held by the United States. Wall Street Journal reporter Daniel Pearl was kidnapped by militants in Karachi, Pakistan. Daniel Pearl Foundation on Facebook Tragically, a week after his capture, Pearl was murdered by his captors. The world was horrified by the release of a video depicting his beheading weeks later. In 2002, British-born Pakistani militant Ahmed Omar Saeed Sheikh was convicted of Pearls kidnapping. Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, a high-ranking member of al-Qaeda, later claimed responsibility for the act in 2007. Birth of Subhas Chandra Bose A prominent Indian revolutionary of the Indian Independence Movement against British rule Subhas Chandra Bose was born today in 1897. Bose was a brilliant student and passed the Indian Civil Services exam in England but chose to dedicate his life to Indias freedom movement. Affectionately called Netaji, Bose was a significant part of the Congress Party. However, his dissatisfaction with Mahatma Gandhis nonviolent approach forced him to part ways with the Indian National Congress. Bose famously proclaimed, Give me blood, and I will give you freedom. Wikimedia Commons One of the most notable contributions was the establishment of the Indian National Army (INA), also known as the Azad Hind Fauj, which sought to liberate India through armed struggle. His mysterious disappearance in 1945 after a plane crash in Taiwan has sparked debates and investigations for decades. 1556 Shaanxi Earthquake One of the deadliest earthquakes to have rocked the world is the one that occurred in Chinas Shaanxi, claiming the lives of 830,000 people in 1556 during Emperor Jiajings reign in the Ming dynasty. The quake had an estimated magnitude of 8.0 and caused widespread destruction, especially in areas where people lived in yaodongs or traditional cave dwellings carved into cliffs. These caves collapsed during the quake which led to catastrophic loss of life. Advertisement The disaster prompted significant changes in construction techniques in the region, emphasising safer building practices. Although this was not the strongest earthquake that the world has witnessed, it was still one of the most destructive ones in history. This Day, That Year Madeleine Albright was sworn in as the first female US secretary of state in 1997. In 1849, Elizabeth Blackwell received an MD degree from Geneva Medical College in New York becoming the first American-trained woman physician. Georgetown College (now Georgetown University) was established in Washington DC in 1789. Gurumurthy, a 45-year-old former Army personnel, currently employed as a security guard in a defence establishment in Hyderabad, has confessed to killing his 35-year-old wife, Puttavenkata Madhavi. He dismembered her body, boiled the parts in a pressure cooker and disposing them in a lake read more Gurumurthy, a 45-year-old retired Army jawan residing in Dandupalli village in Toofanpeta, allegedly killed his wife, Puttavenkata Madhavi, on January 15. News18 Even as the horrific 2023 Mira Road murder case remains fresh in our minds, a similar case has come to light from Telanganas Hyderabad. A former Army personnel, currently employed as a security guard in a defence establishment, claimed that he killed his 35-year-old wife, dismembered her and boiled the body parts in a pressure cooker before disposing of them in a lake. He has been taken into custody, and the investigation is still ongoing as of Thursday morning. Advertisement Heres all we know about the murder case. Also read: Flesh in soup pot, body parts in fridge: The gruesome murder of Hong Kong model Abby Choi Hyderabad murder case Gurumurthy, a 45-year-old retired Army jawan residing in Dandupalli village in Toofanpeta, allegedly killed his wife, Puttavenkata Madhavi, on January 15. Madhavis parents, after inquiring about her whereabouts with her husband, lodged a missing complaint at Meerpet police station on January 18. Gurumurthy had initially claimed Madhavi left home in a huff following an argument with him over visiting her native place, Nandyal in Andhra Pradesh, for the Sankranti festival. As per media reports, he even accompanied his in-laws to the police station to lodge the complaint and also supported the police in searching for her. As the search intensified, the police grew suspicious of the husband. This was especially after they learnt that the couple had frequent arguments. It was only after being detained for questioning that Gurumurthy allegedly confessed to the murder in a fit of rage. Before his arrest, Meerpet SHO K Nagaraju said police were probing it as a missing person case since no evidence had been found of the suspected murder. Gurumurthy and Madhavi were married for over 13 years and lived in a rented house in Hyderabads Jillelaguda. The man had taken voluntary retirement from the army and was working as a security guard on an outsourcing basis at the DRDO in Kanchanbagh, as per Telangana Today. Advertisement The couples two children were visiting the suspects sister on the day of the alleged crime. Also read: Bengaluru fridge murder: Why Mahalakshmis lover chopped her body and died by suicide days later Covering up the crime To hide the crime and avoid being caught, Gurumurthy chopped Madhavis body in their bathroom, boiled her body parts in a cooker, then separated the bones, ground them using a pestle, and boiled them again, according to The Times of India which quoted police sources. He cooked the flesh and bones for three days before packing them in a bag and dumping them all in a nearby lake. The police have not yet found any body parts of the victim and have deployed clue teams and a dog squad for a more extensive search. We are verifying his claims, and as of now, we have not found any body parts. The investigation is progressing, Praveen Kumar, Deputy Commissioner of Police, LB Nagar told The Indian Express. Advertisement Notably, the case comes just a few days after a 21-year-old man was arrested on Monday by Kushaiguda police of the Rachakonda commissionerate for killing his wife, who was seven months pregnant. A Sachin Satyanarayana strangled T Sneha, 21, to death. The murder was so brutal that the force applied caused the foetus to be expelled from her womb, also killing the unborn child on the spot, according to the police. The man reportedly tried to portray the murder as a fire accident by opening the valves of the gas stove and lighting them. However, the fire did not spread, and he fled the scene. Advertisement Also read: A Shraddha Walkar-like murder: How Delhi man stored live-in partners body in dhaba freezer, married hours later The Mira Road murder case The latest case brings to mind the gruesome murder of Saraswati Vaidya, who was in a live-in relationship in Mumbais Mira Road. Saraswati Vaidya, 36, was killed in June 2023 by her live-in partner, with whom she was in a relationship for over nine years. Manoj Sane, then 56, used a tree cutter to dismember her body into 20 pieces in the bathroom. To ensure there was no foul smell, he even pressure-cooked some body parts, roasted others, ground some in a mixer, and fed them to stray dogs. Initially, Sane claimed that Vaidya died by suicide on June 4. However, fearing he might be charged with abetment, he tried to get rid of the body instead of alerting authorities. Advertisement Later, it was learnt that the couple had a fight as Sane suspected her of infidelity, following which he stabbed her with a knife. The case was similar to the Shraddha Walker murder case that shook the country in May 2022. Walker was killed by her live-in partner Aftab Poonawala in Delhi, who also chopped her body into at least 35 pieces and stored them in a refrigerator for around three months before dumping the parts one by one across the National Capital. The case came to light six months after the killing when Walkers father filed a missing person complaint. With inputs from agencies Pamela Hemphill, a 71-year-old known as Maga Granny on social media has turned down President Trumps pardon granted to over 1,500 Jan 6 Capitol rioters. Boldly declining, the presidents offer for clemency, Hemphill said, Accepting a pardon would only insult the Capitol police officers, rule of law, and, of course, our nation read more Pamela Hemphill, a retired drug abuse counsellor from Idaho who once fervently supported Donald Trump in 2016 and 2020, now finds herself in the spotlight for rejecting his mass pardon for January 6 rioters. AP While nearly 1,600 individuals jailed for their involvement in the January 6 Capitol riots celebrated this week after receiving a full pardon from President Trump, one person stands apart: Pamela Hemphill. Unlike others, the 71-year-old has boldly refused the presidents offer for clemency. We were wrong that day, we broke the lawthere should be no pardons, said Hemphill, who became known as Maga Granny on social media following the insurrection. Speaking to the BBC, she added, Accepting a pardon would only insult the Capitol police officers, rule of law, and, of course, our nation. Advertisement But what role did Hemphill play during the riots? And what led her to take such a firm stand against the pardon? Heres a closer look at Maga grandmas story. Trump trying to rewrite history' Pamela Hemphill, a retired drug abuse counsellor from Idaho who once fervently supported Donald Trump in 2016 and 2020, now finds herself in the spotlight for rejecting his mass pardon for January 6 rioters. Hemphill had attended the Stop the Steal rally and entered the Capitol during the infamous insurrection. She even recorded clips of herself inside the building. In 2022, she pleaded guilty to a misdemeanour charge of parading, demonstrating, or picketing at the Capitol. Her sentence included 60 days in jail, three years of probation, and a $500 (Rs 43,000) fine. I pleaded guilty because I was guilty, Hemphill said. The J6 criminals are trying to rewrite history by saying that it was not a riot [that] it wasnt an insurrection. I dont want to be a part of their trying to rewrite what happened that day. Her refusal to accept Trumps pardon is firm. Accepting a pardon would serve to contribute to their gaslighting and false narrative, she explained Idaho Statesman. According to Hemphill, she learned of Trumps mass pardon through her lawyer. However, she intends to file a letter of rejection. I will refuse a pardon from felon Trump! she declared on social media earlier this week. Advertisement Trump, now in his second term after being sworn in on Monday, issued over 1,500 pardons for January 6 convicted rioters almost immediately after returning to office. File image/ Reuters Trump, now in his second term after being sworn in on Monday, issued over 1,500 pardons for January 6 convicted rioters almost immediately after returning to office. During a press conference on Tuesday, he defended his decision. These people have already served years in prison, and theyve served them viciously. Its a disgusting prison. Its been horrible. Its inhumane. Its been a terrible, terrible thing, he said at the White House. Hemphill, however, has sharply distanced herself from her earlier beliefs and affiliations. She now calls the MAGA movement a cult and has even compared Trump to his friend Jeffrey Epstein, reported Daily Mail. Advertisement Supporters of President Donald Trump are confronted by Capitol Police officers outside the Senate Chamber inside the Capitol. Pamela Hemphill now calls the MAGA movement a cult. File Image/ Reuters She had even registered herself as a Democrat and announced in September her intention to vote for Kamala Harris in the elections. What was her role in the Capitol riots? Pamela Hemphill was once a devoted J-Sixer, deeply convinced that Joe Bidens 2020 presidential victory was fraudulent and the election process rigged. On January 6, 2021, thousands of Trump supporters gathered at the Save America rally, organised to challenge the results of the November election. In a fiery 70-minute speech, Trump urged his followers to march to Congress, where lawmakers were certifying Joe Bidens win. Hemphill, armed with her phone camera, documented much of the day. She followed the crowd from Trumps rally at Ellipse Park to the Capitol, believing they would be allowed past the barricades. An officer pulls me over, and I thought, Ok, hes letting me in first. So, I go around, and oh my gosh, this is the worst part, she recalled in The Idaho Statesman. I was saying [to others outside the fence], Come on, what are you doing? Its our house. What are you doing? Just get in here. Its your house. Advertisement Although she was directed back outside the barrier, the crowd soon breached the fences and overpowered the officers. Hemphill found herself swept along with the mob as they surged towards the Capitol Building. Supporters of Donald Trump try to break through a police barrier at the Capitol in Washington, on Jan. 6. File image/ Reuters When I got to the steps, they knocked me down, stepped on my head, pulled out my shoulder, broke my glasses. I was not breathing, Hemphill said. If it wasnt for the Capitol Police Officers, I wouldnt be here cause I couldnt breathe. They pulled me up and put me behind them. Reports from that day revealed that over 100 officers were injured during the violent riots. During the chaos, Hemphill sustained injuries that worsened her recovery from recent breast cancer surgery, leaving her in pain around her chest stitches. Advertisement The turning point for septuagenarian came weeks later, as she began to uncover the lies surrounding the Stop the Steal movement. Theyre lying about everything. [They] said the doors were opened by the officers, and they were not, she told the Idaho-based daily. Everything starts with Trump saying the election was stolen. Thats where it all started. It wasnt stolen. This realisation marked the beginning of her break from the MAGA movement and her public rejection of Trumps narrative. Im not going to be bullied by MAGA anymore, as those who went as far as calling my Probation Officer trying to get me in trouble backfired on them, thinking I would stop speaking out, just give me more confidence to continue! I will refuse a pardon from felon Trump! https://t.co/WwCAcxduZh Pam Hemphill (@PamHemphill79) January 12, 2025 Critics of Trump have praised Hemphill on X. Reacting to her post, one wrote: Thank you Pam for waking up. You are what scares them the most. Another wrote, Thank you for standing up and saying this, a second user commented. Its the right thing to do to let people know that I was wrong that day and we all were wrong that day, she said. With input from agencies Indian painter Maqbool Fida (MF) Husains artworks are in the spotlight again. A court in Delhi has directed the police to seize two of his offensive paintings exhibited at the DAG following a complaint by an advocate. Known as the Picasso of India, his paintings have often landed in a soup over their depiction of Hindu gods read more Renowned Indian painter Maqbool Fida (MF) Husains works are in the limelight again. A court in Delhi has called for the seizure of two of his offensive paintings exhibited at the DAG after an advocate filed a complaint. On Monday (January 20), the court ordered the police to confiscate Husains artworks featuring the Hindu deities Hanuman and Ganesh following advocate Amita Sachdevas complaint that they hurt religious sentiments. She also sought an FIR against DAG, formerly Delhi Art Gallery, and its owners or directors for displaying the offensive paintings. Advertisement Judicial Magistrate First Class Sahil Monga of the Patiala House Court reserved his order on the FIR on Wednesday. Lets take a closer look. MF Husains paintings to be seized Advocate Amita Sachdeva, who practises at the Delhi High Court, took to X on December 4 to express her displeasure with two of MF Husains paintings displayed at DAG. She said she photographed the offensive paintings at the art gallery, and after researching previous FIRs against Husain, filed a police complaint five days later. However, during a visit with the IO [Investigating Officer] on 10.12.2024, the paintings were removed and falsely claimed they were never displayed, Sachdeva alleged. The DAG hosted the exhibition Husain: The Timeless Modernist displaying over 115 pieces from October 26 to December 14. Sachdeva later urged the court to preserve the CCTV footage from the gallery for the period when the exhibition showcased Husains paintings. On January 4, Judge Sahil Monga said the report filed by the investigating officer stated that the CCTV footage was preserved and submitted along with the report, reported Indian Express. The Delhi Police inquiry found that the exhibition was organised in a private space and was intended only to display the artists original work, the judge observed, as per BBC. Advocate Makrand Adkar, representing Sachdeva, told the court that the paintings were showcased in a public place and not a private place, as mentioned in the inquiry report. He said the complainant was an eyewitness herself. Advertisement The most revered entities of Sanatan Dharm, Hanuman and Ganesh, were insulted in the paintings This is obscenity. It is a deliberate and malicious attempt to insult Hindu deities, advocate Makrand Adkar, representing Sachdeva, said to the court, according to the Indian Express report. Thousands saw our deities they were made objects of ridicule, he added. Sachdevas counsel then sought an FIR against DAG through its owner and director under Section 299 (deliberate and malicious acts, intended to outrage religious feelings of any class by insulting its religion or religious beliefs) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). DAG responds Responding to the controversy, the DAG said it had been assisting the police in the inquiry. It added that the exhibition attracted about 5,000 visitors and had received positive reviews in the press as well as from the public. The art gallery further pointed out that the complainant was the only one to object to any of the artworks in the exhibition, reported BBC. Advertisement The complainant has herself displayed and publicised the images of the drawings over social media and television news media deliberately intending them to be viewed by a larger audience, while contending that the same images hurt her personal religious sentiments. It said a detailed police investigation found no cognisable offence by the gallery. As per Indian Express, the DAG said Tuesday: Pending an enquiry into a few select works of MF Husain at a recent exhibition, DAG is reviewing the situation and seeking counsel. We are not party to any court proceedings so far, and are trying to follow the developments. We will come back to you as soon as we have an update on the issues at hand. Advertisement MF Husain and his many controversies MF Husain, a Padma Vibhushan recipient, was referred to as the Picasso of India. A devout Muslim, Husain in a series called Theorama created works inspired by the Ramayana, Mahabharata, the Battle of Karbala, Sikh literature, and Christianity, noted ThePrint. Credited with bringing Indian modern art onto the global map, most of his artworks were celebrated but some courted controversy. Maqbool Fida Husain is shown seated 25 March 1999, in front of his 40-foot (13 meter) canvas VIOLENCE at the two-artist-show Darkness at Noon at Gallery 7 in Colaba south Bombay. File Photo/AFP Husain faced flak and was accused of obscenity by the right wing for his painting of a nude Hindu goddess. In 2006, he issued a public apology for his nude painting, Bharat Mata or Mother India. Husain left India the same year moving to London in a self-imposed exile. Two years later, the Delhi High Court quashed three cases against him accusing him of hurting public sentiments with his Bharat Mata painting. In a major relief for the painter, the Supreme Court in 2008 refused to initiate criminal proceedings against Husain, ruling that his paintings were not obscene and that nudity was common in Indian iconography and history, as per BBC. Advertisement There are so many such subjects, photographs and publications. Will you file cases against all of them? What about temple structures? Husains work is art. If you dont want to see it, dont see it. There are so many such art forms in temple structures, the apex court said. Husain, who faced abuse, assault and multiple legal cases in India, died in 2011 aged 95 in London, away from his homeland. With inputs from agencies The controversy over Elon Musks hand gesture at Donald Trumps inaugural parade continues to snowball. Wikipedia has an entry on it, dubbing it as the Nazi salute. Now Musk wants the online encyclopedia to be defunded read more Two of the biggest tech moguls Elon Musk and Jimmy Wales are at loggerheads. The X owner is asking for Wikipedias defunding, after a description of his recent flourish, seen by some as a Hitler salute, appeared on the encyclopedic website. The verbal spat has highlighted the different ethos of Musks X and Wikipedia, founded by American entrepreneur and Wikipedia founder Jimmy Wales. While X, which underwent content moderation after Musks takeover, allows rampant disinformation across its platform, Wikipedia aims to provide factual information. The clash between the two organisations places them at opposite ends of the stick. Advertisement The Tesla CEO, who has positioned himself as President Donald Trumps right-hand man, has been criticised by not just Wikipedia but also the mainstream media for his allegedly controversial hand gesture. Many have compared it to the Nazi salute. Now, the media holding him accountable as he thrusts himself into the centre of US politics. In a December interview with New York Magazines Intelligencer, Jimmy Wales emphasised that Wikipedias goal is for editors to produce content that is clear and acknowledges the different viewpoints out there, even in the face of growing divisiveness, partisanship and culture wars. Despite being created by a community of volunteers, the site is currently considered a generally reliable source. The tiff between Musk and Wales began after the former raised eyebrows on Monday (January 20) with a gesture during Trumps inauguration event. Musk while thanking the crowd for Trumps return to the Oval Office first tapped the left side of his chest with his right hand and then extended his arm with his palm open. As crowds cheered, he repeated the gesture once again. As of Wednesday, both Musks biographical Wikipedia page and the page on the Nazi salute mention the episode. The Defund Wikipedia campaign Musk took to X on Tuesday (January 21) to share an excerpt of the Wikipedia entry, although the wording found on the website, as of Wednesday (January 22) was slightly different. Sharing the Wikipedia excerpt, Musk wrote, Since legacy media propaganda is considered a valid source by Wikipedia, it naturally simply becomes an extension of legacy media propaganda! Since legacy media propaganda is considered a valid source by Wikipedia, it naturally simply becomes an extension of legacy media propaganda! https://t.co/lwQlM51FRX Elon Musk (@elonmusk) January 21, 2025 Advertisement The reposted text read, In his speech during the second Trump inauguration, Musk twice extended his right arm towards the crowd in an upward angle. The gesture was compared to a Nazi salute or fascist salute. Musk denied any meaning behind the gesture. In his repost, Musk criticised both Wikipedia and the news media, two of his frequent targets, accusing them of spreading disinformation. He also urged his supporters to defund Wikipedia. Trolling Musk for his 2022 purchase of X for $44 billion, Wales shot back, I think Elon is unhappy that Wikipedia is not for sale. Advertisement I think Elon is unhappy that Wikipedia is not for sale. I hope his campaign to defund us results in lots of donations from people who care about the truth. If Elon wanted to help, he'd be encouraging kind and thoughtful intellectual people he agrees with to engage. https://t.co/qZ8TJ08V3L Jimmy Wales (@jimmy_wales) January 21, 2025 Run by the non-profit Wikimedia Foundation, Wikipedia is an outlier in todays internet landscape, dominated by the likes of Google and Meta - instead harking back to the webs early, idealistic days when the open-source movement harnessed the talents of volunteers to offer free access to tools and knowledge. Wales asked Musk whether there was anything you consider inaccurate in that description? and added that it wasnt propaganda but fact every element of it. All about Wikipedia Initiated on January 15, 2001, with an English-language edition, Wikipedias reach quickly extended, adding German and Swedish versions within two months. Now, its accessible in hundreds of languages worldwide. I would say the decline of trust in journalism and politics is quite severe, which then, in some cases, translates into people feeling more angry and lost, Wales told Intelligencer. Advertisement But among the Wikipedia community, he said, We just plug away, trying to be neutral, trying to be clear. After Musks 2022 purchase of Twitter, rebranded as X, he gutted trust and safety teams and introduced Community Notes, a crowd-sourced moderation tool that the platform has promoted as a way for users to add context to posts. However, researchers say the lowering of the guardrails on X, and the reinstatement of once-banned accounts of known misinformation peddlers, has turned the platform into a haven for misinformation. With inputs from agencies Pakistans ISI chief Lt Gen Asim Malik is in Dhaka, signalling an advancement in Bangladesh-Pakistan ties. This rapprochement comes amid Sheikh Hasinas ousting and raises concerns over intelligence-sharing networks aimed at destabilising India. The growing collaboration between Dhaka and Islamabad poses new challenges for regional security, particularly in Indias vulnerable northeastern states read more For the first time in decades, the head of Pakistans intelligence agency, the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), is visiting Bangladesh with ISI chief Lt Gen Asim Malik arriving in Dhaka via Dubai earlier this week, where he was received by Lt Gen Muhammad Faizur Rahman, Quarter Master General (QMG) of the Bangladesh Army, a report by The Economic Times has revealed. According to reports, Rahman is believed to have close ties with Islamists and Pakistan, raising eyebrows about the implications of this renewed engagement. Advertisement This high-profile visit is reportedly part of efforts to build an intelligence-sharing network between the two countries. Observers fear this could lead to subversive activities targeting India, particularly through cross-border disturbances. The trip follows a series of interactions between Bangladeshi and Pakistani officials, indicating a warming relationship after years of hostility. Maliks visit also coincides with the broader geopolitical shifts in South Asia, where countries are recalibrating their foreign policies in response to changing regional dynamics. How have ties between Dhaka and Islamabad thawed? Bangladesh and Pakistan, historically estranged since the 1971 independence war, have recently taken steps to mend their relationship. The political landscape in Bangladesh shifted dramatically last year when Sheikh Hasina, a long-time ally of India, was ousted from power amid mass protests. Since then, interim leader Muhammad Yunus has overseen a rapprochement with Pakistan, highlighted by meetings between Yunus and Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif at international summits. These developments have paved the way for significant policy changes. For instance, Bangladeshs interim government has eased restrictions on trade with Pakistan, including removing the requirement for physical inspections of cargo. The establishment of direct sea links between the two nations severed since 1971 marks a historic thawing of relations. Furthermore, Bangladesh is set to deepen its military collaboration with Pakistan. Beginning in February 2025, Pakistani military officials will provide training to the Bangladesh Army, and Dhaka will participate in the Aman 2025 joint naval exercises in Karachi. This growing military cooperation underscores a shift in regional alliances that could have far-reaching implications. Advertisement Should India be worried? India is closely monitoring these developments, which have significant implications for regional security. The renewed Bangladesh-Pakistan relationship is seen as a potential threat to Indias northeastern states, especially in light of concerns about cross-border infiltration and militant activities. The Siliguri Corridor, a narrow strip of land connecting Indias northeastern states to the rest of the country, is particularly vulnerable. Experts warn that these evolving ties could be part of a larger strategy to destabilise India. There is no doubt that relations between Bangladesh and Pakistan have improved overall. This shift has security implications for Indias northeastern states, Shanthie Mariet DSouza, founder of the Mantraya Institute of Strategic Studies, told DW in December. New Delhi has responded by ramping up security along its border with Bangladesh, deploying advanced surveillance technology, and conducting high-level inspections by the Border Security Force (BSF) to curb infiltration and smuggling activities. Advertisement Additionally, fears persist that China could exploit these developments to extend its influence in the region, particularly near the Siliguri Corridor. Indias northeastern states, including Assam, Meghalaya, and Tripura, have historically been prone to unrest and insurgencies, making the area a focal point of concern for Indian authorities. The evolving situation also raises questions about Dhakas broader strategic goals. While improved ties with Pakistan could be seen as a response to Indias growing regional dominance, some analysts argue that Bangladesh may be leveraging this rapprochement to create a more balanced foreign policy. However, this approach carries risks, as it could strain Dhakas traditionally strong ties with New Delhi. Advertisement What next for the Pakistan-India-Bangladesh triangle? The visit of Pakistans ISI chief to Dhaka underscores a significant geopolitical shift in South Asia. While the full agenda of Maliks visit remains undisclosed, experts speculate that discussions likely centered on intelligence cooperation and regional security dynamics. Given the historical animosities and current political shifts, India faces a complex challenge in safeguarding its strategic interests while navigating the evolving power equations in its neighbourhood. The growing ties between Bangladesh and Pakistan also come at a time when Indias northeastern states are grappling with issues such as human trafficking, insurgencies, and smuggling. These concerns are further compounded by fears that external powers, including China, could exploit the situation to gain a foothold in the region. The important questions to consider are whether these strengthening ties are simply a reaction to Indias tactical pressure, or if they are part of a larger design to destabilise India. If we assume the latter is true, can the present regime in Dhaka afford to pursue such a policy? The answer is no, said DSouza. Advertisement Observers believe that the coming months will be crucial in determining the trajectory of Bangladesh-Pakistan relations and their impact on India. Also Watch: With inputs from agencies Less than a week after being stabbed by an intruder at his home in Mumbai, actor Saif Ali Khan was seen on Tuesday smiling and waving at the cameras after being discharged from Lilavati Hospital. The video has led to some politicians raising questions about the knife attack on him. Heres why read more Bollywood actor Saif Ali Khan at his residence after he was discharged from Lilavati Hospital, in Mumbai, January 21, 2025. PTI Bollywood actor Saif Ali Khan returned to his home in Mumbai earlier this week from a hospital, less than a week after an intruder stabbed him multiple times. After being discharged from Lilavati Hospital in the city on Tuesday (January 21) afternoon, he was captured smiling at cameras and waving from his bandaged hand. The 54-year-old actor was stabbed six times during a burglary attempt at his home after midnight last Thursday. As per the doctors, he sustained stab wounds to his spine, neck and hands and underwent two surgeries at Mumbais Lilavati Hospital. The Mumbai Police have arrested a man named Mohammad Shariful Islam Shehzad, who is suspected to be a citizen of Bangladesh, in connection with the case. Advertisement Khans video after his discharge from hospital on Tuesday has sparked a political controversy, with some politicians even raising doubts about the attack on him. Lets take a closer look. Whats the row? Maharashtra Ports Minister Nitesh Rane made incendiary remarks against Saif Ali Khan, questioning whether the actor was even stabbed or acting. Look at what Bangladeshis are doing in Mumbai. They entered Saif Ali Khans house. Earlier they used to stand at road crossings now they have started entering houses. Maybe he came to take him (Khan) away. It is good garbage should be taken away, he was quoted as saying by ANI. I saw when he came out of the hospital. I doubted whether he had been stabbed, or he was acting. He was dancing while walking, Rane added. Speaking at a BJP event in Pune on Wednesday (January 22), the Maharashtra minister claimed everyone speaks up when a Khan is attacked, but not when a Hindu actor is attacked. #WATCH | Pune: Maharashtra Minister Nitesh Rane says, "Look at what Bangladeshis are doing in Mumbai. They entered Saif Ali Khan's house. Earlier they used to stand at the crossings of the roads, now they have started entering houses. Maybe he came to take him (Saif) away. It is pic.twitter.com/XUBwpwQ6RQ ANI (@ANI) January 23, 2025 Advertisement Opposition leaders Jitendra Awhad and Supriya Sule did not speak about (late actor) Sushant Singh Rajput. She is concerned only about Saif Ali Khan, Rane alleged. Rajput died by suicide at his residence in Mumbai in June 2020. Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Nirupam also commented on the quick recovery of Khan. Doctors at the Lilavati Hospital said the knife had penetrated 2.5 inches inside the actors back and the surgery went on for six hours. They should tell us if a person who underwent a six-hour-long operation can recover so quickly, Nirupam said, as per the news agency PTI. Advertisement What have others said? Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar responded to Ranes remarks, saying he could approach the Home Department, which is under CM Devendra Fadnavis, if he has something on his mind. The truth, at the moment, is that the person has been arrested. That person had come from Bangladesh everyone has an attraction towards Mumbai, the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader said, as per NDTV. He needed to go back to Bangladesh after seeing Mumbai (but) needed money, Pawar said, suggesting the suspect might be trying to steal cash to return home. Perhaps yesterday, when Saif Ali Khan was going home, looking at his health and clothes it was difficult to guess he was attacked a few days ago. But what happened was true, the NCP leader said. The Mumbai Police investigating Saif Ali Khan stabbing case took the accused, Shariful Islam Shehzad Mohammad Rohilla Amin Fakir, to the actor's Bandra house on Tuesday morning to recreate the crime scene@kaidensharmaa shares details @KuheenaSharma | #SaifAliKhanAttacked pic.twitter.com/vFT5r9uHLN News18 (@CNNnews18) January 21, 2025 Advertisement A day after Khan was discharged, Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) MP Sanjay Raut said it was a medical miracle. Son of Mansoor Ali Khan of Pataudi, husband of Kareena Kapoor, father of Taimur. No matter how deep the knife penetrated, the man is alive and walking home on his own feet. I think it is a miracle performed by the doctors at our Lilavati Hospital, Raut reportedly said. Advertisement A leader from BJPs ally Shiv Sena hit out at certain people of the political class who questioned the integrity of the Mumbai Police. Just because Saif Ali Khan walked in like a lion with a knife near his spine and his 8-year-old son, he has proudly walked out like a tiger. Instead of being happy for him and the fact that his life got saved, I dont know what the media and certain people of the political class are doing by questioning the integrity of the police force. Lets talk about safety measures in this high-profile case," Shaina NC said. Actor Pooja Bhatt slammed the conspiracy theorists", saying the same people were praising Khan for getting to the hospital himself. But dont these very people forget that they lauded him for walking himself into the hospital as well? A man who checks himself into the hospital in a wounded, traumatised condition surely has the grit to walk out of the hospital on his own. We should be applauding this instead of resorting to being conspiracy theorists," she said in an interview with ETimes. What do doctors say? Doctors say it is not unusual for Khan to be discharged within a week after his surgery. We live in an era of day-care surgeries. Patients get discharged five days after complex spine surgery as todays minimally invasive techniques no longer need deep cuts or removal of bones to repair the spine, a south Mumbai-based neurosurgeon told Times of India (TOI). Plastic surgeon Dr Rachana Tataria of Fortis Hospital, Mulund, pointed out that recovery depends on the extent of injury. In Khans case, nerves were possibly spared, and there was no direct injury to the spinal cord, she told the newspaper. Meanwhile, Khans alleged health insurance claim document was leaked online last week, sparking a debate on how insurance companies handle claims for celebrities compared to common persons. As per the purported document, Khan had filed a claim of Rs 35,95,700 based on the expected cost of his treatment. His insurance provider, Niva Bupa Health Insurance, approved Rs 25 lakh. As per Hindustan Times (HT) sources, his hospital bill came to around Rs 26 lakh. Dr Prashant Mishra, a cardiac surgeon at Tunga Hospital in Malad, took to X to flag the discrimination. For small hospitals and the common man, Niva Bupa will not sanction more than Rs 5 lakh for such treatment. Five-star hospitals are charging exorbitant fees, and mediclaim companies are paying them. The result? Premiums are rising, and the middle class is suffering, he alleged. With inputs from agencies Donald Trumps stance on Russia and Ukraine has undergone significant tonal shifts, from once praising Vladimir Putins actions as genius in 2022 to now threatening unprecedented tariffs and sanctions read more US President Donald Trump looks on after signing executive orders inside the Capital One Arena on the inauguration day of his second presidential term, in Washington, US, January 20, 2025. File Image/Reuters As Donald Trump embarks on his second term as President of the United States, his policies and rhetoric toward Russia and its President Vladimir Putin are being closely watches as his claim that he could end the Russia-Ukraine conflict within 24 hours of taking office expired. Trumps remarks and actions regarding the ongoing war in Ukraine have been a focal point, reflecting both his unconventional approach to diplomacy and his deeply polarising style. Advertisement How Trumps tone was towards Putin Trumps relationship with Putin has long been marked by a mix of admiration and pragmatism. In February 2022, just before Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Trump described Putins actions as genius and savvy. Speaking on The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show, Trump praised Putins declaration of independence for parts of Ukraine, calling it a brilliant move. I went in yesterday and there was a television screen, and I said, This is genius. Putin declares a big portion of the Ukraine of Ukraine Putin declares it as independent. Oh, thats wonderful, Trump said. He added, He used the word independent and were gonna go out and were gonna help keep peace. You gotta say thats pretty savvy. At the time, Trumps remarks drew sharp criticism, particularly as the invasion prompted widespread condemnation and led to unprecedented sanctions from the US and its European allies. Critics argued that Trumps warm words for Putin reflected a pattern of undercutting traditional alliances while showing leniency toward adversaries. This praise for Putin was consistent with Trumps earlier rhetoric. During his first term, he frequently highlighted his positive relationship with the Russian leader. He famously rejected US intelligence findings about Russian interference in the 2016 election, stating he trusted Putins denials. I knew Putin very well. I got along with him great. He liked me. I liked him, Trump remarked at the tome, adding, Hes a tough cookie, got a lot of great charm and a lot of pride. But the way hes acting now is different. How Trumps tone changed towards Putin Fast forward to 2025, and Trumps tone has shifted significantly. On his Truth Social platform, Trump issued an ultimatum to Putin, threatening severe economic penalties if Russia does not agree to a settlement to end the war in Ukraine. If we dont make a deal, and soon, I have no other choice but to put high levels of Taxes, Tariffs, and Sanctions on anything being sold by Russia to the United States, and various other participating countries, Trump posted. Trumps remarks come amid a landscape where Russias economy is already under immense pressure. US imports from Russia have plummeted from $29.6 billion in 2021 to $2.8 billion in 2024. Once significant categories like petroleum products, semi-finished steel, and pig iron have fallen to zero, largely due to sanctions imposed after Russias invasion of Ukraine. Advertisement Despite these numbers, Russia continues to export fertilizers, uranium, and precious metals like palladium and rhodium as the US Trade attorney Tim Brightbill suggested that further sanctions could target Russian wood products used in furniture manufacturing via intermediaries like China and Vietnam. Trumps threats echo his use of tariffs in the past to achieve non-trade objectives. During his first term, he employed tariffs against Mexico, Canada, and China to address issues like immigration and drug trafficking. Can Trump spearhead a quick resolution Trump has repeatedly claimed that he could end the war in Ukraine swiftly, even within 24 hours of taking office. On the campaign trail, he promised to stop this ridiculous war immediately if given another term. Theyre dying, Russians and Ukrainians. I want them to stop dying. And Ill have that doneIll have that done in 24 hours, Trump said in May 2023. However, his promise remains unfulfilled, and the conflicts complexities suggest a resolution is far from straightforward. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy recently disclosed that the war has resulted in over 198,000 Russian soldiers killed and more than 550,000 wounded. Ukrainian forces have suffered significant casualties as well, with tens of thousands dead and hundreds of thousands injured. Advertisement Russias deputy UN Ambassador Dmitry Polyanskiy has expressed skepticism about Trumps ambitions for a swift deal. Its not merely the question of ending the war, Polyanskiy said. Its first and foremost the question of addressing root causes of the Ukrainian crisis. However, sources have told Reuters that Putin has grown increasingly concerned about distortions in Russias wartime economy as the the countrys war in Ukraine drags on. How Trump still remains cautious Even as Trump toughens his stance on Russia, he continues to balance his critiques with moments of praise. He has acknowledged Russias sacrifices during World War II, stating, We must never forget that Russia helped us win the Second World War, losing almost 60,000,000 lives in the process. However, Trumps figures have been widely disputed, with experts estimating Soviet losses at closer to 24 million. While Trumps supporters view him as a potential peacemaker, critics remain wary of his previous praise for authoritarian leaders and his inconsistent rhetoric. Advertisement With inputs from agencies The Colorado Supreme Court on Tuesday denied releasing five elderly elephants from a local zoo, saying that the animals may be majestic but they are not humans. It ruled that the elephants were not covered by the habeas laws that the rights group was pointed to read more This undated photo provided by the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo shows elephants Kimba, front, and Lucky, back, at the Zoo in Colorado Springs, Colorado. AP Elephants may be majestic, but they are not humans. This is what a US court has ruled about the five elephants, currently being held at a Colorado zoo. The ruling comes after an animal rights group brought a lawsuit seeking their release, arguing that elephants showed signs of chronic frustration and brain damage as the zoo was essentially a prison for gentle giants. Heres what the court said. What is the lawsuit against the zoo? The Nonhuman Rights Project (NhRP) filed the lawsuit against the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo in May 2024, alleging the park in Colorado Springs kept five elderly African elephants named Missy, Kimba, Lucky, LouLou and Jambo unlawfully confined. It alleged that the zoo mistreated its elephants and caused them chronic frustration, stress, physical disabilities, and brain damage because the zoo is essentially a prison for such intelligent and social creatures, which are known to roam for miles a day. Advertisement The nonprofit group wanted the elephants to be transferred to a suitable elephant sanctuary, according to the suit. It referenced the US Constitutions habeas corpus provision, which specifies conditions for detaining and imprisoning people and provides ways to get their release. NhRP had argued elephants have a right to bodily liberty because they are autonomous and extraordinarily cognitively and socially complex beings." For those unversed, NhRP had previously filed the suit in district court, which was in favour of the zoo. They appealed to the states highest court after the lower courts decision. Also read: Why there is a giant drop in population of African elephants in 50 years What did the top court say in its ruling? The Colorado Supreme Court said that the animals were not covered by the laws the rights group was pointing to, explaining that Colorados statutes only authorize habeas relief for any person. It said, It bears noting that the narrow legal question before this court does not turn on our regard for these majestic animals generally or these five elephants specifically. We conclude that the district court correctly held that Colorados habeas statute only applies to persons, and not to nonhuman animals, no matter how cognitively, psychologically, or socially sophisticated they may be, the State Supreme Court Justice Maria Berkenkotter wrote in her ruling. Advertisement Also read: What does it take to relocate 50 African elephants? Fascinating images from Kenya zoo have the answer How did the group respond to the ruling? The NRP reflected on the ruling, stating that it reiterated a clear injustice and predicted that future courts would reject the idea that only people are entitled to liberty. As with other social justice movements, early losses are expected as we challenge an entrenched status quo that has allowed Missy, Kimba, Lucky, LouLou, and Jambo to be relegated to a lifetime of mental and physical suffering, it said in a statement. In a statement to USA Today, NhRP said, Missy, Kimba, Lucky, LouLou and Jambo are autonomous beings whove been stripped of all control over their lives. The group also referenced the lower courts ruling despite agreeing with them that the elephants cannot function normally in captivity. Also read: How many elephants does India have? You will probably know by June 2025 What is the zoo saying? According to USA Today, which cited the decision, the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo vigorously disputed the allegations and pushed back against the premise that the elephants were receiving anything short of remarkable care in their plea to dismiss the groups case. Additionally, the park countered that the groups petition lacked a legal basis as their legal defence does not extend to nonhuman animals. Advertisement The zoo issued a news release after the courts unanimous ruling on Tuesday, calling the NhRPs lawsuit frivolous. While were happy with this outcome, we are disappointed that it ever came to this, the zoo said, adding, For the past 19 months, weve been subjected to their misrepresented attacks, and weve wasted valuable time and money responding to them in courts and in the court of public opinion. They also referenced NhRPs previous attempts to unsuccessfully sue several other reputable zoos, including in New York, California, Colorado Springs and Hawaii. The zoo was referring to a similar court verdict in New York in 2022 when an elephant named Happy at the Bronz Zoo was not allowed to escape. Advertisement If they continue this route with us or with other reputable zoos we hope people will remember that NhRP is abusing court systems to fundraise and to pay for legal fees, as they claimed in a recent social media video aka their salaries, the zoo said. The courts have proven now five times that their approach isnt reasonable, but they continue to take it. It seems their real goal is to manipulate people into donating to their cause by incessantly publicizing sensational court cases with relentless calls for supporters to donate, it added. With inputs from agencies V Kamakoti, the director of IIT Madras stirred a row with his remarks last week that cow urine has anti-bacterial and anti-fungal properties, along with digestive benefits. His comments sparked a political row. But is drinking gaumutra good for your health? read more A debate about cow urine has been reignited after the director of the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras endorsed the medicinal value of gaumutra. V Kamakotis remarks at a recent event invited backlash from several quarters, however, some have jumped in to defend him. Cow urine has often evoked mixed reactions. While proponents claim it has health benefits, critics have expressed doubts, calling it pseudoscience. But is there any basis for such claims? Advertisement We explain. IIT Madras director sparks row IIT Madras Director V Kamakoti kicked up a storm after his video claiming that cow urine has anti-bacterial and anti-fungal properties, along with digestive benefits, went viral. He also claimed that it can treat conditions such as Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS). Kamakoti made the comments at the event Go Samrakshana Sala, marking the occasion of Maatu Pongal, in Tamil Nadus Chennai on January 15. His remarks drew criticism with many dubbing his utterance pseudoscience. Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) leader TKS Elangovan denounced the remarks, alleging that the Central government was trying to ruin education in the country. Congress Karti Chidambaram also hit out at the IIT Madras director, accusing him of peddling pseudoscience. Dr GR Ravindranath of the Doctors Association for Social Equality warned against consuming cow urine, saying it could lead to bacterial infections. Thanthai Periyar Dravidar Kazhagam leader K Ramakrishnan threatened protests if Kamakoti did not provide evidence for his claims or apologise. Rationalist group Dravidar Kazhagam called the IIT Madras directors comments shameful. Urging people not to believe such claims, its leader, Kali Poongundran, cited a study that showed cow urine had harmful bacteria and was unfit for human consumption. Coming to Kamakotis defence, Tamil Nadu Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) chief K Annamalai accused critics of politicising the issue, saying the IIT Madras director has the right to express his personal views and did not ask anyone to consume cow urine. The debate on cow urine also led to a war of words between Dr Cyriac Abby Philips, a hepatologist who goes by The Liver Doc on X, and co-founder and CEO of Zoho, Sridhar Vembu. Advertisement Hey science illiterate boomer uncle, your so-called Indian traditional medicine, Siddha also encourages fecal transplants. How long will you keep putting your foot in your mouth and speak through your rear, misinform your followers, and make a fool of yourself? As a man of https://t.co/xOs6DUthPP pic.twitter.com/wlJFeXl1L9 TheLiverDoc (@theliverdr) January 22, 2025 The left liberal crowd in our country likes to dump on Bharat's traditional knowledge systems, with slogans like "trust the science" substituting for critical thought. That slogan became the ultimate dogma in the West. The Covid disaster and now the preemptive pardon for Fauci Sridhar Vembu (@svembu) January 23, 2025 As the controversy snowballed, Kamakoti defended his remarks. I will forward five research papers done in America to you all, where its scientifically proven that cow urine has beneficial elements. Its justified scientifically, he told mediapersons, as per India Today. The issue once again put the spotlight on traditional Indian medicines whose benefits remain unproven in modern science. Advertisement Is cow urine beneficial? The cow is a revered animal in Hinduism. Ayurveda has long touted the therapeutic use of cow urine. However, there is little evidence in modern science proving such claims. Proponents of cow urine have gone on to claim it can cure various diseases, including cancer, diabetes and tuberculosis. However, doctors have warned against encouraging such claims. I think Im perfectly comfortable in saying that Im aware of no data that cows urine or any other species urine holds any promise in treating or preventing cancer, Dr Donald Hensrud of the Mayo Clinic told ABC News in 2014. A 2013 study in the International Brazilian Journal of Urology claimed that distilled cow urine could help prevent the development of kidney stones in rats. During the COVID-19 pandemic, some in Gujarat were visiting cow shelters to cover their bodies with cow dung and urine, hoping it would boost their immunity. Advertisement People pray after applying cow dung on their bodies during cow dung therapy, believing it will boost their immunity to defend against the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) at the Shree Swaminarayan Gurukul Vishwavidya Pratishthanam Gaushala or cow shelter on the outskirts of Ahmedabad, May 9, 2021. File Photo/Reuters However, doctors had cautioned against such practices at the time. There is no concrete scientific evidence that cow dung or urine work to boost immunity against COVID-19, it is based entirely on belief, Dr JA Jayalal, the then national president at the Indian Medical Association (IMA), said at the time, as per Reuters. There are also health risks involved in smearing or consuming these products - other diseases can spread from the animal to humans. The BJP-led Centre, which established the Ministry of Ayush in November 2014, has invested in research on cow derivatives including its urine, and their benefits. In 2020, over 500 scientists urged the Indian government to take back a call for research proposals on the uniqueness of indigenous cows and the curative properties of cow urine, dung, and milk. Some researchers, however, claim cow urine is beneficial. Dr Gurpreet Kaur Randhawa, lead researcher of the paper Chemotherapeutic Potential of Cow Urine: A Review, told News18, Ayurveda says so. Our research was based on the articles that were already published, taking into account the aspect of ayurveda. Stating that cow urine is used to make ayurvedic multi-formulations, Dr Randhawa added, It is also important to understand what kind of gomutra is being used. It should not be from the newer, hybrid varieties, but from Bos indicus, the traditional Indian calf. There is a difference between the urine generated by these two breeds. Dr BL Chidananda, a retired professor of Animal Sciences from the University of Agricultural Sciences, GKVK, emphasised cow urine is unsuitable for human consumption. Nephrologists believe that cow urine is a waste product and should not be consumed. It has NPK (nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium) and UIGF (Unidentified Growth Factors) and is meant for agricultural use, not for human consumption." It is not advisable for gomutra to be consumed by humans. It is waste excreted by an animal. It is to be used only for its manure value. How can the waste product of an animal be beneficial for a human being, who is also technically an animal," he told News18. He said cow urine and cow products can be used for agricultural purposes. As soon as the urine is excreted, one is not going to use it. Once it is collected, it will be stored for two to three weeks, fermented or used as an additive, and then sprayed on the vegetation. By this time, it would have developed anti-fungal, anti-microbial values, then used in the growth of vegetation," Dr Chidananda added. Experts say more research is needed before any conclusion is reached. Its not like people are going to stand behind a cow, get the urine and drink it directly. When we say cow urine has anti-bacterial properties, it means that it is cow urine distillate from which proteinoids and amino acids are extracted. Proteinoids are believed to have anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory properties. So does that mean people should start drinking raw urine tomorrow? Absolutely not. More research is needed before we reach a conclusion either way," practising doctor and political analyst Dr Sumanth C Raman told News18. With input from agencies Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri will be visiting Beijing on January 26 and 27 for a meeting of the Foreign Secretary-Vice Minister mechanism between India and China, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said in a statement on Thursday read more The Ministry of External Affairs on Monday confirmed that Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri will travel to Beijing for a two-day official trip starting Sunday. Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri will be visiting Beijing on January 26 and 27 for a meeting of the Foreign Secretary-Vice Minister mechanism between India and China, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said in a statement on Thursday. The resumption of this bilateral mechanism flows from the agreement at the leadership level to discuss the next steps for India-China relations, including in the political, economic, and people-to-people domains, it added. Advertisement This marks the second significant Indian diplomatic visit to China within six weeks. Previously, National Security Adviser Ajit Doval travelled to Beijing to participate in a Special Representatives dialogue on border issues with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi. The revival of the Special Representatives dialogue and similar formats was decided during a meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping in Kazan on October 23. During their nearly 50-minute discussion, PM Modi emphasised the need to manage differences and disputes carefully to maintain peace and stability in border regions. This meeting took place just two days after India and China finalised a disengagement agreement for Depsang and Demchok, the last remaining points of tension in eastern Ladakh. With inputs from agencies India and Indonesia are expected to firm up several pacts to expand cooperation in a number of areas during Subiantos visit. There has been an upswing in India-Indonesia ties in the last few years read more Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto arrived here on Thursday night on his first visit to India as the head of state. Subianto is in Delhi primarily to grace the 76th Republic Day celebrations as the chief guest. The Indonesian president was welcomed at the airport by Minister of State for External Affairs Pabitra Margherita. A warm welcome to President Prabowo Subianto @prabowo of Indonesia as he arrives in New Delhi on his first State Visit to India, External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said on X. Advertisement This visit will further strengthen India-Indonesia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, he said. Both sides are expected to firm up several pacts to expand cooperation in a number of areas during Subiantos visit. He will be the fourth Indonesian president to attend Indias Republic Day celebrations. Sukarno, the first president of Indonesia, was the chief guest at Indias first Republic Day celebrations in 1950. A 352-member marching and band contingent from Indonesia will be participating in the Republic Day parade at the Kartavya Path here. This will be the first time that an Indonesian marching and band contingent will participate in a national day parade abroad. There has been an upswing in India-Indonesia ties in the last few years. Prime Minister Modi travelled to Indonesia in 2018 during which the India-Indonesia ties were elevated to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. The Shared Vision of India-Indonesia Maritime Cooperation in the Indo-Pacific was also adopted. On November 19 last year, Prime Minister Modi met President Prabowo Subianto on the sidelines of the G20 Summit in Rio de Janeiro. India and Indonesia are close maritime neighbours with cultural and trade ties spanning over a millennia. The Southeast Asian nation is also an important pillar in Indias Act East Policy. It is one of Indias largest trading partners in the ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) region. Advertisement The volume of India-Indonesia trade in 2023 was recorded at USD 29.40 billion. Indian investments in Indonesia amounts to USD 1.56 billion in infrastructure, power, textiles, steel, automotive, mining, banking and consumer goods sectors. The bilateral defence and security ties have also witnessed steady expansion after signing of a defence cooperation agreement in 2018. Indonesia is also home to approximately 150,000 persons of Indian-origin whose ancestors had migrated to that country in the 19th and 20th centuries. There are around 14,000 Indian nationals (NRI) living in Indonesia including entrepreneurs, engineers, chartered accountants, IT professionals, consultants, and bankers, according to official data. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar raised concerns about prolonged visa delays faced by Indian citizens during his meeting with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio. The leaders also discussed strengthening the US-India strategic partnership and key bilateral issues. read more In this image posted by @DrSJaishankar via X on January 22, 2025, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio during a meeting, in Washington DC. @DrSJaishankar via PTI External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said he raised concerns with his US counterpart, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, about the prolonged delays faced by Indian citizens in obtaining visas. He said that it as a critical issue and required urgent attention. When it came to various regulations and processes, I flagged some concerns which are very widespread in India about delays in visas. The relationship is not well-served if it takes 400 odd days for people to get a visa, Jaishankar said. Advertisement Speaking to the press in Washington DC. https://t.co/DJsRaAyXAJ Dr. S. Jaishankar (@DrSJaishankar) January 22, 2025 Jaishankar attended President Donald Trumps inauguration ceremony on January 20, 2025. After the ceremony, he held a bilateral meeting with the newly sworn-in Secretary of State, Marco Rubio. During their discussion, both leaders emphasised the importance of strengthening the US-India strategic partnership. The discussion focused on areas such as critical and emerging technologies, defense cooperation, and energy. Secretary Rubio said that the US administration wishes to work with India to advance economic ties and address concerns related to irregular migration. This meeting emphasises the importance the US administration is giving to India in its foreign policy. Jaishankars remarks on visa delays come amid ongoing debates over the H-1B visa program in the United States. Indians make up 72 per cent of H-1B visa holders. There are concerns among a section of people in the US that outsiders claim their high-paying jobs. H-1B visa applicants seeking extensions in the US are advised not to travel outside the country during the process. According to a report from India Today, visitor visas also take a lot of time to process, with appointment delays of 438 days in Mumbai, 479 days in Chennai, 441 days in Delhi, 436 days in Kolkata, and 429 days in Hyderabad. Advertisement Waiting time for Student visa is also similarly lengthy: 193 days in Mumbai, 106 days in Chennai, 150 days in Delhi, 143 days in Kolkata, and 115 days in Hyderabad. Moreover, Jaishankar participated in a meeting of the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (Quad) with foreign ministers from the United States, Japan, and Australia. Jaishankar was seated in the front row during the ceremony among other global dignitaries, marking a significant shift in official protocol. He stated that it was a great honour to attend the ceremony as Indias special envoy. During his visit, Jaishankar carried a letter from Prime Minister Narendra Modi for President Trump. Advertisement Local authorities have installed CCTV cameras to monitor the movements of people and ensure that residents are complying with government instructions. Police personnel have been deployed all around the village so no one leaves the containment zone read more Army personnel deploy in Badhaal village to provide essential supplies, including food, water, and shelter, to the residents after the 16 deaths due to a mysterious illness, in Rajouri, Jammu and Kashmir. Source: ANI. A village in Jammu and Kashmirs Rajouri has been declared a containment zone after 17 people from three families died of a mysterious disease. As many as 17 people from Baddal have been killed by the unknown illness as authorities scramble to put a pin on the actual cause of their deaths. The containment orders have been imposed under section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) in the village of Baddal. Section 163 of BNSS gives magistrates the power to issue written orders in urgent situations. These orders can be used to prevent or remedy nuisance or dangers. Advertisement Local authorities have installed CCTV cameras to monitor the movements of people and ensure that residents are complying with government instructions. Police personnel have been deployed all around the village so no one leaves the containment zone. What are the rules in the containment zone? As per the order, houses belonging to people whose family members have died will be sealed and entry into the premises will be completely restricted. Meanwhile, family members of the victims who have been identified as being in close contact with the deceased will be shifted to Government Medical College, Rajouri for continuous health monitoring which is mandatory. All households will be covered under the containment zone-3 and staff will be deployed to ensure the continuous monitoring of food consumption, deployment of police personnel to enforce compliance and deployment of designated officers for maintenance of log books, the order said. All public and private gatherings are hereby prohibited within the jurisdiction of these containment zones, in order to prevent further spread of the infection, the order said. The family members of the affected individuals and their close contacts can only consume food and water provided by the administration and any food item available at their homes will be off-limits. Govt steps up A few days ago, health officials pinned the blame on water from a reservoir that had traces of pesticides which they thought could be linked to the deaths. However, three minors complaining of fever and vomiting were recently admitted to the hospital. Union Minister Jitendra Singh ruled out the existence of viruses or bacteria, saying that preliminary reports from a Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) toxicology laboratory in Lucknow indicated that the bodies of the deceased contained toxins. He said, Now the toxin is being tested, adding that the mystery behind the deaths will be solved soon. Advertisement Meanwhile, several food and water samples from the location have been sent for testing. J&K Chief Minister Omar Abdullah visited the Baddal village earlier this week to allay the fears of residents and reassure them that the government is doing everything to find the cause of the deaths. With inputs from agencies Indias National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has ordered a fresh investigation into Foxconns hiring practices at its Tamil Nadu plant after finding evidence of discrimination. The NHRC criticised labor officials for not properly looking into the issue and asked them to re-investigate the matter. read more Indias powerful human rights watchdog has admonished labor officials for failure to adequately investigate evidence of employment discrimination at Foxconn, which makes Apple iPhones, and told them to re-examine the matter, documents show. The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) in June ordered federal and Tamil Nadu state officials to probe Foxconns hiring practices, after a Reuters investigation found the manufacturer excluded married women from iPhone assembly jobs at its southern India plant. Foxconn relaxed the ban during high-production periods, Reuters found. Advertisement The iPhone factory is a flagship foreign investment in India, crucial to Apple and Foxconns plans to grow manufacturing in the country, as well as Prime Minister Narendra Modis aim of rivaling China in electronics production. Indian labor officials visited the Foxconn plant in July and questioned executives about employment practices, but did not make their findings public, Reuters this month reviewed NHRC case files related to the probe after the news agency sought the records under Indias Right to Information laws. The details have not been previously reported. An undated NHRC case status document shows Tamil Nadu labor officials told the commission on July 5 that 6.7% of the 33,360 women working at the Foxconn plant were married, without specifying whether they were on the assembly line. They said women employed at the factory came from six districts, which makes it clear that a large number of female employees have been hired by the company without any discrimination. The federal investigators told the commission they had interviewed 21 married women at the factory, who said they faced no discrimination over wages and promotions, according to the document. In response, the NHRC told the labor officials in November that they did not appear to have scrutinized Foxconn hiring documents, nor addressed the core issue of discrimination against married women in recruitment. The officials had relied on current employees testimony and filed their reports in a routine/casual manner, according to the case details. Advertisement The presence of (a) certain number of female employees at present does not answer the question (of) whether the company had actually discriminated against the married women at the time of recruitment, the NHRC said, noting the labor officials were apparently silent in this regard. The commission has no hesitation in stating that the authorities concerned have failed to identify and understand the core issue. Neither the state nor federal labor departments responded to Reuters requests for comment about the NHRCs assessment. In calling for the investigations in June, Modis government said Indias Equal Remuneration Act stipulates that there should be no discrimination in the recruitment of men and women. Advertisement Apple and Foxconn also did not respond to questions about the correspondence. Both companies have previously said that Foxconn hires married women in India. The NHRC is a statutory body with powers akin to a civil court. It can investigate human rights violations, summon officials and recommend remedial actions, including compensation payments. Last year, the watchdog asked Indias federal labor department to look into reports of harsh working conditions at an Amazon warehouse near New Delhi. Amazon subsequently said it conducted an investigation and took remedial action. In the Foxconn case, the NHRC files show the agency conveyed its dissatisfaction to government officials on Nov. 19, and ordered them to re-examine the matter by carrying out a thorough investigation within four weeks. Advertisement The NHRC in its Jan. 10 response to Reuters said it could not provide further information as the case was ongoing. Reuters investigation into Foxconns hiring practices was based on interviews with current and former executives, recruitment agents and job candidates, and a review of job advertisements circulated by the hiring vendors who help recruit smartphone assembly workers in India. ads posted between January 2023 and May 2024 stated that only unmarried women of specified ages were eligible for smartphone assembly roles, contravening Apple and Foxconn anti-discrimination policies. Reuters reported in November that Foxconn had ordered the recruiters to remove age, gender and marital criteria in job ads. Advertisement There is unlikely to be any contradiction between America First policy of Trump and the Quad read more President Donald Trumps rhetoric of America First has pleased the common masses in the United States and has unsettled American allies, strategic partners and friends in various parts of the world. Those Americans who are pleased with this rhetoric appear convinced that the United States has been spending a lot of the tax payers money abroad in the form of foreign assistance for the welfare of foreigners. In order to give a further push to this idea, Secretary of State Mark Rubio hours after assuming office announced a halt to all foreign assistance understandably to examine its relevance and scope. Advertisement But those who understand the nuances of international politics very well realise that foreign aid is an instrument of diplomacy where a State uses to promote its interests abroad and that it is not even a profit losing venture that costs the country a lot. Then there are those, including President Trump, who believe that his predecessors have allowed several countries to have billions of dollars of trade surpluses, which is not in the interest of the country. President Trump wants to raise unilateral tariff and adopt a policy that would keep American interests uppermost in the mind. In reality, trade in goods is only a part of Americas engagements with the rest of the world. There are numerous service industries where the US excels and billions of dollars of American investments around the world where profits flow into the United States. Foreign economic relations are a complex phenomenon and President Trump as an accomplished businessman do understand this. His America First policy is a political ploy to garner public support and votes. It can also be a bargaining chip in trade and tariff negotiations. In the real world of global politics, every country both normatively and pragmatically follow a foreign policy keeping the interest of the country upper most in considerations. In fact, no leader anywhere can be faulted to announce a policy of Country First. However, whether the countrys interest is put ahead of other considerations in foreign policies by a particular leadership is a matter of domestic political dispute. The US has many times withdrawn itself from international institutions when an administration felt that it was not in the countrys interest and another administration rejoined. Trumps withdrawal from WHO and Paris Climate Accord is neither new nor may it be permanent. Advertisement Trump also believes that the US membership in NATO in its present form is not serving the interest of the country best and such views have rattled NATO members. His statements on making Canada 51st State and gaining control over Greenland have dealt a blow to NATO unity. Trans-Atlantic partnership appears to be in for a big change both in economic and strategic areas. However, the Trump 2.0 sees no contradiction in America First and promoting the Quad. The first meeting between the new US Secretary of State Mark Rubio with any foreign counterparts was the Quad Foreign Ministers meeting held a few hours after the inauguration ceremony of President Donald Trump. It was anything but a symbolic gesture. The joint statement issued after the meeting signalled unity among the Quad members (USA, India, Japan and Australia) to work towards a free, open and stable Indo-Pacific. Without naming a country, the Quad cautioned against unilateral change in the status quo and coercive diplomacy or action to do so. Advertisement In fact, all the Quad members are concerned with Chinas attempt to alter the status quo in the South China Sea and the East China Sea by issuing new maps, claiming sovereignty over disputed islands, indulging in grey zone warfare and even harassing fishermen and navies of smaller countries in the region. The individual members of the Quad often hesitate to use a language that would be confrontational in their dealings with China. But so intense has the Chinese assertive and sometimes aggressive manoeuvres that the Quad has come up with clear statements against violation of freedom of navigation on the seas or the sky in South China Sea. Advertisement The America First policy is not contradictory to the interests of the Quad members because it is an area of strategic convergence for all in the group. Nevertheless, there may be differences over the methods and approaches to deal with Chinese assertions or aggressions. As a result, Japan, Australia and India may have to walk the diplomatic tight rope to balance their policies in the Indo-Pacific to ensure that dealing with China does not cater to the interest of only the United States. The responsibility of India in this matter becomes more acute in view of the fact that the US has long standing bilateral alliances with Japan and Australia and has a fast-maturing strategic partnership with India. The Quad thus cannot be characterized as a US-led military alliance. Moreover, the US, Japan and Australia do not share land borders with China, unlike India. Japan has maritime dispute with China over Senkaku Island, which cannot be compared with the huge territorial dispute India has with China. All the Quad members have varying degrees of economic engagements with China too. Advertisement The Indian interest will surely be better protected if Quad remains and further evolves into a mechanism that would resist Chinese unilateralism and Chinese threats to territorial integrity of the regional countries and high-handed interferences in the internal affairs of Indo-Pacific countries by leveraging the economic power. The unity among the Quad members to work together on public health, cybersecurity, maritime domain awareness, and emerging technologies has already sent signals to China that its uncooperative, unilateral approaches cannot be tolerated. The Quad members are also united in their views that this grouping is not a military association to promote their interests and contain others. Yet, Japan, Australia and India may also have differences and concerns about the Trump Administrations policies, such as the ones on tariff or expressed desire to expand its control over other countries, such as over Panama Canal in Latin America, Canada in North America and Greenland in Europe. But the Quad will surely navigate through such differences to achieve the converged goal of maintaining a free and open Indo-Pacific. There is unlikely to be any contradiction between America First policy of Trump and the Quad. The writer is Editor, India Quarterly, and Founder Chairperson, KIIPS. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect Firstposts views. Indonesia is Indias largest trading partner within ASEAN. Bilateral trade surged from $4.33 billion in 2005-06 to $38.84 billion in 2022-23 read more Indonesian President Prabowo Subiantos visit to India as the chief guest for Republic Day marks a historic milestone. This will be the fourth such occasion for an Indonesian President, placing Indonesia behind only France, which has received the honour seven times, and on par with Bhutan, which has also been invited four times. Expectations are high for this visit, given the strategic and economic importance of India-Indonesia relations. A Robust Economic Foundation Advertisement The cornerstone of India-Indonesia ties is their economic partnership. Indonesia is Indias largest trading partner within ASEAN. Bilateral trade surged from $4.33 billion in 2005-06 to a peak of $38.84 billion in 2022-23, though it dipped slightly to $29.4 billion in 2023-24. Indonesia enjoys a significant trade surplus, primarily due to its exports of coal and crude palm oil. India is the largest buyer of Indonesian palm oil and the second-largest importer of coal. Other Indonesian exports to India include minerals, rubber, pulp, and paper. Conversely, India exports refined petroleum products, commercial vehicles, telecom equipment, agricultural commodities, pharmaceuticals, bovine meat, and plastics. However, coal and palm oil dominate the trade dynamic, making them central to future economic engagement. Barriers To Trade Expansion Despite the extensive trade relationship, Indian exports to Indonesia face significant non-tariff barriers. Under the ASEAN-India Trade in Goods Agreement (AITIGA), Indonesia poses the toughest market access challenges among the original ASEAN-6 members. While other ASEAN nations import Indian pharmaceuticals, bovine meat, and agricultural products more freely, Indonesia imposes stringent phytosanitary standards that restrict Indian exports. Achieving the leaders envisioned $50 billion trade target requires diversifying trade and reducing these barriers. The AITIGA review must prioritise improved market access for Indian goods while ensuring mutual respect in trade policies. Investment Landscape: Untapped Potential Indian investment in Indonesia is substantial but often underreported. While official Indonesian figures estimate Indian investment at $1.56 billion, much of it flows indirectly through Singapore, a key hub for ASEAN investments. In reality, Indian investments in Indonesia exceed $10 billion, spanning infrastructure, power equipment, textiles, steel, motorcycles, coal mining, banking, and consumer goods. Advertisement In contrast, Indonesian investments in India are modest, totalling around $650 million, primarily in agriculture, poultry feed, processed foods, paper products, IT, and logistics. Strengthening business ties between Indian and Indonesian CEOs is essential to unlock the full potential of bilateral investments. The India-Indonesia CEOs Forum, first convened in 2013 and subsequently in 2018, needs to meet regularly and foster consistent engagement, independent of high-level diplomatic visits. Similarly, the Biennial Trade Ministers Forum, established in 2011, has met sporadically, with sessions in 2017 and 2020. Revitalising such forums, along with Joint Working Groups (JWGs) on coal, renewable energy, agriculture, oil and gas, and the overarching Energy Forum, can provide much-needed direction and government support for trade and investment. Advertisement Healthcare, Agriculture And Strategic Cooperation Indonesia seeks Indian support in public healthcare, food security, and digital economy initiatives. While Indian pharmaceuticals are highly sought after, Indonesias demand for domestic API production complicates matters. Significant non-tariff barriers and limited market access for Indian medicines deter Indian companies from investing in Indonesia. Easing these restrictions could lower healthcare costs for Indonesians and encourage Indian investments, similar to successful ventures in African markets. Indian hospitals, such as Apollo and Artemis, are already collaborating with Indonesian counterparts to establish greenfield hospitals and improve healthcare infrastructure. These efforts highlight the potential for deeper cooperation in healthcare, which could become a new pillar of the bilateral partnership. Advertisement In agriculture, India consistently seeks better access to the Indonesian market for its rice, sugar, and bovine meat. However, Indonesias policies often restrict these imports, offering access only during domestic shortages. A more consistent approach would stabilise Indonesias food security while addressing Indias trade deficit. Tourism And Defence: Emerging Areas Of Collaboration Tourism is another area where Indonesia benefits significantly, with Indian tourists flocking to destinations like Bali and Jakarta. Direct flights by Indian carriers such as Vistara, Air India, and IndiGo have facilitated this surge. However, reciprocal efforts to promote Indonesian tourism to India remain limited. In defence, Indonesia has expressed interest in acquiring Indian equipment, including the BrahMos missile. Extending rupee-based credit lines for defence exports could support Indonesias welfare-driven budget priorities and enhance bilateral defence cooperation. Expanding this partnership beyond missile systems to include other defence technologies would be mutually beneficial. Advertisement A Balanced Partnership India and Indonesia must adopt policies that foster equilibrium in trade and investments. For example, a minimum trade threshold could ensure stable supplies of coal and palm oil while mitigating market disruptions caused by fluctuating global prices or domestic policies. To fully realise the potential of this relationship, both nations must overcome challenges such as inconsistent market access, regulatory barriers, and limited engagement between business leaders. Greater regularity in forums, enhanced mutual trust, and a focus on emerging sectors like healthcare and digital economy are critical steps toward a robust and balanced partnership. With President Prabowo Subiantos visit, India and Indonesia have an opportunity to not only celebrate their shared history but also pave the way for a dynamic future partnership that benefits both nations. The author is a former ambassador to Germany, Indonesia, Ethiopia, ASEAN and the African Union. He tweets @AmbGurjitSingh. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect Firstposts views. Donald Trump has been sworn in as the President on January 20 and as promised, he has hit the ground running on Day 1 itself. While most of the Executive Orders signed on Day1 basically target the domestic audience and his poll promises, his promise of a larger American global vision is going to be watched keenly over the next few weeks. Among some of his left over issues of the global agenda from the previous term is the issue of Taliban in Afghanistan. While he had successfully got the Doha Peace Deal done with the Taliban in February 2020, the subsequent handling of the issue by the Biden administration and the hasty pullout by the US forces from Kabul in August 2021 had embarrassed the American public and had made the US look defeated by the Taliban. As Trump looks to Make America Great Again, there is no doubt that the Taliban government in Afghanistan would soon be his cross hairs. Speaking to reporters on the eve of his swearing in, he hinted that the good time that Taliban has enjoyed so far, mostly at the expense of aid from the US, may soon become conditional, adding that future financial assistance to Afghanistan will be contingent upon the return of US military equipment by the Taliban leaders currently in power. Advertisement Meanwhile, India is having a relook at its policy on engagement with the Taliban government in Afghanistan. The recent meeting between Indias Foreign Secretary, Vikram Misri, and Afghanistans acting Foreign Minister, Mawlawi Amir Khan Muttaqi, in Dubai on January 8, 2025, has drawn significant attention as the first high-level interaction between the two countries since the Talibans return to power in August 2021. While not the first instance of communication between the two sides, this meeting assumes broader significance in light of Indias stated policy on Afghanistan and regional developments, including challenges in its neighborhood and West Asia. India and the Taliban India has long considered the Taliban as a terror group and has accused it of fomenting terror in Kashmir in cahoots with Pakistani terrorist groups like Lashkar-e-Toiba. Even when the US wanted to distinguish between good and bad Taliban, India was very clear that there is no good or bad Taliban. There is only one Taliban, which is a terrorist group. The traumatic hijacking of Air India Flight IC-814 in 1999, orchestrated by the Taliban, left an indelible mark on Indias policy and public memory. However, when Kabul fell to the Taliban in August 2021, signaling a failed US campaign in Afghanistan and proving yet again that Afghanistan is the graveyard of empires, India waited patiently. While India refrained from recognizing the new regime, it adopted a measured approach, emphasizing its commitment to the Afghan people rather than the government. The Talibans assurance of safe passage for Indian diplomatic staff and cooperation during evacuation flights marked a departure from its previously antagonistic posture. Subsequently, India established a technical team in Kabul in June 2022 to oversee humanitarian aid and protect ongoing developmental projects, a move underscoring pragmatic engagement despite the absence of formal recognition. Advertisement As a result, India was able to deliver critical life-saving humanitarian aid to the Afghan people. India has so far dispatched several aid shipments to Afghanistan consisting of 50,000 MTs of wheat, 300 tons of medicines, 27 tons of earthquake relief aid, 40,000 liters of pesticides, 100 million polio doses, 1.5 million doses of Covid Vaccine, and many other items to the aid of Afghan people. Significantly, Indias consignment of wheat came at a time when Afghanistan faced the threat of mass starvation. The contacts and communication continued thereafter. In January 2024, India participated in Afghanistans Regional Cooperation Initiative meeting in Kabul which included representatives from 12 countries, including China, Russia, Pakistan, and Iran. In November 2024, an Indian delegation visited Kabul and met with acting Defense Minister Mullah Mohammad Yaqoob Mujahid. The delegation also met former President Hamid Karzai and the heads of UN agencies. It was soon followed by the Taliban regime appointing Ikramuddin Kamil as its its acting consul in Mumbai, which India accepted. Replying to a question in the Parliament in December 2024, Dr Jaishankar, the External Affairs Minister, acknowledged the diplomatic presence of Afghanistan in Delhi, Mumbai and Hyderabad, adding that Indias approach to Afghanistan continues to be guided by its historical relations, friendship with its people and relevant UN resolutions. Advertisement India, therefore, has made it clear that it never abandoned Afghanistan and that the contact as well as delivery of critical aid to the Afghan people has continued all through. The broader regional context The recent meeting in Dubai also needs to be seen in the broader context of regional developments. First, the toppling of the Sheikh Hasina government in Bangladesh in August 2024 was a major setback to Indias neighborhood policy. The fact that the new government under Muhammad Yunus has a clear Islamist agenda and is targeting Hindus in Bangladesh is an issue of concern to India. However, more than anything else, the close communication with the Pakistani establishment, especially the Army, is of more significant concern to India. Reports in late December 2024 indicated that Pakistan and Bangladesh have reached an agreement wherein the Pakistan Army will train the Bangladesh Army starting February 2025. This would mark the return of the Pakistan Army to Bangladesh for the first time since 1971, when they tasted bitter loss in the war with India for the liberation of Bangladesh. The fragile internal situation in Bangladesh, the government not being well disposed towards India, increasing influx of Hindu refugees from Bangladesh, and the possible Pakistan-Bangladesh collaboration have amplified security concerns for India. Advertisement The war in West Asia and the overthrow of Assad regime too has had significant effect. After all, the new dispensation in Syria is led by Abu Mohammad al Joulani of Hayat Tahrir Al-Sham (HTS) who has a terror background. He was a wanted terrorist with a bounty of US $ 10 Million on his head. However, the speed and manner in which the international community, especially the West, has embraced him is a surprise. It also sends a clear signal that the past roots of terrorism may not be relevant anymore in many dictionaries of the West. Therefore, should Taliban too stay untouchable and banned because of their past history and oppressive ways within Afghanistan is an interesting comparison. Advertisement The recent airstrikes by the Pakistan Air Force on December 24, 2024, targeting hideouts of the Pakistan Taliban, or TTP, in Paktika province of Afghanistan, resulted in around 45 civilians killed and drew sharp reactions from the international community. The Afghan Taliban responded by attacks across the Durand Line (border between Pakistan and Afghanistan), causing multiple casualties to the Pakistan army. Pakistan, which has often accused the Afghan Taliban of collaborating with the TTP and targeting Pakistani forces, has warned of escalation if Afghanistan does not rein in TTP and other groups targeting Pakistani forces. India on its part, was quick to stand in solidarity with the Afghan people and condemn the Pakistani airstrikes. Principles Versus Pragmatism India remains steadfast in its principled stance against the Talibans oppressive policies, particularly those targeting women and minorities. Furthermore, it has called for an inclusive government and adherence to international norms, aligning with United Nations resolutions. Despite these principles, India recognizes the necessity of engaging with the Taliban as Afghanistans de facto authority. Indias nuanced approach allows it to balance its principled opposition to terrorism and repression with its strategic interest in maintaining influence in Afghanistan. Drawing a distinction between its engagement and recognition, India has made it clear that its outreach is guided by humanitarian and developmental priorities rather than political endorsement. India has also maintained that it is for the people and its government to find solution to their internal problems. Afghan people also realize that Indias help, unlike Pakistani assistance, has never had any strings attached to it, and it is out of genuine concern for Afghanistan and that India has always been there to help them in their hour of need, whether it was the earthquake, Covid-19, food scarcity etc. Contrasting Approaches: India Vs Pakistan Indias approach to Afghanistan stands in stark contrast to Pakistans. While Pakistan views Afghanistan from its desire for strategic depth and demands subservience from its government, India seeks a relationship rooted in mutual respect, unburdened by coercion or exploitation. For India, ties with Afghanistan do not have a mandatory anti-Pakistan element. Yes, India would not accept Afghanistan soil being used for terror activities against India, but that is different from expecting a subservient regime, something that Pakistan looks for. For India, Afghanistans welfare transcends geopolitical rivalries, emphasizing the sovereignty of the Afghan people and ensuring their soil is not weaponized against India. Conclusion Indias delicate balancing act between principle and pragmatism underscores its commitment to fostering stability and goodwill in Afghanistan while safeguarding its regional interests. While formal recognition of the Taliban remains conditional on their renunciation of terrorism and adoption of inclusive governance, India continues to engage the Taliban to benefit the Afghan people and secure its strategic goals. Over time, the Talibans behaviour may compel India and the global community to re-evaluate their stance. How the new Trump administration in the US reviews its engagement strategy with the Taliban too will have a profound effect, not only on the Taliban specifically but the Afghan people in the larger context. But till then, India is willing to walk the tightrope between not recognising the Taliban as a legitimate government while doing its utmost for the well-being of the Afghan people, even if it comes at the cost of talking to the Taliban leadership. Col Rajeev Agarwal is a military veteran and West Asia expert. During his service, he has been Director in Military Intelligence as well as Director in the Ministry of External Affairs. His X handle is @rajeev1421. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect Firstposts views. Gateway of India (Mumbai) Built during British rule, the Gateway of India marks the landing of King George V and Queen Mary in 1911. It became a ceremonial entrance to India. Trump presented a solution for the world to bring the Russia-Ukraine war to an end. It would require the help of the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (Opec) read more Speaking via video conference at the annual World Economic Forum (WEF) summit in Davos, Switzerland, on Thursday (January 23), newly-reinaugurated US President Donald Trump called Ukraine, engaged in a war with Russia, an absolute killing field with millions of soldiers being killed. While speaking about ending the conflict, Trump said, I really would like to be able to meet with president Putin soon to get that war ended. And thats not from the standpoint of economy or anything else. Its from the standpoint of millions of lives are being wasted. Advertisement Stating that Nobodys seen anything like it since World War II and that it was time to end it, Trump presented a solution for the world to bring the Russia-Ukraine war to an end. It would require the help of the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (Opec). Moscow prepared for mutually respectful talks Expectations remain high for Russian President Vladimir Putin and Trump holding a phone call on the war soon. A day before his address at the Davos summit, Trump had taken to his social media platform Truth Social to threaten high levels of Taxes, Tariffs, and Sanctions on Russia if Putin did not end the ridiculous war. In response, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov had said earlier on Thursday, We remain ready for dialogue, for equal, mutually respectful dialogue. During his address at Davos, Trump said US efforts to secure a peace settlement were now hopefully under way, but gave no details. Trump says Opec+ responsible for Ukraine war Trump said he would ask Saudi Arabia and Opec to bring down the cost of oil, asserting that if the price came down, the Russia-Ukraine war would end immediately. He event went so far as to allege that the countries that make up the bloc are very responsible, actually, to a certain extent, for whats taking place. Saudi Arabia, Russia, and six other members of Opec+ are collectively withholding 2.2 million barrels of oil per day from the global market to prevent prices from declining too much. In December, the group decided to extend these production cuts until at least March 2025, after which they plan to gradually phase out the reductions over the following year. Advertisement However, the global markets reacted swiftly to Trumps comments. Oil prices turned dipped as he spoke. US crude oil fell 0.84 per cent (63 cents) to $74.81 per barrel. The global benchmark Brent crude dropped 0.7 per cent (55 cents) to $78.45 per barrel. With inputs from agencies The situation escalated when a procession led by Solaiman Kabir, former acting general secretary of the Upazila BNP, encountered resistance. Witnesses reported that a stick was thrown, triggering clashes between the groups read more At least 22 people, including police officers and security personnel, were injured Wednesday (January 22) in clashes between rival factions of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) in Shyamnagar upazila, Satkhira District, despite authorities imposing Section 144 to prevent violence, local media reported. The violence erupted in the Ismailpur area after tensions boiled over between two groups of BNP members. According to the Dhaka Tribune, the newly formed Shyamnagar BNP committee had organized a rally that was opposed by members of the dissolved committee. The Upazila administration imposed Section 144, prohibiting public gatherings in the area, in an attempt to prevent conflict. Advertisement The situation escalated when a procession led by Solaiman Kabir, former acting general secretary of the Upazila BNP, encountered resistance. Witnesses reported that a stick was thrown, triggering clashes between the groups. Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Roni Khatun and Assistant Commissioner (Land) Abdullah Al Rifat, aided by police and security forces, tried to intervene, but the violence continued, resulting in injuries. Among those hurt were Shyamnagar police stations officer-in-charge, Humayun Kabir, security personnel Saiful Islam, and several BNP activists. Kabir claimed his group had been attacked on Jan. 19 and 20, prompting their protest march. He accused members of the dissolved committee, along with Awami League activists, of orchestrating the violence. Kabir further alleged that Abdul Alim, district BNP member secretary, incited the clashes and declared him undesirable in the upazila. Ashik-e-Elahi Munna, joint general secretary of the dissolved committee, disputed Kabirs account. Munna alleged that Kabir and his supporters disrupted a Chhatra Dal meeting and attacked his house with the help of Awami League activists, acting under orders from district BNP convener Iftikhar Ali. Abdul Wahed, president of the dissolved Upazila BNP committee, has called for an investigation into the incident and demanded justice. Local authorities have yet to comment on potential legal actions following the violence. With inputs from agencies The rights of the people being sent back to Taliban sometimes at a rate of 2,000 people per day are in a precarious position. Many arrive with no place to live, no jobs to sustain them, and no hope for education or healthcare read more Refugees, most of whom are women and children, are being forced to return to Taliban-ruled Afghanistan under dire circumstances. Image courtesy: UN Women In the shadow of decades of war, economic collapse, and environmental devastation, Afghanistan now faces a worsening crisis as neighbouring countries ramp up the forced return of Afghan refugees. For those caught between hostile host nations and a Taliban-led homeland struggling to meet basic needs, the prospects are grim. Afghans constitute the third-largest displaced population globally, trailing only Syrian and Ukrainian refugees. Following the Talibans return to power in August 2021, millions fled the country, with 1.25 million seeking refuge in neighbouring Pakistan and Iran. Advertisement Many refugees who fled Afghanistan 71 per cent of whom are women and children, according to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) now face expulsion back to a homeland that remains unprepared for their arrival. Hostile expulsions Iran has announced plans to expel as many as two million Afghans by March 2025, adding to the 800,000 who have already been pushed out of Pakistan since October 2023. Refugees sent back often find themselves in urban centers where job opportunities are scarce, housing is inadequate, and survival depends on tenuous family or community connections. For many, such ties were severed during years of exile, leaving them adrift. The plight of women deportees is particularly dire. Afghanistan, under Taliban rule, remains the only country in the world where girls and women are barred from secondary and higher education. Restrictions on employment, movement, assembly, and speech further erode their chances of rebuilding their lives. The returnees join millions already grappling with food insecurity, malnutrition, and widespread unemployment. During a recent visit to Afghanistan, Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) Secretary General Jan Egeland described meeting returnees at the Iranian border. The many vulnerable Afghans already returning from Iran, whom I met at the border this week, feel they live in an enduring limbo. They left Afghanistan in search of a better and safer life and are now returning to an uncertain future in Afghanistan, where they face the same unemployment, hunger and human rights violations that made them leave their homeland in the first place. Advertisement (File) Taliban fighters celebrate the third anniversary of the withdrawal of US-led troops from Afghanistan, in Kabul, Afghanistan, Wednesday, August. 14, 2024. AP The rights of the people being sent back to Taliban sometimes at a rate of 2,000 people per day are in a precarious position. Many arrive with no place to live, no jobs to sustain them, and no hope for education or healthcare. Women and children already disproportionately affected by restrictive Taliban policies bear the brunt of these challenges, facing heightened risks of exploitation and abuse. From January onwards, the Taliban administration did begin allotting land to the returnees a housing scheme, as well as for agriculture, Anadolu Agency had reported. However, it is unlikely that these efforts will keep up with the influx of people. Advertisement Mounting challenges in host nations The plight of Afghan refugees isnt confined to the borders of their home country. In Pakistan, an estimated 15,000 Afghans await approval for resettlement in the United States through a government program designed to assist those who worked with US forces, aid agencies, and media organizations. However, resettlement efforts have been significantly hampered by policies introduced by the Trump administration. Since taking office on January 20, 2025, President Donald Trumps administration has single-handedly created a roadblock for Afghan refugees, suspending the US Refugee Admissions Program for at least three months. This suspension has left thousands of vulnerable Afghans in limbo, including more than 1,600 who had already been cleared to travel to the US. In Western nations, the challenges are equally severe. Germanys first deportation flight of Afghans since the Talibans return occurred in August 2024 following a knife attack that heightened public pressure to tighten asylum policies. The rise of right-wing political factions has amplified the anxiety of Afghan refugees and asylum seekers, many of whom fear an uncertain future as deportation efforts gain momentum. Advertisement A homeland in crisis Afghanistan remains ill-equipped to absorb the returning waves of refugees. The economic situation is dire, with food insecurity and malnutrition affecting millions. International aid, which has served as a critical lifeline, has dwindled in the wake of the Talibans takeover. Moreover, at the moment, harsh winter conditionswith temperatures plummeting to minus ten degrees Celsius at nighthave exacerbated the struggles of displaced families. The countrys infrastructure is crumbling, and its institutions are under severe strain. Industries that could have absorbed returning workers remain stunted, while the Talibans restrictive policies have driven skilled professionals particularly women out of the workforce. Those who return to Afghanistan find not a refuge but a continuation of the hardships they fled. Advertisement The humanitarian aid void The escalating crisis shows the lack of durable solutions for Afghan refugees. International aid organisations like the NRC continue to provide critical support, but their efforts are stretched thin. Poor and displaced Afghan families are paying a heavy price for a lack of real, durable solutions to assist displaced people and refugees caught in an escalating humanitarian crisis, Egeland said. The international communitys diminishing focus on Afghanistan has left millions vulnerable. Humanitarian funding shortfalls, coupled with the Talibans isolation on the world stage, limit the resources available to address the crisis. With host countries closing their doors and a home country incapable of providing basic support, Afghan refugees face an uncertain future filled with impossible choices. With inputs from agencies The Islamic State has claimed responsibility for the killing of a Chinese national in Afghanistans Takhar province. Meanwhile, China has condemned the attack and urged Afghanistan to conduct a thorough investigation to bring the perpetrators to justice. read more The Islamic State (ISIS) has claimed responsibility for the killing of a Chinese national in Afghanistans northern Takhar province. ISIS announced this in a post on Telegram. ISIS said in the post that it had targeted a vehicle carrying the Chinese citizen, which led to his death. Afghan police said on Wednesday that a Chinese citizen was murdered and a preliminary investigation had been launched, but it was not clear who was behind the attack. Advertisement The incident occurred on Tuesday evening when the Chinese worker was travelling without notifying local security officials. Usually, he used to travel in groups accompanying other Chinese nationals on such trips. A translator travelling with the victim was unharmed. Chines national was travelling near the Tajikistan border in Takhar province, when his vehicle was targeted. Chinas reaction on the killing Chinas foreign ministry also reacted to the killing of its national on Thursday. China condemned the killing of its citizen and urged stronger efforts to fight ISIS. We are deeply shocked, and strongly condemn it, said Mao Ning, spokesperson for the foreign ministry. China also urged Afghanistan to conduct serious investigations and bring the perpetrators to justice. ISIS has claimed responsibility for many previous attacks on Chinese nationals as well. ISIS carried out an attack at a popular hotel in Kabul that hosted Chinese investors. Talibans continuing efforts to show Afghanistan stable China was the first country to appoint an ambassador to Afghanistan after the fall of the American-supported democratic republic and the seizure of Kabul by the Taliban. China has also vowed to boost trade and investment ties in the nation. This attack depicts the ongoing security challenges in Afghanistan, particularly for foreign nationals. However, the Taliban is continuing its efforts to project stability in the South Asian nation and encourage foreign investment to make it prosper. Origin of ISIS-K The Islamic State Khorasan Province (ISIS-K) is a regional affiliate of the Islamic State and operates primarily in Afghanistan and Pakistan. It is considered one of ISISs most lethal branches. ISIS-K has been responsible for numerous attacks targeting civilians, particularly Shia Muslims. The terror group has conducted operations beyond Afghanistan and Pakistan. Trump already gave Davos a taste of what is to come since his inauguration on Monday, which coincided with the WEFs first day: tariff threats against Mexico and Canada, the US withdrawal from the Paris climate pact, a threat to take the Panama Canal, just to name a few read more US President Donald Trump delivers remarks on AI infrastructure, next to SoftBank CEO Masayoshi Son at the Roosevelt room at White House in Washington, US, January 21, 2025. File Image/Reuters Donald Trump on Thursday will star in an eagerly-anticipated online appearance at the World Economic Forum in Davos, addressing global elites whose annual gabfest has been consumed by the US presidents days-old second term.Trumps name has come up in almost every conversation in the Swiss Alpine village this week: in formal panel discussions, in shuttles ferrying people up and down the mountain, and in exclusive parties along the promenade.Trump is a provocateur. He enjoys being a provocateur, and many people at Davos are bored in their life. Hes not boring. So, you know, its kind of exciting, Harvard scholar and WEF regular Graham Allison told AFP.Davos will finally hear from the man himself during a live video appearance, with banking and oil industry CEOs given the chance to lob questions at Trump, himself a businessman who made his fortune in real estate. He already gave Davos a taste of what is to come since his inauguration on Monday, which coincided with the WEFs first day: tariff threats against Mexico and Canada, the US withdrawal from the Paris climate pact, a threat to take the Panama Canal, just to name a few. His plans to cut taxes, reduce the size of the federal government and deregulate industries will find a sympathetic ear amongst many businesses. Advertisement Trump has been running America like America Inc. Hes been very focused on getting the best advantage for the US in any way that he can, Julie Teigland, a managing partner at EY consulting firm, told AFP. He knows that he needs trade partners to do that. He does. And so I expect him to give messages along these lines, she said. Celebrate Trump Trump will be quizzed by Bank of America chief executive Brian Moynihan, Blackstone investment firm boss Stephen Schwarzman, Spanish group Banco Santander executive chairwoman Ana Botin and the head of French oil and gas giant TotalEnergies Patrick Pouyanne. One of the Republican presidents biggest cheerleaders on the world stage, Argentinas libertarian President Javier Milei, will make a speech to the WEF on Thursday, hours before Trump. The world should celebrate the arrival of President Trump, Milei said at a Bloomberg event on Wednesday. The golden era he proposes for the United States will shine a light for the whole world as it will spell the end of the woke ideology, which is doing so much harm to the planet, Milei said. One of his backers in the business world, Marc Benioff, the chief executive of US tech firm Salesfoce, was also enthusiastic at the same Bloomberg chat. Im very positive, he said. Im just looking forward to seeing whats going to happen. And its a new day and, its an exciting moment. No winners US trade partners and rivals already had a chance to react in Davos earlier this week, as they brace for a second round of his America First policies. Without invoking Trumps name, Chinese Vice Premier Ding Xuexiang warned that there are no winners in a trade war. Advertisement German Chancellor Olaf Scholz vowed to defend free trade but took a conciliatory tone, saying that he had good earlier discussions with Trump. European Union chief Ursula von der Leyen said Brussels was ready to negotiate with Trump, but she also underscored the blocs diverging policy with him on climate, saying it would stick by the Paris accord. Panamas President Jose Raul Mulino dismissed Trumps claims to the Panama Canal, which was built by the United States but handed to the Central American country in 1999 under two-decade old treaties. Mulino said he was not worried and that Panama would not be distracted by this type of statement. Advertisement Flagging that ESG investment regulations club the defence industry with drugs and porn, Nato chief Mark Rutte said such crazy regulations hamper defence spending and investment into the defence industry to counter the threat from China and Russia read more Europes crazy Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) Regulations have hampered defence spending and investment and have set the continent much behind China and Russia in terms of military readiness, according to Nato chief Mark Rutte. The ESG Regulations are made to ensure that financial institutions such as banks, pension funds, and asset management funds make ethical investments that safeguard environment and are in line with United Nations (UN) sustainability goals. Rutte, the Secretary General of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (Nato) has said that the regulations have adversely affected the defence ecosystem. Advertisement Ruttes remark comes as European members of Nato are under huge pressure from US President Donald Trump to spend more on defence. Trump has threatened to encourage Russia to attack Nato allies if they would not ramp up defence spending to his liking. Speaking in Switzerlands Davos where the World Economic Forum (WEF) is being organised, Rutte said that the situation is now such that Russia, which has emerged as the biggest security threat to Europe in recent years, produces arms four times faster than Europe. Its crazy that defence is clubbed with drugs, porn in regulations, says Rutte Rutte said it was crazy that Europes investment regulations have clubbed the defence industry with drugs and pornography. We still are not able to explain to the pension funds, to the banks, the difference between illicit drugs and pornography on the one hand and spending on our collective defence on the other. And somehow its all the same basket. This is crazy, but this is one of the reasons why Im trying to reach out to the 1 billion people living in Nato territory and asking them: go to your banks and your pension funds and tell them that you want to be defended and you want them to spend more," said Rutte, according to The Daily Telegraph. Highlighting that the priority remains to keep the ability to fight Russia in case of an attack, Rutte said the ability is compromised with the regulations in place. He went on to say that China was producing arms four times faster than Europe. Rutte said, All over Nato we produce in a year, in terms of ammunition, what Russia is producing in three months. So this is evidence that we have huge problems, and thats why my plea is, yes, we are safe now but in four or five years, if we do not ramp up production and do not ramp up spending, then we are really into difficulty. Advertisement Separately, Belgian defence company John Cockerills CEO Francois Michel said that ESG regulations risked destroying the European defence industry. Clearly there is an issue with the ESG regulations on the financial side because, whatever the regulations we have in Europe in general, finance has been pushing the defence industry to sit apart from civilian infrastructure and from civilian activities. This is destroying the European defence industry, this is something we absolutely need to solve, and I fully agree with the fact that public spending is not the only answer. Private capital has to be able to flow efficiently between savings and companies, said Michel, as per The Telegraph. Advertisement Europe achieved a significant milestone by generating more electricity from solar power than coal in 2024. This shift reflects the EUs commitment to reducing carbon emissions and stabilising climate through increased use of renewable sources like solar and wind energy read more Europe has a new rising star and it's powered by the sun as earths black gold takes a backseat Reuters Europe generated more electricity from solar power than coal in 2024, marking a significant step for clean energy, according to a study by climate think tank Ember. Solar panels produced 11 per cent of the EUs electricity, meanwhile coal power contributed 10 per cent. Fossil gas use also declined for the fifth consecutive year, making up 16 per cent of the electricity mix. This is a milestone. Coal is the oldest way of producing electricity, but also the dirtiest. Solar is the rising star. said Beatrice Petrovich, co-author of the report. Advertisement Solar and Wind energy fullfilled 29 per cent of the EUs energy needs in 2024. Moreover, hydropower and nuclear energy production recovered from their 2022 declines. These are signs that EU is working for a more collaborative way to harness clean and green energy Record installation of soral panels Europe installed a record number of new solar panels in 2024 which increased the production. This achievement occurred despite Europe experiencing less sunshine and a colder year as compared to the previous year. From coal to clean energy Europes Industrial Revolution was primarily driven by coal, which served as the main energy source for innovations like steam engines. However, burning coal releases more greenhouse gases compared to any other clean energy source. Thus, to fight climate change and stabilise the rising temperature of the Earth, governments are seeking alternatives to reduce carbon emissions. In the European Union, coal use for electricity peaked in 2007 and has since decreased by half. Solar energy has grown rapidly worldwide due to better technology and supportive government policies aimed at stabilising the environment and reducing the Earths rising temperature. Europes record expansion of Solar energy production In 2022, solar power generation increased by 270 terawatt-hours (TWh), a 26 per cent jump from the previous year. Solar energy accounted for 4.5 per cent of the total electricity produced around the world. The growth continued in 2023 as well. Around 447 gigawatts (GW) of new solar capacity were introduced, which is 87 per cent more than in 2022. This accounted for 78 per cent of all new renewable energy that year. In 2024, solar capacity is expected to grow by another 29 per cent, with 593 GW projected to be installed. China has played a major role in this progress. Beijing accounted for over 40 per cent of new solar installations in 2022. Zaheer Mahmood, 29, had seriously injured two people with a meat cleaver in an attempt to kill Charlie Hebdo employees. Five other Pakistani men were tried alongside Mahmood on charges of terrorist conspiracy read more A man holds a pen with a sign during a vigil, for the victims of a shooting by gunmen at the offices of weekly satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo in Paris, at the French consulate in Quebec City. The sign reads, "I am Charlie". File image/Reuters A Pakistani man was on Thursday (January 23) sentenced to 30 years in prison by a Paris court. The punishment was doled out to 29-year-old Zaheer Mahmood over his attempt to murder two people outside the former offices of Charlie Hebdo in 2020 with a meat cleaver. The Pakistani origin man had arrived in France illegally in 2019. When he carried out the attack, Mahmood wrongly believed the satirical newspaper which was targeted by Islamists a decade ago for publishing cartoons of the Prophet Mohammed, was still based in the building, . Advertisement However, Charlie Hebdo had moved its office after two Al-Qaeda linked masked gunmen stormed its building and killed 12 people. The 2015 killings had shocked France and triggered a fierce debate about freedom of expression and religion in the European nation. Mahmoods attack On September 25, 2020, at around 11:40 am (1040 GMT), Mahmood arrived in front of Charlie Hebdos former address. He attacked two employees of the Premieres Lignes news agency with a cleaver, seriously injuring them outside the building. The court had earlier heard that Mahmood was influenced by radical Pakistani preacher Khadim Hussain Rizvi, who had called for the beheading of those deemed blasphemers. Mahmood was convicted of attempted murder and terrorist conspiracy. The court also banned him from ever returning to French soil. Five more Pakistanis tried in court Five other Pakistani men, including some minors at the time of the attack, were tried alongside Mahmood on charges of terrorist conspiracy for supporting and encouraging his actions. The Paris special assizes court for minors handed down sentences ranging from three to 12 years, along with bans on re-entering France for those who were adults. All six defendants were placed on Frances terror offenders list. Neither Mahmood nor his co-defendants reacted to the verdict. Both victims attended the sentencing but declined to comment. With inputs from agencies Yemens Houthi group released the 25-member crew of the merchant ship Galaxy Leader after more than a year in captivity. The crew was handed over to Oman. The release aligns with Houthi support for the Gaza ceasefire and their solidarity with Palestine. read more Months of Houthi strikes in the Red Sea have caused shipping companies to reroute their operations to more expensive and time-consuming routes around southern Africa Image Courtesy Reuters Yemens Iran-backed Houthi group released the 25-member crew of the merchant ship Galaxy Leader on Wednesday after more than a year in captivity, Houthi-owned Al Masirah TV reported. The Bahamas-flagged vessel was seized off the Yemeni coast in the Red Sea by the Houthis. The crew members were handed over to Oman. The Houthis emphasised that the release was in coordination with the ceasefire in the Gaza war between Israel and the Palestinian armed group Hamas. Advertisement The release of the Galaxy Leader crew comes within the framework of our solidarity with Gaza and in support of the ceasefire agreement, the Houthi Supreme Political Council stated. The crew of the ship includes 25 people from Bulgaria, Ukraine, the Philippines, Mexico, and Romania, as reported by the ships owner, Galaxy Maritime. The vessel was chartered by Japans Nippon Yusen. Capture of Galaxy Leader after Israeli campaign on Gaza The Houthi forces captured the Galaxy Leader on November 19, 2023. This occurred shortly after the Israeli invasion of Gaza began. The Houthi forces boarded the Galaxy Leader at sea and escorted it to the Houthi-controlled port of Hodeidah in northern Yemen. Houthi leader Abdul Malik al-Houthi stated on Monday that the group is prepared to take action if Israel violates the Gaza ceasefire agreement. We are in constant readiness to intervene immediately at any time the Israeli enemy returns to escalation, genocidal crimes and siege of the Gaza Strip, he said. Trump re-designate Houthis as terrorist organisation President Donald Trump signed an executive order to re-designate the Houthis as a foreign terrorist organisation, just hours after assuming office of the White House. This decision reversed the Biden administrations decision to remove the groups designation in February 2021 after coming to power. The Houthis are a political armed movement which traces its origin from Yemens Zaidi Shia Muslim minority. The group, also known as Ansar Allah, is backed by Iran. The Houthis have been in conflict with Yemens internationally recognised government and a Saudi-led coalition since 2014. Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri will visit China later this month for talks with the Chinese Vice Foreign Minister. The meet will focus on key issues like visas, direct flights, and strengthening economic ties. The trip follows recent efforts to ease tensions between India and China, particularly after a breakthrough in border disengagement along the LAC. read more Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri will visit China later this month to hold talks with the Chinese Vice Foreign Minister, The Economic Times reported. Misris trip will focus on visas, restarting direct flights, and strengthening economic ties after a major breakthrough in border disengagement at the Line of Actual Control (LAC). The trip is a follow-up of recent efforts to ease tensions between the two neighbors. De-escalations at LAC after 2020 Galwan clashes Recently, both nations have made significant strides toward de-escalating tensions along their disputed border in the Ladakh region. In October 2024, both nations agreed on a pact concerning military patrols along the LAC. This agreement initiated the disengagement of troops from key standoff points. Indian Defense Minister Rajnath Singh confirmed that the process of disengagement is almost complete. Bilateral relations were strained after the clashes and ties were at their lowest. The deadly Galwan Valley incident and the prolonged military standoff at the border led to heightened tensions between New Delhi and Beijing. Advertisement Modi-Xi meet in Kazan On the sidelines of Kazan Summit of BRICS nations, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Xi held bilateral talks. This was followed by discussions at the foreign minister and special representative levels. NSA Dovals trip to China Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Indias National Security Advisor Ajit Doval met in Beijing in December last year to discuss the long-standing border dispute. They emphasised the need to maintain peace along the contested border and pledged to find fair and mutually agreeable solutions. Trumps return to White House The return of Donald Trump to the US presidency has prompted China to seek closer ties with countries previously aligned with India, The Associated Press reported. This strategic shift aims to counterbalance the USs unilateral approach and stabilise the Chinese economy and dominance. Chinas dialogues with India, Japan China is engaging in dialogues with India, Japan, and other nations to enhance bilateral relations. A military delegation from the Eastern Command of the PLA visited Japan this month. It was the first visit of any Chinese delegation to Japan in 5 years. China is supplying Iran fuel enough to propel more than 200 ballistic missiles, according to a report read more At a time when Iran stands weakest in years, China appears to have come to its aid. As part of the long-running Iran-China partnership, China is supplying missile fuel to China that can propel hundreds of missiles, according to Financial Times. In recent years, China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea have formed a bloc to put up a united front against the US-led Western world. Each of these authoritarian regimes has taken an area where they have bogged down the West where the others support the main aggressor. In West Asia, Iran has taken a lead and is supported by Russia and China. Similarly, Iran, China, and North Korea support Russias war on Ukraine and shadow war on Europe. Advertisement The FT cited two Western security officials to report that two Iranian cargo ships, Golbon and Jairan, have loaded around 1,300 tonnes of sodium perchlorate, which is used to make ammonium perchlorate, which is the main ingredient for solid propellant for missiles. The newspaper noted that the fuel is enough to make 260 Kheibar Shekan or Haj Qassem missiles. It reported that the ships are expected to sail from China to Iran in the next few weeks. The officials were quoted as saying that the fuel was being imported by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), the armed force of Iran that reports directly to the Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Khamenei, and is separate from the regimes regular military. The Kheibar Shekan is a medium-range ballistic missile used by the IRGC with a warhead of around 500 kg and maximum range of around 1,450 km. The Haj Qassem is a medium-range ballistic missile that has a 500-kg warhead with a maximum range of 1,400 km. Dennis Wilder, a former top China analyst at the US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), told the newspaper that China has a long history of arming Iran, which dates back to 1980s when it supplied Silkworm anti-ship missiles during the Iran-Iraq war. Since the early 1990s, China has assisted the Iranian military extensively with its ballistic missile development programme and has provided expertise, technology, parts, and training. Chinas motivation for secretly assisting Iran today includes clandestinely helping Iran produce missiles for the Russian war effort [in Ukraine], cementing common cause against perceived US hegemonism . . . and Beijings purchase annually of large amounts of discounted Iranian crude oil, said Wilder, who is currently an assistant professor at the School of Foreign Service at Georgetown University. Advertisement While Israel has admitted that an agreement has been reached over Palestinian Authority (PA) being part of Gaza Strips governance, Israel has downplayed PAs role in Gaza and has emphasised it is a temporary agreement for the first stage of the deal with Hamas read more Israeli military patrols near the Al Shifa Hospital compound in Gaza City amid the ongoing ground operation against Hamas in the northern Gaza Strip on November 22, 2023. (Photo: Reuters) Israel has downplayed the involvement of Palestinian Authority (PA) in the Gaza Strip and has denied promising Saudi Arabia a pathway to Palestinian statehood. The developments come amid reports that Israel has partnered with PA in Gaza that was seen by observers as a sign for a greater involvement of PA in the post-war governance of Gaza. In recent days, there has been a renewed push for the Israel-Saudi Arabia normalisation of ties that the latter has conditioned on an irrevocable pathway to Palestinian statehood. Advertisement Even though Israel has downplayed the role of PA in Gaza, top officials have confirmed that discussions are ongoing on the post-war governance of Gaza. They have said that Israel prefers to have the international community part of any post-war governance arrangement in Gaza. The PA is the de facto government of the Palestinians that partially governs West Bank under the Oslo Accords of 1993. Its seat is at Ramallah, West Bank. After the Israeli withdrawal from Gaza in 2005, Gaza also came under PA, which has been controlled by Palestinian party Fatah, for decades. However, in 2006, Hamas won elections in Gaza and, in the subsequent Palestinian civil war, drove Fatah out of Gaza in 2007 and controlled the Palestinian enclave. Israeli PMO downplays PAs role in Gaza After a report emerged that Israel has partnered with PA in Gaza, the Israeli Prime Ministers Office (PMO) downplayed such an arrangement. Arabic outlet Asharq Al-Awsat on Wednesday reported that Israel and Egypt have reached an agreement for the Rafah crossing on the Egypt-Gaza border to be managed by PA under the supervision of United Nations (UN). While the Israeli PMO admitted an arrangement has indeed been reached, it downplayed the involvement of PA. The PMO said the report was an attempt to create a false picture to the effect that it controls the crossing, according to The Times of Israel. The PMO said the arrangement with the PA at Rafah crossing is for the first stage of the framework and will be evaluated in the future. Advertisement As for the PAs role at the crossing, the PMO said that the Israeli military currently controls the crossing and nobody passes through it without supervision, oversight and advance approval of the IDF [Israel Defense Forces] and Shin Bet [internal intelligence agency] and that non-Hamas Gazans provide technical management at the crossing with international oversight and the PA provides the stamp on passports allowing Palestinians to exit the enclave, as per the ToI. Has Israel changed position on PAs role in Gaza? Since the beginning of the war, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has rejected the idea of PA controlling Gaza after the war even as the previous Joe Biden administration of the United States and international community called for a reformed PA to be in charge of Gaza after the war. That may be changing. Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar on Wednesday did not rule out the possibility of the PA playing a role in post-war governance of Gaza, but said it would need to undergo serious reforms, according to The Times of Israel. Advertisement In an apparent reference to schemes that dole out payments to families of Palestinians detained in Israeli prisons or those killed in clashes with Israel and hailed as martyrs, Saar said that if the PA would end its support for terror and change its attitudes, it would be a different Palestinian Authority, and then we could seriously discuss together a better future for both nations. Separately, Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer told the Israeli parliament on Wednesday that Israel is part of discussions on post-war governance of Gaza. Dermer said, Were working on it. Im part of that work on the day after in Gaza but you have to understand that any Israeli plan will be dead on arrival, because its an Israeli plan. Advertisement Dermer further said that we need to harness both the United States and regional powers to take part in such efforts, according to ToI. On the question of promising Palestinian statehood to Saudi Arabia, Dermer said that theres no promise like this whatsoever. External Affairs Minister Jaishankar said that there have been no trade talks between India and Pakistan since last year. He reiterated that India did not stop trade with its neighbour read more External Affairs Minister Dr S. Jaishankar confirmed on Wednesday that there had been no trade talks between India and Pakistan. He made it clear that no proposal to resume the flow of commerce has been floated between the two nations. The remarks from the Indian foreign minister came while he was fielding questions from reporters at the Indian embassy in Washington. Jaishankar is currently in the United States where he attended the inauguration ceremony of 47th US President Donald Trump. After last year, there have been no talks with Pakistan about trade, nor has any initiative come forward from their side," Jaishankar responded when asked bout the trade relations between India and Pakistan. Advertisement We never stopped trade. Any steps taken to stop trade with India were taken from their side in 2019. Our concern from the beginning was that they never granted us MFN (Most Favoured Nation) status, even though we granted it to them." Every country has the sovereign right to take its decisions..about what are their international commitments and responsibilities. We can have our respective views on it, he concluded. Where does the trade relations between India and Pakistan stand? It is pertinent to note that Pakistan under the government of then-Prime Minister Imran Khan, downgraded its diplomatic ties with India in August 2019. Islamabad broke off trade ties after the abrogation of Article 370 in India, which gave special status to Kashmir. Last August, the Foreign Office (FO) had said trade with India was not on the cards, citing the unchanged situation in Kashmir, Dawn reported. The situation remains intact, and at this point, there are no bilateral talks between the two countries concerning bilateral trade between Pakistan and India, then-FO spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch said at that time. Meanwhile, in March 2024, Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar said that relevant stakeholders will be seriously examined in regard to re-establishing trade ties with India. Dar noted that the soured trade ties are affected in the business community in Pakistan. In the past, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharifs government have expressed willingness to re-evaluate trade ties with India. With Jaishankars recent assertion, it is clear that both countries are far from mending trade ties. Chinas Type 054B frigate marks a new era in naval power, while Japans Mogami-class ships push backare other navies prepared for the challenge? read more There seems to be a strong naval race between China and Japan as the two arch-rivals look to upgrade their military capabilities in the sea. China has just commissioned its first Type 054B frigate. Luohe was commissioned on January 22, 2025, at Qingdaos naval port in Shandong Province. Japan has its own Mogami-class frigate plans. Chinas commissioning of Luohe marked a major milestone for the Peoples Liberation Army Navy (PLAN), highlighting Chinas goal of creating a modern and powerful maritime force. Equipped with advanced technology, the Type 054B is expected to play a key role in the PLANs operations near its coasts and in distant seas. Advertisement State-run Xinhua News reported that the commissioning ceremony was held with full ceremonial honours, reflecting the pride and ambition driving Chinas naval modernisation. Type 054B: A technological leap in naval warfare The Luohe, with hull number 545, has a displacement of around 5,000 tonnes, making it larger and more advanced than its predecessor, the Type 054A. The frigate features cutting-edge stealth technology, combat command systems and integrated firepower control. Chinese military expert Song Zhongping told Global Times that many technologies from the advanced Type 055 destroyer have been adapted for the Type 054B, giving it greater firepower and operational flexibility. This includes the ability to carry larger utility helicopters, such as the Z-20, expanding its mission capabilities. These upgrades are more than just minor improvements as they represent a shift in the PLANs naval design and strategy. The frigates enhanced stealth makes it harder to detect, while upgraded combat systems enable better coordination in complex naval operations. Zhang Xuefeng, another prominent Chinese military analyst, told The Warzone that the Luohes balanced capabilities in anti-submarine, anti-ship, and air defence missions place it among the worlds most advanced frigates. Strategic deployment and versatile missions The commissioning of the Luohe highlights Chinas strategy to expand its naval presence and operational reach. Designed for both coastal defence and long-range missions, the frigate bridges the gap between smaller Type 056 corvettes and larger Type 055 destroyers. Its extended endurance allows it to conduct sustained operations in contested waters like the South China Sea and beyond. Advertisement Zhang Junshe, a senior research fellow at the Naval Research Institute, told Xinhua that the Luohe could play a vital role in aircraft carrier and amphibious assault groups by providing air defence and anti-submarine escort capabilities. Stationed at Qingdao, the homeport of the aircraft carrier Liaoning, the frigate supports joint training and integrated operations. Zhang also suggested that similar frigates could be deployed in other key naval hubs, such as Sanya in Hainan Province, further boosting the PLANs regional and global reach. Naval competition in the Indo-Pacific The induction of the Type 054B frigate comes at a time of growing naval competition in the Indo-Pacific region. China aims to strengthen its maritime claims and counter the presence of the US Navy and its allies. Advertisement As the worlds largest navy by the number of ships, the PLAN continues to expand with advanced vessels to boost combat readiness and strategic capabilities. According to The Taipei Times, this development coincides with US freedom of navigation operations in the South China Sea, which challenge Chinas maritime claims. Although the US Navy remains technologically superior in many areas, recent wargames discussed by The Warzone suggest that Chinas capacity to sustain and replace losses gives it an advantage in long conflicts. The Luohe and future Type 054B frigates are a strategic response, offering a cost-effective yet versatile platform for a wide range of missions. Advertisement Japan gets ready with Mogami-class frigates Chinas advancements in naval technology have pushed neighbouring countries, especially Japan, to upgrade their fleets. In November 2023 itself, Japan launched its eighth Mogami-class frigate, the JS Yubetsu, which shares similarities with Chinas Type 054B in its multi-role capabilities and emphasis on efficiency. The Mogami-class frigates are equipped with advanced electronic warfare systems, vertical launch systems, and unmanned vehicle capabilities, reflecting Japans commitment to maintaining a strong naval presence in the regions volatile geopolitical environment. These developments point to a regional trend of adopting affordable, versatile frigates capable of handling various missions. Zhang Junshe said in Xinhua that the Type 054B could become a backbone of the PLAN through mass production, similar to the role of Mogami-class frigates in Japans Maritime Self-Defence Force. This parallel growth highlights the strategic value of frigates as cost-effective and adaptable solutions in modern naval warfare. Advertisement Implications for India The commissioning of the Type 054B frigate could disturb the naval balance in the Indian Ocean and Indo-Pacific regions. Chinas focus on mass-producing advanced frigates like the Type 054B shows its intent to extend its power well beyond its coastal waters. China has been expanding its naval presence in the Indian Ocean using strategic outposts like its base in Djibouti and the Hambantota port in Sri Lanka. This shows the urgency for India to speed up its naval modernisation efforts. The Type 054Bs advanced anti-submarine and air defence capabilities directly challenge Indias ability to safeguard its exclusive economic zones and maintain strategic autonomy in contested waters. Strengthening partnerships, such as the Quad alliance with the US, Japan and Australia becomes even more crucial as India works to counterbalance Chinas growing influence in the region. The waters of power The commissioning of the Type 054B frigate Luohe marks an important milestone in Chinas naval modernisation, reflecting its goal to build a world-class navy that can tackle various challenges. With its advanced technologies, versatility and strategic deployment, the Luohe represents Chinas determination to protect its maritime interests and assert its global influence. With China accelerating its naval upgrade and, India and Japan making their own advancements in naval technology, the Indo-Pacific has attracted global attention for what looks like a geopolitical competition. Meanwhile, Chinas continued pressure in the Taiwan Strait and threats of invading the island pose significant risk of shifting the theatre of war from Europe and West Asia to the Indo-Pacific region. Pakistan senators are seeking an apology from billionaire Elon Musk, accusing him of anti-Pakistan propaganda while he seeks regulatory approval for his Starlink service in the country, according to a report, citing a Pakistani lawmaker read more Pakistan senators are seeking an apology from billionaire Elon Musk, accusing him of anti-Pakistan propaganda while he seeks regulatory approval for his Starlink service in the country, according to an AFP report_,_ citing a Pakistani lawmaker. Musks Starlink satellite internet service has applied for a licence to operate in Pakistan but is still awaiting clearance before users can access the service, added the report. A senate committee on information technology and telecommunications convened on Wednesday to receive updates from officials evaluating Musks application. Advertisement According to AFP, Committee chair Palwasha Mohammad Zai Khan said that several senators denounced Musks anti-Pakistani propaganda in recent comments he made on his social media platform, X. Musk has repeatedly suggested that men of Pakistani origin were linked to a series of historic rape cases involving primarily white girls in England. It was said that approval should be given on condition of his apology, AFP quoted Khan as saying. We are not saying it should be a pre-condition but it was a part of the discussion and we can only give our recommendations to the government, she added. Musk began launching attacks against the UK government this month after it resisted calls for a national inquiry into the historic abuse cases. In Rotherham, a town of 265,000 inhabitants, a gang drugged, raped and sexually exploited at least 1,400 girls over a 16-year period from 1997, a public inquiry concluded in 2014. A series of court cases eventually led to the conviction of dozens of men, mostly of South Asian origin. The victims were vulnerable, mostly white, girls. An Indian lawmaker made a post on 8 January saying: They arent ASIAN Grooming Gangs but PAKISTANI grooming gangs. Why should Asians take the fall for one absolute rogue nation? Advertisement Musk commented with a message saying: True. The historic abuse cases regularly prompt debate in the UK, where some claim they are used to enflame Islamaphobia while others say they are being quashed to prevent debate. Whilst Musks electric vehicle and space ventures made him a billionaire, he has recently emerged as a political figure affiliated with newly inaugurated President Donald Trump. Trump has tasked Musk, the worlds richest man, with slashing billions of dollars of federal government spending as head of a new Department of Government Efficiency. With inputs from agencies The announcement by the party came shortly after it was confirmed that the fourth round of the talks between the two sides will be held on January 28 read more Pakistans ruling regime urged former Prime Minister Imran Khans Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) to continue to remain in dialogue after the opposition party walked away from the third round of the talks. PTI insisted that they are not willing to sit down with the government until the formation of the judicial commission, Dawn reported. The announcement by the party came shortly after it was confirmed that the fourth round of the talks between the two sides would be held on January 28. So far there have been three rounds of talks between the PTI and the government. In the second round, Imran Khans party submitted written demands to the ruling regime. The government eventually asked for seven days to respond to the letter. Advertisement No commissions, no negotiations, PTI leader Omar Ayub wrote in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter. In a press conference on Thursday, Ayub reiterated that PTI would not participate in the negotiations until a commission is formed by the government to investigate the events that transpired on May 9 and November 26. Government expresses openness Meanwhile, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharifs administration struck a conciliatory tone and asked the PTI to remain part of the talks. While speaking on the matter, Senator Irfan Siddiqui, spokesperson for the governments negotiation committee said that they would present a written response to the opposition partys charter of demands by January 28. We (government) have promised the PTI that we will present our response to the dialogue committee within seven working days and thus we will definitely submit our replies on Jan 28, the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) senator told Dawn on Thursday. The remarks from the ruling side came after PML-N and its allies held a meeting regarding PTIs demands. When asked about PTIs refusal to attend the meeting until the judicial commission is formed, the Pakistani lawmaker kept an optimistic stance on the matter. They (PTI) will definitely join the next meeting, and they should because the dialogue was started by them, as they first formed their negotiation committee, said the senator about the dialogue to defuse political tensions. He assured that talks are being held on PTIs demands for the formation of the commissions, adding that the government had not taken any decision regarding this as of now. He said that PTIs decision to skip the next meeting would be considered illogical since the government have remained open to negotiate. Advertisement We want they should not leave the dialogue process incomplete and sit (with the government) without any condition, he remarked. We will give a proper answer to the PTIs demands (and) in the same manner in which the opposition party had submitted its demands, the senator furthered. He mentioned that the government asked National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq, who is head of the negotiation committee, to call the fourth meeting of the committee on Jan 28 or any other date only after getting consent from the PTI, Dawn reported. The major demands of Imran Khans party are the formation of judicial commissions on May 9, 2023, and Nov 26, 2024, violent protests across the country and the release of all PTI prisoners. Meanwhile, another PML-N leader, Khurram Dastagir Khan made it clear that the ruling regime would not make any compromises regarding the May 9 riots. Advertisement The dialogue between the government committee and PTI resumed in December last year, following a long standoff. Initially, PTI was not willing to share demands in writing, but after getting a go-ahead from Imran Khan, the party shared its demands in writing. The Philippines is preparing to take legal action against China for alleged environmental damage in the South China Sea. The south east nation seeks compensation for harm to coral reefs and marine life. read more The Philippines will soon decide on an international platform to sue China for alleged damage to the marine environment, its justice minister said, as it pursues a second high-profile legal challenge against Beijing over the South China Sea. The Philippines won a landmark case at the Permanent Court of Arbitration in 2016 that found Chinas sweeping claim of sovereignty in the South China Sea had no basis under international law. It now wants to hold Beijing accountable for what it says is its harvesting of giant clams and substantial environmental damage to coral reefs in the Philippines exclusive economic zone. Advertisement Were in discussion and the decision has to come very soon, Justice Secretary Crispin Remulla said, referring to which legal forum to file the case. The sins are really so obvious, he said. In the end, this is the best way to attack. There are many ways of solving a problem, but this is one of the most novel ways." China was incensed by the 2016 arbitration case and has refused to recognise it, doubling down on its efforts to assert its sovereignty claim with an armada of coast guard and fishing militia, hundreds of kilometres off its mainland. Beijing, which has built manmade islands on top of reefs, some with missile systems and runways, has denied harming marine ecosystems in the region and has accused the Philippines of the same. Manila rejects that. A 2023 report by the Center for Strategic and International Studies found Chinas construction activity buried more than 4,600 acres (1,861 hectares) of reef. The environmental dispute has become another flashpoint in a long-running territorial row between China and U.S. ally the Philippines, which has seen repeated confrontations between vessels over disputed features in Manilas EEZ, including the Scarborough Shoal, the Second Thomas Shoal, and Sabina Shoal. Remulla said the case build-up is backed by a lot of evidence from the Philippine coast guard and other agencies on the frontlines of the South China Sea. The Permanent Court of Arbitration and the International Court of Justice are among several possible venues Philippine officials have identified in exploring options for the second case. Advertisement Remulla stressed the urgency of the case and said the government was hoping to file it this year, underscoring the need to firm up its legal strategy. This is a civil case. We look for damages. We want to be awarded damages for that, he said. This is all due yesterday." The Philippines alleges Chinese activities, including dredging, coral harvesting, and the construction of artificial islands, have caused significant and irreversible damage to coral reefs and marine biodiversity. China has accused the Philippines of causing damage to the Second Thomas Shoal by intentionally grounding a warship there in 1999. Trump on Wednesday threatened more sanctions against Moscow if his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin does not agree to end the war read more President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin hold a bilateral meeting at the G20 leaders summit in Osaka, Japan on June 28, 2019. Reuters File Russia on Thursday responded to US President Donald Trumps remarks on the Ukraine war saying that it is ready for mutually respectful dialogue with him. We do not see any particularly new elements, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters, asked about Trumps comments. He added that Trumps first presidency proved that he likes sanctions and that Russia is closely following the statements he makes. Trump on Wednesday threatened more sanctions against Moscow if his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin does not agree to end the war. Advertisement If we dont make a deal, and soon, I have no other choice but to put high levels of Taxes, Tariffs, and Sanctions on anything being sold by Russia to the United States, and various other participating countries, he said on Truth Social. He, however, added that the US does not intend to hurt Russia and that he has always had a very good relationship with President Putin. All of that being said, Im going to do Russia, whose Economy is failing, and President Putin, a very big FAVOR. Settle now, and STOP this ridiculous War! ITS ONLY GOING TO GET WORSE, he said. The Republican leader emphasised that a ceasefire deal should be reached between Russia and Ukraine by saying, Its time to MAKE A DEAL. He further said that if the war would have never begun had he been the president at the time. Russia already faces crushing US sanctions over the war since invading Ukraine in 2022 and trade has slowed to a trickle. Trumps predecessor Joe Bidens administration imposed sweeping sanctions against Moscows energy sector earlier this month. The Kremlin has repeatedly dismissed the barrage of Western sanctions that it has been hit with since ordering troops into Ukraine in February 2022. Advertisement Peskov on Thursday conceded that Russia faced economic problems as all countries but said Russia had the resources to meet all military requirements. (With inputs from AFP) Riyadh was a major investor in Lebanon but ties between the two countries have soured for roughly the past decade over the growing influence of the Iran-backed Hezbollah group. Aouns election to the post of president was backed by Saudi Arabia and other Western countries read more It took the election of a new Lebanese president for Saudi Arabia to send a delegation to the country. Riyadh on Thursday sent its Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan to Lebanon, making it the first time in 15 years for a Saudi official to visit the country. We are greatly confident in the ability of the president and the prime minister to initiate reforms necessary to bolster Lebanons security, stability and unity, Farhan said after meeting the new Lebanese President Joseph Aoun in Beirut. Advertisement Lebanon, which has been reeling under economic instability, has been pinning hope on Gulf countries for reconstruction funding. Lebanon and Saudi ties It is important to note that Aouns election as the president, after nearly two years of the post being vacant, was backed by Saudi Arabia and the West. Riyadh was a major investor in Lebanon but ties between the two countries have soured for roughly the past decade over the growing influence of the Iran-backed Hezbollah group. Prior to his visit, Prince Faisal called Aouns election extremely positive, but said the kingdom was waiting for concrete change before engaging further with Beirut. We will need to see real action. We will need to see real reform. We will need to see a commitment to a Lebanon that is looking to the future, not to the past, in order for us to raise our engagement, he said. His Lebanon visit aims to inform the Kingdoms approach he said. Aoun to visit Saudi Arabia Meanwhile, Aoun announced earlier this month that his first foreign trip as Lebanons president would be to Saudi Arabia. In a phone call with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman who had called to congratulate him on winning the elections, Aoun said, Saudi Arabia would be the first destination in his visits abroad. With inputs from AFP Israels Economy Minister Nir Barkat said that reconstruction of Gaza was not possible unless Hamas decided it wanted lasting peace with Israel read more Displaced Palestinians returning to the war-devastated Jabaliya in the Gaza Strip. (Photo: AFP) Israel has reiterated that it will not allow Hamas to rule post-war Gaza as it could lead to another cross-border terrorist attack after the two sides reached a ceasefire that took effect last Sunday. Talking to Reuters at the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, Israels Economy Minister Nir Barkat said that reconstruction of Gaza was not possible unless Hamas decided it wanted lasting peace with Israel. The key question is ifthey want to build a Dubai or rebuild Gaza the way it was, Barkat said. Advertisement He added, Dubai recognised the state of Israel, they are focusing on mutual economieswe would like to see Dubai in our region, not Gaza. Israel is actively seeking to establish a new governance structure in Gaza following the recent ceasefire with Hamas. The reconstruction of Gaza is anticipated to be a slow and costly process, with international debates ongoing over potential governance models, including the involvement of peacekeepers and collaborative committees. Hamas to stick around in Gaza? With Israel pushing for its authority in Gaza after the war ends, analysts think Hamas is here to stay. Israeli analyst Avi Issacharoff wrote in Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper, Even after 15 months of war, Hamas remains in place. Although the government of Benjamin Netanyahu said it will eradicate Hamas, the group not only survived militarily but also retained its rule intact, he added. The analyst further said that the Netanyahu government has not held serious discussions on the subject of who is capable of replacing Hamas. Similarly, Brigadier General Amir Avivi, head of the non-governmental organization Habithonistim, told Maariv newspaper, Alongside eliminating parts of Hamas leadership, Israel has not taken concrete steps to overthrow the movement as a governing authority. How Hamas still has a stronghold in Gaza Opinion polls consistently show that only a minority of Palestinians support Hamas. But the Islamic militant group which does not accept Israels existence is deeply rooted in Palestinian society, with an armed wing, a political party, media and charities that date back to its founding in the late 1980s. For decades, Hamas functioned as a well-organized insurgency, able to launch hit-and-run attacks on Israeli forces and suicide bombings in Israel itself. Many of its top leaders have been killed and quickly replaced. It won a landslide victory in 2006 parliamentary elections, and the following year it seized Gaza from the Western-backed Palestinian Authority in a week of street battles. Advertisement Hamas then established a fully-fledged government, with ministries, police and a civilian bureaucracy. Its security forces quickly brought Gazas powerful families into line and crushed rival armed groups. They also silenced dissent and violently dispersed occasional protests. With inputs from agencies They sent down a drone to our neighbourhood, telling us to leave the camp and that they will blow it up, 16-year-old Hussam Saadi, a resident from Jenin in West Bank said read more Israeli forces in armoured vehicles stop a Palestinian ambulance for a search as they block a road during a raid in Jenin in the occupied West Bank on January 21, 2025. AFP Hundreds of Jenin residents left their homes on Thursday, prompted by messages from drones fitted with loudspeakers, witnesses said, as the military demolished a number of houses on the third day of a major operation in the West Bank city. The operation, involving large columns of vehicles backed by helicopters and drones, was launched in the first week of a ceasefire in Gaza that saw the first exchange of Israeli hostages for Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli jails since a brief truce in November 2023. Advertisement Israeli officials said the Jenin operation was aimed at what the military said were Iranian-backed militant groups in the refugee camp adjacent to the city, a major hub for armed Palestinian groups for years. We need to be prepared to continue in the Jenin camp that will bring it to a different place, Lieutenant General Herzi Halevi, the head of the Israeli military, said in a statement. Armoured bulldozers have dug up roads, making movement in the city difficult, but hundreds of people left their homes in the camp, dragging suitcases or carrying plastic bags of their belongings after they said they heard messages to evacuate. Yesterday, we did not want to leave, we were at home, said 16-year-old Hussam Saadi. Today, they sent down a drone to our neighbourhood, telling us to leave the camp and that they will blow it up. The Israeli military denied that it had told residents to leave their homes. It said it was enabling any resident who chooses to exit from the area to do so via secure and organised routes with the protection of Israeli security forces. As the operation continued, the sound of gunfire and the constant buzz of drones flying overhead could be heard over the refugee camp. In the city, there was little movement on the streets. Advertisement Footage released by the Israeli military showed troops detonating what appeared to be roadside explosives. Overnight on Wednesday, Israeli troops killed two armed men barricaded inside a building in Burqin, outside Jenin, after a gunfight. The two were suspected of carrying out an attack near the Palestinian village of al-Funduq earlier this month, in which three Israelis were killed. Both were claimed by the armed wing of Hamas, which has a strong presence in the refugee camp, a crowded township for descendants of Palestinians who fled, or were forced, from their homes in the 1948 Middle East war. Overall since the start of the operation, 12 Palestinians have been killed and 40 more wounded, Palestinian health officials said. Advertisement The raid, the third major operation by the Israeli military in Jenin in under two years, drew warnings from France and Jordan against an escalation in the West Bank, which has seen a surge in violence since the start of the war in Gaza. Trump took multiple jabs at China, including the spread of COVID from Wuhan and Beijings unfair trade practices. Despite that, he appeared willing to engage with Xi to fulfil a promise he has fallen behind on- ending the Russia-Ukraine war read more Speaking at the World Economic Forum in Davos on Thursday (January 23), US President Donald Trump doled out some sharp criticism of China, and then mellowed down to combine it with a pledge to seek Chinese President Xi Jinpings assistance in brokering peace between Russia and Ukraine. Trump takes jabs at China Trump was responding to a question from WEF President Brge Brende about the future of US-China relations. Brende had said We know that you called President Xi Jinping last Friday. We heard that you had a good discussion. To that, Trump quickly responded by saying, He [Xi] called me. The remark, delivered with a pointed tone, appeared to signal China and Xis eagerness to maintain good relations with Washington despite their tough posturing on the global stage. Advertisement Trump took another jab at China, accusing it for its trade practices and for exploiting the US economy. Weve been having massive deficits with China[]Its ridiculous, and its just an unfair relationship, he said. He called for a fair trade balance, promising that his administration would no longer tolerate what he described as one-sided deals. But perhaps the most obvious jab was when the US president brought up Chinas connection to COVID. We [Xi and Trump] always had a very good relationship. It was very strained with COVID coming out of Wuhan. Obviously, that strained it. Im sure it strained it with a lot of people, he said. Overtures for cooperation But despite taking those pointed comments, Trump appeared willing to engage with Xi to fulfil a promise he has fallen behind on: To end the Russia-Ukraine war. Trump had repeatedly pledged during his presidential campaign to end the war on Day One of his administration. Clearly, that didnt happen. Now, the Republican wants to collaborate with Xi to speak to Russian President Vladimir Putin and bring the conflict to a close. Trump claimed to have raised the issue during his recent phone conversation with Xi and suggested that China, given its influence, could play a pivotal role in de-escalating the conflict. Hopefully, China can help us stop the war with, in particular, Russia-Ukraine, Trump said. They have a great deal of power over that situation, and well work with them. Trump also touched on nuclear disarmament, claiming that both Putin and Xi had expressed interest in reducing their nuclear arsenals during his previous term. Advertisement Observers will now be watching to see whether Trump follows through on his stated plans to re-engage Xi in efforts to end the war in Ukraine. Since 2020 when the coronavirus outbreak in Chinas Wuhan caused the Covid-19 pandemic, the gain-of-function research has been central to the possibility of the laboratory-origin of the virus read more The world will go around Donald Trump for the next four years. File Image/Reuters US President Donald Trump is preparing to issue an executive order to ban gain-of-function (GoF) research over the risks it poses, according to a report. The GoF research refers to the kind of biological research that gives an organism a characteristic it does not naturally have. While such research can be quite harmless in its basic forms where it helps understand how organisms and pathogens work and even help develop new treatments, advanced form of research with viruses and bacteria has been deemed too risky. Advertisement Since 2020 when the Covid-19 outbreak in Chinas Wuhan caused a global pandemic, the GoF research has been central to the possibility of the virus, SARS-CoV-2, emerging from a laboratory at the Wuhan Institute of Virology (WIV). For years before the outbreak, scientists at WIV had been conducting GoF research on coronaviruses that involved inserting new features into these viruses to make them more transmissible and virulent. To distinguish the harmless GoF research from such advanced research, the WIV-type research is now called gain-of-function research of concern (GOFROC). The Wall Street Journal has reported that the Trump administration is preparing an executive order to halt federal governments funding to such research on the grounds that it could endanger human health. However, the Journal reported that the order may have exceptions, such as the allowing research on some viruses, such as the bird flu H5N1, to continue. Previously, Richard Ebright, a molecular biologist at Rutgers University, told Firstpost that the GOF research of concern has no civilian practical applications. He said that such research is not needed for the development of vaccines or drugs as therapeutics are developed for diseases that exist and not diseases from pathogens that would be created in a lab through such research. Ebright said that while benefits of such research are marginal at best, the risks are apocalyptic. Five years after the Covid-19 pandemic began in Wuhan, there is now a strong case for the lab-origin of the pandemic. In what experts have called smoking gun evidence for the lab-leak case, the Covid-19 virus had exactly the same feature that Chinese scientists at Wuhan were working on as part of their yearslong gain of function research. The feature is a furin cleavage site (FCS) which grants the virus the ability to enter humans. SARS-CoV-2 is the only virus from its family of coronaviruses to have FCS. Chinese scientists at Wuhan were working to add FCS into coronaviruses at the time of the outbreak. Advertisement Ebright told Firstpost, The gain-of-function research likely caused the Covid-19 pandemic and surely could cause the next pandemicAs the gain-of-function research of concern poses high potentially existential risks and provides limited benefits, the risk-benefit ratio for the research almost always is extremely unfavourable. The gain-of-function research of concern should be banned or, at absolute minimum, should be subject to independent and transparent national- or international-level oversight that ensures that, before research is started, risk-benefit assessment is performed, risk-benefit profiles are acceptable, and mitigable risks are mitigated. The Pan-Euro-Mediterranean Convention would help UKs trade. It would make a difference to any manufacturing sector with broad supply chains by easing sourcing of materials from different parts of the region read more The United Kingdom is not currently seeking to join a pan-European customs agreement, a government minister clarified Thursday (January 23), amid ongoing discussions about post-Brexit trade relations with the European Union (EU). Housing Minister Matthew Pennycook, addressing comments made by European Commission Executive Vice-President Maros Sefcovic, said that Britain has no plans to join the Pan-Euro-Mediterranean Convention. The Pan-Euro-Mediterranean Convention Launched in 2012, this convention aims to make it easier for 25 countriesmostly in Europe and north Africa to trade with each other by implementing standard rules. Signatories include the EU, Norway, Switzerland, Turkey, six Western Balkan countries, Ukraine, Morocco, Syria, and Palestine. The UK is one of the few European nations that have not signed up. Advertisement The Pan-Euro-Mediterranean Convention would help UKs trade. The Guardian quoted David Henig, a former UK trade official who presently works at the European Centre for International Political Economy thinktank, as saying that PEM would make a difference to any manufacturing sector with broad supply chains since it would greatly ease sourcing materials from different parts of the region. Mixed messages Were not seeking to participate in that particular arrangement, Pennycook said in an interview with BBC Radio 4. While reiterating the governments commitment to fostering closer ties with European partners, he stated, As for this particular arrangement, no, we are not seeking to participate in it at the present time. Sefcovic had raised the possibility of Britain joining the customs area during a BBC interview, calling it a concept worth considering. In parliament, Brexit Minister Nick Thomas-Symonds echoed Pennycooks remarks, saying, We of course welcome the positive constructive tone from Commissioner Sefcovic. Were always looking to reduce barriers to trade but within our manifesto red lines, he said. But we dont currently have any plans to join PEM. The governments position appears to leave some flexibility. Earlier this week, Trade Policy Minister Douglas Alexander sounded more open to the idea, acknowledging the potential benefits while noting that any decision would prioritise national interests. There are some stakeholders who would argue that there would be disadvantages to sectors of U.K. business if we were to rejoin[]However, it is an issue that we are open to looking at, Alexander had said earlier this week. Labour MP Stella Creasy, chair of the Labour Movement for Europe group, called for stronger consideration of joining PEM, arguing it could reduce post-Brexit trade barriers. Red tape from Brexit hits British business in many ways, she said. Joining PEM would help cut the paperwork connected to rules of origin requirements. Advertisement While Ukraine passed a law last year to lower the conscription age from 27 to 25, the measures have not produced the desired results. A new initiative, called the honest contract, is being developed to address the issue read more Ukraine is in the final stages of drafting recruitment reforms aimed at attracting 18- to 25-year-olds currently exempt from mobilisation, according to a top official from the Office of the President. The move comes as the country looks to replenish its ranks amid battlefield losses in its war with Russia. In his first interview with foreign media since his appointment last fall, Colonel Pavlo Palisa, deputy head of the Office of the President, said Ukraines Soviet-era drafting system is hindering efforts to build an effective fighting force. Advertisement Ukraines honest contract While Ukraine passed a mobilisation law last year and lowered the conscription age from 27 to 25, the measures have not produced the desired results. Palisa said a new initiative, referred to as an honest contract, is being developed to address these shortcomings. The proposed plan includes financial incentives, guaranteed training programs, and measures to promote open communication between soldiers and their commanders. It is designed to attract 18- to 25-year-olds, as well as Ukrainians eligible for deferment or those discharged after last years mobilisation law was enacted. To secure the unit commander and the contract soldier, establish open and professional relations between them, and set clear boundaries that are understandable to both, Palisa said. In my opinion, this is essential for effective dialogue. The initiative could also address calls from US leaders in both the Biden and Trump administrations to lower Ukraines conscription age further. However, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy remains opposed to mandatory mobilisation for those as young as 18, citing potential long-term consequences for the war-weary nation. As of now, my view is that we need to start an open dialogue with society, Palisa said. Because the defense of the state is not only the responsibility of the Armed Forces. It is the duty of every Ukrainian citizen, and it is their obligation. Palisas priorities: Addressing systemic issues Palisa, who commanded the 93rd Brigade during the nine-month battle for Bakhmut, was appointed to the presidents office to address systemic military issues. He said his current role is an opportunity to highlight pressing issues to Ukraines top leadership, though he plans to return to the battlefield once his mission in the presidents office is complete. The reform efforts come as Russia continues its advances in Ukraines eastern Donetsk region. Analysts have pointed to weaknesses in Ukraines command structure and communication as significant challenges in maintaining control along the 1,000-kilometer (620-mile) frontline. Advertisement Ukraines army has expanded significantly since the war began, but the demands of resisting Russian advances have left little room for strategic management, Palisa said. He stressed the urgency of adapting military structures to meet the challenges of modern warfare. With inputs from agencies In his first interview at the White House, US President Donald Trump said that it is sad his predecessor former President Joe Biden did not pardon himself. While Trump slammed Biden for awarding preemptive pardons, he defended his won decision to pardon Jan 6 rioters read more In his first interview after assuming the presidency, Donald Trump unleashed lethal attacks against his predecessor former US President Joe Biden. During a sit-down conversation with Fox News at the White House, Trump warned that it is sad that Biden did not pardon himself. The remarks from the President came when he was asked about the preemptive pardons Biden gave to his family members and some of Trumps archnemesis. The interview was aired on Fox News on Wednesday at 9 pm (local time). This guy is running around giving everyone pardons, Trump told Sean Hannity during their conversation in the White House. The funny thing, maybe the sad thing, is he didnt give himself a pardon. And if you look at it, it all had to do with him," he added. Advertisement The remarks from the president came two days after Biden issued several pardons in the final hours of his presidency on Monday. The pardons came since Trump declared that he would seek retribution against his perceived enemies by using his powers as president while on the campaign trail. The Republican firebrand pointed out that Biden had bad advisors. Joe Biden got very bad advice. Like he has in everythingJoe Biden has very bad advisers. Somebody advised Joe Biden to give pardons to everybody but him, Trump said. When asked if Congress should investigate Biden, the president said that he would leave it up to Congress to take that call. Trump claims he was given the option to pardon himself During the interview, the president emphasised that Trump was given the option to pardon himself but he declined to do so. I was given the option. They said sir, would you like to pardon everybody, including yourself? I said, Im not going to pardon anybody. We didnt do anything wrong, Trump exclaimed. He went on to comment on the legal scrutiny he faced when he was out of the office. I went through four years of hell by this scum that we had to deal with. I went through four years of hell, Trump said of his legal battles. I spent millions of dollars in legal fees, and I won. But I did it the hard way. Its really hard to say that they shouldnt have to go through it also. It is very hard to say it. He went on to defend pardoning nearly all of the roughly 1,500 defendants charged in connection to the Jan 6 riots in the Capitol Hill, which rocked the building in 2021. Most of the people were absolutely innocent, okay? But forgetting all about that, these people have served horribly, a long time, Trump said, adding that it would be very, very cumbersome to go through the roughly 1,500 individuals charged. Advertisement Some of those people with the police, true, but they were very minor incidents, okay? You know that they get built up by that couple of fake guys that are on CNN all the time. They were very minor incidents. And it was time," he concluded. A new fast-moving wildfire prompted evacuation orders in the north of Los Angeles, California, raising fears among authorities who are already struggling to take control of the fires in the south read more California authorities issued an additional evacuation order after a new fast-moving wildfire emerged north of Los Angeles. The new fire became concerning since the citys southern side was trying to endure a new round of dangerous winds after being ravaged by five wildfires. The new and large wildfire broke out late Wednesday morning and quickly damaged nearly 5,000 acres of trees and brush. It sent up an enormous plume of dark smoke near Castaic Lake, a popular recreation area about 40 miles (64 km) from the devastating Eaton and Palisades fires, which have been burning for a third week. The authorities promptly took charge of the situation by deploying water-dropping aircraft in the region. Advertisement The California Highway Patrol said that at least three schools were evacuated as precautionary measures and the rescue crew is working towards ensuring that the fire does not spread southwards. According to The LA Times, the fire raged north of a large county jail complex. In light of this, the LA sheriffs department said the agency was moving 476 incarcerated people from the Pitchess detention centre to the North County correctional facility next door. Southern LA prepares for rain Meanwhile, southern LA officials are now preparing for potential rains as some residents were allowed to return to the charred Pacific Palisades and Altadena areas. The authorities maintained that gusty weather is more likely to last through Thursday. Were going to see another round of critical fire conditions across southern California, Todd Hall, a National Weather Service meteorologist, said on Wednesday morning. At this point, it sounds like a broken record. Amid the chaos, LA Mayor Karen Bass issued an executive order to expedite the cleaning efforts in burn areas to mitigate the environmental impacts of fire-related pollutants. She went on to order the crew to remove vegetation, shore up hillsides and reinforce roads ahead of the possible rain. LA county supervisors also approved an emergency motion to install flood control infrastructure and expedite the removal of sediment in fire-impacted areas. The orders came shortly after experts warned that a new set of toxic threats might take over LA. They emphasised that the ashes from homes and cars may contain remnants of a multitude of potentially hazardous materials, including lead, battery acid, arsenic and carcinogens found in plastic, used in their construction. They warned that wildfires increase the chances of mudslides by making the landscape more vulnerable to soil erosion. In January 2018, for example, storms hitting an area in Montecito that had burned in the weeks before triggered a mudslide that killed 23, The Guardian reported. To prevent something similar from happening, LA county supervisors are pushing for flood control installations. Meanwhile, new US President Donald Trump is scheduled to visit Los Angeles on Friday. With inputs from agencies. US President Donald Trump named Sean Curran as the new director of the US Secret Service. Curran played a crucial role in saving Trump from the first assassination attempt on him in Buttler Pennsylvania read more Days after assuming the Oval Office, US President Donald Trump named Sean Curran to serve as director of the US Secret Service. The president made the announcement on his social media platform Truth Social. In the post, Trump referred to Curran as a great patriot. Curran previously served as a special agent for Trumps security for four years. It is my great honour to appoint Sean Curran as the next Director of the United States Secret Service. Sean is a Great Patriot, who has protected my family over the past few years, and that is why I trust him to lead the Brave Men and Women of the United States Secret Service, the POTUS wrote in his post on Wednesday. Advertisement Sean has 23 years of Law Enforcement experience, starting his career in the Secret Service in 2001, as a Special Agent in the Newark Field Office, where he conducted protection, intelligence, investigations, recruitment, and logistics support for the district. During my First Term, Sean served as the Assistant Special Agent in Charge of the Presidential Protective Division, with direct oversight and responsibility of multiple protectees, and enhanced security plans for my residences, he added. During the first assassination attempt on Trump on July 13 in Butler Pennsylvania, Curran sprung to cover the president on stage preventing him from any injuries. He proved his fearless courage when he risked his own life to help save mine from an assassins bullet in Butler, Pennsylvania, Trump recalled the incident in his post. An outsider Trumps pick was seen based on the recommendations made by two bipartisan commissions who recommended in 2015 and earlier this year that the American presidents should choose an outsider to lead the agency. It is pertinent to note that, unlike other cabinet positions or the post of the FBI director, the new director of the Secret Service would not require a confirmation from the US Senate. With the Wednesday appointment, Curran will be replacing Ron Rowe, who has filled the role of acting director since July. Rowe had to step in when Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle resigned from the post following a major backlash over the federal agencys failure to prevent the would-be assassin from targeting Trump. At that time, the Secret Service was also condemned for failing to prevent two-rally goers from getting injured along with the death of 50-year-old attendee Cory Comperatore. It is pertinent to note that the top-ranking position will be Currans first job at the services headquarters. He is currently not a member of the Senior Executive Service, which comprises of highest ranking officials within the service. In the past, directors of the federal agencies have been picked among them. Advertisement Two days after the Senate, the US House of Representatives passed the Laken Riley Act, sending it to new President Donald Trumps table for final approval. The Act will be the first law signed by Trump after he assumed the Oval Office for the second time read more The US House of Representatives on Wednesday passed the controversial Laken Riley Bill sending it to the table of US President Donald Trump. The bill attracted attention since it requires the detention of undocumented immigrants who are charged with theft-related crimes. Many are now describing the measure as the first legislative victory for the new Trump administration. According to The Guardian, the House voted 263 to 158 in favour of the bill. 46 Democrats joined hands with the Republicans to give final passage to the legislation. It is pertinent to note that the Laken Riley Act was named after a 22-year-old nursing student in Georgia who was killed last year by an illegal immigrant from Venezuela. Advertisement The House vote on the law came two days after the US Senate passed the legislation in a vote of 64 to 35 in favour of the bill. A dozen of Democrats supported the legislation in the upper chamber of the House. What the bill is about? Under the new law, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) would be allowed to detain undocumented immigrants charged with crimes such as burglary, theft, larceny, or shoplifting. Not only this, it would also allow state attorney generals to sue the federal government if they believe their states were harmed by the centres failure to enforce stringent immigration laws. While several Democrats supported the legislation, progressives within the party expressed outrage over the lawmakers perceived acquiescence to Trumps anti-immigration agenda. Spineless. Thats the only word for the 10 Senate Democrats who handed Maga Republicans a gift they didnt deserve, Sarah Dohl, chief campaigns officer of the progressive group Indivisible, said last week. The Laken Riley Act is a racist, xenophobic attack on immigrants that shreds constitutional rights and hands power to extremists like [Texas attorney general] Ken Paxton to hijack federal immigration policy. Its not just cruel its a train wreck of chaos and bad faith. And yet, Senate Democrats caved, she furthered. Civil rights groups raise alarm Meanwhile, immigrant rights and civil rights groups also raised concerns over how the legislation could undermine the federal authorities. They also warned that the Act would empower Trump to carry out his draconian mass deportation program. Some groups also warned that the Laken Riley bill ignores the core principle of the justice system which believes that someone charged with a crime has not been convicted and is entitled to due process. This is an extreme and reactive bill that will authorize the largest expansion of mandatory detention we have seen in decades, sweeping in children, Dreamers, parents of US-citizen children and other longtime members of their communities who even Ice thinks should not be detained, Sarah Mehta, senior border policy counsel with the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), said last week as the bill made its way through Congress. Advertisement This legislation offers no solutions to improve our immigration system, and we thank the senators who stood up for immigrant communities and due process and voted against this harmful, expensive bill a bill that will not make us safer," she added. Trump is now expected to swiftly sign the bill the moment it reaches its desk. This will be the first law passed by the second Trump administration. Earlier this week, Trump has already used his executive authority to declare a national emergency at the US-Mexico border and call for an end to birthright citizenship, a right enshrined in the 14th Amendment of the Constitution. Advertisement With inputs from agencies. In a lengthy post on his social media platform Truth Social, Trump described the bishop as a Radical Left hard-line Trump hater adding that she brought her church into the World of politics in a very ungracious way read more U.S. President Donald Trump stands near Reverend Mariann Edgar Budde as he attends the National Day of Prayer Service at the Washington National Cathedral in Washington, US, January 21, 2025. Reuters The Right Rev Mariann Edgar Budde sparked headlines and garnered backlash from Trump after she used her sermon at the National Cathedral prayer to raise concerns about immigrants and LGBTQ+ individuals. In a lengthy post on his social media platform Truth Social, Trump described the bishop as a Radical Left hard-line Trump hater adding that she brought her church into the World of politics in a very ungracious way. During the prayer service, Budde urged Trump to have mercy upon immigrants and LGBTQ+ people. Trump eventually described the bishops tone as nasty and called the service boring and unsurprising. He asked Budde to issue a public apology. However, the reverend stood tall on her stance and refused to apologise for her remarks. Advertisement Many eventually saw the bishop and her remarks as the symbol of resistance to the far-right ideology that has taken over the United States in recent years. During her sermon, Budde asked Trump to show mercy to scared individuals, including gay, lesbian and transgender children in Democratic, Republican and independent families some, of who she said fear for their lives. The remarks from the Bishop came while Trump was sitting in front of her with First Lady Melania Trump, Vice President JD Vance and his wife Usha Vance. Who is Mariann Edgar Budde? The 65-year-old reverend was the first woman to serve as the spiritual leader of the Episcopal Diocese of Washington. She was elected to the role back in 2011 and before that, she served as the rector of St Johns Episcopal church in Minneapolis for 18 years. Our God teaches us that we are to be merciful to the stranger, for we were once strangers in this land, the bishop asked the president at the summon. Interestingly, this was not the first time that Budde has called out Trumps radical policies and clashed with the Republican firebrand. During the business moguls first stint in the White House, Budde published an opinion piece in the New York Times condemning the president. In the article published in June 2020, she expressed outrage over Trumps appearance in front of St Johns Episcopal Church in Washington DC, when he held up a Bible for a photo-op after federal officers used force to clear a crowd of peaceful protesters demonstrating against the death of George Floyd. At that time, Budde wrote that Trump had used sacred symbols to cloak himself in the mantle of spiritual authority while espousing positions antithetical to the Bible that he held in his hands." In the same month, she told ABC News that she had given up speaking to President Trump, adding: We need to replace President Trump. We need leadership that will lead us in the ways that this country deserves, she remarked. A supporter of justice concerns On the Episcopal Diocese of Washington website, Budde is described as an advocate and organizer in support of justice concerns, including racial equity, gun violence prevention, immigration reform, the full inclusion of LGBTQ+ persons, and the care of creation. She earned her bachelors degree in history from the University of Rochester. Meanwhile, she obtained her masters in divinity and a doctor of ministry from Virginia Theological Seminary. She and her husband, Paul, have two adult sons and are also grandparents, CBS News reported. Apart from the ministerial duties, Budde had authored three books. They are titled How We Learn to Be Brave: Decisive Moments in Life and Faith, Receiving Jesus: The Way of Love, and Gathering Up the Fragments: Preaching as Spiritual Practice. Advertisement Budde stands tall Following Trumps remarks, Budde made it clear that she will not apologise for her remarks. She told Time that she has heard from many people who are grateful that someone was willing to speak on their behalf as well as those who have said they do wish me dead, and thats a little heartbreaking. I dont hate President Trump. I strive not to hate anyone and I dare say that I am not of the radical left either, whatever that means. That is not who I am, the bishop responded to Trumps remarks. I am not going to apologize for asking for mercy for others. she furthered. She maintained a similar stance during her appearance on The View. As I was pondering what are the foundations of unity, I wanted to emphasize respecting the honour and dignity of every human being, basic honesty and humility, she told the co-host of the show. Knowing that a lot of people in our country right now are really scared, I wanted to take the opportunity in the context of that service for unity, to say we need to treat everyone with dignity, and we need to be merciful, I was trying to counter the narrative that is so so divisive and polarizing, and in which people, real people, are being are being harmed," she concluded. Advertisement The government and United Nations have estimated that armed rebellion has led to the deaths of 80 people while dozens have been kidnapped and tens of thousands have been displaced read more A displaced woman from recent clashes between armed leftist groups carries a child as she stands outside of the Argelino Duran Quintero Coliseum in Ocana, Norte de Santander Department, Colombia on January 22, 2025. AFP At least 80 people have died and 32,000 have been displaced in Colombia in the wake of armed attacks by guerillas that prompted authorities to reinstate arrest warrants against them. The President Gustavo Petro-led government on Wednesday unfroze the arrest warrants against 31 leaders from the National Liberation Army or ELN. The group is formed of a 5,800-strong leftist militia and is involved in illicit drug trafficking. The ELN is accused of carrying out a series of attacks against rival militants in the countrys mountainous and lawless border region with Venezuela. Advertisement The government and United Nations have estimated that the violence has led to the deaths of 80 people while dozens have been kidnapped and tens of thousands have been displaced. Petro declared a state of emergency, suspended peace talks and deployed some 5,000 soldiers to the area. Despite Petros vow to bring war to the ELN, the Colombian military has so far only edged into rebel-controlled territory, establishing observation posts and carrying out patrols in urban areas. The recent violence brings back painful memories of a six-decade-long civil war that has killed as many as 450,000 people. However, Colombians are against peace talks between ELN and the government as they think the formers security strategy is flawed, recent polls have shown. Despite its ideological foundations, the group is one of the worlds largest players in the cocaine trade and engages in extortion, hostage-taking and trafficking of various goods. They were trying to take control of the Colombian-Venezuelan border, said Colombian interior minister Juan Fernando Cristo, with a strategic aim of gaining criminal incomes. Petro, himself a former leftist guerrilla, has tried for years to bring the ELN and other groups to the negotiating table. After a short-lived ceasefire and on-again-off-again talks, the latest ELN offensive has shattered hopes that the group is ready to disarm. Advertisement With inputs from AFP Even though former Vice President remains the most well-known active Democratic leader nationally, there are a number of rising stars and ambitious state officials in the party who would be eyeing the partys nomination in 2028 read more In the United States, the presidential elections are usually make or break moments for party leaders. Most of the people would not remember the losing challengers of Barak Obama in 2008 or 2012 or George W Bush in 2000 or 2004. Is that going to be the fate of former Vice President Kamala Harris who suffered a historic defeat at the hands of President Donald Trump? In November, Trump did not just win the presidency by Electoral College but also by popular vote a first for a Republican in decades. The Republicans under him also flipped the control of the Senate. Moreover, Trump won all battleground states and made victorious gain in nearly every demographics including traditional Democratic-leaning groups such as Black and Hispanic Americans. Advertisement While former President Joe Biden had essentially retired when he bowed out of the contest, Harris has not indicated whether she is retiring from electoral politics. Whether she takes up the role of an elder statesperson like Barak Obama or returns to fight another day like Biden did but Biden never lost as a presidential candidate as the hopeful successor of his boss remains to be seen. Former Vice President Kamala Harris Despite the baggage of her loss, Harris is the most recognised national leader of the Democratic Party. Harris is connected to most donors, has human resources from her campaign she can tap into, has governance experience, and has an opportunity to learn from mistakes and emerge stronger the next time. Whether that happens remains to be seen, but, for these reasons, she still remains at the top of potential Democratic nominees in the next presidential election in 2028. There are already signs that Democrats are open to keeping Harris on ticket in 2028. The Hills Amie Parnes noted in an article that its Biden who has received the lions share of criticism for the defeat and not Harris. In many ways, this was still Joe Bidens race. Even though she was the nominee in the end, she still had a number of constraints, including the fact that she couldnt maneuver to distance herself from him when she needed to, Parnes quoted one ally of Harris as saying. An Emerson weeks after the election showed Harris leading potential contenders of the party for the 2028 election. Advertisement However, even if not her baggage of electoral defeat, an unlikely factor may keep her off the ticket in 2028: her gender. The 2020 electoral loss was not just Harris defeat but a victory of manosphere over a womans platform. Trump won on a platform that sought to curb womens reproductive rights, transgenders rights, and mock gay persons. The reality that the three elections that Trump contested, both of his victories were scored against women cannot be ignored. Parnes summed up the case against Harris candidature: The last two times Democrats nominated a woman to be their presidential standard-bearer, their candidate lost to Trump. There will be some Democrats who will want to go in a different direction. Harris also led a billion-dollar campaign that lost. And her campaign was far from perfect. There are some Democrats who think it would be foolish to choose the same nominee in 2028 who lost in 2024. Advertisement California Governor Gavin Newsom California Governor Gavin Newsom is a top Democrat who has made a name for himself as a champion of liberal values. For this reason, he is a darling of many in the Democratic Party and a villain of Trump and his far-right allies. The Hills Parnes called Newsom a bulwark for Democrats against Trump. There are already signs that Newsom is preparing to lead the Democratic resistance to Trumps assault on liberal values. He has taken measure to fortify state laws to minimise the effect on his state of Trumps executive orders and incoming legislative agenda. Jared Leopold, a Democratic strategist and former top official at the Democratic Governors Association, told NBC News that Newsom along with a small bunch of high-profile Democrats is a household name for most Democrats, indicating that he could rise to the occasion. Notably, he was in the shortlist to be Harris running mate in the 2020 election. Advertisement In 2023, Newsom was also seen as a Democratic candidate for 2024 election. He had debated soundly with Ron DeSantis, who was seen as a Republican nominee-worthy leader at the time, and had toured several Republican states to popularise himself with the voters. Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear Andy Beshear is the unlikely Democratic governor of the conservative state of Kentucky. While the idea of attracting moderate voters failed in the 2020 election, if Beshear can bring a new approach to reach out, then he could perhaps bring moderates from across the spectrum to the Democrats fold again to build a coalition to challenge Trump. In 2023, Beshear won Kentucky despite Trump winning it in 2020 by a margin of 26 per cent. He was also on the shortlist to be Harris running mate. Advertisement Illinois Governor JB Pritzker Illinois Governor JB Pritzker is among the ambitious Democratic governors who would be eyeing the nomination in 2028. Along with Newsom and the likes of Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer and Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro, Democratic strategist Jared Leopold told NBC News that Pritzker is a household name for most Democrats. Pritzker is popular among the progressives in the party and can emerge in the coming years as a leader of resistance to Trump. Pritzker has a number of legislative victory to buttress his record, such as securing reproductive rights and raising minimum wage. The Hills Parnes noted that Democrats have applauded the way Pritzker went after Trump the day after he emerged as the winner. To anyone who intends to come, take away the freedom and opportunity and dignity of Illinoisans, I would remind you that a happy warrior is still a warrior. You come for my people, you come through me, said Pritzker at the time. Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer has long been seen as a national leader for Democrats. The Hills Parnes noted that a section of the Democratic Party feels that Whitmer could have been a stronger candidate than Harris had there been an open primary process to select the nominee. Whitmer was seen as a top contender to be Bidens running mate in 2020 before he picked Harris. In 2022, Whitmer won a landslide victory to win a second term as Michigans governor. As her current term is her second and final as governor, there are hopes that she would make a leap to the national scene. Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson told NBC News that people love her and she has what it takes to bring people together and lead our country. In March 2024, Whitmer indicated she intends to run for office nationally. She told her supporters when she said at event see you in 2029. However, Whitmer being a woman may face the same fundamental challenge as Harris, according to The Hills Parnes. The next nominee is always a referendum on the last one. I think Harris ran a much better race than anyone couldve asked for, [but] the obvious takeaway is going to be that we shouldnt run a woman of color or a woman at all. Sucks, but I dont see people having a different analysis, Democratic strategist Christy Setzer told Parnes. Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro has been the rising star of the Democratic Party in recent years who has emerged stronger from the loss of Harris. Shapiro was the finalist to be Harris running mate. Harris eventually chose Minnesota Governor Tim Walz. There are already questions among Democrats whether Shapiros presence could have made some difference in the election. One Democratic donor told The Hill, Well never know how that would play out, but he certainly got a lot of attention for it and I know a lot of us think he definitely has the chops to one day run for higher office. He has a certain gravitas. Shapiro is also the leader of the crucial swing state of Pennsylvania. His blue-collar background and sway over the swing state could bolster his chances if he decides to run for the top office of the land someday. However, Shapiro may face an unlikely roadblock: his religion. As antisemitism is highest in decades in the United Stats, with extremists both on the right and left targeting Jews systematically since the Hamas attack on Israel, some observers have said that his religious identity may work against him politically. Yoon is accused of conspiring to undermine South Koreas constitutional order. Yoon argued that the martial law declaration was not a failed martial law, but rather one that ended a bit sooner than he expected read more Impeached South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol appeared in court Thursday (January 23) to present his defence against charges related to his controversial declaration of martial law. While Yoon insisted his actions were misinterpreted, investigators pushed for him to be charged with insurrection and abuse of power after concluding a 51-day probe into the incident. Courtroom defence amid mounting accusations Yoon, who is currently suspended from his duties, argued before the Constitutional Court that he didnt believe his short-lived December 3 martial law declaration was a failed martial law, but rather one that ended a bit sooner than he expected. During the session, Yoon directly questioned former Defence Minister Kim Yong-hyun, who resigned following the fallout. Kim testified that Yoon reluctantly approved the martial law, claiming, The president wasnt as meticulous as usual. Advertisement As far as I recall, on the night of December 1 or 2, you brought the proclamation to the residence, Yoon said, adding that in reviewing the draft declaration, he saw many legal flaws. Yoon also asked Kim if he remembered the situation where we laughed as I said, lets just leave it (the martial law) as it is since it is not feasible. Critics questioned Yoons direct confrontation of witnesses, with lawmaker Choi Ki-sang calling it a tactic to influence testimonies or create psychological pressure. The Constitutional Court is now weighing whether to formally remove Yoon from office. A ruling in favour of impeachment would force South Korea to hold a presidential election within 60 days. Insurrection and abuse of power allegations As Yoon defended his case in court, the Corruption Investigation Office (CIO) handed prosecutors a report recommending he face criminal charges. The CIO accused Yoon of conspiring with his former defence minister and military commanders to undermine South Koreas constitutional order. Yoon declared martial law with the intent to exclude state authority or disrupt the constitutional order, thereby inciting riots, Corruption Investigation Office (CIO) Deputy Chief Lee Jae-seung said. Investigators alleged that Yoon ordered troops to storm the National Assembly and prevent lawmakers from voting down his decree. The martial law lasted just six hours before being struck down by lawmakers, who later impeached Yoon and suspended him from duties. Advertisement The CIO also alleged that Yoon abused his authority by compelling police officers from the National Assembly Guard Unit and martial law forces to perform duties beyond their obligations. Uncooperative stance Yoon was arrested last week in a dawn raid, becoming the first sitting South Korean president detained in a criminal probe. Since his arrest, he has refused questioning. Yoons security detail also obstructed searches and seizures, including access to secure communication devices like classified phones, Lee said. Given his uncooperative stance, investigators have decided it would be more efficient for prosecutors to handle the case. Prosecutors now have 11 days to decide whether to formally charge Yoon, which would lead to a criminal trial. With inputs from agencies POCO is back with the POCO X7 Pro, the companys next smartphone in the X series, as the successor to the popular POCO X6 Pro. Once again, we have impressive on-paper specs including a 1.5K 120Hz AMOLED display with Dolby Vision, Dimensity 8400 Ultra SoC, a major upgrade from Dimensity 8300 Ultra, and the battery has also increased to 6550mAh battery. Is the phone worth the price? Let us dive into the review to find out. Box Contents POCO X7 Pro 5G 12GB + 256GB in Black colour 90W fast charger USB Type-C Cable SIM Ejector tool Protective case Screen protector (Pre-installed) User guide Display, Hardware and Design Starting with the display, the POCO X7 Pro has a 6.67-inch 1.5K AMOLED display with a pixel resolution of 2712 x 1220 pixels, 20:9 aspect ratio and a pixel density of about 445 PPI. This is almost similar to the screen in the X6 Pro, but this offers up to 3200 nits peak brightness, compared to 1800 nits in the predecessor. It is bright outdoors or watching HDR content. It has 100% DCI-P3 Color Gamut, so the colours are vibrant. The phone has a 120Hz refresh rate display and 480Hz touch sampling rate. When enabled, it offers a buttery smooth user experience, especially when you are scrolling through the UI and when gaming. The phone has a 1920Hz high-frequency dimming technology. In dark environments, the phone will automatically switch to 1920Hz PWM dimming mode to maintain accurate colors on display with a more comfortable eye experience. It also has HDR 10+ support, which works for YouTube and Amazon Prime Video and there is Dolby Vision which works for Netflix. Under the display options, there are different options to adjust colours and contrast based on your preference with Original colour PRO option. It also has Super resolution, AI HDR enhancement for videos, and there is also MEMC. The phone has an always-on-display option, which can be enabled from display settings. The phone comes with Corning Gorilla Glass 7i protection. The phone has a tiny punch-hole that houses a 20-megapixel camera, which doesnt disturb when watching videos since it just occupies a small space. Above the display there is an earpiece on the top edge which also doubles up as a secondary speaker. It has an ultra-narrow bottom bezel. Coming to the button placements, the volume rockers and the power button are present on the right side of the phone. The dual SIM slot, loudspeaker grill, primary microphone and USB Type-C port are present on the bottom. It doesnt have a microSD expansion slot. On the top there is a vent for the speaker, secondary microphone and an infrared sensor. Since the phone has a plastic frame, you dont see any antenna cutouts. The flat frame offers a good grip to hold and doesnt attract fingerprints. The back of the phone also has a plastic finish, so it doesnt feel premium. In addition to the Black colour that we have, the phone also comes in POCO Yellow with a vegan leather finish and Nebula Green colours in India. The phone is just 8.2 thick, and weighs 195 grams even though it packs a 6550mAh battery. The phone has IP66 + IP68 certification and also has IP69 support for dust and water resistance compared to IP54 ratings in the X6 Pro, which is a major upgrade. Camera 50MP main camera with 1/1.95 Sony LTY-600 sensor, f/1.5 aperture, OIS, EIS 8MP ultra-wide camera with f/2.2 aperture 20MP front camera with 1/4 OV20B sensor, f/2.2 aperture The camera UI is familiar with other Xiaomi or POCO smartphones running Hyper OS 2. You get all the features such as Pro, Night, 50MP, Short Video, Panorama, VLOG, Slow motion, Time-lapse, Dual video, AI watermark, Long exposure and Pro mode lets you adjust white balance, focus, shutter speed (1/4000s to 30 seconds), ISO (50 to 6400) and option to select main, and ultra-wide lens. You can enable focus peaking, exposure verification and more options. Coming to the image quality, daylight shots came out well with good dynamic range. After pixel binning technology, you get 12MP output from all main camera. HDR shots are better with improved dynamic range. 8MP wide-angle shots are decent. It is a good thing that there is no 2MP macro camera, which was not useful. The 20MP front camera is good, and you get full 20MP output. Lowlight camera performance is decent, but it could have been better. Check out the camera samples. It can record videos at 4k resolution at 60 fps, and it also has slow motion 1080p at up to 240 fps and there is interpolation to 960 fps. You can also shoot 1080 30 fps videos using the front camera and ultra-wide camera. There is no HDR video option, which you can enable from settings. OIS in the main camera does its job, and there is a separate ultra-steady mode that uses both OIS and EIS, but it switches to 1080p. Software, UI and Apps This is the first POCO phones to run HyperOS 2 out of the box. It has got December 2024 Android security patch. The company has promised 3 OS updates and 4 years of security updates for the phone, which is good. HyperOS 2 brings several customization options such as upgraded lock screen setup with personalized customization, Dynamic Effects Across Screens, 3D Real-Time Weather System, Upgraded Xiaomi Interconnectivity, Link to Windows and more There are also AI features such as AI Notes, AI Recorder, AI Interpreter and AI subtitles. You also get AI-powered editing features like expand, reflection remover, erase and sky replacement. There are some minor bugs in HyperOS 2 like crashes when you create a homescreen folder, but these can be fixed in the update. Since the phone has an infrared sensor for remote function, it comes with Mi Remote that lets you control your home appliances easily. Out of 12GB LPDDR5X RAM, you get 11.05GB of usable RAM, and about 5GB of RAM is free when default apps are running in the background. It also has up to 12GB of memory extension or virtual RAM, which you can disable from additional settings. Out of 256GB UFS 4.0 storage, you get about 225GB of free storage. Apart from the usual set of utility apps, Google apps and POCOs own set of apps, it comes preloaded with Netflix, Amazon, Facebook, LinkedIn, Spotify, Snapchat and a couple of games. It also asks for additional app installation during setup, which you can skip. You can easily uninstall these apps, but these come up when you reset the phone. Even though there is personalized ads option during set up and recommendations in all the apps, you dont get any ads in apps. Fingerprint sensor and Face unlock The phone has an in-display fingerprint sensor. You can add up to 5 fingerprints. You can also use the fingerprint for app local and payments in apps. There are also options to change the fingerprint animation. The phone also has face unlock, but it is not that secure. Music Player and Multimedia The Mi Music Player is the default music player with usual POCO audio effects and equalizer. It also doesnt have FM Radio, but comes with Dolby Atmos, and the phone has stereo speakers that offer an excellent audio experience, and Audio through earphones is good as well. It has Widevine L1 support, so you can play HD content on Netflix, Amazon Prime Video and other streaming apps without any issues. The phone also supports Dolby Vision for Netflix and HDR10+ for Amazon Prime Video. Vibration motors are good, so the haptic feedback is good as well. Dual SIM and Connectivity It supports 5G, and has support for several 5G Bands SA: n1/3/5/7/8/20/26/28/38/40/41/66/77/78/2/48 and NSA: n1/3/5/7/8/28/38/40/41/77/78. There is also support for Dual 4G VoLTE and phone supports carrier aggregation as well. Other connectivity options include Dual-Band Wi-Fi 6 802.11 ax. It has VoWiFi / Wi-Fi calling support, Bluetooth 5.4 LE, GPS, Glonass, Beidou, and there is also NFC support. It also has USB OTG support that lets you connect USB drives. Call quality is good, and we did not face any call drops and the earpiece volume was loud. It has Xiaomi dialer instead of Google dialer seen in some Xiaomi phones. The POCO X7 Pros body SAR is 0.773W/Kg and head SAR is at 0.876/Kg, that is well under the limit of 1.6 W/kg (over 1 g) in India. Performance and Benchmarks This is one of the first phone to be powered by MediaTek Dimensity 8400-Ultra 4nm processor, which is a major upgrade from the Dimensity 8300-Ultra in the predecessor. This has 1x Arm Cortex-A725 at 3.25GHz, 3x Arm Cortex-A725 at 3.0GHz, and 4x Arm Cortex-A725 at 2.1GHz. The SoC is fabricated using the TSMCs second generation 4nm process technology. The phone 5000mm stainless steel VC cooling, ultra-thin 3D IceLoop system. The Mali-G720 MC6 GPU with POCOs Wildboost 3.0 optimization for high quality image rendering, high fps and has a new UI. We did not face any issues or frame drops in the graphic-intensive games like COD, BGMI and Genshin Impact. It reached maximum 43 in our testing indoors in 5G, but this might vary outdoors. In 3D Mark wild life stress test, it scored 49.3%, which is decent, but POCO F6 is higher. The temperature shot up from 30 to 52 degrees, which is almost similar to the POCO F6. That said, check out some synthetic benchmark scores below. As you can see, the POCO X7 Pro is better than the Snapdragon 8s Gen 3 that powers the POCO F6 and the realme GT 6. Battery life Coming to the battery life, the phone packs a 6550mAh (typical) built-in carbon silicon battery compared to 5000mAh in the POCO X6 Pro, and this is the highest on a POCO phone till date. This lasts for more than a day, even with heavy use. With minimal use on Wi-Fi, it should last for over 2 days. I got over 6 hours of screen on time with 2 and half days of mixed use on 5G and Wi-Fi in 120Hz. There is 5G battery saver, boost charging and more features in the battery settings. Since the phone has support for 90W fast charging, it can charge up to 50% in about 20 minutes and up to 100% in about 45 minutes. The phone now shows charging cycles. It promises 1600 times of four-year durable long cycle, ultra-long service life. Conclusion At a starting price of Rs. 27,999, the POCO X7 Pro is another value-for-money offering from POCO, making it a performance powerhouse. There are upgrades in the SoC, battery life and the waterproof ratings has also improved. The front camera and low-light camera performance from the rear camera are decent, but could have been better. Alternatives The POCO F6 at a less price with offers is a better deal if you can compromise on the battery life since the gaming performance is better. The realme GT 6T is also a good option, and the iQOO Neo 10 series is also expected soon. Pricing and availability The POCO X7 Pro is priced at Rs. 27,999 for the 8GB + 256GB, and Rs. 29,999 for the 12GB + 256GB model. It is available from Flipkart. Pros 1.5K 120Hz AMOLED display with HDR10+ and Dolby Vision is brilliant Smooth performance and good gaming performance Good build, IP66 + IP68 ratings and IP69 support Android 15 with a promise of 3 OS updates Excellent battery life with 90W fast charging Cons Bloatware Gets heated quickly on intensive gaming Samsung introduced the Galaxy S25 series smartphone, including the Galaxy S25 Ultra, globally at its Galaxy Unpacked event yesterday. As rumored, all the models in the Galaxy S25 series pack 12GB of RAM as standard in most markets, including India. However, some Asian markets like Korea, China and Taiwan are getting a 16GB + 1TB model for the Galaxy S25 Ultra, and South Korea is getting both the 12GB + 1TB and 16GB + 1TB models. In South Korea, the 12GB + 1TB model costs 2,127,400 won (USD 1479 / INR 1,27,965 approx.) and the 16GB + 1TB model is priced at 2,249,500 won (USD 1564 / INR 1,35,310 approx.), but it comes only in Titanium Jet Black colour and is a Samsung.com exclusive model. However, in China and Taiwan, the 16GB + 1TB model replaces the 12GB + 1TB model. It is available in all the colours available, including the online-exclusive colours in China, and costs 13,699 yuan (USD 1881 / INR 1,62,740 approx.). In Taiwan, the 16GB + 1TB model is priced at NT$ 56,900 (USD 1737 / INR 1,50,280 approx.) and comes in Titanium Black and Titanium Sky Blue colours. These are already available for pre-order in these countries and will roll out starting from February 7th. It is not clear if Samsung is planning to introduce the 16GB model of the S25 Ultra to other markets in the future. Google has announced a new agreement with HTC, bringing selected members of HTCs VIVE XR engineering team to Google, with the deal subject to customary closing conditions. This collaboration marks a significant step for both companies in the growing XR (Extended Reality) industry. Key Points of the Agreement: Financial Terms: HTC will receive $250 million in cash from Google. Employee Transition: Selected members of HTCs XR team will join Google as part of the agreement. Intellectual Property: Google will acquire a non-exclusive license for HTCs XR-related intellectual property (IP). Future Collaboration: Both companies will explore potential future collaboration opportunities. HTC has emphasized that this agreement will support its continued focus on XR technology development while ensuring that its existing product lines remain unaffected. The company remains dedicated to advancing its VIVE XR products, including the VIVE Focus Vision, with no interruption in support or innovation. For Google, this acquisition further strengthens its commitment to advancing the Android XR platform and expanding its headset and glasses ecosystem. By gaining a highly skilled team with extensive expertise in the VR/XR space, Google enhances its capabilities in the XR industry, further cementing its investment in Taiwan as a key technology and innovation hub. The transaction is expected to close in the first quarter of 2025, pending the completion of customary closing conditions. Regarding the deal with HTC and the transition of HTCs VIVE XR engineering team to Google, a Google spokesperson stated: Sony today unveiled its upcoming BURANO Version 2.0 firmware update, designed to significantly enhance the cameras capabilities based on feedback from its user community. New Recording Formats and High Frame Rates BURANO Version 2.0 introduces several new recording formats, offering filmmakers more flexibility in capturing footage. A standout feature is the new 3.8K Full Frame crop mode, which utilizes almost the entire sensor and supports up to 120 fps. Additionally, a 1.9K mode is now available, enabling recording at up to 240 fps. Other key recording formats include: Full Frame: 3.8K 16:9 mode, up to 120 fps (XAVC and X-OCN). Super 35: 4.3K 4:3 mode (Anamorphic), up to 60 fps (X-OCN only). Super 35: 1.9K 16:9 mode, up to 240 fps (XAVC only). Version 2.0 also introduces a 1.8x de-squeeze setting, enhanced high frame rate (S & Q) modes with frame rates ranging from 66 fps to 110 fps, and the ability to record proxies for 24.00 fps formats. Monitoring and Metadata Enhancements The firmware update brings substantial improvements to monitoring and metadata. It standardizes SDI video output for monitoring across X-OCN and XAVC, and adds new metadata features, including breathing compensation and image stabilization for X-OCN, as well as timecode and clip name metadata on SDI output. Additional monitoring enhancements in Version 2.0 include: An upgraded on-screen display that places camera status information outside the image frame. View Finder Gamma Display Assist for better monitoring when using S-Log3. 24V output added to the PL Mount Voltage menu. Compatibility with Focus/Iris/Zoom control for PL Mount lenses when using the optional GP-VR100 handgrip. Enhanced Image Output and Exposure Tools BURANO Version 2.0 also improves image output, particularly when using preset S-Log3 looks or 3D User LUTs. The update enhances autofocus performance at frame rates of 23.98, 24, 25, and 29.97. New exposure tools derived from the VENICE camera system include High/Low Key adjustments, and white balance memory presets have expanded from 3 to 8. Active/High Image Stabilization is now supported in Full-Frame crop 6K and Super 35 1.9K 16:9 modes. User-Friendly Functionality and Additional Features The update further enhances usability with the addition of media formatting directly from the status screen. It also includes settings for CAM ID and Reel Number, which are particularly useful for documentary and reality TV production. The factory default frequency setting is changed from 59.94 to 23.98p, and a reset to factory defaults option is now available for convenience. BURANO Version 2.0 also includes new functionality for live events and multicam setups: Variable ND control via RCPs. Improved camera control through Camera Remote SDK. Tally control for devices connected via LAN. Availability BURANO Version 2.0 will be available in India starting in March 2025. Corning Incorporated has rolled out its new Corning Gorilla Armor 2, featured on the recently launched Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra. This glass ceramic cover material is scratch-resistant and anti-reflective, specifically designed for mobile devices. The Galaxy S25 Ultras front display showcases this groundbreaking material, marking a major advancement in mobile display technology. Corning noted that Gorilla Armor 2 combines exceptional toughness with clear display quality. Gorilla Armor 2 is more durable than the first-generation Gorilla Armor. Devices equipped with Gorilla Armor 2 are better suited to handle daily wear and tear. The material is engineered to resist damage, such as breakage, when dropped on tough surfaces. Gorilla Armor 2s anti-reflective properties reduce surface reflections both indoors and outdoors, improving display contrast and user experience. Cornings lab tests showed that Gorilla Armor 2 survived drops of up to 2.2 meters on concrete-like surfaces, while other materials failed from one meter. Gorilla Armor 2 offers over four times more scratch resistance compared to competitive lithium-aluminosilicate cover glasses with an anti-reflective coating. Samsungs use of Gorilla Armor 2 in the Galaxy S25 Ultra highlights their ongoing partnership with Corning and their shared focus on innovation and customer satisfaction. Speaking about the Galaxy S25 Ultra, Kwangjin Bae, EVP and Head of the Mechanical R&D Team of Mobile eXperience Business at Samsung Electronics, said, The Galaxy S25 Ultra marks a major step forward in offering our users the most resilient mobile experience to date. Our ongoing partnership with Corning continues to break new ground in display performance, ensuring we meet the ever-changing needs of consumers around the world. Speaking about the collaboration, David Velasquez, Vice President and General Manager of Corning Gorilla Glass, said, China-Israel innovation park marks 10th anniversary in Tel Aviv Xinhua) 10:53, January 23, 2025 JERUSALEM, Jan. 22 (Xinhua) -- The 10th-anniversary celebration of the China-Israel Changzhou Innovation Park was held Wednesday in Tel Aviv, Israel's economic hub. Addressing the event, Chinese Ambassador to Israel Xiao Junzheng highlighted the park's significance, which was officially inaugurated in January 2015. To date, the park has attracted nearly 300 joint ventures and facilitated nearly 60 technological cooperation projects. The China-Israel Changzhou Innovation Park Co-construction Plan has also yielded significant results, with 70 Israeli companies applying to participate, 20 of which are now registered in the park, he said. Despite instability in the Middle East, Xiao affirmed China's unwavering commitment to deepening innovation cooperation and supporting the accelerated development of the park. He expressed China's readiness to achieve mutual benefits, establish more exemplary projects like the innovation park, and contribute certainty to bilateral ties. The event was attended by officials from the Israel Innovation Authority, as well as representatives from Israeli government, business, academic, and technology sectors. (Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Zhong Wenxing) How the EU responds to president Trumps challenges and why Calin Georgescu is a nightmare for Europe U.S. President Donald Trumps threats of a trade war persist, but EU leaders are responding calmly for now. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has announced an interest in expanding markets in China, India, and South America. The biggest question mark, however, concerns the U.S. commitment to Europes security. Leaders like French President Emmanuel Macron are already pushing for increased military spending within the bloc. Amid these uncertainties, a pro-Russia and anti-EU president like Calin Georgescu (a Romanian nationalist politician) would be a nightmare for the European Unions unity. The EU faces two major dilemmas under Trumps new term: the U.S. stance on Ukraine and broader European security, as well as Washingtons trade policies toward the EU. To effectively counter any negative decisions from the White House, the EU needs solidarity and unity. This is where Calin Georgescu becomes an unpredictable factor. A president like him could use his veto power against measures supporting Ukraine, sanctions on Russia, or a more coherent European defense policy. His presence would increase the number of EU vetoes, aligning with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, who is widely seen as a Trojan horse for Russia within the EU. While the EU has shown it can bypass such vetoes, doing so requires time and considerable effort. Both in diplomatic circles and financial markets, there is real anxiety over the possibility of a candidate like Calin Georgescu winning Romanias presidential elections. With openly pro-Russia, anti-EU, and anti-NATO views, Georgescu in office could lead to economic sanctions against Romania, similar to those imposed on Hungary. The freezing of EU funds is the easiest leverage Brussels could use, which would be disastrous for Romanias budget. However, its important to note that Calin Georgescu is not just an eccentric figure or a historical anomaly. He is the political product of economic nationalism, a movement that has gained dominance in Romanian society. This is evident in a survey conducted by Inscop for the organization Funky Citizens, which shows that while 88% of respondents reject leaving the EU and NATO, most believe foreign companies should be heavily taxed and that wealthier countries conspire to keep Romania poor. Georgescu and extremist/populist parties are now reaping the benefits of seeds planted by former Romanian leaders Victor Ponta and Liviu Dragnea since 2010. The Social Democratic Party (PSD), the former political alliance USL, and their affiliated media outlets have continuously fed Romanians the false narrative that Romania is a colony, despite statistical evidence showing a significant rise in living standards since the country joined the EU. However, this is part of a broader global trend. The Edelman Trust Barometer indicates that economic fears have turned into resentment, with 6 out of 10 respondents reporting moderate to high dissatisfaction. This sentiment stems from the belief that governments and businesses work against ordinary peoples interests, ultimately benefiting only the wealthy. The European Context Right now, the political and economic landscape that will define the EUand Romaniaover the next four years is taking shape. President Donald Trump continues to signal his dissatisfaction with the U.S.-EU trade deficit and has vowed to take actionspecifically through tariffs. China is taking advantage of us, but so is the European Union. They are very, very bad to us. They dont want our cars, they dont need our agricultural products. They take almost nothing () So were going to impose tariffs. Thats the only way well get our money back. Its the only way to create fairness, President Trump said on Wednesday. A few days earlier, he hinted at a possible bargaining chip: if the EU buys American natural gas and oil, the trade imbalance could be resolved. The White Houses threats have been met with measured responses from EU leaders. Macron, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, and von der Leyen have all maintained a remarkably calm tone in their public statements. The same approach has been taken by Romanian President Klaus Iohannis and Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu. All have expressed willingness to work with the new U.S. administration and a commitment to increasing defense spendingsomething Trump has consistently demanded. However, von der Leyen has already signaled that the EU is ready to strengthen ties with China, India, and South America if U.S. tariffs make the American market prohibitive. Whether these countrieseach with their own issues regarding protectionism, political unpredictability, and economic instabilitycan replace the worlds largest market remains uncertain. EU leaders believe they still hold a major bargaining chip: European legislation on the digital market and artificial intelligence. These regulatory frameworks could serve as powerful negotiation tools with the White House, as they provide mechanisms to impose heavy penaltieseven outright banson digital services from American tech giants. Of course, the Trump administration also has its own leverage against the EU. If negotiations fail and a trade war erupts, the consequences will be felt in every EU member state. Just one example: if German cars face higher tariffs and struggle to enter the U.S. market, Romanian suppliers to German automakers will also suffer. The Role of Calin Georgescu In the event of a trade war between Washington and Brussels, the EU has only one option: unity. If the 27 member states fail to quickly reach a consensus on countermeasures, individual countries will seek separate deals with the U.S., weakening the blocs collective strength. This is where Calin Georgescu becomes a critical factor. Its easy to predict how a president who has fully aligned his campaign with Trump and openly despises the EU would vote in the European Council. There are also lingering questions about the support Georgescu and the so-called sovereigntist movement receive from figures like Elon Musk and Donald Trump Jr. Its unclear whether they have President Trumps endorsement or are acting independently, but their backing aligns with their support for other far-right parties and leaders in Europe, such as Germanys AfD or the UKs Reform Party. Is Georgescu seen in Washington as another potential weak link in the EU? We dont know for sure yetonly indirect signals suggest this possibility. But what is shaping up to be Romanias nightmare may soon become Europes as well. Nathan graduated with his journalism degree from Auburn University in 2017. After growing up in the flatlands of rural Alabama with his parents and older sister, Nathan enjoys Western Colorado's natural resources and recreational opportunities. He currently covers education and business for The Daily Sentinel. Are you changing jobs soon? If so, youll obviously be interested in your new salary but youll also want to look at other financial considerations. Here are some of the most important ones: 401(k) If you had a 401(k) plan through your previous employer, youll need to decide what to do with it once youve joined a new employer. You could just cash it out, but youd pay taxes and possible penalties. You could leave your 401(k) with your previous employer, if allowed, and if you have been happy with your plans performance. Or you could move your 401(k) into your new employers plan, which might be a good choice if the new plan has lower fees and attractive investment options. Youd also want to ask whether the new employer offers matching contributions. Finally, you could roll over your old 401(k) into a traditional IRA, which would give you more investment choices. HSA/FSA If your new employer offers a health savings account (HSA) as part of a high-deductible health plan, you may want to take advantage of it. Your contributions are made with pre-tax dollars, your earnings generally grow tax deferred and your withdrawals are tax free, as long as theyre used for qualified medical expenses. Plus, you can carry unused funds through retirement, when you can still use them for qualified medical expenses. Your employer might also offer a flexible spending account (FSA), which can pay for a variety of health care costs, such as deductibles, co-payments and co-insurance. Generally, if youre contributing to an HSA, you cant fund an FSA in the same year, except for a limited purpose FSA. Waiting period for health benefits Youll want to ask your new employer if theres a waiting eligibility period to enroll in its benefits plan health insurance, dental, vision, and so on. If so, you may need to get COBRA coverage for a few months to stay in your old plan, unless you can be added to a spouses plan. When you go on your new employers health care plan, make sure you know what it covers. Depending on your situation, you might want to add supplemental health insurance. Life insurance When you leave a job, your employer-sponsored life insurance will end, unless you have the option to convert your group term life policy into an individual permanent cash value policy. So, youll want to be sure your new employer offers at least the same insurance coverage as your old one. But you should also determine whether the group policy offered by your employer is sufficient for your needs. Depending on several factors, such as your income, spouses income and family size, you may need to supplement your employers policy with an individual term life insurance policy. Other benefits Review your new employers benefits package carefully to see whats available. Many employers offer tuition reimbursement for their employees, and some even provide college planning assistance for employees children. For example, your employer might offer matching contributions to a tax-advantaged 529 education saving plan, which can be used for college, some K-12 expenses and some trade/vocational school programs. Changing jobs can provide you with an opportunity to expand your career, learn new skills and broaden your social network. And it can certainly be financially rewarding, too so make sure you know all the benefits involved. This article was written by Edward Jones for use by your local Edward Jones Financial Advisor. Saco, Glasgow and Opheim students traveled to Lambert, Mont., on Jan. 15, to compete in the Business Professionals of America (BPA) Chapter Region 8 conference. In order to make the trip, students had to get up really early in the morning to load the bus at their school, get to Lambert, and then compete. While in Lambert competing, some students missed finals that had to be made up, while also continue with their extra curricular activities upon returning back to their town. Saco School The Saco Business Professionals of America Chapter had a successful showing at the Region 8 BPA Conference in Lambert, Jan. 15, bringing home five first-place plaques. Participants who traveled and competed were Keevan Malmend, Laytin Erickson, Chase Albus, Jake Brown, Isabella Guardipee, Jessa Erickson Emerson Downing and Royce Strobbe. All competitors have qualified to attend the State BPA competition in Billings in March. They truly appreciate the generous sponsors whose support helped cover travel expenses and registration fees, making this achievement possible: Big Flat Electric, Blue Rock Distributing, First State Bank of Malta, FMDH, and Spencer Electric. The students are excited for the upcoming state event and are grateful for the continued community support. Opheim School Billy Still, John Yeska and Maria Still - Broadcast News, second place Billy Still - Management, Marketing, and Human Resource Management Concepts, fourth place Billy Still - Parliamentary Procedure Concepts, sixth place All students qualified for state in Billings. Glasgow High School Alexys Wittmeyer Medical Coding, first; Health Administration Procedures, eighth Riley Clampitt- Medical Coding, second Haleigh Huntsman - Parliamentary Procedure Team, third Laynee Simpson Parliamentary Procedures Concepts Open Test, seventh; Parliamentary Procedures Team, third Kolbi Ross Parliamentary Procedures Team, third; Business Law & Ethics, eighth; Small Business Management Team, second; Health Research Presentation, fourth Mayzie Yoakam Legal Office Procedures, seventh; Meeting and Event Planning Concepts Open, eighth Amelia Gilchrist Business Law & Ethics, second; Administrative Support Team, fourth; Management, Marketing & Human Resource Concepts Open, sixth; Health Research Presentation, second; Health Administration Concepts, seventh; Economic Research Individual, second; Economic Research Team, second Ryla Brown Administrative Support Team, fourth; Fundamental Desktop Publishing, seventh Molly Whitmer Website Design Team, second Mylee Rasmusan Website Design Team, second Guinevere Abern Fundamental Spreadsheet Applications, first; Health Insurance & Medical Billing, second; Business Law & Ethics, tenth; Meeting and Event Planning Concepts Open, eighth Rowen Kloker Management, Marketing, Human Resource Concepts Open, tenth; Information Technology Concepts Open, seventh; Digital Marketing Concepts Open, third; Computer Security, seventh; Payroll Accounting, fifth; Personal Financial Management, first; Administrative Support Concepts Open, third; Basic Office Systems & Procedures, seventh; Banking and Finance, ninth; Financial Math & Analysis Concepts Open, first Garrett Thompson Integrated Office Application, ninth; Computer Programming Concepts, sixth Kyler Whitman- Financial Math & Analysis Concepts, tenth; Payroll Accounting, third; Business Law & Ethics, seventh; Computer Security, ninth; and Information Technology Concepts Open, tenth Bridger Wesely Health Insurance & Medical Billing, ninth; Digital Marketing Concepts Open, sixth; Information Technology Concepts Open, fourth; Computer Security, fifth; Business Law & Ethic, fourth; Financial Math & Analysis Concepts Open, fifth; Payroll Accounting, eighth; Digital Communication & Design Concepts, sixth Harlyn Brandt Small Business Management, second; Parliamentary Procedures Team, third Riley Evenson-Glasoe Parliamentary Procedures Team, third; Advanced Office Systems & Procedures, tenth; Integrated Office Applications, sixth; Advanced Word Processing, seventh Mary Dykema Parliamentary Procedures Team, third; Digital Communications & Designs Concepts Open, fifth; Administrative Support Concepts Open, fifth; Economic Research Individual, first; Economic Research Team, second; Financial Math and Analysis Concepts Open, seventh Abigail Kulczyk-Parliamentary Procedures Team, third; Integrated Office Applications, eighth; Business Law & Ethics, third Emmah Mix - Advanced Spreadsheet Applications, first; Integrated Office Applications, fourth; Parliamentary Procedures Concepts Open, fifth; Parliamentary Procedures Team, third. The Glasgow Ice Dawgs Termites and Mites hosted the Glasgow Jamboree this past weekend, Jan. 17 through 19 at the Valley Event Center. A total of five organizations, from Sidney, Lewistown, Havre, Watford City and Miles City, with a combined total of... The Montana Cowboy Hall of Fame will celebrate the 17th class of inductions into the Montana Cowboy Hall of Fame Saturday, Feb. 8, at the Heritage Inn in Great Falls. The inductees were chosen from a field of candidates nominated by the general publi... Two Employees Honored During Fall Conference Courtesy Photo / For the Courier Courtesy Photo / For the Courier count During the annual holiday staff party on Jan. 11, staff members at Valley View Home were honored and celebrated for their years of service. Celebrating one year of service this year are Auroura Hankins, Gabriel Munroe, Emily Martell, Jody Carpenter,... In the early hours of Saturday, Jan. 11, Phillips County dispatch received a phone call from a guardian that a juvenile male was missing from their residence. The juvenile was on conditions of release for previous criminal activities. Phillips County... Overview of information influence activities Finnish Government Information influence activities are goal-oriented and systematic acts aimed at influencing public opinion, perceptions and behaviour and undermining the ability of society to function. Methods include disseminating false or misleading information, exerting pressure and using true information in a manipulative way. The goal of information influence activities is to weaken decision-making capacity, social cohesion and resilience. Selective or false information can be used to incite or exacerbate fears, uncertainties and conflicts in society. Targets can be swayed to make decisions that are harmful to them or to act against their own interests. Targets can counter the effects of this hostile behaviour by protecting their own functional capacity. The Prime Minister's Office produces an overview of information influence activities targeting Finland based on public sources at least once a year. The overview focuses on state influence activities targeted at Finland from outside its borders. Its purpose is to improve situational awareness regarding information influence activities. Review 2025 15 January 2025 The main perpetrator of information influence activities targeting Finland is Russia. Russia's information influence activities are not exceptional, nor is Finland Russia's primary target. Russia uses the same forms of information influence regardless of the target country. Russia's information influence activities directed at the West often feature threatening rhetoric intended to incite fear: Russia spreads false claims and information stating that support for Ukraine leads to financial difficulties and poses security risks. Russia presents NATO as a threatening and aggressive alliance and disseminates disinformation about its activities. According to Russia, Western sanctions and decision-making are rooted in anti-Russia sentiment and are not the result of Russia's illegal war of aggression in Ukraine. Number and nature of information influence activities Information influence activities directed at Finland are not significant in terms of the number of incidents, and their content is typical of that used by Russia in its information influence activities targeting the West. Prior to Finland's NATO membership, Russia's information influence activities were largely persuasive in nature, emphasising the importance of neighbourly relations and trade between Finland and Russia. After Finland joined NATO, Russia began to treat Finland in the same aggressive way it treats other NATO countries. The role of state media Russian state media is a key channel for Russia's influence activities. Russia does not have direct access to the Finnish information environment, so its influence activities often involve disseminating content to the general public in Finland through social and traditional media. Against this background, experts play an especially important role in providing context for this media content and combating its harmful effects. Key themes Russia's rhetoric and information influence activities related to Finland focus especially on Finland's NATO membership and relations between Finland and Russia. Themes include the increasingly tense security environment in the Baltic Sea region, and disinformation and speculation on the activities of the United States and other NATO countries in Finland. For example, Russia falsely claims that exercises conducted by Finland other NATO members and efforts to protect critical infrastructure pose a security threat. Support for Ukraine Russia's primary objective has been to weaken the West's support for Ukraine. The main targets of influence activities are the United States and other countries that supply greater quantities of defence materiel to Ukraine than Finland does. Finland's defence materiel support to Ukraine and its negative economic and security impacts on Finland have only been mentioned occasionally. Sanctions policy Russia's information influence activities present Western sanctions and political decisions as anti-Russia policies and not as a response to Russia's illegal war of aggression. Russia accuses the West of being unwilling to support peace in Ukraine at the same time as Russia attacks civilian targets in Ukraine. Propaganda about great power politics Russia frames NATO as part of the United States' great power politics. Finland's accession to NATO is a failure with respect to Russia's aspirations to be a great power. With this in mind, Russia has ramped up its narrative that NATO membership represents a loss of independence for Finland and other small states. The aim of these claims is to undermine the trust of Europeans and Finns in NATO. Downplaying Ukraine's successes Because of its unwillingness to recognise Ukraine's military successes, Russia considers it important to blame the West for getting involved in the war. Partly for this reason, disinformation has been disseminated on social media and digital platforms claiming that Western countries have been secretly participating in Ukrainian land operations and drone attacks on Russia. Disinformation about drone attacks launched from Finnish soil has been disseminated for more than a year. Shaping the information environment Russia's threatening and aggressive rhetoric and information influence activities will continue, as they are key tools of state power for Russia. Through its information influence activities, Russia aims to shape attitudes and expectations in a way it considers favourable. Russia's own population is often the target of these activities, but content has also been disseminated effectively in the Finnish information environment. Trust and unity A key strategic goal of Russia's information influence activities is to weaken alliances and communities. Russia is attempting to undermine trust in NATO and the United States in particular. Highlighting political conflicts and spreading disinformation in order to sow discord are traditional means used by perpetrators of information influence activities. Disinformation about NATO presence In the future, disinformation or misleading claims may be spread about Finland's NATO policy or about NATO forces or structures in Finland. This has previously happened in the Baltic States, for example. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Ex-general indicted for planning armed overthrow of government ROC Central News Agency 01/22/2025 08:55 PM Taipei, Jan. 22 (CNA) The Taiwan High Prosecutors Office said Wednesday that a former Taiwanese general and five others have been indicted for allegedly accepting funds from the Chinese Communist Party to assist in overthrowing Taiwan's government. In a news release, the office said that retired Army Major General Kao An-kuo () formed a pro-unification group called the "Republic of China Taiwan Military Government" that planned to act as armed collaborators in the event of an invasion by China. The group received funds of around NT$9.62 million (US$293,900) from China, which they sought to use to establish armed units and operational bases in Taiwan to facilitate the government's overthrow, the prosecutors said. Kao was indicted on Monday for violating Articles 2 and 7 of Taiwan's National Security Act alongside his girlfriend Liu (), two retired soldiers named Chang () and Chiu (), and two other men named Chen () and Hou (). The prosecutors have already been authorized to detain incommunicado the six suspects. The Ministry of Justice Investigation Bureau (MJIB) first received a report about Kao's activities in 2020. Thereafter, a national security team comprising personnel from the Taiwan High Prosecutors Office, the Taipei District Prosecutors Office, the MJIB, the Criminal Investigation Bureau, and the Ministry of National Defense was formed to investigate the group. Investigators launched two waves of searches in November 2024, in which 26 locations were raided and 47 people were questioned. According to the prosecutor's news release, Hou is suspected of directing Chang, Chen and Chiu to recruit active military personnel and gather intelligence on Taiwan's military infrastructure and deployments. Between 2017 and 2024, the suspects went to China on "multiple occasions" and received "instructions and funding" from "Chinese Communist Party military intelligence personnel," the prosecutors said. Hou and Chen are also formally accused of using drones to simulate the tracking of military radar vehicles in September 2024, and reporting the results to the Chinese authorities. "Kao An-kuo was a high-ranking general in Taiwan's Army. He was trained and entrusted with important tasks by the nation for a long time," the High Prosecutors Office said in the news release. "He should have had strong loyalty to the nation, but for personal gain, he failed to strictly uphold protocol," the prosecutors said. The High Prosecutors Office has urged the court to impose "heavy" minimum sentences of 10 years for Kao, eight years for Liu, eight years for Chang, six years for Hou, four and a half years for Chen, and three years and five months for Chiu. (By James Thompson and Hsieh Hsin-en) Enditem/ASG NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Prime Minister's Office to begin publishing overviews of Russian information influence activities targeting Finland Finnish Government Government Communications Department Publication date 22.1.2025 Press release The first publicly available overview of information influence activities targeting Finland sheds light on Russia's rhetoric and means of exerting influence. The overview of information influence activities discusses state influence activities targeting Finland with a primary focus on Russia. The overview is based on publicly available sources. The overview was drawn up by the Strategic Communications Team at the Prime Minister's Office and will be published on a yearly basis. The work is one component of the operating model for government security management, which is currently under development. "There has been a lot of talk about changes in the information environment over the past few years, and people are clearly interested in the topic. Prior to this, there has been no overview of information influence activities available to the public. This is one way the authorities can use their expertise to provide more information and contribute to the discussion," says Paivi Paasikoski, Director General at the Prime Minister's Office. Information influence activities target individuals and society The overview defines information influence activities as goal-oriented and systematic acts aimed at influencing public opinion and people's behaviour and undermining the ability of society to function. According to the overview, Russia's information influence activities focus on threatening and fear-inciting rhetoric that Russia aims to insert into the public debate in the target country. Key narratives include framing NATO as an aggressive alliance, criticising support for Ukraine and questioning the motives behind Western sanctions policy. Inquiries: Director General Paivi Paasikoski, Prime Minister's Office, tel. 0295 160 136 Senior Communications Specialist Saara Jantunen-Paju, Prime Minister's Office, tel. 0295 160 592 The email addresses of the Finnish Government are in the format firstname.lastname@gov.fi. The Strategic Communications Team at the Government Communications Department in the Prime Minister's Office was established in 2021. Its tasks include monitoring the information environment and drawing up communications recommendations for the Government and other authorities. Overview of information influence activities NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Israeli sources: Shin Bet director to resign IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency Jan 22, 2025 Tehran, IRNA -- Zionist sources announced that the Director of Israel's Security Agency (Shin Bet) Ronen Bar is likely to resign. According to Israel Channel 14, Bar will probably announce his resignation in the coming days. Meanwhile, the Israeli army chief of staff has announced his resignation over security and intelligence failure to prevent a surprise attack by Palestinian resistance groups on October 7, 2023. Halevi notified prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu and war minister Israel Katz on Tuesday that he will resign from his post effective March 6. "My responsibility for this terrible failure accompanies me every day and every hour. This will continue for the rest of my life," he wrote. Shortly after Halevi's announcement, the head of the Israeli military's southern command, Yaron Finkelman, also announced his resignation. In the meantime, the head of the opposition party Yisrael Beitenu, Avigdor Liberman, called on Netanyahu and the rest of the cabinet ministers "to take responsibility and follow in the footsteps of Halevi." Halevi is the most senior Israeli figure to resign over the failure to stop Operation Al-Aqsa Storm led by Hamas, in which about 1,200 Israeli military personnel and illegal settlers were killed and 250 others were taken prisoner. Earlier on January 19, Abu Obaida, the spokesperson for Hamas' military wing, the Ezzeddin Al-Qassam Brigades, said that the Al-Aqsa Storm Operation was the final nail in the coffin of the collapsing Israeli regime. "471 days have passed since the historic Al-Aqsa Storm battle that put the final nail in the coffin of the collapsing occupying regime. The sacrifices our people made and their blood will not be in vain," said Abu Obaida. He also said that the Al-Aqsa Storm Operation marked a unique model of resilience as a large number of people were martyred in a span of more than 15 months for freedom and defending their land and its holy sites. 9376**2050 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address AFP looking into circumstances of espionage suspects' activities Philippine News Agency By Priam Nepomuceno January 22, 2025, 2:27 pm MANILA -- The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) on Wednesday said it is looking into the circumstances regarding the activities of the Chinese national and two of his Filipino cohorts who were earlier arrested in Makati City for alleged espionage activities. "We want to take a step back, take a look at the bigger picture, and try to connect the dots. So ano po ba ang mga activities na ito na nangyayari? (what are the activities that took place)," AFP spokesperson Col. Francel Margareth Padilla said in an interview with Radyo Pilipinas. While the arrested foreign national was caught conducting "unauthorized surveillance and reconnaissance activity" of critical civilian and military infrastructure, Padilla said they are now determining what could be the exact reasons for these. She added that the AFP is working with the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) to get to the bottom of this. "We are looking at evidence-based gathering of information para dito (for this)," Padilla said. The AFP spokesperson said they are now looking at the equipment recovered from the arrested suspects and the information or data to get an idea or possible purpose of the suspects. Relatedly, Padilla said the AFP and NBI counter-action operations against the Chinese national, who has been involved in these unauthorized activities, have proven successful. Earlier, Padilla said the arrested Chinese national went on trips for over a month in the Luzon mainland and utilized their equipment to map and survey critical infrastructures and strategic areas, including military installations, ports, malls, communications grids, energy grid, and major seaports and airports covering major routes from the northernmost point of Luzon down to the Bicol region. "Our intelligence operatives also noted that this Chinese national achieved this through a network of financiers, technical experts, which are also Chinese nationals, and support personnel. And notably, he has been in the Philippines for over 10 years, as I said, he is married to a Filipina and has been able to establish businesses here in the Philippines. The same businesses are also being used as fronts to receive large amounts of funds to enable his illicit activities," Padilla said. She also added that the AFP, NBI and other security experts are conducting further investigations into these operations. "We are ensuring that the territorial integrity and the national security of the country is intact," Padilla said. (PNA) NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address U.K. Warns Putin: 'We See You' After Ship Chased From British Waters By RFE/RL's Russian Service January 22, 2025 Britain warned Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin that "we know what you're doing" after the Royal Navy tracked what it called a "Russian spy ship" traveling through U.K. waters, amid rising concerns of potential sabotage by Russia-linked vessels. Defense Secretary John Healey on January 22 told Parliament that the vessel, the Yantar, was being "used for gathering intelligence and mapping the U.K.'s critical underwater infrastructure." "I also wanted President Putin to hear this message: 'We see you, we know what you're doing, and we will not shy away from robust action to protect this country,'" Healey said. "We will continue to call out the malign activity that Putin directs, cracking down on the Russian shadow fleet to prevent funding for his illegal invasion of Ukraine," he added. The incident comes as NATO is bolstering its presence in the Baltic Sea after undersea power lines and Internet cables were damaged by suspected sabotage believed to be carried out by vessels belonging to Russia's so-called "shadow fleet." The "shadow fleet" is a reference to old, uninsured oil vessels typically used to bypass Western sanctions on Russia and maintain a source of revenue. The British government said it forces "will also contribute maritime patrol and surveillance aircraft to bolster a NATO response after damage to undersea cables in the Baltic Sea." "The U.K. is playing a leading role in countering the growing Russian threat to offshore infrastructure in European seas," it added in a statement. European governments and the United States have accused Russia of intensifying "hybrid attacks" following the reports of damage to Baltic Sea communications cables, although they have not yet directly tied Moscow to the damage. The British defense chief said the Russian craft entered U.K. waters on January 20, prompting the Royal Navy to send two ships vessels to monitor it. "It was detected loitering over U.K. critical undersea infrastructure," he said, adding that the Russian ship later left British waters and was now in the North Sea. AFP quoted an official in Paris as saying French military assets had also been dispatched to observe the Yantar but that it did not indicate any "hostile intent." The monitoring of Russian ships has become more frequent in recent months. In December, a British frigate tracked a Russian naval group as it convoyed toward the English Channel, but it eventually remained in international waters. The Yantar also had been tracked near British waters in November. With reporting by AFP Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/britain-russia-putin-healey- shadow-fleet-baltic-/33285376.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 Royal Navy tracking Russian spy vessel in the Channel to keep UK safe The UK will also contribute maritime patrol and surveillance aircraft to bolster a NATO response after damage to undersea cables in the Baltic Sea 22 January 2025 A Russian spy ship has been tracked this week in the English Channel by a Royal Navy warship - just weeks after it was caught loitering over critical undersea infrastructure in UK waters. It comes after a Royal Navy submarine surfaced close to Yantar, the Russian vessel, to warn it had been secretly monitoring its every move. In response to the warning from the Royal Navy in November, Yantar left UK waters for the Mediterranean but has this week returned, sailing through the Channel, where it was flanked by HMS Somerset. The UK is playing a leading role in countering the growing Russian threat to offshore infrastructure in European seas. As part of the UK's ongoing work, the Royal Air Force will provide aircraft to a new NATO deployment designed to strengthen protection of offshore infrastructure in the Baltic Sea. The UK will provide P-8 Poseidon and Rivet Joint maritime patrol and surveillance aircraft for the Baltic Sentry activity, which was announced following damage to the Estlink2 undersea cable between Estonia and Finland. In response to that incident, the Prime Minister held talks with Estonian and Finnish counterparts as the UK activated Nordic Warden - an advanced new AI system to help monitor the Russian shadow fleet and safeguard undersea infrastructure. Defence Secretary John Healey MP said: My message to President Putin is clear. We know what you are doing, and we will not shy away from robust action to protect Britain. National security is our government's first duty and a foundation of our Plan for Change. Alongside our Joint Expeditionary Force and NATO allies, we are strengthening our response to ensure that Russian ships and aircraft cannot operate in secrecy near UK or NATO territory. We will continue to call out the malign activity that Putin directs, cracking down on the Russian shadow fleet to prevent funding for his illegal invasion of Ukraine. Keeping the country safe is the Government's first duty, and a foundation for its Plan for Change. Protecting undersea critical national infrastructure is vital to the country's economy. The UK has been ramping up its focus on protecting offshore infrastructure. An advanced new AI-assisted computer system was activated for the first time last month to monitor key areas of interest, drawing on a range of data sources to assess the risk to infrastructure posed by different ships. When the Nordic Warden system detects a potential threat, it generates an alert which can be sent to Joint Expeditionary Force partners or to NATO to alert. Nordic Warden is also monitoring vessels known to be part of Putin's shadow fleet of ships used to attempt to bypass international sanctions - and help fund Russia's illegal war in Ukraine - by moving Russian oil and gas to potential buyers. The UK has led international efforts through a global alliance to disrupt the shadow fleet. As part of the initiative launched by the Prime Minister at the European Political Community last year, the UK has sanctioned 93 oil tankers which Putin has been using to soften the blow of sanctions and bankroll his illegal war. The Royal Fleet Auxiliary, which supports Royal Navy operations, is a key element of the UK's strategy to safeguard offshore infrastructure, with its multi-role ocean surveillance ship, RFA Proteus, capable of deploying submersible drones to assess undersea cables and pipelines. Proteus was also involved in the shadowing of Yantar last November. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Defence Secretary oral statement on Russian Maritime Activity and UK Response - 22 January 2025 Oral statement to Parliament Defence Secretary John Healey MP addressed the House of Commons on Russian Maritime Activity and the UK's response 22 January 2025 Mr Speaker, with permission, I wish to make a statement on the UK's response to recent Russian maritime activity. I'm glad the House has been waiting for this, this morning. Mr Speaker, the foreign vessel, Yantar, is currently in the North Sea, having passed through British waters. Let me be clear, this is a Russian spy ship used for gathering intelligence and mapping the UK's critical underwater infrastructure. Yantar entered the UK Exclusive Economic Zone about 45 nautical miles of the British coast on Monday. For the last two days, the Royal Navy has deployed HMS Somerset and HMS Tyne to monitor the vessel every minute through our waters. And I changed the Royal Navy's Rules of Engagement so that our warships can get closer and better track the Yantar. So far, the ship has complied with international rules of navigation. But Mr Speaker, this is the second time that Yantar has entered our waters in recent months. In November, the ship was also closely watched and detected loitering over UK critical undersea infrastructure. To deter any potential threat, I took measured steps then as part of a clear and direct response to the Russian vessel. RAF maritime patrol aircraft, alongside HMS Cattistock, HMS Tyne, and RFA Proteus were deployed to shadow Yantar's every movement. Today, I also want to confirm to the House that I authorised a Royal Navy submarine - strictly as a deterrent measure - to surface close to Yantar to make clear that we had been covertly monitoring its every move. The ship then left UK waters - without further loitering - and sailed down to the Mediterranean. As colleagues will understand, I won't comment further for reasons of operational security. But I want to thank all the personnel involved for their dedication and their professionalism. And I also want President Putin to hear this message: We see you. We know what you are doing. And we will not shy away from robust action to protect this country. And with our NATO allies, we are strengthening our response to ensure that Russian ships and aircraft cannot operate in secrecy near the UK or near NATO territory. Mr Speaker, this is yet another example growing Russian aggression, targeting our allies abroad and us at home. The heads of MI6 and the CIA recently stated together in a joint statement that Russia is waging a "reckless campaign of sabotage" across Europe. We're seeing periodic incursions of Russian military aircraft into airspace for which we are responsible. And on Christmas Day, the Estlink2 undersea cable between Finland and Estonia was damaged. Many analysts believe this was caused by a vessel in Russia's Shadow Fleet. Mr Speaker, Russia is dangerous, but fundamentally weak. In Ukraine, it has suffered devastatingly high rates of casualties over three years in a war that it thought it would win in a week. And compounding the humiliation, Putin has been forced to turn to North Korea to reinforce its front line fighters. And while the strategic defeat in Syria of course has exposed its diminishing power on the global stage, and at home, the Russian economy faces crippling strains. Nevertheless Mr Speaker, Russia remains the most pressing and immediate threat to Britain. And I want to assure the House and the British people that any threat will be met with strength and resolve. First, we are delivering on our foundation of security in our Plan for Change by making Britain secure at home. Yantar has now passed through the Dover Strait and is in Dutch waters. In September, RAF Typhoons scrambled to intercept two Russian Bear-F aircraft operating near the UK. And the Royal Fleet Auxiliary is also playing an indispensable role in safeguarding offshore infrastructure with its multi-role ocean surveillance ship, RFA Proteus. Second, we are making Britain strong abroad, working with NATO and Joint Expeditionary Force allies. The UK activated Nordic Warden with JEF partners after the Estlink2 cable damage. The operation is tracking potential threats to undersea infrastructure, monitoring the movements of the Russian Shadow Fleet and sending out real-time warnings of suspicious activity to JEF allies and to NATO. And today, I can confirm that the RAF will provide P-8 Poseidon and Rivet Joint surveillance aircraft to join the new Baltic Sentry NATO deployment to protect critical infrastructure in the Baltic Sea. And third, Mr Speaker, with allies, we are piling on pressure on Putin. This year, the UK will provide more financial aid in military support to Ukraine than at any time since the full-scale invasion began. 4.5 billion for delivering military support to enhance training and strengthen industrial collaboration. The UK is also leading ways to put pressure on the Russian economy, including: Sanctioning over 100 ships in the Russian Shadow Fleet, more than any other nation. Working with other countries to stop the Russian military acquiring the goods, and the equipment, and the technologies they require to continue their fight and war against Ukraine. And with allies, exposing the activities of the Russian intelligence services, expelling Russian intelligence officers, and sanctioning individuals responsible for hostile activity against the UK. Mr Speaker, Russian aggression will not be tolerated, at home or in Ukraine. It's why one of the first acts of this government was for the Prime Minister to launch the Strategic Defence Review. It's why the Government has increased defence spending next year by almost 3 billion. And why we will set out a path to increase defence spending to 2.5% of GDP in the spring. Mr Speaker, this new era of threat demands a new era for defence. Change is essential, not optional, and the Government is determined to meet the challenge, determined to deliver for Defence. We will protect the homeland and our critical national infrastructure. And we will make Britain secure at home and strong abroad. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Meeting of Minister of Foreign Affairs Emil Hurezeanu with James O'Brien, US Assistant Secretary of State Romania - Ministry of Foreign Affairs Press release 01/14/25 Minister of Foreign Affairs Emil Hurezeanu received on Tuesday, January 14, 2025, James O'Brien, Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affair Both interlocutors appreciated the depth and dynamism of the bilateral dialogue, which has led to significant achievements, such as Romania's inclusion in the Visa Waiver Program, the development of economic and energy cooperation, the coordinated action between Romania, the US, the EU and the Black Sea countries to improve connectivity at the regional level, with the potential to create new economic opportunities for Romania. Minister Emil Hurezeanu commended the US contribution to the security and defence of NATO's Eastern Flank, as well as to the development of the strategic approach to the Black Sea region through the elaboration of a Black Sea Strategy aimed at the security and development of this region. He mentioned Romania's commitment to promoting an EU Strategy for the region and the importance of complementary and coordinated action between the EU, the US and the littoral states to ensure regional security and prosperity. The two officials expressed their confidence in the solidity of the Romania-US Strategic Partnership and its capacity for further development based on ongoing bilateral projects. The Romanian Minister underlined that a strong transatlantic relationship is vital for Romania and that the promotion of this objective will continue to be the main priority of Romania's foreign policy. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Joint Statement by the Quad Foreign Ministers US Department of State Media Note Office of the Spokesperson January 21, 2025 The text of the following statement was released by the Secretary of State of the United States, the Foreign Minister of Australia, the External Affairs Minister of India, and the Foreign Minister of Japan. Begin text: We, the Secretary of State of the United States and the Foreign Ministers of Australia, India, and Japan, met today in Washington D.C. to reaffirm our shared commitment to strengthening a Free and Open Indo-Pacific where the rule of law, democratic values, sovereignty, and territorial integrity are upheld and defended. Our four nations maintain our conviction that international law, economic opportunity, peace, stability, and security in all domains including the maritime domain underpin the development and prosperity of the peoples of the Indo-Pacific. We also strongly oppose any unilateral actions that seek to change the status quo by force or coercion. We are committed to strengthening regional maritime, economic, and technology security in the face of increasing threats, as well as promoting reliable and resilient supply chains. We look forward to advancing the work of the Quad in the coming months and will meet together on a regular basis as we prepare for the next Quad Leaders' Summit hosted by India. End text. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Secretary of State-designate Marco Rubio with George Stephanopoulos of Good Morning America US Department of State Interview Marco Rubio, Secretary of State Washington, D.C. January 21, 2025 QUESTION: Right now we're going to talk - speak with Secretary of State Marco Rubio. Mr. Secretary, thank you for joining us this morning. Congratulations on unanimous confirmation by the Senate. SECRETARY DESIGNATE RUBIO: Thank you. QUESTION: That's rare these days. Let's begin with January - the January 6th pardons. Back in - when this happened, you called it a national embarrassment, saying, "We now have third-world countries that are lecturing us and we have tin pot dictators that are mocking us." Of course, you're now America's top diplomat; you'll be speaking with your counterparts around the world. What message does that pardon send to them? SECRETARY DESIGNATE RUBIO: Well, I don't anticipate a single one of our partners will ask about it. Obviously - and you know this well from your time in the administration - my job is to focus on the foreign policy of the United States. I have a different job this morning and a different focus, and it's one that demands 100 percent of our attention. And so that's what I'll be focused on, and I won't be opining on domestic matters at this point because, frankly, my focus needs to be 100 percent on how I interact with our counterparts, our adversaries, our potential enemies around the world, to keep this country safe, to make it prosperous. That's the clear mandate from the President. It's what he campaigned on. I think he made it pretty clear yesterday that he wants to reinvigorate an American foreign policy that makes America safer and stronger and more prosperous. That's what - the promise that Donald Trump was elected to keep, and that's the one we're going to help him keep at the Department of State. QUESTION: But as a senator, you did say that it affected our standing in the world. You don't believe that anymore? SECRETARY DESIGNATE RUBIO: Well, as a Senator I had an opinion on all kinds of domestic matters. But now I'm focused singularly on foreign policy, on how I interact with our allies. For example, my first meeting right out of the box, as soon as I'm sworn in and get over to the State Department, is with the members of the so-called Quad, which are important allies in Australia and Japan and India. And we'll be talking to them, and we'll be focused on that. None of these domestic topics are going to come up. They're going to be focused on how do we make our relationship one that increases and strengthens not just our position in the world, but, for example, freedom of navigation in the Indo-Pacific. And those are the kinds of things that we're going to be focused on 100 percent, and that's the things I'll be talking about. QUESTION: President Trump also issued the executive order to delay the ban on TikTok yesterday. As a senator, you led the charge in warning that the app poses a major national security risk. It exposes the data of millions of Americans to the - to be stolen by the Chinese Government. The - so why give TikTok a break now? Do you endorse this move? SECRETARY DESIGNATE RUBIO: Well, the law, which I supported, also includes in it - and it's - it gives the President a 90-day window in which he can delay it going into effect. For example, if you have a potential deal on the table for someone to purchase it. In the end, this was never a TikTok ban; this is a ban on companies controlled by foreign entities and the risk it poses to the United States. As part of that law, and what it purviews - what it hopes to achieve in many ways is it either stops operating or it is no longer controlled by a company under the control of the Chinese Communist Party, or any other foreign power for that matter. And so it gives the President a 90-day window in which to now hopefully find someone that will buy it, or some arrangement that will deal with this. The law was written in such a way so it would've kicked in the day before a new administration. So I think it's fair to assume that a new administration would need more than just a handful of hours coming into power to make a decision on how they want to handle it and which deal they think would be the right one. The President's outlined a model of a joint venture in which the United States would have an interest and a controlling interest in a way that would protect us. And so I think he's talked about a 75-day window of those 90 that he wants to use to see if an arrangement can be found. But ultimately, Congress passed a law, and the executive will have to execute on it. But that law gives the President the right to do exactly what he's doing now, and that is to take a pause and see if there is a arrangement that can allow people to continue to use a platform that clearly people like, but at the same time protect our national interest. QUESTION: Finally, the President, as you know, promised during the campaign to end the war in Ukraine, even before he took office. Of course, that didn't happen. But can you share any details on how you plan to end that war now? SECRETARY DESIGNATE RUBIO: Well, I wouldn't - this is a complex, tragic conflict, one that was started by Vladimir Putin that's inflicted a tremendous amount of damage on Ukraine - and also on Russia, I would argue - but also on the stability of Europe. So the only way to solve these things: We've got to get back to pragmatism, but we've also got to get back to seriousness here, and that is the hard work of diplomacy. The U.S. has a role to play here, we've been supportive of Ukraine, but this conflict has to end. I think one of the most important lines in yesterday's inaugural address was when President Trump said he wants to promote peace, and I think everyone should be happy that we have a president that wants to promote peace. And that means we want the war in Ukraine to end. Now, obviously neither - it's going to involve complex and hard diplomacy. It has to be vigorous. Every side is going to have to give, because neither Russia nor Ukraine can achieve the maximalist goals that they may have for this conflict. But he wants the dying to stop. So it will not be simple, it will not be easy, but it is important. It has to happen. That's a priority, and we'll be working on that. And it won't be negotiated in press conferences or interviews. It will have to be negotiated the way all of these kinds of deals are negotiated, and that is in settings in which we use our leverage, our influence, our national power to bring about not just an end to a conflict, but also to provide long-term stability for Europe and beyond. I don't think anyone wants to see a conflict end only to see it restarted two or three years down the road. QUESTION: Mr. Secretary, thanks for your time this morning. SECRETARY DESIGNATE RUBIO: Thank you. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Secretary of State-designate Marco Rubio with Gayle King, Tony Dokoupil, and Nate Burleson of CBS Morning US Department of State Interview Marco Rubio, Secretary of State Washington, D.C. January 21, 2025 QUESTION: Mr. Secretary, good morning to you and congratulations. What was that vote again, Senator? SECRETARY DESIGNATE RUBIO: Good morning. Thank you. QUESTION: Or Mr. Secretary, what was that vote again? SECRETARY DESIGNATE RUBIO: I think it was 99-0. We only have 99 senators right now because the Vice President's vacancy hasn't been filled. So it's good. I mean, we covered the point spread. That was what matters. QUESTION: It's 99-0. I think it speaks to how your colleagues feel about you and your talents. I'm curious though before we ask you about your job. What does this mean to you as the son of Cuban immigrants? SECRETARY DESIGNATE RUBIO: Well, I mean, my entire life and career is Influenced by the fact that my parents came here on May 27th, 1956. They didn't have anything except dreams of a better life, and they were able - the dream of their life was to give their kids the chance to do whatever they wanted. And to me, the road has brought me to this point. It's humbling. But I'm also focused on the important job that we do. I think it says more about America than it does about me. I mean, this is a country that time and again - and even - and it's not just me. As you look throughout the cabinet and the personal stories of so many people that President Trump is going to have part of his team, I think it reminds us that this remains the one place on Earth where anyone from anywhere can achieve anything. And QUESTION: All right. Well, let's focus on your job, Mr. Secretary. SECRETARY DESIGNATE RUBIO: but we have to do a good job and it's a hard job. QUESTION: Well, every - it is a hard job and a lot of people are counting on you. Let's start with - I really want to start with those January 6 pardons because many people believe, including the American people, we're not in favor of these blanket pardons. Team Trump had been saying this is going to be taken on a case-by-case basis. That did not appear to be the case. It appears blanket pardons. What message do you think that sends to people around the world about what we stand for? SECRETARY DESIGNATE RUBIO: Well, I think what we stand for is going to be clear in the actions the President's taken. He's outlined it yesterday. He said that our foreign policy is going to be about promoting peace and making America strong, prosperous, and safe. That's what our foreign policy should always be about. Our foreign policy once again needs to focus on the national interests of the United States. We're not seeking to harm any other country, but my singular focus is to ensure that the priority of the United States Department of State is the United States and what's best for our country. And that's what we're going to be focused on. As part of this transition to this new job, I'm not going to be opining or focused on domestic politics - not because they don't matter, but because our focus has to be singularly on how do we secure America's interests all over the world. In my first meetings today, as soon as I walk in the office we're going to be meeting with the foreign ministers of important allies in Japan and India and Australia, the so-called Quad, the Indo-Pacific, where I think much of the 21st century's history is going to be written. QUESTION: But Senator, let's stick to this for just a second, only because - I hear you. But in February 2021 even you issued a statement and you said the images of the attacks stirred up anger in you, the nation was embarrassed in the eyes of the world by our own citizens. How do you - how do you personally reconcile those feelings with the pardons that he did yesterday? I understand you have work to do and the job is hard - there are many things - but on this particular issue I'm curious about what you're thinking. SECRETARY DESIGNATE RUBIO: Yeah. Well, what I'm thinking is that I used to be a United States senator until midnight last night, and now I'm going about to be sworn in as the Secretary of State of the United States. And that's what I'm thinking is I work for Donald J. Trump, the new President of the United States, the 47th President, who has a clear mandate to reorient our foreign policy to one that once again puts America and our interests at the center. And that's what I'm going to focus on 100 percent. QUESTION: So Mr. Secretary, let's talk about a definite foreign policy matter, the fragile truce between Israel and Hamas. Last night in the Oval Office, the President said he was not confident that that ceasefire would hold. Now, that might just be a description of reality. We've been saying it's fragile. But is there something in particular he has in mind? Are you confident it will hold? If not, why not? SECRETARY DESIGNATE RUBIO: Well, I'm hoping and praying it will hold. But remember, on October 6th there was a ceasefire in place between Israel and Hamas. October 7th was a violation of that. So when you're dealing with a terrorist organization that has committed atrocities and all kind - motivated by all kinds of evil, I don't think you can go in it very confident that things will hold in the long term. We're always overjoyed to see three hostages freed, reunited with their families, hopefully more on the way. We want it to work out. We think there is the broader hope of peace in that region with all kinds of agreements that are possible today that were even unfathomable just 90 days ago before the events in Lebanon and Syria and the work Israel has done to create stability as well with its acts against Iran. So we're hopeful, but I think we have to be realistic about who we're dealing with here. These are not good people in Hamas. QUESTION: Secretary Rubio, one of the many things that President Trump said during his campaign run was that he would end the war in Ukraine on day one. That did not happen. How do you reconcile with the fact that he made a lot of promises and now it might be up to you and the team to keep these promises? SECRETARY DESIGNATE RUBIO: Yeah, look, the promise the President made, really if you look at it, is it's going to be the priority - it's going to be the official policy of the United States that the war in Ukraine needs to come to an end. It is a stalemate. It's one - look, it's a war and it's a conflict that was started by Russia, but it is now a stalemate, a protracted and bloody conflict. It's been incredibly destructive, I would argue, for both Russia and Ukraine, but Ukraine is paying the biggest price of all to its energy infrastructure, to the people and lives that are lost, to the millions of Ukrainians that have had to leave their countries and are living overseas. The conflict needs to end, and it's the policy of the United States that we want it to end. We want to do everything we can to help it end. We are going to engage in making it end in a way that is sustainable, meaning we don't just want the conflict to end and then restart in two, three, or four years down the road. We want to bring stability. We have a lot of important and pressing issues around the world, and I think everyone should wake up this morning and be very happy that we have elected as our 47th President a man in Donald J. Trump that wants to promote peace in the world and bring an end to these conflicts. QUESTION: All right, Secretary Marco Rubio, thank you for joining us. We appreciate you. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Strengthening Deterrence in the East: Poland Provided Logistic Support xBy Cpt. James Bath, AFSBn-Poland operations officer January 22, 2025 POWIDZ, Poland -- Since the start of hostilities between Ukraine and Russia in 2014, including the Russian seizure of the Crimean Peninsula, the U.S. military has steadily increased its presence in NATO countries along Europe's eastern flank, sending regionally aligned forces (RAF) to these areas to bolster commitments with NATO allies and deter aggression. However, the financial burden on taxpayers and the impact on RAF unit operational readiness rates have been significant. In 2017, the U.S. Government faced a dilemma: how to reduce spending while maintaining a strong military presence in Eastern Europe to support NATO allies and partner nations. The solution was to use taxpayer dollars more efficiently by investing in NATO partnerships, thereby enhancing deterrence with minimal U.S. financial involvement. This led to an innovative approach: training host nation militaries to maintain U.S. equipment. Thus, the Poland Provided Logistic Support (PPLS) initiative and the strategic placement of Army Prepositioned Stocks (APS) in Poland were born. Since 2014, the Polish government has significantly increased its military spending from $10.35 billion to $16.57 billion annually, allocating 4% of its gross domestic product (GDP) to NATO. Poland has invested heavily in U.S. arms and equipment, including M1A1 and A2 Abrams main battle tanks, F-35 Lightning stealth multirole combat aircraft, and MIM-104 Patriot surface-to-air missile defense systems. With these upgrades, Poland has become a highly active NATO member, one of the few to recently increase its military GDP. Given its strategic central location on Europe's eastern flank, the decision to establish a new APS site in Poland was a logical step. This move not only enhances NATO's readiness but also fortifies Poland's defense capabilities amid growing regional tensions. In 2017, the U.S. Government initiated discussions with NATO and the Polish government about establishing an APS worksite in Poland, resulting in an agreement in 2018. Planning for the world's newest APS worksite began that year at an estimated cost of 82 million Euros ($91 million). Construction started in 2019, with an initial completion target of 2021. However, due to COVID-19 delays, the project was completed in October 2023. The total cost, covered by NATO, amounted to 212 million Euros ($232 million). With the completion of the APS-2 worksite, the U.S. Army announced the activation of its newest Army Field Support Battalion, AFSBn-Poland, which is responsible for providing mission command and oversight of all APS-2 equipment at the site. Almost simultaneously, the Polish Air Force activated the 33rd APS Battalion in October 2023. With much of the APS-2 equipment moved from the Coleman APS-2 worksite in Mannheim, Germany, to the Powidz APS-2 worksite in Poland, the training of PPLS began in July 2024. The concept of PPLS is straightforward. The challenge is to reduce U.S. financial costs associated with funding a large, contracted workforce or establishing a major U.S. Army organization at a new installation in Poland. This installation needs to be robust enough to maintain enough APS-2 vehicles and equipment for a modernized armored brigade combat team (ABCT) while also enhancing NATO's current deterrence posture in Eastern Europe. The solution is to provide an Army advanced individual training level program to the host nation's military, equivalent to the training U.S. Soldiers receive. Additionally, as the Polish military purchases modern equipment such as M1A1 and A2 Abrams tanks from the U.S. to replace its aging Soviet-era stocks, this U.S.-provided training to PPLS personnel at the Powidz APS-2 worksite adds significant value to Poland. At the APS-2 site, the PPLS, once fully operational, will handle all maintenance and operational requirements for the APS-2 equipment with minimal involvement from U.S. Army Soldiers, Army civilians, or U.S. contractors. At that point, the relatively small AFSBn-Poland workforce will oversee operations to ensure quality assurance and maintain mission command of the site and APS-2 operations. By reducing the presence of U.S. military personnel or contractors at the APS-2 site and using a large Polish military workforce instead, U.S. taxpayer dollars are saved while resources are available to properly maintain and store the U.S. Army APS-2 equipment. This concept, though great on paper, brings its own challenges. Neither the U.S. nor NATO has ever executed this concept. No military has ever trained another country's military workforce to maintain an ABCT's worth of equipment on a NATO-funded worksite. For that reason, this program's success will forever stand as an example for others in the future, according to Lt. Col. Omar McKen, the commander of AFSBn-Poland. "While the U.S. military has partnerships across the world, including many countries in Europe, U.S. and local national civilians make up the workforce at each APS-2 location," said McKen. "To my knowledge, this is the first time we will employ a foreign active-duty military force to maintain our equipment full time. This will stand as a proof of principle that will set the stage for the establishment of similar conditions across NATO, and as AFSBn-Poland's motto states, 'This is the Way.'" The Polish military demonstrated their dedication to this concept by creating the 33rd APS Battalion, which recruits Polish soldiers and airmen trained to maintain APS. The 33rd APS Battalion consists of about 450 to 500 personnel recruited from all Polish military installations. To be assigned to the 33rd APS Battalion, Polish service members must take and pass an advanced English language course. Language differences have proven to be a challenge for both AFSBn-Poland and the 33rd APS Battalion. Additionally, PPLS military and local national personnel provide real property oversight, including site security, maintenance, cleaning, carpentry, welding and painting. "For our team, the main challenge lies in the language barrier, so the training must be thorough, technical and comprehensive. Identifying any knowledge gaps while respecting the Polish forces' existing expertise will be difficult, at first," said Sgt. Maj. Olimpia Valdez, the AFSBn-Poland senior enlisted advisor. "Once the Polish service members pass the English language course, they sort into their follow-on PPLS training. These sections are heavy and light wheeled equipment, heavy and light track equipment, armament, limited C5ISR, and supply and supply support activity (SSA) sections." Polish service members train according to their assigned section or shop. This training corresponds to U.S. Army military occupation specialty (MOS) training, such as 91B for the wheeled shop and 91A for the heavy-track shop. They use the MOS equivalent to 91P/91M/91H for the light-track shop, 92Y for the supply section and 92A for the SSA. The training program includes eight to 12 weeks of classroom instruction followed by 16 weeks of supervised reinforcement training with contracted instructors from the U.S. Army Tank-automotive and Armaments Command (TACOM) and the U.S. Army Communications-Electronics Command (CECOM). The program also includes working with field service representatives onsite for up to a year for targeted troubleshooting. Program Manager Abrams, Program Executive Office Howitzer, TACOM, CECOM, and Tobyhanna Army Depot develop the training plans based on the shop or section. These organizations also hire and fund the training facilitators, instructors and translators for the 14-month training program, which is estimated to cost $42 million. The 33rd APS Battalion service members gain the knowledge, expertise and experience to maintain a wide range of U.S. Army equipment through this integrated classroom and hands on training. They work on the M1A2 SEPv3 Abrams main battle tank, the M109A7 Paladin 155 mm self-propelled artillery system, and all the Army's logistics and engineer support equipment. PPLS training involves diagnosing faults, conducting services, replacing engines and transmissions, ground hopping engines, road testing vehicles, ordering parts, inventorying government equipment, and performing all tasks associated with Level 10- and 20-maintenance. "The training facilitators and I are impressed by how quickly the Polish soldiers and airmen learn as the training courses progress. Their enthusiasm in their day-to-day actions, despite the ever-present language barrier, is remarkable," said George Palmer, the Powidz APS-2 worksite director. The Polish government pays the salaries of their service members and assigns the Powidz APS-2 worksite as their permanent duty stations for up to 10 years, ensuring continuity of force. By 2026, the U.S. Government is expected to reduce its financial costs by 90% when the temporary contracted workforce transfers the entire maintenance mission at the APS-2 site to the PPLS. The knowledge, experience and expertise gained in training will ensure the PPLS is fully qualified to maintain the various systems at the site. "This training will undoubtedly strengthen the bond between the U.S. and the Polish militaries and governments, as well as NATO," said Palmer. "By engaging in joint understanding of U.S. military equipment, some of which is already common to the Polish forces, we enhance interoperability and cohesion and ensure seamless operation of the APS-2 site. This collaboration fosters a sense of unity and shared purpose, reinforcing our collective defense commitments and enhancing our ability to respond to threats as a unified front." "The joint training initiative sends a clear message of solidarity and commitment. It demonstrates the U.S. and Polish governments' dedication to strengthening defense capabilities to ensure regional stability and security," said John Glasgow, the AFSBn-Poland deputy to the commander. "This initiative also underscores the importance of NATO's role in maintaining peace in Europe, highlighting the alliance's readiness to support its member nations." "Providing this training to our NATO partners enhances their readiness and capability, which in turn contributes to the overall deterrence strategy," McKen said. "By improving their skills and integrating them into joint operations, we send a strong signal to potential adversaries that our forces are well prepared and united. This readiness acts as a powerful deterrent because it demonstrates our ability to respond effectively to any threat. Nothing says we are here to stay more than this. Our allies and enemies know that we are stronger together, and the concept we are employing will be the standard for the future." (This article by Cpt. James Bath originally appeared in the Winter 2025 edition of Army Sustainment, the Army's official professional bulletin on sustainment. Bath serves as the battalion operations officer for AFSBn-Poland, 405th Army Field Support Brigade. He was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the Ordnance Branch in May of 2018 and has a Bachelor of Science degree in civil engineering from the Citadel, the Military College of South Carolina.) NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Six Brand-New HIMARS Rocket Launchers Are Soon on Their Way to Estonia Republic of Estonia - Estonian Centre for Defence Investments (ECDI) 22.01.2025 The U.S. defense contractor Lockheed Martin handed over six newly manufactured HIMARS multiple launch rocket systems to Estonia at its headquarters in Arkansas. These rocket systems will be integrated into the Estonian Defence Forces' arsenal this summer. The agreement to procure HIMARS, aimed at enhancing the indirect fire capabilities of the Estonian Defence Forces, was signed between the U.S. Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) and the Estonian Centre for Defence Investments (ECDI) at the end of 2022. This followed years of market analysis and nearly a year of formal activities leading up to the contract. "Developing such a strategic capability in cooperation with our closest ally, the United States, and achieving delivery within just two years is a clear example of mutual trust and excellent collaboration," said ECDI Director General Magnus-Valdemar Saar during the handover ceremony at Lockheed Martin's headquarters in Camden, Arkansas. The six HIMARS rocket launchers are expected to arrive in Estonia in the coming months. Thanks to pre-delivery training, the Estonian Defence Forces will be ready to deploy the systems immediately. "Starting this summer, HIMARS will provide us with long-range precision strike capability, significantly enhancing our options for defending Estonia. Through outstanding cooperation with the U.S. HIMARS detachment stationed in Estonia, Unit 'Victory,' we have already prepared the personnel for our future rocket artillery battery to ensure the new weapons can be deployed as soon as possible. A major part of this achievement is due to the excellent preparatory work by our leadership team, who have thought outside the box and minimized the time required to bring the systems into service," said Major Tanel Tatsi, Chief of Staff of the Artillery Battalion. The acquisition of six HIMARS launchers is one of the largest defense procurement projects in Estonia's history. "As part of the contract signed with the U.S. Defense Security Cooperation Agency, we are also procuring ammunition, communication solutions, training, logistics, and lifecycle solutions. Also the package includes missiles with different firing ranges," explained Ramil Lipp, ECDI's Strategic Category Manager (Armaments). U.S. funding for this acquisition is part of a security package aimed at strengthening the defense capabilities of Ukraine and NATO's eastern flank countries. The U.S. has supported various defense initiatives in Estonia, providing $228 million over the past five years for various procurements and infrastructure projects. These funds have been used to replenish stockpiles of large-caliber ammunition, enhance communication capabilities, improve air surveillance, and develop night combat capabilities. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address The Defence Minister's Speech at Oslo Military Society, 20 January 2025 Government of Norway Speech/statement | Date: 22/01/2025 By Minister of Defence Bjrn Arild Gram Distinguished Audience, "We lived in a democracy. But then, we felt the walls closing in around us." These words were spoken by Gunnar Snsteby to a school class in Rjukan in the film Nr. 24. "We felt the walls closing in around us." In just over a month, Russia's brutal war of aggression against Ukraine will enter its fourth year. It is almost inconceivable how many lives Putin is willing to sacrifice in his imperialist attempt to conquer Ukraine and the scale of destruction and suffering he has inflicted on the Ukrainian people. This use of force cannot prevail. It is existential for Ukraine but also poses a serious threat to Norwegian and European security and the international rules-based order. Others are also feeling the weight of Russian pressure and influence. I visited Moldova shortly before their elections last autumn. Massive attempts at interference, vote-buying, and worse have been observed there. The pro-Western forces barely prevailed. The outcome was not as positive in Georgia after its disputed presidential election. We are now facing a more dangerous and unpredictable neighbour. Russia threatens the use of nuclear weapons, and last year, they revised their doctrine on the use of these weapons. Nuclear arms have become even more prominent as a tool of power in international politics. Their rhetoric grows harsher and more unyielding. Simultaneously, the strategic importance of the High North is increasing. The Arctic's strategic significance for Russia also enhances allied interest in the Barents Sea and Arctic regions. This is our neighbourhoodour most important strategic area. It is crucial that we ensure situational awareness and presence in the North alongside our allies. We seek predictability and stability through calibrated military activity to deter Russia while avoiding misunderstandings and unintended escalation. Russia's war in Ukraine is bolstered by significant contributions from countries like North Korea and Iran, as well as direct and indirect support from China. Totalitarian regimes are increasingly aligning; China and Russia speak of a "borderless partnership." Alarmingly, North Korean soldiers are now participating in a war on European soil. This marks a grim turning point: the war in Ukraine has become global. Last autumn, I visited three of NATO's partner countries in the Pacific: South Korea, Japan, and Australia. It had been 40 years since a Norwegian Defence Minister visited Japan and the first time ever for Australia. It was striking how similarly we view global security challenges and threats. They were at least as concerned as we are about the connections between the Asia-Pacific region and our part of the world. The clear message was the significance of the war in Ukraine for security on "the other side of the globe." The authoritarian forces in the world show little to no willingness to change course. We and our allies face increased unpredictability, uncertainty, and instability. As far as we can see, we are entering a new world order, and this will not pass. The geopolitical uncertainty of our time brings an elevated risk of military conflict. We see growing distrust and less communication between states, which increases the risk of misunderstandings. Acts of sabotage, arson, cable cuts, and other disruptions in Europe signal that we are moving further up the conflict spectrum. The intelligence threat against Norway is rising, and we are constantly targeted by cyberattacks. Western solidarity, values, and supply chains are under attack. A few weeks ago, the government presented the white paper on total preparedness, titled Prepared for Crises and War. The aim is a civil society prepared for crises and war, that is resilient to hybrid threats, and able to support military efforts. Measures include reinstating the obligation to build shelters, strengthening the Civil Defence, introducing new laws for controlling foreign investments in strategic sectors, and new regulations to ensure access to and prioritisation of civilian labour in security crises and wars. In late 2022, the Armed Forces resumed issuing letters to households warning of possible requisitioning of vehicles in emergencies. Alongside other public and civilian actors, we have taken significant steps to secure critical subsea infrastructure. These initiatives highlight the uncharted territory we are navigating. National security and public safety policies are undergoing significant changes to address the composite threats we face, making the distinction between peace, crisis, and war less clear. As we gather here in the Oslo Military Society, Donald Trump is being sworn in as the 47th President of the United States. His inaugural address will be watched worldwide, as will his immediate executive orders. If I had to summarise the current situation in one word, it would be unpredictability. Great unpredictability, I might add. Few, if any, truly know what lies ahead. We must be prepared for a very different world starting tomorrow, layered upon the security challenges I have described. We need to anticipate significant changes in trade policy, America's international role, and potentially even its security policy. When a superpower like the United States shifts its policies, the consequences ripple worldwide. The coming period will likely challenge us and demand great wisdom and manoeuvrability from Norwegian authorities. But, amid uncertainty, let us not forget the strong foundation we have to build on. Norway and the United States have been close allies for over 75 years, developing a strong, trusting partnership in defence and security policy. This collaboration progressed during Trump's first term and continues to grow - to our mutual benefit. America's cooperation with Norway in the Arctic is not charity; it aligns with its strategic interests in ensuring situational awareness, calibrated deterrence, and presence in the region. Norway, in turn, meets U.S. expectations, as a trusted partner with deep knowledge and experience in monitoring Russia and operating in the Arctic. Last year, we expanded the Supplementary Defence Cooperation Agreement (SDCA) with the U.S., adding eight new agreed areas. This expansion, initiated during Trump's previous term, facilitates investments, increased presence, and more joint training activities. Space is one notable area of cooperation. In the summer of 2024, we launched two satellites securing broadband coverage in the Arctic in close collaboration with the United States. This historic moment marked the first time the US Space Force placed a military payload on another nation's satellite. Moreover, together, we are building a satellite station at Andya to support space infrastructure that ensures situational awareness in the High North. In December 2023, Norway joined the Combined Space Operations Initiative (CSpO), a highly exclusive multilateral partnership involving the 10 most advanced Western space nations. This collaboration aims to preserve freedom of action and promote responsible behaviour in outer space. Moreover, Norway's commitment to NATO burden-sharing is noticed in Washington. After Norway delayed reaching the 2% GDP defence spending goal from the 2014 for too long, this government has ensured compliance by the 2024 deadline. And our Long-Term Defence Plan sets us on a trajectory toward 3%. While strengthening our ties with the U.S., we also prioritise NATO as a credible and effective guarantor of allied security. As a political and military alliance, NATO and its collective security guarantee form the cornerstone of Norwegian security. At the same time, we are enhancing dialogue and cooperation with close European allies as a necessary response to increasing uncertainty and a harsher security landscape. Last spring, I co-signed a strategic partnership agreement with the EU alongside the Minister of Foreign Affairs, aiming to develop cooperation pragmatically in areas aligned with Norwegian interests. In December, Germany's Defence Minister Boris Pistorius made his second visit to Norway last year. Last week, the French Defence Minister was here, and in short time, the UK's Defence Minister will visit. During every visit, we have agreed on strengthening the cooperation between our countries. Let me add: they are all, of course, focused on frigates. We plan to procure, operate, and maintain new frigates in strategic partnership with a close ally. The current security situation and the increasing focus on the High North make Norway an even more relevant partner for these countries, and they, in turn, become more important for us. Nordic defence cooperation is simultaneously moving forward on a broad scale. Finland and Sweden's entry into NATO, in the aftermath of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, marks the most significant change in our security environment. One example of the new Nordic defence cooperation is the initiative launched by prime ministers and presidents in Bod last year, focusing on military transport corridors in the northern regions of the Nordics. Increased military mobility is an obvious area for collaboration now that all of the Nordics are strengthening its defence, and we can look at Nordic geography as a unified operational area. Let me briefly mention one more country: Poland. They are on their way to becoming a European defence superpower. History has given Poland bitter experiences. They understand the threat from the east and act accordingly. Norway should deepen its defence and security dialogue with Poland. I therefore plan to visit my Polish counterpart shortly. We already have strong connections. * I have chosen to spend considerable time on the US and European allies because the security situation and unpredictability make it essential for Norway to work strategically to safeguard our interests. Allies, friends, and partners are crucial in an unpredictable and unstable world, particularly for a small nation like Norway. The government's objective is to secure our freedom of action by maintaining and developing the strong relationships we have with both the US and our European allies, while also contributing to strengthening NATO and improving Norway's national preparedness and military capabilities. This is the focus of the rest of this address, beginning with Ukraine. * Throughout the war, Norway's political leadership has remained united in its support for Ukraine. Last autumn, the government proposed increasing the Nansen Programme framework from NOK 75 billion to NOK 135 billion and extending the programme until 2030. During the budget process before Christmas, all parties in the Parliament agreed to raise the framework even further to NOK 155 billionwith at least NOK 35 billion allocated for this year alone. Going forward, our military support for Ukraine will rely less on our own stockpiles. Simply put, we have less left. We must safeguard our own fundamental defence needs and ensure our capacity to increase production for a rapidly growing defence. Nevertheless, our overall support for Ukraine will be larger than ever this year. The extensive training mission for Ukrainian soldiers, conducted in Norway and across Europe, will continue at a high level. Together with Ukraine and our allies, we are continually assessing how the training can be carried out most effectively. Last year, no less than 1,200 Norwegian instructors contributed to our training efforts. Looking ahead, we will place significantly more emphasis on supporting Ukraine's own capacity to produce defence equipment. They have substantial capacity and, in many cases, can produce faster and more cost-effectively than we can. This war has spurred an intense technological race, driving the need for rapid innovation and fresh thinking. Ukrainians have been incredibly skilled at adapting and consistently finding new solutions. But we can help them achieve even more. We will prioritise efforts to support technological development and innovation, connecting the Ukrainian and Norwegian defence industries. We will utilise ongoing insights from the war in collaboration with Norwegian world-leading technology environments to develop solutions that provide Ukraine with the best possible capability to defend itself and push back. But this also has another dimension. The experiences and technological advancements emerging from the war are of great importance for the development of Norway's own defence capabilities. The Ministry of Defence (FD), the Norwegian Defence Research Establishment (FFI), the Norwegian Defence Materiel Agency (FMA), and various expert groups in the Armed Forces work to follow up this aspect of our efforts to support Ukraine. The instructors are gaining valuable experience for themselves and for the Armed Forces, and many are being recruited for prolonged service within the military as a result of this work. We are gathering a wealth of knowledge from what is happening in Ukraine, but the effort to capture, systematise, and utilise these insights must be further strengthened. Moreover, collaboration with experts in Ukraine is also vital for the development of our own industry and technological leadership across various fields. The government is also prioritising the development of Norwegian defence industry and increasing production capacity. Last autumn, we presented a roadmap for increasing production capacity, with several measures now being followed up. This spring, we will present an updated defence industrial strategy targeting both well-established large companies and smaller enterprises. * The Long-Term Defence Plan was adopted last summer. It's possible that it feels like old news to many, so I won't be going through it line by line today. That said, we're only 20 days into a 12-year-long plan, so there's still plenty to discuss and clarify about the way forward. Let me start with the fact that we've actually presented and secured parliamentary approval for this substantial defence initiative. That in itself is historic. Norway's defence budget is set to almost double in the years to come. And this is not just empty promises. No, we're following through, here and now. With this year's approved budget, the government is implementing the most significant strengthening of the defence budget since the Korean War in the early 1950s. The real increase amounts to NOK 16.5 billion compared to last year's revised budget. Still, some might ask: Will all of this actually come to fruition in the long run? After all, this is a plan with a longer horizon than usual, spanning three parliamentary terms. Plus, our budgets are annual, and, well, the global security situation could improve, couldn't it? To that, I'd say: Let's hope so - though current outlooks suggest otherwise. And no, I can't give any guarantees. But this is what the Centre Party/Labour government is committed to, and we are following through 100% in the first year. If the defence boost itself is formidable, I also want to highlight the unanimity in Parliament. That is perhaps the strongest guarantee we can offer. Every party in Parliament - from Rdt to the Progress Party, and everyone in-between - has agreed to every word of the 22-page recommendation. Let me quote the opening: "The committee notes that broad political consensus has been achieved in Parliament regarding the Long-Term Plan for the Defence Sector for 2025-2036. The parties in agreement (...) stress the importance of this consensus and of the parties' commitment to following through and financing the plan." With this decision, the defence sector has also been entrusted with a huge responsibility. It must be executed in a way that builds trust and ensures we achieve the defence capability outlined in the plan. I believe we have a solid foundation. In fact, I'd argue that this plan is more thorough, balanced, and comprehensive than its predecessors, and better anchored across the sector. That doesn't mean I'm without concerns, especially regarding rising equipment costs and the challenge of finding enough people with the right skills. Under the leadership of the Chief of Defence, extensive planning is already underway across the sector to determine how the plan will be practically implemented. Defence Materiel is scaling up to handle increased investment levels, and Defence Estates is proving it can put increased resources to good use. The Long-Term Plan also outlines policies to improve implementation. Thanks to good work in recent years, we're seeing a higher proportion of so-called "off-the-shelf" equipment being procured, while planning times for equipment projects are decreasing. For the plan to remain realistic, we must integrate personnel, equipment, and infrastructure - areas that have faced significant challenges in the past. In parallel with the Long-Term Plan, we're introducing governance changes across the sector. There's been inadequate execution and too much diffusion of responsibility. A key goal of these changes is to give the Chief of Defence and military leaders greater ability to take holistic responsibility for the results we aim to achieve. We're streamlining the relationship between the ministry and the armed forces and reducing micromanagement and resource-draining internal transactions within the sector. As we embark on this defence boost, certain priorities stand out at the outset. Critical weaknesses in today's structure must be addressed - that's a prerequisite for further growth. Let me highlight a few key points briefly: Stock depletion will be halted, and supply preparedness will be significantly increased. Allocations for fuel, spare parts, ammunition, clothing, and equipment are being significantly boosted. Funding for equipment operations and maintenance is also rising. We cannot invest tens of billions in new equipment without allocating resources to ensure we achieve the operational capabilities that equipment offers. Then there's the defence infrastructure. This has been a grossly under-prioritised area for many years, with operational consequences over time. This is probably the issue I hear most about during my visits across the armed forces. Our facilities for personnel and equipment have been poorly maintained and are inadequate in number. That's why maintenance and renewal of infrastructure are receiving a significant boost in this year's budget. There's so much more I could delve into, but I'll keep it brief: The Home Guard is growing, and from this year, all Home Guard districts will train annually for the required number of days. The Intelligence Service is being significantly strengthened. We're also making substantial investments in research, innovation, and technology development. Finally, we're heavily investing in the people behind the uniforms. This year, we'll see an increase of over 1,400 personnel, including employees, conscripts, and reservists. Recruiting, retaining, and training the skilled personnel our armed forces need is the biggest challenge we face in implementing this defence boost. Officer schools are increasing their intake, and military academies are being prepared for further growth. Substantial funds are being allocated to initiatives aimed at recruiting, retaining, and developing personnel. Even though the Long-Term Plan has been approved, many decisions still lie ahead. For instance, we need to choose a supplier for the new frigates - the largest single defence investment in modern times. Last Friday, the four remaining countries submitted more information, and the government aims to decide on the supplier this year. We also intend to clarify the procurement strategy for the Navy's new standardised vessel class as soon as possible. A national competition will be the starting point. In fact, work is progressing on a host of major procurement projects - air defence, decisive munitions, helicopter initiatives, frameworks for developing the Finnmark and Southern Brigades, long-range maritime drones, and more. Decisions on processes and, eventually, choices will be made as we go along. Other clarifications are also pending, such as location-related questions and details about research and education initiatives in the north. There's much to come. While we have achieved a satisfactory outcome with the Long-Term Plan, we are now moving into a new phase. Most of the work is still ahead of us, and this year will be incredibly important in taking charge of the mission entrusted to us by the Parliament. Additionally, we will strengthen emergency preparedness by facilitating more cross-sectoral and long-term planning and reinforcement of civil and military readiness. One measure involves the development of Norway's first National Security Strategy. The security situation makes it essential to mobilise all available resources in the country to work together effectively. ** Ladies and gentlemen, On 6 June last year, many of us attended the solemn commemoration of D-Day and the beginning of the liberation of Europe in Normandy. It left a lasting impression, and this year, the 80th anniversary of the liberation will be celebrated across the entire country. We are reminded of the unimaginable price that was paid to restore freedom and democracy in Norway and the rest of the continent. This was supposed to be the war that would never happen again. From the ruins of two catastrophic world wars, an international order emergedbased on organisations, agreements, and international lawto handle conflicts between nations peacefully. And when the Berlin Wall fell and the Soviet Union dissolved, it was said to be the end of history. But now we find ourselves in a different situation. The international legal order is under severe pressure and attack. Autocracies and totalitarian regimes are aligning in their pursuit of alternatives to the open, liberal democracies we are determined to defend. There is a willingness to use power and confrontation. We are facing uncertainty, unpredictability, and various threats in ways we haven't seen for a long time. The walls are closing in on us. It is more important than ever for Norway to collaborate with our closest allies and to strengthen our defence and national resilience as we navigate these uncertain times. Thank you. NB: This translation is provided with reservations for potential inaccuracies. Please consult the original in Norwegian for exact wording. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Yemen frees crew of British-owned vessel after Gaza ceasefire IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency Jan 22, 2025 Tehran, IRNA -- Yemen has released the crew of the Galaxy Leader, a British-owned vessel linked to the Israeli regime, which it seized in November 2023 shortly after the start of the war in Gaza. A Yemeni official told Al-Masirah TV on Wednesday that the release followed directives from Abdul Malik al-Houthi, leader of Yemen's Ansarullah movement, and with mediation from Oman. The official added that the move was part of Yemen's efforts to support the Gaza ceasefire and was executed in collaboration with the Palestinian resistance movement Hamas. Yemen's Supreme Political Council confirmed the release, describing it as an act of solidarity with Gaza and a step to reinforce the ceasefire agreement. On November 19, Yemeni forces seized the ship in the Red Sea and redirected it to Yemeni waters, as the country had pledged to target any vessels linked to Israel amid the genocide in Gaza. 9341**4353 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Senior Hezbollah official assassinated by unknown gunmen IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency Jan 22, 2025 Tehran, IRNA -- A senior Hezbollah official, Sheikh Muhammad Hamadi was assassinated by unknown gunmen in eastern Lebanon's Bekaa Valley region on Tuesday. Lebanese National News Agency (NNA) reported that Sheikh Hamadi was assassinated Tuesday evening outside his home in the town of Machghara. Unidentified gunmen in two vehicles opened fire on Hamadi before fleeing to an unknown location, according to Lebanon's official National News Agency. Hamadi was rushed to a nearby hospital, but succumbed to his injuries, the agency added. There was no immediate comment from Hezbollah. 6125**2050 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Saudi Arabia stresses prevention of any conflict in region IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency Jan 22, 2025 Tehran, IRNA -- The foreign minister of Saudi Arabia has stressed the importance of preventing the start of any war in the region, as the regional countries have "feared since the start of Israel's war in Gaza," last October. "Obviously a war between Iran and Israel, any war in our region is something we should try to avoid as much as possible," Reuters quoted Faisal bin Farhan Al-Saud as saying in Switzerland on Tuesday during his speech at the Davos 2025 meeting. "I don't see the incoming US administration as contributory to the risk of war, on the contrary, President Trump has been quite clear he does not favor conflict," the Saudi foreign minister added. About a week ago, the leaders of Arab countries in the Persian Gulf region called on US President Donald Trump to adopt "a softer stance" on the Islamic Republic of Iran, according to a New York Times report. The Persian Gulf countries further urged Trump who officially became US president on January 20 to take "a tougher line on Israel." The 55th Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos kicked off in the Swiss town under the theme "Collaboration for the Intelligent Age" on Monday, January 20, 2025, for five days. Brge Brende, the president of the WEF, had already announced that Trump would deliver an online speech to the Davos meeting three days after his inauguration. 1483**9417 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Hamas emerged victorious in Gaza war: Iran official IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency Jan 22, 2025 Tehran, IRNA -- A member of the Expediency Council of the Islamic Republic of Iran has said that the Palestinian resistance movement emerged victorious in the Gaza war and stands ready to confront the occupying Israeli regime in due time. Speaking to Lebanon's Al Mayadeen TV channel on Tuesday, Mohsen Rezaei stated that the resistance in Gaza, led by Hamas, achieved victory, enhanced by other resistance fronts in Lebanon, Yemen, and Iraq. According to the Iranian official, the war on Gaza and then developments in Lebanon and Syria were a coordinated plot by the US and the Israeli regime, with potential consequences extending into East Asia. Regarding the war in Lebanon, Rezaei said that the Zionist regime believed the assassination of Hezbollah Secretary General Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah would enable them to gain control over the Litani River; however, the occupying forces have no option but to withdraw from southern Lebanon. Rezaei also addressed recent developments in Syria, noting that the future government in Damascus must reflect the interests of all Syrian citizens. He expressed hope that it would effectively safeguard the country's territorial integrity and national sovereignty. As to the 2015 Iran nuclear deal, he said that other signatories to the agreement with Iran failed to compel US President Donald Trump to adhere to this accord, leaving Tehran skeptical of their commitment. 4208**9417 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address The cooperation between Lithuania and Germany enhances security of the whole region, says Minister of National Defence D. Sakaliene Republic of Lithuania - Ministry of National Defence 2025-01-22 International cooperation Minister of National Defence Dovile Sakaliene met with Federal Minister of Defence Boris Pistorius in Lithuania today. Ministers discussed relocation of the German brigade capabilities to Lithuania, acquisition of the Leopard 2 tanks, security of the Baltic undersea critical infrastructure, our commitment to step up the multinational operations mandate to include the NATO operation Kosovo Force (KFOR), and assistance to Ukraine. Minister of National Defence D. Sakaliene informed Minister B. Pistorius about the important decisions taken at the State Defence Council last week to increase defence financing to 5-6% of GDP. The German Brigade remains a top priority across all major political parties of Germany, therefore it should not bother Lithuania in light of the upcoming February elections. I signed a confirmation of procurement of 44 items of the Leopard 2 tanks on my visit to Germany before Christmas. I have requested Minister to look into the possibility to prioritise our requirement and deliver ahead of schedule following sped up payments, as well as to carry out full training of our troops before the equipment arrives. This would constitute a substantial step forward as addition of the tank platform enhances integrity and interoperability of Lithuanian and German forces. This is a critical aspect of modernising the Lithuanian Armed Forces and strengthening regional security," said Minister of National Defence. Ministers also elaborated significantly on the course of stationing the German Brigade in Lithuania. Minister D.Sakaliene asserted her German colleague that this step was an instance of true political leadership supported by the vast majority of the Lithuanian population. According to the most recent public opinion poll (December 2024), 85% of Lithuanian residents think that stationing the German Brigade will make our country safer and see Germany as a strategic security and defence partner (71%). The number of German Brigade personnel in Lithuania is gradually increasing and will reach 500 by the end of the year. Today Lithuania will welcome signal, headquarters and service companies, as well as medical and logistical units. They will be housed in temporary infrastructure in Nemencine and Rokantiskes. The target is to have key Brigade units with all enablers stationed by 2027. Lithuania has taken the decision to expand multinational operations mandate for KFOR with a platoon-sized unit which will be assigned to the German Contingent. Germany is a key partner in operations and Lithuania's contribution to KFOR will further strengthen our ability to act together. Ministers also addressed security of the undersea critical infrastructure in the Baltic Sea, assistance to Ukraine and the oncoming NATO Summit in The Hague. Both countries agreed to work to achieve executability of the NATO defence plans. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Gitanas Nauseda congratulated U.S. President Donald Trump on assuming office President of the Republic of Lithuania Januray 22, 2025 On Tuesday, President Gitanas Nauseda sent a letter on behalf of Lithuania and its people, congratulating Donald Trump on assuming the office of the 47th President of the United States of America. Gitanas Nauseda expressed hope that the inauguration of the U.S. President would open new opportunities for the centuries-long strong friendship between the United States and Lithuania, and for close bilateral cooperation. According to the President, Lithuania will remain a strong and reliable ally of the United States. Committed to working together with the U.S. to achieve sustainable and just peace worldwide, including in Ukraine, Lithuania has pledged to allocate up to 6 percent of its GDP to defense during 2026-2030. This will create even better conditions for the deployment of allied forces in Lithuania, including the rotational U.S. battalion, and foster collaboration in the defense industry and arms acquisitions. In his letter of congratulations, Gitanas Nauseda wished the U.S. President success and strength in his future endeavors for the benefit of the people of the United States of America and the entire free world. The President's Communication Group NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address A look at the Defence news 13 - 19 January Netherlands Ministry of Defence News item | 22-01-2025 | 13:50 Switzerland is a new candidate for membership of the EU Military Mobility Project, which is coordinated and chaired by the Netherlands. The aim of the project is to remove obstacles during military movements in order to speed up travel times within the EU. This applies to road, rail, air and inland waterway transport. Twenty-nine countries are taking part in the project. Baltic ministers unanimous in The Hague: "Ukraine is also fighting on our behalf" 'Be prepared, because deterrence is the best defence.' That was the central message conveyed by the ministers of defence of the three Baltic states during their visit to The Hague last week. Hanno Pevkur (Estonia), Andris Spruds (Latvia) and Dovile Sakaliene (Lithuania) were welcomed by the Netherlands Minister of Defence, Ruben Brekelmans. Bauer hands over baton as most senior NATO officer Last Friday, 17 January, Admiral Rob Bauer passed on the baton as Chair of the NATO Military Committee, a role he had held for the past 3.5 years. In this role, the naval officer was the principal military adviser to the Secretary General. He also chaired all NATO meetings at the military level. Bauer handed over his position to the Italian naval officer, Admiral Giuseppe Cavo Dragone. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Sudan: Concern for civilians over likely offensive on El Fasher Press releases Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights 22 January 2025 Comment by UN Human Rights Office spokesperson Seif Magango on likely RSF offensive on Sudan's El Fasher GENEVA - We are deeply concerned for the safety of civilians in El Fasher, North Darfur, in light of a likely imminent attack by the Rapid Support Forces. In a statement issued on 20 January, the RSF issued an ultimatum to forces allied to the Sudanese Armed Forces to leave the city by this afternoon, indicating an imminent offensive. The SAF, in its response, expressed its readiness to resist assault. El Fasher has been under RSF siege since May last year. We renew our call on both parties to de-escalate tensions around the city and to take urgent steps to ensure its civilian population is protected, consistent with their obligations under international law. The people of El Fasher have suffered so much already from many months of senseless violence and brutal violations and abuses, particularly in the course of the prolonged siege of their city. This must stop. We also urge both parties to return to dialogue, in the interest of the Sudanese people. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Philippines Hosts Regional Seminar to Highlight Urgent Need for Transparency and Cooperation to Address Ballistic Missile Proliferation in Asia Republic of the Philippines - Department of Foreign Affairs 22 January 2025 MANILA 22 January 2025 - The Department of Foreign Affairs of the Philippines, in partnership with the Fondation pour la Recherche Strategique (FRS), is hosting a two-day regional seminar on "Ballistic Missile Developments in Asia: Reducing Risk Through Transparency and Confidence-Building Measures (CBMs)" on 22-23 January 2025 in Manila. The seminar brings together representatives from Indo-Pacific countries, international organizations, and leading experts to address the pressing challenges posed by the proliferation of ballistic missiles in Asia. Discussions are framed within the context of the Hague Code of Conduct Against Ballistic Missile Proliferation (HCoC), a vital multilateral mechanism that fosters transparency and reduces risks associated with missile activities. Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Charles C. Jose underscored the seminar's importance in addressing security challenges: "The threats posed by ballistic missile proliferation demand collective action and enhanced cooperation. This seminar serves as a platform to reaffirm the importance of the HCoC as a tool for transparency, pre-launch notifications, and confidence-building measures." Participants are expected to engage in discussions on critical issues, including recent developments in missile proliferation in the Asia-Pacific region, the significance of pre-launch notifications and annual declarations under the HCoC, and the need to strengthen regional cooperation to mitigate risks and build trust. The Philippines, as the first ASEAN Member State to subscribe to the HCoC and having served as Chair of the Subscribing States for two consecutive years, has consistently demonstrated its commitment to a rules-based international order and advancing non-proliferation and disarmament efforts. "As a country that ratified nearly all major humanitarian disarmament treaties and endorsed recent key initiatives, such as the Political Declaration on Explosive Weapons in Populated Areas, the Philippines is deeply committed to advancing the global humanitarian disarmament agenda," emphasized Foreign Affairs Assistant Secretary for United Nations and International Organizations Maria Teresa T. Almojuela. This regional seminar marks the first in a series of workshops on disarmament and non-proliferation to be hosted by the Department of Foreign Affairs, reflecting the Philippines' dedication to fostering international peace, security, and cooperation through a rules-based international order. END NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Trump admin affirms importance of trilateral with PH, Japan Philippine News Agency By Joyce Ann L. Rocamora January 22, 2025, 9:02 pm MANILA -- US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has affirmed the United States' commitment to sustaining its trilateral cooperation with the Philippines and Japan under the administration of President Donald Trump. The new US top diplomat made the reiteration during a bilateral meeting with Japan's Foreign Minister Iwaya Takeshi in Washington DC on Jan. 22 (Manila time). In a readout, the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said: "The two Ministers concurred on the importance of further developing coordination of like-minded countries, including Japan-US-Republic of Korea, Japan-Australia-India-US, and Japan-US-Philippines." A separate State Department statement said the two officials also discussed how the US and Japan can work together "to counter ongoing threats in the Indo-Pacific and around the world, including joint efforts against China's destabilizing actions". Tokyo earlier emphasized the need for US presence in Asia, especially amid what it described as an "increasingly severe strategic environment" in the region. In his visit to Manila on Jan. 15, Iwaya said the trilateral Japan-US-Philippines relations are a "highly important framework" in realizing a free and open Indo-Pacific. "Southeast Asia is located at a strategic pivot in the Indo-Pacific and is a world growth center, thus partnership with Southeast Asia is vital for regional peace and stability," he said in a joint presser with Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo. "We will approach the next US administration to convey that constructive commitment of the United States in this region is important, also for the United States itself," he added. Also on Wednesday, the foreign ministers of QUAD member statesRubio, Iwaya, Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, and Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong reaffirmed their "shared commitment to strengthening a free and open Indo-Pacific where the rule of law, democratic values, sovereignty, and territorial integrity are upheld and defended". During his confirmation hearing, Rubio described Beijing's actions in the Asia Pacific as "deeply destabilizing" and urged China to refrain from carrying out "anything rash or irrational" when it comes to the Philippines or Taiwan if it is serious about stabilizing US-China relations. (PNA) NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Navy: 'Surface action groups' deployment boosts patrol of PH waters Philippine News Agency By Priam Nepomuceno January 22, 2025, 11:47 am MANILA -- The Philippine Navy (PN) has begun the deployment of "surface action groups" or multiple naval vessels as part of intensified efforts to protect the country's maritime territories. In an interview with the Philippine News Agency Wednesday, PN spokesperson Captain John Percie Alcos said this move is part of the Navy's focus on improving its warfighting capabilities. "We will be veering away from the conduct of lone ship or 'lone wolf' operations, to the deployment of several warships at any given time. Now that we have a group of warships, which are (called) 'surface action groups' patrolling our seas, we can cover more of our areas and jurisdiction," he said. Alcos said the move is part of the Comprehensive Archipelagic Defense Concept (CADC), a strategy that calls for the military to defend Philippine territories, including its 200-nautical mile exclusive economic zone. Asked if the PN "surface action groups" will be made part of the future "maritime cooperative activities" (MCA) with the United States naval forces or even the annual "Balikatan" exercises, Alcos said they welcome this move. "If our planners for the 'Balikatan' or any other exercise consider this, then we will welcome the conduct of exercises involving the formation of 'surface action groups'," he added. On Jan. 17 to 18, naval and air units from the Philippines and the United States held the first maritime cooperative activity (MCA) in the West Philippine Sea (WPS) for this year. The MCA took place in the Palawan area of the WPS. (PNA) NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address PH continues close monitoring of CCG vessels in PH EEZ Philippine News Agency January 22, 2025, 8:34 am MANILA -- The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) has relieved BRP Gabriela Silang with the 44-meter multi-role and response vessel, BRP Suluan, to continue monitoring the Chinese Coast Guard (CCG) vessel 3304 illegally operating off the coast of Zambales. PCG spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea, Commodore Jay Tarriela, said the vessel was spotted at an average distance of 60 nautical miles to 70 nautical miles. As of 9 p.m. Tuesday, the vessel, commonly referred to as the "monster ship" CCG-5901, is now 113 nautical miles away from Zambales but remains within the country's Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) at a distance of 19 nautical miles from Bajo de Masinloc, Tarriela said. Meanwhile, CCG-3304 is approximately 105 nautical miles from Zambales, approaching Bajo de Masinloc at a distance of 28 nautical miles. In a post over X Tuesday evening, Tarriela said CCG-3304 was replaced by another Chinese vessel with bow number 3103. The CCG vessel, he said, is smaller than its predecessor, measuring 77.7 meters in length and 10.4 meters in width. "Despite challenging sea conditions with wave heights of 2-3 meters, BRP Suluan has maintained close monitoring of CCG-3103, effectively preventing the larger vessel from approaching the Zambales coastline," Tarriela said. In a video clip, PCG personnel were shown radio-challenging CCG-3103, asserting that its illegal presence violates the Philippine Maritime Zones Act, the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, and the 2016 Arbitral Award. The PCG's monitoring showed that CCG-3103 also continues its illegal patrol off the coast of Zambales, currently 76 nautical miles from Pundaquit, Zambales. "The Philippine Coast Guard remains steadfast in its commitment to safeguarding the country's maritime interests and upholding international law without escalating tensions," Tarriela said. (PNA) NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Yemen releases crew of UK-owned ship after Gaza ceasefire Iran Press TV Wednesday, 22 January 2025 4:45 PM Yemen says it has released the crew of the British-owned cargo ship Galaxy Leader, which was seized in support of Palestinians shortly after Israel launched its campaign of genocide in the Gaza Strip in October 2023. Yemen's Supreme Political Council "announced the freeing of the crew of the Galaxy Leader, who were arrested on November 19, 2023." It said the move came "in support of the ceasefire" that took hold in Gaza on Sunday. The crew is comprised of 25 nationals from Bulgaria, Ukraine, the Philippines, Mexico and Romania. The Bahamas-flagged cargo ship was seized by Ansarullah fighters, who targeted ships either owned by the Israeli regime or sailing toward Israeli ports in a strong gesture sympathetic to Palestinians in Gaza. The Ansarullah resistance group launched more than 100 attacks on commercial and military vessels in the Red Sea, along with some in the Mediterranean. Ansarullah leader Abdul Malik al-Houthi said on Monday that the resistance fighters are ready to resume anti-Israeli operations if Tel Aviv violates the ceasefire deal in Gaza. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Israel's raids in Jenin have displaced 2,000 families: UNRWA Iran Press TV Wednesday, 22 January 2025 2:40 PM The UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) says Israel's deadly raids on the refugee camp of Jenin in the occupied West Bank have displaced at least 2,000 families since mid-December. UNRWA director Roland Friedrich said that the regime's multiple raids and large-scale incursions against the camp over the past year has left the place "nearly inhabitant." The Israeli regime unleashed a brutal wave of violence against Palestinians in the occupied city of Jenin on Tuesday only two days after a ceasefire took hold in Gaza to bring relative calm to the Palestinian enclave. Friedrich said right now, the agency cannot provide "full services to the camp" due to escalating violence by the regime's forces and illegal settlers against Palestinians. According to Palestinian health services, at least 10 people were killed and 35 wounded in the raid on Tuesday. Friedrich said that the recent raid on the camp "threatens to undermine the fragile ceasefire reached just days ago in Gaza." More Palestinians have to leave the camp now as the Israeli military has issued a forced displacement order. It called on the Palestinians to leave their homes in the camp to the area of Wadi Burqin on the western outskirts of the city, according to Jenin Mayor Muhammad Jarar. Jarar said that Israeli forces prevent the movement of city officials in Jenin, so he has contacted several international institutions to secure the emergency needs of those forcibly evacuated. The Palestine Red Crescent Society (PRCS) said in a post on X that it is "deeply concerned" about the wellbeing of civilians in the camp. Jenin's local private hospital, Al-Amal, was also surrounded by Israeli forces and had come under fire, according to residents and witnesses. Palestinian Authority security officers and medics were among the injured, they said. Witnesses say it is as if the regime's forces came to Jenin straight from Gaza "with large vehicles, aggressive gunfire and drones." Nearly half a million illegal settlers and roughly 2.7 million Palestinians live in the occupied West Bank. Francesca Albanese, the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Palestinian territories, warned that if the violence "is not forced to stop, Israel's genocide of Palestinians will not be confined to Gaza. Mark my words." Israel's genocidal war in the Gaza Strip killed more than 47,000 people, including women and children NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address 'Death machinery': UN warns Israel's genocide could spread to West Bank Iran Press TV Wednesday, 22 January 2025 11:13 AM The United Nations special rapporteur on human rights in Palestinian territories has warned that Israel's genocidal acts may spread from Gaza to the West Bank, amid an ongoing large-scale military operation in the occupied city of Jenin. Francesca Albanese made the remarks in a post on X on Wednesday, as the Israeli regime has escalated brutal violence in the West Bank since the ceasefire in Gaza went into effect over the weekend. "As the long awaited ceasefire in Gaza took place, Israel's death machinery escalated its firing in the West Bank, killing 10 people in Jenin [on Tuesday]," Albanese said. "If it is not forced to stop, Israel's genocide of Palestinians will not be confined to Gaza. Mark my words," she added. As the Israeli deadly violence continues in the West Bank, regional countries have voiced serious concerns over the Israeli atrocities and their fallout. Jordan's Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi described Israeli military offensive in West Bank as "dangerous," saying the violent raids could "destabilize" the security of the entire region. Also on Wednesday, Palestinian channels on Telegram shared videos showing Israeli forces heading towards the Jenin refugee camp with military bulldozers, after leaving the al-Jalama checkpoint in the West Bank. Other footage showed Israeli forces heading towards Jabal Street in the Jenin camp, after storming the city at dawn. This came a day after Israeli forces killed at least 10 Palestinians and injured dozens of others in an attack on Jenin. The attack on Jenin, where the regime's forces have carried out multiple raids and large-scale incursions over the past year, comes only two days after the start of a long-awaited ceasefire between Israel and the Palestinian resistance movement Hamas. Hamas urged Jenin's "youth to mobilize and escalate confrontations with the Israeli army." The resistance group said that the offensive "launched by the occupation in Jenin will fail, just like all its previous military operations against our people," in Gaza. Over the past few years, the Israeli military has conducted numerous raids in the West Bank, which escalated after the onset of the genocidal war on Gaza on October 7, 2023. Palestinians have also been violently attacked by illegal Israeli settlers. At least 859 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 Iraq's Nujaba warns will resume anti-Israeli retaliatory strikes if Gaza attacked Iran Press TV Wednesday, 22 January 2025 10:18 AM An Iraqi anti-terror group has warned Israel of resumption of its operations against strategic positions deep inside the Israeli-occupied territories in case the occupying regime opts to re-launch its military onslaught against Palestinians in the Gaza Strip. "We ceased our operations following the Gaza ceasefire agreement. We will, however, return to the battlefield once the [Zionist] enemy recommences its strikes [against Gaza]," Akram al-Kaabi, secretary general of Harakat Hezbollah al-Nujaba, stated on Tuesday. He stressed that his group will never abandon the issue of Palestine as the "foremost and principal issue" of the Muslim world. The Nujaba chief congratulated all freedom-seeking people of the world, especially forces within the Axis of Resistance, on the victory of the Palestinian resistance front in Operation al-Aqsa Flood. He also appreciated the sublime guidelines of Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei and the support of Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC). Kaabi then paid tribute to the late secretary-general of the Lebanese Hezbollah resistance movement, Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, head of the political bureau of the Palestinian resistance movement Hamas, Ismail Haniyeh, Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar, and senior commander of Iraq's Popular Mobilization Units (PMU), also known as Hashd al-Sha'abi, Hajj Mushtaq Talib al-Saidi (Abu Taqwa). "This legendary resistance should be included in textbooks and taught. We have become victorious and stronger. Weakness and retreat have no place in our lexicon, and we won't allow al-Quds to be wiped off the map of the [West Asia] region. "We rely on the unity and increasing authority of our axis and have no need for the United Nations, the Arab League, and the like," he stated. The Nujaba secretary-general underscored that Muslim nations must know that they must decide their own fate without foreign interference. "The joy of Palestinian people and the Axis of Resistance, in contrast to Zionists' disappointment, shows who the real victor is. Although we lost great commanders, we finished this battle mightily and triumphantly." He described the Israeli genocidal war on Gaza and explosions of communication devices across Lebanon as a real Holocaust, and much more heinous than the atrocities committed by Daesh Takfiri terrorist group. "Europeans are fully complicit in Israeli crimes as they settled Zionists in Palestinian lands and have constantly supported them," Kaabi said. Syria's return to Axis of Resistance Elsewhere in his remarks, the Nujaba chief dismissed allegations about Syria's departure from the Axis of Resistance, stressing that the Arab nation will soon rejoin the front. "Those who think that the Axis of Resistance has lost Syria should wait a little while to see that, God willing, both Syria and other regions will join the axis," he stated. Kaabi also warned of Israeli security and terror plots, calling upon Iraqi resistance forces to elevate their internal security levels to prevent infiltration and materialization of the enemy's schemes, adopt more effective intelligence and security measures to deter the Zionist regime, and confront the usurping entity through media campaigns. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Panama lodges complaint at UN over Trump canal threats Iran Press TV Wednesday, 22 January 2025 8:39 AM The Panamanian government has complained to the United Nations over US President Donald Trump's "worrying" threats to seize the Panama Canal after more than two decades of the Central American country's control over the interoceanic waterway. The move was prompted after Trump claimed in his inaugural address that China was effectively "operating" the Panama Canal through its growing presence around the waterway, which the United States handed over to Panama at the end of 1999 under a treaty signed in 1977 by former president Jimmy Carter. The US president, not ruling out using military force to reclaim the canal, said, "We didn't give it to China, we gave it to Panama and we're taking it back." In a letter to UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres on Tuesday, the government in Panama City pointed to an article of the UN Charter precluding any member from "the threat or use of force" against the territorial integrity or political independence of another. The letter urged Guterres to refer the matter to the UN Security Council, without asking for a meeting to be convened. Panama's President Jose Raul Mulino had denied earlier that any other nation was interfering in the canal, which he said was operated on a principle of neutrality. "The canal is and will remain Panama's," Mulino said in response to Trump's threats. The canal's administrator, Ricaurte Vasquez, too, said this month that China is not in control of the canal and that all nations are treated equally under a neutrality treaty. Vasquez said Chinese companies operating in the ports on either end of the canal were part of a Hong Kong consortium that won a bidding process in 1997. He added that US and Taiwanese companies operate other ports along the canal as well. Since 2000, the waterway has contributed more than $30 billion to Panama's state coffers, including nearly $2.5 billion in the last fiscal year. The new US Republican president has been raising pressure for weeks over the canal, through which 40 percent of US container traffic travels. The US military invaded Panama on December 20, 1989 to remove the country's dictator Manuel Noriega. Some 27,000 troops were tasked by then-president George H.W. Bush with capturing Noriega, protecting the lives of Americans living in Panama and restoring what they claimed as democracy to the country with the aim of seizing control of the Panama Canal a decade later. Last month, Panamanians celebrated the 25th anniversary of the handover and days later they commemorated the deaths of 21 of their compatriots who died at the hands of the US military decades earlier. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address A day after inauguration, Trump threatens to hit EU with tariffs, takes aim at China Iran Press TV Wednesday, 22 January 2025 8:38 AM US President Donald Trump reiterates his previous stance by pledging to hit the European Union with tariffs, while adding that a 10 percent duty on Chinese imports could be implemented as soon as February 1. On Tuesday, a day after being sworn in, Trump addressed reporters at the White House, where he underlined the need to tackle the EU's trade imbalances with the US. "They treat us very, very badly. So they're going to be in for tariffs," he said of the EU. "You can't get fairness unless you do that." Trump had earlier accused the bloc of not importing enough American products, saying he would work to "straighten that out" by imposing duties or urging an expansion of oil and gas purchases. Speaking at an annual meeting of global elites in Davos, Switzerland on Tuesday, European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen said Europe was ready to negotiate with Trump. The EU's "first priority will be to engage early, discuss common interests, and be ready to negotiate," the European official said. "We will be pragmatic, but we will always stand by our principles to protect our interests and uphold our values," she added. The new US president's agenda also takes aim at Beijing over alleged fentanyl trafficking. On Tuesday, he claimed that the new tariff is "based on the fact that they're sending fentanyl to the US via Mexico and Canada." This comes as China has already condemned the United States for sanctioning several Chinese firms and individuals for allegedly trafficking chemicals used for the manufacturing of fentanyl. The Chinese government says it has regulated all fentanyl-related substances while imposing strict control on China-based suppliers of the drug and the ingredients used in its production. Meanwhile, Trump had earlier accused Canada and Mexico of failing to stop illegal immigration and fentanyl trafficking into the US. In his inaugural address on Monday, Trump promised an immediate overhaul of the US trade system, vowing to "tariff and tax foreign countries to enrich our citizens" instead of taxing American citizens. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Senior Hezbollah official assassinated in Lebanon's Western Beqaa district Iran Press TV Wednesday, 22 January 2025 6:22 AM A source in the Lebanese Internal Security Forces says a high-ranking official with the Hezbollah resistance movement has been shot and killed by unknown assailants in the country's Western Beqaa district on the border with Syria. The unnamed source said unidentified gunmen, traveling in two vehicles, opened fire at Sheikh Mohammed Hammadi while he was standing outside his home in the eastern town of Machghara on Tuesday. Hammadi sustained multiple gunshot wounds, and was rushed to a hospital in the nearby town of Sohmor. He succumbed to his injuries shortly afterwards, and was pronounced dead. Lebanese army units, in response, quickly cordoned off Machghara, and set up fixed and mobile checkpoints across towns in Western Beqaa. They launched a wide-scale manhunt for the assailants as well. According to Lebanese security officials, Israeli airstrikes continue to target Machghara town despite the ceasefire agreement with Hezbollah. Israel was forced to accept the ceasefire with the Hezbollah after suffering heavy losses following almost 14 months of fighting and failing to achieve its goals in its aggression on Lebanon. The truce deal came into effect on November 27. It will last for 60 days in the hope of reaching a permanent cessation of hostilities. Under the agreement, an international monitoring committee, headed by the United States, is tasked with overseeing the implementation of the ceasefire. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address US freedom of navigation operations 'unsuccessful,' study says New research found U.S. operations to challenge China's excessive claims in the South China Sea fell short of expectations. By RFA Staff 2025.01.22 -- So-called freedom of navigation operations, or FONOPs, that the U.S. Navy has been carrying out against China's extensive maritime claims in the South China Sea, have proved ineffective and even risk escalating tensions, Australian research found. The findings, in the paper "Don't Shoot the Messenger: Perception & Misperception in the South China Sea," by Nell Bennett, are part of the Blue Security program, a collaboration between various Australian universities and institutes. Bennett, a researcher specializing in maritime and naval affairs, looked into the FONOP program between 2016 and 2023 when, in her opinion, the U.S. made the South China Sea a focus and directed its attention towards China's maritime claims there. "The seven-year FONOP program has seen China go from measured rejection of U.S. messages to more explicit hostility," Bennett said in the report. "China did not accept the messages that the U.S. sought to send through its FONOP program," she said, adding that as China's behavior remains unaltered and becomes even more belligerent, the FONOPs are deemed unsuccessful. 'Strategic communication' Freedom of navigation, according to the U.N. Convention on the Law of the Sea , or UNCLOS, is the right of all states to sail the high seas, as well as to fly over them, without interference from other states. Since 1979, the United States has conducted FONOPs to uphold UNCLOS provisions and reject "unlawful attempts by coastal states to restrict the rights and freedoms of navigation and overflight as well as other lawful uses of the sea," as defined by the Pentagon. The U.S. campaign shows that the United States "does not acquiesce to the excessive maritime claims by other nations and prevents them from becoming accepted customary international law," the Department of Defense said in an annual report. Since the end of 2015, U.S. naval ships regularly sailed near disputed features in the South China Sea, as well as in the Taiwan Strait, to challenge the claims by not only China but also by others, such as Vietnam, Malaysia and Taiwan, that the U.S. views as inconsistent with UNCLOS. The report's author considered FONOPs a form of strategic communication, or "messages that are communicated to advance a strategic objective." "The idea is that the state will receive the message and either reconsider or change its course of action," Bennett wrote. However, despite the 46 reported FONOPs in the South China Sea from 2016 to 2023, "China's responses became more oppositional over time." "Not only did China use U.S. actions as justification for its own militarization, but it also made a thinly veiled threat of retaliation," the researcher said, citing statements by Chinese military officials and media reports. The key factor that will determine whether a message will be accepted is the pre-existing relationship between the states, Bennett argued, and as China viewed the U.S. as a competitor and potential threat, it was predisposed to reject the U.S. communication, which is unlikely to bring about any change in Beijing's behavior. "This argument actually has been floating around since FONOPs started," said Collin Koh, senior fellow at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies in Singapore, who recorded every FONOP by U.S. and allied vessels in the region. "I think the whole idea, firstly, is to let China know it's time to roll back on its excessive maritime claims, but nobody has realistically expected to achieve Beijing's rolling back so it is a bit hasty to say it's unsuccessful," Koh told Radio Free Asia. China would still conduct land reclamation and military exercises to exert control according to its plans and strategies, but the U.S. FONOPs had helped to deter Beijing's "gray zone" campaign of coercive pressure, he added. "An in-depth study is needed to reach conclusions," Koh said. Somebody cares In Koh's opinion, the U.S. strategic messaging is also intended to reassure countries in the region about Washington's stabilizing role, "that is to say that there is somebody who cares." "At least one country acts for public common good and its actions should be appreciated by all countries facing China's aggression," Koh said. "I don't think FONOPs are designed to stop Chinese aggression," said Malcolm Davis, a senior analyst at the Australian Strategic Policy Institute, or ASPI, a government think tank. "They are there to demonstrate to Beijing that the U.S. maintains the right to sail in international waters and challenges China's illegal claims to territory." Only China has publicly and officially protested against the U.S. FONOPs that it sees as disruptive and "a grave threat to China's sovereignty and security." In her research, Bennett also noticed that the Philippines remained supportive of U.S. messaging and its media "even adopted the rhetoric and justifications that the U.S. provided in support of the operations." "Many would argue that [without the FONOPs] it would be more challenging to send clear, consistent messages to Beijing regarding international law and territorial disputes in the South China Sea," said Troy Lee-Brown, project manager of Blue Security and co-editor of Blue Security Maritime Affairs Series. "However, ultimately, as the author Nell Bennett points out, the effectiveness of FONOPs depends on how they are perceived." "So, there is a tension there between the two points of view on their efficacy," Lee-Brown told RFA. Lee-Brown suggested that FONOPs "should ideally be complemented by other forms of strategic communication" - diplomatically, through statements and declarations, military presence and exercises with partners and allies, and legal and normative advocacy amongst other aspects. Analysts also pointed out that the U.S. not being a party to UNCLOS presents challenges to its advocating a rules-based order in the South China Sea. "However, the U.S. has consistently observed UNCLOS as customary international law and conducts operations in accordance with its principles," Lee-Brown added. ASPI's Malcolm Davis said it's important that the U.S. maintains FONOPs and "it's also important that other U.S. allies participate in one way or another, or, like Australia, undertake similar operations to demonstrate international law at sea." 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 China, Mekong countries agree to combat scam centers, arms trafficking Efforts have already resulted in the arrest of 70,000 criminals in 2024, China's embassy said. By RFA Burmese 2025.01.22 -- The six Mekong River countries are working together to combat online scamming and arms dealing in the interests of their security, China's embassy in Myanmar said, as authorities renew efforts to tackle a problem that is causing growing alarm across the region. The rescue of a Chinese actor and several other victims this month from an online scam center in eastern Myanmar has shone a spotlight on the criminal gangs running fraud, money-laundering and human trafficking operations from some of the more lawless corners of the region. The scam centers proliferated in Myanmar, Cambodia and Laos after the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted casinos. Thousands of people have been lured by false job offers and then forced to work defrauding victims online in complexes often run by ethnic Chinese gangsters, human rights groups say. China, which is also home to many of the victims of the scammers, has been organizing action to tackle the problem with its southern neighbors, most recently at a meeting in the city of Kunming, in China's Yunnan southern border province. "The operation brings together the law enforcement resources of various countries and is an effective cooperative force in the fight against telecommunications fraud and arms smuggling in the region," China's embassy in Myanmar said in a statement on Tuesday. "All parties unanimously agreed that regional security and stability were effectively protected," it said. In 2025, members of the Lancang-Mekong Integrated Law Enforcement and Security Cooperation Center - China, Myanmar, Thailand Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam - will begin the second phase of an operation against the criminals, the embassy said. It did not give details of what it would entail. From August to December, Operation Zin Yaw resulted in a collective 160 cases cracking down on telecommunications fraud, in which more than 70,000 criminals were arrested and 160 victims were rescued, the embassy said. Myanmar authorities have said the large majority of suspects detained in raids are from China. China can provide "effective protection" against both arms smuggling and online fraud, the embassy said. The recent abduction and rescue from an eastern Myanmar enclave on the Thai border of Chinese actor Wang Xing, and model Yang Zeqi, has attracted media attention across the region and raised public alarm about safety. Thailand has seen a rash of group tour cancellations for the upcoming Lunar New Year and its government has promised action to protect its economically important tourist industry. The leaders of militias loyal to Myanmar's junta and the operators of online scam centers announced this month that they had agreed to stop forced labor and fraud after coming under pressure from Thailand and the Myanmar military, sources close to the militia groups said. "The threat posed by the scam gangs is large - if you read the newspapers you know - so something needs to be done," said Aung Thu Nyein, a member of the Institute for Strategy and Policy Myanmar think tank. Myanmar's exiled parallel National Unity Government said in a statement on Monday it and other anti-junta groups would work with neighboring countries to suppress the scam centers. Translated by Kiana Duncan. Edited by RFA Staff. Copyright 1998-2025, RFA. Used with the permission of Radio Free Asia, 2025 M St. NW, Suite 300, Washington DC 20036. For any commercial use of RFA content please send an email to: mahajanr@rfa.org. RFA content January not be used in a manner which would give the appearance of any endorsement of any product or support of any issue or political position. Please read the full text of our Terms of Use. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address What's Stopping NATO Countries From Boosting Defense Spending? By Ray Furlong January 22, 2025 U.S. President Donald Trump expects Washington's NATO allies to spend more on bombs and bullets. Trump's proposal for members to devote 5 percent of GDP to defense was widely rejected, but the demand for bigger budgets is real and is not expected to go away. NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte has said spending might need to rise to as much as 3.7 percent of GDP. Only Poland is above that right now. The current target for defense spending is 2 percent of GDP, which most members met or exceeded in 2024. A new target for spending is likely to be agreed at a NATO summit in The Hague in June. That would require agreement from all 32 member states. European countries have ramped up defense budgets since Russia's all-out invasion of Ukraine in 2022. And many leaders have said the increased spending must continue to counter the growing military threat from Moscow. But putting this into practice is the hard part. Many governments already face strained public finances, debt-ridden pension systems, creaking public services, and disgruntled voters with different priorities. Political instability adds to the mix. A look at the three largest European military powers underlines the scale of the obstacles to major investments in their armed forces. Germany In nominal terms, Germany is the top European spender, laying out nearly $98 billion in 2024, according to NATO figures. This accounts for 2.12 percent of GDP, less than many other NATO members. Efforts to increase it have run into a brick wall and led to the collapse of the German government in December. The wall in question is a constitutional rule known as the debt brake. It limits the size of Germany's overall debt and annual borrowing. A proposal was made to suspend the debt brake given the exceptional pressures on spending -- not just for defense -- caused by the war in Ukraine, but Germany's governing coalition was unable to reach consensus. The Defense Ministry had published plans for massive investments to make the German military "ready for war" but Defense Minister Boris Pistorius was left fuming at the lack of funds. Germans will now go to the polls in early parliamentary elections in February, but defense is barely registering as a campaign issue. The opposition Christian Democrats look set to emerge as winners, and their promise to maintain spending at "at least" 2 percent of GDP will not set hearts racing in Washington. The party's election manifesto has pledged to maintain the debt brake mechanism, which is popular with voters. Nicu Popescu at the European Council for Foreign Relations said the German situation illustrates a Europe-wide problem. "Politicians have not had a serious conversation with their publics for 30 years about the need for defense spending," he said. "Many are afraid to have this conversation. There is a political straitjacket preventing it." France France is an example of this. Political instability has derailed plans to increase defense spending in the short term. President Emmanuel Macron lost his parliamentary majority in early elections in the summer, making it impossible so far to get a budget for 2025 approved. This has meant France's defense spending is stuck at 2024 levels for now, leaving a planned $3 billion increase in limbo. Key blocs in parliament have completely different budget priorities. Both the left and the far-right want more social spending while the center-right wants tax cuts, and nobody looks willing to compromise. The government could lose a confidence motion at any time. "Defense is never in the discussion," said Olivier Costa of Sciences Po in Paris. "The whole story is political leaders aiming to win the next presidential election." Meanwhile, France's budget situation is already stretched to breaking point. National debt stands at 120 percent of GDP, double the European Union's debt ceiling. "France is worse than Germany in all economic indicators," said Prime Minister Francois Bayrou on January 14. Costa said it "would be very difficult in the current context to explain to citizens that more spending is needed on defense." Britain Britain has one of Europe's largest defense budgets. At around $82 billion, it accounts for 2.33 percent of GDP. The country's political scene is more stable, as the new government has a large majority in parliament. But Prime Minister Keir Starmer won last year's election promising not to raise taxes and to reduce borrowing. He has also pledged to maintain spending in priority areas. This includes defense but also health, education, and transport infrastructure. Britain's national debt is currently at its highest level since the 1960s. This all means there is very limited scope for boosting defense dollars. In November, Starmer told Rutte that in the spring the government would "set a path" to lift spending to 2.5 percent of GDP. The lack of a timetable for this spending commitment has been criticized -- as has its ambition, which falls well short of the numbers Rutte has mentioned. Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/nato-countries-defense-spending- ukraine/33284708.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 2 U.S. Men Freed In Afghanistan In Exchange For Taliban Serving Life In California By RFE/RL's Radio Azadi January 22, 2025 U.S. officials and media confirmed the release of two Americans held in Afghanistan in exchange for a Taliban man imprisoned for life in California on drug and terrorism charges. Taliban leaders on January 21 identified Khan Mohammed, who was sentenced to two life terms in 2008, as the man released from the U.S. prison "as a result of long and fruitful negotiations" between Afghanistan and the United States. Afghanistan "views positively the actions taken by the United States that contribute to the normalization and development of relations between the two countries," the Foreign Ministry said. A 2008 U.S. Justice Department statement identified the released Afghan man as a member of the "Afghan Taliban sentenced to life in prison in nation's first conviction on narco-terror charges." He was convicted following a seven-day jury trial and sentenced to two life terms. The Afghan ministry did not identify the two Americans set free, but CNN, AP, and family members identified them as Ryan Corbett and William McKenty. A member of the new administration of President Donald Trump told news agencies that the deal was brokered by President Joe Biden's team before he left office on January 20. No mention was made of two other U.S. citizens being held by Taliban -- George Glezmann and Mahmood Habibi, both of whom have been held since 2022. Details of the negotiations were not revealed. The United States, like most countries, does not recognize the Taliban -- which captured Kabul in mid-2021 -- as the legitimate rulers of Afghanistan. "The Trump administration will continue to demand the release of all Americans held by the Taliban, especially in light of the billions of dollars in U.S. aid they've received in recent years," White House National Security Council spokesman Brian Hughes said in a statement on January 21. The Corbett family thanked both Biden and Trump in a statement and said, "Our hearts are filled with overwhelming gratitude and praise to God for sustaining Ryan's life and bringing him back home after what has been the most challenging and uncertain 894 days of our lives." The family also thanked officials in Qatar "for their vital role in facilitating" the release of Corbett. Qatar has often hosted negotiations between Washington and the Taliban. On January 13, the White House said Biden had spoken to the families of three Americans held by the Taliban in Afghanistan since 2022 and promised to do everything possible to bring them home as he headed into the final days of his presidency. Aid worker Corbett, 40, and Habibi, 37 -- who led the Afghan Aviation Authority under the previous Afghan government -- were detained separately in August 2022, a year after the Taliban seized control of Afghanistan from the Western-backed government. Glezmann, now 66, was detained later in 2022 while visiting as a tourist. No information was immediately known about the reasons for McKenty's presence in Afghanistan or how long he had been held there. With reporting by AP, CNN, and The New York Times Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/33284358.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 Secretary Rubio's Call with Philippine Secretary of Foreign Affairs Manalo US Department of State Readout Office of the Spokesperson January 22, 2025 The below is attributable to Spokesperson Tammy Bruce: Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke today with Philippine Secretary of Foreign Affairs Enrique A. Manalo about issues of mutual concern, including the PRC's dangerous and destabilizing actions in the South China Sea. Secretary Rubio conveyed that the PRC's behavior undermines regional peace and stability and is inconsistent with international law. The Secretary underscored the United States' ironclad commitments to the Philippines under our Mutual Defense Treaty. The Secretaries also exchanged views on ways to advance security cooperation, expand economic ties for shared prosperity, and deepen avenues for further regional cooperation. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Restoring stability to Haiti is essential to peace and security in the region: UK statement at the UN Security Council Statement by Ambassador James Kariuki, UK Deputy Permanent Representative to the UN, at the UN Security Council meeting on Haiti. 22 January 2025 The United Kingdom welcomes the strong regional participation in this meeting including Foreign Ministers from Haiti, the Dominican Republic and Colombia as well as the representatives of Suriname, Canada and Kenya. President, at least one Haitian was killed, kidnapped or injured every hour as a result of gang violence in 2024. Gangs continue to use executions, kidnappings and sexual violence as tools of oppression against civilians. This violence, compounded by profound political and economic instability, has displaced over one million Haitian people, fundamentally disrupting the fabric of Haitian society. We call on Haiti's Transitional Presidential Council, Prime Minister Alix Didier Fils-Aime, and his government, to work towards the restoration of security in Haiti and to the establishment of free and fair elections. We strongly urge all political actors to work together in the interests of all the Haitian people. The targeting of commercial aircraft by gangs demonstrates the dangerous lengths they will go to forcibly exercise control over Haitian life. The United Kingdom is deeply concerned about the severe shortages of food, clean water, and medical supplies, which are exacerbating the suffering of the Haitian people. Restoring stability to Haiti is essential to peace and security in the region. We commend the work of the Multinational Security Support (MSS) Mission in Haiti and pay tribute to Kenya for their leadership. The UK has provided financing to support the mission's human rights compliance framework. It is clear that the security challenges are becoming more complex. We recognise the request from the Haitian Transitional Presidential Council to transition the MSS Mission to a UN Peacekeeping Operation. We look forward to the Secretary General's report on recommendations and believe that a peacekeeping operation could offer the best hope for restoring longer term security for the government and people of Haiti. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address The UK condemns the violence between the ELN and EMBF in Colombia: UK statement at the UN Security Council Statement by Ambassador James Kariuki, UK Deputy Permanent Representative to the UN, at the UN Security Council meeting on Colombia. 22 January 2025 The UK welcomes the Colombian Government's renewed focus on implementation of the 2016 Peace Agreement, and the rapid response plan presented to the Council last year. Coordinated action between Government agencies and regional authorities, as well as sufficient resourcing, will be critical to its success. In that light, we welcome President Petro's recent commitment to ensure that funding for implementation of the Peace Agreement is maintained, despite broader government budget cuts. As highlighted by Mr Valbuena, there must be continued focus on progress for the most conflict affected groups, particularly Indigenous and Afro-Colombian communities. The UK was delighted to see the publication of Colombia's first-ever Women Peace and Security National Action Plan. This will be an important tool to reinforce implementation of the 2016 Agreement, and wider gender goals. It also serves to shine a much-needed spotlight on the violence that women and girls continue to face. We are, however concerned by the rise in child recruitment and the use of anti-personnel mines. We urge the Government to prioritise the security of all vulnerable communities. Transitional justice is at the heart of the 2016 Agreement. The UK urges the Government and the Special Jurisdiction for Peace to work together to accelerate sentencing and restorative justice measures, maintaining the confidence of both the victims, and the signatories to the Agreement. President, we condemn the violence between the Ejercito de Liberacion Nacional and the Estado Mayor Central, in Catatumbo on 16 January which left over 80 dead, including signatories to the 2016 Agreement and which displaced approximately 18,000 people. These barbaric actions, which follow a string of attacks on the Colombian security forces, and widespread oppression of communities, further call into question the ELN and EMBF's interest in dialogue and desire for peace. They must end this behaviour and make clear to the Colombian people their commitment to dialogue to give this political process any chance of success. Let me conclude by underscoring the United Kingdom's resolute commitment to support Colombia along its path to sustainable peace. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Support for Haiti needed now 'more than ever', Security Council hears 22 January 2025 - Haiti is showing signs of progress on the political front despite serious setbacks in terms of security, the Special Representative and Head of the UN office in the country, BINUH, told the Security Council on Wednesday. Maria Isabel Salvador updated ambassadors on the situation in the Caribbean country, where a political transition process to restore democratic institutions continues against a backdrop of ongoing gang violence, mainly in the capital, Port-au-Prince. "At this crucial time, Haiti needs your continued support more than ever," she said, speaking from the city. "In order to organize a constitutional revision process and credible, participative and inclusive elections in this crisis context, Haitian actors must overcome their differences and work together," she added. Transition framework 'fragile' Ms. Salvador reported on recent developments, including the appointment of a new Prime Minister in November and improved collaboration between the Transitional Presidential Council and the current Government. The National Conference on constitutional reform also continues its work, and the constitutional referendum and general elections remain targeted for this year. However, she said "the transition framework remains fragile", characterized by increasing fragmentation within the Transitional Presidential Council, combined with persistent external criticism of the body. Furthermore, three Council members face serious corruption allegations which has heightened tensions. Some political actors have written to regional bloc CARICOM to facilitate a national dialogue. Deadly gang attacks Meanwhile, armed gangs continue terrorizing the Haitian population and the violence has impacted humanitarian operations. On 11 November, gangs attacked commercial aircraft near the Port-au-Prince airport, forcing its closure and the suspension of all flights. They have also carried out attacks across the capital, including the killing last month of 207 people in Wharf Jeremie, located in the Cite Soleil neighbourhood. Ms. Salvador said the Haitian National Police (HNP), supported by the Security Council-backed Multinational Security Support mission (MSS) and, in some cases, the Armed Forces of Haiti, has made efforts to respond to the surge in violence. UN operations affected "The worsening security crisis has significantly impacted United Nations operations," she said. "In response to the suspension of flights to Port-au-Prince and widespread violence, the UN decided to temporarily reduce its footprint in the capital, while continuing to provide lifesaving assistance." She stressed that the UN remains committed to scaling up its presence as soon as security conditions allow. She said the humanitarian crisis in Haiti has reached alarming levels. Over six million people, nearly half the population, require assistance, with nearly four million targeted for aid. The number of internally displaced persons has tripled to over one million, and more than half are children. Some 48 per cent of people are facing food insecurity, with nearly two million in emergency conditions and 6,000 in catastrophic conditions. She urged donors to support the 2025 Humanitarian Response Plan for Haiti, which calls for $908 million to address the suffering and support recovery. Weapons influx continues Ghada Waly, head of the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), also briefed the Council. She told ambassadors that the ongoing violence and instability in Haiti is compounded by illicit arms flows, drug trafficking and other illicit markets, and underpinned by corruption and money laundering. "Despite the reinforcement of the arms embargo, weapons and ammunition trafficking continue to flow into Haiti and into the hands of gangs," she said. While the drug trade is key among illicit markets, others are also "booming", such as wildlife crime. She said there is growing evidence that several Haitian nationals are part of a wider criminal network connected to lucrative eel trafficking, operating in the country and beyond. "Some reports indicate that powerful political and economic figures in Haiti use the eel industry to launder drug profits," she added. Ms. Waly underscored the importance of enhancing Haiti's capacities against trafficking, improving regional cooperation and information sharing, and strengthening the country's institutions. She also reaffirmed UNODC's commitment to work with the Haitian authorities and partners to tackle the underlying structures of organized crime and corruption. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Release of ship's crew, 'a step in the right direction': UN Yemen envoy 22 January 2025 - The UN Special Envoy for Yemen and the head of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) on Wednesday welcomed the release of the crew of a commercial ship held by Houthi rebels for more than a year. The Houthis, also known as Ansar Allah, seized the MV Galaxy Leader in November 2023 as part of attacks against international shipping in the Red Sea they instigated in support of the Palestinian cause in Gaza. The 25 sailors on board the car carrier, who come from several countries, were taken hostage. 'Heartwarming news' "The release of the Galaxy Leader crew is heartwarming news that puts an end to the arbitrary detention and separation that they and their families endured for more than a year," Special Envoy Hans Grundberg said in a statement. He described the move as "a step in the right direction" and urged the Houthis "to continue these positive steps on all fronts, including ending all maritime attacks." He said these measures are critical in improving the space for mediation in Yemen, where the Houthis and Government forces, backed by a Saudi coalition, have been locked in an expansive civil conflict for more than a decade. Advocacy by Oman Mr. Grundberg expressed gratitude to Oman for its determined and tireless efforts to advocate for the crew's release. He also thanked the country for its steadfast support in advocating for the release of staff from the UN, international organizations, and diplomatic missions. The Houthis have been holding more than 60 of these personnel, all Yemeni nationals, for more than a year. Diplomacy and dialogue In a separate statement, IMO Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez called the release of the ship's crew "a moment of profound relief for all of us", referring not only to them and their families but the wider maritime community. "Today's breakthrough is a testament to the power of collective diplomacy and dialogue, recognizing that innocent seafarers must not become collateral victims in wider geopolitical tensions," he said. The development "is also a return to operations in the Red Sea as we have been accustomed to, and upholding of the freedom of navigation," he added. He stressed that "IMO will continue to rigorously uphold its commitment to the safety of seafarers worldwide, who continue to face risks in their essential work." Shipping, airstrikes and ceasefire The MV Galaxy is affiliated with an Israeli businessman and was chartered by Japanese shipping company Nippon Yusen, according to media reports. It is registered in The Bahamas. The Houthis began attacking merchant ships following the start of the Gaza conflict in October 2023, in addition to launching missiles and drones at Israel. In response, the United States and the United Kingdom carried out retaliatory strikes against the rebels. Israel has also attacked Houthi sites in Yemen. Last week, Israel and Hamas announced a temporary ceasefire in Gaza which came into effect on Sunday. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address World News in Brief: Gaza aid surge, El Fasher update, aid to Somalia, justice in Belarus 22 January 2025 - The UN and partners are "seizing every opportunity" provided by the ceasefire in the Gaza Strip to support civilians, providing a surge in aid alongside storage capacity, repair work, lifesaving services and damage assessments. Aid coordination office OCHA said the UN and our partners are dispatching supplies to designated emergency shelters and distribution centres across the Strip. "We are distributing food parcels and flour and working to re-open bakeries," said UN Deputy Spokesperson Farhan Haq. More than 50,000 food parcels On Monday and Tuesday, colleagues from the UN Palestine refugee agency, UNRWA, distributed 118 trucks of more than 53,000 food parcels to communities in Khan Younis and to its shelters in Deir Al-Balah. Reproductive health agency UNFPA said 20 trucks carrying critical supplies, including for safe births, emergency obstetric care, postpartum kits, contraceptives and winter items, were offloaded in Deir Al-Balah on Tuesday. Twenty more trucks carrying UNFPA assistance are entering northern Gaza on Wednesday. The UN Office for Project Services (UNOPS) is distributing fuel to ensure critical services such as healthcare and water pumping and desalination can run on back-up generators in the absence of electricity. The UN and its partners are also supporting infrastructure repairs, including to water wells and desalination plants. "Our humanitarian partners are carrying out rapid assessments in newly accessible areas to identify people's most urgent needs, including water, hygiene, sanitation and healthcare," Mr. Haq added. They are also stepping up disease surveillance efforts, setting up trauma stabilisation points for emergency care and mobilising specialised health teams. Sudan: Civilians in peril ahead of 'likely imminent attack' by RSF militia The UN rights office, OHCHR, expressed deep concern on Wednesday over a likely offensive against the Darfuri city of El Fasher, in Sudan, which has been besieged for months by the so-called Rapid Support Forces (RSF) which are battling government troops for control of the country. OHCHR spokesperson Seif Magango said the RSF had issued a statement on Monday with an ultimatum to the national army and affiliates to leave the city by Wednesday afternoon. Government forces were defiant in face of the order. "We renew our call on both parties to de-escalate tensions around the city and to take urgent steps to ensure its civilian population is protected, consistent with their obligations under international law," said Mr. Magango. "The people of El Fasher have suffered so much already from many months of senseless violence and brutal violations and abuses, particularly in the course of the prolonged siege of their city. This must stop." Drone attacks Aid coordination office OCHA also voiced deep concern on Wednesday over a series of reported drone attacks on civilians and critical civilian infrastructure in the northern, eastern and central areas of Sudan. An attack Wednesday reportedly targeted the um Dabakir power station around Kosti, south of the capital, Khartoum. This follows another reported strike on a power station in Northern state earlier this week. OCHA said that major cuts to water and power risk depriving people of access to critical health services and safe water supplies. Parties to the fighting, under international law, have a clear obligation not to attack objects indispensable to the survival of the civilian population. Somalia: Aid partners seek $1.42 billion to help 4.6 million people A joint appeal was launched on Wednesday for $1.4 billion by the UN, aid partners and the country's authorities to help millions who need lifesaving humanitarian support and protection. "Recurrent shocks, food insecurity and malnutrition remain widespread across Somalia," warned George Conway, the top UN aid official there. In a statement in support of the aid appeal to help 4.6 million people of the nearly six million in need, Mr. Conway said that this year's humanitarian needs and response plan will provide lifesaving assistance, particularly to vulnerable groups such as women, children and the elderly. The UN official explained that the situation in Somalia improved slightly in 2024 compared to previous years when "widespread conflict, devastating droughts and flooding" were the norm. The improvements last year were the result of investments in early warning systems, community preparedness and improved cooperation between humanitarians and the authorities, Mr. Conway explained. UN rights experts alarmed by Belarus trials in absentia A group of independent UN human rights experts on Wednesday raised the alarm over Belarus's increasing use of in absentia trials, which lack basic fair trial guarantees. These trials can lead to severe penalties, including lengthy prison sentences, property confiscation and even the death penalty. "We have received numerous reports of individuals prosecuted in absentia in Belarus who learn of their prosecution by chance, are unaware of the charges and grounds for their conviction and are completely deprived of a legal defence," the Human Rights Council-appointed experts stated. They highlighted that some individuals have unsuccessfully tried to participate remotely or obtain copies of the verdicts. Belarusian legislation on in absentia trials disregards fair trial guarantees provided by the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which Belarus has ratified. The experts urged the authorities to honour their international obligations. Civil society reports indicate a dramatic rise in such trials against Belarusians abroad, with 110 cases in 2024 compared to 18 in 2023. Punishment for dissent Since the disputed 2020 presidential elections, many Belarusians have fled due to government repression. "Nevertheless, the Belarusian authorities continue to target these individuals, even in exile," the experts noted, referencing a 2023 decree that restricts access to identity and travel documents for Belarusians abroad. Over 100 people, including political opposition members, civil society activists and human rights defenders, have been convicted in absentia since 2022. Those prosecuted are not notified of proceedings, cannot choose their defence lawyers and cannot participate remotely. Judgements are not public and only brief verdict information is accessible online. "Convictions in absentia inevitably lead to violations of various human rights," the experts warned, citing rights to fair trials, freedom of expression and adequate living standards. Sentences include long prison terms, heavy fines and potentially the death penalty. Special Rapporteurs and other independent rights experts are not UN staff, receive no salary and are independent of any government or organization. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address As Gang Violence, Organized Crime Grip Haiti, Security Council Hears Calls for Security Boost, Aid Increase, Political Progress Meetings Coverage Security Council 9844th Meeting (PM) SC/15973 22 January 2025 Despite several positive political developments in Haiti, a worsening security situation compounded by organized crime has resulted in death, displacement and crisis in the country, senior United Nations officials told the Security Council today, urging international support to make progress on these intertwined fronts. "I come before you hopeful for the signs of progress in the political front, despite serious setbacks in the security one," said Maria Isabel Salvador, Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Haiti and Head of the United Nations Integrated Office in Haiti (BINUH). On the latter, she reported on armed gangs' targeting of commercial aircraft near the Port-au-Prince international airport, subsequent coordinated gang attacks across the capital which triggered violent responses from self-defence groups and mass killings by armed gangs in Wharf Jeremie. Yet, she also noted additional deployments of personnel to Haiti from Kenya, Guatemala and El Salvador, emphasizing that improved coordination between the Multinational Security Support Mission and national security forces "has led to better planning and execution of anti-gang operations". However, enhanced international assistance is critical as challenges faced by the Haitian National Police "remain immense". Nevertheless, she said: "The political landscape in Haiti has seen positive developments since I last briefed this Council." These, she noted, include the appointment of a Prime Minister on 11 November, improved collaboration between the Government and the Transitional Presidential Council, the deployment of UN electoral support and continued work on constitutional reform. However, pointing to a "fragile" transition framework and "alarming" levels of humanitarian crisis in the country, she underscored: "A sustainable solution requires progress simultaneously on the security and political fronts, backed up by constant international solidarity." Also detailing worsening violence in Haiti was Ghada Waly, Executive Director of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), who emphasized that this is compounded by illegal arms flows, drug trafficking and other illicit markets underpinned by corruption and money-laundering. Despite the reinforcement of the arms embargo, weapons and ammunition continue to flow into Haiti. However, these illicit flows "can be detected and halted", she emphasized, pointing to the dismantling of a network that diverted 900,000 rounds of ammunition from Dominican Republic police stockpiles into illegal markets. Yet, she also stressed that insecurity, instability and economic hardship continue to drive people to flee Haiti, with nationals increasingly smuggled through dangerous sea routes to the Dominican Republic, the Bahamas, Jamaica and Turks and Caicos en route to the United States and Canada. She further noted that, in 2024, the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) estimated that children account for 30 to 50 per cent of gang members in Haiti. "Laws against human trafficking need to be implemented more effectively," she stressed. ... NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Dialogue 'Central Axis in Construction of Peace' in Colombia, Special Representative Tells Security Council 9843rd Meeting (AM) SC/15972 22 January 2025 Amid one of the deadliest waves of violence in Colombia since the signing of the 2016 Final Agreement for Ending the Conflict and Building a Stable and Lasting Peace, speakers in the Security Council today underscored the urgency of implementing the accord's security guarantees. Carlos Ruiz Massieu, Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Head of the United Nations Verification Mission in Colombia, said that the first days of 2025 have been marred by violence in the country. "I am deeply saddened by the actions that have bloodied the remote Catatumbo region of north-east Colombia since late last week, claiming dozens of lives," he said. According to numerous reports, many of the victims were individually targeted and killed. The bloodshed the result of an attack by Ejercito de Liberacion Nacional (ELN) in an area of presence of a rival armed group known as Estado Mayor de los Bloques y Frentes (EMBF) is part of the ongoing confrontation between armed groups in various areas of the country with a limited State presence. The success of the Ministry of the Interior's rapid response plan, aimed at accelerating the implementation of the 2016 peace agreement, will depend directly upon the availability of resources, he went on to say. It is also critical to accelerate the implementation of the ethnic chapter of the Final Agreement, which focuses on the needs and protection of Colombia's Afro-Colombian and Indigenous communities. "The Bari and Yukpa are among the populations affected by the violence in Catatumbo," he said. Moving forward, the gender provisions of the peace agreement will require adequate funding, proactive leadership and constant engagement with women's organizations. In the last six days alone, over 80 people have been killed in the Catatumbo region, 100 have been kidnapped and over 30,000 have been displaced, said Diego Tovar, Representative of the high contracting party to the Commission for the Follow-up, Promotion and Verification of the Implementation of the Final Agreement. He warned that the violence "threatens to spread to other regions", with ethnic communities, women and children being among the most affected by the reconfiguration of the armed actors. Also, he added, impunity continues to be extremely high for the assassination of former combatants, reaching 90 per cent. Some ex-combatants remain imprisoned after the signing of the Agreement and are waiting for the jurisdiction to generate prompt solutions to their cases. Eight years on, the reintegration process remains precarious. Its non-implementation and persistent violence led 80 per cent of former combatants to leave their territorial areas, he said, pointing to their "massive displacements" in 2023 and 2024. "From the outset, we have supported the importance of dialogue as a central axis in the construction of peace," he stated, underscoring that "total peace" must comply with international humanitarian law while developing the security measures foreseen in the Final Agreement. If the course of implementing the "total peace" policy is not corrected, it will become a serious risk for the Agreement's implementation, he cautioned. Armando Wouriyu Valbuena, Secretary of the Special High-Level Body on Ethnic Peoples of Colombia, noted that ethnic peoples constitute 10 per cent of the Colombian population and occupy one third of national territory. "As such, we are environmental guardians for the rest of Colombians and the planet," he stressed. He recalled that ethnic and Indigenous groups were the only stakeholders to conclude an agreement with the Colombian Government and the former Fuerza Alternativa Revolucionaria del Comun (FARC), leading to the Ethnic Chapter a first in the history of peace agreements to have an ethnic perspective. However, after eight years of implementation, that Chapter continues to be the most neglected, despite being intended to solve underdevelopment for communities of African descent and Indigenous communities. Substantive improvement in the pace of implementation requires that the instances provided for in the Agreement must be activated by the various stakeholders in peace. The committee on follow-up and implementation monitoring is an inactive body, he noted but has the potential to bring together representatives of the Colombian State and peace agreement signatories of the now-extinct FARC. Calling on the Government "to include us in the 16 national sectoral plans for comprehensive rural reform and development plans", he noted that in the Catatumbo area, "former combatants and my brothers from the Bayou people are victims of displacement, and others of confinement" further requesting that the National Commission enact security guarantees. In the ensuing discussion, numerous delegates among them, the representatives of Greece and Slovenia echoed condemnation of recent incidents in Catatumbo that resulted in many casualties and massive displacements, while emphasizing the lack of security guarantees for former combatants, human rights defenders and social leaders, compounded by the limited State presence in areas previously occupied by FARC. "The peacebuilding process in Colombia has come up against one of its most serious challenges since the signing of the peace agreement," observed the Russian Federation's representative. The violence has resulted in dozens of victims, including the killings of six signatories of the Final Agreement, and has led to the largest humanitarian crisis in decades. Calling for ELN and FARC dissident groups to immediately cease violence and hostilities, he voiced concern over the lack of security for ex-combatants, social leaders and all victims of the conflict. France's delegate said that interinstitutional coordination is key for the acceleration of progress on the peace accord and condemned the resumption of violence in Catatumbo. "The ceasefire agreement should guarantee the security of all ex-combatants," he added. "We hope all Colombians will forge ahead with unwavering confidence and maintain unity," said China's delegate, calling for new gains on the security side and enhanced protection of vulnerable groups. In the same vein, Pakistan's representative said that "peace embodies more than the mere absence of conflict". Accordingly, he underlined the need to create conditions that prevent the resurgence of violence by providing justice, ensuring safety and building a social and economic edifice that caters to the needs of all peoples. The representative of Guyana, also speaking for Algeria, Sierra Leone and Somalia, welcomed the recent reintegration of 12,000 former combatants while encouraging the Government to redouble efforts to address impediments to the effective implementation of the Ethnic Chapter. Condemning the recruitment of children by armed groups and noting an increase in that activity, she demanded the immediate end of that practice. Emphasizing that attacks by armed groups have led to increased displacement of civilians with Indigenous and Afro-Colombians bearing the brunt of the violence she welcomed recent progress made on the public policy plan to dismantle armed groups. Carlos Ruiz-Hernandez, Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs of Panama, said that Colombia is an example that political willingness is essential to restore the social fabric of a State. Recognizing the complexities of the Final Agreement, he expressed concern that disputes and clashes continue near the Panamanian border and underscored that protection of civilians must be "at the heart" of any effort to resolve the conflict. The representative of the United States urged the Government of Colombia to continue its commitment to attaining justice for victims and survivors of the conflict. Absent these efforts, Colombia will continue to face challenges in meeting its security, stability and counter-narcotics goals. For its part, Washington, D.C., has contributed over $2.1 billion to support the peace accord's implementation. "Many women and young people currently experiencing great trauma from the ongoing violence they suffer or witness the effects of which will continue to be felt for some time," she added, adding that they must be part of the conversation in building a peaceful future in Colombia. Echoing that sentiment, the United Kingdom's delegate cited the publication of Colombia's first-ever Women, Peace and Security National Action Plan as "an important tool" to reinforce the implementation of the 2016 Final Agreement and shine a spotlight on the violence that women and girls continue to face. Denmark's representative strongly condemned violence against social leaders, including Indigenous and Afro-Colombians, stressing that "the increasing trend of homicides against leaders in environmental protection and land restitution must be reversed". Relatedly, her counterpart from the Republic of Korea expressed concerns about Bogota's budget cuts for 2025 and their potential impact on rural reform initiatives. "Given that inequitable land distribution has been a root cause of Colombia's decades-long conflict, accelerating the pace of rural reform is crucial for achieving sustainable peace," he added. "Peace is not a utopia, but a reality that is possible with enough determination and commitment," stated Luis Gilberto Murillo, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Colombia, condemning the war crimes and crimes against humanity perpetrated by ELN and the dissidents of the 33rd Front in Catatumbo. The murders of the peace signatories are unacceptable, he said, adding: "We will not rest until justice is served for these acts of absolute violence." "We suspended peace talks with ELN because peace requires reciprocity," he asserted, urging armed organizations to cease violence and clearly demonstrate their willingness for peace. However, he emphasized that "Colombia is not renouncing peace"; people from the most vulnerable communities, up to the leaders fighting in the country, continue to build peace. The State Ministers have launched a plan to accelerate the implementation of the detailed Final Agreement, which, in recent months, has generated significant achievements, he said, stressing that "total peace the cornerstone of our commitment to life must be made a reality". NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Pakistan Assumes Command of Combined Maritime Forces' Combined Task Force 151 US Navy 22 January 2025 From NAVCENT Public Affairs MANAMA, Bahrain -- The Pakistan navy assumed command of Combined Maritime Forces' counter-piracy focused task force during a change-of-command ceremony, Jan. 22. Turkiye navy Rear Adm. Rustu Sezer turned over command of Combined Task Force (CTF) 151 to Pakistan navy Commodore Sohail Azmie. Since assuming command in July, Sezer oversaw ships supporting the task force as they conducted multinational exercises to hone skills and promote transnational relationships. Ships also routinely conducted maritime patrols in the Gulf of Aden to directly suppress piracy outside territorial waters of coastal states, in coordination with the European Union Naval Force. This was Turkiye's seventh time in command of CTF 151. Sezer thanked the many nations that take part in counter-piracy operations, particularly Japan, the Republic of Korea, and Pakistan, for their contributions. "The main objective was not only deter, suppress and disturb piracy, but also maintain effective and meaningful coordination with the other counterpiracy task forces, regional partners and nations to ensure efficient use of assets and information sharing," Sezer said. "We have been in close cooperation and sharing information to increase the effectiveness of our counterpiracy operation." Vice Adm. George Wikoff, commander of Combined Maritime Forces, thanked Sezer for continuing to move CTF 151 forward in supporting the task force and CMF mission. "The challenge was clear: disrupt illicit activities, create a safer maritime domain and foster cooperation amongst the key stakeholders, and to that end, you've achieved all those objectives," Wikoff said of Sezer's tenure in command. "CTF 151 took significant step towards forwarding regional cooperation, reflecting the absolute requirement for us to combine effects to counter the maritime threats. Moving forward, we will maintain our resolute focus on maritime security, and thanks to leaders like Commodores Sezer, we remain engaged and fully mission capable." Calling him, "the right leader at the right time," Wikoff expressed confidence in Azmie's experience as a surface warfare officer. He also noted Pakistan's strong record of leading CMF task forces. "As most of you know, it was a week ago that the Pakistan Navy relinquished command and Task Force 150, here we are today, welcoming another senior Pakistan Navy leader to command a CMF Task Force. Pakistan's dedication to regional security is exemplified by its willingness to demonstrate consistent leadership within the CMF," Wikoff said. This will be Pakistan's eleventh time in command of CTF 151. "We believe there exists a maritime cooperative continuum. At one end of it is the independent deployment of assets while remaining open to what Robert Kaplan says, is 'plug-and-play' maritime security architecture, and on the other end is the contribution towards multi-lateral constructs such as the CMF, where one aligns with the partners and allies for collective good," Azmie said. "Our focus would be to work together with the partner nations, other commands and maritime organizations for accomplishing CMF and CTF 151 missions." CTF 151 was established as a multinational task force in January 2009, and is one of five operational task forces under CMF. In conjunction with the European Union Naval Force (EUNAVFOR), and together with independently deployed naval ships, CTF 151 helps to patrol the Internationally Recommended Transit Corridor. CMF's other task forces include CTF 150, which conducts maritime security operations outside the Arabian Gulf against threats from no-state actors; CTF 152, dedicated to maritime security in the Arabian Gulf; CTF 153, providing maritime security in the Red Sea; and CTF 154, which delivers maritime training. CMF headquartered in Bahrain with U.S. Naval Forces Central Command and U.S. 5th Fleet, is the largest multinational naval partnership in the world, with 46 nations committed to upholding the international rules-based order at sea. It promotes security, stability and prosperity across approximately 3.2 million square miles of international waters, encompassing some of the world's most important shipping lanes. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Rubio: US foreign policy will focus on core national interests By Ken Bredemeier January 22, 2025 New U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Wednesday that core national interests will be at the heart of American diplomacy as President Donald Trump embarks on his second four-year term in the White House. Rubio, the first of Trump's Cabinet nominees to win Senate confirmation and take office, said in a mission statement that all U.S. spending and efforts on foreign affairs "must be justified with the answer to three simple questions: Does it make America safer? Does it make America stronger? Does it make America more prosperous?" He said that "to advance our national interest, we will build a more innovative, nimble, and focused State Department. This will require replacing some priorities, deemphasizing some issues, and eliminating some practices." Rubio, 53, echoed Trump's early promises to end masses of undocumented migrants from entering the U.S. "The State Department will no longer undertake any activities that facilitate or encourage mass migration," Rubio said. "Our diplomatic relations with other countries, particularly in the Western Hemisphere, will prioritize securing America's borders, stopping illegal and destabilizing migration, and negotiating the repatriation of illegal immigrants" to their home countries. Rubio said the State Department will end any efforts to promote diversity, equity and inclusion in hiring, in line with orders Trump issued on day one of his new term. "This order will be faithfully executed and observed in both letter and spirit," Rubio said, "We must reward performance and merit." He said foreign policy efforts "must return to the basics of diplomacy by eliminating our focus on political and cultural causes that are divisive at home and deeply unpopular abroad. This will allow us to conduct a pragmatic foreign policy in cooperation with other nations to advance our core national interests." In addition, he said the U.S. "must stop censorship and suppression of information" and "reprioritize truth." He emphasized "the fundamental truth that America is a great and just country whose people are generous and whose leaders now prioritize Americans' core interests, while respecting the rights and interests of other nations." With Trump announcing he will pull the United States out of the Paris Climate Agreement joining Iran, Libya and Yemen as the only countries that will officially not adhere to the pact to limit global warming Rubio said the State Department "will use diplomacy to help President Trump fulfill his promise for a return to American energy dominance." "Amid today's reemerging great power rivalry," Rubio said, "I will empower our talented diplomatic corps to advance our mission to make America safer, stronger, and more prosperous." NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Islamic State claims killing of Chinese national in Afghanistan By Ayaz Gul January 22, 2025 Taliban authorities in northeastern Afghanistan said Wednesday that a gun attack resulted in the death of a Chinese national, while his local interpreter escaped unharmed. An Afghanistan-based Islamic State affiliate, IS-Khorasan, claimed responsibility for the deadly overnight shooting in Takhar province, which sits on the country's border with Tajikistan. The terrorist outfit said on its Amaq media outlet that its "soldiers" used a machine gun to target the Chinese man. Taliban officials said the slain foreigner was working for a mining company in the country. Mohammad Akbar, the provincial police chief, said the Chinese citizen was being driven with his interpreter to the Dasht-e-Qala district late Tuesday when their vehicle was ambushed. Akbar said that foreign travelers must notify local police before embarking on a road trip, but he said the deceased Chinese citizen failed to do so. The police officer added that an investigation into the attack was underway. "I believe our embassy in Afghanistan will track the information over what's happened and do its utmost to protect the lawful rights and interests of Chinese citizens and their safety," said Mao Ning, a spokesperson for the Chinese Foreign Ministry, during a press conference in Beijing when asked about the shooting incident. Tuesday's fatal assault on a Chinese national in Afghanistan marked the first such incident since December 2022, when IS-Khorasan militants stormed a Kabul hotel popular with Chinese investors. That attack resulted in the deaths of three Afghans and injuries to 18 people, including five Chinese nationals. The Taliban regained control of Afghanistan in August 2021, when the United States and its Western allies withdrew their troops from the country after a nearly two-decade-long presence. While de facto Afghan rulers assert they have restored peace and order to the conflict-torn country since seizing power, IS-Khorasan has conducted repeated high-profile attacks targeting Taliban leaders, key religious figures and members of the Afghan minority Shiite community. No country has officially recognized the fundamentalist Taliban as legitimate rulers in Kabul, mainly over their sweeping curbs on Afghan women's rights and freedoms and other human rights concerns. China was the first country to appoint an ambassador to Afghanistan and recognized a Taliban ambassador in Beijing since the group took control. It also has enhanced bilateral trade and investment ties with the de facto Kabul government to help stabilize the Afghan economy and deal with a dire humanitarian crisis. Chinese investors have signed significant agreements with Kabul in the Afghan mining and oil sectors since the Taliban takeover. Analysts suggest that China's security concerns are motivating its growing diplomatic and economic engagement with the Taliban to prevent the country from descending into chaos again, which could lead to militants using Afghan territory as a base for launching terrorist attacks against Chinese interests. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Aid group urges halt to expulsion of Afghan refugees over dire conditions By Ayaz Gul January 22, 2025 A global humanitarian agency warned Afghanistan's neighbors Wednesday against expelling millions of refugees in the coming months, citing the country's unpreparedness due to decades of conflict, economic devastation, and climate-related challenges. The Norwegian Refugee Council, or NRC, reported that Iran plans to expel up to 2 million Afghan refugees by March, while at least 800,000 have already been deported from Pakistan since October 2023. "The many vulnerable Afghans already returning from Iran, whom I met at the border this week, feel they live in an enduring limbo," stated Jan Egeland, the NRC secretary-general. "They left Afghanistan in search of a better and safer life and are now returning to an uncertain future in Afghanistan, where they face the same unemployment, hunger, and human rights violations that made them leave their homeland in the first place," he said. The NRC noted that most of the returnees are forced to remain in urban Afghan areas, struggling to find work or housing. While some have family connections, many lack ties after years in exile and have nowhere to go. International aid is essential in alleviating immense humanitarian needs in Afghanistan, but it is now dwindling, lamented Egeland, adding that women and girls were bearing the brunt of the shortfall in financial support for nongovernmental groups and humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan. The NRC chief warned that "the world has turned its back" to the needs of Afghans trapped in one of the worst humanitarian crises globally since the Taliban regained control of the country in August 2021. "Poor and displaced Afghan families are paying a heavy price for a lack of real, durable solutions to assist displaced people and refugees caught in an escalating humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan and host countries," Egeland said. The United Nations and nongovernmental humanitarian groups have persistently urged the international community to continue supporting the country. Aid workers have expressed concerns that the Taliban's restrictions on women's access to workplaces and public life are significantly impacting humanitarian efforts in Afghanistan. They complain that the curbs make it challenging to deliver essential public services, such as healthcare, nutrition, and immunization, particularly in provinces where Taliban authorities have banned male doctors from treating female patients. The de facto hardline Afghan rulers have also prohibited girls from attending schools beyond the sixth grade and recently ordered medical training institutes nationwide not to accept female students. Egeland said he raised "the severe restrictions on the fundamental rights" faced by Afghan women and girls in meetings with Taliban authorities. "The ongoing ban on secondary education for girls means that 1.5 million teenage girls are out of school. Additionally, a new incomprehensible ban has shut down training for midwives and nurses, which will not only destroy livelihoods but will also directly threaten women's health and lives," he cautioned. Egeland, who regularly visits Afghanistan, emphasized the need for the international community to engage with the Taliban to secure the restoration of human rights for women and girls. He called for an increase in global support to fund crucial humanitarian assistance while urging the Taliban "to create an enabling environment. "Many countries' continued disengagement with authorities in Afghanistan is only enabling more restrictions and suffering for the women, girls, and families here - many of whom see no option but to risk their lives on perilous journeys," the NRC chief stated. Pakistan has commended Egeland for drawing global attention to the humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan and defended its policy of sending Afghan refugees to their native country. "For forty years, Pakistan has generously hosted over four million Afghan refugees. Those sent back were residing illegally without any documentation or proof of residence," the Foreign Ministry said in a statement in Islamabad earlier this week. The Taliban takeover led to nearly 700,000 Afghans seeking refuge in Pakistan. This includes individuals who fear retaliation for their association with the U.S-led Western allied troops, who were present in Afghanistan for nearly two decades until their withdrawal in August 2021. "Progress on the cases of thousands of Afghan nationals who were promised resettlement in Western countries remains painfully slow. U.N. Humanitarian aid to Afghanistan remains critically underfunded, with only 37.5% of the required funds secured last year," the Pakistani foreign ministry stated. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Trump order suspending refugee resettlement affects US Afghan allies, says advocacy group By VOA Afghan January 22, 2025 President Trump's executive order suspending the U.S. refugee program would affect the resettlement of thousands of Afghans who helped the U.S. during the war in Afghanistan, an advocacy group said. AfghanEvac, a California-based coalition of organizations helping U.S. Afghan allies to resettle in the U.S., said Monday that the pause in all refugee resettlements would affect Afghan allies who are awaiting relocation to the U.S. "Thousands of Afghan allies who have completed almost all required steps in the refugee process would be immediately impacted by a refugee resettlement pause, and thousands more who are currently undergoing processing would remain in limbo," AfghanEvac said, in a statement on its X account. President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Monday that called the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program detrimental to U.S. interests and suspending it beginning on January 27. "This order suspends the USRAP until such time as the further entry into the United States of refugees aligned with the interest of the United States," stated the executive order. It called on the secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, in consultation with the secretary of state, to report to the president within 90 days if the program "would be in the interests of the United States." The order added that every 90 days, a report would be submitted to the president until he "determine[s] that resumption of the USRAP is in the interests of the United States." According to Shawn VanDiver, president of AghanEvac, more than 180,000 Afghans were relocated in the U.S. from August 2021, after the Taliban seized power in Afghanistan, to December 2024. Thousands of Afghans are still waiting to be relocated to the United States. AfghanEvac said that the order would not only have an impact on at-risk Afghans living in hiding but also on the family members of the active-duty U.S. troops. Earlier, Reuters reported that the flights of 1,660 Afghans cleared by the U.S. government to resettle in the U.S. were canceled. But the president of AfghanEvac, Shawn VanDiver, said in a post on X that no flights were canceled. "To be clear: flights have not yet been canceled for anyone," VanDiver said. Omar Samad, a former Afghan diplomat living in the U.S., told VOA that the ban is part of a larger package and it will impact Afghans who are waiting to be relocated to the U.S. "It is going to be reviewed by the U.S. agencies, and it is possible that they that the U.S. make an exception for Afghans," Samad added. VanDiver said that the coalition of organizations helping Afghans are working to "secure exemptions for Afghan allies." NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Trump revokes humanitarian parole for migrants from 4 countries By Salome Ramirez Vargas, Aline Barros January 22, 2025 U.S. President Donald Trump ended on Monday a humanitarian parole program that benefited Cubans, Nicaraguans, Venezuelans, and Haitians. Under the executive order called "Securing Our Borders," which outlines various immigration-related actions, President Trump aimed to take "all appropriate action" to build the border wall, deploying defense personnel to the southern border, and detain irregular migrants. It also asks for elimination of certain parole programs. One such program, the CHNV program (Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, Venezuela) allowed up to 30,000 individuals per month from those countries to enter the United States legally and stay for a period of up to two years, provided they had a U.S.-based supporter. As of December 2024, about 531,690 people had entered the country under that program, according to data from U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Beneficiaries were required to have a valid passport, arrange their own travel, and pass national security and public safety vetting, among other criteria. The Biden White House announced the CHNV parole program on January 5, 2023. Officials at the time said the initiative was part of the administration's efforts to discourage unlawful entries along the U.S. southern border. The program was modeled on the Ukraine program and an earlier Venezuelan program. Immediate effects The executive order took effect immediately. That means that no new applications will be accepted from individuals seeking to sponsor those migrants. Elizabeth Jacobs of the Center for Immigration Studies, a Washington-based group that advocates restricting immigration to the U.S., told VOA that those who have received parole already through this program will likely be allowed to remain in the United States as parolees until their parole period expires." At that time, Jacobs said, those individuals would be "without status" and at risk of deportation. Programs like CNHV were a way "Americans have been able to legally and safely sponsor newcomers in need of refuge to come to the United States, including Afghan allies," Nazanin Ash, CEO of Welcome.US, wrote on their website. "Those who had parole protection before January 20 will have to seek immigration status through other means or risk deportation from the United States," Cori Alonso-Yoder, told VOA. She is an immigration law professor at George Washington University. The executive orders do not indicate that humanitarian parole will be revoked for current beneficiaries of the program, said Doris Meissner of the Migration Policy Institute in Washington during a press call on Tuesday. However, "they certainly will not renew it." "So what happens to those people? If they stay in the U.S. once the two-year period ends, they will, of course, fall into unauthorized status. They will lose their work authorization and will certainly be subject to deportation," she noted. Other legal options The program was not a path to U.S. citizenship or permanent residence. However, according to immigration lawyers, beneficiaries may be able to adjust their immigration status from temporary parole to a more permanent one, such as a visa or sponsorship through a U.S. relative, which can lead to a green card. Cubans, after a year in the U.S., can apply for permanent residence under the Cuban Adjustment Act. Venezuelans and Haitians may qualify for Temporary Protected Status, which provides relief from deportation and work authorization. They could also apply for asylum along with Nicaraguans. However, they must demonstrate a credible fear of persecution in their home countries based on race, religion, nationality, social group, or political opinion. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Trump's WHO, climate orders bring challenges and opportunities for Africa, China By Kate Bartlett January 22, 2025 On inauguration day, U.S. President Donald Trump signed executive orders that set in motion the country's withdrawal from the Paris Climate Treaty as well as from the World Health Organization. While it may be some time before the broader impact of those moves will be clear, Cobus Van Staden, a China-Africa expert with the South African Institute for International Affairs, says one unintended consequence could be a shift in the global balance of power in these international institutions. "The U.S. withdrawal from the World Health Organization, from the Paris Accord weakens the voice that the U.S. had in those organizations," Van Staden said. "The net effect of many of these orders is to just further make China more central in the relationship with many Global South countries, particularly also in Africa." While China may be the world's largest greenhouse gas emitter, it's also the biggest manufacturer of green technology products globally, notes Christian-Geraud Neema, from the think tank called China Global South Project. "When the U.S. withdraws from the Paris Accords, China can rightfully put forward its narrative of being the green technology champion," Neema said. During a news conference on Tuesday, Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun voiced concern about Trump's decision on the Paris Climate Agreement. "Climate change is a common challenge facing mankind. No country can stay out of it. No country can be immune to it. China's determination and actions to actively respond to climate change will be consistent," Guo said. Jean Kaseya, Africa CDC Director-General told Newzroom Afrika on Tuesday that the withdrawl could curtail services for people in Africa. "My interest is the health of African people, and the U.S. is the main partner that we have in Africa and the U.S. is providing a large spectrum of services to African people," Kaseya said. "And I think it's time for us to understand the decision that is made and to see how we can overcome this challenge for African people." At the same time, Kaseya says he sees opportunities with the new administration to create as he puts it "a win-win for all of us." Neema of the China-Global South Project said the U.S. withdrawal from the World Health Organization - which will take a year - could help position China as a leader in global health. "When it comes to health cooperation, we can also see how much China's expanding its own influence in Africa, with different medical cooperation it has with different countries," Neema said. China has a long record of building hospitals in Africa and sending medical aid ships and doctors to the continent, but Washington's withdraw could see even more demand for funding and support from Beijing. Trump has accused the WHO of mishandling the COVID-19 pandemic. He also has said he resents the fact that the U.S. - the WHO's largest contributor - gives much more money to the organization than China contributes. "Pretty sad though, think of it," Trump said. "China pays $39 million and we pay %500 million, and China's a bigger country." In further remarks on Tuesday, the Chinese foreign ministry spokesman said China would "continue to support the WHO in fulfilling its responsibilities, deepen international public health cooperation," and "strengthen global health governance." Bob Wekesa, director at the African Center for the Study of the United States, at the University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg, said ultimately, Trump's orders meant Africa would have to turn elsewhere for help. "African countries will now eventually have to figure out how to raise their own internal resources for matters to do with help, and if not, kind of rely on Europeans and the Chinese and Indians," Wekesa said. Last month, the U.S. announced more than $1 billion in humanitarian assistance to African countries. But Wekesa said with the U.S. pulling out of the WHO, relying less on the U.S. is a lesson that African countries already learned during Trump's first term in office. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Nigeria's new BRICS partner status sparks economic optimism, debate By Timothy Obiezu January 22, 2025 Nigerian authorities said this week that the nation's new partnership status with the BRICS bloc could unlock critical opportunities in trade, investment and agriculture. Nigerian President Bola Tinubu's special adviser told Lagos-based Channels Television that the partnership, which became official Friday, is pivotal to promoting trade, investment, food security, infrastructure development and energy security. The adviser, Daniel Bwala, said the pact enables Nigeria to forge deeper strategic relationships with BRICS members beyond traditional bilateral partnerships. BRICS an acronym for the founding members of Brazil, Russia, India and China, with South Africa added a year later is a political and economic bloc. BRICS introduced the "partner country" category in October. Partner nations are a step below full membership. Economist Emeka Okengwu praised the arrangement. "Look at the members of BRICS and the economies that they bring to the table. Brazil is probably the biggest producer of livestock and its products globally, then to aircraft, aviation and renewable energy," Okengwu said. "Look at Russia, India, China and South Africa, Egypt and Ethiopia. These are big populations. If you put them together, they probably bring 10 times the value of whatever Europe and America can give to you," he said. In total, the 10 BRICS member states make up 40% of the global economy and 55% of the global population. In a statement, Nigeria's Foreign Affairs Ministry said that the country's participation in BRICS reflects its commitment to leveraging global economic opportunities to advance national development goals. Last December, Nigeria intensified efforts to join not only BRICS but also the G20 organization of the world's major economies and the BRICS New Development Bank. Okengwu said the partnership will help Nigeria at "being productive, taking goods and services in there, being able to meet global standards and being competitive." "It would've been horrible if Nigeria was not in BRICS and then we would've been left hanging with all these challenges we're having with our neighbors in the Sahel," Okengwu said. Despite the optimism, analysts say Nigeria faces significant hurdles. The country's struggling economy and inadequate infrastructure raise concerns about its capacity for meaningful growth through BRICS. There's also concern about how Nigeria will balance its alliances with Western nations while deepening ties with BRICS. However, Ndu Nwokolo, an economist with Nextier, suggested the challenge is manageable. "It's about how smart you are to benefit from everybody," Nwokolo said. "With what we're seeing by some of the pronouncements of [U.S.] President [Donald] Trump, Nigeria may benefit from it because already Trump is talking about increasing taxes [tariffs] even within ally states. "So, if he's going to do that with countries we think are traditional partners, so who's telling you that he will not do more with countries that he considers outsiders," he said. "So, we're looking at a situation where countries that are not originally traditional allies of America will try to pull together, and Nigeria may benefit from that." NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Georgia's Zourabichvili says US shouldn't back government that is result of 'rigged elections' By Maryam Ugrekhelidze January 22, 2025 Last December, Georgia's parliament chose Mikheil Kavelashvili, a close ally of ruling Georgian Dream party founder Bidzina Ivanishvili, as the country's new president. He replaced Salome Zourabichvili, who had won the presidency in 2018 in a popular vote. Zourabichvili was the country's fifth president. Opposition parties and Zourabichvili contend that the country's October 2024 parliamentary elections, which Georgian Dream officially won with 54.09% of the vote, were rigged, and that therefore neither Georgian Dream's victory nor Kavelashvili's replacement of Zourabichvili as president was legitimate. The opposition parties have refused to enter parliament and work with Georgian Dream members and are demanding new elections. Zourabichvili was in Washington to attend the inauguration of President Donald Trump at the invitation of Representative Joe Wilson, a Republican from South Carolina. While in the U.S. capital, she spoke with Voice of America. The following transcript of that interview has been edited for brevity and clarity: VOA: Thank you for being here at VOA. We know that you attended the inauguration of the 47th president of the United States but also had a chance to meet with members of President Trump's Cabinet. What was your main message during those meetings? Salome Zourabichvili, former president of Georgia: Well, those ... were more social encounters before the inauguration and before the confirmation of those Cabinet members. I met them during different receptions and at [an inaugural] ball. So it was not a place for [a] formal meeting [or] for relaying formal messages. It's very important that contact was established. My short message was that Georgia [is] at a very crucial turning point today, in a region that is very important for the United States and for the United States' interests, and so there should be immediate attention for what is happening in Georgia, in the Caucasus, in the Black Sea, from the new administration. VOA: You often say that Georgia needs the U.S., but the U.S. also needs Georgia. Why should Georgia be important for the United States, and what role could Georgia play in the South Caucasus [and] the wider region? Zourabichvili: First of all, because the Russians know that more than anybody else: They always said historically that whoever controls Tbilisi ... controls the Caucasus. And that is even more important today, at a time when this region is becoming very important for control of the Black Sea. ... The ports of the Black Sea are very important. And it's not a coincidence that Russia started the war against Ukraine also for control of that part of the Black Sea coast, starting with Crimea in 2014. And it's no coincidence that the hybrid war Russia ... has started with the elections in Georgia, also with the elections in Romania, and to rig the elections, in a very different manner, in Moldova - so those three countries, if you look at the map, are countries of the Black Sea. So the strategy of Russia is very clear. Hence the strategy of the United States should be [a] continuation of what it has been over the years, which was to consolidate Georgia ... [as] a stronghold of democracy. [The] Georgian army would not exist were it not for American support. So I think that shows that this was not just for sympathy of, but because there was a serious, real American interest in supporting Georgia. And I'm confident that these interests are still there and even more today than maybe in the past. VOA: You were invited to attend the inauguration by Congressman Joe Wilson, one of the authors in the U.S House of Representatives of the MEGOBARI Act [aimed at bolstering democracy and countering Russian influence in Georgia], and the Georgian Nightmare Non-Recognition Act [prohibiting the U.S. from recognizing the Ivanishvili regime and recognizing Zourabichvili as Georgia's legitimate president]. Could you explain why you think it is so important for the U.S. government not to recognize the current Georgian government? Zourabichvili: I think it is not possible for a country like the United States to recognize a government that is the result of rigged elections and anti-constitutional acts ... a regime in which no independent institution is left; all the institutions are just nominated by one party and one-man rule. That is really destroying everything that the United States has been doing in this country. Building institutions not only the army; it's all the institutions support for reform of the justice system, creation of the anti-corruption system and all of that, which is really the work of more than 30 years since the independence of Georgia. What is happening today is really destroying all of that. VOA: You, the opposition and part of Georgian people are asking for new elections. Is that the main demand at this moment? Zourabichvili: I'm still hoping that the de facto leaders [of Georgia] would recognize that stability of the country is the most important thing and would come to terms with helping the country by [holding] new elections, through some compromise with the opposition. But as time goes by, there's probably less and less hope that they would come to such a sensible solution. And what will then happen most probably is that the regime will dissolve, because it cannot resist either the sanctions, the economic and financial situation that we are getting into, the fact that it's rejected by the vast majority of the country and is isolated from all the partners, Americans and Europeans, that have been really supporting Georgia over the years. VOA: Different experts we talk with say that Georgia is not going to be a top priority of the Trump administration. How do you plan to bring Georgia to its attention? Zourabichvili: Well, we probably are never going to be the top priority, and I hope it won't be, because that means a crisis of a different level, which we don't want. Again, we do not want instability. But I think that what is happening in Georgia is quite important as an example. I don't think America [can] accept a country [that] has been supported and, really, constructed as a state by the United States, [making] friends with terrorist movements, with Iran, with China, and [handing over] strategic interests on the Black Sea, the port of Anaklia, or new communications lines, to China, which is what is happening. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Gabon dispatches government ministers to encourage voter registrations By Moki Edwin Kindzeka January 22, 2025 Civilians in Gabon are being encouraged this month to register to vote in presidential elections scheduled for August 2025, as ordered by transitional President General Brica Clotaire Oligui Nguema. The planned elections are envisioned to end a two-year transition to civilian rule. Voter registration began Jan. 2 and is due to conclude at the end of the month. Gabon's political opposition says voter registration has not been as robust as expected because civilians believe the transitional president wants to confiscate power, assertions that Nguema denies. The elections are part of a plan for a return to constitutional order after an Aug. 30, 2023 coup that ousted longtime President Ali Bongo Ondimba. Gabon officials say at least 300,000 new voters, who have either reached the legal voting age of 18 or who are not yet registered, are expected to be added to the 860,000 or so civilians that registered as part of Gabon's November 16, 2024 constitutional referendum, and whose names are already in the elections database. This week, officials of the central African nation said senior state functionaries were deployed to encourage civilians to register before the January 31 deadline. Ministers dispatched to towns and villages this week are expected to work with voter enrollment teams and make sure civilians are formally registered as voters so they can participate in the August elections and cast ballots. But Gabon's opposition and civil society groups say civilians are not heeding calls by government officials to register because they are not sure Nguema is ready to hand power to civilian rule. Cyrille Bissiengou is the deputy coordinator of Yes Volunteers, a group created in 2024 to encourage civilians to take part in Gabon's electoral process. Bissiengou said he is not sure that 300,000 new voters will register before the Jan. 31 deadline, as Gabon's government expects. Many young people told Yes Volunteers they weren't sure about Nguemas' willingness to hand power to civilians. Bissiengou spoke on Gabon's state TV on Tuesday. Jean Remy Yama, leader of Unitary Dynamics, one of Gabon's leading worker trade unions and member of Gabon's senate, also expressed skepticism. Yama said if Nguema truly wanted to hand power to civilian rule, he should have allowed Gabon's parliament and senate to set up an independent elections management body to ensure free, fair and transparent elections. He said by asking a minister appointed by transitional rulers to register voters and organize elections, Nguema is indicating that he wants to hold power. Gabon's constitution, voted in a Nov. 16 referendum to lay the groundwork for elections, bars transitional government members from running in the 2025 presidential polls but permits Nguema to run for president. Nguema has not said whether he will be a candidate and the transitional government refutes claims the military leader is planning to maintain power. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address DFA Statement on Release of 17 Hostages Republic of the Philippines - Department of Foreign Affairs 23 January 2025 Manila 23 January 2025 - The Department of Foreign Affairs joins the nation in celebrating the release of our 17 seafarers who were held in captivity in Yemen for over a year. This could not have been possible had it not been for the support and mediation efforts of the Sultanate of Oman, for which we are eternally grateful. The Department is working on their immediate repatriation to Manila so that they could reunite with their long-suffering families as soon as possible. Our successful efforts despite all the challenges prove that quiet diplomacy works. The men and women of the Department of Foreign Affairs will remain true to our calling to serve our country and people. END NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Spring Festival home decorations run in vogue as fridge magnets, other items become best-sellers in China 10:54, January 23, 2025 By Chen Qingrui, Zhang Yiyi, Jiang Li ( Global Times Samples of fridge magnet blind boxes with Chinese Lunar New Year elements by POP MART on display at a store in Beijing, January 22, 2025. (Chen Qingrui/GT) "During the Spring Festival, I would purchase small decorations to create a festive atmosphere at home, and I selected five intricately designed Chinese Lunar New Year couplet fridge magnets here. Turning the couplets into magnets is a creative idea, allowing them to be placed on fridges to enhance the festive atmosphere," a 24-year-old woman surnamed Li told the Global Times on Tuesday after finishing her payment at the Palace Museum. "Not only are they beautifully crafted, but they also carry rich cultural significance, making them perfect gifts for my friends. Each magnet is priced at around 90 yuan ($12.3)," she said. With the Spring Festival approaching, small items featuring festive elements are capturing consumers' attention, with fridge magnets being particularly popular. Many stores are bustling with shoppers and vendors restocking their "shelves". Yiwu in East China's Zhejiang Province, renowned as the "world's supermarket," has been among the first to see a surge of bustling vendors, working tirelessly to cater to the enthusiastic demand of consumers. "Starting from mid-December last year, daily sales have exceeded 4,000 units. Fridge magnets featuring the God of Wealth and blessings are particularly popular, accounting for about 30 percent of orders. Additionally, clients like temples and museums frequently place bulk orders for customized and creatively enhanced designs," a supplier surnamed Chen from China Yiwu International Trade City in Yiwu, told the Global Times on Wednesday. Chen noted that orders are expected to increase further in January as the Spring Festival draws near, surpassing December's numbers. Based on her observations, similar products from other vendors are also experiencing strong sales. The popularity of Spring Festival-themed fridge magnets has rapidly expanded, driving substantial economic benefits. As demand continues to rise, many other brands, including museums and toy manufacturers, have introduced relevant products, reaping considerable returns. Recently, the Chinese cultural and creative brand POP MART unveiled a series of fridge magnet blind boxes featuring Chinese Lunar New Year elements, including couplets and Year of the Snake motifs creatively designed around 12 IP characters, which have been enthusiastically received by consumers, POP MART told the Global Times on Wednesday. "These products are selling out quickly. Stay tuned for restocking alerts in our customer groups, as items are quickly snapped up if not purchased promptly," said a sales representative at POP MART's store in Beijing's China World Trade Centre on Wednesday. The 2025 Spring Festival marks the first-ever "intangible cultural heritage Spring Festival," sparking new synergies between culture and commerce. Fridge magnets featuring Spring Festival elements, a staple of museum cultural products, have drawn in a new audience. The Shanxi Museum in North China's Shanxi Province recently introduced over 150 cultural and creative products featuring Spring Festival elements. Among their top sellers are four series comprising 18 fridge magnet designs, which have sold over 5,000 units since their launch, Yao Xiang, the museum's cultural and creative representative told the Global Times on Wednesday. Moreover, the Palace Museum's online cultural and creative store in Taobao has sold over 10,000 fridge magnets featuring the Chinese character "Fu", with some designs selling over 20,000 units. Many items, including Spring Festival couplet magnets priced between 70 yuan and 90 yuan, have recently sold out due to overwhelming demand, the Global Times learned. Citing data from Douyin, the Chinese version of TikTok, sales of cultural and creative fridge magnets have surged by 586 percent year-on-year during its recent cultural and creative Chinese Lunar New Year goods festival, held in collaboration with 50 museums across the country, according to Jiemian.com on Wednesday. Against the backdrop of China's sustained economic growth, the enthusiasm surrounding Spring Festival consumption offers a glimpse into the country's broader economic vitality. In 2024, significant strides have been made to restore public confidence and spur a noticeable economic recovery. In 2024, China's total retail sales of consumer goods reached 48.79 trillion yuan, marking a year-on-year increase of 3.5 percent, China's National Bureau of Statistics revealed on Friday. Online retail sales of physical goods rose by 6.5 percent to 13.08 trillion yuan, accounting for 26.8 percent of the total retail sales. (Web editor: Tian Yi, Zhong Wenxing) Russo-Ukraine War - 22 January 2025 - Day 1064 Su M Tu W Th F Sa 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 A number of claims and counterclaims are being made on the Ukraine-Russia conflict on the ground and online. While GlobalSecurity.org takes utmost care to accurately report this news story, we cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, photos and videos. On 24 February 2022, Ukraine was suddenly and deliberately attacked by land, naval and air forces of Russia, igniting the largest European war since the Great Patriotic War. Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a "special military operation" (SVO - spetsialnaya voennaya operatsiya) in Ukraine in response to the appeal of the leaders of the "Donbass republics" for help. That attack is a blatant violation of the territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of Ukraine. Putin stressed that Moscow's goal is the demilitarization and denazification of the country. The military buildup in preceeding months makes it obvious that the unprovoked and dastardly Russian attack was deliberately planned long in advance. During the intervening time, the Russian government had deliberately sought to deceive the world by false statements and expressions of hope for continued peace. "To initiate a war of aggression... is not only an international crime; it is the supreme international crime differing only from other war crimes in that it contains within itself the accumulated evil of the whole." [Judgment of the International Military Tribunal] The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported that Ukrainian defenders continue to decisively thwart the Russian enemy's attempts to advance deep into Ukrainian territory, giving him an effective fire effect, exhaustion throughout the frontline. In total, since the beginning of this day, there have been 103 combat encounters. Russian zagarbniki launched two missiles and 18 aviation strikes on the territory of Ukraine, using four missiles and 29 cab. In addition, the Russians engaged 852 kamikaze drones and carried out more than four thousand shells on the positions of Ukrainian troops and settlements. In the Kupyans komu direction, the Russian opponent attacked the positions of Ukrainian defenders seven times in the areas of Lozova, Zagrizovy and Petropavlivka. Ukrainian defenders repelled six attacks, one combat is still ongoing. In the Lyman direction since the beginning of the day, Russian zagarbniki attacked the positions of Ukrainians ten times near the settlements of Pershotravneve, Novosergiyivka, Green Valley, Kuzmine, Green Grove, Zarichne, Yampolivka and in the Serebryansk forest. There is currently one confrontation in progress. In the Kramators komu direction, two confrontations near the Time Yar were recorded, which are ongoing so far. In the Toretsky direction Russians attacked the positions of Defense Forces 13 times. The main efforts of the attack of the Russian occupiers concentrated in the area of the settlement of Toretsk. Currently, two clashes continue. Since the beginning of this day, in the direction of Pokrovsky, the Russians 55 times tried to break through Ukrainian defense near the settlements of Green Field, Mirolyubivka, Elizabeth, Lisivka, Leontovichi, Zvirove, Pokrovsk, Novosergiyivka, Kotline, Andriyivka, Shevchenko, Dachne, Ulakly and in the directions of Amber, Promena, Zelenoy. Seven brawls are ongoing so far. In addition, Russian forces launched aviation strikes with bombs and uncontrolled missiles in the areas of settlements of Sukhy Yar, Konstantinivka, Green Field, Hrodivka. Today in this direction more than 200 Russian invaders were defecated, 102 of them - irrevocably. Thirteen units of vehicle equipment, three BPLA antennas, a satellite and a motorcycle were also destroyed, in addition to a cannon and three impounder cars were heavily damaged. In the Novopavliv direction, Russian forces attacked five times near the settlements of Konstantinopil and Vremivka. Four clashes completed, one more to go. At the same time, the enemy caused aviation strikes in the areas of temirivka, novosilki, konstantinopola and rozdolny. In the pridniprovsk direction, Ukrainian troops repelled two Russian attacks. Defense Forces of Ukraine continue its operation in the Kursk direction, where Russian forces carried out 9 unsuccessful assaults of Ukrainian units positions during a day. Russian forces carried out 15 air strikes with 20 controlled bombs and carried out 327 artillery shells. In Kharkiv, Siversky, Orihiv, Gulyaipil directions Russian forces did not carry out offensive actions. In other directions, the situation has not changed significantly. The Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation reported that in Kharkov direction, units of the Sever Group of Forces defeated formations of a motorised infantry brigade close to Volchansk (Kharkov region). The AFU losses were up to 40 troops, one armoured fighting vehicle, two motor vehicles, and three field artillery guns. The Zapad Group of Forces' units liberated Zapadnoye (Kharkov region), delivered strikes at manpower and hardware of three mechanised brigades, one jaeger brigade of the AFU near Kamenka, Zeleny Gai, Dvurechnaya, Glushkovka, Lozovaya (Kharkov region), Yampol, Seversk, and Kolodezi (Donetsk People's Republic). The AFU losses were more than 460 troops, one tank, and seven armoured fighting vehicles, including two U.S.-made M113 armoured personnel carriers. In addition, 14 pickup trucks, six field artillery guns, and two field ammunition depots were eliminated. The Yug Group of Forces' units improved the tactical situation and defeated formations of three mechanised brigades, one motorised infantry brigade, one mountain assault brigade, and one assault brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine near Druzhkovka, Slavyansk, Nikolayevka, Konstantinovka, Predtechino, Verkhnekamenskoye, Ivano-Daryevka, Orekhovo-Vasilevka, and Chasov Yar (Donetsk People's Republic). The AFU losses were up to 250 troops, four armoured fighting vehicles, including one U.S.-made M113 armoured personnel carrier, and seven motor vehicles. Two ammunition depots were destroyed. The Tsentr Group of Forces' units continued advancing into the depths of enemy defences, inflicted losses on manpower and hardware of one heavy mechanised brigade, three mechanised brigades, one motorised infantry brigade, one National Guard brigade, three territorial defence brigades close to Krymskoye, Petrovka, Zelenoye, Dzerzhinsk, Lysovka, Timofeyevka, Baranovka, Sergeyevka, Novoyelizavetovka, Novopavlovka, and Novovasilevka (Donetsk People's Republic). The AFU losses were up to 630 troops, one tank, five armoured fighting vehicles, including two U.S.-made M113 armoured personnel carriers, six motor vehicles, and three artillery guns. The Vostok Group of Forces' units captured more advantageous lines and positions, defeated formations of three mechanised brigades of the AFU, one National Guard brigade, and territorial defence brigade close to Velikaya Novosyolka, Zeleny Kut, Konstantinopol, Novy Komar, and Bogatyr (Donetsk People's Republic). The AFU losses were up to 175 troops, three tanks, five motor vehicles, and three foreign-made 155-mm artillery guns. Units of the Dnepr Group of Forces engaged manpower and hardware of two coastal defence brigades of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, one National Guard brigade close to Malye Shcherbaki (Zaporozhye region), Pridneprovskoye, Veletenskoye, Belozerka, and Antonovka (Kherson region). The AFU losses were up to 50 troops, eight motor vehicles, and one electronic warfare station. Operational-Tactical Aviation, attack unmanned aerial vehicles, Missile Troops and Artillery of the Russian Groups of Forces engaged missile-artillery weapons, UAVs, POL depots of the Armed Forces of Ukraine as well as clusters of enemy manpower and military hardware in 136 areas. Air defence facilities shot down 114 fixed-wing unmanned aerial vehicles. In total, since the beginning of the special military operation, 652 aircraft, 283 helicopters, 41,148 unmanned aerial vehicles, 590 anti-aircraft missile systems, 20,724 tanks and other armoured fighting vehicles, 1,510 MLRS combat vehicles, 20,860 field artillery guns and mortars, and 30,582 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. During offensive actions, units of the Sever Group of Forces inflicted fire damage 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 close to Viktorovka, Goncharovka, Guyevo, Lebedevka, Malaya Loknya, Makhnovka, Nikolayevka, Nikolayevo-Daryino, Nikolsky, Sverdlikovo, and Staraya Sorochina. Operational-Tactical and Army aviation and artillery inflicted losses on manpower and hardware of the enemy near Gogolevka, Zaoleshenka, Kazachya Loknya, Pervy Knyazhy, Kolmakov, Kruglenkoye, Kurilovka, Loknya, Martynovka, Melovoy, Mirny, Mikhaylovka, Oleshnya, Sudzha, Cherkasskoye Porechnoye, Yuzhny as well as Basovka, Belovody, Veselovka, Vodolagi, Zhuravka, Miropolye, Obody, and Yunakovka in Sumy region. On the course of the day, the AFU losses were more than 390 troops, four tanks, one armoured personnel carrier, 11 armoured fighting vehicles, 12 motor vehicles, six artillery guns, four mortars, one electronic warfare station, one piece of engineering equipment, six UAV command posts, and two ammunition depots. Since the beginning of hostilities in Kursk region, the AFU losses amounted to more than 54,000 troops, 313 tanks, 237 infantry fighting vehicles, 179 armoured personnel carriers, 1,601 armoured fighting vehicles, 1,586 motor vehicles, 387 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, 97 EW stations, 14 counter-battery warfare radars, four air defence radars, 32 units of engineering and other materiel, including 13 counterobstacle vehicles, one UR-77 mine clearing vehicle, nine 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 US lawmakers warn of 'emboldened' terror threat By Jeff Seldin January 22, 2025 Top Republican lawmakers are calling for U.S. security agencies to quickly change course under President Donald Trump to better confront threats from terror groups such as the Islamic State and al-Qaida. The House Homeland Security Committee on Wednesday issued an update threat assessment, highlighting the New Year's Day truck ramming attack in New Orleans, which killed 14 people, as well as the June 2024 arrest of eight Tajik nationals with suspected Islamic State ties. "Make no mistake all of the lights are still blinking red," said committee chair Republican Representative Mark Green in a statement. "The New Orleans terrorist attack was a stark reminder that the terror threat to America is alive and persistent," said Green. "Foreign terrorist organizations and jihadist networks abroad remain committed to recruiting and radicalizing individuals on U.S. soil." Green's comments harken back to a 2023 warning from then-FBI Director Christopher Wray, made in the aftermath of the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas terror attack on Israel, which officials said seemed to inspire terror groups around the world. "I've never seen a time where all the threats, or so many of the threats, are all elevated, all at exactly the same time," Wray said at the time. Last year, Wray warned the FBI was increasingly concerned about a coordinated terror attack on the U.S. like the March 2024 Islamic State terror attacks on a Moscow concert hall. The FBI said Wednesday that since then, nothing has happened to alleviate such fears. "The FBI repeatedly and publicly has stated over several years that the U.S. has been in a heightened threat environment," the bureau said in a statement to VOA. "That has not subsided, as demonstrated by the New Year's Day attack in New Orleans." The Department of Homeland Security's 2025 annual threat assessment, issued this past October, has likewise warned, "The terrorism threat environment in the United States over the next year will remain high." And it attributed the biggest danger to individuals who are not necessarily affiliated with established terror groups. "The threat will continue to be characterized primarily by lone offenders or small cells motivated to violence by a combination of racial, religious, gender, or anti-government grievances; conspiracy theories; and personalized factors," it said. Green on Wednesday blamed the increased threat on the administration of former President Joe Biden, saying terror groups have been "emboldened by the national security blunders of the past four years." The committee's "Terror Threat Snapshot" cited more than 50 terrorism cases in 30 U.S. states since April 2021 and 187 terrorism arrests, attacks and plots in Western Europe since the start of 2023. Democrats expressed some disappointment, arguing the comments have not been backed up by the committee's actions to date. "It's a bit confusing," according to one staffer, who spoke to VOA on the condition of anonymity in order to respond to the chair's comments. "Why haven't they had substantive hearings on foreign terrorism and homegrown violent extremism?" Meanwhile, a new report Wednesday by the Washington-based Center for Strategic and International Studies cautioned that while there is reason to be concerned about the exploits and ambitions of groups such as the Islamic State and al-Qaida, the threat inside the United States does not appear to be growing. "Longer-term trends suggest that jihadist terrorism in the United States is not resurgent," according to the report. "Groups such as the Islamic State and al-Qaida have filled more of an inspirational role rather than directly orchestrating attacks on the United States," it said. "The average lethality of jihadist terrorist attacks has also fallen since the peak of the [Islamic State] caliphate." The CSIS report found there were a yearly average of 38 recorded attacks or plots in the U.S. from 2020 to 2023, but only 21 recorded plots or attacks during the first 11 months of 2024. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Iran to launch 'Kowsar 1.5' satellite into orbit in 2025 IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency Jan 22, 2025 Tehran, IRNA -- Iran is set to launch an advanced version of its domestically developed Kowsar satellite into orbit in the first half of the upcoming Persian calendar year, starting on March 21. Hossein Shahabi, the CEO of a knowledge-based aerospace company, revealed the plan on the sidelines of the Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei's Tuesday visit to an exhibition showcasing the private sector's achievements. According to Shahabi, the new satellite, dubbed "Kowsar 1.5", builds on the earlier Kowsar and Hodhod satellites, which were launched into orbit on November 5, 2024. These satellites were developed to serve distinct missions: Kowsar for remote sensing and Hodhod for the Internet of Things (IoT), both crucial in advancing precision agriculture. Shahabi highlighted that over 85% of the components used in these satellites have been indigenized. "Even if all the components were imported, the design and construction of these satellites have been carried out entirely by local experts, making this project fully domestic," he said. He also noted the challenges posed by sanctions, emphasizing how Iran has turned threats into opportunities, expressing hopes for securing investments to design and produce a constellation of such satellites. The aerospace industry figure underscored the critical role of government support in fostering this field. He called for state guarantees for the space services market and pre-purchase commitments by the government to encourage further innovation. 4354**9417 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Secretary Rubio's Meeting with Australian Minister for Foreign Affairs Wong US Department of State Readout Office of the Spokesperson January 21, 2025 The below is attributable to Spokesperson Tammy Bruce: Secretary of State Marco Rubio met with Australian Minister for Foreign Affairs Penny Wong today. The Secretary and the Foreign Minister hailed the longstanding U.S.-Australia Alliance as foundational to international security and prosperity, and to a secure and prosperous Indo-Pacific region free from coercion. Both discussed efforts to continue security cooperation through AUKUS and bilateral defense initiatives, and to enhance our partnership on critical minerals and global supply chain security. The Secretary and the Foreign Minister agreed on the importance of utilizing the U.S.-Australia Alliance to its full extent to maximize opportunities in the Indo-Pacific, working closely with other allies and partners, including in Southeast Asia and the Pacific. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Parliamentary Assembly rapporteur warns "So-called presidential elections in Belarus set to be a sham" European Council / Council of the European Union Parliamentary Assembly Strasbourg 22 January 2025 "The so-called presidential elections arranged in Belarus for 26 January 2025 are set to be a sham that, again, deny the right of the Belarusian people to participate in free and fair elections," says Parliamentary Assembly 's General Rapporteur for a Democratic Belarus, Ryszard Petru (Poland, ALDE). "The widespread repression by the Lukashenka regime that led to the arbitrary detention of tens of thousands of peaceful protesters after the fraudulent elections of 2020 has only continued to this day in blatant disregard of international law and democratic norms," he added. "Over 1,200 political prisoners remain in detention, opposition political parties and trade unions have been liquidated and their leaders persecuted, and up to 500,000 Belarusians now live in exile. An election held under such oppressive conditions - marked by the absence of freedoms of speech, assembly and association, the lack of credible domestic or international election observations, and the absence of a transparent vote-counting process - cannot and will not meet international recognised standards of fairness and legitimacy. We stand in solidarity with the people of Belarus and are committed to supporting the Belarusian democratic forces led by Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya in pursuit of a democratic future in an independent, sovereign, peaceful and prosperous Belarus," concluded Mr Petru. A representative delegation of Belarusian democratic forces is due to participate in the work of the Parliamentary Assembly from the beginning of next week's winter plenary session in Strasbourg. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Belarus: UN experts alarmed about widespread in absentia trials Press releases Special Procedures 22 January 2025 GENEVA -- A group of independent human rights experts* today expressed concern about the growing practice in Belarus of conducting trials in absentia and without basic fair trial guarantees, which can result in lengthy prison sentences, deprivation of property and housing, or even the death penalty. "We have received numerous reports of individuals prosecuted in absentia in Belarus who learn of their prosecution by chance, are unaware of the charges and grounds for their conviction, and are completely deprived of a legal defence," the experts said, noting that some of them have even tried unsuccessfully to request remote participation in their trials or to obtain copies of the verdicts. "Belarusian legislation on trials in absentia disregards basic fair trial guarantees provided by the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which Belarus has ratified," they said, calling on Belarus to abide by its international obligations. The number of criminal proceedings in absentia initiated in Belarus against Belarusian citizens residing abroad increased dramatically in 2024, according to civil society reports. 110 people were reportedly subjected to these proceedings, compared to 18 in 2023. The experts noted that since the 2020 presidential elections, the Belarusian government's massive campaign of repression against individuals associated or perceived to be associated with the political opposition has forced many Belarusians to flee the country. "Nevertheless, the Belarusian authorities continue to target these individuals - even in exile," they said, recalling the Presidential decree of 2023, which prevents Belarusians living abroad from obtaining identity and travel documents through consular services. Over a hundred people have reportedly been convicted in absentia in Belarus since this procedure was established in 2022. Those convicted include members of the political opposition, civil society activists and human rights defenders. Those prosecuted in absentia are not notified of the proceedings, are not allowed to choose their defence lawyers or to participate in the trials remotely, and are not allowed to receive copies of their case files, relevant procedural documents or judgments. These materials are shared only with state-appointed defence lawyers, who are not required by law to communicate with their clients and routinely refuse to do so. Judgments are not made public, and only brief information about the verdict is published on government websites that are inaccessible from abroad. "Convictions in absentia inevitably lead to violations of various human rights, including the right not to be arbitrarily detained, the right to a fair trial, the right to freedom of expression and, often in Belarus, the right to housing and an adequate standard of living, to name but a few," the experts said. Sentences handed down in absentia include long prison sentences and heavy fines. It is also legally possible to impose the death penalty - without adequate due process, and including for offenses which do not meet the threshold for most serious crimes - and to strip Belarusian citizenship from those convicted on "extremist" charges. The experts have been in touch with the Belarusian authorities on these cases. *The experts: Nils Muiznieks, Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Belarus; Mr. Matthew Gillett ( Chairperson), Ms. Priya Gopalan (Vice- Chair on Follow-up), Ms. Miriam Estrada Castillo and Mr. Mumba Malila, Working Group on Arbitrary Detention; Ms. Irene Khan, Special Rapporteur on the right to freedom of opinion and expression; Ms. Mary Lawlor, Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders; Mr. Balakrishnan Rajagopal, Special Rapporteur on adequate housing as a component of the right to an adequate standard of living, and on the right to non-discrimination in this context; Ms. Margaret Satterthwaite, Special Rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers; Mr. Ben Saul, Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms while countering terrorism; Mr. Morris Tidball-Binz, Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions. Special Rapporteurs/Independent Experts/Working Groups are independent human rights experts appointed by the United Nations Human Rights Council. Together, these experts are referred to as the Special Procedures of the Human Rights Council. Special Procedures experts work on a voluntary basis; they are not UN staff and do not receive a salary for their work. While the UN Human Rights office acts as the secretariat for Special Procedures, the experts serve in their individual capacity and are independent from any government or organization, including OHCHR and the UN. Any views or opinions presented are solely those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent those of the UN or OHCHR. Country-specific observations and recommendations by the UN human rights mechanisms, including the special procedures, the treaty bodies and the Universal Periodic Review, can be found on the Universal Human Rights Index https://uhri.ohchr.org/en/ NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address In Belarus, Lukashenka's Regime Is Punishing Critics By Taking Their Children Away By Farangis Najibullah and RFE/RL's Belarus Service January 22, 2025 In Belarus, Vasyl and his family have recently been put on an official list of families in a "socially dangerous situation," a status that could result in him and his wife losing their parental rights and their children being sent to state orphanages. Vasyl -- an activist whose name has been changed over security concerns -- says their names were added to the list after he was found guilty of "spreading extremist material" last year. The charge of "spreading extremist material," a civil violation under the law, is often used in Belarus against those who share or like social media posts critical of the regime of the country's strongman leader, Alyaksandr Lukashenka. The list of what police view as "extremist material," which is regularly updated by the Interior Ministry, includes numerous websites of independent media that are banned in Belarus. Simply subscribing to such media and commenting on or sharing their articles can result in being accused of extremism. "A social worker told me that a special commission in the local government spends just 15 minutes per family to discuss and decide whether to add them to the list of those in 'socially dangerous situations,'" Vasyl told RFE/RL. Vasyl said he has had "excellent" reports from his children's school and the numerous local government agencies that have evaluated his family's situation. The good reports, however, had no bearing on the commission's decision, which Vasyl believes was politically motivated to punish him for his anti-government views. Previously, Belarus has been criticized by human rights groups for taking away the children of political prisoners -- or just threatening to -- by putting them on the list of supposedly at-risk families. The government insists there no are no political prisoners in Belarus. But human rights groups say there are up to 1,300 political prisoners, many of them being held with no access to medical care and no contact with their relatives. A 'Sham' Election Once-dubbed "Europe's last dictator," Lukashenka has been in power since 1994. A close ally of Russia, the Belarusian leader has been accused of electoral manipulation, the systematic repression of dissent, and tight restrictions on media and civil society. The authorities are now broadening the practice used against political prisoners to parents accused of spreading extremist material, according to Vasyl and several other Belarusian parents, who spoke to RFE/RL on the condition of anonymity. The parents believe the measures are designed to silence all government critics ahead of the January 26 presidential election with Lukashenka, 70, expected to win a seventh term in office. The election has been widely decried as a sham and simply an exercise in bolstering Lukashenka's rule. On January 17, then U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said that a legitimate democratic presidential election is hampered by Belarus's "repressive environment." Once they are put on the list, the parents who spoke to RFE/RL say they face the constant threat of losing the custody of their children. The blacklisted families are closely monitored, and families have reported local officials and doctors paying unannounced visits to their homes up to six times a week for alleged welfare checks. The situation is taking its toll, Vasyl said, but he is more concerned about the consequences for the children, who are already subject to relentless government propaganda at school. "The status of being a 'disadvantaged family' negatively affects children and can turn them against their parents," Vasyl said. "The kids think that 'I have problems because of my father or mother, so it's better for me to distance myself from them and not to follow their example in anything.'" Crackdown On Dissent Vasyl has been given three months to "take the path of correction," as he puts it, or see his children being "taken away from the family." Instead, he has decided to leave Belarus. It is not known how many parents have been affected by the authorities' campaign to use child custody against their critics. According to Svyatlana Ilyushina, a judge in the region of Brest in southwestern Belarus, Belarusian courts in 2023 removed the parental rights of 1,225 men, 595 women, and 467 couples. It is not clear how many of these cases were politically motivated. Thousands of people were detained in the government clampdown during and after the mass anti-government protests that erupted following the disputed 2020 presidential election that gave Lukashenka a sixth term in office. Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/belarus-parents-risk-losing- children-over-extremism-claims/33283843.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 EU Parliament Condemns 'Sham' Belarusian Elections By RFE/RL's Belarus Service, Rikard Jozwiak and Merhat Sharipzhan January 22, 2025 The European Parliament condemned Belarus's upcoming presidential election in a resolution that refers to the process as a "sham" while slamming the regime of authoritarian ruler Alyaksandr Lukashenka. European lawmakers voted on January 22 to overwhelmingly approve the resolution with 567 votes in favor, 25 against, and 66 abstentions. The vote comes four days ahead of a January 26 presidential election Lukashenka is set to easily win amid a lack of serious opponents. The resolution paints a grim picture of the political environment in Belarus, where the 70-year-old Lukashenka has been in power since 1994. This weekend's vote is the first presidential election since balloting in 2020 triggered mass unrest after Lukashenka was declared the winner despite claims by the opposition and many Western governments that the vote was rigged. The resolution "reiterates its non-recognition of the [2020] election of Alyaksandr Lukashenka to the post of President of Belarus; considers the current regime in Belarus to be illegitimate, illegal and criminal; reaffirms its unwavering support for the Belarusian people in their pursuit of democracy, freedom and human rights." It also notes that over 1,250 political prisoners are being held in custody in Belarus, many of whom face torture, life-threatening conditions, and denial of medical care. Lawmakers denounced "the lack of freedom, fairness, and transparency ahead of the so-called presidential elections in Belarus and calls for the EU, its member states, and the international community to categorically reject the upcoming elections in Belarus and the run-up campaign as a sham, as they do not meet minimum international standards for democratic elections." Last week, the United States said the vote in Belarus cannot be free or fair because of a "repressive environment" where only regime-approved candidates can appear on the ballot and members of the opposition are either imprisoned or in exile. Long considered a pariah by Western Europe, Lukashenka has overseen a brutal crackdown on dissent and civil society since the 2020 vote, prompting a wave of international sanctions that have strangled the country's economy. In the run up to the vote, Lukashenka appears to be seeking to signal to the West that he is easing off on the persistent clampdown that the state has imposed since the 2020 election. Still, the crackdown continues, with frequent arrests and trials on what activists say are politically motivated charges. At least 1,253 people whom rights groups consider political prisoners remain behind bars, and the real number is believed to be higher. Lukashenka has roped Belarus closely to Russia and has provided support for Russia's war on neighboring Ukraine, including by allowing Russian forces to invade from Belarusian territory, and he says Russian nuclear weapons have been deployed in Belarus. But over 30 years in power, he has often tried to capitalize on Belarus' position between Russia in the east and NATO and the European Union to the west and north. Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/eu-parliament- resolution-belarus-elections-repression-human -rights-lukashenka/33284901.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 Prime Minister Justin Trudeau speaks with premiers on the Canada-U.S. relationship and internal trade Prime Minister of Canada - Justin Trudeau January 22, 2025 Ottawa, Ontario Canada and the United States are friends, partners, and allies. Together, we have built the world's closest and most integrated economies and supply chains, created millions of good jobs for people in both countries, and operated the longest and most secure border on Earth. Canadians and Americans understand the profound importance of the ties that unite our two countries when it comes to our shared economic prosperity and continental security. The Government of Canada is implementing its $1.3 billion border plan, which includes new investments in expanded personnel, cutting-edge technology, and increased law enforcement co-ordination. The Canada-U.S. border accounts for a fraction of illegal crossings into the U.S. and less than 0.2 per cent of fentanyl seized by the U.S. Customs and Border Patrol. In addition to the federal government's plan, provinces and territories have also announced significant border security initiatives. Together, we are committed to working closely with the new U.S. administration on border security issues. The prospect of unjustified 25 per cent tariffs, imposed unilaterally by the U.S. against its closest ally, is a matter of grave concern. Tariffs on Canadian goods would increase the cost of living for consumers on both sides of the border, put thousands of jobs at risk, and weaken North America's competitiveness in the global economy. At last week's First Ministers' Meeting in Ottawa, Prime Minister Trudeau and Canada's premiers committed to meeting weekly following the inauguration of U.S. President Donald J. Trump. Today, the Prime Minister, alongside the Minister of Finance and Intergovernmental Affairs, Dominic LeBlanc, the Minister of Transport and Internal Trade, Anita Anand, and Canada's Ambassador to the United States of America, Kirsten Hillman, convened a virtual meeting with Canada's premiers to discuss the Canada-U.S. relationship. The Prime Minister and the premiers shared insights from recent conversations with their U.S. counterparts and agreed to continue advocating for Canadian workers and businesses. The Prime Minister stressed that a strong, united Team Canada approach is the best way to promote Canadian interests and forge a productive relationship with the incoming administration. First Ministers discussed a wide range of measures that federal, provincial, and territorial governments are prepared to take to respond to the proposed U.S. tariffs and support Canadians, while recognizing that preventing the imposition of tariffs remains Canada's top priority. First Ministers discussed the importance of reducing barriers to trade within Canada and agreed that there is more work to be done to facilitate internal trade. The Prime Minister and premiers also agreed that the Committee on Internal Trade should meet as soon as possible to make recommendations to First Ministers on concrete measures to liberalize trade and strengthen Canada's economy. The Prime Minister underscored the importance of the ongoing partnership between federal, provincial, and territorial governments in the weeks and months ahead, and he thanked his counterparts for their contributions. The Prime Minister and the premiers agreed to meet again next week to provide updates on their efforts to strengthen Canada-U.S. relations. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address PLA Navy commissions first Type 054B frigate, making breakthroughs in stealth, combat command and firepower integrated control Global Times By Liu Xuanzun and Guo Yuandan Published: Jan 22, 2025 10:12 AM The Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Navy's first Type 054B frigate, the Luohe, was officially commissioned on Wednesday. The 5,000-ton-class warship features advancements in stealth, combat command systems and integrated firepower control. The first Type 054B frigate of the PLA Navy was handed over and commissioned at a naval port in Qingdao, East China's Shandong Province on Wednesday morning, the Xinhua News Agency reported. At the naval port, the Luohe hoisted full ceremonial flags, and officers and soldiers stood in formation with high spirits. At about 10 am, the commissioning and flag-giving ceremony began. Attendees sang the national anthem as the Five-Starred Red Flag was raised slowly. The honor guards escorted the August 1 military flag and the naval flag and marched to the rostrum. The flag-raiser of the Luohe hoisted the flags on the fore and aft decks of the ship. The ceremony ended with the military song of the PLA, according to the report. With the hull number 545 and a displacement of about 5,000 tons, the Luohe is a new generation of frigate independently developed and built by China. It has made breakthroughs in vessel stealth technology, combat command systems and firepower integrated control, among other aspects, significantly enhancing its performances, said Xinhua. The ship possesses strong comprehensive combat capabilities and diversified military mission capabilities, which are of great significance for improving the overall combat effectiveness of naval warship formations. It is an important piece of equipment for the transformation and development of the Chinese navy, according to Xinhua. Song Zhongping, a Chinese military expert, told the Global Times on Wednesday that the new Type 054B frigate has undergone significant upgrades across its systems compared with its predecessor, the Type 054A. The Type 054B is larger than the Type 054A, allowing for enhanced firepower and the ability to carry larger utility helicopters such as the Z-20, Song said. Many of the most advanced technologies, including those applied on the Type 055 large destroyer, have likely been incorporated into the design of the Type 054B, Song believed. Defender of nation The Type 054B frigate was reportedly launched in 2023. In response to the reports, Senior Colonel Wu Qian, a spokesperson at China's Ministry of National Defense, said at a regular press conference in August 2023 that it is a normal arrangement addressing national security needs and the overall naval trend of the PLA Navy developing equipment including main combat vessels according to related plans. The goal is to defend national sovereignty, security and development interests, and better safeguard world and regional peace and stability, Wu said, noting that China always follows a path of peaceful development, and unswervingly adheres to a national defense policy that is defensive in nature. The Type 054B features extended endurance, enabling operations in both coastal and far seas environments. It is expected to take up the missions of the small Type 056 corvettes in coastal waters and join the Type 055 large destroyers in far seas missions, Song said. The expert expected the Type 054B to be mass produced like the Type 054A. Zhang Xuefeng, another Chinese military expert, told the Global Times on Wednesday that the PLA Navy could build a large number of Type 054B frigates to address diverse maritime threats. He highlighted the frigate's balanced capabilities in anti-submarine, anti-ship and air defense missions, as well as its cost-effectiveness through the use of advanced technologies. It is one of the most advanced frigates in the world, Zhang Xuefeng said. Chinese naval expert Zhang Junshe noted that the Type 054B can also operate as part of aircraft carrier and amphibious assault groups, providing escort in air defense and anti-submarine roles. The first Type 054B is commissioned in Qingdao, which is the homeport of the aircraft carrier Liaoning, Zhang Junshe said that this is conducive to the vessel's joint training with the Liaoning aircraft carrier group. Since the PLA Navy has an aircraft carrier homeport also in Sanya, South China's Hainan Province, it is likely that the Type 054B frigate could be deployed there in the future as well. Zhang Junshe told the Global Times on Wednesday the commissioning of the Type 054B frigate demonstrates the PLA Navy's progress in equipment development and manufacturing, significantly enhancing China's national defense. "With advanced warships like the Type 054B, the PLA Navy will strengthen its comprehensive combat capabilities in far seas, better safeguarding national sovereignty, security, and development interests," he said. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Chinese FM responds to change in official translation of Marco Rubio's surname Global Times By Global Times Published: Jan 22, 2025 04:58 PM In response to a question about whether the recent change by the Chinese side in the official translation of the US Secretary of State Marco Rubio's surname, using the characters (lu) (bi) (ao) instead of the earlier official translation using (lu) for the first syllable, indicates that he is no longer under sanction by China, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said that she had not noticed it but would look into it. She added that what was more important was his English name. Regarding the sanction, she stated that her colleague had explained China's position the previous day. "China's sanctions targeted actions and words that harmed China's legitimate rights and interests," Mao emphasized. On Tuesday, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun also responded to a question on whether China will consider dropping sanctions against Rubio. Guo stated that China will firmly defend its national interests. At the same time, it is necessary for high-level Chinese and American officials to maintain contact in an appropriate way. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address No winner in a trade or tariff war: FM Global Times Countries vow to defend national interests as Trump threatens to levy tariffs By Yang Sheng and Qi Xijia Published: Jan 22, 2025 11:53 PM In response to a question regarding US President Donald Trump's plan to impose new tariff on Chinese exports to the US, starting February 1, Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Mao Ning said on Wednesday that "We believe that there's no winner in a trade or tariff war, and we firmly uphold our national interests." On whether China and the US have engaged in or are currently holding talks on tariff-related issues, Mao said at the daily press conference that "we stand ready to maintain communication with the US, properly handle differences, expand mutually beneficial cooperation and pursue a steady, sound and sustainable development of China-US relationship. China will also firmly defend its own interests." According to Reuters, Trump on Tuesday vowed to hit the European Union with tariffs and said his administration was discussing a 10 percent punitive duty on Chinese imports because "fentanyl is being sent from China to the US via Mexico and Canada." Trump voiced his latest tariff threats in remarks to reporters at the White House a day after taking office without immediately imposing tariffs as he had promised during his campaign. Financial markets and trade groups exhaled briefly on Tuesday, but his latest comments underscored Trump's longstanding desire for broader duties and a new February 1 deadline for 25 percent tariffs against Canada and Mexico, as well as duties on China and the EU. Trump said the EU and other countries also had troubling trade surpluses with the US. "The European Union is very, very bad to us," he said, repeating comments made on Monday. Europe will respond to any tariffs imposed by the US president in a proportionate way, the European Union's commissioner for the economy Valdis Dombrovskis told CNBC on Wednesday. "If there is a need to defend our economic interests, we will be responding in a proportionate way," Dombrovskis told CNBC on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said his country will respond "robustly" if Trump follows through with imposing tariffs on Canada, telling reporters on Tuesday that "everything is on the table," CNN reported. "If there are unfair tariffs, we will respond robustly and we will be there to support Canadians and protect our interests," Trudeau said at the press conference in French when responding to a journalist's question, according to CNN. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum emphasized on Tuesday that she will defend her nation's sovereignty and independence but also pursue dialogue with US President Trump, Reuters reported. In her first comments following Trump's inauguration, Sheinbaum noted that some of his initial announcements closely resemble actions he took in his previous term, as she also sought to reassure Mexicans that she will strenuously defend their interests. Prepare for impact The US will likely keep using tariffs as a weapon to get what it wants from other members of the international community, whether its allies or other major powers, Jin Canrong, professor of school of international studies at Renmin University of China, told the Global Times on Wednesday. The new US administration's acts are not surprising to the international community. For instance, the key EU member Germany is being prepared for the impact. According to Politico, "Germany will be the prime European target" of Trump's trade tariffs once he's in office, German Economy Minister Robert Habeck said on Saturday. The warning by Habeck, who is the Green Party's lead candidate in Germany's February 23 election, came on the same day as a slightly more positive statement by his center-right opponent Friedrich Merz, who called Trump "very predictable," Politico reported. Zhou Mi, a senior research fellow at the Chinese Academy of International Trade and Economic Cooperation, told the Global Times on Wednesday that what happened during Trump's first term tells that the global supply chain will be greatly impacted [if the US goes on with imposing additional tariffs]. Many countries will adjust their trade ties, and the whole global trade will be more fragmentized. "Therefore, the new tariffs this time will cause similar damage to the stability of world trade and global supply chain. US customers and importers will pay higher price to purchase the goods from relevant countries, and the exporters of these countries will be more cautious to export goods to the US due to the increasing costs. Moreover, some countries would take tit-for-tat countermeasures against the US, so US exporters will also be impacted," Zhou noted. CNN said in a fact check article on Monday that "In his inaugural address, Trump said, 'Instead of taxing our citizens to enrich other countries, we will tariff and tax foreign countries to enrich our citizens.' But this description of tariffs is false. Tariffs imposed by the US government are paid by US importers, not foreign countries." Wu Xinbo, director of the Center for American Studies at Fudan University, told the Global Times on Wednesday that if the US side really imposes new tariffs, the trade ties between China and the US would experience turbulence. Trade is the key impetus to the world economy, so if international trade gets seriously impacted by a new round of trade war or tariff war unilaterally launched by the US, then the world economy would also get impacted badly, and the fragile global recovery would be further weakened, Wu noted. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Mao Ning's Regular Press Conference on January 22, 2025 Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the People's Republic of China Updated: January 22, 2025 22:26 People's Daily: The World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2025 is being held in Davos, Switzerland. The WEF is an important platform for discussions of global economic issues. Could you share with us China's propositions? Mao Ning: Member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Vice Premier of the State Council Ding Xuexiang delivered a special address at the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting. He shared four observations: first, jointly promote a universally beneficial and inclusive economic globalization; second, jointly uphold and practice true multilateralism; third, jointly foster new drivers and strengths for global economic development; fourth, jointly tackle major global challenges such as climate change, food security and energy security. Vice Premier Ding Xuexiang stressed that economic globalization is an inherent requirement for the development of productive forces, and an inevitable result of technological advancement. It is not a "you-lose-I-win" zero-sum game, but a universally beneficial process where all can benefit and win together. Protectionism leads nowhere. Trade war has no winners. It's important to tackle the development challenges with universal benefit, and pool strengths with inclusive cooperation, so as to usher in a new phase of economic globalization that is more dynamic, more inclusive and more sustainable. We need to find a win-win and all-win solution, one that is based on mutually beneficial cooperation, and not only make the pie of economic globalization bigger, but also distribute it better. Vice Premier Ding Xuexiang gave an overview of China's economy. He shared three major trends that characterize the Chinese economy: first, high-quality development is making solid progress; second, green and low-carbon transition is accelerating across the board; third, reform and opening up is moving up to a higher level. China will further intensify macro policies, continue high-quality development, effectively pursue higher-quality economic growth and appropriately increase economic output, and inject strong and sustained impetus to global economic development. China News Service: In a press release on January 17, the US Department of Treasury announced sanctions against relevant Chinese company and citizen that were involved with Salt Typhoon's cyberattack. What's China's response? Mao Ning: China opposes the accusations made by the Biden administration without any convincing evidence and their abuse of sanctions against China. In fact, the US has conducted large-scale and systemic cyberattacks on China for years. We have made very clear our concerns and opposition on this for many times. When it comes to cyber issues, China and the US are countries with big influence. The two sides share similar concerns on safeguarding cybersecurity, especially the security of key infrastructure. It's important for the two countries to follow the principle of equality and mutual respect, frankly discuss issues of respective concerns on the basis of fact and evidence, observe the same international rules, and jointly keep the cyberspace peaceful and stable. The US needs to stop abusing sanctions. TASS: On Tuesday, President Donald Trump will levy tariff on Chinese exports to the US, with an expected start date of February 1. What is China's comment? Mao Ning: We have made clear China's position on this issue multiple times. We believe that there's no winner in a trade or tariff war, and we firmly uphold our national interests. Global Times: The Philippines' National Bureau of Investigation said they arrested a Chinese national and two Filipinos suspected of conducting espionage operations. Armed Forces of the Philippines Chief Romero Brawner Jr. said the Chinese spy was found near the US military bases in the Philippines, and Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla said they would ensure an airtight case against the Chinese spy to uphold the Philippines' sovereignty and security. What's China's response? Mao Ning: The Chinese government, as always, asks Chinese nationals overseas to abide by local laws and regulations. We hope the Philippines will stick to the fact, stop shadow-chasing, stop peddling the so-called "Chinese spy," and earnestly protect the lawful rights and interests of Chinese nationals in the Philippines. Kyodo News: It was reported that foreign ministers of Japan and the US, as well as foreign ministers of Quad, met in Washington on January 21 to exchange views on issues including China's attempt to change the status quo in the East China Sea and the South China Sea. What is your comment on this? Mao Ning: China believes that cooperation between countries should not target any third party. Engaging in group politics and bloc confrontation will not bring lasting peace and security, and is not conducive to peace and stability in the Asia-Pacific and the world as a whole. China's activities in relevant waters are lawful, legitimate and completely justified. We hope that relevant parties will do more things that help enhance mutual trust and cooperation between countries. The New York Times: Has China changed the Chinese name that it uses for Secretary of State Rubio? If so, does that have a bearing on whether or not he's covered by China's sanctions? Mao Ning: I am not yet aware of what you mentioned. If you ask me, instead of how his name is translated in Chinese, it's his actual name in English that is more important. On the sanctions, I want to say that my colleague made clear China's position yesterday. What I can tell you is that China's sanctions are aimed at the words and actions that harm China's legitimate rights and interests. AFP: The Thailand government today denied that it was planning to send 48 Uyghurs held in the country's detention centers back to China. These 48 people had fled China and were arrested in Thailand over a decade ago. Can the Foreign Ministry tell us if there are any plans with Thailand to receive these Uyghurs or give us any update? Mao Ning: I'm not familiar with what you mentioned. More broadly, China's position on the issue of illegal immigration is consistent and clear. We resolutely fight activities of illegal immigration in any form and oppose any act of condoning or even supporting illegal immigration. China is a country under the rule of law and will properly handle relevant issue by strengthening international law enforcement and security cooperation. Dragon TV: It's reported that on January 21, a fire at a hotel in Turkiye killed 76 people and injured 51. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced a day of national mourning to be observed on January 22. What's China's comment? Mao Ning: We share the grief over the fatal fire accident that took place in Turkiye's Bolu province yesterday. Our hearts go out to the victims and those who have lost their loved ones, and we wish those who were injured speedy recovery. AFP: There are some reports on social media of a Chinese national having been killed in an attack in north Afghanistan. These reports say that a Chinese worker in the mining industry was killed last night in Takhar province. Can the Foreign Ministry confirm or give us any details on this attack and this Chinese national? Mao Ning: I'm not yet familiar with what you mentioned. I believe our Embassy in Afghanistan will track the information over what's happened, and do its utmost to protect the lawful rights and interests of Chinese citizens and their safety. Bloomberg: On TikTok. US President Donald Trump has said he would be open to Elon Musk or Oracle Corp. Chairman Larry Ellison purchasing social media app TikTok as part of a joint venture with the US government. Does the Foreign Ministry have any comment on this? And how would China feel about the US government being part of a joint venture that splits the ownership of TikTok? Mao Ning: On TikTok, my colleagues and I have repeatedly stated China's principled position over the past few days, and you may refer to that. Reuters: Could you tell us more on how the strategic communication channel on major topics between China and the US works? Who from the China side is speaking to the US on this channel and from which arm of the Chinese government? And likewise, who is on the US end of this channel? Mao Ning: We have no information to share at this time. AFP: With the threat of 10 percent tariffs, are there any talks happening already or any negotiations going on? Mao Ning: What I can say is that we stand ready to maintain communication with the US, properly handle differences, expand mutually beneficial cooperation and pursue a steady, sound and sustainable development of China-US relationship. China will also firmly defend its own interests. RT TV: Trump, shortly after being sworn in, threatens 100 percent tariffs on BRICS nations if they continue de-dollarization efforts. Do you have any response to this? Mao Ning: As an important platform for cooperation among emerging markets and developing countries, BRICS advocates openness, inclusiveness and win-win cooperation, not bloc confrontation, and does not target any third party. The aim is to realize common development and prosperity. China stands ready to continue working with BRICS partners to deepen practical cooperation in various fields and make more contribution to the sustained and steady growth of the world economy. Reuters: I just wanna follow up on the Thailand-Uyghur issue. The UN human rights experts released a statement yesterday urging Thailand to immediately stop the possible transfer of the 48 Uhghurs to China. In the statement, the UN warned, to quote the statement, that the group was at real risk of torture or other cruel, inhumane or degrading treatment or punishment if they are returned. How does China respond to this statement? Mao Ning: Judging by your question, this is a matter regarding the judicial cooperation between two sovereign states. UN experts, whatever their role is, should fulfill their mandate in a just and objective manner in line with the purposes and principles of the UN Charter and the Code of Conduct for Special Procedures Mandate-holders of the Human Rights Council, and make sure that nothing they say or do interferes in the judicial sovereignty of UN member states and their normal judicial cooperation, instead of speaking out irresponsibly on those matters. Bloomberg: Secretary of State Marco Rubio met Tuesday with his Quad counterparts from Australia, India and Japan. I'm just wondering if the Foreign Ministry has any comments on the meeting. Mao Ning: This question was raised by Kyoto News. I already gave an answer. NBC: I just want to know if you have a latest comment on the Panama Canal issue. President Trump warned of the danger of China taking control of the canal, and he would like to take it back from Panama. Do you have any comment on this? Mao Ning: We agree with Panama's President Jose Raul Mulino that Panama's sovereignty and independence are not negotiable, and the Panama Canal is not under direct or indirect control by any power. China does not take part in managing or operating the Canal. Never ever has China interfered. We respect Panama's sovereignty over the Canal and recognize it as a permanently neutral international waterway. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Trump says China tariffs could begin Feb. 1 Beijing responded that there is 'no winner in a trade or tariff war.' By Alex Willemyns 2025.01.22 WASHINGTON -- The first round of promised U.S. tariffs on imports from China could begin as early as next week, President Donald Trump said Tuesday. He also unveiled plans for levies on goods arriving in America from Mexico, Canada and even the European Union. Trump had originally threatened to impose a 10% tariff on Chinese imports and a 25% tariff on imports from Canada and Mexico on his first day in office, after suggesting during last year's election campaign that tariffs on Chinese goods could even go to "more than" 60%. But the tariffs were not part of the flurry of executive orders from the new president on his first day back in the White House on Monday. On Tuesday, though, Trump said Feb. 1 could be the day for the tariffs, which he has long said are needed to boost domestic industry. "We're talking about a tariff of 10% on China based on the fact that they're sending fentanyl to Mexico and Canada," which is then brought into the United States, Trump said after announcing a US$500 billion A.I. infrastructure investment by Oracle, OpenAI and SoftBank. Fentanyl is a highly potent synthetic opioid that U.S. authorities blame for killing tens of thousands of Americans each year. Precursors for the drug are produced in China and then turned into fentanyl by Mexican transnational drug trafficking groups to be smuggled into America. Trump said he had discussed the issue with Chinese President Xi Jinping in a phone call on Friday ahead of Trump's return to power. "I said, we don't want that crap in our country," Trump recalled. Efforts to stem the outflow of fentanyl precursors from China formed a key part of former U.S. President Joe Biden's diplomacy with Beijing. A pledge from Xi to crack down on precursor exports was one of three major outcomes of Biden and Xi's 2023 summit in San Francisco. In the months following that meeting, Biden administration officials largely credited their Chinese counterparts with following through on their promises, but Trump said enough was still not being done. 'No winners' Beijing has been careful not to directly criticize Trump in his first few days in office but has nevertheless pushed back against tariffs. At the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, on Tuesday, Chinese Vice Premier Ding Xuexiang did not directly refer to the new U.S. president, but called for a renewed promotion of "globalization." "Protectionism leads nowhere. Trade war has no winners," Ding told the forum. "We have the wisdom and capability needed to find a win-win and all-win solution, one that is based on mutually beneficial cooperation, through communication and coordination." In Beijing, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning echoed the vice premier's remarks when asked about Trump's 10% tariff. "We believe that there's no winner in a trade or tariff war, and we firmly uphold our national interests," Mao said, adding China would "maintain communication with the U.S." to "properly" handle their differences. China, Mexico and Canada are America's three largest sources of imports, accounting for around US$536 billion, US$454 billion and US$436.6 billion per year, respectively. They also dwarf all other sources: Japan (US$148 billion) and Germany (US$146 billion) round out the top five. But it's not only those three that could be targeted. Trump told reporters Tuesday evening that the 27-nation European Union, which together accounts for some US$553 billion in U.S. imports each year, "treat[s] us very, very badly" and should also be penalized. "They're going to be in for tariffs," the U.S. president said of the European Union. "It's the only way you're going to get fairness." 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 Beijing's lack of clarity about Rubio sanctions sparks speculation in China By Wenhao Ma January 22, 2025 Beijing's lack of clarity about whether it will lift sanctions previously placed on Marco Rubio the new U.S. secretary of state and a China hawk has sparked speculation on Chinese social media about whether Rubio will become the first American diplomat in his position who can't visit China. On Baidu, China's most popular search engine, sitting atop the trending chart Tuesday night was the question, "Will China remove sanctions on the new U.S. Secretary of State?" On Weibo, China's microblogging site similar to X, netizens wonder if Rubio will become the first U.S. secretary of state who won't be able to come to China. "This guy has been barred from entering China, let alone visiting China," one Weibo user commented. "It's now a question how he will be able to deal with China." Tough on China Rubio, the first Cabinet member of the second Trump administration to be confirmed by the Senate, was sworn in Tuesday. He was one of the toughest congressional lawmakers on China during his 14-year tenure as a senator. Rubio introduced bills, made statements and worked with rights groups that were highly critical of China's human rights record and growing influence around the world. A Chinese state media article once called him "one of America's most radical anti-China politicians." In 2020, within a month, the Chinese government sanctioned Rubio twice. The first was announced in July of that year as part of the retaliation against the U.S. government's sanctions against a Chinese government department and four officials in Xinjiang for human rights violations alleged to have taken place in the region. The second one was announced in August after Washington sanctioned 11 Chinese and Hong Kong officials. "I don't want to be paranoid, but I am starting to think they don't like me," Rubio tweeted sarcastically back then after learning about the sanctions. During his confirmation hearing last week, Rubio reaffirmed his position on China, asserting that China remains the "biggest threat" to the United States in the 21st century. "If we don't 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," he said during the hearing. On China's heavily censored internet, most of the comments on his swearing-in have been negative. In a proposed Cabinet lineup that includes candidates who are controversial, Rubio stands out as one with bipartisan support. He received a unanimous 99 confirmation votes. Experts say that how Rubio approaches China will depend largely on President Donald Trump. "Rubio has a long history of working on China. But everyone in the Cabinet is loyal to Trump. I do think Trump will be the ultimate decision maker on China," Yun Sun, a senior fellow and co-director of the East Asia Program and director of the China Program at the Stimson Center, told VOA Mandarin. "Any China policy will be a balance of issues to reach what Trump defines as American national interests. Hawkish views and friendly views will both be a part of the deal," she said. Necessary to 'maintain contact' In his new role, Rubio has put Beijing in a peculiar position. The Chinese government has not publicly sent a clear signal regarding questions about whether it will lift sanctions on him to allow him to visit. When asked if China would drop the sanctions, Guo Jiakun, a spokesperson for China's foreign ministry, said Tuesday at the daily press conference, "China will firmly defend national interests. In the meantime, it's necessary for high-level Chinese and American officials to maintain contact in an appropriate way." Recent online speculation about Rubio has evolved since social media users noticed the Chinese government ostensibly changed its translation of Rubio's name. Claims circulated that Beijing changed the translation so that it could lift sanctions on Rubio without looking embarrassed, because now China can say the sanctions were aimed at a different person than Rubio. But the so-called new translation isn't new at all. The first translation has been the most widely used for Rubio in Chinese government documents and media. However, as early as 2019, People's Daily, Beijing's flagship state media outlet and a mouthpiece of the Chinese Communist Party, used the second translation to refer to Rubio in an attack article. Transcripts from China's foreign ministry also show that when the two sanctions on him were unveiled in 2020, Rubio was referred to by a third variation of his name. The speculation garnered so much attention that Mao Ning, a spokesperson for China's foreign ministry, was asked about it on Wednesday at a press conference. "I am not yet aware of what you mentioned," she said. Lin Yang contributed to this report. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address China braces for potential trade war after Trump threatens to impose tariffs By William Yang January 22, 2025 China is bracing for potential tariffs after U.S. President Donald Trump threatened to slap a 10% duty on Chinese imports as early as Feb. 1. At a regular press briefing Wednesday, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning stressed China's commitment to defending its "national interests." "We have always believed that there are no winners in a trade war or a tariff war," she said. Following Trump's remarks, China's benchmark CSI 300 Index dropped 0.9% Wednesday, ending a four-day winning streak. The Hong Kong-listed Hang Seng China Enterprises Index, which tracks Chinese stocks, fell 2%. Beijing's reactions come after Trump said his team was looking at potentially imposing a 10% tariff on Chinese imports because China has been "sending fentanyl into the U.S. through Mexico and Canada." "Probably February 1st is the date we're looking at," the U.S. president told reporters Tuesday at the White House. Trump's comment comes one day after he appeared to be holding off on imposing tariffs on imports from China, and he directed federal agencies to investigate U.S. trade deficits and unfair trade practices with other countries on Monday. On Chinese social media, the U.S. president's threat was met with a mixed response. Some internet users said the 10% tariff could be followed by a series of duties imposed against Chinese goods, while others criticized Trump for being unpredictable and inconsistent with his decisions. "Why does the U.S. go through all this trouble? In the end, the American people are the ones who would have to pay because if China doesn't export goods, American people won't even have Christmas trees," Chinese internet user Fortune Axe Brother wrote in a post on the Chinese social media platform Weibo. Some analysts say the threat to impose tariffs as early as Feb. 1 could be the U.S. president's "negotiating gambit" to force concessions from China. "Compared to the 25% tariffs that Trump has threatened to impose on Mexico and Canada, the 10% tariff on Chinese imports seems like Trump going easy on China," said Dexter Roberts, a non-resident fellow at Atlantic Council's Global China Hub. In Roberts' view, the threat reflects Trump's desire to "cut some sort of deal" with Beijing. "If China comes through with what Trump views as concessions that are good for him and the U.S., he is very likely not to pursue those tariffs right away," Roberts told VOA by phone. While it remains unclear whether the U.S. will follow through on the threat, some Chinese people say their export businesses already have been affected by concerns about potential U.S. tariffs on Chinese imports since last year. "Even before Trump's latest comments, some of our American customers had already pre-ordered a lot of goods from us since his election victory in November," a Chinese winter apparel exporter surnamed Yuan in Shanghai, who asked to be identified only by his last name due to security concerns, told VOA in a written response. Ahead of Trump's inauguration, American companies increased their purchases from China in the last few months of 2024. China's official customs data shows that Chinese companies exported goods worth almost $50 billion to the U.S. in December 2024, marking a 10.7% increase from a year before. To avoid the U.S. tariffs, some Chinese companies have moved production to countries in Southeast Asia or Latin America, such as Vietnam and Mexico, in recent years. "After Trump launched a trade war against China during his first term, some of our American customers asked my company to move production to Vietnam," a manager at a consumer electronics manufacturer in Guangzhou surnamed Li, who asked to be identified only by his last name due to security concerns, told VOA in a written response. Despite these preparations, experts say Chinese businesses will still struggle to deal with a potential trade war that Trump may launch against China during his second term. "Trump already has experience in launching a trade war against China, and his administration is looking at targeting Chinese efforts to avoid U.S. tariffs by potentially imposing tariffs on Southeast Asian countries or Mexico," He Jiangbing, an independent Chinese economic commentator, told VOA by phone. Since China has largely relied on exports to drive its economic growth in recent years, Roberts said potential tariffs imposed by the U.S. government could seriously affect China's economic growth. "China's export sector would be hit hard by the tariffs and that means the whole Chinese economy would be hit hard," he told VOA, saying the trend would have a "knock-on effect" on domestic consumption. "Exporters are employers so they might have to lay off workers and cut wages. People who have been laid off may spend less money and that will hurt the Chinese economy," Roberts added. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address North Korea reiterates it has 'no intention' of abandoning nuclear program The return of Donald Trump as US president has raised the possibility of a change in policy on North Korea. By Taejun Kang for RFA 2025.01.21 TAIPEI, Taiwan -- North Korea reiterated that it had no intention of giving up its nuclear program, blaming the United States for "creating tension" on the Korean peninsula, after the U.S. President Donald Trump described the country as a "nuclear power." Since 2006, North Korea has conducted six nuclear tests and has consistently declared that it will never relinquish its nuclear weapons. It also demands recognition as a nuclear power, which both the U.S. and its ally, South Korea, firmly reject, instead calling for North Korea's "denuclearization." But Trump's reference on Monday has raised the possibility of a shift in U.S. policy towards recognizing the country's nuclear status. "As a responsible nuclear weapons state, we will continue to make efforts to prevent all forms of war and to protect peace and stability," said Jo Chol Su, North Korea's permanent representative to the United Nations Office at Geneva during a U.N. conference on disarmament on Tuesday. "The United States has been conducting aerial espionage against North Korea since the beginning of the year ... U.S. political and military provocations are the root cause of triggering armed conflicts and undermining regional stability. "The strongest defense is the only way to protect peace. We will strongly deter any attempt by hostile forces to provoke us militarily," Jo added. Jo's remarks were in response to criticism from U.N. member states over the North's nuclear and missile programs. In particular, Kim Il-hoon, South Korea's deputy permanent representative to the U.N. in Geneva, pointed out that North Korea had violated U.N. Security Council resolutions by providing Russia with a large quantity of weapons and ballistic missiles, as well as sending more than 11,000 troops to help Russia in its war against Ukraine. "The recent capture of two North Korean soldiers is a sign of North Korean troops' participation in the war," Kim said. As many as 12,000 North Korean soldiers are in Russia's Kursk region, fighting Ukrainian forces there, according to Ukraine and the U.S. - although neither Moscow nor Pyongyang has acknowledged this. Ukraine said its forces captured two North Korean soldiers in Kursk in January. Both were wounded and are in custody in Kyiv, reportedly receiving medical attention. "North Korea has redefined inter-Korean relations by framing the South as an enemy state, effectively dismantling the psychological barrier to launching a preemptive nuclear attack on our people - all of whom are Koreans," Kim said, referring to Pyongyang's decision to officially abandon its long-standing goal of peaceful reunification with South Korea. In January 2024, the North declared the South its "primary foe and invariable principal enemy," closing agencies dedicated to inter-Korean cooperation and enhancing its military capabilities. "The lowered threshold for North Korea's nuclear aggression poses a direct threat to peace and stability in the region," Kim added. North Korea's comments followed Trump's reference to it as a nuclear power, which hinted at a possible softening of the longstanding U.S. demand that the North dismantles its weapons program. Japan and South Korea - two important Asian allies of the U.S. - rejected the term. "North Korea's nuclear and missile development is a threat to the peace and security of Japan and the international community, and we cannot accept it," said Japan's Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi on Tuesday. "We will also work with the international community, including the U.S. and South Korea, to demand the complete dismantlement of North Korea's nuclear and ballistic missile programs by promoting the full implementation of the relevant U.N. Security Council resolutions," he added. South Korea earlier said the North could never be recognized as a nuclear power because to do so would imply abandoning the goal of denuclearization. The U.S. had refused to recognize North Korea as a nuclear state to uphold global non-proliferation norms and avoid legitimizing Pyongyang's defiance of international agreements. There have been lingering concerns that acknowledging the North's nuclear status could destabilize regional security, embolden Pyongyang, and encourage South Korea and Japan to pursue their own nuclear programs. Trump was inaugurated as the 47th U.S. president on Monday, marking the beginning of his second term. During his first term, he embarked on unprecedented but ultimately unsuccessful engagement with North Korea to try to get it to abandon its nuclear weapons in exchange for sanctions relief. North Korean state media reported his inauguration without comment. "Donald Trump was inaugurated as president in the United States, and he was elected as the 47th president of the United States in the election held last November," the North's state-run Korean Central News Agency reported on Tuesday. The article was also published in Rodong Sinmun newspaper, which North Koreans can read. North Korean state media did not report any news related to the U.S. election in November. Edited by Mike Firn. Copyright 1998-2016, RFA. Used with the permission of Radio Free Asia, 2025 M St. NW, Suite 300, Washington DC 20036. For any commercial use of RFA content please send an email to: mahajanr@rfa.org. RFA content 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 Secretary Rubio's Meeting with Indian External Affairs Minister Jaishankar US Department of State Readout Office of the Spokesperson January 21, 2025 The below is attributable to Spokesperson Tammy Bruce: Secretary of State Marco Rubio met with Indian External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar today in Washington, D.C. Secretary Rubio and External Affairs Minister Jaishankar affirmed a shared commitment to continuing to strengthen the partnership between the United States and India. They discussed a wide range of topics, including regional issues and opportunities to further deepen the U.S.-India relationship, in particular on critical and emerging technologies, defense cooperation, energy, and on advancing a free and open Indo-Pacific region. Secretary Rubio also emphasized the Trump Administration's desire to work with India to advance economic ties and address concerns related to irregular migration. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Iran's Zairf, Qatar FM discuss regional developments, including Gaza IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency Jan 22, 2025 Tehran, IRNA -- Iran's Vice-President for Strategic Affairs Mohammad Javad Zarif has met with Qatar's Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al-Thani to discuss developments in West Asia, including in Gaza and Syria. The meeting took place on Wednesday on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum 2025 in Davos, Switzerland, Qatar's Foreign Ministry said in a statement. The two officials addressed various regional developments, particularly in the Gaza Strip and the occupied Palestinian territories, along with other topics of mutual interest, according to the ministry. They also discussed ways to enhance Tehran-Doha relations. Zarif expressed appreciation for Qatar's role in bringing about a ceasefire agreement in the Gaza Strip and the exchange of Israeli and Palestinian prisoners. Qatar, alongside the US and Egypt, mediated the Gaza ceasefire deal announced on January 15, which took effect four days later. The three-phase ceasefire ended over 15 months of brutal Israeli attacks on Gaza and allowed humanitarian aid to enter the besieged territory. Zarif arrived in Davos on Tuesday and has since met with several world leaders, including the Iraqi prime minister, the Serbian president, and the Norwegian foreign minister, among others. 4194**4353 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Iran not a 'security threat' to any country: Zarif IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency Jan 22, 2025 London, IRNA -- Iran's Vice President for Strategic Affairs, Mohammad Javad Zarif, says Iran does not pose a security threat to any country, emphasizing that if the Islamic Republic had intended to develop nuclear weapons, it would have done so long ago. Zarif was speaking with CNN's GPS host Fareed Zakaria at the annual meeting of the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, Switzerland. "Iran is not a security threat. Some are trying to present Iran as a security threat and use tools like Iranophobia and Islamophobia to justify their actions against innocent people, including in Gaza. However, these claims have no real basis," he said. Zarif, who led nuclear talks with world powers that culminated in the 2015 nuclear deal, said that those who claim Iran is on the verge of developing a nuclear bomb, should have welcomed the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), which was designed to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons for at least 15 years. "Iran has always been ready for dialogue and cooperation with regional countries. Our proposal for establishing a regional dialogue mechanism called 'West Asia Dialogue Forum' reflects our commitment to peace and stability in the region," he said. Pointing to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's long-standing warnings about Iran obtaining a nuclear weapon within six months, Zarif said that nearly 30 years have passed since those claims were first made, yet Iran continues to be labeled as an imminent threat. Zarif reflected on the history of resistance in the region, saying that the concept existed both before and after the Islamic Revolution in Iran. He cited the 1982 invasion of Lebanon by Israel as a pivotal moment that led to the establishment of resistance groups like Islamic Jihad, Hezbollah, and Hamas. Resistance will continue to exist as long as there is "occupation, apartheid, and genocide," he said. Zarif reiterated that resistance groups do not operate under Iran's auspices, but added that while Iran supports the rights of people to self-determination, these groups fight for their own causes. 3266**4353 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Iran's oil output to rise by 40,000 bpd with new desalination plant in Ahvaz IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency Jan 22, 2025 Ahvaz, IRNA -- Iran's oil production capacity is set to rise by 40,000 barrels per day (bpd) following the launch of a desalination plant in the country's southwest, Oil Minister Mohsen Paknejad has announced. Speaking to reporters upon his arrival in Ahvaz, Khuzestan Province on Wednesday, Paknejad explained that the increase in production will be phased. Initially, the plant will enable an increase of 15,000 bpd, with plans for gradual activation of wells producing salty crude to ultimately reach the target of 40,000 bpd, he added. The facility in Ahvaz was inaugurated during a ceremony attended by the oil minister and upon an order from President Masoud Pezeshkian. The inauguration coincided with a visit to Khuzestan by President Pezeshkian and several members of his cabinet. The plant is designed to process 110,000 bpd of crude oil while complying with environmental standards. 9341**4353 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Iran says Swiss national who committed suicide in jail had photographed military sites IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency Jan 22, 2025 Tehran, IRNA -- Iran's Judiciary spokesman, Asghar Jahangir, has announced that a Swiss national who took his own life while incarcerated in Iran had been arrested for photographing restricted military sites. During a briefing on Wednesday, Jahangir detailed that the individual, who was born in Namibia, entered Iran as a tourist in October, traveling in a private car through the Dogharon border crossing, which connects Afghanistan's Herat to Iran's Mashhad. He was arrested in the military Delta area for taking pictures of prohibited military zones and collaborating with a hostile government, he said. Providing details on the circumstances of the suicide, Jahangir said the Swiss national turned the light off in his cell after having breakfast and managed to hang himself using a cut curtain from the bathroom and in a corner not covered by CCTV cameras. Prison staff immediately responded upon being alerted to the situation, but despite their efforts the prisoner passed away, he explained. Following the incident, a delegation from the Swiss embassy, accompanied by a trusted doctor, examined the body and confirmed the suicide, he said. The body was subsequently transferred to the forensic pathologist in Tehran and was handed over to Swiss representatives, Jahangir added. 2050**4353 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address JCPOA can serve as platform for negotiating 'new deal' with Iran: IAEA chief IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency Jan 22, 2025 London, IRNA -- Rafael Grossi, the director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), has suggested that the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) could serve as a framework for negotiating a new agreement with Iran. Speaking at the World Economic Forum on Wednesday, Grossi said Iran has significantly accelerated its uranium enrichment activities since 2018 when the United States unilaterally withdrew from the nuclear deal and reinstated sanctions on the country. Efforts to revive the JCPOA began in April 2021 in Vienna, primarily focusing on the U.S. rejoining the deal and lifting sanctions on Iran. However, Grossi asserted that the JCPOA in its original form is inadequate to address the current situation, underscoring the need for a new agreement. The IAEA chief has called for diplomacy between Iran and the administration of new U.S. President Donald Trump, who, during his first term, pulled the US out of the JCPOA as part of his "maximum pressure" campaign against Tehran. "One can gather from the first statements from President Trump and others in the new administration that there is a disposition, so to speak, to have a conversation and perhaps move into some form of an agreement," Grossi said in Davos. Grossi, however, acknowledged that key stakeholders at the negotiating table continue to disagree on several critical issues. 3266**4353 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Secretary Rubio's Call with Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu US Department of State Readout Office of the Spokesperson January 22, 2025 The below is attributable to Spokesperson Tammy Bruce: Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to underscore that maintaining the United States' steadfast support for Israel is a top priority for President Trump. The Secretary congratulated the Prime Minister on Israel's successes against Hamas and Hezbollah and pledged to work tirelessly to help free all remaining hostages held in Gaza. The Secretary also conveyed that he looks forward to addressing the threats posed by Iran and pursuing opportunities for peace. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Secretary Rubio's Meeting with Japanese Foreign Minister Iwaya US Department of State Readout Office of the Spokesperson January 21, 2025 The below is attributable to Spokesperson Tammy Bruce: Secretary of State Marco Rubio met today with Japanese Foreign Minister Iwaya Takeshi in Washington. They discussed plans to deepen ties during the Trump Administration, and how the United States and Japan can work together to counter ongoing threats in the Indo-Pacific and around the world, including joint efforts against China's destabilizing actions. The two also discussed concerns over both the DPRK's political and security alignment with Russia, as well as China's support for Russia's defense industrial base. Secretary Rubio underscored enduring U.S. commitment to the U.S.-Japan Alliance as the cornerstone of security and prosperity in the region. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Dozens of Myanmar junta soldiers defect to Karen rebel army Most of the more than 40 soldiers were forcibly recruited by the junta, insurgents say. By RFA Burmese 2025.01.22 -- More than 40 soldiers fighting for Myanmar's junta have defected to ethnic Karen insurgents since August, rebels said Wednesday, most of whom were forcibly recruited as part of the military regime's conscription program. The soldiers from the Aung Zay Ya military column surrendered to the People's Defense Forces, or PDF, from the No. 31 Strategic Battalion under the Southern Military Command, who are allied with the Karen National Liberation Army, or KNLA, between Aug. 1 and Jan. 18, a PDF official told RFA Burmese. "Recruited under the military service law from [the cities of] Mandalay and Taunggyi, many of them are new conscripts who were sent to reinforce the Aung Zay Ya column," said the official who spoke on condition of anonymity due to security concerns. "The total number of junta defectors has surpassed 40," he said. "Each defector has reportedly received 500,000 kyats (US$240)" from the People's Embrace, a group for defectors from junta security forces, he added. The defections after the junta, which seized power in a February 2021 coup d'etat, began conscripting young people to shore up its dwindling military ranks amid mounting battlefield losses. A law requires men aged 18-35 and women aged 18-27 to serve a minimum of two years, and young people have been fleeing the country ever since. RFA has received reports of youth arrests particularly in Myanmar's cities that residents have termed "snatch and recruit" operations. They are seemingly covert, as the arresting officers operate at night, wearing plain clothes and driving private vehicles. The junta has denied claims that it has issued an order to recruit new conscripts through illegal means like kidnapping. Military defectors told RFA that junta troops are running out of food and ammunition given that KNLA and PDF forces are jointly attacking and blocking off the military zone along the highway from Kayah state's Kawkareik township to neighboring Kayin state's Myawaddy township. They said "many soldiers" stationed at junta camps are now hoping to defect, and will be connected with the People's Embrace to help them find employment opportunities. The Aung Zay Ya junta column has been fighting to retake the trade route between Kawkareik and Myawaddy for 10 days, but have failed to take control, rebel sources told RFA. The junta has yet to issue any statement about the column's casualties or its loss of camps, military convoys and ammunition. Attempts by RFA to contact Col. Min Thu Kyaw, the junta's Minister for Security and Border Affairs, for more information about the fighting along the highway and soldier defections went unanswered Wednesday. Translated by Aung Naing. Edited by Joshua Lipes and 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 Two-thirds of residents flee Myanmar beach town as rebels battle junta troops The Arakan Army is pushing beyond its traditional territory in Rakhine state. By RFA Burmese 2025.01.22 -- Some two-thirds of residents of a beach resort town in Myanmar's heartland have fled their homes amid fighting between junta troops and ethnic Rakhine rebels, sources in the region told RFA Burmese on Wednesday. Until now, the Arakan Army, or AA, has been fighting junta troops in Rakhine state, in Myanmar's west, where it controls nearly all townships, and other states and regions on the country's periphery. Now the emboldened rebel army is moving beyond its traditional territory. The fighting near Chaung Thar, a popular beach destination in Ayeyarwady region's Pathein township, is the latest sign that the junta is losing ground as the civil war grinds toward its fourth full year following its February 2021 coup d'etat. Normally home to around 6,000 households, only about 2,000 remain in Chaung Thar, according to a resident, who spoke to RFA on condition of anonymity due to security concerns. "Residents of Chaung Thar are fleeing in fear of the fighting," he said. "Wealthy individuals have closed their grocery stores and hotels before leaving. Approximately two-thirds of the town's residents have already fled." Those who fled the town are taking shelter in the cities of Pathein and Yangon, while residents of nearby Shwe Thaung Yan, Baw Mi and Ma Gyi Zin villages have fled to Thabaung town, residents said. Many of those who have not left Chaung Thar stayed because they lack the money needed to relocate, they said. While gunfire was heard near the town in recent days, the situation has been calm since Tuesday, residents reported. A hotel staff member told RFA that some hotels on the town's beachfront remain open, despite the fighting. The junta has yet to issue any statement on fighting in the area and attempts by RFA to contact Khin Maung Kyi, the junta's Ayeyarwady region spokesperson and social affairs minister, for comment went unanswered Wednesday. The fighting near Chaung Thar comes two weeks after the AA and allied forces captured Pathein's Ma Gyi Zin village, on the border on Rakhine state, on Jan. 9. Residents told RFA that fighting has since intensified in nearby Baw Mi and other villages. Since early January, the AA, which controls nearly all townships in Rakhine state, has been attacking military bases in the bordering regions of Ayeyarwady, Bago and Magway, according to residents. On Dec. 29, AA insurgents captured the west coast town of Gwa from the military, a major step toward their goal of taking the whole of Rakhine state, and then said they were ready for talks with the junta. However, nearly a week later, the military had carried out at least six airstrikes since the proposal in the AA-controlled townships of Ponnagyun, Ann, Gwa and Myebon, killing 10 civilians and injuring more than a dozen others, residents told RFA Burmese. On Monday, the AA said in a statement that fighting is ongoing in some areas along the Rakhine-Ayeyarwady border, as well as in Chin Su village, in Ayeyarwady's Yegyi township. Translated by Aung Naing. Edited by Joshua Lipes and 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 Myanmar crisis: Civilians killed in airstrikes as Rohingya risk dangerous journeys By Vibhu Mishra 22 January 2025 - The security situation in Myanmar continues to remain highly volatile, with intensified airstrikes across multiple regions leading to dozens of civilian casualties, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reported on Wednesday. Between 15 and 17 January, airstrikes and clashes in the southeast reportedly resulted in nine deaths and left 31 others injured. In Rakhine state, three airstrikes in Mrauk-U Township on 18 January reportedly killed 28 people and injured a further 25, while in the northwest, airstrikes last week reportedly claimed the lives of 19 civilians and injured approximately 41 others. OCHA expressed grave concern for the safety of civilians, highlighting the heightened risks faced by conflict-affected communities amid the violence and limited access to essential services. It reiterated its call for all parties to the conflict to comply with international humanitarian law and ensure the protection of civilians. The situation in the southeast Asian nation has been in freefall since Myanmar's military - known as the Tatmadaw - overthrew the democratically elected government and arrested key political and government leaders in February 2021. At least 6,000 civilians have been killed since the military takeover, and countless more injured, including many who lost limbs to landmines and unexploded ordinance (UXO). Deadly journeys for safety The crisis has disproportionately affected vulnerable populations, including the mostly-Muslim Rohingya minority, with hundreds risking dangerous journeys at sea to flee persecution and violence. According to the UN refugee agency, UNHCR, between 3 and 5 January, some 460 Rohingya arrived in Malaysia and Indonesia after weeks at sea. Ten people reportedly lost their lives during the journeys. Just three weeks earlier, another 115 refugees had arrived in Sri Lanka, having lost six people at sea. "Saving lives must be the first priority," said Hai Kyung Jun, Director of UNHCR Regional Bureau for Asia and the Pacific, applauding countries receiving and supporting the vulnerable refugees. Worrying trend UNHCR also warned that as the situation in Myanmar continues to deteriorate, more people are expected to flee in the coming months. In 2024, over 7,800 Rohingya attempted to escape Myanmar by boat - an 80 per cent increase from the previous year. Among those making the journey, children accounted for 44 per cent of passengers, up from 37 per cent in 2023. UNHCR urged States to focus on protection at sea, meeting humanitarian needs and addressing false narratives and hate speech against refugees and asylum-seekers arriving on their shores. "We call on all States to continue search and rescue efforts and make sure that survivors receive the assistance and protection they need," Ms. Jun added. Severe underfunding Myanmar's spiralling crisis is being further exacerbated by severe underfunding of humanitarian operations, leaving millions without critical support. Humanitarians estimate that nearly 20 million people - more than a third of the total population - will require assistance this year. Among them, 6.3 million children and 7.1 million women. Despite the urgent need, the humanitarian response remains drastically underfunded. In 2024, only 34 per cent of the $1 billion required was received, leaving an estimated 1.4 million people without prioritized support. For 2025, humanitarians have appealed for $1.1 billion to provide life-saving aid to 5.5 million of the most vulnerable people. "The people of Myanmar cannot afford a repeat of this underfunding in 2025 - they need decisive action from the international community, including more resources, and they need it now," said Marcoluigi Corsi, UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator ad interim for Myanmar. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov's remarks following talks with Foreign Minister of the Kyrgyz Republic Jeenbek Kulubayev, Moscow, January 22, 2025 22 January 2025 15:19 58-22-01-2025 Ladies and gentlemen, We have held substantive talks with my colleague and friend, Foreign Minister of the Kyrgyz Republic Jeenbek Kulubayev. We discussed a broad range of issues. Russia and Kyrgyzstan are old strategic partners and allies united by tried and true relations of friendship. They reflect the spirit of our cooperation in all practical spheres of our relations, which are spanning all spheres of operations by our countries and people. We expressed appreciation for the substantive political dialogue regularly held between our countries at the highest level. It helps us determine the areas where we need to take additional efforts and to map out our future goals. We reviewed the implementation of the agreements reached at our previous summits, highlighting the most important aspects of our economic cooperation and the efficient operation of the Intergovernmental Russian-Kyrgyzstani Commission on Trade, Economic, Scientific, Technological and Humanitarian Cooperation. We paid particular attention to the large-scale joint project in education aimed at building nine general schools with tuition in the Russian language in Kyrgyzstan. We spoke about ways to step up and improve the operation of the Kyrgyz-Russian Slavic University, as well as preparations for launching the practical operation of the International Organisation for the Russian Language. We have close or similar views on the key regional and global issues. We emphasised the importance of complying with the principles of the UN Charter, which must be respected and applied not selectively or from time to time but in their entirety and interconnectedness. We held an in-depth discussion on coordinating our activities within the EAEU, the CSTO, the CIS, the SCO, the OSCE and on other platforms. We spoke about strengthening security and stability in Central Asia and on the Eurasian continent as a whole. We have also reaffirmed the need to consolidate our efforts in combating terrorism and extremism. Our Kyrgyz friends hold CSTO Chairmanship this year. I am grateful to Jeenbek Kulubayev for the detailed information about Bishkek's plans and priorities he has shared with me. We support all of them. Today, I have reaffirmed Russia's readiness to provide whatever support they may need in their operation in that capacity. This year we will mark the 80th anniversary of the Great Victory. Just like all the other peoples of the Soviet Union, the people of Russia and Kyrgyzstan fought side by side against Nazism during the Great Patriotic War. We will be happy to see President of the Kyrgyz Republic Sadyr Japarov at the celebrations in Moscow on May 9 at the invitation of President Vladimir Putin. We have updated our colleagues on the current situation regarding the settlement in Ukraine. We reaffirmed our commitment to achieving the goals of the special military operation and to settling the Ukraine crisis by removing its fundamental causes. There is growing awareness that this is the only way to end the conflict, including in Europe and the United States. We emphasised that such a solution must be based on strong, legally binding agreements, which will include a mechanism for preventing their violation. Following the talks, we have signed an updated programme of cooperation between our foreign ministries for 20252027. We agree that its consistent implementation will help strengthen and add new details to our foreign policy coordination. In conclusion, I would like to express gratitude to Foreign Minister Jeenbek Kulubayev for our productive joint work and the invitation to visit Bishkek or any other place in the beautiful Kyrgyzstan. I will gladly take advantage of that invitation. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov's opening remarks during talks with Foreign Minister of the Kyrgyz Republic Jeenbek Kulubayev, Moscow, January 22, 2025 22 January 2025 13:26 57-22-01-2025 Mr Kulubayev, Friends, We are delighted to welcome you to Moscow as representatives of our ally, a strategic partner, and a country that has always maintained friendly and trust-based relations with Russia, guided by mutual respect and consideration for each other's interests. We have just had a brief one-on-one talk. We have both reaffirmed (I want to emphasise this again) our satisfaction with the progressive development of bilateral political dialogue. It is characterised by a high level of trust. Regular meetings between the presidents of Russia and the Kyrgyz Republic create a solid foundation for the advancement of bilateral cooperation across the board. Our governments maintain regular contacts as well. In 2024, the prime ministers of our countries met five times. On October 1921, 2024, Prime Minister of the Kyrgyz Republic Akylbek Japarov paid an official visit to Russia. It is symbolic that his visit was timed to coincide with the 100th anniversary of the foundation of the Kyrgyz Autonomous Region as part of the then RSFSR, an important historical landmark that paved the way for the development of modern Kyrgyz statehood and contributed to qualitative, positive changes in all aspects of society. Today, Kyrgyzstan is a sovereign state. Its bonds with Russia go far beyond shared political, economic and humanitarian interests, also encompassing cultural, historical and people-to-people ties. We are closely cooperating through our foreign ministries, both bilaterally and as part of integration associations, and coordinating our steps at global platforms, primarily at the UN. I would like to note that a number of interministerial consultations were held in 2024, including at the level of deputy ministers. Our ministries have implemented the programme of cooperation for 20222024, and today, we will sign a new programme for the next three-year period, 20252027. I have no doubt that our political contacts in other areas will continue this year, both in bilateral formats and as part of larger associations. I am delighted to see you. We will discuss all these issues in detail in line with the agreements between our leaders. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Russian Defence Minister discusses military and political situation in Central Asia with President of Uzbekistan 22.01.2025 (13:00) President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev welcomed Minister of Defence of the Russian Federation Andrei Belousov who has arrived to the Republic with an official visit. During the meeting, they discussed regional security issues and assessed the military and political situation in Central Asia. Previously, Andrei Belousov has held talks with Minister of Defence of Uzbekistan Shukhrat Kholmukhamedov after which the plan for the cooperation between Russian and Uzbek defence ministries for 2025 and the programme for the strategic partnership between the two countries in the military sphere for 2026-2030 have been signed. Department for Media Affairs and Information NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Russia and Uzbekistan sign strategic partnership programme in military field for 2026-2030 period 22.01.2025 (11:30) The 2025 plan for the cooperation between Russian and Uzbek defence ministries and the programme for the strategic partnership between the two countries in the military field for the period of 2026-2030 have been signed on Wednesday in Tashkent. Defence ministers of the two countries Andrei Belousov and Shukhrat Kholmukhamedov have signed the documents. The ceremony took place as part of the Russian Defence Minister's official visit to Uzbekistan. The 2025 plan for the cooperation between Russian and Uzbek defence ministries includes 50 joint activities in all directions of military departments of the two countries. Department for Media Affairs and Information NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Russia and Uzbekistan to sign strategic partnership programme in military sphere for 2026-2030 22.01.2025 (10:30) The 2025 plan for the cooperation between Russian and Uzbek defence ministries and the programme for the strategic partnership between the two countries in the military field for the period of 2026-2030 will be signed on Wednesday in Tashkent, said Russian Defence Minister Andrei Belousov. 'In addition to discussing current issues of interaction in the military and military-technical spheres as well as the current situation in the region, a number of crucial documents have been prepared to be signed. This is the plan for cooperation between our military departments for 2025 and the programme for the strategic military partnership between Russia and Uzbekistan for 2026-2030,' said Andrei Belousov during talks with Minister of Defence of Uzbekistan Shukhrat Kholmukhamedov. The joint work of Moscow and Tashkent has a significant impact on security in the Central Asian region. The Russian Defence Minister stressed that 'Russia and Uzbekistan are strategic partners and long-time friends'. According to his assessment, cooperation between Moscow and Tashkent 'has achieved a high level of mutual understanding and continues to expand'. 'This is especially important in the modern international situation. The heads of Russia and Uzbekistan pay great attention to the development of ties between the law enforcement agencies of the two countries. Our joint work has a significant impact on security in the Central Asian region, so we attach great importance to the today's meeting,' said Andrei Belousov. At the beginning of the talks, the Russian Defence Minister noted that he was pleased to meet and have a personal introduction to his Uzbek colleague, thanking him for the invitation to visit Tashkent and for the open-armed welcome. 'I would like to congratulate you on your appointment as the Minister of Defence of the Republic of Uzbekistan once again and wish you every success in this responsible position,' said the Russian Defence Minister. He said that the Russian delegation to Tashkent included the heads of organisations that are into military and military-technical cooperation. The Russian Defence Minister expressed confidence that the meeting is to launch a new stage of interaction between the two countries in the defence sphere. 'I suggest we move on to the discussion of topical issues on the agenda,' said Andrei Belousov. Department for Media Affairs and Information NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address In Syria, top UN envoy highlights international backing for political transition 22 January 2025 - The UN Special Envoy for Syria on Wednesday emphasised the strong international consensus that is emerging in support of the country's political transition since the fall of the Assad regime last month. Special Envoy Geir Pedersen is on his second visit to Syria since 8 December and told reporters in Damascus he had engaged with a broad spectrum of Syrians, including the caretaker authorities. He conveyed optimism about the international community's commitment to aiding transition. Transition 'cannot fail' "There is a strong international consensus that there needs to be support for the new Syria," he stated. "We need to see the political transition succeed. It is a shared opinion that it cannot fail." The Special Envoy underscored the necessity of an inclusive transition leading to a new constitution and free and fair elections. This process, he stressed, must be Syrian-led and Syrian-owned to restore Syria's sovereignty and territorial integrity while meeting the legitimate aspirations of the Syrian people. "These are the core principles of Security Council resolution 2254," Mr. Pedersen noted. "This time, it's for the Syrian people themselves to take the lead." During his visit, the Special Envoy identified several core challenges, including unifying armed factions into a national army and addressing the specific challenges of the northeast, where fighting is continuing between rival groups close to the Turkish and Iraqi borders. He also highlighted the importance of transitional justice, economic recovery, reconstruction, civilian protection and addressing the Israeli presence in Syria where troops have consolidated their positions in the occupied Golan. Clear commitments Mr. Pedersen expressed appreciation for the detailed discussions he had with key Syrian figures, including de facto leader Ahmed Al-Sharaa and caretaker foreign minister Shaibani. "I welcome the many clear commitments and messages that have been conveyed to the Syrian people and to us in the meetings we have had with Mr. Sharaa," he said. "We need to see both the Syrian people and the international community come together and deliver on this." The Special Envoy acknowledged the significant challenges faced by the caretaker authorities, given the context of 14 years of war and conflict and 54 years of dynastic rule. "Any country and caretaker authority that would take power in such a situation will obviously face huge challenges," he remarked, stressing also the importance of avoiding revenge attacks and ensuring that all Syrians are protected and have a stake in the future. Mr. Pedersen underlined the need for a credible transition. "We need to move along a path from the current realities established in emergency conditions into a credible, inclusive, transparent and effective political transition process," he said. National army He also underscored the importance of forming a unified Syrian national army to ensure stability. Addressing the situation in the restive northeast, Mr. Pedersen called for a peaceful and diplomatic resolution. "We need to see a solution to that," he urged. "It is my appeal to all parties that they now grasp the opportunity to move forward." The Special Envoy also discussed the importance of the formal national dialogue process, emphasising it must be inclusive and prepared carefully. "It is critical to get the settings of this process right," he said. "This is obviously a Syrian-led process." Turn the page Transitional justice was another key issue he raised, highlighting the calls for justice, accountability and reparation across Syrian society. "These are necessary and fundamental if we are to safeguard a sustainable peace and social cohesion here in Syria," he asserted. In conclusion, Mr. Pedersen called for a new approach from the international community, stressing the need for solidarity and support. "We now need to see a different international mentality and a new approach from the international community," he said, addressing also the issue of sanctions and urging sanctioning States to reconsider their positions to help the emergence of a new Syria. Ready to support He reiterated the UN's commitment to supporting Syria's political transition. "This will continue to be a Syrian-led, Syrian-owned process where the international community and the UN are ready to support," he affirmed. "We know what Syria can achieve and what they can do. The last six weeks have been a testament to the Syrian people's goodwill and desire to unify and rebuild their country." NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Taiwan urged to boost defense spending during Trump's second term ROC Central News Agency 01/22/2025 12:12 PM Taipei, Jan. 22 (CNA) Taiwan's former top envoy to the United States and a defense expert called on Taiwan's government Wednesday to increase its defense spending to prove the country's mettle to Donald Trump, who has begun a second term as U.S. president. Trump has raised questions over how supportive of Taiwan he will be after saying on the campaign trail that Taiwan "stole our chip business" and needed to "pay us for defense." He has also suggested that Taiwan pay the U.S. for protection and suggested that it increase defense spending to 10 percent of its gross domestic product (GDP). Speaking at a seminar in Taipei on Wednesday, Stanley Kao (), a former top Taiwan envoy to Washington, said Taiwan should not worry too much about Trump's campaign rhetoric because turning that rhetoric into actual policies requires going through a process. Also, Trump's new Cabinet is stacked with Taiwan-friendly people who are considered hawkish on Beijing, including his choice for secretary of state, Marco Rubio, a foreign policy hawk on China and Iran who has proposed a number of Taiwan-friendly bills, Kao said. Kao argued, nonetheless, that given Trump's "transactional" nature, Taiwan should make a strong argument to Washington that Taiwan-U.S. relations are "irreplaceable." That should include, he said, gradually increasing its defense budget to beef up its defense capabilities, reinforce its supply chain resilience, and ensure the "continuation and normalization" of Taiwan-U.S. relations. Echoing Kao's argument, Su Tzu-yun (), a research fellow at the Taiwan military-funded Institute for National Defense and Security Research, said at the same forum that Taiwan will likely remain strategically important to the Trump administration. He argued that Trump's interest in securing control of Greenland and the Panama Canal showed that his national security team was prioritizing the recalibration of the U.S.' presence in geographically strategic locations. The Taiwan Strait, being a shipping and air corridor of global significance and part of the First Island Chain that forms the first line of defense against China, is of great strategic value to the U.S. as well and will likely factor into that approach, Su said. That is why Taiwan needs to increase defense spending to enhance its defense resilience and prove to Trump that Taipei is a reliable partner to Washington and is willing to do its part in boosting its self-defense capabilities, the defense expert said. Su also noted Trump's appointment of a number of China-hawks including Rubio and his nominee for secretary of defense, Pete Hegseth. The appointments suggest that Trump will be playing the "good cop" while his China-hawkish national security team will play the "bad cop," with Trump adopting a more sympathetic demeanor and his team adopting a hostile approach to get others to cooperate. Kao, who served as Taiwan's representative to the U.S. from May 2016 to July 2020, facilitated the historic telephone call between then-President-elect Trump and then President Tsai Ing-wen () in December 2016. The call marked the first time that a U.S. president or president-elect had directly spoken with a Taiwanese president since Taipei and Washington severed official diplomatic relations in 1979. Kao retired in July 2020 and now serves as the senior advisor of a local think-tank, according to the Institute of National Policy Research, which organized Wednesday's seminar. (By Joseph Yeh) Enditem/Is NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Statement by the Prime Minister on the Day of Unity of Ukraine Prime Minister of Canada - Justin Trudeau January 22, 2025 Ottawa, Ontario The Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, today issued the following statement on the Day of Unity of Ukraine. "Today, on the Day of Unity of Ukraine, we celebrate the strength and resilience of the Ukrainian people. We also renew our commitment to a Ukraine that charts its own future with freedom and sovereignty. "On this day in 1919, the Unification Act was proclaimed in Kyiv, uniting the Ukrainian People's Republic and the Western Ukrainian People's Republic. This landmark event symbolized Ukraine's determination to achieve independence. This strength of will and character is as alive today as it was over a century ago. "Next month will mark three years since Vladimir Putin launched his full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Winter after winter, Ukrainians have endured. They've fought. Thousands of brave men and women have given their lives for their homeland - but they've never surrendered. The Ukrainian flag still flies high over Kyiv, and the Ukrainian people have a resolve to win that Putin can never even aspire to achieve. Ukraine will remain free; Ukraine will remain independent; and Canada will always be there for our Ukrainian friends. "On this Day of Unity of Ukraine, we reaffirm our support to the people of Ukraine as well as the 1.3 million Ukrainian-Canadians who call Canada home. May Ukraine's sovereignty be as unwavering and ironclad as the spirit of its people. "Slava Ukraini!" NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Trump threatens Russia with more sanctions if Ukraine war doesn't end Iran Press TV Wednesday, 22 January 2025 6:40 PM Donald Trump has threatened Russia with tariff hikes and more sanctions if Moscow does not agree with a Ukraine ceasefire deal. "If we don't make a 'deal,' and soon, I have no other choice but to put high levels of Taxes, Tariffs, and Sanctions on anything being sold by Russia to the United States, and various other participating countries," the newly-elected US president said in a post on his Social Truth social network. He did not identify the countries that he deemed participants in the conflict. Trump said he was "not looking to hurt Russia" and had "always had a very good relationship with President Putin," a leader for whom he has expressed admiration in the past. "All of that being said, I'm going to do Russia, whose Economy is failing, and President Putin, a very big FAVOR. Settle now, and STOP this ridiculous War! IT'S ONLY GOING TO GET WORSE." Before his inauguration on Monday, Trump had vowed to end the Ukraine war before even taking office, raising expectations he would leverage aid to force Kiev to make concessions to Moscow. In unusually critical remarks of Putin on Monday, Trump said the Russian president was "destroying Russia by not making a deal." Trump said Zelensky had told him he wanted a peace agreement to end the war. The US president has declined to say whether he would continue his predecessor Joe Biden's policy of sending weapons to Ukraine to fight off Russia's invasion, launched in February 2022. "We're looking at that," he said at the press conference. "We're talking to (Ukrainian President Volodymyr) Zelensky, we're going to be talking to President Putin very soon." Trump has sought to use the threat of tariffs to achieve non-trade goals, including threatening Mexico, Canada, and China with duties to push them to stop illegal migration and the flow of the opioid fentanyl into the United States. The Biden administration had already heaped heavy sanctions on thousands of entities in Russia's banking, defense, manufacturing, energy, technology, and other sectors since the conflict began in February 2022. Earlier this month, the US Treasury hit Russia's energy revenues with its hardest sanctions yet, targeting oil and gas producers Gazprom Neft and Surgutneftegas, as well as 183 vessels that are part of the so-called dark fleet of tankers aimed at evading other Western trade curbs. As for other participants, the Biden administration had imposed sanctions against entities in China, North Korea, and Iran for alleged support for Russia's military operations against Ukraine. Trump a 'challenge' to Germany Also on Wednesday, the leaders of France and Germany agreed that both countries must act for a "strong" Europe, President Emmanuel Macron said after meeting Chancellor Olaf Scholz in Paris. At a joint news briefing with Macron at the Elysee two days after Trump took office, Scholz said the new US president "will be, and so much is already clear, a challenge". "Europe will not cower and hide, but instead be a constructive and assertive partner." This stance, Scholz said, will be "the basis for good cooperation with the new American president". Europe and the US are linked by "a long history of friendship and partnership" which he called "a stable foundation" for future relations, he added. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Could Trump Cut A Deal With Putin And Leave Ukraine In The Cold? By Reid Standish and RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service January 22, 2025 U.S. President Donald Trump wields significant influence over the next phase of the war in Ukraine, but how he plans to use it remains an open question. Trump vowed during his inaugural address on January 20 to be a "peacemaker" and promised on the campaign trail to quickly end the war in Ukraine, the recipient of billions in U.S. military aid. But his more transactional approach to diplomacy has also led to fears he could cut a deal with Russian President Vladimir Putin over Ukraine's head. "There is still concern that Trump will reach a deal with Putin and then tell Ukraine they must take it or he will suspend U.S. assistance to Ukraine," said Marie Dumoulin, a former French diplomat at the European Council on Foreign Relations. The new U.S. president's strategy for ending the war is still taking shape, but analysts said he has two broad paths forward. The first is to push Ukraine -- already grappling with manpower shortages and donor fatigue -- to the negotiating table by withholding pivotal military support and forcing it into a peace deal on unfavorable terms, a possibility Kyiv and most Western capitals consider a worst-case scenario. The other is to ramp up pressure on Russia with new sanctions and increased military assistance for Ukraine. "At this point, every option is still a possibility," Dumoulin said. Will Trump Strike A Deal With Putin? Both Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy have signaled they are open to negotiations, but it's unclear if Kyiv and Moscow are willing to make compromises. Putin initially wanted to capture Kyiv and install a government sympathetic to Moscow. The Kremlin also holds firm on its demands to keep swathes of occupied Ukrainian territory and limit the size of Ukraine's military. That's been a nonstarter for Kyiv, which calls for the restoration of its territory and the complete withdrawal of Russian forces. Zelenskiy, however, has said he could be open to freezing the war along the current front line in exchange for a pathway to NATO membership. Trump is also looking to leverage his relationship with Putin, who he praised in the past as a "savvy" strategist, and said he plans to meet face-to-face with the Russian leader. He's also called for Chinese leader Xi Jinping to play a larger role in bringing the war to an end, telling reporters on January 21 that he's pressed Xi and that he has "a lot of...power, like we have a lot of power" to end the war but that "he's not done very much on that." Leveraging leader-to-leader connections seems to be part of the new administration's strategy. Beijing has remained officially neutral on the fighting but has sustained Russia's economy and boosted Moscow's war effort with a steady supply of dual-use goods. In calling out Xi, Trump appears to think his personal touch can make a difference. "From President Trump's perspective, you can't enter a deal if you don't have some type of relationship and dialogue with the other side. And we will absolutely establish that in the coming months," Mike Waltz, Trump's national-security adviser, said during a January 12 interview. Trump once again brought up his personal rapport with the Russian leader when speaking to reporters at the White House on January 20, saying he gets "along with [Putin] great. I would hope he wants to make a deal." But he also voiced criticism, a signal Trump could wield both a carrot and a stick in a bid to cut a deal with Moscow. "I think [Putin is] destroying Russia by not making a deal," Trump said. "I think Russia's going to be in big trouble." Oleksandr Motsyk, Ukraine's former ambassador to the United States, told RFE/RL that Kyiv should be prepared for a flurry of diplomacy and not be startled by outreach between Moscow and Washington. "The first stage of it will be that Ukraine talks to the United States and Russia talks to the United States," he said. "Then the United States looks at the positions of both parties, and based on that, can then make some proposals." What Tools Does Trump Have? But as momentum for talks picks up steam, Trump may also struggle to bring Russia to the negotiating table. Analysts say that despite the heavy losses suffered by Russia on the battlefield, Putin believes he is winning in Ukraine and has little incentive to budge. This may see Trump look to exercise leverage -- and that could include imposing harsher sanctions on Russia's economy. Prior to leaving office, the Biden administration imposed the most disruptive sanctions on Russia's oil trade by any Western power to date. Trump could aim to add to those measures. Scott Bessent, Trump's pick for treasury secretary, said during his January 16 confirmation hearing that he "100 percent" supports intensifying sanctions on Russian oil producers to bring Moscow "to the table," if Trump requests it. Trump alluded to the use of sanctions when speaking to reporters on January 21. Secretary of State Marco Rubio also said during his confirmation hearing that sanctions -- both applying and lifting them -- could enter discussions to end the nearly three-year war. While saying both Russia and Ukraine will have to make "concessions" to reach a peace deal, Rubio said "sanctions and the release of sanctions" would "have to be part of this conversation in terms of bringing about a...resolution." Trump could also pressure Putin into talks by threatening increased military support for Ukraine and changing the dynamic on the battlefield. Whether Trump will elect this path remains to be seen, especially given that he promised on the campaign trail to pull financial support for Ukraine and criticized the Biden administration during his inaugural address for "unlimited funding to the defense of foreign borders." "Russia has never signaled a readiness to compromise," said Dumoulin, the former diplomat. "Trump's main options are to accept Moscow's conditions or look to change them." Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/trump-putin-peace- deal-ukraine-war/33283777.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 Ukrainian Military Shoots Down 65 Shahed Drones Amid Russian Onslaught By RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service January 22, 2025 KYIV -- Russia launched another massive attack on Ukraine overnight involving almost 100 drones at targets across the country while Russian troops continue to edge further into Ukrainian territory. The Ukrainian Air Force on January 22 reported the downing of 65 Iranian Shahed drones as well as other unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) overnight amid an enormous Russian aerial assault. Another 30 drones disappeared from radar without reaching their targets, the Air Force added, saying the attacks hit areas in Mykolayiv, Sumy, Kyiv, Poltava, Kharkiv, Cherkasy, Chernihiv, Khmelnytskiy, Dnipropetrovsk, and Odesa. The attack on Mykolayiv damaged a residential building, partially destroying the roof. Emergency teams evacuated some 200 residents from the building. The impact of the explosions caused structural damage to surrounding buildings, including a family health clinic and the administrative office of a transport company. In Sumy, a drone strike targeted a residential area, causing significant damage. A two-story house was partially destroyed and a fire broke out, requiring emergency responders to intervene. Three residents sustained minor injuries and were treated for stress-related symptoms. All declined hospitalization after receiving first aid. In addition to the air attacks, Russia's Defense Ministry said its troops had taken control of the village of Zapadne in the northeastern Kharkiv region. Analysts have looked at this week's inauguration of U.S. President Donald Trump as a possible impetus for cease-fire talks between Moscow and Kyiv as the war nears its third anniversary next month. In response to the continued escalation of attacks, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy reaffirmed Kyiv's stance on territorial integrity, saying the country will "never legally recognize the loss of its territories." "Our borders are defined by international law, and no aggression or pressure from Russia will change that. We will fight for every region, every village, and every family affected by this war until full sovereignty is restored," Zelenskiy said at a meeting with media representatives at the World Economic Forum in the Swiss resort town of Davos on January 21. Zelenskiy also called on the international community to help protect Ukraine's skies and rebuild affected areas through more sanctions against Russia and more military supplies from allies. Ukrainian authorities and international organizations have condemned Russia's systematic strikes on civilian infrastructure as war crimes. Though Moscow denies the charges, repeated attacks on hospitals, schools, energy facilities, and residential buildings have been documented throughout the conflict. In Moscow, Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov, who oversees U.S. relations and arms control, said he sees a small window of opportunity to make deals with Trump, "albeit a small one." While he said he would end the conflict quickly after taking office, Trump has since backed off such claims. Late on January 21, Trump suggested he would hit Russia with additional sanctions if Russian President Vladimir Putin does not accept peace talks to end the war in Ukraine, while he also urged Chinese leader Xi Jinping in a phone call to help end the conflict. Trump did not offer details on potential new measures -- which would come on top of a vast array of sanctions already targeting Russia for its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/ukraine-military-shahed- drones-russian-assault-sumy-mykolayiv-attack/33284820.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 Ukraine Loses Up to 630 Soldiers as Russia Liberates Village in Kharkov Region Sputnik News 20250122 MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Russia's Tsentr group of forces has eliminated up to 630 Ukrainian military personnel over the past 24 hours, the Russian Defense Ministry said on Wednesday. "The enemy lost up to 630 military personnel, a tank, five armored combat vehicles, including two US-made M113 armored personnel carriers, six cars and three artillery pieces," the statement said. Russia's Zapad group has eliminated over 460 Ukrainian soldiers, while the Yug group of forces has eliminated up to 250 Ukrainian soldiers, the ministry said. Russian forces took control of the Zapadnoye village in the Kharkov region, the ministry said. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address President of Ukraine Met with President of Serbia in Davos President of Ukraine 22 January 2025 - 21:10 President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy met with President of Serbia Aleksandar Vucic. Volodymyr Zelenskyy thanked Serbia for its humanitarian and financial support to Ukraine. The President of Ukraine emphasized that lasting and sustainable peace must be backed by strong security guarantees. In addition, the leaders discussed integration into the European Union, which is a common goal for both countries. The parties also coordinated their positions on topical issues of the international agenda and formats for further cooperation within the developed projects. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address President of Ukraine and Prime Minister of Spain Discussed Military Assistance to Ukraine and Increased Sanctions Against the Russian Federation President of Ukraine 22 January 2025 - 20:42 President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy met with Prime Minister of Spain Pedro Sanchez. The Head of State thanked Spain for its support in Ukraine's fight against Russian aggression, in particular for allocating EUR 1 billion for military assistance last year. Ukraine is looking forward to maintaining the same level of assistance this year. Volodymyr Zelenskyy spoke about the situation in the most intense frontline areas and the needs of Ukrainian warriors on the battlefield, particularly in artillery and armored vehicles. For Ukraine, it is critically important to strengthen its position in order to exert pressure on Russia and force the aggressor state into a just and lasting peace. Additionally, the President emphasized the importance of increasing sanctions pressure on the Russian Federation. Ukraine expects the EU to impose sanctions in the 16th package against key segments of the Russian economy, defense companies, its banking sector and to expand the list of shadow fleet vessels. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Defense Support and Security Guarantees: Volodymyr Zelenskyy Met with Dick Schooff President of Ukraine 22 January 2025 - 20:21 President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy met with Prime Minister of the Netherlands Dick Schooff in Davos. The Head of State thanked the Netherlands for its support of Ukraine during the full-scale Russian invasion. It is important for our country that the Netherlands adheres to the principle of "Nothing about Ukraine without Ukraine." During the meeting, the parties discussed the joint efforts required to ensure a unified European approach to securing Ukraine's strong position, as well as practical assistance to Ukrainian warriors at the front. Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Dick Schooff exchanged views on ensuring reliable security guarantees on the path to a lasting and sustainable peace. Special attention was paid to investment in Ukraine's defense industry. The President spoke about possible areas of such cooperation and initiatives that the Netherlands could join. Among them is the Danish model. The leaders also focused on energy cooperation. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Military Assistance and Investments in Ukraine's Arms Production: President Met with Prime Minister of Sweden President of Ukraine 22 January 2025 - 18:46 President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy met with Prime Minister of Sweden Ulf Kristersson in Davos. The Head of State thanked Ulf Kristersson and his Government for all their efforts to increase support for Ukraine. Since the beginning of the full-scale Russian invasion, Sweden has provided assistance totaling USD 5.6 billion. The President emphasized Sweden's contributions to Ukraine's defense, particularly the enhancement of Ukraine's air defense and investments in arms production based on the Danish model. The main topic of the meeting was the continued support for Ukraine. Our country is counting on the approval of the 18th military assistance package. It will help strengthen Ukraine's position and bring all of Europe closer to a just and lasting peace. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Strengthening Ukraine's Positions and Security Guarantees: President Met with Prime Minister of Croatia President of Ukraine 22 January 2025 - 17:55 President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met with Prime Minister of Croatia Andrej Plenkovic to discuss the need to strengthen Ukraine's positions. The Head of State thanked Andrej Plenkovic and the Government of Croatia for their consistent support. The meeting focused primarily on additional military assistance. Enhancing Ukrainian warriors' capabilities on the battlefield and strengthening Ukraine's positions are essential for achieving a just and lasting peace. Our state is counting on the swift delivery of weapons as part of Croatia's next assistance package. Special attention was paid to Croatia's contribution to humanitarian demining, particularly the joint production of relevant machinery. This area is crucial for Ukraine not only during the war but also in post-war reconstruction. Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Andrej Plenkovic also addressed the expansion of rehabilitation and recovery programs for our defenders and their families. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address In Davos, the President Discussed Investments in Ukraine with Top Executives and Owners of American and European Companies President of Ukraine 22 January 2025 - 15:48 In Davos, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy met with top executives and owners of large American and European companies, as well as Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo and French Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs Jean-Noel Barrot. The meeting was held as part of the World Economic Forum's panel discussion "Big Business Leaders to Ukraine". The President provided an update on the situation at the front, including the outcomes of the Kursk operation. He emphasized the importance of maintaining pressure on Russia and strengthening sanctions against the aggressor state, asserting that this is the only way to force Russia into peace. "It must be a just peace, not peace for the sake of peace. And we must also understand what will happen tomorrow. And this is the problem. Because we do not trust Putin, and we will not trust him even after the war ends. This is why maintaining unity between the United States and Europe is crucial," Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated. Discussions during the meeting focused on ways to support Ukraine and its people in the fight against Russian aggression, as well as opportunities for assistance and investment. The President highlighted achievements in Ukraine's defense industry. "We have implemented a lot of the right technological solutions. These are drones, electronic warfare systems. Ukraine has produced millions of drones, kamikaze drones, reconnaissance drones. We are already using drones in logistics in the war - we deliver water, food, and medicine by drones. There are many progressive things that civilization will be able to use in peacetime," the President noted. In particular, the parties discussed cooperation with the agricultural sector, investments in Ukrainian education, energy and economy. The participants of the meeting assured that they will continue to invest in Ukraine to create new jobs and contribute to the economic recovery after the war. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Cyril Ramaphosa Discussed the Need for Global Efforts to Achieve a Just Peace President of Ukraine 22 January 2025 - 14:16 President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy met with President of South Africa Cyril Ramaphosa. The Head of State outlined the steps Ukraine is taking to advance a just peace and emphasized the critical importance of global efforts by all nations that respect the principles of the UN Charter on that path. The Ukrainian President praised South Africa's leadership as the G20 chair this year and expressed gratitude for the participation of South African representatives in thematic conferences based on Ukraine's Peace Formula. Volodymyr Zelenskyy proposed that South Africa contribute to the return of Ukrainian children illegally deported by Russia and invited the country to join the International Coalition for this cause. The leaders also discussed the possibility of South Africa's involvement in the treatment and rehabilitation of wounded Ukrainian citizens. Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Cyril Ramaphosa instructed their foreign ministers to prepare reciprocal visits of the leaders. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Return of Ukrainian Children Deported by Russia and Food Security: Volodymyr Zelenskyy Met with Prime Minister of Qatar President of Ukraine 22 January 2025 - 13:11 President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy met with Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Qatar Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani. The President expressed gratitude for Qatar's support of Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity, as well as for joining the Joint Communique following the inaugural Peace Summit. Volodymyr Zelenskyy highlighted Qatar's role as a mediator in the return of 53 Ukrainian children forcibly taken from Ukraine by Russia. He emphasized that Ukraine looks forward to the expansion of this mediation mission and Qatar's assistance in the return of unlawfully detained civilians and prisoners of war. The conversation focused on humanitarian cooperation and food security. The President spoke about Ukraine's new initiative, Food from Ukraine, launched to help the Syrian people and supply food to Syria. Additionally, Ukraine is exploring opportunities to support Syria's agricultural sector and help with the education of Syrian students. The President invited Qatar to join these initiatives and provide financial support, emphasizing that such contributions would also aid in restoring stability throughout the region. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address President of Ukraine Met with President of Azerbaijan President of Ukraine 22 January 2025 - 12:50 In Davos, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy met with President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev. Volodymyr Zelenskyy once again expressed his condolences to Ilham Aliyev and the people of Azerbaijan regarding the Azerbaijan Airlines plane crash and the loss of lives. The evidence from the crash site is clear. It is essential to pressure Russia to compel it to tell the truth. President Aliyev provided an update on the ongoing investigation, including the findings established so far. One of the key topics of the meeting was the development of bilateral relations, particularly increasing trade between the two nations in the future, as well as collaboration in the energy sector. Volodymyr Zelenskyy also highlighted Azerbaijan's humanitarian assistance to Ukraine, including support for Ukraine's energy sector, rehabilitation programs for children affected by Russian aggression, and assistance with humanitarian demining. Additionally, Azerbaijani companies are actively involved in Ukraine's reconstruction efforts and are implementing investment projects. Our state appreciates Azerbaijan's commitment to continuing these initiatives. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Volodymyr Zelenskyy Discussed Bilateral Cooperation with President of Israel President of Ukraine 22 January 2025 - 11:15 President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy met with President of Israel Isaac Herzog. The Ukrainian President highlighted the importance of freeing hostages. He noted that Ukrainians deeply understand the pain of having loved ones held in captivity and share the joy when people return home from captivity. Volodymyr Zelenskyy also expressed hope for continued security and stability throughout the Middle East region. The Presidents of Ukraine and Israel discussed shared challenges facing their nations and agreed on areas for future cooperation, particularly in the field of security. One of the main topics of the meeting was identifying ways to achieve a just and lasting peace. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Trump to Putin: End 'ridiculous' war against Ukraine By VOA News January 22, 2025 U.S. President Donald Trump emphatically told his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, on Wednesday to "STOP this ridiculous War!" against Ukraine or the United States would soon impose new "high levels" of taxes, tariffs and sanctions on any Russian exports to the West. Two days into his second term in the White House, Trump told Putin in a social media post that he was "not looking to hurt Russia" and that the U.S. "must never forget" that Russia helped the U.S. win World War II, but that it was time to end Moscow's nearly three-year invasion of neighboring Ukraine. "All of that being said," Trump noted on his Truth Social account, "I'm going to do Russia, whose Economy is failing, and President Putin, a very big FAVOR. Settle now, and STOP this ridiculous War! IT'S ONLY GOING TO GET WORSE." "If we don't make a 'deal,' and soon," Trump said he would "have no other choice" but to impose taxes, tariffs and sanctions. Under former President Joe Biden, who left office on Monday, the United States and its European allies frequently sanctioned key sectors of the Russian economy and oligarch friends of Putin, worsening the country's economy but failing to stop the war. Trump said, "Let's get this war, which never would have started if I were President, over with! We can do it the easy way, or the hard way - and the easy way is always better. It's time to "MAKE A DEAL." NO MORE LIVES SHOULD BE LOST!!!" There was no immediate response from Putin to Trump's demands. In the months before assuming power again, Trump frequently said he would have the Russia-Ukraine conflict resolved before taking over the White House for a second nonconsecutive term. But as his inauguration on Monday approached, Trump's aides retreated from the timeline, saying the new goal was to have the war ended in the first 100 days of his administration, which would be near the end of April. Under Biden, key aides said it was up to Ukraine to decide if and when to start peace negotiations with Russia. Trump told reporters on Tuesday his nascent administration has been in talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and would be speaking with Putin "very soon." He said the European Union should be "paying a lot more than they're paying" to aid Ukraine, while falsely stating the U.S. has contributed $200 billion more than the bloc. Since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the United States has committed about $175 billion in aid for Ukraine. The European Union says the bloc and its member states have made about $145 billion in aid available. Trump says Europe should be paying more because its proximity means the war has a greater effect on the EU than the United States. "I mean, what are we, stupid? I guess the answer is yes, because they must think so," Trump said. He has previously complained that NATO allies are not allocating enough of their spending to defense and called for increased defense budget targets. 'We can do more' EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said during a speech Wednesday at conference of the EU's defense agency that, in terms of general defense spending, Trump is "right to say that we don't spend enough," and that the EU needs to invest more. She called for the EU to provide "more, faster and stronger" support to Ukraine, saying that Ukrainians "are fighting for their freedom and ours." "There is absolutely no doubt that we can do more to help Ukraine," Kallas said. "With our help, they can also win the war." Zelenskyy said Tuesday that if a ceasefire deal were enacted with Russia, "at least 200,000 European peacekeepers" would need to be on the ground in Ukraine to defend the eastern European country against a possible new attack by Russia. Zelenskyy said Europe must "take care of itself." He said 200,000 peacekeepers from European countries would be the minimum number of peacekeepers required, "Otherwise, it's nothing." "Let's not forget, there is no ocean separating European countries from Russia," Zelenskyy said in his address at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. Ukraine's president said Russia's demand that Ukraine reduce its army to one-fifth of its current size of 800,000 is not an option. Ukraine's best defense during a ceasefire deal, Zelenskyy said, would be its membership into NATO, which Western allies have committed to but not while the war with Russia rages. Alliance members have declared that Ukraine is on an "irreversible" path to membership, but the United States, Germany and others oppose allowing Ukraine to join while the war is ongoing for fear of sparking a wider conflict. Aerial attacks Ukrainian officials said Wednesday the country's air defenses shot down dozens of drones overnight, including in Mykolaiv, where Governor Vitaliy Kim said falling debris damaged an apartment building and injured two people. Officials in the Khmelnytskyi and Sumy regions also reported drones being shot down in their areas. Russia's defense ministry said it destroyed six Ukrainian drones over the Rostov region, while also knocking down a drone over Kursk and another over Voronezh. Rostov Governor Yury Slyusar said drone fragments fell in the courtyard of a house, but that no one was injured. Some information for this report was provided by The Associated Press, Agence France-Presse and Reuters. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address TORONTO, Jan. 22, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Firan Technology Group Corporation (TSX: FTG) (OTCQX: FTGFF) (FTG) today announced that De Havilland Aircraft of Canada Ltd. has selected FTG to provide updated cockpit control assemblies for the new De Havilland Canadair 515 (DHC-515) aerial firefighting aircraft. Deliveries will commence in 2025 and will support De Havilland Canadas program to produce the DHC-515 aircraft. The design, development, and production of these critical assemblies will be conducted at FTGs Aerospace Toronto facility. We are incredibly proud to be selected by De Havilland Canada for this important program, said Peter Dimopoulos, Vice President, Business Development at FTG. This contract highlights FTGs ability to provide high-quality, Canadian-made components for a critical Canadian-built aircraft. We are thrilled to contribute to this important project and support the growth of the aerospace industry in Canada. The DHC-515 is a next-generation amphibious aircraft designed specifically for aerial firefighting operations. FTGs control panel assemblies (CPA) play a crucial role as they provide the interface for pilots to control various aspects of flight. ABOUT FIRAN TECHNOLOGY GROUP CORPORATION FTG is an aerospace and defense electronics product and subsystem supplier to customers around the globe. FTG has two operating units: FTG Circuits is a manufacturer of high technology, high reliability printed circuit boards. Our customers are leaders in the aviation, defense, and high technology industries. FTG Circuits has operations in Toronto, Ontario, Chatsworth, California, Fredericksburg, Virginia, Minnetonka, Minnesota, Haverhill, Massachusetts and a joint venture in Tianjin, China. FTG Aerospace designs, certifies, manufactures and provides in-service support for illuminated cockpit products and electronic assemblies for original equipment manufacturers and operators of aerospace and defense equipment. FTG Aerospace has operations in Toronto, Ontario, Calgary, Alberta, Chatsworth, California and Tianjin, China. The Corporations shares are traded on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbol FTG, and on the OTCQX Exchange under the symbol FTGFF. FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS This news release contains certain forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are related to, but not limited to, FTGs operations, anticipated financial performance, business prospects and strategies. Forward-looking information typically contains words such as anticipate, believe, expect, plan or similar words suggesting future outcomes. Such statements are based on the current expectations of management of the Corporation and inherently involve numerous risks and uncertainties, known and unknown, including economic factors and the Corporations industry, generally. The preceding list is not exhaustive of all possible factors. Such forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual events and results could differ materially from those expressed or implied by forward-looking statements made by the Corporation. The reader is cautioned to consider these and other factors carefully when making decisions with respect to the Corporation and not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Other than as may be required by law, FTG disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any such forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. For further information please contact: Bradley C. Bourne, President and CEO Firan Technology Group Corporation Tel: (416) 299-4000 x314 bradbourne@ftgcorp.com Jamie Crichton, Vice President and CFO Firan Technology Group Corporation Tel: (416) 299-4000 x264 jamiecrichton@ftgcorp.com Additional information can be found at the Corporations website: www.ftgcorp.com The outstanding intersection of 7.3m at 4.2% Cu reveals a potential new lode ~250m from the main deposit; Follow-up downhole EM identifies a large off-hole conductor; Two diamond drill rigs currently on site HIGHLIGHTS: High-grade result of 7.3m @ 4.2% Cu, 0.3g/t Au & 16.6g/t Ag from 317.8m Including 2.5m @ 9.1% Cu, 0.5g/t Au & 31.4g/t Ag The result reveals a potential new lode ~250m from Corner Bay, which is the primary deposit at the Chibougamau Project; Corner Bay has Indicated Mineral Resources of 2.7Mt at 2.7% Cu & 0.3g/t Au and Inferred Mineral Resources of 5.9Mt at 3.4% Cu & 0.3g/t Au 1 The recent intersection is associated with a significant off hole electromagnetic anomaly (530m x 460m) which has not yet been drilled The result highlights the potential for multiple sub-parallel lodes at Corner Bay analogous to other well-known deposits in the region; two diamond rigs are on site across both Corner Bay and other drilling targets with further results anticipated this half The Chibougamau district is a world class mineral terrane with high potential for additional discovery, having historically produced over 945,000t of copper and 3.5Moz of gold 2 The Project has excellent infrastructure with a 900,000tpa processing facility, local mining town, sealed highway, airport, regional rail infrastructure and 25kV hydro power to the processing site Cygnus Executive Chairman, David Southam said : We are delighted to hit the ground running with an excellent intersection from a previously undrilled area which is only 250m away from main Corner Bay Deposit. This result supports our view that there is much more to find at Chibougamau, both near the existing deposits and in the wider region, and is consistent with our strategy to create shareholder value by growing the resource. The downhole geophysics is already proving to be a key tool for the project and will help us unlock other under-explored areas of the project. 1 The Mineral Resource Estimate at the Chibougamau Project is a foreign estimate prepared in accordance with CIM Standards. A competent person has not done sufficient work to classify the foreign estimate as a mineral resource in accordance with the JORC Code, and it is uncertain whether further evaluation and exploration will result in an estimate reportable under the JORC Code. TORONTO and PERTH, Australia, Jan. 22, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Cygnus Metals Limited (ASX: CY5; TSXV: CYG) (Cygnus or the Company) is pleased to announce that it has made an outstanding start to its exploration campaign at the Chibougamau Copper-Gold Project in Quebec, Canada, with the first hole returning assays of up to 2.5m @ 9.1% Copper . Prior to the merger of Cygnus and Dore Copper Mining Corp. closing, both teams executed a targeted exploration program to test the immediate areas around the Corner Bay deposit, looking for both additional structures and extensions to the current resource. The first drillhole from this program has returned an intersection of 7.3m @ 4.2% Cu, 0.3g/t Au & 16.6g/t Ag, including 2.5m @ 9.1% Cu, 0.5g/t Au & 31.4g/t Ag from a potential new lode ~250m east of the existing resource in the footwall of the Corner Bay deposit. Follow up downhole electromagnetics has since defined a significant off hole electromagnetic anomaly (530m x 460m) to the north and down dip of the intersection that has yet to be tested by drilling. Image 1: High grade drill core from CB-24-100 intersecting 7.3m @ @ 4.2% Cu, 0.3g/t Au & 16.6g/t Ag. Image showing core between 321.9m and 322.6m. Figure 1: Long section of the Corner Bay deposit with potential new lode in the footwall of the main deposit. Large 530mx460m untested EM plate along with further untested EM plates to the south. About the Drilling and Geophysical Results The first hole of the program (CB-24-100) targeting the footwall of the Corner Bay deposit has intersected a potential new sub parallel lode with a high-grade drill result of 7.3m @ 4.2% Cu, 0.3g/t Au & 16.6g/t Ag from 317.8m, which includes 2.5m @ 9.1% Cu, 0.5g/t Au & 31.4g/t Ag . The result highlights the potential for multiple sub-parallel lodes at the Corner Bay deposit analogous to other well-known deposits in the region. This new structure sits 250m to the east of the Main Lode at Corner Bay in an area with very little drilling. This presents an exciting target for follow up drilling and an opportunity to add to the existing resources at Corner Bay. In addition, follow up electromagnetics (EM) completed on the recent drilling has defined a large (530m x 460m) conductive plate offset to the north and down dip of drillhole CB-24-100. EM is known to correspond well with the mineralisation style at the Chibougamau mining camp, being primarily composed of chalcopyrite with minor amounts of pyrite and pyrrhotite. Historically, airborne EM has been used to make some of the discoveries in the region, although ground and downhole EM has been underutilised in more recent times. The large EM plate provides a priority target for follow up exploration along this structure. Figure 2: Plan view of the Corner Bay deposit with potential new lode to the east of the Main Lode at Corner Bay. Also illustrating other untested EM plates. Ongoing Drilling In line with the Companys resource growth strategy, drilling is underway with two diamond drill rigs. This initial program will focus on resource growth opportunities surrounding some of the existing deposits aiming to build upon the existing high-grade resources. The Company looks forward to a high volume of news flow during 2025 with ongoing drilling updates and results. About the Corner Bay Deposit Cygnus flagship Corner Bay deposit within the Chibougamau Project is located 17km (straight line) south of the Chibougamau processing facility. The deposit was discovered in the 1980s and has never been mined although ramp access was established to 115m for the purpose of initial bulk sampling test work. The deposit is the primary resource in the combined Project resources, making up 79% of the total resource with Indicated Mineral Resources of 2.7Mt @ 2.7% Cu & 0.3g/t Au and Inferred Mineral Resources of 5.9Mt @ 3.4% Cu and 0.3g/t Au.1 Mineralisation extends from surface and has been defined over 1,000m of strike and to a depth of 1,350m with mineralisation remaining open in all directions. The mineralisation is structurally controlled and hosted as a north-south striking quartz-carbonate vein with semi massive chalcopyrite and minor pyrite mineralisation. The main lode has been crosscut and offset by a large diabase dyke with an upper and lower portion of the lode positioned either side of the dyke. The Corner Bay deposit sits on the southern flank of the Chibougamau pluton and has seen minimal exploration compared to the north. The northern flank is host to 16 mined deposits and has contributed a significant portion of the regions historic production ~945,000t of copper and 3.5Moz of gold.2 Corner Bay in the south shares comparable lithological and structural characteristics to the northern deposits, however, as the northern mines developed, multiple sub-parallel lodes were subsequently discovered within the same structural corridor. Due to the relatively early stage of defining the Corner Bay deposit, potential parallel lodes and resource extension have not yet been properly explored and the latest intersection highlights the potential for additional sub-parallel lodes within the immediate vicinity of the current resources. About the Chibougamau Copper-Gold Project The Chibougamau copper-gold project (Chibougamau Project) is located in central Quebec, Canada approximately 480km due north of Montreal. The province of Quebec has been recognised as a top ten global mining investment jurisdiction in the 2023 Fraser Institute Annual Survey of Mining Companies. The project has excellent infrastructure with a local mining town, sealed highway, airport, regional rail infrastructure and access to hydro power via installed powerlines. The Chibougamau Project is centred on the Chibougamau pluton with a district wide historic production of 53.5Mt @ 1.8% Cu and 2.1g/t Au2 with periodic mining between the early 1900s and 2008. Over this long mining history, the district has produced over 945,000t of copper and 3.5Moz of gold from 16 former producing mines.2 The Chibougamau Project has high-grade resources including a Measured and Indicated Mineral Resources of 3.6Mt at 2.5% Cu & 0.6g/t Au and Inferred Mineral Resources of 7.2Mt at 3.0% Cu & 1.1g/t Au with significant potential to grow.1 The Company has a clear strategy to: Rapidly grow the resource through brownfield exploration and investment in drilling; and Advance the project towards development through study work and utilising existing infrastructure. The Company sees a huge opportunity to create shareholder value by an established high-grade resource with opportunity for growth, excellent infrastructure, 900ktpa processing facility and clear pathway to production, all within a quality endowed mineral terrane that has seen minimal modern exploration. Figure 3: Location of the Chibougamau Project relative to other major deposits and processing facilities.3 This announcement has been authorised for release by the Board of Directors of Cygnus. David Southam Executive Chair T: +61 8 6118 1627 E: info@cygnusmetals.com Ernest Mast President & Managing Director T: +1 647 921 0501 E: info@cygnusmetals.com Media: Paul Armstrong Read Corporate T: +61 8 9388 1474 About Cygnus Metals Cygnus Metals Limited (ASX: CY5, TSXV: CYG) is a diversified critical minerals exploration and development company with projects in Quebec, Canada and Western Australia. The Company is dedicated to advancing its Chibougamau Copper-Gold Project in Quebec with an aggressive exploration program to drive resource growth and develop a hub-and-spoke operation model with its centralised processing facility. In addition, Cygnus has quality lithium assets with significant exploration upside in the world-class James Bay district in Quebec, and REE and base metal projects in Western Australia. The Cygnus team has a proven track record of turning exploration success into production enterprises and creating shareholder value. Forward Looking Statements This document contains forward-looking information and forward-looking statements which are based on the assumptions, estimates, analysis and opinions of management made in light of its experience and its perception of trends, current conditions and expected developments, as well as other factors that management of Cygnus believes to be relevant and reasonable in the circumstances at the date that such statements are made, but which may prove to be incorrect. Forward-looking statements include statements that are predictive in nature, depend upon or refer to future events or conditions, or include words such as expects, anticipates, plans, believes, estimates, seeks, intends, targets, projects, forecasts, or negative versions thereof and other similar expressions, or future or conditional verbs such as may, will, should, would and could. Although Cygnus and its management believe that the assumptions and expectations represented by such information are reasonable, there can be no assurance that the forward-looking information will prove to be accurate. Forward-looking information involves known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of Cygnus to be materially different from any anticipated future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking information. Such factors include, among others, the actual results of current or future exploration, changes in project parameters as plans continue to be evaluated, changes in laws, regulations and practices, the geopolitical, economic, permitting and legal climate that Cygnus operates in, as well as those factors disclosed in Cygnus publicly filed documents. No representation or warranty is made as to the accuracy, completeness or reliability of the information, and readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information or rely on this document as a recommendation or forecast by Cygnus. Cygnus does not undertake to update any forward-looking information, except in accordance with applicable securities laws. End Notes The Mineral Resource estimate at the Chibougamau Project is a foreign estimate prepared in accordance with CIM Standards. A competent person has not done sufficient work to classify the foreign estimate as a mineral resource in accordance with the JORC Code, and it is uncertain whether further evaluation and exploration will result in an estimate reportable under the JORC Code. Refer to Appendix A for a breakdown of the Mineral Resource Estimate. Sources for historic production figures: Economic Geology, v. 107, pp. 963989 - Structural and Stratigraphic Controls on Magmatic, Volcanogenic, and Shear Zone-Hosted Mineralization in the Chapais-Chibougamau Mining Camp, Northeastern Abitibi, Canada by Francois Leclerc et al. (Lac Dore/Chibougamau mining camp). For regional Mineral Reserves and Resources in Quebec listed in Fig. 3: (a) at Monster Lake and Nelligan as of 31 December 2023, refer to IAMGOLD Corporations news release dated 15 February 2024; (b) at Windfall, refer to Osisko Minings NI 43-101 Technical Report filed with SEDAR on 10 January 2023; (c) at Lamaque Complex as of 30 September 2024, refer to Eldorado Golds news release dated 11 December 2024 (d) at Canadian Malartic Complex as of 30 September 2024, refer to Agnico Eagles news release dated 15 February 2024; (e) at Opemiska, refer to XXIXs news release dated 8 January 2024; (f) at Roger, refer to the SOQUEM and Enforcer Gold Corps NI 43-101 Technical Report dated 9 October 2018; and (g) at Chevrier, refer to Northern Superior Resourcess news release dated 24 January 2022. Qualified Persons and Compliance Statements The scientific and technical information in this news release has been reviewed and approved by Mr Louis Beaupre, the Quebec Exploration Manager of Cygnus, a qualified person as defined in National Instrument 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects. The Exploration Results disclosed in this announcement are also based on and fairly represent information and supporting documentation compiled by Mr Beaupre. Mr Beaupre holds options in Cygnus. Mr Beaupre is a member of the Ordre des ingenieurs du Quebec (P Eng), a Registered Overseas Professional Organisation as defined in the ASX Listing Rules, and has sufficient experience which is relevant to the style of mineralisation and type of deposits under consideration and to the activity which has been undertaken to qualify as a Competent Person as defined in the 2012 Edition of the Australasian Code for Reporting of Exploration Results, Mineral Resources and Ore Reserves. Mr Beaupre consents to the inclusion in this release of the matters based on the information in the form and context in which they appear. The Company first announced the foreign estimate of mineralisation for the Chibougamau Project on 15 October 2024. The Company confirms that the supporting information included in the original announcement continues to apply and has not materially changed. Cygnus confirms that it is not aware of any new information or data that materially affects the information included in the original announcement and that all material assumptions and technical parameters underpinning the estimates in the original announcement continue to apply and have not materially changed. Cygnus confirms that its is not in possession of any new information or data that materially impacts on the reliability of the estimates or Cygnus ability to verify the foreign estimates as mineral resources in accordance with the JORC Code. The Company confirms that the form and context in which the Competent Persons findings are presented have not been materially modified from the original market announcement. 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. APPENDIX A Significant Intersections Coordinates given in UTM NAD83 (Zone 18). Intercept lengths may not add up due to rounding to the appropriate reporting precision. Significant intersections reported above 0.5% copper or 0.5g/t gold over widths of greater than 1m containing a maximum of 3m internal waste. The true width is estimated at approximately 75% of the downhole width. Hole ID X Y Z Azi Dip Depth From to Interval Cu % Au g/t Ag g/t Mo ppm CB-24-100 555047 5509802 400 90 -65 498.0 317.1 324.4 7.3 4.2 0.3 16.6 170 Including 321.9 324.4 2.5 9.1 0.5 31.4 183 APPENDIX B Chibougamau Copper-Gold Project Foreign Mineral Resource Estimate Disclosures as at 30 March 2022 Deposit Category Tonnes (k) Cu Grade (%) Au Grade (g/t) Cu Metal (kt) Au Metal (koz) Corner Bay (2022) Indicated 2,700 2.7 0.3 71 22 Inferred 5,900 3.4 0.3 201 51 Devlin (2022) Measured 120 2.7 0.3 3 1 Indicated 660 2.1 0.2 14 4 Measured & Indicated 780 2.2 0.2 17 5 Inferred 480 1.8 0.2 9 3 Joe Mann (2022) Inferred 610 0.2 6.8 1 133 Cedar Bay (2018) Indicated 130 1.6 9.4 2 39 Inferred 230 2.1 8.3 5 61 Total Measured & Indicated 3,600 2.5 0.6 90 66 Total Inferred 7,200 3.0 1.1 216 248 APPENDIX C 2012 JORC Table 1 Section 1 Sampling Techniques and Data Criteria JORC Code explanation Commentary Sampling techniques Nature and quality of sampling (eg cut channels, random chips, or specific specialised industry standard measurement tools appropriate to the minerals under investigation, such as down hole gamma sondes, or handheld XRF instruments, etc). These examples should not be taken as limiting the broad meaning of sampling. All current drilling conducted at the Chibougamau Project was completed under the supervision of a registered professional geologist as a Qualified Person (QP) who is responsible and accountable for the planning, execution, and supervision of all exploration activity as well as the implementation of quality assurance programs and reporting. All drilling reported is NQ2 (47.8 mm diameter) Include reference to measures taken to ensure sample representivity and the appropriate calibration of any measurement tools or systems used. All sample collection, core logging, and specific gravity determinations were completed by Cygnus Metals under the supervision of a professionally qualified registered geologist. NQ core was marked for splitting during logging and is sawn using a diamond core saw with a mounted jig to assure the core is cut lengthwise into equal halves. Half of the cut core is placed in clean individual plastic bags with the appropriate sample tag. QA/QC is done in house by Cygnus Metals geologists with oversight from the Senior Geologist. The check samples (blanks and standards 4% of total samples with another 2% of core duplicates taken on half split core) that were inserted into the sample batches are verified against their certified values and are deemed a pass if they are within 3 standard deviations of the certified value. The duplicates are evaluated against each other to determine mineralization distribution (nugget). If there are large discrepancies in the check samples, then the entire batch is requested to be re-assayed. The samples are then placed in bags for shipment to the offsite laboratorys facility. The remaining half of the core is retained and incorporated into Cygnuss secure, core library located on the property Aspects of the determination of mineralisation that are Material to the Public Report. In cases where industry standard work has been done this would be relatively simple (eg reverse circulation drilling was used to obtain 1 m samples from which 3 kg was pulverised to produce a 30 g charge for fire assay). In other cases more explanation may be required, such as where there is coarse gold that has inherent sampling problems. Unusual commodities or mineralisation types (eg submarine nodules) may warrant disclosure of detailed information. Industry standard sampling practices were used with sample lengths ranging from 0.3 m to 1.0 m and respected geological contacts. Sample tags were placed at the beginning of each sample interval and the tag numbers were recorded in an MS Excel database. Sampling practice is considered to be appropriate to the geology and style of mineralisation Drilling techniques Drill type (eg core, reverse circulation, open-hole hammer, rotary air blast, auger, Bangka, sonic, etc) and details (eg core diameter, triple or standard tube, depth of diamond tails, face-sampling bit or other type, whether core is oriented and if so, by what method, etc). Diamond core was drilled using surface diamond rigs with industry recognised contractors Miikan Drilling. Miikan is a joint venture between Chibougamau Diamond Drilling Ltd., the First Nations community of Ouje-Bougoumou and the First Nations community of Mistissini both located in the Eeyou Istchee territory. Drilling was conducted using NQ core size Directional surveys have been taken at 50m intervals Drill sample recovery Method of recording and assessing core and chip sample recoveries and results assessed. Measures taken to maximise sample recovery and ensure representative nature of the samples. Whether a relationship exists between sample recovery and grade and whether sample bias may have occurred due to preferential loss/gain of fine/coarse material. Diamond core recovery was measured for each run and calculated as a percentage of the drilled interval. Overall, the core recoveries are excellent in the Chibougamau area Logging Whether core and chip samples have been geologically and geotechnically logged to a level of detail to support appropriate Mineral Resource estimation, mining studies and metallurgical studies. All core was geologically and geotechnically logged. Lithology, veining, alteration and mineralisation are recorded in multiple tables of the drillhole database Whether logging is qualitative or quantitative in nature. Core (or costean, channel, etc) photography. Geological logging of core is qualitative and descriptive in nature. The total length and percentage of the relevant intersections logged. 100% of the core has been logged Sub-sampling techniques and sample preparation If core, whether cut or sawn and whether quarter, half or all core taken. If non-core, whether riffled, tube sampled, rotary split, etc and whether sampled wet or dry. For all sample types, the nature, quality and appropriateness of the sample preparation technique. Quality control procedures adopted for all sub-sampling stages to maximise representivity of samples. Measures taken to ensure that the sampling is representative of the in-situ material collected, including for instance results for field duplicate/second-half sampling. Whether sample sizes are appropriate to the grain size of the material being sampled. The NQ2 diameter the core was sawn in half following a sample cutting line determined by geologists during logging and submitted for analysis on nominal 1m intervals or defined by geological boundaries determined by the logging geologist Each core sample is assigned a tag with a unique identifying number. Sample lengths are typically one metre but can be depending on zone mineralogy and boundaries. This sampling technique is industry standard and deemed appropriate. Quality of assay data and laboratory tests The nature, quality and appropriateness of the assaying and laboratory procedures used and whether the technique is considered partial or total. Sample (NQ size half core) preparation and fire assay analysis were done at Bureau Veritas Commodities Canada Ltd (BV) in Timmins, Ontario, and ICP-ES multi-elements analysis was done at BV in Vancouver, B.C. Samples were weighed, dried, crushed to 70% passing 2 mm, split to 250 g, and pulverized to 85% passing 75 m. Samples are fire assayed for gold (Au) (30 g) and multi-acid digestion ICP-ES finish, for 23 elements (including key elements Ag, Cu, Mo). Samples assaying >10.0 g/t Au are re-analysed with a gravimetric finish using a 30 g charge. Samples assaying >10% Cu are re-analysed with a sodium peroxide fusion with ICP-ES analysis using a 0.25 g charge. For geophysical tools, spectrometers, handheld XRF instruments, etc, the parameters used in determining the analysis including instrument make and model, reading times, calibrations factors applied and their derivation, etc. None used. Nature of quality control procedures adopted (eg standards, blanks, duplicates, external laboratory checks) and whether acceptable levels of accuracy (i.e. lack of bias) and precision have been established. Laboratory QC procedures involve the use of internal certified reference material as assay standards, along with blanks, duplicates and replicates Verification of sampling and assaying The verification of significant intersections by either independent or alternative company personnel. Verification of sampling was made by Cygnus Metals and other professional consultant geologists The use of twinned holes. No hole is twinned Documentation of primary data, data entry procedures, data verification, data storage (physical and electronic) protocols. All logging data was completed, core marked up, logging and sampling data was entered directly into the database. The logged data is stored on the site server directly. Discuss any adjustment to assay data. There was no adjustment to the assay data Location of data points Accuracy and quality of surveys used to locate drill holes (collar and down-hole surveys), trenches, mine workings and other locations used in Mineral Resource estimation. The location of the drillholes and the aiming points for the orientation of the drillholes were indicated on the ground using identified stakes. The stakes marking the location of the drillholes were set up and located with a Garmin GPS model GPSmap 62s (4m accuracy) Surveys are collected using a Reflex EZ-Shot single-shot electronic instrument with readings collected at intervals of approximately every 30 m downhole plus a reading at the bottom of the hole Specification of the grid system used. The grid system used is UTM NAD83 (Zone 18) Quality and adequacy of topographic control. A Digital Terrane Model (DTM) has been used to accurately plot the vertical position of the holes Data spacing and distribution Data spacing for reporting of Exploration Results. The spacing is considered appropriate for this type of exploration Whether the data spacing and distribution is sufficient to establish the degree of geological and grade continuity appropriate for the Mineral Resource and Ore Reserve estimation procedure(s) and classifications applied. No resource estimation is made Whether sample compositing has been applied. No sample compositing has been applied Orientation of data in relation to geological structure Whether the orientation of sampling achieves unbiased sampling of possible structures and the extent to which this is known, considering the deposit type. Drilling is orientated approximately at right angles to the currently interpreted strike of the known interpreted mineralisation. Reported intersections appear close to true width If the relationship between the drilling orientation and the orientation of key mineralised structures is considered to have introduced a sampling bias, this should be assessed and reported if material. No bias is considered to have been introduced by the existing sampling orientation Sample security The measures taken to ensure sample security. Core was placed in wooden core boxes close to the drill rig by the drilling contractor. The core was collected daily by the drilling contractor and delivered to the secure core logging facility. Access to the core logging facility is limited to Cygnus employees or designates Audits or reviews The results of any audits or reviews of sampling techniques and data. No audits have been undertaken, therefore information on audits or reviews is not yet available Section 2 Reporting of Exploration Results (Criteria listed in the preceding section also apply to this section.) Criteria JORC Code Explanation Commentary Mineral tenement and land tenure status Type, reference name/number, location and ownership including agreements or material issues with third parties such as joint ventures, partnerships, overriding royalties, native title interests, historical sites, wilderness or national park and environmental settings. The data reported within this announcement is from the Chibougamau Project. The Chibougamau project consists of 3 properties which includes: Copper Rand (1 mining license, 19 mining concession and 147 exploration claims) Corner Bay Devlin (1 mining license, 111 exploration claims) Joe Mann (2 mining concessions, 74 exploration claims) Copper Rand and Corner Bay Devlin are held 100% by CBAY minerals Inc, a wholly owned subsidiary of Dore Copper. 767ha of the Joe Mann property is held by CBAY with the remaining 1965ha held under option agreement with Resources Jessie. The properties collectively making up the Project are in good standing based on the Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources (Ministere de lEnergie et des Ressources Naturelles) GESTIM claim management system of the Government of Quebec. The security of the tenure held at the time of reporting along with any known impediments to obtaining a licence to operate in the area. All tenure is in good standing Exploration done by other parties Acknowledgment and appraisal of exploration by other parties. The Chibougamau Copper and Gold project comprising Corner Bay, Devlin, Cedar Bay and Joe Mann have seen an extensive exploration history dating back to the early 1900s. The PEA (as referred to in the Companys announcement of 15 October 2024) provides a detailed history of the exploration activities undertaken by previous explorers. Corner Bay was first identified as a prospect in 1956 1956 1972 eight drilling programs totalling 1,463 m and various geophysical and electromagnetic (EM) surveys 1973 1981 Riocanex and Flanagan McAdam: ground geophysical surveys and 43 diamond drill holes 1982 1984 Riocanex and Corner Bay Exploration: 38 drill holes and metallurgical test work 1988 1991 Corner Bay Exploration: diamond drilling, geophysical surveys and geological characterisation with initial MRE 1992 1994 SOQUEM optioned and acquired a 30% interest, and completed diamond drilling 1994 Explorations Cache Inc and Ressources MSV Inc: diamond drilling 2004 2006 GeoNova and MSV: 98 diamond drill holes and first Technical Report on the Corner Bay project reporting a MRE 2007 2009 Campbell: diamond drilling and bulk sample 2012 - 2019 CBAY / AmAuCu: diamond drilling and MRE Devlin identified in 1972 by airborne survey flown by the MERN 1979 1981 diamond drilling, geophysical surveys 1981 development commenced Joe Mann identified in 1950 with the commencement of mining activities occurring in 1956 The Joe Mann mine operated underground during three different periods from 1956 to 2007 In July 2012, Ressources Jessie acquired the Joe Mann mine property, but conducted only surface exploration work Cedar Bay was discovered prior to 1927 by Chibougamau McKenzie Mines Ltd From initial discovery to 2013 various surface and underground drilling campaigns and geophysical surveys undertaken by various companies Geology Deposit type, geological setting and style of mineralisation. Corner Bay and Devlin are located at the northeastern extremity of the Abitibi subprovince in the Superior province of the Canadian Shield and are examples of Chibougamau-type copper-gold deposits. The Abitibi subprovince is considered as one of the largest and best-preserved greenstone belts in the world and hosts numerous gold and base metal deposits. The Corner Bay deposit is located on the southern flank of the Dore Lake Complex (DLC). It is hosted by a N 15 trending shear zone more or less continuous with a strong 75 to 85 dip towards the west. The host anorthosite rock is sheared and sericitized over widths of 2 m to 25 m. The deposit is cut by a diabase dyke and is limited to the north by a fault structure and to the south by the LaChib deformation zone. The Corner Bay deposit consists of three main mineralized lodes (subparallel Main Lode 1 and Main Lode 2 above the dyke, and Main Lode below the dyke that make up the bulk of the deposit. The Corner Bay deposit has been traced over a strike length to over 1,100 m to a depth of 1,350 m and remains open at depth. The mineralization is characterized by veins and/or lenses of massive to semi-massive sulphides associated with a brecciated to locally massive quartz-calcite material. The sulphide assemblage is composed of chalcopyrite, pyrite, and pyrrhotite with lesser amounts of molybdenite and sphalerite. Late remobilized quartz-chalcopyrite-pyrite veins occur in a wide halo around the main mineralization zones. Devlin is a flat-lying, copper-rich lodes-hosted deposit in a polygenic igneous breccia that is less than 100 m from the surface. The tabular bodies have been modelled as four nearly horizontal lodes: a more continuous lower zone and three smaller lodes comprising the upper zone. Mineralization is reflected as a fracture zone often composed of two or more sulphide-quartz lodes and stringers. Thickness of the mineralized zones range from 0.5 m to 4.4 m. It has been diluted during modelling to reflect a minimum mining height of 1.8 m. The Joe Mann deposit is characterized by east-west striking shear hosted lodes that extend beyond 1,000 m vertically with mineralization identified over a 3 km strike length. These shear zones form part of the Opawica-Guercheville deformation zone, a major deformation corridor cutting the mafic volcanic rocks of the Obatogamau Formation in the north part of the Caopatina Segment. The gabbro sill hosts the Main Zone and the West Zone at the mine, while the South Zone is found in the rhyolite. These three subvertical E-W (N275/85) ductile-brittle shear zones are sub-parallel to stratigraphy and to one another, with up to 140 m to 170 m of separation between them. These shear zones are hosted within a stratigraphic package composed of iron-magnesium (Fe-Mg) carbonate and sericite altered gabbro sills, sheared basalts, and intermediate to felsic tuffs intruded by various felsic intrusions. The Joe Mann gold mineralization is hosted by decimetre scale quartz-carbonate lodes (Dion and Guha 1988). The lodes are mineralized with pyrite, pyrrhotite, and chalcopyrite disposed in lens and lodelets parallel to schistosity, and occasionally visible gold. There are some other minor, mineralized structures, e.g., North and South-South Zones, with limited vertical and horizontal extensions. Drill hole Information A summary of all information material to the understanding of the exploration results including a tabulation of the following information for all Material drill holes: easting and northing of the drill hole collar elevation or RL (Reduced Level elevation above sea level in metres) of the drill hole collar dip and azimuth of the hole down hole length and interception depth hole length. If the exclusion of this information is justified on the basis that the information is not Material and this exclusion does not detract from the understanding of the report, the Competent Person should clearly explain why this is the case. All requisite drillhole information is tabulated elsewhere in this release. Refer Appendix A of the body text Data aggregation methods In reporting Exploration Results, weighting averaging techniques, maximum and/or minimum grade truncations (eg cutting of high grades) and cut-off grades are usually Material and should be stated. All drill hole intersections are reported above a lower cut-off grade of 0.5% copper. Where aggregate intercepts incorporate short lengths of high-grade results and longer lengths of low-grade results, the procedure used for such aggregation should be stated and some typical examples of such aggregations should be shown in detail. A maximum of 1m internal waste was allowed The assumptions used for any reporting of metal equivalent values should be clearly stated. No metal equivalents reported Relationship between mineralisation widths and intercept lengths These relationships are particularly important in the reporting of Exploration Results. If the geometry of the mineralisation with respect to the drill hole angle is known, its nature should be reported. If it is not known and only the down hole lengths are reported, there should be a clear statement to this effect (eg down hole length, true width not known). All intersections reported in the body of this release are down hole. The majority of the drill holes in the database are drilled as close to orthogonal to the plane of the mineralized lodes as possible. Only down hole lengths are reported. Diagrams Appropriate maps and sections (with scales) and tabulations of intercepts should be included for any significant discovery being reported These should include, but not be limited to a plan view of drill hole collar locations and appropriate sectional views. Included elsewhere in this release. Refer figures in the body text Balanced reporting Where comprehensive reporting of all Exploration Results is not practicable, representative reporting of both low and high grades and/or widths should be practiced to avoid misleading reporting of Exploration Results. All results greater than 0.5% Cu and 0.5g/t Au have been reported at greater than 1m width Other substantive exploration data Other exploration data, if meaningful and material, should be reported including (but not limited to): geological observations; geophysical survey results; geochemical survey results; bulk samples size and method of treatment; metallurgical test results; bulk density, groundwater, geotechnical and rock characteristics; potential deleterious or contaminating substances. Appropriate plans are included in the body of this release. Further work The nature and scale of planned further work (eg tests for lateral extensions or depth extensions or large-scale step-out drilling). Diagrams clearly highlighting the areas of possible extensions, including the main geological interpretations and future drilling areas, provided this information is not commercially sensitive. The Company will be conducting drill testing of additional mineralisation as well as step out drilling of existing lodes to further enhance the resources quoted in this release. More information is presented in the body of this report. Diagrams in the main body of this release show areas of possible resource extension on existing lodes. The company continues to identify and assess multiple other target areas within the property boundary for additional resources. Photos accompanying this announcement are available at: https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/d4226cfa-c57c-44d7-b1cb-f150e81bf696 https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/ecb1a5d2-37ba-4270-9bdf-bb9b65091a5d https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/96fc0ed6-dca0-457b-803c-8c010a1ac7f5 https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/e2c4ab7d-c281-4baf-894f-4c4464869e14 Investors can contact the law firm at no cost to learn more about recovering their losses LOS ANGELES, Jan. 22, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Portnoy Law Firm advises Innovative Industrial Properties, Inc. ("Innovative Industrial Properties" or the "Company") (NYSE: IIPR) investors of a class action representing investors that bought securities between February 27, 2024 and December 19, 2024, inclusive (the "Class Period"). Innovative Industrial Properties investors have until March 18, 2025 to file a lead plaintiff motion. Investors are encouraged to contact attorney Lesley F. Portnoy, by phone 310-692-8883 or email: lesley@portnoylaw.com, to discuss their legal rights, or click here to join the case. The Portnoy Law Firm can provide a complimentary case evaluation and discuss investors options for pursuing claims to recover their losses. Innovative Industrial Properties is a self-advised Maryland corporation specializing in the acquisition, ownership, and management of properties leased to state-licensed operators for regulated cannabis facilities. The Innovative Industrial Properties class action lawsuit alleges that throughout the Class Period, the defendants made false and/or misleading statements or failed to disclose key information, including: (i) significant declines in rent and property-management fees from certain customer leases; (ii) the potential impact on the company's ability to maintain funds from operations (FFO) and revenue growth; and (iii) the less-profitable nature of its leasing operations compared to what had been represented to investors. The lawsuit further claims that on November 6, 2024, the company reported its third-quarter 2024 financial results, revealing a normalized FFO per share of $2.02, missing the consensus estimate of $2.03 and declining from $2.09 in Q3 2023. Revenue for the quarter was $76.5 million, falling short of the $77.5 million estimate and down from $77.8 million in the prior year. The company attributed this decline to several factors, including a $3.0 million drop in rent and property management fees tied to properties it regained possession of since June 2023, a $1.3 million decline from rent reclassification, and another $1.3 million of unpaid rent and fees. Following this disclosure, the stock price of Innovative Industrial Properties dropped more than 10%. On December 20, 2024, the lawsuit alleges that the company announced that PharmaCann Inc., the tenant for eleven of its properties (representing 17% of total rental revenues for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2024), defaulted on its December rent payments under six of its leases across multiple states, including Illinois, Massachusetts, Michigan, New York, Ohio, and Pennsylvania. As a result, Innovative Industrial Properties' stock price dropped nearly 23%. Please visit our website to review more information and submit your transaction information. The Portnoy Law Firm represents investors in pursuing claims against caused by corporate wrongdoing. The Firms founding partner has recovered over $5.5 billion for aggrieved investors. Attorney advertising. Prior results do not guarantee similar outcomes. Lesley F. Portnoy, Esq. Admitted CA and NY Bar lesley@portnoylaw.com 310-692-8883 www.portnoylaw.com Attorney Advertising NEW YORK, Jan. 22, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Why: Rosen Law Firm, a global investor rights law firm, continues to investigate potential securities claims on behalf of shareholders of Unisys Corporation (NYSE: UIS) resulting from allegations that Unisys may have issued materially misleading business information to the investing public. So What: If you purchased Unisys securities you may be entitled to compensation without payment of any out of pocket fees or costs through a contingency fee arrangement. The Rosen Law Firm is preparing a class action seeking recovery of investor losses. To join the prospective class action, go to https://rosenlegal.com/submit-form/?case_id=9648 or call Phillip Kim, Esq. toll-free at 866-767-3653 or email case@rosenlegal.com for information on the class action. What is this about: On October 22, 2024, the Securities and Exchange Commission announced that it had charged four companies, including Unisys, with making materially misleading disclosures regarding cybersecurity risks and intrusions. Further, the SEC also charged Unisys with disclosure controls and procedures violations. On this news, Unisys stock fell 8.6% on October 22, 2024. Why Rosen Law: We encourage investors to select qualified counsel with a track record of success in leadership roles. Often, firms issuing notices do not have comparable experience, resources, or any meaningful peer recognition. Many of these firms do not actually litigate securities class actions. Be wise in selecting counsel. The Rosen Law Firm represents investors throughout the globe, concentrating its practice in securities class actions and shareholder derivative litigation. Rosen Law Firm achieved the largest ever securities class action settlement against a Chinese Company at the time. Rosen Law Firm was Ranked No. 1 by ISS Securities Class Action Services for number of securities class action settlements in 2017. The firm has been ranked in the top 4 each year since 2013 and has recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for investors. In 2019 alone the firm secured over $438 million for investors. In 2020, founding partner Laurence Rosen was named by law360 as a Titan of Plaintiffs Bar. Many of the firms attorneys have been recognized by Lawdragon and Super Lawyers. Follow us for updates on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-rosen-law-firm, on Twitter: https://twitter.com/rosen_firm or on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rosenlawfirm/. Attorney Advertising. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome. Contact Information: Laurence Rosen, Esq. Phillip Kim, Esq. The Rosen Law Firm, P.A. 275 Madison Avenue, 40th Floor New York, NY 10016 Tel: (212) 686-1060 Toll Free: (866) 767-3653 Fax: (212) 202-3827 case@rosenlegal.com www.rosenlegal.com HSINCHU, TAIWAN, Jan. 23, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Andes Technology, a leading provider of RISC-V processor cores, today announced that its D45-SE processor has successfully achieved ISO 26262 ASIL-D with the certification of SGS TUV. This certification marks a significant achievement for Andes Technology, confirming that the D45-SE processor meets the highest automotive safety standards required for safety-critical applications in the automotive industry. The D45-SE processor is now qualified for use in the most mission-critical automotive systems. Key Highlights: ASIL-D Certification : The D45-SE processor is fully compliant with ISO 26262 series of standards including Parts 2, 4, 5, 7, 8 and 9, and has achieved ASIL-D certification. : The D45-SE processor is fully compliant with ISO 26262 series of standards including Parts 2, 4, 5, 7, 8 and 9, and has achieved Certifi ed by SGS TUV: The certification was granted following a rigorous evaluation process by SGS TUV , a leading global provider of safety and quality certification services, ensuring that the D45-SE fully complies with the functional safety requirements of ISO 26262. The certification was granted following a rigorous evaluation process by , a leading global provider of safety and quality certification services, ensuring that the D45-SE fully complies with the functional safety requirements of ISO 26262. Ideal for Safety-Critical Systems : The processor is designed to support a wide range of automotive applications which require the highest level of safety, including chassis control, battery management system, and other mission-critical automotive electronics, where system failures can have severe safety consequences. : The processor is designed to support a wide range of automotive applications which require the highest level of safety, including chassis control, battery management system, and other mission-critical automotive electronics, where system failures can have severe safety consequences. Enhanced Safety for Automotive Systems: The D45-SE is designed with advanced functional safety features like ECC for memory protection; dual-core lockstep (DCLS), a real-time diagnostic safety circuit to enhance the diagnostic coverage; hardware stack protection; and bus protection to ensure the integrity of transactions on the bus. The processor operates reliably in safety-critical scenarios. We are proud to announce the ASIL-D certification of our D45-SE processor, which represents a significant milestone in Andes Technologys commitment to providing reliable and safe solutions for the automotive industry, said Dr. Charlie Su, president and CTO of Andes Technology. With the increasing complexity and safety requirements of modern automotive systems, our goal is to provide our customers a processor that not only delivers exceptional performance but also meets the most stringent functional safety requirements for todays complex automotive applications. As we continue to innovate in automotive safety, the D45-SE has garnered recognition from key players in the ecosystem. Here are some quotes from our valued partners: BeanPod. Congratulations to Andes Technology on obtaining the ISO 26262 ASIL-D functional certification for their D45-SE processor. As a global leader in RISC-V processor IP, Andes Technology continues to promote the application of RISC-V processors across various industries, including automotive. And as a provider of trustworthy and secure solutions, Beanpod Technology also continues to collaborate with Andes to advance the overall trustworthiness and security of software and hardware, ensuring that consumers can use intelligent connected terminal products with peace of mind, said Daniel Zhang CEO of Beanpod Technology. Cidana. Consumer experiences are driving the evolution of In-Vehicle Infotainment (IVI) systems, a rapidly changing sector in the automotive industry. Cidana offers algorithms for the Andes D45-SE ISO 26262 ASIL-D compliant processors, featuring an Equalizer (EQ), Acoustic Vehicle Alerting Systems (AVAS), realistic engine sounds for EVs, and ambient lighting synchronization, said Chinn Chin, the Chief Executive Officer of Cidana. We are excited to partner with Andes and bring Cidana solutions to D45-SE as an ideal product choice for the fast-growing EV ecosystem. IAR. IAR and Andes have built a strong partnership focused on advancing solutions for safety-critical applications. We congratulate Andes on achieving ISO 26262 ASIL-D Full Compliance certification for the Andes D45-SE processor, marking a significant milestone for RISC-V in the automotive sector, said Rafael Taubinger, Global Product Marketing Manager at IAR. With the IAR Embedded Workbench for RISC-V, Functional Safety edition, fully supporting the automotive-grade processor D45-SE, we are proud to continue our collaboration with Andes to help mutual customers achieve compliance and accelerate the development of safety-critical automotive applications. IAR and Andes have built a strong partnership focused on advancing solutions for safety-critical applications. We congratulate Andes on achieving ISO 26262 ASIL-D Full Compliance certification for the Andes D45-SE processor, marking a significant milestone for RISC-V in the automotive sector, said Rafael Taubinger, Global Product Marketing Manager at IAR. With the IAR Embedded Workbench for RISC-V, Functional Safety edition, fully supporting the automotive-grade processor D45-SE, we are proud to continue our collaboration with Andes to help mutual customers achieve compliance and accelerate the development of safety-critical automotive applications. Lauterbach. As the leading debug and trace tool supplier for the automotive industry and in the RISC-V ecosystem, it is a matter of course for us to support the Andes D45-SE processor right from the start, says Nobert Weiss, Managing Director at Lauterbach GmbH. Our TRACE32 tools have long been used in the automotive industry in the development of safety-critical applications up to ASIL-D and simplify certifications of embedded systems in accordance with ISO 26262 and other functional safety standards. As the leading debug and trace tool supplier for the automotive industry and in the RISC-V ecosystem, it is a matter of course for us to support the Andes D45-SE processor right from the start, says Nobert Weiss, Managing Director at Lauterbach GmbH. Our TRACE32 tools have long been used in the automotive industry in the development of safety-critical applications up to ASIL-D and simplify certifications of embedded systems in accordance with ISO 26262 and other functional safety standards. LDRA. LDRA provides top-tier software tools that automate code analysis and software testing to support the growing adoption of software-driven architecture and the RISC-V ecosystem," said Ian Hennell, Operations Director, LDRA. "We are proud to collaborate with Andes in achieving ASIL-D certification for their D45-SE processor IP, delivering competitive value to the market. Our industry-leading tools and expertise simplify functional safety compliance, ensuring seamless integration and robust support for partners developing innovative, safety-critical, and security-critical solutions. LDRA provides top-tier software tools that automate code analysis and software testing to support the growing adoption of software-driven architecture and the RISC-V ecosystem," said Ian Hennell, Operations Director, LDRA. "We are proud to collaborate with Andes in achieving ASIL-D certification for their D45-SE processor IP, delivering competitive value to the market. Our industry-leading tools and expertise simplify functional safety compliance, ensuring seamless integration and robust support for partners developing innovative, safety-critical, and security-critical solutions. Parasoft. As an ecological partner of Andes Technology, we warmly congratulate Andes Technology on the successful launch of its functional safety RISC-V processor, AndesCore D45-SE, which has obtained ISO 26262 Automotive Safety Integrity Level D (ASIL-D) certification. This milestone not only demonstrates Andes Technologys strong capabilities in technological innovation and functional safety, but also highlights its commitment to meeting the high safety standards of the automotive industry. We look forward to continuing our collaboration with Andes Technology, jointly advancing automotive safety technology, and providing more reliable and intelligent solutions to clients worldwide. As an ecological partner of Andes Technology, we warmly congratulate Andes Technology on the successful launch of its functional safety RISC-V processor, AndesCore D45-SE, which has obtained ISO 26262 Automotive Safety Integrity Level D (ASIL-D) certification. This milestone not only demonstrates Andes Technologys strong capabilities in technological innovation and functional safety, but also highlights its commitment to meeting the high safety standards of the automotive industry. We look forward to continuing our collaboration with Andes Technology, jointly advancing automotive safety technology, and providing more reliable and intelligent solutions to clients worldwide. ResilTech. Francesco Rossi, Safety Solution Director of ResilTech, said, This collaboration between ResilTech and Andes provides a powerful solution for developing and certifying safety-critical systems. By combining the ASIL-D certified Andes D45-SE processor with the ResilTech Software Test Library (STL), developers can confidently create embedded systems that meet the highest functional safety standards, ensuring the safety and reliability of systems in industries like automotive, medical, and industrial sectors. Francesco Rossi, Safety Solution Director of ResilTech, said, This collaboration between ResilTech and Andes provides a powerful solution for developing and certifying safety-critical systems. By combining the ASIL-D certified Andes D45-SE processor with the ResilTech Software Test Library (STL), developers can confidently create embedded systems that meet the highest functional safety standards, ensuring the safety and reliability of systems in industries like automotive, medical, and industrial sectors. RT-Thread. Andes Technology's leading introduction of the AndesCore D45-SE functional safety RISC-V processor marks a significant breakthrough for RISC-V in the automotive industry. The high safety standards of the D45-SE combined with the real-time capabilities of the ChengXuan vehicle control system will provide more reliable solutions for the automotive sector. Going forward, we will continue to deepen our cooperation, promoting the widespread adoption of RISC-V in the automotive industry to support the development of global intelligent driving and connected vehicle markets. Andes Technology's leading introduction of the AndesCore D45-SE functional safety RISC-V processor marks a significant breakthrough for RISC-V in the automotive industry. The high safety standards of the D45-SE combined with the real-time capabilities of the ChengXuan vehicle control system will provide more reliable solutions for the automotive sector. Going forward, we will continue to deepen our cooperation, promoting the widespread adoption of RISC-V in the automotive industry to support the development of global intelligent driving and connected vehicle markets. Tasking. "TASKING is committed to delivering cutting-edge tools that enable the development of safety-critical systems," said Christoph Herzog, Chief Technology Officer, TASKING. "Supporting Andes D45-SE RISC-V ASIL-D certified processor aligns perfectly with our mission to provide robust, reliable, and efficient solutions that meet the highest functional safety standards in the industry." "TASKING is committed to delivering cutting-edge tools that enable the development of safety-critical systems," said Christoph Herzog, Chief Technology Officer, TASKING. "Supporting Andes D45-SE RISC-V ASIL-D certified processor aligns perfectly with our mission to provide robust, reliable, and efficient solutions that meet the highest functional safety standards in the industry." Zaya. "ZAYA are delighted to congratulate Andes Technology on the groundbreaking achievement of ASIL-D certification for the D45-SE processor. This milestone marks a significant step forward for the automotive industry, enabling the development of highly secure and reliable embedded systems, said Murat Cakmak, CEO and Founder of ZAYA. By integrating ZAYA's advanced security solutions, including secure operating systems and robust threat detection, into the AndeSentry framework, we enable the development of safer and more reliable vehicles, protecting critical systems and ensuring passenger safety. About Andes Technology As a Founding Premier member of RISC-V International and a leader in commercial CPU IP, Andes Technology (TWSE: 6533; SIN: US03420C2089; ISIN: US03420C1099) is driving the global adoption of RISC-V. Andes extensive RISC-V Processor IP portfolio spans from ultra-efficient 32-bit CPUs to high-performance 64-bit Out-of-Order multiprocessor coherent clusters. With advanced vector processing, DSP capabilities, the powerful Andes Automated Custom Extension (ACE) framework, end-to-end AI hardware/software stack, ISO 26262 certification with full compliance, and a robust software ecosystem, Andes unlocks the full potential of RISC-V, empowering customers to accelerate innovation across AI, automotive, communications, consumer electronics, data centers, and mobile devices. Over 16 billion Andes-powered SoCs are driving innovations globally. Discover more at www.andestech.com and connect with Andes on LinkedIn, X (formerly Twitter), Bilibili and YouTube. NEW ORLEANS, La., Jan. 22, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- ClaimsFiler, a FREE shareholder information service, reminds investors that they have until March 18, 2025 to file lead plaintiff applications in a securities class action lawsuit against Innovative Industrial Properties, Inc. (NYSE: IIPR), if they purchased the Companys securities between February 27, 2024 and December 19, 2024, inclusive (the Class Period). This action is pending in the United States District Court for the District of Maryland. Get Help Innovative Industrial investors should visit us at https://claimsfiler.com/cases/nyse-iipr-1/ or call toll-free (844) 367-9658. Lawyers at Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC are available to discuss your legal options. About the Lawsuit Innovative Industrial and certain of its executives are charged with failing to disclose material information during the Class Period, violating federal securities laws. On December 20, 2024, the Company disclosed that on the previous day, PharmaCann Inc., the Companys tenant for eleven properties which represented 17% of IIPs total rental revenues for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2024defaulted on its obligations to pay rent for the month of December under six of the eleven Leases, for properties located in Illinois, Massachusetts, Michigan, New York, Ohio and Pennsylvania. December rent, including base rent, property management fees and estimated tax and insurance payments, totaled $4.2 million for these six properties. On this news, the price of IIPRs stock fell fell $21.68 per share, or 22.73%, to close at $73.66 per share on December 20, 2024. The case is Giraudon v. Innovative Industrial Properties, Inc., No. 25-cv-00182. About ClaimsFiler ClaimsFiler has a single mission: to serve as the information source to help retail investors recover their share of billions of dollars from securities class action settlements. At ClaimsFiler.com, investors can: (1) register for free to gain access to information and settlement websites for various securities class action cases so they can timely submit their own claims; (2) upload their portfolio transactional data to be notified about relevant securities cases in which they may have a financial interest; and (3) submit inquiries to the Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC law firm for free case evaluations. To learn more about ClaimsFiler, visit www.claimsfiler.com. Irvine, California, Jan. 23, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- CUDL, the leading credit union vehicle financing platform, closed 2024 with $41.16 billion in funded loans, underscoring its continued strength in connecting dealers with the largest network of credit unions nationwide. Despite a challenging economic climate, CUDL remained committed to driving efficiencies for dealers and lenders by streamlining the lending process and enabling faster funding. As CUDL enters 2025, it launched additional solutions designed to make credit union connections faster and more impactful than ever before. Credit unions on the CUDL platform remain the top auto lender by aggregate volume for more than three years. In 2024, a growing number of credit unions embraced the AI technology available through CUDL, resulting in faster decisioning and funding. Lenders using document process automation (DPA) reduced funding times by up to 50%, helping dealers cut contracts in transit and deliver faster funding. Additionally, the adoption of CUDLs AI underwriting tool, Zest.AI, expanded approvals and sped up decisioning, creating a more efficient financing process for dealers. Entering 2025, CUDL continues its momentum with expanded efficiencies. With eContracting by CUDL, dealers benefit from a paperless, digital experience that streamlines the creation, signing, submission, and electronic storage of vehicle purchase and financing documents. This solution will reduce errors, shorten funding times, and create a better buyer experience. In addition, CUDL launched the Credit Application Update feature, allowing dealers to revise the financial deal structure details on existing applications, reducing the number of duplicate submissions between dealers and lenders. In 2024, we took on initiatives that allowed us to continue our mission to increase efficiencies and facilitate success for dealers and credit unions, said Tony Boutelle, the president and CEO of CUDL. As we move into 2025, we are excited to build on our momentum and make credit union and dealer connections faster and more impactful than ever before with expansions including eContracting, document processing automation, and credit application updates. Dealers benefit from a single platform that provides easy access to multiple credit union lenders, offering buyers affordable financing options with competitive rates and flexible terms. Through CUDLs network of credit unions, auto dealers are able to provide a more seamless car-buying experience while helping drive the growth of both credit unions and dealerships. About CUDL CUDL, an Origence brand, offers automotive dealerships an integrated gateway to the nations largest financing network of credit unions and in-market shoppers. Through CUDL, auto dealers connect with more than 1,100 credit unions, providing a fast, seamless credit union financing experience to their members. Credit unions have funded $495 billion in loans through the CUDL platform over the past 30 years. The CUDL AutoSMART website and Spotlight advertising program allow dealers to showcase their inventory and highlight vehicles to millions of credit union members nationwide. For more information, visit CUDL.com and follow us on Facebook, X, and LinkedIn. About Origence Origence provides lending technology solutions credit unions need to advance their total origination experience. We were established in 1994 as a credit union service organization (CUSO) and have helped thousands of credit unions process more than 97 million applications, including 8.6 million applications in 2024. Our solutions include indirect lending, loan and account origination, auto shopping, marketing automation, lending operations, and more. Learn more at www.origence.com and follow us on X and LinkedIn. ### Attachment LONDON and AMSTERDAM, Jan. 23, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Hivello, a platform simplifying decentralized node management for non-technical users, and AIxBlock, a fully decentralized AI development platform redefining the AI compute and dataset marketplace, have announced a strategic partnership. AIxBlock operates at the intersection of artificial intelligence and Web3 technologies, offering a comprehensive development platform to build, train & deploy AI models. With its foundation built on the Solana blockchain and its $1 million/year enterprise contract in place, AIxBlock is bridging the gap between traditional Web2 enterprises and the emerging Web3 landscape. Its ecosystem features an end-to-end AI development platform seamlessly integrated with decentralized resources, including a compute marketplace, dataset marketplace, and human resources for AIcatering to businesses and individuals transitioning into decentralized technologies. Hivello, on the other hand, has revolutionized the process of running decentralized nodes, making it simple and accessible to non-technical users. Hivello is targeting 100,000 users within the next year. By allowing individuals with spare computing resources to participate in decentralized infrastructure, Hivello empowers everyday users to contribute to dePIN (decentralized physical infrastructure networks) projects. Through this partnership, Hivello and AIxBlock aim to unlock new possibilities in the decentralized compute space by integrating their offerings. AIxBlock's compute marketplace, which primarily relies on enterprise-level providers, could potentially incorporate Hivellos decentralized compute power from individual GPU providers. This would enable a truly decentralized model, offering scalability, accessibility, and efficiency in AI compute solutions. Both Hivello and AIxBlock are preparing for their upcoming token launches, with Hivellos Token Generation Event (TGE) scheduled for February 11, 2025, and AIxBlocks TGE planned for Q2 2025. These token launches will further enhance the utility and adoption of their respective platforms, enabling more users to participate in their decentralized ecosystems. As the two companies continue to explore integration possibilities and expand their shared vision, users and enterprises can look forward to a future where participation in AI and decentralized technologies is accessible to everyoneregardless of technical expertise. AIxBlock is taking charge in transitioning AI-driven enterprises from Web2 to Web3, and were excited to collaborate with them on this journey, said Domenic Carosa, co-founder & chairman of Hivello. Our shared vision is to create a decentralized infrastructure that is accessible to all, bridging the gap between web3 and everyday users. Ha Dao, CEO & Co-Founder AIxBlock, echoed the sentiment: Hivellos expertise in node management complements our vision of decentralizing AI compute power. Together, we can create an ecosystem that empowers individuals and businesses alike to contribute to and benefit from the Web3 economy. About Alxblock : AIxBlock - End-to-end AI development platform that empowers AI businesses to build, fine-tune, and deploy models using decentralized resourcesincluding compute, models, datasets, and human labelers. Unlike others, we allow users to self-host the platform on their own infrastructure in minutes, with no manual configuration required. Website | X | Discord | LinkedIn About Hivello : Hivello is an aggregator of DePIN projects that allows any user to participate in a variety of DePIN networks with just a few clicks. This eliminates the technical hurdles that many users face when trying to join these networks, and allows users to generate an extra source of income by mobilizing their idle computers. We aim to create a simple app that allows users to contribute their computer resources with no technical knowledge required. Website | X | Discord | Telegram | LinkedIn Contact information: Karla Janse van Rensburg Marketing coordinator @ Hivello karla@hivello.com A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/2cde4584-65d8-4b33-adc3-d65e26d3f839 Tokyo, Japan and Cambridge, UK, 23 January 2025 - Nxera Pharma Co. Ltd (Nxera; TSE 4565) will announce its earnings results and present operational highlights for the year ended 31 December 2024 on Friday, 14 February 2025. The Company will host a live webinar presentation with Chris Cargill, President and CEO, Hironoshin Nomura, CFO, Matt Barnes, President of Nxera Pharma UK and Head of UK R&D and Makoto Sugita, President of Nxera Pharma Japan and Chief Medical Officer, at 5:00 pm JST (8:00 am GMT) on Friday, 14 February 2025. The webinar is open to all existing and potential investors as well as sell-/buy-side analysts and will consist of a presentation followed by a Q&A session. Please click here to pre-register, which will provide a link to access the webinar. Presentation slides will be made available by 4:30 pm JST (7:30 am GMT) on 14 February 2025 through the investor section of the Companys Home Page here. ENDS About Nxera Pharma Nxera Pharma is a technology powered biopharma company, in pursuit of new specialty medicines to improve the lives of patients with unmet needs in Japan and globally. In addition to several products being commercialized in Japan, we are advancing an extensive pipeline of over 30 active programs from discovery through to late clinical stage internally and in partnership with leading pharma and biotech companies. This pipeline is focused on addressing major unmet needs in some of the fastest-growing areas of medicine across neurology, GI and immunology, metabolic disorders and rare diseases, and leverages the power of our unique and industry leading GPCR-targeted structure-based drug discovery NxWave platform to provide a sustainable source of best- or first-in-class candidates. Nxera employs over 350 talented people at key locations in Tokyo and Osaka (Japan), London and Cambridge (UK), Basel (Switzerland) and Seoul (South Korea) and is listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange (ticker: 4565). For more information, please visit www.nxera.life LinkedIn: @NxeraPharma | X: @NxeraPharma | YouTube: @NxeraPharma Enquiries: Nxera Media and Investor Relations Kentaro Tahara, VP Investor Relations and Corporate Strategy Shinichiro Nishishita, VP Investor Relations, Head of Regulatory Disclosures Maya Bennison, Communications Manager +81 (0)3 5210 3399 | +44 (0)1223 949390 |IR@Nxera.life MEDiSTRAVA (for International Media) Mark Swallow, Frazer Hall, Erica Hollingsworth +44 (0)203 928 6900 | Nxera@medistrava.com Forward-looking statements This press release contains forward-looking statements, including statements about the discovery, development, and commercialization of products. Various risks may cause Nxera Pharma Groups actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by the forward looking statements, including: adverse results in clinical development programs; failure to obtain patent protection for inventions; commercial limitations imposed by patents owned or controlled by third parties; dependence upon strategic alliance partners to develop and commercialize products and services; difficulties or delays in obtaining regulatory approvals to market products and services resulting from development efforts; the requirement for substantial funding to conduct research and development and to expand commercialization activities; and product initiatives by competitors. As a result of these factors, prospective investors are cautioned not to rely on any forward-looking statements. We disclaim any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Dublin, Jan. 23, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Electric Kick Scooter Market Forecast by Battery, Drive, Voltage, Application, Countries and Company Analysis 2025-2033" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. The electric kick scooter market is expected to grow from US$3.71 billion in 2024 to US$8.62 billion by 2033 at a CAGR of 9.83% in 2025-2033. It will be propelled by urbanization, increasing problems of traffic congestion, supportive regulations, awareness about the need for health checkup, technological inventions, environmental issues, and the increasing popularity of shared mobility services. Driving Forces of the Electric Kick Scooter Market Rising Urbanization and Traffic Congestion Urbanization is on the increase, bringing along issues like traffic congestion and lack of parking spaces in the cities. Electricity kick scooters come in as an efficient solution for short distance transportation to overcome congestions and shorten travel time. Its compact design makes them perfect to penetrate through the crammed streets and facilitate last-mile connectivity. Governments and city planners are increasingly supporting such micro-mobility solutions such as e-scooters to alleviate urban transit problems. E-scooters have emerged as an attractive option for commuters in bustling urban environment, thus driving the market as they can be most economical, quicker, and more environmentally friendly transport option. By 2030, 5 billion people will live in cities. In 2015, the number was 3.9 billion. This means that it is nearly all urban growth in the globe from now till 2030, according to WorldCounts. Focus on Sustainability and Environmental Awareness Growing environmental concerns triggered the demand for an environmental friendly mass transportation system. Electric kick scooters powered with rechargeable batteries have zero emissions and are thus considerably environmental friendly as contrasted with conventional auto-moving machines. As governments and organizations worldwide push for carbon neutrality and reduce dependence on fossil fuels, e-scooters are gaining prominence. Their contribution to lowering air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions aligns with global environmental goals. Consumer awareness of eco-friendly choices further boosts adoption, positioning e-scooters as a vital component of the green mobility movement. The Smart Cities Mission and the project organized a national-level workshop on "Streets and Public Spaces" in Pimpri-Chinchwad in January 2024, culminating two national programs - the India Cycles4Change and Streets4People Challenges. Technological Developments in E-Scooters Technological developments will shape the e-scooters. Their performance, safety, and user experience have been significantly improved. Features such as longer battery life, regenerative braking, smart connectivity, and mobile app integration are now more appealing for users to enhance convenience. GPS tracking and anti-theft systems ensure safety, whereas foldable designs make it more transportable. These innovations help cater to personal and shared mobility operators and encourage demand among both segments. The falling cost due to improvements in material and manufacturing also boost the demand for e-scooters. With continuously evolving innovation, e-scooters turn out to be highly efficient and handy modes of transport, boosting the growth market. Yadea unveiled two new e-kickscooters, EliteMax and Artist, bringing design and technology to a next-level performance at CES 2024. Canada Electric Kick Scooter Market The electric kick scooter market is in growing demand for the Canadian urbanization, mounting worries over environmental pollution, and growing demand for eco-friendly transport solutions. E-scooters have higher demands for short-distance commuting, as they are thought of as convenient and environmentally friendly alternatives to traditional vehicles. As Toronto and Vancouver become the destination of shared mobility services, the market is becoming increasingly accessible. Governments' support has come in terms of frameworks for safe use and operation. Technological advancements such as longer battery life and better safety features further increase adoption. As Canadians embrace greener ways of transport, the demand for e-scooters continues to rise. Council also passed amendments to Vancouver's City by-laws for the Shared E-Scooter System and extended participation in BC's Electric Kick Scooter Pilot to April 2028. France Electric Kick Scooter Market The electric kick scooter market in France is growing rapidly due to the country's thrust toward more environmentally friendly urban mobility solutions. E-scooters have picked up massively in the major cities of Paris, capturing a sizeable share of short commutes previously undertaken by cars or public transport. Shared e-scooter services are becoming widespread in the country and also accessible to citizens and tourists alike. France's regulations, safety standards, and usage guidelines have fostered the growth of the market. Environmental awareness has been going up and green transport options attract more people. Technology advancements, such as battery developments and smart scooter features, have led the popularity of e-scooters in France. India Electric Kick Scooter Market The Indian electric kick scooter market is growing rapidly, given the increasing demand for this mode of sustainable transportation coupled with solutions to urban congestion. Many large cities such as Bengaluru, Delhi, and Mumbai are embracing e-scooters for short-distance commuting as an environmentally friendly alternative to conventional vehicles. With the rising awareness about these issues and the impetus to make mobility cleaner, consumers have started to seek e-scooters as an affordable and ecofriendly means. Shared mobility services, and electric vehicle-promoting government initiatives also fuel market growth. Dec 2023: Taiwanese technology company Gogoro Inc. made its official foray in India by unveiling its first electric scooter in India. UAE Electric Kick Scooter Market The electric kick scooter market in the UAE is growing rapidly with increasing demand for environmentally friendly, convenient, and low-cost transport solutions. E-scooters are also quite trendy in cities like Dubai and Abu Dhabi because they allow for fast movement across heavy traffic with the convenience of a short-distance journey. Another factor that contributes to market growth is the UAE government's commitment to sustainability, including its initiatives such as the Dubai Clean Energy Strategy 2050. Furthermore, the rise of shared mobility services, along with advancements in battery technology and smart features, is making e-scooters more accessible and attractive to consumers in the UAE. Key Attributes Report Attribute Details No. of Pages 110 Forecast Period 2024-2033 Estimated Market Value (USD) in 2024 $3.71 Billion Forecasted Market Value (USD) by 2033 $8.62 Billion Compound Annual Growth Rate 9.8% Regions Covered Global Key Topics Covered 1. Introduction 2. Research Methodology 3. Executive Summary 4. Market Dynamics 4.1 Growth Drivers 4.2 Challenges 5. Electric Kick Scooter Market 6. Market Share Analysis 6.1 By Battery 6.2 By Drive 6.3 By Voltage 6.4 By Application 6.5 By Countries 7. Battery 7.1 Lead Acid 7.2 Lithium ion(Li-ion) 7.3 Others 8. Drive 8.1 Belt Drive 8.2 Chain Drive 8.3 Hub Drive 9. Voltage 9.1 Below 24V 9.2 36V 9.3 48V 9.4 Greater than 48 V 10. Application 10.1 Personal 10.2 Rental 11. Countries 11.1 North America 11.1.1 United States 11.1.2 Canada 11.2 Europe 11.2.1 France 11.2.2 Germany 11.2.3 Italy 11.2.4 Spain 11.2.5 United Kingdom 11.2.6 Belgium 11.2.7 Netherlands 11.2.8 Turkey 11.3 Asia-Pacific 11.3.1 China 11.3.2 Japan 11.3.3 India 11.3.4 South Korea 11.3.5 Thailand 11.3.6 Malaysia 11.3.7 Indonesia 11.3.8 Australia 11.3.9 New Zealand 11.4 Latin America 11.4.1 Brazil 11.4.2 Mexico 11.4.3 Argentina 11.5 Middle East & Africa 11.5.1 Saudi Arabia 11.5.2 UAE 11.5.3 South Africa 12. Porter's Five Forces Analysis 13. SWOT Analysis 14. Key Players Analysis 14.1 Jiangsu Xinri E-Vehicle Co. Ltd. 14.1.1 Overview 14.1.2 Key Persons 14.1.3 Recent Development & Strategies 14.1.4 Revenue Analysis 14.2 Enphase Energy, Inc. 14.3 YADEA Technology Group Co. Ltd. 14.4 NIU International 14.5 Bird Rides, Inc. 14.6 SWAGTRON 14.7 Segway Inc. 14.8 Xiaomi For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/8buvfi 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 Dublin, Jan. 23, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Biofuels Market Report 2025" has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. This Biofuels market report covers market characteristics, size & growth, segmentation, regional & country breakdowns, competitive landscape, market shares, trends and strategies for this market. It traces the market's historic and forecast market growth by geography. The biofuels market size has grown strongly in recent years. It will grow from $175.24 billion in 2024 to $188.9 billion in 2025 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 7.8%. The growth in the historic period can be attributed to energy security concerns, volatility in oil prices, government incentives. The biofuels market size is expected to see strong growth in the next few years. It will grow to $258.09 billion in 2029 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 8.1%. The growth in the forecast period can be attributed to renewable energy targets, advancements in feedstock production, rising public awareness, emerging economies' adoption. Major trends in the forecast period include advanced biofuels development, technological innovations, integration with conventional fuels, market consolidation. Rising petroleum prices are anticipated to drive growth in the biofuel market. The consistent increase in petrol and diesel prices worldwide can be attributed to escalating crude oil costs and heightened taxation. Additionally, the Russia-Ukraine war has significantly contributed to the sharp rise in global petroleum prices. Other factors leading to increased crude oil prices include market tightness, uncertainty regarding supply and demand, geopolitical developments, concerns over potential future supply disruptions, and speculation affecting the petroleum market. As a result of these rising petroleum prices, there is an increased demand for biofuels as a renewable and less combustible alternative to fossil diesel, which helps reduce the carbon footprint of transportation and various industries. The rising demand for energy in the transportation sector is expected to propel the growth of the process oil market going forward. For instance, in September 2023, the International Air Transport Association (IATA), a Canada-based trade association representing the airline industry, reported a significant increase in total traffic for July 2023, with a 26.2% rise compared to July 2022, resulting in the highest-ever recorded July revenue passenger kilometers (RPKs). Therefore, the rising passenger traffic in the transportation sector is expected to propel the growth of the biofuels market. Leading companies in the biofuels market are concentrating on creating innovative solutions, such as biofuel blend bunkers, to enhance production efficiency and lower costs through new technologies. For example, in August 2024, Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL), an India-based petroleum refinery, introduced a High Flash High-Speed Diesel (HFHSD) bunker. This product provides a cleaner, biodegradable alternative to traditional fuels, promoting decarbonization and sustainability within the maritime industry. This initiative not only strengthens BPCL's position in the bunkering market but also fosters economic growth and energy security at Mumbai Port. North America was the largest region in the biofuel market in 2024. Asia-Pacific is expected to be the fastest-growing region in the forecast period. The regions covered in the biofuels market report are Asia-Pacific, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, North America, South America, Middle East, Africa. The countries covered in the biofuels market report are Australia, Brazil, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Japan, Russia, South Korea, UK, USA, Italy, Canada, Spain. Report Scope Markets Covered: 1) By Form: Solid Biofuel; Liquid Biofuel; Gaseous Biofuel 2) By Product Type: Biodiesel; Ethanol; Biogas; Others Products 3) By Feedstock: Coarse Grain; Non-Agri Feedstock; Biomass; Vegetable Oil; Sugar Crop; Jatropha; Other Feedstocks Subsegments: 1) By Solid Biofuel: Wood Pellets; Agricultural Residues; Dedicated Energy Crops; Biomass Briquettes 2) By Liquid Biofuel: Bioethanol; Biodiesel; Renewable Diesel; Bio-Jet Fuel 3) By Gaseous Biofuel: Biogas; Biomethane; Hydrogen From Biomass Key Companies Profiled in the Biofuels Market: The Archer-Daniels-Midland Company; Abengoa S.A.; Renewable Energy Corporation; Wilmar International Limited; Poet LLC Time Series: Five years historic and ten years forecast. Data: Ratios of market size and growth to related markets, GDP proportions, expenditure per capita. Data Segmentation: Country and regional historic and forecast data, market share of competitors, market segments. Key Attributes Report Attribute Details No. of Pages 200 Forecast Period 2025 - 2029 Estimated Market Value (USD) in 2025 $188.9 Billion Forecasted Market Value (USD) by 2029 $258.09 Billion Compound Annual Growth Rate 8.1% Regions Covered Global The major companies featured in this Biofuels market report include: The Archer-Daniels-Midland Company Abengoa S.A. Renewable Energy Corporation Wilmar International Limited Poet LLC Praj Industries Limited Raven SR Inc. Shell PLC Sustainable Oils UPM-Kymmene Oyj Velocys Inc. Virent Energy Systems Inc. Aemetis Inc. Amyris Inc. Anellotech Inc. Avantium Technologies B.V. Axens Technologies (IFP) Cargill Inc. Chevron Corporation Clariant International AG Corbion N.V. DG Fuels Diamond Green Diesel LLC Dimeta DMC Biotechnologies Inc. Enerkem Inc. Fidelis New Energy LLC Fluid Quip Technologies LLC Genofuel Gevo Inc. Ginkgo BioWorks GranBio Green Plains Inc. Haldor Topsoe A/S Honeywell International Inc. For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/qvt2vd 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 SINGAPORE, Jan. 23, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Mediway Medical Centre is pleased to announce two significant achievements: the centre has surpassed 5,000 reviews on Google with an impressive 4.9-star rating, and it is launching a comprehensive Allergy Test Panel featuring 83 different allergens . The positive feedback from patients underscores the centre's commitment to providing exceptional healthcare services. The new Allergy Test Panel aims to assist individuals in identifying specific allergies, enabling them to make informed decisions about their health and lifestyle. Kevin, General Manager at Mediway Medical Centre, stated, The motto, Where Your Health Matters, drives the team to continually improve services. Reaching over 5,000 reviews reflects the trust patients place in the centre. With the launch of the Allergy Test Panel, there is excitement in offering a crucial tool for those seeking to understand their allergies better. Importance of Allergy Testing Allergy testing is essential for identifying sensitivities that can impact daily life. The new 83 Panel Allergy Test will provide patients with a comprehensive assessment of common allergens, aiding in effective health management and avoidance of potential triggers. Comprehensive Health Screening Solutions In addition to the new Allergy Test Panel, Mediway Medical Centre offers a range of health screening packages designed for various age groups and health concerns. Regular health screenings are vital for early detection and treatment of conditions, encouraging proactive steps toward better health outcomes. Patient-Centered Experience Mediway Medical Centre is dedicated to delivering a patient-centered experience. With minimal wait times and rapid test result delivery, often within one working day, patients receive timely information regarding their health status. Convenient Location and Accessibility Located at The Riverwalk in Singapore, Mediway Medical Centre is easily accessible by public transport. The clinic operates Monday to Friday from 7:30 AM to 6:00 PM and Saturday from 7:30 AM to 1:00 PM, providing convenience for patients to schedule appointments that fit their busy lifestyles. About Mediway Medical Centre Since its establishment in 2016, Mediway Medical Centre has built a reputation as a trusted healthcare provider. The dedicated team prioritizes patient well-being and ensures high standards of care at affordable rates. Mediway Medical Centre strives to be a one-stop solution for all health screening and medical check-up needs in Singapore. Mediway Medical Center Staff For more information about the new Allergy Test Panel or to book an appointment, please visit MediwayMedical.com or contact the centre at +65 6909 0190. Where Your Health Matters. Media Contact: Mediway Medical Centre Phone: +65 6909 0190 Email: enquiry@mediwaymedical.com Website: MediwayMedical.com Date: January 22, 2025 A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/668ceec3-da48-4ad0-a622-f891c3d390f9 NAPLES, Fla., Jan. 23, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Community oncology practice Florida Oncology and Hematology (FOH), a partner practice of American Oncology Network (AON), is pleased to welcome Board-certified medical oncologist and hematologist Michele Ramirez, MD, to its physician care team. Dr. Ramirez is now accepting patients at Naples Community Hospital (NCH) Baker Hospital Downtown and Naples Community Hospital (NCH) North Naples Hospital. Patients will be referred to FOH practice locations in alignment with their individual treatment plans. Dr. Ramirez is a Board-certified oncologist and hematologist serving patients in Naples, Florida. She has more than 20 years of experience and has been practicing in Florida since 2002. She earned her medical degree from Cornell University Medical College in New York, completed her internal medicine residency at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio, and completed a fellowship in hematology-oncology at the same institution. I am excited to join the physician team at Florida Oncology and Hematology, said Dr. Ramirez. My goal has always been to provide the best patient-centered care possible nothing less than I would want for my own family. I look forward to collaborating with their like-minded team. The Florida Oncology and Hematology team now includes eight medical oncologists and 10 advanced practice providers across five Florida locations. The practice is committed to providing the community with innovative cancer care that is delivered holistically based on research and evidence-based medicine. FOH cancer patients have access to a diverse range of services for diagnosis, treatment, clinical trials, survivorship, and patient support that are close to home, eliminating the need to travel long distances to receive care. We are excited to welcome Dr. Ramirez to Florida Oncology and Hematology, said Zanetta Lamar, MD, medical oncologist and hematologist at FOH. She is extraordinarily knowledgeable and committed to delivering top-notch patient-first care, which will further enhance our ability to offer an exceptional patient experience in Naples. We are thrilled to have her partner with our Florida Oncology and Hematology team. On behalf of AON, I am pleased to welcome Dr. Ramirez to Florida Oncology and Hematology, and the network, said Stephen Fred Divers, MD, AONs chief medical officer. Dr. Ramirez has an impressive background, and I am confident that our patients and our team will benefit immensely from her expertise and commitment to providing quality, patient-centered care. For more information about AON, visit AONcology.com. For more information about Florida Oncology and Hematology visit floridaonc.com. About American Oncology Network American Oncology Network (AON) is an alliance of physicians and seasoned healthcare leaders partnering to ensure the long-term success and viability of community oncology and other specialties. Founded in 2018, AONs rapidly expanding network represents more than 290 providers practicing across 21 states. AON pioneers innovative healthcare solutions through its physician-led model, fostering value-based care that improves patient outcomes while reducing costs and expanding access to quality care. AON equips its network physicians with the tools they need to thrive independently while providing comprehensive support, integrated revenue-diversifying ancillary services, and practice management expertise, enabling physicians to focus on what matters most providing the highest standard of care for every patient. AON is committed to promoting health equity by addressing disparities in cancer care and ensuring that all patients have access to the care they need to achieve optimal health outcomes. With a focus on innovation and collaboration, AON is shaping the future of community oncology. For more information, please visit AONcology.com or follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook, X (formerly Twitter) and YouTube. About Florida Oncology and Hematology Specialists in the diagnosis and treatment of cancer and blood disorders, Florida Oncology and Hematology serves patients in Cape Coral, Clearwater, Fort Myers, and Naples, Florida. As a community-based practice, Florida Oncology and Hematology offers a full range of exceptional cancer services, providing the highest quality treatments based on research and focused on the whole person. Learn more at floridaonc.com. A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/d9aba814-cccd-4f58-9957-46ea8e268610 Washington D.C., Jan. 23, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Global Alzheimers Platform Foundation (GAP) is pleased to welcome Beckman Coulter Diagnostics as a strategic partner in the Bio-Hermes-002 study. This first-time collaboration will enhance this unique, observational platform study that compares blood-based and digital biomarkers across a broad range of clinical cognitive conditions, MRI and PET images as well as numerous races and ethnicities in order to generate data that may help predict, detect and diagnose Alzheimers disease and related dementias. Like Bio-Hermes-001, the Bio-Hermes-002 study is setting a standard for improving participation from people who are traditionally underrepresented in Alzheimer's clinical research, with an unprecedented commitment to remain open until at least 25% of participants are from these communities. As a global leader in healthcare assessments and solutions, Beckman Coulter Diagnostics will contribute biomarker test results that will enrich the unique data generated by Bio-Hermes-002. The partnership will build upon the findings from Bio-Hermes-001, expanding the evaluation of the ability of each biomarker, or combination of biomarkers, to predict the accumulation of amyloid and tau in the brain - hallmark characteristics of Alzheimers. We welcome Beckman Coulter and the contribution their biomarker technologies will make to the Bio-Hermes-002 study. This study is essential for improving diagnostics for Alzheimers disease, and by leveraging Beckman Coulters expertise we expect to advance the field and create more equitable access to diagnostics and treatments for AD patients wherever they live said John Dwyer, President of GAP. The Bio-Hermes-002 study is an exciting opportunity to advance our understanding of diagnostic biomarkers in Alzheimers disease from diverse ethnic, racial, and clinical cohorts, said Zivjena Vucetic, Senior Vice President, Chief Medical Officer at Beckman Coulter Diagnostics. Specifically, access to Bio-Hermes-002s well characterized samples will facilitate our development of a blood-based Alzheimer's disease test in concordance with gold standards for neurodegenerative testing, such as positron emissions tomography (PET) scanning, and cerebral spinal fluid (CSF) analysis. With the rapid advancements in biomarker technologies, this study is positioned to provide invaluable insights into how blood-based biomarkers may reduce the number of AD trial screen failures, and facilitate identifying, monitoring, and potentially intervening in the early stages of Alzheimer's disease." Data from the test results from the Bio-Hermes-002 study will be securely stored on the AD Workbench from the Alzheimers Disease Data Initiative. The AD Workbench is a global, secure, cloud-based data sharing and analytics environment that enables researchers to share, access and analyze data across multiple platforms. After the study is closed, the data from Bio-Hermes-002 will eventually become available to Alzheimers researchers worldwide as part of the Alzheimers Disease Discovery Initiatives AD Workbench. Beckman Coulter Diagnostics joins collaborators Eli Lilly and Company and Biogen along with a growing list of exceptional partners providing blood-based biomarker assessments or digital assessments for Bio-Hermes-002. To date, the partners include Cognivue, Fujirebio, LifeArc, Linus Health, Lucent Diagnostics, a Quanterix brand, Sunbird Bio, ViewMind, AINOSTICS, Cambridge Cognition Limited, iLoF, and Cumulus Neuroscience Limited. For more information about the Bio-Hermes-002 study and how to participate, visit https://globalalzplatform.org. For immediate release: Contact: media@globalalzplatform.org About the Global Alzheimers Platform Foundation (GAP): The nonprofit Global Alzheimers Platform Foundation was founded to speed the delivery of Alzheimers treatments with a commitment to promoting diversity in clinical research, as well as lowering the cost and duration of clinical trials to ensure that no one is left behind. As part of its mission, GAP supports more than 100 clinical research sites worldwide through study start-up and recruitment activities, promoting diversity in research studies, and giving attention to the citizen scientists who make research possible. Attachment OTTAWA, Ontario, Jan. 23, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Calian Group Ltd. (TSX: CGY), announced today the appointment of Major-General (Ret.) Roch Pelletier to the role of Regional Vice President (RVP) Global Defence & Security. This newly created role addresses the growth of Calians defence business, driven by increased global military spending, geopolitical instability and the rising demand for advanced technologies. This appointment will advance Calians strategic business development, strengthen relationships with stakeholders, and provide operational support to drive growth and efficiencies within the region. In his 36 years of service with the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF), Major-General Pelletier held senior command roles, including Commander of the Canadian Army Doctrine and Training Centre (CADTC) and the 5th Canadian Division. He also served as Director General of Intelligence, Operations, and Plans for the Canadian Joint Operations Command. During his military tenure he gained extensive expertise in national defence strategy, operational planning and international collaboration. He demonstrated an ability to navigate complex and challenging environments and deliver results. Major-General Pelletiers role underscores our commitment to growing our European and U.K. footprint and strengthening our support for NATO customers with mission-critical solutions, said Kevin Ford, Calian CEO. His record of leadership, deep understanding of defence and global security challenges will be instrumental in advancing our mission and delivering future-proof solutions as we expand our services throughout Europe and the U.K. In the RVP role, Major-General Pelletier will expand and strengthen international collaborations in support of advancing Calians IT, cybersecurity and advanced training capabilities, addressing the growing demand for scalable solutions that enhance operational readiness and resilience in defence. This aligns with global priorities on defence modernization and collaboration across NATO allies to safeguard critical assets. Learn more about Calians mission-ready solutions tailored to meet any objective. Visit Calian Defence to explore our capabilities. About Calian www.calian.com We keep the world moving forward. Calian helps people communicate, innovate, learn and lead safe and healthy lives. Every day, our employees live our values of customer commitment, integrity, innovation, respect and teamwork to engineer reliable solutions that solve complex challenges. Thats Confidence. Engineered. A stable and growing 40-year company, we are headquartered in Ottawa with offices and projects spanning North American, European and international markets. Visit calian.com to learn about innovative healthcare, communications, learning and cybersecurity solutions. Product or service names mentioned herein may be the trademarks of their respective owners. Media inquiries: media@calian.com 613-599-8600 x 2298 Investor Relations inquiries: ir@calian.com DISCLAIMER Certain information included in this press release is forward-looking and is subject to important risks and uncertainties. The results or events predicted in these statements may differ materially from actual results or events. Such statements are generally accompanied by words such as intend, anticipate, believe, estimate, expect or similar statements. Factors which could cause results or events to differ from current expectations include, among other things: the impact of price competition; scarce number of qualified professionals; the impact of rapid technological and market change; loss of business or credit risk with major customers; technical risks on fixed price projects; general industry and market conditions and growth rates; international growth and global economic conditions, and including currency exchange rate fluctuations; and the impact of consolidations in the business services industry. For additional information with respect to certain of these and other factors, please see the Companys most recent annual report and other reports filed by Calian with the Ontario Securities Commission. Calian disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. No assurance can be given that actual results, performance or achievement expressed in, or implied by, forward-looking statements within this disclosure will occur, or if they do, that any benefits may be derived from them. Calian Head Office 770 Palladium Drive Ottawa Ontario Canada K2V 1C8 Tel: 613.599.8600 Fax: 613-592-3664 General info email: info@calian.com SAN FRANCISCO, Jan. 23, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Fresche Solutions, a global leader in IBM i modernization and transformation, acquires OmniData Insights, a Microsoft Gold-certified leader specializing in AI-enabled Data and Analytics modernization. This strategic move marks a significant step forward in diversifying Fresches portfolio of solutions and services and reinforces its dedication to address the growing customer demand for advanced AI-enabled Data Analytics. The acquisition of a leading data solutions company was key to Fresches strategic plan to expand beyond its IBM i roots. OmniData was designed and built for Microsoft Fabric for AI-enabled Data and Analytics modernization. This merger enhances Fresches capabilities, offering advanced AI and modernization tools, and positions Fresche to bridge the AI-enabled Data and Analytics landscape, regardless of the customers environment. "We are thrilled to welcome OmniData to Fresche," said Joe Zarrehparvar, President & CEO of Fresche Solutions. "This strategic alliance marks a pivotal moment in our mission to reimagine data modernization for our industry. By uniting our deep expertise across IBM i and Microsoft platforms, we enhance and expand the possibilities for our customers on their data modernization journeys. Our clients operate in complex, multi-platform environments that require secure and reliable solutions, whether on-premises, private cloud, or across hybrid infrastructures like Microsoft Azure. Together with OmniData, we are uniquely positioned to deliver cutting-edge, AI-driven analytics and transformative data insights that empower organizations to unlock their full potential. For decades, Fresche has been the trusted partner for IBM i customers on their modernization journeys. With this expansion into Microsoft Fabric, we are amplifying that legacy of innovation. This merger reinforces our commitment to drive impactful change through AI and data innovation, ensuring our customers thrive in an increasingly competitive digital world." "At OmniData, our customers are at the center of everything we do," said Dan Erasmus, CCO of OmniData Insights. "Our focus has always been on developing high-value solutions and delivering them with deep subject matter expertise in Microsoft technologies, combined with valuable business insights, to help our customers maximize the value of their investments. We are thrilled about the extended services and enhanced value this merger with Fresch Solutions will bring to our future joint customers." "We are excited about the opportunities this partnership with Fresche Solutions brings," said Tobias Eld, CTO of OmniData Insights. "OmniData and Fresche share key values a commitment to customer success, solutioning expertise, and technical depth. By combining OmniData's data analytics and AI expertise with Fresches leadership in IBM i modernization and legacy transformation, we will deliver end-to-end digital transformation solutions to help businesses modernize, optimize, and unlock their systems' full potential. This merger creates a powerhouse capable of helping clients maximize the value of their data and technology investments," Eld continued. American Pacific Group (APG), the private equity partner behind Fresche, remains deeply committed to strengthening Fresches leadership in the IBM i space while driving its growth into new markets. "The acquisition of OmniData represents a pivotal step in the expansion of Fresches core business beyond IBM i," said Fraser Preston, Managing Partner at APG. "OmniDatas expertise in AI-enabled Data and Analytics, paired with Fresches leadership in IBM i transformation, creates a powerful synergy to address the evolving needs of customers on both IBM i and Microsoft x86 platforms. This acquisition not only expands market reach but also unlocks new opportunities for growth and innovation." This strategic acquisition enhances Fresches global reach, adding offices in Oregon, California, and the Netherlands, and further strengthening its footprint across the US and Europe. By combining their expertise, Fresche will deliver improved support, innovative solutions, and deep expertise to help customers achieve their IT goals with confidence. ABOUT FRESCHE SOLUTIONS Pioneers in IT modernization, Fresche manages, modernizes, and maximizes the value of IBM i business critical systems. Our winning IP and proven solutions in Modernization, Cloud, Software and Application Services, and Strategy have earned the trust of global leaders from 2500+ companies. Transform your IT challenges into future growth and innovation with Fresche Solutions. Learn more at www.freschesolutions.com. ABOUT OMNIDATA OmniData is a leading consulting firm specializing in data and analytics modernization and AI solutions. We provide actionable insights and scalable solutions powered by AI, seamlessly integrating with existing systems to maximize efficiency. Our team of veteran specialists excels in solution architecture, data engineering, and business intelligence. We thrive on partnering with companies across various industries and global markets, helping them quickly conceptualize and address complex business data challenges. Learn more at https://omnidata.com. Media Contact: Aneta Ranstoller VP, Marketing Fresche Solutions Inc. aneta.ranstoller@freschesolutions.com +1 800 361 6782 Tobias Eld Chief Technology Officer OmniData teld@omnidata.com + 1 866 585 6664 A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/faa36b6b-219a-49b8-be43-a81f112b5b12 CHARLESTON, S.C., Jan. 23, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Global Water Center (GWC) has completed a Solar Powered Water Systems (SPWS) Demonstration Site in Karnataka, India. This innovative facility showcases how solar pumping can deliver safe water while also equipping water professionals with essential skills to replicate these systems worldwide. By harnessing solar energy, SPWS provide a sustainable solution for improving water access in rural areas, where infrastructure is often lacking. This SPWS Demonstration Site serves as both a teaching tool and a source of safe water for approximately 1,500 people in Suradhenupura, Karnataka. GWC and Karnatakas Rural Drinking Water and Sanitation Department will use this site to train water professionals and to showcase the technology to interested parties. Visitors can also explore the transformative potential of solar pumping as they read informative plaques throughout the system. This site is a game-changer, providing a place for hands-on training for hundreds of water professionals while demonstrating how clean energy can drive safe water access, said Thomas Johnston, Chief Executive Officer of Global Water Center. It represents the future of water sustainability, equipping communities to break the cycle of water poverty. The completion of this demonstration site builds on GWCs ongoing efforts to support the government of Karnataka as they pursue their goal of providing safe water to over 60 million residents across the state. GWCs work in the region started with delivering solar powered water systems training to government engineers through online and in-person courses. An official inauguration of the Karnataka facility will be held later this year, marking a major milestone in GWCs mission to equip leaders to end the global water crisis together. About Global Water Center At Global Water Center (GWC), we believe everyone deserves access to safely managed water. Yet a shortage of skilled water technicians remains a significant barrier to achieving this goal. That is why GWC focuses on capacity development, technical assistance, and collaborationequipping leaders to create sustainable solutions at the scale needed to end the global water crisis. As the go-to resource for the rural water sector, we have reached people in 131 countries. Learn more about our mission at www.globalwatercenter.org and follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Instagram. Alyson Rockhold Director of Global Engagement Global Water Center +1 346.273.9148 arockhold@globalwatercenter.org A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/4dd9515d-6779-4f12-86b9-555ee90c1829 Washington, D.C., Jan. 23, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The New Civil Liberties Alliance has filed an amicus curiae brief in Burgess v. Whang, urging the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit to uphold a preliminary injunction stopping the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporations (FDIC) unconstitutional administrative enforcement proceeding against Cornelius Campbell Burgess. FDIC is trying to heavily fine Mr. Burgess, a former executive for a small Texas bank, and ban him from the banking industry for life without a jury trial, using an in-house agency tribunal to adjudicate his case. In light of the Supreme Courts historic Securities and Exchange Commission v. Jarkesy decision last year, the Fifth Circuit must reject FDICs attempt to circumvent a jury trial. The Jarkesy ruling affirmed the basic proposition that Congress cannot reassign adjudication of cases known to common law from Article III courts to administrative tribunals. FDIC claims that decision does not apply to its enforcement proceeding against Mr. Burgess because a federal statute passed by Congress explicitly bars district courts from trying his case with or without a jury. However, Congress cannot engineer an end-run around Article IIInor the Seventh Amendmentthrough jurisdiction-stripping. Were Congress allowed to do that, the Constitutional guarantees would be hollow. FDICs argument that Mr. Burgesss case involves public rights, rather than private rights, making it exempt from Article IIIs strictures and jury trial requirements, is equally meritless. The Supreme Court has repeatedly held that the public rights doctrine is limited to matters that were historically handled by the executive and legislative branches exclusively. But the violations that Mr. Burgess was charged with have historically been matters for the courts, so they do not fall within the public rights category. NCLA released the following statements: The health of the American banking system is, of course, of paramount importance to the country. But the Constitution does not make special exceptions for important industries. NCLA is confident that our banking system, which is the envy of the world, can, and should, be safeguarded consistent with the requirements of Article III and the Seventh Amendment. Greg Dolin, Senior Litigation Counsel, NCLA The Constitution vested the judicial power in courts alone. The Constitutions separation of powersthe essential structural guarantor of our libertieswould be meaningless if Congress could reassign the power to adjudicate to the very executive agency also prosecuting the case. The Bill of Rights promises to preserve the right to a jury trial at common law. The Constitution thus guarantees Mr. Burgess a neutral judicial court and a jury. Peggy Little, Senior Litigation Counsel, NCLA For more information visit the amicus page here. ABOUT NCLA NCLA is a nonpartisan, nonprofit civil rights group founded by prominent legal scholar Philip Hamburger to protect constitutional freedoms from violations by the Administrative State. NCLAs public-interest litigation and other pro bono advocacy strive to tame the unlawful power of state and federal agencies and to foster a new civil liberties movement that will help restore Americans fundamental rights. ### Photo courtesy of Ascend Consulting Group LOS ANGELES, Jan. 23, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Ascend Consulting Group, a student-led consulting firm that gathers Gen Z insights, just launched at three new universities: the University of Michigan, Boston College, and Cal Berkeley. This expansion doubles the firm's campus presence, enhancing its national network and its ability to provide impactful, authentic Gen Z perspectives to consumer tech startups. The expansion to new universities builds upon Ascend Consulting Groups successful establishment of university chapters at the University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB), University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), and Northwestern University, where it already built a network of 75 student consultants since its founding in 2024. Our expansion to these elite universities marks a pivotal moment in our mission to connect startups and Gen Z consumers, says William Host, co-founder of Ascend Consulting Group. We're enhancing our ability to provide comprehensive, relevant insights that reflect Gen Z's varied perspectives by diversifying our university network. Strengthening Gen Z Insights Ascend Consulting Group , known for finding consensus amongst gen-z consumer sentiment, offers tech startups turn-key access to a national network of driven, influential college students. The network of student consultants from various universities conducts targeted research, refines their findings into actionable insights, and delivers clear, strategic guidance to startups during weekly, coordinated meetings. The results are authentic Gen Z perspectives and strategic recommendations that drive product development and market fit. Building new student networks in these new universities will enhance Ascend Consulting Groups existing student networks and the value it gives to startups. According to co-founder Mac Cutler, Ascend Consulting Group is actively expanding its network across all six universities by further recruiting and training students, providing them with hands-on consulting experience and the opportunity to collaborate directly with innovative tech startups. The expansion also creates a broader network of peer collaboration across prestigious institutions, enabling students to develop professional skills and build industry connections across the technology sector. Drew Guardiola, Northwestern University's founding chapter president, emphasizes the expansion's mutual benefits. "We're not just growing our network; we're creating opportunities for students to expand their interests and gain real-world entrepreneurial experience while increasing our bandwidth to help founders win." For Ascend Consulting Group, this launch also means improving its consulting capabilities. The expansion of the student-led consulting firm significantly enhances the depth and breadth of Gen Z insights. Student consultants from six major universities provide startups with diverse perspectives from different geographical regions and cultural backgrounds, enabling more strategic decisions in product development and marketing initiatives. "The expansion allows us to tap into diverse geographic and cultural Gen Z perspectives, adds David Jacob, UCLA founding chapter president. This breadth of insight is crucial for startups seeking to understand Gen Z preferences across different markets. Continuous Growth of Current Student Networks Despite its launch in new universities, Ascend Consulting Group will continue its recruitment efforts across its initial universities while working on its goal of building a network of 200 members by the spring of 2025. This launch and its plans for the future position Ascend Consulting Group as a startup partner in providing more effective and targeted products and services for Gen Zs. Eric Bennett-Sines, UCSBs founding chapter president, also shares his thoughts on partnering with Ascend Consulting Group. We are happy to be part of Ascends growing portfolio of universities. We cant wait to see the growth of our students and witness how they can contribute to startup success, providing genuine impact while still in school. Please visit Ascend Consulting Groups website to learn more about its consulting services and student recruitment process. About Ascend Consulting Group Ascend Consulting Group is a student-led consulting firm founded by William Host and Mac Cutler that connects talented college students with consumer tech startups. The consulting firm's network of university chapters provides startups with authentic Gen Z insights, actionable recommendations, and creative strategies to drive product vision and market fit. Founded in July 2024, Ascend Consulting Group rapidly expands its presence across significant universities, changing how startups engage with Gen Z consumers. Contact Details: Contact Person Name: William Host Company Name: Ascend Consulting Group Email: will@ascendgroup.co Website: https://ascendgroup.co/ A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/be79e4d2-365f-4180-9958-05cb3b6c1b91 VANCOUVER, Jan. 23, 2025 - Getchell Gold Corp. (CSE: GTCH) (OTCQB: GGLDF) (FWB: GGA1) ("Getchell" or the "Company") is pleased to announce positive results from the independent Preliminary Economic Assessment ("PEA") completed on the Company's 100%-owned Fondaway Canyon gold project ("Fondaway Canyon" or "Project") in Nevada. Based on mineral resources drilled to date and limiting the scope of the PEA to the mineral resources in the Central Area of the Project, the PEA outlines an open pit mining and conventional 8,000 tonne per day ("tpd") milling operation with an initial planned mine life of approximately 10.5 years. The PEA contemplates the production and sale of a high-grade concentrate to a local 3rd party refinery for pressure oxidation or roasting followed by cyanidation to produce dore. PEA Highlights Strong project economics $546 million pre-tax net present value discounted at 10% ("NPV 10% ") and a 51.2% pre-tax internal rate of return ("IRR"), $474 million after-tax NPV 10% and a 46.7% after-tax IRR at a gold price of $2,250/ounce ("oz"). Initial capital costs estimated at $226.5 million (including a 20% contingency), with a short pre-tax payback of 3.1 years. Robust operational profile 1.23 million ounces gold recovered over a 10.5-year life of mine ("LOM") with average annual gold production of 117,300 ounces. LOM strip ratio of 4.7 to 1, mined grade of 1.50 g/t Au (0.048 oz/tonne) and estimated gold recovery to concentrate of 84%. LOM operating costs (1) estimated at $875/oz of gold produced, cash costs (2) estimated at $1,189oz of produced gold Economics incorporate significant development work completed in 2024 The PEA incorporated the Updated Mineral Resource Estimate ("MRE") completed in September 2024 that reported an 18-per-cent increase in Indicated Mineral Resources and an 11-per-cent increase in Inferred relative to the previous MRE, based on the inclusion of 8 additional drill holes; and Metallurgical test work demonstrating the amenability of the mineralized material to conventional flotation and the generation of a low mass pull, high grade concentrate. Significant growth potential The scope of the PEA was limited to the open pit mineral resource in the Central Area of the Project, a 1 km square area that: represents only a portion of the largely underexplored 7 km long east-west gold corridor, covering a 10 km 2 prospective area; and does not include the Main Pit's underground mineral resource and the open pit mineral resources outside of the Central Area along the gold corridor that account for approximately 15% of the Project's current mineral resources. All deposits and target zones remain open along strike and at depth, with significant potential for resource expansion. "This PEA readily demonstrates the potential for a robust economic open pit mining operation at Fondaway Canyon. In addition, there remain multiple avenues to pursue in 2025 to further improve the economics beyond the current enviable level. There is significant potential to increase the mineral resource within the current minable shape, along strike, and dip, and to optimize the mining and processing of the gold." stated Mike Sieb, President. "I have been a committed supporter of the Company for over a decade and a firm believer of the considerable potential of the Fondaway Canyon gold project since acquiring the rights to it in 2020. I am elated as to the potential valuation of the mining operation reported in this PEA as well as the incredible upside for Getchell Gold Corp. and its shareholders that it represents. Our years of effort have been rewarded, with the PEA sharing a glimpse of the ultimate valuation of the Project able to be realized." stated Bob Bass, Chairman. Notes on the PEA: The PEA is preliminary in nature, includes Inferred Mineral Resources that are considered too speculative geologically to have economic considerations applied to them that would enable them to be categorized as Mineral Reserves, and there is no certainty that PEA results will be realized. Mineral Resources are not Mineral Reserves and do not have demonstrated economic viability. All amounts are in United States dollars unless otherwise specified. Base case parameters assume a gold price of $2,250 per ounce. NPV is calculated as of the commencement of construction and excludes all pre-construction costs. All figures are displayed on a 100% ownership basis. (1) Operating costs consist of mining costs, processing costs and mine site G&A. (2) Cash costs consist of operating costs plus treatment and refining charges and royalties. (3) AISC consists of cash costs plus sustaining capital (excluding closure costs). The PEA was prepared by Forte Dynamics Inc., of Fort Collins, Colorado ("Forte Dynamics") as the lead consultant in accordance with National Instrument 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects ("NI 43-101"). Forte Dynamics was the lead study manager for mine planning, design parameters, and operating and capital cost estimates. The PEA was supported by Forte Analytical Inc. (metallurgical studies, process design, process facilities, and plant site infrastructure) and APEX Geoscience Ltd. (mineral resource estimate). The effective date of the PEA is January 15, 2025, and a technical report for the Project including the PEA will be filed on the System for Electronic Document Analysis and Retrieval (SEDAR) within 45 days of this news release. PEA Overview and Financial Analysis The PEA contemplates an open pit operation using contract mining and processing 2.9 million tonnes per annum ("mtpa") or 8,000 tonnes per day. The mill feed will be trucked from two open pit deposits in the Central Area, which hosts approximately 85% of the Mineral Resources currently defined at Fondaway Canyon. Table 1: Economic Parameters Key Assumptions Base Case Gold Price $2,250/oz Production Profile Total Tonnes Processed (mt) 30.3 Total Tonnes Waste (mt) 143.4 Strip Ratio 4.7 Mill Feed Grade 1.50 g/t Au Mine Life 10.5 years Throughput (mtpa) 2.9 Gold Recovery 84 % LOM Gold Production (ounces) 1,231,408 LOM Average Annual Gold Production (ounces) 117,300 Unit Operating Costs LOM Average Operating Costs (1) $ 875/oz gold LOM Average Cash Costs (2) $ 1,189/oz gold Capital Costs Initial Capital Cost $226.5 million Table 2: Project Economics Summary $2,250/oz Gold Price $2,500/oz Gold Price Pre-Tax After-Tax Pre-Tax After-Tax NPV 5% ($M) $ 761 $ 668 $ 990 $ 849 NPV 8% ($M) $ 622 $ 543 $ 821 $ 701 NPV 10% ($M) $ 546 $ 474 $ 727 $ 618 NPV 12% ($M) $ 479 $ 414 $ 646 $ 547 IRR 51.2 % 46.7 % 63.9 % 57.0 % Payback 3.1 years 3.2 years 2.6 years 2.8 years LOM Cash Flow $1,080 million $953 million $1,379 million $1,190 million Table 3: Economic Sensitivity to Gold Price Gold Price (US$/oz) $2,000 (Low Case) $2,250 (Base Case) $2,500 (High Case) $2,750 (Spot Price) Pre-Tax NPV 10% $ 365 M $ 546 M $ 727 M $ 908 M Pre-Tax IRR 38.2 % 51.2 % 63.9 % 76.4 % Pre-Tax Payback 3.5 years 3.1 years 2.6 years 2.4 years After-Tax NPV 10% $ 322 M $474 M $ 618 M $ 760 M After-Tax IRR 35.5 % 46.7 % 57.0 % 66.9 % After-Tax Payback 3.6 years 3.2 years 2.8 years 2.6 years Mine Plan and Minable Resource Estimate The open pit optimization model yielded a series of nested pit shells that prioritize the extraction of the most economically viable and most economically robust material shown below. The mine will be developed in consecutive phases to manage the operating stripping ratio and to provide consistent mill feed. The final pit limit and 3D gold grade block model encapsulated within the pit is shown in Figure 1. The pit shell selected as the optimal pit shell contains a total tonnage of 173.7 Mt including 11.7 Mt of Indicated Mineral Resource at 1.73g/t, and 18.7 Mt of Inferred Mineral Resource at 1.36g/t to be processed for 1.47 Moz of contained gold. Mineral Resources, which are not Mineral Reserves, do not have demonstrated economic viability. There has been insufficient exploration to define the Inferred Resources tabulated above as an Indicated or Measured Mineral Resource, however, it is reasonably expected that the majority of the Inferred Mineral Resources could be upgraded to Indicated Mineral Resources with continued exploration. There is no guarantee that any part of the Mineral Resources discussed herein will be converted into a Mineral Reserve in the future. The production schedule is based on a nominal rate of 8,000 t/d processed (2.9 Mt/y) and the average LOM stripping ratio is 4.7:1 waste-to-processed material, using a 0.5 g/t Au cut-off grade. The annual production schedule is shown in Figure 2. Metallurgical Testing and Recoveries A conceptual flotation plant was designed, with the facility processing oxide and sulfide mineralization. The PEA utilized recoveries estimated across the material types for an average gold recovery to concentrate of 84%. Determination of the appropriate recovery value was based on historical test work completed in conjunction with a scoping level metallurgical study carried out through 2024 to advance the project by developing a conceptual process flowsheet for the oxide and sulfide material. The 2024 metallurgical test work was conducted on coarse reject material partitioned at various gold grade thresholds (i.e. average grade: 1.50 g/t Au, high grade: 5.0 g/t Au, and low grade: 0.5 g/t Au), and average grade split drill core material all sourced from the Company's most recent drill campaigns. The recent scoping level metallurgical study evaluated several processing options following the test work on deportment of gold which indicated that much of the gold was refractory and associated with pyrite. Both oxide and sulfide minerals can be readily floated to produce a concentrate containing about 84% of the contained gold. With additional test work, the concentrate may be upgraded to reduce concentrate weight and increase the gold grade of the concentrate. Additional metallurgical test work is recommended for Fondaway Canyon to optimize the flotation process and to confirm the process design, costs, and final recovery. Mineral Processing A processing throughput of 8,000 tpd was selected aimed at maximizing gold recovery in conjunction with minimizing concentrate mass pull (which must be confirmed with additional test work), and on minimizing capital expenditure and operating costs. The process flowsheet will consist of three stages of crushing followed by ball mill grinding, rougher flotation, and two stages of cleaner flotation to produce a high value concentrate. The reagents, namely xanthate, AP 404 and AF 65 will be added to the mill. A review of the CAPEX and OPEX for various processing options indicated that the most promising approach at this stage of the study is to produce a gold-rich concentrate ( 20 g/t Au) and ship/sell it to a processing facility in Nevada. Capital Costs An initial capital expenditure of $226.5 million (including 20% contingency) has been estimated to construct the Project. Due to the use of contract mining and the 10 years life of the plant, sustaining capital has not been considered in this study. Maintenance is considered to be within the operating expenses. The capital cost estimate is based on an open pit mining and flotation mill operation processing 2.9 mtpa utilizing contract mining. Capital costs are based published industry averages in the US and are shown in the table below. Table 4 Order of Magnitude Capital Cost Estimate Capital Costs $M Process Capital Cost Mine Model $ 131.7 Preproduction and Facilities $ 57.0 Capex summary $ 188.7 Contingency (20%) $ 37.7 Total Capex $ 226.5 Operating Costs The Project is modelled as an open pit mine utilizing contract mining with mined material trucked to a plant for crushing, milling, and flotation concentration. The PEA contemplates the production and sale of a high-grade concentrate to a local 3rd party pressure oxidation refinery for final processing. Costs for transportation, oxidation, leaching, refining, and profit for a 3rd party is included in the operating cost. Operating costs for the life-of-mine are estimated at $1,077.5 million ($875.0/oz produced). Cash costs over that time are estimated at $1,464.0 million ($ 1,188/oz produced) and include operating costs, refining charges, and royalties. Table 5 Operating Cost Estimate Operating Costs $/tonne Mined LOM ($M) $/oz Au Produced Mining to Process $ 3.54 $ 107.4 $ 87.2 Mining Waste $ 3.54 $ 507.4 $ 412.1 Processing $ 13.25 $ 402.0 $ 369.6 Mine Site G&A $ 2.00 $ 60.7 $ 49.3 Total Operating Costs: $ 1,077.5 $ 875.0 Transportation and Refining $ 10.00 $ 303.4 $ 246.4 Royalties 3 % $ 83.0 $ 67.5 Total Cash Costs: $ 1,464.0 $ 1,188.9 Mineral Resource Estimate The PEA is supported by the 2024 Updated Mineral Resource Estimate ("2024 MRE") produced by APEX Geoscience Ltd. of Edmonton, Alberta, with an effective date of September 1, 2024. Table 6 Fondaway Canyon Global Mineral Resource Estimate Classification Au cutoff (g/t) Category Tonnes Au (ounces) Au (g/t) Au (opt) Indicated 0.3 Open Pit (OP) 13,518,000 648,000 1.49 0.043 Inferred 0.3/1.75 OP + UG 44,829,000 1,670,100 1.16 0.034 The PEA solely utilized the open pit mineral resources of the Central zone as a basis for the economic model. The PEA did not include the additional 335,000 Inferred mineral resources reported outside of this zone, consisting of the Central zone's underground and all other open pit Inferred resources reporting along the Fondaway canyon gold corridor. Table 7 Fondaway Canyon Mineral Resource Estimate* by Zone Classification Zone Au cutoff (g/t) Category Tonnes Au (ounces) Au (g/t) Au (opt) Indicated Central 0.3 Open Pit 13,518,000 648,000 1.49 0.043 Central 1.75 Open Pit 37,983,000 1,334,900 1.09 0.032 Mid Realm - South Mouth 0.3 Open Pit 2,516,000 77,000 0.95 0.028 Inferred Silica Ridge - Hamburger Hill (HH) 0.3 Open Pit 2,977,000 139,000 1.45 0.042 Central / Silica Ridge - HH 0.3 Underground (UG) 1,353,000 119,200 2.74 0.080 Total Inferred: 0.3 / 1.75 OP & UG 44,829,000 1,670,100 1.16 0.034 *Notes on the 2024 Mineral Resource Estimate are provided below. Oxide Cap In addition, the 2024 MRE delineated a significant near surface oxide cap to the mineral resource in Table 89. Table 8 Fondaway Canyon Mineral Resource Estimate* by Type Classification Type Au cutoff (g/t) Category Tonnes Au (ounces) Au (g/t) Au (opt) Indicated Oxide 0.3 Open Pit (OP) 1,902,000 75,500 1.23 0.036 Sulphide 0.3 Open Pit 11,616,000 572,500 1.53 0.045 Inferred Oxide 0.3 Open Pit 3,848,000 129,200 1.04 0.030 Sulphide 0.3/1.75 OP + UG 40,981,000 1,540,900 1.17 0.034 The full documentation for the 2024 MRE will be reported within the forthcoming PEA. Notes on the Mineral Resource Estimate: Mineral Resources, which are not Mineral Reserves, do not have demonstrated economic viability. There has been insufficient exploration to define the Inferred Resources tabulated above as an Indicated or Measured Mineral Resource, however, it is reasonably expected that the majority of the Inferred Mineral Resources could be upgraded to Indicated Mineral Resources with continued exploration. There is no guarantee that any part of the Mineral Resources discussed herein will be converted into a Mineral Reserve in the future. The estimate of Mineral Resources may be materially affected by environmental, permitting, legal, marketing, or other relevant issues. The Mineral Resources herein were estimated using the Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy and Petroleum standards on mineral resources and reserves, definitions, and guidelines prepared by the CIM standing committee on reserve definitions and adopted by the CIM council (CIM 2014 and 2019). The Mineral Resources Estimate is underpinned by data from 527 reverse circulation and diamond drillholes totaling 55,870m of drilling that intersected the mineralized domains. The mineral resource is reported at a lower cut-off of 0.3 g/t Au for the conceptual open pit and 1.75 g/t Au for the conceptual underground extraction scenario. The lower cut-off grades and potential mining scenarios were calculated using the following parameters: mining cost = US$2.70/t (open pit); G&A = US$2.00/t; processing cost = US$15.00/t; recoveries = 92%, gold price = US$1,950.00/oz; royalties = 1%; and minimum mining widths = 1.5 metres (underground) in order to meet the requirement that the reported Mineral Resources show "reasonable prospects for eventual economic extraction". Original Au assays were composited to 1.5 m with 12,553 composites generated overall in the mineralized domains including 10,632 composites generated for the Central Zone, 1,267 for the Mid-Realm / South Mouth Zone, and 654 for the Silica Ridge / Hamburger Hill Zone. Grade interpolation was performed by ordinary kriging (OK) using 1.5 metre composites (block size of 3m x 3m x 3m). A density of 2.74 g/cm3 was used for the mineralized zones. The mineral resources estimate is categorized as indicated or inferred and classified based on data density, data quality, confidence in the geological interpretation and confidence in the robustness of the grade interpolation. The indicated category was defined by a search ellipse extending 55m along the major axis, 40m along the minor axis, and 10m vertical. In addition, a minimum of 3 drill holes were required, reporting 9 samples with a maximum of 3 samples per drill hole. The inferred category was defined using a search of up to 120 m and requiring at least 1 sample per drillhole from a minimum of 2 drillholes. High-grade capping supported by statistical analysis was completed on composite data for each zone and was established at 32 g/t Au for the Central Zone, no Au cap for the Mid Realm - South Mouth Zone, and 10.0 g/t Au for the Silica Ridge - Hamburger Hill Zone. The MRE blocks that make up the oxide component of the In Pit resource are within the overall conceptual pit shape defined by the parameters for the unoxidized material. The number of metric tonnes was rounded to the nearest thousand and gold ounces was rounded to the nearest hundred, and any discrepancies in the totals are due to rounding effects. Metal content is presented in troy ounces (tonnes x grade (g/t) / 31.10348). The author is not aware of any known environmental, permitting, legal, title-related, taxation, socio-political or marketing issues or any other relevant issue not reported in the technical report that could materially affect the mineral resource estimate. The Qualified Persons The independent and qualified person for the mineral resource estimate, as defined by NI 43-101, is Michael Dufresne, P.Geol., P.Geo., from APEX Geoscience Ltd. The qualified person overseeing the minable resource estimate used for the economic analysis is Jonathan R. Heiner, SME-RM, from Forte Dynamics, Inc. The qualified person overseeing the metallurgical testing and mineral processing is Deepak Malhotra, SME-RM, from Forte Dynamics, Inc. The qualified person overseeing the overall Preliminary Assessment and the economic analysis is Donald E. Hulse, SME-RM, from Forte Dynamics, Inc. The Qualified Person (as defined in NI 43-101) who reviewed and approved the scientific and technical information in the news release is Scott Frostad, P.Geo., VP Exploration at Getchell Gold Corp. and is non-independent. About Getchell Gold Corp. The Company is a Nevada focused gold and copper exploration company trading on the CSE: GTCH, OTCQB: GGLDF, and FWB: GGA1. Getchell Gold is primarily directing its efforts on its most advanced stage asset, Fondaway Canyon, a past gold producer with a large mineral resource estimate. Complementing Getchell's asset portfolio is Dixie Comstock, a past gold producer with a historic resource, and the high-grade Star (Cu-Au-Ag) projects. For further information please visit the Company's website at www.getchellgold.com or contact the Company at info@getchellgold.com. The Canadian Securities Exchange has not reviewed this press release and does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release. Certain information contained herein constitutes "forward-looking information" under Canadian securities legislation. Forward-looking information includes, but is not limited to, statements with respect to the Preliminary Economic Assessment, Mineral Resource Estimate and future planned activities. Generally, forward-looking information can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "will" or variations of such words and phrases or statements that certain actions, events or results "will" 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 to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements or forward-looking information. Although management of Getchell have 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 will not update any forward-looking statements or forward-looking information that are incorporated by reference herein, except as required by applicable securities laws. SOURCE Getchell Gold Corp. Lincoln Gold Mining Inc. (TSX.V: LMG) ("Lincoln Gold" or the "Company") announced on January 6, 2025, of the completion of its acquisition of the fully permitted for production Bell Mountain Gold/Silver deposit. This major milestone provides Lincoln the ability to become an imminent gold producer. Once financing is in place, it is estimated that the time for construction of the operation will be 8 to 10 months. The first gold and silver production will be about 4 to 5 months after that. The Company is proceeding with discussions with various financial institutions for the capital required to take Bell Mountain through construction and into startup. The intent of the Company is to raise these funds mainly through debt instruments without any significant dilution of shares. The plan is to operate the Bell Mountain as a simple open pit/heap leach mining operation. Ore will be mined and crushed by contractors. The crushed ore will be placed on pads for heap leaching. The gold and silver will be recovered onto activated carbon and the metals will then be stripped from the carbon. The process is simple, and metallurgical studies show excellent gold recoveries. The recently completed PEA (Preliminary Economic Assessment) commissioned by Welsh Hagen of Reno Nevada shows an excellent potential robust cash flow. A gold price of $2,200/ounce and a silver price of $24.00/ounce have been used in the base case economic evaluation from a $1,950 gold price pit shell design, (updated capital and operating costs were used). The following table has been taken from the PEA: Pre-tax After Tax Internal Rate of Return (IRR) (1) 63.2% 59.6% NPV @ 5% Discount Rate (US$M) $25.69 $24.06 Net Cash Flow (US$M) $29.71 $27.97 Net Operating Margin (oz Au Eq) $535.97 $504.52 Payback Period ~10 Months ~11 Months (1) Internal Rate of Return ("IRR") is a metric used in financial analysis to estimate the profitability of potential investments. IRR is a discount rate that makes the net present value ("NPV") of all cash flows equal to zero in a discounted cash flow analysis. IRR calculations rely on the same formula as NPV does. IRR is not the actual dollar value of the project; it is the annual return that makes the NPV equal to zero. Generally speaking, the higher an internal rate of return, the more desirable an investment is to undertake. (2)Chart numbers are from the PEA report of Welsh Hagen dated January 6, 2025. (3)The NI 43-101 PEA report is available on SEDAR and on the Company's website. From the chart above, excellent potential cash flow is achievable and a quick payback of capital is possible. An exploration drill program is planned near each of the pit areas where inferred material already has been shown to exist. It is expected that the resource base will increase significantly from this exploration drill program. Cash flow from the Bell Mountain mine will go towards the building of the Pine Grove mine, adding share value. Paul Saxton, President and CEO states. "Now that Lincoln has acquired the Bell Mountain project, we are well on our way to becoming a near term gold producer. We believe that additional planned exploration work within the four defined resource deposits at the Bell Mountain operation will expand resources significantly. In addition, the permitting studies at the Company's Pine Grove project near Yerington, Nevada will be updated. These studies will allow Lincoln to advance that property to production. The Pine Grove project, located approximately 150 miles by road to the west of Bell Mountain, has excellent upside potential. Much of the design work at Pine Grove is completed, as have the various baseline environmental studies required to complete the Environmental Impact Statement ('EIS"). Qualified Person: Paul Saxton, P.Eng., President and CEO of the Company, is a Qualified Person as defined by NI 43-101. Mr. Saxton has reviewed and approved the technical information in this news release. About Lincoln Gold Mining Inc.: Lincoln is a Canadian precious metals exploration and development company headquartered in Vancouver, BC with just over twenty-two million shares issued at this time. Both the Bell Mountain and Pine Grove Gold Properties are located near each other in the highly prospective Walker Lane mineral belt, known for its numerous gold and silver deposits. Lincoln is committed to maintaining steady and robust progress towards its goal of becoming a mid-tier gold producer. For further information, please contact: Lincoln Gold Mining Inc. Paul Saxton, President and Chief Executive Officer Phone: 604-688-7377 Email: saxton@lincolnmining.com Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements: This news release contains "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 expectations regarding the Company's share price or any impact that marketing services may have on the business of the Company. 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 connation thereof. Such forward-looking information and statements are based on numerous assumptions, including among others, that the Company will be able to increase investor awareness because of the engagement of marketing services. 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 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 plans or expectations include that financing is still required, the impact will be different than as currently anticipated, risks relating to the actual results of current development and or exploration activities, fluctuating gold prices, possibility of equipment breakdowns and delays, exploration cost overruns, availability of capital and financing, general economic, market or business conditions, regulatory changes, timeliness of government or regulatory approvals and other risks detailed herein and from time to time in the filings made by the Company with securities regulators. 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. VANCOUVER, January 23, 2025 - Gitennes Exploration Inc. ("Gitennes" or the "Company") (TSXV: GIT) is pleased to announce that is has filed Articles of Amendment to change its name from "Gitennes Exploration" to "REV Exploration Ltd." Mr. Jordan Potts, interim CEO, commented: "After successful completion of a $1.5 million financing, preceded by several recent key management team changes, we believe this is an ideal time to rebrand the company as REV Exploration Ltd. We plan to 'REV it up in 2025' with our existing suite of battery metal and gold properties in Quebec, and an exciting launch into new exploration frontiers as we continue due diligence on certain potential high-impact new opportunities." Accordingly, the common shares of the Corporation are expected to commence trading on the TSX Venture Exchange under the new name, REV Exploration Ltd., at the opening of the market on or about January 30, 2025, under the new trading symbol "REVX". The new CUSP/ISIN numbers for the common shares of REV Exploration Ltd. following the effective date of the name change will be 761325109/ CA7613251098, respectively. The name and symbol changes do not affect the Corporation's share structure or the rights of the Corporation's shareholders, and no further action is required by existing shareholders. Each current share certificate reflecting common shares of Gitennes will continue to reflect the common shares of REV Exploration Ltd. without further action by shareholders. No consolidation of capital occurred with the name change. The Company also announces the resignation of Mr. Mansoor Jan from the Board of Directors due to other work commitments, effective immediately. Mr. Jordan Potts, interim CEO, commented: "We want to thank Mansoor for his exceptional contribution to the Gitennes' Board. He has had a significant role in this Company and we wish him the best as CEO of MAX Power." About Gitennes Exploration Inc. The Company currently has two properties in the Sept-Iles region of Quebec where it is exploring for nickel, niobium and tantalum, and two gold properties in the Chapais-Chibougamau area of Quebec: JMW and Maxwell. All properties are 100% owned by Gitennes. For further information on the Company, readers are referred to the Company's website at www.gitennes.com and its Canadian regulatory filings on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca. Contact Information Jordan Potts Interim CEO, Director Email: info@gitennes.com For further information, please contact: Chad Levesque Investor Relations 1-306-981-4753?????? Email: info@gitennes.com Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-looking Information Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release. This press release contains "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable Canadian and United States securities laws, which is based upon the Company's current internal expectations, estimates, projections, assumptions and beliefs. The forward-looking information included in this press release are made only as of the date of this press release. Such forward-looking statements and forward-looking information often, but not always, can be identified by the use of words such as "plans", "expects", "potential", "is expected", "anticipated", "is targeted", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "intends", "anticipates", or "believes" or the negatives 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, and also include, without limitation, statements regarding: the prospects or certainty of any future M&A or transactions, the potential of the newly acquired land positions, the Company's exploration plans, future growth opportunities, and the creation of long-term shareholder value. Forward-looking information is based on the Company's current expectations, beliefs, and assumptions, including but not limited to the geological potential of the property, the availability of financing to conduct exploration activities, and the Company's ability to obtain necessary permits and approvals. Since forward-looking statements address future events and conditions, they involve inherent assumptions, risks and uncertainties. Actual results could differ materially from those currently anticipated due to a number of assumptions, factors and risks. These assumptions and risks include, but are not limited to, assumptions and risks associated with mineral exploration generally, risks related to capital markets, risks related to the state of financial markets or future metals prices and the other risks described in the Company's publicly filed disclosure found on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca. Management has provided the above summary of risks and assumptions related to forward-looking statements in this news release in order to provide readers with a more comprehensive perspective on the Company's future operations. The Company's actual results, performance or achievement could differ materially from those expressed in, or implied by, these forward-looking statements and, accordingly, no assurance can be given that any of the events anticipated by the forward-looking statements will transpire or occur, or if any of them do so, what benefits the Company will derive from them. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this news release, and, other than as required by applicable securities laws, the Company disclaims any intent or obligation to update publicly any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or results or otherwise. Red Bull's Marko hits back at Aston Martin rumours Dr Helmut Marko has hit back at wild rumours suggesting Aston Martin is making a serious bid to lure Max Verstappen. Max Verstappen, Abu Dhabi GP 2024 Red Bull The reports mentioned extreme sums of up to and beyond $1 billion, hot on the heels of Toto Wolff's similar interest in signing Verstappen throughout 2024. That's all well and good, Red Bull's F1 advisor Marko told Sport Bild, but Max has a contract with us until the end of 2028. Also almost certainly true, however, is that certain clauses in the quadruple world champion's current contract would allow him to escape to another team. I don't make any statements about the content of the contract, Marko insisted, "but we are confident that we can give Max a good car. Based on the data, our engineers are optimistic. And I also know how loyal and grateful Max is to Red Bull. That's why he will be a Red Bull driver in 2026 - and as a five-time world champion as well, the 81-year-old smiled. Nonetheless, the Austrian admits that Red Bull will face another tough challenge in 2024. McLaren and Ferrari both had the best foundations in 2024, said Marko. The disadvantage for those teams, he added, is that they do not have Verstappen at the wheel. Both teams can build on their strong foundations now, said Marko, because they did well on most circuits last season. But none of their drivers stood out for me. Marko pointed out Lando Norris' mental weaknesses last year, and Oscar Piastri's lack of consistency. As for Ferrari's 2025 lineup, he told Sport Bild: "(Charles) Leclerc is good in qualifying, but he makes a lot of mistakes in the races. And Lewis (Hamilton) still has the speed, but over a whole season? I have my doubts about that, added Marko. "Even if he has a good Ferrari and we only give Max a mediocre Red Bull, I would put my money on Max. "And if Hamilton's start at Ferrari does not go as he had hoped, he should be careful not to get into a negative spiral like he did at Mercedes. No one can hold a candle to Max, Marko continued. "Not Lewis, not Lando Norris. He gets 1 to 2 tenths out of the car per lap that no other driver can get. Now it's up to us to build him a car that lets him compete for victories, not only sometimes but consistently. Our working window must become larger, he continued. (GMM) Featured PUWU rejects ECG privatisation, refutes allegations of staff misconduct Kwame Larweh Business News Jan - 23 - 2025 , 16:05 The Public Utility Workers' Union (PUWU) of the Trade Union Congress (TUC) has reiterated its opposition to the privatisation or diversification of the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) in any form. This stance was reaffirmed in response to recent allegations made by the Executive Director of the African Centre for Energy Policy (ACEP), Mr. Ben Boakye. Mr. Boakye had accused workers and staff of ECG of being involved in illegal connections and other clandestine activities that tarnish the reputation of ECG and result in financial losses. However, Mr. Timothy Nyame, General Secretary of PUWU, vehemently denied these allegations, stating that no member of PUWU or staff of ECG is involved in such illicit acts. Advertisement "Staff of ECG remain committed to their professional mandate to provide quality, reliable, and safe electricity to support the economic growth and development of Ghana," Mr. Nyame said. PUWU's opposition to ECG privatisation is rooted in concerns about the potential consequences of private control over the electricity sector. Workers from ECG have consistently opposed the privatisation process, submitting proposals to the government that demonstrate the value of maintaining public control. The union's stance is also informed by its commitment to protecting the interests of its members and ensuring that the provision of essential services like electricity remains a public responsibility. As an entity that represents workers in the utility sector, PUWU says it is resolute in its opposition to privatisation and diversification initiatives that may compromise the public interest. Featured Honorable, Wawe - Occasional Kwatriot Kwesi Yankah writes Kwesi Yankah Opinion Jan - 22 - 2025 , 21:56 5 minutes read December 7 has come and gone, but succeeded in cracking our Motherland into two crooked halves: those who celebrated the Xmas well, proudly yelling, I really ate this Bronya paa and those whose mood for Bronya had been spoiled by the ballot. I indeed attended a function mid-December where as soon as a minister of state had begun his speech, he was greeted by giggling students, Honorable w'awe, Honorable w'awe Honorable you were last, you lost in the race, followed by chuckles. That was clearly not the best Xmas greeting for Honorable Honorable, whose political party had been humbled by the ballot. The revelry continued through Christmas, New Year and beyond with parties, street carnivals, music and dancing. Advertisement Eye Zu Eye Za was the going slogan as celebrants made merry, chanting and teasing in green colors. Vuvuzela was in attendance, so was alcohol, making it possible for celebrants to pause behind houses of losers, to noisily invite them to join the fun. The scene was different at Kejetia and Oseikrom neighborhoods, where there were more crawling lizards than celebrants at the city center: the swagger of male lizards across empty pavements, and parades of pot-bellied rodents nibbling piles of cassava deserted by dejected traders. Cassava had been abandoned only because the favorite sport of pounding had been suspended by Oseikrom dwellers, simply because Honorable awe. Elsewhere, posters of the elephant party started peeling off; broad party banners sagged in humility; and giant billboards tilted not in style but in pain. For once the great campaign song Paluta ee that mobilized mammoth crowds cross-country, sounded different. Polluta, is what I heard polluting the air waves. At the A & C Mall in Accra, where the hymnal Noel Noel was blurring to lure shoppers into Christmas, something else filtered through the ceiling. No Well No Well was the chorus I heard welcoming Christ. December 7 itself did not speak loud. Quiet polling stations, near empty streets, short queues here and there; pockets of youths chit-chatting within safe distance. Had they voted? No, I soon found out. They slapped their flat tummies and waved unmarked thumbs at you, waiting to be persuaded to vote. Thumbs for sale? Special party squads called Go-to-vote (GOTV), formed for special field operations, paced back and forth helpless. Almost depleted they made S.O.S calls for extra ration since the going was tough. Seated that day were the electoral officials plus party agents, who were often two and half in number but were representing 13 flag bearers. Even so, a few were doing charity work in the name of democracy. They had been implored to stretch their vigilance to cover flag bearers who could not afford hiring their own agents. Call them flag bearers with limited ribs. But party reps are to be pitied; they are often seated afar, indeed too far to monitor nimble fingers of EC officials. Indeed party agents have been trained to believe in the mantra, In Jean We Trust. A few yards away sat the security capo, often thin-legged and narrow-chested particularly if appointed through protocol. By protocol, is meant the employees father is a so-called big man at Jubilee, and could show you a red card if his boy is not appointed, and hurriedly promoted before the next government comes! At the time we voted, very few knew the likely outcome at 5pm; not even the eventual winners; and neither the religious prophets nor their academic counterparts ensconced in their cloisters. A marginal difference between the two Big Boys was possible. Not a knockout that would yank the grand elephant off its feet. Even as I write, several weeks after December 7, a good number of the elephant following are still in bed, not yet regained consciousness. A few tough guys have shed tears before me. Almost all parliamentary seats are gone, and the minority side of parliament is almost ready for a mushroom harvest. Indeed, Honorable awe. Nobody knew this was coming except one small box that stood quiet and alone, almost deserted at the polling station. That stuffed box takes all, hears all, knows all but talks not. They call it the Ballot Box. December 7; all eyes were rivetted on the little box that contained personal secrets of voters. Into it every voter had dropped their choice of candidate and walked away. But the little box knew those who voted against their own party; tenants who voted to shame their landlords; young boys who collected transport money from the Elephant and gave it to the Umbrella; wives who voted against husbands (for coming home late those campaign days); and middle aged men who entered the polling booth, only to say tweaa and exit. One thing, however was known to all. Weeks before the D-Day, parties had prayed and fasted all night, imploring the good Lord to give them the No. 1 spot on the ballot paper. If you were No.1, chances were that the typical Ogyakromian voter, after surviving a long queue, would wisely choose the top spot, and hurry home to eat. The song refrain hwe osor ho, look up there, was indeed meant as a relief tonic for the weary. Look up to Providence and all things shall be added. That was to seal the victory already lifted by the Elephant. Happily, the rival party, Umbrella, had been sentenced to No. 8, and was meant to suffer till eternity and out of frustration, go and sin here no more. Indeed any search for an obscure 8th image in hot harmattan weather, was itself a self-inflicted penalty. The Ballot Box, however, knew the whole truth: that being No. 1 on the ballot could simply mean, you would be the first to run home in tears. Thats why the Elephant arrived in the neighborhood to special Christmas greetings by the kids: Honorable Wawe, Honorable Wawe. kyankah@ashesi.edu.gh Featured Hundreds of LGBTQ couples tie the knot as Thailand officially legalises same-sex marriage bbc.com International News Jan - 23 - 2025 , 11:59 8 minutes read Hundreds of LGBTQ couples have already tied the knot as Thailand legalises same-sex marriage. When Thailand's long-awaited equal marriage law came into effect on Thursday, January 23, 2025, police officer Pisit "Kew" Sirihirunchai hoped to be among the first in line to marry his long-term partner Chanatip "Jane" Sirihirunchai. And he was - they were the sixth couple to register their union at one of Bangkok's grandest shopping malls, in an event city officials helped organise to celebrate this legal milestone. Hundreds of couples across Thailand received marriage certificates on Thursday, breaking into smiles or tearing up over the moment they had dreamed of for so long. Advertisement It was a pageant of colours and costumes as district officials hosted parties with photo booths and free cup cakes - one Bangkok district was giving air tickets to the first couple who registered their marriage there. Pisit "Kew" Sirihirunchai (L) and his partner Chanatip "Jane" Sirihirunchai smile while holding their marriage certificates "The rainbow flag is flying high over Thailand," Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra wrote on Facebook from Davos where she is attending the World Economic Forum. The two men have been together for seven years. Eager to formalise their relationship, they had previously been to a Buddhist monk to give them an auspicious new last name they can share Sirihirunchai. They had also asked local officials to issue a letter of intent, which they both signed, pledging to get married. But they said having their partnership recognised under Thai law is what they had been waiting for: "This is perfect for us. The law that protects our rights." Ploynaplus Chirasukon and Kwanporn Kongpetch - the first couple to be married at the Bangkok mall - said they were waiting 17 years for this day Until now, official documents listed Pisit and Chanatip as brothers. That way they could be a family in the eyes of the law. A marriage certificate means LGBTQ+ couples now have the same rights as any other couple to get engaged and married, to manage their assets, to inherit and to adopt children. They can also make decisions about medical treatment if their partner becomes ill and incapacitated, or extend financial benefits such as Pisit's government pension to their spouse. "We want to build a future together build a house, start a small business together, maybe a cafe," he adds, making a list of all that the law has enabled. "We want to build our future together and to take care of each other." The law, which passed in both houses of parliament in June last year before being endorsed by the Thai king in September, is a big step for LGBTQ+ rights. Thailand remains an outlier in Asia in recognising marriage equality - only Nepal and Taiwan have legalised same-sex unions. It's one reason why Aki Uryu, who is Japanese, moved to Bangkok to be with her partner. She said life is difficult for the LGBTQ+ community back home: "In Thailand, I can hold hands with my partner, walk together. No one says anything. It's just different. It feels right." After the two women married on Thursday, Aki said: "It is like I have started my new life." Watching them celebrate, along with so many other couples in a Bangkok mall, was Mr Zhang, a gay Chinese man who did not want to reveal his first name. "We're excited, we're also very jealous," he said. "Thailand is so close to China, but in another sense it's so far away." And yet, even in Thailand, with its famed tolerance towards LGBTQ+ people, activists say it took a sustained campaign to win legal recognition. A long wait "We've been waiting for this day for 18 years - the day everyone can recognise us openly, when we no longer need to be evasive or hide," 59-year-old Rungtiwa Thangkanopast, who will marry her partner of 18 years in May, told the BBC earlier this week. She had been in a marriage, arranged by her family, to a gay man, who later died. She had a daughter, through IVF, but after her husband's death began spending time, and later helping run, one of the first lesbian pubs in Bangkok. Then she met Phanlavee, who's now 45 and goes by her first name only. Rungtiwa (R) and Phanlavee are marrying in May but they took part in a government-sponsored event to raise awarness about marriage equality On Valentine's Day 2013 the two women went to the Bang Rak district office in central Bangkok to ask to be officially married - a popular place for marriage registration because the name in Thai means "Love Town". This was the time when LGBTQ+ couples began challenging the official view of marriage as an exclusively heterosexual partnership by attempting to get marriage certificates at district offices. There were around 400 heterosexual couples waiting with them on that day. Rungtiwa and Phanlavee were refused, and the Thai media mocked their effort, using derogatory slang for lesbians. Activists said they were hoping to cross the 1,448-mark for registrations by the end of Thursday - 1448 is the clause in the Thai Civil Code covering the definition of marriage. "We have been ready for such a long time," Pisit said. "We have just been waiting for the law to catch up and support us." The two men have been together for seven years. Eager to formalise their relationship, they had previously been to a Buddhist monk to give them an auspicious new last name they can share Sirihirunchai. They had also asked local officials to issue a letter of intent, which they both signed, pledging to get married. But they said having their partnership recognised under Thai law is what they had been waiting for: "This is perfect for us. The law that protects our rights." Until now, official documents listed Pisit and Chanatip as brothers. That way they could be a family in the eyes of the law. A marriage certificate means LGBTQ+ couples now have the same rights as any other couple to get engaged and married, to manage their assets, to inherit and to adopt children. They can also make decisions about medical treatment if their partner becomes ill and incapacitated, or extend financial benefits such as Pisit's government pension to their spouse. "We want to build a future together build a house, start a small business together, maybe a cafe," he adds, making a list of all that the law has enabled. "We want to build our future together and to take care of each other." The law, which passed in both houses of parliament in June last year before being endorsed by the Thai king in September, is a big step for LGBTQ+ rights. Thailand remains an outlier in Asia in recognising marriage equality - only Nepal and Taiwan have legalised same-sex unions. It's one reason why Aki Uryu, who is Japanese, moved to Bangkok to be with her partner. She said life is difficult for the LGBTQ+ community back home: "In Thailand, I can hold hands with my partner, walk together. No one says anything. It's just different. It feels right." After the two women married on Thursday, Aki said: "It is like I have started my new life." Watching them celebrate, along with so many other couples in a Bangkok mall, was Mr Zhang, a gay Chinese man who did not want to reveal his first name. "We're excited, we're also very jealous," he said. "Thailand is so close to China, but in another sense it's so far away." And yet, even in Thailand, with its famed tolerance towards LGBTQ+ people, activists say it took a sustained campaign to win legal recognition. A long wait "We've been waiting for this day for 18 years - the day everyone can recognise us openly, when we no longer need to be evasive or hide," 59-year-old Rungtiwa Thangkanopast, who will marry her partner of 18 years in May, told the BBC earlier this week. She had been in a marriage, arranged by her family, to a gay man, who later died. She had a daughter, through IVF, but after her husband's death began spending time, and later helping run, one of the first lesbian pubs in Bangkok. Then she met Phanlavee, who's now 45 and goes by her first name only. On Valentine's Day 2013 the two women went to the Bang Rak district office in central Bangkok to ask to be officially married - a popular place for marriage registration because the name in Thai means "Love Town". This was the time when LGBTQ+ couples began challenging the official view of marriage as an exclusively heterosexual partnership by attempting to get marriage certificates at district offices. There were around 400 heterosexual couples waiting with them on that day. Rungtiwa and Phanlavee were refused, and the Thai media mocked their effort, using derogatory slang for lesbians. Featured Sun owner to pay Prince Harry 'substantial' damages BBC International News Jan - 22 - 2025 , 22:17 5 minutes read The publisher of the Sun newspaper has agreed to pay "substantial damages" and apologised to the Duke of Sussex to settle a long-running legal battle over claims of unlawful intrusion into his life. Prince Harry alleged journalists and private investigators working for News Group Newspapers (NGN) used unlawful techniques to pry on his private life - and executives then allegedly covered it up. NGN apologised for "serious intrusion" by the Sun between 1996 and 2011, and admitted "incidents of unlawful activity" were carried out by private investigators working for the newspaper, in a statement read out in court. It also apologised for distress it caused Harry through the "extensive coverage" and "serious intrusion" into the private life of his late mother, Princess Diana. The BBC understands the settlements to both Prince Harry and former Labour deputy leader Lord Tom Watson have cost NGN more than 10m in pay outs and legal fees. Advertisement In total NGN has spent upwards of 1bn in damages and costs to those who claim their phones were hacked and their privacy invaded by the News of the World and the Sun. When he launched his claim, the prince alleged that more than 200 articles published by NGN between 1996 and 2011 contained information gathered by illegal means. He repeatedly said he wanted the case to go to trial so that he could get "accountability" for other alleged victims of unlawful newsgathering. NGN was "surprised by the serious approach by Prince Harry for settlement in recent days", a source told the BBC. A source close to the Duke of Sussex responded that the apology "provides all the insight you need". Speaking outside court on behalf of Prince Harry, his barrister David Sherborne described the settlement as a "monumental victory", and said NGN had been "finally held to account for its illegal actions and its blatant disregard for the law". Lord Watson, meanwhile, had alleged his phone was targeted around the time he was investigating newspapers owned by Rupert Murdoch while an MP, at the height of the phone-hacking scandal almost 15 years ago. NGN also issued an apology to Lord Watson for intrusion into his private life by those working for the News of the World, including "being placed under surveillance" by journalists and people instructed by them. NGN said in a statement its settlement "draws a line under the past" and "brings an end to this litigation". It added: "Lord Watson's phone was not hacked in 2009-11 and had this gone to trial, NGN would have called evidence from telecoms experts to demonstrate that hacking after 2007 was nigh on impossible due to security upgrades undertaken by telecoms companies." The apology also covers incidents of unlawful activities carried out by private investigators working for the Sun newspaper from 1996-2011, the statement said - but "not by journalists". The references to the Sun in the apology were key, as without it the prince would not have settled. NGN has already apologised for unlawful practices at the now-defunct News of the World, but previously denied similar claims against the Sun - as well as Prince Harry's wider allegation of a corporate-wide cover-up. While it admitted no illegality, NGN acknowledged in its apology that its response to the arrests in 2006 of News of the World staff who hacked royal phones and those of celebrities - and its subsequent actions - were "regrettable". Journalist Clive Goodman and Glenn Mulcaire, a private investigator, were later jailed for intercepting voicemails on phones belonging to the princes' aides. After the settlement was announced, Lord Watson told reporters: "I wish they had left my family alone. Today, I'm glad they have finally accepted responsibility." Describing the snooping by NGN staff as "industrial in scale", he said its owner Rupert Murdoch should offer "a personal apology" to Prince Harry, as well as any others affected. Lord Watson added that the legal team behind the case would pass a dossier to the Metropolitan Police. A Met spokesperson said it noted the outcome of the case, adding that there were "no active police investigations into allegations of phone hacking or related matters". By agreeing to a settlement, NGN has avoided eight weeks of slowly revealed allegations. Now the court will not test the claims that senior executives deliberately obstructed justice by deleting emails and taking part in a cover up of evidence. This is "strongly denied" by NGN. And there will not be damaging headlines about press intrusion into the royal family and the heart of government. Princess Diana's brother, Earl Spencer, said "it's just wonderful that Harry fought for, and gained, an apology to his mother". "She would be incredibly touched at that and rightly proud," he said in a post on X. Former editor of the Sun, Kelvin MacKenzie, said it would have been "massively damaging" had the company's chief executive Rebekah Brooks been forced to give evidence at a trial. Speaking to BBC Radio 4's The World at One programme, he said he was "astonished" by NGN's admissions in its statement. "There was always going to come a day like this, and [Prince] Harry's pursued it. [NGN] are on the back foot and there is probably nothing else they could do." Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy said it was "a significant day and a big relief" for the two claimants. She told The World At One she did not believe a second-stage Leveson inquiry into press practices was "fit for purpose", but said families from the Hacked Off campaign group were preparing a "thorough briefing" about the changes they believe are required. She said the government had to work with the families and the media to make sure "we strike that right balance and we protect a free and fair press". Harry was 12 when his mother, the Princess of Wales, was killed in a car crash in a Paris tunnel while being followed by paparazzi. He has suggested tabloid newspapers played a role in her death. Last year he said the tabloid press had been "central" to the breakdown of his relationship with the rest of the Royal Family. He has also settled a case against Mirror Group Newspapers alleging the publishers had gathered information on him in unlawful ways from 1996 to 2010. credit: BBC Featured Ahmed Suale Murder: GJA gives authorities March 2025 ultimatum for update Kweku Zurek Jan - 23 - 2025 , 07:04 4 minutes read The Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) has issued an ultimatum to authorities to provide a concrete update on the investigation into the murder of investigative journalist Ahmed Suale by the end of March 2025. Speaking at a news conference in Accra on Wednesday, GJA President Albert Kwabena Dwumfour expressed the Association's dissatisfaction with the lack of progress in the six years since Suales assassination. If by the end of March 2025, we have not seen or heard satisfactory reaction to our demand, we shall proceed to the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Community Court of Justice to seek resolution of this matter, Mr Dwumfour stated. He condemned the failure to arrest any suspects despite the time elapsed and highlighted concerns about the polices handling of the case. Advertisement What is even more disheartening is the lackadaisical police investigations into the murder. You may recall the shocking disclosure made by the former Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, Godfred Yeboah Dame, in February 2024 that his office had not received from the Police any docket fit for prosecution or action on the murder of Ahmed Suale. This was five years after the murder of the investigative journalist, he added. Allegations and new leads The GJAs demand follows recent claims by Member of Parliament for Gomoa Central, Kwame Asare-Obeng (popularly known as A-Plus), that he had provided the Police Criminal Investigations Department (CID) with information regarding suspected killers of Ahmed Suale. He went further to threaten that if the Police did not come public with investigations into the killing, he would be compelled to publish the name of the suspect he submitted to the Police, Mr Dwumfour revealed. The comments have raised questions about the willingness and capacity of the police to resolve the case, sparking widespread concern among journalists and advocates for press freedom. GJAs broader push for justice The GJA also intends to take the case of journalist Latif Iddrisu, formerly of Multimedia, to the ECOWAS Community Court of Justice if there is no concrete action from the police by the March 2025 deadline. Latif was brutally assaulted by unidentified police officers in 2018 while covering a demonstration at the headquarters of the Criminal Investigations Department. The assault left him with a damaged skull, and he has since battled for his life. The Police claim they do not have or cannot find evidence for prosecution. They further claim the CCTV at the crime scene was faulty on that fateful day Latif was assaulted. The Police are saying since crime has no expiry date, anytime or day they would find evidence, they would initiate prosecution. We shall proceed to the ECOWAS Community Court of Justice to hear what they will also say on this case, Mr Dwumfour said. He called on the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), the Attorney-General and Minister of Justice-designate, and President John Dramani Mahama to take a keen interest in both cases. International support The Federation of African Journalists (FAJ) has thrown its weight behind the GJAs demand for justice. FAJ President Omar Faruk Osman stated that the Federation is closely monitoring the impunity surrounding attacks on journalists in Ghana, particularly the murder of Ahmed Suale. The Federation stands in full support of GJA to speak against impunity. We will not hesitate to take the matter to international forums, the International Court of Justice, and the UN Council if the Police fail to bring justice to Ahmed Suale, his family, and all journalists, he said. Legal preparedness The GJA General Secretary Kofi Yeboah disclosed that the Association had sought legal advice and would escalate the matter to the ECOWAS Court if the authorities fail to act. We do not appreciate the response from the Police, hence the need to go to the ECOWAS Court should the need arise, Mr Yeboah said, reiterating the Associations commitment to pursuing justice for Ahmed Suale and other journalists. Featured Emelia Arthur: Minister-Designate for fisheries vows to address EU Yellow Card on illegal fishing GraphicOnline Jan - 23 - 2025 , 09:09 2 minutes read The Minister-Designate for Fisheries and Aquaculture, Emelia Arthur, has pledged to take swift action to resolve the European Unions concerns over illegal fishing activities, which have earned Ghana a "Yellow Card." Appearing before Parliaments Appointments Committee on Wednesday, January 22, Arthur emphasised the governments commitment to aligning the nations fisheries regulations with international standards to restore compliance and secure Ghanas seafood exports to the EU market. Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated (IUU) activities in fisheries have earned Ghana a Yellow Card. The EU outlined a number of things that need to be sorted out so that the Yellow Card will be lifted. It is my understanding that those activities have begun, she stated. Arthur announced plans to revise the Fisheries Act (Act 625) as part of measures to address the issue. She noted that the current legislation inadequately addresses inland fisheries and aquaculture, which are critical to meeting the EUs requirements. Advertisement We have to do the right things so that the trade will go on for the foreign exchange to come, she said, stressing the urgency of the matter to protect the fishing industry, which contributes significantly to Ghanas economy. Arthur revealed that the Yellow Card significantly impacts industrial fishers, particularly those involved in tuna exportsa sector that generates nearly $400 million annually for the country. The EUs Yellow Card serves as a warning that Ghana risks losing access to the European seafood market if it fails to combat illegal fishing in its exclusive economic zone. A "Red Card," the next step in the EUs sanctions, would result in trade restrictions on seafood exports, severely affecting Ghanas economy and the livelihoods of thousands in the fishing industry. In 2021, the European Union issued Ghana a second Yellow Card, citing inadequate efforts to combat illegal fishing. Virginijus Sinkevicius, the European Commissioner for Environment, Maritime Affairs, and Fisheries, expressed concern over Ghanas failure to implement necessary measures to meet international standards. With Ghana producing an estimated 448,200 metric tons of seafood annually, addressing the EUs concerns is crucial to safeguarding both marine resources and the countrys access to global markets. Arthur highlighted the urgency of resolving the situation, underscoring the importance of sustainable fisheries management. She committed to working with stakeholders to implement necessary reforms, protect Ghanas fishing industry, and maintain its position in the global seafood market. Her assurances offer hope for an industry that is not only vital to Ghanas economy but also to the livelihoods of millions of citizens who depend on fisheries for sustenance and income. Featured Opare Addo: Minister Designate advocates alternative livelihoods to combat illegal mining GraphicOnline Jan - 23 - 2025 , 08:43 2 minutes read The Minister Designate for Youth Development and Empowerment, George Opare Addo, has stressed the urgent need to provide alternative livelihoods for residents in mining communities as a sustainable solution to the pervasive issue of illegal mining, known locally as galamsey. Appearing before Parliaments Appointments Committee, Opare Addo, popularly known as Pablo, highlighted the deep connection between poverty and illegal mining in Ghana's resource-rich areas. He called for a paradigm shift towards sustainable mining practices that would protect the environment while fostering long-term development. There is a Ghana we all want. I want a Ghana where illegal mining is not a part of but we do mining in a manner which is sustainable and wont degrade the environment in any way. I believe that is also the vision of John Dramani Mahama, Opare Addo stated. Tackling root causes Opare Addo underscored that poverty often drives residents of mining communities to engage in illegal mining. To address this, he proposed implementing alternative livelihood programs aimed at reducing poverty and creating sustainable employment opportunities. Advertisement We must eradicate poverty from the areas we find ourselves, and if we have been able to do that effectively, by giving them alternative livelihood, we may bring an end to illegal mining, he said. Shifting mindsets and practices The minister designate also stressed the need to change the mindset of young people involved in mining by encouraging them to adopt modern, sustainable practices. For young people who want to go into mining, we have to reset their minds. There is an old way that they have done things, and we must re-engage them to change from the old way they have done things, he explained. Opare Addo pledged to collaborate closely with the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources to explore sustainable mining strategies. We are going to work together with the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources to look at sustainable ways of mining. Wherever there is gold and there is poverty, people will find a way of getting under the ground to find the gold, he remarked. The nominees approach aligns with the vision of President John Dramani Mahama to address the galamsey issue by providing viable alternatives for communities dependent on illegal mining. By focusing on poverty eradication and sustainable economic activities, Opare Addo aims to not only tackle the environmental degradation caused by galamsey but also to ensure a better future for residents of mining areas. Featured President Mahama explains relocation of ISD under the Presidency Beatrice Laryea Jan - 23 - 2025 , 14:02 2 minutes read President John Dramani Mahama has provided clarity on why the Information Services Department (ISD) was moved to be under the presidency as part of the 23 newly announced ministries. The President stated that the decision was partly aimed at streamlining the government machinery, aligning with a key promise from the National Democratic Congress campaign manifesto in preparation for the 2024 general elections. He shared this reasoning during a meeting with a delegation from the Institute of Public Relations-Ghana at the Jubilee House on Wednesday, January 22, 2025. "With regards to government communications, you will notice that there is no Information Ministry in the line-up of 23 ministries that we recently announced. That was partly in response to our promise to downsize government," he explained. Advertisement "But then it also meant that we have to be very strategic how we dealt, especially with the flow of information from government because that is critical to the success of whatever we intend to do," the President added. He continued: "So the structure we put in place was to bring information into the presidency and that is how come we have a Minister of State in charge of government communications." The President also emphasized that the new structure is supported by a team of communication experts, who will ensure that information regarding government activities, particularly in key sectors, is regularly communicated to the public. "And then to make sure that we are able to anchor it with a string of strong communication professionals in the most critical sectors so that we are able to guarantee as much information flow to the public as possible," he stated. "One of the things that is remain to be done is to bring the Information Services Department under the presidency and modernise that organisation from a civil service organisation into a modern organisation that gives guaranteed information flow to the public in respect of whatever government is doing," he added. Next article: Govt to provide incentives for agribusinesses to produce raw materials - Trade Minister designate discloses Featured Swift action prevented power outages during gas pipeline shutdown - Mahama Gertrude Ankah Jan - 23 - 2025 , 12:27 1 minute read President John Dramani Mahama says his administrations swift and proactive measures have averted a looming energy crisis caused by scheduled maintenance on the West African Gas Pipeline, a key fuel source for Ghana's thermal power plants. According to him, his government arranged alternative fuel supplies in advance to prevent power outages during the pipeline shutdown. He made the announcement during the swearing-in of six newly appointed ministers at the Jubilee House on Wednesday, January 22. Stressing the risks posed by the maintenance work, President Mahama criticised the previous administration for failing to secure the energy sectors stability. Advertisement The previous government failed to ensure the smooth running of the energy sector by neglecting to arrange enough fuel to power our thermal plants, the President said. He added that the decisive action taken by his team ensured uninterrupted energy supply. Through determined efforts, we have successfully mitigated the threat of power outages by delivering fuel to thermal plants in advance, he said. The President also commended Energy Minister John Jinapor for his effective leadership in resolving the crisis. He reiterated his administrations commitment to maintaining a lean government with no more than 60 ministers. Next article: Ho Central MP condemns attack on constituency office by arsonists Navigating Constitutional Review: A comparative analysis of Mills and Mahamas reform efforts Dr Samuel Kofi Darkwa Politics Jan - 23 - 2025 , 09:57 5 minutes read Ghana stands at a critical juncture in its democratic evolution, marked by ongoing discussions surrounding the countrys 1992 Constitution. Two central figures in this journey, former President John Evans Atta Mills and President John Dramani Mahama have each led distinct efforts to review and amend this foundational document. Although both leaders aimed to enhance democratic governance, their approaches and frameworks reveal differing priorities and methodologiesinsights that are essential as Ghana navigates its path towards a more accountable and representative democracy. President Mills introduced the Constitutional Review Commission in 2010, establishing a platform that prioritised inclusivity and broad societal representation. Advertisement Comprising nine members drawn from various sectors, including traditional leadership, law, academia, religion, and civil society, the Commission aimed to incorporate a diverse range of perspectives. Traditional leaders like Kumbun-Naa Yiri II and Osabarimba Kwesi Atta II played a crucial role, echoing the necessity of integrating customary governance structures into the constitutional framework. This breadth of representation was indicative of Mills commitment to achieving consensus among multiple stakeholders, intending to foster a democratic ethos that reflects the complexities of Ghanaian society. Distinct approaches In contrast, President Mahama has initiated a Constitutional Review Committee with a more focused mandate. The Committees primary goal is to address specific gaps and challenges identified in previous reviews and to engage stakeholders in proposing actionable recommendations. The Committee consists of seven members (exclusive of the secretary), including legal experts, academics and a media professional. While the body is smaller than Mills Commission, its concentration of expertise allowed for a targeted approach to addressing pressing constitutional issues. Notably, the Committee is headed by Professor H. Kwasi Prempeh, a well-respected legal authority and civil society advocate. His appointment signals Mahamas consensus-seeking strategy, as it combines expert knowledge with a willingness to engage voices that may have been critical of him. One significant aspect of the composition of both bodies is their gender representation. Mahamas Committee saw a more balanced gender distribution, with three women and four men, compared to Mills two women and seven men. This modernised approach can be interpreted as a reflection of Mahamas administration, which included Ghanas first female Vice President, Professor Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang. The commitment to gender equality not only enriches the constitutional dialogue but also promotes the inclusion of womens perspectives, ensuring that discussions on governance reflect the entirety of Ghanaian society. Ahead of the review process, differing research findings emerged concerning the election of Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs). CDD-Ghana, chaired by Professor H. Kwasi Prempeh, reported strong public support for the election of MMDCEs, though with resistance to elections on partisan lines. Conversely, the Institute for Democratic Governance advocates for partisan elections, citing the current non-partisan framework as ineffective in fostering civic engagement and accountability. These opposing perspectives highlight the expectation of a vibrant democratic debate that will enrich the process. Critics may argue that Mahamas choice of Prempeh as chair of the Committee indicates a selection tendency towards viewpoints aligned with the governments stance on key governance issues. Even so, the decision to appoint a notable critic within civil society suggests a broader willingness to accommodate dissent and diversify the discourse surrounding constitutional reform. The varied backgrounds of Committee membersspanning fields such as governance, law, election administration and mediareinforce the notion that their findings will echo the multifaceted realities of Ghanaian citizens. In analysing the broader implications of these distinct approaches, a few salient points emerge. Prof. Mills expansive method attempted to build consensus through inclusive dialogue, with an overarching ambition to unify disparate voices in the pursuit of national agreement. On the other hand, Mr Mahamas expert-focused strategy aimed to provide tangible solutions to identified challenges, prioritising swift and actionable recommendations over broad consensus. Each strategy contains inherent strengths; while consensus-building can foster social cohesion, targeted reforms expedite the process of addressing urgent governance issues. The interplay of these methodologies speaks not only to the evolution of governance in Ghana but also to the increasing complexity of the nations democratic fabric. As citizens become more vocal about their rights and expectations, the need for responsive and representative governance becomes ever more critical. Lessons drawn from both Prof. Mills and Mr Mahamas initiatives can inform future constitutional deliberations, especially as Ghana seeks to embrace its diverse citizenry and strengthen democratic institutions. Inclusion As the nation continues to grapple with the implications of constitutional reform, it is essential to recognise the significance of inclusion, engagement and evidence-based decision-making. The aspirations for a robust and equitable democratic governance system in Ghana will require the foundation of informed dialogue, reflecting the myriad voices of its citizens. By critically analysing contrasting approaches and embracing differences, Ghana stands poised to forge a more inclusive political future. In conclusion, the ongoing discourse surrounding constitution reform as spearheaded by Prof. Mills and Mr Mahama remains a vital cornerstone of Ghanas democratic journey. Emphasising different strategies, both leaders have contributed uniquely to shaping the narrative of governance in the country. As stakeholders continue to engage in this crucial dialogue, the lessons drawn from their contrasting histories will undoubtedly guide Ghana towards a more democratic and responsive governance framework. The writer is a political scientist. These are the best offers from our affiliate partners. We may get a commission from qualifying sales. Con artists posing as agents from the Internal Revenue Service are once again preying on Guam residents, enticing them with clickbait text messages about receiving $1,400 as part of an Economic Impact Payment, EIP, according to the Department of Revenue and Taxation. The scam then asks the recipient to reply using the link provided and enter their personal information. DRT on Thursday issued a warning against texts with links that ask for personal identifying or banking information. While a link may look legitimate, imposters will oftentimes alter it very slightly so that it is not visible at first glance, DRT said. Do not let con artists use you for their financial gain, or to glean your personal information and use it as part of another scam they are involved in, DRT Director Marie Lizama said in a statement. The department is not currently issuing EIPs. The last EIP issued was in 2021. DRT said it does not ever send text messages to Guam residents asking for personal or banking information, nor do they relay information about the status of potential refunds or payments through text messages. On its website, https://www.irs.gov/help/tax-scams, the IRS cautions consumers about scams, fraud, and identity theft. Residents are advised to visit their website for more. For further information, call DRTs Call Center at (671) 635-1840/1841/7651 or email pinadmin@revtax.guam.gov. As far as the Guam Fire Department has come over the last four decades, Guams new Fire Chief Daren Burrier wants to keep the agency on the cutting edge, all to benefit the community. Burrier officially took the helm of Guams emergency first responders during an investiture held Wednesday at Adelup. Gov. Lou Leon Guerrero conferred the appropriate insignia to his crisp starched uniform shirt, a uniform that he has proudly worn since his very first days on Guam as an Andersen Air Force Base firefighter. The career fireman and leader of firefighters and medical technicians surrounded by his family, his fire chiefs and the departments newest recruits said he was humbled to be entrusted with Guams league of lifesavers. He said he was greatly influenced by Guams firefighters when he arrived. They were the leathery roughnecks who thought nothing of puffing a cigarette while extinguishing a building fire. Thankfully things have progressed since then, with safety as our priority. Many of them had these pearls of wisdom to pass on to me. I was more than happy to learn from everyone that could provide any information to me. Im still that way today. Even as a fire chief, I still believe that a new firefighter can teach me something, he said. Burrier has been a longtime assistant fire chief, most recently commanding the EMS/Special Operations Bureau. He literally worked his way from the ground up, joining the 11th Fire Cycle in 1989 and eventually assumed a role as both leader and instructor on Guam and the rest of Micronesia. As the current chief, Burrier hopes to strengthen the go program, which just started. Beefing up that program will improve the departments ability to respond to rescues, and help with fire prevention, too. Another area Burrier said he is looking forward to is the clinical-based paramedic, who would fill the gap between discharged patients and secondary care providers. He would target at-risk patients and follow them with a 90-day program so that theres no break in care and attention. Burrier also shared the story that resulted in his return to Guam for good. He said that the morning he arrived on Guam, he borrowed a bike and rode from Andersen to the old Hornet Sporting Goods. Along the way, he saw a coastline that stopped his breath. It was the most beautiful view I had ever seen, he said. And from that point, I just fell in love with the island. U.S. CEOs launch war rooms, hotlines to cope with Trump's order blitz Xinhua) 10:55, January 23, 2025 NEW YORK, Jan. 22 (Xinhua) -- The blitz of executive orders and memos from U.S. President Donald Trump left business leaders scrambling to make sense of sweeping changes to tax, immigration, trade and energy policies. "There's probably some shock and awe on day one," The Wall Street Journal on Wednesday quoted Nick Studer, chief executive of Oliver Wyman, a management-consulting firm, as saying. Trump is "at the peak of his power now," and more will become clear as the administration gets into governing, said Studer, adding that few companies fully grasp the impact of potential tariffs. Many of Trump's first-day moves were expected, and there were few details on some of the biggest topics, including deportations. Some of the orders are already being challenged in court. The initial orders didn't impose any tariffs, though Trump told reporters he planned to put 25 percent duties on imports from Mexico and Canada on Feb. 1. "Some executives will be watching Trump's confrontational turn in long-running global corporate tax negotiations and his warning of potential retaliation against foreign taxes that the U.S. could deem unfair or discriminatory," noted the report. Many companies remain concerned about changes to immigration policies. The law firm Fisher Phillips on Tuesday launched a rapid-response immigration team, made up of attorneys across the firm, to deal with an onslaught of client questions and concerns, it added. (Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Zhong Wenxing) Haiti - Politic : Brief visit of Colombian President Gustavo Petro Colombian President Gustavo Petro traveled to Jacmel, Haiti on Wednesday, January 22, 2025, for an official visit that is distinguished both by its historical importance and by the opportunity to strengthen relations between the two nations. With a delay of nearly 7 hours, the military plane carrying Colombian President Gustavo Petro and his delegation arrived at Jacmel airport around 3:50 a.m. where he was greeted with full honors and protocol on the tarmac by Leslie Voltaire, President pro tempore of the Transitional Council and numerous authorities and personalities in a large security presence deployed by the Haitian National Police and several special units. The two presidents and their delegations then went under escort to the Manoir Hadriana Hotel for a binational Council of Ministers. After more than an hour of discussions, in key areas such as agriculture, trade and culture. These discussions aimed to promote joint projects that promote sustainable development, the exchange of technical knowledge and the strengthening of local economies, a cooperation agreement was signed between the two countries. Several sectoral Memoranda of Understanding were also signed between ministers of the two countries, among others in the sectors of agriculture and food security, defense and trade relations. Nothing has filtered out about the content of the cooperation in defense and security. After the Council of Ministers, President Petro was taken to the house where Simon Bolivar lived when he received help from Alexandre Petion to liberate Latin America The agenda of the day was profoundly modified and shortened due to President Petro's delay due to the violent guerrilla clashes in his country. After Simon Bolivar's house, they went to the public square dedicated to the two fathers of Pan-Americanism for the unveiling of the busts of Alexandre Petion and Simon Bolivar. The ceremony ended on the wharf of Jacmel with a press briefing where President Petro delivered a speech in Spanish of nearly 16 minutes. Excerpts in French from President Petros speech, delivered in Spanish "[...] We are exactly where Francisco Miranda and Simon Bolivar, full of dreams and perhaps fears, left. They slept here, in this village. They sought support, found it, and then set out to conquer freedom on our continent, in our lands, our mountains, our plains, and our magnificent beaches. They announced to the world that the hour of freedom had arrived, inspired by you, the Haitian people, who carried out one of the greatest and most profound revolutions in the world. A revolution that we forget today, that we try to hide, by thinking that the revolutions were made by white people, over there in Paris, in Moscow, or in Washington. But history forgets that a black revolution raised its flag here to break one of the worst forms of slavery [...] [...] I want to thank you for helping my America, my Colombia, achieve freedom. You even gave us our flag. [...] inspired by the Haitian revolution. Its blue and red color do not only represent the sky or the blood shed for freedom. These colors also symbolize your flag and your revolution. [...]" The Colombian president and his delegation left Jacmel for Colombia around 7:00 p.m. SL/ HaitiLibre Haiti - FLASH : UN warns of risk of gangs taking over all of Port-au-Prince (Report) UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has urged the international community to provide urgent additional financial support to the Mission to prevent gangs from taking over the entire metropolitan area of Port-au-Prince... In his latest report on the situation in Haiti, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has once again urged the international community to provide urgent additional financial support to the Mission to prevent gangs from taking over the entire metropolitan area of Port-au-Prince, which would cause the complete collapse of the authority of the Haitian State... Excerpt from the Secretary-Generals report : "[...] Six months since the arrival of the first contingent, the Multinational Security Support Mission is still not deployed to full strength. It is therefore limited in its operational capability to support the national police. The Mission must be immediately strengthened with personnel and equipment, and sustainable levels of financing, to be able to fully deliver on its mandate. "[...] I reiterate my call for the international community to urgently provide additional financial support to sustain the Mission and ensure the achievement of its objectives. "[...] Time is of the essence. Any further delays or operational gaps in providing international security support to the national police, whether through the Multinational Security Support Mission or bilateral assistance, carry the risk of a catastrophic collapse of national security institutions. This could allow the gangs to overrun the entire metropolitan area, resulting in a complete breakdown of State authority and rendering international operations, including those to support communities in need, in the country untenable. We must urgently do everything in our power to prevent such an outcome. [] Download the full report of Secretary-General Antonio Guterres (PDF in Englisg 19 pages) : https://www.haitilibre.com/docs/UN-SG-Report-on-Haiti-13-January-2025.pdf HL/ HaitiLibre Haiti - Politic : Intervention of the Haitian Chancellor at the Security Council On Wednesday, January 22, 2025, Haitian Chancellor Jean-Victor Harvel Jean-Baptiste participated in a meeting of the United Nations Security Council in New York, devoted to the socio-political and security situation in Haiti. This session aimed to provide an update on the latest developments regarding the security and political challenges facing Haiti. In his speech, Chancellor Jean-Baptiste highlighted the significant progress made in terms of security by the Haitian National Police (PNH), with the support of the Multinational Security Support Mission (MMSS). However, he stressed that these advances, although notable, require more robust and structured support to ensure their sustainability. The Minister once again advocated for the transformation of the MMSS into a United Nations Peacekeeping Operation in Haiti. He recalled that each day of inaction worsens the suffering of bereaved families, women living in fear and young people whose dreams are shattered by armed violence. "The distress of families mourning their children, terrorized women and young people deprived of a prosperous future can no longer wait. We urge the international community to act now, because time is a luxury that our Nation can no longer afford." A clear convergence emerged among the members of the Security Council in favor of increased support to help the country resolve the security crisis in a lasting way. In addition to the fifteen members of the Security Council, this meeting also saw the intervention of several international partners, including the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the Dominican Republic, Colombia, the Ambassador of Canada, the Ambassador of Suriname, representing the 14 CARICOM countries, as well as the Ambassador of Kenya. All expressed their support for the Haitian cause and their willingness to contribute to a lasting solution. "The Haitian Government reaffirms its commitment to work with its regional and international partners to meet the legitimate aspirations of the Haitian people to live in a climate of peace, security and prosperity. Through this unprecedented mobilization, Haiti remains determined to work for the restoration of the rule of law and to lay the foundations for a better future for all," concluded Chancellor Jean-Baptiste. HL/ HaitiLibre Haiti - USA : Remarks by Ambassador Dorothy Shea to the UN Security Council on Haiti "[...] Special Representative of the Secretary-General Salvador, thank you for your presentation and for the efforts of the United Nations Integrated Office in Haiti (BINUH) team. https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-44121-haiti-un-dark-report-on-the-situation-in-haiti.html . And I also thank UNODC Executive Director Waly for your briefing. It is clear from these briefings that Haiti continues to face significant challenges in both governance and security. The transitional government should prioritize governance over competing personal and political interests. Now is not the time for political infighting. We encourage the Transitional Presidential Council to continue working with BINUH to support the political transition and the people of Haiti. That includes working together in setting the conditions for free and fair elections. We strongly encourage Haitian efforts aimed at addressing corruption allegations and promoting transparency and accountability. These measures are essential for the transition government to maintain the trust of the Haitian people. Ensuring that women and youth meaningfully participate in the political process is also important, and we encourage BINUH to continue its work in this regard. On the security side, gang violence is rampant. Coordinated attacks by gangs have forced tens of thousands of residents from their homes and continue at very alarming levels, including targeted killings, mass rapes, kidnappings, forced recruitment, exploitation, and trafficking of children by gangs. The United States condemns the ongoing attacks and escalation of gang violence in Port-au-Prince and throughout the country. Gang brutality continues to terrorize the Haitian people, cutting off necessary lifelines, including humanitarian assistance. Colleagues, in September, the Security Council designated Prophane Victor and Luckson Elan for asset freezes and travel bans. We commend the efforts of the MSS led by Kenya in assisting the Haitian people to stabilize the situation and we encourage international donors to increase their funding support. Now more than ever, the security situation needs to be improved. Working closely with the HNP, the MSS mission has worked to protect residents of several areas, and to repel gangs, capture weapons and eliminate multiple gang members. We welcome the comprehensive assessment that the UN is currently undertaking. And we look forward to the Secretary-Generals report on the full range of options on roles the UN can play to address the crisis. For our part, the United States is deploying every tool at our disposal and we are working closely with BINUH, the Haitian government, the MSS mission, and the international community to drive progress forward. To support the people of Haiti amidst this multidimensional crisis, Haiti needs humanitarian assistance to provide immediate life-saving services. We call on all involved to respect humanitarian organizations, which are in Haiti to impartially provide emergency food assistance, health care, and other life-saving aid to all of those in need. Mr. President, in closing, the Haitian people must have the security and freedom to engage in daily activities without fear whether its going to work, school, or a house of worship. The United States remains determined to assist the Haitian people achieve the peace, security, and prosperity that they deserve. I thank you." See also : https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-44123-haiti-politic-intervention-of-the-haitian-chancellor-at-the-security-council.html https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-44121-haiti-un-dark-report-on-the-situation-in-haiti.html https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-44120-haiti-flash-un-warns-of-risk-of-gangs-taking-over-all-of-port-au-prince-report.html https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-44066-haiti-flash-more-than-a-million-people-in-haiti-have-been-displaced-by-violence-2024.html https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-43284-haiti-us-sanctions-a-former-deputy-and-a-gang-leader-on-the-list.html HL/ HaitiLibre Haiti - News : Zapping... Spirit Airlines announces the resumption of flights to Cap-Haitien Suspended since November 2024 after shots were fired at several planes at Toussaint Louverture International Airport https://www.icihaiti.com/en/news-43623-icihaiti-insecurity-the-ministry-of-justice-condemns-the-shootings-on-planes.html , the airline Spirit Airlines announces that it will resume its direct flights between Fort Lauderdale (FLL) and Cap-Haitien as of March 5, 2025. PAP : Voltaire discusses a security plan for the airport Lesly Voltaire, the President pro tempore of the Transition Council, announced that a security plan for Toussaint Louverture Airport, developed based on the recommendations of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), is progressing and will soon be in operation, without specify date... This plan provides for 24/7 control by law enforcement over a perimeter of more than two kilometers around the airport. Russia does not believe in elections in Haiti in 2025 At the Security Council, the Russian Federation declared that it considers the prospect of elections in Haiti this year to be an illusion. "The transitional authorities have not been able to convince Haitians of their legitimacy and effectiveness." For his part, Andre Gracien Jean, Haitian Minister responsible for electoral and constitutional issues in Haiti, assures "The elections will inevitably take place during the year 2025." USA : Trump authorizes discrimination Donald Trump revoked the 1965 Equal Employment Opportunity Act. This law prohibited any discrimination in hiring based on race, religion, skin color, sex or nationality. FLASH : Youry Vixamar show On Friday, January 24, 2025, we invite you to attend in large numbers the show "Dekolonizasyon", presented at the French Institute in Haiti from 4:00 p.m. under the direction of Youry Vixamar. Inspired by his album "Dekolonizasyon", this show offers a musical fusion mixing Afro-Pop and voodoo rhythms. Guided by the drum, an emblematic symbol of Haitian heritage, Youry Vixamar celebrates, through this performance, the essence of our cultural heritage, here and beyond our borders. Book your place online now via the link https://www.eventbrite.com/e/spectacle-dekolonizasyon-tickets-1209909264179 Attack on the diplomatic corps condemned "The signatories of the December 21 agreement strongly condemn the latest criminal attacks perpetrated in the metropolitan area against vehicles of the Diplomatic and Consular Corps https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-44118-haiti-news-zapping.html . These attacks aim to cause the total isolation of Haiti on the international scene. We remind the current authorities that they have the responsibility to protect diplomatic and consular missions [...] Our sympathies to the Victims ! No dialogue with the GANGS ! No negotiation with the Gangs ! This is our position of principle." Me Andre Michel HL/ HaitiLibre Apple Intelligence, as Apple calls its in-house AI support on macOS, iOS and iPadOS, is still only marked as a beta. This means that things can still go wrong in everyday use. Nevertheless, Apple has now decided to flip the main switch of the function, which the user previously had to activate, by default. This can be seen in the release notes for iOS 18.3, iPadOS 18.3 and macOS 15.3, which Apple published together with the release candidate version on Wednesday night. The updates should be released in the coming days, probably at the beginning of next week. Anzeige Opt-out instead of opt-in For users who are new to iOS 18.3 or have upgraded to iOS 18.3, Apple Intelligence is automatically activated during iPhone onboarding, it says, for example, with similar wording for macOS 15.3. Previously, Apple Intelligence was only offered to users who could then activate it via a switch in the system settings. This main switch still exists, which is commendable, but you now have to turn it off if you don't want the service. The usual Apple Intelligence reloading processes for the local models (which incidentally cost storage space) still exist, but they are triggered automatically. They are necessary for the language model services (Writing Tools) as well as for the image generators (Genmoji", Image Playground) In the future, users would have direct access to Apple Intelligence functions after setting up the device. To disable Apple Intelligence, users must navigate to the 'Apple Intelligence & Siri' settings section and turn off the Apple Intelligence switch. This will disable the Apple Intelligence features on their device, Apple added. The automatic start should encourage more users to try out Apple Intelligence. However, it does not appear to be intended that potentially problematic functions such as the summary of notifications will be active by default. Apple initially had to row back after various slip-ups and deactivated the feature for news apps to avoid AI fake news. More Apple Intelligence on the Mac With macOS 15.3, Mac users can also use the Genmoji function to generate their own AI-supported emojis for the first time, which was previously only released for mobile devices. Under iOS, the Visual Intelligence feature, which runs on iPhone 16, has also been improved. This allows you to capture data to enter it into the calendar, for example if you are aiming for a trade fair or concert poster. Apple Intelligence is currently only available in English and the device must be set up accordingly. Within the EU, it is not expected to be released until April, together with a German language version. Anzeige Empfohlener redaktioneller Inhalt Mit Ihrer Zustimmung wird hier ein externer Preisvergleich (heise Preisvergleich) geladen. Preisvergleiche immer laden Preisvergleich jetzt laden (bsc) According to Natalia Vuori , Associate Professor at Aalto University, the focus has long been on evaluating AI systems or user feedback on functionality. A new study has revealed that while artificial intelligence can enhance decision-making, drive innovation, and boost productivity, only 20% of companies manage to implement AI technology effectively. Researchers argue that the failure stems not just from technical issues but also from how leadership handles employees' emotional responses to AI. However, the emotional reactions of employees often determine whether AI adoption succeeds. The study followed a consulting firm with 600 employees attempting to deploy a new AI tool designed to map employees skills and build a comprehensive understanding of workforce capabilities. The goal was to use the AI-generated data to allocate employees to projects more effectively and market the tool to clients. After nearly two years, the company abandoned the project. Many employees, while recognizing the tools value, felt uncomfortable with the AI tracking their calendars, internal communications, and daily activities. Some refused to provide data, while others manipulated inputs to benefit their careers. This led to increasingly inaccurate results, eroding trust in the tool and creating a vicious cycle of declining usage and confidence. Despite managements efforts to explain the AIs purpose and promote its use, they failed to address employees emotional unease, ultimately leading to the project's collapse. The study also highlighted patterns common to AI adoption failures across industries. Early findings from the team's ongoing research on Microsoft Copilot suggest similar dynamics are at play. Researchers identified four distinct employee attitudes toward new technology based on two types of trust: cognitive trust (believing the technology is useful) and emotional trust (comfort with the system). The groups were: full trust, full distrust, uneasy trust, and blind trust. Employees with low emotional trust tended to limit, withdraw, or manipulate their digital interactions, even when they cognitively trusted the AIs capabilities. Vuori emphasised that leadership must address these emotional barriers: "Adopting AI isnt just a technological challengeits a leadership challenge. Success depends on understanding trust dynamics and fostering enthusiasm and openness to AI use." The study underscores the need for companies to develop tailored strategies to address employees' emotional concerns and foster trust. For instance, management can create an environment where employees feel safe experimenting with AI tools without fear of surveillance or misuse of their data. "Without a human-centric approach and strategies tailored to different employee groups, even the smartest AI cannot reach its full potential," Vuori concluded. HT With growing season upon them, farmers wait for relief It is hard to overstate the damage that Tropical Storm Helene inflicted on farmers in Western North Carolina. High winds. Landslides. Extreme flooding. They all ripped apart their land, removing acres of fertile soil that took thousands of years and millions of dollars to cultivate. Barns and bales of hay floated down rivers. One farmer lost her life. Many others lost their livelihoods. For months in the aftermath of Helene, it seemed to farmers that adequate state and federal funding would never come through. Growers found other jobs to make ends meet. Others werent as lucky: They had to sell their farms. But the struggles of these Appalachian people have not gone unnoticed. The American Relief Act, signed into law in late December, includes $21 billion for disaster assistance to farmers and $10 billion in direct economic assistance. Officials have not determined what portion will be earmarked for North Carolina. Little is known about the mechanics or timeline of the funding. No eligibility requirements, limitations or restrictions have been announced. The Farm Service Agency has not yet decided how farmers will apply they are just beginning to build the program. The clock, however, is ticking. 'Were in a real-time crunch' Farmers need information and money now. Were in a real-time crunch here, Terry Kelley, Henderson Countys extension director, told Carolina Public Press. Were four months out from the hurricane and for our growers, their 2025 season really started about two or three months ago. They need to be replacing trees, ordering plants, ordering fertilizer and pesticides, laying plastic, getting fields ready and paying bills from last year. Without any money in hand, theyre having a hard time moving forward. We have no idea when were going to see checks. Kelley estimates the agricultural losses in Henderson County alone amount to $150 million. Farmers there lost 60,000 apple trees and 500,000 nursery plants among so many other things. Land. Roads. Equipment. All gone in the blink of an eye. Helene 'already has' put farmers out of business For most farmers, their money is in their land. They rely on each growing season to break even. There is no cushion after a natural disaster. Thats too much of a hit to absorb without some help, Kelley said. Thats going to put some people out of business. It already has. On some farms, floodwaters washed away acres of topsoil to expose bedrock, leaving massive sinkholes some of which Kelley said were the size of five or six school buses and erasing decades of hard work. But farmers cant just go back and plant spring crops where there are no fields. Figuring out how to recover the topsoil is no easy task, but researchers at N.C. State are working to develop methods. Some wonder, though, whether the money will reach farmers in time. I dont think this funding is coming too late, said Mike Yoder, an associate director of the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at N.C. State. Farmers will need the money whenever it gets here to replace livestock, replace trees, to keep going at all. Another need? More state- and federal-level specialists on the ground to deal with the volume of agricultural challenges. Farmers have problems that require extra hands. It is hard to say whether the funding will cover new roles in county and state offices, but folks are hopeful. More personnel to assess and process claims and actually do the mitigation work is really important, said Jim Hamilton, the extension director for Watauga County. Our USDA and county soil and water folks are pretty overwhelmed with a sudden number of new clients and issues to address. While some temporary folks have come on board, its gonna take more boots on the ground to do the job as well. News of the federal funding is exciting, but without a clear path forward, anxiety remains. Were really glad that the money was allocated, Kelley said. Thats just the first step. * * * * * Jane Winik Sartwell is a staff reporter for Carolina Public Press, who focuses on coverage of health and business. Jane has a bachelor's degree in photography from Bard College and master's degree in journalism from Columbia University. She is based in Wilmington. Email Jane at jsartwell@carolinapublicpress.org to contact her. EIGHTY pupils from Rupert House took part in the Young Voices concert at the 02 Arena in London on Monday. Children from Year 4, 5 and 6 joined more than 8,000 other pupils from primary schools across the UK to form part of the largest childrens choir in the world. The Rupert House children arrived at noon to prepare for the evening concert, where they performed in front of their family and supporters. They sang songs including Oceana and Get Loud and hits from the musical Hairspray and the late reggae artist Bob Marley, accompanied by dance moves led by the Young Voices principal conductor, David Lawrence. The songs Oceana and Get Loud had been specially composed for the Young Voices series. The children also had the opportunity to join multi award-winning musician Jacob Collier, who rehearsed his song Little Blue with them. They were also joined by special guest artists and the dance group, Urban Strides. Headteacher Nick Armitage said: Young Voices is the most incredible experience for the children, bringing together many different genres and styles of music in such an amazing concert. The children love it, as do I, and it is wonderful that so many parents also love coming to watch the spectacle. Fifi Candy, 11, a Year 6 pupil, said: I really enjoyed learning all the songs with my friends and how we were in such a big choir with everyone and it was really loud but it was really enjoyable. It was quite overwhelming but it was amazing being with everyone and having such a big choir. It was an amazing experience. I thought it was really inspiring having all the guests on to show that you can do anything. Identifying the signs of stress is crucial for maintaining well-being, especially as seniors age. Listen to your bodys cues, whether its tension headaches, muscle tightness, or a constant feeling of unease. Taking proactive steps to counter these effects is key. Try deep breathing exercises, take a leisurely walk, or simply carve out a moment to focus on relaxation techniques. Prioritize your time for self-care Carving out time for yourself is not selfish, its necessary for maintaining balance and vitality. Incorporate daily routines that prioritize your well-being, such as regular exercise... These are the 65 hostages whose release would not come during the six-week ceasefire. Negotiation toward their release would begin partway through the ceasefire and would be contingent on further Israeli withdrawal from Gaza. Five male soldiers captured on Oct. 7 remain hostages. Edan Alexander: A New Jersey native, Alexander, 20, joined the IDF after graduating from high school. He was captured while serving near the Gaza border. If the first phase of the ceasefire deal goes through, he could become the only living U.S. citizen to remain in Gaza. Matan Angrest: Angrest, 23, appeared in a... (JNS) A report from the New England branch of the American Jewish Committee details efforts by the Massachusetts Teachers Association to slant classroom instruction against the Jewish state. The AJC says the report, released on Dec. 12, shows the teachers union waged an aggressive campaign that has encouraged K-12 teachers to become pro-Palestinian activists and bring anti-Israel propaganda into their classrooms. Examples of the MTAs bias cited in the report include promoting multiple one-sided anti-Israel resolutions, including one making the accusation of genocide while failing to men... (JTA) WASHINGTON April 25, 2019, marked an extraordinary moment in American Jewish history: It was the first time a presidential candidate framed his decision to run around fighting antisemitism. The candidate was Joe Biden. At first, Biden hadnt seemed eager to run for president in 2020. But that changed when Neo-Nazis marched through Charlottesville, Virginia, in 2017, shouting slogans that Bidens father taught him represented the worst of human nature. Worse, Trump could not bring himself to unequivocally condemn the marchers and the deadly rally, claiming that among them were very f... (JNS) FireDome, a startup founded in Israel in 2024, is developing an AI-driven defense system to combat wildfires such as those currently ravaging the Los Angeles area. The system is inspired by Israels Iron Dome missile defense technology. The system utilizes eco-friendly fire retardants and AI technology to form protective barriers and extinguish spot fires caused by wind-blown embers. Initially designed to protect 100-acre areas, FireDome aims to expand its coverage to larger regions. Testing is set to begin in Israel in 2025, with U.S. pilot programs planned for 2026. With $3 million i... In a disturbing revelation, Israeli media reported that Hamas forced three recently released hostages faroma Gaza Emily Damari, Romi Gonen, and Doron Steinbrecherto participate in a staged propaganda ceremony before their release. The hostages were handed gift bags by their captors, an act that highlights the psychological manipulation employed by the terror group. The gift bags, reportedly handed to the hostages just before they were transferred to the Red Cross, included unsettling items: a photo of Gaza, photographs of the hostages during their captivity, and a so-called certificate o... (JNS) Senior Hamas official Khalil al-Hayya repeated the terrorist organizations commitment to the destruction of Israel in his first public remarks since green-lighting the truce deal with the Jewish state on Wednesday night, Jan. 15. According to al-Hayya, the terrorist group during negotiations succeeded in thwarting Israels declared and hidden goals. Today, we prove that the occupation will never defeat our people and their resistance, he said in a televised address from Doha which ran for some 18 minutes. Jerusalem only secured its captives through an agreement with the resistanc... (Israel Hayom via JNS) - Israel's Health Ministry has formulated a comprehensive protocol for treating hostages, due soon to be released from Hamas captivity in Gaza, based on lessons learned from the 2023 exchange of Israeli hostages for Palestinian terrorists. The protocol includes detailed guidelines for medical examinations, mental health care, privacy protection and long-term support for returnees and their families, emphasizing personalized care and respect for dignity. Key guidelines Advance information: Transfer of medical information to hospitals before returnees' arrival, including r... (JNS) Relatives of hostages being held by Hamas in Gaza on Monday urged right-wing politicians to leave the government if Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu agrees to a deal with the terror group that leaves some abducted Israelis in captivity. Unless the deal includes all the hostages unconditionally, living and dead, in one go, we call on the Religious Zionist and Otzma Yehudit parties, along with the Likud Knesset lawmakers who have so far only supported a full deal, to immediately announce that they are pulling out of the government, the Tikva Forum of hostages relatives wrote.... (Israel Hayom via JNS) Following security warnings about escalation in Judea and Samaria due to the release of hundreds of terrorists into the area, the Security Cabinet is expected to approve on Friday a comprehensive decision to address this front. This is one of the demands that Finance Minister and Religious Zionism Party chairman Bezalel Smotrich presented in his discussions with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, prompted by numerous warnings about increased terrorist attacks in Judea and Samaria following the ceasefire deal with Hamas. The decision is expected to establish a new war o... By JNS Staff (JNS) A group of conservative Jewish and Christian leaders has launched a public petition urging The Jerusalem Post to stop using the term West Bank in reporting on Israels biblical heartland and to call it by its historic name of Judea and Samaria. As Israels oldest English newspaper when it was called The Palestine Post, The Jerusalem Post holds significant influence in shaping public opinion, influencing policies and defining global narratives, the petition addressed to Eli Azur, the media outlets owner, and Zvika Klein, its editor-in-chief, stated. Your words and you... (JNS) At a confirmation hearing, Florida Sen. Marco Rubio said that as state secretary hed belong to perhaps the most pro-Israel administration in American history, pushing Israeli-Saudi normalization and lifting sanctions from Jews in Judea and Samaria, among other actions. The emerging ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas, Rubio said, was a foundation to build upon in working toward peace between Israel and Palestinians and normalization of Israeli-Saudi ties as an extension of the Abraham Accords. Were still going to have some issues with [United Arab Emirates] and with Sau... (JNS) - Former hostage Emily Damari took to Instagram for the first time since being taken captive by Hamas terrorists on Oct. 7, 2023, thanking her family, friends and God for her release on Sunday. "I'm loving, loving, loving. Thanks be to God. Thanks to my family, to Oreli, to the best friends I have in this world. I have returned to life, my loved ones," she wrote on Monday, according to a screenshot shared in local media. "I have only managed to see just a tiny bit of everything, and you have exploded my heart from emotion. Thank you, thank you, thank you. I am the happiest person in the... Their names, faces and stories have resonated around the world, on posters and in prayers, since they were taken hostage on Oct. 7, 2023. Now, some of the 98 remaining hostages abducted that day, when Hamas invaded southern Israel, could soon be free. Under the terms of a ceasefire deal, 33 of the hostages would be released over six weeks, starting with three on the deal's first day: Emily Damari: The only British citizen to remain in Gaza, Damari, 28, was shot on Oct. 7; Romi Gonen: Taken hostage from the Nova music festival, Gonen, 24, was shot on Oct. 7; and Doron Steinbrecher: Taken hostag... (Israel Hayom via JNS) As Donald Trump reclaimed the White House, an extensive portfolio of international and domestic challenges awaitswith Israels security concerns commanding significant attention. Unlike his first term, Trump enters office on Jan. 20 following methodical preparation and with a clear grasp of both priorities and implementation strategies. The Iranian nuclear threat stands as the foremost security concern. Having withdrawn from the nuclear agreement in 2018 during his previous term, Trump demonstrates acute awareness of the immediate danger Tehran represents. Two assassi... Israel advanced 2,300 homes in Judea and Samaria in six weeks (JNS) Israel has advanced plans to build more than 2,300 housing units in Judea and Samaria since Dec. 1, as part of a push by the Settlement Administration, a unit in the Defense Ministry under the authority of Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich. The Settlement Administration has convened every week since early December to approve construction in the region, approving a total of 2,377 units, whereas the body would previously meet once every three to four months on average, Ynet reported on Monday. During last weeks meeting alone,... (Israel Hayom via JNS) The deal to bring the hostages home from Gaza carries an immense, largely unspoken price one that has received far too little attention, if any at all. While some may support it and others oppose it, there exists a third path: acknowledging that this is a poor deal, albeit perhaps unavoidable, while simultaneously shattering the walls of media silence surrounding its dire consequences. These walls bear an unsettling resemblance to the conspiracy of silence that prevailed before the 2011 Gilad Shalit deal (in which more than 1,000 terrorists, including the now-decease... (JNS) Over the course of this past year, university campuses across the country were fraught with turmoil for Jewish students, and those who have a stake in supporting Jewish life on campus are asking themselves important questions. With the start of Chanukah, donors and philanthropists are tasked with where they should make their year-end contributions. Most choose organizations based on several factors, including a personal connection to the organization, alignment of values with its mission or even geographic proximity. However, after the terrorist attacks in Israel on Oct. 7, we need to... As International Holocaust Remembrance Day approaches on Jan. 27, marking 80 years since the liberation of Auschwitz and the beginning of the end of the Holocaust and WWII, there are stories of inspiration that call to us to be remembered, beyond the horrible facts that most know: six million Jews murdered in the event that defined the word genocide. At Auschwitz alone, 1.1 million people were killed, including 1 million Jews. Throughout Nazi occupied Europe, entire Jewish communities were simply erased. Where there were survivors, like in the Polish towns that my grandparents grew up in, the... (JNS) I am an optimistic guy, or at least I am in the public sphere. I definitely have my moments, but I try not to bring others down with me. Usually, I snap out of it quickly. It is 5:38 a.m. as I write these words after I was woken up by the pit in my stomach. I cant shake the feeling. Now, I know Ive shared multiple posts expressing the nuance in this deal and specifically the joy we will all feel seeing live hostages hug their loved ones again. Usually, with most events, that positive thought will outweigh the negative. This time is different. I know from past experiences that I should... By Aaron Weil Several friends from around the world have been reaching out about how we in Israel are experiencing the freedom of the hostages alongside the releasing of terrorists, (dozens and dozens of whom will be convicted murderers) back into the land? People ask, How can your nation handle releasing 2,000 terrorists in order to repatriate 33 hostages of whom perhaps a third may already be dead?!?! The answer... We cant! No one can. The horrors, the ongoing unending pain that we all know when our thoughts turn to those still suffering in the terror tunnels of Gaza in still less than... Poverty to prosperity: Bijie in SW China's Guizhou embarks on new development path People's Daily Online) 11:06, January 23, 2025 After over 30 years of unremitting efforts, Bijie city in southwest China's Guizhou Province has undergone a remarkable transformation, moving from poverty to moderate prosperity in all respects while significantly improving its environmental conditions. Currently, Bijie is striving to build itself into a demonstration zone characterized by prosperity, ecological beauty, and vitality, making new strides on the new journey of the new era. The municipal government has continued to drive technological innovation and foster new drivers for industrial growth. Guizhou Lianshang Technology Co., Ltd., a high-tech enterprise in the Bijie High-tech Industrial Development Zone (Bijie high-tech zone), has grown significantly since its establishment in the city in 2015. The company now operates 150 world-leading automated LED filament production lines, with products exported worldwide and annual output value exceeding 100 million yuan ($13.67 million). Photo shows the workshop of Guizhou Lianshang Technology Co., Ltd. in the Bijie High-tech Industrial Development Zone, Bijie, southwest China's Guizhou Province. (People's Daily Overseas Edition/Yang Junfeng) The company now produces 3 million LED filaments daily, supplying domestic and international companies, said Dai Xiaoling, an executive of the company. In less than a decade, the company has risen from a startup to an industry leader. "Our success in forming a 100-million-yuan industry chain is inseparable from the municipal government's support for innovation," said Dai Peng, chairman of the company. Bijie boasts rich sources of roxburgh roses, which bear small and thorny fruit that is known for its richness in vitamins and high added value. Seeing the potential of the roxburgh rose industry, Guizhou Xinyang Agricultural Science and Technology Development Co. Ltd. established operations in the Bijie high-tech zone in 2011. After more than a decade of development, the company has built a complete industry chain from seedling cultivation to processing and sales. The company launched its first roxburgh rose juice production line in 2018. It processes 200-400 tonnes of roxburgh rose juice annually, said Chen Yi, an executive of the company. The company produces diverse roxburgh rose products, which are sold to provincial-level regions in China and countries like the U.K., South Korea, and Japan. Chen added that the company has collaborated with several universities and research institutes to enhance the quality and competitiveness of roxburgh rose products, so as to better introduce them to the world. In recent years, Bijie has achieved significant progress in enhancing its ecological environment. For instance, the Caohai National Nature Reserve in Weining Yi, Hui and Miao Autonomous County covers an area of over 120 square kilometers, with a water area of 25 square kilometers. It is an important wintering ground for black-necked cranes, the first-class protected animals in China. Black-necked cranes fly over Caohai Lake in Weining Yi, Hui and Miao Autonomous County, Bijie, southwest China's Guizhou Province. (Photo/Liu Guanghui) Weining has intensified efforts to protect the nature reserve and implemented multiple measures, improving the ecosystem of the nature reserve and engaging local communities in its conservation, said Zang Ningbo, an official with the management committee of the Caohai National Nature Reserve. Liu Guanghui, a ranger of the nature reserve's management committee, has protected black-necked cranes for 35 years. The continuous improvement of Caohai's ecological environment provides a more suitable habitat for black-necked cranes, Liu said, adding that 2,829 black-necked cranes overwinter in the nature reserve so far in January 2025, up by 232 from the previous year. Standing at a viewing platform in Huawu village, Xinren Miao township of Qianxi, a county-level city administered by Bijie, one can take in a breathtaking panorama: the Wumeng Mountains' grand canyon appears as if carved by knives and axes, while the Wujiang River flows serenely. The blue sky, white clouds, crystal waters, and mountains create a magnificent landscape painting. File photo shows the picturesque view of Huawu village, Xinren Miao township of Qianxi, a county-level city administered by Bijie, southwest China's Guizhou Province. The village's sound ecological environment is inseparable from favorable policies, said Li Xinghong, deputy head of Xinren township, adding that the village once suffered from rocky desertification. With a forest coverage rate of over 60 percent, Huawu village now develops thriving tourism by leveraging its sound ecology. Over the past years, Bijie has actively promoted rural revitalization through industrial development. Chengmanyuan community in Qingshuipu town, Qixingguan district, Bijie has grown fruit trees including citrus and peach trees on over 7,800 mu (520 hectares) of land. Han Yunxiang showcases oranges at his orchard in Chengmanyuan community, Qingshuipu town, Qixingguan district, Bijie, southwest China's Guizhou Province. (People's Daily Overseas Edition/Yang Junfeng) Originally called Nanguan village, the community's low altitude and abundant sunlight create perfect conditions for citrus growth, said Han Yunxiang, a local resident who has been actively engaged in the community's efforts to advance all-around rural revitalization. According to Han, infrastructure improvement in 1988 laid a solid foundation for the development of the citrus industry in the village, and it became one of Bijie's top 50 economically strong villages and was renamed as Chengmanyuan community in 2004. Last year, the community launched an infrastructure project to support the development of the citrus industry. Thanks to government support for road and irrigation facilities, local resident Meng Xingwu, who grew oranges on 500 mu of wasteland in 2023, now reaps 3 million yuan in revenue per year with an annual investment of 400,000 yuan. In Taoying village of Nayong county, cherry orchards now cover more than 4,800 mu. The annual output of the cherry industry in the village approaches 28 million yuan, resulting in an increase in villagers' per capita income of 8,700 yuan. Weining county has boosted all-around rural revitalization through the new energy industry. Das Solar Changtong Renewable Energy (Guizhou) Co., Ltd., a subsidiary of Guizhou Changtong Group, is a key player in the Changtong Weining New Energy Industrial Park in the Weining Economic and Technological Development Zone. In 2024, the production value of photovoltaic modules of Das Solar Changtong Renewable Energy (Guizhou) Co., Ltd. reached 1 billion yuan. Jiang Lu, formerly a stay-at-home mom, now works at the new energy company: "I earn over 6,000 yuan monthly with food and accommodation provided, and the company is close to my home," Jiang said, adding that she is very satisfied with the job. "Weining is the most populous county with the highest average altitude and the largest land area in Guizhou. We chose Weining to explore industrial-driven rural revitalization across the board," said Huang Leijin, an executive of Guizhou Changtong Group. "In 2024, we recruited over 1,000 local rural residents and sent them to our facilities across China to train them as workers in the green industry. This has boosted their incomes and helped advance all-around rural revitalization," Huang said. (Web editor: Hongyu, Liang Jun) China and Sri Lanka renew bilateral currency swap agreement: PBC Global Times) 11:07, January 23, 2025 With approval from the State Council, the People's Bank of China (PBC) recently renewed its bilateral currency swap agreement with the Central Bank of Sri Lanka, according to a statement issued by the PBC on Wednesday. The agreement allows for a swap scale of 10 billion yuan ($1.38 billion)/410 billion Sri Lankan rupees, with a validity period of three years and an option for extension upon mutual consent. The renewal of the bilateral currency swap agreement will help strengthen financial cooperation between the two sides, expand the use of local currencies in bilateral transactions, and facilitate trade and investment between the two countries, the PBC said. Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake recently paid a visit to China. The two countries issued a joint statement on January 16, noting that the two sides 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. The Central Bank of Sri Lanka and the PBC have renewed their currency swap agreement and will continue to carry out financial cooperation, according to the joint statement. (Web editor: Tian Yi, Zhong Wenxing) A years-long survey of a Cambodian national park has revealed endangered species never before recorded in the country, highlighting the need for greater conservation efforts, environmentalists said Wednesday. The complex survey work uncovered fauna ranging from pangolins to critically endangered large-antlered muntjacs inside Virachey National Park, a relatively untouched haven for biodiversity. The more than 405,000-hectare park stretches across Cambodia's northeastern region, bordering Laos and Vietnam. More than 150 cameras were deployed during the survey, which also enlisted the help of local communities to document animals and plants in the protected area. A total of 89 species were detected, including 20 globally threatened species like the red-shanked douc langur, Sunda pangolin, clouded leopard, dhole and sun bear, according to the survey lead conservation organisation Fauna & Flora. It also found nine species that have never been recorded in Cambodia before, including the critically endangered large-antlered muntjac, Sokolov's glass lizard and the Vietnamese leaf-toed gecko. The findings "reaffirm the park's importance as a biodiversity stronghold and provide compelling evidence to galvanise increased conservation efforts," Pablo Sinovas, country director of Fauna & Flora's Cambodia programme, told AFP. The park, which forms part of one of the largest forest landscapes in mainland Southeast Asia, is "a biodiversity hotspot, a vital carbon sink, and home to a rich diversity of indigenous communities", he added. However he warned that the region "faces mounting pressures" from destruction of natural habitats, often for agriculture, infrastructure, or other land uses. Snaring is another critical issue that has in places led to the "empty forest syndrome" where wildlife, particularly medium- and large-sized mammals, are driven to local extinction, Sinovas added. Elsewhere in the country, environmentalists have warned that the more than 500 species in the biodiverse Central Cardamoms region face a number of threats, ranging from illegal logging and poaching to sand dredging. The government has been criticised for allowing companies to clear hundreds of thousands of hectares of forested land in Cambodia -- including in protected zones -- for projects ranging from rubber and sugar cane plantations to hydropower dams. Argentina's President Javier Milei said Thursday he would be willing to leave the South American Mercosur bloc if necessary to secure a coveted trade agreement with the United States. Asked whether he would be willing to leave the bloc, he said: "If that was the extreme condition, yes" but quickly said he hoped such a dramatic move would not be needed. "There are, however, mechanisms by which it can be done being within Mercosur. So we say it can be achieved without having to abandon what we have in terms of Mercosur," he said during a Bloomberg event on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos. The Argentinian leader and fan of US President Donald Trump has made it clear he wants a trade deal with the United States, although that could cause problems with other members. Milei said he was "working very hard on the possibility". He previously said he would use his current rotating presidency of the economic bloc to boost the autonomy of its members to make deals. Uruguay has also in the past pushed for greater flexibility within Mercosur after its independent negotiations with China in 2022 sparked opposition from fellow members. The bloc's four members -- Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay -- last month struck a deal with the European Union that aims to create a 700-million person free-trade area. Pyramid Global Hospitality and Tribute Portfolio, part of Marriott Bonvoy's global portfolio of more than 30 extraordinary hotel brands, announced the opening of THE MIDLAND HOTEL, Chicago, a Tribute Portfolio Hotel today. Formerly the W Chicago City Center, this refreshed Chicago Loop hotel is embarking on an exciting two-phase reimagination, Owned by Park Hotels & Resorts and managed by Pyramid Global Hospitality, The Midland Hotel is perfectly positioned in the heart of the vibrant Chicago Loop. Steps from iconic landmarks like Millennium Park, The Art Institute of Chicago, and the Chicago Theatre, it's the ideal base for exploring the city's energy and history. Guests can also enjoy breathtaking views from the Willis Tower Skydeck or unwind along the Chicago Riverwalk, making every stay an unforgettable Chicago adventure. "We are excited to collaborate with Pyramid Global on this exceptional opportunity to reposition this Chicago landmark, which holds strong appeal for both business and leisure travelers," said Thomas J. Baltimore Jr., Chairman and CEO of Park Hotels & Resorts. Revitalization: A Vision in Two Phases The Midland Hotel is undergoing a thoughtfully planned two-phase revitalization, blending its historic roots with a modern vision. Originally built in 1929 as a social club for Chicago's business elite that later evolved into "Chicago's Friendliest Hotel," the first phase focuses on revitalizing public spaces while preserving the timeless Beaux-Arts charm that has defined its legacy. This includes a reimagined lobby and arrival experience designed to celebrate its history as a place for connection and inspiration, while embracing the needs of today's guests. The second phase will transform the hotel's 403 guest rooms and suites into tranquil retreats, featuring plush bedding, skyline views, and a contemporary sophistication that nods to the hotel's storied past. Enhancements to public spaces and the signature restaurant will infuse modern vibrancy, while the 12,589 square feet of versatile meeting and event space will be upgraded to elevate the standard for gatherings in Chicago's Loop. Culinary Experiences At the hotel's signature Midland Social Club & MSC Bar, guests and locals can savor regionally inspired dishes, creative cocktails, and a vibrant social atmosphere. Celebrating Chicago's storied culinary legacy, these dining experiences encourage genuine connections and communal enjoyment, offering an exciting new destination on the city's culinary map. Book Your Stay at The Midland Hotel As part of Marriott Bonvoy's renowned Tribute Portfolio, The Midland Hotel invites Marriott Bonvoy members to earn and redeem points during their stay. With the Marriott Bonvoy app, guests can enjoy contactless check-in, a mobile key, and other digital conveniences that elevate their travel experience. To mark its opening, The Midland Hotel presents a special introductory rate of 15% off for stays through April 30, 2025 for guests to experience Chicago's finest boutique hotel in the Loop. For more information or to follow the hotel's journey, visit or connect with @themidlandchicago on social media. Hotel website St. Regis Hotels & Resorts is proud to announce the opening of The St. Regis Aruba Resort, a seafront oasis designed by Hirsch Bender Associates. As part of Marriott International's distinguished luxury portfolio, the resort epitomizes the brand's rich heritage and signature rituals, offering an exclusive escape on Aruba's most coveted coastline. This resort elevates the island's hospitality scene with its refined elegance, featuring the first-ever St. Regis casino and a rooftop dining destination helmed by acclaimed Chef Akira Back. Blending local Dutch-Caribbean culture with the storied legacy of The St. Regis brand. Taking inspiration from the island's powdery white beaches, cultural richness, and Casibari Rock Formations, guests are invited to experience the colonial architecture and colorful areas inspired by the island's streets, guiding visitors to the best address on-island. The newly built resort presents 252 exquisite guestrooms, including 52 suites personalized to guest's needs. The resort offers guests six distinctive culinary experiences, celebrating the exotic flavors of Aruba's multicultural heritage. Showcasing the island's vibrant culinary fusion, these venues introduce innovative signature dishes to the gastronomic scene. At the heart of the dining offerings is the rooftop restaurant, Akira Back, by Michelin-starred Chef Akira Back, where guests can savor his acclaimed Japanese and Korean-inspired creations while enjoying breathtaking viewsa harmonious blend of exceptional flavors and stunning vistas. The St. Regis Aruba Resort's additional dining experiences include Eskama, an immersive Caribbean restaurant, and Nuba, an Aruban-inspired pool and beachside restaurant. In addition to the property's restaurants, The St. Regis Aruba Resort will feature two bars, The St. Regis Bar and Ventura, and a coffee shop, Grano Cafe. As tradition for all St. Regis properties, The St. Regis Aruba Resort will feature its own iteration of the Bloody Mary, fittingly titled the Bon Bini Mary, which guests can enjoy at The St. Regis Bar. "Bon Bini" means "welcome" in Papiamento the local language of Aruba. The Bon Bini Mary, inspired by the island's warm hospitality, is a unique creation that blends local papaya, lime, and habanero chili with aromatic spices, creating a uniquely Aruban cocktail. The resort offers an array of world-class amenities designed for relaxation and indulgence. Guests can unwind at two exquisite pools with private cabanas, stay active in the state-of-the-art fitness center, or rejuvenate at The St. Regis Spa. Nestled against the serene backdrop of Aruba's pristine beaches and azure waters, the spa features curated treatments inspired by the island's natural beauty. Younger guests are welcomed at the Children's Club, where cultural and educational experiences bring Aruba's rich heritage to life. "Aruba has long been a haven for travelers seeking exceptional escapes, and St. Regis' legendary vanguard spirit and traditions are a perfect fit for this extraordinary destination," said Brian King, President of Caribbean & Latin America (CALA) for Marriott International. Offering stunning backgrounds, The St. Regis Aruba Resort's meetings and events spaces combine luxurious elegance with impeccable service. The property's 20,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor function space are ideal for any occasion, specifically the resort's Terrace Suites and Astor Ballroom. Visitors can enjoy tailored experiences designed to meet their group's unique needs, enhanced by exceptional culinary offerings, dedicated event planners, and the renowned St. Regis Butler Service, ensuring every detail is flawlessly executed. Hotel website SYDNEY The Global Business Travel Association (GBTA), the worlds premier business travel and meetings trade organization, is strengthening its expanding commitment to global business travel with the formation of a new country-level GBTA Advisory Board in Australia. This initiative is designed to expand GBTAs presence and foster growth by leveraging local expertise and insights to better support members, partners and the industry sector overall across the country. Australia is a vital market for business travel, and the new Board brings together diverse expertise from across the region, said Catherine Logan, GBTA Regional Senior Vice President for EMEA and APAC. Their insights will help GBTA deliver tailored programs and offerings in our mission to shape the future together for business travel and across the industry community. According to the latest GBTA Business Travel Index (BTI) report, in 2024 Australia was ranked 11th among the top markets forecast worldwide for business travel spending, with $26.7 billion USD (approximately $42.5 billion AUD) representing 12% of the overall global spending total of $1.48 trillion USD. Andy OMara, Head of Travel & Expense, for Canva, will serve as Chairperson of the 18-member GBTA Australia Advisory Board made up of cross-regional leaders from top companies and travel industry organizations (in alphabetical order below): Ama Aidoo-Sam, Director Procurement Operations, ResMed Australia Lisa Batchelor, Strategic Sourcing Manager Global Business Services, Cochlear Veronica Bergel, Travel Lead (Australia & Asia), Herbert Smith Freehills Jim Crowder, Strategic Sales Director, APAC, Enterprise Mobility Karryn Cutcheon, Senior Director, Global Sales Australia and New Zealand, Marriott Anthea Dimitrakopoulos, GM, Brand and ESG, The Ascott Limited Anna Fisher, Vice President - Asia Pacific, Frosch Travel Melanie Giles, Travel Services Manager, Origin Energy Ashley Houston, Senior RSM, Global Safety and Security, Global Travel Risk, Bain & Company Emma Jones, Director of Sales Corporate, Government & Airlines, Pacific, Accor Kurt Knackstedt, Head of Sales Pacific, Avis Budget Group Bill Kokovas, Senior Manager, Travel & Events, Commonwealth Bank of Australia (CBA) Sue McEvoy, Head of Sales ANZ, FCM Mike Orchard, Head of Performance, Festive Road (Also GBTA APAC Advisory Board Member) Tanaz Pochkhanawalla, Senior Commercial Manager | Strategic Partnering, Sourcing and Property, AMP Siobhan Prideaux, Senior Sales Director, APAC, BCD Travel Agnes Tsoa Lee, Corporate T&E Program Specialist, Optus To further strengthen its regional presence, GBTA has appointed business travel industry veteran, Derek Sadubin, as Country Manager for Australia and New Zealand. Based in Sydney, Sadubin will provide strategic and local support to members and partners in the region and reports to GBTA Regional Director for APAC, Elle Ng-Darmawan. GBTA also announced the continuation of its event partnership with the Festival of Aviation and Corporate Travel Summits (FACTS) Taking place 25-26 November, the Summit brings together top-tier speakers, including airline and travel management company executives for a two-day conference focused on key strategic issues impacting corporate travel in Australia and beyond. In addition, GBTA will again host its APAC Conference from 27-28 May in Singapore at the Raffles City Convention Center. This two-day event will provide a platform for the APAC business travel community to network, gain insights from industry leaders, and participate in peer-to-peer learning. For the third consecutive year, the conference will be co-located with the Worldwide ERC Global Mobility Summit, offering delegates unmatched opportunities for education and networking across both events. Click here for more information, sponsorship opportunities, or to register to attend the GBTA APAC Conference 2025. Click here to visit GBTA APACs regional website. About GBTA The Global Business Travel Association (GBTA) is the world's premiere business travel and meetings trade organization headquartered in the Washington, D.C. area and serving stakeholders across six continents. GBTA and its 8,000+ members represent and advocate for the $1.48 trillion global travel business and meetings industry. GBTA and the GBTA Foundation deliver world-class education, events, research, advocacy and media to a growing global network of more than 28,000 travel professionals and 125,000 active contacts. For more information visit gbta.org. About the GBTA Foundation The mission of the GBTA Foundation, the US 501c3 charitable arm of the Global Business Travel Association, is to help the global business travel industry create a positive impact and better future for people and the planet. The GBTA Foundation focuses on the strategy and execution of GBTA's global sustainability programs, supporting initiatives related to climate action; diversity, equity and inclusion; and other talent-related topics via education, research and advocacy. For more information visit gbtafoundation.org. WASHINGTON The American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA), the AHLA Foundation, and the BHN Group/Northstar Travel Group announced today that the co-founders of Procure Impact, the B2B marketplace for products that support workers in overlooked communities, have been named this years recipients of the Arne Sorenson Social Impact Leadership Award. CEO Lauren McCann and President Jen Collins co-founded Procure Impact, which exclusively works with suppliers that employ trafficking survivors, veterans, refugees, people with disabilities, and people who face barriers to work such as poverty, homelessness, mental health and trauma, addiction, or a criminal history. Their effort captures the spirit of the Arne Sorenson award, which is presented each year to a senior-level executive in the lodging industry who is committed to social responsibility, provides innovative solutions for social challenges, empowers underprivileged communities, and demonstrates results. We are honored to present Lauren and Jen with an award that reflects how they are driving positive change every day by creating real opportunities for marginalized workers, said AHLA President & CEO Rosanna Maietta. They are so deserving of the esteemed Sorenson Social Impact Leadership Award for their vision and leadership and unique approach and partnership with the hotel industry. Lauren and Jen are richly deserving of this award, which celebrates people who care deeply about their communities, said The BHN Group by Northstar President Jeff Higley. Through Procure Impact, they have given thousands of hotels the means to support overlooked people and give them the dignity that comes from work. The Arne Sorenson Social Impact Leadership Award was introduced in 2022 in honor of industry icon and former president & CEO of Marriott International, Arne Sorenson, who passed away in February 2021 and left a legacy of commitment to social impact, diversity, and sustainability. Lauren and Jen will be presented with the award during the AHLA Foundations annual Night of a Thousand Stars gala on Jan. 27 in Beverly Hills, California. In 2024, Procure Impact and AHLA members teamed up to launch the Dignity of Work Pledge to source goods responsibility and create 100,000 hours of paid employment for people with barriers to work. Efforts to reach this goal were tracked on AHLAs Responsible Stay website, and last October, Procure Impact and AHLA announced that this goal was reached thanks to 23 hospitality companies that pledged over $7.4 million in purchases. About the American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA) The American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA) is the largest hotel association in America, representing more than 30,000 members from all segments of the industry nationwide including iconic global brands, 80% of all franchised hotels, and the 16 largest hotel companies in the U.S. Headquartered in Washington, D.C., AHLA focuses on strategic advocacy, communications support, and workforce development programs to move the industry forward. Learn more at www.ahla.com. The Leading Hotels of the World, Ltd. (LHW) proudly welcomes two distinguished hoteliers to its Executive Committee: Pia Djupmark, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Grand Hotel Stockholm, and Crescenzo Gargano, Co-Owner of Hotel Santa Caterina. Both bring strong industry expertise, strategic vision, and a commitment to independent, luxury hospitality. LHW is owned by its members created for hoteliers, by hoteliers in 1928. The Executive Committee is comprised of seven hoteliers and a senior global business leader who represent the 60+ shareholder members of LHW. Together with LHWs management team and employees, the Executive Committee will continue their mission to empower independent luxury hoteliers in the company's 97th year, and beyond. Pia Djupmark, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Grand Hotel Stockholm, and Chief Executive Officer of Grand Group AB, is a seasoned executive with over three decades of experience in the hospitality industry. As CEO of Grand Group AB since 2013, she oversees Grand Hotel Stockholm in Sweden, along with two additional hotels and two acclaimed restaurants. Djupmark leads a team of 450 full-time employees, guiding the direction and development of these prestigious hospitality entities. Her extensive career includes leadership roles as General Manager of the Radisson Blu Royal Viking Hotel and Regional Director for Radisson Groups Swedish portfolio. Additionally, Djupmarks expertise spans financial management, operational leadership, and talent development. She also actively contributes to the industry through her roles as Chairman of VISITAs Election Board and a board member of the Swedish Business Associations Election Committee. Pia is a highly respected and collaborative leader within our community, said Andrea Scherz, chairman of LHWs Executive Committee and proprietor and general manager of Gstaad Palace. Her proven leadership and strategic vision will help advance our mission of supporting independent luxury hotels. Crescenzo Gargano, Co-Owner of Hotel Santa Caterina in Amalfi, Italy is a fourth-generation hotelier. He is renowned as a creative leader in the hospitality industry in Italy and internationally. Born and raised in Amalfi, Gargano embodies a rich legacy of hospitality, deeply rooted in his lineage and passion for the industry. He has been instrumental in transforming Hotel Santa Caterina into a luxury destination, recognized globally for its timeless elegance and guest experiences. Since joining the family business in 1999, he has led the hotels evolution, keeping its proud family-style ethos while enhancing his family's business and establishing a benchmark in the luxury hospitality sector. He has expanded its Food & Beverage offerings to include four celebrated restaurants, one of which holds a Michelin Star, and recently led the acquisition and development of Hotel Santa Caterina's Villa della Marchesa, a luxurious five-bedroom villa near the hotel. His achievements have earned international acclaim, with accolades from Travel & Leisure, Conde Nast Traveler, and Michelin. Crescenzos passion for independent hospitality and his forward-thinking leadership make him an exceptional addition to our Executive Committee, said Scherz. His ability to balance tradition and innovation, and his generations-deep understanding of family-led hospitality will be instrumental in guiding LHWs future. A Vision for the Future of Independent Luxury Hospitality: The addition of Pia Djupmark and Crescenzo Gargano to LHWs Executive Committee reflects LHWs ongoing commitment to industry leadership and excellence. Their extensive knowledge and dedication will support the Company's mission to champion the success of independent, luxury hotels worldwide. The Leading Hotels of the World Executive Committee Members: Valor Hospitality Partners, a leading full-service global hospitality management company, has signed a strategic Hotel Management Agreement (HMA) with Karmastaji Group to oversee a portfolio of three hotels in Dubai with 259 keys and five outlets. This partnership underscores the trust that Dubai-based Karmastaji Group has placed in Valor Hospitality Partners Middle East to deliver exceptional operational efficiency and maximize investment returns. Valors expertise in hospitality management continues to help visionary developers like Karmastaji Group transform their assets into successful business ventures. By leveraging its comprehensive range of services including acquisition advisory, branding, asset management and innovative food and beverage concepts Valor Hospitality Partners ensures its partners achieve long-term value creation and success. As Dubai continues to thrive as a global tourism and hospitality hub, Valor remains committed to supporting the UAEs and Dubai 2040 vision. By collaborating with developers like Karmastaji Group, Valor solidifies its position as a trusted and preferred partner dedicated to shaping the regions hospitality landscape. Valor Hospitality Partners also appointed Patrick Antaki as Vice President of Operations, Middle East earlier this month. He has over three decades of experience in the hospitality industry, and he brings a wealth of knowledge, a history of operational excellence and a deep understanding of the Middle Easts dynamic market to his new role. CHMWarnick, the leading hotel asset management and owner advisory services company to the hospitality investment community, announced today the launch of Proph+IT, an innovative business intelligence platform designed to revolutionize how hotel owners and operators collect, analyze, and respond to performance data to improve investment returns. In an era where hoteliers utilize multiple reports across countless platforms and sift through massive amounts of data, decision-making becomes overwhelming and time-consuming. Proph+IT eliminates these issues by streamlining critical performance metrics across entire portfoliosempowering users to make smarter, faster decisions. Owners and operators deserve a platform that transforms financial metrics into strategic clarity. With Proph+IT, we are not only streamlining the data collection process, we are providing actionable insights that drive results and optimize asset value. With Proph+IT, identifying operational inefficiencies and finding hidden profit opportunities is easier than ever, said Olsen. This platform empowers owners and operators to shift from reactive reporting to proactive decision-making Proph+IT lead, Derek Olsen, Managing Director/EVP, CHMWarnick Key Features: Seamless Integration: Built on Microsoft Power BI and Excel, Proph+IT integrates effortlessly into existing workflows with no lengthy onboarding process. Built on Microsoft Power BI and Excel, Proph+IT integrates effortlessly into existing workflows with no lengthy onboarding process. Pre-Mapped Systems: Proph+IT is already mapped to the chart of accounts for the major brands and more than 15 leading third-party management companies. Proph+IT is already mapped to the chart of accounts for the major brands and more than 15 leading third-party management companies. Unmatched Detail: With over 63,000 individual line items, users can dissect detailed labor and productivity metrics, food and beverage expenses, and key insights at an unprecedented level. With over 63,000 individual line items, users can dissect detailed labor and productivity metrics, food and beverage expenses, and key insights at an unprecedented level. Dynamic Dashboards: Customized views to track portfolio-wide KPIs or drill down into individual properties for a deeper look into performance anomalies. Customized views to track portfolio-wide KPIs or drill down into individual properties for a deeper look into performance anomalies. Industry Benchmarking: Unlock the power of Proph+IT by benchmarking current and forecasted performance of individual hotels and portfolios across dozens of performance KPIs and labor productivities. Unlock the power of Proph+IT by benchmarking current and forecasted performance of individual hotels and portfolios across dozens of performance KPIs and labor productivities. Enhanced Efficiency: Automating the collection and analysis of P&L statements, forecasts, budgets, and other reports, Proph+IT frees up time for owners and operators to focus on strategy and actionable insights. Automating the collection and analysis of P&L statements, forecasts, budgets, and other reports, Proph+IT frees up time for owners and operators to focus on strategy and actionable insights. Cloud-Based Accessibility: View data from your PC, tablet, or mobile device at your desk, on a plane, or in a car through Proph+ITs cloud-based platform. Proph+IT currently powers CHMWarnicks asset management platform, which has included over 400 hotels and has successfully informed strategies across all property types and tiers. Due to growing demand from clients and industry partners seeking a more efficient and actionable way of distilling performance metrics, CHMWarnick is making the platform available to the broader investment and management communities for the first time. To see Proph+IT in action and learn how it can enhance your portfolio performance, visit chmwarnick.com/ProphIT, or email [email protected] to schedule a demo. About CHMWarnick CHMWarnick is the preeminent provider of hotel asset management and owner advisory services. The company asset manages over 50 hotels comprising approximately 22,000 rooms valued at roughly $12 billion and is advising on development projects valued at over $2 billion. CHMWarnick's hotel owner advisory services include asset management, hotel planning and development, acquisition due diligence, owner-entity accounting, management/operator selection, negotiation, capital planning, and disposition strategy. CHMWarnick is the thought leader in hotel ownership issues and asset management practices and has ten offices nationwide, including locations in Boston, New York, Phoenix, San Francisco, St. Augustine and Washington, D.C. For more information, contact 978.522.7000 or visit www.CHMWarnick.com. For the latest company news, follow CHMWarnick on Twitter @CHMWarnick and LinkedIn. The term "robot" comes from the Czech word robota, meaning forced labor or drudgery. Introduced by Karel Capek in his 1920 play R.U.R. and inspired by his brother Josef, the word encapsulated a grim vision of mechanized subjugation. Ironically, a century later, robots have flipped the script: they're no longer merely laborers but liberators, reshaping how industriesfrom logistics to hospitalityoperate. But this liberation is double-edged. As digital workers take over more and more tasks, humans face a new reality: fewer jobs but potentially more meaningful ones. And in hospitality, where emotional intelligence and human connection reign supreme, this tension between automation and authenticity isn't just philosophicalit's existential. So, could digital workers dominate hospitality? In short, yes. But it's not a dystopian Black Mirror scenario where androids replace every concierge or bartender. Instead, we'll see a nuanced integration of biological and non-biological workers. Let's take a cue from Amazon, where robots account for nearly half the workforce750,000 robotic units alongside 1.55 million humans. Could hospitality mirror this balance? Absolutely, and sooner than we might think. Labor shortages are accelerating this trend. By mid-2023, 82% of hotels reported insufficient staff, with 26% describing the crisis as "severe." Traditional solutionshigher wages, flexible hours, expanded benefitsaren't enough. And the numbers don't lie: the industry is struggling to attract and retain talent with its notoriously high turnover (exceeding 80% annually). That being said, digital workers excel at repetitive tasks, enabling hotels to maintain service levels while grappling with labor shortages. Avatars, AI systems that optimize pricing strategies, and chatbots/voice agents that manage guest inquiries 24/7 are not futuristic noveltiesthey're already here and only getting smarter. Digital workers will likely hit operational bottlenecks first, like back office, revenue management, and marketing. They will then sneak into more creative intelligence-needed jobs, such as human desk agents, and tackle low-paid, high-dexterity jobs, such as housekeeping and maintenance. Other departments, particularly those emphasizing high-touch guest experiences, will remain human-centricat least for now. A sommelier's expertise or a concierge's intuition cannot be easily digitized. Or, well, it canand probably it will make a better sommelierbut that uncanny valley phenomenon is just around the corner for most guests, at least for now. As coexistence between biological/human and artificial/digital workers continues to normalize, even at a sociological and cultural level, and as we overcome the unsettling effect, the hospitality industry is on the brink of a transformation that will define its future. As I've said many times, we are likely to see three distinct archetypes emergenot defined by stars, but by their approach to balancing human and digital labor: Technocentric Hotels These properties, prevalent in the budget and midscale segments, will fully embrace automation to deliver cost-effective solutions for a growing base of budget-conscious travelers. Digital workers will handle pretty much everything from check-ins to room service, leaving humans in supervisory "human-in-the-loop" roles. Even roles requiring dexterity, such as housekeeping, will transition to robotics as costs drop. This model prioritizes efficiency and scalability over personalization, making it ideal for high-volume, low-margin operations. Anthropocentric Hotels At the luxury end of the spectrum, human interaction will be the core value proposition. These properties will offer personalized, high-touch services, with human staff celebrated as artisans of hospitality. Guests will pay a premium for authentic human connectionsomething machines cannot replicate. Emotional intelligence, creativity, and intuition will be the hallmarks of these hotels, where human labor itself becomes a form of luxury. This is what I call the "humans-as-luxury" model. Hybrid Hotels Most properties will fall into this category, adopting a balanced approach that blends technological efficiency with human warmth. Back-of-house operationssuch as housekeeping, revenue management, and routine guest communicationswill be largely automated. Front-of-house roles that directly impact guest satisfaction, such as concierges, will remain human. This model represents what I call "technological humanism," where automation supports but does not replace the guest experience. But let's clarify a common misconception: the first digital workers will not be humanoid robots delivering towels in a sterile dystopian lobby. Instead, they're software-driven solutions designed to handle tasksdata entry, guest review responses, invoice processing, or answering calls via AI voice. Think of them as the backstage crew of hospitality: invisible but indispensable. The beauty of this first wave of digital workers is that it doesn't trigger the unheimliche effect. Unlike the animatronic oddities of Japan's Henn na Hotel, these digital workers blend seamlessly into workflows, boosting efficiency without unsettling guests. So, what should you do? Invest in Technological Literacy: Staff must learn to collaborate with digital workers. Think colleagues, not competitors. Redefine Roles: Hire for emotional intelligence and creativity, not just technical skills. Or stop hiring for technical skills altogetherthey won't mean anything in five years. Strategic Hybridization: Reserve automation for back-of-house tasks while preserving high-touch, front-of-house roles for humans. Foster Visionary Leadership: Leaders must harmonize technological advancements with the human touch. Conclusion I said many times that technology is not anti-humanit's inherently human. Our ability to create tools defines us as a species. From the wheel to agentic AI, each innovation affirms our central role in shaping the world, at least for another decade or two. So, could digital workers dominate hospitality? Yes. But this isn't a question of replacementit's about coexistence. The bell tolls for a new era of hospitality. And as John Donne says, it tolls for all of us. Let's make sure these are bells of celebration, not mourning. As automation, robotics, and AI continue to advance at breakneck speed, the role of digital workers is reshaping industries across the board. Take Amazon, for instance: robots now account for nearly half of its workforce, with over 750,000 robotic units working alongside 1.55 million human employees. Unlike Amazon's efficiency-focused model, however, our industry thrives on human connection and personalized service. The real challenge for us lies in determining how to integrate technological efficiency without losing the authentic human touch that defines the guest experience. What's your take? Could we see digital workers comprising half of the hospitality workforce, as they already do at Amazon in this decade? Which departments are most likely to see this transformation first? And how can the industry prepare to adopt these changes while safeguarding the very essence of hospitality? Max Starkov Hospitality & travel technologist and digital strategist By 2025, over 85 million existing jobs will be lost due to the seismic shift toward AI, robotization and automation, according to WEF, McKinsey and OECD. Last year labor costs exceeded 1/3 of hotel revenue and AI, robotization and automation are becoming increasingly appealing to hotel owners and operators. Whether we like it or not: robotization and automation are coming even to our technology-averse hospitality industry. Digital workers in the form of robots are being used at thousands of hotels worldwide and already replace numbers of hospitality employees in performing dangerous, repetitive and mundane jobs like housekeepers, porters and baggage handlers, concierges, security guards, line cooks, room service, bar tenders, waiters, etc. Next gen technologies like AI, robotics, automation are solving a number of issues in our industry: Solve dull, repetitive, dirty or dangerous jobs. Solve high turnover of trained employees (20%-30%) Lower labor costs Increase productivity Solve labor shortages A few examples of robot implementations: Housekeeping robots Rosie by Tailos clean guest rooms 20 percent faster and public areas up to 80 percent faster than human housekeepers. Keenon Robotics has deployed 100,000 waiter, cleaning and but,er robots to 60 countries worldwide. Could we see digital workers comprising half of the hospitality workforce, as they already do at Amazon in this decade? Yes. This model aligns perfectly with the limited and select service layer of the industry. Under such a model I would call it the 'no service' or dormitory management layer. Although beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Which departments are most likely to see this transformation first? Following the above, elimination of the overall front of house function with automation from reservation to billing. The model will migrate to a pre-payment model with no other products provided on site to purchase or (more) vending machines. All on site functions will follow including engineering and elements of housekeeping. How can the industry prepare to adopt these changes while safeguarding the very essence of hospitality? Under the model above that is not the objective. The objective is the removal of human manpower. In reality the current manpower exists for show in this layer of industry. There will be a skeleton property management/guest contact function for very lmited human touch points. The customer may even be charged to work with a human! Get ready! To thrive in an increasingly digital world, hotels must embrace AI to deliver the highly personalized experiences modern guests demand. However, as with any transformation, it's critical not to put the cart before the horse. Before investing in advanced AI-driven solutions, hotels should first establish a strong, sustainable data foundationa Central Guest Profile (CGP) that aggregates guest information across all touchpoints of the customer journey. Without clean, centralized data, AI will underperform, resulting in poor personalization and reduced ROI. Think of ChatGPT: its strength lies not only in advanced algorithms but also in vast, high-quality datasets that enable accurate, meaningful responses. Many hotels today lag behind OTAs and e-commerce giants like Amazon in their ability to personalize content on websites and newsletters. The root cause is clearfragmented data and a lack of centralized guest knowledge. Departments such as marketing, reservations, and guest services will likely lead the adoption of digital workers, particularly in areas where routine tasks can be automated without compromising guest experience. As the hotel industry evolves, it's essential to address these foundational issues before chasing "fancy" solutions. Only then can AI truly help hotels differentiate themselves, drive direct bookings, and enhance guest loyalty. Dave Berkus Managing Partner at Wayfare Ventures LLC We've watched the first truly productive use of AI in robotics in our properties as a start. Always routine tasks so far, including room floor cleaning, roof and window cleaning, large function room cleaning and more. Delivery of items to the room looks nice but is more of an early adapter gee whiz item than one with true payback in productivity. I've observed another AI revolution though, in the back office, just starting to show its strength. Completely automated handling of accounts payable for groups and chains where invoices and purchase orders are sent electronically and automatically injested into the large company accounting systems for one. The same is begingning to be true for smaller groups and even some individual properties on the cutting edge: requiring vendors to send documents electronically for ingestion into lesser local accounting systems. Watch for decision tree systems breaking complex tasks and decisions into simple processes for management. Look for the expansion of the present revolution in the kitchen and bar. Don't look too closely for anything AI that deals with the guest directly in four and five star properties for years. Alexander Lennart Schmidt Professor (Lector) of Technological Innovation at Hotelschool The Hague In some sectors, like Amazon, robots already make up a significant part of the workforce. However, for hospitality, this development brings specific challenges. Unlike logistics, hospitality defines through personal contact and unique experiences. The World Economic Forum Future of Jobs Report 2025 shows that advancements in robotics and AI are the main drivers of labor market transformation. By 2030, repetitive and predictable tasks will mostly be automated, also in hospitality operations. At the same time, research (Qiao et al., 2023) warns about a tipping point: in the beginning, AI can increase productivity and profits. However, at a later point, AI can replace human workers. This scenario also applies to hospitality, where AI tools may first help workers but later take over. Currently, hospitality businesses use AI mainly to improve efficiency (eg. in revenue management or with chatbots for guest communication). As technology develops, areas like housekeeping and reception will likely have more digital workers. To prepare for this, the industry needs to focus on training staff, creating roles that combine human and AI strengths, and finding new ways to keep personal interactions central to the guest experience. The hospitality industry's unique nature relies heavily on the value created by human interaction and guest experience. While digital workers could comprise half of the hospitality workforce in the next decade, it is crucial to acknowledge that replicating the human touch in hospitality will be a challenge for them. The initial AI transformation should focus on behind-the-scenes roles and providing staff with AI tools to help streamline traveler pain points, while guest-facing positions will still be primarily human-led. A gradual, experimental approach is best, starting with low-risk areas like virtual assistants with defined parameters, self-service check-in and -out, food and beverage kiosks, and automated email communications. These initial steps would provide a strong foundation for further AI integration, offering an enhanced experience for both guests and staff while reducing friction and helping improve efficiency. When adopting AI technologies, the hospitality industry should follow a Human Centric AI Approach, a framework that prioritizes human needs (of both guests and hotel staff), values, and well-being, at forefront of design, deployment, and governance. This approach helps enable AI systems to enhance human capabilities, respect individual rights, and contribute to societal good while maintaining transparency, accountability, and ethical principles. Simone Puorto Founder | CEO | Futurist The term "robot" comes from the Czech word robota, meaning forced labor or drudgery. Introduced by Karel Capek in his 1920 play R.U.R. and inspired by his brother Josef, the word encapsulated a grim vision of mechanized subjugation. Ironically, a century later, robots have flipped the script: they're no longer merely laborers but liberators, reshaping how industriesfrom logistics to hospitalityoperate. But this liberation is double-edged. As digital workers take over more and more tasks, humans face a new reality: fewer jobs but potentially more meaningful ones. And in hospitality, where emotional intelligence and human connection reign supreme, this tension between automation and authenticity isn't just philosophicalit's existential. So, could digital workers dominate hospitality? In short, yes. But it's not a dystopian Black Mirror scenario where androids replace every concierge or bartender. Instead, we'll see a nuanced integration of biological and non-biological workers. Let's take a cue from Amazon, where robots account for nearly half the workforce750,000 robotic units alongside 1.55 million humans. Could hospitality mirror this balance? Absolutely, and sooner than we might think, but... Related article by Simone Puorto Custodio Barreiros Founder & CEO, EIP MGT Hospitality is, and always will be, fundamentally human. The warmth of a genuine smile, the intuition of a well-trained team member, and the empathy behind every thoughtful gesture are irreplaceable pillars of guest satisfaction. While technology continues to advance, offering tools to streamline operations and personalize experiences, it cannot replicate the heart and soul of true hospitality. Sentiment analysis, AI-driven insights, and automated processes can assist, but they lack the spontaneity and warmth that only human interaction can deliver. The role of technology is not to replace people but to empower themfreeing up time, providing actionable insights, and enabling teams to focus on delivering authentic connections. A fulfilling guest journey begins with an empowered employee journey. When teams are supported with the right tools and training, they can create seamless, memorable experiences that drive loyalty and operational success. At its core, hospitality is about making people feel seen, valued, and cared for. This is a uniquely human gift, and technology should remain an enablernot a substitutefor it. Digital assistants are already a significant part of the industry, which is traditionally known for its human-centric nature. While we may not see digital workers comprising half of the workforce as they do at Amazon, automation is likely to transform key hospitality operations, especially in the back of the office. Digital workers are already integrated into certain back-office hospitality operations such as kitchens, scheduling, and task management, streamlining operations without directly impacting guest interactions. AI will also play a crucial role in decision-making, with systems supporting dynamic pricing, revenue management, and targeted marketing, ensuring maximum profitability while optimising costs. In terms of guest-facing services, chatbots, virtual assistants, and concierges are increasingly handling inquiries, booking requests, and support tickets, freeing up human staff for more complex tasks. This shift could significantly impact departments such as front desk services, concierge, and customer support. The future of hospitality will witness an increased rise of digital workers, yet the key to success will be balancing technological efficiency with the warmth that defines hospitality. The industry will lean more towards a hybrid model that leverages the best of both worlds, where digital workers complement rather than replace the human touch or supervision. Stanislav Ivanov Founder and Editor-in-chief of ROBONOMICS: The Journal of the Automated Economy While hospitality relies heavily on human interactions, the wide adoption of robots, artificial intelligence, and service automation technologies by hospitality companies is inevitable due to labour shortages resulting from declining birth rates in developed economies. Additionally, the hospitality industry is notorious for its low pay and working conditions, which decrease its appeal to young generations who enter the labour market. Hence, hospitality companies will be forced to automate certain processes and tasks to decrease their labour needs. Back-of-house tasks are perfect candidates for automation because the customer is not involved in their implementation, the company has full control over them and can organise them effectively and efficiently. Many marketing-related tasks (e.g. social media communication, developing draft promotional materials and marketing plans, etc.) could be automated with generative AI while robots can help in room service delivery, transporting items, and cleaning. Front-of-house tasks related to check-in/out, ordering food and payments could also be automated. Relieving the staff from dirty, dull, dangerous and repetitive tasks will leave them with more time to pay attention to the guests and make their stay more hospitable. Hence, technologies are partners, not competitors of hospitality employees. St. Regis Aruba Resort - Image Credit Marriott International St. Regis Hotels & Resorts has announced the opening of The St. Regis Aruba Resort, a beachfront property designed by Hirsch Bender Associates. The resort marks the brand's first venture into Aruba, and it includes the island's first St. Regis casino and a rooftop dining destination led by Chef Akira Back. The resort, located on Aruba's most desirable coastline, has 252 guestrooms, including 52 suites. It combines local Dutch-Caribbean culture with the St. Regis brands elegance and service. George Fleck, Senior Vice President and Global Brand Leader for St. Regis Hotels & Resorts, highlighted the property as elevating the region's hospitality scene. The resort offers six culinary experiences that celebrate Aruba's multicultural heritage. The rooftop restaurant Akira Back features Chef Akira Back's acclaimed Japanese and Korean-inspired creations. Other dining options include Caribbean restaurant Eskama and beachside restaurant Nuba. The property also features two bars, The St. Regis Bar and Ventura, and a coffee shop, Grano Cafe. Various amenities for relaxation and indulgence are available, including two pools with private cabanas, a fitness center, and The St. Regis Spa. The resort also offers a children's club with cultural and educational experiences. The property provides 20,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor event spaces, including the Terrace Suites and Astor Ballroom. These spaces are accompanied by the brand's renowned Butler Service to ensure flawless event execution. Treasure Cove Water Park at Westgate Lakes Resort & Spa in Orlando, Florida. Image Credit Westgate Resorts Choice Hotels International and Westgate Resorts, a leading resort developer, have announced a new partnership. This collaboration will see 21 Westgate properties available for booking on ChoiceHotels.com. These properties can also be booked using points from the award-winning rewards program Choice Privileges. The Westgate properties will enhance the upscale offerings of Choice Hotels, which include brands like Radisson, Cambria, and Ascend Hotel Collection. They aim to provide guests with unique experiences at each stay. Westgate destinations offer a range of amenities and experiences. These include the family-friendly Treasure Cove Water Park at Westgate Lakes Resorts & Spa in Orlando, horseback rides at Westgate River Ranch Resort & Rodeo in River Ranch, Florida, and ski-in, ski-out accommodations at Westgate Park City Resort & Spa in Park City, Utah. The Chief Marketing Officer at Choice Hotels International, Noha Abdalla, expressed her excitement over the partnership with Westgate Resorts. She stated that this would offer a wider range of hotel options for travelers and the 68 million Choice Privileges members. Jared Saft, Westgate Resorts Chief Business & Strategy Officer, also expressed satisfaction with the new collaboration. He highlighted Choice Privileges' ranking as one of the best hotel loyalty programs in the U.S and welcomed the opportunity to make their resorts available to Choice's guests. This partnership expands the list of over 1,000 luxury and full-service properties available through Choice. It follows the introduction of new features to the Choice Privileges program, including extending the reward night booking window to 50 weeks and the launch of Choice RewardSaver. This tool allows customers to book hotel stays for as low as 6,000 points. The 21 Westgate Resort properties now bookable through ChoiceHotels.com are located in various popular destinations across the United States, including Orlando, River Ranch, Cocoa Beach, Las Vegas, Park City, New York City, Branson, Gatlinburg, Pigeon Forge, Myrtle Beach, Williamsburg, and Mesa. City Express by Marriott Set for Expansion into Argentina, Bolivia, Nicaragua, and Peru - Image Credit Marriott International Marriott International's City Express brand is set to debut in Argentina, Bolivia, Nicaragua, and Peru, with eight new properties expected to open over the next three years. The company's expansion into these markets will further strengthen its presence in the affordable midscale segment. In 2024, Marriott signed 12 City Express hotels, adding 1,236 rooms to its 153 hotels and 17,777 rooms in the Caribbean and Latin America region. Since Marriott acquired the City Express brand in 2023, the brand has seen strong performance and expansion across this region. The upcoming entry into Argentina, Bolivia, Nicaragua, and Peru will complement the brand's existing portfolio in Mexico, Chile, Colombia, and Costa Rica. Marriott has also recently announced plans to introduce City Express to Brazil and extend the brand into the US and Canada. Laurent de Kousemaeker, Chief Development Officer for Marriott International in the Caribbean and Latin America, stated that the brand's expansion reflects the increasing demand for affordable, high-quality lodging options in these regions. He added that the new signings demonstrate Marriott's commitment to providing diverse travel experiences and their focus on offering owners and developers new build and conversion opportunities. The new properties will include: 1. City Express by Marriott Iguazu, Argentina, and City Express by Marriott Anelo Neuquen, Argentina, slated to open in 2025 and 2027 respectively. 2. City Express by Marriott Santa Cruz de la Sierra, Bolivia, expected to start construction in 2025 and anticipated to open in early 2027. 3. City Express by Marriott Managua, Nicaragua, City Express by Marriott Esteli, Nicaragua, and City Centro by Marriott La Recoleccion, Nicaragua, all planned to convert in Q3 2025. 4. City Express Plus by Marriott and City Express Suites by Marriott, Casma, Peru, are both anticipated to open in 2027. This expansion is part of Marriott's strategy to meet the needs of travelers seeking value-driven accommodations without compromising on quality and service. Premier Inn London Waterloo (North Lambeth) - Image Credit Whitbread Whitbread PLC, owner of Premier Inn - the UK's largest hotel brand, has added over 1,000 new rooms to its UK network since the start of its financial year in March 2024. The recent opening of the 137-room Premier Inn at London Waterloo (North Lambeth) brought the company past the 1,000-room milestone. Seven new Premier Inn hotels have been opened in the past eleven months, including locations in Central London, Cambridge, Bristol, York, and Torquay. This expansion aligns with Whitbread's strategy to grow its portfolio in sought-after UK destinations. The company offers UK customers over 85,500 hotel rooms and sees potential for 125,000 rooms in the UK and Ireland. This expansion is possible due to favorable market conditions and the decline of independent hotels and guest houses. Alex Flach, UK & Ireland Development Director, noted that the new hotels reflect Whitbread's commitment to expanding in high-demand locations across the UK and Ireland. Three of the hotels were created by converting vacant office spaces, a process that reduces carbon dioxide emissions during construction. The new hotels opened include a 120-room hotel in Torquay Harbour, a 188-room hotel in York (Layerthorpe), a 103-room hotel in Bristol Parkway (M32), a 369-room hotel near Paddington Station, a 120-room hotel in Cambridge City Centre (Lion Yard), and a 137-room hotel in Lambeth North, London. Whitbread has identified several locations in the UK and Ireland where it plans to increase Premier Inn's presence. These include 40 locations within the M25 and thirteen locations in Ireland. Outside the UK, Whitbread is expanding in Germany, where it operates over 10,000 Premier Inn rooms and aims to become the country's top hotel operator. Wait! Before you go Please sign up for our Evening Digest and Breaking Newsletters Success! An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup. Error! There was an error processing your request. * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. ADVERTISE Hypebot & MusicThinkTank With the internet and digital technologies driving rapid change within the music industry, articles about new releases and who has been hired and fired are no longer enough. Our up to the minute industry news alongside insightful commentary helps our readers sift through the rumors and developments to find the information they need to keep their businesses moving forward. Hypebot is read daily by more than 30,000 music industry professionals including executives and senior staff of music related tech firms, internet based music sites, every major label group and most indies as well as many managers, artists and members of the live music community: Contact us for the latesst stats, ad rates and sponosorship opportunites. We also offer combined rates with MusicThinkTank. Two Metrics Rising Female Country Artists Have in Common Lainey Wilson and Megan Moroney are among the rising female country artists paving the way for greater gender equality among country music audiences. Two Metrics Rising Female Country Artists Have in Common by Danny Katz via Chartmetric Blog Country music has never been more popular than it was in 2024, with the genre enjoying a record-breaking year in both numbers and cultural influence. On Spotifys year end report, they measured a 20% global increase in country streams compared to 2023. Shaboozeys A Bar Song (Tipsy) and Dashas Austin (Boots Stop Workin) dominated TikTok, racking up millions of views and leading Shaboozeys hit to spend 19 weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart , tying the record the longest run in history. On top of that, global superstars Post Malone and Beyonce made their forays into the genre with their respective albums, F-1 Trillion and Act II: Cowboy Carter. Despite these huge headlines, the largest long term impact is coming from the solidification of country musics new class of women: Lainey Wilson, Megan Moroney, Ella Langley, and Dasha. Despite the genres long history of being dominated by male voices, these four women have carved their own lanes to stardom. They have even overtaken long established stars like Carrie Underwood and Miranda Lambertin popularity. This is illustrated below by charting these artists Spotify Popularity over time. This metric is a 0-100 score which reflects how popular an artist is compared to all other artists on the platform based on a few factors including number of plays, recency, share of total plays, user engagement, and skip rate. The higher the score, the more an artist is trending at that time. This new class is led by Louisiana native Lainey Wilson, known as one of the hardest workers in Nashville , who went from living in a camper to becoming the first woman to win CMA Entertainer of the Year since Taylor Swift in 2011 . Megan Moroney burst onto the scene with Tennessee Orange which quickly climbed the charts and became her first number one on country radio . Since then, she has steadily released new music to feed her rapidly expanding fanbase which grew from ~2.5 million Spotify Monthly Listeners at the start of 2023 to almost 9 million at the end of 2024. Next is Ella Langley, whose career soared to new heights when she released the infectious You Look Like You Love Me featuring fellow Alabama native Riley Green. Fueled by huge engagement on TikTok , it became the first and only song by a female artist to go number one on the Billboard Country Airplay chart in 2024. Finally, Dasha rounds out the group. She broke out with the previously highlighted Austin (Boots Stop Workin), which has been featured in almost 700K TikTok videos and generated 5.5 billion views to date. Clearly, Carrie Underwood, Miranda Lambert, Kelsea Ballerini, and Carly Pearce remain very popular acts in their own right. However, two key areas explain how the new class leapfrogged the more established acts: audience demographics and social media engagement. These areas also leave clues as to which artists may be next to make the leap. Balanced Audience Demographics Country music, especially with its growing relevance, has an increasingly wide range of both artists and fans. This manifests itself in the audience demographics of each artist, which can be measured through the gender ratio of their social channels. Plotted below is a comparison of the percentage of Instagram followers versus YouTube subscribers by that artists gender. The vast majority of female artists are in the upper right quadrant with greater than 50% of their audience on both platforms being female. There are only four with a majority male audience on Instagram (one being Ella Langley) and three with a majority male audience on YouTube. The split between genders is even greater for TikTok audiences. Nevertheless, there are some acts that have closer to a 50-50 gender split on both Instagram and YouTube, most notably the new class of female stars. When isolating for the top twenty female artists based on Spotify Popularity and plotting that metric against each acts delta from a completely neutral balanced gender demographic, a pattern emerges for both platforms. A Flourish scatter chart On Instagram, Lainey Wilson, Megan Moroney, Ella Langley, and Dasha have a gender split within 20% of 50-50. Wilsons audiences are the closest to neutral, with her Instagram followers being 54% female and 46% male. Of the four, Langley has the largest variance, but as previously mentioned, her followers actually skew more male (only 30% female and 70% male). In contrast, Carrie Underwood, Miranda Lambert, Kelsea Ballerini, and Carly Pearce all had female percentage deltas of 21% or greater, with Lambert coming in with the most lopsided audience: 82% female and 16% male. Albeit a very small sample size, there is a statistically significant relationship present between a more gender-balanced Instagram audience and higher Spotify Popularity. A very similar relationship exists between Spotify Popularity and the delta of YouTube audience versus a 50-50 split amongst the top female artists. A Flourish scatter chart The cohort of Underwood, Lambert, Ballerini, and Pearce are more established artists with larger fanbases, but the younger group is appealing to relatively more men than their counterparts. And in some cases, more men total. A Flourish chart Plotted above is the number of Instagram and YouTube followers / subscribers for the artists in these cohorts distributed by gender. Carrie Underwood is excluded as her 13+ million followers significantly skew the axis. This view illuminates the discrepancy in the number of male fans. For example, Lainey Wilson has 51% more male Instagram followers than Miranda Lambert, despite having only 60% of total followers. Wilson also has 122k more male followers than Kelsea Ballerini, but 1.3 million less overall. Moroney and Langley both have ~65% of the number of male followers of Lambert, despite having only 32% and 17% of Lamberts total followers, respectively. A similar pattern exists on YouTube, which given its functionality as a streaming service for many, directly reflects listenership. @megmoroney just found my favorite 2 guys in australia if yall can find these gems & theyre coming back tomorrow id love to meet them #CMC original sound Megan Moroney The wider the audience an artist can appeal to, the larger the audience has the potential to grow over time. For women in country music, the data shows capturing more of the male audience can be an important factor for explosive growth on the path to superstardom. Social Media Engagement Rates The other metric where this new class of women stands out is social media engagement rates. Measured by Chartmetric as the average number of likes over their last 30 posts divided by followers, it directly measures how active and interested an artists following is in their content. While it becomes increasingly difficult to maintain a high engagement rate as a following grows, the most popular artists can do it. The figure above visualizes Instagram engagement rate for the top 250 country acts by gender, inclusive of duos and groups, by comparing the metrics numerator to denominator (average likes to followers). Each point varies in size to reflect the engagement rate. Carrie Underwood has a massive following (over 13M followers), but only averages ~24K likes per post (0.25% engagement rate). Megan Moroney averages 10.5x more likes than Underwood, despite having just 12% of her total following. This equates to an engagement rate of 16.5% for Moroney, which is the highest for any country artist with over 75K followers. Lainey Wilson and Ella Langley also boast impressive engagement rates of 3.3% and 9.0% respectively, with Wilson averaging almost 100K likes per post. This ranks her ninth out of all country artists in the dataset. Not surprisingly, the numbers are similar on TikTok. Plotted in the same manner with the larger points indicating higher engagement rates, many of the same artists separate themselves including Lainey Wilson and Megan Moroney. The new act that stands out is Gabriella Rose, who has a whopping 59% engagement rate (more on her later). Wilson and Moroney both average ~200K likes per post for engagement rates of 7.0% and 10.7% respectively. Ella Langley averages 78K likes, a few thousand more than Kelsea Ballerini, with only 1.2 million followers to Ballerinis 2.6 million. Similar to seeing a positive relationship between balanced gender demographics and Spotify Popularity, the same exists with engagement rates on both Instagram and TikTok. A Flourish scatter chart On Instagram, Wilson, Moroney, Langley, and Dasha all have higher engagement rates (2.5% 16.5%) than Underwood, Lambert, Ballerini, and Pearce (0.25% 1.8%) along with greater Spotify Popularity values. On TikTok, Ballerini beats out Dasha in engagement rate at 2.8% versus 0.87%, but Wilson, Moroney, and Langley all far exceed those numbers with rates ranging from 6.5% to 10.7%. These high engagement rates across both platforms reflect fans who are going to tell their friends about that artist, buy a ticket for a live show, and, as the data shows, stream their music. Make no mistake, Wilson, Moroney, Langley, and Dasha have a long way to go before they match the legendary careers of those who came before them, especially Carrie Underwood and Miranda Lambert. However, right now the genre has the strongest core of female stars that its had since the 1990s. This is extremely encouraging, especially for aspiring female artists who can now see a clearer path to breaking through thanks to the new class of country women. The Next Artist To Watch Gabriella Rose One artist that shares comparable characteristics is Gabriella Rose, a near outlier on the list of artist TikTok engagement rates at 59%. This is based on her average of ~464k likes over her last 30 posts with only 789k followers the majority generated through her viral track Doublewide. Self-described as a ridiculous song, similar to how Ella Langleys You Look Like You Love Me was initially written as a joke , the track has racked up almost 60 million views on her videos alone plus 7+ million Spotify streams to date. When digging further into her numbers, the similarities with Wilson, Moroney, and Langley really come into focus. While data on her YouTube audience is not yet available, she has a relatively balanced gender distribution of Instagram followers at 62% female and a higher share of female followers on TikTok at 77%. These values, when plotted alongside Spotify Popularity and Chartmetric Score, paint a clear picture of an artist that profiles very similarly. A Flourish radar chart Regardless of what happens with TikToks future in the US , All signs point to Gabriella Rose being an important artist to watch in 2025, who is one of hopefully many that will follow in the footsteps of Wilson, Moroney and Langley with highly engaged, better balanced audiences. As a rising tide lifts all boats, having more women in country music see success is going to unlock even more opportunities for those in the future. That is not only great for women in country, but the genre as a whole. Share on: Trump has music industry worried as new term begins Donald Trump has the music industry worried as he begins his second term as U.S. President begins. Predicting what the President and his Republican party will do is no easy task. But after repeated campaign statements and early executive orders Trump has music industry worried in at least four key areas: 1) DoJ vs. Live Nation and Ticketmaster One major unknown is where a new U.S. Department of Justice stands to the ongoing antitrust lawsuit against Live Nation and Ticketmaster. Will they continue, drop it or force a new consent decree. So far the lawsuit has had little impact on Live Nation and its stock. But independent venues and promoters see the concert and ticketing giant as an exertional threat with a breakup the only solution. 2) Visas, Immigration & Retribution Another unknown is how Trumps aggressive anti-immigration will affect musicians and the live music industry. Will an overburdened immigration infrastructure with new priorities process VISA applications from overseas artists more slowly? Will overseas artists still want to tour the US where there being a foreigner is seen as a threat? Will other governments retaliate by making it harder for US artists to tour there? 3) Foreign Trade There are similar concerns with how Trumps tougher trade policies and proposed tariffs will affect the global music economy. Will it be harder for foreign music companies to do business in the US and how will US music companies be affected overseas? 4) AI While plans are vague, Trump has generally been pro AI with less concern than his predecessor for setting guardrails. On his first day in office, Trump revoked President Bidens 2023 executive order on AI. A new Wild Wild West of AI is not good news for musicians and a music industry fighting for control and compensation. Bruce Houghton is the Founder and Editor of Hypebot, a Senior Advisor at Bandsintown, a Berklee College Of Music professor and the founder of the Skyline Artists Agency Share on: Vinyl Record Pressing is finally improving thanks to new tech After years of stagnation vinyl record pressing is finally improving thanks to new tech that speeds up production and improves quality. Plus, eco-friendly methods are making the process greener than ever. Vinyl Record Pressing is finally improving by Bobby Owsinski via BobbyOwsinskiBlog.com The technology of record pressing has been virtually stagnant for over 40 years, with lathes and record pressing machines relying on cannibalized parts from old worn-out equipment to keep them going. Thanks to the resurgence in vinyl sales, which injected more money into this side of the business, brand new and improved equipment is being manufactured, along with some major technological advancements. Lets take a look at some of these new in vinyl record pressing. Viryl Technologies Warm Tone Vinyl Press New Record Presses Until recently, if a pressing plant wanted to add another record press, they had to scour the world for forgotten pressers in old warehouses. While this did happen occasionally, most stampers found this way werent in good enough condition to be used immediately, as they required extensive refurbishing, which took considerable time and expertise. For the first time, several companies are now releasing brand new record stamping machines, which pressing plants are eagerly acquiring (the backlog at most facilities is about three months). Toronto-based Viryl Technologies Warm Tone press (see the graphic above) is computerized and fully automated, allowing a record to be stamped every 25 secondsabout half the time of a traditional press. This is something that the vinyl record community has longed for and it has finally come to pass. Ecology-Minded Pressing Making a vinyl record is a messy, time consuming process that involves toxic chemical baths, large mechanical presses, stampers that wear out easily, and perhaps worst of all, a final product thats made from a petroleum byproduct. Record pressing has shown small improvements over the years, but other than Viryl Technologies Warm Tone mentioned above, its still done the way it was 50+ years ago. That said, new injection moulding process invented by the German company Sonopress called EcoRecord, promises not only to cut production costs, but to improve the sound quality, and reduce the environmental impact of conventional record pressing as well. In a conventional press, a PVC puck is heated with steam until soft, then placed between two stampers and pressed for about eight seconds. It takes about 20 seconds to press, followed by another 16 seconds for the record to cool before the process can begin again. In the new process, a recyclable PET mixture is pre-heated, injected between two stampers, then pressed for a few seconds and cooled for another 20 seconds to ensure the mixture reaches the outer edges of the stampers. There are several big advantages with injection moulding. First of all, the amount of energy used is cut by up to 85%. Theres no excess vinyl to trim, and the stampers last much longer before degrading. Currently, a stamper may last for as few as 2,000 records before needing replacement (although the figure is usually higher). Yet another happy byproduct is that the records surface noise is reduced by up to 10dB over conventionally pressed records. This seems like a slam dunk, but there are still a few challenges to overcome. So far, injection moulded records appear to be less durable, showing signs of wear after 35 plays compared to 50 for a traditional vinyl record. It can also be somewhat more expensive. Thats not the only new system with ecological promise. British Evolution Music has introduced the worlds first bio-plastic record, which uses natural sugars and starches instead of plastic. Another British startup, Elastic Stage, is also working on this technology. So the good part about vinyl record pressing is that new technology is finally being introduced. The bad part is that most of the work is still built around petroleum-based PVC. You can learn more about making vinyl records as well as all types of mastering in my latest 5th edition of The Mastering Engineers Handbook.Click here to find out more. Share on: At first glance, this years Oscar nominations have a weight to them. They feel notable, important worthy, even. At the heart of this is Jacques Audiards musical crime drama Emilia Perez, which set a new record for the most nominations for an international film. (It got 13 nods surpassing previous record holders Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000) and Roma (2018), which each earned 10.) Its a Spanish-language film, set largely in Mexico, with a transgender character at its centre, played by trans actor Karla Sofia Gascon. Without seeing Emilia Perez, youd probably assume that its Oscars nomination coup was a daring and progressive choice by the Academy. The reality is sadly the opposite. Long before its Oscars ascendancy, Emilia Perez won the Jury Prize at the Cannes Film Festival, soaring off the back of a fair amount of critical praise. This was, we were told, a powerful, unfiltered portrait of someone who challenges several stereotypes at once and sincere, sentimental filmmaking. Yet this adulatory initial wave of reviews was penned largely by cisgender critics. Audiard himself is cisgender. And the more trans and queer critics began to publish their thoughts, the clearer it became that there was a profound disconnect here. Emilia Perez suffers so profoundly from a lack of cohesion musical, thematic, and narrative that it is impossible to gain much of anything from it. For it to be championed so fervently by the Oscars is merely the performance of something new, something radical; it is ultimately superficial in what it stands for. Its stasis masquerading as change. Glaad, the LGBTQ advocacy organisation, declared the film a profoundly retrograde portrayal of a trans woman. Drew Burnett Gregory, writing for Autostraddle, stated: Certainly, this shallow understanding of trans people cant still be interesting to cis people. How many times do cis people have to learn about us before a portrayal like this one rings as false to them as it does to me? The film simultaneously proved unpopular in Mexico, where it was criticised for its reductive and inauthentic stereotypes. The point here is not to shame anyone who has enjoyed Emilia Perez, but to ask the question: when the people represented on screen, for the most part, feel betrayed by what was represented on screen, how exactly can we call that progress? Other Oscar frontrunners Broadway adaptation Wicked, papal thriller Conclave, Bob Dylan biopic A Complete Unknown, and Sean Bakers comedy-drama Anora are all (better-constructed) crowdpleasers. But at a time when art is under threat more than ever, I cant help but be frustrated by the lack of what feels genuinely challenging, of the kind of films that push the form in a new direction. Which brings me, at least, to one pleasant surprise: the Best Picture nomination for RaMell Rosss Nickel Boys. Its a film that feels meaningfully and creatively daring in all the ways Emilia Perez proves superficial: using an immersive and moving point-of-view camera (criminally overlooked for Best Cinematography) and impressive sound design (also not nominated) to adapt Colson Whiteheads Pulitzer Prize-winning 2019 novel. The story is a fictionalised account of a friendship forged by two Black students at Nickel Academy, a so-called reform school (in reality a euphemistic term for a juvenile penal institution). Although its been an awards season frontrunner from the start, Im still reassured by how well Brady Corbets The Brutalist has done, with 10 nominations in total, coming second behind Emilia Perez. Even as a fan of Corbets previous work, I found the awards buzz a pleasant surprise. The pint-sized future dictator of The Childhood of a Leader (2015) and the megalomaniac pop star of Vox Lux (2018) dont exactly scream awards-friendly; The Brutalist, a handsomely shot historical epic about an immigrant Jewish architect, might have a better chance. The Brutalist is a confrontational film. Its a story of American identity with no victory, and not even the quiet stoicism and regret of the Best Picture winner last year, Christopher Nolans Oppenheimer. It doesnt give Hollywood much room to pat itself on the back. Thats why I suspect it wont win all that much beyond Best Actor, for Adrien Brodys stunningly vulnerable performance. Emilia Perez, meanwhile, offers representation without challenging its audience much at all. And, in that sense, its part of a long Oscars tradition from Crash (2004) to Green Book (2018). Selena Gomez and Karla Sofia Gascon in Emilia Perez ( Netflix ) Gascon is the first out trans actor to be nominated for an Oscar. And its important that any critique of Emilia Perez recognises her work and her contribution to Audiards film. As Mey Rude, for OUT, wrote, These critiques are downplaying, if not erasing, the hard work put in by Gascon to shape the character and the story itself, particularly the trans aspects, which changed a lot from Audiards original ideas thanks to Gascons input. The actor has some level of authorship over the film. If she wins, it will mean something. The inauguration of Donald Trump for his second term as US president has brought with it a wave of anti-LGBT+ legislation the primary aim of which is ultimately erasure. To have a trans woman stand, speak, and be celebrated on such a global platform as the Oscars has its own significance. But in the end, what is the point of rallying around a representation that doesnt serve those its representing? Two prominent (and excellent) trans films from last year, documentary Will & Harper and surrealist horror drama I Saw the TV Glow, in which trans people tell the story themselves, were completely shut out despite being awarded elsewhere. It was, overall, a landmark year for trans cinema: see also Alice Maio Mackays horror T Blockers and Vera Drews superhero satire The Peoples Joker. Yet, its Emilia Perez a film that, despite the efforts of its trans star, has still been accused of using her character as a narrative prop thats been platformed as the supposed pinnacle of this cultural achievement. Hollywood wants to be seen as a liberal haven; in practice, only money really talks. And so were faced with the question, at such a profoundly dark time in Americas history: how will art respond? What world will it create for itself, when it is capitalism, and feigning loyalty to power, that decides over and over what kind of art is allowed to be created and distributed? I fear, as this years Oscar nominations suggest, that Hollywood will respond as it often has: with performative gestures, and not much else. 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 A dormant Martin Scorsese and Leonardo DiCaprio project is suddenly looking more likely. Nine years ago, Scorsese started putting plans in motion to adapt Devil in the White City, Erik Larsens best-selling nonfiction thriller, which DiCaprio bought the rights to in 2010. The brakes were put on Scorseses film adaptation when it was announced the book would be adapted by director Todd Field for TV instead, with Keanu Reeves in the lead role. However, this adaptation never came to fruition and, according to Deadline, 20th Century is overseeing the project with Scorsese and DiCaprio attached once again. The Independent has contacted 20th Century for comment. Set in 1893, the chilling book weaves together the tales of two men: Daniel H Burnham, an architect and urban designer who was behind the 1893 Worlds Fair in Chicago, and Henry Holmes, a cunning con artist, bigamist and serial killer, who capitalised on the tourist attraction to lure anywhere between 27 and 200 victims to his elaborately designed Murder Castle. DiCaprio is reportedly in talks to play the role of Holmes. There is a question mark surrounding what 82-year-old director Scorseses next film will be. In 2023, it was reported that Scorsese would tackle another David Grann book after 2023s Killers of the Flower Moon. Grann told French outlet Telerama that the filmmaker was planning to adapt The Wager: A Tale of Shipwreck, Mutiny and Murder. Both Scorsese and his frequent collaborator Leonardo DiCaprio have obtained the rights to the novel, which was published earlier this year. The film tells the story of survivors of a shipwreck who, six months after returning home, are accused by three men of mutineering their ship. However, in 2024, Scorsese seemed to reveal that his next project will actually be an 80-minute film about Jesus, adapted from A Life of Jesus by Silence writer Shusaku Endo. Martin Scorsese and Leonardo DiCaprio are eyeing seventh film together ( Getty Images for CinemaCon ) The filmmaker told The Los Angeles Times: Im trying to find a new way to make it more accessible and take away the negative onus of what has been associated with organised religion. Devil in the White City would be the seventh Scorsese feature film DiCaprio has starred in following Gangs of New York, The Aviator, The Departed, Shutter Island, The Wolf of Wall Street and Killers of the Flower Moon. 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 This years Oscars nominations will be announced by rising stars Rachel Sennott and Bowen Yang. The pair are both actors, writers and comedians and will be hopeful that the early-morning hosting gig from Los Angeles isnt their last association with the Academy Awards. The Connecticut-born Sennott, 29, studied at NYU and has been a fixture of the New York comedy scene since 2016, both on Twitter and at alt-comedy shows. In 2018 she played the lead role in Emma Seligman's short film Shiva Baby and earned further critical praise when she reprised the part for the feature film adaptation in 2020. In a four-star review of the film for The Independent, Clarisse Loughrey wrote that Sennott, who was already known for her ultra-cool social media presence [blending] aspirational self-love and feverish neuroticism, felt perfectly pitched as the high-strung young woman at the heart of the film. Since then, Sennott has starred in a string of critically acclaimed indie hits, including the Gen Z slasher Bodies Bodies Bodies opposite Pete Davidson (which also earned a four-star review) and teen fight club comedy Bottoms, alongside The Bears Ayo Edebiri (dubbed cynical, cool and hysterically weird). She was most recently seen in Jason Reitmans comedy Saturday Night, about the first ever taping of Saturday Night Live, playing real-life Seventies SNL comic Rosie Shuster. Oscars nominations 2025 presenters Rachel Sennott and Bowen Yang ( Getty ) Yang, meanwhile, is a Saturday Night Live star of the modern era. Born in Brisbane, Australia, he moved with his family to Montreal, Canada and then Aurora, Colorado while still a child. He also attended NYU where he met fellow comedian Matt Rogers. The pair have hosted the culture podcast Las Culturistas together since 2016. In 2018, Yang was hired as a writer by Saturday Night Live and was promoted to featured player the following year. He became the shows first-ever Chinese-American cast member and only the third gay male cast member. His skits and performances have frequently made headlines, with his turn as pygmy hippo Moo Deng going viral last year. During last weekends episode, he was seen hugging Dave Chappelle after the pair had reportedly fallen out over Chappelles outspoken views on trans rights. As an actor, Yang appeared in the 2022 queer romcom Fire Island and most recently played a supporting role in Wicked, which is tipped to be one of the films to garner the most nominations at this years Oscars. It will be up to Yang and Sennott to reveal whether Wicked does indeed lead the way when they take the stage at the Academys Samuel Goldwyn Theater in Beverly Hills to announce the nominations in all 23 Academy Award categories at 5:30am local time tomorrow morning. Sign up to Roisin OConnors free weekly newsletter Now Hear This for the inside track on all things music Get our Now Hear This email for free Get our Now Hear This email for free SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Green Day have taken lyrical aim at Elon Musk while performing in his home country of South Africa. The bands frontman Billie Joe Armstrong reportedly switched a line in their 2004 hit American Idiot from Im not a part of the redneck agenda to Im not a part of the Elon agenda. According to Billboard, the California punk band were making their first appearance in the country when they performed at Johannesburgs FNB Stadium on January 19. The show was part of the Calabash 2025 festival, which saw Green Day headline alongside The Offspring and local group Fokofpolisiekar. The Independent has approached Green Day for comment. The day after Green Days performance, Musk made headlines around the world when he was accused of giving a Nazi salute during an inauguration celebration for Donald Trump. In response, his former partner, the Canadian musician Grimes, said she was happy to denounce Nazi-ism. Green Day frontman Billie Joe Armstrong and Elon Musk ( Getty ) This is not the first time Green Day have made a lyrical change to American Idiot. At a New Years Eve performance in 2023, the band took the stage at Dick Clarks New Years Rockin Eve and changed the line to: Im not part of the MAGA agenda. The change upset Musk at the time, who tweeted: Green Day goes from raging against the machine to milquetoastedly raging for it. In response, Green Day bassist Mike Dirnt told Rolling Stone: Elon Musk actually is the machine. I cant take anything else from that. Hes not shy about saying stupid s*** on the internet. Whatever. Dirnt continued: The songs twenty years old, and were Green Day. What did you expect? The bassist added that the group was glad the switch-up ignited a conversation among those who watched the performance, explaining how the band have previously wanted to release political songs but chose not to do so during the first Trump administration. First it was rhetorical, and then it got into conversation. Anytime you can get people talking, youre always going to have the loudest voices [heard first], and then everyone else in the room is going to figure out what it really means, he said. Musk has not yet responded to Green Days most recent lyrical change, although he has spoken out about the controversy over his Nazi salute. While the worlds richest man did not outright deny that he was emulating a fascist salute when he twice shot his right arm in an angular direction with the palm facing down, he said his critics needed better dirty tricks because attacking their political opponents as Adolf Hitler is sooo tired. Sign up to Roisin OConnors free weekly newsletter Now Hear This for the inside track on all things music Get our Now Hear This email for free Get our Now Hear This email for free SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy A surprise treasure has been unearthed from Tina Turners vaults: the previously unheard track Hot for You, Baby, which was intended for use on her fifth solo album, Private Dancer. Private Dancer, released in May 1984, propelled Turner back into stardom after escaping her abusive marriage to musician Ike Turner in the Seventies left her penniless and living off food stamps. Turner was broke after the split and playing cabaret shows to pay off her debts. Yet she learnt that she still had fans in the R&B-obsessed UK, after The Rolling Stones invited her on their US tour and Rod Stewart asked her to play with him on Saturday Night Live. Long believed to have been lost, Hot for You, Baby was recorded at Hollywoods Capitol Studios but was bumped from Turners fifth album in favour of hits including Whats Love Got to Do with It and Better Be Good to Me. The album peaked at No 1 in the US and earned Turner four Grammy awards, including Song of the Year. Listen to Hot for You, Baby now Hot for You, Baby was unveiled on the BBC Radio 2 breakfast show with Mark Goodier on Thursday (23 January), and forms part of a 40th anniversary edition of Private Dancer. The song was written by Australian musicians George Young and Harry Vanda, and produced by John Carter, who signed Turner to Capitol in spite of the labels misgivings. Capitol, who were convinced to let Turner record an album after her success in Europe, only paid for her to spend two weeks in the studio, where she recorded songs such as Whats Love Got to Do with It, which had previously been rejected by Cliff Richard and Bucks Fizz. open image in gallery Tina Turners album Private Dancer propelled her back into the spotlight ( Paul Cox ) Set to be released on 21 March, the special edition of Private Dancer includes a number of previously unreleased tracks, live performances and footage, and will be available on CD, vinyl and Blu-ray. Goodier, who is currently covering the Radio 2 breakfast show, said of the new song: To have something new to hear from Tina Turner is a treat for fans of all generations and a reminder of her unique talent. Enjoy unlimited access to 100 million ad-free songs and podcasts with Amazon Music Sign up now for a 30-day free trial Sign up Enjoy unlimited access to 100 million ad-free songs and podcasts with Amazon Music Sign up now for a 30-day free trial Sign up Im lucky enough to have both interviewed Tina and seen her perform live. She was an outrageously good performer and at the same time a remarkable graceful lady, whose every note was shaped by her incredible life. open image in gallery Ike and Tina Turner in 1975 ( Getty ) Turner died aged 83 from natural causes at her home in Kusnacht near Zurich, Switzerland, in 2023. In what are believed to have been her final public remarks, she told The Guardian earlier that year that she was not afraid of death. As the Queen of Rock n Roll. As a woman who showed other women that it is OK to strive for success on their own terms, she said when asked how she wished to be remembered. Asked what frightened her about growing older, she answered: Nothing. This is lifes full adventure, and I embrace and accept every day with what it brings. 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 Cancel those weekend plans and plump up the sofa cushions: one of Netflixs biggest ever hit series is back. By this, I dont mean Squid Game, the inventive Korean thriller that returned for season two at Christmas. Or Wednesday, the teen-focused Addams Family adaptation due to release its much-anticipated second season later this year. I dont mean Ryan Murphys Monster, either another streaming phenomenon that recently came back for more. No, Im talking about The Night Agent, the pulpy spy series that debuted in March 2023 and became the streamers sixth-most-viewed series ever. Strangely, amid a sea of constantly replenishing content, The Night Agent may turn out to be one of the few shows whose return doesnt disappoint. For many TV series, the second go-around what American pundits sometimes refer to as a sophomore season has proved a difficult nut to crack. The aforementioned Squid Game, for instance, failed to recapture the zeitgeisty buzz of its first season, which cut through pop culture like a thunderbolt during the tail end of the Covid pandemic. So, too, did the juggernaut hit Tiger King when it returned for a redundant season two. This isnt a problem unique to Netflix, of course acclaimed shows on traditional networks, such as True Detectives or Yellowjackets, have been completely derailed by an errant season two. But its a predicament that Netflix finds itself in particularly often, thanks chiefly to the sheer volume of content being churned out, and the considerable, pressure-inducing audience size for any one hit. So what makes The Night Agent any different? The series was, in the scheme of Netflix originals, fairly unexceptional. Created by Shawn Ryan, whose Noughties cop show The Shield has endured as one of the finest dramas of TVs golden age, The Night Agent was warmly received by critics, some of whom likened it to the Kiefer Sutherland counterterrorism thriller 24. (A plotline in season one involving an attempt to assassinate the US president certainly encroached on Jack Bauer territory.) But it was also modest in scope, without any real star power. At the heart of the series, playing an out-of-his-depth FBI agent, was Gabriel Basso, the actor best known for his turn as JD Vance in the drama Hillbilly Elegy not someone youd describe as a household name. (The Whales Hong Chau is the most famous member of the supporting cast.) The Night Agents success, then, came as a surprise especially when you consider the far more expensively produced, A-lister-laden series that have failed to make a mark on the streamer, such as last years now-cancelled Kaos. But the truth is, its low-key aspirations have worked in its favour. While The Night Agents second season will inevitably struggle to recreate the fervent buzz of its first, Ryans series stands a far better chance than some. The opening episodes immediately deliver much of the same, twisty intrigue that made season one so popular. Everything about the series is utterly unspecial from the flat, unnuanced dialogue to the limp characterisations but when it comes to determining what makes a streaming show a hit, quality is seldom the deciding factor. Paramount+s ongoing spy show The Agency is a far better example of the genre and boasts a cast of stars, including Michael Fassbender, Jeffrey Wright, Katherine Waterston, and Richard Gere but it will only be watched by a fraction of The Night Agents audience. The mass migration of talent from cinema to TV has meant that the idea of seeing major film stars tackle a (usually mediocre) eight-part streaming series now holds no novelty. The Night Agent taps, in some ways, into TVs more traditional appeal the chance to watch a group of unfamiliar faces slog their way through a familiar genre. Whats the worst that could happen? The Night Agent is streaming now on Netflix 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 Tiger King star Joe Exotic slammed Donald Trump for again failing to pardon him and said he would have been better off if he had stormed the US Capitol on January 6. The 61-year-old tiger trader, whos currently serving a 22-year prison sentence after being convicted in 2019 of hiring hitmen to kill his zoo keeper rival, Carole Baskin, previously failed to receive a pardon from Trump during his first term. While Trump told a reporter in 2020 that he would take a look at Exotics case, nothing came from it. He instead went on to pardon and commute the sentences of 143 people, including rappers Lil Wayne and Kodak Black. Exoctic later sought clemency from former President Joe Biden, but his efforts remained unsuccessful. Now he watched in dismay as Trump used his first few days back in the White House to pardon around 1,5000 people convicted over January 6. He also pardoned two members of the far-right Proud Boys and Ross Ulbricht, the Silk Road founder, and additionally commuted the sentences of five Proud Boys and nine members of the Oath Keepers militia. Joe Exotic begs Donald Trump to pardon him ( Netflix/Getty Images ) If I was a crack dealer, maybe if I broke in the capital or even have been related to the Bidens. I might have gotten some relief on being in prison innocent, Exotic wrote in a Tuesday (January 21) Instagram post, alongside a cartoon of a forlorn figure seated on the ground with the message: President Trump you forgot me... again, written above. Hell the guy who killed 2 FBI Agents even got a pardon today, he added, referring to Leonard Peltier, who was controversially commuted by Biden in the final hours of his presidency, along with several of Bidens family members. I cant even get a new trial based on admitted perjury testimony, Exotic said. In a series of following Instagram posts, the felon further implored his followers to help him reach Trump by tagging the president on social media. 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 President Trump what is going on? Pardon Joe Exotic! he added in another post before going on to list a number of reasons why he should be freed. Joe Exotic did not hurt anyone. Joe Exotic did not pay anyone. Joe Exotic had no plans to hurt anyone, he claimed, alleging that hes suffered for seven years behind bars being isolated, abused, and treated in ways no American should ever endure. Trump, please sign clemency #C308172 and freedom for Joe Exotic the Tiger King so he can go back to doing good in the world, the message concluded. 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 Karla Sofia Gascon just became the first-ever openly trans individual nominated for an Academy Award in any acting category. This morning (January 23), the 52-year-old was acknowledged for her title role in Jacques Audiards Netflix musical Emilia Perez in which she plays a cartel leader named Manitas who seeks the help of a Mexican lawyer (Zoe Saldana) to help fake his death and transition into Emilia Perez. Gascons 2025 Oscar nomination for Best Actor comes after her leading performance was recognized by the Golden Globes and the Screen Actors Guild Awards. Thank you so much @theacademy @emiliaperezfilm, she wrote on X/Twitter today following her nomination announcement. Speaking to The New York Times back in November, Gascon said she felt like her career was on the rocks after she came out as a trans woman in 2016. When I finished my transition, I didnt know if I was going to have a career after that, she told the newspaper. open image in gallery Karla Sofia Gascon becomes the first-ever openly trans woman to land an Oscar nomination ( Getty Images ) Before she came out, the Madrid-born actor had primarily starred in Mexican telenovelas. But the trajectory of her career drastically changed the minute she auditioned in front of Audiard, the French film director and three-time Golden Globe winner. Though Audiard originally planned to cast a cisgender male for the role of Manitas in Emilia Perez, Gascon convinced him she could play both characters. open image in gallery The actress shares heartfelt message on X after nomination announcement ( X/@karsiagascon ) I can tell you that from an egocentric point of view, Im mad that people dont realize its me playing both, but at the same time, I feel very proud, too, she told the Times. Watch Apple TV+ free for 7 days New subscribers only. 8.99/mo. after free trial. Plan auto-renews until cancelled Try for free Watch Apple TV+ free for 7 days New subscribers only. 8.99/mo. after free trial. Plan auto-renews until cancelled Try for free The past few months have been momentous for the transgender community between Gascons recognition and Alex Consani winning Model of the Year at the 2024 British Fashion Councils Fashion Awards in early December 2024. Consani, the 21-year-old talent whos fiercely walked every runway from Chanel to Simone Rocha, made history as the first trans model to receive the coveted accolade. At the ceremony, Consani paid tribute to the individuals whove inspired and motivated her over the years. Im the first trans woman to win this award, she said. But I cant accept this award without thanking those who came before me, specifically the Black trans women who really fought for the space Im in today Dominique Jackson, Connie Fleming, Aaron Rose Phillips and countless more who fought for the space that allowed me to flourish today. Now, more than ever, its an important conversation that should be had about how to truly support and uplift one another within this industry, especially those who have been made to feel insignificant. Because change is more than possible its needed, she said. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy A man died and two were injured in a stabbing attack at a train station in Nagano, a popular ski resort in central Japan, police said. The incident, suspected to be a random attack with no one targeted in particular, occurred near JR Nagano Station at around 8pm local time on Wednesday. The suspect, an unnamed middle-aged man, remained at large, the Kyodo News agency reported. He used a blade-like object to attack three people waiting for a bus near the station, police said. One of them, Hiroyuki Maruyama, a 49-year-old man, was pronounced dead in a hospital. A 37-year-old man was wounded but stayed conscious, while a 46-year-old woman suffered a head injury from falling during the attack. Maruyama was stabbed on the left side of the abdomen and went into cardiac arrest. He was taken to a nearby hospital where he was pronounced dead shortly after 10pm. open image in gallery File. Police arrive at the scene after a woman brandished a hammer inside a classroom at Hosei University's Tama campus in Machida in the western suburbs of Tokyo ( AFP via Getty ) One of the survivors told investigators the suspect was a man of slim build in his 40s who wore pants, a jacket and a white scarf on his head. Police said they were actively searching for the suspect in connection with charges of murder and attempted murder. A dedicated hotline had been established at the Nagano Central Police Station to provide information about the suspects whereabouts. A witness said the suspect appeared to be searching for his next target as he moved around the train station after the attack, the Japan Times reported. I was with my child, and for a moment, the suspect pointed the knife in our direction. I was completely focused on protecting my family," he said. Stabbing attacks are more common than other violent crimes in Japan due to strict gun control laws. The country has witnessed a number of cases involving random knife attacks and arson on subways in recent years. In response, a company said last year it was introducing blade-resistant umbrellas on Japanese trains to enhance passenger safety. The stab-proof umbrellas are about 20cm longer than standard umbrellas, with reinforced canopies and thicker handles for better defence. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy China has called on Afghanistan to thoroughly investigate an attack that killed one of its nationals in northern Takhar province. A Chinese citizen, surnamed Li, who was associated with a mining company, was killed by unknown people on Tuesday evening, Taliban police spokesman Mohammed Akbar said. He was travelling to the Dasht-e-Qala district with a translator, who was unharmed in the attack. The man was travelling without informing security officials, who typically accompany Chinese nationals on trips in the country, despite being told to inform when crossing districts or provinces, said Interior Ministry spokesperson Abdul Mateen Qani. Chinas foreign ministry on Thursday said it was "deeply shocked" by the attack, calling on Afghan authorities to thoroughly investigate the incident and severely punish the perpetrators. "We urge the Afghan interim government to take resolute and effective measures to ensure the security of Chinese civil institutions and projects in Afghanistan," ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said at a regular press briefing. Isis claimed responsibility for the attack, according to the intelligence group SITE. Isis said it targeted a vehicle carrying the Chinese citizen, which led to his death and damage to his vehicle. The outfit said its soldiers used a machine gun to target the Chinese man. The fatal attack on the Chinese national in Afghanistan marked the first such incident since December 2022 when a local offshoot of Isis, known as Isis-K, stormed a Kabul hotel popular with Chinese investors. At least three Afghans were killed and 18, including five Chinese nationals, were injured in the attack. Following the attacks, Beijing urged its citizens to leave Afghanistan. The Taliban returned to power in Afghanistan in August 2021, following the withdrawal of US and Western allied forces after nearly two decades of military presence in the country. Although Afghanistans de facto rulers claim to have restored peace and stability since taking control, the Islamic State Khorasan (IS-K) has carried out numerous high-profile attacks. These attacks have targeted Taliban officials, prominent religious figures, and members of the minority Shiite community in Afghanistan. While no country has officially recognised a Taliban-led government China became the first country to appoint an ambassador to Afghanistan under the Taliban and has said it wants to boost trade and investment ties. China holds particular significance for the Taliban, as it is courting foreign investment and regional partnerships to counter their ongoing international isolation, driven largely by their restrictions on women and girls. 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 chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC) has requested arrest warrants for two top Afghan Taliban officials for the repression of women. Karim Khan said in a statement he asked judges to approve warrants for the group's supreme leader, Hibatullah Akhunzada, and the head of Afghanistan's Supreme Court, Abdul Hakim Haqqani, accusing the men of crimes against humanity for gender-based persecution. "These applications recognise that Afghan women and girls as well as the LGBT+ community are facing an unprecedented, unconscionable and ongoing persecution by the Taliban," Mr Khan said. Since they took back control of the country in 2021, the Taliban have barred women from jobs, most public spaces and education beyond sixth grade. Last year, Akhundzada banned buildings from having windows looking into places where a woman might sit or stand. Human rights groups applauded the ICC move against the Taliban leadership. "Their systematic violations of women and girls' rights, including education bans, and the suppression of those speaking up for women's rights, have accelerated with complete impunity. With no justice in sight in Afghanistan, the warrant requests offer an essential pathway to a measure of accountability," Liz Evenson, international justice director at Human Rights Watch, said in a statement. It is the first time in the court's history that attacks on the LGBT+ community have been considered a crime against humanity. Judges at the The Hague-based court approved a request in 2022 from the prosecutor to reopen the investigation into Afghanistan. The probe was shelved after Kabul said it could handle the investigation. Mr Khan said he wanted to reopen the inquiry because under the Taliban, there was "no longer the prospect of genuine and effective domestic investigations" in Afghanistan. However, human rights groups criticised Mr Khan's decision to focus on crimes committed by the Taliban and the Afghan affiliate of the Isis group. He said he would "deprioritise" other aspects of the investigation, such as crimes committed by Americans. Mr Khan's predecessor, Fatou Bensouda, got approval in 2020 to start looking at offenses allegedly committed by Afghan government forces, the Taliban, American troops and U.S. foreign intelligence operatives dating back to 2002. The decision to look into Americans led to the previous first-term administration of Donald Trump slapping sanctions on Ms Bensouda, whose term ended in 2021. There is no deadline for judges to rule on a request for a warrant, but a decision typically takes around four months. It took a pre-trial chamber three weeks to issue an arrest warrant for Russian President Vladimir Putin in 2023 but six months in the case of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu last year. Associated Press 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 On the eve of his presidential inauguration, Donald Trump pledged at a public rally in Washington to strengthen the US military by getting back billions of dollars worth of equipment left behind in Afghanistan during the fall of Kabul in 2021. Although it was Trumps first administration that signed the deal with the Taliban to withdraw Nato forces, the Republican has heavily criticised the way his successor Joe Biden handled the pullout and said the Democrat gave our military equipment, a big chunk of it, to the enemy. If were going to pay billions of dollars a year, tell them were not going to give them the money unless they give back our military equipment, Trump said, referring to humanitarian aid. So, we will give them a couple of bucks; we want the military equipment back. According to a report by the US Department of Defence in 2022, the US left behind $7bn worth of military equipment in Afghanistan as they withdrew from the country much of it in the hands of the Nato-backed Afghan army which was quickly seized by Taliban fighters as they swept the country. The US forces tried to dismantle or destroy as much of their machinery as they could from aircraft to computer systems in the last weeks of their chaotic pull-out after 20 years of war. But huge amounts still fell to the Taliban in August 2021 when the US-trained military crumbled and surrendered to the Islamist militants. open image in gallery Donald Trump speaks with former White House chief of staff John Kelly at a briefing in 2017 when the US and allies were holding the line against the Taliban in Afghanistan ( Getty Images ) The equipment includes aircraft, air-to-ground munitions, military vehicles, battle tanks, humvees, US track, weapons, bulletproof vests, camouflage uniforms, communications equipment and other materials which have not only deteriorated over the last nearly four years but also been dismantled by Taliban fighters. However, experts say retrieving the US military equipment left behind in Afghanistan is far easier said than done. Jason Campbell, a senior policy researcher at the RAND think tank in Washington, says the billions of money that Trump is referring to are the cash shipments sent by the US, as the single largest donor to the humanitarian causes in Afghanistan. These cash shipments are handled very carefully through the UN and other non-governmental organisations to ensure a consistent financial drip to keep millions of Afghans alive through the aid, as the Taliban is prevented from international banking. open image in gallery Taliban military vehicles parade to celebrate the third anniversary of Talibans takeover of Afghanistan, at the Bagram Air Base in 2024 ( Getty Images ) This is all done to prevent what, ostensibly, Trump is at the very least insinuating that the US is sending $40m to the coffers of the Taliban every month and now they can do with it whatever they please, Campbell tells The Independent. Even if Trump is advised to negotiate with the Taliban to bring back American military equipment, the process will be far more arduous than it appears. To return it, just logistically, he will need to send a team to analyse and verify the equipment that is being discussed. His team will have to secure either some degree of overflight landing and agreements. This will always remain a critical issue, as it has been during the peak of the US involvement in Afghanistan how you get equipment in and out of Afghanistan, says Randall, former country director for Afghanistan in the office of the secretary of defence for policy. In 2015, he recounts, the US found it more cost-effective to destroy its armoured Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected Vehicle (MRAPV) as the Obama administration tried to reduce its footprint inside Afghanistan. It was more economical to quite literally destroy an MRAP than it would be to fly it back to the US, given that it doesnt have any other immediate cause or immediate use for some of these outside of an active war zone, he says. open image in gallery US Marines keep watch as unseen Afghan National Army soldiers participate in a training exercise in Helmand in 2017 ( Getty Images ) On Tuesday, the Taliban clapped back at Trump and outright refused the suggestion it could return any of the leftover US military equipment. An unnamed official said that instead of demanding the return of these weapons, Trumps administration should further arm the Taliban with more advanced weapons to fight the mushrooming terror threats inside Afghanistan, including the Islamic State Khorasan (ISKP) group. The Trump administration is yet to disclose its plans for dealing with the Taliban regime more broadly, including on topics of its international recognition, funding through the UN and other aid organisations, and the brutal rights situation in the country particularly for women and girls. Officials who worked in Afghanistans Ashraf Ghani administration have been quick to dismiss Trumps remarks. The new US president has been making these kinds of comments, not just about the Taliban, but about literally everything under the sun. It comes from a sense of the world is cheating America and that its playing America for supper, says Ahmad Shuja Jamal, the former Afghan national security council official in the Republican government. This is also a time for Trump to claim to his followers and voters that he will undo the damage by the Biden administration, Shuja says. It underpins a desire in Trump to fix Americas catastrophic withdrawal from Afghanistan, because we are in this state where the Taliban have laid their hands on American military hardware, he says. The former Afghan civil servant warned the US president that talks with the Taliban will be trickier than he realises since his 2020 withdrawal deal, its backing has only solidified among an axis of countries including China, Russia and even Iran. Going to Kabul asking for American assets to be returned might also be interpreted as a sign of weakness, Shuja says, adding: The Taliban sense weakness, and do not respect it. 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 Hundreds of couples have been married in Bangkok as Thailand became the first country in southeast Asia to legalise same-sex marriage. An amendment to Thailands Criminal and Civil Code means that same-sex couples can now legally wed in the country and benefit from the same rights as any other couple, including financial, medical, adoption and inheritance rights. Thailand is the third country in Asia to legalise same-sex marriage, behind Taiwan and Nepal. LGBT+ groups hope to achieve 1,448 wedding registrations on day one, a symbolic number that refers to the section of the Thai civil code where a key amendment changed the words husband and wife to spouse. The organisers, along with related agencies, plan to compile figures from ceremonies nationwide and submit a request to Guinness World Records to recognise Thailand as the holder of the record for the worlds highest number of same-sex marriages to be registered in a single day. One-four-four-eight symbolises the fight for marriage rights for all genders. It represents the dream and hope of building an inclusive society that accepts and celebrates love in all its forms, LGBT+ group Bangkok Pride said. At a mass wedding ceremony organised by the group at the upmarket Siam Paragon shopping mall in Bangkok, rainbow flags, flowers, love hearts and smiles are all around. Hundreds of same-sex couples have registered to get married, including a police officer, and they proudly show their marriage certificates to those in attendance. Nina Chetniphat Chuadkhunthod, a transgender woman, says she is happy to have been able to marry her partner of more than two decades. I feel so happy and good. Weve been together for 22 years. [Ive wanted to get married] for a long time, but Thailand did not allow marriage for the LGBT community for such a long time. But now I feel so good and so happy, she tells The Independent. open image in gallery Ning and Bank got married in Bangkok on Thursday after 30 years of being a couple ( Tommy Walker/The Independent ) Ning and Bank also got married at the Siam Paragon wedding event, wearing matching green suits. They have waited for this day for three decades. We are 49 years old and 48 years old, and weve been together for 30 years, they say. Mookdapa Yangyuenpradorn, a human rights specialist at Fortify Rights who has been campaigning for the marriage equality law, says the number of people getting married on Thursday shows the scale of the LGBT+ community in Thailand. The register is already full they closed the registration because of the number of couples coming to get marriage certificates at the event. It signifies that we have a large community, a number of LBTQI couples waiting for this day, waiting for their marriage to become a reality, Mookdapa says. Same-sex marriages were also taking place throughout the Thai capital, including at local district offices. Thanadech Jandee married his partner at Bangkoks Bang Kapi District Office. Today I woke up early to go register early in the morning. I was a bit excited because we will be one. Its to fulfil our couples life like a normal family. Not strangers. We got married at 8.20am, he says. Thanadech, 35, is a transgender male. He lives with his new wife, and her son from a previous relationship, in Bangkok. They longed to get married and were ecstatic about finally being able to tie the knot. I have been waiting for four years, he adds. open image in gallery Hundreds of same-sex couples married in Bangkok on Thursday ( Tommy Walker/The Independent ) Prime minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra, currently in Davos attending the World Economic Forum, posted a message on Facebook celebrating the news of the law. This victory is a success due to the cooperation of everyone, especially the LGBTQIA+ sector, which is the main core of bringing the Equal Marriage Law into force today, the post read. Thailand has one of the most open LGBT+ communities in Asia. The country has long allowed celebrations to take place, such as the Pride parade and international transgender beauty pageants, and is a global leader in gender reassignment surgery. Thailand also passed its Gender Equality Act a decade ago in 2015, aiming to protect all individuals from gender-based discrimination. But LGBT+ activists have argued that some of Thailands laws have not represented equality within the community, until now. Thailand is now progressing more into becoming an open place, an inclusive place for LGBT+ couples, for those who are in relationships and want to register their marriage, Mookdapa says. Much of Thailands population is Buddhist, with conservative values, meaning that members of the LGBT+ community have faced discrimination in everyday life. Regulations remain a challenge for some couples, such as those that govern what constitutes a legally recognised family. The definition of a family a father being a man and a mother a woman remain in place within the Thai legal code. Activists are still campaigning for more protection for the LGBT+ community, hoping for a Gender Recognition Act to legally protect and recognise the rights of people of all genders. 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 Hundreds of same-sex couples in Thailand tied the knot on Thursday as a landmark legislation took effect, making it the first nation in Southeast Asia to recognise marriage equality. Thailands LGBT+ community has spent decades advocating for the right to equal marriage. On Thursday, hundreds of same-sex marriages were registered at district offices nationwide marking a historic step for the country, which is only the third nation in Asia, after Taiwan and Nepal, to recognise marriage equality. Under the marriage legislation passed by Thailands parliament and endorsed by the king last year, same-sex couples can now register their marriages with full legal, financial, and medical rights, including adoption and inheritance rights. Today, the rainbow flag is proudly flying over Thailand, prime minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra said in a post on X. A mass LGBT+ wedding, organised by the campaign group Bangkok Pride in collaboration with city authorities, was held at Siam Paragon Mall in Bangkok. Local reports said that similar celebrations took place nationwide, with organisers estimating at least 1,000 same-sex marriages on Thursday. Ploynaphas Jirasukhon, 33, and Khwanphorn Kongphet, 32, were the first to arrive at Paragon Hall on the fifth floor of the shopping centre at 6.15am on Thursday. They received their marriage certificate when the event officially began at 8am. Today we feel secure and safe and happy, Ms Ploynaphas told The New York Times. We are happy that we have played a part in the equal marriage law reaching this point. open image in gallery A same-sex couple poses for pictures at a marriage registration event at Paragon shopping mall in Bangkok on 23 January 2025 ( AFP via Getty Images ) At the Siam Paragon event, another couple, Rungtiwa Thangkanopast and Phanlavee Chongtangsattam, reflected on their first attempt to marry 12 years ago during a mass wedding organised by Bangkok authorities on Valentines Day. Although officials initially welcomed them, they were turned away at the registrars desk after presenting their identity cards, both marked as female. They were told that marriage between two women was not allowed, The Bangkok Post reported. On Thursday, they finally had the opportunity to wed. open image in gallery A same-sex couple attends a marriage registration event at Paragon shopping mall in Bangkok on 23 January 2025 ( AFP via Getty Images ) I am delighted and excited because we have been waiting for this day for a very long time, Ms Rungtiwa said. For 20 years, we have loved each other and have had to hide from societys disapproval. But now we can stand proudly. Thai actors Apiwat Apiwatsayree (Porsch) and Sappanyoo Panatkool (Arm) held an unofficial wedding ceremony two weeks ago and on Thursday, had their union officially recognised. Thailand is considered one of the more open countries for LGBTQ+ people, but it took over a decade of campaigning to legalise same-sex marriage. While many in this predominantly Buddhist society, especially older citizens, remain conservative, the country is seemingly becoming more tolerant. open image in gallery Kevin Pethai Thanomket (L) and Maple pose for pictures after registering their same-sex marriage in Bangkok on 23 January 2025 ( AFP via Getty Images ) Siritata Ninlapruek, an LGBT+ activist, said: I am extremely happy, but my fight for the community continues. Marriage equality law is expected to be followed by legislation recognising gender identity. Whether male, female or non-binary, people should have the right to identify as they wish. To mark the new law, Thailands prime minister hosted a photo shoot last week with dozens of couples preparing to marry. 23 Jan 2025 will be the day that we all record history together, that the rainbow flag has been planted gracefully in Thailand, she posted on her Instagram account. Everyones love is legally recognised with honour and dignity. open image in gallery Wasana Liamyongyai (L) and Niramol Pongkan (R), a same-sex couple, pose during their marriage registration event at Paragon shopping mall in Bangkok on 23 January 2025 ( AFP via Getty Images ) Former prime minister Srettha Thavisin also congratulated the newlyweds on Thursday and said on X that equal marriage has truly become possible with the power of all. From now on, there will no longer be a man and a woman, but individual and individual who are equal spouses, he said in a post on X. I congratulate you wholeheartedly on your love. I am so excited, Warin Kheanpikul told BBC on Thursday. She and her partner Aki Uryu have dreamed for so long of this day. It is like I have started my new life, Aki says. open image in gallery Same-sex couples gather onstage at a marriage registration event at Paragon shopping mall in Bangkok on 23 January 2025 ( AFP via Getty Images ) Aki, who is Japanese, relocated to Bangkok to be with Warin. Describing life in Japan, where same-sex marriages are not recognised, Aki said it can be challenging for the LGBTQ+ community. In Thailand, I can hold hands with my partner, walk together. No one says anything. Its just different. It feels right. Thailands Matichon newspaper reported that a couple from Phetchabun travelled 400km through thick smog to register their marriage at the Bang Rak district office in Bangkok. open image in gallery Thai actors Apiwat Porsch Apiwatsayree (L) and Sappanyoo Arm Panatkool pose for pictures after registering their same-sex marriage at the Phra Nakhon district office in Bangkok on 23 January 2025 ( AFP via Getty Images ) Sumalee Sutsainet, 64, and Thanaporn Sutsainet, 59, were the first to arrive, three hours after starting their journey. After receiving their marriage certificate, they announced plans to begin organising a wedding. Last year, when Thailand took the historic step, Amnesty Internationals Thailand researcher Chanatip Tatiyakaroonwong, said: This landmark moment is a reward for the tireless work of activists, civil society organisations and lawmakers who have fought for this victory. open image in gallery Thailands prime minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra, known by her nickname Ung Ing (L) greets same-sex couples and members of the LGBTQ+ community as she arrives to pose for photos to promote Marriage Equality Day at the Government House in Bangkok on 15 January 2025 ( AFP via Getty Images ) For Nina Chetniphat Chuadkhunthod, a transgender woman who had been unable to marry her boyfriend of 22 years due to her inability to legally change her gender identity, the recognition of same-sex marriage feels long overdue. With same-sex marriage now being recognised, they can tie the knot. I feel like, wow, my dream is close to coming true, the 42-year-old told CNN earlier. I felt the proudest moment of my life that I could do this and let people know, let the industry and friends around me know that I could do it. Rights advocate Hua Boonyapisomparn, from the Foundation of Transgender Alliance for Human Rights, said that the next step for Thailand is to allow transgender people to legally change their gender identity. The country is home to an estimated 314,000 trans individuals, according to the Asia Pacific Transgender Network. We should use marriage equality as an opportunity to open another door for gender recognition, Ms Boonyapisomparn said. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Rachel Reeves has said she plans to soften the proposed tax regime on non-doms after listening to their concerns. Downing Street said the move does not change the overall approach to the Governments policy. The Tories said it showed that Labours Budget was falling apart in front of our eyes. The Chancellor said she would be tabling an amendment to the plans for taxing non-domiciled residents after listening to the concerns they raised. The changes will increase the temporary repatriation facility, which allows non-doms to bring money into the UK without paying significant taxes on it. It comes after analysts said the additional taxes had prompted an exodus of millionaires. The Chancellor said taxes on non-doms were increased to raise funds for public services, in an interview at the World Economic Forum in Davos with the Wall Street Journal. But we have been listening to the concerns that have been raised by the non-dom community, Ms Reeves said. And in the finance bill, we will be tabling an amendment which makes more generous the temporary repatriation facility, which enables non-doms to bring money into the UK without paying significant taxes. In the finance bill, we will be tabling an amendment which makes more generous the temporary repatriation facility, which enables non-doms to bring money into the UK without paying significant taxes Rachel Reeves The Treasury said the non-dom reforms are still expected to raise the 33.8 billion of tax revenue forecast by the OBR with the change taken into account. Ms Reeves said she had also heard concerns from countries that have double taxation conventions with the UK, such as India, that they could be required to pay inheritance tax. Thats not the case. Were not going to be changing those double taxation conventions. So, countries like India, non-doms from India will not be affected by the inheritance tax changes, she said. No 10 said the Finance Bill would bring forward the final policy but that the amendment doesnt change the overall approach, which is that we are replacing this outdated regime. It doesnt change our approach to replacing the outdated non-dom tax regime with a new internationally competitive resident-based system that addresses unfairness in our tax system, attracts the best talent and investment to the UK and ensures that everyone who is a long-term resident of the UK pays their tax here, the Prime Ministers official spokesman said. It doesnt change our approach to replacing the outdated non-dom tax regime with a new internationally competitive resident-based system that addresses unfairness in our tax system Prime Minister's official spokesman He was asked why the Government was listening to wealthy non-doms but not farmers, who have pushed back against changes to inheritance rules introduced in the budget. We always engage with farmers. We are listening to farmers, as the Secretary of State has done and continues to do so and the Prime Minister has obviously engaged with the sector as well, he said. The proposed change to the Finance Bill would increase the Temporary Repatriation Facility, a three-year window where non-doms can pay a discounted rate on foreign income and gains. A Treasury spokesperson said: While we do not expect these changes to impact the 33.8 billion of tax revenue that the OBR forecast to raise over five years, they reflect our continued engagement with stakeholders to make sure the reforms announced at Budget operate as intended. The Temporary Repatriation Facility is designed to encourage non-doms to bring their funds to the UK, encouraging them to spend and invest this money here. Labour's Budget is falling apart in front of our eyes Mel Stride Tax rises were among the reasons Britain lost a net 10,800 millionaires in 2024, more than double the 4,200 that in 2023, according to the New World Wealth (NWW) global analytics firm. Shadow chancellor Mel Stride said Labour had been forced to admit its plans made the UK less attractive. Labours Budget is falling apart in front of our eyes. At the election Labour said their plans would raise money, now they have been forced to admit their plans make the UK less attractive. But the damage is already done, tax revenue equivalent to hundreds of thousands of taxpayers has already been lost. Labour simply does not understand business and the economy, and working people are paying the price. It is obvious that this Chancellor is deeply out of her depth. She is losing control of the public finances and pressure is now building for yet more tax rises or spending cuts. She needs to come back to the UK and get our finances on a sustainable footing. Sign up to the Independent Climate email for the latest advice on saving the planet Get our free Climate email Get our free Climate email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Just two days after President Donald Trump announced that the U.S. would pull out of the Paris climate agreement, billionaire Michael Bloomberg said he and other climate funders would provide funding to help cover the countrys contribution to the United Nations climate change body. The pledge will cover 22 percent of the nearly $100 million budget previously provided by America. The other funders were not identified. More and more Americans have had their lives torn apart by climate-fueled disasters, like the destructive fires raging in California. At the same time, the United States is experiencing the economic benefits of clean energy, as costs have fallen and jobs have grown in both red and blue states. The American people remain determined to continue the fight against the devastating effects of climate change, the former New York City mayor said in a statement. United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change Executive Secretary Simon Stiell said that the contribution is vital in enabling the UN Climate Change secretariat to support countries in fulfilling their commitments under the Paris agreement and a low-emission, resilient, and safer future for everyone. open image in gallery Billionaire Michael Bloomberg speaks at the Global Renewables Summit in New York City last September. Bloomberg pledged to support the body after Trump pulled U.S. funding ( Getty Images for Bloomberg Phila ) The international treaty was struck in 2015, in an attempt to address future peril and suffering driven by climate change. The commitment was signed by nearly 200 members of the body, including the U.S. under former President Barack Obama, before Trump withdrew during his first term. He had cited an cited an unfair economic burden imposed on the U.S. This marks the second time Bloomberg has stepped in to help uphold funding and reporting commitments under the Paris agreement. In 2017, he pledged up to $15 million to support the body. Bloomberg ran for mayor of New York City as a member of the Republican Party in 2001, besting challenger Mark Green. His victory marked the first time two Republicans had been elected consecutively to City Hall. In 2007, he announced he was unaffiliated with any political party before winning as a Republican again in 2009. He set his sights on a higher office in 2019, announcing that he was running for president in the 2020 election. But, he suspended his campaign in March of 2020, endorsing Vermonts Democratic Senator Bernie Sanders. Bloomberg and Trump have traded blows in recent years. Bloomberg called Trump a carnival barking clown and Trump blasted him over spending, calling him mini Mike. While the bodys core budget is made up of contributions from governments, other parts can accept contributions from philanthropies and other organizations, according to Reuters. Bloomberg Philanthropies already contributed $4.5 million last year, the news agency said. The bodys main budget lines total around $250 million for 2024-2025, with about half of that expected to be allocated for this year. But, an October analysis found that it is experiencing a severe budget shortfall. open image in gallery Former New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg, President Donald Trump and Vice president J.D. Vance attend the annual 9/11 Commemoration Ceremony in New York City last September. This is the second time Trump has pulled the U.S. out of the Paris climate agreement ( Getty Images ) We continue to work relentlessly, but our resources are increasingly over-stretched, a spokesperson told Reuters then. Bloomberg Philanthropies said that the U.S. can slash atmosphere-warming greenhouse gas emission by 54 to 62 percent by 2035 even without federal climate action, citing research from the University of Maryland. This analysis shows how U.S. subnational actors can significantly contribute to and potentially deliver on the U.S. goals under the Paris agreement, the organization wrote. Gina McCarthy, the former White House national climate advisor, said that the Trump administration has failed once again to meet the moment. Just like they did during the last Trump administration, our cities, states, businesses, and local institutions will take the baton of U.S. climate leadership and run with it, 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 Amy Schumer has said that abuse from internet trolls about her appearance caused her to be diagnosed with a condition called Cushing syndrome. The 43-year-old actor, who previously opened up about the puffiness of her face during an appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, recently spoke to Alex Cooper on the Call Her Daddy podcast about her disorder. Schumer explained that she was targeted by online trolls, calling her moon face and while attempting to ignore them, she started to notice that actual experts were beginning to make similar comments about her. Doctors were chiming in, in the comments and they were, like, No, no somethings really up. Your face looks so crazy, revealed Schumer. After consulting doctors, Schumer was told that she might have Cushing syndrome, which is a condition when the body produces too much of the hormone cortisol. This can result from the body making too much cortisol, or from taking medicines called glucocorticoids, which affect the body the same way as cortisol, according to Mayo Clinic. Initially, Schumer said that she dismissed the diagnosis until she realised Wait, I have been getting steroid injections for my scars. The Trainwreck star gave birth to her first child in 2019 via cesarean section and also had liposuction in 2022. So I got these was getting these steroid injections and so it gave me this thing called Cushing syndrome which I wouldnt have known if the internet hadnt come for me so hard, Schumer added. open image in gallery Amy Schumer ( Getty Images ) Schumer, who stars in the new Netflix comedy Kinda Pregnant, explained that she managed to get rid of Cushing saying, it just has to work itself out. Before filming the new movie, she admitted: I was feeling really down on myself before I started filming this movie I was, like, really having trouble figuring out how I was going to star in a movie while I had this going on. She then said her friend and director, Lorraine Caffery, told her: You know, I think you look f***ing great. I just needed one person to just amp me up. open image in gallery Amy Schumer ( Getty Images for Writers Guild o ) Schumer has previously spoken out about her weight-loss struggles, having stopped taking Ozempic and urged other celebrities to be honest. Speaking on Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen, the star admitted that she was immediately invested before trying the drug and she ultimately decided that Ozempic wasnt livable for her. However, Schumer did take a moment to call out celebrities who have been lying about taking the once-weekly antidiabetic injection for weight loss. Everyones like: Smaller portions, she joked. Shut the f*** up. Youre on Ozempic, or one of those things. Stay ahead of the curve with our weekly guide to the latest trends, fashion, relationships and more Stay ahead of the curve with our weekly guide to the latest trends, fashion, relationships and more Stay ahead of the curve with our weekly guide to the latest trends, fashion, relationships and more SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy A popular skincare brand has recalled a batch of viral face cream across the U.S. as the Food and Drug Administration issues the second-highest risk classification for product. First Aid Beauty initiated the recall of 2,756 jars of its bestselling Ultra Repair Intense Hydration cream on December 23 2024 a product known for its remedying effect on dry, distressed skin and eczema, according to the cosmetic site. In an advisory, first reported by Newsweek, the FDA issued the recall with a Class II risk classification meaning the use of or exposure to, [the cream] may cause temporary or medically reversible adverse health consequences. However, the risk of serious negative health effects remains low. The pot of luxury cream which retails at Sephora for $38, regularly receives praise on TikTok with many users claiming to have soothed their endless skin problems with the lotion. According to the products listing on the cosmetic retailers website, it contains 23 ingredients, three of which are highlighted for their remedying qualities, namely: colloidal oatmeal, shea butter, and allantoin. But now, users are panicking online in the wake of the recall. First Aid Beauty initiated a mass voluntary recall of 2,756 jars of its bestselling Ultra Repair Intense Hydration cream December 23 2024 ( Getty/iStock/Sephora ) In the midst of the Trump administrations gutting of regulators, social media users were clearly concerned about this latest recall. One user wrote on Reddit : Wait until the FDA cant report on this kind of stuff anymore...oh wait. While another wrote: Thank you for posting this! I stocked up last month. Same expiration date but a different lot. Phew! Ive been slathering my face due to the cold. According to the FDA, as soon as a recall is initiated, the company should immediately notify customers and include the details of the hazard of the product and a strategy on how they intend to recall it. So far, First Aid Beauty has not issued any formal statement regarding the recall leaving many customers in the dark. One Reddit user stated: They should really be posting this on their website and social media I havent seen it. Instead, the company seemed to be promoting the product, as the news unfolded regarding the recall. On Wednesday, First Aid Beauty shared a post on their Facebook page which read: Help us support LA. First Aid Beauty is committing 50% of the $38 purchase price excluding taxes ($19/unit) of our limited edition 6oz Ultra Repair Cream, to go directly to the Los Angeles Fire Department Foundation. This product is available exclusively on Firstaidbeauty.com. The Independent contacted First Aid Beauty and the FDA for comment. Stay ahead of the curve with our weekly guide to the latest trends, fashion, relationships and more Stay ahead of the curve with our weekly guide to the latest trends, fashion, relationships and more Stay ahead of the curve with our weekly guide to the latest trends, fashion, relationships and more SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy A Brazilian car influencer, Ricardo Godoi, has died in the middle of a procedure to receive a back tattoo. The news was announced on his Instagram account on Monday (January 20), where Godoi had more than 200,000 followers. Today we say goodbye to Ricardo Godoi, an incredible person who left his mark on the hearts of all who had the privilege of knowing him, the post, translated from Portuguese, read. His joy, generosity and light will remain present in our memories and in every story he helped to build. May he rest in peace. The influencer had reportedly hired a tattoo studio to give him a full back tattoo, which they opted to do by putting him under general anesthesia in a hospital in the Santa Catarina state of Brazil. Hours before his death, Godoi informed his followers of the procedure and promised to check back in with them once it was over. However, he ended up going into cardiac arrest and died at 12 p.m. on Monday, according to the Instagram post. According to a statement shared with The Daily Mail by the tattoo studio owner, Godoi died at the beginning of the sedation and intubation. That occurred before they even started tattooing him, the owner said, adding that Godoi was a great friend. He was quickly checked and a cardiologist was called in to try to revive him, unfortunately without success. Police are reportedly investigating Godois death. The influencer was known for his content about luxury cars, which sometimes involved his wife, Rafaela Gastaldi. He was also the CEO of his own business, Godoi Premium Group. One of his friends, Eduardo Razuk, told The Mail how he was feeling ahead of the funeral and how unexpected the death was. I spoke to him in the morning. Unbelievable, none of us expected that. Hes already in my prayers, Godoi was certainly an enlightened person, he said. Godois death comes as more people opt to receive general anesthetic before getting tattoos. Anesthesia is really a lot more complicated than just flipping a switch like turning off a light, Dr. John Baer an anesthesiologist and chair of anesthesia at Swedish Medical Center in Colorado said in a recent interview with Scripps News. But those who have the money, the fame, they will find the places they can get this safely done, but still theres always that inherent risk. Back in the 1940s it was about 1 in 1,000 people would die from anesthesia, he explained. "Now that number is closer to 1 in 100,000. 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 Canadian freighter with 17 people on board got stuck in the ice on Lake Erie while departing Buffalo, according to the Coast Guard, which arrived with icebreaking equipment Thursday to begin freeing the vessel. The 663-foot Manitoulin had dropped off a load of wheat and was heading back to Sarnia, Ontario, on Wednesday when it became stuck in ice that was rapidly forming in sub-zero temperatures off the Buffalo shoreline. It remained there through Thursday, creating a striking sight on the lake, surrounded on all sides by ice and snow. We just havent had a bad winter in quite a while. So now that weve had one and people havent seen this for a bit, theyre like whats going on? said Paul Angelillo, a search and rescue specialist with the Coast Guard in Buffalo. Great Lakes freighters typically are able to navigate surface ice in the winter, but occasionally encounter ice that's too hard or thick to break through, he said. The Manitoulin wasn't damaged and the captain and crew were safe, the Coast Guard said. A Coast Guard cutter started breaking up ice around the ship by Thursday afternoon. 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 money materialized as soon as Colombias president confirmed his visit to southern Haiti. The Haitian government invested more than $3.8 million to more than double the runway at the airport in the coastal city of Jacmel, repair its streets, renovate its town hall and restore electricity to a population living in the dark for at least three years. The speed at which the money materialized and crews overhauled the city left many Haitians stunned in a country whose infrastructure is crumbling and where gang violence has displaced more than one million people. The government doesnt have money to remove us from the camp or provide security in the country, but it does have 500 million gourdes to spend on itself for a couple of days? wondered Antoine Jean-Baptiste. The 44-year-old unemployed electrician lives in a makeshift shelter like thousands of other Haitians in the capital of Port-au-Prince after gangs razed their neighborhoods. He questioned how much the government spent to fly to Jacmel since driving there is too dangerous because gangs control the main roads leading in and out of Port-au-Prince. They cant pay teachers. Hospitals are closed. Was it necessary to spend all that money for a president that was visiting? Baptiste asked. On Wednesday evening, Colombian President Gustavo Petro landed on the extended runway and was greeted with a red carpet, armed soldiers and dozens of small Colombian flags flying above the streets that he traveled through to meet with Haitian officials at an upscale hotel. His visit lasted about four hours. Alfred Metellus, Haitis new minister of economy and finance, said the extended runway would help boost Jacmels economy as he announced the investment during a press conference on Tuesday. He said Jacmels prison also is being renovated, and that customers are returning to hotels in an area that once thrived with tourists. About a week ago, there was zero activity, he said. We see theres a possibility to make Haiti rise again. But those living in Port-au-Prince and other cities and towns wonder when its their turn to see an investment, and why Haitians arent a priority. The 500 million gourdes could have been useful for providing security, reinforcing the army and recruiting more young, devoted Haitians to serve the country, not for a lousy visit of a president that has his own problems, said Mario Jean-Pierre, 40, who lives in a makeshift shelter after losing his home to gangs. Our kids cant go to school, were not working, families cant eat and were not getting basic necessities to survive here. In Jacmel, some celebrated the investment with caution, especially the return of electricity. Wood-jerry Gabriel, a multimedia journalist who lives in Jacmel, said residents had been without power for three to five years, and that not everyone saw their electricity restored. He said roads also were paved, the town hall painted and a nearby park decorated and cleaned. It was just showbusiness, he said. Im not confident its going to last. Some also noted that not everyone in Jacmel benefitted from the investment. Former local legislator Wilner Content told Le Nouvelliste newspaper that the citys cleaning staff have not been paid for months. What kind of government is this? said Jean-Baptiste, who used to work in downtown Port-au-Prince until his company shut down because of violence. They cant even take care of their own people, but they want to look good in front of other governments. Jean-Pierre echoed that anger. He used to drive a small colorful bus known as a tap-tap, but the owner of it fled for the Dominican Republic to escape gang violence and he was left without a job. Jean-Pierre questioned when things would change for him and other Haitians struggling to live in a country where more than 5,600 people were killed last year. Cant wait for something real to happen, he said. ___ Associated Press reporter Danica Coto in San Juan, Puerto Rico contributed. 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 Germany's opposition leader vowed Thursday to bar people from entering the country without proper papers and to step up deportations if he is elected chancellor next month, as a knife attack by a rejected asylum-seeker spilled over into an election campaign in which he is the front-runner. Two people, including a 2-year-old boy, were killed and three injured Wednesday in the Bavarian city of Aschaffenburg. The suspect, arrested shortly afterward, is a 28-year-old Afghan with a history of psychiatric problems and violence who said over a month ago that he would leave Germany voluntarily. His asylum application was rejected in 2023 and authorities failed to send him back to Bulgaria, where he first arrived in the European Union, according to Bavarian officials, who pointed the finger at the federal migration office. Chancellor Olaf Scholz, whose center-left party trails in polls ahead of Germany's Feb. 23 election, met the heads of the country's security services on Wednesday evening and said they will draw the necessary consequences. Now. He didn't specify what those would be. His main election challenger, Friedrich Merz, whose center-right Union bloc leads polls, stepped up his party's vows to toughen migration policy. He said Germany has had a misguided asylum and immigration policy for 10 years since Angela Merkel, a chancellor from his own party and a former Merz rival, allowed large numbers of migrants into the country. Merz said that if he becomes chancellor, he would order the Interior Ministry on his first day in office to control all of Germany's borders permanently and turn back all attempts at illegal entry without exception." He argued that EU rules are recognizably dysfunctional" and Germany must exert a right to the primacy of national law. Merz added that people who are supposed to leave the country must no longer be let go if they are picked up by police and should be taken into custody and deported as quickly as possible, helped by an increase in detention capacity. Merz, who may well have to form a coalition with center-left parties to become chancellor, insisted that compromises are no longer possible on these issues. The outgoing government already instituted temporary controls on all of Germany's borders and has argued that progress has been made in reducing unauthorized entry and increasing deportations. The Aschaffenburg attack followed knife attacks in Mannheim and Solingen last year in which the suspects were immigrants from Afghanistan and Syria respectively; in the latter case, also a rejected asylum-seeker. In last months Christmas market car ramming attack in Magdeburg, the suspect is a Saudi doctor who had come to various regional authorities attention in the past. Mainstream parties are feeling pressure from the strong poll ratings of the far-right Alternative for Germany, with which all say they won't work after the election. Discontent about migration is a mainstay of its support, which recent surveys show at about 20%, putting it in second place. Alice Weidel, Alternative for Germany's candidate for chancellor, said on social media platform X that the outgoing parliament should vote next week on closing Germany's borders and turning back irregular migrants. German authorities have said that 229,751 people applied for asylum in Germany last year, a 30% decrease from the previous year. There were 18,384 deportations in the year's first 11 months, compared with 16,430 in all of 2023. Opposition politicians complained Thursday that there have been no further deportations to Afghanistan since a first flight in August. 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 family of Axel Rudakubana are devastated following his knife attack on a Southport holiday club, the church attended by his father has said. The 18-year-old, of Banks, Lancashire, killed six-year-old Bebe King, Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven, and Alice da Silva Aguiar, nine, and injured 10 others when he launched the attack at a Taylor Swift-themed dance class on July 29. In a statement, leaders of The Community Church in Southport, attended by Rudakubanas father Alphonse, said the family had been moved to a secret location for their protection. Church leaders Dave Gregg, Geoff Grice, Harry Pickett and Mike Rothwell, said: Axel was born and went to school in the United Kingdom, he has autism and has struggled with mental health issues. Prior to the major incident in Southport, he had been living with his parents in the village of Banks near Southport. There has been the inevitable speculation about his family and background with his father Alphonse being named in the national press. It has also been reported that his parents are both Christians and attend a local church. To prevent unnecessary intrusion into other churches in our town, we can confirm that over the last few years Alphonse Rudakubana has been a valued part of The Community Church family. For the sake of clarity, Alphonses son and family never attended our Sunday gatherings, nor played any active part in church life. As a consequence we have nothing further to say other than the detail given in this statement. The Rudakubana family have been devastated following this terrible incident and they have been moved by the police, for their protection, from their home in Banks to a secret location that we are unaware of. As a church we continue to pray for peace and healing for all those impacted by the tragic events that took place in Southport and in our nation beyond. Leaders said the church community had been saddened and shocked by the attack. They added: This tragedy and the devastating murder of Bebe King, Elsie Dot Stancombe, and Alice da Silva Aguiar has impacted our town and nation. The subsequent outpouring of love and support by the local community actually reflects the true nature and spirit of our town, but sadly, this was eclipsed by the appalling attack fuelled by fake racially motivated news on social media on the local mosque, which resulted in so many awful injuries to police and damage being caused to buildings and property. 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 disturbed teenager who murdered three girls in a mass stabbing at a childrens dance class in Southport, and later gloated Im glad theyre dead, is unlikely to be released from prison. Axel Rudakubana, 18, was sentenced to life on Thursday with a minimum of 52 years for carrying out the horrific attack which was described as a pre-meditated attempt to commit indiscriminate mass murder. The remorseless killer, who admitted 16 offences, was absent from the dock as his sentence was read out, having twice been removed from court for shouting. He was given 13 life sentences with a minimum term of 51 years and 190 days. open image in gallery Axel Rudakubana pleaded guilty to murdering Bebe King, Elsie Dot Stancombe and Alice da Silva Aguiar ( Merseyside Police ) Judge Mr Justice Goose said he was unable to hand him a rare whole life order because he was only 17 at the time of the attack on 29 July last year. He turned 18 nine days after the attack. Patrick Hurley, Labour MP for Southport, said the sentence was not severe enough and said that he had asked Richard Hermer, the attorney general, to review it. He said: We need a sentence that represents the severity of this crime that has terrorised the victims and their families. Yvette Cooper, the home secretary, paid tribute to the three murdered girls and the survivors of the attack. The whole country has been horrified beyond words by these truly horrendous, cowardly and evil crimes, she said. The teenager dramatically changed his plea on the first day of his trial on Monday, admitting to murdering six-year-old Bebe King, seven-year-old Elsie Dot Stancombe and Alice da Silva Aguiar, 9, who died from her injuries in hospital after she fled the rampage at a Taylor Swift-themed holiday class. He also pleaded guilty to attempting to murder eight children who were wounded with some stabbed in the back as they tried to escape and two adults who tried to protect them. The other children injured in the attack cannot be named for legal reasons. The final girl injured was released from hospital on 8 August last year. He further admitted to producing the deadly poison ricin and possessing a document containing al-Qaeda training material, which included information on knife attacks which he used to help plot his assault. open image in gallery From left to right: Bebe King, Elsie Dot Stancombe and Alice da Silva Aguiar ( PA ) The judge said the killer was intent on horrific extreme violence and would have killed all 26 children attending the class and any adult who got in his way if he could. In his mind was an intention to murder as many of them as he possibly could, he said. He wanted to carry out mass murder on innocent, happy young girls. Over 15 minutes, he savagely killed three of them and attempted to kill eight more as well as two adults who tried to stop him. The court heard how violence-obsessed Rudakubana had travelled by taxi from his home in Banks, Lancashire, to the Hart Space in Southport, where 26 girls aged six to 13 were attending a childrens holiday class. They were making friendship bracelets and singing Taylor Swift songs when he entered the room wearing a surgical mask and bright green hoodie, brandishing a 20cm (eight inch) kitchen knife. He grabbed the nearest child and stabbed her before he then moved through the room systematically stabbing as many as possible. open image in gallery Dashcam footage shows Rudakubana riding in a taxi on the way to the attack site ( PA ) Some were stabbed in the back as they desperately tried to escape, with one girl later seen running out of the building only to be dragged back in by the knifeman. Members of victims families sobbed in the public gallery as harrowing CCTV of the attack was played to the court. In the footage, girls could be seen screaming in terror as they fled the dance studio into the car park. Shortly afterwards, a seven-year-old girl dressed in summer shorts and a strappy top was shown being pulled back inside the studio by Rudakubana. Later, she was seen stumbling out of the door with visible wounds, clinging to a wall for support before she collapsed on the floor. open image in gallery Rudakubana was removed from the court on two occasions ( PA ) When police arrived, officers found Rudakubana at the top of the stairs standing over the body of Bebe holding the kitchen knife, which he dropped when officers told him to. The scores of injuries he inflicted on Bebe and Elsie were fatal and both died at the scene, prosecutor Deanna Heer KC told the court. The teenager remained silent in police interviews but appeared to gloat about the horrific attack in unsolicited comments made in the police custody suite, which were noted down or recorded on CCTV, saying: Im glad those kids are dead, it makes me happy. He also said: I dont care, Im feeling neutral, and so happy, six years old. Its a good thing they are dead, yeah. Police searches of his address and analysis of his computers uncovered a disturbing fascination with violence, death and genocide as well as a plastic container of the poison ricin. open image in gallery Picture shows knife identical to that used in attack as part of police evidence ( Merseyside Police ) He had researched car bombs, detonators and nitric acid, and owned weapons including a machete, scabbard and another knife identical to the one used in the attack. Searches of his devices also revealed an obsession with massacres, torture and a wide range of brutal conflicts, including the genocide in Rwanda, where his parents are from. Detective chief inspector Jason Pye, the senior investigating officer, said the evidence showed this was no random acts of violence, but a planned, premeditated attempt to commit indiscriminate mass murder. open image in gallery A photo of Elsie Dot Stancombe among the flowers and tributes outside the Atkinson Art Centre in Southport ( PA Wire ) He wasnt fighting for a cause, he said. His only purpose was to kill and to target the youngest, most vulnerable, no doubt to spread the greatest fear and outrage. In a series of harrowing victim impact statements read to the court, class teacher Leanne Lucas, who was stabbed trying to protect the girls, said: How can I live knowing I survived when children died? He targeted us because we were women and girls, vulnerable and easy prey, she added. To discover that he had always set out to hurt the vulnerable is beyond comprehensible. Alices grief-stricken parents, Alexandra and Sergio, sobbed and wiped away tears as the court heard how their lives ended too after she succumbed to her injuries in hospital. Once she had lost her fight, we lost our lives, they said in a statement. Everything stopped still and we froze in time and space. Our life went with her. He took us too. Six months of continuous pain and a lifetime sentence of it. As the court heard from victims about the impact of the crimes, a 14-year-old girl who survived the attack recalled how the day turned into a living nightmare. Reading a statement via video link, she said of Rudakubana: The thing I remember most about you is your eyes. You didnt look human, you looked possessed. Physically Ive healed but my scars remain as a reminder of what you did to me, to us all. Give me a reason for what you did. Arming yourself with a weapon and stabbing children. Merseyside chief constable Serena Kennedy said the beautiful faces and names of the three murder victims will be etched on the minds of the people of Merseyside forever. The victims were enjoying a day of youthful innocence, untainted by the twisted and unhealthy fascination with violence that drove Axel Rudakubana to carry out the atrocities he had planned in the days leading up to the event, she added. His terrifying attack resulted in the deaths of Bebe, Elsie and Alice according to prosecution counsel today two of those children suffered particularly horrific injuries which can only be described as sadistic in nature. 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 Southport killer Axel Rudakubana is understood to have researched car bombs, detonators and nitric acid as his fascination with violence flourished unchecked online. Searches of his devices have revealed an obsession with massacres, torture and a wide range of brutal conflicts, including the genocide in Rwanda, where his parents are from. Written material discovered by police after his knife rampage, which saw three girls murdered, also reportedly included documents on Nazi Germany, clan cleansing in Somalia, an uprising in Kenya and a treatise on combat in Chechnya. The 18-year-old is also believed to have had a cache of weapons stashed at his home, including a machete, scabbard, arrows, castor beans and a 20cm kitchen knife identical to one used in the rampage. open image in gallery Axel Rudakubana, 18, is understood to have researched car bombs, detonators and nitric acid leading up to the Southport attack ( PA Media ) Before he left in a taxi to launch his attack on unsuspecting children at a Taylor Swift-themed dance class in Merseyside on 29 July last year, it is understood he searched social media for the Mar Mari Emmanuel stabbing, when a bishop and five others were attacked in a Sydney church in April 2024. Officers also discovered a Tupperware container under his bed containing an unknown substance, which was later found to be homemade biological toxin ricin. One PDF file entitled Military Studies In The Jihad Against The Tyrants, The Al Qaeda Training Manual resulted in him being charged with a terror offence. Although the documents show a clear fascination with extreme violence, the attack has not been classed as terrorism because police can find no evidence he subscribed to any particular ideology or religion. Details of his fixation emerged after the prime minister, who has announced a public inquiry into the atrocity, warned Britain is facing a new threat from young men in their bedrooms accessing radical materials online. open image in gallery From left to right: Bebe King, six; Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven; and Alice da Silva Aguiar, nine; died following the attack ( PA Media ) Laying the groundwork for an overhaul of terrorism laws to guard against the new threat of loners and misfits driven to acts of extreme violence, Sir Keir Starmer said: Terrorism has changed. In the past, the predominant threat was highly organised groups with clear political intent. Groups like al-Qaeda. That threat of course remains. But now, alongside that we also see acts of extreme violence perpetrated by loners, misfits, young men in their bedroom, accessing all manner of material online, desperate for notoriety. However security experts have warned against expanding terror laws to encompass atrocities carried out by lone attackers. Neil Basu, a former national head of counter-terrorism, told LBC it would be a mistake to label something as terrorism if it is not terrorism, as this could lead some to seek out a day of infamy. He added: I would be wary of expanding terrorism law to cover lone actors... that isnt what terrorism law is about, but it would be for politicians to debate whether the law needs to be expanded. open image in gallery Prime minister Sir Keir Starmer announced a public inquiry into the atrocity on Tuesday ( PA Wire ) Ian Acheson, a former prison governor and senior Home Office official, meanwhile told The Times newspaper that people who are mobilised by hatred and contempt for others into committing lone wolf attacks have been with us for years. The government has also promised to crack down on online retailers after it emerged the then 17-year-old Rudakubana purchased his weapon on Amazon. Home secretary Yvette Cooper told MPs it is a total disgrace that Rudakubana, who had admitted to carrying a knife ten times, was able to buy a weapon online and promised new measures in the Crime and Policing Bill this spring. Writing in The Sun, Sir Keir said: It remains shockingly easy for our children to get their hands on deadly knives. The lessons of this case could not be clearer. Time and again, as a child, the Southport murderer carried knives. Time and again, he showed clear intent to use them. And yet, tragically, he was still able to order the murder weapon off of the internet without any checks or barriers. A two-click killer. This cannot continue. Rudakubana pleaded guilty on Monday to 16 offences, including three counts of murder, ten of attempted murder, producing the deadly poison ricin and possession of a document which contained al-Qaeda training material. Alice da Silva Aguiar, nine; Bebe King, six; and Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven; died following the attack at the dance class in The Hart Space. He is due to be sentenced at Liverpool Crown Court on Thursday. 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 Axel Rudakubana admitted to killing three girls at a dance class in Southport on the first day of his trial. The 18-year-old was to stand trial at Liverpool Crown Court on Monday, charged with 16 offences, including three counts of murder and 10 counts of attempted murder. Dramatically changing his plea at the last moment, the teenager admitted to all the charges. He pleaded guilty to the murders of Bebe King, six, Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven, and Alice da Silva Aguiar, nine. He also admitted to possessing terrorist material and producing the toxin ricin. On Thursday, Rudakubana was sentenced to life with a minimum of 52 years for carrying out the horrific attack which was described as a pre-meditated attempt to commit indiscriminate mass murder. The judge also apologised to the families of the victims who, because of Rudakubanas surprise guilty plea, were not in court to see his admission. Heres everything we know about the devastating Southport attack of July 2024. What did Axel Rudakubana do? On the morning of 29 July 2024, then 17-year-old Axel Rudakubana travelled from his home village of Banks in Lancashire via taxi. He was then seen calmly exiting the vehicle and entering the dance studio on Hart Street. In just minutes, witnesses would describe seeing young girls being carried out of the building covered in blood with stab wounds to their backs, while their screaming parents rushed to find them. Advertised for children aged between years 2 and 6 at primary school, the summer event quickly turned to a scene from a horror movie, with an enormous emergency incident declared. Bebe and Elsie both died at the scene. Alice died in hospital the day after the incident. open image in gallery From left to right: Bebe King, Elsie Dot Stancombe and Alice da Silva Aguiar were murdered by Axel Rudakubana ( Merseyside Police/PA ) Ten others were injured, including eight children, yoga teacher Leanne Lucas and businessman John Hayes, who both had heroically attempted to prevent the attack. He has now pleaded guilty to all charges of murder and attempted murder, as well as terror-related offences. He was found to have a PDF file titled Military Studies in the Jihad Against the Tyrants: The Al-Qaeda Training Manual and charged with possessing information likely to be useful to a person committing or preparing an act of terrorism. What happened after the attack? Shortly after the murders, violent riots broke out across the country. These were fuelled by far-right misinformation online which claimed that Rudakubana whose identity was not yet public was a Muslim and asylum seeker. Much of the violence was targeted towards Muslim and migrant communities. Over the course of six days, the rioting became the largest incident of social unrest in the UK since the 2011 riots. Attempting to tackle the violence, around 130 police officers were injured. By September, 1,280 arrests had been made, with 800 charged. open image in gallery Axel Rudakubana covered his face as he appeared in the dock at Liverpool Crown Court ( Elizabeth Cook/PA ) In the months since his crime and the subsequent riots, Rudakubana had remained consistently silent in the dock, with prosecutors and investigators compiling CCTV and witness statements to establish the case against him. In a previous appearance, the court heard that Rudakubana had been diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder, and had refused to engage with a psychiatrist at a police station. In the period leading up to the attack, he had also been unwilling to communicate with his family and had not been leaving the house. Rudakubanas not-guilty pleas were entered on his behalf in December 2024, as he chose not to speak. But as each charge was read to him on 20 January this year, the teenager quietly said guilty to each count. Public inquiry The home secretary announced on Monday that there will be a public inquiry into how Rudakubana came to be so dangerous and why Prevent failed to identify the terrible risk he posed to others. Yvette Cooper confirmed the 18-year-old had contact with a range of different state agencies throughout his teenage years before carrying out his meticulously planned rampage. Ms Cooper said in a statement: He was referred three times to the Prevent programme between December 2019 and April 2021 aged 13 and 14. He also had contact with the police, the courts, the Youth Justice system, social services and mental health services. Yet between them, those agencies failed to identify the terrible risk and danger to others that he posed. Announcing the public inquiry, the Home Secretary continued: Although, in line with CPS advice to preserve the integrity of the prosecution, we were constrained in what we were able to say at the time, the Home Office commissioned an urgent Prevent Learning Review during the summer into the three referrals that took place and why they were closed. We will publish further details this week, alongside new reforms to the Prevent programme. But we also need more independent answers on both Prevent and all the other agencies that came into contact with this extremely violent teenager as well as answers on how he came to be so dangerous, including through a public inquiry that can get to the truth about what happened and what needs to change. 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 Remorseless Axel Rudakubana appeared to gloat about his murderous attack after he was heard muttering he was glad his child victims were dead. Prosecutor Deanna Heer KC revealed the knifeman, who murdered three girls and wounded ten people in a horrific mass stabbing at a Taylor Swift-themed childrens holiday class in Southport, was heard making the sinister comments in police custody after his arrest. Opening the sentencing hearing at Liverpool Crown Court, Ms Heer said the killer was heard to say: Its a good thing those children are dead... I am so glad... I am so happy. She told the court Rudakubana remained silent in police interview, but in custody made a number of unsolicited comments including, I dont care, Im feeling neutral, and So happy, six years old. Its a good thing they are dead, yeah. open image in gallery From left to right: Bebe King, Elsie Dot Stancombe and Alice da Silva Aguiar were all murdered by Rudakubana ( PA Media ) Axel Rudakubana, 18, was sentenced to at least 52 years in prison for carrying out the horrific attack which was described as a pre-meditated attempt to commit indiscriminate mass murder. The remorseless killer did not appear in court as the sentence was read out on Thursday. He was given 13 life sentences with a minimum term of 51 years and 190 days. Some time was taken off his 52-year sentence due to time already served in custody. Rudakubanas killings were a pre-meditated, planned knife attack upon multiple victims, principally young girls, intending to kill them, she said, and the horrific injuries suffered by the victims were difficult to explain as anything other than sadistic in nature. In October 2019 he contacted Childline and asked, What should I do if I want to kill somebody? the court was told. The violence-obsessed teenager pleaded guilty to all 16 offences he faced on the first day of his trial on Monday. Alice da Silva Aguiar, nine, Bebe King, six, and Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven, died following the stabbing at The Hart Space on a small business park in the seaside town shortly before midday on 29 July. open image in gallery A court artists sketch of Rudakubana shouting from the dock ( Elizabeth Cook/PA Wire ) The killer admitted their murders as well as the attempted murders of eight other children, who cannot be named for legal reasons, and class instructor Leanne Lucas and businessman John Hayes. Cardiff-born Rudakubana further pleaded guilty to possessing a knife which he bought on Amazon, production of the biological toxin ricin, and possession of a document which contained al-Qaeda training material. He did not receive a whole-life order because he was 17 at the time of the attack. The sentence can normally only be imposed on criminals aged 21 or over and is usually only considered for those aged 18 to 20 in exceptional circumstances. Officers found violent content on Rudakubanas devices, including images of dead bodies, victims of torture, beheadings, cartoons depicting killing, violence and rape or which mocked religions including Islam, Judaism and Christianity, the court heard. open image in gallery Axel Rudakubana, 18, was sentenced to at least 52 years in prison for the Southport attack ( PA Media ) The prosecutor said there were numerous images relating to wars and conflicts, including in Gaza, Ukraine, Sudan, Korea, Iraq and the Balkans. Rudakubana was twice removed from the dock within hours, after shouting over the prosecutor. A few minutes into his sentencing hearing on Thursday, he called out: I havent eaten for 10 days. I feel ill. Im not going to remain quiet. The judge Mr Justice Goose told the defendant to be quiet and instructed proceedings to continue, but he was removed from the dock after he continued to interrupt. One family member shouted coward as he was led away by dock officers. The second time, after a lunch break, the killer interrupted the prosecutor again, shouting: Judge, judge I feel really ill, I need to be seen by a paramedic. Mr Justice Goose ordered him from the dock and said Rudakubana was seen by two teams of paramedics who deem hes fit to be in court. The defendant however failed to appear for his sentencing. New subsidy plan for digital products drives up consumption, boosts demand for industrial players Global Times) 11:18, January 23, 2025 With the launch of a new subsidy plan for mobile phones and digital products on Monday, domestic enterprises from cell phone manufacturers, and retail stores to industry chain players have reported a surge in consumer demand and favorable market feedback. The daily sales of Xiaomi mobile phones in recent days have quadrupled compared with pre-subsidy levels, with in-store foot traffic rising by 55 percent, Lu Weibing, president of Xiaomi, posted on his official Sina Weibo on Wednesday. A salesperson at a mobile phone store in Joy City in Beijing's Chaoyang district told the Global Times on Wednesday that store traffic has noticeably increased since the subsidy plan was introduced, since consumers can receive subsidies of up to 500 yuan ($68.76) on mobile phones priced under 6,000 yuan. Chinese authorities previously unveiled an action plan of subsidy measures for purchasing new smartphones and other digital products, which cover products of both domestic and foreign brands. Under the plan, individual consumers purchasing smartphones, tablets, smartwatches or wristbands priced below 6,000 yuan per item will receive a subsidy covering 15 percent of the product's sales prices. Each consumer can receive a maximum subsidy of 500 yuan per item, with a limit of one subsidized item per category starting on Monday. Apple's flagship models, such as the iPhone 15 and iPhone 16, qualify for national subsidies. A consumer who ordered a 256GB iPhone 16 with a subsidy price of 5499 yuan compared to prices in the US market, found the iPhone 16 is currently the most affordable globally at the subsidized price, domestic news outlet Jiupai News reported. Wang Chaotong, a marketing director at home appliance retailer Suning in Beijing, expected the store sales may increase five to ten times while the current inventory is prepared based on 10 times the previous amount, the China Media Group (CMG) reported on Tuesday. The implementation of the subsidy plan will likely drive up electronic sales by more than 300 billion yuan, per the CMG report, citing Jin Xiaoqing, an engineer at China Academy of Information and Communications Technology. Beyond boosting consumer spending, the implementation of the subsidy plan has also stimulated demand across industrial and supply chain sectors. Since the announcement of the policy, many electronics manufacturers reported a significant increase in order volumes, especially those involved in the manufacturing of smartphones, tablets, and laptops, and their production lines are operating at full capacity, with some factories having shifted to a 24-hour shift production mode, according to the CMG report. Chen Rui, a representative from an electronic component company, was quoted in the CMG report that their order volume has risen by 37 percent month-on-month, with orders scheduled through April 2025. (Web editor: Tian Yi, Zhong Wenxing) 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 Inside Liverpool Crown Court, a tense silence descended as victims families gathered in the public gallery, anxiously waiting for Southport killer Axel Rudakubana to enter the dock. The sentencing hearing, scheduled for 11am, had already started late as police, legal teams, families and journalists had made their way through enhanced security amid heightened tensions over the shocking case. Every seat was taken, with some choosing to sit in parts of the public gallery with no view of the dock. A piece of frosted glass obscured any chance of catching even a fleeting glimpse of the remorseless killer, described by his own lawyer as having a total lack of empathy. Others, including the grief-stricken parents of Alice da Silva Aguiar, Alexandra and Sergio, had a clear view of the daughters murderer. open image in gallery 18-year-old Axel Rudakubana was not in court to hear the judge sentence him to life in prison with a minimum term of 52 years ( PA Media ) They watched as Rudakubana, tall and slight, finally entered the glass-screened dock wearing a grey prison-issue tracksuit and a surgical facemask like the one he wore on the day he targeted 26 defenceless girls at a Taylor Swift themed holiday class in Southport last July. He refused to speak when asked to confirm his identity and sat slumped in the dock with his head bowed accompanied by five dock officers. The sentencing hearing had come more rapidly than anyone had anticipated. They had all been braced for a harrowing four-week trial which they were spared after the 18-year-old changed his plea without warning on Monday. However, any hope the families had that Rudakubana would accept his punishment with dignity were soon dashed. Within minutes of prosecutor Deanna Heer KC launching her address, Rudakubana who had refused to speak entirely at several previous hearings started to shout over her. I need to speak to a paramedic, he shouted. I need to speak to paramedic I feel ill. Reports published that morning, later contested by police, claimed he had been taken to hospital from prison before the hearing. Rudakubanas lawyer Stan Reiz KC revealed prison staff had raised concerns over his wellbeing and his ability to be in a high-pressure situation. He has not eaten for a number of days and hes drunk very little over a period of time, the lawyer said. open image in gallery Police officers line the streets outside Liverpool Crown Court prior to the departure of Axel Rudakubana ( Peter Byrne/PA Wire ) However judge Mr Justice Goose said he had been examined by healthcare professionals before the hearing, who determined he was fit to attend, and told him to stay quiet. I cant remain quiet because I am ill judge, he protested. I havent eaten for ten days and Im not going to remain quiet. Despite attempts to carry on, he continued to shout over Ms Heer and then told his lawyer he was experiencing chest pains. The judge, determined to continue, warned him shouting from the dock is not going to make this happen any quicker, but the killer refused to stop interrupting. He was ordered from the dock. A family member shouted coward as he was led to the cells by dock officers, while others shook their heads in disgust. The evidence that followed as Ms Heer recounted the horrifying details of the brutal knife attack was harrowing. Families broke down in the public gallery, with many leaving the court before distressing CCTV footage of the screaming girls fleeing in terror from the knifeman was played. One clip showed Rudakubana grabbing a girl as she tried to escape and pulling her back into the Hart Space. Moments later, the seven-year-old dressed in summer shorts emerged stumbling and disoriented with visible injuries. She clung to a wall for a few seconds, looking for her route to safety, but collapsed on the floor. Miraculously, she survived her injuries. After lunch Rudakubana returned to court, having been seen again by healthcare professionals. He had told his lawyer he would be quiet, but within minutes the interruptions resumed. Judge, judge I feel really ill, he continued. I need to be seen by a paramedic. The judge responded: He has been seen by a paramedic two teams of paramedics who deem hes fit, before he was ordered from the dock for a second time. open image in gallery From left to right: Bebe King, Elsie Dot Stancombe and Alice da Silva Aguiar were killed in the mass stabbing ( PA Media ) His absence meant he was not in court to listen to a string of devastating victim personal statements, some of which were delivered in person. One brave survivor, aged just 14, who was stabbed in the back and arm delivered her own victim statement via videolink. She demanded give me a reason for what you did as she told her attacker: I hope you spend your whole life knowing that we think youre a coward. Jailing him life with a minimum of 52 years, Mr Justice Goose said it was highly unlikely Rudakubana would ever be released. Some family members could be heard to take an audible breath as the sentence was announced. Outside court, they held hands and hugged. Later, police lined the street as Rudakubanas prison van was set to leave the court. The killer, who will likely serve his sentence in a maximum security jail, will not be eligible to apply for parole until 2077. 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 Southport killer Axel Rudakubana been jailed for a minimum of 52 years after pleading guilty to murdering three young girls in a frenzied knife attack last year. Rudakubana, 18, stabbed and killed the girls aged between six and nine with a 20cm-long kitchen knife as he ambushed a Taylor Swift-themed dance class in Southport, Merseyside. Wearing a green hoodie, a surgical face mask and armed with the blade, the then 17-year-old travelled five miles from his family home to the studio where he unleashed his murderous rampage. Sir Keir Starmer vowed the attack would be a line in the sand for Britain while announcing a public inquiry into the atrocity after the killer admitted to 16 offences. However, despite the lengthy sentence Rudakubana was not given a whole life order. The Independent takes a look at what one is below, and why the killer has avoided one. open image in gallery (L-R) Bebe King, Elsie Dot Stancombe and Alice da Silva Aguiar were all slain by Axel Rudakubana in a brutal knife attack last year ( PA Media ) What is a whole life order? An offender can be sentenced to a whole life order - or whole life tariff - for the most serious cases of murder, meaning their crime was so serious they will never be released from prison. There were 65 prisoners serving whole life orders in the UK as of 30 June 2023, according to the Ministry of Justice. Killers Rosemary West, Levi Bellfield, Michael Adebolajo, Wayne Couzens and Lucy Letby were among those serving this type of sentence. open image in gallery Killer nurse Lucy Letby is serving 15 whole life orders for murdering newborn babies at the Countess of Chester Hospital ( PA Media ) How is it different to a life sentence? Any offender found guilty of murder must be given a life sentence. However, a judge must decide whether to set a minimum term which must be served in full before release on licence, or impose a whole life order. A murderer will serve a life sentence with a minimum term for the rest of their life, but does not necessarily spend this entire time in prison. They would usually serve a term in prison, and then be released on licence subject to certain conditions. For example, the minimum term for murder with a knife is 25 years, then the offender would be released on licence. If they broke the conditions of this licence at any point, they could be sent back to prison. open image in gallery Former Met Police officer Wayne Couzens is serving a whole life order for abducting, raping and murdering Sarah Everard ( PA Media ) Why has Rudakubana avoided a whole life order? A judge cannot impose a whole life order on anyone who was under the age of 18 at the time of the offence, irrespective of the seriousness of that offence. Despite being aged 18 at the time of his conviction, Rudakubana was 17 when he murdered Bebe King, six, Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven, and Alice da Silva Aguiar, nine. 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 Some Democrat voters in the United States have been looking to leave the country for the UK since Donald Trumps re-election. Michelle Call, 53, from Littleborough, Rochdale who has been living in the US since 1998, hopes to return home to the UK with her family due to concerns about the political climate under Mr Trump. Mrs Call, who has a transgender child, says that following the Republican presidents two sexes policy, she feels the US is not a safe place for her family. Mr Trump, who was sworn in as the 47th president of the United States on Monday, has already issued a number of executive orders that range from trade, immigration, US foreign aid and civil rights. One of the orders includes the US government defining gender as only male or female and rejecting a persons preferred gender identity or pronouns. We lived through a Trump presidency before, and we fought and we protested, Mrs Call told the PA news agency from her home in Las Cruces, New Mexico. That time, we felt like it was right to stay and fight, but this time, we feel like we need to leave because we have a transgender child. Theyre 21 years old now, but they still live at home with us, and theyre dependent on us. Mrs Call described the two sexes policy as demoralising and worrying. Its really hard to be here feeling that way, knowing that 50% of the people that I pass on the street think my child doesnt have a right to exist, she said. Mrs Call and her husband Lewis, 57, who are both retired, plan to sell their home in Las Cruces and move to Littleborough, where she has several family members still living there. open image in gallery Brean Ryhter hopes to move her family to the UK from Seattle (Brean Ryther/ PA) Brean Ryhter, 45, from Seattle, Washington, also hopes to move her family to the UK to escape another four years of crazy. Mrs Ryther says she has spent the last year trying to figure out how to move to the UK in the event that Mr Trump was re-elected. Mrs Ryther, who has a non-binary daughter, says that since the inauguration their move feels even more urgent. Theres a lot of reasons why we all want to move, she told PA. My daughter is non-binary and is part of the queer community, and she doesnt want to be here anymore to get torn apart by any political actions that happen. Trump made everything very black and white and very polarised. Mrs Ryther and her husband Richard, 47, own an embroidery and custom clothing business and are looking into sole trader visas for the UK. I thought about political asylum. I thought about giving up my citizenship, because honestly, Im not attached to it, said Mrs Ryther. Ive been saying for a year to all of my family, if he is president, we have to figure out how to get out of here. We cant do another four years of crazy. Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy The Church of England will vote next month on outsourcing policing of safeguarding issues to an independent watchdog, amid an ongoing fallout from an inquiry into historic allegations of abuse. The General Synod, otherwise known as the Churchs parliament, will debate and vote on the changes in February, with the lead Bishop of Safeguarding admitting that the church had failed to act on, and then deliberately covered up, abuse. Synod, which includes Bishops, clergy, and church-goers, will sit for its first session since the resignation of the Archbishopof Canterbury Justin Welby last month over safeguarding failures. Dr Welby stood down in November after a damning report exposed a conspiracy of silence about the abuse of children and young men perpetrated by barrister John Smyth. About 130 boys are believed to have been victims of Smyth, who died in 2018. When he was discovered, Smyth was allowed to move abroad with the knowledge of church officials, where he continued his abuse. open image in gallery Members of the Church of England's Synod, gather at the General Synod of the Church of England, at Church House in central London ( PA ) The Church of England has now proposed a new independent safeguarding approach to stop a cover-up happening again, with the first three days of Synod focussing on these issues. There are two options, which will be voted on in February. The first would see all safeguarding officers currently working in dioceses, cathedrals, and the national church transferred to work for a new independent organisation. The second would see most national staff move to a new non-church watchdog, but other diocesan and cathedral officers remaining with their current church employers. Both options would see their safeguarding work scrutinised by a second external body, which would give victims somewhere to appeal to if they think their cases have not been dealt with properly. The Churchs lead bishop for safeguarding, Bishop of Stepney, Joanne Grenfell, is backing the first option, which she said is sufficiently radical to bring about the fundamental change we need. She added: I believe that bringing together all our safeguarding colleagues into one external body with specialist line management and accountability is the best way to address the current gaps in provision. open image in gallery Former Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby ( PA ) In other matters to be discussed, a motion will also be brought to debate how to encourage people from working class backgrounds to join the ministry in the Church of England. The Synod will also discuss the ongoing use of prayers to bless same-sex couples relationships. Bishop of Leicester, Martyn Snow, revealed on Friday that an expected vote on whether the Church of England should allow clergy to enter into same-sex civil marriages will be pushed back. A vote on the issue had been expected for the July meeting, but this has now been pushed back to a later date while more theological study is done on the issue. Bishop Snow recognised that the decision was disappointing for LGBTQ+ people, adding: I am very conscious that there are people who are frustrated by that. Im personally disappointed but Im still confident that we can get there. The Synod will also consider proposed measures to make it easier to appoint Bishops, by slightly reducing the majority needed in the voting. One proposed measure would remove the current anonymous voting system. If accepted by the Synod then the changes would affect the process to select a new Archbishop of Canterbury, which is being overseen by the former head of Mi5 Lord Jonathan Evans. Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy The UKs central programme to stop domestic terrorism, Prevent, has been criticised for failing to intercept Southport attacker Axel Rudakubana before his fatal attack which left three young girls dead in July. The 18-year-old had previously been referred to Prevent three times before he carried out the atrocity, the first as long ago as 2019. Prime minister Sir Keir Starmer has now ordered a public inquiry into the attack, saying that the anti-terror programme and other state institutions failed the families of the victims. His comments come after Rudakubana, 18, made a surprise guilty plea in court on Monday as his trial was due to begin. He admitted to the murders of Bebe King, six, Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven, and Alice da Silva Aguiar, nine, and trying to kill ten others at a Taylor Swift-themed dance class last summer. open image in gallery Axel Rudakubana, 18, who has pleaded guilty at Liverpool Crown Court to murdering three young girls, Bebe King, Elsie Dot Stancombe and Alice da Silva Aguiar (Merseyside Police/PA) ( PA Media ) The teenagers referrals to the Prevent programme were made between December 2019 and April 2021, when he was aged 13 and 14, home secretary Yvette Cooper revealed the day after his trial. Rudakubana had also had contact with the police, the courts, the Youth Justice system, social services and mental health services. Yet between them, those agencies failed to identify the terrible risk and danger to others that he posed, Ms Cooper said. The minister that a Learning Review into Rudakubanas three referrals to Prevent begun in the Summer but remained confidential to protect the integrity of the trial. We will publish further details this week, alongside new reforms to the Prevent programme. But we also need more independent answers on both Prevent and all the other agencies that came into contact with this extremely violent teenager as well as answers on how he came to be so dangerous, including through a public inquiry that can get to the truth about what happened and what needs to change. Heres everything you need to know about the UKs anti-terror programme: What is Prevent? The Prevent programme is a central part of the Home Offices counter-terrorism strategy. Its central aim is to stop people from becoming terrorists or supporting terrorism through early intervention. It also extends to supporting the rehabilitation and disengagement of those already involved in terrorism. Its three main objectives are: Tackle the ideological causes of terrorism Intervene early to support people susceptible to radicalisation Enable people who have already engaged in terrorism to disengage and rehabilitate The programme comprises a multi-agency approach, with duties extending to many bodies. Legislation introduced in 2015 introduced the Prevent Duty, requiring certain sectors to follow Prevent safeguarding policies by law. This includes several specific authorities such as schools, colleges, universities, health, local authorities, police, and prisons. open image in gallery Home secretary Yvette Cooper looks at tributes near the scene of the deadly attack in Hart Street, Southport (James Speakman/PA) ( PA Wire ) Local authorities oversee the delivery of the Prevent programme locally. Anyone can refer themselves or someone they know to Prevent if they are concerned that they are susceptible to radicalisation or might be at risk of becoming involved in terrorism or supporting terrorism. Referrals can be made to a number of bodies with the Prevent duty, but will be handled by specialist officers in the local police force. If a referred person is found to represent a security threat, they should be investigated further under current guidance. In the year to March 2024, there were 6,922 referrals to Prevent. The Prevent programme is the first of four steps in the governments counter-terrorism strategy CONTEST. Revised over the years, the strategy was first created in 2003 in as an immediate response to 9/11. The strategy comprises are four Ps, and alongside Prevent there is: Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy The Duke of Sussex settled his legal action against the publishers of The Sun newspaper on Wednesday, receiving a rumoured eight-figure settlement and a full and unequivocal apology for intrusion into his private life. It has been described as a monumental victory for Prince Harry against the British press and came after he secured a separate victory against the publishers behind The Mirror in 2023. But his legal battles are not yet over, as he is still engaged in two other high-profile cases in the British courts against the Home Office and publishers of the Daily Mail. Here is an explanation of all of Harrys past and present legal battles: open image in gallery Prince Harry leaves the High Court after giving evidence in London in June 2023 ( Getty ) What cases are over? Mirror Group Newspapers (MGN) In 2023, the High Court ruled in Harrys favour in his case against the publishers of The Daily Mirror. A 386-page judgment found that extensive phone hacking had taken place at Mirror Group Newspapers (MGN) titles over several years. This included phone hacking, blagging (gaining information by deception), and the use of private investigators for unlawful activities. The court ruled that the practice was widespread and habitual at the Daily Mirror. The case against MGN was heard over a seven-week trial and included testimony from Harry, alongside other representative claimants. open image in gallery The court ruled that phone hacking was widespread and habitual at the Daily Mirror. ( REUTERS ) News Group Newspapers (NGN) On Wednesday, a line was drawn under Harrys five year legal battle against the publishers of The Sun newspaper, News Group Newspapers (NGN). The duke settled with the publishers after eleventh-hour discussions on the day his high-stakes trial was set to begin on Tuesday. Though he did not technically win the case in a court of law, it marked a monumental victory for the duke as he received an apology for many of the claims he made against the publisher a substantial sum for damages. NGN, a subsidiary of News UK owned by Rupert Murdochs News Corp, said it offered a full and unequivocal apology to the Duke of Sussex for serious intrusion by The Sun and for phone hacking by private investigators working for the News of the World. open image in gallery NGN, a subsidiary of News UK owned by Rupert Murdochs News Corp, said it offered a full and unequivocal apology to the Duke of Sussex. ( PA Archive ) What cases are ongoing? Associated Newspapers Limited (ANL) Harrys case against the publishers of the Daily Mail for unlawful information gathering could go to trial in early 2026. The Duke of Sussex has accused the publisher of allegedly commissioning unlawful activities, including hiring private investigators to place listening devices inside cars, recording private phone conversations blagging private records, and even burglaries to order. He is among a group of high-profile individuals fighting the case, including Stephen Lawrences mother, Baroness Doreen Lawrence, Sir Elton John and his husband David Furnish, actresses Sadie Frost and Liz Hurley, and politician Sir Simon Hughes. The group is bringing legal action against Associated Newspapers Limited (ANL), which firmly denies the allegations, previously telling the court that they are lurid and simply preposterous. open image in gallery Harrys case against the publishers of the Daily Mail for unlawful information gathering could go to trial in early 2026. ( AFP via Getty Images ) The Home Office Harry took legal action against the Home Office over the February 2020 decision to change the level of his personal security when he visits the UK. In a judgment last February, retired High Court judge Sir Peter Lane rejected the dukes case and concluded Ravecs approach was not irrational nor procedurally unfair. However, the Court of Appeal said in June last year that it will hear his challenge following a direct application from Harrys lawyers, who said Harry had been granted permission to appeal. However, the Court of Appeal has now said it will hear his challenge following a direct application from Harrys lawyers, who said Harry had been granted permission to appeal. The appeal is now expected to be heard in the spring. 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 Diana, Princess of Wales, would be rightly proud of the Duke of Sussex after he settled his High Court case with the publishers of The Sun, her brother has said. On Wednesday, Prince Harry secured an unequivocal apology from Rupert Murdochs News Group Newspapers (NGN) for both himself and his late mother, Princess Diana. The publishers apologised for a serious intrusion into Harry and Dianas private life by The Sun, including unlawful activities carried out by private investigators working for the paper. In a post on X (formerly Twitter) and Instagram, Earl Spencer praised his nephew, calling it wonderful that Harry had fought for and gained an apology to his mother. He wrote: It takes an enormous amount of guts to take on opponents like News Group Newspapers, and great tenacity to win. open image in gallery Harrys relationship with the media is difficult as he witnessed the overwhelming intrusion by the media faced by his mother on a daily basis. ( AFP/Getty ) And its just wonderful that Harry fought for and gained an apology to his mother. She would be incredibly touched at that and rightly proud. Prince Harry, 40, alleged he was targeted by journalists and private investigators working for NGN and the now-defunct News of the World. His relationship with the media has long been strained, shaped by the overwhelming intrusion his mother endured daily. Diana was killed in a car crash in Paris when Harry was 12, after her vehicle, driven at high speed by a drunk chauffeur, was pursued by paparazzi through the citys streets. The apology from NGN marked the first time the publisher has admitted unlawful activities at The Sun, according to one of the lawyers involved in the case. Harrys barrister, David Sherborne, described the outcome as a monumental victory, stating: In a monumental victory today, News UK has admitted that The Sun, the flagship title of Rupert Murdochs UK media empire, has indeed engaged in illegal practices. open image in gallery Earl Spencer rightly proud of Harry ( PA ) This represents a vindication for the hundreds of other claimants who were strong-armed into settling, without being able to get to the truth of what was done to them. Lord Tom Watson, the former Labour deputy leader, also settled his claim after receiving a full and unequivocal apology and substantial damages for what he described as unwarranted intrusion into his private life during his time in government by the News of the World. Speaking outside court, Lord Watson paid tribute to Harry, saying: His bravery and astonishing courage have brought accountability to a part of the media that thought it was untouchable. 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 There have been calls to tackle the growing epidemic of drug driving with half of motorists failing roadside drug tests. In 2023, 51 per cent of drivers pulled over for a roadside drug test were found to be positive. In the first seven months of 2024 that figure was 49 per cent, according to road safety charity IAM RoadSmart. This information is based on data from 17 out of 45 police forces across the UK in response to Freedom of Information requests. Drug-driving rules consist of very low limits for eight illegal drugs such as cocaine and cannabis, risk-based limits for eight drugs that have a medical use, and a separate approach to amphetamines that aims to balance legitimate medical use with abuse. Roadside swab tests identify whether a motorist has used cannabis or cocaine. The presence of other drugs is identified via blood and urine tests at police stations. Police officers must have a reasonable suspicion that a driver is under the influence of drugs before asking them to take a test. More than 3,000 people were caught drug-driving on four or more occasions in the 11 years to July 20 2024. open image in gallery PA Department for Transport (DfT) figures show the number of people killed in crashes on Britains roads when a driver was impaired by drugs rose from 55 in 2014 to a record 134 in 2023. In October 2024, Shaun Mulligan, then 48, of Seaside in Eastbourne, East Sussex, was given a five-year prison sentence and disqualified from driving for seven-and-a-half years after admitting causing death by careless driving while over the limit for drugs and alcohol. He crashed a scaffolding van into a car travelling in the opposite direction on the A281 near Henfield, West Sussex, in November 2022, killing its 71-year-old driver, Jennifer Allen. Mulligan tested positive for benzoylecgonine the chemical breakdown of cocaine and was nearly double the drink-drive alcohol limit. IAM RoadSmart policy manager William Porter said: The fact that one in two motorists are failing roadside drugs tests shows that the message about the dangers of drug-driving is not getting through. Separate research by IAM RoadSmart indicates that one in seven drivers aged 17-34 admitted to getting behind the wheel after taking Class A drugs, indicating how vital it is to tackle this growing epidemic. We urgently need a new approach to combat drug-driving which focuses on both greater enforcement and establishing rehabilitation courses to reduce reoffending. The evidence shows that those taking equivalent drink-drive courses are almost three times less likely to reoffend than those who dont. Ministers must consider expanding similar courses to those with drug-driving convictions. Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander recently hinted that drug-driving rules could be toughened as part of a road safety strategy being developed by the Government. A DfT spokesperson said: We take road safety extremely seriously and there are already strict penalties in place for those who are caught drug-driving. Our roads are among the safest in the world, but we are committed to improving road safety and reducing the number of those killed and injured on our roads. 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 Independent has been hailed for shining a light on the continued imprisonment of Aung San Suu Kyi by a brutal military regime in Myanmar. Human rights campaigner Bianca Jagger and Wild Swans author Jung Chang joined politicians, journalists and lawyers at the London screening of The Independent TVs documentary Cancelled: The Rise and Fall of Aung San Suu Kyi. The film looks at the life of the 79-year-old Nobel Peace Prize winner who has become a deeply divisive and controversial figure internationally after failing to speak out on her countrys extreme violence against its Rohingya Muslim minority. It was described as a rallying point for the freedom of a woman seen as the last hope for the people of her country. Speaking afterwards, Ms Jagger said: I think the most difficult issue is for people to have mercy on fallen heroes. Because she was a hero for many of us, including me. But we must do everything we can to see her released. This is the perfect film to launch a campaign calling for her freedom I think this film will be the perfect rallying point to bring us all together and to demand that she be released. open image in gallery Bianca Jagger listens to Helena Kennedy at the screening of The Independents documentary Cancelled: The Rise and Fall of Aung San Suu Kyi ( Al Brown ) Ms Chang, who met Ms Suu Kyi on a number of occasions, said: I greatly admire her. And I am full of sympathy for her, in solitary confinement. So of course I think the more people help her and draw attention to her plight the better. Ms Suu Kyi is believed to have spent long periods in solitary confinement since her arrest following a coup in February 2021 and faces 27 years in prison. Responding to the documentary, three former foreign secretaries, William Hague, Sir Malcolm Rifkind and Jack Straw, have said the ousted former leader was jailed on trumped-up charges and deserves the chance to lead her country democratically. Former deputy foreign secretary Andrew Mitchell, who attended Wednesdays screening, said: She has been treated terribly by the illegal junta in Myanmar. She should be released immediately and films like this help explain why. open image in gallery Jung Chang and Kim Aris at the screening of the Cancelled documentary in London ( Geordie Greig ) Ms Suu Kyi, who studied at Oxford and married a British academic Michael Aris, raised two children, Alexander and Kim, in the UK before returning to Myanmar in 1988. She spent nearly 15 of the 21 years between 1989 to 2010 under house arrest, where her fight for democracy became famous across the world. The junta allowed Ms Suu Kyi to become the de facto head of Myanmar following elections in 2015, but only if they controlled the key ministries of home affairs and defence and border control, as well as the military budget. In 2019, she became a global pariah in the eyes of the international community and many human rights organisations after she appeared at the International Court of Justice in The Hague to defend her countrys use of force against the Rohingya. open image in gallery Screening of Cancelled: The Rise and Fall of Aung San Suu Kyi with (left to right) her son Kim Aris, Independent editor-in-chief Geordie Greig and journalist Peter Popham ( Al Brown ) Two years later she was imprisoned after the military seized power in a coup, plunging the country into conflict. Helena Kennedy, one of Britains most distinguished lawyers, said: She may have made some miscalculations along the way but I do think that the world has to reflect again on what she was seeking to achieve. And I think she thought she was preventing the inevitable coup that did in fact take place. She added: What shocked me is the lack of concern for her human rights. I hope this documentary is the start of a campaign to say what is happening to this woman is utterly, utterly reprehensible. Her son, Kim, who appears in the film, added: Im very glad that this has been brought back into the public domain that people start to question the narrative about her. He said that his only contact with his mother had been through one letter that he received since she was imprisoned. I hope the other thing that people take from this is that she is not under house arrest, she is in prison, he said. And the prison cell that she has been kept in all this time I know is rat-infested and completely open to the elements. open image in gallery Aung San Suu Kyi, leader of the National League for Democracy (NLD) in Myanmar ( Getty ) The film was also praised by Paul Scully, a former Conservative minister who was Theresa Mays trade envoy to Myanmar. He said: For decades millions of people in Myanmar have suffered at the hands of the military. It is so important to have this documentary return the attention to the plight of Aung San Suu Kyi, for so long the focal point and last hope for the people of Burma. In the documentary, Lord Hague, who welcomed Ms Suu Kyi to London in 2012, said it was possible to be critical of the countrys former de facto prime minister but also say we should be campaigning for her release. He described her as a political prisoner on trumped-up charges, adding We might disagree with things that she has said and done, but she has been the strongest force for democracy in Myanmar in a generation, and she is imprisoned because she was that force for democracy. 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 The UK could join a Europe-wide trading agreement as part of Sir Keir Starmers post-Brexit reset with the EU, one of the blocs top trade chiefs has said. Maros Sefcovic, who led post-Brexit negotiations for the European Union, said it would consider letting Britain join the Pan-Euro-Mediterranean Convention (PEM) as the PM chases closer ties with Brussels. The PEM allows for tariff-free trade of goods across Europe, as well as some North African and Levantine nations. open image in gallery Maros Sefcovic said the European Union would consider letting Britain join the Pan-Euro-Mediterranean Convention (PEM) ( AFP via Getty Images ) Some business groups have backed the UK joining PEM as it would help to maintain complex supply chains, but the previous Conservative Government chose not to pursue it as part of a post-Brexit trade agreement. Speaking to the BBC at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, Mr Sefcovic said the idea had not yet been "precisely formulated" and that the "ball is in the UKs court". The UK government has reportedly begun consulting with businesses on the benefits of the PEM plan and how it could help cut red tape and improve trade. But, hours after Mr Sefcovics comments, a UK minister rejected the proposal. The Liberal Democrats said rejecting the customs scheme was an act of economic negligence and called for an urgent rethink. Lib Dem leader Sir Ed Davey said: It is alarming that the Government is happy to negotiate with China but wont even look at a better trading arrangement with our closest neighbours in Europe. This is an act of economic negligence. If the Government thinks it will get growth back in the economy by borrowing Boris Johnsons playbook on European negotiations it is going to end up being sorely disappointed. It is time for a proper UK-EU customs arrangement so we can strengthen our negotiations with Donald Trump, cut the red tape on our businesses and grow the economy. Asked about the proposals, housing minister Matthew Pennycook told BBC Radio 4s Today programme: We are not seeking to participate in that particular arrangement. In general, the government has been very clear that we do want a closer relationship with our European partners, both in trading terms, but also importantly, in terms of security and defense cooperation, where we need to work far more closely. So absolutely, yes, we do want a closer relationship, but as for this particular arrangement, no, we're not seeking to participate in it at the present time. But Dr Mike Galsworthy, chairman of the European Movement UK, told The Independent: With growth stalled and exports falling through the floor since we left the EU, Keir Starmer should welcome the offer of joining the PEM customs arrangement with open arms. But we should go further. Joining the EU customs union would ease so many of the trade barriers our businesses have faced since we left the EU. And restoring to our young people the rights they once enjoyed to travel and work freely across our continent. The lack of a veterinary agreement after Brexit has been a major sticking point for UK food businesses hoping to export to Britains nearest neighbours. open image in gallery Keir Starmer has been seeking a reset in post-Brexit relations with the EU ( AP ) Mr Sefcovic also told the BBC he would like to see the possibility of a full-scale veterinary agreement between the EU and UK reviewed. If UK food and farm products were given single market treatment, he said it would mean we would have to have the same rules and we have to upgrade them at the same time, we call it dynamic alignment. The intervention comes six months into Sir Keirs ambitious plan to broker a new trade relationship with the EU. He has held a series of meetings with European leaders, including visiting European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen in Brussels in October and hosting Emmanuel Macron at his grace and favour country estate Chequers this month. Another key sticking point in the reset so far has been Sir Keirs reluctance to accept a youth mobility scheme with Brussels, which would allow under-30s to study, work and travel across the European Union for up to two years. The PM is wary of agreeing to anything that his opponents could portray as a betrayal of Brexit, while some in government fear a youth mobility scheme would drive up immigration numbers. Europes other key demands centre on EU access to UK fishing waters and Britains adherence to rulings of the European Court of Justice. 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 David Lammy has been accused of misleading the House of Commons over the crumbling Chagos deal by a member of his own party. The governments agreement to hand over the Chagos Islands including the UK-US airbase on Diego Garcia to Mauritius has been plagued by issues since it was announced in October, with concerns Donald Trump could veto the deal and the new Mauritian government demanding further concessions from Britain. But now there also appears to be growing discontent from within Labour itself. Speaking at a meeting at Portcullis House for MPs to engage with indigenous Chagossian people, Peter Lamb, Labour MP for Crawley, claimed there is certainly evidence that statements made in the Commons by the foreign secretary do not appear to be true, referencing claims that the government has engaged with the Chagossians throughout the process of striking a deal. The comments made by Mr Lamb whose constituency is home to the largest community of Chagossians in the UK highlight the fractious state of relations over the deal, the future of which is becoming increasingly uncertain. On 7 October 2024, the foreign secretary told the House of Commons: Of course we kept the Chagossians informed all along the way. open image in gallery Labour MP Peter Lamb took aim at David Lammy for the governments negotiation process ( UK Parliament/AFP/Getty ) Chagossian Voices a campaign group representing indigenous people originating from the islands said they have not met with Mr Lammy and that Foreign Office minister Stephen Doughty, who has met with the group twice since the deal was agreed, refused to discuss the negotiations. Mr Doughty met members of the Chagossian community on 30 September and 3 October and Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office sources have insisted officials have been in regular contact with Chagossians on a range of issues. But it is understood that Mr Doughty told those present at the meetings that he could not speak about the negotiations. Jean-Francois Nellan, who was present at both meetings, said the second was just 10 minutes long, while the first, he said, lasted 30 minutes. While the foreign secretary has claimed that Chagossian interests are at the heart of the deal, testimonies from more than 10 indigenous campaigners in attendance at the meeting made it clear they dont agree. Carl Buckley, a lawyer working with Chagossian Voices, told the meeting: "We have a secretary of state who is on the record saying, all of these [people] have been consulted when they have not. open image in gallery Peter Lamb is MP for Crawley, home to the largest community of Chagossians in the UK ( Parliament UK ) There is a refusal to correct the record, there is a refusal to respond to correspondence that they have sent. There is an utter refusal to engage with these people. So their humanity, their individuality, is being ignored. They were forcibly removed from their homes, but they are again being ignored now over 50 years later when we are discussing their homeland. Responding, Mr Lamb said: Ive forwarded their [Chagossian Voices] correspondence again and asked for a response. Freedom of Information requests are going largely unanswered, the argument being national security, which I find very difficult with the questions that I was asking. He added: There is certainly evidence that statements made in the house by the foreign secretary do not appear to be true. Asked about Mr Lambs remarks, a spokesperson for Chagossian Voices told The Independent: There has been no engagement. We never met with Lammy. And we only spoke to Stephen Doughty after the negotiations were over. The foreign secretary has previously argued that it is hard to get one view from the Chagossians as there are Chagossians in the Seychelles, in Mauritius and in the United Kingdom, saying the government will continue to do all we can to support them. open image in gallery A graphic locating the Chagos Archipelago ( PA Graphics ) Critics of the deal are concerned about the future of the airbase on Diego Garcia, and also the potential for China to gain access to the islands. Mr Lammy had agreed a deal with Mauritius, but following a change of government there, the new Mauritian prime minister Navin Ramgoolam rejected it as not good enough and demanded more from the UK. Shadow armed forces minister, Mark Francois, said: The foreign secretarys benighted Chagos deal just staggers from one disaster to another. Not only are president Trumps team clearly very unhappy with it, but now even Labour backbenchers are speaking out against it too. If David Lammy had any sense he would stop digging and abandon the whole bonkers plan, sooner rather than later. But the foreign secretary has insisted that it is a good deal which secures the long-term future of the airbase. He has also pointed out that the International Court of Justice ruled that the islands belong to Mauritius. A government spokesperson said: The negotiations were between the UK and Mauritius with our priority being to secure the full operation of the base on Diego Garcia. We recognise the importance of the islands to Chagossians and have worked to ensure this agreement reflects their interests. The UK government, under both the previous and current administration, has been engaged with Chagossians at both official and ministerial level during negotiations which first started in November 2022. As part of the agreement, we will finance a new trust fund for Mauritius to use in support of the Chagossian community. We will work with Mauritius to start a new programme of visits for Chagossians to the Chagos Archipelago, including Diego Garcia. And Mauritius will be free to develop a programme of resettlement on the islands, other than Diego Garcia. 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 Miliband has ruled out resigning as energy secretary if Rachel Reeves backs a third runway at Heathrow despite his previous objections. More than a decade ago, Mr Miliband reportedly threatened to quit Gordon Browns cabinet if the then Labour government supported the airports expansion. And in 2018 he said he would vote against another runway in the House of Commons, because we owe it to future generations not just to have good environmental principles but to act on them. open image in gallery Energy secretary Ed Miliband has ruled out quitting ( PA Wire ) But asked on Thursday if he would consider handing in his resignation if the government gives the go-ahead, Mr Miliband said: Dont be ridiculous, no. The whole of the government is focused, and Im focused, on delivering our clean energy mission as part of what we need to do as a country, as part of the prime ministers mission and as part of meeting our economic growth mission our number one priority. Labours deep splits on the issue were still apparent, however, as the Labour mayor of London Sir Sadiq Khan put the chancellor on notice he would consider joining a legal challenge if she does back a third runway. He said the aviation sector was important for growth and prosperity but added we face a climate crisis and a climate emergency. Pointing to a finding by the Climate Change Committee that the only time expansion should be considered is if it abides with environmental commitments, he said: The three big concerns that need to be addressed is could a new runway be built that abides with carbon targets, concerns around noise pollution, concerns around air pollution. Should that speculation become a reality well of course consider the merits of that [legal] case. Im quite clear my views have not changed. open image in gallery Labour mayor of London Sadiq Khan put the chancellor on notice he would consider joining a legal challenge if she does back a third runway ( PA Wire ) Ms Reeves is expected to use a speech on growth next week to support growing the west London airport and to endorse expansion at Gatwick and Luton. Last week she said the rising cost of borrowing and falling value of the pound underlined the need for ministers to go further and faster in search of economic growth. Asked about the Heathrow decision while on a trip to Davos to woo business investment, she said that growth, as the governments primary mission, trumped net zero considerations. Ms Reeves described growth as obviously the most important thing. Sir Sadiq won a third term in office last year in part on a platform of opposing airport expansion in the capital. open image in gallery Environmentalists are opposed to a third runway ( Jonathan Brady/PA Wire ) Giving evidence to the London Assembly on Thursday, he said: Im quite clear, my views on the expansion of Heathrow by a new runway havent changed. Earlier this week another Labour mayor, Greater Manchesters Andy Burnham, hit out at the idea saying it would help overheat the economy. He warned: Its a model for an ever-overheating UK economy rather than a more balanced, levelled-up economy, which is what we would argue for. Manchester airport has two runways and it doesnt operate at full capacity. Labour peer Prem Sikka said a third runway would be madness, was bound to lead to environmental degradation and protests, and was a vote loser. 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 Rachel Reeves is watering down her tax raid on non-doms amid an exodus of millionaires from the UK. The chancellor is to amend some of the changes to tax rules for non-domiciled individuals announced in Octobers Budget. Speaking on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Ms Reeves said the government will table an amendment to the finance bill to address some of the concerns raised by non-doms. open image in gallery The chancellor announced the watering down in Davos ( EPA ) She told Wall Street Journal editor Emma Tucker: We have been listening to the concerns that have been raised by the non-dom community. And in the finance bill, we will be tabling an amendment which makes more generous the temporary repatriation facility, which enables non-doms to bring money into the UK without paying significant taxes. The facility is a three-year window where non-doms pay a discounted rate on foreign income and capital gains accrued before April 2025, letting them bring money into the UK with a minimal tax bill. Treasury officials stressed that the non-dom tax changes will still raise the same amount of money, an estimated 33.8bn over five years. And the chancellor offered reassurance to non-doms worried about becoming liable for double taxation, adding: Theres been some concerns from countries that have double taxation conventions with the UK, including India, that they would be drawn into paying inheritance tax. Thats not the case: we are not going to be changing those double-taxation conventions. A Treasury source told The Times: Were always interested in hearing ideas for making our tax regime more attractive to talented entrepreneurs and business leaders from around the world to help create jobs and wealth in the UK. The Conservatives said Ms Reeves Budget is falling apart in front of our eyes, but warned that the damage is already done. Shadow chancellor Mel Stride said: At the election Labour said their plans would raise money, now they have been forced to admit their plans make the UK less attractive. But the damage is already done - tax revenue equivalent to hundreds of thousands of taxpayers has already been lost. Labour simply does not understand business and the economy, and working people are paying the price. He said Ms Reeves is obviously out of her depth and risked losing control of the public finances. A spokesman for Reform UK said: Rachel Reeves budget has been a disaster for Britain. The only surprise is that its taken her this long to realise it. Meanwhile critics said if Ms Reeves was prepared to take feedback on her non-dom changes, she should be prepared to rethink changes to inheritance tax for farmers and small business owners. Mo Metcalf-Fisher, external affairs director of the Countryside Alliance campaign group, said the optics of Ms Reeves decision are astonishing. He told The Independent: If Rachel Reeves is accepting that errors have been made in her recent budget, we look forward to a similar urgent review of her disastrous family farm tax, which threatens our national food security. Law firm Mishcon de Reyas head of private wealth and tax Charlie Sosna said clients will welcome the chancellors climbdown on the non-dom tax grab. Many significant clients have looked to relocate to their home countries, or other countries looking to attract their talent and wealth, he said, adding that it is understandable that the Treasury has taken stock of the reaction and decided to act to minimise the loss of these individuals. But Dominic Lawrance, partner at international law firm Charles Russell Speechlys, said that despite the changes Ms Reeves is still failing to understand the issues which are driving this economically catastrophic development. If the exodus is to stopped, far more radical change is needed, in the form of a special tax regime for internationally mobile individuals, which is genuinely attractive and competitive, he said. Mr Lawrance said the current Treasury plans look like a rearrangement of deck chairs on a stricken liner. And partner at consultancy RSM Chris Etherington said the watering down by the chancellor is welcome but warned it may be too little, too late. He said: If the target of any changes is limited to the temporary repatriation facility, that is unlikely to be enough to stem the tide of those leaving. Mr Etherington said that to stem the flow of wealthy individuals leaving the UK, a more significant change in Labours plans will be needed. The non-dom tax loophole, which lets foreign nationals living in Britain avoid paying tax on overseas earnings, was thrust into the spotlight when The Independent first revealed that Akshata Murty, Rishi Sunaks wife, had used it to save potentially millions of pounds. Ms Murty, whose family business is estimated to be worth around 60bn, later said she would no longer claim the status on her worldwide earnings. At the time, she said she did not want her tax status to be a distraction for my husband or to affect my family. Since Labour came to power in July, the UK has lost a millionaire every 45 minutes, with the exodus driven by Labours tax grabs and a lack of business confidence. Britain lost a net 10,800 millionaires last year, a 157 per cent increase on 2023, including 78 centi-millionaires (worth at least 100 million) and 12 billionaires. They left for other countries mainly in Europe, such as Italy and Switzerland, as well as the United Arab Emirates. open image in gallery Many wealthy individuals leaving Britain have blamed Labours Budget ( PA Wire ) The figures, compiled by the analytics firm New World Wealth, show the exodus sped up after the general election was called and that since then a dollar millionaire has left Britain every 45 minutes. Tax planners have repeatedly warned of an exodus of Britains super wealthy, with many blaming the impact of Ms Reeves first Budget in October. Adam Smith Institute (ASI) research showed that each of the millionaires who left Britain last year would have paid at least 393,957 in income tax per year. The free market think tank said one millionaires tax payment is equivalent to that of 49 average taxpayers, meaning the millionaire exodus is comparable to 529,200 average taxpayers leaving the country. A Treasury spokesperson said: While we do not expect these changes to impact the 33.8bn of tax revenue that the OBR forecast to raise over five years, they reflect our continued engagement with stakeholders to make sure the reforms announced at Budget operate as intended. The Temporary Repatriation Facility is designed to encourage non-doms to bring their funds to the UK, encouraging them to spend and invest this money here. 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 Britains exodus of millionaires last year was as damaging as the UK losing half a million taxpayers, a study has claimed. The country lost 10,800 millionaires to foreign countries last year, more than double the number who left in 2023. It means that, since Labour came to power, one millionaire left the UK every 45 minutes. The exodus was sparked by Labours tax raids on private schools and non-doms as well as a general collapse in business confidence after Rachel Reeves October Budget. Adam Smith Institute (ASI) research, seen by The Daily Telegraph, showed that each of the millionaires who left Britain last year would have paid at least 393,957 in income tax per year. open image in gallery Rachel Reeves is in Davos trying to drum up investment in Britain ( Kirsty OConnor/Treasury ) The free market think tank said one millionaires tax payment is equivalent to that of 49 average taxpayers, meaning the millionaire exodus is comparable to 529,200 average taxpayers leaving the country. Shadow business secretary Andrew Griffith said: Our entrepreneurs and businesses are fleeing this socialist Governments tax raid in droves. This research shows that Rachel Reevess Marxist maths has put the economy in real danger of drowning in Labours tepid bath of decline. Unless she changes course, every taxpayer will be getting soaked as a result. open image in gallery Labour launched a crackdown on non-doms after The Independent revealed Akshata Murty, Rishi Sunaks wife, benefited from the tax break ( PA Wire ) And Maxwell Marlow, director of research at the ASI, warned that the exodus of millionaires would have serious implications for our wider economy and public services. He added: Our findings underline the urgent need to attract more millionaires to the UK. The millionaire exodus has been driven by taxes, the growing dominance of the US and Asia in the global hi-tech sector, the dwindling importance of the London Stock Exchange and the deteriorating state of the health system, according to the New World Wealth (NWW) global analytics firm. Only China lost more wealthy residents in 2024 than the UK, it found. NMW research head Andrew Amoils said London had been one of the worlds top destinations for migrating millionaires from the 1950s to the early 2000s. They are now leaving the British capital for places such as Paris, Dubai, Amsterdam, Monaco, Geneva, Sydney, and Singapore, he said. In a blog, Mr Amoils said there are multiple complex drivers behind the UKs wealth outflow. He added: Wealthy non-doms have been targeted with additional taxes, which has prompted many of them to leave the country. He also suggested the levels of capital gains tax and estate duty rates also deter wealthy business owners and retirees and these taxes also have a spillover effect on the local wealth management and family office sector, which is showing signs of decline. A Treasury spokesman said: The Office for Budget Responsibility does not expect the non-dom reforms to negatively impact the economy, including indirect tax receipts, but do expect them to raise 33.8 billion over the next five years to help fund the public services and investment projects needed to drive growth. Our main capital gains tax rate is lower than any other G7 European country, and our new residence-based regime is simpler and more attractive to new arrivals than the non-dom regime it replaces. 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 Russian spy ship is being tracked by the Royal Navy after sailing through the English Channel, John Healey revealed on Wednesday, issuing a stark warning to Vladimir Putin that the government is watching Russian activity in UK waters. We see you, the defence secretary warned, promising robust action to protect Britain. The ship, Yantar, is currently in the North Sea having passed through British waters. Mr Healey said this is the second time the Russian spy vessel had entered UK waters in recent months, noting the ship was also closely watched in November. Let me be clear, this is a Russian spy ship used for gathering intelligence and mapping the UKs critical underwater infrastructure, the defence secretary warned. open image in gallery HMS Somerset flanks the Russian ship Yanter near UK waters in November ( PA Media ) In November, the government authorised a Royal Navy submarine to surface close to Yantar to make clear that we had been covertly monitoring its every move, Mr Healey said. Addressing the House of Commons on Wednesday, he said: Yantar entered the UK exclusive economic zone about 45 miles off the British coast on Monday. For the last two days, the Royal Navy has deployed HMS Somerset and HMS Tyne to monitor the vessel every minute through our waters. I changed the Royal Navys rules of engagement so that our warships can get closer and better track the Yantar. So far, the ship has complied with international rules of navigation. Referring to the incident in November, Mr Healey said: It was detected loitering over UK critical undersea infrastructure. To deter any potential threat, I took measured steps then as part of a clear direct response to the Russian vessel. RAF maritime patrol aircraft alongside HMS Cattistock, HMS Tyne and RFA Proteus were deployed to shadow Yantars every movement. Today, I also wanted to confirm to the House that I authorised a Royal Navy submarine, strictly as a deterrent measure, to surface close to Yantar to make clear that we had been covertly monitoring its every move. The ship then left UK waters without further loitering and sailed down to the Mediterranean. He added: I also wanted President Putin to hear this message: we see you, we know what youre doing and we will not shy away from robust action to protect this country. Mr Healey told the Commons that Russia is the biggest external threat to Britain, warning that aggression from Putin will not be tolerated at home or in Ukraine. The defence secretary said Russia was dangerous but fundamentally weak, as he referenced the casualties the country had suffered during the war in Ukraine and its decision to draft in troops from North Korea. open image in gallery Defence secretary John Healey said a submarine had been ordered to surface near the Yantar ( PA Wire ) Russia remains the most pressing and immediate threat to Britain, and I want to assure the House and the British people that any threat will be met with strength and resolve. Mr Healey said P8 Poseidon and Rivet Joint aircraft would join the Nato operation to protect undersea cabling in the Baltic Sea. RFA Proteus has also been deployed to monitor offshore infrastructure. He added: Russian aggression will not be tolerated at home or in Ukraine. Its why one of the first acts of this government was for the prime minister to launch the strategic defence review. Its why the government has increased defence spending next year by almost 3bn and why we will set a path to increase defence spending to 2.5 per cent of GDP in the spring. This new era of the threat demands a new era for defence. Change is essential, not optional, and the government is determined to meet the challenge, determined to deliver for defence. We will protect the homeland and our critical national infrastructure, and we will make Britain secure at home and strong abroad. His remarks come a week after Sir Keir Starmer declared Mr Putins invasion of Ukraine a monumental strategic failure, as he travelled to Kyiv to sign a new long-term partnership deal with Volodymyr Zelensky. The prime minister visited Ukraine for the first time since entering No 10 just days before Donald Trump returned to the White House, potentially signalling a shift in US support for Ukraines war effort in favour of a push for a peace deal. The UK and Ukraine signed a 100-year partnership, which 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 bring together experts in areas including drone technology, showed Mr Putins attempts to pull Ukraine away from the West had backfired. Responding to the defence secretarys statement, his opposite number James Cartlidge said the Conservative Party stood shoulder to shoulder with Labour over its approach, welcoming the governments openness over how it was tackling the Russian naval threat. We welcome that transparency because it is critical for our war readiness that as far as we are able, and without compromising our national security and operational security, we tell the British public the truth about the serious nature of the Russian threat and what that will inevitably mean for public expenditure on defence, he said. 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 Ministers have rejected calls from supermarket giants including Tesco to halt their controversial tractor tax plan. In a highly unusual move, some of the UKs largest retailers have backed farmers in their fight against Rachel Reeves inheritance tax raid, warning the UKs future food security is at stake. But Treasury minister James Murray told MPs ministers would not give in to calls to pause and look again. He said the government was committed to delivering the reforms announced at the Budget, adding that it was a fair approach that would help to fix the public services we all rely on. The row erupted as the chancellor attempted to woo business investment to the UK at the World Economic Forum in Davos. open image in gallery Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves has said she wants the tax burden to come down (PA) ( PA Wire ) In a separate blow, a new report by the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) warned the policy may raise less than the Treasury hopes, with the 500m-a year-revenue forecast given a high uncertainty rating and likely to fall after seven years as families use tax planning to avoid the charge. On Tuesday Tescos chief commercial officer Ashwin Prasad said that ensuring farms remained economically sustainable was essential not just to food security but so customers can continue to get the great quality food they want, at a price they can afford. The calls have added to pressure on Ms Reeves to U-turn on her tax raid, following a furious backlash over her decision to extend inheritance tax, which critics warn could sound the death knell for family farms in England. The changes mean that farms valued at 1m or more would be liable for 20 per cent inheritance tax. open image in gallery Farmers protest in London against inheritance tax changes and Budget impacts on farming (Andrew Matthews/PA) ( PA Wire ) The Treasury says that, with tax allowances, in reality, only farms worth 3m would be affected, just 28 per cent of family farms. But official Defra figures appear to suggest as many as 66 per cent could be hit. Thousands of farmers brought Westminster to a standstill in November when they descended on the capital to voice their opposition to the change. Mr Murray defended the changes in the Commons, saying that at the Budget ministers had been very clear that they had to take difficult decisions that will have consequences. Maintaining a tax loophole for farmers is not fair or sustainable, he added. Labour blames the last Tory government for what it says is a 22bn black hole in the public finances. But shadow environment secretary Victora Atkins accused ministers of letting farmers and pensioners, because of cuts to the Winter Fuel Allowance also announced in the Budget, pay the price for their economic incompetence. She also said the number of farmers taking their own lives should be measured to understand the human cost of the governments changes. She told Mr Murray: As worrying reports of suicides amongst farmers begin to emerge, will he please do as the Defra (Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs) Secretary (Steve Reed) has failed to do, which is measure the number of suicides over the next 12 months so that we can understand the human cost of this policy? He replied: I think that one of the confusions on the benches opposite, is to confuse the value of farms with the value of claims under inheritance tax. And the only way to truly understand the impact of changes to inheritance tax policy on inheritance tax claims is to look at the claims data itself. Asked later if the supermarkets were wrong, Downing Street said: Weve set out our approach. We think its a fair and balanced approach. Obviously well engage with the stakeholders in the sector and theyre entitled to their position. The government has committed $5bn to the sector, and in relation to supermarkets and supply chains weve acted to make these supply chains fairer to farmers. 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 Britons now favour Europe over the United States as an ally, a new study has found, marking a complete reversal of public opinion from almost 60 years ago. The study, by the Policy Institute at Kings College London, found that a majority of 53 per cent now say Britain should prioritise Europe, compared with 31 per cent who say the opposite an almost mirror image of opinion back in 1967, when the public favoured America over Europe by 53 per cent to 33 per cent. Professor Bobby Duffy, director of KCLs Policy Institute, said the shift is related to both the febrile and unpredictable political atmosphere around the re-election of President Trump and the many years building closer ties to Europe since the 1960s. It comes amid fears that the presidents plans to introduce tariffs and instigate a trade war will force Britain to choose between striking a trade deal with the incoming US president and continuing to pursue closer ties with the EU in a planned reset of Britains relationship with the bloc. The prime minister rejected suggestions the UK should choose between US and EU ( Getty ) But in December, Sir Keir Starmer rejected demands that he make a choice between a trade deal with the US and closer relations with the EU, saying such a suggestion is plain wrong. Meanwhile, insiders this week told The Independent that Mr Trumps new administration believes it has Sir Keirs government over a barrel on trade as Britain becomes increasingly reliant on a US trade deal. Senior sources in the presidents team said the UK had no choice but to seek a trade agreement after the prime minister said his governments success would be judged primarily on economic growth. Despite the public generally being in favour of Europe, Reform UK voters have a marked commitment to America, with 55 per cent to 31 per cent saying Britain should side with the US over Europe if it ever had to choose between them as allies. By contrast, Conservative voters are much more closely divided, with 43 per cent backing America and 40 per cent backing Europe. Labour voters, however, heavily prefer Europe with just 23 per cent choosing the US and 65 per cent siding with Europe. The polling comes just days after Nigel Farage travelled to Washington DC for the inauguration of Donald Trump, a close ally of the Reform UK leader. The research relying on data conducted by Focaldata in December 2024 and data from historic polls also says the public are now almost twice as likely to say theyd prefer the UK to be more like Sweden and Switzerland (51 per cent) instead of trying be a leading world power (28 per cent). These long-term trends remind us how much weve changed, with UK public opinion being shaped by decades of national and global politics. We have moved away from seeing the US as key allies in the 1960s, which wont just be related to the febrile and unpredictable political atmosphere around the re-election of President Trump, but also to the many years building closer ties to Europe since the 1960s, Professor Duffy said. He added: Some of these international uncertainties, as well as perhaps increased realism in our global standing, mean most would now prefer Britain take a lower profile on the world stage, following Sweden or Switzerlands example, rather than trying to be a leading power. Mr Farage and right-wing Tories, including Boris Johnson, flew into Washington this week for Mr Trumps inauguration - but the British Labour government largely watched the festivities from afar. The Reform UK leader was asked by members of Mr Trumps team to speak at events around the inauguration and hosted a glitzy champagne-fuelled party for the incoming president. Ahead of the inauguration, he was proclaimed the next prime minister of Great Britain at the party which was a coming together of top Maga conservatives with Reform UK, Brexiteers and top Tories. The polling, which surveyed 1,033 UK adults, was conducted by Focaldata between December 11 and 12 2024. 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 Lawyers for Sean Diddy Combs filed a defamation lawsuit Wednesday against a man they said had falsely claimed to possess videos implicating the music mogul in sexual assaults on eight celebrities. The lawsuit, filed in federal court in New York City, accuses Courtney Burgess and his lawyer, Ariel Mitchell, of fabricating outrageous lies as part of an effort to potentially profit off of the media frenzy around Combs, who was indicted in September on sex trafficking charges. Combs also sued Nexstar Media, saying its cable news network, NewsNation, aired Burgess allegations without looking into whether they were true. The videos, the lawsuit claimed, simply don't exist. These defendants have willfully fabricated and disseminated outrageous lies with reckless disregard for the truth, said Erica Wolff, an attorney for Combs. Their falsehoods have poisoned public perception and contaminated the jury pool. This complaint should serve as a warning that such intentional falsehoods, which undermine Mr. Combss right to a fair trial, will no longer be tolerated. Burgess and Mitchell did not immediately respond to emails from The Associated Press requesting comment. A phone call to Mitchell was not answered. A spokesperson for Nexstar Media Group declined to comment. Combs, 55, has pleaded not guilty to sex trafficking charges lodged against him after his September arrest. He has remained incarcerated, awaiting a May 5 trial, after judges refused to grant him bail. After Combs was arrested, Burgess began giving interviews with reporters, social media personalities and true crime podcasters in which he claimed to have been given flash drives with incriminating evidence by the late actor and model Kim Porter, a longtime partner of Combs and mother of four of his children. But the videos Burgess claims to possess have never become public. Some people close to Porter told The New York Times for a story published in November that they had never heard of Burgess and doubted his claims. Burgess has acknowledged that he doesnt know Combs personally. Federal prosecutors have not publicly identified Burgess as being involved in the criminal case. In interviews, Burgess said law enforcement seized the videos from his home. Mitchell also told reporters Burgess handed over the drives to the federal government. The lawsuit said both claims were completely false. No such video was ever turned over to the government because no such video exists, the lawsuit said. 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 For a ninth consecutive day, thousands of firefighters are still battling the wildfires that are ravaging Los Angeles County. The Palisades and Eaton fires, along with other smaller blazes, have spread more than 40,000 acres (larger than the land area of Washington, DC), with the flames being fanned by a fierce windstorm known as the Santa Ana winds. As of Wednesday morning, at least 25 lives had been lost, more than 12,000 homes and structures destroyed and hundreds of thousands of residents still placed under evacuation orders. The economic losses from the fires may reach $275 billion, according to estimates. With slowing wind speeds earlier this week offering some respite, later on Tuesday, the National Weather Service warned that Angelenos are not out of the woods yet. Firefighters are bracing for the return of bruising winds as the agency again declared a particularly dangerous situation the most extreme advance warning with local gusts expected to reach 65mph before sunrise up until noon on Wednesday. Below is a timeline of key events from before the first blaze broke out. Early warning signs open image in gallery A residence burns as a firefighter battles the Palisades Fire in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles Tuesday, Jan. 7, 2025. ( AP ) With the luxury of hindsight, the warning signs seem clear: a fire broke out northeast of the Pacific Palisades on January 1; the National Weather Service warned of potential rapid fire spread and extreme fire behavior in parts of Los Angeles if ignition occurred. Despite the warnings, senior Los Angeles Fire Department officials allegedly decided not to assign 1,000 extra firefighters and dozens of fire engines for emergency deployment the day the wildfires broke out, according to a report from the Los Angeles Times. By the time the first blaze erupted at 10:30 a.m. on January 7, it took the LAPD 45 minutes to respond to reports of smoke pluming from a wooded area near the Pacific Palisades neighborhood, according to the Washington Post. And while LA was burning, the citys mayor, Karen Bass, flew to Ghana on diplomatic duties. She was captured posing for pictures at a cocktail party in celebration of the inauguration of Ghanas President John Dramani Mahama when the first fire broke out last week. January 7 open image in gallery A firefighter battles the advancing Palisades Fire around a structure in the Pacific Palisades on January 7 ( Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved ) The first and ultimately the most devastating fire was burning in the Pacific Palisades, an affluent coastal neighborhood west of LA. Since the morning of January 7, it has engulfed more than 23,000 acres and, as of Wednesday morning, is 18 percent contained. By 7.30pm that evening, the fire spread to almost 3,000 acres before reaching the center of Pacific Palisades. At around 6:30 p.m., the Eaton Fire erupted in the Altadena area, north of Pasadena, and has now churned through more than 14,000 acres and has been 35 percent contained. At 10.29, the Hurst fire ignited near San Fernando. It has since burned nearly 800 acres and is 97 percent contained. January 8 open image in gallery A firefighter works to extinguish flames as the Eaton Fire burns in Pasadena, California, on January 8 ( REUTERS/Mario Anzuoni ) The death toll had climbed to five people, as the fast-moving wildfires continued to sweep across the LA area. The Palisades fire had burned more than 17,200 acres, while the Eaton fire has scorched some 10,600 acres. The Sunset fire was sparked in the Hollywood Hills and had engulfed 43 acres. All three fires were at zero percent containment. More than 2,000 buildings had been scorched and tens of thousands of residents forced to evacuate, including more than 60,000 in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood. More than 330,000 people were without power throughout the region, according to PowerOutage.us. Fire chiefs also confirmed they were faced with a new challenge: depleted water supplies and low water pressure. January 9 open image in gallery Water is dropped by helicopter on the Kenneth Fire in the West Hills section of Los Angeles on January 9 ( Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved ) Another conflagration, the Kenneth fire, ignited in the afternoon and burned more than 1,000 acres near the Los Angeles-Ventura County line. It was at 100 percent containment as of Sunday morning. California Governor Gavin Newsom revealed that more than 7,500 firefighting personnel and almost 1,200 fire trucks have been deployed across Southern California. President Joe Biden, announced the approval of a major disaster declaration and ordered federal assistance to bolster response efforts. The Department of Medical Examiner announced it had received notification of 10 fire-related fatalities. The Los Angeles Unified School District, the second-largest in the nation with 500,000 students, closed all of its campuses. January 10 The Palisades Fire was at six percent containment and had scorched 19,978 acres, while the Altadena and Pasadena-based Eaton fire had burned 13,690 acres and three prercent contained. Fire crews were still battling the Kenneth Fire that broke out north of the Palisades fire hours, threatening homes near Calabasas and Hidden Hills. The blaze was believed to have been started intentionally, the LAPD announced. Winds picked up, topping out at 70mph in southern Californias mountainous regions after sunrise, according to the NWS. January 11 open image in gallery California Wildfires Photo Gallery ( Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved ) More than 100,000 residents remained under evacuation orders, as the Eaton fire in Altadena and other blazes in the county continued to burn. Officials confirmed that at least 16 people had died in the wildfires. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives announced it would take the lead on a new investigative task force probing the origin of the Palisades fire. Search and rescue efforts for missing persons related to the fires, which including personnel sifting through the rubble and debris of scorched buldings, began in the morning. January 12 The death toll climbed to 24 by Sunday and more than 12,000 structures destroyed, according to officials. The NWS warned of a particularly dangerous situation by the evening and, although peak winds would be weaker than the rest of the week, they were strong enough to potentially cause explosive fire growth. Gusts reached of up to 70mph in mountainous regions of Los Angeles and Ventura counties, the agency said. Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelenskyy has vowed to dispatch 150 firefighting personnel from Ukraine to bolster response efforts to the wildfires raging through southern California. Billionaire Elon Musk also vowed to deploy a fleet of Tesla Cybetrucks equipped with Starlink terminals. January 13 open image in gallery A firefighter monitors the spread of the Auto Fire in Oxnard, northwest of Los Angeles, California, on January 13 ( AFP via Getty Images ) A new blaze, named the Auto Fire, broke out late Monday in Ventura County, and scorched about 56 acres, prompting a swift response from fire crews. As of Monday morning, the fires had scorched more than 40,000 acres. Only 13 percent of the more than 23,000-acre Palisades fire has been contained. The Eaton fire has burned more than 14,000 acres in Altadena and Pasadena and is 27 percent contained. After a week of bruising gusts, wind speeds dropped. President Joe Biden approved a revised major disaster declaration this week, declaring that the federal government will fund 100 percent of debris removal and emergency protective measures. January 14 and 15 Firefighters contined to brace for the return of bruising Santa Ana winds late on Tuesday into Wednesday morning as the death toll from the raging Los Angeles fires climbed to 25. On Wednesday morning, the National Weather Service again declared a particularly dangerous situation the most extreme advance warning with local gusts expected to reach 65 mph before sunrise up until noon on Wednesday. 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 Defense attorneys for Bryan Kohberger want critical DNA evidence in the high-profile case thrown out, arguing that the way law enforcement used investigative genetic genealogy (IGG) to identify him as a suspect violated his constitutional rights. The former PhD student, who recently turned 30, has been in custody for over two years after he was arrested for the brutal murders of four University of Idaho students at their off-campus house in November 2022. If convicted, he could face the death penalty. Ahead of his highly-anticipated trial later this summer, Kohberger returns to court in Boise this week for a public pre-trial hearing where Ada County Judge Steven Hippler will hear arguments before ruling on the use of genetic genealogy evidence in the case. open image in gallery Bryan Kohberger is accused of killing four University of Idaho students in November 2022 ( Getty Images ) Prosecutors allege DNA from a knife sheath found at the crime scene in Moscow matches Kohbergers genetic profile, linking him to the murders. But Kohbergers defense team say the method of using investigative genetic genealogy (IGG) to zero in on him violated his constitutional rights. This process involves entering DNA profiles into public genetic genealogy databases to find relatives and to narrow the list of potential suspects. Judge Hippler will issue a ruling at the pre-trial proceedings on Thursday and possibly into Friday. Both sides are also expected to discuss various other motions. The proceedings will be closed to the public, but will be available to watch live on the Idaho 4th Judicial District Courts YouTube page. open image in gallery Ethan Chapin, 20, Madison Mogen, 21, Xana Kernodle, 20, and Kaylee Goncalves, 21, were found dead in a shared house in Moscow, Idaho ( Instagram ) Hippler was appointed to oversee the trial, replacing Judge John Judge, when the trial moved from Latah County to Boise after the defense successfully argued that he would not have an impartial jury in the tight-knit community of Moscow because of the extensive media coverage potentially tainting the jury pool. Kohberger has pleaded not guilty in the murders of Kaylee Goncalves, 21, Madison Mogen, 21, Xana Kernodle, 20, and Ethan Chapin, 20. Hippler recently ruled that Kohberger can face the death penalty if convicted of the murders, despite his defense attorneys arguing that such a sentence would be unconstitutional. 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 Police have finally arrested a suspect in a nearly 50-year-old cold case in which a Hawaii teenager was found dead at her high school. Dawn Momohara was 16 years old when her body was found on the second floor of McKinley High School in Honolulu in 1977. For decades, detectives had failed to identify a suspect in the murder case but now, thanks to a breakthrough in DNA technology, they have arrested a former classmate, police confirmed. The suspect, 66-year-old Gideon Castro, has been charged with second-degree murder and is currently in police custody. Honolulu Police Department Lieutenant Deena Thoemmes said at a press conference on Tuesday that Castro was one of Momoharas classmates and was arrested in his nursing home in Utah. On March 21, 1977, Momohara was found at her high school partially clothed, with an orange cloth wrapped around her neck, police said. open image in gallery Lieutenant Deena Thoemmes gives an update about the cold case 50 years on ( Honolulu PD/YouTube ) Authorities confirmed she was strangled and had injuries consistent with sexual assault. The DNA of an unknown male was found on Momoharas clothes, but police were unable to identify a suspect at the time. Lets fast forward 42 years to March 20, 2019, Thoemmes said. The homicide cold case detective submitted a request to the HPD scientific identifications sections forensic biology unit to process several items of evidence that was recover recovered from the murder scene to include a blue shorts and an underwear that belonged to Dawn. In May 2020, the sample taken from Momoharas shorts was matched with an unidentified male. Three more years went by, but in September 2023, new information came to light that led police to identify Castro and his brother as possible suspects, Theoemmes said. His brother was later ruled out as a suspect, but on further testing, Castro who told authorities hed met Momohara at a school dance but never dated her was a match. She credited the advance in DNA technology for the breakthrough in the case. Definitely it was the... increase in technology and DNA [and] what theyre able to do with the samples from 1977, she told reporters. The Unified Police Department of Greater Salt Lake arrested Castro on Tuesday morning, and he will be extradited to Honolulu. 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 Daniel Charles Ball, one of the hundreds of January 6 rioters who was charged with a violent crime, had his case dismissed on Tuesday after President Donald Trump issued a sweeping pardon to rioters, but by Wednesday, Ball was arrested again. Ball, 39, was arrested in Washington D.C. on a firearm charge brought by a grand jury in Floridas Middle District Court less than a day after his case in connection to January 6, 2021, was dismissed. The indictment, unveiled on Wednesday, alleges Ball possessed a firearm and ammunition in May 2023 despite being convicted of three felonies between 2017 and 2021. open image in gallery Ball was among the thousands of people who participated in the January 6 attack on the Capitol ( EPA-EFE ) Ball was convicted of domestic violence battery by strangulation in 2017, resisting law enforcement with violence and battery on law enforcement officer in 2021, according to the indictment. The firearm charge was unrelated to the charges he faced in his January 6 case but remained pending for nearly two years while Ball was held up in pretrial proceedings for his January 6 trial. Ball was being held in pretrial detention while awaiting trial because a judge found that he exhibited violent behavior and his charges are among the most severe of any related to the January 6 events. Prosecutors alleged Ball carried an explosive device to the Capitol that day and hurled it into the tunnel which allegedly caused officers to suffer hearing impairment for several days and months. open image in gallery Many Trump supporters advocated for the president to pardon Jan 6 rioters during his campaign ( EPA ) They claim Ball took a piece of wood from a shutter and carried it around with him while entering the Capitol for roughly two minutes. A grand jury indicted Ball on 12 counts related to his actions that day including carrying an explosive, engaging in violence with a deadly weapon, assaulting or impeding officers with a deadly weapon and more. He pleaded not guilty to all counts. Balls trial was initially set to take place in January but a judge vacated the date in October and had not re-set the trial date. On Tuesday, the judge dismissed the case with prejudice. Ball was among the roughly 1,500 January 6 rioters who had the charges wiped from his record thanks to Trump. The president, who has sought to reframe January 6 as a day of peace and love, promised rioters he would pardon them upon taking office. The mob of angry Trump supporters who stormed the Capitol that day did so believing Trump had unfairly lost the 2020 presidential election and that Democrats conducted mass voter fraud throughout the country to ensure former president Joe Biden won. There is no evidence that mass voter fraud took place during the 2020 election. Rioters were at the Capitol that day for a Stop the Steal Rally hosted by Trump. The president directed his supporters to go to the Capitol to peacefully protest Congresss certification of election results. Hundreds of people were injured during the riot and at least five deaths have been connected to that day. 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 63-year-old serial killer was thrown out of a California courtroom for singing 99 Bottles of Beer in the middle of his sentencing hearing for killing two best friends 40 years ago. David Misch was found guilty of two counts of first-degree murder in December for the 1986 killings of Jennifer Duey, 20, and Michelle Xavier, 18. At his sentencing hearing Wednesday, Misch received two consecutive 25-year to life sentences on Wednesday but he wasnt present. He was removed by the court after bursting into song while victim impact statements were being read, the Alameda County District Attorneys Office said. open image in gallery David Misch was removed from his sentencing hearing after singing 99 Bottles of Beer while victims impact statements were being read ( Freemont Police Dept ) Even after getting kicked out of the courtroom, Misch was whistling the familiar tune from an adjacent holding cell, the East Bay Times first reported. David Mischs behavior in court was not only reprehensible but a blatant display of no remorse for taking the lives of Jennifer Duey and Michelle Xavier, Chief Assistant District Attorney Royl Roberts said in a statement. The families of these two young women have been waiting nearly 40 years to receive justice for their tragic and senseless murders. Thanks to the jury and this conviction, Mr. Misch will be held accountable. open image in gallery Michelle Xavier and Jennifer Duey, best friends who were killed by David Misch in 1986. He was given two 25 to life sentences for killing them. ( Fremont Police Dept ) At the trial, jurors were shown DNA evidence found in 2001 under Dueys nails that belonged to Misch. Two years later, to explain why his DNA was found on the murder victim, he alleged that he had witnessed the two young women being kidnapped at gunpoint and that he tried to save them, according to the prosecutors office. The bodies of the two best friends were discovered at the side of the road in Fremont in February 1986, Hayward Police said in 2018 when they arrested Misch for the cold case. They had been shot and stabbed hours earlier, authorities said. Prosecutors also showed jurors a partial license plate number that one of the victims had written on her hand; that license plate correlated with one associated with Misch and his prior convictions, the prosecutors office said. Misch was previously convicted of the 1989 homicide of Margaret Ball in Alameda County, California. He is also awaiting another murder trial after being charged with killing 9-year-old Michaela Garecht, who was kidnapped in Hayward in 1988. 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 Las Vegas man drove around with his dead girlfriend, who was buckled into his passenger seat, for almost two hours after accidentally shooting her in the head, police say. Julio Vasquez, 24, was arrested in the eastern section of Las Vegas, just a few miles from the world famous strip, on Sunday. The body of 24-year-old Gissell Perez, who worked with differently abled children, was found inside the suspects blue Ford Mustang, according to an arrest report. Vasquez was later charged with the open murder and disobeying a police officer, before appearing in court on Wednesday morning, according to Clark County records. As a result, he was remanded without bail. Vasquez phoned a friend at 7:30 a.m. on Sunday asking to meet her in the desert to help to get rid of a body, according to police documents. The woman, who remains anonymous, urged the defendant to take Perez to the hospital. Vasquez refused over fears he would be seen on camera, authorities said. The friend dialed 911 almost 45 minutes later and told dispatchers that Vasquez, who she said appeared panicked, had shot his girlfriend and was driving around with her body in the eastern part of the city, per the documents. The woman told police that Vasquez admitted to shooting to his friend but told her that it was an accident. She added that that the couple had begun arguing when Perez grabbed his gun, forcing him to snatch it back from her. Vasquez, now armed, turned the gun towards the victim after placing it beside his own head, noting he was testing her when the gun went off, allegedly shooting her in the back of the head, police said. open image in gallery Gissell Perez and Julio Vasquez were in an on again off again and toxic relartionship, the defendants friend told police ( Gissell Perez/Facebook ) An officer from the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department said they spotted Vasquezs vehicle, after hed been driving around with the corpse for about 90 minutes. After refusing to stop, police engaged in a pursuit which ended in Vasquez crashing into another vehicle and attempting to flee the scene. Upon detaining the defendant, medical personnel pronounced Perez at the scene, police said. The Clark County coroners office confirmed the victim sustained a gunshot wound to the back of the head and ruled the manner of her death a homicide. Vasquez and Perezs relationship was on again off again and toxic, the friend told police. She also said he always carried a firearm. Perezs uncle, Gabriel Lopez, 27, refutes that his nieces death was an accident. I dont believe it. What we see in the report and what we hear happened, it doesnt really seem like an accident to me or to anybody else, he told 8 News Now. Call up friend to get rid of the body, thats not right. Thats not right. That right there is trying to hide your evidence, The heartbroken uncle lamented over the loss of his niece, and was left wondering why Vasquez allegedly pulled the trigger. She didnt let anybody put her down in any type of way. She went through life hard. Its just a tragedy how we lost her, he said. The big question is why, thats about it. While a woman who says she is Perezs cousin commented on her Facebook page, writing: Forever in my heart my beautiful cousin. I love you so much rest easy pretty angel, wrote another person. Perezs family has also spoken out on a GoFudMe page set up on Monday, raising almost $14,000 of its $30,000 target to cover funeral costs which is expected to be held on February 2. Gissell was a 24-year-old young woman with many plans ahead of her, which she could no longer achieve because someone took her life unjustly and without mercy, someone cut off her wings, a post on the fundraiser reads. We would like a little of your help and your generosity for funeral expenses to help the family and to reflect on this very difficult time that the family is going through, an immense pain that it caused the family. The latest headlines from our reporters across the US sent straight to your inbox each weekday Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy A man posing as a child care worker has been arrested after he allegedly approached a teenager waiting for the bus, lured her into his vehicle and sexually assaulted her, police say. Derrick Dwayne Thompson, 57, was taken into custody on January 15 following a weeks-long investigation that began following the November 30 incident. According to a news release issued by the Los Angeles Police Department, Thompson was driving a black Chevrolet Suburban with a sign on the door that read CJ Angels Child Care, when he pulled up to where the teen was waiting for the bus. Thompson then told the 15-year-old girl that he worked for Child Services and offered the victim a ride home, police said. open image in gallery Derrick Dwayne Thompson, 57, was taken into custody on January 15 ( LAPD ) Believing the suspect worked for Child Services, the victim entered the vehicle. The suspect drove to a parking lot, told the victim to get into the back seat, then removed the child care business sign from the vehicle door." Thompson then got into the backseat of the car with the girl and sexually assaulted her, police said. Additional details about where exactly the assault happened were not provided. After being arrested by the LAPD, the L.A. County District Attorneys Office then charged Thompson with forceable rape, sodomy by use of force with a victim 14 or older and sexual penetration by force on a minor victim 14 or older. open image in gallery Thompson was driving a black Chevrolet Suburban with this sign on the door that read CJ Angels Child Care, when he lured a teen girl into his vehicle, police said ( LAPD ) Thompson remains behind bars without bail. Investigators believe there may be additional victims and have released a photo of Thompson and the sign he had on the Suburban in hopes others will come forward. 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 Congressional lawmakers demanded answers Wednesday about the FBI's response to the Jan. 1 truck attack in New Orleans that killed 14 people, questioning why the bureau's top official in the city was out of town and raising concerns about its initial, erroneous assertion that the rampage was not a terrorist event. In a series of letters, Sen. Chuck Grassley, chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and Sen. Ron Johnson, chairman of the Senate's Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, also suggested Facebook missed red flags and asked the social media company to provide a timeline of when it became aware of threatening videos Shamsud-Din Jabbar posted before he plowed a pickup truck through a crowd of New Year's revelers. Jabbar, a 42-year-old Texas native and U.S. Army veteran, professed his allegiance to the Islamic State group and an intent to harm others in a series of posts between 1:29 a.m. and 3:02 a.m., according to federal authorities. The Bourbon Street attack began at 3:15 a.m. Meta Platforms, Facebooks parent company, did not immediately respond to a request for comment from The Associated Press. Police fatally shot Jabbar during an exchange of gunfire at the scene of the deadly crash of the rented pickup truck on Bourbon Street, famous worldwide for its festive vibes in New Orleans historic French Quarter. Federal investigators so far believe Jabbar acted alone, but are continuing to explore his contacts. The additional scrutiny from Congress comes amid multiple investigations launched by the city and state into security lapses and law enforcement response. Grassley, a Republican from Iowa, and Johnson, a Republican from Wisconsin, said Congress intends to conduct objective and independent oversight into the attack. The lawmakers are also drilling into the FBI's preparedness ahead of a major holiday weekend, including the Sugar Bowl, and a bungled initial communications response that bewildered the public and was at odds with the plain reality that the attack was an act of terror. The FBI recovered a black flag of the Islamic State group from the rented pickup used in the attack. The special agent in charge of the FBIs New Orleans field office, Lyonel Myrthil, had been vacationing in Europe during the attack and took multiple days to return to New Orleans, the lawmakers wrote in a letter to bureau, citing whistleblower disclosures. These are major public events that a SAC should be present for, they wrote, adding the FBI failed to account for Myrthil's absence in any of the joint briefings it provided to Congress." The public deserves complete transparency and the truth regarding the New Orleans terrorist attack," they said. The FBI confirmed to the AP that Myrthil had been en route to a family vacation out of the country but said he immediately worked to arrange his flight back to New Orleans, while joining investigative calls until his return Jan. 2. The bureau added that then-Deputy Director Paul Abbate was not overtly aware" that Myrthil was out of the country but deployed a senior counterterrorism official from FBI headquarters within hours of the incident. None of this had any impact on the swiftness of resources and FBI assets that immediately responded and surged to this incident, the bureau said in a statement. The FBI official who described the attack as not a terrorist event, Alethea Duncan, had been speaking in Myrthil's place. Fox News reported last week that Duncan, an assistant special agent in charge in New Orleans, had been temporarily reassigned. The FBI did not respond to a question Wednesday about Duncan's status. Lawmakers also want to know when Meta became aware that Jabbar made recordings using Metas smart glasses to scout the historic French Quarter by bicycle months before the attack. They pressed Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg to share if any other posts from Jabbar had ever been flagged or removed by Facebook and whether the attacker used other accounts or pages and if anyone had engaged with his posts. Grassley and Johnson noted other people responsible for mass killings in the U.S. had signaled their intentions on Facebook and other social media platforms. __ Mustian reported from New York and Tucker from Washington. 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 In his inaugural address this week in Washington, D.C., President Donald Trump made good on his threats to crack down on the border, announcing a slew of drastic executive orders targeting immigration on his very first day in office. Of the dozens of executive orders Trump has signed so far, at least six have been specifically aimed at immigration. One of them declared a national emergency at the southern border between the United States and Mexico, allowing his administration to quickly gain access to federal funding for the border wall. At least 1,5000 troops are now reportedly being ordered to the border, putting the Pentagon in a tailspin. open image in gallery Trump signed executive orders on Monday night in the Oval Office. ( Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved ) In an unprecedented executive order, Trump declared his intention to revoke the right to birthright citizenship which is protected by the 14th Amendment effective from February, a move that already faces legal challenges by 22 states and activist groups. Its unclear how Trump would even go about ending the right, but if it were to be revoked, babies born in the United States would no longer be automatically eligible for citizenship under certain conditions. Since signing these orders, Trump has also disabled the CBP One app effective immediately, leaving families waiting for appointments at the border in the lurch as their appointments were suddenly cancelled. How many would be affected by an end to birthright citizenship? Birthright citizenship is protected by the 14th amendment, which was adopted in 1868 and states that all persons born or naturalised in the United States [] are citizens. Trumps executive order intends to prevent automatic birthright citizenship for children of undocumented immigrants, effective from February 20. But birthright citizenship would also be restricted for children born to non-citizen parents on student visas, tourist visas, or temporary work visas. Its difficult to say how many people this would affect. What we do know is that between a fifth and a quarter of all babies in the United States are born to foreign-born mothers each year. In 2023, 843,233 births (24 percent of all births in the U.S.) were to foreign-born mothers, according to the Annie E. Casey Foundation. There is no breakdown as to what proportion of these mothers were living in the U.S. illegally or on temporary visas. An end to appointments President Trumps decision to overhaul the CBP One App, introduced under former President Joe Biden, has faced legal action from immigration advocacy groups. The mobile application, which allowed noncitizens to schedule appointments for migration and asylum, was intended to discourage illegal border crossings and streamline lawful immigration pathways. A Customs and Border Protection update in September said that the app: Significantly increased CBPs capacity to process migrants in a more efficient and orderly manner while cutting out unscrupulous smugglers who endanger and profit from vulnerable migrants. open image in gallery A family from Venezuela tries in vain to access the CBP One app a day after the second inauguration of President Donald Trump ( Getty Images ) Since January 2023, some 936,500 individuals have made appointments at ports of entry 44,000 in December alone. On Monday, however, all existing appointments scheduled through the app were cancelled. The state of illegal immigration Approximately 11 million immigrants were living in the U.S. illegally in 2022, according to the latest estimates from Pew Research Center. In 2024, there were around 2.1 million ecounters at the southern border, according to latest CBP data. This was down by 14 percent from 2023, when figures show closer to 2.5 million encounters at the border. In December 2023, there were over 249,000 encounters at the border, a record-breaking month. open image in gallery Encounters with migrants at the U.S.-Mexico border peaked in December 2023 but have plummeted since then ( Pew Research Center ) In the months since June 2024, when the Biden administration took action to restrict asylum applications for those who crossed the border illegally, encounters have steadily dropped. Since March 2020, border encounter statistics included special Covid-era measures that make it difficult to exactly compare pre- and post-Biden levels. However, CBP data shows that apprehensions at the Southwest border were already rising steadily under Trumps first term, tripling from 303,916 in 2017 to 977,509 in 2019. Trumps track record on deportation In both 2016 and 2024, Trump has promised to be tough on the border and criticized Democrats approach to immigration. But Independent analysis from November found that overall, removals and returns of immigrants were lower under Trump than both of Barack Obamas terms, and under Biden. The Department of Homeland Security publishes figures from each fiscal year, which includes the preceding October-December period, so these figures do not line up exactly with the presidential cycles +/- 3 months. Much of the spike over the Biden era is due to Covid-19 Title 42 policies, which allowed Border Patrol to swiftly expel migrants seeking entry for public health reasons. When just comparing immigration orders, which are non-voluntary deportations, Trump saw higher numbers than Biden but still lower than Obama. Deporting criminals Another focus in Trumps inaugural speech was undocumented immigrants who commit crimes while living in the U.S. Without offering specific data, Trump made many references to organized crime among immigrants; saying he will go as far as designating drug cartels as foreign terrorist. [The judicial system] provides sanctuary and protection for dangerous criminals, many from prisons and mental institutions that have illegally entered our country from all over the world, President Trump claimed in his address. Our analysis of the latest Homeland Security figures shows that, in fact, the proportion of convicted criminals among all removals has been going down consistently since 2021. In 2024, latest estimates show that just 1 in 5 DHS deportations were convicted criminals. Growing costs of immigration enforcement President Trump has said he wants to deport millions and millions of criminal aliens, as he consistently campaigned on tighter immigration enforcement at the border, even in his first term. Yet, the Border Patrol budget saw its sharpest increase in real-terms under the Biden administration, according to figures from the American Immigration Council (AIC), more than under Trumps first term. The annual budget of the U.S. Border Patrol is currently as high as $7.3 billion dollars in 2024. The AIC also suggests that there is a a serious funding mismatch between the money spent on enforcement and the immigration court system (Executive Office For Immigration Review). While U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and border control have seen large increases to funding, immigration courts have a budget that equates to just 5 percent of their combined funding ($840 million in 2024, according to the report). Mary Cheng, the acting director of the immigration court system, was fired by the Trump administration on Monday, with no replacement as of yet. The immigration case backlog stood at over 3 million at the end of 2024. 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 is reportedly trying to extend deportation power to federal agents outside of the Department of Homeland Security. The Wall Street Journal reportedly viewed a memo from acting Homeland Security Secretary Benjamine Huffman saying that the department plans to extend immigration-enforcement powers to agents at the Justice Department, which oversees the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms, and the US Marshals Service. The memo also noted that FBI agents already possess immigration-enforcement powers called Title 8 authority but the agents typically stick to criminal investigations. open image in gallery The Trump administration reportedly wants to extend immigration enforcement powers to Department of Justice agents, including those in the ATF and DEA ( AP ) A person familiar with the memo told the Wall Street Journal that the Trump administration wasn't planning to immediately deputize agents for anti-immigration crackdowns, but did expect agencies to lend agents. The ATF and DEA don't typically deal with immigration enforcement. The US Marshals do more often, but generally only when a fugitive also happens to be illegally in the US. Acting Deputy Attorney General Emil Bove told federal prosecutors on Tuesday to begin investigating and potentially pressing charges against state and local officials in "sanctuary cities" who refused to cooperate with Trump immigration orders. The Department of Homeland Security is reportedly forming task forces to ensure local and state law enforcement are enforcing immigration laws. Trump has already threatened to restart immigration raids in cities like San Francisco, Chicago, Detroit, New York City, and others. The president isn't just wrapping federal agents into his war on immigrants, but the US military as well. On Wednesday, the Pentagon announced that it planned to send 1,500 active-duty troops to the southern border to "seal" the crossing. That move was made in accordance with a day-one Trump executive order declaring an emergency at the border. Those troops will join the 2,500 troops that were already stationed at the border as part of the Joint Task Forth North out of El Paso, Texas. open image in gallery Trump is sending 1,500 active duty troops to the southern border ( Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved ) Texas Governor Gregg Abbott's existing border force, Operation Lone Star, is also in the El Paso area. Abbott has forced members of the state's National Guard to sit at the border for the last several years. The mass deportations that Trump seems to be moving towards have prompted Mexican authorities to start construction on a massive shelter to house deportees. The shelter is being built by the Mexican Navy and municipal employees along the Mexico-Texas border in Matamoros. On Tuesday, Immigrations and Customs Enforcement arrested 308 people living in the country illegally. The figures are on par with daily arrests during Bidens administration. "ICE is doing its job," according to Trumps border czar, Tom Homan. On Wednesday, Trump canceled flights for refugees waiting to fly to the US from various points around the world. While Trump curbing refugee admissions was expected, resettlement organizations were caught off-guard by how quickly he shut the gates. The indefinite refugee ban came early, a particularly cruel, unexpected, and unconscionable decision, according to a statement from Refugee Council USA director John Slocum. Denying refuge to the persecuted is not who we are as a nation. In addition to threatening raids, mass deportation, and banning refugees from entry, Trump has also issued an executive order to end birthright citizenship to children when that persons mother was unlawfully present or lawful but temporary, and if the father was not a United States citizen or lawful permanent resident at the time of said persons birth. The concept that anyone born on American soil is automatically an American citizen is enshrined in the US Constitution. At least 22 states and pregnant women whose children's citizenship is up in the air have sued the Trump administration over the executive order. 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 New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez blasted President Donald Trumps second term as a billionaire feeding frenzy days after Trumps star-studded inauguration. The Democratic Congresswoman chatted with Jon Stewart on his podcast The Weekly Show in an episode that aired Thursday about Trumps second inauguration and the dangers of his second presidency. Trumps inauguration was attended by a cadre of the extraordinarily wealthy, including the presidents First Buddy and worlds richest person Elon Musk, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg and Amazon founder Jeff Bezos. Unlike Trumps first term, prominent figures and companies now arent afraid to be in the presidents orbit, Ocasio-Cortez warned. What makes this go-around with Trump so much more dangerous than the first time aroundis that hes much more normalized, she said. Even the norms are embracing him, the Democrat noted, pointing to designer brand Oscar de la Renta dressing his family members for his inauguration. During his first administration, people were scared of being associated with him, but now theyre all all-in now, Ocasio-Cortez said. open image in gallery AOC calls Donald Trumps second administration a billionaire feeding frenzy as she and Jon Stewart discuss his inauguration ceremony ( The Weekly Show ) She suggested some are sucking up to him: This is now a billionaire feeding frenzy. This is a kiss ass race. The Democrat continued: It is: How can I show how much fealty can I show to Trump in order to get my digs? She said she hopes people understand: Youre being ripped offEveryone is being ripped off. Later she added, He goes up there and he says what he wants to say, but hes just the quintessential New York conman. The fiery New York Democrat didnt attend Mondays events. In a video posted Sunday, she revealed why she didnt go to his second inauguration. Let me make myself clear: I dont celebrate rapists. So, no. Im not going to the inauguration, she said. In 2023, a jury found the president liable for sexual abuse of former Elle columnist E. Jean Carroll. He was not found guilty of rape despite AOCs assertion. open image in gallery Tech moguls Mark Zuckerberg, Jeff Bezos, Sundar Pichai and Elon Musk, at Trumps inauguration ( AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson, Pool ) Stewart and Ocasio-Cortez also discussed one particular hitch in the days proceedings, which she admitted to watching from afar. The comedian said he sympathized with Carrie Underwood, who sang America the Beautiful a capella after a technical hiccup with the background music. Stewart quipped: I felt so bad for her. She was just standing there and theyre like Were going to be the administration of competence. Were going to make everything work again except the PA. Ocasio-Cortez said sarcastically: Yeah, we are off to a great start today! 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 An aide to House Speaker Mike Johnson stepped in to advise Republicans against issuing a subpoena to former White House aide Cassidy Hutchinson for fear that it might expose sexual texts lawmakers sent her, according to The Washington Post. Hutchinson, a former Trump loyalist who worked for his chief of staff, gave sensational evidence to the congressional committee on the January 6 riot. She testified that Trump wanted to join his supporters marching on the Capitol, and she claimed that he believed but did not care that some of them were armed. Now Republicans are trying to establish their own counter-narrative about the riot with a new investigation. open image in gallery Cassidy Hutchinson, a former Trump loyalist, gave sensational evidence to a congressional committee investigating the January 6 riot ( POOL/AFP via Getty Images ) They had discussed calling Hutchinson to testify again but, according to The Post, were advised not to by an aide to the Speaker. Republican Rep. Barry Loudermilk had suggested in public that a subpoena be issued for Hutchinson. However, an aide to Johnson warned Loudermilks staff that several colleagues had shared concerns that sexual texts from members who were trying to engage in sexual favors with Hutchinson could be shared publicly, correspondence from the time reveals, according to the paper. It was not immediately clear who those lawmakers supposedly are or what was in the alleged text messages. The paper did not review the reportedly sexual texts and didnt identify the senders or whether Hutchinson responded. Johnson aides also told Loudermilk and his staff that subpoenaing Hutchinson and asking her to testify under oath could possibly embarrass the Trump White House as it would hand her an opportunity to tell her story once again, two people at the meeting told The Post. Hutchinson had not commented publicly on the latest claims at the time of writing. Johnson brought the Republicans investigation back to life this week as President Donald Trump and his allies in Congress seek revenge against perceived political enemies, such as those who investigated the attack on the Capitol. open image in gallery Trump speaking to his supporters before they rioted at the Capitol. Hutchinson testified that he had reason to believe some of them were armed but that he didnt care ( AFP/Getty ) Hutchinson testified in a 2022 hearing that Trump wanted to go to the Congressional complex himself alongside thousands of supporters he had riled up in a speech from the Ellipse, outside the White House, in which he falsely claimed he had been cheated out of victory in the November 2020 election. The former aide to then-Trump Chief of Staff Mark Meadows testified that Trumps personal lawyer Rudy Giuliani said on 2 January 2021 that Trump and his associates had plans for January 6. When she told Meadows, she said he didnt look up from his phone and said something to the effect of ... things might get real, real bad. Hutchinson testified that Trump wanted security checkpoints downgraded despite knowing that some in the crowd were armed, including with assault-style rifles. She said she heard Trump say something to the effect of I dont f***ing care that they have weapons. Theyre not here to hurt me. When White House counsel Pat Cipollone urged Meadows to get Trump to take action as the crowd grew louder, including calls for the hanging of Vice President Mike Pence, Hutchinson said Meadows noted that Trump thought Pence deserves it and that the president doesnt think theyre doing anything wrong. She said that Trump wanted to go to the Capitol after his speech but that Secret Service agent Robert Engel said it wouldnt be safe. Hutchinson said that Deputy Chief of Staff Tony Ornato said that Trump grew irate, insisting he go to the Capitol, even going so far as to lunge for the wheel of the presidential vehicle and to try to grab Engel by the throat. Loudermilk led a Republican investigation into the January 6 attack in the last Congress, including the probe of the attack headed by Democratic Mississippi Rep. Bennie Thompson and then-Wyoming Republican Rep. Liz Cheney. open image in gallery Bennie Thompson and Liz Cheney led the investigation into the January 6 riot, attracting Trumps wrath ( AP ) Earlier this month, Loudermilk told CNN that Johnson had given the green light to the investigation from the previous Congress being brought back as a new panel. House Republicans are proud of our work exposing the false narratives peddled by the politically motivated Jan. 6 Select Committee, but theres more to be done, the speaker wrote on X on 22 January. Were establishing a Select Subcommittee chaired by @RepLoudermilk to continue our efforts to uncover the full truth. Loudermilk was reportedly considering handing Hutchinson a subpoena for testimony and electronic communications because he thought she could provide new information, two people involved in the investigation told The Post. The information he sought was about Cheney, who had organized Hutchinsons testimony. Critics have attacked the Republican investigation as an attempt by Trump and his allies to rewrite the history of what happened during the Capitol attack and to seek revenge against those who blamed the president for inciting the violence from his supporters on that day. Hutchinsons attorney, Bill Jordan, told The Post that she cooperated voluntarily with the investigation, criticizing the interim report issued by Loudermilk in December, which stated that Cheney had been secretly communicating with Hutchinson without Hutchinsons attorneys knowledge. Ms. Hutchinson has testified truthfully and stands behind every word despite the efforts of men in powerful positions to attack her, Jordan told The Post. open image in gallery Barry Loudermilk is leading the Republicans new hearing into the riot. Critics say the GOP is trying to rewrite history to free Trump from blame ( AP ) Last month, Cheney said in a statement that Loudermilks report was a malicious and cowardly assault on the truth. Loudermilk told reporters on Monday that Trump has asked him to continue the investigation and continue to expose the truth. I know President Trump is 100 percent behind it, he added. In one of his final acts in office, former President Joe Biden issued preemptive pardons for Cheney, the other members of the original January 6 committee, and some staff to protect them from reprisals from the incoming Trump administration. Hutchinson didnt receive a pardon. 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 CNN anchor Jim Acosta seemingly acknowledged the current state of flux he now finds himself in at the network, cheekily telling viewers that he is still reporting from Washington while signing off from his morning show on Thursday. The rhetorical wink and nod to the audience came hours after CNN announced that not only is it laying off 6 percent of its workforce as it pivots to a digital-first operation but that the network is also revamping its weekday television lineup which currently leaves Acosta in limbo as he contemplates moving to late-night. Ahead of Thursdays announcement, which will see anchors Wolf Blitzer and Pamela Brown replace Acosta in the 10 a.m. ET slot, CNN chief executive Mark Thompson called Acosta last week to offer him a proposal: Move from mornings to hosting a two-hour graveyard shift that would end at 2 a.m. ET. Considering Acostas reputation as an outspoken MAGA antagonist, along with the networks softened approach towards Donald Trump since the Warner Bros. Discovery merger in 2022, some have seen this proposed move as an attempt to curry favor with the new president by burying an anchor he despises in an unfavorable time slot. They want to get rid of Acosta to throw a bone to Trump, one media executive told Status News. Midnight is not a serious offer when his ratings are among the best on the network. CNN anchor Jim Acosta said he was still reporting from Washington on Thursday while his future at the network remains in doubt. ( CNN ) Additionally, Status founder Oliver Darcy wondered why else CNN would effectively exile Acosta to the Siberia of television news, especially when the host is one of the most popular on a network that is currently dealing with low ratings that have only gotten worse after Trumps election. During his call with Acosta, which caught the host off-guard, Thompson assured him that this proposal had nothing to do with his ratings or editorial stance. In fact, the CNN chief presented it as something of a promotion, noting that CNN is a global brand and that he would be broadcasting live in primetime on the West Coast. Additionally, his show would be simulcast on CNN International, where it would air live in the mornings in London and Paris. Sources have told The Independent that Acosta is still mulling the offer to go to late night, which would also see him likely move to Los Angeles, where the show would be produced. At the same time, the longtime CNN personality could also decide to reject the proposal and end his nearly two-decade career with the network. With Acosta still in limbo, the network did not include him in its new program lineup on Thursday, which also featured Jake Tapper moving to early evening, Kasie Hunt sliding into a mid-afternoon slot and Audie Cornish getting to host her own morning show. The network said the new programming will begin rolling out in the weeks ahead, and additional details regarding launch dates will follow. While Acosta has remained mum about the programming shifts and proposal to move to midnight, he apparently referenced his current situation after his last segment on Thursday. We are in active discussions with Jim about a new time slot and will have more information to share soon, a CNN spokesperson said. Finishing up an interview on gun violence with Parkland father Manuel Oliver, Acosta said it is always an honor to have Oliver on his show, adding that the activist is always my favorite guest. He then turned to the camera to hand off to the next hours programming. In the meantime, thank you very much for joining us this morning. Still reporting from Washington. Im Jim Acosta, he said, making sure to emphasize still. The following hour, Brown would inform viewers that her legendary colleague Blitzer would soon be joining her to host a two-program morning show, which would also include the hour being taken away from Acosta. Meanwhile, Thompson is not just taking heat from those who are worried that Acosta is being getting hosed by the network. After he told the staff on Thursday that roughly 200 employees would be losing their jobs as the company sharpens its focus on digital and streaming, staffers told The Independent that Thompson gave the least inspiring remarks about layoffs theyve heard, adding that his comments were just so tone deaf and insensitive to people who are getting cut. 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 CNN announced on Thursday that it is eliminating about 6 percent of its workforce mainly across the networks traditional television operations as it aims to expand and prioritize its digital and streaming services as cable viewers continue to cut the cord and the networks ratings continue to dip. Roughly 200 employees will be laid off, though the network is looking to add roughly that same number of staffers to its digital side over the next year. Additionally, the network is reshaping its weekday lineup, which will see Jim Acosta losing his 10 a.m. ET show and is in talks to move to a new role. Acostas program will be replaced by The Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer and Pamela Brown, with Blitzer moving over from his early-evening slot. Audie Cornish will also be getting her own morning show. Sources have told The Independent that Acosta is currently mulling a move to late-night, where he would host his program from midnight to 2 a.m. ET, a time slot that has been described as the Siberia of television news. The proposal, which was first floated to him last week, would also see the longtime CNN star move to Los Angeles and the show simulcast live across CNN International. It is also still possible that Acosta could leave the network altogether amid the programming changes. Our objective is a simple one: to shift CNNs gravity towards the platforms and products where the audience themselves are shifting and, by doing that, to secure CNNs future as one of the worlds greatest news organizations, CNN chief Mark Thompson said in an internal memo. open image in gallery CNN is laying off hundreds of employees as it looks to reshape itself into a digital-first news organization ( Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. ) In an interview with the New York Times, Thompson said that this is a moment where the digital story feels like an existential question, adding that if the network does not follow the audiences to the new platforms with real conviction and scale, our future prospects will not be good. In his memo to staff on Thursday morning, while he acknowledged there would be significant short-term job losses across the network, Thompson said that he didnt expect total headcount to fall much this year, if at all. Thats because of a recent $70 million investment corporate parent Warner Bros. Discovery made to help expand CNNs digital plans, he said. Some of that moneys going in product and tech, but a lot is also going into new high-quality journalism and storytelling, he wrote. Its what we stand for. Its also the heart of every successful digital news strategy. The network plans on posting at least 100 new positions for digital roles within the first half of the year and is looking to actively recruit hundreds of more prospective employees in subsequent quarters. In a staff meeting after the memo was sent out, Thompson reiterated that the hundreds of job cuts were proportionally a relatively small number, prompting staffers to savage the CEO for his lack of sensitivity. He gave the least inspiring remarks about layoffs that Ive ever heard, one CNN employee told The Independent, adding that Thompsons comments were just so tone deaf and insensitive to people who are getting cut. open image in gallery Roughly 200 employees will be laid off, though the network is looking to add roughly that same number of staffers to its digital side over the next year. ( Getty Images for Warner Bros. Di ) As for Acosta, it has previously been reported that the host who remains an outspoken critic of Donald Trump even as the network has softened its overall tone towards the president was approached by Thompson last week to move his show to the graveyard midnight slot. Acosta would also have the option of moving to Los Angeles, where the show would be produced. While Thompson told Acosta the proposal had nothing to do with his tone or editorial stance, critics wondered if burying Acosta who the president despises in late-night was an effort to curry favor with the new administration. Others at the network, however, werent entirely sold that trying to bury him in the graveyard shift had anything to do with Acostas anti-Trump fervor. Honestly, this place is such a mess, one CNN on-air personality told The Independent. Id actually be relieved if ANY decisions had a rationale behind them. Even one like that. In a separate announcement on Thursday morning, Executive Vice President of U.S. Programming Eric Sherling revealed all of the changes to the channels weekday lineup. Besides the new Blitzer and Brown program, which will air for two hours daily beginning at 10 a.m. ET, CNN This Morning will now be a one-hour show hosted by Cornish and air at 6 a.m. ET. Kasie Hunt, who currently helms CNN This Morning, is moving to afternoons to host The Arena, which will be broadcast at 4 p.m. ET. Additionally, Jake Tappers The Lead will shift later in the day and air from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. ET. Elsewhere in the morning, Rahel Solomon will kick off the networks weekday morning slate with the 5 a.m. show 5 Things with Rahel Solomon, which will be produced by CNN International and simulcast in the United States. Kaitlan Collins primetime show is also now shifting primarily to Washington, D.C., after previously being produced in New York. In the end, this is about CNN being as it has been in its history an indispensable way in which many, many millions of people get their news, Thompson told the Times. Since taking over as CNNs chief executive in late 2023, Thompson has made his intentions clear that he wanted the company to pivot more towards digital and streaming to reduce its ongoing reliance on television ad revenue. And with him relentlessly beating the drum of remaking CNN into a digital-first operation, job cuts were long expected to follow. In fact, he alluded to the post-inauguration layoffs in a town hall meeting last month, saying he didnt see them as a simple cost-cutting exercise but instead he was working to change CNN for the better. Meanwhile, the job losses are the networks most severe since former boss Chris Licht announced at the end of 2022 that CNN was slashing hundreds of positions. Thompson also cut roughly 100 jobs last summer when he announced that CNN would soon be debuting a subscription-based digital model, which it unveiled in October. open image in gallery Additionally, the network is reshaping its weekday lineup, which will see Jim Acosta losing his 10 a.m. ET show and is in talks to move to a new role ( Getty Images ) The layoffs to the television production side of the network also come as CNN is currently suffering through slumping ratings, especially since Trumps presidential election victory in November. CNN has seen double-digit declines in viewership across the board over the past few months, and suffered through one of its lowest-rated inauguration broadcasts in history on Monday. After pulling in over 10 million viewers to watch Joe Biden take the oath of office in 2021, CNN attracted just a fraction of that number this year, nabbing an audience of just 1.7 million for Trumps ceremony. Elsewhere in his memo and meeting on Thursday, Thompson also teased new streaming plans for the network. While boasting about CNN Max being a tremendous resource, Thompson added that they are developing a new way for digital subscribers at home and abroad to stream news programming from us on any device they choose. On top of that, CNNs EVP for digital products and services Alex MacCallum is also expected to preview a new lifestyle-oriented product and announce a further major pivot to digital video. Meanwhile, CNN is not the only new network slashing jobs. Both NBC and ABC are also expected to announce layoffs this week, though neither will be as extreme as CNNs. 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 Federal employers have been warned they may face consequences if they fail to identify colleagues who have been employed with the government through DEI schemes. Emails sent to government employees and obtained by NBC News accused staffers of hiding information about those on the schemes by using coded or imprecise language. As of Wednesday, employees had been given 10 days to report colleagues on DEIA schemes that had gone unnoticed by government supervisors. "We are aware of efforts by some in government to disguise these programs by using coded or imprecise language," the emails said, per NBC News. Employees were directed to notify the Office of Personnel Management if they are "aware of a change in any contract description or personnel position description since November 5, 2024 to obscure the connection between the contract and DEIA or similar ideologies." "There will be no adverse consequences for timely reporting this information," the email said. "However, failure to report this information within 10 days may result in adverse consequences. According to NBC workers across multiple agencies and departments have received emails with the same language as of Wednesday night. The Independent has reached out to the White House to confirm the reports and clarify what adverse consequences may entail. The executive order, signed by Trump on Tuesday , asked federal agencies for a plan by January 31 to dismiss the employees ( AFP via Getty Images ) It comes after Donald Trump put all federal DEI workers on paid leave this week, with the intention of firing them soon. The workers were put on paid leave immediately, according to the executive order signed on Tuesday night. Employees were ordered to be notified about the leave by 5 p.m. Wednesday. The order also asked federal agencies for a plan by January 31 to dismiss the employees. Ilegal DEI and DEIA policies not only violate the text and spirit of our longstanding Federal civil-rights laws, they also undermine our national unity, as they deny, discredit, and undermine the traditional American values of hard work, excellence, and individual achievement in favor of an unlawful, corrosive, and pernicious identity-based spoils system, Trumps order read. In a separate executive order signed on Monday, affirmed that U.S. policy would "recognize two sexes, male and female." 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 Donald Trump sat down with Fox News host Sean Hannity on Wednesday night to give his first interview since he was sworn in for his second term. In the first instalment of the two-part interview, the president repeated familiar false and unsubstantiated claims about the 2020 election, the California wildfires and immigration. Trump also leveled a not-so-thinly-veiled threat at Joe Biden, suggesting he should have pardoned himself in addition to pre-emptively protecting his family members. This is what Trump revealed during his first interview as President. Immigration fearmongering On the heels of ushering in anti-immigration executive orders that will upend communities across the country, Trump took the opportunity to reinforce his messaging. He hit out at Biden and accused him of opening the borders so that other countries could empty their jails and mental institutions into the U.S., without offering any evidence of this happening. open image in gallery In this Fox News screen grab, President Trump talks to host Sean Hannity in his first TV interview since his inauguration on January 20, 2025 ( Fox News ) To allow people to come in, and I believe the numbers 21 million people and a large percentage of them are criminals, all over the world. Prisons from all over the world have been emptied into our country by Biden, Trump said. There are people coming in with tattoos all over their face, Trump added. Their entire face is covered in tattoos. Typically, you know, hes not gonna be the head of the local bank. Pardons of the Jan 6 Capitol rioters and Joe Biden shouldve pardoned himself Trump told Hannity that he decided to pardon 1,500 January 6 Capitol rioters because nobodys ever been treated so badly and repeated false claims about the 2020 election, which Trump lost to Biden. Number one, they were in there for three and a half years, Trump said. They were treated like the worst criminals in history. And you know what they were there for? They were protesting the vote because they knew the election was rigged, and they were protesting the vote and that you should be allowed to protest about. Most of the people were absolutely innocent, okay, but forgetting all about that, these people have served horribly a long time, he added. Later in the interview, Trump said that it was a sad thing that Biden hadnt pardoned himself when he safeguarded his family members from any future prosecutions. open image in gallery Donald Trump took aim at enemies new and old during his first interview as President ( The Independent ) Joe Biden has very bad advisers. Somebody, somebody advised Joe Biden to give pardons to everybody but him, he said. This guy is running around giving everyone pardons. The funny thing, maybe the sad thing, is he didnt give himself a pardon. And if you look at it, it all had to do with him, Trump added. California should get nothing until Newsom releases the water open image in gallery Trump expressed concern that the homes of the most wealthy had been destroyed, believing it made the country look helpless ( Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved ) In the interview with Hannity, Trump railed against FEMA, the federal agency charged with the response to natural disasters and other emergencies, and lashed out at familiar enemy Gavin Newsom, the governor of California, over the response to the wildfires. Look at what happened in Los Angeles. Thats like a nuclear weapon went off, Trump said, referring to the deadly wildfires that have ravaged thousands of acres of land and destroyed homes. Whats happened to Los Angeles? And you know, that thing went for four or five days. Nobody was even fighting it because they didnt have any water. The fire departments arent funded properly, and the firefighters were brave as hell. They were fighting without water. I mean, they turn on a fire hydrant, theres no water that comes out. The president referred to Newsom as an idiot while he also expressed concern that the homes of the most wealthy had been destroyed. Some of the wealthiest, most powerful people lost their homes, and it looked like our country was helpless, he said. I dont think we should give California anything until then, let water flow down into there. open image in gallery Trump lashed out at Gavin Newsom and suggested that state officials were deliberately stopping water from flowing into the area ( AP ) Trump also told Hannity that FEMA should be a whole big discussion very shortly, and said hed prefer ending the agencys federal mission and make individual states responsible for dealing with natural disasters, terrorist attacks and other matters normally handled by the federal agency. FEMA has not done their job for the last four years. But unless you have certain types of leadership, its really it gets in the way. He used the example of Oklahoma before digressing about how he won all 77 of the states counties in the election. I love Oklahoma, Trump said. But you know what, if they get hit with a tornado or something, let Oklahoma fix it. And then the federal government can help them out with the money. Four years of hell Hannity gave Trump the opportunity to reflect on the toll the last four years took on him in the courts during the criminal and civil proceedings against him. I went through four years of hell by this scum that we had to deal with, Trump said. I spent millions of dollars in legal fees, and I won, but I did it the hard way. open image in gallery Trump claims he had been through hell after the various criminal and civil proceedings brought against him. ( via REUTERS ) After the election, the Department of Justice special counsel Jack Smith who led two sprawling criminal investigations against the president filed motions to dismiss them both after a years-long attempt to prosecute Trump for 44 crimes. Earlier this month, a Manhattan judge presiding over Trumps criminal hush money trial declined to send him to jail but preserved the jurys historic guilty verdict. 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 Elon Musk, the billionaire tech CEO turned government adviser for President Donald Trump, openly questioned a new artificial intelligence initiative hours after the president announced it. Musk claimed on Tuesday that the new AI initiative, called Stargate, did not have the funding necessary to fulfill its goal of investing $500 billion in building AI infrastructure in the United States over the next four years. They dont actually have the money, Musk said in response to the announcement on X. The quick rebuke from Musk was noteworthy given his presence in the Trump world. Musk has been a vocal backer of the president and made his presence known throughout Trumps inauguration. President Donald Trump announced a new AI iniative on Tuesday which his adviser, Elon Musk, quickly threw cold water on ( AP ) The initiative is a collaboration between OpenAI, an AI research company that Musk co-founded before a falling out with Sam Altman, SoftBank and Oracle. In their announcement, the companies said they would immediately deploy $100 billion toward the initiative. They hope to build data centers across the U.S. warehouses filled with powerful servers that provide computing power to develop and advance AI. But hours after the announcement, Musk threw cold water on it, claiming he had on good authority that SoftBank has well under $10B secured. To further his point, on Wednesday, he responded to a tweet mocking the $500 billion initiative announcement with a crying-laughing emoji. Musk has become one of Trumps closest advisers over the last year. He has been entrusted to oversee the Department of Government Efficiency, the advisory board tasked to cut federal spending, and has been part of Trumps transition process. The split is particularly eye-catching given Trump has a long history of valuing loyalty among his team. There are hardly any members of Trumps first administration who have been brought back for his second term because of prior conflicts. Musk also has a public feud with Altman, his former colleague and the CEO of OpenAI. The two once sought to save humanity from the dangers of AI through OpenAI. A dispute over the direction of the company and an internal power struggle led to their falling out. Musk ultimately left the company in 2018 and since started his own AI initiative. Musk has filed lawsuits against OpenAI and Altman and used his platform on X to mock the company and CEO. Altman responded to Musks accusation on X and backed the $500 billion idea. Wrong, as you surely know, Altman wrote. this is great for the country. i realize what is great for the country isnt always whats optimal for your companies, but in your new role I hope youll mostly put [America] first. Altman invited Musk to visit the first data site, which he said was underway. OpenAI has been working on the so-called Stargate for months and has long-saught government financing to support its goal of advancing AI in the U.S. Altman added, i genuinely respect your accomplishments and think you are the most inspiring entrepreneur of our time. 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 popular Milwaukee TV meteorologist was fired by her station a day after she took to social media to criticize Elon Musk for repeatedly performing a gesture that has widely been admonished as a Nazi salute. Meteorologist Sam Kuffel is no longer employed at CBS58, a staff memo from the stations news director Jessie Garcia read. A search for a replacement is underway. The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel first reported on Kuffels termination, noting that staffers at WDJT-TV were informed by email on Wednesday that the weather forecaster was no longer with the station. By that afternoon, her name and bio had been removed from the channels website. The Independent has reached out to a representative for Weigel Broadcast Co., which owns the station, for comment. A spokesperson for the company did confirm to the Journal Sentinel that Kuffel is no longer with CBS58, though they added that they couldnt comment further on her departure as it was a personnel issue. Kuffel could not be reached for comment. open image in gallery A local weather forecaster is out of a job afrer criticizing the worlds richest man for performing a gesture that many have likened to a Nazi salute. ( AFP via Getty Images ) Following Donald Trumps swearing-in ceremony on Monday, Musk the worlds richest man who has quickly become the presidents first buddy sparked intense outrage when he twice threw his right arm diagonally into the air with his palm facing down, a gesture that was immediately likened to a Sieg Heil. Kuffel joined the online criticism of the Tesla CEO and owner of X, posting on her personal Instagram account that she felt the mega-billionaire had indeed delivered a fascist salute. Dude Nazi saluted twice. TWICE. During the inauguration, she wrote in one post on Tuesday, adding: You f*** with this and this man, I dont f*** with you. Full stop. In another post, she shared a clip from Its Always Sunny in Philadelphia, where one character said: Screw that old b*tch. Hes a Nazi. With conservatives rushing to Musks defense, a local right-wing radio host who has regularly complained about left-wing cancel culture soon took issue with Kuffels posts and blasted her on X, making sure to tag her employer. EXCLUSIVE: @CBS58 meteorologist Sam Kuffel makes a pair of vulgar Instagram posts while spreading the lie that Elon Musk was giving a Nazi salute during yesterdays Presidential Inauguration, Dan ODonnell tweeted on Tuesday afternoon. Shortly after ODonnells tweet, Kuffel made her Instagram account private. Incidentally, she was also quoted in a CNN piece that same day about local meteorologists losing their jobs across the country as stations look to replace them with The Weather Channel feed. Local meteorologists are essential to local news, she noted. Communities will suffer during major, local weather events because of this decision. open image in gallery Sam Kuffel is out at a CBS affiliate in Milwaukee after criticizing Musk over his actions during the inauguration ( CBS 58 ) Since sparking controversy over the gesture, Musk has only exacerbated the backlash by not explicitly denying the allegations that he delivered a Nazi salute in multiple posts on his social media platform. Instead, he has just lashed out at and mocked critics and media outlets for accusing him of doing a Heil Hitler salute. Frankly, they need better dirty tricks. The everyone is Hitler attack is sooo tired, Musk grumbled at one point. At the same time, the Anti-Defamation League has come to the defense of Musk, who once threatened to sue the human rights watchdog for criticizing him for platforming antisemitism. It seems that @elonmusk made an awkward gesture in a moment of enthusiasm, not a Nazi salute, but again, we appreciate that people are on edge, the organization noted, asking that all sides should give one another a bit of grace. Meanwhile, CBS58 has come under fire over its termination of Kuffel, with viewers flooding the stations social media feeds with complaints that it is kowtowing to Musk. If you fire a meteorologist for criticizing Nazis, we just assume all the meteorologists you havent fired are Nazis, one X user wrote, while another stated that defending Nazis just because they are rich isnt a great look, you guys. 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 Lawmakers in Huntington Beach voted unanimously to declare the city a non-sanctuary city while also issuing a fawning statement, pledging fealty to the Trump administration. In the 7-0 vote brought on by Mayor Pat Burns, city council members opted to take up a more stringent and hostile immigration policy in line with the federal government, the Trump Administration, and Border Czar Tom Homans work, a press release issued Wednesday read. Sanctuary cities are typically seen as more accessible to immigrants because they do not honor U.S. Immigration and Customs (ICE) detainer requests to hold criminal aliens who are already in their custody, according to the DHS and therefore view immigration as a benefit to the community. The surfers paradise has gradually become more conservative since 2023 after the city tried to replace Black History Month and Pride with the holidays Black Gold Jubilee to celebrate oil in the citys history, and Revolutionary and Civil War month, to pay homage by holding an re-enactment of the civil war in a public park. open image in gallery The Huntington Beach City council voted to declare the a non-sanctuary city with immediate effect ( Getty/iStock ) According to the US government census for the City of Huntington Beach, people who were born outside of the U.S. made up 16.4 percent of the population between 2019 to 2023. In the statement, Mayor Burns said: I am pleased the City Council unanimously supported my initiative. This will be another effective tool to combat crime and it will be a signal to would-be criminals, do not come to Huntington Beach. The band of councilors have taken the community by surprise and declared the citys new status with immediate effect . City Attorney Michael Gates praised the vote stating: In California in particular, fighting crime is difficult enough with the relaxed criminal laws and lack of enforcement. The State should get out of the way of local law enforcement, stop handcuffing our police officers and Californias cities, and get back to the business of protecting innocent citizens. open image in gallery Donald Trump signed a slew of controversial executive orders as soon as he was signed into office Mondau ( AP ) Emphatically, the State should not take a position of violating federal immigration laws or encouraging cities to violate federal immigration laws. Between 2021 and 2023, immigrants and children of immigrants represented over half of Californias workforce, according to the University of Southern Californias Equity Research Institute (ERI). In Huntington Beach City, 76% of immigrants were employed in 2021, according to the ERI. In the U.S. Election in November 2024, Democratic nominee Kamala Harris won the Orange County vote by just over 2.5 percent winning 49.72 percent compared to Trump at 47.06%. However, Huntington Beach City voters opted for Republican candidate Lisa Lane Barnes who won 57.8 percent of the vote. 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 ICE officials are directing employees to use the term alien instead of immigrant, a new memo distributed across the enforcement agency details. Immigrant rights groups consider the term derogatory and dehumanizing because of the way theyve been used by conservative pundits and politicians. The term will be used in all internal and external communications, the Axios reported. The Independent has asked ICE for comment. The directive made by the new Acting ICE director, Caleb Vitello, was enacted Tuesday and sent to agency leaders. Previously, the agency had chosen to use the term noncitizen after a memo was distributed in 2021 changing the official terminology from alien. Additionally, the word noncitizenship will be changed to alienage. The action is part of President Donald Trumps broader immigration crackdown. He vowed to deport 11 million migrants currently in the US shortly after taking office. So far, hes signed executive orders to end birthright citizenship, declare a national emergency at the border, halt refugee resettlement admissions and reestablish his Remain in Mexico policy. On Wednesday, Immigration and Customs Enforcement announced the agency arrested 308 migrants a day after Trump was sworn into office. That figure, however, is similar to Former President Bidens daily average. A migrant woman from the Mexican state of Guerrero holds her 1-year-old granddaughter as she hits a pinata of President Donald Trump at a shelter for migrants Wednesday ( Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved ) Some of the migrants detained had a final order of removal. Some of those detained from jails had been arrested for major crimes, including murder, sexual assault, and sexual assault involving minors. No minors were arrested, a person with knowledge of the matter told The Independent. Asylum operations at the border have come to a near standstill after Trump shut down the US Customs and Border Protection app migrants used to schedule asylum applications. Mexico is building facilities to house people located in Matamoros and Ciudad Juarez and the thousands Trump is expected to return as part of his mass deportations. Federal agencies are taking drastic measures to ensure Trumps agenda is enforced. The Department of Homeland Security said Tuesday it would allow ICE agents to arrest undocumented people at or near houses of worship, schools and hospitals. The Department of Justice has directed federal prosecutors to investigate and bring criminal charges against state and local officials who dont cooperate. Its unclear how successful Trump will be in implementing his immigration orders. Even during his first term, he managed to deport roughly 1.2 million unauthorized immigrants. Former President Barack Obama deported about 2.9 million migrants during his first term and 1.9 million in his second. The figures from the US Department of Homeland Security include people who were deported more than once. Trumps actions have drawn criticism from faith leaders, including Bishop Mariann Edgar Budde, who spoke directly to the president while delivering remarks at the National Cathedral Tuesday. She asked him to have mercy on immigrants and members of the LGBTQIA+ community. 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 House of Representatives passed the Laken Riley Act 263-156, giving President Donald Trump his first major legislative powers to enact his immigration policies. All House Republicans and 46 Democrats in the House of Representatives voted for the legislation as Democrats continue to grapple with how to change their messaging on immigration after voters largely opposed it. The legislation is named for Laken Riley, a student at the University of Georgia who was killed last year by Jose Ibarra, who migrated to the United States illegally from Venezuela. open image in gallery The horrific murder of Laken Riley brought the issue of immigration to the forefront during the presidential election campaign ( Facebook/Laken Riley ) The legislation would require the Department of Homeland Security to detain undocumented immigrants who have been arrested for burglarly, theft, larceny or shoplifting before they are tried. The legislation would also allow for state attorneys general to bring legal action the US State Department to stop issuing visas from certain countries. Obviously, President Trump has been diligently working to put a vision in front of the American people, and it's one that they overwhelmingly agree with, and securing the border has been at the center of that, Sen. Katie Britt of Alabama, the main sponsor of the legislation, told The Independent. Despite Britts rhetoric about the legislation focusing on the border, the legislation does not focus on giving additional security provisions at the southern border, but rather focuses on migrants already in the United States. The bill also does not provide additional money to the Department of Homeland Security to pay for detaining migrants. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York criticized the bill for avoiding due process under the U.S. Constitution. This is not just about being, tough on immigration, she told The Independent. This is about, what are we, a place of courts and where people can have their day in court? Are we just going to be able to deport people based by on finger pointing and an accusation, or are people going to have their day in court. open image in gallery Senator Katie Britt was the main sponsor of the legislation ( AFP via Getty Images ) The legislation received bipartisan support, with 12 Democratic Senators voting for the bill. Almost all the of Democratic senators hailed from swing states, including Georgias Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff, which Donald Trump won in the 2024 presidential election. I am thrilled. And thats what the American people deserve, they deserve for us to check our partisanship at the door, and where we show our common goal, try to find a pathway forward, Britt said. Many Democrats have feared that the influx of migrants at the U.S.-Mexico border during the Biden administration became a political liability in the 2024 presidential election. Republicans rejected Democratic amendments to protect so-called Dreamers, or people brought to the United States as children by their parents. But civil rights groups argue that the legislation would assist Trumps promise to conduct mass deportations. Rep. Delia Ramirez of Illinois, whose husband was undocumented, said she feared Democrats were not offering a muscular defense. And I do worry that we're not actually establishing what the red lines are when it comes to immigrants, what are the things that are non-negotiable, Ramirez told The Independent. What are we unwilling to vote yes on, because the reality is that in this moment, it feels like immigrants are the most vulnerable, she said. On his first day in office, Trump announced a slew of executive orders related to immigration, including declaring a national emergency at the border, reinstating a Remain in Mexico policy that requires immigrants to stay in Mexico as immigration authorities process their asylum claims. Trump also signed an executive order to freeze asylum claims, despite asylum being guaranteed under U.S. and international law. Perhaps most tenuously, Trump signed an executive order attempting to end birthright citizenship, which is guaranteed in the 14th amendment of the US Constitution. 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 Republican Senator Tommy Tuberville said that California doesnt deserve any funding for the devastating wildfires that have ravaged Los Angeles. The Alabama senator, a staunch Donald Trump ally, said he didnt object to sending the state some money, but not unless state leaders change their ways. Tuberville joins a growing number of Republicans who have hit out at Californias political leaders for the fires, blaming them partly on woke policies. The cause of the fires, which have so far claimed 25 lives, has not yet been determined. The senator was asked by host Chris Salcedo on right-wing network Newsmax on Monday: Why should other states be bailing out California for choosing the wrong people to run their state? We shouldnt be, Tuberville responded, before calling the states lawmakers imbeciles. open image in gallery Senator Tommy Tuberville said California doesnt deserve funding for the wildfires unless its leaders change their ways ( Getty Images ) They got 40 million people in that state and they vote in these imbeciles in office, and they continue to do it, he said. 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. But they are just overwhelmed by these inner city woke policies with the people that vote for them. Tuberville added that he approved of sending some funds to the state but its leaders need to make some changes. I dont mind sending them some money. But unless they show that theyre going to change their ways and get back to building dams and storing water, doing the maintenance with the brush and the trees and 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 going to make some changes, Tuberville said. On Monday, House Speaker Mike Johnson suggested that lawmakers might attach conditions to wildfire aid for California. open image in gallery Republicans have hit out at Californias political leaders for the fires, blaming them partly on woke policies ( Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved ) I think were going to have a serious conversation about that, Johnson told reporters. Obviously there has been water resource mismanagement, forest mismanagement, mistakes, all sorts of problems, and it does come down to leadership. It appears to us that state and local leaders were derelict in their duty in many respects. Thats something that has to be factored in. I think there should probably be conditions on that aid, he added. Trump has blasted California Governor Gavin Newsom almost daily since the fires broke out, and on the campaign trail, the president-elect threatened to withhold wildfire aid if the governor didnt go along with his ideas on water policy. In response, Newsom has invited Trump to visit the affected areas and meet Californians impacted by the devastating wildfires. The hundreds of thousands of Americans displaced from their homes and fearful for the future deserve to see us all working together in their best interests, not politicizing a human tragedy and spreading disinformation from the sidelines, Newsom wrote. 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 Georgia Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene lashed out at a reporter who asked about Donald Trumps sweeping pardons for January 6 criminals. Im not doing this, the Georgia Republican told Punchbowl News Melanie Zanona after she brought up President Donald Trumps pardons for nearly 1,500 individuals convicted of crimes related to the Capitol attack and asked if Greene would give Capitol tours to them. All of yalls obsession with January 6 is absurd. Everybody outside of here is sick and f***ing tired of it, Greene said in a video she posted to X. The exchange took place in the halls of the Capitol building, the site of the riot four years ago. The Georgia Congresswoman then pivoted the focus to former President Joe Bidens last-minute pardons for dozens of death row inmates, whom she described as disgusting people. Everybody up here has their panties in a wad over the January 6 pardons, she said, seemingly referring to the Washington, D.C., press. A lot of them walked through open doors. Thats it, Greene said of the convicts who stormed the Capitol building four years ago. open image in gallery Georgia Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene lashed out at a reporter who asked about whether she would give tours of the Capitol to pardoned Jan. 6 rioters ( @RepMTG / X ) Zanona pushed back, underscoring that Greene had been outspoken about getting justice for those convicted of January 6-related crimes. Theyre pardoned and thank God, I hope they go live their lives and reassemble something back together. They have suffered enough, the Georgia firebrand said. The coverage of the pardons is nauseating, Greene added. Ive seen all the Democrat-run networks ad nauseam about January 6. And they just cant get over themselves. But they dont give a s*** about real Americans! After explaining that she took issue with Zanonas question about her potential plans to give a tour to the rioters, Greene said: Im so sick of you people and all this crap. She suggested she do a story about what people care about and said the public hates the media right now. You guys have created a situation where youre not trusted and people are sick of yall. Its sad, the Congresswoman added. Zanona pushed back but Greene refused to answer the question. Greene even shared video of the exchange on her own social media accounts after the exchange. open image in gallery Greene had been outspoken about getting justice for those convicted of January 6-related crimes ( Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. ) Trumps decision to grant clemency to the January 6 defendants came a week after his Vice President J.D. Vance vocalized his opposition to potentially pardoning individuals who committed violence on that day. More than 100 police officers were injured during the attack. Speaking with Fox News host Sean Hannity in an interview aired Thursday, Trump defended his decision to pardon hundreds of defendants, including about 170 individuals who pleaded guilty to assaulting police, and downplayed the assaults against law enforcement as minor incidents. The president said: Some of those people with the police true but they were very minor incidents, OK, you know, they get built up by that couple of fake guys that are on CNN all the time. They were very minor incidents and it was time. 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 More than 300 migrants were arrested Tuesday in raids conducted across the country by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers. A source familiar with the matter confirmed the information toThe Independent but asked not to be identified because they did not have permission to speak to the media. Some of the 308 migrants were arrested in their homes, on the street and released into ICE custody from local jails. All agency field offices that could send officers out were asked to do so. open image in gallery A sign regarding the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement is posted on the window of a corner store in Chicago on the day of President Trumps Inauguration ( AP ) Some of the migrants detained had a final order of removal. Some of those detained from jails had been arrested for major crimes, including murder, sexual assault, and sexual assault involving minors. No minors were arrested in the raids, the official said. The migrants will now go into enforcement removal operations custody until they are deported or another ruling is made by an immigration court. Theyll be held in an ICE detention facility near where the arrests took place or transported to facilities in other jurisdictions. President Donald Trumps Border Czar boasted about the arrests during an interview with Fox News Wednesday. Were concentrating on the worst first, the public safety threats and national security threats, said Tom Homan. And just yesterday, in the last 24 hours, ICE arrested over 308 ... serious criminals. Homan did not describe the arrests as raids, noting that officials know exactly who theyre going to go after and where theyre located. ICE is performing excellent right now out in the field, and theyre going to continue every day, he added. Migrants around the country did not show up to work Tuesday out of fear of the mass deportation raids Trump promised on the campaign trail. A Chicago neighborhood known as Mexico of the Midwest had little to no foot traffic a day after Trumps inauguration. Shortly before Trump took office, rumors swirled that the city could be the first location of a mass raid. open image in gallery Migrants turn themselves in to U.S. Customs and Border Patrol officers after crossing over a section of border wall into the U.S. in Ruby, Arizona this month ( Getty Images ) Similar scenes played out in different states. In California, Central Valley farmworkers have failed to show up to work, bringing the states citrus harvest to a screeching halt. Several union officers for United Farm Workers, a labor union that advocates for migrant farmworkers, received mailed-in bulletins reading: Report illegal aliens at schools, at work, at church, at restaurants, in your neighborhood. There is nowhere to hide. Bishop Mariann Budde explains why she publicly confronted Trump An envelope used to send one of the bulletins had a brief message on the front: Trumps coming. Federal agencies are taking drastic measures to ensure Trumps agenda is enforced. The Department of Homeland Security said Tuesday it would allow ICE agents to arrest undocumented people at or near houses of worship, schools and hospitals. The Department of Justice has directed federal prosecutors to investigate and bring criminal charges against state and local officials who dont cooperate. U.S. mayors, including New York City Mayor Eric Adams, Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott and Chicago Mayor Bandon Johnson, have said their cities police departments will not be focused on carrying out immigration raids. In a statement on X, Illinois Governor JB Pritzker posted an advisory from the states Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights accompanied by the following message: Every family and child deserves to feel safe and secure in the place they call home. Every resident of Illinois should know their rights. I intend to protect those rights and ensure our state laws are followed. 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 Gushing over Donald Trumps shock and awe flood of executive orders upon returning to the White House, Newsmax host Rob Finnerty excitedly declared on Wednesday that the president was indeed a dictator on day one, but one that the American people voted for. During his presidential campaign, Trump repeatedly said that if he were once again elected president, he would be a dictator for one day and use his executive powers to enact sweeping changes to take care of the border and roll back actions taken during the Biden administration. After taking the oath of office, the president immediately signed a slew of executive orders that included an effort to upend the Constitution and end birthright citizenship, deny the existence of transgender people, expand the death penalty, and axe DEI programs in the government. He also issued blanket pardons and commutations to the nearly 1,600 people charged with crimes related to the violent January 6 Capitol riots, including former Proud Boys leader Enrique Tarrio and Oath Keepers founder Stewart Rhodes, who were both convicted of seditious conspiracy. Newsmax host Rob Finnerty says Donald Trump was dictator on day one, but a dictator that the American people voted for." ( Newsmax ) Over on Newsmax, a MAGA cable channel that has built its audience by running to the right of Fox News, the presidents authoritarian reshaping of the federal government is being loudly celebrated. I have no idea how Donald Trump does what he does. The man who was made for this job is doing exactly what he said he would do, Newsmax primetime anchor Rob Finnerty exclaimed on Wednesday night. Yes, Donald Trump was dictator on day one, but a dictator that the American people voted for! Adding that the American public asked for this and voted for this, Finnerty continued to heap praise on the early decisions and moves made by the presidents new administration. And according to our border czar today Tom Homan, over 300 criminal illegal aliens were arrested on day one. It took one day. And did you hear anything negative about it? I didnt, Finnerty proclaimed. Finnerty also commended Trump for flooding the zone with his executive actions since it made it difficult for the mainstream press to properly analyze and report on all of the changes taking place. Donald Trump took the oath of office just about 55 hours ago, and so far, it has been a complete show of force, the conservative anchor stated. The new administration, again, doing exactly what they said they were going to do. Finnerty added: In fact, theyre moving so fast that its been impossible for the rest of the media to keep up, and theyre doing that on purpose. If you go quickly, the legacy media doesnt have time to criticize every little thing you do. Its been total shock and awe, and its moving too fast for them. 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 Stewart Rhodes never entered the Capitol building on January 6, 2021, after he conspired with members of his far-right anti-government Oath Keepers militia group to break into halls of Congress in what prosecutors described as an act of terrorism. But two days after Donald Trump released him from prison, Rhodes freely walked through congressional office buildings in the Capitol complex. Rhodes whose 18-year sentence for seditious conspiracy was commuted by the president as one of his first official actions in the Oval Office met with at least one member of Congress on Wednesday. The Oath Keepers founder met with Republican Rep. Gus Bilirakis of Florida to lobby for a pardon for fellow Oath Keeper and January 6 rioter Jeremy Brown, who was sentenced to seven years in prison on weapons charges. Rhodes, wearing a navy Trump 2020 hat, was joined on the Hill by far-right activist Ivan Raiklin, who filmed a series of interactions with reporters as they toured the Capitol, amplified bogus claims about the 2020 election, downplayed the mobs attacks, and proclaimed his innocence. What did I do on January 6 that caused the harm? Rhodes said at one point. I didnt direct my guys to go inside. They did that all on their own. Where is my culpability? open image in gallery Stewart Rhodes talks to reporters inside the Longworth House Office Building in Washington, D.C., on January 22 ( Getty Images ) He also said he regrets saying he wanted to f******* hang then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. I regret that. I was drunk and pissed off, he said. Rhodes believes Trump shouldve pardoned everybody so that they can be restored back to their natural condition, which is innocent until proven guilty, in a fair trial, he said. More than 1,500 people were criminally charged in connection with a mobs assault on the Capitol, fuelled by Trumps bogus narrative that the 2020 presidential election was rigged and stolen from him. Trump issued full pardons for virtually all of them on January 20. He commuted the sentences of 14 convicted members of the Proud Boys and Oath Keepers, including Rhodes, to time served. Pending cases are in the process of being dismissed. The Bureau of Prisons had released 211 people who remained in jail for January 6-related crimes by Tuesday morning. open image in gallery Donald Trump commuted Stewart Rhodes 18-year prison sentence to time served after he was found guilty of seditious conspiracy for his role in the January 6 attack ( Getty Images ) Rhodes and his allies spent weeks discussing a violent response to the 2020 election on encrypted messaging apps, then organized a weapons and supply cache inside a hotel in Washington, D.C., before joining the mob that broke through the Capitols doors and windows, according to prosecutors. After several members breached the Capitol that day, shouting out this is our f****** house and we took the f****** Capitol as they joined the mob, Rhodes hailed them as patriots. He told an ally that his only regret that day was that the group wasnt armed. Days after January 6, Rhodes typed a message intended for then-President Trump, calling on him to save the republic or die in prison. open image in gallery Stewart Rhodes was joined by election conspiracy theorist Ivan Raiklin as they toured congressional office buildings in Washington, D.C. on January 22 ( Getty Images ) That message was ultimately never delivered, but it echoed another message published on the Oath Keepers website weeks earlier, calling on Trump to invoke the Insurrection Act and deputize Rhodes and the Oath Keepers to take up arms against the government. Its better to wage it with you as Commander-in-Chief than to have you comply with a fraudulent election, leave office, and leave the White House in the hands of illegitimate usurpers and Chinese puppets, he wrote at the time. He followed up with another message demanding that Trump attack, drop the hammer and deliver a crushing blow to his enemies while they sleep, wrapped in their arrogance. Rhodes also instructed his allies to get gear squared away and ready to fight, adding that Trump has one last chance right now to stand but he will need us and our rifles too. Democratic congressman Pete Aguilar, a member of the House Select Committee that investigated the events surrounding the attack, told reporters on Wednesday that violent offenders are roaming the streets because Donald Trump took these actions. Asked how he felt about Rhodess presence at the Capitol, he said: I think its new and interesting that theyre using the front door this time. 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 Robert F Kennedy Jr built a following online by questioning the scientific consensus and casting doubt on the use of vaccines in the U.S., but under his new boss President Donald Trump the failed presidential candidate is suddenly shifting his stance. Kennedy is Trump's pick to head the Department of Health and Human Services. Ahead of his new potential role in the Trump White House, he's reportedly been assuring the Republican senators who have to vote him in that he's "all for" polio vaccines, and that he isn't going to ban any vaccines, according to a report by Politico. According to lawmakers who spoke to Politico, Kennedy has been telling them that he just wants to make safety and efficacy data easier to access. This lighter touch is a change from Kennedy's previous commentary on vaccines. He previously suggested that the measles vaccine causes autism and that the polio vaccines may have killed "many, many, many, many, many more people than polio ever did." Neither of those claims represent the scientific consensus. Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump greets Robert F. Kennedy Jr., at a Turning Point Action campaign rally last October in Duluth, Georgia ( AP ) He is perhaps best known for his comments on the Covid-19 vaccines, which he called the "deadliest" ever created. At one point he even suggested that somehow the virus had been engineered not to affect Ashkenazi Jewish and Chinese people. He told me he is not anti-vaccine. He is pro-vaccine safety, which strikes me as a rational position to take, Senator John Cornyn told Politico. When asked about Kennedy's history of vaccine skepticism, Alabama Republican Senator Tommy Tuberville replied that he doesn't "keep up with all that." He went on to tell Politico that he had spoken with Kennedy and believes the nominee supports vaccines, so long as they're safe. Alaska Senator Lisa Murkowski, considered a moderate Republican, said she felt better about Kennedy leading HHS after having a long conversation with him. Murkowski did not confirm that she would vote in support of him, but said she would use her time during his confirmation hearing to question him further and decide then. Despite what Kennedy is apparently telling Republican lawmakers now, his actions have so far suggested he is skeptical of vaccines, and has made moneypublicly championing that cause. His Children's Health Defense advocacy group has earned more than $1 million, and continues to suggest that vaccines are connected to asthma, autism, and developmental issues in children, contrary to scientific studies. Two weeks ago, Democratic Senator Christ Murphy made his feelings on RFKs vaccine ideas very clear in a post on X. We dont have to treat conspiracy theorists like RFK Jr. with kid gloves. Its simple. Hes spent his career fighting school vaccine programs. If they atrophy, kids will get killed, Murphy wrote on the social media platform. [E]ven if RFK Jr. doesnt legally weaken school vaccine requirements (and he might!), his elevation to HHS Secretary will amplify his conspiracy views. When vaccine rates drop because of RFK Jr.s conspiracy spreading - kids get killed. The Independent has requested comment from Kennedy. One of the most direct responses to Kennedy's vaccine skepticism came from Kentucky Republican Senator Mitch McConnell, whose legs were weakened in his childhood due to complications from polio. He issued a defense of the polio vaccine last month that was viewed as a direct response to Kennedy's views, saying that efforts to undermine public confidence in proven cures are not just uninformed theyre dangerous. Kennedys confirmation hearing is scheduled for January 29. 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 Senate Democrats accused Republicans of rushing the confirmation of Pete Hegeth to lead the Department of Defense despite the numerous allegations against him. The Senate voted on the motion to proceed on Hegseth earlier this week despite the numerous allegations of heavy drinking and alleged sexual misconduct against women. Hegseth has denied any wrongdoing. Democratic Sen. Tim Kaine of Virginia, who during Hegseths confirmation hearing grilled him for cheating on the mother of his child, told The Independent that Republicans changed their plans from confirming Kristi Noem as Homeland Security Secretary first and Hegseth second - now pushing the former Fox News host to the front of the line. They switched it around and in my view, they're switching it around because they're worried that other people are going to come out with damaging allegations about Pete Hegseth, Kaine said. That should be a reason why they should slow it down than speed it up. but I think they're speeding it up because of theyre afraid of that. open image in gallery Republicans hope to confirm Defense Secretary nominee Pete Hegseth by Saturday despite questions over his qualifications ( Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved ) The Senate voted on Thursday to invoke cloture on Hegseths nomination, which would begin 30 hours of consideration of his nomination. Republicans Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Susan Collins of Maine joined every Democrat to oppose cloture. The vote came despite NBC News reporting that his ex-sister-in-law said in a sworn affidavit that Hegseths behavior made his ex-wife Samantha fear for her safety. I haven't taken the temperature of my colleagues recently, Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand told The Independent. I don't know if the report affected anyone's vote. I don't know if the report affected anyone's vote, but I hope they've had enough time to review it, and I hope they've had enough time to think through what an effective SecDef will look like. Gillibrand repeatedly hammered Hegseth about his writing that We need moms. But not in the military, especially in combat units. Republican Sen. Joni Ernst of Iowa, a veteran who announced last week that she would vote to confirm Hegseth, pointed to the fact that Samantha Hegseth said she did not believe the information to be accurate. Nobody ever talks about what the ex-wife has said, Ernst told The Independent. She is saying that it did not happen, and I think we should listen to her. Ernst, a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee who had been seen as the swing vote, told The Independent that confirming Hegseth was a matter of national security. We really do need our leads at these agencies, she said. Lets get our primaries in place. open image in gallery Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts said Im worried that there are Republicans who continue to support a man who has demonstrated repeatedly that he has an alcohol abuse and influence. with abuse of women, and should not be confirmed as Secretary of Defense ( Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. ) Hegseth, a former host at Fox News, has faced numerous questions about his alcohol use, his comments about women serving in combat roles and a police report from a woman who accused Hegseth of sexual assault. Hegseth later reached a settlement with the woman and he has denied wrongdoing. But Democratic Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, who serves on the Armed Services Committee and had sent a 33-page letter to Hegseth ahead of his hearing, said Republicans needed to answer for why they wanted to rush Hegseths confirmation hearing. I'm worried that there are Republicans who continue to support a man who has demonstrated repeatedly that he has an alcohol abuse problem, she told The Independent. So far, Trump has not been able to see his cabinet confirmed as quickly as he would have wanted. The Senate unanimously confirmed Marco Rubio, the former Florida senator, as Secretary of State. However, Trump faces numerous obstacles with other nominees such as Tulsi Gabbard, the former Democratic congresswoman who endorsed Trump to become Director of National Intelligence. Next week, the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee and Senate Finance Committee will hold its hearing for Robert F. Kennedy Jr, the environmental lawyer-turned anti-vaccine conspiracy theorist, who is seeking to become Trumps secretary of Health and Human Services. Trump faced a major roadblock after Matt Gaetz, the former Republican congressman he selected to be attorney general. However, Gaetz withdrew his nomination before an Ethics Committee investigation report dropped. Republicans have a three-seat majority in the Senate, meaning that even some senators who could have reservations about Hegseth, such as Collins or Murkowski, might not be enough to block his confirmation. 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 federal judge has temporarily blocked Donald Trumps sweeping executive order seeking to unilaterally redefine the 14th Amendment and federal law by denying citizenship to certain American-born children of immigrants. District Judge John Coughenour, presiding over a lawsuit brought by several states seeking to overturn Trumps order, delivered a blistering criticism of the presidents blatantly unconstitutional action from the bench in a Seattle courtroom on Thursday. Ive been on the bench for over four decades. I cant remember another case where the question presented is as clear as this one is. This is a blatantly unconstitutional order, said the Ronald Reagan appointee, according to The Seattle Times. open image in gallery Donald Trump issued an executive order seeking to redefine the 14th Amendments birthright citizenship clause ( POOL/AFP via Getty Images ) There are other times in world history where we look back and people of goodwill can say where were the judges, where were the lawyers? he said. Frankly I have difficulty understanding how a member of the Bar could state unequivocally that this is a constitutional order, Coughenour continued. It just boggles my mind. The judge granted a temporary restraining order that blocks Trumps order from taking effect nationally while the case brought by Arizona, Illinois, Oregon and Washington plays out in court. This unconstitutional and un-American executive order will hopefully never take effect thanks to the actions states are taking on behalf of their residents, Washington Attorney General Nick Brown said in a statement. Birthright citizenship makes clear that citizenship cannot be conditioned on ones race, ethnicity or where their parents came from, he added. Its the law of our nation, recognized by generations of jurists, lawmakers, and presidents, until President Trumps illegal action. Thats why weve stepped in to protect Washingtonians from harm. The lawsuit is one of at least five legal challenges playing out in federal courts across the country. Eighteen state attorneys general and officials in Washington, D.C. and San Francisco are also suing the Trump administration to block what they have called the flagrantly unlawful attempt to strip hundreds of thousands American-born children of their citizenship based on their parentage. Several pregnant women and immigrant advocacy groups representing families and expecting mothers have also launched lawsuits to overturn the order. open image in gallery Washington Attorney General Nick Brown is leading four states in a lawsuit against Donald Trumps birthright citizenship order, among at least five federal complaints seeking to overturn the presidents action. ( AP ) Under the sweeping terms of Trumps order, children born in the United States after February 17 can be denied citizenship when that persons mother was unlawfully present or lawful but temporary, and if the father was not a United States citizen or lawful permanent resident at the time of said persons birth. The 14th Amendments citizenship clause plainly states that all persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the state wherein they reside. In the Trump administrations first court filing responding to the case in Seattle, Justice Department lawyers called the executive order an integral part of President Trumps recent actions, pursuant to his significant authority in the immigration field, to address this nations broken immigration. Trump administration lawyers said the rush to the courthouse for extraordinary relief is fundamentally flawed. These lawsuits are nothing more than an extension of the Lefts resistance and the Trump Administration is ready to face them in court, White House principal deputy press secretary Harrison Fields said in a statement to The Independent. In a federal complaint filed on Tuesday, attorneys general for the four states argued that Trumps order would unlawfully strip more than 12,000 newborn children each month of U.S. citizenship that is entitled to them under federal law and the 14th Amendment. Children denied citizenship will be rendered undocumented, subject to removal or detention, and many will be stateless that is, citizens of no country at all, they wrote. They will lose eligibility for myriad federal benefits programs. They will lose their right to travel freely and re-enter the United States. They will lose their ability to obtain a Social Security number ... and work lawfully, the plaintiffs continued. They will lose their right to vote, serve on juries, and run for certain offices, they added. And they will be placed into lifelong positions of instability and insecurity as part of a new underclass in the United States. Without the Constitutions guarantee of their citizenship, thousands of children will lose their ability to fully and fairly be a part of American society as a citizen with all its benefits and privileges, they wrote. 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 Monica and her husband arrived in the United States from Venezuela six years ago. Theyve been building a life and trying to do everything to make their home here while in the process of seeking asylum. Working, paying taxes we were able to buy a home, she said. We had reached a point of stability in this country and wanted to have a child. She is now 12 weeks pregnant. I should be worried about the health of my child, I should be thinking about that, she said. Instead, she is stressed, anxious and depressed, facing a reality that my child might not be able to become a U.S. citizen. President Donald Trumps executive order aims to unilaterally redefine the Constitution and federal law by denying citizenship to children born in the United States if their parents are unlawfully present or have lawful but temporary status in the country. Monica is one of 16 pregnant plaintiffs in a federal lawsuit from CASA and the Asylum Seeker Advocacy Project aimed at overturning the order, joining at least five lawsuits from pregnant women, civil rights groups and officials from across the country that were filed hours after Trump signed the order on January 20. The executive order caused a lot of confusion for families like mine, Monica told reporters in Spanish on Wednesday. Its left us with more uncertainty than ever before Will my child be a U.S. ciitizen? Will he be nothing? We dont know what to do. open image in gallery Donald Trump signed an executive order on January 20 to redefine the 14th Amendments clause supporting birthright citizenship ( AP ) Under the sweeping terms of Trumps order, children born in the United States after February 17 can be denied citizenship when that persons mother was unlawfully present or lawful but temporary, and if the father was not a United States citizen or lawful permanent resident at the time of said persons birth. The 14th Amendments citizenship clause plainly states that all persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the state wherein they reside. A lot of people like me are very sad and very anxious, Monica said. Our children should belong in the country where they were born, in this country, in the United States. Adelina, another plaintiff in the lawsuit, has been living in the United States for seven years and is currently six months pregnant. She has one other 5-year-old child, who was born in the United States and is a citizen. It pains her to think that one of her children will have more benefits than the other, even though they were both born here, according to the complaint. She is concerned that if her unborn child is not considered a United States citizen, they will experience significant hardship and not have the same opportunity as their sibling. open image in gallery Faith leaders and civil rights groups rally in support of immigrant communities in San Jose, California, on January 21 ( EPA ) Families fear not just the abrupt revocation of their childs constitutional rights but the possibility of their future children entering a stateless limbo, leaving families to navigate complex legal and humanitarian issues in an already-byzantine immigration system. Advocacy groups are also closely watching how hospitals and social services in Republican states will try to implement Trumps order. The number of places where chaos will reign is actually quite high, according to Rupa Bhattacharyya, legal director with the Institute for Constitutional Advocacy and Protection. The 14th Amendment was specifically enshrined to ensure that no one not even the President could deny children born in America their rightful place as citizens, according to a separate lawsuit from a coalition of civil rights groups representing immigrant mothers. If Trumps order is allowed to go into effect, people born in the United States could be denied passports and Social Security numbers, jeopardizing their ability to travel and work within the country and receive government benefits and protections afforded to citizens. Maribel, another plaintiff in the case, is an undocumented immigrant from El Salvador who was born in Guatamala. She has lived in the United States for 18 years. She is expected to give birth to her third child in July. Her two daughters, age 14 and 10, are U.S. citizens. She fears her unborn child will not have the same rights to citizenship as the future childs older sisters, and could even be subject to deportation, separating the family, according to the lawsuit. She is afraid that her child wont have access to healthcare because they wont be eligible for federal benefits. She feels it is deeply wrong to subject an innocent newborn to such cruelty. open image in gallery Bostons Lawyers for Civil Rights are among several immigrant advocacy groups suing to block Donald Trumps executive order redefining birthright citizenship ( REUTERS ) The Naturalization Act of 1790 applied to only free white persons, and the Supreme Courts reviled decision in Dred Scott v Sandford in 1857 affirmed that citizenship could not be granted to Black people of African descent. That decision was later rectified with the ratification of the 14th Amendment that ended slavery in America and established citizenship for freed Black Americans, as well as all people born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof. The Supreme Court upheld that principle in 1898, when it determined that Wong Kim Ark who was born in San Francisco but denied entry into the United States because he was of Chinese descent was a U.S. citizen. In recent years, right-wing legal groups have elevated a once-fringe argument against the concept, which was featured in Project 2025s guide for Trumps immigration policy. Groups like the Heritage Foundation and Claremont Institute have sought to argue that the word jurisdiction in the 14th Amendment means only a persons political allegiance to the United States, and that the allegiance of children born to immigrant parents is to their parents home countries. Trumps order is flatly inconsistent with the 14th Amendment, Bhattacharyya said. President Trump has no authority to amend either the constitution or the federal law by the stroke of his pen on an executive order, she 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 The Department of Justice has instructed the civil rights division to freeze all new cases or investigations and indicated it would re-evaluate Biden administration policies in a memo sent on Wednesday the latest shake-up in President Donald Trumps takeover. The letter, sent by the chief of staff to the attorney general, instructs the temporary head of the department to ensure civil rights attorneys do not file any new complaints, motions to intervene, agreed-upon remands, amicus briefs, or statements of interest, according to a screenshot viewed by The New York Times. The freeze was requested so Trump appointees can decide if they want to initiate any new cases and ensure the government speaks with one voice in its view of the law. open image in gallery The civil rights division of the Justice Department is being directed to freeze and new cases or settlements so the Trump nominees can determine what they want to do ( AP ) A second memo was sent ordering the department to freeze activity involving consent decrees and notify the chief of staff of any finalized within the last 90 days. Those consent decrees are agreements between local governments and the DoJ to address police reform. Cities such as Minneapolis, Louisville and Memphis are part of it. The new administration may wish to reconsider settlements and consent decrees negotiated and approved during the prior administration, the chief of staff wrote, according to the New York Times. That could interfere with agreements reached with Louisville after the police killing of Breonna Taylor or in Minneapolis after the murder of George Floyd. Neither agreement has received final approval from a federal judge. The Independent has asked the Department of Justice for comment. The civil rights division of the DoJ often sees the most dramatic change in priorities between Republican and Democrat administrations. Stacey Young, a trial attorney for the civil rights division told Politico in November that many federal employees are terrified that they will be replaced with Trump loyalists. open image in gallery Pam Bondi is the former Florida attorney general who Trump has tapped to lead the Justice Department ( AP ) We know that our democracy and country depend on a government supported by a merit-based, apolitical civil service, Young said. Trump has tapped Harmeet Dhillon, a conservative lawyer from California to lead the civil rights division. Dhillon has filed a series of lawsuits against gender-affirming healthcare and policies intended to protect LGBT+ people. Dhillon is awaiting Senate confirmation. Damon Hewitt, the president and executive director of the Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights Under Law called the memos beyond unusual to The Washington Post. This should make Americans both angry and deeply worried, Hewitt said. This is more than just a changing course of philosophy this is exactly what most people feared: a Justice Department that was created to protect civil rights literally abdicating its duty and responsibility to protect Americans from all forms of discrimination. 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 administration is directing federal prosecutors to investigate and potentially bring charges against state and local officials who do not cooperate with its plans to carry out the nations largest campaign of mass deportations, according to an internal memo. The Supremacy Clause [of the U.S. Constitution] and other authorities require state and local actors to comply with the Executive Branchs immigration enforcement initiatives and requests, according to the Justice Department memo. Though it doesnt mention such jurisdictions by name, the document is the latest statement by the Trump administration to suggest it will seek to force sanctuary cities that limit cooperation with federal immigration enforcement to get behind the White Houses hard-line agenda. About a dozen states and hundreds of cities have some form of sanctuary policies, which often bar local police from using resources to arrest or detain migrants solely on the basis of federal immigration offenses. Supporters of such sanctuary policies argue local officials cooperating with immigration enforcement makes immigrants of all statuses wary to engage with the government, getting in the way of public priorities like healthcare, education, and safety. Some law enforcement officials also take issue with how federal officials seek cooperation, in which police are often asked to hold migrants, often without a full federal warrant, already booked for other crimes until federal agents can arrive. Critics of this approach say such local detention for federal immigration offenses, which are civil, is unlawful. Trump DOJ memo argues local officials violation constitution and immigration law if they dont assist with federal immigration priorities ( Getty Images ) Officials in California, which has some of the strongest sanctuary protections, criticized the Trump memo. This is a scare tactic, plain and simple. The President is attempting to intimidate and bully state and local law enforcement into carrying out his mass deportation agenda for him, California Attorney General Rob Bonta wrote in a statement. Well be prepared to take legal action if the Trump Administrations vague threats turn to illegal action. The San Francisco Sheriffs Office affirmed on Tuesday it is a sanctuary jurisdiction. Sheriff Miyamoto and the San Francisco Sheriffs Office protect undocumented immigrants, a statement on X read. The Sheriffs Office does not arrest people for civil immigration violations. We do not hold anyone over in jail if the court has ordered them released. Some legal observers also sounded the alarm. This may just be the beginning of Trumps revenge tour and the DOJ prosecuting his political opponents or those who are standing in the way of his ambitious agenda, former federal prosecutor Neama Rahmani, president of West Coast Trial Lawyers, said in a statement to The Independent. The legal question for judges will be, is inaction enough to be a violation of the law? he added. Or will prosecutors need evidence that logical officials took proactive steps to hide aliens from federal authorities? The Trump administration has previously threatened to prosecute local leaders who get in the way of its deportation plans. If your Chicago mayor doesnt want to help, he can step aside, Trump immigration czar Tom Homan reportedly said late last year. But if he impedes us if he knowingly harbors or conceals an illegal alien I will prosecute him. On Monday, Trump signed an executive order commanding Justice Department and Homeland Security officials to evaluate and undertake any lawful actions to deprive sanctuary jurisdictions of access to federal funds, arguing they interfere with the lawful exercise of Federal law enforcement operations. Many of Trumps immigration plans, including his attempt to unilaterally cancel the constitutional right of birthright citizenship, are already facing stiff opposition in court. 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 Legal experts are blaming Donald Trumps suspected use of artificial intelligence for the often slipshod language of his multitude of executive orders. Another 16 orders signed the first day of Trumps term were ripped straight from the pages of the right-wing Heritage Foundation Project 2025 plan for the Trump administration, economist Robert Reich claimed in a post on X (Twitter). Trump said throughout his campaign that he knew nothing about Project 2025. Many of Trumps orders are difficult to read and understand, marked by errors and stilted language, observers have noted, which could be a problem for Trump if challenged in court, as many of them are likely to be. Houston-based appellate lawyer Raffi Melkonian called attention in a post on Bluesky to a section of one of Trumps executive orders Restoring Names That Honor American Greatness declaring a rebrand of the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America. Its language evokes a grade-school-level textbook description similar to the bland language of AI-powered chatbots. The Gulf is also home to vibrant American fisheries teeming with snapper, shrimp, grouper, stone crab, and other species, and it is recognized as one of the most productive fisheries in the world, with the second largest volume of commercial fishing landings by region in the Nation, contributing millions of dollars to local American economies, notes the order. That section was absolutely written by AI, Melkonian argued, who called the passage written for morons. In one of the most notable garbled executive orders, Trump declared that males and females are the only genders that exist. He also insisted in the order that gender is determined at conception. In fact, genitalia at conception are phenotypically female, notes the National Library of Medicine. A percentage of embryos will develop male sexual characteristics, but only beginning at about six weeks in the womb. That had Delaware Rep Sarah McBride, the first openly transgender person elected to Congress, mocking Trump for effectively declaring everyone a woman. Beyond the significant error, the order is almost impossible to read. It states that the genders include a person belonging, at conception, to the sex that produces the small reproductive cell and a person belonging, at conception, to the sex that produces the large reproductive cell an awkward and likely AI-concocted manner of language thats almost opaque. This is poor, slipshod work, Slate journalist and legal expert Mark Joseph Stern said of a number of the orders in a Bluesky post, adding that the decrees have been obviously assisted by AI. Lots of reporting suggested that, this time around, Trump and his lawyers would avoid the sloppy legal work that plagued his first administration so theyd fare better in the courts, Stern noted. I see no evidence of that in this round of executive orders. 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 Donald Trump told Fox Newss Sean Hannity its sad that former president Joe Biden didnt pardon himself at the end of his administration. Trump made the remark to Hannity as he was asked about his predecessors decision to pardon members of his own family and others he said he would be targeted by Republicans, in Trumps first interview from the White House Wednesday. The interview was being aired in full Wednesday at 9 p.m. Eastern time. Biden issued several pardons in the final hours of his presidency Monday after Trump declared he would seek retribution against his perceived enemies by using his powers as president while on the campaign trail. open image in gallery Stewart Rhodes was among the January 6 criminals who had his sentence commuted by Trump ( REUTERS ) This guy is running around giving everyone pardons, Trump told Hannity. The funny thing, maybe the sad thing, is he didnt give himself a pardon. And if you look at it, it all had to do with him, Trump added. The 46th president granted unconditional pardons to multiple members of his family, including his brother James Biden and sister-in-law Sara Biden, his brother Frank Biden, his sister Valerie Biden Owens, and her husband John Owens. Biden said his family has been subjected to unrelenting attacks and threats, motivated solely by a desire to hurt methe worst kind of partisan politics. He added he had no reason to believe these attacks will end. He also issued pre-emptive pardons for Dr. Anthony Fauci, General Mark Milley and lawmakers who served on the House committee that investigated the January 6, 2021 Capitol riots in anticipation of their political persecution by Trump. Trump slammed Biden for the pardons, claiming he didnt do the same because we didnt do anything wrong. I was given the option, Trump said of pre-emptive pardons. They said, Sir, would you like to pardon everybody, including yourself? I said, Im not going to pardon anybody. We didnt do anything wrong, he added. And we had people that suffered, theyre incredible patriots. We had people that suffered. You had [Steve] Bannon put in jail. You had Peter Navarro put in jail. You had people that suffered and and far worse than that, theyve lost their fortunes. Theyve lost their nest egg, paying it to lawyers. Trump has, however, pardoned members of his extended family before. In 2020 he issued a pardon to Charles Kushner, father of Trumps son-in-law, Jared Kushner. The older Kushner committed what sometime Trump ally Chris Christie called one of the most loathsome, disgusting crimes he had ever prosecuted, hiring a prostitute to lure his own brother to an assignation which would then be filmed and sent to his wife. open image in gallery Trump pardoned Charles Kushner, his son-in-law Jareds father, in 2020 ( AP ) He was convicted of illegal campaign contributions, tax evasion, and witness tampering and sentenced to two years in prison. Trump has now nominated Charles Kushner to be US ambassador to France. Meanwhile, Trump on his first day back in office issued pardons for some 1,500 people convicted of crimes related to the January 6, 2021 Capitol riots in the first hours of his presidency. Hannity recorded the interview in the Oval Office on Wednesday. He told reporters the discussion went amazing. "He is focused and hes happy and he has a big agenda, Hannity said of Trump. Hes dialed in. 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 Border crossings in the Southwest are reportedly down as President Donald Trumps administration begins its immigration crack down. The number of daily Southwest border encounters dropped by nearly half on Wednesday, according to a report. Border Patrol apprehended just over 840 people crossing the border between ports of entry, reported NBC News. The figure is down from nearly half the daily crossings in December which were 1,552, NBC reported, citing a U.S. official. Crossings in December were lower than they were the same month in 2020 ahead of Joe Bidens first term. We saw a similar drop in early 2017, noted the outlets Homeland Security correspondent Julia Ainsley. Since taking office four days ago, Trump has wasted no time implementing his anti-immigration agenda. open image in gallery The number of Southwest border encounters reportedly dropped by nearly half on Wednesday as Trump begins his immigration crack down ( AFP via Getty Images ) Speaking at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, via video conference, Trump told delegates that his administration has halted all entry of illegal border crossers. That action, as youve probably seen, has already started very strongly, Trump said. Have deployed active duty U.S. military and National Guard troops to the border to assist in repelling the invasion. It was really an invasion. We will not allow our territory to be violated. The Independent has contacted Customs and Border Protection for more information. At his inaugural address on Monday, Trump announced a slew of drastic executive orders targeting immigration on his very first day in office. open image in gallery Trump told the World Economic Forum that his administration has halted all entry of illegal border crossings ( AFP via Getty Images ) His administration also shut down the CBP One app effective immediately, leaving families waiting for appointments at the border in the lurch as their appointments were suddenly canceled. Approximately 11 million immigrants were living in the U.S. illegally in 2022, according to the latest estimates from Pew Research Center. In 2024, there were around 2.1 million encounters at the southern border, according to the latest CBP data. This was down by 14 percent from 2023 when figures show closer to 2.5 million encounters at the border. In December 2023, there were over 249,000 encounters at the border, a record-breaking month. As part of the anti-immgration plans, Trump signed an executive order revoking the right to birthright citizenship which is protected by the 14th Amendment effective from February. The move already faces legal challenges from 22 states and activist groups. In the latest setback for the new administration, a federal judge has temporarily blocked Trumps order in one of the legal challenges. 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 Donald Trump signed an order to declassify and release all remaining records relating to the assassinations of President John F Kennedy, Robert F Kennedy Sr, and the Rev Dr Martin Luther King Jr. Trump made the announcement during an impromptu signing ceremony in the Oval Office after being handed the order to sign by White House Staff Secretary Will Scharf. After Scharf told him what he was signing, the president replied: Thats a big one., huh? A lot of people are waiting for this for a long time, for years, for decades, he continued before adding that everything will be revealed about the assassinations, all three of which have been the subject of conspiracy theories in the decades since they occurred. A George H.W. Bush-era law had required the release of all JFK assassination records in October 2017, and during Trumps first term, numerous records were indeed declassified and made public, but many remained hidden for years after. open image in gallery President Donald Trump says hes declassified remaining records relating to a trio of assassinations in the 1960s - inlcuding MLK and JFK ( AP ) Trumps predecessor, former president Joe Biden, also signed a 2021 presidential memorandum laying out a series of deadlines for declassification related to the 35th presidents shooting by Marine Lee Harvey Oswald. However, not all the evidence was released despite 13,000 records being dumped in December 202. At the time, members of the Kennedy family slammed Biden for delaying the release of the remaining records, including the late New York senators son, Robert F Kennedy Jr. The younger Kennedy, who is the nephew of the late 35th president as well as Trumps nominee to lead the Department of Health and Human Services, has often said that he does not believe that Oswald acted alone when he shot his uncle from the sixth floor of the Texas School Book Depository in Dallas. RFK Jr. has also claimed that Sirhan Sirhan, the man who was convicted of assassinating his father the night after he won the 1968 California presidential primary, is innocent and should be released. open image in gallery The limousine carrying mortally wounded President John F. Kennedy races toward the hospital seconds after he was shot on November 22, 1963. Trump has ordered the released of records related to the killing and two other high-profile assassinations ( AP ) Trumps order also covers records relating to the April 1968 killing of King, the civil rights leader and advocate of nonviolent protest who is now memorialized on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. A House of Representatives select committee concluded that King, who was shot by a sniper while standing on a hotel balcony in Memphis, Tennessee, was murdered by James Earl Ray. Like the assassinations of both Kennedy brothers, Kings death has long been the subject of conspiracy theories regarding government involvement. Ray, who died in prison in 1998, repeatedly tried to recant the confession he gave police following his arrest in London months later. Some members of Kings family believe that Ray was innocent and have suggested that a Memphis Police Department officer, Lt. Earl Clark, was the actual shooter. A 1999 lawsuit filed by the King family against a Memphis restauranteur alleged to have played a role in Kings death resulted in a jury finding that there had been a conspiracy to kill the late civil rights leader. In the order signed today, Trump said hed found that the continued redaction and withholding of information from records relating to President Kennedys death was not consistent with the public interest and the release of these records is long overdue. He also said that the release of all records in the Federal Governments possession relating to the RFK Sr and King assassinations was also in the public interest. Trump has ordered the Director of National Intelligence and the Attorney General to work with the White House Counsel and National Security Adviser on presenting him with a plan for the full and complete release of records relating to the assassination of President John F. Kennedy within 15 days. He has also directed the DNI and AG to do the same regarding the RFK Jr and King records within 45 days. 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 unleashed a tirade against former aide John Bolton on Wednesday as he increasingly signals that he will back away from Washingtons center-right foreign policy establishment. The president was asked about his day-one decision to strip a federal protective detail from Bolton, who served as his national security adviser early on in his first term in the White House. Bolton, long one of the most outspoken supporters of direct military action to combat Iran and its proxies in the Middle East, was allegedly targeted for assassination by the Iranian regime in 2022 in retaliation for the Trump administrations killing of Qassem Soleimani, a top commander in the Iranian Revolutionary Guard (IRGC). Trump went on an extended rant about Bolton, whom he claimed blew up the Middle East with his support of the invasions of Iraq and Afghanistan during the second Bush administration. I thought he was a very dumb person, but I used him well because every time people saw me come into a meeting with John Bolton standing behind me, they thought that he'd attack them because he was a warmonger, the president told a reporter who asked about the decision to strip Boltons security detail. He's the one that got us involved ... convinced Bush, which was a terrible decision, to blow up the Middle East. We blew up the Middle East, and we left. Trump added: We got nothing out of it except a lot of death. We killed a lot of people, and John Bolton was one of those guys, a stupid guy." As for Boltons protection, Trump said: I think there was enough time. We take a job, you take a job, you want to do a job, were not going to have security on people for the rest of their lives. Why should we? Bolton has been a harsh critic of the president in recent years, complaining just months ago that in Trumps mind, the truth is whatever he wants it to be. REPORTER: Why did you remove John Bolton's security clearance? TRUMP: Because I think that was enough time. I thought he was a very dumb person but I used him well. pic.twitter.com/mDdrbGDkNl Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) January 21, 2025 A spokeswoman for the former ambassador declined to comment on Wednesday when contacted by The Independent. Bolton served as UN ambassador for the U.S. between 2005-2006. Bolton a day earlier released a statement prior to the presidents remarks Wednesday stating that he was disappointed in Trumps decision to terminate his security detail. I am disappointed but not surprised that President Trump has decided to terminate the protection previously provided by the United States Secret Service. Notwithstanding my criticisms of President Biden's national-security policies, he nonetheless made the decision to extend that protection to me in 2021, wrote Bolton on X. The Justice Department filed criminal charges against an Iranian Revolutionary Guard official in 2022 for attempting to hire a hit man to target me. That threat remains today, as also demonstrated by the recent arrest of someone trying to arrange for President Trump's own assassination, he noted. Bolton added: The American people can judge for themselves which President made the right call. I am disappointed but not surprised that President Trump has decided to terminate the protection previously provided by the United States Secret Service. Notwithstanding my criticisms of President Biden's national-security policies, he nonetheless made the decision to extend John Bolton (@AmbJohnBolton) January 21, 2025 This is the second move in as many days that could be taken as direct rebukes of the hawkish wing of Republican Party foreign policy thinkers long one of Trumps favorite punching bags, but one he nevertheless continues to flirt with (even making one, Marco Rubio, his secretary of State). On Monday, Trump singled out four people whom he identified in a Truth Social post as presidential appointees for a verbal flogging and firing. Three were clear political enemies of his: celebrity chef and liberal darling Jose Andres, former Atlanta mayor (and Democrat) Keisha Lance Bottoms, and Mark Milley, the former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff who accused his commander-in-chief of being facist to the core in a book authored by Bob Woodward. The fourth was Brian Hook, appointed to the Wilson Center for Scholars, a U.S. government-funded think tank by former President Joe Biden. What Trump failed to acknowledge in his Truth Social post was that Hook was no Biden loyalist, and was actually part of the nebulous Trump transition team, helping the effort staff up its diplomatic corps at the State Department. Hook is no stranger to a Trump State Department, either. He was the current president special envoy to Iran, a key player in the so-called maximum pressure campaign pursued by the first Trump administration to prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons while stifling its economy and challenging its efforts to support militant groups across the entire region. open image in gallery Donald Trump stripped his former advisers security detail away with one of his first acts as president ( AP ) It was that maximum pressure campaign which may have been his downfall. The American Conservative reported that while Trump made no mention of his connection to Hook in his note publicly axing the former top diplomat, there had indeed been a reason for it: the presidents team was reportedly unhappy with Hooks assertion during an interview that maximum pressure would be the new Trump administrations posture, even as Irans government is making diplomatic overtures to Washington, D.C. and the West. Its safe to assume that such a posture is at least still on the table, however. One Trump transition team source told the Financial Times as much in November: "He's determined to reinstitute a maximum pressure strategy to bankrupt Iran as soon as possible. Given the makeup of Congress, Trump will have no shortage of allies if he goes that route. Senators and members of the House from both parties are supportive of tightening sanctions enforcement against Iran. But even Hook, before his departure, acknowledged that Trump was not considering regime change, either directly or otherwise. In that fateful CNN interview in November, he said he had no reason to doubt that Trump would reinstate the maximum pressure campaign, but added: President Trump has no interest in regime change. The future of Iran will be determined by the Iranian people. 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 Mexico is readying emergency facilities in multiple cities to house the thousands of people Donald Trump is expected to return to the country as part of his planned nationwide campaign of mass deportations. Government officials, including the Mexican navy, have begun erecting the facilities in the cities of Matamoros and Ciudad Juarez, Reuters reports. Its unprecedented, Enrique Licon, a municipal official in Juarez, told the outlet. In Tijuana, meanwhile, state officials declared a state of emergency last week ahead of Trumps deportation plans and have readied their own facilities in preparation for a surge. There is collective nervousness about the decisions made by President Trumps administration, C Jamie Marin, director of the citys Jardin de las Mariposas shelter, told CNN. Leaders in the busy border crossing point of Matamoros, just across the border from Brownsville, Texas, are worried the raft of planned Trump immigration changes will leave vulnerable people stranded in Mexico. open image in gallery Trump administration has promised massed deportations and largely shut down asylum system, prompting Mexican officials to prepare for wave of returnees ( REUTERS ) Organized crime gets stronger with these actions. We see it, Father Francisco Gallardo of the Diocese of Reynosa-Matamoros told Texas Public Radio. He also warned that Mexico is not prepared to keep the new influx of migrants. The biggest issue is that smugglers are going to take advantage of this situation. The administration has shut down the Border Patrol CBP One app, which let 1,450 asylum seekers a day make an appointment and legally enter the U.S. at set points of entry while they wait for their asylum cases to resolve. Before the shutdown, an estimated 270,000 migrants were waiting in Mexico for an appointment and are now in limbo. Trump also reinstated his first-term Remain in Mexico directive, forcing non-Mexican asylum seekers to wait in the country before attempting to enter the U.S. open image in gallery Local leaders say leaving thousands of asylum seekers on Mexico side of border will expose them to threats ( REUTERS ) Complicating matters further, Mexico has said it has not yet agreed to accept non-Mexican migrants sent out of the U.S., setting up a potential clash with the U.S. over the status of these border-crossers. In addition to the changes to the asylum system, Trump has declared a national emergency at the border, justifying further physical barriers and deployment of U.S. military personnel, and has attempted to end the constitutionally protected right of birthright citizenship. Twenty-two states have sued Trump to challenge the birthright citizenship cancellation effort. 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 As many as 10,000 troops could eventually be stationed at the U.S.-Mexico border as part of Donald Trumps sweeping campaign to carry out mass deportations and declare a national emergency at the international boundary line. Though the operation will initially involve about 1,500 additional troops joining the roughly 2,500 already at the border, the total force could swell to 10,000 people, the Pentagon told reporters on Wednesday. This is just the beginning, acting defense secretary Robert Salesses said in a statement. The troops will not carry out direct immigration and border enforcement like making arrests and seizing drugs, but will reportedly serve other roles including transporting migrants to processing facilities and using military planes to assist the Department of Homeland Security in deporting migrants who are already detained. At the same time as troops head to the southern border, the Border Patrol is expanding its detention capabilities, adding four new 10,000-bed facilities, according to a briefing document obtained by The Washington Post. On Monday, President Trump signed an executive order declaring a national emergency at the border, expanding powers to send the National Guard and military to the border. open image in gallery Trump has declared a national emergency at the border and directed more federal troops to the border, while expanding Border Patrol detention capacities ( POOL/AFP via Getty Images ) He has also asked the Secretaries of Defense and Homeland Security to provide a recommendation on whether he can invoke the Insurrection Act of 1807 to deploy U.S. troops on American soil to aid in federal law enforcement. As part of his sweeping deportation plans, Trump has also sought to turn up the pressure on so-called sanctuary jurisdictions that limit cooperation between local officials and federal immigration enforcement. The Justice Department has directed federal prosecutors to investigate and potentially bring charges against local officials who refuse or impede immigration directives or requests. Officials in such jurisdictions have pushed back on the order. open image in gallery Mexican officials have prepared emergency shelters in multiple cities ahead of an expected flood in deported nationals ( REUTERS ) This is a scare tactic, plain and simple. The President is attempting to intimidate and bully state and local law enforcement into carrying out his mass deportation agenda for him, California Attorney General Rob Bonta wrote in a statement. Well be prepared to take legal action if the Trump Administrations vague threats turn to illegal action. Officials on the Mexican side of the border are also building up infrastructure to prepare for the ramp-up in deportations. Border cities including Matamoros, Ciudad Juarez, and Tijuana have bulked up shelter capacity in recent days ahead of an expected flood of returnees. Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Get our free Inside Washington email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Donald Trumps mass pardon of 1,500 January 6 participants, including the leaders of the Oath Keepers and the Proud Boys, has reinvigorated a weakened U.S. militia movement and empowered white supremacists, experts have warned. Dr. Heidi Beirich, the co-founder of the Global Project Against Hate and Extremism, said Trump brought back two organizations that have extremely long track records of violence and likened the current moment to the reemergence of the Ku Klux Klan in the 1920s. By letting violent white supremacists and militia types who engaged in this activity out of prison he has emboldened those movements, made them more powerful, and given them the sanction of the highest office, she told The Independent. open image in gallery The Proud Boys assemble to march the cold streets of D.C. to celebrate Trumps inauguration ( Getty Images ) And Trumps pardoning of those charged in the Capitol attack, including 169 people whod pled guilty to assaulting police, helps create a loyal group of armed followers eager to do his bidding over the next four years. If Trump wanted to mobilize them, he could, Beirich said. They are now very much allied with Trump because he fulfilled his promise, and they think their vision of society is coming to be. After initially condemning the violence at the Capitol, Trump reversed course in the years that followed and now refers to it as a day of love. In announcing his pardons, he called the jailed rioters hostages. Oath Keepers founder Stewart Rhodes, a graduate of Yale, was sentenced to 18 years for directing his fellow militia members to stop the certification of the 2020 election. Proud Boys leader Henry Enrique Tarrio received a 22-year sentence for orchestrating the January 6 attack. Both far-Right leaders are now free. On social media and private Telegram channels, Proud Boys members are already plotting to support Trumps agenda with armed militia action, according to new research from the Global Project Against Hate and Extremism. One chapter in Portland expressed hope that they would be deputized as ICE under Trumps second term to help in Trumps mass deportation plan. In New York, one member claimed to have a network set up to send information about illegal immigrants to ICE, and in a Nevada group, Proud Boys shared an image encouraging followers to report illegal aliens to ICE along with a picture of a swastika rising like a sun over a landscape, captioned A new day is about to dawn in America its going to be glorious. We need to find and put them behind bars for what they did. They need to pay for what they did Enrique Tarrio The Global Project Against Hate and Extremism said the posts reveal dangerous plans: assisting in mass deportation efforts, targeting LGBTQ+ communities, and even issuing violent threats against political figures. The rhetoric underscores the growing alignment between extremist groups and government policies under Trumps administration, it added. The joy felt by those released after facing lengthy sentences was palpable at a reunion outside of a Washington D.C. jail on Tuesday evening, where many of the pardoned rioters gathered. Rhodes was seen shaking hands with members of the Proud Boys, who described themselves as J6 vets. We worked together a lot in the streets, Rhodes said of the white supremacist Proud Boys in an interview outside the jail. Were yin and yang. The MAGA movement is stronger than ever. And Im fearless now. Im not afraid of going to jail, he added, while thanking President Trump. open image in gallery U.S. Representative Lauren Boebert (R-CO) speaks to the media as people gather outside of the DC Central Detention Facility, after Trump made a sweeping pardon of nearly everyone charged in the January 6, 2021 attack. ( REUTERS ) Amy Cooter, director of research at the Center on Terrorism, Extremism, and Counterterrorism, believes Rhodes stands to gain the most from Trumps commutation. He has the potential to sort of regain a legitimized leadership and potentially get along a big following behind him, she told The Independent. On Wednesday, he was spotted at Capitol Hill, telling reporters he was there to meet with House Republicans. I think that it very well could be the case that some of these folks will be invited to the White House and perhaps made, officially or unofficially, part of the administration, in a way that further legitimizes them, Cooter said. Theyre going to have a lot of loyalty to Trump, not only because thats what brought them to January 6 in the first place, but now hes effectively positioned himself as their Savior, she added. That is far cry from where the groups stood in the aftermath of January 6, with leadership jailed, activities limited and the organizations mainly at a standstill. The Oath Keepers were decimated by the January 6 prosecutions. Theyve essentially been doing nothing, Beirich said. open image in gallery Rioters at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, in Washington. ( Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. ) The Proud Boys had remained active locally, mostly by harassing pride events across the country, but the group had no central leadership, she added. Now with Tarrio released, along with other leaders Joe Biggs and Ethan Nordean, a new era has begun. I would expect them to be quite emboldened and start rebuilding their ranks and use Trumps sanctioning of January 6 as a way to recruit members, Beirich said. In other words, I think the Proud Boys are going to be back. Trumps first public acknowledgment of the Proud Boys came during a presidential debate with Joe Biden in 2020, when he told its members to stand back and stand by when asked to condemn extremist groups who backed him. When asked by a reporter on Tuesday if there is now a place for them in the political conversation, Trump replied: Well, we have to see. open image in gallery People hold placards as they gather outside the DC Central Detention Facility, commonly known as the DC Jail, in anticipation of a potential pardon by U.S. President Donald Trump for individuals convicted in connection with the January 6, 2021 attack on the United States Capitol, in Washington, DC, USA, 20 January 2025. ( EPA ) Meanwhile, both Rhodes and Tarrio have expressed a desire to go after the prosecutors and witnesses who played a role in securing their convictions. Im happy that the presidents focusing not on retribution and focusing on success, but I will tell you that Im not gonna play by those rules, Tarrio said during an interview with Alex Jones, hours after his release. The people who did this, they need to feel the heat. They need to be put behind bars, and they need to be prosecuted. Speaking outside the D.C. jail waiting for January 6 prisoners to be released, Rhodes said: I wanna see the prosecutors prosecuted [] all the cops that lied on the stand investigated, all the cops who used excessive force investigated. On Wednesday, audio of Rhodes claiming that protesters inside the Capitol did not commit any crimes was played to Michael Fanone, a former Capitol police officer who suffered a heart attack and brain injuries after being assaulted by rioters. This is what I would say to Stewart Rhodes: Go f*** yourself. Youre a liar, Fanone said live on CNN. 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 Secretary of State Marco Rubio has issued an order stating U.S. facilities can only fly the American flag outside their buildings, according to a new report. Rubio issued the order Tuesday night soon after he was sworn into office, according to The Free Beacon. The order states only the U.S. can be flown at U.S. facilities domestic and abroad, the outlet reports. The only exceptions are the Prisoner of War/Missing in Action emblem and the Wrongful Detainees Flag. Rubio, formerly a Republican senator from Florida, similarly introduced a bill to last year to place restrictions on the official display of flags, seals, or emblems other than the United States flag. The former senator was confirmed 99-0 by the Senate Monday, making him the first member of President Donald Trumps cabinet to take office. Rubios hearing centered around his plans for U.S.-China relations. "The 21st century will be defined by what happens between the United States and China," Rubio said. open image in gallery Vice President J.D. Vance pictured swearing in Rubio. The secretary of state issued the order soon after he was sworn in ( REUTERS ) "They have elements that the Soviet Union never possessed," Rubio added. "They are a technological adversary and competitor, an industrial competitor, an economic competitor, a geopolitical competitor, a scientific competitor now in every realm. It is an extraordinary challenge." Rubios new policy comes after a 2021 order from former president Joe Biden authorizing State Department buildings to fly other flags, including the LGBTQ+ Pride flag and the Black Lives Matter flag. During Bidens administration, several embassies took advantage of his policy. For instance, the U.S. Embassy in Nassau flew a Pride flag to celebrate Pride month in 2021 and the U.S. Embassy and Consulates in Brazil flew a Black Lives Matter flag to celebrate Black history month in 2022. The White House also draped Pride flags across the South Lawn to celebrate Pride month in 2023. Bidens policy and the White Houses use of Pride flags incensed Republicans at the time This is a disgrace, Republican Senator Roger Marshall of Kansas posted on X. Not only is it in breach of US Flag Code, but its a glaring example of this White Houses incompetence and insistence on putting their social agenda ahead of patriotism. Meanwhile, Trump signed executive orders Monday ending DEI programs across the federal government and denying the existence of transgender, nonbinary and intersex people. These orders are expected to face significant legal pushback. Another order, which attempts to end birthright citizenship, has already been the target of a lawsuit filed by 24 Democratic states. The Independent has contacted the State Department 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 Donald Trump has called on Russian president Vladimir Putin to negotiate an end to the nearly three-year-old war Russia launched against Ukraine, and is threatening to impose further sanctions on Moscow if the Russian leader does not acquiesce. In a statement posted to his Truth Social platform, Trump said he was not looking to hurt Russia and expressed love for the Russian people while boasting of his very good relationship with Putin who in 2016 ordered what the Department of Justice called a sweeping and systematic effort to interfere in the presidential election on Trumps behalf. Trump also noted that the former Soviet Union lost 60 million people when it allied itself against Nazi Germany and with the U.S. and the U.K. during the Second World War. All of that being said, Im going to do Russia, whose Economy is failing, and President Putin, a very big FAVOR. Settle now, and STOP this ridiculous War! ITS ONLY GOING TO GET WORSE, Trump said. open image in gallery Donald Trump and Russian president Vladimir Putin have not yet spoken since the 47th US president was sworn in on Monday. Trump is now calling on Putin to end the war with Ukraine ( AFP/Getty ) The president added a threat that if a deal was not reached soon, he would have no other choice but to put high levels of Taxes, Tariffs, and Sanctions on anything being sold by Russia to the United States, and various other participating countries. Trump added: Lets get this war, which never would have started if I were President, over with! We can do it the easy way, or the hard way and the easy way is always better. Its time to MAKE A DEAL. NO MORE LIVES SHOULD BE LOST!!! Trump has long promised that he would bring the war in Ukraine to an end when he returned to the White House. He frequently said he would end it on his first day, but the war is ongoing. So far, the U.S. has given more than $65 billion in military assistance to Ukraine since 2022. Its unclear what, if any, Russian goods would be subject to Trumps tariffs, as a series of increasingly restrictive sanctions levied by the Biden administration in concert with dozens of other countries has crippled Russias economy and cut Moscow off from much of the international banking and finance system. A series of sanctions imposed by Joe Biden earlier this month targeted Russias energy sector. They covered two major Russian petroleum producers and exporters Gazprom Neft and Surgutneftegas both of which are involved in the export of liquified natural gas and efforts to expand the Russian energy sector into the Arctic. Trump has not spoken to Putin since he was sworn in on Monday, though the two leaders have reportedly spoken during the transition period following last years presidential election. open image in gallery Trump met with Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky in the run-up to the election. The new president has promised to end the war between Ukraine and Russia ( AP ) But the newly-minted 47th president said he and his aides are working to arrange a conversation. On Monday, he told reporters that Putin cant be thrilled about how the war is going and said Russia is not doing so well against Kyivs forces. I mean, hes grinding it out, but most people thought that war would have been over in one week, and now were into three years. So he cant be thrilled, [its] not making him look very good, Trump said before adding that roughly 1 million Russian soldiers and 700,000 Ukrainian soldiers have died during the war. Trump also said Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky had told him that he wants to make a deal to end the war. Zelensky wants to make a deal. I dont know if Putin does ... He should make a deal. I think hes destroying Russia by not making a deal, he said. In response to Trumps threat, Russias deputy UN ambassador Dmitry Polyanskiy said Moscow would need to see what Trumps definition of a deal would look like before coming to the negotiating table. Its not merely the question of ending the war its first and foremost the question of addressing root causes of Ukrainian crisis, he said. So we have to see what does the deal mean in President Trumps understanding. He is not responsible for what the US has been doing in Ukraine since 2014, making it anti-Russia and preparing for the war with us, but it is in his power now to stop this malicious policy, Polyanskiy added. For his part, Zelensky told attendees at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, on Tuesday that a sit-down with Trump was in the works. The teams have been working on a meeting; they are currently in the process, he said. We are your partner. We know all the sore spots; we have lost our people we want to end the war this year, he continued, adding that Ukrainians want an end to the three-year-old conflict not just quickly, but fairly and, above all, reliably for us. The Ukrainian leader met with Trump last September in New York while the president was in the midst of his campaign against then-Vice President Kamala Harris. At the time, Zelensky said he believed he and Trump shared a common view that the war has to be stopped and Putin cant win. Trump later told Fox News that hed learned a lot from the sit-down and said both he and Zelensky want to see this end and want to see a fair deal made. The two leaders have a checkered history dating back to July 2019, when Zelensky and Trump spoke on the phone just after the Ukrainian leader was sworn in as his countrys head of state. At the time, Trump attempted to use the threat of withholding needed American military aid a a coveted White House visit to pressure Zelensky into announcing a sham investigation into Joe Biden, who was then a former vice president looking to challenge Trump in the 2020 election. Fallout from the now-infamous phone call led to the first of Trumps two impeachment trials before the US Senate. 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 woman who was blamed by French courts for her divorce because she no longer had sex with her husband, has won an appeal in Europe's top human rights court. The case has reignited a debate in France over women's rights. The French woman - identified as Ms H.W, born in 1955 - brought her case to the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) in 2021 after exhausting legal avenues in France almost a decade following the divorce. The ECHR ruled the French courts had violated the woman's right to respect for private and family life. "In the present case, the Court could not identify any reason capable of justifying this interference by the public authorities in the area of sexuality," it said in a statement. The ECHR ruling comes amid a period of soul-searching in France after the high-profile case of Gisele Pelicot, whose husband was found guilty of drugging his wife and inviting dozens of men over to their home to rape her. open image in gallery Gisele Pelicot leaves the courthouse after hearing the verdict of the court that sentenced her ex-husband to the maximum term of 20 years jail ( AFP via Getty Images ) The case shocked the world, rekindled thorny debates about women's rights in France and turned Gisele Pelicot into a feminist icon. In a statement released by her lawyer, Lilia Mhissen, H.W celebrated her legal victory. "I hope this decision will mark a turning point in the fight for women's rights in France," she said. "It is now imperative that France, like other European countries, such as Portugal or Spain, take concrete measures to eradicate this rape culture and promote a true culture of consent and mutual respect." Mhissen said the ECHR ruling has no impact on H.W.'s divorce, which is definitive. However, she said it will have a major impact on French law, preventing French judges from making similar divorce rulings in the future. "This decision marks the abolition of the marital duty and the archaic, canonical vision of the family," she said in a statement. "Courts will finally stop interpreting French law through the lens of canon law and imposing on women the obligation to have sexual relations within marriage." France's Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs, which represented the French government in the case, did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The woman, who married her husband in 1984 and had four children with him, wanted the divorce, but contested being blamed for the breakdown, arguing it was an unjust intrusion into her private life and a violation of her physical integrity. She cited health problems and threats of violence from her husband as reasons for why she had not had intimate relations from 2004 onwards. The fact that one of the couple's children was mentally and physically handicapped put added stress on the marriage. H.W., who is from Le Chesnay near Paris, said she had been deeply traumatised by the ruling, which "legitimised a family environment where the privacy and dignity of women are ignored and flouted". H.W.'s case was supported by two French women's activism groups. Emmanuelle Piet, the head of one of them, the Feminist Collective Against Rape, said she was delighted. "Ms. W spent fifteen years fighting this battle, and it ended in victory, bravo," she said. "When you are forced to have sexual relations in marriage, it is rape." For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Israeli forces have killed two Palestinian militants who carried out a deadly attack on a bus in the West Bank earlier this month. The Israeli military said Thursday that the two men barricaded themselves in a structure in the West Bank village of Burqin and exchanged fire with Israeli troops before they were killed overnight. The army said a soldier was moderately wounded. The military said Mohammed Nazzal and Katiba al-Shalabi were operatives with the Islamic Jihad militant group. The Hamas militant group released a statement claiming the two men were members of its armed wing and praising the bus attack. Hamas and the smaller and more radical Islamic Jihad are allies that sometimes carry out attacks together. The Jan. 6 attack on the bus carrying Israelis killed three people and wounded six others. Israel captured the West Bank in the 1967 Mideast war. The Palestinians want it to form the main part of their future state. ___ Here's the latest: 24-year-old Hamas attack survivor will represent Israel at Eurovision TEL AVIV A survivor of the Oct. 7, 2023 Hamas attack will represent Israel at the Eurovision Song Contest to be held in Switzerland in May. Yuval Raphael, 24, won first place in a singing contest on Israeli television that determines Israels entry to Eurovision, a pan-continental pop extravaganza. She won with a performance of the Swedish group ABBAs pop hit Dancing Queen, which she dedicated to the victims of the attack. Raphael survived the Nova music festival in southern Israel as Palestinian militants stormed the event, killing hundreds and taking many hostage during Hamas cross-border raid. She has testified in the Israeli parliament about her experience on Oct. 7. She described hiding from gunmen under piles of dead bodies for eight hours, and said Im going to deal with this thing for the rest of my life. Last years Eurovision was overshadowed by the war in Gaza, with large demonstrations protesting Israels participation. Israels representative, Eden Golan, who ended up taking fifth place in the competition, was kept under tight security. Israel will not compromise on dismantling Hamas, foreign minister says BUDAPEST, Hungary - Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar said Thursday that Israel would not compromise on its objectives of dismantling Hamas military and governing capabilities, and that there were no guarantees for the success of the three-phase cease fire in the war in the Gaza Strip. Speaking alongside his Hungarian counterpart in Budapest, Hungary, Saar said Hamas leaders had declared their intent to carry out more attacks on Israel similar to the deadly raids on Oct. 7, 2023, and could therefore not be allowed to retain any military capabilities. They are committed to the idea of eliminating the Jewish state, Saar said. Israel will not accept Hamas rule in Gaza. As long as Hamas remains in power, there will be no peace, security or stability in the Middle East. We hope that the framework for the hostage release will continue until its end, but of course I cannot guarantee that, he continued. We will not abandon our objectives. Heavy rain and floods worsen misery for Palestinians displaced in Gaza DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip Although the ceasefire in Gaza has brought an influx of humanitarian aid and a rare respite from Israeli bombardment, it has done little to change the miserable conditions endured by most of the 2 million people displaced by fighting. The winter weather has compounded the hardships of those eking out an existence in tattered tents and makeshift shelters. Heavy rains were flooding tents across the territory, leaving Palestinians shivering in the cold. At one makeshift camp in the central city of Deir al-Balah, the downpour Thursday quickly soaked through flimsy tents that seemed to float on pools of muck. Some used sandbags to keep their tents from washing away, while others tried to clear the huge puddles of mud outside their shelters. Barefoot children trod through paths that had become filthy rivers. A cacophony of coughs emanated from every corner, raising concerns about the spread of illness. Tareq Deifallah, a displaced resident in Deir al-Balah originally from Beit Hanoun, in northern Gaza, said water was seeping through his tent from all sides. He said the truce is useless when it came to changing his living conditions. Before the truce we were suffering, after the truce we are suffering, from the rain and the winter, Deifallah said. Monira Faraj, a mother of two young girls, said rain flooded her tent and soaked through her mattress as her family was sleeping. Were afraid were going to drown if it becomes too much, she said. Residents of the tent camp said they had no choice but to stay put. Even though the ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas war that took effect Sunday allows Palestinians displaced by the fighting to return to their homes, those who set out to check on their houses in recent days said they found only ruins. Commercial plane from Turkey lands in Damascus for first time in 13 years DAMASCUS, Syria A commercial plane from Turkey landed in Damascus for the first time in 13 years on Thursday, Syrian state media said. The Turkish Airlines plane flew from Istanbul to the Syrian capital, SANA reported, two weeks after the first international commercial flight landed, from Qatar, since former Syrian President Bashar Assads fall. Ankara backed opposition groups in northwestern Syria that fought against Assad and his allies during the uprising-turned-conflict and never restored ties, even when most Mideast countries did in 2023. Now Turkey, a key ally of the new authorities under the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham group, has expressed its intention to invest in Syrias economy and help its ailing electricity and energy sectors. Israel's ambassador to US says the 2 countries are discussing Israeli withdrawal from Lebanon JERUSALEM Israels ambassador to the United States says the two countries are in talks about the Israeli withdrawal from Lebanon as a deadline in the ceasefire with Hezbollah militants approaches. Israeli media have reported that Israel is seeking to postpone the completion of its pullout. Michael Herzog said in an interview with Israeli Army Radio on Thursday that he believed Israel would reach an understanding with the Trump administration, without elaborating. Under the U.S.-brokered ceasefire that ended more than a year of fighting linked to the war in the Gaza Strip, Israeli forces are supposed to complete their withdrawal from southern Lebanon by Sunday. Israeli media have reported that Israel reached an understanding with the Biden administration on staying longer but that President Donald Trump is urging it to withdraw on time. There was no immediate comment from the United States. Israeli officials have said Lebanese troops are not deploying fast enough in the areas Israeli troops are supposed to vacate. Under the ceasefire, the Lebanese army is to patrol a buffer zone in southern Lebanon alongside United Nations peacekeepers. Hezbollah has threatened to resume its rocket and drone fire if Israel does not withdraw on time. Al Jazeera says the Palestinian Authority arrested one of its reporters The Al Jazeera news network says the Palestinian Authority arrested one of its reporters after preventing him from covering an Israeli operation in the occupied West Bank. The Qatar-based news network reported Thursday that its reporter, Mohammed al-Atrash, was arrested from his home. It said Palestinian security forces had earlier prevented him from reporting on a large Israeli military operation in Jenin, an epicenter of Israeli-Palestinian violence in recent years. The Palestinian Authority launched its own crackdown on militants in the city late last year. There was no immediate comment from the Palestinian Authority. Both Israel and the Western-backed Palestinian Authority banned Al Jazeera last year. Israel accuses it of being a mouthpiece of Hamas over its coverage of the war in the Gaza Strip and says some of its reporters are also militants. The pan-Arab broadcaster has rejected the allegations and accused both Israel and the Palestinian Authority of trying to silence critical coverage. The internationally recognized Palestinian Authority administers parts of the Israeli-occupied West Bank and cooperates with Israel on security matters. It is unpopular among Palestinians, with critics portraying it as a corrupt and authoritarian ally of Israel. Israels Netanyahu will probably visit Trump in the next few weeks, official says UNITED NATIONS Israels ambassador to the United Nations believes Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will travel to Washington to meet President Donald Trump in a few weeks. Danny Danon told reporters Wednesday: Im sure he would be one of the first foreign leaders invited to the White House. Danon said he expects their discussions to include the current ceasefire between Israel and Hamas in Gaza and the release of hostages taken during Hamas Oct. 7, 2023 attack in southern Israel. 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 pope, who has been the victim of several viral deepfake images, has warned that artificial intelligence can exacerbate a growing "crisis of truth". Pope Francis, in a message to the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, urged political, economic and business leaders to keep close oversight of the development of AI. In a written message, read to the annual meeting at the Swiss resort town, the pontiff said AI raises "critical concerns" about humanity's future. The forum is partly focusing on AI this year. "The results that AI can produce are almost indistinguishable from those of human beings, raising questions about its effect on the growing crisis of truth in the public forum," Francis said. "To navigate the complexities of AI, governments and businesses must exercise due diligence and vigilance," he said in the statement read on his behalf at the Davos meeting by Cardinal Peter Turkson, a Vatican official. open image in gallery The Pope and Madonna in a fake AI image ( Instagram/Madonna ) Francis, leader of the 1.4 billion-member Catholic Church since 2013, has focused on ethical issues surrounding artificial intelligence in recent years. He spoke about the technology at the Group of Seven summit in Italy last June, and said people should not let algorithms decide their destiny. He said that important decisions must always be left to the human person. The Pope was the victim of a viral deepfake image in early 2024, created by an image generating program, which appeared to show him wearing an ankle-length white Balenciaga puffer coat. It was an artificial intelligence rendering generated using the AI software Midjourney. The Pope has also been pictured in deepfakes with Madonna, draped in a Pride flag and holding a parasol on a beach. Francis alluded to the deepfake puffer coat image in a speech about AI in January where he warned about the impact of such images. 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 Russian victory over Ukraine would greatly undermine the power of Nato and its credibility would cost trillions to restore, the alliances secretary general has warned. Mark Rutte insisted that Ukraines Western backers must not scale back the support they are providing to the country, almost three years after Vladimir Putins invasion began. Nato has been increasing its forces along its eastern flank with Russia, Belarus and Ukraine, deploying thousands of troops and equipment. This is to deter Moscow from expanding its war into the territory of any of the organizations 32 member countries. open image in gallery Residents take shelter in a metro station after an air raid warning was issued in Kyiv ( AFP via Getty Images ) Speaking at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, Mr Rutte said: If Ukraine loses then to restore the deterrence of the rest of Nato again, it will be a much, much higher price than what we are contemplating at this moment in terms of ramping up our spending and ramping up our industrial production. It will not be billions extra; it will be trillions extra, he added. The military alliances leader insisted Nato must change the trajectory of the war, adding the West cannot allow in the 21st century that one country invades another country and tries to colonise it. Anxiety in Europe is mounting that US President Donald Trump might seek to quickly end the war on terms that are unfavourable to Ukraine, but Rutte appeared wary about trying to do things in a hurry. If we got a bad deal, it would only mean that we will see the president of Russia high-fiving with the leaders from North Korea, Iran and China and we cannot accept that, the former Dutch prime minister said. That would be geopolitically a big, big mistake. Leaders of Nato nations have agreed that each member country should spend at least 2 per cent of gross domestic product on their military budgets. open image in gallery President Trump threatened to impose stiff taxes, tariffs and sanctions on Moscow if an agreement isnt reached to end the war ( AFP via Getty Images ) The alliance estimates that 23 members will reach that level this year, although almost a third will still fall short. Poland and Estonia spend most in GDP terms. On Wednesday, President Trump threatened to impose stiff taxes, tariffs and sanctions on Moscow if an agreement isnt reached to end the war. Russias economy is already weighed down by a multitude of US and European sanctions. Mr Trump said he would be doing a very big favour to Russia and Putin by getting them to bring an end to "this ridiculous war". Earlier this week, he said the conflict, which is nearing the end of its third year, was "destroying" Russia. The Kremlin said it saw nothing particularly new with the threat of US sanctions. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Mr Trump had often applied sanctions against Russia in his first term as president. Mr Peskov reiterated that Russia was ready for an equal and mutually respectful dialogue with the US. Reuters and The Associated Press contributed to this report 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 Ukrainians are using recordings of cat noises to lure Vladimir Putins forces into explosive-rigged traps, a Russian soldier has claimed. With the grit and ingenuity of the Ukrainian army frequently evidenced in its success in defending against Russias vast invading force, it has now been claimed that they are turning to an unusual tactic in appealing to the Russians reported fondness for cats. The tactic has been reported on the frontline of Ukraines Donetsk region, which has seen some of the wars most gruelling fighting in recent months as Mr Putins forces sought to capture as much territory as possible ahead of Donald Trumps return to the White House this week. open image in gallery ( REUTERS ) According to The Times, Leonid Otdelnov, the commander of a mine-clearing unit told state-owned channel TV Zvezda: We go in, we hear meowing, lets say, in the cupboard. When you open it, out of compassion, there is a blast, because it has been rigged with explosives. Mr Otdelnov did not say whether any Russians had been killed by the traps, and it was not possible to verify his claims. The Moscow Times reported last year that Russian soldiers had started bringing cats to deal with rodent infestations on the front lines, while the firm Dalia Research claimed in 2017 that Russia was the only country in the world where the majority of people owned a cat. Analysts have frequently pointed to Ukraines imaginative tactics as bolstering its defence against Russia during nearly three years of brutal war. open image in gallery Ukrainian servicemen of 24th Mechanised brigade train at the polygon not far from frontline in Donetsk region ( AP Photo/Evgeniy Maloletka ) Writing for Defence News, Philip Wasielewski of the Foreign Policy Institute and former US diplomat William Courtney said last March: Using unorthodox and imaginative tactics, Ukraine's irregular warriors are notching stunning gains. Sea drones sink modern warships in the Black Sea. Aerial drones evade Russias best air defenses to strike oil facilities in St Petersburg. Saboteurs blow up trains and paralyse Russias longest rail tunnel in the Far East. Officials and turncoats in Russian-occupied areas are routinely assassinated. Despite Ukraines staunch defence, Russia has gained ground in eastern Ukraine over the past year, albeit at the cost of heavy casualties as it throws waves of soldiers at Ukraines defensive lines. Ukraines military chief Oleksandr Syrskyi claimed this week that Russian losses now exceed 800,000, with a record 434,000 of Mr Putins killed or wounded in 2024. This year of combat has cost them more than the previous two years of the war combined, Mr Syrskyi told Ukrainian TV channel TSN. 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 Croatia has sent a diplomatic protest note to neighboring Serbia after Belgrade detained and deported five Croatian citizens who were taking part in a meeting of civil society organizations in the Serbian capital, state television station HRT reported on Thursday. Croatia, in its note, strongly protested the move by Serbian authorities and demanded an explanation. Foreign Minister Gordan Grlic Radman has said that Croatia may issue a travel warning for Serbia. I am not sure that there is an explanation of the Serbian authorities about what happened, Croatian Interior Minister Davor Bozinovic said. It is legitimate to ask if it is a coincidence, since we have had several such cases lately. Authorities in Belgrade have given no confirmation or an official explanation of the deportations, which reportedly also included citizens from Romania, Slovenia, Bosnia and North Macedonia who were taking part this week in a workshop for nongovernmental organizations. Relations between main Balkan rivals Croatia and Serbia have been tense for years since the bloody breakup of the former Yugoslavia in the 1990s. Croatian activists have told media in the European Union country that police came to their hotel and detained them before sending them back home. They offered no reason except a document saying the activists presented a threat to Serbia's security. In recent months, Serbian police have denied entry or expelled a number of foreign citizens for the same reason. Serbia's populist government, in the past few weeks, has repeatedly and without offering evidence accused Croatian security services of being behind weekslong protests by university students who are demanding accountability for a collapse of a concrete canopy on Nov. 1. The crash at a railway station building in the northern Serbian town of Novi Sad killed 15 people, triggering major anti-corruption protests. Many in Serbia believe rampant graft had led to sloppy renovation work at the building and eventually to the fall of the huge concrete construction on the people underneath. Striking students have called for a general strike on Friday while President Aleksandar Vucic has scheduled a huge rally to counter the protests on Friday afternoon in the central town of Jagodina. Several prominent human rights groups in Serbia also have condemned the reported detention and deportation of foreign activists from the country, saying it marked further repression by the government. Vucic, Serbia's increasingly autocratic leader, has faced accusations of curbing democratic freedoms since he came to power more than a decade ago even thought he had formally pledged he would lead his country into the EU. Protesting activists and university students in Serbia also have repeatedly reported pressure from authorities, including intimidation and interrogation by the state security service. Vucic has denied this. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Ukrainian officials welcomed Donald Trumps threat to sanction Russia harder, suggesting punitive measures against Russian oil and gas could run down Vladimir Putins war machinery. Vladyslav Vlasiuk, sanctions commissioner for president Volodymyr Zelensky, told The Independent there were at least 10 areas Mr Trump can look at to sanction Russia in the coming months. These can be Russias fintech sector, companies involved in the development of e-ruble, central bank digital currency used as an alternative to the SWIFT international payment system Russia is already cut off from, and cryptocurrency payment systems, he said. Mr Trump said he had no desire to hurt Russia but asked Mr Putin to settle now and stop this ridiculous war. If we dont make a deal, and soon, I have no other choice but to put high levels of taxes, tariffs, and sanctions on anything being sold by Russia to the US, and various other participating countries, the news US president said on his Truth Social platform. Mr Trump had promised to end the war in Ukraine within 24 hours of assuming the presidency for a second term, though not the Russian invasion. Instead, he came out with a threat to further sanction one of the most heavily sanctioned nations. The US president could follow through by targeting enablers of the shadow fleet utilised by Russia to export oil and gas such as insurance, crewing and financial settlement companies that provide any kind of services to it, Mr Vlasiuk suggested. According to the EU, a shadow or dark fleet is a collection of ships used to circumvent sanctions, evade compliance with safety or environmental regulations, avoid insurance costs or engage in other illegal activities. According to the European parliament, shadow tankers transporting Russian crude variously fly the flags of Cook Islands, Gabon, Liberia, Eswatini, Malta, Panama, Marshall Islands, and Russia itself. The US could also deliver a major blow to Russia by lowering oil prices. Lower oil prices will hit the Russian budget really hard. In December 2024, Russian trade surplus was the lowest since 2020. If Donald Trump restores the effectiveness of the price cap for Russian oil, Russian federal budget losses will be even greater, Mr Vlasiuk said. Oil was Russias chief export to the US before the trade zeroed out in 2023. Additionally, Mr Vlasiuk said the US and Ukraine could build pressure to sanction third-nation intermediaries that facilitated the supply of dual-use goods. Mr Trump could hit out at Russian allies like Iran and North Korea as well after drumming up domestic support for such measures, he said. Just before Joe Biden left office as president on 20 January, the US Treasury said it was expanding sanctions on some 100 entities supporting the Russian war effort. Svitlana Romanko, a prominent Ukrainian peace and clean energy campaigner, said Mr Trump had the chance to take up a historic opportunity to end the war in an efficient way. The president could sanction Russias fossil fuel exports, cutting its profits by 40 to 50 per cent. By decisively cutting off Russian energy revenues from fossil fuels, the US can lead the world in pressuring Moscow to end its aggression and support Ukraines fight for sovereignty, the founder of Razom We Stand clean energy campaign group told The Independent. President Trumps administration can look beyond sanctions enforcement. He can target legal tracking and impose criminal liability measures for these tankers owners, but also on checking those tankers specifically. The greatest humanity lesson to learn for everyone on the planet is how we can tackle fossil fuel dictatorships and how we avoid them from happening in the future. We should not buy energy that feeds dictatorships, police apparatus and oppression and human rights abuse in many countries, including my country, which is destroyed by Russias war. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy A waitress who was in serious condition after jumping out of a burning hotel at a popular ski resort in Turkey has died from her injuries. It makes her the latest victim of tragedy that has shocked the nation and revived concerns over lax safety regulations in the country. Turkish officials early on Thursday revised the number of deaths from Tuesdays blaze at the 12-story Grand Kartal hotel in Kartalkaya, in northwestern Bolu province, from 79 to 78, including Sevval Sahin. The 25-year-old waitress died in the intensive care unit of a hospital late Wednesday. Dozens of others were injured in the blaze. The government has appointed six prosecutors to lead an investigation into the cause of the fire, which came at the start of a two-week winter break for schools, when hotels in the area are filled to capacity. Authorities have detained 11 people for questioning, including the hotels owner, Bolus deputy mayor and the acting fire department chief. No charges have been brought yet. A map of Grand Kartal hotel: The government of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has traded accusations of blame with the Bolu municipality, which is controlled by Turkeys main opposition party. The blaze, which appeared to have started at the restaurant section on the fourth floor of the wooden-clad hotel and spread quickly through to the upper floors. Guests and staff jumped out of windows to escape smoke and flame-filled rooms or dangled sheets out of windows to lower themselves out. Culture and Tourism Minister Mehmet Nuri Ersoy has stated that the hotel had been inspected in 2021 and 2014, and had a fire safety certificate. Bolu Mayor Tanju Ozcan has claimed that hotels in Kartalkaya are outside his municipalitys jurisdiction and that the hotels last fire department certificate dated back to 2007. open image in gallery Firefighters work at the scene after a fire broke out at a hotel in the ski resort of Kartalkay ( dia Photo ) Survivor accounts indicate that the hotels fire detection system did not function, that there were no sprinklers and that guests were not able to locate the buildings two fire escapes in the smoke-filled corridors. HaberTurk television and other media reports have suggested that the design of the fire escapes ended up spreading the blaze to other floors. Witnesses have also reported that the firefighters arrived 45 minutes after the fire was first reported. Sahin, who had started working at the hotel just over a month ago, called her father from a 12th-floor window, asking him for advice on what to do before she leapt out of the building, local media reports said. The T24 news website quoted Sahins cousin, Murat Bakir, as saying her father told her not to jump. The waitress nevertheless threw herself out of the building, no longer able to withstand the smoke and flames, the website said. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Ukraine is set to offer financial incentives and guarantees of training as it seeks to attract 18 to 25-year-olds to boost its military recruitment. Ukraine passed a mobilisation law last spring and lowered the age of conscription from 27 to 25 years old, but is still struggling to replenish its ranks or replace battlefield losses in its war with Russia. New recruitment options were needed because the current drafting system inherited from Soviet times was hindering progress, said Deputy Head of the Office of the President Colonel Pavlo Palisa in his first interview with foreign media since taking up his position in autumn. One initiative is what Palisa described as an honest contract," a plan that includes financial incentives, clear guarantees for training, and measures to ensure dialogue between soldiers and their commanders. The plan is aimed at attracting mainly 18 to 25-year-olds who are currently exempt from mobilisation, and will also target Ukrainians who have the right to deferment or were discharged after the mobilisation law was passed. The effort, which Palisa said is in its final stages, could help respond to calls aired by both the Biden and Trump administrations that Ukraine could expand its manpower by lowering the conscription age. open image in gallery Pavlo Palisa said the defence of the state was the duty of every Ukrainian citizen ( Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. ) Ukraines President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has been adamantly opposed to implementing obligatory mobilisation starting from 18 years old, saying doing so would radically affect the future prospects of the war-weary country. As of now, my view is that we need to start an open dialogue with society, Palisa said. Because the defence of the state is not only the responsibility of the Armed Forces. It is the duty of every Ukrainian citizen, and it is their obligation. Palisa said his office, in collaboration with the Cabinet and the Ministry of Defense, is reviewing why mobilisation efforts have fallen short. We actually have a huge mobilisation resource. In my opinion, at the moment, it is greater than what we currently need to address certain tasks on the frontline," he said. The mechanism we currently have does not allow us to be as effective as we could be. Palisa was taken straight from the battlefield to the presidents office, and he sees his appointment as an attempt to tackle systemic issues within the military. Part of a new generation of Ukrainian military leadership, he was studying at the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College when Russia launched its full-scale invasion. He graduated remotely in the summer of 2022 while fighting on the frontline. He then commanded the 93rd Brigade Kholodnyi Yar, during the gruelling nine-month battle for Bakhmut. This is a unique opportunity to bring pressing military issues to the attention of the countrys top leadership, he said, adding that he intends to return to his battlefield role once his mission is complete. With Russia continuing to make incremental advances in the Donetsk region, some analysts have pointed to structural weaknesses in Ukraines command system and faltering communication between the units on the frontline as a key factor in its struggle to hold territory along the 620 mile frontline. Since the beginning of Moscow's full-scale invasion, Ukraines army has expanded significantly but years of resisting Russian advances has left little time for strategic management a gap that now threatens to jeopardise Ukraines chances of success. Palisa says there's an urgent need for reforms to improve coordination and effectiveness. (We need) to adapt the structure to the logic of modern warfare, which will allow us to be more effective and prevent us from making the same mistakes repeatedly, he said. This is what needs to be done. There is no other way. 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 Ukraine has praised Donald Trumps threat to Vladimir Putin to end the Russias invasion of Ukraine the hard way using tariffs and sanctions as sending a strong signal to the Kremlin. In his first major remarks on Ukraine after re-entering the White House, the US president urged Putin to settle now and stop this ridiculous war or face intensified sanctions, taxes and tariffs, adding: We can do it the easy way, or the hard way. Responding on Thursday, the Kremlin trioed to downplay the remarks, insisting it saw nothing particularly new in Mr Trumps threats with spokesperson Dmitry Peskov claiming that Moscow was ready for an equal and mutually respectful dialogue with the US. Earlier, Russias deputy UN ambassador Dmitry Polyansky had warned that Moscow would have to see what Trump thinks a deal to end the war in Ukraine actually means, adding that for the Kremlin it is first and foremost the question of addressing root causes of Ukrainian crisis. But Ukrainian officials welcomed Mr Trumps intervention, with foreign minister Andrii Sybiha hailing it as sending a strong signal to Moscow. In remarks at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Ukraines top diplomat said: We do really welcome such strong messages from President Trump and we believe that he will be the winner. And we believe that we have an additional chance to get new dynamic in diplomatic efforts to end this war. Speaking to The Independent, Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskys sanctions commissioner Vladyslav Vlasiuk said there are at least 10 areas which Mr Trump can look to target with sanctions in the coming months. These can be Russias fintech sector, companies involved in the development of e-ruble, central bank digital currency used as an alternative to the SWIFT international payment system Russia is already cut off from, and cryptocurrency payment systems, he said. Ukrainian servicemen of 26th artillery brigade load ammunition into a self-propelled howitzer "Bohdana" before firing towards Russian positions at the frontline in Donetsk region ( AP ) The exchange came as sources in the Kremlin briefed Reuters that Mr Putin believes key war goals in Russias special military operation in Ukraine have already been met, amid further claims that the Russian president is growing increasingly concerned about distortions in Russias wartime economy. Asked by reporters about the latter issue, Mr Peskov acknowledged there were problematic factors in Russias economy, but insisted that Moscow would be able to meet all military requirements incrementally, as well as all welfare and social needs. Also at Davos, Nato chief Mark Rutte warned that a Russian victory over Ukraine would greatly undermine the military alliances power and that stopping Putin from threatening members of the alliance would cost far more than supporting Kyiv now. It would cost trillions to restore Natos credibility in the event of a Russian victory, Mr Rutte warned, as he urged Kyivs backers not to scale back the support they are providing and claimed that Europe would be willing to foot the bill if Washington continues to supply Ukraine with arms. "If Ukraine loses then to restore the deterrence of the rest of Nato again, it will be a much, much higher price than what we are contemplating at this moment in terms of ramping up our spending and ramping up our industrial production," Mr Rutte said. "It will not be billions extra; it will be trillions extra". A resident stands in her flat in an apartment building hit by a Russian missile strike in Zaporizhzhia ( REUTERS ) "We have to change the trajectory of the war," Mr Rutte said, adding that the West "cannot allow in the 21st century that one country invades another country and tries to colonise it". "We are beyond those days," he said. On the ground, there were a further 115 clashes reported between Ukrainian and Russian forces along the frontline, Kyivs military said in its daily update on Thursday. As Mr Putins troops seeks to maximise their gains in eastern Ukraine, Kyivs military said Russia had fired more than 5,200 artillery shells and deployed close to 2,500 kamikaze drones on Wednesday, while carrying out airstrikes in Sumy, Chernihiv, Donetsk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia. In southern Zaporizhzhia, officials said at least one person was killed, dozens wounded and more than 20,000 residents left without power during a six-hour overnight attack by Russia using drones and cruise missiles. A two-month-old baby was among the wounded, Mr Zelensky said. Speaking to Reuters as he searched the gutted remains of his apartment, a 35-year-old named Serhiy described the attack, saying: I flew off the couch to get dressed, and, running to the cabinet, I was covered in debris, after which I climbed out and heard my wife screaming. 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 In the last few days, Wissam, 40, has seen dozens of decomposing bodies pulled from the rubble in Gaza in the desperate search for her missing husband. The Palestinian mother-of-four has also trawled through 2,000 photos of unidentified corpses killed in the 15-month war which have been diligently documented by Gazas medics in an album at her nearest main hospital. Since a ceasefire in the besieged strip came into effect on Sunday, first responders and families have finally been able to access areas closed off from the fighting. There, they have clawed through the destruction to retrieve decomposed remains, some so burned, shredded and in some instances half-chewed by wild animals that Wissam says she only checks the teeth. If they have any. But still, she has not been able to find Yousef, 43, who disappeared almost a year ago when he went to check on his mother, Fathia, whose body is also missing. Every day my children ask me, Where is daddy? Is he dead? Is he arrested? Is he coming home? she says, her voice cracking with pain. There are so many families in my position. I hope that someone can help with this disaster. Where are they? Since the start of the US and Qatari brokered ceasefire between Israel and militant group Hamas, dazed families across Gaza have made the long march through an avalanche of destruction to check on their homes, find their missing and finally bury their dead. Civilians and medics describe finding bones and skulls under flattened houses, digging out rotting corpses from bomb sites, and stumbling upon opened graves. Wissams family members, including her husband, who are missing in Gaza ( Wissam al-Jaloos ) Wissam and her family fled their home in Khan Younis to the so-called al-Mawasi humanitarian zone in late 2023. Youssef vanished last March when he went back to Khan Younis to check on his mother who was sheltering there with extended members of his family. Over a month after his disappearance, Wissam was able to reach neighbours who said their building was hit by an airstrike the night he arrived. When the Israeli forces withdrew from Khan Younis in April, rescue workers were able to retrieve 14 of the 19 family members believed to be there. Now there is a ceasefire, Wissam has returned again to try to find her husband, his two brothers, his mother and his nephew. When I came back to Khan Younis during the ceasefire, there were so many decomposing bodies that had been pulled recently from the rubble and from the streets. We could only check the teeth, she says, adding that she personally checked 33 bodies. Its impossible to describe. When they took out the bodies, there were kids whose faces had been partially eaten by dogs, she adds. I have looked through 2,000 photos of dead bodies to try to find him, in an album they have at Nasser Hospital. Right now, we cannot confirm their deaths they are just missing. Israel launched an unprecedented bombardment of Gaza in the wake of Hamas militants bloody attacks on 7 October 2023, when they took more than 250 people hostage, including children and killed over 1,200 people. Since then, the Palestinian health authorities say Israels assault has killed over 47,000 people and displaced more than 90 per cent of the 2 million-strong population. It has also levelled swathes of Gaza, with the United Nations estimating that 92 per cent of homes have been damaged or destroyed. Aya Aldaba was just 13 years old when she was shot dead by an Israeli sniper while getting water ( Lina Aldaba/The Independent ) In fact, a UN damage assessment released this month showed that it could take up to 21 years and cost up to $1.2bn (974m) just to clear away the more than 50 million tonnes of rubble left in the aftermath. But it can only really begin if this first six-week phase of the ceasefire holds. Under the three phases of the deal which started on Sunday, Israel must withdraw its troops from central Gaza and permit the return of Palestinians to the north during an initial six-week phase. At least 33 hostages will be freed in exchange for the release of Palestinian prisoners. Negotiations will also begin for the next few phases. In the pause, families have been desperately looking for their loved ones. Lina Aldaba says her beloved 13-year-old daughter Aya was killed in November 2023 by Israeli sniper fire as she tried to fill up a water jerrycan in the compound of Gaza City girls school the family were sheltering in. Lina says together with her son she was also shot trying to help the teenager. Israeli forces have denied targeting civilians, and maintain they abide by international law. Under heavy fire as Israels ground offensive pushed forward, Ayas family had to hastily bury her in a shallow grave, using the tops of school tables and pieces of concrete in the compound of the girls school. Lina says Israeli forces then stormed the school and ordered it to be evacuated immediately. During the truce, Ayas family members, who had fled further south, went back for the first time to give her a proper burial, only to find the grave open, with bones littering the ground. My uncle tried to find the burial place, but the grave was empty he found skull, legs, bones from her chest we think, and her hair scattered in and around the burial place, her mother says, sending photos of scattered human skeleton. We thought that maybe it was dogs that did it, but dogs do not dig or excavate like this, and they cant have opened the grave. The grave was well made, adds Ayas uncle Moein, believing Israeli forces likely opened it. Mohammed Kilani, 38, was shot as he tried to deliver food to families his body is still missing ( Ahmed Kilani ) Ahmed Kilani, 36, who was displaced from the northern city of Beit Lahia to Khan Younis, says that he also tried to find his brother Mohameds body during the truce. Mohamed was killed while trying to deliver food to families as he rode his bike between Beit Lahia and Beit Hanoun. Because of the intensity of the fighting, his body was left in the street for 22 days. None of our relatives were able to reach his body, and we were also advised not to risk our lives trying to retrieve it. A month later Mohamed was hastily buried by neighbours, but on Sunday, when the family went back to the spot, they couldnt find the body either the bombing had been so hard that the landscape was unrecognisable. Mohammed was a great brother. He is a great person, especially for my mother. Losing a brother is as difficult as losing a father, Ahmed says. Wissams hunt also continues. She says she has reached out to the Red Cross and other organisations to find out if her husband and the missing four relatives might have been arrested and that is why their bodies were not found. But she has hit a wall. I hope that someone could help with this disaster. So many families of the wounded, dead, and arrested dont have any information, she says with desperation. They are still looking for all these missing people and have no idea where are they? If they were killed, missing, arrested, injured we have no idea. 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 Israeli military says it has killed two Palestinian militants who carried out a deadly attack on a bus in the occupied West Bank earlier this month. The two men barricaded themselves in a structure in the West Bank village of Burqin and exchanged fire with Israeli troops before they were killed overnight, the Israeli military said. The army said a soldier was moderately wounded. Mohammed Nazzal and Katiba al-Shalabi were operatives with the Islamic Jihad militant group, the military said. The Hamas militant group released a statement which claimed the two men were members of its armed wing and praised the bus attack. Hamas and the smaller Islamic Jihad are allies that sometimes carry out attacks together. The bus attack on 6 January killed three people and wounded six others. open image in gallery People inspect the rubble of a house where two Palestinian militants were killed during an Israeli raid ( AFP via Getty Images ) It comesafter at least 10 Palestinians were killed during an Israeli raid in the West Bank. The raid, in the northern city of Jenin, wounded at least 40 people, Palestinian health officials said, in an operation which Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu said would be extensive and significant. The Israeli military said the aim of such a large-scale operation was to ensure militant groups are not rearming a few hundred metres from Israeli communities. The violence comes days after the start of a ceasefire in the war in Gaza, triggered by an attack by Hamas on 7 October that killed around 1,200 people and saw another 250 taken hostage. Israels retaliatory offensive inside Gaza has killed 47,000 Palestinians, according to health ministry officials in the enclave. Israel captured the West Bank in the 1967 Mideast war. The Palestinians want it to form the main part of their future state. open image in gallery Israeli soldiers transfer Palestinian men arrested during a military raid on Jenin on Wednesday ( AFP via Getty Images ) Meanwhile, Israels ambassador to the United States said the two countries are in talks about the Israeli withdrawal from Lebanon as a deadline in the ceasefire with Hezbollah militants approaches. Michael Herzog said in an interview with Israeli Army Radio on Thursday that he believed Israel would reach an understanding with the Trump administration, without elaborating. Israeli media have previously reported that Israel is seeking to postpone the completion of its pullout. Under the US-brokered ceasefire that ended more than a year of fighting linked to the war in the Gaza Strip, Israeli forces are supposed to complete their withdrawal from southern Lebanon by Sunday. Israel had reportedly agreed with the Biden administration to stay longer but President Donald Trump is urging it to withdraw on time. There was no immediate comment from the United States. Israeli officials have said Lebanese troops are not deploying fast enough in the areas Israeli troops are supposed to vacate. Under the ceasefire, the Lebanese army is to patrol a buffer zone in southern Lebanon alongside United Nations peacekeepers. Hezbollah has threatened to resume its rocket and drone fire if Israel does not withdraw on time. The Associated Press contributed to this report A former US national security advisor has warned Elon Musk has a shelf life with Donald Trump. John Bolton, former assistant to the President for National Security Affairs, compared Musk to Rex Tillerson, who was Trumps Secretary of State during his first term in office. Mr Bolton gave the warning when he appeared on ITVs Peston show on Wednesday night (22 January). Mr Bolton said: In the first term, Tillerson was sec of state, he had been the CEO of Exxon but having the CEO of Exxon work for Donald Trump was very heavy. A US Capitol rioter who was nicknamed the "Maga granny" by social media users has said she is refusing Donald Trump's pardon over the events of January 6, 2021, something she described as a slap in the face to the rule of law. Pamela Hemphill, 71, was sentenced to 60 days in prison after pleading guilty to a misdemeanor charge in the attack. Her refusal to accept Trump's gesture came after the 47th president granted clemency on his first day back in office to more than 1,500 supporters charged with crimes connected to the attack. "Maga is a cult," Hemphill concluded in an interview with Sky News on Wednesday (22 January). Donald Trumps former senior advisor believes Elon Musks tweets have damaged the presidents view of Nigel Farage. The Tesla boss hit out at the UK politician on X, formerly Twitter, recently, saying he wasnt fit enough to lead the Reform party. The presidents ex advisor Bryan Lanza said Trump will listen to Musk and his views will have an impact, when he appeared on ITVs Peston on Wednesday (22 January). Mr Lanza said: He puts a lot of weight in things of people who have created things. Nigel Farage is a much smaller person in Trumps eyes than he was two weeks ago as a result of Elons tweet and engagement on this issue. Migrants stranded in Mexico after Donald Trump's crackdown on entry to the US have spoken of their fears for safety. One of Trump's executive orders declared a national emergency at the southern border between the United States and Mexico, allowing his administration to quickly gain access to federal funding for the border wall. Trump has also disabled the CBP One app effective immediately, leaving families waiting for appointments at the border in the lurch as their appointments were suddenly cancelled. Speaking on Tuesday (21 January) in border city Ciudad Juarez, one day after the 47th president's inauguration, Venezuelan migrant Jesus Quevedo, who had his now-canceled CBP One appointment scheduled for 27 January 27, said he knew of stories of kidnapping and extortion against migrants. 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 Yellow weather warnings for rain will continue into Tuesday after Storm Herminia caused disruption across large parts of England and Wales. The Met Office predicted heavy blustery showers and thunderstorms as it issued three weather warnings across the south of England and Wales. A rain warning covering southwest Wales and the West Midlands will continue until 9pm. Follow our live blog for all the latest weather updates open image in gallery Met Office weather warnings will continue into Tuesday morning ( Met Office ) These warnings were attributed to the latest low-pressure system - dubbed Storm Herminia by Spanish forecasters - which came hot on the heels of Storm Eowyn. The Met Office said: The system did not meet the criteria to be named by the Met Offices storm naming group, which includes Met Eireann and KNMI. Nevertheless, Storm Herminia battered the UK. The forecaster recorded 84mph gusts of wind in the Isle of Wight, while 59.4mm of rainfall was recorded in Seathwaite, Cumbria. Somerset declared a major incident on Monday morning after overnight flooding wreaked havoc in the region and more than 100 people were evacuated from their homes. The yellow rain warning across Wales and the West Midlands predicts some places seeing as much as 40mm of rain on top of a widespread 20 to 30mm of rain expected, as well as isolated totals of 50 to 60mm through Tuesday before rain and showers begin to ease in the evening. As of Tuesday morning, there were 37 flood warnings in place, mostly for the south-west of England, as well as 171 flood alerts. Some places could see up to 80mm of rainfall over the period from two separate spells of heavy rain and thundery showers, while 10 to 20mm should fall quite widely and 30 to 50mm could fall over high ground, the Met Office said. open image in gallery 32 flood warnings and 171 flood alerts are in place across England and Wales ( Gov.uk ) Flooding to homes and businesses could occur in the warning area, with power cuts and difficult driving conditions also possible. There is also a small chance of fast-flowing or deep floodwater causing danger to life, the Met Office said. Meteorologist Marco Petagna said: Things are going to stay unsettled in the next few days. Were getting successive spells of wet and windy weather, which is obviously adding to impacts. While not as powerful as Storm Eowyn, a low-pressure system was named Storm Herminia by meteorologists in Spain which was expected to feel the strongest winds. Tuesday is forecast to see further heavy showers in the south with a risk of thunder. Longer spells of rain in the North West are expected to ease later. The wet and windy weather will remain in the south on Wednesday, and more settled conditions will be present later in the week. Central Bank is on a journey towards crypto acceptance says Coinbase VP, as digital exchange expands Irish HQ with eye on Europe Crypto exchange executive says the CBI approach to digital currency is robust, but holds his tongue on the Trump memecoins Tom Duff Gordon of Coinbase John Burns in Davos Thu 23 Jan 2025 at 03:30 The Central Bank governor could hardly have been more dismissive: unbacked crypto assets were Ponzi schemes rather than investments. Gucci is renowned for its high-priced handbags. Photo: Getty Pre-tax profits at the Irish operations of Gucci one of the worlds best-known luxury brands increased by 56pc to 325,817 in 2023. This followed revenues rising by 2pc from 5.46m to 5.58m in the 12 months to the end of December 2023. However, in accounts for Gucci Ireland Ltd, the directors pointed out that across the 12 months, revenues declined as the prior period only covered 10 months. In 2023, the luxury markets development was closely related to the geopolitical, public health and macro-economic context, the directors stated. The brand is renowned for its range of high-priced handbags. On the companys future developments, the directors said: We continue to work towards increasing our market share by focusing on the achievement of an organic growth on the existing stores network, providing an excellent retail experience to our customers and optimising the merchandise available for sale, along with investing in our current store portfolio. The company continues to explore opportunities for new retail stores Numbers employed at the business increased by one to 14 and staff costs rose from 419,516 to 505,274. The profit takes account of non-cash depreciation of 96,885 while lease charges increased from 921,607 to 965,808. Separate accounts filed by the Irish arm of another well-known clothing brand, Hugo Boss, showed that their pre-tax profits more than halved to 674,331 in 2023. This followed revenues at Hugo Boss Ireland Ltd decreasing by 4pc from 19.83m to 19.08m. In the accounts, the directors stated that turnover in 2023 was split into 33pc from wholesale, 54pc from retail, and the remaining 13pc from e-commerce. The accounts showed that 10.36m was generated in retail, 6.128m in wholesale and 2.43m in online sales. On the 4pc decrease in revenues, the directors said that overall, the total business met managements expectations in terms of both sales and profitability. The directors said the company is looking to expand here. The company continues to explore opportunities for new retail stores in markets with our desired demographic, invest in its portfolio, focus on key performance indicators to drive productivity and maximise profit opportunities within our distribution channels, they said. Numbers employed by the firm decreased from 57 to 56 as staff costs increased from 1.27m to 1.56m. The UK pub and restaurant group also announced their sales for the previous year which saw a positive growth during the Christmas period UK pub and restaurant group JD Wetherspoon has seen their mean gender pay gap in Ireland go down to almost half of what was reported in 2023. The pay gap for hourly remuneration has gone down from 7.56pc to 3.6pc among the groups 502 employees in the country. Of our workforce in Ireland, 50pc is female. In a majority of positions where both females and males are represented, females receive a rate of pay either equal to or higher than that of males, the company reported in their gender pay gap report. There are, however, fewer females in management roles which contributes to the calculated mean pay gap of 3.6pc. A gender pay gap looks at the actual pay of men and women on average regardless of different roles and ranks. The mean gender pay gap is the difference between the average hourly pay for women in an organisation, compared to the average hourly rate of pay for men. This is in sharp contrast to other major sectors in the country. At the end of last year, the Irish Independent found the gender pay gap in some of the countrys top law firms increased to nearly 60pc. Accountancy firm PwC reported last year that the largest gender pay gap in Ireland was seen in the legal profession (35.1pc), aviation (33.5pc), insurance (22.9pc), banking (18.9pc) and the construction sector (21pc). JD Wetherspoon announced their sales in Ireland and the UK have increased by over 5pc in the 25 weeks leading up to January 19 compared to the same period in the previous year. The company saw a boost during Christmas with bar sales increasing by 4.5pc and food sales by 5.6pc. In 2023, the company announced they would focus on Dublin and Belfast after they sold their pubs in Cork, Waterford, Galway and Carlow for an asking price of 10m. In October last year, Cork Beo reported the sale of their restaurant, the Linen Weaver, in Cork city centre was close to complete and that staff were told to look for alternative work. Speaking about their outlook for this year, Wetherspoon chairman Tim Martin spoke about his concerns over the UK governments wage increases and the impact it will have on the labour costs of their business. From 1 April, 2025, labour-related costs at Wetherspoon will increase by around 60m (71m) per annum. The company is confident of a reasonable outcome for the year, although forecasting is more difficult, given the extent of the increased costs. A significant initial investment of 1.4bn will be made in a planned 450MW windfarm with 30 turbines over 1,000 foot high in the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Co Clare and Co Galway. That is according to new planning documents lodged with An Bord Pleanala concerning Fuinneamh Sceirde Teorantas planned Sceirde Rocks Windfarm on waters located 5km to 11.5km off the coast, with Carna in Galway the nearest settlement. On the economic and social benefits of the project, MKO Planning and Environmental Consultants stated the significant initial investment of around 1.4bn will be in a rural coastal area, in the offshore renewable energy industry, which is essential for diversifying the energy sector, contributing to the revitalisation of the rural economy and delivering on climate and energy targets. The report states that during the lifetime of the proposed development it is expected around 2.4bn will be spent on development, construction, operation and decommissioning. Companies and organisations in Co Galway are estimated to be awarded contracts worth approximately 430m, with further contracts worth 587m to the Atlantic region and 708m nationally. MKO state that during the construction phase, 610 jobs will be created, generating 53m gross value added (GVA) in Ireland. The development and construction process of an offshore windfarm is a labour-intensive process, they say, which provides high-skilled construction, engineering and maritime employment. The planning report states that in an average year, the operational expenditure on the proposed development is expected to support 130 jobs and 8m GVA per annum in Ireland. In light of the ambition to develop the offshore wind energy sector in Ireland, the proposed offshore windfarm will serve as a pathway project for future offshore wind projects off the west coast and beyond, according to MKO. The project is the first offshore windfarm off Irelands west coast to go through to An Bord Pleanala for planning permission and will generate enough power for 350,000 Irish homes, save an estimated 550,000 tonnes of CO2 per year and invest up to 70m in local community initiatives. The applicant company is a joint venture between the Australian-based Macquarie Group and global infrastructure investor, the Ontario Teachers Pension Plan Board. Irelands audiovisual sector contributed just over 1bn in gross value add every year for the economy between 2021 and 2023, according to a new report published today by Screen Ireland. The report shows that live action production continues to be the biggest contributor to the sectors economy, providing 159m in direct gross value add (GVA) every year and a total annual figure of almost 413m. The audiovisual sector had a direct annual GVA of just under 533m each year between 2021 and 2023. It directly supported 10,450 full-time jobs and a total of just under 16,000 in total, according to the report prepared for Screen Ireland by Alma Economics. In the past number of years, Ireland has been the home to a slew of international productions for TV and cinema, including Vikings, Wednesday, Bad Sisters, Foundation, and Anniversary. Screen productions made in Ireland attract a 32pc tax credit, of whichever is the lowest of either eligible expenditure, 80pc of total qualifying film production costs, or 125m. Shortages in key production roles are hampering the Irish screen sectors capacity But despite the strength of the sector in Ireland, people and firms interviewed for the report noted that there remains critical skills gaps in specialised roles, such as production accounting and editing, as well as a strong need for creative talent, particularly writers and directors experienced in Irish language projects. The shortage of experienced and skilled staff across the sector means that there remains a reliance on international crews. A majority of [individual] respondents felt that role shortages have stretched existing crew capacity in Ireland, which are having wide-ranging impacts, notes the report. They noted that shortages in key roles in the production department limit the Irish screen sectors capacity for good quality, local productions, it adds. Such impacts are disproportionately felt by respondents in regional areas, given the concentration of production infrastructure, services and funding support in hubs such as Dublin and Wicklow. Last month, planning permission was granted for a large production facility in the capital, called Dublin Fields. Its expected to lead to the creation of as many as 2,800 direct jobs. Last year, the managing director of Wicklow-based Ardmore and Limericks Troy Studios, Elaine Geraghty, said the removal of regional tax credits for productions had hammered Troy Studios business. The report also notes that Irelands visual effects sector has had significant success in recent years, working on projects such as Marvel Studios WandaVision and Spider-Man: No Way Home. On his second day back in office, US president Donald Trump issued a full pardon to Ross Ulbricht, the founder of dark-web marketplace Silk Road. While campaigning, Trump had pledged to free Ulbricht as part of a raft of promises made to the cryptocurrency community. Trump announced the move in a post to his social media platform, saying he had phoned Ulbrichts mother to say it was his pleasure to sign the pardon in honour of her and the libertarian movement, which supported me so strongly. Ulbricht was once known by his online pseudonym Dread Pirate Roberts a character from the film The Princess Bride. In 2011, he founded Silk Road, an online exchange that enabled users to anonymously buy and sell illegal goods and services using crypto currencies. During the two years it was in operation, more than 200m worth of illicit activity principally drugs flowed through the site, according to the US Department of Justice. I thought that was OK too, because I believed drugs should be legalised Libertarian activists argue that Ulbrichts sentence was an example of government overreach. Ulbricht (40) grew up in Austin, Texas, and holds degrees in physics and materials science from the University of Texas and Pennsylvania State University, according to a website dedicated to the so-called Free Ross campaign. Convicted in 2015, Ulbricht was given a double life sentence without the possibility of parole for drug trafficking, conspiracy to commit computer hacking and money laundering. Prosecutors said he tried to arrange five murders to protect his business, but didnt believe any murders were carried out. Ulbricht was incarcerated in a federal prison in Tucson, Arizona, and twice unsuccessfully appealed his sentence. At the time of his arrest, it was considered novel to prosecute someone for running a marketplace website, according to Preston Byrne, managing partner of law firm Byrne & Storm. Pardoning Ulbricht was a way for Trump to curry favour with the crypto industry and libertarian voters. Crypto advocates, including some of bitcoins original developers, have long championed a campaign to free Ulbricht. His case appealed to crypto supporters because Silk Road was the first example of bitcoins effectiveness as a censorship-resistant transactional system at scale, according to Mr Byrne. He added that Trump saying hed free Ulbricht sent the message that he was taking input not only from industry titans but also from true believers. Crypto traders also raised constitutional concerns over Ulbrichts lengthy imprisonment for a non-violent crime. If you vote for me, on day one I will commute the sentence of Ross Ulbricht, Trump said in a speech in May 2024 at the Libertarian Party convention. Hes already served 11 years. Were gonna get him home. Among Trumps other crypto pledges was the creation of a strategic bitcoin reserve and a promise to immediately fire Gary Gensler, the then chair of the Securities and Exchange Commission. Under Genslers tenure, the financial watchdog led several enforcement actions against crypto companies. He stepped down on January 20 Trumps first day in office having announced his departure in November 2024. While imprisoned, Ulbricht maintained contact with the outside world through letters, blog posts, and a managed account on Elon Musks social media platform X. He remains a staunch advocate for bitcoin, not least because of how the crypto community rallied to his cause. To believers, Ulbricht embodies the original ethos behind bitcoin that it was intended as a digital payments ecosystem free from government oversight and rooted in cyberlibertarianism, a movement that views any attempt to interfere with technological development as antithetical to freedom. Much more is being said about bitcoin these days than when I was put in prison, Ulbricht wrote in 2022, the text of which appeared on his blog in April 2024. I thought I was putting bitcoin to good use and giving people privacy and freedom. When illegal drugs were listed, I thought that was OK too, because I believed drugs should be legalised. Nevermind [sic] that they were outlawed and I was risking everything I held dear. Metas fudge on fact-checking will make life harder, says head of online watchdog Regulatory body Appeals Centre Europe will use patterns in user complaints to raise the spectre of massive fines 'We gather up all of the decisions that we take and then its up to the regulator to take that information and interpret it and to draw conclusions,' says Thomas Hughes (left) Adrian Weckler Thu 23 Jan 2025 at 03:30 Mark Zuckerbergs Trump-style makeover could cause more challenges in Ireland than just the 5pc of staff cuts for targeted underperformers. Penneys / Primark has cut its sales forecasts after the retail chain's UK shops were knocked by "cautious" shoppers and unfavourable weather. Parent firm Associated British Foods (ABF) revealed a slump in sales in the UK in recent months amid continued pressure on household budgets. It told investors on Thursday that it is targeting "low single-digit" sales growth for the brand in 2025. In November, the company had said it expected "mid single-digit growth". ABF's retail business, which is predominantly the Primark brand, saw sales nudge 0.4pc lower to 3.36bn for the 16 weeks to January 4. This was a rise of 1.9pc on a constant currency basis. Primark said sales in the UK and Ireland declined by 4pc, with a like-for-like drop of 6pc. Growth over Christmas was dragged back by "weaker autumn trading in a challenging retail environment" across the UK. It said demand from some shoppers was "weak as a result of cautious consumer sentiment" while mild autumn weather impacted sales of items such as coats and jackets over October and November. The group said Primark's weakness in the UK was partly offset by gains in Spain, Portugal, France, Italy and the US. ABF, which also runs large grocery, sugar and agriculture divisions, revealed that total sales across the conglomerate slipped by 2.2pc to 6.73bn for the 16-week period. The grocery arm, which owns brands including Ryvita, Twinings and Pataks, saw sales fall 1.8pc to 1.39bn. It said good growth from international brands, including Twinings and Ovaltine, was partly offset by declines in certain US and UK-focused brands. In the UK, overall sales declined due to weaker sales from its Allied Bakeries arm, which makes Kingsmill bread. Sugar sales dropped by 6pc for the period after the group was knocked by tumbling sugar prices in Europe. A fifth of Irish retail workers experience abusive language and behaviour from the public on a weekly basis, with a portion of them saying their treatment was violent, aggressive or threatening and involved discriminatory language. A survey of 500 retail staff by Circle K, Maxol and Mr Price, found women were significantly more likely to suffer from abusive customers. It found 75pc of female respondents experienced violent or abusive behaviour, compared to 60pc of men. Younger staff between the ages of 18 and 24 were also found to have experienced abusive behaviour more than people over the age of 55. However, 83pc of people agreed that a majority of their customers are kind and respectful. A majority of them (86pc) feel they would be supported by their employers if they experienced abusive behaviour. Any level of harassment towards retail staff is an enormous concern. The survey highlighted some very serious issues, including incidence of physical assault and verbal abuse, that retail workers have had to contend with, said Arnold Dillon, director of Retail Ireland. The consequences for staff are very real, including mental health issues, burnout and increased absence. It is crucial that everything is done to make the sector an attractive place to work. Business, government and all of us individually have a part to play in supporting retail employees and together addressing the problem. The study comes as a part of the Kindness Week campaign, led by Circle K, Maxol and Mr Price to respond to such treatment of their employees and to encourage respectful behaviour. In recent years we have seen an increase in unacceptable behaviour towards our teams which prompted Circle K Europe to launch a Kindness Day initiative two years ago, said Ciara Foxton, managing director of Circle K Ireland. Maxol CEO Brian Donaldson added: Our teams work tirelessly to serve communities across Ireland and they deserve to be treated with respect. While the vast majority of our loyal customers engage with kindness, this campaign serves as an important reminder that courtesy should always be the standard, not the exception. Over 373,200 people work in the retail sector in Ireland, according to the most recent Central Statistics Office data from 2020. The study also found three quarters of retail staff in Ireland have seen or heard abusive or inappropriate language or behaviour directed towards a colleague at work. The retail workers who have witnessed colleagues experiencing abusive or inappropriate language in 2024 said the most common behaviour included foul language (76pc), discriminatory language (38pc), violent, aggressive or threatening behaviour (39pc), and physical contact (12pc). Edel McSorley, operations director with Mr Price, thanked the employees who participated in the study. This Kindness Week, were joining forces with retailers across the sector to highlight the importance of treating retail staff with respect and kindness. Lets continue to build a culture of kindness together, where everyone feels valued and appreciated, she said. President Donald Trump has told delegates in Davos that he got an investment project approved in Ireland within one week, but then faced a five- to six-year wait for EU approval. Speaking to the World Economic Forum (WEF) by video link, Trump did not identify the big project but said Irish authorities had given approval efficiently. But I was told I had to get approval from the EU too, and it would take five to six years, he said, in response to a question about whether there is too much regulation in Europe. New EU Commissioner Michael McGrath says consumer and political protections must be updated for the digital age Freedom of expression not under threat, but tricks on apps that make shoppers buy more or social media algorithms that amplify favoured political views will be looked at, he says Michael McGrath John Burns, Davos Thu 23 Jan 2025 at 11:12 The European Commissioner Michael McGrath says work being done on a new Digital Fairness Act is designed to stop EU consumers being tricked and exploited. Mr McGrath said that dynamic pricing, especially for concerts, plus automatic renewal of online subscriptions, will be two issues he will consider. Dick Van Dyke has revealed his secret to staying fit and healthy at the age of 99 is that he still goes to the gym three times a week. The US actor, who rose to fame starring in Mary Poppins and Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, is still working having appeared in a Coldplay music video last month. Ahead of his upcoming 100th birthday on December 13, Van Dyke said he plans to host a big party to celebrate. I go back to 1925, Im almost 100. This is insane, he told fellow actors, Ted Danson and his wife Mary Steenburgen, on their Where Everybody Knows Your Name podcast. Im going to have a big party. Reflecting on how he maintains his health, he said: Somebody said, To what do you attribute your age and physical condition? and I said, Ive always exercised. Three days a week, we go to the gym, still. Three days a week. And I think that is it. The Good Place star Danson recalled seeing Van Dyke at a gym when he lived in Malibu, saying: If I got there early enough I would see you literally work out on some weight machine. Then, almost like you were doing circuit training, you would not walk to the next machine, you danced. You literally danced to the next machine and I watched that for a couple of weeks. Van Dykes wife Arlene Silver added: He still does that. Danson added that when he asked Van Dyke about his routine at the time, the veteran actor told him that after his gym session he would go home to swim before getting back into bed to take a nap. Discussing his workouts, Van Dyke said he does a lot of stretching and yoga as well as using weighted machines in the gym. Last month the actor had to flee his home in Malibu after a wildfire broke out in the the area. Arlene and I have safely evacuated with our animals except for Bobo escaped as we were leaving, he wrote on his official Facebook page in December. Were praying hell be ok and that our community in Serra Retreat will survive these terrible fires. His 99th birthday was marked by the release of a trimmed version of Coldplays music video for All My Love, which stars Van Dyke and was shot at his Malibu home. In the full directors cut released in December, the actor says: Im acutely aware that I could go any day now, but I dont know why, it doesnt concern me, Im not afraid of it. I have that feeling, totally against anything intellectual I have, that Im going to be all right. Van Dykes career has spanned more than seven decades and earned him an array of awards including four Emmys, a Tony for Bye Bye Birdie and a Grammy for the Mary Poppins soundtrack. He was inducted into the Television Hall Of Fame in 1995 and has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. All politicians, even the ones whose goals are honourable, have flaws and unpleasant character traits of greater or lesser consequence. John F Kennedy was a serial womaniser who reportedly told British Prime Minister Harold Macmillan he got terrible headaches if he went more than three days without having sex. Winston Churchill held racist views about some nationalities although in that respect, he was no different from many men of his generation and social upbringing. Charles J Haughey was a fraud and a hypocrite who told the rest of us to don hairshirts while his own were handmade from silk. As for Donald Trump... well, take your pick. Sometimes you long for real politicians to be more like the fictional ones we see on TV. And sometimes youre grateful theyre not. Here, in no order of preference, are 10 of the most memorable. Josiah Jed Bartlet: The West Wing Often stubborn, yet principled, courageous, righteous and honest (except when concealing his MS from the public), Bartlet, played by Martin Sheen, is most often cited as the fictional US president many Americans wish were real. Jim Hacker: Yes, Minister/Yes, Prime Minister Paul Eddington as the bumbling Hacker, who lucks his way up to the very top of the political ladder, and Nigel Hawthorne as his wily permanent secretary Sir Humphrey Appleby were one of comedys great pairings. It was Margaret Thatchers favourite TV series. Full marks to writers Jonathan Lynn and Antony Jay for squeezing a laugh out of a woman with no detectable sense of humour. Francis Urquhart: House of Cards Im opting for the brilliant Ian Richardson as the suave, scheming, murderous Urquhart in the BBC original over Kevin Spaceys Frank Underwood, whod descended into silly cartoon villainy in the Netflix remake long before the actors fall from grace derailed the series. Richard Monckton: Washington: Behind Closed Doors President Richard M Monckton? Sounds a lot like President Richard M Nixon. Its meant to. Based on the novel The Company by John Ehrlichman, Nixons counsel and a key figure in the Watergate scandal, this classy 70s miniseries is a fictionalised retelling of the whole grubby business. Jason Robards as Monckton superbly captured the real Tricky Dickies shiftiness and paranoia. Selina Meyer: Veep Julia Louis-Dreyfus sparkled as hapless Vice-President, and later President, Selina Meyer in Armando Iannuccis scathingly funny political satire. It does for politics in the US what his The Thick of It did for the UK variety. Alan Bstard: The New Statesman Rik Mayall, in a part written especially for him, gave the comedy performance of his career as the most venal, greedy, ruthless, dishonest, amoral, sexually deviant MP ever to stalk Parliament in Laurence Marks and Maurice Grans hilarious anti-Tory sitcom, which was both wildly over the top and viciously satirical. The Simpsons' Mayor Quimby Diamond Joe Quimby: The Simpsons Equal parts inept and corrupt, Springfields womanising mayor is based on Ted Kennedy. Dan Castellaneta nails the distinctive pahk yah cah in the yahd Boston accent. Harry Perkins: A Very British Coup Ray McAnally arguably gave his best ever screen performance in a miniseries thriller based on Chris Mullins novel. He plays the working class, very left-wing leader of Britains Labour Party who is unexpectedly elected prime minister. Harrys radical plans upset the establishment, putting more than just his career in danger. Clay Davis: The Wire As rotten to the core as, er, a rotten apple, the bribe-hungry Maryland senator, played by Isiah Whitlock Jr, managed to make corruption funny, not least because of his comically elongated pronunciation of shit as sheeeeee-it!. Tom Kirkman: Designated Survivor Kirkman, played by Kiefer Sutherland, was an immediately sympathetic character: a lowly politician, stuck with the unglamourous housing department, and 13th in the line of succession to the president, who is thrust into the big job when a bomb at the Capitol Building wipes out the entire government. Behind-the-scenes look at election process is well-timed after recent TD pandemonium Mahbooba Faiz, whos lived in Ireland since 2021 after she and her family were forced to flee Afghanistan, values our free democracy. Photo: RTE/Loosehorse Timing is important in politics. Its also important in broadcasting. Doubly important, in fact, when the topic of the programme is politics. It could be regarded as unfortunate that Election (RTE One, tonight, 10.15pm, and RTE Player) should arrive the day after the eruption of the worst pandemonium seen inside the Dail chamber in living memory. An outsider who assumed that this hallowed space was where reasoned, nuanced, respectful, grown-up political debate unfolds will have been comprehensively disabused of that notion. Then again, theres another way of looking at it. After Wednesdays ructions, maybe an inspiring paean to the power of democracy is just what we need right now. Theres something blackly funny about the documentary opening with former Ceann Comhairle Sean O Fearghail fondly reflecting on the pleasures, challenges and demands of the job hes just vacated. The Chair must always be able to lower the temperature, he says. If his still fresh-out-of-the-box replacement Verona Murphy is watching, shell wince. The inexperienced Murphy, who landed the well-paying job as part of the deal thats supposedly not a deal brokered by the reptilian Michael Lowry, completely lost control of the chamber. She resembled a rookie replacement teacher whod been thrown into the bearpit of a classroom full of secondary-school students with the scent of fresh blood in their nostrils. Viewers already fed up to the back teeth with politics might be inclined to give Election a wide berth. That would also be unfortunate. While it doesnt break any new ground and isnt the most exciting hour of television youll see this week, this peek behind the curtain, as narrator Ardal OHanlon puts it, at the last general election, is a perfectly serviceable documentary. Mercifully, O Fearghails brief contribution aside, actual politicians are pretty much kept in the background. Theres no tedious tramping behind candidates as they knock on doors or kiss babies. As many of you will no doubt be glad to hear, media figures are also kept to a minimum. There are brief contributions from a couple of print journalists covering the election and a glimpse of David McCullagh, wearing a T-shirt instead of the usual suit, in the radio studio. We see Upfront presenter Katie Hannon as she gets ready for the 10-leader TV debate. You do have to be a bit school teacherly about it, she says of keeping the leaders in line. Maybe they should make her Ceann Comhairle. The primary focus is on the nuts and bolts of the election process and the people who make that process happen: the voters, of course, but also the people who count the votes and the ones who ensure the whole thing is conducted properly and in line with the law, such as presiding officer Aidan Weir, who, accompanied by a garda, brings the vote to nursing home residents who are unable to make it to polling stations. First-time voter Sophie Abbas. Photo: RTE/Loosehorse Teenagers Sean McCooey and Sophie Abbas, who turned 18 a week before the election, were voting for the first time. Countering the lazy argument that Gen Z is shallow and cares about nothing, both of them were genuinely excited by the prospect. Neither could be more excited, however, than Cork county returning officer Sinead McNamara, who gets such a buzz from the crackling tension of vote-counting that she cant understand why more people dont get involved. Then theres Paralegal Mahbooba Faiz, her husband Hassan and their young son Sherwin, who had no choice but to flee for their lives from Afghanistan in 2021. Shes proud their son is growing up in a country where everyone, including his mother, can vote. Its enough to stop a hardened old cynic in their tracks. Rating: Three stars Farmers in tractors make their way along the A303 near Micheldever Station, Hampshire during a national tractor rally organised by Farmers To Action, calling for the scrapping of the changes to inheritance tax (IHT) rules, fairness in food pricing and national food security to protect and promote domestic food production. Picture date: Friday January 10, 2025. (Photo by Andrew Matthews/PA Images via Getty Images) Rachel Reevess tax raid on farmers is putting Britains food security at risk and must be paused, Tesco has warned. Britains biggest supermarket said the Government should halt the introduction of inheritance tax on farms worth more than 1m in order to safeguard British agriculture. Ashwin Prasad, Tescos chief commercial officer, wrote in a blog: This is not just a debate about individual policies the UKs future food security is at stake. Tesco was one of three major supermarkets to call for a rethink of the policy on Wednesday, with similar warnings issued by Aldi and Lidl in an unusual show of unity by major grocers. The three retailers collectively represent around 45pc of the British grocery market and their warnings about the impact of Labours tax raid significantly raises pressure on the Government. Asda and Morrisons have already backed farmers in the row. Sainsburys has urged ministers to listen to the concerns of farmers about the tax changes. Under plans announced by the Chancellor in her Budget last year, farms worth more than 1m will be liable for 20pc inheritance tax from April 2026. Agricultural businesses were previously exempt from death taxes. The policy has provoked a huge backlash from farmers, who claim it will force them to sell off or shut down businesses. Tractors descended on Westminster in November in protest over the tax raid. Mr Prasad said Tesco fully understood farmers concerns and said they desperately need more certainty. He said: After years of policy change, it has been harder than ever for them to plan ahead or to invest in their farms. Its why well be supporting the National Farmers Unions calls for a pause in the implementation of the policy, while a full consultation is carried out. Lidl said it was concerned that the recent changes to the Inheritance Tax (IHT) regime will impact farmer and grower confidence and hold back the investment needed to build a resilient, productive and sustainable British food system. The German supermarket called for a full consultation. It said: We will be raising our concerns with the Government at any opportunity we get. Aldi also backed calls for a pause. It said: We all need a farming sector that can confidently invest in its future and continue to produce high-quality British food. British farms produce around 60pc of the food consumed across the country, including most of the cereals, meat, dairy and eggs we eat. Ministers have claimed that the tax changes will only affect a small group of farmers. Steve Reed, the Environment Secretary, wrote in The Telegraph in November: Small family farms will not be affected. Only about 500 estates a year will pay more under the new scheme than they do today. Those figures have been rejected by the NFU, which has argued that 75pc of farm businesses could be impacted. The Central Association of Agricultural Valuers has estimated that 2,500 farmers a year will be hit by the overhaul, five times as many as official estimates. The Treasury did not immediately respond to requests for comment. However, it has previously said: Our commitment to farmers remains steadfast we have committed 5bn to the farming budget over two years, including more money than ever for sustainable food production, alongside our New Deal for Farmers to deliver a profitable farming sector and unlock rural growth. Our reform to Agricultural and Business Property Relief will mean farmers will pay a reduced inheritance tax rate of 20pc rather than the standard 40pc, and payments can be spread over 10 years, interest-free. This is a fair and balanced approach, which fixes the public services we all rely on, affecting around 500 estates a year. Telegraph.co.uk I feel seen and heard for the first time, says Natasha OBrien as attacker ex-soldier Cathal Crotty jailed Crotty beat Natasha OBrien unconscious on Limerick street, but initially received a suspended sentence 'I'm relieved I can put this behind me and I can move forward says Natasha OBrien as attacker Cathal Crotty is sent to jail Eoin Reynolds Thu 23 Jan 2025 at 13:48 Natasha OBrien said she felt seen and heard for the first time in an Irish court, as her attacker Cathal Crotty began a two-year jail sentence. Freddie Thompson told he can move prison assault trial but not to Dublin Thompson claimed his life is under threat from the Hutch crime family over his conviction for the murder of David Douglas Freddie Thompson Robin Schiller Thu 23 Jan 2025 at 17:32 Convicted killer Freddie Thompson can move his prison assault trial to Tullamore but his pleas to have the case held in Dublin on security grounds have been rejected. Taoiseach Micheal Martin has appointed his Cabinet, with major changes having taken place as Jim OCallaghan received the justice portfolio and James Browne becomes Housing Minister. Ms McEntee will be Minister for Education and Youth, while Paschal Donohoe has been appointed Minister for Finance. Darragh OBrien will be Transport and Energy Minister, passing the housing brief to James Browne. Dara Calleary will take over from Heather Humphreys in Social Protection. The Ceann Comhairle Verona Murphy this morning ruled that the Regional Technical Group of Independent TDs would not be permitted to sit in the Opposition benches today. It cleared the way for the formal nomination of Mr Martin, following a day of chaos in Leinster House. Key updates Micheal Martin formally becomes Taoiseach Cabinet tips: who is expected to receive ministerial roles today? Regional Independents not allowed on Opposition benches for today, clearing way for election of taoiseach Dail witnessed 'stunt politics on speed' - Harris Election of a new Taoiseach, take two Maeve McTaggart Here is the full Cabinet: Simon Harris as Tanaiste, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Minister for Defence. as Tanaiste, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Minister for Defence. Paschal Donohoe as Minister for Finance as Minister for Finance Jack Chambers as Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation as Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation Helen McEntee as Minister for Education and Youth as Minister for Education and Youth Darragh OBrien as Minister for Climate, Environment and Energy and Minister for Transport as Minister for Climate, Environment and Energy and Minister for Transport Norma Foley as Minister for Children, Disability and Equality as Minister for Children, Disability and Equality Peter Burke as Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment as Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment Dara Calleary as Minister for Social Protection and Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht as Minister for Social Protection and Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht Patrick ODonovan as Minister for Arts, Media, Communications, Culture and Sport as Minister for Arts, Media, Communications, Culture and Sport Jennifer Carroll McNeill as Minister for Health as Minister for Health James Browne as Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage as Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage Jim OCallaghan as Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration as Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration Martin Heydon as Minister for Agriculture, Food, Fisheries and the Marine as Minister for Agriculture, Food, Fisheries and the Marine James Lawless as Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science as Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science Mary Butler as Government Chief Whip and Minister of State attending cabinet with responsibility for Mental Health as Government Chief Whip and Minister of State attending cabinet with responsibility for Mental Health Hildegarde Naughton as Minister of State attending cabinet with responsibility for Disability as Minister of State attending cabinet with responsibility for Disability Noel Grealish as Minister of State attending cabinet with responsibility for Food Promotion, New Markets, Research and Development as Minister of State attending cabinet with responsibility for Food Promotion, New Markets, Research and Development Sean Canney as Minister of State attending cabinet with responsibility for International and Road Transport, Logistics, Rail and Ports Rossa Fanning will remain as Attorney General. Maeve McTaggart The Cabinet of the 35th Government of Ireland have received their Seals of Office, with their first meeting currently underway at Aras an Uachtarain. It was a day later than was originally anticipated due to unprecedented chaos breaking out in the Dail yesterday, resulting in the adjournment of proceedings and a series of meetings in an attempt to resolve the dramatic dispute over speaking rights. Taoiseach Micheal Martin was elected and, with a number of surprises in the ultimate line-up, named his Cabinet. However, Opposition TDs immediately had some choice words for the government as just three women were appointed to senior ministerial positions. It compares to four in the last government. This liveblog has now ended. Thank you for following the Irish Independent's live political news and analysis. Photograph of newly appointed Taoiseach at the first meeting of the Cabinet of the 35th Government of Ireland, held this evening at Aras an Uachtarain (23/1/2025). Photographed are Taoiseach Micheal Martin and Tanaiste Simon Harris with (clockwise from left Patrick ODonovan, Peter Burke, Darragh OBrien, Jack Chambers, James Browne, Paschal Donohoe, Helen McEntee, Norma Foley, Dara Calleary, Jennifer Carroll McNeill, Jim OCallaghan, James Lawless, Sean Canney, Mary Butler, Martin Heydon, John Callinan, Rossa Fanning, Noel Grelish, Hildegarde Naughton) Maeve McTaggart President of Ireland on Twitter / X President Higgins this afternoon signed the Warrant of Appointment and presented the Seal of the Taoiseach and Seal of the Government to Taoiseach Micheal Martin at a ceremony in Aras an Uachtarain in accordance with Article 13 of the Constitution pic.twitter.com/Stu41iJ6JW President of Ireland (@PresidentIRL) January 23, 2025 External content When displaying external content, data is transferred to third parties. Maeve McTaggart The new Cabinet will now have their first official meeting at Aras an Uachtarain, as is tradition. Maeve McTaggart The new cabinet has arrived at Aras an Uachtarain, with members now receiving their Seals of Office from President Michael D Higgins. The warrant to officially appoint the Government has been signed. Maeve McTaggart Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has congratulated Taoiseach Micheal Martin, saying he values the "solidarity, unwavering support, and financial & humanitarian aid provided by the Government of Ireland to Ukraine". European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has also wished Mr Martin well - second time lucky. Ms von der Leyen had to delete her congratulatory post on X yesterday, when Dail proceedings broke down and no taoiseach was elected due to the dramatic row over speaking rights. Volodymyr Zelenskyy / on Twitter / X I sincerely congratulate @MichealMartinTD on the appointment as Taoiseach of Ireland. I value the solidarity, unwavering support, and financial & humanitarian aid provided by the Government of Ireland to Ukraine.I also appreciate assistance for our citizens who have found Volodymyr Zelenskyy / (@ZelenskyyUa) January 23, 2025 External content When displaying external content, data is transferred to third parties. Maeve McTaggart 'Perplexing' and 'concerning' reduction in number of women at Cabinet table - campaigner There has been criticism of the reduction in women in senior cabinet positions both inside and outside the Dail chamber, with Women for Election chair Aldagh McDonagh describing it as "perplexing" and "concerning". Just 22 women have ever served in Cabinet since the foundation of the State, while 213 men have served in the same period. There were four women in senior cabinet positions in the outgoing government. There are now three. She said Taoiseach Micheal Martin had the opportunity to bring a record number of women into Government, "but in an affront to gender equality in politics, has chosen instead to reduce the number of women Ministers compared to the last Government. "This decline in womens representation is concerning. Womens perspectives are critical to shaping policies that reflect the realities of our society and economy, and their exclusion diminishes the strength of this Cabinet," said Ms McDonagh. We of course congratulate the three women who are joining the cabinet, one of whom is joining the Cabinet for the first time and wish them well as they lead out Government policy in their respective areas." Maeve McTaggart Taoiseach Micheal Martin with nominated members of the 35th Government of Ireland in Government Buildings today, 23 January 2025. Maeve McTaggart Michael Lowry, the leader of the Regional Independent Group, was due to give a 10-minute speech during the election of Micheal Martin as Taoiseach, writes Philip Ryan. However, we will never know what he would have said because the opposition forced the Government into a spectacular U-turn on their plan to have the RIG leader address the Dail as an opposition TD, despite being involved in government formation negotiations. Philip Ryan: Pesky opposition dash Micheal Martins dream of Michael Lowry speech during Taoiseach election Micheal Martins original plan for his second go as Taoiseach would have been quite extraordinary. Maeve McTaggart It is a day later than expected, but the Dail has now been suspended until Wednesday 5 February. Cabinet ministers will now travel to receive their Seals of Office and, finally, the new government will officially be in place. Maeve McTaggart The Dail has approved the nomination of the new Cabinet for appointment by the President. Ta - 97 Nil - 72 Maeve McTaggart The atmosphere in the Dail chamber is much more collegial than the unruly chaos of yesterday, with opposition TDs crossing the aisle to shake hands with the incoming Cabinet as voting on their nomination is about to get underway. After this, they are due a trip to the Aras to receive their Seals of Office from President Michael D Higgins. Just a day late. Maeve McTaggart Following speeches by a number of opposition TDs, there is now a vote on the approval of the Cabinet appointed by Taoiseach Micheal Martin. Maeve McTaggart In his maiden speech, 100pc Redress TD Charles Ward said there is an ongoing "humanitarian crisis" in Donegal due to defective concrete blocks, with some families checking into hotels this evening as they cannot stay in their homes as a result of the looming Status Red Warning. He says there are 10,000 people in Donegal who have structurally unsound houses, because of defective concrete, and who are now facing into a major storm. These people, many of whom are tonight moving to hotels, are "stuck in a loop, waiting". Senan Molony Maeve McTaggart Cian O'Callaghan, deputy leader of the Social Democrats, says the Government is already going in the wrong direction. The number of women in Cabinet has fallen. "Do you not see anything wrong with this, Taoiseach? It is 2025." Senan Molony Maeve McTaggart Conor Sheehan of Labour (Limerick City), making his maiden speech, says it is clear in the Programme for Government that the new administration is "intent of ploughing the same failed furrow as the last one." Ciaran Ahern, also of Labour (Dublin South West) says the Programme for Government lacks climate vision and caters to tech billionaires. Senan Molony Maeve McTaggart Sinn Fein finance spokesperson Pearse Doherty has made allegations about Michael Lowry TD, mentioning secret burning of documents and cloaked payments from Gibraltar. He made his claims under Dail privilege while Mr Lowry was out of the chamber. The latter was not immediately contactable for comment. Sinn Feins Pearse Doherty accuses Michael Lowry of failing to disclose payments in relation to sale of English soccer club Sinn Fein finance spokesperson Pearse Doherty has made allegations about Michael Lowry TD, mentioning secret burning of documents and cloaked payments from Gibraltar. Maeve McTaggart Ivana Bacik offers personal congratulations, but says there are as many men called James in the Cabinet as there are senior women. Senan Molony Maeve McTaggart Cabinet continues 'cosy boys club' in politics - Social Democrats TD Jennifer Whitmore It is deeply disappointing that the number of women in (senior cabinet positions) has reduced by 25 percent to just three," said Social Democrats TD Jennifer Whitmore. There are now as many men named James in the cabinet as there are women. Fianna Fail and Fine Gael pay lip service to increasing womens representation in politics. They just dont believe in promoting them when they get elected. The Dail has the worst gender balance of parliaments in western Europe, with women making up only 25 per cent of TDs. Instead of working to address that, by promoting talented women from within their own ranks, the government parties have reverted to type - creating a cosy boys club. Maeve McTaggart The involvement of Michael Lowry in the formation of the new government has again been raised in the Dail, with Mary Lou McDonald accusing Fianna Fail and Fine Gael of doing "anything to attain and hold onto power". "This is a government built on stroke politics," she said, adding that there is a lack of "timeline, specifics, clarity, ambition and any new ideas" in the Programme for Government. "You seek to dress up your failure as a success." Load more Tickaroo Live Blog Software Proceedings were disrupted by the opposition several times over a row about speaking time - whether the independents who agreed the Programme for Government but who do not have ministerial roles should get opposition speaking slots. The Ceann Comhairle halted proceedings four times earlier on Wednesday, without a resolution. Opposition parties want the wording of standing orders to be revised to make it very clear that Independent TDs who support the programme for Government cannot be part of technical groups. If agreed to, Ceann Comhairle Verona Murphy would be expected to read the revised wording into the Dail record on Thursday morning. But if agreed to by Fianna Fail and Fine Gael, this would be viewed as a climbdown by the Government. Mary Lou McDonald accuses government of trying to 'ride roughshod over the collective opposition' Fianna Fail and Fine Gael sources said there has been no agreement reached yet ahead of the Dail reconvening at 10.30am tomorrow to elect the Taoiseach. Party leaders Mr Martin and Mr Harris will meet opposition party leaders at Government buildings on Thursday at 8.30am. Sinn Fein have also extended invites to other party leaders to meet before a vote is held to elect Micheal Martin as Taoiseach. On Wednesday evening Mr Martin called the chaotic scenes in the Dail a "subversion of the Irish Constitution". Mr Harris, who is set to become tanaiste, branded the opposition's actions "farcical" and "stunt politics on speed". "The most fundamental obligation of the Dail is to elect a taoiseach and, indeed, to elect a government," Mr Martin told reporters outside Government Buildings after the Dail was adjourned. "That opportunity was denied today by a premeditated, co-ordinated and choreographed position by the opposition and particularly by Sinn Fein party." Mr Martin said there were numerous attempts to facilitate a resolution to a dispute on speaking time arrangements, but added: "It became very clear to us that there was no intention ever to reach agreement on the nomination of a taoiseach or a government today." Mr Harris, who spoke to the media alongside Mr Martin, said the events were "unprecedented" and "utterly farcical". "There was a clear majority of the people's representatives ready, willing to elect Micheal Martin as taoiseach and to elect the next government and get on with the people's work," he said. "Instead, what we saw was an effort to obstruct, an effort to shout down, an effort to disrespect the Ceann Comhairle and her constitutional office, and ultimately preventing a majority of the democratically elected representatives of Dail Eireann to discharge their duty and their mandate to elect a taoiseach. "Today was unprecedented, unseemly, and tomorrow Dail Eireann must reconvene and must elect a taoiseach and get on with the urgent work of government." However Ms McDonald accused the coalition of trying to ride roughshod over the collective opposition and said they would be failing the democratic process if they did not take a firm stance on the row over opposition speaking time. Labour Leader Ivana Bacik said that while the opposition parties had their differences, they could not accept a situation where TDs that agreed a programme for government were treated as part of the opposition. "We simply cannot stand over a situation where those TDs who are actively engaged in supporting and constructing a programme for government can somehow also be designated as opposition TDs. It's simply not tenable. It's a chaotic situation." Five of the nine independents who entered into negotiations are due to be given junior ministries, with the remainder expressing support for the Programme for Government but not taking up an official post. The four remaining independents are seeking to join a technical group, which is a mechanism designed to allow opposition TDs to sit in groupings of at least five members to gain an allocation of speaking time. This has been widely rejected by opposition parties - including Sinn Fein, Labour and the Social Democrats - who argue that the independents who supported the incoming government should not be allowed to join technical groups. China, Bulgaria vow to deepen bilateral ties at Spring Festival reception Xinhua) 11:20, January 23, 2025 SOFIA, Jan. 22 (Xinhua) -- Bulgaria's Vice President Iliana Iotova and Chinese Ambassador to Bulgaria Dai Qingli reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening the enduring relationship between the two nations during a Spring Festival reception held here on Wednesday. Iotova highlighted the importance of the event as a celebration of the strong and lasting Bulgarian-Chinese relations, as well as a platform to discuss future plans for collaboration across various fields. "We have the desire, ambition, and a proven formula for successful cooperation: trust, respect, a willingness for dialogue, and a shared commitment to development," she said. Dai Qingli emphasized the significance of the past year, during which the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations between China and Bulgaria was marked. She noted that the Embassy co-hosted more than 20 events as part of the commemorative activities, which have further solidified the traditional friendship between the two nations. "The success of these anniversary activities has deepened our traditional ties, facilitated cooperation in various areas, and strengthened understanding and friendship between the Chinese and Bulgarian peoples," Dai said. Looking ahead, Dai expressed her enthusiasm for fostering even closer ties. "We look forward to working with Bulgarian colleagues and friends to facilitate high-level exchanges, strengthen political mutual trust, and achieve tangible outcomes of cooperation to enhance the well-being of our people," she said. (Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Zhong Wenxing) There was disappointment for Kneecap after failing to secure a single nomination for the 97th Academy Awards in March. However, Irish film production company Tailored Films is celebrating two Academy Award nominations for The Apprentice in the categories of Leading Actor (Sebastian Stan) and Supporting Actor (Jeremy Strong). The controversial Donald Trump biopic was also shortlisted in the Best Make-Up and Hairstyling category but did not receive a nomination. Kneecap the movie, which centres around a fictionalised story about saving the Irish language, was the main hope ahead of todays nominations. Belfast rap trio Liam Og O hAnnaidh; Naoise O Caireallain; and JJ O Dochartaigh saw their film shortlisted across several categories. It was just the second film ever in the Irish language to be shortlisted in the Best International Feature Film category the first being An Cailin Ciuin (The Quiet Girl) in 2022. Hip-hop trio Kneecap Kneecap | Official Trailer However, it lost out to Im Still Here from Brazil, The Girl with the Needle from Denmark, Emilia Perez from France, The Seed of the Sacred Fig from Germany and Flow from Latvia. It was also shortlisted for Best Original Song for Sick In The Head, however it also lost out. There were groans of disappointment in a Belfast bar after Kneecap failed to gain any Oscar nominations. Dozens of fans, as well as cast and crew of the Kneecap movie, had crammed into a tiny upstairs room in Maddens Bar to watch the nominations ceremony live. Fans were left to drown their sorrows while members of the band watched from a live link in London. Following the livestreamed nominations from the Oscars, Kneecap posted on Instagram: F**k the Oscars. Free Palestine. The film is set in west Belfast in 2019, chronicling how fate brings the trio together and how they then go on to change the sound of Irish music forever. The film received its world premiere at the Sundance Film Festival in January last year, where it became the first Irish-language film to win the Audience Award in the festivals NEXT strand, and was then released in Irish and international cinemas to critical acclaim. Room Taken was shortlisted in the Live Action Short category, as well as Clodagh, directed by Portia A Buckley, but both lost out. The full shortlist, covering 23 Academy Award categories was aired live from the Academys Samuel Goldwyn Theater in Los Angeles this afternoon. Announcing the nominees, were Saturday Night Lives Bowen Yang alongside US actress and comedian Rachel Sennott, who featured in Bodies Bodies Bodies. Outside of the Irish, musical crime comedy Emilia Perez, the epic The Brutalist, and the musical Wicked received multiple nominations across several categories. The nominations had been postponed twice earlier this month due to the wildfires in Los Angeles. The 97th Academy Awards, hosted by Conan O'Brien, will take place at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles on Sunday, March 2. Here is the full list of nominees up for awards: Best Picture Anora The Brutalist A Complete Unknown Conclave Dune: Part Two Emilia Perez The Substance Wicked Im Still Here Nickel Boys Best Director Jacques Audiard, Emilia Perez Sean Baker, Anora Brady Corbet, The Brutalist Coralie Fargeat, The Substance James Mangold, A Complete Unknown Best Actor Adrien Brody, The Brutalist Timothee Chalamet, A Complete Unknown Colman Domingo, Sing Sing Ralph Fiennes, Conclave Sebastian Stan, The Apprentice Best Actress Cynthia Erivo, Wicked Karla Sofia Gascon, Emilia Perez Mikey Madison, Anora Demi Moore, The Substance Fernanda Torres, Im Still Here Best Supporting Actor Yura Borisov, Anora Kieran Culkin, A Real Pain Edward Norton, A Complete Unknown Guy Pearce, The Brutalist Jeremy Strong, The Apprentice Best Supporting Actress Monica Barbaro, A Complete Unknown Ariana Grande, Wicked Felicity Jones, The Brutalist Isabella Rossellini, Conclave Zoe Saldana, Emilia Perez Best Original Screenplay Sean Baker, Anora Brady Corbet and Mona Fastvold, The Brutalist Jesse Eisenberg, A Real Pain Coralie Fargeat, The Substance Moritz Binder and Tim Fehlbaum, September 5 Best Adapted Screenplay Jacques Audiard, Emilia Perez Joslyn Barnes and RaMell Ross, Nickel Boys Clint Bentley and Greg Kwedar, Sing Sing Jay Cocks and James Mangold, A Complete Unknown Peter Straughan, Conclave Animated Feature Flow Inside Out 2 Memoir of a Snail Wallace and Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl The Wild Robot Production Design The Brutalist Conclave Dune: Part Two Nosferatu Wicked Cinematography The Brutalist Emilia Perez Maria Nosferatu Dune: Part Two Costume Design A Complete Unknown Conclave Gladiator II Nosferatu Wicked Film Editing Anora Emilia Perez Wicked, Myron Kerstein Conclave Emilia Perez Makeup and Hairstyling Emilia Perez Nosferatu The Substance Wicked A Different Man Sound A Complete Unknown Dune: Part Two Wicked The Wild Robot Emilia Perez Visual Effects Better Man Dune: Part Two Wicked Alien: Romulus Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes Original Score The Brutalist Conclave Emilia Perez The Wild Robot Wicked Original Song Never Too Late, from Elton John: Never Too Late Mi Camino, from Emilia Perez The Journey, from The Six Triple Eight Like A Bird, from Sing Sing The Journey, from Six Triple Eight Documentary Feature Black Box Diaries No Other Land Porcelain War Soundtrack to a Coup dEtat Sugarcane International Feature Emilia Perez Flow Im Still Here The Girl with the Needle The Seed of the Sacred Fig Animated Short In the Shadow of Cypress Wander to Wonder Yuck! Beautiful Men Magic Candies Documentary Short Death by Numbers I Am Ready, Warden Incident Instruments of a Beating Heart Once Upon a Time in Ukraine Live Action Short Anuja The Last Ranger A Lien The Man Who Could Not Remain Silent Im Not a Robot Fianna Fail leader Micheal Martin and Fine Gael leader Simon Harris shake hands in the Dail chamber ahead of the planned vote on the nomination of Mr Martin as Taoiseach. Photo: Maxwells Verona Murphy made it a grand total of 22 minutes into her first sitting as Ceann Comhairle before Dail proceedings erupted in chaos. In a row that bubbled and rumbled over the weekend, opposition parties had accused Independent regional TDs of having their cake and eating it by demanding opposition speaking time. Opposition TDs enjoy powers government TDs dont such as more speaking time in the Dail and the power to propose motions and introduce bills. Last weekend, the Ceann Comhairle wrote to TDs. She said she had received advice that Independent TDs in a technical group are covered under the current Dail rules. She kicked off proceedings yesterday with the usual Dail prayer and told TDs how the Regional Independent Group (RIG) would be accommodated under current rules. Government Chief Whip Hildegarde Naughton told parties about the time slots they had when speaking on the nomination of taoiseach. Getting to her feet, Mary Lou McDonald said it was cynical and unprecedented for Fianna Fail and Fine Gael to put their Independent cronies on opposition benches. People Before Profit TD Richard Boyd Barrett said the new Dail was off to a farcical start. He pointed to Aontus Peadar Toibin, who had agreed to be part of RIG for the sole purpose of speaking rights, but with the promise of voting against the government. Boyd Barrett said Toibin sums it up, which was met with cheers and clapping from Sinn Fein TDs. Sinn Feins Matt Carthy then began shouting about the times allocated for each party to speak on the nomination of the taoiseach. He questioned Murphys impartiality. Carthy pointed, rather angrily, at Independent TD Michael Lowry. Unbothered, Lowry laughed and waved back at him. Labours Alan Kelly soon joined in, calling government-supporting Independents sitting on opposition benches a bloody farce. The chamber erupted as opposition TDs continued shouting at the Ceann Comhairle. Murphy suspended the chamber, but after a 30-minute break TDs remained rowdy. Despite promising to deal with the speaking rights row expeditiously, opposition TDs demanded the legal advice the Ceann Comhairle received that allows for Independent TDs to be in technical groups despite supporting the government. Sinn Feins Thomas Gould demanded justice for Cork North Central. The Dail was suspended for the second time and resumed later, with Naughton appealing for TDs to come up with a politically acceptable solution. A meeting between party whips ended inconclusively. Murphy did not take part in these meetings, which is the norm. A full meeting of the Dails business committee chaired by the Ceann Comhairle did not take place. The inner corridors of power in Leinster House were awash with TDs. Both incoming government and opposition deputies, as well as cabinet ministers who had been hanging their hopes on holding on to their jobs ahead of the expected afternoon reshuffle had little idea as to what was happening. Aontu announced it was pulling out of RIG. It would instead be joining a different technical group so it could have speaking rights. This meant that if Mattie McGrath and Carol Nolan also in the technical group pulled out, it would collapse, since it needs at least five members. Rumours swirled around suggesting McGrath pulled out. This was not the case. Lowry then updated reporters, saying a resolution of sorts had been found, which would allow for a Dail reform committee to be set up. Hours after being suspended, the Dail resumed, but rows broke out again after Naughton said a resolution had been found and the opposition had agreed to it, but changed their minds. This was rejected by the opposition and was followed by further arguments. Murphy adjourned the Dail until this morning. Running up to the steps of the chamber, the incoming taoiseach whose family had travelled from Cork and were sitting in the distinguished visitors gallery dressed up and ready for Micheal Martins big day relayed the bad news. Suspended until tomorrow, he told them. The media pack then got wind that the two party leaders would do a press conference. A pack of 40 journalists, photographers and camera operators were ferried from the Leinster House plinth to three different locations outside Government Buildings for an impromptu press conference. Here, the incoming taoiseach accused the opposition of subversion of the Irish constitution. Crisis talks were later held between the Ceann Comhairle, Simon Harris and Micheal Martin in a bid to come up with a resolution so a taoiseach could be voted in today and a cabinet appointed. On what should have been a historic day, the first ever female Ceann Comhairle is now under mounting pressure to resolve the row, with Fianna Fail backbenchers believed to be especially furious with her. One TD said there had never been a situation before where, after a general election, the Dail had been unable to elect a taoiseach. Appalling chairing today, said another. Pretty poor performance. Elderly people were among the 93 patients enduring waits of more than a day for a bed yesterday. One of the hospitals that struggled is in south Dublin, near the home base of TD Jennifer Carroll MacNeill, who is expected to become the next health minister. As the Dail was adjourned following an angry row over speaking rights, older patients over the age of 75 were among those hit hardest by the overcrowding crisis. The conditions patients have had to tolerate is an illustration of the many challenges facing the new minister. The hospital in question St Vincents University Hospital in Dublin is not far from where Ms Carroll MacNeill lives. The 44-year-old is a Fine Gael TD for Dun Laoghaire. Ten patients in St Vincents were waiting a day or longer for a bed, with two of them aged over 75. The HSEs own figures reveal the extent to which patients are continuing to suffer the misery of lying on trolleys while they wait for a bed. Nationally, 467 patients were on trolleys yesterday across emergency departments and on wards. Galway University Hospital had 16 patients waiting more than a day for a bed, while there were 14 in Mayo University Hospital and 12 in University Hospital Limerick. Six had to endure a day-plus delay at Mercy Hospital in Cork, with five in Cork University Hospital, near Fianna Fail leader Micheal Martins base. Hospitals continue to find themselves forced to sacrifice significant amounts of elective work in order to make room for patients from emergency departments. On Tuesday afternoon, 572 emergency patients were being accommodated in surge capacity in hospitals. This situation meant they were taking up inpatient beds in day wards and assessment units. The knock-on effect was that the beds could not be used for others who needed routine procedures. In a statement, the HSE said: When a hospital uses surge capacity, some planned admissions may be rescheduled or cancelled. The worst of the recent influenza spike has passed. However, flu will continue to add to congestion in hospitals. The state of hospital waiting lists remains a concern. At the end of last month, there were 673,962 people on acute hospital waiting lists. Cancellations in late December as well as this month imposed to make way for the influx of emergency patients will make waiting lists rise further. A spokeswoman for the HSE said: There has been a massive, collective effort right across our services throughout this winter period, with teams working tirelessly to ensure patients receive the best care possible. The incoming government is promising to open between 4,000 and 4,500 new and refurbished inpatient hospital beds across the country. It said it will put in another 100 intensive care beds at least, along with the promise to build four new elective hospitals. Healy-Rae Plant Hire in Kerry has been directed to pay 850,000 to the family of a mother-of-six who died after being knocked down by one of their lorries in 2020 as she crossed the road. The company, operated by Kerry TD Danny Healy-Rae, accepted liability for the circumstances of the death of care worker Joanne Davies (50) in High Court actions taken by her children. Ms Justice Nuala Jackson, at the High Court sitting in Cork, offered her deepest sympathies to the family of Ms Davies, also known as Joanne Downey, who was fatally struck by a truck while she was walking across a zebra crossing on July 17, 2020 at Ardnannweely, Killarney. Ms Davies was on her way to take a Covid-19 test when the tragic accident took place. Ms Justice Jackson praised the 33-year old plaintiff in the case, Jeremiah, for becoming the guardian of one of his then-juvenile sisters following the death of their mother. She said that the Davies family had a great sense of unity and solidarity. Danny Healy-Rae. Photo: Collins Today's News in 90 seconds - 23rd January 2025 That (sense of togetherness) does not always happen. You were all singing from the same hymn sheet. That is always beneficial, she said. The 850,000 settlement also includes special damages of 6,000, legal costs of 37,000 and 35,000 for mental distress. Healy-Rae Plant Hire, which based in Kilgarvan, Co Kerry, was sued in separate civil cases by the family of Ms Davies. Sean Tangey (71), the driver of the truck, was found not guilty of careless driving causing death following a criminal trial last June which was attended by Danny Healy-Rae and his son Johnny, who is the plant-hire firms managing director. The Davies family left Tralee Circuit Criminal Court in tears after the jury returned a unanimous not guilty verdict. Mr Tangey, who was driving within the 50kmh speed limit, said he had not seen Ms Davies before the collision. Gardai estimated the point of impact at near the middle of the pedestrian crossing. Judge Colin Daly addressed the family after the Tralee verdict and acknowledged that it was very difficult for them. They had suffered a great loss and he offered his condolences. Company records show that since November 2023, Danny Healy-Rae and his wife Eileen have transferred all their shares in Healy-Rae Plant Hire to their son, Johnny, through a series of transfers. The last share transfer completed in March 2024. The company, whose major clients include Kerry County Council, has accumulated profits of 4.78m. Ms Davies was well known in Killarney as she volunteered at the Killarney Legion GAA club by cooking meals for its teams even after her children had stopped playing. Fergal Moynihan of Killarney Legion GAA said Ms Davies was like a second mother to many players. The civil cases filed against Healy-Rae Plant Hire, which includes one representing Ms Davies entire family, had been set down for trial before last Christmas. The company was preparing to defend the cases. However, the company, which is represented by its insurers FBD in the cases, accepted liability in all cases before it went to full hearing. Five of the children, including one minor, are represented by Malone Hegarty solicitors, and one, Katrina Horan, is represented by OConnor-ODonoghue. The threshold for personal injury claims in the High Court is 60,000, meaning the Healy-Rae firm faced claims in excess of 420,000. In a statement issued in 2022, the firm said: Healy-Rae Plant Hire has been in operation for almost 70 years and has always endeavoured to ensure best safety practices and legal responsibility are maintained. Healy-Rae Plant Hire has several safety procedures, audits and training for all employees above and beyond what is statutory required. Healy-Rae Plant Hire is also an accredited company in safety, environmental and quality. Danny Healy-Rae, with his brother and fellow Kerry TD Michael Healy-Rae, earlier this month struck a deal with Fine Gael and Fianna Fail to support them in forming a new Government. Michael Healy-Rae will become a Junior Minister as part of the arrangement. The Indo Daily: Why is even the mention of water charges like playing with fire for politicians? Kildare man Martin Heydon has been appointed Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine. The Fine Gael TD was heavily tipped in recent weeks to take up the role, had served as Minister of State at the Department with special responsibility for Research and Development, Farm Safety and New Market Development. The new Minister, who lives on the family farm near Kilcullen in Co Kildare, topped the poll in Kildare in December's general election. First elected to the Dail in 2011, Minister Heydon was re-elected in 2016 and 2020. He told the Kildare Nationalist this week that: Its been 21 years since Charlie McCreevy, and 28 years since Fine Gael had Minister in Kildare South in Alan Dukes." Minister Heydon, a beef and tillage farmer from Blackrath, Co. Kildare, has deep roots in farming. He grew up working on his familys 140-acre farm and in an interview with the Farming Independent in 2022 credited his late mother, Sheila, with instilling in him a lifelong passion for agriculture. Following the sudden loss of his father at the age of eight, Heydon witnessed his mothers determination to continue farming in a male-dominated industry. Her resilience shaped his outlook on farming and leadership. The father-of-four and husband to Brianne (a former ladies' GAA All-Star for Kildare) recently shifted from suckler farming to finishing cattle, citing the challenges of calving while balancing a demanding political role and family life. Kildalton Agricultural College graduate, Heydon sees his dual experience as a farmer and policymaker as a strength. Being an active farmer gives me a very real sense of the way farmers think, he said. Minister Heydon will be joined in the Department by three junior ministers: Noel Grealish will be a Minister of State, attending Cabinet, at the Department of Agriculture, with a focus on marketing and food exports. Grealish took the last seat in the Galway West constituency in last years general election. An independent TD from Carnmore, he is a former member of the Progressive Democrats and was first elected to the Dail in 2002. Michael Healy-Rae will serve at the Department of Agriculture with responsibility for forestry, a role he will take over from outgoing Green Party Senator Pippa Hackett. Healy-Rae is an Independent TD from Kerry, a member of the Dail since 2011. A fourth junior minister role, covering the Marine/Fisheries has also been created in the Department. Spotlight on Verona Murphys performance as Dail spins out of controlHarris blames Sinn Fein for stunt politics on speedOpposition leaders write to government demanding resolution to row over speaking time Leaders of the opposition parties stand together outside Leinster House. Photo: Collins An alarming tone has been set for the new Dail as Micheal Martin was left scrambling to end an impasse that prevented him retaking the taoiseachs office. The Fianna Fail leader and his incoming tanaiste, Simon Harris, held crisis talks with Ceann Comhairle Verona Murphy last night. The purpose of their meeting was to find a way of avoiding a repeat of the shouting matches that led to the Dail being abandoned yesterday. Questions have been raised about Ms Murphys position in the chair after she lost control of the chamber. The row exploded as opposition TDs refused to back down to allow a scenario whereby non-ministerial members of the Regional Independent Group (RIG) would be permitted to take a portion of opposition speaking time. Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald said what had transpired was utterly farcical. But Mr Harris branded her the ringleader in a game of stunt politics on speed, while Mr Martin accused the opposition of denying TDs a right to vote in a new taoiseach. He said it amounted to a subversion of our Constitution and our democracy. As talks continued last night, it remained unclear how a resolution would be found in time for the Dail to proceed in an orderly fashion at 10.30am today. As talks continued last night, opposition parties wanted the wording of the standing orders revised to make it very clear that Independent TDs who support the Programme for Government cannot be part of technical groups. If agreed to, Ceann Comhairle Ms Murphy would be expected to read the revised wording into the Dail record this morning. But if agreed to by Fianna Fail and Fine Gael, this would be viewed as a climbdown by the Government. Sinn Fein has also extended invites to other party leaders to meet before a vote is held today to elect Micheal Martin as Taoiseach. Yesterday, on a day that will live in the memory for the wrong reasons, Ms Murphy suspended the Dail on three separate occasions before abandoning proceedings. The result was that Mr Harris remained acting Taoiseach overnight and a new cabinet was not appointed. Not long after the Dail sat to elect Mr Martin as Government leader, opposition TDs protested over the arrangement that would enable RIG TDs Michael Lowry, Barry Heneghen and Gillian Toole as well as Independent TD Danny Healy-Rae to speak as if in the opposition. Leaders of the opposition parties stand together outside Leinster House. Photo: Collins The row united the opposition. The leaders of Sinn Fein, Labour, Social Democrats, Independent Ireland and People Before Profit-Solidarity held a press conference outside Leinster House. At one point, Government Chief Whip Hildegarde Naughton claimed a deal was done, as did Michael Lowry but this was disputed by opposition TDs. There is fury among Fianna Fail and Fine Gael TDs over how Ms Murphy handled the situation on her first day in her role as Ceann Comhairle. TDs believed she should have intervened sooner and held a vote to bring an end to the opposition backlash. Ms Murphy will be concerned she could lose the confidence of the opposition if she does not find a way to end the rancour. Yesterday, she was excluded from the meeting of party whips amid accusations of bias. This stemmed from her appointment as Ceann Comhairle, which was secured by Mr Lowry in government formation talks with Fianna Fail and Fine Gael. The provisional deal the government parties believed would be struck involved the Dail Reform Committee being re-established to address the issue of speaking rights for TDs supporting the Government. There were concerns that the committee would have a government majority, but Mr Martin said at his press conference that it would not. Meanwhile, the opposition parties were working last night on an agreed text to send to the Government. How Kneecap turned the world to Irish The international success of the Northern Irish rap trio has led to a boom in Irish-language learning all around the world Savanna Rae is a volunteer teacher at an Irish-language school in Chicago Auryn Cox Thu 23 Jan 2025 at 03:30 Belfast rappers Kneecap have sparked a wave of interest in the Irish language among their fans outside of Ireland. Fans in England, South Africa and across the US spoke to the Irish Independent about how the band inspired them to learn Gaeilge. When flights are cancelled or delayed, passengers have rights to refunds, re-routing, care and in some cases compensation Storm Eowyn has caused widespread travel disruption on Friday, with over 200 flight cancellations announced to and from Dublin Airport alone. The rights of passengers in the event of cancelled or delayed flights are set out under EU Regulation 261/2014. Here are the details... How do I know if my flights are affected? In the event of a strike or cancellation, airlines should contact affected passengers by email or SMS. You can also check the airline website for flight status updates using your booking or flight number, and your airport's online departures boards. What are my rights if my flight is cancelled? Delays and cancellations are part and parcel of modern air travel, and reasons can range from weather events to industrial action like last summers pilot strike at Aer Lingus. If your flight is cancelled for any reason, and regardless of when you are notified, your airline must offer you the choice between: Re-routing as soon as possible, subject to availability, free of charge. Re-routing at a later date. A full refund within seven days. How do I arrange a re-routing or refund? In the event of a cancellation or delay, airlines are obliged to inform passengers of their options. If this happens at the airport, staff should be on hand to talk you through the various scenarios. Otherwise you will receive an email or text message to the contact details attached to your booking. You can also check your carrier's website (Aer Lingus and Ryanair). It should include the steps to process your own refunds or bookings (a voucher may also be an option). If you booked through a third-party (for example a travel agent or tour operator), the original sales agent should contact you or be your source of contact. Am I entitled to care and assistance? If your flight is cancelled and you choose to be re-routed as soon as possible, then you are entitled to meals and refreshments, hotel accommodation and transfers between the airport and hotel as required. If the airline does not provide these, and you end up paying yourself, keep the receipts - you are entitled to a reimbursement of reasonable expenses. NB. A five-star hotel may not be a reasonable expense! Bear in mind that if your flight is cancelled and you choose a full refund, then the airline's obligations to you end there and then. Planes at Cork Airport during Storm Emma in 2018. Photo: Cork Airport/Twitter What about my accommodation? An airline is not liable for any missed accommodation, events or other knock-on effects of a delay or cancellation solely for the flight. However, if you booked through a travel agent or a tour operator as a package holiday, you may be in a better position to re-organise or reschedule accommodation. Adding travel disruption cover to your travel insurance policy (well in advance of travel) can also provide additional cover for expenses and accommodation (see below). Am I entitled to compensation? Financial compensation depends on the flight length and the reason for the cancellation. It differs to care and re-routing/refund obligations that must be offered (as outlined above), and generally ranges from 250 (short-haul, less than 1,500km) to 600 (long-haul, over 3,500km). You are not due compensation if the airline gives you two weeks or more notice of the cancellation. However, you may be entitled to compensation if you receive between seven days and two weeks notice and your arrival times are later than four hours on the reroute, or if you receive less than seven days notice and your arrival time is later than two hours on the reroute. If the air carrier can prove the cancellation was due to extraordinary circumstances - such as a storm - then you may not be entitled to compensation. However, you are still due a refund or re-routing. Ryanair passengers. Photo: Getty How do I claim compensation? Compensation claims are never evaluated or resolved at the airport. If you believe compensation is your due, then the first step is to formally contact the air carrier. If you're not satisfied with its response, then you can escalate by contacting the National Enforcement Body - which, in most cases for Irish passengers, is the Commission for Aviation Regulation (01 661-1700; iaa.ie). If my outbound flight is cancelled, what happens my return flight? If a flight isn't subject to disruption, technically you are not entitled to any care or compensation. However, airlines do tend to take a logical view, and normally work with passengers to refund or reschedule flights impacted in this way. If you have booked through a travel agent or tour operator, you should receive assistance from them. What if my flight is delayed? If your flight is delayed by more than five hours, and you choose not to travel, then you are entitled to a full refund. If you accept this refund, the airline is no longer obliged to provide onward travel or assistance. If your flight is delayed by at least two hours (short-haul), three hours (European) or four hours (long haul), you are entitled to care and assistance as outlined above. If you arrive at your destination more than three hours after the scheduled arrival time, you may be entitled to between 250 and 600 compensation, depending on the flight distance. Passenger rights. Source: IAA How can my travel insurance help? In the event of a flight cancellation, the first source of refunds and re-routing should be with your airline (see above). Standard travel insurance policies don't offer much help here, but 'missed departure' cover can help you secure a new flight, or an additional night's accommodation. If your policy includes extra "travel disruption" cover, you should be covered for additional transport or accommodation costs up to around 1,000pp. This covers most of scenarios with flight cancellations due to weather, strikes and so on, but note that it covers transport and accommodation-related expenses only - i.e. not lost annual leave, business opportunities or deposits, concert tickets or museum or attraction fees booked in advance online. Indo Daily Extra: How long will the clean-up and power restoration take after Storm Eowyn? Is it too late to take out travel insurance? Travel Disruption cover can be added retrospectively to a policy, but not to claim on an event that has already happened (or been forecast). There can also be a moratorium on travel disruption from the time you take out the policy to the time you will be covered (eg. seven days) - however, 'missed departure' cover should still apply. Where can I find more information? For full details on your air passenger rights in the event of cancellation, delays, downgrading and denied boarding, see the Irish Aviation Authoritys website, iaa.ie. NB: This article has been updated to reflect events. Unity Mitford described the Nazi dictator as simply wonderful, so sweet and perfectly heavenly Adolf Hitler and Unity Mitford: the dictator was said to have behaved like a 17-year-old boy in her presence Its been known for some time that Unity Mitford younger sister of the novelist Nancy Mitford was an unstable young aristocrat who was in love with Hitler. But her original diary of 150,000 words has now been found in a bank vault, disclosing just how close she was to the Nazi dictator. New US president Donald Trump takes the oath during his inauguration in Washington. Photo: Reuters America needs to stop pretending climate change is up for discussion. Hurricanes tearing through North Carolina, wildfires consuming Los Angeles these arent coincidences. Theyre a direct result of a rapidly warming planet. Yet Donald Trump and his Republican Party treats this escalating crisis like an inconvenient PR problem rather than the existential threat it is. Exhibit A: Trump. On day one of his second term as US president, he pulled the US out of the Paris climate accords, effectively flipping off every nation trying to address the crisis. Now Republican leaders are salivating at the chance to dismantle the Green New Deal and revoke electric vehicle mandates. And who could forget his battle cry of Drill, baby, drill? Its not policy its a death sentence for the planet. The US is a global superpower, but this kind of wilful ignorance sabotages international climate efforts. Smaller nations many drowning under rising seas need leadership, not obstruction. But why would Republicans care? Theyve built their brand on denying science and peddling short-term economic wins while ignoring planetary collapse. This isnt a debate. Its a countdown. Unless the GOP starts taking climate change seriously, they wont just be remembered as the party of denial theyll be remembered as the party that helped seal humanitys fate. The clock is ticking. Jessica Toal, Belfast A worrying situation got worse as Trump claimed to now be doing Gods work Donald Trumps words at his inauguration I was saved by God to make America great were frightening. The new US president believes he has been chosen by God as a messiah to lead America to greatness. To cement his messianic claim, he is personalising the words of Psalm 118, where the psalmist states: The Lord is on my side; I will not fear. This alignment of religion and politics by a self-proclaimed viceroy of God on Earth is a dangerous mix for the future of America and the rest of our world. Brendan Butler, Drumcondra, Dublin 9 Anxiety is palpable as countless people in the US face threat of deportation These are fretful times for all who care about how society is run. Many millions have suffered at the hands of the US government and its military adventures while, at the same time, that country speaks of democratic values and the rule of law. I cannot think of a more sorrowful day than Mondays presidential inauguration. I am thinking of the many thousands of working immigrants fearful of the knock on the door from US immigration officials. I am thinking of the millions across the globe fearful of this unhinged man and what he will do if he gets up on the wrong side of the bed some morning. I want to tell them they are not alone. Paul Doran, Monastery Walk, Dublin 22 Greenland fate inevitable, but locals should be well compensated by America With Donald Trump back at the White House, the fate of Greenland is a foregone conclusion should Trump wish to seize it. Denmark, which has sovereignty over Greenland, has 16,000 active armed personnel with 44,000 reservists. The US has over one million uniformed personnel, plus hundreds of thousands of reservists. Greenland, with a population of less than 60,000, is the worlds largest island with no standing army. Perhaps Denmark should consider selling it to America and allow it to become the 51st state. The purchase of Alaska from Russia, as well as the earlier purchase of Louisiana from France, shows there is a precedent. Generously compensating each Greenlander should ease the transition to US sovereignty, which would be in Europes and Natos best interests, as well as Denmarks and Greenlands. Like it or not, Greenland is simply too strategic to ignore its vulnerability and its close proximity to North America. Dominic Shelmerdine, London New president swore to protect constitution lets see how that works out Donald Trump took the oath of office as he was sworn in as the 47th president of a great but divided country. He declared: I do solemnly swear that I will faithfully execute the office of president of the United States, and will, to the best of my ability, preserve, protect and defend the constitution of the United States. But its extremely unlikely that he will carry it through. Amy Goodman, an investigative journalist in the US, said: Journalism is the only profession explicitly protected by the US constitution, because journalists are supposed to be the check and balance on government. Were supposed to be holding those in power accountable, asking the critical questions. Were not supposed to be their megaphone. Thats what the corporate media have become. Those of us who respect honesty and rules-based democratic institutions are unnerved by Trumps behaviour, as well as the constant vilification of those perceived as his enemies. Will he now target truth-seeking journalists? To vilify a great man is the readiest way in which a little man can himself attain greatness, wrote Edgar Allan Poe. It seems truth is now on trial, but the facts will give their verdict. Time eventually uncovers the true motives of those with bad agendas. John J May, Blessington, Co Wicklow TDs making a bad fist of defending bloated pay deals for junior ministers The new government leaders have, at a pace Usain Bolt would be proud of, embarked on an ambitious job-creation programme. It involves well-paid jobs and huge expenses. Unfortunately, the jobs are for politicians who are already overpaid, in the form of junior minister posts. A Fianna Fail TD, speaking on a current affairs programme last Thursday, tried to justify the liberal use of taxpayers money to reward already well-rewarded politicians. He did this by saying Portugal, with a similar population, had many more junior ministers. Ireland has a population of 5.3 million; Portugals is 10.6 million. Those figures might be similar in the eyes of a TD trying to justify the unjustifiable, but to the rest of us it would appear Portugals population is double Irelands. The motto of Irelands politicians would seem to be: Ask not what I can do for my country, but what my country can do for me. Hugh Gallagher, Co Donegal What lessons have the Happy Pear learned from 20 years in business? What were their failures? And how do they get their kids to eat more veg? The Happy Pears, David and Stephen Flynn, join me on the Real Health podcast to discuss their new book The Happy Pear 20: Recipes and Learnings from the First 20 Years. In the book the brothers talk about failure which is fascinating. Dave said, Failure is an interesting one because in 20 years of business, we had a million different failures. Steve says, We reframed it to lessons learned, because its part of the process. The business pair speak about their brother Darragh and how he started selling wheat grass shots and the business was thriving. Then there was an outbreak of E. coli in Germany and over night he lost his business. Then Darragh began selling pesto using his grandmothers recipe and now it sells about twenty thousand pots of pesto a week. The business duo has a section in the book called Dinners our kids actually eat. I asked them what the best way is to get your kids to eat more veg. They told me, So baby steps, our message isn't about being vegan or vegetarian. It's about making baby steps. If you're someone that has cornflakes for breakfast and a croissant, a coffee and a cigarette, fabulous. Maybe try adding a piece of fruit. You can listen to the full episode here or wherever you get your podcasts. Eileen O Loughlin and Kate O Brien were at the Newmarket GAA Stand for the Local Clubs Expo last Sunday Andrew Dennehy, Mary O Brien and Mary Ahern of the St. Vincent De Paul Conference were at the Newmarket Local Clubs Expo Ollie Dugdale and Maura Sheahan of Newmarket Community Development were at the Newmarket Local Clubs Expo in the Culturlann Rita Guiney, Eleanor Burke, Sheila Buike and Mary Guiney of The Knitting & Crochet Group pictured with their Blankets of Hope at the Newmarket Local Clubs Expo First Responders Eileen McAuliffe, Annemarie Byrne and Sandra Jones pictured at the Newmarket Local Clubs Expo in the Culturlann. Photos by Sheila Fitzgerald The innovative concept of hosting an Expo for all the Clubs and Organisations in the parish proved to be a resounding success when Newmarket natives got together at the Culturlann last Sunday to highlight all that the area has to offer. In total, 25 Clubs/Organisations attended, each sharing their energy and creativity. Their participation played a key role in the events success, offering visitors a chance to connect with local groups and discover the many ways they can get involved. Organisers said; Our Clubs Day provided an opportunity to celebrate the diverse range of clubs and committees that contribute to the local community. The purpose of the day was to showcase the activities and initiatives of these groups, with the aim of encouraging locals to consider joining as members. We thank IRD Duhallow for generously providing refreshments. A special thank you also to the Culturlann committee, for providing the fantastic venue and the CYMS for additional tables. Finally, our thanks go to the clubs themselves for their active involvement and dedication. Events like this highlight the strength of our community, and we look forward to seeing these clubs continue to grow and thrive with the support of new members. Thank you to everyone who made the day such a success Millstreet GAA is supporting Ireland Light Up Initiative and Irish Life GAA Healthy Clubs Every Step Counts Challenge. Patrons can come along every Wednesday night to the lit-up Millstreet Town Park between 7-8pm. Meanwhile, Millstreet GAA is seeking support for Rebels Bounty, the Cork GAA fundraising initiative to support Cork players, clubs and county. The venture offers a total prize fund of 500,000, with one lucky club member set to win 100,000. The response has been overwhelming from the local community, thanks to all ticket sellers and those who put huge effort into making a success during 2024 with further support again appreciated. Tickets at 100 each are currently available, the first draw takes place later this month and with over 30 prizes a month, there are 360 chances to win. Rebels Bounty is an exciting initiative that gives clubs a significant opportunity to raise much needed funds. . This is a chance to support both the local club and county whilst also being entered in a monthly draw with some fantastic cash prizes. Additionally, there will be a special draw confined to Millstreet members in December with great prizes on offer. Newcomers are welcome to join the fundraiser, the cost of entry is 100, details from club officers. A male juvenile has been arrested following an incident at a secondary school in Co Donegal. Gardai and emergency services attended Deele College, Raphoe this morning, Thursday, January 23 at around 10.30am after a report of an incident believed to have involved a student. A male juvenile was arrested at the scene for an offence contrary to the Firearms and Offensive Weapons Act 1990 and taken to a Garda Station in the county. He was subsequently released without charge. There are no reports of any injuries. Gardai said investigations are ongoing. The school has reassured parents that all students and staff members are safe. In an email sent to parents, the school said, There was an incident in Deele College this morning. "We would like to reassure you that everything is under control and all students and staff are safe. Donegal Education and Training Board, patron of Deele College, has issued a statement to reassure parents, guardians, and the wider community that the safety and well-being of students and staff remain the highest priority. "Following an incident at Deele College, Raphoe, Donegal Education and Training Board (ETB) can confirm that all students and staff are safe and well. An investigation into the matter is currently underway, and we are working closely with the relevant authorities and supports to ensure a continuity of classes. "The school acknowledges the assistance of An Garda Siochana in their timely response and cooperation. We remain committed to providing a safe and supportive learning environment. "Donegal ETB or Deele College is not in a position to comment any further at present. Two students from Enniscorthy Community College are among over 100 students across Ireland taking part in the Webwise Safer Internet Day (SID) Ambassador Training Programme 2025. This peer-led initiative equips students with the knowledge and skills to run their own online safety campaigns in their schools and local communities. It is an EU wide initiative to promote a safer internet for all users, especially young people and is promoted in Ireland by the Oide Technology in Education and Webwise, with over 200,000 people taking part in last years celebrations. As part of the programme, Megan Dagg and Bogdan Cucu attended an in-person training day in Google HQ in Dublin, where they received support and guidance from the Webwise Youth Advisory Panel. The Ambassador Training Programme empowers students to take a leading role in creating a safer, better internet by tackling key issues like online bullying, misinformation, wellbeing, privacy, and digital rights. Teacher and IT Coordinator for Enniscorthy Community College, Ms. Fabienne Chapuis Osborne said that the staff take internet safety very seriously and try to incorporate it into their everyday curriculum. "As a school we feel it is crucial that students are educated about internet safety, ensuring they can navigate the digital world securely and responsibly. We run different initiatives in order to empower our students to make informed decisions and think critically to avoid falling victim to scams and misinformation, she said. "One of the many initiatives is the Safer Internet Day Programme run by Webwise. Each year two TY students are selected as Safer Internet Day Ambassadors. They take part in a peer-to-peer youth training programme held in Google Headquarters that gives them an opportunity to lead an online safety campaign in the school, she added. This training has been in preparation for Safer Internet Day 2025, which will take place on Tuesday, February. The theme of this year's day is Prepare / Protect / Thrive: Navigating Algorithms and Influencers. This campaign encourages schools, parents, young people, and educators to explore how algorithms and influencers shape young peoples online lives. The aim is to equip children with the skills to navigate the opportunities and challenges of these powerful online influences. Webwise is the online safety initiative of the Department of Education and co-funded by the European Commission. This programme develops resources to help teachers integrate digital citizenship and online safety into teaching and learning in their schools, as well as providing information to parents to ensure an internet-safe home environment. Our beauty writer shares how you can lean into the darker aesthetic of this time of year If I was putting it politely, Id say that this isnt always the easiest time of year. If I was being honest, Id say that Ive woken up feeling like a moody nightmare almost every day of this month so far. The darkness, coldness and lack of festive spirit can really impact our mood, and sometimes I think rather than fighting it, you should lean into it. For me, this always includes what I choose to wear, both on my body and on my face. My outfits lean towards the gothic, and I turn to a dark, blood-red lipstick. To me, a dark red lip delivers a look of sophistication while sending a dont mess with me message. Perfect for January, right? To keep this look fresh and modern, its best to go easy on the rest of your makeup. A neutral eye with mascara and a teeny bit of eyeliner is ideal. As far as lipliners go, brown will add dimension and help your product to stay sharp. Here are some of my favourite deep reds, whatever your budget or formula preference: NYX Soft Matte Lip Cream NYX Soft Matte Lip Cream in Monte Carlo (8.45 via boots.ie) This range of lip products has gained cult status thanks to the fact that it delivers a velvety matte finish without being uncomfortable to wear. Instead, it feels light on the lips. Once on, it wears well on the lip but will require reapplication over the course of the day. Kiko Milano 3D Hydra Lip gloss Kiko Milano 3D Hydra Lip gloss in 22 Sparkling Red Garnet (11.99 via kikocosmetics.com) I was thrilled to see Kiko Milano launch in Ireland this year via a flagship store on Henry Street in Dublin. The brands products consistently outdo their reasonable price points, and these lip glosses are a star player. This shade packs a punch when it comes to pigment but is slightly softened by a hint of sparkle in its glossy finish. NARS Senual Satin Lipstick NARS Sensual Satin Lipstick in Opulent Red (30.45 via lookfantastic.com) This warm-toned burgundy is not for the faint of heart thanks to its depth and pigment, but if you like drama, youll love this. I am a huge fan of this formula which delivers colour in one swipe, and is comfortable to wear thanks to its creamy texture. Maybelline SuperStay Matte Ink Lipstick Maybelline SuperStay Matte Ink Lipstick in Voyager (14.99 via boots.ie) Matte lipsticks arent as popular as they once were, but there will always be something sophisticated about a matte finish, and this deep red is beautiful on many skin tones. It doesnt crack or feel extremely drying the way some formulas do, and like many liquid lipsticks, it lasts for hours. Clinique Almost Lipstick Clinique Almost Lipstick in Black Honey (29.50 via arnotts.ie) If a fully pigmented lipstick sounds like too much for you, this sheer formula is a perfect compromise. This product was designed to enhance the natural colour of your lips to create a uniquely flattering tint. Seven of these are sold every minute globally, according to Clinique, so its doing something right! YSL Rouge Pur Couture YSL Rouge Pur Couture in N13 (41 via brownthomas.com) Full disclosure, I am always seduced by the chic packaging of YSLs beauty products, and these lipsticks, which are encased in black and gold, are no exception. This shade is a deep brown-red, and its creamy formula is a dream to wear. Lost in translation Youve heard of the skin barrier, but what of the acid mantle? This is a term given to the thin film which coats the skins surface, created by sweat and sebum. This acts as a barrier against bacteria and other environmental factors and is named for its acidic nature. If the acid mantle is damaged, it negatively affects the skins health, and can result in all sorts of problems from dry, flaky skin to acne and breakouts. Rhode Pocket Blush Something old Hailey Biebers beauty brand Rhode is relatively new, having launched in 2022, but it has carved out a firm place for itself in the beauty landscape. Last year, it launched Pocket Blushes (32 via rhodeskin.com) to much applause. These cream blushes come in stick form, with six shades available ranging from classic pinks to shades of fig and orange. Rhode started as a skincare brand, so its no surprise that Pocket Blush not only delivers colour, but also the impression of beautiful, glowing skin. The pigment is somewhat sheer, so never looks overdone, and leaves a delicately glowy finish. In theory, its orangey brown packaging should be hideous, but if Hailey Biebers name is on it, its immediately cool as far as her fans are concerned, and somehow it works. LH Cosmetics' Artstick ... Something new Linda Hallberg is a make-up artist who made a name for herself as a blogger and content creator before launching LH Cosmetics. The brand has an emphasis on creativity and flexibility, with most of its products designed to be used in a variety of ways across the face. LH Cosmetics formulas are also all cruelty free and vegan, as well as generally excellent. The brands latest launch, Artstick (33 via lhcosmetics.com), perfectly represents the brands values, as it delivers buildable coverage which can be used across the face. Available in five shades, it glides on easily and blends beautifully. I like to use it across the cheeks, eye and lip to create a harmonious colour story and healthy glow. Benedict Cumberbatch reveals Doctor Strange is on hiatus in next Marvel sequel (Matt Crossick/PA) Benedict Cumberbatch has confirmed his superhero character Doctor Strange will not appear in the Marvel film, Avengers: Doomsday. The British actor, who starred in 2022s Doctor Strange In The Multiverse Of Madness, revealed his character will be absent from the next film in the franchise set for release in May 2026. Is that a spoiler? F*** it, he told Variety after the accidental announcement. Benedict Cumberbatch poses in front of a Dr Strange-inspired 3D portal artwork in the foyer of the Odeon Leicester Square, London (Yui Mok/PA) He said that while the hiatus revolves around the character not aligning with this part of the story, the 48-year-old confirmed he will feature in a lot of the 2027 film Avengers: Secret Wars. Hes quite central to where things might go, Cumberbatch said, as he teased a third stand-alone film for the character. They are very open to discussing where we go next. Who do you want to write and direct the next one? What part of the comic lore do you want to explore so that Strange can keep evolving? Hes a very rich character to play. Hes a complex, contradictory, troubled human whos got these extraordinary abilities, so theres potent stuff to mess about with. The former Sherlock star last appeared as the superhero in the second stand-alone Doctor Strange In The Multiverse Of Madness alongside Elizabeth Olsen, Benedict Wong and Rachel McAdams who all reprised their role after the first 2016 film. Martin Freeman and Jack Lowden for The Fifth Step (Phil Fisk/PA) Actors Martin Freeman and Jack Lowden are to star in a play about addiction that has been transferred to the West End. Slow Horses actor Lowden, 34, will reprise his role as Luka in the production about alcoholism, masculinity, and faith, which was staged in Dundee, Glasgow and at the Edinburgh International Festival in 2024. The Fifth Step, which has been written by David Ireland and directed by Finn Den Hertog, will also see Bafta award-winning actor Freeman, 53, in the role of James. The Fifth Step Jack Lowden, Finn Den Hertog and Martin Freeman (Phil Fisk/PA) In the play, James, who has been in the 12-step programme of Alcoholics Anonymous for many years, agrees to become the sponsor of newcomer Luka. Approaching step five, their conversations must turn to confessionals, with Lukas progress hinging on him opening up about secrets that could lead back to alcohol. Olivier award-winning actor Lowden said: To just be in the room again with David and Finn two dangerously talented individuals is a gift in itself. But to now add Martin to the mix, an actor of black belt level skill and a hero of mine, just tops it. I cant wait for more people to experience The Fifth Step. Sherlock actor Freeman added: Im really looking forward to performing this brilliantly funny, unsettling, unexpected play. David Ireland is something quite special and Jack Lowden is an actor I have tremendous respect for and am looking forward to working with him. Ireland said: Im really happy that The Fifth Step is coming to the West End. Jack Lowden and Martin Freeman are, for my money, two of the best actors in the country so I feel very blessed to have them both in this play. Jack Lowden and Saoirse Ronan attending the British Independent Film Awards ceremony (Yui Mok/PA) I hope audiences in London will find the play as thrilling and funny and thought-provoking as audiences in Scotland have. Scottish actor Lowden has appeared in films including Dunkirk (2017), Calibre (2018) and Mary Queen Of Scots (2018). Freeman is known for playing Bilbo Baggins in The Hobbit film series and won the best supporting actor TV Bafta in 2011 for his role playing Dr John Watson in the BBC series Sherlock. The production will open at Soho Place in London for a limited 11-week season previewing from May 10 and running until July 26. Of the tickets available 15% will be priced at 25. Details about access performances are yet to be confirmed. 'Devastation seen across the country has been replicated on the electricity network' Homes and businesses without power may be waiting "at least a week" for their electricity supply to be restored, with ESB managing director Nicholas Tarrant warning Storm Eowyn was an "unprecedented" event. "We peaked during the storm with 768,000 customers without electricity. At this stage we are down to 625,000 so we have restored electricity to over 14,000 customers. But the scale and devastation we have seen across the county has been replicated in the electricity network," said Mr Tarrant. There are currently 625,000 homes and businesses without power. Speaking to RTE Six One News, Mr Tarrant said restoration work will be significant as the extent of the damage is something not seen before and it could be "at least a week" before the worst-affected customers have their electricity supply restored. He said crews have made good progress today and the ESB hopes to "keep the momentum going into tomorrow". Safety concerns, hazards and faults on the network impacting the largest number of customers will be the first addressed, he added. However, he also warned that the ESB website for monitoring outages, powercheck.ie, is currently "not accurate" as the extent of the damage is still being assessed by crews. "This event is unprecedented. It is going to take us into tomorrow and even until into Sunday before we have restoration updates." The ESB has previously sent requests for overseas assistance in past storms, receiving support from counterparts in Northern Ireland, Britain, and France. There has been "very similar levels of damage" to networks in Northern Ireland and supply in Britain has also been impacted by Storm Eowyn, meaning crews there will first address problems locally. ESB crews across the country are receiving support from local authorities, the Defence Forces and their contract partners Amy Blaney Prince Harry claimed a monumental victory over Rupert Murdochs UK newspaper group yesterday after the publisher settled his lawsuit, admitting unlawful actions at The Sun newspaper for the first time and paying substantial damages. Harry (40), the Duke of Sussex, had been suing News Group Newspapers (NGN), publisher of The Sun and the now-defunct News of the World, at the High Court in London, alleging the papers had illegally obtained private information about him from 1996 till 2011. Volodymyr Zelensky says US troops would be needed in any peacekeeper force The new US president said he was doing a favour for Putin by offering him the chance to negotiate over peace, but would punish Russia if it did not come to the table. 200 trapped inside hospital after IDF bulldozes roads to build sandbanks The mother of Ahmed Shayeb, a Palestinian man who was killed during the raid in Jenin, West Bank. Photo: Reuters Jordans foreign minister warned that the West Bank could explode. after an Israeli raid that killed at least 10 Palestinians and left dozens wounded. The raid in the northern city of Jenin wounded at least 40 people, Palestinian health officials said, in an operation which Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu said would be extensive and significant. LATEST | Nashville high school shooting: Police investigate concerning online writings of gunman The 17-year-old gunman killed a female pupil and himself in the school shooting in Nashville A students and a family member walk from the Antioch High School after a shooting in Nashville, Tenn., Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2025. (AP Photo/George Walker IV) Irish Independent Newsdesk Thu 23 Jan 2025 at 08:44 Police said they were examining very concerning online writings and social media posts linked to a teenage gunman who killed a fellow pupil in a Nashville high school cafeteria. Livermore, CA (94550) Today Rain ending this morning. Breaks of sun in the afternoon. High 53F. Winds WSW at 15 to 25 mph. Chance of rain 90%. Higher wind gusts possible.. Tonight Cloudy with rain developing after midnight. Low 42F. Winds S at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 90%. India-Romania Bilateral Trade and Investment Relations: An Overview India and Romania have established themselves as important trade partners, building on a foundation of friendly political relations and mutual cooperation. Petroleum, petrochemicals, metallurgy, and power sectors are central to their strong bilateral ties. In February 2024, India and Romania celebrated 75 years of diplomatic relations and the 10th anniversary of their extensive partnership, which was established in 2013 and enforced in the following year. The extensive partnership has been instrumental in advancing cooperation in areas such as trade, defense, agriculture, space exploration, energy, infrastructure, and technology. Also Read: Indias Trade Performance in FY 2023-24 and Strategy to Explore New Export Markets India and Romania also share robust economic ties, facilitated by the India-Romania Joint Economic Commission (JEC), which serves as a key platform for enhancing bilateral trade and investment. The JEC between the two countries was established in 1974 and has since held 18 rounds of discussions. Key agreements and initiatives between India and Romania Latest agreements between India and Romania include: MoU on tourism cooperation. Joint statement establishing an extensive partnership. Agreement for the exemption of visa requirements for diplomatic passport holders. Cultural exchange programme for 20222027. Defense cooperation agreement (March 30, 2023) Romanias strategic importance as a European partner for India Romania, as a member of the European Union (EU), can play a role in the ongoing negotiations for an India-EU Free Trade Agreement (FTA). The proposed FTA aims to reduce tariffs and promote deeper trade and economic integration between India and the EU. In February 2024, Romanian Foreign Minister Luminita-Teodora Odobescu visited New Delhi and inaugurated the new premises of the Embassy of Romania in India. During her visit, the foreign minister reiterated Romanias stand on strengthening bilateral ties and enhancing multilateral cooperation. A joint declaration issued on this occasion highlighted promising areas for future collaboration, including energy, information technology and communications (IT&C), and manufacturing. Both countries have also agreed to collaborate on global challenges, such as climate change, energy security, and sustainable development. India-Romania trade relations Indias primary exports to Romania include vehicles, electrical machinery, pharmaceutical products, and organic chemicals. Whereas Romanias main exports to India consist of machinery, optical instruments, nuclear reactors, and chemicals. India and Romania 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 Romania 366.89 371.84 592.74 744.39 1,778.05 Growth % 1.35 59.41 25.58 138.86 Indias import from Romania 261.34 193.97 263.1 562.21 1,200.04 Growth % -25.78 35.64 113.69 113.45 Total 628.24 565.81 855.84 1,306.59 2,978.09 Growth % -9.94 51.26 52.67 127.93 Source: Department of Commerce, GoI Indias Export to Romania (Value in US$ Million) Commodity FY 2022-23 FY 2023-24 Growth % Mineral fuels, mineral oils and products of their distillation; bituminous substances; mineral waxes. 206.39 1,104.46 435.13 Nuclear reactors, boilers, machinery and mechanical appliances; parts thereof. 74.93 96.66 29.01 Iron and steel 69.07 76.34 10.53 Electrical machinery and equipment and parts thereof; sound recorders and reproducers, television image and sound recorders and reproducers,and parts. 49.68 55.15 11.01 Ceramic products. 25.87 40.1 55.01 Organic chemicals 29.03 36.97 27.33 Vehicles other than railway or tramway rolling stock, and parts and accessories thereof. 27.91 31.68 13.48 Articles of iron or steel 20.9 31.51 50.79 Rubber and articles thereof. 27.07 28.75 6.23 Pharmaceutical products 15.3 21.07 37.71 Plastic and articles thereof. 19.1 21.05 10.21 Articles of apparel and clothing accessories, knitted or corcheted. 5.27 19.9 277.8 Cotton. 15.93 17.51 9.89 Source: Department of Commerce, GoI Indias Imports from Romania (Value in US$ Million) Commodity FY 2022-23 FY 2023-24 Growth % Animal or vegetable fats and oils and their cleavage products; pre. Edible fats; animal or vegetable waxex. 275.32 838.39 204.51 Iron and steel 8.38 136.18 1,524.78 Nuclear reactors, boilers, machinery and mechanical appliances; parts thereof. 88.29 59.46 -32.66 Electrical machinery and equipment and parts thereof; sound recorders and reproducers, television image and sound recorders and reproducers,and parts. 55.31 51.06 -7.69 Organic chemicals 38.14 33.52 -12.11 Optical, photographic cinematographic measuring, checking precision, medical or surgical inst. And apparatus parts and accessories thereof; 28.68 30.78 7.32 Articles of iron or steel 10.45 8.33 -20.25 Rubber and articles thereof. 8.61 8.08 -6.1 Plastic and articles thereof. 13.26 7.38 -44.32 Vehicles other than railway or tramway rolling stock, and parts and accessories thereof. 4.34 4.08 -6.11 Wood and articles of wood; wood charcoal. 11.23 3.77 -66.46 Wool, fine or coarse animal hair, horsehair yarn and woven fabric. 3.61 3.1 -14.13 Copper and articles thereof. 1.41 2.63 86.16 Source: Department of Commerce, GoI India and Romania Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement India and Romania have established a Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement (DTAA) to promote economic cooperation and prevent double taxation of income earned in either country. Signed in March 1987, the DTAA aims to foster cross-border investments and trade by eliminating tax barriers. Recipient Country Withholding Tax Rates (%) from Certain Types of Income Romania Dividend Interest Royalty Fee for technical services 10 10 10 10 Source: Income Tax Department, GoI; India Briefing Foreign investments between India and Romania According to the Ministry of External Affairs, Indian investments in Romania are valued between US$11.5 billion, with prominent companies like Wipro, Dr. Reddys Labs, Sun Pharma, and Sunwave Pharma establishing a strong presence in the country. A notable investment occurred in April 2021, when Wipro acquired METRO Systems Romania SRL, further solidifying Indias footprint in the Romanian market. Conversely, Romanian investments in India come from companies such as Atlantia SPA, Saira Seats SAS, Simest SPA, Summer Conf SRL, Hanna Instruments Romania SRL, Omnia Professional SRL, FSS Activ Group SRL, STX RO Electrotulcea SRL, and Mihaela Carmen Popa. India-Romania defense cooperation agreement On March 28, 2023, India and Romania signed a Defense Cooperation Agreement aimed at expanding military collaboration. It encompasses a wide range of areas, including training, defense equipment, technical assistance, military medicine, and research and development (R&D), laying the foundation for enhanced collaboration between their armed forces. The accord was signed during a bilateral meeting in New Delhi between Simona Cojocaru, Romanias Deputy Minister of Defense, and Giridhar Aramane, Indias Defense Secretary. This agreement indicates Romanias growing focus on engaging with Indo-Pacific countries, aligning with the EUs strategy for deeper cooperation in this crucial region. Key highlights: Enhanced collaboration: Romanias defense companies, such as Aerostar, are positioned to collaborate with Indian industries through co-production, sub-licensing, or joint ventures, leveraging existing partnerships like Mig-21 maintenance. Romanias defense companies, such as Aerostar, are positioned to collaborate with Indian industries through co-production, sub-licensing, or joint ventures, leveraging existing partnerships like Mig-21 maintenance. Joint oversight: A Joint Committee on Defense Cooperation will oversee the implementation of the agreement, meeting periodically in both countries to decide on activities based on mutual priorities and interests. A Joint Committee on Defense Cooperation will oversee the implementation of the agreement, meeting periodically in both countries to decide on activities based on mutual priorities and interests. Global significance: This partnership reinforces Indias role in upholding a rules-based international order and democratic values, contributing to global peace and security. India-Romania space collaboration The two countries are also advancing cooperation in the space sector, with Romanias National Institute for Aerospace Research Elie Carafoli (INCAS) playing a vital role. INCAS, a research institution in aerospace sciences and a key participant in EU R&D policy making, is actively involved in collaborative projects with the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), including Indias Gaganyaan space program. Broader areas of cooperation Beyond trade and defense, Romania and India could explore complementarities in high-tech research, tourism, engineering services, and academic exchanges. Romanias expanding startup ecosystem and expertise in IT programming present opportunities for collaboration in technology. India and Romania have the potential to collaborate in addressing climate change and promoting green energy. Romania, working towards the EUs ambitious climate goals, plans to join the International Solar Alliance. Both nations could work together on renewable energy projects, such as solar power and infrastructure development to enhance connectivity between Europe and India. Romanias trans-European transport network aligns well with Indias plans under the International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC). Future prospects To further enhance ties, India and Romania must diversify their areas of collaboration and explore untapped potential in sectors like tourism, startups, and environmental sustainability. As active players on the global stageIndia as a major economy and contributor to UN peacekeeping, and Romania as a member of the EU and NATOthe two countries are well-positioned to address global challenges such as supply chain disruptions, conflict, and climate change. Razakar OTT release date: This Telugu historical action film is finally set to arrive on OTT after a 10-month wait since its theatrical release on March 15, 2024. Originally scheduled for release on Zee5 in April, it was postponed indefinitely and will now stream on a different platform. Here's everything you need to know about the drama before watching it online. 1. When and where to watch Razakar online Razakar: The Silent Genocide Of Hyderabad will be streaming on Aha from 24th January 2025. 2. Razakar story Razakar brings to life the tumultuous period in Hyderabad following India's independence in 1947. While the rest of the country rejoiced in freedom, Hyderabad remained under the control of its ruler, the Nizam, who resisted joining the newly-formed Indian Union. This created a volatile environment, where the Razakars, a brutal militia loyal to the Nizam, unleashed terror on the local population. The film explores the atrocities committed by this force, as well as the unwavering bravery of those who rose against their oppression. It intricately portrays the build-up to Operation Polo, a military action in 1948 that led to Hyderabad's eventual integration into India. 3. Razakar reviews Critics have shared mixed opinions on the film. 123Telugu.com gave it a 3/5, calling it "an honest portrayal of the horrific genocide in Hyderabad during the Nizam's reign." Greatandhra.com rated it 2.75/5, saying it presents "history on the big screen." On the other hand, The South First gave it 2.5/5, arguing that it pushes a "right-wing Hindutva narrative." 4. Razakar cast and crew Produced by Gudur Narayana Reddy under Samarveer Creation LLP, Razakar features cinematography by Kushendar Ramesh Reddy and editing by Tammiraju. The film boasts a talented ensemble cast, including Bobby Simha, Tej Sapru, Makarand Deshpande, Raj Arjun, Annusriya Tripathi, Vedhika, Anasuya Bharadwaj, Indraja, Prema, Thalaivasal Vijay, Chandhunadh, Tarak Ponnappa, Arav Choudary, Vijay, Cheluva Raj, and Keshav Deepak, among others. For more news and updates from the world of OTT, and celebrities from Bollywood and Hollywood, keep reading Indiatimes Entertainment. In the most recent development in the Saif Ali Khan stabbing case, a third piece of the knife used to attack the Bollywood actor was discovered in a lake near his Bandra home. According to an NDTV report, the missing knife component used by the perpetrator in the January 16 attack was discovered in a ditch near the Bandra Lake, bringing important information to the ongoing inquiry. Credit: Imagined with Meta AI Another piece of knife was found in the actor's flesh Earlier, police discovered a 2.5-inch blade from the knife stuck in the actor's flesh as he was being treated at Lilavati Hospital. Meanwhile, different divisions of the Forensic Science Laboratory in Kalina, Mumbai, will examine important pieces of evidence obtained by police investigating actor Saif Ali Khan's knife attack case, officials said on Wednesday. Accused is arrested Mumbai Police arrested Shareeful Islam Shehzad Mohammad Rohilla Amin Fakir, a Bangladeshi national, on Sunday for stabbing Khan during a burglary attempt at his Bandra flat on January 16. Credit: X A number of documents, including mobile phones, the accused's clothes, and CCTV footage, were seized following the arrest of Fakir (30) alias Vijay Das and sent to the FSL for examination. Who is Shariful? Shariful, a 30-year-old Bangladeshi national who entered India illegally last year under the identity Vijay Das, allegedly attacked Khan while he was attempting to protect his little son, Jeh, from a robbery attempt at his home. The actor was reportedly stabbed while attempting to defend his child from an intruder. On Tuesday, police rebuilt the crime scene inside Khan's building in Bandra. According to the official, the accused was transported to a nearby building during the crime's reproduction. Khan was discharged from a private hospital in Mumbai the day before after undergoing two five-day procedures. Also read: 'Steal and escape': Accused in Saif Ali Khan case reveals why he attacked 'someone rich' For more news and updates from the world of OTT, and celebrities from Bollywood and Hollywood, keep reading Indiatimes Entertainment. Cameron Diaz's much-anticipated return to showbiz after a decade is a Netflix blockbuster. Her comeback film, Back in Action, also starring Jamie Foxx, is the streaming giant's most successful English-language film released since the 2022 film The Adam Project. The action comedy is one of the two films that Diaz has signed for $45 million with Netflix. Cameron Diaz and Jamie Foxx's Back in Action is a Netflix hit Cameron Diaz and Jamie Foxx are back in action, and how! The film has racked up insane numbers on the streaming platform, becoming the most-watched title for the week of January 13-19. Despite being available for only three days, it garnered an impressive 46.8 million views, marking the largest opening weekend for an English-language film on the platform since March 2022, when The Adam Project was released, Variety reported. Cameron Diaz's fat paycheck for a two-film deal with Netflix According to a report by Bloomberg News, Netflix paid a hefty check to secure the services of a particular actress. The agreement reportedly involves a total payment of $45 million for her appearance in two films, one of which is Back in Action. With the second film still in production, this translates to a significant upfront payment of $22.5 million per movie. Notably, this amount represents the highest upfront payment the actress has received to date, although it may not be her largest overall compensation. About Back in Action The official synopsis of the film reads, Years after giving up life as CIA spies to start a family, Emily and Matt find themselves dragged back into the world of espionage when their cover is blown. The film also stars Glenn Close, Kyle Chandler, Andrew Scott, McKenna Roberts, Rylan Jackson, and Jamie Demetriou. For more news and updates from the world of OTT, and celebrities from Bollywood and Hollywood, keep reading Indiatimes Entertainment. An ex-serviceman has been arrested in Hyderabad for the murder of his wife, whom he had reported missing last week. The accused, Guru Murthy, was arrested on Wednesday by the Telangana Police during the investigation into the disappearance of his wife, Venkata Madhavi, on 18 January. Ex-servicemen arrested for wife's murder Murthy, who was working as a security guard at DRDO in Kanchan Bagh after serving in the Army, had lodged a complaint with Meerpet Police Station, claiming that his wife was missing. CREDIT: BCCL However, during the investigation, police learned that Murthy and Madhavi had been having frequent quarrels for days before she was reported missing. Police became suspicious after Murthy made contradictory claims, and upon detailed interrogation, the 45-year-old admitted to killing his wife. Murthy, who married Madhavi 13 years ago and has two children with her, also revealed shocking details about the murder. CREDIT: BCCL Body chopped, dumped in lake He admitted to killing the 35-year-old woman after a heated argument on 18 January. Murthy told police that he chopped the body into pieces and boiled them in a pressure cooker. After boiling the chopped body parts several times, he dumped them into a lake in Jillelaguda. To cover up his crime, Murthy informed his wife's family that she was missing and even accompanied them to the police station to file a complaint. According to the police, while Murthy has admitted to killing his wife, they have yet to recover the chopped body parts he dumped in the lake. For more news and current affairs from around the world, please visit Indiatimes News. Lovely Runner stars Byeon Woo Seok and Kim Hye Yoon have sparked controversy almost a year after the release of their K-drama in South Korea, and the reasons will leave you shocked. The hit tvN drama couple has apparently come under fire over a subway ad. According to a viral post, the subway ad was pulled down by transport policy after 40 complaints were received questioning the lead actors' pairing. Lovely Runner stars' ad removed from subway In a shocking turn of events, a subway ad featuring Lovely Runner couple Byeon Woo Seok and Kim Hye Yoon was abruptly pulled down after receiving over 40 complaints from the public. Both Byeon and Kim received widespread praise for their undeniable chemistry, with the couple being voted as one of fan favourite drama couples at multiple award shows. However, an ad featuring them has sparked a fresh controversy, with some individuals taking issue with the pairing of the two actors. The complaints, which were filed with the transportation authorities, cited unspecified reasons for objecting to the couple's pairing but were enough to trigger the removal of the ad from the subway. According to transportation policy, even a single complaint is enough to mandate the removal of an ad, and in this case, the sheer volume of complaints led to the swift takedown of the ad. #ByeonWooSeok and #KimHyeYoon's subway ad got pulled after over 40 complaints questioning their pairing, despite being voted as a favorite drama couple for #LovelyRunner. Giftly announced the discontinuation of a subway ad. According to transportation policy, even one complaint pic.twitter.com/Ow5IYaIGgn K-Drama Handle (@kdramahandle) January 23, 2025 The Lovely Runner frenzy! Despite the current backlash, Lovely Runner remains one of the most popular and highly rated Korean shows of 2024 among global fans, with fans continuing to tune in and show their love for the characters and storylines. The drama, which aired on tvN from April 8 to May 28, 2024, consistently topped the ratings charts, with impressive viewership numbers in Korea and internationally. According to Nielsen Media Research, Lovely Runner averaged a remarkable 15.6% viewership rating in Korea, with some episodes reaching as high as 20.5%. Globally, fans were able to watch the romance fantasy on Viki. The drama is now also streaming on Netflix. What is Lovely Runner about? The drama follows Ryu Sun Jae, a famous K-pop idol of the boy group Eclipse who seems to have it all but is actually exhausted. Im Sol is a big fan of his and finds comfort in his music after a childhood accident ruined her own dreams. When Sun Jae dies suddenly, Sol is heartbroken, but she scores a rare chance to save him after discovering a mysterious watch that allows her to time travel and change the course of events. For more news and updates from the world of OTT, and celebrities from Bollywood and Hollywood, keep reading Indiatimes Entertainment. Actor Saif Ali Khan was discharged from Lilavati Hospital on Tuesday, days after he was attacked by an intruder during an attempt at burglary at his Bandra apartment on January 16, 2025. When the actor returned home from the hospital on Tuesday, the visuals of the actor perfectly walking started making rounds on the internet as netizens wondered about the actor's quick recovery. During the early hours of January 16, the actor was admitted to the hospital, where he underwent multiple surgeries. Saif Ali Khan, during the attack, survived six wounds, of which two were deep wounds, which required a series of surgeries. He was stabbed in spine? And he is walking fine in less than a week? Something looks fishy in the whole Saif Ali Khan stabbing thing. Was it just a PR Stunt? pic.twitter.com/38ZJg0MiDi The Jaipur Dialogues (@JaipurDialogues) January 22, 2025 Additionally, he had suffered thoracic spinal cord injuries, with a knife lodged in his spine with leaking spinal fluid. After undergoing serious injuries and surgeries, how did Saif Ali Khan recover so quickly? Doctors say, Dont be surprised to see Saif Ali Khan recover so quick Dr. Sudhir Kumar, MD DM, Neurologist, Apollo Hospitals, Hyderabad, took to his X (formerly called Twitter) to share that if people are surprised to see actor Saif Ali Khan recover so quickly after suffering serious injuries, then you shouldn't be. According to Dr. Kumar, stab injuries fortunately spared the spinal cord and nerves, and therefore, the actor did not suffer from weakness in his legs. Saif Ali Khan's quick recovery from such grave stab injuries is awe-inspiring. Stab injuries, especially the ones caused very close to the vital areas, for example, the spinal cord, can be fatal. However, in Saif's case, those injuries spared these crucial components, increasing his probability of survival, explains Dr.Shrey Srivastava, Senior Consultant-Internal Medicine, Sharda Hospital. This critical factor underlines the major importance of timely medical intervention and a proper environment. Are you surprised to see Saif Ali Khan recover so fast after having suffered such serious injuries? You shouldn't be! Three factors are responsible: 1. Stab injuries fortunately spared the spinal cord and nerves, and therefore, the actor did not suffer from weakness of legs. 2. https://t.co/YvXblXhIHU Dr Sudhir Kumar MD DM (@hyderabaddoctor) January 21, 2025 Recovery rate of spinal cord surgeries The recovery rates in these types of wound cases ultimately correlate to the degree of injury sustained, the organs that were affected by it, and when the treatment was first administered. Dr. Srivastava says, Recovery is rapid with efficient and timely medical management, along with complete rest and physiotherapy, provided the major structures such as the spinal cord and major nerves are spared during injury. For more superficial injuries, the time for healing is about 6-8 weeks. Deeper injuries generally require a longer period and rehabilitative therapy for full recovery. Saif's recovery has certainly been speedy and shows their fighting spirit and the care of a highly congenial group of doctors looking after him. Sir Excellent points. Here are some points from me: 1. Knife was only 3 inches. 2. He was stabbed 6 times on neck, spine and wrist. Probably, superficial cuts mostly. 3. Saif had held the intruder from the back. To escape the intruder stabbed him. Would be very difficult to Guru (@KamathGurudutt) January 21, 2025 Saif Ali Khan is known to do regular workouts, which helped his recovery Dr Kumar in the X post also mentioned that actor Saif Ali Khan is known to do regular workouts, and recovery from an illness or after an operation is more rapid and more complete in a physically fit person. Many beginning exercisers make slow progress, but as they adapt to their routines, they will accelerate to higher growth rates. Dr. Bhumesh Tyagi, Senior Consultant-Internal Medicine, at Sharda Hospital, says, Recovery is faster and more complete in a fit person than it is in one who does not habitually exercise. There is an advantage for the person who exercises regularly through a combined circulatory system and muscle strength by aiding in recovery. Besides, healing attention heals very well in a person with good circulation. He was stabbed in spine? And he is walking fine in less than a week? Something looks fishy in the whole Saif Ali Khan stabbing thing. Was it just a PR Stunt? pic.twitter.com/38ZJg0MiDi The Jaipur Dialogues (@JaipurDialogues) January 22, 2025 As your recovery progresses, you'll feel better about yourself. Regular exercise produces numerous physiological responses; one of them is an increase in endorphins, which helps relieve stress and build a positive frame of mind while recovering. Although rest is important for a smooth recovery, gentle movement, or activities approved by a physician, recuperation after surgery can prevent adverse side effects, such as blood clot formation and stiffness, adds Dr. Tyagi. In short, fitness before surgery is a great gift for a faster, smoother, and more complete recovery. San Jose Protests Trump Inauguration by Fight Trump's Anti-Immigrant Agenda On MLK Day January 20, upwards of 600 demonstrators came out to protest Trump's inauguration. El Dia de MLK, mas de 600 salieron a protestar contra la investidura de Trump y a luchar contra su agenda antiinmigrante. Exigimos "Legalizacion para todos, no a la frontera militarizada, no al muro fronterizo racista y no a las deportaciones masivas." Photos by Len and Nancy On MLK Day, upwards of 600 people came out to protest Trump's Inauguration to fight back against his anti-immigrant agenda and more. Trump has repeatedly threatened to deport all undocumented immigrants and restrict reproductive and LGBTQ rights. At the rally participants shouted their demands including no deportations and a return and expansion of reproductive rights. They called for America to stand for a free Palestine and no support for a wider war in the Middle East. The Raging Grannies started off the rally at the busy intersection of Winchester and Stevens Creek Boulevards with a song they wrote for the event titled "You Can't Stomp on Me". It included the lyrics, "We have the right to speak and demonstrate ... we will not be stopped by MAGA thugs". After speeches and many chants, the every growing group marched through tony Santana Row, past upscale stores taking their message to the privileged shoppers. Head organizing group Silicon Valley Immigration Committee led the charge. Dozens of organizations endorsed the action and were represented at the protest including SEIU 2015, San Jose Against War, CAIR California, JVP South Bay, San Jose People's Pride, and Senior and Disability Action. Gas station attendants will be prohibited from selling gas to motorcyclists who do not wear helmets, according to a regulation being tabled in the Greek Parliament on Thursday. The proposal was first made by Health Minister Adonis Georgiadis on December 16, Development Minister Takis Theodorikakos told a relevant committee, adding that the federation of gas station owners agreed. The relevant amendment has been drawn up by the Development ministry and will be appended to the new Traffic Code to be tabled in Parliament soon by the Transport Ministry. "There is nothing more important than human life and health, than protecting young people. Because most people driving are mainly young men at an age where they feel invincible. We must do everything we can to save human lives, that is why we responded immediately," Theodorikakos told the committee. The initiative was prompted by the death of a young motorcycle rider on Crete and an announcement by a gas station owner there that he will refuse service to motorcyclists without a helmet. In addition, the Health Ministry said a few weeks ago it would work with the Development Ministry and the Federation of Gas Station Owners on a campaign of "No gas, if you don't wear a helmet," to refuse selling gas to motorcyclists not wearing a helmet. Addressing the committee in Parliament were also doctors of KAT accident hospital and the emergency ambulance service EKAV. KAT governor Yiannis Iliopoulos in particular said the hospital handled 87,000 emergency cases annually, of which the average number of traffic accident victims totals 3,200. Of the latter, 7%-10% have serious multiple injuries, and of these 60% has to be hospitalized at intensive care units, then spend nearly 5.5 months in rehabilitation. Intensive-care physician Spyros Papanikolaou who serves on the EKAV board noted that the service receives 1,000-1,100 calls per day, of which 250-300 relate to traffic accidents. Of the latter, 5% involve serious injuries (particularly in the head), and if they survive, over 70% have an 80% loss of function. He also underlined the problematic and widespread lack of helmets by motorcycle drivers on Greek islands, stating that "driving without a helmet is suicidal." iefimerida.gr Greece's Ministry of Health is taking steps to improve access to high-cost medications by expanding distribution channels. Currently, these medications are primarily available through specialized pharmacies managed by the National Organization for Healthcare Services Provision (EOPYY). However, challenges with this system have prompted the Ministry to explore new options to ensure patients have better access to essential drugs The Ministry plans to expand EOPYY's home delivery service, with the goal of reaching 200,000 patients nationwide each month. A pilot program is already underway, and services are expected to expand throughout the year. Additionally, EOPYY is working to enable the distribution of high-cost medications through private pharmacies, increasing convenience for patients. These initiatives aim to address the limitations of the current system and ensure that patients across Greece have reliable access to critical medications. iefimerida.gr The Embassy of Israel in Greece and Ambassador Noam Katz hosted in Athens a high-level trade delegation from Israel , which included representatives from various economic institutions.Among them were the Israels Embassy hosted a high-level trade delegation from Israel - Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis is steering his New Democracy (ND) party further to the right, aligning with the ideological currents of the Trump era. This shift appears to be a strategic response to the growing appeal of far-right parties in Greece, aiming to solidify NDs conservative base while staying competitive in a rapidly polarizing political landscape. The alignment with Trump-era rhetoric became particularly clear this week. On Monday, U.S. President Donald Trump declared, From today , the official policy of the United States will recognize only two genders, male and female. By Tuesday , Mitsotakis publicly echoed the sentiment, stating, Yes, I believe there are two genders, male and female. That is my personal view , and it is dictated by biology. This synchronization with Trumps conservative stance highlights a broader recalibration of New Democracys political messaging. Speaking at the Hellenic-American Chamber of Commerce, Mitsotakis also sought to distance himself from Greeces smaller far-right parties. He dismissed the idea of forming coalitions with these groups, asserting, There are citizens voting for parties to the right of New Democracy, but these are fringe parties and will not be part of any potential coalition government in Greece. Mitsotakiss comments followed those of Makis Voridis, the Minister of State and a figure well-known for his far-right leanings. Voridis lamented what he called a debate over the obvious, declaring, Are there not two genders? He also defended Greeces stringent immigration policies, contrasting them with what he characterized as the failures of other European nations. Trump gained support by addressing immigration where others failed. In Greece, we build fences, we enforce borders, and we adopt active deterrence policies, Voridis said. While embracing aspects of Trumps ideological framework, Mitsotakiss government is also working to deepen ties with Washington. Greek officials are reportedly exploring opportunities to engage with key members of the U.S. administration, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio and National Security Advisor Mike Watts. The focus of these discussions is anticipated to center on U.S. policy toward Turkeya critical issue for Greek foreign relations. The Greek government has also maintained close ties with influential Republican figures, including Congressman Gus Bilirakis and John Catsimatidis, a prominent Greek-American businessman in Trumps orbit. These relationships aim to position Greece as a valuable ally in the reshaped geopolitical dynamics of the Trump-dominated Republican Party. #KYRIAKOS_MITSOTAKIS Adekunle Gold, a Nigerian artist, is scheduled to co-produce a documentary that honours Yoruba music. The documentary The Odyssey delves into a century of Yoruba music, tracing its roots from its emergence as a popular genre in the 1930s to its present-day global influence through Afrobeats. Advertisement White House Productions said in a statement on Wednesday that the documentary will include interviews with well-known Yoruba musicians, promoters and band members. The documentary will examine how religion has influenced the evolution of Yoruba music over the years. READ MORE: Bobrisky Outlines Wedding Plans; Fixes Aso Ebi For 2m, Mens Cap 1m; Insists Broke People Arent Invited The statement noted that the documentary aims to showcase Yoruba music in a way that resonates with both local and global audiences, while preserving its cultural significance. The documentary will present Yoruba music through its key people, moments, and genres, like Sakara, Apala, Ajiwere, Fuji, Juju, Highlife, Afrobeats and more, it reads in part. ODYSSEY will organise Yoruba musics chronological history through two time periods, pre- and post-colonial, and explore the influences religion, particularly Christianity and Islam, have had on the evolution of Yoruba music. Through insightful interviews with key intellectuals, influencers, promoters, band members, and artistes, the documentary will narrate entertaining stories that bring the force of Yoruba music to life for a global audience. ODYSSEY aims to provide an artistic presentation of Yoruba music that resonates with local and international audiences in both critical and mainstream circuits, ultimately becoming a marker in time that celebrates Yoruba music and culture while charting new paths for its growth and relevance for future generations. The Odyssey is executive produced by Bobo Omotayo and directed by filmmaker Abba T. Makama. SEE POST: Some angry students from the University of Ibadan, Oyo State have protested against the 82-day power outage at the University College Hospital. INFORMATION NIGERIA learnt that the teaching hospital has been experiencing a power outage since last year due to debts owed to Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company. Addressing newsmen on Tuesday, the President of UI Student Union Government, Comrade Bolaji Aweda, said that the blackout has crumbled academic activities within the hospital and the university. Advertisement He added that the situation has lingered for over 82 days as students could not study well. Aweda said: The blackout has lingered for over 82 days now and for over two months, there has been no light at the University College Hospital which has affected the livelihood of our students. READ MORE: Fire Engulfs Seven Shops In Ibadan The lack of electricity is why we are out on the street today. We have reached out to the school management severally. It is a kind of power play between the University College management and the University of Ibadan management. We are protesting against what is happening. And, of course, our students are affected. For 82 days, there has been no light at UCH, and this is due to the inability of UCH to pay its electricity bill to IBEDC. IBEDC has demanded that UCH settle its debt before they will restore power. Well-known Nigerian crossdresser Bobrisky has announced plans to tie the knot, providing details about the wedding venue, Aso Ebi prices, and other information in an Instagram post. In a post on Wednesday, Bobrisky revealed that the Aso Ebi for women will be priced at 2 million, while the mens cap will cost 1 million. He also shared the venues for various wedding events, such as the introduction, engagement, white wedding, and honeymoon. Advertisement READ MORE: Im Now A Woman That Has Gone Through Everything Bobrisky Reacts To Trumps Two-Gender Policy He wrote, My wedding is gonna be a bomb. Female Aso Ebi: 2 million; Mens cap: 1 million. Wedding details include: 1) Introduction Nigeria 2) Engagement London 3) White Wedding USA 4) Honeymoon Greece Note: Broke asses are not invited, please. Following the announcement, the comment section was quickly filled with responses from individuals sharing their views. See some reactions below @apostlekingjohn: Well.. I wish him a happy married life in advance God will really be busy on judgement day.. unless he will use automated means to dispatch people to their destinations. @OmoniyiMrbaby: Everybody for 9ja don forget about this one..no forget say na two genders dey US now.. hand go soon touch you for where you dey as yankee don change pattern for una. @Rae_Bryan112: LOL Which usa is he think of doing the wedding lol cos i Believed they only Recognize 2 gender now lol make she dey deceive him self. @iSam_son: White wedding for which USA. United States of Abia Abi. SEE POST: No fewer than 37 persons, suspected to be internet fraudsters have been arrested by officials of Enugu State Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission. EFCC stated that the suspects were arrested in a sting operation at Commissioners Quarters, Dr. J. O. Ukwutinife Close, Ifite, Awka, Anambra State. This was contained in a post shared via the agencys X page on Wednesday. Advertisement EFCC noted that items, such as luxury cars, laptops, and mobile phones believed to be tools used in their alleged fraudulent schemes were recovered from the suspects. The statement reads: Operatives of the Enugu Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC have arrested 37 (Thirty-seven) suspected internet fraudsters. READ MORE: EFCC Nabs Seven In Benin City For Cybercrime Offences The all-male suspects were arrested in a sting operation at Commissioners Quarters, Dr. J. O. Ukwutinife Close, Ifite, Awka, Anambra State, following credible intelligence linking them to fraudulent internet activities. Items recovered from them include six exotic cars, laptops and mobile phones. They will be charged to court as soon as investigations are concluded. Labour Partys internal crisis has sparked concerns about the partys stability, but its legal adviser, Kehinde Edun, has reassured members that Peter Obi, the Partys 2023 presidential candidate, remains committed to the Julius Abure-led faction. Obi had attended a meeting convened by Governor Alex Otti of Abia State, where former Minister of Finance Nenadi Usman was appointed to lead the Party temporarily. However, the High Court and the Court of Appeal have since ruled in favor of Abures continued chairmanship. Advertisement Edun, speaking on Channels Televisions Politics Today, emphasized that Obi maintains regular communication with the Abure-led leadership and has not indicated any intention to leave the party. READ ALSO: Appeal Court Upholds Julius Abure As LP National Chairman When asked on Wednesday if Obi had rejoined the Abure camp following the court judgment, Edun replied, I believe so. He has not made any categorical statement about it, but he speaks with us all the time and he has not said he has left the party. He is with us, that is what I know and believe. Edun acknowledged the damage caused by the Partys internal crisis but assured members that efforts are underway to resolve the issues. He added: We know that there is a crisis in the party because of the way they are making it to look, but we are making efforts to reconcile to make everybody come, and we still have time to do that. We have never picked a fight with anybody. We didnt go to court against Nenadi, we went to court against INEC and the court resolved the dispute and they said they want to join. We have never sued any member of the party. In a stern warning, United States President, Donald Trump has urged Russian President Vladimir Putin to put an end to the ongoing war in Ukraine, threatening severe economic repercussions if the conflict continues. Russias full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 has led to devastating consequences, including widespread displacement and numerous casualties. The international community has however imposed sanctions on Russia in an attempt to bring an end to the war. Advertisement READ ALSO: Trump Open To Elon Musk Buying TikTok, Wants 50% Cut In a post via his Truth app on Wednesday, Trump stated, All of that being said, Im going to do Russia, whose Economy is failing, and President Putin, a very big FAVOR. Settle now and STOP this ridiculous War! ITS ONLY GOING TO GET WORSE. Trump emphasized that he would have to impose high levels of Taxes, Tariffs, and Sanctions on Russian goods sold to the US and other participating countries if a deal is not made soon. He added, Lets get this war, which never would have started if I were President, over with! We can do it the easy way, or the hard way and the easy way is always better. Its time to MAKE A DEAL. NO MORE LIVES SHOULD BE LOST!!! Detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu, has requested that his case to be transferred to South-East if no judge at the Federal High Court in Abuja is willing to preside over it apart from Justice Binta Nyako. This was contained in a statement on Wednesday by his lead counsel, Aloy Ejimakor, following a routine meeting with his legal team at the Department of State Services facility in Abuja. The IPOB leader ordered his lawyers to ensure that Justice Nyako stays off his case following her recusal. Advertisement Recall that Kanu had asked the trial Judge to hands off his trial on grounds of lack of confidence. Following the call, Justice Nyako stepped down from Kanus case and transferred the case file to Chief Justice of the Federal High Court, John Tsoho. In his statement, Ejimakor disclosed that the IPOB leader had instructed his legal team to prevent Justice Nyako from presiding over his trial. He said: The routine visitation to Onyendu Mazi Nnamdi Kanu continues unabated, as the legal team just concluded a crucial visitation today. The central issue arising at todays visitation is the upcoming court date for the continuation of MNKs case. READ MORE: Only Enemy Of Nigeria Will Advocate For Nnamdi Kanu s Release Buharis Ex-Aide, Bashir Ahmad Due to its constitutional implications, Onyendu instructed the legal team to take certain prompt steps to ensure that his case is not handled by the same Justice Binta Murtala-Nyako, who had withdrawn from the case by virtue of the order of recusal entered on 24th September 2024. The point was stressed that should the case still lie with Justice Murtala-Nyako, it would mean that the same court is disobeying an order that it made. If no other judge in Abuja is willing to handle the case, the Chief Judge is free to transfer the case to Umuahia, Awka, Enugu, Asaba, Port Harcourt, or any other Federal High Court within the former Eastern Nigeria, where the alleged offenses were said to have occurred or had their impact. The Aareonakakanfo of Yorubaland, Gani Adams, has criticized South West Governors for failing to collaborate with security groups to address the growing insecurity in the region. Adams, who leads the Oodua Peoples Congress (OPC) and other security stakeholders, expressed frustration over the Governors lack of response to their requests for partnership. According to the OPC and other security groups, including the Hunters Association, they have offered to work with the Governors to tackle insecurity, but their efforts have been met with silence. Advertisement We have written to the governors, but they have not responded. Yoruba land will be too hot for terrorists and members of the ISWAP. We are ready to do the job and we are not going to relent until there is peace in our region, Adams said in a chat with Vanguard on Wednesday. Alao Olusola, Deputy Coordinator of OPC in Ogun State, noted, OPC wrote letters to traditional rulers in the region on the same subject matter, but none of them responded to the letter. READ ALSO: Ondo: Amotekun Arrests 21 For Kidnapping, Theft, Other Law Violations We have partnered with the police in our areas to fight insecurity, but we need the governors approval to take more decisive action. South West Media Officer, Nigeria Forest Security Service, NFSS, formerly known as Nigeria Hunters and Forest Security Services, NHFSS, Bayo Adediran, said: Some governors including Seyi Makinde of Oyo State, Ademola Adeleke of Osun State and Dapo Abiodun of Ogun State have been assisting our group via provision of operational vehicles, motorcycles and adequate recognition. We hope that our governors in the region would collaborate with us to tackle insecurity in the region. They cannot tackle this menace alone. We are closer to the grassroots. Coordinator of OPC in Osun State, Adeyemi Aboderin, disclosed: We have received a standby order from the Aare Ona Kakanfo, Iba Gan Adams to be vigilant and collaborate with the state government to ensure proper security of forest and border towns in the region. However, here in Osun State, we are still waiting for the State Government to reach out to us on areas of collaboration to ensure the safety of lives and property in the State. A medical doctor at the Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital, Nnewi, identified as Cornelius Onuigbo, has regained his freedom. INFORMATION NIGERIA reports that Mr. Cornelius, was abducted by some unknown gunmen on Tuesday and was released in the early hours of Thursday after spending two days in captivity. It was gathered that the news of the doctors release was confirmed to PUNCH by one of the victims colleagues, in the Urology Department of the hospital and the Head of Corporate Affairs at NAUTH, Martina Onwuka. Advertisement READ MORE: EFCC Nabs 37 Internet Fraudsters, Recovers Valuable Items In Anambra He said: We thank God that he has been released. We are not yet sure if any ransom was paid, and we cannot confirm if he was physically hurt. However, the psychological trauma of such an ordeal is significant. The most important thing is that he has reunited with his family. We thank God for sparing his life. Mr. Cornelius was kidnapped in front of his residence, a few meters away from the Teaching Hospital on Tuesday. It was further revealed that the victims family members had remained restless since after the incident, and had been making efforts to secure his release, unhurt. Confirming the incident on Wednesday, Anambra State Police Commands Spokesman, Tochukwu Ikenga, disclosed that the command was on the matter and had already mobilised operations for the possible rescue of the victim. At least nine pregnant women have been rescued from a baby factory in Abuja. It was gathered that the victims were rescued by officials of the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons on Thursday. In a statement by NAPTIPs Spokesman, Vincent Adekoye, disclosed that the baby factory was located in the Ushafa area of the Federal Capital Territory. Advertisement READ MORE: NAPTIP Arrests Suspected Organ Harvester In Akwa Ibom He added that the victims were locked up in an apartment inside the estate by a yet-to-be-identified suspected trafficking agent after they were recruited through an online platform. He said: The victims were locked up in a rented apartment inside the estate by a yet-to-be-identified suspected trafficking agent after recruiting them through an online platform. The raid on the facility by operatives of NAPTIP followed a tip-off by a concerned citizen who noticed the unusual situation and movement around the area. The Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) has vehemently condemned the Federal Governments approval of a 50% increase in telecommunication tariffs, describing it as a clear assault on the welfare of Nigerian workers. According to NLC President, Joe Ajaero, This decision, coming at a time when Nigerian workers and the masses are grappling with unprecedented economic hardship, is a clear assault on their welfare and an abandonment of the people to corporate fat cats. Ajaero in a statement on Wednesday further stated, Telecommunication services are essential for daily communication, work, and access to information. Yet, an average Nigerian worker already spends approximately 10 percent of their wages on telecom charges. Advertisement For a worker earning the current minimum wage of N70,000, this means an increase from N7,000 to a staggering N10,500 per month, or 15 percent of his salarya cost that is unsustainable. The NLC criticized the government for prioritizing corporate interests over the welfare of citizens. Ajaero questioned the governments decision to approve the tariff hike within a month, while it took nearly a year to approve the recent minimum wage increase. READ ALSO: NLC Slams FG For Allocating Absurd N8bn To Sensitise Nigerians On Need To Pay Electricity Bill He asked, When will the government stand for the people it swore to protect? When will the national assembly rise to its responsibility and hold the executive accountable for policies that blatantly undermine the welfare of the majority? When will the common man heave a sigh of relief in Nigeria? The NLC, he said! is not opposed to tariff reviews but disagrees with the approved rate of increase. Ajaero called on the government, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), and the National Assembly to halt the implementation of the tariff hike and engage in a reasonable conversation about it. The labour union further urged Nigerians to reject the tariff hike and prepare for collective action, including a possible nationwide boycott of telecommunication services. He emphasized that the initiative would push for the reversal of the tariff increase, which is essential for our dignity, our rights, and our survival as a people. Beatrice Ekweremadu, the wife of former Nigerian Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu, has been released from a United Kingdom prison and returned to Nigeria. According to a family source, she arrived in the country three months ago. Its been three months now since Madam Beatrice returned to Nigeria, a family member told the BBC as revealed on Wednesday. Advertisement In March 2023, Beatrice, Ike, and Dr. Obinna Obeta were convicted of conspiring to traffic a young man for organ harvesting under the UKs Modern Slavery Act of 2015. This marked the first conviction of its kind under the legislation. READ ALSO: Organ Harvesting: Ohanaeze Meets British Envoy, Pleads Leniency For Ekweremadus The Ekweremadus were found guilty of arranging for a young Nigerian man to travel to the UK with the intention of harvesting his kidney for their ailing daughter, Sonia. The victim reported the matter to the police in May 2022, stating he was brought to the country for an organ transplant. In his judgment, Judge Jeremy Johnson stated that Beatrice should spend half of her four-year and six-month sentence in custody, with the remaining time on license. The judge also considered the time she spent in electronically monitored curfew and remand when calculating her prison time. The case highlighted the severity of organ trafficking, with Judge Johnson emphasizing that people-trafficking across international borders for the harvesting of human organs is a form of slavery. The Mpu community in Aninri Local Government Area of Enugu State, on Wednesday, celebrated the return of Beatrice Ekweremadu, wife of former Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu. Recall that Mrs. Beatrice, her husband, Ike, and a medical doctor, Obinna Obeta, were jailed in the United Kingdom by a judge at The Central Criminal Court, over alleged organ harvesting. While Beatrice was jailed for four years and six months in March 2023, Ike, who was also found guilty of the same offence, was bagged nine years and eight month imprisonment. Advertisement Reacting to her return on Wednesday, the traders shut their stalls and took to the roads, singing joyful songs to celebrate the return of the woman they called their mother. READ MORE: Organ Harvesting: Ekweremadus Wife Returns To Nigeria After Serving UK Prison Sentence The President of Mpu Town Union Federated, Mr. Benjamin Chijioke, while addressing newsmen during the celebration, described Mrs Ekweremadus return from the UK jail as a significant relief for the entire community. He said: Our joy as Mpu people knows no bounds. This is a great day for us. Since morning, it has been jubilation and celebration across all the villages. We thank God and pray that He intervenes so that our illustrious son and leader, distinguished Senator Ike Ekweremadu, will soon return home in good health, Chijioke added. Their absence has caused a significant setback for the community, but we remain hopeful. The councillor for Mpu Ward, Ogbuka Edwin, also expressed gratitude for Mrs. Ekweremadus return, saying the absence of the Ekweremadus had created a gap in the community. He said: It feels like a public holiday here in Mpu. The news brought so much cheer. We will continue to pray until our leader and hero, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, rejoins his family. The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) National Working Committee (NWC) elected deputies have weighed in on the Partys current crisis, stating that all members are responsible for the situation. According to the deputies, led by Comrade Timothy Osadolor, the Partys Deputy National Youth Leader, no single individual can be blamed for the crisis. Osadolor emphasized that the Party must move beyond the blame game and work towards restoring its fortunes. Advertisement He also challenged Party members to stop using court orders and media interviews to distract the Party, instead urging them to join hands with the chairUmar Damagum to move the PDP forward. On the leadership crisis surrounding the National Secretary position, Osadolor stated that the party would wait for the courts decision. He noted, From 2013 to date, personal ambitions have driven us to heights of pure mischief and arrogant use of power. READ ALSO: I Remain Authentic National Secretary Samuel Anyanwu Insists, Says Theres No PDP Faction We are all complicit by being perpetrators, supporters, or silent. No one is coming to save us; we must stand up and become heroes; we brought ourselves here. This is no longer the time for a blame game; all have sinned. From the BOT chairman, who endorsed an opposition governor, to candidates that negotiated and supported other party candidates in promises to get their return support, to NWC members and leaders that lost their polling units. We must all come down from our high horses, forget pride for now, and join hands with the party as led by Amb. Illya Damagum to reposition this party back to winning ways. The deputies declared their support for Damagum, stating that he would remain in office as the PDP Chairman until December 2025. Osadolor added, The case of the acting national chairman is settled till December 2025, and on that of the National Secretary, we wait on the courts. Lets learn to love and support PDP first and always. The PDP is also dealing with external challenges, including what Osadolor described as the tyranny of the All Progressives Congress-led federal government against the Party and Nigerians in general. The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has issued a stern warning to President Bola Tinubu, demanding that he reverses the recent 50% increase in telecom tariffs within 48 hours. Failure to comply will result in legal action, SERAP threatened. According SERAPs statement on Wednesday, The Tinubu administration and telcos must immediately reverse the unlawful increase in calls and data costs. Well see in court if the 50% tariff hike is not reversed within 48 hours. Advertisement The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) had approved the tariff hike on January 20, citing the need to address the gap between operational costs and current tariffs. The NCC stated that the adjustment, capped at a maximum of 50 per cent of current tariffs, though lower than the over 100 per cent requested by some network operators, was arrived at taking into account ongoing industry reforms that will positively influence sustainability. READ ALSO: NLC Slams FG Over 50% Telecom Tariff Hike The NCC also noted that tariff rates have remained static since 2013, despite the increasing costs of operation faced by telecom operators. The commission believes that the approved adjustment will support telecom operators in investing in infrastructure and innovation, ultimately benefiting consumers through improved services and connectivity. As disclosed by the NCC, these adjustments will support the ability of operators to continue investing in infrastructure and innovation, ultimately benefiting consumers through improved services and connectivity, including better network quality, enhanced customer service, and greater coverage. Nevertheless, the increase has sparked concerns about the potential consequences of the tariff hike on the already struggling Nigerian economy. Striking resident doctors in the Federal Capital Territory have accused Minister Nyesom Wike of neglecting health workers welfare in the nations capital, Abuja. Speaking on Wednesday during an interview with Channels Television, President of the resident doctors in FCT, George Ebong, hailed Wike over construction of roads and other infrastructures. He added that the former governor of Rivers State has abandoned government-owned health institutions in the nations capital with many in deplorable condition. Advertisement He said: Thats just where we have our concerns. The minister has been very busy with projects, fixing roads, and all of that. We feel that he should also focus on the hospitals right now. We feel that we are the human abandoned project. No matter the things he does by fixing roads and bridges, the hospitals are the very first point of innovation and rehabilitation. They are hallowed ground; he cannot neglect them. I urge the minister to please try to ensure that all the wages are paid. I urge the minister to please visit all the ministers and see the state in which the hospitals are at the moment. INFORMATION NIGERIA reports that Mr. Ebongs statement is coming, amid ongoing three-day warning strike which started on Wednesday over unpaid salaries, and allowances, among others after the expiration of a three-week ultimatum issued earlier. Colman Domingo as Muncie Daniels in Episode 101 of 'The Madness.' AMANDA MATLOVICH/Netflix 2024 Read more West Phillys Colman Domingo picked up his second Academy Award nomination Thursday for best actor, highlighting his haunting, yet hopeful portrayal of an incarcerated playwright in Sing Sing. Colman plays Divine G, who was instrumental in creating the Rehabilitation Through the Arts program in New Yorks Sing Sing prison. The program, the focus of Sing Sing, produces theatrical stage shows with and for incarcerated men. Advertisement The Oscar nominations, announced by comedians Rachel Sennott and Bowen Yang, came after a two-week delay due to the deadly California forest fires. This years Oscar nod is Domingos second consecutive in the best actor category. The 55-year-old actor was nominated last year for his role as West Chester civil rights legend Bayard Rustin in Netflixs Rustin but lost to Cillian Murphy who played the lead in Oppenheimer, last years biggest Oscar winner. Domingos competitors are Timothee Chalamet in A Complete Unknown, Ralph Fiennes in Conclave, Sebastian Stan in The Apprentice; and Adrien Brody in The Brutalist. Brody plays the moody Hungarian Jewish Holocaust survivor Laszlo Toth, an architect who is separated from his wife and orphaned niece when he comes to Doylestown to build a community center. Domingo lost to Brody earlier this month for the Golden Globe for best actor. The Brutalist, set in the Philadelphia area but filmed in Hungary, received 10 nominations including best picture, best director, and original screenplay. Other best picture nominees include Wicked, Emelia Perez, Anora, Conclave, and A Complete Unknown. A Complete Unknown, parts of which were filmed in Cape May and was based on the life of Bob Dylan, received eight nominations. Those included Chalamets nomination for his portrayal of Dylan and a Monica Barbaro was nominated best supporting actess for her breakout role as Joan Baez. Emily Perez received 13 nominations, and Wicked, the film adaptation of the Broadway hit, received 10. Colmans star continues to rise. In addition to Sing Sing, Domingo recently played a CNN pundit, Muncie Daniels, in Netflixs Philadelphia-based The Madness. He is reportedly directing and starring in a biopic about legendary African American crooner Nat King Cole and directing a film on the secret relationship between Rat Pack member Sammy Davis Jr.s and actress Kim Novak. Whether or not Domingo takes home the Academy Award and we hope he does we know hell be a winner on the red carpet. A view of Independence National Historical Park in Philadelphia. The National Park Service employs 612 workers in Pennsylvania. Read more For tens of thousands of federal workers in the Philadelphia region, President Donald Trumps executive orders this week could change how they do their jobs. Among a series of executive orders Trump signed this week, he directed federal employees of the executive branch to return to in-person work full time, instituted a hiring freeze for many federal positions, and established a Department of Government Efficiency. Advertisement The Trump administration also put diversity, equity, and inclusion employees on leave on Wednesday, and a memo from the federal Office of Personnel Management (OPM) indicates a forthcoming reduction in force for these workers. Anxiety and confusion was taking hold in federal workplaces, the Wall Street Journal reported on Wednesday, as DEI meetings got canceled, employees waited for more information on the return-to-office mandate, and human resources informed some recent hires that their job offers were rescinded. Heres a closer look at who these workers are. READ MORE: Can DOGE actually save federal money by cutting government jobs? Unlikely, economist Joel Naroff says How many federal workers are in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware? About 66,100 federal employees are based in Pennsylvania. The federal government was the top employer in the state as of the second quarter of last year, according to the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry. There are about 22,500 federal employees in New Jersey and about 4,000 in Delaware, according to OPM data as of March 2024. States with the most federal employees are California with 147,487, Texas with 129,738, Virginia with 144,483, and Maryland with 142,876. Washington, D.C., has 162,144. What jobs do they have? The largest share of Pennsylvania federal workers nearly 30% work in the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. In Pennsylvania, the Navy employs about 12% of federal workers, the Department of Defense employs about 12%, the Army employs about 12%, and the Department of the Treasury employs about 9%. A little less than 1% of Pennsylvanias federal workforce 612 workers are employed by the National Park Service. In Delaware, more than 40% of the federal workforce is employed by Veterans Affairs and more than 23% by the Air Force. In New Jersey, about 24% of federal workers are employed by the Army, about 21% by Veterans Affairs, and 11% by the Navy. According to OPM data, about 71% of Pennsylvanias federal employees are in union jobs nearly 47,000. In New Jersey thats about 66% and in Delaware about 62%. How many federal workers are in Philadelphia? Philadelphia specifically has about 25,000 federal workers, according to the Federal Executive Boards, a government network that aims to provide coordination between distinct agencies. The federal government has the second-largest employee base of any public or private entity in Philadelphia, according to the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry as of second quarter 2024, second only to the University of Pennsylvania. Philadelphias federal workers include nurses, mechanics, engineers, claims representatives, secretaries, and coin production workers, said Philip Glover, national vice president for the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) District 3. AFGE represents about 9,400 federal workers in and near Philly, Glover said, among 800,000 across the U.S. and abroad. They can be found at the U.S. Mint near Independence Mall, the Corporal Michael J. Crescenz VA Medical Center in West Philadelphia, the Mid-Atlantic Social Security Center in Old City, and the federal detention center on Arch Street. The detention center employs doctors, maintenance workers, teachers, psychologists, counselors, case managers, correctional officers, secretaries, and food service workers, said Frank Bailey, northeast regional vice president of AFGEs Council of Prison Locals 33. What are federal workers salaries? About half of federal workers make between $50,000 and $109,999 a year, according OPM data analyzed by the Pew Research Center. The average federal worker makes $106,382 per year, according to OPM data. In Pennsylvania the average is $97,989, in New Jersey its $121,844, and in Delaware $102,464. How many federal employees work remotely? In Pennsylvania, 66% of the federal workforce is eligible for telework, while in New Jersey 71% are eligible, and in Delaware 49% are eligible. Over half of the countrys federal employees worked in person during the pandemic due to the nature of their jobs, according to a 2024 report from the Office of Management and Budget. Remote work was already not an option for about half of the nations civilian federal workers as of May 2024, the report notes. Even those who were telework-eligible were in person about 60% of the time. Some 10% of federal employees had fully remote jobs that didnt require them to be on-site. How has the federal workforce grown in recent years? Federal government employees make up about 1.87% of the entire U.S. workforce, according to 2024 data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics analyzed by the Pew Research Center. Thats a little over 3 million people, including U.S. postal workers but not active-military personnel. While the total number of federal workers has grown overall in recent decades, their share of the total workforce has stayed pretty stable, according to Pew. Breanna Newman has been charged with endangering the welfare of a child. Read more Breanna Newman knew that her 2-year-old son was wasting away from malnutrition and neglect, but she worried that if she sought medical help for him, she would lose custody and the Medicaid payments she received for his disability, prosecutors in Bucks County said Wednesday. The boys weight had dropped to just 19 pounds, and he had difficulty moving his limbs, according to the affidavit of probable cause for Newmans arrest on child-endangerment charges. She told police she had no plan on how to get her son the treatment he needed. Advertisement Had the mother of Newmans roommate in Croydon not called Bucks County Children and Youth, the extremely malnourished boy likely would have died, prosecutors said. Newman, 26, was held for trial on criminal charges Wednesday after waiving her preliminary hearing. She said little during the proceeding, and her attorney, Rachel Wolfman, made no statement on her behalf. She remained in custody Wednesday in lieu of $25,000 bail. READ MORE: Young man in Montco left for dead by parents in case of depravity, district attorney says Deputy District Attorney Kristin McElroy thanked Bristol Township police for responding quickly to the report of Newmans neglect and getting help for the boy. This is one of the worst cases of child neglect Ive seen, McElroy said. Obviously our number one concern is the health and safety of the child, and were very appreciative of the people who brought this to Children and Youths attention. Now, she said, prosecutors are focused on holding Newman accountable. Frankly, by feeding this child, this wouldve been prevented, McElroy said. Newman moved from her native Indiana to Royersford, Montgomery County, in July to live with a man she met online, the arrest affidavit said. She brought her son with her, and at that point, the boy was at a healthy weight. Shortly after Newman moved in with her new beau, the mans ex-girlfriend also moved in with the couple, and by November, they were all evicted from the apartment they shared, according to the affidavit. After the eviction, Newman and her boyfriend broke up, and she and his ex moved together to an apartment in Croydon. Newmans son began to lose weight after the move, the other woman later told investigators, saying she believed their mutual former boyfriend had helped feed the boy before their eviction, the affidavit said. While living in Croydon, the woman said, Newman would leave her son lying on her bed alone in her room for hours while she talked on the phone, according to the affidavit. The boys ribs and spine became visible through his skin, and he lost major muscle functions, including the ability to lift his head, the document said. Concerned, the woman provided Newman with information on how to obtain medical assistance for the child, help that she said Newman refused to get out of fear social services would take [her son] from her, the affidavit said. After learning of the childs condition, the womans mother called county social services. When investigators went to the Croydon apartment on Dec. 20, the kitchen was full of trash from Uber Eats, DoorDash, and other food-delivery services that Newman ordered from for herself every day, but there was no food suitable for a toddler to eat, the affidavit said. Doctors at St. Christophers Hospital for Children later found that Newmans son showed signs of cachexia, a wasting sickness, including low heart rate, low respiratory rate, and significant weight loss. Newman, one doctor noted, had made decisions which were her in her best interest and not [her sons], ultimately causing his health to decline significantly, the affidavit said. The outside of the federal courthouse in Philadelphia. Read more One man accused Laye Sekou Camara whose nom de guerre was K-1 of shooting his aunt in the head. Another said that as he begged Camara for mercy, the Liberian rebel general pulled out a gun, pistol-whipped him, then killed his brother. Advertisement And a third man said that as he was being held prisoner, he watched Camara shoot a group of people who had been lined up beside a creek. He could not recall how many victims had been killed. There were many, he said. Over the course of several hours Thursday, those men and several others testified during an unusual hearing at the federal courthouse in Philadelphia. They had been flown in from Liberia to testify at Camaras trial on immigration fraud charges, a proceeding that was canceled when he decided to plead guilty to those counts last week. The crimes he admitted as part of that plea did not include the atrocities his accusers described on the witness stand Thursday. Instead, Camara, 46, who now lives in Atlantic County, N.J., acknowledged only that he had lied on immigration forms more than a decade ago when he sought to enter the United States after a second civil war in Liberia, a conflict that roiled the West African nation in 2003 and left more than 200,000 people dead. By pleading guilty to charges including possession of a fraudulently obtained immigration document, Camara admitted that he provided false answers to questions including whether he had ever belonged to a rebel group or had recruited child soldiers things he now acknowledges he did during the war. He did not, however, admit that he committed war crimes. And he continues to deny such allegations, his attorneys said. But as federal prosecutors seek to convince U.S. District Judge Chad F. Kenney that Camara deserves a significant prison sentence for his offenses, they called witnesses who they said could offer details about the scale of Camaras misrepresentations. And that is how he came to face his accusers inside the courtroom Thursday. In testimony that was delivered in a generally dispassionate manner, eight Liberian men, now mostly in their 40s, recalled decades-old horrors they attributed to Camara, whom they referred to as K-1 or called Dragon Master, another nickname from the war. (The Inquirer is not identifying the witnesses out of concern that they could face retribution in Liberia.) The events the often centered on the Freeport of Monrovia, a key port in Liberias capital city that witnesses said Camara and his rebel group Liberians United for Reconciliation and Democracy, or LURD sought to control. The port is where many starving residents would go to seek food in the war-torn city. If Camara saw residents leaving with items, witnesses said, he often accused people of looting. One man testified that as he tried to leave the port with some rice, Camara lashed him 25 times in the back, then stabbed him in the knee. He still has a scar. The man said he saw Camara shoot a fellow LURD member who had been accused of stealing headphones. Camara then told the crowd to leave the victims body on display for three days, the witness said, an affront to his Muslim faith, which calls for a quick burial. And another man said he saw Camara arrive at the port with a group of bodyguards, accuse people who had been searching for food of looting, then start firing at the crowd, killing many. Afterward, the man said, Camara told his troops to load the bodies into a shipping container. There were a lot of dead bodies, the man said. Camara did not speak during the hearing, but while leaving the courtroom for a break, he shook his head and sighed about the lies he said were being told on the stand. One of Camaras attorneys, Ellis Palividas, said after the hearing that Camara denies having committed the atrocities he was accused of Thursday, and that he would present evidence at a future hearing to shed a more complete light on Camaras role in a very difficult conflict. Palividas said that Camara did his best in circumstances in Liberia that bordered on anarchy and that he, too, had suffered from the countrys long-standing instability. Camaras father was beheaded at age 12, the lawyer said, and Camara was then recruited to serve as a child soldier in a conflict that predated the 2003 war. Prosecutors led by Assistant U.S. Attorney Linwood C. Wright have not said what sentence they will seek for Camara, who remains free on bail and is scheduled to have his penalty imposed in May. He faces a maximum sentence of 40 years. Several other figures from the Liberian conflict have been prosecuted for similar immigration offenses in Philadelphia in recent years. The only one to be sentenced so far Mohammed Jungle Jabbah Jabateh of East Lansdowne is serving a term of three decades behind bars. The Philadelphia School District is offering money to students who failed the state algebra Keystone exam if they attend prep classes and retake the test. Read more The Philadelphia School District wants high school students who failed their state algebra tests to retake them in an attempt to pass and is offering a cash incentive for those who do. Deputy Superintendent Jermaine Dawson confirmed the incentive program, which will begin in February, but declined to say how much the stipend will be. Advertisement It is not significant; it is a token, Dawson said in an interview. The money will come not from the districts operating budget but from the Fund for the School District of Philadelphia, the districts nonprofit arm. Up to 500 students will be offered the chance to take an eight-week algebra refresher course at their high schools, then sit again for the algebra Keystone exam in May. A virtual class option may also be developed. It will be based where the need is, Dawson said. The unconventional move comes because, Dawson said, algebra is our Achilles heel. District students have shown growth in academic achievement in most subject areas since Superintendent Tony B. Watlington Sr. arrived in Philadelphia in 2022 but algebra scores have dipped. READ MORE: Algebra scores are down, and other takeaways from the Philly school board meeting Fewer than one-third of all city students 27.2% passed the algebra Keystone test by 11th grade in the 2023-24 school year, down from 30.1% the previous year, and down significantly from the school systems all-time high, 38.4% in 2017-18. Keystones are typically taken in the spring. Algebra is a place that were not getting better, Watlington said at a school board progress monitoring session last week. We just have not gotten better. Pennsylvania allows students who fail the Keystones to retake them through the end of 11th grade, but the number of Philadelphia students who actually sit for a retest is very, very small, Dawson said, because they were not given an additional opportunity to get some focus on the skills that they struggle with in algebra. In all, there are about 8,000 11th graders in the district; 300 to 500 about 20% of those who failed Keystones will be offered the incentive program, Dawson said. (Only those who are offered the incentive will be able to take advantage of the course.) Letters are now being sent to students who failed the algebra Keystone tests and are eligible to retake them. Those students will be invited to the eight-week course taught by district teachers with a demonstrated track record of success before and after school and on Saturdays. Making an investment in their future Algebra I is a gateway course, said Dawson, a former math teacher important because it prepares students for higher-level math classes but also because it requires students to use higher-level thinking; failing to prove proficiency can impede students future opportunities. We want them to know that this is important to their future, and we dont want them to be counted out because they did not show mastery on a test, Dawson said. Knowing that many Philadelphia high school students must work part-time jobs to help support their families, district leaders decided to incentivize the course by offering a stipend, offsetting income students might lose by forgoing work to spend extra time in class. Its about students making an investment in their future, Dawson said. Its a trade-off, so they hopefully will not be discouraged from taking this opportunity. READ MORE: The number of Philly teachers without full certification has more than doubled. It comes at a cost. Moving students by stage At a November board meeting, Watlington and Dawson identified several reasons they believe already-low algebra achievement has dropped, including the districts large stable of emergency-certified teachers and inexperienced teachers at the neediest schools. Dawson also said then that officials are fine-tuning math pathways: Currently, the vast majority of district students take algebra in ninth grade, although some are ready to tackle it in eighth, and others could benefit from an extra year of foundational mathematics before moving to algebra. Going forward, we will be moving students not just by age, but by stage, Dawson said, so in the future, students should be more prepared to succeed in algebra and on the Keystones. The district also instituted a new math curriculum in the 2023-24 school year. When Dawson and Watlington mentioned the algebra retake incentive at the Jan. 16 board progress monitoring session, there was no discussion, other than a brief mention by board member Joyce Wilkerson. We appreciate the innovation and being aggressive on behalf of our students, Wilkerson said. The new AMY at James Martin School on Richmond Street in Port Richmond. Construction is expected to be finished in December. Read more A new school is rising in Port Richmond. AMY at James Martin, formerly housed in an 1894 structure, will get a $62 million building at Richmond and East Ontario Streets. Advertisement Officials gathered at the construction site Thursday to mark the lowering of the final steel beam into place for the 88,000-square-foot building, which will have room for 500 students. Construction is expected to be complete in December. Its not yet clear when the school will open to students. AMY at James Martin students are currently housed at Penn Treaty High School, about two miles away. The project had to be fast-tracked to meet federal deadlines; part of the construction costs were paid for with COVID relief funds. Paula Furman, the middle schools principal, called Thursdays ceremony an extraordinary milestone in the journey of bringing our new school home to life. READ MORE: Philly is starting on a process that will likely lead to school closures, new buildings. Heres what you should know. The new structure will be an outlier in the school system, where the average building is 73 years old. Superintendent Tony B. Watlington Sr. said the project was the sixth new building in the district in 10 years. The district is now in the midst of a facilities planning process that could see more new buildings and also school closings and colocations. Standing against a backdrop of heavy equipment and construction workers, Reginald Streater, the school board president, said the AMY at James Martin project is the beginning of something thats big thats going to continue with our facilities planning process. We hope to replicate this all over the city. The new building is located on the site of the old AMY at James Martin, which was demolished over some neighbors protests at losing the historic site. Doris Lynch, who leads Port Richmond Neighborhood Action, said some neighbors felt like public input was glossed over in the project process. Still, Lynch said, the new school could represent new opportunities for the neighborhood. We can only hope for the best, said Lynch. Ken Paul, president of Port Richmond on Patrol and Civic Association, another neighborhood group, attended the ceremony Thursday, calling the new school an incredible project and important to Port Richmond. We had a lot of input when it came to this, what we wanted, what we didnt want, and its been an ongoing struggle, but let me tell you, we came out on top at the end of this, Paul said. Were going to have a school that rivals anything anywhere else, and its going to be something in this community that we have long needed and wanted. Were gonna be able to bring children from all over the city into this neighborhood and bring life back into it. City Council wants answers from the Philadelphia School District on its reassignment rooms offices where school staffers are assigned when they are being investigated for misconduct. Isaiah Thomas, chair of Councils education committee, will introduce a resolution calling for hearings on the so-called rubber rooms at Thursdays Council session. Advertisement Thomas said he understands that several hundred staff are parked in the rubber rooms every year, and that teachers have languished there for years with no resolution. The process works this way: Those who are accused of improprieties are told to leave their current positions and report to these offices while investigations are completed. If child abuse allegations have been made, the Philadelphia Department of Human Services and the district both investigate, separately. People who have been assigned to rubber rooms describe them as a series of windowless conference rooms at the districts North Broad Street headquarters. There are no directions about how employees should occupy their time, they said but many watch movies, read, talk among themselves, or even take online courses. Attendance is rarely taken. Accused employees are paid while assigned to the rubber room. Despite the Department of Human Services generally reporting on the validity or not of filed complaints within 90 days, some personnel have spent multiple years being paid to show up and not work, the resolution to be introduced Thursday reads. It also says that fiscal responsibility requires that we investigate any potential wasting of precious education dollars. Thomas is calling for more transparency on the process around the reassignment rooms, remedies for a faster timeline, and better communication. There are currently 66 district employees in reassignment rooms, said Monique Braxton, district spokesperson. Braxton said she could not divulge whether all were teachers, or whether paraprofessionals and administrators were included in that count. Philadelphia needs more teachers and administrators, Thomas said in a statement. The topic of school faculty discipline can be uncomfortable, but putting teachers in a disgusting room with little communication or due process is not a solution, and not a good strategy for teacher retention and talent acquisition, he said. I look forward to working with the school district and relevant unions to address this issue and explore immediate solutions. Arthur Steinberg, president of the Philadelphia Federation of Teachers, said in a statement that the teachers union is strongly in favor of attacking bureaucratic inefficiencies within the School District of Philadelphia in order to free precious resources that could be redirected into classrooms. Steinberg thanked Thomas for his focus on the reassignment room backlog and said he would testify at the hearing. As we approach city and state budget negotiations, it is critical that the district is able to demonstrate that education funding dollars are being spent wisely and to the direct benefit of students. Christina Clark, a spokesperson for the school system, said officials are actively working to address Thomas concerns. We look forward to collaboratively meeting with our labor partners and elected officials to discuss solutions that help streamline processes that better support our students and schools, Clark said in a statement. Behold the marbling in this piece of Japanese A5 Wagyu chuck roll, a cut that would be tough in any other cow. Read more In 2023, I reported on Philly (and every American city, basically) being flush with phony Wagyu beef and on a Philadelphian preaching the gospel of true Japanese Wagyu. Tokyo native and Temple grad Nan Sato started her business, Wagyu Sommelier, to educate cooks and consumers about Japanese Wagyu. In the past two years, Wagyu Sommelier has imported about 25 whole animals, giving American chefs a chance to work with secondary and tertiary Wagyu cuts that are otherwise hard to come by stateside. The company works with distributors in the Philly and D.C. area, selling to restaurants like June BYOB and Kampar, and is eyeing expansion to Chicago. (I joined a trip to Japan with Wagyu Sommelier and several Philly chefs last year.) Satos hope is that chefs and restaurants of all stripes not just steakhouses and Japanese concepts will embrace Wagyu as a versatile luxury ingredient. Advertisement Thats where the importers Wagyu Week (or, really, two weeks), from Jan. 23 to Feb. 7, comes in. Nine area restaurants and two high-end retailers received rare cuts of A5, the most richly marbled beef, from Japans Iwate prefecture to serve up in unexpected ways. Experimentation is already underway at El Chingon, where chef-owner Carlos Aparicio speared a hunk of Wagyu shoulder on the trompo and roasted it al pastor style. The meat turned out really amazing, he said. Some he shaved into red adobo tortillas for tacos, and the rest he laid over Wagyu-fat tamalitos dolloped with chile cascabel aioli and cilantro macho. For another dish, Aparicio crusted a cut of Wagyu top round with pastrami seasonings, piloncillo sugar, ancho chili, and avocado leaf, cured it for 72 hours, then served it as carpaccio-thin slices alongside Chihuahua cheese-crusted sourdough tortillas. Finally he prepared a mar y tierra of Wagyu short rib steak and langoustines with a mustard seed salsa macha and squid ink corn tortillas. Aparicios looking forward to riffing on more specials, but acknowledges the Wagyu dishes are pricier than his normal offerings last weekends Wagyu dishes were part of a three-course $100 menu. Still, he appreciates the opportunity to work with a new ingredient and thinks customers do, too. People get attracted to try and experience something completely different than what we usually serve, he said. Wagyu has its skeptics (including Craig LaBan) and its converts. Altomontes COO Vincent Grispino is among the latter. When he tried Satos supply, the melt-in-your-mouth richness of the beef flashed him back to childhood: Grispino was a picky eater and would only eat the fat from a steak. I personally could survive on just eating Wagyu, he says. The way the animals are handled and what theyre fed you are what you eat eats thats a big part of it." One of the areas long-running gourmet Italian markets, Altomontes is one of two retailers to get cut into Wagyu Week and free samples are part of the deal. (Di Bruno Bros. locations in Wayne, Ardmore, and Rittenhouse will also have Wagyu to buy and sample from Feb. 1 through Feb. 28.) Grispino says his familys stores in Warminster and Doylestown will serve slices of Wagyu at select times. All you need to do is grill it, add a little bit of salt, he says. The flavor speaks for itself. Altomontes will also have some prepackaged Wagyu cuts for sale, including top round, sirloin, and chuck. Well also have some sliced for making cheesesteaks, Grispino said. If youve never had a Wagyu cheesesteak, thats an experience in itself. None of the participants in Wagyu Week have committed to making a cheesesteak (yet Barclay Prime, which makes a Wagyu cheesesteak with meat from a different supplier, is partaking in Wagyu Week; its dish is TBD). But you can get close or, arguably, better. Philadelphia deli darling Liberty Kitchen plans to use the Wagyu shank they received in a roast beef sandwich, according to co-owner Matt Budenstein. Its Anthony Bourdains beef bourguignon recipe, but we use Two Locals beer instead of the red wine, he said. (Besides its Fishtown location, Liberty Kitchen is the in-house food vendor for Two Locals West Philly brewery.) The beer-braised beef will be topped with homemade giardiniera, provolone, and garlic aioli and served on a seeded kaiser roll with a side of au jus. The sandwich will go for $20 only a couple bucks more than its insanely popular kale caesar cutlet sandwich. The nice thing about this Wagyu Week is all the restaurants are making it pretty accessible. Youre able to try some Wagyu for not very exorbitant prices, Budenstein said. Its not really meant to be everyday meat. In Japan, its not everyday meat. Its really just for celebratory purposes. ... Its like champagne. Iwate Wagyu Week will run Jan. 23 through Feb. 7 at the following restaurants: LaCroix, Royal Boucherie, El Chingon, Liberty Kitchen, Kampar, Morimoto, Barclay Prime, Cornerstone Bistro in Wayne, and Hook & Ladder in Conshohocken. Check their respective Instagram pages for details. Altomontes in Warminster and Doylestown as well as Di Bruno Bros. in Rittenhouse, Ardmore, and Wayne will have free samples and prepackaged cuts of Wagyu available at select times from Feb. 1 through Feb. 28. Ashley Martinez studies screenshots taken from the Instagram pages of Tres Rx Beauty, a now-closed illicit med spa. Martinez experienced a life-threatening infection from dermal filler injections received there from a woman who claimed to be properly licensed and trained. Read more Ashley Martinez longed for the voluptuous buttocks of the music artists and reality TV stars she followed on social media. She trusted a health-care provider who set up a beauty spa in the basement of an event lounge in Philadelphia and claimed to be licensed to do syringe injections. Martinez was promised a plump and firmer butt without surgery or recovery time for $1,250. Advertisement Martinez, 35, received six injections three on each side of a liquid that she was told was dermal filler containing hyaluronic acid, commonly used in cosmetic procedures to achieve a fuller look. Two days later, she felt nauseous and began to vomit. Her feet became so swollen she couldnt walk without limping. A week later, Martinez awoke screaming in pain and feverish. The injection sites on her right buttock were red and hot to the touch. The left side was bruised with a hardened lump. Her teenage son helped her down the staircase at her Port Richmond home. They took an Uber to Thomas Jefferson University Hospitals emergency department in Center City. The four-day hospitalization in November was the start of a medical ordeal that has left her battling infection, and struggling to get state authorities to take action against an illicit provider who ran an underground med spa. Dermal fillers are gel-like substances that can be injected under the skin to smooth facial wrinkles or add volume to lips and buttocks. They are legally sold to licensed medical professionals under brands like Juvederm and Sculptra. The effect can last for months before the body absorbs it. But Martinez fears that the liquid injected into her body was counterfeit or contaminated. Im stuck with this stuff in my body this foreign stuff, Martinez said. Its frightening. Shes been in and out of Jefferson with infections since mid-November. A surgeon had to make deep incisions to drain multiple pus-filled abscesses. Her situation isnt uncommon. Illegal med spas using dermal fillers purchased off the internets black market have proliferated in the Philadelphia region and nationally, according to federal authorities tasked with protecting public health and enforcing U.S. customs law. Unfortunately, her case is certainly not the worst weve had, said Michael Huffner, an acute-care and trauma surgeon at Jefferson who treated Martinez. Weve had people very sick in the ICU from it. Martinez, who works the front desk at a dental office, said she reached out to The Inquirer to share her story in hopes of educating other women. She knows of at least one other woman who also suffered an infection after receiving buttock-augmentation injections from the same provider just five days after her own botched procedure. I cant let somebody else go through this, Martinez said. An unqualified provider The woman who did Martinezs procedure, Nakiah Boyette, is a licensed practical nurse, or LPN, state records show. She ran her medical spa out of the basement of an event space called Tres Luxe Event Lounge in a strip mall on Ashton Road in Northeast Philadelphia. As an LPN, shes not qualified to administer cosmetic injections. Under Pennsylvania law, only doctors, physician assistants, advanced practice registered nurses, or registered nurses can legally perform cosmetic medical procedures, such as injectable dermal filler. Boyette also cannot legally purchase dermal fillers, which require a prescription under federal regulations. Boyette, 35, advertised her dermal filler services under her business name, Tres Rx Beauty, on Instagram, where she described herself as a licensed nurse and aesthetic injector and listed fees for various cosmetic injections. She identified herself as the owner on Instagram and in public records. Pennsylvania regulations say any business that performs cosmetic injection procedures is a medical practice that must be owned by a doctor or physician group. She has since taken down her Tres Rx Beauty page on Instagram, which had 2,581 followers in November. Martinez provided The Inquirer with screenshots taken before Boyette removed her pages. Boyette could not be reached for comment. The Inquirer left two messages at her business number. At a Northeast Philadelphia apartment, which Boyette had listed as her home address in state voter registration records, a woman resembling Boyettes online photos who answered the door identified herself as Boyettes sister and said she didnt know anything about Tres Rx Beauty or any clients who say they suffered infections. The reporter handed her a letter seeking comment about the allegations and did not receive a response. Both Tres Rx Beauty and Tres Lux Event Lounge were shuttered when a reporter visited earlier this month. Martinez said she thought the med spa was legitimate. During an in-person consultation, she recalled, Boyette talked about her nursing career and used medical jargon. Prior to booking an appointment, Martinez scrutinized before-and-after photos of what appeared to be satisfied customers on Tres Rx Beautys Instagram posts, and she googled hyaluronic acid and butt injections gone wrong and found nothing alarming. But even as she underwent the procedure, she felt uneasy based on her experience with a more extensive buttock-enhancement procedure a decade ago. Then 25, she had gone to a plastic surgeon who suctioned fat from her arms and stomach and injected it into her buttock. It cost about $6,000 and she had no complications, she said. READ MORE: Here's what you need to know before getting a nonsurgical cosmetic procedure with dermal filler At Tres Rx Beauty, Martinez said, Boyette told her she injected 800 milliliters of dermal filler into her buttock for the same price she typically charged for 100 milliliters. On her way out, Boyette handed her an aftercare bag with little more than a hairbrush and face mask inside. Hotness pouring out About two weeks after her injections at Tres Rx Beauty, on that November night on the way to Jeffersons emergency department, every bump or pothole the Uber driver hit sent searing pain through Martinezs body. Doctors and nurses diagnosed her with cellulitis, a bacterial skin and tissue infection that can be fatal. They hooked her up to IV antibiotics and pain medication. On her right buttock, Dr. Huffner made deep incisions to drain three pus-filled abscesses. I was screaming the whole time, Martinez said. All I felt was hotness pouring out of me. It could have been life-threatening, Huffner said. After she went home, Jefferson arranged for a nurse to come to her house daily to clean the wounds. The infection still came back two weeks later. She returned to Jefferson, where a surgical team attached a wound catheter to flush out fluid buildup and bacteria from her right side. The surgeon also aspirated a lump on her left buttock, medical records show. Shes had ongoing problems because its not just one injection in one spot, Huffner said. I cant imagine what shes having to go through. If the infections continue, Martinez said, she may need major surgery to cut out and sanitize portions of her buttock area, which could require reconstruction. Warning: graphic images below: Blacked-out windows Fearful of the dermal filler that remained in her buttock, Martinez got home from the hospital and started calling legitimate med spas to see if any provider would dissolve it. Thats when she learned about another woman with a similar experience at Tres Rx Beauty. Five days after Martinezs procedure, a 37-year-old Philadelphia woman also went to Boyette for buttock-enhancement injections and suffered complications. She asked The Inquirer not to identify her to protect her privacy. Both women said the low price should have been a red flag: Boyette charged $1,250 for 100 milliliters of dermal fill for a nonsurgical BBL, or Brazilian butt lift. Legitimate med spas, run by doctors, typically charge between $8,000 and $10,000 for a nonsurgical Brazilian butt lift, depending on amount and brand of dermal filler. Both women said Boyette told them the dermal filler she used was hyaluronic acid, a naturally occurring molecule found in the body. Boyette assured the second woman she was properly licensed and trained, describing her low price as a promotion to attract new clients. Still, she was taken aback when she arrived at the storefront with its blacked-out windows and locked door. Boyette explained she owned both the event lounge and spa, she said. About a week later, her injection sites had become inflamed with hard lumps. She called Boyette, who faulted her for taking a hot bath that caused the bandages to fall off. She told the woman to return for an examination. Boyette told the woman she likely needed an antibiotic, but she couldnt prescribe it. According to the woman, Boyette instructed her to get antibiotics from a mom-and-pop bodega. She said she refused to do that, and then Boyette urged her to call a telemedicine doctor and report having a sinus infection. The online doctor prescribed Prednisone, a steroid. When bluish blemishes later appeared, she went to Jefferson Flourtown Urgent Care, where a doctor prescribed antibiotics and advised her to ask Boyette what substance she used. Boyette told her she used Genefill, a German-made product that is not FDA-approved in the U.S., she said. She was told Boyette ordered it from Korea. The 37-year-old ultimately got a $1,250 refund from Boyette. She feels fortunate that her infection didnt require hospitalization. She was so embarrassed that she hesitated to tell her husband, imagining his shock that she had gone for a med spa procedure in what looked to her like a hookah lounge. I felt alone Martinez said she called Boyette and demanded a refund, which Boyette gave her. She also filed a complaint against Tres Luxe Event Lounge with the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney Generals health-care section. Boyettes lawyer told the state in a letter that Boyette had refunded Martinezs money under duress after Martinez threatened to take legal action, despite no evidence of negligence. Boyette had closed her business due to financial reasons and no longer provide services to the public, the lawyer, Mark Keenheel, wrote. Keenheel did not return a call from The Inquirer. My client has always prioritized safety, client satisfaction, and professionalism, he said in the letter. The consumer protection agent assigned to Martinezs complaint said there wasnt anything more the state could do, according to a Dec. 17 letter. I was crying, Martinez said. I felt alone. Brett Hambright, a spokesperson for the attorney generals office, said his office has no other consumer complaints against Boyette and noted the business is closed. Martinez also wants authorities to investigate whether Boyette should be allowed to continue providing health care. She filed another complaint with a separate state agency that regulates nurses. Matt Heckel, a spokesperson for the Pennsylvania Department of State, said he could not confirm or discuss any complaints or investigations. As of Wednesday, Boyettes practical nursing license (LPN), which she renewed last July, was active with no disciplinary history, state records show. She shouldnt be touching anyone, Martinez said. Editors note: This story has been updated to remove personal information about one of the people interviewed and to correct the spelling of Michael Huffners last name. The death of a 20-year-old British tourist who received illegal silicone buttock-enhancement injections at a Philadelphia airport hotel resulted in a murder conviction for provider Padge-Victoria Windslowe, who had called herself Black Madam. Almost a decade after the 2015 conviction that drew international attention, the problem of black-market cosmetic injections persists in the Philadelphia region and nationally. Advertisement Almost weekly, illegal shipments of dermal fillers either counterfeits of the legal versions or pirated goods sold without a prescription under brand names Juvederm, Orthovisc, and Revanesse enter the country on cargo planes after unlicensed individuals purchase them online using their home mailing address, according to U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP). In the last two years, CBP officers in the Baltimore Field Office, which includes Philadelphia, seized 153 shipments of illicit dermal filler. Federal authorities warn that products purchased online may be counterfeit or contaminated. READ MORE: A butt lift from an illicit Philadelphia med spa sent a woman to the hospital with a raging infection Cosmetic silicone injections, like the ones administered by Windslowe, are not approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The FDA regulates non-silicone dermal fillers and maintains a list of approved ones. Under state and federal laws, only licensed medical practitioners can purchase, prescribe, and inject them. Federal prosecutors have arrested and charged unlicensed and untrained providers, who can face prison sentences and fines. Dermal fillers can be used to smooth facial wrinkles or increase fullness of lips and cheeks. The FDA does not recommend using dermal fillers to increase buttock size, but a licensed medical professional can do so by administering it off label. In Pennsylvania, the Department of Health does not license, regulate, or routinely inspect med spas, or medical centers that provide nonsurgical cosmetic treatments. Under state regulations, only a doctor or a physician group can own a med spa. Individuals who are considering nonsurgical buttock enhancement with dermal fillers should check to make sure the provider is properly licensed and trained, said Lauren Grant, a registered nurse with the Medspa MD Group, which has offices in Newtown Square and Houston. Its really concerning to me when you have people who are unknowledgeable about the procedure that just think its about making money and they are not concerned about the persons health at all, Grant said. Grant said most legitimate med spas will take a full medical history from the client, prescribe antibiotics as a precaution before and after the dermal filler-injection procedure, ensure injection tools are sterile, and use ultrasound equipment to guide injection locations. She also said if the price seems too good to be true, it probably is. Typical price is a minimum of $10,000 for a nonsurgical Brazilian butt lift using about 40 vials of dermal filler. This procedure is not cheap by any means, Grant said. People think, Oh, its cheap. That should be your first red flag. Heres some FDA recommendations for staying safe: Main Line Health laid off around 200 administrative and management staff Wednesday as the nonprofit health system with four hospitals in Philadelphias western suburbs tries to improve its financial condition after three years of substantial losses and continued financial pressure. Main Lines layoffs follow recent cuts at Independence Blue Cross, Jefferson Health, and Lehigh Valley Health Network, which Jefferson acquired in August. Advertisement The landscape in health care is awful, and its only getting worse, Main Line CEO Jack Lynch said in an interview. Lynch cited as factors: inadequate payment increases from Medicare and Medicaid, government insurance plans that cover 65% of Main Lines patients; insurance denials; and a delay in the expected payment of $25 million to the health system in federal COVID-19 aid. Most of Main Lines cuts are in administrative support, such as information technology, finance, human resources, revenue cycle, and accounting, Lynch said. The reduction goes beyond rank-and-file employees, reaching a significant number of management personnel, including some vice presidents, he said. Clinicians, housekeepers, unit secretaries, patient care techs, and medical assistants were not included, according to Lynch, who is retiring in June. The cuts are expected to save more than $30 million annually. In the fiscal year that ended June 30, Main Lines operating loss was $61 million, down from $125 million the year before. So far in fiscal 2025, Main Line has a loss, but its less than last year. The effort to restore Main Lines financial health is not just about cutting jobs. Were spending a lot of effort and focus on growing our ambulatory footprint, both in places, locations, and number of people we care for, Lynch said. Main Line is adding to its existing network of outpatient facilities a new outpatient facility near Downingtown. It also has plans to build medical offices on the former campus of St. Charles Borromeo Seminary, across Lancaster Avenue from Lankenau Medical Center in Wynnewood. Amid financial challenges, Lynch said Main Lines hospitals are extremely busy. Lankenau and Riddle Hospital in Media picked up patients from Crozers closures of Delaware County Memorial and Springfield Hospitals. Paoli Hospital was impacted by Tower Healths closure of Jennersville and Brandywine Hospitals in western Chester County. Depending on what happens at Crozer, which is operating in bankruptcy, Main Line hospitals could face even more pressure from areas of Delaware County served by Crozer. When Crozer-Chester Medical Center had a fire late last month, 17 patients were transferred to Main Line, Lynch said. Im very, very worried about whats going to happen to Crozer, he said. A federal judge in Seattle has temporarily blocked President Donald Trumps attempt to end automatic citizenship for undocumented children born on American soil, agreeing with legal arguments filed there and in a similar lawsuit undertaken by the state of New Jersey. U.S. District Judge John Coughenour ruled in a case brought by the states of Washington, Arizona, Illinois, and Oregon among 22 states, two cities, and several civil rights groups and individuals that sued almost immediately to halt Trumps executive order, which would have taken effect on Feb. 19. Advertisement The judge, an appointee of President Ronald Reagan who has served more than four decades on the bench, repeatedly interrupted a Justice Department lawyer during arguments to question how the order could be considered constitutional. When the attorney, Brett Shumate, said he would like a chance to explain during a full briefing, Coughenour told him the hearing was his chance, calling the order blatantly unconstitutional. READ MORE: Why Trump's attempt to end birthright citizenship will be hard to achieve New Jersey Attorney General Matthew Platkin joined 17 other Democratic attorneys general in a different but similar suit, suing Trump on Tuesday to stop him from ending what is called birthright citizenship for the U.S.-born children of undocumented immigrants. Even before Trump issued this order, I alongside many attorneys general made clear that terminating birthright citizenship would be blatantly unconstitutional, Platkin said Thursday. I am glad to see a judge already agreed his order is flagrantly unlawful, and we look forward to prevailing in our case in the District of Massachusetts. There was no immediate indication when a decision in that case might come. Trump signed the order, a directive that could affect hundreds of thousands of people born in this country, on Inauguration Day. In 2022, there were about 255,000 births of citizen-children to mothers living in the country illegally, and about 153,000 births to two such parents, according to the suit filed in Seattle. READ MORE: New Jersey sued this week to try to block Trump's executive order Efforts to reach newly installed Pennsylvania Attorney General Dave Sunday were unsuccessful Thursday. Earlier in the week, Sunday, a Republican, declined to offer a position on Trumps order. Over the last week or two, Ive focused all of my time on preparing for this [swearing-in], and so I have not taken a deep dive into any proposed policies, Sunday told a reporter in Harrisburg on Tuesday shortly before he took the oath of office. Im looking forward to doing that. And I have no doubt, once thats done, we can certainly revisit this question. Trump and other opponents of birthright citizenship argue that it entices people to enter the country illegally, so that children who are born here will automatically gain American citizenship. Those citizens, at age 21, can sponsor close family members to live here permanently. A new poll by Ipsos and the New York Times showed 55% opposition to ending birthright citizenship. Birthright citizenship is guaranteed in the Constitution, specifically by the 14th Amendment, ratified after the end of the Civil War, which says that all persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the state wherein they reside. Trumps order argued that children of noncitizens are not subject to the jurisdiction of the United States. A president cannot amend the Constitution by himself. Presidents in this country have broad powers, but they are not kings, Platkin said at a news conference where he announced the New Jersey lawsuit on Tuesday. They do not have the power to unilaterally rewrite the Constitution. Staff writer Gillian McGoldrick contributed to this article, which contains information from the Associated Press. Peter Pedemonti (left) and Blanca Pacheco (right), co-directors of New Sanctuary Movement of Philadelphia, stand for a portrait near their office in Kensington on Monday, Nov. 25, 2024. New Sanctuary Movement is an immigrant support group that resists President Trumps pledge to carry out mass deportations. Read more More than a dozen migrants took sanctuary inside Philadelphia churches during President Donald Trumps first administration, the most of any city in the country, blocking their deportations by putting themselves beyond the reach of ICE agents. Agency policy deemed houses of worship off limits, except in extraordinary circumstances. Advertisement Now that protection is gone. A Trump administration directive issued Monday eliminated the restraints that kept federal agents from entering churches, schools, and hospitals in what the federal Department of Homeland Security said was a move to keep American citizens safe. On Wednesday, Philadelphia activists who helped shelter undocumented immigrants in churches in Germantown, University City, and North Philadelphia pledged fresh resistance, pointing out that a knock on the door does not automatically require an answer. It feels like emotional warfare, that this is really the aim, an attempt to take away every last safe space, said Peter Pedemonti, codirector of New Sanctuary Movement of Philadelphia, whose members include 33 churches in the region. Congregations are not just safe spaces, those are sacred spaces. This feels like a desecration. New Sanctuary Movement has been alerting church leaders that the change in policy does not mean ICE can enter at will, Pedemonti said, and clergy should ask to see legal judicial warrants if agents appear. Churches should have response protocols in place and train staff on how to respond if U.S. Customs and Immigration Enforcement agents arrive, he said. Philadelphia ICE officials did not immediately reply to a request for comment Wednesday. Hours after Trumps Monday inauguration, homeland security officials directed that federal enforcement agents will be allowed to take action at places where they were previously barred, including colleges, funerals, rallies, and shelters, eliminating the church refuge that Philadelphia immigration advocates saw as a last-ditch but lifesaving tactic. Criminals will no longer be able to hide in Americas schools and churches to avoid arrest, the Department of Homeland Security, which governs ICE, said in a statement. The Trump Administration will not tie the hands of our brave law enforcement, and instead trusts them to use common sense. The revocation also applies to U.S. Customs and Border Protection, whose mission is to safeguard the borders and enhance economic prosperity. It says there is no place where people can be safe, said the Rev. Renee McKenzie, who less than a year into Trumps first term made the decision to welcome a frightened, undocumented family of five into the Church of the Advocate in North Philadelphia. Ive been anticipating this, based upon things were said and knowing how this administration feels about immigrants. McKenzie, now serving at Calvary St. Augustine Episcopal Church in the Belmont neighborhood of West Philadelphia, said she worries that some churches might think twice about helping undocumented immigrants, knowing they could be targeted. Is Philadelphia prepared for federal immigration enforcement? The directive threw the Philadelphia School Districts sanctuary schools policy into question on Wednesday, even as City Councilmember Rue Landau convened a Trump Preparedness hearing to confront what could be four difficult years for a big, Democratic-led city. The City Hall hearing underlined criticism of Mayor Cherelle L. Parker for not forcefully endorsing Philadelphias status as a sanctuary city a place that deliberately limits its cooperation with federal immigration enforcement. City Solicitor Renee Garcia said the citys sanctuary safeguards remain in place, but stopped short of confirming whether Parker was considering additional steps as she and her staff reviewed Trumps first-day slew of executive orders on immigration. The city faces an additional challenge at a time of federal scrutiny: Hours after the Trump administration directed U.S. prosecutors to investigate local officials who do not cooperate with its plans for mass deportations, Parker announced that the director of the Office of Immigrant Affairs, Amy Eusebio, will leave her job on Friday. The city will undertake a national search for a successor, the mayor said. The Defender Association of Philadelphia, which provides counsel to people who cannot afford to hire private attorneys, said at the hearing that it intends to create an immigrant defense unit to assist those at risk of deportation, according to Chief Defender Keisha Hudson. The association will seek an additional $800,000 from the city for that, she said. How churches became the backdrop to a national debate over immigration About 47,000 undocumented people live in Philadelphia, their lack of legal status placing them at risk of deportation. They are among 153,000 statewide, with an additional 440,000 in New Jersey. And many Americans want them among 13 million in the country illegally to be deported. A new poll by Ipsos and the New York Times shows that 63% support removing immigrants who entered the country without permission during the last four years, and 55% said they support deporting all immigrants who are undocumented. No one is currently in church sanctuary in Philadelphia, according to activists. During Trumps first term, sanctuary provided a dramatic backdrop for the furious national debate over immigration, as families and church leaders across the country pitted themselves against the power of the federal government. From 2016 to 2018, as ICE increased enforcement actions, the number of immigrants in sanctuary jumped from five to 42, and the churches, synagogues, and mosques that were ready to offer housing nearly tripled to 1,110. Philadelphia was ground zero. Most cities had no one in church sanctuary, others maybe one or two, Philadelphia had 14 at one point. Only the most desperate families took sanctuary here, mostly mothers and children who believed they could be killed if sent back to their homelands. Some stayed inside for years, supported in daily living by a network of clergy and groups like New Sanctuary Movement. All those in sanctuary eventually emerged safely after finding legal routes to stay in the United States. Church sanctuary is arduous for all involved, but its protection, partly afforded by the sensitive-locations policy, gave families a crucial advantage in their fights to remain in the country: time. The years in sanctuary allowed space for new legal strategies to develop, for court cases to go forward, for presidential administrations to change. The ICE sensitive-locations policy goes back years: It was created under President Barack Obama, remained in place during the first Trump administration, and then was strengthened under President Joe Biden. He specifically directed agents to focus on migrants who posed risks to national security, border security, or public safety. All versions of the policy dissuaded agents from taking action at churches and other locations except in extraordinary cases. Immigration advocates in Philadelphia said ICE sometimes violated its own rules, taking action at places that were supposed to be sacrosanct. In 2020, agents detained a woman after she dropped off her child at Eliza B. Kirkbride Elementary School in South Philadelphia. School district officials said the woman was approached near Seventh and Dickinson Streets but did not know if she was on school property. The same year, ICE took a Honduran man into custody at a Scranton hospital, then placed him in detention at the Pike County Correctional Facility. Pennsylvania lawyer Juliette Gomez said her clients arrest clearly violated the sensitive-locations policy. ICE said the arrest began at the federal courthouse, and what followed was a continuation of that process. In 2019, an ICE agent appeared in Courtroom 906 at the Philadelphia Criminal Justice Center, flashing a badge and looking for a particular defendant. The incident led the city sheriff to demand that agents identify themselves to deputies if they are on duty inside a city courtroom. We pushed back before the sensitive-locations memo, and well push back now, Pedemonti said Wednesday. The Trump administration doesnt dictate what congregations do. God does. Staff writers Kristen Graham, Anna Orso, and Fallon Roth contributed to this article. Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner said that his office would not comply with any immigration orders from President Donald Trumps administration that might cause his staff to break the law and that his stance would not be swayed by a Justice Department memo threatening consequences, including potential criminal charges, for local officials who do not cooperate with Trumps planned immigration crackdown. Krasner, a Democrat who is expected to run for reelection this year and who has long been critical of Trump, made the comments in an interview Wednesday, not long after the Justice Department memo, written by Acting Deputy Attorney General Emil Bove, was published by a variety of news outlets. Advertisement The DA also spoke as officials in Mayor Cherelle L. Parkers administration testified before City Council and said they were reviewing executive actions signed by the newly inaugurated Republican president. City Solicitor Renee Garcia said that Philadelphias status as a sanctuary city remained in place, and that officials would continue with a variety of practices regarding how and when agencies interact with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, including complying with federal requests to detain immigrants who have been arrested only if such requests are accompanied by a warrant. In the Trump administrations memo, Bove wrote that local officials are legally bound to cooperate with the Justice Department under the Constitutions supremacy clause, and he urged federal prosecutors to investigate any instances in which local agencies or employees might be resisting, obstructing, and otherwise failing to comply with lawful immigration-related commands. Indeed, Bove wrote, it is the responsibility of the Justice Department to defend the Constitution, and accordingly, to lawfully execute the policies that the American people elected President Trump to implement. As potential avenues for prosecution, the memo cites a conspiracy offense as well as a law prohibiting the harboring of people in the country illegally. Krasner said it was beyond dispute that public officials must comply with constitutionally supported laws requiring certain conduct. But he said he was doubtful that the memo was truly seeking to make that point. Instead, he said, it sounded as if the Justice Departments new leadership was trying to normalize the notion that President Trump has authority he doesnt have that his preferences, his wishes, his frankly fascist agenda is something he can enforce local officials to follow even when there is no legal authority empowering him to make them do so. There are public officials all over the country who are rightly concerned that his actions around immigration are not only immoral, they may also stray into areas that are illegal, Krasner said. The DA declined to specify which illegal actions Trump might seek to impose on local officials, saying only: With him, [it could be] anything. He also declined to say what type of request from immigration authorities his office might disregard. But he said: My office is a law enforcement entity. We are going to follow the Constitution and uphold the law. We are under no obligation to do things that are illegal or simply on Donald Trumps fascist wish list, where he has no authority to compel our conduct. Krasner is in the final year of his second term in office and has never been shy about criticizing Trump. Just last fall, he sued Elon Musk, one of Trumps top campaign surrogates, and accused him of running an illegal lottery by giving money away to potential Trump voters (a judge rejected Krasners arguments). Krasner also seemed to relish rhetorical battles with Trump during his first term, and in 2021, when Krasner faced a bitter reelection battle, he frequently sought to associate his opponent in the Democratic primary, Carlos Vega, with Trump. It remained unclear Wednesday just how often Krasners office might interact with ICE agents in Trumps new term, even if the agency seeks to conduct more immigration raids in the city. Krasners office has several lawyers dedicated to handling cases involving immigrants including, in some instances, by seeking to protect immigrants accused of nonviolent crimes from being deported and that could attract attention from Trumps Justice Department. Bove said in his memo that federal officials would identify local laws or policies across the country that are inconsistent with [Trumps] immigration initiatives, and, where appropriate take legal action. Krasner said having attorneys dedicated to interacting with immigrants, particularly those who may be witnesses or victims, was helpful in a variety of ways, including by getting people to show up to court. In any case, he said, he wasnt sure what to make of the memos warnings about local policies. The truth is almost everything theyre doing seems to be a footrace between evil and incompetence, Krasner said. Its not even comprehensible. Dr. Fromm earned the inaugural Bernard M. Gordon Prize from the National Academy of Engineering in 2002. Read more Eli Fromm, 85, formerly of Broomall, celebrated bioengineering researcher, innovative engineering education reformer, former vice president and vice provost at Drexel University, author, inventor, and mentor, died Monday, Jan. 20, at his home in Audubon, Montgomery County, of age-associated ailments and complications after a fall. An expert in physiological measurements and biotelemetry, Dr. Fromm joined Drexel as an assistant professor in 1967 and, over the next 50 years, provided groundbreaking research on implantable physiological transmitters and sensors, and other bioengineering topics. He also championed new and creative approaches to teaching, and developed the groundbreaking Enhanced Educational Experience for Engineering Students curriculum at Drexel in 1987. Advertisement His new curriculum featured earlier hands-on experience and more interdisciplinary training for undergraduate engineers. It sparked the 1992 creation of his national Gateway Engineering Education Coalition with the University of Pennsylvania and eight other institutions, and the group earned more than $28 million in grants from the National Science Foundation over the next 11 years. Our engineering students needed to have some early context of why and how engineering fits with the math, the sciences, and the other aspects of their education, Dr. Fromm said in a 2014 interview with Georgia Tech professor Matthew W. Priddy for the Center for Engineering Learning and Teaching at the University of Washington. William A. Wulf, then president of the National Academy of Engineering, told The Inquirer in 2002 that Dr. Fromm and his colleagues were among the first and most influential in bringing these kinds of skills into the early part of the engineering curriculum. Dr. Fromm told The Inquirer: If presented the right way, those kids can do incredible things. He was also the Roy A. Brothers engineering professor emeritus at Drexel, former vice provost for research and graduate studies, interim dean of engineering, interim head of the Biosciences Department, and director of the Center for Educational Research in the College of Engineering. He was active with many organizations and a fellow at the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, and the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering. I started to think about the reform of engineering education when I noticed the lack of hands-on experience the students were getting. Dr. Fromm in 2014 Dr. Fromm wrote dozens of chapters, articles, and papers about engineering and education, and his photo and resume were used in Drexel student recruiting ads in The Inquirer and other publications. He cowrote an engineering textbook, Tools and Tactics of Design, in 2000 and teamed with colleagues in the early 1970s to create and distribute the science- and math-based board game Solar Bases. He earned Drexels 2017 Harold M. Myers Award for distinguished service and many other honors, and was elected to the Drexel Alumni Hall of Fame in 1992. In 2002, he earned the inaugural Bernard M. Gordon Prize from the National Academy of Engineering for innovation that combines technical, societal, and experiential learning into an integrated undergraduate engineering curriculum. Dr. Fromm earned a bachelors degree in electrical engineering and a masters degree in biomedical engineering at Drexel, and a doctorate in physiology at what is now the Sidney Kimmel Medical College at Thomas Jefferson University in 1967. He started as an engineer at the General Electric and DuPont companies in the early 1960s, and later worked for the House of Representatives Committee on Science and Technology, the state House of Representatives, and the National Science Foundation. Former colleagues affectionately called him E.F. and said he was inspiring and wonderful. His wife, Dorothy, said: He was dedicated and responsible. Longtime friend and colleague Bruce Eisenstein said: He was usually the smartest person in the room. Rabbi Alan D. Fuchs said: I was in awe not only of his mind but also of his heart and soul. If the people involved really want to make it happen, they will find a way to make it happen. Dr. Fromm in 2014 on why his new engineering education program at Drexel was a success Eli Fromm was born May 7, 1939, in Niedaltdorf, Germany. He fled with his family that year to France, England, and then Vineland in South Jersey as World War II was erupting. His father died when he was in high school, and he turned down a scholarship to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology to attend Drexel and help his mother on the family egg farm. He met Dorothy Gold on a blind date, and they married in 1962 and had sons Steve, Larry, and Richard. Dr. Fromm was an accomplished carpenter and fix-it man around the family home in Broomall. He remodeled the basement, built the patio roof, and tinkered with countless appliances and TV sets. A stickler for details in everything he did, he enjoyed model trains, peanuts, kosher salami, herring in wine sauce, and gluten-free cookies and chocolate cake. He was recently involved with the Jewish Interest Group at the Shannondell retirement community in Audubon, and he and his wife honored his parents by funding the Helen and Siegfried Fromm Chapel at the Raymond G. Perelman Center for Jewish Life at Drexel. He was always there for us, said his son Steve. His son Larry said: He invested in us succeeding. His son Richard said: He wanted the best for us. In addition to his wife and sons, Dr. Fromm is survived by six grandchildren and other relatives. A brother died earlier. A graveside service is to be held at 1 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 23, at Haym Solomon Memorial Park, 200 Moores Rd., Frazer, Pa. 19355. A memorial service is to follow at 7:30 p.m. at the Shannondell retirement community, 10000 Shannondell Dr., Audubon, Pa. 19403. Donations in his name may be made to Hillel at Drexel University, Box 8215, Philadelphia, Pa. 19101. Left: District Attorney Larry Krasner speaks during a news conference in 2022. Right: Former Judge Patrick Dugan attends a campaign event in 2023, when he unsuccessfully ran for Superior Court. He is now running for Philadelphia district attorney. Read more Philadelphias Democratic ward leaders voted Wednesday night to snub District Attorney Larry Krasner and opted to not endorse a candidate in this years race to be the citys top prosecutor, marking the second time the group has chosen to rebuff the progressive incumbent. Instead, the party will likely have an open primary that leaves it up to the 66 individual wards and their leaders to make endorsements for district attorney. That means each ward can list any candidate so far meaning Krasner or his challenger, former Judge Patrick Dugan on the sample ballots the party hands out on election day. Ward leaders can also leave the slot blank. Advertisement Its the second time in four years that the Democratic Partys powerful Policy Committee decided not to back Krasner, although previous incumbents almost always won the nod. Holding an open primary is a way for the party to avoid warring over a citywide endorsement and is also how ward leaders handled the hotly contested mayors race in 2023. The full group of ward leaders will vote in the coming weeks on whether to ratify the Policy Committees recommendation to hold an open primary. The committees recommendations are almost always approved by a majority of ward leaders. READ MORE: The 2025 Philly DA race is underway as ex-Judge Patrick Dugan launches bid to oust Larry Krasner Former U.S. Rep. Bob Brady, chair of the Democratic City Committee, said Thursday that the partys policy committee was pretty split on whether to back Dugan or Krasner, and that both candidates had strong interviews. The open primary setup, he said, allows for individual ward leaders to make endorsements that are best for their own neighborhoods. The decision means candidates will blitz the city and campaign for backing in dozens of individual wards. Krasner, who has not officially announced his campaign for a third term but interviewed with ward leaders for the endorsement last week, said Thursday that the decision is an indication that party leaders are resistant to progressives and hell-bent on not growing the Democratic base. This is just one more sign that the rusty parts of the political machine are unwilling to be replaced by shiny ones, he said, adding that the non-endorsement makes little difference in terms of my candidacy. Brady said that he was taken aback by Krasners response and that he had thought he was doing the district attorney a favor. He said that it was a Krasner supporter who made the motion to hold an open primary, and that if the committee had voted to endorse a candidate, Dugan could have prevailed. If Dugan had won the endorsement outright, it would have been a significant blow to Krasner. He should be happy, Brady said. He wants to be a sore loser, let him be a sore loser. A longtime defense attorney, Krasner ran for district attorney for the first time in 2017 as a political outsider, and he has never had his partys full endorsement. He won that year over a crowded field with no incumbent. Four years later, the party decided not to endorse a candidate when Krasner ran for reelection, though nearly two dozen individual wards backed him. Fifteen wards went with his challenger, Carlos Vega, a former city homicide prosecutor. The remaining wards endorsed no one. Krasner won the primary by about 30 percentage points. It is possible Dugan will see more success with ward leaders than Vega. The former Municipal Court judge launched his campaign last week and has the backing of the Philadelphia Building Trades and Construction Council, a politically powerful umbrella group of 30 unions whose leaders have close ties to the Democratic Party. As a judge, Dugan has existing relationships with ward leaders. Dugan said in a statement that he was grateful to the Democratic City Committee for the opportunity to give voters a real choice on public safety with our next district attorney. State Sen. Art Haywood (center) speaks with the Rev. Gregory Holston (left), of the Coalition to Defend Democracy; the Rev. Carolyn Cavaness (second from right), pastor of Mother Bethel A.M.E.; Rafael Alvarez Febo (right), of Esperanza; and Bishop J. Louis Felton, of the Mount Airy Church of God in Christ, following a Thursday news conference to denounce President Donald Trump's efforts to roll back DEI. Read more State Sen. Art Haywood is confident that with the help of the state legislature and Gov. Josh Shapiro, Pennsylvania can maintain its diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives in the face of President Donald Trumps executive order targeting DEI and affirmative action programs at the federal level. What we look to do is to make sure that our laws here in Pennsylvania have the protections that we once relied on the federal government to produce, Haywood said during a news conference Thursday. Advertisement The Democratic senator, who represents parts of Philadelphia and Montgomery County, offered his hopes for the state legislatures actions during a news conference at Mother Bethel A.M.E. Church, a historic Black Methodist Episcopal church in Society Hill. He was joined by clergy and activists in denouncing Trumps recent executive orders. One order, issued Monday, directs federal agencies to terminate illegal DEI and diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEIA) mandates, policies, programs, preferences, and activities in the Federal Government, under whatever name they appear, and another, issued Tuesday, revoked President Lyndon B. Johnsons executive order requiring government contractors to use affirmative action in adopting nondiscriminatory hiring and employment policies. Haywood said the legislature will need to mull legislation to compensate for the presidents affirmative action directive. He added hes confident that Shapiro will take whatever [executive action] needs to be taken to make sure that we have a state that is inclusive. Thats the leadership that we have, and we want to be clear, we want to support the governor in these initiatives, that hes not alone, Haywood said. Shapiro has said hes willing to work with Trump as long as he does not compromise Pennsylvanians fundamental freedoms. There are indications that Trumps other executive orders will have a direct impact on Pennsylvanians. In Philadelphia, the presidents directive mandating a hiring freeze and total in-person work will further strain the citys already stretched-thin federal worker population. The Rev. Gregory Holston, a representative of the Coalition to Defend Democracy which includes the NAACP and unions said unity is important to face Trumps sweeping executive orders because when excellence is removed from government, that endangers white people as well. So let us stand together and work together and believe together that we can push back against these kinds of initiatives, and let even Donald Trump know and all dominions around him that America is really stronger when we stand for diversity, Holston said. Three weeks into the new year, one of Pennsylvanias largest municipalities has still not approved a 2025 budget flying past its Dec. 31 deadline after a lawsuit scuttled council members initial attempt. Upper Darby Township officials are scheduled to vote on their 2025 budget in late February, alongside a new earned income tax that would take effect halfway through the year. Advertisement The vote follows a two-month debacle that began when a local judge struck down a township tax ordinance just before Thanksgiving, erasing more than $15 million from the approved budget. In the time since, members of the township council have made several attempts at amending their budget as they faced criticism from residents and conflict over the best way forward and the procedures they must follow. So how did they get to this point? Contentious litigation In September, the Upper Darby Township Council approved a new 1% earned income tax set to take effect this month. The tax would have increased the townships revenues by more than $15 million. But the tax measure was invalidated. Council members approved the tax at the same meeting they passed a resolution limiting public comment for public hearings and applied those limitations to the public hearing on the tax. Residents of Upper Darby sued to invalidate both policies, arguing that the council had used improper procedures in approving them and that the limits to public comment were unconstitutional. We, as residents, were just tired of the township making up the rules as they went along, said John DeMasi, the lead plaintiff in the lawsuit, which was filed in late September. DeMasi, a Republican from Drexel Hill, began attending council meetings in 2023 after hearing the council had blocked a community member from speaking at meetings because he wasnt a resident. Days before Thanksgiving, a Delaware County judge sided with the residents and struck down both policies because the council had voted to enact them in the first meeting of the month, which is meant to be a workshop meeting rather than a voting meeting. The decision sent council members and the administration back to the drawing board, as the approved budget was now missing a massive chunk of revenue. They will operate off their 2024 budget until a new budget is approved, Upper Darby Mayor Ed Brown said. Township officials have said they disagreed with the ruling, but they did not appeal it and are working to find a new path forward. Hafiz Tunis, the president of the council, noted that similar procedural errors had been made under prior councils without drawing legal action. For more than a year, council meetings have featured tense exchanges between residents and council members. Some people are really focused on slowing down the progress of this new administration, and they believe thats a path to victory, said Tunis, who added that he viewed the lawsuit as politically motivated and part of an effort among some to slow down progress within the Democratic-controlled council. DeMasi, who filed the suit, said the suggestion that he and others acted politically was a frustrating cliche. Residents, he said, were pushed to sue by the councils decision to limit public comment and members' blatant disregard for free speech. We literally stood up and read the law, and they ignored it. Thats not a right or left [issue], thats not a Republican or Democrat. You have to respect the residents, period, he said. Council member Laura Wentz, a former chair of the council who unsuccessfully ran for mayor last year and has persistently clashed with Tunis, said the budget fiasco was a consequence of leaderships disregard for township procedure. Wentz is a former Democrat who is now unaffiliated. If only they would follow the laws in the Home Rule Charter and werent afraid to hear from the public, Wentz said. If only they would allow people to speak freely for a couple of hours or so, then the administration and council majority would not be in this situation. Finger-pointing Residents and members of the councils minority faction have for months pointed to the townships former solicitor, Sean Kilkenny, as a source of the councils issues. Kilkenny, Montgomery Countys elected sheriff, is an influential Democrat in the Philadelphia suburbs whose firm represents dozens of townships as solicitor. Critics in Upper Darby argued Kilkenny had offered the council bad advice in regard to the resolution limiting speech and a variety of other issues. Kilkenny, they argued, financially benefited from offering bad advice because he would then represent the township when it was sued. In a council meeting in December, Republican council member Meaghan Wagner called for Kilkenny to be replaced, citing the high fees he had received for representing Upper Darby in two cases he lost. Kilkenny resigned in early January. He said controversy and resident frustrations did not cause him to leave. But he indicated that representing the township had become cumbersome. Upper Darby is, like I said, a contentious place. All of your decisions are questioned and many of them litigated, so you always have to be on your toes when youre Upper Darby solicitor, Kilkenny said. I was happy to do that, but Im also happy to focus my attention on other clients. Kilkenny spent five years as solicitor for the township. Brown said that he appreciated much of what the solicitor had done, but that there were some issues. There were some mistakes by the solicitor and there were some missteps and mistakes, and those were concerning, but it was his decision to resign and step down from that role, he said. What now? Last week, the township council introduced a new budget for 2025, which puts off some projects and pulls money from the countys reserve funds to fill gaps left by the lost tax revenue. Council members also swiftly moved to introduce a new 1% earned income tax that would, if approved, take effect over the summer. The original tax was struck down too late for council members to reintroduce and approve it. The introduction came after weeks of back-and-forth in the council as Browns administration recommended paths forward but residents and council members, including Wentz and Wagner, insisted the township was, once again, not following proper procedures. The inability to pass a timely budget is a failure to articulate a clear vision for the future of this township, Wagner said. Efforts to pass a budget before the end of the calendar year were ultimately tabled before the process was restarted. Brown said he also wanted to ensure the township took ample time to review the new budget before moving forward. The delay ultimately helped the township avoid a property tax hike council members had considered. But the decision was also driven in part by the sense that residents who disagreed politically would be inclined to challenge the budget. We have a group of citizens who watch closely how our legislative process goes, and we can be taken to court if they feel like were doing something amiss, Brown said. A top lawyer from Mayor Cherelle L. Parkers administration said Wednesday that an executive order on Philadelphias status as a sanctuary city remains in place despite threats from President Donald Trump to punish cities that do not assist in a planned crackdown on undocumented immigrants. But the official, City Solicitor Renee Garcia, said during a City Council hearing that the Parker administration has not yet determined whether additional protections are needed for immigrants in the city. Advertisement This is what is in place, Garcia said in describing the citys existing policy, adding: I cannot speak today as to what changes will be made. Garcia testified Wednesday before members of a City Council committee about Philadelphias preparedness for the Trump administration, at a hearing that was called by Councilmember Rue Landau and was held two days after the presidents swearing-in and amid looming threats of raids in major cities by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Hours before the hearing, the Trump administration directed federal prosecutors to investigate local officials who do not cooperate with Trumps plans for mass deportation. Parker, a Democrat, has faced pressure from activists to double down on the citys sanctuary status, but has largely avoided directly attacking Trump since his election win in November. READ MORE: Philly Mayor Cherelle L. Parker is among the Democrats trying to coexist with Trump Sanctuary cities, though their exact definition varies, are places that deliberately limit cooperation with federal immigration enforcement. In Philadelphia, officials refuse to comply with requests from ICE to detain prisoners based on their immigration status unless federal authorities submit a warrant signed by a judge. The city also does not ask for immigration status from individuals to access city services, unless required to do so by the service. Garcia said that those practices that were in place under past mayors remain and that the Parker administration is reviewing Trumps directives, as well as the flurry of executive actions he took hours into his second term, including an order to revoke the constitutionally enshrined birthright citizenship. She said the mayor is laser-focused on safer, cleaner, greener, access to economic opportunity for all. She has made clear that that is for everybody within the citys borders, whether they are descendants of William Penn or stopping by to see the Liberty Bell. But some Council members on the committee all of whom are Democrats or members of the progressive Working Families Party indicated they wanted to hear more from the administration on its plan to protect immigrants and other marginalized groups. My biggest concern is our own preparedness, particularly given the lack of information weve heard coming from the administration regarding their approach to Trump, said Councilmember Kendra Brooks, who noted that key administrative positions, including the director of the Office of LGBTQ Affairs and the director of the Office of Immigrant Affairs, are vacant. READ MORE: Philadelphias director of immigrant affairs resigns days into Trump administration Other representatives from top agencies said that they have measures in place to combat impending Trump-era immigration policies and that they are working to bolster those services. Keisha Hudson, chief defender at the Defender Association of Philadelphia, said public defenders plan to start the citys first immigrant defense unit with a proposed staff of 13 people. The association will ask the city for an additional $800,000 this spring to fund the unit, Hudson said. It will be a centralized model which would streamline services, prevent duplication, and improve efficiency and outcomes for our clients, Hudson said. Bob Listenbee, first assistant district attorney, said Trumps mass deportation policies are anti-public safety and they are also anti-family. He said the district attorneys office believes undocumented immigrants who commit crimes in Philadelphia should be prosecuted in the city. We are going to do everything we can to make sure that these noncitizen immigrants who are charged with serious violent crimes are prosecuted here in the city and county of Philadelphia, he said. Separately on Wednesday, Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner, a Democrat and longtime Trump critic, said employees of his office would not comply with Trump administration immigration directives that might cause them to break the law. He said he would not be swayed by threats of consequences for local officials. READ MORE: Philly DA Larry Krasner says he wont break the law for Trumps immigration crackdown Council also heard from dozens of advocates for immigrants, women, and LGBTQ people about the potential effects of expected Trump administration policies. Harper Seldin, a staff attorney at the LGBTQ & HIV Project and the ACLU of Pennsylvania, said its crucial for the city to be united to push back against all efforts to push people into the shadows because of who they are, who they love, or where theyre from. An attack on one group is an attack on us all, Seldin said. Last year, we refined our approach to the market exchanges to emphasize genuine market connections and saw remarkable growth, with exhibitor numbers up by 12.4% and broker attendance increasing by 43%, Bax said. This success reinforces our unique position in facilitating meaningful industry connections and demonstrates the tangible value we provide to our members. Munich Re has maintained a significant presence in Ireland since its acquisition of Alfinanz in 2007 for 48 million. The company further expanded its local operations in 2020 with a 16 million investment in a Dublin-based research and development program, supported by IDA Ireland, which created over 50 new jobs. We are proud to announce yet another rate decrease for workers compensation insurance premiums, said Governor Bill Lee. This marks the 12th consecutive year of rate reductions. Lower premiums allow business owners to have the flexibility they need to re-invest in their companies. This post is part of a series sponsored by Darkhorse Insurance. In the complex world of insurance, as an insurance agent, you often face a crucial decision between Direct Carrier Appointments and Producer Sub-Codes. Each option has its unique details, consequences, and strategic benefits. In this detailed guide, we explore these essential elements to give you the knowledge required for smoothly navigating the insurance landscape. Benefits of Carrier Appointments and Producer Sub-Codes Navigating the landscape of insurance agency affiliations involves critical decisions that significantly impact an agents operations. Carrier appointments and producer sub-codes offer distinct advantages tailored to various preferences and business structures. Understanding the benefits of each is crucial for independent agents seeking the most suitable affiliation model. Advantages Carrier Appointments Producer Sub-Codes Ownership and Control High ownership and control over policies as well as customer relationships. Access to carrier markets with lower entry barriers and reduced compliance burden. Commission Rates Typically higher commission rates due to the direct relationship with the carrier. Slightly lower commission rates, but with shared resources and support from the primary agency. Operational Control More significant control over business operations and client management. Easier to manage without the need to meet high volume requirements. Brand Identity Greater ability to establish an independent brand identity. Aligns branding and marketing efforts with the primary agency or aggregator, allowing for support in building a presence. What Are Direct Carrier Appointments? A direct appointment is essentially a contract between an insurance agency and a carrier. This agreement, which has the agents name and information, allows the insurance agency to sell the carriers products directly to clients. This setup is an appointment between an agent and a carrier, which usually means agents have the most control, enabling them to manage their clients and policies more efficiently. Imagine youre an independent insurance agent specializing in niche markets. You secure a direct appointment with a renowned insurance carrier that specializes in unique coverage for High-Net-Worth individuals. With this, you can swiftly write policies tailored to your clients specific needs. This direct connection allows you to communicate seamlessly with the carrier and provide exclusive offerings they wont find elsewhere. Responsibilities and Challenges When it comes to direct carrier appointments, insurance agents face several responsibilities and challenges that can impact their operations and success. Here are some key considerations: Volume Requirements: Insurance carriers often set steep premium volume requirements that agents must meet. Failure to achieve these thresholds can result in the loss of the direct appointment. Insurance carriers often set steep premium volume requirements that agents must meet. Failure to achieve these thresholds can result in the loss of the direct appointment. Compliance and Regulatory Burdens: With increased autonomy comes greater responsibility for compliance. Directly appointed agents must stay abreast of regulatory changes and ensure their operations adhere to all relevant laws. What Are Producer Sub-Codes? Producer Sub-Codes are designations granted by larger agencies or managing general agents (MGAs). They allow agents to access carriers and markets without meeting stringent volume requirements. Essentially, they allow smaller or newer agencies to operate under the umbrella of a larger entity, sharing resources, support, and compliance responsibilities. In these sub-coded appointments, the master contract is owned by the larger entity. This setup can create the appearance of a direct relationship between the agent and the carrier despite the legal arrangement being with the network or aggregator. The paperwork for sub-coded appointments typically displays the agents name and contact details, except when carriers require them to write under the agencys main code, or House Code. Suppose youre an independent insurance agent. You have a client, Mr. Y, who needs a specific type of commercial insurance offered by Carrier X. However, you dont have a direct appointment with Carrier X. In this situation, you can use a producer sub-code through an appointed agency or aggregator who has a direct appointment with Carrier X. Limitations and Considerations When considering producer sub-codes, its essential to be aware of the following limitations: Limited Authority: Sub-coded agents may have less underwriting and binding authority, necessitating approval from the primary agency or MGA for certain decisions. This additional layer of approval can slow down the process and potentially impact customer satisfaction. Sub-coded agents may have less underwriting and binding authority, necessitating approval from the primary agency or MGA for certain decisions. This additional layer of approval can slow down the process and potentially impact customer satisfaction. Dependence on Primary Agency: The success of a sub-coded agent is heavily reliant on the performance and stability of the primary agency or MGA holding the direct appointment. Any changes in the primary agencys relationship with the carrier can directly affect the sub-coded agents operations. Comparing Direct Carrier Appointments and Producer Sub-Codes The choice between these two depends on various factors that can significantly impact an independent insurance agents operations. Carrier appointments offer a direct partnership with the insurance carrier. This is particularly advantageous when an agent seeks more control over their business strategies, desires streamlined communication with carriers, and values the ability to offer exclusive products directly. On the other hand, producer sub-codes in insurance refer to designations granted by larger agencies or managing general agents (MGAs) to independent agents. These sub-codes allow agents to access carrier markets without meeting strict volume requirements or directly contracting with carriers. They are beneficial to independent agents who are new to the industry or lack the resources to secure direct appointments. Factors to Consider When Choosing Between Direct Appointments and Producer Sub-Codes Agency Size and Resources: Smaller agencies or those just starting might find sub-codes more appealing due to the lower barriers to entry and reduced administrative burden. Larger, established agencies might prefer direct appointments for greater control and higher commissions. Smaller agencies or those just starting might find sub-codes more appealing due to the lower barriers to entry and reduced administrative burden. Larger, established agencies might prefer direct appointments for greater control and higher commissions. Long-term Business Goals: Consider your business growth strategy. If rapid expansion and scalability are your priorities, direct appointments provide more opportunities. However, if you prefer steady growth with manageable overhead, producer sub-codes could be a better fit. Consider your business growth strategy. If rapid expansion and scalability are your priorities, direct appointments provide more opportunities. However, if you prefer steady growth with manageable overhead, producer sub-codes could be a better fit. Desired Carrier Relationships: Evaluate the carriers you want to work with. Some carriers may only work directly with appointed agents, while others offer access through networks and sub-codes. Your desired partnerships and carrier preferences will influence your decision. Evaluate the carriers you want to work with. Some carriers may only work directly with appointed agents, while others offer access through networks and sub-codes. Your desired partnerships and carrier preferences will influence your decision. Agency Specialization and Niche Markets: Consider the specialization of your agency and the niche markets you serve. Direct appointments might be beneficial if you specialize in a specific industry or have unique expertise that aligns with certain carriers offerings. Conversely, sub-codes can provide access to a broader range of carriers, allowing you to cater to diverse client needs and expand your market reach. Consider the specialization of your agency and the niche markets you serve. Direct appointments might be beneficial if you specialize in a specific industry or have unique expertise that aligns with certain carriers offerings. Conversely, sub-codes can provide access to a broader range of carriers, allowing you to cater to diverse client needs and expand your market reach. Regulatory Compliance and Administrative Requirements: Evaluate the compliance and requirements associated with each option. Direct appointments may involve more stringent compliance obligations and administrative tasks. In contrast, sub-codes might offer a more streamlined approach, reducing the administrative burden and allowing you to focus on client relationships and business growth. Combining Direct Carrier Appointments and Producer Sub-Codes Mixing direct carrier appointments with producer sub-codes offers several benefits for agents: Increased Market Access: Agents can access a wider range of insurance products, combining the exclusive offerings from direct appointments with additional options through producer sub-codes. Agents can access a wider range of insurance products, combining the exclusive offerings from direct appointments with additional options through producer sub-codes. Enhanced Flexibility: This combination allows agents to cater to diverse client needs without being restricted by the limitations of a single carrier relationship. This combination allows agents to cater to diverse client needs without being restricted by the limitations of a single carrier relationship. Optimized Revenue Potential: Direct appointments often offer higher commissions, while sub-codes provide opportunities to write policies for carriers that might otherwise be inaccessible. Direct appointments often offer higher commissions, while sub-codes provide opportunities to write policies for carriers that might otherwise be inaccessible. Resource Sharing: Smaller or newer agencies can benefit from the support, resources, and compliance assistance provided through sub-codes. Smaller or newer agencies can benefit from the support, resources, and compliance assistance provided through sub-codes. Risk Mitigation: Balancing direct appointments with sub-codes helps agents mitigate the risk of losing a carrier relationship, ensuring continuity in offering various insurance products. FAQs What are the main features of carrier appointments and producer sub-codes? Carrier appointments offer the highest profit sharing, bonuses, and compensation options with carriers, but they come with monthly quotes and production requirements that agents must meet to maintain their appointments. These appointments can take three to six months to set up, depending on the carrier, and may be terminated if requirements are not met. On the other hand, producer sub-codes allow agents to write specific markets without the pressure of individual production requirements. While sub-codes may not offer the same profit sharing as direct appointments, they are crucial for accessing carriers and markets that an agent may want to offer or write occasionally. Sub-codes also benefit from the collective effort of the network, reducing the risk of losing appointments due to individual performance. What should an agent prepare for a direct appointment? When preparing for a direct carrier appointment, agents should ensure they meet all the necessary requirements set forth by the carrier and regulatory authorities. This typically involves obtaining the appropriate licenses and certifications. Additionally, agents should be ready to provide documentation demonstrating their agencys financial stability, professional indemnity insurance, and adherence to ethical standards. Its also essential to have a clear understanding of the carriers underwriting guidelines, product offerings, and commission structures. Agents may need to undergo training or certification programs provided by the carrier to ensure they are well-equipped to represent their products accurately and effectively. Finally, agents should prepare a comprehensive business plan outlining their sales strategies, target markets, and growth projections. How can an insurance aggregator help me get producer appointments or sub-codes? Insurance aggregators act as intermediaries between insurance agents and carriers, streamlining the process of obtaining producer appointments or sub-codes. These platforms often have established relationships with multiple carriers, allowing agents to access a wider range of appointment opportunities. By leveraging their existing network and expertise, insurance aggregators can guide agents through the appointment process, helping them navigate requirements, paperwork, and deadlines. Additionally, aggregators may offer training resources, support services, and technology tools to assist agents in meeting carrier criteria and enhancing their chances of securing appointments. Can I mix direct appointments and producer sub-codes within my agency? Yes, its possible to mix direct appointments and producer sub-codes within your agency. This approach allows you to leverage the benefits of both types of access to carriers. For instance, you can have direct appointments with carriers for whom you have a strong relationship or wish to have more control while also utilizing producer sub-codes for accessing carriers through networks or aggregators. Mixing these options provides flexibility in managing carrier relationships and access to a broader range of products and markets. However, to avoid conflicts or issues, its essential to ensure compliance with carrier agreements and regulatory requirements when implementing this strategy. How do getting carrier appointments and producer sub-codes contribute to long-term agency vision? A direct appointment of an insurance agent may align with a vision of in-depth carrier partnerships. Meanwhile, producer sub-codes could be strategic for agencies envisioning agile growth and dynamic market responsiveness. Careful consideration ensures alignment with long-term objectives. Key Takeaways When youre working in insurance, you have the choice of two important options, which are direct carrier appointments and producer sub-codes. Each has its special details and benefits. This guide helps you understand these options better so you can make smart decisions for your business. Whether you go for a direct partnership or use sub-codes in an agency, knowing about these approaches is really important. Topics Carriers A man broke into a Philadelphia church and stole a 125-year-old bejeweled crown from atop a marble statue of the Virgin Mary, city police said earlu this week.. The burglary at St. John the Evangelist Roman Catholic Church occurred around 1:10 a.m. Saturday when the thief smashed through a stained-glass window, police said. The break-in was captured on surveillance video that police released Monday. The man then climbed into the upper nave of the church and went straight to the statue and crown, the churchs archivist, Anne Kirkwood, told The Philadelphia Inquirer. While church staff members were preparing for a baptism Sunday, they found broken glass and soon noticed the missing crown, which a church history from the 1950s indicated was created by James E. Caldwell & Co. around 1900. It was made from jewelry and gems donated by parishioners to celebrate the churchs reopening after a fire in 1899. Kirkwood said that in 2015, when the crown was briefly removed from the statue and examined, she noted its makers inscription was J.E. Caldwell & Co. The damaged stained glass window also dates to the churchs reopening in 1902 and was fashioned in Munich, Germany. Copyright 2025 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Topics Fraud India widened backing for Russian insurers as the largest buyer of Moscows seaborne crude strives to keep discounted barrels flowing, after the US imposed fresh sanctions earlier this month. As well as extending approvals for some sanctioned providers, Indias Directorate General of Shipping authorized Soglasie Insurance Co. to provide insurance for vessels entering Indian ports until February 2026, according to to the regulators website. As Soglasie isnt blacklisted by any western nation, the new permit provides a safe option for tanker operators that haul Russian barrels to the South Asian nation and may be wary of taking out coverage with sanctioned insurers or providers unknown in the market. Controlled by billionaire Mikhail Prokhorov, Soglasie accounted for about 3% of Russias general insurance market last year. So far, Soglasies website doesnt list marine insurance services. Like his company, Prokhorov is not subject to sanctions. The US on Jan. 10 imposed stringent new sanctions aimed at choking off funding for Vladimir Putins war machine following the 2022 invasion of Ukraine. The package targeted oil tankers, energy producers, exporters, trading firms, and two of the biggest Russian providers of protection and indemnity insurance for vessels Ingosstrakh Insurance Co. and Alfastrakhovanie. The inclusion of the insurers was a bid to push a wide range of tankers, including those in Russias own fleet, out of mainstream insurance markets, at least temporarily. Indias shipping watchdog extended approvals for Alfastrakhovanie and Sogaz Insurance Co. also blacklisted by the US until February 2030, while the permit for Ingosstrakh remains intact to February 2029. A permit for VSK, which is sanctioned by the UK, has been extended until February 2030. Earlier approvals for Alfastrakhovanie, Sogaz and VSK were set to expire on Feb. 20. India, the worlds third-largest oil consumer, imported about 1.8 million barrels a day from Russia in 2024, accounting for 37% of its total shipments from overseas. Indias shipping ministry spokesman didnt immediately respond to phone messages seeking comment. Copyright 2025 Bloomberg. Topics Carriers Energy Oil Gas Russia Ramblings on academic-related matters. For information on my research see https://www.psy.ox.ac.uk/research/oxford-study-of-children-s-communication-impairments. Twin analysis blog: http://dbtemp.blogspot.com/ . ERP time-frequency analysis blog: bishoptechbits.blogspot.com/ . For tweets, follow @deevybee. Chinese ambassador calls for "icebreaking" spirit when dealing with China-Britain ties Xinhua) 11:21, January 23, 2025 LONDON, Jan. 22 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Ambassador to Britain Zheng Zeguang on Wednesday called for "icebreaking" spirit while dealing with China-Britain ties. "In this new age of changes and turbulence, China-UK relations have become even more important both for the two countries and the world at large. And more than ever, we need to draw inspiration from the 'icebreaking' spirit," Zheng said in a keynote speech at the annual "Icebreakers" Chinese New Year Dinner. Over recent months, there has been some progress in China-Britain relations, Zheng noted. "We need to build upon that and keep up the momentum." China and Britain should work together to earnestly follow through on the common understandings reached between leaders of the two countries and faithfully implement the productive outcomes of the 11th Economic and Financial Dialogue which was held recently in Beijing, China, Zheng said. Zheng also called for restarting dialogue and collaboration in other areas, including new energy, Artificial Intelligence (AI), sci-tech, trade, education, and international and regional issues. "And most importantly, we should handle bilateral relations in the spirit of mutual respect, non-interference in each other's internal affairs, equality and mutual benefit. We do have differences and sensitive issues between us, and they have to be dealt with properly," he added. The ambassador said China has made solid gains in advancing Chinese modernization despite all the headwinds in the past year. Steady progress was recorded in the economy with China's gross domestic product (GDP) exceeding 134 trillion yuan (18.43 trillion U.S. dollars) and the annual growth rate was 5 percent, he said. In the new year, Year of the Snake, China will continue to show confidence and resolve, stay on the course of high-quality development and advance Chinese modernization, he added. In 1954, Jack Perry, the founder of the London Export Corporation, led a group of 48 British businessmen on a historic trade mission to Beijing and helped deliver one of the first modern-day trade links with China. The 48 businessmen were the precursors of the 48 Group Club. The trip became known as the "Icebreaking Mission," and the club members were called "Icebreakers." (Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Zhong Wenxing) Dutch insurance companies and other financial institutions that want to invest in the defense industry can expect guidance from the government, said Defense Minister Ruben Brekelmans. What Ive experienced so far with insurers like NN, but also with banks, is a willingness to invest, since they do see security threats and realize there is a role for financial institutions there, Brekelmans said in an interview Wednesday at the World Economic Forum. But the question is, if they want to allocate those funds, how can we get them to the defense companies? For these insurers, the defense industry is quite unknown territory given their previous lack of investments. The minister said he wants to help those industries, not just through changing regulations, but also by pointing toward specific types of companies they could invest in. This way, the government can offer assistance to banks, insurance companies and private equity funds, which all share the same problem: They want to invest in this category but do not want to make assessments of individual companies themselves, he said. Brekelmans remarks confirm reports in Dutch news outlets that insurance companies like NN Group NV are in talks with the government to make capital funding available for defense spending. It also reaffirms the cabinets preference for private capital, instead of relying on new Eurobonds or joint debt. Copyright 2025 Bloomberg. Topics Carriers China is guiding local mutual funds and insurers to boost their stock purchases in the governments latest initiative to shore up its ailing equity market as it confronts the threat of higher tariffs. Mutual funds should raise their holdings of onshore equities by at least 10% annually for the next three years, while large state-owned insurers will need to invest 30% of their new policy premiums from 2025, Wu Qing, chairman of the China Securities Regulatory Commission, said at a press conference on Thursday. Chinas benchmark CSI 300 Index rose as much as 1.8% in early trading as the announcements were made, before later paring gains to close up just 0.2%. The Hang Seng China Enterprises Index, which tracks mainland stocks listed in Hong Kong, was trading down 0.5%. This policy is quite beneficial to Chinese equities, especially for those state-owned enterprises stocks with high dividend yields, said Jason Chan, senior investment strategist at Bank of East Asia in Hong Kong. Still, the measures are aimed at stabilizing the equity market, instead of giving a very large boost, which would need more catalysts from fiscal stimulus, he said. China will commence the second stage of a trial program for insurers long-term equity investments in the first half of this year, with an amount of at least 100 billion yuan ($13.7 billion), Wu also said at the briefing. Furthermore, the government is planning to make some changes with a view to giving state-controlled insurers more flexibility in managing their long-term investments, Vice Finance Minister Liao Min said at the event. Insurance stocks jumped on speculation their investment returns will increase if they follow the governments guidance for long-term funds to boost holdings in the local market. A Bloomberg gauge of Chinese insurer firms listed in Hong Kong rose 2%. Chinese shares have been under pressure in recent months amid fears over a prolonged economic slowdown and the threat of higher tariffs by new US President Donald Trump. Traders have grown increasingly disappointed at Beijings piecemeal stimulus efforts and have questioned the potency of the measures introduced so far. Concerns about the economic malaise and escalating trade tensions caused the MSCI China Index to enter a bear market this month. The CSI 300 Index had dropped 3.5% this year through Wednesday, putting it among the worst performers in Asia.China on Wednesday had rolled out a basket of measures to stabilize its stock markets, including plans to boost the amount pension can invest in the nations listed companies. The central bank in September said would set up a swap facility allowing securities firms, funds and insurance companies to tap liquidity from the central bank to purchase equities. The CSI 300 Index snapped a four-day winning streak on Wednesday after Trump said his threat to impose 10% tariffs on Chinese goods was still being considered and may take place next month. Fridays announcements are incrementally positive for the A-share market but not a game changer, said Gary Tan, a portfolio manager at Allspring Global Investments. We expect the high dividend domestic names to benefit more from these flows. Photograph: The Bund Financial Bull in Shanghai, China; photo credit: Qilai Shen/Bloomberg Copyright 2025 Bloomberg. Topics Carriers China Storm Eowyn will bring a weather bomb to Ireland and the UK, unleashing destructive winds and heavy rain, the Met Office forecaster said. People across Ireland were told to stay home Friday, with schools closing as severe weather warnings come into force. In the UK, major transportation disruption is expected, with trains canceled between the north of England and Scotland and authorities predicting wind damage, flooding and power outages. A beast is brewing a really intense jet stream, Alex Deakin, a meteorologist with the Met Office, said at a briefing. Irelands Met Eireann warned of significant disruption due to fallen trees and structural damage. Storm Eowyn Set to Hit UK With Damaging Winds and Heavy Rains The Irish service issued red wind warnings starting 2 a.m. Friday and covering all of the country through the day. It said 130 kilometer-per-hour (81 mph) gusts could make travel extremely dangerous. The UK issued an orange wind warning starting 6 a.m. Friday for Northern Ireland, northern England, Wales and Scotland. Hardest-hit areas in those regions will be the exposed coasts, which could see gusts of as much as 90 miles an hour. Other areas, including London, are under yellow alert. #StormEowyn will bring multiple hazards on Friday and into the weekend with damaging winds the primary concern. Check the latest on our website and keep up to date with the forecast with significant disruption expected in parts of the UK https://t.co/ol673uftPw pic.twitter.com/aQ1iFXrscN Met Office (@metoffice) January 22, 2025 Eowyn is also set to bring snow to parts of the UK, with as much as 25 centimeters (10 inches) forecast for the Scottish Highlands, the Met Office said. Snow warnings have also been issued for northern England. The storm has been magnified by an Arctic blast that swept through the US earlier this week, wreaking havoc across the typically snow-less American South. That weather system gassed up the jet stream, feeding Eowyn. The low pressure named #StormEowyn currently has a central air pressure of 1001hPa, but this is expected to drop by 62hPa in the next 30 hours This is known as explosive cyclogenesis or a weather bomb and will bring damaging winds to some areas on Friday pic.twitter.com/N8iooq5pl1 Met Office (@metoffice) January 22, 2025 Photograph: Stormy weather in Scotland; photo credit: Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images Copyright 2025 Bloomberg. Topics Windstorm A top European insurance executive slammed a piece of regulation that has emerged as key driver behind a recent slate of asset management acquisitions by banks. The rule known as Danish Compromise gives the regions lenders an advantage when buying investment units, NN Group NV Chief Executive Officer David Knibbe said in an interview at the World Economic Forum in Davos. He has complained about the issue to several European regulators, he said. The Danish Compromise allows banks to reduce the hit to their regulatory capital levels if they buy an asset management firm through an insurance subsidiary. BNP Paribas used the loophole when buying AXAs investment unit last year and Banco BPM SpA in Italy has said the effect is essential in its proposed acquisition of the asset manager Anima Holding SpA. The comments show that insurance companies are unhappy with what they see as a distorted competitive landscape. Speaking at an event in November, Carlo Cimbri, the chairman of Italian insurer Unipol Assicurazioni SpA, labeled as scandalous the advantage afforded by the Danish Compromise to banks in asset management M&A It is not very much facilitated that insurance companies own a bankwhile the other way around has been made, from a capital point of view, relatively attractive, Knibbe said in the interview at Davos. NN agreed in 2021 to sell its investment arm to Goldman Sachs Group Inc. for about 1.7 billion ($1.8 billion). Copyright 2025 Bloomberg. Topics Mergers & Acquisitions Carriers Oklahoma Insurance Commissioner Glen Mulready announced new details regarding the launch of OKReady, the Strengthen Oklahoma Homes (SOH) program, that went into effect on November 1, 2024. Over the past several months, the Oklahoma Insurance Department (OID) has been working on developing application processes, evaluating zip-code storm data, training grant coordinators and recruiting contractors and evaluators to participate in the new grant program. The OID is excited to set a date of March 3, 2025 for a pilot launch of grant applications. OKReady will be allocating up to ten thousand dollars ($10,000) in grant funds per approved household. The funding will be allocated towards approved construction projects which will fortify homes pursuant to the IBHS FORTIFIED Home Roof High Wind designation with the Hail Supplement. Grant funds will be paid to the Contractor on behalf of the homeowner after receiving the IBHS FORTIFIED Certification. The first pilot launch will focus on 100 homes in zip codes that will be released next month. The OID will launch three pilots to optimize application and review processes. OKReady plans to issue a thousand grants in 2025. Eligibility Requirements: To apply for the grant, homeowners will need to complete an electronic application and provide all necessary documentation before the application can be submitted. The home must be a single-family, primary residence that is owned and occupied by the applicant. The home must be in good repair unless damaged by a tornado, catastrophic windstorm, or hail. Good repair means the home is well maintained, and the only damage if any, is recent storm related damage. Applicants must submit a copy of their Homestead Exemption in PDF format in the electronic application. Homeowners who do not have an exemption should apply through their County Assessors office. To qualify for Homestead Exemption the property must be owned and occupied as of January 1 st . If you file after the assessors deadline for 2025, your exemption will not apply until the following tax year. . If you file after the assessors deadline for 2025, your exemption will not apply until the following tax year. Proof of an in-force homeowners insurance policy is required in PDF format in the electronic application. Homes in flood zones must also provide proof of flood insurance. Visit https://msc.fema.gov/portal/home to determine if your property is in a floodplain. Homeowners must submit a PDF copy of their previous years Tax Return Form 1040 in the electronic application. Homeowners must provide their Social Security Number. If you hold the Power of Attorney for an applicant with the Strengthen Oklahoma Homes program, you must submit a PDF copy of the Power of Attorney to the Oklahoma Insurance Department before any staff member will discuss grant details for the applicant. Income Tiers: To prioritize assistance for lower-income households, the program will use two income tiers which have been determined using the median income in Oklahoma (U.S. Census Bureau, 2023). Applicants will be categorized using the homeowners annual household income provided on their previous years Tax Return Form 1040. Income Tier 1 will be households with an income of $62,138 or less. Income Tier 2 will be households with an income above $62,138. Applications will be accepted on a first come, first serve basis within each income tier, with a priority given to lower income applicants and applicants who live in locations, that based on historical data, have a higher susceptibility to catastrophic weather events. Source: Oklahoma Insurance Department Topics Oklahoma Toni Boucher threw up the first time she saw the charred remains of her home and neighborhood after this months deadly Los Angeles-area wildfires. Now she wonders if its worth it to go back to sift through the ashes and try to find her grandmothers wedding ring. Its not just that shes worried about the trauma she experienced from seeing the destruction in Altadena, where Boucher, 70, has lived for decades. She is also concerned about possible health risks. Related: Verisk Estimates Insured Losses for Palisades and Eaton Fires at $28B to $35B They talk about asbestos and theyre talking about lead and theyre talking about all of the things that have burned in the loss of the homes and the danger of that, Boucher said. Experts warn that the blazes unleashed complex chemical reactions on paint, furniture, building materials, cars, electronics and other belongings, turning ordinary objects into potentially toxic ash that requires protective gear to handle safely. The ash could include harmful lead, asbestos or arsenic, as well as newer synthetic materials. Related: Wildfire-Risk Models Are Struggling to Predict LA-Style Fires Ash is not just ash. Go back to the garage or whats in your home. What is your furniture made out of? What are your appliances made out of? What is your house made out of? asked Scott McLean, a former deputy chief of the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protections communications bureau. A lot of its petroleum product and different composites that are extreme hazards due to fire when they combust. That is especially a problem when people start to sift through fire damage. Studies show that people involved in recovery in ash-affected areas could face health risks from breathing in whatever is there. Even safe chemicals commonly found in household materials such as titanium dioxide in paint or copper in pipes can form compounds that are more reactive after a fire, said Mohammed Baalousha, a professor of environmental health sciences at University of South Carolina, who studies ash samples to better understand what materials are present and how they change in the wake of wildfires. Related: Los Angeles Pushes to Rebuild Homes Fast, Despite Wildfire Danger Scientists are still trying to understand exactly what those chemical changes do to human health, not just in California but in places such as Maui and other areas scarred by wildfire. Maui residents were kept out of contaminated areas for nearly two months, but they still worry about long-term health impacts. In California, officials arent letting residents return to many locations, likely for at least a week, while they restore utilities, conduct safety operations and search for people, according to Los Angeles Countys recovery website. Some chemicals are linked to cardiovascular disease and reduced lung function. Other adverse health effects might arise from inhaling more mobile and toxic forms of arsenic, chromium and benzene. Exposure to magnetite, which can form when fire burns iron, has been linked to Alzheimers disease, for example. It really could take a long time to tease out all of the potential health effects of these particles because of how many complex chemical reactions are going on and how many substances still remain to be studied, Baalousha said. Researchers point to the variety of health problems potentially linked to dust from the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks. I always kind of reminded myself of all the people that ran into the World Trade Center on 9/11, and were really there for not that long of a period of time in terms of their total exposure, said Jackson Webster, who studies fire aftermath as a professor of civil engineering at California State University, Chico. But there is increased cases of all kinds of different illness, sickness. Baalousha added that scientists also worry about where all the waste will go. Some potentially hazardous materials could end up in drinking water or even flow into the ocean, adversely affecting marine life. Thats something experts in Hawaii are studying after the deadly fire in Maui last year. While researchers continue their work, people returning to their homes in California should put their safety first, he said. We know its a lot of emotions and feelings going on that you can put down your guard, but you shouldnt do that, Baalousha said. Just be safe. Be careful. Put all the gear you can at least an N95 mask, gloves and stay safe. Because you lost your property. But you dont want to damage also your health in the longer run. Associated Press reporter Alexa St. John contributed from Detroit. Copyright 2025 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Topics Catastrophe Natural Disasters Wildfire Louisiana Two new wildfires that erupted in Southern California are spreading quickly over dry hillsides and forcing evacuations, stoking new fears in a region thats been devastated by recent deadly blazes. The Hughes Fire, which began Wednesday and grew within hours to engulf more than 10,000 acres (4,000 hectares), continues to rage north of Los Angeles, authorities said. The Sepulveda Fire started early Thursday west of the city near the Getty Center art museum and has burned 40 acres. Dry winds of up to 50 miles (80 kilometers) per hour will batter Los Angeles and Ventura counties Thursday, fanning the flames, the US Storm Prediction Center said. Gusts could reach 70 mph. Winds may ease slightly Friday, then the region could catch a break Saturday night as rain and possibly thunderstorms arrive. They do need the rain, said Brian Hurley, a senior branch forecaster at the US Weather Prediction Center. For a lot of these areas, it is going to be the first rain they have had for a while. Firefighters have contained about 14% of the Hughes Fires perimeter, using fire breaks or other barriers to prevent flames from spreading, according to California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. Authorities told about 50,000 people to evacuate, including 476 inmates at the Pitchess Detention Center in Castaic. Firefighters have not managed to contain the Sepulveda Fire, along the east side of Interstate 405, at all yet. The new fires come weeks after other blazes killed 28 people, displaced thousands and destroyed nearly 15,000 buildings most of them homes. The Palisades and Eaton fires, which caused the bulk of the destruction, are still burning but are now more controlled. Shares of California utilities Edison International and PG&E Corp., which in the past have been found liable for sparking wildfires, fell Wednesday as the Hughes Fire spread. Edison declined 6.3%. PG&E dropped 5%. A spokesperson for Edison said the utility is investigating. It cut power to about 2,300 homes and businesses in LA and Ventura counties to prevent live wires from blowing over in the high winds and sparking any new fires. Nearly 40,000 homes and businesses were without power across California at 4:30 a.m. local time, according to PowerOutage.us. The Hughes Fire briefly prompted authorities to close a section of Interstate 5, but the route reopened Wednesday evening. About 45 miles away, a portion of the Pacific Coast Highway a major north-south artery into and out of LA remains shut as authorities continue work to contain and clean up the Palisades Fire. Top photo: Firefighters observe from a firetruck on Charlie Canyon Road during the Hughes Fire in Castaic, California, on Jan. 22. Copyright 2025 Bloomberg. Topics Catastrophe Natural Disasters California Wildfire Fraudsters have been lining up to cheat the EU ever since it started promoting biofuels as renewable energy in the 1990s. Just how big the scams have been is now revealed by Indonesia, one of the biggest exporters of biofuel feedstocks to the EU. The Southeast Asian country revealed that its capacity to produce palm oil mill effluent and other residues (such as used cooking oil) is only 300,000 tonnes. But Indonesia exported almost five million tonnes of this material in 2023, with much of it bound for the EU's 200 or so refineries producing biodiesel. Indonesian authorities announced they are immediately curbing export shipments of used cooking oil and palm oil residue, because they suspect that virgin palm oil is mixed into them. This means that the EU's world-leading biofuel diesel industry, producing around 13 million tonnes of biodiesel annually, has been using palm oil, blamed for 50% of tropical deforestation in regions such as Malaysian Borneo, and associated peatland draining and burning, biodiversity declines, greenhouse gas emissions, and air pollution. The use of palm oil is de facto banned in several EU countries. With used cooking oil (UCO) products estimated to account for more than one-third of European biofuel consumption, it becomes clearer every day that UCO fraud is making a farce of biofuel sustainability claims. Luc Vernet of the Brussels-based Farm Europe think-tank said they have been alerting the European Commission for years about palm oil scams jeopardising the EUs energy transition, investments, and farmers. "Now, even producing countries acknowledge it", he said. Indonesia is clamping down on the UCO shipments, in order to to avert a potential shortfall of palm oil for domestic industries. Authorities in the country had previously alleged that some cooking oil sold under a government programme had been mislabelled as used cooking oil and shipped overseas for biodiesel feedstock. Separately, last June, a group of US senators alleged fraudulent UCO had been shipped from China to the US, including some cargoes that might include virgin palm oil. Luc Vernet of Farm Europe called on the new European Commission to act decisively on the "obvious" fraud in the supposedly sustainable biofuel industry. He said EU farmers who grow oilseeds for biofuel are directly impacted by the fraudulent competition. "We need fast reactions and dissuasive sanctions to re-establish the credibility of the EU market regulators". With transport one of the few sectors where EU greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions increased markedly over the last three decades, the Commission ruled that transport emissions must be cut 90% by 2050, compared to 1990. In 2003, the EU introduced its first biofuels-related targets to make transport more climate-friendly. These renewable fuels reached 7.5% of the energy mix in EU road and rail transport by 2021 (compared to only 4.3 % worldwide). They are mostly bioethanol for blending with petrol and biodiesel with fossil diesel. The current target is a 29% share of renewable energy in transport by 2030. EU directives require member states to place an obligation on fuel suppliers so that the target is met at national level. The EU's thinking is that biodiesel will help in meeting Paris Agreement emission reduction targets while reducing emissions of other pollutants harmful to human health. The EU also welcomes the supply flexibility of biodiesel feedstocks as a buffer against oil and gas supply shocks. Moreover, using used cooking oils (UCO) as feedstocks was welcomed to reduce the polluting loss of this used oil to the environment while turning waste into a competitive and low-emission form of transport energy. Biofuels, therefore, ticked all the boxes for the environmentalists behind the EU's Green Deal plan to be climate-neutral by 2050. Between 2011 and 2020, the EU-27 consumption of sustainable biofuels from used cooking oil increased from 0.09 to 2.53 million tonnes of oil equivalent. By 2019, more than half of the UCO used as biodiesel feedstock was imported from outside the EU. EU figures indicate these imports increased from 250,000t in 2011 to 2m tonnes in 2022, with a large proportion coming from China, the UK, Malaysia, and Indonesia. Unfortunately, as the European Court of Auditors pointed out in 2023, it was a fraud waiting to happen, because the nature of UCO makes it difficult to confirm that the shipped material is indeed a waste product. Nevertheless, by February 2022, demand from the EU had helped to boost the price of a tonne of UCO to 1,400, almost double the price of February 2020. Thus it was that the price of UCO even exceeded that of unused oil, due to increased demand for biofuel production. Fraudsters globally latched onto the opportunity, particularly when the EU became increasingly reliant on imports of UCO. The new figures from Indonesia, estimated to provide about 10% of the EU's imported UCO, indicate the huge scope of fraud surrounding the product. China is estimated to supply 34%, 19% comes from major palm oil producers Malaysia and Indonesia combined. With the EU's demand for UCO possibly doubling to 6m tonnes by 2030, the EU must act quickly to prevent its sustainable biofuel policy from becoming a farce due to fraudsters in these countries sending unsustainable palm oil instead of the more expensive UCO. One solution could be to ban dubious imports, and rely more on EU-grown biofuel crops: however, current policy points to the EU further restricting these EU crops. Other fraudsters have been looking to gain from the EU's climate policies by dealing in biodiesel which they said came from UCO, but which actually came from other sources. OLAF, the European Anti-Fraud Office, was tipped off that a Norwegian company was exporting to the EU very large quantities of biodiesel purportedly produced from Canadian EU-grown UCO, and used in the EU to gain national subsidies for meeting renewable energy targets. OLAF discovered that more than 150,000 tonnes of the biodiesel was, in fact, produced from soya bean oil exported from the US to Canada, where it was mixed with small quantities of vegetable oils and re-exported to Norway and then into the EU. A Swiss company was behind the fraud, which cost the EU 62m in lost import duties alone. Last June, the European Public Prosecutors Office arrested four ringleaders of a criminal organisation that also imported US biodiesel into the EU, fraudulently declaring it as UCO biodiesel from Morocco. The estimated damages to the EU was 3.1m. OLAF has warned that as EU investments in environmental and sustainability projects increase, so does the risk of fraud. The best-known case with an environmental impact in which OLAF has been involved was of course the Dieselgate scandal that surfaced in 2015. Volkswagen AG installed so-called "defeat devices" in its cars to bypass strict EU rules on emissions. The devices made the vehicles respond differently in emissions testing, allowing higher-than-permitted emissions to go undetected. Volkswagen said in 2020 that Dieselgate had cost the company more than 31 billion in fines and settlements. The Brutalist If you build it, they will come. The Brutalist (16s) opens in 1947 with Hungarian Jewish refugee Laszlo Toth (Adrien Brody) arriving in New York, although the fact that his first sight of America is that of an upside-down Statue of Liberty suggests that Laszlos experience of the Land of the Free will not be uncomplicated. A renowned architect of the Bauhaus school in his native Budapest who has left his wife Erzsebet (Felicity Jones) and niece Zsofia (Raffey Cassidy) behind in his flight to the New World, the former maestro is reduced to scraping a living as a construction worker. Until, that is, he is employed to redesign the library of the fabulously rich Harrison Lee Van Buren (Guy Pearce), who recognises Laszlos genius and commissions him to build an ostentatious memorial to his late, beloved mother. Brady Corbets epic, three-and-a-half hour account of post-Second World War America is precariously built on the fault-line that is revealed when a wealthy but moribund Wasp establishment collides with poor but talented immigrant arrivals. A scene from The Brutalist. To a certain extent its the old story of money versus art and the complex give-and-take between artist and patron, which Corbet who also co-writes with Mona Fastvold sets up as a clash between the munificent Van Buren and the visionary Laszlo, who belatedly comes to realise that he is merely tolerated by his antisemitic hosts for the sake of his talent. Not that Laszlo is an entirely innocent pawn in Van Burens game: possessed of an ego as vast as his buildings, Laszlo is a difficult man who worships at the altar of only himself, as he pursues his private obsession with building a monument to a Wasp matriarch that is inspired by the death camps of NaziGermany. The fictional Laszlo, of course, is something of a personification of a wave of Jewish immigrants who reinvigorated America in the wake of the Second World War, bringing a new energy as they revitalised architecture, film, art, and the sciences a heavy burden for Adrien Brody to shoulder, but one he carries with a kind of bloody-minded grace that could well carry him all the way to Oscar glory. A towering edifice in its own right, Corbets film indulges itself at times one scene of sexual violence is utterly unnecessary but remains wholly absorbing despite its lengthy runtime. Presence Callina Liang as Chloe, Chris Sullivan as Chris, Eddy Maday as Tyler and Lucy Liu as Rebekah in presence. Steven Soderberghs bid to make every possible kind of movie continues apace with Presence (15A), in which Rebekah (Lucy Liu) and Chris (Chris Sullivan) move into a new home with their teenage kids Chloe (Callina Liang) and Tyler (Eddy Maday), only for Chloe to realise that they are not alone. Grieving the recent death of her friend Nadia, Chloe is sensitive to, and vaguely aware of, the phantom that follows the characters throughout the house, observing them from the point-of-view of the camera lens. Its a creepy sensation, although the presence is initially benign and merely curious; but as we become privy to snippets of conversation, and realise that Chloe is a fragile young woman whose mental health issues are being largely ignored, the ghostly presence becomes protective of Chloe, and increasingly sinister in its interactions with her family. A poltergeist movie from the poltergeists POV, Presence isnt actually a horror movie, but a drama in which a paranormal entity is as vital (if unseen) a character as any of its flesh-and-blood peers. Its a bravura piece of filmmaking, as quietly brilliant as it is gripping, with a wonderfully mature performance from Callina Liang in the lead role. Kneecap Kneecap In the wake of its six Bafta and 17 IFTA nominations, and currently Irelands entry for this years Oscars, Kneecap (16s) is re-released in Irish cinemas this weekend. A scabrously funny and hugely entertaining rockumentary like no other, we said at the time of its original release, and we see no reason to change our minds. Take this second opportunity to go see it on the big screen. All theatrical releases Hopeful daters returned to the First Dates restaurant on Thursday for a chance at finding the one. Another eight people walked through the restaurants doors in the hope that they would meet their perfect match. From important lessons on ASD to a shared love of Bounty bars, Thursdays episode had it all. Ellis and Dearbhla First Dates Ireland Conversation flowed for Ellis and Dearbhla on their date which extended to The Workman's after dinner. Twenty-three-year-old Ellis from Meath was the first to appear on our screens, sharing with viewers that his timeless taste in fashion was something that came about after an older person told him some men in life are handsome, and some dress well - you haven't got a choice, you have to dress well. It just goes into your psyche and just lodges there and I, to this day, now think I cant afford to walk around in a tracksuit and a hoodie - I have to dress well, he said. Ellis, who admitted that he is not good with change, braved the First Dates restaurant to find his person. Enter Dearbhla from Galway who said she is looking for someone secure in themselves. The pair hit it off at the bar after sharing a hug, and quickly bonded over their shared interest in theatre, tattoos and astrology. Ellis touched on his sensory issues, sharing with Dearbhla that he likes to wear an Airpod in one ear to keep him grounded. I cant control the environment in general, but I can control what I listen to, I can control what I hear in my ear and that kind of earths me, he said. The Airpod came out quickly though as the pair struck up a good conversation at the dinner table, with Ellis telling Maitre D Mateo Saina it was because he was enjoying the conversation. Its a good sign for me. Im not used to that, he said. The pairs chemistry was evident as conversation flowed, with Dearbhla opening up about her previous drinking habits in college which she said made her lose who she was. The pair said they would like to see each other again romantically and went on to learn lots more about each other over drinks at The Workmans. Lorraine and Stan First Dates Ireland Lorraine returned to the First Dates restaurant in search of love and found it in Stan, 86, from Waterford. Eighty-year-old Lorraine from Offaly made her return to the restaurant hoping to find love with her date Stan from Waterford. Lorraine said she would like to find someone who doesnt have too much baggage, saying if she wanted a job as a baggage handler she would be working for Ryanair, and spoke about the importance of a two-way process on a first date. Lorraine and Stan spoke about the freedom of living a free-spirited life, being rebellious and their shared interest in the arts and musical theatre. I tried being normal once, it was the worst 10 minutes of my life, Stan said. Lorraine shared her interest in politics and spoke about her experience working as a communications manager in the UK, saying she adores Jeremy Corbyn who she described as the best prime minister Britain ever had. Stan, who shared with viewers that he hopes to find real love again, celebrated his 86th Birthday on the date and was surprised with a cake. When asked if they would like to see each other again, the pair said they would and Lorraine went on to invite Stan to Tullamore for lunch - if he has a good life insurance policy. Since their first date, the pair have gone on to release a book together for charity and celebrated Lorraines birthday together in Spain. Fingerz and Katrina First Dates Ireland Fingerz and Katrina got to know more about each other over dinner but the romantic spark wasn't there. Joker, performer and entertainer, Fingerz from Dublin entered the First Dates restaurant confidently sporting a waistcoat and Notions necklace. His date Katrina from Dublin was quick to catch on to his witty ways and the pair spoke about family, music, and their working lives. During the date, Fingerz couldnt help himself and began cracking jokes with the women seated at the next table while Katrina took a call in the bathroom, describing the date as interesting and Fingerz as a very animated fella. Upon Katrinas return to the table, Fingerz showed us his softer side by being a gentleman and pulling out her chair for her. Katrina went on to share her weight loss journey with Fingerz, revealing that she had lost 14 stone over one year and how it has changed her life. Asked if they would see each other again, Fingerz said their lives are aimed in different directions and the pair said their goodbyes. Laura and Stephen First Dates Ireland Lifeguard Stephen from Cork vowed to show Laura from Tipperary how to swim after a successful date. A long way from home, Laura from Tipperary went to the restaurant looking for a well-groomed funny lad, hitting it off with her date Stephen from Cork. The 23-year-old lifeguard complimented Laura who he said looked lovely and said it would be very difficult for their date not to go well. The pair spoke about the courses they studied in Cork, their mutual connections in Thurles, and their shared love of Bounty bars. Speaking about his sense of humour Stephen said: Things most people wouldn't find funny, Im on the floor skitting laughing. I'd call it silly humour. Laura spoke about how she regularly visits Cork and Stephen suggested that they organise another date when she next visits. The pair said they would like to see each other again romantically, with Stephen promising Laura that he would teach her how to swim. There is a growing number of ordinary men and women learning how to survive off grid, according to one of Irelands leading survival instructors. As the country wakes up to Storm Eowyn today, Shayne Phelan, owner of Eagle Ridge Survival, said he has noticed a marked increase in the number of ordinary people wanting to develop survival skills, especially women. He said demand for survivalist skills is being partly driven by a rise in the number, and severity, of storms now hitting the country. Irelands recent snow storm, for example, led to tens of thousands of homes being left without power. A number of rural communities were almost completely cut off after their landline or mobile connections were lost. Worst affected were those households whose water supply comes from their own well. Once the electricity lines were damaged, they were left with no power to drive the water pump to bring water to the surface and then into their house. Shayne Phelan, the survival instructor Eagle Ridge Survival. Photo: Facebook Mr Phelan, who is based in Bray, Co Wicklow, said: Up to and during covid, I would mostly teach skills to people who genuinely believed bad things were going to happen and that they needed to be able to survive on their own for very long periods of time. But while the number of people attending my monthly courses hasnt changed much, the type of people attending has. For a start, there is a growing number of men and women coming who would not be terribly interested in living in the wild and off-grid. The women are less gung-ho than many of the men who I would train, and the men are not Rambo types who want to survive an apocalyptic event. They are now predominantly ordinary people who want to understand the basics needed to survive being off-grid due to the growing number of storms hitting Ireland. They want to be able to confidently deal with the power being off for anything from a day up to a week, he said. According to Mr Phelan, the principles of surviving in the wild are the same as those you would need to survive indoors, and in your own environment without power. It is not gadgets that will get you through situations like this. Its simple things like slowing down, conserving calories and being your own emergency service," he said. Christine McNally, who owns and runs the specialist portable power station supplier Off Grid Ireland, has noticed a change in her customers too. She said: The type of people coming to us now is changing. When we started, it was film crews who needed battery packs and campers and it was pretty seasonal. Then we started to see a lot of home workers during and after covid, and business is now steady throughout the year. When the company started in 2021, there was a lot of scaremongering about power cuts. We told people to save their money and not buy an expensive unit for the chances of one or two hours of a power cut, and told them they would be better off to buy a few candles, she said. Eagle Ridge Survival owner Shayne Phelan said more and more 'ordinary' people are attending his classes as recent extreme weather affected electricity supply across the country. Picture: Facebook Fast forward to today and now its completely changed because theres so many power cuts. We are seeing more and more ordinary people wanting something to tide them over and especially in the last few weeks with all of the power cuts because of the snow. If youre in an area where the ESB cant get to and youve got a little unit that you can power a light and even your WiFi, it can make a massive difference. Her biggest advice for anybody caught without power who invests in one of her battery packs? Ditch the kettle and hairdryer until the power comes back on, she said. They are a huge drain no matter how powerful your battery pack is. She also said people need to be realistic and realise they cant have everything they want to be powered by batteries when they are caught in a power cut. People need to manage their expectations, and understand exactly what they need. Firms selling generators are also reporting that they have noticed a big jump in sales. Limerick-based Shanahan Power, which predominantly provides generators for big businesses all around the country, is now increasingly being contacted by homeowners. Owner Diarmuid Shanahan told the Irish Examiner: We would predominantly cater for businesses. But in the last few years, we are increasingly catering for ordinary people who want a backup for their fridges, their freezers, their heating systems and their gadgets. While businesses tend to be better organised, we find ourselves being inundated by calls from homeowners in the few days before a storm looking to buy a generator. He added: I would estimate my business to homeowners has gone up by between 15% to 20% in the last one to two years. A group of five fathers have rowed 5,000km across the Atlantic in memory of Saoirse ODriscoll, who died at the age of 13. John ODriscoll lost his little girl Saoirse after a long battle with illness in April 2024. Alongside his team-mates Conor McCarthy, Daragh Kelly, Enda McNicholas, and Roger McMorrow the Tipperary man raised funds for children born with congenital heart disease in Ireland. Irish crew, Team Power of 1 Conor McCarthy, Enda McNicholson, Daragh Kelly, Roger McMorrow, and John O'Driscoll were the third team over the line in Antigua to complete the gruelling 5,000km transatlantic row. Picture: Worlds Toughest Row Saoirse died after a long battle with a heart condition. The little girl had been placed on the emergency transplant list, but sadly lost her fight four days later in Crumlin Childrens Hospital. To honour her fighting spirit, Mr ODriscoll embarked on a mission to row from San Sebastian de La Gomera, Spain to Antigua. After starting the race on December 11, the group named The Power of One finished third in the gruelling race, which they completed in 39 days, 14 hours, and 31 minutes. After reaching the land, the five men were welcomed by a cheering crowd of family and friends. So far, the crew has raised more than 430,000 for the Childrens Heart Centre, Crumlin, and for Heart Children Ireland. Honouring his daughters fighting spirit, Mr ODriscoll said that Saoirse was the sixth member on the boat. Looking back on his journey, Mr ODriscoll said: It was mixed emotions after rowing an ocean, being focused every day, just rowing, eating, sleeping. There was a sense of trepidation and fear of going back to land to face life after Saoirses passing. The last while on the boat, it takes your mind off things to a certain extent and allows you time to think. Ive been supported by four amazing guys and all that intrepid itching left as soon as I stepped in here and met my family and friends. We got to spend this moment together, remembering Saoirse and what its all about. "The platform has been fantastic. It has helped us to raise a phenomenal amount of money for charity, he said. Irish team POWER OF 1 were the third team to complete the WORLDS TOUGHEST ROW - ATLANTIC 2024, crossing the finish line into English Harbour in Antigua after 39 days, 14 hours, and 31 minutes. Mr ODriscoll said that if they could help at least one child in the process, it would make a difference. We said if we could make a difference to one childs life out of this, its worth it. Everything is worth it. It was an amazing experience, a great, wonderful experience. He felt the difficulties the group experienced on the water mirrored some of those faced by Saoirse throughout her illness. Despite being sick while on the boat, he powered through the race. Irish team POWER OF 1 were the third team to complete the WORLDS TOUGHEST ROW - ATLANTIC 2024. I felt, especially in the first week or two, how arduous life can be, he said. When you talk about Saoirse up there, we firmly felt she was the sixth member on the boat. She was with us every day, driving us forward. When times got difficult, when the sandstorms came in, when the waters got stuck, we remembered why we were there. Our kids, Saoirse move forward, keep going, and never stop. You can still donate to the fundraising drive on the Team Power of 1 page on idonate. Repeated gridlock in Cork City is damaging its economy and turning a generation off public transport. The warnings come after another night of citywide gridlock sparked by a raft of separate but simultaneous road traffic incidents on key roads. This gridlock because of one of two road traffic accidents in one area is becoming an almost daily occurrence now, chair of Cork City Councils transport committee and Labour councillor Peter Horgan, said. Ireland South MEP Cynthia Ni Mhurchu, a member of the European Parliaments transport committee, has written to the councils chief executive Valerie OSullivan to express her concerns at the congestion and its impact on the city's economy. During rush hour on Wednesday evening, motorists were caught again in monster tailbacks. Gardai dealt with two crashes on the N40 South Ring Road one westbound and one eastbound between 5pm and 6pm. Westbound traffic was backed up from the Jack Lynch tunnel to the Kinsale Road roundabout. Traffic lights at the Kinsale Road roundabout were also out of action, leading to long tailbacks on the South City Link Road outbound. It had a massive knock-on effect on traffic around the city, which in turn delayed dozens of bus services. Last Saturday, a vehicle fire near the N40 Douglas village exit led to massive tailbacks on the South Ring Road. Mr Horgan said: This kind of congestion and bus delays has become an almost daily occurrence. Its a vicious circle. People cant rely on buses because of congestion so they take the car, which causes the congestion thats delaying the buses. It's turning the generation of people we want to use the bus off using the bus. A key issue is driver responsibility, he said, with speeding, lane jumping, and angry driving a factor in some of the crashes. The local authority could work with gardai to ensure minor crashes are cleared quickly, and lanes reopened as fast as possible, he said. But he said government has a responsibility too for the big issues that could ease the problem, including delivering a north ring road, introducing automatic traffic enforcement cameras, and providing more gardai, which could be deployed to roads policing. Ms Ni Mhurchu said many businesses and constituents have been in touch with her office to complain about daily gridlock in Cork. One constituent said it recently took 90 minutes to get from Glanmire to Bishopstown and 105 minutes to go from Glanmire to CUH Wilton outside of peak times. You would be quicker walking, she said. She said she supported the introduction of high-tech traffic cameras that can manage traffic flows and catch motorists blocking yellow boxes and illegally use bus lanes. Earlier this week, a study by sat-nav company TomTom found Cork was more congested than London, Toronto or Rome. A Welsh farmer who admits assaulting another man at Reardens in Cork City on a stag weekend damaging his front teeth had sentencing in his case adjourned for a victim impact statement. The accused travelled from Wales for the latest hearing but it could not be finalised without a victim impact statement. Judge Mary Dorgan adjourned it until April 2 for the victim impact statement. The case will not be finalised on that date and the accused is not required to attend in person. Frank Buttimer, solicitor, expressed the hope the case would be finalised on the date to which it would be adjourned on April 2. Mr Buttimer previously said the defendant had 200 cattle and 450 sheep back in Pembrokeshire and travelling to Cork for court appearance was onerous. Alun George, 35, of Llanferran, St Nicholas, Goodwick, Wales, was arrested by Garda Kevin ONeill and charged with assault causing harm to another man at Reardens on Washington Street, Cork, shortly before midnight on Saturday, February 24, 2024. It was alleged that the injured party had some teeth dislodged. Mr Buttimer said the defendant was never in any kind of trouble. This is a co-operative, contrite individual who did not set out to cause trouble. He has no previous convictions here and nothing in Wales, he said. Sergeant Gearoid Davis confirmed the accused had pleaded guilty to the assault. A man who has been accused of subjecting a vulnerable 66-year-old man to a violent assault with an implement after stalking him in the middle of the day on the streets of Cork City was refused bail on an assault charge on Thursday. 39-year-old Jonathan Mason of Farranferris Park, Farranree, Cork, is charged with carrying out the assault causing harm on a 66-year-old man at Great William OBrien Street, Cork, at noon on Thursday, January 16. Detective Garda Brian Holland said: Jonathan Mason knows the injured party and knows the address where he resides a vulnerable 66-year-old man. This was a senseless and violent act on a vulnerable, elderly man that was planned and carried out in the middle of the afternoon. "He stalked his victim and followed him and seriously assaulted him. Eddie Burke, solicitor, said the defendant insisted that he had nothing to do with the crime. Jonathan Mason said: I am not a violent person. I stays in my nannys or in my partners in Charleville. I am clean of drugs. Im on Suboxone. I pass that way (where the crime was committed) every day to collect my tablet next door to Watercourse Road garda station. I am willing to stay out of Cork. My dad is the same age (as the injured party). I wouldnt like that to happen to my dad. Your honour, why would I carry out an unprovoked assault on a person I didnt know? I had nothing to do with it. I could have been close by at the time I was shocked when I came out of the post office and got arrested. I am after turning my life around. Judge Joanne Carroll refused bail and remanded Jonathan Mason in custody until January 30. Det. Garda Holland said: The 66-year-old man was walking on the footpath when he was struck in the face by a man which resulted in him falling to the ground and striking his head off the ground. He sustained a wound to the left side of his face from the blow and a gash to the back of his head from the fall. He was taken to hospital and received stitches to his face and staples to the wound at the back of his head. CCTV showed a man loitering on the road waiting for the inured party to walk past. The man ran towards him and struck him with full force with what appeared to be a sharp implement into the face. He then got into a Honda Jazz car and fled the scene. CCTV monitored for the minutes beforehand as he stalked the injured party before the attack. He monitored the injured party from a premises on Watercourse Road and assaulted him on Great William OBrien Street. When bail was refused, Judge Carroll remanded the accused in custody for one week on the application of Inspector Brendan McKenna. Directions in the case will be sought from the Director of Public Prosecutions. Once upon a long ago, WB Yeats declared in an Irish institution, the Abbey Theatre, You have disgraced yourselves again. He might have been just the man to stride across the floor of the Dail yesterday, admonishing the tribunes of the people who failed to elect a taoiseach. At around 4.30pm, following a day of stop-starts, Ceann Comhairle Verona Murphy called on Albert Dolan to nominate Micheal Martin to lead the country. As the young Galway East TD got to his feet, so too did about 50 deputies from the opposition benches in howls of protest. Ms Murphy, enduring a torrid debut which called her competency into question, gave up and suspended the House until this morning. This is page one stuff in the democracy handbook, yet our assembly suddenly fractured into the kind of division that is now a feature of parliaments elsewhere. Micheal Martin and Simon Harris had corralled enough votes for taoiseach, and then some. Among the ranks of their respective parties were deputies tight with hope that their name might come out of the lucky bag later in the day, when ministers were to be appointed. Mr Martins family were in the Distinguished Visitors Gallery, making up for the last occasion he was elected taoiseach, when they couldnt travel due to covid restrictions. This was supposed to be a coronation, a rare day of acknowledgement for a person who had reached the apex of his trade. Instead, it descended from chaos into farce. The opposition was not prepared to tolerate the prospective governments plan to adjourn for two weeks, particularly while an issue is outstanding about some deputies in the Regional Independent group effectively being allowed to sit in both government and opposition. Micheal Martins family were in the Distinguished Visitors Gallery, making up for the last occasion he was elected taoiseach, when they couldnt travel due to covid restrictions. Picture: Flickr Houses of Oireachtas No agreement was reached prior to yesterday on these matters, so an ambush of sorts ensued. Ms Murphy lost control, as the opposition were determined not to back down. There is plenty of blame to go around. When Ms Murphy finally called for nominations for taoiseach, the reaction from the opposition was out of order. Irrespective of a failure to agree forthcoming business, the taoiseach should have been elected. Mr Martin characterised what happened as a subversion of the Constitution. Yet he and Mr Harris reached low in how they attached the Regional Independents to the government, particularly in supporting the daft notion of some of the Regional deputies getting opposition speaking time. It would appear the two leaders felt that, in this respect, their election victory entitled them to do whatever they wanted. The opposition said the Government was incredibly arrogant in how it went about its business. Ms Murphy emerged from the day with a tarnished reputation. She looked to be out of her depth, unable to assert her authority. She will have to kick into gear literally overnight or her future might be up in the air. Today, they return to do it all again and, at a time when democracy is living dangerously in some parts of the world, it will be incumbent on all to get on with the job. Evacuations were ordered for remote communities near a new fast-moving wildfire in mountains north of Los Angeles. It comes as Southern California endured another round of dangerous winds ahead of possible rain over the weekend. The Hughes Fire broke out on Wednesday morning and quickly ripped through three-and-a-half square miles of trees and brush, sending up a huge plume of dark smoke near Lake Castaic, about 40 miles (64 kilometres) north of the devastating Eaton and Palisades fires that are burning for a third week. Plumes of smoke caused by the Hughes Fire rise over Castaic, California (Ethan Swope/AP) Offramps along Interstate 5, a major north-south artery, were closed as flames raced along hilltops and down into rugged canyons. Crews on the ground and in water-dropping aircraft attacked the wind-driven flames. Meanwhile to the south, Los Angeles officials were preparing for potential rain even as some residents were allowed to return to the charred Pacific Palisades and Altadena areas. Gusty weather was expected to last through to Thursday. Were going to see another round of critical fire conditions across Southern California, Todd Hall, a National Weather Service meteorologist, said on Wednesday morning. At this point, it sounds like a broken record. Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass issued an executive order to expedite clean-up efforts in burn areas and mitigate the environmental impacts of fire-related pollutants. She ordered crews to remove vegetation, shore up hillsides and reinforce roads ahead of the possible rain. Smoke fills the sky during a wildfire in Castaic, California (Ethan Swope/AP) Los Angeles County supervisors also approved an emergency motion to install flood control infrastructure and expedite and remove sediment in fire-impacted areas. As the fires have settled, new challenges lie ahead, supervisor Kathryn Barger said during a Wednesday news conference. Rains are in the forecast and the threat of mud and debris flow in our fire-impacted communities is real. A 60% to 80% chance of a small amount of rain was forecast for Southern California starting on Saturday, with most areas likely getting not more than a third of an inch (0.8 centimetres), according to Ryan Kittell, a meteorologist for the weather services office for Los Angeles. However, up to an inch (2.5 centimetres) could fall in localised thunderstorms, which would be a worst-case scenario if enough falls on scorched slopes. But even if the rain doesnt materialise this time, it could be a good practice run for those communities because this will be a threat that theyll have to deal with for months or years, Mr Kittell said on Tuesday. Fire crews were filling sandbags for communities while county workers were installing barriers and clearing drainage pipes and basins. In 2018, Montecito, a town 80 miles (130 kilometres) up the coast from Los Angeles, was ravaged by mudslides after a downpour hit mountain slopes burned bare by a huge wildfire. A large plume of smoke rises from Castaic Lake seen behind a neighbourhood in Santa Clarita (Marcio Jose Sanchez/AP) Twenty-three people died, and hundreds of homes were damaged. Red flag warnings for critical fire risk were extended through to 8pm on Thursday in LA and Ventura counties. Officials remained concerned that the two major blazes, the Palisades and Eaton fires, could break their containment lines as firefighters continue to watch for hot spots, said David Acuna, a spokesman with the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, or Cal Fire. Fire engines and water-dropping aircraft positioned strategically allowed crews to swiftly douse several small blazes that popped up in LA, San Diego and Riverside counties, officials said. Authorities urged residents to review evacuation plans, prepare emergency kits, and be on the lookout for fires and report them quickly. Ms Bass also warned that winds could carry ash and advised Angelenos to visit the citys website to learn how to protect themselves from toxic air during the latest Santa Ana wind event. LA County public health director Barbara Ferrer cautioned that the ash could contain heavy metals, arsenic and other harmful materials. Even a brief exposure can potentially cause skin irritation and lead to more serious problems, Ms Ferrer said on Wednesday, asking people to wear protective gear while cleaning up. A firefighter battles the Lilac Fire near the Bonsall community of San Diego (Noah Berger/AP) The low humidity, bone-dry vegetation and strong winds came as firefighters continued to battle the Palisades and Eaton fires, which have killed at least 28 people and destroyed more than 14,000 structures since they broke out January 7. Containment of the Palisades Fire reached 68%, and the Eaton Fire was at 91%. LA County Sheriff Robert Luna said on Wednesday that his department was still investigating 22 active missing person reports in both fire zones. All of those reported missing are adults, he said. The federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms is investigating the causes of the fires but has not released any findings. Several legal cases have been filed by people who lost their homes in the Eaton Fire, alleging Southern California Edisons equipment sparked the blaze. On Tuesday a judge overseeing one of the cases ordered the utility to produce data from circuits in the area where the fire started. President Donald Trump, who criticised the response to the wildfires during his inaugural address on Monday, has said he will travel to Los Angeles on Friday. Ms Barger said on Wednesday that details of Mr Trumps visit were still being worked out. LGBTQ+ couples in Thailand made Thursday a life-changing occasion, registering their marriages legally on the first day a law took effect granting them the same rights as heterosexual couples. The enactment of the Marriage Equality Act makes Thailand the first country in South East Asia and the third place in Asia to legalise same-sex marriage, after Taiwan and Nepal. As many as 300 couples had been expected to complete the formalities at a day-long gala celebration in an exhibition hall at a shopping centre in central Bangkok, though by late afternoon the total was less than half of that. Rungtiwa Thangkanopast, fourth from right, and Phanlavee, right, whose photo was taken on condition of anonymity of the last name, pose for a group photo with other family members after the Marriage Equality Act took effect in Bangkok, Thailand (Sakchai L Hundreds more were predicted to register at district offices around the country, though actual numbers were not immediately available. They included actors Apiwat Porsch Apiwatsayree and Sappanyoo Arm Panatkool, who tied the knot at the Phra Nakorn district office in central Bangkok. We can love, we love equally, legally, said Sappanyoo. And we can build our family in our own way because I believe that every kind of love, every kind of family is beautiful as it is, his partner Apiwat said. They posed afterwards on a terrace at the office, smiling and waving while clutching a bouquet of flowers. Similar sentiments were voiced at the shopping centre mass event, where same-sex couple Pisit Sirihirunchai, 36, a policeman, and his partner Chanatip Sirihirunchai, 42, registered. Dont put a limit just because they are same sex or whatever they are. Love is a beautiful thing. We should not stop them, Pisit said. A couple from the LGBTQ+ community show their marriage certificate in Bangkok (Sakchai Lalit/AP) I want to see the same-sex marriage law available in every country where LGBTQ+ couples are, Chanatip chimed in. Activists said they hoped at least 1,448 same-sex marriages would take place nationwide on Thursday, in a nod to the Civil and Commercial Codes Article 1448, that they had successfully lobbied to get amended. Thailands marriage equality Bill, which sailed through both houses of parliament, amended Article 1448 to replace the words man and woman and husband and wife with individuals and marriage partners. It is intended to grant full legal, financial and medical rights to LGBTQ+ couples. Partners will have equal rights and responsibilities in dealing with joint assets, tax obligations and deductions, inheritance rights and survivor benefits. At the Siam Paragon shopping centre, former prime minister Srettha Thavisin led a parade of newlyweds on a rainbow-coloured carpet outside the exhibition hall. Current Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra addressed the crowd by video message, declaring: From now on, all love will be certified by law. All couples will live with honour and dignity in Thailand. Mr Srettha, under whose government the ruling Pheu Thai party introduced the new law, offered a sharper and more timely comment, obviously referencing US President Donald Trumps inauguration speech on Monday, in which he declared it will be the official policy of his government that there are only two genders, male and female. A couple from the LGBTQ+ community wait to sign their marriage certificates in Bangkok (Sakchai Lalit/AP) While he did not mention Mr Trump by name, Mr Srettha said a powerful countrys new leader announced clearly that there are only two genders in his country. Striking a comparison between that powerful country and Thailands mid-sized population and smaller economy, he said: I believe our heart is bigger. Thailand has a reputation for acceptance and inclusivity, and thousands of people from around the world attend the annual Bangkok Pride parade. But rights advocates have struggled for decades to pass a marriage equality law in a largely conservative society where members of the LGBTQ+ community say they face discrimination in everyday life, although they note that things have improved greatly in recent years. Bangkoks city government has said that it organised workshops for district office staff who are in charge of handling marriage registration. They included lectures raising awareness about gender diversity and guidance on how to properly communicate with those who come for the service. The Interior Ministry has offered similar guidance. Couples from the LGBTQ+ community wait for their marriage certificates (Sakchai Lalit/AP) Its like a missing piece of the jigsaw, Bangkok deputy governor Sanon Wangsrangboon said at one of the workshops earlier this month. Society is ready. The law is getting ready. But the last piece of the jigsaw is the understanding from officials. About three dozen countries around the world have legalised some form of same-sex marriage, more than half in Europe. In Taiwan, which in 2019 was the first place in Asia to legalise same-sex marriage, 526 people registered on the first day, according to its governments Department of Household Registration. A federal judge on Thursday temporarily blocked President Donald Trumps executive order redefining birthright citizenship, calling it blatantly unconstitutional during the first hearing in a multi-state effort challenging the order. US District Judge John C Coughenour ruled in the case brought by the states of Washington, Arizona, Illinois and Oregon, which argue the 14th Amendment and Supreme Court case law have cemented birthright citizenship. The temporary restraining order sought by the states was the first to get a hearing before a judge and applies nationally. The case is one of five lawsuits being brought by 22 states and a number of immigrants rights groups across the country. The suits include personal testimonies from attorneys general who are US citizens by birthright, and names pregnant women who are afraid their children will not become US citizens. President Donald Trump signed scores of executive orders on his first day back in the Oval Office (Evan Vucci/AP) Judge Coughenour, a Ronald Reagan appointee, began the hearing by grilling the administrations lawyers, saying the order boggles the mind. This is a blatantly unconstitutional order, he said. Judge Coughenour said he has been on the bench for more than four decades, and he could not remember seeing another case where the action challenged was so clearly unconstitutional. Signed by Mr Trump on Inauguration Day, the order was slated to take effect on February 19. It could affect hundreds of thousands of people born in the country, according to one of the lawsuits. In 2022, there were about 255,000 births of citizen children to mothers living in the country illegally and about 153,000 births to two such parents, according to the four-state suit filed in Seattle. The US is among about 30 countries where birthright citizenship the principle of jus soli or right of the soil is applied. Most are in the Americas, and Canada and Mexico are among them. The lawsuits argue that the 14th Amendment to the US Constitution guarantees citizenship for people born and naturalised in the US, and states have been interpreting the amendment that way for a century. Ratified in 1868 in the aftermath of the Civil War, the amendment says: All persons born or naturalised in the United States and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside. Mr Trumps order asserts that the children of noncitizens are not subject to the jurisdiction of the United States, and orders federal agencies to not recognise citizenship for children who dont have at least one parent who is a citizen. Samsung unveiled its highly anticipated Galaxy S25 Edge during the recent Galaxy Unpacked event, teasing a slimmer version of its flagship lineup. Although the company did not disclose an exact release date, the announcement generated significant excitement as it positions the S25 Edge as Samsung's "ultra-thin" smartphone offering. The Galaxy S25 Edge is set to compete directly with Apple's rumored iPhone 17 Air, which is expected to be the thinnest iPhone yet. Both devices are shaping up to be pivotal releases in the race to deliver the sleekest smartphones on the market. Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge: An Ultra-Thin Innovation During the Galaxy Unpacked event, Samsung provided a glimpse of its upcoming Galaxy S25 Edge, emphasizing its slimmer design as a standout feature. The announcement came alongside the introduction of the Galaxy S25 series, highlighting the company's continued focus on innovation in its flagship lineup. Although details remain scarce, Samsung's teaser revealed an assembly breakdown of the new "ultra-thin" device, hinting at the technological advancements behind its reduced form factor. The announcement garnered enthusiastic reactions from both event attendees and online viewers, further fueling anticipation for the device. Galaxy S25 Edge vs. iPhone 17 Air While Samsung refrained from revealing specific technical specifications, the Galaxy S25 Edge is already drawing comparisons to Apple's iPhone 17 Air. Rumors suggest that the latter will debut as Apple's thinnest iPhone, potentially arriving during the company's Fall event later this year. Previously speculated to be called the "Galaxy S25 Slim," Samsung's Edge variant represents a significant step forward in the ongoing rivalry between the two tech giants. With both devices emphasizing ultra-thin designs, the competition underscores a shared commitment to pushing the boundaries of smartphone engineering. The Push for Thinner Smartphones The evolution of smartphones has consistently focused on delivering lighter and slimmer devices without compromising functionality. From the early days of "dumb phones" to today's feature-rich smartphones, manufacturers have prioritized sleek designs to enhance portability and user experience. Samsung's track record of innovation in this area includes last year's Galaxy Z Fold 6 Special Edition, which offered a thinner and lighter alternative to its predecessors. This trend appears to have influenced the Galaxy S25 series, with the Edge variant solidifying the company's commitment to size reduction. Meanwhile, Apple's rumored iPhone 17 Air is expected to adopt a similar approach, with reports pointing to a thinner design tailored for its "Air" branding. While Apple has yet to confirm these details, the device's potential debut later this year has added to the competitive landscape. With the Galaxy S25 Edge, Samsung aims to stay ahead in the ultra-thin smartphone segment, offering consumers a sleek alternative in its flagship lineup. As the tech world awaits further details, the rivalry between Samsung and Apple continues to drive innovation in the quest for thinner, more advanced devices. Today Becoming partly cloudy and windy after some morning rain. High 63F. Winds WSW at 25 to 35 mph. Chance of rain 90%. Winds could occasionally gust over 40 mph. Tonight Clear to partly cloudy. Gusty winds during the evening. Low near 50F. Winds W at 20 to 30 mph. Winds could occasionally gust over 40 mph. Tomorrow Cloudy skies early, then partly cloudy in the afternoon. High near 65F. Winds WSW at 15 to 25 mph. Higher wind gusts possible. A new wildfire that ignited north of Los Angeles has rapidly extended to over 9,400 acres (38 sq/km), fueled by fierce winds and parched vegetation, prompting mandatory evacuation orders for over 31,000 residents. The Hughes Fire, located about 80 km north of Los Angeles, has further strained the resources of firefighters in the area, who have largely managed to bring two significant fires in the metropolitan region under control. In just a matter of hours, this new blaze reached two-thirds the size of the Eaton Fire, one of the major conflagrations impacting the Los Angeles vicinity. Officials cautioned residents in the Castaic Lake region of Los Angeles County about an immediate threat to life, while a red-flag warning for extreme fire risk remained in effect for much of Southern California due to strong, dry winds. The Hughes Fire in the Castaic area has triggered an immediate threat to life alert. The Angeles National Forest announced the closure of its entire 2,800 sq/km park in the San Gabriel Mountains to visitors. In light of the red-flag warning, approximately 1,100 firefighters were dispatched across Southern California in preparation for rapidly spreading fires, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. More than 4,000 firefighters were engaged in combating the Hughes Fire, stated Los Angeles County Fire Chief Anthony Marrone. Southern California has experienced nearly nine months without significant rainfall, contributing to perilous fire conditions; however, some rain has been predicted from Saturday through Monday, potentially offering much-needed respite to firefighters. A man observed resting with a bottle of water after fleeing the Hughes Fire north of LA. Helicopters were seen extracting water from a lake to combat the fire, while fixed-wing aircraft dropped fire retardant on the hills, as shown in footage from KTLA television. Flames reached the edges of the water. Interstate 5, a key north-south highway in the western United States, was temporarily closed in the mountain pass areas known as the Grapevine due to reduced visibility caused by smoke, according to the California Highway Patrol. Fortunately, firefighters succeeded in suppressing enough of the blaze to reopen the highway, Mr. Marrone reported. Amid the new fires intensity, the two destructive fires that have impacted Los Angeles since January 7 began to come under more control, CalFire noted. In just a few hours, the new fire expanded to two-thirds the size of the Eaton Fire, one of the two main blazes affecting LA. The Eaton Fire, which has scorched 57 sq/km east of Los Angeles, was reported to be 91% contained, while the larger Palisades Fire, which has consumed 95 sq/km on the west side of Los Angeles, stood at 68% containment. Containment refers to the percentage of a fires perimeter that firefighters have managed to control. Since the outbreak of these fires on January 7, they have burned an area nearly equivalent to that of Washington, D.C., claimed 28 lives, and damaged or destroyed nearly 16,000 structures, as reported by Cal Fire. Around 180,000 individuals remained under evacuation orders, according to officials from Los Angeles County. Private forecast provider AccuWeather has estimated damage and economic losses could exceed $250 billion. A series of smaller wildfires have been extinguished or significantly controlled in Southern California over the past two weeks. By Vrinda Narain, McGill University and Fatemeh Sadeghi, UCL (The Conversation) As the international community celebrates the fall of another dictatorship following the collapse of Syrias Assad regime, the future of womens rights remains precarious. Global leaders are commending Syrias liberation and discussing the return of 5.5 million refugees, but womens rights advocates are raising urgent concerns. Power transitions in Iran, Afghanistan and other Muslim-majority nations have often endangered womens hard-won freedoms. Thats why its crucial to prioritize womens rights in Syria to ensure their voices are not overlooked in the pursuit of stability and justice. Mistreatment of women Islamist militant forces led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) overthrew the Assad regime. While HTS and its leader, Ahmad al-Sharaa, claim to be moderate and focused on governance, the groups treatment of women raises serious concerns about the future of womens rights in Syria. Starting in Idlib, but now spreading to other major cities, HTS enforces strict laws based on its interpretation of Islamic law, severely restricting womens mobility, dress and public participation. Women must be accompanied by a male guardian to access public areas, and the HTS morality police can fine, shame or detain those who violate the dress code. Women are confined to domestic roles, and those who challenge this are harshly punished, with activists and aid workers facing harassment, arrest and intimidation. The situation for Syrian women after 13 years of civil war is deeply troubling, especially when compared to similar regional power transitions. In Iran, after the 1979 revolution, women lost many rights under Ayatollah Khomeinis Islamist rule, with compulsory hijab laws and restrictions on economic and political participation. In Afghanistan, the Talibans return to power in 2021 led to bans on womens education and employment. Similarly, with ISISs rise in 2014, Yazidi women were enslaved, and rape became a widespread weapon of war in Iraq and Syria. Revolution of the mind Global discussions on Syrias political transition have paid scant attention to how various interpretations of Islamic ideology might dictate womens fundamental rights and their role in society. Without considerable effort by womens rights advocates, Syrian women will likely meet the same fate as their sisters in Afghanistan, Iran and Iraq, watching as decades of progress are erased in the name of political expediency. As Egyptian-American commentator Mona Eltahawy reminds us, the battle over womens bodies can be won only by a revolution of the mind. Syrias future must include womens voices. Syrian women have been pillars of their communities during 13 years of war, yet have been systematically excluded from peace negotiations. As mandated by United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325, its essential for women to meaningfully participate in peace negotiations to shape the countrys future. Syrian women have been the backbone of their families and communities during the civil war as they served as leaders, humanitarians and visionaries. Despite their resilience and sacrifices, they have yet to be included in helping determine Syrias future. Urgent need to focus on womens rights The international community should focus on empowering local civil society and advocating for womens rights, thereby enhancing Syrias prospects for building a more inclusive society. Western governments must urge Damascuss new rulers to pursue an inclusive political transition, as outlined in the 2015 UN resolution, instead of seeking a workaround to recognize HTS as a legitimate partner despite its terrorist designation. The resolution mandates forming an inclusive transitional government with full executive powers, drafting a new constitution, holding UN-supervised elections within 18 months and ensuring voting rights for all Syrians, including refugees and Syrians living abroad. Photo of woman in Idlib by osama naser: https://www.pexels.com/photo/portrait-of-woman-wearing-blue-hijab-2109998/. New-found freedom in Syria comes with unease about life under a government led by Islamic militants, and the possibility of new restrictions. Syrians are closely monitoring developments for clues about how their new rulers are going to govern. Ahmad al-Sharaa has stated it might take as many as three years to draft a constitution and up to four years to hold elections, raising concerns about trading one authoritarian regime for another. Cycle of brutality Over the past few decades, the Middle East has alternated between brutal dictatorships and Islamist, often misogynistic, regimes. When a dictatorship collapses, an Islamic regime often fills the vacuum, and when they fall, another harsh dictatorship usually follows. In Iran, the shahs dictatorship gave way to Khomeinis theocratic rule. In Egypt, Hosni Mubaraks fall led to the Muslim Brotherhoods rise and the imposition of restrictions on womens rights before it was ousted by yet another brutal regime. Tunisia experienced a similar shift, with Islamist groups initially taking power after Ben Alis dictatorship, only to be replaced by the authoritarian Kais Saied. Syria seems to be following this cycle, with Assads authoritarianism giving rise to Islamist factions. The key question is whether the Syrian people can break this pattern and build a more inclusive government that gives women and minorities equal rights and full citizenship. Vrinda Narain, Associate Professor, Faculty of Law, Centre for Human Rights and Legal Pluralism, McGill University and Fatemeh Sadeghi, Senior Research Fellow, Institute for Global Prosperity (IGP), UCL This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. The Global Nonviolent Action Database details some 40 cases of mass movements overcoming tyrants through strategic nonviolent campaigns. ( Waging Nonviolence ) With Donald Trump set to take office after a fear-mongering campaign that reignited concerns about his desire to become a dictator, a reasonable question comes up: Can nonviolent struggle defeat a tyrant? There are many great resources that answer this question, but the one thats been on my mind lately is the Global Nonviolent Action Database, or GNAD, built by the Peace Studies department at Swarthmore College. Freely accessible to the public, this database which launched under my direction in 2011 contains over 1,400 cases of nonviolent struggle from over a hundred countries, with more cases continually being added by student researchers. At quick glance, the database details at least 40 cases of dictators who were overthrown by the use of nonviolent struggle, dating back to 1920. These cases which include some of the largest nations in the world, spanning Europe, Asia, Africa and Latin America contradict the widespread assumption that a dictator can only be overcome by violence. Whats more, in each of these cases, the dictator had the desire to stay, and possessed violent means for defense. Ultimately, though, they just couldnt overcome the power of mass nonviolent struggle. In a number of countries, the dictator had been embedded for years at the time they were pushed out. Egypts Hosni Mubarak, for example, had ruled for over 29 years. In the 1990s, citizens usually whispered his name for fear of reprisal. Mubarak legalized a state of emergency, which meant censorship, expanded police powers and limits on the news media. Later, he loosened his rule, putting only 10 times as many police as the number of protesters at each demonstration. The GNAD case study describes how Egyptians grew their democracy movement despite repression, and finally won in 2011. However, gaining a measure of freedom doesnt guarantee keeping it. As Egypt has shown in the years since, continued vigilance is needed, as is pro-active campaigning to deepen the degree of freedom won. Some countries repeated the feat of nonviolently deposing a ruler: In Chile, the people nonviolently threw out a dictator in 1931 and then deposed a new dictator in 1988. South Koreans also did it twice, once in 1960 and again in 1987. (They also just stopped their current president from seizing dictatorial powers, but thats not yet in the database.) In each case people had to act without knowing what the reprisals would be. East Germanys peaceful revolution When East Germans began their revolt against the German Democratic Republic in 1988, they knew that their dictatorship of 43 years was backed by the Soviet Union, which might stage a deadly invasion. They nevertheless acted for freedom, which they gained and kept. Researcher Hanna King tells us that East Germans began their successful campaign in January 1988 by taking a traditional annual memorial march and turning it into a full-scale demonstration for human rights and democracy. They followed up by taking advantage of a weekly prayer for peace at a church in Leipzig to organize rallies and protests. Lutheran pastors helped protect the organizers from retaliation and groups in other cities began to stage their own Monday night demonstrations. The few hundred initial protesters quickly became 70,000, then 120,000, then 320,000, all participating in the weekly demonstrations. Organizers published a pamphlet outlining their vision for a unified German democracy and turned it into a petition. Prisoners of conscience began hunger strikes in solidarity. By November 1988, a million people gathered in East Berlin, chanting, singing and waving banners calling for the dictatorships end. The government, hoping to ease the pressure, announced the opening of the border to West Germany. Citizens took sledgehammers to the hated Berlin Wall and broke it down. Political officials resigned to protest the continued rigidity of the ruling party and the party itself disintegrated. By March 1990 a bit over two years after the campaign was launched the first multi-party, democratic elections were held. Students lead the way in Pakistan In Pakistan, it was university students (rather than religious clerics) who launched the 1968-69 uprising that forced Ayub Khan out of office after his decade as a dictator. Case researcher Aileen Eisenberg tells us that the campaign later required multiple sectors of society to join together to achieve critical mass, especially workers. It was the students, though, who took the initiative and the initial risks. In 1968, they declared that the governments declaration of a decade of development was a fraud, protesting nonviolently in major cities. They sang and marched to their own song called The Decade of Sadness. Police opened fire on one of the demonstrations, killing several students. In reaction the movement expanded, in numbers and demands. Boycotts grew, with masses of people refusing to pay the bus and railway fares on the government-run transportation system. Industrial workers joined the movement and practiced encirclement of factories and mills. An escalation of government repression followed, including more killings. As the campaign expanded from urban to rural parts of Pakistan the movements songs and political theater thrived. Khan responded with more violence, which intensified the determination among a critical mass of Pakistanis that it was time for him to go. After months of growing direct action met by repressive violence, the army decided its own reputation was being degraded by their orders from the president, and they demanded his resignation. He complied and an election was scheduled for 1970 the first since Pakistans independence in 1947. Why use nonviolent struggle? The campaigns in East Germany and Pakistan are typical of all 40 cases in their lack of a pacifist ideology, although some individuals active in the movements had that foundation. What the cases do seem to have in common is that the organizers saw the strategic value of nonviolent action, since they were up against an opponent likely to use violent repression. Their commitment to nonviolence would then rally the masses to their side. That encourages me. Theres hardly time in the U.S. during Trumps regime to convert enough people to an ideological commitment to nonviolence, but there is time to persuade people of the strategic value of a nonviolent discipline. Image by wal_172619 from Pixabay Its striking that in many of the cases I looked at, the movement avoided merely symbolic marches and rallies and instead focused on tactics that impose a cost on the regime. As Donald Trump wrestles to bring the armed forces under his control, for example, I can imagine picketing army recruiting offices with signs, Dont join a dictators army. Another important takeaway: Occasional actions that simply protest a particular policy or egregious action arent enough. They may relieve an individuals conscience for a moment, but, ultimately, episodic actions, even large ones, dont assert enough power. Over and over, the Global Nonviolent Action Database shows that positive results come from a series of escalating, connected actions called a campaign the importance of which is also outlined in my book How We Win. As research seminar students at Swarthmore continue to wade through history finding new cases, they are digging up details on struggles that go beyond democracy. The 1,400 already-published cases include campaigns for furthering environmental justice, racial and economic justice, and more. They are a resource for tactical ideas and strategy considerations, encouraging us to remember that even long-established dictators have been stopped by the power of nonviolent campaigns. Via Waging Nonviolence George Lakey has been active in direct action campaigns for over six decades. Recently retired from Swarthmore College, he was first arrested in the civil rights movement and most recently in the climate justice movement. He has facilitated 1,500 workshops on five continents and led activist projects on local, national and international levels. His 10 books and many articles reflect his social research into change on community and societal levels. His newest book is the memoir Dancing with History: A Life for Peace and Justice. Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) President Trumps Special Envoy to the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, gave an interview with Fox Cable News. Below I will quote him and present a little commentary with further information and context. Witkoff was asked about a statement by Hamas reported in the New York Times Were prepared for a dialogue with America and achieving understandings on everything. The Special Envoy replied that its good if its accurate. We were able to demonstrate that President Trumps policies of peace through strength work. Everybody listens. Getting those three people [Israeli hostages in Gaza] out was a big deal. Four more are coming out, I believe, this weekend. This is a testament to how the world perceives President Trumps presidency. Juan Cole: Although the question was set up regarding Hamas, and the answer implied that Hamas was cowed into finally agreeing to the deal because of the prospect that Trump would be harsh toward it, in actuality Hamas appears to have agreed to Bidens May 27 Protocol, on which it was based, last summer. It was Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, far-right extremist and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, and far, far right extremist and former Minister of National Security Itamar Ben-Gvir who repeatedly thwarted a deal, according to Haaretz . Smotrich even boasted of blocking previous hostage deals, waving around a copy of a letter he said was from Netanyahu promising that the war would not end. So Trump strong-arming may have helped the deal happen, but the strong arm was applied to Netanyahu, Ben-Gvir and Smotrich. We know this because Ben-Gvir, the leader of the goose-stepping Jewish Power bloc, resigned in a huff when Netanyahu accepted Witkoffs pressure, and Smotrich, who wants to make Israel into a Jewish version of the Islamic Republic of Iran, said he was only staying on to keep the Right wing in power, despite his rejection of the negotiations. Witkoff, asked about his interactions on behalf of Trump with leaders in Israel and Doha, Qatar (where indirect negotiations were conducted with Hamas through Qatar and Egypt), replied, I said, Youve got to look at the tweet, look at the truth, look at what he said. The words speak for themselves. He expects a hostage release. Remember, we were working on this though we had nothing to do with the mathematics behind the prisoner release and hostage release. That was set probably 11 or 12 months ago under the so-called May 27th protocol. This was agreed to by Hamas, by the Israelis, and monitored by the United States under the Biden administration. That protocol established the mathematics of how many Palestinians in Israeli jails would be released for each hostage coming out. Our job was to speed up the process, which felt like it had bogged down. We were able to get it done, and it doesnt happen without the President. Juan Cole: So Witkoff is saying that Trumps intervention speeded the process at the end. This is plausible. Biden and Blinken let Ben-Gvir and Smotrich play them for fools for an entire year, so it likely was the prospect of Trumps ire that finally pushed Netanyahu to agree to the May 27 Protocol. Dove over Devastation, Digital, Dream / Dreamland v3, IbisPaint, Clip2Comic, 2024 Fox played a clip of Trump saying, Its not our war; its their war. Im not confident. I think they are very weakened on the other side. Gaza is like a massive demolition site. That place really has to be rebuilt in a different way. Juan Cole: : Actually, it was our war. The US paid for it, provided the weapons and ammunition in real time, and likely deployed electronic surveillance on behalf of Israel. It was an American war. Witkoff was then asked whether the ceasefire would hold. He replied, I dont disagree with the President. The implementation is probably more difficult than the execution of the deal. The execution was a big step that was the condition precedent. We had to get it done, and we did, thank God. Now, we have to implement it. Ill be going to Israel to be part of an inspection team in the Philadelphia Corridor. Our job is to ensure that people entering the area are not armed and dont have bad motivations. Implementation is key. If it goes well, well move into Phase Two and get more people out. Thats the Presidents directive, and its what we are focused on. Juan Cole: The issue of the Philadelphi Corridor (not Philadelphia) has to do with Egyptian-Israeli relations. It is a narrow strip south of Gaza given to Egypt by the 1979 Camp David Treaty. Netanyahu occupied it last summer and accused Egypt of letting Hamas smuggle arms underneath it through tunnels. No such tunnels, however, have been discovered. Egypt has loudly denounced the seizure and has even darkly hinted that it could mean the end of the Camp David peace accords. It is apparently a mere power play by Netanyahu and his accusations that people with bad motivations moved beneath it are baseless. Asked about the possibility of the Saudis joining the Abraham Accords and recognizing Israel, Witkoff said, Its been widely reported that theres talk of a normalization deal. I believe normalization presents an incredible opportunity for the region. Its the beginning of the end of war and opens the region for investment and growth. Banks wont have to worry about missiles from groups like the Houthis, Hezbollah, or Hamas targeting infrastructure. Normalization is significant for Israel and the region. A condition precedent to normalization was a ceasefire. People needed hope and to believe again. Id like to think weve achieved that, and well build on it. We need to show that violence can stop and that dialogue is possible. If we can do this, everyone will start believing . . . I think you could get everyone in the region involved. Qatar was enormously helpful in this process. Sheikh Mohammeds communication with Hamas was indispensable. The UAE is already a part of it. Egypt was also very helpful. We have the opportunity to bring everyone into a better future for the regionmore opportunity, more hope. I think weve reached an inflection point. Juan Cole: The original Abraham Accords conducted by Jared Kushner were deeply flawed because they left out the Palestinians. Indeed, they may have been part of Hamass motivations for its attack on Israel of October 7, 2023, since the Hamas leadership was worried about being permanently marginalized and sentenced to eternity in an open-air prison. Saudi Arabia has repeatedly said publicly that it will not recognize Israel unless there is a concrete and immediate pathway to a Palestinian state. The condition precedent for such a thing is therefore not merely a ceasefire in Gaza. It is a Palestinian state. The same prerequisite would apply to Qatar, which wants the Palestine Authority to take back over Gaza. Because of Qatars support for the Syrian rebels, Doha may want an Israeli withdrawal from Syria, as well. It is, by the way, good news that Witkoff recognizes Qatars positive role in the negotiations. The cease-fire wouldnt have occurred without Dohas good offices. Benjamin Netanyahu has spent his political life making sure that the 5.2 million occupied Palestinians remain stateless, and there isnt any prospect of the sort of Palestinian state of which the Saudis speak as long as he remains prime minister. Trump has a lot more arm-twisting to do. Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - January 23, 2025) - First Majestic Silver Corp. (NYSE: AG) (TSX: AG) (FSE: FMV) (the "Company" or "First Majestic") is pleased to announce positive drilling results from its comprehensive 2024 exploration program at its San Dimas Silver and Gold Mine in Durango, Mexico. The 2024 drilling program intersected significant silver and gold mineralization in multiple veins across the San Dimas property. The drilling results successfully expanded Mineral Resources and will convert Inferred Mineral Resources to Indicated Mineral Resources, and ultimately to Mineral Reserves. "At the beginning of the year we planned a robust exploration program at our San Dimas mine which has returned impressive results," stated Keith Neumeyer, President & CEO of First Majestic. "Our exploration teams have completed approximately 113,000 metres of drilling within the district and have intersected significant silver and gold mineralization in multiple veins. Through the process of successfully converting Inferred to Indicated Resources at the Perez and Sinaloa-Elia veins, the program derisked mineralization for mining in 2025 and 2026." SAN DIMAS DRILLING HIGHLIGHTS: Select highlights from the Company's 2024 exploration program includes the following high-grade silver and gold intercepts: Perez Vein Highlights (true width): PE24_397: 10.03 g/t Au and 1,996 g/t Ag over 3.65 metres ("m"); PE24_343: 6.28 g/t Au and 1,001 g/t Ag over 2.30 m; PE23_328: 3.66 g/t Au and 485 g/t Ag over 3.14 m; PE24_346: 2.00 g/t Au and 309 g/t Ag over 5.06 m. Sinaloa-Elia Vein System Highlights (true width): SIN24_120: 23.33 g/t Au and 1,045 g/t Ag over 1.31 m; SIN24_106: 6.61 g/t Au and 501 g/t Ag over 2.97 m; SIN24_109: 10.91 g/t Au and 796 g/t Ag over 1.69 m; SIN24_103: 8.31 g/t Au and 507 g/t Ag over 1.64 m. Santa Teresa Vein Highlights (true width): ST24_067: 10.02 g/t Au and 359 g/t Ag over 3.41 m; ST24_051: 3.11 g/t Au and 166 g/t Ag over 5.86 m; ST24_065: 13.53 g/t Au and 211 g/t Ag over 1.69 m. Jessica East Vein Highlights (true width): SJE24_480: 2.22 g/t Au and 422 g/t Ag over 0.75 m; SJE24_479: 2.27 g/t Au and 223 g/t Ag over 0.78 m. SAN DIMAS EXPLORATION RESULTS Exploration drilling at San Dimas intersected significant silver and gold mineralization in multiple veins. Results from four of the veins are highlighted here: Perez, Sinaloa-Elia, Santa Teresa and Jessica East (Figure 1). Figure 1: San Dimas District Vein Occurrence Map and Highlighted Target Areas Exploration drilling of the Perez vein extended silver and gold mineralization up-dip in the west-central portion of the vein and converted Inferred to Indicated resources refining vein width and grades. This process derisked mineralization that will be mined during 2025 and 2026. The Perez vein potential remains open to the east and to the west (Figure 2). Select drill hole assay grades and true width intervals of the Perez vein intersections are highlighted below: PE24_397: 10.03 g/t Au and 1,996 g/t Ag over 3.65 m; PE24_343: 6.28 g/t Au and 1,001 g/t Ag over 2.30 m; PE23_328: 3.66 g/t Au and 485 g/t Ag over 3.14 m; PE24_346: 2.00 g/t Au and 309 g/t Ag over 5.06 m. At the historic Sinaloa-Elia vein system located in the western portion of the property, drilling intersected several intervals of silver and gold mineralization. Resource conversion drilling confirmed and further delineated mineralization below the Sinaloa vein with several intersections returning better than expected values. Results also reveal that the mineralization is open to the west for potential Mineral Resource expansion. Follow-up expansionary drilling below historic mine excavations at Elia confirmed the presence of down-dip extension potential with some results initially reported in June 2024 (Figure 3). Select drill hole assay grades and true width intervals of the Sinaloa-Elia vein system intersections are highlighted below: SIN24_120: 23.33 g/t Au and 1,045 g/t Ag over 1.31 m; SIN24_106: 6.61 g/t Au and 501 g/t Ag over 2.97 m; SIN24_109: 10.91 g/t Au and 796 g/t Ag over 1.69 m; SIN24_103: 8.31 g/t Au and 507 g/t Ag over 1.64 m; EL24_280: 2.52 g/t Au and 182 g/t Ag over 1.26m. Expansionary drilling of the Santa Teresa vein has returned significant intercepts both in eastern and western unexplored projection of the vein. Drilling followed up on results reported in June 2024 and confirmed vein continuity and silver and gold mineralization; there is, to the west, approximately 1 kilometres of strike length of open potential (Figure 4). Select drill hole assay grades and true width intervals of the Santa Teresa vein intersections are highlighted below: ST24_067: 10.02 g/t Au and 359 g/t Ag over 3.41 m; ST24_051: 3.11 g/t Au and 166 g/t Ag over 5.86 m; ST24_065: 13.53 g/t Au and 211 g/t Ag over 1.69 m. A review of exploration upside on major past producing veins has identified multiple targets and opportunities for further mineral resource expansion along strike and up and down-dip. Initial drilling on the eastern projection of the Jessica vein (one of the historic top 5 past producing veins in the district) has intersected veins and returned two encouraging results separated by ~250 m; drilling continues to test the area (Figure 5). SJE24_480: 2.22 g/t Au and 422 g/t Ag over 0.75 m; SJE24_479: 2.27 g/t Au and 223 g/t Ag over 0.78 m. Figure 2: Perez Vein Vertical Long Section Looking North Figure 3: Sinaloa-Elia Vein System Vertical Long Section Looking North Figure 4: Santa Teresa Vein Vertical Long Section Looking North Figure 5: Santa Jessica Vein Vertical Grade x Thickness Long Section Looking North Table 1: Summary of Significant Silver and Gold Drill Hole Intercepts at San Dimas Drillhole Target Target Type Significant Intercept From (m) Length (m) True length (m) Au (gpt) Ag (gpt) AgEq (gpt) ORO24_119 El Oro Vein Resource conversion 177.65 1.30 0.92 4.08 36 362 ORO24_121 El Oro Vein Resource conversion 286.35 1.65 0.95 8.92 1487 2200 Include 286.35 0.40 0.23 34.18 5263 7998 PE24_321 Perez Vein Resource conversion 268.80 2.05 1.71 1.53 215 337 PE24_323 Perez Vein Resource conversion 328.30 1.50 1.06 5.03 138 540 PE24_326 Perez Vein Resource conversion 176.35 1.15 0.81 2.79 542 765 Include 176.95 0.55 0.39 4.10 801 1129 PE24_328 Perez Vein Resource conversion 280.80 4.10 3.14 3.66 485 778 Include 283.00 1.35 1.03 8.20 1052 1708 PE24_332 Perez Vein Resource conversion 332.70 1.30 1.08 3.11 170 418 PE24_335 Perez Vein Resource conversion 265.90 1.50 1.24 1.06 217 302 PE24_438 Perez Vein Resource conversion 70.15 0.80 0.78 1.59 115 242 PE24_439 Perez Vein Resource conversion 80.25 0.80 0.75 2.99 503 742 PE24_340 Perez Vein Resource conversion 283.90 9.10 3.85 2.21 282 459 Include 285.35 0.40 0.17 7.23 791 1370 Include 288.80 1.00 0.42 3.75 653 953 PE24_341 Perez Vein Resource conversion 150.05 1.15 0.91 3.39 434 705 Include 150.05 0.70 0.55 5.02 657 1059 PE24_343 Perez Vein Resource conversion 141.35 2.45 2.30 6.28 1001 1503 Include 141.35 0.55 0.52 7.03 949 1512 Include 142.25 1.55 1.46 7.11 1199 1769 PE24_346 Perez Vein Resource conversion 239.10 7.15 5.06 2.00 309 469 Include 239.10 1.00 0.71 5.46 873 1309 PE24_347 Perez Vein Resource conversion 171.15 1.85 1.36 2.48 525 724 Include 172.65 0.35 0.26 4.17 1158 1492 PE24_350 Perez Vein Resource conversion 288.55 1.75 1.34 2.99 441 680 Include 288.55 1.15 0.88 3.84 553 861 PE24_351 Perez Vein Resource conversion 159.80 5.15 4.22 1.07 166 251 PE24_354 Perez Vein Resource addition 302.40 2.05 1.45 2.64 326 537 Include 302.40 0.95 0.67 4.02 447 769 PE24_361 Perez Vein Resource conversion 316.00 2.25 0.95 0.99 146 226 PE24_376 Perez Vein Resource conversion 137.85 1.40 1.27 1.98 200 358 PE24_380 Perez Vein Resource addition 285.00 1.80 0.83 3.08 330 576 Include 286.25 0.55 0.25 8.78 898 1600 PE24_385 Perez Vein Resource conversion 153.45 1.05 0.91 0.79 157 220 PE24_386 Perez Vein Resource conversion 271.20 1.55 0.89 4.10 493 820 Include 271.60 0.55 0.32 7.37 841 1431 PE24_390 Perez Vein Resource conversion 150.95 1.25 1.02 5.04 860 1263 Include 150.95 0.60 0.49 7.27 1377 1958 PE24_395 Perez Vein Resource conversion 202.75 1.00 0.77 2.59 148 355 Include 203.35 0.40 0.31 5.36 273 701 PE24_397 Perez Vein Resource conversion 156.40 3.95 3.65 10.03 1996 2799 PE24_401 Perez Vein Resource addition 314.20 2.70 1.45 2.22 523 700 Include 315.60 0.55 0.35 3.73 740 1038 PE24_407 Perez Vein Resource conversion 287.25 3.20 1.41 1.71 323 460 Include 289.65 0.80 0.46 3.81 724 1029 PE24_415 Perez Vein Resource addition 782.90 0.75 0.70 1.32 217 322 Include 782.90 0.30 0.28 3.11 525 774 PE24_447 Perez Vein Resource addition 145.75 7.75 4.16 3.41 325 598 Include 147.40 0.50 0.27 4.31 456 801 Include 149.00 1.90 1.02 8.23 646 1304 PE24_448 Vein Resource conversion 120.15 4.65 2.99 1.51 198 319 Include 121.40 0.50 0.32 4.60 802 1170 Perez Vein 150.35 1.25 1.15 1.46 268 385 PE24_451 Perez Vein Resource conversion 173.95 1.80 1.60 1.79 339 482 PE24_456 Perez Vein Resource conversion 76.65 1.35 1.07 1.35 274 382 SIN24_103 Vein Resource conversion 58.50 8.20 3.47 2.28 205 388 Include 59.10 0.85 0.36 5.83 476 943 Sinaloa Vein 345.75 2.00 1.64 8.31 507 1172 Include 345.75 1.15 0.94 12.95 791 1827 SIN24_104 Sinaloa Vein Resource conversion 296.70 2.00 1.35 4.94 270 665 Include 297.00 1.10 0.74 7.07 351 917 SIN24_105 Sinaloa Vein Resource conversion 342.75 1.25 0.96 8.83 225 932 Include 342.75 0.80 0.61 13.46 269 1346 SIN24_106 Sinaloa Vein Resource conversion 303.40 3.35 2.97 6.61 501 1030 Include 303.40 1.00 0.89 6.18 492 986 Include 305.15 0.60 0.53 15.76 1458 2719 SIN24_108 Sinaloa Vein Resource conversion 314.70 3.20 2.26 3.93 196 510 Include Resource conversion 314.70 0.70 0.49 9.77 562 1344 SIN24_109 Sinaloa Vein Resource conversion 278.70 2.20 1.69 10.91 796 1669 Include 279.50 0.95 0.73 20.19 1525 3140 SIN24_110 Sinaloa Vein Resource conversion 334.10 0.95 0.78 7.93 385 1019 Include 334.10 0.50 0.41 12.97 620 1658 SIN24_114 Sinaloa Vein Resource conversion 358.15 1.65 1.50 7.46 118 715 Include 358.15 0.75 0.68 15.00 211 1411 SIN24_117 Sinaloa Vein Resource addition 407.85 1.25 0.96 2.10 86 254 SIN24_118 Sinaloa Vein Resource conversion 365.60 1.20 0.85 1.35 105 213 SIN24_120 Sinaloa Vein Resource addition 436.65 1.60 1.31 23.33 1045 2911 Include 437.15 1.10 0.90 32.54 1455 4058 SIN24_124 Sinaloa Vein Resource addition 417.80 1.15 1.02 3.72 113 411 SIN24_125 Sinaloa Vein Resource conversion 390.50 1.20 1.04 2.39 82 273 EL24_280 Elia Vein Resource addition 395.55 2.20 1.26 2.52 182 384 EL24_282 Elia Vein Resource addition 360.90 1.25 0.84 2.78 100 322 ST24_031 Santa Teresa Vein Resource addition 149.30 3.05 2.42 2.83 176 402 Include 150.70 0.55 0.44 6.34 274 781 ST24_051 Santa Teresa Vein Resource addition 206.60 7.15 5.86 3.11 166 415 Include 209.25 0.55 0.45 6.12 299 789 Include 212.70 0.60 0.49 12.16 731 1704 ST24_052 Santa Teresa Vein Resource addition 237.90 2.40 2.08 4.11 86 415 Santa Teresa FW 256.80 1.30 1.13 4.95 11 407 ST24_054 Santa Teresa FW Resource addition 196.10 1.45 1.26 8.51 264 945 Include 197.00 0.55 0.48 19.33 622 2169 ST24_059 Santa Teresa Vein Resource addition 139.80 1.20 0.73 0.93 1079 1154 Include 139.80 0.40 0.24 1.29 3035 3138 ST24_060 Santa Teresa Vein Resource addition 199.40 1.70 1.39 4.49 124 483 ST24_062 Santa Teresa Resource addition 233.50 2.70 1.55 3.70 161 457 ST24_064 Santa Teresa Resource conversion 173.60 1.05 1.05 4.46 111 467 Santa Teresa 175.95 0.75 0.75 5.91 130 603 Include 176.40 0.30 0.30 8.08 214 860 ST24_065 Santa Teresa Resource addition 254.15 2.75 1.69 13.53 211 1293 Include 255.60 1.30 0.80 24.31 288 2233 ST24_067 Santa Teresa Resource addition 262.25 5.95 3.41 10.02 359 1161 Include 262.85 1.65 0.95 25.22 1043 3061 Include 266.90 1.30 0.75 10.18 168 983 ROS24_045 Rosario Vein Resource addition 380.35 1.10 0.71 4.50 814 1174 Include 380.65 0.80 0.66 6.06 1091 1576 ROS24_047 Intermedia Vein Resource addition 315.00 1.05 0.97 10.58 561 1408 Include 315.00 0.45 0.42 18.93 944 2458 ROS24_052 Rosario Vein Resource addition 457.65 2.45 1.49 5.64 317 769 Include 457.65 0.80 0.49 13.61 712 1801 ROS24_053 Intermedia Vein Resource addition 337.20 3.45 2.33 5.53 382 825 SRE24_298 Santa Regina Vein Resource conversion 263.85 0.85 0.74 2.53 675 878 Include 263.85 0.55 0.48 3.22 930 1188 SRE24_299 Santa Regina Vein Resource addition 479.45 0.80 0.74 1.57 233 358 RO24_475 Roberta Vein Resource addition 362.50 1.15 1.00 5.92 306 780 Include 363.10 0.55 0.51 11.43 555 1469 SJE24_479 Santa Jessica Vein Resource addition 852.75 0.90 0.78 2.27 223 404 SJE24_480 Santa Jessica Vein Resource addition 1037.20 1.50 0.75 2.22 422 600 Include 1038.00 0.70 0.35 2.70 514 730 NB24_070 Noche Buena Vein Resource addition 126.00 0.80 0.71 4.61 603 972 NB24_072 Noche Buena Vein Resource conversion 126.85 0.90 0.82 2.91 331 564 Include 126.85 0.60 0.54 3.86 437 746 NB24_078 Noche Buena Resource addition 139.25 0.85 0.70 3.31 272 537 Include 139.60 0.50 0.41 5.10 424 832 NB24_080 Noche Buena Resource addition 284.40 2.70 0.92 7.47 841 1439 Include 284.40 0.55 0.19 7.48 688 1286 Include 285.50 1.60 0.55 9.58 1141 1907 NB24_082 Noche Buena Resource addition 258.75 5.00 1.71 1.61 145 273 Include 260.85 0.40 0.14 5.05 509 913 Notes: All holes are Diamond Drill; AgEq grade = silver grade (g/t) + [gold grade (g/t)*80]. From and Length indicated in metres, true width of the intercept is calculated per drill hole and vein angles. See Appendix for details regarding drill hole locations, sample type, azimuth, dip and total depth. Where present, single samples or intercepts with assay results higher than 700 g/t AgEq are highlighted as "Include" in each intercept. At San Dimas, silver and gold drill hole intercepts were composited using the length weighted averages of uncapped sample assays, a 215 g/t AgEq minimum grade, and a minimum composite length of 0.7 m (true width). A maximum one metre below the minimum grade was allowed as internal dilution and a single sample below the minimum but above 100 g/t AgEq was allowed in the hanging or footwall to achieve minimum true width in select cases. True width of intercepts is calculated based on current understanding of drill hole and vein angle geometry. All individual samples or intercepts higher than 700 g/t AgEq are reported as "include". First Majestic's drilling programs follow established QA/QC insertion protocols with standards, blanks and duplicates introduced to the sample stream and submission of check duplicates to an independent third-party laboratory. After geological logging, all drill core samples are cut in half. One half of the core is submitted to the laboratory for analysis and the remaining half is retained on-site for verification and reference purposes. Core samples were submitted to First Majestic's owned and operated Central Laboratory (ISO 9001:2015). At the Central Lab, gold is analyzed by fire assay with atomic absorption finish (Au-AA13), and by fire assay gravimetric finish (ASAG-13-Au, ASAG-15-Au). Results above 10 g/t gold are analyzed by 30 g fire assay gravimetric finish (ASAG-14). Silver is analyzed by 3-Acid digest atomic absorption finish (AAG-13) or by 30 g fire assay gravimetric finish (ASAG-13-Ag). Results above 200 g/t silver are analyzed by 30 g fire assay gravimetric finish (ASAG-14). For further information concerning QA/QC and data verification matters, key assumptions, parameters, and methods used by the Company to estimate Mineral Reserves and Mineral Resources, and for a detailed description of known legal, political, environmental, and other risks that could materially affect the Company's business and the potential development of Mineral Reserves and Mineral Resources, see the Company's most recent Annual Information Form available at www.sedarplus.ca. QUALIFIED PERSON Gonzalo Mercado, P. Geo., the Company's Vice President of Exploration and Technical Services and a "Qualified Person" as defined under National Instrument 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects ("NI 43-101"), has reviewed and approved the scientific and technical information contained in this news release. Mr. Mercado has verified the exploration data contained in this news release, including the sampling, analytical and test data underlying such information. ABOUT FIRST MAJESTIC First Majestic is a publicly traded mining company focused on silver and gold production in Mexico and the United States. The Company presently owns and operates four producing underground mines in Mexico: the Cerro Los Gatos Silver Mine (the Company holds a 70% interest in the Los Gatos Joint Venture that owns the mine), the Santa Elena Silver/Gold Mine, the San Dimas Silver/Gold Mine, and the La Encantada Silver Mine, as well as a portfolio of development and exploration assets, including the Jerritt Canyon Gold project located in northeastern Nevada, U.S.A. First Majestic is proud to own and operate its own minting facility, First Mint, LLC, and to offer a portion of its silver production for sale to the public. Bars, ingots, coins and medallions are available for purchase online at www.firstmint.com, at some of the lowest premiums available. FIRST MAJESTIC SILVER CORP. "signed" Keith Neumeyer, President & CEO Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements This news release contains "forwardlooking information" and "forward-looking statements" under applicable Canadian and U.S. securities laws (collectively, "forwardlooking statements"). These statements relate to future events or the Company's future performance, business prospects or opportunities that are based on forecasts of future results, estimates of amounts not yet determinable and assumptions of management made in light of management's experience and perception of historical trends. Assumptions may prove to be incorrect and actual results and future events may differ materially from those anticipated. Any statements that express or involve discussions with respect to predictions, expectations, beliefs, plans, projections, objectives or future events or performance (often, but not always, using words or phrases such as "seek", "anticipate", "plan", "continue", "estimate", "expect", "may", "will", "project", "predict", "forecast", "potential", "target", "intend", "could", "might", "should", "believe" and similar expressions) are not statements of historical fact and may be "forwardlooking statements". Forward-Looking statements are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results to materially differ from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements, 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. Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking statements, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. The Company believes that the expectations reflected in these forwardlooking statements are reasonable, but no assurance can be given that these expectations will prove to be correct and such forwardlooking statements included herein should not be unduly relied upon. These statements speak only as of the date hereof. The Company does not intend, and does not assume any obligation, to update these forward-looking statements, except as required by applicable laws. Cautionary Note to United States Investors The Company is a "foreign private issuer" as defined in Rule 3b-4 under the United States Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and is eligible to rely upon the Canada-U.S. Multi-Jurisdictional Disclosure System, and is therefore permitted to prepare the technical information contained herein in accordance with the requirements of the securities laws in effect in Canada, which differ from the requirements of the securities laws currently in effect in the United States. Accordingly, information concerning mineral deposits set forth herein may not be comparable with information made public by companies that report in accordance with U.S. standards. Technical disclosure contained in this news release has not been prepared in accordance with the requirements of United States securities laws and uses terms that comply with reporting standards in Canada with certain estimates prepared in accordance with NI 43-101. NI 43-101 is a rule developed by the Canadian Securities Administrators that establishes standards for all public disclosure an issuer makes of scientific and technical information concerning the issuer's material mineral projects. APPENDIX - DRILL HOLE DETAILS Table A1: Drill Hole Location, Sample Type, Azimuth, Dip and Total Depth Drillhole East North Elevation Azimuth Dip Depth (m) Type ORO24_119 404186.83 2665505.57 510.27 311.6 30.9 216 Core ORO24_121 404186.74 2665505.13 510.02 288.2 26.4 315 Core PE24_321 398694.94 2671241.80 830.57 300.1 28.2 297 Core PE24_323 399018.62 2671353.55 843.81 307.7 31.9 351 Core PE24_326 399314.32 2671669.98 858.42 2.5 -21.4 210 Core PE24_328 398695.08 2671241.42 830.03 293.7 27.2 300 Core PE24_332 399018.67 2671353.57 844.03 302.2 31.1 360 Core PE24_335 398695.09 2671241.80 830.97 310.9 35.1 297 Core PE24_340 398695.30 2671241.54 830.25 289.2 24.4 300 Core PE24_341 399311.20 2671668.72 858.31 287.7 -19.3 186 Core PE24_343 399311.94 2671669.24 858.49 311.4 -15.9 183 Core PE24_346 398695.49 2671242.10 831.10 318.7 37.0 276 Core PE24_347 399310.90 2671668.67 858.76 286.5 -3.0 192 Core PE24_350 398694.79 2671240.95 830.13 281.1 19.7 297 Core PE24_351 399311.90 2671669.25 858.83 304.0 -2.5 195 Core PE24_354 398693.94 2671240.38 830.16 278.1 18.9 309 Core PE24_361 398693.86 2671240.07 829.88 269.8 12.4 324 Core PE24_376 399312.88 2671669.69 858.02 325.9 -33.0 198 Core PE24_380 398695.57 2671242.02 831.19 316.2 38.1 303 Core PE24_385 399312.57 2671669.59 858.03 334.0 -43.9 186 Core PE24_386 398694.60 2671241.53 830.66 296.9 25.1 285 Core PE24_390 399311.77 2671669.19 858.76 310.7 -7.5 171 Core PE24_395 399313.36 2671669.84 859.01 343.1 2.0 231 Core PE24_397 399310.90 2671668.67 858.76 294.4 -8.4 178 Core PE24_401 398695.61 2671242.10 831.31 319.3 42.6 329 Core PE24_407 399314.86 2671669.38 858.98 8.0 0.1 327 Core PE24_438 398730.79 2671362.25 935.27 353.9 1.4 108 Core PE24_439 398731.26 2671362.21 935.25 5.3 0.4 90 Core PE24_447 398731.28 2671361.78 937.17 339.6 41.5 190 Core PE24_448 398732.89 2671361.92 936.21 27.0 20.5 189 Core PE24_451 398731.78 2671361.91 936.75 2.5 35.3 207 Core PE24_456 398732.09 2671362.23 934.82 21.4 -22.2 120 Core SIN24_103 399888.71 2666329.74 561.72 311.5 -20.8 369 Core SIN24_104 399888.29 2666329.06 561.58 305.6 -12.2 318 Core SIN24_105 399888.37 2666329.16 561.39 298.8 -15.8 375 Core SIN24_106 399888.28 2666329.14 561.56 297.5 -8.5 342 Core SIN24_108 399888.31 2666329.19 561.47 297.5 -12.6 360 Core SIN24_109 399888.40 2666329.09 561.76 291.6 -2.3 329 Core SIN24_110 399888.35 2666329.01 561.60 291.3 -9.0 357 Core SIN24_114 399888.23 2666327.97 561.40 294.2 -15.5 381 Core SIN24_117 399740.06 2666103.84 562.85 308.3 -9.5 498 Core SIN24_118 399888.68 2666329.41 561.24 304.5 -23.9 403 Core SIN24_120 399739.93 2666103.68 562.89 294.8 -6.7 525 Core SIN24_124 399739.55 2666103.91 562.76 300.6 -10.2 501 Core SIN24_125 399888.13 2666327.64 561.54 278.3 -11.0 405 Core EL24_280 400316.27 2667086.85 548.98 187.0 -38.1 450 Core EL24_282 400316.25 2667087.50 549.26 186.8 -47.5 384 Core ST24_031 397881.41 2667260.65 577.81 303.0 7.9 249 Core ST24_051 397881.13 2667260.07 577.71 287.0 -2.6 315 Core ST24_052 397881.64 2667259.90 577.54 286.2 -19.8 294 Core ST24_054 397881.19 2667260.54 577.75 293.4 -0.4 328 Core ST24_059 397881.00 2667260.50 576.99 140.0 -40.3 204 Core ST24_060 398331.72 2667366.41 559.43 305.2 40.4 240 Core ST24_062 398331.32 2667365.72 559.47 297.8 43.8 255 Core ST24_064 398331.96 2667366.93 559.33 316.0 38.8 195 Core ST24_065 398331.47 2667366.09 559.40 292.5 40.8 273 Core ST24_067 398331.22 2667365.81 559.08 285.6 33.8 294 Core ROS24_045 400151.46 2665597.09 555.16 197.5 -1.0 633 Core ROS24_047 399811.70 2665304.41 950.59 182.3 -16.3 855 Core ROS24_052 400150.99 2665597.17 555.44 207.2 4.4 531 Core ROS24_053 399811.22 2665303.91 950.83 184.7 -7.6 723 Core SRE24_298 399695.22 2670822.92 842.52 162.3 27.2 606 Core SRE24_299 399693.84 2670824.09 842.03 197.6 25.6 531 Core RO24_475 401130.19 2668953.36 744.44 277.9 23.8 423 Core SJE24_479 401988.50 2672366.33 1044.36 200.8 -27.6 1068 Core SJE24_480 401988.14 2672365.00 1044.10 200.3 -17.3 1152 Core NB24_070 400702.87 2671037.78 1144.68 159.9 22.4 159 Core NB24_072 400701.90 2671037.72 1143.50 177.0 2.0 144 Core NB24_078 400704.97 2671037.87 1144.31 135.3 19.8 240 Core NB24_080 400719.96 2671050.99 1143.92 103.9 15.9 330 Core NB24_082 400720.55 2671050.84 1143.85 104.6 11.4 303 Core Notes: North Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - January 23, 2025) - Lion One Metals Limited (TSXV: LIO) (OTCQX: LOMLF) ("Lion One" or the "Company") is pleased to report significant new high-grade gold results from 3,866.8 metres of infill and grade control drilling at its 100% owned Tuvatu Alkaline Gold Project in Fiji. The drilling is focused on Zone 5 and includes the Zone's best assay result to-date of 2,749.86 g/t of gold over 0.3 metres (88.42 oz/t of gold over 1.0 feet). All drilling was completed from existing near surface underground workings. The Company intersected high-grade mineralized structures in 24 holes drilled up-dip, down-dip, and south along strike of the UR2 and URW3 lodes where current mining activities are in progress. 17 holes intersected multiple high-grade mineralized structures, all of which are near existing underground workings. Most of the drill holes did not exceed 130 metres in length from underground drill stations. Drill results include multiple bonanza grade assays such as 2,749.86 g/t, 269.5 g/t and 235.2 g/t over narrow widths of 0.3 metres. Due to proximity of drill results to existing workings there is a strong probability that some of these structures can be incorporated into the mine plan in the next six to twelve months. Bonanza grades in Zone 5 at the Tuvatu Alkaline Gold Project are not unexpected. Previously the Company announced high-grade drill results from Zone 5 including 1,986.23 g/t gold over 0.6 metres (see press release dated December 13, 2023), 1,568.55 g/t over 0.3 metres (see press release dated June 5, 2024), and 1,517.79 g/t over 0.3 m (see press release dated December 17, 2024). Lion One Chairman and CEO Walter Berukoff commented: "We're extremely pleased with the new results from our Zone 5 infill and grade control drill program. These significant underground drill results continue to confirm the high-grade nature of the Tuvatu Alkaline gold system and provide strong support for our ongoing mining efforts in Zone 5. We're excited to expand our near-term mine plan in Zone 5 and look forward to mining these areas in 2025. I was particularly interested to see that three of the highest-grade intersections were all identified in hole TGC-265 as separate and distinct structures." Highlights of New Drill Results: 2,749.86 g/t Au over 0.3 metres (TGC 265, from 96.2 m depth) Best assay to-date in Zone 5 162.97 g/t Au over 0.6 m (including 269.5 g/t Au over 0.3 m) (TGC-281, from 75.89 m depth) 53.11 g/t Au over 1.5 m (including 235.2 g/t over 0.3 m) (TGC-282, from 92.6 m depth) 96.5 g/t Au over 0.6 m (TGC-288, from 28.8 m depth) 46.94 g/t Au over 1.2 m (including 86.44 g/t Au over 0.3 m) (TGC-265, from 45.7 m depth) 47.22 g/t Au over 0.9 m (including 62.25 g/t over 0.3 m (TGC-265, from 81.1 m depth) 69.38 g/t Au over 0.6 m (including 126.5 g/t over 0.3 m (TGC-267, from 125 m depth) *Drill intersects are downhole lengths, 3.0 g/t cutoff. See Table 1 in Appendix for additional data. Figure 1. Location of the Zone 5 drilling reported in this news release. Left image: Plan view of Tuvatu showing Zone 5 drillholes in relation to the mineralized lodes at Tuvatu, shown in grey. Yellow dashed square represents the area shown in the right image. Right image: Oblique view of Zone 5 drilling looking approximately east-northeast. Zone 5 drilling is targeting the up-dip and down-dip extensions of the mineralized lodes above and below current underground developments, shown in red. Zone 5 Drilling The Zone 5 area of Tuvatu is located along the main decline and includes the principal north-south oriented lodes (UR1 to UR3), the principal northeast-southwest oriented lodes (UR4 to UR8), and several of the western lodes (URW2, URW2A, URW3). These lodes are steeply dipping structures that converge at approximately 500 m depth to form Zone 500, which is the highest-grade part of the deposit and is interpreted to be a major feeder zone at Tuvatu. The system remains open at depth with the deepest high-grade intersections occurring below 1000 m depth. The drilling reported in this news release targeted the near-surface portions of the UR2 and URW3 lodes. Drilling was focused on the up-dip and down-dip areas of the UR2 and URW3 lodes, directly above and below current underground developments. The drilling targeted a 200 m strike length of the UR2 and URW3 lodes. The current total strike length of the UR2 lode is approximately 620 m, while that of the URW3 lode is approximately 330 m. Both lodes remain open along strike and at depth. The Zone 5 grade control drilling reported in this release was conducted from two underground locations: the 1135 drill station and the 1090 drill station. These drillholes are designed to intersect the mineralized lodes in a perpendicular to sub-perpendicular orientation such that the mineralized intervals approximate the true width of the lodes. Grade control drilling is being conducted on a 10 m grid to provide a detailed understanding of the geometry and mineralization of the Zone 5 lodes. The purpose of the current Zone 5 grade control drill program is to enhance the mine model and inform stope design in advance of mining in the target areas. The majority of the high-grade intervals reported in this release are located within 30 m of underground developments and are anticipated to be included in the mine plan in 2025. Highlights of the Zone 5 drilling reported here are shown in Figure 2. Figure 2. Zone 5 infill and grade control drilling with high-grade intersects highlighted, 3.0 g/t gold cutoff. Plan view looking down with north to the left. The primary areas targeted by the Zone 5 drilling are the up-dip and down-dip areas of the UR2 and URW3 lodes above and below current underground developments. These areas are scheduled for near-term mining. Drill holes are oriented perpendicular to sub-perpendicular to the mineralized lodes. Competent Persons Statement The information in this report that relates to mineral exploration at the Tuvatu Gold Project is based on information compiled by the Lion One team and reviewed by Melvyn Levrel, who is the company's Senior Geologist. Mr Levrel is a Member of the Australian Institute of Geoscientists and has sufficient experience that is relevant to the style of mineralisation and type of deposit under consideration, and to the activity being undertaken, to qualify as a Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects ("NI 43- 101"). Mr Levrel consents to the inclusion in this report of the matters based on the information in the form and context in which it appears. Lion One Laboratories / QAQC Lion One adheres to rigorous QAQC procedures above and beyond basic regulatory guidelines in conducting its drilling, sampling, testing, and analyses. The Company operates its own geochemical assay laboratory and its own fleet of diamond drill rigs using PQ, HQ and NQ sized drill rods. Diamond drill core samples are logged by Lion One personnel on site. Exploration diamond drill core is split by Lion One personnel on site, with half core samples sent for analysis and the other half core remaining on site. Grade control diamond drill core is whole core assayed. Core samples are delivered to the Lion One Laboratory for preparation and analysis. All samples are pulverized at the Lion One lab to 85% passing through 75 microns and gold analysis is carried out using fire assay with an AA finish. Samples that return grades greater than 10.00 g/t Au are re-analyzed by gravimetric method, which is considered more accurate for very high-grade samples. Duplicates of 5% of samples with grades above 0.5 g/t Au are delivered to ALS Global Laboratories in Australia for check assay determinations using the same methods (Au-AA26 and Au-GRA22 where applicable). ALS also analyses 33 pathfinder elements by HF-HNO3-HClO4 acid digestion, HCl leach and ICP-AES (method ME-ICP61). The Lion One lab can test a range of up to 71 elements through Inductively Coupled Plasma Optical Emission Spectrometry (ICP-OES), but currently focuses on a suite of 26 important pathfinder elements with an aqua regia digest and ICP-OES finish. About Lion One Metals Limited Lion One Metals is an emerging Canadian gold producer headquartered in North Vancouver BC, with new operations established in late 2023 at its 100% owned Tuvatu Alkaline Gold Project in Fiji. The Tuvatu project comprises the high-grade Tuvatu Alkaline Gold Deposit, the Underground Gold Mine, the Pilot Plant, and the Assay Lab. The Company also has an extensive exploration license covering the entire Navilawa Caldera, which is host to multiple mineralized zones and highly prospective exploration targets. On behalf of the Board of Directors, Walter Berukoff, Chairman & CEO Neither the TSX-V nor its Regulation Service Provider accepts responsibility or the adequacy or accuracy of this release This press release may contain statements that may be deemed to be "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, included herein are forward-looking information. Generally, forward-looking information may be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "plans", "expects" or "does not expect", "proposed", "is expected", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "intends", "anticipates" or "does not anticipate", or "believes", or variations of such words and phrases, or by the use of words or phrases which state that certain actions, events or results may, could, would, or might occur or be achieved. This forward-looking information reflects Lion One Metals Limited's current beliefs and is based on information currently available to Lion One Metals Limited and on assumptions Lion One Metals Limited believes are reasonable. These assumptions include, but are not limited to, the actual results of exploration projects being equivalent to or better than estimated results in technical reports, assessment reports, and other geological reports or prior exploration results. Forward-looking information is subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, level of activity, performance, or achievements of Lion One Metals Limited or its subsidiaries to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information. Such risks and other factors may include, but are not limited to: the stage development of Lion One Metals Limited, general business, economic, competitive, political and social uncertainties; the actual results of current research and development or operational activities; competition; uncertainty as to patent applications and intellectual property rights; product liability and lack of insurance; delay or failure to receive board or regulatory approvals; changes in legislation, including environmental legislation, affecting mining, timing and availability of external financing on acceptable terms; not realizing on the potential benefits of technology; conclusions of economic evaluations; and lack of qualified, skilled labor or loss of key individuals. Although Lion One Metals Limited 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. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information. Lion One Metals Limited does not undertake to update any forward-looking information, except in accordance with applicable securities laws. Appendix 1: Full Drill Results and Collar Information Table 1. Collar coordinates for drillholes reported in this release. Coordinates are in Fiji map grid. Hole ID Easting Northing Elevation Azimuth Dip Depth TGC-0265 1876384 3920429 94 87.7 -11.1 116.0 TGC-0267 1876380 3920530 129 109.8 -10.5 131.0 TGC-0268 1876384 3920429 94 96.1 -14.0 10.7 TGC-0269 1876384 3920429 94 96.3 -10.3 110.2 TGC-0271 1876381 3920530 130 114.8 10.5 136.6 TGC-0273 1876384 3920429 94 103.2 -10.9 91.8 TGC-0275 1876384 3920428 94 111.2 -9.9 85.8 TGC-0277 1876384 3920428 94 119.3 -10.5 85.7 TGC-0278 1876381 3920530 131 116.9 20.3 135.0 TGC-0279 1876385 3920425 96 140.4 11.7 90.6 TGC-0281 1876384 3920425 96 154.2 11.6 102.5 TGC-0282 1876381 3920530 131 113.2 14.8 139.2 TGC-0284 1876381 3920530 131 108.5 19.8 135.7 TGC-0286 1876383 3920424 96 165.4 12.4 111.5 TGC-0287 1876381 3920532 131 88.2 14.4 118.0 TGC-0288 1876381 3920531 131 96.7 14.1 115.1 TGC-0289 1876383 3920424 96 175.0 10.5 126.3 TGC-0291 1876381 3920532 131 87.4 20.0 120.7 TGC-0292 1876382 3920425 94 174.2 -10.4 13.7 TGC-0294 1876382 3920425 94 174.8 -12.5 127.7 TGC-0295 1876381 3920531 131 95.2 23.0 180.7 TGC-0296 1876382 3920426 94 175.2 -24.6 152.1 TGC-0297 1876381 3920530 131 102.0 23.1 120.0 TGC-0299 1876382 3920426 94 174.8 -35.5 200.7 TGC-0300 1876381 3920530 130 104.1 13.5 122.1 TGC-0301 1876381 3920531 130 96.2 13.3 121.4 TGC-0302 1876383 3920425 94 160.5 -10.5 112.8 TGC-0303 1876380 3920530 129 120.6 -20.6 160.0 TGC-0304 1876383 3920426 94 155.6 -31.4 122.6 TGC-0306 1876380 3920529 129 126.1 -19.6 160.1 TGC-0307 1876383 3920426 93 154.5 -44.9 154.1 TGC-0309 1876384 3920427 93 130.5 -45.1 140.6 TGC-0310 1876380 3920532 128 78.4 -48.0 15.8 Table 2. Composite intervals from drillholes reported in this news release (composite grade >3.0 g/t Au, with <1 m internal dilution at <3.0 g/t Au). VANCOUVER, BC, Jan. 23, 2025 /CNW/ - Getchell Gold Corp. (CSE: GTCH) (OTCQB: GGLDF) (FWB: GGA1) ("Getchell" or the "Company") is pleased to announce positive results from the independent Preliminary Economic Assessment ("PEA") completed on the Company's 100%-owned Fondaway Canyon gold project ("Fondaway Canyon" or "Project") in Nevada. Based on mineral resources drilled to date and limiting the scope of the PEA to the mineral resources in the Central Area of the Project, the PEA outlines an open pit mining and conventional 8,000 tonne per day ("tpd") milling operation with an initial planned mine life of approximately 10.5 years. The PEA contemplates the production and sale of a high-grade concentrate to a local 3rd party refinery for pressure oxidation or roasting followed by cyanidation to produce dore. PEA Highlights Strong project economics $546 million pre-tax net present value discounted at 10% ("NPV 10% ") and a 51.2% pre-tax internal rate of return ("IRR"), $474 million after-tax NPV 10% and a 46.7% after-tax IRR at a gold price of $2,250 /ounce ("oz"). Initial capital costs estimated at $226.5 million (including a 20% contingency), with a short pre-tax payback of 3.1 years. Robust operational profile 1.23 million ounces gold recovered over a 10.5-year life of mine ("LOM") with average annual gold production of 117,300 ounces. LOM strip ratio of 4.7 to 1, mined grade of 1.50 g/t Au (0.048 oz/tonne) and estimated gold recovery to concentrate of 84%. LOM operating costs (1) estimated at $875 /oz of gold produced, cash costs (2) estimated at $1 ,189oz of produced gold Economics incorporate significant development work completed in 2024 The PEA incorporated the Updated Mineral Resource Estimate ("MRE") completed in September 2024 that reported an 18-per-cent increase in Indicated Mineral Resources and an 11-per-cent increase in Inferred relative to the previous MRE, based on the inclusion of 8 additional drill holes; and Metallurgical test work demonstrating the amenability of the mineralized material to conventional flotation and the generation of a low mass pull, high grade concentrate. Significant growth potential The scope of the PEA was limited to the open pit mineral resource in the Central Area of the Project, a 1 km square area that: represents only a portion of the largely underexplored 7 km long east-west gold corridor, covering a 10 km 2 prospective area; and does not include the Main Pit's underground mineral resource and the open pit mineral resources outside of the Central Area along the gold corridor that account for approximately 15% of the Project's current mineral resources. All deposits and target zones remain open along strike and at depth, with significant potential for resource expansion. "This PEA readily demonstrates the potential for a robust economic open pit mining operation at Fondaway Canyon. In addition, there remain multiple avenues to pursue in 2025 to further improve the economics beyond the current enviable level. There is significant potential to increase the mineral resource within the current minable shape, along strike, and dip, and to optimize the mining and processing of the gold." stated Mike Sieb, President. "I have been a committed supporter of the Company for over a decade and a firm believer of the considerable potential of the Fondaway Canyon gold project since acquiring the rights to it in 2020. I am elated as to the potential valuation of the mining operation reported in this PEA as well as the incredible upside for Getchell Gold Corp. and its shareholders that it represents. Our years of effort have been rewarded, with the PEA sharing a glimpse of the ultimate valuation of the Project able to be realized." stated Bob Bass, Chairman. Notes on the PEA: The PEA is preliminary in nature, includes Inferred Mineral Resources that are considered too speculative geologically to have economic considerations applied to them that would enable them to be categorized as Mineral Reserves, and there is no certainty that PEA results will be realized. Mineral Resources are not Mineral Reserves and do not have demonstrated economic viability. All amounts are in United States dollars unless otherwise specified. Base case parameters assume a gold price of $2,250 per ounce. NPV is calculated as of the commencement of construction and excludes all pre-construction costs. All figures are displayed on a 100% ownership basis. (1) Operating costs consist of mining costs, processing costs and mine site G&A. (2) Cash costs consist of operating costs plus treatment and refining charges and royalties. (3) AISC consists of cash costs plus sustaining capital (excluding closure costs). The PEA was prepared by Forte Dynamics Inc., of Fort Collins, Colorado ("Forte Dynamics") as the lead consultant in accordance with National Instrument 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects ("NI 43-101"). Forte Dynamics was the lead study manager for mine planning, design parameters, and operating and capital cost estimates. The PEA was supported by Forte Analytical Inc. (metallurgical studies, process design, process facilities, and plant site infrastructure) and APEX Geoscience Ltd. (mineral resource estimate). The effective date of the PEA is January 15, 2025, and a technical report for the Project including the PEA will be filed on the System for Electronic Document Analysis and Retrieval (SEDAR) within 45 days of this news release. PEA Overview and Financial Analysis The PEA contemplates an open pit operation using contract mining and processing 2.9 million tonnes per annum ("mtpa") or 8,000 tonnes per day. The mill feed will be trucked from two open pit deposits in the Central Area, which hosts approximately 85% of the Mineral Resources currently defined at Fondaway Canyon. Table 1: Economic Parameters Key Assumptions Base Case Gold Price $2,250/oz Production Profile Total Tonnes Processed (mt) 30.3 Total Tonnes Waste (mt) 143.4 Strip Ratio 4.7 Mill Feed Grade 1.50 g/t Au Mine Life 10.5 years Throughput (mtpa) 2.9 Gold Recovery 84 % LOM Gold Production (ounces) 1,231,408 LOM Average Annual Gold Production (ounces) 117,300 Unit Operating Costs LOM Average Operating Costs (1) $ 875/oz gold LOM Average Cash Costs (2) $ 1,189/oz gold Capital Costs Initial Capital Cost $226.5 million Table 2: Project Economics Summary $2,250/oz Gold Price $2,500/oz Gold Price Pre-Tax After-Tax Pre-Tax After-Tax NPV 5% ($M) $ 761 $ 668 $ 990 $ 849 NPV 8% ($M) $ 622 $ 543 $ 821 $ 701 NPV 10% ($M) $ 546 $ 474 $ 727 $ 618 NPV 12% ($M) $ 479 $ 414 $ 646 $ 547 IRR 51.2 % 46.7 % 63.9 % 57.0 % Payback 3.1 years 3.2 years 2.6 years 2.8 years LOM Cash Flow $1,080 million $953 million $1,379 million $1,190 million Table 3: Economic Sensitivity to Gold Price Gold Price (US$/oz) $2,000 (Low Case) $2,250 (Base Case) $2,500 (High Case) $2,750 (Spot Price) Pre-Tax NPV 10% $ 365 M $ 546 M $ 727 M $ 908 M Pre-Tax IRR 38.2 % 51.2 % 63.9 % 76.4 % Pre-Tax Payback 3.5 years 3.1 years 2.6 years 2.4 years After-Tax NPV 10% $ 322 M $474 M $ 618 M $ 760 M After-Tax IRR 35.5 % 46.7 % 57.0 % 66.9 % After-Tax Payback 3.6 years 3.2 years 2.8 years 2.6 years Mine Plan and Minable Resource Estimate The open pit optimization model yielded a series of nested pit shells that prioritize the extraction of the most economically viable and most economically robust material shown below. The mine will be developed in consecutive phases to manage the operating stripping ratio and to provide consistent mill feed. The final pit limit and 3D gold grade block model encapsulated within the pit is shown in Figure 1. The pit shell selected as the optimal pit shell contains a total tonnage of 173.7 Mt including 11.7 Mt of Indicated Mineral Resource at 1.73g/t, and 18.7 Mt of Inferred Mineral Resource at 1.36g/t to be processed for 1.47 Moz of contained gold. Mineral Resources, which are not Mineral Reserves, do not have demonstrated economic viability. There has been insufficient exploration to define the Inferred Resources tabulated above as an Indicated or Measured Mineral Resource, however, it is reasonably expected that the majority of the Inferred Mineral Resources could be upgraded to Indicated Mineral Resources with continued exploration. There is no guarantee that any part of the Mineral Resources discussed herein will be converted into a Mineral Reserve in the future. The production schedule is based on a nominal rate of 8,000 t/d processed (2.9 Mt/y) and the average LOM stripping ratio is 4.7:1 waste-to-processed material, using a 0.5 g/t Au cut-off grade. The annual production schedule is shown in Figure 2. Metallurgical Testing and Recoveries A conceptual flotation plant was designed, with the facility processing oxide and sulfide mineralization. The PEA utilized recoveries estimated across the material types for an average gold recovery to concentrate of 84%. Determination of the appropriate recovery value was based on historical test work completed in conjunction with a scoping level metallurgical study carried out through 2024 to advance the project by developing a conceptual process flowsheet for the oxide and sulfide material. The 2024 metallurgical test work was conducted on coarse reject material partitioned at various gold grade thresholds (i.e. average grade: 1.50 g/t Au, high grade: 5.0 g/t Au, and low grade: 0.5 g/t Au), and average grade split drill core material all sourced from the Company's most recent drill campaigns. The recent scoping level metallurgical study evaluated several processing options following the test work on deportment of gold which indicated that much of the gold was refractory and associated with pyrite. Both oxide and sulfide minerals can be readily floated to produce a concentrate containing about 84% of the contained gold. With additional test work, the concentrate may be upgraded to reduce concentrate weight and increase the gold grade of the concentrate. Additional metallurgical test work is recommended for Fondaway Canyon to optimize the flotation process and to confirm the process design, costs, and final recovery. Mineral Processing A processing throughput of 8,000 tpd was selected aimed at maximizing gold recovery in conjunction with minimizing concentrate mass pull (which must be confirmed with additional test work), and on minimizing capital expenditure and operating costs. The process flowsheet will consist of three stages of crushing followed by ball mill grinding, rougher flotation, and two stages of cleaner flotation to produce a high value concentrate. The reagents, namely xanthate, AP 404 and AF 65 will be added to the mill. A review of the CAPEX and OPEX for various processing options indicated that the most promising approach at this stage of the study is to produce a gold-rich concentrate ( 20 g/t Au) and ship/sell it to a processing facility in Nevada. Capital Costs An initial capital expenditure of $226.5 million (including 20% contingency) has been estimated to construct the Project. Due to the use of contract mining and the 10 years life of the plant, sustaining capital has not been considered in this study. Maintenance is considered to be within the operating expenses. The capital cost estimate is based on an open pit mining and flotation mill operation processing 2.9 mtpa utilizing contract mining. Capital costs are based published industry averages in the US and are shown in the table below. Table 4. Order of Magnitude Capital Cost Estimate Capital Costs $M Process Capital Cost Mine Model $ 131.7 Preproduction and Facilities $ 57.0 Capex summary $ 188.7 Contingency (20%) $ 37.7 Total Capex $ 226.5 Operating Costs The Project is modelled as an open pit mine utilizing contract mining with mined material trucked to a plant for crushing, milling, and flotation concentration. The PEA contemplates the production and sale of a high-grade concentrate to a local 3rd party pressure oxidation refinery for final processing. Costs for transportation, oxidation, leaching, refining, and profit for a 3rd party is included in the operating cost. Operating costs for the life-of-mine are estimated at $1,077.5 million ($875.0/oz produced). Cash costs over that time are estimated at $1,464.0 million ($ 1,188/oz produced) and include operating costs, refining charges, and royalties. Table 5. Operating Cost Estimate Operating Costs $/tonne Mined LOM ($M) $/oz Au Produced Mining to Process $ 3.54 $ 107.4 $ 87.2 Mining Waste $ 3.54 $ 507.4 $ 412.1 Processing $ 13.25 $ 402.0 $ 369.6 Mine Site G&A $ 2.00 $ 60.7 $ 49.3 Total Operating Costs: $ 1,077.5 $ 875.0 Transportation and Refining $ 10.00 $ 303.4 $ 246.4 Royalties 3 % $ 83.0 $ 67.5 Total Cash Costs: $ 1,464.0 $ 1,188.9 Mineral Resource Estimate The PEA is supported by the 2024 Updated Mineral Resource Estimate ("2024 MRE") produced by APEX Geoscience Ltd. of Edmonton, Alberta, with an effective date of September 1, 2024. Table 6. Fondaway Canyon Global Mineral Resource Estimate Classification Au cutoff (g/t) Category Tonnes Au (ounces) Au (g/t) Au (opt) Indicated 0.3 Open Pit (OP) 13,518,000 648,000 1.49 0.043 Inferred 0.3/1.75 OP + UG 44,829,000 1,670,100 1.16 0.034 The PEA solely utilized the open pit mineral resources of the Central zone as a basis for the economic model. The PEA did not include the additional 335,000 Inferred mineral resources reported outside of this zone, consisting of the Central zone's underground and all other open pit Inferred resources reporting along the Fondaway canyon gold corridor. Table 7. Fondaway Canyon Mineral Resource Estimate* by Zone Classification Zone Au cutoff (g/t) Category Tonnes Au (ounces) Au (g/t) Au (opt) Indicated Central 0.3 Open Pit 13,518,000 648,000 1.49 0.043 Central 1.75 Open Pit 37,983,000 1,334,900 1.09 0.032 Mid Realm - South Mouth 0.3 Open Pit 2,516,000 77,000 0.95 0.028 Inferred Silica Ridge - Hamburger Hill (HH) 0.3 Open Pit 2,977,000 139,000 1.45 0.042 Central / Silica Ridge - HH 0.3 Underground (UG) 1,353,000 119,200 2.74 0.080 Total Inferred: 0.3 / 1.75 OP & UG 44,829,000 1,670,100 1.16 0.034 *Notes on the 2024 Mineral Resource Estimate are provided below. Oxide Cap In addition, the 2024 MRE delineated a significant near surface oxide cap to the mineral resource in Table 89. Table 8. Fondaway Canyon Mineral Resource Estimate* by Type Classification Type Au cutoff (g/t) Category Tonnes Au (ounces) Au (g/t) Au (opt) Indicated Oxide 0.3 Open Pit (OP) 1,902,000 75,500 1.23 0.036 Sulphide 0.3 Open Pit 11,616,000 572,500 1.53 0.045 Inferred Oxide 0.3 Open Pit 3,848,000 129,200 1.04 0.030 Sulphide 0.3/1.75 OP + UG 40,981,000 1,540,900 1.17 0.034 The full documentation for the 2024 MRE will be reported within the forthcoming PEA. Notes on the Mineral Resource Estimate: Mineral Resources, which are not Mineral Reserves, do not have demonstrated economic viability. There has been insufficient exploration to define the Inferred Resources tabulated above as an Indicated or Measured Mineral Resource, however, it is reasonably expected that the majority of the Inferred Mineral Resources could be upgraded to Indicated Mineral Resources with continued exploration. There is no guarantee that any part of the Mineral Resources discussed herein will be converted into a Mineral Reserve in the future. The estimate of Mineral Resources may be materially affected by environmental, permitting, legal, marketing, or other relevant issues. The Mineral Resources herein were estimated using the Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy and Petroleum standards on mineral resources and reserves, definitions, and guidelines prepared by the CIM standing committee on reserve definitions and adopted by the CIM council (CIM 2014 and 2019). The Mineral Resources Estimate is underpinned by data from 527 reverse circulation and diamond drillholes totaling 55,870m of drilling that intersected the mineralized domains. The mineral resource is reported at a lower cut-off of 0.3 g/t Au for the conceptual open pit and 1.75 g/t Au for the conceptual underground extraction scenario. The lower cut-off grades and potential mining scenarios were calculated using the following parameters: mining cost = US$2.70 /t (open pit); G&A = US$2.00 /t; processing cost = US$15.00 /t; recoveries = 92%, gold price = US$1,950.00 /oz; royalties = 1%; and minimum mining widths = 1.5 metres (underground) in order to meet the requirement that the reported Mineral Resources show "reasonable prospects for eventual economic extraction". Original Au assays were composited to 1.5 m with 12,553 composites generated overall in the mineralized domains including 10,632 composites generated for the Central Zone, 1,267 for the Mid-Realm / South Mouth Zone, and 654 for the Silica Ridge / Hamburger Hill Zone. Grade interpolation was performed by ordinary kriging (OK) using 1.5 metre composites (block size of 3m x 3m x 3m ). A density of 2.74 g/cm3 was used for the mineralized zones. The mineral resources estimate is categorized as indicated or inferred and classified based on data density, data quality, confidence in the geological interpretation and confidence in the robustness of the grade interpolation. The indicated category was defined by a search ellipse extending 55m along the major axis, 40m along the minor axis, and 10m vertical. In addition, a minimum of 3 drill holes were required, reporting 9 samples with a maximum of 3 samples per drill hole. The inferred category was defined using a search of up to 120 m and requiring at least 1 sample per drillhole from a minimum of 2 drillholes. High-grade capping supported by statistical analysis was completed on composite data for each zone and was established at 32 g/t Au for the Central Zone, no Au cap for the Mid Realm - South Mouth Zone, and 10.0 g/t Au for the Silica Ridge Hamburger Hill Zone. The MRE blocks that make up the oxide component of the In Pit resource are within the overall conceptual pit shape defined by the parameters for the unoxidized material. The number of metric tonnes was rounded to the nearest thousand and gold ounces was rounded to the nearest hundred, and any discrepancies in the totals are due to rounding effects. Metal content is presented in troy ounces (tonnes x grade (g/t) / 31.10348). The author is not aware of any known environmental, permitting, legal, title-related, taxation, socio-political or marketing issues or any other relevant issue not reported in the technical report that could materially affect the mineral resource estimate. The Qualified Persons The independent and qualified person for the mineral resource estimate, as defined by NI 43-101, is Michael Dufresne, P.Geol., P.Geo., from APEX Geoscience Ltd. The qualified person overseeing the minable resource estimate used for the economic analysis is Jonathan R. Heiner, SME-RM, from Forte Dynamics, Inc. The qualified person overseeing the metallurgical testing and mineral processing is Deepak Malhotra, SME-RM, from Forte Dynamics, Inc. The qualified person overseeing the overall Preliminary Assessment and the economic analysis is Donald E. Hulse, SME-RM, from Forte Dynamics, Inc. The Qualified Person (as defined in NI 43-101) who reviewed and approved the scientific and technical information in the news release is Scott Frostad, P.Geo., VP Exploration at Getchell Gold Corp. and is non-independent. About Getchell Gold Corp. The Company is a Nevada focused gold and copper exploration company trading on the CSE: GTCH, OTCQB: GGLDF, and FWB: GGA1. Getchell Gold is primarily directing its efforts on its most advanced stage asset, Fondaway Canyon, a past gold producer with a large mineral resource estimate. Complementing Getchell's asset portfolio is Dixie Comstock, a past gold producer with a historic resource, and the high-grade Star (Cu-Au-Ag) projects. For further information please visit the Company's website at www.getchellgold.com or contact the Company at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . The Canadian Securities Exchange has not reviewed this press release and does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release. Certain information contained herein constitutes "forward-looking information" under Canadian securities legislation. Forward-looking information includes, but is not limited to, statements with respect to the Preliminary Economic Assessment, Mineral Resource Estimate and future planned activities. Generally, forward-looking information can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "will" or variations of such words and phrases or statements that certain actions, events or results "will" 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 to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements or forward-looking information. Although management of Getchell have 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 will not update any forward-looking statements or forward-looking information that are incorporated by reference herein, except as required by applicable securities laws. Voislav Torden, formerly known as Jan Petrovski, was arrested at Helsinki-Vantaa Airport in the summer of 2023 during a routine check as he was about to board a flight to Nice, southern France. He had previously lived in Norway but was deported from the country in 2016 when his permanent residence permit was revoked. According to Norwegian authorities, he posed a serious threat to national interests. According to the indictment issued by the Finnish office of the prosecutor, Torden, 37, has allegedly committed war crimes when he and his soldiers in the paramilitary group Rusich killed 22 Ukrainian soldiers, injured four, and mutilated one during an ambush attack in eastern Ukraine in 2014. The prosecutor believes that Torden, as the alleged deputy leader of Rusich, led the attack. The Sabotaged Assault Reconnaissance Group, known as Rusich, fought in the Russian-backed separatist areas in Luhansk, in the Donbas region of Eastern Ukraine, when war started there in 2014 at the same time as Russia annexed Crimea. This militia is reported to have links to the notorious Russian Wagner group and is designated as a terrorist organization in Ukraine. The group has been noted for its brutality and use of Nazi symbols. Tordens trial opened before the Helsinki district court on December 5. The events that the trial revolves around occurred near the village of Tsvitni Pisky on September 5, 2014. The group is said to have placed a Ukrainian flag at a roadblock to deceive Ukrainian soldiers in a convoy into stopping. When the soldiers from the Aidar battalion approached, Rusich's men allegedly opened fire on them with automatic weapons and fired a rocket that destroyed the vehicles. 21 Ukrainian soldiers died in the attack, and one later succumbed to his injuries. Four soldiers were seriously injured. The prosecutor claims that Rusich executed at least four of the killed soldiers while they were lying injured on the ground. The four who survived the attack were spared because they could be exchanged in a prisoner swap. In addition, Torden is accused of allowing another injured soldier to be desecrated by having the group's symbol carved into his face. He is also said to have posed with dead soldiers, including those who had just been executed, in photos that were circulated on social media, sending the message that Rusich neither showed mercy nor took prisoners. He is charged with five war crimes. The defense denies everything Tordens lawyer Heikki Lampela argues that the entire indictment is based on misunderstandings and false evidence. The defense claims that Torden did not participate in the ambush but was on site to record a propaganda video with a journalist. According to the defense, the desecration of an injured soldier never occurred. The marks on the soldier's face have been explained as dirt, not intentional actions. The photos that allegedly show Torden with dead soldiers are said to have been manipulated or misinterpreted by the prosecution. Regarding the claims that Torden denied mercy and advocated executions, the defense argues that he was simply relaying orders from the groups leader for propaganda purposes. The prosecutors evidence consists mainly of videos and documentation that Rusich itself published online. The material, according to the prosecutor, clearly shows the groups violent actions and Tordens leading role. The defense questions the authenticity of the material and points out that other fighting units, such as the Zorja battalion, may have been behind the attack. Ukraine is denied extradition Ukraine had previously requested that Torden be extradited to the country and held accountable there. In Finland, the matter was brought before the Supreme Court, which ruled that an extradition was not possible. In its decision the Supreme Court referred the view of the European Court of Human Rights, which stated that the conditions in a certain Ukrainian pre-trial detention facility violated Article 3 of the European Convention on Human Rights, which prohibits torture. This prison was located in the same region where Torden would also have been transferred, according to Ukrainian authorities. Tordens case is not about Russian crimes committed in Ukraine after the full-scale invasion of the Russian army in February 2022. But he is the first Russian combatant to be tried before a court outside Ukraine for war crimes committed in this country since 2014. During the first part of the proceedings the court has reviewed evidence, such as the video recordings. Victims and surviving Ukrainian soldiers are being heard this month. Closing arguments will take place at the end of January. But a key moment in the trial will be on January 23 when Torden himself will testify publicly for the first time. Twenty-five families of victims and survivors of apartheid-era crimes are suing the South African government over a "gross failure" to investigate and prosecute perpetrators, said the rights group representing victims on Thursday. The suit filed Monday at the Pretoria High Court targets President Cyril Ramaphosa, the justice and police ministers and the heads of the public prosecutor service and national police, according to documents shared by the Foundation for Human Rights (FHR). A Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) established to after apartheid ended in 1994 granted hundreds of amnesties but also recommended prosecutions in more than 300 cases, most of which were never pursued. The victims' relatives include the son of Fort Calata, one of the so-called Cradock Four anti-apartheid activists who were abducted and murdered in June 1985. They are "seeking constitutional damages for the government's gross failure to adequately investigate and prosecute apartheid-era political crimes", FHR said in a statement. "They also seek an order compelling the president to establish an independent and public commission of inquiry into the political interference that resulted in the suppression of several hundred serious crimes arising from South Africa's past," it said. Lukhanyo Calata, whose father Fort was burnt and stabbed to death, said in a statement the families had been "denied our constitutional right to justice" because successive governments had "failed to implement the recommendations of the TRC's Amnesty Committee". Critics had long suspected a secret agreement to avoid prosecutions between the post-apartheid leadership of the African National Congress and former white minority government. The deal was confirmed in a 2021 statement by the foundation of the country's final white president FW de Klerk. Housing minister Thembi Nkadimeng, who was also once the justice minister, is among the applicants in the latest case. Her sister Nokuthula Simelane, killed in 1983, was believed to have been abducted and tortured by security forces. The trial for Simelane's murder, first opened in 2016, has been postponed repeatedly. Thursday, January 23, 2025 - Chaos erupted in Mathare slums after police officers tried to retrieve the body of a middle-aged man who was stabbed to death by thugs while taking his son to school on Monday morning. The angry residents chased away the cops, forcing one of the cops to hop onto a motorbike and flee for her dear life. The residents have been keeping the body to protest against the rising insecurity in the informal settlement. They also accuse police of colluding with thugs, some of whom are well-known in the area. Watch video. A female police officer hops onto a motorbike and flees for her dear life after Mathare residents almost lynched her pic.twitter.com/sh2lzWb3iR DAILY POST (@dailypost_ke) January 23, 2025 The Kenyan DAILY POST. Thursday, January 23, 2025 - A newborn baby has been rescued after she was found dumped in a thicket. The incident happened in Kinoo and according to reports, passersby spotted the baby crying. She had been carefully wrapped in a shawl and dumped in the thickets. The little angel was taken to the hospital for medical checkup as the police search for the mother. See photos. The Kenyan DAILY POST. Thursday, January 23, 2025 - A 2-year-old boy, and a man, 41, have been stabbed to death after a suspected asylum seeker armed with a knife ambushed a nursery group in Germany. The child and adult were killed in Schontal Park, located in the Bavarian town of Aschaffenburg, Germany, at around 11:45am. On Wednesday, Jan. 22. Local police said: "A 28-year-old man from Afghanistan was arrested close to the crime scene." According to Spiegel, the suspected perpetrator is a male asylum seeker who is said to have had mental health problems. The news outlet reported the Afghan's name is Enamullah O., and said he was born in 1997 and lives in an asylum accommodation in the region. Investigators say he had already shown psychological problems in the past. The suspect had allegedly been following a daycare group of five young children before launching the attack, according to Main-Echo. An eyewitness told the Main-Echo newspaper that the arrested man was taken away "in a headlock." Cops confirmed that two people had d!ed while two others were seriously injured in the attack, and are now being treated in hospital. "Two people were fatally injured," police said, while "two seriously injured people are receiving treatment in hospital. "The suspect was arrested near the crime scene." A second person arrested was a witness and was being questioned, police said. "There are no indications of other suspects" and no further danger to the public, they added. Police also said investigations into the "background of the crime" were ongoing. Main-Echo reported that teachers from an Aschaffenburg daycare centre were out on a local trip to Schontal with five small children. "The attacker is said to have followed this group. The teachers noticed this and they wanted to leave Schontal," the news site said. "When they wanted to leave, the man is said to have attacked the group with a knife. He was apparently specifically targeting the children. "One teacher suffered injuries and is now in hospital, another is receiving psychological care. "The other children have now been picked up by their parents and are receiving psychological care." In a press release following the incident, Lower Franconia Police confirmed: "The Aschaffenburg police, with the support of surrounding departments, launched a large-scale search for the suspect immediately after the incident became known. "The 28-year-old was arrested in the immediate vicinity. The suspected weapon used in the crime, a knife, was confiscated." The governor of Bavaria condemned the attack and called it "a terrible day for all of Bavaria." "We mourn the victims of a cowardly and despicable act. We mourn the loss of a small, innocent child who was fatally injured," Markus Soder wrote on X. "We mourn the loss of a helper who paid for his civil courage with his own life." "The circumstances of this inconceivable act must be fully clarified," he added. "But now is the time to pause for thought. It simply hurts. We pray for the victims and their families. We hope that all those injured recover quickly and fully." The suspect is believed to have tried to escape by running across nearby railway tracks, German newspaper Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung reported. Police have asked for witnesses to come forward and share any relevant pictures or videos as the investigation into the attack continues. Thursday, January 23, 2025 - Southport murderer, Axel Rudakubana will today receive a life sentence for the killings of three girls and attempts to murder 10 more people. Rudakubana, 18, stabbed and killed the girls, aged between six and nine, with a 20cm-long kitchen knife as he ambushed a Taylor Swift-themed dance class in Southport, Merseyside. Wearing a surgical face mask while armed with the blade, he travelled five miles from his family home to the studio where he carried out the attack. Bebe King, six, Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven, and Alice da Silva Aguiar, nine, all died and eight more children aged between seven and 13 suffered knife wounds, as did dance teacher Leanne Lucas while trying to protect the children. The teenager pleaded guilty to the murder of the three children as well as the attempted murders of eight others. He also admitted to the production of a biological toxin and possession of information likely to be useful to a person committing or preparing to commit an act of terrorism. He also pleaded guilty to possession of a knife. One parent of a child who survived the attack called for him to face a whole-life tariff, saying: Why should he be spared a whole-life tariff when he hasnt spared a thought for any of the victims families? Life should mean life. The teen, who was not an illegal immigrant but was born in Cardiff to Christian parents who came legitimately to Britain from Rwanda Earlier this week, Sir Keir Starmer announced a public inquiry into the horror - and said failings by the state 'leap off the page'. Back at Liverpool Crown Court on Thursday morning, he is set to be sentenced for a total of 16 charges. Thursday, January 23, 2025 - Githunguri MP Gathoni wa Muchomba has lashed out at President William Ruto, accusing him of launching a fake sugarcane bonus program in Mumias. Taking to her X account, the legislator took the president to task, questioning whether the bonus initiative was a lifeline extended to all sugar companies in Western Kenya or merely a golden ticket reserved for Mumias alone. Wamuchomba, who is an ally of former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, went further, poking holes in the initiatives authenticity, declaring it was not a government-endorsed project. She noted that as an elected representative, she could not recall a single parliamentary session where funds for sugar bonuses were discussed, let alone approved. Hi guys, I dont know much about sugar farming. But I saw a bonus launch for Mumias sugar farmers. Was it a government Initiative? So will all other sugar companies in western Kenya get it and when? I dont remember passing any bonus funds in parliamentary budgets, she said. Though she confessed her limited grasp of sugar farming, Wamuchomba made it clear her curiosity had been piqued by the grandiose launch. She also drew attention to a lingering promise made by the presidentthat debts strangling both the coffee and sugar sectors would be written off. According to her, while the sugar sector may have seen some movement, coffee farmers remain shackled by unfulfilled pledges. All I recall is that the president vowed to clear all debts tied to coffee and sugar factories. But for coffee farmers, the promise remains just thata promise! she added. The Kenyan DAILY POST. Thursday, January 23, 2025 - A dog owner was found eaten by her pet pugs after she died in her apartment and was undiscovered for days. Adriana Neagoe, 34, from Bucharest, Romania, was discovered lifeless at home by police after she had not been heard from for five days. Police arrived at the flat in Targu Jiu with a relative and found Adriana, who went by Anda Sasha, lifeless with her two pugs beside her. They said that it was clear the unfed dogs had already begun to eat at her corpse. Ambulance crews confirmed Adriana's death, noting that there were no apparent signs of violence. Her body was transported to the Gorj Forensic Medicine Service for an autopsy to determine her cause of death. 'Another angel has gone to heaven,' her sister, Maria Alexandra, said in a heartbreaking post on social media, confirming the death. 'My beautiful sister Anda Sasha is no longer among us.' Police have opened an investigation and are exploring all avenues to figure out what happened to Anda. Due to the position she was found in, there were signs of cadaveric livity, also known as livor mortis. Officers went to the flat after receiving a call from a relative expressing concern that Adriana was not answering her phone and had not answered the door in nearly a week. They said the relative went with them to the flat, where they made the horrifying discovery. According to police, firefighters helped to force the locked door of the woman's home open. After finding Adriana, police issued a shelter order for the two dogs, and they were taken by workers from the Gorj County Council. People on social media were quick to offer their condolences to Anda's family and expressed their shock. Daniel said: 'Condolences, I can't believe it. I am so sorry.' Roby added: 'What is this life, today you are and tomorrow you are not. What a pity for her youth. May God rest her soul in peace.' 'I don't believe what just happened,' said Alysa. Mara also wrote: 'I am devastated! May God protect her and give you the strength to overcome. Please let me know if I can help with anything. Condolences.' Elena said: 'My deepest condolences to you! I am in shock! What happened to her?' Thursday, January 23, 2025 - Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi has refuted claims that President William Rutos administration plans to delay the 2027 General Election. This follows the delayed reconstitution of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC). Speaking in Western Kenya, Mudavadi noted that a section of the political class was pushing the narrative that Ruto was against the reconstitution of the electoral commission. While terming the claims false, Mudavadi told residents that the Kenya Kwanza administration was ready to form the body expected to oversee the 2027 polls. While insisting that Ruto had no ulterior motives in the IEBC debate, Mudavadi pointed an accusing finger at some political class members whom he maintained had stalled the process through court processes. Mudavadi thus challenged those who had moved to court to challenge the reconstitution process to withdraw their cases and pave the way for its formation. He made it clear that Ruto could not violate the constitution by bypassing the court and forcing the reconstitution of IEBC. People have been lying that Ruto has refused to reconstitute IEBC. These guys have gone to court to block the formation. Now I want to inform you that Ruto has not gone to court to block the IEBC reconstition process. I urge those who have gone to court to withdraw their cases so that Ruto can reconstitute IEBC because this is a democratic country and Ruto cannot bypass the court processes, Mudavadi stated. Watu wasilete uongo eti serikali ya Ruto haitaki uchaguzi (So people should not lie that Ruto does not intend to hold the elections), he added. The IEBC debate had been making headlines with several leaders calling for the urgent reconstitution of the electoral body. The Kenyan DAILY POST. Thursday, January 23, 2025 - Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has warned the Mulembe Nation against trusting President William Ruto. In the recent past, the president has been making visits to Luhya land, promising government goodies, perhaps to woo the voters as he seeks re-election in 2027. Reacting to Ruto's routine tours of Western Kenya, Gachagua claimed the former was only baiting the region to vote for him in 2027. According to Gachagua, Ruto would ditch the region as soon as he was sworn in for his second term. He said the pattern would be similar to that of Mt Kenya, where Ruto has seemed to abandon; he was in Mt Kenya in November last year. "I want to tell the people of Western Kenya to be very careful and learn from us. The President was here for five years, spending six days a week in the Mt. Kenya region, which is how he convinced us to vote for him. "You are just being wooed the same way he wooed Mt. Kenya region. Now, he no longer comes here because we know him, he cannot use the same tactics again. "He was in church every Sunday and knew every road by name. But now, he has disappeared because the people of Mt. Kenya knows him. "He deceived and conned us, we have seen that script before," Gachagua said in a TikTok interview on Thursday. The Kenyan DAILY POST. Thursday, January 23, 2025 - Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has revealed why Public Service Cabinet Secretary Justin Muturi has been attacking President William Rutos administration. Speaking on a TikTok live session on Thursday, Gachagua said Ruto and Muturi fell out this month after Embu county residents rejected the Presidents condolence message during the burial of Eric Mutugi, son of former Embu Senator Lenny Kivuti During the burial, Mourners shouted down Muturi when he attempted to read the Head of State's condolence message. Gachagua claimed that Ruto wrote condescending messages to the CS following the incident, accusing him of inciting the people. "It is unnecessary to harass Muturi. They're saying that he's the one who organized people to reject Ruto's condolence message. "That is not true, CS Muturi was abused by the president," Gachagua said. "He wrote very offensive messages, accusing him of inciting people. "That is unfair to the CS. It is the people of the mountain who were rejected because of betrayal and deception," Gachagua added. The Kenyan DAILY POST. Thursday, January 23, 2025 Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has continued his tirade against President William Ruto, accusing him of not meaning well for Kenyans. Speaking during a live TikTok stream on Thursday morning, Gachagua revealed that Ruto ignored an option to upgrade the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF) with a paltry Ksh800 million and went for Social Health Authority (SHA) at the total cost of Ksh110.9 billion (Ksh6.1 billion for SHA system and Ksh104.8 billion for supporting technology infrastructure). According to Gachagua, under the proposed changes to revamp NHIF, Kenyans would pay Ksh300 to cover the whole family. While criticising Rutos pet project, which has been plagued by challenges since its rollout in October last year, Gachagua described it as rushed and poorly implemented. According to experts, it was possible to reform and improve NHIF at a cost of about Ksh800 million, he revealed. The former second in command, who has been more vocal since he was bundled out of office in October, questioned the need for a new healthcare system being deployed under SHA for Ksh104 billion. According to him, Kenya Kwanza's initial plan was to reduce family healthcare contributions from Ksh500 to Ksh300 while expanding coverage to include all illnesses and chronic conditions. The program was good in concept, but the implementation has been very wanting. It was rushed without sufficient consultation with stakeholders, Gachagua noted. We wanted to reduce the monthly payments to Ksh300 to cover the whole family, he added. Ruto has remained bullish over SHA despite the criticism, insisting SHA is working. However, Gachagua now says it is not too late to revert to NHIF. The Kenyan DAILY POST. Thursday, January 23, 2025 - Senior Counsel Paul Muite has warned President William Ruto to brace for more from the youth, popularly known as Gen Z, as they are not done yet following last years deadly protests. Taking to his X account, Muite publicly defended the Gen Z protesters, asserting that they were too well-educated to be manipulated into violence during demonstrations. The veteran lawyer emphasized that young protesters are capable of making independent decisions and do not need anyone, not even former President Uhuru Kenyatta, to incite them to violence. This comes days after Ruto and his allies accused Uhuru of inciting Gen Zs to fight the Kenya Kwanza government. Uhuru urged them to continue fighting for their rights. Muite argued that the demonstrations stem from legitimate concerns regarding governance and economic issues, countering claims that Gen Zs are coerced into participating in protests. Gen-Zs are educated, able to make decisions, and beyond incitement to violence by anyone, Muite said, challenging narratives that have portrayed young protesters as easily manipulated. According to Muite, the youths peaceful demonstrations are focused on four key demands: accountability in public spending, job creation, an end to forced disappearances and extrajudicial killings, and respect for constitutional order. The Kenyan DAILY POST. Thursday, January 23, 2025 - President William Ruto took a swipe at former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, describing him as incompetent, corrupt and lazy Speaking in Luanda, Vihiga County yesterday, Ruto noted that Gachagua was unable to perform his duties and thats why he had him impeached. He also accused the former DP of being tribal, saying his nefarious plans flopped following his impeachment from office. "There are some people who we gave them work and because of incompetence, not understanding anything, theft, conmanship, corruption, hatred, their plan and work flopped," he stated. "I want to tell them that they will continue failing because Kenya does not have any space for people who are corrupt, do not know how to work and are tribalists." At the same time, Ruto warned Gachagua and his team that they would not succeed given that they were only focused on causing divisions among Kenyans. "We have no time for tribalist people who are incompetent and those who want to divide our nation into ethnic, parochial, and personal lines," Ruto remarked. "We are united as a people and Kenya is going to march forward as one indivisible country." Ruto made the remarks days after Gachagua claimed that Ruto was behind the shareholding narrative that he often referred to in his speeches. As claimed by Gachagua, Ruto often told him what to say during public events. The Kenyan DAILY POST. Thursday, January 23, 2025 - A police officer is nursing injuries after his left hand was chopped off during a violent protest by residents of Duka Moja. The incident occurred along the Narok-Kisii road as police attempted to restore order after locals blocked the road for hours. The protest erupted following an incident on Thursday night in which a Toyota Prado, en route to Kisii, hit and killed over 40 sheep. The demonstrators, enraged by the loss, attacked two police officers dispatched to the scene. One officer was brutally assaulted, his arm severed, and his firearm stolen. According to witnesses, residents chased the officer as he fled, beating him with clubs and machetes before chopping off his hand. See his photos below. The Kenyan DAILY POST. Thursday, January 23, 2025 - Three suspects accused of robbing two Russian nationals of Ksh 2.5 million after allegedly luring them into a trap while posing as Airbnb hosts were on Wednesday arraigned at the Shanzu Law Courts. The suspects, identified as Mutegi Mbeti, Dickson Otwera Tunya, and Humphrey Nyairo Nyachwaya, are alleged to have executed the scam on Sunday, January 19, 2025, in Bamburi, Mombasa. The trio reportedly posed as accommodating hosts to deceive the unsuspecting tourists before threatening them with weapons and forcing them to part with both cash and online transfers. Police reports indicate that the victims were coerced into transferring approximately 1,986,410 Russian Rubles electronically, along with surrendering physical cash amounts of 1,500 Russian Rubles, 120 Dirhams, and Ksh 45,000. Detectives revealed that the suspects are part of a larger criminal ring running an elaborate online dating scheme in collaboration with foreign accomplices, targeting international clients and funneling stolen funds into offshore accounts. The court granted investigators three days to finalize their inquiries as authorities work to uncover the broader operations of the syndicate. The Kenyan DAILY POST. Thursday, January 23, 2025 - The Nashville school shooter who killed a teenage girl before turning the gun on himself has been identified as 17-year-old Solomon Henderson. He allegedly left a dark trail of hateful online postings and appeared to be a self-loathing incel, according to the Anti-Defamation League. Solomon Henderson expressed a wide array of troubling views in a purported manifesto and on social media before gunning down 16-year-old Josselin Corea Escalante at Antioch High School on Wednesday, Jan. 22, ADL representative Carla Hill told The Post Wednesday night. What happens on the incel forums is that people of colour are told the only reason theyre incels is because of their colour and so it pushes them toward other extreme ideology that he apparently took on, Hill said. He picked up antisemitism, he posted a lot of anti-black content because of that internalized racism, said Hill, who is senior director of investigative research at the organization. Metro Nashville police said Wednesday night that investigators were probing very concerning online writings and social media posts as they attempt to determine a motive behind the attack that was partially streamed online. Josselin Corea Escalante was fatally shot inside the cafeteria of the school and another student was injured after being grazed in the arm. Henderson then fatally shot himself. Alleged online writings reviewed by outlets included Henderson stating that he was ashamed to be black, WTVF reported. Other materials tied to Henderson obtained included a layout of Antioch High School, photos of handguns and cartridges to load the weapon. Henderson also posted antisemitic writings and posted a flyer from the Goyim Defense League, which is a neo-Nazi white supremacy group, WTVF reported. I was so miserable. I wanted to kill myself, he also allegedly wrote at one point. I just couldnt take anymore. I am a worthless subhuman, a living breathing disgrace. All my (in real life) friends outgrew me act like they didnt fking know me. Being me was so fking humiliating. Thats why I spend all day dissociating. He also had a photo of the Covenant School shooter who killed three children and three staffers in 2023 before also killing herself. Purported writings made by Henderson included statements against race-mixing with a desire to take revenge on society. Henderson also had statements praising Adolf Hitler and jarring photos from past school shootings. The ADL Center on Extremism reviewed the purported manifesto and social media posts from the shooter, as well as a forum he allegedly participated in that promoted white supremacy and accelerationism, which is the desire to see a hastening to the collapse of modern society, according to the civil rights organization. Hes in an incel forum thats telling him hes an incel because hes black, no one wants you because youre black, Hill, of the ADL, said of one online space. Henderson was also part of a g0re forum where mass killers of all ideologies are often celebrated, including the recent Madison, Wisconsin shooter, according to the ADL. The shooter partially livestreamed the shooting on the online platform Kick, according to the company. Watch a video of the aftermath of the shooting below. Thursday, January 23, 2025 - Iraq's parliament has reportedly passed several laws including the one that will effectively legalise child marriage for girls as young as nine. According to Mail Online, the amendments to Iraq's personal status law will give Islamic courts increased authority over family matters, including marriage, divorce, and inheritance. Iraqi law currently sets 18 as the minimum age of marriage in most cases, but the changes passed on Tuesday, January 21, would let clerics rule according to their interpretation of Islamic law. Some of these interpretations allow the marriage of girls in their early teens or as young as nine under the Ja'afari school of Islamic law followed by many Shiite religious authorities in Iraq. Proponents of the changes, which were advocated by primarily conservative Shiite lawmakers, defend them as a means to align the law with Islamic principles and reduce Western influence on Iraqi culture. But Intisar al-Mayali, a human rights activist and a member of the Iraqi Women's League, said passage of the civil status law amendments 'will leave disastrous effects on the rights of women and girls through the marriage of girls at an early age'. 'This violates their right to life as children, and will disrupt the protection mechanisms for divorce, custody, and inheritance for women,' the activist declared. The parliamentary session which saw the passage of the amendments ended in chaos and accusations of procedural violations. 'Half of the lawmakers present in the session did not vote, which broke the legal quorum,' a parliamentary official said on condition of anonymity because he was not authorised to comment publicly. After the session, a number of legislators reportedly complained about the voting process, under which all three controversial laws, each of which was supported by different blocs were voted on together. 'Regarding the civil status law, we are strongly supporting it and there were no issues with that,' said Raid al Maliki, an independent MP. 'But it was combined with other laws to be voted on together... and this might lead to a legal appeal at the Federal Court.' Parliament Speaker Mahmoud al-Mashhadani in a statement praised the laws' passage as an important step in the process of enhancing justice and organising the daily lives of citizens. The parliament also passed a general amnesty law that is seen as benefiting Sunni detainees and has been criticised as giving a pass to people involved in corruption and embezzlement. The chamber passed a land restitution law aimed at addressing Kurdish territorial claims. The proposed amendments to the law were first announced in August. With many Iraqi marriages conducted informally and left unregistered, the revisions will allow figures from Sunni and Shia religious sects to finalise unions between people in law. The law previously stated that marriage requires 'a sound mind and completing 18 years of age', with provisions for women fleeing abuse in annulling a contract. Fifteen-year-olds could submit a marriage request, which judges could choose to approve if they deem the individual well and obtain their legal guardian's consent. A judge could permit the marriage of a 15-year-old 'if he finds this absolutely necessary', the law stated, without providing further details. Under the new laws, marrying Muslim couples would choose either a Sunni or Shia sect, who would be able to represent them in 'all matters of personal status' rather than the civil judiciary. 'When a dispute occurs between the spouses regarding the doctrine according to whose provisions the marriage contract was concluded, the contract is deemed to have been concluded in accordance with the husband's doctrine unless evidence exists to the contrary,' the draft says. And figures from the offices of each 'endowment' would be able to finalise marriages, rather than the courts. This may also see unregistered marriages more than a fifth of which involve girls under 14 - legitimised by the state. Thursday, January 23, 2025 Celebrated city lawyer Danstan Omari has officially joined politics ahead of the 2027 General Election. This is after he declared his intention to run for a political seat in Nairobi come 2027. Speaking during an interview, Omari officially declared his intention to enter the complex world of Nairobi politics, announcing his candidacy for the position of Senator for the capital city. Omari expressed belief that Nairobi requires a strong and capable leader, confidently asserting that he is the ideal candidate for the role. ''Nairobi needs a solid person to be the Senator. Sifuna is a solid person, however, over the years, we have seen the people at the helm shift between senatorial and gubernatorial roles, from the days of Sonko, Sakaja, and the rest,'' stated Omari. Furthermore, the lawyer revealed that his sights are not only set on the senatorial seat but also on the governorship, as he plans to vie for the position in 2032. When asked about potentially competing with incumbent Senator Edwin Sifuna, Omari suggested that Sifuna should consider running for Governor instead. ''Therefore, this is the perfect time for Sifuna to pursue the gubernatorial role. I will be in the race to take over from him so that in 2032, I can be the Governor,'' he added. Omari also criticised Sifuna for failing to effectively fulfill his mandate, accusing him of neglecting oversight responsibilities concerning Governor Johnson Sakaja's management of the city. ''Nairobi needs a solid, focused, and articulate leader. This is the city of Africa where the Head of State resides,'' he added. The lawyer also declined to disclose the political party under which he plans to contest, stating that he is open to vying under any party. At 60 years old, Omari has spent over a decade in the corridors of justice, representing clients in high-profile cases alongside other prominent lawyers. The Kenyan DAILY POST. Thursday, January 23, 2025 - Former Vice President Kalonzo Musyoka has alleged that President William Rutos administration is registering ghost voters to rig the 2027 presidential election. Speaking at the Wiper National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting, Kalonzo alleged that President Ruto's government plans to register foreign nationals as voters to secure an early victory in the 2027 elections. "And we hope William Ruto's administration is not going to register aliens. We suspect there could be plans underfoot to register non-Kenyans as voters in the country," Kalonzo said. During the meeting, Kalonzo questioned the source of the Sh150 million President Ruto plans to give Mumias sugarcane farmers, noting that it is not included in the national budget. He suggested that the money appears to be either a handout or a bribe, emphasizing that if it is intended as a bonus, it should follow proper procedures. "Where are you getting this money from? It is not in our budget. It is not that Peter Salasya doesn't want his constituents to benefit, but first of all, he acknowledges that it is like a handout, like a bribe, and if it is a bonus, it needs to come through the processes," Kalonzo stated. The Kenyan DAILY POST. Tuesday, January 23, 2025 - Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has accused President William Ruto of sponsoring the return of the Mungiki group in the Mt. Kenya region. During a TikTok interview on Thursday with Kenyans living in the diaspora, Gachagua called it ironic for Kenya to send police officers to combat gangs in Haiti as part of a U.N.-backed mission while allegedly sponsoring similar groups at home to intimidate government critics. It does not make sense to send your security forces abroad to quell criminal gangs yet in your country, the government is spending resources on reviving such gangs, Gachagua said Gachagua, who was impeached last October and removed from Rutos government, further criticized the administration for what he described as efforts to silence critics, citing recent abductions of young Kenyans allegedly carried out by members of the security forces. "This administration has sunk very low. Even the British colonialists never went for our children. I feel very sorry that I was part of an administration that has turned against its people, he said. A government that cannot secure its people has no business being in power. The Kenyan DAILY POST. Thursday, January 23, 2025 - COTU boss Francis Atwoli and his family hosted President William Ruto for lunch at their Khwisero residence in Kakamega County during his development tour of Western Kenya. Ruto was welcomed by Atwoli and his relatively unknown wife, Jennifer Khainja, who prefers to stay out of the public limelight Sharing the photos on social media, Atwoli thanked the President for honouring the invite. His Excellency, the President of the Republic of Kenya, H.E @WilliamsRuto being officially received by Dr. Francis Atwoli and his family at their Khwisero residence in Kakamega County. "This follows a successful and impactful development tour of Western Kenya. "Thank you, your Excellency, for visiting and sharing a meal with us, Atwoli wrote on X. The Kenyan DAILY POST. Thursday, January 23, 2025 Wiper Leader Kalonzo Musyoka has accused President William Ruto of engaging in early 2027 campaigns disguised as nationwide tours. Speaking to the press yesterday, Kalonzo asserted that Ruto was formulating his re-election campaign strategy under the guise of uniting the nation. According to Kalonzo, there was no need for Ruto to unite the country because the nation is united as never before to dethrone him in the next polls. There is one person moving around every part of the country saying that he is uniting the nation. We want to tell President William Ruto that there is no need of talking about unifying the country around the broad-based government. "Its now official that what Ruto is trying to do is to formulate his re-election campaign strategy. We want to tell him that the country is so united more than ever before around one goal; to defeat Ruto in the next elections, Kalonzo remarked. The former vice president spoke as the Head of State was on a development tour in the Western region. Speaking in Luanda, Vihiga County, Ruto defended his decision to form a broad-based government with former Prime Minister Raila Odinga, asserting that his goal was to unite the country. The Kenyan DAILY POST. Thursday, January 23, 2025 - Two students are dead and another is wounded following a shooting on Wednesday, Jan. 22, at Antioch High School in Nashville, Tennessee, police said. The shooter opened fire in the school's cafeteria, killing one student and injuring another, before he turned the gun on himself, leading to his death. Police said the two victims were female and the shooter was a 17-year-old male. Police were called to the school at 11:11 a.m. local time, police said. The police department posted a photo to social media of officers responding. Parents were urged to not come to the school and instead to go to a hospital to reunite with their children. Nashville's school district posted a phone number that families can call for information. "The line is very busy," the school district said. "Stay on even if you don't hear a tone." Police said buses would take the students to the reunification center. Aerial footage from CBS affiliate WTVF-TV showed a crowd of people outside the hospital. Over 2,100 students are enrolled at the public high school. The shooting happened less than two years after a shooter killed three children and three adults at a private Christian elementary school in Nashville. Thursday, January 23, 2025 - Kiambu Senator Karungo Thangwa has criticized Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi, accusing him of drastically changing his behavior following the merger of the Amani National Congress (ANC) party with the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) party. In a statement, Thangwa accused Mudavadi of remaining silent when he had control of his party but became vocal after the merger. When you had your party, silence was your choice. Now that you've lost your party and merged, you're suddenly vocal, trying to appease your captors, he said. Thangwa likened Mudavadis behavior to Stockholm syndrome, implying that the Prime CS is now focused on pleasing Ruto. "This behavior resembles Stockholm syndromewhere one develops affection for their captors and seeks to please them. Your words now seem like a desperate plea for acceptance, he added. UDA officially merged with the ANC on Friday in a strategic move aimed at consolidating political influence ahead of the 2027 elections. Following the merger, Ruto will serve as the Party Leader while Deputy President Kithure Kindiki will serve as the 1st Deputy Party Leader. With Lamu Governor Issa Timamy taking up the role of the 2nd Deputy Party Leader, Embu Governor Cecily Mbarire will serve as the National Chairperson. Former Mombasa Senator Omar Hassan Omar takes on the role of Secretary General. Kelvin Lunani serves as the Vice Chairperson, Omboko Milemba as the Deputy Secretary General, Japheth Nyakundi as the National Treasurer, and Vincent Kawaya as the National Organizing Secretary. The Kenyan DAILY POST. To answer three key questions about economic globalization 13:23, January 23, 2025 By Huan Yuping ( People's Daily In the face of a sluggish world economic recovery, the rising threat of protectionism, and the widening gap between the rich and the poor, discussions around economic globalization are increasing within the international community. At the center of discussion, there are three main questions as follows. Has economic globalization stagnated or regressed? Economic globalization has not stagnated or regressed, but continues to develop against headwinds. According to the Global Trade Update published by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), global trade is on track to hit a record $33 trillion in 2024, marking a 3.3 percent annual growth. It has demonstrated strong resilience, largely driven by digital trade and trade in services. Despite unbridled unilateralism and protectionism, and some countries' obsession with "decoupling and severing supply chains" and building "small yard with high fences," the overall global landscape shows that businesses around the world continue to thrive within the interconnected supply, industrial and value chains. The World Openness Report 2024 indicates that the rise and evolution of global value chains reflect the inherent rationale of economic globalization, which is driven by digitalization, green economy, and services sector. Globally, political consensus and policy measures to promote open development are steadily increasing. The high-quality implementation of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) has delivered increasingly prominent development dividends to member countries. The Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) has not waned despite the withdrawal of some country; instead, it has attracted more countries to join. African countries are accelerating the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), which was enacted in several African nations, including South Africa, Ghana, and Kenya in 2024. The 31st APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting also reached an important consensus on upholding the multilateral trading system and advancing regional economic integration. How to view the headwinds and undertows facing economic globalization? Despite headwinds and undertows, economic globalization has always been the general trend. Historically, the global economy was thrown into disarray by two world wars, which severed international trade routes. The subsequent nearly half-century-long Cold War divided the world into two distinct camps, hindering economic exchanges and disrupting the flow of resources. However, in the long run, these disruptions did not prevent the world from returning to the path of economic globalization. This is because economic globalization is an objective requirement of growing social productive forces and a natural outcome of advancement in science and technology - a fact that no one can change. The current headwinds against economic globalization are largely a result of political shifts within a few countries and do not signify a change in the fundamental logic that economic globalization promotes global welfare. According to the World Trade Organization (WTO), between 1996 and 2021, a high trade share of GDP was strongly linked to faster economic growth in low- and middle-income economies. This fully proves that openness is the only path toward prosperity and development for every country. Today, the world is moving faster to embrace a digital, green and smart economy, building up powerful energy for further expedition of economic globalization down the road. WTO statistics show that the global exports of digitally delivered services reached $4.25 trillion in 2023, up nine percent year-on-year, accounting for a record 54.2 percent of world services exports. Besides, green and sustainable development has become a global consensus, with global annual renewable capacity additions increasing by almost 50 percent in 2023. Mark Leonard, director of the European Council on Foreign Relations, noted that due to accelerated reforms in energy and technology, the world is experiencing "re-globalization" rather than "de-globalization." How to resolve the issues and challenges brought by economic globalization? Economic globalization is at a new crossroads. It must be guided carefully to maximize its benefits and ensure its sound and sustainable development. The World Trade Report 2024 warns that mounting protectionism threatens to unwind 30 years of progress in closing income gaps between the poor and the rich. Both the United Nations and the International Monetary Fund have recently cautioned that rising tariffs could hamper global economic growth. All countries, especially major economies, should uphold the general trend of open development, resist protectionism, and build an open world economy. To resolve the challenges brought by economic globalization, the key lies in promoting a universally beneficial and inclusive economic globalization. It is important to address the development imbalances between and within countries resulting from the global allocation of resources, and ensure that different countries, classes, and communities can all participate in and benefit from economic and social development, so as to take economic globalization to a new phase that is more dynamic, inclusive, and sustainable. This requires wisdom and decisive action from governments of all countries. China has blazed a path of pursuing common development through opening up. Its active participation in economic globalization has not only driven its own development but also provided immense development opportunities to other countries. China's experience demonstrates that promoting a universally beneficial and inclusive economic globalization can contribute to shared development of all countries in the world. This is why China is committed to pursuing a mutually beneficial strategy of opening up, expanding voluntary and unilateral opening up in an orderly manner, steadily expanding institutional opening up, and pushing for an open world economic system. Economic globalization is a sure way for human society to achieve development and an irreversible trend of the times. All countries must possess the wisdom to recognize this overarching trend, and the determination and confidence to work with it, so as to join hands in promoting a universally beneficial and inclusive economic globalization. (Web editor: Chang Sha, Liang Jun) A man who allegedly attempted to burgle a shop but got locked in and had to ring the guards to be rescued was given a chance and a Peace Bond for six months on the trespass charge. The bungled burgle occurred at the XL Shop in Dun Bhroin, Athy on 18 March last. This was a place where he had previous experience which resulted in a court appearance, after he stole a 5 Christmas bauble in December 2022. I see youve got a new haircut. What butcher did you go to? ribbed Judge Desmond Zaidan at the 14 January sitting of Athy District Court. He was speaking to 19-year-old John Paul Carthy, previously of Ardrew Halting Site, Athy. Mr Carthy currently has an address in Smallford. He is a young offender who is well known to the judge. Are you behaving yourself? he asked. He hasnt come to (garda) attention since and is doing very well, his solicitor Jackie McManus assured the court. He got stuck in a shop (XL) and had to ring the guards to come and rescue him! You couldnt make it up! chuckled the judge. I dont know what to make of your client, Ms McManus, Ive heard of dumb criminals, but he added. Theft from Aldi Sergeant Dave Hanrahan told the court that Mr McCarthy was also charged with theft from Aldi in Monasterevin on 23 March. And previous to that, with trespassing at the Tegral factory in Athy on 9 March 2023. He also revealed that the defendant had no previous convictions. Ms McManus stated that Mr Carthy wasnt working. Youre going to get an apprenticeship, learn a skill and it would be much better for you, Judge Zaidan advised. What do you suggest I do with you? he asked Mr Carthy. Give him a chance, suggested Ms McManus. Let him answer, said the judge. Give me a chance? offered Mr Carthy. Come into my office on Friday and well see what we can get you, said Ms McManus. The judge then put Mr Carthy on a Peace Bond for six months. If youre brought back before me in the next six months, Ill send you to jail for six months, the judge warned. Find something, urged the judge. You dont have to be Einstein. Whats your new years resolution? he asked. I dont have one, Mr Carthy admitted. How about dont come back before me? said the judge. Well sit him down and try to get him a job, promised Ms McManus. Judge Zaidan ruled as outlined. 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. On the night of January 6, 1839, a storm of almost biblical proportions swept across Ireland, leaving a trail of devastation in its wake. Known as the 'Night of the Big Wind', this extraordinary weather event has remained etched in the memories of communities, including those in Kilkenny, who witnessed its wrath firsthand. In this article, we revisit the harrowing accounts, stories and folk tales (some likely true, others likely not) of that fateful night - as described in the duchas.ie 'School Collection' of folklore. Lawrence Walsh, Dunmore, County Kilkenny: "The night of the Big Wind is now history 100 years old but several old ones between 80 and 90 have the story from their childhood. Of all the storms which this county ever saw this was the worst by long odds. "On that night we learn that houses, chimneys, slates, stones and bricks fell all night long. The houses in the city and country were shaken and several houses in Dunmore had the glass shattered in the windows. Several houses were completely burned out in Kilkenny and the flames could be seen from Dunmore. "The village of Kells was almost wiped out entirely, by fire and wind. Several small cabins were wrecked in Dunmore leaving the poor people homeless. In the Park here several cattle were killed by trees falling on them, sheep also were victims. "There is no record among the old ones of any loss of human life here. The city is said to have looked like a place that was attacked by an army and badly shattered by cannon balls. "The poor cabins suffered most as many of them were knocked to the ground leaving the inmates homeless. Nobody went to bed that night at all, they remained together in the safest corner of the house till day light. "It never abated till 5 in the morn and even then only a little. It blew all day on Monday also. The country around about the town was strewn with fallen walls and trees and dead cattle. "It is said that the oldest person did not remember such a storm ever. Fortunately no lives were lost according to the old people who remember the story as then told." John Kennedy, Dunmore, County Kilkenny: "It did a great deal of damage. It was the worst storm ever occurred for many years in Dunmore. It wrecked houses in this district. No person was killed in Dunmore. Houses were wrecked everywhere around us. Slates and tiles were blown off the houses. "It knocked hay ricks and ricks of straw over. Any thatched houses were knocked down. The people called it the Duke of York storm. They called it that name because it was so wicked. "Jackman's house situated in a boithrin on the main road to Castlecomer was stripped. They had a rick of hay in the haggard and in the morning they had not enough for the cattle. "A hay barn in Jenkinstown was wrecked. The link was blown away and was never found. The girders were twisted and knocked." Teacher Risteard O Faolain, Kilmacoliver, County Kilkenny: "Crows and blackbirds were killed against Scough Hill owing to the force of the south-west wind." Michael Dowling, The Rower, County Kilkenny: "I often heard my grandfather speak of the night of the big wind in January 1839. He heard his father tell about James Walsh (Carrigeen) who lived in a thatched house with his mother. "On that night he was afraid the house might be blown down, he tied a rope round his mother to bring her to a neighbour's house a few fields away. On the way a thought struck him, whether he shut his own door and that he had better go back and see. But what to do with his mother he could not think. "So he tied her to a small tree, while he was going back. When he returned he could not find her or the tree. On searching he found her in a dyke at the other side of the field. "Also where my grandfather lives near a wood all the trees on a rise were blown down." Kathleen Lyng, Clodiagh, County Kilkenny: "The time of the Big Wind there were two men coming from The Rower village in the night time and they came along through Coolnamuck for to get across to Tullogher. "Everyone in the town refused to ferry them across. Only one man went with them to put them across. So when they were out in the middle of the river the wind upset the cot and the two men were drowned. The other man did his best and saved himself. "Once upon a time a man in Ballygub had a number of men hired to pull turnips for the next day. A great storm arose and pulled all the turnips for him and it was very good for that man. The same night a roof was taken off and carried a couple of fields away. "When a man was selling hay, the storm was so strong that it took it all into the next field." FOR MORE LOCAL NEWS, CLICK HERE Weather Alert ...WIND ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM NOON FRIDAY TO 1 AM CDT SATURDAY... * WHAT...South winds 20 to 30 mph with gusts up to 55 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. && JEFFERSON CITY Abortion rights supporters held a rally at the Missouri State Capitol on Wednesday, calling the demonstration a Reproductive Freedom Day of Action. American Civil Liberties Union of Missouri, Planned Parenthood of Great Rivers Action, Planned Parenthood of Great Plains Action, Abortion Action and PROMO were in attendance. Speakers congratulated voters on passing Amendment 3 to legalize abortion access. "Thanks to the Amendment 3 victory, Missourians who are facing pregnancy complications or emergency can feel safe going to the emergency room, and doctors whose hands were tied by the abortion ban can no longer be criminalized," Abortion Action Missouri Executive Director Mallory Schwarz said. "This is a huge victory and win." Despite the passage of Amendment 3, which enshrined the right to an abortion in the state constitution, Missourians still face obstacles to receiving the procedure. "There's already been a measure introduced to try and reverse what we've done," attendee Denise Morgan-Irish said. "But the people spoke, and we're here to support that, enforce that and fight for that." Success! An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup. Error! There was an error processing your request. No abortion clinic holds the license from the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services that is required to perform the procedure. Planned Parenthood Great Plains President and CEO Emily Wales told KOMU 8 the organization is not "planning to engage in the license process." State Rep. Kent Haden, R-Mexico, said the amendment language is "poorly written." "Even if you're pro-abortion, this is bad legislation," Haden said. "This kind of threw in everything and the kitchen sink that everybody wanted and included it." A Republican committee is currently overseeing reform of the amendment's legislation. SBS to supply content to Netflix for six years By KTimes Broadcast networks and global streaming platforms are actively collaborating, marking a shift from the past when domestic broadcasters exclusively provided content to their own platforms with little interaction with international services. As global streaming platforms face stagnating subscriber growth and broadcasters struggle with financial losses, these entities are increasingly finding common ground. In December, MBC began airing two episodes of the Disney+ drama "Moving" every Sunday night. This marks the first instance of a domestic broadcast network airing content produced by a streaming platform. At the same time, SBS recently entered a partnership with Netflix, offering dramas like "The Sandglass" and "Stove League," along with variety and current affairs programs such as "Running Man" and "Unanswered Questions." Under the agreement, Netflix will stream SBS flagship programs for the next six years. The collaboration between broadcasters and streaming platforms brings several advantages. For SBS, supplying its past content to Netflix facilitates international expansion and secures investment for producing new dramas. Market analysts predict that SBS distribution revenue could increase its annual operating profit by 30 to 50 billion won ($23 to $38 million). This has also led to a sharp rise in SBS stock price, with its global visibility expected to grow significantly. An SBS official said, Just as the BBC enhanced its global competitiveness through its partnership with Netflix, SBS has decided to take this step to strengthen its market position. The collaboration is part of SBS strategy to overcome challenges such as rising production costs and declining ad revenues. For Netflix, the partnership enables the platform to provide diverse, high-quality content to its subscribers at a relatively low cost, giving it an edge in the competitive streaming market. Although the anticipated merger between domestic platforms Tving and Wavve was expected to challenge Netflixs dominance, acquiring SBS' content may reduce the synergy originally expected from the merger. Concerns about overdependence on Netflix Strategic alliances between broadcasters and streaming platforms are expected to become more prevalent in the future. However, there are growing concerns that such collaborations could weaken the momentum of domestic content production. Yoo Geon-sik, an adjunct professor at Sungkyunkwan Universitys Graduate School of Media and Culture, said, If MBC and KBS, following CJ ENM, JTBC and SBS, also begin supplying content to Netflix, the oversupply could lead to Netflix paying broadcasters less, which could further strain the domestic content production market in the long term. Since Netflix entered the Korean market a decade ago, drama production costs have surged, leading domestic broadcasters to scale back on drama production and programming. Industry experts emphasize the need for long-term strategies beyond short-term profit generation, such as securing intellectual property (IP) rights. Kang Kyung-seok, head of the Industrial Policy Team at the Korea Creative Content Agency, said, Due to the underdeveloped domestic investment environment, its difficult for producers to assert strong IP rights. For the sustainable growth of Koreas content industry, there must be increased investment and fair profit-sharing in the content market. 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. By Yi Whan-woo Mirae Asset Global Investments has over 380 trillion won ($264.25 billion) in assets under management after entering the global market nearly 20 years ago, the company said Thursday. The asset management arm of Mirae Asset Financial Group said about 40 percent, or 173 trillion won, of the 380 trillion won is being managed outside of Korea as of the end of November. It is the only domestic asset management firm with such an aggressive presence in the global market, the company added. The achievement was made possible with Global Strategy Officer Park Hyeon-joos long-term vision, the firm said, referring to its founder and chairman, who led the group to become Koreas leading financial conglomerate after it started in 1997 as a mutual funds management company. The finance sector, unlike other industries, is where tapping into the overseas market is tricky, and Mirae Asset Global Investments once faced widespread skepticism concerning its ability to compete with Goldman Sachs, Merrill Lynch and other big-name players, the company said. Mirae Asset Global Investments operates in 16 countries after opening its first overseas entity in Hong Kong in 2023. The 16 include the United States, China, Japan, India, Australia, Brazil, the United Arab Emirates, Vietnam and Colombia. The companys global business is largely driven by its exchange-traded fund (ETF) operations, which are active in markets like the U.S., Canada and Hong Kong. As of the end of November, Mirae Asset manages 620 global ETFs with total net assets of 197 trillion won, a figure larger than the entire domestic ETF market, which stands at around 172 trillion won. The company expanded its global presence by acquiring promising ETF management companies, starting with Canadas Horizons ETFs in 2011. It also acquired U.S.-based Global X in 2018 and Australias ETF Securities in 2022. In particular, the acquisition of ETF Securities was the first instance where a Korean asset management firm acquired a foreign ETF management company using profits earned from overseas operations. By Jun Ji-hye Hanwha Life has signed a series of partnerships with global investment firms, including SoftBank Ventures Asia (SBVA) and Celadon Partners, on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, Switzerland, the company said Thursday. The insurance firm said it signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with SBVA at the Hanwha office in Davos, Tuesday (local time), to promote innovation in the fields of artificial intelligence (AI) and information and communications technology (ICT). The signing ceremony was attended by Hanwha Life Vice Chairman and CEO Yeo Seung-joo and Chief Global Officer Kim Dong-won, as well as SBVA CEO JP Lee and other key representatives from both firms. SBVA was set up in 2000 as a venture capital firm under SoftBank Group to focus on early-stage investments. It was acquired by The Edgeof in 2022. Leveraging its global network, SBVA engages in direct investments and manages funds worldwide. In particular, the company specializes in investing in AI and ICT startups and venture companies. As the main theme of this years WEF, 'Collaboration for the Intelligent Age,' suggests, global partnerships are essential for driving AI innovation, Yeo said. Through the partnership with SBVA, we aim to create new growth opportunities, establish AI leadership and take a significant step toward becoming a global comprehensive financial group. The following day, Hanwha Life signed another MOU with Celadon Partners at the same place. Celadon operates primarily in markets in the Pacific Rim, employing turnaround and special situations strategies. Through this partnership, Hanwha is outlining a vision to further strengthen its presence in the Asian market, the company said. Additionally, James Landay, head of Stanford Universitys Human-Centered AI who collaborates with Hanwha Life AI Research Center, visited the Hanwha office for the second consecutive year. During his visit, he held in-depth discussions on AI collaboration plans for this year. The insurer has been strengthening its AI capabilities across various business sectors in order to evolve into a global comprehensive financial group. The company has been investing in AI research since 2014 and has been leading digital innovation and transformation by filing AI-related patents annually since 2020. In December, Hanwha Life and two other financial affiliates of Hanwha Group Hanwha General Insurance and Hanwha Asset Management opened the Hanwha AI Center in San Francisco, with the goal of closely collaborating with the local ecosystem in the heart of the AI industry. MBK calls firm's move to discount Young Poongs 25% stake illegal By Jun Ji-hye Korea Zinc Chairman Choi Yun-beom, who has been engaged in a monthslong battle over management control against the alliance of Young Poong and private equity firm MBK Partners, secured a victory at an extraordinary shareholders meeting, Thursday. They passed an agenda in his favor, including the introduction of a cumulative voting system. However, the MBK alliance, the largest shareholder of Korea Zinc, accused Choi of resorting to the worst tactics and illegal maneuvers by proceeding without recognizing Young Poongs 25 percent stake in the zinc smelting firm. MBK hinted at filing a lawsuit to nullify measures passed at the shareholders' meeting. The meeting, convened at the request of the MBK alliance, was originally anticipated to favor the alliance, as MBK and Young Poong hold a dominant position with a combined 46.7 percent of voting rights. Although Chois side attempted to overturn the unfavorable situation by proposing a cumulative voting system, a court blocked this move, Tuesday, ruling in favor of the alliance, which sought to prohibit the appointment of directors via the system. In response, Choi unveiled yet another strategic move just one day after the courts ruling. Young Poong Precision, controlled by Choi, sold 10.33 percent of Young Poong shares, held by the company and the Choi family, to Sun Metal Corporation (SMC), an Australian subsidiary of Korea Zinc. This action is interpreted as an attempt to neutralize Young Poongs voting rights by establishing a circular shareholding structure. According to the Commercial Act, when cross-held shares among affiliates exceed 10 percent, those shares lose their voting rights. At the beginning of the extraordinary shareholders meeting, Korea Zinc CEO Park Ki-deok, who chaired the meeting, stated, We will conduct the meeting in accordance with the newly applied voting rights regulations. We will not recognize Young Poongs 25 percent stake in Korea Zinc. As a result, the proposal to introduce the cumulative voting system, which Choi had pushed for, was passed. The cumulative voting system allows shareholders to allocate their voting rights, which are equal to the number of director candidates, to a single candidate. While this system is typically regarded as a measure to protect minority shareholders interests and enhance corporate transparency, Chois proposal has been interpreted as a move to block the MBK alliances recommended candidates from joining the board. However, as the court prohibited the use of the cumulative voting system at Thursday's meeting, its actual implementation is expected to take place at an upcoming regular shareholders meeting in March. Korea Zinc also passed an amendment to its articles of incorporation to limit the number of directors to a maximum of 19. This proposal required a special resolution, needing approval from at least two-thirds of shareholders. So, it was initially expected to be rejected as the MBK alliance opposed it. But by restricting the voting rights of Young Poongs shares, the zinc smelter was able to secure the necessary votes to approve the amendment. MBK claimed that the provisions of the Commercial Act regarding cross-shareholding apply only to domestic corporations structured as stock companies, whereas SMC is a foreign corporation and a limited liability company. Chois use of SMC to defend his control over Korea Zinc violates the law and constitutes a manipulative and unlawful circular shareholding scheme, aimed solely at obstructing the todays meeting, an MBK official said. At the meeting venue, a representative from MBK and Young Poong stated, We will seek clear accountability in court, signaling their intent to pursue legal action. Korea's financial watchdog chief said Thursday the country needs to accelerate the resolution of loans extended to shaky construction projects. Lee Bok-hyun, governor of the Financial Supervisory Service (FSS), said there has been a slowdown in sorting out and restructuring bad loans tied to real estate development projects. "Because of factors at home and abroad, restructuring construction projects appears to be slowing," Lee said in a meeting with officials from construction companies and financial institutions. "We need to speed up the process of restructuring such projects," he said. According to the financial watchdog, some 5.2 trillion won ($3.62 billion) worth of project financing had been written off or recapitalized as of mid-December. Financial companies' exposure to feeble construction development projects was tallied at 12.5 trillion won, 8.8 trillion won of which will be restructured or recapitalized, according to the FSS. (Yonhap) US move to list South Korea as 'sensitive country' seen as warning on nuclear ambitions: experts The joint statement of the first Quad foreign ministers' meeting since the launch of the Trump administration this week has not included what had mostly been a fixture: the reaffirmation of their commitment to the "complete" denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula. The top diplomats of the United States, India, Japan and Australia released the statement on Tuesday following their first meeting in Washington since President Donald Trump was sworn in as the U.S.' 47th president on Monday. The omission came after Trump and his Defense Secretary nominee Pete Hegseth described North Korea as a "nuclear power," raising concerns in South Korea, a U.S. ally that seeks close policy coordination over the elusive yet crucial goal of the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula. Tuesday's relatively short statement consisted of two paragraphs. In it, the top diplomats mentioned their commitment to strengthening a "free and open" Indo-Pacific, and strongly opposed "any unilateral actions that seek to change the status quo by force or coercion." But it did not mention China or North Korea by name. In most occasions, the Quad grouping included their commitment to the peninsula's denuclearization in its leaders' and foreign ministers' joint statements. In the ministers' statement released in July, the officials reaffirmed their commitment to the complete denuclearization of the peninsula consistent with relevant U.N. Security Council resolutions, and urged North Korea to abide by all its obligations under the resolutions and engage in "substantive" dialogue. In their joint statement in 2023 and 2022, the top diplomats also reaffirmed the commitment. The Quad leaders' joint statements released in recent years also included their commitment to the peninsula's denuclearization. (Yonhap) A prominent U.S. expert said Wednesday that President Donald Trump's recent reference to North Korea as a "nuclear power" appears to be a "realistic" view of North Korean threats following a look at how the security challenge has evolved over the last four years. Sydney Seiler, former officer at the U.S. National Intelligence Council, made the remarks after Trump on Monday called Pyongyang a nuclear power a term that U.S. officials have mostly refrained from openly using as it could be construed as Washington's recognition of the North's nuclear program. "I think it tells us that President Trump and his national security team have looked at the North Korean threat, what has evolved over the last four years ... and faced the reality that North Korea continues to grow its arsenal qualitatively and quantitatively ... the threat we face today is greater than the threat was four years ago," he said during a podcast hosted by the Center for Strategic and International Studies. "So it's a degree of just simply a realistic view of the threat," he added. He raised questions over whether Trump's reference to the North means a lot or gives much insight into how his administration will deal with North Korea. The term, "nuclear power," is different from the nuclear-weapon states the U.S., China, France, Britain and Russia that are officially recognized as possessing nuclear weapons by the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, better known as the NPT. Still, Trump's use of the term raised concerns in South Korea, a U.S. ally that seeks close policy coordination with Washington to achieve the long-term goal of the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula at a time when Pyongyang has been doubling down on its nuclear and missile programs. During a Senate confirmation hearing last week, Defense Secretary nominee Pete Hegseth also called the North a nuclear power. Touching on the possibility of Trump resuming dialogue with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, Seiler said that "the road forward is in large part in Kim's hands." "(Kim) has refused to talk to the U.S. since 2019 ... his failure to lock in his nuclear status at Hanoi, a subsequent meeting with the president in Panmunjom later that year and of course, the working-level meeting at Stockholm, which was a last contact," he said. "Since then, Kim Jong-un has been adamant in refusing to talk to the U.S. So, it's hard to predict at this time how that might change." During his first term, Trump had three meetings the first-ever summit in Singapore in June 2018, the Hanoi summit in February 2019 and the meeting in the inter-Korean border village of Panmunjom in June 2019. The U.S. and the North last held working-level nuclear talks in Stockholm in October 2019. Some observers have said that Pyongyang's appetite for reengagement with Washington might have dwindled as it now relies on Russia for food, fuel, security assurances and other forms of support after its provision of munitions and troops to back Moscow's war in Ukraine. (Yonhap) Civic groups advocating human rights in North Korea sent an open letter to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Thursday, urging him not to repatriate North Korean soldiers captured by Ukraine while fighting for Russia. The letter was signed by several pro-North Korean human rights groups, including the Citizens' Alliance for North Korean Human Rights (NKHR) and Mulmangcho, after Zelenskyy released several video clips in recent weeks showing two captured North Korean soldiers under interrogation. Earlier this month, Zelenskyy revealed that Ukraine had captured two wounded North Korean soldiers in Russia's western Kursk region and released video clips in which one of them stated that he wanted to stay in Ukraine. Zelenskyy has also said that Ukraine is prepared to hand over captured North Korean soldiers in exchange for Ukrainian captives held in Russia. In the letter, the civic groups urged Zelenskyy to refrain from disclosing information regarding the soldiers' identities or repatriating them to Russia or North Korea against their will. The groups also cited the International Committee of the Red Cross's interpretation of the Geneva Conventions, arguing that if the repatriation of a prisoner of war is in clear violation of international law on the protection of people, the holding party is allowed to provide asylum to them. North Korean troops who surrender to the enemy, along with their families, are often likely to face severe punishments as "traitors," they argued. The groups also requested Zelenskyy to gather and document evidence of atrocities committed by Russia and North Korea against North Korean soldiers in order to pursue a war crime or human rights violation case. (Yonhap) South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul held his first phone call on Thursday with new U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and they agreed to maintain close cooperation on North Korea's nuclear issues, the foreign ministry here said. The phone conversation took place after U.S. President Donald Trump was sworn in on Monday (U.S. time) and the top diplomats of the two nations discussed bilateral relations, North Korean nuclear issues as well as trilateral cooperation involving Japan, the foreign ministry said. Welcoming Rubio's inauguration, Cho expressed his expectation to further develop the 70-year strong South Korea-U.S. alliance under the Trump administration. Rubio stated that their alliance is the main pillar of peace and security on the Korean Peninsula, as well as the region, emphasizing its importance and reaffirming the U.S.' iron-clad defense commitment to South Korea, the ministry said in a statement in Korean. Both ministers agreed to maintain close cooperation on North Korea's nuclear issues while further developing the trilateral cooperation involving Japan. At Rubio's invitation of Cho to visit the U.S., the ministers plan to coordinate details to hold in-person talks in Washington at the earliest possible date, the ministry also said. During Thursday's talks, Cho stressed the importance of close communication between the nations, including the need for a phone call between acting President Choi Sang-mok and Trump. Rubio responded that he would make every necessary effort regarding this. In a separate readout, State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce said that Cho and Rubio discussed advancing bilateral cooperation to address "common challenges" in the Indo-Pacific. She did not elaborate, but those challenges appear to include North Korean threats and China's growing assertiveness. "Secretary Rubio stressed that the U.S.-ROK Alliance stands as the linchpin of peace, security, and prosperity on the Korean Peninsula and across the Indo-Pacific," Bruce said. ROK is short for South Korea's official name, the Republic of Korea. The two sides also underscored the "critical" importance of furthering trilateral cooperation among South Korea, the U.S. and Japan, according to the spokesperson. (Yonhap) Korea will make efforts to expand economic exchanges and cooperation with Southeast Asian countries to address anticipated changes in the global trade environment, the industry ministry said Thursday, after the new U.S. administration signaled plans to implement protectionist measures. The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy unveiled the vision during its forum with trade experts, pointing out that nearly 4,000 Korean companies are currently operating in the 10 member countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). "It has become more important than ever to expand future-oriented economic cooperation with the ASEAN region, a key area of the Global South," Deputy Minister for Trade Park Jong-won said. "The industry ministry will proactively pursue intergovernmental coordination to ensure stable business operations for Korean businesses amid a fast-changing trade environment," he added. Shortly after taking office, U.S. President Donald Trump signed a memorandum on "America First" trade policy, calling for a review of existing U.S. trade agreements, which may potentially affect South Korea's exports to the U.S. (Yonhap) Discussions are currently under way to schedule a meeting of the foreign ministers from Korea, China and Japan, the foreign ministry here said Thursday. Foreign ministry spokesperson Lee Jae-woong confirmed the process during a regular briefing a day after a Japanese news outlet reported that the Japanese government had launched coordination to schedule a trilateral foreign ministers' meeting involving the three nations in March in Japan, citing multiple government officials. "Discussions are under way regarding the detailed schedule among the three nations," Lee told reporters. Also reportedly under coordination is Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi's potential visit to Korea for bilateral talks with the Korean foreign minister. Japan is reportedly pushing to hold a three-way summit among the leaders of the three nations in spring, but the timing remains uncertain due to the political turmoil in Korea caused by President Yoon Suk Yeol's botched martial law bid last month. (Yonhap) Govt pledges to revise rules to strengthen protection for minors and parents By Jung Min-ho Korea is moving to ban the detention of undocumented foreign nationals under the age of 14, aiming to better protect minors who are vulnerable to rights violations because of their own legal status and the precarious situations of their parents. The National Human Rights Commission of Korea said, Thursday, that the Ministry of Justice notified it of its pledge to work on revising the Immigration Act and related regulations in order to officially implement the ban. The ministry also promised to revise related enforcement ordinances to ensure that immigration officials consider the rights of children under the age of 18 when deciding whether to detain their parents who violate the law and have no one else to care for them. The commission viewed the ministrys decision as a partial acknowledgment of its recommendation to effectively ban the detention of all undocumented minors. According to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child and Koreas Child Welfare Act, the definition of children is individuals under 18. The age limit the ministry set (under 14) is not what we hoped for, but the move to codify the ban on detaining young children is a step forward, which should be welcomed, the commission said in a statement. The decision to strengthen the rights of foreign minors living in the country without visas comes after years of advocacy by the commission to highlight the issue and bring it to the governments attention. Since 2018, the commission began to urge the ministry and the National Assembly to make necessary policy changes to better protect such children. Its latest attempt came on April 12, 2024, in response to a petition from an undocumented Mongolian citizen who had a 2-year-old child. In the petition, the man, who was being detained with his son at a facility in Suwon, Gyeonggi Province, claimed that their human rights were violated because the living environment there was not suitable for the toddler, who required special medical attention after being born prematurely. He asked immigration officials to release them so that his son could receive proper medical services and resolve financial matters before returning to Mongolia. But the officials turned down the request, saying that the son had no major health problems and evidence was not sufficient to prove that they actually had financial matters to resolve. As a result, the two were held there until they were deported on April 20, 2024. In a statement released later, the commission argued that officials should have given greater consideration to the best interests of the child when making their decision. Citing international conventions that emphasize prioritizing the best interests of children in all matters concerning them, the commission said detaining young children cannot be justified and called for a revision of the policy. According to data from the ministry, Korea has witnessed a continuous trend of undocumented foreign children being detained in immigration facilities. Between 2019 and 2023, a total of 182 children were held, including one who was detained for as long as 196 days. South Korea's anti-corruption agency on Thursday transferred to prosecutors its case against impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol, recommending his indictment for insurrection and abuse of power over his brief martial law declaration. The Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (CIO) said it would ask prosecutors to indict Yoon over allegations he was the ringleader of an insurrection, for abuse of his authority and obstructing others from exercising their rights. Yoon, impeached and suspended from power on Dec. 14, has been incarcerated since last week while investigators probe his Dec. 3 attempt to impose martial law - a move that shocked the nation even though it was overturned within hours by parliament. The CIO was launched in 2021 as an independent anti-graft agency to investigate high-ranking officials including the president and their family members and has led a joint team involving police and the defence ministry, while prosecutors carry out their own probe. Under the law, the CIO can only investigate and does not have the authority to prosecute the president and must refer any case to the prosecutors' office for further action. The CIO has said Yoon's detention is due to end around Jan. 28, but they expect prosecutors to ask the court to extend it for another 10 days before they formally charge Yoon. The Supreme Prosecutors' Office declined to comment. Prosecutors have already charged Yoon's defense minister at the time, Kim Yong-hyun, with insurrection. Chiefs of the Capital Defense Command, the Defense Counterintelligence Command, and the Seoul police and the national police commissioner are also among the officials indicted so far. Since his arrest on Jan. 15 the first-ever for a sitting South Korean president Yoon has refused to speak to CIO investigators and defied their summons. Lee Jae-seung, deputy chief of the CIO, said it would be more "efficient" for the prosecutors to take over the investigation before indicting Yoon, citing the president's refusal to cooperate. "Despite the fact that the suspect is under serious allegations that he was ringleader of an insurrection, he continues to be uncooperative to this day, not responding to the criminal justice proceedings and refusing our questioning itself," Lee told a briefing. He said investigators had obtained testimonies from several military officials on Yoon allegedly trying to arrest politicians and mentioning a second martial law order. Yoon and his lawyers denied these allegations. Yoon, a top prosecutor before becoming president, now finds his criminal case in the hands of prosecutors from that same world, though how close their current ties are is unclear. Yoon's lawyers have repeatedly said the CIO has no authority to handle his case as the law stipulates a wide-ranging list of high-ranking officials and violations it can investigate, but has no mention of insurrection. They also said any criminal investigation should be conducted after the Constitutional Court decides whether to remove Yoon from office in its separate trial on his impeachment. The lawyers reiterated the position on Thursday to say they will hold the CIO accountable for what they called its illegal investigation, while asking prosecutors taking over the case to comply with the law. In comments on Tuesday to the Constitutional Court, Yoon denied ordering troops to drag lawmakers out of parliament or asking the finance minister to prepare a budget for an emergency legislative body. Insurrection, the crime that Yoon may be charged with, is one of the few that a South Korean president does not have immunity from and is technically punishable by death. South Korea, however, has not executed anyone in nearly 30 years. Yoon arrived at another Constitutional Court hearing in his impeachment trial on Thursday afternoon. Former defense minister Kim is also expected to be called as a witness. (Reuters) Impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol arrived in a convoy at the Constitutional Court on Thursday to attend the fourth hearing in his impeachment trial. It will mark the second time Yoon personally appears at a hearing on his shocking, albeit short-lived, imposition of martial law on Dec. 3. He first attended a court hearing in person Tuesday. The convoy departed from the Seoul Detention Center in Uiwang, south of Seoul, and arrived at the court in Seoul as the fourth hearing session was scheduled to begin at 2 p.m. Thursday's hearing will also be attended by former Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun, who was arrested last month over his alleged role in the declaration of martial law. Yoon's lawyers chose Kim as a witness for the trial. During Tuesday's hearing, Yoon denied ordering martial law troops to pull out lawmakers from the National Assembly during the martial law bid. Yoon is currently detained at the detention center after a Seoul court granted investigators a warrant for his formal arrest Sunday. The impeached president's legal team has said Yoon will be present at all remaining hearings if possible. (Yonhap) Right-wing YouTubers, anti-feminist sentiment drive young males toward conservatism By Lee Hyo-jin An unprecedented mob attack on a Seoul court by staunch supporters of President Yoon Suk Yeol early Sunday shocked the nation. One of the surprises from the violent protest was the involvement of young men an age group not traditionally associated with Korea's far-right conservative rallies. For years, Koreas conservative protests have been dominated by people in their 60s and 70s, who are often seen as more right-leaning. They have rallied to voice loyal support for embattled conservative presidents, including former President Park Geun-hye during her impeachment proceedings in 2017, and now the current leader. However, the age demographic of the violent protesters who stormed the Seoul Western District Court, angered by a decision to issue an arrest warrant for Yoon, turned out to be much younger. Police data revealed that more than half of the 90 individuals apprehended as of Monday were in their 20s and 30s. Teenagers were also involved. While the authorities did not disclose their genders, video footage showed masked young men smashing windows, destroying court property and violently clashing with police officers. The involvement of young men in the mob attack reflects their growing alignment with conservative ideologies, according to observers. What we saw at the court wasnt a spontaneous outburst, political commentator Park Sang-byeong said. It was the culmination of years of mounting resentment among young men who feel alienated by a society they perceive as favoring women. This lingering discontent has driven many of them gradually toward ultra-right-wing movements. The grievances driving these young men stem from broader societal issues, including unemployment, the soaring cost of homeownership and challenges in marriage issues they believe have worsened under liberal governments. But the problem is that they are increasingly turning to YouTube and other online platforms as their primary sources of information and opinion sharing, where conspiracy theories and misinformation thrive, Park said. One such YouTuber is Bae In-kyu, head of the group Man on Solidarity, who encourages fellow males to rally for the suspended president. Identifying himself as an anti-feminist, Bae claims that young men should stand in solidarity against feminists and communists. In a recent livestream, Bae claimed he was at the rally at the court for 15 hours. He also supports speculation that anti-Yoon rallies were backed by Chinese spies, a rumor fueled by conservative politicians. This movement of young male conservatives is gaining momentum in online communities. An online forum on Dcinside, one of the largest online communities, dedicated to the ruling People Power Party is flooded with posts from those age group expressing support for the conservative government and encouraging each other to participate in pro-Yoon rallies. The growing involvement of the younger generation in conservative demonstrations has been evident even before the violent outburst at the court. Earlier this month, many young men took part in a dayslong protest near Yoons residence, standing alongside older supporters of the president to protect him from being detained. Like their older counterparts, they waved Korean and American flags and carried signs with slogans like Stop the Steal and MAGA, echoing the rallying chants of U.S. President Donald Trump. Some protesters went even further, forming a group called the Anti-Communist Youth Group, which likened itself to the notorious "baekgoldan" (white skull squad), a brutal combat police unit that suppressed pro-democracy activists in the 1980s and 1990s. Koo Jeong-woo, a sociology professor at Sungkyunkwan University, views the nation's deepening gender divide as a key factor driving young men toward conservatism. "Many young men seem to feel a sense of crisis as women increasingly take center stage in mainstream society and raise their voices, which have actually made changes. This sense of crisis is what is bringing them together," Koo said. He explained that the protests calling for the National Assembly to impeach Yoon, which peaked last month, were largely led by women in their 20s and 30s. Since then, these women cultivated a strong sense of solidarity, believing they could bring about political change something they ultimately achieved when the Assembly voted to impeach Yoon on Dec. 14. In response, young men appear increasingly compelled to unite against what they perceive as the rising influence of women in both political and social spheres, the professor said. Kim Yong-hyun admits to writing controversial note on emergency legislative body By Lee Hyo-jin Former Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun took significant responsibility for President Yoon Suk Yeol's martial law declaration, Thursday, claiming he recommended the emergency military rule and played a key role in its implementation. He also claimed at least one Cabinet member voiced support for the plan in a meeting held just before Yoon's martial law declaration. But he didnt say who or how many. Appearing as a witness in Yoon's impeachment hearing at the Constitutional Court, Kim testified that he wrote a controversial note allegedly calling for the establishment of an emergency legislative body under martial law. This note, which was given to Finance Minister Choi Sang-mok at the Cabinet meeting, has become key evidence in determining the constitutionality of Yoon's Dec. 3 martial law imposition. When Yoon's lawyer asked who wrote the note, Kim responded, I did. Kim explained that Choi, who arrived late to the Cabinet meeting, did not receive the note directly. Instead, Kim passed it on through a working-level official. The note directed Choi to cut funding to the National Assembly and reallocate resources to establish an emergency legislative body. This has raised questions about whether Yoon intended to dissolve the Assembly an act that would be unconstitutional even under martial law. While the Constitution permits special measures regarding press freedoms, executive authority and the judiciary during martial law, it does not allow restrictions on legislative activities. Kim said he also drew up another note given to Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul. Cho said he received one directly from Yoon on the night of the martial rule, but did not keep it and he only remembers a few words including "diplomatic offices abroad." Kim also testified that he had recommended martial law to the president, arguing that it was a necessary move to curb the majority-holding opposition party's wielding of legislative power. The president was deeply concerned by the oppositions disregard for the publics livelihoods, focusing instead on shielding their members and pushing for impeachment and special probe investigations, Kim said. Kim, a retired Army general and close ally of Yoon, is currently under arrest on charges of treason for his role in the six-hour martial law. Thursday marked his first public appearance since the martial law declaration and his resignation as defense minister on Dec. 5. He appeared in a dark jacket, rather than a prison uniform, and was not handcuffed. Yoon, who was also present at the trial, watched as Kim testified. This was the prosecutor-turned-president's second appearance at his impeachment trial after his attendance at a hearing on Tuesday, making him Korea's first president to speak on his own behalf during an impeachment trial. During the hearing, Yoon questioned Kim about the martial law decree, which both claimed had been drafted by Kim and reviewed by Yoon. The proclamations included sweeping restrictions, such as a ban on strikes and rallies inciting social unrest. One clause mandated that all medical professionals, including junior doctors who had been on an anti-government strike for nearly a year, must return to work within 48 hours. Do you recall me saying that, despite the decree not being specific enough to align with social norms, it should remain untouched, as the martial law would likely last no more than a day? the president asked. In response, Kim said, I felt that the president was not reviewing it as thoroughly as usual. Normally, he would check the law thoroughly, but he didnt that time." The president then asked if Kim remembered how the return-to-work clause targeting the doctors was included as a guiding measure, although they had both agreed the clause was unrealistic. Now that you mention it, I remember, Kim replied. The former defense minister also downplayed the extent of Yoon's martial law order, claiming the president "had only ordered a small number of troops to the National Assembly," suggesting a lack of intent to seize control of the legislative body. According to the Ministry of National Defense, about 1,500 troops were mobilized during martial law, with hundreds deployed to the Assembly and others to offices of the National Election Commission. Hours before Yoon arrived at the hearing, hundreds of the president's loyal supporters gathered near the courthouse, waving Korean and American flags and demanding his immediate release. Police deployed more than 3,000 officers and 160 buses to manage the protests, wary of the violent demonstrations by Yoons supporters that erupted at the Seoul Western District Court on Sunday. The Constitutional Court is set to hold additional hearings on Feb. 4, 6, 11 and 13. A ruling on Yoons impeachment is expected before April 18, when the terms of two of the eight justices expire. However, proceedings may be delayed as Yoons legal team has requested over 20 witnesses, including Cabinet members and senior presidential officials. Lee Jae-myung attends 1st appeals court trial By Kwak Yeon-soo Rep. Lee Jae-myung, leader of the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea (DPK), pledged to take a pragmatic approach to address the political unrest caused by President Yoon Suk Yeols martial law declaration on Dec. 3, while also focusing on driving economic growth. He made the remarks at a New Year press conference on Thursday, aiming to distance himself from his image as a progressive, which often led to perceptions that he was more focused on social equality than economic issues. Lee noted, Recovery and growth are the most urgent and important tasks we face. Recently, Lee has been placing greater emphasis on the economy and people's livelihoods, shifting his focus away from the political crisis surrounding Yoons impeachment proceedings. His economic message is aimed at attracting moderate voters who have recently gravitated toward the ruling conservative party. Recent polls indicate that the approval rating for the ruling People Power Party (PPP) has surpassed that of the DPK, despite the ongoing criminal investigation into Yoon due to his martial law declaration. The DPK has been pressuring the government to draft a supplementary budget to boost sluggish domestic demand. Over the past two years, much has been lost and destroyed due to the Yoon administrations mismanagement and his outdated coup attempt, Lee said. Economic polarization is the root cause of both social and political divisions in Korea, a trend that is affecting governments worldwide. Achieving fair growth can pave the way for sustainable growth. Lee advised the government to support the private sector by getting rid of regulations that hinder efforts to promote business activities. "South Korea's economy must be driven by the private sector, fueled by their expertise and creativity," he said. The opposition leader also called for advancing the countrys capital market by addressing the so-called Korea discount. He suggested that "sales diplomacy" could help attract significant investments to the country. Additionally, he emphasized the need for South Korea to strengthen its strategic partnership with the U.S., particularly in the semiconductor, battery and energy industries. Lee also stressed the importance of deepening the Seoul-Washington alliance, highlighting that the U.S. shares the core values of democracy and freedom with South Korea. On Wednesday, he met with Acting U.S. Ambassador to Korea Joseph Yun and expressed his hope for strengthening the bilateral relationship. We must prepare ourselves to engage in dialogue, Lee said, expressing concerns about South Korea being sidelined in light of a shift in Washingtons North Korea policy after U.S. President Donald Trump referred to Pyongyang as a nuclear power. Regarding recent poll results showing a higher public approval rating for the PPP than the DPK, Lee said, We humbly accept the poll results. We believe they reflect the publics high expectations for the DPKs role in Yoons impeachment trial. He also criticized acting President Choi Sang-mok for appointing only two of three vacant Constitutional Court justices and for vetoing a DPK-proposed bill that called for a special counsel investigation into Yoon over insurrection allegations. Choi doesnt seem to have a clear standard when it comes to exercising his authority. He is backing the insurrection forces by using his power to his advantage and abusing his veto power, Lee said. Although he is mishandling the government, we will remain patient for as long as we can. The acting president must at least abide by the law and common sense. Later in the afternoon, Lee appeared for the first time for a hearing of his appeals trial at the Seoul High Court in connection with an election law violation case involving him. The appeals court confirmed that it will issue its final ruling on Feb. 26 and decide in March at the earliest whether to uphold or reject the lower court's decision. Lee said earlier his lawyers are reviewing whether to request for a constitutional review of the election law provisions. If the court accepts the request, the trial will be suspended until the Constitutional Court concludes its constitutional review. PPP lawmakers accused him of trying to delay the court ruling as a way to enable him to run in the next presidential election. In November of last year, the Seoul Central District Court sentenced Lee to one year in prison, suspended for two years, on charges of violating election law. He was found guilty of making false statements during a parliamentary audit of the Gyeonggi Provincial Government in October 2021, while he was serving as governor. If any prison sentence is finalized, Lee will be stripped of his parliamentary seat and barred from running for public office for the next 10 years. However, if he receives a fine exceeding 1 million won ($760), the ban would last for the next five years. In both cases, he would be unable to run for the 2027 presidential election. Lee, who narrowly lost to Yoon in the 2022 presidential election, has been considered a key contender for the 2027 election. The DPK will also need to return the 43.4 billion won it received from the National Election Commission to cover its presidential election expenses. The Korean government has decided to provide $1 million in humanitarian assistance to wildfire-ravaged Los Angeles County, California, through relief groups, the foreign ministry said Thursday. Massive wildfires that began on Jan. 7 have fiercely spread across the wider Los Angeles area, burning over 12,000 structures and killing at least 28 people. "We expect that the latest assistance will be helpful in alleviating the difficulties faced by residents of affected areas and aiding their prompt return to normalcy," the ministry said. (Yonhap) Temporary housing period extended to 6 years from 2 By Ko Dong-hwan The government extended the maximum period of temporary housing for foreign victims of "jeonse" fraud in the country from two years to six, further enhancing emergency support for victims in need of housing, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport said Thursday. Jeonse is a type of home lease contract in Korea, whereby the tenant pays a lump-sum deposit up front, which the landlord is required to return in full when the contract expires. The revised measure, set to take effect on Friday, applies exclusively to foreign residents of Korea. The countrys Special Act on Victims of Real Estate Fraud stipulates that emergency housing be provided to victims of jeonse fraud for a limited period. The Korea Land & Housing Corp. (LH), a state-run housing provision company under the ministry, arranges the housing for the victims. Emergency housing becomes essential for jeonse fraud victims when they lose their deposits and their rented homes become auctioned off, forcing them to move out. The special act decrees that such victims need immediate housing support. Previously, victims of jeonse fraud who have been granted emergency housing were able to live there for as long as two years. About 30 percent of their rented homes' concurrent market value is charged to the tenants as rent cost. However, the ministry has renewed the measure exclusively for foreign nationals and Koreans with citizenship or permanent residency outside the country by extending the maximum duration of their stay. We have had discussions with various groups from the public regarding foreign tenants affected by jeonse fraud, a ministry official said. We reached an agreement which has led to the new measure. According to the ministry, there have been over 25,500 victims of jeonse fraud in the country who met the conditions of loss defined by the special act, as of December. Among them, foreign nationals accounted for 1.5 percent, or 390 individuals. LHs regional offices nationwide are currently open for consultations regarding emergency housing for foreign victims. Jeonse fraud involves perpetrators and their accomplices, mostly real estate agents, receiving deposits from those wishing to sign a jeonse contract and failing to pay the deposits back after the contract period expires. The Supreme Court on Thursday sentenced a 63-year-old man to seven years in prison for jeonse fraud. The criminal defrauded tenants using 191 housing units in Incheons Michuhol District from March 2021 to July 2022, accumulating deposits totaling 14.8 billion won ($10 million). Four of the culprits victims who could not recover their deposits took their own lives in 2023. Rising living costs discourage consumption ahead of Lunar New Year By Ko Dong-hwan Metro services across Seoul, Incheon and Gyeonggi Province will raise fares by 150 won ($0.10) within the first half of this year, according to the Seoul Metropolitan Government and Korea Railroad (KORAIL), Wednesday. KORAIL is the countrys state-run railway operator, running KTX bullet train service across the country, as well as other railway services and subway services across the capital region. The measure is part of recent price hikes across a range of public utility services in the country. There have already been strong signs of people trying to save money by reducing consumption in retail sectors, particularly in restaurants, food and related markets amid scaled-up prices. The trend is apparently extending the nationwide consumption freeze to the Lunar New Year holiday next week when gift products are usually on high demands. The metro fare hike will raise the current fare of 1,400 won. The Seoul government previously raised the fare in 2023 by the same amount from 1,250 won. Bus fares within the city also rose by 300 won at the same time. The city authority said it had planned to raise the metro fares by the end of last year but had to postpone it because of the raging market price hikes across an extensive range of retail sectors. At the same time, the fare hike is inevitable, according to KORAIL, because the company has been operating at a deficit for years. It saw a deficit of 474.3 billion won in 2023 and its debt peaking at over 20 trillion won in the same year. A city official said it has reached an agreement with KORAIL and surrounding municipal governments that the fare hike must proceed as planned and cannot be delayed any longer. The fare hike comes as the countrys producer price index jumped last month by 0.3 percent from the previous month, the highest in the past five months. The rates of costs for public utility services including electricity, gas, tap water and waste treatment jumped by 0.4 percent from the previous month. Market prices for agricultural produces and seafood went up by 2.8 percent. Gasoline prices in Seoul surpassed 1,800 won per liter for the first time in 14 months. Amid the rising costs that affect almost all parts of peoples daily lives, consumption ahead of the holiday is also expected to shrink. According to surveys conducted by the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) earlier this month, almost 32 percent of 500 respondents said they will spend less than they did last year and 96 percent said they will spend no more than 100,000 won for the holiday this year. Almost 59 percent of the respondents cited persisting scaled-up market prices as a reason to spend less on this years Lunar New Year. Continuing economic slump, household debt and reduced income followed with lower figures. More than 68 percent of the respondents said price was their highest concern when purchasing gifts for the holiday. Preference of loved ones and luxuriousness, which were dominant standards in previous years, came out less important with 33 percent and 22 percent, respectively. A KCCI official said that political unrest, a slumping economy and high market prices are currently fueling a consumption freeze in the country. He added that further government supports are required to make this years Lunar New Year a chance for domestic consumption to rebound. Korea's presidential hopefuls in each event also show sharp contrast By Park Jae-hyuk Koreas two rival shipbuilders highlighted the contrast in their main priorities once again, choosing different overseas events as the destinations of their heirs business trips this week. Hanwha Group Vice Chairman Kim Dong-kwan paid an unexpected five-day visit to Washington this week, for his participation in a candlelit dinner on Sunday and the Starlight Ball on Monday, both of which were held on the sidelines of Donald Trumps inauguration as the 47th U.S. president. HD Hyundai Executive Vice Chairman Chung Ki-sun, on the other hand, flew to Davos, Switzerland, for the third straight year to attend the five-day World Economic Forum (WEF), which kicked off on Monday. In the U.S. capital, Kim focused more on promoting his companys defense technologies. Revealing his photos with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Defense Secretary nominee Pete Hegseth and National Security Adviser Mike Waltz, Hanwha said on Wednesday that the vice chairman introduced the group's shipbuilding and aerospace capabilities to Trump aides in charge of national security. Kim also discussed the new U.S. governments energy policies with Interior Secretary nominee Doug Burgum, and met multiple Republican lawmakers and the CEOs of global defense companies, the conglomerate added. In contrast, Chung showcased his companys shipbuilding and offshore technologies for nonmilitary purposes at the WEF. He also met Saudi Arabias economy minister at the forum to discuss industrial innovation, maritime sustainability and opportunities available within the Middle East countrys Vision 2030 initiative. Chung unveiled the blueprint for the future of shipyard project through a promotional video of Palantir Technologies, HD Hyundai said. The conglomerate added that its executive vice chairman joined the CEOs of A.P. Moller-Maersk, PSA International, Shell, TotalEnergies and various other world-leading companies in pursuing international cooperation for energy transition. In 2023, Chung also participated in the Gastech industry conference in Singapore from the start, while Kim attended the global gas technologies show later to participate in the International Defense Industry Exhibition in Poland. Additionally, Hanwha has expanded more rapidly than HD Hyundai in the U.S. naval ship market, obtaining orders to repair U.S. naval vessels and acquiring a shipyard in Philadelphia. In terms of winning orders to build commercial vessels, HD Hyundai has outpaced Hanwha. Given the soaring demand in the global warship market, however, HD Hyundai has reinforced its naval ship business, with a plan to join bids for the maintenance of U.S. Navy vessels this year. Hanwha has kept close watch on the WEF, tasking Hanwha Life Insurance President Kim Dong-won, the vice chairmans younger brother, with hosting a dinner in Davos and building personal networks with global leaders. Meanwhile, Trumps inauguration and the WEF also unintentionally juxtaposed two local Korean government heads, both of whom are seen as potential presidential candidates of rival parties. After severe cold weather forced the Trump inauguration indoors, Daegu Mayor Hong Joon-pyo of the ruling People Power Party had to watch the U.S. president on television at a hotel in Washington and failed to meet senators due to their busy schedules. Gyeonggi Province Gov. Kim Dong-yeon, who belongs to the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea, met former U.S. Vice President Al Gore and ministers from France and Singapore at the WEF, attracting attention from global media concerned about the country's political turmoil. Refugees who had been approved to come to the United States before a deadline next week suspending Americas refugee resettlement program have had their travel plans canceled by the Trump administration. Thousands of refugeeswho fled war and persecution and had gone through a sometimes yearslong vetting process to start new lives in America are now stranded at various locations worldwide. That includes more than 1,600 Afghans who assisted America's war effort , as well as relatives of active-duty U.S. military personnel. President Donald Trump paused the program this week as part of a series of executive orders cracking down on immigration. His move had left open the possibility that refugees who had been screened to come to the U.S. and had flights booked before Monday's deadline might be able to get in under the wire. But in an email dated Tuesday and reviewed by The Associated Press, the U.S. agency overseeing refugee processing and arrivals told staff and stakeholders that refugee arrivals to the United States have been suspended until further notice. A little more than 10,000 refugees from around the world had already gone through the lengthy vetting process to come to the U.S. and had travel scheduled over the next few weeks, according to a document obtained by the AP. It was not immediately clear how many of those had been set to arrive by the upcoming deadline. Gabriela had been preparing for the arrival of her parents, her brother and other relatives who had tickets to fly to Los Angeles from Guatemala in early February after their refugee status was approved in November. The family had to flee Guatemala because Gabriela refused to let her children be part of violent gangs and the family started getting death threats. Once her family got their plane tickets, they sold their house and all their belongings, and she had taken out an $800 loan to buy them furniture for their new home, said Gabriela, who requested to be identified only by her first name for fear that something would happen to her parents in Guatemala. Then on Tuesday, their flight was canceled. We are still in shock. We dont know what we can do, we dont know what will happen, said Gabriela, who came to the U.S. through the refugee program last year. I hope something changes, and they can come." Among the other refugees whose flights were canceled are more than 1,600 Afghans cleared to come to the U.S. as part of a program the Biden administration set up after the American withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021. Many veterans of America's longest war have tried for years to help Afghans they worked with, in addition to their families, find refuge in the U.S. Many were prepared for a suspension of the resettlement program but had hoped for special consideration for the Afghans. The Trump administrations early pause of refugee flights is alarming, leaving thousands of Afghan allies in fear and uncertainty," said Shawn VanDiver, a Navy veteran and head of #AfghanEvac, a coalition supporting Afghan resettlement efforts. "We are ready to partner to fix this and urge clear communication with impacted families. Lets honor our promises and uphold Americas values." There is a separate path a special immigrant visa program specifically for Afghans who worked directly with the U.S. government. VanDiver's group said that program, set up by Congress, did not appear to be affected. Sen. Chris Coons, a vocal advocate for Afghan resettlements in Congress, said it was heartbreaking to see Afghans who were so far along in the process be turned away at the last minute. A pause in a program like this has huge consequences for real people who took risks to stand with us in our war in Afghanistan over 20 years, the Delaware Democrat said. Trump's executive order signed Monday had given the State Department a week before it began to halt all processing and travel for refugees. It appears the timing was moved up, though it was not immediately clear what prompted the change. The State Department referred questions to the White House, which did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Republican Rep. Brian Mast of Florida, chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee and a military veteran, told the AP that the Trump administration had intentionally paused the arrival of the Afghans already cleared for resettlement, citing questions about the vetting of these individuals. Critics have faulted the Biden administrations verification and security screening of those trying to resettle in the U.S. Trump's order , however, said the refugee program would be suspended because cities and communities had been taxed by record levels of migration and didn't have the ability to absorb large numbers of migrants, and in particular, refugees." Agencies that help refugees settle and adjust to life in the U.S. and many veterans who work to evacuate Afghans say refugees are some of the most vetted and screened immigrants and sometimes undergo a yearslong wait before setting foot in America. Refugees go through one of the most rigorous vetting processes in the world, and many are now seeing their travel canceled just days, or even hours, before they were set to begin their new lives in the United States, said Krish OMara Vignarajah, head of Global Refuge, one of the 10 U.S. resettlement agencies, said in a statement Wednesday. Refugees are distinct from people who come directly to the U.S.-Mexico border to seek asylum. Refugees must be living outside of the U.S. to be considered for resettlement and are usually referred to the State Department by the United Nations. While the resettlement program has historically enjoyed bipartisan support, the first Trump administration also temporarily halted it and then lowered the number of refugees who could enter each year. (AP) Elon Musk is clashing with OpenAI CEO Sam Altman over the Stargate artificial intelligence infrastructure project touted by President Donald Trump, the latest in a feud between the two tech billionaires that started on OpenAI's board and is now testing Musk's influence with the new president. Trump on Tuesday had talked up a joint venture investing up to $500 billion through a new partnership formed by OpenAI, the maker of ChatGPT, alongside Oracle and SoftBank. The new entity, Stargate, is already starting to build out data centers and the electricity generation needed for the further development of fast-evolving AI technology. Trump declared it a resounding declaration of confidence in Americas potential under his new administration, with an initial private investment of $100 billion that could reach five times that sum. But Musk, a close Trump adviser who helped bankroll his campaign and now leads a government cost-cutting initiative, questioned the value of the investment hours later. They dont actually have the money, Musk wrote on his social platform X. SoftBank has well under $10B secured. I have that on good authority. Altman responded Wednesday to say Musk was wrong, as you surely know and inviting Musk to come visit the first site in Texas that is already under construction. "(T)his is great for the country. i realize what is great for the country isnt always whats optimal for your companies, but in your new role i hope youll mostly put (America) first, Altman wrote, using a U.S. flag emoji to represent America. The public clash over Stargate is part of a years-long dispute between Musk and Altman that began with a boardroom rivalry over who should run OpenAI, which both men helped found. Musk, an early OpenAI investor and board member, sued the artificial intelligence company last year alleging it had betrayed its founding aims as a nonprofit research lab benefiting the public good rather than pursuing profits. Musk has since escalated the dispute, adding new claims and asking for a court order that would stop OpenAIs plans to convert itself into a for-profit business more fully. A hearing is set for February in a California federal court. The worlds richest man, whose companies include Tesla, SpaceX and X, last year started his own rival AI company, xAI, that is building its own big data center in Memphis, Tennessee. Musk says it faces unfair competition from OpenAI and its close business partner Microsoft, which has supplied the huge computing resources needed to build AI systems such as ChatGPT. Tech news outlet The Information first reported on an OpenAI data center project called Stargate in March 2024, indicating that it's been in the works long before Trump announced it. Another company Crusoe Energy Systems announced in July it was building a large and specially designed AI data center at the northwest edge of Abilene, Texas at a site run by energy technology company Lancium. Crusoe and Lancium said in a joint statement at the time that the project was supported by a multibillion-dollar investment but didn't disclose its backers. AI technology requires huge amounts of electricity to build and operate and both companies said the project would be powered with renewable sources such as nearby solar farms, in a way that Lancium CEO Michael McNamara said would deliver the maximum amount of green energy at the lowest possible cost. Crusoe said it would own and develop the facility. It's not clear how and when that project became the first phase of the Stargate investment revealed by Trump. Abilene Mayor Weldon Hurt said construction began about nine months ago but we didnt know it was going to be quite this big. We thought it was going to be about a third of this size. Oracle co-founder Larry Ellison said Tuesday that the Abilene project is the first of about 10 data center buildings currently being built and that number could expand to 20. Hurt told The Associated Press that the region surrounding Abilene, a city of about 130,000 people, benefits from a wealth of energy sources, including oil, gas, solar and some of the largest wind farms in the world, though Trump signaled opposition to wind power this week by temporarily halting approval of wind projects on federal lands. We have the capability to produce the energy for this market so it really means a lot for a town like Abilene, Hurt said. To have this opportunity here in west-central Texas, to have something like this to make Abilene substantial, were just excited about it. Missing from Trump's press conference Tuesday was Microsoft, which has long supported OpenAI with billions of dollars in investments and enabling its data centers to be used to build the models behind ChatGPT and other generative AI tools. Microsoft is also a technology partner in the Stargate project, along with chipmakers Nvidia and Arm, but put out a statement noting that its OpenAI partnership will evolve in a way that enables OpenAI to build additional capacity, primarily for research and training of models. Asked about Musk's comments about the Stargate deal Wednesday during a CNBC interview at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella pivoted to his company's own $80 billion plan to build out its global AI infrastructure, of which $50 billion is being spent in the U.S. Look, all I know is, Im good for my $80 billion, said Nadella, laughing. (AP) LGBTQ+ couples in Thailand made Thursday a life-changing occasion, registering their marriages legally on the first day a law took effect granting them the same rights as heterosexual couples. The enactment of the Marriage Equality Act makes Thailand the first country in Southeast Asia and the third place in Asia to legalize same-sex marriage, after Taiwan and Nepal. As many as 300 couples had been expected to complete the formalities at a daylong gala celebration in an exhibition hall at a shopping mall in central Bangkok, though by late afternoon the total was less than half of that. Hundreds more were predicted to register at district offices around the country, though actual numbers were not immediately available. They included actors Apiwat "Porsch" Apiwatsayree and Sappanyoo "Arm" Panatkool, who tied the knot at the Phra Nakorn district office in central Bangkok. We can love, we love equally, legally, said Sappanyoo. And we can build our family in our own way because I believe that every kind of love, every kind of family is beautiful as it is, his partner Apiwat said. They posed afterwards on a terrace at the office, smiling and waving while clutching a bouquet of flowers. Similar sentiments were voiced at the mall mass event, where same-sex couple Pisit Sirihirunchai, 36, a policeman, and his partner Chanatip Sirihirunchai, 42, registered. Dont put a limit just because they are same sex or whatever they are. Love is a beautiful thing. We should not stop them, Pisit said. I want to see the same-sex marriage law available in every country where LGBTQ+ couples are, Chanatip chimed in. Activists said they hoped at least 1,448 same-sex marriages would take place nationwide Thursday, in a nod to Civil and Commercial Codes Article 1448, that they had successfully lobbied to get amended. Thailands marriage equality bill, which sailed through both houses of parliament, amended Article 1448 to replace the words man and woman and husband and wife with individuals and marriage partners. It is intended to grant full legal, financial and medical rights to LGBTQ+ couples. Partners will have equal rights and responsibilities in dealing with joint assets, tax obligations and deductions, inheritance rights and survivor benefits. At the Siam Paragon mall, former Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin led a parade of newlyweds on a rainbow-colored carpet outside of the exhibition hall. Current Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra addressed the crowd by video message, declaring, From now on, all love will be certified by law. All couples will live with honor and dignity in Thailand." Srettha, under whose government the ruling Pheu Thai party introduced the new law, offered a sharper and more timely comment, obviously referencing U.S. President Donald Trumps inauguration speech on Monday, in which he declared it will be the official policy of his government that there are only two genders, male and female. While he did not mention Trump by name, Srettha said a powerful countrys new leader announced clearly that there are only two genders in his country. Striking a comparison between that powerful country and Thailands mid-sized population and smaller economy, he said, I believe our heart is bigger. Thailand has a reputation for acceptance and inclusivity, and thousands of people from around the world attend the annual Bangkok Pride parade. But rights advocates have struggled for decades to pass a marriage equality law in a largely conservative society where members of the LGBTQ+ community say they face discrimination in everyday life, although they note that things have improved greatly in recent years. Bangkoks city government has said that it organized workshops for district office staff who are in charge of handling marriage registration. They included lectures raising awareness about gender diversity and guidance on how to properly communicate with those who come for the service. The Interior Ministry has offered similar guidance. Its like a missing piece of the jigsaw, Bangkok Deputy Gov. Sanon Wangsrangboon said at one of the workshops earlier this month. Society is ready. The law is getting ready. But the last piece of the jigsaw is the understanding from officials. About three dozen countries around the world have legalized some form of same-sex marriage, more than half in Europe. In Taiwan, which in 2019 was the first place in Asia to legalize same-sex marriage, 526 people registered on the first day, according to its governments Department of Household Registration. (AP) Commercial flights between Turkey and Syria resumed Thursday after 13 years, with a Turkish Airlines flight from Istanbul to Damascus. Turkish media showed Syrian families draped in their national flag singing pro-opposition songs and cheering as they prepared to board flight TK0846 to Damascus. Passengers continued their celebrations inside the plane, singing the uprising anthem Hold your head up high, you are a free Syrian. One man sobbed while waiting for takeoff. I missed Syria and am happy to fly back, said Fuad Abdulhalid, who has lived in Turkey for 12 years. Another passenger, Nail Beyazid, expressed hope as he prepared to visit his home for the first time since fleeing from Syria. We are very happy that (Syria) was liberated, and the situation is very good, Beyazid said. We had a house, a factory. We also had cars, which are gone now. We are going back to take a look. Since the lightning rebel offensive that ousted Syrian President Bashar Assad a month ago, Arab and Western countries that had cut off relations with the former government have been reopening diplomatic relations with Syrias new de facto authorities, headed by the Islamist former insurgent group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, or HTS. The first international commercial flight since Assad's fall, a Royal Jordanian Airlines plane, landed in Damascus earlier this month. Turkey, a key ally of Syria's new authorities, has expressed its intention to invest in its economy and help its ailing electricity and energy sectors. Turkish Airlines CEO Bilal Eksi announced earlier this month that the airline would fly three times a week between Istanbul and Damascus. The move followed a visit to Ankara by Syrias foreign minister, Asaad al-Shibani, who met with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and other officials. (AP) Billionaire entrepreneur Michael Bloomberg announced Thursday that his foundation will step in to fund the U.N. climate change body after President Donald Trump declared the United States would withdraw from the Paris Agreement for the second time. Bloomberg's intervention aims to ensure the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) remains fully funded despite the United States halting its contributions. Washington typically provides 22 percent of the UNFCCC secretariat's budget, with the body's operating costs for 2024-2025 projected at 88.4 million euros ($96.5 million). The secretariat is tasked with supporting the global response to climate threats, and organizes international climate conferences, the next of which will be COP30 held in Brazil in November. "From 2017 to 2020, during a period of federal inaction, cities, states, businesses and the public rose to the challenge to uphold our nation's commitments and now, we are ready to do it again," Bloomberg, who serves as the U.N. special envoy on climate ambition and solutions, said in a statement. This marks the second time Bloomberg, the former mayor of New York, has stepped in to fill the gap left by U.S. federal disengagement. In 2017, following the Trump administration's first withdrawal from the Paris accord, Bloomberg pledged up to $15 million to support the UNFCCC. He also launched "America's Pledge," an initiative to track and report U.S. non-federal climate commitments, ensuring the world could monitor U.S. progress as if it were still a fully committed party to the Paris Agreement. Bloomberg reiterated his commitment to upholding US reporting obligations this time as well. "Contributions like this are vital in enabling the U.N. Climate Change secretariat to support countries in fulfilling their commitments under the Paris Agreement and advancing a low-emission, resilient, and safer future for all," U.N. climate chief Simon Stiell said. Laurence Tubiana, a key architect of the Paris climate accord, said Bloomberg's "generous donation will allow the world to maintain a vital forum for cooperation on the fundamental challenge of our time, which no country can solve alone or afford to ignore." Trump on Monday announced the United States' withdrawal from the Paris accord, which is managed by the U.N. climate change body, brings together almost all the world's nations and aims to keep global average temperature rise below a certain threshold. The president also signed an executive order directing the United States to withdraw from the U.N.'s World Health Organization, which had a budget of $7.89 billion in 2022-2023, with Washington contributing 16.3 percent of the total. (AFP) U.S. President Donald Trump said he is considering 10 percent tariffs on imports from China, starting on Feb. 1, as a penalty for the flow of fentanyl, which is responsible for thousands of deaths in the U.S. annually. "We're talking about a tariff of 10 percent on China, based on the fact that they're sending fentanyl to Mexico and Canada," Trump said in his first press conference after his inauguration on Tuesday. Trump said after his swearing-in on Monday that he is considering 25 percent tariffs on the U.S.' two North American neighbors, also to start on Feb. 1, to push them to stop shipments of the opioid from coming into the U.S., but did not mention China. The new U.S. leader did not announce any tariffs on China on his inauguration day, despite earlier vows to do so on his first day in office. Instead, he directed federal agencies to investigate China's "unfair trade practices" as one of his priorities under his goal to "overhaul the U.S. trade system to protect American workers and families." Trump added in the press conference that he and Chinese President Xi Jinping, whom he invited to his inauguration, "didn't talk much" about the tariffs during their call on Friday, adding that Xi knows "where I stand." On Friday, Xi and Trump spoke by phone, marking their first call since 2020. They discussed contentious issues from trade to fentanyl, with both indicating a willingness to address strains in bilateral ties. The U.S. has long criticized China of being responsible for the fentanyl crisis in the U.S., accusing Chinese chemical companies of producing fentanyl precursors that trade globally. The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration estimated in a report last month that nearly 70 percent of drug overdoses in the country were caused by opioids such as fentanyl in 2023. Trump's order on Monday to investigate China's trade practices requires an assessment of whether Beijing had acted "in accordance" with its trade agreement with the U.S., referring to a phase-one trade deal reached between the two countries in Trump's first term. In 2018, Trump began imposing tariffs on more than $300 billion worth of imported Chinese goods and pushed Beijing to sign the agreement, which required the country to buy an additional $200 billion of American goods and services in a two-year period. Trump often bragged that the deal was "the best" he had ever made. But after it was signed in January 2020, Beijing fell well short of the target, in part because the Covid-19 pandemic-related supply chain disruptions hampered trade. Trump's pick to lead the Treasury, Scott Bessent, suggested in his confirmation hearing last week that Trump could use tariffs as a negotiation tactic to revive a talk on the phase-one deal with China. Trump has threatened during his presidential campaign that the tariff on China could rise to 60 percent or more on specific products like electric vehicles. He did not indicate whether higher tariffs would apply on China since he took office. Although Xi did not attend Trump's inauguration in-person, he sent Chinese Vice-President Han Zheng, who met U.S. Vice-President J.D. Vance on Sunday. Han told Vance in their meeting that China is willing to strengthen dialogue with the U.S. on trade, citing the "huge common interests and room for cooperation" between the two nations in this field. Read the full story at SCMP. 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. NewJeans has turned to fans for their next group name, sparking divided reactions amid their ongoing feud with their agency HYBE. Ever since the members (Minji, Hanni, Haerin, Danielle, and Hyein) unilaterally terminated their contracts with their label ADOR, they have been handling their schedules independently, a decision that distances them from their former agency. One significant step was launching the group's separate Instagram account, @jeanzforfree, which is entirely operated by the members themselves. The members use this platform to post daily updates and connect with their devoted fans, Bunnies. However, some fans were left scratching their heads over the group's latest post. On the platform, NewJeans shared a post containing a party popper emoji against a bright all-yellow backdrop. In the caption, the members announced a two-day contest for Bunnies, inviting them to unleash their creativity by proposing temporary group name suggestions. "Bunnies! We are going to have a two-day contest for a new activity to find a temporary group name that we will use for a certain period of time," NewJeans shared. "Please participate in the comments!" the group added. "Bunnies, tell us many good names and we will choose! This is so exciting." Fans were more than willing to give out their witty ideas in the comments section, with some pitching out names such as "JeanZ," "Everjeans," and "Denim Dream." However, on X (formerly Twitter), some netizens couldn't help but wonder about NewJeans' game plan, highlighting uncertainty in their future as a group. They also believed that doing such a move would only prolong their already tense conflict with ADOR. i still so confused on this whole situation. are they technically still with hybe? are they free from their contract? i dont understand https://t.co/UQdwJnbHro lexie | SMB | (@sanniesfav) January 23, 2025 temporary? better for them to change their name for good for a fresh start, dont know how long the dispute will last https://t.co/lCog4I2qTv dee (@haechanjoy) January 23, 2025 Success! An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup. Brazil expresses concern over Trump's environmental policy rollbacks Xinhua) 14:28, January 23, 2025 BRASILIA, Jan. 22 (Xinhua) -- The environmental policy rollbacks announced by U.S. President Donald Trump during his inaugural address have raised global concerns, chief of staff of the Brazilian presidency Rui Costa said on Wednesday. Speaking on the "Good morning, Minister" radio program produced by the Brazilian Communication Company, Costa expressed hope that these policies might not be fully implemented due to the significant autonomy and legal power of U.S. states. "Humanity is calling for the protection of nature. While the vast majority of people desire environmental preservation, some leaders have been elected who do not see this as a priority, relegating it to the background," he said. Costa criticized Trump's announcement of the U.S. withdrawal from the Paris Agreement, a global pact aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions. "This decision is concerning, not just for the Brazilian government but for all of humanity. It is futile for one country to act alone in reducing emissions; collective effort is essential to cleaning up the planet," he added. (Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Zhong Wenxing) Noel OToole, Grove Park, Mountmellick and formerly of Balrothery Estate, Tallaght and late of Dublin Corporation and a proud member of Mountmellick Mens Shed passed away on Wednesday 22 January, peacefully at his home surrounded by his loving family. Noel will be sadly missed by his loving wife, Phil, daughters Diane and Catriona, son, Niall, daughter-in-law Michelle, and son-in-law, Dan, adored grandchildren Conor, Kate, Matthew, Luke, Tegan, Lauren, and Tiernan, sisters-in-law, brother-in-law, nieces and nephews. Also, sadly missed by his extended family, friends and wonderful neighbours. Reposing at Moloneys Funeral Home, Mountmellick (Eircode R32PC95) on Friday 24 January from 5pm to 8pm with recital of the Rosary from 7.30pm. Removal from his home on Saturday 25 January at 10.30am and arriving at Saint Josephs Church, Mountmellick for Requiem Mass at 11.00 am followed by Cremation Service at Newlands Cross Crematorium. Funeral Mass can be viewed live on the parish webcam https://www.mountmellickparish.ie/web-cam/ House private please. Family flowers only please. Donations, if desired, to Laois Offaly Palliative Care Team. Sympathisers can express their sympathy on the Rip.ie online Condolences section. It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Trish Kelley (nee Lawlor) (Nurse Kelley, Glenard Clinic) after an illness borne with great courage and dignity on Wednesday 22 January, surrounded by her loving family, friends and the staff of Dun Aine (Saint Vincent's, CNU Mountmellick). Trish was the beloved wife of the late Eddy. Trish was deeply loved by her brothers Michael (RIP) John, Dermot, Gerry and sister Doris (Flannery) and by her extended family and friends who she cherished. Reposing Moloneys Funeral Home, Mountmellick on Thursday 23 January from 6pm Recital of The Rosary at 7.30pm. Removal from her home on Friday morning 24 January at 1.20pm via Connolly Street arriving at Saint Joseph's Church, Mountmellick for Requiem Mass at 2pm. Burial after in Saint Josephs Cemetery. Funeral Mass can be viewed live on the parish webcam https://www.mountmellickparish.ie/web-cam/ House private please. Sympathisers can express their sympathy on the Rip.ie online Condolences section. THREE students from Wolfhill NS have talked their way into the county semi-final of a debating contest, with a winning performance today. Terrific trio Jack (captain), Will and Kevin showcased their skills to scoop success, in the second round of the Concern debating competition. The senior schoolboys overcame an excellent Newtown NS team to defeat the motion that We should only buy Fair-Trade Products, after a considered and very informative debate. It was truly a team effort for Wolfhill NS, as the rural two-teacher school has only 12 students. There are six children in the senior class, which comprises one fifth class and five sixth class pupils. While the debating team has three members and a timekeeper, Callum, all six students are involved in the development and research needed to create the rebuttals and speeches. After the second round debate on Thursday 23 January, the adjudicator complimented both school teams on their research and analysis of the information presented, which he said was factual and referenced to a high standard. Thrilled with the wonderful win, Wolfhill NS teacher Aoife Amond said: We are over the moon and incredibly proud of our pupils, as they have worked so hard and are competing with schools that have many more pupils than we have. The Board of Management, staff and community are immensely proud of the children and wish them the very best of luck in the semi-final. The school established a Debating Society in 2015 and participates annually in the Concern debating competition and inter-school debates. Ms Amond said the debates are very valuable and worthwhile, as they allow children to hone their critical thinking and problem-solving skills. She said: The school's success in the Concern debating competition is a source of great pride to the school community. Year on year, the pupils have refined their skills and experience as they supported teams from previous years. An inclusive co-educational school set in beautiful countryside, Wolfhill NS is currently accepting enrolments for all classes for September 2025. Further details are available on the school website at www.wolfhilns.com or 087 2076140. THE father of a man who died from head injuries following an incident outside a pub in Monasterevin has described to a jury the moment he knew his son was gone when he saw him gurgling and his eyes rolling in his head. Sean Kavanagh (26) with an address at St Marys Lane, Church Avenue, and Calvin Dunne (24) of Abbey View, both in Monasterevin, Co Kildare, have pleaded not (NOT) guilty to the murder of Dylan McCarthy on or about August 22, 2022. Both men have also pleaded not (NOT) guilty to violent disorder on August 21, 2022, at Dublin Road, Monasterevin, while Mr Kavanagh has pleaded not (NOT) guilty to a charge of assault causing harm to Dylans father Eamon McCarthy on the same date and at the same location. It is the States case that Dylan McCarthy (29) died following an incident in Monasterevin in which he received punches from Mr Kavanagh and Mr Dunne, before he received a vicious kick to the head from Mr Dunne while he was attempting to get up off the ground. The jury has been told that both men have claimed they were acting in self-defence and that Dylan McCarthy was himself involved in violence on the night. Giving evidence to prosecuting counsel Seoirse O Dunlaing SC today (FRI), Eamon McCarthy said he had travelled to Monasterevin from his home in Limerick on August 21, 2022 with his son Dylan and Dylans partner Aoife Talty to celebrate the birth of his daughter Orlas baby. Mr McCarthy told the court that his wife Marita stayed at home to look after their grandson while he, Dylan, Ms Talty, Orla and her partner Glen Brogan went out. Mr McCarthy said when they left the first pub they heard music coming from another establishment, which he now knows to be the Bellyard pub, and someone in the group said well go in for one. This was around 11.45pm, he said, and after ordering drinks, the group started to dance to the band who were playing, and they were all enjoying ourselves. Mr McCarthy said when a drink was spilled, a barman came out and was cleaning the floor with blue kitchen roll when Dylans girlfriend said she would give him a hand. She put her leg on it and he basically pushed her leg away and said f**k away from it. I said: youre a gas man to do that to a woman, Mr McCarthy told counsel. He immediately turned to me and said: Do you want a piece of me?. I said no were here to enjoy ourselves. He repeated it, I said, no were here to enjoy ourselves, said the witness. Mr McCarthy said the barman then went for Glen and he got in-between them. He said there was another barman who came in on Dylans face. He said he didnt know any of these men and that after he broke up what was happening, he said the barmen were dragging Aoife and Dylan out the door. He said when he got to the porch at the front door, he saw a man who had Dylan by the throat and he was gouging his eyes. Thats my fucking son thats what I said, Mr McCarthy told the jury. I pulled your mans hands off Dylan. I got a dig into the back of the head and I was shoved out the door. He said at this point he put his foot in the door to stop them closing it and there were two men who were outside who said: Dont let them close the door, theyll kill him inside there. Mr McCarthy said the next thing he remembered was getting up off the ground. He said there was a man walking down towards him who said: Im already after bursting your face twice dont come back for a third time. The witness said he told the man he was going up to his son and the man then hit a belt into his face. Asked by Mr O Dunlaing to describe the man, the witness said he had facial hair and a black top on. Mr McCarthy said after he was punched, he fell to the ground and when he eventually got up he went up to Dylan. I knew my son was gone at that stage, he told the court. His eyes were rolling in his head and he was gurgling. He said an ambulance arrived and gave medical assistance to his son who was then brought to hospital. A short time later, the witness said he was also removed from the scene by ambulance and brought to Portlaoise hospital before he was transferred to Dublin. Mr McCarthy said he sustained a fractured jaw and required surgery and five plates to treat his injuries. He also sustained a broken nose and a hairline fracture around one of his eye sockets, he confirmed to counsel. He said he waited until after Dylans funeral had taken place to have the operation. Asked by Mr O Dunlaing how those injuries were received, the witness said it was from the punch from the person who came down the road towards him. Under cross-examination, Michael Lynn SC, representing Mr Kavanagh, put it to the witness that in his witness statement, the barman said the group became aggressive and Mr McCarthy had commented to the owner of the bar: You come outside with me and Ill pull the eyes out of your head. Mr McCarthy said this was not true. Counsel said the other witness, who is the licence owner of the bar, said he told the group: Lads I think its time to go and they told him to go f**k myself. F**k you. F**k off. Dont be acting the prick. No, I dont recall that, Mr McCarthy replied. CCTV footage from inside and outside the pub at the time of the incident was then played in court. Mr Lynn put it to the witness that he had placed Mr Kavanagh in a headlock. It looks like I pulled him away from my son, said Mr McCarthy. Mr McCarthy denied a suggestion by John Fitzgerald SC, representing Mr Dunne, that Ms Talty was getting in the way or making a nuisance of herself rather than trying to help. Mr Fitzgerald asked the witness if, having viewed the footage, he still maintained that he had only made one comment to the barman. That was the extent of what the jury has just watched, is that right? counsel asked. Thats why I recall yes, said Mr McCarthy before rejecting suggestions that his recollection might be wrong. The trial commenced on Thursday and continues this week before Ms Justice Caroline Biggs and the jury of 10 men and two women. It is expected to involve 97 witnesses and will last over two weeks. HUGE celebrations took place in Scoil Bhride, Mountrath last week when the school was presented with new state-of-the-art Samsung tablets after winning second place in the Roscommon Mini Motion Pictures Film Festival last month. Following the schools success, their film Grannies Revenge received global attention. Five primary schools from Laois, Offaly, Longford and Roscommon took part in the festival at Roscommon Arts Centre, where each film was screened in front of three judges representing the Irish Film Industry, Samsung and The Arts Council of Ireland. Cathy OFlaherty from Samsung, along with Aideen McHugh of Creative Schools and Lee Williamson from Shuttermaniac Productions, presented ten new devices to the children and staff of Scoil Bhride this week. Grannie'sRevenge was created by the children after Scoil Bhride entered the Creative Schools programme two years ago. With the support of their teachers, creative associate Aideen McHugh and principal Mary Keegan, the children decided to learn about filmmaking. In the second year of the Creative Schools initiative, all students had the opportunity to work closely with Lee Williamson from Shuttermaniac to create Grannies Revenge, which can be viewed on YouTube. Washington, January 23: External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Wednesday said he had brief discussion on the current situation in Bangladesh with newly-appointed US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and National Security Advisor Mike Waltz. "Yes, we had a brief discussion on Bangladesh. I don't think it's appropriate that I get into more details," Jaishankar told a group of Indian reporters at a news conference here. Mastermind of Mass Killings: Sheikh Hasina Alleges Muhammad Yunus, Student Leaders Behind Killings and Targeting Hindu Temples in Bangladesh. The minister was responding to a query on whether treatment of minorities in Bangladesh came up during his meetings with Rubio and Waltz. However, there was no discussion on the attacks on Indian consulates in the US or the threat to Indian diplomats here, Jaishankar said. "I didn't raise those issues on this occasion," he said. Bangladesh Must Protect All Minorities: India Says Interim Government Must Live up to Its Responsibility of Protecting Hindus and Other Minorities Amid Increasing Violence. "But I do want to s y that the attack on our consulate in San Francisco is a very, very serious matter. It is something for which we expect accountability, and we would like to see that people who did it are held responsible," Jaishankar said. Asked about two cases -- one against a former Indian official and another against an Indian business tycoon -- which have come up in US courts in the last two years, Jaishankar said, "No, the subject didn't come up (during the meetings)." (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) PRNewswire San Francisco [US]/ Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], January 23: Ati Motors, a leader in AI and autonomous robotics, today announced a $20 million Series B investment led by Walden Catalyst Ventures (WCV) and NGP Capital (NGP) with participation from current investors including True Ventures, Exfinity Venture Partners, Athera Venture Partners and Blume Ventures. The funding comes on the heels of Ati Motors exceptional performance, marked by a tripled order book in Q4 2024 and the addition of nine industry leading clients. Walden Catalyst Ventures and NGP Capital Lead Investment to Fuel Ati Motors Global Expansion Across North America and APAC. Also Read | Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose Jayanti 2025 Images and Parakram Diwas HD Wallpapers for Free Download Online: Celebrate Indian Nationalists 128th Birth Anniversary With WhatsApp Status Messages and Photos. Ati Motors expertise in robotics, artificial intelligence, and manufacturing, is revolutionizing how the industrial sector approaches automation. It has deployed hundreds of its Sherpa robots across 40 leading manufacturers (30% Fortune 500), including Forvia and Hyundai with multiple scaled deployments in North America. The capital will enable the company to accelerate the development and deployment of its robotic workforce, which leverages one of the largest and most diverse factory datasets for autonomous movement. Ati Motors autonomous robots have been deployed globally in dynamic and complex manufacturing environments, delivering industry-leading uptime and helping customers achieve exceptional productivity gains. Also Read | West Bengal: Reshuffle in Trinamool Congress Likely in February, CM Mamata Banerjee To Have Final Say. Manufacturers around the world are keen to adopt robots as part of their workforce given that people no longer want to put up with dull, dirty and dangerous tasks. However, the adoption has been constrained by availability of robots that perform as well as people in real world scenarios. Solving this gap has been Ati Motors' success. "Since our founding, Ati Motors mission has been to create advanced, reliable products that enhance both productivity and efficiency in industrial settings," said Saurabh Chandra, Founder and CEO of Ati Motors. "This funding will accelerate our ability to leverage our extensive real-world dataset to develop next-generation AI models and further advance our industrial autonomy platform. The rapid growth we're experiencing validates our approach of focusing on manufacturing as a vertical and conceptualising these robots as purpose-built self-driving vehicles." "Ati Motors represents the future of industrial automation," said Shankar Chandran, Partner at Walden Catalyst Ventures. "Their unique combination of advanced AI capabilities and robotics, along with a deep understanding of manufacturing environments, positions them perfectly to lead the next wave of industrial automation. The impressive growth they've achieved validates their approach and demonstrates the strong market demand for their solutions." "We're excited to co-lead this investment in Ati Motors," said Upal Basu at NGP Capital. "The company's ability to successfully deploy fully autonomous mobile robots across diverse industrial environments, combined with their rapidly growing customer base, makes them a standout in the industrial automation space. We believe their unique approach to combining Edge AI, LIDAR, and robotics will help address a critical need in the manufacturing sector." The funding will be used to accelerate product development, expand Ati Motors market presence both in North America and APAC, and strengthen its position as a leading provider of industrial automation solutions at the intersection of AI and robotics. The company recently established operations in Mexico and has strengthened its presence across US, India and Southeast Asia. The company is currently expanding its North America headquarters in Detroit, MI. Media kit: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1UUxwax7T_c5eN6BOaAawJ_A4Fqz_1Mw9 YouTube link: Ati Motors - Sherpa Product Portfolio Recommended press release photo: Ati Product Portfolio.jpg Or Ati Product Portfolio Transparent.png About Ati Motors Ati Motors is a leading autonomous mobile robot manufacturer, revolutionizing industries with AI-powered robotics inspired by self-driving cars. Specializing in manufacturing facilities, Ati's product range includes Tugs, Bin Movers, Pallet Movers, and Lifting Platforms. Their flagship Sherpa Tug, featuring 3D navigation and outdoor capabilities, has logged over 500,000 kilometers across 50+ factories. Serving global leaders in automotive, appliances, aerospace, and electronics sectors, Ati Motors has secured over $37M in funding. About Walden Catalyst Ventures Walden Catalyst is a venture capital firm helping early-stage companies in the U.S., Europe, and Israel build the next generation of category-defining businesses in deep-tech. The firm is led by Young Sohn and Lip-Bu Tan, deep-tech industry pioneers who between them have invested in more than 600 startups across the globe, of which 138 have gone on to IPO. Walden Catalyst is focused on deep-tech investments and their team of innovators and entrepreneurs are passionate about disruptive technologies and committed to excellence. This translates into unparalleled access to operational expertise, global reach, and a network of industry captains eager to help build and scale the companies of the future. About NGP Capital NGP Capital backs early-stage B2B companies from Series A onwards in the U.S., and Europe, within enterprise software, industrial tech, cybersecurity, and infrastructure. Through its $400m fifth fund launched in 2022, NGP Capital invests in companies driving the convergence of the physical and virtual. Founded in 2005, NGP Capital has over $1.6B in AUM and has invested in over 100 companies of which 18 became unicorns and 11 went on to IPO. Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2603744/Saurabh_Chandra_Founder_CEO__Ati_Motors.jpg Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2603776/Ati_Motors_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) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) India PR Distribution Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], January 23: GB Logistics Commerce Limited, operating in Logistics sector, has announced its plan to go public with an IPO on January 24, 2025, aiming to raise Rs 25.07 Crores, with shares to be listed on the BSE SME platform. Also Read | Proud of My Tech Background: KT Rama Rao Hits Back at Telangana CM Revanth Reddy for Calling Him IT Employee. The issue size is Up To 24,57,600 equity shares at a face value of Rs 10 each. * Fresh Issue Size - 24,57,600 Equity Shares of Rs 10 each Also Read | 'Body Chopped Into Pieces, Boiled in Pressure Cooker': Horrifying Details Emerge After Ex-Army Man Brutally Kills Wife in Meerpet Near Hyderabad. * Issue Size - Rs 25.07 Crores (At Upper Price Band) * Price Band - Rs 95 - Rs 102 Per Equity Share * Lot Size - 1,200 Equity Shares Equity Share Allocation * QIB Anchor Portion - Up to 6,99,600 Equity Shares * Qualified Institutional Buyers (QIB) - Up to 4,66,800 Equity Shares * Non-Institutional Investors (NII) - Not less than 3,50,400 Equity Shares * Retail Individual Investors (RII) - Not less than 8,17,200 Equity Shares * Market Maker - Up to 1,23,600 Equity Shares The net proceeds from the Issue will be utilized primarily for Prepayment or Repayment of a Portion of Certain Outstanding Borrowings, Working Capital Requirements, Expenditure Towards the Purchase of Truck Chassis & Truck Bodies, & General Corporate Purposes. The anchor portion will open on January 23, 2025. The issue will open for public on January 24, 2025 and the issue will close on January 28, 2025. The Book Running Lead Manager to the Issue is SKI Capital Services Limited, The Registrar to the Issue is Maashitla Securities Private Limited. Prashant N Lakhani, Managing Director of GB Logistics Commerce Limited expressed, "This IPO represents an important step forward in our journey and highlights the progress we have made in the logistics. Since our inception, GB Logistics has been focused on full truckload freight services across India. By utilizing both proprietary and third-party logistics solutions, we have established a foundation for operational stability. The IPO proceeds will be directed toward repaying a portion of our borrowings and investing in truck chassis and bodies to strengthen our logistics capabilities. These investments are aimed at reducing third-party reliance, contributing towards our operations, and control over operations and profitability. This IPO will support our plans to expand operations, increase market presence, and reinforce our corporate identity." Ghanisht Nagpal, Partner Investment Banking of SKI Capital Services Limited said, "The IPO of GB Logistics marks a new milestone in the company's growth journey. With the ongoing industrialization, infrastructure development, and technological advancements, the logistics industry in India is evolving rapidly, offering opportunities for companies like GB Logistics to expand within the full truckload freight services segment. The company emphasizes on operations, technology integration, and service diversification to align with sector requirements. The IPO proceeds will be utilized to expand operations and achieve strategic objectives. We are pleased to be a part of this process and believe the company will contribute positively to India's logistics ecosystem." About The Company: GB Logistics Commerce Limited operates in Logistics sector. The company operates in full truckload freight services, offering a wide range of logistics solutions, including regular full-truckload transportation, special handling, go-down-to-go-down transportation, multi-level deliveries, and out-of-delivery-area shipments. With a diverse fleet comprising light, heavy, closed-body, and trailer trucks, GB Logistics ensures domestic coverage and timely delivery, catering to large and medium-sized enterprises across various industries. GB Logistics capitalizes on opportunities linked to its logistics activities. With a focus on operational efficiency, market expansion, technological integration, and specialized services, GB Logistics positions itself as a reliable logistics partner, specializing in remote and challenging deliveries while focusing on customer needs. In FY24, The Company Achieved a Consolidated Revenue of Rs 11,562.48 Lakhs, Consolidated EBITDA of Rs 926.62 Lakhs, & Consolidated PAT of Rs 486.24 Lakhs. Disclaimer: Certain statements in this document that are not historical facts are forward looking statements. Such forward-looking statements are subject to certain risks and uncertainties like government actions, local, political or economic developments, technological risks, and many other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contemplated by the relevant forward-looking statements. The Company will not be in any way responsible for any action taken based on such statements and undertakes no obligation to publicly update these forward-looking statements to reflect subsequent events or circumstances. For Further Information Please Contact: Milind Apte - Director AKMIL Strategic Advisors Private Limited milind@akmiladvisors.com (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) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) PRNewswire Davos [Switzerland], January 23: Tech Mahindra (NSE: TECHM), a leading global provider of technology consulting and digital solutions to enterprises across industries, has partnered with the Wall Street Journal Intelligence to launch The Tech Adoption Index, a report with critical insights into global technology adoption trends. The report was unveiled at the World Economic Forum in Davos by Dr Anish Shah, Group CEO and MD, Mahindra Group; Mohit Joshi, CEO & Managing Director, Tech Mahindra; Josh Stinchcomb, EVP & Chief Revenue Officer, The Wall Street Journal; and Peeyush Dubey, Chief Marketing Officer, Tech Mahindra. Also Read | ICC Awards 2024 Winners Set To Be Announced Across Five Days From January 24 to 28. The marquee report draws insights from over 1,000 global C-suite executives and industry leaders across 10 countries in North America, EMEA, and Asia, working at companies generating at least $500 million in annual revenue. Josh Stinchcomb, Chief Revenue Officer, the Wall Street Journal, said, "We found that the most successful companies must balance speed, scale, and ROI with smooth integration. Tech Mahindra's expertise in digital transformation was instrumental in the research process and deepened our exploration of these complex challenges." Also Read | Saif Ali Khan Stabbing Case: 'Attack Real or Was He Acting', Maharashtra Cabinet Minister Nitesh Rane Makes Shocking Remarks. Key findings from the Tech Adoption Index: * 84% of companies believe a diverse technology portfolio is crucial to achieving business success * Artificial intelligence (AI), cybersecurity, and cloud computing emerge as the most instrumental technologies driving enterprise growth * Businesses see 5G and IoT as key enablers but face challenges in seamless onboarding and integration of emerging technologies The report also provides a unique benchmarking tool hosted on a dedicated Tech Mahindra property within the Wall Street Journal website. This platform will enable organizations to measure the efficacy of their technology portfolios against industry standards, fostering informed decision-making. Peeyush Dubey, Chief Marketing Officer, Tech Mahindra, said, "The Tech Adoption Index highlights that digital maturity isn't just about keeping up with technology--it's also a key indicator of resilience, foresight, and competitive strength. Our partnership with the Wall Street Journal Intelligence underscores our shared vision and commitment to empower enterprises with a clearer understanding of their digital journey, enabling smarter decisions that shape a sustainable future." The Tech Adoption Index is part of Tech Mahindra's ongoing collaboration with The Wall Street Journal to explore key factors for deploying digital infrastructure. The report will be available as a downloadable whitepaper that users can access towards the end of the benchmarking survey hosted on the WSJ and Tech Mahindra's dedicated portal. For more information on how TechM can partner with you to meet your Scale at Speed imperatives, please visit https://www.techmahindra.com Social Media Channels: Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Youtube Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2603686/The_Tech_Adoption_Index.jpg Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2539364/Tech_Mahindra_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) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Prayagraj (Uttar Pradesh) [India], January 23 (ANI): In just 11 days of the Mahakumbh, more than 97.3 million devotees, Kalpavasis and revered seers have taken a holy dip at the Triveni Sangam. With this unprecedented turnout of devotees, the total number of participants expected to touch the 100 million mark by the end of today the 11th day of the festival. Also Read | Proud of My Tech Background: KT Rama Rao Hits Back at Telangana CM Revanth Reddy for Calling Him IT Employee. As per the data of the Uttar Pradesh government, on Thursday as of now over 16.98 lakhs people took dip in the sacred confluence of Ganga, Yamuna and mystical Saraswati. The Uttar Pradesh government estimates that more than 45 crore people will attend the Maha Kumbh this time, according to an official statement. Also Read | 'Body Chopped Into Pieces, Boiled in Pressure Cooker': Horrifying Details Emerge After Ex-Army Man Brutally Kills Wife in Meerpet Near Hyderabad. Among the sea of visitors, various 'babas' stand out, especially those who carry their distinct identity. One such figure is Rajpal Singh, also known as 'Pahalwan Baba', with the mission to "awaken" the youth. He has become a prominent presence at the gathering, blending spirituality with a call for healthy lifestyle. "My objective is to awaken the youth, eradicate drugs, make everyone healthy, and make India a Vishwaguru... I am 50 years old, and I can do 10,000 push-ups with one hand. If I can work so hard at this age, the youth can do four times more," Rajpal Singh said. Earlier on Wednesday, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath took the holy dip in Triveni Sangam during the Maha Kumbh in Prayagraj on Wednesday. Deputy CMs Keshav Prasad Maurya, Brajesh Pathak and other cabinet ministers were with the CM. The UP CM was seen offering thanks to God as he and his ministers took part in this spiritual moment. "Uttar Pradesh Aerospace and Defence and employment policy has completed 5 years. It will be renewed. New incentives have been announced to attract more investment," Yogi said. CM Yogi announced the issuing of Municipal corporation bonds for Prayagraj Varanasi and Agra. "And bonds will be issued in these three important municipal corporations of Prayagraj, Varanasi and Agra. Till now we have issued bonds of Lucknow and Ghaziabad. Very good results have come out of this. This is an important medium for branding the municipal corporation and for its development and a new vision," CM Yogi said. Apart from that authorities are focusing on preparations for the upcoming Mauni Amavasya on January 29, anticipating large crowds of devotees. (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Chennai (Tamil Nadu) [India], January 23 (ANI): Tamil Nadu BJP State President Annamalai has condemned Indian Union Muslim League leader and Ramanathapuram MP Navas Kani for gathering a group and consuming non-vegetarian food on the Thirupparankundram Subramanya Swamy hill in Madurai, which is considered sacred by Hindus. "It is very unfortunate that a sitting MP, who has taken an oath to follow the secular values of India's Constitution, has chosen to go to a place, that has been sacred for thousands of years for the Hindu community, and eat non-veg food there, trying to provoke outrage," Annamalai told reporters. Also Read | 8th Pay Commission Pension Calculator: How Will Pension Hike Impact Central Govt Employees? Know About Fitment Factor and Other Key Details. "This is the state of Tamil Nadu politics. Appeasement politics has taken hold of what is happening in the state. This MP should be dismissed because he has violated his oath," he added. In a statement, Annamalai said that the sanctity of religious places must be preserved. Also Read | Uttarakhand Municipal Elections 2025: Voting Begins for Civic Body Polls in 13 Districts; 25.70% Voter Turnout Till 12 PM. "The recent developments at the Thirupparankundram Subramanya Swamy Temple, the first of the six abodes of Lord Murugan, are undesirable," he said. "In particular, the actions of Nawaz Kani, a Member of Parliament, are highly condemnable. His act of gathering a group and consuming non-vegetarian food on the Thirupparankundram Subramanya Swamy hill, which is considered sacred by Hindus, not only constitutes a grave mistake but also has the potential to incite communal tension," he added. On 22 January 2025, the IUML MP visited the Sikandar Malai Dargah at the Thiruparankundram hill in Tamil Nadu. The Thiruparankundram hill is also home to the Subramaniya Swamy Temple, a revered holy site for the Hindu community in Tamil Nadu. As per information by the Police that there is no ban on carrying cooked food, but a possible ban on transporting sheep and poultry on the hill, NavasKani and his group carried and consumed cooked non-vegetarian food on the hill. However, about six months ago, a man from Rajapalayam, along with his family, visited the Sikandar Dargah and offered a goat as a sacrifice before worshipping at the shrine. At that time, the police intervened, stating that since the Murugan temple is located on the hill, such sacrificial practices should not be carried out, and they were asked to limit their activities to prayers only. This sparked a controversy, and for the past week, Islamic organizations have been protesting, demanding that they be allowed to cook and serve non-vegetarian food as part of family feasts at the Dargah. As part of the protest, yesterday, Nawaz Kani, decided to visit the Sikandar Dargah. When officials tried to stop them, they argued that there was no restriction on bringing and consuming non-vegetarian food. Consequently, non-vegetarian food was brought and consumed at the Dargah, which is located along the pathway leading to the Murugan temple. This incident has sparked opposition from Hindu organizations, and there are accusations that the Ramanathapuram MP is attempting to incite communal tension. (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Dehradun (Uttarakhand) [India], January 23 (ANI): People in different parts of Uttarakhand have lined up outside polling booths on Thursday as voting for the Uttarakhand local body elections is underway. Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami appealed to the people of Uttarakhand to help make all the BJP candidates win in the state's civic body polls. Also Read | Torres Ponzi Scam: Mumbai Police Obtains Interpol Blue Corner Notice Against 8 Ukranian, 1 Turkish National in INR 1,000 Crore Fraud Case, Manhunt for CEO Mohammed Tausif Reyaz Intensifies. Referring to the BJP government at the centre and state, he asked voters to help form a triple-engine government. "I appeal to all the people of Uttarakhand; You have always stood by the BJP and formed a double-engine government. You made PM Modi the Prime Minister again. I appeal to all of you to please make all the BJP candidates win in the state municipal corporation election and help form a triple-engine government," CM Pushkar Singh Dhami told ANI. Also Read | Airtel Prepaid Plans: Telecom Company Revises INR 509 and INR 1,999 Prepaid Plans; Check Plan Benefits, Validity and Other Details. Dhami stated that the BJP has fulfilled all its promises, adding that the government is working continuously to make Uttarakhand the best state in India. "We have fulfilled all the promises and are taking forward our vision. We are working continuously to make Uttarakhand the best state in India, under the leadership of PM Modi," Dhami added. Saurabh Thapliyal, BJP's mayor candidate from Dehradun, said, "I want to appeal to all citizens of Dehradun to cast their votes. This is a festival of democracy. No matter whom they vote for, everyone should vote." Meanwhile, visuals showed long queues outside polling booths in Haridwar and Dehradun. These elections will be held for 11 municipal corporations, 43 municipal councils, and 46 Nagar Panchayats across the state. Earlier, Chief Minister Dhami on Monday appealed to the people to vote in favour of BJP's Dehradun Municipal Corporation mayor candidate Saurabh Thapliyal and all BJP councillor candidates in the upcoming civic polls. Addressing a gathering at an OBC conference in Dehradun, Dhami highlighted the BJP government's commitment to the upliftment of the exploited, deprived, and backward classes. He emphasised that the benefits of various public welfare schemes launched by the BJP government are reaching every section of society. (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 23 (ANI): The Delhi High Court on Thursday granted permission to Sameer Mahendru, an accused in the Delhi Excise policy case to travel to UAE for business purposes from January 28 to 31. Currently, Mahendru is enlarged on regular bail. Also Read | Guillain-Barre Syndrome: 59 Cases Reported in Pune, Bacterial Link to Contaminated Food and Water Identified. Justice Vikas Mahajan granted permission to Sameer Mahendru after hearing the submissions by the counsels for the petitioner and Enforcement Directorate (ED). Advocate Dhruv Gupta appeared for Sameer Mahendru. An application seeking permission to the Petitioner to travel abroad from 28.01.2025 to 31.01.2025 and to obtain his passport from the custody of the Learned Trial Court and further direct the authorities to suspend/withdraw/cancel the Look Out Circular, if any. Also Read | Saif Ali Khan Stabbing: BJP Leader Nitesh Rane Raises Doubts Over Attack on Bollywood Star, Asks 'Was He Really Stabbed With Knife or Was It Just an Act'. It was submitted that the petitioner was granted regular bail in September 2024. He was granted permission earlier also on 07.01.2025 to travel abroad to Dubai, UAE from 09.01.2025 to 16.01.2025, to meet his old-aged NRI father-in-law, whose health was not in the best condition. Earlier, Mahendru had filed a petition seeking permission to travel with his family to Dubai to visit his elderly and ailing father-in-law. While Mahendru had been granted bail on September 9, 2024, one of the conditions of his bail was that he could not leave the country without prior court approval. In his petition, Mahendru emphasized that he had complied with all court orders, regularly attended hearings, and had not abused the liberty granted to him. He also pointed out that another co-accused, Gautam Malhotra, had been allowed to travel abroad during his trial, with the Look Out Circular (LoC) against him suspended during that time. (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, January 23: BJP candidate from Kalkaji Assembly seat, Ramesh Bidhuri on Thursday filed a complaint against Delhi Chief Minister and AAP candidate Atishi for allegedly filing false complaints and exerting undue pressure on the administration. In his letter to the Returning Officer of the Kalkaji Seat, Bidhuri claimed that Atishi has hired paid workers from other assembly constituencies for campaigning. "The said workers are creating a public nuisance. They misbehave with my party workers. Apprehending her defeat, Atishi, to exert pressure upon the administration and to threaten my workers of false prosecution, has started levelling baseless and false complaints," he said. "The allegations levelled are not corroborated by any audio-video recordings or oral testimony of any independent witness. Recently, she filed a false and frivolous complaint against my supporter, Manish Bidhuri. Atishi also got a forged video circulated to tarnish my image and influence the elections regarding which I have already referred a complaint with the Kalkaji police station," the BJP leader added. Delhi Assembly Elections 2025: BJPs Parvesh Verma Files INR 100-Crore Defamation Suit Against AAP Supremo Arvind Kejriwal. Ramesh Bidhuri also mentioned that the filing of false complaints by Atishi to exert pressure upon the officials and to disturb the peaceful environment violates the provisions of BNS, 2024. "Therefore, I request your good self to instruct SHO Govindpuri and SHO Kalkaji to take action under the law against such people who are levelling false allegations with public authorities," Bidhuri said. On Wednesday, Delhi Chief Minister Atishi accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of creating an atmosphere of "terror" in the Kalkaji assembly constituency, levelling serious allegations of "hooliganism" and use of "profanity" against Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) workers by Ramesh Bidhuri and his associates. Launching a scathing attack on BJP candidate Bidhuri and demanding action from the Election Commission of India (ECI) on the matter, Atishi said that he and his workers were indulging in hooliganism. Arvind Kejriwal Unveils AAPs 7-Point Manifesto for Middle Class Ahead of Delhi Assembly Elections 2025, Says They Are Victim of Tax Terrorism (Watch Video). "Ramesh Bidhuri and his workers are not contesting elections, they are doing hooliganism. We demand from the Election Commission that action should be taken in this matter," Atishi said in a press conference. The national capital will go to the polls on February 5 and the counting of votes will take place on February 8. A three-way contest is on the cards in Delhi between the ruling AAP, BJP, and Congress. 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. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Guwahati, Jan 23 (PTI) Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Thursday met Japan's State Minister of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism Furukawa Yasushi in Tokyo and spoke on boosting ties with the Asian nation. According to an official release, Sarma talked about promoting tourism and using it as a force multiplier to bring prosperity and deepen the friendly ties between Assam and Japan. Also Read | Prasad Attavar Held: Karnataka Police Arrest 10 Individuals Including Ram Sene Founder in Massage Parlour Attack in Mangaluru City. He is on a three-day tour to Japan to woo Japanese industrialists and trade bodies to the Advantage Assam 2.0 Investment and Infrastructure Summit, to be held on February 25-26. During the day, the CM also met Japan's State Minister for Justice Komura Masahiro and held discussions on shared values and ethos that tie India and Japan. Also Read | Delhi Metro: Cash to the Tune of INR 40 Lakhs, 89 Laptops, 193 Mobiles and 9 'Mangalsutras' Top the List of Lost and Found Items on Trains in 2024, Restored to Owners by CISF. During the meeting, he spoke of the Assam government's intention and priority to establish an industrial park in Guwahati, dedicated to Japanese companies. Sarma said that the proposed industrial park is a step toward a brighter future for Assam's youth. The meeting also featured how talented youths from the state can help bridge the demand for skilled workforce in Japan. Earlier, the chief minister paid floral tributes to Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose at the Indian Embassy in Tokyo. He also visited the historic Hiroshima Peace Memorial and paid his tributes to the victims of the Hiroshima atomic bombing tragedy by laying a wreath at the Memorial and paid homage to Mahatma Gandhi located in the Peace Memorial Park. In Hiroshima, Sarma visited the Micron Memory Fab plant, an important player in the semiconductor segment and invited the firm to invest in Assam. He also addressed business leaders at the Advantage Assam 2.0 roadshow in Osaka, highlighting the state's economic potential and investor-friendly policies. Presenting Assam to prospective investors, the CM said that the state is a well-connected investment destination in India. Interacting with over 80 business leaders, he said that the state government has the target to take Assam's GSDP to USD 143 billion by 2030, the statement said. Noting that Assam is set to be India's next economic powerhouse, Sarma said that the state secured a private investment of USD 4 billion in 2024. On the sidelines of the roadshow, he was also engaged in a discussion with Lekh Raj Juneja, CEO of Kameda Seika, and invited him to explore opportunities in Assam's rapidly growing food sector. The chief minister later held a discussion with Pravin Chaudhari, Executive Officer and Head of India Business, and Sadayuki Sato, Director General (General Affairs) of Kansai Paint, on potential investment opportunities in Assam. (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, January 23: Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto arrived here on Thursday night on his first visit to India as the head of state. Subianto is in Delhi primarily to grace the 76th Republic Day celebrations as the chief guest. The Indonesian president was welcomed at the airport by Minister of State for External Affairs Pabitra Margherita. "A warm welcome to President Prabowo Subianto @prabowo of Indonesia as he arrives in New Delhi on his first State Visit to India," External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said on 'X'. "This visit will further strengthen India-Indonesia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership," he said. Both sides are expected to firm up several pacts to expand cooperation in a number of areas during Subianto's visit. He will be the fourth Indonesian president to attend India's Republic Day celebrations. Sukarno, the first president of Indonesia, was the chief guest at India's first Republic Day celebrations in 1950. Prabowo Subianto, President of Indonesia, To Be Chief Guest for Upcoming 76th Republic Day Celebrations, Say Sources. A 352-member marching and band contingent from Indonesia will be participating in the Republic Day parade at the Kartavya Path here. This will be the first time that an Indonesian marching and band contingent will participate in a national day parade abroad. There has been an upswing in India-Indonesia ties in the last few years. Prime Minister Modi travelled to Indonesia in 2018 during which the India-Indonesia ties were elevated to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. The Shared Vision of India-Indonesia Maritime Cooperation in the Indo-Pacific was also adopted. On November 19 last year, Prime Minister Modi met President Prabowo Subianto on the sidelines of the G20 Summit in Rio de Janeiro. India and Indonesia are close maritime neighbours with cultural and trade ties spanning over a millennia. The Southeast Asian nation is also an important pillar in India's Act East Policy. It is one of India's largest trading partners in the ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) region. Republic Day 2025: Indonesias Newly Elected President Prabowo Subianto To Be Chief Guest for 76th Republic Day Celebrations, Say Sources. The volume of India-Indonesia trade in 2023 was recorded at USD 29.40 billion. Indian investments in Indonesia amounts to USD 1.56 billion in infrastructure, power, textiles, steel, automotive, mining, banking and consumer goods sectors. The bilateral defence and security ties have also witnessed steady expansion after signing of a defence cooperation agreement in 2018. Indonesia is also home to approximately 150,000 persons of Indian-origin whose ancestors had migrated to that country in the 19th and 20th centuries. There are around 14,000 Indian nationals (NRI) living in Indonesia including entrepreneurs, engineers, chartered accountants, IT professionals, consultants, and bankers, according to official data. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Ramban (Jammu and Kashmir) [India], January 23 (ANI): Jammu and Kashmir Police have tightened security along the Jammu-Srinagar highway ahead of Republic Day celebrations on January 26. A thorough checking campaign has also been conducted to improve safety measures. Also Read | Arvind Kejriwal Says 'His Car Got Attacked' at Public Rally in Hari Nagar Constituency During Delhi Assembly Elections 2025 Campaign, Points Fingers at Home Minister Amit Shah and Police (Watch Videos). Speaking to ANI, Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Kulbir Singh said, "Strict security arrangements have been made. A large number of security forces have been deployed, and CRPF and Jammu and Kashmir Police have jointly coordinated the security arrangements." SSP Singh further stated, "Apart from the national highway, we have also deployed additional forces for the railways. All security forces are on high alert till January 26-27, and adequate arrangements have been made to ensure a peaceful celebration." Also Read | What Is Centralised Pension Payments System? All About CPPS System As EPFO Eases Pension Disbursement Process for EPS Members. Similarly, in Doda, security measures have been significantly heightened ahead of the 76th Republic Day. Speaking to ANI on Wednesday, Doda SSP Sandeep Mehta explained, "We have implemented a three-tier security arrangement for Republic Day. Surveillance and security have been tightened, especially at locations where major functions are scheduled to take place." Referring to the recent developments in Kishtwar, SSP Mehta remarked, "A few days back, Kishtwar police announced a reward of Rs5 lakh each for credible information on four wanted individuals from the district. These individuals are part of a group that impacts the Doda region as well. Doda Police will match this reward for informers who assist the Jammu and Kashmir Police. The identity of all informers will be kept confidential." On January 18, Jammu and Kashmir Police released posters of the four active terrorists, offering a reward of Rs5 lakh for each. The suspects have been identified as Saifullah, Farman, Adil, and an unknown individual, possibly named Basha. https://x.com/SSPKishtwar/status/1880616277229883769 The district police kishtwar posted on x: "J-K police district Kishtwar release poster of 4 active terrorists with Rs 5 lakh reward each; general public urged to share information--informer's identity will be kept secret."(ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], January 23 (ANI): An application was filed before the special NIA court by the lawyers of former BJP MP Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur, accused in the Malegaon 2008 blasts case, requesting a delay in her court appearance due to a sudden adverse medical condition. The court had earlier issued a bailable warrant against her for non-appearance. However, in light of her medical condition, the court decided to keep the warrant in abeyance. Thakur has been given time to appear before the court on or before January 30. Also Read | Arvind Kejriwal Says 'His Car Got Attacked' at Public Rally in Hari Nagar Constituency During Delhi Assembly Elections 2025 Campaign, Points Fingers at Home Minister Amit Shah and Police (Watch Videos). Her lawyers informed the court that Thakur's health condition prevented her from attending the hearing, and the court accepted this as the reason for her absence. Previously, in November, a special National Investigation Agency (NIA) court issued a bailable warrant against BJP MP Pragya Singh Thakur in connection with the 2008 Malegaon blast case. Thakur, an accused in the case, failed to appear for court proceedings, prompting the court to demand her presence. Also Read | What Is Centralised Pension Payments System? All About CPPS System As EPFO Eases Pension Disbursement Process for EPS Members. The warrant was "returnable" by November 13, meaning Thakur was required to appear before the court by that date to have the warrant cancelled. Her continued absence could further complicate the legal proceedings and delay the trial. In earlier court sessions, Thakur's lawyer had applied for an exemption from her appearance, citing medical reasons, specifically her struggle with cervical spondylitis and migraines. The court had granted exemptions based on her medical reports, though it raised concerns that her absences were "hampering" proceedings and "delaying" the trial's progress. Meanwhile, in August, the Supreme Court declined the plea filed by Sameer Kulkarni,one of the accused in the 2008 Malegaon bomb blast case, challenging the sanction for his prosecution under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act. Kulkarni, along with six others, including BJP MP Pragya Singh Thakur and Lieutenant Colonel Prasad Purohit, is facing trial for the Malegaon blast. On September 29, 2008, six people were killed and several others injured when an explosive device strapped to a motorcycle detonated near a mosque in Malegaon city, Nashik. The case was initially investigated by the Maharashtra ATS before being transferred to the NIA in 2011. (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Bahraich (UP), Jan 23 (PTI) A heartening story of communal harmony has emerged from the Uttar Pradesh district of Bahraich which has been in the headlines recently for communal tensions and wolf attacks. Mohammad Ali, a devout Muslim, has become an enduring symbol of unity through his 18-year-long service as the caretaker and president of a trust managing a Hindu temple. Also Read | Bal Thackeray Birth Anniversary 2025: PM Narendra Modi Pays Tribute to Shiv Sena Founder, Says He Was Uncompromising When It Came to His Core Beliefs. In Jaitapur Bazar, 27 kilometers from the Bahraich district headquarters, Ali oversees the Vriddh Mateshwari Mata Ghurdevi Temple, a site which is now revered by Muslims too. Observing Islamic traditions like roza and namaz, 58-year-old Ali also devotes himself to the worship of Goddess Ghurdevi and Lord Hanuman, balancing his dual roles with remarkable dedication. Also Read | West Bengal: Reshuffle in Trinamool Congress Likely in February, CM Mamata Banerjee To Have Final Say. Ali recalls a turning point from his childhood, "When I was seven, I suffered from leukoderma, leaving my eyes white. Treatments failed until my mother took me to the Ghurdevi temple." He further said he believes that "applying water from the sacred pindi" helped cure the condition which inspired his lifelong connection to the temple. He said he began actively serving there in 2007 after he had a rather dramatic dream in which the Goddess asked him to care for the temple. Under Ali's leadership, the temple has flourished. Initiatives like fundraising through grain collections during harvest seasons have generated significant resources. "This year alone, Rs 2.7 lakh was raised for temple development," Ali told PTI. Public contributions and government support have also helped in its renovations, with over Rs 30.?40 lakh utilised for construction and maintenance. Recently, a 5.5-foot Hanuman idol, sourced from Jaipur for Rs 2.5 lakh, was consecrated during a five-day ceremony attended by thousands. The invitation card for the event prominently featured Ali's name as the temple committee president alongside local BJP MLA Sureshwar Singh as the chief guest. District Tourism Officer Manish Srivastava confirmed the temple's inclusion in a religious tourism initiative two years ago, further enhancing its status. The temple's impact transcends religious lines, attracting Muslim women who join Hindu devotees in prayers. "I respect both Hindu and Muslim faiths. Serving the temple fulfils my devotion and my commitment to communal unity," Ali said. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Rajouri/Jammu, Jan 23 (PTI) Over 200 individuals, who came in contact with the affected families of the 17 people who died due to the mysterious illness in Rajouri, have been quarantined as a precautionary measure, an official said on Thursday. Four people, including three sisters, have been shifted to hospitals, with three airlifted to a hospital in Jammu. Also Read | Saif Ali Khan Stabbing Case: 'Attack Real or Was He Acting', Maharashtra Cabinet Minister Nitesh Rane Makes Shocking Remarks. Top health officials have identified a common factor among all those who lost their lives in Badhaal village as involvement of the brain and damage to the nervous system. National Conference (NC) leader and local MLA Javaid Iqbal Choudhary on Thursday demanded the imposition of a medical emergency to save people and contain the spread of such a mysterious illness. Also Read | Surat Shocker: 14-Year-Old Boy Strangulates One-Year-Old Cousin Sister to Death While Trying To Stop Her From Crying in Gujarat, Detained. Over 200 individuals who came into contact with the affected families have been relocated to a quarantine centre set up in the building of a nursing college and GMC hospital in Rajouri, they said. A new quarantine centre was set up in nursing college on Wednesday. As a precautionary measure, these relocated individuals include close relatives of the deceased. Several individuals who had contact with the affected families, from those who took children to the hospital to those who participated in burials, have also been identified. These individuals have been moved away from the village as a precaution to break the chain, officials said. Strict security measures have been implemented at the quarantine centre located in the nursing college building in Rajouri, designated specifically for quarantine purposes. The facility has been secured with fencing and rigorous monitoring, they said. Before admission to the centre, all individuals are being screened. Arrangements have been made to accommodate those affected at the nursing college at Gujjar Mandi. "Keeping in view seriousness, the government should declare Medical emergency to save the population", the MLA told reporters here. Badhaal village in Rajouri district has been declared a containment zone as of Wednesday, with prohibitory orders in place for all public and private gatherings following the recent deaths, officials said. Magistrate orders have sealed the homes of families where the deaths occurred as part of the primary containment zone. Entry into these homes, even by family members, is strictly prohibited without permission from officials on duty. The secondary containment zone includes families that had close contact with the affected individuals, who are under constant health monitoring, they said. The third zone encompasses all families in Baddal village, where arrangements for food and water are being made and communal dining has been prohibited. A total of 17 people, including 13 children from the families of Mohammad Fazal, Mohammad Aslam, and Mohammad Rafiq in Baddal village, have died due to a mysterious illness over the past month and a half. According to officials, the condition of Ejaaz, who was airlifted to PGI Chandigarh on Tuesday night, is reported to be stable. Ejaaz is currently admitted to the emergency ICU at PGI Chandigarh, where initial investigations are underway. A definitive assessment of the illness awaits the receipt of test reports. Three new patients airlifted to a hospital by the Indian Air Force (IAF) in Jammu are currently under observation, officials added. A central team continues its investigation into the cause of the deaths in three families, with over 230 samples sent for testing to various institutes. The Special Investigation Team (SIT), established by the police after neurotoxins were found in samples from the deceased, continues its probe into potential criminal aspects. Officials indicated that more than 50 persons have been questioned in connection with the case. Dr A S Bhatia, Principal of Government Medical College Hospital Rajouri, revealed that the common factor among all 17 deaths is the involvement of the brain and damage to the nervous system. MLA Javaid Iqbal Choudhary hit out at the Principal of Government Medical College Hospital Jammu, accusing the hospital management of mismanagement in handling patients. "There is total mismanagement at the GMC hospital in Jammu. They failed to save the children. While one ill person shifted to PGI Chandigarh was stable but others shifted to GMC in Jammu are serious. We demand that all should be shifted to Chandigarh", he told reporters in Rajouri. The MLA asserted that the hospital's handling of the situation has been inadequate, citing the lack of air ambulance services for patients despite repeated efforts. Commending the efforts of the district administration, police, and health department of Rajouri, the MLA emphasized that higher authorities must address the situation more effectively. He called for the immediate deployment of an air ambulance in Rajouri and the enhancement of the healthcare infrastructure in the region. (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, January 23: Students at Ashoka University in Haryana's Sonipat are on a warpath against the administration after it clamped new security measures involving a vehicle check and prohibition on carrying cigarettes and alcohol on campus. The new protocols, reportedly outlined in a January 13 email by the varsity's Vice President of Operations, also include shifting student movement to another gate, Gate 2, and submitting students to pocket checks. Students have criticised the measures as invasive and an overreach of authorities, demanding a roll-back. The Ashoka University Student Government (AUSG) alleged the students were informed about the decision without any prior consultation. Ashoka University Students Raise 'Brahmin-Baniyawaad Murdabad' Slogan on Campus, Varsity Says It Deplores Hatred Against Any Individual or Group After Videos Go Viral. New Security Measures Spark Protests at Ashoka University This is Ashoka Uni RIGHT NOW! Hundreds of students erupts against the Surveillance Raj at Ashoka uni which has emerged as the Citadel of neoliberal & private-corporate model of education! In Solidarity with the students of @AshokaUniv protesting against the policed space! pic.twitter.com/rewvqRDLbo Anjali (@anjali__27) January 23, 2025 A petition opposing the protocols, issued hours after the announcement, has reportedly garnered over 1,100 signatures, including faculty members'. The varsity in a statement said the measures were introduced to enhance security on campus, after consultation with the faculty. "The measures of screening baggage and belongings at Ashoka University Campus are aimed at enhancing the safety and welfare of our students and campus residents. These measures have been implemented in consultation with Faculty and Staff representatives and keeping the Student Government and Campus Ministry involved, since safety of students and their well-being is of paramount concern to us," it said. 'Free Palestine', 'Stop Genocide': Ashoka University Students Display Pro-Palestine Placards During Graduation Ceremony, Viral Video Surfaces. Students have alleged that the measures, which took effect on January 17, include searching of vehicle, their glove compartments, belongings of taxi drivers and family members on move-in days. "Incoming vehicles faced invasive searches, including glove compartments and under-seat spaces. Belongings of taxi drivers and family members were also subject to these scanners on move-in days, something the student body was not informed about," a statement from protesting students said. Some students claimed they were forced to submit their personal belongings, such as shampoo bottles, for inspection under apprehension they may be used to carry alcohol. On January 19, students gathered at Gate 2 to for a demonstration. Students said the administration tried to suppress their protest by continuously wetting the atrium floor to prevent gatherings, deploying additional security guards, and blocking the area with planters. "The administration continuously wetted the atrium floor with pipes and buckets of water to prevent students from gathering in the open space, used historically for this purpose," the students alleged in a statement. The Left-backed All India Students' Association issued a statement expressing solidarity with the students, criticising the alleged surveillance as a violation of constitutional privacy rights. "Ashoka University, which prides itself on being a liberal bastion, has unveiled itself as a policed space," it said. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Jodhpur, January 23: Nine days after he was granted interim bail by the Rajasthan High Court, rape convict Asaram Thursday left for Ahmedabad, where he will undergo treatment at his Motera ashram, sources said. The self-styled 'godman' had been staying at his ashram in Jodhpur since the court's order on January 14 and left for Ahmedabad this afternoon by road. He is serving life imprisonment in a 2013 rape case. Asaram is out on interim bail till March 31. Late on the night of January 14, he had shifted from an ayurvedic hospital in Jodhpur to his ashram located at Pal village on the outskirts here. Asaram Bapu Released on Interim Bail: Self-Styled Godman Returns to Ashram in Jodhpurs Pal Village, Supporters Gather Around Him. First the Supreme Court and then a high court bench of Jodhpur granted him interim bail on the health grounds and accorded him the liberty to get the treatment at any place of his choice in the country in accompaniment of 3 policemen. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Itanagar, Jan 23 (PTI) Cultivating spices can become a sustainable income-generating endeavour in Arunachal Pradesh if pursued with dedication, the state's Commerce and Industry Minister Nyato Dukam said on Thursday. Addressing a buyer-seller meeting for spices at the DK Convention Hall here, he expressed concern and said that some farmers were focussing solely on government subsidies rather than building a sustainable income source. Also Read | Saif Ali Khan Stabbing Case: 'Attack Real or Was He Acting', Maharashtra Cabinet Minister Nitesh Rane Makes Shocking Remarks. Dukam asked farmers to take up spice farming as a sustainable livelihood, assuring all assistance from the Spice Board and the state government, including subsidies, training and market linkages. He said continuous guidance, value-addition techniques, and ensuring market connectivity will strengthen the spice farming sector. Also Read | Surat Shocker: 14-Year-Old Boy Strangulates One-Year-Old Cousin Sister to Death While Trying To Stop Her From Crying in Gujarat, Detained. Spice Board's Regional Deputy Director DM Barman spoke about Arunachal Pradesh's significant contribution to spice cultivation. He said it is the second-largest cultivator of large cardamom in India, after Sikkim. He also outlined the steps taken by the Centre and the Spice Board to support stakeholders in Arunachal Pradesh and the rest of the Northeast. Over 80 farmers from across the state and 10 firms from different parts of the country participated in the event organised by the Spice Board. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Gurugram, Jan 23 (PTI) Gurugram police on Thursday made new revelations in the death of a 35-year-old software engineer here claiming that he committed suicide by hanging after a scuffle with his wife's father and cousin. According to the police, Navdeep Singh had a fight with his father-in-law Rajkumar and cousin Rohit in his house in Ashok Vihar Phase 2. Also Read | What Is Centralised Pension Payments System? All About CPPS System As EPFO Eases Pension Disbursement Process for EPS Members. The two men then went away after locking Singh in one of the rooms, they said, adding that the engineer then committed suicide by hanging himself with a bedsheet. The post-mortem of the body was today in which the doctors found out that Singh had committed suicide, a spokesperson of Gurugram police said. Also Read | BPSC 70th Prelims Result 2024: Results of 70th Combined Preliminary Examination Released at bpsc.bih.nic.in, Know Steps To Download. Rajkumar and Rohit have been arrested and a case has been registered against them for abetment to suicide, he said. Earlier, the police booked Singh's wife Seema and brother-in-law for murder on the complaint of the engineer's father. The police had earlier registered a case of murder but after new revealations in post-mortem report, they replaced the section of murder with abatement to suicide, the spokesperson said. On Wednesday, Singh was found dead in his Ashok Vihar Phase-2 house. His body was discovered by a neighbour after he went inside the house to check on the man on request of his father Krishan Kumar, who is a Sub Inspector in Haryana Police. The engineer's wife and their three-year-old daughter were missing from the house, the 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) Jammu, Jan 23 (PTI) Jammu and Kashmir Director General of Police (DGP) Nalin Prabhat on Thursday visited the strategically significant area of Basantgarh in Jammu and Kashmir's Udhampur district to conduct a comprehensive operational review. He urged personnel to tackle emerging threats relentlessly while prioritising the safety and well-being of the residents. Also Read | January 23 Birthdays and Birth Anniversaries: Know About Famous People and Celebrities Born on January 23. Accompanied by Additional Director General of Police Anand Jain and other officers of police, CRPF and Army, DGP Prabhat interacted with personnel deployed at Forward Operating Bases (FOBs). He lauded their unwavering commitment to maintaining peace and security in the region, especially under challenging conditions. Also Read | What Is Centralised Pension Payments System? All About CPPS System As EPFO Eases Pension Disbursement Process for EPS Members. Acknowledging the demanding nature of their duties, the DGP commended their dedication and resilience. He reiterated the importance of addressing threats decisively while ensuring that the safety and interests of the local population remain paramount. Highlighting the value of community engagement, the DGP emphasised fostering trust and collaboration between the police and residents of Basantgarh. He directed officers to intensify outreach efforts, address public grievances promptly, and work closely with local stakeholders to build a stronger sense of security and unity in the region. During his visit, the DGP reviewed ongoing development initiatives aimed at enhancing police infrastructure and operational capabilities. He stressed the importance of modernizing equipment, improving mobility, and leveraging technology to enable swift and effective responses to any security challenges. The police officers briefed the DGP on the current security scenario, sharing key developments and achievements in maintaining law and order. They also discussed measures to address vulnerabilities and enhance coordination among various security agencies to ensure robust preparedness. (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 23 (PTI) Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Thursday chaired a review meeting of the Jammu and Kashmir Power Development Corporation (JKPDCL), calling for the early completion of major hydropower projects in the Union Territory. Highlighting the government's commitment to sustainable energy, Abdullah urged officials to devise revival plans for stalled projects and execute them efficiently. Also Read | What Is Centralised Pension Payments System? All About CPPS System As EPFO Eases Pension Disbursement Process for EPS Members. The review meeting, held at the Civil Secretariat, focused on assessing the progress of ongoing hydroelectric projects and the expected enhancement in power generation. "The timely execution of hydropower projects is crucial to unlocking Jammu and Kashmir's potential as a power-surplus state. I urge all stakeholders to address challenges proactively and expedite ongoing works to serve the public interest," Abdullah said. Also Read | BPSC 70th Prelims Result 2024: Results of 70th Combined Preliminary Examination Released at bpsc.bih.nic.in, Know Steps To Download. During the meeting, the chief minister emphasised the importance of overcoming challenges, including contractual disputes, time and financial overruns in under-construction projects, and operation and maintenance issues in commissioned projects. A roadmap for the next five years was presented, outlining plans for substantial capacity additions to meet growing energy demands. This, Abdullah said, would gradually reduce reliance on power imports and boost the region's energy self-sufficiency. Discussions also covered the formulation and appraisal of Detailed Project Reports (DPRs) for upcoming projects. JKPDCL was instructed to focus on strategic planning for the development of hydropower assets along the Chenab, Jhelum, Ravi, and Indus rivers. Abdullah reiterated the need for a proactive approach to address challenges faced by JKPDCL, stressing that enhancing J&K's hydropower capacity is essential to meeting the region's energy demands. Earlier, the Principal Secretary of the Power Development Department (PDD) provided a comprehensive update on the status of hydropower development in J&K. Of the region's estimated 18,000 MW hydropower potential, 15,000 MW has already been identified, making it a key driver for future energy initiatives. The meeting reviewed commissioned projects, including the Baglihar Hydroelectric Power Project (Stages I & II) on the Chenab River, the Upper Sindh Hydroelectric Project (Stages I & II) on the Sind River, and the Lower Jhelum Hydroelectric Project in Baramulla. Projects under construction, such as the New Ganderbal Hydroelectric Project (93 MW) on the Sind River, the Pakal Dul Hydroelectric Project (1,000 MW) under the Chenab River cascade, and the Ratle Hydroelectric Project (850 MW), which has been revived through a joint venture between NHPC and JKPDCL, were also deliberated upon. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Kota (Rajasthan), Jan 23 (PTI) A railway employee was suspended after her husband complained that his wife was selected with the help of a dummy candidate for the job, adding that he himself had arranged for the candiate with the help of an agent for Rs 15 lakh, officials said. The man claimed that he managed to arrange the said amount by mortgaging his agricultural land. Also Read | What Is Centralised Pension Payments System? All About CPPS System As EPFO Eases Pension Disbursement Process for EPS Members. He was allegedly disappointedand enraged at his wife's separation after two years of her job. He also accused railway officials of inaction on his complaint in the matter, however, railway officials claimed theconcerned employee had been suspended and an investigation was underwayi n the matter. Also Read | BPSC 70th Prelims Result 2024: Results of 70th Combined Preliminary Examination Released at bpsc.bih.nic.in, Know Steps To Download. Manish Meena, a resident of the Kota district, held a press conference and alleged inaction by railway officials and police on his complaint of selection of his wife Sapna Meena through the dummy candidate in the Railway Recruitment Board (RRB), Ajmer Group D recruitment exam in 2023. He also demanded termination of his wife from the service. Manish also alleged that the photo and signature in his wife's application form fort he job were forged and she cleared the Group D exam held in 2023 with the help of the dummy candidate through an agent named Rajendra, who was a guard in the railways. After her job, Sapna lived with him for around five months and thereafter she and her parents started living separately from him, saying that he (Manish) was unemployed and under debt, the man claimed. He filed the complaint in the matter against his wife, alleged agent Rajendra and dummy candidate Laxmi Meena to police and Kota DRM office, and submitted relevant documents but no action has been taken against the offenders, he further alleged. Meanwhile, SeniorDivisional Commercial Manager (DCM), Kota, Saurabh Jain said on Thursday the employee concerned was suspended on the basis of preliminary inquiry report after the complaint was received and refuted inaction. Further investigation in the matter is underway and reports are awaited, he said. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Rajouri, January 23: Union Minister Jitendra Singh on Wednesday provided an update on the mysterious illness in Rajouri, stating that initial tests conducted by a toxicology laboratory in Lucknow under CSIR indicated the absence of any infection, virus, or bacteria. During the inauguration of the newly constructed bridge at Basantpur, Singh revealed that preliminary findings indicate the presence of a toxin, which is currently undergoing further analysis. "I think the discussion has started but the first test was conducted by a toxicology laboratory in Lucknow, CSIR. The discussion was that there was no infection, no virus, no bacteria, it was just a toxin. Now the toxin is being tested. So there is a long series of toxins that are being tested...and if there is any mischief or any other mischief, then we will know about it," he said. The disease that remains unidentified has claimed 17 lives and affected 38 people since early December 2024. However, health department teams say there is no need to declare a public health emergency. Rajouri Mysterious Deaths: Authorities Declares Budhaal Village As Containment Zone After Mysterious Disease Claims 17 Lives in Jammu and Kashmir. On Tuesday, JK Chief Minister Omar Abdullah visited Rajouri's Badhal and assured citizens affected by the disease. CM Abdullah told reporters, "The day when we got the information, the health department along with other departments have been working to understand the causes behind such incidents... Tests were done, and we concluded that there were no bacteria or viruses that caused those deaths." "Later, we found that all those deaths happened in three families," he added. He said that the authorities are yet to ascertain the cause behind these deaths. "But, we are yet to find the reason behind 17 deaths... Since it's not a disease, police are also involved in it and they have formed a team to investigate the matter. Central govt team is also there and we together will look into the incidents to find the reason behind all these deaths...," CM Omar Abdullah added. Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Saturday ordered the constitution of an inter-ministerial team led by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) to investigate the causes of unexplained deaths in three incidents reported over the past six weeks. Meanwhile, Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh dedicated newly constructed Nora Bridge at Basantpur to the public, saying the era of development has begun under PM Modi's leadership to connect hilly areas with road and bridge links. The bridge, constructed at an estimated cost of Rs 17 crores, will connect Billawar with Kathua, benefiting residents of Billawar, Basohli and Bani. Dr Singh also announced a Rs 30,000 crore project for the construction of the Chattergala tunnel, providing an alternative route to the Kathua district, set to boost tourism and change the destiny of the region. Mystery Disease in Jammu and Kashmir: 16 Die Since December 2024 After Mysterious Illness Strikes Badhaal Village in Rajouri, Heres What We Know So Far. The project aims to shorten travel times while enhancing connection. Residents would no longer have to endure hassle when commuting to Basohli. The construction of the bridge, an alternate route of the Lakhanpur-Thein road, was forced by the submergence of a stretch of Nora Nallah in Panchayat Thein, district Kathua. The inauguration ceremony was attended by MLA Basholi Darshan Singh, MLA Rajiv Jasrotia, MLA Vijay Sharma, MLA Dr Bharat Bhushan and Deputy Commissioner Kathua Dr Rakesh Minhas. (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, January 23: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday paid tributes to Shiv Sena founder Bal Thackeray on his 99th birth anniversary. Modi said on X, "He is widely respected and remembered for his commitment to public welfare and towards Maharashtra's development. He was uncompromising when it came to his core beliefs and always contributed towards enhancing the pride of Indian culture." Bal Thackeray Punyatithi: Lesser Known Facts to Know About The Shiv Sena Founder on His Death Anniversary. An uncompromising proponent of Hindutva, Thackeray fused it with the nativist ideology built on "Marathi pride" to shape his party into a formidable force in Maharashtra, especially in the Mumbai region. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) The fate of properties of Rs 15,000 crore owned by Bhopal's erstwhile rulers and inherited by actor Saif Ali Khan and his family remains in limbo due to uncertainty over filing an appeal against an order of the Office of the Custodian of Enemy Property, lawyers have said. What Is Enemy Property Act Under Which Saif Ali Khan May Lose Pataudi Family Properties Worth INR 15,000 Crore in Bhopal?. If an appeal is not filed by Bhopal Nawab's successors against the order of the Office of the Custodian of Enemy Property for India, the properties may come under the Centre's control, the lawyers said on Wednesday. It is not yet clear whether they have filed an appeal before the Mumbai-based Office of the Custodian of Enemy Property, which comes under the Union home ministry, following a Madhya Pradesh High Court order of December 13, 2024 on the issue. Saif Ali Khan's mother and noted actress Sharmila Tagore (Pataudi) and others had challenged in the HC the order dated February 24, 2015, of the Custodian of Enemy Property for India that termed the property of Bhopal Nawab as "Enemy Property". The authority under the home ministry had given its ruling on the ground that Nawab Muhammad Hamidullah Khan's eldest daughter Abida Sultan Begum migrated to Pakistan following the Partition. Therefore, all such properties that she was supposed to succeed are enemy properties and vest in the Custodian of Enemy Property for India. However, senior advocate and expert on merger of Nawab properties, Jagdish Chhavani, quoted an order dated January 10, 1962 that after the death of Hamidullah Khan in 1960, the Government of India recognised Sajida Sultan Begum "as such ruler, is the sole successor to all private properties, movable and immovable, held by Nawab Hamidullah. And the GoI have no objection to such properties being transferred to Sajida Sultan Begum." Sajida Sultan Begum is the second daughter of Nawab Hamidullah and as the eldest daughter (Abida) migrated to Pakistan, Sajida became the owner of all such properties, he told PTI. Later, Sajida's son Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi (Tiger Pataudi) became the successor of these properties and after him Saif Ali Khan is the owner of these properties, estimated to be valued at nearly Rs 15,000 crore. But after the order of Custodian of Enemy Property, the ownership title became disputed which was challenged by Sharmila Tagore (Saif's mother and Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi's wife) in the high court in 2015. During hearing on December 13, 2024, the government advocate informed "that in the year 2017, the Act, namely the Enemy Property Act 1968, has been repealed from a retrospective date and the appellate authority has been constituted for adjudication of disputes in regard to enemy property." In his order on December 13, 2024, Justice Vivek Agrawal said, "In view of the such facts, since a statutory remedy of filing a representation has been provided, parties are relegated to avail such remedy. However, at this distance of time, the issue of limitation may arise." "Therefore, it is directed that if representation is filed within thirty days from today (December 13), then the appellate authority shall not advert to the aspect of limitation and shall deal with the appeal on its own merits," the order said. "In above terms, the petitions stand disposed of," it added. However, Bhopal Collector Kaushlendra Vikram Singh said he has not seen the high court order and will comment only after getting all relevant details. Advocate Chhavani said in case Saif Ali Khan's family has not yet filed an appeal during the stipulated period of 30 days from the date of order, they (Khan family) can still approach the authorities and request for an extension citing various exigencies, including the recent one (attack on the actor at his Mumbai residence). He said till this confusion prevails, the fate of lakhs of people occupying these properties as owners and tenants will remain in limbo. The properties inherited by Saif Ali Khan and his family include Noor-Us-Sabah Palace, Dar-Us-Salam, Bungalow of Habibi, Ahmedabad Palace and Flag Staff House. Saif Ali Khan to Lose INR 15,000 Crore Ancestral Pataudi Properties in Bhopal to Government? Heres What We Know. The Enemy Property Act was passed in Parliament in the aftermath of the India-Pakistan war (1965) to regulate properties left behind in India by those who emigrated to Pakistan. Dehradun, January 23: Voting began for Uttarakhand civic body polls in 13 districts on Thursday and saw a voter turnout of 25.70 per cent till 12.00 pm. As per the officials, Almora recorded 25.5 per cent, Chamoli 28.85 per cent, Dehradun 21.39 per cent, Haridwar 27.77 per cent, Rudraprayag 25.8 per cent, and Uttarkashi 24.03 per cent. People in different parts of Uttarakhand have lined up outside polling booths on Thursday as voting for the Uttarakhand local body elections is underway. Earlier in the day, Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami appealed to the people of Uttarakhand to help make all the BJP candidates win in the state's civic body polls. Referring to the BJP government at the centre and state, he asked voters to help form a triple-engine government. "I appeal to all the people of Uttarakhand. You have always stood by the BJP and formed a double-engine government. You made PM Modi the Prime Minister again. I appeal to all of you to please make all the BJP candidates win in the state municipal corporation election and help form a triple-engine government," CM Pushkar Singh Dhami told ANI. CM Dhami Urges Voters to Elect BJP Candidates in Uttarakhand Local Body Elections. Dhami stated that the BJP has fulfilled all its promises, adding that the government is working continuously to make Uttarakhand the best state in India. "We have fulfilled all the promises and are taking forward our vision. We are working continuously to make Uttarakhand the best state in India, under the leadership of PM Modi," Dhami added. Saurabh Thapliyal, BJP's mayoral candidate from Dehradun, said, "I want to appeal to all citizens of Dehradun to cast their votes. This is a festival of democracy. No matter whom they vote for, everyone should vote." Uttarakhand: CM Holds Roadshow in Udham Singh Nagar Prior to Municipal Polls. Earlier, Chief Minister Dhami appealed to the people to vote in favour of BJP's Dehradun Municipal Corporation mayor candidate Saurabh Thapliyal and all BJP councillor candidates in the upcoming civic polls. These elections are being held for 11 municipal corporations, 43 municipal councils, and 46 Nagar Panchayats across the state. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Dhaka [Bangladesh], January 23 (ANI): At least 22 people, including police officers and security personnel, were injured in clashes between two factions of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) in Bangladesh's Shyamnagar upazila in Satkhira District on Wednesday, despite Section 144 being imposed by authorities, as reported by the Dhaka Tribune. According to the Dhaka Tribune, the conflict occurred in the Ismailpur area of Shyamnagar after tensions escalated between the two groups. The clash followed the organisation of a rally by the leaders of the newly formed Shyamnagar BNP committee, which prompted members of the dissolved committee to take measures to prevent the event. Fearing further violence, the Upazila administration imposed Section 144 in the area. Also Read | Stargate Project: Elon Musk and Sam Altman Clash Over AI Data Centre Investment for OpenAI in US. However, when the procession led by Solaiman Kabir, former acting general secretary of the Upazila BNP, was heading toward Shyamnagar town, a stick was thrown, sparking a clash between the two factions, as reported by Dhaka Tribune. Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Roni Khatun and Assistant Commissioner (Land) Abdullah Al Rifat attempted to intervene with the help of police and security personnel, but the violence continued, resulting in 22 injuries. Also Read | US Instagram Users Complain About Inability to Unfollow President Donald Trump, Vice President JD Vance. According to the Dhaka Tribune, the injured included Shyamnagar police station's officer in charge, Humayun Kabir; security personnel, Saiful Islam; and several BNP activists. Solaiman Kabir claimed that his supporters had been attacked on January 19 and 20, which led to their protest march. He accused leaders of the dissolved committee, along with Awami League activists, of attacking his group, causing multiple injuries. Kabir also accused Abdul Alim, district BNP member secretary, of inciting the violence and declared him "undesirable" in the upazila, as reported by the Dhaka Tribune. Meanwhile, according to Dhaka Tribune, Ashik-e-Elahi Munna, the joint general secretary of the dissolved committee, alleged that Solaiman and his supporters were trying to disrupt a 31-point meeting organised by the Chhatra Dal (Student Wing) of BNP in Shyamnagar. Munna claimed that under the direction of district BNP convener Iftikhar Ali, Solaiman and his group attacked his house with the help of Awami League supporters. Abdul Wahed, president of the dissolved Upazila BNP committee, called for an investigation into the clashes and demanded justice. (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Dhaka, Jan 23 (PTI) Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) Secretary-General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir Thursday urged the interim government led by Muhammad Yunus to perform its duties impartially, alleging that it failed to maintain neutrality on some issues. Yunus, the 84-year-old Nobel laureate, assumed the role of Bangladesh's Chief Adviser in August last year after then Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina fled the country following weeks of protests led by students over a controversial quota system in government jobs. Also Read | Amazon Layoffs: E-Commerce Giant Likely To Lay Off Around 1,700 Employees Amid Quebec Operations Exit. "On Wednesday, in an interview, I said if the interim government can't remain impartial, a neutral government will be required during the elections. There is a reason for making this statement. We observe that the interim government is unable to maintain neutrality on several issues," Fakhrul was quoted as saying by The Daily Star newspaper. Addressing an event here, the BNP leader urged the interim government to carry out its responsibilities impartially and address the problems faced by the country. Also Read | Air India To Resume Tel Aviv-Delhi Flights From March 2 As Israel-Hamas Ceasefire Agreement Holds Up. Fakhrul said the government should hold the election as soon as possible after carrying out the necessary minimum reforms. "The government formed through election would be able to fulfill the commitments made to people and work to meet the public's aspirations," he said. The BNP leader warned that evil forces may exploit the situation if the election is delayed. He also said all political parties agree on the necessity of holding elections, as it is the gateway to the democratic system. Fakhrul stated that some people are saying the government should hold the election only after reforms. "But, should we wait four to five years or until the reforms are completed?" he asked. Bangladesh Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) AMM Nasir Uddin on Sunday said that the general elections will be held on the timeline set by the interim government, asserting his commitment to free and fair polls. His comments came days after the BNP demanded that the general election be held by July or August of this year. Last month, Yunus said that the next election could take place by the end of 2025 or the first half of 2026. He added that the timing of the election would largely depend upon the political consensus and the extent of the reforms. PTI (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 23 (ANI): Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto will be on a four-day visit to India on Thursday during which he will meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi and attend the Republic Day Parade as Chief Guest. Apart from a comprehensive review of bilateral ties, discussions during the visit are also expected to include regional and global issues of mutual interest. Also Read | January 23 Birthdays and Birth Anniversaries: Know About Famous People and Celebrities Born on January 23. Several MoUs are expected to be signed and discussions are expected to cover areas such as food security, energy security and health care, sources told ANI. They said Indonesia's need for doctors and nurses and potential for collaboration in digital mapping for agriculture and renewable energy are likely to be part of discussions. Also Read | Amazon Layoffs: E-Commerce Giant Likely To Lay Off Around 1,700 Employees Amid Quebec Operations Exit. The sources said discussions are also expected to include ways to strengthen ties through cultural exchanges such as movie productions, educational initiatives, student exchanges and research collaborations besides trade, exploring better flight connectivity including the Delhi-Jakarta route and greater people-to-people connections. This will be the first visit of President Prabowo to India as Head of State. Sukarno, the first President of Indonesia, was the Chief Guest at India's first Republic Day in 1950. A 352-member marching and band contingent from Indonesia will participate in the Parade on the Kartvya Path in the national capital. This will be the first time that an Indonesian marching and band contingent will participate in a national day parade abroad. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar will call on President Prabowo on Friday. On Saturday, the visiting leader will be later accorded a ceremonial welcome at the Rashtrapati Bhavan. Before talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi at Hyderabad House, the visiting leader will lay a wreath at Rajghat. Indonesia is now part of the BRICS group and had expressed its appreciation for India's support towards its membership of the forum of emerging economies. Sources said Indonesia is interested in learning from India and other countries to strengthen its defence system and is keen on technology transfer. They said a defence deal is unlikely to be finalised during this visit and that India and Indonesia also have robust defence cooperation with the Defence Cooperation Agreement signed in 2018. The two countries are close maritime neighbours with cultural and trade ties spanning over a millennia. The annual Bali Yatra festival, which commemorates the historic voyages by Indian seafarers who would set sail to Bali, is one such example of these cultural linkages. Indonesia is one of India's largest trading partners in the ASEAN region. Bilateral trade in 2023-24 reached US$ 29.40 billion. Indian investments in Indonesia amount to USD 1.56 billion in infrastructure, power, textiles, steel, automotive, mining, banking and consumer goods sectors. President Prabowo will be the fourth Indonesian President to attend India's Republic Day celebrations. PM Modi paid an official visit to Indonesia in 2018. During the visit, India-Indonesia bilateral ties were elevated to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership and a shared vision of India-Indonesia Maritime Cooperation in the Indo-Pacific was also adopted. PM Modi met President Prabowo on the sidelines of the G20 Summit in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil in November last year. This was the first meeting between the two leaders. (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Louisiana, Jan 24 (AP) As Louisiana schools remain stuck in the middle of a legal battle over a new state law requiring every public classroom to display the Ten Commandments, a panel of three judges heard arguments over the controversial mandate on Thursday morning. The law, which has been touted by Republicans including President Donald Trump, went into effect on Jan. 1. However, schools have seemingly been stuck in limbo. At the start of the year, the state issued guidelines for districts to comply with the mandate that requires poster-sized displays of the Ten Commandments in all public K-12 school and state-funded university classrooms. In response, opponents have threatened to sue if any such posters are hung up. Also Read | January 24 Birthdays and Birth Anniversaries: Know About Famous People and Celebrities Born on January 24. I know this needs to be addressed sooner rather than later, and we will do our best to do so, said Catharina Haynes, one of the judges who heard arguments in the 5th US Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans on Thursday. Haynes did not specify when a ruling would be issued. The state is appealing an order issued last fall by US District Judge John deGravelles, who declared the mandate unconstitutional and ordered state education officials not to take steps to enforce it and to notify all local school boards in the state of his decision. Also Read | Republic Day 2025: Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto Arrives for 4-Day Visit to India To Attend 76th R-Day Parade; Several MoUs Expected To Be Signed. The state contends that deGravelles' order only affects the five school districts that are defendants in a legal challenge. But it's unclear whether or how the law would be enforced in the state's 67 other districts while the appeal progresses. Days after the new law took effect, Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill the state's top lawyer made clear that she expects school districts to comply. Murrill issued guidance to schools on how to do so, including four samples of the Ten Commandments posters. In addition, each poster must be paired with the four-paragraph context statement describing how the Ten Commandments were a prominent part of American public education for almost three centuries. Over the past month, the Associated Press has reached out to dozens of school districts, the Attorney General's office and the Department of Education and has not been told of any schools that have begun to hang up such posters. Opponents of the law argue that it is a violation of the separation of church and state, and that the posters would isolate students, especially those who are not Christian. Plaintiffs in the suit include parents of Louisiana public school children with various religious backgrounds, who are represented by attorneys with civil liberties groups, including the American Civil Liberties Union Foundation. Proponents say that the measure is not solely religious, but that it has historical significance to the foundation of US law. The new legislation in Louisiana, a reliably Republican state that is ensconced in the Bible Belt, was signed into law by Republican Gov. Jeff Landry making Louisiana the only state to require that the Ten Commandments be displayed in public classrooms. The measure was part of a slew of conservative priorities that became law in Louisiana last year. The legislation is one of the latest pushes by conservatives to incorporate religion into classrooms from Florida legislation allowing school districts to have volunteer chaplains to counsel students to Oklahoma's top education official ordering public schools to incorporate the Bible into lessons. Despite the ongoing legal battle, ahead of this year's legislative season, lawmakers in other statehouses have begun to propose bills similar to Louisiana's, including in Montana and Tennessee. Additionally, in December, 18 attorney generals in red states including Alabama, Florida and Texas filed a brief supporting Louisiana's law. Multiple states have proposed similar bills in recent years, however they never went into effect amid threats of legal battles over the constitutionality of such measures. In 1980, the US Supreme Court ruled that a similar Kentucky law was unconstitutional and violated the establishment clause of the U.S. Constitution, which says Congress can make no law respecting an establishment of religion. The high court found that the law had no secular purpose but rather served a plainly religious purpose. Law experts have long said that they expect the Louisiana case to make its way up to the US Supreme Court. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) New York, Jan 23 (AP) A man who taped a sinister note to a Chinese ex-official's door in New Jersey was on Wednesday sentenced to 16 months in prison. He was convicted of participating in what US authorities called a Beijing-driven pressure campaign targeting expatriates. Also Read | Trumps Executive Orders Target Trans and Nonbinary People. Zheng Congying was one of three men convicted at the first trial highlighting US claims that China's government harasses and intimidates dissidents and critics on foreign soil. Beijing denied doing so and said its "Operation Fox Hunt" is an effort to bring fugitives home to face justice. Also Read | US President Donald Trump-Led Administration Clearly Prioritising Bilateral Ties With India, Says EAM S Jaishankar (Watch Video). A federal court jury in Brooklyn found Zheng and co-defendants Michael McMahon and Zhu Yong guilty of playing various roles in seeking out Xu Jin, a former official in the Chinese city of Wuhan, and pressing him to return to his homeland. There, he would face bribery allegations that he denied. Zheng knocked on Xu's New Jersey door, circled the home to peer inside and left a note that read, in translation: "If you are willing to go back to the mainland and spend 10 years in prison, your wife and children will be all right. That's the end of this matter!" Zheng's lawyer, Paul Goldberger, said during the trial that Zheng later regretted what he'd done and tried to retrieve the letter. Prosecutors suggested he went back to the house just to see whether the note had been received. The defendants didn't testify, but their lawyers said the three believed they were aiding a private company or individuals, not the Chinese government. Zheng, a Chinese citizen, was convicted of stalking and stalking conspiracy but was acquitted of other charges. A message seeking comment on his sentencing was sent to his lawyer. Zhu was sentenced last week to two years in prison. McMahon, a retired US police sergeant, is due to be sentenced later this winter. Three other people pleaded guilty in the case. Five others also were charged, but they're believed to be in China and haven't come to the US to appear in court. (AP) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Taipei (Taiwan), Jan 23 (AP) A man who sailed across the Taiwan Strait from China in a rubber dinghy has been indicted for illegally entering the island, while an unusually large number of Chinese fighter jets flew through the area in an apparent show of force. The Chinese man, identified only by his surname, Wang, made the five-day crossing in the lightweight open boat in September to seek freedom, according to reports. Also Read | Malaysia: 8-Year-Old Boy Loses Permanent Vision Due to Poor Diet, Diagnosed With Optic Atrophy; Here's How to Avoid It. His landing in the northern Linkou district shocked many Taiwanese, who questioned how he had apparently evaded the island's navy and coast guard. Wang is being held incommunicado, a reflection of the ongoing tensions between Taiwan and China, which claims the island as its own and dispatched 27 warplanes and six vessels near Taiwan overnight. Also Read | US President Donald Trump Announces First Phase of Tariffs on Chinese Imports, Likely To Be Implemented Next Week. In its indictment earlier this month, the New Taipei District Prosecutors Office said Wang, 32, phoned emergency services after his dinghy ran aground around 6:00 a.m. on September 14, 2024. Wang was equipped with 10 solar charging panels and 10 oil barrels, along with weather information on his phone, the indictment said. China sends warplanes and ships near Taiwan on a daily basis, part of a strategy to intimidate the island's voters and wear down the armed forces equipment and morale. Taiwan responds by scrambling jets, dispatching ships and activating coastal missile defense systems. Despite the Chinese assets crossing the centre line of the Taiwan Strait that divides the sides, no incidents have been reported. The number of assets dispatched varies greatly for reasons mostly unknown, unless they coincide with a Taiwanese diplomatic move to assert its independence. China has also targeted Taiwanese serving and retired military personnel and in the latest case reported, a retired lieutenant general has been charged along with others with receiving around USD 300,000 or considerably more from China to form an armed group that would act as a type of fifth column in the event of a Chinese attack. There was no word on whether Kao An-kao or any of his alleged co-conspirators had found any recruits, according to a statement issued on Wednesday. Taiwan's government has warned that China is massively increasing its "gray area" attacks on Taiwan using social media such as TikTok and personal contacts. (AP) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Davos, Jan 23 (PTI) Any further sanctions against Russia will not have any impact on India's crude oil requirements and the global prices should remain stable in the USD 75-80 per barrel range, as all sanction fears have already been factored in, Indian Oil Chairman Arvinder Singh Sahney said on Thursday. Speaking to PTI here during the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting, he also said there are several energy sources that can be tapped to meet India's energy requirements in case of any eventuality. Also Read | Amazon Layoffs: E-Commerce Giant Likely To Lay Off Around 1,700 Employees Amid Quebec Operations Exit. Asked about the Indian participation at Davos, Sahney said it feels great to see India with a big presence here. "It helps as so many global corporates we can meet here at a single place. We can exchange ideas with all of them, and that's good for the company and economy as a whole," he added. Also Read | Air India To Resume Tel Aviv-Delhi Flights From March 2 As Israel-Hamas Ceasefire Agreement Holds Up. On Donald Trump's second US presidency and its impact on India, he said it should be positive for the energy sector because "he has emphasised that we have to produce more energy and we are not averse to more energy sources. It is always better to have more and more energy sources". India imports nearly 87 per cent of crude oil, and if the country gets more than one source, it would be better, he said. On fears that Trump can impose more sanctions on Russia if the war doesn't stop, he said it would not have any major impact. "Before the Ukraine war started, India used to get less than 2 per cent oil from Russia. After the war started and Russia was not allowed to sell to Europe etc, we started getting more from Russia. "If that goes down due to sanctions, we have other sources to compensate for that. We have not left our other sources, whether they are in the Gulf, OPEC, OPEC-plus, the US, Guyana or Brazil," he added. Also, he said, there are new non-OPEC countries, and there is no dearth of crude oil. "What price we will get, what would be quantity and how the transportation will happen, we will look into all of that, but I can assure you that there won't be any impact on availability or the energy security of the country," the IOC chief said. On what impact it can have on global crude prices, Sahney said there should not be much effect on global prices. When the sanctions were first imposed, the prices had gone up to USD 83 per barrel, but it has come down slowly in the last 5-7 days, and now, it is around USD 79, he explained. "All the concerns were already factored in...and my personal assessment is that it will be in the range of USD 75-80," he said. On budget expectations, he said the support needed from the government for the energy sector is already there, and there is no further specific demand as of now. "Whatever specific support we need, we are already getting, and we do not think there would be anything negative for us in the budget," he noted. (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 23 (PTI) US Secretary of State Marco Rubio would travel to Panama and several other countries in the region later next week, his spokesperson said on Thursday. Secretary Rubio will travel to Panama, Guatemala, El Salvador, Costa Rica and the Dominican Republic starting late next week, State Department Spokeswoman Tammy Bruce said. Also Read | January 24 Birthdays and Birth Anniversaries: Know About Famous People and Celebrities Born on January 24. Rubio, 53, was sworn in as the Secretary of State on Tuesday. He had his first multilateral meeting with his counterparts from Quad countries Australia, India and Japan. He had his first bilateral meeting with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar. On Wednesday, Rubio had telephonic calls with his counterparts from over half a dozen countries, including South Korea, Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Indonesia. He also spoke with Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Also Read | Republic Day 2025: Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto Arrives for 4-Day Visit to India To Attend 76th R-Day Parade; Several MoUs Expected To Be Signed. (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, January 23: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday paid tributes to Shiv Sena founder Balasaheb Thackeray on his birth anniversary, saying he was uncompromising when it came to his core beliefs and always contributed towards enhancing the pride of Indian culture. In a post on X, PM Modi said, "I pay homage to Balasaheb Thackeray Ji on his birth anniversary. He is widely respected and remembered for his commitment to public welfare and towards Maharashtras development. He was uncompromising when it came to his core beliefs and always contributed towards enhancing the pride of Indian culture." Balasaheb Thackeray founded the Shiv Sena, a party wedded to the Marathi manoos cause, and later, to Hindu nationalism. He enjoyed a large following in Maharashtra and his popularity gradually grew across the country. He was born on January 23, 1926, in Pune and passed away at the age of 86 on November 17, 2012, in Mumbai. Union Minister Nitin Gadkari while paying tribute wrote in Marathi on X: "Tributes to Hindu hriday samrat revered Balasaheb Maharashtra. Bal Thackeray Birth Anniversary 2025: PM Narendra Modi Pays Tribute to Shiv Sena Founder on His Punyatithi, Says He Was Uncompromising in His Core Beliefs. Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde also paid tributes to Thackeray. He wrote on X in Marathi, "Humble tributes to the revered Hindu hriday samrat, Shiv Sena chief Balasaheb Thackeray, on his birth anniversary." Since Thackeray passed away a lot has changed in the party he founded. The Shiv Sena split in 2022 after Shinde led a rebellion against the then party leadership. This led to the collapse of the Maha Vikas Agahadi (MVA) government and Uddhav Thackeray had to resign from the post of Chief Minister. Bal Thackeray Punyatithi: Lesser Known Facts to Know About The Shiv Sena Founder on His Death Anniversary. Shinde subsequently joined hands with the BJP to form a government in Maharashtra with him as the CM. Later, the Election Commission recognised the Shinde-led faction as the 'real' Shiv Sena. The Shiv Sena is now split into two factions with the one commanding the support of a majority of its MLAs siding with the BJP, and another is headed by his son Uddhav Thackeray aligning with the Opposition in the state On Thursday, the two Shiv Senas led by Uddhav Thackeray and Eknath Shinde will hold separate rallies in memory of Balasaheb Thackeray. Both factions have been trying to stake claim over his legacy. (The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jan 23, 2025 11:45 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com). New Delhi, January 23: Md Ruhul Amin Fakir, father of Mohammed Shariful Islam, the man accused in the recent attack on Bollywood actor Saif Ali Khan, spoke his mind out during an exclusive conversation with IANS on Thursday. He defended his son and called into question the allegations. Fakir insisted his son had been wrongfully implicated in the incident. According to Fakir, the images from CCTV footage showing a suspect with long hair do not match his sons usual appearance. "From what is shown in the CCTV... my son never keeps his hair long. I believe my son is being framed," Fakir asserted, denying any connection between his sons typical appearance and the person seen in the footage. Shariful, who hails from Bangladesh, had moved to India due to the political unrest in his home country. Saif Ali Khan Stabbing Case: Accused Shariful Islams Father Claims CCTV Footage Identity Doesnt Match His Son, Says He Is Being Framed (Watch Video). To a question from IANS, Fakir explained: "He left Bangladesh and came to India for one reason the political unrest in Bangladesh... He was working where he received a salary, and his employer even rewarded him..." Fakir went on to describe his sons life in India, painting a picture of a man simply trying to make a living in a foreign country. "The salary in Mumbai's hotels is higher than in West Bengal. The hotels there are quite large, and the salary is also higher," Fakir noted, suggesting that Shariful moved to Mumbai for better job prospects in the hospitality industry. Mumbai Police Find Clinching Evidence in Saif Ali Khan Stabbing Case, Say Key Document Proves Attacker Mohammad Shahzad a Bangladeshi National. Despite the gravity of the accusations against his son, Fakir insists that he hasnt received any communication from the police. Asked if the local police have contacted him, he said: "No, nothing like that has happened. No one has come from anywhere. We don't know anyone in India. We have no support in India." Fakir reflected on his last conversation with Shariful, recalling their regular exchanges. "My last conversation with my son was on a Friday evening," he said. "He (Shariful) used to get his salary after the 10th of every month... After that, he would talk to me." (The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jan 23, 2025 11:46 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com). Hyderabad, January 23: Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) working president K.T. Rama Rao on Thursday hit back at Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy for calling him an IT employee. The former IT Minister reacted to remarks made by the Chief Minister during an interaction with a news channel in Davos, where he was attending World Economic Forums annual meeting. To those who think they can belittle me by calling me just an IT employee, I say: being part of the IT industry takes genuine talent, education, skill, and dedication Unlike carrying bags of cash to bribe MLAs or paying Delhi bosses for a job!, Rama Rao posted on X while referring to the bribery allegations against Revanth Reddy. Formula-E Race Case: ED Quizzes KT Rama Rao for 7 Hours Regarding Transfer INR 45.7 Crore From HMDA to UK-Based Formula-E Operations. KTR, as the BRS leader is popularly known, also stated that IT professionals across the world earn their livelihood through hard work and ingenuity. To my fellow brothers and sisters in the IT and ITES industry, I salute you. Your tireless efforts and brilliant minds are the backbone of the modern tech world. Without you, the wheels of innovation and progress would grind to a halt, he wrote. Let's be honest: some accidental politicians, can't hold a candle to your educational credentials or your work ethic. And we're all paying the price for their half-baked policies. I'm unapologetically proud of my roots, my education, my work experience, my tech background and my comrades, added KTR, who was minister for IT, industry, municipal administration and urban development in the previous government. Revanth Reddy had Wednesday called KTR an IT employee when he was asked to comment on KTRs remark that he doesnt know anything. KTR worked in IT companies. He is an IT employee. He will always have an employee mindset. I am a politician. I am a policymaker. I need not know everything, said the Chief Minister. Formula-E Race Case: BRS Leader KT Rama Rao Says Ready for Lie-Detector Test, if CM Revanth Reddy Also Comes Forward. Revanth Reddy said that if he wants to make a policy he would give directions to the officials concerned. He also pointed that former Prime Minister P. V. Narasimha Rao and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu did not have any experience of working on computers. (The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jan 23, 2025 12:44 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com). Himachal Pradesh Government to Grant 'International Status' to Sujanpur Holi Fair, Says CM Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu Holi 2025: Cultural Richness and Unity of Uttarakhand on Display As CM Pushkar Singh Dhami Plays Holi With Folk Artists at Holi Milan Programme Now PDA Is Their Target: Akhilesh Yadav Accuses BJP of Spreading Hatred Gautam Adani in Trouble? Law Ministry Directs Gujarat Court To Deliver US SEC Summons to Adani Group Chairman in Bribery Case, Says Report Microsoft To Train 2 Lakh Youth in Partners With Andhra Pradesh Government on AI and Advanced Skills, Says IT Minister Nara Lokesh Puma Layoffs: German Sportwear Brand To Lay Off up to 500 Employees Globally Amid Declining Demand and Poor Performance, Competition From Other Players Lip-Bu Tan Becomes New CEO of Intel, Sends This Message in His First Memo to Employees BGMI 3.7 Update Launched: Krafton Announces Rondo Map, Golden Dynasty Mode, New Weapons, Vehicles, and India-Exclusive Features; Check Complete Details Here Cairo, January 23: An Israeli security delegation arrived in Cairo to continue negotiations on the implementation of the second phase of the recently-reached Gaza ceasefire-for-hostage release deal, according to well-informed Egyptian sources. The Israeli delegation includes officials from the Israeli intelligence agency Mossad and Shin Bet security agency, the sources told Xinhua on condition of anonymity. "The discussions focused on the execution of the second phase of the ceasefire agreement, including the reopening of the Palestinian side of the Rafah border crossing to allow the passage of injured Palestinians," the sources added. The talks also addressed the presence of Israeli troops in the Philadelphi Corridor, located on the Gaza-Egypt border, with Israel seeking a partial withdrawal while Egypt insists on a full Israeli withdrawal from the area, according to the sources. Gaza Ceasefire Agreement Takes Into Effect As 90 Palestinian Prisoners Freed by Israel After Hostages Released by Hamas. They added that the Egyptian and Israeli security officials discussed a further swap of Israeli hostages held by Hamas and Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails as per the terms of the deal, Xinhua news agency reported. Israel and Hamas reached a three-stage ceasefire deal last week, mediated by Egypt, Qatar and the US, after more than 15 months of fighting. The current six-week stage of the truce deal, which began on Sunday, includes the release of Israeli captives from Gaza and Palestinians from Israeli prisons, as well as intensified humanitarian aid delivery to Gaza and a partial withdrawal of Israeli troops from the enclave. Earlier a tense ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas took effect on Sunday, initiating six weeks of calm and raising hopes for an end to 15 months of Israeli assaults on Gaza that devastated the enclave and for the release of dozens of hostages held there. Im Not Confident: US President Donald Trump Not Confident Ceasefire in Gaza Will Hold. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu delayed the ceasefire by nearly three hours after Hamas missed an 8:30 a.m. deadline to submit the names of the first three hostages to be released later in the day. Hamas cited technical reasons for the delay but later provided the list. (The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jan 23, 2025 11:57 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com). An armed carjacking earlier this month in Allentown by a 23-year-old man and a teenager was the result of a Facebook Marketplace deal that went wrong, city police said. Jayden Marquis Rivera, 23, of the 1900 block of East Market Street in Freemansburg, and Melvyn Geovanny Houpe, 16, of the 1300 block of Turner Street in Allentown, are each charged with three counts felony robbery and one count each of felony theft, felony receiving stolen property, misdemeanor unauthorized use of a motor vehicle and misdemeanor evading arrest. Houpe is also charged with felony firearms not to be carried without a license, misdemeanor possession of a prohibited firearm, and misdemeanor possession of a firearm by a minor. He is being charged as an adult in the case, city police said. Court records obtained by lehighvalleylive.com Thursday shed more light on the incident, which unfolded at 3:46 p.m. Jan. 2 in the area of North 14th and Turner streets. A male victim told police he met with Rivera and Houpe to sell them shoes listed on Facebook Marketplace. The pair then asked the victim to drive them to another place to verify the shoes were authentic, authorities said. The victim drove the pair to a small alley, where Houpe pointed a handgun at the victims head and told him to give them everything or he would be shot, authorities said. The victim handed over his wallet and cellphone and was then ordered by the pair to get out of his 2023 Toyota Highlander, authorities said. The pair fled in the vehicle, along with the shoes and other valuables, police said. The victim provided a description to investigators of Rivera and Houpe, noting each was wearing ski masks at the time of the carjacking, police said. Shortly before 4:15 p.m., police saw the SUV at North Sixth and Gordon streets and attempted to stop it. Rivera and Houpe ignored commands, which led to a police pursuit and brief foot chase, according to police. Rivera was arrested during the chase. Houpe was arrested while attempting to hide on the roof of a building, police said. Houpe had a loaded gun in his pants with a total of 14 rounds in the magazine and one in the chamber, court records stated. The serial number of the firearm also was removed, authorities said. Houpe was found to be a fugitive and wanted by juvenile probation. He was arraigned Jan. 2 before District Judge Ronald S. Manescu. Rivera on Jan. 3 was arraigned before District Judge Karen C. Devine. Bail was set at $250,000 for Houpe and $50,000 for Rivera. In lieu of bail, both Houpe and Rivera were taken to the Lehigh County Jail. Rivera is due back in court for a preliminary hearing scheduled for 10:15 a.m. Feb. 19 before District Judge Rashid Santiago. A judge will then determine if theres sufficient evidence to send the cases toward trial in the Lehigh County Court of Common Pleas. Charges against Houpe have already been sent toward trial at the Lehigh County Court of Common Pleas. He is scheduled at 8 a.m. Feb. 28 to appear for a formal arraignment before Lehigh County Court of Common Pleas Judge Robert L. Steinberg. Matthew Jared Rapa, the Lehighton-based attorney representing Rivera, couldnt immediately be reached for comment. Matthew Potts, the public defender representing Houpe, didnt immediately return a voicemail seeking comment Thursday afternoon. Please subscribe now and support the local journalism YOU rely on and trust. Pamela Sroka-Holzmann may be reached at pholzmann@lehighvalleylive.com. Easton residents may have noticed more power outages lately, and there seems to be an explanation. Easton City Councilman Frank Pintabone, along with Mayor Sal Panto Jr. and other city officials, met with representatives from Met-Ed earlier this month to discuss the ongoing challenges of power outages in the city. The meeting, Pintabone said, was prompted by a significant outage on Jan. 4 that left parts of Easton, particularly Pine Street, without power during one of the coldest nights of the year. Pintabone emphasized that growing development in Easton is not the reason for power outages. He said new developments such as the Marquis, Confluence, and Watermark would not overload the power grid. Developers are required to work with Met-Ed to ensure any necessary infrastructure upgrades are made at their own expense before construction begins. Pintabone blamed the impact of trees, wind and vegetation on both underground and overhead power lines. The network is extremely old, and sometimes it just goes down, and they have to deal with it when it comes, he said. Met-Ed spokesman Todd Meyers said the issues causing the Jan. 4 outage were confined to the citys underground power network, which he said typically performs well. During this incident, several underground components failed simultaneously. Meyers said that while underground power lines are less susceptible to bad weather, trees, car accidents and animal interference, they can still experience problems that are challenging to locate and repair. In response, Met-Ed plans to conduct twice-yearly inspections of the underground equipment to spot issues before they lead to outages. Our reliability engineers are also studying Eastons network to determine what future upgrades could further enhance its reliability, Meyers said. Pintabone singled out the Highlands neighborhood in South Side as an area with frequent power disruptions. Its due to the regions infrastructure, the proximity of overhead lines, and the amount of trees along Cedarville Road and Route 611. Throwing car accidents into the mix, power outages are more likely to happen, he said. Meyers said work is underway to relocate equipment in the Highlands to a more accessible location near Morgan Hill, to be completed in mid-2025. He said the citys overhead power lines can pose a challenge. Many sections of the city are served by overhead power lines, which are exposed to severe weather, trees, and branches beyond our rights-of-way that can damage equipment and other hazards, he said. To address these issues, Met-Ed has been working on several infrastructure upgrades. In 2024, the company completed two projects aimed at improving reliability in the region. One of these included replacing a circuit breaker at the Chestnut Hill substation in Forks Township, which supplies power to the College Hill neighborhood. Another project involved rebuilding part of the Northwood substation, which serves as a critical power source for Easton. Looking ahead, Met-Ed plans additional projects in 2025 to enhance service in Easton. This includes the installation of two remote control switches on lines that feed the citys north end near 13th Street and Bushkill Drive. These switches will allow for faster restoration of power by rerouting electricity from nearby lines if an issue occurs on the main line. Well be installing these switches to help ensure that if theres a problem on one line, we can quickly transfer customers to another nearby line to keep the lights on as repairs are being made, Meyers explained. Met-Ed also plans to replace aging equipment at a substation that supplies power to about 900 customers in the South Side neighborhood. The company is considering relocating an inaccessible power line near I-78 and Route 611 to improve access for maintenance and reduce outages caused by falling trees. This relocation is expected to benefit around 500 customers in South Side. Met-Ed has also received funding through grants to prune trees around the city to prevent future outages caused by vegetation. These efforts began on College Hill and will continue into 2025, with the South Side and West Ward to follow. Meyers noted that Met-Ed has received approval for phase three of its Long-Term Infrastructure Improvement Plan, which includes $382 million in funding to improve the distribution system through 2029. The funding comes from the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission. Specific projects for Easton are still being determined, Meyers said. These investments will help improve overall service reliability for our customers, he said. Pintabone urged residents to continue reporting any power outages or non-working streetlights directly to Met-Ed. Met-Ed serves approximately 592,000 customers within 3,300 square miles of eastern and southeastern Pennsylvania. Chelsea Kun can be reached at ckun@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow her on instagram at @chelsealehighvalley. By REBECCA BOONE Associated Press Attorneys for a man charged with murder in connection with the killings of four University of Idaho students are asking a judge to throw out most of the evidence in the case because they say it all hinges on an unconstitutional genetic investigation process. Bryan Kohbergers defense team also contends that the search warrants in the case were tainted by police misconduct. They will make their arguments during a two-day hearing starting Thursday morning, part of which will be closed to the public. If they are successful, it could throw a major wrench in the prosecutions case before trial starts in August. Kohberger has local ties. He grew up in Monroe County, attended Northampton Community College in Bethlehem Township and earned bachelors and masters degrees from DeSales University in Upper Saucon Township. He is charged with four counts of murder in the deaths of Ethan Chapin, Xana Kernodle, Madison Mogen and Kaylee Goncalves, who were killed in the early morning of Nov. 13, 2022, at a rental home near campus in Moscow, Idaho. When asked to enter a plea last year, Kohberger stood silent, prompting a judge to enter a not-guilty plea on his behalf. Prosecutors have said they will seek the death penalty if Kohberger is convicted. Kohbergers attorneys say law enforcement violated his constitutional rights when they used a process called Investigative Genetic Genealogy, or IGG, to identify possible suspects. There would be no investigation into him without that original constitutional violation, attorneys Jay Weston Logsdon and Ann Taylor wrote in a court filing. They later continued, Without IGG, there is no case, no request for his phone records, surveillance of his parents home, no DNA taken from the garbage out front. Because the IGG analysis is the origin of this matter, everything in the affidavit should be excised. The IGG process often starts when DNA found at the scene of a crime doesnt yield any results through standard law enforcement databases. When that happens, investigators may look at all the variations, or single nucleotide polymorphisms, that are in the DNA sample. Those SNPs, or snips, are then uploaded to a genealogy database like GEDmatch or FamilyTreeDNA to look for possible relatives of the person whose DNA was found at the scene. In Kohbergers case, investigators said they found touch DNA, or trace DNA, on the sheath of a knife that was found in the home where the students were fatally stabbed. The FBI used the IGG process on that DNA and the information identified Kohberger as a possible suspect. Latah County Prosecutor Bill Thompson and the rest of the prosecution team say there is nothing unconstitutional about the use of IGG, noting that Kohbergers relatives voluntarily provided their own DNA to a genetic genealogy service. Theyve also argued in court filings that case law is clear: Defendants have no reasonable right to privacy for DNA that is left at the scene of a crime. The defense team also says that once Kohberger was identified as a possible suspect, law enforcement officers either purposely or recklessly lied or omitted crucial information when they asked the court to issue search warrants for his apartment, his parents house, his car, his cellphone and even for his own DNA. They want all of that evidence kept out of the trial as well. Specific details about the alleged police misconduct are hidden from public view, however; 4th District Judge Steven Hippler has kept most of those court filings, along with many of the court documents on the IGG evidence, under seal. Part of the hearing starting Thursday will be held behind closed doors because the judge says he doesnt want potential jurors tainted by hearing about any evidence that might not be allowed in trial. On Wednesday, a coalition of news organizations including The Associated Press asked the judge to reconsider the secrecy. In any criminal case, I would submit that its of extreme public interest to know whether a law enforcement officer sworn to tell the truth ... made reckless or false statements during an investigation, the news organizations attorney, Wendy Olson, said during a hearing on Wednesday. The U.S. Supreme Court has found that the public and the press have a First Amendment right to open court proceedings, she said, and that open courts also help to protect the rights of the accused. Openness and transparency are more important than ever in maintaining and restoring confidence in our government institutions, Olson said. The judge was unswayed. I dont think much has changed in terms of the need to protect the jury pool here, given the intense media scrutiny that has and continues to follow this case, Hippler said. We will be challenged under the best of circumstances in obtaining a jury that has not been overly exposed to this ... and in particular, exposed to evidence that may not come into this trial. The judge said no one would be allowed into the courtroom but that the open portions of the hearing would be livestreamed from the courts YouTube page. The black bear that attacked a man over the weekend in Jim Thorpe tested positive for rabies, the Pennsylvania Game Commission said Thursday. The diagnosis explains the abnormal behavior of attacking a person, according to the commission. Black bears under normal circumstances are not aggressive toward people, Game Commission spokesman Travis Lau told lehighvalleylive.com in an email. While rabies in bears is rare, and a case emerging in a given area usually is isolated, rabies poses a risk to all mammals. Commission officials urge anyone who observes wildlife acting abnormally to report it by calling 833-742-9453 (833-PGC-WILD). The attack occurred Sunday as the victim was walking on a trail near a supermarket and liquor and beer stores on River Street, a dead-end road in the Carbon County borough between the Lehigh River and extensive, hilly woodlands. WNEP-TV 16 shared home-surveillance video of the encounter showing the attack as the bear reared up on its hind legs, before an armed neighbor fatally shot the bear. Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to lehighvalleylive.com. Kurt Bresswein may be reached at kbresswein@lehighvalleylive.com. Drivers in New Jersey who are receiving text messages claiming they have an unpaid E-ZPass charges are being told by state officials to ignore it and not to respond. The text comes with a veiled threat to Pay your FastTrak lane tolls by a certain date to avoid fines and keep your license. State officials warned residents on the state cyber security website and in emails dont click on anything in these messages. Threat actors create a sense of urgency by convincing their targets to pay a purported unpaid toll bill of $6.99 to avoid late fees, state cyber security officials warned. Other messages contain threats to revoke the targets drivers license or take legal action if immediate payment is not made. The critical warning for drivers is the link is already active, meaning that users shouldnt reply by typing Y for yes or follow the further instructions to activate the link. Officials said it is a scam called smishing thats designed to steal the recipients identity. An email address in the text appears to be legitimate for Massachusetts E-ZPass, but it not. Massachusetts electronic toll payment system is called EZDriveMA. The fake website address has another alphabet soup extension after dot com, which is not used by any E-ZPass agency and should be a red flag for the recipient. There are other tip offs that this a fake, the sending phone number for the text as a 63 country code which is for the Philippines. The second is that most members of the 20-state E-ZPass Group that New Jersey is part of do not send violation notices by text message. Violation notices are typically mailed to the vehicle owner. The other suspicious signs is the text claims the recipient owed a toll for using a Fast Trak lane. There are none in Massachusetts. In fact the real Fast Track program in that state has nothing to do with highways; it is a Boston city program to expedite building permits. The other red flag is New Jersey and other state E-ZPass programs have a multi-step process for toll violations that escalates an overdue toll to a violation, with an administrative fee. If that remains unpaid, the account is turned over to a collection agency. The most severe step is to suspend a drivers ability to register or re-register their vehicle. New Jersey does not suspend drivers licenses for unpaid tolls. This latest scam surfaced in Massachusetts last week and was report on by a Patriot-Ledger reporter who received the email and is the variant of a smishing scam that has been lurking since June. The texts are being sent randomly. New Jersey officials said some of the people receiving text messages dont drive. New Yorks Metropolitan Transportation Authority, operator of New York Citys bridges and tunnels, and the New York Thruway Authority also warned drivers of a similar scam. New Jersey Turnpike officials warned drivers in April that text message toll violations they may have received are fakes. Those text messages claimed to be from the Turnpike Authority. While the Turnpike Authority runs the New Jersey E-ZPass group, violation notices are sent from the New Jersey E-ZPass group and not from the Turnpike Authority They are not sent by text message. Drivers can go to the New Jersey E-ZPass website or app and check for any outstanding tolls or violation notices. State law also requires E-ZPass to check to see if a vehicle owner has a valid account before issuing a violation notice. In April, the NJ E-ZPass groups advice was direct and simple, dont respond to the text. Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com. Larry Higgs may be reached at lhiggs@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on X @CommutingLarry Bethany Hamiltons 2003 shark attack rocked the world of competitive surfing and the lives of the people who witnessed it. Hamiltons friend and fellow pro surfer Alana Blanchard was 12 when the attack occurred near Tunnels Beach in Kauai, Hawaii. Blanchard opened up about how the gruesome event impacted her during the Wednesday, Jan. 22, episode of the FOX reality series Special Forces: Worlds Toughest Test. It was just a really traumatic experience for me, Blanchard said, breaking down in tears when the ex-Special Forces operatives who lead the show noted that she must have been petrified. Blanchard shared that one of the reasons she signed on to Special Forces, which puts celebrity contestants through a grueling training designed to replicate an actual United States Special Forces selection course, was to learn to keep calm in situations like Hamiltons attack. My dad saved [Hamiltons] life. He handled it so well. And now that Im at my age, and I have kids, I always think back to that time, the athlete said. My reason [for being here] was I want to react [well] in those kinds of situations. Blanchard recalled the surreal moment she realized that Hamilton had been bit. Shes laying on her board, a wave went down, and when it came up, her arm was gone, bloods everywhere, she told Directing Staff (DS) instructors. [Her arm] was definitely, like, shredded, and she was just gushing blood the whole time. Blanchard further unpacked the incident during a confessional, telling cameras that she began throwing up once she and her dad got Hamilton back to the beach. Alana Blanchard witnessed childhood friend Bethany Hamilton get bitten by a shark in 2003.YouTube/Bethany Hamilton When something happens like that, it doesnt seem real. In the moment, I definitely didnt react [well]. I was freaking out, she said. My dad said from that day, I was a changed girl. Like, I never was the same. Im sure theres some PTSD in there, for sure. A tiger shark bit off Hamiltons left arm just below the shoulder during the attack. By the time she arrived at the hospital, she had lost 60 percent of her blood. But the teenager survived the grisly attack and returned to surfing one month later. Hamiltons harrowing experience and inspiring comeback were documented in her 2004 autobiography, Soul Surfer: A True Story of Faith, Family, and Fighting to Get Back on the Board, which was later adapted into a 2011 film starring AnnaSophia Robb. Photos of Blanchard and Hamilton appear in the book. Hamilton shared an homage to her and Blanchards friendship via YouTube in May 2019. The video features old clips of the pair together, including footage of Blanchard addressing the shark attack. Alana Blanchard was a recruit on season 3 of "Special Forces: World's Toughest Test."Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP When the attack first happened, I was so devastated. I thought I lost my surf buddy, she said. Both women are still surfing professionally and theyre both mothers as well. Blanchard shares sons Banks, 7, and Koda, 3, with husband Jack Freestone, while Hamilton shares sons Tobias, 9, Wesley, 6, Micah, 3, and daughter Alaya, 18 months, with husband Adam Dirks. Blanchard watched Wednesdays emotional episode of Special Forces with Koda and her husband. Watching mama cry on TV. #Special Forcesfox, she captioned an Instagram Story photo of Dirks and their younger son. Special Forces: Worlds Toughest Test airs on FOX Wednesdays at 8 p.m. EST. Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com. Have a tip? Tell us at nj.com/tips/. Almost 1,700 people have signed a new Laois petition within a day of its launch, asking the Minister for Justice to stop the deportation of a young African family from Portlaoise. The school community of St Mary's CBS Portlaoise has rallied around Lucy Adebowale and her five children Star, Greatness, Value, Prosperity, and Gold to stop them being deported to Nigeria. The three older boys attend the secondary school and the two youngest are pupils in St Fintan's boys NS in Mountrath. A petition created on the Uplift online petition platform called Keep the Adebowale Family Safe gathered 1,694 signatures within a day of its launch on Wednesday, January 22, 2024. It comes after the CBS principal Maura Murphy supported the Adebowale family in successfully asking for a second chance of appealing their deportation order from the Department of Justice. The Department and Minister Helen McEntee have agreed to reconsider it. Read here. Ms Murphy said that the whole school, who have already fundraised for the family's legal bill, are prepared to march on the Dail. Read more here. The family say that if they are deported to Nigeria, they will be in danger from their abusive father, who now resides there. St Mary's CBS teacher Katrina Foley set up the petition on behalf of the school. Dear Minister, We earnestly believe that the deportation of the Adebowale family would endanger their lives. We ask you to consider their safety when reviewing their appeal. The 3 oldest boys attend St Mary's CBS, Portlaoise, where they have proven themselves to be hardworking students and gentlemen in behaviour. Showing true community spirit they have been involved in the Student Council and the School of Sanctuary Committee. This is a family that finally had some sense of peace and safety in our community only to find themselves under threat again. Lucy is doing everything in her power to protect her family, but she needs support. The Adebowale family are part of our CBS community, our CBS family, so let us give her that support," she said. The campaign has the backing of the school patron, the Edmund Rice Schools Trust. Gerry Bennett ERST CEO said that the Trust sees the matter as an educational wellbeing issue. From an educational wellbeing point of view, it is so important that Star Adebowale gets to sit his Leaving Cert next June and his two brothers get to complete their Leaving Cert and Junior Cycle exams and profile in 2026 respectively. This is why we in ERST are supporting St Marys campaign to ask the authorities to favourably consider the Adebowale familys appeal against deportation, Mr Bennett concluded. Patrick Kelleher is a Campaigner at Uplift. No matter who we are or where we come from, all of us deserve to feel safe and secure. Deportation would needlessly and cruelly pull this family from the community and school that they have settled into. Its remarkable to see how the school community has rallied behind them, and we hope that the Minister will do the right thing and let them stay in their community. Uplift is a people-powered community of over 350,000 people in Ireland. Each day hundreds of people take small actions together, such as signing petitions or contacting their TDs, to help build a more equal, sustainable, and just Ireland. The latest residential property price index from the Central Statistics Office (CSO) shows that property prices in Laois rose by 10,000 over an eleven month period last year. The index for November 2024 shows that the average property price in Laois was 265,000. This is up from 255,000 in January 2024. The property index also shows the average prices by Eircode area. In the Portlaoise Eircode area property prices rose to 258,500 in November 2024. This is up from 250,000 at the start of last year. According to the Property Price Register the most expensive house sold in November 2024 was in Knockbaun, Spink for 625,000. This was closely followed by a property sold in Market Place, Portlaoise for 620,000 while Rathdaire Cottage, Bellgrove, Ballybrittas sold for 600,000 that month. On the other end of the scale some of the cheapest properties to be sold in Laois in November included a property in Glenkeen Park, The Fairgreen, Mountmellick for 53,542.09 and a property in Cullenagh, Portlaoise sold for 80,000. Nationally the property price index rose by 9.4% in the 12 months to November 2024. During that month 4,443 dwelling purchases by households at market prices were filed with the Revenue Commissioners, down by 3.8% when compared with the 4,618 purchases in November 2023. Across the country the average price of a property purchased in the 12 months to November 2024 was 350,000.The lowest average was 180,000 in both Leitrim and Longford, while the highest was 654,999 in Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown. Commenting on the release, Niall Corkery, Statistician in the Prices Division, said: In the 12 months to November 2024, house prices in Dublin rose by 9.9% while apartment prices increased by 8.3%. The highest house price growth in Dublin was in Dublin City at 11.7% while Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown saw a rise of 6.9%. "Outside Dublin, house prices were up by 9.5% and apartment prices increased by 5.8%. The region outside of Dublin that saw the largest rise in house prices was the Border (Cavan, Donegal, Leitrim, Monaghan, and Sligo) at 13.8%, while at the other end of the scale, the Mid-East (Kildare, Louth, Meath, and Wicklow) saw a 6.5% rise.In November 2024, 4,443 dwelling purchases by households at market prices were filed with the Revenue Commissioners, a decrease of 3.8% when compared with the 4,618 purchases in November 2023.Households paid a median or mid-point price of 350,000 for a residential property in the 12 months to November 2024. The lowest median price paid for a dwelling was 180,000 in both Leitrim and Longford, while the highest was 654,999 in Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown. The most expensive Eircode area over the 12 months to November 2024 was D06 'Dublin 6' with a median price of 725,000, while H23 'Clones' had the least expensive price of 127,000. Commenting on the CSO figures IPAV, the Institute of Professional Auctioneers & Valuers, warned that unless there is a significant increase in supply house prices could rise a further 10% this year. Pat Davitt IPAVs Chief Executive said: Agents are reporting strong prices with competing buyers in a limited market continuing to push beyond asking prices, particularly in high demand areas. That said there are locations where demand is lower and homes can still be bought for around the price of building them.But continuing increases of current levels are not sustainable over the longer term. Those on high incomes, cash buyers and State bodies are all competing for the scarce resource that is homes for sale, he said. Those on average wages have been largely squeezed out for several years at this stage. Many are now middle aged, he said. Unless we address the impediments to building more homes the future is looking worrisome for these people and for society as a whole. To that end, he said, everyone is hoping that the new Government will succeed in accelerating the supply of homes. We wish them well. It requires forensic focus on long standing impediments to building homes, he concluded. Brokers Ireland, the representative body and leading voice for over 1200 insurance and financial brokers in Ireland, said all eyes are now on the government to deliver on housing supply. Rachel McGovern, Deputy Chief Executive at Brokers Ireland, said: Its beyond time for talking about housing targets, all people want to know about now is how new homes are going to be delivered. She said it looks like the number of new homes for 2024 will come in at a disappointing 33,000 approximately. Clearly this is why house prices rose more than most industry commentators expected, at about 10% for the year, she said. That level of increase is not sustainable except for those on high salaries and those wealthy enough to not be dependent upon mortgage finance. She said the commitment in the new Programme for Government to set up a new Strategic Housing & Infrastructure Delivery Office under the Minister for Housing was positive. It is to be hoped that it will deliver as its name suggests because up to now housing policy has been too dispersed across all arms of Government and lacked coordination, she said. Ms McGovern said time is of the essence, given economic uncertainty. We do not want to find ourselves looking back and regretting missed opportunities. She said a whole of Government approach is needed, not piecemeal change. Millions of people in Scotland have received an emergency alert to their mobile phones from the Government in Scotland after the Met Office in the UK issued a red danger to life warning for wind. As Micheal Martin was appointing Goverment Ministers to his new Cabinet, the Scottish Cabinet Office sent out an around 6pm on Thursday in response to Storm Eowyn which has led to a Status Red Alert for all of Ireland. The Cabinet Office alert meant compatible mobile phones made a loud siren-like sound and was sent to 22 council areas in Scotland including the big city of Glasgow. It is reported to be the largest real-life use of the emergency system to date. Scottish Parliament, First Minister John Swinney is the equivalent of Ireland's Taoiseach. Mr Swinney chaired a meeting of the Scottish Government Resilience Room Scotlands national crisis team on Thursday afternoon. He warned about what is coming. The storm could bring winds up to 100mph. The Met Office advice is clear, the potential impacts include danger to life, structural damage to property and transport and power disruptions. We have to be clear, people should not travel. Our message is simple, please follow the advice from the Met Office and the police, take this seriously and stay safe, he said. As in Ireland Sottish trains will be suspended, hundreds of schools will close. Scottish police have warned people not to travel in the areas affected by a rare red warning issued for parts of Scotland on Friday. UK forecasters warn gusts of up to 100mph during Storm Eowyn could result in flying debris and pose a danger to life, and people are urged to stay indoors. A Cabinet Office spokesperson said: The Met Office has issued a red warning for wind on Friday January 24, meaning there is a danger to life across Northern Ireland and parts of Scotland. In light of the deteriorating weather conditions and associated disruption, and in consultation with the Scottish Government and Northern Ireland Executive, the Cabinet Office will issue emergency alerts early this evening to people affected by the warnings in Northern Ireland and parts of Scotland. The emergency alert system will send a message to every compatible mobile phone in the areas at most risk, containing information about the weather warnings and guidance on how to stay safe. Police said no road users should travel in or to the red weather warning area, while train operator ScotRail said all services will be suspended across Scotland on Friday due to safety concerns. Forecasters said the conditions bring a risk of significant disruption to transport and power supplies as well as dangerous conditions outdoors, with very dangerous driving conditions because of fallen trees and other debris. They also warned of the potential for damage to buildings and homes. Police Scotland Chief Superintendent Hilary Sloan said: Our advice to any road user is not travelling, and thats really the message we want to get across today. Its really unusual for us to have a red weather warning and that advice is in place for the duration of that warning. The Scottish Parliament itself will be closed all day on Friday because of the storm, with only essential staff on site. Tributes have flooded in following the passing of James (Jim) Clancy of Tully West, Kildare Town, Co. Kildare. Jim passed away peacefully at Beech Park Nursing Home, surrounded by his family, on Monday, January 20 2025. He will be sadly missed by his sister Margaret, niece Sarah and her family, extended family, neighbours and friends. Jim is predeceased by his mother, Margaret, father, James, and brothers, Michael and John. Many have taken to express their sympathies with Jims family online, as well as share their fond memories of the Kildare man. On the condolences section on RIP.ie, one person wrote: "So sorry to hear of Jims passing. Condolences to his sister Margaret and especially his niece Sara. He would be very proud of you Sara for all the care you gave him. Jim was a gentleman and the stories he told. R.I.P. Jim, a true Kildare man. Another mourner wrote: "Deepest sympathy to Jim's family on his passing. He was a great character and always good company to meet up with. Reunited with his beloved family now. Rest in peace Jim. A third tribute read: Deepest sympathy to Jim's family he was a true gentleman. Great memories of Jim working on the Curragh. May he rest in peace. READ MORE: 'Faye brought so much love and happiness' - GoFundMe set up after tragic death of young Kildare girl Jim will be reposing at McWey's Funeral Home, Abbeyview, Kildare Town, on Wednesday, January 22, from 5.30pm - 7pm with Rosary at 6.30pm. Removal will take place on Thursday to arrive at The Carmelite Church, Kildare Town, for Requiem Mass at 11.30am, with Cremation service afterwards in Mount Jerome, Harold's Cross, Dublin at 1.45pm. A new Irish-language educational programme, which is open to young people in Kildare, has launched this week. The initiative, Treoraigh do Thodhchai is a partnership with the CONNECT Centre's Academy of the Near Future and Gael Linns Gaelbhratach. It will feature hands-on workshops addressing environmental challenges and explore how the Irish language and traditions can inspire creative, sustainable, and technological solutions for the future. Young people in Kildare aged 15-17 are being invited to apply for the week-long programme. Selected students will be encouraged to reflect on the role of the Irish language in their own lives and explore its significance in the wider context of environmental sustainability. READ NEXT: Quirky Kildare home boasts stunning interior behind deceptive facade for 260k The initiative will run from Monday, March 31 to Friday, April 4 2025 and it will be hosted at Stiuideo Cuan, An Spideal, Co. na Gaillimhe. It is the first Irish-language medium version of the 'Design Your Future City' programme, which has been delivered by Academy of the Near Future annually in Dublin since 2022. Commenting on the launch, Dr Mairead Hurley, Assistant Professor in Science & Society Education, Trinity College Dublin, said: We are excited to build on our innovative, youth-led approach to sustainability and citizenship education by delivering it through the Irish language for the first time. This step celebrates the creativity and transdisciplinary potential the Irish language brings to global citizenship education. This programme offers students from Kildare a fantastic opportunity to build confidence, collaboration, and problem-solving skills, while exploring the role of Irish language and culture in shaping a sustainable future. It will also draw on the expertise of Trinity School of Educations Critical Change Lab programme, an EU project exploring creative educational approaches to promote active citizenship and youth activism. Also commenting, Edel Ni Bhraonain, Bainisteoir Gaelbhratach, Gael Linn said: Gael Linn is thrilled to collaborate on Treoraigh do Thodhchai, creating opportunities for young people in Kildare to lead and shape a brighter future. Through our Gaelbhratach initiative, we have seen the incredible creativity and passion young people bring when given the chance to lead and shape their own future. This project is an exciting opportunity to amplify the student voice, combining their innovative ideas with the power of our language and culture to create a brighter, more sustainable tomorrow. Highlights from the programme Over the course of the week, the selected students will have the opportunity to: Engage in interactive workshops that integrate Irish language and cultural elements with sustainability and technology. Collaborate with experts through Irish to develop a deeper understanding of Irish language and traditions. Experiment with citizen science to address the environmental challenges facing modern cities, all through the lens of Irish culture. Meet STEM, design, and innovation experts who will guide students in bringing their ideas to life with a sustainability focus Application Details The programme is open to students aged 15-17. Applicants must commit to attending all sessions of the week-long course. Workshops will be conducted in Irish, and the main requirement is an enthusiasm for technology, sustainability, and Irish culture. With only 20 places available, interested students are encouraged to apply early to avoid missing out. To apply, applicants must answer a few short questions about themselves, describe an environmental challenge in their area, and propose a technology-driven solution. The deadline for applications is 5pm on Monday, February 24 2025. The programme is being run with support from the Department of Educations Education for Sustainable Development to 2030 Fund. For further information and the application process, visit:https://nearfuture.ie/programmes/treoraigh-do-thodchai The process of nominating a new taoiseach faced an unprecedented day-long delay due to a heated dispute over opposition speaking rights. The row involved TDs shouting at each other in the Dail on Wednesday, interruptions characterised as farcical and stunt politics on speed as well as accusations of barracking, bullying and intimidation. Fianna Fail leader Micheal Martin was ultimately successfully confirmed as Taoiseach on Thursday, but criticised the delay as a subversion of the Irish Constitution. Central to the row was a move to allocate opposition speaking time to some independents who had been involved in government formation talks. Four of those independents had joined a technical group, which is a mechanism designed to allow opposition TDs to sit in groupings to gain an allocation of speaking time. This has been widely rejected by opposition parties, including Sinn Fein, Labour and the Social Democrats, who argued that the independents who supported the incoming government should not be considered opposition TDs. Opposition parties said allowing the Government-affiliated independents to use opposition speaking time would dilute the practice of holding government to account and eat into their time to raise issues. Mr Martin was expected to be nominated on Wednesday, but the interruptions and objections from the opposition resulted in the Dail being suspended multiple times, before being adjourned until Thursday. Ceann Comhairle Verona Murphy, senior Government figures, and opposition leaders entered into intense negotiations to try and resolve the dispute in the intervening period. On Wednesday evening, Mr Martin said it was the first time in over 100 years that the Dail had failed to fulfil its constitutional obligation to nominate a government. That obligation was ultimately fulfilled on Thursday after those involved came to an agreement on steps to reform parliamentary rules. On Thursday morning, Ms Murphy said it was her intention not to recognise speaking time for the group of Government-affiliated independents. The Regional technical group, which contained the independents in question, said it would not object to this decision on a temporary basis. Ms Murphy told TDs in the Dail that they had a duty to the people who have elected them and that it was their primary constitutional function to nominate a taoiseach. She said there is significant ambiguity in the wording of a standing order at the heart of the dispute about the speaking rights of independents who have supported the Government. Ms Murphy said she would seek senior counsel on the matter. Government chief whip Hildegarde Naughton agreed that there was ambiguity in the standing orders, adding that Government would bring forward a motion to establish a Committee on Standing Orders and Dail Reform. The main opposition parties broadly welcomed the move and allowed for the nomination of a new taoiseach without a repeat of Wednesdays disruption. Sinn Fein said there had been a comprehensive climbdown by Government and a vindication of the oppositions position on the matter of speaking rights of the independents. Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald said there has to be an explicit understanding that no independent TD can be in Government and opposition at the same time, adding that not recognising the Regional Group could not be a temporary arrangement. Labour leader Ivana Bacik welcomed the Government acknowledging the need for clarity on differentiating between opposition and Government. She said she was glad the party leaders were able to find a resolution this morning and added: It should never have to come to the situation it came to yesterday. Social Democrats deputy leader Cian OCallaghan said: It should never have come to this, and all of us in the government benches and on opposition benches need to work constructively together in future to make sure theres a smooth and efficient running of the Dail. It was agreed that a Committee on Standing Orders and Dail Reform would be established to resolve the ambiguity in the rules at the centre of debate. Ms Naughton said: The Government recognises that there is ambiguity in standing orders, which requires clarification differentiating between members of opposition and Government. Government believes that our Dail is ever evolving and standing orders should evolve to reflect membership and groupings of the House. Government will today bring forward a motion to establish the Committee on Standing Orders and Dail Reform to fully engage with the committee and to work to secure agreement as soon as possible as regards formation of technical groups and the rights of unaligned members acceptable to government and opposition. Government is fully committed to working with all parties and none in the committee to make the required changes that are fair, not only to members of this current Dail, but future Dails in the years ahead. We will aim to have this resolved by February 5. Leitrim County Council has faced allegations of spying on locals from Cllr Des Guckian following its engagement of a geospatial consultancy to utilise drones for a hydrological survey. Cllr Guckian proposed a motion asking members to condemn the taking of drone footage, arguing that locals werent given proper advance warning, and describing it as a part of an agenda to terrorise locals. Cllr Guckain also claimed the Council acted illegally by capturing drone footage around cattle yards at Lough Rynn and at Cashel townland in Bornacoola. He further stated that residents in the Cashel area reported seeing a man flying a drone into their yards and invading their privacy. Cllr Guckian said he wrote to Council officials who informed him that the drones were being used for a Hydrological survey. Cllr Guckian said he didnt believe this, and neither do the people who reported the drone in their area. It is the belief of those who contacted me that this drone footage could be used to blackmail owners who might object to the Councils interference in their area, he concluded. The Economic Development from Leitrim County Council were firm in their reply, stating, Leitrim County Council has been open and transparent on its desire to maximise the use of the world-class Lough Rynn Rowing facility thereby generating an economic benefit for the Region. Leitrim County Council has already provided information on the Hydrological Survey under a Freedom of Information request submitted by the elected member. The geospatial consultancy, Murphy Geospatial, is licensed by the Irish Aviation Authority. Their task was to conduct a topographical survey of the Lough Rynn catchment area using drone technology to create a digital ground model. The reply also explained that the project has been the subject of discussions with local landowners and the Irish Farmers Association, and a further meeting will be arranged to discuss the potential of bringing the project forward. READ MORE: PICTURES: Beautiful bungalow in turn key condition in Leitrim could be yours for under 200k Popular online retailer, Wish, has recalled one of their products, due to fears it could lead to serious health implications, such as chemical, choking and damage to sight issues. The risk was reported to the competition and consumer protection commission, with the safety issue being identified on a projection flashlight. On the product, the battery compartment can be easily opened, leaving the button batteries accessible. A child may put these in their mouth, which could cause them to choke or, if swallowed, could cause damage to the childs gastrointestinal tract. The fears do not stop there as the beam intensity of the white LED is too powerful. This means direct viewing of the beam could cause damage to sight. READ MORE: CONFIRMED: Schools to close on Friday as Ireland prepares for 'destructive' Storm Eowyn The model number is 8812. The barcode, brand and the batch number are unknown. Given the online availability of this product, it may have been sold to customers in the Republic of Ireland. If you purchased one of these products, please stop use immediately and discard the product. You may wish to contact Wish to see if there are any remedies available to you. This can be done via your user account on the Wish platform. LONGi at 2025 WEF Annual Meeting: Solar Beating All Expectations DAWOS, Switzerland, Jan. 23, 2025 /CNW/ -- The World Economic Forum Annual Meeting, also known as the Davos Conference, kicked off on January 20th in Davos, Switzerland. This year's meeting, themed " Collaboration for the Intelligent Age," has attracted nearly 3,000 global leaders from over 130 countries and regions to address key global and regional challenges. Zhong Baoshen, Chairman of LONGi and Eric Luo, Vice President of LONGi, attended the conference as representatives of Chinese solar photovoltaic enterprises. They shared the latest developments and future trends of the solar energy industry with numerous political elites and business leaders. On the afternoon of January 21st, Zhong Baoshen attended the Ideas Hub session themed "Solar: Beating All Expectations" and delivered a speech. Vice President Eric Luo shared insights from the perspective of a leading solar photovoltaic (PV) enterprise, highlighting how exponential growth in the solar PV industry has injected new momentum into achieving global climate goals. Zhong Baoshen introduced that the photovoltaic industry has achieved remarkable development, not only experiencing exponential growth but also playing a significant role in the energy transition process. "From 1954 to 2022, it took 68 years to surpass the first terawatt, while the second terawatt was achieved in just two short years. This highlights the rapid development of the solar industry in recent years. The International Energy Agency (IEA) forecasts that by 2030, the global installed capacity of solar PV is expected to exceed 4,000 gigawatts (GW). However, I personally believe it will surpass 5,000 GW." Nowadays, the cost of solar PV systems has dropped to approximately 1/820 of what it was in 1975. Eric Luo highlighted the world records set by LONGi in 2024, including a 27.30% efficiency for monocrystalline silicon solar cells and a 34.6% efficiency for crystalline silicon?perovskite tandem solar cells. He emphasized that LONGi's relentless commitment to technological innovation has not only boosted conversion efficiency but also reduced the levelized cost of electricity (LCOE). These efforts have significantly bolstered the global push towards achieving net-zero emissions. Zhong Baoshen pointed out that the installed capacity of solar PV will see a several-fold increase in just a few years, with its development speed far surpassing previous expectations. Solar PV is now an unstoppable force, becoming the core driving element of the global energy transition and profoundly reshaping the global energy landscape. While achieving technological innovation, LONGi has also actively promoted innovation in intelligent manufacturing. At the 2024 Davos Conference, LONGi's Jiaxing Base became the only "Lighthouse Factory" in the global photovoltaic industry. Eric Luo introduced that LONGi has extensively adopted new technologies such as the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), big data, artificial intelligence, and digital twins in the Lighthouse Factory, successfully implementing over 30 digital use cases. This has effectively propelled the photovoltaic industry's leap from "manufacturing" to "intelligent manufacturing" and further demonstrated the huge potential of digital transformation in the field of solar photovoltaic manufacturing. Ten years ago, the energy sector was confronted with the so-called 'Energy Trilemma,' which posited that environmental protection, economic viability, and energy security could not be achieved simultaneously. However, rapid technological advancements, especially significant breakthroughs in the solar photovoltaic (PV) field, have completely transformed this situation. Today, solar PV has become one of the most reliable, affordable, and sustainable base energies in the global energy system. While meeting the world's growing energy demands, solar PV has also created more possibilities for the widespread adoption of emerging green energies such as energy storage technologies, green hydrogen, green ammonia, and green methanol. The extensive application of solar energy has further propelled the global deep decarbonization process, making significant contributions to combating climate change and achieving global sustainable development goals. This has elevated the development of the energy sector to a new level for humanity. Eric Luo, drawing on the current innovation trends in solar photovoltaics, believes that solar energy will become increasingly intertwined with technologies such as energy storage, transportation, architecture, and smart grids in the future. For instance, integrating solar energy with energy storage can effectively address the intermittency of photovoltaic power generation, ensuring a stable electricity supply. The fusion of solar energy and architecture has given rise to Building-Integrated Photovoltaics (BIPV), which not only meets the energy needs of buildings but also feeds surplus power back into the grid, enabling more efficient energy utilization. "Through continuous innovation in the integration of these technologies, we can attract more industries to collectively drive the global energy system towards a more intelligent and sustainable future. Solar photovoltaics will pave the way for a cleaner, more efficient, and more reliable energy future for humanity." Said by Eric Luo. It is the collective efforts of the global industry that have driven a holistic transformation in the solar photovoltaic sector, spanning application scenarios, technological innovation, cost-effectiveness, and intelligent manufacturing. "The future of solar energy will not only exceed expectations but also become a key force for the harmonious development of the global economy and environment. Let us work together to contribute more possibilities to the realization of the global net-zero goal." Zhong Baoshen concluded. About LONGi Founded in 2000, LONGi is committed to being the world's leading solar technology company, focusing on customer-driven value creation for full scenario energy transformation. Under its mission of 'making the best of solar energy to build a green world', LONGi has dedicated itself to technology innovation and established several business sectors, covering mono silicon wafers cells and modules, commercial & industrial distributed solar solutions, green energy solutions and hydrogen equipment. The company has honed its capabilities to provide green energy and has more recently, also embraced green hydrogen products and solutions to support global zero carbon development. www.longi.com SOURCE LONGi Green Energy Technology Co., Ltd. 23 january 2025 at 01:40 News published onand distributed by: CX Leaders Face a Tipping Point with AI Capabilities in 2025 Research commissioned by TELUS Digital Experience (TELUS Digital) (NYSE and TSX: TIXT), a leading global technology company deploying exceptional customer experiences, reveals that enterprise leaders have reached a pivotal juncture in their generative AI (GenAI) plans. Survey respondents indicated that they are at various stages of designing, implementing and scaling AI within their businesses. Enthusiasm for GenAI is Clear, but Adoption Gaps Remain The survey, conducted in partnership with Statista, asked 250 enterprise leaders across the U.S. to identify their 2025 digital CX priorities and the key factors driving those decisions. Results show that CX leaders recognize the transformative power of GenAI, with 71% identifying GenAI as a key driver for improving customer service delivery and 36% planning to allocate over $4 million to GenAI initiatives in 2025. Despite ongoing economic uncertainties throughout 2024, 78% of leaders said they plan to increase their CX spending in 2025, with over a quarter of respondents expecting their budgets to grow by more than 25%. This focus on customer experience excellence is reinforced by key priorities and outcomes: 84% of CX leaders consider the need to "improve the quality of customer service delivery" as being of critical or high importance, making it their most pressing objective for 2025; 76% reported improved customer experience outcomes over the past year; and 44% of CX leaders said that advancements in technology had the greatest external impact on their company's customer experience in 2024. Despite this momentum in technology-driven CX, only 10% of leaders consider their enterprises in a "steady state" with GenAI. "We are encouraged by how many brands are embracing GenAI opportunities; however, many organizations are still in the early stages of experimentation with GenAI, which reveals a disconnect between CX priorities and the ability to fully integrate GenAI solutions," said Monty Hamilton, Chief Product and Marketing Officer, TELUS Digital. Closing this gap will be essential for brands to unlock more intuitive, intelligent, and personalized customer journeys at scale in 2025 and beyond. "Whilst we continue to build cutting-edge capabilities for our clients, we are focused on helping them move from single-threaded solutions to more holistic GenAI adoption across their organizations. Given the size and scope of our clients' CX operations, scaling these activities has a big impact," said Hamilton. Voice Technology is an Untapped Opportunity While the survey results show enthusiasm for advancing CX through AI technologies, the areas where leaders are choosing to invest tell a more nuanced story. When asked about top digital CX technologies they plan to invest in for 2025: 44% prioritized CRM systems as their top investment area 38% planned to invest in chatbots and virtual assistants 32% chose analytic tools Only 14% of CX leaders surveyed said they planned to invest in voice technology in 2025, a critical enabler of multimodal customer experiences. "AI-powered chatbots and similar foundational applications are a good starting point, but CX leaders should be aiming higher this year, especially in considering transformational technologies like voice, which can deliver impactful value for brands," said Tobias Dengel, President, TELUS Digital Solutions, and author of The Sound of the Future: The Coming Age of Voice Technology, a Wall Street Journal and USA Today bestseller. "Powered by generative AI, voice-first interfaces will make digital customer experiences more natural, accurate, accessible, and human. Brands must innovate to stay ahead, and seriously consider adopting voice-first strategies or they risk disruption by competitors who do, as voice-driven customer experiences become increasingly mainstream." "With agentic AI now emerging, where systems can autonomously analyze information and make decisions, brands need to start laying the groundwork today," added Dengel. "The good news is that AI adoption doesn't have to come with prohibitive costs. By working with the right partner, organizations can leverage flexible, scalable solutions that align with OPEX-friendly models, reducing the need for large upfront investments. This approach enables CX leaders to more effectively bridge the gap between single purpose solutions and full-scale AI integration while building trust, safety, and control into their systems, ensuring readiness for the next wave of AI innovation." Overcoming Barriers to Unlock AI's Full Potential What is holding CX leaders back from advancing their AI goals? Despite increased AI investment, leaders cite certain challenges to adopting full, scalable AI-powered customer experiences: 44% of CX leaders cited high costs as the primary challenge to advancing CX initiatives; 36% pointed to data compliance hurdles, reflecting the complexity of balancing innovation with regulatory requirements; and 34% identified technical infrastructure limitations as a roadblock to scaling CX efforts effectively. Overcoming these challenges requires targeted, strategic investments in technologies and tools that deliver measurable outcomes. It also demands robust infrastructure, scalable platforms, and governance frameworks that build trust and ensure seamless integration across business operations. While these steps may seem financially daunting, they can be more accessible with the right approach. Partnering for GenAI-fueled CX Success TELUS Digital provides a comprehensive suite of AI-powered CX solutions designed to reduce risk, optimize operational costs, and drive measurable outcomes. With an end-to-end approach, TELUS Digital supports the entire customer journey, from modernizing CRM systems and enhancing AI-driven interactions to leveraging advanced analytics. These solutions empower enterprises at every stage of their digital transformation to deliver seamless, intelligent, and highly personalized customer experiences. Fuel iXtm, TELUS Digital's proprietary GenAI engine, empowers organizations to scale AI solutions with flexibility, control and trust. As a vendor-agnostic solution, Fuel iX allows organizations to integrate seamlessly with multiple large language models (LLMs) and cloud providers, avoiding lock-in and giving businesses the ability to choose the technologies that best suit their evolving needs. TELUS Digital's GenAI Jumpstart Accelerator helps brands transition from exploration to implementation with a structured, expert-led approach. Focused on identifying high-impact use cases, aligning stakeholders, and building scalable AI roadmaps, the program reduces risk and accelerates time-to-value with an emphasis on collaboration, speed, and measurable outcomes. Emerging technologies like voice and agentic AI are redefining customer interactions, creating exciting, new opportunities for brands. TELUS Digital helps businesses stay ahead by delivering solutions that combine multimodal experiences that blend voice, visual, and touch with conversational AI and mobile applications, enabling seamless and intuitive end-to-end customer journeys. For more information on how to achieve your CX goals in 2025, visit telusdigital.com. You can read the full TELUS Digital and Statista survey results here. The Sound of the Future: The Coming Age of Voice Technology, written by digital innovation leader, and President of TELUS Digital Solutions, Tobias Dengel, is available for purchase on Amazon. About TELUS Digital TELUS Digital (NYSE & TSX: TIXT) crafts unique and enduring experiences for customers and employees, and creates future-focused digital transformations that stand the test of time. We are the brand behind the brands. Our global team members are both passionate ambassadors of our clients' products and services, and visionary technology experts resolute in our pursuit to elevate their end customer journeys, solve business challenges, mitigate risks, and drive continuous innovation. Our portfolio of end-to-end, integrated capabilities include digital IT services, such as cloud solutions and AI-fueled automation, trust and safety services, AI data solutions, including expertise in computer vision, and front-end digital design and consulting services. Fuel iXtm is TELUS Digital's proprietary GenAI engine at the heart of our innovation, helping enterprises advance their GenAI pilots to working prototypes and production at scale, quickly, securely and responsibly across multiple environments, applications and clouds. Powered by purpose, TELUS Digital leverages technology, human ingenuity and compassion to fuel remarkable outcomes and create inclusive, thriving communities in the regions where we operate around the world. Guided by our Humanity-in-the-loop principles, we take a responsible approach to the transformational technologies we develop and deploy by proactively considering and addressing the broader impacts of our work. Learn more at: telusdigital.com 23 january 2025 at 06:50 News published onand distributed by: Conavi Medical Provides Shareholder Update and 2025 Outlook - U.S. FDA 510(k) filing of next-generation Novasight system targeted for H2 2025 with U.S. commercial launch planned for early 2026 - Evolving medical guidelines position next-generation Novasight system as new imaging standard in interventional cardiology - Multiple non-dilutive opportunities being pursued to fund growth TORONTO, Jan. 23, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- To our Shareholders, As we enter 2025, I'm encouraged by our recent progress and the favorable strategic landscape. Having completed our go-public transaction and raised concurrent financing of US$7.7 million, Conavi is well positioned to set a new imaging standard for the most common procedures in interventional cardiology. The case for our Novasight platform has never been stronger. With the new European interventional cardiology guidelines strongly recommending intravascular imaging, and the expectation that similar U.S. guidelines will soon follow, we have an extraordinary opportunity in a market where 80% of procedures continue to rely on old technology. These developments come as demand is already rising, with intravascular imaging devices projected to be the fastest-growing segment of the global interventional cardiology market.1 We believe we have achieved product-market fit based on feedback and clinical experience with earlier Novasight versions at multiple hospital sites. With our capability to match the performance and pricing of single-mode systems, we believe our next-generation solution offers a truly no-compromise solution for doctors, payers, and hospital administrators. Commercial Readiness Key opinion leaders ("KOLs") are expected to commence system usability testing next quarter, which aims to demonstrate that we have met physician requirements and satisfied key functional specifications?validating the system's suitability for routine clinical use. Also, in calendar Q2, we plan to continue showcasing the important clinical role to be played by hybrid imaging in coronary interventions by highlighting clinical case reports and developing a hybrid imaging whitepaper. Our filing for U.S. FDA 510(k) clearance is targeted for the second half of 2025. Given previous clearances for earlier Novasight versions, we expect to satisfy the agency's safety, efficacy, and quality standards. Upon clearance, we plan to begin placing systems at key U.S. hospitals on commercial terms?several have already expressed interest. Also in early 2026, in collaboration with KOLs, we plan to conduct the first-in-human study of the next-generation Novasight system. Once achieved, this will be an important milestone marking the next-generation system's initial use in real-world clinical cases. If the results of this study are favorable, we expect they will assist us in highlighting Novasight's safety and ease of use, and in demonstrating those clinical scenarios where hybrid imaging is particularly advantageous. As we bring the next-generation Novasight to market, we're working to extend our technological advantage; initiatives include further integration of AI capabilities, achieving state-of-the-art image quality for both imaging modalities, and overcoming limitations in catheterization lab workflows. Our goal is for these efforts to help support expansion beyond the US$700 million coronary (i.e., heart-based) segment to the broader interventional cardiology market, a potential US$4 billion market opportunity. We also expect to continue to fortify our IP position, with planned patent filings covering novel methods of fabricating and assembling imaging cores and new means of improving clinical workflows. Multiple Near-Term Revenue and Non-Dilutive Funding Opportunities We continue to explore opportunities with groups possessing significant experience in commercializing cardiovascular technologies outside of North America and China. As previously reported, our Chinese licensee recently gained regulatory approval for its coronary imaging system, triggering a fourth and final US$5.9 million milestone payment of licensing revenue to Conavi,2 highlighting the potential of other markets as global demand for interventional cardiology procedures grows. Beyond our core business, we are also pursuing the monetization of Titan Medical's intellectual property portfolio, acquired by Conavi as a result of the ongoing public transaction and consisting of 240 patents and patent applications. Although we cannot yet estimate the likelihood of success, we are buoyed by the rising interest in robotic surgery technology and Titan's earlier success in licensing and selling aspects of their IP. We continue to pursue government grants, including Ontario's recently announced program to support scale-up for market-ready products in life sciences, with up to $2.5 million available to each successful applicant. To date, the Company has benefited from over $20 million in non-dilutive funding from government sources. Upcoming Targeted Milestones The following targeted milestones use calendar dates: H1 2025 Expected completion of usability and system validation with key opinion leaders Expected publication of whitepaper and submissions to journals to drive awareness H2 2025 Targeted timeframe for U.S. FDA 510(k) submission for the next-generation Novasight system H1 2026 Estimated timeframe for U.S. FDA 510(k) clearance for the next-generation Novasight system First-in-human clinical study to highlight safety and feasibility (subject to FDA clearance) Targeted U.S. commercial launch (subject to FDA clearance) Summary We're planning a transformative year for Conavi, with several value-creating milestones expected to be achieved starting next quarter. As the market landscape evolves in our favor, we're refining our technology to extend Novasight's competitive advantage. We're excited to be setting a new imaging standard for the most common procedures in interventional cardiology. I am deeply grateful to our people and partners as well as the many doctors and patients who have supported us in reaching this point. We look forward to updating you on our progress! Sincerely, Tom Looby CEO Conavi Medical Corp. Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Information This news release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of applicable Canadian and U.S. securities laws, which reflect the current expectations of management of Conavi's future growth, results of operations, performance and business prospects and opportunities. Forward-looking statements are frequently, but not always, identified by words such as "may", "would", "could", "will", "anticipate", "believe", "plan", "expect", "target", "intend", "estimate", "potential for" and similar expressions, although these words may not be present in all forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements that appear in this release may include, without limitation, references to the following: Conavi's plans for the commercialization of its Novasight Hybridtm System, the expectation that U.S. interventional cardiology guidelines will be revised to strongly recommend intravascular imaging, the expectation that demand for intravascular imaging devices will continue to rise, Conavi's ability match performance and pricing of single-mode systems, the commencement and successful completion of KOL testing and the outcome thereof, Conavi's intentions to showcase the role of hybrid imaging in coronary interventions through case reports and whitepapers, Conavi's intentions to file for U.S. FDA 510(k) clearance in respect of the next-generation Novasight system and the timing thereof, Conavi's expectations concerning the outcome and timing of the FDA clearance process, Conavi's plans for first-in-human studies of the next-generation Novasight system and the timing and outcome thereof, Conavi's plans to further enhance its technological capabilities, Conavi's intentions to expand its business beyond the coronary segment to the broader interventional cardiology market and the size of the relevant market opportunity, Conavi's plans to fortify its IP portfolio, and Conavi's pursuit of revenue and funding opportunities (including exploration of further international outlicensing opportunities, opportunities for monetization of Titan Medical's intellectual property portfolio and government grant opportunities). These forward-looking statements reflect management's current beliefs with respect to future events, and are based on information currently available to management that, while considered reasonable by management as of the date on which the statements are made, are inherently subject to significant business, economic and competitive uncertainties and contingencies which could result in actions, events, conditions, results, performance or achievements to be materially different from those projected in the forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements involve significant risks, uncertainties and assumptions and many factors could cause Conavi's actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements that may be expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such factors and assumptions include, but are not limited to, Conavi's ability to continue to finance its operations, the acceptance of the next-generation Novasight system from a clinical, commercial and regulatory perspective, Conavi's ability to retain key personnel; its ability to execute on its business plans and strategies; and other factors listed in the "Risk Factors" sections of the joint information circular of Conavi dated August 30, 2024 (which may be viewed at sedarplus.com). Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should assumptions underlying the forward-looking statements prove incorrect, actual results, performance, or achievements may vary materially from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements contained in this news release. These factors should be considered carefully, and prospective investors should not place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements. Although the forward-looking statements contained in this news release are based upon what management currently believes to be reasonable assumptions and Conavi has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual actions, events, conditions, results, performance or achievements to differ materially from those described in forward-looking statements, Conavi cannot assure prospective investors that actual results, performance or achievements will be consistent with these forward-looking statements. Except as required by law, Conavi 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. Accordingly, investors should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. All the forward-looking statements are expressly qualified by the foregoing cautionary statements. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this press release. Contact Stefano Picone Chief Financial Officer [email protected] (416) 483-0100 1 The New Interventional Cardiology Market, Diagnostic and Interventional Cardiology, Sept 12, 2023: dicardiology.com/article/new-interventional-cardiology-market (Based on data from iData reports). 2 Last month, Conavi Medical (the "Company") announced that its exclusive licensing partner in China, East Ocean Medical (Hong Kong) Company Limited ("EOM"), had received approval by the China National Medical Products Administration for its coronary imaging system, which is based on Novasight Hybridtm System intellectual property licensed to it by Conavi via a June 2021 technology transfer and licensing agreement. The approval triggered a fourth and final US$5.9 million milestone payment from EOM to Conavi, which the Company will use to extinguish a US$5.9 million promissory note owed by it to EOM. With this milestone achieved, the Company expects to begin benefiting from a recurring royalty revenue stream, as detailed in its press release of December 9, 2024. 23 january 2025 at 07:00 News published onand distributed by: Marion County School Fair to Connect Families with Educational Options Local leaders to join celebration featuring schools, scholarship programs BELLEVIEW, Fla., Jan. 23, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- A school fair coming to Belleview will bring together schools, scholarship providers, and local leaders to help parents explore alternative K?12 education options in Marion County. Families interested in private schools, pod learning, or Florida's expanded scholarship programs will find valuable resources and personalized assistance at this free, family-friendly event. The event will take place at Lake Lillian Community Park on Saturday, February 1, to explore Marion County's growing educational opportunities. The free community gathering, hosted by Americans for Prosperity-Florida from 12:00 PM to 3:30 PM, comes at a transformative time for education in Florida. The fair is family-friendly, free to attend, and will feature complimentary food, face painting, and balloon artists, creating a welcoming atmosphere for attendees. In addition to exploring education options, families will also have the chance to speak with local representatives about Florida's expanded scholarship programs and other educational opportunities. "This celebration brings together Marion County families, educators, and community leaders to explore the unprecedented educational opportunities now available in Florida," said Rachel Moscoso, strategic director of Americans for Prosperity Foundation-Florida. "When families understand their options and can choose the right educational environment for their children, entire communities thrive." The event is hosted by Americans for Prosperity Foundation?Florida in collaboration with the National School Choice Awareness Foundation.The event is timed to coincide with National School Choice Week 2025, celebrated nationwide from January 26 to February 1, which will feature more than 27,000 of events nationwide celebrating educational opportunities. Americans for Prosperity-Florida works to empower families across the state to access educational opportunities that best serve their children's needs, and has been instrumental in expanding school choice options throughout Florida. Location Details: Lake Lillian Community Park is located at SE Robinson Rd, Belleview, FL 34420. For more information, visit americansforprosperityfoundation.actcentr.com/Events/afpf-ocala-school-choice-week-celebration-2-1-25. The National School Choice Awareness Foundation (NSCAF) raises broad and positive awareness of school choice through two charitable programs: organizing National School Choice Week each January and the research, development, and promotion of comprehensive and unbiased school navigation resources for parents via School Choice Week, Navigate School Choice, and Conoce tus Opciones Escolares. NSCAF does not advocate for or oppose legislation at any level of government and is steadfastly nonpartisan and nonpolitical. SOURCE National School Choice Week 23 january 2025 at 07:00 News published onand distributed by: MilliporeSigma Partners with Opentrons Labworks, Inc., Supporting Lab of the Future MilliporeSigma, the U.S. and Canada Life Science business of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, and Opentrons Labworks, Inc., a leader in lab automation and accessible robotics, announced a multi-year agreement to automate assay kits on a custom Opentrons Flex workstation. Scientists and engineers will collaborate to develop and verify platform workflows utilizing the broad offering of automation-enabled assays from the Life Science business of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany. Together, the custom workstation and automation-enabled assays will deliver increased consistency and higher throughput by reducing manual processing and repetitive tasks with a user-friendly robotic system. "Our customers are prioritizing tools and technologies that improve reproducibility and productivity, allowing them to focus on more complex tasks that take their science further, faster," said Jean-Charles Wirth, Head of Science & Lab Solutions for the Life Science business of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany. "Our partnership with Opentrons reinforces our focus to automate and digitalize the lab - supporting scientists at all stages with tools that can increase efficiency, safety, and success rates of delivering new potential therapeutics." Customers can place orders for workstations and assay kits starting mid-2025. Applications will include broad workflows across protein sample preparation, molecular, cell, and other biochemical and chemistry workflows launching throughout the length of the agreement. "Part of our commitment to making lab automation as accessible as possible is finding partners who share a similar vision," said Jonathan Brennan-Badal, CEO of Opentrons. "The Life Science business of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany is a proven leader in terms of the breadth and quality of products they offer for pharmaceutical development and manufacturing, and we're excited to combine that with our ability to provide world-class automation, service and support." By combining the automation expertise and service excellence of Opentrons with the powerful R&D, supply chain, and quality systems of the Life Science business of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany we will bring reliable products streamlining research from sample prep to analysis for immunodetection, protein research, enzyme technology, genome editing, omics research, pharmaceutical development, service and testing and cell culture. This adds to existing Biology innovations to increase lab productivity from the Life Science business of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, like the Millicell DCI Digital Cell Imager that allows for accelerated cell culture analysis with an intuitive interface while also adding to the company's commitment to provide next-generation biology solutions such as their recent acquisition of HUB Organoids Holding B.V. About the Life Science business of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany The Life Science business of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, which operates as MilliporeSigma in the U.S. and Canada, has more than 28,000 employees and more than 55 total manufacturing and testing sites worldwide, with a portfolio of more than 300,000 products focused on scientific discovery, biomanufacturing and testing services. Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, a leading science and technology company, operates across healthcare, life science and electronics. Around 63,000 employees work to make a positive difference to millions of people's lives every day by creating more joyful and sustainable ways to live. From providing products and services that accelerate drug development and manufacturing as well as discovering unique ways to treat the most challenging diseases to enabling the intelligence of devices ? the company is everywhere. In 2023, Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, generated sales of ? 21 billion in 65 countries. The company holds the global rights to the name and trademark "Merck" internationally. The only exceptions are the United States and Canada, where the business sectors of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, operate as MilliporeSigma in life science, EMD Serono in healthcare and EMD Electronics in electronics. Since its founding in 1668, scientific exploration and responsible entrepreneurship have been key to the company's technological and scientific advances. To this day, the founding family remains the majority owner of the publicly listed company. For more information about Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, visit www.emdgroup.com. Follow MilliporeSigma on Twitter @MilliporeSigma, on Facebook @MilliporeSigma and on LinkedIn. All Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany news releases are distributed by email at the same time they become available on the EMD Group website. In case you are a resident of the U.S. or Canada please go to www.emdgroup.com/subscribe to register again for your online subscription of this service as our newly introduced geo-targeting requires new links in the email. You may later change your selection or discontinue this service. About Opentrons Opentrons Labworks, Inc., a disruptive life science company and the current market leader in entry-level lab automation, accelerates innovation in research and healthcare through its integrated lab platform, which includes business units Opentrons Robotics and Neochromosometm. Opentrons has raised over $200 million in funding and achieved unicorn status based on its innovative technologies. The Opentrons Flex is Opentrons' newest generation of liquid-handling lab robots, offering open-source accessibility and compatibility with generative AI tools. Opentrons Robotics provides thousands of institutions with flexible, easy-to-use lab robots, automating R&D operations and making robotics, a vast open-source library accessible to life sciences researchers worldwide. Opentrons is used in labs at the top 20 academic universities in the US and 14 of 15 leading global biopharmaceutical companies. Learn more at https://opentrons.com/. 23 january 2025 at 08:05 News published onand distributed by: Canada Invests in Climate Change Adaptation to Keep Communities Safe in Southern Ontario and Across Canada TORONTO, Jan. 23, 2025 /CNW/ - Across the country, the impacts of climate change are becoming more severe and more frequent with extreme events like floods, wildfires and heatwaves on the rise. Gradual changes, like thawing permafrost in the north and rising sea levels in coastal regions, are also affecting the safety of our communities and quality of life. Acting now will help improve long-term resilience and reduce costs associated with the increasing frequency of extreme weather events in Canada, including higher grocery prices, insurance premiums and local taxes to cover the costs of disaster recovery and damage. To protect our communities from the worst economic and environmental impacts of climate change, we must continue to prepare for the changes that are coming by investing in community resilience. This will not only support the safety of Canadians but also reinforce the ability of communities to recover from extreme weather events. Today, Julie Dabrusin, Parliamentary Secretary to the Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson, along with Member of Parliament Bardish Chagger, announced over $4.5 million in funding for nine projects in southern Ontario or with a national reach under Natural Resources Canada's Climate Change Adaptation Program (CCAP). These projects aim to enhance knowledge and skills among professionals, businesses and communities in southern Ontario and across Canada to adapt to a changing climate, through the development and delivery of tools, resources and training. The funding announced today comes from a total investment of $39.5 million, announced on November 14, 2024, through the CCAP and the Climate-Resilient Coastal Communities (CRCC) Program to reduce climate change risks and build more resilient communities across the country in support of the National Adaptation Strategy (NAS). The steps we take now will protect our communities, our livelihoods, our environment and our economy. We are actively investing in climate change adaptation to proactively support community-led resilience and adaptation projects. It is essential, now more than ever, that we come together to help communities stay strong in the face of current and future change. Quotes "The impacts associated with climate change ? including intense wildfires, devastating floods, stronger tropical storms and hurricanes, and permafrost thaw in the north ? are being felt environmentally and economically in every single region of Canada. That is why this federal government is acting now to help our communities and our economy prepare for and protect against the threat of climate change. Today's announcement of nine projects based in southern Ontario supports vital, community-based work to keep people safe now and into the future." The Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson Minister of Energy and Natural Resources "We are very pleased to announce funding for these nine projects that will support communities and sectors to develop and implement actions to better adapt to a changing climate. Keeping Canadians safe is a priority, and investments like those announced today go a long way to help mitigate the impacts associated with climate change that are devastating livelihoods, environments and the economy." Julie Dabrusin Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Energy and Natural Resources and Member of Parliament for Toronto?Danforth "Climate change is impacting Canadians in disastrous ways, affecting their communities, properties and surrounding environments. Investments like those announced today support proactive planning, actions and collaborations that aim to help communities and sectors across Canada adapt and build resiliency. This vital work further supports municipalities and partners in making informed decisions to prepare for and to respond and adapt to climate change impacts." Bardish Chagger Member of Parliament for Waterloo "The Corporate Climate Adaptation and Community Impact Project underscores the importance of ensuring that climate adaptation efforts are both inclusive and effective. With support from NRCan's Climate Change Adaptation Program, this initiative leverages an intersectional approach to address social inequities intensified by climate change. Together, we aim to help businesses build resilience while positively impacting the communities most affected by these challenges." Elizabeth Dove Executive Director, UN Global Compact Network Canada "It is clear that the impacts of climate change are unfolding all around us and affecting the lives and livelihoods of Canadians. This funding enables us to strengthen the training offered in professional degree programs, equipping engineers, accountants, planners and architects with the crucial competencies they need to make our communities and economy more resilient." Sarah Burch Executive Director of the Waterloo Climate Institute, Professor in the Faculty of Environment, and Canada Research Chair in Sustainability Governance and Innovation at the University of Waterloo "As we continue to observe the impacts of climate change on communities in Canada and across the globe, it has become clear that the way we think about business strategy, investment and partnerships must evolve to truly create resilient economies and societies. Our project seeks to better understand supply systems, map shared risks between businesses and communities, and generate evidence to design multi-actor climate adaptation strategies for long-term sustainability." Jose Di Bella Manager of research and partnerships at the Waterloo Climate Institute, and Adjunct Professor in the Faculty of Environment at the University of Waterloo "Building resiliency and protecting communities and infrastructure from inherently unpredictable climate shocks are a priority for water utilities. With support from Natural Resources Canada, we are supporting water leaders in developing adaptive planning pathways to be ready for a range of future risks." Nicola Crawhall CEO, Canadian Water Network "We are grateful to Natural Resources Canada for their support of our landADAPT program, which empowers Canadian landscape architects with the tools and knowledge needed to address the pressing challenges of climate change. This investment recognizes the vital role of landscape architects in designing resilient, adaptive communities and advancing Canada's climate goals." Michelle Legault Executive Director, Canadian Society of Landscape Architects "We are thrilled to partner with the Government of Canada on multi-year work to accelerate local, cross-sector, community-wide climate change adaptation action in 30 communities and to support many more with tools and stories created through these communities' learnings. The impacts of climate change are not felt equally. The Adaptive and Resilient Communities Cohort will equip communities with the skills and tools to advance equitable adaptation efforts." Danya Pastuszek President and CEO, Tamarack Institute "Climate change is placing new climate disaster pressures on our buildings. Climate risk assessments help identify vulnerabilities and solutions but are too expensive for most homeowners. We created the Climate Hazard And Response Tool (CHART) to be an accessible and affordable way for homeowners to prioritize action and improve the climate resilience of their homes." Robert Lepage Founding Principal, Climes Group Engineering Inc. "EPRI's Climate READitm team is collaborating with several Canadian electric companies to strengthen the energy sector's approach to managing climate risk to the electric power system. We will tailor our framework to prioritize adaptation investments in the power sector to help Canadians address their unique climate hazards and build a more safe and resilient energy future. This consistent, collaborative and comprehensive framework can be used to plan holistically across the entire power system." Anna Lafoyiannis Project Lead for Climate READi, EPRI International Inc. "With our current knowledge of the potential impacts of climate change on critical infrastructure including hydropower systems and transportation lines, the need to integrate climate data and knowledge in electricity system planning and design cannot be overstated. However, this is highly complex scientific process where dynamic collaboration between academia, utilities and government is required to make it happen." Dr. Paulin Coulibaly Professor, Professional Engineer and Principal Investigator, McMaster University Quick Facts Every $1 spent on climate change adaptation measures saves up to $15 in terms of the long-term costs involved in mitigating climate change impacts and extreme weather events. spent on climate change adaptation measures saves up to in terms of the long-term costs involved in mitigating climate change impacts and extreme weather events. Since 2015, the Government of Canada has invested more than $6.5 billion in adaptation efforts, including $2.1 billion since fall 2022 to implement the NAS and other adaptation-related activities. has invested more than in adaptation efforts, including since fall 2022 to implement the NAS and other adaptation-related activities. The CCAP will help Canada's regions and sectors to adapt to a changing climate. More specifically, the CCAP aims to: support decision-makers in identifying and implementing adaptation actions; enhance adaptation knowledge and skills among Canada's workforce; and increase access to climate change adaptation tools and resources. regions and sectors to adapt to a changing climate. More specifically, the CCAP aims to: The CRCC Program supports regional-scale pilot projects on Canada's three marine coasts ?Atlantic, Pacific and North ? and in the Great Lakes?St. Lawrence region. The program aims to enhance the climate resilience of coastal communities and businesses and to accelerate adaptation to reduce climate change risks and coordinate innovative actions. three marine coasts ?Atlantic, Pacific and North ? and in the Great Lakes?St. Lawrence region. The program aims to enhance the climate resilience of coastal communities and businesses and to accelerate adaptation to reduce climate change risks and coordinate innovative actions. The NAS provides a whole-of-society plan focused on protecting Canadian lives and building more resilient and prosperous communities. Canada released its first NAS on June 27, 2023 . Achieving the objectives of the NAS requires whole-of-society action. The Government of Canada is working with provinces, territories, Indigenous partners and the private sector to develop innovative technical, financial and operational solutions that will support adaptation action by communities across the economy. Related Products Associated Links Follow us on LinkedIn SOURCE Natural Resources Canada 23 january 2025 at 10:30 News published onand distributed by: Morien Welcomes the Nova Scotia Government's Support for the Natural Resource Sector HALIFAX, Nova Scotia, Jan. 23, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Morien Resources Corp. (" Morien " or the "Company") (TSX-V:MOX) applauds the Nova Scotia Government's strong support for the province's natural resource industry as part of its economic development initiatives. Nova Scotia's Premier Tim Houston sent a letter to his caucus on January 21, 2025, which was later released to the general public, outlining how he intends to govern during his newly elected second term. The Premier expressed a need to make the province more self-reliant by taking advantage of untapped opportunities in energy, minerals and other sectors. "The jobs that come with these opportunities are the best solution to poverty. They will change the lives of those who work on these projects and the communities around them." "Moving them forward requires a new mindset. We must take the ?no' out of Nova Scotia. Special interests have captured too many parts of our economy and have had an out-sized voice in policy creation. That must end." "Outright bans of entire sectors are lazy public policy and we will reverse bans and focus on meaningful, mature discussion. The days of it taking ten years to get projects approved or rejected must end. It is not always "yes," and it is not always "no," but we have to stop the "maybes" and decide yes or no." "As it becomes more and more obvious that Canada as a country has to do more in the energy and critical minerals sectors, other jurisdictions would long for these opportunities. We are blessed with in-demand resources. The potential to grow our resource economy and create a more sustainable Nova Scotia is remarkable and we must send the message that we can do resource projects and get shovels in the ground." The Premier's full letter is available here. About Morien Morien is a Nova Scotia based, mining development company created in 2012 to be a vehicle of direct prosperity for Nova Scotians, its largest shareholder group. Led by Nova Scotians, Morien's primary assets are a royalty on the sale of coal from the Donkin Mine in Cape Breton, Nova Scotia, and a royalty on the sale of aggregate from the permitted Black Point Project, in Guysborough County, Nova Scotia. Morien's management team exercises ruthless discipline in managing both the assets and liabilities of the Company. The Company's management and its Board of Directors consider shareholder returns to be paramount over corporate size, number or scale of assets and industry recognition. The Company has 51,292,000 issued and outstanding common shares and a fully diluted position of 53,992,000. Further information is available at www.MorienRes.com. Forward-Looking Statements Some of the statements in this news release may constitute "forward-looking information" as defined under applicable securities laws. These statements reflect Morien's current expectations of future revenues and business prospects and opportunities and are based on information currently available to Morien. Morien cautions that actual performance will be affected by a number of factors, many of which are beyond its control, and that future events and results may vary substantially from what Morien currently foresees. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in forward-looking statements include risks and uncertainties described in documents filed by Morien with the Canadian securities regulators on SEDAR+ (www.sedarplus.com) from time to time. Morien cautions that its royalty revenue will be based on production by third party property owners and operators who will be responsible for determining the manner and timing for the properties forming part of Morien's royalty portfolio. These third party owners and operators are also subject to risk factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those predicted herein including: volatility in financial markets or general economic conditions; capital requirements and the need for additional financing; fluctuations in the rates of exchange for the currencies of Canada and the United States; prices for commodities including coal and aggregate; unanticipated changes in production, mineral reserves and mineral resources, metallurgical recoveries and/or exploration results; changes in regulations and unpredictable political or economic developments; loss of key personnel; labour disputes; and ineffective title to mineral claims or property. There are other business risks and hazards associated with mineral exploration, development and mining. Although Morien believes that the forward-looking information contained herein is based on reasonable assumptions (including assumptions relating to economic, market and political conditions, the Company's working capital requirements and the accuracy of information supplied by the operators of the properties in which the Company has a royalty interest), readers cannot be assured that actual results will be consistent with such statements. Morien expressly disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking information in this news release, whether as a result of new information, events or otherwise, except in accordance with applicable securities laws. All dollar values discussed herein are in Canadian dollars. Any financial outlook or future-oriented financial information in this news release, as defined by applicable securities laws, has been approved by management of Morien as of the date of this news release. Such financial outlook or future-oriented financial information is provided for the purpose of providing information about management's current expectations and plans relating to the future. Readers are cautioned that such outlook or information should not be used for purposes other than for which it is disclosed in this news release. 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. For more information, please contact: Dawson Brisco, President & CEO Phone: (902) 403-3149 [email protected] or John P.A. Budreski, Executive Chairman Phone: (416) 930-0914 www.MorienRes.com 23 january 2025 at 11:35 News published onand distributed by: Children's Minnesota Announces Retirement of President and CEO Dr. Marc Gorelick Children's Minnesota today announced the upcoming retirement of its esteemed President and CEO, Dr. Marc Gorelick, effective July 2025. Dr. Gorelick has led the organization with distinction as CEO since December of 2017, leaving a legacy of innovation, advocacy, and unwavering commitment to the health and well-being of children. "Dr. Gorelick's impact on Children's Minnesota has been profound, far-reaching and will have long-lasting impact," said JJ Kuhn, Chair of the Governance Board. "Under his leadership, the organization built on its already strong foundation to advance the standards for pediatric care, while prioritizing equity, diversity, and inclusion in all aspects of the organization's work. His selfless dedication to Children's Minnesota and his advocacy on behalf of all children in our community will have a lasting impact well beyond his retirement. We will deeply miss Marc and are thankful for his significant contributions to Children's Minnesota as a leader in the region now and for many years to come." Dr. Gorelick initially joined Children's Minnesota in March 2017 as Chief Operating Officer before transitioning to CEO later that year. During his tenure, he guided the organization through pivotal challenges and advancements, consistently upholding its mission of championing the health needs of children and their families. Highlights of Dr. Gorelick's career at Children's Minnesota Transformative Leadership: Dr. Gorelick's leadership modernized Children's Minnesota into the comprehensive pediatric system it is today. Investment in technology improved care delivery and access. Strengthened infrastructure - from operations to workforce development - ensured not only sustainably but also positioned the system for meaningful growth. Dr. Gorelick brought together an executive leadership team and a board of trustees with the vision and skills to help Children's Minnesota thrive. Most importantly, Dr. Gorelick committed the system to becoming a truly inclusive and equitable organization, aligning our values with the needs and voices of the increasingly diverse communities we serve. Dr. Gorelick's leadership modernized Children's Minnesota into the comprehensive pediatric system it is today. Investment in technology improved care delivery and access. Strengthened infrastructure - from operations to workforce development - ensured not only sustainably but also positioned the system for meaningful growth. Dr. Gorelick brought together an executive leadership team and a board of trustees with the vision and skills to help Children's Minnesota thrive. Most importantly, Dr. Gorelick committed the system to becoming a truly inclusive and equitable organization, aligning our values with the needs and voices of the increasingly diverse communities we serve. Confronting Crises : The COVID-19 pandemic tested every fiber of our organization and our people. Yet, with Dr. Gorelick's leadership, we rose to the occasion, navigating unprecedented uncertainty while ensuring the safety and well-being of our patients and staff. Then, as the world and our own community grappled with the murder of George Floyd and its aftermath, we were called to act?not just as healthcare providers but as community leaders. We spoke up, showed up, and doubled down on our commitment to equity, knowing that our actions could shape not just our organization, but the future of our community. The COVID-19 pandemic tested every fiber of our organization and our people. Yet, with Dr. Gorelick's leadership, we rose to the occasion, navigating unprecedented uncertainty while ensuring the safety and well-being of our patients and staff. Then, as the world and our own community grappled with the murder of George Floyd and its aftermath, we were called to act?not just as healthcare providers but as community leaders. We spoke up, showed up, and doubled down on our commitment to equity, knowing that our actions could shape not just our organization, but the future of our community. Public Health Advocacy: A passionate advocate for pediatric health, Dr. Gorelick authored the book Saving Our Kids: An ER Doc's Common-Sense Solution to the Gun Crisis . He also led the hospital's efforts at the state capitol to help pass numerous laws improving health equity for children, including universal school meals, banning hair discrimination, and making Minnesota a trans refugee state. Dr. Gorelick also strengthened partnerships with community organizations with the creation of the Children's Minnesota Collective for Community Health to address social determinants of health. A passionate advocate for pediatric health, Dr. Gorelick authored the book . He also led the hospital's efforts at the state capitol to help pass numerous laws improving health equity for children, including universal school meals, banning hair discrimination, and making Minnesota a trans refugee state. Dr. Gorelick also strengthened partnerships with community organizations with the creation of the Children's Minnesota Collective for Community Health to address social determinants of health. Expansion of Outpatient and Ambulator Services: Under Dr. Gorelick, Children's Minnesota expanded its outpatient and ambulatory services, now with more than a dozen locations across the Twin Cities metro area. More than ever, we focus on increasing access to care while maintaining high-quality inpatient services and utilizing partnerships with other health systems to broaden our reach. Under Dr. Gorelick, Children's Minnesota expanded its outpatient and ambulatory services, now with more than a dozen locations across the Twin Cities metro area. More than ever, we focus on increasing access to care while maintaining high-quality inpatient services and utilizing partnerships with other health systems to broaden our reach. A Commitment to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion: Dr. Gorelick has embedded these principles into the organization's culture and operations. He appointed our first Chief Equity and Inclusion Officer early in his tenure. Our executive leadership team and general workforce are more diverse than they have ever been, better representing and caring for our patient population. During Dr. Gorelick's tenure, Children's Minnesota also became a founding member of the Minnesota Business Coalition for Racial Equity (MBCRE) which works to build an equitable, inclusive and prosperous state with and for Black residents. These efforts have been recognized nationally, with Children's Minnesota being named one of Modern Healthcare's Top Diversity Leaders in 2023. Dr. Gorelick has embedded these principles into the organization's culture and operations. He appointed our first Chief Equity and Inclusion Officer early in his tenure. Our executive leadership team and general workforce are more diverse than they have ever been, better representing and caring for our patient population. During Dr. Gorelick's tenure, Children's Minnesota also became a founding member of the Minnesota Business Coalition for Racial Equity (MBCRE) which works to build an equitable, inclusive and prosperous state with and for Black residents. These efforts have been recognized nationally, with Children's Minnesota being named one of Modern Healthcare's Top Diversity Leaders in 2023. Career Achievements: Before joining Children's Minnesota, Dr. Gorelick served as Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of Children's Hospital of Wisconsin. He has also held faculty positions at leading institutions, including the Medical College of Wisconsin and the University of Pennsylvania. He has held leadership positions in the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Board of Pediatrics, and the Society for Pediatric Research. In 2018 he received the Jim Seidel Distinguished Service Award from the American Academy of Pediatrics Section on Emergency Medicine Dr. Gorelick's academic journey includes earning his Bachelor of Arts in History from Princeton University, a Doctor of Medicine (M.D.) degree from Duke University, and a Master of Science in Clinical Epidemiology from the University of Pennsylvania. His medical training includes a pediatrics residency at Children's National Medical Center in Washington, D.C., and a fellowship in pediatric emergency medicine at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. Looking ahead The Children's Minnesota Board of Directors has initiated a comprehensive search for Dr. Gorelick's successor. In the coming months, Dr. Gorelick will work closely with the board and leadership team to ensure a smooth transition. He intends to actively lead the organization until his successor is in place. "As I prepare to pass the baton, I am proud that we have laid the foundation for what comes next. Together, we developed a bold vision to further strengthen our position as the premier pediatric acute care provider in the region, remain focused exclusively on kids and, deliver the most exceptional experience?for our patients, families, and staff," said Dr. Gorelick. "To everyone who has been part of this journey?thank you. Thank you for your dedication, your resilience, and your passion. It has been the privilege of a lifetime to lead this organization and to work alongside each of you." About Children's Minnesota Children's Minnesota is one of the largest pediatric health systems in the United States and the only one in Minnesota devoted exclusively to children, from before birth through young adulthood. An independent and not-for-profit system for more than 100 years, Children's Minnesota offers more than 60 pediatric specialties through its two hospitals, multiple specialty centers and clinics throughout the metro area. The Kid Experts at Children's Minnesota are chosen by more families than any other pediatric health system in the region. Find us on Facebook @childrensminnesota or on Twitter and Instagram @childrensmn. Please visit childrensMN.org. 23 january 2025 at 13:35 News published onand distributed by: Martina Announces Debt Conversion TORONTO, Jan. 23, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Martina Minerals Corp. (the "Corporation") (NEX: MTN.H) is pleased to announce that it has negotiated various debt conversion agreements (collectively, the "Debt Agreements") with six (6) creditors (collectively, the "Creditors"), all of which are arm's length parties to the Corporation. Pursuant to the terms of the Debt Agreements, the Corporation has agreed to issue an aggregate of 9,163,000 common shares ("Debt Shares") to the Creditors in exchange for the cancellation of $274,890 in debt owing to the parties. The issuance of the Debt Shares are subject to the approval of NEX. All securities issued pursuant to the debt conversion are subject to a statutory four (4) month hold period. The Corporation would also like to announce that on the closing of the proposed debt conversion, Mr. Edward Chan will be appointed Chief Executive Officer of the Corporation. Mr. Chan is an accomplished business leader with extensive expertise in guiding companies through technology commercialization, strategic growth, and market expansion. With a proven track record across multiple industries and regions, Mr. Chan brings a unique blend of entrepreneurial vision and operational excellence to the companies he leads. Mr. Chan is currently the CEO of Quark Technology Global Inc., a private company focused on developing new technologies. Mr. Chan has also been involved in a number of going public transactions in North America and Hong Kong, procured financing for large-scale technology projects and corporate reorganizations and strategic debt restructuring. For further information, please contact: Herbert Brugh Chief Executive Officer [email protected] 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. Cautionary Note regarding Forward-looking Statements This news release includes certain information and forward-looking statements about management's view of future events, expectations, plans and prospects that constitute forward-looking statements. These statements are based upon assumptions that are subject to significant risks and uncertainties. Because of these risks and uncertainties and as a result of a variety of factors, the actual results, expectations, achievements or performance may differ materially from those anticipated and indicated by these forward-looking statements. Although the Corporation believes that the expectations reflected in forward-looking statements are reasonable, it can give no assurances that the expectations of any forward-looking statement will prove to be correct. Except as required by law, the Corporation disclaims any intention and assumes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements to reflect actual results, whether as a result of new information, future events, changes in assumptions, changes in factors affecting such forward-looking statements or otherwise. 23 january 2025 at 16:40 News published onand distributed by: The Annual Messages of the Presidents of Liberia 18482010 State of the Nation Addresses to the National Legislature: from Joseph Jenkins Roberts to Ellen Johnson Sirleaf LIMERICK Fine Gael TD Patrick O'Donovan is back in the Cabinet, taking on the role of Minister for Arts, Culture, Communications, Media and Sport. He moves from the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science His appointment was confirmed this Thursday evening by new Taoiseach Micheal Martin. Earlier, the Fianna Fail leader was elected as Taoiseach. Mr O'Donovan, who hails from Newcastle West was first elected as a TD for Limerick at the 2011 General Election, and retained his seat in 2016 and 2020. BREAKING: Limerick ex-soldier Cathal Crotty jailed for two years for assault on Natasha O'Brien He was returned for a fourth occasion in last November's election, being the first member elected in the three-seat Limerick County constituency. Married to Eileen, he is the father of three children - one boy and two girls. He was co-opted onto the old Limerick County Council in 2003 to replace former TD Michael Finucane following the end of the dual mandate, which allowed councillors to serve in the Dail at the same time. The Newcastle West man retained his council seat at the 2004 and 2009 local elections, before beating William O'Donnell onto the Fine Gael ticket to contest the 2011 general election. Up until the last General Election, he was the Minister of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, having been appointed in Simon Harris's first cabinet. Previous to this, he was Minister of State at the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport then Junior Minister at the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform. He also served at the Office of Public Works. It's unclear whether Limerick's other Fianna Fail or Fine Gael TDs will get junior ministerial positions. These are due to be announced next week. Mr O'Donovan's constituency colleague, Niall Collins was a Minister of State for Skills and Further Education. Fine Gael Limerick City TD Kieran O'Donnell served as a Minister of State at the Office of Public Works. BOSSES at discount retail chain Lidl Ireland have made a third bid to open a cafe at one of its supermarkets in Limerick. After plans for a cafe were turned down by planners in Limerick for its stores at Dublin Road in Castletroy, and Childers Road, on the outskirts of the city, attention has now turned to its newest store at Dock Road in the city centre. It has lodged a planning application with Limerick City and County Council to divide the existing Lidl store - opened in 2023 - to create a separate unit. Measuring 37 metres squared, it is anticipated this will be used as a cafe. It will be served by an independent entrance to the west of the existing store, the proposals show. In supporting documents provided to council, agents for Lidl Ireland say it will operate seven days a week between 7.30am and 4pm. READ MORE: Number of applications for XL Bully dog exemptions in Limerick revealed Interestingly, that could mean the cafe may open before Lidl starts trading each day. Thats because between Monday and Saturday, the checkouts begin to beep at 8am, while opening time is one hour later on Sunday. The retailers agents have added that there will be no food preparation on the site of the cafe. Its anticipated, they added, that six new jobs will be created as a result of the cafe - three part-time roles and three full-time positions. It is considered the proposed development represents proper and sustainable development. The development would diversify the use of the subject site in the city centre area and allow for further commercial, retail and leisure activities. It is respectfully requested this planning application be granted by the planning authority, Lidls agents wrote in a letter to council planners. A decision is due to be made on the proposed cafe in the coming days. Last summer, just days apart, Lidl Ireland saw permission denied for two proposed coffee shops at other stores in the city in Castletroy and Childers Road. Elsewhere this week, Lidl Ireland has opened its 2025 Kickstart supplier development programme, and is encouraging entries from Limerick food and drink producers to participate. Now in its ninth year, the Bord Bia supported programme is designed to give artisan producers a foot up in breaking into the competitive supermarket retail sector by having the opportunity to see their products on sale in Lidl stores throughout the island of Ireland. Information at www.lidl.ie/kickstart. A CONFERENCE which will focus on the challenges and opportunities which are now facing the fishing sector is set to take place in Limerick. The National Maritime College of Irelands (NMCI) fourth annual Seafarers Conference will discuss the future of Irelands maritime economy. Hosted by The Castletroy Park Hotel, the conference will take place on March 20. The conference aims to bring together key stakeholders, including representatives from Government Departments, the maritime industry, the supply chain workforce, as well as training and education institutions. Dr. Paul Hegarty, Head of College at NMCI, added: The National Maritime College of Ireland, in partnership with Simply Blue Group, is proud to host Ireland's maritime stakeholders at the fourth annual Seafarers Conference in Limerick. Maritime education, training and skill development will be fundamental to realising Irelands ambitions for its maritime economy. I look forward to welcoming participants both in person and online to discuss and shape the future for our seafarers, said Dr. Hegarty. Hugh Kelly, Co-Founder and CEO of Simply Blue Group, also emphasized the events importance: "The NMCI Seafarers Conference provides a vital forum for fostering open and informed discussions on the challenges and opportunities facing the fishing and offshore renewable energy sectors. By bringing together experts, industry leaders and policymakers, we can chart a path towards a sustainable and harmonious future for our seas," said Hugh. READ ALSO: She said yes! Two parchments and a ring for couple of new University of Limerick graduates The theme of the conference focuses on recognising future seafarers and strengthening what skills they require to play their part in the offshore wind industry. Panel sessions will take place to discuss multiple topics such as: what the future seafarer might look like, navigating Ireland's seafood and offshore renewable energy (ORE) ambition, what future maritime training and education institutions will look like, and what the future will hold. Amid the global climate crisis, Ireland's offshore renewable energy plans are ambitious and demand swift action to achieve their goals. Ireland must elevate its maritime industrys capability and capacity to new levels in order to reach these important goals. For delegates wishing to attend the conference in-person, please register here: https://www.eventbrite.ie/e/nmci-seafarers-conference-2025-in-person-tickets-1144063317179 Online delegates can register here: https://www.eventbrite.ie/e/nmci-seafarers-conference-2025-virtual-tickets-1144071792529 China calls on Thailand, Myanmar to crack down on cross-border telecom fraud with strong measures Xinhua) 15:22, January 23, 2025 BEIJING, Jan. 23 (Xinhua) -- China hopes that Thailand and Myanmar will crack down on cross-border telecom fraud with strong measures and never allow criminals to go unpunished, a Chinese foreign ministry official has said. Liu Jinsong, director general of the Department of Asian Affairs of the Chinese foreign ministry, made the remarks on Wednesday when meeting separately with Thai Ambassador to China Chatchai Viriyavejakul, and Ambassador of Myanmar to China Tin Maung Swe. Liu expressed concerns and discussed cooperation in cracking down on cross-border telecom fraud during their meetings. A series of vicious cases of telecom fraud have recently occurred in the border region between Thailand and Myanmar, threatening and harming the vital interests of citizens of China and other countries, Liu said. It is hoped that both Thailand and Myanmar will pay great importance to the matter, take vigorous measures to combat these offenses, safeguard the safety of people's lives and property, and never allow the criminals to go unpunished, Liu said. China is willing to strengthen bilateral and multilateral law enforcement cooperation with ASEAN countries to create a safe environment for the exchanges among people and maintain good order in interactions and cooperation among neighboring countries, including normal tourism and cultural activities, Liu added. The ambassadors of Thailand and Myanmar to China noted that they attach great importance to China's concerns and are deeply saddened by these vicious cases. They acknowledged the serious threat posed by telecom fraud and voiced their respective governments' commitment to resolutely combating such crimes through comprehensive measures and international cooperation. The ambassadors pledged to make every effort to rescue those trapped, impose severe penalties on criminal gangs in accordance with the law, strengthen border control and supervision of key areas, and establish long-term mechanisms to eradicate the breeding grounds for cross-border crimes. (Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Zhong Wenxing) AN POST has said there is no threat to the future of a post office to serve the Castletroy community. It comes after planning permission was sought to develop the unit the facility is located in at Castletroy Town Centre. Shields Dental, which occupies the neighbouring unit in the shopping centre, is seeking permission from council to merge the two units to provide a larger dental clinic. Limerick Live understands the developers are keeping their options open for the future by submitting this planning application, which council is due to decide on by next Wednesday, January 29. READ MORE: Two Limerick musicians make final of prestigious Sean O Riada Gold Medal competition However, whatever happens, the Castletroy Post Office will survive, but might be located elsewhere in Castletroy Town Centre, it's understood. A spokesperson for the postal firm confirmed there is no threat to the future of the facility when contacted by this newspaper. Local Fine Gael councillor Peter Doyle has welcomed the news, especially in light of the loss of a post office in Lisnagry a number of years ago. Youd have to travel a long way to find a post office if you didnt have one in Castletroy, he said. Its a hub for the community. Id have sons under 25 and theyd hardly know what a stamp looks like! But for the rest of us, it's a busy post office. You'd have people collecting pensions and people posting stuff to families abroad, he said. Cllr Doyle believes Castletroy is the fastest growing suburb in Ireland outside Dublin. We are hoping to get a library at some stage, so we'd like to keep our post office, he added. GARDAI in Limerick are investigating the theft of a motorcycle where the motorist was forced to hand it over when surrounded by three vehicles. On Monday, January 20 at approximately 9pm, the young owner of a motorcycle was followed and surrounded by suspects in three Toyota vehicles in Deerpark, Pallasgreen. The victim was then threatened with implements and had to hand over his motorcycle which was then driven away, said Sergeant Michelle O Halloran, crime prevention officer at Henry Street Garda Station. Gardai in Bruff are looking for the public's assistance in identifying the suspects, whose vehicles were as follows: a 2012, blue Toyota, a 2017 white Toyota and a 2016 silver Toyota. READ ALSO: Body of man found in Limerick following assault and false imprisonment of two female sex workers The motorbike is a black 232 L Honda CB125F. These bikes are small and suitable to people starting out as learners using motorcycles, said Sgt OHalloran. If you type Honda CB125F into Google an image of similar bikes will appear which may assist people in recalling if they saw the motorcycle. Gardai in Bruff are asking anyone who may have been in the area at the time who has dash cam footage and who may have noticed suspicious behviour to contact them on (061) 382 940 or the Garda Confidential Line at 1800 666 111. THE WHOLLY suspended sentence imposed on former soldier Cathal Crotty, who beat Natasha O'Brien unconscious on a public street after she asked him to stop shouting homophobic abuse, sends out the wrong message regarding society's attitude towards such crimes, the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) has argued. In an application to overturn the original sentence against Crotty (22) on the grounds that it is unduly lenient, Lily Buckley BL for the DPP told the Court of Appeal this Thursday morning that a prison sentence is required to deter others who might consider committing similar crimes. Lawyers for Crotty, who urged the court to reject the DPP's appeal, argued that the "experienced and hard-working" sentencing judge had "acted out of a sense of humanity" having heard all the evidence in the case. The Court of Appeal, which today noted that there are limits to the place of "mercy" in sentencing practice, will sit again this afternoon to indicate whether it is in a position to deliver a ruling or if it wishes to defer a decision to a later date. Ms Buckley said the DPP has no issue with the sentencing judge setting a headline sentence of four years for the assault. However, the director says that the decision to reduce that to three years, fully suspended, gave too much weight to the mitigating factors in the case. Counsel submitted that Crotty's conduct was of such gravity that it requires to be punished "by hard treatment" to communicate society's disapproval of his actions. The sentence ought to have included a custodial element to "send a deterrent message," she said. The sentencing judge, the now retired Judge Tom O'Donnell, identified Crotty's guilty plea, good service record in the army, and lack of previous convictions as mitigating factors. Ms Buckley said the judge also appeared to place significant weight on the fact that Crotty was likely to lose his job as a result of his conviction. Ms Buckley pointed out that Crotty is not married and has no dependents, submitting that the judge had placed excessive weight on the likely job-loss. Brian McInerney SC, for Crotty, said Judge O'Donnell was an experienced, hard-working judge who acted out of a sense of humanity having heard all the evidence. While counsel accepted the sentence was lenient, he said he has no hesitation in arguing that it was not unduly lenient. Mr Justice John Edwards intervened, telling counsel: "You appear to be saying that this was the showing of mercy. No doubt mercy has a place in sentencing practice, but there are limits to it too." Mr Justice Edwards said a wholly suspended sentence in a case such as this would require "special and extraordinary circumstances" that the judge said were absent in this case. Mr McInerney said his client had an exemplary record in the army, was of unblemished character and the evidence showed that the assault was an "aberration" that was completely out of character. Given all of the mitigating factors, Mr McInerney said the trial judge had not erred in suspending the sentence in full. Crotty pleaded guilty in July last year at Limerick Circuit Court to assault causing harm. The case prompted a public and political outcry when it emerged that Crotty had assaulted Ms O'Brien (25) on a Limerick street on May 29, 2022 after she heard him call someone a "faggot" and asked him to stop shouting homophobic abuse. He then verbally abused Ms O'Brien using the same word before carrying out the assault. Crotty initially lied to Gardai, telling them he had been attacked first, but changed his story when confronted with CCTV. Hours after the attack Crotty, who was a serving member of the Defence Forces at the time, boasted on Snapchat: Two to put her down, two to put her out, in reference to striking Ms OBrien. He was discharged from the army in July. Crotty, from Ardnacrusha, Co Limerick, was aged 20 at the time of the assault. In June 2023, Judge ODonnell, sitting at Limerick Circuit Criminal Court, imposed a suspended three-year term on Crotty and ordered him to pay 3,000 compensation to Ms OBrien. From March 7th to 9th, the Ennis Book Club Festival is set to captivate audiences with a stellar programme of events for all ages. Held in the welcoming town of Ennis, this much-loved Festival promises three days of vibrant literary exploration, conversation, and connection. This years line-up features a host of renowned national and international contributors, covering genres from fiction and memoir to poetry and current affairs. Festival highlights include the always entertaining Book Quiz, walking tours through the charming streets of Ennis, and the much-anticipated Literary Lunch hosted by the dynamic duo Conal Creedon and Mairead Hearne. The festival kicks off with a bang on Friday, as Ann Cleevesauthor of Vera, Shetland, and Two Riversjoins Brian McGilloway for an insightful discussion. Saturday brings further excitement, with acclaimed author Ian McEwan appearing in conversation with Sean Rocks at glor. Sally Hayden and Ian McEwan Fans of Irish literature can also look forward to a heartfelt tribute to Edna OBrien, whose trailblazing contributions to Irish writing will be celebrated by a panel of writers who cherish her work. For those with a global perspective, the Beyond Borders Book Club offers literature from outside Ireland, while Sundays Symposium tackles pressing issues of peace and conflict in todays interconnected world. Chaired by Katie Hannon, this thought-provoking session features insights from Sally Hayden, Vincent Durac, and photojournalist Paulo Nunes dos Santos. Young readers and students wont be left out. Shane Hegarty will team up with Sarah Moore Fitzgerald for a family-friendly event, while Leaving Cert students can enjoy an exclusive session designed just for them. Ennis Book Club Festival is more than a celebration of booksits a gathering of minds and hearts, where readers and writers come together to share their love of reading. To explore the full programme and secure your tickets, visit www.ennisbookclubfestival.com. Whether youre a literary enthusiast or a curious newcomer, this is one weekend you wont want to miss. Prepare to be inspired, entertained, and immersed in the magic of the written word at the Ennis Book Club Festival 2025. *Sponsored Content As part of Lincoln University of Missouris '25 in 25' points of pride, we are celebrating the School of Nursing, which recently achieved two significant milestones a partnership with the Mid-Missouri Black Nurses Association (MMBNA) through the Helen L. Monroe Nursing Student Mentor Program, and the graduation of 13 Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) students on December 13, 2024. It has been an honor and a privilege to partner with Lincoln University School of Nursing through the Helen L. Monroe Mentorship Program, said Leana Mahaney, president of the Mid-Missouri Black Nurses Association. This partnership has allowed us to serve our community by sharing our experiences with LU nursing students, helping them thrive academically. The mentorship program has proven instrumental in supporting nursing students at Lincoln University, offering them valuable opportunities to connect with mentors who guide them through their educational journey. The Helen L. Monroe Nursing Student Mentor Program pairs students with volunteer nurse mentors who offer professional and personal support, helping them achieve both academic and career goals while fostering their social and psychological growth. The partnership with the Mid-Missouri Black Nurses Association has created an invaluable network of support for our students, faculty, staff and alumni, said Dr. Jennifer McCord, department head of the LU School of Nursing. This program offers lasting benefits as students build their professional identities as registered nurses. A Ceremony of Dedication: Pinning New Nurses for Their Next Chapter The December 13 pinning ceremony celebrated the dedication and resilience of the graduates, each receiving a nursing pin a powerful symbol of their readiness to enter the professional world of nursing. The nursing pin is not just a piece of jewelry; it is a symbol of your commitment to care for others, your readiness to enter the field of nursing and your connection to this proud and noble profession, Dr. McCord said. It signifies that you are now part of a legacy of healersindividuals who will advocate for their patients, provide comfort in times of need and promote health and wellness in our communities. The following graduates were honored at the ceremony: Brooke Baldwin (Jefferson City, MO) Gracie Rae Bernskoetter (Jefferson City, MO) Haley Catherine Brandt (Loose Creek, MO) Samantha Nicole Brooks (Jefferson City, MO) Slena Marie Caldwell (Ashland, MO) Jemaima Caroline Charley (Jefferson City, MO) Sierra Nicole Fischer (California, MO) Kenley Marie Haslag (Jefferson City, MO) Claire Elizabeth Kampeter (Freeburg, MO) Savannah Marie Kirchner (Hartsburg, MO) Mackenzie A. Kueffer (Jefferson City, MO) Hannah Jewel Rader (Jefferson City, MO) Brooklyn Ann Worthey (Jefferson City, MO) Each graduates journey was celebrated as they transitioned from nursing students to professionals poised to make a significant impact in healthcare. In his congratulatory remarks, President John B. Moseley commended the graduates for their dedication and the difference they will make in the lives of their patients. He emphasized that the nursing profession requires skill, compassion and integrity qualities the graduates have shown throughout their academic careers. The Lincoln University School of Nursing continues to offer educational programs that address the evolving needs of the healthcare field. In addition to the BSN program, Lincoln University provides an online RN to BSN degree and a part-time Associate of Applied Science in Nursing program at Fort Leonard Wood, designed for active-duty military personnel and their dependents. Starting in fall 2025, the university will also offer a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) program to expand nursing education and leadership opportunities. Lincoln University is accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN) and approved by the Missouri State Board of Nursing. The nursing programs at Lincoln University are dedicated to preparing students to meet the challenges and advancements in healthcare. Stay tuned for the rest of the month with more of Lincolns 25 in 25. Government's withdrawal of demand incentives for small pick-ups has sharply slowed the adoption of Tata Motors Ace electric truck, a beneficiary of the erstwhile FAME-II subsidy scheme to promote electric vehicles (EV) in India. EV penetration for the Ace lineup had risen to nearly 10% in the final quarter of FY24, driven by a significant pre-buy as customers anticipated the end of the incentives. It has nearly halved over the past year after the scheme was halted, a senior Tata Motors executive said. "If I take the entire Ace family, then I would say it has come down to around 4 to 5%. But if you look at the steady state of Q3 of the previous year, the volumes have not dropped by much," Girish Wagh, executive director, Tata Motors, told Mint. He, however, emphasized that the spike in Q4FY24 spike was an anomaly due to pre-buying. Alos read | Why Indias auto PLI is yet to pick up after two years Wagh also pointed out the critical importance of reaching an inflection point for sustained growth. "It is evident that unless we reach a particular threshold, a kind of an inflection point after which [the segment will be viable on its own, the continuation of incentives is certainly needed to help." India's Ministry of Heavy Industries had announced phase 2 of the Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of (Hybrid &) Electric Vehicles in India, or FAME-2, scheme for five years until March 2024, with a total budgetary support of 10,000 crore. FAME 2 was the Centre's EV subsidy scheme, where consumers could buy EVs at subsidized prices and manufacturers could seek the subsidy amount from the government. It was discontinued last year, replaced by PM E-Drive. Also read | Tata Motors demerger: PB Balaji could unify Tatas new auto businesses under Tata Sons PM E-Drive provides subsidy for electric two-wheelers and three-wheelers, along with electric buses, trucks, and ambulances. Electric cars for commercial use were exempted from this schemea notable absence, since all previous EV subsidy schemes included electric cars. The government's decision to exclude the four-wheeler segment, in which the Tata ACE EV also availed benefits, is a matter of priortization", Wagh explained, as India pivots its EV subsidies towards electrifying buses and heavier trucks. The Ace EV was an early leader in its segment, appealing to e-commerce firms and municipal applications for its compact size and operational cost advantages. Tata Motors has begun to benefit from supply-side incentives under the production linked incentive (PLI) scheme for advanced automotive technologies, and benefits will extend to improving costs for its electric buses, small trucks as well as heavy trucks, Wagh said. Also read | Mahindra closes in on Tata Motors as EV sales falter GST as a benefit continues as a demand side-incentive, and now we are also getting supply-side incentives with the PLI scheme. With all this put together, I do see a good possibility of an increase in penetration of electric vehicles in small commercial vehicles right now. In addition to that, when the PM E-Drive incentives get rolled out, that will be an added advantage," Wagh said, emphasizing that the company is in discussions with the government to bring back subsidies for the segment. Broader CV recovery underway The broader commercial vehicle (CV) market has faced headwinds last year, with issues such as weak infrastructure spending, high borrowing costs, and sluggish demand from sectors like mining and freight transportation. Capacity utilization rates for commercial vehicles dropped by as much as 15% in Q2 of FY25, reflecting subdued market conditions, Wagh said. However, he pointed to a gradual recovery in Q3, with utilization rates in certain segments returning to pre-pandemic levels. We are seeing green shoots of recovery, particularly in buses, where utilization and demand are clearly ahead of last year. Heavy commercial vehicles are also seeing marginal improvements," he said, adding that Q4 performance will be a key barometer for market stability. Also read | The case for subsidizing electric vehicles Despite the subsidy setback, Tata Motors during the Bharat Mobility Global Expo unveiled Ace Pro, a more affordable, sub-1-ton iteration aimed at retail customers and small businesses. The Ace Pro positions us to tap into demand from three-wheeler users looking to upgrade," Wagh said. Meanwhile, Tata Motors is also ramping up investments in emerging technologies, including hydrogen and LNG-based commercial vehicles. The firm recently launched a 55-ton battery-electric tractor and is participating in the governments hydrogen pilot project. When it comes to big techs, Oracle is hardly small-fry. But the 47-year-old software titan still has to play its hand deftly when it comes to the ultra-expensive game of artificial intelligence. Its approach was apparent in the high-profile announcement about the Stargate Project," which aims to invest $500 billion over the next four years to build new AI infrastructure for OpenAI. Oracle was named as both an equity investor and key initial technology partner" for the project, and founder and Chairman Larry Ellison joined OpenAIs Sam Altman and SoftBank Chief Executive Masayoshi Son Tuesday at the White House for the announcement. Ellison noted Tuesday that construction on the initial data center for the project was already under way in Texas. Less clear is where such a staggering sum of money will be coming from. OpenAI said $100 billion was being deployed immediately, but that is more than double Oracle and Softbanks combined total cash on hand. Elon Musk, backer of his own AI project, used his X social-media platform to cast doubts about the financial backing for Stargate. Oracle has already ratcheted up its capital expenditures on AI significantly, with annual total capex now nearing $11 billion annually compared with an average of $5.5 billion over the last four fiscal years. Oracles share price has jumped 14% over the last two days since Stargate was first reported, so Wall Street doesnt seem terribly worried about who is footing the bill at this point. Analysts instead noted that Oracles prominent Stargate role solidifies the position of its cloud unit known as OCI as an important force in powering generative AI workloads. We believe this is a win for Oracle, if for no other reason than further cementing OCIs relevance in the future of AI," wrote Brad Zelnick of Deutsche Bank. Clearly, the fundamental impact from Stargate remains to be seen, but the announcement is a reminder that Oracle is well positioned to be a major player in the build out of AI infrastructure," wrote Kirk Materne of Evercore ISI. Still, while Oracles $500 billion market cap makes it the largest tech company on the S&P 500 not valued above $1 trillion, it still has to compete with bigger players with much more spending power. Even the companys recently raised capex bill is a fraction of the $236.5 billion Microsoft, Amazon, Google-parent Alphabet and Meta Platforms are estimated to have spent combined in 2024, according to Visible Alpha. Oracle is the only one of those five whose debt exceeds its total cash, and its annual free cash flow totaled $9.5 billion for the 12-month period ended November. Rival Microsoft is estimated to have generated a little over $70 billion in free cash flow last year, according to consensus analyst figures on FactSet. Analysts say Oracles unique approach to data centers allows it to compete effectively with much deeper pockets. Mark Moerdler of Bernstein says the company rents a lot of its data-center real estate instead of buying and that it and configures its equipment to make those spaces smaller and boost its performance efficiency. In a report last month, Moerdler noted that the smaller footprints enables Oracle to more closely match their capex with customers consumption and thus revenue, as they can expand as customers need it." He estimated that Oracles approach allows it to devote a much greater portion of its capex to acquiring computing equipment relative to the much bigger spender Microsoft. Oracle has already projected strong growth for the years ahead. Its stock is now fetching a multiple of more than 28 times projected earningsa level last seen in the original dot-com boom. But that is still cheap relative to its biggest cloud rivals Microsoft and Amazon, and for a company that is in a prime position with the new administration. President Trump even used Tuesdays occasion to voice support for the idea of Ellison buying TikTok. Getting a growing piece of the AI pie, however, is what will really keep Oracles investors dancing. Write to Dan Gallagher at dan.gallagher@wsj.com Private equity (PE) firm Jashvik Capital Advisory Llp is acquiring a majority stake in Smart Vision Eye Specialities Pvt. Ltd, a Hyderabad-based eye care hospital chain, said a person close to the deal. The person, however, didn't disclose the quantum of the investment. Smart Vision is the second-largest eye care hospital chain in the Andhra Pradesh-Telangana region after Quadria Capital-backed Maxivision Eye Hospitals. Founded in 2016, the chain has 11 hospitals across the region and is growing at a rate of about 30% annually, the person said on the condition of anonymity. The company clocked in a revenue of 100 crore and an Ebitda (earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation) of 35 crore in the last fiscal year. The company plans to use the funds raised to expand in South India. "The plan is to extend to at least all over South India in the initial 12-18 months," the person added. Emails sent to Jashvik Capital and Smart Vision on Thursday did not elicit a response. This investment is the latest in a slew of PE investments in single-speciality eye care hospitals, indicating robust growth in the segment. Earlier this month, TPG Capital and Temasek-backed Dr Agarwal's Health Care, a leading eye care services provider, got the Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) nod for its proposed initial public offering (IPO). In May 2024, PE firm ChrysCapital invested up to $100 million in New Delhi-based Centre for Sight. In July 2023, Maxivision Eye Hospital secured a 1,300 crore investment from healthcare-focused fund Quadria Capital. ASG Eye Hospital raised 1,500 crore from General Atlantic and Kedaara Capital in July 2022. Healthcare-focused PE InvAscent invested 70 crore in Sharp Sight Eye Hospitals in 2020. The person said investors see a lot of potential for eye care to be scaled in the way other single specialities like IVF have been growing recently, as a shift from unorganized to organized chains is underway. The number of such [single-speciality] centres by organized players has grown approximately 10x over the past decade, with patients increasingly preferring these models for their curated care journeys, superior experiences, and improved clinical outcomes," Akshay Ravi, healthcare partner at EY Parthenon, told Mint. Multiple micro-markets across various cities still lack access to these high-quality centres the sector is well-positioned for double-digit growth in the years to come, with both patients and clinicians recognizing the clear advantages of specialized centres over multi-speciality hospitals in specific areas," he added. Jashvik Capital's first fund targets a corpus of $350 million and invested $25 million in Bengaluru-based medtech firm Futura Surgical in June 2024. Mumbai: The stock market regulator is examining a potential violation of the Companies Act by HDB Financial Services 17 years ago as the non-bank lender prepares for a $1.5 billion initial public offering (IPO), three people aware of the matter said. The Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) found that the lender in 2008 issued shares to more than 50 employees of its parent HDFC Bank through a private placement, one of the three people said. The regulator now plans to refer the matter to the Union ministry of corporate affairs (MCA), since this may constitute a violation of the Companies Act, the person said on the condition of anonymity. Under the Companies Act, issuing shares to more than 50 people is considered a public issue, requiring compulsory Sebi clearance. A preferential issue such as the one made by HDB is a private placement, and such an issue cannot be made to more than 50 investors without Sebi approval. The threshold of 50 was added to the Companies Act in 2000. Also read | HDB IPO: Two concerns that could hurt the HDFC Bank subsidiarys valuation If Sebi discovers a breach in the extant laws any time after Sebis inception, the issuer company may either be asked to pay a penalty or be debarred altogether from the market for a certain period. In this case, the company may have to pay a penalty to get its IPO application cleared," the person added. Queries emailed to HDB, HDFC Bank, MCA and Sebi remained unanswered. HDB filed its draft IPO papers in November. Parent HDFC Bank will sell its shares worth 10,000 crore in an offer for sale to comply with RBI norms on compulsory listing of so-called upper layer NBFCs. Alongside, HDB Financial will issue fresh shares to raise 2,500 crore. HDFC Bank owns 94.36% of the shadow bank. According to the draft red herring prospectus (DRHP) HDB had made a preferential allotment of 12 million shares to 410 employees of HDFC Bank on 12 January, 2008. Some of these employees include Aditya Puri, the then chief executive officer of HDFC Bank, and other senior officials. Also read | For HDFC AMC, falling equities could deal a double whammy to profitability However, a second person said given the companys parentage, the matter may not stall the IPO, and may be settled. "HDB is yet to hear from Sebi. We understand that Sebi will take action once it gets the feedback from MCA on the matter," the second person added. Its a matter of legal interpretation whether the issuance by HDB can be considered as Esop issuance or a public issuance. If it had been interpreted as an Esop issuance, then the company would not have required Sebi approval," he added. "Instances of preferential allotments to employees or related parties are not uncommon in the corporate world, and each case is evaluated based on its specific facts and circumstances," said Sumit Agrawal, a partner at Regstreet Law Advisors. "At the time of an IPO, substantial compliance is reviewed, including any issuance or transfer of shares since the companys incorporation." HDB IPO filing HDB Financial may need to amend its IPO filings to specifically mention the deemed public issue or adjust the offering structure, said Agrawal, a former Sebi official who has worked on such cases in the past. "Additionally, upon receipt of a show cause notice, HDB Financial Services may apply for a settlement, and Sebi, as a pre-condition to settling securities law violations, may direct the company to approach the NCLT or the regional director to compound violations under Section 67(3) of the Companies Act, 1956. This has been Sebis approach in past cases, such as with IPO documents of Utkarsh Small Finance Bank and RBL Bank Ltd, unless Sebi takes a different approach in the case of HDB. This situation could result in delays or require additional disclosures," he added. The lender should engage with Sebi, submit necessary disclosures on the allotment, and work towards resolving any concerns in full compliance with current regulations, Agrawal added. "The capital structure built up by the company (HDB Financial) was in accordance with the prevalent Companies Act applicable at that point of time," said a fourth person aware of the matter. Last month, Moneycontrol reported that HDB had restarted talks with Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group (MUFG) after a brief pause for a 20% stake in the company. The board of HDB Financial Services had initially rejected the proposal made by MUFG last year after the top management was divided over selling stake to the Japanese financial conglomerate before an IPO. Also read | Why HDFC Bank turned down MUFJ's overtures on HDB Financial HDFC Bank also will have to bring down its stake in HDB Financial Services to below 20% in future to comply with RBIs draft norms on regulating banks group businesses. The central bank's draft rules released last year aim to remove any overlap in businesses carried out by a bank and its subsidiaries. HDB Financial Services, a non-banking financial company, and HDFC Bank offer similar products but to different sets of borrowers. HDB primarily lends to first-time borrowers and underserved customers. HDB financials The company reported a 20% sequential decline in net profit to 472.3 crore at the end of December 2024, primarily due to higher credit costs. Also read | Three reasons HDFC Bank may turn around sooner than you think According to Macquarie Research, the non-bank lender has seen an increase in credit costs due to stress in unsecured, commercial vehicle and construction equipment loan portfolios. Credit costs increased 70bps sequentially to 2.5% on account of increase in gross non-performing ratio to 2.25% at the end of the third quarter from 2.1% at the end of the second quarter. Credit cost reflects the actual financial impact of credit risk by accounting for provisions, write-offs, collection expenses, loan restructuring costs, and interest income loss. Dark stores are scrambling for workers to pick, pack and load a range of goods, as a quick commerce funding boom sparks breakneck expansion across hundreds of India's towns and cities. Open positions for so-called under-the-roof workers have shot up, industry specialists said, as companies aggressively expand their networks to realize growth ambitions. Not surprisingly, attrition has soared. Zomato plans to double Blinkits dark stores from 1,007 to 2,000 by year-end, while Swiggy Instamart aims to increase its count from 523 in March 2024 to over 1,046 by March 2025. Zepto is targeting 1,200 dark stores by March 2025, up from its current 700-750 in December, Mint has earlier reported. Also read | Quick commerce dark stores set to zoom but it will come at a cost Churn among warehouse workers and delivery partners will increase as quick commerce firms go full throttle to keep up with amplifying competition. We may also see platforms bump up salaries and incentives to keep workers happy for longer," said Madhav Krishna, founder and chief executive of Vahan.ai, a blue-collar recruitment platform backed by Y Combinator. Frontline workers, including store staff and delivery partners, are critical for grocery and food delivery operations as the business model hinges on speed and easy staff availability. To support this growth, Zepto raised over $1.3 billion last year, and Zomato 8,500 crore for its quick commerce arm Blinkit. Incentives According to Vahan.ais Krishna, dark store workers earn 15,000-18,000 a month, with every job switch earning 5% more. Balasubramanian Narayanan, senior vice-president at TeamLease Services, a recruitment and human resource services firm, said additional incentives include attendance bonus of 2,500-3,000 for meeting monthly workday targets and performance incentive of 3,000 for achieving 9798% accuracy. Together, this adds up to a potential of 6,000 extra on top of their regular salary, he said. Quick commerce firms Swiggy and Zepto did not respond to Mints queries. A Zomato spokesperson said that it has created flexibility for delivery partners in terms of login time and duration, creating opportunities for them to earn as much as 28,000 on an average per month. It did not share specific details on dark store workers. According to data from Teamlease, attrition at quick commerce warehouses is 12-15% a month, against 8-10% in the overall e-commerce and logistics industry, and 6% at some of the older and more stable companies. Generally, for a dark store employee, the average tenure in a company is 7-8 months, despite many platforms offering one-year contracts, after which they receive a retention bonus. This essentially means a Zepto, Blinkit or Instamart is likely to see its entire dark store workforce change every year, adding to hiring costs for these hyper-funded players. Swiggys voluntary attrition rate was about 34.5% in 2024 which includes frontline and call centre workforce. Voluntary attrition continues to be high primarily due to churn in the frontline and call centre workforce that are prone to high attrition," according to the firms red herring prospectus. Revolving dark-store doors Every month, there are at least 8,000 to 10,000 open positions for such roles in quick commerce warehouses and dark stores, across metro cities in India where these platforms operate majorly. If you want a dark store job, I can get you four offers today," said Teamleases Narayanan. Typically, within the same locality of a half a kilometer radius, you will find five or six dark stores by different companies. It is the same work. Once you experience one dark store, you can easily move to another dark store. If somebody pays 500 more, they'll jump, because why not?" The total number of quick commerce dark stores is likely to touch 5,000-5,500 by the end of FY26 or earlier, generating a throughput of nearly $35-40 billion at an optimal level, HSBC said in a report on Wednesday. Attrition also depends on local supply and demand. Areas like South Mumbai and Koramangala in Bengaluru see higher attrition, since these places have high demand but relatively few available workers. In contrast, areas like Andheri in Mumbai offer a balanced mix of supply and demand, while areas such as Thane have a surplus of labour and comparatively lower demand. To be sure, attrition is high among delivery agents as well, touching as high as 15-20%, reports have earlier said. Nearly 1.5 million delivery partners worked with Zomato in 2024 alone, with most of them preferring to work part-time to make secondary income, the spokesperson for Zomato added. Nature of work Narayanan of Teamlease explained that attrition is high among dark store employees due to the unpredictable nature of workloads, where orders can vary drastically, sometimes doubling or tripling from one day to the next. The sudden demand for additional staff, particularly during night shifts, often necessitates reassigning employees to different roles within the store as needed. Employees who start with the expectation of packing orders often find themselves tasked with heavy-duty work like loading and unloading goods. "You end up using these people interchangeably within a dark store," he said, adding that this lack of role stability is a major point of dissatisfaction. The high-pressure environment, where employees handle up to 150 orders a day in a fast-paced, repetitive manner adds to the dissatisfaction. Also read | A quick-commerce correction on the radar for consumer brands Moreover, dark store workers get a fixed pay which does not vary on the number of orders processed, unlike in the case of delivery partners. So, the motivation largely revolves around pay and hence platform loyalty is low," said Vahan.ais Krishna. Kindergartners now watch math lessons on YouTube, counting aloud with the videos. Middle-schoolers complete writing drills on Chromebooks while sneaking in play of an online game. High-schoolers mark up Google Docs to finish group projects. The rapid tech transformation amounts to a grand experiment playing out in American schools. Accelerated by pandemic-era online learning, the move has happened with little debate, conflicting research and high stakes for the nations children. Educators wonder whether the digitization of the classroom has really benefited learningor if its done kids a disservice. Some teachers say online tools help create more engaging lessons and provide personalized instruction. Others say the screen-heavy approach has distracted students and burned out teachers. Covid really shifted things toward, Oh, we can do this," said Stephanie Galvani, a middle-school English teacher in suburban Boston. But we didnt ask: Should we do this?" Students used their school-issued laptops in San Antonio. The shift runs counter to the prevailing advice from doctors and psychologists to limit tech use. Some frustrated parents are trying to opt their kids out of school technology, with varying degrees of success. Even some students pine for more analog methods. I dont like having my eyes glued on a screen for a while," said eighth-grader Aubrey Ortiz, in San Antonio. It gives you a headache and I really lose my focus." Students in grades one through 12 now spend an average of 98 minutes on school-issued devices during the school daymore than 20% of the average instructional timeaccording to data that educational software company Lightspeed Systems analyzed at the request of The Wall Street Journal. The time spent on devices peaks at two hours and 24 minutes daily in sixth grade, or nearly 35% of instructional time, Lightspeeds analysis of more than 2.8 million students in 344 school districts nationwide shows. Use of school devices declined among high-school students, down to 70 minutes a day for 12th-graders, with possible factors including a shift to personal devices and more flexible school schedules, according to Lightspeed. Fifty percent of teachers said their students completed at least half of their classwork on a device, up from about 20% of teachers before the pandemic, according to a 2023 survey of nearly 1,000 educators conducted by Brian Jacob, an education researcher at the University of Michigan. Use of technology for homework, group work and assessments also dramatically increased. Research on the effectiveness of tech use in education is mixed and full of company-backed analyses. I dont think theres one easy answer," Jacob said. I just dont think we know yet." Paper is better On an August day in Abby Ramos Stanutzs San Antonio classroom, 25 eighth-graders filed into first-period English and began class as they often do, with several minutes of free writing. The students each grabbed a school-issued Chromebook and began to type. I know your fingers are getting tired, but keep going," Ramos Stanutz urged, dimming the lights and playing pop music softly to help students focus. Students in San Antonio used laptops for a free-writing exercise. Later in the class, the students turned back to Chromebooks to record influencer-style videos explaining why they liked a book they were reading. Some of Ramos Stanutzs students later explained that while they like the ease of turning in assignments online and using computers for technical skills like coding, the devices create distractions in class and can slow down lessons when the internet goes out or a video a teacher wants to play gets blocked by district software. I feel like paper is better, anything other than technology," said 14-year-old Carlos Miranda. Im hands-on. You cant learn to dissect a frog with a computer." (Education technology companies have, actually, created virtual dissection apps.) Ramos Stanutz said theres no getting rid of technology at this point but shes learned to strike the right balance. Shes had to find new strategies to keep students from playing online games or watching videos. Its like the ocean: You can never turn your back on it," she said. Abby Ramos Stanutz. Computer and internet use in schools grew rapidly in the 1990s, alongside technologys rise in everyday life. Schools saw an opportunity to close a digital divide between low-income and wealthier students. The adoption of school technology sped up when the pandemic forced students to learn online. Federal Covid aid helped schools buy students across the country their own laptops or tablets. A multibillion-dollar education-technology industry promised its products could revolutionize teaching and catch students up after the pandemic. Highline Public Schools in Washington state found itself unintentionally thrust into a pre-internet era this school year when a cyberattack shut down its system for more than a month. Sixth-grade math teacher Rachel Nielsen said she initially panicked at not being able to access the digital curriculumthe only way shed taught since becoming a teacher in 2019. She soon came to embrace methods like using physical tiles and cubes to teach geometry. Students worked together on presentations using large poster boards. Nielsen found students explained their work better when they had to physically write rather than simply plugging answers into online programs. We got really bogged down by all the possible things we could use that are digital," Nielsen said. Now Im realizing it isnt about more technology or another app." I dont like having my eyes glued on a screen for a while, said eighth-grader Aubrey Ortiz. Too good to be true Research on the use of technology in education remains unsettled. For instance, a review of 24 studies published last year found that college students retain more information when they take notes by hand rather than on a computer. Some research has found students have better comprehension when reading on paper rather than on a screen. Other research on specific technology productsincluding digital tutoring programshas shown improvements in student learning. Richard Culatta, the head of an association that supports teachers use of technology, said lessons using technology have to elevate what the teacher could otherwise do to be effective. Does it spark curiosity? Or is it just presenting information?" Culatta said. That distinction right there makes it clear pretty quickly whether the tech use is valuable." Some teachers say they find technology essential for assisting students with specific needs, like using instant-translation apps for recently arrived immigrants or software to make fonts more readable for students with dyslexia. Technology companies often tout internal analyses claiming their products have led to breakthrough gains in student learning. But such results are often overstated, and companies may choose not to release unfavorable findings. Its really hard to move the needle on student achievement, so if you see something thats too good to be true, it probably is," said Betsy Wolf, a researcher who found in a 2020 paper that company-backed studies produced more positive findings than independent evaluations. IXL Learning, the company behind popular digital education platform IXL, touts that schools using the product score as much as 15 to 17 percentile points higher on state exams. Students in Ramos Stanutzs English class. The most rigorous published evaluation of the productwhich is used by 15 million U.S. studentswas less impressive. A Johns Hopkins University research center report, commissioned by the company, found that IXL had no clear effect on state math scores during the spring of 2023 in a Michigan school district. On a different test, IXL boosted math scores by about five percentile points, the researchers found. In a separate, unpublished Johns Hopkins studya summary of which was reviewed by the Journalthe effects of IXL were described as directionally positive" but not statistically significant." The company chose not to release the study, a spokesman said, because it had a relatively small sample size. Bo Bashkov, senior manager of research at IXL Learning, said the companys figures of 15 to 17 percentile points are better-case scenario" benchmarks from its own state-by-state research. Removing barriers In lower-income districts, school leaders say giving students and their families access to personal devices has been a huge benefit. Computer access is now nearly universal in U.S. public schools, with 95% of schools reporting that they provided devices to students last school year, according to a federal survey. It has removed barriers," said Pamela Maddox, the principal of Compton Early College High School, a high-performing school in a district serving majority Latino and Black students. Parents tell her they like that students can easily access their homework from anywhere. The school has doubled down on technology, moving its library into a smaller room to make way for a high-tech lab funded by Verizon, equipped with a podcasting room, robotics equipment, 3-D printer and esports stations. On a walk through campus in September, Maddox entered an Advanced Placement English class taught by Porsja Dyer. There, students sitting with Chromebooks typed out reflections on factors that have shaped their identity. Their responses were instantly shared with the entire class. And yes, I turned the hearts on so you can like each others work today," Dyer said. At one table, students looked up from their screens to say they liked using technology in class because they can find information and write responses more quickly and it makes life easier. Reducing technology Many parents are content with the growth of educational technology. In one survey from 2023, commissioned by the nonprofit EdChoice, about three in four parents said that computer use was having a positive effect on their childs learning. Still, about 40% of parents said their children spent too much time on screens. In a separate EdChoice poll, 35% of teenagers said their school used too much technology. I think we were all sold a lie that this was going to completely revolutionize education, said Andrea Davis, a mother of five. For parents who want to reduce screen time, schools are undercutting them," said Jonathan Haidt, a social psychologist at New York Universitys Stern School of Business whose recent book, The Anxious Generation," helped fuel smartphone bans in schools across the country. Mileva Repasky, a mother of three in Phoenixville, Pa., who co-founded the nonprofit Phone-Free Schools Movement, had her children track their school and home screen use for two weeks at the Journals request. One Wednesday in October, her 17-year-old son, David, spent nearly 2 hours on his school-issued Chromebook doing work at school and an additional 70 minutes doing homework on his Chromebook. That was on top of the 42 minutes at lunch watching TikTok and Netflix on his phone that day and 80 minutes at home gaming or looking at Instagram. Total screen time: more than 5 hours. He said he learns better when taking notes on paper and that hed like it if classmates would talk to each other more during lunch. His mom said she had no idea David was spending so much time on his laptop for school. The entire day is filled with technology," said David, a junior at a private high school. We use our computers from first period to eighth period, and even at lunch theres no socializing because everyone is on their phones playing games." Repaskys nonprofit and other advocacy groups have helped usher in a wave of cellphone bans at the school-district and state level in recent years, though enforcement is often a challenge and phones are still pervasive on many campuses. Mom of five Andrea Davis wasnt happy with the prevalence of technology in her local public school district in Hood River, Ore. I think we were all sold a lie that this was going to completely revolutionize education," she said. Davis, who runs a business that helps families reduce screen time, worked with the district to organize student and community meetings and presented a formal plan on how to reduce technology use. This school year, the middle-schoolers arent bringing school-issued iPads home with them, and the district is making sure every tech application is educationally sound. School leaders didnt take up other recommendations, like banning YouTube and eliminating iPads in early-grade classrooms. Theres this misconception that weve let the cat out of the bag," Davis said. But no, this is an opportunity we have now." Write to Sara Randazzo at sara.randazzo@wsj.com, Matt Barnum at matt.barnum@wsj.com and Julie Jargon at Julie.Jargon@wsj.com Authorities in Beijing are ramping up pressure on neighbors to rein in cyberscams after the high-profile kidnapping of a young Chinese actor who says he was trafficked into a criminal enclave in Myanmar. Parts of war-torn Myanmar and other countries in Southeast Asia have become havens for sprawling scam compounds, where hundreds of thousands of people are forced to swindle billions of dollars out of victims in the U.S., China and elsewhere. The scammers, many of whom have themselves been duped and effectively enslaved by criminal gangs, often ensnare victims in fake relationships and persuade them to pour money into bogus investments. This week, the Chinese government called an unusual crisis meeting in the southern city of Kunming with officials from other countries in the region. The officials from Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam and China pledged to arrest ringleaders, shut down so-called scam dens and free victims of human trafficking, according to a report on Chinese state television. China has in recent years arrested tens of thousands of people suspected of involvement in the scams, including in raids of scam compounds led by Chinese law enforcement abroad. But Beijing has been criticized for not doing enough to stop the practice, as many of the alleged crimelords behind the scams are Chinese. Chinas latest moves against the burgeoning scam industry were prompted by the kidnapping of a minor film and television actor who says he was lured to Thailand for a shoot. Wang Xing disappeared from a town on Thailands border with Myanmar on Jan. 3 and was rescued four days later, following an unusually powerful public-pressure campaign on Chinas tightly controlled domestic news and social-media outlets. Chinas Ministry of Public Security later said authorities dug out a criminal group" that recruited models, actors and film crews by enticing them to Thailand with job offers that were fake and selling them to scam dens. Twelve people have been arrested in connection with the scandal, it said. The case struck a chord in China, where censorship usually curtails public expression. News of Wangs disappearance spread fast after a plea for help from his girlfriend, known by her nickname Jiajia, on Chinese social-media site Weibo. Jiajia said Wang had traveled to Bangkok for a film shoot after a successful online audition. Upon arrival, he got in a vehicle arranged by the recruiter. He felt something wasnt right, she said. Wang shared a map with her showing his location and they kept in touch throughout the roughly seven-hour drive, Jiajia said. When they lost contact, she immediately alerted Chinese authorities. Industrial-scale scam compounds have sprung up in remote areas along Myanmars border with Thailand. Jiajia said she took to social media after her dayslong effort through official channels went nowhere, tagging A-list celebrities in her post. Within a day, news of Wangs disappearance was trending on Weibo, with related posts viewed more than 400 million times. The story was picked up by state newspapers and local radio stations. The authorities and his captors really responded to the public pressure," said Bang Liu, a spokesman for Bangkok-based Mandarin Law Firm, which represented Wang. Two days after Jiajias post, Wang was found and freed. Liu said he couldnt disclose any other details about the rescue. The public outcry didnt stop when Wang returned. Two days after his rescue, a spreadsheet began circulating online listing the names of other missing people who loved ones think are trapped in a similar situation. A hashtag referring to the document, called Star Homecoming Project"Wangs given name, Xing, means star" in Chinesehas been viewed more than 90 million times. As of Wednesday afternoon, the list had grown to include almost 2,000 people purported to be missing. This has become a nationwide sensation," said Jason Tower, Myanmar researcher for the U.S. Institute of Peace, a Washington-based think tank. For China to allow collective action like this shows that they believe its in their interest to do something," he said, adding that China may point to domestic public anger to gain leverage when negotiating with neighbors over police access and other security-related matters. If Beijing wanted to, it could quash the negative public opinion rising up," Tower said. This weeks gathering in Kunming also signals that authorities in Beijing might be fed up with the scam industrys proliferation. Similar meetings and public statements by officials preceded a crackdown in 2023, when Chinese law enforcement launched a series of raids in Myanmar. Over 53,000 Chinese nationals suspected of cybercrimes including scams have been deported from Myanmar to China since the raids began, official figures show. Human-rights groups say many of those suspects might have been victims of human trafficking, but China doesnt distinguish between them. Thailand has had difficulty stopping trafficking because victims often arrive through airports, believing they have legitimate job offers. Chinas Foreign Ministry and Ministry of Public Security didnt immediately respond to requests for comments. Law-enforcement officials in the U.S. and elsewhere say the emergence of industrial-scale scam compounds in Southeast Asia has grown into a global crisis. They are often run by transnational gangs and staffed by slaves, typically job-seeking migrants who are trafficked into heavily guarded office buildings and forced to defraud people online. Many Chinese nationals, including some who were already wanted for crimes at home, were deeply involved in establishing this new criminal empire, officials say. Some of the schemes are known as pig butchering," as scammers fatten" their victims by gaining their trust and then butcher" them by absconding with their money. Authorities have struggled to get a handle on the problem in part because the compounds are often in remote and lawless areas, such as Myanmars militia-controlled borderlands and Cambodian cities where corruption is deeply entrenched. Thailand has become a transit point for traffickers but has also had difficulty stopping the flow of people because victims typically arrive through airports, believing they have legitimate job prospects, and dont realize they have been kidnapped until it is too late. The areas where the compounds are built have long been hotbeds of illicit activity. They are home to casinos catering to clientele from mainland China, where gambling is illegal, and are well-established trafficking hubs for drugs and wildlife. Cybercrime exploded there during the Covid-19 pandemic, which put a halt to Chinese and other citizens traveling to casinos and other commerce. The actors ordeal also alarmed officials in Thailand, who worried that safety concerns might hurt revenue from Chinese tourism that is important to the Thai economy. On Wednesday, the government released a video made using generative AI that appeared to show Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra talking in Mandarin, a language she doesnt speak. Thailands government puts the safety of all tourists as its utmost priority," Paetongtarns AI likeness said. Write to Feliz Solomon at feliz.solomon@wsj.com and Clarence Leong at clarence.leong@wsj.com Few Indian fiction writers have taken up the mantle of being the chronicler of their home cities with as much zest as Murzban F. Shroff has. For the last few years, his short stories, collected in multiple volumes, have captured the pulse of Bombay, now Mumbai, with the acuity of a city reporter, the passion of a resident civic activist, and the shrewd eye of an inveterate storyteller. Shroffs latest volume, Muses Over Mumbai, a collection of 17 stories, proves his gift for sniffing tales out of every nook and cranny of his rapidly transforming home. The faceless millions that come under his scrutiny become fodder for his fictional mill, be it a bank teller always occupied with her meals, or the man who crushes piles of garbage every night with his JCB for the trucks to carry it away. A strong thread of civic-minded concern runs through nearly all the stories in the volume, but it is usually a patina that hides other human complications. Ruffled Feathers, the opening story set in a posh high-rise in South Bombay, is ostensibly about a pigeon disrupting the peace of the residents. Even as the well-heeled neighbours try to put up a united front against the menace, longstanding tensions begin to chip away at the fragile foundation of faux harmony on which they stand. Soon, inter-faith conflicts and petty strife come out in the open but, most significantly, this absurd storm in a teacup affords Shroff a chance to focus on the inner struggles of a retired army major, who works as the manager of the building. By zooming in and out of his characters lives, Shroff strikes a deft balance between conveying the ceaseless bustle of the metropolis and the invisible undercurrents that churn beneath its surface. Even when it comes to events of staggering tragedy, such as the 26/11 attacks on the city, Shroff is able to peel a layer away from the obvious, except in one story based on the event, Conversations with a Terrorist, which is the weakest in the volume. Burdened with raw emotion, it sits uneasily with Mehrunissas Story, where the terror attacks play a significant role as well. But the eponymous protagonist in this story, offers a startling perspective on the attacks through her religious and gendered experience of it. Like James Joyces Dubliners, Shroffs collection is affectively linked with stories about the evolution and degradation of a metropolis. But in this volume there is a stronger investment in depicting the erosion of moral and public values through brazen acts of corruption or venal politics. In Something to Think About, a writer facing penury confronts his dilemma about working on the biography of a builder who has made a fortune with blood money. Even though he frets over the proposal long and hard, redemption comes in the end from the city itself, as it offers its own unique retribution. A similar denouement unfolds in the concluding piece as well, The Earth Shall Be Enjoyed By Heroes. An upright doctor, framed for rape, breathes easy once the culprits are identified through a tense night of police investigation. View Full Image Muses Over Mumbai, by Murzban F. Shroff, Bloomsbury India, 256 pages, 699 While a gentle strain of humour runs through nearly all the stories, sometimes touched by dark comedy, the most acerbic of the lot is Accidental Karma. A bright young advertising executive meets with a freakish accident when a taxi driver takes umbrage at his high-handedness, landing him in the hospital for a prolonged recovery. While the young mans recovery is no less eventfulhe narrowly escapes being murderedthe high point of his stay is the unlikely friendship he forges with an ailing spiritual guru. The ending turns out to be unexpectedly whacky, which is also the case with stories like Mental About Mumbai and Auntie Elenas Revenge. In spite of the limpid writing and the controlled pace, one minor quibble does come to mind while reading the stories. At times, Shroff seems too earnest, even naive, about his faith in the inherent goodness of his fellow humans. The good are almost always rewarded and the bad punished, if not overtly then through some cosmic price that is exacted from them in some distant future. Shroff perhaps brings in strain of resilience to celebrate Mumbais status as the proverbial Maximum City," in spite of all the damages that have been wrought on it over the years by floods, terror attacks and indiscriminate destruction of mangrove land by builders. Mumbai may no longer be recognizable to many as the beloved Bombay it once used to be, but as the master of his fictional universe at least, Shroff wrests back some control. The characters who walk into his pages still nurse hope for deliverance from the technopolis that their beloved city has been turning into, ruled by unscrupulous politicians and plutocrats. Also read: Wallace & Gromit and the charm of claymation Mutual funds have come a long way; the numbers speak for themselves. Systematic investment plans, or SIPs, have quadrupled in the last eight years, and monthly inflows in December 2024 crossed 26,000 crore for the first time. All the buzz around equities and markets continuously performing well has attracted new investors to mutual funds. Among these are many first-time investors, especially the youth. Interestingly, even the vulnerable low-income segment is asking about mutual funds. However, investors face various challenges in investing in mutual funds, like figuring out what fund to invest in and opening a folio. While many options like banks, online platforms, and MFCentral exist, not everybody is able to navigate these avenues easily. Even though the regulator is considering the 250 SIP and a few asset management companies have also implemented the same, the above two issues discourage investors from investing in mutual funds. How to address the issues This can be done by setting up a new scheme akin to the Rajiv Gandhi Equity Savings Scheme (RGESS), which was announced in the Union Budget 2012-13 with the goal of encouraging savings from small retail investors to enter domestic capital markets. The RGESS scheme allowed new investors with income up to 12 lakh to invest up to 50,000 per annum in a specified set of equity-based securities. The scheme provided a tax deduction of up to 50% of the amount invested. However, the scheme was closed in 2017 due to the lukewarm response. The time is ripe to introduce a new scheme in this budget that can help investors participate correctly in the equity markets. Amid recent market rallies, influenced by financial influencers, many investors are approaching equity investing wrongly due to the lack of knowledge. A recent report from the Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) shows the younger generation starting their investment journey with the riskiest investments like futures and options (F&O) trading. Further, the proportion of young traders grew from 31% in 2022-23 to 43% in 2023-24. Over 72% of the total F&O trader base is from beyond top 30 (B30) cities, a higher proportion than mutual fund investors, of whom 62% are from B30 cities. The study also revealed that 75% of individual F&O traders in 2023-24 had declared an annual income of less than 5 lakh. There are many novice investors who would like to invest in equities but are flummoxed by the plethora of options and their lack of knowledge. These investors, along with the youth, form a large segment of investors who can be guided to invest correctly. What is required is a simple scheme with low investment and ease of implementation. This can be achieved by having a special index-oriented mutual fund scheme open to all (experienced and inexperienced investors!). The scheme can have a minimum investment of 250 and invest in a broad-based index like the Nifty 50 or the Sensex. A five-year lock-in would be a good way to teach good investing habits and the need to remain invested in equities. Given the issues that some segments may face in understanding and operating through online platforms, accessible transaction points, apart from regular banking channels like post offices or banking correspondents, need to be established, which can help these segments complete know-your-customer (KYC) process and open mutual fund accounts. Finally, providing a tax deduction for individuals at certain income levels, in both old and new tax regimes, will encourage inexperienced investors to start investing properly. With markets doing well, there is even more need to educate investors about the risks of equity investing. Most new investors have come in the last three to four years and have only seen the equity boom cycle and no down cycle. Even the drawdowns have been for short periods. The Association of Mutual Funds in India (AMfi) and mutual funds can work on an investor education campaign specifically for this product to ensure people know the capital risk associated with equity investing. A product like this can serve as a catalyst for building a culture of saving and right investing. Encouraging consistent savings and fostering disciplined investment helps individuals take control of their financial futures. Over time, it can instil good financial habits and make smart, long-term investing more accessible and manageable for everyone. This, in turn, can pave the way for greater financial inclusion, reaching a broader, underserved population and providing them with the tools to participate in the financial ecosystem. Mrin Agarwal is the founder-director of Finsafe India. As the Union budget approaches, it presents an opportunity for bold reforms, especially those that directly impact the common citizen. One such area ripe for transformation is the nomination of financial assets, a domain where clarity and empowerment are sorely needed. For most Indians, succession planning for assets like government small savings schemes (SSS), provident funds, insurance policies, bank deposits, and securities feels assured through nomination. Yet, under the Indian Succession Act, 1925, and relevant personal succession laws, a nominee is deemed merely a trustee. The nominees legal role is limited to collecting the deceaseds assets and transferring them to the rightful heirs. This position was reaffirmed by the Supreme Court on 14 December 2023, in the Shakti Yezdani & Anr. vs. Jayanand Jayant Salgaonkar & Ors. case. Read this | A basic will may not always protect your family. Here's how a conditional will can help. But does this interpretation align with legislative intent? For the common citizen, a plain reading of the laws governing financial assets suggests otherwise. Amendments to the Insurance Act, 1938, effective from December 2014, make the nominee beneficially entitled" to insurance payouts and even extend the entitlement to the nominees legal heirs under Section 39(8). If the intent was merely to preserve the trustee role, why introduce such changes? This shift indicates legislative intent favouring nominees as owners rather than intermediaries. Similarly, as noted by the 137th Law Commission, the Employees Provident Fund (EPF) Act, 1952, creates a separate line of succession, excluding certain legal heirs under personal laws if no nominee is specified. This exception further underscores a departure from conventional inheritance principles. While some high court rulings have supported the notion of nominees as owners, these judgments were later declared per incuriamdecisions made without considering binding precedent. Supreme Court ruling In its December 14, 2023, ruling, the Supreme Court clarified the status of nominees under the Companies Act of 1956/2013, specifically for mutual fund (MF) units not mentioned in a testators will. The court reaffirmed the nominees role as a trustee, referencing provisions in the MF regulations, the Depositories Act, and other financial statutes. Read this | How to create a foolproof will to ensure a smooth inheritance The ruling also explored the differences in how nomination clauses are worded across various statutesterms like non obstinate," vests," and notwithstanding"and considered the constitutional and legal precedents underpinning these provisions. Importantly, the Court ruled that, in addition to bank deposits, nominees for insurance policies and National Savings Certificates (NSC) are also considered trustees. For insurance policies, the Court referred to its own 1983 judgment but did not address the 2015 amendments to the Insurance Laws. For NSCs, the 1959 Act was repealed in 2018, and NSCs are now governed by the Government Savings Promotion Act of 1873, which the Court did not delve into in detail. Thus, under current law, nominees continue to be trustees, not owners, as upheld by the Supreme Court. However, the ruling did not address an important provision in the Government Savings Promotion Act of 1873, which, since April 2018, allows depositors in government savings schemes (SSS) to choose whether their nominee is an owner or a trustee. This raises the question of whether the Supreme Courts ruling would still apply if an SSS depositor had designated their nominee as the owner. Cultural differences also play a role in this issue. In Europe, harsh winters led to a culture of diary writing and meticulous record-keeping, which contributed to the development of the legal will. In contrast, in warmer countries like India, where oral traditions prevail, the concept of a nominee as a trustee rather than an owner is more difficult for the public to accept. Imposing imported legal norms without accounting for local customs has led to confusion. The notion of a nominee being a mere trustee contradicts the laws intent and complicates an otherwise straightforward process of asset succession. For the average Indian, the idea that a nominee should only act as a trusteerather than being an outright ownerremains difficult to grasp, particularly when the law already provides a clear route for succession via nomination. The way ahead The Legislature has the opportunity to empower citizens by amending laws governing financial assets to adopt the SSS model of nomination. Additionally, a third mode of succession, explicitly through nomination, could be introduced, exempting these financial products from traditional succession laws. This change would help reduce court congestion from nominee-versus-successor disputes, offering a public benefit. Also read | How Sebis revamped nominee rules support families of the incapacitated Consumers seeking a straightforward succession process could designate their nominee as the owner, while those preferring the formalities of a will could maintain the nominee as a trustee. Could we expect a proposal on this issue in the upcoming Union budget? S. Manjesh Roy works in the financial sector. The views and opinions expressed are personal. Vivek Singh, a 30-year-old assistant teacher from Lucknow, joined the Uttar Pradesh government in 2020 but overlooked contributing to the National Pension System (NPS), despite it being mandatory for government employees. Focused on managing a home loan and investing in over ten mutual fund schemes, Singh delayed signing up, opting instead for a higher in-hand salary. His decision, influenced by hopes of the old pension scheme (OPS) returning in some form, highlights the financial dilemmas faced by young government employees navigating between immediate needs and long-term security. It is only when his financial advisor Ajay Pruthi explained to him about the drawbacks of not subscribing to it, he went ahead with it. "I did know that the government too invests in NPS on my behalf if I am making my share of contributions. I could not take advantage of it for nearly 3 years," said Singh. A government employee is supposed to contribute 14% of his basic pay and dearness allowance (DA) to NPS. The government matches the same contribution. Also read: India Inc aims to make retirement plans more attractive to retain employees Singh's NPS account is expected to accumulate 3 crore after 30 years when he retires at a modest compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 7%. Portfolio chaos Despite his enthusiasm for financial planning, Singh's journey was anything but structured. Motivated by numerous YouTube videos on wealth management, he dived into mutual fund investments and bought health and life insurance. However, his portfolio lacked directionhis mutual funds were disorganised, his health insurance coverage fell short, and endowment plans further muddled his strategy. View Full Image Graphics: Mint Through YouTube, he learned about fixed-fee SEBI-registered investment advisors (RIAs). Seeking clarity amid the confusion of navigating the investment landscape, he approached RIA Pruthi for financial guidance in April 2023. "Vivek was paying EMIs of his home loan. Whatever little he could save after household expenses, he was investing in mutual funds. However, his fund selection was arbitrary and there were over 10 schemes in his portfolio," said Pruthi. Also read: The National Pension System was tweaked for flexibility but awaits tax clarity Regarding health insurance, Singh was eligible for the Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay State Employee Cashless Medical Scheme, a cashless health insurance program for Uttar Pradesh government employees. However, his department had not yet rolled it out for all employees. As a result, Singh opted for an individual health insurance policy of 10 lakh from Niva Bupa to ensure coverage. "Pruthi suggested that I buy a super top-up policy of 40 lakh with 10 lakh deductible to increase the total cover to 50 lakh in a year. He emphasised that I purchased this policy at the time of renewal of my 10 lakh policy by the same insurer. I also included my spouse in the base and super top-up policy," said Singh. A super top-up policy with a deductible kicks in only after the base policy coverage (which matches the deductible amount in the super top-up) is exhausted. For instance, purchasing a base policy of 50 lakh can be significantly more expensive than opting for a base policy of 10 lakh along with a super top-up policy of 40 lakh, which comes with a 10 lakh deductible. Pruthi advised him to purchase a personal accident policy of 50 lakh, which would offer him disability benefits, and include 20 lakh cover for temporary total disability in this policy. "This offers a weekly benefit of 20,000 per week for 100 weeks in case of temporary total disability due to an accident. Purchasing the policy at higher ages can be difficult," said Pruthi. Singh is yet to do it. On the mutual fund front, Singh had purchased a couple of sectoral funds and two or three funds from the same category. On Pruthi's advice, he cleaned up the MF portfolio by redeploying funds only in three schemes - UTI Nifty50 Index Fund Direct Plan, Parag Parikh Flexi Cap Fund Direct Plan, and Motilal Oswal Nifty150 Midcap Fund Direct Plan growth. "His monthly SIP amount was not much but was going into 10 schemes, that too of regular plans. I suggested that he invest only in 3 direct plans. This would help him accumulate 15% higher than what he would have accumulated otherwise," said Pruthi. As per Singh's financial goals, he needed a term life insurance cover of 2.5 crore, but he only had 1 crore coverage. "I applied for a fresh insurance cover of 2.5 crore, but the insurer rejected my proposal because I had undergone gallstone surgery in 2023. I will be applying again after the 6-month cool-off is over. For now I have continued 1 crore term plan," said Singh. Another value-add was about the suggestion to close his home loan with his investment corpus so that he does not have to pay EMIs and can invest more in mutual funds. Social vs financial capital Singh faced a moral dilemma. He was paying a hefty premium for two endowment insurance plans bought from a relative. Pruthi advised him to close the two policies and deploy the premium amount in mutual funds. "The policies have an internal rate of return of just about 5-6%. The premium amount, if deployed in MFs, would help him accumulate double of what the maturity proceeds of these policies are," Pruthi said. Singh, however, did not close it. "I bought the two policies from a close relative. It would be highly uncomfortable for me to tell him to close it," he said. Pruthi has earmarked the maturity amount of the two policies for his child's higher education goal. The couple is planning to have one in a year or two. Choosing the right financial advisor Singh was looking for a fixed-fee financial advisor, but many of them would charge 40-50,000 a year. "I do not earn a cushy salary like an IT professional working in metros. I could not have paid the advisory fee of more than my monthly SIP outgo. Eventually, I got to know about Pruthi who only charged 11,000 annual fee. I had my doubts due to a low fee compared to others, but it all worked out. I paid a 5,000 renewal fee. The fee will increase by 1,000 after every two years," he said. Also read: Want to become a financial advisor? Heres how Pruthi now charges 13,000 first-year annual fee with a renewal fee of 6,000 that increases by 1,000 after every 2 years. "The fee is now inclusive of GST (goods and services tax). Earlier I paid GST myself. With the low fee, we want to offer quality financial advisory to people who dont have much extra money. It is possible with technology," he said. As India celebrates over 75 years of independence, a significant challenge continues to hinder the progress of our democracy: the inability of the justice system to deliver timely justice. The numbers are staggeringover 5 crore cases are pending in courts across the country, with many taking 15-20 years to reach resolution. This delay impacts millions, including 2.5 lakh undertrials languishing in jails despite Supreme Court guidelines on bail, and taxpayers burdened by 12.5 lakh crore in unresolved disputes. The need for reform is urgent. Delays and inefficiencies erode faith in the system, allowing corrupt individuals to escape accountability while ordinary citizens struggle for justice. Addressing this crisis demands a comprehensive approach with targeted solutions and substantial investment. Also Read | Budget 2025 | Tax breaks to spur spending, boost economy? Challenges in Indias justice system Indias judiciary faces immense pressure due to a shortage of resources. With only 20 judges per million people, compared to the recommended 50 and the US's 100, the system struggles to keep up with the growing caseload. Moreover, the serious dearth of public prosecutors, forensic laboratories, and trained investigators compounds delays. Court infrastructure is inadequate, and outdated legal processes often exacerbate inefficiencies. Millions of old cases, some over 15 years old, clog the system, while routine government appeals contribute further to the backlog. Proposed reforms and investments To ensure justice is not delayed or denied, the following reforms should be prioritized in the Union Budget for 2025-26: Increase judicial capacity: Judicial capacity must be increased to gradually raise the judge-to-population ratio to 50 per million over the next decade. Allocating 10,000 crore annually for court infrastructure will enable the construction of new courtrooms, chambers for lawyers, and residences for judges. Additional judges, including retired ones, should be appointed to clear the backlog of cases efficiently. Also Read | Budget 2025-26 | Don't let electoral politics extract too high a price Streamline litigation processes: Cases pending for over 15 years, especially minor disputes, should be withdrawn to reduce the burden on courts. A comprehensive Government Litigation Policy must be adopted to limit routine appeals, accept lower court decisions, and set higher monetary thresholds for appeals. This approach will help prevent unnecessary escalation of cases. Leverage technology: Leveraging technology can revolutionize judicial processes. Developing a nationwide digital platform akin to UPI will enable efficient filing, tracking, and resolution of cases. Digitizing land records and introducing a National Land Title Guarantee Law will further reduce property-related disputes and foster transparency. Also Read | Capital markets to watch budget balance between fiscal deficit and spending Amend outdated laws: Outdated laws must be amended to ensure quicker resolutions. Laws governing cheque bounces, rent control, and other minor matters should be reformed to allow for summary judgments. Decriminalizing commercial offences will encourage business confidence and reduce rent-seeking behavior, paving the way for smoother commercial operations. Enhance tribunal functionality: Tribunals must be strengthened to function effectively. Appointing full benches and increasing the number of judges in tribunals are critical steps toward reducing delays and ensuring efficient case management. Adequate funding should be allocated to clear pending cases and enhance tribunal operations. A vision for justice Justice delayed is justice denied. By adopting these reforms and investing significantly in the judiciary, India can unlock its true potential as a just and equitable society. This transformation is essential not only for upholding the rights of citizens but also for fostering trust, reducing economic inefficiencies, and creating a robust foundation for growth. The time to act is now. The budget for 2025-26 must prioritize the justice system as a pillar of Indias development, ensuring fairness and accountability for all. TV Mohandas Pai is the chairman, 3one4 Capital. Nisha Holla is a research fellow at 3one4 Capital. The fast unto death by farmer leaders at the Khanauri border between Punjab and Haryana has been withdrawn for the time being on the assurance of discussions with Union ministers in February. The primary demand of farmer unions has been a guaranteed Minimum Support Price (MSP). The demand is not new and was also made during the year-long protest mounted by farmers during 2020-21. This issue has now become a sticking point for farmer unions and there appears to be broad agreement on the need for it among Indian political parties. While the exact details and modalities for its implementation are unclear, in principle, such a demand is not unusual, given the level of economic distress that the agricultural sector has seen in the last decade, particularly the last five years. At a time when the overall economy is going through a slowdown driven by declining or stagnant incomes, farmers are among the worst sufferers. Not only have they seen profits decline, but uncertainties, both price- and climate-related, have also increased. With declining opportunities in the urban and non-farm economy, agriculture is now the last refuge for many. The absolute number of workers in this sector has increased by almost 68 million in the last five years alone. One consequences of Indias rising number of farmers has been a decline in income per cultivator. While agricultural wages have stagnated for almost a decade, those engaged in cultivation have fared worse, with income-per- farmer from cultivation witnessing a sharp decline in the last five years. The most recent disaggregated data from the National Accounts is available for 2022-23. Using the Niti Aayog methodology, the income of farmers declined by 2.9% per year between 2017-18 and 2022-23. Compare this with a real growth of farmer incomes at 7.5% per annum between 2004-05 and 2011-12. In the last decade, from 2011-12 to 2022-23, the real income of farmers has barely grown at 1% per annum, the lowest decadal average in four. Even compared to 2016-17, when the government announced its intention of doubling farmer incomes, the real income of farmers has declined by 0.8% per annum. Clearly, farmers are now facing the worst crisis weve seen in agriculture. Their anger, therefore, can be considered justified. While price volatility and low profit realization are major issues, Indian agriculture also faces other big problems. These relate to declines in the quality of and access to natural resources, primarily land and water. Further, an imperfect credit market has restricted access to credit for a large number of small and marginal farmers, along with tenant farmers. This has aggravated the sectors troubles. Meanwhile, indebtedness among farmers has gone up. Then, there is the uncertainty created by climate change. Frequent spells of above-normal heat and unseasonal rainfall have multiplied farming risks; large public investments are required to mitigate these. However, until then, protecting farmers from agricultural-outcome uncertainty is necessary for the sustainability of farming. The idea of income and price protection for agriculture is not unique to India, but is prevalent in most countries. This is true not just of most developing countries, but also the advanced world. The EU, for example, has its Common Agricultural Policy, while the US has a protective policy too. In fact, the US uses multiple instruments to provide price support to farmers for a large variety of field crops as well as dairy and other livestock products. For example, the US Commodity Credit Corporation uses different instruments, including loans and direct purchases, to provide price stability to American farmers. Similar is the case with the EU, which uses various price stabilization measures beyond direct income support for its farmers. Guaranteed minimum support prices are unlikely to solve the multifaceted problems faced by Indian agriculture. It is also well-known that the MSP mechanism in its current form is inefficient, given its limited crop coverage as well as geographical spread. In essence, a guaranteed MSP would merely serve as a legal commitment from the government to implement its current MSP policy. Therefore, what is also required is to expand the coverage of the MSP procurement system, both in terms of crops eligible for it as well as the regions covered. Also Read: Why MSP alone does not bring farmers prosperity The forthcoming talks provide an opportunity to the government as well as farmer unions to engage in a process that leads to reforming the MSP system. Such a process should not be limited to merely providing a commitment to implement the existing MSP regime, but it must learn from international experience to go beyond that. It also needs the active participation of state governments, as agriculture is a state subject. While comprehensive reform of the MSP system is necessary, that would still be only one part of Indias overall price policy, which is riddled with problems such as ad-hoc price controls and stock limits that are imposed from time-to-time, and unfair and arbitrary international trade rules. At a time when Indias crisis in agriculture is at its worst, reforming the countrys policy on farm-output prices is crucial to revive the sector and make farming sustainable. It is equally important to strengthen the trust that farmers place in the system. The author is associate professor at Jawaharlal Nehru University and visiting fellow at the Centre de Sciences Humaines, New Delhi. Among the galaxy of tech bros" at Donald Trumps swearing-in was one particular CEO with more than a passing interest in his PresidencyShou Zi Chew, chief of the embattled video-sharing platform TikTok. Chews presence was understandable. Among the blizzard of executive orders Trump signed soon after taking office on 20 January was a vital lifeline to TikTok. The US Supreme Court had upheld a law effectively banning the app unless TikTok could sell itself to US investors before 18 January. When that did not happen, TikTok went dark for its more than 170 million users in America. As Trump took office the following day, he signed an executive order halting the ban for 75 days. Trump has said his administration will use the window to determine the appropriate course of action with respect to TikTok". That now appears to be a sale to a US entity controlled at least 50% by American investors. Trump has threatened that any attempt by China, the home of TikToks parent company ByteDance, to block such a deal will considered a hostile act and invite retaliatory tariffs ranging up to 100%. All this drama has obscured the more fundamental questions raised by the US attempt to control TikTok. US lawmakers passed a law to ban the app ostensibly because they were unsure of the kind of personal data on US users that ByteDance was collecting. They also feared that China would use such information to further its interestsin other words, a national security threat. Also read | Trump gives TikTok an illegal amnesty The Indian government advanced a similar reasoning when it banned TikTok in 2020. Indian authorities were more worried about the potential threat to national security than about personal data protection, rules for which are still in the draft stage. All the criticisms of TikTokthat it is a privacy dark hole, that it has no content moderation, that it is full of misinformation and conspiracy theories, and that it provides a powerful platform for hate groupsare all valid. However, these criticisms are equally valid for other social media apps. When Elon Musk took over Twitter, now renamed X, he ended most of its content regulation and reactivated banned right-wing handles. Meta recently decided to end third-party content moderation on Facebook. These platforms are all just as packed with misinformation, disinformation, and hate as TikTok. All the other things said to be wrong with TikToklack of regulation, opacity of its recommender algorithms that lead users down content echo chambers, and its rampant collection of sensitive private information of usersare equally true for other social media apps. The crucial difference is that X and Meta, which owns Facebook, WhatsApp and Instagram, are American companies. TikTok is not. Also read | Meta going down Twitters path wont end the same way Choosing between the Dragon and the Eagle If privacy were the US main issue with TikTok, ByteDances proposed solutionto pass the data shared with TikToks parent in China through a company jointly owned with US-based Oracle and to give US regulators a kill switchwould have worked just as well. The real issue is TikToks almost frightening power to mould public opinionwhich Meta enjoys in perhaps bigger measure in India. This also sheds light on Indias response to TikTok. Yes, China is an inimical state and, therefore, Chinese companies, which are more vulnerable to government pressure in their home country, are problematic. But to assume that when it comes to the crunch, American tech giants will place Indias interests above theirs and the US governments interests is fanciful. Why then ban Chinese apps and not the others? Also read | Indias digital personal data protection Act and its roadblocks The short answer is that India cannot. It could ban TikTok because China was unlikely to risk its more than $101 billion of exports to India over a social media app. But the Indian government has little agency over US tech giants. India also lacks the economic and military might of the US, which empowers the US to impose its will on other nations. But India has the power to make and enforce regulations that can protect its national interestsand those of its citizensto some degree. This is where Indias belated attempts to enact data privacy rules leave much to be desired. By requiring verifiable consent", regulators are simply kicking the can to the players and users. India insists on data localisation but that alone is not enough to ensure control. Without the ability to take on US tech giants with home-grown technology, Indias only options are to decide whether to live under US or Chinese technological imperialism. Also read | Were you hacked in 2024? Indias data protection rules require you to take action In 2017 Elon Musk branded Donald Trump a con man" and one of the worlds best bullshitters". Now he is known at Mar-a-Lago as Uncle Elon and is in the president-elects inner circle. This week they watched a rocket launch together. The alliance of the worlds leading politician and its richest man creates a concentration of power both want to use to explosive effect: to slash bureaucracy, detonate liberal orthodoxies and deregulate in the name of growth. Mr Trump has a mandate for such disruption. Despite Americas economic prowess, much of Main Street, Wall Street and Silicon Valley is frustrated by government profligacy and incompetence. They are right to be. The state needs an overhaul. Yet Musk-led reform risks creating a new problem for America: the emergence of a combustible, corrupt oligarchy. Weeks after helping Mr Trump win the election Mr Musk has climbed to the apex of power. The president-elect has appointed him to a new advisory body, called doge, tasked with slashing spending. Mr Musk is already in touch with foreign leaders and lobbying for cabinet appointments. It is hardly the first time a tycoon has had extraordinary influence in America. In the 19th century robber barons such as John D. Rockefeller dominated the economy. In the early 20th century, when there was no Federal Reserve, John Pierpont Morgan acted as a one-man central bank. Mr Musks firms are more global than the big 19th- and 20th-century monopolies, and smaller if measured by profits to GDP. Musk Inc is worth the equivalent of just 2% of Americas stockmarket. Its main units are Tesla, an electric-car firm; SpaceX, his satellite-communications and rocket business; X, formerly Twitter; and xAI, an artificial-intelligence startup that was valued at $50bn in a deal this week. These mostly have market shares below 30% and face real competition. The Economist reckons that 10% of Mr Musks $360bn personal fortune is derived from contracts and freebies from Uncle Sam, and 15% from the Chinese market, with the rest split between domestic and international customers. Mr Musk is also different because he is a disrupter. Rather than exploiting monopolies to raise prices, or creating a stable banking system as the foundation for finance, most of Musk Inc uses technology to slash costs in competitive markets. This disruption is central to Mr Musks messianic ideology, in which innovation conquers humanitys intractable challenges from climate change to colonising Mars. Realising these distant goals depends on a genius for constantly rethinking industrial processes. His desire for freer action helps explain his contempt for orthodoxies, including what he regards as woke conformism. From the bureaucrats who allowed the American governments space-launch market to be rigged by defence firms to the Californian box-tickers who regulate Teslas factories, he views the state as an impediment to growth. Both Mr Trump and Mr Musk want to disrupt the entire federal government. Mr Musk has said DOGE may aim to cut as much as $2trn from the $7trn annual federal budget and abolish many agencies. It is easy to ridicule such goals as naive$2trn is more than the governments entire discretionary spending. But with a budget deficit of 6% of GDP and debt of almost 100%, reform is needed. The creaking Pentagon machine is struggling to adapt to the age of drones and AI. Lobbying by incumbent firms helps explain why federal regulations have reached 90,000 pages, near an all-time high. Even if Mr Musk achieved only a fraction of his liberalisation, America could have much to gain. What, though, are the dangers? One is cronyism and graft. The president-elect is an economic nationalist and the industries Mr Musk has interests in have become strategic, thanks to rivalry with China, the militarisation of space and cross-border disinformation wars. Proximity to power could let him skew regulations and tariffs and hobble competitors in fields from cars and cryptocurrency to autonomous vehicles and AI. Since the start of September the total value of Musk Incs businesses has risen by 50% to $1.4trn, far outperforming the market and its peers, as investors bet that its boss will be able to extract exceptional rents from his friendship with the president. At the same time Mr Musk could bungle, especially when he is outside his areas of expertise. He has shown erratic judgment in foreign affairs, by micromanaging the use of the Starlink satellite service in Ukraine and comparing Taiwans status to Hawaiis. His love of the limelight and conspiracies, and of the swirl of social media, are worrying. With $50bn of his personal wealth tied up in China, which hosts half of Teslas production, he is an obvious target for manipulation. He could also fail before he even starts, because of the combustibility of the Trump-Musk combination. The next president loves hiring and firing. The tech tycoon burns through executives and relationships, too. The fusion of Silicon Valley libertarianism and techno-utopianism with the maga nationalism of Mr Trumps world is inherently volatile. Reforming government requires patience and diplomacy, neither of them Mr Musks strong suits. On another planet If Mr Musks political career proves to be brief, it could still have two lasting, pernicious effects. One would be to turn politicians away from reforming government. With his appointment, that goal has received more attention than ever. But if he mounts a half-baked programme that ends in spectacular failure, the ambition to tackle spending will be set back for years. The other effect would be to normalise collusion between politicians and tycoons. As the state expands into trade, industrial policy and technology, the incentives for state capture are growing. At the same time, Mr Trumps method involves weakening institutions and practices supposed to guard against conflicts of interest. America is a long way from behaving like an emerging market. But if oligarchic business titans habitually worked with dominant politicians, it would suffer great harm. That used to be unthinkable; no longer. For subscribers only: to see how we design each weeks cover, sign up to our weekly Cover Story newsletter. 2025, The Economist Newspaper Limited. All rights reserved. From The Economist, published under licence. The original content can be found on www.economist.com WASHINGTONThe Department of Government Efficiency was originally envisioned as a joint Elon MuskVivek Ramaswamy mission outside the federal government. Now it is all Elonand he is inside. Musks vision for DOGEalong with his relentless, 24/7 online promotion of its goalshas quickly won out in President Trumps first days in office, as Ramaswamy has decamped for his home state of Ohio to announce next week a planned bid for governor in 2026 and the DOGE operation has been installed inside the new presidents administration. Musk has been working this week from a West Wing office, according to a person familiar with the situation. Tensions and philosophical differences between the two billionaires, who first met in 2023 when Ramaswamy was still challenging Trump for the Republican presidential nomination, didnt take long to emerge. People familiar with the situation said Trumps inner circle of aides had become annoyed with Ramaswamys outspokenness on virtually any topic, a tendency that had also aggravated the Tesla and SpaceX CEO. There were always going to be tensions between two CEOs who have built successful companies," said a person familiar with DOGE. Everyone saw the writing on the wall." A frequent poster on Musks X platform, Ramaswamy also angered some Trump supporters and aides in late December when he let loose with a long message as part of a debate over H-1B visas, suggesting some U.S. technology companies hire foreign workers in part because U.S. culture has venerated mediocrity over excellence for way too long." The split was also predicated in part by DOGEs increasing attention on achieving spending cuts, which Musk has championed, and less of a focus on cutting regulations and bureaucracy, which had been helmed by Ramaswamy, according to another person familiar with the discussions. There are no hard feelings" between Musk and Ramaswamy, the person said, but as the mandate narrowed and shifted, Viveks ability to add on to that changed and it was his decision to step away." During Trumps transition, there had been internal speculation on whether DOGE would be set up within the government, potentially as a federal advisory committee, or in the form of an outside think tank or an advocacy group set up as a nonprofit. Ramaswamy had long argued that the effort needed to exist outside the government. We concluded that if this job were ever going to be done, it had to be done by outsiders and in many ways from the outside," he said in a November Wall Street Journal interview. Politicians for a long time have talked about downsizing the federal government. Doing it in the standard way wasnt going to work." But the presidents first-day executive order made clear that DOGE will function within the executive branch, renaming the United States Digital Service, which was established by the Obama administration following initial failures of the Obamacare website. The agency was charged with boosting information technology services for federal agencies. The new entity will be called the United States DOGE Service, with an administrator who will report to White House chief of staff Susie Wiles. The executive order requires individual federal agencies to create DOGE teams with a team leader, an engineer, a human-resources specialist and an attorney. It hasnt been made clear if those employees would be new or if they would be compensated. Musk initially said on X compensation is zero." DOGE, which has largely operated in secret helped by encrypted messages on Signal exchanged by staff, has quickly faced lawsuits. One filed Monday by the advocacy groups Public Citizen and State Democracy Defenders Fund as well as a labor union, the American Federation of Government Employees, argued that DOGE was failing to comply with the Federal Advisory Committee Act because its meetings have been held in secret and records havent been available to the public. One aspect of Trumps executive orderin a nod to a key Musk priorityurges agencies to implement the DOGE agenda by modernizing federal technology and software to maximize governmental efficiency and productivity." Musks effort, which will give him considerable additional insight into a government he does significant business with, is expected to be completed by July 4, 2026. One of the people said the executive order surprised a lot of people" because it brought DOGE, which was originally envisioned as an outside entity, into the executive branch. The executive order was developed only in the past two weeks, the person said. Elon was for it, Vivek was against it. I dont think it spoke to the original mission, the vision for DOGE, as articulated by Trump two months ago," the person said. One of the people familiar with DOGE said there had initially been a rough understanding" that Musk and Ramaswamy would be equal partners" in the project, although there was an acceptance that Musk would be a senior partner" because of his global stature and relationship with Trump. The thinking had been that Ramaswamy would focus on deregulation and constitutional arguments for reducing government, both topics he had spoken about for years in his writings and on the campaign trail. Musk would focus on the technology piece of the mission and the use of artificial intelligence to reduce the federal workforce. Once the decision was made that DOGE wouldnt be an outside entity, Ramaswamy knew it would conflict with his goal of running for governor in Ohio because of the disclosures and other requirements associated with being part of the federal government. Next week, Ramaswamy is expected to announce a campaign to succeed Republican Gov. Mike DeWine, who is term-limited after he completes his second term. DeWine, a more traditional Republican, bypassed Ramaswamy last week to fill the Senate seat vacated by Vice President JD Vance. He could not credibly run as an employee of the federal government," the person said. Annie Linskey and Dana Mattioli contributed to this article. Write to Ken Thomas at ken.thomas@wsj.com and John McCormick at mccormick.john@wsj.com Mondays use of the presidential pardon by former President Joe Biden and President Trump have stretched the powers bounds, legal scholars said. WASHINGTONU.S. presidents have held the right to pardon crimes since the countrys founding, and they have exercised it often with political and personal considerations in mind. But legal scholars said the powers bounds have never been so stretched as Monday, when incoming President Trump used it to relitigate the Jan. 6, 2021, riot and departing President Biden used it not for mercy but as a protective shield. Trumps final decision to issue blanket pardons and commutations to the more than 1,500 of his followers charged in connection with the Capitol attack came just days before the inauguration, people familiar with the matter said. While some people close to Trump discussed the merits of issuing pardons on a case-by-case basis depending on the severity of a defendants conduct, Trump ultimately favored quick action that could broadly apply to everyone, the people said. Trumps pardon proclamation cast Jan. 6 defendants as victims of a grave national injustice" whose absolution would begin a process of national reconciliation." Past presidents have cited reconciliation as a reason for granting mercy, including George Washington and Andrew Johnson, who in December 1868 pardoned more than 10,000 rebels including Confederate President Jefferson Davis, describing the move as a way to foster permanent peace, order and prosperity throughout the land." Mark Osler, a law professor at the University of St. Thomas in Minnesota, said Trumps pardons set a new marker because he granted mercy not to his opponents, but his most loyal supporters. There wasnt reconciliation needed between those who participated in Jan. 6 and Donald Trump," Osler said. President Biden broke boundaries of his own Monday in granting pre-emptive pardons to his siblings and their spouses, and to public figures Trump has publicly attacked, including Dr. Anthony Fauci and Gen. Mark Milley. He also pre-emptively pardoned members and staff of the House Jan. 6 committee that investigated Trumps efforts to overturn the 2020 election results, along with police officers who testified before the panel. Biden had previously caused uproar by pardoning his son Hunter Biden before he was sentenced for convictions on gun and tax charges. The pardon, like the one issued to the elder Bidens siblings, covered a more than decadelong period dating to January 2014. Biden said Monday that Trump had essentially forced his hand, requiring him take pre-emptive measures against the possibility of politically motivated reprisals, after Trumps repeated threats of retribution against perceived enemies. While familial favoritism has been a feature of pardons in the past, Bidens were different because his relatives werent facing criminal charges. His extraordinary use of pardons to put up a protective bubble around them and others risked setting a dangerous precedent and deepening public distrust in the justice system, said American University professor Jeffrey Crouch, author of The Presidential Pardon Power." It shows a lack of faith in the fairness of the criminal justice system, but even more disturbing, it makes it easier for future presidents to follow suit," Crouch said. The pardon power is one of the most unchecked authorities the Constitution grants to the president. In an 1866 decision involving a member of the Confederate Congress pardoned by President Johnson, the Supreme Court described the authority as unlimited," except in cases of impeachment. It extends to every offence known to the law, and may be exercised at any time," from before legal proceedings have begun to after a defendant has served his sentence, Justice Stephen Field wrote for a 5-4 court. A Trump supporter outside the Washington, D.C., Central Detention Facility on Monday. In 1947, President Harry Truman pardoned draft resisters from World War II; three decades later, President Jimmy Carter granted clemency to men who evaded the Vietnam War draft. President Gerald Ford pardoned his predecessor former President Richard Nixon, whose decision to resign rather than face impeachment during the Watergate scandal elevated Ford to the presidency. The move spared Nixon a potential criminal trial, but its unpopularity may have cost Ford the 1976 election that Carter won. Before this weeks escalations, the presidential pardon had generally come to be an accepted mechanism for addressing what each administration views as inequities in the justice system. President Obama, for example, granted clemency to more than nearly 2,000 people, many of whom were lower-level drug offenders, viewing the long, mandatory sentences of the 1980s and 90s as damaging excesses from the drug war, particularly in the Black community. Inmates applied through the Justice Departments pardon attorney, and the White House signed off on its recommendations. Trump during his first term avoided that typical process and made his own choices, sometimes at the urging of celebrities and family members like his daughter, Ivanka. Getting a pardon often required special access. Trump was criticized for issuing dozens of pardons to political allies and friends, but he also earned praise from some advocates for showing mercy to people serving long sentences for relatively minor, nonviolent offenses. The president this week signaled he could use his second term to deploy pardons aggressively in politically charged cases. On Tuesday, he pardoned Silk Road founder Ross Ulbricht, who was serving a life sentence on drug and money laundering charges in connection with the underground online drug bazaar. Ulbricht had become a cause celebre for libertarians and crypto enthusiasts who said he was treated unjustly. Trump had promised to pardon Ulbricht if elected; in a Tuesday social-media post, the president said he freed the prisoner in honor of Ulbrichts mother and the Libertarian Movement, which supported me so strongly." By Wednesday, all of the more than 200 Jan. 6 defendants in federal custody had been released. Under the federal Crime Victims Rights Act, the Justice Department was required to notify victims of the Capitol attack and their lawyers that the assailants were being freed. Advance notice of this release was not possible since the release was immediate and/or unexpected," one notification read. Washington, D.C. Metropolitan Police Officer Daniel Hodges, who was assaulted with a stolen police shield, said the clemency doesnt completely erase all the work thats already done, but it obviously sends the wrong message" and tells politically motivated assailants that they dont have anything to worry about in terms of accountability." Trumps clemency also ended all of the more than 300 pending prosecutions, prompting the Justice Department to ask for the cases to be dismissed. Some judges who presided over the steady stream of plea hearings and trials in the last four years offered sharp parting words as they granted prosecutors requests. In an order Wednesday, U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan in Washington said no pardon can change the tragic truth of what happened on January 6, 2021." The events of Jan. 6 show no sign of relenting as a political flashpoint. On Wednesday, Speaker Mike Johnson said Republicans were creating a new panel to continue their work exposing the false narratives peddled by the politically motivated January 6 Select Committee" that investigated the Capitol attack and Trumps efforts to overturn the 2020 election. Asked by reporters about Trumps pardons, he said it was the presidents decision and were not looking backwards." Later, when asked about Bidens clemency actions, Johnson called the pardons of family members shocking," adding: We will be looking at it." In a private meeting on Wednesday, House Democratic leaders cast the Trump pardons as the first major political error of the new administration, saying the move will be largely unpopular with the public, according to several lawmakers who attended. Meridith McGraw, Sadie Gurman and Katy Stech Ferek contributed to this article. Write to C. Ryan Barber at ryan.barber@wsj.com and Jess Bravin at Jess.Bravin@wsj.com DAVOS, SwitzerlandAllies of President Trump beamed into the World Economic Forum to chide European leaders for their handling of the war in Ukraine, with one top administration official warning that efforts to fold the country into NATO during peace talks with Russia would run into an American buzz saw." North Atlantic Treaty Organization Secretary-General Mark Rutte, seated on a white dais flanked by European leaders in a hotel ballroom, kicked off a breakfast in support of Ukraine on the sidelines of the elite gathering Thursday. He vowed that the country would eventually join the military alliance and argued that negotiations should only begin after Ukraine was in a strong enough position. If we get a bad [peace] deal, that would only mean that we will see the president of Russia high-fiving with the leaders across North Korea, Iran and China," he said, referring to nations aligned with Moscow. Making sure Russia would never invade Ukraine must be a key goal, he argued, saying: Obviously full NATO membership is then the easiest outcome." Richard Grenell, Trumps envoy for special missions, then appeared on large projector screens around a room filled with Ukrainian officials and troops. He said Americans wouldnt foot the bill for an expanded bloc while some member states dont meet defense-spending commitments of 2% of GDP. I think youre going to run into a big buzz saw in America if we have the NATO Secretary-General talking about adding Ukraine to NATO," Grenell said. The American people are the ones that are paying for the defense. You cannot ask the American people to expand the umbrella of NATO when the current members arent paying their fair shareand that includes the Dutch, who need to step up." Rutte is a former prime minister of the Netherlands. The competing comments illustrated the new reality Americas NATO allies face with Trump back in power, and previewed a diplomatic battle about how best to launch negotiations to end the nearly three-year war. The president has said he wants to bring peace to global conflicts but has pitched a more nationalist foreign policy for the U.S. I see a lot of finger-pointing between partners," Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo said at the breakfast, and thats not helpful." Most European members, particularly in the continents east, dont want talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin until he shows what they consider to be a genuine desire to end the conflict. The Trump administration believes direct discussions are the only way to put an end to the conflict. We find it pretty shocking that there are so many foreign ministers in Europe, so many American politicians at the time, who just didnt try to stop the war," Grenell said, speaking from Los Angeles. Vladimir Putin and Joe Biden have not spoken in more than three and a half years. Now we think thats outrageous. The American people think thats outrageous." Hundreds of pro-Kyiv attendees at the event applauded during remarks about continuous support for Ukraine and remained silent during any criticismsuch as Grenellsdirected at the current trans-Atlantic approach to the conflict. Sen. Joni Ernst (R., Iowa) and Rep. Mike Lawler (R., N.Y.) also joined via videoconference. I believe in America first, but not America alone. So we truly do need our partners to step up," Ernst said. We have a new era of leadership in the United States of America," she later added. The president is right to seek to engage Russia, to seek to engage China on these issues," Lawler said. There needs to be, obviously, concrete steps taken." European leaders largely echoed Rutte, with Polish President Andrzej Duda, who is close to Trump, saying he wants to make Putin beg" for negotiations. I think we have to be realistic with the ambitions of Russia," said Andrej Plenkovic, the prime minister of Croatia. We need to find an intelligent way to bring everybody to the tableand the only thing is that we have to be aware that it cannot be done in a swift manner." Jens Stoltenberg, who last year finished his 10-year stint as NATOs chief, warned that the quickest way to end the war is to lose the war. But that will not bring peace, that will bring occupation. So the challenge and the task is to end the war in a way where Ukraine prevails as a sovereign, independent nation." Ukraines military is struggling to hold the line against Russia, which boasts a larger and better resourced military. On Wednesday, Trump said on social media that he would impose tariffs and sanctions on Russia if Putin doesnt agree to peace talks. While saying he didnt want to hurt Russia, he sent a clear message: We can do it the easy wayor the hard way." Joshua Jamerson contributed to this article. Write to Alexander Ward at alex.ward@wsj.com If you do not have a current print subscription to the Lodi News-Sentinel, but want to view unlimited articles for the month, please choose this option. A judge has warned a Longford man who failed to appear in court for over a year to face public order charges, despite being served with 12 bench warrants, he will be jailed. Robbie Delaney (35) 3 Cuirt An Oir, Killashee Street, Longford pleaded guilty at Longford Circuit Court to a number of charges relating to an incident in Longford town on May 19, 2022. The Longford man, who has a string of previous theft convictions to his name, was arrested and charged with section 4 and 6 public order as well as allegedly stealing a mobile phone worth 200 from a man in the Fee Court area of town along with 50 in cash. Mr Delaney was further charged with impeding gardai John Fitzmaurice and Glenn Horan and the theft of a set of handcuffs. The defendant appeared before Judge Keenan Johnson last year on the charges. Also read: Longford residents express fear of solar farm causing harm to local biodiversity Mr Delaney was directed to engage with the probation services and received some positive comments on the efforts he had made to turn his life around. However, the defendant was supposed to attend Longford Circuit Court on December 20, 2024 and he failed to appear. Also read: Longford allocated 3.5 million for Active Travel projects across the county Garda Colm Satchwell gave evidence where he stated that there were 12 bench warrants issued for Mr Delaney in 2024 alone. The defendant had 39 previous convictions. Mr Delaney said he had been away for a short break in the Dungloe area of county Donegal when he claimed he ran into difficulties. "The reason I didn't attend court was because we were in the B&B and we were all of a sudden shipped from there over to the Arranmore Islands where I could not get off the island to get back over to the mainland and get down here to get to my court case," he added. Also read: Gardai seized an e-scooter as two teenagers were travelling on it on a main road Counsel for the defendant, Kieran Collins BL, asked Mr Delaney why there had been so many bench warrants issued for him and he replied that a person close to him had been ill and he was unable to attend. "I apologise to the guards about what happened that day," he said. " I know it won't happen again." Judge Kenneth Connolly noted that in October 2023 Delaney had been directed to engage with the probation services by Judge Johnson during his sentencing hearing. Also read: Longford based Director General of Irish Prison Service honoured with DCU Alumni Award However, the defendant failed to meet with probation officers for appointments on November 27 last, December 4, December 11 and December 21, 2024. Judge Connolly said he had made no effort to engage with probation services and he remanded him in custody until January 30, 2025. "He is getting a custodial sentence," he added. Crime By Chris Boyle Published: January 23 2025 Sebastian Patino Caceres pleaded guilty to a felony hate crime for spray-painting antisemitic phrases on private fences and in front of the East Meadow Beth-El Jewish Center in April 2024. Nassau County District Attorney Anne T. Donnelly announced that an East Meadow man pleaded guilty today to Criminal Mischief in the Fourth Degree as a Hate Crime for spray-painting antisemitic phrases on fences and in front of a local Jewish center in April 2024. Sebastian Patino Caceres, 23, pleaded guilty Thursday before Judge Robert Schwartz to Criminal Mischief in the Fourth Degree as a Hate Crime (an E felony). As part of his plea, the defendant must undergo six months of bias prevention training, 100 hours of community service, and take a guided tour of the Holocaust Memorial and Tolerance Center in Glen Cove. If he successfully completes these conditions, he will be sentenced to an A misdemeanor with three years probation. If he is unsuccessful, the felony charge will remain, and he will be sentenced to five years probation. The defendant is due back in court on March 7, 2025. Antisemitism will never be tolerated by my office or by Nassau County, said DA Donnelly. My prosecutors held this defendant responsible for his offensive actions with this plea to a felony hate crime today, but with the understanding that punitive measures alone will not stop this intolerant behavior. It is through education and awareness that we can teach defendants about the gravity of their words and actions, change minds, promote kindness and compassion, and heal communities. This defendant has been given the opportunity to learn and grow from this criminal conduct. I hope that he takes this experience and turns it into positive change for his own life and potentially for the lives of others who would think about committing these hateful acts. I applaud District Attorney Donnelly for following through on her commitment to fighting intolerance by securing a felony hate crime for this blatant display of antisemitism, said Hempstead Town Supervisor Don Clavin. The Town of Hempstead will continue to work with our partners in law enforcement to uphold and enforce our zero-tolerance policy against hatred in all forms. DA Donnelly said that, between April 14 and 15, 2024, the defendant spray-painted several antisemitic phrases on PVC fencing of the rear yards of private homes along Merrick Avenue. The phrases included Zionism is Nazism, Stop the Genocide, Free Palestine, and F-ck Israel. The defendant spray-painted one of the phrases across plastic sheeting affixed to the PVC fencing that protected a mural of Israeli citizens who were taken hostage by Hamas in October 2023. Patino Caceres also spray-painted Free Palestine across the front cement sidewalk of the East Meadow Beth-El Jewish Center at 1400 Prospect Avenue. Patino Caceres was arrested on April 16, 2024, by detectives of the Nassau County Police Departments First Squad. Weapons, ammunition, and funds seized from terrorists in the West Bank. (IDF) The Israel Defense Forces (IDF), along with the Shin Bet intelligence agency and the Israel Border Police, launched Operation Iron Wall against Hamas, Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ), the Al Aqsa Martyrs Brigades, and other armed groups in Jenin on January 21. Unlike the nearly daily counterterrorism raids commonly conducted in the West Bank, The Times of Israel reported that this operation is expected to continue for at least several days. Twenty-four hours after the operation began, the IDF said that security forces had hit more than 10 terrorists. Furthermore, the IDF conducted airstrikes against infrastructure belonging to terrorist groups and dismantled roadside improvised explosive devices (IEDs). While terrorist groups in the West Bank have not officially issued martyrdom notices for the fighters killed by the IDF, an open-source analysis by FDDs Long War Journal identified one of the deceased Palestinians as likely to be a member of PIJs branch in Jenin. For its part, the Palestinian Authority (PA) launched Operation Protect the Homeland on December 5, 2024, targeting the same terrorist organizations the IDF has been actively combatting since the onset of increased terrorist activity in the West Bank nearly four years ago. Following the operation, Brigadier General Anwar Rajab, spokesperson for the PA security services, stated on January 11 that Palestinian forces had successfully dismantled 17 car bombs and made 247 arrests. Rajab also highlighted concerns regarding the transfer of substantial funds from unidentified sources to armed groups operating in the West Bank. Unsurprisingly, the PA has echoed some of the statements the IDF has made about terrorism in the West Bankspecifically, that Iran is involved in supporting armed groups in the territory. Separately, Jenin residents have complained that members of armed organizations are exploiting mosques. While the PA achieved some success during its operation, these efforts ultimately fell short and came too late. The PA permitted terrorist organizations such as PIJ, the Al Aqsa Martyrs Brigades, and Hamas to establish deep-rooted networks in cities like Jenin and Nablus. Furthermore, a profile published by Long War Journal of more than two dozen armed groups in the West Bank demonstrates how these groups have expanded their reach into additional cities, including Tulkarm and Tubas, among others. Bolstered by support from Iran, armed factions in the West Bank became more organized and better equipped, gaining combat experience through regular confrontations with Israeli troops. Decisionmakers in Jerusalem and Ramallah understand that these armed groups are a threat to the stability of the West Bank and Israel. This security challenge has been evident for several years now. However, neither the PA nor Israel have launched a broad, long-lasting operation as a part of a sound strategy to defeat Iran-backed terrorism in the territory. The IDF has conducted several limited operations, but these efforts were not enough to significantly suppress terrorist activity. As the conflict in Gaza appears to be winding down, Israel is likely to shift its focus toward the West Bank. With each passing day, groups such as PIJ, Hamas, and other factions are emerging as increasingly significant threats. During the initial surge of terrorist activity in June 2021, the most pressing danger came from small arms fire. However, the terrorists capabilities have evolved dramatically since then. These groups have not only grown in number but have also expanded their arsenals. They are now adept at manufacturing IEDs capable of significantly damaging troop carriers and have acquired other arms from Iran. Pundits and observers of the West Bank frequently ponder the objectives of terrorist groups operating in the territory. While many assert that their primary aim is to dismantle the PA and establish a Hamas-led government in its place, this perspective often overlooks a more immediate motivation. In the short term, a significant goal for these groups is to provoke the Israeli military into deploying additional troops and heavy armor, such as tanks, in the West Bank. Such an action would serve as a powerful endorsement for the so-called resistance and its sympathizers, acting as a rallying cry for their cause. As of now, the IDF has refrained from deploying heavy armor to the West Bank; however, it maintains a significant troop presence in the territory. Should terrorist groups continue to operate at a high level, as they have in recent years, the prospect of tanks patrolling the streets of the West Bank may become a reality. Both Israel and the PA are keen to prevent such a scenario from materializing. Joe Truzman is an editor and senior research analyst at FDD's Long War Journal focused primarily on Palestinian armed groups and non-state actors in the Middle East. Footage released by the Houthis shows the group hijacking a cargo ship in the Red Sea in 2023. President Donald Trump issued an executive order directing his administration to re-designate the Houthis in Yemen as a Foreign Terrorist Organization. The move reverses a decision by the Biden administration in 2021 to de-list the Houthis and follows more than 15 months of relentless attacks on US warships, Israel, and international shipping. Trumps executive order on January 22, 2025, states the Houthis are supported by Irans Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Quds Force (IRGC-QF), which arms and trains terrorist organizations worldwide. It notes that the Houthis have launched dozens of attacks against US Navy warships and more than 300 projectiles against Israel and conducted more than 100 strikes against international shipping in the Bab al Mandeb Strait, a vital shipping lane that connects the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden. The Houthis activities threaten the security of American civilians and personnel in the Middle East, the safety of our closest regional partners, and the stability of global maritime trade, states the executive order. The designation order also requires the Secretary of State and the Administrator of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) to jointly conduct a review of the United Nations partners, nongovernmental organizations, and contractors through which USAID works in Yemen. This review will identify any entities with a relationship with USAID that have made payments to members of, or governmental entities controlled by, Ansar Allah [the Houthis] or criticized international efforts to counter Ansar Allah while failing to document Ansar Allahs abuses sufficiently. The Administrator of USAID shall take all appropriate action to terminate the projects, grants, or contracts of offending entities. 15 months of Houthi attacks on shipping Houthi attacks on international shipping and US, British, and French warships have forced a significant amount of maritime trade to forego the Suez Canal and transit the Horn of Africa, dramatically increasing shipping times and costs. Additionally, insurance rates for vessels that choose to transit the Bab al Mandeb Strait have skyrocketed. The Houthis began targeting international shipping on November 19, 2023, six weeks after Hamas launched its deadly assault on Israel from Gaza on October 7. The Houthis vowed to continue their attacks until Israel ended the fighting in Gaza, and they attacked the first US warship shortly afterward on November 27, 2023. The US and its allies responded by initiating Operation Prosperity Guardian in December 2023. Eleven nations signed onto the operation, which was defensive in nature. The Houthi attacks did not cease, and the US and the UK then initiated Operation Poseidon Archer, which periodically launched airstrikes against military assets in an effort to degrade Houthi offensive capabilities. Fewer nations signed onto Poseidon Archer, which targeted military equipment but did not strike Houthi military and political leaders. Houthi attacks still did not cease despite these operations. The Biden administration had de-listed the Houthis as a Foreign Terrorist Organization in February 2021. Secretary of State Antony Blinken argued that the de-listing was a recognition of the dire humanitarian situation in Yemen, as the designation prevented international aid organizations from providing humanitarian assistance. The Biden administration was forced to list the Houthis as a Specially Designated Terrorist Organization in February 2024 after the Houthis continued attacks but refused to re-designate the group as a Foreign Terrorist Organization, which carries a stricter enforcement regime. The Houthis and Irans Axis of Resistance The Houthis, as part of Irans Axis of Resistance along with Iranian-backed militias in Iraq and Syria, have been targeting US forces to drive America from the region and support Palestinian terror groups in Gaza. The Houthis possess ballistic and cruise missiles, as well as drones, and have used all three weapons systems against commercial vessels and US warships since Hamas launched its October 7, 2023 attack on southern Israel. The Houthis also have a decade-long history of harassing and attacking commercial ships operating in the Gulf of Aden, the Bab al Mandeb Strait, and the Red Sea. Also known as Ansar Allah, the Houthis have seized control of significant areas of northern Yemen, including the capital of Sanaa, since launching a rebellion in 2014. Irans Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) increasingly co-opted the Houthi movement since its formation in the 1990s. The IRGC has provided the Houthis with weapons, training, and financial support. Iran uses its network of militias and terrorist groups in Yemen, Iraq, Syria, and Lebanon to put pressure on Israel and the United States. The Houthis are estimated to have 100,000 fighters under arms. The groups official motto is God is great, death to the US, death to Israel, curse the Jews, and victory for Islam. Bill Roggio is a Senior Fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies and the Editor of FDD's Long War Journal. The Jimmy Butler soap opera took a new turn on Wednesday as the Miami Heat suspended their star forward for the second time this month. According to Shams Charania of ESPN, the Heat have suspended Butler for two games after he missed the teams flight to Milwaukee on Wednesday ahead of a matchup with the Bucks. Butler was reportedly planning to join the Heat in Milwaukee on a separate flight but Miami officials told him to stay put. The Heat will play the Nets on Saturday in Brooklyn. Butler has played in just three games since returning from a seven-game suspension imposed by Miami for violating team rules. The Heat are just 1-2 in those games including an ugly home loss to a rebuilding Blazers squad on Monday night. He drew a mix of cheers and boos from the Miami crowd in games played since his return. With the trade deadline just two weeks away, Miami could be moving closer to saying an official goodbye to Butler with this latest suspension. A known suitor of Butler is the Phoenix Suns and they made a move on Tuesday that could get them closer to landing Butler, picking up three future first round picks that could help them grease the wheels for a potential multi-team trade that could land Butler in Phoenix. Miami undoubtedly are not going to move on from Butler without landing some assets but its fair to wonder whether playing him at this point is helping the team amid the stalemate. Butler has requested a trade for several weeks now and has doubled down on those requests in recent meetings with Pat Riley and team owner Micky Arison. With Butler not helping the Heat much on the court at this point with unengaged performances, a point of no return with Miami could be on the horizon. The former All-Star still looks like the most impactful trade piece that could be on the move ahead of the Feb. 6 deadline. Middle Eastern food chain NAYA is continuing its expansion into Massachusetts, opening a second location in the Boston area. NAYAs Watertown restaurant will officially open at Arsenal Yards on Friday, Jan. 31, a press release states. The new NAYA will join the chains preexisting locations in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut and Pennsylvania as well as the recently opened Boston location. In celebration of the store opening, NAYA will offer $1 bowls and rolls. All proceeds from the grand opening will go toward Watertown Community Foundation , a non-profit organization that strives to promote positive change for the Watertown community. And the deal doesnt stop there. Kids can eat free all day on Saturday, Feb. 1, with the purchase of an adult meal. Free items are limited to bowls and rolls. There is also a limit of one free bowl or roll per child. NAYA was founded in 2008 and has become a popular fast-casual option for Middle Eastern cuisine. The chain was recognized as one of the countrys hottest startup fast casuals by QSR Magazine last year. NAYA lets diners build their own bowl, wrap or salad from 17 ingredients, including vermicelli rice and shawarma falafel. NAYA also offers several appetizers, dips and sweets. The address for the Watertown NAYA is 41 Bond St. A sea of blue uniforms filled a Worcester County Superior courtroom on Thursday as three inmates were arraigned after they were suspected of being involved in a fight when a corrections officer was stabbed at Souza-Baranowski Correctional Center in Lancaster in September 2024. Jose Crespo was charged with mayhem, assault with a dangerous weapon resulting in serious bodily injury and two counts of assault with a dangerous weapon. Heriberto Rivera-Negron was charged with assault and battery on a correctional facility employee, and strangulation and suffocation. Jeffrey Tapia was charged with mayhem, assault to murder, assault with a dangerous weapon resulting in serious bodily injury and two counts of assault with a dangerous weapon. Judge Karin Bell ordered the three men to be held without bail. Two of the men are already serving life sentences. Crespo is expected to appear for a pre-trial hearing on March 25, Rivera-Negron for a dangerousness hearing on Feb. 5 and Tapias dangerousness hearing was scheduled for Feb. 3. Following a brief recess, around 60 corrections officers in uniform, bundled up due to the roughly 20-degree temperatures in Worcester on Thursday, filled the courtroom. They all faced forward, stern, awaiting Crespo, Rivera-Negron and Tapia to appear before Judge Bell. Among those who were seated was Worcester County District Attorney Joseph Early Jr. When recess concluded, Crespo appeared first, bearded and dressed in a red prison jumpsuit. Through an interpreter, he pleaded not guilty on all charges. Jose Crespo, who has a life sentence and is incarcerated at Souza-Baranowski Correctional Center, appears before a Worcester Superior Court judge on Thursday, Jan. 23, 2025. Ryan Mancini/MassLive.Ryan Mancini The prosecutor said that Crespo was serving a life sentence at Souza-Baranowski when he attacked Corrections Officer Stephen Adams and stabbed him using a light fixture. On Sept. 18, 2024, at around 6:20 p.m., two officers were stabbed by the three inmates at the maximum security prison, while three others were injured, the prosecutor said. While hurt, Adams brought Crespo down to the ground as other officers helped to detain Crespo, the prosecutor said. But Tapia intervened and attacked the other officers, giving Crespo a chance to continue stabbing Adams. Rivera-Negron appeared after Bell oversaw an unrelated drug case while waiting for Rivera-Negrons defense attorney. Clad in a denim jacket but also in a red jumpsuit, and frequently looking down, Rivera-Negron pleaded not guilty to all of his charges. Charged in connection with a violent attack on corrections officer at Souza-Baranowski Correctional Center in September 2024, Heriberto Rivera-Negron appeared before a Worcester County Superior Court judge on Thursday, Jan. 23, 2025. Ryan Mancini/MassLiveRyan Mancini As the attack happened, Rivera-Negron was at the facilitys recreational deck and saw an opportunity he just could not resist, punching and kicking the corrections officers, including Adams, the prosecutor said. Tapia appeared last. He pleaded not guilty to all of his charges. When the attack happened, he was also serving a life sentence. Covered in tattoos, Jeffrey Tapia, an inmate incarcerated at Souza-Baranowski Correctional Center in Lancaster, appeared in Worcester County Superior Court on Jan. 23, 2025, in connection with a violent attack in September 2024. Ryan Mancini/MassLiveRyan Mancini The prosecutor reiterated Tapias role in the fight and added, after a pause, that Tapia extended the fight longer than it needed to be. After Early and all of the corrections officers left the courtroom, the officers then joined MCOFU president Dennis Martin outside for a press conference. All five corrections officers were hospitalized, with two officers treated for stab wounds. One officer, Adams, was stabbed 12 times in the back and suffered a punctured lung, according to the MCOFU. Adams was released from the hospital days later. He was lucky, Martin said in a prior statement. Hes fortunate that he survived this attack. Corrections officer Stephen Adams, who was stabbed 12 times during an assault at Souza-Baranowski Correctional Center in September 2024, stands with his colleagues outside the Worcester County Courthouse on Thursday, Jan. 23, 2025. Ryan Mancini/MassLiveRyan Mancini Speaking with reporters outside, Martin confirmed that two of the men hurt in the attack were in court on Thursday, including Adams. Bearded and with his left arm in a sling, Adams hugged other officers who came to support him and his colleagues, as well as see the three inmates face justice, Martin said. The union released a video of an assault on correction officers, which shocks the conscience, the union said in a statement. Suffice it to say the Executive Board of MCOFU is stunned, appalled and angry with the level of brutality of this video; but unfortunately, not surprised, the unions board previously said. A Dorchester man found inside a car that crashed into a Boston nursery was arrested after officers found a semi-automatic pistol and cocaine inside the car, Boston police said. Ronnie Qualls, 53, was charged with unlawful possession of a firearm, unlawful possession of a loaded firearm, unlawful possession of ammunition, possession of Class A drugs (crack cocaine) and possession of Class B drugs (cocaine), police said in a statement. Before 8:36 p.m. on Wednesday, when Qualls was arrested, officers on patrol on Washington Street saw a car had crashed into Ashmont Nursery, the statement read. Officers saw the damage to both the business and the car as a dislodged water pipe sprayed water everywhere. Police saw Qualls inside the car and, via radio, called for emergency services to arrive, police said. People inside the nursery at the time of the crash were not hurt. Qualls appeared incoherent as officers entered his car through the passenger door and tried to talk to him, exhibiting unusual behavior [and] attempting to divert the officers' attention while exiting the vehicle, police said. While he was hurt from the crash, he distanced himself from officers, police continued. His behavior led officers to think he could be armed. Police investigated the crash site and found a Republic Arms Patriot .45-caliber semi-automatic pistol with six rounds in the magazine and one round in the chamber, the statement read. Qualls was taken to the hospital for evaluation before officers arrested him, police said. Before he went to the hospital, four plastic bags were found in his jacket, believed to contain crack cocaine and cocaine, the statement read. A drivers license was also not found on his person. A parole hearing was held Wednesday for a Dedham man who raped and killed a chronically ill mother inside her Boston home in the early 1990s. This was Gerald Craffeys fourth time seeking parole, according to the Massachusetts Parole Board. Craffey was sentenced to life in prison with the possibility of parole in August 1996 after he pleaded guilty to charges related to the rape and murder of 33-year-old Corinne Flynn. During the parole hearing, Craffey apologized to Flynns family and expressed remorse for his actions, according to WCVB. But, Flynns daughter, who was eight when her mother was attacked, said she was doubtful that anyone so evil could be rehabilitated in such a short time. Craffey was last denied parole in 2021 after the board said that he hadnt, demonstrated a level of rehabilitative progress that would make his release compatible with the welfare of society. Then, Craffey opened up to the board about how he was sexually abused as a child, according to the board. He said he coped with the pain by using drugs. He also was charged with kidnapping in 1989 and convicted of assaulting a woman in 1992, according to the board. Craffey also said he knew Flynn by the way of her brothers, according to the board. When Flynn didnt respond to Crafferys sexual advances, he attacked her. The board suggested he seek help at the Sex Offender Treatment Program at the Massachusetts Treatment Center. They also stated that he doesnt have a lot of insight into his history of sexual violence or how he might be a risk for future assaults. Craffey was denied parole in 2010 and 2016 as well, according to the parole board. Craffey raped and murdered Corinne Flynn, 33, in her Hyde Park home in 1991, according to the Boston Globe. Craffery knocked on her door, asking the woman, who had multiple sclerosis, to use her phone. Craffey lied to Flynn, stating his car broke down. Flynn, trusting enough, agreed and let Craffey into her home. She told him to let her know when the tow truck arrived, the Globe reported. But, Craffey never called a towing company, the Globe reported. Instead, he raped Flynn before stabbing her to death several times with a knife. Craffey got away with his crime for four years, until Boston police officers used DNA evidence from the attack to link Craffey to the crime, the Globe reported. Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Campbell and 10 other state attorneys general declared state and local law enforcement cannot be commandeered for federal immigration enforcement in a joint statement on Thursday afternoon. Just two days prior, Campbell joined 16 other states in a lawsuit against President Donald Trump over his executive order to end birthright citizenship. Thursdays statement also comes after other suits were filed in Massachusetts this week against the president from the ACLU and Lawyers for Civil Rights. The statement began with an acknowledgement of the well-established and longstanding Supreme Court precedent that prevents the federal government from commandeering to enforce local laws. The attorneys general then highlighted the ruling in Printz v. the United States, which said the federal government cannot impress into its service and at no cost to itself the police officers of the 50 States, according to the statement. Despite what he may say to the contrary, the President cannot unilaterally re-write the Constitution, the statement read. The President has made troubling threats to weaponize the U.S. Department of Justices prosecutorial authority and resources to attack public servants acting in compliance with their state laws, interfering with their ability to build trust with the communities they serve and protect, it continued. Right now, these vague threats are just that: empty words on paper. But rest assured, our states will not hesitate to respond if these words become illegal actions, the attorneys general said. This most recent joint statement included the states of California, New York, Colorado, Connecticut, Hawaii, Illinois, Maryland, New Mexico, Rhode Island, and Vermont. During his inauguration speech on Monday, Trump said millions and millions of criminal aliens would be returned to their home countries. Then, on Tuesday, the Department of Homeland Security announced ICE and Customs and Border Protection agents would be able to make immigration arrests in churches and schools previously against official policies. The threat of raids and deportations has left even immigrants legally living in the country afraid for their futures. Alexandra Weber, chief advancement officer and senior vice president of the International Institute of New England, an organization that works with resettled refugees, said she has been hearing these concerns from clients since November. What people hear is, Millions and millions of people are going to be deported, Weber said. The general sense of rounding up people and cracking down on people who are here makes everybody feel afraid and is almost its own form of terror. This story included information from an article by MassLive reporter Trea Lavery. The House on Wednesday gave final approval to a bill that requires the detainment of unauthorized migrants accused of theft and violent crimes, marking the first legislation that President Donald Trump can sign as Congress, with some bipartisan support, swiftly moved in line with his plans to crackdown on illegal immigration. Read more: Worcester Public Schools will not coordinate with ICE, superintendent says Passage of the Laken Riley Act, which was named after a Georgia nursing student who was murdered last year by a Venezuelan man, shows just how sharply the political debate over immigration has shifted to the right following Trumps election victory. Immigration policy has often been one of the most entrenched issues in Congress, but a crucial faction of politically vulnerable Democrats joined with Republicans to lift the strict proposal to passage on a 263-156 vote tally. For decades, it has been almost impossible for our government to agree on solutions for the problems at our border and within our country, said Sen. Katie Britt, an Alabama Republican. She called the legislation perhaps the most significant immigration enforcement bill to be passed by Congress in nearly three decades. Still, the bill would require a massive ramp up in U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcements capabilities, but does not include any new funding. The prosecution of three Souza-Baranowski Correctional Center inmates charged in connection with a September 2024 attack comes as the corrections officers' unions president calls for stricter practices to prevent another attack. We as a union, as a community and as a state must work to ensure the safety and well-being of all our corrections officers now and in the future, Massachusetts Correctional Officers Federated Union president Dennis Martin said during a press conference outside the Worcester County Courthouse on Thursday. And today is a step in the right direction towards achieving that goal. Martin also thanked Worcester County District Attorney Joseph Early Jr.s office for prosecuting the case, and for recognizing and protecting our silent heroes. Martin and around 60 corrections officers appeared in Superior Court, standing side-by-side in solidarity as Martin said, for the arraignments of the three inmates charged in connection with the attack. This attack left five corrections officers hurt, including Stephen Adams, who was stabbed 12 times in the attack. Jose Crespo was charged with mayhem, assault with a dangerous weapon resulting in serious bodily injury and two counts of assault with a dangerous weapon. Heriberto Rivera-Negron was charged with assault and battery on a correctional facility employee, and strangulation and suffocation. Jeffrey Tapia was charged with mayhem, assault to murder, assault with a dangerous weapon resulting in serious bodily injury and two counts of assault with a dangerous weapon. All three pleaded not guilty. Judge Karin Bell ordered the three men to be held without bail. Two of the men, Crespo and Tapia, are already serving life sentences. Crespo is expected to appear for a pre-trial hearing on March 25, Rivera-Negron for a dangerousness hearing on Feb. 5 and Tapias dangerousness hearing was scheduled for Feb. 3. On Sept. 18, 2024, at around 6:20 p.m., two officers were stabbed at the maximum security prison, while three others were injured, the prosecutor said. Corrections officer Stephen Adams brought Crespo down to the ground as other officers helped to detain Crespo, the prosecutor said. But Tapia intervened and attacked the other officers, giving Crespo a chance to continue stabbing Adams. Corrections officer Stephen Adams, who was stabbed 12 times during an assault at Souza-Baranowski Correctional Center in September 2024, stands with his colleagues outside the Worcester County Courthouse on Thursday, Jan. 23, 2025. Ryan Mancini/MassLiveRyan Mancini As the attack happened, Rivera-Negron was at the facilitys recreational deck and saw an opportunity he just could not resist, punching and kicking the corrections officers, including Adams, the prosecutor said. All five corrections officers were hospitalized, with two officers treated for stab wounds. Adams was stabbed 12 times in the back and suffered a punctured lung, according to the MCOFU. Adams was released from the hospital days later. Adams and one of the other officers appeared in the courtroom on Thursday, Martin confirmed. Neither spoke. All of the officers hurt in the attack were on a long road to physical and mental recovery, Martin said. He added that it was unclear if they will all return to work. These officers put themselves in harms way each and every day inside these dangerous prison walls, Martin emphasized. He then called for new reforms for the Massachusetts prison system that would prevent attacks like this from happening again. For example, Martin said there must be more protections for officers, more lockdowns and more comprehensive searches of inmates. Well, were asking them to realize the severity of these dangerous individuals, Martin said. Lets just remember something: that these individuals [who] are incarcerated are committing crimes inside the prison. They were already charged by a jury of their peers and theyre still committing these heinous acts inside the prison walls. That is uncalled for. We have to stop that. After the press conference ended, officers moved away from the courthouse closer to Main Street. A cluster of officers embraced one man clad in a jacket and khaki pants, his left arm in a sling. The man was Adams. He smiled as officers approached, hugging him or shaking his free hand. The group then continued to walk away, rubbing their elbows in the cold weather. Crespo is expected to appear for a pre-trial hearing on March 25, Rivera-Negron for a dangerousness hearing on Feb. 5 and Tapias dangerousness hearing was scheduled for Feb. 3. The union released a video of the attack on the corrections officers, which shocks the conscience, the union said in a previous statement. With Boston and other Massachusetts cities bracing for President Donald Trumps promised mass deportations, Alberto Fierro-Garza has found himself answering questions lots of them. Based in Boston, Fierro-Garza is the New England regions consul general for Mexico. And his office provides services to Mexicans who live in Massachusetts and the five other New England states. The answer hes been giving his fellow Mexicans boils down to this: Lets keep calm, but lets get prepared, he said in a wide-ranging conversation with MassLive. And theres also plenty to prepare for. On Tuesday, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum offered a point-by-point rebuttal on Republican President Donald Trumps battery of executive orders on immigration, trade, and other issues affecting the nations southern neighbor and one of its largest trading partners. Among them, was an order declaring a national emergency at the nations southern border even though illegal crossings are near a four-year low, The New York Times reported. This already happened its not something new, Sheinbaum said, according to the Times, in a reference to Trumps 2019 declaration of a national emergency that he used to unlock federal funding to construct a border wall. Fierro-Garza said hes been following Sheinbaums directive to take a four-pronged approach to the new administration. Shes been very clear ... that right now the priority of Mexico is protecting Mexican immigrants in the U.S., he said. Theyre concerned, theyre not sure if they are affected or not, Fierro-Garza said of the Mexicans who have reached out for guidance and advice. We tell them to stay calm, he said. Dont do anything that might make officials detain them. Dont drive if youre under the influence or dont have a license. Be as good a citizen as you can, try not to generate any conflict with anyone. But for those who do run afoul of the law, the Mexican government, he said, has staffed up with hundreds of lawyers who are ready to step in to provide representation to Mexican citizens who are caught up in the White Houses enforcement actions. Fierro-Garza also said he and his colleagues in other consulates to improve the consular services they offer. That includes providing dual citizenship to the U.S.-born children of Mexican citizens who might find themselves returned to their home country. That allows the children to enter Mexican schools and take advantage of other services, he said. We have maintained alliances with [non-governmental organizations] in the region to give services," Fierro-Garza said, ticking off a list that includes the legal group Lawyers for Civil Rights and others. Most have a legal clinic and are willing to give pro bono advice to immigrants, he noted. Meanwhile, Fierro-Garza has strived to make the consulate, on Franklin Street, as open and welcoming a place as possible. Every day, I give them information to be prepared, he said. Fierro-Garza also holds weekly Facebook live events where he answers questions and hears concerns. In New England, Mexicans are seventh in Latino minority, he said. In most of the country, they are the first. In places like Chicago and Los Angeles, there are a lot more Mexicans and a lot more worry. In New England, he said, theres the same concern. And they are getting their documents ready just in case. Fierro-Garza said hes been in regular contact with Boston Mayor Michelle Wu and Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey. He praised state Attorney General Andrea J. Campbells decision to co-lead a multi-state lawsuit challenging Trumps executive order on birthright citizenship. Thats good news, he said. It means people are willing to defend the Constitution. Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey plans to close a mental health center in Cape Cod, in addition to shuttering a state-run pediatric rehabilitation hospital in Canton. Healey also intends to significantly slash the states mental health case manager workforce, and the closings and staff cuts are drawing a strong backlash from critics who predict severe consequences in health care. As Healey filed her fiscal 2026 budget Wednesday, a string of health care unions lamented the governors plan to shut down Pocasset Mental Health Center -- also known as the Cape Cod & Islands Community Mental Health Center -- that is run by the states Department of Mental Health. Asked to confirm the closure, a spokesperson for the Executive Office of Health and Human Services told State House News Service that the agency had taken these steps to improve the care and services we are able to offer. We recognize these changes have significant impacts on patients and families, and we are committed to supporting them through the transition of their care, spokesperson Olivia James said. We will also work with employees and our partners in labor to support impacted employees and ensure they are able to transition to new roles. During a Wednesday news conference announcing her $62 billion spending plan for the fiscal year that starts July 1, Healey Healey defended the decision, which comes months after the closing of two hospitals formerly owned by bankrupt Steward Health Care. I think of it as a redirecting of services, of care, you know, in one instance, and these are hard, I say any when it comes to any closure, she said. You know, I recognize thats a hard thing for those who are living in that facility. Its a hard thing for the workforce in that facility. Its a hard thing for the families whose loved ones are in these facilities. There are 56 employees at Pocasset. Beyond the center, Healeys budget calls for reducing the volume of DMH case managers from 340 to 170, HHS said. Agency staff were notified about the Pocasset action Wednesday afternoon in a commissioner message, which noted the budget includes closing our acute inpatient unit in Pocasset and reducing our case management staff. I understand that this is very difficult information to receive, but I also want to be honest about the budget realities we are facing as an agency, states the message, which was obtained by the News Service and circulated by Ann Looney, director of labor relations at the Executive Office of Health and Human Services. As the process unfolds in the weeks ahead, we will update you and your union representatives as the budget is debated, and potentially amended, before it is finalized, the message continued. Any changes would take place after the start of the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2025, and we will meet and bargain with the unions before any changes take place. Administration and Finance officials did not explicitly mention the Pocasset closure during a briefing with reporters Wednesday. But they said the closure of Pappas Rehabilitation Hospital in Canton -- which also involves shifting services to a state public health hospital in Westfield -- would save the state $31 million. Healey appeared to allude to the Pocasset facility during a press conference Wednesday afternoon when asked why shes closing the Pappas hospital despite her administrations focus on primary care and mental health. I think of it as a redirecting of services, of care, Healey said. In one place, we have a low utilization rate, only 16 beds. In another place, we have about 39 individuals housed, and a number of them -- the majority of them -- are over the age of 21, so looking at some other options, other facilities, places, where maybe it makes more sense in terms of consolidation of care or the right kind of care for those individuals. The facility closures dont require legislative approval, state health officials said. The Massachusetts Nurses Association said it is vehemently opposed to the plan to close Pocasset Mental Health Center, which the union described as a 16-bed inpatient acute mental health stabilization unit serving patients ages 19 and older. The center offers short-term treatment for patients, MNA said. PMHC is vital to addressing the greatest crisis facing our mental health system which is the lack of beds to meet the needs for patients with acute mental illness, which is resulting in thousands of patients boarding several hours to several days in our hospitals emergency departments like those at Cape Cod, Falmouth and BI Plymouth Hospitals, where they go without care and too often decompensate, and many times can become violent, the MNA said in a statement to State House News Service. PCMHC is vital to help alleviate the problem for hospitals on the Cape, where such programs are limited. The program is often full and has a waiting list for clients. SEIU Local 509 and the Massachusetts AFL-CIO also sounded the alarm about the hospital closures and the DMH case manager layoffs. Over 300 union members work between these two facilities, providing essential services to high-needs populations, Massachusetts AFL-CIO President Chrissy Lynch said. The loss of both facilities alongside critical DMH staff will have severe consequences on our overwhelmed health care system, where every day hundreds of behavioral health patients are kept boarding in Emergency Departments. This decision will leave vulnerable children, their families, and behavioral health patients in Massachusetts without proper access to care. 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Cormac Fadden, who is a native of Sraheens in Achill, has joined the five-star luxury resort located in Holywood, just seven miles from Belfast, following three years in the role of hotel manager at Castlemartyr Resort in Co Cork. Mr Fadden also worked as revenue and resident manager at The Fitzwilliam Hotel, Dublin for more than six years, and was part of the team at the Hilton DoubleTree in the city. He also worked at Fitzpatricks Hotel in New York for a period. He has both a BSc and MSc in hotel and restaurant management from Technological University Dublin as well as a diploma in digital marketing. Culloden Estate and Spa, which is part of the Hastings Hotels Group, was the first Northern Ireland hotel to be given five-star status, back in 1996. READ: CONFIRMED: Schools to close on Friday as Ireland prepares for 'destructive' Storm Eowyn Mr Fadden said it was a privilege to lead the exceptional team here Culloden Estate and Spa in Belfast. Here tradition meets modern luxury andn together we will continue to create extraordinary guest experiences, ensuring every visit is memorable to Culloden Estate while maintaining the timeless elegance that our guests have come to expect. I am passionate about hospitality, and I am determined to build on the outstanding reputation that Culloden Estate holds. My focus is to build a culture of excellence, and I look forward to shaping the future of this remarkable hotel, alongside a passionate group of professionals. James McGinn, managing director of Hastings Hotels, said: We are delighted to welcome Cormac Fadden as general manager of the Culloden Estate and Spa. With his extensive experience in luxury hospitality and a proven track record of excellence, we are confident that Cormac will continue to enhance the Cullodens reputation as Northern Irelands premier five-star retreat. His leadership and passion for guest experience align perfectly with our commitment to delivering world-class service, and we look forward to seeing him drive the hotels continued success. Mayo County Council have granted permission for 26 new houses to be built on a site in Ard Rua, (Ardroe townland), Claremorris, Co. Mayo. The council decided to grant permission for the land development on January 20 in accordance with Section 34 (3) of the Planning & Development Act 2000 which refers to the construction of a residential housing development. The 26 housing units under development will consist of 5 detached houses, 10 semi-detached and 11 terrace houses, all as per drawings submitted along with all ancillary site works and services in the area. READ MORE: ALERT: Red warning now issued for Mayo as Storm Eowyn to hit the county Mayo County Council have outlined specific conditions that must be met before, during and after the development process, these conditions are as follows; Prior to the commencement of the permitted development, the applicant or any person with an interest in the land is required to enter into an agreement with the planning authority. This request is pursuant to Section 47 of the Planning and Development Act 2000, which restricts all residential units permitted to first occupation by individual purchasers. This refers to those not being a corporate entity, and/or by those eligible for the occupation of social and/or affordable housing, including cost rental housing. This means that it must be agreed that the developed properties can only be bought by individual purchasers within the first two years in an effort to make them accessible to first-time buyers and to prioritise the availability of social and affordable housing to the public including cost rental housing. Roads, footpaths and turning areas must be designed and constructed in accordance with the Design Manual for Urban Roads and Streets, (Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport and the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government) May 2019. Any interference with or damage to the adjoining public footpath or road caused during the construction of the development will be at the expense of the developer. Junctions and intersections are required to have dished kerbs, dished footpaths and tactile paving. All footpaths will be designed in such as manner as not to allow parking in the interests of traffic and pedestrian safety and to facilitate the disabled. Public lighting to the public roads has to be provided throughout the site to the standards required by the E.S.B. and as site layout, outlining the location of public lighting shall be submitted to the E.S.B. This work is to be carried out in the interest of public safety and to enhance visibility. In the interests of public health and to ensure proper planning, before construction starts, the applicants must apply to Irish Water for full connections to the public water and wastewater infrastructure. A copy of the Connection Agreement/Contract must then be forwarded to Water Services Section, Mayo County Council and agreed in writing by Water Services Section, Mayo County Council. Any supply and connection difficulties must be addressed at pre-construction stage. The developer shall enter into water and/or wastewater connection agreement(s) with Irish water prior to commencement of development. A total of 19 people were being treated on trolleys in Mayo University Hospital this morning. Of these, four were treated in the emergency department while 15 were on trolleys in wards. The figure of 19 is half the figure that was recorded on Monday - the fourth-highest total of any hospital in the country. Earlier this week, Mayo University Hospital earlier this week asked the public to consider alternative care pathways after a surge in attendance. Castlebar-based county councillor, Harry Barrett, called for Mayo members of the HSE Forum West to walk out of the next meeting of the forum in protest against the conditions in Mayo University Hospital. Elsewhere, the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation calculated that over 10,000 patients have been treated on trolleys so far this year nationwide. INMO General Secretary, Phil Ni Sheaghdha said the country was on track to record the worst January for overcrowding since the INMO began counting trolleys in 2006 Our members tell us that the age profile and acuity of patients being admitted is noticeably higher. The situation in many hospitals is completely unworkable for our members who are currently trying to offer care in intolerable circumstances, she said. Nurses and midwives now have additional concerns about their inability to provide safe care due to overcrowded wards. Members are angry that the HSE are insisting on placing patients in totally unsuitable clinical environments contrary to the risks identified by nursing staff. We are hearing of so many incidents of vulnerable patients being placed on infection control wards, despite high risks identified by nursing staff who have been overridden by non-clinical staff, and this is simply unacceptable to clinical nurses who are obliged to advocate for patients. Dramatically reducing the number of patients being treated in inappropriate spaces must be one of the top priorities for the new Minister for Health once they have been appointed later today, Ms Ni Sheaghdha added. Radically scaling up capacity and staffing is the only credible long-term solution to ending the perennial overcrowding crisis by Laurie Sullivan @lauriesullivan, January 22, 2025 The ad-click growth rate rose 3% YoY for the third straight quarter on Google, but the cost-per-click (CPC) growth rate continued to decline after peaking in early 2024. The average CPC for Google search ads rose 7% in Q4 2024. Advertisers spent 10% more in Q4 2024 for Google search ads, compared with the year-ago quarter. Services include text, Performance Max, and standard Shopping campaigns. The year-over-year (YoY) increase declined slightly from 11% growth in the previous quarter, according to data from Tinuiti Googles core search ads is seeing slower growth, which isnt surprising, said Mark Ballard, research director at Tinuiti. They are seeing success in Performance Max. Performance Max continues to dominate Googles shopping ads, with more than 95% of retailers adopting the format by year-end 2024 that Tinuiti supports. The format now generates 67% of Google shopping ad revenue for retailers. advertisement advertisement Interestingly, nearly 30% of Performance Max spend was attributed to video and other non-shopping inventory. Video and other non-shopping search and display inventory accounted for a little under 30% of Google Performance Max spending in Q4 2024 -- up slightly from a quarter earlier. Video spend share has largely held steady at around 5% since late 2023, but other non-shopping sources, including text ads, saw a rising share of Performance Max spend during most of 2024. Despite the uptick, the amount spent by advertisers across Performance Max and standard Shopping campaigns slowed to 10%. Also of note, Ballard said Google faced less competition from Temu in Q4 2024 compared with a year earlier. Googles shopping ad-click growth rate fell to a mere 1% in Q4 2024, compared with the year ago, and down from 6% a quarter earlier. The average shopping ad CPC growth rate remained steady at 9% YoY. Like Google, Microsoft saw stronger growth on pricing rather than the volume, as the average Microsoft search ad CPC rose 11% YoY. Clicks fell 3% YoY. Microsofts search ads display across Bing, Yahoo, and DuckDuckGo, as well as other smaller sites. by Teresa Buyikian , January 22, 2025 As the new-year, new-hires spree continues in the QSR world, it has now extended to the land of coffee as well. This week Colorado coffee chain Ziggis Coffee announced it has hired Stacey Kane as its first CMO. Kane, who assumes the role on a part-time basis, will lead the growing indie chains marketing strategy and data management. With more than 100 stores open and counting, weve got some great wind in our sails and real solid momentum, said Brandon Knudsen, CEO and co-founder, Ziggis Coffee in an announcement. Were looking forward to the ideation and creativity that Stacey will bring to the table. Over her 25 year career in restaurant marketing, Kane has held such roles as vice president of marketing at California Tortilla, CMO for East Coast Wings, and senior director of marketing for hospitality group ThinkFoodGroup. She spent over a decade at MarketSmart Advertising, which produced regional marketing for Subway. advertisement advertisement The company has also tapped Tom Seeker as chief technology officer. Founded in 2004 in Longmont, Coloroado, Ziggis, which is a drive-thru based chain, just this year hit 100 units across the U.S. this year including locations in Colorado, New Hampshire, California, Texas and Maine. Per Franchising.com, Ziggis also signed its largest franchisee agreement to date for 50 new stores in the Atlanta area. The chain was also named the top drive-through coffee shop in the U.S. for 2024 by USA Today, beating out coffee house giants such as Starbucks, Tim Hortons, Aroma Joes, Dunkin, Dutch Bros. and Scooters Coffee. The company says it also has over 200 new units currently in development nationwide. by Wendy Davis @wendyndavis, January 22, 2025 The tech organization NetChoice is pressing a federal appellate court to block enforcement of a new law banning social media companies from algorithmically recommending posts to minors without their parents' consent. Minors have the First Amendment right to access personalized feeds on social media, the organization argues in papers filed this week with the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals. The Protecting Our Kids From Social Media Addiction Act (SB976), passed last year, was slated to take effect January 1. The statute is currently stayed until the end of this month. NetChoice sued last year to invalidate the measure, arguing that web publishers have First Amendment right to recommend content, and teens have a constitutional right to access content. U.S. District Court Judge Edward Davila blocked enforcement of some provisions in the law, but said NetChoice hadn't proven that the restrictions on algorithmic recommendations were unconstitutional. advertisement advertisement He noted in a 34-page opinion that the restrictions on personalized feeds don't require platforms to remove any posts. Users may still access all posts by searching through the social media platforms, Davila wrote. NetChoice subsequently filed an appeal with the 9th Circuit and petitioned Davila for a temporary injunction. Davila granted the request and enjoined enforcement of the entire law until February 1. Earlier this month, NetChoice asked the 9th Circuit to extend that injunction while the appeal is pending. Among other arguments, NetChoice says that even if the law doesn't require social platforms to remove speech, the restrictions on recommendations limit the ability to offer compilations. Davila erred by focusing only on the availability of individual pieces of content, when that content forms part of a 'larger offering' of protected expression, NetChoice wrote. NetChoice -- which counts Meta, Snap, Google and other large tech companies as members -- also argues that the Supreme Court previously struck down a California law that would have banned the sale of violent video games to minors without parental consent. Last week, California Attorney General Rob Bonta opposed NetChoice's request for an injunction, arguing that the law's restrictions pursue a compelling interest -- the physical and mental health of children and teens -- while focusing narrowly on features that cause children and teens harm. The states compelling interest is to protect the physical and mental health of minors, which includes limiting their access to addictive feeds, Bonta argued. SB976 is narrowly tailored to that interest; it places limits only in connection with such feeds without preventing minors from signing up for any site, viewing any content, searching for any specific media, or subscribing to any creators they want. Bonta added that an injunction would harm the public interest by hindering the states ability to protect the mental and physical health of minors. NetChoice counters in its new papers that social media recommendations are curated collections of protected speech," adding that curation is in itself protected by the First Amendment, NetChoice writes. The group writes that Bonta's argument severely discounts minors First Amendment rights, adding that other courts throughout the country have blocked laws that would have restricted teens' ability to access social media. by Laurie Sullivan @lauriesullivan, January 22, 2025 A total of 258,000 apps were downloaded per minute for all types of publishers in 2024 for iOS and Android operating systems -- a 1% decline versus the prior year for iOS and Google Play stores, according to a new report released by Sensor Tower. In-app purchase revenue rose 12.5% to $150 billion, and the number of apps used rose 9.2% to 26 per month for each user--a total of seven unique apps were used each day on average. Sensor Tower's Insights team compiled the download and in-app purchase (IAP) revenue estimates provided in the report using its technology. The figures cited reflect iOS App Store and Google Play download and revenue estimates for January 1, 2014 through December 31, 2024. Revenue growth included strong growth in top markets in North America and Europe, but the United States led the way with $52 billion in consumer spend. advertisement advertisement With game revenue growth lagging that from non-games, some gaming-focused markets in Asia experienced more modest growth or even slight declines YoY. Retail apps are going global. Overall, these apps have been regional with most of the biggest markets getting a large share of downloads from domestic publishers, according to a new report released by Sensor Tower. Mainland China, Japan, and India are some examples of major markets with at least 70% of downloads coming from local-based publishers. Globally, the United States leads with top apps like Amazon, and Temu, which is headquartered in the U.S., but its parent, PDD Holdings, is based in China. Top U.S. retailers like Walmart and Target lead retail media and mobile app use, and use every opportunity to connect customers with the products they search for online. Mobile-first food delivery companies like Uber Eats and DoorDash have relatively high app use compared with traditional brick-and-mortar retailers. Pet stores lean heavily on retail media, but have yet to invest as much in boosting mobile app adoption. This suggests that mobile could become an opportunity for retailers like Chewy and Petco to improve the consumer's shopping experience and boost loyalty, according to the report. Engagement trends for streaming media apps reveal a saturated market. Mobile streaming apps have seen continuous growth for in-app revenue and downloads, engagement continues to fall as users experience "digital fatigue." Macroeconomic pressure on consumer spending and competition from social apps have pushed limits as networks increasingly depend on live events like sports, as well as promotional content that centers on major events to retain users. The absence of switching costs between streaming platforms also allows users to "churn" on and off the different networks based on programming, making it difficult for new and small platforms to drive loyalty and grow subscribers. Excluding India, time spent on streaming apps was roughly the same in 2024 as it was the previous year. Time spent still declined in some of the highest-revenue markets, such as the U.S. and China. The increase in-app purchase revenue may be partially attributed to consumers becoming more comfortable paying for these services on their mobile devices, even as they divided their time spent on their TVs, phones, and other devices. Some of the biggest app subcategories last year still provide stable sources of new downloads for mobile app publishers -- including social media, with apps like Instagram and TikTok; film & television, with streaming apps like Netflix and Disney+; and General Shopping apps like Amazon and Temu, which had modest positive YoY growth globally in 2024. A few financial services subcategories also achieved positive growth, with digital wallet and P2P payment app downloads rising 10% and consumer banking app downloads up 2% YoY. Software apps saw notable declines. Antivirus & VPN apps fell 32% YoY, and file management declined 24%. Sensor Tower attributes a large portion of this decline to market corrections following years of rapid download growth, particularly in a few of the largest markets like India and Brazil. When the term legend is heard in Bollywood, one does not have to look further than Amitabh Bachchan. In a career spanning over five decades, Big B has set a benchmark that is the standard for future generations to follow. The man has entertained us on the big screen be it as a lover, fighter or simply a character. That is the beauty of how versatile he is. Every now and then, Big B reveals a little bit of himself. Just when you think you know everything about the man, he pulls out a rabbit out of the hat. A recent revelation was one more example that one does not know everything about him. Did you know he at one point wanted to be an auto-rickshaw driver? Yes, you read that right! Shemaroo I had worked in two or three films, but they didnt succeed, which left me discouraged. Before moving to Mumbai, I worked in Kolkata, earning just 400-500 rupees a month. But when I arrived in Mumbai, I was determined to make it work. I thought, if I didnt find work in films, I would drive a taxi. I even got my driving license in preparation. he revealed on his show Kaun Banega Crorepati, as per DNA. Kya aura tha, kya following thiHis presence was so powerful that when he arrived, women would take the dirt from his cars tires and apply it to their foreheads as a blessing. I was a nobody, he added while talking about Rajesh Khanna's stardom. According to a report in NDTV , Kapil Sharma recently registered a complaint with Amboli police, prior to him, Sugandha Mishra as well as Remo DSouza too got their complaints registered in the same matter. Now, Mumbai police registered an FIR in a case where Kapil Sharma, Rajpal Yadav, Remo DSouza and Sugandha Mishra have received death threats. Things dont seem to be going well for Hindi film celebs these days. While Salman Khan is already under tight security after getting death threats and firing at his house, recently Saif Ali Khan was stabbed six times inside his house by an intruder. Instagram/Rajpal Yadav Rajpal Yadav too received a threat mail last year on December 14 and he too filed a complaint on December 17 about the same. The threat letter was lying in his spam mails. Reportedly, all four of them received the same threat mail and its content read, We are monitoring your recent activities and we believe it is important that we bring to your attention a sensitive matter. This is not a publicity stunt or an attempt to harass you, we urge you to treat this message with utmost seriousness and confidentiality. The mail sender signed off as BISHNU and as per the cops, the threat emails are sent from Pakistan. Amboli police has registered complaints against an unknown person under section 351(3) of BNS. The matter is now under investigation. Earlier, actor Mushtaq Khan and stand-up comedian Sunil Pal were kidnapped by a gang in UP under the pretext of inviting them to attend an event. Logistics UK stresses that a closer trading relationship with the EU is key to reset the UKs economic prospects Logistics UK, the only trade association representing British logistics, is urging government to prioritise 'workable solutions' for frictionless trade that business needs to drive growth. The group has stressed that immediate changes should be made to border processes to ease the movement of goods across the UKs borders with Europe, the UKs largest and closest trading partner. According to the business group, the cumulative impact of changes to trade and border policies following the UKs departure from the EU is adding significant cost and inefficiency to the sector. The comments are in response to the Department of Business and Trades (DBT) call for stakeholder input into the forthcoming Trade Strategy. The new strategy needs the government to take a consistent approach, to give the logistics sector the reassurances and clear, timely communication that will allow the nation to trade smoothly. In its submission to DBT, Logistics UK also stresses that a closer, easier trading relationship with the EU is key to reset the UKs economic prospects and achieve future success for business and the economy. In the opinion of the groups members, the new Trade Strategy needs a clear and practical focus on removing the barriers to exports and reengaging UK businesses who have removed themselves from the export market in recent years because of cost or complexity. Logistics UK Policy Manager Josh Fenton says, The past decade has brought enormous challenges for many businesses, particularly in the logistics sector. "The current lack of stability has damaged business confidence which, ultimately, has affected domestic and international investment and trading relationships with our EU neighbours. "Many businesses that previously were trading internationally are now solely focusing on the domestic market, reducing opportunity for the UK to benefit from strong, profitable business opportunities. "The Trade Strategy can reset the UKs trading position, creating the environment to smooth trade and drive growth across the economy. Logistics UK is also repeating its call for the government to appoint a dedicated Minister for Logistics and Supply Chain with cross departmental responsibility. Fenton continues, Logistics is a foundational economic sector, underpinning practically every industry or service in the country and contributing 185 billion to the economy each year. Nothing in the economy moves without the work of our sector. "A dedicated minister would streamline interaction with government, enabling our members to increase the already significant economic contribution they make and drive growth across the UK economy. Fenton concludes, The new Trade Strategy must allow the government to rebuild the confidence and credibility throughout the logistics sector that it can deliver the solutions our industry needs to thrive and drive growth throughout the UK. "Our members stand ready to work with government to make a reset relationship with the EU an effective reality, for the benefit of all sections of the economy. Daniel Siemenss excellent new history of the Sturmabteilungen the SA; better known as the Nazi Partys Stormtroopers or Brownshirts includes a lot of violence. It begins with the horrific murder of an innocent Polish down-and-out in German Upper Silesia in August 1932. Accused of being a Communist, he was savagely beaten to death by local SA thugs. His murderers were arrested, charged, and found guilty in court. But under pressure from the Nazi Party, their death sentences were transmuted to life imprisonment. When the Nazis came to power in 1933, the murderers were released and greeted by cheering crowds. Most histories of the SA end in July 1934, when its leader Ernst Rohm and other prominent members were killed in the so-called Night of the Long Knives. But Siemens argues that this was not the end of the SA, that their influence lived on not just in the ideology but in the culture and psychology of the Nazi Party. It is a convincing thesis, supported with immense scholarship and research in national, regional, and local archives, providing a rich and detailed history. SELF-DEFENCE FORCE Siemens begins in the early 1920s, when 400,000 returning soldiers joined paramilitary groups across Germany. Amid this turmoil, the tiny German Workers Party in Bavaria reformed as the National Socialist German Workers Party (NSDAP) and the SA became its self-defence force. From the start, it took an aggressive stance towards its enemies, attacking political opponents and beating up Jews. It was known as the battering ram of the Nazi Party. But equally important was its role educating the Partys youth. Hitlers beer-hall speeches at weekly SA meetings in Munich helped to unify and inspire the stormtroopers in the infancy of their movement. Hitlers failed putsch of November 1923 resulted in 16 dead who later became the holy sacrifice, leaving an enduring myth about the SA November martyrs. But it was not until 1926 that the SA was revived as a national force, under its then leader Franz Pfeffer von Salomon, a former army officer. Under Pfeffer, the SA controlled the SS and the Hitler Youth. Pfeffer organised the SA as a peoples militia along strict military lines. Mainly concerned with spreading Nazi propaganda rather than confronting its rivals, it remained a relatively small operation. In 1930, the Nazi Party won 18% of votes in the Reichstag, and in 1931 Ernst Rohm became Chief of Staff of the SA. During that year, 8,248 people were injured or killed as a result of political violence. In the next 18 months, the SA grew in numbers from 77,000 to 445,000. Many seem to have been attracted not so much by fascist ideology as by the opportunity to participate in an aggressive male cult, with ritualistic bouts of drinking, physical exercise, bonding, and shows of public camaraderie. All of this amounted to a form of empowerment for those who felt dispossessed by society. HITLER IN POWER After Hitler became Chancellor in 1933, the Nazis interned 80,000 of their enemies, and the SA took over the prisons and the new concentration camps. Thousands of SA men became auxiliary policemen, beginning a reign of brutality and sadism in many German cities. By 1934, the SA had grown to three million members. But when Hitler heard rumours of an attempted coup by Rohm, he acted swiftly, ordering Rohms assassination along with about 100 other SA leaders. These political murders failed to provoke a backlash. Instead, they completed Hitlers consolidation of power. In future, there would be only one, all-powerful Fuhrer. Viktor Lutze became the new Chief of Staff of a purified SA. The days of brawling in the streets were over. Their role became one of educating German youth in Nazi ideology and preparing them to serve in the Army. Siemens shows how the SA continued to play an important part in the militarisation of German society in the late 1930s. They performed paramilitary tasks in Austria after its annexation, and in Czechoslovakia after the Sudetenland occupation. At least a million SA members went into the Wehrmacht and pursued the Nazi idea of the political soldier. They would continue their battle with Bolshevism in the vast plains of Russia, forming extermination squads that roamed the countryside. SA generals and officials played their part in the Holocaust, rounding up Jews in Slovakia, Croatia, Bulgaria, and Romania. Many governments paid the Reich up to 100 Marks for each Jew deported. Hundreds of thousands were sent to camps and killed en masse. The SA also provided guards at the death camps. After Hungarys occupation in 1944, nearly half a million Hungarian Jews were sent to Auschwitz, where even the industrial-scale apparatus of killing at the camp struggled to cope with the huge numbers arriving daily. POST-WAR Siemens, very interestingly, also looks at post -war accounts that tended to downplay the role of the SA. They were presented as hangers-on and not as principal drivers of the Nazi movement. Unlike the SS, they were not declared a criminal organisation at the Nuremberg War Trials. As a consequence, ex-members went on to become responsible and highly regarded citizens, many serving as councillors or mayors across West Germany. In East Germany, some SA men were prosecuted if they had attacked Communists during the Nazi era, but were pardoned if they agreed to spy for the Stasi. Siemens describes how, in the early 1920s, many stood up to the SA thugs. Photographs show passers-by ignoring Brownshirts parading in the streets. By the 1930s, however, the SA was rarely challenged. As Europe today witnesses the rise of many small right-wing parties, Siemenss book demonstrates how powerful movements can start as tiny, minority groups that most people find easy to ignore. It is a timely reminder. Taylor Downing The first Black woman to join the U.S. Army Nurse Corps after the military was desegregated in the 1940s has died. She was 104. Nancy Leftenant-Colon, who retired as a major and died earlier this month at a New York nursing home, was remembered by relatives and friends for quietly breaking down racial barriers during her long military career. Known as Lefty," she was one of six siblings who served in the military, including a brother who was a famed Tuskegee Airmen pilot. He was killed in a mid-air collision over Austria in 1945, according to a biography of Leftenant-Colon on the Tuskegee Airmen Inc. website. His remains have never been found. She was just an awesome person, her nephew Chris Leftenant told The Associated Press. She never created waves when she was doing all this first this, first that. She never made a big thing of it. It was just happening. After the military was desegregated in 1948, Leftenant-Colon initially joined the all-Black 332nd Fighter Group, as a nurse. She then joined the U.S. Air Force after the 332nd Fighter Group was disbanded, supporting the Korean and Vietnam wars. She set up hospital wards in Japan, helped evacuate French Legionnaires from Vietnam and was on the the first medical evacuation flight into Dien Bien Phu, where more than 70 years ago the French colonial army was defeated by Vietnamese troops. She retired as a chief nurse in 1965, according to the Tuskegee Airmen Inc. website. From there, she served as a school nurse at Amityville Memorial High School in New York from 1971 to 1984, known, according to a school district release, for her line The sky is the limit. The library media center has been named in her honor. She also was the first woman elected to the presidency of the Tuskegee Airmen Inc., serving from 1989 to 1991. She led the way, and she kept all the doors open doors behind," Chris Lefenant said. She was just the first one. But then she made it whenever and wherever possible for someone else to follow behind. Suffolk County Legislator Jason Richberg, who presented Leftenant-Colon with a proclamation in 2022, recalled her as a firecracker." It was a truly an honor to sit with her, he said. She was unapologetically her, which was awesome. She was authentic. She was humble. She was direct in her wants and needs. She always told great stories of her time her family. Like Chris Lefenant, Richberg said he remembered that she wasn't one to highlight her significant accomplishments. She was humble about her history. She said I was doing my part. As much a hero she is to her family, she wanted everyone to know you can do more, he said. Leftenant-Colon was born in Goose Creek, South Carolina, in 1920. One of 12 children, she was the granddaughter of a freed slave. Her family left the South for Amityville, New York, in 1923 and that is where she died Jan. 8. The commander of the Air Force's 613th Air Operations Center in Hawaii, who advocated for more women in such roles, was removed from her position, the service announced this week. Col. Julie Sposito-Salceies was relieved from the Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam unit by Gen. Kevin Schneider, commander of Pacific Air Forces, "due to loss of confidence in her ability to command the organization," according to a Wednesday news release. "Commanders are held to the highest standards because the airmen, and the incredibly consequential missions they plan and execute, demand it," Schneider said. Read Next: Air Force Groups that Advocated for Beard Policies, Better Body Armor Are Gutted by Trump Directive Pacific Air Forces, in response to Military.com questions, clarified that Sposito-Salceies is still serving in the Air Force with new duties at Pacific Air Forces headquarters and is not being investigated for misconduct or potential violations of the Uniform Code of Military Justice. In an emailed statement following publication of this story, Pacific Air Forces said that Sposito-Salceies was officially relieved from command on Jan. 16. The Public Affairs team also clarified that, while there is no ongoing investigation, a previous investigation substantiated a UCMJ violation and added that "all actions were taken in accordance with procedure." No one at the Pentagon ordered the colonel's removal, Pacific Air Forces Public Affairs said in an unsigned email response. Military officials rarely give the cause behind an officer's removal from command, and often rely on the phrase "loss of confidence" or "loss of trust." Typically, the service branches cite the Federal Privacy Act as a reason for not disclosing specifics. Notably, Sposito-Salceies' firing was announced just days after President Donald Trump's inauguration. During his campaign, he promised to eliminate progressive programs from the military and remove officers who supported them from leadership roles. Shortly after Trump took office, Coast Guard Commandant Adm. Linda Fagan, the first uniformed woman to lead any military branch, was removed from the service's top position. On Thursday, Military.com reported that the Department of the Air Force's Barrier Analysis Working Groups -- which looked to improve quality-of-life issues for women, minorities and LGBTQ+ troops -- were eliminated as part of Trump's push to remove programs that support diversity. The 613th Air Operations Center "provides command and control of air and space operations across the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command area of responsibility," Pacific Air Forces said in the news release. Sposito-Salceies became commander of the 613th Air Operations Center in June, according to her service biography. Prior to that, she served as the commander of the 609th Air Operations Center out of Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar. She was the first woman to hold the leadership position at the 609th Air Operations Center, an Air Force news release from 2023 said. That same news release reported that "Sposito-Salceies advocates for having more women in leadership roles." She also taught at the Army War College, according to the 2023 news release, where she was a part of the Women, Peace and Security Program for her department. "I taught how conflict impacts gender and how, if we looked at plans through this additional lens, we could create more effective plans from combat to humanitarian assistance," Sposito-Salceies said in the 2023 news release. She commissioned into the service in 2000 after graduating from Pennsylvania State University. Sposito-Salceies did not return a request for comment by email, text message and phone call. Editor's note: This story has been updated with comment provided after publication from Pacific Air Forces. Related: Trailblazing Coast Guard Commandant Fired by Trump Administration CAIRO Israeli troops have pulled back to the edges of Gaza, the first hostages have been released and many Palestinians have returned to what remains of their homes in the first few days of the Israel-Hamas ceasefire deal. If it goes according to plan, there will be no fighting in Gaza for at least six weeks, and dozens of Israeli hostages and hundreds of Palestinian prisoners will be freed, while more aid flows in. The question is if the ceasefire will survive beyond the first phase and an appendix to the deal provided to The Associated Press reveals some of the tensions in it. Extending the ceasefire depends on even more negotiations meant to begin soon and eventually tackling the tough issue of how Gaza will be governed, with Israel still demanding the elimination of Hamas. Hanging over those talks is the possibility Israel could resume its campaign to destroy the militant group even as dozens of hostages remain in its hands. Here is a look at the plan and the major challenges ahead. Israeli troops pull back and Palestinians return home As part of Phase 1, Israeli troops have pulled back into a buffer zone along Gazas borders with Israel. According to the appendix, which AP has verified, the buffer is 700 meters (about 0.4 mi) wide in most areas. That has allowed displaced Palestinians to begin to return to their homes, many of which were destroyed or heavily damaged by Israels campaign. But their return has been a complicated point in the negotiations. Israel long demanded it keep control over Palestinians movement to ensure Hamas does not move weapons back to northern Gaza close to Israeli communities. Throughout the war, the Israeli military had barred Palestinians from returning to the north by severing Gaza along the Netzarim corridor, a belt that runs east to west across the strip where troops cleared out the Palestinian population and set up bases. According to the appendix, Israel will start on Saturday allowing displaced Palestinians to return to the north without searches, but only on foot via the main north-south coastal road. In the coming weeks, it is supposed to open another route to foot traffic, without inspection. A private company the details of which are yet to be formally announced will search Palestinians returning in vehicles to prevent military hardware from reaching the north, according to the appendix. The document says this will also start from Saturday, but it is still unclear how it will work. The appendix was confirmed by multiple officials involved in the negotiations, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to comment publicly. Swapping hostages for imprisoned Palestinians During the first phase, Hamas is set to free 33 hostages in exchange for hundreds of Palestinians imprisoned by Israel. The first exchange took place Sunday with the release of three Israeli hostages and 90 Palestinian prisoners. By the end of the 42 days, all living women, children and older people held by the militants should be freed. Currently, some 94 hostages remain captive inside Gaza, a mix of civilians and soldiers and foreigners. The military believes at least a third them are dead. The next exchange is set for Saturday. After that, if the deal does not collapse, there will be weekly releases. The 33 will include women, children, sick people and those over 50 almost all civilians, but the deal also commits Hamas to freeing all living female soldiers in Phase 1. Hamas will release living hostages first, but could release some bodies if they don't have enough living hostages in this category. In exchange, Israel will free 30 Palestinian women, children or older people for each living civilian hostage freed. The deal says those released will include more than 110 Palestinians serving life sentences. For each female soldier freed, Israel will release 50 Palestinian prisoners, including 30 serving life sentences. Many of the prisoners who will be released were convicted in deadly attacks. A number of Palestinian prisoners will be sent abroad or to Gaza, according to the deal, but it unclear who this will apply to and which country will accept them. According to the appendix, Israel will also release 1,000 people detained from Gaza since the war began, as long as they are not accused of involvement in Hamas' Oct. 7, 2023, attack that triggered the conflict. Dozens of male hostages, including soldiers, will remain captive in Gaza, pending the second phase. The Philadelphi corridor At the end of the first phase, Israel has also pledged to begin reducing its forces in the Philadelphi corridor, a strategic strip of territory along Gazas border with Egypt and, according to the appendix, they will completely withdraw by Day 50. Israel's demand to maintain a long-term presence in the corridor while Hamas demanded a full withdrawal was one of the knottiest issues in the ceasefire negotiations. At the same time, the document states that the Rafah Crossing into Egypt will be reopened to allow wounded and sick Palestinians including a few dozen wounded fighters, whose exit would have to be approved by Israel and Egypt to be evacuated for treatment, but only when all the female hostages have been released, including female soldiers. An Israeli official told the AP that Israeli troops will not be drawn down in Gaza during the initial 42 days, only redistributed. The official, who spoke on condition anonymity to discuss close-door talks, also said that if it does reach a deal with Hamas on Phase 2 that meets Israels war aims, which include the full dismantling of the militant group, Israel will stay in the corridor. Humanitarian aid In the first phase, aid to Gaza is ramping up to hundreds of trucks a day of food, medicine, building supplies and fuel to alleviate the humanitarian crisis. This already has begun. The need is great. Malnutrition and diseases are rampant among Palestinians, while hospitals have been damaged and are short of supplies. Implementation, however, could bring problems. Even before the war, Israel restricted the entry of some equipment, arguing it could be used for military purposes by Hamas. Further complicating matters, Israels government is still committed to its plan to ban UNRWA the U.N. agency that is the main distributor of aid in Gaza from operating and to cut all ties between the agency and the Israeli government. Beyond Phase 1 Phase 2's broad outlines are laid out in the deal: All remaining hostages are to be released in return for a complete Israeli withdrawal from Gaza and a sustainable calm. But that seemingly basic exchange opens up much bigger issues. Israel has said it won't agree to a complete withdrawal until Hamas military and political capabilities are eliminated. Hamas says it will not hand over the last hostages until Israel removes all troops from Gaza. So both sides will have to agree to a plan for governing Gaza. Hamas has said it would be willing to step aside, but it may still seek a hand in any future government, which Israel has vehemently rejected. And it is unlikely to give up its weapons. Israel has also rejected the alternative of having the Palestinian Authority govern Gaza. If all sides reach the third phase, it is likely to be less contentious: The bodies of remaining hostages would be returned in exchange for a three- to five-year reconstruction plan in Gaza, but who will pay for it also remains unclear. ___ Sewell reported from Beirut. Associated Press writer Tia Goldenberg in Jerusalem contributed. 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. The icebreaker Aiviq is a gas guzzler with a troubled history. The ship was built to operate in the Arctic, but it has a type of propulsion system susceptible to failure in ice. Its waste and discharge systems weren't designed to meet polar code, its helicopter pad is in the wrong place to launch rescue operations and its rear deck is easily swamped by big waves. On its maiden voyage to Alaska in 2012, the 360-foot vessel lost control of the Shell Oil drill rig it was towing, and Coast Guard helicopter crews braved a storm to pluck 18 men off the wildly lurching deck of the rig before it crashed into a rocky beach. An eventual Coast Guard investigation faulted bad decision-making by people in charge but also flagged problems with the Aiviq's design. But for all this, the same Coast Guard bought the Aiviq for $125 million late last year. The United States urgently needs new icebreakers in an era when climate change is bringing increased traffic to the Arctic, including military patrols near U.S. waters by Russia and China. That the first of the revamped U.S. fleet is a secondhand vessel a top Coast Guard admiral once said "may, at best, marginally meet our requirements" is a sign of how long the country has tried and failed to build new ones. It's also a sign of how much sway political donors can have over Congress. Edison Chouest, the Louisiana company that built the icebreaker, has contributed more than $7 million to state and national parties, to political action committees and super PACS, and to members of key House and Senate committees since 2012. Chouest spent most of that period looking to unload the vessel after Shell, its intended user, walked away. Members who received money from Chouest pressured the Coast Guard to rent or buy the Aiviq from the company. One U.S. representative from Alaska, where the ship will be stationed, told an admiral in a 2016 hearing that his service's objections were "bull****." And there would be even tougher pressures to come. It's now been a dozen years since the Aiviq set out on its first mission to Alaska, long enough for its troubles to fade from public memory. The ship, though owned and operated by Chouest, was part of Shell's Arctic fleet, designed for a specific role: as a tugboat that could tow Shell's 250-foot-tall polar drill rig, the Kulluk, around the coast of Alaska and help anchor it in the waters of the Far North. At its christening ceremony in Louisiana, attended by Shell executives, U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and U.S. Rep. Steve Scalise of Louisiana, it was named after the Inupiaq word for walrus. As a journalist, I'd been following the oil company's multibillion-dollar play in the warming Arctic with interest. One June morning in 2012, I got word that Shell was on the move near my Seattle home, so I sped to a narrow point in Puget Sound with a good view of passing traffic. It was sunny, the water calm. The Aiviq bobbed past with Kulluk in tow. The icebreaker's paint blue at the time was fresh, its hull shiny. It looked capable. The problems began once the Aiviq was out of view. A Coast Guard report said that while the ship towed the Kulluk northward through an Arctic storm, waves crashed over its rear deck and poured into interior spaces, which investigators determined may have caused it to list up to 20 degrees to one side. The water damaged cranes, heaters and firefighting equipment, and the vents to the fuel system were submerged. On its way back from Alaska's Beaufort Sea two months later, the Aiviq suffered an electrical blackout, and one of its engines failed, necessitating a repair in Dutch Harbor in Alaska's Aleutian Islands. Then the Aiviq and Kulluk set out on a wintertime voyage back to Seattle. The National Weather Service issued a gale warning predicting 15-foot seas and 40-knot winds. The sailors aboard the Aiviq and Kulluk exchanged worried messages. The cable with which the Aiviq was towing the Kulluk came free two days later when a shackle broke. The icebreaker's captain made a U-turn in heavy swells to hook up an emergency tow line, and water again poured over its deck and into the fuel vents. The Aiviq's four diesel engines soon began to fail, one after another. Although a Chouest engineer later testified that an unknown fuel additive must have caused the failures, Coast Guard investigators believe the likely cause was "fuel contamination by seawater." They said the fuel system's design, which they described as substandard, made contamination more likely. The Aiviq and Kulluk were reattached but now, and for the next two days, adrift. Storms pushed them ever closer toward land. The tow supply vessel Aiviq travels just under 2 mph with Royal Dutch Shell's conical drilling unit Kulluk in tow 116 miles southwest of Kodiak City, Alaska, Dec. 30, 2012. (U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 2nd Class Chris Usher/Released) By the time the engines were repaired, it was too late. The Kulluk ran aground at an uninhabited island off Kodiak, Alaska, on New Year's Eve. Shell's Arctic dreams began to unravel. The oil company sold its drill rig off for scrap. (It did not respond to a request for comment.) And the Aiviq? A month after the accident, I visited Kodiak to report on what went wrong. I saw it anchored in the safety of a protected bay, an expensive, purpose-built ship now stripped of its purpose. Shell formally abandoned its Arctic efforts in 2015, after failing to find oil. The Aiviq eventually steamed back south. Chouest began looking around for someone to take the troubled icebreaker off its hands. The Coast Guard, which had criticized the ship's role in the Kulluk accident, now became a potential customer. Traffic in the warming Arctic has surged as countries eye the region's natural resources, and it will grow all the more if the storied Northwest Passage melts enough to become a viable route for freight in the decades ahead. The number of ships in the High North increased by 37% from 2013 to 2023. It's the U.S. Coast Guard's job to patrol these waters as part of an agreement with the Navy, projecting military strength while monitoring maritime traffic, enforcing fishing laws and rescuing vessels in distress. Although surface ice in the Arctic Ocean is shrinking on average, it can still form and move about the ocean unpredictably. A Coast Guard vessel needs to be able to cut through it to be a reliable presence. But the U.S. icebreaker fleet is deteriorating. The Coast Guard began raising alarms about the problem decades ago, starting with a study published in 1984. Russia, with its extensive northern coastline, now has over 40 large icebreakers, and more under construction. The United States has barely been able to keep two or three in service. Nuclear-powered icebreaker Yakutia, fourth of five icebreakers of Project 22220, is launched at the Baltiysky Shipyard in St. Petersburg, Russia, Tuesday, Nov. 22, 2022. (AP Photo/Dmitri Lovetsky) An urgent Coast Guard report to Congress in 2010 highlighted what has become known as the "icebreaker gap": If we didn't quickly start building new ships, our existing icebreakers could go out of commission before replacements were ready. The study called for at least six new icebreakers. Subsequent Coast Guard analysis has called for eight or nine. To date, the United States has built zero. Congress dragged its feet for years on funding icebreaker construction. But the Coast Guard also slowed progress with overly optimistic timelines, fuzzy cost estimates and a tendency to keep fiddling with new designs, according to a 2023 Government Accountability Office report. More than a decade in, construction on the first of the new ships has finally just begun. The latest estimated cost is $1 billion per icebreaker. Icebreakers have "been the penultimate studied-to-death subject for 40 years," said Lawson Brigham, a former Coast Guard heavy icebreaker commander who has a doctorate from Cambridge University and has researched polar shipping since the 1980s. The longer the Coast Guard failed to build the ships it did want, the more pressure it faced to settle for one it didn't. Chouest seized the opportunity. The company invited Coast Guard officers to tour the Aiviq as early as 2016 and soon sent over a lease proposal. Canada rejected similar overtures that year. A middleman for Chouest promised Canadian lawmakers a "fast-track polar icebreaker" the Aiviq "at less than one-third of the price of the permanent replacement." Also on offer were three smaller, Norwegian-built icebreakers. Canada bought those instead. The U.S. Coast Guard's problem with the Aiviq, retired officers told ProPublica, was the ship's design. Originally built for oil operations, it had a low, wet deck and a helipad near its bow, where it would be ill suited for launching rescue operations. Its direct-drive propulsion system was both less efficient and more likely to get jammed up in ice than the diesel-electric systems the Coast Guard used. "I mean, on paper it's an icebreaker," Adm. Paul Zukunft, the then-commandant of the Coast Guard, told Congress in 2017. "But it hasn't demonstrated an ability to break ice." (Years later, in 2022 and 2023, the Aiviq would make two successful icebreaking trips to Antarctica under contract with the Australian government.) The service estimated it would take years and hundreds of millions of dollars to upgrade the Aiviq's features to near-standard for a Coast Guard icebreaker. Even then, it wouldn't be able to move forward through ice thicker than about 4.5 feet. The Coast Guard's most immediate need was for heavy icebreakers, burlier ships that can handle missions in the Arctic as well as supply runs to the U.S. research station at McMurdo Sound, Antarctica. So how would the U.S. Coast Guard use the Aiviq beyond flag-waving and general presence in the near Arctic? According to Brigham, the former icebreaker captain and polar-shipping expert, "No one that I know, no study that I've seen, no one I've talked to really knows." But it wasn't for the Coast Guard alone to turn down Chouest's bargain offer. Members of Congress had their own ideas. The late U.S. Rep. Don Young represented Alaska, a state thousands of miles from Chouest's home base in Louisiana. But as of 2016, when Chouest was looking to sell the Aiviq, Young had taken in hundreds of thousands of dollars in political contributions from the company so many donations in one year that he had once faced a congressional ethics investigation concerning Chouest money. (He was cleared.) Young became the most vocal of many congressional critics to publicly dress down the Coast Guard for resisting Chouest's offering of the Aiviq. At a House hearing that July, he began grilling the Coast Guard's second-in-command, Adm. Charles Michel, about a "privately owned ship" with a "tremendous capability of icebreaking power." "I know you have the proposal on your desk," he scolded Michel. "It is an automatic no.' Why?" "Sir," the admiral said, "that vessel is not suitable for military service without substantial refit." Michel's response sparked derision from Young. "That is what I call," Young muttered, "a bull**** answer." Michel, now retired, declined to comment on his exchange with Young. According to the representative's former chief of staff Alex Ortiz, Young's frustration stemmed from the fact that the Coast Guard lacked the money to build an icebreaker from scratch but showed "an unwillingness to accept the realities of that." Young and many other lawmakers also supported getting new icebreakers, but perfect had become the enemy of the good the Aiviq had to offer right away. "I genuinely don't think that he was advocating for leasing the vessel just because of Chouest's support," Ortiz said. Chouest, Young's benefactor, is based in Cut Off, Louisiana. It's led by its founder's billionaire son and has long provided ships for the oil and gas industry. At the time of the 2016 hearing, Chouest was relatively new to Coast Guard contracts. One of the company's affiliates would later take over the contract to build new heavy icebreakers, in 2022, making Chouest the supplier of both a ship the Coast Guard desired and the one it resisted. Chouest did not respond to questions for this article. More than 95% of Chouest's $7 million in political contributions since 2012 has gone to Republicans, according to OpenSecrets, a nonprofit that tracks money from family members, employees and corporate affiliates. But when it comes to lawmakers who oversee the Coast Guard, Democrats also have been major recipients. The late Rep. Elijah Cummings of Maryland, head of the House Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation for five years, received $94,700 in the decade before his 2019 death. Rep. John Garamendi of California, a longtime committee member, started taking Chouest donations in 2021 and has since received a total of $40,500. (Garamendi's office acknowledged the recent donations but issued a statement saying he has for many years "pushed the Coast Guard to build icebreakers expeditiously, particularly given the aging fleet and the national security imperative.") Alaska politicians are particular beneficiaries of Chouest's largesse, second only to those from Louisiana. Chouest's interests in the 49th state, beyond icebreakers, have included a 10-year contract to escort oil tankers through Alaska's Prince William Sound. Federal Elections Commission records show that Young, before his death in 2022, collected a career total of almost $300,000 from the company. Sen. Dan Sullivan has taken in at least $31,500, Sen. Lisa Murkowski $84,400. The year after Young swore at the Coast Guard admiral in public, Rep. Duncan D. Hunter of California brought up the issue once more at a different House hearing featuring a different admiral, Zukunft. Hunter's total from Chouest would be $58,800 before he pleaded guilty to stealing campaign funds and stepped down in 2020. "Icebreakers," Hunter said. "Let's talk icebreakers." Hunter was backed up by Rep. Garret Graves of Louisiana, whose Chouest contributions now total $240,500. "Admiral, I think every time you've come before this committee, this issue has come up," Graves said. "We need to see some substantial progress." Weeks later at yet another hearing, Rep. John Carter of Texas, whose single biggest donor the previous election cycle was Edison Chouest at $33,700, pressed Zukunft again. "There's this commercial ship that has been offered " Carter began. In the end, the advocates for Chouest's ship prevailed. The Alaskans played a particular role. In 2022, after Young's death, Sullivan helped author the Don Young Coast Guard Authorization Act, which included an approval for the service to buy a "United States built available icebreaker." Sullivan, who would later be praised for leading a revolt against his Senate colleague Tommy Tuberville's blockade on promotions of military officers, also engaged in some quiet hardball. Until the country can complete a long-delayed near-Arctic port, icebreakers have been based in Seattle, where there are working shipyards and experienced contractors to do maintenance. But as a recent press release describes it, Sullivan "put a hold on certain USCG promotions until the Coast Guard produced a long promised study on the homeporting of an icebreaker in Alaska." Last year, Sullivan, Murkowski and former Rep. Mary Peltola of Alaska announced that Congress had finally appropriated $125 million for the Aiviq. The Coast Guard took possession of the ship last month. (Murkowski and Peltola, along with Hunter, Graves and Carter, did not respond to requests for comment.) In a statement to ProPublica, a Sullivan spokesperson wrote that the senator "has long advocated for the purchase of a commercially available icebreaker of the Coast Guard's choosing but has never advocated for the purchase of the Aiviq specifically." The way Congress wrote the specifications for a "United States built" icebreaker, however, ensured there was only one the Coast Guard could choose: the Aiviq. The icebreaker's new home based on the findings of the Coast Guard's urgently completed port study will be Alaska's capital, Juneau. The city is facing what the Juneau Empire has called "a crisis-level housing shortage," and it remains unclear how it will manage an influx of hundreds of sailors and family members. Juneau also lacks a shipyard. For repairs and upgrades, the Aiviq will have to travel hundreds or thousands of miles out of state. Former Coast Guard icebreaker captains were reluctant to criticize the purchase of the Aiviq when contacted by ProPublica, in part because it has taken impossibly long for the service to build the new heavy icebreakers it says it needs. "Is the Coast Guard getting the Aiviq a bad thing? No," said Rear Adm. Jeff Garrett, a former captain of the Healy icebreaker. But "is it the ideal resource? No." To reach the Arctic from Juneau, Garrett noted, the Aiviq will have to regularly cross the same storm-swept stretch of the Gulf of Alaska where it once lost the Kulluk. Lawson Brigham said he had questions about the Aiviq "since it's our tax dollars at work," but he granted that "it's bringing some capability into the Coast Guard at a time when we're awaiting whenever the shipbuilder can get the first ship out, which is still unknown." Zukunft, who retired in 2018, stands by his past opposition to the Aiviq. "I remain unconvinced," he wrote in response to questions from ProPublica, that it "meets the operational requirements and design of a polar icebreaker that have been thoroughly documented by the Coast Guard." By acquiring the Aiviq, "the Coast Guard runs the risk that those requirements can be compromised." In a statement, the Coast Guard described the purchase of the Aiviq as a "bridging strategy" and said the ship "will be capable of projecting U.S. sovereignty in the Arctic and conducting select Coast Guard missions." The fuel vents that flooded during the Kulluk accident have since been raised, a Chouest engineer has testified. The Coast Guard did not respond to questions about the Aiviq's fuel consumption or whether its waste systems will comply with polar code. It did not say whether its helicopter deck will be moved aft for safer search-and-rescue operations. It confirmed that there will be no changes to the propulsion system. "Initial modifications to the vessel will be minimal," the statement reads. The Aiviq will be put into service more or less as is. Last month, an amateur photographer spotted the Aiviq at a Chouest-owned shipyard in Tampa, Florida, and posted images online. It had been repainted, its hull now a gleaming Coast Guard icebreaker red. New lettering revealed that the ship has been renamed the Storis, after a celebrated World War II vessel that patrolled for 60 years in the Bering Sea and beyond. From a distance, the icebreaker looked ready to serve. "The question is," said Brigham, "What is this ship going to be used for? That's been the question from Day 1. What the hell are we going to use it for?" Chinese automakers expand into production of humanoid robots People's Daily Online) 13:21, January 23, 2025 Leveraging their technological advantages, several automakers in China have ventured into the production of humanoid robots designed to work on their automotive production lines, with significant potential for future growth. Auto manufacturer GAC Group unveiled GoMate, its third-generation intelligent humanoid robot, on Dec. 26, 2024. In four-wheeled mode, the full-sized, wheeled robot excels at climbing stairs, ascending slopes, and overcoming obstacles on one side. It offers enhanced agility and a smaller footprint in two-wheeled mode. Robots driven by artificial intelligence check vehicles at the general assembly workshop of a plant of Chinese carmaker Jiangling Motors located in Nanchang, east Chinas Jiangxi Province. (Photo/Shi Yu) GoMate's unique design improves adaptability in complex environments and reduces energy consumption by over 80 percent compared to similar products, with a six-hour battery life. In addition to GAC Group, several other Chinese carmakers have entered the humanoid robot industry over the past two years, launching related technologies, products, or plans. At the end of last year, Chinese electric vehicle maker Xpeng unveiled its latest humanoid robot called Iron, which has 62 active degrees of freedom. Chery Automobile partnered with an artificial intelligence (AI) company to develop Mornine, a humanoid robot notable for its ability to accurately understand and respond to human interactions. Many automotive companies plan to primarily deploy their robots in their workshops. GAC's GoMate will first be put into use for demonstration on GAC Trumpchi and AION production lines and industrial parks. Limited production of the humanoid robot will get underway in 2026, with large-scale mass production the ultimate goal. According to an executive of GAC's robotics R&D team, the group's humanoid robots show promise in a wide range of fields, including security, healthcare, automotive aftermarket, logistics and education. Notably, XPeng's humanoid robots have been deployed in the company's auto plants to handle assembly tasks. Building vehicles, especially intelligent vehicles, shares technical commonalities with building humanoid robots, which is a key reason why many automakers have ventured into this emerging field. A woman shakes hands with Unitree G1, a humanoid robot, at the 2024 Global AI Product and Application Expo in Suzhou, east China's Jiangsu Province. (Photo/Zhang Feng) The in-depth integration of AI technology and the automobile industry has strengthened this commonality, said Qin Kongjian, chief expert of the China Automotive Technology and Research Center. Qin added that automakers' accumulated expertise in areas like autonomous driving perception, human-machine interaction, and motion control provides a solid foundation for their research and development of robots. Automakers also enjoy supply chain advantages, matured sales channels, and brand power. This is conducive to promoting their robots. A report released during the 2024 World AI Conference said that China's humanoid robot market will reach 75 billion yuan ($10.23 billion) by 2029 and 300 billion yuan by 2035. Multiple automakers have expressed optimism about expanding the application scenarios of humanoid robots. Chery has outlined a three-phase deployment plan for Mornine: initially serving as a sales assistant in stores, then advancing to assist customers at exhibition booths and autonomously guide customers, and finally evolving into a comprehensive household assistant capable of childcare and domestic tasks. (Web editor: Hongyu, Liang Jun) Jennifer Barnhill is a columnist for Military.com writing about military families. When Angela Neal's husband found out that he was going to be able to pursue his Ph.D. as part of his next duty assignment, their family was excited. It seemed like the perfect time for Angela to lean into her career and get her Ph.D. too. So they both applied to the same "military friendly" school. Her husband was accepted and was even offered a scholarship because of his military service. She wasn't. "As one of the people candidly expressed to me, I was not accepted because I'm a military spouse," Neal said. The school official shared that she was not selected because she "could possibly move." Although her active-duty husband was just as much of a flight risk, she was rejected. Instead of being resigned, Neal took action and began asking around in 2024 to see how widespread discrimination on the basis of military status was. She found that she was not alone. More than 70% of the roughly 100 people she heard from felt like they had been discriminated against when seeking employment. That mirrored both anecdotal reports and official research. Although many states offer legal protections that could theoretically prevent discrimination on the basis of marital status -- aka marriage to someone in the military -- military spouses may not want to take on a costly legal battle to argue their way to fair employment opportunities. So, if existing protections haven't prevented discrimination, why bother adding military-connected status as a protected class? Neal's personal investigation into this issue showed that these legal protections could provide "cover" for employers who wanted to offer military spouses special hiring priority. With these added legal protections, Neal believes employers would have the freedom to be more proactive in their decisions to hire military spouses, something that may offset existing discrimination. And there is a precedent for making military status a protected class. During the COVID pandemic, veteran unemployment was at 11%, slightly lower than the national average of 15%. As of December 2024, it was just 2.8%. This did not happen accidentally. Veterans have made strides in overcoming employment barriers and discrimination as a direct result of concerted efforts to educate and incentivize employers to hire them. "We really got ahead of veteran unemployment through protection, preference and incentive," said Olivia Burley, Washington State's military spouse liaison and a veteran military spouse. Burley said that, in order for legal protections to work as intended, they must be accompanied by increased preferential hiring through a partnership with and incentives for the private sector. "We have not offered military spouses those three points," Burley said. While military spouses do receive some federal hiring preference, they lack the official legal protections afforded to veterans. That is what Neal hopes to correct through raising awareness about this topic. Making military spouses a protected class would incentivize companies to hire them while disincentivizing discriminatory practices. And she has a blueprint in the state of Virginia. In 2021, Virginia became the first state to add military dependents (spouses and children) as a protected class. When I contacted the Virginia Attorney General's Office to see whether any military spouses had utilized this legal protection, a representative said they do not track that data. But it may be that the benefits can't be proven by counting the number of spouses who have filed. That is because proving discrimination is hard. It is a burdensome, costly and lengthy process. And one that relies upon military spouses fighting their battles alone. That is why Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., and John Boozman, R-Ark., have sponsored a bill that would offer employer incentives like the Work Opportunity Tax Credit. This would pay employers when they hire from specific groups, including veterans. Although Kaine and Boozman's Military Spouse Hiring Act received bipartisan support when it was introduced in 2023, it has yet to gain the traction it needs to pass. The Defense Department's Defense State Liaison Office is doing its part to come to the aid of military spouses. It recently conducted a thorough assessment of the state laws and protections that affect military-connected family members. According to a December 2023 memo outlining its findings, "In general, few states recognized that family, caregivers and survivors were not afforded the same protections as service members, even though their conditions were a direct result of the service member's choice to serve." In 2024, the DoD declared it would officially support any efforts to add military status as a protected class. We need the carrot (employer education and financial incentives) as well as the stick (legal protections). While military spouses may not choose to sue when faced with overt discrimination, the threat of suit may be enough to discourage bad actors, military and civilian. Advocates are moving away from pulling on heartstrings and focusing on making the business case for hiring this highly mobile population. COVID and current civilian hiring trends have made this easier. "I knocked the interview out of the park," recalled an Army military spouse during a recent Military Dinner Table Conversation I held on the topic of military status as a protected class. "Then, I got the notice that I didn't get the job. And I was like, 'Well, their loss.'" So she was surprised to receive a phone call two and a half weeks later from the executive director of that organization. He told her the person they hired worked for two days and then stopped coming to work. They wanted to extend her an offer. In their subsequent negotiations, she said that her boss was still hesitant to hire her. "He still said to me, 'Well, you know, I'm still worried about you leaving because you're a military spouse.' We're literally in a conversation where the only reason he's talking to me is the non-military spouse he hired had left after two days, and he's still worried about me?" Roughly 30% of new hires leave their job within the first 90 days and 64% of new hires say they would leave if they have a bad onboarding experience; 51% claim to change jobs every one to five years. Despite the fact that military spouses are more educated than their civilian peers, employers are still hesitant to hire employees they know will leave in two to three years. But when employers give military spouses a chance, many exceed expectations. "Our military spouses are performing 300% better than their civilian counterparts," said Kimber Hill, founder and CEO of VirtForce, a career resource platform dedicated to connecting military spouses with remote job opportunities. One of VirtForce's strategies is to combat employer bias through educating them about the benefits of hiring military spouses. One of the organizations they helped educate was Travelers Insurance, which has now prioritized hiring military spouses. Although businesses like Travelers have intrinsic motivations for hiring from within the military community, the military community itself needs to get better at articulating the business case for hiring. "The general population of the companies that I'm working with, they want to do this," Hill said. While she says some businesses may be worried about this new legal protection, she believes companies with that stance may not be the best culture fit for military spouses in the long run. Veterans also faced discrimination and the challenge of enlightening the American public and hiring agencies about the skills they provide. This required them to educate a large number of people. They did this by self-identifying, something that military spouses have been conditioned not to do. "I would still tell military spouses like I tell them now, 'Don't tell people that you're a military spouse,'" Burley said. In her personal experience, hidden bias will continue to be a problem and military spouses should disclose only after fully vetting the potential employer, she explained. "No matter what the protections are on legal documents, people can -- employers can -- get away with things." Making military-connection a protected class certainly isn't a panacea or an easy button that will suddenly solve military spouse unemployment and halt all discrimination. It doesn't give us a leg up or a handout. It is just another tool that seeks to mitigate the documented challenges of military life -- challenges that if unaddressed will continue to plague military readiness and retention. The hard truth is that military spouses have been unemployed at roughly 20% for nearly half a century, in part due to hiring discrimination. But veterans show us that combating this bias is possible. All that is left is for us to decide whether we are willing to put in the same effort for military spouses that we did for veterans. President Donald Trump made it clear he wants to send federal troops to the U.S. southern border in an executive order thats aimed at immigration. It was one of several orders he issued on his second inauguration day. In the order, declaring a national emergency at the southern border, Trump said it is necessary for the Armed Forces to take all appropriate action in response to cartels, illegal border crossings and more. Trump also issued an executive order directing the U.S. military to come up with a plan to provide steady-state southern border security and seal the border. One interpretation of this executive order is that the president is invoking his authority as commander-in-chief to essentially deploy the military, not for law enforcement purposes, which is what immigration enforcement actually is, but for a military campaign against people entering the country without documentation, Elizabeth Goitein, a senior director of the Brennan Centers Liberty and National Security Program told Defense One. A president hasnt deployed the military in the U.S. in more than 30 years, the National Defense University Press reported in 2020. Here are 10 times a president has used federal forces domestically in the past 200 years: George H.W. Bush deploys military during Los Angeles riots Let me assure you, I will use whatever force is necessary to restore order. What is going on in L.A. must and will stop, President George H.W. Bush vowed on May 1, 1992. Thats when the 41st president of the U.S. signed an executive order, promising the deployment of federal forces to Los Angeles to crackdown on riots that broke out after four white Los Angeles Police Department officers were acquitted in the brutal beating of Rodney King, a Black man, Defense360 reported. Californias governor at the time, Pete Wilson and L.A. Mayor Tom Bradley called on Bush to invoke the Insurrection Act a law that authorizes the use of military forces inside the U.S. after Wilson first deployed the states National Guard to the city, according to the Defense360 report. After nearly 10,000 California National Guardsmen were unable to quell unrest, Bush sent 2,000 soldiers from the Armys 7th Infantry Division and 1,500 U.S. Marines to the city, according to the National Defense University Press report. Three years earlier, Bush similarly sent military forces to St. Croix in the U.S. Virgin Islands over unrest and violence following Hurricane Hugo in 1989, according to the report. Lyndon B. Johnson deploys Army after Martin Luther King Jr.s assassination In response to the assassination of civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. on April 4, 1968, riots and unrest in several major U.S. cities followed. President Lyndon B. Johnson deployed 23,000 Army soldiers, in addition to 15,600 National Guardsman, to restore order over the violence, according to the National Defense University Press. Forces were sent to Detroit, Baltimore and Chicago. This wasnt the first time Johnson deployed troops domestically during the U.S. Civil Rights Movement. Lyndon B. Johnson sends troops to Detroit In 1967, the military was deployed to Detroit to control a violent race riot, the National Defense University Press reported. On July 24, 1967, Johnson announced with the greatest regret that he issued an executive order to send federal troops after local officials were unable to control unrest in the city. Law enforcement is a local matter. It is the responsibility of local officials and the Governors of the respective States. The Federal Government should not intervene except in the most extraordinary circumstances, he said in a speech. Days of violence ensued after, the night before, white officers raided an illegal Black nightclub, according to History.com. Police officers and military troops killed 30 Black people, History.com reported. Seven other Black people also died. John F. Kennedy deploys Army in Battle of Oxford In what came to be known as the Battle of Oxford, President John F. Kennedy deployed U.S. Army soldiers to Oxford, Mississippi in 1962, according to the National Defense University Press report. The move came after the states governor went against a court order and allowed a Black student to enroll at the University of Mississippi, which angered segregationists, the report said. This was before segregation became illegal in the U.S., two years later. Local residents, university students and segregationists protested James Merediths enrollment at the school, which was all-white, according to the University of Georgia. Meredith was a U.S. Air Force veteran. Kennedy sent U.S. marshals, National Guardsman and soldiers to Oxford, where segregationists rioted and attacked federal troops, including by shooting at Army convoys, for two days, according to the National Defense University Press report. Dwight D. Eisenhower sends Army to Arkansas In 1957, in response to segregationists and Arkansas governor taking steps to stop Black students from attending high school in Little Rock, President Dwight D. Eisenhower sent soldiers from the Armys 101st Airborne Division to the states capital, the report said. The governor at the time, Orval Faubus, ignored the U.S. Supreme Courts decision in Brown v. the Board of Education, which ordered the desegregation of schools, according to the report. He tried to use state police and the National Guard to prevent Black students from attending Little Rock High School, resulting in Eisenhower ordering police to disperse and sending federal troops to enforce the court order, the report said. Herbert Hoover sends Army to Capitol Hill during Great Depression During the Great Depression, which was caused by the stock market crash in 1929, World War I veterans came together in Washington D.C., advocating for financial support that had been promised to them as part of a Service Bonus, according to the Department of Veterans Affairs. About 10,000 to 20,000 veterans gathered at the U.S. capital, demanding that they be paid, and set up shanty towns and camps, according to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. President Herbert Hoover deployed about 3,500 Army soldiers, in addition to police, to remove the veterans with tear gas, bayonets, and by setting fire to their camps, the VA said. Five tanks armed with machine guns ran over one camp, according to the VA. Woodrow Wilson sends soldiers during race riots The 28th U.S. President, Woodrow Wilson, took action against race riots in Washington, D.C., Nebraska, Arkansas and Kentucky in 1919, according to the National Defense University Press. After the Washington D.C. Metropolitan Police Department released a Black man accused of sexually assaulting a white woman, whose husband was in the Navy, several military servicemen and veterans were outraged, according to online encyclopedia BlackPast. As a result, Black individuals were beaten at random by angry mobs throughout the nations capital, including outside of the White House, according to BlackPast, which reported police didnt intervene. Then, fighting began between members of the Black community and white citizens, leading to Wilson deploying nearly 2,000 soldiers to control the riots, BlackPast reported. Grover Cleveland deploys troops in Pullman Strike In 1894, during what was coined as the Pullman Strike, President Grover Cleveland sent U.S. marshals and about 12,000 soldiers to control hundreds of thousands of rail workers who went on strike in 27 states, the National Defense University Press reported. The strike, which happened from May to June of that year, caused multiple railroads to shut down, impacting the delivery of mail, according to the publications report. Fighting between the military and workers at rail yards in the Chicago area left dozens dead and more wounded, the National Park Service reported. Rutherford B. Hayes deploys Army For the first time in U.S. history, federal troops were deployed to a labor dispute by President Rutherford B. Hayes during The Great Railroad Strike of 1877, according to the Eno Center for Transportation. Military forces were sent to Maryland, West Virginia and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania after violent clashes between railroad workers and local enforcement, the National Guard and private militias, the Washington D.C.-based research foundation reported. This was Americas first nationwide uprising of workers, according to the organization. The president made clear that he sent troops to preserve order not to side with the railroads management, the Eno Center for Transportation said. Abraham Lincoln sends militia and Marines President Abraham Lincoln, the 16th president, sent New York militiamen and U.S. Marines to control rioters during the New York City Draft Riots in 1863, about two years before the Civil War ended, according to Military.com In New York City, riots broke out over citizens being drafted to fight in the war, Military.com reported. For citizens with wealth, they could pay $300 to prevent themselves from being drafted. The violence got so bad, President Lincoln also sent battle-hardened veterans who just finished fighting at Gettysburg to New York to restore and maintain order, Military.com reported. After President George H.W. Bush sent federal troops to Los Angeles in 1992, the National Defense University Press reported: no President since then has deployed Federal forces in the United States to enforce Federal law and restore civil order under the terms of calling forth the military. _____ 2025 The Charlotte Observer. Visit at charlotteobserver.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. DUBAI, United Arab Emirates Yemen's Houthi rebels on Wednesday released the crew of the Galaxy Leader, a vehicle carrier seized in November 2023 at the start of their attacks on shipping in the Red Sea corridor over the Israel-Hamas war. The move by the Iranian-backed Houthis marks their latest effort to de-escalate their attacks following a ceasefire in Gaza. However, it came as U.S. President Donald Trump moved to reinstate a terrorism designation he made on the group late in his first term that had been revoked by President Joe Biden, potentially setting the stage for new tensions with the rebels. The Houthis said they released the sailors after mediation by Oman, a sultanate on the eastern edge of the Arabian Peninsula that's long been an interlocutor with the Houthis. A Royal Air Force of Oman jet took a flight to Yemen earlier Wednesday and took off again about an hour after the Houthi announcement with the crew, who smiled as they stepped off into freedom in Muscat. The Houthis also said Hamas separately requested the release of the ship's crew of 25, who included mariners from the Philippines, Bulgaria, Romania, Ukraine and Mexico. This step comes in support of the ceasefire agreement in Gaza, the Houthis said in a statement on rebel-controlled SABA news agency. In the Philippines, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. confirmed the release of 17 Filipino crew members, describing the moment as an utmost joy. The Filipinos, who were in the custody of the Philippine Embassy in Muscat, Oman, would be flown home soon, Marcos said. Bulgarias Foreign Ministry confirmed the release of two Bulgarians identified by officials as the ships captain, Lyubomir Chanev, and assistant captain, Danail Veselinov. A government jet was on the way to Oman to bring the Bulgarians home, the ministry said. Hans Grundberg, the United Nations special envoy to Yemen, called the crews release heartwarming news that puts an end to the arbitrary detention and separation that they and their families endured for more than a year. This is a step in the right direction, and I urge Ansar Allah to continue these positive steps on all fronts, including ending all maritime attacks, he added, using another name for the Houthis. Vessel's link to Israeli billionaire The Houthis said they hijacked the Galaxy Leader over its connection to Israel. The attack launched the rebels' campaign targeting ships in international waters in the Red Sea, the Gulf of Aden and the Bab el-Mandeb Strait that connects them. A representative for the Galaxy Leader's owners had no comment on Wednesday. The Bahamas-flagged vessel is affiliated with an Israeli billionaire, Abraham Rami Ungar, who is known as one of the richest men in Israel. The Houthi attack on the Galaxy Leader saw the rebels launch a helicopter-borne raid. Propaganda footage of the raid has been played constantly by the Houthis, who even shot a music video aboard the ship at one point. On Monday, the Houthis signaled they now will limit their attacks in the Red Sea corridor to only Israeli-affiliated ships after a ceasefire began in the Gaza Strip, but warned wider assaults could resume if needed. However, it likely wont be enough to encourage global firms to reenter the route thats crucial for cargo and energy shipments moving between Asia and Europe. Their attacks have halved traffic through the region, cutting deeply into revenues for Egypt, which runs the Suez Canal linking the Red Sea to the Mediterranean. The release of the vessel's crew now may have been an effort to curry favor with the U.S., though the ship still remains moored off the Yemeni port city of Hodeida. This gesture by the Houthis may be intended as a goodwill measure towards the new Trump administration, said Yemen expert Mohammed al-Basha, of the Basha Report risk advisory firm. However, Trump signed an order urging Secretary of State Marco Rubio to reinstate a foreign terrorist organization designation on the Houthis. Rubio separately called Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and the foreign minister of the United Arab Emirates, who have led a coalition battling the Houthis since 2015. Under President Trump, it is now the policy of the United States to cooperate with its regional partners to eliminate the Houthis capabilities and operations, deprive them of resources, and thereby end their attacks on U.S. personnel and civilians, U.S. partners, and maritime shipping in the Red Sea, the White House said. Biden lifted the designation early in his term, citing the humanitarian threat that the sanctions posed to ordinary Yemenis and to back an de facto ceasefire that still broadly holds in Yemen's war. Houthi attacks targeted over 100 commercial ships The Houthis have targeted over 100 merchant vessels with missiles and drones since the Israel-Hamas war in the Gaza Strip started in October 2023, after Hamas surprise attack on Israel that killed 1,200 people and saw 250 others taken hostage. Israels military offensive has killed over 46,000 Palestinians, according to local health officials who do not distinguish between civilians and combatants but say women and children make up more than half the fatalities. The Houthis have sunk two vessels in their campaign that has also killed four sailors. Other missiles and drones have either been intercepted by separate U.S.- and European-led coalitions in the Red Sea or failed to reach their targets, which have also included Western military vessels. The rebels had maintained that they only targeted ships linked to Israel, the U.S., or the U.K. However, many of the ships attacked had little or no connection, including some bound for Iran. The tempo of Houthi attacks has slowed in recent weeks, particularly involving ships at sea. That may be due in part to the U.S. airstrike campaign. The U.S. and its partners alone have struck the Houthis over 260 times, according to the International Institute for Strategic Studies. ___ Associated Press writers Aamer Madhani in Washington and Jim Gomez in Manila, Philippines, contributed to this report. Whether youre a junior enlisted service member buying your first Mustang at 25% APR or you have a minivan to get your kids where they need to be, you can thank Hal Sperlich. Harold K. Hal Sperlich is widely regarded as the most influential auto executive you barely know, because he played such a critical role in developing some of the automotive industrys biggest winners. For some 40 years, he would help shape and reshape the American auto industry (and save one of its iconic brands) while creating some of the most memorable and best-selling models ever to come out of Detroit. Sperlich died on Jan. 20, 2025, at the age of 95. But his creation thrives on military bases worldwide. (U.S. Army/Staff Sgt. Jes L. Smith) In 1960, Ford Motor Companys market research revealed the potential demand for an affordable but stylish car designed for the Boomer generation. Executives were wary of this kind of research; it was the same market that led to the disastrous and costly Edsel failure of the late 1950s. It was a time when Americans wanted either the luxury Thunderbird or the affordable Falcon, and legendary executive Lee Iacocca was about to take another massive gamble on another midrange vehicle, one with a flair of distinguished style. To create what he called the poor mans T-bird, Iacocca tapped Fords most valuable resource: Sperlich, at the time the companys manager of special studies in product planning. Sperlich was a Michigan native, a trained mechanical and industrial engineer who cut his teeth at Alcoa Aluminum and then deployed with the U.S. Navy Construction Battalions (better known as the Seabees) in the Korean War. Sperlich landed a job at Ford in 1957 as a product planner. When Iacocca got the green light from Henry Ford II to create a car that would target the coming-of-age youth market, Sperlichs team would cut up a Falcon and add the best parts of the Thunderbird and Lincoln Mark II to create what became the most popular and (perhaps) iconic classic car of all time: the Ford Mustang. (Ford Motor Company) We found a way to make a comfortable car for a couple and two kids, with a good trunk, Sperlich recalled in a 2013 interview with MotorTrend. The goal was an attractive, well-equipped, low-price family car to get us volume. Back then, if you wanted something nice, sporty, even luxurious, it had to be large, expensive, or both. There was no such thing as small-nice or small-sporty available to this new market. The Mustang sold 400,000 units in its first year on the market in 1964 and set a record for the fastest-selling car in American automotive history to that date. Later, in 1976, Sperlich turned out the Fiesta, Fords first front-wheel-drive compact vehicle. But the project Sperlich really wanted to tackle was a low-cost, front-wheel-drive van that could fit in a garage, an idea that would eventually become the minivan. Sperlich pitched the idea aggressively, as did Iacocca, but Henry Ford wasnt buying it. Sperlich left Ford for Chrysler in 1977, and Iacocca joined him less than two years later. In the 1970s, consumer demand and government regulation for more efficient cars hit Chrysler hard. The company also had a reputation for poor reliability, which threatened to take the automaker down entirely. With the help of the U.S. government, Iacocca helped bring the company back to solvency while Sperlich developed his minivan concept. We had two oil crises in the '70s, and people were going nuts for fuel economy, Sperlich told MotorTrend. So we said, let's do new front-drive compacts based on a stretched Omni/Horizon platform, but with good proportions, a good stance, and great fuel economy, to turn this company around. Sperlichs first big success at Chrysler was the new platform he described, which became the K-car. It debuted in 1981 and was a total switch from many of the companys 1970s components. Most importantly, before the K-car, many Chrysler makes and models couldnt share parts, which was a major contributor to its previous financial losses. The K-car made Chrysler profitable once again, saving the company. Meanwhile, Sperlich finished developing his minivan, and in 1984, the Dodge Caravan and Plymouth Voyager turned a previously nonexistent vehicle into a major sales category. An ad for the 1982 Dodge Aries K. The creator of the ponycar Mustang and minivan retired in 1989, then president of Chrysler Motors. He was inducted into the Automotive Hall of Fame in 2009, remembered as a visionary, challenging todays companies to innovate. Nobody is innovating, creating new segments, Sperlich told MotorTrend. Look at my history: Mustang, never done before. Fuel-efficient front-drive cars for America, never done. Minivans, never done. It was going outside of the rearview-mirror segments. A lot of new niches are possible. You could do a Mustang-type car again and have a car young people would love to have. Want to Know More About Veteran Jobs? Be sure to get the latest news about post-military careers as well as critical info about veteran jobs and all the benefits of service. Subscribe to Military.com and receive customized updates delivered straight to your inbox. Title: The Ultimate Quest to Launch Chinas Space Station (Where Is The Chinese Rocket Going To Land) Blog: As the world watches intently for the fate of Chinas ambitious space station project, the race for launch date is heating up. This isnt just about sending astronauts into orbit its also about establishing a permanent presence on Earths surface that will help us better understand our place in the universe. But how will this project go down? Will it be successful, or will we have to wait for another country to step up and challenge Chinas leadership in space? One of the key factors in determining success is the Another important factor is the spacecrafts reliability. Spacecraft must be able to withstand the extreme conditions of space travel, such as lack of gravity, extreme temperatures, and radiation. China has invested heavily in developing new spacecraft designs and materials that can handle these challenges. Of course, there are many other factors that need to be considered in order to successfully launch Chinas space station. But with its strong focus on science research and innovation, as well as its commitment to sustainability and responsible development, China is well-positioned to make a significant contribution to the future of space exploration. So where does Chinas rocket go next? Only time will tell. But one thing is clear: this journey is far from over. As China continues to push the boundaries of what is possible in space, we can only imagine all the amazing discoveries and advancements that await us. And who knows? Maybe one day, youll be part of that historic moment in history when China becomes the leader of the international community in space. (Where Is The Chinese Rocket Going To Land) In conclusion, while the exact destination of Chinas rocket remains uncertain, one thing is certain: this ambitious space station project is not just about sending people into orbit. Its also about laying the foundation for future space exploration and scientific discovery. With its strong focus on innovation, sustainability, and responsible development, China is well-positioned to become a major player in the global space race. So stay tuned and see where this journey takes us! Inquiry us if you want to want to know more, please feel free to contact us. ([email protected]) MAPLE CITY, MI -- Fat-tire bikers looking for new snow to shred will find two new trails Up North weaving through a 1,155-acre forest. Palmer Woods, part of the Leelanau Conservancy, is doing a trial winter for fat-tire biking after their loyal group of mountain bikers were vocal about wanting to use the space in the winter. Adjacent to Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, Palmer Woods is the largest natural area protected by the land conservancy and shares a 5-mile boundary with the national park. RELATED: Fat-tire bike from Empire to Glen Arbor on Sleeping Bear Dunes Heritage Trail The land conservancy calls it majestic in all four seasons to hike, bike, cross-country ski, and snowshoe through rolling hills and traditional northern hardwood forest. Palmer Woods has 17 mountain biking trails. This winter, the two beginner trails are being groomed for fat-tire biking, said Chad Jordan, infrastructure manager and trail specialist at Palmer Woods. The two looped trails, Ursa Major and Ursa Minor named after the Big and Little Dipper constellations, are both moderate grade climbs with slopes of about 5% grade on average. Bikers can access both from the Palmer Woods trailhead at the parking lot. That hub has clear directions and infographics on what trails are meant for bikers, hikers and skiers, Jordan said, advising everyone stay in their lane. Ursa Major, a three-mile loop, starts with an immediate ascent to the midway peak and then a downhill cruise back to the parking lot. Ursa Minor, a mile long loop, starts with a descent and then loops back to the parking lot with about 65 feet of climbing. This trail is very beginner friendly, Jordan said. Bikers will be climbing up through a mix of Maple, Cherry and Hemlock trees in the forest preserve. Powered by 20 volunteers through the Northern Michigan Mountain Bike Association and Friends of Sleeping Bear, trails are groomed regularly with updates on the land conservancys Facebook page. RELATED: Can you bike up a 100-foot snow-capped dune? The Lake Michigan view is worth it Jordan warns that the cell phone service is almost nonexistent in the woods and recommends planning ahead and using the buddy system. The trailhead, located at 6096 S Wheeler Rd, Maple City, has changing rooms, portable toilets and a pavilion. The nature preserve is free to use. Find trail maps and more information about the environmental preservation the group does on their website. If you make a trip Up North, check here for hotel accommodations and amenities near Traverse City. RELATED: Cross-country skiing, fat-tire biking trail systems open in the Keweenaw Its time to rummage through your old change jar you just might have millions of dollars stashed away in your cabinets. Wheat pennies The penny was one of the first coins made by the U.S. Mint after its establishment in 1792. According to a history from the U.S. Treasury, the first penny featured a woman with flowing hair symbolizing liberty. The Liberty image stayed on the coin until 1857 when it was changed to a flying eagle on one side and wreath on the back, pennies known as the Indian Head design. Indian Head designs lasted until 1909 when Abraham Lincoln became the first president featured on a coin in honor of the slain presidents 100th birthday. The pennys design showed an image of Lincoln the same one used today but, from 1905-1958, the reverse side showed two sheaves of wheat. Its those wheat pennies that have become highly collectible and in some cases, could be worth a mint. On the top of the list is the 1943-D Lincoln Bronze Wheat Penny. As Yahoo explains, the penny is so valuable due to a mistake. During World War II, pennies were made of zinc-coated steel to save copper for the war effort. However, a few of the copper pennies were struck by mistake and its that version thats extremely rare and valuable. A 1943-D Lincoln Bronze Wheat Penny sold for $1.7 million in 2010 but is valued at $2.3 million in uncirculated mint condition. There is only one of the coins known to be in existence struck at the Denver Mint on a bronze planchet - Yahoo said, but others could exist. Other versions of the 1943 coin could be worth $100,000 or more. What should you look for? The value of coins depends on the year it was minted, how rare it is and its condition. Lower mintage numbers are more valuable, as are coins that have errors or mistakes. If you have a stash of change, you should check for pennies that were minted in 1943. If you find one, its worth taking to a coin dealer for an evaluation. Other valuable coins: GoBankingRates ranked other valuable pennies: ONONDAGA TOWNSHIP, MI Officers seized an AR-15 rifle and ammunition after an assault suspect crashed into a ditch near Lansing, authorities said. Ingham County Sheriffs deputies responded around 1 p.m. Tuesday to a reported assault with a gun in the 2800 block of Gould Road in Onondaga Township, according to a news release. Roger Brunette, 35, on Onondaga allegedly pointed a rifle at a man during an argument, the victim told police. Deputies found the suspect driving recklessly near Eifert and McCue Road in Delhi Township but did not pursue the vehicle due to treacherous road conditions, police said. However, the suspect lost control of his vehicle and crashed into a ditch, police said. Deputies then arrested Brunette and lodged him at Ingham County Jail. An AR-15 rifle was seized from vehicle along with a high-capacity magazine containing 56 rounds of ammunition, police said. On Wednesday, Brunette was arraigned in 55th District Court on charges of assault with a dangerous weapon, felony firearm, habitual offender and reckless driving. His bond was set at $50,000 cash/surety. HOUGHTON COUNTY, MI A former employee is accused of stealing gas from an Upper Peninsula city for more than a decade. Ronald Schmitt, 71, of Lake Linden was arraigned this week for larceny greater than $1,000 but less than $20,000, stealing or retaining without consent with a financial transaction device and using a computer to commit a crime. The Michigan State Police in Calumet began investigating Schmitt, a former employee in the Lake Linden Department of Public Works, in November 2024. He is accused of stealing gasoline from the department for his personal use over the past 12 years. Schmitt allegedly unlawfully took gasoline using a key fob meant for fueling department vehicles. Schmitt allegedly had retained the fuel key fob after his retirement and continued using it for personal use. Police said they caught Schmitt attempting to fuel his personal truck using the stolen key fob as part of their investigation. Since he retired in 2012, he is estimated to have stolen more than $28,000 worth of gasoline. Due to statute of limitations restrictions, charges were reflective of activity for the past six years, despite the thefts allegedly having gone on for longer, police said. He was granted a $10,000 personal recognizance bond. He is expected to be back in court on Feb. 3. The Lake Linden Village Police Department assisted in the investigation. OAKLAND COUNTY, MI A Michigan caseworker was stabbed multiple times by a refugee in Oakland County. Deputies with the Oakland County Sheriffs Office responded to the scene in Orion Township on Wednesday. The suspect, who is from Afghanistan, fled the scene in his vehicle, deputies said, but is now in custody. The victim is a caseworker for a company that assists refugees. They are in surgery with multiple very serious stab wounds. There is no indication there is anyone else involved or any danger to the community., a statement said. More information will be released as the case is investigated, deputies said. Update: Pay-per-mile pilot not off the table for Michigan Michigan wanted up to 1,000 residents to test a pay-per-mile system for six months as a possible replacement for the state fuel tax. Michigan hunters donated over 140,000 servings of venison to food pantries and shelters throughout the state in 2024. A huge thank you goes out to the hunters and businesses who have helped provide meals to those in need, the Michigan Department of Natural Resources said in a Facebook post. ANN ARBOR, MI - It may have been a cold week, but this weekend is heating up with a few different events. This weekends slate includes the 48th Ann Arbor Folk Fest and a night dedicated to welcoming the Chinese New Year at the Ann Arbor District Library. LIVINGSTON COUNTY, MI -- Michigans official groundhog will soon give her prediction on whether there will be six more weeks of winter or if spring is on its way. Woody the Woodchuck, a female groundhog, is set to give her 27th prediction in front of a live audience around 8:30 a.m. for Groundhog Day on Sunday, Feb. 2, at the Howell Nature Center, 1005 Triangle Lake Road. The event is free for all ages, but organizers are asking attendees to pre-register online. The day will begin at 7:30 a.m. with a free continental breakfast and will also feature plenty of groundhog-themed games and facts during the event. There will also be a Groundhog Day Costume contest where attendees can either dress up as spring, winter or as Woody herself. The winner will receive a $25 gift certificate to the Howell Nature Center. Traditionally, winter will last six more weeks if a groundhog sees its shadow on Groundhog Day. If the animal doesnt see a shadow, then spring is supposed to come early. The tradition started in 1887 at Gobblers Knob in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania with a groundhog known as Punxsutawney Phil. Eventually, in 1999, Michigan found its own groundhog to make predictions, and the tradition has continued ever since. Woody the Woodchucks prediction is 65% accurate, said Tina Bruce, CEO of the Howell Nature Center. Bruce is hoping the turnout will be even larger this year than in the past since the celebration falls on a Sunday. She said shes looking forward to sharing the Howell Nature Center with the community. (My favorite part about the event) is really just the community engagement and letting people see what the Howell Nature Center is all about, she said. Learn more about the upcoming celebration online. 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. FLINT TWP., MI -- Police say the FBI is involved in an ongoing investigation of a bomb threat earlier this month at Carman-Ainsworth High School. Flint Township Police Chief Brad Wangler told the township Board of Trustees on Tuesday, Jan. 21, that the threat, which resulted in students being dismissed from the school on Jan. 8, was made in a phone call to the district. UPDATE: All lanes are open ALLEGAN COUNTY, MI - Northbound I-196 near Saugatuck is closed Thursday, Jan. 23, because of multiple crashes, including a jackknifed semi-tractor trailer, police and the state Department of Transportation said. Police urged motorists to find alternate routes. The northbound lanes are closed just after the Blue Star Highway exit. The highway is expected to open around noon, Allegan County Sheriffs Office said. The National Weather Service in Grand Rapids said on Facebook: Its another snowy day in Lower Michigan with cold temperatures and occasional white-outs with snow keeping roads slick. Some crashes may block or temporarily close the roads (including I-196 northbound approaching Douglas and Saugatuck) OCEANA COUNTY, MI Police and firefighters rescued an injured man who spent at least two hours in frigid conditions after his snowmobile crashed into an island on Upper Silver Lake. The snowmobiler, a 40-year-old Spring Lake man, was taken to an area hospital by ambulance. The snowmobiler was reported missing around 9:40 p.m. Wednesday Jan. 22. A family member told Mason-Oceana dispatcher that the snowmobiler was last seen around 7:30 p.m. headed north on Upper Silver Lake. Police and firefighters rescue a snowmobiler who crashed into an island on Upper Silver Lake in Oceana County. (Photo provided by Oceana County Sheriff's Office)Provided by Oceana County Sheriff's Office) Oceana County sheriffs deputies responded and confirmed the information with the snowmobilers family. A deputy who was looking for snowmobile tracks in the snow heard someone across the lake yelling for help. Other sheriffs deputies and state police troopers and firefighters responded to the scene. In blizzard-like conditions, a deputy and trooper crossed the ice to find the injured man. Police and firefighters rescue a snowmobiler who crashed into an island on Upper Silver Lake in Oceana County. (Photo provided by Oceana County Sheriff's Office)Provided by Oceana County Sheriff's Office He told police he crashed into the man-made island because of poor visibility. He could not see his hand in front of his face. He was ejected from the snowmobile when he struck the island. The deputy and trooper covered the victim with their winter coats because the man was so cold. The temperature was 24 degrees, with a windchill of 14 degrees. Hart Area Fire Department responded with Pentwater Fire Departments drone team. Life EMS Ambulance brought the man to Trinity Health Muskegon Hospital. This rescue was successful because of these agencies working together, the Sheriffs Office said in a release. All of these first responders were out in blizzard conditions, not exaggerating. SAGINAW, MI Months since Saginaws Kenya M. Collins was shot to death while surrounded by police, the man accused of killing her is having his case heard by a jury. Should jurors find he executed Collins in cold blood, hell likely be spending the rest of his life in a Michigan prison, far from his Illinois home. Attorneys in the trial of 63-year-old Willie V. Allen delivered their opening statements the morning of Thursday, Jan. 23. Allen is charged with open murder, assault with intent to murder, carrying a dangerous weapon with unlawful intent, felon in possession of a firearm, felon in possession of ammunition, and five counts of felony firearm. The Michigan House on Thursday passed legislation to stop tipped employees from becoming minimum wage workers, and to thwart impending changes to the states sick leave laws. The vote in the Republican-majority House was largely split along party lines, with Republicans supporting the bills and most Democrats opposing them. Republican lawmakers are racing to get their legislation before Gov. Gretchen Whitmer for her consideration ahead of Feb. 21, when changes to the states tipped wage system, sick leave laws and minimum wage take effect. It remains to be seen whether the Democratic-majority Senate will approve the Republican legislation. Senate Democrats have offered their own plan for addressing the tipped worker and sick leave issues. Senate Majority Leader Winnie Brinks, D-Grand Rapids, said Thursday, Jan. 23, she believes a balance can be reached that protects workers, businesses and the spirit of pending changes. Brinks cast some doubts on whether her chamber would approve the Republican legislation. The bills we have in the Senate are much better for workers, and we are continuing to focus on those," she said. But I want to be clear: I will not rubber stamp a plan that takes earned sick leave away from a million Michiganders. If lawmakers dont act, the changes coming Feb. 21 include: the gradual phase out of sub-minimum wage for tipped workers by 2030, expanded sick leave laws that mandate sick leave time for small business employees, and a gradual minimum wage increase from the current $10.56 an hour to about $15 by 2028. Those changes stem from a Michigan Supreme Court ruling last summer. The Republican plan approved by the House on Thursday will maintain the current lower wage for servers, delay the minimum wage increase by a year and reduce the scope of the sick leave law changes. Tipped workers in Michigan currently earn $4.01 an hour but are paid full minimum wage by their employer if their tips dont meet or exceed minimum wage. Starting Feb. 21, that base pay for tipped workers will gradually increase until it reaches the standard minimum wage in 2030. Servers and restaurant owners have warned that removing the sub-minimum wage will put jobs and businesses at risk and drive up prices for customers due to employers now footing the full wage for all tipped workers. They also argue that servers will earn less because customers will tip less due to higher menu prices. This is the most pressing and urgent issue facing many employees and small businesses across our state, said state Rep. Bill G. Schuette, R-Midland. Last week, in more than three hours of testimony, we heard from real Michiganders like Amy, a single mother who works at a Buffalo Wild Wings, and said thanks to the tip credit she can make $95 an hour while serving. She uses that to help pay for her grocery bills and put her kids through school. It is for Michiganders like Amy that these bills are about. Related: Its going to kill us: Michigan servers testify in Lansing about changes to tipped wages Proponents of removing the sub-minimum wage say tipped workers will have a more stable income, wont see a decrease in earnings and wont have to put up with harassment for fear of losing out on tips. This legislation would allow the exploitation of Michigans tipped workers to continue, said state Rep. Emily Dievendorf, D-Lansing. These workers deserve a fair wage and should not be forced to rely on patrons to pay their salary. Big money stakeholders have tried to scare their workers into believing their tips will go away if their wage is raised. This is simply not true. Democrats in the House on Thursday unsuccessfully offered a number of amendments to the tipped wages bill, including those that would maintain the current timeline for phasing out tipped wages and others that would draw out that timeline. Starting on Feb. 21, small businesses with fewer than 10 employees will be required to provide 40 hours of paid sick leave and 32 hours of unpaid leave. Businesses with 10 or more employees must provide 72 hours of paid sick leave. The Republican plan passed on Thursday would reduce the scope of these changes and others. The bill requires businesses with 50 or more employees to allow workers to accrue up to 72 hours of paid sick leave. Businesses with fewer than 50 employees will maintain the current status quo, meaning they are not required to provide sick leave. Some controversial parts of the sick leave changes, like not being able to discipline workers even if they dont give notice ahead of their shift absence, would also be removed under the bill. Opponents of the bill, including the AFL-CIO, have criticized Republicans for eliminating earned sick leave for businesses with fewer than 50 employees, where they say a majority of Michiganders work. A Michigan farm labor contractor is again being accused of exploiting migrant workers the third lawsuit thats been filed against the company in recent years. Five migrant farmworkers filed a class-action lawsuit the U.S. District of Connecticut last month that accuses Michigan-based Manzana LLC and its owner, Lawrence Williams, of taking unfair advantage of a visa program to traffic and exploit migrant workers from Mexico. It also names Casertano Greenhouses, a Connecticut plant nursery, and John Casertano. Plaintiffs Francisco Javier Zavala Martinez, Rene Meza Quirino, Carlos Giovanni Perez Castro, Luis Adrian Perez Garcia and Victor Hugo Maximo Diaz are represented by Yale Law Schools Worker and Immigrant Rights and Advocacy Clinic. We are bringing this lawsuit because we know there are people that are going through the same things we went through people who dont speak up about abuse because they desperately need work, Zavala said in a statement. Related: West Michigan blueberry farm accused of trafficking workers Manzana, located in Conklin about 20 miles northwest of Grand Rapids, acts as a staffing firm that supplies U.S. farms with foreign workers through the H-2A temporary visa program. The complaint claims Manzana has abused this program for financial gain by allegedly withholding paychecks, forcing employees to cover their own travel expenses, not paying overtime and requiring workers to pay unlawful kickbacks to keep their jobs at Casertano Greenhouses. Rick Grimaldi, who is representing Manzana and Casertano, said both companies deny the allegations that were brought by Yale Law School students and an attorney who has a history of filing these complaints. Their issue, as a lot of the allegations show, seems to be with the H-2A program itself and not about how either Manzana or Casertano run our businesses or how we treat our employees, he said. Nonetheless, we take the allegations very seriously not just because they malign both companies but also because they cast aspersions on our employees. The lawsuit alleges Manzana demanded hundreds of dollars from the H-2A workers as a recruitment fee, which is illegal. One plaintiff, Zavala, noticed multiple workers who refused to pay this kickback were not brought back the next year. Workers also say Manzana required them to take an unpaid forced vacation during a low-growth period and pay for their roundtrip expenses back to Mexico. Under the law, H-2A employers are required to pay for transportation costs. When Meza returned from this forced vacation, his H-2A visa was no longer valid because he had been out of the country for more than 30 days. A border patrol agent said it would cost $695 for a new visa, but his employer would repay him. Meza paid the fee, but never got reimbursed. Related: Nosebleeds, headaches, rashes: Michigan farmworkers sue greenhouse over alleged pesticide exposure The complaint also claims defendants created an atmosphere of fear to obtain a cheap, continuous, and reliable workforce. This included threatening workers they would be fired, which would mean losing their H-2A visa and being deported, if they didnt follow the companys orders. Manzana supervisors also allegedly prohibited workers from leaving the farmworker housing units without explicit permission. Zavala says when he complained about not being allowed to attend a nearby church, a supervisor allegedly told him to suck it up and suggested if Zavala didnt like it then just dont come back. The lawsuit is seeking class-action status. The economy in Mexico is very difficult, said Perez in a statement. You are always looking for a way to get ahead. And companies like Manzana really abuse and take advantage of that need. A pattern of severe exploitation Similar allegations have been swirling around Manzana, the biggest farm labor contractor in Michigan, for nearly a decade. Fourteen farmworkers filed a federal lawsuit in 2017 accusing Manzana of not fully paying wages, failing to cover travel costs and providing false and misleading information about a job in Michigan. The workers also alleged Manzana provided decrepit filthy housing trailer units and discriminated against them for being Puerto Rican. Williams allegedly told the plaintiffs Puerto Ricans were kittens compared to the Mexican workers who were machines and tigers. That case ended nearly two years later with a confidential settlement agreement. Then in 2018, a class-action lawsuit accused Manzana of failing to fully pay workers who were hired to pick apples at a Michigan orchard. Manzana falsely promised workers $12.75 an hour for a 36-hour work week, the original complaint says, but the company paid a piece rate based on how many apples workers picked during a 75-hour work week. Manzanas repeated false claims about wages constitute a pattern, the lawsuit said. A Kent County judge approved the class-action settlement in November 2023. Related: Migrant workers say company took their passports, charged illegal fees, threatened retaliation The most recent complaint says Manzanas actions follow a pattern of severe exploitation and systemic abuse of the H-2A program. It also says Manzana is being investigated by the U.S. Department of Labor for its unlawful practices. The federal agency did not respond to a request for comment. While plaintiffs filed this lawsuit to seek justice on behalf of the workers harmed by the defendants scheme here in Connecticut, in reality H-2A workers across the country are vulnerable to similar abuses, said Yale Law student Gabriela Torres-Lorenzotti in a statement. The U.S. Department of Labor says H-2A workers face unique risks for exploitation, because their income, transportation, immigration status and housing are all tied to their employer. More than 400 federal investigations conducted three years ago found H-2A employers owed workers $3.6 million in back wages. Research shows farm labor contractors accounted for nearly quarter of all agriculture labor violations from 2005 to 2019. Federal officials also found visa workers faced human trafficking, unsafe transportation and retaliation. This prompted the Department of Labor to introduce a new Farmworker Protection Rule that would strengthen protections for H-2A workers. But a Georgia federal judge blocked the rule last fall. Le Creuset is making it more fun to follow through on those resolutions to cook more. The popular enameled, cast iron kitchenware brand is offering several sales and a heart-shaped giveaway simultaneously. For a limited time, get 50% off items in the Winter Savings Event and 20% off stockpots. If you spend $250 or more before Feb. 12, youll also be sent a Heart Mug and Saucer Set for free. Le Creuset is a kitchenware brand built on the promise of colorful, durable, chip-resistant enameled cast iron products. Dont let the French name intimidate you. While Le Creuset produces reputable, aesthetically pleasing cooking sets, they also sell everything down to the mugs in your cupboard. You can expect to see a wide array of kitchenware in this Winter Savings Event. Low-priced necessities like this $8 French grey mini bowl can be purchased if youre slowly building out your kitchen, but items also range in price all the way to the Signature Enameled Cast Iron 11-Piece Ultimate Cookware Set for $1,499.99. A dream set for any self-titled chef, it comes in the colors Cerise, Marseille, Oyster and White. Search the sale for dishes, pots, pans, skillets, bowls, mugs and more. Free heart mugs If you spend $250 or more, youll be sent a free set of two Heart Mugs and saucers through Feb. 12, or while supplies last.Courtesy of Le Creuset If you spend $250 or more, use the code VALENTINE at checkout. Youll be sent a free set of two Heart Mugs and Saucers through Feb. 12, or while supplies last. Gift cards and taxes do not count toward the minimum purchase requirement. Speaking of heart-shaped, be sure to check out the Le Creuset Valentines Day Collection to add some extra love to your kitchen space. Spring Training is quickly approaching, and the Detroit Tigers are prepared to head South for a month-long stay in Lakeland, Florida. Buy Tigers Spring Training tickets on Vivid Seats, SeatGeek, StubHub, and Ticketmaster. The Tigers first Spring Training game is on Feb. 22, 2025, against the Philadelphia Phillies. One action-packed month later, the Tigers conclude Spring Training with a March 25 matchup against the San Francisco Giants. Heres how to plan your Spring Training trip: Tigers home games are held at Publix Field at Joker Marchant Stadium, typically home of the Lakeland Flying Tigers. The Tampa International Airport is the closest neighboring airport and a 45-minute drive from Joker Marchant Stadium. The Lakeland Linder Airport offers flights to and from select locations via Avelo Airlines. Book your flight through TripAdvisor or Booking.com for discounted rates. Stay in Tampa and catch a glimpse at the city life, or enjoy all that Lakeland offers with a local hotel. Take a look at available lodging options on TripAdvisor or Hotels.com for a broad view, or narrow your search to Hilton or Marriott. Tickets to Tigers Spring Training start at $20 and are available on Vivid Seats, SeatGeek, StubHub, and Ticketmaster. The National Weather Service issued an updated special weather statement at 9:09 a.m. EST on Thursday in effect until 12:15 p.m. EST for Midland, Bay, Huron, Saginaw, Tuscola, Sanilac, Shiawassee, Genesee, Lapeer, St. Clair, Livingston, Oakland, Macomb, Washtenaw, Wayne, Lenawee and Monroe counties. 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. CACI International (NYSE:CACI Get Free Report) issued its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday. The information technology services provider reported $5.95 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $5.28 by $0.67, Zacks reports. CACI International had a return on equity of 14.78% and a net margin of 5.77%. CACI International Stock Performance Shares of NYSE:CACI traded up $0.06 during trading on Wednesday, reaching $465.24. 659,081 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 303,922. CACI International has a 12 month low of $326.60 and a 12 month high of $588.26. The stock has a 50-day moving average price of $437.77 and a 200-day moving average price of $471.57. The company has a current ratio of 1.75, a quick ratio of 1.75 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.48. The firm has a market cap of $10.43 billion, a PE ratio of 23.05, a PEG ratio of 1.37 and a beta of 0.87. Get CACI International alerts: Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth CACI has been the subject of a number of research reports. Wells Fargo & Company lowered their target price on CACI International from $564.00 to $503.00 and set an overweight rating for the company in a research note on Wednesday, January 8th. UBS Group initiated coverage on shares of CACI International in a research report on Monday, December 2nd. They set a buy rating and a $557.00 price objective for the company. The Goldman Sachs Group cut shares of CACI International from a neutral rating to a sell rating and cut their price objective for the company from $540.00 to $373.00 in a research report on Thursday, December 12th. Truist Financial lowered their target price on CACI International from $650.00 to $550.00 and set a buy rating for the company in a report on Friday, November 22nd. Finally, Jefferies Financial Group raised shares of CACI International from a hold rating to a buy rating and set a $515.00 price objective on the stock in a research report on Thursday, January 16th. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating and twelve have given a buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $521.50. CACI International Company Profile (Get Free Report) CACI International Inc, through its subsidiaries, engages in the provision of expertise and technology to enterprise and mission customers in support of national security in the intelligence, defense, and federal civilian sectors. The company operates through two segments, Domestic Operations and International Operations. Featured Articles Receive News & Ratings for CACI International Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for CACI International and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Aishwarya Dabhade USER CONSENT We at moneycontrol use cookies and other tracking technologies to assist you with navigation and determine your location. We also capture cookies to obtain your feedback, analyse your use of our products and services and provide content from third parties. 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I Accept Rashmika Mandanna says proud to play the role of Maharani Yesubai Chhaavaa with Vicky Kaushal in Chhaava: "I am happy to retire..." Palak Vij USER CONSENT We at moneycontrol use cookies and other tracking technologies to assist you with navigation and determine your location. We also capture cookies to obtain your feedback, analyse your use of our products and services and provide content from third parties. By clicking on 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies and other tracking technologies. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy. *We collect cookies for the functioning of our website and to give you the best experience. This includes some essential cookies. Cookies from third parties which may be used for personalization and determining your location. By clicking 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies to enhance your personalized experience on our site. 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I Accept Davos 2025: Big firms expect more investment in tech, will drive large digital programmes, says Salil Parekh Invite your friends and family to sign up for MC Tech 3, our daily newsletter that breaks down the biggest tech and startup stories of the day Reshab Shaw USER CONSENT We at moneycontrol use cookies and other tracking technologies to assist you with navigation and determine your location. We also capture cookies to obtain your feedback, analyse your use of our products and services and provide content from third parties. By clicking on 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies and other tracking technologies. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy. *We collect cookies for the functioning of our website and to give you the best experience. This includes some essential cookies. Cookies from third parties which may be used for personalization and determining your location. 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For more details you can refer to our cookie policy *I agree to the updated privacy policy and I warrant that I am above 16 years of age I agree to the processing of my personal data for the purpose of personalised recommendations on financial and similar products offered by MoneyControl I agree personalized advertisements and any kind of remarketing/retargeting on other third party websites I agree to receive direct marketing communications via Emails and SMS Please select (*) all mandatory conditions to continue. I Accept Russia sanctions may cause short-term disruptions, stabilisation expected in 23 months, says BPCL CMD Ravindra Sonavane 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. 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For more details you can refer to our cookie policy *I agree to the updated privacy policy and I warrant that I am above 16 years of age I agree to the processing of my personal data for the purpose of personalised recommendations on financial and similar products offered by MoneyControl I agree personalized advertisements and any kind of remarketing/retargeting on other third party websites I agree to receive direct marketing communications via Emails and SMS Please select (*) all mandatory conditions to continue. I Accept Ex-IRDAI member calls for removal of GST on premiums to make it affordable Manish M. Suvarna is Senior Correspondent at Moneycontrol. He writes on the Indian money markets, RBI, Banks and NBFCs. He tweets at @manishsuvarna15. Contact: Manish.Suvarna@nw18.com Malvika Sundaresan USER CONSENT We at moneycontrol use cookies and other tracking technologies to assist you with navigation and determine your location. 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I Accept Paras Bisht USER CONSENT We at moneycontrol use cookies and other tracking technologies to assist you with navigation and determine your location. We also capture cookies to obtain your feedback, analyse your use of our products and services and provide content from third parties. By clicking on 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies and other tracking technologies. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy. *We collect cookies for the functioning of our website and to give you the best experience. This includes some essential cookies. Cookies from third parties which may be used for personalization and determining your location. By clicking 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies to enhance your personalized experience on our site. 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I Accept J Jagannath USER CONSENT We at moneycontrol use cookies and other tracking technologies to assist you with navigation and determine your location. We also capture cookies to obtain your feedback, analyse your use of our products and services and provide content from third parties. By clicking on 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies and other tracking technologies. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy. *We collect cookies for the functioning of our website and to give you the best experience. This includes some essential cookies. Cookies from third parties which may be used for personalization and determining your location. By clicking 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies to enhance your personalized experience on our site. 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I Accept Sweta Goswami USER CONSENT We at moneycontrol use cookies and other tracking technologies to assist you with navigation and determine your location. We also capture cookies to obtain your feedback, analyse your use of our products and services and provide content from third parties. By clicking on 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies and other tracking technologies. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy. *We collect cookies for the functioning of our website and to give you the best experience. This includes some essential cookies. Cookies from third parties which may be used for personalization and determining your location. By clicking 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies to enhance your personalized experience on our site. 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I Accept 101Reporters USER CONSENT We at moneycontrol use cookies and other tracking technologies to assist you with navigation and determine your location. We also capture cookies to obtain your feedback, analyse your use of our products and services and provide content from third parties. By clicking on 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies and other tracking technologies. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy. *We collect cookies for the functioning of our website and to give you the best experience. This includes some essential cookies. Cookies from third parties which may be used for personalization and determining your location. By clicking 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies to enhance your personalized experience on our site. 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By clicking on 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies and other tracking technologies. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy. *We collect cookies for the functioning of our website and to give you the best experience. This includes some essential cookies. Cookies from third parties which may be used for personalization and determining your location. By clicking 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies to enhance your personalized experience on our site. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy *I agree to the updated privacy policy and I warrant that I am above 16 years of age I agree to the processing of my personal data for the purpose of personalised recommendations on financial and similar products offered by MoneyControl I agree personalized advertisements and any kind of remarketing/retargeting on other third party websites I agree to receive direct marketing communications via Emails and SMS Please select (*) all mandatory conditions to continue. I Accept Restrictions on bancassurance might not be a great step, says HDFC Life's Vibha Padalkar Manish M. Suvarna is Senior Correspondent at Moneycontrol. He writes on the Indian money markets, RBI, Banks and NBFCs. He tweets at @manishsuvarna15. Contact: Manish.Suvarna@nw18.com Malvika Sundaresan USER CONSENT We at moneycontrol use cookies and other tracking technologies to assist you with navigation and determine your location. 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I Accept Too early to assess Trump effect but a trade war is unlikely, says Tata Comm CEO Danish Khan is the editor of Technology and Telecom. He was previously with the Economic Times and has tracked the sector for 13 years. Charu Gupta USER CONSENT We at moneycontrol use cookies and other tracking technologies to assist you with navigation and determine your location. We also capture cookies to obtain your feedback, analyse your use of our products and services and provide content from third parties. By clicking on 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies and other tracking technologies. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy. *We collect cookies for the functioning of our website and to give you the best experience. This includes some essential cookies. Cookies from third parties which may be used for personalization and determining your location. By clicking 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies to enhance your personalized experience on our site. 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I Accept Andhra Pradesh IT minister Nara Lokesh on impact of Trump on H-1B visas Armaan Bhatnagar USER CONSENT We at moneycontrol use cookies and other tracking technologies to assist you with navigation and determine your location. We also capture cookies to obtain your feedback, analyse your use of our products and services and provide content from third parties. By clicking on 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies and other tracking technologies. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy. *We collect cookies for the functioning of our website and to give you the best experience. This includes some essential cookies. Cookies from third parties which may be used for personalization and determining your location. By clicking 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies to enhance your personalized experience on our site. 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Based in Bengaluru, he writes on mobility, infrastructure and start-ups. He is a Ramnath Goenka excellence in journalism awardee. You can find him on Twitter here: twitter.com/ChristinMP_ Christin Mathew Philip USER CONSENT We at moneycontrol use cookies and other tracking technologies to assist you with navigation and determine your location. We also capture cookies to obtain your feedback, analyse your use of our products and services and provide content from third parties. By clicking on 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies and other tracking technologies. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy. *We collect cookies for the functioning of our website and to give you the best experience. This includes some essential cookies. Cookies from third parties which may be used for personalization and determining your location. By clicking 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies to enhance your personalized experience on our site. 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I Accept For BJPs growth in Tamil Nadu, Annamalai should graduate out of the lone ranger role Banuchandar Nagarajan is a graduate of Harvard University with a Masters degree in Public Administration. He has had stints at the World Bank, UNDP and PricewaterhouseCoopers. He has worked in key positions in the Indian parliamentary election campaigns of 2009, '14 and '19. Till recently, he was the advisor to Minister of Human Resources Development. He has been a frequent columnist and a TV panelist. Views are personal, and do not represent the stand of this publication. Namrata Agarwal USER CONSENT We at moneycontrol use cookies and other tracking technologies to assist you with navigation and determine your location. We also capture cookies to obtain your feedback, analyse your use of our products and services and provide content from third parties. By clicking on 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies and other tracking technologies. 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I Accept Pentagon sending up to 1,500 active duty troops to help secure US-Mexico border Siddharth Chakravorty USER CONSENT We at moneycontrol use cookies and other tracking technologies to assist you with navigation and determine your location. We also capture cookies to obtain your feedback, analyse your use of our products and services and provide content from third parties. By clicking on 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies and other tracking technologies. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy. *We collect cookies for the functioning of our website and to give you the best experience. This includes some essential cookies. Cookies from third parties which may be used for personalization and determining your location. By clicking 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies to enhance your personalized experience on our site. 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I Accept The British expat was stoked to find a free car park with no time restrictions yet he still managed to break two road rules. An obscure Aussie road rule has caught a British man by surprise after the expat copped a hefty $272 fine while spending a day at the beach. The man, who recently moved from the UK to Sydney, went for a dip on the NSW South Coast this week to cool off in the summer heat and nabbed the first free parking spot he could near the water. However, when he returned to his rental car he was greeted by a nasty surprise. Heres one for ya, never heard of this before, he says in a TikTok video. Parked at the beach all day, checked where we parked and it didnt say anything about no parking, come back and Ive got a ticket. Confused, the man said he spoke to a few locals to ask what in fact he had done wrong. But soon as he pans the camera around to show the surrounding scenes, the error immediately becomes clear to Australians at least. Brit fined for unknowingly breaking two road rules His white Suzuki is parked facing the wrong way, coming nose-to-nose with the car parked next him. ADVERTISEMENT Ive literally never heard of it, in the UK you can pretty much park how you want as long as youre allowed to park there," he said. "I suppose it does make sense though!" While the driver is focussed on the direction of his park, he has unknowingly broken a second less obvious road rule. On the footpath beside his car is a red fire hydrant, which can attract a penalty if access to it is blocked. It is illegal to park within one metre of a fire hydrant in Australia. This rule is in place to ensure access to the fire hydrant if emergency services or other authorised people should require it. Shoalhaven City Council left a ticket under his windscreen wiper, advising him that a fine will be posted to him by Revenue NSW. "So just a little tip if youre coming to Australia and you do rent a car, this has probably cost me 100 quid," the TikToker said. The man didn't realise it was illegal to park facing the wrong way. Source: TikTok/archoz_2025 Expats and tourists urged to learn Aussie road rules While fine amounts are decided by individual councils, parking in the wrong direction in NSW can result in a fine of up to $136. Stopping near a fire hydrant carries the same penalty, meaning the driver could be slugged $272 for his double mistake. ADVERTISEMENT In the UK, it is legal to park against the flow of traffic during the day time. As the sun goes down, it then becomes an offence but the enforcement of the law is understood to be less strict. Speaking to Yahoo News Australia, NRMA spokesperson Peter Khoury said regardless of which country youre in, if you choose to drive in a foreign country there are always going to be different road rules. You dont really need to know why theyre there you just need to abide by them, he added. You take a risk by driving in a foreign country and not understanding the road rules so we always encourage people to do their research before they go and drive in another country, because there are these sorts of inconsistencies. ADVERTISEMENT So you can park facing the other direction in the UK, you cant in Australia. Why? It doesnt really matter, thats the law youve got to abide by it. Khoury told Yahoo the fineable offence may be in place due to safety concerns, such as the possibility of someone driving on the wrong side of the road to get to a parking spot. NRMA road safety expert Dimitra Vlahomitros previously told Yahoo News that parking in the wrong direction is dangerous and can add to congestion, when motorists are forced to pull out of their parking space into oncoming traffic. Parking on the wrong side of the road is never a good idea, particularly at night when visibility is reduced. Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@yahoonews.com. You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter and YouTube. Meet Janet Petro: The first woman in history to lead NASA as acting administrator, appointed by Donald Trump Sheetal Kumari 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 'Solar storm warning': NASA observes coronal loops flicker on Sun; will it cause a complete blackout? Sheetal Kumari USER CONSENT We at moneycontrol use cookies and other tracking technologies to assist you with navigation and determine your location. 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For more details you can refer to our cookie policy *I agree to the updated privacy policy and I warrant that I am above 16 years of age I agree to the processing of my personal data for the purpose of personalised recommendations on financial and similar products offered by MoneyControl I agree personalized advertisements and any kind of remarketing/retargeting on other third party websites I agree to receive direct marketing communications via Emails and SMS Please select (*) all mandatory conditions to continue. I Accept Invite your friends and family to sign up for MC Tech 3, our daily newsletter that breaks down the biggest tech and startup stories of the day Debangana Ghosh 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. 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For more details you can refer to our cookie policy *I agree to the updated privacy policy and I warrant that I am above 16 years of age I agree to the processing of my personal data for the purpose of personalised recommendations on financial and similar products offered by MoneyControl I agree personalized advertisements and any kind of remarketing/retargeting on other third party websites I agree to receive direct marketing communications via Emails and SMS Please select (*) all mandatory conditions to continue. I Accept Davos 2025: Digital inclusion creates opportunity for India to lead in AI, said Publicis Sapient's Nigel Vaz Maryam Farooqui is Senior Correspondent at Moneycontrol covering media and entertainment, travel and hospitality. She has 11 years of experience in reporting. Invite your friends and family to sign up for MC Tech 3, our daily newsletter that breaks down the biggest tech and startup stories of the day Maryam Farooqui 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 Invite your friends and family to sign up for MC Tech 3, our daily newsletter that breaks down the biggest tech and startup stories of the day Aihik Sur 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. 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For more details you can refer to our cookie policy *I agree to the updated privacy policy and I warrant that I am above 16 years of age I agree to the processing of my personal data for the purpose of personalised recommendations on financial and similar products offered by MoneyControl I agree personalized advertisements and any kind of remarketing/retargeting on other third party websites I agree to receive direct marketing communications via Emails and SMS Please select (*) all mandatory conditions to continue. I Accept Davos 2025: India should replicate IT services success with leadership in AI services, says Ashwini Vaishnaw Invite your friends and family to sign up for MC Tech 3, our daily newsletter that breaks down the biggest tech and startup stories of the day Aihik Sur 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 In Victoria, camping is free at all publicly-owned sites across the state in a bid to encourage domestic travel. However, the move hasn't gone entirely to plan, a local MP claims. Ghost camping has seen prime spots around Victoria, like this one in Cape Conran, left vacant this summer. Source: Tim Bull A government scheme enabling all residents and visitors to enjoy free camping throughout summer in one east coast state has badly backfired, a local MP has claimed. The program, rolled out across Victoria in December, was billed as cost-of-living relief and was intended to lure travellers into holidaying domestically in a bid to inject much needed stimulus into local economies. Camping is currently free at all 131 of Parks Victorias paid campgrounds until June 30, with the government claiming the move saves families an estimated $7.3 million in booking fees. However, according to Nationals MP Tim Bull, "the problem with this initiative" is "we have gone from having our camp parks completely full over the peak summer period" to having them two thirds full. ADVERTISEMENT Speaking to Yahoo News Australia, Bull said ghost camping reserving a campsite but leaving it unoccupied to prevent others from using it, or failing to honour a booking entirely "significantly impacted our region over the holiday period" leaving many prime camp parks far from full. Camping and recreation contributes more than $2.1 billion a year to the Victorian economy and supports 20,000 jobs, the government claims. Source: Parks Victoria 'Ghost camping' sees prime spots empty in peak summer period Bull said normally, many campgrounds across the state would be operating at capacity in January. "This is of no benefit to the local economies of these areas and infuriating for those who cannot get a camp site," Bull told Yahoo. "The Government can tackle this in a number of ways. For the peak period they can ensure payment of a deposit and make it half price camping, or if they want to keep it free, take full contact details on booking and implement some form of punishment, as the Queensland Government does." Some 50 million people visit Victorias iconic state forests and national parks every year for activities including camping, hiking, fishing and hunting and four-wheel driving. ADVERTISEMENT According to the state government, camping and recreation contributes more than $2.1 billion a year to the Victorian economy and supports 20,000 jobs most of which are located in regional communities. But Bull argued that the outcome of the scheme has had the complete opposite effect to what the state government intended. "I am all for more people enjoying the outdoors and it being affordable, but this change has resulted in less people enjoying the outdoors in peak holiday period," he said. "In Queensland, [ghost camping] triggers at $336 fine. Other families desperate for a spot cannot use sites as they were 'booked' without being occupied, or cancelled. Having our camp parks two thirds full over summer is not ideal for our local economy, which is still in recovery. ADVERTISEMENT "The government's response is bookings 'are up by 90 per cent' but that's irrelevant when the occupancy rate is down. The bottom line is they're normally full with Cape Conran even having a ballot in recent years, but this year it was not close to full. In Victoria, camping at state and national parks ranges from $3 per night at Mt Arapiles to $40.70 a night at Tidal River. Data shows that Australians took 15.3 million caravan and camping trips and related spending was at $14.3 billion last year an all-time high. Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@yahoonews.com. You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter and YouTube. Davos 2025: US sees India as a trusted partner, says Ashwini Vaishnaw after Trumps inauguration Invite your friends and family to sign up for MC Tech 3, our daily newsletter that breaks down the biggest tech and startup stories of the day Aihik Sur 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 Explained: What is the Stargate AI project, who are part of it, and other details Invite your friends and family to sign up for MC Tech 3, our daily newsletter that breaks down the biggest tech and startup stories of the day Ankita Chakravarti 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 'He is a swindler...' says Elon Musk as he clashes with Sam Altman over Trump-backed $500 billion AI project Invite your friends and family to sign up for MC Tech 3, our daily newsletter that breaks down the biggest tech and startup stories of the day Aabhas Sharma USER CONSENT We at moneycontrol use cookies and other tracking technologies to assist you with navigation and determine your location. We also capture cookies to obtain your feedback, analyse your use of our products and services and provide content from third parties. By clicking on 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies and other tracking technologies. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy. *We collect cookies for the functioning of our website and to give you the best experience. This includes some essential cookies. Cookies from third parties which may be used for personalization and determining your location. By clicking 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies to enhance your personalized experience on our site. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy *I agree to the updated privacy policy and I warrant that I am above 16 years of age I agree to the processing of my personal data for the purpose of personalised recommendations on financial and similar products offered by MoneyControl I agree personalized advertisements and any kind of remarketing/retargeting on other third party websites I agree to receive direct marketing communications via Emails and SMS Please select (*) all mandatory conditions to continue. I Accept In this editing of Moneycontrol Pro Panorama: Indian banks gearing for change in new year, how the trading cycle will fare in 2024... Industry sees opportunities for India in US' $500 billion Stargate Project for AI infra 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 Samsung teases its first tri-fold smartphone, expected to be released in second half of 2025 Invite your friends and family to sign up for MC Tech 3, our daily newsletter that breaks down the biggest tech and startup stories of the day Aabhas Sharma USER CONSENT We at moneycontrol use cookies and other tracking technologies to assist you with navigation and determine your location. We also capture cookies to obtain your feedback, analyse your use of our products and services and provide content from third parties. By clicking on 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies and other tracking technologies. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy. *We collect cookies for the functioning of our website and to give you the best experience. This includes some essential cookies. Cookies from third parties which may be used for personalization and determining your location. By clicking 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies to enhance your personalized experience on our site. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy *I agree to the updated privacy policy and I warrant that I am above 16 years of age I agree to the processing of my personal data for the purpose of personalised recommendations on financial and similar products offered by MoneyControl I agree personalized advertisements and any kind of remarketing/retargeting on other third party websites I agree to receive direct marketing communications via Emails and SMS Please select (*) all mandatory conditions to continue. I Accept 1/11 There's something magical about the rhythm of a train, the steady clatter of wheels on the tracks, and the endless horizon unfolding outside the window. If youre a travel enthusiast looking for adventure and breathtaking views, these 10 train journeys are your ticket to discovering the world in a way that no plane or car ride can compare to. Get ready to hop on board some of the most scenic, luxurious, and unforgettable train experiences across the globe. (Image: New Zealand) 2/11 1. Vancouver to Banff: The Rocky Mountaineer, Canada Hop aboard the Rocky Mountaineer for a ride through Canadas jaw-dropping Rocky Mountains. From glaciers to alpine lakes and sweeping valleys, this route is nothing short of a postcard come to life. The luxury and comfort of the train add to the allure, making it a bucket-list journey for nature lovers. (Image: Rocky Mountaineer) 3/11 2. Myrdal to Flam: The Flam Railway, Norway Hop onto the Flam Railway and feel like youve stepped into a fairy tale. This stunning route through Norways fjords takes you past roaring waterfalls, green valleys, and jagged cliffs, offering some of Europes most dramatic landscapes right from your seat. (Image: Norway) 4/11 3. Istanbul to Paris: Venice Simplon-Orient-Express, Europe For a taste of old-world elegance, the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express is pure magic. The opulent interiors and gourmet meals will make you feel like royalty as you glide through Europe, from the bustling streets of Istanbul to the romantic charm of Paris. Its the ultimate luxury experience, and the journey is just as spectacular as the destination. (Image: Luxury Train Tickets) 5/11 4. Colombo to Badulla: Sri Lanka Railways If youve ever wanted to see Sri Lankas rich tea plantations, emerald hills, and misty mountain ranges, then this is your dream route. The Colombo to Badulla train journey weaves through a patchwork of jungle and terraced fields, offering jaw-dropping views at every turn. It's an immersive experience in the heart of Sri Lankas culture and landscape. (Image: Sri Lanka Railways) 6/11 5. Lugano to Lucerne: Gotthard Panorama Express, Switzerland The Gotthard Panorama Express offers a seamless fusion of Swiss beautylake views, snow-capped peaks, and the charm of two iconic Swiss cities, Lugano and Lucerne. This journey is a serene escape through alpine meadows, making it one of Switzerlands most scenic rail experiences. (Image: Switzerland Tourism) 7/11 6. Singapore to Malaysia: Eastern & Oriental Express, Southeast Asia The Eastern & Oriental Express isnt just a train ride; its a moving slice of luxury and history. From Singapore to Malaysia, this iconic journey gives you a front-row seat to Southeast Asias lush rainforests, vibrant culture, and historic sights. Think old-world charm with a dash of modern flair. (Image: Belmond) 8/11 7. Christchurch to Greymouth: The TranzAlpine, New Zealand The TranzAlpine is New Zealands crown jewel of rail travel, cutting through forests, alpine rivers, and mountain ranges. Its an ever-changing landscape of breathtaking beauty, from Christchurchs plains to the ruggedness of Greymouth on the West Coast. A must for nature lovers and adventure seekers alike! (Image: New Zealand) 9/11 8. London to Edinburgh: The Caledonian Sleeper, UK Transform an overnight journey into a cozy retreat aboard the Caledonian Sleeper, which takes you from London to Edinburgh in the comfort of a luxurious sleeper cabin. The scenery changes as you travel north, making this a restful yet visually striking experience. (Image: Caledonian Sleeper) 10/11 9. Tokyo to Hakodate: The Super Hokuto, Japan Japans Super Hokuto train delivers an unforgettable mix of coastal beauty and mountain scenery, all while whizzing through pristine landscapes. Whether youre gazing at the Pacific Ocean or winding through Japanese countryside, this journey is a perfect way to see the country from a unique angle. (Image: Wikipedia) Gillian Cleary Gillian Cleary, a lecturer in the Department of Modern Languages and Literatures in the College of Letters and Science, will receive the Betty Coffey Award honoring a member of the faculty or staff who demonstrates outstanding achievement in incorporating womens perspectives into their curriculum. Given by the Womens, Gender and Sexuality Studies Committee, the award carries an honorarium of $1,000. Cleary is the creator of the Women Writers of Latin America course, which highlights the work of historically marginalized Latin American women writers. The course is designed to challenge biases in literary canons and introduce students to powerful perspectives on gender, identity and resilience. Cleary also weaves womens, gender and feminist issues into many of her other Spanish courses. She loves engaging students in discussion around themes related to gender roles in Latin America, as well as topical events, such as the recent election of Mexicos first female president. Her courses foster a deep understanding of gender inequality and inspire students to apply those insights in their lives and communities. In a nomination letter, MSU associate professor Patricia Catoira wrote, Gillian is helping to eliminate barriers to success for women on campus, fostering a supportive environment that encourages all her students to realize their potential. Created in 1986, the award honors the memory of Betty Coffey, a faculty member in computer science from 1977 until her death in 1984, who was the first woman ever to achieve tenure in the College of Engineering. The award remembers Coffeys contributions to faculty development, teaching excellence and womens equity at MSU. See more awards from 2025 Environmentalist Graham Johnston said without immediate funding, he won't be able to keep up with the huge volume of waste pouring into our waterways. Volunteers pulled more than 400 kilos of garbage from the Hawkesbury River on Tuesday an increasingly common occurrence. Source: Clean4Shore An Australian environmentalist and marine conservationist is urging the government to provide immediate funding to tackle the growing waste crisis in one of the nations most vital river systems, which he describes as being overwhelmed by "tonnes and tonnes" of rubbish. Graham Johnston, founder of Clean4Shore, said on Tuesday, he and other volunteers cleared an unbelievable 440kg of waste from the Hawkesbury River on the NSW Central Coast. Speaking to Yahoo News Australia, Johnston said the haul was "pretty standard" for clean-up crews. He said on Thursday, volunteers removed a similarly concerning haul from Brisbane Water a wave-dominated barrier estuary also on the Central Coast. Johnston collaborates with schools and local drug and alcohol rehabilitation programs to build a dedicated workforce to tackle the issue. And while the initiative provides valuable education for participants, he said relying solely on volunteers to safeguard the river from pollutants is far from ideal. Graham Johnston, event organiser and founder at Clean4Shore, urged the government to inject much needed funding into the program. Source: Clean4Shore Environmentalist's plea to NSW government Johnston explained some financial assistance is provided from the Central Coast Council, but called on the state government to intervene. He said without more funding, the impact of clean-up efforts would be limited. ADVERTISEMENT "The biggest drama we have is funding. I can get schools, I can get community groups, but I can't get the State or the Commonwealth government to fund us," Johnston told Yahoo. "When the storms, like those big storms that we had last weekend, if it's not nailed or tied down on a boat, it gets washed away. "There's probably four or five boats now in Brisbane Water that are up on the rocks. Now, when they're on the rocks and they sink, no one picks that up except us." Anything and everything ends up in our rivers, particularly after heavy rain. Source: Clean4Shore Johnston said he removed 42 tonnes of garbage from from NSW waterways last year, with the assistance of 800 volunteers. He explained that much of the waste polluting our rivers is mixed, with crews retrieving everything from fridges and lounges to plastics and clothing. ADVERTISEMENT The debris ends up in the waterways due to both littering and the aftermath of heavy storms, Johnston added. "I itemise that out and I generate statistics," he said. "And that tells us how many plastic bottles, how many pieces of styrofoam, etc end up in our rivers. "That then goes to the Australian Marine Data Institute and we're actually the biggest contributor because of the amount of field trips we do." Johnston encouraged all Australians and visitors alike to respect the environment by cleaning up after themselves. "Put your rubbish in the bin, avoid buying plastics, recycle when you can, reuse when you can, and make sure you look after the waterways," he said. "If you see something that is relevant that we can help with, take a photo and send it to us." Love Australia's weird and wonderful environment? Get our new newsletter showcasing the weeks best stories. Shanghai (Gasgoo)- GAC INTERNATIONAL Mexico delivered the first batch of AION ES new energy ride-hailing vehicles to Mexican electric mobility company VEMO, according to a post released on January 22 on the former's WeChat account. This cooperation marks a significant step forward and provides strong momentum for the development of Mexico's new energy mobility sector. Photo credit: GAC INTERNATIONAL Since entering the Mexican market, GAC INTERNATIONAL has introduced a diverse range of star models, including the all-new second-generation GS8, the GN8, the EMZOOM, the AION Y, and the AION ES. This action gradually builds a comprehensive product lineup to meet varied demands of local customers for innovative technologies and diverse mobility solutions. The collaboration with VEMO represents a critical move in GAC INTERNATIONAL's market expansion in the Mexican new energy vehicle (NEV) market. Under the cooperation, the duo aims to leverage their respective strengths to offer Mexican consumers high-quality and eco-friendly transportation services. Huang Rifei, President of GAC INTERNATIONAL Mexico, highlighted at the ceremony, "GAC INTERNATIONAL is committed to delivering high-quality products and promoting green mobility, with products spanning fuel-powered, hybrid, and pure electric vehicles. The successful delivery of the AION ES marks a significant step in our growth within the Mexican market. This year, we plan to deliver over 1,000 all-electric vehicles under the AION brand to establish Mexico's largest electric vehicle fleet. GAC INTERNATIONAL will deepen its collaboration with VEMO to lead industry transformation and accelerate the transition of Mexico's automotive sector toward intelligent and green mobility." CONSTATINO, Business Vice President of VEMO, expressed confidence in the partnership, saying, "GAC INTERNATIONAL's advanced new energy vehicles, combined with our operational expertise, will bring about new vitality and competitiveness into Mexico's mobility services, enabling us to transition to green mobility." You have permission to edit this article. Edit Close Gun found in search of vehicle -- TCSO photo View Photos View Video Moccasin, CA A late-night traffic stop on New Priest Grade near Moccasin in Tuolumne County uncovered a ghost gun, metal knuckles and drug items. The picture and video in the image box show deputies arresting and searching the vehicle of the suspect, 42-year-old Jordon Link, a Groveland transient. A deputy recently pulled over a sedan before midnight with an unreadable license plate about halfway down the grade. Sheriffs officials recount that he told the deputy he had possible outstanding warrants for his arrest. Link was asked to get out of the vehicle, and the deputy saw metal knuckles on the floorboard. He was detained and backup was called in to search Link and the sedan. A patdown of him turned up a small container attached to a necklace that had residual methamphetamine, according to sheriffs officials. Under the drivers seat, a loaded gun was discovered with no serial number, signaling it was whats called a ghost gun. In the back seat, the deputy located a meth bong with white residue and burn marks commonly used to smoke methamphetamine, disclosed sheriffs officials, adding, Link admitted ownership of the items. Link was shown to have multiple prior convictions for drug and felony offenses after a records check was done. He was arrested for felony possession of a controlled substance, having it while armed, carrying a concealed firearm, and being a prohibited person with a gun. Yves here. Its always perilous to take issue with some of the theories advanced in a book second-hand, as in a review. However, one of the contentions that Tom Neuburger recaps from the Alfred McCoy book, To Govern the Globe, looks to be at a high level of McCoys argument and plainly stated, so our disagreement does not seem liked to be based on a misapprehension. McCoy argues for the durability, albeit with less ability to force compliance than empires, of what he calls world order. He depicts the British imperial order starting in 1815 as distinct from the Washington world system that began in 1945. However, the period of US dominance depended heavily upon the system and (one hates to say it) values of the British empire, particularly when one sets the start date at the end of the Napoleonic Wars, which happens to be when the UK had entered the Industrial Revolution and so the power of landowners was being displaced by the power of merchants and industrialist. The shared element of both world orders includes: Common law legal systems with a very large number of similar principles, such as the status of legal contracts, fiduciary duty and limited liability companies Professional bureaucracies. Before Niall Ferguson started losing his mind, he wrote a fine book, The Cash Nexus, in which he attributed the UKs ability to punch above its weight in military terms against France was its ability to borrow money in international markets at lower rates. That in turn resulted from England having professional (as in salaried) tax collectors, versus Frances corrupt tax farmers Embrace of financial capitalism as opposed to industrial capitalism; with that came fierce opposition to Communism Use of English as the lingua franca Protestantism and Protestant values, particularly deferred gratification; a distaste for mysticism and Orientalism; proselytizing as an aid in influencing/controlling vassal territories Sea powers that invested in protecting trade routes (admittedly the US later also became an air power but the UK had started down that path) Those of you who have read McCoy are encouraged to tell me if and how he addresses issues like these. But absent an explanation, yours truly is predisposed to see the Washington era as an adaptation of the British model, and not a new world order. By Thomas Neuburger. Originally published at Gods Spies As we enter the next phase of the imperial Western experiment as we wait for announcements that will firm up our understanding of the pivot our President takes as we watch dismantled what should never, perhaps, have been built, its useful to take a long view of what weve done, how long weve done it, and how Americas turn as king of the place was thought out and managed. Until it wasnt wasnt thought out; wasnt very well managed. This story is different than what you may have heard. You might have thought, for example, that Obamas claim to have created the fracking boom was just his ego speaking. Or that his final push for TPP was just a beg for post-official wealth. Yes, they were likely those things; but they were both more. Obama had a grand strategy that died when he left office, one that matches the recommendations of the 19th Century naval officer Alfred Thayer Mahan and has been followed by U.S. minds from before, during, and after World War II. That strategy: Control the combined big island of Europe and Asia by controlling its coasts and inland population. Its why, before World War II, our Western forward bases were at Asias front door. To do this, well take long looks over the next several weeks at the book pictured above: Alfred McCoys To Govern the Globe. Its a massive history of what Ive called above the imperial Western experiment. It covers all the world orders: the Iberian, birthed in Portugal and Spain; the British, with which were familiar; the American, which sadly few of us understand; and the next, whats coming for us, the wolf or the Chinese, whichever, and probably both. The story begins in the early 1400s and starts like this: If you read that carefully, you see how brutality is the key to success. 1415 Portugal ventures abroad, capturing port of Ceuta, North Africa, and massacring Muslims. 1441 Portugals ships arrive from Western Sahara with first shipment of African slaves. The Pope gave permission in 1455, and the race (and the rape) was on. About World Orders Theres a difference between world orders and world empires. Empires are things created; they come and go. Orders are ideas; they tend to persist. McCoy: [From Chapter 1] Despite their aura of awe-inspiring power, empires tend to be ephemeral creations of an individual conqueror like Alexander the Great or Napoleon Bonaparte that fade quickly after their death or defeat. By contrast, world orders are much more deeply rooted, resilient global systems created by a convergence of economic, ideological, and geopolitical forces. On the surface, they entail diplomatic agreement among the most powerful nations, which are usually those with formal empires or international influence. Lacking the sovereignty of nations and the raw power of empires, world orders are essentially broad agreements about relations among nation-states and their peoples, lending them an amorphous, even elusive quality. At a deeper level, however, world orders entwine themselves in the cultures, commerce, and values of countless societies. They influence the languages people speak, the laws that order their lives, and the ways they work, worship, and even play. They are woven into the fabric of an entire civilization, with a consequent capacity to far outlive the empires that formed them. If the economic globalization of the past two centuries was a process, then the current world order is its ultimate product. World orders have much less visible power than empires, but they are more pervasive and persistent. To uproot such a deeply embedded global system takes an extraordinary event, even a catastrophe. Across the span of five continents and seven centuries, a series of calamitiesfrom the devastating epidemics of 1350 through the coming climate crisis of 2050has produced a relentless succession of rising empires and fading world orders. Since the start of the age of exploration in the fifteenth century, some 90 empires, major and minor, have come and gone.23 In those same five hundred years, however, there have been just three world orders, all arising in the Westthe Iberian age after 1494, the British imperial era from 1815, and the Washington world system from 1945 to perhaps something like 2030. [emphasis mine] Age of exploration is polite. Age of exploitation is more accurate, since, as youll see, thats the most common thread. Mans inhumanity to man, globally expressed. Why Study World Orders? Were looking at this now because its interesting. But more than that, we stand at a pivot from one order to the next, or worse, from one order to none, to dis-integration. What do these orders look like? On what strategies are they based? Why is the Pacific integral to them all? Whats Americas contribution? What makes the U.S. unique? And perhaps the biggest questions of them all: Was the whole thing, the project, worth doing to start with? And why did it start in the West? Perhaps the original sin, as it were, was the existence of the proto-Indo-European sky father god, Dyeus phter (Deus phter, Zeus pater to the Romans), who led a conquering people of the steppes as they swept before them neolithic humans who worshiped creatures they honored with statues like this: Cucuteni-Trypillia figurine, Romania, 40503900 BC Whats Special About the West? Was a conquering male-godded people the start of it all? Is that why the West has followed a murdering course? Or did the West just get lucky, get started earlier? The Mongols, people of the steppes, a conquering tribe, took armies through half the world; the Han Chinese did not, nor did they want to. The Spanish and other Europeans had steel in their hands and cruel hearts; the people they met in what we now call America were far less evil-minded. There are many tales along the Oregon Trail of how Original Americans were shocked at the behavior of the whites they met, even to each other (a post for another day). We wont answer all of these questions in this on-and-off series, but well touch on them. Were about to see new aggression against nations bordering the Pacific (the reason for studying Mahan and the American century), and well see how it plays out. I hope, through our reading of Alfred McCoy, well see context as well. Yves here. This important post fills out the picture of how extensive censorship became under the Biden Administration. I hope youll circulate his piece widely, since it demonstrates the campaign went well beyond social media and included disappearing disfavored content from Internet searches. What is remarkable is Uries evidence of a dramatic shift in search results after the dissolution of the Biden State Department censorship program. This indirectly confirms that Googles change in its algos to prefer mainstream sites and the quick reversal was the result of government intervention, and not Google acting out of its own profit motives. If that isnt troubling enough, be sure to read to the end of the post about the threats made personally to Rob. By Rob Urie, author of Zen Economics, artist, and musician who publishes The Journal of Belligerent Pontification on Substack In December, 2024, a Federal entity called the Global Engagement Center (GEC) an offshoot of the US State Department tasked with censoring legal political speech on the internet, was closed after Congress stopped funding it. Within a day or two of this occurring, the internet as I havent seen it in four years suddenly reappeared. Hundreds of my articles that couldnt be found under any arrangement of search terms over the prior four years have since reappeared. Within hours of Joe Bidens 2021 inauguration, a decade of my writing on politics and economics was erased from the internet. Articles that had been distributed around the globe could no longer be found under any arrangement of search terms. To the alleged purpose of the GEC of combatting disinformation, no one has ever accused me of spreading disinformation. Much of what I have written provided evidence of duplicity from official sources. The timing is important here. The US State Department was run by Secretary of State Antony Blinken for all four years of the Biden administration. Upon entering office, Biden immediately began making preparations for war with Russia, including shutting down Russian-language news outlets in Ukraine just as the CIAs army in Ukraine was launching another round of ethnic cleansing against Russian-speaking Ukrainians in Eastern Ukraine. I had written about energy geopolitics from the time that the US assumed control of the Ukrainian state in a US-led coup there in 2014. Readers are invited to listen to the linked phone call (above) from 2014 between US Undersecretary for European Affairs, Victoria Nuland, and US Ambassador to the UK, Geoffrey Pyatt, and decide for yourselves. The political yeas and nays that they discuss in the call all became official policy in Ukraine in subsequent years. Biden & Co. can dispute these characterizations, but not the facts that underly them. The intercepted phone call between Nuland and Pyatt hasnt been denied by the US. The OSCE (Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe) maps linked to above illustrate the ethnic cleansing that was underway by the US and Ukraine, when Russia launched its SMO (Special Military Operation) in 2022. The OSCE is allied with NATO, not Russia. For those who missed it, this (paragraph above) is what I wrote about the genesis of the conflict in real time in 2022 after covering the back-and-forth since 2014. While the American left spent the war years repeating the CIA talking point that Russia has already lost, I covered the international state of play. If you dont know about this, it may be because I couldnt get published in the left press, and through state censorship, no longer had a readership outside of it. That I was censored wasnt a surprise to me. I had written about the internal logic of state control over the prior decade. While the (classical) liberal view of censorship is that it impedes the free exchange of ideas, thereby reducing the aggregate wellbeing of society, Biden & Co. relied on the opposite logic. They argued that the exchange of ideas is only free when views that are politically inconvenient for it are kept from public view. Within hours of Joe Bidens inauguration in 2021, 99% of the 200+ essays that I had written over the prior decade disappeared from the internet, along with 99% of the digital evidence that I ever existed. Little of what I had written, and none of what I was then writing, could be found via searches no matter how precise and / or detailed the search terms. For what I imagine were political reasons, after a decade of writing near-weekly essays, I had been disappeared. The alleged rationale for this censorship was to combat disinformation. Having followed Joe Bidens political career since the early 1980s, the man was never known for having a firm grasp on the reality that most of the rest of us share. Much of what Biden said regarding the Covid-19 pandemic was not only untrue, but deeply harmful. Telling people that the mRNA vaccines prevented both illness and transmission both untrue, put millions of lives at risk. More to the point, the US had only recently been lied into a military catastrophe in Iraq by agencies of the Federal government. Biden had been the Democrats point person in selling the war to Congressional Democrats. He did so by claiming that Iraq possessed WMDs. This was a lie. I told anyone within earshot that this was a lie at the time. The press accounts of the evidence were either wanting or implausible. Subsequent history supports my view. With respect to spreading disinformation, I have had my facts challenged (to my knowledge) a total of four times in fourteen years of public writing. The first was over the civilian death count of the Iraq war. The Lancets account the one that I put forward, is the only honest effort to count the war dead. No raw count the count being claimed to be true, has ever ended up being accurate. Despite their intuitive appeal, raw counts are by definition the lowest possible count of war dead, not the most likely count. (I used high level statistics professionally for two-point-five decades and wrote a book placing the theories that support it in historical and philosophical context). The second charge (of having a fact wrong) involved the automaker bailouts (2008 2009). The press framing had suggested that the bailouts were limited. But the details of how the bailout money had been distributed told a different story. The press accounts were put to me as fact. I sent back the actual distribution of the bailout money, which proved my case. The critic apologized and put it to me that I was correct. While I dont recall the specifics of the third challenge, it was quickly resolved without requiring any correction from me. The fourth incident was recent. I knowingly took a public source at face value in order to broaden the information set that I was drawing from, and their information was incorrect. When I was made aware that the information was incorrect, I educated myself as to what the correct information was, wrote it up, and distributed the correction. Had anyone from the Biden administration or the GEC (see above) challenged me on facts, I would have responded with evidence. But without being made aware of the charge of disinformation, there is no way to respond. In fact, what is frightening about the censorship workers (of whom I am aware) is that unless they heard something on CNN or read it in the New York Times, it is considered disinformation. This, even after the CNN / Times Iraq WMD and Russiagate frauds. The PMC (professional-managerial class) press only began admitting holes in the Iraq WMD and Russiagate stories after journalists accused of having their facts wrong had the facts accumulate in their corner to the point where they could no longer be denied. It was the establishment press that spread disinformation and the independent press that corrected it usually after spending lifetimes in the journalistic wilderness being accused of representing the interests of nefarious foreign actors. When former US president Woodrow Wilson ran into public resistance to US involvement in WWI, he created a department of official lies to lie Americans in to supporting the effort. Plausible consequences of WWI include the Russian Revolution and WWII. And unless Donald Trump makes peace in Ukraine and the Middle East, WWIII can be added to the list. The point: the US and the world would have been far better off if WWI had been stopped before it was started. The US war in Vietnam was posed in the Cold War terms of communism versus freedom, when it was in fact a nationalist struggle to oust Western imperial invaders, first the French, and then the US, from Vietnam. In a now disappeared quote, LBJ stated in the mid-1960s that he couldnt end the war (Vietnam) because his friends were making too much money from it. Much as the German conglomerate IG Farben produced the Zyklon B gas used in Nazi extermination camps, Dow Chemical manufactured the Agent Orange used to poison Vietnam. Just business? In 1990, the George H.W. Bush administration wanted a war against former US ally and CIA asset Saddam Hussein in Iraq. The administration hired a DC public relations firm to craft the fraudulent testimony that was then presented by the daughter of the Kuwaiti ambassador. The weeping child lied that she had seen the Iraqis toss babies out of incubators to die on the floor. Bush subsequently slaughtered upwards of 200,000 Iraqi conscripts (highway of death) after they had surrendered. George W. Bush followed his father to craft the Iraq WMD fraud by which American propagandists sold the Bush administrations fabrication that Iraq possessed WMDs. As I wrote at the time, there existed a reasonable predicate for this lie. As Ronald Reagans Vice-President, George H.W. Bush had given American WMDs to Iraq. As the war was winding down, some of Poppy Bushs weapons were found. Fox News dutifully spent months with fraudulent WMDs found headlines glaring to craft the dueling realities that fuel American party politics. Before he launched the current war against Russia, Joe Biden was Barack Obamas point person in Ukraine during the US-led coup there in 2014. Following the coup, Biden brought his family there to loot the place, much as the Clintonites had looted Russia following the dissolution of the Soviet Union. Democrats (and the left) chose to demonize Trump rather than addressing the charges against Biden. With Trumps re-inauguration taking place as I write this, the strategy didnt serve the Democrats well. Having done quite a bit of mathematical programming over the years, I sensed quickly that I was being censored as the GEC was firing up. What surprised me, but shouldnt have, is that the American and world history that I had linked to as source material was also being systematically disappeared from the internet. At one point in 2021 2022, the only way that I could re-find relevant history was to already have the links. Using the same search terms as used before never yielded the same, or even useful, results no matter how many times I tried. The seemingly benign practice of ranking internet search results by the credibility of the sources left the same establishment press that had mis, dis, or mal defined it when given the opportunity to define truth. Even the coming clean events like the New York Times article on the CIA in Ukraine admitted only known facts and even then, explained them through imagined motives rather than actual history. The Times piece is stunningly awful. The Times reporter/disinformation censor worldview that only what they believe is true is widely prevalent amongst the American PMC. The logic of this view was put to me by a friend. My friend gets his news from CNN, NPR, and the New York Times. In discussing events in Ukraine, his standard response was I never heard of that. The obvious reply: if I got my information from those sources alone, I wouldnt know much that is true about the world either. This incredible sunshine of the spotless mind view, whereby the less that someone knows, the more power they are given to determine public policy, is the corporate model applied to government. CEOs fancy themselves as managers and deal makers, not content experts. Marketing truth is a constrained optimization problem around what will best sell a product. American political discourse follows this corporate model as low-quality rhetoric. The politics of my friend are clear from his conception of journalistic truth. The sources that he trusts have lost their audiences due to serial fabrications about Iraqs WMDs and Russiagate. My friend is a member of the bourgeois cult that still does not understand that it has lost its legitimacy. Where this gets interesting is that this bourgeois (PMC) cult is a reasonable proxy for the interests of the oligarchs. It was another two years until the Twitter Files were made public. Initially treated as a culture war phenomenon, what they revealed was a widespread and deeply intrusive censorship regime by agents and agencies of the Federal government. With all of the talk about defending democracy, the Biden administration crushed pluralism when and where it could. Logically, censorship can only be imposed by those with the power to impose it. As one who was called a communist for opposing the US war in Vietnam, a Saddam sympathizer (and a terrorist) for opposing two US wars in Iraq, a Putin puppet for opposing the current US war against Russia in Ukraine, and an antisemite for opposing the Israeli genocide in Gaza, the trail of official lies points to the US government being the most prolific purveyor of lies related to US foreign policy. This would seem fertile territory for actual inquiry into disinformation. While enshittification is a good general descriptor for what doesnt work in the modern world, intention to enshittify hasnt tended to be the explanation for it. Prior to 2016 or thereabouts, the internet yielded results that, taken together, provided reasonable approximations of the facts. Particularly after 2021, the internet search results that I got seemed increasingly intended to mislead. By defaulting to the establishment press in search results the New York Times, Washington Post, CNN and MSNBC, misleading official accounts represent a preponderance of what I now see in internet searches. Question: how likely are these outfits to correct their serial and copious lies? And how could these same entities that had been played for fools by the Bushies regarding WMDs in Iraq be so easily rolled only a few years later with Russiagate? (Answer: they are de facto state media). The common factor that ties Iraq WMD lies to Russiagate is US foreign policy. The PMC press earned credibility over the last century by having reporters in far flung locations that reported from the field. Starting in the 1980s, and picking up steam with the shift to the internet in the 1990s and 2000s, large news organization used cost-cutting to reduce their overseas presence. One result has been the elevation of access journalism. In the run-up to George W. Bushs war in Iraq, reporter Judith Miller, of the New York Times, was played by Bushs Vice-President, Dick Cheney. Cheney was Millers source for a major story that she dutifully reported in the Times. Cheney then went on Meet the Press to cite the Times story, meaning himself, as independent evidence in support of the Bush administrations lies related to Iraq WMDs. By retreating from overseas reporting while increasing reliance on domestic sources for information regarding US foreign policy, the American press shifted from reporting foreign policy from a variety of perspectives to reporting it from the perspective of powerful Americans with geopolitical agendas. This isnt to overstate the case. The New York Times was considered a tool of the CIA and the US foreign policy establishment when I was protesting the Vietnam war as a child in 1969. It was the sudden reappearance of the internet a few weeks ago that prompted this recollection. It rendered apparent what I had sensed, but could not provide proof of that the Federal government had not only censored me while denying that it was doing so, but had rendered my ability to conduct basic research on the internet unviable. I can still enter searches. But the results seem intended to mislead. Once the internet began to reappear, I wasnt sure what was I was seeing (still not). All of a sudden, essays that I had written a decade before appeared during routine searches. Essays that based on the information that was available to me, had only been read by a few dozen people, had in fact been distributed outside of the US, sometimes to substantial audiences. But all that I saw was / is a few dozen readers. Not only was I being censored, but I was also being gaslit as to the reach of my essays. (The reach is tiny, but it isnt the conspicuous waste of time that the evidence available to me was suggesting). As best I can tell, I had made it through the Trump years without being censored. The censorship that I encountered was conducted by the Biden administration. Following Bidens 2020 victory, I STFU for two years to allow him time to fail without help from me. Biden failed in the manner, and to the extent, that I predicted before the 2020 election. The bet here is that history will judge the man quite harshly. Few of my Democrat friends know his actual legacy. If the path to solving problems is to first understand them, the Democrats are in for a hard reckoning. I started writing about events in Ukraine in 2014, having, to my own view, captured the economic nature of the emerging US conflict with Russia. Without relitigating it here, there is little that I have written about the conflict recently that is different in tenor and tone from what I wrote then. It is the details that have been updated. And I didnt create the details. I just wrote about them. Nevertheless, and I will not reveal details here due to the ongoing nature of the threat, around mid-2022 it was made clear to me that I would either cease and desist my political activities or onerous consequences would follow. The nature of the threat was the delivery of information that only Federal agencies or contractors could reasonably have had regarding actions that they had already taken. It wasnt my wellbeing that was threatened. The threat was to harm people I care about. Graph: part of what is surprising here is the symmetry between Democrats and Republicans regarding the viability of the American political system. With 60% of adults proclaiming that the American political system has been broken for decades, welcome to my world. This result makes my work absolutely ordinary, not radical. Source: nytimes.com. What made the threat particularly creepy was that a list of the people who are important to me accompanied it. Being a former volunteer firefighter, the decision to put my own life at risk to save others has already been put to the test. It is a risk that I have been willing to take. So, imagine the current conundrum. This is being put forth as information, not a complaint. I have no idea if the changes that I am seeing are visible to others. The tech model of customization has produced a dystopian hellscape whereby critical comparison is impossible because there is no common basis by which to compare. This is reification of the individualist ontology of Western commerce. Good luck fixing the effect without first addressing the cause. Nearly eight hours after an Antioch High School student opened fire on his classmates, killing one student and wounding another before turning the gun on himself, Nashville community members gathered to mourn during yet another tragedy in Middle Tennessee. Hamilton United Methodist Church senior pastor Quentin Dickerson and pastor of Arabic ministries Mamdouh Ramzy welcomed around 80 mourners, including several AHS students, teachers, elected officials, gun reform activists and other community members, leading them in prayer in both English and Arabic. Some two-and-a-half miles away, blue police lights bathed the entrances to AHS, its parking lot still filled with crime scene investigators throughout the night. +8 Two Dead in Antioch High Shooting Gunman shot two students before turning the gun on himself; reunification efforts underway As previously reported, the shooting occurred on Wednesday at 11:09 a.m. in the AHS cafeteria. Sixteen-year-old Josselin Corea Escalante was killed, and an unidentified male student was struck in the arm by gunfire. Several Metro councilmembers including District 8 Councilmember Deonte Harrell, who represents Antioch spoke, with Nashville Mayor Freddie OConnell telling the crowd, Im tired of vigils, and yet Im comforted to be in this space with you all tonight. Its especially difficult because our schools are supposed to be temples of learning never mausoleums, OConnell said. Today, as a city, as a community, I will say that its difficult to reckon once again with the devastation of gun violence in one of our school communities. The shooting is the latest in a seemingly never-ending string of tragedies across the country, with 83 school shootings occurring in 2024. According to Education Week, Antiochs was the first U.S. school shooting in a K-12 school in 2025. Among the attendees was at least one Covenant School parent, who expressed her condolences and shared how the support from past school gun violence survivors has helped the Covenant School community following its own 2023 school shooting. Current AHS teacher Aaron Rodriguez, a 2006 graduate who returned to teach at the school six years ago, spoke of his love of the Antioch community. When I moved back to Nashville, I couldn't think of any other school that I wanted to teach at because day in and day out, what I love to see is your children's faces as they get to make those memories that I got to make, and make those friends that I made who are still my best friends to this day, Rodriguez said. And the memory I never want for them is what I saw on their faces today, where this community, this space where they get to grow and find out who they are, becomes a tragedy. To parents out there, I want you to know that your children are brave and they did everything right, and were looking out for them. I implore all of you to think about all the ways that you can help us, so that we can help them make these schools the places where they look forward to going. Nashvilles Southeast Community Center, located at 5260 Hickory Hollow Parkway, Suite 202, is open Thursday as a grieving space for students, parents, school staff and anyone who is in need of counseling. AHS remains closed throughout the rest of this week. This article was first published at our sister publication Nashville Post. Trumps border czar demands cooperation from state and local law enforcement President Donald Trump's border czar Tom Homan is set to work closely with state and local law enforcement to enforce immigration laws and address illegal immigration. The second Trump administration plans to intensify efforts to deport illegal immigrants who have already received removal orders. Homan emphasized the need for partnerships with state, local and federal law enforcement, urging the public's involvement in identifying and reporting illegal activities. Some sanctuary cities, like San Diego and Los Angeles, have taken preemptive measures to protect illegal immigrants by blocking the use of local resources for ICE activities and prohibiting city personnel from participating in federal immigration enforcement. The Los Angeles Unified School District declared itself a "sanctuary district" for students and families, implementing training for staff to handle interactions with federal immigration agents. President Donald Trump's border czar Tom Homan is planning on working closely with state and local law enforcement agencies to enforce immigration laws and tackle illegal immigration. In an interview with Jan Jekielek of the Epoch Times at the Turning Point USA event on Jan. 19, Homan, who previously served as acting director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) during the first Trump administration, revealed that this administration intends to ramp up efforts to remove illegal immigrants who have already been ordered to leave the country.(Related: Tom Homan calls for weekly White House deportation briefings to update the public.) "It's a big operation," Homan told Jekielek. "Every day, we're gonna make a difference. For every criminal we take off the streets, we make the streets safer. For every child we find in sex trafficking, it's going to save a life. For every pound of fentanyl we seize at the border ... there's going to be less overdose deaths in this country. You're going to see a difference, starting day one." He then announced that local law enforcement, particularly in sanctuary cities, needs to cooperate with mass deportations. "We want partnerships with state, local, federal law enforcement," he said. "So we want American people to get involved. They see a lot of things." Sanctuary cities have already taken steps to protect illegals Despite the announcement, some sanctuary cities have already taken steps to protect illegal immigrants following Trump's pledge to initiate mass deportations. For instance, in December, the San Diego County Board of Supervisors approved a policy that will block the use of county resources to support ICE activities, including the deportation of illegal immigrants. The policy specifically prohibits the use of state and local funds for activities such as investigation, interrogation or detention for immigration enforcement. However, it does not limit or prohibit assistance with investigative activities related to suspected violations of criminal laws. Board Chair Nora Vargas, who proposed the "board policy on immigration to enhance community safety," emphasized the need to protect immigrant families and build trust within the community. The policy aligns with state laws signed by former Governor Jerry Brown in 2013 and 2017, which restrict the cooperation of local law enforcement with immigration authorities. Similarly, the Los Angeles City Council passed an ordinance in November 2024 that bans the use of city resources and personnel for federal immigration enforcement after Trump confirmed reports that he would declare a nationwide emergency and use military assets to carry out mass deportations of illegal immigrants. Under the ordinance, city personnel are barred from inquiring about the immigration status of an individual or making arrests to enforce federal immigration law. The ordinance also prohibits city personnel from participating in immigration enforcement activities or providing federal immigration agents with access to information on people's immigration status. City personnel are prohibited from responding to administrative warrants or requests to detain, transfer or notify federal immigration agents about the status or release of an illegal immigrant. The Los Angeles Unified School District also adopted a resolution that same month, declaring itself a "sanctuary district" for students and families within the school district. The resolution includes training for teachers, administrators and staff on how to respond to federal immigration agents who request information or try to enter school property. In other words, some sanctuary cities have already "Trump-proofed" their cities even before the president's inauguration. Visit BorderSecurity.News for more stories like this. Watch this interview with incoming border czar Tom Homan. This video is from the Sons of the Republic channel on Brighteon.com. More related stories: Incoming border czar Tom Homan proposes hotline for reporting criminal migrants, vows to shut down Darien Gap. Incoming "border czar" Tom Homan: Trump's mass deportation operation to start in Chicago. GAME ON: Incoming Border Czar Tom Homan to challenge the sanctuary state policies of Illinois and Gov. J.B. Pritzker. Former ICE Director Tom Homan: Trump's mass deportation plan won't separate families, since WHOLE FAMILIES of illegals will be deported together. U.S. farm industry groups urge Trump to exempt illegal immigrant agricultural workers from mass deportation orders. Sources include: YourNews.com TheEpochTimes.com 1 TheEpochTimes.com 2 TheEpochTimes.com 3 Brighteon.com ICE raids underway as Trump administration launches historic DEPORTATION operation The second Trump administration has launched Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids across the U.S., targeting individuals deemed public safety threats, such as those with criminal records. However, no undocumented immigrant is considered "off the table" for arrest. The raids are part of a broader strategy to enforce immigration laws in sanctuary cities, where local policies limit cooperation with federal authorities. This often forces ICE agents to conduct neighborhood operations, leading to "collateral arrests" of non-targeted individuals. A planned major operation in Chicago was temporarily reevaluated after details were leaked, raising safety concerns. These issues have since been resolved, and ICE teams are now active in the area. New Department of Homeland Security (DHS) memos have revoked a 2021 policy that designated schools, healthcare facilities, and other sensitive locations as "protected areas" where ICE enforcement was prohibited. The new guidance encourages officers to use "common sense" instead, raising concerns about enforcement in essential service locations. Critics argue that the raids and policy changes could instill fear in immigrant communities, deter access to essential services and disproportionately impact vulnerable populations. The administration defends the actions as necessary for public safety and immigration enforcement. President Donald Trump's administration has initiated a series of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids across the United States, targeting individuals deemed public safety threats, according to Tom Homan, the president's border czar. The operation marks a significant escalation in the administration's efforts to address illegal immigration and fulfill campaign promises to crack down on undocumented immigrants. Homan confirmed the raids during an interview with Fox News on Tuesday, Jan. 21, emphasizing that ICE teams are prioritizing individuals with criminal records but warned that no one in the country illegally is "off the table." Homan clarified that the primary targets are individuals who pose public safety risks, such as those convicted of serious crimes or arrested for violent offenses. However, he also indicated that ICE officers have been instructed to arrest any undocumented immigrants they encounter during their operations, regardless of criminal history. "Right out of the gate, it's public safety threats, those who are in the country illegally that have been convicted or arrested for serious crimes," Homan said. "But let me be clear. There are not only public safety threats that will be arrested because in sanctuary cities, but we're also not allowed to get that public safety threat in jail, which means we have to go to the neighborhood and find him. And when we find him, he may be with others. And unlike the last administration, we're not going to tell ICE officers not to arrest an illegal alien." Chicago operation revisited after leak The planned operation in Chicago drew significant attention after details were leaked to the media, prompting ICE to reassess its approach. Homan acknowledged that the leak raised concerns about officer safety and operational security but insisted that those issues have been resolved. Chicago, a self-declared sanctuary city, has been a focal point in the national debate over immigration enforcement. The city's policies limit cooperation with federal immigration authorities, making it more difficult for ICE to apprehend individuals within local jails. As a result, ICE agents are often forced to conduct operations in neighborhoods, which can lead to what Homan described as "collateral arrests" of undocumented immigrants who are not the primary targets. (Related: Incoming "border czar" Tom Homan: Trump's mass deportation operation to start in Chicago.) "Sanctuary cities will get exactly what they don't want: more agents in their neighborhoods and more collateral arrests," Homan said. The raids coincide with the release of new Department of Homeland Security (DHS) memos that rescind a 2021 policy under then-Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas. That policy designated certain locations as "protected areas" where ICE enforcement actions were prohibited, including schools, healthcare facilities, places of worship and disaster relief centers. The goal was to ensure that immigration enforcement did not interfere with access to essential services or activities. The memo issued Monday, Jan. 20, eliminates these rules and instead encourages ICE officers to use "common sense" when deciding where to conduct enforcement actions. Critics warn that this change could lead to increased enforcement in sensitive locations, potentially deterring undocumented immigrants from seeking medical care, education or other essential services. Head over to InvasionUSA.news for related stories. Watch the video below where Homan announces mass deportations on "day one." This video is from the NewsClips channel on Brighteon.com. More related stories: Self-deportations surge as Trump takes office. House passes bill targeting DEPORTATION of illegal immigrants convicted of violent crimes against women and children. Trump's bold plan: Military deployment and mass deportations to secure the border. Sources include: TheNationalPulse.com FoxNews.com Brighteon.com Thousands of unique texts LOST when the Library of Congress burned down TWICE The Library of Congress faced two major fires in its history: In 1814, British troops burned the Capitol and destroyed the library, and in 1851, a chimney fire destroyed two-thirds of its collection. After the 1814 fire, Thomas Jefferson sold his personal library of 6,487 books to Congress, transforming the library into a national repository of diverse knowledge despite political controversy. The 1851 fire prompted Congress to commission a fireproof cast-iron library room, marking a significant step in fireproofing and preservation efforts. These fires not only caused irreplaceable losses of historical texts but also reshaped the librarys mission, leading to innovations and its eventual expansion into a standalone building in 1897. Today, the Library of Congress houses over 170 million items, symbolizing resilience, but the fires remain a stark reminder of the fragility of knowledge and the importance of preservation. The Library of Congress today is a cornerstone of American knowledge and history and one of the most secure physical repositories of information but this wasn't always the case. At least twice in its history, the Library faced existential threats from major fires. In 1814, British troops burned the Capitol, incinerating the fledgling library. Decades later, in 1851, a faulty chimney sparked another devastating blaze, destroying two-thirds of its collection, including much of Thomas Jeffersons personal library. These fires, separated by nearly four decades, not only erased irreplaceable texts but also reshaped the institutions trajectory, forcing it to rebuild and rethink its purpose. Today, the Library of Congress stands as a testament to resilience, but the knowledge lost in those flames remains a haunting reminder of the fragility of history. The Burning of Washington turned a fledgling nation's national library to ash The Library of Congress was born in 1800 as a modest collection of mostly legal texts housed in the Capitol. By 1814, it held about 3,000 volumes, a small but significant repository of knowledge. In August of that year, during the War of 1812, soldiers of the British Empire marched into Washington, D.C. and set fire to government buildings, including the Capitol and the library housed within it. The destruction was swift and total or so it seemed. Conflicting accounts from the time suggest that some of the librarys contents may have been saved. Two clerks, S. Burch and J.T. Frost, claimed they had evacuated the most valuable books and papers before the fire, hiding them in a safe location. In a letter to the Librarian of Congress, they wrote, A number of the printed books were consumed, but they were all duplicates of those which have been preserved. Yet, official reports from Congress declared the entire collection lost. If any books were saved, their fate remains a mystery, leaving historians to wonder if fragments of the original library still exist, hidden or forgotten. The loss of the library struck a chord with Thomas Jefferson, who offered his personal collection of 6,487 books to Congress as a replacement. Jeffersons library, one of the largest private collections in the nation, was a treasure trove of philosophy, science and literature. In a letter to Samuel H. Smith, Jefferson wrote, I have been 50 years making it, and have spared no pains, opportunity or expense to make it what it is. Congress purchased Jeffersons library for $23,950 in 1815 nearly $500,000 today though not without controversy. Members of the opposition Federalist Party objected to the inclusion of philosophical and foreign-language works, but the acquisition laid the foundation for the modern Library of Congress. Tragically, much of Jeffersons collection would later be lost in the 1851 fire, a cruel twist of fate that underscored the librarys vulnerability. The Second Fire: A Christmas Eve Catastrophe By 1851, the Library of Congress had grown to encompass over 55,000 volumes. However, like the previous collection, it remained housed within the Capitol a building prone to fire hazards. On Dec. 24 of that year, a faulty chimney sparked a blaze that ravaged the library. Firefighters, exhausted from battling another fire the night before, were slow to respond. By the time the flames were extinguished, 35,000 books nearly two-thirds of the collection were destroyed. The loss was staggering. Among the casualties were two-thirds of Jeffersons donated books. The fire prompted Congress to take action, commissioning architect Thomas U. Walter to design a fireproof cast-iron library room within the Capitol. Completed in 1853, the ironclad structure was a marvel of its time, though it was eventually dismantled in 1901 as the library outgrew its confines. The fires of 1814 and 1851 were more than just physical disasters; they were cultural catastrophes. Each blaze erased unique texts and artifacts, fragments of history that can never be fully recovered. Yet, these tragedies also spurred innovation and growth. Jeffersons library transformed the institution into a national repository of knowledge, while the 1851 fire led to advancements in fireproofing and the eventual construction of the librarys iconic standalone building in 1897. Today, the Library of Congress houses over 170 million unique items, a testament to its resilience. But the fires serve as a reminder of the fragility of knowledge and the importance of preserving it. As historian William Dawson Johnston noted in 1905, the story of the librarys survival and the mysteries of what was lost bears repeating every century or so. In an age of digital archives and instant access, the lessons of these fires remain as relevant as ever: knowledge, once lost, is often gone forever. One of the major problems that come with great institutions like the Library of Congress is that, if the knowledge contained within these monuments is threatened such as with devastating fires it could result in the immediate loss of a great amount of knowledge. (Related: Futurist John Petersen: The future of knowledge lies in DECENTRALIZATION through AI and open-source innovation.) One of the best solutions to this problem is the decentralization of knowledge. Brighteon.ai by Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, constitutes one of these decentralized archives of human knowledge. It is free and uses open-source content on the internet to benefit all of humanity. Watch this episode of the "Health Ranger Report" as Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, discusses the necessity of decentralizing knowledge sources. This video is from the Health Ranger Report channel on Brighteon.com. More related stories: Per Mike Adams, bring back MISSING INFORMATION that is the real source of MISINFORMATION, and heal millions of sick people almost instantly. World governments seizing domain names of Z-Library to exterminate human knowledge, force everyone into controlled Big Tech info-prisons. Human knowledge is under attack by Big Tech and Big Government here's what we are doing to preserve and share the lifesaving knowledge that has been targeted for extermination. Health Ranger to launch AI open-source health and nutrition knowledge repository that's free for everyone. The real purpose of Wikipedia is to SUPPRESS human knowledge, not document it. Sources include: Grunge.com Blogs.LOC.gov DCist.com Brighteon.ai Brighteon.com Project STARGATE begins: Trump partners with OpenAI, Softbank and Oracle, promising massive AI expansion In a move that has sent shockwaves through the tech and political worlds, former President Donald Trump has announced a $500 billion investment in a groundbreaking artificial intelligence (AI) initiative dubbed "Stargate." The project, a joint venture involving tech giants Oracle, OpenAI, and SoftBank, aims to build a network of massive data centers across the U.S., starting in Texas. While proponents hail it as a leap forward in technological innovation, critics warn it could lay the groundwork for an unprecedented surveillance state. The announcement, made during a high-profile meeting at the White House, has reignited debates about the ethical implications of AI and the potential for its misuse by future administrations. Trumps $500 Billion Stargate AI initiative paves way for centralization of surveillance and control What Happened: Trump unveiled a $500 billion plan to expand U.S. AI infrastructure through a public-private partnership called "Stargate." Whos Involved: Tech leaders from Oracle, OpenAI, and SoftBank are key players, with additional investors expected to join. Why It Matters: The initiative could revolutionize AI capabilities but raises concerns about privacy, surveillance, and the potential for future misuse. Where it will begin: Initiative will begin with construction of massive data center in Texas. The Stargate project is being framed as a bold step toward securing Americas dominance in the global AI race. According to sources, the initiative will begin with the construction of a massive data center in Texas, with additional facilities planned nationwide. The $500 billion investment, spread over four years, will fund cutting-edge AI infrastructure, including advanced computing systems and data storage capabilities. With AI, intentions might be virtuous to start, but the potential for abuse is heightened, especially as the centralized project uses censorship-based models that engineer misleading narratives into the AI. Tech leaders, including Oracles Larry Ellison, OpenAIs Sam Altman, and SoftBanks Masayoshi Son, have thrown their weight behind the project. In a statement, Ellison called Stargate a transformative opportunity to position the U.S. as the undisputed leader in AI. Altman echoed this sentiment, emphasizing the potential for AI to drive economic growth and innovation. However, the projects scale has raised practical concerns. Data centers are notorious for their high energy and water consumption, and critics argue that the U.S. is ill-prepared to meet the demands of such a massive infrastructure expansion. But this might be the least of issues, because the Trump Administration is poised to invest in energy. The real issue lies in the AI programming itself, which could be weaponized by future administrations to exploit demographics, promulgate propaganda, and interfere in elections. The risks of AI centralization While the Stargate initiative promises to advance AI capabilities, it has also sparked fears about the potential for misuse. Critics argue that the project could create a centralized digital system ripe for exploitation by future administrations. Today, Trump is paving the way for the infrastructure of the future algocracy, where everything and everyone is tagged, tracked, and measured. This concern is not without historical precedent. Policies like the USA Patriot Act, enacted under President George W. Bush, expanded government surveillance powers in ways that led to government overreach that violated the Fourth Amendment of the US Constitution. Similarly, Operation Warp Speed, launched during the COVID-19 scandal, accelerated mRNA interventions, but also raised questions about the concentration of power in the hands of a few tech and pharmaceutical companies, as they exploited populations and caused further harms. The technocratic vision: a future of surveillance and mind control? Beyond the immediate concerns about surveillance and control, the Stargate project has also reignited debates about the role of AI in governance. Some technocrats have speculated that AI could eventually replace human leaders altogether, creating a world where algorithms dictate policy and decision-making. This vision of an algocracy has been met with both fascination and alarm. Proponents argue that AI could eliminate human error and bias, leading to more efficient and equitable governance. Critics, however, warn that such a system could strip individuals of their autonomy and create a dystopian future where every aspect of life is monitored and controlled. While AI systems may lead to more logical determinations and bring about a more fair society, the systems can be engineered to be more biased and lead to manipulations that further harm and discriminate against individuals throughout society. If the AI systems are dominated by controlling, corporate narratives, society could be handcuffed, knowledge suppressed. On the bright side, AI could welcome an expansion of knowledge, paving the way for innovations and subsequent changes throughout society and may even unleash a new era of wellness and achievement. The Stargate initiative represents a pivotal moment in the evolution of artificial intelligence. On one hand, it offers the promise of technological advancement, economic growth, and the potential for positive changes to bureaucracies, systems, and individual awareness. On the other, it raises profound ethical questions about privacy, power, and the future of human autonomy. Sources include: Substack.com CBSNews.com Substack.com The rise and fall of the Library of Alexandria: A legacy of knowledge lost to time The Library of Alexandria, founded in the 3rd century B.C. under the Ptolemaic dynasty, was the ancient world's largest repository of knowledge, housing hundreds of thousands of unique scrolls from diverse civilizations. Its decline began with the expulsion of foreign scholars in 145 B.C., followed by partial destruction during Julius Caesars siege in 48 B.C., and culminated in its final destruction during Roman sieges in the 3rd century A.D. The librarys loss erased countless lesser-known works, commentaries and texts, leaving an incalculable gap in the understanding of ancient thought and culture. Scholars lament the librarys destruction as a cultural catastrophe, emphasizing the irreplaceable loss of unique insights into antiquity. Today, the Library of Alexandria symbolizes humanity's quest for knowledge and the enduring responsibility to safeguard intellectual heritage against time, conflict and neglect. Once the intellectual crown jewel of the ancient world, the Library of Alexandria stood as a beacon of knowledge, housing hundreds of thousands of scrolls that captured the wisdom of civilizations. Its demise represented a great loss in human knowledge. Founded in the third century B.C. under the Ptolemaic dynasty, the librarys rise and eventual decline remain a poignant reminder of the fragility of human achievement. Its story, marked by ambition, conflict and gradual decay, continues to resonate today as a symbol of both the power and vulnerability of collective knowledge. The Library of Alexandria was likely established during the reign of Pharaoh Ptolemy II Philadelphus, who reigned between 284 to 246 B.C., though its true origins are debated. Built within the royal palace complex, the library was part of a larger institution called the Museion, or "Place of the Muses," which functioned as a center for scholarship, research and debate. The library flourished under the continued patronage of the Ptolemaic pharaohs, and at its peak the library was estimated to have housed between 40,000 to 400,000 unique scrolls, making it the largest repository of written knowledge in the ancient world. Its collections included works by Plato, Aristotle, Homer and other luminaries, as well as texts from Egyptian, Babylonian, Persian and Indian traditions. Library declined over centuries of neglect and disaster The library's decline began long before its physical destruction. In 145 B.C., Ptolemy VIII Physcon expelled foreign scholars from Alexandria, diminishing its intellectual vibrancy. By 48 B.C., during Julius Caesars siege of the city, a fire broke out in the harbor, reportedly destroying thousands of scrolls. While some historians, like Cassius Dio, suggest the fire primarily affected storage warehouses, others, such as Plutarch, blamed Caesar for the librarys demise. Regardless, the library persisted in some form for centuries, though its influence waned as Alexandria fell under Roman control. The final blow came in the third century A.D., when the library was destroyed during sieges by Roman emperors Aurelian and Diocletian. By the time of the Arab conquest in the seventh century, the library was little more than a memory. The loss of the Library of Alexandria has long been lamented as a cultural catastrophe. While many of its most significant works were preserved elsewhere, the librarys destruction erased countless lesser-known texts, commentaries and monographs that offered unique insights into ancient thought. "What perished with the library were, overwhelmingly, lesser-known works of literature and philosophy," said ancient history scholar Garret Ryan. "These losses are incalculable to scholars of antiquity." Today, the Library of Alexandria serves as a powerful symbol of humanitys quest for knowledge and the risks of its preservation. In an era dominated by digital archives, the librarys story underscores the importance of safeguarding intellectual heritage against the ravages of time, conflict and neglect. As modern institutions strive to protect knowledge, the legacy of Alexandria reminds us that the pursuit of wisdom is both a triumph and a responsibility. One of the major problems that come with great institutions like the Library of Alexandria is that, if the knowledge contained within these monuments is threatened, it could result in the loss of a great amount of knowledge. (Related: Futurist John Petersen: The future of knowledge lies in DECENTRALIZATION through AI and open-source innovation.) One of the best solutions to this problem is the decentralization of knowledge. Brighteon.ai by Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, constitutes one of these decentralized archives of human knowledge. It is free and uses open-source content on the internet to benefit all of humanity. Visit HiddenHistory.news for more stories like this. Watch this video as Petra Ortiz discusses the many wonders that humanity lost following the decline of the Library of Alexandria. This video is from the Pool Pharmacy channel on Brighteon.com. More related stories: Per Mike Adams, bring back MISSING INFORMATION that is the real source of MISINFORMATION, and heal millions of sick people almost instantly. World governments seizing domain names of Z-Library to exterminate human knowledge, force everyone into controlled Big Tech info-prisons. Human knowledge is under attack by Big Tech and Big Government here's what we are doing to preserve and share the lifesaving knowledge that has been targeted for extermination. Health Ranger to launch AI open-source health and nutrition knowledge repository that's free for everyone. The real purpose of Wikipedia is to SUPPRESS human knowledge, not document it. Sources include: LiveScience.com ScutumSoutheast.co.uk OpenCulture.com Brighteon.ai Brighteon.com Trumps unprecedented military reform: Bringing back the unvaxxed troops President Donald Trump has pledged to reinstate thousands of service members dismissed from the military for refusing the COVID-19 vaccine, providing them with full back pay. Pete Hegseth, Trump's nominee for defense secretary, shares this commitment stating that service members will be reinstated with pay and rank as an apology for the vaccine mandate. The reinstatement of these troops could cost the federal government hundreds of millions of dollars in back pay, highlighting the significant financial burden of reversing the vaccine mandate. Critics argue that the Biden administration's vaccine mandate weakened military readiness and eroded trust in military leadership, while supporters argue that it was necessary for public health. Trump's pledge represents a move towards prioritizing personal autonomy and health freedom in military policies, signaling a shift in values and priorities for the second Trump administration. President Donald Trump has pledged to reinstate thousands of service members who were dismissed from the military for refusing the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccine. He declared during his inauguration speech Monday, Jan. 20: "I will reinstate any service members who were unjustly expelled from our military for objecting to the COVID-19 vaccine." These soldiers, Trump added, would receive "full back pay." The president's promise aligns with that of Pete Hegseth, his nominee for defense secretary. "Tens of thousands of service members were kicked out because of an experimental vaccine," Hegseth told senators during his Jan. 14 confirmation hearing. "They will be apologized to. They will be reinstated, reinstituted with pay and rank." (Related: Pentagon pick Pete Hegseth vows to REINSTATE soldiers fired for refusing COVID-19 injection.) The Biden administration's COVID-19 vaccine mandate, which was in effect from August 2021 to January 2023, led to the dismissal of approximately 8,000 service members who refused the vaccine. While officials at the Department of Defense have argued that these dismissals did not harm military readiness, conservative lawmakers and critics have long contended that the mandate weakened America's armed forces. Trump's promise to reinstate these troops highlights his belief that the mandate was not only unjust, but also detrimental to national security. His comments reflect a broader critique of the Biden administration's handling of the military during the pandemic, with critics arguing that the mandate prioritized political agendas over the well-being and readiness of the armed forces. The Biden administration's vaccine mandate has been a contentious issue since its implementation. While military personnel are required to receive numerous vaccines as part of their service, the COVID-19 vaccine became a flashpoint due to its rapid development and the polarized political climate surrounding it. Cost of reinstatement: Hundreds of millions of dollars The reinstatement of these service members, however, comes with significant financial implications. Back pay alone could cost the federal government hundreds of millions of dollars. Despite the expense, Trump and Hegseth view this as a necessary step to rectify what they see as a grave injustice. Critics of the mandate argue that it undermined trust in military leadership and eroded the principle of voluntary service. But even though it has been two years since the vaccine mandate was lifted, Trump's promise also raises questions about how many of the dismissed troops would be willing to return to military service after years in civilian life. Trump's promise to reinstate dismissed troops is not just about correcting a perceived wrong; it is also a statement about health freedom and individual choice. By reversing his predecessor's mandate, Trump is signaling a return to policies that prioritize personal autonomy and trust in service members judgment. This approach resonates with many who view the mandate as an overreach of government authority. As Trump and Hegseth move forward with their plans, the debate over the COVID-19 vaccine mandate and its impact on military readiness is likely to continue. For the thousands of service members who were dismissed, Trump's promise offers a chance at redemption and a return to the ranks. For the nation, it represents a broader shift in military policy one that prioritizes strength, unity and the principles of health freedom. In a time of global uncertainty, Trump's pledge to rebuild the military and restore those who were dismissed over the vaccine mandate is a clear signal of his second administration's priorities. The issue of health freedom and military readiness will remain at the forefront of national discourse as the Trump administration takes shape. Watch Lt. Col. Theresa Long attesting to the dangers of COVID-19 vaccine mandates in the military in this clip. This video is from the GalacticStorm channel on Brighteon.com. More related stories: Active-duty and retired military members call for accountability over harms caused by VACCINE MANDATES in open letter. Pete Hegseth vows to reinstate members of the military discharged for refusing COVID-19 vaccinations. Report finds U.S. military violated rules in handling COVID-19 vaccine mandate exemption requests. U.S. Army now begging UNVAXXED soldiers it once dismissed to return to service. Military servicemen call for an end to the Pentagon's vaccine mandate. Sources include: LifeSiteNews.com MilitaryTimes.com 1 MilitaryTimes.com 2 Brighteon.com Trump signed nearly 100 executive orders on Day 1 of his second term Donald Trump was inaugurated for his second term as the 47th U.S. president on January 20, issuing executive actions to reverse Biden-era policies on immigration, energy and trade. Trump declared illegal immigration a national emergency, reinstated the "remain in Mexico" policy and proposed challenging birthright citizenship. He designated Mexican drug cartels as foreign terrorist organizations and invoked the Alien Enemies Act to bolster national security and immigration enforcement. Trump rolled back Biden's climate policies, withdrew from the Paris Agreement and prioritized domestic oil production, including drilling in federal waters and Alaska. His trade agenda included imposing new tariffs, targeting China, and he also restructured federal policies on DEI programs, transgender rights and remote work, prompting criticism and legal challenges. Donald Trump was sworn in as the 47th president of the United States on Monday, Jan. 20, and marked the beginning of his second term with a flurry of executive actions, many of which were aimed at reversing key policies of the administration of former President Joe Biden. In his inaugural address, Trump outlined an ambitious agenda targeting immigration, energy production and global trade, while vowing to declare Mexican drug cartels as foreign terrorist organizations and reinstate controversial border policies. (Related: Key takeaways from Trump's historic inauguration a true turning point for America and the world.) Among the most consequential actions were measures to declare illegal immigration a national emergency, deploy the military to the southern border and reinstate the "remain in Mexico" policy for asylum seekers. Trump also signaled his intent to challenge birthright citizenship, a constitutional right enshrined in the 14th Amendment, a move likely to face immediate legal challenges. Immigration and national security EOs take center stage Trumps focus on immigration and national security dominated his inaugural speech, as he pledged to invoke the Alien Enemies Act of 1798 to combat foreign gangs and designate Mexican drug cartels as foreign terrorist organizations (FTOs). This designation, historically applied to groups like al-Qaeda and the Islamic State, would mark a significant escalation in the U.S. approach to combating cartels. "We have a government that has given unlimited funding to the defense of foreign borders but refuses to defend American borders, or, more importantly, its own people," Trump said, echoing themes from his campaign. Biden energy and climate policies rolled back Trump declared a national energy emergency, vowing to increase domestic oil production and withdraw the U.S. from the Paris Climate Agreement for the second time. "We will be a rich nation again, and it is that liquid gold under our feet that will help to do it," he said, referring to oil reserves. The move signals a sharp departure from the Biden administrations climate-focused policies, which prioritized renewable energy and international cooperation on the climate. Trumps plan to expand drilling in federal waters and Alaskas wilderness, while rolling back energy efficiency regulations, underscores his commitment to fossil fuels. Trump signs EOs on trade and slapping new tariffs Trump also unveiled plans to overhaul global trade, proposing a 10 percent tariff on all imports and a 60 percent tariff on Chinese goods. He pledged to establish an "External Revenue Service" to collect tariffs and duties, a move he claims will bolster American economic growth and reduce the deficit. The president's trade agenda includes a review of Chinas compliance with the 2020 trade deal and the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement, as well as an assessment of industrial and manufacturing bases to determine if additional tariffs are warranted. Trump targets DEI initiatives, transgenderism and the federal bureaucracy Trump's executive actions also targeted diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs across the federal government, eliminating protections for transgender individuals in federal prisons and recognizing only two sexes: male and female. Additionally, he froze federal hiring, except for positions related to immigration enforcement, national security or public safety and ordered federal workers to return to the office full-time, ending remote work policies. Many of Trump's executive orders are expected to face legal challenges, particularly those targeting birthright citizenship and asylum policies. Critics argue that the president cannot unilaterally alter constitutional rights or bypass Congress on key issues. Watch this Jan. 20 episode of "Brighteon Broadcast News" as Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, discusses Trump's second inauguration and what to expect for the next four years. This video is from the Health Ranger Report channel on Brighteon.com. More related stories: Corporate America, including TECH GIANTS and BIG PHARMA, opens wallets wide for Trump's second inauguration contributing over $170 million to shatter previous record. Trump appoints Hollywood icons as special ambassadors to help revive struggling entertainment industry. U.S. must prioritize fossil fuels to secure AI dominance, says Trump's energy chief. Self-deport or face 20-year exile: Trump's border czar's tough new immigration strategy. Sources include: MiddleEastEye.net NYTimes.com Brighteon.com Trump suspends U.S. foreign aid, citing national priorities and economic concerns President Donald Trump suspends all foreign aid to countries worldwide for 90 days, pending a comprehensive review of U.S. foreign assistance programs. The suspension is part of a broader effort to reassess U.S. foreign aid and ensure it aligns with national priorities and values, particularly in the context of the ongoing conflict between Ukraine and Russia. The decision has been met with mixed reactions, with critics arguing it could have significant consequences for global stability and U.S. relationships with key allies and partners. A majority of Americans believe the country is spending too much on foreign aid, particularly in support of Ukraine, with recent polls indicating that 51 percent of respondents say the country is "spending too much" on Kyiv. The 90-day review, overseen by the Office of Management and Budget and the State Secretary, could significantly shape the future of U.S. foreign aid and its role in international affairs. The final decision is expected to be announced in 90 days. President Donald Trump has suspended all foreign aid to countries worldwide, effective immediately, pending a 90-day review. The decision, announced on his first day in office, follows a wave of other executive orders aimed at reshaping U.S. foreign policy and economic strategy. The suspension of foreign aid, which includes significant support for countries like Ukraine, is part of a broader effort to reassess U.S. foreign assistance programs and ensure they align with national priorities. According to the White House, the current allocations of U.S. foreign aid are "not aligned with American interests and in many cases antithetical to American values," and "serve to destabilize world peace by promoting ideas in foreign countries that are directly inverse to harmonious and stable relations internal to and among countries." (Related: Lavrov: Outgoing Biden administration SABOTAGING Trump's efforts to end Russia-Ukraine war.) During his reelection campaign, Trump repeatedly criticized U.S. foreign assistance, particularly the substantial aid provided to Ukraine. In 2022 alone, Congress approved over $112 billion in assistance to Ukraine, a figure that has drawn criticism from some sectors of the American public. Recent polls indicate that a majority of Americans believe the country is spending too much on foreign aid, particularly in support of Ukraine. According to a recent survey, 51 percent of respondents say the country is "spending too much" on Kyiv, while only 17 percent say the country should boost spending. The executive order signed by Trump directs federal agencies to conduct a comprehensive review of foreign aid programs, overseen by the Office of Management and Budget and the State Secretary. This review is intended to evaluate the efficacy and alignment of U.S. foreign aid with national interests and values. The order also grants the Secretary of State the authority to waive the 90-day suspension for specific programs deemed critical to national security. Impact and reactions to Trump's order The decision to suspend foreign aid has been met with a mix of reactions from the international community and domestic policymakers. Critics argue that the move could have significant consequences for global stability, particularly in regions where U.S. assistance has been crucial in mitigating conflicts or promoting democratic values. In a statement released by the White House, Trump emphasized his commitment to "putting America first" and reassessing the role of foreign aid in U.S. foreign policy. "I will, very simply, put America first," Trump said in his inauguration speech, underscoring his administration's focus on domestic priorities and economic concerns. The suspension of foreign aid is also viewed in the context of the ongoing conflict between Ukraine and Russia. The United States has been a significant supporter of Ukraine, providing substantial military, financial and humanitarian aid. Russian officials have consistently criticized this support, viewing it as a direct threat to their national security. As the 90-day review period begins, the impact of the suspension of foreign aid remains to be seen. While the move reflects a shift in U.S. foreign policy priorities under the Trump administration, it also highlights the complex and often contentious nature of international aid and its role in global stability. As the review process unfolds, policymakers and analysts will be closely watching for the implications of this decision on U.S. foreign policy and its relationships with key allies and partners around the world. The outcome of this review could significantly shape the future of U.S. foreign aid and its role in international affairs. The final decision is expected to be announced in 90 days and the implications of this move will likely be felt for years to come, both domestically and internationally. Trump.news has more stories related to the president's policies in his second term. Watch the video below that talks about Trump's vow to end the war in Ukraine to prevent World War III. This video is from Cynthia's Pursuit of Truth channel on Brighteon.com. More related stories: Trump and Putin set stage for high-stakes meeting amid Ukraine war stalemate. Russia gaining the UPPER HAND in Ukraine conflict, Pentagon admits. Biden administration racing to distribute another $1.25 billion in military aid to Ukraine before term ends. America Last: Biden administration prioritizes FOREIGN AID over domestic disaster relief. Biden approves $20B loan to Ukraine right before Trump takes office. Sources include: SHTFPlan.com RT.com Brighteon.com Ukraines Zelensky demands U.S. isolate from Russia, cut off communications Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky criticized Western nations, including the U.S., for maintaining intelligence-level contacts with Russia during the ongoing conflict. Zelensky, speaking at the World Economic Forum in Davos, argued that diplomatic isolation should be used as a tool against Moscow. He emphasized Ukraines refusal to negotiate with Russia unless it is from a position of strength, rejecting any compromise on territorial disputes. Zelenskys remarks highlight his insistence on prioritizing Ukraines interests, even as Western nations weigh their own diplomatic strategies. Zelensky wants total allegiance from U.S. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, speaking at the World Economic Forum in Davos on Wednesday, sharply criticized Western nations for maintaining intelligence-level contacts with Russia throughout the three-year conflict between Ukraine and Moscow. Zelenskys remarks, delivered with a tone of frustration and insistence, underscored his demand for absolute diplomatic isolation of Russia and his belief that Ukraines priorities should dictate U.S. foreign policy. The Ukrainian leaders refusal to entertain negotiations with Russia, coupled with his criticism of Western intelligence exchanges, reflects his uncompromising stance and his desire for unwavering international support. This approach, however, raises questions about the sustainability of such a strategy and its implications for global diplomacy. Zelenskys comments at Davos revealed his dissatisfaction with the Wests continued engagement with Russia, particularly at the intelligence level. We know that at the intelligence level, the United States and Russia had contacts throughout the three years of the war. They had many different contacts. And, to be honest, the Europeans had many, too, Zelensky told attendees. He acknowledged that he was not consulted on these exchanges but made it clear that he did not support them. The Ukrainian leader argued that intelligence-level dialogue could inadvertently benefit Moscow. If the leaders dont talk, but the intelligence services constantly talk, then in principle, this may suit the Russian side, he said. Zelenskys remarks suggest a belief that any form of communication with Russia undermines Ukraines position and weakens the international pressure on Moscow. Zelenskys refusal to compromise could be Ukraine's undoing Zelenskys speech also reiterated his unwavering stance on negotiations with Russia. He emphasized that Ukraine would not agree to any compromise involving the recognition of Russias territorial gains, even if all the allies of the world united to demand it. This position aligns with Ukraines outright ban on negotiations with Russian President Vladimir Putin, a policy introduced two years ago and reaffirmed last week by Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrey Sibiga. Zelensky insisted that any potential dialogue with Russia must occur from a position of strength. Any attempts to speak on an equal footing with Moscow would constitute defeat for Ukraine, he said. This uncompromising approach reflects Zelenskys belief that Ukraines sovereignty and territorial integrity are non-negotiable, even as the conflict continues to exact a heavy toll on the country. Russias territorial leverage speaks louder than what Zelensky can demand with his speeches, however. Volodymyr Zelenskys remarks at Davos reveal a leader deeply committed to his vision of Ukraines future, one that brooks no compromise and demands unwavering international support. His criticism of Western intelligence contacts with Russia and his refusal to entertain negotiations reflect a strategy rooted in strength and defiance. However, this approach also raises questions about the long-term sustainability of such a rigid stance, particularly as the conflict continues to evolve and global dynamics shift. Zelenskys insistence on isolating Russia and prioritizing Ukraines interests above all else underscores his belief in the righteousness of his cause. Yet, as the war drags on, the challenge for Ukraine and its allies will be to balance immediate objectives with the broader imperatives of diplomacy and global stability. Zelensky sounds like a narcissistic dictator, hellbent on isolating nations and bending governments to his will. In a world where alliances are often as fragile as they are necessary, Zelenskys uncompromising stance may prove to be both his greatest strength and his most significant vulnerability. Sources include: RT.com Youtube.com Politico.eu Walgreens accused of ignoring red flags, contributing to opioid crisis in federal lawsuit The DOJ sued Walgreens for filling millions of unlawful opioid prescriptions, contributing to the opioid epidemic. Walgreens allegedly ignored "red flags" and pressured pharmacists to prioritize speed over due diligence. The lawsuit claims Walgreens ignored internal data and whistleblower warnings, violating the Controlled Substances Act and False Claims Act. The DOJ seeks civil penalties and damages, aiming to hold Walgreens accountable for its role in the crisis. The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) has filed a lawsuit against Walgreens, alleging the pharmacy giant filled millions of unlawful opioid prescriptions and contributed to the nations devastating opioid epidemic. The civil complaint, announced on January 17, accuses Walgreens of violating the Controlled Substances Act (CSA) and the False Claims Act (FCA) by dispensing prescriptions without a legitimate medical purpose and seeking reimbursement from federal health care programs. The lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, highlights systemic failures that allowed dangerous drugs to flood communities, exacerbating a crisis that has claimed nearly 727,000 lives since 1999. The DOJs complaint alleges that Walgreens pharmacists filled millions of prescriptions for opioids and other controlled substances despite clear red flags indicating they were likely unlawful. According to the filing, Walgreens pressured pharmacists to prioritize speed over due diligence, limiting their ability to verify the legitimacy of prescriptions. These practices allowed millions of opioid pills and other controlled substances to flow illegally out of Walgreens stores, said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton in a statement. The lawsuit also claims that Walgreens ignored internal data and warnings from its own pharmacists, depriving them of crucial information to identify suspicious prescribers. Four whistleblowers, former Walgreens employees, brought the allegations to light under the False Claims Act, which allows private parties to sue on behalf of the government. A pattern of corporate complicity Walgreens is not alone in facing legal scrutiny for its role in the opioid crisis. The DOJ filed a similar lawsuit against CVS last month, accusing the pharmacy chain of filling excessive and early opioid prescriptions. In 2022, Walgreens agreed to pay up to $5.52 billion over 15 years to settle thousands of lawsuits by state and local governments alleging the company fueled the epidemic. Other major players in the pharmaceutical industry, including drug manufacturers and distributors, have collectively paid about $50 billion in settlements over the past few years. Despite these settlements, the opioid crisis continues to ravage communities across the United States. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that opioid overdose deaths have surged, with synthetic opioids like fentanyl driving the increase. Critics argue that pharmacies and drug makers have prioritized profits over public health, enabling the widespread misuse of addictive painkillers. In response to the lawsuit, Walgreens has pushed back, claiming the government is enforcing arbitrary rules that lack a formal regulatory foundation. We will not stand by and allow the government to put our pharmacists in a no-win situation, trying to comply with rules that simply do not exist, a Walgreens spokesperson said in a statement. The company also emphasized its commitment to combating opioid misuse, citing its implementation of best-in-class policies and procedures. However, the DOJ maintains that enforcement of the CSA and FCA is critical to safeguarding public health and protecting taxpayer-funded programs like Medicare from abuse. If found liable, Walgreens could face civil penalties of up to $80,850 per unlawful prescription under the CSA, as well as treble damages for prescriptions billed to federal programs in violation of the FCA. A crisis with no easy fix The opioid epidemic remains one of the most pressing public health challenges in the U.S., with no end in sight. While lawsuits like the one against Walgreens aim to hold corporations accountable, critics argue that more must be done to address the root causes of addiction and prevent future tragedies. For now, the DOJs lawsuit against Walgreens highlights the role pharmacies and drug makers have played in a crisis that has devastated countless lives. The outcome of this case could set a precedent for how the government holds corporations accountable for their role in the opioid epidemic. Sources for this article include: TheEpochTimes.com CBSNews.com CNN.com Federal bureaucrats planning to RESIST Trumps agenda, poll reveals A recent RMG Research poll reveals that 42 percent of "federal managers," or government bureaucrats, plan to resist President Donald Trump's agenda, while only 44 percent plan on supporting it. The survey highlights a sharp partisan divide among federal managers, with 89 percent of Republicans supporting Trump and 73 percent of Democrats opposing him. Federal managers prioritize issues like guns, crime, climate change and equality, contrasting with the majority of the population who are focused on the economy and immigration. The Trump administration aims to counter resistance by reviving Schedule F, reclassifying federal roles to remove insubordinate employees, sparking debate over its impact on bureaucracy. A recent poll conducted by RMG Research has uncovered a troubling trend among federal government managers nearly half are openly planning to resist President Donald Trump's administration. The survey, which examined three distinct segments of the population, found that 42 percent of federal managers intend to oppose Trump's agenda, while only 44 percent say they will support it. The poll, commissioned by the Napolitan Institute, surveyed three groups. The first are the so-called "Elite 1 percent," made up of individuals with postgraduate degrees, earning over $150,000 annually or living in densely populated areas; the Main Street Americans, representing roughly 75 percent of the population; and the federal managers, or people who live in or near Washington, D.C. and earn at least $75,000 annually. While Main Street Americans and even a significant portion of the Elite 1 percent expressed willingness to support the new administration, federal managers emerged as the most resistant group. (Related: Biden-Harris regime leaves behind a totalitarian legacy of federal abuses, the weaponization of federal agencies, surveillance, censorship, show trials, religious persecution, and more.) The divide among federal managers sharpens along party lines. An overwhelming 89 percent of Republican managers said they would "somewhat" or "strongly" support the Trump administration, while 73 percent of Democrat managers admitted they would "somewhat" or "strongly" resist it. When asked how they would respond to a lawful order from the White House that the managers deem to be bad policy, 64 percent of Democrat managers said they would ignore the order and act on their own judgment. Only 17 percent said they would comply. The survey also exposed a significant gap in priorities between federal managers and the general public. While Main Street Americans and the Elite 1 percent identified the economy and immigration as their top concerns, federal managers placed greater emphasis on issues like guns and crime, climate change and equality as their main priorities. Federal managers represent "Deep State" that Trump wants to dismantle The Trump administration has long criticized the so-called "Deep State," a term used to describe entrenched bureaucrats who allegedly work to undermine elected leaders. During his first term, Trump faced significant pushback from career officials within agencies like the Department of Justice and the Department of Education, who were accused of slow-walking or sabotaging his initiatives. Now, Trump and his allies are taking steps to rein in this overreaching and unelected bureaucracy. One of the administration's key strategies is the revival of Schedule F, an executive order that would reclassify certain federal positions as political appointments, making it easier to remove career employees who are deemed insubordinate or ineffective. This move has sparked outrage among critics, who argue that it would create a culture of fear and silence within the federal workforce. However, supporters contend that it is necessary to ensure that the president's agenda is carried out without obstruction. The stakes are high. If federal managers follow through on their plans to resist the administration, it could lead to a protracted battle between the executive branch and the bureaucracy. Such a conflict would not only hinder the implementation of key policies but also erode public trust in government institutions. Visit Trump.news for more about his second administration. Watch this clip from Fox News discussing Trump's first day in office. This video is from the NewsClips channel on Brighteon.com. More related stories: Trump to sign executive order designating cryptocurrency as a national priority on inauguration day. Trump administration plans mass deportations, cuts to sanctuary cities on Day One. Trumps bold plan: Military deployment and mass deportations to secure the border. Major U.S. banks exit Net Zero Banking Alliance ahead of Trump inauguration, signaling shift in climate priorities. Sources include: AMGreatness.com Reuters.com Brighteon.com PRICE GOUGING: Landlords and property owners in Los Angeles County hike rental prices by as much as 300% Landlords in Los Angeles County are exploiting wildfire-related displacement by illegally raising rental prices up to 300 percent, violating Californias mandated 10 percent cap on price increases during emergencies. Real estate platforms like Zillow have removed hundreds of listings violating price gouging laws, but many displaced families are already burdened by predatory rental practices. Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman has warned violators to cease price gouging, refund overcharged tenants or face fines up to $10,000, jail time and public shaming. Wildfires have worsened Southern Californias housing crisis, with displaced residents facing exorbitant rents and limited housing options, further straining an already unaffordable market. Landlords and property owners in Los Angeles County are price gouging, exploiting the wildfires to hike rental prices by as much as 300 percent. Price gouging occurs when sellers drastically increase the cost of essential goods or services during emergencies, taking advantage of heightened demand and limited supply. In California, state law prohibits raising prices by more than 10 percent during a declared state of emergency. Yet, in Los Angeles County, some landlords have ignored this law, charging displaced families exorbitant rents for temporary housing. (Related: Los Angeles wildfires leave displaced residents vulnerable to predatory PRICE GOUGING.) Real estate platforms like Zillow have already removed hundreds of listings that violated the 10 percent cap, but the damage has been done. Families who have lost everything are now facing the added burden of predatory rental practices. One resident, a retiree named Brian, lost his rent-controlled apartment in the Pacific Palisades after two decades. Now, he fears his pension wont cover the skyrocketing rents in a city where housing was already unaffordable for many. Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman has issued a stern warning to those engaging in price gouging: Stop immediately and refund overcharged tenants or face criminal charges, civil penalties and public shaming. Violators could be fined up to $10,000 or spend a year in jail. The problem extends beyond individual landlords. Even luxury real estate mogul Jason Oppenheim, star of the Netflix reality series "Selling Sunset," has spoken out against the practice. Oppenheim recounted a shocking example of a landlord demanding $23,000 per month for a property originally listed at $13,000. There are price gouging laws in California, he said. Theyre just being ignored right now, and this isnt the time to be taking advantage of situations. Wildfires and price gouging expected to exacerbate Southern California's housing shortage and crisis The wildfires have displaced tens of thousands of people, creating a housing crisis within a crisis. With fewer available units and more people competing for them, rents are soaring. The median rent in Los Angeles is already $2,800 per month, but some displaced residents are being asked to pay double or triple that amount. For families like Erica Lees, who lost their home and are bouncing between Airbnbs, the situation is dire. My son keeps asking me, When are we going to stop moving? Lee said. And I dont have an answer for it. While authorities crack down on price gouging, the broader issue of housing affordability in Los Angeles remains unresolved. Even before the wildfires, the city was grappling with a homelessness crisis and skyrocketing rents. The disaster has only exacerbated these challenges, leaving many to wonder how the most vulnerable will recover. The response from the community, however, offers a glimmer of hope. Over 13,000 people have donated more than $6 million to the California Community Foundation Wildfire Recovery Fund. Volunteers and tenant advocacy groups are also stepping up, tracking rental increases and reporting violations to authorities. Watch this video discussing how much the Los Angeles wildfires have hurt local and state Democrats. This video is from the NewsClips channel at Brighteon.com. More related stories: Newsoms wildfire response focuses on online misinformation while Californians suffer. Deadly LA fires worsen as high winds threaten to undo containment progress. LA mayors budget cuts blamed for fire department struggles as wildfires rage. Kristin is the new Karen: A dearth of leadership from the DEI hires in charge of public safety at the LA Fire Department. Insurance exodus and wildfire fallout: Californias crisis deepens. Sources include: 100Percentfedup.com ABCnews.go.com BBC.com Brighteon.com The un-merry-go-round of media, pharma, and government A scientific journal on Tuesday retracted the March 2020 study that introduced the world to hydroxychloroquine early in the COVID-19 pandemic and confirmed that the attention was undeserved from the startThe International Journal of Antimicrobial Agents, which is owned by Elsevier and the International Society of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy, issued a formal retraction. USA Today, December 18, 2024 Prior to the Covid-19 pandemic, most people gave little thought to medical journals, pharmaceutical companies, and government regulatory agencies. Any passing thought was likely to involve the idea that medical journals were credible, helpful drugs were being developed, the taxpayer funded FDA was scrupulously testing for safety and effectiveness before approving products, and the media was doing its best to report both sides of every story. Now we know better. (Article by Lori Weintz republished from OnTopicWithLori.com) A Global Scandal The above referenced USA Today article states that the study and its retraction are the cornerstone of a global scandal. Thats true, but not for the reasons the reporter indicates. In fact, the assault on Raoult is bold evidence that the forces which harmed the worlds population during the Covid-19 pandemic continue to work unabated, at the expense of our health and well-being. In the past we would have assumed the Journal knew what it was doing, that Raoults study was deserving of revocation, and that USA Today was providing balanced reporting on the situation. After all, what do most people know about medical research and studies? Even those in the medical field often rely on what they read in the professional journals to help stay up to date on the latest in medicine. The public expects media to be a check on corporate and government corruption, but weve been betrayed. Punishing Those Who Oppose the Official Narrative Didier Raoults situation is emblematic of the rot that was revealed throughout the medical, media, and regulatory industries during the pandemic. In relation to the retraction four years later of Raoults hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) study, consider the following excerpt from my book, Mechanisms of Harm: Medicine in the Time of Covid-19, published by Brownstone Institute in April of this year: In Marseilles, France, Dr. Didier Raoults team conducted a study of 1,061 patients treated for Covid with a combination of HCQ and azithromycin from March 3-April 9, 2020. The study reported, A good clinical outcome and virological cure was obtained in 973 patients within 10 days (91.7%).* The study further noted, The HCQ-AZ combination, when started immediately after diagnosis, is a safe and efficient treatment for COVID-19, with a mortality rate of 0.5%, in elderly patients. It avoids worsening and clears virus persistence and contagiosity in most cases. A microbiological and clinical scientist, at the time of this study Raoult was the most highly-published infectious diseases expert in Europe, and was founder and head of the IHN Mediterranee research hospital, the premier infectious disease facility in France. Raoult was familiar with earlier studies of HCQ as an infective inhibitor of coronavirus disease progression. His report was likely influential in the FDAs initial approval of HCQ for the treatment of Covid. HCQ was over-the-counter in France for decades before some behind-the-scenes political maneuvering led to its reclassification as a poisonous substance in January 2020. When Raoult released his findings in May 2020, prescriptions for HCQ went from an average of 50 per day to several hundred, and then even thousands. The French government quickly acted to recommend it not be prescribed for Covid except in clinical trials, in part based on the falsified Surgisphere study. Raoult continued to have success using HCQ, combined with other drugs, as a treatment for Covid-19. From March 2020 through December 2021 Raoult conducted a retrospective cohort study of 30,423 Covid-19 patients. A pre-print version of the study concluded that, HCQ prescribed early or late protects in part from COVID-19-related death. It would appear that Raoult poked a hornets nest in conducting a routine study using routine drugs with decades long safety profiles. After the pre-print of the study was published in March 2023, a group of French research bodies called for Raoult to be disciplined for the systematic prescription of medications as varied as hydroxychloroquine, zinc, ivermectin and azithromycin to patients suffering from Covid-19 without a solid pharmacological basis and lacking any proof of their effectiveness. Just to review: Hydroxychloroquine and ivermectin are on the World Health Organizations list of essential meds and have almost no side effects or interactions with other medications. Zinc is an essential nutrient found in a variety of plant and animal foods and is available in pill form in any drug store. Azithromycin is an antibiotic widely prescribed for decades and is also a WHO essential medicine. Multiple doctors and hundreds of studies have found ample evidence that these and other off-label meds were effective in treating Covid patients. Just what are these French research bodies so worried about? Biased Media Leads to Public Harm The information and links in the above excerpt from Mechanisms of Harm are all from publicly available sources, which reporters should be accessing when covering these types of news stories. Instead, too often Legacy media has a cozy relationship with Big Pharma advertising dollars, and government regulatory agencies. In the case of this USA Today article, it appears the reporter took quotes and info given to him by those with an interest in discrediting Didier Raoult, without presenting the other side of the story, which means this particular USA Today article is more propaganda than news. Hydroxychloroquine Is Safe Unless Given in Toxic Doses The USA Today article quotes the French Society of Pharmacology and Therapeutics saying that Raoults paper constituted a clear example of scientific misconductto falsely present the drug as effective against Covid-19. The society claims, without citing any evidence, that Raoults work led to unwarranted risks to millions of people and potentially thousands of avoidable deaths. Hydroxychloroquine has been used for more than 60 years to treat malaria and other diseases, and has such a good safety profile that it is routinely given to pregnant women and children. It is an over-the-counter medicine in many countries. The alleged serious side effects from HCQ only occur if the patient is overdosed, a fact that was established by the World Health Organizations consultant, H. Weniger, hired in 1979 to look at episodes of adult poisoning by chloroquine drugs. Dr. Richard Urso, another early proponent of using HCQ to treat Covid-19, stated, The whole political situation has driven the fear toward this drug. He explained that the safety profile for HCQ is safer than aspirin, Motrin, and Tylenol, but noted that the large clinical trials testing HCQ against Covid-19 were set up to fail. Dr. Urso said they used massive toxic doses and guess what they found out? When you use massive toxic doses, you get toxic results. He explained that HCQ concentrates in the lungs, which is where Covid-19 disease develops. Dr. Urso noted that combined with zinc, HCQ is highly effective as both a prophylaxis and early treatment of Covid-19 disease. Weintz, Lori. Mechanisms of Harm: Medicine in the Time of Covid-19 (p. 69). Brownstone Institute. Kindle Edition. Dr. Urso, Dr. Raoult, and many others, including Dr. Tony Fauci, knew at the beginning of the pandemic that hydroxychloroquine was a prime candidate for treating Covid-19. A National Institutes of Health (NIH) study found in 2005 that chloroquine, a precursor to HCQ, was a potent inhibitor of SARS coronavirus infection and spread in cell culture studies. Chloroquine had also shown promise against MERS in vitro. USA Today failed to mention this relevant history about HCQ. Elsevier and Compromised Medical Journals The USA Today article exhibits an odd lack of curiosity about Elsevier, the part owner of the journal that retracted Raoults study. Wikipedia identifies Elsevier as a Dutch academic publishing company specializing in scientific, technical, and medical content. The motto on Elseviers webpage is For the benefit of society, and states, We help researchers and healthcare professionals advance science and improve healthcare outcomes. However, Elsevier is a multi-billion dollar for-profit company that owns many of the medical and scientific journals, and has been accused by multiple sources of having a negative impact on research sharing. Its high subscription prices, and its support of organizations that wish to prohibit open-access to articles and studies, has led to paywalls. While abstracts are freely available, access to the full text of articles is often pay-per-view or by subscription, even for studies that were funded by public tax dollars. Elsevier has also created a situation where researchers are sometimes blocked from their own published work due to company policy on research and copyright. Editorial boards of journals (often nonprofit) have resigned due to disputes with Elsevier over pricing, and librarians have boycotted Elsevier in response to pricing schemes. While ignoring Elseviers less than honorable business model, the USA Today article does note just 3 of the 18 authors of the retracted study agreed to withdraw it. Lead author Didier Raoult was not among the three, and apparently neither he, nor anyone who might share a counter perspective for the article, was interviewed. HCQ Was Approved by the FDA to Treat Covid-19 The USA Today article states, In 2020, then-President Donald Trump said he had been taking hydroxychloroquine to prevent a COVID-19 infection, despite warnings by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) over its effectiveness. However, in May 2020 when Pres. Trump said he was taking HCQ, it was emergency use authorized by the FDA for treating Covid-19, and was being tested in several clinical trials. It was not until June 15, 2020 that the FDA revoked its EUA approval for HCQ to treat Covid-19, stating the known and potential benefits of chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine no longer outweigh the known and potential risks for the authorized use. The FDA cited concerns over cardiac adverse events and other potential serious side effects, and recent results from a large randomized clinical trial in hospitalized patients. As stated earlier serious side effects from HCQ would only result from overdose. The details behind the sabotage of clinical trials testing HCQ as a treatment for Covid-19 can be found here, but the short version behind the motive is this: By the FDAs own rules, under section 564 of the FD&C Act, the FDA can only give Emergency Use Authorization to an experimental vaccine if there is no other effective treatment. If Covid-19 could be treated effectively with already FDA-approved meds, such as hydroxychloroquine and ivermectin, there would be no legal justification to give Emergency Use Authorization to the Covid vaccines in development. Weintz, Lori. Mechanisms of Harm: Medicine in the Time of Covid-19 (p. 74). Brownstone Institute. Kindle Edition. An article like the USA Today column referred to in this post is problematic not only because of what it says, but because of what it doesnt say. The real story is how already FDA approved drugs, which multiple doctors were finding effective at treating Covid-19, were sabotaged and suppressed to make way for highly profitable, poorly tested, ineffective, and harmful Emergency Use Authorized medications and vaccines. Conflicts of Interest at the FDA and NIH There is a need to separate Big Pharma and other third party dollars from being paid to regulatory agencies. Almost half of the Food and Drug Administrations (FDA) budget comes from the pharmaceutical companies whose products the FDA approves and regulates. In another conflict of interest, National Institutes of Health (NIH) scientists receive royalties on product discoveries. NIH is described on its website as the nations medical research agency, with billions of taxpayer dollars going toward research each year. A May 2022 report from government watchdog group Open the Books notes that, Essentially, taxpayer money funding NIH research benefits researchers employed by NIH because they are listed as patent inventors and therefore receive royalty payments from licensees. Open the Books estimates up to $350 million in royalties from third parties were paid to NIH scientists during the fiscal years between 2010 and 2020. Open the Books, notes, When an NIH employee makes a discovery in their official capacity, the NIH owns the rights to any resulting patent. These patents are then licensed for commercial use to companies that could use them to bring products to market. Open the Books states, [N]one of these payments are receiving any scrutiny whatsoever and to the extent that a company [is] making payments to either leadership or scientists, while also receiving grantsthen that just on its face is a conflict of interest. Although separate agencies, both are under the umbrella of Health and Human Services, in 2010 the NIH and FDA entered into a Joint Leadership Council Charter to facilitate collaboration between NIH and FDA noting, The NIH and FDA share a common goal of advancing public health by promoting the translation of basic and clinical research findings into medical products and therapies. The agencies are complementary in their roles and functionsNIH supports and conducts biomedical and behavioral research and FDA ensures the safety and effectiveness of medical and other products. That sounds good on paper, but as weve experienced in the past five years, these agencies are not protecting the public health. There is also the problem of the so-called revolving door between the FDA and pharmaceutical companies. For example, nine out of the last 10 FDA commissionerswent on to work for the pharmaceutical industry or to serve on a prescription drug companys board of directors after leaving the FDA. Then there is the reality of Big Pharma campaign contributions and lobbying to Congress. Fully two thirds of Congress cashed a check from the pharmaceutical industry ahead of the 2020 election according to STAT news. There arent many articles on these topics in the mainstream media, because the system is largely corrupted. Big money and powerful forces are behind the drive to keep the current system in place. Take note of how often your program or news is brought to you by Pfizer, or another drug company. Consider the fact that only two countries in the world allow direct marketing of pharmaceuticals to the public the United States and New Zealand. Big Pharma and pharma-related corporations have outsized influence over our media, the scientific and medical journals, and our government regulatory agencies. Time to Shake up the Status Quo We need accountability, and a separation of Big Pharma money from the agencies that regulate medical research and pharmaceutical products. Also, its time to put a stop to the myriad commercials that end with ask your doctor about (fill in the blank). If the Legacy media cant survive without Big Pharma advertising dollars, then its time for a new media model. With the incoming Trump Administration, and the appointment of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as director of the Department of Health and Human Services, we have the chance for a desperately needed course correction. Read more at: OnTopicWithLori.com Trump declares NATIONAL EMERGENCY at the southern border, reverses Bidens policies that caused border crisis President Donald Trump declared a national emergency on his first day back in office signaling a dramatic shift from the immigration policies of his predecessor, former President Joe Biden, and vowing to crack down on illegal immigration. The declaration empowers federal agencies to redirect resources and personnel to the border in order to halt illegal entries, resume border wall construction, deploy U.S. military troops, and reinstate strict immigration policies such as the "Remain in Mexico" program. The second Trump administration scrapped the Biden-era "catch and release" practice and CBP One mobile app, which immigration advocacy groups argue will separate families and weaken the economy, leading to immediate legal challenges. The national emergency declaration includes plans to designate Mexican drug cartels as terrorist organizations, aimed at combating cross-border trafficking of drugs and people. The declaration underscores Trump's determination to prioritize border security as a cornerstone of his domestic policy, though the longevity and impact of these policies will depend on the outcomes of anticipated court battles. In a sweeping move to address the border crisis, President Donald Trump declared a national emergency at the U.S.-Mexico border on his first day back in office, signaling a dramatic shift from the immigration policies of his predecessor, former President Joe Biden. The declaration, which empowers federal agencies to redirect resources and personnel to the border, marks the first step in what Trump has vowed will be a comprehensive crackdown on illegal immigration. It allows the second Trump administration to halt illegal entries, resume construction of the border wall, deploy U.S. military troops and reinstate strict immigration policies such as the "Remain in Mexico" program. The declaration also put an end the Biden-era "catch and release" practice and scrapped CBP One, a mobile app that allowed migrants to schedule appointments at ports of entry. "This is about defending our country from threats and invasions," Trump said during his inaugural address, emphasizing his commitment to border security. He also promised that "all illegal entry will be halted" and millions of "criminal aliens" will be deported. The move reflects Trump's long-standing focus on immigration, a cornerstone of his political platform since his first presidential campaign. During his first term, Trump implemented policies such as the Remain in Mexico program and began construction of the border wall, which he now seeks to revive and expand. (Related: Trump to immediately focus on deporting immigrants and resuming construction of border wall.) The Biden administration claimed that CBP One reduced border detentions by providing a "legal pathway" for migrants to request asylum. However, Trump officials argue that the app facilitated illegal immigration and contributed to the ongoing crisis. Hours after taking office, the Trump administration canceled roughly 30,000 scheduled appointments through CBP One, leaving thousands of migrants stranded in Mexico. Trump's national emergency declaration faces immediate challenges The decision to scrap CBP One was met with immediate legal challenges from the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and condemnation from immigration advocacy groups. Jennie Murray, president and CEO of the National Immigration Forum, called the orders "disappointing but not surprising," warning that they would "separate families and weaken our economy." Greisa Martinez Rosas, executive director of United We Dream, accused the Trump administration of "actively trying to destroy [migrants'] lives" and warned of "devastating consequences" for immigrant communities. The national emergency declaration also includes plans to designate Mexican drug cartels as terrorist organizations, a move aimed at combating cross-border trafficking of drugs and people. Chad Wolf, former acting homeland security secretary, praised the decision, stating, "To secure our borders, protect our communities, and defend our sovereignty, we must confront the cartels with the full force of the law." While the declaration grants Trump significant executive powers, some measures such as ending birthright citizenship face steep legal hurdles. Birthright citizenship is enshrined in the U.S. Constitution and would require a constitutional amendment to change. The national emergency declaration underscores Trump's determination to prioritize border security as a cornerstone of his domestic policy. By bypassing congressional approval, the administration can act swiftly to implement its agenda, though the longevity and impact of these policies will depend on the outcomes of anticipated court battles. As the second Trump administration moves forward with its aggressive immigration overhaul, the declaration marks a stark reversal from the Biden era and sets the stage for a contentious battle over the future of U.S. immigration policy. For Trump, securing the border remains not just a policy priority but a moral imperative. "I have no higher responsibility than to defend our country from threats and invasions," Trump declared, signaling that his approach to border security in his second term will mirror the urgency and intensity of his first. Head over to Trump.news for more stories about the president's immigration policy. Watch this video from Fox News about President Donald Trump's picks for his "border security dream team." This video is from the TrendingNews channel on Brighteon.com. More related stories: Trump's new border czar plans to deport illegals immediately. Trump advocates stronger immigration policies and border security. SETTING THE TONE: Trump plans to issue at least 25 executive orders on Day 1. Trump sets the stage for immigration crackdown: Meet the new BORDER ENFORCERS. Sources include: X.com BBC.com Newsweek.com Brighteon.com Trump ends affirmative action, shifts federal policy toward merit-based practices President Trump signed an executive order ending affirmative action and dismantling DEI programs in federal contracting, hiring, and universities. The order bans race-based discrimination, emphasizing merit-based hiring and education practices. Federal agencies must place DEI employees on paid leave and dismantle DEI offices by January 31. The move aligns with backlash against DEI programs following the 2023 Supreme Court ruling on race-based college admissions. Major corporations like McDonalds and Meta have scaled back DEI initiatives, reflecting a broader cultural shift toward meritocracy. In a sweeping move that marks a historic shift in federal policy, President Donald Trump signed an executive order rescinding President Lyndon B. Johnsons 1965 Executive Order #11246, which established affirmative action in federal contracting and hiring. The new directive, titled Ending Illegal Discrimination and Restoring Merit-Based Opportunity, bans race-based discrimination in federal contracts and publicly funded universities, effectively dismantling diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs across the government and educational institutions. The order, which fulfills a key campaign promise, signals a return to race-neutral practices and a renewed focus on meritocracy. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt hailed the move as a win for Americans of all races, religions, and creeds, emphasizing that the administration is committed to ensuring individuals are hired based on their skills and qualifications, not their skin color. A bold step toward ending discrimination The executive order not only overturns affirmative action but also declares DEI programs illegal, advising corporations and federally funded universities to end all forms of racial and gender-based preferences. The administration argues that DEI initiatives, which gained momentum during the 2020 Black Lives Matter protests, have perpetuated discrimination by prioritizing immutable characteristics over individual merit. President Trump campaigned on ending the scourge of DEI from our federal government and returning America to a merit-based society where people are hired based on their skills, not for the color of their skin, Leavitt said. The order also targets DEI programs within federal agencies, including the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). Trump instructed the Secretary of Transportation and FAA Administrator to revoke preferential hiring protocols and return the agency to a merit-based system. DEI employees placed onleave as programs wind down In a related move, the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) issued a memo directing federal agencies to place all DEI employees on paid leave and dismantle DEI offices by the end of January. Agencies were instructed to cancel diversity trainings, terminate DEI-related contracts, and remove all outward-facing DEI media, including webpages and social media accounts. The memo also warned employees of adverse consequences if they fail to report attempts to disguise DEI programs with coded or imprecise language. By January 31, agencies must submit written plans for reducing DEI staff, signaling the administrations determination to root out what it calls illegal and immoral discrimination programs. Trumps actions come on the heels of a growing conservative backlash against DEI, which gained momentum after the Supreme Courts 2023 decision in Students for Fair Admissions v. Harvard. The ruling, which struck down race-based college admissions, emboldened critics who argue that DEI programs violate anti-discrimination laws by favoring certain racial and gender groups. In recent months, major corporations like McDonalds, Meta, and Ford have scaled back their DEI initiatives, reflecting a broader cultural shift toward merit-based practices. Conservatives have long argued that DEI programs foster division by assigning blame to certain groups rather than promoting individual achievement and character. A return to meritocracy The Trump administrations bold move to end affirmative action and dismantle DEI programs represents a significant step toward restoring meritocracy in American institutions. By prioritizing skills and qualifications over race and gender, the administration aims to create a fairer, more equitable system that benefits all Americans. While the long-term impact of these changes remains to be seen, the administrations actions have already sparked a national conversation about the role of race in hiring and education. For many, this marks the beginning of a new eraone where merit, not identity, is the cornerstone of opportunity. President Trumps executive order to end affirmative action and dismantle DEI programs is a landmark moment in the fight against race-based discrimination. Sources for this article include: HalTurnerRadioShow.com NationalReview.com TheAmericanConservative.com NYPost.com Trump demands apology after DC bishops politically charged sermon at National Prayer Service Bishop Mariann Budde used her National Prayer Service sermon to criticize Trumps policies on immigration, LGBTQ rights, and refugees, urging him to show "mercy." Trump and conservatives accused Budde of politicizing the event, with Trump calling her a "Radical Left hard line Trump hater." Budde defended undocumented immigrants as "good neighbors" and called for compassion toward marginalized groups, sparking backlash from Republicans. Trump fired back on Truth Social, highlighting crimes by undocumented immigrants and accusing Budde of ignoring real-world consequences. At the National Prayer Service, President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance sat stone-faced as Bishop Mariann Edgar Budde of the Episcopal Diocese of Washington delivered a sermon that quickly turned into a political rallying cry. The service, held on Tuesday at the Washington National Cathedral, was intended to foster unity and reflection. Instead, it became a platform for Budde to lecture Trump on immigration, LGBTQ rights, and her vision of mercy for marginalized groupsprompting a fiery response from the president. Budde, a self-described advocate for progressive causes, used her pulpit to urge Trump to have mercy on immigrants, refugees, and LGBTQ youth, claiming they fear for their lives. Her remarks, which many conservatives viewed as a thinly veiled attack on the presidents policies, drew sharp criticism from Trump and his allies, who accused her of politicizing a sacred event. A sermon or a political speech? Buddes sermon began with a call for unity but quickly shifted to a direct appeal to Trump. In the name of our God, I ask you to have mercy upon the people in our country who are scared, she said, addressing the president. There are gay, lesbian, transgender children, Democratic, Republican, independent familiessome who fear for their lives. She went on to defend undocumented immigrants, describing them as good neighbors and faithful members of U.S. churches, mosques, and synagogues. They may not be citizens or have the proper documentation, but the vast majority of immigrants are not criminals, Budde asserted. She also called on Trump to aid refugees fleeing war zones and persecution, urging him to find compassion. For many people, Buddes sermon was less about compassion and more about advancing a liberal agenda. For example, she failed to address the real-world consequences of illegal immigration, such as violent crimes committed by undocumented individuals. She failed to mention the large number of illegal migrants that came into our Country and killed people, Trump wrote on Truth Social. Many were deposited from jails and mental institutions. It is a giant crime wave that is taking place in the USA. Trump fires back Trump didnt hold back in his criticism of Budde, calling her a Radical Left hard line Trump hater who brought her church into the World of politics in a very ungracious way. He described her tone as nasty and her remarks as not compelling or smart. Republicans echoed Trumps sentiments, with House Republican Conference Chair Lisa McClain (R-Mich.) calling Buddes remarks extremely out of line and out of touch. Rep. Mike Collins (R-Ga.) went further, suggesting on social media that Budde should be added to the deportation list. Buddes sermon was hardly her first foray into politics. As the Episcopal bishop of Washington since 2011, she has been a vocal advocate for progressive causes, including racial equity, gun control, and LGBTQ rights. In 2020, she criticized Trump for holding a Bible outside St. Johns Episcopal Church after authorities cleared a protest in Washington, D.C. Her latest remarks, however, have drawn ire from conservative religious leaders. Pastor Rob McCoy, co-founder of Turning Point Faith, accused Budde of substituting the orthodox teaching of Christianity for an emphasis on sexual preference, a trend he believes has driven many Americans away from traditional churches. The controversy surrounding Buddes sermon underscores the deep political and cultural divides that continue to plague the nation. Her remarks are a shining example of the liberal bias that has infiltrated institutions like the church. Sources for this article include: ZeroHedge.com NYPost.com FoxNews.com Trump grants SWEEPING PARDONS to Jan. 6 defendants President Donald Trump issued full pardons or commuted sentences for approximately 1,500 individuals charged or convicted in connection with the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol attack, including high-profile figures like Enrique Tarrio and Stewart Rhodes. Trump framed the pardons as correcting a "grave national injustice," calling the defendants "patriots" and "hostages" unfairly targeted by the Department of Justice, while critics argued the move undermines the rule of law and rewards violent behavior. The pardons halted prosecutions of roughly 300 pending cases and reversed one of the largest federal prosecutions in U.S. history, reigniting debates over accountability and the legacy of the Capitol riot, which injured over 140 officers and caused significant damage. The decision drew sharp criticism from Democrats, law enforcement and legal experts, with victims like Officer Michael Fanone expressing outrage, while defense attorneys praised Trump for granting clemency to their clients. The pardons cap a tumultuous period tied to Trump's efforts to overturn the 2020 election, raising concerns about accountability for political violence and the limits of presidential clemency, further polarizing the nation over the legacy of Jan. 6. In a dramatic and polarizing decision, President Donald Trump granted full pardons or commuted sentences to approximately 1,500 individuals charged or convicted in connection with the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol. The move executed just hours after Trump was sworn in for a second term on Monday, Jan. 20, marks a sweeping reversal of one of the largest federal prosecutions in U.S. history and reignites debates over accountability, justice and the legacy of the Capitol riot. (Related: Trumps pardon promise for Jan. 6 defendants sparks debate over justice, loyalty and democracy.) The pardons include high-profile figures such as Enrique Tarrio, former leader of the far-right Proud Boys, who was serving a 22-year sentence for seditious conspiracy, and Stewart Rhodes, founder of the Oath Keepers, who had been sentenced to 18 years for the same charge. Trump framed the action as a correction of what he called a "grave national injustice," referring to the defendants as "hostages" and "patriots" who were unfairly targeted by the Department of Justice (DOJ). "This is a big one," Trump said in remarks delivered from the Oval Office. "These people have been destroyed. What they've done to these people is outrageous. There's rarely been anything like it in the history of our country." The decision has drawn sharp criticism from Democrats, law enforcement officers injured during the riot, and legal experts, who argue that it undermines the rule of law and rewards violent behavior. Trump's pardons come four years after the Capitol riot, a so-called "violent assault on democracy." The event, which was reported to have left more than 140 police officers injured and caused over $2.8 million in damages, occurred while Congress was certifying former President Joe Biden's 2020 election victory. The DOJ's investigation into the riot resulted in charges against more than 1,600 individuals, with over 1,100 cases adjudicated and more than 700 defendants serving time in prison. Among those pardoned were individuals convicted of assaulting police officers, obstructing Congress and conspiring to use force to prevent the peaceful transfer of power. Trump's action also includes an order to the attorney general to dismiss all pending indictments related to the riot, effectively halting the prosecution of roughly 300 cases. This move has been criticized as an attempt to erase the legal consequences of one of the most significant attacks on American democracy in modern history. Pardons elicit mixed reactions The pardons have elicited strong reactions from those directly affected by the riot. Former Metropolitan Police Officer Michael Fanone, who blamed rioters for suffering a heart attack that day, expressed disbelief and anger upon learning that his attackers were among those pardoned. "This is what the American people voted for," Fanone told the Associated Press. "How do you react to something like that? I think they're cowards. Their strength was in their numbers and the mob mentality. And as individuals, they are who they are." Democrats have condemned the pardons as an affront to justice. Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) called the move "an outrageous insult to our justice system and the heroes who suffered physical scars and emotional trauma as they protected the Capitol, the Congress and the Constitution." Meanwhile, attorneys for the Jan. 6 defendants praised Trump's decision. James Lee Bright, who represented Rhodes, said, "We are deeply thankful for President Trump for his actions today." The pardons cap a tumultuous chapter in American history that began with Trump's efforts to overturn the 2020 election and culminated in the Capitol riot. Federal prosecutors and congressional investigators have described the attack as the violent culmination of a broader scheme to subvert democracy and keep Trump in power. Senior Judge Royce Lamberth, who has presided over several Jan. 6 cases, emphasized the importance of preserving the historical record. "No matter what ultimately becomes of the Capitol Riots cases already concluded and still pending, the true story of what happened on Jan. 6, 2021, will never change," Lamberth said during a December sentencing. Trump's decision to pardon Jan. 6 defendants raises questions about the future of accountability for political violence and the limits of presidential clemency. While the Constitution grants the president broad authority to issue pardons, critics argue that using this power to absolve individuals convicted of violent crimes sets a dangerous precedent. As the pardons take effect, the nation remains deeply divided over the legacy of Jan. 6 and the role of accountability in preserving democracy. For Trump's supporters, the pardons represent a long-awaited vindication for those they view as political prisoners. For his critics, the move is a stark reminder of the enduring tensions between justice, power and the rule of law. Watch Alex Jones and his guests explaining why Trump must pardon all the J6 political prisoners and indict the Deep State ringleaders behind the false flag riot in this clip. This video is from the InfoWars channel on Brighteon.com. More related stories: Trump's inauguration marks historic turning point: Pardons for J6 prisoners and calls for deep state accountability. J6 Select Committee chairman seeks PARDON from Biden as Trump threatens retribution. J.D. Vance believes Jan. 6 participants who committed violent acts obviously should not be pardoned. Sources include: ZeroHedge.com CBSNews.com APNews.com Brighteon.com Trump vows to reinstate troops discharged for refusing COVID-19 vaccinations President Donald Trump announced plans to reinstate thousands of military personnel discharged for refusing the COVID-19 vaccine, offering full back pay and restored rank. Trump pledged to prevent military personnel from being subjected to "radical political theories and social experiments" while on duty. The COVID-19 vaccine mandate, imposed under President Biden, led to over 8,000 discharges, sparking controversy over military readiness and individual rights. The mandate was rescinded in 2023, but discharged personnel were not automatically reinstated, leaving many veterans in limbo. Trumps Defense Secretary nominee, Pete Hegseth, supports reinstating discharged troops, calling their removal unjust and emphasizing the need for accountability. President Donald Trump announced that he would reinstate thousands of military personnel who were discharged for refusing the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccine. During his inauguration, Trump declared, "This week, I will reinstate any service members who were unjustly expelled from our military for objecting to the COVID vaccine mandate with full back pay." He also pledged to sign an order to prevent military personnel from being subjected to what he called "radical political theories and social experiments" while on duty. "Our armed forces will be freed to focus on their sole mission: defeating America's enemies," Trump emphasized. (Related: Trumps unprecedented military reform: Bringing back the "unvaxxed" troops.) The COVID-19 vaccine mandate, imposed under former President Joe Biden in 2021, required all military personnel to receive the vaccine or face discharge. While the mandate was intended to protect troops from the virus, it sparked widespread controversy. Over 16,000 service members requested religious or medical exemptions, but the vast majority were denied. As a result, more than 8,000 troops were discharged for refusing the vaccine, a decision that critics argue undermined military readiness and violated individual rights. The mandate was eventually rescinded in 2023 following bipartisan legislation passed by Congress and signed by Biden. However, the law did not automatically reinstate discharged personnel, leaving thousands of veterans in limbo. Trump's announcement seeks to correct this injustice by ensuring that these service members are welcomed back into the military with full back pay, restored rank and even apologies for the treatment they endured. Reinstatement of discharged service members a vindication The mandate paved over the legitimate concerns many service members had about the COVID-19 vaccine, including its rapid development, potential side effects and the conflicts taking the vaccine would have with their religious beliefs. Moreover, the mandate's implementation was marred by bureaucratic failures. Multiple courts found that the military violated federal law in processing religious exemption requests, and a federal watchdog concluded that several branches mishandled exemption applications. These findings underscore the need for accountability and reform within the militarys leadership. Trump's nominee for Defense Secretary, Pete Hegseth, has been a vocal advocate for reinstating discharged troops. During his confirmation hearings, Hegseth emphasized that these service members were "forced out due to an experimental vaccine" and deserved to be reinstated with their honor intact. Critics of the reinstatement plan argue that it could undermine military discipline and set a dangerous precedent. They also point to the potential financial burden of providing back pay to the discharged service members. Visit Trump.news for the latest developments on his second term. Watch this clip featuring U.S. Army Surgeon Lt. Col. Theresa Long warning about how "dangerous" and "deadly" the military's COVID-19 vaccine mandate is. This video is from the GalacticStorm channel on Brighteon.com. More related stories: The PURGE of the top brass: Trump takes aim at woke military leadership. Key takeaways from Trump's historic inauguration a true turning point for America and the world. After meeting with Bill Gates, the Trump transition team sidelines two key figures spreading vaccine truth. Pete Hegseth vows to reinstate members of the military discharged for refusing COVID-19 vaccinations. Pentagon pick Pete Hegseth vows to REINSTATE soldiers fired for refusing COVID-19 injections. Sources include: ZeroHedge.com Politico.com DailyNews.com Brighteon.com Trump revokes Secret Service protection for former adviser John Bolton amid ongoing Iranian threat Former President Donald Trump terminated Secret Service protection for John Bolton, his former national security adviser, on Tuesday, reigniting debates over political retribution and national security. Bolton has been a target of an Iranian assassination plot since his time in the Trump administration. The U.S. Department of Justice charged a member of Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps with plotting to assassinate Bolton in 2022. The decision came without official explanation from the White House or the Secret Service, raising questions about the rationale behind the move. Critics argue it could set a dangerous precedent influenced by personal grievances. As a vocal critic of Trump, Bolton has consistently criticized the former president's foreign policy decisions and leadership style, further complicating the relationship between the two. The decision highlights the enduring tensions between the U.S. and Iran, underscoring the broader geopolitical stakes at play, even as domestic political battles take center stage in the 2024 election cycle. In a move that has reignited debates over political retribution and national security, former President Donald Trump stripped Secret Service protection from his former national security adviser, John Bolton, on Tuesday. Bolton, a prominent neoconservative and outspoken critic of Trump, has been a target of an Iranian assassination plot since his tenure in the Trump administration. The decision to revoke Boltons security detail came without warning. A spokesperson for Bolton confirmed that the Secret Service informed him on Monday night that his protection would end at noon the following day. I am disappointed but not surprised that President Trump has decided to terminate the protection previously provided by the United States Secret Service, Bolton wrote in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter. The White House and the Secret Service declined to comment on the decision, leaving questions about the rationale behind the move unanswered. Bolton, who served as Trumps third national security adviser from April 2018 to September 2019, has been a vocal critic of his former boss since leaving the administration. In a 2024 update to his memoir, "The Room Where It Happened," Bolton called Trump unfit to be president and accused him of being utterly self-interested, alleging that Trump would punish personal enemies while appeasing adversaries like Russia and China. The relationship between the two men has been fraught since Boltons dismissal, which Trump announced on social media at the time, claiming he had disagreed strongly with many of Boltons suggestions. Bolton, in turn, has been a consistent thorn in Trumps side, criticizing his foreign policy decisions and leadership style. The Iranian threat The decision to remove Boltons security detail comes amid an ongoing threat from Iran. In 2022, the U.S. Department of Justice charged Shahram Poursafi, a member of Irans elite Revolutionary Guard Corps, with plotting to assassinate Bolton. The alleged plot was reportedly in retaliation for the U.S. drone strike that killed Qassem Soleimani, a top Iranian military commander, in January 2020. Bolton, who has long advocated for a hardline stance against Iran, was a key architect of the Trump administrations maximum pressure campaign against Tehran. His role in shaping that policy made him a target for Iranian operatives. Iran does not have an extradition treaty with the United States, and Poursafi remains at large. Despite the threat, Boltons security detail was initially extended by former President Joe Biden in 2021. Bolton acknowledged the extension, even as he criticized Bidens national security policies. In his social media post, Bolton emphasized that the threat against him remains active. That threat remains today, as also demonstrated by the recent arrest of someone trying to arrange for President Trumps own assassination, he wrote. Broader implications The decision to revoke Boltons protection raises questions about the intersection of personal grievances and national security. Critics argue that the move could set a dangerous precedent, suggesting that security decisions may be influenced by political animosity rather than objective threat assessments. Historically, former high-ranking officials, particularly those involved in sensitive national security roles, have often retained Secret Service protection due to the risks associated with their past positions. Boltons case underscores the unique challenges posed by his outspoken criticism of Trump and the ongoing Iranian threat. As the 2024 election cycle heats up, the decision is likely to fuel further debate about Trumps leadership style and his approach to political adversaries. For Bolton, the loss of protection marks a new chapter in his fraught relationship with the former president, even as he continues to navigate the dangers posed by his past role in shaping U.S. foreign policy. The move also highlights the enduring tensions between the U.S. and Iran, a relationship that remains fraught with mistrust and hostility. As Bolton noted, the threat against him is a reminder of the broader geopolitical stakes at play, even as domestic political battles take center stage. For now, Boltons future remains uncertain. Without Secret Service protection, he faces heightened risks, even as he continues to be a prominent voice in national security debates. The decision to strip his security detail is a stark reminder of the personal and political costs of serving at the highest levels of government. Sources include: TheNationalPulse.com Reuters.com SCMP.com Trump strips security clearances of 51 intel officials who misled public on Hunter Biden laptop President Trump revoked security clearances of 51 ex-intelligence officials who falsely labeled the Hunter Biden laptop story as Russian disinformation. The officials, including James Clapper and John Brennan, misled the public before the 2020 election, potentially influencing its outcome. The executive order mandates a 90-day investigation into further misconduct within the intelligence community, with more disciplinary actions possible. The Hunter Biden laptop story, verified by the FBI, was censored by tech platforms and dismissed by the mainstream media as Russian disinformation. Trump's action challenges the Deep State, aiming to restore transparency and accountability in government institutions. President Donald Trump wasted no time after his inauguration on January 20 signing an executive order revoking the security clearances of 51 former intelligence officials who falsely claimed the Hunter Biden laptop story was Russian disinformation. The officials, including high-profile names like James Clapper, John Brennan, and Leon Panetta, knowingly misled the public in the weeks leading up to the 2020 election, a deception that may have altered the outcome of the race. The executive order, titled "Holding Former Government Officials Accountable for Election Interference and Improper Disclosure of Sensitive Governmental Information," marks a significant step in dismantling the shadowy influence of unelected bureaucrats who have long manipulated public opinion. By stripping these officials of their access to classified information, Trump is sending a clear message: those who abuse their positions to deceive the American people will face consequences. A deliberate deception The controversy centers on the New York Post's October 2020 bombshell report about Hunter Biden's abandoned laptop, which contained emails detailing his foreign business dealings and implicated his father, then-candidate Joe Biden, in potential conflicts of interest. Despite the FBI having verified the laptop's authenticity as early as 2019, 51 former intelligence officials signed a public letter claiming the story had "all the classic earmarks of a Russian information operation." This false narrative was weaponized to justify the censorship of the story by major tech platforms like Twitter and Facebook, while mainstream media outlets dismissed it as a Kremlin-backed hoax. Post-election polls suggest that up to 17% of Democratic voters may have been swayed by this misinformation, raising questions about whether the truth could have changed the election's outcome. Crackdown on the Deep State The executive order not only revokes the security clearances of the 51 officials but also mandates a 90-day investigation into "additional inappropriate activity" within the intelligence community. This could lead to further disciplinary actions, including the termination of more security clearances. Among the most notable names on the list are former CIA directors Michael Hayden and John Brennan, former Defense Secretary Leon Panetta, and former National Security Advisor John Bolton. These individuals have frequently appeared on cable news programs, using their security clearances to lend credibility to their opinions. Now, without access to classified information, their influence is set to wane. The revocation of these security clearances is more than just a symbolic gestureit's a direct challenge to the entrenched power structures that have long operated behind the scenes. By naming and shaming these officials, Trump is exposing their role in spreading disinformation and undermining public trust. As the 90-day investigation unfolds, the intelligence community is on notice: the era of unchecked influence and partisan manipulation may finally be coming to an end. For the American people, this represents a crucial step toward restoring transparency and integrity to the nation's highest institutions. President Trump's decisive action to revoke the security clearances of 51 former intelligence officials is a watershed moment in the fight against Deep State corruption. By holding these individuals accountable for their role in spreading false narratives and interfering in elections, Trump is sending a powerful message: no one is above the law. As the investigation continues, the American people can only hope that this marks the beginning of a new era of accountability and truth in government. Sources for this article include: AllNewsPipeline.com FoxNews.com NYPost.com NYPost.com Trump withdraws U.S. from WHO, citing pandemic failures and unfair costs President Trump signed an executive order withdrawing the U.S. from the WHO, citing frustrations with its COVID-19 response and financial disparities. The U.S. will officially leave the WHO by 2026, halting funding and reassigning personnel in the interim. Critics claim the move could create a leadership vacuum, potentially allowing China to expand its global health influence. The decision prioritizes U.S. sovereignty, accountability, and taxpayer interests. The withdrawal reflects a broader shift in U.S. foreign policy. President Donald Trump signed an executive order yesterday officially withdrawing the United States from the World Health Organization (WHO) and underscoring his America First agenda. The decision, which is rooted in long-standing frustrations with the WHOs terrible handling of the COVID-19 pandemic and its overall inefficiency, marks a significant shift in U.S. global health policy. Trumps action, which fulfills a promise he first made in 2020, has sparked debate over the future of international health cooperation and Americas role in global governance. The Trump administration has repeatedly criticized the WHO for its lack of transparency and delayed response during the COVID-19 pandemic. The U.S., as the organizations largest financial contributor, has long argued that it bears an unfair burden while receiving little accountability in return. Everybody rips off the United States, and thats it its not going to happen anymore, Trump told reporters after signing the order. The executive order specifically highlights the disparity in financial contributions, noting that China, with a population over four times larger than the U.S., contributes nearly 90% less to the WHO. The withdrawal process, which requires a one-year notice period, will see the U.S. disengage from the WHO by 2026. In the meantime, the Trump administration has directed the Secretary of State and the Office of Management and Budget to halt funding, reassign personnel, and identify alternative partners to assume the WHOs responsibilities. Global reactions The WHO expressed regret over the decision, stating, We hope the United States will reconsider and we look forward to engaging in constructive dialogue to maintain the partnership between the USA and WHO, for the benefit of the health and well-being of millions of people around the globe. Critics claim that the U.S. withdrawal could create a leadership vacuum in international health governance, potentially allowing China to expand its influence. Lawrence Gostin, a professor of global health law at George Washington University, called the move a cataclysmic presidential decision. However, many people consider the decision a win for American taxpayers and sovereignty. The WHO is nothing more than a bloated bureaucracy that has failed to deliver results, particularly during the COVID-19 crisis. A new chapter in global health The withdrawal signals a broader shift in U.S. foreign policy, with the Trump administration prioritizing bilateral agreements over multilateral partnerships. Supporters believe this approach will allow the U.S. to negotiate more favorable terms and ensure that its contributions directly benefit American interests. As the U.S. steps back from the WHO, the global health community faces uncertainty. While some nations, like Germany, have urged the U.S. to reconsider, the Trump administration remains steadfast in its decision. This move could serve as a catalyst for redefining international health cooperation, with nations potentially taking on greater individual responsibility or forming new, more effective partnerships. President Trumps withdrawal from the WHO is a defining moment in his presidency, reflecting his commitment to putting American interests first. Although critics think it will have consequences for global health security, it is a necessary step toward accountability and efficiency. As the U.S. charts a new course in global health, the world will be watching to see how this decision shapes the future of international cooperation. Sources for this article include: ConservativeUS.com FoxNews.com ABCNews.go.com A bill in North Dakota aims to regulate cryptocurrency kiosks by limiting deposits, capping fees and requiring fraud detection measures in response to rising concerns over financial scams. House Bill 1447 would regulate virtual currency kiosks, also known as cryptocurrency kiosks or crypto ATMs. The proposal would license cryptocurrency kiosks operators in North Dakota, limit daily deposits to $1,000, cap fees at 3%, require blockchain analytics to detect suspicious activity and mandate refunds for new customers within 30 days. Simply put, crypto kiosks allow people to insert cash, turn it into cryptocurrency and deposit it into an electronic wallet. It also allows anyone with an electronic wallet to turn cryptocurrency into cash and withdraw it. More than $6 million was stolen through cryptocurrency fraud in North Dakota in 2023, and the FBI received over 5,500 complaints involving crypto kiosks nationally in 2023, according to AARP. Rep. Steve Swiontek, R-Fargo, said scammers are directing people to withdraw money from their bank accounts and put it into the crypto ATMs, where it is deposited directly into the electronic wallets of the scammers. Swiontek chairs the board of Gate City Bank and has worked in banking for over 40 years. As an example, Swiontek told a story about a person in North Dakota who received a message from a fraudster posing as a federal employee saying they would purchase child sexual abuse material using the person's identity, open offshore accounts in the person's name and that their family would be in danger if they did not comply with the fraudster's directives. The person then took out nearly $25,000 and gave it to the fraudster using a crypto kiosk. The person almost gave the fraudster another $25,000, but after a conversation with a neighbor who worked in law enforcement, they found out they had been scammed. A fraud investigator for First Western Bank, Jacob Rued, said another way that fraudsters often work is to refer to the crypto ATMs as federal safety lockers, and tell people they are scamming that their money is not safe in their bank and needs to be deposited in the federal safety locker. If you ever hear that term, or someone you love says that term to you, you and they are being scammed, Rued said. That term does not exist. Josh Askvig, state director of AARP North Dakota, said that elderly North Dakotans are especially vulnerable to these crypto scams. Rep. Ben Koppelman, R-West Fargo, questioned the necessity of caps on daily transactions and fees because he believes it would unnecessarily burden a growing industry. He said that there were legitimate reasons for someone to use the kiosks because if there wasn't there wouldn't be successful, publicly traded companies based on them. I just don't believe that there would be a publicly traded company that's investing in something that's 99% scams, Koppelman said. And that somehow that's got across (past) all the regulators that deal with the publicly traded companies. Koppelman suggested the implementation of a cap on a user's first five transactions to protect first-time users from scams without impacting those who regularly use the kiosks. Rued said that the cap on transactions was crucial for the effectiveness of the bill. Without the caps on daily transactions, he said, the bill was useless. He shared a story about a a person who experienced fraud in Minnesota when he took $50,000 out of his bank account, intending to put it all into the kiosk and give it to the scammers electronic wallet, but was stopped at depositing $2,000 into the kiosk by Minnesota's regulations. After he was stopped, he realized he was being scammed and did not give the remaining $48,000 to the fraudster. Without that (cap), he would have lost all $50,000, Rued said. Now, could he report that to us the next day? Sure. But in all reality, the money is gone. If you know anything about the blockchain and crypto -- I mean the whole essence and principle of it is, once it's out there, the government can't go get it. No one can exercise control over it. He added that he was in favor of the cap on fees, as well. From his perspective, the companies that operate the kiosks are profiting off the losses of these victims, he said. Representatives of two companies that operate cryptocurrency kiosks said they were in support of licensing operators of kiosks, but not caps on fees and daily transactions. Director of Government Relations at Bitcoin Depot Ethan McClelland said the cap on transaction fees and daily transaction amounts would make operating in North Dakota unsustainable and drive responsible operators of crypto kiosks out of the state. Essentially what we feel like this, this -- the transaction limits in particular, are doing are encouraging scammers to spread transactions around, and it's hindering our efforts and law enforcement's efforts to combat fraud, McClelland said. Rued disagreed. To be perfectly frank with you, Rued said, with no disrespect to them, it's laughable to me that the transaction limit is going to increase the fraud or it's going to make it more difficult to investigate. My opinion would be the exact opposite; it's going to decrease fraud. Koppelman said the bill will be worked on in committee before a recommendation is voted on. 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. This introductory chapter lays out the main puzzle under examination: How has China tried to build power and influence over the past thirty years? What factors have determined the strategies Beijing has pursued? This chapter presents the conventional wisdom behind power accumulation in international politics and advances a new explanation for China's risethe "upstart" strategy. The chapter describes the empirical evidence that will be used to examine the viability of this argument. It then situates this study within the broader literature on rising powers and great power competition, and provides a road map for the remaining chapters ahead. June 7, 2024 https://chinapower.csis.org/podcasts/chinas-upstart-strategy/? In this episode of the ChinaPower podcast, Dr. Oriana Skylar Mastro joins us to discuss her new book, Upstart, which provides a fresh perspective on Chinas rise to great power status. Dr. Mastro analyzes Chinas innovative buildup of power over the past 30 years through three distinct approaches: emulation, exploitation, and entrepreneurship. Dr. Mastro explores ways China has mirrored U.S. activities, capitalized on U.S. blind spots, and embraced innovative approaches. Dr. Mastro argues that the Upstart lens allows us to better understand Chinese strategic calculations. Finally, Dr. Mastro explains her recommendations to U.S. policy makers, such as increasing U.S. entrepreneurship with respect to disputes in the South China Sea, and provides her predictions for Chinas approach in the coming decade. Dr. Oriana Skylar Mastro is a Center Fellow at the Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies and Courtesy Assistant Professor of Political Science at Stanford University, where her research focuses on Chinese military and security policy, Asia-Pacific security issues, war termination, and coercive diplomacy. She is also a nonresident scholar, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace and continues to serve in the United States Air Force Reserve at the Pentagon. For her contributions to U.S. strategy in Asia, she won the Individual Reservist of the Year Award in 2016 and 2022 (FGO). She has published widely, including in International Security, Security Studies, Foreign Affairs, Journal of Strategic Studies, The Washington Quarterly, the Economist and the New York Times. In a study in the Journal of Affective Disorders, Fralin Biomedical Research Institute scientists Pearl Chiu and Brooks Casas investigate how brain signals involved in reward learning might help personalize depression treatment. A brain signal that lights up when we anticipate rewards may hold the secret to helping people overcome depression, and Virginia Tech researchers are working to unlock its potential. Professors Pearl Chiu and Brooks Casas of the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC are pioneering a personalized approach to depression treatment by exploring how our brains process rewards and setbacks. Their study, which published in January in the Journal of Affective Disorders, examines two brain signals - prediction error and expected value - that may predict whether someone with depression is likely to see their symptoms improve. Unlocking the brain's reward system Major depression affects over 21 million Americans annually, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and remains a leading cause of disability worldwide. Yet current treatments often fall short, leaving many without lasting relief. Major depression isn't one-size-fits-all. People with depression learn and respond to rewards and setbacks differently, often in ways that align with specific symptoms." Pearl Chiu, Professor, Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC Using computational models, the researchers studied how the brain's reward-learning system functions in those with depression, especially among individuals experiencing anhedonia, the inability to feel pleasure. By analyzing dopamine-linked responses, they identified unique brain activity patterns that could help predict who is likely to recover. Their responses reveal the brain's capacity to learn from outcomes, Chiu said, and could form the basis for a new kind of therapy using tailored learning processes to guide the brain's responses to different outcomes. Researchers identify key markers for recovery The study identified two key brain signals - prediction error and expected value - as essential indicators of recovery potential in depression. Expected value, which reflects the brain's anticipation of rewards and guides decision-making, emerged as a consistent predictor of remission across treatment types. Prediction error, which highlights gaps between expected and actual outcomes to help individuals adjust their behavior, offered additional insights. Together, prediction error and expected value provided a richer understanding of how unique learning patterns influence mental health outcomes, paving the way for tailored, symptom-specific therapies. "This finding underscores the power of the brain's reward system in forecasting recovery," Casas said. "By observing how each person responds to rewards and setbacks, we can open new pathways for designing treatments that match individual learning patterns." "This brings us closer to truly personalized mental health care," noted Vansh Bansal, first author of the study and a graduate student with Chiu and Casas. Bridging brain science and therapy The researchers are putting their insights into practice in new ways. Earlier this year, Chiu and Casas published work in Clinical Psychological Science that explored how reinforcement-learning questions could guide behavior change. Now, they are taking this approach a step further by testing specific questions designed to shift how people with depression respond to rewards and setbacks. "We're exploring questions like, 'What did you expect to happen?' to reshape how the brain learns from experiences," Chiu said. This approach aims to go beyond symptom management, targeting the brain processes that drive specific symptoms of depression. By aligning therapy with each person's unique brain responses, this strategy could lead to more targeted, symptom-specific interventions that deliver lasting results. This research represents an advance in bridging brain science and therapy, moving toward more personalized, effective treatment methods. By understanding how the brain's reward system functions, the researchers are developing strategies that could reshape depression care by addressing its root causes rather than just symptoms. "Our goal is to create a treatment that bridges neuroscience and behavioral therapies," Chiu said. "If someone's brain responds less strongly to rewards, we might use behavioral activation to amplify their recovery." This method aligns treatment with each person's neural responses, setting the stage for more customized, symptom-specific interventions that reach beyond traditional approaches. A future of personalized depression treatment Looking ahead, the team envisions the use of brain-based models to transform depression treatment into a precise, individualized approach. Imagine a patient completing an assessment and, based on the results, receiving interventions tailored to their unique learning processes. For some, this could involve exercises to counteract the inability to feel pleasure or strategies to strengthen positive responses. "The true benefit is that this approach doesn't just treat symptoms on the surface," Chiu said. "It addresses the underlying learning mechanisms contributing to each person's unique experience of depression." This model could enable therapists to offer precise, evidence-based techniques to retrain the brain's responses and accelerate recovery. "We're moving toward a future where mental health care is as unique as each person's mind," Casas said. "By aligning treatments with individual learning styles, we can go beyond symptom management and foster truly lasting recovery and resilience." In addition to the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute, Chiu and Casas are members of the Department of Psychology in Virginia Tech's College of Science. The study was a collaboration involving experts from multiple institutions, including Vansh Bansal, Jonathan Lisinski, Dong-Youl Kim, Shivani Goyal, John Wang, Jacob Lee, and Stephen LaConte, all affiliated with Virginia Tech. Katherine McCurry from the University of Michigan and Vanessa Brown from Emory University also contributed to the study. New guidelines will help doctors identify patients with a common memory-loss syndrome that is often misdiagnosed as Alzheimer's disease in older adults. The diagnostic criteria for limbic-predominant age-related TDP-43 encephalopathy (LATE) are published this month in Alzheimer's and Dementia: The Journal of the Alzheimer's Association from an international team led by Penn Medicine researchers. These guidelines are an important first step in advancing clinical trials and treatments for this lesser-known, but common type of memory loss disorder. Clear guidelines to diagnose different diseases not only help inform patients and their families of their prognosis but also help to guide decisions about which treatments to pursue. As therapies that clear the amyloid associated with Alzheimer's disease become available to patients, we need to be able to determine whether a patient actually has these proteins in their brain and will benefit from the treatment. And if they don't, we need to identify what disease they do have, which can be LATE." David Wolk, MD, co-director of the Penn Memory Center and first author of the research A prevalent, but not widely known condition LATE is a newly characterized type of dementia that causes memory loss in individuals generally over 80 years of age. Because the main symptom of LATE is memory loss, it is often incorrectly diagnosed as AD. However, LATE has a different underlying cause than AD; while AD is characterized by buildup of proteins called beta-amyloid and tau on the brain, LATE is caused by a buildup of a different protein, called TDP-43, which was discovered at Penn Medicine by Breakthrough Prize-winning researchers Virginia Lee and colleagues. Autopsy analysis has revealed that LATE is quite common among adults over 80 years old; TDP-43 buildup associated with LATE was present in 40 percent of adults in that age group. Autopsy of individuals with AD revealed that 55 percent also had LATE. As compared to people with only AD, those with only LATE have different cognitive symptoms. LATE predominantly affects memory, while individuals with AD experience impairment of more wide-ranging roles of cognition, like executive functioning, planning, language and visuospatial function. Individuals with LATE tend to also have a slower progression of symptoms than AD, but when individuals have both LATE and AD, symptoms tend to progress faster. Research suggests that patients with just LATE have a more stable course and live longer than patients with just AD, or patients with both LATE and AD. Unlike beta-amyloid and tau, there is no test for TDP-43, and its presence on the brain can only be confirmed by brain autopsy after death. In the new report, researchers detail criteria for diagnosing LATE by itself or when it co-occurs with AD, using cognitive evaluations, MRI scans looking for atrophy in the hippocampus, and testing for the presence of beta-amyloid and tau in cerebrospinal fluid and in PET scans of the brain. These diagnostic criteria also help differentiate LATE from other types of dementia, like frontotemporal lobar degeneration (FTLD), which also involves TDP-43 buildup, or dementia with Lewy bodies, where proteins mis-fold and accumulate on the brain. In FTLD, individuals experience loss of executive function and language rather than memory loss, which can be noted by cognitive evaluation. Additionally, these individuals will not exhibit atrophy of the hippocampus or medial temporal lobe. In dementia with Lewy bodies, individuals experience impaired motor function, in addition to other cognitive impairments. "Being able to accurately diagnose LATE in both forms sets the stage to engage in further, important research," Wolk said. "Not only can we use this diagnosis to develop clinical trials for TDP-43 drugs, but we can also investigate the efficacy of existing therapies on individuals with both LATE and AD, and potentially develop and test new therapies that target both diseases. These criteria offer a first step in this direction." This research was supported by the National Institutes of Health (P30AG072979, R01 AG064233, P01 AG066597, R01AG034374, R01AG080667, K23AG062750, P30 AG066509). Engineering and medical researchers at Penn have developed a groundbreaking framework that can determine the best and most computationally optimized distribution strategy for COVID-19 vaccinations in any given community. Published in PLOS One, this study addresses one of the most critical challenges in pandemic response - how to prioritize vaccination efforts in communities with individuals of different risk levels when supplies are scarce and the stakes are high. The research team, comprised of Saswati Sarkar, Professor in Electrical and Systems Engineering (ESE), Shirin Saeedi Bidokhti, Assistant Professor in ESE, Harvey Rubin, a practicing physician at Penn Medicine and Professor of Infectious Diseases, and ESE doctoral student Raghu Arghal, designed their framework to be able to account for enough population complexity to determine the best and most applicable vaccination strategies, but not so complex that it becomes inaccessible to public health offices without high-powered supercomputers. What the researchers ended up creating was a highly adaptable framework that provides effective and unique strategies in a matter of seconds and only requires the computational power of a personal laptop. Capturing just the right amount of complexity Determining the best theoretical strategy for a vaccine rollout that includes all influencing parameters such as individual health metrics, location limitations and doses required, would typically take months or more, even with the massive computational power available today. This is because the size of communities over which such rollouts would need to be optimized can easily reach one million. For example, communities in the boroughs of New York City range anywhere from 0.5 to 2.7 million people. We needed an approach that would provide strategies on a more relevant timeline and require less computing power. This was especially important to us as we wanted the framework itself to be accessible to low-resourced and remote communities, which are typically the most affected by disease outbreaks. We had to approach this real-world problem more practically while still using network theory tools that captured enough population heterogeneity to arrive at a meaningful and useful strategy." Saswati Sarkar, Professor in Electrical and Systems Engineering (ESE) To achieve this "Goldilocks" level of complexity, the researchers defined three broad, yet representative groups: High-risk group: Includes the elderly and immunocompromised individuals who are most vulnerable to severe forms of COVID-19 and death. High-contact group: Essential workers, such as healthcare providers, teachers and grocery store employees, who are at high risk of spreading the virus. Baseline group: The rest of the population, who do not fall into the high-risk or high-contact categories. Defining these distinct groups and leveraging the decades of research on optimal control frameworks, the team was able to use a numerical methodology with just the right amount of complexity that can offer unique and effective strategies for any given community. Different strategies for different communities Not surprisingly, the framework showed that to reduce death tolls overall, it is best to vaccinate either the high-risk group or the high-contact group first, and the baseline last. "The most common strategy, and the one that was deployed with the COVID-19 vaccines, vaccinates the high-risk group first," says Saeedi Bidokhti. "But for 42% of the simulated instances, our framework shows that it is actually more effective to administer the vaccine to the high-contact group before the high-risk group." Regardless of which group should be prioritized, it became abundantly clear that there is no one-size-fits-all solution. "This computational framework can help us identify specific solutions for different groups of people and those that are more nuanced which we may not come to intuitively on our own," says Arghal. "Additionally, as infectious diseases and their outbreaks become more complex, spreading at different rates in different communities, the use of this network theory approach will only become more pertinent." Cross-disciplinary collaboration for public health The team's success is a direct result of the collaboration across engineering, network theory and medical research. "Working with medical researchers bridges the gap between theoretical models and real-world applications," says Saeedi Bidokhti. "By collaborating with experts in the field, we ensure that our engineering and model work has a direct, tangible impact on public health." "Addressing these challenges requires a computational mindset, and it can't be done by one group alone," adds Rubin. "And, the result of this collaboration is crucial because infectious diseases like norovirus, mpox and dengue are ongoing threats, and new ones will inevitably emerge. It takes interdisciplinary collaboration to develop strategies for tackling multiple diseases simultaneously - including the rollout of vaccines for several viruses at once." Next steps for research and the next generation of engineers Expanding the framework's capabilities to address simultaneous outbreaks of multiple diseases, as well as the spread of opinions on behaviors that affect the spread of disease and the correlation between the evolutions of such opinions and diseases, are a few projects on the horizon for this research team. "Any strategy devised to contain disease is only as good as the voluntary cooperation of the general population," says Sarkar. "This is true in strategies for testing, quarantining and vaccination. Viruses and people's opinions about a public health strategy spread in the same manner - through interaction. However, opinions can spread through both in-person and remote interaction. But, we can model the spread of opinions using the same techniques we developed for the spread of viruses and use our network theory approach to integrate that dynamic into a more holistic and realistic strategy for vaccination and general prevention of diseases." To support the application of engineering approaches to the various systems we navigate as a society, it is paramount to provide the next generation of engineers the skills that allow them to intersect technology, medicine and public health. For Arghal, who began his Ph.D. in 2020, the global pandemic and the issue of vaccination was a perfect opportunity to put those skills to the test. "I always had the intention of bringing engineering tools to applications such as public health, economics and other areas in need of complex decision-making strategies," he says. "The start of my research career was marked by one of the most pressing global decisions in public health - determining how to roll out the limited quantities of the COVID-19 vaccine. So, without planning it, I was able to dive into my original intention on a high-stakes problem from the beginning. And now, our framework not only helps inform that decision, it can also be applied to other similar-spreading, respiratory diseases such as RSV, influenza and norovirus, which are currently on the rise and are showing up in concurrent, 'quad-demic' surges with COVID-19." The study itself could also help incoming students at Penn find new research avenues with real-world impact. "This project shows our students that engineering isn't just about building machines," says Bidokhti. "It's about solving real problems that affect people's lives. As I teach courses such as information and network theory, I am bringing these studies to the classroom to show our students what is possible with an engineering degree, helping them to think creatively, work across disciplines and use their skills to make a meaningful impact." This work is supported by National Science Foundation grants NSF-2047482, NSF-1910594 and NSF-2008284. Certain proteins found in the human brain have long been known to be critical to controlling how brain cells communicate with each other. So-called GABA A receptors are proteins that control the flow of ions into and out of cells. As they play such a vital role in how neurons slow down or stop firing, they have become the targets of many drugs for conditions such as epilepsy, anxiety, depression and insomnia. Yet due to technical limitations and the delicate nature of studying human brain tissue, scientists have lacked a complete picture of how GABA A receptors, and their 19 subunits, come together to carry out their functions. Researchers at the University of California San Diego and University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center have for the first time constructed a detailed structural map of GABA A receptors in the human brain, revealing how they assemble and how drugs bind to them. Their findings were published on January 22, 2025 in the journal Nature. These receptors are targeted by many drugs for a variety of conditions, and by studying receptors directly from human brains, this research provides new insights into their exact structure, including how they interact with specific drugs." Ryan Hibbs, Study Senior Author, Professor, UC San Diego's School of Biological Sciences Due to the technical challenges of studying human brain samples, scientists had relied on information about GABA A receptors using studies from simplified systems, rather than direct examination of the protein in brain tissue. Jia Zhou, a postdoctoral scholar in the Department of Neurobiology, Hibbs and fellow research team members were able to overcome these obstacles with direct examinations of human GABA A receptors. Samples were collected with full consent from patients undergoing surgery to treat epilepsy. These surgeries removed small portions of brain tissue that were already being taken out for medical purposes. The tissue samples were then analyzed at UC San Diego in the Hibbs lab and the recently opened Goeddel Family Technology Sandbox, which features advanced cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) instruments. Cryo-EM flash-cools tissue in a process that "freezes" samples in place and results in new ways to visualize intricate details not possible through other means. The researchers also used electrophysiology to measure how GABA A receptors function and respond to drugs. The results allowed the scientists to create a detailed map of GABA A receptors, revealing how they assemble together and how drugs bind to them. The cryo-EM data allowed the researchers to construct 3-D structural models of 12 GABA A receptor subunit assemblies, which revealed the great variety of ways the subunits come together to make the receptors, as well as new drug mechanisms that may be relevant to treating epilepsy. The new information paves a path to understanding why certain drugs work effectively or fail when treating neurological disorders. The researchers reported that they have already discovered novel functions for two epilepsy drugs previously not known to act on GABA A receptors. "This research helps explain how the brain's 'brakes' work - how neurons slow down or stop firing," said Zhou, the paper's lead author. "By understanding this process, scientists can create better treatments for conditions like epilepsy, anxiety and insomnia, ultimately improving the lives of millions of people." The researchers are now studying how the different subunit combinations affect receptor functions across various brain regions, as well as investigating the design of new drugs that more precisely target these receptors. They also plan to expand the studies into patients with specific neurological conditions for possible customized therapies. The human immune system is like an army of specialized soldiers (immune cells) each with a unique role to play in fighting disease. In a new study published in Nature, led by scientists at the Allen Institute, La Jolla Institute for Immunology, and UC San Diego, researchers reveal how cells known as tissue-resident memory CD8 T cells, play unique and specialized roles based on where they are located within the small intestine. Tissue-resident memory cells provide a local first line of defense against re-infection and call for "backup" from other immune cells and are also critical for maintaining peace in a tissue exposed to many outside pathogens. This discovery sheds light on how tissue-resident memory CD8 T cells adapt to their location in the body, ensuring a coordinated and effective immune response and how microenvironments and cellular interactions shape this location-specific adaptation. Ultimately, location matters, and this understanding could also lead to improved immunotherapy and vaccines. Specialized roles based on location The study shows that tissue-resident memory CD8 T cells in the small intestine are diverse with distinct responsibilities, and their position inside the gut's architecture dictates what they do. The frontline: At the villus tips, a subset of tissue-resident memory CD8 T cells with a higher killing capacity are positioned like guards in watchtowers. These cells are designed to attack invading pathogens immediately, preventing infections from spreading further. Reinforcements: In a pocket of cells called the crypts, a different subset of tissue-resident memory CD8 T cells, which act as reserve forces, stand ready to respond should the body encounter the same pathogen in the future. These cells provide long-lasting immunity. "What really struck me is that we have been able to see that immune cells in distinct locations have these special functions," said Maximilian Heeg, M.D., one of the study's lead co-authors and investigator at the Allen Institute. "They're strategically positioned in the small intestine to fulfill their function, and this is the key finding from the paper." These differences ensure the immune system can react quickly to immediate threats while simultaneously maintaining a backup defense for long term protection. In response to infection, immune cells stream into tissues to fight infection and help repair damage. Importantly, these cells 'talk to' the tissue cells to coordinate the immune response. In this study, we can now visualize how the functional state of an immune cell relates to which cells and signals are found in different neighborhoods or regions of the tissues. This new knowledge of how the immune system works in tissues is game changing as we explore how to enhance immune protection while avoiding damaging inflammation." Ananda W. Goldrath, Ph.D., executive vice president of the Allen Institute for Immunology Understanding microenvironments and cellular interactions Using advanced transcriptional profiling techniques, the researchers mapped the genetic instructions that instruct the behavior of tissue-resident memory CD8 T cells based on their location. "I am most excited about the possibilities our new approaches bring: Studying immune cells in their unperturbed natural environments at high plex, throughput and resolution," said Miguel Reina-Campos, Ph.D., study co-author and assistant professor at La Jolla Institute for Immunology. The findings provide insight for designing better immunotherapies and vaccines. By targeting the mechanisms that direct tissue-resident memory CD8 T cells to specific sites inside a tissue and enhance their capabilities, researchers hope to develop treatments to boost the immune system's effectiveness and keep us healthy. "One part of this work was discovering causal relationships between well-characterized genes and CD8 T cell spatial and transcriptional phenotypes," said study co-first author Alex Monell, a UC San Diego graduate student working with Goldrath. "We are expanding our CRISPR pooled spatial screening to profile the impacts of many types of genetic perturbations at once within CD8 T cells with an overarching goal of finding and manipulating modulatory mechanisms of tissue-specific immunity." Future research goals This work highlights the importance of anatomical niches in shaping immune responses and establishes a framework for studying how immune cells interact with their environment. It presents new approaches in treating chronic diseases, infections, and inflammatory disorders by leveraging the unique dynamics of tissue-resident memory immune cells in barrier tissues. Moving forward, the group is focused on understanding how this knowledge can be used to therapeutically target our immune responses. A new study led by University of Arizona Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health researchers in collaboration with fire service partners and other researchers around the country through the Fire Fighter Cancer Cohort Study showed that post-traumatic stress disorder and anxiety are associated with lower levels of anti-Mullerian hormone, a marker of ovarian reserve, among women firefighters. The ovarian reserve is the number of healthy eggs in a woman's ovaries that could potentially be fertilized. It is a measure of a woman's fertility and ability to have children. "These findings highlight the negative effect that mental health conditions can have on health specifically, reproductive health," said first author Michelle Valenti, MPH, a doctoral student in epidemiology at the Zuckerman College of Public Health and program coordinator of the Fire Fighter Cancer Cohort Study's Women Firefighter Study. The paper "Evaluating the Effect of Depression, Anxiety, and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder on Anti-Mullerian Hormone Levels Among Women Firefighters," was published in the Journal of Women's Health. Firefighters are exposed to high stress and traumatic situations in addition to chemical exposures and have a higher prevalence of PTSD compared with the general population. Previous research showed that women firefighters have lower levels of anti-Mullerian hormone compared with women who are not firefighters; however, the reason why was unknown. The research team, which included personnel at the Zuckerman College of Public Health's Center for Firefighter Health Collaborative Research, led this analysis to determine whether anxiety, depression or PTSD were associated with anti-Mullerian hormone levels. They found that clinical diagnoses of PTSD and anxiety were associated with reductions in anti-Mullerian hormone levels of 66% and 33%, respectively. These findings highlight a potential mechanism through which adverse mental health conditions could lead to adverse reproductive outcomes. Further research is needed to identify potential areas for intervention. The work of this AMH study within the broader context of the FFCCS is imperative to taking care of all of our firefighters. These findings provide scientific leverage to fire departments to implement programs to reduce stress and improve the lives of our firefighter women." Capt. Caitlin St. Clair of the Puget Sound Regional Fire Authority The Women Firefighter Study, a subgroup of the Fire Fighter Cancer Cohort Study, aims to identify causes of stress, cancer and adverse reproductive health effects in women firefighters that would inform effective interventions to mitigate these conditions. "This study demonstrates the power of the Fire Fighter Cancer Cohort Study Women Firefighter Study to evaluate exposures that lead to adverse gynecologic conditions," Valenti said. "The Women Firefighter Study would not be possible without our amazing fire service partners who have championed women firefighter research." Co-authors from the Zuckerman College of Public Health include senior author Jeff Burgess, MD, MPH, a professor and director of the Center for Firefighter Health Collaborative Research at the U of A Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health and a member of the BIO5 Institute; Leslie Farland, ScD, an associate professor and member of the BIO5 Institute; Yiwen Liu, PhD, an assistant professor of epidemiology and biostatistics; Shawn Beitel, program administrator for firefighter research; research technician Jordan Baker; and graduate student Kaiwen Huang. In addition to St. Claire, other fire service research liaisons who contributed to the study include Capt. John Gulotta of the Tucson Fire Department, Capt. Jamie Kolar and Derek Urwin, PhD, of the Los Angeles County Fire Department, and many other firefighters. This research was funded by the Federal Emergency Management Agency under award nos. EMW-2015-FP-00213 and EMW-2019-FP-00526. Donald Trumps decision to withdraw from the World Health Organization (WHO) puts the lives of millions of people in poorer countries at risk, according to analysts, who say other nations must step up and invest in health to plug the gap. The new US president pulled the country out of the WHOas well as from the 2016 Paris Agreement to limit global warmingin a flurry of executive orders signed on the first day in the Oval office on Monday (20 February), citing among other things the UN health agencys handling of the COVID-19 pandemic and other global health crises. The move was met with widespread condemnation from the global health community. Pete Baker, policy fellow and deputy director of global health policy at the Center for Global Development, a think tank, said it would have far-reaching impacts. It undermines global health security and risks progress on critical issues like pandemic preparedness and antimicrobial resistance. Pete Baker, policy fellow and deputy director of global health policy at the Center for Global Development Rebecca Grais, executive director of the Pasteur Network, an international group of health research organisations, acknowledges there are flaws in the multilateral system. But she says leaving the WHO entirely is not the best way to address them. The WHO provides critical guidance and support, particularly for populations with the least resources and the least access to healthcare, Grais told SciDev.Net. These communities will bear the brunt of the consequences, she added. Trump cast doubt on the WHOs independence, claiming it was compromised by inappropriate political influence from member states, as well as complaining that the US bore the biggest financial burden of all members. The US is the WHOs largest donor, contributing US$1.28 billion to the WHOs 2022-23 budget in assessed and voluntary contributions, according to the WHOs latest data. Taking into account a US$2 billion shortfall in WHO funds overall, this accounts for around 15 per cent of the total budget, according to analysts. However, the US was highly restrictive on how WHO can use its money, according to Baker. He hopes that if other member states or philanthropists can step up and provide more flexible fundingeven if less than the previous US contributionthis could help WHO be more agile and focused in delivering its mandate. Pandemic preparedness For Baker, the accompanying withdrawal of US support from the Pandemic Agreement negotiations is the bigger threat. The political support of the US for the global health security architecture is irreplaceable, he explained. If [the withdrawal] continues, it will seriously hamper the worlds efforts to ensure preparedness for future health threats. Grais also said the decision puts global health initiatives at risk, including the ongoing pandemic treaty negotiations, whose future is in doubt without the participation of the worlds largest economy. She said the move will potentially delay access to medicines in low- and middle-income countries even further as patent waivers require significant global consensus. Without US involvement, achieving that consensus could become more challenging, as the US is a major player in global pharmaceutical research and development and policymaking, she added. US-based pharmaceutical companies, which are among the largest patent holders, may feel less pressure to participate in global initiatives for voluntary licensing or patent waivers if US policy diverges from WHO recommendations, Grais said. Changemakers needed At a time when collaboration is essential, this move undermines the shared responsibility needed to tackle health crises, she added. As always, its the most vulnerable populations that stand to lose the most. Peggy Oti-Boateng, executive director the African Academy of Sciences, said it was unfortunate that the US has pulled out of WHO, leaving a void for other world economic powers to occupy. It is time now for African countries to prioritise to invest more in science research and innovation including health, food security, energy and climate change, Oti-Boateng told SciDev.Net. Africa cannot continue to rely on other superpowers when we have all the resources, human capital, and natural resources, if strategically managed, to see a great transformation of the continent. We need to have African leaders who are committed and ready to be changemakers. WHO reforms The WHO said it regretted the announcement that the US intends to withdraw from the organisation. WHO plays a crucial role in protecting the health and security of the worlds people, including Americans, by addressing the root causes of disease, building stronger health systems, and detecting, preventing and responding to health emergencies, including disease outbreaks, often in dangerous places where others cannot go, it said in a statement. According to WHO, the participation of the US and other member states over the past seven years has allowed it to implement the largest set of reforms in its history, to transform its accountability and cost-effectiveness. We hope the United States will reconsider and we look forward to engaging in constructive dialogue to maintain the partnership between the USA and WHO, for the benefit of the health and well-being of millions of people around the globe, it said. During the three decades following Deng Xiaopings 1978 reforms, China achieved the fastest sustained rate of economic growth in human history, with the resulting 40-fold rise in the size of Chinas economy leaving it poised to surpass Americas as the largest in the world. A billion ordinary Han Chinese have lifted themselves economically from oxen and bicycles to the verge of automobiles within a single generation. Chinas academic performance has been just as stunning. The 2009 Program for International Student Assessment(PISA) tests placed gigantic Shanghaia megalopolis of 15 millionat the absolute top of world student achievement. PISA results from the rest of the country have been nearly as impressive, with the average scores of hundreds of millions of provincial Chinesemostly from rural families with annual incomes below $2,000matching or exceeding those of Europes most advanced and successful countries, such as Germany, France, and Switzerland, and ranking well above Americas results. These successes follow closely on the heels of a previous generation of similar economic and technological gains for several much smaller Chinese-ancestry countries in that same part of the world, such as Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Singapore, and the great academic and socioeconomic success of small Chinese-descended minority populations in predominantly white nations, including America, Canada, and Australia. The children of the Yellow Emperor seem destined to play an enormous role in Mankinds future. Although these developments might have shocked Westerners of the mid-20th Centurywhen China was best known for its terrible poverty and Maoist revolutionary fanaticismthey would have seemed far less unexpected to our leading thinkers of 100 years ago, many of whom prophesied that the Middle Kingdom would eventually regain its ranking among the foremost nations of the world. This was certainly the expectation of E.A. Ross, one of Americas greatest early sociologists, whose book The Changing Chinese looked past the destitution, misery, and corruption of the China of his day to a future modernized China perhaps on a technological par with America and the leading European nations. Rosss views were widely echoed by public intellectuals such as Lothrop Stoddard, who foresaw Chinas probable awakening from centuries of inward-looking slumber as a looming challenge to the worldwide hegemony long enjoyed by the various European-descended nations. The likely roots of such widespread Chinese success have received little detailed exploration in todays major Western media, which tends to shy away from considering the particular characteristics of ethnic groups or nationalities, as opposed to their institutional systems and forms of government. Yet although the latter obviously play a crucial roleMaoist China was far less economically successful than Dengist Chinait is useful to note that the examples of Chinese success cited above range across a wide diversity of socioeconomic and political systems. For decades, Hong Kong enjoyed one of the most free-market, nearly anarcho-libertarian economic regimes; during that same period, Singapore was governed by the tight hand of Lee Kuan Yew and his socialistic Peoples Action Party, which built a one-party state with a large degree of government guidance and control. Yet both these populations were overwhelmingly Chinese, and both experienced almost equally rapid economic development, moving in 50 years from total postwar destitution and teeming refugee slums to ranking among the wealthiest places on earth. And Taiwan, whose much larger Chinese-ancestry population pursued an intermediate development model, enjoyed similar economic success. Despite a long legacy of racial discrimination and mistreatment, small Chinese communities in America also prospered and advanced, even as their numbers grew rapidly following passage of the 1965 Immigration Act. In recent years a remarkable fraction of Americas top studentswhether judged by the objective winners circle of the Mathematics Olympiad and Intel Science competition or by the somewhat more subjective rates of admission to Ivy League collegeshave been of Chinese ancestry. The results are particularly striking when cast in quantitative terms: although just 1 percent of American high-school graduates each year have ethnic Chinese origins, surname analysis indicates that they currently include nearly 15 percent of the highest-achieving students, a performance ratio more than four times better than that of American Jews, the top-scoring white ancestry group. Chinese people seem to be doing extremely well all over the world, across a wide range of economic and cultural landscapes. Almost none of these global developments were predicted by Americas leading intellectuals of the 1960s or 1970s, and many of their successors have had just as much difficulty recognizing the dramatic sweep of events through which they are living. A perfect example of this strange myopia may be found in the writings of leading development economists Daron Acemoglu and James Robinson, whose brief discussions of Chinas rapid rise to world economic dominance seem to portray the phenomenon as a temporary illusion almost certainly soon to collapse because the institutional approach followed differs from the ultra-free-market neoliberalism that they recommend. The large role that the government plays in guiding Chinese economic decisions dooms it to failure, despite all evidence to the contrary, while Americas heavily financialized economy must be successful, regardless of our high unemployment and low growth. According to Acemoglu and Robinson, nearly all international success or failure is determined by governmental institutions, and since China possesses the wrong ones, failure is certain, though there seems no sign of it. Perhaps such academics will be proven correct, and Chinas economic miracle will collapse into the debacle they predict. But if this does not occur, and the international trend lines of the past 35 years continue for another five or ten, we should consider turning for explanations to those long-forgotten thinkers who actually foretold these world developments that we are now experiencing, individuals such as Ross and Stoddard. The widespread devastation produced by the Japanese invasion, World War II, and the Chinese Civil War, followed by the economic calamity of Maoism, did delay the predicted rise of China by a generation or two, but except for such unforeseen events, their analysis of Chinese potential seems remarkably prescient. For example, Stoddard approvingly quotes the late Victorian predictions of Professor Charles E. Pearson: Does any one doubt that the day is at hand when China will have cheap fuel from her coal-mines, cheap transport by railways and steamers, and will have founded technical schools to develop her industries? Whenever that day comes, she may wrest the control of the worlds markets, especially throughout Asia, from England and Germany. Western intellectual life a century ago was quite different from that of today, with contrary doctrines and taboos, and the spirit of that age certainly held sway over its leading figures. Racialismthe notion that different peoples tend to have different innate traits, as largely fashioned by their particular historieswas dominant then, so much so that the notion was almost universally held and applied, sometimes in rather crude fashion, to both European and non-European populations. With regard to the Chinese, the widespread view was that many of their prominent characteristics had been shaped by thousands of years of history in a generally stable and organized society possessing central political administration, a situation almost unique among the peoples of the world. In effect, despite temporary periods of political fragmentation, East Asias own Roman Empire had never fallen, and a thousand-year interregnum of barbarism, economic collapse, and technological backwardness had been avoided. On the less fortunate side, the enormous population growth of recent centuries had gradually caught up with and overtaken Chinas exceptionally efficient agricultural system, reducing the lives of most Chinese to the brink of Malthusian starvation; and these pressures and constraints were believed to be reflected in the Chinese people. For example, Stoddard wrote: Winnowed by ages of grim elimination in a land populated to the uttermost limits of subsistence, the Chinese race is selected as no other for survival under the fiercest conditions of economic stress. At home the average Chinese lives his whole life literally within a hands breadth of starvation. Accordingly, when removed to the easier environment of other lands, the Chinaman brings with him a working capacity which simply appalls his competitors. Stoddard backed these riveting phrases with a wide selection of detailed and descriptive quotations from prominent observers, both Western and Chinese. Although Ross was more cautiously empirical in his observations and less literary in his style, his analysis was quite similar, with his book on the Chinese containing over 40 pages describing the grim and gripping details of daily survival, provided under the evocative chapter-heading The Struggle for Existence in China. During the second half of the 20th century, ideological considerations largely eliminated from American public discourse the notion that many centuries of particular circumstances might leave an indelible imprint upon a people. But with the turn of the new millennium, such analyses have once again begun appearing in respectable intellectual quarters. The most notable example of this would surely be A Farewell to Alms, Gregory Clarks fascinating 2007 analysis of the deep origins of Britains industrial revolution, which was widely reviewed and praised throughout elite circles, with New York Times economics columnist Tyler Cowen hailing it as possibly the next blockbuster in economics and Berkeley economist Brad DeLong characterizing it as brilliant. Although Clarks work focused on many different factors, the one that attracted the greatest attention was his demographic analysis of British history based upon a close examination of individual testaments. Clark discovered evidence that for centuries the wealthier British had left significantly more surviving children than their poorer compatriots, thus leading their descendants to constitute an ever larger share of each generation. Presumably, this was because they could afford to marry at a younger age, and their superior nutritional and living arrangements reduced mortality rates for themselves and their families. Indeed, the near-Malthusian poverty of much ordinary English life during this era meant that the impoverished lower classes often failed even to reproduce themselves over time, gradually being replaced by the downwardly mobile children of their financial betters. Since personal economic achievement was probably in part due to traits such as diligence, prudence, and productivity, Clark argued that these characteristics steadily became more widespread in the British population, laying the human basis for later national economic success. Leaving aside whether or not the historical evidence actually supports Clarks hypothesiseconomist Robert C. Allen has published a strong and fairly persuasive refutation the theoretical framework he advances seems a perfectly plausible one. Although the stylistic aspects and quantitative approaches certainly differ, much of Clarks analysis for England seems to have clear parallels in how Stoddard, Ross, and others of their era characterized China. So perhaps it would be useful to explore whether a Clarkian analysis might be applicable to the people of the Middle Kingdom. Interestingly enough, Clark himself devotes a few pages to considering this question and concludes that in contrast to the British case, wealthier Chinese were no more fecund than the poorer, eliminating the possibility of any similar generational trend. But Clark is not a China specialist, and his brief analysis relies on the birth records of the descendants of the ruling imperial dynasty, a group totally unrepresentative of the broader population. In fact, a more careful examination of the Chinese source material reveals persuasive evidence for a substantial skew in family size, directly related to economic success, with the pattern being perhaps even stronger and more universally apparent than was the case for Britain or any other country. Moreover, certain unique aspects of traditional Chinese society may have maintained and amplified this long-term effect, in a manner unlike that found in most other societies in Europe or elsewhere. China indeed may constitute the largest and longest-lasting instance of an extreme Social Darwinist society anywhere in human history, perhaps with important implications for the shaping of the modern Chinese people. Chinese society is notable for its stability and longevity. From the gradual establishment of the bureaucratic imperial state based on mandarinate rule during the Sui (589618) and Tang (618907) dynasties down to the Communist Revolution of 1948, a single set of social and economic relations appears to have maintained its grip on the country, evolving only slightly while dynastic successions and military conquests periodically transformed the governmental superstructure. A central feature of this system was the replacement of the local rule of aristocratic elements by a class of official meritocrats, empowered by the central government and selected by competitive examination. In essence, China eliminated the role of hereditary feudal lords and the social structure they represented over 1,000 years before European countries did the same, substituting a system of legal equality for virtually the entire population beneath the reigning emperor and his family. The social importance of competitive examinations was enormous, playing the same role in determining membership in the ruling elite that the aristocratic bloodlines of Europes nobility did until modern times, and this system embedded itself just as deeply in the popular culture. The great noble houses of France or Germany might trace their lineages back to ancestors elevated under Charlemagne or Barbarossa, with their heirs afterward rising and falling in standing and estates, while in China the proud family traditions would boast generations of top-scoring test-takers, along with the important government positions that they had received as a result. Whereas in Europe there existed fanciful stories of a heroic commoner youth doing some great deed for the king and consequently being elevated to a knighthood or higher, such tales were confined to fiction down to the French Revolution. But in China, even the greatest lineages of academic performers almost invariably had roots in the ordinary peasantry. Not only was China the first national state to utilize competitive written examinations for selection purposes, but it is quite possible that almost all other instances everywhere in the world ultimately derive from the Chinese example. It has long been established that the Chinese system served as the model for the meritocratic civil services that transformed the efficiency of Britain and other European states during the 18th and 19th centuries. But persuasive historical arguments have also been advanced that the same is even true for university entrance tests and honors examinations, with Cambridges famed Math Tripos being the earliest example. Modern written tests may actually be as Chinese as chopsticks. With Chinese civilization having spent most of the past 1,500 years allocating its positions of national power and influence by examination, there has sometimes been speculation that test-taking ability has become embedded in the Chinese people at the biological as well as cultural level. Yet although there might be an element of truth to this, it hardly seems likely to be significant. During the eras in question, Chinas total population numbered far into the tens of millions, growing in unsteady fashion from perhaps 60 million before AD 900 to well over 400 million by 1850. But the number of Chinese passing the highest imperial exam and attaining the exalted rank of chin-shih during most of the past six centuries was often less than 100 per year, down from a high of over 200 under the Sung dynasty (960-1279), and even if we include the lesser rank of chu-jen, the national total of such degree-holders was probably just in the low tens of thousands, a tiny fraction of 1 percent of the overall populationtotally dwarfed by the numbers of Chinese making their living as artisans or merchants, let alone the overwhelming mass of the rural peasantry. The cultural impact of rule by a test-selected elite was enormous, but the direct genetic impact would have been negligible. This same difficulty of relative proportions frustrates any attempt to apply in China an evolutionary model similar to the one that Gregory Cochran and Henry Harpending have persuasively suggested for the evolution of high intelligence among the Ashkenazi Jews of Europe. The latter group constituted a small, reproductively isolated population overwhelmingly concentrated in the sorts of business and financial activity that would have strongly favored more intelligent individuals, and one with insignificant gene-flow from the external population not undergoing such selective pressure. By contrast, there is no evidence that successful Chinese merchants or scholars were unwilling to take brides from the general population, and any reasonable rate of such intermarriage each generation would have totally swamped the genetic impact of mercantile or scholarly success. If we are hoping to find any rough parallel to the process that Clark hypothesizes for Britain, we must concentrate our attention on the life circumstances of Chinas broad rural peasantrywell over 90 percent of the population during all these centuriesjust as the aforementioned 19th-century observers had generally done. In fact, although Western writers tended to focus on Chinas horrific poverty above all else, traditional Chinese society actually possessed certain unusual or even unique characteristics that may help account for the shaping of the Chinese people. Perhaps the most important of these was the near total absence of social caste and the extreme fluidity of economic class. Feudalism had ended in China a thousand years before the French Revolution, and nearly all Chinese stood equal before the law. The gentrythose who had passed an official examination and received an academic degreepossessed certain privileges and the mean peopleprostitutes, entertainers, slaves, and various other degraded social elementssuffered under legal discrimination. But both these strata were minute in size, with each usually amounting to less than 1 percent of the general population, while the common peopleeveryone else, including the peasantryenjoyed complete legal equality. However, such legal equality was totally divorced from economic equality, and extreme gradations of wealth and poverty were found in every corner of society, down to the smallest and most homogenous village. During most of the 20th century, the traditional Marxian class analysis of Chinese rural life divided the population according to graduated wealth and degree of exploitative income: landlords, who obtained most or all of their income from rent or hired labor; rich, middle, and poor peasants, grouped according to decreasing wealth and rental income and increasing tendency to hire out their own labor; and agricultural laborers, who owned negligible land and obtained nearly all their income from hiring themselves out to others. In hard times, these variations in wealth might easily mean the difference between life and death, but everyone acknowledged that such distinctions were purely economic and subject to change: a landlord who lost his land would become a poor peasant; a poor peasant who came into wealth would be the equal of any landlord. During its political struggle, the Chinese Communist Party claimed that landlords and rich peasants constituted about 10 percent of the population and possessed 7080 percent of the land, while poor peasants and hired laborers made up the overwhelming majority of the population and owned just 1015 percent of the land. Neutral observers found these claims somewhat exaggerated for propagandistic purposes, but not all that far from the harsh reality. Complete legal equality and extreme economic inequality together fostered one of the most unrestrained free-market systems known to history, not only in Chinas cities but much more importantly in its vast countryside, which contained nearly the entire population. Land, the primary form of wealth, was freely bought, sold, traded, rented out, sub-leased, or mortgaged as loan collateral. Money-lending and food-lending were widely practiced, especially during times of famine, with usurious rates of interest being the norm, often in excess of 10 percent per month compounded. In extreme cases, children or even wives might be sold for cash and food. Unless aided by relatives, peasants without land or money routinely starved to death. Meanwhile, the agricultural activity of more prosperous peasants was highly commercialized and entrepreneurial, with complex business arrangements often the norm. For centuries, a central fact of daily life in rural China had been the tremendous human density, as the Middle Kingdoms population expanded from 65 million to 430 million during the five centuries before 1850, eventually forcing nearly all land to be cultivated to maximum efficiency. Although Chinese society was almost entirely rural and agricultural, Shandong province in 1750 had well over twice the population density of the Netherlands, the most urbanized and densely populated part of Europe, while during the early years of the Industrial Revolution, Englands population density was only one-fifth that of Jiangsu province. Chinese agricultural methods had always been exceptionally efficient, but by the 19th century, the continuing growth of the Chinese population had finally caught and surpassed the absolute Malthusian carrying-capacity of the farming system under its existing technical and economic structure. Population growth was largely held in check by mortality (including high infant mortality), decreased fertility due to malnutrition, disease, and periodic regional famines that killed an average of 5 percent of the population. Even the Chinese language came to incorporate the centrality of food, with the traditional words of greeting being Have you eaten? and the common phrase denoting a wedding, funeral, or other important social occasion being to eat good things. The cultural and ideological constraints of Chinese society posed major obstacles to mitigating this never-ending human calamity. Although impoverished Europeans of this era, male and female alike, often married late or not at all, early marriage and family were central pillars of Chinese life, with the sage Mencius stating that to have no children was the worst of unfilial acts; indeed, marriage and anticipated children were the mark of adulthood. Furthermore, only male heirs could continue the family name and ensure that oneself and ones ancestors would be paid the proper ritual respect, and multiple sons were required to protect against the vagaries of fate. On a more practical level, married daughters became part of their husbands household, and only sons could ensure provision for ones old age. Nearly all peasant societies sanctify filial loyalty, marriage, family, and children, while elevating sons above daughters, but in traditional China these tendencies seem to have been especially strong, representing a central goal and focus of all daily life beyond bare survival. Given the terrible poverty, cruel choices were often made, and female infanticide, including through neglect, was the primary means of birth control among the poor, leading to a typical shortfall of 1015 percent among women of marriageable age. Reproductive competition for those remaining women was therefore fierce, with virtually every woman marrying, generally by her late teens. The inevitable result was a large and steady natural increase in the total population, except when constrained by various forms of increased mortality. The vast majority of Chinese might be impoverished peasants, but for those with ability and luck, the possibilities of upward mobility were quite remarkable in what was an essentially classless society. The richer strata of each village possessed the wealth to give their most able children a classical education in hopes of preparing them for the series of official examinations. If the son of a rich peasant or petty landlord were sufficiently diligent and intellectually able, he might pass such an examination and obtain an official degree, opening enormous opportunities for political power and wealth. For the Ming (13681644) and Ching (16441911) dynasties, statistics exist on the social origins of the chin-shih class, the highest official rank, and these demonstrate a rate of upward mobility unmatched by almost any Western society, whether modern or premodern. Over 30 percent of such elite degree-holders came from commoner families that for three previous generations had produced no one of high official rank, and in the data from earlier centuries, this fraction of new men reached a high of 84 percent. Such numbers far exceed the equivalent figures for Cambridge University during all the centuries since its foundation, and would probably seem remarkable at Americas elite Ivy League colleges today or in the past. Meanwhile, downward social mobility was also common among even the highest families. As a summary statistic, across the six centuries of these two dynasties less than 6 percent of Chinas ruling elites came from the ruling elites of the previous generation. The founding philosophical principle of the modern Western world has been the Equality of Man, while that of Confucianist China was the polar opposite belief in the inherent inequality of men. Yet in reality, the latter often seemed to fulfill better the ideological goals of the former. Frontier America might have had its mythos of presidents born in log-cabins, but for many centuries a substantial fraction of the Middle Kingdoms ruling mandarins did indeed come from rural rice-paddies, a state of affairs that would have seemed almost unimaginable in any European country until the Age of Revolution, and even long afterward. Such potential for elevation into the ruling Chinese elite was remarkable, but a far more important factor in the society was the open possibility of local economic advancement for the sufficiently enterprising and diligent rural peasant. Ironically enough, a perfect description of such upward mobility was provided by Communist revolutionary leader Mao Zedong, who recounted how his father had risen from being a landless poor peasant to rich peasant status: My father was a poor peasant and while still young was obliged to join the army because of heavy debts. He was a soldier for many years. Later on he returned to the village where I was born, and by saving carefully and gathering together a little money through small trading and other enterprise he managed to buy back his land. As middle peasants then my family owned fifteen mou [about 2.5 acres] of land. On this they could raise sixty tan of rice a year. The five members of the family consumed a total of thirty-five tanthat is, about seven eachwhich left an annual surplus of twenty-five tan. Using this surplus, my father accumulated a little capital and in time purchased seven more mou, which gave the family the status of rich peasants. We could then raise eighty-four tan of rice a year. When I was ten years of age and the family owned only fifteen mou of land, the five members of the family consisted of my father, mother, grandfather, younger brother, and myself. After we had acquired the additional seven mou, my grandfather died, but there came another younger brother. However, we still had a surplus of forty-nine tan of rice each year, and on this my father prospered. At the time my father was a middle peasant he began to deal in grain transport and selling, by which he made a little money. After he became a rich peasant, he devoted most of his time to that business. He hired a full-time farm laborer, and put his children to work on the farm, as well as his wife. I began to work at farming tasks when I was six years old. My father had no shop for his business. He simply purchased grain from the poor farmers and then transported it to the city merchants, where he got a higher price. In the winter, when the rice was being ground, he hired an extra laborer to work on the farm, so that at that time there were seven mouths to feed. My family ate frugally, but had enough always. Maos account gives no indication that he regarded his familys rise as extraordinary in any way; his father had obviously done well, but there were probably many other families in Maos village that had similarly improved their lot during the course of a single generation. Such opportunities for rapid social mobility would have been almost impossible in any of the feudal or class-ridden societies of the same period, in Europe or most other parts of the world. However, the flip-side of possible peasant upward mobility was the far greater likelihood of downward mobility, which was enormous and probably represented the single most significant factor shaping the modern Chinese people. Each generation, a few who were lucky or able might rise, but a vast multitude always fell, and those families near the bottom simply disappeared from the world. Traditional rural China was a society faced with the reality of an enormous and inexorable downward mobility: for centuries, nearly all Chinese ended their lives much poorer than had their parents. The strong case for such downward mobility was demonstrated a quarter century ago by historian Edwin E. Moise, whose crucial article on the subject has received far less attention than it deserves, perhaps because the intellectual climate of the late 1970s prevented readers from drawing the obvious evolutionary implications. In many respects, Moises demographic analysis of China eerily anticipated that of Clark for England, as he pointed out that only the wealthier families of a Chinese village could afford the costs associated with obtaining wives for their sons, with female infanticide and other factors regularly ensuring up to a 15 percent shortfall in the number of available women. Thus, the poorest village strata usually failed to reproduce at all, while poverty and malnourishment also tended to lower fertility and raise infant mortality as one moved downward along the economic gradient. At the same time, the wealthiest villagers sometimes could afford multiple wives or concubines and regularly produced much larger numbers of surviving offspring. Each generation, the poorest disappeared, the less affluent failed to replenish their numbers, and all those lower rungs on the economic ladder were filled by the downwardly mobile children of the fecund wealthy. This fundamental reality of Chinese rural existence was certainly obvious to the peasants themselves and to outside observers, and there exists an enormous quantity of anecdotal evidence describing the situation, whether gathered by Moise or found elsewhere, as illustrated by a few examples: How could any man in our village claim that his family had been poor for three generations? If a man is poor, then his son cant afford to marry; and if his son cant marry, there cant be a third generation. Because of the marked shortage of women, there was always a great number of men without wives at all. This included the overwhelming majority of long-term hired laborers The poorest families died out, being unable to arrange marriages for their sons. The future generations of poor were the descendants of bankrupted middle and rich peasants and landlords. Further down the economic scale there were many families with unmarried sons who had already passed the customary marriage age, thus limiting the size of the family. Wong Mi was a case in point. He was already twenty-three, with both of his parents in their mid-sixties; but since the family was able to rent only an acre of poor land and could not finance his marriage, he lived with the old parents, and the family consisted of three members. Wong Chun, a landless peasant in his forties, had been in the same position when he lived with his aged parents ten years before, and now, both parents having died, he lived alone. There were ten or fifteen families in the village with single unmarried sons. As previously mentioned, there were about twenty families in Nanching that had no land at all and constituted the bottom group in the villages pyramid of land ownership. A few of these families were tenant farmers, but the majority, since they could not finance even the buying of tools, fertilizer, and seeds, worked as long-term agricultural laborers on an annual basis. As such, they normally were paid about 1,000 catties of unhusked rice per year and board and room if they owned no home. This income might equal or even exceed what they might have wrested from a small rented farm, but it was not enough to support a family of average size without supplementary employment undertaken by other members of the family. For this reason, many of them never married, and the largest number of bachelors was to be found among landless peasants. Wong Tu-en, a landless peasant working for a rich peasant for nearly ten years, was still a bare stick (unmarried man) in his fifties; and there were others in the village like him. They were objects of ridicule and pity in the eyes of the villagers, whose life [sic] centered upon the family. Furthermore, the forces of downward mobility in rural Chinese society were greatly accentuated by fenjia, the traditional system of inheritance, which required equal division of property among all sons, in sharp contrast to the practice of primogeniture commonly found in European countries. If most or all of a fathers property went to the eldest son, then the long-term survival of a reasonably affluent peasant family was assured unless the primary heir were a complete wastrel or encountered unusually bad fortune. But in China, cultural pressures forced a wealthy man to do his best to maximize the number of his surviving sons, and within the richer strata of a village it was not uncommon for a man to leave two, three, or even more male heirs, compelling each to begin his economic independence with merely a fraction of his fathers wealth. Unless they succeeded in substantially augmenting their inheritance, the sons of a particularly fecund rich landlord might be middle peasantsand his grandchildren, starving poor peasants. Families whose elevated status derived from a single fortuitous circumstance or a transient trait not deeply rooted in their behavioral characteristics therefore enjoyed only fleeting economic success, and poverty eventually culled their descendants from the village. The members of a successful family could maintain their economic position over time only if in each generation large amounts of additional wealth were extracted from their land and their neighbors through high intelligence, sharp business sense, hard work, and great diligence. The penalty for major business miscalculations or lack of sufficient effort was either personal or reproductive extinction. As American observer William Hinton graphically described: Security, relative comfort, influence, position, and leisure [were] maintained amidst a sea of the most dismal and frightening poverty and hungera poverty and hunger which at all times threatened to engulf any family which relaxed its vigilance, took pity on its poor neighbors, failed to extract the last copper of rent and interest, or ceased for an instant the incessant accumulation of grain and money. Those who did not go up went down, and those who went down often went to their deaths or at least to the dissolution and dispersal of their families. However, under favorable circumstances, a family successful in business might expand its numbers from generation to generation until it gradually squeezed out all its less competitive neighbors, with its progeny eventually constituting nearly the entire population of a village. For example, a century after a couple of poor Yang brothers arrived in a region as farm laborers, their descendants had formed a clan of 8090 families in one village and the entire population of a neighboring one. In a Guangdong village, a merchant family named Huang arrived and bought land, growing in numbers and land ownership over the centuries until their descendants replaced most of the other families, which became poor and ultimately disappeared, while the Huangs eventually constituted 74 percent of the total local population, including a complete mix of the rich, middle, and poor. In many respects, the Chinese society portrayed by our historical and sociological sources seems an almost perfect example of the sort of local environment that would be expected to produce a deep imprint upon the characteristics of its inhabitants. Even prior to the start of this harsh development process, China had spent thousands of years as one of the worlds most advanced economic and technological civilizations. The socioeconomic system established from the end of the sixth century A.D. onward then remained largely stable and unchanged for well over a millennium, with the sort of orderly and law-based society that benefited those who followed its rules and ruthlessly weeded out the troublemaker. During many of those centuries, the burden of overpopulation placed enormous economic pressure on each family to survive, while a powerful cultural tradition emphasized the production of surviving offspring, especially sons, as the greatest goal in life, even if that result might lead to the impoverishment of the next generation. Agricultural efficiency was remarkably high but required great effort and diligence, while the complexities of economic decision-makinghow to manage land, crop selection, and investment decisionswere far greater than those faced by the simple peasant serf found in most other parts of the world, with the rewards for success and the penalties for failure being extreme. The sheer size and cultural unity of the Chinese population would have facilitated the rapid appearance and spread of useful innovations, including those at the purely biological level. It is important to recognize that although good business ability was critical for the long-term success of a line of Chinese peasants, the overall shaping constraints differed considerably from those that might have affected a mercantile caste such as the Ashkenazi Jews of Eastern Europe or the Parsis of India. These latter groups occupied highly specialized economic niches in which a keen head for figures or a ruthless business sense might have been all that was required for personal success and prosperity. But in the world of rural Chinese villages, even the wealthier elements usually spent the majority of the lives in backbreaking labor, working alongside their families and their hired men in the fields and rice paddies. Successful peasants might benefit from a good intellect, but they also required the propensity for hard manual toil, determination, diligence, and even such purely physical traits as resistance to injury and efficiency in food digestion. Given such multiple selective pressures and constraints, we would expect the shift in the prevalence of any single one of these traits to be far slower than if it alone determined success, and the many centuries of steady Chinese selection across the worlds largest population would have been required to produce any substantial result. The impact of such strong selective forces obviously manifests at multiple levels, with cultural software being far more flexible and responsive than any gradual shifts in innate tendencies, and distinguishing between evidence of these two mechanisms is hardly a trivial task. But it seems quite unlikely that the second, deeper sort of biological human change would not have occurred during a thousand years or more of these relentlessly shaping pressures, and simply to ignore or dismiss such an important possibility is unreasonable. Yet that seems to have been the dominant strain of Western intellectual belief for the last two or three generations. Sometimes the best means of recognizing ones ideological blinders is to consider seriously the ideas and perspectives of alien minds that lack them, and in the case of Western society these happen to include most of our greatest intellectual figures from 80 or 90 years ago, now suddenly restored to availability by the magic of the Internet. Admittedly, in some respects these individuals were naive in their thinking or treated various ideas in crude fashion, but in many more cases their analyses were remarkably acute and scientifically insightful, often functioning as an invaluable corrective to the assumed truths of the present. And in certain matters, notably predicting the economic trajectory of the worlds largest country, they seem to have anticipated developments that almost none of their successors of the past 50 years ever imagined. This should certainly give us pause. Consider also the ironic case of Bruce Lahn, a brilliant Chinese-born genetics researcher at the University of Chicago. In an interview a few years ago, he casually mentioned his speculation that the socially conformist tendencies of most Chinese people might be due to the fact that for the past 2,000 years the Chinese government had regularly eliminated its more rebellious subjects, a suggestion that would surely be regarded as totally obvious and innocuous everywhere in the world except in the West of the past half century or so. Not long before that interview, Lahn had achieved great scientific acclaim for his breakthrough discoveries on the possible genetic origins of human civilization, but this research eventually provoked such heated controversy that he was dissuaded from continuing it. Yet although Chinese researchers living in America willingly conform to American ideological restrictions, this is not the case with Chinese researchers in China itself, and it is hardly surprising that BGIthe Beijing Genomics Institutehas become the recognized world leader in cutting-edge human genetics research. This is despite the billions spent by its American counterparts, which must operate within a much more circumscribed framework of acceptable ideas. During the Cold War, the enormous governmental investments of the Soviet regime in many fields produced nothing, since they were based on a model of reality that was both unquestionable and also false. The growing divergence between that ideological model and the real world eventually doomed the USSR, whose vast and permanent bulk blew away in a sudden gust of wind two decades ago. American leaders should take care that they do not stubbornly adhere to scientifically false doctrines that will lead our own country to risk a similar fate. Ron Unz is publisher of The American Conservative. In many countries, the social welfare sector is struggling with enormous cost-cutting pressures, labour shortage and the growing demand for its services. VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland, together with its partners, is taking part in an international research project on how artificial intelligence (AI) could support the work of nurses. In addition to VTT, Finnish participants include Turku University of Applied Sciences, the University of Eastern Finland, the Northern Savo and Southwest Finland wellbeing services counties, Mediconsult, Oiva Health and Solita. Various digital tasks, such as patient registration, reviewing patient information, familiarising with instructions and giving them, take a significant part of nurses' daily working hours. Reducing the time consumed on these tasks with the help of better technological solutions could free up working time for patient encounters and lighten the nurses' workload. For instance, the German consultancy TLGG has estimated that if utilized properly, artificial intelligence could save more than 30% of nurses' working hours, which they could spend on more valuable tasks - meeting customers and providing care." Jouni Kaartinen, Senior Scientist from VTT Together with Finnish higher education institutions, wellbeing services counties and companies, VTT is developing solutions to reduce the nurses' workload by utilizing AI. The work is carried out in cooperation with several European countries as part of ITEA's PROFIT project. Ville Salaspuro, Medical Director of Finnish Mediconsult Oy, believes that using AI-based tools will be an important part of the future work of social welfare and healthcare professionals. "These tools will make professionals' work more efficient. They will have more time to focus on customers instead of consuming time on information systems. The project provides concrete opportunities to validate the use of AI-based tools in a genuine operational environment," says Salaspuro. Healthcare professionals involved in the development "A traditional problem in the healthcare sector has been that nursing professionals have not been involved in the technology development. As a result, the functionality or usability of the systems doesn't always support nursing work. Additionally, research evidence on the impact of different solutions on the operation of organisations is yet scarce," says Associate Professor Laura-Maria Peltonen from the University of Eastern Finland. According to Kaartinen, artificial intelligence could, for instance, automatically and illustratively provide relevant patient information to professionals through a graphical or voice interface. AI could also be an excellent assistant in instructing patients when they are searching for help, during their hospital stay, and afterwards. This could facilitate access to the right service, reduce repeat visits, and improve treatment monitoring. "Nurse-centricity is at the core of the project. The developed technology will be brought to our nursing students for testing. This way, we will learn how development should be done to promote end-user acceptability of new technology and prevent it from being perceived as a threat or as clumsy in terms of usability," says Senior Lecturer Paula Savolainen from Turku University of Applied Sciences. Data availability is a challenge Kaartinen says that the difficulty of obtaining necessary data has significantly hampered the development of AI solutions in healthcare. Healthcare involves so much professional terminology that it is paramount to train a truly useful conversational AI with comprehensive material: authentic anonymised speech data, patient data, and other healthcare documentation. "As a lot of health data is already digitised, obtaining it securely for research and product development creates significant advantages. However, this has been complicated from a legal perspective. Anonymised and consent-based data would ultimately benefit all parties," says Kaartinen. "Software companies must protect their customers' personal information and data by legislation. The PROFIT project is developing technical solutions and operating methods that would enable data use in accordance with the law," says Manu Setala, Head of Research at Solita. In the project's initial phase, AI solutions will be trained using data from nursing students' practice tasks and various simulated data. Several ethical issues still must be resolved. Despite the use of AI, decision-making and responsibility remain with professionals. According to Kaartinen, AI could not, for instance, make direct entries in patient or customer records without the professional's separate approval. Instead, AI could make an entry suggestion that the professional can either accept as is or with modifications. The project examines the acceptability and ethics of AI-assisted solutions from the perspectives of both nurses and customers. California is advising health care providers not to write down patients' immigration status on bills and medical records and telling them they don't have to assist federal agents in arrests. Some Massachusetts hospitals and clinics are posting privacy rights in emergency and waiting rooms in Spanish and other languages. Meanwhile, Florida and Texas are requiring health care facilities to ask the immigration status of patients and tally the cost to taxpayers of providing care to immigrants living in the U.S. without authorization. Donald Trump returned to the White House declaring a national emergency at the U.S.-Mexico border, suspending refugee admissions, and challenging birthright citizenship, or the policy of giving U.S. citizenship to anyone born in the U.S. As he begins carrying out the "largest deportation operation" in the nation's history, states have offered starkly different guidelines to hospitals, community clinics, and other health facilities for immigrant patients. Trump has also rescinded a long-standing policy not to arrest people without legal status at or near sensitive locations, including schools, churches, and hospitals. A proposal to formalize such protections died in Congress in 2023. But no matter the guidelines that states issue, hospitals around the U.S. say patients won't be turned away for care because of their immigration status. "None of this changes the care patients receive," said Carrie Williams, a spokesperson for the Texas Hospital Association, which represents hospitals and health care systems in the state. "We don't want people to avoid care and worsen because they are concerned about immigration questions." During Trump's first term, immigration agents arrested people receiving emergency care in hospitals and a child during an ambulance transfer. Immigration officers in Texas arrested a woman awaiting brain surgery in a hospital in Fort Worth. In Portland, Oregon, officers arrested a young man leaving a hospital, and in San Bernardino, California, a woman drove herself to the hospital to give birth after her husband was arrested at a gas station. An estimated 11 million immigrants live in the United States without authorization, with the largest numbers in California, Texas, Florida, New York, New Jersey, and Illinois, according to Pew Research Center. Half of immigrant adults likely without authorization are uninsured, compared with fewer than 1 in 10 citizens, according to the 2023 KFF-Los Angeles Times Survey of Immigrants, the largest nongovernmental survey of immigrants in the U.S. to date. While some states are highlighting health care expenses incurred by immigrants, a KFF brief noted that immigrants contribute more to the system through health insurance premiums and taxes than they use. Immigrants also have lower health care costs than citizens. Some health care providers fear Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents will disrupt their work at health facilities and cause patients, particularly children, to skip medical care. On Trump's first day, the Republican president issued an executive order aimed at ending birthright citizenship for children born to a parent without legal authorization or on a visa, which could leave them ineligible for federal health and social programs. The order was immediately challenged by states and a civil rights group. "You are instilling fear into folks who may defer care, who may go without care, whose children may not get the vaccines they need, who may not be able to get treatment for an ear infection or surgery," said Minal Giri, a pediatrician and the chair of the Refugee/Immigrant Child Health Initiative at the Illinois chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics. A recent survey conducted by the Im/migrant Well-Being Research Center at the University of South Florida found that 66% of noncitizens reported increased hesitation in seeking care after Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a law in 2023 requiring hospitals that accept Medicaid to ask about a patient's legal status. That's compared with just 27% for citizens. "That really was alarming to me to see how this law made people hesitant to go to the doctor, even in an emergency," said Liz Ventura Molina, a co-author of the survey and report. In signing the law, DeSantis touted it as "the most ambitious anti-illegal immigration" legislation in the nation. This month, the Republican governor called for a special session of the state legislature to help support Trump's immigration agenda. Jackson Health System, a public safety net provider in Miami, said in a statement that quarterly reports to the state don't contain individual patient information. "We do adhere to all required cooperation with law enforcement agencies, including ICE, as part of any criminal investigations, understanding that privacy laws mandate we only release private patient information through a court-ordered warrant." In August, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, a Republican, issued an executive order similar to Florida's law to record health care costs incurred by immigrants without legal authorization. All hospitals that receive funding from Medicaid or the Children's Health Insurance Program are expected to begin reporting the data to Texas Health and Human Services in March. Even cities controlled by Democrats are walking a fine line. New York City Mayor Eric Adams met in December with Trump's incoming "border czar," Tom Homan, and pledged to remove immigrants who have been convicted of a major felony and lack legal status to remain in the country. At the same time, Adams proposed an awareness campaign to let immigrants and asylum-seekers know they are safe to use the city's hospital systems. Some states are going further by advising health facilities to do all they can to protect immigrant patients. In December, California Attorney General Rob Bonta released a 42-page document recommending providers avoid including patients' immigration status in bills and medical records. The guidance also emphasized that while providers should not physically obstruct immigration agents, they are under no obligation to assist with an arrest. According to the document, health care facilities should post information about patients' right to remain silent and are encouraged to provide patients with contact information for legal-aid groups "in the event that a parent is taken into immigration custody." If feasible, it says, the facility should designate an immigrant-affairs liaison to help train staff and provide nonlegal advice to families. "We cannot let the Trump deportation machine create a culture of fear and mistrust that prevents immigrants from accessing vital public services," said Bonta, a Democrat. On Tuesday, the Trump administration directed the Department of Justice to investigate state and local officials who don't cooperate with immigration enforcement. During Trump's first term, California limited cooperation with federal authorities, citing public safety and community trust concerns. The department, then under Jeff Sessions, sued to block the law but the state won in federal court, arguing that states have the authority to decide whether local resources are used to enforce federal law. The Trump administration appealed, but the Supreme Court turned down the petition. Under California law, state-run health care facilities are required to adopt policies to limit their participation in immigration enforcement, and private entities are encouraged to follow similar protocols. David Simon, a spokesperson for the California Hospital Association, which represents more than 400 hospitals, said members have incorporated such policies, ensuring patient privacy. "Hospitals don't call ICE about patients," Simon said. California is bracing for a new round of clashes with Trump. Gov. Gavin Newsom and fellow Democratic state leaders have agreed to set aside $50 million for litigation and grants to nonprofit immigrant groups. Lawmakers in New Jersey are considering legislation to limit health care facilities from asking about a patient's immigration status. The bill would also require the state attorney general to establish policies for hospitals and health care facilities for ensuring patient access. In New York City, hospital administrators are directing staff to seek guidance from an "immigration liaison" if immigration authorities show up, and to take photos and videos of any enforcement actions if they can't reach them first. They are also discouraging staff from actively helping a person hide from ICE. In Massachusetts, some clinics and hospitals are training staff on how to read ICE warrants and plan to require ICE agents to identify themselves and present a warrant if they want to enter a private area. "You can't be scrambling in the moment," said Altaf Saadi, a neurologist who co-directs a clinic for asylum-seekers at the Massachusetts General Hospital. "We have to prepare for these worst-case scenarios, and we hope that they dont happen, but we do need to be prepared." Imaging live cells with fluorescent proteins has long been a crucial technique for understanding cellular behavior. While bioluminescent proteins offer several advantages over fluorescent proteins, the limited availability of color variants has made it difficult to observe multiple targets simultaneously. Now, researchers from SANKEN (The Institute of Scientific and Industrial Research) at Osaka University have developed a groundbreaking method to expand the color palette of bioluminescent protein to 20 distinct colors, enabling advanced simultaneous multi-color imaging. Cells are the fundamental building blocks of life. Understanding how they function is essential for progress in biological sciences, medicine, and drug discovery. Optical labeling techniques allow scientists to observe cell behavior, track cell fate, and identify cells with specific traits. While fluorescent proteins are widely used for these purposes, bioluminescent proteins are gaining popularity due to their unique advantages. Bioluminescence, the natural emission of light by living organisms, is powered by a chemical reaction catalyzed by an enzyme, typically a luciferase, acting on a bioluminescent substrate. Unlike fluorescent proteins, bioluminescent proteins do not require external light for excitation, avoiding issues like phototoxicity and background light. However, their use has been limited by the small number of available colors. Having distinct and easily distinguishable colors is vital tracking multiple targets simultaneously. Previously, a five-color series of bioluminescent labels was created by coupling one of the brightest luciferases, NanoLuc, with a fluorescent protein. This technique leverages the transfer of excited-state energy from the substrate to the fluorescent protein, altering the bioluminescence color. While effective, this five-color palette was insufficient for more complex imaging needs. The researchers at Osaka University have now addressed this challenge by expanding the bioluminescent color palette to 20, making a significant leap forward in multi-color imaging technology. Instead of fusing NanoLuc with single fluorescent protein, we fused it with two. This approach allowed us to access a much broader range of bioluminescence colors by fine-tuning the combinations of fluorescent proteins." Mitsuru Hattori, Lead Author The researchers achieved remarkable milestone with their new bioluminescent protein labels. They captured a single-shot image of a mixture of cells expressing all 20 bioluminescent proteins, used the labels to visualize distinct subcellular components, and even demonstrated their capability in live mice. Additionally, they successfully conducted time-lapse observations of cell behavior over several hours, simultaneously tracking seven distinct labels. "What's truly exciting is that we could detect all 20 colors simultaneously without any time lag, using a standard smartphone camera," explains senior author Takeharu Nagai. "This innovation makes it significantly easier and more cost-effective to monitor multiple targets or track individual cells within a population." These newly developed bioluminescent colors have the potential to revolutionize cell fate tracking, offering insights concerning how cells develop into specific cell types and identifying cells with unique responses to drugs. The team's breakthrough in bioluminescent imaging opens new doors for advancements in biological research, drug discovery, and medical science. With such a vivid "rainbow" of bioluminescent colors, who knows what scientific treasures lie ahead? SC Asks High Court To Fast-Track IIT Bombay Student's Disability Accommodation Case Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: January 23, 2025, 19:11 IST The Supreme Court directed the Bombay High Court to consider interim relief for an IIT Bombay student with a vision disability. The Supreme Court of India. (Image Credit/AFP) The Supreme Court on Wednesday, directed the high court to consider granting interim relief in the case of an IIT Bombay student with a vision disability regarding accommodation. The order was issued by a bench consisting of Justices B R Gavai, Augustine George Masih, and K Vinod Chandran while hearing the students plea. The student is currently pursuing an MSc in Biotechnology at IIT Bombay, as reported by PTI. This is an SLP (special leave petition) which we have filed on behalf of a student at IIT Bombay who is facing grave difficulty in getting reasonable accommodation to which he is entitled under the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016," the students counsel said, reported PTI. related stories The bench noted that the matter was pending before a division bench of the Bombay High Court. We will request the high court to decide it expeditiously," the bench remarked. In response to the Supreme Courts inquiry, the counsel stated that the case was set to be heard on January 27. He mentioned that the petitioner had approached the high court in March of the previous year, and the matter had been pending since then. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all The counsel also informed the bench about a circular from two different high courts, which prioritized matters concerning persons with disabilities. We, therefore, request the division bench of the high court, which is seized of the matter, to take up the question of at least grant of interim relief on the scheduled date, that is, January 27, 2025," the bench said and disposed of the petition. First Published: January 23, 2025, 19:11 IST UP Cabinet Approves Smartphone Scheme, New Medical Colleges In 3 Districts Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: January 23, 2025, 08:26 IST UP Cabinet approves smartphone distribution for youths, new medical colleges, and ITI upgrades to enhance healthcare, education, and skill development. UP Govt approved several major initiatives in a Cabinet meeting on Wednesday. (Image: PTI) The Uttar Pradesh government approved several major initiatives in a Cabinet meeting on Wednesday, including the purchase of 25 lakh smartphones for free distribution to youths. The meeting, chaired by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, was held in Prayagraj. The Cabinet also approved the selection of successful bidders to operate medical colleges in the public-private partnership (PPP) mode in Hathras, Kasganj, and Baghpat districts. The move aims to provide better healthcare and medical education in underserved areas. related stories In addition, the Cabinet decided to transfer the 166-bed Government Combined Hospital in Balrampur to the Medical Education Department. This will allow the creation of an Autonomous State Medical College in Balrampur, which will be affiliated with King George Medical University (KGMU). This move aims to establish the Autonomous State Medical College, Balrampur, by converting the Balrampur satellite centre of King George Medical University (KGMU)," the statement said. The new medical college will provide specialized healthcare and create medical education opportunities for youth. To support this, 1,394 new academic and non-academic posts will be created. The Cabinet also approved the final bid document for the purchase of 25 lakh smartphones under the Swami Vivekananda Yuva Sashaktikaran Yojana. The goal is to empower youths technologically by distributing the smartphones for free. The scheme will run for five years, with a budget of Rs 4,000 crore for the financial year 2024-25. This innovative initiative aims to provide smartphones to skilled youth enrolled in higher education, technical education, health education, skill development training, and ITI programs, ensuring they become technically empowered and future-ready," the statement said. The Cabinet also approved the selection of successful bidders to operate medical colleges in the PPP mode with Viability Gap Funding from the Government of India. These colleges will be set up in underserved districts, including Hathras, Kasganj, and Baghpat, where no medical colleges currently exist in the public or private sector. Rajshree Educational Trust was selected for Hathras and Kasganj, and Jaipal Singh Sharma Trust for Baghpat after evaluating the technical and financial bids. ALSO READ: NEET, JEE Aspirants Die By Suicide In Kota, Marks 6th Such Incident This Year This step aligns with the states policy to establish medical colleges in underserved districts through PPP mode, ensuring equitable access to medical education and healthcare facilities," the statement added. Lastly, the Cabinet approved an agreement with Tata Technologies Limited (TTL) to upgrade 62 Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) and establish five Centers for Innovation, Invention, Incubation, and Training (CIIITs). This project, costing over Rs 3,634 crores, will see TTL contribute Rs 2,851 crores, and the government will provide over Rs 783 crores. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all The project aims to train around 12,500 candidates annually, with approximately 6,000 in long-term courses and 6,500 in short-term courses. The project aims to train around 12,500 candidates annually, with approximately 6,000 in long-term courses and 6,500 in short-term courses," the statement said. (With inputs from PTI) First Published: January 23, 2025, 08:25 IST What The New H-1B Visa Rules Mean For Indian Students? What Are The Benefits For F-1 Visa Holders? Curated By : Last Updated: January 23, 2025, 20:33 IST For students, there are two kinds of visas, F-1 and M-1. Those looking to study in the US full-time can apply for either of the visas. The newly introduced H-1B visa rules offer relief to students in the US on F-1 visas (Representative/File Photo) Donald Trump has now directed to revoke the birthright citizenship for children of non-permanent residents in the US. This means that the children born to those who are on temporary work visas will no longer be counted as citizens there. The US administration said that the changes to the H-1B visa programme aim to ensure fairness, transparency, and efficiency in recruiting foreign talent in the US. Indians constitute the largest group of H-1B visa holders. Of the 386,000 H-1B visas granted in 2023, as many as 72.3 per cent were awarded to Indians. So what are the options for Indian students now? related stories What Is H-1B Visa? A non-immigrant visa, the H-1B enables US employers to temporarily employ foreign workers including Indians. To register, applicants must pay $10 to the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). The application process begins in March every year. The duration of this visa is three years initially but it could be extended up to six years. To apply for the H-1B visa in India, all Dropbox submissions are processed through the US Consulate in Chennai, although applicants can drop their documents at visa application centres across India. However, securing these slots has proven to be a challenge. The new process aims to streamline the renewal process for thousands of H-1B visa applicants, easing the burden of securing appointment slots at consulates. Benefits For F-1 Visa Holders For students, there are two kinds of visas, F-1 and M-1. Those looking to study in the US full-time can apply for either of the visas. The F-1 visa is for students who want to study English at an English language institute. The M-1 visa is for students who want to study vocational or non-academic subjects in the US. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all There is often an opportunity to transition to an H-1B visa after the completion of studies. This transition can typically occur through the Optical Practical Training (OPT) programme, available to holders of an F-1 or M-1 visa. This allows foreign students to have the opportunity of working in the US for the next few years. Students here are at an advantage. The newly introduced H-1B visa rules offer relief to students in the US on F-1 visas. During the H-1B visa application review, their F-1 visas will be automatically extended until April 1, preventing disruptions to their legal status and employment authorisation. First Published: January 23, 2025, 19:41 IST Gaumutra Anti-Bacterial, Anti-Fungal Or Anti Science? Experts Weigh In On IIT-M Chiefs Remarks Reported By : News18.com Last Updated: January 23, 2025, 07:00 IST While some spoke of the medicinal benefits of gomutra or gaumutra, a section of modern scientists did not support its use for medical purposes. All scientists agreed that a detailed analysis was essential to explore its potential benefits IIT Madras director V Kamakoti was speaking at a cow shelter on Maatu Pongal (January 15). (Image: News18) IIT Madras Director V Kamakotis statement on the anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, and anti-inflammatory properties" of cow urine or gomutra/gaumutra has led to differing views among research experts. Kamakoti has been referring to various studies on cow urine to buttress his stand. News18 reviewed these papers and spoke to researchers referenced in them as well as pharmacognosy and independent veterinary scientists on the use of cow urine. While some spoke of its medicinal benefits, a section of modern agri scientists did not support its use for medical purposes. However, all scientists agreed that a more detailed analysis was essential to explore its potential benefits. related stories The IIT-M director made the statement while speaking at a cow shelter on Maatu Pongal (January 15), a Tamil festival honouring cattle. Kamakoti claimed that cow urine could potentially treat conditions such as irritable bowel syndrome and shared an anecdote about a sanyasi who, he said, recovered from a high fever within 15 minutes of consuming it. COW URINE BENEFICIAL? WHAT RESEARCHERS SAY Ayurveda says so," says Dr Gurpreet Kaur Randhawa, lead researcher of the paper Chemotherapeutic Potential of Cow Urine: A Review, which Kamakoti quoted. Our research was based on the articles that were already published, taking into account the aspect of ayurveda," she told News18. Dr Randhawa, who works in Amritsar, said that cow urine is used to make ayurvedic multi-formulations. It is also important to understand what kind of gomutra is being used. It should not be from the newer, hybrid varieties, but from Bos indicus, the traditional Indian calf. There is a difference between the urine generated by these two breeds," she told News18. Emphasising that cow urine has been seen to have therapeutic effects, she also stated that the research that takes place in ayurveda is different from the standards of modern research. Ayurveda is a time-tested ancient practice that is written and passed down through generations and need not be proven to modern society and researchers," she added. In the paper, Randhawa and her co-author Rajiv Sharma presented: The Indian traditional knowledge emanates from Ayurveda, where Bos indicus is placed at a high pedestal for numerous uses of its various products. Urine is one of the products of a cow with many benefits and without toxicity. Various studies have found good antimicrobial activity of cows urine (CU) comparable with standard drugs such as ofloxacin, cefpodoxime, and gentamycin, against a vast number of pathogenic bacteria, more so against Gram-positive than negative bacteria." The paper also stated that cow urine also has anthelmintic and antineoplastic action. It also has antioxidant properties, and can prevent the damage to DNA caused by environmental stress. In the management of infectious diseases, cow urine can be used alone or as an adjunctive to prevent the development of resistance and enhance the effect of standard antibiotics. LACK OF ADEQUATE KNOWLEDGE LED TO DECLINE IN USAGE Another paper referenced by Kamakoti, A Review on Gomutra (Cow Urine) authored by Paresh A Patil, Vitthal V Bhosale, and Varsha P Girase of the Department of Pharmacognosy, Ahinsa Institute of Pharmacy, Dondaicha, and published in the Asian Journal of Pharmaceutical Research, April-June 2020, stated: Cow urine, or gomutra, is one such natural remedy with a long-standing tradition. It is believed to have various medicinal and agricultural applications In traditional practices, many diseases were treated with natural remedies. However, due to a lack of adequate knowledge about these remedies today, their use has significantly declined." The paper, which is available with the Asian Journal of Pharmaceutical Research, stated while chemical-based medicines provide relief, excessive chemical content in the body can sometimes cause side effects or damage vital organs such as the liver and kidneys. Certain drugs, which are only soluble in organic solvents, require water for excretion, leading them to undergo metabolism in the liver. Another paper, which is available on PubMed, Chemotherapeutic potential of cow urine: A review, stated: Historically, a mixture of cow urine and sea salt was commonly used to treat swellings and sprains, particularly by individuals who suffered physical injuries, due to its remarkable ability to reduce inflammation. This therapeutic effect is attributed to the presence of urokinase." Cow urine is also known to contain 24 types of salts (lavanas in Sanskrit), including sodium, potassium, magnesium, and even gold salts. The presence of gold salts is often linked to the glowing complexion observed in individuals who regularly consume Indian cow urine or milk. Both human and cow urine contain urokinase, an enzyme that plays a key role in certain anti-cancer drugs. Consuming cow urine once a week is believed to help inhibit the growth of cancerous cells. However, it is ineffective in advanced stages of cancer, where even modern medicine offers limited solutions," the paper said. EXCRETED ANIMAL LIQUID IS UNFIT FOR HUMAN CONSUMPTION: RETD SCIENTIST Dr BL Chidananda, a retired professor of Animal Sciences from the University of Agricultural Sciences, GKVK, argued that cow urine is not suitable for human consumption. Nephrologists believe that cow urine is a waste product and should not be consumed. It has NPK (nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium) and UIGF (Unidentified Growth Factors) and is meant for agricultural use, not for human consumption." It is not advisable for gomutra to be consumed by humans. It waste excreted by an animal. It is to be used only for its manure value. How can the waste product of an animal be beneficial for a human being, who is also technically an animal," he asked. When it comes to gomutra and cow products, there is nothing wrong in using it for agricultural purposes as it gives results. Excreta or droppings of birds and animals are used as manure, said Dr Chidananda. As soon as the urine is excreted, one is not going to use it. Once it is collected, it will be stored for two to three weeks, fermented or used as an additive, and then sprayed on the vegetation. By this time, it would have developed anti-fungal, anti-microbial values, then used in the growth of vegetation," he told News18. On the matter of the use of cow urine for medical treatment, Dr Chidananda sought more research to show that it can be consumed and has a direct impact on treating diseases. IF A PATIENT FINDS RELIEF, ITS A USEFUL DRUG: DR TAMILISAI SOUNDARAJAN Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader and former Telangana Governor Tamilisai Soundararajan said the objection was a move to create negative propaganda against cow urine when it has been found to have medicinal effects in Ayurveda. Soundararajan, a gynaecologist, said: If a patient finds relief from the use of a particular product or drug, its a useful medicine. There is a saying in Tamil that the pain of a disease is only truly felt by the patient, and the power and effectiveness of the medicine is only felt by a doctor. I have seen many of my patients consume it for its medicinal properties." She also courted controversy with her statement that Tamil Nadu politicians had no problems consuming beef, but would not accept what was claimed to be scientifically proven". Several companies promote cow urine and it is commercially marketed by well-known pharmaceutical companies in Telangana. However, it is not consumed immediately. Some modifications are made. They remove some of the smell, for instance, and bottle it for use. Like cows milk, which boosts immunity, cow urine also has its own properties," Soundararajan said. She, however, added that a lot more research and lab testing would be needed to highlight the effects of cow urine. Dry ginger is used by all to treat belching or indigestion. It is not proven, but customary use and ayurveda shows it is useful. This is the same," she said. COW URINE DISTILLATE HAS PROPERTIES: DR SUMANTH C. RAMAN Another practising doctor and political analyst Sumanth C Raman said that there needs to be clarity on the context in which Kamakoti made the reference. He was recalling a story told to him by his father about a sage who drank it and cured his fever. It was an incident that may have happened back in time. The Government Ayurveda College in Nagercoil, Tamil Nadu, is teaching the effects of panchagavya (a concoction of cows milk, urine, dung, ghee, and curd)" as part of its curriculum, points out Raman. Kamakoti was asked whether he had consumed panchagavya and he said, We do consume on certain occasions. I have consumed panchagavya." Its not like people are going to stand behind a cow, get the urine and drink it directly. When we say cow urine has anti-bacterial properties, it means that it is cow urine distillate from which proteinoids and amino acids are extracted. Proteinoids are believed to have anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory properties. So does that mean people should start drinking raw urine tomorrow? Absolutely not. More research is needed before we reach a conclusion either way," said Dr Raman. LATEST RESEARCH top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all A latest research paper published in January this year titled In Silico and In Vitro Studies of Antibacterial Activity of Cow Urine Distillate (CUD), authored by LokRaj Pant, Shankar Thapa, Bibek Dahal, Ravindra Khadka, and Mahalakshmi Suresha Biradar, evaluated the antibacterial activity against five bacterial strains using in-vitro and in-silico approaches. In-vitro experiments showed that cow urine distillate has significant antibacterial activity against all tested strains with a zone of inhibition ranging from 13 to 24 mm and minimum inhibitory concentration values ranging from 12.5 to 50 g/ml," the paper stated. First Published: January 23, 2025, 07:00 IST After RINL, Centre May Revive 4 Iconic Steel Plants To Boost Production, Generate Jobs | Exclusive Reported By : News18.com Edited By: Apoorva Misra Last Updated: January 23, 2025, 11:37 IST The push to rejuvenate and re-structure the plants in southern India is being seen as part of PM Modis strategy to consolidate support in the region, particularly among key allies like TDP & JDS Steel and Heavy Industries minister HD Kumaraswamy during the visit to Bhadravati (VISL). (News18) The Narendra Modi government, after the successful revival plans for Rashtriya Ispat Nigam Limited (RINL), is now setting its sights on breathing new life into four more nationalised steel plants, which include Bhadravati Steel Plant (VISL), Mangalurus KIOL in Karnataka, and Salem Steel Plant in Tamil Nadu, News18 has learnt. According to sources in the government, these plans aim to generate more employment, strengthen the plants self-sustainability, and align with PM Modis Make in India vision. The initiative, led by the Ministry of Steel and Heavy Industries under HD Kumaraswamy, has already begun with the minister personally visiting these plants and assessing revival strategies. related stories This move is not just about economic revivalit also carries the PMs target of bringing Indias steel production to 300 million tonnes by 2030. Aligned with this vision, Kumaraswamy is learnt to have started work in building Indias indigenous and nationalised plants to be more self-sufficient in terms of infrastructure and labour force. The push to rejuvenate and re-structure the state-owned steel plants in southern India is being seen as part of PM Modis strategy to consolidate support in the region, particularly among key allies like the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) in Andhra Pradesh and the Janata Dal (Secular) in Karnataka. Both states are crucial to the BJPs larger southern-regional outreach, a region where the party is steadily making inroads. Meanwhile, it is likely to strengthen BJP in Tamil Nadu, which is largely dominated by regional parties with DMK being in power. The sources added that the projects are expected to give the much-needed impetus to K Annamalai and the BJP leadership in the state. Progress In Motion Kumaraswamy visited the major state-owned steel plants over the last eight months beginning June 2024. He held a series of meetings with the management and interacted with the workforce in his effort to reorganise the establishments and scale up production, said sources. Reviving public sector units (PSUs), long seen as symbols of Indias industrial strength, is also a clear statement of intent by the government to reposition state-owned enterprises as the engines of growth. It also changes the Oppositions narrative accusing the government of selling national assets," said the senior officer. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all For the government, which is often accused of favouring privatisation, this could mark a politically astute recalibration aimed at addressing employment concerns and boosting regional confidence in Modis economic model. The four projects, still in the planning stages, also signal a decisive effort to bring PSUs back into focus, emphasising Modis larger economic policies. Whether the efforts will pay off in terms of both economic and political dividends remains to be seen, but the groundwork seems to be already underway. First Published: January 23, 2025, 11:06 IST 'Be Sure, Be Safe': Amit Shah Thanks Amitabh Bachchan For Raising Awareness On Cybercrime Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: January 23, 2025, 22:17 IST The iconic actor joined the team of Panchayat to raise awareness about cybercrime as part of a campaign launched by the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C). Amit Shah praised the veteran actor for supporting the Centre's campaign on cybercrime. (PTI Images) Union Minister Amit Shah on Thursday thanked veteran actor Amitabh Bachchan for supporting the Modi governments mission to secure citizens from cybercrime. This came after the Sholay actor joined a campaign launched by the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C) helmed by the Union Home Ministry to raise awareness on cybersecurity and joined the cast of the rural drama series Panchayat for a short video. related stories A series of campaign videos featuring actors Chandan Roy and Faisal Malik who play Vikas and Prahlad Pandey in the hit series along with Bachchan Sr have gone viral on social media. One of these videos showed Amitabh Bachchan interacting with Vikas to warn fans about fraudulent calls that promise exciting job offers. Another video showed the actor conversing with Pankaj Jha, who plays MLA Chandrakishore Chandu Singh, where he warned against scam calls that lure people with fraudulent investment calls. Dekho, dekho, kaun aaya hai Phulera mein! Chhota si mulaqat, lekin bade kaam ki hai baat!," read the post. View this post on Instagram A post shared by TVF | The Viral Fever (@theviralfever) Be Sure, Be Safe: Amit Shah Reacts To Viral Campaign Sharing one of the videos, Amit Shah praised the actor and thanked him for supporting the Centres cybersecurity campaign. Be sure, be safe. Always ensure that you apply for jobs only on official websites and through approved agencies and safeguard your career from cybercriminals," Shah wrote on X. Be sure, be safe.Always ensure that you apply for jobs only on official websites and through approved agencies and safeguard your career from cybercriminals. Heartiest thanks to Shri @SrBachchan Ji for your support of the Modi govts mission to secure our citizens from https://t.co/FEi0zmJUYd Amit Shah (@AmitShah) January 23, 2025 In an earlier post, the Union Home Minister had praised the iconic actor for lending support to the MHAs campaign against cybercrime. Being vigilant is the key to curbing cybercrimes It will certainly strengthen our efforts to build a cybersecure Bharat," he said. Being vigilant is the key to curbing cybercrimes.Thank you, Shri @SrBachchan Ji, for lending your support to our campaign against cybercrime. It will certainly strengthen our efforts to build a cybersecure Bharat. I request everyone to follow Cyber Dost of MHA for more https://t.co/FEddvDLDq6 Amit Shah (@AmitShah) January 21, 2025 The Indian Cybercrime Coordination Centre (I4C) was established by MHA, in New Delhi to provide a framework and eco-system for Law Enforcement Agencies (LEAs) for dealing with Cybercrime in a coordinated and comprehensive manner. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all The I4C focuses on tackling all the issues related to Cybercrime for the citizens, which includes improving coordination between various Law Enforcement Agencies and the stakeholders, driving change in Indias overall capability to tackle Cybercrime and to improve citizen satisfaction levels. Amitabh Bachchan continues to be an indomitable force in Indian cinema. His recent appearances include Kalki 2898 AD, helmed by Nag Ashwin and Rajinikanths Vettaiyan, which released on October 10, 2024. First Published: January 23, 2025, 22:17 IST Andhra Govt Orders Judicial Enquiry Into Tirupati Stampede That Killed 6 Last Updated: January 23, 2025, 20:54 IST The Andhra Pradesh government has ordered a judicial inquiry into the Tirupati temple stampede that killed six people. Justice M Satyanarayana Murthy will lead the investigation into the incident. A stampede broke out at Lord Venkateswara Swamy temple on Tirumala Hills, in Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh, on January 8, killing six people. (PTI) The Andhra Pradesh government has ordered a judicial inquiry into the recent stampede at Tirupati temple which led to the death of six people and injuries to several others. The inquiry is aimed at uncovering the circumstances which led to the stampede at Padmavathi Park, Tirupati on January 8 when devotees were waiting to collect tokens for Vaikunta Dwara Darshanam at Lord Venkateswara Swamy temple on Tirumala Hills. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all related stories Government of Andhra Pradesh hereby appoints Justice M Satyanarayana Murthy, retired judge of the High Court of Andhra Pradesh as a Commission of Inquiry to inquire into the stampede," said a government order (GO) on Wednesday. Among other tasks, the Commission of Inquiry will also identify whether proper arrangements were made for the distribution of tokens and whether there were any shortcomings in the arrangements. Location : Tirupati, India First Published: January 23, 2025, 20:54 IST Assam Launches Operation To Shut Rat-Hole Coal Mines After Dima Hasao Tragedy Published By : PTI Last Updated: January 23, 2025, 21:06 IST The Assam government is closing rat-hole coal mines after a tragedy in Dima Hasao trapped nine miners, with four bodies recovered and five still missing. At least nine labourers were trapped inside the 3-Kilo Coal Quarry in Umrangso on January 9 after a sudden gush of water flooded it. (PTI) The Assam government is carrying out an operation to close rat-hole coal mines in the state, following the tragedy in the Dima Hasao district, officials said on Thursday. At least nine labourers were trapped inside the 3-Kilo Coal Quarry in Umrangso on January 9 after a sudden gush of water flooded it. The bodies of four miners were retrieved, while five are still missing. related stories The incident put the state government on the back foot with the opposition alleging that the incident happened due to the utter negligence" of the administration. They also questioned the government how a huge number of rat-hole mines were still in operation when it was banned in 2014. The National Green Tribunal (NGT) banned rat-hole mining in 2014. However, coal is still extracted through this dangerous method in the Northeast. Assam DGP G P Singh, who has been promoted as CRPF DG recently but yet to take charge, ordered the closure of all the rat-hole mines in Tinsukia and Dima Hasao districts at a recent review meeting. Singh during his recent visit to Tinsukia directed authorities to take strict action, particularly in the Margherita-Ledo region where rat-hole mining is rampant. Local authorities have identified many areas where such activities are prevalent, such as Tipong, Aradhara, Lalapahar, Paharpur, Jharna Basti and Bomgara. Several rat-hole mines have been shut over the last few days and a search is on to find more such mines. The workers have been asked to leave the area," an official told PTI. Many illegal mine owners have themselves shut their mines and asked their workers to go home till the matter subsides", and will start their work again after some time, he said. An official in Dima Hasao district said that nine rat-hole mines have been shut in recent times and a search for more such illegal mines is underway. When contacted, Lekhapani Forest Ranger Parishmita Neog told PTI that teams are being deployed to identify illegal mining sites in all possible locations of Tinsukia district. Over the next few days, we will work to shut down these illegal operations. Though it is challenging to determine the exact number of such mines, we suspect that many of them are operating in remote and hilly terrains. Efforts are underway to eliminate them," she added. Neog said that so far no arrests have been made but if concrete evidence is found, workers and operators involved in illegal mining will face legal action. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Tinsukias Superintendent of Police Gaurav Abhijit Dilip visited border areas, where illegal rat-hole mining activities are suspected to be taking place, to review the scenario. Rescue operations by multiple state and central agencies are continuing to locate the trapped miners inside the illegal rat-hole coal mine at Umrangso. Location : Dima Hasao, India First Published: January 23, 2025, 21:06 IST Firing Between 2 Groups In Bihar's Patna, Ex-MLA Anant Singh Escapes Unhurt Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: January 23, 2025, 07:49 IST Shots were fired at a village in Bihar's Patna after a scuffle between two groups, reportedly over a property dispute. Former Bihar MLA Anant Singh escaped unhurt in the incident. A file photo of former Bihar MLA Anant Singh (PTI) Former Bihar MLA Anant Singh escaped unhurt after shots were fired between two groups in Bihars Patna on Wednesday. According to Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Avkash Kumar, nearly 15 rounds of bullets were fired in a shootout between two groups in Nauranga village in Barh. Senior officials reached the spot and the matter was being investigated, news agency PTI quoted him as saying. related stories Later, three spent cartridges were also recovered from the spot, Barh Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Rakesh Kumar told reporters. Commenting on the incident, the ASP said, Conflicting versions are coming from the area. We are investigating these. A section of villagers claimed that initially some shots were fired, on the instructions of the former MLA, by his supporters." Some people claimed that there was an exchange of fire between the two groups, Kumar said. No one, including the former MLA, has been injured in the incident," the Barh ASP said. The ASP, however, ruled out the possibility of a gang war, and said, As claimed by villagers, one side fired in retaliation only. It does not appear to be a gang war". A case was registered on the basis of a complaint filed by a family which claimed that their house was targeted during the firing, he added. WHAT LED TO FIRING IN PATNA? Talking to reporters, former MLA Anant Singh said that a group of poor people from Nauranga village met him and alleged that they were thrown out of their houses by some influential people, who also locked their residences. I went to the village in the evening and asked my supporters to open the locks. I also asked my people to call those who had forcibly locked the houses of poor people. When my men reached the home of Sonu-Monu (villagers), they were attacked. Supporters of Sonu-Monu started firing, and my men also retaliated," Singh said. One of my supporters has sustained a bullet injury," he added. He is recuperating in the hospital, said the former MLA, adding, Local police did not take action on the complaints filed by poor villagers in the area." Also speaking to reporters in Patna, Rural SP Vikram Sihag said, The police received a call of the firing in Nauranga village in Mokama area under the jurisdiction of Pachmala Police Station limits in the evening. A team immediately reached the spot." The gangs escaped, and no one has been injured. Local villagers told us that about 15 rounds were fired, but in the inspection of the incident spot, we have found only three round cartridges," he said. #WATCH | Barh, Patna, Bihar: On firing incident on former Mokama MLA Anant Singh, Patna Rural SP Vikram Sihag says, The police received a call that an incident of firing took place between two gangs in Nauranga village in Mokama area under the jurisdiction of Pachmala Police pic.twitter.com/uhOiVJTvOX ANI (@ANI) January 22, 2025 WHO IS ANANT SINGH? Anant Singh, the gangster-turned-politician, whose MLA wife crossed over from the opposition Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) to Chief Minister Nitish Kumars Janata Dal (United), is also known as chhote sarkar. He had represented the Mokama assembly seat several times. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all The former legislator faced disqualification from the assembly after he was convicted in June 2020 in a case which was registered following the recovery of an AK-47 rifle, ammunition and two hand grenades from his ancestral residence two years earlier. However, in August 2024, the Patna High Court acquitted Singh of the criminal charges of illegally possessing an AK-47 rifle along with other arms and directed the authorities to release him from jail. First Published: January 23, 2025, 07:49 IST 'Clean Water For All': Jal Shakti Minister Highlights India's Conservation Efforts At Davos 2025 Reported By : News18.com Edited By: Oindrila Mukherjee Last Updated: January 23, 2025, 20:40 IST Stressing on international cooperation, Union minister CR Patil said water scarcity is a universal issue made worse by climate change, overpopulation, and overuse Union jal shakti minister CR Patil highlighted Indias remarkable achievements in water conservation under Prime Minister Narendra Modis leadership. (Image: News18) Indias efforts in sustainable water management became a global highlight at Davos 2025, with Union jal shakti minister CR Patil leading talks on fostering international collaboration for a water-secure future. This marked the first time a Union water resources minister took part in the World Economic Forum (WEF), showcasing Indias growing leadership in tackling water-related challenges. More than 300 people, including Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and global water experts, attended the session. related stories Patil highlighted Indias remarkable achievements in water conservation under Prime Minister Narendra Modis leadership. PM Modi considers water conservation a top priority, ensuring every effort to secure water for all," he said. He spoke about Gujarats transformation from a water-scarce state to a water-secure region during Modis tenure as chief minister. The measures in Gujarat created a model for sustainable water availability, which was later expanded across the country. For instance, initiatives like creating 75 lakes in every district have led to over 60,000 lakes being restored nationwide," he added. The Union minister said these large-scale efforts have strengthened the countrys water resources and set a global example for sustainable water management. He stressed on the need for international cooperation, calling water scarcity a universal issue made worse by climate change, overpopulation, and overuse. Water connects all of us. Collective action is key to ensuring a sustainable future," he said. Fadnavis shared Maharashtras success stories in water conservation, including community-led initiatives and watershed programmes. These efforts have improved rural livelihoods and boosted agricultural productivity," he said. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Initiatives like Jal Jeevan Mission and Namami Gange stood out as examples of effective water management, the first focusing on providing clean drinking water to every household and the other working towards rejuvenating rivers. During the session, global leaders shared their ideas on exploring innovative technologies to tackle the water crisis, recognising Indias growing influence in water conservation. The Davos discussion being a strong call for countries to unite against the water crisis, Patil further summed it up saying: Sustainable water management is not a choice its a necessity. Together, we can ensure clean water access for everyone." First Published: January 23, 2025, 20:40 IST Jaishankar After Meeting Marco Rubio: 'Brief Discussion On Bangladesh, Quad Activities To Intensify' Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: January 23, 2025, 11:32 IST EAM S Jaishankar discussed the situation in Bangladesh during his US visit. He also emphasised the Quad's commitment to ensuring a free and prosperous Indo-Pacific. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar (Photo: X/S Jaishankar) External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, who was on a four-day visit to the United States as Donald Trump took over as the President, on Wednesday said he had a brief discussion on the current situation in Bangladesh with newly-appointed Secretary of State Marco Rubio and National Security Advisor Mike Waltz. Responding to a query on whether the treatment of minorities in Bangladesh came up during his meetings with Rubio and Waltz, S Jaishankar said, Yes, we had a brief discussion on Bangladesh. I dont think its appropriate that I get into more details." related stories The EAM, however, added that there was no discussion on the attacks on Indian consulates in the US or the threat to Indian diplomats in Washington. I didnt raise those issues on this occasion," he said. But I do want to say that the attack on our consulate in San Francisco is a very, very serious matter. It is something for which we expect accountability, and we would like to see that people who did it are held responsible," Jaishankar said. Asked about two cases one against a former Indian official and another against an Indian business tycoon which have come up in US courts in the last two years, Jaishankar said, No, the subject didnt come up (during the meetings)." QUAD TO BE FORCE FOR GLOBAL GOOD: JAISHANKAR As Jaishankar participated in the Quad Foreign Ministers meeting in Washington on Tuesday, the EAM discussed with his counterparts different dimensions" of ensuring a free and prosperous Indo-Pacific adding in a tweet that Quad will continue to be a force of global good". Apart from EAM Jaishankar, the Quad Ministers, which also included Rubio, Australias Penny Wong and Takeshi Iwaya of Japan, agreed on intensifying collaboration with each other. EAM Jaishankar said the meeting was significant" as it took place a day after Donald Trump took oath as the 47th US President. Attended a productive Quad Foreign Ministers Meeting today in Washington DC," he wrote on X. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Significant that the Quad FMM took place within hours of the inauguration of the Trump administration. This underlines the priority it has in the foreign policy of its member states. Our wide-ranging discussions addressed different dimensions of ensuring a free, open, stable, and prosperous Indo-Pacific," he added. We agreed on the importance of thinking bigger, deepening the agenda, and intensifying our collaboration. The meeting today sends a clear message that in an uncertain and volatile world, the Quad will continue to be a force for global good," he further said. First Published: January 23, 2025, 10:18 IST Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri To Embark On Two-Day China Visit Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: January 23, 2025, 16:58 IST Vikram Misri will attend the meeting of the Foreign Secretary-Vice Minister mechanism in Beijing. Foreign secretary Vikram Misri will be visiting Beijing for two days starting January 26. (IMAGE: REUTERS) The external affairs ministry on Monday said foreign secretary Vikram Misri will be visiting Beijing for attending a meeting under the foreign secretary-vice minister mechanism which is held between India and China. The resumption of this bilateral mechanism flows from the agreement at the leadership level to discuss the next steps for India-China relations, including in the political, economic, and people-to-people domains," the ministry said in a statement. related stories Misri will be in Beijing for a two-day visit starting January 26 and lasting until January 27. Sources speaking to News18 said that earlier Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination on Border Affairs (WMCC) were led by Joint Secretary-rank officers. They also indicated that the agenda includes key topics such as the reopening of the Kailash Mansarovar pilgrimage route and the resumption of flights between the two nations. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all The last meeting of highly-placed officials from both countries was held in December when Wang Yi, Chinese foreign minister met Indian national security advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval. (with inputs from Siddhant Mishra) First Published: January 23, 2025, 16:54 IST I Am Astonished: Father Of Saif Ali Khan Stabbing Accused Says He Called After Incident Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: January 23, 2025, 10:43 IST Saif Ali Khan Stabbing Case: Md Ruhul Amin Fakir came to know that his son had been involved in the incident when he saw his face splashed across news channels and social media. Shariful Islam sneaked into the Bollywood stars apartment in the early hours of January 16 with the intention of theft, police had said. (Image: News18, PTI) Shariful Islam called his father in Bangladesh thirty-eight hours after he allegedly stabbed Saif Ali Khan at the actors Bandra residence. During the conversation, Shariful Islam told his father that he had transferred 10,000 Taka to the latters account and had Rs 3,000 in savings to buy food for the next few days, his father, Md Ruhul Amin Fakir, told The Indian Express. After two days, Md Ruhul Amin Fakir came to know that his son had been involved in the incident when he saw his face splashed across news channels and social media. He said, I am astonishedWe do not have any financial problems, and committing such a crime is not something any of us could imagine." related stories Shariful Islam entered India illegally in April last year through an agent in Bangladesh in search of better job prospects, his father said. He was earning a living for the last six years ferrying people on his motorcycle in Rajabaria village before he decided to move to India. Due to increasing political instability here, he felt his future was bleak in this village, so he left without any legal documents with the help of a middleman," his father said. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Shariful Islam worked in a hotel in West Bengal for about a month before moving to Mumbai, his father claimed. He worked and stayed on the premises of several restaurants in the city, he added. Shariful Islam entered Saif Ali Khans home and attacked him with a knife on January 16. He was eventually caught hiding in Thane. First Published: January 23, 2025, 09:37 IST Kerala Lottery Results: Karunya Plus KN-557 Winners For 23 January, 2025 Announced; Here's Full List! Published By : Trending Desk Last Updated: January 25, 2025, 09:06 IST Kerala Lottery Results Today: Here's full list of winning numbers for Karunya Plus KN-557 lucky draw for Thursday, January 23, 2025. Kerala Lottery Karunya Plus KN-557 Results: The first prize winner of Karunya Plus KN-557 will get Rs 80 lakh. (Image: Shutterstock) KERALA LOTTERY KARUNYA PLUS KN-557 RESULT ON THURSDAY, 23.1.2025, LIVE UPDATES: The Kerala Lottery Department has announced the results of the Karunya Plus KN-557 lottery for Thursday, January 23. The top prize winner will get Rs 80 lakh, and the winners of the second and third places will get Rs 10 lakh and Rs 1 lakh, respectively. Check the Full List of Winning Numbers below. ALSO READ: Kerala Lottery Results: Karunya KR-690 Winners For 25 January, 2025; First Prize Rs 80 Lakh! related stories FULL LIST OF WINNING NUMBERS FOR KARUNYA PLUS KN-557 WINNING NUMBER FOR 1ST PRIZE OF RS 80 LAKH IS PU 236460 WINNING NUMBER FOR 2ND PRIZE OF RS 10 LAKH IS PP 203886 WINNING NUMBER FOR 3RD PRIZE OF RS 1 LAKH ARE PN 170356 PO 454636 PP 899829 PR 151565 PS 359035 PT 780287 PU 450295 PV 835140 PW 105170 PX 788072 PY 632310 PZ 698542 WINNING NUMBERS FOR CONSOLATION PRIZE OF RS 8,000 ARE PN 236460 PO 236460 PP 236460 PR 236460 PS 236460 PT 236460 PV 236460 PW 236460 PX 236460 PY 236460 PZ 236460 WINNING NUMBERS FOR 4TH PRIZE OF RS 5,000 ARE 0171 1085 1194 1322 3031 3780 3800 3952 4047 4153 5412 5715 6058 6146 6339 6698 6946 8376 WINNING NUMBERS FOR 5TH PRIZE OF RS 1,000 ARE 0839 0874 0939 1013 1150 1596 1703 1713 1807 3184 3313 3420 4247 4452 4587 4843 5199 5754 5927 6127 6443 6592 6782 6950 7409 7575 7851 7920 8006 8234 8405 8985 9494 9816 WINNING NUMBERS FOR 6TH PRIZE OF RS 500 ARE 0057 0115 0493 0519 0656 0758 0878 0923 0930 1086 1118 1215 1483 1493 1558 1570 1789 1894 2043 2047 2174 2312 2649 2672 2968 3146 3464 3593 3629 3743 3869 3888 3909 4084 4431 4491 4523 4545 4624 4890 4970 5141 5177 5214 5216 5362 5426 5727 5888 6155 6265 6452 6460 6582 6688 6693 6810 7172 7282 7334 7367 7521 7562 7893 7909 7966 7983 8205 8477 8585 8883 9284 9408 9477 9608 9685 9778 9852 9937 9978 WINNING NUMBERS FOR 7TH PRIZE OF RS 100 ARE 0028 0065 0148 0188 0351 0355 0476 0623 0682 0691 1089 1205 1277 1296 1353 1368 1407 1497 1546 1604 1652 1803 1976 2038 2209 2219 2294 2472 2507 2542 2593 2739 3172 3316 3391 3580 3616 3699 3871 3958 4066 4134 4162 4190 4229 4249 4297 4363 4413 4465 4522 4526 4629 4726 4770 4803 5027 5122 5129 5155 5314 5382 5499 5734 5743 5762 5794 5824 5967 6082 6148 6176 6291 6362 6363 6480 6482 6612 6966 7027 7079 7246 7291 7294 7327 7330 7346 7349 7437 7491 7538 7546 7550 7596 7602 7603 7673 7775 7844 7870 7943 8138 8233 8292 8389 8433 8525 8601 8799 8807 8859 8960 9076 9085 9093 9136 9204 9246 9333 9569 9593 9687 9743 9890 9952 9993 HOW TO CHECK KARUNYA PLUS KN-557 RESULTS? 1. To see the Karunya Plus KN-557 results, visit the official Kerala Lottery website. 2. The Kerala Government Gazette office is another place to verify winning numbers. 3. Reach out to the Kerala Lottery Department for precise and trustworthy details. HOW TO CLAIM YOUR PRIZE MONEY? 1. Participants should compare the results published in the Kerala Government Gazette with their ticket numbers. 2. Those whose ticket numbers correspond to the results that are published will receive prizes. 3. The Kerala Lottery headquarters in Thiruvananthapuram is where winners must pick up their winnings within 30 days. 4. Winners must present their winning ticket and legitimate identification in order to claim their prize. DOCUMENTS REQUIRED TO CLAIM PRIZE MONEY? 1. A self-attested photocopy of the winning ticket, displaying both front and back. 2. Passport-sized pictures officially signed by a Gazetted officer. 3. A copy of the participants PAN card that has been signed. 4. Before submitting, complete the online prize claim form and include a revenue stamp. 5. A valid form of identification, such as a ration card, voter ID, Aadhaar card, or PAN card. HOW TO DOWNLOAD A PDF WITH A FULL LIST OF WINNING NUMBERS? 1. Visit keralalotteries.info or keralalotteryresult.net, the official website for the Kerala Lottery. 2. To view the Karunya Plus KN-557 results, click the link. 3. Your screen will display the winning numbers. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all 4. Look for the download option on the website. 5. To view the results in PDF format, click on the download link. Location : Thiruvananthapuram [Trivandrum], India First Published: January 23, 2025, 09:00 IST Bomb Threat Email To Mumbai School, Mentions 'Afzal Gang', Premises Searched Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: January 23, 2025, 16:07 IST A school in Mumbai's Jogeshwari-Oshiwara region received a bomb threat email allegedly from the Afzal gang, prompting police and explosive detection teams to inspect the premises. Mumbai school receives bomb threat email (Video screengrab/IANS) A bomb threat email was received at a school in Mumbai on Thursday, after which the local law enforcement and explosive detection personnel were dispatched to inspect the premises, the Mumbai Police confirmed. The Ryan Global School, where the email was received, is located in the Jogeshwari-Oshiwara region of Mumbai. related stories The email mentioned that the bomb was planted by the Afzal gang, investigations into the incident revealed. Mumbai, Maharashtra: Visuals from outside Ryan Global School in Jogeshwari, Mumbai, which received a bomb threat via email this morning. Police and bomb squad teams are currently at the location for investigation pic.twitter.com/p8X3peId6y IANS (@ians_india) January 23, 2025 So far, the police have not found anything suspicious. Further investigations are ongoing. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all On January 21, two schools in Tamil Nadus Erode district received bomb threats, which were later found to be a hoax. The two matriculation higher secondary schools run by Bharathi Vidya Bhavan in Thindal and Therkkupallam, located 7 kilometres from Erode, received an email at 11.54 am that stated bombs had been planted in the premises and could explode at any time. First Published: January 23, 2025, 15:12 IST 'Govts Refused To Bring Back...': Netaji's Daughter Recalls As Modi, Yogi Pay Tribute To Bose Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: January 23, 2025, 11:19 IST Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose Jayanti: According to documents declassified by Modi government, successive governments believed that Bose was killed in an air crash in 1945 but never went public with this assessment for fear of a public backlash. Subhash Chandra Bose Birth Anniversary: His daughter appealed to bring Netaji's mortal remains back from 'exile'. Anita Bose Pfaff, daughter of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, has urged the central government to bring back her fathers mortal remains from Japans Tokyo, highlighting that for decades most Indian government either hesitated or refused" to bring back Boses mortal remains. Pfaffs plea to bring Subhas Chandra Boses mortal remains back from exile was made on the leaders 128th birth anniversary, which is celebrated as Parakram Diwas on January 23 every year. Netajis ashes have been lying at Renkoji Temple in Tokyo for the past eight decades. related stories According to documents declassified by the Narendra Modi government in 2016, successive governments believed that Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose was killed in an air crash in August 1945 but never went public with this assessment for fear of a public backlash. At one point, then Prime Minister PV Narasimha Rao had to withdraw his announcement to award a Bharat Ratna to Netaji posthumously after criticism that this amounted to the government confirming that the INA chief had indeed died. At one point, then Prime Minister PV Narasimha Rao had to withdraw his announcement to award a Bharat Ratna to Netaji posthumously after criticism that this amounted to the government confirming that the INA chief had indeed died. Three years later, the government took the position in its internal papers, with a Cabinet note of February 6, 1995, signed by then home secretary K Padmanabaiah, stating: There seems to be no scope for doubt that he died in the air crash of 18th August 1945 at Taihoku. Government of India has already accepted this position. There is no evidence whatsoever to the contrary." Pointing out such hesitations", Pfaff said, For decades most Indian governments hesitated or refused to welcome his mortal remains back home. The priests of Renkoji Temple and the Japanese government were ready, willing and eager to let his remains return to his motherland." Many Indians still remember and honour the heroes of Indias independence struggle. Many freedom fighters had to flee their country during the colonial rule to avoid persecution and to continue the struggle from abroad. Many of them never returned to their motherland. Their remains remained in foreign lands. Netajis remains, too, were given a temporary home in Renkoji Temple in Tokyo, Japan," she further wrote in a press statement. Pfaff said, Many people, also members of his own family, hoped he did not die on Aug 18, 1945, that he could escape persecution and death once again. Meanwhile, most, if not all, documents pertaining to Netajis death including 11 reports on investigations of the event became available to the public. We must accept he died on that day, following an airplane crash on take-off in Taipei, Taiwan." She requested to not keep Netaji exiled any longer. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid homage to Subhas Chandra Bose, calling him an epitome of courage and grit. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Today, on Parakram Diwas, I pay homage to Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose. His contribution to Indias freedom movement is unparalleled. He epitomised courage and grit. His vision continues to motivate us as we work towards building the India he envisioned. pic.twitter.com/HrXmyrgHvH Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) January 23, 2025 Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath recalled Tum mujhe khoon do, mein tumhe azadi dunga" (You give me blood, I will give you freedom) slogan by Netaji. CM Yogi said that during the freedom struggle, the slogan became a mantra for the people of the country. First Published: January 23, 2025, 11:03 IST Punjab Police Withdraw Additional Security Given To Kejriwal On Directions From Delhi Police, EC Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: January 23, 2025, 21:06 IST AAP leader Sanjay Singh criticised the decision, claiming that Delhi Police had "forcibly" removed Kejriwals security AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal during a press conference in New Delhi. (PTI photo) Punjab Police have withdrawn the security personnel assigned to Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convener Arvind Kejriwal on Thursday. Punjab Director General of Police Gaurav Yadav said that the decision was made following directions from the Delhi Police and the Election Commission. related stories Following the directions of the Delhi police and the Election Commission today, we withdrew the component of the Punjab police in the security of Kejriwal ji," Yadav told the media in Patiala. Punjab Police DGP further stated that the state police had been regularly sharing reports of threats to both Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and Kejriwal with the relevant agencies. Time to time, we get reports of threats to chief minister Bhagwant Mann and Arvind Kejriwal and we share them with the concerned agencies," he stated. He assured that the Punjab Police would continue to coordinate and share information with the Delhi Police. We showed our concerns to them. We will remain in touch with them. We will share our inputs with the Delhi police," he added. Meanwhile, senior AAP leader Sanjay Singh criticised the decision, claiming that Delhi Police had forcibly" removed Kejriwals security. He also raised concerns about a meeting Kejriwal was attending, alleging that goons with sticks and rods were already present at the venue. Today @DelhiPolice forcibly removed @ArvindKejriwals Punjab Police security. Right now there is a meeting of @ArvindKejriwal ji at J Block Kali Bari Marg, goons are already present there with sticks and rods, I am reaching there. Where is @ECISVEEP?," Singh shared in a post on X. The accusations came after Kejriwals vehicle was reportedly attacked in Delhis Hari Nagar by supporters of a rival candidate, with the AAP leader blaming Union Home Minister Amit Shah. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all This development comes ahead of the Delhi Assembly elections scheduled for February 5, with results to be declared on February 8. (With inputs from PTI) Location : Punjab, India First Published: January 23, 2025, 21:01 IST Saif Ali Khan Was Stabbed In Five Places During Attack, Reveals Hospital Medical Report Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: January 24, 2025, 00:19 IST The medical report from Lilavati Hospital, where the actor was admitted, revealed that the injuries ranged in size from 0.5 cm to 15 cm Bollywood actor Saif Ali Khan at his residence after he was discharged from Lilavati Hospital in Mumbai. (PTI photo) Bollywood actor Saif Ali Khan was stabbed five times in his back, wrist, neck, shoulder, and elbow during an attempted burglary at his home in Bandra West on January 16, according to a medical report released on Thursday. The medical report from Lilavati Hospital in Mumbai, where the actor was admitted, revealed that the injuries ranged in size from 0.5 cm to 15 cm. related stories The report further detailed the timing of the attack at his residence in upscale Bandra West, which took place around 2:30 am. The medical report sent to Bandra Police suggested that Khan was possibly brought to the hospital by his manager and close friend, Afsar Zaidi, who runs a celebrity management company. His home was just 10-15 minutes away from the hospital. ALSO READ: Who Took Saif Ali Khan To Bandras Lilavati Hospital After He Was Stabbed At Khar Home? The two arrived at the hospital at 4:11 am, roughly an hour and 40 minutes after the attack. The hospitals medical report indicated that Zaidi completed the admission formalities after bringing Khan to the hospital. Doctors at the hospital had previously confirmed that Khan had sustained multiple stab wounds to his spine, neck, and hands. He underwent surgery to treat the injuries, and was later discharged from the hospital on Tuesday afternoon. The police have arrested a suspect in connection with the attack on Sunday. The man, identified as Mohammad Shariful Islam Shehzad, a Bangladesh national, was using the name Vijay Das. Shariful Islam had been working for a housekeeping agency and had arrived in Mumbai five or six months ago, according to police. The violent attack on Khan has shocked Mumbai residents, especially given that it happened in an upscale neighbourhood with strict security measures. Fellow Bollywood actors have also expressed their concern over the incident. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all (With inputs from agencies) ALSO READ: Saif Ali Khan Was Attacked At 2.30 AM In Khar Home, Admitted To Bandras Lilavati Hospital At 4.11 AM First Published: January 24, 2025, 00:01 IST Separatist Mirwaiz To Depose Before Waqf JPC Today, Clause-By-Clause Discussion Of Bill By Panel Deferred Reported By : CNN-News18 Last Updated: January 24, 2025, 01:12 IST Several MPs from the ruling side had objections to allowing the separatist leader to be examined as a stakeholder in the bill, given the hardline thoughts of his outfit, the All Parties Hurriyat Conference. But it has been learnt that Mirwaiz is appearing before the... Read More Mirwaiz Umar Farooq. File pic/ANI Kashmiri separatist leader Mirwaiz Umar Farooq will depose before the joint parliamentary committee (JPC) examining the Waqf Amendment Bill 2024 on Friday. Several MPs from the ruling side had objections to allowing the separatist leader to be examined as a stakeholder in the bill, given the hardline thoughts of his outfit, the All Parties Hurriyat Conference. But it has been learnt that Mirwaiz is appearing before the panel in a different capacity. To hear the views/suggestions of Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, Patron, Muttaheda Majlis-e-Ulema, Jammu and Kashmir on the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024," a Parliament notice said. related stories Farooq had earlier written to the committee chairman that he would like to appear and tell the panel why he was opposing this bill. It was learnt that the government wanted him to give specific reasoning and not use this as an opportunity to pursue his personal agenda using a Parliament platform. It was also learnt earlier on Thursday that he would be meeting the committees chairman, Jagdambika Pal, at his residence in Delhi, but late at night, it was decided that this delegation would meet the panel in Parliament itself. Sources said that the committee meeting, which was to discuss the bill clause by clause on Friday and Saturday, now stands postponed. Instead, the group will meet again on January 27 for the discussion. Members of Parliament, especially from the opposition parties, have already submitted their notices for making amendments to the bill in its present form. It is learnt that at least 13 members from the opposition parties have given notice for amendments, whereas a few notices have also been given for suggestions to the bill from the ruling side. This bill was referred to the JPC in August last year, and since then the panel has been holding multiple meetings, both in Parliament as well as with two study tours across 10 states to examine the possibility of the legislation being accepted by all so that it can pass smoothly in Parliament. Sources said that the government may pass this bill in the upcoming budget session of Parliament. They added that the committee will submit its report in the first week of February during the first part of the session and ahead of the Delhi elections. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Recently, during the winter session of 2024, the committee got an extension to submit its report before Parliament up to the last day of the upcoming budget session. As per the data available, the committee so far has examined more than two dozen Waqf Boards, and eight to nine state representatives have come before the panel in Parliament. So far, more than 42 organisations or stakeholders have appeared before the committee. First Published: January 24, 2025, 01:12 IST With 9 Mutations, Bird Flu Poses Global Health Risk But No Need For Public Alarm: Top Virologist Reported By : News18.com Edited By: Apoorva Misra Last Updated: January 23, 2025, 10:15 IST Bird flu, also known as avian flu or H5N1, is known to infect birds. However, new findings highlight a growing concern that H5N1 bird flu strains are rapidly mutating and infecting a new host species New findings highlight a growing concern that H5N1 bird flu strains are rapidly mutating and infecting a new host species. (PTI Image for Representation) Bird flu, globally, is emerging as one of the biggest public health threats right now and India should continue to monitor flu viruses closely, virologist Dr Saumitra Das has told News18. Das said the scientific community, researchers and government must step up their efforts to boost surveillance but there is no immediate cause for public alarm. related stories It is one of the biggest public health risks right now on a global level. There is no reason for public alarm but the scientific community and government, at a global level, should closely monitor the situation." Showing confidence in Indian flu surveillance, Das, who is professor and chair at the Department of Microbiology and Cell Biology, Indian Institute of Science, told News18 that the countrys apex medical research body ICMR-IDSP (Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme) network monitors the circulating strains of virus and should be able to pick any unusual strains or trends. He clarified that India should watch the global situation closely even as it runs flu-strain surveillance to keep an eye on the circulating viruses in the country. Bird flu, also known as avian flu or H5N1, is known to infect birds. However, new findings highlight a growing concern that H5N1 bird flu strains are rapidly mutating and infecting a new host species. While the virus is generally found in wild birds and poses risk only to poultry, its spread to a new range of mammals may pave the way for new mutations that could increase its lethality. In 2024, the virus was detected in dairy cows for the first time. So far, nine mutations have been spotted in the virus and these mutations are likely to be treated via approved antiviral drugs," Das explained. However, humans have no prior exposure to the virus. Hence, the trends need to be monitored carefully at both domestic and global levels." Virus Has No Control Over Its Mutations Scientists at the Texas Biomedical Research Institute have identified a strain of the bird flu virus in a patient that carries up to nine mutations. While it is not yet proven, it is suspected that these genetic changes may enhance the virus ability to cause disease, replicate in the brain, and increase its severity sparking concerns about the virus becoming lethal. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all So far, human-to-human transmission has not been noticed. Globally, only one death has taken place. The situation will become alarming if the virus starts infecting humans from humans." Das said that the virus has no control over its mutations. So far, it has achieved changes in infecting other species (for instance: cow) instead of just infecting birds. Hence, we need preparation if it achieves further mutations and starts infecting humans." First Published: January 23, 2025, 10:15 IST Anamika Khanna: Every Time I Think About Mumbai I Think About The Essence Of Its People Reported By : News18.com Edited By: Riya Ashok Madayi Last Updated: January 23, 2025, 18:19 IST Anamika Khanna draws inspiration from 16 of Mumbais vibrant neighbourhoods to create a limited-edition collection of versatile tote bags for Starbucks. Fashion designer Anamika Khanna with the Starbucks merchandise celebrating the spirit of Mumbai. Every time I think about Mumbai I think about the essence of its people, they form the essence of the city," expresses Anamika Khanna, as she reminisces about her special connection with Mumbai and its people. And the love she has for the city, has been beautifully translated into the 16 limited-edition tote bags she has designed for Starbucks India to mark its 100th store in the city of dreams, Mumbai. Crafted in one of AK-Oks favourite fabric, denim, Anamika Khanna seamlessly brings to the fore her signature aesthetic in the form of typography and a colourful photo montage featuring Mumbais iconic skyline, heritage and local culture. I find it [denim] very versatile as a material. I also find it very interesting, how denim that has been associated with everything that is western, to bring it into India in different ways becomes like a story of my own to tell." related stories Tote bags are great accessories becauseTheyre hot!," expresses Anamika Khanna. For Anamika designing the tote was fun. I feel any kind of design comes to me as an extension of what we do. Designing this tote had a high fashion portion to it, so it was fun!" When asked whats her favourite design from the collection, Anamika says, Its so hard to pick one. But if I had to, the Mumbai bag has a little glimpse of all of my favourite places together, which makes it special for someone who has been continually inspired by various places in this city such as the iconic local trains or the favourite kaali peeli [taxis] or Mumbais skyline. Anamika Khanna who hails from Kolkata, has a special connection with Mumbai. Sharing an anecdote about what makes the city and its people special, Anamika shares, I got lost here as a child and my mom tells me the story of this gentleman, who stood with me until my parents could be found. Every time I think about Mumbai I think about the essence of its people, they form the essence of the city. Its very special. Apart from that, I think going to Chowpatty and eating bhel, the Mumbai sandwich those are fond memories, things I do even today." Beginning the year with this creative collaboration, Anamika believes that 2025 is a year of design challenges in every single area for her. Im really hoping that Ill be able to not just design in a manner that is extremely innovative and experimental but push myself to a limit that Ive never pushed myself to," adds Anamika. Decoding the Starbucks + Anamika Khanna limited edition tote bags: From the old-world charms of Forts historical architecture to Bandras street art and graffiti, Andheris relentless hustle and Mumbais status as the city of dreams, each design evokes a different feeling. The other locations include Borivali, Chembur, Colaba, Juhu, Kandivali, Malad, Mulund, Mumbai, Navi Mumbai, Parel, Powai, Thane and Worli. Designed with both style and functionality in mind, the tote bags are made from denim fabric featuring a photo montage of digitally printed images showcasing the iconic elements and vibrant character of the city. The versatile tote bag in 16 designs features three handles, allowing you to carry it as a traditional bag, a tote, or a detachable crossbody. The bag includes metal hooks for the detachable strap and snap fasteners on all sides to reduce the overall size of the bag when needed. The interior is thoughtfully designed with two slip-in pockets for accessories and stationery, one slip-in pocket for an umbrella for the unexpected Mumbai rains or a bottle of water during the summers, and another zip-in pocket to securely carry your wallet and cards. Additionally, theres a metal hook inside to keep your keys easily accessible. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all TAKE 5 WITH ANAMIKA KHANNA What are the accessories you cant live without? My 9 prayer bangles A fashion advice you would like to give the social media generation: Be original Your favourite colour: White A style hack that you swear by: A white shirt A song you would like to choreograph your fashion show on:Chalte Chalte Yunhi Koi Mil Gaya Tha from Pakeezah First Published: January 23, 2025, 18:19 IST Subhas Chandra Bose Jayanti 2025: Parakram Diwas Facts, Quotes, Wishes And Messages Published By : Trending Desk Last Updated: January 23, 2025, 06:00 IST Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose 128th Birth Anniversary: To honour Netajis unwavering spirit and selfless service to the nation, the Government of India declared his birthday, January 23, as Parakram Diwas. Today, January 23, 2025 marks 128th birth anniversary of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose. (Image: Shutterstock) Happy Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose Jayanti Wishes 2025: Netaji Subhas Chandra Boses birthday, January 23, is not just a date on the calendars but a great day to remember the patriots contribution to his motherland. The struggles faced by the nationalist throughout his life motivate Indians to work for the benefit of their country even today. On the legendary freedom fighters 128th birth anniversary, lets look back at some of his inspirational words and how his birth anniversary is celebrated across the nation. All You Need To Know About Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose related stories Born into a Bengali family in Orissa during the British Raj, Subhas Chandra Boses nationalist ideology and unwavering spirit to fight for Indias struggles are etched in the hearts of millions. The early recipient of an Anglo-centric education, Netaji joined the nationalist movement led by Mahatma Gandhi and the Indian National Congress in 1921 after returning from England. In 1938, he became the Congress president, and this paved the path of his multiple attempts in restoring Indias independence. From his alliance with Nazi Germany and imperial Japan to forming the Indian National Army (INA) and much more, Boses patriotism has made him a hero for many Indians. Why Is Netajis Birthday Celebrated As Parakram Diwas? In order to honour and remember Netajis indomitable spirit and selfless service to the nation, the Government of India took the decision to celebrate his birthday on January 23 every year as PARAKRAM DIWAS. The decision was officially announced on January 19, 2021, and every year since then, Netajis birth anniversary is celebrated all over India with lots of enthusiasm. According to the Government of India, this initiative is in order to inspire people of the country, especially the youth, to act with fortitude in the face of adversity as the legendary freedom fighter did. How Is Netajis Birthday Celebrated? Netajis birth anniversary is celebrated across many Indian schools by garlanding his statue, followed by the Indian national flag hoisting, Various educational programmes across the country are also hosted to know in detail about Netajis life. Schools and colleges also organise a cultural event to celebrate Netajis contribution to Indias freedom struggle. The day is also a public holiday in West Bengal, Tripura and Orissa. People also visit Netaji Bhawan in Kolkata, Netaji Gallery/museums and the INA museum on this day. 5 Facts About Parakram Diwas The word Parakram Diwas was derived from two Hindi words: Parakram" means courage" and Diwas" means day". The first Parakram Diwas was celebrated on January 23, 2021, at the iconic Victoria Memorial Hall in Kolkata. A light and sound show, followed by performances on Netajis songs based on the Indian freedom struggle, was organised to remember the patriot on his birth anniversary. A hologram statue of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose was unveiled at India Gate in 2022. During the Parakram Diwas 2024 programme, Prime Minister Narendra Modi also digitally launched Bharat Parv to showcase the nations diversity with Republic Day Tableaux and cultural exhibits. Parakram Diwas Wishes And Messages To Share Here are some wishes and messages which you can use on Parakram Diwas to remember Netaji: On Subhas Jayanti, let us remember his sacrifice and renew our commitment to making his dreams for India a reality. Jai Hind! Happy Parakram Diwas. Let us salute the iconic freedom fighter who showed great courage in bringing freedom to India. Happy Parakram Diwas. Let us honour and celebrate the founder of the Indian National Army. On Netaji Jayanti, may his unwavering spirit of unity and brotherhood guide us towards a future where all Indians stand together, strong and united. Let us keep Netajis legacy alive by embracing his values of self-reliance, discipline and unwavering determination on the path to success. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all 10 Inspirational Quotes By Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose Tum mujhe khoon do main tumhe azadi dunga (Give me blood, and I will give you freedom)." Dilli Chalo (On to Delhi)!" Ittehad, Etemad, Qurbani (Unity, Agreement, Sacrifice in Urdu)." Freedom is not given it is taken." No real change in history has ever been achieved by discussions." Men, money, and materials cannot by themselves bring victory or freedom. We must have the motive-power that will inspire us to brave deeds and heroic exploits." It is blood alone that can pay the price of freedom." To build a new world, we must destroy the old one." One individual may die for an idea, but that idea will, after his death, incarnate itself in a thousand lives." Forget not that the grossest crime is to compromise with injustice and wrong." First Published: January 23, 2025, 06:00 IST Gurucharan Singh's Father Shares His Health Update: 'He's Out Of Danger, Goes To Gurudwara' | Exclusive Reported By : News18.com Last Updated: January 24, 2025, 14:18 IST Gurucharan Singh Update: The TMKOC fame's father, Hargit Singh, has opened up about his son's health in an exclusive conversation with News18. TMKOC Sodhi Health Update: Gurucharan Singh is slowly recovering at his home. TMKOC Gurucharan Singh Update: TV actor Gurucharan Singh is known for playing the role of Sodhi in Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah. He was hospitalised on January 7, 2025, and his condition was described as critical. Now, in an exclusive conversation with News 18, his father, Hargit Singh, has given us an update on the actors health saying that he is doing much better and is out of danger. He also said that the TMKOC actor has been going to the Gurudwara to offer prayers. Gurucharan had apparently stopped drinking water for nearly 19 days, which caused him to become extremely weak and lose consciousness. Hence, that led to his hospitalisation. related stories Gurucharans father told us exclusively, Im happy to share that my son is now doing much better. Recently, he was hospitalised due to severe weakness, which had left him in a critical condition for some time. We were all worried but with the blessings of the Almighty, he is now out of danger. He is currently recovering at home and focusing on regaining his strength. Gurucharan has started eating well, and we are giving him fresh, nutritious meals. Hes also making it a priority to spend some quiet moments at the Gurudwara. In fact, he has gone there just now." Hargit Singh added, Gurucharan has begun taking short walks and is slowly returning to a routine. We want to make sure that he doesnt overexert himself. We are hopeful that with time, rest, and care, he will return to his full form." When asked about the ongoing court case, Gurucharans father said, Thats going on since 50 years but God knows what will happen now." Earlier, his friend, Bhakti Soni, had shared that the actor had stopped eating food since his return home in May 2024. For the uninitiated, Singh had gone missing for almost a month last year which sent everyone into a frenzy. Later, it was revealed that he had gone on a spiritual retreat without telling anyone. Recently, Gurucharans friend Bhakti revealed that he has secured a branded deal, which will pay him Rs 13 lakh. For the same, the actor will soon travel to Mumbai for a shoot. This deal, the friend shared, will help Singh in repaying his debts. This comes days after Soni said that Gurucharan needs to repay a loan of Rs 1.5 crore. She also claimed that nobody, including Singhs family, was helping him during this difficult time. Gurcharan Singh played the role of Roshan Singh Sodhi in TMKOC, however, left the show in 2012. He returned next year due to public demand. After his exit in 2020, he was replaced by actor Balwinder Singh Suri. First Published: January 23, 2025, 15:54 IST Is Friends Star David Schwimmer, 58, Dating 29-Year-Old Medical Student? Duo Spotted At Post Restaurant Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: January 23, 2025, 09:00 IST David Schwimmer was spotted leaving a Beverly Hills restaurant with 29-year-old medical student Eliana Jolkovsky. David Schwimmer was spotted leaving a posh restaurant with a 29-year-old medical student. Okay, Friends fans, get ready for some juicy gossip because it looks like Ross Geller might just have a new Rachel! David Schwimmer, 58, the Ross from Friends, has been spotted out and about with a 29-year-old medical student. The two were seen leaving a posh restaurant, sparking all kinds of rumors and making us all wonder could there be a new romance brewing between the iconic actor and his much younger companion? David Schwimmer was seen leaving the upscale Beverly Hills restaurant Spago in California (US). By his arms was a 29-year-old woman named Eliana Jolkovsky, a medical student. The duo was caught in a low-key but still noticeable exit from the trendy spot, where they looked pretty cozy together. While they werent exactly holding hands, the chemistry was definitely there. related stories It was not exactly a were dating" moment, but hey, leaving a restaurant together definitely says something, right? There was no PDA or holding of hands but the duo was seen hopping into a waiting Uber after enjoying dinner. Schwimmer, being the gentleman that he is, was even seen holding the door open for Jolkovsky before driving off. For the date night, Jolkovsky wore a white mid-calf fold-over boots with a kitten heel along with a chic ensemble. Meanwhile, Schwimmer went casual in a shirt and pants, a cap, and a light beard. Schwimmers mystery girl has been identified as 29-year-old Eliana Jolkovsky, who is a medical student at UCLA. She is also a Jewish activist. Jolkovsky, who is part Korean, has 13,000 followers on Instagram which features photos of herself with friends, as well as posts condemning antisemitism. Schwimmer, who is extremely private, hasnt been linked to anyone romantically since his 2017 split from British artist Zoe Buckman, who is 39. The former couple, who were married for six years from 2010, share one child, daughter Cleo Buckman Schwimmer. We all know that Ross and Rachels on-again, off-again love story was full of surprises, so maybe life is imitating art here. As of now, neither Schwimmer nor Jolkovsky has commented on their relationship. First Published: January 23, 2025, 09:00 IST Oscars 2025 Nominations: Full List Of Nominees For The 97th Academy Awards Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: January 23, 2025, 19:49 IST Oscar Nominations Announced: The 2025 Oscar nominations are here, showcasing the years finest in cinema. From Dune: Part Two and Wicked to standout performances by Timothee Chalamet and Cynthia Erivo, this years lineup celebrates diverse talent and storytelling. Check out the full list of nominees. Discover the full list of 2025 Oscar nominees, including Dune: Part Two, Wicked, and Emilia Perez. 2025 Oscar Nominations List:The highly anticipated 2025 Oscar nominations were officially revealed on January 23 at 7 PM IST. Hosted by Bowen Yang, Rachel Sennott, Sian Heder, and Eric Roth, the announcement took place at the Academys prestigious Samuel Goldwyn Theater. The event was live-streamed on Disney+ Hotstar, Oscar.com, Oscars.org, and the Academys social media platforms, and was also broadcast on ABCs Good Morning America. Initially scheduled for January 17, the announcement faced delays due to the LA wildfires, which disrupted the voting schedule. To address these challenges, the Academy extended the voting period and canceled the traditional Oscar Nominees Luncheon, ensuring fairness and prioritizing safety. related stories Here is the complete list of the 2025 Oscar nominees: Best Picture Anora The Brutalist A Complete Unknown Conclave Dune: Part Two Emilia Perez Im Still Here Nickel Boys The Substance Wicked Best Director Jacques Audiard (Emilia Perez) Sean Baker (Anora) Brady Corbet (The Brutalist) Coralie Fargeat (The Substance) James Mangold (A Complete Unknown) Best Actor Adrien Brody (The Brutalist) Timothee Chalamet (A Complete Unknown) Colman Domingo (Sing Sing) Ralph Fiennes (Conclave) Sebastian Stan (The Apprentice) Best Actress Cynthia Erivo (Wicked) Karla Sofia Gascon (Emilia Perez) Mikey Madison (Anora) Demi Moore (The Substance) Fernanda Torres (Im Still Here) Best Supporting Actor Yura Borisov (Anora) Kieran Culkin (A Real Pain) Edward Norton (A Complete Unknown) Guy Pearce (The Brutalist) Jeremy Strong (The Apprentice) Best Supporting Actress Monica Barbaro (A Complete Unknown) Ariana Grande (Wicked) Felicity Jones (The Brutalist) Isabella Rossellini (Conclave) Zoe Saldana (Emilia Perez) Original Screenplay Anora The Brutalist A Real Pain September 5 The Substance Adapted Screenplay Conclave A Complete Unknown Emilia Perez Nickel Boys Sing Sing Animated Feature Flow Inside Out 2 Memoir of a Snail Wallace and Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl The Wild Robot Production Design The Brutalist Conclave Dune: Part Two Nosferatu Wicked Costume Design A Complete Unknown Conclave Gladiator II Nosferatu Wicked Cinematography The Brutalist Dune: Part Two Emilia Perez Maria Nosferatu Editing Anora The Brutalist Conclave Emilia Perez Wicked Makeup and Hairstyling A Different Man Emilia Perez Nosferatu The Substance Wicked Sound A Complete Unknown Dune: Part Two Emilia Perez Wicked The Wild Robot Visual Effects Alien: Romulus Better Man Dune: Part Two Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes Wicked Original Score The Brutalist Conclave Emilia Perez Wicked The Wild Robot Original Song El Mal (Emilia Perez) The Journey (The Six Triple Eight) Like A Bird (Sing Sing) Mi Camino (Emilia Perez) Never Too Late (Elton John: Never Too Late) International Feature Im Still Here (Brazil) The Girl With the Needle (Denmark) Emilia Perez (France) The Seed of the Sacred Fig (Germany) Flow (Latvia) Animated Short Beautiful Men In the Shadow of the Cypress Magic Candies Wander to Wonder Yuck! Documentary Short Death by Numbers I Am Ready, Warden Incident Instruments of a Beating Heart The Only Girl in the Orchestra Live-Action Short A Lien Anuja Im Not a Robot The Last Ranger The Man Who Could Not Remain Silent This years nominations highlight a diverse array of talent and stories, making the 2025 Oscars one of the most exciting editions yet. Fans eagerly await the winners, who will be revealed at the grand ceremony later this year. Location : Los Angeles, United States of America (USA) First Published: January 23, 2025, 19:36 IST Oscars Nominations 2025: Priyanka Chopra And Guneet Monga-Backed Short Film Anuja Gets Nominated Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: January 23, 2025, 19:32 IST The 2025 Oscar nominations were announced on January 23, hosted by Bowen Yang, Rachel Sennott, Sian Heder, and Eric Roth. Indian short film Anuja earned a nomination. Directed by Adam J Graves, the film tells the story of two sisters facing hardship. The nominations for the 2025 Oscars, along with the writers, were announced today, January 23, at 7 PM IST. Hosted by Bowen Yang, Rachel Sennott, Sian Heder, and Eric Roth, the event took place at the Academys Samuel Goldwyn Theater. It was live-streamed on Disney+ Hotstar, Oscar.com, Oscars.org, and the Academys social channels, and broadcast on ABCs Good Morning America. Initially scheduled for January 17, the announcement was delayed twice due to the LA wildfires, which disrupted voting schedules. In response, the Academy extended the voting period and canceled the traditional Oscar Nominees Luncheon. related stories Indian Short Film Anuja Bags Nomination in Best Live Action Short Category Indian cinema continues to make its mark on the global stage as Anuja, backed by Priyanka Chopra and Oscar-winner Guneet Monga Kapoor, earns a nomination in the Best Live Action Short Film category at the 2025 Oscars. The film was produced in partnership with the Salaam Baalak Trust (SBT), a non-profit founded by Mira Nairs family to support street and working children, and Shine Global, the team behind Oscar-winning projects like War/Dance (2007) and Inocente (2012). Krushan Naik Films and Mindy Kaling are also part of the production team, with Guneet Monga Kapoor, already a two-time Oscar winner (The Elephant Whisperers and Period: End of Sentence), joining as a producer. If successful, this could be Mongas third win, further showcasing the power of Indian stories on the world stage. The film tells the touching and inspiring story of two sisters, Anuja and Palak, who navigate a harsh world that seeks to exploit and exclude them. Focusing on 9-year-old Anuja, who works alongside her older sister in a garment factory, the narrative follows her as she faces a life-changing decision that impacts not only her own future but also those around her. Director Adam J. Graves describes the film as a tribute to the resilience of working children and their untold stories. Priyanka Chopra, who has supported the project, celebrated its release on Netflix by sharing a heartfelt post on Instagram recently. She expressed her pride in the film, writing, Proud of this beautiful film." First Published: January 23, 2025, 19:28 IST Politicians Join Social Media 'Experts' In Rumour-Mongering On Saif Ali Khan's Stabbing; Here Are The Facts Written By : CNN-News18 Last Updated: January 23, 2025, 22:02 IST The actor walking back home 'normally', waving to the waiting cameras while smiling, has led to queries about the crime getting sharper Actor Saif Ali Khan was discharged from hospital five days after undergoing surgery. (Image: ANI) How did victim of such a vicious attack come out of the hospital in 3-4 dayssmiling? People are calling me and askingthere must be some secret here.." Waris Pathan, AIMIM related stories Stabbed or just acting?" Nitesh Rane, Maharashtra minister Mainstream politicians of Mumbai are now echoing what conspiracy theorists on social media posted ever since actor Saif Ali Khan came home from hospital following a knife attack on him. The actor walking back home normally", waving to the waiting cameras while smiling, has led to these queries about the crime getting sharper. Questions have been raised about: The nature of injury Why Saifs eight-year-old son was tasked with escorting his injured father to the hospital How the accused managed to climb up to the 11th floor Where Kareena Kapoor Khan was at the time of the crime If the CCTV footage and the picture of the suspect in custody matched Why bloodstains are not visible on the suspect in the CCTV grab when Saif apparently was soaked in blood when he reached the hospital The questions seem to suggest a cover-up by Mumbai police. Allegations have been made that the family may not have revealed the full truth. But is this a case of a cover-up? Police confident of catching right man Mumbai police arrested Shariful Islam three days after the attack. Several false starts and wrong detentions later, Shariful was found hiding in Thanes marshlands. Police claim to have recovered more than a dozen fingerprints of Shariful from the room where the stabbing happened. A face cover he was wearing has also been found at the crime scene. Other than Saif Ali Khan, there are at least four other adult witnesses who can identify the attacker. Police told the court that it is trying to recover the broken piece of knife blade that was used to stab Saif. A material piece of evidence recovered at the instance of the accused is crucial for the prosecution to prove its case. Technical evidence Other than the material evidence, the police are also relying on CCTV footage to prove their charge against Shariful. The sixth floor of the building caught the suspect fleeing. Another CCTV grab from Andheri, a UPI payment made for a parantha, and subsequent tracking of the mobile device of the suspect led police to the alleged attacker. Many social media users have claimed that the suspect produced before a court does not appear to be the same as the man caught on camera. Police claim there was a deliberate attempt to mislead". Shariful allegedly had a haircut and changed clothes repeatedly to hoodwink police. How did he gain entry into celebritys home? Can a non-history-sheeter climb a multi-storey building and enter a celebrity home without being challenged? As incredulous as it may sound, the investigation suggests that security was lax at Satguru Sharan, the building where the Khans reside. As per the initial probe, the guards on duty were asleep, making it easy for Shariful to jump over the compound wall. He climbed a pipe, a shaft, and an AC duct to enter the bathroom of Jehangir Khan, the youngest son of Saif and Kareena. Police claim that he had taken off his shoes and switched his mobile phone off to avoid any noise. During the recreation of the crime scene, he reportedly told police that he again used the AC duct to escape when Saif Ali Khan locked him up in a room after the scuffle. The onus is on the police now to procure circumstantial, material, and technical evidence to prove this confession" that the suspect allegedly made during interrogation. Former police officials, however, told CNN-News18 that, having recced the building and attempting to enter other similar buildings in the vicinity, Shariful may have concluded that security was lax and hence took his chance. Family under scanner As per the attending doctor of Saif Ali Khan and the autorickshaw driver who drove him to the hospital, eight-year-old Taimur escorted the actor along with another man. Questions have been asked as to why a child was given the task of taking a profusely bleeding man to the hospital in an auto. Was the actors wife, Kareena Kapoor Khan, not at home? A social media post by the actor and her friends shows Kareena on a girls night out" on the night of the crime. This has fuelled speculation and conspiracy theories. But the statement of the nanny, Eliyama Philip, has negated such theories. Philip said both Saif and Kareena rushed to Jehangirs bedroom after hearing the commotion. A paparazzi video captured soon after the crime shows Kareena pacing in the foyer of their building. Why did she then not accompany Saif to the hospital? The social media scrutinisers ask. The intense scrutiny of the family and its decisions during the emergency are no surprise. Families of Sushant Singh Rajput, Rhea Chakraborty, and Shah Rukh Khan have all faced this invasion of private space when faced with criminal investigations. Kareena Kapoor, through her social media post, has requested some privacy for the family to face this crisis. But will the invasive experts" wait till the police chargesheet to see if unanswered questions have been answered to the satisfaction of the courts? First Published: January 23, 2025, 22:02 IST Pooja Bhatt Defends Saif Ali Khan, Lauds His 'Grit' Amid Criticism: 'Don't These People Forget...' Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: January 23, 2025, 09:37 IST Pooja Bhatt defended Saif Ali Khan after his quick recovery from a knife attack, praising his resilience,. Pooja Bhatt slams those trolling Saif Ali Khan. (Photos: Instagram) Actress Pooja Bhatt recently lashed out at those criticising Saif Ali Khan after getting discharged from the hospital. Recently, Saif made his first appearance after a knife attack on him when he ditched a wheelchair and was seen walking by himself. The actor was also seen waving at the paparazzi as he returned home from hospital. While Khan was trolled on social media for the same, Pooja Bhatt has now appreciated the actors grit and has asked all not to be conspiracy theorists. The graphic details of the stabbing that emerged in the media painted an image in peoples heads about Saifs physical state. That image was perhaps not in sync with the visuals of seeing him walk out of hospital on his own two feet," she told ETimes. related stories But dont these very people forget that they lauded him for walking himself into the hospital as well? A man who checks himself into hospital in a wounded, traumatized condition surely has the grit to walk out of the hospital on his own. We should be applauding this instead of resorting to being conspiracy theorists," the actress added. This comes hours after Shiv Sena leader and former MP Sanjay Nirupam also questioned Saif Ali Khans quick recovery. Mumbai citizens and I had some innocent questions, that I have raised Has the medical sector progressed so much that Saif Ali Khan comes to his home jumping and dancing (after the attack)," he told news agency ANI. Sanjay also said Khans family should disclose how deadly the attack was and how badly he was injured." He added the incident has created an atmosphere of unsafety in Mumbai. It should be revealed how deadly the attack was and how badly he was injured. The family should come forward and disclose this because, after this incident, such an atmosphere was created in Mumbai that the law and order of Mumbai has collapsed, the Home Ministry has failed, the Maharashtra government has been ruined, and every citizen in Mumbai is unsafe," he said. The Shiv Sena leader further questioned the quick improvement in the actors health and said, I want to ask the doctors, can a person whose operation lasted for 6 hours come out in such good shape within 4 days?" Saif Ali Khan was stabbed by an intruder at his Mumbai residence in the wee hours of January 16. The Bollywood star was stabbed six times by the robber following which he was rushed to the hospital. He underwent surgery and returned home on January 21. First Published: January 23, 2025, 09:34 IST Ryan Reynolds Delivers A Speech At Harvard Business School Amid Legal Drama With Justin Baldoni Published By : Trending Desk Last Updated: January 23, 2025, 16:59 IST Ryan Reynolds posted snapshots on Instagram from his recent visit to Harvard Business School in Boston, where he addressed a class alongside author and entrepreneur Matt Higgins. One photo captured Reynolds, 48, standing in a lecture hall packed with listeners. (Photo Credits: Instagram) Ryan Reynolds is stepping into Ivy League territory and hes doing it with his signature humour intact. Amid the whirlwind of a legal battle involving Reynolds, his wife Blake Lively and actor-filmmaker Justin Baldoni, the Deadpool star took a moment to share a personal milestone. On January 22, Reynolds posted snapshots on Instagram from his recent visit to Harvard Business School in Boston, where he addressed a class alongside author and entrepreneur Matt Higgins. One photo captured Reynolds, 48, standing in a lecture hall packed with listeners. The actor wrote beneath the image, If my dad were even remotely alive enough to see me speaking at Harvard Business School, hed be pretty impressed." related stories Never missing a chance for comedic flair, Reynolds added, More due to his sudden aliveness but also, what an opportunity to withhold affection and see your child speak at Harvard." Ryan Reynoldss father, James Chester Reynolds, passed away in 2015 after a prolonged battle with Parkinsons disease. Another photo showed Reynolds mid-speech, collaborating with Higgins. The caption read, Thank you Higgins for the thoughtful conversation and tee-up. This class has megawatt talent. The questions alone made me wiser." While his visit to Harvard was a highlight, it took place against the backdrop of escalating legal tensions. Just days prior, Reynolds was spotted in New York City on January 16, the same day Baldoni, 40, filed a massive $400 million lawsuit against Reynolds, Lively and their publicist Leslie Sloane, reports People. This legal dispute reportedly follows allegations made by Lively in December 2024. She accused Baldoni of inappropriate conduct during the production of It Ends with Us, the 2024 film adaptation of Colleen Hoovers bestselling novel. Her complaint detailed troubling incidents, including Baldoni allegedly entering her trailer uninvited and pressuring her to perform unscripted physical scenes without proper preparation or an intimacy coordinator. Livelys filing stated that these events caused her grief, fear, trauma and extreme anxiety," with emotional repercussions that extended to her husband and their four children. Baldoni has strongly denied the allegations, countering claims of defamation and civil extortion. His lawsuit also accuses the couple and their team of orchestrating a smear campaign against him. First Published: January 23, 2025, 16:59 IST Last Updated: January 24, 2025, 00:07 IST Saif Ali Khan Attack News: Singer Mika Singh has announced Rs 1 lakh reward for autorickshaw driver Bhajan Singh, who promptly and safely took the Bollywood actor to Lilavati hospital after he suffered a brutal knife attack at his Bandra home on January 16. Taking to social media, Mika also urged Saif to increase the reward money of the driver to Rs 11 lakh. Reports had earlier suggested that Saifs team rewarded the auto driver with Rs 50,000. Meanwhile, Ruhul Amin Fakir, father of the man who stabbed actor Saif Ali Khan, claimed that accused Shareeful Islam Shehzad Mohammad Rohilla Amin Fakir entered India illegally in March last year after his family faced atrocity under Sheikh Hasinas regime. We are people involved in politics, and we were part of the BNP (Bangladesh Nationalist Party) in Bangladesh. My two sons and I endured a lot of oppression. In January 2024, after Sheikh Hasina became even more powerful (following her re-election), it became difficult for us to stay in our village in Jholokathi. It was then that Shariful asked me, abba, what will we do now?, accuseds father was quoted by ABP News. Amid concerns being raised on security in Mumbai, some politicians are questioning if the attack on Saif Ali Khan was real or fake. After Sanjay Nirupams controversial jumping and walking into home remark, Maharashtra Cabinet Minister Nitesh Rane made a fiery speech in Pimpri-Chinchwad. He said that whenever Shah Rukh Khan or Saif Ali Khan get hurt, everyone begins talking about it. But when an actor like Sushant Singh Rajput is tortured, no one comes forward to say anything. Saif Ali Khan Was Admitted 1 Hour 41 Mins After Attack; Khar Home Is 10-15 Mins Away From Lilavati Hospital Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: January 24, 2025, 00:12 IST Saif Ali Khan's manager Afsar Zaidi's name found mention in Lilavati Hospital's report to Bandra police. Zaidi is likely to have got the actor admitted. Actor Saif Ali Khan was discharged from hospital five days after undergoing surgery. (Image: ANI) Saif Ali Khan Stabbing Case: In a fresh development regarding the knife attack on Bollywood actor Saif Ali Khan, the Lilavati Hospitals medical report said that the actor was admitted at 4:11 am on Thursday (January 16), an hour and 41 minutes after he was stabbed multiple times at his residence in upscale Bandra West. Interestingly, Saif Ali Khans house was just 10-15 minutes away from the hospital, but his report says the attack took place approximately at 2:30 am, but was brought to the hospital at 4:11 am. related stories The medical report submitted to Bandra Police mentioned that Saif was admitted by his manager and friend Afsar Zaidi, which indicates that Zaidi may have been the one who brought him. The report lists Zaidis name and contact details in the Friend section as the person who completed the admission formalities. However, there have been conflicting reports on who brought Saif Ali Khan to the hospital. Earlier, during their interaction with the media, one of the doctors had mentioned that Saif arrived at the hospital in an auto-rickshaw with his 8-year-old son, Taimur Ali Khan. Other reports claimed that Saif was rushed to Lilavati Hospital in an auto-rickshaw by his elder son Ibrahim Ali Khan. Reportedly, Ibrahim, 23, aided his bleeding father get onto the three-wheeler after the car was yet not ready to depart due to the unavailability of the driver at that time. However, Saifs manager later refuted these claims, clarifying that he was accompanied by house staff in an auto-rickshaw to the hospital. ALSO READ: Saif Ali Khan Was Stabbed In Five Places During Attack, Reveals Hospital Medical Report Bhajan Singh Rana, the auto driver who drove Saif to the hospital, said he was bleeding profusely and was accompanied by a small child and one more person was with him". As Khan got into the vehicle, his first question was Kitna time lagega? (How long will it take?)". Saif Ali Khan was stabbed by an intruder multiple times at his Satguru Sharan residence in Bandra in the wee hours of January 16. The medical report of Lilavati Hospital also said Saif sustained injuries in five places, including his back, wrist, neck, shoulder, and elbow and these wounds range from 0.5 cm to 15 cm in size. It was earlier reported that doctors removed the sharp object that was lodged in the spine following a six-hour surgery. Saif recovered well and was shifted from the intensive care unit (ICU) on January 17 to a special room. The actor has been discharged and is back home. He also met the driver before heading home, hugged him, and expressed his gratitude for his prompt action. Meanwhile, all eyes are now on Mohammad Shariful Islam Shehzad Fakir, a Bangladeshi national who is currently in police custody for allegedly attacking Saif. First Published: January 23, 2025, 23:19 IST Saif Ali Khan Treats Auto Driver With 'Respect', Latter Shares Details Of Their Meet: 'I Told Him...' Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: January 23, 2025, 07:23 IST Auto driver Bhajan Singh says his only focus on January 16 was to take the Bollywood superstar to the hospital on time. The auto driver also confirmed that Saif Ali Khan paid him Rs 51,000 for his help on the tragic night. Saif Ali Khan recently met Bhajan Singh Rana, the auto-driver, who took him to Mumbais Lilavati hospital after the actor was stabbed at his Bandra residence during an attempted burglary. Now, the auto-driver has shared how the events unfolded after the attack. He was recently speaking to IANS, when he mentioned that his only focus on January 16 was to take the Bollywood superstar to the hospital on time. They (Saifs family) gave a time of 3:30 pm. I said, Okay, and I will reach. I was a little late, about 4-5 minutes, and then we met. As we were moving around inside, his family was there too. They were all worried, but everything went well. His mother and children were there, and I was treated with respect," he said. related stories Bhajan Singh further shared details of his meeting with Saif Ali Khan and added, I was invited today, which felt really good. There was nothing special, it was just a normal meeting. I told him, Just get well soon, I had prayed for you earlier, and I will continue to pray". He also confirmed that Khan paid him Rs 51,000 for his help on the tragic night. Saif Ali Khan was stabbed by an intruder at his Mumbai residence in the wee hours of January 16. It was reported that 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. The Bollywood star was stabbed six times by the robber following which he was rushed to the hospital. Previously, doctors said that Khan had three injuries, two on the hand and one on the right side of the neck, and the major part was at the back, which was in the spine. Doctors removed the sharp object that was lodged in the spine and repaired the injury. Khan recovered well and was shifted from the intensive care unit (ICU) on January 17 to a special room. He is now back home. First Published: January 23, 2025, 07:23 IST 'Shocks Me That Taimur Took Saif Ali Khan To Hospital,' Says Nanny Lalita DSilva After Stab Incident Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: January 23, 2025, 10:30 IST Lalita, who is Taimur's former nanny, called Saif Ali Khan a 'lion' and said Taimur is also strong 'like his abba'. Saif Ali Khan was taken to the hospital by Taimur after the stab attack. Saif Ali Khan was discharged from the Lilavati Hospital on January 21, 2025, days after he was attacked brutally with a knife by an intruder in his Bandra home. The actor was stabbed six times while he was trying to save his family in a robbery attempt. Earlier, during their interaction with the media, one of the doctors had mentioned that Saif arrived at the hospital in an auto-rickshaw with his 8-year-old son, Taimur Ali Khan. Now, Lalita DSilva, who was Taimurs nurse and nanny, has shared that she was shocked to learn that he was the one who accompanied Saif. She also praised his strong mindset." related stories Speaking to India Today Digital, Lalita said that a friend of hers working at Lilavati Hospital told her that Saif was accompanied by Taimur. Both of them were alone. It really shocked me that little Taimur took his father to hospital. At his age, the childs mindset is so strong, thats unimaginable," she said. When asked about how an intruder could have entered Saif and Kareenas apartment, she said, I have no idea about where he came from and how he entered. It is really a surprise. How will anybody know that he is entering, or hes going to do such things? There are many officers coming and going for work. Youve seen the building outside. I dont know how he could have entered." Lalia also praised Saifs bravery and said that Taimur will be just as strong as his father. He (Saif) is like a lion. He is a Nawab, after all Blue blood. I really respect Saif sir what a strong personality inside and outside. Taimur also has a strong personality, he will be strong like his Abba. His parents are very strong-minded. Kareena madam is also a very strong-headed lady; she is so disciplined, and she is so strong," she said. Earlier, a team of doctors treating Saif Ali Khan at the Lilavati Hospital had held a press conference where they spoke about Taimur accompanying his father to the hospital. Saif Ali Khan jab hospital aaye the, main woh doctor hu jo unko first hour mai mila hu. Unke poore usme blood tha, but he walked in like a lion with his small child, joh 6-7 saal ka ladka hai, Taimur. Uske saath walk in kiye, he is the real hero that way. Filmo mai herogiri karna theek hau, but ye ghar main aapke uppar attack ho raha hai, as a hero youve actually acted and come out of it. He is doing very well presently. His parameters even proved and has been shifted from the ICU to a special room. Today we will be keeping visitors in check because we want him to rest," the doctor said. The Mumbai Police have arrested the attacker, Bangladeshi resident Mohammad Shariful Islam Shehzad, 30. First Published: January 23, 2025, 10:30 IST Sidharth Malhotra's '(Na)real' Wordplay Can Give Gen Z A Run For Their Money Published By : Trending Desk Last Updated: January 23, 2025, 16:04 IST Sidharth Malhotra posted a silhouette picture of him indulging in coconut water. Sidharth Malhotra looks handsome in his latest Instagram entry. (Photo Credits: Instagram) Sidharth Malhotra, known for his stellar performances in films like Shershaah, Student of the Year and Baar Baar Dekho, has carved a special place in the hearts of millions with his remarkable acting skills. Beyond the silver screen, the actor continues to delight fans by sharing breathtaking moments from his travel diaries and photoshoots. His latest Instagram post is yet another masterclass in mens fashion, serving as the perfect inspiration for style enthusiasts. Sidharth Malhotra posted a silhouette picture of him. He was candidly captured while relishing a coconut drink. But we must say, the actors look simply won our hearts with just one glimpse. He was seemingly wearing a black t-shirt teamed with orange-hued pants. Besides him, we can spot a surreal background of the landscape. It made us think that the photo was reportedly from the Param Sundari sets. Posting the picture, the handsome hunk wrote, Keeping it ()real," followed by a wink emoji. related stories Soon, his social media fanbase began heaping praises on the actor. One of his fans said, Ohooo our Param in word play NA- REAL mood today," pointing towards his upcoming film, Param Sundari alongside Janhvi Kapoor. Another one mentioned, Thirst trap indeed." Your pun game is unmatched fr (for real in the Gen-Z version)," read a third comment. Sidharth Malhotra was last seen in Yodha alongside Raashii Khanna and Disha Patani. Before that, he made his OTT debut with the police procedural series Indian Police Force, created by Rohit Shetty. Many of his fans appreciated Malhotras performance in the series. Next, the actor will be seen in the romantic comedy Param Sundari, followed by his appearance in the folk thriller VVAN: Force Of The Forrest. A couple of days earlier, the makers shared the motion poster of Param Sundari on the official social media handles. The film is set to release in July this year. Following this, Sidharth, who was shooting in Kerala, shared a photo on his Instagram stories featuring a backwater with a stunning view. His caption atop the photo read as Namaskaram Kerala. Directed by Tushar Jalota and produced under the banner of Maddock Films, Param Sundari revolves around a love story between a North Indian man (Sidharth Malhotra) and a South Indian woman (Janhvi Kapoor). First Published: January 23, 2025, 15:53 IST Sky Force Review: Akshay Kumar Fights For Humanity, Veer Pahariya Makes Stellar Debut In Film On Border Politics Written By : News18.com Last Updated: January 23, 2025, 20:46 IST One of the highlights of Sky Force is its breath-taking, elaborate aerial combat sequences packed with edge-of-the-seat thrill. Sky Force is all set to hit the theatres on January 24. Sky Force U/A 4/5 24 January 2025|Hindi Action, Thriller Starring: Akshay Kumar, Veer Pahariya, Sara Ali Khan Director: Abhishek Anil Kapur, Sandeep Kewlani Watch Trailer Sky Force Movie Review: Bollywoods love affair with films on border politics, tension and nationalism is no secret. One may imagine that for filmmakers, its relatively an easier template to play with. But more often than not, the challenge lies in helming a narrative that steers clear from formula and jaded treatment and approach. While not many can boast of achieving so, Abhishek Anil Kapur and Sandeep Kewlanis directorial venture, Sky Force, stands out for being able to redefine patriotism without toeing the line of chest-thumping jingoism. At its heart, Sky Force is a story about humanity, empathy and human relationships that arent born out of bloodline. And thats why when a fighter pilot does everything in his capability to trace and extricate his junior, who reminds him of his late younger brother, from Pakistan, so that his widowed wife can heave a sigh of relief and smart smiling once again, you believe it. related stories When the senior official further empathises with a captive, who has left his family on the other side of the border, you understand the importance of honour amongst enemies even if it doesnt fit into the Pakistan murdabad narrative. And to think that all of this is based on real-life incidents fills you up with hope for a better tomorrow. Sky Force revolves around Squadron Pilot TK Vijaya aka Tabby and Group Captain KO Ahuja. The film opens in 1971 when Pakistan infiltrates Amritsar airbase and holds Pakistani fighter pilot Ahmed Hussain captive. When Ahuja starts interrogating him, he gets an inkling that this might help him uncover the whereabouts of Tabby, who went missing in 1965. The action soon shifts to 1965. Tabbys wife is pregnant and she constantly worries about losing her husband to the enemies. Ahuja gives his wife the responsibility of pacifying her and he promises her that he wont let anything happen to him. At work, Tabby is infamous for his fearless and reckless spirit that often leads him to flout protocols. Hes even referred to as a madman by many. After repeated attacks by Pakistan on India, the defence ministry finally decides that now is the time for India to retaliate. Ahuja and his team are given the responsibility to enter Pakistan and reduce eleven of their technologically advanced fighter planes called Starstriker gifted to them by America into dust. Tabby, however, is given the position of just a stand-by pilot but when things dont go as planned, he decides to breach rules once again and enter Pakistan without permissions from the higher-ups. While Ahuja and the rest of his team accomplish their goals and come back to the Jalandhar airbase unscathed, they realise that Tabby has gone missing. Ahuja receives a Vir Chakra for his bravery but he cant get over what couldve possible happened to Tabby. Multiple attempts by him to file a case go unnoticed. 23 years later, Ahuja receives an envelope that finally lead him to unearth details about Tabby. At 2 hours 5 minutes, Sky Force makes for a crisp and taut screenplay that rarely drops pace. Kudos to the director duo, who seamlessly blend in their individual instincts and style, never once making you wonder that there are two captains sailing the ship! The film is bereft of melodramatic dialogues about desh bhakti or contrived sequences aimed to evoke sappy sentimentality. The makers manage to strike a fine balance between realism and cinematic flamboyance and they deserve brownie points for the same. One of the major highlights of Sky Force is its breathtaking aerial combat sequences packed with edge-of-the-seat thrill. They may remind you of Fighter but unlike the Hrithik Roshan starrer, this one isnt amply slick, cool and stylish, but that works with the template and mood of the film. These scenes are punctuated with moments that accentuate the valour and sacrifices made by fighter pilots. Though Sky Force is a brilliant tribute to them, what it ends up lacking in bits and parts is emotional core. For instance, the makers couldve tapped into the life of Tabbys wifes, who is uncertain and hopeful about her husbands return at the same time. Ahuja too misses Tabby and finds himself looking at his pictures from time to time but these sequences arent enough to wrench your heart. Here, the makers opt for a tell-more-and-show-less approach, which isnt the greatest creative tool when it comes to storytelling. Akshay Kumar plays KO Ahuja (fictionalisation of OP Taneja). Hes tailor-made for the part of a Group Captain compassionate and formidable in equal parts but what he truly deserves applause for is the way in which he steps away and lets Tabby take the centre stage when the time comes. A sign of a true superstar, indeed! In Sky Force, debutant Veer Pahariyas Tabby (fictionalisation of Ajjamada Boppayya Devayya) is the hero. He may not be there through the second half of the film but its his story that forms that crux of the screenplay. Veer delivers a very good performance and shines bright even as he shares screen space with an actor of the stature and calibre of Akshay. Sara Ali Khan, in her brief screen time, too, dishes out an impressive act. She downplays a helpless wife and manages to strike a chord to the best of her ability. Nimrat Kaur in a special appearance looks stunning but she doesnt contribute much to the story. Soham Majumdar and Sharad Kelkar deserve a special mention. The aerial saga is a true Republic Day treat and it deserves a watch for its execution and treatment. It packs a punch without trying too hard and sets a precedent for a modern-day patriotic film where friendship and loyalty take a precedence over politics and ultra-nationalism. First Published: January 23, 2025, 16:04 IST Veer Pahariya Attends Sky Force Premiere With Mother, Holds Her Hand On His Way To The Theatre | Watch Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: January 23, 2025, 22:37 IST Veer Pahariya debuts in Bollywood with Sky Force, starring Akshay Kumar and Sara Ali Khan. He attended the premiere with his mother. The film got 4 stars from News18. Veer Pahariya plays a key role in Sky Force. Veer Pahariya, set to make his Bollywood debut in Sky Force alongside Akshay Kumar and Sara Ali Khan, was spotted attending the films premiere with his mother. In viral photos and videos, Veer is seen escorting his mother to the screening hall, exuding charm in a black t-shirt and a black bomber jacket emblazoned with the Sky Force logo. His mother, Smruti Shinde, looked elegant in a beige salwar suit and was visibly brimming with pride as she held her sons hand, making her way into the venue. The heartwarming moment has already caught the attention of fans. Check out the video here: related stories In another video, Veer was seen interacting with his friends Nysa Devgan, daughter of Bollywood actors Ajay Devgn and Kajol, and social media sensation Orhan Awatramani aka Orry inside the screening venue. Ahead of the films release, Veer Pahariya visited the Mahakaleshwar Temple in Ujjain on Thursday to seek Lord Shivas blessings. Veer, who plays a key role in the movie, arrived at the temple early in the morning and offered prashad and flower garlands at the Shivling. Speaking about his visit, he said, It was joyful (visiting Mahakaleshwar Temple) Yesterday, around 3:30 in the night, I felt as if Baba was calling me. So I came to the temple today. What can be bigger than getting his blessings before my biggest day (the release of my debut film Skyforce)." Skyforce marks Veer Pahariyas entry into Bollywood. Directed by Abhishek Anil Kapur and Sandeep Kewlani, the film is inspired by the true events of the 1965 Indo-Pakistani War, highlighting Indias retaliatory strike on Pakistans Sargodha airbase. News18 Showsha gave the film 4 stars. An excerpt from the review read, Veer delivers a very good performance and shines bright even as he shares screen space with an actor of the stature and calibre of Akshay. Sara Ali Khan, in her brief screen time, too, dishes out an impressive act. She downplays a helpless wife and manages to strike a chord to the best of her ability. Nimrat Kaur in a special appearance looks stunning but she doesnt contribute much to the story. Soham Majumdar and Sharad Kelkar deserve a special mention." First Published: January 23, 2025, 21:48 IST Global Watch | Why Tibet Has Become A Hotspot For Natural Calamities Written By : News18.com Last Updated: January 23, 2025, 17:16 IST Geologically, the Tibetan Plateau ranks among the most seismically active areas worldwide, serving as a convergence zone for the Indian and Eurasian tectonic plates In this photo released by Xinhua News Agency, rescue workers conduct search and rescue for survivors in the aftermath of an earthquake in Changsuo Township of Dingri in Xigaze, southwestern China's Tibet Autonomous Region on Tuesday, Jan. 7, 2025. (Xinhua via AP) On 7 January 2025, Tibet, often referred to as the roof of the world", experienced a catastrophic earthquake measuring 7.1 on the Richter scale, which struck Tingri County in the Shigatse prefecture, located approximately 80 km north of Mount Everest. This seismic event has led to a tragic loss of life, with over 100 confirmed fatalities and more than 300 individuals injured, while the tremors were felt widely across South Asia, resulting in injuries among residents in both Nepal and northern India. In terms of infrastructure, the earthquake destroyed over 1,000 homes in Tingri County, displacing thousands during the harsh winter months when temperatures can plummet to minus 15 degrees Celsius. The destruction has left many without shelter in an already inhospitable environment, and rescue operations are further complicated by severe weather conditions typical of the upper Himalayas, exacerbating the suffering of those affected by this disaster. Geologically, the Tibetan Plateau ranks among the most seismically active areas worldwide, serving as a convergence zone for the Indian and Eurasian tectonic plates. The mountains in this region are relatively young and unstable, resulting in frequent and devastating earthquakes that impact areas from Tibet to other parts of the Himalayas. The earthquake of 2025 serves as a stark reminder of the regions susceptibility to seismic events. Beyond earthquakes, various natural disasters are prevalent in this area; for instance, in January 2023, an avalanche in Nyingchi resulted in 28 fatalities. Similarly, in August 2016, severe flooding occurred in Tashigan township within Lhatse County due to a breach in river embankments. related stories Additionally, in July 2024, heavy rainfall led to significant erosion along a highway, stranding over 100 individuals in a mountainous town. Chinese Infrastructure Projects And Seismic Activity In Tibet Since its annexation of Tibet, China has endeavoured to assimilate the Tibetan populace into its framework, with large-scale road construction being a primary objective to connect Tibet with mainland China. However, following Xi Jinpings ascension as General Secretary of the Communist Party of China, the focus has shifted towards other infrastructure initiatives, particularly the development of dams for hydroelectric power generation. The Chinese government justifies this shift by asserting the necessity to reduce coal dependency and meet energy demands through alternative sources. While hydroelectric power is considered a cleaner energy option, it poses significant risks; the creation of reservoirs through dam construction alters the natural flow of rivers. A report by Radio Free Asia notes that in 2013, academic Tashi Tsering documented 114 dams either constructed or proposed on three major Tibetan rivers, and a decade later, this number has increased to at least 193. According to a report by the International Campaign for Tibet, a Washington-based organisation, the construction of all proposed dams in Tibet could result in the relocation of between 750,000 and 1.5 million Tibetans. In February of last year, numerous Tibetan monasteries protested against Chinese authorities upon discovering plans for an 1100-megawatt hydroelectric plant in Sichuan, which would lead to the submersion of six monasteries. This situation has raised significant concerns regarding the preservation of cultural heritage and the rights of local communities amid ongoing infrastructural developments in the region. The recent earthquake has intensified concerns regarding the safety and environmental ramifications of constructing large infrastructure in seismically active regions. Experts contend that substantial dams erected in such areas may exacerbate geological instability, potentially leading to disasters such as earthquakes and landslides. This situation raises critical questions about the long-term sustainability of these projects and the risks they pose to downstream communities, particularly given their proximity to major fault lines. The construction of large dams in Tibet carries significant environmental and geopolitical consequences. Environmentally, these initiatives threaten the delicate ecosystems of the Tibetan Plateau, which plays a crucial role in Asias hydrology and climate systems. Disruptions to river flow can have catastrophic effects on agriculture, fisheries, and biodiversity, impacting millions downstream in countries including India, Nepal, Bangladesh, and Bhutan. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all The January 2025 earthquake serves as a tragic reminder of Tibets seismic vulnerability and highlights numerous overlooked issues. The top-down approach to development is causing significant distress for the Tibetan population, whose homes are increasingly threatened by earthquakes, avalanches, and floods. The pressures from these activities may have spill-over effects to the south of Tibet, further complicating the situation. It is essential for the international community and concerned nations to acknowledge the escalating vulnerabilities in Tibet due to these infrastructural developments. Through timely and collective action, millions of lives could be safeguarded in both Tibet and South Asia. The writer is an author and columnist and has written several books. His X handle is @ArunAnandLive. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect News18s views. First Published: January 23, 2025, 17:14 IST In Davos, Chandrababu Naidu Bats For Work From Home To Empower Women Reported By : CNN-News18 Edited By: Apoorva Misra Last Updated: January 23, 2025, 15:32 IST The Andhra Pradesh chief minister said the biggest beneficiary of such a transition in work culture will be women, especially those who are educated but cannot go out and work due to multiple constraints At the centre of Naidus pitch at the World Economic Forum in Davos is the contention that WFH has huge potential to create employment and provide opportunities. (X @ncbn) Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu, while focusing on building new links and attracting investment for his state, is not just looking at the sectors that can impact industries, but has ideas that can actually benefit the commoner. After the Covid-19 pandemic, work from home (WFH) has become an acceptable trend across the country, with some organisations still pursuing a hybrid model, which essentially means working from a site for a few days and then working from the comfort of home. related stories At the centre of Naidus pitch at the World Economic Forum in Davos is the contention that WFH has huge potential to create employment and provide opportunities, along with a decent salary. The pitch will have resonance back home as Naidu has said that the biggest beneficiary of such an impactful transition in work culture will be women, especially those who are educated but cannot go out and work due to multiple constraints. Such women are often reduced to just being homemakers. The Andhra chief minister, who is known to be a visionary, was responsible for the IT revolution in the state a few decades ago. In Davos, Naidu would want to reach out to global aggregators to come to his state with a vision of providing a skilled workforce and neighbourhood working solutions. This will help mainstream those left out or under-paid and bring practical job-oriented upskilling to your doorstep," an Andhra Pradesh government source told News18. It would essentially be a win-win situation for both sides. For big companies searching for skilled workforce, preference for WFH or a hybrid model would help save overhead expenses. Apart from this, cheap labour and data in India in comparison to the West would also benefit companies. For the workers, meanwhile, working from a location close to home would not only help save overhead expenses, but preferably keep them closer to their culture with the constantly evolving infrastructure in Tier 2 and Tier-3 cities. Despite having the requisite skill set and the ability to upskill themselves, there are certain hindrances which prevent women from working. Women who are skilled but cant afford to travel and work in some other city due to their family situation will get an in-situ opportunity. That is the reason the government is putting so much stress on this," the official added. A few weeks ago, while speaking in Andhra Pradesh, the chief minister had made a mention of women in workforce as a prime agenda for his government. Naidu had then said that it was alarming to see so many women who are talented and educated but are not able to use their skills because of family issues. He noted that they can be a very effective workforce if given co-working space or an option to work from home. The AP government is committed to making co-working spaces in different parts of the state, both in government as well as private sectors, by December 2025. Even while he was addressing the Telugu diaspora in an event during his ongoing visit to the forum, Naidu called upon the community to support his initiative of making his state the Work From Home capital" of the world. Women are extremely talented and are very sincere. They have certain chores to finish at home, but for the remaining period, they can utilise the time if given an opportunity to work from home or a nearby coworking space. The minimum that they can earn is Rs 40,000 per month and this amount can also go up further, depending on each skill set. I hope all of you will support this initiative for women empowerment," Naidu said in Zurich. Skilling and up-skilling is also one focus area for the Andhra Pradesh government. At a time when political leaders across the platform are interested in doing a caste census, Naidu has said that the need of the hour for a young country like India is to do skill census". top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Naidus visit to the WEF comes at a significant time. So far, he has held meetings with world leaders in their respective fields, seeking engagements and investments in Andhra Pradesh. Three decades after his meeting with Bill Gates in 1995 where the two discussed the importance of information technology, the duo reconnected and spoke about the rising potential of Artificial Intelligence (AI). In Davos today, I announced the upcoming CII Centre for Global Leadership on Competitiveness in Amaravati with the @TataCompanies. The GLC will collaborate with leading global and Indian institutions to provide transformative education, advanced skill development, and capacity building. Focused on boosting industrial competitiveness through training and advisory services, the GLC shall aim to attract investments, create jobs, and drive Andhra Pradeshs economic growth, contributing to Indias Vision 2047. @FollowCII #InvestInAP #WEF2025," the CM wrote on X. Location : Switzerland First Published: January 23, 2025, 15:29 IST Saif Ali Khan 'Walking, Waving' After Discharge From Mumbai Hospital Sparks Debate Over Attack Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: January 23, 2025, 16:01 IST Saif Ali Khan was discharged from hospital five days after undergoing surgery, sparking a debate over his quick recovery. Actor was seen walking and waving his hand as he reached his residence. Actor Saif Ali Khan was discharged from hospital five days after undergoing surgery. (Image: ANI) A debate over Saif Ali Khans attack has broken out, with some political leaders questioning if he was indeed stabbed or he was acting", while others came out in support of the actor and his bravery. Maharashtra Minister Nitesh Rane has raised questions over the attack on Saif Ali Khan, asking if the actor was really stabbed or if he was acting". Rane said that Saif, who was discharged from the hospital on January 21, was dancing while walking" back to his residence. related stories His remarks came a day after Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Nirupam raised questions over the actors quick recovery in five days after he was stabbed six times by an intruder at his house on January 16 morning. Saif underwent a six-hour-long surgery as a 2.5-inch knife was stabbed in his body. The actor had also suffered an injury near his spine and had to be shifted to the ICU following the surgery. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Viral Bhayani (@viralbhayani) What Did Nitesh Rane Say On Saif Ali Khans Attack? Addressing an event in Pune on Wednesday, Rane took a potshot at illegal immigration, referring to the arrest of a Bangladeshi man accused of attacking Saif, and said that he may have entered the actors residence to take him away". Look at what Bangladeshis are doing in Mumbai. They entered Saif Ali Khans house. Earlier they used to stand at the crossings of the roads, now they have started entering houses. Maybe he came to take him (Saif) away. It is good, garbage should be taken away," he said. The Minister said that the way Saif walked in comfortably to his home after being discharged from the Lilavati Hospital made him doubt whether the actor was stabbed or he was acting". I saw when he came out of the hospital, I doubted whether he had been stabbed or he was acting. He was dancing while walking. Whenever any Khan like Shahrukh Khan or Saif Ali Khan gets hurt, everyone starts talking about it. When a Hindu actor like Sushant Singh Rajput is tortured, no one comes forward to say anything," Rane said. The BJP leader further attacked the Opposition for taking a stand on religious lines. That Mumbras Jeetuddin (Jitendra Awhad) and Baramatis Tai (Supriya Sule) did not come forward to say anything They are only worried about Saif Ali Khan, Shah Rukh Khans son, and Nawab Malik Have you ever seen them worrying about any Hindu artist You guys should pay attention to all these things," Rane said. #WATCH | Pune: Maharashtra Minister Nitesh Rane says, Look at what Bangladeshis are doing in Mumbai. They entered Saif Ali Khans house. Earlier they used to stand at the crossings of the roads, now they have started entering houses. Maybe he came to take him (Saif) away. It is pic.twitter.com/XUBwpwQ6RQ ANI (@ANI) January 23, 2025 Sanjay Nirupam On Saif Ali Khan Raising doubts over the swift recovery of the actor, Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Nirupam said on Wednesday that Saif returned home jumping and dancing" from the hospital. He sought to know how deadly the attack on him was. Has the medical sector progressed so much that Saif Ali Khan comes to his home jumping and dancing (after the attack) It should be revealed how deadly the attack was and how badly he was injured. The family should come forward and disclose this because, after this incident, such an atmosphere was created in Mumbai that the law and order of Mumbai has collapsed, the Home Ministry has failed, the Maharashtra government has been ruined, and every citizen in Mumbai is unsafe," Nirupam said. The way Saif came out (of the hospital), it seems as if nothing happened 4 days ago I want to ask the doctors, can a person whose operation lasted for 6 hours come out in such good shape within 4 days?" the Shiv Sena leader added. Pooja Bhatt, Others Come Out In Saifs Support On the other hand, Shaina NC, leader of BJPs ally Shiv Sena, said that Saif walked out like a tiger" from the hospital. She took a potshot at certain people of the political class" and said that they were questioning the integrity of the Mumbai Police. Just because Saif Ali Khan walked in like a lion with a knife near his spine and his 8-year-old son, he has proudly walked out like a tiger. Instead of being happy for him and the fact that his life got saved, I dont know what the media and certain people of the political class are doing by questioning the integrity of the police force. Lets talk about safety measures in this high-profile case," Shaina said. Indian actor and director Pooja Bhatt has slammed the conspiracy theorists" and said that the same people who are questioning Saif had lauded him when he had checked into the hospital on the night of the attack on his own. The graphic details of the stabbing that emerged in the media painted an image in peoples heads about Saifs physical state. That image was perhaps not in sync with the visuals of seeing him walk out of hospital on his own two feet," she said in an interview with ETimes. She said that Saif has shown courage and set an example for others and therefore people should not speculate in his case. But dont these very people forget that they lauded him for walking himself into the hospital as well? A man who checks himself into the hospital in a wounded, traumatised condition surely has the grit to walk out of the hospital on his own. We should be applauding this instead of resorting to being conspiracy theorists," she said. Opposition Reacts To Nitesh Ranes Remark Reacting to Ranes remark, NCP-SP leader Rohit Pawar said that there is a need to recruit more people in the BSF and Army. My request to him is that instead of just speaking in front of the media, he should meet Rajnath Singh ji and request him to recruit people in defence, in the Border Security Force and make our border security more strong. After that, I think the number of people coming from outside will decrease," he said. National Conference chief Farooq Abdullah said that the entire nation cannot be blamed for one mans doing". If someone has come and attacked Saif Ali Khan, you cant blame a nation for one mans doingHow can you put one person who does something on the nation? If an Indian does something bad in the UK, will you blame India for it? Its that man, not the nationHow many illegal Indians are in America? President Trump has just given the figures. What would you call that?" Abdullah said. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Notably, the actor was rushed to the hospital on January 16 after being stabbed by an intruder, identified as Mohammad Shariful Islam Shehzad who is a Bangladeshi national. Shariful was arrested from Thane after three days of intense manhunt. (With ANI inputs) First Published: January 23, 2025, 13:17 IST OpenAI Tells India Court ChatGPT Data Removal Will Breach US Legal Rules Last Updated: January 23, 2025, 09:00 IST OpenAI has told an Indian court that any order to remove training data powering its ChatGPT service would be inconsistent with its legal obligations in the United States, according to a recent filing seen by Reuters. OpenAI tells Indian Court about its need to follow US rules. NEW DELHI: OpenAI has told an Indian court that any order to remove training data powering its ChatGPT service would be inconsistent with its legal obligations in the United States, according to a recent filing seen by Reuters. The Microsoft-backed AI firm also said that it was not within the jurisdiction of Indian courts to hear a copyright breach case brought by local news agency ANI as OpenAI had no presence in the country. related stories In the most high-profile and closely-tracked lawsuit on AI use in India, ANI sued OpenAI in Delhi in November, accusing it of using the news agency's published content without permission to train ChatGPT. OpenAI responded to the lawsuit, which is also seeking the deletion of ANI's data already stored by ChatGPT, in an 86-page filing at the Delhi High Court dated Jan. 10 which has not previously been reported. OpenAI and other firms have faced a wave of similar lawsuits from prominent copyright owners over alleged misuse of their work to train AI models, including a case brought by the New York Times against OpenAI in the United States. OpenAI has repeatedly denied the allegations, saying its AI systems make fair use of publicly available data. During a November hearing, OpenAI told the Delhi court it would not use ANI's content anymore but the news agency argued its published works were stored in ChatGPT's memory and should be deleted. In the Jan. 10 submission, OpenAI said that it is currently defending litigation in the United States concerning the data on which its models have been trained, with laws there requiring it to preserve the data while hearings are pending. OpenAI "is therefore under a legal obligation, under the laws of the United States to preserve, and not delete, the said training data", it said. OpenAI did not respond to a request for comment. In its submission, OpenAI also said the relief being claimed by ANI was not subject to the processes of Indian courts and was beyond their jurisdiction. The company has "no office or permanent establishment in India the servers on which (ChatGPT) stores its training data are similarly situated outside of India". ANI, in which Reuters holds a 26% interest, in a statement said that it believes the Delhi court has jurisdiction to decide on the matter, and it would file a detailed response. A Reuters spokesperson did not respond immediately to a request for comment but the agency in November said it was not involved in ANI's business practices or operations. The New Delhi court is due to hear the case on Jan. 28. OpenAI has been gearing up to transition from a non-profit enterprise into a for-profit business as it looks to capture even more funding to stay ahead in the costly AI race after raising $6.6 billion last year. In recent months, it has signed deals with Time magazine, the Financial Times, Business Insider-owner Axel Springer, France's Le Monde and Spain's Prisa Media to display content. ANI has also said it is concerned about unfair competition given OpenAI's commercial partnerships with other news organisations, and has told the court that in response to user prompts, ChatGPT reproduced verbatim or substantially similar extracts of ANI's works. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all In its rebuttal submission, OpenAI argues that ANI "has sought to use verbatim extracts of its own article as a prompt, in an attempt to manipulate ChatGPT". First Published: January 23, 2025, 09:00 IST Australian Cruise Line Staff Slammed For Wearing Ku Klux Klan-Like Costume At Christmas Party Curated By : Trending Desk Last Updated: January 23, 2025, 16:54 IST Some crew members appeared in an all-white ensemble which allegedly looked quite similar to the gear worn by the infamous white supremacist group Ku Klux Klan. The crew reportedly wanted to look like 'upside-down snow cones'. (Photo Credits: X) A cruise line staff in Australia stirred controversy for their choice of costume for a Christmas-themed party. The event unfolded on a P&O Cruises Australia vessel on December 19 last year. A group of crew members appeared in an all-white ensemble which allegedly looked quite similar to the gear worn by the infamous white supremacist group Ku Klux Klan. In a video going viral, the employees, decked up in white co-ord sets and matching conned hats, were captured marching on the vessel alongside a person dressed as Santa Claus. Their appearance reportedly shocked many passengers on board. One such individual told Daily Mail Australia, There was a lot of excitement for the event then it all went quiet when the staff walked out. The lack of judgment was astounding." One of her fellow passengers even branded it as a KKK Cruise". related stories An American investor who dropped glimpses of the Christmas event on X mentioned that the crew chose the white outfit to look like upside-down snow cones". Travelers on a P&O Cruises Australia ship were horrified to see staff walking around with white hoods on," the user added in his post. NEW: Cruise line staff dresses up for a Christmas costume party, cruise line insists they were dressed up as upside-down snow cones."Travelers on a P&O Cruises Australia ship were horrified to see staff walking around with white hoods on. Communications director Lynne pic.twitter.com/Kc9Oqc6oFE Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) January 22, 2025 The company later issued an apology. During an interaction with People, communications director Lynne Scrivens claimed, They were taking part in a Christmas family fun day on the ship as part of our Christmas crew. It was a tug-of-war event where the crew dressed up, and our housekeeping crew decided to dress up as snow cones." Our crew are from different cultures all over the world. Theyre young, and they had just never heard of that organization or what their outfits could symbolize. They live and work on a cruise ship. Theyre not going to Spotlight to buy a bunch of materials for fancy dress. Theyve got to make do with what theyve got. They were actually wearing their cleaning uniforms," she added. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all The X post featuring the video went viral in no time, attracting reactions from many users. One of the viewers commented, The vast majority of cruise line staff are 3rd world foreigners, I wouldnt expect them to know 19th and 20th-century American history." They knew exactly what they were doing," added another. A user defended the cruise line staff, saying, So young adults from Australia are supposed to know the entire history of the United States? What a joke. No one was hurt." Echoing the same sentiment, a person asked, How much of the rest of the world knows about the KKK? It is just an American thing." The video has already garnered more than six million views on the X platform. Location : Delhi, India First Published: January 23, 2025, 16:54 IST Doctors Explain Why Saif Ali Khan Had A Speedy Recovery Despite Multiple Stabbings: He Had A Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: January 23, 2025, 14:50 IST Saif Ali Khan was repeatedly stabbed by Bangladesh national Shariful Islam Shehzad Mohammad Rohilla Amin Fakir at his Bandra home on January 16. Bollywood actor Saif Ali Khan returned his Bandra home amid tight security. (Image/ANI) Saif Ali Khan returned to his Bandra home, Satguru Sharan, on January 21 after being discharged from Lilavati Hospital. He had been treated for multiple stab wounds caused by an intruder who broke into his house on January 16 at around 2 am. As the actor ditched a wheelchair and walked inside his Bandra home just five days after the incident, people started doubting if he really had spine surgery. Amid this, a Bengaluru-based cardiologist, Dr Deepak Krishnamurthy, offered an explanation for the actors speedy recovery. related stories In a series of posts on X (formerly known as Twitter), Dr Krishnamurthy wrote, For people doubting if Saif Ali Khan really had a spine surgery (funnily even some doctors!)." Alongside, he shared a video of his mother walking with a fractured foot in a cast, just hours after undergoing spine surgery for a fractured bone in her spine. He revealed that his mother was discharged from the hospital the next day. Read| Shocks Me That Taimur Took Saif Ali Khan To Hospital, Says Nanny Lalita DSilva After Stab Incident This is a video of my mother from 2022 at the age of 78y, walking with a fractured foot in a cast and a spine surgery on the same evening when spine surgery was done. A younger fit person can recover even faster. For doctors who are doubting Saifs recovery all I want to tell you is to get better exposure," he added. For people doubting if Saif Ali Khan really had a spine surgery (funnily even some doctors!). This is a video of my mother from 2022 at the age of 78y, walking with a fractured foot in a cast and a spine surgery on the same evening when spine surgery was done. #MedTwitter. A pic.twitter.com/VF2DoopTNL Dr Deepak Krishnamurthy (@DrDeepakKrishn1) January 22, 2025 Dr Krishnamurthy then explained that the actor only had a leak and a tear: What Saif had was only a cerebrospinal fluid leak and a tear in dura mater [a thick membrane that protects the brain and spinal cord], which was repaired." He further said, Nowadays, people who have had cardiac bypass surgeries walk and climb stairs on 3rd 4th day! Please educate yourselves about things before coming on social media and proudly displaying your ignorance! Talk to experts, read up and learn." Dr Amit Thadhani, who is a surgeon, also commented on the actors remarkable recovery. Saw the video of Saif walking out of hospital in good condition. Thats the beauty of modern medicine," he wrote on X. He explained, Dural puncture with CSF leak close the defect, remove drain in 2-3 days and discharge. Nowadays, major spine surgery itself has become a one day stay with no bed rest needed." Catch live updates on Saif Ali Khan attack here. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Most likely exploration of the neck wound would have been negative for major injury with only suturing needed, no stay required for that too. Neck dressing is visible on the video. I dont see anything fishy as far as treatment is concerned," Dr Thadhani further said. While responding to one of the comments on his posts, Dr Thadhani explained, My guess is he was stabbed in the back while he was trying to hold the attacker off. Hence, most likely its gone obliquely paraspinal where there is a lot of muscle that can cause the blade to break off without penetrating into the spinal canal. Had he been stabbed in the back upfront, it would have gone dead straight, hit the bone and stopped, or in worst case gone through or next to the disc into the spinal cord." First Published: January 23, 2025, 14:07 IST How New Zealand Determines Ownership Of Meteorites And Regulates Their Exports Curated By : Trending Desk Last Updated: January 23, 2025, 16:30 IST In New Zealand, if a meteorite crashes on private land, the owner of the property is allowed to keep the space rock. Every country follows a specific rule to determine the ownership of meteorites. (Representative Image) Meteorite collection has become a popular hobby across the world. But acquiring ownership of these space rocks may not be as simple as it seems. Every day, nearly 48.5 tonnes of meteorites rush to the Earth. The majority of it disintegrates in the planets atmosphere. The ones that land on the Earths surface may sometimes ignite debates about their legal ownership. Meteorite hunting and trading have become a booming business in recent times. Researchers, however, believe these alien rocks help uncover fascinating details about the universe. related stories Every country follows a specific rule to determine the ownership of meteorites. Some allow private collectors to keep them, while others have only mandated state ownership without any compensation. As in New Zealand, Canada, France, the US and the UK, if a meteorite crashes on private land, the owner of the property is allowed to keep the rock. Last year, an apple-sized space rock weighing 810g was recorded in New Zealand. It was found inside the Department of Conservation in the central South Island near Takapo. Jack Weterings, a member of Fireballs Aotearoa (a citizen science group tracking meteorites) was the first to spot the meteorite. As per the regulations, Waterings team could keep the cosmic object for research purposes. The organisation also mentioned they had no commercial interest" in meteorites and would donate them all to museums for public display. In 2004, a family saw a 1.3kg Ellerslie meteorite crash land through the roof of their house in Auckland, New Zealand. Many collectors wanted to purchase the space rock. Ignoring those offers, the family finally chose to sell the meteorite to the Auckland War Memorial Museum. Meteorite hunting for commercial purposes has seen a rise across several countries, including China. Some of them have managed to stop exports with strict laws. In New Zealand, meteorites have been brought under the Protected Objects Act 1975, which restricts the transfer of ownership of cultural property. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Before exporting such objects, citizens must obtain permission from the chief executive of the Ministry for Culture and Heritage. The penalties for illegally exporting or attempting to export meteorites without a license are severe. They include automatic custody of the object by the Crown, a prison term of five years, and a fine of up to NZ$100,000 for an individual and $200,000 for an organisation. Location : Delhi, India First Published: January 23, 2025, 16:30 IST Monalisa Claims Men Entered Her Tent At Maha Kumbh Mela For Photos, Attacked Her Brother Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: January 23, 2025, 09:55 IST Monalisa, in a now-viral video, has alleged that nine people entered her tent and attacked her brother at the Maha Kumbh Mela. Monalisa claimed that nine people attacked her brother. (Screengrab) Monalisa Moni Bhonsle, the viral garland seller with amber eyes from Indore, has alleged that a group of men forcefully entered her tent to take pictures with her despite her refusal. When her brother intervened to delete the pictures from their phones, the men allegedly attacked him. In a video, Monalisa recounted, Some men approached me saying that my father had sent them to take pictures with me. I refused and told them that if my father had sent them, they should go to him only. I wouldnt click pictures with them." related stories Ever since she rose to fame because of her natural beauty, people have been chasing her for photos. Expressing her fear, she added, I am scared. No one is here. Anyone can harm me. There is no electricity. Still, people forcefully entered the tent." Read| Monalisa Bhonsle, Maha Kumbhs Viral Flower Seller, Forced To Leave After Harassment By Crowd She further revealed that her father later arrived and denied sending anyone to her. My father confronted them and shouted, asking how they could forcefully enter my tent. I even asked my father if he sent them, but he denied it," Monalisa shared. My brother, angry and protective, tried to snatch their phones to delete my photos. Thats when nine men attacked him," the 16-year-old further shared. - ! @dgpup pic.twitter.com/QNPjBy995M Hansraj Meena (@HansrajMeena) January 22, 2025 Monalisa rose to fame for her striking beauty after an influencer captured her on video at the Maha Kumbh Mela and shared it online. Since then, she has been hounded by people for pictures and interviews, which has significantly impacted her garland sales. Also Read| Mona Lisa Of Mahakumbh: Garland Seller From Indore Is Internets New Favourite top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Recently, reports surfaced claiming her father had sent her home. However, her grandfather has reportedly refuted these claims, stating that she remains at the Maha Kumbh Mela. She is getting very upset in Prayagraj. She is not able to work. Everyone keeps following her. They come with cameras and keep talking. She is not able to sell her products," ABP quoted her grandfather, who is a resident of Maheshwar in the Khargone district of Madhya Pradesh, as saying. First Published: January 23, 2025, 09:51 IST Ricky Gervais Pays Emotional Tribute To Beloved After Life Dog, Antilly, At 13 Curated By : Trending Desk Last Updated: January 23, 2025, 19:12 IST Born in Herefordshire, Antilly debuted in the film industry when she was one and worked in several movies till turning 11. Antilly breathed her last at her home in Oxfordshire. (Photo Credits: X) British actor Ricky Gervais paid a heartfelt tribute to his on-screen dog in After Life, Brandy, who passed away at 13. The German shepherd, Vislor Antilly aka Anti, appeared in three seasons of the Netflix comedy series. Gervais played the character of Tony, a newspaper reporter whose life changed after the tragic death of his wife. Not only After Life but Antilly was also part of Tom Cruises Edge Of Tomorrow and The Midnight Sky featuring George Clooney. Gervais shared the news of Antis demise via a social media post and hailed the dog as a beautiful soul. Sad News. Anti, who played Brandy in AfterLife, has died. She was 13 and a very good girl," the 63-year-old comedian wrote on X. Im so glad that I told her a hundred times a day that she was a very good girl," he told the BBC. related stories Sad News. 'Anti', who played 'Brandy' in AfterLife, has died. She was 13 and a very good girl pic.twitter.com/KgxnFfAOWl Ricky Gervais (@rickygervais) January 22, 2025 Antilly breathed her last at her home in Oxfordshire. She was raised by Travis and Ashley Foster, who was as a henchman in Christopher Nolans Batman: The Dark Knight. Antilly visited the set when she was only 10 weeks old. Vislor Antilly, known to most people worldwide as Brandy, Ricky Gervais loyal sidekick in the Netflix smash hit After Life, has passed away peacefully at her home in Oxfordshire at the age of 13," they shared in a statement. Born in Herefordshire, Antilly debuted in the movie industry at the age of one and worked in several movies till turning 11. She was last seen in the Midsomer Murders episode The Debt Of Lies, released in July 2024. The German shepherds portrayed the role of a retired police dog dealing with a murder case. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all The first season of After Life started screening in 2019. The series also starred David Bradley, Ashley Jensen, Tom Basden, Tony Way, Kerry Godliman, Roisin Conaty and Diane Morgan. The final season of the comedy-drama released in 2022. In the very next year, Clooney cast Antilly in his directorial, The Boys In The Boat. The dog was also seen in BBCs The Capture, Britains Got More Talent as well as ITVs Doc Martin. Location : Delhi, India First Published: January 23, 2025, 19:12 IST When Bill Gates Shocked His Teacher By Bringing Cow Lung To School Curated By : Trending Desk Last Updated: January 23, 2025, 13:14 IST Young Gates wrapped the cow lung in a white paper and took it to school to showcase his experiment. Bill Gates shared that a girl in his class fainted after seeing the cow lung. (Photo credits: Instagram) Bill Gates recreated the experiment he did with a cow lung as a fourth grader in school. The former Microsoft CEO is gearing up to launch his new book, Source Code. The memoir will include many interesting stories from his childhood. Gates spoke about one of them in a recent video shared on Instagram. In the widely viral clip, the tech billionaire revealed how he shocked his teacher and classmates by bringing a cow lung to school. Though some of his fellow students felt disgusted by the organ, Gates believes his experiment was a big hit". So when I was in fourth grade, my teacher said, Bring in something interesting for show and tell, and I remembered talking to my dad; I think he was the one who said, We could go to the slaughterhouse and get a cow lung," the 69-year-old said in the Instagram video. related stories The idea seemed interesting to young Gates who wrapped the cow lung in a white paper and took it to school. When I unwrapped it (the white sheet), it was a mixture of awe and disgust. Yeah, I actually didnt use gloves," he added. When Gates was reminiscing about his childhood memory, a cow lung and gloves were presented in front of him. He confirmed that the organ was almost identical" to the one he used in school. Gates then went on to do the same experiment, showing how the cow lung changes its shape when air goes in and out of it. He smilingly shared that a girl in his class had fainted after watching it. His teacher did react positively but said, Hey, that was great, but get that thing out of the class." top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all When my teacher said bring something interesting" for show and tell, I dont think she expected a cow lung. Its just one of many stories from my childhood that I share in my new memoir, Source Code, Gates wrote in the caption of his Instagram post. The book covering stories of Gatess childhood and the early days of Microsoft" is slated to be published in February. Gates, a Harvard drop-out, co-founded the tech company along with Paul Allen in 1975. In 2020, he reportedly stepped down from the Microsoft board and after a few years, he donated a huge portion of his shares to the Gates Foundation. Location : Delhi, India First Published: January 23, 2025, 13:12 IST Apologise For Anti-Pakistan Propaganda To Get Starlink Approval: Pakistan To Musk Published By : AFP Last Updated: January 23, 2025, 16:31 IST Pakistani senators want Musk to apologise for saying that Pakistani-origin men sexually abused women in the UK over a period of many years in Rotherham. Pakistani senators have called for an apology from billionaire Elon Musk, accusing him of anti-Pakistan propaganda while seeking approval for his Starlink service. (IMAGE: REUTERS) Pakistan senators are demanding an apology from billionaire Elon Musk, a lawmaker told AFP on Thursday, accusing him of anti-Pakistan propaganda" as he seeks regulatory approval for his Starlink service in the country. Musks Starlink satellite internet service has applied for a licence to operate in Pakistan, but is awaiting clearance before users will be allowed to log on. related stories A senate committee on information technology and telecommunications met Wednesday to hear updates from officials assessing his application. But committee chair Palwasha Mohammad Zai Khan told AFP several senators denounced" Musks anti-Pakistani propaganda" in recent comments he made on his social media platform X. Musk has repeatedly highlighted claims that men of Pakistani origin were responsible for a spate of historic rape cases targeting mostly white girls in England. It was said that approval should be given on condition of his apology," Khan told AFP. We are not saying it should be a pre-condition but it was a part of the discussion and we can only give our recommendations to the government," she added. Musk began launching attacks against the UK government this month after it resisted calls for a national inquiry into the historic abuse cases. In Rotherham, a town of 265,000 inhabitants, a gang drugged, raped and sexually exploited at least 1,400 girls over a 16-year period from 1997, a public inquiry concluded in 2014. A series of court cases eventually led to the conviction of dozens of men, mostly of South Asian origin. The victims were vulnerable, mostly white, girls. An Indian lawmaker made a post on 8 January saying: They arent ASIAN Grooming Gangs but PAKISTANI grooming gangs. Why should Asians take the fall for one absolute rogue nation?" Musk commented with a message saying: True". The historic abuse cases regularly prompt debate in the UK, where some claim they are used to enflame Islamaphobia while others say they are being quashed to prevent debate. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Whilst Musks electric vehicle and space ventures made him a billionaire, he has recently emerged as a political figure affiliated with newly inaugurated President Donald Trump. Trump has tasked Musk, the worlds richest man, with slashing billions of dollars of federal government spending as head of a new Department of Government Efficiency". Location : Islamabad, Pakistan First Published: January 23, 2025, 16:31 IST Sean Curran, Who Rushed To Aid Trump During Assassination Bid, Named US Secret Service Director Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: January 23, 2025, 09:45 IST Sean Curran has been appointed the new Director of the US Secret Service, as Donald Trump praised his leadership and courage during an assassination attempt on him at a rally in Pennsylvania. Donald Trump appoints Sean Curran as the next Director of the United States Secret Service (Photo: Getty) US President Donald Trump on Thursday appointed Sean Curran as the next Director of the United States Secret Service. Curran has worked as a Secret Service agent and was among several agents who surrounded Trump as a gunman in Butler, Pennsylvania, opened fire on the then-candidate, leaving him with a bloodied ear. He was identified by US media as the man in sunglasses to the right of Trump in a series of iconic photos showing the Republican raising a defiant fist as he is escorted offstage with blood trickling down his face. related stories The development was confirmed by the US President via a post on Truth Social. It is my great honor to appoint Sean Curran as the next Director of the United States Secret Service. Sean is a Great Patriot, who has protected my family over the past few years, and that is why I trust him to lead the Brave Men and Women of the United States Secret Service," Trump wrote. Sean has 23 years of Law Enforcement experience, starting his career in Secret Service in 2001, as a Special Agent in the Newark Field Office, where he conducted protection, intelligence, investigations, recruitment, and logistics support for the district. During my First Term, Sean served as the Assistant Special Agent in Charge of the Presidential Protective Division, with direct oversight and responsibility of multiple protectees, and enhanced security plans for my residences," the US President added. Sean has distinguished himself as a brilliant leader, who is capable of directing and leading operational security plans for some of the most complex Special Security Events in the History of our Country, and the World. He proved his fearless courage when he risked his own life to help save mine from an assassins bullet in Butler, Pennsylvania. I have complete and total confidence in Sean to make the United States Secret Service stronger than ever before," the post read. Last week, Trumps son announced that the great patriot" would be getting the job. Trump was grazed on his right ear when a 20-year-old gunman opened fire from a nearby rooftop while the Republican presidential candidate was holding a campaign rally in Butler on July 13. One person in the audience was killed and the gunman, Thomas Crooks, was shot dead by a Secret Service sniper. Meanwhile, an independent panel called for a sweeping shake-up of the Secret Service following what it described as its historic" failure to prevent the July assassination attempt, news agency AFP reported. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all The Secret Service has become bureaucratic, complacent, and static," the four members of the bipartisan review panel said in a letter to then-Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas that accompanied their 52-page report. The Secret Service as an agency requires fundamental reform to carry out its mission," they said, and without reforms, another assassination attempt such as the one that took place in Pennsylvania can and will happen again." First Published: January 23, 2025, 09:45 IST Donald Trump Opens Up On TikTok Security Risks, Immigration In First Interview Since Inauguration Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: January 23, 2025, 09:50 IST Donald Trump appeared in first television interview since his Jan 20 inauguration, and spoke in detail about TikTok security risks, illegal immigration into the US and Joe Biden's pardons. US President Donald Trump appears in first interview since inauguration (Reuters Image) US President Donald Trump on Wednesday appeared in his first interview after taking the Oval Office for the second time and spoke on a range of issues, including his pardons for nearly 1,600 US Capitol rioters, TikTok ban, and Joe Biden. Trump took office on January 20 after his swearing-in ceremony and signed a record number of executive orders, including pardons for the rioters who stormed into the Capitol building in an attempt to overturn the 2020 poll results which showed Trump defeated by Joe Biden. related stories The US President sat in an interview with Fox News Sean Hannity. Donald Trump on J6 Rioters And Pardons Trump defended his pardon for almost 1,600 people convicted of crimes related to the January 6, 2021, attack on the US Capitol. His pardons were criticised widely, including by the police unions. Most of the people were absolutely innocent, okay? Nobodys ever been treated so badly. They were treated like the worst criminals in history. And you know what they were there for. They were protesting the vote because they knew the election was rigged." Trump said. Nearly 140 police officers sustained injuries in the Capitol riots. Donald Trump On Illegal Immigration Trump reiterated his claims that foreign countries are emptying their prisons to let criminals enter the US illegally. They came out of jail from other countries. Theyve emptied their jails. I would if I were president or prime minister or something of another country. Id empty my jails right into America, into the United States. Why not? And many of them did," the President said in the Fox News interview. Donald Trump On TikTok Ban In US Trump, who was a staunch critique of TikTok earlier and had termed it a spying app" for China, credited part of his 2024 poll success to his plans to reach out to the young voters using the Chinese app. When asked by the anchor why he allowed TikTok to continue to operate in the US, for which he signed an executive order soon after taking charge, Trump dismissed the concerns about the apps risks. Telephones and computers are made in China and so are a lot of other things. Isnt that a bigger threat?" he asked. He noted that young people like TikTok, stating that his youth numbers were high, and maybe thats because I went on TikTok". Notably, Congress had banned the Chinese app in the US last year unless TikToks parent company, ByteDance, sells it to the US. The ban was all set to come into effect starting Sunday (January 19). On its eve, TikTok suspended its services in the US briefly, only to be back online after Trump assured to sign an executive order directing the authorities to extend the period. Trump has directed the Justice Department not to enforce the ban for 75 days as his new administration chalks out a plan about the way ahead. The Supreme Court of the country had upheld the ban last week and therefore it is uncertain whether Trumps direction will survive a court review. Sad Biden Didnt Give Himself A Pardon: Trump top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Trump questioned why former President Joe Biden did not pardon himself before leaving office while he issued pardons for others. You know, the funny thing maybe the sad thing is he didnt give himself a pardon. And if you look at it, it all had to do with him," Trump said in the Fox News interview. Location : Washington D.C., United States of America (USA) First Published: January 23, 2025, 09:47 IST Happy 20th Anniversary: Trump, Melania Complete 2 Decades Of Marriage | A Look At Their Journey Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: January 23, 2025, 08:46 IST Donald Trump and his wife Melania completed 20 years of marriage on January 22. Trump shared a throwback picture of their wedding to wish his wife. Donald Trump & Melania celebrated 20th marriage anniversary on January 22 (Reuters Image) US President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania completed their 20th wedding anniversary on January 22, 2025. Its been two decades of togetherness for the duo, years since they crossed paths for the first time at a party in 1998 in New York. Happy 20th Anniversary to Melania!" Trump posted on X while also sharing a throwback picture of their wedding. related stories Happy 20th Anniversary to Melania! pic.twitter.com/VIcXSQb4QO Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 22, 2025 As the US President marks his 20th anniversary with Melania, lets take a look at the timeline of the couples relationship. Donald Trump met Melania Knauss, a Slovenian-born model, for the first time in 1998 at a New York Fashion Week party. Trump was with a date after he was separated from his second wife Marla Maples. Melania told Harpers Bazaar in 2016 that Trump wanted his number, but since he was with a date, she did not give it to him. I said, I am not giving you my number; you give me yours, and I will call you. I wanted to see what kind of number he would give me if it was a business number, What is this? Im not doing business with you," she said. Trump went on to give all of his contact numbers, including the ones belonging to the office, his Mar-a-Lago resort, New York home. Melania dialled him after waiting for some days. I was struck by his energy. He has an amazing sense of vitality," she said. Donald Trumps Second Divorce Trump got separated from his second wife in 1997, however, both of them came to a divorce in 1999. As Trump debuted in his presidential politics in 2000, he announced his breakup with Melania. Melania is an amazing woman, a terrific woman, a great woman and she will be missed," he told The New York Times. Later in February the same year, Trump was seen with Melania after leaving the Reform Party race. Trump Proposes To Melania For Wedding In 2004, Trump took Melania to a Met Gala and proposed to her for marriage. It was a great surprise. We are very happy together," Melania told the New York Post. The duo tied the knot in January 2005 in Palm Beach, Florida. According to the reports, Melanias wedding gown was designed by John Galliano and costed $100,000. Their First Child The couple told Larry King in an interview that they wanted to extend their family and have a baby together. Theres nothing like a good marriage, and theres nothing like having children. I have four great children. If you have the money, having children is great. Now, I know Melania, Im not going to be doing the diapers. Im not going to be making the food. I may never see the kids, frankly. No. She will be an unbelievable mother. Ill be good father, but Ill be, you know, doing my deals," Trump said. Barron, the couples first child, was born in 2006. Trumps Presidential Run Trump announced his Presidential candidacy in June 2015. Shes an incredible mother, she loves her son, Barron, so much. And I have to say is she will make an unbelievable first lady," Trump said in April 2016. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Melania and Barron moved to the White House in June. They went back to Palm Beach home of Mar-a-Lago before Joe Bidens oath-taking ceremony in 2021. As Trump was sworn in as the President again on January 20, 2025, Melania became the First Lady for the second time. Location : Washington D.C., United States of America (USA) First Published: January 23, 2025, 08:46 IST 'I Like President Xi': Donald Trump Says He Hopes China Willl Help End Ukraine War Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: January 24, 2025, 00:03 IST Trump said that China holds great power in resolving the current situation and expressed willingness to work together to end the war in Ukraine. He also said Ukraine was ready for a deal. Donald Trump addressing the WEF Summit in Davos. (AP Image) US President Donald Trump on Thursday hinted at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland that China can play an essential role in ending the nearly three-year Russia-Ukraine War, emphasising that he shared good relations with Chinese President Xi Jinping. Asserting that the war really needs to be stopped," Trump said, I like Presdent Xi very much, I have always liked him. We have always had a good relationship. It was very strained with Covid coming out of Wuhan We always had a great relationship and we look forward to getting along with China." related stories Hopefully, China can help us stop the war in Russia-Ukraine. They have a great deal of power over that situation and well work with them. I mentioned that during the phone conversation with President Xi and hopefully we can work together and get that stopped," he added. Trump had hinted at imposing 60% tariffs on China after returning to the White House. At the Davos Summit, he said the US wanted a level-playing field" and fairness", blaming his predecessor Joe Biden for massive trade deficits with China. We dont have to make it phenomenal, we just have to make it fair," Trump said. He also hinted at de-nuclearisation talks involving Russian President Vladimir Putin and Xi, which he said would be an unbelievable thing for the planet". Trump Wants To Meet Putin: Ukraine Ready For Deal Trump further said he wanted to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin soon to secure an end to the almost three-year-old war with Ukraine, lamenting what he called the huge loss of life. One thing very important that I would really like to be able to do is to meet with President Putin soon to get that war ended and thats not the standpoint of the economy or anything else. Its from the standpoint of millions of lives being wasted. Beautiful and young people are being shot on the battlefield," he said. The President also said US efforts to secure a peace settlement were now hopefully underway, but gave no details. When asked about whether there will be a peace deal between Russia and Ukraine, Trump responded, Well, you are going to have to ask Russia. Ukraine is ready to make a deal. This is a war that should have never ever been started. I knew it (Ukraine) was the apple of President Putins eye but I also knew that there was no way he was going in and he wasnt going go in. When I was out, bad things happened," he added. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all This came after Trump on Wednesday issued a big warning to Putin telling him to make a deal to end the grinding war in Ukraine or face tariffs and sanctions. If we dont make a deal, and soon, I have no other choice but to put high levels of Taxes, Tariffs, and Sanctions on anything being sold by Russia to the United States, and various other participating countries," Trump said on his Truth Social network. The Kremlin said on Thursday it saw nothing particularly new in a threat by US President Donald Trump to hit Russia with new sanctions and tariffs if it did not agree to end the war in Ukraine. We carefully record all the nuances. We remain ready for dialogue, President Putin has repeatedly spoken about this for equal dialogue, for mutually respectful dialogue," said spokesperson Dmitry Peskov. Location : Washington D.C., United States of America (USA) First Published: January 23, 2025, 22:41 IST Elon Musk Wanted Vivek Ramaswamy Out Of Trumps DOGE Due To Differences: Report Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: January 23, 2025, 07:59 IST Indian-origin entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy announced to drop out of the new DOGE in Trump 2.0. He is now planning to run for Ohio Governor, according to reports. Elon Musk wanted Vivek Ramaswamy 'out' of DOGE (Reuters Image) Tesla CEO Elon Musk wanted Indian-origin entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy out" of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) in Trump 2.0, leading to the Republican leaders announcement to pull himself out of the role offered in the new administration, a report has revealed. The revelation comes after Ramaswamy, who was to co-head the new DOGE in Donald Trumps government, announced hours after Trumps inauguration as the 47th US President to not co-head the new department. He is reportedly planning to run for the Ohio Governor next week. related stories Differences Over H-1B Visas? Musk made it known that he wanted Ramaswamy out of DOGE in recent days due to differences", Politico reported citing three people close to the billionaire. Musk was expected to have a huge influence in the new Trump administration and the latest report is one such instance. Ramaswamy had reportedly irked some Republicans in Trumps circle over H-1B visas. Ramaswamys rant" on X on H-1B visas led to his departure, according to the report. Notably, both Musk and Ramaswamy had backed the H-1B visa while also pointing out that the system was broken and needed reform. In December last year, the Indian-origin leader had said that the tech companies in the US hire foreign workers as the country has venerated mediocrity over excellence". Ramaswamy just burned through the bridges and he finally burned Elon. Everyone wants him out of Mar-a-Lago, out of DC," a Republican strategist close to Trump advisors said. They wanted him out before the tweet but kicked him to the curb when that came out," one of the three people familiar with his exit, told Politico. Ramaswamys Plans To Run For Ohio Governor As Ramaswamy is planning to announce a run for Ohio Governor next week, a person close to DOGE said that Musk did not think it was feasible for him to campaign while also working on DOGE. Trump transition spokesperson Anna Kelly hailed Ramaswamy, stating that he played a crucial role" in the creation of DOGE and his plans to run for governor requires him to remain outside of DOGE based on the structure that we announced today". According to Politico, Ramaswamy told close associates as recently as Saturday evening that he was actively working on DOGE, even saying he was busy drafting executive orders. However, someone familiar with the situation revealed that he had done little to no work on DOGE since early December. He and his team are working to put his departure positively, especially as it coincides with the start of Trumps presidency. Ramaswamy has opted not to comment on the rumoured tensions between him and Musk. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all However, he posted a picture with Elon Musk and captioned it a new dawn". A close associate of Ramaswamy said that both of them are now on good terms and that it was not possible for him to fun for governor and co-head DOGE both at once. Location : Washington D.C., United States of America (USA) First Published: January 23, 2025, 07:39 IST First Turkish Airlines Plane Lands In Syria In 13 Years Published By : AFP Last Updated: January 23, 2025, 17:41 IST Turkish Airlines CEO Bilal Eksi also landed in Syria with 344 passengers and aid. Passengers disembark from a Turkish Airlines aircraft carrying a diplomatic delegation from Ankara and an aid shipment provided by the Turkish Red Crescent, at the Damascus International Airport in the Syrian capital. (IMAGE: AFP) The first Turkish Airlines flight in 13 years landed in the Syrian capital Damascus on Thursday, an AFP correspondent reported. The plane arrived from Istanbul carrying aid and 345 passengers, including Turkish Airlines CEO Bilal Eksi and Turkish officials, the correspondent said. related stories The first Turkish Airlines passenger plane landed at Damascus International Airport after a hiatus of some 13 years, with Syrian passengers on board," Syrias official news agency SANA reported. Turkey, which supports the Islamist-led rebels who overthrew longtime strongman Bashar al-Assad last month, had announced on January 15 that it would resume commercial flights to Damascus. Qatar Airways was the first international carrier to announce it would resume Damascus services, which began on January 7. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all A Syrian Airlines flight to Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates the same day was the first international commercial flight from the airport since Assads overthrow on December 8. Aid planes and foreign diplomatic delegations had already been landing in Syria, and domestic flights had also resumed. A flight from Damascus to second city Aleppo on December 18 was the first. Location : Damascus, Syria First Published: January 23, 2025, 17:41 IST If You Dont Make In America, Therell Be Tariffs: Trump To Economic Leaders In Davos WEF Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: January 23, 2025, 23:28 IST President Donald Trump announced at the World Economic Forum in Davos that companies investing in America will benefit from lower taxes, while those not making in America may face high tariffs. US President Donald Trump is seen on a giant screen during his address by video conference at the World Economic Forum (WEF) annual meeting in Davos. (IMAGE: AFP) US President Donald Trump on Thursday told the world leaders and business leaders at the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Switzerlands Davos that he will offer lower taxes to companies and investor making in America. He said that however if companies do not choose to make in America, they may have to face high tariffs. related stories Come make your product in America and we will give you among the lowest taxes of any nation on earth," Trump said on Thursday, speaking remotely to the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. But if you dont make your product in America, which is your prerogative, then very simply you will have to pay a tariff," he added. He pitched to the business leaders his Make In America plan and said there is no good place in the world to do business with other than good old USA". What the world has witnessed in the past 72 hours is nothing less than a revolution of common sense," Trump said via video conference, addressing the gathering of global elites. He also said that his administration would focus on deregulation and making the United States a hub of artificial intelligence and cryptocurrencies while extending tax cuts passed during his first term in office. The US President said his administration will reverse inflation and illegal immigration while boosting fossil fuels production in the United States. A large part of his speech was focussed on energy and energy security and went even as far as to claim that if the OPEC cartel lowered oil prices, it would halt the Ukraine war. If the price came down, the Russia-Ukraine war would end immediately. Right now, the price is high enough that the war will continue. You have to bring down the oil price, you have to end that war. They should have done it long ago," the Republican further added. LOWER INTEREST RATES, USE MORE FOSSIL FUELS He also said that the US would use fossil fuels to strengthen its economy and not shy away from using fossil fuels. The United States has the largest amount of oil and gas of any country on Earth, and were going to use it. Not only will this reduce the cost of virtually all goods and services, it will make the United States a manufacturing superpower," he said. Trump also signalled he would exert pressure to bring interest rates lower. Ill demand that interest rates drop immediately," he said. Likewise, they should be dropping all over the world. Interest rates should follow us all over." top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all He also spoke on the issue of gender surgery, saying he has made it official policy of the United States, that there are only two genders, male and female". He took aim at men participating in womens sports" while adding that gender operations will occur very rarely". Location : Davos, Switzerland First Published: January 23, 2025, 21:53 IST ISI Chief's Dhaka Visit Points To Pakistan's 'Northeast India Ambition', Say Intelligence Sources Reported By : CNN-News18 Edited By: Oindrila Mukherjee Last Updated: January 23, 2025, 20:07 IST The meeting between ISI chief Lt Gen Asim Malik and Bangladeshi general Muhammad Faizur Rahman has set alarm bells ringing for India amid rising security concerns along its eastern and northeastern borders The meeting is officially aimed at creating an intelligence-sharing network between Pakistan and Bangladesh. (Image: AFP/File) Pakistans intelligence chiefs visit to Dhaka shows the countrys open ambition to cause more trouble and infiltration" in Indias northeast. The Inter-State Intelligence, or ISI, will ensure elections in Bangladesh are delayed so as to keep the Muhammad Yunus-led interim government in office, sources said. This visit set alarm bells ringing for India amid rising security concerns along its eastern and northeastern borders. According to intelligence sources, ISI chief Lieutenant General Asim Malik met Lieutenant General Muhammad Faizur Rahman, Quartermaster General (QMG) of the Bangladesh Army and one power centre out of three close to Islamists working against India. related stories Lt Gen Rahman is known to be close to Pakistan and has reportedly faced serious strictures passed by an inquiry commission into rioting after the exit of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina last year. There are also serious allegations of destruction of evidence of forced disappearances from the joint interrogation cell against him. Top intelligence sources said Lt Gen Maliks visit to Dhaka is officially aimed at creating an intelligence-sharing network between Pakistan and Bangladesh. This visit marked the first time in decades that a Pakistani intelligence chief visited Dhaka. An intelligence assessment accessed by CNN-News18 shows that the ISI chiefs is not routine, but the start of new business" after a proper study of the ground. The Bangladesh Army is divided right now between pro-Awami League faction and army leaders close to students. The sources further said the ISI knows that keeping students under its control is the need of the hour as they can delay routine elections and, when the situation becomes unfavourable, they will help remove the Yunus government. They added that the ISI knows that Khaleda Zia is unwell and cannot come to power because her son Tarique Rehman is abroad. In this condition, the only favourable option is the Jamaat-e-Islami cadre that will handle the situation despite a low support base. The sources also said the ISI wants Jamaat and the students on the same page, so that Bangladesh remains on the boil and the cadres can be used to cause unrest in India. CNN-News18 earlier reported how Jamaat-e-Islami is continuously working against India. Yunus is compelled to keep the Jamaat around to safeguard economic as well as political interests. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all He is also under political pressure to do so as they have significant influence in the country. Sources said he is forced to keep stable relations to ensure the smooth operation of Grameen Bank and its activities in the rural areas. The Jamaat-e-Islami has a strong presence in many rural areas, and Yunus may have felt it was necessary to engage with them to avoid any potential backlash. It also has connections with several builders and business houses in Dhaka, some of whom have provided them with direct financial aid. It has also been accused of using its business connections to further its political and ideological goals. Location : Dhaka, Bangladesh First Published: January 23, 2025, 20:07 IST Kamala Harris Blames Husband Doug Emhoff For Her Election Loss, Considers Him 'Dead Weight': Report Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: January 23, 2025, 15:27 IST A report, citing alleged scandals and affairs, has claimed that Kamala Harris is blaming her husband, Doug Emhoff, for her 2024 presidential election loss. Kamala Harris and her husband Doug Emhoff (Photo: Reuters) Kamala Harris may have been all smiles and welcoming after her crushing presidential election defeat to Donald Trump, but, a report has claimed that she has placed the blame on her husband, Doug Emhoff, for her electoral loss. On January 17, while preparations were underway for Donald Trumps return to the White House, Kamala Harriss staff packed into her ceremonial office to watch her sign the desk, a tradition performed by her predecessors for decades. All this while, her husband was seen standing behind her for a photo, as she wielded her Sharpie marker. related stories It is not my nature to go quietly into the night," Harris told reporters, adding, So dont worry about that." Ill keep you posted," she said, upon being asked what was next for her. Many blamed Joe Biden for running in the first place and putting Harris in an impossible position. Harris faced her own criticism, too. Some said she should have sent a more populist message instead of focusing on Trumps antidemocratic threats by campaigning with Liz Cheney, a former Republican congresswoman. She also failed to separate herself from Biden, who remains deeply unpopular with voters. Now, that Donald Trump has taken the Presidents charge, Harris is apparently playing the blame game, and her target is her husband Doug Emhoff, whom she reportedly considers dead weight". Quoting a source, the Daily Mail reported that Doug has his share as far as Kamalas blame game is concerned. Doug did Kamala no favours during the election," the report quoted the source as saying. Frankly, he looked like a hypocritical a** after the bombshells that he had got his childs nanny pregnant while married to his first wife and assaulted his ex-girlfriend on the heels of his I am woman crusade," the source added. The report also claimed that many people close to the couple believe that all is not well between the two, and this was reportedly observed while the couple appeared at former President Jimmy Carters funeral on January 9. Even as Donald Trump took charge as the President of the United States, Kamala Harris and her husband reflected a tense look, the report referred to some social media videos. It is also believed that Doug has already signed up for a job with a Big Apple law firm which would require them to split their time between New York and Los Angeles. Theres also talk that Harris will write a book and speculation that she could run for governor or maybe president again. At 60 years old, Harris is still young in a political world where the last two presidents have set records as the oldest ever elected. Many close to her believe she will skip the race for California governor and instead try for president again in 2028. I was with her last week when she was signing her desk, she told me You know me well enough to know that Im not going to go away quietly," the report quoted her former communications chief Ashley Etienne as saying. SCANDALS SURROUNDING HARRISs HUSBAND EMHOFF Earlier, the Daily Mail reported a series of allegations surrounding Emhoff. A source had told the publication that even Harris has had an affair with former San Francisco mayor Willie Brown. In August, a report claimed that Emhoff had an affair with Najen Naylor, his daughters nanny, while still being married to his first wife, film producer Kerstin Mackin. Quoting a source, the report claimed Emhoff paid Naylor $80,000 in exchange for her signing a non-disclosure agreement and that the affair played a part in his 2009 divorce. The controversy, however, didnt end there. In October, a former girlfriend of Emhoff came forward, alleging a disturbing incident during an A-list event in Cannes, France, in May 2012, according to another report. She claimed Emhoff slapped her so hard in the face after he thought she was flirting with another man that the blow spun her around, leaving her shocked and disoriented. Later, Emhoff reportedly admitted to having an extramarital affair, saying, During my first marriage, Kerstin and I went through some tough times on account of my actions. I took responsibility, and in the years since, we worked through things as a family and have come out stronger on the other side." top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Emhoff also faced reports from his former colleagues at the Los Angeles law firm Venable, where he worked from 2006 to 2017. They described a work culture marked by misogyny, claiming that Emhoff allegedly yelled expletives, held a man-only cocktail hour in the office, revoked work perks from women who didnt flirt with him and preferred only young, attractive associates to accompany him in limousines to professional events, the report claimed. First Published: January 23, 2025, 12:40 IST Netanyahu Defends Elon Musk, Says He Was 'Falsely Smeared' Over Nazi Salute Row Last Updated: January 23, 2025, 23:31 IST Musk himself has already dismissed the criticism over his inauguration gesture Israel's PM Benjamin Netanyahu | File Image Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said billionaire tech mogul Elon Musk was being falsely smeared" in a row over a gesture he made at Donald Trumps inauguration that critics described as a Nazi salute. Elon is a great friend of Israel," Netanyahu posted on X, the social media site owned by Musk. related stories The billionaire, whom Trump has tasked with slashing US government spending, repeatedly and forcefully supported Israels right to defend itself against genocidal terrorists and regimes who seek to annihilate the one and only Jewish state", Netanyahu added. He mentioned Musks visit to Israel in the aftermath of the October 7, 2023 attack by Hamas. That trip followed a separate row in which the Tesla chief executive was accused of anti-Semitism. At the time, Musk had endorsed a post accusing Jewish people of hatred against whites", calling it the actual truth". He later apologised. His social media platform has been accused of spreading anti-Semitism and other forms of racism since he took it over in 2022. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all During the November 2023 visit, Musk toured a kibbutz attacked by Hamas alongside Netanyahu and met Israeli President Isaac Herzog, who told him he had a huge role to play" in combating anti-Semitism. Musk himself has already dismissed the criticism over his inauguration gesture, posting on X: Frankly, they need better dirty tricks. The everyone is Hitler attack is sooo tired." Location : Jerusalem, Israel First Published: January 23, 2025, 23:13 IST In a move that has been anticipated for months, Mayor Christopher P. Scanlon has made official his bid to keep the office he now occupies. Scanlon, a three-term member of the Buffalo Common Council, was voted president of that body in the beginning of 2024. He became acting mayor upon the resignation of former Mayor Byron Brown in mid-October. While Scanlon has been fundraising and holding political events for several months, he had declined to say whether he was running to replace Brown, who was the longest-serving mayor in Buffalo history. Wednesday night Scanlon put an end to the speculation, announcing his run in the citys Old First Ward neighborhood. The neighborhood, long identified with the story of Buffalos Irish immigrants and their descendants, is where Scanlons father, John Scanoots Scanlon, was raised. The elder Scanlon was a top adviser to Buffalos second longest-tenured mayor, the late James D. Griffin. Scanlon the mayoral candidate, whose father died in 2022, said it was important to him to honor his dad in the announcement of his campaign, in an interview with The News. To that end, Scanlon announced his candidacy at the Barrel Factory restaurant on Vandalia Street, a building with direct ties to the regions industrial past. Its no coincidence where Im making that announcement, at the Barrel Factory in the Old First Ward where my father grew up, where black barrels were built that were shipped throughout the canal system and filled with grain, Scanlon said. My father was one of those scoopers who filled those boats and filled those barrels with grain that helped contribute to the Buffalo economy, and the economy at large across the United States. Scanlon joins a crowded field that includes six other candidates State Sen. Sean Ryan, former fire commissioner Garnell Whitfield, University District Council Member Rasheed Wyatt, former city court judge James McLeod, educator and activist James Payne and activist Michael Gainer. Activist Terry Robinson and former School Board member Terrance Heard have expressed interest in the endorsement of the Erie County Democrats, but have yet to publicly announce their intention to run. Scanlon is in the unique position of campaigning for the office while also occupying it, despite never winning a citywide election. He stepped into the role with the city facing a steep deficit and will have to work to resolve issues through hard decisions that likely involve spending cuts, layoffs and tax increases. While other candidates can discuss the citys options going forward he will have to show citizens how he plans to address the shortfalls in presenting a budget to the Common Council in April. Ive been very upfront about that since day one, he said. Ive made it very clear to the public that we are not hiding from it, but were embracing it and using it as an opportunity to become more efficient, more cost effective and more innovative. The next mayor also will face the longstanding problems in the city of entrenched poverty, a housing affordability crisis that is affecting communities throughout the country, and neighborhoods deeply segregated by race and wealth. Scanlon said he plans to build on existing relationships with community groups and other government agencies to work to fix those issues. In particular, he sees working with Buffalo Public Schools to provide students with expanded educational opportunities as a key to combatting those problems. We have to make sure that were providing for our children and making sure that they have an environment where they can come in and learn and be educated and improve their lot in life, Scanlon said. And we do that by making sure that were on the same page and working together. Scanlon also has had a busy beginning to the snow-clearing season, consistently a topic of complaint for Buffalo voters, especially in his often hard-hit South Council District. He said he has been working with Department of Public Works leadership, and county and state governments to improve communication, create efficiency and better prepare for the ever-present threat of snow emergencies that loom during the winter months. That has led to a more uniform approach in response to snow events that weve been having, Scanlon said. And some of these have been rather sizable events and hitting different areas of the city. But weve been able to communicate better and make sure that were out there. Scanlon said he sees Buffalo on an upward trajectory and he hopes for an opportunity to lead the city on a continuation of that path. I envision a Buffalo that is cleaner, safer, more populated, with more housing opportunities and more economic opportunities for the residents of the City of Buffalo, he said. And I think that working together with our partners in the public sector, the private sector, the nonprofit sector, well get there. Same-Sex Marriage Law Comes Into Effect In Thailand, Hundreds Take Wedding Vows Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: January 23, 2025, 09:16 IST Thailand has become the first Southeast Asian country to legalise same-sex marriage, granting LGBTQ+ couples full legal rights under the Marriage Equality Act. A same-sex couple poses after registering their marriage in Bangkok (Photo: AFP) Hundreds of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and questioning (LGBTQ+) couples in Thailand made their wedding status legal on Thursday as the countrys same-sex marriage law comes into effect. The enactment of the Marriage Equality Act makes Thailand the first country in Southeast Asia and the third place in Asia to legalise same-sex marriage, after Taiwan and Nepal. Marking the beginning of the revolutionary law, a high-profile gay couple married in Thailand on Thursday. related stories According to news agency AFP, Thai actors Apiwat Porsch" Apiwatsayree, 49 who was in tears and Sappanyoo Arm" Panatkool, 38, in matching beige suits, were handed their pink-bordered marriage certificates at a registry office in Bangkok. We fought for it for decades and today is a remarkable day that love is love," Arm was quoted as saying. SAME-SEX MARRIAGE LAW IN THAILAND The law was ratified by King Maha Vajiralongkorn in September and came into effect after 120 days. It marks the culmination of years of campaigning and thwarted attempts to pass equal marriage laws. According to The Associated Press, marriage registration is customarily done at district offices, but on Thursday, around 300 couples are expected to complete the formalities at a daylong gala celebration in an exhibition hall at a shopping mall in central Bangkok. Hundreds more are predicted to register in less fancy circumstances around the country. The marriage equality bill, which sailed through both houses of the Parliament, amended the Civil and Commercial Code to change the words men and women" and husband and wife" to individuals" and marriage partners". It is supposed to open up access to full legal, financial and medical rights for LGBTQ+ couples. Partners will have equal rights and responsibilities in dealing with joint assets, tax obligations and deductions, inheritance rights and survivor benefits. THAILANDs REPUTATION FOR TOLERANCE Thailand has a reputation for acceptance and inclusivity, and thousands of people from around the world attend the annual Bangkok Pride parade. However, rights advocates have struggled for decades to pass a marriage equality law in a largely conservative society where members of the LGBTQ+ community say they face discrimination in everyday life, although they note that things have improved greatly in recent years, the AP reported. According to the report, Bangkoks city government has said that it organised workshops for staff of all its district offices who are in charge of handling marriage registration. They included lectures raising awareness about gender diversity and guidance on how to properly communicate with those who come for the service. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all More than 30 countries have legalised marriage for all since the Netherlands became the first to allow same-sex unions in 2001. Thai activists have been pushing for same-sex marriage rights for more than a decade, with their advocacy stalled by political turbulence in a country regularly upended by coups and mass street protests. First Published: January 23, 2025, 09:05 IST US Capitol Rioter, Who Got Pardon From Donald Trump, Arrested On Weapons Charges Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: January 23, 2025, 13:20 IST Daniel Ball was taken into custody on a separate indictment returned by federal prosecutors in Florida that charged him for unlawfully possessing a gun as a felon. People attack the US Capitol in Washington, on January 6, 2021. (IMAGE: AP FILE PHOTO) A Florida man- whose case was dropped following US President Donald Trumps pardon- was arrested on pending federal gun charges, as per court records. Daniel Ball was taken into custody on a separate indictment returned by federal prosecutors in Florida that charged him for unlawfully possessing a gun as a felon. The 39-year-old had at least three previous felony convictions from 2017 for domestic violence battery by strangulation and two in October of 2021 for resisting law enforcement and battery on a law enforcement officer. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all related stories Daniel Ball was among the few defendants being held pretrial in connection with the US Capitol riots case after prosecutors accused him of using an explosive device to assault officers. The judge ordered in May of 2023 that Daniel Ball should be detained as he posed a danger to the general public and to members of law enforcement. Location : Washington D.C., United States of America (USA) First Published: January 23, 2025, 13:20 IST US House Clears Laken Riley Act In First Legislative Win For Trump's Immigration Crackdown Published By : AFP Last Updated: January 23, 2025, 08:09 IST The Republican-led US Congress passed the Laken Riley Act, mandating pretrial detention for undocumented immigrants, marking a major early victory for President Trumps immigration crackdown. The border between the US and Mexico is seen in El Paso, Texas, on January 22, 2025 (Photo: AFP) The Republican-led US Congress delivered President Donald Trump an early victory in his promised crackdown on illegal immigration Wednesday as lawmakers green-lit a bill to expand pretrial incarceration for foreign criminal suspects. The Laken Riley Act which mandates the detention of undocumented immigrants charged with theft-related crimes is named for a 22-year-old student murdered by a Venezuelan man with no papers who was wanted for shoplifting. related stories Criminal illegal aliens must be detained, deported, and NEVER allowed back into our country," Mike Johnson, the speaker of the House of Representatives, said on X. The American people demand and deserve safety and security." The law passed the upper chamber in a comfortable 64-35 vote earlier this week after sailing through the House of Representatives, with Republicans keen to highlight what they described as weak border security policies from Trumps predecessor Joe Biden. But the newly inaugurated Senate which flipped from Democratic to Republican control after Novembers election added a tweak that expands mandatory detention to crimes resulting in death or serious bodily injury." That meant it had to go back to the House for one last vote but it cleared that hurdle easily as 46 Democrats joined the Republicans, and it will now be the first piece of legislation Trump signs into law. The 78-year-old has promised to crack down on illegal border crossings and carry out mass deportations. He has named Tom Homan, a veteran hardline immigration official, as his border chief. The Republican president repeatedly spotlighted Laken Rileys case during his election campaign as he railed against undocumented migrants, blaming them for poisoning the blood" of the country. Jose Antonio Ibarra, 26, was convicted of her murder after she was found dead in a wooded area at the University of Georgia in Athens. We will no longer prioritize dangerous criminal illegal aliens over the lives of Americans," Republican Senator Joni Ernst of Iowa said in a statement. The era of open borders and lawless chaos is over. Republicans are securing the border and putting the safety and well-being of US citizens first." Democrats complained, however, that it would cost $83 billion to implement the new law in the first three years more than the Homeland Security Departments annual budget and flies in the face of due process. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all New York Democrat Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez said in a speech on the House floor that detaining people accused, but not convicted, of a crime would be a fundamental suspension of a core American value." And she accused Republicans of hypocrisy on law and order for failing to oppose Trumps pardon of hundreds of violent criminals who stormed the Capitol in 2021 unleashing people who attacked police officers here on this Capitol." Location : Washington D.C., United States of America (USA) First Published: January 23, 2025, 08:09 IST Watch: JD Vance Calls Tour Of Trump's Oval Office One Of 'Coolest Moments Of Life' Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: January 23, 2025, 10:21 IST JD Vance made his first visit to the Oval Office after taking oath as the country's vice-president United States Vice-President JD Vance with US President Donald Trump at Oval Office. (Courtesy: X) United States Vice-President JD Vance made his first visit to the Oval Office accompanied by President Donald Trump after taking oath. This was the first time he ever stepped inside the US presidents executive office. His office tour was recorded in a video in which Vance appeared awestruck while entering the Oval Office. related stories The video was posted on X by Speaker Mike Johnson who said, As we gathered for our meeting at the White House yesterday, JD Vance mentioned to us that he had never before visited the Oval Office. I told him and President Trump that I HAD to capture the moment on video. Only in America can a hardworking young man from Appalachia rise from his humble circumstances to enter the Oval for first time as VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES. What a country!" One of the coolest moments of my life https://t.co/wyuew3XPOo JD Vance (@JDVance) January 22, 2025 Vance, who looked absolutely stunned by the beauty of the Oval office, later called it one of the coolest moments of my life" on X. Vance Tours Oval Office In the video, Trump and Vance were seen walking into the Oval Office as the president led the way. Stopping at the entry of the Oval Office, Trump gestured for him to enter the office. Vance exclaimed Wow" and looked around the office while saying, This is incredible." Speaker Mike Johnson said that President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance and other Republican leaders had gone inside the White House after the oath ceremony. He added that Vance at that time said that he had never seen the Oval Office before. I told him and President Trump that I HAD to capture the moment on video," said Johnson. Vance has become the first millennial vice president of the US. In the presidential campaign, his performance earned him the praise of Trump. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Location : Washington D.C., United States of America (USA) First Published: January 23, 2025, 10:21 IST Acting President Dr Constantino Chiwenga has condemned corruption and unethical business practices, asserting that such actions threaten the foundational ideals of Zimbabwes liberation struggle. Dr Chiwenga was speaking while presiding over the burial of national heroes Major General (Rtd) Solomon Siziba, Cde Chenhamo Chen Chakezha Chimutengwende and Ambassador John Shumba Mvundura at the National Heroes Acre in Harare this morning. Vice President Kembo Mohadi and other senior Government officials also attended the burial of the three national heroes. Under the Second Republic, Zimbabwe is working towards achieving an upper-middle income economy by 2030, with several capital and infrastructure projects taking shape or already completed. It is through the selfless sacrifices and dedication of the late three gallant sons of the soil that we are laying to rest today, as well as many other departed and living cadres, that Zimbabwe continues to enjoy its sovereignty, said the Dr Chiwenga. We can only realise our vision of attaining an empowered and prosperous upper middle-income society by guarding against all forms of actions that undermine the national interest. At the forefront is corruption and all forms of related unethical and selfish conduct in small, medium or large economic units. Any shady dealing and acts of deceit undermine what these gallant national heroes sacrificed for, said the Acting President. The triple heroes burial was the third ever in Zimbabwes history.. Herald Seven suspected smugglers have been arrested, while several goods were confiscated at a police roadblock in Gweru, as the Zimbabwe Republic Police has declared zero tolerance to smuggling in the country. The ongoing blitz against criminal activities by ZRP Gweru urban district has unearthed smuggling activities, in which suspects are wrapping second-hand clothes in unassuming card boxes and bags to disguise law enforcement agents. The ZRP has vowed to widen its exercise and ensure such goods will not find a way to pass through the city of Gweru. We have arrested some offenders who have been smuggling goods from Mozambique destined for Bulawayo. These are second-hand clothes that have been smuggled through the border post in Mutare, and we are saying as police officers, we will leave no stone unturned. We are to ensure that all those perpetrators are brought to book. We are aware that the country is losing a lot of revenue through these acts of smuggling and we will make sure that all those involved are prosecuted, ZRP Officer Commanding Gweru Urban District, Chief Superintendent Dr Leon Marongedza said. In 2015, the government banned the importation of second-hand clothes to protect the local textile industry and promote value addition. However, the law was relaxed in 2017 and the importation of such clothing was allowed albeit some restrictions like the need to produce import licenses to prove that the goods would have paid duty. zbc Jacob Chansley, the Capitol rioter known as the "QAnon Shaman," celebrated receiving a pardon on Monday by thanking President Trump and announcing his immediate plans in a post on X . "Now I am gonna buy some m------------ guns!" Chansley wrote, per the Hill . Experts who study extremist groups fear he's not the only person convicted in the Jan. 6 attack with that idea, per the Washington Post . "This move is going to make combating terrorism far more difficult, not just over the next four years as groups feel like they have an ally in the White House, but beyond that as well," said Jacob Ware, a Council on Foreign Relations research fellow. About 1,500 others received "full, complete, and unconditional pardons." Many had already completed their sentences but more than 200, some of whom committed violence against law enforcement officers, were freed from behind bars. Chansley's plea deal called for dismissing five charges against him when he pleaded guilty to a felony charge of obstructing an official proceeding, receiving a 41-month prison sentence. After a year and a half, he was sent to a halfway house, from which he was released in May 2023. "J6ers are getting released & justice has come," Chansley's post says. Michael Fanone, a DC police officer on the day of the riot, sees the pardons differently, per the Daily Beast. The mob tasered him several times, took his ammunition and police radio and his badge. As he lay on the ground injured, Falcone heard, "Kill him with his own gun" as the attackers tried to tear away his weapon. "I have been betrayed by my country, and I have been betrayed by those who supported Donald Trump," Fanone told CNN on Monday. "The only thing going through my mind is that this is what the American people voted for." (More Jacob Chansley stories.) At the suggestion of a reporter after his return to the Oval Office on Monday, President Trump looked in the top drawer of the Resolute desk to see if outgoing President Biden had left anything for him. He had, in keeping with a relatively recent presidential tradition, USA Today reports: a white envelope with "47" written on it and underlined twice. "Maybe we should all read it together," Trump told reporters before saying he'd read the letter himself first. Now everyone can read it: "As I take leave of his sacred office I wish you and your family all the best in the next four years," Biden wrote, per the Hill. "The American peopleand people around the worldlook to this house for steadiness in the inevitable storms of history, and my prayer is that in the coming years will be a time of prosperity, peace, and grace for our nation." Biden added, "May God bless you and guide you as He has blessed and guided our beloved country since our founding." On Tuesday, Trump called it a "very nice letter," describing it as "a little bit of an inspirational type of letter." The last time he moved into the White House, Trump found a letter from Barack Obama. Ronald Reagan started the practice in 1989 when he left a letter for President George H.W. Bush, who'd been his vice president, per USA Today. "George, I treasure the memories we share and wish you all the very best," Reagan wrote. The tradition has been part of the transfer of power since then. (More President Trump stories.) On his first full day of freedom, Stewart Rhodeswho was convicted of orchestrating the Jan. 6, 2021, attackreturned to Capitol Hill. He was released from prison on Tuesday after President Trump commuted his sentence. When Rhodes was spotted at a Dunkin' Donuts in the Longworth House Office Building, a spot open to the public, the Oath Keepers founder said he did not go into the Capitol building on Wednesday, the Hill reports. Rhodes said he wasn't exactly invited by a member of Congress but was lobbying for the release of Jeremy Brown, a fellow Oath Keeper still in prison. "We're advocating members of Congress, advocating that he be given a pardon also," he told reporters. Oath Keepers founder Stewart Rhodes has been freed from prison but he's no longer free to visit the Capitol. Judge Amit Mehta has banned Rhodes and seven other militia members whose sentences were commuted by President Trump from entering Washington, DC, without permission. The order changing their conditions of supervised release, issued two days after Rhodes visited Capitol Hill, also specifically bans Rhodes and the other Oath Keepers from visiting the Capitol and the surrounding area without court permission, Politico reports. In 2023, Mehta sentenced Rhodes to 18 years for his role in the Capitol attack, telling him he presents "an ongoing threat and a peril to this country, to the Republic and the very fabric of our democracy." Rhodes said he still wants a full pardon for himself, too, from Trump. "I think all of us should be pardoned," he said. The shocking news of Rhodes' arrival swept through the congressional staff, per the Hill. A woman went up to Rhodes to tell him he shouldn't be there. "You are welcome [to] First Amendment free speech, but it is disrespectful," she said, adding, "please tell your story elsewhere." He told reporters that "certain people, in her mind, don't deserve free speech and should be wiped off the face of the planet when it comes to their free speech." Lawmakers were equally stunned, per the AP. "Does he still constitute a threat to public safety? Does he constitute a threat to American constitutional democracy?" asked Democratic Rep. Jamie Raskin. story continues below On the same day, judges in Washington's federal court were dismissing pending cases against Jan. 6 defendants. Several of them included criticism of the prosecutions ending in their orders. US District Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly said that video, trial transcripts, and jury verdicts will remain as evidence of the attack. "Those records are immutable and represent the truth, no matter how the events of January 6 are described by those charged or their allies," she wrote. Judge Tanya Chutkan said Trump's pardons can't change the "tragic truth" of the attack, and the dismissal she was issuing of a case before her cannot "diminish the heroism of law enforcement officers" who defended the Capitol on that day. "It cannot whitewash the blood, feces and terror that the mob left in its wake," Chutkan wrote, per the AP. "And it cannot repair the jagged breach in America's sacred tradition of peacefully transitioning power." (More Stewart Rhodes stories.) A Chinese national, Zheng Congying, has been sentenced to 16 months in prison for his involvement in what US authorities describe as a Beijing-led campaign targeting expatriates in the United States. Zheng was part of a group convicted of attempting to coerce Xu Jin, a former official from Wuhan, to return to China, where he faces bribery charges that he denies. Zheng left a threatening note at Xu's New Jersey home, saying, "If you are willing to go back to the mainland and spend 10 years in prison, your wife and children will be all right." The case is the first trial spotlighting US claims that China harasses dissidents on foreign soil, a practice China robustly denies, branding its actions under "Operation Fox Hunt" as efforts to repatriate fugitives to face justice. During the trial, Zheng's attorney claimed he regretted his actions and tried to retrieve the note, while prosecutors doubted this, suggesting his return to the site was to ensure the note's delivery. Although the defendants did not testify, their lawyers asserted they mistakenly believed they were acting for private interests, not the Chinese government. Zheng was convicted of stalking and conspiracy to stalk, but acquitted of other charges. His co-defendant Zhu Yong received a two-year sentence last week, while former US police sergeant Michael McMahon awaits sentencing. Three others have pleaded guilty, whereas five more suspects, believed to be in China, remain unaccounted for by US authorities. Zheng's lawyer did not comment on the sentencing. (This story was generated by Newser's AI chatbot. Source: the AP) Amazon has announced plans to shut down all seven of its warehouses in Quebec within the next two months, impacting approximately 1,700 full-time positions plus 250 temporary roles in the Montreal region. The decision is part of Amazon's strategy to provide "even more savings to our customers over the long run," but some believe it targets unionization efforts at one of the facilities. Local third-party companies will be used for deliveries, as was the practice before 2020. Amazon spokesperson Barbara Agrait emphasized that the closures were not made lightly. Affected employees are set to receive up to 14 weeks of pay and transitional benefits, including job placement resources. Canadian Minister Francois-Philippe Champagne expressed his dismay on social media, voicing that "this is not the way business is done in Canada" and that the decision was disappointing and frustrating. The closures follow recent unionization efforts at a warehouse in Laval, where workers became Canada's first Amazon facility to form a union. This was challenged by Amazon but upheld by a provincial labor tribunal in October. Caroline Senneville, a union representative, argued that the closures are a deliberate anti-union move and a setback for Quebec workers. Michael Lynk, a law expert, likened the situation to a previous case where Walmart closed a store after union certification in Quebec; the move was in 2014 found unlawful by the Supreme Court of Canada. (This story was generated by Newser's AI chatbot. Source: the AP) Steve Bannon's trial in the "We Build the Wall" scandal has been postponed to March 4 following his decision to hire new attorneys for a robust defense strategy. Bannon, a longstanding Trump ally, faces state charges in New York for allegedly deceiving donors who contributed to constructing a US-Mexico border wall. Originally set for Feb. 25, the trial was pushed back to allow Bannon's freshly minted teamcomprised of lawyer Arthur Aidala and colleaguesto better prepare their defense. Bannon's legal team intends to argue the case as politically motivated, with Bannon highlighting his need for "every tool in the tool box." Despite requesting a more extended delay, the judge permitted only a one-week postponement. A major point of contention is the admissibility of an email in which Bannon questions the authenticity of the fundraising campaign, identified by prosecutors as crucial evidence against him. The case had been revived by Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg after Bannon received a federal pardon from Trump in the final moments of his presidency. Bannon, 71, has pleaded not guilty to charges including money laundering and fraud. Meanwhile, other key figures in the campaign, including Brian Kolfage and Andrew Badolato, have already pleaded guilty to federal charges, resulting in prison sentences. (This story was generated by Newser's AI chatbot. Source: the AP) The Pentagon on Wednesday announced the deployment of 1,500 active-duty troops to the US-Mexico border, following President Trump's executive orders aimed at curbing immigration. Acting Defense Secretary Robert Salesses specified that these troops will assist Border Patrol agents by flying helicopters, facilitating deportation flights, and aiding in barrier construction. Salesses noted, "This is just the beginning," indicating potential expansion of their mission. This deployment marks a significant shift in the utilization of military resources on domestic soil. While troops are legally barred from law enforcement under the Posse Comitatus Act, President Trump has directed a review of the Insurrection Act of 1807, which could authorize military involvement in civilian policing. (It was last invoked in 1992 during the Rodney King riots in LA.) These incoming forces, predominantly from the Army and Marines, will augment the 2,500 National Guard and Reserve personnel already stationed along the border. Since the 1990s, military personnel have regularly supported border security efforts, yet Trump's recent orders signal an intensified approach. (This story was generated by Newser's AI chatbot. Source: the AP) One of the Jan. 6 defendants who received a presidential pardon found himself almost immediately re-arrested, reports Politico. Daniel Ball never even left federal custody, and his case may test the scope of President Trump's sweeping pardons of all those who took part in the violence at the Capitol, notes the Washington Post. Jan. 6: In May 2023, the resident of Homosassa, Florida, was charged with 12 counts related to the Capitol riot. Among other things, he was accused of "throwing an explosive device that detonated upon at least 25 officers," according to court documents cited by Rolling Stone. Trump issued the pardon Monday, Ball's case was formally dismissed Tuesday, and he was re-arrested on Wednesday. Seven police officers were shot in San Antonio on Wednesday night after responding to a call about a "suicide in progress" in the city's Stone Oak neighborhood. "Scene still hot!!" San Antonio Police Chief Bill McManus said in a post on X at 10:13pm local time. The chief said the officers had been hospitalized with non-life-threatening injuries. Police said the suspected gunman, IDed as 46-year-old Brandon Scott Poulos, was found dead in an apartment after a standoff that lasted until after midnight, the San Antonio Express-News reports. McManus said he didn't know whether the man killed himself or was shot by SWAT officers. Police said the man shot an officer who responded to the initial call, which came from a family member, and shot six other officers while barricaded in the apartment, NBC News reports. Some residents of the apartment complex were evacuated during the standoff. Others were told to stay inside. "The suspect had three arrests on Jan. 18two for assault offenses and one for DWI," McManus said, per KXXV. "He was out on bond at the time." (If you or someone you know is struggling, call the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline by dialing or texting 988.) Hungarian authorities are probing widespread bomb threats sent to over 240 schools across the nation, which led to some schools canceling classes. The threats, delivered via identical emails, appear to originate from a single source, though no explosives have been discovered. Law enforcement is actively inspecting affected institutions, ensuring student safety remains a priority. Gergely Gulyas, chief of staff to Prime Minister Viktor Orban, has reassured the public, stating, "education in most schools in the country proceeds smoothly." School leaders have the autonomy to decide whether to dismiss students. Orban has been in discussions with both the interior minister and the minister overseeing secret services about the situation. The emails originated from several providers, including international ones, prompting Hungarian secret services to collaborate with Slovak counterparts, as Slovakia encountered similar threats last year. Concurrently, Bulgarian media reported that schools in roughly a dozen Bulgarian cities were subjected to comparable threats. Hungarian and Slovak authorities are working closely to connect these events and enhance security measures. (This story was generated by Newser's AI chatbot. Source: the AP) A teenager who stabbed three young girls to death at a Taylor Swift-themed dance class in England was sentenced Thursday to more than 50 years in prison for what a judge called "the most extreme, shocking, and exceptionally serious crime." Judge Julian Goose said 18-year-old Axel Rudakubana "wanted to try and carry out mass murder of innocent, happy young girls" and planned to kill as many people as he could. Goose said that he couldn't impose a sentence of life without parole, because Rudakabana was under 18 at the time of the crime. But the judge said he must serve more than 51 years before being considered for parole and "it is likely he will never be released," the AP reports. Rudakubana was 17 when he attacked the children in the seaside town of Southport in July. He killed Alice Da Silva Aguiar, 9, Elsie Dot Stancombe, 7, and Bebe King, 6. Eight other girls, ranging in age from 7 to 13, were wounded, along with teacher Leanne Lucas and John Hayes, who worked in a business next door and intervened. SHENYANG, Jan. 22 (Xinhua) -- Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, on Wednesday braved the cold to visit people affected by floods in a village in northeast China's Liaoning Province. Xi made the trip to the village of Zhujiagou, under the administration of Suizhong County, Huludao City, ahead of the Spring Festival, the most important festival for the Chinese people, which falls on Jan. 29 this year. Huludao was one of the hardest-hit cities by summer floods in 2024. Xi inspected the progress in post-disaster restoration and reconstruction. Visiting the villagers who had moved into their new houses just before this winter, Xi inquired about the quality of the reconstructed homes and whether their daily living conditions were adequate. Opinion / Columnist Harare City is a mess, the City of Harare, once celebrated as the "Sunshine City,"continue facing a decline in essential services, there are now calls for the immediate resignation of Mayor Jacob Mafume and his administration. Residents are grappling with a multitude of challenges, including poisonous or unreliable water supply, deteriorating road infrastructure, inadequate sewage systems and the unchecked destruction of vital wetlands.Access to clean water has become a daily struggle for many Harare residents. Reports indicate that areas such as Highfield, Glenview and Budiriro are experiencing significant waste management and sewage maintenance crises due to poor service delivery by the Jacob Mafume led Harare City Council. The situation has escalated to the point where residents have approached Parliament, seeking intervention to compel the City Council to address these water challenges, which threaten to plunge the capital into a health crisis.The city's road network is marred by potholes, making transportation hazardous and contributing to the deterioration of vehicles. The sewage system is equally problematic, with frequent bursts and overflows posing serious health risks. Despite these pressing issues, there have been instances where the City of Harare's top management has come under fire for procuring expensive vehicles, raising questions about the prioritisation of resources amid the city's poor service delivery.Harare's wetlands, crucial for maintaining the city's water system and ecological balance, are under threat. Unregulated construction and private developments have encroached upon these areas, demonstrating a blatant disregard for environmental sustainability. The loss of wetlands exacerbates water scarcity and increases the city's vulnerability to both drought and flooding.Frustration among residents has reached a boiling point. Many believe that the current administration, led by Mayor Jacob Mafume, has failed to uphold its responsibilities. The Harare City Council has faced numerous complaints concerning poor service delivery, corruption and discourteous treatment by municipal authorities. Some have even suggested that the council deserves to be run by a commission to address these issues effectively.The deteriorating conditions in Harare are a clear indication of administrative failure. It is imperative for property owners and residents to unite and demand the immediate resignation of Mayor Jacob Mafume and his administration. A comprehensive overhaul of the city's leadership is essential to restore Harare's former glory and ensure a sustainable, healthy environment for all its inhabitants.Ibvai Mazvitadza!!Engineer Jacob Kudzayi Mutisi TDT | Manama Email: mail@newsofbahrain.com Initiative to upskill and reskill Bahraini workforce Davos The launch of the Bahrain Skills and Gender Parity Accelerator was announced during a signing ceremony between Tamkeen and the World Economic Forum, on the sidelines of His Highness Shaikh Isa bin Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifas leadership of a senior Bahraini delegation to the WEF 55th Annual Meeting in Davos, Switzerland yesterday. This took place in the presence of HH Shaikh Isa bin Salman, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Isa bin Salman Education Charitable Trust and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Labour Fund (Tamkeen). He emphasised the importance of upskilling and reskilling the national workforce to ensure they remain the first choice for employment opportunities. His Highness emphasised that rapid technological advancements across various sectors are opening significant new avenues for Bahraini talent, emphasising the need to adapt to these changes. He stressed that leveraging research-driven approaches in designing training programmes is key to the success and sustainability of these initiatives. Additionally, HH Shaikh Isa bin Salman praised the role of international partnerships in fostering high-quality training and development efforts, bolstering the competitiveness of Bahrains workforce on a global scale. The ceremony was attended by His Excellency Shaikh Salman bin Khalifa Al Khalifa, the Minister of Finance and National Economy and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Bahrain Mumtalakat Holding Company, along with other key dignitaries. The agreement was signed by H.E. Noor bint Ali Alkhulaif, the Minister of Sustainable Development, Chief Executive of Bahrain Economic Development Board, and Board Member of Tamkeen. Bahrain residents come together to rescue ailing Indian Bahrain residents come together to rescue ailing Indian TDT | Manama Email: mail@newsofbahrain.com For 42-year-old Mani Prasad Adkadkam, a return to India marked the end of a harrowing ordeal. The Indian national from Kasargod, Kerala, had been battling severe health issues, including congestive cardiac failure, renal impairment, and acute gout, while facing legal and financial challenges in Bahrain. His condition had deteriorated to the point where advanced treatments, such as a cardiac transplant or Biventricular Assist Device (BiVAD), were urgently needed but unavailable locally. The Pravasi Legal Cell (PLC) Bahrain Chapter, under the leadership of Sudheer Thirunilath, President of PLC, and with the legal expertise of Advocate Tariq Alown, played a pivotal role in securing his repatriation. Three travel bans were lifted through court hearings and negotiations, enabling Mani Prasad to return to India for life-saving treatment. Medical Challenges Despite recurrent hospitalisations at Salmaniya Medical Complex and at KIMSHealth in Bahrain, Mani Prasads condition worsened. Doctors warned of potential leg amputation and other complications, highlighting the urgency of accessing specialised care available only in India. The PLCs persistent efforts, including three court hearings in November 2024, ensured the lifting of a Kerala court-imposed travel ban linked to a recovery case. Advocate Tariq Alowns legal acumen was instrumental in resolving the matter compassionately. The mission was supported by several individuals and organisations, including His Excellency Vinod K. Jacob, Ambassador of India to Bahrain, and officials at the Indian Embassy. Contributors such as Karunya Kuttaiyma, Hope Bahrain, Prathibha Bahrain, and supporters like Nithin, Rajeev Vellikoth, and Ali Faqihi played vital roles. Medical teams at KIMSHealth and Salmaniya, Air India Bahrain staff, and Mr. Abdul Saher ensured smooth logistics and care. Journey Home Yesterday evening, Mani Prasad departed Bahrain on an Air India Express flight to Kannur, Kerala, where a NORKA ambulance facilitated his immediate hospital transfer. His journey home highlights the extraordinary efforts of those who worked tirelessly to give him a second chance at life. The Independent has been hailed for shining a light on the continued imprisonment of Aung San Suu Kyi by a brutal military regime in Myanmar. Human rights campaigner Bianca Jagger and Wild Swans author Jung Chang joined politicians, journalists and lawyers at the London screening of The Independent TVs documentary Cancelled: The Rise and Fall of Aung San Suu Kyi. The film looks at the life of the 79-year-old Nobel Peace Prize winner who has become a deeply divisive and controversial figure internationally after failing to speak out on her countrys extreme violence against its Rohingya Muslim minority. It was described as a rallying point for the freedom of a woman seen as the last hope for the people of her country. ADVERTISEMENT Speaking afterwards, Ms Jagger said: I think the most difficult issue is for people to have mercy on fallen heroes. Because she was a hero for many of us, including me. But we must do everything we can to see her released. This is the perfect film to launch a campaign calling for her freedom I think this film will be the perfect rallying point to bring us all together and to demand that she be released. Bianca Jagger listens to Helena Kennedy at the screening of The Independents documentary Cancelled: The Rise and Fall of Aung San Suu Kyi (Al Brown) Ms Chang, who met Ms Suu Kyi on a number of occasions, said: I greatly admire her. And I am full of sympathy for her, in solitary confinement. So of course I think the more people help her and draw attention to her plight the better. Ms Suu Kyi is believed to have spent long periods in solitary confinement since her arrest following a coup in February 2021 and faces 27 years in prison. Responding to the documentary, three former foreign secretaries, William Hague, Sir Malcolm Rifkind and Jack Straw, have said the ousted former leader was jailed on trumped-up charges and deserves the chance to lead her country democratically. ADVERTISEMENT Former deputy foreign secretary Andrew Mitchell, who attended Wednesdays screening, said: She has been treated terribly by the illegal junta in Myanmar. She should be released immediately and films like this help explain why. Jung Chang and Kim Aris at the screening of the Cancelled documentary in London (Geordie Greig) Ms Suu Kyi, who studied at Oxford and married a British academic Michael Aris, raised two children, Alexander and Kim, in the UK before returning to Myanmar in 1988. She spent nearly 15 of the 21 years between 1989 to 2010 under house arrest, where her fight for democracy became famous across the world. The junta allowed Ms Suu Kyi to become the de facto head of Myanmar following elections in 2015, but only if they controlled the key ministries of home affairs and defence and border control, as well as the military budget. In 2019, she became a global pariah in the eyes of the international community and many human rights organisations after she appeared at the International Court of Justice in The Hague to defend her countrys use of force against the Rohingya. Screening of Cancelled: The Rise and Fall of Aung San Suu Kyi with (left to right) her son Kim Aris, Independent editor-in-chief Geordie Greig and journalist Peter Popham (Al Brown) Two years later she was imprisoned after the military seized power in a coup, plunging the country into conflict. ADVERTISEMENT Helena Kennedy, one of Britains most distinguished lawyers, said: She may have made some miscalculations along the way but I do think that the world has to reflect again on what she was seeking to achieve. And I think she thought she was preventing the inevitable coup that did in fact take place. She added: What shocked me is the lack of concern for her human rights. I hope this documentary is the start of a campaign to say what is happening to this woman is utterly, utterly reprehensible. Her son, Kim, who appears in the film, added: Im very glad that this has been brought back into the public domain that people start to question the narrative about her. He said that his only contact with his mother had been through one letter that he received since she was imprisoned. I hope the other thing that people take from this is that she is not under house arrest, she is in prison, he said. And the prison cell that she has been kept in all this time I know is rat-infested and completely open to the elements. Aung San Suu Kyi, leader of the National League for Democracy (NLD) in Myanmar (Getty) The film was also praised by Paul Scully, a former Conservative minister who was Theresa Mays trade envoy to Myanmar. ADVERTISEMENT He said: For decades millions of people in Myanmar have suffered at the hands of the military. It is so important to have this documentary return the attention to the plight of Aung San Suu Kyi, for so long the focal point and last hope for the people of Burma. In the documentary, Lord Hague, who welcomed Ms Suu Kyi to London in 2012, said it was possible to be critical of the countrys former de facto prime minister but also say we should be campaigning for her release. He described her as a political prisoner on trumped-up charges, adding We might disagree with things that she has said and done, but she has been the strongest force for democracy in Myanmar in a generation, and she is imprisoned because she was that force for democracy. TORONTO, Jan. 22, 2025 /CNW/ - Canaccord Genuity Group Inc. (TSX: CF) is scheduled to release its third quarter fiscal 2025 financial results and supplementary financial information after Canadian markets close on Tuesday, February 4, 2025. Interested investors and other stakeholders can access the earnings release and supplementary financial information at www.cgf.com/investor-relations/investor-resources/financial-reports/ QUARTERLY CONFERENCE CALL AND WEBCAST: Interested parties are invited to listen to Canaccord Genuity's third quarter fiscal 2025 results conference call via live webcast or a toll-free number. The conference call is scheduled for Wednesday, February 5, 2025, at 8:00 a.m. Eastern time, 1:00 p.m. UK, and midnight Australia AEDT. The conference call may be accessed live and will also be archived on a listen-only basis at: www.cgf.com/investor-relations/news-and-events/conference-calls-and-webcasts/ Analysts and institutional investors can call in via telephone at: 1-437-900-0527 (within Toronto ) ) 1-888-510-2154 (toll free in North America ) ) 448-002-797-040 (toll free from the United Kingdom ) ) 612-801-71385 (Local Australia) Please ask to participate in the Canaccord Genuity Group Inc. Q3/25 results call. If a conference call ID is requested, please use 04356. A replay of the conference call will be made available from approximately two hours after the live call on February 5, 2025, until March 5, 2025, at 1-289-819-1450 or 1-888-660-6345 by entering passcode 04356 followed by the (#) key. ABOUT CANACCORD GENUITY GROUP INC.: Through its principal subsidiaries, Canaccord Genuity Group Inc. (the "Company") is a leading independent, full-service financial services firm, with operations in two principal segments of the securities industry: wealth management and capital markets. Since its establishment in 1950, the Company has been driven by an unwavering commitment to building lasting client relationships. We achieve this by generating value for our individual, institutional and corporate clients through comprehensive investment solutions, brokerage services and investment banking services. The Company has wealth management offices located in Canada, the UK, Guernsey, Jersey, the Isle of Man and Australia. The Company's international capital markets division operates in North America, UK & Europe, Asia, and Australia. Canaccord Genuity Group Inc. is publicly traded under the symbol CF on the TSX. SOURCE Canaccord Genuity Group Inc. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION: Investor and media relations inquiries: Christina Marinoff, SVP, Head of Investor Relations & Global Corporate Communications, Phone: 416-687-5507, Email: [email protected], www.cgf.com/investor-relations This newly reimagined food court promises a unique, welcoming, and warm dining experience. Visitors will enjoy a diverse selection of food concepts, blending well-known brands with new-to-Canada eateries, positioning the Centre Eaton de Montreal as a must-visit destination for casual dining. Located at the tunnel level, this area will also undergo a major rejuvenation. "By reimagining the Centre Eaton de Montreal food court, we are stimulating the customer experience and strengthening its role as a key destination in the city's commercial and cultural landscape. This project represents a new phase in our plan to invest in our Quebec flagship properties and enhance the urban experience at the heart of the city," said Annie Houle, Managing Director, Real Estate Canada, CDPQ/Ivanhoe Cambridge. A Reimagined and Sustainable Space The new food court will enhance the customer experience and showcase Montreal's cultural and urban identity through innovative and sustainable design. The space will be designed to encourage meal breaks, and gatherings among colleagues, friends, or families, offering an environment that is both welcoming and stimulating. A strategic three-phase rollout will allow current retailers to continue operating during the renovations, ensuring a smooth transition and uninterrupted customer experience. The project will be managed by the commercial real estate and investment management firm, JLL. "The revitalization of the Centre Eaton de Montreal food court illustrates the dynamic evolution of our downtown commercial real estate landscape and redefines the standards of excellence. Projects of this scale require deep expertise in property management and commercial developmentareas in which JLL has been a leader for many years," explained Johanne Marcotte, Executive Vice President, Portfolio Management, Retail at JLL. ABOUT CENTRE EATON DE MONTREAL Located in the heart of Montreal on Sainte-Catherine Street, the Montreal Eaton Centre boasts the largest retail offering in downtown Montreal. As a gateway to the underground city with direct access to McGill metro station, the Centre welcomes nearly 30 million visitors annually. It features renowned retailers, including Canada's only Time Out Market, as well as Montreal's first Uniqlo and Decathlon, along with Sephora, Samsung, B2, Boss, Nike, Old Navy, Levi's, and Aritzia. With nearly 125 shops and restaurants, the Centre Eaton de Montreal is an essential shopping destination. ABOUT IVANHOE CAMBRIDGE Ivanhoe Cambridge, the real estate portfolio of CDPQ, manages CAD 77 billion in assets. Through strategic alliances, it has established a global presence, holding interests in over 1,500 properties across the logistics, residential, office, and retail sectors. As a global investment group managing funds for public pension and insurance plans, CDPQ works alongside its partners to build enterprises that drive performance and progress. CDPQ is active in the major financial markets, private equity, infrastructure, real estate and private debt. As at June 30, 2024, CDPQ's net assets totalled CAD 452 billion. For more information: ivanhoecambridge.com / cdpq.com ABOUT JLL For over 200 years, JLL (NYSE: JLL), a leading global commercial real estate and investment management company, has helped clients buy, build, occupy, manage and invest in a variety of commercial, industrial, hotel, residential and retail properties. A Fortune 500 company with annual revenue of $20.8 billion and operations in over 80 countries around the world, our more than 111,000 employees bring the power of a global platform combined with local expertise. Driven by our purpose to shape the future of real estate for a better world, we help our clients, people and communities SEE A BRIGHTER WAYSM. JLL is the brand name, and a registered trademark, of Jones Lang LaSalle Incorporated. For further information, visit jll.com. SOURCE Le Centre Eaton de Montreal For more informations: Thara Tremblay-Nantel, Thara Communications for Centre Eaton de Montreal, [email protected], 514 208-6897; Diana Gavrila, JLL, Communications Manager, [email protected], 514 502-4800; Kate Monfette, Director, medias relations, CDPQ, [email protected] Library and Archives Canada announces recipients of 2024-2025 Price McIntosh Bursary GATINEAU, QC, Jan. 23, 2025 /CNW/ - Library and Archives Canada (LAC) is proud to announce the 202425 recipients of the Price McIntosh Bursary. This year, $37,500 was awarded to support six new students and two returning students pursuing studies in fields related to Canadian documentary heritage. The 202425 recipients are: New students Price-McIntosh Bursary Post this Price-McIntosh Bursary (CNW Group/Library and Archives Canada) Jessica Sadie Dawn Anderson , M.A. of Library and Information Studies, University of Alberta , Alberta , M.A. of Library and Information Studies, , Emily Ing , M.A. of Information and M.A. of Museum Studies, University of Toronto , Ontario , M.A. of Information and M.A. of Museum Studies, , Ontario Caroline Robinson , M.A. of Information Studies, Universite de Montreal, Quebec , M.A. of Information Studies, Universite de Montreal, Kessie Theliar-Charles , Certificate in Archival Studies, Universite Laval, Quebec , Certificate in Archival Studies, Universite Alec Mullender , Doctorate in Library and Information Studies, Western University , Ontario , Doctorate in Library and Information Studies, , Curtis Willson Brooks-Ip , M.A. of Archival Studies, University of Manitoba , Manitoba Returning students Samantha Beatrice McCue , M.A. of Information Studies, University of Ottawa , Ontario , M.A. of Information Studies, , Ontario Sabrina Mac Gregor , M.A. of Information Sciences, Universite de Montreal, Quebec For the fourth year in a row, the Price McIntosh Bursary encourages Indigenous students (First Nations, Inuit, and Metis Nation), persons living with a disability, and members of visible minorities to pursue studies in fields related to libraries and archives. With this bursary, LAC seeks to promote inclusion and encourages diverse stories, experiences, and interpretations, to help Canadians understand and enrich our collective history. Congratulations to the 2024-25 recipients! To learn more about the recipients and this bursary, visit the Price McIntosh Bursary page. About Library and Archives Canada The mandate of Library and Archives Canada is to preserve the documentary heritage of Canada for the benefit of present and future generations, and to be a source of enduring knowledge accessible to all, thereby contributing to the cultural, social and economic advancement of Canada. LAC also facilitates co-operation among communities involved in the acquisition, preservation and diffusion of knowledge, and serves as the continuing memory of the Government of Canada and its institutions. Quotes "Well done to our bursary recipients! You represent the next generation of documentary heritage professionals entrusted with bringing Canada's rich past to life. Your unique experiences and perspectives will help build a more inclusive and diverse landscape in the field of libraries and archives. We celebrate your achievements and look forward to seeing the impacts of your work for years to come." Leslie Weir, Librarian and Archivist of Canada Quick facts The Price McIntosh Bursary was created in 2021 thanks to the generosity of the Montreal family of the late Walter Charles Price and Adis Florence Mary McIntosh . and . The amounts awarded vary according to student status: $5,000 for full-time students and $2,500 for part-time students enrolled in a Canadian college or university program. for full-time students and for part-time students enrolled in a Canadian college or university program. Eligible students may receive a bursary for up to three consecutive years. The application period for the 20252026 academic year will open in the spring. Related links 2024-2025 Price McIntosh Bursary recipients Price McIntosh Bursary Indigenous documentary heritage initiatives Accessibility in the public service Accessibility Strategy for the Public Service of Canada SOURCE Library and Archives Canada Contacts: For more information (media only), please contact:Media Relations, Library and Archives Canada, 819-994-4589, [email protected] An ongoing legal fight over the housing of juveniles ordered detained on criminal charges in New Jersey is ending in one court. But the battle appears far from over. The matter is moving to appellate court, where the state and Atlantic County will continue to spar over who is responsible for finding housing for young people being held in juvenile detention. Atlantic County and the state Juvenile Justice Commission filed dueling lawsuits over the issue last year, but they reached an agreement earlier this month to end their cases in trial court and move the matter to the appellate division. The case began when Atlantic County went to court in September, saying it faced a crisis in finding beds for detained juveniles because a spike in crime led to overcrowding and riots at its juvenile detention facility. County officials there said they had to scramble to find housing in detention centers in other counties and accused the state Juvenile Justice Commission of failing to manage the issue. In its court filings, Atlantic County said young people were in some cases detained at police stations for many hours in violation of the law while efforts were made to find facilities that could take them. That situation created potential civil rights liability for the county, officials argued. In response, the commission maintained that its up to the counties, not the commission, to find open space in juvenile detention centers. All seven county youth detention facilities in New Jersey located in Atlantic, Bergen, Camden, Essex, Middlesex, Morris and Ocean are owned and operated by the counties where theyre located. Counties without centers contract with the facilities to house their juvenile detainees. After Atlantic County filed its suit, the commission issued an order in November requiring that the county not exceed the 20-bed capacity at its juvenile detention center. The county was also ordered to develop a plan for finding beds in one of the other six detention centers when its facility is full. The order required the other counties with centers to accommodate Atlantic County detainees. Additionally, the commission wanted Atlantic Countys plan to address the issues that lead to regular overcrowding at its facility. In response to Atlantic Countys suit, Superior Court Judge Michael J. Blee, assignment judge for Atlantic and Cape May counties, issued a preliminary injunction in December, ruling that it was the commissions responsibility to find housing for detained juveniles, not the countys. In his Dec. 23 ruling, Blee also found that claims in Atlantic Countys suit that the commission violated the state Civil Rights Act and breached terms of a contract between the county and the commission should be considered by the appellate court. In the meantime, the commission filed a lawsuit of its own in Mercer County Superior Court in December, saying Atlantic County failed to submit a plan for how it will manage its overcrowding issues. Under an agreement reached last week between the commission and Atlantic County officials, the parties signed consent orders that will soon end the cases in Atlantic and Mercer counties. But the matter is headed for appellate court. The Atlantic County ruling has been converted from a preliminary to a final injunction, which clears the way for the commission to file a challenge to Blees decision in appellate court, according to an official familiar with the matter. Meanwhile, the Mercer County case will be dismissed, the official said. A spokesperson for the Juvenile Justice Commission said the agency does plan to appeal Blees order. Atlantic County and the other six counties with juvenile detention facilities have also filed motions in appellate court challenging the November commission order. Those documents, filed in December and January, question whether the commission exceeded its statutory authority when it ordered the other counties to accept Atlantic County youths and when it delegated responsibility to Atlantic County to assign juveniles to other counties. No dates have been set yet for arguments on those matters, a court official confirmed. Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com. Matt Gray may be reached at mgray@njadvancemedia.com. A South Jersey political operative is expected to plead guilty next month to federal charges stemming from submitting fraudulent mail-in ballots during the 2022 general election, according to court records. The U.S. Justice Department charged Craig Callaway, a former Atlantic City Councilman, with one count of depriving, defrauding and attempting to deprive and defraud the residents of the state of New Jersey of a fair and impartially conducted election process. A plea hearing is scheduled in federal court in Camden on Feb. 13, court records show. A court order from Dec. 20 states that a written plea agreement has been drafted in the case. Court records do not detail the terms the prosecution and defense agreed upon. Federal prosecutors charged Callaway in 2024, alleging that he obtained mail-in ballots through messengers with the Atlantic County Clerks Office. He then fraudulently filled out ballots and cast them. State law allows messengers to gather mail-in ballots from the clerks office on voters' behalf. The former politician also offered to pay up to $50 to others he recruited to file mail-in ballot applications, according to a criminal complaint. Callaway cast at least four votes for voters who did not participate in the 2022 election, prosecutors said, citing interviews with witnesses. Callaways attorney, Megan Davies, declined to discuss the case when reached by NJ Advance Media for comment Thursday. Callaway has joined political campaigns for both Democratic and Republican candidates in South Jersey. At the time Callaway carried out the alleged scheme, he worked as a consultant for the reelection campaign of U.S. Rep. Jeff Van Drew, R-2nd Dist. The allegations against Mr. Callaway regarding a grand total of four vote by mail ballots from several election cycles ago have absolutely nothing to do with Congressman Van Drew or his campaign, Ron Filan, Van Drews campaign manager and director of political affairs, said in a statement Thursday. In fact, our campaign has been laser focused on promoting in person, early voting, ever since it was adopted and would love to see it replace the current vote by mail ballot system entirely. Callaway was previously sentenced to state prison in 2006 for accepting $36,000 in bribes. He was convicted in 2009 of blackmailing former councilman Eugene Robinson after being accused of conspiring to lure him to a motel in Absecon to have sex with a prostitute. Callaways brother and two others were sentenced to jail in the matter. Callaway was barred by the Atlantic County Superior Court ahead of the 2023 election from assisting voters with disabilities after he claimed to have a disability himself. He was also accused by the Atlantic County Democratic Committee during the 2023 primary election of casting fraudulent votes as an assister or messenger. 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. VOTE FOR YOUR FAVORITE NEW JERSEY WINGS IN THE POLL BELOW! Last week, we asked you to tell us where to find New Jerseys best wings, just in time for Super Bowl LIX. And you delivered! After sorting through a hefty pile of nominations from all corners of the state, we have created a poll with all the nominations, where you may vote for your favorite New Jersey wing restaurant or bar. Youll have until 11:59 p.m. on Sunday, Jan. 26 to cast your ballot. Youll need a free NJ.com account to vote. Sign in or create an account to view the poll. Well tally the results and announce the top 10 vote-getters on Jan. 27. Then NJ.coms own New Jersey wing expert will visit all 10 finalists, and select the winner of the 2025 Jersey Wing-Off based his evaluation of the flavor and quality of cooking, creativity, price and atmosphere. The winner will receive a Jersey Wing-Off plaque and be featured on NJ.com. Click here for guidelines on nominating and voting. Bobby Olivier may be reached at bolivier@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @BobbyOlivier and Facebook. The owner of a chilly Newark apartment tower has been uncooperative with efforts to heat the building or address other problems adequately and may lose its tax abatement and control of rent payments, city officials said Wednesday. Newark Business Administrator Eric Pennington told the City Council during a meeting Wednesday night that, based on a lack of cooperation by the Manhattan-based owner, BRP Companies, it was likely the city would ask a judge to place the 21-story building at 440 Washington St. into the hands of a receiver. That court-appointed individual would collect the rent on the buildings 200 apartments and use the money to fix the buildings spotty heating system, unreliable elevators, lack of trash collection and other needs. The city requires that rental apartments be at least 68 degrees between 6 a.m. and 11 p.m. and 65 degrees during overnight hours, but some residents say their apartments are nowhere near that, forcing them to sleep with their coats on. City inspectors responding to the cold complaints later cited several code violations related to other issues, including trash and debris and a lack of security cameras on the property. The buildings management company, identified by tenants as Brooklyn-based GRC Management, abruptly vacated its ground-floor offices in December without even collecting Januarys rent. A GRC employee who answered the phone on Thursday said he was unaware of the Newark situation and referred the matter to another company official, who did not respond to a request for comment. Pennington told council members Wednesday that a task force of engineering, code enforcement and other city staffers ordered by Mayor Ras J. Baraka was compiling an updated list of violations to present to the owners and, if necessary, to an Essex County judge who could place the building into receivership. One of the things were having the task force look at is identifying all of the issues so that theres proper notice to the owners, who have not been cooperative, said Pennington, calling the lack of heat in the building one of the most pressing issues that were dealing with. Pennington said the city would prefer that the owners work with the city to address the problems. But, he added, they have failed to do so, so were heading down the path to receivership. BRP did not respond to multiple requests for comment on Thursday. Pennington also said the city Department of Economic and Housing Development was looking into whether the problems meant the owners were in default of their tax abatement, which was granted along with state tax credits and a HUD rent subsidy under a rehabilitation of the building in 2019. Council Member Carlos Gonzalez, who chairs the tax abatement committee, told council colleagues that the committee would address the issue when it convenes this Wednesday. Gonzalez said the committee could recommend to the full council that the abatement be rescinded, depending on whether the owners show up and their responses to his questions. We are trying to get the owners and the management to the tax abatement committee on the 29th of this month, Gonzalez said, to find out what they are going to do to keep the tax abatement that they have. Two residents of 440 Washington had addressed the council earlier at the meeting. Nasheedah Singleton, a security industry management consultant who lives with her teenage daughter on the buildings 21st floor, urged city officials to keep pressing for lasting repairs to the buildings heating and elevator systems, and a return to regular trash pickups and on-site management and maintenance employees. The living conditionshave become increasingly untenable, said Singleton. We urge you to ensure that these issues are resolved. Deborah Brown, a retiree in her 70s whos lived in the building for 30 years, had to stay with her daughter two weekends ago after all three elevators went out of service, stranding her in the lobby, 20 flights of stairs below her apartment. Brown said she would move out but couldnt find another apartment she could afford. When I left my apartment today, it was ice cold, she told the council. We need the City Council to cancel BRPs abatement until they do the repairs. Developers and other supporters of tax abatements say they make projects financially feasible and point out that payments in lieu of taxes made under such deals are comparable to the amount the city would collect under standard taxation. But abatements are highly unpopular with a vocal group of Newark residents who regularly criticize the councils nearly unfailing approval of them, typically based on the recommendation of the Baraka administration. These slumlords and the long-term tax abatements this administration keeps giving out are criminal, one of the regular critics, Munirah El-Bomani, told the council on Wednesday. But Pennington said the administration had aggressively sought to hold property owners to the terms of the tax breaks, which include requirements that living conditions in the abated properties be properly maintained. Council Member Patrick Council said he and his colleagues likewise had been very aggressive in enforcing requirements of the abatements they approve, though he added the council should also be prudent with their power to rescind them. Council Member Louise Scott-Rountree said she was prepared to support rescinding 440 Washingtons abatement or the administrations legal effort to place the building into receivership. We have to hold that landlord accountable one way or another, Scott-Rountree said. Deborah Brown, a resident of 440 Washington St., in Newark, told members of the Newark City Council on Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2025, that her apartment was "freezing" when she left for the council meeting that night.City of Newark 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 UPDATE: N.J. pool company was supposed to be shut down when it burned in massive fire, local officials say A massive fire at a swimming pool manufacturer in Gloucester County prompted two schools to evacuate hundreds of students on Thursday morning. The animal rights' group made a point Wednesday, in an intensely graphic way. Using fake blood, faux packaging and real humans, PETA People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals protested outside the Whole Foods in Downtown Jersey City Wednesday afternoon. The nearly nudes protest was part of a PETA campaign against Global Animal Partnership and what PETA officials call the organizations deceptive animal welfare certified labels (on products) at Whole Foods store ... (a) sham stamp of approval on factory-farmed meat, eggs, and dairy, even though PETA has documented widespread, systemic cruelty at all 12 certified facilities it investigated." The demonstration consisted of two women and a man covered in blood, lying on giant meat trays wrapped in cellophane complete with spoof humane labels. Whole Foods is betraying the animals and the people who care about them, Wendy Fernandez, of PETA, told The Jersey Journal Wednesday. The meat comes from factory farms that mutilate animals without any pain killers, rob them of the beloved offspring, forcibly impregnate them. The Global Animal Partnership says it uses a tiered labeling strategy to show consumers how the animals were raised. Whole Foods standards still allow for certified facilities to mutilate piglets without pain relief, cram cows into filthy pens, force chickens to grow morbidly obese until they can barely walk, and kill these animals at a fraction of their natural life expectancy, PETA Executive Vice President Tracy Reiman said in a statement. PETA encourages everyone to see the naked truth behind deceptive humane labels, and please go vegan. Three residents were displaced and a Jersey City building that housed three apartments and two small businesses is headed for demolition after an early morning blaze. Jersey City firefighters responded to 308 Pacific Ave. at 3:47 a.m. and located a working fire inside the two-story building with apartments on the second floor, under a smoke shop and a pizzeria/restaurant. A former Mercer County pharmacist was found guilty of participating in a conspiracy to distribute large quantities of prescription pills that were eventually sold on the street, officials with the U.S. Attorneys Office said Thursday. Florence Ndubizu, 64, of Princeton Junction, was convicted by a federal jury after a two-week trial on Wednesday of conspiracy to illegally distribute schedule II controlled substances and maintaining a location for the illegal distribution of substances, officials said. A third count of illegal distribution of controlled substances was dismissed before trial against Ndubizu, according to authorities. Ndubizu was accused by prosecutors of distributing millions of oxycodone pills over a four-year period through the former Healthcare Pharmacy in Trenton, which she co-owned and where she served as pharmacist-in-charge, authorities said. Prosecutors said Ndubizu illegally distributed over 800,000 pills in 2014, over 900,000 pills in 2015, another 800,000 pills in 2016, and over 200,000 more pills in 2017. Ndubizu and employees that conspired with her and acted at her direction filled phony prescriptions knowing the doses were filled for illegitimate purposes and would be illegally diverted, including to street-level dealers, according to authorities. She evaded federal reporting requirements by manipulating pharmacy records, and when audited by the Drug Enforcement Administration, was discovered to have illegally diverted over 64,000 oxycodone pills between 2015 and 2017, officials said. The DEA suspended Healthcare Pharmacys registration in 2017, according to authorities. Florence Ndubizus husband, Gordian A. Ndubizu, 69, a former accounting professor and co-owner of Healthcare Pharmacy, was convicted of tax evasion charges in August 2024 for maintaining a separate set of financial books for the pharmacy that inflated the cost of goods purchased in order to avoid paying about $1.25 million in taxes on $3.28 million in income, officials said. Gordian Ndubizu was accused by prosecutors of making payments appear to be for goods when in reality they were direct payments to accounts controlled by the him as well as payments to a Nigerian auto company Gordian controlled. Gordian Ndubizu was not charged with controlled substances offenses, officials said. Attorneys for Florence Ndubizu did not immediately return a request for comment. Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com. Matthew Enuco may be reached at Menuco@njadvancemedia.com. Follow Matt on X The Mets still have a gaping hole at first (or third) base to fill and outfielder Jesse Winker is ready to take a shot if needed. On Wednesday, Winker was re-introduced to Mets reporters, officially announcing the one-year, $7.5 million deal he agreed to last week. During his roughly 10-minute availability, the lefty discussed why he wanted to return to New York, why the Mets clubhouse gelled so well last season, and his excitement over the historic Juan Soto signing. He also revealed that hes definitely comfortable playing first base and hed welcome the opportunity to play there. BUY METS TICKETS: STUBHUB, VIVID SEATS, TICKETMASTER Like I said, whatevers asked of me, Ill be ready and Ill put my best foot forward and give it everything I have, Winker said. I definitely got more comfortable at first base two years ago. Up until then, I hadnt really played it, but it was definitely a position that I kind of felt like, Man, maybe I should have been playing this a long time ago to at least, kind of have it in, like a tool in the back, per see. With negotiations with homegrown slugger Pete Alonso stalled, the Mets appeared to have moved on to Plan B, signing a top-tier reliever (left-hander A.J. Minter) and bringing back Winker. Winker quickly became a fan favorite at Citi Field after the Mets acquired him before the trade deadline. He brought another burst of energy to the team and immediately meshed with a clubhouse culture that big league teams were envious of. This season, he hopes to build on his solid postseason performance. In 10 games, he went 7-for-22 (.318 batting average) with a home run, a pair of triples, and four RBIs. Winker played 13 games at first base during a rehab stint when he was with the Milwaukee Brewers in 2023. He even took ground balls there when the Mets were in Arizona at the end of August last season. I was on a rehab assignment, and it was brought to my attention that it could help me as my career was progressing, to just be able to provide some defensive flexibility, Winker said. And if you can go play there, you know, maybe give a guy a day or whatever. You know, the more positions you play, the more valuable you are to teams. Thank you for relying on us to provide the journalism you can trust. Please consider supporting us with a subscription. Manny Gomez may be reached at mgomez@njadvancemedia.com. Bryon Daily did not fit the profile of someone at risk for a rare blood condition. After all, he said he was under 60, physically fit, and had no family history of the disease. But after a seemingly random finger fracture, his doctor tested him for elevated protein levels in his blood and told him he had a form of cancer called multiple myeloma. It was sort of an out-of-body experience for me, said Daily 60, of learning of his diagnosis. I was very fortunate because, in a lot of cases, people dont have access to good health care. I had major medical insurance. So, I could consult with my primary care physician. Multiple myeloma is a cancer involving plasma cells that multiply and grow uncontrollably in a persons bone marrow, crowding out healthy cells. The disease, which has no cure, limits the bodys ability to fight infections, produces proteins that can damage the kidneys, and causes bone pain and debilitating fractures. If left untreated, it can be fatal. The disease primarily affects Black and Hispanic males ages 65 to 70 and individuals with specific risk factors such as exposure to certain chemicals, obesity, and chronic immune or inflammatory disorders, according to an American Association of Cancer Research study. Black Americans have at least a double chance of developing multiple myeloma compared to white Americans and are also diagnosed at younger ages, said Gwen Nichols, chief medical officer at the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society in New York. It is not fully understood, but genetics might play a role. Nichols described myeloma as a silent but deadly blood cancer with a high mortality rate after diagnosis. She noted that, unlike colon, breast, or prostate cancer, there is no standard screening for multiple myeloma. In New Jersey, about 730 new cases of multiple myeloma are diagnosed annually, with about 330 deaths attributed to the disease each year, according to the state health department. Nationwide, the American Cancer Society estimates that about 35,000 people will be diagnosed with the disease this year. Daily, who is Black and was 54 when diagnosed, became the national community outreach manager for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. He noted that over the past decade, the nonprofit Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation, which works to accelerate a cure for the disease, reported that treatments have emerged to target malignancies diagnosed at a disproportionate rate among Black and brown populations. In addition, he said websites like the Leukemia & Lymphoma Societys Myeloma Link, created in 2017, help educate myeloma patients, caregivers, survivors, and families of color about the disease and its treatments. They meet people where they are, said Daily of Atlanta, noting that the website has reached 45,000 people. LLS partners with trusted institutions within Black and brown communities, like churches, senior centers, libraries, and barbershops. The program is active in 16 cities across the country, including Newark. Lynn Steele is a senior information specialist at the Leukemia & Lymphoma Societys Information Resource Center in New York. She said combating multiple myeloma hinges on education and proactive outreach by health care professionals. Steele said that based on feedback from Black and brown people with the disease, the lack of knowledge about myeloma and barriers to getting help were the most common discussions. Some patients have never heard about myeloma, she said. In addition, Steele said patients from lower-income families may face financial barriers because of hospitalizations; treatment schedules may conflict with work; they dont have transportation to treatment or lack adequate insurance. Nichols said those factors and the length of time before diagnosis greatly impact mortality rates for individuals with multiple myeloma. Five-year relative survival rates for multiple myeloma have surpassed 60% with newer treatment options such as targeted therapies, immunotherapy and CAR T-cell therapies, Nichols said. The goal here is to intervene with novel therapies and lifestyle changes that may delay or prevent disease progression. Daily can attest to that. With early diagnosis and treatment, Daily said his myeloma is in remission after six months of chemotherapy and a bone marrow transplant. He manages the disease by taking a daily chemotherapy pill. For more information about myeloma in New Jersey, contact: Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey at cinj.org or (732) 235-2465; The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) at LLS.org or (800) 955-4572; Be The Match at bethematch.org or (800) 627-7692. Ande Richards may be reached at arichards@njadvancemedia.com. Welcome to Mosaic. Follow us on Instagram at @MosaicNJcom and on Facebook at MosaicNJcom and on YouTube at @MosaicNJcom Hey there New Jersey! Heres your audio update highlighting 12 New Jersey school districts getting big AI grants, a city weighing a ban on homeless sleeping outside and another lawsuit involving so-called zombie properties. Plus, well tell you about Ziggy, the fox rescued after being stranded on ice at the Jersey Shore for days. Listen by clicking the play button above. This audio presentation is an editorially-curated selection of stories, selected by an editor, and then summarized and read aloud by artificial intelligence. Some variations in pronunciation, tone or diction may result. We want to know what you think! All feedback is valuable. After youve listened, take our 3-question survey here to let us know what you think. Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com. Facing a possible $13 million deficit for the upcoming school year, the Jackson Board of Education is mulling a proposal that would close one of the districts middle schools and combine its two high schools. The boards business administrator, Dan Baginski, said during a meeting Wednesday night that state aid has dropped from $49.6 million in 2017-18 to $23.4 million for the current school year. Superintendent Nicole Pormilli said these state aid cuts coupled with decreased enrollment prompted the district to form a committee to make proposals for the future. The group ultimately decided the best option would be for the closure and then possible sale or rental of Goetz Middle School, she said. As part of a trickle down effect, the district would then utilize McAuliffe Middle School as its one upper elementary school for all fifth and sixth graders. Jackson Memorial High School would then be used as the districts one middle school for all seventh and eighth graders. Finally, Jackson Liberty High School would then become the lone high school for students in grades 9-12. None of the Pre-K through 4th grade schools would be impacted under the proposed redistricting plan. Pormilli said the decision to utilize McAuliffe over Goetz was based on the age of the schools and an analysis by architects. Memorial can be better utilized as a middle school, she added. The superintendent said the model proposed Wednesday would lower operational costs by an estimated $8 million, and would create the potential revenue of selling or renting a school building. It was not immediately clear how the plan would affect staff at all the schools involved. But, Baginski said if the district does nothing, it would face the loss of more than 200 positions, numerous programs, a massive increase in class sizes, and no maintenance to facilities or any improvements to existing structures. The board will now consider the proposal and could possibly vote on it as its next meeting at 6 p.m. on Feb. 5 at Jackson Memorial High School. Another public forum will be held at that time, as well. Numerous residents, including parents and students, spoke during Wednesday nights public forum, bringing up issues such as increased traffic, longer bus ride times and quality of life changes for students. One board member asked if the committee considered the potential cost differential between renting one middle school versus the other. Pormilli said that would be explored and said that while renting could provide a steady stream of revenue, it was unclear how much it would cost the district to act as a landlord of the property. If the board ultimately decides to close one of its schools, it would be the second time in as many years. Administrators cited state aid reductions as the reason last year for the closure of the Sylvia Rosenauer Elementary School, which had the lowest enrollment of the six elementary schools in the district at 265 students. In addition to closing the school and eliminating courtesy busing, a total of 70 jobs were cut, including an unspecified number of teachers and administrators. District officials said at the time the vast majority of the staffing reductions would be via attrition. The site was later sold to Bais Yaakov of Jackson, which is affiliated with the all-girls Bais Faiga School, an Orthodox Jewish school in neighboring Lakewood, according to a report by the Asbury Park Press. The school board accepted a $13.1 million bid for the site last month. Baginski said Wednesday the sale of Sylvia Rosenauer Elementary School was a one-time revenue used to balance last years budget. He added that the potential sale or rental of another school property will establish new revenue that the district needs to balance upcoming and future budgets, and said it would permanently reduce operating costs. Please consider supporting NJ.com with a voluntary subscription. Chris Sheldon may be reached at csheldon@njadvancemedia.com. Sand from a $1.86 million dredging and beach replenishment project has collapsed around the jetty at Barnegat Lighthouse State Park, creating massive holes in the beach and forcing officials to close off a portion of the area. The dredged sand was put in place around the jetty as part of a navigation and beach replenishment project for Barnegat Light, said Stephen Schapiro, a state Department of Transportation spokesperson said in a statement. The navigation project was needed because the High Bar channel in Barnegat Bay was severely shoaled, creating a maritime hazard, Schapiro said. Last week, holes were discovered in the sand near the jetty located about 200 feet from historic Barnegat Lighthouse, which remains open. The cause of the holes has not been determined. The holes in the sand are wide and deep and visitors were told to avoid the beach area, which had been closed since Dec. 14 as a safety precaution. If you fell, its probably six- to eight-feet deep and then there is the danger of collapsing sand, said First Responder Bob Selfridge of the Barnegat Light First Aid Squad, who toured the scene. He said some holes looked like small caves. First responders provided a public safety announcement during the weekend to warn about the holes in the sand. The areas of sand along the lighthouse/jetty walkway appears to be unstable, according to the Facebook post by the Barnegat Light First Aid Squad. The sand is collapsing. Use extreme caution while walking or simply, avoid the area all together. The holes may not look intimidating but theyre as deep as 6 feet. Buried under the sand is not a situation you want to find yourself in. Please be careful and be safe. Selfridge said the PSA, which included photos of the holes, has become unbelievably one of the most shared PSAs we have done. Schapiro said DOT staff on Jan. 17 noticed the condition of the sand referenced in the photos and on Jan. 18 and Jan. 19, the contractor addressed the situation. The beach has been losing sand due to tidal movement and wave action for some time, DOT said. Schapiro said the contractor has put up orange construction fence to block the area while the sand settles. DOT moved the construction safety fence after the project berms were graded to minimize the area of beach closed and placed it around the area where the tidal energy was taking the sand, DOT said. The jetty walkway remains closed. Grading work to address the erosion will continue, according to DOT. Our main concern is safety for beachgoers, Selfridge said. Since the walkway is closed, people have to walk on the beach parallel to the jetty. There are birders and people who look for shells, or just people who take a walk even in the cold. Selfridge said the danger posed by the holes near the lighthouse include sand collapse, a person becoming hypothermic or suffering an injury near the jetty rocks. The dredging project removed approximately 25,000 cubic yards of material to restore the channel to a state of good repair and provide boaters safe access for enhanced recreational and commercial activity, according to Schapiro. H&L Contracting of Hauppauge, New York, the contractor for the job, placed the dredged material on the beach at Barnegat Lighthouse State Park, where it was needed, he said. The state Department of Transportation is coordinating directly with the state Department of Environmental Protections Parks and Forestry staff, and NJDOT will be monitoring the situation over the next few weeks, he said. Thank you for relying on us to provide the local news you can trust. Please consider supporting NJ.com with a voluntary subscription. Stephanie Loder may be reached at SLoder@njadvancemedia.com. A Republican candidate for New Jersey governor on Wednesday criticized President Donald Trumps Jan. 6 pardons and encouraged others in the race to do the same. Shortly after taking office on Monday, Trump pardoned more than 1,500 people charged with participating in a riot at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021 to protest Congress certifying Joe Bidens win over Trump. State Sen. Jon Bramnick, R-Union, one of four Republicans running this year to succeed Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy, sharply criticized Trumps decision to pardon those who engaged in violence that day, even as he said he supported other parts of the presidents agenda. President Trump has taken many encouraging actions on infrastructure, energy, securing the border and making the federal government more efficient in the first days of his administration, Bramnick said in a statement. However, I do not support his pardon of the violent participants who attacked police in the actions of January 6th, 2021. Bramnicks statement mentioned officers who had been beaten with wooden poles and a crutch and shot with stun guns during the insurrection, saying their assailants should remain in jail. Trump also pardoned the New Jersey man who was serving a prison sentence for attacking Brian Sicknick, a U.S. Capitol police officer from New Jersey who died a day later after suffering two strokes. He was 42. Sicknicks brother told NJ Advance Media on Tuesday he believes his brother died in vain and that our nation has a very long and dark road ahead of it. Bramnick, a moderate Republican, has been a frequent critic of Trump. Republicans are proud to support law enforcement but if we are to remain consistent in that message, we cannot condone any violence against police especially through presidential pardons, he said in Wednesdays statement. Other Republican candidates for governor should do the same. Bramnicks opponents in the Republican gubernatorial primary include Jack Ciattarelli, who came close to unseating Murphy in 2017s governors race, conservative radio personality Bill Spadea, and former state Sen. Ed Durr. Ciattarrelli made no mention of the pardons on X, formerly know as Twitter, but posted pictures of him attending Trumps inauguration and backed Trumps move to end support for offshore wind farms. Spadea retweeted a post that painted the protesters as political prisoners. Durr responded to a post by a New Jersey Democrat on X by slamming Bidens pardons. Trump defended the Jan. 6 pardons Tuesday, saying many defendants were serving sentences that he believed were ridiculous and excessive and they were imprisoned even though you have murderers who arent charged all over. Bramnicks comment came roughly a day after Murphy called the pardons a deep betrayal of justice. The governor on Wednesday said he spoke with Sicknicks family after Trumps pardons and remains upset by the presidents decision. Its an awful, disgusting move, Murphy said during his call-in television show on News 12 New Jersey. And I now understand they may be hosting a reception for these knuckleheads at the White House. Which is just so distressful. NJ Advance Media staff writer Brent Johnson contributed to this report. Jelani Gibson may be reached at jgibson@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on X at @jelanigibson1 and on LinkedIn. Americans are rejecting some of President Donald Trumps newest ideas, according to new polling. An analysis from The Washington Posts Aaron Blake broke down recent polls that show Americans widely opposing Trumps push to take over the Panama Canal, Greenland and make Canada the 51st state. The new Economist/YouGov poll found that 42 percent oppose taking the Panama Canal, 47 percent oppose taking ownership of Greenland and 60 percent oppose taking ownership of Canada. This comes as Trump has floated using military force to take over the Panama Canal and Greenland. He has also continued to troll Canada and tease its leaders about the country becoming a part of the United States. Another one of Trumps latest fixations is to rename the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America a move that the Economist/YouGov poll found just 24 percent of Americans support. The Post also highlighted new polls from Reuters and Ipsos that also show dwindling support for these ideas. Just 29 percent said the U.S. should take the Panama Canal and just 16 percent said the U.S. should take Greenland. The poll also found little support for having Canada join the U.S., according to The Post. Americans oppose: -trying to take the Panama Canal by 9-18 points -trying to take Greenland by 19-42 points -making Canada the 51st state by 42-49 points -changing the Gulf of Mexico to the "Gulf of America" by 31 points pic.twitter.com/antvI1SZtH Aaron Blake (@AaronBlake) January 23, 2025 The poll also asked respondents whether the U.S. has the right to expand its territory in the Western Hemisphere. Just 21 percent of respondents agreed with that statement. The Posts analysis also explained that Trumps ideas do not even have strong support among Republicans. More from The Posts analysis: Perhaps most striking in the numbers is that this doesnt even seem to have penetrated in Trumps party. The only idea that got majority-Republican support in the polling is taking the Panama Canal, but just 29 percent agreed with that idea strongly in the Reuters-Ipsos poll. Only 8 percent of Republicans felt strongly about pressuring Denmark to sell Greenland. And just 39 percent of Republicans agreed that the United States has the right to expand its territory. Republicans even opposed making Canada the 51st state an idea Trump re-upped Thursday at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland by a wide margin, 54-26. This appears to be the least-serious of Trumps proposals its hard to tell if its a joke or not but that would seem telling. During Trumps inaugural speech on Monday, he vowed to take control of the Panama Canal and to rename the Gulf of Mexico as he declared that the U.S. would expand its territory. The United States will once again consider itself a growing nation, one that increases our wealth, expands our territory, builds our cities, raises our expectations and carries our flag into new and beautiful horizons. And we will pursue our manifest destiny into the stars, launching American astronauts to plant the Stars and Stripes on the planet Mars, he said. President Donald Trump reportedly stripped security protection for two former top staffers who face ongoing threats from Iran. The New York Times reported Thursday Trumps former secretary of state, Mike Pompeo, and a former top aide, Brian Hook, had their protection revoked. The report acknowledges the men face threats from Iran because of actions they took on Mr. Trumps behalf, citing four people with knowledge. It previously reported John Bolton, Trumps former national security adviser, had his protection removed. From the latest report: Mr. Pompeo and Mr. Hook had been part of an aggressive posture against Iran during the first Trump presidency, most notably the drone strike that killed the powerful Iranian general Qassim Suleimani in early 2020. Mr. Trump also remains under threat because of that action, and his advisers have regularly stressed the seriousness of the situation in the years between his two terms in office. ... Mr. Bidens administration had privately briefed the new Trump administration about continued threats from Iran to former Trump officials, including Mr. Pompeo, Mr. Hook and Mr. Bolton, according to a person with knowledge of the matter. Breaking News: President Trump revoked security details for Mike Pompeo, his former secretary of state, and a former top aide despite threats by Iran against them.https://t.co/lENvAsHB7C The New York Times (@nytimes) January 23, 2025 It didnt say why Trump or his administration took the action. Trump ordered the killing of Soleimani, who led the Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Quds Force, during his first term. There have been threats on Trumps life from Iran that prompted a surge in resources to protect him on the campaign trail. In 2022, an Iranian operative was charged with a plot to murder Bolton. He told The Times as recently as the end of last week, two separate government representatives, two separate government agencies called to say the threat level against him remained the same as in 2022. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Even a presidential pardon cant keep this Capitol rioter out of jail. Politico reported that the charges brought against Daniel Ball, 39, were dismissed after President Donald Trump issued sweeping pardons for those charged in the Jan. 6, 2021 attack on the Capitol earlier this week. Politico and ABC News report that Ball was arrested on federal gun charges Wednesday morning in a separate indictment brought by federal prosecutors in Florida, according to an arrest warrant. NEW: A Jan. 6 defendant who threw an explosive into a Capitol tunnel packed with cops freed this week by President Trump has been re-arrested on a felony gun charge that has been pending since 2023.https://t.co/nbgNKNFK05 pic.twitter.com/TSAffqQsY6 Kyle Cheney (@kyledcheney) January 22, 2025 Ball was being held in pretrial detention in Washington, D.C., according to Politico. He was charged with throwing an explosive device into the Lower West Terrace tunnel of the Capitol that day, according to the report. From Politico: Balls charges were dismissed by U.S. District Judge Rudolph Contreras on Tuesday after Trumps directive. But Balls charges for being a felon in possession of a firearm remained pending and unconnected to his Jan. 6 case. According to that indictment, Ball has previously been convicted of domestic violence battery by strangulation in June 2017, resisting law enforcement with violence and battery of a law enforcement officer in October 2021. Its unclear if U.S. marshals executed the arrest warrant on Ball prior to his release on the Jan. 6 charges. However, its the first docketed federal criminal case in Washington since Trumps inauguration. Trump issued the pardons just hours after bring sworn into office to more than 1,500 people charged with crimes related to the Jan. riot at the Capitol. His pardon included many of those charged or convicted with assaulting law enforcement officers. The pardons are a culmination of Trumps yearslong campaign to rewrite the history of the Jan. 6 attack, which left more than 100 police officers injured as the angry mob of Trump supporters some armed with poles, bats and bear spray overwhelmed law enforcement, shattered windows and sent lawmakers and aides running into hiding. While pardons were expected, the speed and the scope of the clemency amounted to a stunning dismantling of the Justice Departments effort to hold participants accountable over what has been described as one of the darkest days in the countrys history. Trump also ordered the attorney general to seek the dismissal of roughly 450 cases that are pending before judges stemming from the largest investigation in Justice Department history. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Police in Somerset County have debunked viral social media rumors about a serial killer residing in Franklin Township. The Franklin Township Police Department is actively addressing and dispelling unfounded rumors circulating on social media regarding the existence of a possible serial killer in the area, police said in a statement on Wednesday. The agency is urging residents to remain alert but to exercise caution when encountering such false and misleading posts. These rumors have caused unnecessary panic within the community, the statement said. Mob Wives alum Natalie DiDonato was found safe in Nevada shortly after being reported missing. DiDonatos mother, Denise Fuoco, shared the update with NBC News on Wednesday, Jan. 22, one day after TMZ broke the news that DiDonato had been reported missing in Las Vegas. My daughters been found, Fuoco said. Shes fine right now. Were trying to get her home. After DiDonatos reported disappearance made headlines on Wednesday, she called her mother to let her know she is alive and well. Fuoco told NBC News that she still doesnt know why her daughter previously stopped answering her calls. She didnt really want to talk about it, Fuoco said. I didnt push anything, because Im pretty sure she might hang up. Fuoco told TMZ in an article published Wednesday that her daughter had seemed nervous and distressed during a recent FaceTime call and was then unreachable for days. Fuoco contacted one of DiDonatos friends, who claimed DiDonato had reached out to him via WhatsApp asking for money to get from Las Vegas to Florida. DiDonatos family and friends became concerned after she missed two flights home to Florida. She was then reported missing. The reality TV personality, who is the cousin of late mobster Frank Frankie Flowers DAlfonso, appeared on season 5 of Mob Wives, which premiered in 2014. The VH1 series aired from 2011 to 2016. DiDonato was sometimes referred to as Nat D on the show to distinguish her from fellow cast member Natalie Guercio, who joined the show during season 4. While DiDonato was a recurring cast member, Guercio was part of the main cast, a distinction Guercio made clear via social media this week. This is NOT Me and I am NOT MISSING, Guercio wrote via her Instagram Story on Wednesday, dispelling confusion over her and DiDonatos shared first names. She then questioned why DiDonato was being labeled a Mob Wives star in coverage of her reported disappearance. She was NEVER a cast member, Guercio wrote. Another one of DiDonatos former costars was more supportive. Drita DAvanzo, who starred in all six seasons of Mob Wives, noted via X on Wednesday that shed spoken to DiDonatos mom about the situation. She is home and everything ok! I dont know the details & the details do not matter as long as she is safe, DAvanzo wrote. Thanks for the help!! DiDonato has yet to publicly address her reported disappearance. Her last Instagram post was in December 2024. Getting older is a blessing, cant believe I made it this far, she captioned a photo of herself at the time. " Im embracing my age because to me its a badge of honor to have made it to 44. Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com. Have a tip? Tell us at nj.com/tips/. The dangerously cold temperatures that have gripped New Jersey this week continued with sub-zero readings Thursday morning, but some relief is on the way. There are a few spots with temperatures below zero at 7 a.m., but most of the state has climbed into single digits. Highs today are expected to hit the upper 20s and low 30s, the National Weather Service said. No cold weather advisories are in effect for Thursday. Towns in Sussex, Warren and Hunterdon counties recorded readings of colder than 10 degrees below zero on Wednesday. Similar to Thursday, daytime highs on Friday and Saturday are expected to reach the low 30s. A few spots along the Jersey Shore and in South Jersey are likely to creep back above the freezing mark on Saturday. Highs in Atlantic City and on Long Beach Island are expected to hit 34 degrees. Conditions won't be nearly as harsh in New Jersey on Thursday with highs in the upper 20s and low 30s.National Weather Service Still cold (and below normal), but a welcomed improvement to what weve experienced the past few days, the weather service said in its morning forecast discussion. Overnight lows the next two nights should be in the teens before we settle into the 20s Saturday night into Sunday. Sunday will be when we return to temperatures considered more normal for this time of year, with highs in the upper 30s and low 40s that drop into the 20s at night. Expect similar temps on Monday and Tuesday of next week. Fairly close to normal with only minor fluctuations from day-to-day, the weather service notes. Perhaps more significantly, no winter storms are expected in New Jersey for at least the next week. Current weather radar Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com. Jeff Goldman may be reached at jeff_goldman@njadvancemedia.com. NEW YORK (AP) New York Yankees legend Mariano Rivera and his wife are accused in a lawsuit of failing to protect a young girl who was sexually abused by an older child during a summer camp trip sponsored by their church. In a lawsuit filed this month, lawyers for the girl allege that the Hall of Fame pitcher and his wife Clara Rivera, a pastor at the Refuge of Hope Church, flew from New York to Florida to investigate after the girls mother expressed concerns about her daughters safety during the 2018 trip. But rather than take action, the couple isolated and intimidated the victim into remaining silent about her negative experiences, including the abuse, the lawsuit says. Joseph A. Ruta, an attorney for the Riveras, said in a statement that any allegations that they knew about or failed to act on reports of child abuse are completely false. Mariano and Clara Rivera do not tolerate child abuse of any kind and allegations that they knew about or failed to act on reports of child abuse are completely false. The very first time they heard about these allegations was nearly four years after the alleged incident, when in 2022 a New York attorney sent a letter requesting a financial settlement. This was followed by a second letter in 2023, from a different Florida law firm, again requesting a financial settlement. The lawsuit, which seeks financial damages for the Riveras alleged failure to act on alleged incidents that were never reported to them, is full of inaccurate and misleading statements which we have no doubt will not hold up in a court of law. The Riveras are known throughout New York for their charitable work and especially for their commitment to serving underprivileged children. Its unfortunate they are being targeted by false allegations. The lawsuit doesnt name the accuser, but it says she was born in 2007, which would have made her 10 or 11 years old in 2018. That summer, according to the complaint, Clara Rivera persuaded a congregant to allow her daughter to attend a camp at the Ignite Life Center, a church in Gainesville, Florida. While staying in an unsupervised dorm room, the girl was repeatedly sexually abused by an older female camper, according to the suit. In a police report filed in 2022, the girl said there were 15 instances of inappropriate touching over a two-week period, both in her bunk and a shower. Though the girl did not report the abuse, her mother grew worried about her safety after the two spoke on the phone call, the complaint states. The mother then outlined her concerns to Clara Rivera, who agreed to investigate, according to the suit. During that trip, the couple received information that should have given them concern, the lawsuit says, but chose instead to remain silent to avoid the potential scandal of child sexual abuse in its programs. The suit doesnt specifically state what the Riveras were told by the girl or her mother. The girl later returned to New York and continued her active participation in the church. But later that summer, during a barbecue for congregants at the Riveras home in Rye, New York, she was again abused by the same person, the complaint states. They failed to mitigate the risks, and upon learning that she had been a victim, took no steps to protect her or get criminal justice, the attorney who filed the lawsuit, Adam Horowitz, told The Associated Press by phone. They continued to expose her again to the same risk at her home. In 2021, the girl was again sexually assaulted, this time by a male youth leader at Refuge of Hope, according to the lawsuit. The abuse in that case was discovered by the girls mother, who found months of electronic communications between the two, the lawsuit contends. Afterward, the girl and her mother filed police reports in New York and Florida regarding the abuse in 2018 and 2021. Horowitz said he didnt believe that criminal charges were brought in any of the cases. The lawsuit was filed against the Refuge of Hope church, not against the Riveras themselves. Prosecutors in New York and Florida didnt immediately respond to requests for comment about whether they looked into the allegations. A lawyer for Ignite Life Center did not respond to an inquiry. The church recently settled lawsuits brought by three people also represented by Horowitz who said they were abused as teenagers by a volunteer at Ignite Life Center. Two others affiliated with the church have been charged with lewd and lascivious battery against minors. Six-day (Tuesday through Sunday) print subscribers of the Watertown Daily Times are eligible for full access to NNY360, the NNY360 mobile app, and the Watertown Daily Times e-edition, all at no additional cost. If you have an existing six-day print subscription to the Watertown Daily Times, please make sure your email address on file matches your NNY360 account email. You can sign up or manage your print subscription using the options below. NANNING, Jan. 22 (Xinhua) -- From 8:30 a.m. on Monday, long lines began to form in front of customs checkpoints in Dongxing, a small, charming border city nestled in south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. Ngo Thi Thuy, a 36-year-old from the Vietnamese city of Mong Cai, was waiting for customs clearance to enter Dongxing, which is separated from her hometown by the shallow, winding Beilun River. This daily routine has been second nature for Ngo over the past eight years. Her commute typically takes about 30 minutes, and is now a very familiar journey that starts with a 15-minute motorcycle ride to the border, followed by a short trip across the 111-meter footbridge connecting the two countries, before a quick walk leading Ngo to her stall in the heart of a bustling Dongxing, where she makes her living. At the six-story Wanzhong International Wholesale Market, a local landmark, Ngo has carved out a niche among hundreds of vendors from both sides of the border by selling everything from Vietnamese snacks to coffee powder and handmade crafts. Attracted by the increased convenience of customs clearance and the prospect of greater earning potential, Ngo has joined the ever-swelling rank of Vietnamese who cross into China in pursuit of business opportunities. Under a government pilot scheme implemented in 2017, Vietnamese nationals can legally open and operate their businesses in this Chinese city. As of the end of last year, the number of registered individual businesses owned by Vietnamese nationals had exceeded 1,100. "The number of Vietnamese nationals crisscrossing back and forth via our port is estimated to be over 6,000, representing about 30 percent of our daily total," said Fan Chunli, an immigration officer in Dongxing. In 2024, Dongxing recorded a total of 8.58 million cross-border passenger trips. Trips made by Vietnamese nationals constituted 39 percent of the total cross-border trips recorded in Guangxi last year. "Many of my compatriots make the trip daily, whether to come here to peddle snacks and souvenirs, or to use the city as a launchpad for a deeper foray into the country," said Pham Thi Hua, who set up a roadside stand with her husband one street across from the border crossing, selling iced condensed milk coffee to passing tourists. Pham's seemingly humble business has managed to garner some traction on Chinese social app rednote, also known as Xiaohongshu, earning a spot under the hashtag "MustEatInDongxing." Since starting the business last October, Pham and her husband have sold up to 60 cups of this signature Vietnamese sugary beverage daily. Dongxing's border port area is surrounded by vibrant commercial scenes, featuring an enticing mix of shops and flavors -- including the likes of the pungent aroma of fresh durian and the inviting steam rising from bowls of authentic chicken pho. Most shops and street signs in Dongxing display an exotic blend of Chinese and Vietnamese, with examples of this fusion abundant when observing the physical attributes of this border city. A nearby parking lot crammed with cars bearing non-local number plates serves as a testament to Dongxing's prime location as a gateway and its unique allure for visitors from all over China. "I grew up in a medium-sized city in northeast China," said Kuang Xiren, a visitor. "I have always been intrigued by the very concept of a border city steeped in rich culture and history." The growing number of tourists visiting Dongxing presents valuable opportunities for local businesses to thrive, allowing them to cash in on the willingness of tourists to spend, while also securing Dongxing a spot on the map of noteworthy destinations. According to data provided by local tourism authorities, around 15.95 million tourist visits were made to Dongxing in 2024 -- an increase of 12.42 percent year on year. The city generated 15.21 billion yuan (about 2.12 billion U.S. dollars) in tourism revenue in 2024, marking a rise of 12.92 percent compared with 2023. Dongxing residents welcome the arrival of Vietnamese, as they share similar cultures. "Every year, my family and I participate in the vibrant local festivals where people from both sides immerse themselves in shared traditions of ancient worship, delicate cuisine and music playing," said Ruan Ruting, a 22-year-old local from Dongxing and a member of the Jing ethnic group, one of the smallest ethnic minority groups in China. In 2017, a new bridge straddling the Beilun River and located 3 kilometers from the existing port was inaugurated. This crossing was initially designated solely for cargo transport. However, six years later, a passenger service was officially introduced to help alleviate traffic pressure. Chen Yu, general manager of the Wanzhong market, has witnessed firsthand the remarkable changes unfolding across the border in Vietnam. What were once shabby and poorly stuccoed bungalows have now been transformed into buildings with several stories. "Just like us old-school locals in Dongxing, many Vietnamese living in the border areas measure their success according to the number of stories of their homes," said Chen. "Clearly, things have changed significantly for the better, with residents from both sides having caught the brass ring of increased exchanges." The unusual gust of frigid air extending down from the North Pole has brought the first-ever blizzard warning to southern Louisiana and grounded flights in Houston. The cold spell could blast the country with heavy snowfall from the Northeast down to the Gulf Coast this week. Whats responsible for the sudden chill? The polar vortex. And it might be acting strangely because of climate change, though not all researchers agree. The polar vortex is a large, whirling mass of cold air that usually extends across the Arctic. It becomes stronger in the winter, when the Northern Hemisphere leans away from the sun. Typically, the polar jet stream, a band of strong winds encircling the globe and blowing west to east, lassoes the vortex and keeps it in the northern latitudes, regions much more used to frigid temperatures. But when the jet stream gets wobbly, the cold air can bust out and travel south. President Trumps energy agenda calls for drilling more oil and gas, something that could take years. But he took other actions this week that could more quickly affect the way the country prepares for and adapts to climate changes driven by the burning of fossil fuels. Safeguarding the nation. In 2021, President Biden ordered the Pentagon and Department of Homeland Security to study the security implications of climate change and to incorporate them into defense strategy and other national security plans. In response, the Pentagon, Homeland Security and the intelligence community detailed how food shortages could lead to social unrest, how countries may fight over dwindling water supplies and how people would flee climate shocks in places like Latin America, increasing migration to the United States. President Trump rescinded that order on Monday. That doesnt prevent the Defense Department from considering climate change in its planning. But Pete Hegseth, Mr. Trumps pick for defense secretary, has made comments that are dismissive of climate change, calling it an effort to establish government control. The girl, who was about 11 at the time, shared information that made her mother worried for her safety at the camp, the complaint said. The mother reported her concerns to Ms. Rivera, who said that she would investigate and respond accordingly, the lawsuit said. Ms. Rivera and her husband traveled to the camp and received information that suggested the girl was being sexually abused, the complaint said. They failed to report the abuse allegation and, instead, urged the girl to remain quiet to avoid the potential scandal of child sexual abuse in its programs, the complaint said of Refuge of Hope. They further told the girls mother that she was safe and in no danger, the complaint added. The girl returned home and resumed attending church services. A lawyer for Ignite Life Center did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The girl was sexually assaulted again by the same person later that summer while at a barbecue at the Riveras home in Rye, N.Y., the complaint said. About three years later, in 2021, the girl was repeatedly sexually assaulted by a church employee who worked at Refuge of Hope as a youth leader, the complaint said. It said the employee had also forced the girl to engage in explicit communications with him for months. The two men went to Midtown gay bars and nightclubs in 2022, just as New York Citys nightlife was booming again after the pandemic. They became victims fatally drugged and robbed by men waiting in the wings to target them, prosecutors said Wednesday in Manhattan Supreme Court. In the opening statements of a murder trial, prosecutors described a deadly conspiracy to befriend men leaving gay bars and clubs, slip them intoxicants and steal from them. The two men who were killed, Julio Ramirez and John Umberger, were victims in a string of at least five robberies that rocked New Yorks L.G.B.T.Q. community and spread terror throughout the city, as revelers worried about being drugged, perhaps fatally, by just a few sips of a drink. The defendants include Jayqwan Hamilton, 37, described by police at the time of his arrest in 2023 as the leader of the group, and Robert DeMaio, 36. Mr. Hamilton and Mr. DeMaio are charged in the killings of Mr. Ramirez and Mr. Umberger. A third man, Jacob Barroso, 32, is accused of playing a role only in Mr. Ramirezs murder. The motive was money, Emily Ching, one of the prosecutors, said. All they wanted was to come up on a jackpot, she said. A man who was charged with murder in the fatal stabbing of an activist on a Brooklyn street in 2023 has pleaded guilty to the killing, which prosecutors called random and unprovoked. The man, Brian Dowling, 20, appeared on Wednesday before Justice Danny K. Chun of State Supreme Court in Brooklyn and accepted an offer of 20 years to life in prison in exchange for the guilty plea in the death of the activist, Ryan Carson, 32. He will be sentenced on Feb. 19, according to a news release from the Brooklyn district attorneys office. Mr. Dowlings lawyer did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Claudia Morales, Mr. Carsons girlfriend, said that the plea represented the end of a very long journey. There was relief in knowing that part was over, but it is also never going to be over, she said. Mr. Carson was a well-known community organizer who worked as a campaign manager for the New York Public Interest Research Group and ran an advocacy campaign to end drug overdose deaths. He also wrote poetry. In December 2023, Angela McArdle, the chair of the Libertarian Party, flew to Mar-a-Lago to meet with Donald J. Trump. Mr. Trump wanted to know how to win over libertarian voters, a constituency he thought could help him reclaim the presidency, Ms. McArdle said in an interview. She had an answer: Free Ross Ulbricht, a Bitcoin pioneer who was sentenced to life in prison in 2015 for creating Silk Road, the worlds largest online drug marketplace. Mr. Ulbricht was regarded as a libertarian hero for building an illegal market outside the governments reach. I love freeing people, Mr. Trump said, according to Ms. McArdle. Five months later, she hosted him at the Libertarian Partys national convention, where he announced onstage that, if elected to the presidency, he would release Mr. Ulbricht. On Tuesday, the day after his inauguration, Mr. Trump made good on that promise. He called Mr. Ulbrichts mother, Lyn Ulbricht, to personally tell her that he had granted a full pardon to her son, who is now 40. In a post on Truth Social, Mr. Trump said the decision was in honor of her and the Libertarian Movement, which supported me so strongly. Two brothers who were convicted in the 1991 rape and murder of a tourist in Hawaii filed a federal lawsuit on Tuesday claiming that the police had framed them and then bungled an investigation that could have brought the true killer to justice. Albert Schweitzer, who goes by his middle name Ian, served 23 years in prison for a life sentence before newly discovered DNA evidence cleared his name and he was freed in 2023. His brother, Shawn Schweitzer, took a deal to plead guilty to manslaughter and kidnapping in 2000 and spent one year in prison. After Ians convictions were overturned and he was released in 2023, Shawn Schweitzer made a motion to withdraw his guilty plea, and his conviction was soon vacated. The brothers argued in the new lawsuit that they had nothing to do with the crime. The evidence suggested that an unknown man may have been responsible. Heres what to know about the law. Some crimes could lead to deportation for immigrants who are in the country illegally. The Laken Riley Act lists specific crimes that could cause a person without authorization to be in the United States to be detained and deported. They include burglary, larceny, theft, shoplifting, assaulting a police officer and any crime that results in death or bodily injury. The law mandates detention for people who are arrested, charged or admit to committing such a crime, without requiring that they first be convicted. It also gives state attorneys general the right to sue the U.S. attorney general or the secretary of homeland security if an immigrant with uncertain or contested legal status who is paroled into the country commits a crime that harms either the state or one of its residents physically or financially, if the value of the harm is more than $100. The murder of Laken Riley, a nursing student from Georgia, inspired the law. Laken Riley, a 22-year-old nursing student at Augusta University in Georgia, was jogging one morning in February 2024 when she was attacked and killed by Jose Antonio Ibarra, a 26-year-old from Venezuela who had entered the United States in 2022 without authorization. Like many others, he was given temporary permission to stay in the country. Mr. Ibarra was sentenced to life in prison for the crime. Before Mr. Ibarra killed Ms. Riley, he had been arrested in connection with a shoplifting case but was never detained. The legislation aims to spur the removal of unauthorized immigrants accused of such crimes before they can go on to commit more serious ones. Still, for the past 150 years, immigrants overall have been less likely to commit crimes than people born in the United States, a 2023 study concluded. Critics argue that bystanders could easily be caught up by being in the wrong place at the wrong time. Because the law requires only that a person be accused or charged in order to be deported, it is possible, critics have argued, that bystanders to a crime could be hurt by it. During congressional floor debates, Democrats argued that if a group of people were in a store and one chose to shoplift, the police might easily arrest all of them before being able to sort out the facts of what transpired. Anyone in that group unauthorized to be in the country could then be subject to deportation, even if the authorities ultimately determined they had committed no crime. The authorities in Kentucky are investigating fliers distributed in several cities across the state on Inauguration Day that called on immigrants to LEAVE NOW to avoid mass deportation and encouraged membership in the Ku Klux Klan. The fliers feature a cartoon image of Uncle Sam as he holds a proclamation declaring Mass Deportation on Jan. 20, 2025, the day of President Trumps inauguration, while he kicks a family. The proclamation encourages people to Monitor & Track all Immigrants and REPORT THEM ALL. The flier, which names the Trinity White Knights of the Ku Klux Klan, provides information for joining Klan chapters in Pennsylvania, Indiana, Kentucky, Ohio and Tennessee. The police department in Ludlow, Ky., said in a statement posted on social media on Monday that it had received one report for this disturbing and disgusting KKK propaganda that is being passed around our community. The Justice Department has ordered an immediate halt to all new civil rights cases or investigations and signaled that it might back out of Biden-era agreements with police departments that engaged in discrimination or violence, according to two internal memos sent to staff on Wednesday. The actions, while expected, represent an abrupt about-face for a department that had for the past four years aggressively investigated high-profile instances of violence and systemic discrimination in local law enforcement and government agencies. The first of two short memos sent by Chad Mizelle, the chief of staff at the department, ordered a litigation freeze at the departments Civil Rights Division to decide whether Trump appointees want to initiate any new cases, according to a screenshot of the document viewed by The New York Times. Mr. Mizelle also barred lawyers working for the division from filing motions to intervene, agreed-upon remands, amicus briefs or statements of interest, unless they receive the approval of senior Trump appointees. It is the clearest sign yet that the hard-line conservatives taking over the department intend to swiftly sweep away the previous administrations liberal agenda. President Trump has picked Sean Curran, who led Mr. Trumps personal security detail during the campaign and rushed to shield him during an assassination attempt, to be the next Secret Service director. Sean is a Great Patriot, who has protected my family over the past few years, and that is why I trust him to lead the Brave Men and Women of the United States Secret Service, Mr. Trump wrote Wednesday on his social media platform, invoking the attempt on his life at a rally in July. He proved his fearless courage when he risked his own life to help save mine from an assassins bullet in Butler, Pennsylvania. Mr. Curran is from the New York City area and started his career as a special agent in the agencys Newark field office. He later worked in the dignitary-protection division and on President Barack Obamas detail, said Jonathan Wackrow, a former agent who worked for years with Mr. Curran. Mr. Curran is an unusual pick for Secret Service director, a position that does not require Senate confirmation. As a current agent who does not work at the agencys headquarters in Washington, he is leapfrogging many positions to become director. The State Department abruptly canceled travel for thousands of refugees already approved to fly to the United States, days before a deadline that President Trump had set for suspending the resettlement program that provides safe haven for people fleeing persecution. The cancellation of the flights comes on the heels of an executive order signed by Mr. Trump on Monday that indefinitely paused the refugee resettlement. The order effectively grinds to a halt the process of bringing refugees into the country, which involves multiple federal agencies, as well as nonprofits that receive the newcomers. More than 10,000 refugees were currently in the pipeline to travel to the United States, according to government data. They include Afghans who faced danger because of their association with the United States before the military withdrawal from Afghanistan. Among other refugees who had been approved for travel were people from Africa, Latin America and the Middle East. The sudden halt to the flights was an agonizing blow to refugees who had been following a complicated and lengthy process to enter the country legally, resettlement group workers said. But Mr. Trump has already shown that he is willing to push further toward a vision of a country that is far less welcoming to outsiders and in the view of his critics is an overreach with cruel consequences. Its breathtaking, both in terms of substance and just how many actions theyre taking right out of the gate, said Heidi Altman, the federal director of advocacy at the National Immigration Law Center. How far-reaching the impact and harm will be, but also just in terms of the sheer willingness to break the law and attempt to unilaterally rewrite the Constitution. Declaring an Invasion Mr. Trump justified his reshaping of immigration policy with a declaration that there is an invasion at the southern border. He used that charge to claim vast powers to block entry to the United States, round up and detain immigrants, ban travel, restrict birthright citizenship, build a border wall and end asylum for people seeking refuge. In 2017, Mr. Trump pursued some of the same restrictions on immigration, many of which were reversed by President Joseph R. Biden Jr. Eight years later, polls show the president has more support in the country for aggressive limits on immigration, in part because of a surge in migrants crossing the southern border during much of Mr. Bidens time in office. And Mr. Trump repeatedly says his election victory gives him a mandate to secure the border and cleanse the country of people whom he deems unwanted. To counter what he calls an invasion, Mr. Trump relies as he did during his first term on decades of laws that give the president broad authority to protect and defend the United States against threats inside the country and outside its borders. They include laws related to national security, immigration, public health and the countrys economy. President Trump selected a conservative activist and media critic to head the U.S. Agency for Global Media, making a move likely to fuel concerns that his administration will try to politicize a group of federally funded outlets whose mission is to counter authoritarian propaganda with independent news. His choice for chief executive of the agency, L. Brent Bozell III, is the founder and president of the Media Research Center, a watchdog group that churns out a steady stream of videos and articles highlighting alleged liberal bias especially anti-Trump bias on the part of network television hosts and mainstream media outlets. The media agency oversees a number of government outlets, including Voice of America, about which Mr. Trump has been particularly critical. Mr. Bozell, if confirmed by the Senate, will manage an agency with a $900 million annual budget, 4,000 employees and more than 50 bureaus overseas. The agencys networks reach 420 million people every week, broadcasting in 63 languages in over 100 countries. During his first term, Mr. Trump repeatedly attacked coverage from U.S.A.G.M.s outlets, calling it disgusting toward our country and the voice of the Soviet Union. His White House interfered with the editorial decisions of the agencys broadcasters, and numerous employees at the agency accused his appointees of trying to turn it into a mouthpiece for his administration. The snow canceled classes and made getting to work impossible, disrupting routines and causing an array of problems in New Orleans, where most people have little or no experience navigating wintry conditions. But amid the complications on Wednesday, the winter storm made the landscape a dazzling spectacle. Snow coated roofs and parked cars; icicles dangled from porches. Some made sleds out of whatever they could find trash bin lids, baking sheets, cardboard boxes. There were snowball fights and a group of teenagers wielded icicles like swords. Christian Nelson and his girlfriend, Nikki Wise, built a snowman outside her apartment and savored an experience that they wouldnt mind repeating. I wish we would get one a year, Mr. Nelson said of the onslaught of snow. New Orleans was not an idyllic snow globe, though. Some residents said they stayed up through the night, doing whatever they could, and not always successfully, to try to prevent their pipes from freezing and bursting. Roads became impassable and businesses closed, meaning lost wages for workers. The N.B.A.s Pelicans also canceled a game scheduled for Wednesday night. Amid an extraordinary storm that delivered a blast of winter to Southern states, Florida appeared to have shattered its state record for the most snow over 24 hours. Milton, a town in the western panhandle, picked up 8.75 to 10 inches of snow from Tuesday morning to Wednesday morning, more than doubling the previous 24-hour state record of four inches set on March 6, 1954, also in Milton, according to the National Weather Service. We rarely get actual measurable snowfall in Florida, said Michael Mugrage, a meteorologist with the Weather Service office in Mobile, Ala. Last snowfall was back in 2014, and it was pretty limited. Mr. Mugrage said the Weather Service does not have an official weather station that measures snow in Milton. The readings from the recent storm, which Mr. Mugrage called reliable, mainly came from volunteer observers trained by the Weather Service. The latest attack was on the day care in Sydney, which was reported early Tuesday. In a statement Tuesday, the head of Australias federal police said that his agency was investigating whether overseas actors or individuals had paid locals in Australia to carry out some of these acts. But he did not give evidence or further details. On Wednesday, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese reiterated that investigators were looking into the possibility that some of the perpetrators had acted out of financial incentives rather than ideological motivations. Now, its unclear who or where the payments are coming from, he said. The specter of foreign involvement has added a new dimension to the anxiety that has been brewing in Australias small but deep-rooted Jewish community. The police have not said whether, or how, the more than half a dozen attacks since October are related. In December, the Australian Federal Police set up a task force to investigate violence and threats against the Jewish community. The state police in New South Wales, where most of the attacks have taken place in the greater Sydney area, said they have arrested and charged nine individuals in relation to the crimes. Some museums are encyclopedic. Can art fairs be, too? In 2016, the venerable Winter Show at the Park Avenue Armory, which for 60 years was called the Winter Antiques Show, began admitting works made after 1969. Three years later, Antiques dropped from the name. Now in its 71st edition, this years fair, a benefit for the East Side House Settlement in the Bronx, feels like a mini-Met in its geography and generous time span. From a medieval English baptismal font with its original stucco intact (Blumka Gallery, D7) to a strangely jubilant gouache of a volcanic eruption in 1830 (Hill-Stone, D3), the fair still leans on museum-grade objects that boast enough oddity to beckon the wallets of collectors. Youve probably never seen a greater expanse of inlaid mother-of-pearl than in the shimmering veneers of two towering Spanish-colonial Peruvian cabinets. (For those, see Zebregs & Roell, D13, first-time dealers at the fair, visiting from the Netherlands.) The weight of the past in this fair makes it all the harder to miss the present, whether its a giant cigarette sculpture from the Oldenburg-infatuated 1980s (Galerie Gmurzynska, E10) or photorealism from last year (Jonathan Cooper, D11). Some booths, like the fine sculptural porcelain and stoneware brought by Joan B. Mirviss, Ltd. (E5), exhibit our century with a devotion more commonly associated with design fairs such as Salon Art + Design. Purists may balk, and may have a right, but some of these contemporary add-ons, especially the exquisite Japanese basketry at Thomsen Gallery (C6), help explain the longevity of certain crafts. And even for browsers, the best of these correspondences help tease out themes. Here are five: Lovers Anonymous is an eight-episode Turkish dramedy about the disease of love treatable at the Love Hospital, thank goodness, under the dedicated care of specialists. Though perhaps the cure isnt all that wonderful. The show (in Turkish, with subtitles, or dubbed), available on Netflix, centers on Cem (Halit Ergenc), the embittered genius behind the facilitys techniques. His life is a bonanza of Freudian strife, beginning with his parents divorce and continuing with his contentious relationship with his mother. He categorizes different kinds of love young love, stupid love, any port in a storm love but described more crudely and each has a scientific treatment protocol to alleviate the symptoms and return one to a life of self-possession and sanity. The heart monitors arent tracking only cardiac activity: Alongside the spikes and valleys of an EKG, the paper readouts also have the outlines of hearts, a measurement of ones romantic health. Cem is also pulling a weird Cyrano act at the beginning of the show. A faux-Cem is the public face of the organization and treats the patients, while the real Cem murmurs instructions through an ear piece. But the farce hits a snag, and once the jig is up, theres room for a new love doctor in town: Hazal (Funda Eryigit). Except Hazal loves love. Hazals specialty is finding peoples soul mates, and her methods incorporate smell, horoscopes and kooky social engineering. She wears goofy turtlenecks and patterned berets, but she and Cem maybe arent so different: Her relationship with her father casts a shadow over her whole existence. Also her father is the chief administrator for the Love Hospital and is Cems sort-of boss. This article contains spoilers for Season 3 of The Traitors. Before heading to a castle in the Scottish Highlands to film the new season of The Traitors, Dorinda Medley read The Art of War, talked through strategies with her daughter and filled her luggage with vintage Vivienne Westwood and Alaia pieces. Medley, a veteran of The Real Housewives of New York City, figured she was prepared for the competition series, in which a cast of reality stars is divided between traitors, whose identities remain secret and who choose a player each day to murder, and faithfuls, who try to uncover the traitors identities. One of my very best friends said to me, as the parting note, it doesnt matter if you get kicked off, just dont be the first one to get kicked off, Medley said. But thats just what happened. After just one night in the castle, Medley was murdered by the traitors. Ive done some great things in Housewives, Ive done some not so great things, she said in an interview. But Ive always been in control of them. Whereas when youre on this show, its just a whole different set of rules. Like, what could I have done? ChatGPT was disrupted for several hours on Thursday morning, with thousands of users reporting difficulty accessing the chatbot before service was restored. The website Downdetector showed thousands of reports of problems with the site, starting shortly after 6 a.m. Users trying to access the site instead saw an error message. OpenAI, the company behind ChatGPT, reported on its website that the issue had been resolved, saying that between 6:33 and 7:23 a.m. Eastern, users had experienced elevated error rates. But reports of outages persisted, and at 8:12 a.m. OpenAI reported another issue. The company later said it had identified the problem and was implementing a fix. Shortly after 10 a.m., the company said it had completed its fix, and ChatGPT seemed to be fully restored. Mr. Hudlows Final Hours The jet carrying the Hudlows touched down on a private landing strip in Jacksonville around 2 a.m. on April 10. Ms. Hudlow rented a car near the airport and rushed her husband to the Mayo Clinics Florida campus. She knew that if she wheeled him into the emergency room, the hospital wouldnt be able to turn him away. She was right. Mayo admitted him within five minutes of their arrival. As she had suspected, Mr. Hudlow suffered from pleural effusions. Doctors drained the fluid from his lungs, which helped him breathe. The bad news was that tumors in his liver, adrenal glands, bones and soft tissue had multiplied and grown. Other than offering hospice care, there was nothing the Mayo doctors could do. On April 16, Ms. Hudlow drove him home to Panama City so he could spend his final hours with his family. He died two days later. Ms. Hudlow announced her husbands death on a Facebook group she had created to share information about the filter treatments. In her post, she wrote that she didnt blame the treatments for Mr. Hudlows death and that she remained hopeful that there may be some magic there. Looking back, though, she thinks the treatments accelerated his cancers progression. She says the ordeal also unnecessarily worsened the end of his life. Instead of putting him through exhausting travel and ineffective filtering sessions that increased his pain, she says, she could have provided him palliative care at home and kept him comfortable. The Bowens flew back to Chicago from Antigua on April 15. Mr. Bowen vomited on the plane. The next morning, Ms. Bowen rushed him to Northwestern Memorial Hospital. Doctors there found a clot in the same vein in which Dr. John had placed the dialysis catheter. They also diagnosed Mr. Bowen with tumor lysis syndrome, a condition in which cancer cells fall apart and flood the bloodstream with chemicals and toxins faster than the body can get rid of them. When not being perfect, we are decidedly good. Should I so much as display a downbeat facial expression when fumbling a social nicety, the response is nothing short of impassioned: No, youre good! Being good is for everyone. We are all good now that Youre all good has replaced both the Commonwealth No worries and the American standard Thats OK. And its not always personal. Frequently, declarations of goodness come in the form of an expansive statement of general excellence: Its all good. But is it all good, really? Its hard not to read something slightly defensive into this relentlessly bright veneer. Even when the zeal seems genuine, if misguidedly so, the new affirmative language has an almost oppressive bent. Most of us are willing to believe we are OK or that we are at least not a problem. It was easy to be no big deal. But who among us can live up to being all good, let alone perfect, all the time? I asked a colleague what she made of these current linguistic tics and her explanation was unmitigated passive aggression. If someone tells you Youre all good, it means, You stupid old lady, she explained. Its like saying I like your shoes, for a mom. The rise of Its all good is commonly thought to have originated, like much American vernacular, in Black culture. According to a New Yorker article dedicated to the popularity of the phrase, M.C. Hammers 1994 hit Its All Good was instrumental. Now everyone seems to use Its all good, sometimes as a way to shut down conversation around something that may actually be pretty bad. I have never been more concerned about the rule of law in the United States. I was born in 1969 five years after the Civil Rights Act was passed and I have no memory of the legal system operated in the Jim Crow South, when there was one code of justice for white Americans and a different set of laws for Black Americans. The very idea of justice in the old Confederacy was a sad joke. The white establishment took care of its own. There was a distinct moment on Monday night when I stopped taking various legal notes on President Trumps executive orders and realized that we may well be facing a different game entirely one far more reminiscent of the Old South than any system of American justice Ive experienced in my lifetime. Were still far from those dark days, but were walking in that direction. Trumps mass pardons and commutations of Jan. 6 insurrectionists and his revocation of John Boltons security detail have changed the calculus. Lets be clear about what Trump did here. Bolton has faced threats from an American enemy, the Islamic Republic of Iran. In fact, he was the target of an assassination plot by a member of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps in 2022. At the same time that he was taking away Boltons Secret Service protection, Trump granted absolution to men and women who violently attacked the seat of American government and tried to foment a rebellion against the lawful, constitutional government of the United States. When Elena Liao and Frederico Ribeiro started Te Company, a Taiwanese teahouse in New Yorks West Village, in 2012, Liao knew she wanted to serve pineapple cake. But, unwilling to compete with her own (and everyone elses) memories of the iconic Taiwanese treat, we thought wed do something pineapple cake adjacent, she says. They created a linzer cookie composed of pineapple jam and yuzu kosho between hazelnut shortbread cookies. Since then, a number of bakers across the country have introduced new versions of the classic sweet, which typically takes the form of a buttery shortcrust shaped like an ingot and filled with pineapple, which is sometimes mixed with winter melon. For her pop-ups in the Bay Area, Calif., the pastry chef Jessica Little Fu made the treat using a peach, nectarine and pineapple conserve, topping the bars with creme fraiche and lime leaf powder. During the Chinese New Year season, Win Son Bakery in East Williamsburg, Brooklyn, collaborates with the nearby Taiwanese shop Yun Hai to offer a Parmesan shortbread filled with pineapple jam. And for a recent special, the ice cream shop Caffe Panna, with locations in Gramercy Park and Greenpoint, sold a sundae of Win Sons crumbled cookies layered with fior di panna soft serve and finished with grana Padano cheese and pineapple jam. At the Foundry Bakery in suburban St. Louis, owner Raymond Yeh says making pineapple cake for his Taiwanese-inspired bakery is a no-brainer because its really the pastry of Taiwan. Pineapple cake is considered particularly auspicious around the Lunar New Year in Taiwanese, the word pineapple is a homonym for prosperity coming. This year, Yeh is making a kumquat pineapple cake, doubling down by adding another fortuitous fruit. Visit This An Artists Experiments With Color and Light, on View in Mexico City Seven San Antonio police officers were injured in a shooting when responding to a call for a suicide in progress on Wednesday night, the department said. The suspect in the shooting was found dead after he barricaded himself inside the apartment for several hours, Chief William McManus of the San Antonio Police Department said in a video released around 2 a.m. on Thursday. The officers injuries were not life-threatening and they were expected to make a full recovery, the Police Department said in a news release on Thursday. The officers have between four and eight years of service with the department. The Police Department identified the suspect as Brandon Scott Poulos, 46. Mr. Poulos was arrested on Jan. 18 for a violation of a protection order, a violent offense, and other crimes, the police said. He was released on bail the next day. A Florida man whose Jan. 6 charges were dropped as part of President Trumps sweeping clemency grant this week was arrested on Wednesday on pending weapons charges, court documents show. The man, Daniel Charles Ball, 39, was arrested on Wednesday in Washington, D.C., according to a warrant filed with the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida and based on an indictment handed up last August. The indictment in Florida had charged Mr. Ball with possession of a firearm or ammunition by a convicted felon. The materials were seized during a search of his home in early May 2023 while he was being investigated in the Jan. 6 case. That indictment mentioned that Mr. Ball had previously been convicted of domestic battery by strangulation in 2017, as well as resisting law enforcement with violence and battery on a law enforcement officer, both in October 2022. The House on Thursday passed legislation that could subject certain doctors to criminal penalties if they perform abortions, Republicans first attempt to restrict reproductive rights since the party has secured its governing trifecta under President Trump. The 217-to-204 vote was almost entirely along party lines, save for one anti-abortion Democrat, Representative Henry Cuellar of Texas, who voted with Republicans in favor of the bill. Another, Representative Vicente Gonzalez of Texas, voted present. It was the second time in two years that the Republican-lead House has passed the legislation. But the measure appeared doomed in the Senate, where Democrats blocked a version of it on Wednesday. The bill would require that infants born alive after an attempted abortion receive the same protection under the law and degree of care as any newborn baby, and it threatens medical providers with up to five years in prison for failing to resuscitate babies born alive during abortions. The Senate confirmed John Ratcliffe on Thursday to serve as the director of the C.I.A., installing him atop the spy agency that he has pledged to make more aggressive. The vote was 74 to 25, and 20 Democrats joined all Republicans present in confirming him. The support Mr. Ratcliffe received from Democrats reflects the evolution of American politics. During the first Trump administration, Mr. Ratcliffe received no support from Democrats, and his qualifications were questioned, when he was nominated to be the director of national intelligence. But five years later, views of Mr. Ratcliffe have shifted. Unlike some of President Trumps picks for other cabinet posts, Mr. Ratcliffe is considered to be well qualified for his position. His views on national security issues hew closely to those of the Senate Republican majority. Senate Republicans had hoped to confirm Mr. Ratcliffe and several other nominees earlier in the week. But Democrats, expressing reservations about some picks, have slowed the push after the Senate quickly confirmed Marco Rubio to be secretary of state on a 99-to-0 vote on Monday. A federal judge on Thursday temporarily blocked President Trumps executive order to end automatic citizenship for babies born on American soil, dealing the president his first setback as he attempts to upend the nations immigration laws and reverse decades of precedent. In a hearing held three days after Mr. Trump issued his executive order, a Federal District Court judge, John C. Coughenour, sided with Washington, Arizona, Illinois and Oregon, the four states that sued, signing a restraining order that blocks Mr. Trumps executive order for 14 days, renewable upon expiration. This is a blatantly unconstitutional order, he said. Frankly, he continued, challenging Trump administration lawyers, I have difficulty understanding how a member of the bar would state unequivocally that this is a constitutional order. It just boggles my mind. Mr. Trump responded hours later, telling reporters at the White House, Obviously well appeal it. The presidents order, one of several issued in the opening hours of his presidency to curtail immigration, both legal and illegal, declared that children born in the United States to undocumented immigrants after Feb. 19 would no longer be treated as citizens. The order would also extend to babies born to mothers who are in the country legally but temporarily, such as tourists, university students or temporary workers, if the father is a noncitizen. Asked by a reporter on Thursday about the pulling of security details, Mr. Trump said: When you have protection, you cant have it for the rest of your life. He added, I mean, theres risks to everything. He did not respond to a question about whether presidents should have protection for the rest of their lives. Other than former presidents and their spouses, senior U.S. officials are not automatically granted ongoing protection. Protection levels are a function of the threat assessment from the intelligence community. The Biden administration had briefed the new administration about continued threats from Iran to former Trump officials, including Mr. Pompeo, Mr. Hook and Mr. Bolton, according to a person with knowledge of the matter, who like others spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss the security issue. Mr. Bolton said he was also personally notified about the threats. As recently as the end of last week, two separate government representatives, two separate government agencies called, he said in an interview. They said our current assessment is that the threat level remains the same as in 2022, he said, when a member of Irans Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps was charged with an alleged murder plot against Mr. Bolton. Mr. Hook and a spokesman for Mr. Pompeo declined to comment. Mr. Trumps decision in all three cases will have a chilling effect on his emerging national security team, said Dr. Charles Kupperman, who served as a deputy national security adviser under Mr. Bolton during Mr. Trumps first term. Like this? Mr. Doocy asked incredulously. Zero. Mr. Biden rarely engaged with the press in anything but the most structured of circumstances. His successor sees the ability to capture the attention of reporters at a moments notice as one of the best parts of the gig. Not long after he left office in 2021, Mr. Trump told an aide to get the pool, referring to the rotating group of journalists that travels daily with the president, because he wanted to make a statement. He had to be reminded that there was no longer a pool. But now he is back and so is the omnipresent clutch of cameras and reporters at his side. Hes already making the most of it. After his Inaugural Address on Monday, Mr. Trump gave an impromptu speech at the Capitol about the official address, then held a rally, then took more than 100 questions in the Oval Office and then spoke at some balls. Day 2 brought another news conference. This one was in the Roosevelt Room. It was nominally to highlight a $100 billion investment for an artificial intelligence initiative. He stood beside three billionaires OpenAIs chief executive, Sam Altman; SoftBanks chief, Masayoshi Son; and Oracles founder, Larry Ellison and eagerly fielded questions for half an hour. It quickly got off track. Journalists were more interested in pressing Mr. Trump on why he had pardoned people who had violently attacked police officers during the Jan. 6, 2021, riot at the Capitol. An event intended to promote a huge new technology investment instead became tangled up in talk about Proud Boys and Oath Keepers. Privately, some advisers winced as he began taking questions, predicting exactly this sort of result. But Mr. Trumps volubility in his first few days back in office underscores that, more than ever, he is in control of his own show. (His press secretary, Karoline Leavitt, has yet to give her first briefing.) Fire crews stopped the progress of a new, 40-acre brush fire that was burning in Los Angeles near Interstate 405, the Getty Museum and Bel-Air early Thursday morning, officials said. The Los Angeles Fire Department had issued an evacuation warning after the blaze, called the Sepulveda fire, broke out late Wednesday in the Sepulveda Pass. The Fire Department lifted the warning a few hours later. Air support and other aggressive actions have been deployed to fight a new fire just east of the 405, Mayor Karen Bass of Los Angeles said in a statement. Though firefighters had managed to stop the blazes growth, it was still zero percent contained and burning through extremely dry brush on Thursday morning, according to Cal Fire. No structures had been burned, officials said. Rebels have also made gains in other parts of North and South Kivu provinces, which include two other major cities, Butembo and Bukavu. M23 has made the capture of Kavumu airport another main objective, according to U.N. intelligence. Government-allied troops have used the airport to support the Congolese armed forces. Wounded civilians fleeing Sake by foot and on motorcycles arrived at a Goma hospital run by the International Committee of the Red Cross on Thursday morning. Abdou Rahamane Sidibe, a senior surgeon with the group, said he and his colleagues have been treating twice as many civilians over the past few weeks than they did on average last year. There was too much bombing, said Hawa Amisi, 52, who fled with only a thin mattress, a bottle of water and four of her children. Ms. Amisi, who had been separated from her husband in the fighting, said she saw dead bodies lying in the street as they fled. Bruno Lemarquis, the United Nations top humanitarian official in Congo, said 2025 would be a difficult year because humanitarian needs are likely to rise, and funds are expected to dwindle. The United States traditionally Congos largest humanitarian donor is expected to slash aid under the new Trump administration, humanitarian officials and experts say. Even before the new U.S. administration came in, we were told that U.S. humanitarian support would be slashed by a third, Mr. Lemarquis said. Mexicos plan to receive thousands of its deported citizens from the United States is nothing short of ambitious. Plans are underway to build nine reception centers along the border massive tents set up in parking lots, stadiums and warehouses with mobile kitchens operated by the armed forces. Details of the initiative called Mexico Embraces You were revealed only this week, although Mexican officials said they had been devising it for the past few months, ever since Donald J. Trump pledged to conduct the largest expulsion of undocumented immigrants in U.S. history. Nearly every branch of government 34 federal agencies and 16 state governments is expected to participate in one way or another: busing people to their hometowns, organizing logistics, providing medical attention, enrolling the recently returned in social welfare programs like pensions and paid apprenticeships, along with handing out cash cards worth about $100 each. Officials say they are also negotiating agreements with Mexican companies to link people to jobs. We are ready to receive you on this side of the border, Mexicos interior minister, Rosa Icela Rodriguez, said at a news conference this week. Repatriation is an opportunity to return home and be reunited with family. It was unclear how many passengers had been on the Pushpak Express. Mr. Pawar said the train had been packed with people, many of them migrant workers traveling for work. The accident, he said, left victims with severe injuries. The authorities said that they were looking into the episode. We will investigate exactly what was the reason, whether there was an actual fire or whether it is just a rumor spread by any mischievous person, Maheswar Reddy, the superintendent of police in Jalgaon District, where the accident happened, said to reporters. Mr. Pawar, the inspector, said seven people who had died were from Nepal and four were from the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, where Lucknow is. One body remained unidentified, and families of the victims were now in Jalgaon, he said. Devendra Fadnavis, the top government official in Maharashtra, said late Wednesday that eight ambulances had been dispatched to the scene. The state government would offer financial assistance to the families of the victims, he said on social media, and would cover expenses for people who were injured. The accident raised more questions around the safety of train travel in India, where millions of people depend on a vast but accident-prone railway network for transport, especially in rural areas. Italys highest court on Thursday upheld the slander conviction of Amanda Knox, an American who was first convicted and then acquitted of killing her housemate in 2007, for accusing an innocent man in the case. The court ruling could put an end to a legal saga that has riveted followers in Europe and the United States. It has lasted more than 17 years and has gone through various Italian and European-level courts. The court upheld Ms. Knoxs 3-year prison sentence, but she will not have to serve any more time, as she already spent four years in prison, from 2007 to 2011. Ms. Knox, now 37, who lives near Seattle, was not present at the hearing on Thursday. One of her lawyers, Carlo Dalla Vedova, spoke to her after the verdict and said she was very, very disappointed. She had been hoping to close this chapter, he said. Ms. Knox has been trying to remove the last legal stain from her name, 10 years after Italys highest court definitively acquitted her of killing Meredith Kercher, a 21-year-old British student. The leader of the Taliban has not been known to leave the country, so if the warrants are issued, chances are slim they could be executed. Mr. Khan said in his statement that opposition to the Taliban is brutally repressed through crimes including murder, imprisonment, torture, rape and other forms of sexual violence, enforced disappearance and other inhumane acts. He compared the oppression and violence to the Talibans earlier crimes, when they were previously in power. The ultraconservative militants rose to prominence in the aftermath of the withdrawal of invading Soviet troops, capturing the capital, Kabul, in 1996. An alliance of international forces led by the United States invaded in 2001, tracking Osama bin Laden, the leader of Al Qaeda. The bombing campaign led to the Talibans retreat. The I.C.C.s investigations into crimes committed in Afghanistan first began in 2007 and had long lingered on the back burner. They have included accusations of misconduct by U.S. troops, including extrajudicial killings and torture. But Mr. Khan surprised many when, soon after taking office in 2021, he announced that he would de-prioritize the investigation into U.S. personnel. He said his decision was based on his need to use limited resources efficiently. That essentially shelved the U.S. component of the inquiry. American security contractors have been enlisted to help handle the return of displaced Palestinians to the Gaza Strips devastated north, the next step in the cease-fire deal between Israel and Hamas, according to four officials familiar with the matter. The contractors are poised to help secure a key zone that splits Gaza in two and is known as the Netzarim corridor, said the officials, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly. The contractors are intended to screen vehicles ferrying Palestinians from the enclaves south for weapons, the officials said. In the early days of the war, the Israeli military ordered a mass evacuation of northern Gaza, forcing hundreds of thousands of Palestinians to flee south. For months, Israeli soldiers have patrolled the Netzarim corridor in part to prevent Palestinians from heading back north. But under the terms of a 42-day cease-fire now in its fifth day, Israeli troops are set to partially withdraw over the weekend and allow Gazans to head north. The truce, which went into effect on Sunday, was mediated by Qatar, Egypt and the United States. The morning the cease-fire in Gaza went into effect, masked members of Hamass military wing drove through the streets of Gaza in clean, white pickups, carrying Hamas flags and automatic rifles. The militants were also carrying an unambiguous message: However weakened, Hamas survived Israels 15-month bombing campaign in Gaza and remains the most powerful Palestinian party in the territory. Since the cease-fire started on Sunday, Hamas has been working overtime in an attempt to show it still controls Gaza, even after Israel killed thousands of its members and demolished its tunnels and weapons factories in retaliation for the Oct. 7, 2023, cross-border attack that killed an estimated 1,200 people. Throughout the war, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel has vowed to eliminate Hamas, but he never offered a plan for a realistic alternative that could take control of Gaza, leaving behind a vacuum that the armed group filled. Israels military on Thursday pressed ahead with its offensive in and around Jenin, a city known as a center of militant opposition to the Israeli occupation of the West Bank, killing two men in a nearby village who were wanted for the murder of three Israelis. The men, identified on Thursday as Mohamad Nazzal and Qutayba Shalabi, had earlier this month shot at Israeli vehicles in the West Bank village of Al Funduq, the Israeli military said. The attack killed three Israelis: a police investigator and two women from a nearby settlement. Since the cease-fire in Gaza began this week, Israel has turned its attention to the West Bank, particularly Jenin. The Israeli military has launched at least three major operations there over the past year and a half, arresting militants, tearing up roads and leaving many Palestinian civilians hiding in their homes in fear. Israels last major military operation in the West Bank in August and September lasted 10 days and killed 39 people, mostly in Jenin, according to Palestinian officials. But the repeated raids have seemingly failed to subdue Palestinian militants, who have accrued increasing power in recent years. President Donald Trump has issued an executive order to redesignate Yemens Houthi rebels as a foreign terrorist organization, calling the group a threat to regional security, the White House said. Critics argued the move will worsen an already dire humanitarian crisis in the country. The order restores a designation given to the group, which is backed by Iran and formally known as Ansar Allah, late in the first Trump administration. The Biden administration lifted the designation shortly after taking office, partly to facilitate peace talks in Yemens civil war. Last year, however, the Biden team reversed course, labeling the Houthis a specially designated global terrorist organization a less severe category in response to attacks against U.S. warships in the Red Sea. The Houthis activities threaten the security of American civilians and personnel in the Middle East, the safety of our closest regional partners and the stability of global maritime trade, the White House said in a statement on Wednesday. Mika El-Baz Mika El-Baz, who did a nearly 18-year run at Sony Musics RCA Records label, has joined Apple Musics PR team, according to The Hollywood Reporter. She worked at RCA with Justin Timberlake, Pink, Doja Cat, Britney Spears and Pink. El-Baz has experience in strategic communications, branding, media relations, corporate communications, and artist/influencer relations. Prior to RCA, she spent six years each at Interscope Records (senior VP-publicity), and Island Records (VP-media relations). Most recently, El-Baz was a contractor at Zagazig Consultancy in Los Angeles. The Color Nine Group is working with the Lviv Regional Military Administration on a voluntary basis to generate awareness of the western Ukrainian region and expand economic partnerships. More than 760 years old, Lvivs historic city center is a United Nations World Heritage Site. The citys official tourism site welcomes potential visitors with See you after victory. Color Nine is to develop sister-state relations for Lviv with representatives of government, business, and non-governmental organizations. It will work to establish joint projects in the fields of culture, education, economy and tourism. Located in Washington, Color Nine works with governments and businesses on projects that have positive societal impact. The Pollack Group partners with Ascend, the largest Pan-Asian membership organization for business professionals in North America. The organization is powered by a network of professionals and executives from Fortune 500 companies who volunteer their time to advance the state of AAPI equity at work. Workplace issues affect every cohort differently, and our focus is to raise awareness of how they affect Asian Americans specifically, said Ascend head of marketing Allie Graham. That requires a more thoughtful approach to marketing, public relations and communications, especially in todays media landscape. We selected The Pollack Group for its notable experience developing communications and thought leadership platforms for a diverse roster of clients. W Communications is named US PR agency of record for Palma, Spain. W Communications will work in partnership with LOTUS (part of the W Communications family), who will continue to spearhead media efforts in the UK market. The US public relations program will include destination campaigns, parent shops, industry events, media and influencer relations and FAM trip management. The work will kick off with a Palma de Mallorca trade event in New York scheduled for February. They will bring a wealth of knowledge as we look to elevate interest from new markets in 2025. We are excited to leverage the teams expertise and relationships in the US market, said Palma de Mallorca director general Pedro Homar. Dark Days Ahead In handing out nearly 1,600 pardons to the rioters who participated in the Jan. 6 Capitol Hill insurrection that threatened our democracy, Donald Trump became the first American president to endorse the use of political violence here. One caveat: that violence must not be directed at him. That endorsement is in line with findings of the latest Edelman Trust Barometer released in Davos this week. It found a shockingly high level of support40 percentfor hostile activism to drive change. Support was even higher (53 percent) among younger people aged 18 to 34. Edelman defines hostile activism as online attacks against people, spreading disinformation, and physical violence against people or property. About a third of Trumps pardons went to people accused of assaulting, resisting or impeding law enforcement. One hundred forty police officers were injured in Trumps riot. His blanket clemency to rioters sends a dangerous message and threatens Americas safety, according to The Fraternal Order of Police, the biggest cop unionwhich endorsed Trump in 2024. Lame-duck Trump is now completely unfettered, and not threatened by a Republican Congress that is completely under his thumb. Rather than act as an equal branch of the government, Congress has been reduced to a subsidiary of the White House. Trump pardoned 14 recipients of the right-wing extremist Proud Boys and Oath Keepers groups. Members of the Proud Boys marched down the streets of Washington on Inauguration Day behind a large banner that read Congratulations President Trump. It marked the first Proud Boys march in DC since Jan. 6, 2021. During the 2020 debate with Biden, Trump famously urged the Proud Boys to stand back and stand by. Trumps dream has now come true. He has a personal militia ready to enforce his will or threaten opponents. We are heading for the abyss. What did he expect? Trump resorted to childish personal attacks on Washington Episcopal bishop Mariann Budde after her sermon at the National Cathedral, where she asked him to show some mercy and compassion to vulnerable people who will soon be impacted by his policies. Trump, a guy with zero empathy for anyone or anything, called Budde a so-called bishop. She was nasty in tone, and not compelling or smart, posted Trump on Truth Social. That so-called bishop has led the Episcopal diocese of DC since 2011, after serving in Minneapolis for 18 years. One must assume that such a person is smart. She actually sounds a lot smarter than Trump. And whats nasty about a woman of the cloth advocating for kids who fear the deportation plan is going to separate them from their parents, or a federal worker who will soon loose the financial means to support his family? Budde was just doing her job of honoring the dignity of every human being. Trump has crazily demanded an apology to which Budde had the perfect response: "I don't feel there's a need to apologize for a request for mercy, she told NPR. Touche! The presidents over-the-top response to Buddes sermon has badly backfired. It has provided a national platform for the bishop. Hopefully, she will trigger a national conversation about Trumps dark vision of Americabefore it is too late. Whats next for Trump? Is he going to call Pope Francis washed up because the 88-year-old pontiff called Trumps deportation plan a disgrace. In his congratulatory telegram to Trump, Francis said he prayed that America lives up to its ideals of a land of opportunity" and a place where there is no room for hatred, discrimination or exclusion. Keep on praying, Father. Out-dodged at DOGE. Donald Trumps Department of Government Efficiency is off to a great start in rooting out waste, duplication, and inefficiency. Canning co-head Vivik Ramaswamy deserves kudos. After all, why did an organization with a potential staff of 25 or so need two leaders? Of course, the official word is that Vivek suddenly got the urge to enter the 2026 race for Ohio governor. Right! Theres no way that Vivek could have served as a co-equal to the maniacal Elon Musk. Trump, though, had the last laugh at the expense of Musk. His executive order that established DOGE made it part of the government with all the relevant disclosure and reporting requirements. Both Musk and Vivek envisioned DOGE as a free-wheeling independent entity. But the EO has Musk reporting directly to Trumps no-nonsense chief of staff Susie Wiles. Trump clipped the wings of the shadow president. My hunch is that Elon will follow Vivek out the door. But before that exit happens, Musk should take a look at Trumps proposed External Revenue Service, which is supposed to collect tariffs. Why expand governmental bureaucracy? The Commerce Department, U.S. Trade Representative and US Customs and Border Protection are responsible for tariffs. Nobody has complained about their work. Doesnt Trump want to shrink rather than enlarge the government. Elon should nip ERS in the bud. Wheres his honor? New Yorks embattled mayor Eric Adams slithered out of the city at 3 am on Jan. 20 for a snowy car ride to attend the inauguration of Donald Trump. Its not as if Team Trump longed for an appearance by Eric. He received an invite to the shindig sometime after 12:07 am, which was when the mayors public schedule for Martin Luther King Day had him attending two MLK events. Adams ditched the MLK celebrations for sitting in an overflow room to hear Trump speak. That happened a week after Adams flew to Mar-a-Lago to grovel before with the incoming president. The mayors public pandering to Trumpin the hopes of a pardonis below the dignity of the Office of the Mayor of New York. City council president Adrienne Adams said of Eric skipping the MLK tributes: Some that should be here celebrating Dr. King with us in this room have chosen to go to Washington to celebrate Felon 47. Hizzoner has no shame. He seems to be following the footsteps of Ronald Reagan, a Democrat who became a Republican. Reagan said: I didnt leave the Democratic Party, the Democratic Party left me. During his off-the-wall 50-minute interview with Tucker Carlson, Adams said people tell him: 'You dont sound like a Democrat. You seem to have left the party. No, the party left me, and it left working-class people. Adams in 2021 called Carlson a guy who spouts racist, anti-immigrant propaganda. I guess Adams now sees him as a useful tool to curry favor with the president. Its all pretty pathetic. CNN is handing out pink slips to about six percent of its work force (about 200 staffers), part of a wave of changes that includes a new weekday show lineup and a revamped digital strategy. Part of that strategy is an additional streaming service that will exist alongside CNN Max, although the network has not yet announced what kind of programming the new streaming service will offer. CNN CEO Mark Thompson also announced that CNN plans to release several new subscription products, such as a lifestyle-oriented digital product. CNN parent company Warner Bros. Discovery plans to invest $70 million into expanding CNNs digital footprint, according to Thompson. The new weekday lineup includes a new broadcast time for Wolf Bliters Situation Room and a 6 am show for Audie Cornish, who had been hosting a podcast for CNN. Thompson also noted that because of new job openings, the company doesnt expect overall headcount to fall much by the end of the year. Boston Magazine has shifted back to local ownership, moving to Boston Globe Media from Philadelphia-based publisher Metro Corp. All members of the team from Boston Magazine were extended offers to continue in their roles. Existing Boston Magazine subscriptions and advertisements will transfer seamlessly. The magazine, which started publication in 1962 under the aegis of the Boston Chamber of Commerce, has been owned by Metro since 1970. As so many other iconic publications that once shaped our city have faded away, we feel an immense responsibility to honor and preserve Boston Magazines legacy, said Boston Globe Media CEO and co-owner Linda Henry. This is not just about sustaining a magazine its about strengthening a cornerstone of Bostons identity and ensuring its stories continue to inspire, connect, and resonate with our community for generations to come. The Fund for American Studies launches its Media Accelerator Fellowship, with an initial group of 15 early-career journalists. The nine-month program, running from September to May, gives participants the opportunity to learn from policy experts and accomplished journalists to develop the skills needed to succeed in the current media landscape. Topics covered include identifying beats, refining reporting and writing skills, and incorporating the principles of liberty into their work. The 2024-25 curriculum also includes monthly roundtables in Washington, DC, where leading journalists and policy experts guide Fellows in developing their reporting beat. These Fellows are becoming leaders who will uphold the principles of liberty in their reporting, said Center for Excellence in Journalism director Ryan Wolfe. ST Brendans Church of Ireland Church in Birr will host an afternoon of choral and modern classics with the fabulous Ballymore Connect Choir and their special guests, Virtuoso Chamber Choir, on Saturday February 1st at 4pm. Founded in 2019, Ballymore Connect Choir is one of the largest community choirs in Kildare. With a current membership of close to 100 voices, over 70 will perform in Birr next month. Under the musical direction of Owen C. Lynch, the choir performs regularly in concert and enjoys fundraising for various local charities. Their programme of music in Birr will include Owen's special arrangements of Red Is The Rose, What A Wonderful World, Rainbow Connection, Song Sung Blue, World In Union and some familiar classics from musicals. Birr native Aoife Garry is part of the choir: This is a very special concert for me and I am thrilled that the choirs first tour is to my home town. We are all very excited about the performance. I was delighted to be able to ask my long-time friends and the group I used to sing with many years ago, the wonderful Virtuoso Chamber Choir, to perform as special guest artists on the day. I want to say a sincere thank you to Reverend Arthur Minion who very kindly offered the church to us as a venue. A special word of thanks also to Maureen de Forge and the Birr Festival of Music team for doing such a fabulous job and taking all of the organisation out of our hands. This promises to be a fabulous concert and we hope to see you there. The concert proceeds will be donated to the Church of Ireland Restoration Fund. Speaking ahead of the concert, Reverend Arthur Minion explained how the funds raised will support vital work: The current phase of restoration work on the fabric of the church is to address the ingress of water along the lead valley taking the water from the roof on the north side of the church. A lead valley runs inside the parapet along the length of the walls of both the north and south sides of the church. The evidence of the problems can be seen at various points at the top of the walls inside the church where the plasterwork and paint work is compromised. A donation from the proceeds will also be made to Offaly Hospice. This concert is proudly supported by Birr Festival of Music, the towns annual classical musical festival. Tickets 15 (children 5) + booking fee on sale now from midlandsbooking.ie . Storm Eowyn will significantly disrupt hospital and other HSE services on Friday. Services across HSE Dublin and Midlands will see significant disruptions. HSE Dublin and Midlands provides health and social care services to Dublin South City and West and Dublin South West, Kildare, West Wicklow, Laois, Offaly, Longford and Westmeath. Outpatient and non-urgent services in hospitals and non-essential community healthcare will be cancelled tomorrow due to the severe weather warning status red for Storm Eowyn This includes for examples, outpatient appointments in hospitals, clinics in primary care centres, day services in the community providing care for older people, those with disabilities and community mental health services. In addition, any service that involves staff travelling to clients homes is cancelled, for example home help services, therapy services and public health nursing. However we will prioritise the most vulnerable for home care services wherever possible. Emergency services will continue to be provided and Emergency Departments will remain open. Where people are in receipt of specialist and time critical services such as dialysis and cancer treatment, the treating unit will contact the patient directly if there are any changes to the schedule. Supports to vulnerable people at home in the community will be prioritised on an urgent needs basis during the hours of restricted travel during the Red Weather Warnings. There are also changes to opening hours of Injury Units within the region. The Injury Unit based at Naas General Hospital will open at a later time of 1pm until 8pm. The Injury Unit located in Charter Medical, Mullingar who will open at the later time of 2pm until 8pm. A red weather warning means everyone should stay indoors, avoid unnecessary travel, and take action to protect themselves and their properties. Kate Killeen White, REO HSE Dublin and Midlands said, Every possible effort is being made to keep staff and patients safe, while maintaining essential services. It is essential that our staff and the public stay safe during this period of extreme weather. Non urgent appointments and routine services will not run on Friday. Do not travel to a HSE service or appointment unless you hear directly from us. "Our services are working very hard to develop contingency plans to make sure essential services are maintained. Our priority is the safety of our patients, their families and staff. Thank you to the staff and teams who are coming to work in hospitals, clinics and residential settings tonight and who will stay overnight so that they can be in place ahead of the Red Weather warning. Finally, if you require urgent emergency care, please attend their local emergency department for treatment, whilst taking every precaution to keep safe on route. As always, our emergency departments provide emergency care to patients 24/ 7. The HSE will provide regular updates on services on our webpage www2.hse.ie/services/disruptions and we will also provide regular updates through local media and on national and regional social media channels. Where possible, HSE teams will make contact directly with those who use our day centre services in disability, mental health, or older people to advise them of disruptions. Families can also contact their local day service directly to get an update. BetGames sets another important milestone in 2025 by expanding to RNG products and unveiling Citrus Splash, the first of 50 slots scheduled for release in 2025. BetGames specializes in creating class-leading live dealers and fixed-odds betting games. It powers some of the most respectable online casinos and is the recipient of prestigious international awards. Its accomplishments were acknowledged in 2019, 2020, and 2023 at major gambling conventions. They have every reason to expect similar results in 2025, as it has announced an impressive lineup of 50 games. BetGames Verticals: BetGames Debuts in the Slots Market with Citrus Splash The company has introduced a new vertical to its RNG offer, a great-looking slot called Citrus Splash. This new game is packed with exciting features, as BetGames wants to ensure that new players will be impressed. You only have one chance to make a good first impression, and Citrus Splash is a strong candidate. The slot has an old-school theme with classic gameplay and is visually charming. The launch of Citrus Splash is the first and most important step in a program scheduled to unfold throughout 2025. BetGames' brand-new RNG collection is expected to include dozens of games, with four released in January. Candy Coins, Crypt of Giza Secrets Unveiled, and Lotus Wealth Wonders are the next three slots expected to arrive at online casinos this month. Each of these games has an original theme, immersive game mechanics, and an appealing RTP. All four slots are mobile-friendly, and the next games scheduled for release in 2025 will also be available on smartphones. They continue the company's tradition of delivering fully customizable content for its tier 1 partners. A Major Milestone for BetGames in 2025 The success recorded in recent years has encouraged BetGames to contemplate new avenues for expansion. Ian Catchick, the company's Chief Product and Business Development Officer, expresses excitement for this release, which marks the companys transition to RNG products. If past performance can be used as an indicator, the slots will be as successful as the Skyward crash game unveiled last year. BetGames has a long and distinguished track record in producing best-in-class live dealer games for online casinos. More than a decade in the making, its portfolio is now ready to accommodate a new vertical with slots at the cornerstone. These four releases with original and exciting gameplay are just a sneak preview of what's to come in 2025. BetGames Games Portfolio Sample: MAGA TURNING on Musk, now it's STEVE BANNON.... (Image by YouTube, Channel: David Pakman Show) Details DMCA I can't believe I'm saying this, but I'm rooting for Steve Bannon in his food fight with Elon Musk over who's the bigger racist in the MAGA tent. Not because I agree with either man's views on immigration or anything else, but rather because Musk's money has the potential to do a lot more harm than Bannon's pure bile and, frankly, anything that exposes the hypocrisy of the Trump cult is good for America, especially if it's self-inflicted. Bannon has called Musk "pure evil" and pledged to get him out of the guest rooms in Mar-a-Lago and the White House. In fact, Bannon said, "I will have Elon Musk run out of here by Inauguration Day." That ship has sailed, but that's what Bannon told the Italian newspaper Corrientes Della Serra last week. He also said the billionaire won't have full access to the White House. Trump says he's giving Musk the building next door to try to figure out how to steal from the poor to give to the rich. The crux of the fight between Trump's old sidekick/strategist and his new, much richer one, is which immigrants are acceptable to MAGA and which are not. Old school Bannon took Trump at his word when he said he's going to round up millions of undocumented immigrants (mostly brown or black) and ship them back wherever they came from. No more immigrants. More jobs for real Americans. But Musk and other big tech billionaires say real Americans are too dumb (they actually say untrained, but that's what they think) to fill the jobs in their companies. They say they need more better-trained immigrants, mostly from Asian countries, here on H-1B visas as "skilled workers", to fill all those good jobs at the tech companies. Musk says they are vital and Trump agreed and Bannon blew up, basically saying an immigrant is an immigrant. He also wasn't thrilled with Musk's opinion of real Americans' intelligence, which actually is the same as ("I love the uneducated") Trump's. In response to Bannon's comments, Musk said he would go to "war" to preserve and defend the program for foreign workers at tech companies. Bannon replied, "He should go back to South Africa. Why do we have South Africans, the most racist people on earth, white South Africans... making any comments at all on what goes on in the United States?" Clearly, irony is lost on Bannon. Now, Musk may be right about that lack of skilled American workers for tech companies, but no one ever talks about more training programs for Americans. The real reason Musk and the other tech bigwigs want immigrants from Asian countries on their payrolls is that they are willing to work for less money and are happy just to be in America for all the advantages it provides. Just like all those immigrants Trump and Bannon want to round up and deport. Hypocrisy. The good news in terms of reducing Musk's influence is that Bannon has the voice and support of the hard-core far-right Trump base. The ones who vote for candidates he endorses. Musk, who seems to live in a high-rent area of the spectrum, basically is just in this for his own enrichment and gratification. Like Trump. But Trump is president and his ego typically wins out over his affection for other people's money and sycophancy. He has no real agenda other than enriching himself and staying out of prison, which he thus far has managed to accomplish. Bottom line is that promising all things to all supporters only works when all supporters are in it for the same reason. Bannon just wants to get rid of all non-white immigrants. Musk apparently just wants to be emperor of the world, with lots of non-tran children. Maybe they should check with the suddenly much poorer Rudy Giuliani to find out what went wrong with his love affair with Donald Trump. rjgaydos@gmail.com January 20, 2025 Here we are at another crossroads in the American political journey. Today, we inaugurate a president who, during his previous term, refused to acknowledge the results of an election and fomented an insurgency on January 6, 2021. That attack on the Capitol sought to prevent the certification of election results, an event etched in the nation's history. Yet now, Donald Trump is again the duly elected president, promising to dramatically alter the course of the nation. We are left to wonder what these changes will entail and how they will shape our lives. By some profound irony, today also marks Martin Luther King Jr. Day, a national holiday honoring a visionary leader who championed equality and justice. King, assassinated in the tumultuous 1960s, sought to democratize this nation, giving voice to the marginalized. This coincidence underscores a stark contrast: the inauguration of a leader whose policies may dismantle much of what King fought to build. Although Jimmy Carter's recent passing did not coincide with this day, it remains close enough to warrant reflection. Carter's life was a testament to moral leadership and selflessness. From his presidency to his international peacemaking efforts, including attempts to resolve Middle Eastern conflicts, and his work with Habitat for Humanity, Carter exemplified service to humanity. He stands as a model of integrity and compassion, a reminder of what leadership can and should be, especially on a day like today. At a Crossroads Since the era of Martin Luther King Jr. and Jimmy Carter, the United States has undergone a profound transformation-- one that leaves many of us struggling to recognize the nation we once knew. We now stand at a pivotal moment in history, seemingly poised to embrace a more autocratic form of governance. This shift threatens to undo much of what we have come to view as fundamental to democracy. Meanwhile, the world around us is in crisis. Los Angeles burns. The global temperature has surpassed the critical 1.5-degree Celsius threshold. The north-central states are gripped by extreme cold. Yet, amidst these realities, our government dismisses climate change as a hoax, doubling down on oil drilling and fracking with a "damn the torpedoes, full-speed ahead" mindset. Whether or not we view these policies as wise or necessary, this is the reality we are being asked to accept. The New Reality On a governmental level, the outlook is grim. The Supreme Court appears aligned with this new direction. Tech billionaires and corporate interests show little concern for the broader consequences, and Congress remains dysfunctional at best. Our voices, at least on this level, seem to carry little weight. Yet, we are still citizens of a nation that describes itself as a democracy. The question, then, is how we reclaim our voice and our agency. The only apparent recourse is grassroots organization-- building from the bottom up through community support, mutual aid, and collective action. In times like these, the timeless call to action rings truer than ever. WATCH: Episcopal bishop asks Trump 'to have mercy' on LGBTQ+ communities and immigrants The Right Rev. Mariann Budde, the Episcopal bishop of Washington, D.C., implored newly inaugurated President Donald Trump ... (Image by YouTube, Channel: PBS NewsHour) Details DMCA Readings for the Third Sunday in Ordinary Time: Nehemiah 8:2-4a, 5-6, 8-10; Psalm 19: 8,9, 10, 15; I Corinthians 12: 12-14, 27; Luke 1: 1-4, 4: 14-21 Last Tuesday Episcopal Bishop Mariann Edgar Budde infuriated Donald Trump and JD Vance at Trump's inaugural prayer service at the National Cathedral in Washington. She did so by echoing in her sermon the Spirit of Yeshua of Nazareth whom this Sunday's Gospel reading depicts as delivering his own inaugural address to his former neighbors in his hometown of Nazareth. Bishop Budde's words asked Mr. Trump "in the name of our God" to "have mercy" on LGBTQ people and immigrants targeted by his policies. Her words chimed with those of her Master who in his programmatic words proclaimed his work as directed towards outsiders - the poor, the blind, the imprisoned, oppressed, and indebted. Evidently, Messrs. Trump and Vance prefer their version of God and a Jesus who puts America first. They seem to consider Americans (and Zionists) as somehow "chosen" by a God who joins them in despising those with non-binary sexual orientations. Instead of welcoming strangers (as Bishop Budde put it in tune with oft-repeated biblical injunctions) their God would build walls and evict them from our midst. Ironically, the Trump/Vance position is not far from that articulated by Ezra, Israel's 6th century BCE priest and scribe who invented the concept of a genocidal Israel as God's chosen one. (You can read a summary of Ezra's words immediately below.) So, predictably, Mr. Trump and his followers (like Yeshua's contemporaries rejecting him) wasted no time in vilifying Bishop Budde. Instead, she deserves our admiration and imitation as a woman of vast integrity and courage. Let me show you what I mean. Today's Readings Nehemiah 8:2-4a, 5-6, 8-10 Following the Jews' return from the Babylonian exile (586-538), the Jewish priest and scribe, Ezra rewrote the Hebrew's largely oral traditions that eventually became their Bible. He unified those narratives about mysterious beings called "Elohim." These were human or perhaps extraterrestrial "Powerful Ones," some good-willed, some malevolent, who had never been universally considered divine. In Hebrew oral tradition, they had variously been called by names such as "Elohim," "El," "El Shaddai," "Ruach," Baal, and Yahweh. Ezra unified and rewrote those traditions as if all of them were about Israel's now "divine" Powerful One (Yahweh). The tales included divinely authorized genocides of Palestinians (identified in biblical texts as Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites, Jebusites, Geshurites, Maacaathites, and Philistines). All of them had lived in the "Holy Land" long before the arrival of the ex-slave invaders from Egypt who ruthlessly decimated their numbers in the name of their Powerful One. In Nehemiah chapter 8, Ezra is depicted as spending half a day reading his conflated narrative [now called "The Law" (Torah)] to Israel's "men, women, and those children old enough to understand." The new narrative brings everyone to tears as a nationalistic and exclusive consciousness dawns that Yahweh-God had chosen them as his special people. Psalm 19: 8,9, 10, 15 Despite the genocides, the people praised Yahweh's words as simple, perfect, refreshing, trustworthy, wise, illuminating, pure, eternal, true, and completely just. They identified Ezra's words as Spirit and Life. I Corinthians 12: 12-14, 27 Yeshua, however, never called his Heavenly Father "Yahweh." Instead, he (and his principal prophet Paul) understood God as a Divine Parent, the Creator of all things, the "One in whom we live and move and have our being" (Acts 17:28). Yeshua (and Paul) rejected the idea of "Special People" in favor of all humanity as comprising One Human Body. For both men, no part of that Body (even the least presentable) was better or more important than any other. For Paul and Yeshua, Jews and non-Jews were the same. So were slaves and free persons. In fact, for Yeshua's followers, those the world considers less honorable should be treated "with greater propriety." Luke 1: 1-4, 4: 14-21 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). An imperial presidency, a cult of idiocracy, and a team of hateful oligarchs is the problem. A salute is just a symbol. If you do a web search for images of "Bellamy salute" you find countless black-and-white photographs of U.S. children and adults with their right arms raised stiffly out in front of them in what will strike most people as a Nazi salute. From the early 1890s through 1942 the United States used the Bellamy salute to accompany the words written by Francis Bellamy and known as the Pledge of Allegiance. In 1942, the U.S. Congress instructed Americans to instead place their hands over their hearts when swearing allegiance to a flag, so as not to be mistaken for Nazis. [i] Doing both -- placing your hand over your heart followed by a stiff-arm salute -- still gets you (mis-)taken for a Nazi. Jacques-Louis David's 1784 painting The Oath of the Horatii is believed to have begun the fashion that lasted for centuries of depicting ancient Romans as making a gesture very similar to the Bellamy or Nazi salute. [ii] A U.S. stage production of Ben Hur, and a 1907 film version of the same, made use of the gesture. Those using it in U.S. dramatic productions of that period would have been aware of both the Bellamy salute and the tradition of depicting a "Roman salute" in neoclassical art. As far as we know, the "Roman salute" was never actually used by the ancient Romans. Of course, it's a very simple salute, not hard to think up; there are only so many things humans can do with their arms. But when Italian fascists picked it up, it had neither survived from ancient Rome nor been newly invented. It had been seen in Ben Hur, and in several Italian films set in ancient times, including Cabiria (1914), written by Gabriele D'Annunzio. From 1919 to 1920 D'Annunzio made himself the dictator of something called the Italian Regency of Carnaro, which was the size of one small city. He instituted many practices that Mussolini would soon appropriate, including the corporate state, public rituals, black-shirted thugs, balcony speeches, and the "Roman salute", which he would have seen in Cabiria. If Trump finds out about D'Annunzio, who knows what mountain or gulf he'll want named for him. By 1923, Nazis had picked up the salute for greeting Hitler, presumably copying the Italians. In the 1930s fascist movements in other countries and various governments around the world picked it up. Hitler himself recounted a medieval German origin for the salute, which, as far as we know, is no more real that the ancient Roman origin. [iii] Hitler certainly knew of Mussolini's use of the salute and almost certainly knew of the U.S. use. Whether the U.S. connection inclined him in favor of the salute or not, it seems not to have dissuaded him from adopting the salute. The official salute of the Olympics is also very similar to these other ones, though rarely used because people don't want to look like Nazis. It was widely used at the 1936 Olympics in Berlin, and confused a lot of people then and ever since as to who was saluting the Olympics and who was saluting Hitler. Posters from the 1924 Olympics show the salute with the arm almost vertical. A photograph from the 1920 Olympics shows a somewhat different salute. It seems that a number of people had a similar idea around the same time, perhaps influenced by each other. And it seems that Hitler gave the idea a bad name, leading everybody else to drop, modify, or downplay it from that point forward. Well, almost everybody. What difference does it make? Hitler could have instituted that salute without the United States existing. Or if he couldn't have, he could have instituted some other salute that would have been no better or worse. Yes, of course. But the problem is not where the arm is placed. The problem is the mandatory ritual of militarism and blind, servile obedience. It was strictly required in Nazi Germany to give the salute in greeting, accompanied by the words Hail Hitler! or Hail Victory! It was also required when the National Anthem or the Nazi Party Anthem was played. The national anthem celebrated German superiority, machismo, and war. [iv] The Nazi anthem celebrated flags, Hitler, and war. [v] When Francis Bellamy created the Pledge of Allegiance, it was presented as part of the following program for schools:[vi] "The schools should assemble at 9 A.M. in their various rooms. At 9:30 the detail of Veterans is expected to arrive. It is to be met at the entrance of the yard by the Color-Guard of pupils,-- escorted with dignity to the building, and presented to the Principal. The Principal then gives the signal, and the several teachers conduct their students to the yard, to beat of drum or other music, and arrange them in a hollow square about the flag, the Veterans and Color-Guard taking places by the flag itself. The Master of Ceremonies then gives the command 'Attention!' and begins the exercises by reading the Proclamation. "1. READING OF THE PRESIDENT'S PROCLAMATION-- by the Master of Ceremonies "At the close of the reading he announces, 'In accordance with this recommendation by the President of the United States, and as a sign of our devotion to our country, let the Flag of the Nation be unfurled above this School.' 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). In a twist that seems straight out of an Orwellian dystopia, the beloved social media platform TikTok - now a symbol of modern free speech and digital culture - is making an ironic comeback after a series of high-profile bans by US Presidents Trump and Biden. While officials have cracked down on the app, citing national security concerns, TikTok remains ever-so-available, not through your typical app store, but as a A house in unincorporated Washington County burst into flames on Wednesday afternoon, sending a column of black smoke into the sky. Firefighters arrived at the scene around 5 p.m. after multiple people in the Bethany-area neighborhood called in reports of heavy black smoke and flames from a house in 3600 block of Northwest 163rd Terrace, Tualatin Valley Fire & Rescue said in a statement. The fire departments spokesperson, Jacob Fuhrer, said in an email that the smoke column was visible from U.S. 26. A team searched the house while it was still ablaze, but didnt find anyone inside; fire officials said the search proved especially challenging because of a large number of personal belongings inside the residence. The smoke was visible from Highway 26.Courtesy of Tualatin Valley Fire & Rescue The incident commander at the scene had to call for a second alarm to bring in more resources including crews from Hillsboro Fire & Rescue, officials said. With the additional help, firefighters managed to knock down the fire, shortly after 6 p.m., Tualatin Fire spokesperson Jacob Fuhrer said in an email. No one was injured in the fire, officials said. The cause of the fire is being investigated. Tatum Todd is a breaking news reporter who covers public safety, crime and community news. Reach them at ttodd@oregonian.com or 503-221-4313. Palomar is hard to miss. The award-winning Cuban cocktail bar sits at the bottom of a 70-foot mural of a woman with hair made from living plants; a trogon the national bird of Cuba perched on her shoulder. But the stretch of close-in Southeast Division Street beneath that mural isnt exactly bustling with potential customers, according to Palomar owner Ricky Gomez. A 1904 Colonial Revival mansion on an elevated lot in Northwest Portlands Nob Hill neighborhood is well known for the profusion of trees, shrubbery and flowers fronting a balustraded terrace. Whats little known are three dynamic women are credited with creating and preserving the handsome, historic Isam and Rose White residence. On March 1, supporters of the statewide preservation organization Restore Oregon can tour the private house to celebrate the start of Womens History Month. Over appetizers, they will hear about the women who lived here: A female student was killed and another student was wounded Wednesday in a shooting in a Nashville high school cafeteria, police said. The 17-year-old shooter, who was also a student at Antioch High School, later shot and killed himself with a handgun, Metro Nashville Police spokesperson Don Aaron said during a news conference. Police identified him as Solomon Henderson. Police Chief John Drake said the shooter confronted a 16-year-old female student in the cafeteria and opened fire, killing her. Police identified her as Josselin Corea Escalante. Drake said police are looking into a motive and whether the students who were shot were targeted. The male student who was wounded suffered a graze, and was treated and released from the hospital, Drake said. Another student was taken to a hospital for treatment of a facial injury that happened during a fall, Aaron said. There were two school resource officers in the building when the shooting happened around 11 a.m. CDT, Aaron said. They were not in the immediate vicinity of the cafeteria and by the time they got down there the shooting was over and the gunman had killed himself, Aaron said. The school has about 2,000 students and is located in Antioch, a neighborhood about 10 miles (16 kilometers) southeast of downtown Nashville. At a family safety center close to a hospital, officials were helping shocked parents to reunite with their children. Dajuan Bernard was waiting at a Mapco service station to reunite with his son, a 10th grader, who was being held in the auditorium with other students on Wednesday afternoon. He first heard of the shooting from his son who was a little startled, Bernard said. His son was upstairs from the cafeteria but said he heard the gunfire. He was OK and let me know that everything was OK, Bernard said. This world is so crazy, it could happen anywhere, he said. Weve just got to protect the kids, and raise the kids right to prevent them from even doing this. Thats the hardest part. Fonda Abner, whose granddaughter is a student at the school, said Antioch High does not have metal detectors that would alert officials to the presence of a gun. She said her granddaughter had called her a couple of times but that she only heard commotion and thought it was a pocket dial. They spoke briefly before being cut off. Its nerve-wracking waiting out here, Abner said. Adrienne Battle, superintendent of Nashville schools, said public schools have implemented a range of safety measures, including partnerships with police for school resource officers, security cameras with weapon-detection software, shatter-resistant film for glass, and security vestibules that are a barrier between outside visitors and the main entrance. Unfortunately, these measures were not enough to stop this tragedy, Battle said. She noted that there are questions about whether stationary metal detectors should be considered. While past research has shown they have had limitations and unintended consequences, we will continue to explore emerging technologies and strategies to strengthen school safety, Battle said. Wednesdays school shooting comes nearly two years after a shooter opened fire at a separate Nashville private elementary school and killed six people, including three children. The tragedy prompted a monthslong effort among hundreds of community organizers, families, protesters and many more pleading with lawmakers to consider passing gun control measures in response to the shooting. However, in a Republican-dominant state, GOP lawmakers refused to do so. With the Republican supermajority intact after Novembers election, its unlikely attitudes have changed enough to consider any meaningful bills that would address gun control. Instead, lawmakers have been more open to adding more security to schools including passing a bill last year that would allow some teachers and staff to carry concealed handguns on public school grounds, and bar parents and other teachers from knowing who was armed. Antioch has endured other prominent shootings in recent years. A 2017 fatal shooting at Burnette Chapel Church of Christ killed one woman and wounded seven people. And in 2018, a shooter killed four people at a Waffle House. ___ Associated Press writers Kimberlee Kruesi in Nashville and Adrian Sainz in Memphis, Tennessee, contributed. The Justice Department has ordered federal prosecutors to investigate state or local officials who they believe are interfering with the Trump administrations crackdown on immigration, saying they could face criminal charges, in an apparent warning to the dozens of so-called sanctuary jurisdictions across America. The memo, from acting Deputy Attorney General Emil Bove, signals a sharp turnabout in priorities from President Joe Bidens Democratic administration, with the Justice Departments civil division told to identify state and local laws and policies that threaten to impede the Trump administrations immigration efforts and potentially challenge them in court. It also tells prosecutors in no uncertain terms that they will be on the front lines of an administration-wide effort to crack down on illegal immigration and border crime and that they are expected to carry out the policy vision of President Donald Trumps Republican White House when it comes to violent crimes, the threat of international gangs and drug trafficking. Indeed, it is the responsibility of the Justice Department to defend the Constitution, and accordingly, to lawfully execute the policies that the American people elected President Trump to implement, wrote Bove, who prior to joining the administration was part of the legal team that defended Trump against two criminal cases brought by the Justice Department. Sanctuary has no legal definition, but the term encompasses a range of protection for immigrants, particularly those living in the U.S. illegally. Most often, the laws put legal limits on how law enforcement in those jurisdictions can cooperate with federal immigration authorities. Courts have repeatedly upheld most sanctuary laws, and legal experts said that while prosecutions are possible, they doubted the charges would have any traction in court. What would you charge these people with? asked Robert J. McWhirter, a constitutional scholar and longtime Arizona-based immigration lawyer. Nothing obligates local law enforcement to cooperate with federal law enforcement on any issue. Not even bank robbery. In Chicago, which has some of the strongest sanctuary protections nationwide, city leaders brushed off word of potential investigations. The nations third-largest city has been a sanctuary city for decades, limiting cooperation between police and federal immigration agents. If the federal government is going to investigate, that is their prerogative, said Alderman Andre Vasqez, who is Mayor Brandon Johnsons handpicked chair of the City Council immigration committee. Vasquez, the son of two Guatemalan immigrants, noted a 2016 campaign rally at the University of Illinois Chicago that Trump abruptly scrapped as crowds of boisterous protesters grew. The cancellation remains a badge of honor for many young activists in the Democratic stronghold. There will always be that kind of relationship between Chicago, President Trump and the Republican Party, said Vasquez. I was born and raised in Chicago, in an immigrant family. It will take more than that to make me feel a little scared. Across the country, cities and towns were sending out reminders about the delicate balance of sanctuary laws, which draw distinctions between not cooperating with federal immigration officials, particularly U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and actively undermining those federal officials. New Yorks police department, for example, told employees in a memo that they are not permitted to assist in any manner with civil immigration enforcement, but also said they must not take any action that will interfere with or impede civil immigration enforcement undertaken by federal authorities. Denver Mayor Mike Johnston said the city, where more than 40,000 migrants have arrived since early 2023, would work with ICE to arrest violent criminals. But he said the city would go to court if immigration raids targeted schools, among other places. Were not going to be bullied or blackmailed out of our values, he told The Associated Press. Boves memo directs prosecutors to investigate for potential criminal charges against state and local officials who obstruct or impede federal functions. As potential avenues for prosecution, the memo cites a conspiracy offense as well as a law prohibiting the harboring of people in the country illegally. Federal law prohibits state and local actors from resisting, obstructing and otherwise failing to comply with lawful immigration-related commands and requests, the memo says. The U.S. Attorneys Offices and litigating components of the Department of Justice shall investigate incidents involving any such misconduct for potential prosecution. But in Colorado, where state law bars local law enforcement from helping federal immigration agents make an arrest without a court order, the attorney generals office said it knew of no state or local officials obstructing immigration enforcement. The federal governmentnot local law enforcementis responsible for enforcing federal immigration laws, the office of Phil Weiser, a Democrat, said in a statement. The memo includes a series of directives beyond those related to sanctuary jurisdictions. It suggests there will be a spike in immigration cases under the new administration, instructing U.S. attorneys offices across the country to inform courts of its policy and develop processes for handling the increased number of prosecutions that will result. Any decisions by federal prosecutors to decline to prosecute immigration violations must be disclosed to Justice Department headquarters in so-called urgent reports, which are used to update leadership on law enforcement emergencies or significant matters of national interest. The memo also says the department will return to the principle of charging defendants with the most serious crime it can prove, a staple position of Republican-led departments meant to remove a prosecutors discretion to charge a lower-level offense. And it rescinds policies implemented by Biden Attorney General Merrick Garland, including one designed to end sentencing disparities that have imposed harsher penalties for different forms of cocaine. The most serious charges are those punishable by death where applicable, and offenses with the most significant mandatory minimum sentences, Bove wrote. It is common for Justice Departments to shift enforcement priorities under a new presidential administration in compliance with White House policy ambitions. The memo reflects the constant push-and-pull between Democratic and Republican administrations over how best to commit resources to what officials regard as the most urgent threat of the time. The edict to charge the most readily provable offense, for instance, is consistent with directives from prior Republican attorneys general including John Ashcroft and Jeff Sessions, while Democratic attorneys general including Eric Holder and Garland have replaced the policy and instead encouraged prosecutorial discretion. Portland marketing technology company Act-On Software sold its business Thursday to Banzai International, a marketing software business headquartered on Bainbridge Island near Seattle. Banzai will pay $53 million for Act-On $20 million in cash plus stock valued at $33 million. Founded in 2008, Act-On was one of the best-funded startups that emerged in Portland in the wake of the Great Recession and helped establish a software cluster in the city. (Act-On started in Beaverton but later moved to Portland.) Its technology enables online marketers to target segments of their customer base with specific messages. Another marketing tech company from that era, Lytics, sold earlier this month. The TV series High Potential is turning out to have a very appropriate name, as the first-season show has been such a solid ratings hit for ABC that the network has renewed it for a second season. After premiering to 20 million total viewers over 35 days across platforms including ABC, Hulu and Disney Plus, the series has continued to be a strong performer. As The Hollywood Reporter notes, High Potential has been a breakout for ABC, ranking among the top first-season series of 2024-2025, and returning after a brief holiday break to average 5.74 million same-day viewers. Inspired by a French series, High Potential stars Kaitlin Olson as Morgan, a single mother of three kids whose extraordinary cognitive abilities have made her an unlikely crime-solver, serving as a consultant with Los Angeles police detectives. TV fans know Olson from such projects as the long-running comedy, Its Always Sunny in Philadelphia, and her Emmy-nominated role in Hacks. Oregonians may take special pride in Olsons achievements, as she was born in Portland, attended Tigard High School and graduated from the University of Oregon. In a panel discussing High Potential during the 2024 Television Critics Association summer press tour, Olson said of her character that Morgan is very flawed, very mouthy, but added, this woman is very grounded. She is a very loving mother. Im a very loving mother. That wasnt so hard to jump into. The cast of High Potential also includes Judy Reyes, Daniel Sunjata, Javicia Leslie and Deniz Akdeniz. High Potential airs at 9 p.m. Tuesdays on ABC; you can stream episodes the day after they air on Hulu. Kristi Turnquist covers features and entertainment. Reach her at 503-221-8227, kturnquist@oregonian.com and @Kristiturnquist and https://bsky.app/profile/kristiturnquist.bsky.social Our journalism needs your support. Please become a subscriber today at OregonLive.com/subscribe The sky may be clear in Portland, but the temperatures remain low, leading the National Weather Service to issue another cold weather advisory Wednesday afternoon. The cold weather advisory is a new type of advisory for the National Weather Service, replacing the wind chill advisory, said Daniel Hartsock, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Portland. The actual temperature is probably going to drop to around 32 to 34 degrees, Hartsock said Wednesday, but with the east winds, the apparent temperature or wind chill is expected to fall to around 25 degrees. The National Weather Service in Portland also issued cold weather advisories on Sunday and Tuesday nights. The current advisory goes from 10 p.m. Wednesday night to 10 a.m. Thursday morning and covers a large part of northwestern Oregon. Cold weather advisory for northwest Oregon.Advance Local Weather Alerts The best precaution is to dress warmly and dont spend too much time outdoors, Hartsock said. Most people have homes they can sleep in, he added, but this is mainly a precaution for the houseless people who dont. Records show that two people broke into Portland buildings to escape the cold in separate incidents this week. Multnomah County did not open cold weather shelters on Sunday or Tuesday night and again did not plan on opening them Wednesday night, since the forecast temperature did not reach 25 degrees or below, only the apparent temperature. Today, Mayor Wilson discussed his plan to add 1,500 overnight only shelter beds this year, said Scott Kerman Executive Director of Blanchet House, on Wednesday. Currently, our inclement weather emergency shelter system is not sufficient to help people on nights like tonight when established thresholds arent met. Blanchet House is eager to work with the city and county on ways we can help, including by opening an overnight shelter for women, Kerman added. In the meantime, the frigid and dangerous nights put increased pressure on our services both for the hot meals we provide and the clothing, blankets, and other life-saving supplies that are in such high demand. Anyone can donate adult coats, hats and gloves to Blanchet House. Drop-off is from Monday to Saturday, 8 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. or 1:30 p.m. to 4 p.m. Multnomah County noted that Wednesdays forecast conditions do meet thresholds for the Joint Office of Homeless Services enhanced outreach program. During enhanced outreach, the Joint Office divides the County into zones and works with nonprofit providers and community groups to ensure each zone has one or more teams checking on people without shelter, delivering life-safety supplies, including warm clothing, blankets and hand warmers, the county said. Emergency shelters were also closed Wednesday in Washington County, but on the other side of the river, shelters were open in Clark County. Anyone seeking shelter or transportation should contact 211info by dialing 211 or 1-866-698-6155. If you see someone who appears to need help, call the non-emergency response line at 503-823-3333 and request a welfare check. If you see someone who appears to be in danger, call 911. According to Hartsock, temperatures should warm up briefly Thursday night into Friday and then cool down again Saturday through Tuesday with temperatures on Sunday getting down to 20 or 25 degrees. Lizzy Acker covers Oregon weather and writes the advice column Why Tho? Reach her at 503-221-8052, lacker@oregonian.com. Our journalism needs your support. Subscribe today to OregonLive.com. Please join us at 5pm on Thursday 1/23 to hear guest speaker Dr. Jack Friedman talk about his own experiences navigating jobs in anthropology. Below is a description of Dr. Friedman's work: Senior Research Scientist Jack Friedman (Ph.D. Duke Univ. 2003) is an anthropologist who works at the intersection of health (medical anthropology), socio-ecological systems (environmental anthropology), political economy (political anthropology), and natural disasters. He has conducted a wide range of research drawing on methods from traditional participant observation to both semi-structured and person centered interviewing techniques to more structured lab-based and field-based behavioral experimentation. Dr. Friedmans diverse research portfolio includes multiple NOAA-funded projects that examine how operational meteorologists understand uncertainty and how they can integrate knowledge about vulnerabilities into their communication to emergency managers, the public, and other core partners in order to save lives and property. This on-going research seeks to bridge gaps between the social sciences and the atmospheric sciences, as well as shedding light on the everyday practices of science, the nature of vulnerabilities and political economic injustice, and applied anthropology. His previous and on-going projects include 1) an ethnography of the changing meaning and experience of being working class (including examining the political subjectivity associated with class) in post-socialist Romania, 2) clinical ethnography of mental health care in Romanian psychiatric hospitals, 3) clinical ethnography of public mental health care and the impact of the recovery movement (in mental health care) on the provision of service, outcomes, and the broader culture of mental health clinics in the U.S., 4) comparative ethnographic research into socio-ecological systems including leading the ethnographic portion of NSF OK EPSCoR (2013-2018) (along with Drs. Tony VanWinkle and Michael Stanton) examining communities in four watershed in Oklahoma regarding their interaction with water resources and climate change, as well as 5) environmental anthropology conducted (along with Dr. Stephanie Paladino) along the Rio Grande/Bravo to examine how people understand water resources associated with the river, and to explore the possibilities of whole river thinking as a possible solution to water limitations in the region. Hosted by: Anthropology Graduate Student Association Additional Information can be found at: https://ou.campuslabs.com/engage/event/10840600 Fedrigoni Names Gregory Boisson as General Manager for Fedrigoni Special Papers North America Gregory Boisson Gregory Boisson Jan. 23, 2025 - The Fedrigoni Group announced that Gregory Boisson has joined the organization as General Manager for Fedrigoni Special Papers North America. Boisson brings extensive experience from his tenure at Imerys. Since relocating to the US in 2008, he has held progressively senior leadership roles in Marketing, Sales, Procurement, Supply Chain, Operations, and General Management. In his new position, Boisson will oversee the growth and development of the Mohawk, Fedrigoni and myCordenons brands in North America. He will report directly to Francois Gilbart, Executive Vice President, Fedrigoni Special Papers, and will join the Group's Leadership Team. "Gregory's expertise and vision will be invaluable as Fedrigoni continues to expand its presence in North America," said Gilbart. "This newly created role reflects Fedrigoni Special Papers strong commitment to the ambitious targets of the North American market, which is a key priority in the company's global strategic plan." Founded in 1888 in Verona, Italy, Fedrigoni is a manufacturer and distributer of labels and self-adhesive materials, specialty papers for luxury packaging and other creative solutions, and RFID/NFC and connected solutions. SOURCE: Fedrigoni Group A Utah man is accused of fatally shooting a teenage girl he thought she and her companion were "stalking" him. Michael Edward Hess-Witacki, 23, was inside a black truck along with his three companions---Ethan Andrew Galloway, 23; Aldric S. Felipe, 21; and Matthew D. Sorber-Petri, 22---when the shooting incident happened. Hess-Witacki fired 12 rounds into a red truck occupied by a 17-year-old girl and her 18-year-old friend, causing the truck to lose control and crash through a fence. The 17-year-old was pronounced dead at the scene after sustaining multiple gunshot wounds, according to KSL TV. Why Did He Shoot the Teenagers? The 17-year-old and her friend were allegedly driving in an area northwest of Cedar City and were being followed by a black pickup truck occupied by Hess-Witacki and his companions. At around 10:42 p.m., the truck stopped next to the teens' vehicle, and someone inside began opening fire. The black truck then sped away. The 18-year-old passenger sustained a shrapnel injury to her leg but was able to call police. First responders attempted to administer lifesaving care to the 17-year-old driver but were unable to save her. In an interview with authorities, the passenger said they first encountered the black truck at a townhouse complex at 1645 N. 3200 West. A court filing noted that the girls were at the complex for unrelated reasons, per The Sacramento Bee. Police officers searched the townhouse complex and found the black truck. They later identified Hess-Witacki as the registered owner. Apologizing to the Girl's Parents Authorities promptly arrested Hess-Witacki and Galloway. They are now facing charges of second-degree murder, felony discharge of a firearm, and possession of a controlled substance. Their two companions, Felipe and Sorber-Petri, were charged with obstruction of justice and being a restricted person in the transaction of a firearm. Hess-Witacki wrote an apology letter addressed to the parents of the 17-year-old girl, where he said he shot at the teenagers because he thought they were stalking them. "Their justification for chasing the victim's vehicle was they believed they had previously observed the victim's vehicle in their neighborhood and presumed the occupants of the victim's vehicle were (stalking) them," the affidavit stated, as reported by The Independent. By Kate Linderman, The Bradenton Herald (TNS) Among the slew of executive orders signed by President Donald Trump on his first day in office, he signed one order calling to reinstate the death penalty for federal death row inmates. However, only three individuals remain on federal death row after former President Joe Biden commuted the death sentences of 37 people on Dec. 23 and instead sentenced them to life in prison without the possibility of parole. Trump attacked the move in his executive order on the death penalty, signed on Jan. 20, and asked the attorney general to further evaluate whether these offenders can be charged with State capital crimes and shall recommend appropriate action to state and local authorities. Legal experts weighed in on whether or not the 37 inmates formerly on death row could be sentenced to death again. Abe Bonowitz of Death Penalty Action leads a group outside the Capitol in Montgomery, Ala., on Monday, Nov. 18, 2024, against a scheduled execution in Alabama using nitrogen gas. (Kim Chandler/Associated Press, file)AP Federal death row The inmates whose sentences were commuted by Biden were instead sentenced to serve life in prison without the possibility of parole. Legal experts told McClatchy News that Trump cannot reverse this. Article II of the Constitution gives the president the unlimited power to pardon people in federal cases. The Constitution, however, does not mention the ability to revoke a pardon. Additionally, the 37 people whose sentences were commuted could not be prosecuted a second time for the same federal offense, which would violate the double jeopardy clause, Sheri Lynn Johnson, the assistant director of the Cornell Death Penalty, told McClatchy News in a phone interview. State death row In the executive order signed by Trump at the start of his second term, he calls on the attorney general to further evaluate whether or not the 37 death row inmates can be prosecuted at the state level. Hofstra law professor Eric Freedman told McClatchy News that Bidens order does not of its own force bar a state capital prosecution. John Blume, an attorney who has argued eight cases in front of the Supreme Court and is director of the Cornell Death Penalty Project, said it is possible for some of the inmates to be sentenced to death for a state crime, but it is highly unlikely. In theory if they committed the crimes in a state that has the death penalty as a matter of state law, those states could seek the death penalty, Blume told McClatchy News. But, even in those jurisdictions many of the cases are old, the original state prosecutors are gone and I think it unlikely it will happen in any significant number of cases. Twenty-seven states have the death penalty, according to the Death Penalty Information Center. However, the governors of California, Pennsylvania, Oregon and Ohio have put a hold on executions. Although the inmates commuted from death row couldnt be prosecuted for their crimes at the federal level again, they could be separately charged for a crime in the state where they committed the offense, Lynn Johnson said. However, legal experts say this isnt likely to happen. Its unlikely that state prosecutors would decide to seek state death sentences for any of the 37 people who have already been resentenced to life without the possibility of parole, Robin Maher, executive director of the Death Penalty Information Center, told McClatchy News. I cant imagine why any state prosecutor would divert resources that address the current needs of their community to instead pursue death sentences for decades-old crimes against people who do not pose any safety concerns. Freedman, who focuses on the death penalty at Hofstra, says not every one of the 37 federal inmates would have a viable case at the state level. Prosecution of a federal inmate at the state level would have to not violate a states double jeopardy laws and be within the statute of limitations, he said. Though Trump is unable to put the commuted inmates back on death row, he did ask the attorney general in the order to take all lawful and appropriate action to ensure that these offenders are imprisoned in conditions consistent with the monstrosity of their crimes and the threats they pose. Former Lebanon County police officer Joseph Fischer charged in the Jan. 6 Capitol riots has no reason to be laughing, joking and boasting that hes never been happier. Sure, Fischer successfully appealed one of the charges all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court, setting a legal precedent thats helped numerous other J6 defendants. Xi visits flood-affected residents in northeast China Xinhua) 08:01, January 23, 2025 Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, visits the villagers who have moved into their new houses and inquires about the quality of the reconstructed homes and whether their daily living conditions are adequate, in Zhujiagou Village, Suizhong County of Huludao City, northeast China's Liaoning Province, Jan. 22, 2025. Xi braved the cold to visit people affected by floods in the village in northeast China's Liaoning Province. (Xinhua/Ding Haitao) SHENYANG, Jan. 22 (Xinhua) -- Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, on Wednesday braved the cold to visit people affected by floods in a village in northeast China's Liaoning Province. Xi made the trip to the village of Zhujiagou, under the administration of Suizhong County, Huludao City, ahead of the Spring Festival, the most important festival for the Chinese people, which falls on Jan. 29 this year. Huludao was one of the hardest-hit cities by summer floods in 2024. Xi inspected the progress in post-disaster restoration and reconstruction. Visiting the villagers who had moved into their new houses just before this winter, Xi inquired about the quality of the reconstructed homes and whether their daily living conditions were adequate. Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, talks with villagers in Zhujiagou Village, Suizhong County of Huludao City, northeast China's Liaoning Province, Jan. 22, 2025. Xi braved the cold to visit people affected by floods in the village in northeast China's Liaoning Province. (Xinhua/Xie Huanchi) Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, talks with villagers in Zhujiagou Village, Suizhong County of Huludao City, northeast China's Liaoning Province, Jan. 22, 2025. Xi braved the cold to visit people affected by floods in the village in northeast China's Liaoning Province. (Xinhua/Zhai Jianlan) Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, visits the villagers who have moved into their new houses and inquires about the quality of the reconstructed homes and whether their daily living conditions are adequate, in Zhujiagou Village, Suizhong County of Huludao City, northeast China's Liaoning Province, Jan. 22, 2025. Xi braved the cold to visit people affected by floods in the village in northeast China's Liaoning Province. (Xinhua/Xie Huanchi) Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, inspects the progress in post-disaster restoration and reconstruction, in Zhujiagou Village, Suizhong County of Huludao City, northeast China's Liaoning Province, Jan. 22, 2025. Xi braved the cold to visit people affected by floods in the village in northeast China's Liaoning Province. (Xinhua/Xie Huanchi) Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, talks with villagers in Zhujiagou Village, Suizhong County of Huludao City, northeast China's Liaoning Province, Jan. 22, 2025. Xi braved the cold to visit people affected by floods in the village in northeast China's Liaoning Province. (Xinhua/Xie Huanchi) Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, visits the villagers who have moved into their new houses and inquires about the quality of the reconstructed homes and whether their daily living conditions are adequate, in Zhujiagou Village, Suizhong County of Huludao City, northeast China's Liaoning Province, Jan. 22, 2025. Xi braved the cold to visit people affected by floods in the village in northeast China's Liaoning Province. (Xinhua/Wang Ye) Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, visits the villagers who have moved into their new houses and inquires about the quality of the reconstructed homes and whether their daily living conditions are adequate, in Zhujiagou Village, Suizhong County of Huludao City, northeast China's Liaoning Province, Jan. 22, 2025. Xi braved the cold to visit people affected by floods in the village in northeast China's Liaoning Province. (Xinhua/Li Xueren) (Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun) HARARE, Jan. 22 (Xinhua) -- China's economic growth in 2024 has delivered a significant boost to the global economy, despite challenges, Zimbabwean economists have said. According to data from China's National Bureau of Statistics released last Friday, the world's second-largest economy grew by 5 percent year-on-year in 2024, with its gross domestic product reaching 134.9084 trillion yuan (about 18.77 trillion U.S. dollars). The data highlights China as one of the world's top-performing economies despite facing domestic and global challenges, Prosper Chitambara, a Zimbabwean economist, told Xinhua in a recent interview. "It is a very strong performance compared to the economies of developed countries," Chitambara said. He attributed the growth to several factors, including China's ability to establish strong economic institutions, maintain macroeconomic stability, and build substantial foreign currency reserves to stabilize its currency. "No country is able to sustain a high growth rate without strong and accountable institutions and I think that's one thing China has been able to do well, and that's what Africa needs to learn from," he said. "That combination of strong institutions plus macroeconomic stability has created a very conducive environment for the private sector to invest. So investments, in particular foreign direct investment inflows, have been quite significant," he said, adding that the huge foreign direct investment inflows have helped anchor growth and macroeconomic stability in the world's second-largest economy. Gibson Chigumira, executive director at Zimbabwe Economic Policy Analysis and Research Unit, a local think tank, pointed to several drivers of China's economic growth, including its strong focus on value addition, supportive fiscal and monetary policies, and innovative strategies to stimulate domestic demand while encouraging foreign investment. Chigumira noted China's extensive trade relations with countries worldwide, emphasizing its positive impact on the global economy. "China is a trading partner of so many countries which means trade with China, either through imports or exports, is a key driver in many economies including African countries," he added. A former Pennsylvania state trooper is being charged with homicide after police say he shot and killed his ex-girlfriends new boyfriend. William Hunter Snyder, 27, of 1288 Grange Hall Road, Milton, is being charged with criminal homicide, according to reports from WNEP and The Citizens Voice. Police said they were called to the home of John Rabbitz Jr. in Sugarloaf Township at about 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, where they found him bleeding on the floor. He died later of his injuries. Police said that Snyder had dated Rabbitzs girlfriend, Courtney Lee Burgard, in fall of 2024 and had continued to pursue and harass her after they broke up. Days before the shooting, police said Snyder sent Burgard multiple texts on Snapchat. Nothing is ever going to stop me from pursuing you, Snyder wrote at one point. How am I supposed to stay wonderful when every day without you drags me deeper into darkness? Police said that went to Rabbitzs house at around 5:25 p.m. and, when Rabbitz opened the door, fired multiple shots, hitting him twice in the chest. Snyders stopped working for the state police in May 2023. He is currently being held in the Luzerne County Correctional Facility. By Dan Nephin, LNP, Lancaster, Pa. (TNS) Samuel Lazar said he was stoked, over-the-moon happy and elated that he and other Jan. 6 participants hostages, he called them were pardoned by President Donald Trump Monday evening. Lazar pled guilty in March 2023 to assaulting or resisting a federal officer and served 30 months in federal prison before being released from a halfway house in September 2023. Trump announced the pardons just hours after his inauguration, and Lazar said his federal parole officer called to notify him Tuesday morning. But Lazar, 38, a former Ephrata resident living in Lebanon County, said he knew long ago it would happen well before Trump won the presidency for a second time. Trump gives subliminal messages and for those of us that have been persecuted, it makes a lot of sense to us, Lazar said. The message, Lazar said, came during a Trump rally in Waco, Texas, in March 2023. Around that time, Lazar was in federal detention in Washington, DC. He and other Jan. 6 defendants gathered every night at 9 p.m. to sing The Star Spangled Banner into a telephone. Trump played a version of one of the prisoners renditions during that Waco rally, telling the crowd that the song was ahead of Taylor Swift and Miley Cyrus. Then, Trump said, Our people love those people. That right there, that day, that told me hes gonna pardon all of us. ... That was the subliminal message he sent to us, Lazar said. Samuel Lazar, of Ephrata, is pictured shouting to the crowds outside the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. (Justice Department court filings/TNS, file)TNS Dressed to menace, protect Lazar said Jan. 6 defendants were denied due process and had evidence withheld by prosecutors. There was no there were no chance of us getting a fair trial, he said, claiming that D.C. judges were all liberal leaning, even the Republican appointees. Federal prosecutors in court documents said Lazar gave the government valuable information with respect to other Jan. 6 defendants. Lazar would only say that he had his plea deal in place well before he met any other Jan. 6 defendants in prison and that the specific reason for his deal was his willingness to cooperate with prosecutors regarding a murder-for-hire plot he learned about while being held in federal custody and giving the government information about drugs and weapons smuggled into a federal detention facility. Lazar addressed his appearance and activities on Jan. 6. He was given the hashtag #facepaintblowhard by online researchers who worked to identify people in photos posted to the FBIs website. The nickname was inspired by the camouflage face paint and tactical vest he wore that day, as well as the bullhorn he used to urge on Trump supporters as the riot continued outside the Capitol. Lazar said hed been to many Trump rallies and they were peaceful, but he claimed that he and others had been attacked at a rally in Washington several weeks before Jan. 6 by people he said were antifa and Black Lives Matter members. They were using billy clubs, bats, Tasers and Mace on us, he said. So on Jan. 6, while expecting a peaceful rally, Lazar said he also understood that the climate was so hot with potential for attack from antifa and BLM. ... So I put face paint on to look menacing. I dressed the way I dressed to protect myself. ... I took goggles with me to protect against the Mace that I was sprayed on by antifa (and) BLM a week earlier. I knew that I can expect some type of potential attack because we were targets. All Trump supporters were targets, he said. Lazar said when Trump told people to go to the Capitol, he expected Trump to give another speech there. His actions, his words At the Capitol complex, Lazar found some barricades had already been knocked down. He blames antifa, BLM and FBI informants. There was all kinds of agitators in there ahead of time..... Its facts that the FBI had their own people on the ground. Did that come out? No. You know why? Because they hid it and ... and they put the blame on us. We were just there for a peaceful rally, Lazar said. A U.S. Justice Department inspector generals report issued in December says there were no FBI undercover personnel at the Capitol or inside the crowds of Trump supporters. This image from video from a police-worn body camera provided by the Justice Department and contained in the statement of facts shows Samuel Lazar, bottom left, at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, in Washington. (Justice Department via AP, file)AP Video from Jan. 6 shows Lazar arrived at the northwest corner of the Capitol grounds with a large group of Trump supporters, including members of the Proud Boys. This group pushed aside barriers and police officers and proceeded toward the building. Lazar was just behind this group, the videos show. Lazar said he found a can of pepper spray on the ground and picked it up and later accidentally discharged it toward police guarding the west front of the Capitol. I was not hurting anyone. I was not doing anything. I was just standing there and voicing my opinions. ... I was using my freedom of speech. OK, you might not like what I was saying, but I was using my freedom of speech, Lazar said. Video shows Lazar taunting police and urging others to take their guns. Lazar said he doesnt remember saying that but admits he acted in the heat of the moment. I dont condone any kind of violence against anyone, really. Im not a violent person at all. I dont do any violence and so that day was unique, he said. Police returned his spray with spray of their own from humongous canisters, hitting him in the face and disorienting him. He ran down several steps and reacted. He released spray into the air. It never touched anybody and never touched the cop or anyone. It fell like 10 feet short of the police officer, he said, adding video evidence given to his defense by prosecutors showed the spray never reached the officers. I would never, ever in one million years engage in any type of violent behavior with any law enforcement, ever. Never. But that was a simple reaction, Lazar said. Lazar said he left the area shortly afterward. Other videos from the day show Lazar walked around to the east side of the Capitol, climbed a set of stairs leading to the U.S. Senate and spoke with protesters and officers there. As part of his plea, Lazar was also ordered to pay $2,000 restitution. He said he would know more in the future and referenced a $50 billion lawsuit against the Department of Justice on behalf of Jan. 6 defendants. Though news reports and social media make mention of a planned class-action lawsuit, the federal court docketing system did not show such a suit being filed as of Tuesday. A massive fire at a swimming pool manufacturer in Gloucester County, New Jersey, prompted two schools to evacuate hundreds of students on Thursday morning. The blaze at North East Pool Builders on the 800 block Harding Highway/Route 40 in Franklin Township was under control, fire officials said shortly before noon. WILLIAMSPORT The Middle Districts chief judge went off script and used a tax case sentencing to accuse Congress of not understanding that the federal court system is underfunded and understaffed. There are not enough probation officers and clerks to handle the work, Judge Matthew W. Brann said Thursday while continue to address J. Michael Barr after sentencing him. The judge cited how little of the federal budget goes to the courts. Legal challenges to President Donald Trumps executive orders are already working their way through the system, most notably an attempt to end birthright citizenship. But it remains an open question if Pennsylvania will join the two dozen other states that have filed suit against Trump, and advocates are focusing more on grassroots organizing than on the type of headline-grabbing court cases that defined Trumps first term in office. This story was updated with a statement from the Harrisburg School District. A Harrisburg School District teacher was charged with simple assault after police say she shoved a 5-year-old student in her classroom at Lincoln Elementary School in 2024 and the girl hit her head on a desk. Dawna Holbert, 57, of York County, was charged on Wednesday, according to charging documents filed by Harrisburg police. The incident happened on Nov. 15 at Lincoln Elementary School, at 1601 State St. An affidavit of probable cause written by police gave this account: The student asked Holbert if she could step away to use the restroom. Holbert said no and did not allow her to use the restroom because she wanted the student to sit down, according to court documents. Police said Holbert told the nurse that day that she became frustrated and grabbed the student by the arm, which caused her to trip on a chair and hit her head on the edge of a desk. The impact opened a wound beside the girls right eye that bled down the side of her face. The child said she felt the teacher pushed me with two hands, court documents said. A kindergarten aide who was in the classroom when the assault occurred told police she did not witness Holbert push the student because she was doing paperwork. Police said the aide took the child to the nurse, which was when the student told her about what occurred. The nurse said the student was sobbing, very upset, and had blood going down her face. Police said the nurse stated that the injury was only millimeters away from the students right eye. When the teachers aide returned to the classroom to gather the students belongings, Holbert was crying and stated that she was probably going to get in trouble because she put her hands on the student, police said. The teacher said she had observed Holbert in the past slamming papers on the table or throwing the students paper on the floor when returning it to the student, according to police. Police said Holbert eventually stopped by the nurses office and said, I take full responsibility for the injury and did ask if the student was OK. Court documents said the nurse described Holberts demeanor as frazzled, upset, feeling guilty and frustrated. Police said the child told Jason Rawls, the principal of Lincoln Elementary School, about the incident. Rawls said he observed the students injury and escorted the child to her parents. While Rawls was waiting outside with the student, a classmate approached them and asked if she was OK. Rawls asked why, and the student said Holbert pushed her in the classroom, according to police. Rawls told police that they have had conversations with Holbert in the past about her tone in the classroom. Holbert had been a teacher at the district for 22 years, according to Harrisburg School District spokeswoman Kirsten Keys. She was placed on paid administrative leave, Keys said. The Harrisburg School District provided the following statement to PennLive: The Harrisburg School District is disappointed to share that a teacher from Lincoln Elementary School is facing a misdemeanor charge for the alleged assault of a student. As soon as the District learned of the alleged assault, protocols were followed, including immediately reporting the matter to the Harrisburg Bureau of Police and placing the teacher on administrative leave. The District is fully cooperating with the investigation. As a school district, we understand that any report of misconduct is certainly upsetting, and is something that we do not take lightly. Because this matter is under active investigation, we are not able to provide additional information. A preliminary hearing has yet to be scheduled for the misdemeanor charge, according to the online court docket. By REBECCA BOONE, The Associated Press Attorneys for a Pennsylvania man charged with murder in connection with the killings of four University of Idaho students are asking a judge to throw out most of the evidence in the case because they say it all hinges on an unconstitutional genetic investigation process. Bryan Kohbergers defense team also contends that the search warrants in the case were tainted by police misconduct. They will make their arguments during a two-day hearing that started Thursday morning, part of which will be closed to the public. If they are successful, it could throw a major wrench in the prosecutions case before trial starts in August. Kohberger grew up in Monroe County, attended Northampton Community College in Bethlehem Township and earned bachelors and masters degrees from DeSales University in Upper Saucon Township. He is charged with four counts of murder in the deaths of Ethan Chapin, Xana Kernodle, Madison Mogen and Kaylee Goncalves, who were killed in the early morning of Nov. 13, 2022, at a rental home near campus in Moscow, Idaho. When asked to enter a plea last year, Kohberger stood silent, prompting a judge to enter a not-guilty plea on his behalf. Prosecutors have said they will seek the death penalty if Kohberger is convicted. Kohbergers attorneys say law enforcement violated his constitutional rights when they used a process called Investigative Genetic Genealogy, or IGG, to identify possible suspects. There would be no investigation into him without that original constitutional violation, attorneys Jay Weston Logsdon and Ann Taylor wrote in a court filing. They later continued, Without IGG, there is no case, no request for his phone records, surveillance of his parents home, no DNA taken from the garbage out front. Because the IGG analysis is the origin of this matter, everything in the affidavit should be excised. The IGG process often starts when DNA found at the scene of a crime doesnt yield any results through standard law enforcement databases. When that happens, investigators may look at all the variations, or single nucleotide polymorphisms, that are in the DNA sample. Those SNPs, or snips, are then uploaded to a genealogy database like GEDmatch or FamilyTreeDNA to look for possible relatives of the person whose DNA was found at the scene. In Kohbergers case, investigators said they found touch DNA, or trace DNA, on the sheath of a knife that was found in the home where the students were fatally stabbed. The FBI used the IGG process on that DNA and the information identified Kohberger as a possible suspect. Latah County Prosecutor Bill Thompson and the rest of the prosecution team say there is nothing unconstitutional about the use of IGG, noting that Kohbergers relatives voluntarily provided their own DNA to a genetic genealogy service. Theyve also argued in court filings that case law is clear: Defendants have no reasonable right to privacy for DNA that is left at the scene of a crime. The defense team also says that once Kohberger was identified as a possible suspect, law enforcement officers either purposely or recklessly lied or omitted crucial information when they asked the court to issue search warrants for his apartment, his parents house, his car, his cellphone and even for his DNA. They want all of that evidence kept out of the trial as well. Specific details about the alleged police misconduct are hidden from public view, however; 4th District Judge Steven Hippler has kept most of those court filings, along with many of the court documents on the IGG evidence, under seal. Part of the hearing starting Thursday will be held behind closed doors because the judge says he doesnt want potential jurors tainted by hearing about any evidence that might not be allowed in trial. On Wednesday, a coalition of news organizations including The Associated Press asked the judge to reconsider the secrecy. As head of the Eastern PA Trans Equity Project, Corinne Goodwin typically fields requests from transgender people seeking help with legal name change, finding housing or employment, and even food assistance. Early on Tuesday morning, the calls were considerably more urgent. A meteorologist at a Milwaukee television station is no longer working at the CBS affiliate after she made social media posts criticizing Elon Musk controversial gesture during a speech. Musk, the worlds richest man and close aide to President Trump, slapped his chest and then extended his arm, palm down, towards the crowd during a speech following President Trumps inauguration. The gesture has been interpreted numerous ways, including comparisons to the Nazi salute. The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports that Sam Kuffel, meteorologist with WDJT-TV (CBS 58), made two posts to her Instagram page about Musks gesture. One post read Dude Nazi saluted twice. TWICE. During the inauguration, and You (expletive) with this and this man, I dont (expletive) with you. Full stop. The other, a GIF from the sitcom Its Always Sunny in Philadelphia, included the quote Screw that old (expletive). Hes a Nazi. The Journal Sentinel reports that conservative radio host Dan ODonnell then criticized Kuffel for the posts, accusing her of spreading the lie that Elon Musk was giving a Nazi salute during the speech. According to the Journal Sentinel, staff at WDJT-TV received an email Wednesday from news director Jessie Garcia that read Sam Kuffel is no longer employed at CBS58, and that a search for a replacement was under way. Kuffels profile has been removed from the stations website, and a spokesperson for the stations owner Weigel Broadcasting confirmed to the Journal Sentinel that she was no longer with the station, but could offer no further comment. The Anti-Defamation League called Musks move an awkward gesture and urged caution in jumping to conclusions. Musk has previously endorsed antisemitic remarks, though he later apologized and said he was naive about antisemitism. Musk has also offered support for far-right political groups, including the German far-right party Alternative for Germany. Musk himself has not explicitly denied the criticisms about his gesture, but has commented on the controversy on X, the social media platform that he owns. Frankly, they need better dirty tricks, he wrote. The everyone is Hitler attack is sooo tired. To start the year off for the Burns Future Farmers of America judging team, they went to National Western Stock Show in Denver. The team was Blair Sanchez, Hayden Hubbard, Riley West, and Cooper Sanchez. This is the last time this event will happen the stadium arena. The stadium has been part of the National Western Stock Show since 1909. There were fifty-nine individual contestants with fifteens teams in the FFA portion of the contest. The contestants showed cattle, goats, swine, and sheep. They then gave reasons for each division. It is a contest that a team gets an invitation to compete. Th... CHEYENNE, Wyo. January 17, 2025 The Wyoming Semiquincentennial Planning Task Force is excited to announce the launch of Phase Two of the Semiquincentennial Grant Program. This initiative is eager to engage Wyoming communities in celebrating America's 250th Anniversary through meaningful projects and programs. "We are thrilled to empower organizations and individuals committed to honoring this historic milestone," said former State Representative, Sandy Newsome, Chairman of the Task Force. "This is not just a celebration; it's an opportunity for communities to come together, collaborate and... CHEYENNE - Today in his inaugural address, President Trump outlined his policy on illegal immigration and securing the nation's border. We must take decisive action to follow his lead and work at all levels of government to implement these policies. Wyoming, often perceived as remote and insulated, is not immune to the impacts of illegal immigration. Despite being far from the southern border, Wyoming is - in many ways - a border state. The challenges posed by porous national borders ripple across the nation, reaching even the Cowboy State. Its time to confront this reality and take decisive... CHEYENNE, Wyo. Maj. Gen. Gregory Porter, the Wyoming National Guards 27th Adjutant General, delivered an address to state legislators at the Wyoming State Capitol in Cheyenne on Jan. 16, 2025, highlighting the vital work of the Cowboy Guard, their ongoing missions, and the sacrifices made by service members and their families. Speaking before the Wyoming Legislature, Porter began by thanking Speaker Albert Neiman, President Ogden Biteman, and other state leaders for their support of the Guards missions. He gave special recognition to Representative Landon Brown, Senator Stephan Pappas, and... New Dallas Poker Room Oak Cliff Card Club Won't Charge Seat Fees; How it Will Work Jon Sofen Senior Editor U.S. Copy link Oak Cliff Card Club in the Dallas area has a unique business model that might be of interest to Texas poker players. The card room, located about an eight-minute drive from downtown in the suburban town of Cockrell Hill, opens Jan. 25. This won't be your typical Texas poker club, although the poker games will be just as juicy. The owners have a plan to build the business without charging hourly seat fees. PokerNews spoke with CEO Termaine Davis to find out how his 12-table card room will compete with the deep pockets of Texas Card House, which operates the two most popular poker clubs in the Dallas-Forth Worth (DFW) metro, and to also get an understanding for how a poker room in the Lone Star State can survive without charging hourly fees. Competing Against Top Texas Poker Rooms View from inside Oak Cliff Card Club. Texas poker rooms, due to the state's stringent gambling laws, operate differently than in most states. Collecting rake is illegal, so the card rooms operate as membership clubs, almost always charging monthly, weekly, or daily membership fees along with hourly seat fees. This practice is standard across the state, except for the rooms that are not abiding by the law. So, how can Oak Cliff Card Club compete with the established TCH brand? "We're not trying to compete with TCH," Davis said. Oak Cliff is instead attempting to build its own "community club" and will focus on more than just the poker games. They're going to offer dealer training opportunities and poker lessons for new players who want to learn how to play. The club has 15 televisions around the room and will become a spot for poker players to come hangout, watch a ballgame, and play some cards. But the biggest benefit to the players will be the lack of an hourly fee to play poker. Instead, the monthly memberships will be higher than most clubs, but the overall cost for those who play regularly will be significantly lower than other Texas poker rooms. A monthly membership fee will cost $99 for play during the daytime and $149 for evening access. But the first 200 members can get a special $99 introductory rate for the first month with unlimited hours for the first 30 days by signing up on Oak Cliff's website. Those who don't plan on playing more than once or twice a month can purchase a $5 daily pass, but must also pay and additional $30 for a seat fee. Our club is really about socialization and building a community around poker players," Davis explained. Oak Cliff Card Club will offer mostly cash games, starting with $1/$2, $1/$3, $2/$5, and $5/$10 no-limit hold'em, a standard set of games played in most card rooms. They will also spread some pot-limit Omaha games and Congress Poker, a juicy game offered in few poker rooms where two columns of four cards are dealt. The newest poker club in DFW will only spread cash games, at least during the first few weeks. Ownership acknowledged that trying to compete with TCH, which hosts some of the biggest tournaments in Texas, likely wouldn't be a winning proposition. But we are told that Oak Cliff Card Club, which has the capacity for up to 16 tables, will offer some smaller tournaments from time to time, and potentially even single-table tournaments. The club's business model is to give the players what they want. If they want a $5/$10 game, they'll spread it. If they want to play a $100 sit n' go, they'll open up a table. Any Legal Issues? Poker rooms come and go in Texas regularly, especially in Dallas. Lack of customers or mismanagement, like any type of business, is often the issue. But some towns in the Lone Star State don't believe poker is legal at all in Texas, or as Doug Polk learned last year, it's a matter of anti-poker locals fighting against the operation of poker clubs. The CEO isn't concerned with running into legal issues upon opening Oak Cliff Card Club. That's because, as he explained, he's spent the past year working with authorities in Cockrell Hill, a town west of Dallas, to ensure the city is onboard. "I have the police chief on speed dial. I'm working hand-in-hand with the mayor. I've spent a year getting the business inspected to ensure we don't run into any issues," Davis said. If all goes well, the card room's owners plan to open additional clubs in Dallas each year. For now, however, they're focused on getting the first location off the ground and impressing the players who join the club. Share this article Patrick Leonard Endures Rollercoaster Ride En Route to Ride PGT Kickoff Victory Matthew Pitt Senior Editor Copy link Popular British pro Patrick Leonard added $124,800 to his live poker tournament earnings and claimed the early lead on the 2025 PokerGO Tour leaderboard with a victory in the second event of the PGT Kickoff Series, his first live win since 2022. Leonard was one of 96 entrants who ponied up the $5,100 buy-in; those players created a $480,000 prize pool that the top 14 finishers shared. Day 1 ended with only seven players in the hunt for the title. David Chen, Rodger Johnson, Bertrand Rosique, PokerStars European Poker Tour Barcelona champion Stephen Song, the legendary Phil Hellmuth, Andrew Moreno, and John Riordan all busting inside the money places before the curtain came down on proceedings. Leonard sat down at the seven-handed final table at the bottom of the pile but won a monster-sized pot when he found pocket aces in a hand where Chino Rheem held pocket tens, and Sam Laskowitz was dealt a pair of kings in the hole. All the chips found their way into the middle of the felt at the PokerGO Studio, the board ran out jack-high, and Leonard soared toward the top of the counts. Rheem crashed out in seventh for $19,200. Natalie Ferguson only had four big blinds when Rheem busted and was the next player out of the door. Ferguson managed to triple up, but Joey Weissman halted her comeback. Having flopped top pair with her king-ten, Ferguson's stack went in on the turn. Unfortunately for Ferguson, Weismann, who is selling action for this series on StakeKings, had also flopped top pair with his ace-ten. The river bricked, and Ferguson bowed out. Sam Laskowitz at another event Fifth place went to Laskowitz who had been trying to rebuild his stack after the three-way all-in that Leonard won. The last of Laskowitz's chips were committed with king-queen, which lost to the king-nine of former World Series of Poker (WSOP) Main Event finalist Joseph Cheong. Cheong then won a massive pot when his pocket jacks held in a three-way hand against Weissman's ace-eight and Leonard's ace-queen. Cheong was flying high, but Leonard was on the ropes with a handful of big blinds. However, Leonard immediately doubled when his queen-jack won a flip against Weissman's sevens. Leonard got his hands on the rest of Weissman's stack when Weismann open-shoved from the small blind with king-eight. Leonard looked down at ace-king and made one of the easier calls of his illustrious career. Weissman flopped an open-ended straight draw that he ultimately missed, busting in fourth for $43,200. Joseph Cheong at another event Heads-up was set soon after when Cheong bowed out at Leonard's hands. Queen-jack was again the winning hand for Leonard; it out-kicked Cheong's queen-seven. Aram Zobian went into the heads-up battle with Leonard trailing three-to-one in chips, and with the continually increasing blinds eating into each player's stacks, the deficit proved too much for Zobian to overcome. The final hand saw Zobian unable to get away from a turned pair of threes, and he made a hero call only to discover Leonard was sat with two pair. Zobian crashed out in second place for $79,200, leaving Leonard to claim the winner's trophy and the $124,800 top prize. Event #2: $5,100 No-Limit Hold'em Final Table Results Rank Player Country PGT Points Prize 1 Patrick Leonard United Kingdom 250 $124,800 2 Aram Zobian United States 158 $79,200 3 Joseph Cheong United States 115 $57,600 4 Joey Weissman United States 86 $43,200 5 Sam Laskowitz United States 67 $33,600 6 Natalie Ferguson United States 48 $24,000 7 Chino Rheem United States 38 $19,200 PokerGO Tour Leaderboard Top 5 Leonard's victory followed his final table appearance in the opening event, and the PGT Points earned from those two results have seen the Brit climb to the top of the 2025 PGT Leaderboard. None of the current top five navigated to the final table of Event #3; its final table shuffles up and deals on January 23. Andrew Lichtenberger, champion of Event #1, is hot on Leonard's heels, while Aram Zobian, Nick Schulman, and John Riordan are also on "Pads"' coattails. Rank Player Cashes Wins Earnings PGT Points 1 Patrick Leonard 2 1 $145,800 292 2 Andrew Lichtenberger 1 1 $117,600 235 3 Aram Zobian 1 0 $79,200 158 4 Nick Schulman 1 0 $75,600 151 5 John Riordan 2 0 $59,100 118 Remaining PokerGO Tour Kickoff Schedule Event #3 is down to its seven-handed final table, where Japanese star Masato Yokosawa leads from ten-time WSOP bracelet winner Erik Seidel. The penultimate and final events of the PGT Kickoff Series start on January 23 and January 24. PokerNews' expects both events the latter has a $10,100 buy-in to be well-attended, not least because double points are awarded in these two tournaments. Date Event Thu 23 Jan #3 - $5,100 No-Limit Hold'em Final Table #4 - $5,100 No-Limit Hold'em Fri 24 Jan #5 - $10,100 No-Limit Hold'em Las Vegas is a Happy Hunting Ground For Leonard Patrick Leonard Although Leonard is better known for his online poker prowess, he has almost $3.5 million in live cashes. The ARIA in Las Vegas, where the PokerGO Studio is located, has been a happy hunting ground for Leonard. In 2017, he won a brace of $25,000 High Rollers in the space of three days for $789,600 before rounding off an impressive hat-trick with a victory in the $10,400 Bellagio Cup XIII for an additional $475,940. His first appearance in the PokerGO Studio resulted in a sixth-place finish in the PGT Kickoff Series opening event for $21,000, and then this impressive victory was worth $124,800. More than 60 of Leonard's recorded 122 live scores stem from Las Vegas-based events. No doubt this victory will not be the last time we see Leonard's name in a Vegas live event's payouts or him lifting a winner's trophy aloft. Lead image courtesy of PokerGO Share this article WSOP Circuit Harrah's Pompano Beach Guarantees Total $2.8 Million Jon Pill Contributor Copy link The World Series of Poker Circuit at Harrah's Pompano Beach kicks off in two weeks' time. The festival will include 18 WSOPC ring events and almost daily satellite events. The first tournament will kick off on January 30. The event is the Double Stack Opener, a $400 no limit hold'em event with 40,000 starting stacks and a $50,000 guarantee. This guarantee is just one of $2,775,000 in total guarantees that include a $400,000 guaranteed $600 Mini-Main Event, a $250,000 guaranteed $1,100 Mystery Bounty, and the $1,000,000 guaranteed $1,700 Main Event. The festival will then run until February 10. How To Win a WSOP Circuit Ring at Harrah's Pompano Beach WSOPC ring. Competition for the World Series of Poker Circuit gold rings will be tough as turnout is expected to be high. This fact is reflected in the massive guarantees on some of the events. With fields expected to be so massive, most of the key events have multiple Day 1 flights to accommodate the crowds. The $1,700 Main Event will have two Day 1 flights, the $400 Monster Stack will have three, and Event #11: $400 No Limit Holdem will have four. There are also three closed events that are expected to be more manageable in size thanks to the restricted fields. These are the usual Ladies and Seniors events plus a new 40/40/40 Event in which entrants must be over 40 years old, will start with a 40,000 chip stack, and play with 40-minute blind levels. There are also two Omaha events. One is a straightforward pot limit Omaha event, the other is a game of big O. Players can win entry to some of these events online or by playing in the almost daily live satellites that Harrah's Pompano Beach is hosting in its poker room. The Last WSOP Circuit Harrah's Pompano Beach Winner Ian Cohen shows off his winning hand. The WSOP Circuit last hit up Harrah's Pompano Beach earlier in the 2024/2025 season. The Main Event took wrapped up on October 12, 2024 with Ian Cohen taking the ring as well as a top prize of $193,100. Cohen is a regular at Harrah's Pompano Beach, with 30 poker tournament victories claimed in the Pompano Beach poker room alone. He was able to bulldoze his way to a six-to-one heads up chip lead against Josh Hillock. Hillock had been the social butterfly at the table, chatting and joking with everyone right up to the end of the tourney. However, without many chips to maneuver during heads up play, Hillock was left vulnerable and Cohen was able to quickly catch and pin him. Moving in with J10, Cohen got lucky and cracked Hillock's pocket queens to take home the top prize. Hillock took home a heap of cash $128,728 high, while Cohen took home $193,100. 2024 WSOP Circuit Harrah's Pompano Beach Main Event Final Table Results Place Player Prize 1st Ian Cohen $193,100 2nd Josh Hillock $128,728 3rd Anatoly Nikitin $88,364 4th Robert LeBeau $61,864 5th Steve Karp $44,190 6th Jose Chapui $32,219 7th Jack Nathan $23,988 8th James Carroll $18,246 The Year Ahead Horseshoe Tunica cards and table. Players are already battling it out on the felts of the WSOP Circuit Thunder Valley. The series has eight more events to go, including the WSOPC Thunder Valley $1,700 Main Event. Then next up, the Circuit returns to a Horseshoe property for the WSOP Circuit Horseshoe Tunica to be held in Mississippi from January 23 to February 3. The WSOP Circuit Harrah's Pompano Beach will then be the last event in January, with three more festivals to come in February. Check out the schedule for the WSOP Circuit Harrah's Pompano Beach below. WSOP Circuit Harrah's Pompano Beach Schedule Date Time Event Buyin Guarantee Thu, Jan 30th 10:00 a.m. WSOPC Event #1: $400 No-Limit Hold'em Double Stack Opener $400 $50,000 Thu, Jan 30th 4:00 p.m. WSOPC Event #2: $600 No-Limit Hold'em Mini Main Event - Flight A $600 $400,000 Fri, Jan 31st 11:00 a.m. WSOPC Event #2: $600 No-Limit Hold'em Mini Main Event - Flight B $600 $400,000 Fri, Jan 31st 4:00 p.m. WSOPC Event #2: $600 No-Limit Hold'em Mini Main Event - Flight C $600 $400,000 Sat, Feb 1st 11:00 a.m. WSOPC Event #2: $600 No-Limit Hold'em Mini Main Event - Flight D $600 $400,000 Sat, Feb 1st 4:00 p.m. WSOPC Event #3: $400 No-Limit Hold'em $400 $25,000 Sun, Feb 2nd 10:00 a.m. WSOPC Event #4: $400 Seniors Event $400 $50,000 Sun, Feb 2nd 2:00 p.m. WSOPC Event #5: $1,100 No-Limit Hold'em Mystery Bounty - Flight A $1,100 $250,000 Mon, Feb 3rd 10:00 a.m. WSOPC Event #6: $400 No-Limit Hold'em $400 $25,000 Mon, Feb 3rd 2:00 p.m. WSOPC Event #5: $1,100 No-Limit Hold'em Mystery Bounty - Flight B $1,100 $250,000 Tue, Feb 4th 10:00 a.m. WSOPC Event #7: $400 No-Limit Hold'em Monster Stack - Flight A $400 $250,000 Tue, Feb 4th 4:00 p.m. WSOPC Event #7: $400 No-Limit Hold'em Monster Stack - Flight B $400 $250,000 Wed, Feb 5th 10:00 a.m. WSOPC Event #7: $400 No-Limit Hold'em Monster Stack - Flight C $400 $250,000 Wed, Feb 5th 4:00 p.m. WSOPC Event #8: $400 Big O $400 $25,000 Thu, Feb 6th 11:00 a.m. WSOPC Event #9: $1,700 MAIN EVENT - Flight A $1,700 $1,000,000 Thu, Feb 6th 4:00 p.m. WSOPC Event #10: $600 Pot-Limit Omaha $600 $50,000 Thu, Feb 6th 7:00 p.m. WSOPC Event #11: $400 No-Limit Hold'em - Flight A $400 $100,000 Fri, Feb 7th 10:00 a.m. WSOPC Event #12: $300 Ladies Event $300 - Fri, Feb 7th 11:00 a.m. WSOPC Event #9: $1,700 MAIN EVENT - Flight B $1,700 $1,000,000 Fri, Feb 7th 4:00 p.m. WSOPC Event #13: $600 No-Limit Hold'em $600 $50,000 Fri, Feb 7th 7:00 p.m. WSOPC Event #11: $400 No-Limit Hold'em - Flight B $400 $100,000 Sat, Feb 8th 11:00 a.m. WSOPC Event #9: $1,700 MAIN EVENT - Flight C $1,700 $1,000,000 Sat, Feb 8th 4:00 p.m. WSOPC Event #14: $600 No-Limit Hold'em $600 $25,000 Sat, Feb 8th 7:00 p.m. WSOPC Event #11: $400 No-Limit Hold'em - Flight C $400 $100,000 Sun, Feb 9th 10:00 a.m. WSOPC Event #15: $400 Grand Master 40/40/40 $400 $50,000 Sun, Feb 9th 3:00 p.m. WSOPC Event #16: $2,200 No-Limit Hold'em High Roller $2,200 $100,000 Sun, Feb 9th 6:00 p.m. WSOPC Event #17: $600 No-Limit Hold'em $600 $50,000 Sun, Feb 9th 7:00 p.m. WSOPC Event #11: $400 No-Limit Hold'em - Flight D $400 $100,000 Mon, Feb 10th 10:00 a.m. WSOPC Event #18: $400 No-Limit Hold'em Double Stack Closer $400 $50,000 *Photos courtesy WSOPC Share this article Day 2 of the $3,300 Main Event at the 2025 Merit Poker Western Series has officially etched its name in the record books, with a staggering 791 entries confirmed at the Crystal Cove Hotel and Casino. This remarkable turnout not only shatters the previous high of 757 runners set back in 2023 but also underscores the ever-growing prestige of this marquee event. By the end of the day, 157 players had secured a bag to bring back for Day 3. The tournament saw 251 players advance through the opening four flights, with an additional 186 entries pouring in before the close of late registration at the end of Level 14. This surge of last-minute entries propelled the prize pool to a massive $2,183,160, far exceeding the $1,500,000 guarantee and creating life-changing payouts for those who make it to the top. Leading the charge is China's Zhen Chen, who bagged a commanding 1,281,000 chips to claim the top spot on the leaderboard. Chen, no stranger to success at flagship Merit Poker tournaments, took down the $5,300 High Roller at the Gatsby Gala just a few months ago and now looks poised for another deep run. Day 2 Top Ten Chip Counts Place Player Country Chip Count Big Blinds 1 Zhen Chen China 1,281,000 160 2 Anton Danilov Russia 1,276,000 160 3 Renars Skanis Latvia 1,250,000 156 4 Bugra Karsli Turkey 1,184,000 148 5 Dmitry Gromov Russia 1,154,000 144 6 Nichan Khorchidian Lebanon 1,149,000 144 7 Georgios Skarparis Cyprus 1,133,000 142 8 Ali Fkih Tunisia 1,128,000 141 9 Nikolay Ponomarev Russia 1,092,000 137 10 Motokatsu Uhara Japan 1,014,000 127 Dmitry Gromov ended Day 2 of the Main Event with an impressive stack of 1,154,000 chips, firmly positioning himself for another deep run. The Russian player, who finished third in the Gatsby Gala Main Event just a few months ago, has turned Cyprus into his personal playground, boasting over 100 career cashes. With cashes in no less than ten previous Merit Poker Main Events, Gromov is well on track to add an eleventh to his growing list of accomplishments. In that same Gatsby Gala event, Nichan Khorchidian outlasted the field to claim the top prize of $307,700. Khorchidian is once again in prime position to make a deep run, having bagged the sixth-largest stack of 1,149,000 chips heading into Day 3. Nichan Khorchidian Georgios Skarparis continues to ride high, finishing Day 2 with an impressive 1,133,000 chips. Skarparis, who claimed victory in the Warm Up earlier in the series, is now chasing an extraordinary second major title in just a matter of days. Other notables advancing to Day 3 include Dawid Smolka (1,000,000), Dan Borlan (887,000), Sergei Varnaev (861,000), Michel Molenaar (757,000), Philipp Wood (640,000), and start-of-Day-2 chip leader Ehsan Amiri (585,000). The first objective on the players to-do list tomorrow will be to make the money, and from the 157 returning, only 103 will be able to do so. When play resumes on Day 3, the average stack will be just over 500,000, which is around 63 big blinds. Payouts Place Prize 1 $377,500 2 $251,000 3 $180,300 4 $130,200 5 $94,600 6 $75,900 7 $63,200 8 $50,500 9 $37,950 10-12 $28,900 13-15 $23,440 16-18 $20,170 19-21 $17,985 22-24 $16,020 25-26 $14,055 27-35 $12,305 36-44 $10,560 45-53 $9,030 54-62 $7,505 63-71 $6,630 72-80 $5,760 81-89 $5,105 90-103 $4,450 Stay tuned to PokerNews for live updates, chip counts, and all the action as the 2025 Merit Poker Western Series Main Event heats up! Aiken Standard reporter Matthew Christian is a reporter for the Aiken Standard. He covers the Savannah River Site, city of Aiken, politics and public safety and courts. Matthew previously covered government and politics for the Morning News in Florence. He is a graduate of the University of South Carolina School of Law and the University of Charleston in West Virginia. To support local journalism, sign up for a subscription. See our current offers April Santana covers Lexington County for the Post and Courier Columbia. A New Jersey native, she studied journalism and political science at Syracuse University. April has written for Lohud/Democrat and Chronicle, The Arizona Republic and Syracuse.com. Summerville, SC (29483) Today A mix of clouds and sun during the morning will give way to cloudy skies this afternoon. High 77F. Winds SW at 5 to 10 mph.. Tonight Clear to partly cloudy. Low 49F. Winds SSW at 5 to 10 mph. Transcorp Power posted a 164.7 per cent improvement in net profit for 2025 on the back of a sharp jump in the cash earned from energy delivered and capacity charge. Its newly issued audited accounts showed those two income streams more than doubled during the year, accounting for 99.99 per cent of revenue. The feat comes ten months after the electricity provider listed in Lagos as a spinoff of Tony Elumelu-backed Transnational Corporation of Nigeria at a market value of N1.8 trillion. It is now worth N2.4 trillion. Since our public listing, we have maintained consistent growth across all financial metrics, aligning with our mission to deliver value, said Chief Executive Officer Peter Ikenga in a separate statement. We are confident in our ability to sustain this trajectory of success, he added. Revenue for the review period climbed to N305.9 billion, up from N142.1 billion the previous year. The companys incurred a threefold surge in impairment loss on financial assets, which climbed to N8.1 billion increased by 282.6 per cent. 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 Transcorp Power increased management fee to N9.6 billion from N4.4 billion, a spur for administrative costs to accelerate by 131.9 per cent. The company turned the table on its heavy foreign exchange loss of N7.2 billion in 2023 to report a gain of N1.8 billion this time around. Pre-tax profit rose to N113 billion from N52.8 billion, while profit after tax accelerated to N80 billion from N30.2 billion. To reward shareholders, it has announced a dividend of N3.5 per share for every share held as of 11 February, translating to a total dividend per share of N5, having paid a N1.50 per share as interim dividend. The companys potential dividend payout for the year comes to N37.5 billion, if shareholders approve the final dividend proposal at the forthcoming annual general meeting scheduled for February. Total assets stood at N396.8 billion compared to N233.4 billion a year earlier. Transcorp Powers total installed capacity stands at roughly 2000 MW, comprising the 972 MW gas-fired Ughelli Power Plant and the 966 MW gas-fired Afam Power Plant. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print The Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, on Thursday, said the N8 billion in the 2025 budget appropriation of the ministry is specifically meant for advocacy, education, enlightenment and provision of technology to protect power infrastructure. The minister added that the fund will also be deployed to enlighten Nigerians on the need to protect and take ownership of the power infrastructure and other national assets. Mr Adelabu, in a statement by Bolaji Tunji, his special adviser on strategic communication and media relations on Thursday, made this known in reaction to reports that the ministry is proposing to spend N8 billion to orient Nigerians on prompt payment of electricity bills in 2025. On Thursday Mr Adelabu said far from such claims, the ministry had no such need to preach to Nigerians about the need to pay for electricity consumed by them as the various distribution companies (DisCos) are capable of recovering debts owed by those who enjoy their services. Far from what is being canvassed, the federal government is deeply worried about acts of sabotage that have continued to erode the gains made in the last one and half years in electricity supply to Nigerians. It is important to correct the impression that N8 billion is being proposed for sensitisation on electricity payment. We are all aware that in the last few months, acts of vandalism have continued to throw different parts of the country into the darkness with vandals planting bombs under power towers, carting away power lines and cables, the recent one being the vandalism of underground cables that has thrown many parts of Abuja into darkness, it is, therefore, important to protect the power infrastructure, Mr Adelabu said. He explained that the advocacy would entail sensitisation across the 774 LGAs, 36 states and Abuja. 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 would entail the use of electronic platforms such as radio and television, social media, newspapers, and billboards to re-orientate Nigerians on the implications of vandalising power infrastructure and the need to sensitise Nigerians to own this infrastructure. It would also require the engagements of the different community stakeholders across the geo-political zones in town hall meetings; engaging local security men to protect such assets. This would also involve the deployment of technology to safeguard these assets, he said. Also, he said the ministry will embark on some Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) projects across many of the host communities to the countrys power installations to motivate and encourage them for protection by local hunters and security personnel. All these will cost so much. More specifically, the advocacy will take us to all the nooks and crannies of the country, and we will hold meetings with the leaders, stakeholders and youths. We will run television and radio jingles; we will go on social media so that we can really reach those we need to address this issue. We will reach them in their local languages and dialect. So, you can imagine how much this will cost, but we believe that this will help us to address this issue and arrest it. This is essentially what this budgetary allocation is meant for, the minister said. According to him, saying the ministry has budgeted N8 billion on sensitisation on payment of bills is showing a lack of understanding of all the problems in the power sector. We have the DisCos who provide the generated power to the customers, so we have no reason whatsoever to embark on an advocacy for customers to pay for what they consume. Mr Adelabu said it costs the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) over N9 billion to bring back the transmission towers and lines destroyed by the terrorists on the Shiroro-Mando-Kaduna line which threw substantial parts of northern Nigeria into darkness last year. Up till now, we are yet to complete work on the lines due to activities of bandits who have continued to stagnate efforts to repair some of the lines. It is our belief that the advocacy we are proposing should be able to redirect the minds of those who are bent on taking us backwards in our effort to provide efficient, effective, and uninterrupted electricity to Nigerians, he added. Only last weekend, he said, almost half of Abuja was thrown into darkness as a result of the activities of the vandals. He noted that the history of vandalism of the nations power infrastructure is legendary. However, he said in recent years, it has escalated and in the past year, it has continued to increase at an alarming rate. We have suffered sustained and more violent attacks on our infrastructure. If you recall, for over two weeks last year, almost the entire northern part of the country was thrown into darkness, as bandits and terrorists, not just vandals, attacked our transmission lines and towers on the Shiroro-Mando-Kaduna transmission lines. Dynamites were used to bring down the towers and the lines. This is just one of many such attacks across the nation. We have received support from the nations security agencies to address these attacks, but it has not abated, he said. The minister added that the ministry does not have a police or an army of its own to secure these infrastructures and this informed the decision to seek the National Assembly approval to embark on this advocacy to community leaders, stakeholders, youths, and all Nigerians on the need to take ownership of the power infrastructure located in their areas and communities. Grid Collapse On the issue of incessant grid collapse, he said efforts are continuing to tackle the problems. It is a known fact that over the years, the infrastructure has been neglected and allowed to decay to a state of dilapidation. These are being gradually tackled. The Siemens project is one of the ways of tackling this. The pilot stage of the Siemens project was to ensure the installation of 10 power transformers and the mobile substations across the country and so far, is about 95 per cent completion, he said. So far, he said, eight power transformers and five mobile substations have been installed in the following states; Okene, Kogi; Amukpe, Delta; Ihovbor, Edo; Apo, Abuja; Maryland, Lagos; Potiskum, Yobe; Ajah, Lagos; Birnin Kebbi, Kebbi; Jebba, Niger; Kwanar-dangora, Kano; UI, Oyo; Sapade, Ogun. He said the second phase would see the construction of 14 brownfield substations and 20 greenfield substations, noting that an agreement has been signed for the construction of five substations starting in the first quarter of the year already. This, he said, will further strengthen the grid capacity and reduce instances of grid collapse. Not only that, the SCADA project is still ongoing. The statement clarified that when the present administration came on stream, the generation stagnated at about 4000 megawatts, and within that period till date, over 1000 megawatts had been added to the grid, reaching an all-time, three-year high of 5,528 megawatts. In line with the campaign promise of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, electricity remains a fundamental right of Nigerians, and this we shall work to achieve, he said. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print The Recording Academy has unveiled Ace South African comedian Trevor Noah as the host of the upcoming 67th Grammy Awards. The organisers said on their website that Noah will also produce the show. They wrote: Emmy Award-winning, Golden Globe Award-nominated and GRAMMY Award-nominated comedian Trevor Noah will return as master of ceremonies of the 67th Annual GRAMMY Awards for the fifth consecutive year. This will be the fifth consecutive year the comedian has hosted the prestigious music awards show since he first took on the hosting duties in 2021. The 2025 Grammy Awards will be held on 2 February at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles. According to the organisers, the ceremony will be broadcast live on the CBS Television Network and streamed live and on-demand on Paramount. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Nigerian music industry is well represented at the 2025 Grammys, with Afrobeats stars dominating the African Song Performance category nominations. 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 This includes returning contenders Burna Boy and Asake, the former earning a nod for his hit song, Higher while the latter is for his collaboration with Wizkid, MMS. Davido also earned his second nod in the category for his contribution to Chris Browns Sensational, with Lojay picking up his first Grammy nomination for the same song. Yemi Alade earns her first solo nod for her hit Tomorrow, while TemsLove Me Jeje also receives a nod for Best African Music Performance. Tems is the only African artiste with three nominations across the global music categories. Her debut album, Born in the Wild, is up for Best Global Music Album and Best R&B Song for Burning. Young music sensation Rema.is nominated in the Best Global Music Album category for his sophomore album, HEIS. Other Nigerian stars nominated for the Grammys include Jordan Adetunji, known for his viral Kelani. His Bloody Civilian also earned a nomination for the Best Reggae Album category on Bob Marleys One Love soundtrack. This years nomination marks Burna Boys sixth consecutive Grammy nomination, making him a Nigerian artiste with the highest nomination. Since Burna Boys first nomination for Best Global Music Album at the 2020 Grammys and his win in 2021 for Twice as Tall, there has been an increased representation of African music on the global stage. (NAN) Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print Six months after the Federal Capital Territory High Court adjourned the lawsuit between social media influencer Martins VeryDarkMan Otse and Prophet Jeremiah Fufeyin, a new hearing date has been set. PREMIUM TIMES reported that Mr Fufeyin, founder of Delta State-based church, the Christ Mercy Land Deliverance Ministries, filed a N1 billion lawsuit against VeryDarkMan for publicly questioning the authenticity of his faith-based products. No substantial updates have been provided since Justice Nwosu Iheme, who initially presided over the case, adjourned it to 6 September 2024 for a hearing. Unconfirmed reports suggested that Mr Fufeyin settled out of court with the social media influencer. However, Mr Fufeyins counsel, Ihensekhien Samuel, dismissed this claim as untrue during an interview with this newspaper on Wednesday. While explaining the delay in proceedings, Mr Ihensekhien revealed that the Chief Justice of the FCT High Court, Abuja, reassigned the case to another judge at the FCT High Court in Nyanya. He further disclosed that Justice A.Y. Shafa, who now presides over the reassigned case, has scheduled a new hearing date. 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 Ihensekhien said: A date has been set for 29 January for further proceedings in the matter of Prophet Jeremiah Omotofufeyin versus Martin Otse, otherwise known as VeryDarkMan. The matter had to be transferred because it was previously heard by the vacation court, which is not the regular FCT High Court. The vacation court only handles urgent matters or preliminary applications, such as motions and similar filings. In this case, the court handled some applications to regularise our processes and enter appearances. As such, the court could not hear the matter in full. Furthermore, Mr Fufeyins counsel confirmed that a defamation, libel, and slander lawsuit was filed against Verydarkman at the FCT High Court. Private jet video and other matters Verydarkman was said to have allegedly violated the status quo order issued by the court pending the case hearingby posting a video on his Instagram page on 6 January. In the video, Mr Fufeyin was sleeping in a private jet when a voice (a voice-over) presumed to be from God talked to him. When he woke in the same video, he said, Lord, your servant is listening. Posting the video on his Instagram page, Verydarkman mocked the prophet, alleging that he (Mr Fufeyin) said he heard directly from God. The lawyer stated that the video and the issues raised by Verydarkman had no connection to the matter currently before the court. In defence of his client, the lawyer said, In the video, he (Fufeyin) was just trying to illustrate how one can hear from God to his viewership, his members, and his followers. Verydarkman is a malicious character, again, and in violation of the FCT High Court order, he brought that video again to create content, draw attention, and further malign, defame, and slander Fufeyins personality, making numerous innuendos and inferences. We have our claims and witnesses lined up and shall prove our case before the FCT High Court. The video he (Verydarkman) shared this year was an old video, and the basis upon which he (Fufeyin) made that video was simply a graphic and religious illustration of how to hear from God sometimes. You should also know that this pastor has been known to perform drama skits before now, he added. So, basically, the fulcrum of what we have filed before the FCT High Court pertains to defamation, libel, and slander. Whatever issues Verydarkman raises have nothing to do with the present matter before the courts. I can tell you categorically that we have full instructions from Prophet Jeremiah Omotofufeyin and his team to proceed with the defamation case against Verydarkman. According to him, the legal team is taking notes, recording videos, and documenting further defamatory, libellous, and slanderous content that Verydarkman is publishing against Mr Fufeyin. The good thing about this case is that we note his atrocious acts and defamatory actions. We are documenting them, and there are other twists to this matter. Prophet Omotofufeyin is a very principled man. He will not engage with someone with nothing to lose or no reputation, character, or credibility to maintain. Mr Ihensekhien maintained that his client believed in the judicial process and approached the court. He would not withdraw the case until the court delivered a definitive pronouncement on all the issues surrounding his case against Verydarkman. Forgery Additionally, Mr Fufeyins counsel disclosed that Verydarkman had been charged with receipt forgery involving Mr Fufeyins miracle products before the FCT High Court. Earlier, this newspaper reported that Mr Ihensekhien stated that the purported miracle products, which the social media influencer claimed to have purchased and administered to blind and other physically challenged individuals, were bought from a roadside vendor. He further alleged that Verydarkman forged Mr Fufeyins receipt to validate the miracle products obtained from the roadside vendor, which the social media influencer claimed were ineffective. The lawyer said: You should also know that, in the course of this matter, there is a trigger and a grave allegation of forgery against the personality of Verydarkman. The police report is almost ready. The Nigerian Police Force, specifically the Delta State Police Command, is still waiting for Verydarkman to honour the invitation they sent to him. He came the last time to threaten the police, saying he would not report and would see what would happen. The wheel of justice moves slowly. Still, it will certainly reach a point where the police will address the severe issue regarding Jeremiahs receipt and church forgery against Verydarkman. Part of the same issue has also been filed as part of the process pending before the FCT High Court. Verydarkmans lawyer reacts Meanwhile, Verydarkmans lawyer, Ademola Oyedokun, confirmed in an interview with this newspaper on Thursday that the case will resume on 29 January. Mr Oyedokun said, The issue remains that in the case we are having in Abuja, the court has ordered that all status quo be maintained and that everybody should hold on about the case. If the court has ordered status, any party has no right to make any complaint at the police regarding an issue already pending in Abuja. When asked if he was aware of the Delta State Police command invitation, Mr Fufeyins lawyer said it was sent to Verydarkman; he said, Were not aware of any police invitation; all I know is that were maintaining the court order of status quo. Furthermore, Mr Oyedokun said that Verydarkman hadnt defamed Mr Fufeyin since the status quo order was made. Mr Ihensekhien isnt a judge because Verydarkman has never defamed Mr Fufeyin, and I dont know what he (Mr Ihensekhien) is talking about, he added. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has disclosed his reasons for testifying at the Mambilla Power Project arbitration holding in France. Mr Obasanjo testified in the ongoing arbitration on Wednesday. Before that, ex-President Muhammadu Buhari had equally testified. I volunteered myself to testify in this case. Nobody sent me to do so. President Tinubu did not ask me to do so as speculated. I didnt speak to anybody on my intention to testify, Mr Obasanjo said in an interview with PREMIUM TIMES from Paris. I decided to testify because of the statement made on the matter by Olu Agunloye. I considered his claims atrocious and thought it necessary to set the records straight, he added. Sunrise Power, which claimed to have been awarded a $6 billion contract to build, operate and transfer the power plant by the Obasanjo administration in May 2003, is in arbitration with Nigeria at the International Chamber of Commerce in Paris. The company has alleged a breach of contract by the Nigerian Government and is seeking monetary compensation of $2.3 billion to cover what it had spent on financial and legal consultants. Mr Agunloye was the minister of power under whom the contract was awarded. 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 Earlier, Mr Obasanjo had blamed the former minister for mismanaging the project between 1999 and 2003. In 2023, while responding to Mr Obasanjos allegation, which he said was baseless, false and malicious, he noted that the investment Sunrise Power needed to execute the project to the completion stage was valued at a maximum of $6 billion by four ministers of power and Mr Obasanjo before he himself became minister of power. The Nigerian Government has claimed that fraud was involved in awarding the contract and that some public officials were also corrupted in the process. In the past, the former Nigerian president had requested Mr Agunloye to publicly disclose where he got the authority to award the contract. Mr Agunloye said the contract was awarded with Mr Obasanjos approval. Citing exclusive documents, The Cable newspaper reported that Olusegun Agagu, Nigerias minister of power before Mr Agunloye took office, wrote Mr Obasanjo in November 2002, seeking approval to invite Tafag Nigeria Limited and Sunrise Power for comprehensive negotiations on the construction of the power plant. The news outlet in December 2023 stated that Mr Obasanjo, in November 2002, granted the minister permission to invite the two companies, saying, Please give the two the same parameter, i.e. part participation not more than 25% higher than prevailing tariff of the thermal plant. The media organisation noted that Mr Agunloye had, on 7 April 2003, when he was already a minister of power, written to the former president demanding that the invitation of Sunrise Power and Lemna International be recalled. Afterwards, Mr Agunloye requested Mr Obasanjos approval to issue a letter of comfort to Sunrise Power for the BOT contract. Mr Obasanjo, in his reaction to the request, said he had no objection but asked him to bring a memo to Council to include comparison with coal-fired plant for 4000MW to 5000MW. What is abundantly clear is that at no time did Dr Agunloye comply with the foregoing directive by bringing a memo to Council to include the [stated] comparison, nor can my directive be stretched to be inclusive of any approval to award any contract to Sunrise Power and Transmission Company Limited or any other person, Mr Obasanjo was quoted as saying in a letter to Lateef Fagbemi, Nigerias attorney general and minister of Justice. In any event, my directive as stated above cannot by any stretch of imagination reasonably be extended to mean that issuing a letter of comfort translates to an award of contract. It is therefore clear that at no time was any contract awarded to Sunrise Power by anyone in my Administration, he added. In 2003, Mr Agunloye wrote a letter to Sunrise Power, awarding the contract. A day prior, the Federal Executive Council had stepped down his memo requesting the approval to proceed. According to Mr Obasanjo, no minister had the authority to commit Nigeria to beyond N25 million without presidential approval when he was in office. In particular, the embarrassment to Nigeria caused by these acts of fraud, deceit and malfeasance of Dr Agunloye and others of his ilk does no good to Nigeria or Nigerians. I have therefore resolved to make myself available to testify in Arbitration or any forum should you consider it necessary in our national interest, he said at the time. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print The State Security Service (SSS) has filed falsehood and terrorism-related charges against a Kaduna-based controversial activist and critic, Mahdi Shehu. Mr Shehu, in December 2024, shared a video on social media claiming that the Nigerian government has allowed France to establish a military base in the North-east. However, the military debunked the claim, describing it as fake and mischievous. In an interview with Al Jazeera, the Chief of Army Staff, Olufemi Oloyede, explained that establishing a foreign military base in Nigeria will attract more trouble and worsen the countrys fight against insurgency. Yet, Mr Shehu insisted that the military was lying. The Chief of Army Staff received the first contingent of French soldiers and immediately deployed them to Maiduguri to HELP NIGERIA IN FIGHTING BOKO HARAM. The same Boko Haram they claimed to have decimated and are scampering for safety, he had posted on X. Checks showed that the video Mr Shehu shared to suit his narrative dates back to 2013 when a contingent of the Nigerian Army, which was part of the AFISMA (AU) mission, arrived at the Senou International Airport, Bamako, Mali. 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 critic was later arrested and charged to court. But the Kaduna State High Court granted him a N3 million bail on 9 January. Two prominent clerics were said to stand for him as sureties. The five-count charges against Mr Shehu According to a Daily Trust report, the critic was re-arrested at his clinic in Unguwar Dosa by security operatives in mufti. Two days later, the service obtained an ex-parte motion from the Federal High Court in Kaduna, requesting an order to detain the critic for 60 days until it concluded its investigations. Subsequently, the SSS filed the five-count charge against him under Section 66 of the Terrorism (Prevention & Prohibition) Act, 2022. ALSO READ: Court grants man accused of defaming Katsina governor bail In granting the order, Justice Rilwan Aikawa held that the DSS should keep Shehu for 60 days to enable their officers to conclude investigations, Daily Trust quoted a DSS official who spoke in confidence. The medium mentioned the charges to include false publication to cause public alarm contrary to Section 59 (1) of the Criminal Code Act and Dissemination of Terrorism related false information contrary to Section 26 (2) (a) and (b) of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022. Other charges are intentional dissemination of false information contrary to Section 24(1) (b) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition and Prevention, etc.) Act, 2024 (as amended); False allegation of Treasonable Act contrary to Section 41 of the Criminal Code Act; and Use of social media to support false allegations of National Security Threat, contrary to Section 24(1) (b) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc) Act. This is not the first time Mr Shehu has been charged to court for falsehood and other offences. In 2021, he pulled a stunt on the judiciary by walking into the courtroom with crutches and bandages. This was after the Katsina State government filed a petition against Mr Shehu for accusing the then-governor Aminu Masari and other top officials of corruption. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print Today, the cover pages of Nigerian newspapers predominantly featured reports on the reactions of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) to the increase in telecoms tariff. The increase which would raise the cost of phone calls to N16.5 per minute, and data to N431 per GB, is also on the front page of most Nigerian newspapers. Nigerian Tribune reported that NLC kicks against 50% telecom tariff hike. NLC declares war on telecom tariff hike: calls Nigerians to boycott services over unbearable 50% increase, First News reported. On its cover page, The Matrix Newspaper wrote, NLC Talks Tough Over Telcos Tariff Hike, Power Grid Collapse. Labour spits fire over 50% telecoms tariff hike, ThisNigeria also reported. Telecoms Tariff Hike: Govt abandoned masses to corporate fat cats -NLC, New Telegraph wrote on its cover page. Reactions to Niger residents scooping oil from a collapsed tanker barely two days after a tanker explosion in the state also made headlines. 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 incident led to the death of about 98 people and left about 55 others injured. Nigerian News Direct reported, Mixed reactions trail oil scooping in Minna, barely 48 hours after Diko tragedy. The New US administration under President Donald Trump has also continued to make headlines. The Point reported that Immigrant communities face fear and uncertainty. Deportations: Trump okays raid on churches, schools, hospitals, Blueprint Newspaper also reported. Other major headlines are; N1.4trn unsold goods recorded in 2024 MAN, reported by Daily Trust Newspaper. Daily Sun reported, PDP: Fresh twist in power play. Communities tackle FG over compensations for 3,252 owners, Punch reported. Troops Close In On Turji, Kill 2nd-in-command, Leadership wrote on its cover page. The Guardian Newspaper reported that doctors protest unpaid salaries, ground Abuja hospitals. We thank Abiola Ayankunbi, a media management expert, for providing screenshots of the newspapers front pages. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print Nnamdi Kanu, detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), has asked that his case be transferred to the South-east if no judge at the Federal High Court in Abuja is willing to preside over it. Mr Kanus special counsel, Aloy Ejimakor, disclosed this in a statement posted on his X handle on Wednesday. The IPOB leader, facing terrorism charges at the Federal High Court in Abuja, has been in detention since he was repatriated to Nigeria from Kenya in June 2021 under controversial circumstances. The recusal During trial on 24 September 2024, Mr Kanu requested that Justice Binta Nyako recuse herself from the matter, accusing the judge of bias. The IPOB leader argued that Mrs Nyako disobeyed a Supreme Court ruling that ordered him to be granted bail. The judge consequently announced her withdrawal from the matter and referred the case file to the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, John Tsoho. But Mr Tsoho later reassigned the case to Justice Nyako despite her recusal. 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 IPOB leader and his legal team have consistently opposed Justice Nyako from presiding over the case since she recused herself. Disobeying your own orders Mr Ejimakor said in the statement that Mr Kanu instructed him and other legal team members to prevent Justice Nyako from presiding over his trial. The special counsel said the IPOB leader gave the instruction when his legal team visited him at the facility of the State Security Service (SSS) on Wednesday. He explained that Mr Kanus instruction followed the recusal of Mrs Nyako from the case on 24 September 2024. The central issue arising at todays (Wednesday) visitation is the upcoming court date for the continuation of Mazi Nnamdi Kanus case, Mr Ejimakor began. Continuing, the special counsel said: Due to its constitutional implications, Onyendu (Kanu) instructed the legal team to take certain prompt steps to ensure that his case is not handled by the same Justice Binta Murtala-Nyako, who had withdrawn from the case by virtue of the order of recusal entered on 24th September 2024. The point was stressed that should the case still lie with Justice Murtala-Nyako, it would mean that the same court is disobeying an order that it made. Mr Ejimakor said Mr Kanu has now asked that the case be moved to any Federal High Court in the South-east or South-south if judges in Abuja are unwilling to preside over it. If no other judge in Abuja is willing to handle the case, the chief judge is free to transfer the case to Umuahia, Awka, Enugu, Asaba, Port Harcourt, or any other Federal High Court within the former Eastern Nigeria, where the alleged offenses were said to have occurred or had their impact, he stated. Background Mr Kanu was first arrested in 2015 under the administration of former Nigerian President, Muhammadu Buhari. The Court of Appeal, Abuja, on 13 October 2022, held that the IPOB leader was extraordinarily renditioned to Nigeria and that the action was a flagrant violation of the countrys extradition treaty and also a breach of his fundamental human rights. The court, therefore, struck out the terrorism charges filed against Mr Kanu by the Nigerian government and ordered his release from the facility of the SSS. But the government refused to release the IPOB leader, insisting that he (Kanu) could be unavailable in subsequent court proceedings if released and that his release would cause insecurity in the South-east, where he comes from. READ ALSO: Nnamdi Kanu protests court order against his release The government, through the office of the Attorney-General of the Federation, later appealed the court ruling and subsequently obtained an order staying the execution of the court judgement at the Supreme Court. Delivering judgement on the appeal on 15 December 2023, the Supreme Court reversed the acquittal granted to Mr Kanu by the lower court and consequently ordered continuation of his trial at the Federal High Court Abuja. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print The Police Command in Adamawa is to appeal against the judgement of a Yola High Court directing it to release a defendant in a kidnap case and pay him N5 million as damages for wrongful detention. The development was made known in Yola on Thursday in a statement by the command spokesman, Suleiman Nguroje. Mr Nguroje said the command is not satisfied with the judgment delivered on Wednesday, 22 January, in favour of the defendant, Hammadu Musa. The command wishes to state categorically that the said defendant was arrested by vigilante members for alleged kidnapping and handed over to the police. He was, thereafter, investigated and having established a prima facie case against him, the police charged him to court. The casefile was duplicated and sent to the office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, state ministry of justice for legal advice and takeover of prosecution accordingly. According to him, the command operates within the context of law with respect to Rule of Law dictates, charging the defendant (suspect) to Court. Article Page with Financial Support Promotion Nigerians need credible journalism. Help us report it. Support journalism driven by facts, created by Nigerians for Nigerians. Our thorough, researched reporting relies on the support of readers like you. Help us maintain free and accessible news for all with a small donation. Every contribution guarantees that we can keep delivering important stories no paywalls, just quality journalism. SUPPORT NOW x Do this later READ ALSO: Police confirm killing of Celestial prophet during church service in Ogun He insisted that police did not wrongfully detain the defendant in its detention facility as portrayed that would warrant breach of his fundamental human rights. It was the court that remanded the defendant at the Correctional Service Facility here in Yola for the period of the case at hand. The Command therefore assures members of the public that in synergy with the Ministry of Justice, will appeal against the decision of the State High Court, Yola. (NAN) Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print The Kwara State Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development has advised residents of the state about the Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) outbreak recently reported in Kano State. In a statement issued by its press secretary, Omotola Ashaolu, the ministry said there are no confirmed cases of the disease in Kwara State. However, it said proactive measures are necessary to prevent its occurrence and safeguard the poultry industry and public health in the state. HPAI, a highly contagious disease, causes severe poultry mortality and poses a potential risk to human health. According to the statement, to ensure Kwara State remains free from this threat, residents, particularly poultry farmers, bird handlers, and agricultural stakeholders, are urged to adopt preventive measures, including: Strengthen biosecurity measures, restrict access to poultry farms., disinfect equipment, tools, and facilities regularly, and prevent wild birds from interacting with domestic poultry. The ministry also called for prompt reporting of suspected cases, and for residents to watch for sudden bird deaths, respiratory distress, or a significant drop in egg production, and report any unusual cases to the Veterinary Services Department or relevant authorities for investigation and containment. 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 also urged residents to use protective equipment; ensure proper use of gloves, masks, and other protective gear when handling poultry; and avoid direct contact with sick or dead birds. READ ALSO: Ekiti government issues advisory on prevention of bird flu For residents seeking to report suspected cases or seek advice, the ministry urged tgem to contact: Dr. Olugbon Abdulateef, Director, Veterinary Services 08033765024, and Dr. Aminu I.O., Chief Veterinary Officer, Vet. Public Health and Epidemiology 08160989312. The ministry urges strict compliance with these guidelines to protect Kwara State from this threat. By working together, we can prevent an outbreak and ensure a healthy and secure future for our communities, the statement concluded. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print Governor Umo Eno of Akwa Ibom State has denied the allegation that he is working with the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Gas), Ekperikpo Ekpo, to sabotage President Bola Tinubus second-term ambition. The governors spokesperson, Ekerete Udoh, in a statement on Thursday, said the allegation was contained in an advertorial published in The Nation newspaper on 22 January and sponsored by an amorphous group, Concerned Members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Akwa Ibom State. Mr Udoh described the publication as a politically motivated hatchet job, maliciously concocted rich cocktail of lies and blackmail against Mr Eno. According to Mr Udoh, the purveyors of the advertorial intended to strain Governor Enos warm relationship with the trio of President Tinubu, Senate President Goodwill Akpabio, and Mr Ekpo. The statement said Governor Eno had not formed an alliance with the PDP in the state to support a Northern presidential candidate or clandestinely work to deliver the South-South region to the PDP presidential candidate in 2027, as the group alleged. It is unfortunate to note that while President Tinubu is rallying the nation to support his bold and audacious economic plans aimed at taking our nation out of the current economic challengeswhich Governor Eno has enthusiastically and openly endorsed and has severally canvassed support forthis faceless group could maliciously concoct such lies, falsehoods, and blackmail against the Governor. It is obvious that the promoters of this faceless group hate the current peace, amity, and spirit of bipartisanship that Governor Eno has promoted in the state, the statement added. 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 faceless group had also accused Mr Ekpo of being recruited by Governor Eno to sabotage Mr Tinubus aspiration, an allegation the minister denied. Eno focuses on bipartisan collaborations Akwa Ibom is a traditional PDP state; since the return of democracy in 1999, the party has produced all four successive governors in the state. Unlike his predecessors, Mr Eno, a PDP member, has been working across party lines, embracing leaders of the main opposition APC in the state, particularly Mr Akpabio and Mr Ekpo, since the governor was sworn into office in May 2023. READ ALSO: Eno authorises commencement of minimum wage payment in Akwa Ibom The governors spokesperson said Mr Eno, working across party lines, has cancelled the groups deeply entrenched selfish interest in stoking tensions in the state and profiting from the chaos and unnecessary political wars they had helped ignite. Truth be told, Governor Eno is focused on working collaboratively with the President Tinubu-led Federal Government, the National Assembly led by Mr Akpabio, our son, to achieve the Arise Agenda for the betterment of the people of Akwa Ibom State. This is the time for governance and not for political gamesmanship. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print Nigerias electoral body, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), plans to gradually phase out the permanent voter card (PVC) as the sole means of identification for voter accreditation on Election Day. This could end the no-PVC, no-voting slogan that INEC has amplified for about 10 years. INECs chairman, Mahmood Yakubu, recently announced the plan at a meeting. He said that computer-generated slips issued to voters or downloaded from the commissions website will suffice for voter accreditation. Mr Yakubu said the capability of BVAS makes it unnecessary to continue making PVCs mandatory. Those who already have the PVCs can still use them to vote, but going forward, computer-generated slips issued to the voter or even downloaded from the Commissions website will suffice for voter accreditation. This will not only save costs; it will also eliminate the issues around the collection of PVCs and the diabolical practice of buying up the cards from voters in order to disenfranchise them, he noted. The introduction of the PVC and smartcard readers in 2015 piloted the integration of technology into Nigerias electoral system. Over the years, the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) has replaced the smart card reader. The technology of the BVAS goes beyond card reading as it has biometric features. As things stand, the card is not used to authenticate voters; rather, the Voters Registration Number (VIN) is used to access the details of voters, while verification is done through biometric components like fingerprints and images. Restricting voting only to voters cards is apparently the worst case in Nigeria. That is why you see people buying up voters cards. Some persons are unable to vote because they are unable to pick up their PVCs. At every election, the number of uncollected PVCs is in thousands, if not in millions, Austin Aigbe, an election expert, told PREMIUM TIMES during a phone interview. You dont need it. We are in a digital age. It is the right proposal. A voters card is a voters card, whether it is in paper form or card. The reason for the hard copy is simple; it is because people are making fake cards. The smart card reader is supposed to read the card and authenticate it before the voter can then vote, he added. 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 Many believe that the current No PVC, no voting system creates bottlenecks that impede voting. Before the last general elections, over 6.2 million PVCs were not collected. In Oyo State, for instance, 515,254 PVCs were not collected. This figure represented over 15 per cent of the total registered voters in the state. Many cited logistical reasons for not collecting their PVCs. Those who already have the PVCs can still use them to vote, but going forward, computer-generated slips issued to the voter or even downloaded from the Commissions website will suffice for voter accreditation. While Mr Yakubus argument seems logical, PVC is backed by a legislative framework: the Electoral Act. Section 16(1) of the Electoral Act 2022 empowers INEC to design, print, and control the issuance of PVCs to eligible voters whose names appear in the register. Section 47(1) of the Act requires that the person intending to vote shall present him/herself with his/her voters card to the presiding officer for accreditation at the polling unit where his/her name is registered. Since it is a matter of law, such a change would require an amendment to the Electoral Act. Any attempt to change PVC as the sole means of identification could be seen as an attempt by the ruling party to weaken the voting process, especially as it follows the last presidential election, which the two main opposition parties challenged in court. However, Mr Aigbe advised political parties to consider the positive impact of the two initiatives. He said that, aside from reducing cost, jettisoning the PVC could improve voter turnout, facilitate a much easier transfer of polling units, and replace lost cards. NIN as an alternative While Mr Yakubus idea is to replace the PVC with computer printouts and slips, there are more proposals in the National Assembly for a bigger overhaul that would involve using the National Identity Number (NIN) as a means of identification for voting or integrating NIN in voter registration. Bayo Balogun, the chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Electoral Matters, told PREMIUM TIMES during the Ghana Presidential Election in 2024 that lawmakers were moving to make NIN a mandatory requirement for voting. We want to ensure that before you are a voter, you must register your name. It is important because you are supposed to be a Nigerian first before you can talk about voting. And the only security number you have in Nigeria today, which is your social security number, is a NIN number. And we have spoken with the NIMC head. She has told us that they have the capacity to register everybody. And it is for people to come out on time to register, Mr Balogun said during an interview in Accra, Ghana. He added that the National Assembly will conclude all amendments before the end of the second quarter of 2025. Mr Baloguns proposal could complement the effort of INEC to phase out the PVC because the NINs unique digit could also serve as a means of identification at the polling units on election day. The NIN has been synced with other databases, and the requirement for obtaining it is more stringent than for the voters card. The use of the NIMC database for electioneering is part of the mandate of the Commission. But the question is, can it be achieved before the next general elections in 2027? Both proposals by Messrs Yakubu and Balogun emphasise the critical need for data synchronisation as the nation struggles to harmonise data collection. Successive administrations tried to address this issue, achieving progress over the years. Notable successes include the integration of the NIN with telecommunications, passports, examination bodies, and other systems. However, the implementation process has been slow or poorly coordinated, undermining the overall impact. Nonetheless, integrating the NIN into the electoral process may be the toughest task, considering Nigerias history of reviewing electoral laws. The deep mistrust among political actors in Nigeria makes innovation very difficult, particularly if they require amending or enacting laws. During the last amendment, the electronic transmission of election results almost derailed the process as lawmakers were divided along party lines. Many within the ruling party opposed the total electronic transmission of election results, arguing that the decision should be left to INEC. However, opposition lawmakers viewed the ruling partys stance as a lack of commitment to strengthening the electoral process. If a registered voter increases his/her age while registering for the NIN, it would be difficult to detect. Also, a Nigerien who has obtained a NIN could easily register to vote without detection, Mr Aigbe said on the challenges with NIN. He added that the priority should be about removing the barriers to voting. The Electoral Commission (EC) of Ghana also proposed using the Ghana Card, a national identification card issued by the countrys National Identification Authority (NIA), as a means of identification for voting. However, despite the countrys success with the Ghana Card, the electoral body rejected the proposal. The use of QR codes in Ghana has helped address the issue Nigeria is now attempting to resolve. In Ghana, a voter does not need to present a voters card before voting because the voter register includes a QR code beside the details of each voter. A presiding officer at the polling unit can use the Biometric Verification Devices (BVD) to scan the QR code, and the voters details will appear. The EC believes integrating the Ghana Card into the electoral system is critical, but politicians in parliament were unconvinced. Mboho Eno, a deputy director at the Centre for Journalism Innovation and Development, said the main objective should be to remove barriers to voting by making it easier for voters to participate. He noted that using the PVC as the sole means of identification for voting often creates barriers. The CSOs in Nigeria have been advocating for the abolition of the PVC. The ultimate aim, no matter the improvement, should be about allowing citizens to vote wherever they find themselves, Mr Eno said. With time ticking ahead of the 2027 general elections, all eyes will be on the National Assembly to act on the Electoral Act. Lawmakers are expected to conclude work on the electoral law by the years second quarter. Need for Strong Digital Infrastructure in Africa This situation underscores the critical need for developing digital infrastructure in Nigeria and across Africa to deepen economic and political development. As stated, one of the mandates of the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), the body responsible for managing the national identity system in Nigeria, is to create a fundamental identity card system that could enhance the electoral system. However, due to the lengthy timeframe for the system to meet its mandate, multiple functional identity card systems have been created, forcing the government to embark on data harmonisation. The lack of a reliable fundamental identity system in Nigeria and the deep mistrust among political actors make implementing changes to the electoral system difficult. Until digital infrastructure is robust and trusted, Nigerias electoral and broader governance reforms will continue to face challenges that hinder progress. The journey to phasing out the PVC and integrating the NIN into the electoral process reflects the broader challenges of trust, capacity, and political will that define the countrys governance landscape. This report is produced under the DPI Africa Journalism Fellowship Programme of the Media Foundation for West Africa and Co-Develop Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has charged two Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) contractors and their companies with money laundering, accusing them of fraudulent diversion of funds meant for execution of multi-billion-naira training contracts awarded by the agency. In separate cases filed in September last year at the Federal High Court in Abuja, the ICPC accused the individuals and their companies of failing to deliver on the contracts and diverting funds meant for their execution, court documents newly obtained by PREMIUM TIMES show. The contractors are Paul Chukwuma, the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Fides Et Ratio Academy Ltd and Adedeji Ladipo, the Managing Director and the CEO of Pole Global Marketing Limited. ICPC accused them of concealing the origin of the funds, withdrawing parts of the money and converting some of it to foreign currencies, in a money laundering scheme that allegedly robbed TEFTFund of over N1.6 billion. In the indictment seen by the newspaper, the ICPC said the defendants actions violated the provisions of section 18 of the Money Laundering Prevention and Prohibition Act (2022). While Mr Chukwuma of Fides Et Ratio is charged with nine counts, Mr Ladipo is charged with four. TETFund, an intervention agency for Nigerian tertiary institutions, statutorily receives three per cent of company income tax in Nigeria to fund infrastructure and training of staff in the institutions. It is the major funder of capital projects in Nigerian tertiary institutions. 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 PREMIUM TIMES investigation had revealed how TETFund deducted the funds for training from the tertiary institutions 2023 annual disbursement against the wishes of the beneficiary institutions. The report revealed that though Fides Et Ratio Academy was paid N2.9 billion out of the N3.8 in four installments between June and November 2023, there was no evidence that the training had been conducted as of April 2024. After PREMIUM TIMES story in April, the ICPC interrogated senior officials of the Fund, including the Director of Finance and Accounts, Gloria Olotu; the Director of Human Resources and General Administration at TETFUND, Kolapo Okunola, and the agencys Director of Information Communication Technology (ICT), Joseph Odo. The ICPC also interrogated Mr Chukwuma two months later in June. Charges against Chukwuma of Fides Et Ratio In the first to sixth charges filed on 11 September 2024 against Mr Chukwuma, the ICPC accused him of diverting over N69 million meant for the training of students from various tertiary institutions. The intended beneficiaries of the training that ICPC alleged never took place were: 7,042 students from the Federal University Gusau, Zamfara State 7,042 students from the Federal College of Education, Gidan Madi, Sokoto State 6,329 students from the Federal Polytechnic, Bali, Taraba State 6,329 students from the Umaru Ali Shinkafi Polytechnic, Sokoto, Sokoto State 6,329 students from Ignatius Agwu University of Education, Port Harcourt, Rivers State 6,329 students from Alvan Ikoku Federal University of Education, Owerri, Imo State In the seventh to ninth charges, the ICPC accused him of using the funds for the training to purchase a N300 million Mercedes Benz GLS 600 Maybach and converted over N139 million to US dollars. Editors note: This story was updated to correct wrongly stated amounts involved in the charges. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print The Director General of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Mojisola Adeyeye, has revealed that approximately 14.3 million Nigerians are involved in drug abuse. Mrs Adeyeye, a professor, disclosed this during the inaugural ceremony of the agencys youth-focused initiative, Catch Them Young, held on Wednesday at Government Secondary School, Rumuokwuta, Port Harcourt, Rivers State. She noted that research indicates one in four high-risk drug users in Nigeria has been arrested for drug-related offences. According to her, these arrests comprise 73 per cent for drug possession, 12 per cent for theft, five per cent for sex work, four per cent for burglary, and two per cent for shoplifting. Note that this data only shows the number of arrests; if we consider that most crimes are unreported, then we will see that we have a huge problem on hands, she said. Mrs Adeyeye, however, noted the negative effects of drug abuse on families, society, and the nations socio-economic development. She explained that the situation caused NAFDAC to initiate a comprehensive, coordinated, and intensive programme, designed to reduce the prevalence of drug abuse among secondary school students. 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 DG, drug addiction can rise from both prescribed medicines and illicit drugs. This programme is not designed to scare anyone but to have honest conversations with you. This will help you to take informed decisions with regards to illicit drug use, including alcohol consumption, she said. READ ALSO: NAFDAC seals warehouse in Kaduna over expired products worth N75m Speaking at the event, the NAFDAC State Coordinator for Rivers, Onogwu Emmanuel, explained the rationale behind moving the sensitisation and capacity-building programme to secondary schools. Mr Emmanuel highlighted that secondary school students are among the most vulnerable groups, emphasising the importance of engaging youthswho are the future leadersin the fight against drug abuse. He further noted that two schools were selected from each of the three senatorial zones in Rivers State for the pilot phase of the initiative. In her remark, the principal of the school, Gladys Iheumamme, commended NAFDAC for the project and urged it to sustain this in order to save the future of the Nigerian youth. (NAN) Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print At least one person, a prospective member of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), was killed in an accident in Ebonyi on Wednesday. PREMIUM TIMES gathered that 11 other prospective corps members alongside other passengers sustained varying degrees of injuries in the accident. All the passengers were in a 14-seater bus belonging to the Enugu North Mass Transit. The bus rammed into a parked truck beside the road leading to the death and injuries. Residents of the area said the prospective corps members boarded the bus in Enugu on Wednesday and were heading to the NYSC orientation camp located in Afikpo town, Afikpo Local Government Area for their three weeks orientation programme. They are believed to be prospective members of the 2024 Batch C Stream II set of corps members who resumed camp on Wednesday. The female corps member, whose name could not be ascertained, was said to have died from her injuries while her colleagues and other passengers sustained various degrees of injuries. The survivors were rescued by witnesses and security officials and rushed to the David Umahi Federal University of Health Sciences (DUFUHS) where they are receiving treatment. 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 Corps members had accident while going to NYSC camp. The accident happened at Amenu community in Okposi. A female corps member died, one witness said. The bus is a 14 seater bus with 12 of them being corps members. Others sustained injuries. A source at the hospital confirmed that the victims were brought to the hospital. Yes I saw them in the evening. They were brought by security officials. They are responding to treatment, the hospital official said, asking not to be named as he has no permission to talk to journalists. FRSC reacts The Ebonyi State Sector Commander of the FRSC, Igwe Henry, confirmed the accident. He, however, said he has no details of casualties as the victims were rescued before his officers got to the scene. At the time our men from Amasiri Unit Command got the information, and got to the scene, the victims had been rescued. They didnt directly carry out the rescue, and therefore could not ascertain specifics of what happened. However, the crash occurred on 22nd January, at about 14.00 hours. The route was Amasiri-Okiigwe, where they call Amenu village in Okposi. Two vehicles were involved, one was a Toyota commercial bus, grey color, and the other was a Mercedes-Benz tipper (truck), a commercial Mercedes-Benz tipper, the regular tipper that you see around. Mr Henry said their preliminary findings indicate that the accident may have been caused by excessive speed by the bus driver. But the details as to the number injured and so on have not been ascertained, because like I said, the victims were actually rescued by bystanders and then taken to David Umahi Hospital in Uburu. And then the items recovered at the scene, I understand, are in the custody of one Chief Amos, of Amenu village in the same Oposi. At the King Davids Hospital, where my men went, the ones they saw were actually in stable condition, he said. NYSC official confirms accident The Ebonyi State Coordinator of NYSC, Foluke Oladeinde, also confirmed the accident. Mrs Oladeinde, who appeared to still be in a state of shock, could only confirm the accident but did not give further details. I am not in a right frame of mind to talk now. I am in the hospital now. Yes the accident occurred but I cant talk right now, she said. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print Emmanuel Ometoruwa, a businessman, has sued a Lagos-based real estate company, West Spring Estate Ltd, for failing to deliver two plots of land he purchased from the firm for N50 million nearly two years ago. Joined in the suit are the managing director and owner of the company, David Amoye, and Sarah Olawoye, the realtor who marketed the plots of land to him. Ms Olawoye, one of the defendants in the suit, no longer works for the real estate firm. The companys managing director and owner, Mr Amoye, said he fired her allegedly over some misdemeanour. A lawyer, Abiola Ogunleye, representing Emeka Onohwakpor and Co., filed the suit on behalf of Mr Ometoruwa before the High Court of Lagos on 11 October 2024. Mr Ometoruwa said his inability to claim ownership of the plots of land in Hacienda Estate in Orofun, Ibeju-Lekki axis of Lagos State, after fulfilling all the contractual obligations he entered into with the firm, has caused him great distress- financial and emotional. Mr Amoye and West Spring Estate Ltd are the promoters of Hacienda Estate. Mr Ometoruwa also said all efforts to retrieve the money he paid for the plots of land and other allied expenses have been in vain as Mr Amoye has proved unresponsive to his demands. 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 businessman also lamented that all the building materials he bought for the project meant for the plots of land are now wasting away in Lagos. The suit, the claimants prayers In the court documents obtained by this newspaper, Mr Ometoruwa wants a declaration that the defendants the trio of Mr Amoye, West Spring Estate Ltd and Ms Olawoye -perpetuated a criminal breach of trust against him in respect of the sale of spurious plots of land at the Hacienda Estate, Orofun, Ibeju-Lekki, Lagos State. The businessman also wants the court to compel the defendants to pay him N50.7 million being the sum paid for the purchase of the two plots of land, survey and documentation. Besides, Mr Ometoruwa wants the court to award him N40 million as general and exemplary damages. He also prays for the court to award him an interest of 21 per cent on the judgement sum until it is fully liquidated. The case has been assigned to K.O Dawodu as the trial judge. This newspaper also found out that the first and second defendants have been served the court summons. The third defendant Ms Olawoye- has yet to be served. Backstory This newspaper, in a publication in July 2024, detailed how Mr Ometoruwa bought two pieces of land from West Spring Estate Ltd, promoted by Mr Amoye and how the latter has refused to allocate him the plots nor refund the sum paid for it and other expenses Mr Ometoruwa was introduced to West Spring Estate Limited in December 2022 by Ms Olawoye, who used to live in his house in the Lekki area of Lagos State. He said his relationship with Ms Olawoye convinced him to buy the plots of land from Mr Amoyes real estate firm. According to him, he had no reason to suspect that there could be foul play along the way. He finds it difficult to trust people these days given that his relationship with Ms Olawoye was more like a father and child relationship, Mr Ometoruwa said. According to documents and receipts reviewed by this newspaper, the two commercial plots of land titled B1 and B2 in Hacienda Estate in Orofun Community in the Ibeju-Lekki cost Mr Ometoruwa N45 million and other charges paid in instalments. In its contractual agreement with the businessman, the company said he must complete the payment of the total sum on or before 30 October 2023 to acquire the plots. He completed the payments in April of the same year. The company issued him an electronic receipt dated 14 April 2023 upon completion of the payment. He paid the first instalment of N10 million on 30 December 2022 via a Zenith Bank account belonging to the company. Other subsequent payments were made in four batches to complete the payment. Besides the sum of N45 million for the two commercial plots, the businessman also paid the sum of N100,000 for the Deed of Assignment, N1.6 million for the survey of the plots and N3 million as Estate Development Fee, which brought the total sum to approximately N50 million. I was made to understand that the Lagos State government approved the title of the land, Mr Ometoruwa told this newspaper, saying he had already begun to make an arrangement for the purchase of two residential plots in the estate until something told him to pause a while. He, however, said in his claims in the court documents that the defendants alleged scam burst when he demanded the original copy of the survey plan approved by the Lagos State and insisted on taking possession of the two plots of land, having paid the full purchase price for the same. According to him, Mr Amoye and West Spring Estate Ltd could not provide him with the original survey plan. Mr Ometoruwa said that close to two years after fulfilling all the requirements of West Spring Estate Limited for the acquisition of the two commercial plots of land, he has neither been allocated the plots nor his money refunded, thus prompting the ongoing litigation process. He said even after Mr Amoye told him to officially write a letter demanding a refund of his money since he had lost confidence in the transaction, he has yet to get a reply after writing the letter. The businessmans lawyer, Emeka Onohwakpor, wrote a demand letter for a refund dated 24 May 2024. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print Police operatives in Ogun State have killed the kidnappers of Folashade Odumosu, the wife of retired Assistant Inspector General of Police, Hakeem Odumosu, rescuing her and recovering the ransom used as bait. Police spokesperson Olumuyiwa Adejobi disclosed this in a statement posted on X on Thursday, saying the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun commended the Police Operatives and CP Ogun State, Lanre Ogunlowo, for a good job. We are committed to safeguarding Nigerian citizens and our dear country, Mr Adejobi added. Mrs Odumosu was abducted last week at the entrance of her residence in Arepo, Owode Local Government Area, Ogun State. Her abductors demanded N40 million ransom. The kidnappers intercepted Mrs Odumosus Lexus SUV vehicle and took her through a swampy area to an unknown location. The police spokesperson did not give further details about the location where Mrs Odumosu was rescued. He also did not disclose the ransom amount recovered. Kidnapping has become endemic in Nigeria as shown by a National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) report which revealed that a total of N2.2 trillion was paid in ransom as more than 2 million Nigerians were kidnapped between May 2023 and April 2024. 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 report tagged The Crime Experienced and Security Perception Survey (CESPS) 2024, revealed that 614,937 people were killed nationwide. Of this figure, 206,030 were killed in the banditry-ravaged North-west, while 188,992 people were killed in the North-east, a region plagued by years-long insurgency by Boko Haram and its splinter groups. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print Health experts have attributed the growing prevalence of kidney diseases in Nigeria to the consumption of contaminated foods, synthetic products and the influx of fake drugs. A Consultant Urologist at the Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital, Sani Al-Hassam, said consumption of synthetic foods and an increase in some other health conditions are major causes of kidney diseases. Mr Al Hassan, a professor said this on Wednesday at the flag-off of the dialysis unit at the Renal Centre of the David Umahi Federal University of Health Sciences, Uburu, Ebonyi state. He said some environmental causes of kidney diseases have been identified, especially in some riverine areas. We are now using a lot of fertilizer for agriculture, which actually enters water and we end up drinking a portion of it, he said. Even the food we eat, there may be some remnant of this fertilizer and a lot of other synthetic food we are eating in the world is being attributed as a cause of kidney failure. He also lamented the influx of fake drugs into the country which he said is also a major cause of general body systems failure. He noted that kidney disease is on the increase worldwide, and the causes are mainly hypertension, diabetes and chronic glomerulonephritis, which is a form of disease that mainly affects children but can occur in adults. 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 And as we remind ourselves, the kidney is a filter and part of its job is to filter blood. Any toxin that enters blood has to come out through the kidney, he said. If you take drugs, if you take food substances, when they finish their job in the system, they are filtered through the kidney. The kidney is the last one that takes the assault and it ends up failing. Mr Al Hassan, however, advised Nigerians to always go for medical check-ups to know their health status. Kidney Disease Chronic kidney disease is a progressive condition that reduces kidney function, that is its ability to filter waste from the blood. Kidney disease often has no symptoms in its early stages and can easily go undetected in most people until it is in its advanced stages. In its advanced stage, an individual can develop kidney failure and require dialysis or a kidney transplant to live. At this stage, a CKD patient is said to lose 85-90 per cent of their kidney function; not enough to keep the person alive, without medical intervention. Without the kidneys playing their vital role, substances that should otherwise be filtered, build up in the body. This makes the person severely ill. Patients suffering from kidney diseases usually exhibit symptoms such as frequent or infrequent urination; shortness of breath, swelling in feet and ankles, muscle cramps, nausea and vomiting. Once these symptoms have been observed, there is a need for dialysis or a kidney transplant to live. More than 20 million Nigerians are said to be living with kidney disease. Renal Centre The Vice Chancellor of the institution, Jesse Uneke said the Renal Centre was established with the support of the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund). Mr Uneke said the centres establishment is in keeping with the mission of the University to serve mankind. He said the institution aims to achieve this by adopting the highest form of professionalism, ethics and excellence by training highly qualified health and other related professionals who will work to improve health outcomes. Our overall goal is not only to achieve the reversal on medical tourism but also the reversal of educational tourism, he said. As part of the central goal of establishing this university, which is for research, teaching and community development, the university has a mandate to establish Centres of Excellence that will be reputable for advancement in research, training and patient care. He noted that the centre operates with a multi-disciplinary team of experts specialising in conducting research and training on kidney-related issues and caring for people with care. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print Thoughts and Mace Advisory (T&M), a policy and legal consulting firm, has announced its official registration and opening of a new office in Senegal. This development represents an important step in T&Ms mission to empower third-sector firms, enhance governance, and provide expert support to clients across the African continent, according to a statement signed by the organisations principal partner in Senegal, Ibrahims Niang. Established in 2006, T&M has dedicated its efforts to capacity building, advocacy, public policy analysis, and governance consulting. The advisory firm was founded by Jude Ilo, a lawyer and former head of Open Society Foundations in Nigeria. Mr Ilo was recently appointed as the Chief Executive Officer of the Hague Institute for Innovation of Law (HiiL) The organisation has a presence in Nigeria and with a new office in Senegal, the firm hopes to solidify its footprint in West Africa, positioning it to better serve its growing client base in the region. Mr Niang said the Senegal office is expected to be fully operational in 2025. It will have autonomy in operations and programmes and will collaborate with the Nigerian office to implement cross-country projects. It will be led by Fanta Diaby, a seasoned human resources specialist and manager with extensive expertise in the private sector. Fanta holds two masters degrees: one in Human Resources Management and another in Financial Policy and Engineering. With extensive experience supporting firms in the telecommunications and extractive sectors, she brings strong expertise in accounting, project management, talent management, and finance, he said. Highlighting the importance of setting an office in Senegal, the organisations principal partner said the West African country has a vibrant civil society space that plays a critical role in addressing social, economic, and cultural challenges. 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 Therefore, he added that, T&Ms expertise in capacity building, advocacy, and governance positions it as a valuable partner to local CSOs striving to enhance their impact. By formally establishing operations in the country, T&M will collaborate with government agencies, civil society organizations, and private-sector actors in Senegal to address critical policy and legal challenges while fostering sustainable development. About Thoughts and Mace Advisory Thoughts and Mace Advisory is a policy, legal, and third-sector consulting firm focused on providing innovative and cost-effective solutions. Drawing on its partners extensive experience in governance and policy support, T&M said it is committed to delivering tailored services that anticipate and address the unique concerns of its clients. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print Ramon Adedoyin, the owner of Hilton Hotels in Ile-Ife, has been sentenced to death by the Court of Appeal in Akure, Ondo State, for his role in the murder of Obafemi Awolowo University graduate student Timothy Adegoke. This verdict upholds a lower courts earlier decision and brings a measure of closure to a case that has gripped the nation. The appellate court had reserved judgment on the matter since 29 October 2024. The Appeal Court judgement reads: The judgment of the High Court of Osun State stands. Adedoyins appeal is dismissed in part. The Court of Appeal held that Adedoyin was properly convicted and sentenced to death. The appeal court, however, set aside some of the decisions of the lower court. Order of forfeiture of Hilton Hotel quashed and set aside. Order of education scholarship to children of Timothy Adegoke by Adedoyin and others quashed and set aside, the judgement read. Adegokes disappearance and death On 5 November 2021, Mr Adegoke arrived at Ile-Ife to sit for his Master of Business Administration examinations. He had arranged to stay at the Hilton Hotels and Resorts, owned by Mr Adedoyin, while in Ile-Ife. However, his sudden disappearance sparked widespread concern when all contact with him was lost 48 hours later. He was later declared missing by the police. 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 Adegokes body was later found in a shallow grave following an investigation by the police. The police arrested and charged Mr Adedoyin and six members of his staff, namely Magdalene Chiefuna, Adeniyi Aderogba, Oluwole Lawrence, Oyetunde Kazeem, Adebayo Kunle, and Adedeji Adesola to court for the murder of the 37-year-old. Justice Oyebola Ojo of the Osun State High Court found Mr Adedoyin and three others guilty of the charge and sentenced them to death by hanging. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) clashed on Thursday with their police counterparts at the Ekeki Police Division in Bayelsa State over attempts to arrest a suspected drug dealer. The clash caused panic at the Ekeki Police Division in Yenagoa. It was learnt that some NDLEA operatives were in the area to arrest a woman suspected of being a drug peddler. The operatives had made an entry in the police records before carrying out their assignment. A resident of Ekeki told a News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) correspondent that as the NDLEA squad was carrying out their operation, the police operatives from the Ekeki Police Division obstructed them, resulting in an altercation and several gunshots that scared off residents. NAN sighted two NDLEA operation vehicles with deflated tyres, apparently from gunshots fired by the police operatives. NDLEA police speak on the incident When contacted, the NDLEA spokesperson in Bayelsa, Howells Obah, said the agencys operatives complied with standard operational procedure in carrying out the raid on the suspected drug dealer. 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 Our men went for operation behind Ekeki Police Division. Our man made an entry in the police station as required but we learnt the suspect is a wife of a policeman and enjoyed protection. They shot two of our vehicles, and we are trying to see how we can take them out, and we are making efforts to keep the situation from escalating further. Mr Obah said. Musa Mohammed, the police spokesperson in Bayelsa, confirmed the incident and said he was hurrying to the scene to find out what happened. I am going there now to find out what happened, said Mr Mohammed, a deputy superintendent of police. (NAN) Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print A US district judge has blocked, for 14 days, President Donald Trumps executive order to end birthright citizenship in the country. The Seattle district court judge, John Coughenour, described the order as blatantly unconstitutional during the hearing on Thursday. During the hearing, for which he heard 25 minutes of arguments before issuing an order blocking the policy from taking effect for 14 days, he said, Ive been on the bench for over four decades, and I cant remember another case where the question presented is as clear as this one. There will be another briefing on a preliminary injunction to permanently block the executive order as the case proceeds, according to the Associated Press. The executive order to end birthright citizenship was one of 42 executive orders that President Donald Trump signed on Monday, his first day in office. The order, considered part of Mr Trumps migration control policy, seeks to limit automatic birthright citizenship to children of US citizens and green card holders. However, four states Washington, Arizona, Illinois, and Oregon began pushing to halt the order set to take effect in late February. 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 This is one of five lawsuits filed by 22 states and various immigrant advocacy organisations nationwide. The lawsuits argue that the 14th Amendment of the US Constitution guarantees citizenship to anyone born or naturalised in the country. This principle, known as jus soli (right to soil), has been consistently upheld by US states for over a century. It is recognised in around 29 countries, including Canada, Brazil, and Argentina, in addition to the US. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print The National Security Adviser (NSA), Nuhu Ribadu, has constituted a multi-agency committee to investigate the interception of over 50 containers of tramadol and other narcotics reportedly found at various ports in Nigeria. Mr Ribadu issued a convening order, a copy of which was exclusively obtained by PREMIUM TIMES on Thursday. According to the directive, the move follows credible intelligence received by the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) regarding the presence of tramadol and illicit substances at the nations ports. The NSA noted that the substances pose significant health and security risks to the nation, emphasising the need to immediately take stock of all dangerous narcotics at the Nigerian ports. He directed the committee to undertake the assignment in seaports, airports and land border stations where these drugs are found. Mandates of probe panel The multi-agency committee comprises representatives from the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), the Nigerian Army (NA), and the ONSA itself. The committee is to work in conjunction with relevant stakeholders to ensure a hitch-free and successful assignment. All relevant information and findings connected to the subject matter are to be comprehensively documented, the convening order read. 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 added that their mandate is to conduct thorough fact-finding, ascertain the quantity and ownership of the intercepted substances, and trace their origin and intended destination. The NSAs convening order also mandates the safe confiscation and destruction of narcotics in line with extant legal and procedural guidelines. The scope of the investigation extends beyond seaports to include airports and land border stations. Destruction of tramadol and other substances Speaking on the development at one of the sites where the illicit substances were being destroyed, an official in army uniform, identified as Kelechi Kingsley, reiterated the dangers of the narcotics to society and praised the NSAs directive. Mr Kingsley said the NSA is very serious when it comes to such illicit, substandard, and contraband pharmaceuticals. Substances of abuse must not, in any way, get back to the society because of their harmful nature. The NSA wants to get them out, ensure they are destroyed, and completely remove them from circulation, he said. That is the work of the National Security Adviser, and he is deeply committed to tackling these illicit substances. In another video seen by PREMIUM TIMES, officials are shown inspecting containers and supervising the burning of narcotics. More expectations, national security Mr Ribadu directed the committee to confirm the details of the substances and their owners and ensure the safe movement of confiscated narcotics to designated locations for destruction. He asked them to proffer suggestions to bridge any identified gaps with a view to preventing recurrence of such situation in the future. The NSA emphasised the importance of the probe, citing the potential danger posed by trafficking dangerous substances like tramadol. He noted that the committees findings would contribute to safeguarding public health and national security. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print The National Universities Commission (NUC) has upgraded some medical-related academic programmes in Nigerian universities and changed their nomenclatures from bachelors degree (BSc) to doctors status. The NUC listed the courses affected as Pharmacy, Physiotherapy and Optometry degrees. According to a statement by NUCs Acting Director of Public Affairs, Franca Chukwuonwo, students studying the affected courses will now spend six years in school instead of the five years it used to be. New nomenclature The statement indicates that under NUCs Benchmark Minimum Academic Standards (BMAS) and Core Curriculum Minimum Academic Standards (CCMAS), the affected programmes will now earn their degrees as Doctor of Pharmacy, Doctor of Physiotherapy, and Optometry (O.D Doctor of Optometry). The statement noted that the decision was driven by the need to incorporate more clinical and practical sessions, provide sufficient coverage of foundation courses, improve clinical skills and cover all speciality areas. It added that the new development also seeks to align with global best practices applicable to training professionals in these medical-related programmes. The statement reads, Furthermore, the certificates obtained from the Nigerian university system can be at par with those obtained in similar programmes from other climes. This will ensure the requisite harmonisation, mutuality and global competitiveness of Nigerian graduates in terms of certificates evaluation, employability and further studies in the relevant disciplines. 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 Medical Laboratory Science remains The NUC, however, clarified that the degree for Medical Laboratory Science (MLS) remains a Bachelors degree and has not been upgraded. The general public and all stakeholders are hereby informed that the Doctor of Medical Laboratory Science (DMLS) programme does not exist in the NUCs BMAS or CCMAS and thus has not been captured as an upgraded programme, the statement added. Consequently, the DMLS programme is not approved in any university in the country. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print On Thursday, the Medical and Dental Consultants Association of Nigeria (MDCAN) said only 6,000 consultants are left in the country. The associations president, Muhammad Mohammad, said this during the associations National Executive Council (NEC) Meeting in Ilorin, Kwara State. The meeting is themed Policy Making for Quality Healthcare Services: Engaging Policy Makers for Quality Healthcare Delivery. Mr Mohammad noted that as of February 2024, only about 6,000 consultants were left in the country. He said data also indicate that about 1,300 consultants left Nigeria in the last five years. According to him, the number will continue to dwindle as the retirement age for medical consultants is 60 years. About 1,700 consultants are above 55 years of age, this means that in the next five years they are going to leave the services for retirement, he said The MDCAN president emphasised that the number of consultants would continue to reduce as long as the country produces only one or two per annum. 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 You can see that the replacement cannot keep up with the loss from Japa syndrome and from retirement. Mr Mohammad commended the government for its efforts to solve the challenges. According to him, the association hopes consultants can serve up to 70 years while other healthcare workers will continue to serve up to 65 years. He noted that such a move would ensure that medical and dental consultants who remain in the country continue to give their expertise in the health field. Mr Mohammad also appealed to the government at all tiers to ensure medical lectures are placed on the Consolidated Medical Salary Structure (CONMESS), addressing disparities in their emoluments. We also want to have an environment where we will be able to practice and deliver the best quality healthcare in Nigeria, he said. Improving healthcare Similarly, the Commissioner for Health, Kwara State, Amina El-Imam, said the theme of the NEC meeting was apt, noting that appropriate policies were critical to assist the government in delivering quality healthcare to citizens. Ms El-Imam said policies must be targeted toward the right segments, domesticated to the peculiarities of the state or nation, and effectively disseminated to the end users. All of these contribute towards ensuring that the life and health of the people are safeguarded, she said. In his presentation, the Guest Speaker, Amos Magaji, underscored the importance of policymaking in healthcare delivery. Mr Magaji, a lawmaker representing Zangon Kataf/Jaba Federal Constituency of Kaduna State in the 10th National Assembly, said healthcare is fundamental to life. He noted that policies like the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) will ensure that Nigerians are captured for healthcare services. Similarly, Tanimola Akande, a consultant in Public Health at the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital (UITH), advised doctors to focus on their health and well-being. Mr Akande underscored the need for self-care, regular and comprehensive examinations and exercise. In his remark, Chairman, Local Organising Committee, MDCAN-NEC meeting, Kazeem Ibrahim, said that innumerable policies have been formulated in the past without significant impact on the health of many vulnerable citizens. Mr Ibrahim noted that the meeting would proffer solutions to the challenges and the Japa syndrome, pushing health workers to migrate from the country due to abysmal working conditions. (NAN) Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print President Bola Tinubu has committed about N300 billion to developing the six area councils of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) within the last year. On Wednesday, FCT Minister Nyesom Wike made this known while commissioning the 9-kilometre Paikon Kore-Ibwa road in Gwagwalada Area Council. If you add the total value of what the president has committed to Gwagwalada alone, you are talking about over N50b for one area council. If you now add the six area councils taking that Gwagwalada is the least, you will see that in a year, the president has committed to the development of satellite towns, not less than N300 billion, he said. The minister said some institutions being renovated in Gwagwalada Area Council include the School for the Gifted, Government Secondary School (GSS) Gwagwalada, GSS Anagada, GSS Tugan Maje, and GSS Giri. Additionally, two police divisions are being constructed in the area to enhance security, with costs yet to be disclosed. According to the minister, the investments in Gwagwalada represent just a fraction of the administrations commitment to the entire FCT. He rejected the claim in some quarters that only the city is being developed. Article Page with Financial Support Promotion Nigerians need credible journalism. Help us report it. Support journalism driven by facts, created by Nigerians for Nigerians. Our thorough, researched reporting relies on the support of readers like you. Help us maintain free and accessible news for all with a small donation. Every contribution guarantees that we can keep delivering important stories no paywalls, just quality journalism. SUPPORT NOW x Do this later It is important for people to have this record because, you see people will go out and say they are only developing the city, nothing is happening in the Area Councils, he said. Bridging developmental gaps Mr Wike promised to construct the Ibwa bridge, a vital infrastructure project to improve connectivity in the area. He assured that the cost of the bridge would be incorporated into the FCTs 2025 budget, citing President Tinubus dedication to meeting the needs of rural communities. National Assemblys endorsement Key lawmakers present at the event include the Vice Chairman of the Senate Committee on FCT Area Councils and Ancillary Matters, Joel Thomas, and the House of Representatives Committee Chairman on FCT Area Councils, Fred Agbede. Messrs Thomas and Agbede praised Mr Wike and his team for their commitment to grassroots development. In her goodwill message, the FCT Minister of State, Mariya Mahmoud, described the newly commissioned road as a symbol of progress, connectivity, and economic growth for the Paikon Kore and Ibwa communities. She thanked President Tinubu and the National Assembly for their support and commended Mr Wike for his leadership in executing the project. Similarly, the Chairman of Gwagwalada Area Council, Abubakar Giri, represented by Vice Chairman Abdullahi Zuba, expressed gratitude to the FCT administration for fulfilling its promise to construct the road. In his welcome address, the Coordinator of the Satellite Town Development Department, Zulkiflu Abdulkadir, said the road has made a remarkable difference in the lives of residents of the area as it has opened business opportunities and enhanced the transportation of goods and services. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print At least 24 residents of Bida in Niger State have been hospitalised following the outbreak of a strange illness causing sudden collapse and loss of communication abilities. Reports indicated that 20 of the patients were discharged after spending more than a week receiving treatment at the Federal Medical Centre (FMC) and Umaru Sanda Ndayako General Hospital in the town. The unexplained illness, which has triggered widespread anxiety in the community, has been reported in multiple areas, including Laruta, Ekoko, Tutijiba, Banin, and Edogifu, residents said. Strange symptoms The residents shared harrowing accounts of the illness, including Abdulmalik Umar, whose two brothers were affected. People collapse suddenly without warning. Some go to bed healthy but wake up critically ill or unable to speak. Its heartbreaking, he said. Mr Umar added that symptoms range from an inability to communicate to partial paralysis, with most victims receiving treatment for malaria and typhoid. Another resident, Abdullahi Shehu, described how a couple was found incapacitated in their home. 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 Their infants cries alerted neighbours, who broke into the room to find both of them unable to speak or move, he said. Eyewitnesses reported that some patients exhibited severe symptoms, including prolonged unconsciousness, fever, weakness, numbness, and foaming at the mouth. Government investigates outbreak Bello Tukur, the states Commissioner for Secondary and Tertiary Health, attributed the illness to untreated severe malaria and typhoid. He explained that the outbreak was first reported on 9 January, with cases peaking by 19 January. The State Rapid Response Team, alongside local health officials, investigated the outbreak and confirmed 24 cases. Three patients remain under observation, while 20 others have been discharged. No fatalities were recorded, Mr Tukur, a medical doctor, said. He said preliminary blood tests revealed poorly treated malaria and typhoid fever as the likely causes. Mr Tujur said the government was also investigating hypersomnolence caused by diphenhydramine as a potential factor. Health authorities mobilise resources To curb the outbreak, the commissioner said the state government has begun a sensitisation campaign on hygiene practices and nutrition. Active case searches were underway in affected communities, and the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has been notified for further laboratory analysis. The State Government is committed to addressing this health emergency. We are working closely with the NCDC and other health partners to ensure the safety of our residents, Mr Tukur assured. Panic persists Despite the reassurances, panic persisted in the community. Ibrahim Adamu, a resident of Laruta, expressed concern over the rapid spread of the illness. If this disease is airborne, it poses a serious threat to the entire state. We urgently appeal to authorities for intervention, he said. As investigations continue, health officials urged residents to prioritise hygiene and promptly seek medical attention for any unusual symptoms. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print The Nigerian military has announced the killing of the second-in-command to notorious terrorist Bello Turji. PREMIUM TIMES reports that Wednesdays announcement came a few days after the military announced the killing of Mr Turjis son in a separate attack on his hideout. Military spokesperson Edward Buba said Mr Turjis deputy, Aminu Kanawa, was killed in operations conducted on Monday and Tuesday. In his Wednesday statement, Mr Buba, an army major general, said 24 other terrorists were killed in the operations. Mr Buba said the operations were launched on Mr Turjis camps in Sokoto and Zamfara States, between Monday and Tuesday. The spokesperson said several of Mr Turjis key commanders, including Abu Dan Shehu, Jabbi Dogo, Dan Kane, Basiru Yellow, Kabiru Gebe, Bello Buba, and Dan Inna Kahon-Saniya-Yafi-Bahaushe, were killed in the operations. He said troops also inflicted injuries on some of Mr Turjis close allies, including Dosso (Mr Turjis younger brother) and Danbokolo (one of Mr Turjis closest allies). 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 Furthermore, troops neutralised over 24 fleeing terrorists from Turjis camp around Gebe and Isa Local Government Areas of Sokoto State, as well as around Gidan Rijiya in Shinkafi Local Government Area of Zamfara. Troops also neutralised another notable terrorist during the onslaught on Turjis enclave around Fakai high ground. He is identified as Suleiman and (is) a loyalist of late notorious terrorists leader, Halilu Sububu. The late Suleiman was leading a reinforcement team to rescue Bello Turjis camp, which was in disarray when he was eliminated during the firefight, he said. Mr Buba said the death of Mr Turjis second-in-command, close allies, commanders and combatants was a significant blow to his network in north-west Nigeria, where he operates. He said Mr Turjis group was responsible for numerous kidnappings and terror attacks across the zone, particularly in Zurmi, Shinkafi, Isa, and Sabon Birni Local Government Areas of Zamfara and Sokoto states. Overall, troops are not relenting until these terrorists are completely destroyed. Troops operations are aimed at creating an atmosphere of safety and security for all citizens, he added. Despite the militarys successes against terrorists in north-west Nigeria, Mr Turji has continued to evade the military. His attacks on communities in north-west Nigeria have caused the deaths of hundreds of people in recent years. However, the military has made killing or capturing him one of its main targets. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y., Jan. 23, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Taligence, a premier executive search firm specializing in marketing leadership hires, has partnered with Aspen Technology Labs, a global leader in labor market intelligence, to release the 2024 Year-End U.S. Marketing Jobs Report. Drawing from an extensive analysis of over 262,000 marketing job postings, this report uncovers critical shifts in hiring trends, including the growing demand for hybrid skill sets, evolving salary transparency practices, and emerging regional job market dynamics. With marketing roles becoming increasingly specialized and dual-function positions on the rise, this report offers essential insights for hiring managers, job seekers, and industry leaders navigating the evolving talent landscape. Released by Taligence and Aspen Technology Labs, the 2024 Year-End U.S. Marketing Jobs Report reveals resilient job growth, rising dual-function roles, and increased salary transparency. Entry- to mid-level hiring surged while executive salaries declined. Remote work stabilized, hiring accelerated, and demand for specialized marketing talent continued despite economic fluctuations. Our analysis currently focuses on marketing-specific, non-agency roles only. Key Findings from the Report: 1. Marketing Job Growth Shows Resilience Total active listings of marketing jobs in 2024 reached 262,020, among which 234,807 are new listings, marking a 3.7% increase compared to 2023. Active job listings at year-end rose 13.3% year-over-year, indicating continued demand despite economic fluctuations. However, Q4 experienced a decline in new job postings (-3.5%), as companies reassessed hiring priorities for 2025. 2. Increased Demand for Senior Marketing Talent Senior-level (director and above) new job postings rose 7.8% , outpacing overall marketing job growth. , outpacing overall marketing job growth. Year-end active senior marketing roles increased by 18.5% year-over-year. 3. Salary Transparency Gains Traction 45.6% of marketing job postings included salary information, an increase of 9.7 percentage points from 2023. of marketing job postings included salary information, from 2023. The median salary for marketing professionals reached $81,505 , an 8.7% year-over-year increase, significantly outpacing the national salary growth rate of 3.9% (BLS Employer Cost Index September 2024 ). 4. Entry- to Mid-level Hiring Grows, and Executive Salaries Decline Healthy Entry-Level Market : At year-end, 34.5% of marketing jobs were entry-level positions - up 14.7% year-over-year - with a median salary increase of 4.5%. : At year-end, 34.5% of marketing jobs were entry-level positions - - with a median salary increase of 4.5%. Specialist/Senior Associate roles saw the highest growth at 27.4% , with a 4.2% median salary increase. saw the highest growth at , with a 4.2% median salary increase. Group Director/Senior Director/VP positions also experienced strong demand, increasing 19.3% year-over-year. also experienced strong demand, increasing year-over-year. EVP/SVP roles saw the slowest growth at 8.5%, accompanied by a notable 14.8% decline in median salary. roles saw the accompanied by a in median salary. These trends counter fears that AI is eliminating roles, especially early career positions; instead, companies appear to be cutting costs at the very top of the ladder. 5. Remote Work Stabilized Amid Return-to-Office Trends Remote marketing jobs comprised 13.6% of all postings at year-end, fluctuating slightly between 12% and 15% throughout the year. of all postings at year-end, fluctuating slightly between throughout the year. Despite stabilization, a potential shift looms as companies increasingly push for in-office collaboration. 6. Hiring Speed Accelerates The average posting lifetime for marketing job vacancies dropped to 28 days, an 8-day reduction from 2023, signaling a more dynamic job market. 7. Rise of Dual Marketing Roles Dual-function marketing positions (e.g., PR and Brand) surged by 20.3%, outpacing the increase of total marketing jobs. This indicates that companies are collapsing structures, seeking employees who can wear multiple hats and be more versatile. 8. Growth in Key Marketing Disciplines The fastest-growing disciplines included Media (+55.9%) , Growth Marketing (+30.7%) , and Product Marketing (+28.7%) , highlighting an increased focus on digital advertising, customer acquisition, pragmatic paid media investments, and product-led growth strategies. , , and , highlighting an increased focus on digital advertising, customer acquisition, pragmatic paid media investments, and product-led growth strategies. In contrast, Partner/Channel Marketing (-11.7%) and Field Marketing (-10.1%) saw declines, signaling shifts away from traditional outreach strategies. and saw declines, signaling shifts away from traditional outreach strategies. Salaries in Product Marketing, Analytical Marketing, and Partner & Channel Marketing rank among the highest across all marketing disciplines. 9. Geographic Trends: Where Marketing Jobs Are Booming Top 10 Hiring States: California , New York , Texas , Florida , Illinois , Virginia , New Jersey , Georgia , Massachusetts , and Pennsylvania . , , , , , , , , , and . States with the fastest job growth: California (+25.4%), Florida (+21.5%), and Virginia (+19.3%). (+25.4%), (+21.5%), and (+19.3%). Salary growth was strongest in Virginia (+13.3%), Pennsylvania (+9.3%), and New York (+8.1%). For the full report, visit the Taligence website at: www.taligence.net/job-reports/2024-year-end "For all the buzz about AI disrupting entry-level marketing jobs, our latest report brings a welcome dose of reality those fears haven't materialized," said Michael Wright, CEO of Taligence. "Instead, demand remains robust across the ladder, with mid- to senior-level marketers particularly prized for their ability to zoom out strategically while dialing into the details. At the top, companies are squeezing budgets by asking for more and offering less, placing a premium on leadership that delivers both breadth and depth. Several trends we noticed from our Fall 2024 report continue to define the landscape: the rise of dual-marketing roles that blend once-separate functions, growing salary transparency - even in states where it's not mandated - sustained wage growth, and the dominance of just a handful of U.S. regions as powerhouses for marketing talent. Our year-in-review provides a data-driven lens to help companies refine their hiring strategies and give marketing professionals the insights they need to plan their careers with confidence." "The 2024 U.S. Marketing Jobs Report showcases the rapid evolution of the marketing industry and highlights the adaptability of this essential sector," said Aspen Tech Labs President and Founder, Michael Woodrow. "Despite economic fluctuations, marketing job postings have grown by 3.7%, and the increase in senior-level roles reflects the rising demand for strategic leadership and hybrid skill sets. This trend reaffirms the vital role marketing plays in driving the global economy. As the labor market becomes increasingly competitive, this report is a crucial resource for industry leaders seeking to navigate today's dynamic and ever-changing talent landscape." About Taligence LLC Taligence is an executive search and talent intelligence firm specializing in helping businesses find and hire top-tier marketing professionals. Our insights provide companies and talented people with the tools and connections they need to navigate today's complex job market. Learn more at www.taligence.net About Aspen Technology Labs, Inc. Aspen Technology Labs (Aspen) is a global leader in web data management services, labor market intelligence, and recruitment technology founded in 2008. The company is headquartered in Aspen, Colorado, and has teams throughout the U.S. and Europe. Aspen provides web scraping and data/analytics services for a wide variety of industries. Aspen's teams are constantly working to increase the number of companies and jobs in the database and to improve the quality and extraction of additional data. Aspen's JobMarketPulse is a powerful, real-time labor market intelligence tool that assists Aspen customers in staying in front of the challenging labor market. To learn more, visit AspenTechLabs.com. For media inquiries, contact: Taligence LLC Melody Liu [email protected] Aspen Technology Labs, Inc. Lana Shumyn [email protected] SOURCE Taligence LLC "With Montreal Bungee, we're bringing the excitement of bungee jumping into the heart of the city" says Samuel Cadotte Post this Perched at the Convoyeur Tower, the tallest urban jump in Canada awaits. At a jaw-dropping height of 210 feet, participants will take the plunge over the St. Lawrence River, surrounded by breathtaking views of downtown Montreal and the South Shore. From sunrise to nightfall, thrill-seekers can savor the rush, with evening jumps enhanced by state-of-the-art lighting that illuminates the city in all its glory. "We're thrilled to offer Montrealers and visitors alike an adventure like no other," says founder Samuel Cadotte, who introduced Canada's first urban zipline a decade ago. "With Montreal Bungee, we're bringing the excitement of bungee jumping into the heart of the city, offering accessibility and unforgettable scenery for everyone." A Perfect Blend of History and Innovation Housed in the restored 1957 Convoyeur Tower, Montreal Bungee celebrates the Old Port's industrial heritage while propelling it into the future. This $2.4 million project not only preserves the building's architectural charm but breathes new life into the site, creating a one-of-a-kind destination. The project, supported by Tourisme Montreal, the Ministry of Tourism, the Montreal Port Authority, and the Old Port of Montreal Corporation, will employ 30 people and operate year-round, March through December. The attraction's unique combination of accessibility, history, and unparalleled thrills is set to attract visitors from near and far. A Leap Toward the Future "This innovative addition cements the Old Port as a premier recreational destination," says Benoit Renaud, Principal Director of the Old Port of Montreal. Caroline Proulx, Minister of Tourism, adds, "Montreal Bungee enhances the city's allure, giving visitors yet another reason to stay longer and create lasting memories." "We are proud to have made a significant investment in Montreal Bungee, a one-of-a-kind attraction that adds a new dimension to the city's offer of bold and unique experiences," declared Yves Lalumiere, President and CEO of Tourisme Montreal. "After supporting MTL Zipline, we are thrilled to continue positioning Montreal as a must-visit destination for thrill-seekers. Furthermore, Montreal Bungee will help Montreal shine on the international stage with spectacular views of the city from above. Happy jumping, everyone!" Plan Your Jump Price : $179 per person : per person Schedule : Seven days a week, March to December : Seven days a week, March to December Location : Convoyeur Wharf, Old Port of Montreal : Convoyeur Wharf, Old Port of Eligibility: Ages 14+ (minors must be accompanied by an adult) Tickets are available at www.montrealbungee.com. Follow us on Instagram and Facebook @MontrealBungee for updates. Are you ready to take the plunge? SOURCE Montreal Bungee SAN JOSE, Calif., Jan. 22, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- In response to the devastating wildfires that have ravaged Southern California, Accion Opportunity Fund (AOF) is proud to announce the launch of the Rebuild Southern California Small Business Relief Fund. The fund aims to raise $100 million in philanthropic donations and debt capital to provide urgent financial relief and recovery resources for small businesses impacted by the fires. "Our hearts ache for the families and businesses affected by this tragedy," said Luz Urrutia, CEO of Accion Opportunity Fund. "These small business owners provide critical services to our communities, and many are now facing uncertain futures. We are committed to helping them in their recovery and rebuilding efforts." Supporting Small Businesses with Critical Resources AOF has long been a cornerstone of support for small businesses in and around Los Angeles, having invested over $174 million in more than 7,400 loans. Currently, AOF serves over 500 small business loan customers in Los Angeles County, many of whom are people of color (80%) and low-income (64%). These businesses provide essential services such as transportation, mobile food trucks, restaurants, childcare, beauty salons, and auto repair. Fund Details and Areas of Focus The Rebuild Southern California Small Business Relief Fund will focus on the following key areas: Loan payment relief for AOF borrowers, on a case by case and month by month basis, such as: skip a payment, payment deferment, or payment forgiveness, freeing up needed cash for other essential business and household uses. AOF will need philanthropy to absorb anticipated increased losses, ensuring we can help our borrowers. for AOF borrowers, on a case by case and month by month basis, such as: skip a payment, payment deferment, or payment forgiveness, freeing up needed cash for other essential business and household uses. AOF will need philanthropy to absorb anticipated increased losses, ensuring we can help our borrowers. Small business grants for businesses that were destroyed, lost all their revenues, and do not qualify for a loan. for businesses that were destroyed, lost all their revenues, and do not qualify for a loan. New loans at preferential rates and terms for businesses that need additional cash to survive. The type of loan provided will depend on the circumstances of each business. To reach new customers with capital, AOF will seek to expand partnerships in Southern California to collaborate with others in the small business support ecosystem. at preferential rates and terms for businesses that need additional cash to survive. The type of loan provided will depend on the circumstances of each business. To reach new customers with capital, AOF will seek to expand partnerships in to collaborate with others in the small business support ecosystem. Educational resources and technical assistance including business advising to help small business owners overcome the challenges they face as they navigate the road ahead. Call for Support AOF is seeding the fund with a minimum of $500,000 in existing philanthropic resources but needs the support of investors and donors to reach its $100 million goal in philanthropy and debt capital. Every dollar donated will help AOF extend $5 in loan capital to small business owners, providing a significant impact for businesses and the communities they serve. "We cannot rebuild Southern California's small business ecosystem without the help of a larger community of investors, donors, and partners," said Luz Urrutia. "This is a collective effort, and with your help, we will ensure that these businesses have the resources they need to rebuild and thrive." To make a donation or learn more about how you can contribute, please visit http://aofund.org/LA-small-biz-fire-relief-fund or contact [email protected]. SOURCE Accion Opportunity Fund REXBURG, Idaho, Jan. 23, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Activated Insights, a leading provider of technology and analytics solutions for the long-term and post-acute care industries, is proud to announce the winners of the prestigious 2025 Best of Home Care Awards. This year's award winners represent the highest standards of care in the home care industry, having demonstrated exceptional commitment to delivering outstanding services to both clients and their families. The Best of Home Care Awards, presented annually by Activated Insights, highlight the top-performing home care agencies based on a range of quality criteria, including caregiver performance, client satisfaction, and overall care experience. The Best of Home Care Awards, presented annually by Activated Insights, highlight the top-performing home care agencies based on a range of quality criteria, including caregiver performance, client satisfaction, and overall care experience. The 2025 Best of Home Care Awards include the following categories: Provider of Choice, Employer of Choice, Leader in Training, Leader in Experience, and Top 100 Leader in Experiencerecognizing the 100 agencies with the highest Overall Satisfaction (OSAT) scores in North America based on the results of providers' client and employee experience surveys. "Our mission at Activated Insights is to support providers with our applications that are informed with analytics to enhance and improve the care experience," said Bud Meadows, CEO of Activated Insights. "The 2025 Best of Home Care Award winners exemplify this mission by going above and beyond to provide compassionate, high-quality care in homes across the country. We are honored to celebrate their exceptional achievements and the positive impact they have on their communitiesthey truly set the bar for excellence in home care." The Best of Home Care Awards are based on feedback collected through Activated Insights' comprehensive survey platform, which gathers valuable insights directly from home care providers, clients and their families. The winners of this year's awards have shown excellence in key areas, such as: Caregiver Training & Recognition: Agencies that excel in providing consistent and compassionate care through a well-trained and motivated workforce. Agencies that excel in providing consistent and compassionate care through a well-trained and motivated workforce. Client Satisfaction : Agencies that consistently achieve high ratings in client satisfaction surveys, demonstrating their commitment to exceeding client expectations. : Agencies that consistently achieve high ratings in client satisfaction surveys, demonstrating their commitment to exceeding client expectations. Quality of Care: Agencies that offer exceptional services that meet the highest industry standards and best practices. This year's winners come from a diverse range of home care agencies, representing different regions and sizes of operations. Their achievements reflect the growing importance of quality care in the home care sector, as well as the dedication and professionalism of their caregivers and staff. The full list of the 2025 Best of Home Care Award winners will be available on Activated Insights' website on January 23, 2025. To learn more about the awards, please visit: Activated Insights Awards. About Activated Insights Activated Insights enables long-term care and post-acute care providers to optimize every interaction with employees and clients. By offering comprehensive capabilities in recruitment, training, retention, and experience management, we enable organizations to enhance care quality and boost employee engagement. Our data-driven approach, including industry benchmarking and recognition programs, helps providers improve satisfaction, reduce turnover, and achieve operational excellence. Activated Insights is dedicated to elevating the care experience across the continuum of home-based, senior living, to post-acute care. Media Contact John Porricolo [email protected] 813-548-6454 SOURCE Activated Insights HOUSTON, Jan. 23, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- AEX Convention Services, a leading General Services Contractor (GSC) in the events industry, announces the appointment of Michayla Shields and Chad Wright as Account Managers, expanding its national footprint and enhancing client service capabilities. AEX Convention Services Strengthens National Presence with Two Strategic Account Management Hires Shields, operating from Indiana, joins AEX with five years of comprehensive event industry experience encompassing corporate meetings and large-scale conventions. Her dynamic approach to client relationships and proven track record in event execution align with AEX's commitment to excellence. "I'm thrilled to join a team that shares my passion for creating extraordinary events," said Shields. Wright, based in South Carolina, brings dual expertise as both a seasoned project manager and skilled trade carpenter. His 15-year background spans the tech and construction industries, including commercial and luxury residential projects nationwide. "I'm excited to leverage my hands-on experience and strategic planning skills to create innovative solutions for AEX clients," said Wright. Chris Revelle, Account Management Director at AEX, emphasized the strategic importance of these appointments: "Chad and Michayla's diverse skill sets strengthen our ability to deliver exceptional client experiences nationwide. Their addition reflects our commitment to building a team that combines practical expertise with innovative thinking." This expansion enhances AEX's capacity to provide tailored solutions and superior service to clients across the country, reinforcing its position as an industry leader in event services. About AEX Convention Services For over half a century, AEX Convention Services has set the standard of excellence in general service contracting. From its origins as a family-owned business at the iconic New York Coliseum to serving events nationwide, AEX has built a reputation for its 'Personal Advantage' a commitment to personalized care, uncompromising quality, and creative solutions. Today, AEX leads the industry with its innovative SpaceScapes approach, crafting immersive environments that blend physical layouts, atmospheric elements, and experiential components to elevate events of all complexities and sizes. By focusing on creativity, precision, and client-first service, AEX transforms ordinary spaces into extraordinary experiences. Learn more at aexservices.com and follow us at AEX Convention Services. SOURCE AEX Convention Services The board of Thailands National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) has reportedly approved draft rules that would require telcos to add biometrics to their SIM card registration processes. According to a report in the Bangkok Post on Thursday, the new rules which will update the 2019 rules for SIM card registration systems will authorise telcos to collect biometric data to be applied to SIM registration. The NBTC said the new rules are meant to combat online fraud and voice spam by preventing the creation of mule accounts that are used to launder money or perpetuate scams. NBTC commissioner Pol Gen Nathathorn Prousoontorn said biometrics would prevent fraudulent registrations in which people use fake, edited or outdated photos to register for SIM cards, the report said. Nathathorn added that mobile operators will have 180 days to provide biometric systems for new SIM card registrations via their registration channels and customer service shops once the rules are in force. The NBTC board plans to discuss the measures in more detail before finalising them. Nathathorn noted that while some telcos already use biometrics in some form, the NBTC wants them to either upgrade those systems or adopt a system similar to those used by mobile banking services, the report added. The NBTC didnt specify what kind of biometrics should be adopted, but facial recognition is the most likely candidate, as banks in Thailand currently use facial recognition for mobile banking apps. Telcos in other parts of the world have also adopted facial recognition for SIM registrations. In Indonesia, for example, XL Axiata and Telkomsel implemented facial recognition tech into their prepaid SIM registration processes late last year as a measure to combat fraud and elevate Know Your Customer (KYC) standards. That said, biometric systems also pose serious challenges related to data privacy and protection. In 2023, the Communications Regulatory Authority of Namibia (CRAN) scrapped a plan to require telcos to collect biometric data for SIM card registrations after deciding Namibia didnt have a sufficient data protection legislative framework to allay public concerns over collection and storage of biometric data. Meanwhile, the NBTCs draft rules also impose new limits for SIM cards purchased by foreigners. Under the new rules, foreigners can buy a maximum of three SIMs per person per service provider, the Post reported. The NBTC also resolved to ask telcos to limit the validity of SIMs used by foreigners to 60 days. DAVOS, Switzerland, Jan. 23, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Whiteshield released the 9th edition of the Global Labour Resilience Index (GLRI) in collaboration with Google Cloud, in an exclusive event held on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum (WEF) Annual Meeting in Davos. Published in partnership with the Community of European Management Schools (CEMS) and drawing on a decade of data covering over 70 indicators, the report reveals important insights into how 118 nations respond and adapt their labour markets to different types of external shocks, including the rise of AI. The report finds that while some countries are well positioned to capitalize on AI, a majority are at risk of falling behind. The event, titled, "The Transformative Impact of AI on Global Economies & Labour Markets," was chaired by Nobel Laureate Sir Christopher Pissarides, Special Advisor and Director at Whiteshield, alongside Anna Koivuniemi, Head of Google DeepMind Impact Accelerator, and brought together more than 50 senior policymakers, CEOs, academics and international organizations. The report highlights that the most resilient labour markets combine traditional labour policies with strategic investments in AI and personalized, data-driven strategies. Leading the 2025 GLRI rankings are the United States and Singapore, recognized for their strong entrepreneurial ecosystems, flexible labour markets, and leadership in AI adoption and innovation. Sweden follows closely, demonstrating resilience through substantial investments in education and R&D. Notably, some countries in South Asia and the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region have shown significant advancements, with India, the UAE, and Saudi Arabia benefiting the most from AI investments. The Impact of AI on Labour Markets: Opportunities and Challenges The rapid evolution of AI presents both significant opportunities and challenges for the global workforce. AI has the potential to boost workforce availability, quality, and efficiency, leading to the emergence of new skilled occupations such as AI data architects, human-AI interaction designers, and AI ethics officers. However, the impact of AI on labour markets also raises concerns about job insecurity, displacement, and increased wage inequality. Proactive and forward-looking policies are crucial to ensure labour markets remain resilient, adaptable, and capable of distributing AI's benefits equitably across society. Key Findings of the GLRI: According to the GLRI report, the US leads in AI investment and innovation, boasting 60% of global AI investments over the last ten years and a quarter of the world's AI startups. America's success is attributed to integrating innovation with economic flexibility to foster dynamic job creation, with California, Massachusetts, and Washington identified among the front running states. Rising inequality, both between and within countries, is identified as a major challenge exacerbated by AI that will need to be addressed with appropriate policies. The gap between top-performing and lower-ranking countries has widened, with Sub-Saharan Africa particularly at risk. European countries, including the UK and Germany, hold six of the top 10 positions, showcasing strong overall performance. However, some, like Denmark, Austria, and Luxembourg, are slipping, having dropped out of the top 10. The report outlines three approaches to labour market resilience: the "Traditional Pathway" (e.g., Sweden, Norway, Netherlands) emphasizing robust social safety nets, education, and stable economic policies; the "AI and Innovation-Driven Pathway" (e.g., the US) prioritizing a dynamic, entrepreneurial environment with a strong focus on R&D, especially in AI; and the "Blended Pathway" (e.g., Singapore) combining traditional strengths like strong governance with strategic AI investments. The GLRI emphasizes a shift from "one-size-fits-all" to personalized, citizen-centric policies enabled by AI, big data, and advanced analytics. It also highlights the use of AI, blockchain, and IoT across the labour lifecycle, from education and job searching to workforce productivity and lifelong learning. Regional Performance Highlights: Europe demonstrates significant labour market resilience, with six of the top ten most resilient economies. However, significant disparities exist. Northern and Western European nations consistently outperform others, often surpassing North American benchmarks, while Eastern and Southern European countries generally show lower resilience. Over 80% of European nations rank in the global top 50 for overall labour market resilience, but this masks variations. For example, Germany (5th globally) excels in AI integration, while Moldova (113th) lags significantly. Europe leads in adaptive resilience, with 80% of countries maintaining strong performance in AI regulation, penetration, and entrepreneurship, yet nearly one-third rank outside the global top 50 in transformative capacity. Sub-Saharan Africa remains in last place among regional rankings, facing persistent challenges across all dimensions of labour market resilience. The region includes 12 of the 20 lowest-ranked countries globally, with the lowest scores in both traditional and AI-related metrics. Despite this, the region's young and rapidly growing population offers significant potential for an AI-driven leap in labour resilience. Six of the top 10 countries globally for demographic potential are in this region. However, most Sub-Saharan economies suffer from structural and policy gaps, hindering their ability to harness this potential. Challenges include labour protection, inclusiveness policies, education, and training. The Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, ranking fourth globally among different regions, presenting a complex and varied landscape. While showing progress overall, significant disparities persist between GCC and non-GCC countries in labour market resilience. The region demonstrates strength in AI-related metrics and strategic AI investments, but nearly half of its countries lag in AI cyclical adaptive resilience, reflecting challenges in AI penetration and entrepreneurship. Despite these weaknesses, over half of the region's countries rank in the top 50 for transformative capacity, providing a strong foundation for harnessing the potential for AI. The Asia-Pacific (APAC) region maintains its third-place ranking, with a balanced performance and approximately two-thirds of its countries in the top 50 globally. Leading economies like Singapore (1st regionally, 2nd globally), China (2nd regionally), and South Korea excel in AI and technology. Singapore is a global leader in governance, business environment, and digital skills, also ranking highly in AI entrepreneurship and investment. China leads in firm-level AI adoption and ranks among the top three in AI equipment capacity and research, though lower scores in governance and institutional capacity hinder its overall performance. Japan (17th globally) shows strong AI capabilities, while New Zealand and Australia's high rankings are primarily due to traditional economic strengths. In a comment about the transformative role of AI, Karan Bhatia, Google's Global Head of Government Affairs & Public Policy said, "As AI reshapes the global workforce, the GLRI offers a roadmap for countries to navigate this new era. It highlights pathways for inclusive, forward-looking policies that will not only address the challenges of automation but also harness the potential of AI to create opportunities for all." "As AI continues to transform industries, the GLRI 2025 highlights the urgency for governments, businesses, and individuals to build resilient labour markets," stated Sir Christopher Pissarides. "This year's report provides actionable insights to address the challenges of technological disruption, economic inequalities, and global crises, ensuring inclusive and sustainable economic growth. By understanding how labour markets adapt and evolve, we can drive innovation and create opportunities that benefit everyone." The Call to Action: The GLRI concludes with a call to action for policymakers to proactively shape the future of labour markets by embracing AI-driven, personalized strategies and investing in digital infrastructure and literacy. The report stresses the urgency of this shift, highlighting the substantial costs of inaction, including growing inequality, displacement of vulnerable populations, and missed opportunities for sustainable growth. The time is now to move from reactive measures to proactive strategies that harness the transformative potential of AI for the benefit of all. The full report can be accessed at https://whiteshield.ai/insights/resilience-of-jobs/whiteshield-google-davos-2025/ About Whiteshield: Whiteshield is a global public policy and AI economics firm known for their ability to respond to global challenges rapidly and incisively. By integrating public policy and AI economics expertise with cutting edge tools and technology, our team of leading international experts engage decision makers to tackle society's most significant challenges. Whiteshield is recognized for rapid decision support, innovative solutions, data science algorithms, and deep policy knowledge. Their specialty is in connecting the dots between policy, business, and enhancing the lives of citizens. About Google Cloud: Google Cloud is the new way to the cloud, providing AI, infrastructure, developer, data, security, and collaboration tools built for today and tomorrow. Google Cloud offers a powerful, fully integrated and optimized AI stack with its own planet-scale infrastructure, custom-built chips, generative AI models and development platform, as well as AI-powered applications, to help organizations transform. Customers in more than 200 countries and territories turn to Google Cloud as their trusted technology partner. SOURCE Whiteshield COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo., Jan. 23, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Aleut Aerospace Engineering LLC (Aleut), a subsidiary of Aleut Federal and Small Disadvantaged Business, announces its selection as a contractor on SeaPort Next Generation (SeaPort NxG), the U.S. Navy's premier vehicle for professional support services. This multiple-award, indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity (IDIQ) contract is valued at $50 billion and spans a five-year base period with an additional five-year option. "Our selection for the SeaPort NxG IDIQ contract vehicle allows us to deliver innovative engineering, information technology (IT), and program management services to support the Department of the Navy and the Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA)," said Geoff Vaughan, Senior Vice President of Mission & Technology Services. "As an Alaska Native corporation, this opportunity not only drives growth but creates meaningful benefits for our shareholders." SeaPort NxG enables Aleut to compete for task orders supporting a wide range of Navy and U.S. Marine Corps (USMC) programs including the Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR), the Naval Information Warfare Systems Command (NAVWAR), the Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command (NAVFAC), the Naval Supply Systems Command (NAVSUP), the Office of Naval Research (ONR), and the Military Sealift Command (MSC). Focused on fostering small business participation, the contract streamlines the acquisition of critical services in two primary categories: Engineering Support Services and Program Management Support Services, which are further divided into 23 functional areas. This milestone positions Aleut to contribute significantly to the Navy's evolving needs while leveraging its expertise to deliver impactful solutions. "Our inclusion on SeaPort NxG is a proud moment for Aleut," Vaughan added. "We're excited to partner with the Navy to advance its mission and deliver value for both the military and our shareholders." ABOUT ALEUT Aleut Aerospace Engineering LLC (Aleut) is Small Disadvantaged Business specializing in delivering professional development and training, engineering, and technical support services, including research and development, testing and evaluation (RDT&E), technical operations, and strategic services to federal agencies. Aleut holds an ISO 9001:2015 certification and functions as a wholly owned subsidiary of Aleut Federal, a holding company for the federal subsidiaries of The Aleut Corporation. Established under the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act (ANCSA) of 1971, The Aleut Corporation is one of 12 original regional Alaska Native corporations. Aleut Federal's diversified portfolio includes Small Business Administration (SBA) 8(a) certified and Small Disadvantaged Business (SDB) subsidiaries, offering specialized capabilities to meet the diverse needs of federal clients. Berlyn Martin Aleut Federal, LLC Phone: 586-337-5828 SOURCE Aleut Federal, LLC NEW YORK, Jan. 23, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, Inc., an American company at the forefront of innovation, today received the 2024 Tell Award from Ambassador Niculin Jaeger, Consul General of Switzerland, and Artur Czerniejewski, Director of the Swiss Business Hub USA, in a ceremony highlighting the close ties between Switzerland and the U.S. in innovation and investments. Alnylam Tell Award With its International Headquarters in Zug, Switzerland, Alnylam has become a key part of the Swiss biotech environment. Alnylam has led the translation of RNA interference into a class of innovative medicines with the potential to transform the lives of people afflicted with rare and prevalent diseases with unmet need. "Switzerland and the U.S. are tightly connected through intensive cross-border investments that grow every year. We are delighted to honor Alnylam, a company that exemplifies our shared values of quality and innovation," notes Ambassador Jaeger. "Zug offers Alnylam an unrivalled biotech talent base to lead and expand our international cross-functional operations, as we grow rapidly towards our ambition to become a top tier biotech by the end of 2025," said Kasha Witkos, Alnylam's SVP, Head of International and TTR Lead. "Combined with Switzerland's strong heritage in scientific innovation and favorable business environment, Alnylam's presence here is vital to ensure we can continue to serve patients in need, both now and in the future." Swiss-U.S. Business Relations Talking to Alnylam's Chief Financial Officer, Jeff Poulton, and other senior executives, Daniel Bangser, Trade Commissioner of Switzerland, laid out the importance of Swiss-U.S. business relations at the ceremony. Switzerland is the 7th largest destination for FDI by American companies expanding internationally, driven by factors such as stability, talent, a business-friendly environment, high quality of life, and a central location in Europe. Swiss companies are the #1 foreign investors in Research and Development (R&D) in the U.S., and overall are the 6th largest source of FDI in the U.S., creating of 500'000 jobs, far ahead of much larger countries. The Tell award recognizes the role of U.S. companies in contributing to the economic cooperation between Switzerland and the U.S. Alnylam joins the ranks of nearly 60 American companies that have received this prestigious award since 2005, including such notables as Moderna, Google, and P&G. Expanding to Europe? Let us help: www.s-ge.com/en/sbh Follow Swiss Business Hub USA on LinkedIn and X Follow the Consulate General of Switzerland on Facebook and X More info: Swiss Impact USA swissimpactusa.com Swiss Economic impact in the US: swiss-economic-impact.com SOURCE Swiss Business Hub USA AUSTIN, Texas, Jan. 23, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The American Association of Nurse Practitioners (AANP) and nurse practitioners (NPs) worldwide are deeply saddened by the passing of Dr. Loretta C. Ford, EdD, RN, PNP, FAAN, FAANP. Ford, an internationally acclaimed nurse, innovator, educator and author, passed away on Jan. 22, at her home in Florida. She was 104 years old. Her legacy in co-founding the NP role in 1965 has left an indelible mark on the world, improving health care delivery and accessibility for patients globally. Dr. Loretta Ford, EdD, RN, PNP, NP-C, CRNP, FAAN, FAANP, "Dr. Ford's vision, determination and transformational leadership have enriched nursing opportunities and significantly improved patient health worldwide," said AANP President Stephen A. Ferrara, DNP. "Her legacy lives on through the more than 385,000 NPs licensed in the United States and their international colleagues, who provide comprehensive, high-quality, patient-centered care. Dr. Ford's contributions to health care will be remembered and cherished always. She was truly one of the legends of nursing." Ford's career began as a public health nurse in rural Colorado during the 1940s and 1950s, where she recognized the pressing need for health care in underserved communities. In 1965, Ford collaborated with pediatrician Henry K. Silver, M.D., to establish the first NP program at the University of Colorado, pioneering a new era in health care delivery. Following her semi-retirement in 1985 from her position as dean and professor emerita at the University of Rochester, Ford remained an esteemed consultant and lecturer, advocating tirelessly for the NP community. Among her numerous accolades, Ford was honored with the U.S. Surgeon General's Medallion in 2020, a testament to her exceptional contributions to public health and medicine. "Dr. Ford was everything that one would expect from a trailblazer, thought leader and compassionate NP," said AANP CEO Jon D. Fanning, MS, CAE, CNED. "She made everyone she interacted with feel special, and her words of wisdom were legendary. As we mourn the loss, we also celebrate the time we had with this nursing icon. She will be missed but never forgotten." Ford's legacy extends beyond her professional achievements; she will be remembered as an innovator, friend and mentor to many in the nursing community. Her words continue to inspire future generations of NPs. "As nurses, we have a unique opportunity to make a difference in the lives of others every single day," Ford once said. "We must constantly seek new ways to improve patient care and outcomes." As the nursing community mourns the loss of Dr. Ford, her visionary leadership and unwavering commitment to health care will continue to guide and inspire generations of NPs worldwide. Memorial service arrangements are still being finalized and will be shared as soon as they are available. The American Association of Nurse Practitioners (AANP) is the largest professional membership organization for nurse practitioners (NPs) of all specialties. It represents the interests of the more than 385,000 licensed NPs in the U.S. AANP provides legislative leadership at the local, state and national levels, advancing health policy; promoting excellence in practice, education and research; and establishing standards that best serve NPs' patients and other health care consumers. As The Voice of the Nurse Practitioner, AANP represents the interests of NPs as providers of high-quality, cost-effective, comprehensive, patient-centered health care. To locate an NP in your community, visit npfinder.com . For more information about NPs, visit aanp.org . SOURCE American Association of Nurse Practitioners (AANP) New Partnership Simplifies HIPAA Compliance for Medical Practice Clients FORT WORTH, Texas , Jan. 23, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- American Business Systems (ABS), a leader in the medical billing industry that assists aspiring entrepreneurs in establishing their own medical billing businesses, has partnered with Abyde, a technology company specializing in automated HIPAA and OSHA compliance software. The cloud-based, automated HIPAA compliance platform offers private medical practice clients proactive compliance management, personalized guidance during audits, and expert incident response for issues such as data breaches and patient complaints. "We are thrilled to announce our new partnership with Abyde, a leader in the compliance industry. This collaboration demonstrates our commitment to providing our owners and their physician clients with cutting-edge technology and turnkey services. By integrating Abyde's software and services into our compliance offering, we're mitigating the risks that our private practice clients face regarding potential HIPAA violations. Such violations can result in costly penalties and significant challenges," said Adam Phillip, Chief Executive Officer of ABS. "Partnering with American Business Systems is incredibly exciting. By combining their expertise with Abyde's revolutionary compliance platform, we will empower healthcare practices of all sizes to navigate the complexities of HIPAA regulations with ease, ensuring they achieve and maintain compliance seamlessly," said Abyde's Chief Revenue Officer Chris Wheaton. The collaboration comes at a critical juncture. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights (OCR) has initiated another round of audits of HIPAA-regulated entities, which will continue through the end of 2025. "These audits can assist regulated entities in improving their HIPAA compliance and their protection of health information," said Melanie Fontes Rainer, OCR Director. The most recent round of audits conducted in 2016-2017 revealed alarming compliance gaps among covered entities (CEs) and business associates (BAs). Regulatory attorney Paul Hales of Hales Law Group noted that "86% of CEs and 83% of BAs failed the risk analysis audit, and 94% of CEs and 88% of BAs failed the risk management audit." The compliance platform helps ensure that HIPAA-regulated entities remain compliant and protected. Abyde has a flawless record in HIPAA investigations, with no practice using their platform ever incurring penalties from an OCR HIPAA compliance audit. ABS' Abyde-supported compliance package is available to their licensees' private medical practice clients starting in January 2025. For more information about ABS, visit www.absystems.com. SOURCE American Business Systems, LLC FAIRFIELD, N.J. , Jan. 23, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, American Liver Foundation (ALF) and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and Veteran Health Administration (VHA) are excited to announce a partnership to help Veterans who are either at risk or living with liver disease. It's estimated that roughly 100,000 Veterans with cirrhosis receive care in the VA every year and over 2,000 of these Veterans are diagnosed annually with liver cancer. This partnership aims to increase awareness of liver health through a dedicated Veterans resource page on the ALF website and providing VA health care providers with the resources needed to offer Veterans and their caregivers support, plus much more. Advanced liver disease is preventable, and survival is prolonged by decades with early detection and treatment. "Everyone deserves optimal liver health, particularly Veterans who risk their lives to serve around the world to protect and defend the United States, its citizens and interest worldwide," said Lorraine Stiehl, CEO of the American Liver Foundation. "This exciting partnership with VA and VHA represents an opportunity to increase access to quality health care services, provide educational resources and programming for Veterans as well as enhance overall support to Veterans and their caregivers." This partnership is an opportunity to increase access to quality health care services and enhance support to Veterans! Post this Through this partnership, ALF will also create a Veterans channel/playlist on YouTube, distribute educational materials to inform Veterans and increase their engagement in their own liver health and liver disease care as well as share ALF programming such as Think Liver Think Life, World Liver Day, World Hepatitis Day, Liver Cancer Awareness Month and other liver health educational events, special awareness months, and resources. ALF will ensure that Veterans receive quality health care resources that improve their quality of life, particularly for those Veterans at risk for or living with liver disease (e.g. viral hepatitis, liver cancer, rare liver conditions). "We're thrilled to enter this partnership with ALF that will enhance the quality of health care and support provided to Veterans," said Dr. Tamar Taddei, Chief of Gastroenterology at VA Connecticut Healthcare System, Professor of Medicine (Digestive Diseases) and Vice Chief of Faculty Development at Yale School of Medicine. "The VA has had tremendous success in treating hepatitis C, but many Veterans who harbored this virus for decades until treatment also struggle with Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Steatotic Liver Disease (MASLD) from excess weight, diabetes, and hyperlipidemia. Therefore, it's vitally important and included in VHA's policy to develop and maintain responsible and productive partnerships with non-governmental organizations. These partnerships help build capacity and create platforms for sharing resources across many social determinants of health (SDOH) to better serve Veterans, their families, caregivers, survivors, and other beneficiaries." Both VHA and ALF have shared goals to support Veterans diagnosed or undiagnosed with liver disease by raising awareness and empowering Veterans to live healthier lives through education, early diagnosis, and referrals for appropriate treatment. Veterans with risk factors for MASLD who are identified in the early stages of liver disease, when it is reversible, can achieve optimal liver health with improved health care support. Together, we seek to ensure equitable access to information, support, care, and other services for all Veterans, particularly those from under-represented or underserved communities or groups. "Through this partnership with ALF, we'll be able to better educate and ultimately care for Veterans who have liver disease or are at risk of liver disease," said Director of VA's National Liver Disease Program, Dr. Timothy Morgan. "We look forward to working with ALF to help the more than 4 million Veterans with risk factors for liver disease." To learn more about ALF research, resources and programs, please visit www.liverfoundation.org and for more information about VHA, go to www.va.gov/health. Join our mailing list to receive updates on ALF initiatives: https://liverfoundation.org/join-our-mail-list/ About the American Liver Foundation American Liver Foundation (ALF) is a national community of patients, caregivers and medical professionals dedicated to helping people improve their liver health. Providing guidance and life-saving resources, we are a beacon for the 100 million Americans affected by liver disease. We advocate for patients and families, fund medical research and educate the public about liver wellness and disease prevention. We bring people together through our educational programs and events and create a network of support that lasts a lifetime. ALF is the largest organization focused on all liver diseases and the trusted voice for patients and families living with liver disease. For more information visit www.liverfoundation.org or call: 1 800 GO LIVER (800-465-4837). About the Veteran Health Administration : Educating Veterans is a critical step toward preventing and improving care for liver disease. Current data suggests that more than 30% of Veterans receiving VA care have risk factors of metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (formerly known as non-alcoholic fatty liver disease), and VA is determined to provide these Veterans with the world-class health care that they have earned and deserve. For more information visit www.va.gov/health. SOURCE American Liver Foundation Robert Amsterdam says it is not too late to hold Georgia accountable for violations of rule of law. LONDON, Jan. 22, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Robert Amsterdam, the founding partner of Amsterdam & Partners LLP, has denounced the former Georgian Prime Minister Bidzina Ivanishvili ahead of the January 23 trial phase of court hearings against his client, George Bachiashvili. The criminal case being brought against Bachiashvili relates to allegations of misappropriation and legalization of unlawful income. However, Amsterdam argues that Bachiashvili had fully repaid the 2015 loan to Cartu Bank, owned by Ivanishvili, and has documentation to prove it. Cover illustration by Rob Dobi "There is no doubt that this show trial against Bachiashvili is taking place outside the rule of law, in violation of Georgian and international law, at the behest of the sanctioned oligarch Bidzina Ivanishvili," said Amsterdam. "It is not too late for Western governments to take action against Ivanishvili with strengthened sanctions. Our firm is focusing on his French citizenship and working with an international team to explore all actions to hold him accountable." Ahead of the trial hearing, Amsterdam & Partners is publishing a new paper, "Countdown: How to Hold Bidzina Ivanishvili Accountable for his Assault on Democracy, His Kleptocratic Theft of Georgia's Euro-Atlantic Future, and the Show Trial against George Bachiashvili." The paper, which serves as an afterword to the May 2024 white paper on the Bachiashvili case, contains testimony from former members of the Georgian judiciary who accuse Ivanishvili of manipulating the judicial system for his own private interests, including via the so-called "Clan of Judges," who were sanctioned by the US government in 2023. "There is still time to take effective action against Ivanishvili and persuade him to change course allow oxygen back into Georgia's democracy and judicial system," Amsterdam writes in the paper. "His blatant and unrestrained manipulations of the judicial system to benefit his own personal enrichment represents the ultimate betrayal of public trust, deserving of the strongest penalties." "Countdown" can be downloaded at www.bidzinaslaw.com and more information about the firm is available at www.amsterdamandpartners.com. James Kimer Press representative Media Theory [email protected] This release was issued through WebWire. For more information, visit http://www.webwire.com. SOURCE Amsterdam & Partners LLP Dr. Ratz joins Neurocrine after a 28-year career at Eli Lilly and Company, where he contributed to the development and successful registration of more than 25 products across multiple therapeutic areas and molecule modalities. Most recently, he served as Lilly's Senior Vice President and Head of the Drug Delivery, Device and Connected Solutions organization. He led the integrated design and development of devices, drug-device combination products, and packaging systems for both the biotech and small molecule portfolios. Prior to that, Dr. Ratz was Senior Director of Process Chemistry and Chemical Engineering and Head of Global Outsourcing for Lilly's small molecule portfolio. "Andy brings unparalleled leadership and experience to Neurocrine's R&D team," Neurocrine Biosciences Chief Scientific Officer Jude Onyia, Ph.D., said. "He joins at a critical and exciting time for the company as we seek to discover and develop the next generation of treatments for patients with great needs." "My love of science, coupled with a passion for helping people, has always driven my professional journey," Dr. Ratz said. "The opportunity to be part of Neurocrine, where innovation meets a commitment to improving lives, is truly inspiring. I am excited to contribute to the groundbreaking work being done here and to make a lasting impact on patients' lives through science and discovery." Dr. Ratz received a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemistry from Indiana University and earned his Ph.D. in Chemistry from Harvard University. About Neurocrine Biosciences, Inc. Neurocrine Biosciences is a leading neuroscience-focused, biopharmaceutical company with a simple purpose: to relieve suffering for people with great needs. We are dedicated to discovering and developing life-changing treatments for patients with under-addressed neurological, neuroendocrine and neuropsychiatric disorders. The company's diverse portfolio includes FDA-approved treatments for tardive dyskinesia, chorea associated with Huntington's disease, classic congenital adrenal hyperplasia, endometriosis* and uterine fibroids,* as well as a robust pipeline including multiple compounds in mid- to late-phase clinical development across our core therapeutic areas. For three decades, we have applied our unique insight into neuroscience and the interconnections between brain and body systems to treat complex conditions. We relentlessly pursue medicines to ease the burden of debilitating diseases and disorders, because you deserve brave science. For more information, visit neurocrine.com, and follow the company on LinkedIn, X (formerly Twitter) and Facebook. (*in collaboration with AbbVie) The NEUROCRINE BIOSCIENCES Logo Lockup and YOU DESERVE BRAVE SCIENCE are registered trademarks of Neurocrine Biosciences, Inc. SOURCE Neurocrine Biosciences, Inc. LIMA, Peru, Jan. 23, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Compania de Minas Buenaventura S.A.A. (" Buenaventura ") (NYSE: BVN) announced today that it has commenced a cash tender offer (the " Tender Offer ") for any and all of its outstanding 5.500% Senior Notes due 2026 (the " Notes "). The following table sets forth the material pricing terms of the Tender Offer: Title of Security CUSIP / ISIN Principal Amount Outstanding Purchase Price (1) 5.500% Senior Notes due 2026 144A: 20448 AA2 / US20448AA22 Regulation S: P6680P AA9 / USP6680PAA95 US$550,000,000 US$1,000 __________________ (1) The amount to be paid for each US$1,000 principal amount of Notes validly tendered and accepted for purchase. In addition, accrued interest up to, but excluding, the settlement date (" Accrued Interest ") will be paid. The Tender Offer is scheduled to expire at 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on January 29, 2025, unless extended or earlier terminated as described in this press release (such time and date, as may be extended or terminated earlier, the "Expiration Time"). Holders of Notes who (i) validly tender their Notes, at or prior to the Expiration Time, and not validly withdraw their Notes, at or prior to 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on January 29, 2025 (the "Withdrawal Deadline"), unless the Expiration Time is extended or earlier terminated, or (ii) (a) deliver a properly completed and duly executed notice of guaranteed delivery (as it may be amended or supplemented, the "Notice of Guaranteed Delivery"), at or prior to the Expiration Time and (b) validly tender their notes at or prior to 5:00 p.m. New York City time, on January 31, 2025, the second business day after the scheduled Expiration Time (the "Guaranteed Delivery Expiration Time") using the guaranteed delivery procedures described in the Offer to Purchase (as defined below), to be eligible to receive the purchase price set forth in the table above for each US$1,000 principal amount of Notes validly tendered and accepted for purchase, plus Accrued Interest. Validly tendered Notes may be validly withdrawn at any time at or prior to the Withdrawal Deadline, unless extended or earlier terminated as described below, but not thereafter. Buenaventura's obligation to purchase Notes validly tendered pursuant to the Tender Offer is subject to the satisfaction of certain conditions set forth in the Offer to Purchase, dated January 23, 2025 (the "Offer to Purchase"), including but not limited to the completion of a new notes offering, which will be exempt from the registration requirements of the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "New Notes Offering"), such that Buenaventura receives sufficient funds from such offering to meet its obligations in connection with the Tender Offer. No assurance can be given that the New Notes Offering will be priced or settled successfully. However, the Tender Offer is not contingent upon the tender of any minimum principal amount of Notes being tendered. Buenaventura expressly reserves the right, in its sole discretion and subject to applicable law, to (i) extend the Expiration Time to later dates and times, (ii) waive any or all conditions to the Tender Offer or (iii) terminate or otherwise amend the Tender Offer to the extent any or all conditions to the Tender Offer are not satisfied. If the Tender Offer is terminated, withdrawn, or otherwise not consummated at any time, Notes tendered will be promptly returned to the tendering holders without compensation or cost to such holders and will remain outstanding. Buenaventura and its affiliates reserve the absolute right, in their sole discretion, from time to time to redeem or purchase any Notes that remain outstanding after the Expiration Time through open market purchases, privately negotiated transactions, tender offers, exchange offers or otherwise, upon such terms and at such prices as they may determine, which may be more or less than the price to be paid pursuant to the Tender Offer. Settlement of the Tender Offer is expected to occur on the fourth business day following the Expiration Time, unless the Tender Offer is terminated prior to such date. Tendered Notes may be withdrawn at any time at or prior to the earlier of the Withdrawal Deadline and, in the event that the Tender Offer is extended, the tenth business day after commencement of the Tender Offer. Tendered Notes may be withdrawn at any time after the 60th business day after commencement of the Tender Offer if for any reason the Tender Offer has not been consummated within 60 business days after commencement. Upon the terms and subject to the conditions of the Tender Offer set forth in the Offer to Purchase, all Notes validly tendered and not validly withdrawn or with respect to which a properly completed and duly executed Notice of Guaranteed Delivery (as described in the Offer to Purchase) is delivered at or prior to the Expiration Time, as applicable, will be accepted for purchase. The complete terms and conditions of the Tender Offer are described in the Offer to Purchase and the Notice of Guaranteed Delivery, copies of which may be obtained from D.F. King & Co., Inc., the tender agent and information agent (the " Tender Agent and Information Agent ") for the Tender Offer, at www.dfking.com/buenaventura, by telephone at +1 (800) 370-1749 (U.S. toll free) or +1 (212) 269-5550 (collect), or by email to [email protected]. Buenaventura has engaged Banco BTG Pactual S.A. Cayman Branch and J.P. Morgan Securities LLC to act as the dealer managers (the " Dealer Managers ") in connection with the Tender Offer. Questions regarding the terms of the Tender Offer may be directed to Banco BTG Pactual S.A. Cayman Branch, at +1 (212) 293-4600 (collect) and J.P. Morgan Securities LLC, at +1 (212) 834-7279 (collect) or +1 (866) 846-2874 (toll Free). Disclaimer None of Buenaventura, the Tender Agent and Information Agent, the Dealer Managers or the trustee for the Notes, or any of their respective affiliates, is making any recommendation as to whether holders should or should not tender any Notes in response to the Tender Offer or expressing any opinion as to whether the terms of the Tender Offer are fair to any holder. Holders must make their own decision as to whether to tender any Notes and, if so, the principal amount of Notes to tender. Holders are advised to check with any bank, securities broker or other intermediary through which they hold Notes whether such intermediary would require receipt of instructions to participate in, or (in the limited circumstances in which withdrawal is permitted) withdraw their instruction to participate in, the Tender Offer before the deadlines set out above. Please refer to the Offer to Purchase for a description of the offer terms, conditions, disclaimers and other information applicable to the Tender Offer. This press release is for informational purposes only and does not constitute an offer to purchase or the solicitation of an offer to sell any securities. The Tender Offer is being made solely by means of the Offer to Purchase. The Tender Offer is not being made to holders of Notes in any jurisdiction in which the making or acceptance thereof would not be in compliance with the securities, blue sky or other laws of such jurisdiction. In those jurisdictions where the securities, blue sky or other laws require any tender offer to be made by a licensed broker or dealer, the Tender Offer will be deemed to be made on behalf of Buenaventura by the Dealer Managers or one or more registered brokers or dealers licensed under the laws of such jurisdiction. This press release may contain 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, including those related to the Tender Offer. Forward-looking information involves important risks and uncertainties that could significantly affect anticipated results in the future, and, accordingly, such results may differ from those expressed in any forward-looking statements. COMPANIA DE MINAS BUENAVENTURA S.A.A. SOURCE Compania de Minas Buenaventura S.A.A. WISTON, England, Jan. 23, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The boom in budget airlines has been an impressive aviation success story. Artemis Aerospace delves into the budget world to find out why they became so popular, and what they might start charging you for next . . . The enormous expansion of the aviation sector over the last thirty years owes a great deal to budget airlines, or low-cost carriers (LCCs), and there's nothing to indicate that their success is in any way on the wane. Artemis Aerospace explores the boom in budget airlines. Credit: https://www.istockphoto.com/portfolio/5432action?mediatype=photography A budget airline is one which operates on minimising operating costs, the diametric opposite of the larger commercial airlines which try to attract passengers based on the ultimate customer experience. A feature of the budget experience means that although passengers save on the price of a ticket, they often have to spend more on 'extras' such as hand baggage, which would be included in the price elsewhere. According to the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), in 2015 preliminary figures showed that 'the global aviation network carried 3.5 billion passengers on 34 million scheduled departures. By 2030, current projections suggest these numbers will nearly double.' The huge expansion of LCCs has been a significant factor in this rise. They fill the consumer's requirement for affordable travel in a market dominated by carriers which can be seen as prohibitively expensive. The birth of the LCC phenomenon is usually acknowledged to be the business model of Southwest Airlines, founded in 1966 and based in the USA in Dallas, Texas. Its planned strategy initially was to fly only within the state of Texas, thus claiming exemption from regulation by the Civil Aeronautics Board and consequently undercutting the prices of other airlines. Still an LCC carrier today, it flies to over 100 destinations in the USA, Central America and the Caribbean, but has resisted expanding to cover international routes. It is still the third largest domestic airline in America. In the 1970s Freddie Laker's UK budget airline took off, offering 30% discounts to tour operators to charter its aircraft during the winter months when demand for flying was lower, keeping the fleet flying throughout the year. Laker also introduced techniques to reduce the weight of the planes, allowing them to fly further before refuelling was needed. These included dropping the usual baggage allowance limit of 20kg to 18kg, and not filling the planes to capacity. The 1990s saw the biggest rise in LCC airlines with the deregulation of the aviation industry in Europe in 1997. This facilitated the entry to the market of household names such as Easyjet, which flies to over 34 countries, and Ryanair which flies to over 40. How do LCCs manage to retain profitability with such low prices? Strategies vary from airline to airline. The type of aircraft is a factor, with many choosing a single type of aircraft with the minimal amount of equipment. This reduces the weight which in turn helps with fuel efficiency, and less equipment means fewer parts requiring maintenance. It also means fewer training costs as pilots, cabin crew and ground crew will only need to train on one model. LCCs tend to fly from smaller airports at off-peak times, reducing congestion and delays, with cheaper airport fees and parking charges which can then be passed on to the consumer. LCCs also tend to operate a point-to-point model for their flight routes instead of the hub-and-spoke model favoured by the non-budget airlines. They focus on flying short haul, with direct travel between two cities rather than routing flights via central hub airports. This also makes pricing simpler. Tickets are booked online which reduces expenditure on admin. Many staff double up on jobs, such as cabin crew checking tickets rather than having separate staff. There is usually a simplified management structure and decision-making process. The most well-known price reduction strategy is to offer a cheap flight, but charge extra for options like priority boarding, hand luggage and car rental services. LCCs have little or no premium seating or reserved seating, and don't usually operate a customer loyalty scheme. Any food and drink consumed will be charged as an extra, if indeed it's provided at all. Each LCC will have a variation on these themes. The success of the budget approach has galvanised some of the major airlines to offer a basic economy package in the hope of luring customers back. The aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic also changed consumer flight patterns, with a dip in short haul business travel due to many meetings taking place online, and LCCs picking up business travellers who are no longer prepared to pay premium rates for short flights. A recent analysis of multiple passenger surveys by Boeing found that the majority of respondents were planning to increase the number of holiday flights they took, and projections for the future look promising. According to CAPA, the centre for aviation, Europe's top dozen LCCs carried 112 million more passengers in 2023 than the top 12 non-LCCs. It's an impressive success story, although passengers continue to wonder what extras will be charged for next. In 2009 the news that Ryanair was considering charging to use the onboard loo caused outrage. It wasn't implemented at the time but who knows what the future may hold in the budget airline world . . . Artemis Aerospace offers an innovative approach to component solutions for the aviation sector. Established in 1999, the company has earned a reputation for outstanding customer service by solving problems and providing a range of realistic options that offer customers the flexibility and freedom to choose a solution that suits their timescale and budget. Its services include component supplies, component repairs, lessor support, flight simulation hardware support, consignment stock management and global aircraft logistics. With decades of expertise in global aviation logistics, the expert team works with trusted MROs, OEMs, and aftermarket suppliers around the world to offer 24/7 support to its global customer base. Website: www.artemisaerospace.com Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2604695/Artemis_Aerospace.jpg SOURCE Artemis Aerospace DARPA Backs Arzeda's AI Platform to Create Novel Proteins with Limited Data SEATTLE, Jan. 23, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Arzeda, the industry-leading Protein Design Company, today announced it has been selected for an award from the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) Biological Technologies Office (BTO) under its Artificial Intelligence (AI) Biotechnology (AI BTO) initiative. The award follows on the heels of the announcement of co-founder David Baker's 2024 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for pioneering work in computational protein design. Arzeda, one of only a select group of organizations chosen from numerous applicants, will leverage and expand its groundbreaking AI platform for the rapid and robust design of proteins spanning a wide range of functions and properties. The award was granted after a competitive evaluation process and will directly contribute to DARPA's mission of creating transformative technologies for national security. "We are excited to partner with DARPA on a project that pushes the boundaries of AI for protein design". Post this "We are excited to partner with DARPA on a project that pushes the boundaries of AI for protein design," said Alexandre Zanghellini, Ph.D., Co-founder and CEO of Arzeda. "This funding validates our Intelligent Protein Design Technology, which combines cutting-edge AI, high-quality experimental data generation, and rapid deployment at commercial scale to create proteins that solve real-world problems. We're not just pushing the boundaries of AI and synthetic biology, we're creating the next generation of proteins that will address critical challenges in national security, human health, and sustainable manufacturing." Arzeda will use this funding to focus on creating and validating AI models capable of rapidly engineering proteins with enhanced functionalities and manufacturability, even when starting with limited training datasets. This innovative approach has the potential to revolutionize the development of proteins for diverse applications, ranging from next-generation therapeutics, advanced materials, agriculture, and beyond. This DARPA award builds on Arzeda's momentum, including recent funding rounds, additional product development partnerships, and commercial success with the launch of its ProSweet RebM stevia. With this new project, Arzeda is poised to further cement its position at the forefront of AI-driven biotechnology innovation. About Arzeda Arzeda harnesses the power of Intelligent Protein Design Technology, combining physics-based protein design and AI algorithms to create, validate, and manufacture new designer proteins and enzymes that enhance our lives and protect our planet. In collaboration with Fortune 500 companies and industrial leaders, we develop and commercialize healthier and more sustainable products across the food and nutrition, consumer products, advanced materials, agriculture, diagnostics, and pharmaceutical industries globally, fulfilling the promise of biotechnology. For more information, please visit www.arzeda.com. Contacts [email protected] SOURCE Arzeda GREENLAND, N.H., Jan. 23, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Atlantic Builders Supply Northeast is proud to announce that two of its projects have been honored at the prestigious IFC Magazine Builder Awards, presented at World of Concrete 2025. The Bristol Public Safety Building in Bristol, New Hampshire, was awarded the top spot in the Light Commercial Category and the Penacook Community Center in Concord, New Hampshire, received third-place accolades in the Education Category. These awards celebrate the innovation and sustainability of insulated concrete form (ICF) construction, which has become an essential component of modern building practices. Atlantic Builders Supply Northeast supplied the Nudura ICF forms for both projects, while Key Industries and Groen Construction played lead roles in their successful execution. "These projects are prime examples of how ICF construction can create sustainable, resilient, and cost-effective buildings," said Joe Harnois, president of Atlantic Builders Supply Northeast. "We're dedicated to achieving the goals of our customers, like Groen Construction and Key Industries, and ultimately, to working together to meet the objectives of building owners to bring these award-winning designs to life." Bristol Public Safety Building Light Commercial Category Winner The Bristol Public Safety Building represents a breakthrough in municipal construction, housing both the town's police and fire departments in a durable, energy-efficient structure. Groen Construction served as the general contractor, working closely with the city of Bristol to develop a design that met the town's needs and budget. "The Bristol Public Safety Building was modeled after a similar project we completed for the town of Farmington," said Dave Groen, senior vice president and ICF division manager for Groen Construction. "We collaborated with SMP Architecture to modify the design for Bristol's specific requirements." SMP modified the design to facilitate the operation of both departments within a single structure. As the engineer of record, JSN Associates specified the use of three different thicknesses of Nudura ICF forms: 12", 8" and 6". The use of ICF construction provides substantial long-term benefits for the town of Bristol. The project's energy-efficient design is projected to save approximately $20,000 annually in utility costs, while the soundproofing, durability and low maintenance requirements of ICF further enhance its value. Penacook Community Center Education Category Recognition The 8,900-square-foot Penacook Community Center stands as a beacon of community engagement and modern building innovation. Built with Nudura ICF technology, the center replaced aging, inefficient structures with a cutting-edge, net-zero, energy-ready facility that serves children, families and seniors. Playing a pivotal role in bringing ICF technologies to the major stakeholders, Key Industries completed the shell of the building in two months, ensuring the ambitious project schedule was met. According to Matthew Salmonson, vice president of Key Industries, "There is no way to tell just by looking, from the inside or the outside, that this is an ICF building. Yet it provides exceptional energy efficiency and soundproofing." The $6 million community-led project is a testament to collaboration and innovation, offering space for early childhood programs and school-aged children in its after-school program. ICF's reduce energy consumption by up to 50%, lowering the building's environmental footprint and operating costs. As neighbors with a vested interest in the community, Atlantic Builders Supply and Key Industries have collaborated on dozens of energy-efficient projects over the past decade that support community interests and goals. Shaping the Future of Sustainable Construction Atlantic Builders Supply Northeast is committed to advancing innovative building practices through its expertise in ICF construction. The company congratulates Groen Construction and Key Industries on their well-deserved recognition and looks forward to supporting future projects that prioritize sustainability and community impact. For more information on these projects and the benefits of ICF construction, visit www.atlanticbuilderssupply.com. For additional information, contact: Kim Pendarvis at 404-237-5087 SOURCE Atlantic Builders Supply Northeast SAN DIEGO and MORAGA, Calif., Jan. 23, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Atombeam , whose innovative technology redefines how data is used, moved, stored and secured, announced today that RADM Christian "Boris" Becker, USN (Ret.) , an Atombeam board member and former commander of the Naval Information Warfare Systems Command, will be speaking at WEST 2025 . The presentation, titled " Buzzwords Meet the Battlespace: How AI/ML, Network Centric Warfare and Contested Logistics Come Together at the Data Level ," will take place at booth 1251 on Wednesday, January 29, 2025, at 11:40 AM PST. It will explore how artificial intelligence, machine learning, network centric warfare, and contested logistics converge at the data level, redefining military operations and strategy. "As we reflect on the evolution of Network Centric Warfare since Joint Vision 2010, it's crucial to examine its impact on modern military strategy and how emerging technologies are reshaping the battlefield," said RADM Becker. "Our session will explore how Atombeam's Data-as-Codewords technology addresses critical challenges in military data management, revolutionizing how data is moved, used, stored, and secured in contested environments." Attendees of WEST 2025 are also invited to visit the Atombeam booth, 1050 . The company is one of only 20 exhibitors who were accepted into the Event Experience Expo for its innovative product solution in the AI and Data Category. Atombeam will be demonstrating how it can increase available bandwidth by an average of 4X - and how the company's Data-as-Codewords technology is transforming data management for military and commercial applications. This demo will feature the Ericsson wireless product from Cradlepoint as Atombeam is part of their Enterprise Wireless Solutions Technology Alliance Partner (TAP) program . Details Include: What: " Buzzwords Meet the Battlespace: How AI/ML, Network Centric Warfare and Contested Logistics Come Together at the Data Level " Who: RADM Christian "Boris" Becker, USN (Ret.), Board Member, Atombeam Technologies When: Wednesday, January 29, 2025, from 11:40 AM to 12:00 PM PST Where: Booth 1251, WEST 2025, San Diego Convention Center Why: In contested logistics environments, where adversaries may attempt to disrupt supply lines, real-time data analysis and secure information flow become critical for mission success. Atombeam's innovative approach increases available bandwidth by an average of 4x and enhances data security, addressing essential needs of challenging military operations. Attendees will gain insights into: The progression of Network Centric Warfare (NCW) from concept to current implementation The role of AI and Machine Learning in military applications focused on NCW The critical importance of data management in contested logistics environments Application of commercial industry lessons to military operations In its 35th year, WEST is the premier naval conference and exposition on the West Coast, bringing together leaders in military, government, industry, and academia to discuss the latest in maritime technologies and strategies. This year's conference will occur January 28-30, 2025, at the San Diego Convention Center in San Diego, California. About Atombeam Atombeam has the potential to revolutionize data management through its Data-as-Codewords Neurpac technology, altering how data is encoded, used, transferred, managed, stored, and secured. Atombeam increases available bandwidth an average of 4x, improves access to stored data by making it searchable while encoded, and enhances security with ultralight software, all in a single computing step. Atombeam's Neurpac is uniquely capable of operating on the smallest machine-generated or Internet of Things data, which is not possible with compression. For more information, please visit www.atombeamtech.com or follow us on LinkedIn , Facebook or YouTube . Media Contact Matthew Richardson Guyer Group for Atombeam E: [email protected] SOURCE Atombeam Leading M&A Advisory Firm Marks Another Successful Business Services Transaction in the Franchise Industry JUPITER, Fla., Jan. 23, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Boxwood Partners, a leading boutique investment bank, is pleased to announce the sale of FranDevCo ("FDC" or the "Company"), a premier franchise development organization driving growth and value for leading and emerging franchise brands, to Full Spectrum Franchise Consulting, a portfolio company of L2 Capital and the parent company of iFranchise Group and TopFire Media. "FranDevCo's partnership with Full Spectrum marks a pivotal step in scaling impact across the franchise industry." Post this Boxwood Partners facilitated the sale of FranDevCo to Full Spectrum Franchise Consulting, an L2 Capital portfolio company. This transaction marks another milestone in Boxwood's leadership within the franchise industry. Boxwood Partners served as the exclusive sell-side advisor to FranDevCo in this transaction. The deal was led by Patrick Galleher (Managing Partner), Madison Day (Director), Manny Dwyer (Associate), and Drew Asadorian (Analyst). The terms of the deal were not disclosed. Boxwood Partners continues to build its reputation as a trusted advisor in the franchise industry, leveraging its expertise to support the success of entrepreneurs and privately-held or family-owned businesses. This engagement represents another successful transaction in Boxwood Partners' leading franchise sector coverage. Boxwood Partners completed 10 franchise transactions in 2024. Since 2020, Boxwood Partners has represented over 40 businesses on successful transactions in the franchise industry, including established and emerging franchisors, leading franchisees, and value-add service providers. With this acquisition, Full Spectrum adds a pivotal service offering to its growing platform built around supporting franchisors throughout their entire lifecycle. The combination of franchise and FDD consulting, digital marketing capabilities and overall lead generation strategies will bolster FranDevCo's capabilities and accelerate its mission to help emerging franchise brands responsibly achieve rapid and sustainable growth by connecting top-performing franchisees with high-potential franchise opportunities. "FranDevCo has established itself as a trusted partner for emerging franchise brands, and this transaction represents a significant opportunity to scale its impact across the franchise industry," said Patrick Galleher, Managing Partner at Boxwood Partners. "iFranchise and TopFire Media's reputation in the industry, expansive customer relationships, existing capabilities and strategic alignment will empower FranDevCo to expand its service offering and continue delivering exceptional value to franchise partners," added Madison Day, Director at Boxwood Partners. Since its founding, FranDevCo has focused on helping emerging brands realize their full potential. FDC has placed over 1,100 units with more than 600 franchisees over the last three years. Its early success stems from a differentiated approach to establish an outsourced development partner and process, not just a sales organization. This offering is underpinned by a relentless commitment to responsible franchising and providing value-added consultative services. Headquartered in Cornelius, N.C., FranDevCo is powered by a team of industry veterans committed to supporting franchise brands across diverse sectors, including residential services, automotive, commercial services, quick-service restaurants, fitness, health and wellness, beauty, pet services, death services, youth enrichment, and more. "Boxwood Partners was instrumental in guiding us through this process," said Sung Ohm, President and CEO of FranDevCo. "Their industry expertise and strategic insights were invaluable in facilitating our acquisition by Full Spectrum. With this partnership, we are well-positioned to scale our services and accelerate growth for the brands we represent." FranDevCo is the fourth franchise services business represented by Boxwood Partners after previously advising Franchise FastLane, iFranchise, and TopFire Media, all of whom exclusively service the franchise industry. "Madison and Patrick from Boxwood Partners delivered an exceptional outcome, surpassing our expectations," said Jeff Dudan, Advisory Partner at FranDevCo. "I am incredibly grateful for their unwavering dedication and professionalism throughout this transaction, and thankful to have now closed my second transaction with Boxwood Partners." "Acquiring FranDevCo is a pivotal step in our strategy to expand and strengthen our presence in the franchise industry," said Bob Levine, Managing Partner at L2 Capital. "FranDevCo's proven track record of transforming good brands into great franchises, combined with their industry expertise, makes them an invaluable addition to our portfolio. We look forward to working with their talented team as we scale and drive value in this dynamic market." Boxwood Partners continues to solidify its position as a trusted advisor to both franchisors and franchisees, having successfully facilitated numerous buy-side and sell-side transactions within the franchise industry. To learn more about Boxwood Partners, please visit www.boxwoodpartners.com. About Boxwood Partners Boxwood Partners, LLC, is a boutique investment bank based in Jupiter, Florida with offices in Richmond, Virginia. Boxwood Partners combines a unique blend of senior-level transaction advisory, business operating experience, and proven process execution skills to give its clients a distinct advantage in the market. The firm's extensive relationships within the global capital and buyer communities (including U.S. and international private equity groups, corporations, and lenders) and other essential transaction-related service providers such as consultants, attorneys, and accountants, ensure that the firm's clients receive the attention, service, and results they deserve. For more information about Boxwood Partners, please visit www.boxwoodpartners.com. About Full Spectrum Franchise Consulting Full Spectrum Franchise Consulting is a premier portfolio of franchise solutions providers, including iFranchise Group, TopFire Media, and FranDevCo. Together, these companies offer unmatched expertise in franchise consulting, development, and marketing, supporting franchisors at every stage of their growth journey. iFranchise Group is widely regarded as the market leader in franchise consulting, earning the #1 spot in Entrepreneur magazine's annual Top Franchise Suppliers rankings for six consecutive years. TopFire Media is a full-service digital marketing and public relations firm specializing in driving brand growth and visibility within the franchising industry. FranDevCo is a premier franchise development and sales organization that helps emerging brands realize their potential, facilitating the placement of over 1,100 units with more than 600 franchisees across diverse sectors. About L2 Capital L2 Capital Partners is a boutique lower middle market private equity firm specializing in making controlling investments in a diverse range of family and founder-built companies with demonstrated market leadership and unlocked potential for growth. L2's impressive track record over the last decade includes top quartile returns for its portfolio of business services and consumer products companies with enterprise values up to $150+ million. L2 Capital adds value by partnering closely with company leadership to meet their strategic and financial goals by providing intimate operational support including a breakthrough growth framework in addition to access to resources and technology gained over 40 years of principal investing experience. For more information about L2 Capital, please visit L2Capital.net. About FranDevCo FranDevCo is an outsourced service provider offering franchise development to emerging and growth-focused brands to produce responsible, rapid, and sustainable growth by connecting top-performing franchisees to the right franchise opportunity. FranDevCo's mission is to drive successful growth through collaboration, processes, and proven systems. The Company has partnered with many leading brands including, Temp Wall Systems, Costa Oil, Strickland Brothers, MosquitoNix, Taste Buds Kitchen, beem Light Sauna, PatchMaster, Chatime, IV Nutrition, Scoop Brothers, Resting Rainbow, and The Glass Guru. Learn more about FranDevCo at frandev.co. SOURCE Boxwood Partners LLC BOSTON, Jan. 23, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Boston high school students are gaining a powerful advantage in the STEM fields thanks to a new collaboration that provides dynamic learning experiences. Beyond Possible a collaboration of Boston Public Schools (BPS), The Possible Zone (TPZ), and Wentworth Institute of Technology fuses science, technology, engineering, and mathematics with essential skill building so that enrolled high school students will not only build their critical thinking and problem-solving skills, but also cultivate a spirit of innovation and resilience, essential for future success. "This groundbreaking partnership truly embodies the power of collective impact, bringing together the resources, expertise, and commitment of BPS, The Possible Zone, and Wentworth Institute of Technology," said Boston Public Schools Superintendent Mary Skipper. "Beyond Possible aligns seamlessly with our vision for secondary pathways by providing students with early exposure to college and career opportunities. By expanding access to schools without early college designations, Beyond Possible offers greater opportunity for our students to explore, grow, and succeed." The Beyond Possible model mimics the structure of an early college pathway by providing targeted, sequenced coursework. Post this The Beyond Possible model mimics the structure of an early college pathway by providing targeted, sequenced coursework. It is further complemented by wrap-around supports, soft-durable skills development, and career preparation experiences that will help equip young people for college and future in-demand careers, such as data analytics and information technology. STEM careers have grown significantly over the last three decades and have a projected growth rate faster than those of non-STEM careers into the 2030s. "This initiative demonstrates the integral role of community in expanding access and opportunity to career readiness education, in this instance STEM education. Working together, we utilize our strengths with the goal of providing BPS students a holistic learning experience focusing on in-class and workplace engagement," said Nicole Price, J.D., Vice President, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion at Wentworth Institute of Technology. "Our mutual and complementary strengths in STEM education and our strong industry networks allow us to collectively provide a comprehensive program that fosters future-ready skills sets, ensures career exploration, and nurtures industry-relevant expertise," said Gus Halwani, Ph.D., TPZ Chief STEAM & Innovation Officer. Beyond Possible is one avenue TPZ students can pursue to carve pathways to computer science and data analytics careers while they also develop entrepreneurial spirit, key skills and mindsets, and their own networks. Students who successfully complete the two-year Beyond Possible program earn a certificate of completion, high school credits which count towards graduation requirements; college credits toward program completion at Wentworth or transferable elective college credits at other higher education institutions; and conditional acceptance to higher education partner-institutions Wentworth Institute of Technology, Framingham State University and Mass Bay Community College. Throughout the program, students will have access to job shadowing, internship placements, and other career preparation opportunities. Designed and funded collectively by BPS, TPZ, and Wentworth, with foundational support from The Boston Foundation, the tuition-free initiative aims to enroll up to 160 BPS high school students over the next three academic years. An inaugural cohort of up to 30 BPS high school students will begin their Beyond Possible journey by exploring STEAM tools and building an entrepreneurial spirit and engineering mindset at TPZ as early as February 2025. In addition to experiential instruction, students will receive college-level academic support offered by Wentworth peer tutors; a monetary stipend for each TPZ afterschool class attended; a meal before each TPZ afterschool class; career and college advising support services; access to summer internships and preparation; and wrap-around supports at TPZ. "Our commitment to cultivating innovation and problem-solving, strengthening key social and emotional learning competencies, and building social networks and mentorship, ensure that we've created and are delivering a well-rounded program that reinforces students' abilities to succeed in school, in the workforce, and throughout life," said Meg Riordan, Ph.D., TPZ Chief Learning Officer. Recruitment for the Beyond Possible inaugural year is underway at English H.S., Albert D. Holland High School of Technology, Madison Park Technical Vocational H.S., and John D. O'Bryant School of Mathematics and Science. To learn more, visit possiblezone.org/beyond-possible. About Boston Public Schools The Boston Public Schools (BPS), the birthplace of public education in the United States, serves more than 48,000 pre-kindergarten through grade-12 students in 121 schools. BPS is committed to transforming the lives of all children through exemplary teaching in a world-class system of innovative, welcoming schools. We partner with the community, families, and students to develop in every learner the knowledge, skill, and character to excel in college, career, and life. About The Possible Zone Young people spark their passions and develop entrepreneurial spirit, key skills and mindsets, and networks at The Possible Zonean exciting, tuition-free, experiential learning program that helps them prepare for life-long learning and careers of the future. Hundreds of high school students from Boston thrive as they develop valuable social and emotional skills through our supportive programming and explore changing STEAM technologies in our state-of-the-art Innovation Center. Reinforced by a network of key educational and industry partners, and guided by our college and career advisors, young people move on from TPZ equipped to shape their futures and ready to pursue innovative careers. About Wentworth Institute of Technology Wentworth Institute of Technology is a private, non-profit, career-oriented university offering undergraduate, graduate, and professional training programs on its 31-acre campus in the heart of Boston, Mass. Founded in 1904, "The University of Opportunity" offers a diverse range of academic programs focused on emerging technologies and hands-on, future-ready learning experiences. Through its renowned cooperative education program, Wentworth seamlessly integrates classroom learning with professional experience in the areas of architecture and design, computing and data science, engineering, management, and sciences and humanities SOURCE The Possible Zone NEW YORK, Jan. 23, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Broadway Licensing proudly announces that the critically acclaimed Broadway musical, Water for Elephants, is now available for licensing exclusively to high schools. With book by Rick Elice (The Addams Family, Peter and the Starcatcher) and music and lyrics by PigPen Theatre Co. (The Old Man and The Old Moon), this announcement marks an exciting opportunity for high schools to stage the show beginning in early fall 2025 alongside the launch of the musical's highly anticipated First National Tour. Water for Elephants, which was nominated for seven 2024 Tony Awards, including Best Musical, will kick off the tour in Baltimore, Maryland, at the Hippodrome Theatre at the France-Merrick Performing Arts Center. The Broadway production garnered critical praise for its imaginative storytelling, with The New York Times naming it a Critic's Pick and a "miracle" for its seamless artistry. Based on the 2006 bestselling novel by Sara Gruen, Water for Elephants was also adapted into a movie in 2011, starring Reese Witherspoon. The Broadway musical, which debuted in February 2024, features captivating characters, a sweeping love story, riveting songs, and boundless opportunities for rich ensemble performances. The show takes audiences on a charming and emotional adventure through the unforgettable world of a traveling circus during the Great Depression The Broadway cast of WATER FOR ELEPHANTS. Photo by Matthew Murphy. "We are overjoyed to offer high schools the chance to stage Water for Elephants, knowing they will bring their own innovative ideas to life through their productions," says Ted Chapin, Chief Executive Officer of Broadway Licensing Global, the parent company to its signature musical imprint, Broadway Licensing. "We're thrilled to collaborate with the producers of the First National Tour. By concurrently licensing high school productions, together we are building the widest possible audience for this extraordinary new musical." Additional musicals in the Broadway Licensing catalog penned by the authors of Water for Elephants include The Cher Show with a book by Rick Elice and The Old Man and The Old Moon, The Nightmare Story, and The Mountain Song by PigPen Theatre Co. Further announcements will be made regarding licensing availability for community and professional theatres. Schools interested in producing Water for Elephants can apply for the licensing rights at broadwaylicensing.com. ABOUT BROADWAY LICENSING GLOBAL Broadway Licensing Global and its family of imprints (Broadway Licensing, Dramatists Play Service, Playscripts, Stageworks, and Broadway on Demand) is a global leader in theatrical licensing and distribution. Representing an astonishing 40 Tony Awards and 49 Pulitzer Prize-winning works, BLG titles epitomize the greatest collection of iconic authors, composers, lyricists, and underlying rights holders across the globe, including Katori Hall, Stephen King, Michael Korie, John Leguizamo, Alan Menken, Arthur Miller, Lynn Nottage, PigPen Theatre Co., Tom Stoppard, Paula Vogel, Tennessee Williams, Doug Wright, Don Zolidis, and Harry Potter Theatrical Productions. MEDIA CONTACT & ASSETS For Broadway Licensing Global: Hannah Thulin & Lindsey Rathjen | Account Director, Interdependence | [email protected] SOURCE Broadway Licensing Global 40 Charter Schools Honored for Excellence in Four Categories: Community Engagement, Educational Innovation, Student Empowerment, and Model Charter School Winners Will Be Announced at the Fourth Annual Building Hope IMPACT Summit Awards Gala on May 7, 2025, in Miami; $160,000 in Grants to be Awarded WASHINGTON, Jan. 23, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Building Hope, the non-profit leader in charter school facilities, financing, and services, today announced the 40 semi-finalists for the 2025 Building Hope IMPACT Awards. Ten semi-finalists have been selected in each of four award categories: Community Engagement, Educational Innovation, Student Empowerment, and the prestigious S. Joseph Bruno Model Charter Award. Three final winners in each category will be announced at the Building Hope IMPACT Summit, taking place May 6-7 in Miami. Building Hope will present a total of $40,000 in grants per category, awarding one $20,000 grant to the top winner and two $10,000 grants to the runners-up. "At Building Hope, we believe in the transformative power of education to change lives and uplift communities," said Building Hope President and CEO Bill Hansen. These 40 charter schools demonstrate innovation, leadership, and a tireless dedication to creating quality education opportunities for students. We are proud to recognize and support them as they continue to inspire our next generation of leaders." Now in its fourth year, the Building Hope IMPACT Awards Program recognizes schools for their profound impact on the communities, families, and students they serve. The 10 semi-finalists in each award category were chosen from nearly 200 applications received from 41 states and the District of Columbia. Each application was evaluated by judges based on measurable impact, innovative educational approaches, and the strength of their engagement with students and their communities. The Top 10 2025 IMPACT Award Semi-Finalists by Category S. Joseph Bruno Model Charter Award Community Engagement Award Educational Innovation Award Student Empowerment Award For the next round of the grant selection process, the 40 semi-finalists will be narrowed down to a smaller pool of twenty finalists, which will be announced in February. A separate Selection Committee will interview the finalists and select the three winners in each category, which will be announced in March. Leaders from the winning schools will receive an expense-paid trip to the Building Hope IMPACT Summit in Miami in May. Each winner will present a 10-minute IMPACT talk in-person as the final round to determine the award amount. Awards will be presented at a gala on the final evening of the Summit. IMPACT-winning school leaders are welcomed into the esteemed IMPACT Leadership Circle, where they join previous IMPACT grant recipients to collaborate, grow professionally, and share key learnings. Designed to elevate best practices and foster continuous improvement and innovation, leaders meet for in-person school tours, Communities of Practices, and in online development committees to advance the goal of creating transformative educational opportunities for more students nationwide. "Educational Innovation, Community Engagement, and Student Empowerment are the building blocks to every great school, and the Building Hope IMPACT Summit & Awards is a place for charter leaders to connect, collaborate, and celebrate," said Building Hope's Chief Impact Officer and Chair of the IMPACT Selection Committee Sherilyn Moore. "Our winners and alumni curate and facilitate summit content, so participants leave with a toolkit of tried, true, and tested educational practices to level-up their own game. Each of our IMPACT schools are the pebble in the pond of educational impact that is redefining what's possible in education." In the last three years, Building Hope has awarded $440,000 to 33 charter schools and $40,000 to eight school volunteer leaders. For more information about the IMPACT Awards or to register for the 2025 IMPACT Summit, please visit www.buildinghope.org/impact/awards. About Building Hope Building Hope is a national nonprofit that empowers advancements in education through our work with charter schools providing unparalleled facility financing, real estate development, and operational services. We believe a facility should never be the barrier preventing a child from attending a great school. During our 21-year history, Building Hope has supported over $1 billion in the development of school facilities. For more information, visit www.buildinghope.org. Media Contacts [email protected] [email protected] SOURCE Building Hope Agency's newest business win caps a successful first year under new ownership and leadership CHICAGO, Jan. 23, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Burrell Communications Group, one of the world's most highly regarded Black-owned advertising agencies, has announced a new partnership with Microsoft, with the work to be centered on placing a strategic, people-focused lens on the tech giant's employee storytelling efforts, driving innovative and impactful results. The move to bring on Burrell, a champion in the multicultural marketing arena, is the agency's newest business win and caps a stellar first year since Burrell was acquired by a private equity firm in late 2023 and named a new CEO and executive leadership team. Burrell was chosen by Microsoft to develop a year-long marketing campaign to help tell the stories of its employees and company culture, as Microsoft grows into its 50th year. "We were very intentional about presenting our creativity, backed by data-driven cultural insights to Microsoft which proved that people don't live or think in silos," said Tara DeVeaux, Burrell's CEO. "Burrell has invested heavily in a cultural segmentation study that became a foundational element of our recommendation. We live in an intersectional world and race is just one part of how the population identifies. Every community navigates in unique ways they want to be recognized, embraced and understood," she added. "Given our commitment to understanding the changing dynamics of people and culture, there's no better agency for Microsoft to partner with in crafting their new approach than Burrell." "We're energized to be working with Burrell Communications Group, and for the opportunity to tap into their marketing experience to continue to tell the stories of our employees around the world and their contributions to decades of Microsoft's innovation," stated Amanda O'Neal, Senior Director, Multicultural Communications for Microsoft. "Burrell has a strong track record helping Fortune 500 companies reflect authenticity and creativity in marketing campaigns and we look forward to the work ahead." ABOUT BURRELL COMMUNICATIONS GROUP: Burrell Communications Group was founded in 1971 by renowned ad man Tom Burrell, who led the company for33 years. Today, Burrell Communications Group is the largest U.S. Black-owned agency specializing in understanding and speaking to today's market, one that is more diverse and more multicultural than ever before in our country's history. The agency boasts a roster of premiere, blue-chip clients that lead in their respective categories, including McDonald's, Toyota, Comcast, Fidelity, Coca-Cola, Unilever and the American Red Cross. For more information, visit burrell.com. ABOUT MICROSOFT: Microsoft (Nasdaq "MSFT" @microsoft) creates platforms and tools powered by AI to deliver innovative solutions that meet the evolving needs of our customers. The technology company is committed to making AI available broadly and doing so responsibly, with a mission to empower every person and every organization on the planet to achieve more. SOURCE Burrell Communications Group NEW YORK, Jan. 22, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Report on how AI is driving market transformation - The global business productivity software market size is estimated to grow by USD 119.4 billion from 2025-2029, according to Technavio. The market is estimated to grow at a CAGR of 17.6% during the forecast period. Increasing requirements for large-scale business portfolio management is driving market growth, with a trend towards automatic updating and enhancing coherency in business operations. However, cybersecurity-related threats risk associated with business productivity software solutions poses a challenge. Key market players include Adobe Inc., Alphabet Inc., Amazon.com Inc., Asana Inc., Atlassian Corp Plc, Bending Spoons S.p.A., Broadcom Inc., Cisco Systems Inc., Dropbox Inc., Expensify Inc, International Business Machines Corp., Microsoft Corp, monday.com Ltd., Oracle Corp, Salesforce Inc., SAP SE, Smartsheet Inc., TIBCO Software Inc., Toggl, and Zoho Corp. Pvt. Ltd.. Technavio has announced its latest market research report titled Global Business Productivity Software Market 2025-2029 Key insights into market evolution with AI-powered analysis. Explore trends, segmentation, and growth drivers- View Free Sample PDF Business Productivity Software Market Scope Report Coverage Details Base year 2024 Historic period 2019 - 2023 Forecast period 2025-2029 Growth momentum & CAGR Accelerate at a CAGR of 17.6% Market growth 2025-2029 USD 119.4 billion Market structure Fragmented YoY growth 2022-2023 (%) 15.2 Regional analysis North America, Europe, APAC, South America, and Middle East and Africa Performing market contribution North America at 37% Key countries US, UK, China, Canada, Germany, France, Japan, Brazil, India, and Saudi Arabia Key companies profiled Adobe Inc., Alphabet Inc., Amazon.com Inc., Asana Inc., Atlassian Corp Plc, Bending Spoons S.p.A., Broadcom Inc., Cisco Systems Inc., Dropbox Inc., Expensify Inc, International Business Machines Corp., Microsoft Corp, monday.com Ltd., Oracle Corp, Salesforce Inc., SAP SE, Smartsheet Inc., TIBCO Software Inc., Toggl, and Zoho Corp. Pvt. Ltd. Market Driver Business productivity software is a vital toolset for organizations seeking to streamline operations, optimize resource utilization, and enhance employee performance. Trends in this market include completion times and productivity management, integration capabilities with communication platforms, workflow automation, and knowledge sharing. Cloud-based solutions offer flexibility and scalability, enabling access from laptops, tablets, and smartphones. AI and machine learning are integral, providing automation, decision-making support, and project updates. Key features include task tracking, communication channels, document collaboration tools, and data analytics. Data security is paramount, with encryption, access control, and intrusion detection software essential. Integration with ERP, CRM, and other business functions is crucial for operational efficiency and customer satisfaction. Cost-effective deployment models, such as subscription-based services, are popular. Hybrid work environments demand mobile capability and cybersecurity. Overall, business productivity software empowers organizations to turnaround projects faster, improve employee productivity, and make informed decisions based on real-time data. Business productivity management involves creating and updating project schedules, a time-consuming and frustrating task for project managers, engineers, and analysts. Intelligent project portfolio management scheduling tools integrated into business operating systems streamline this process. These tools prompt users to perform essential tasks and refer to a predefined process library for optimal output. If a process output is missing, the tool prompts a message to create it. Additionally, the tool checks for necessary skills and resources required to complete tasks, ensuring productivity and efficiency. Request Sample of our comprehensive report now to stay ahead in the AI-driven market evolution! Market Challenges Business productivity software is essential for managing completion times, optimizing employee productivity, and streamlining operations in today's fast-paced business environment. However, selecting the right software comes with challenges such as integration capabilities with communication platforms, workflow tools, and document collaboration systems. Additionally, data silos can hinder business efficiency, making it crucial to choose cloud-based solutions with data analytics capabilities. Employees working remotely require mobile access to productivity software, making cloud-based services a popular choice. However, data security is paramount, so encryption, access control, and intrusion detection software are necessary. Communication channels, task tracking, and project planning are also essential features for business productivity. AI and automation can help optimize resource utilization, reduce turnaround times, and improve decision-making. ERP systems and business intelligence tools can provide valuable insights into project progress and employee performance. Subscription-based models offer cost-effectiveness, while on-premises solutions offer data security and control. Hybrid work environments require mobile capability, with laptops, tablets, and smartphones supporting productivity software. Collaboration tools and document management systems enable knowledge sharing and error reduction. Cloud technology and cyber threats require security measures, while scheduling software and telecommunications tools ensure effective project planning and customer satisfaction. Businesses prioritize data security in their use of productivity software, particularly in the context of cloud models like OpenStack. Man-in-the-middle (MiTM) attacks pose a threat to the object storage component of these applications. To mitigate risks, enterprises require advanced security features. A major concern is the lack of verification of certification authority (CA) credentials during SSL connections. With increasing data storage on cloud platforms, security becomes even more critical to prevent hacking and malware infections. Organizations demand security solutions to safeguard their productivity software investments. Discover how AI is revolutionizing market trends- Get your access now! Segment Overview This business productivity software market report extensively covers market segmentation by Deployment 1.1 Cloud 1.2 On-premises End-user 2.1 Large enterprise 2.2 SMEs Geography 3.1 North America 3.2 Europe 3.3 APAC 3.4 South America 3.5 Middle East and Africa 1.1 Cloud- The business productivity software market has experienced a strong demand for cloud-based solutions due to their cost-efficiency and scalability. Cloud-based software eliminates the need for businesses to invest in costly hardware, infrastructure, and maintenance. This model is accessible to businesses of all sizes, including startups and small businesses. Cloud-based solutions offer easy scalability, allowing businesses to adjust their software usage as their needs change without significant upfront investments. Providers of cloud-based business management software, such as Microsoft and Google, frequently roll out updates and security patches, ensuring businesses have access to the latest features and security enhancements without the hassle of manual upgrades. Microsoft 365, a leading example of cloud-based productivity software, offers real-time collaboration, access to files from multiple devices, and automatic updates. Google Workspace, another prominent player, is popular for its collaborative features and cloud-based storage. The demand for cloud-based business productivity software is expected to continue growing as businesses increasingly rely on technology to streamline operations and remain competitive. This trend will positively impact the growth of the cloud segment of the business productivity software market during the forecast period. Download a Sample of our comprehensive report today to discover how AI-driven innovations are reshaping competitive dynamics Research Analysis The Business Productivity Software market is experiencing significant growth due to the increasing need for digital transformation, agile methodology, and change management in businesses of all sizes. Cloud computing plays a crucial role in enabling remote work solutions, HR technology, and enterprise resource planning. Lean management and business process automation help improve work-life balance and performance management. Digital transformation brings about the need for data-driven decision making, business intelligence, and data analytics tools. Industry-specific Business Process Services (BPS) cater to unique business functions, while data governance ensures data security and compliance with regulations. Disaster recovery, risk management, and cybersecurity solutions protect against potential threats. Hybrid cloud and IT infrastructure management provide flexibility and scalability. Data storage and data visualization tools help make sense of large data sets. Cloud migration and enterprise mobility enable a mobile workforce. Business continuity planning and project management tools keep operations running smoothly. Time tracking software and performance management solutions help optimize productivity. Employee engagement and experience are essential for talent acquisition and retention. Compliance and regulations, process improvement, and digital transformation continue to shape the future of the Business Productivity Software market. Market Research Overview Business productivity software refers to applications designed to help organizations streamline operations, optimize resource utilization, and enhance employee productivity. These solutions offer various features such as task management, communication channels, workflow automation, knowledge sharing, and reporting. Integration capabilities with other business functions like customer relationship management (CRM), enterprise resource planning (ERP), and project planning are essential. Cloud-based productivity software enables hybrid work and remote access, making it flexible for employees working from home or on-the-go. Accessibility on laptops, tablets, and smartphones enhances mobility and productivity. Productivity management software facilitates data analytics, allowing businesses to make informed decisions based on key performance indicators (KPIs) like completion times, turnaround times, and project progress. AI and machine learning capabilities help automate repetitive tasks, reducing errors and improving operational efficiency. Cloud technology ensures scalability and cost-effectiveness, while data security features like encryption, access control, and intrusion detection protect sensitive information. Collaboration tools enable real-time document editing and sharing, fostering effective communication and knowledge transfer among teams. Subscription-based models offer affordability and ease of use, making productivity software accessible to businesses of all sizes. However, businesses must consider the deployment model, data collection, and data silos when choosing a productivity solution to ensure seamless integration and efficient workflows. Table of Contents: 1 Executive Summary 2 Market Landscape 3 Market Sizing 4 Historic Market Size 5 Five Forces Analysis 6 Market Segmentation Deployment Cloud On-premises End-user Large Enterprise SMEs Geography North America Europe APAC South America Middle East And Africa 7 Customer Landscape 8 Geographic Landscape 9 Drivers, Challenges, and Trends 10 Company Landscape 11 Company Analysis 12 Appendix About Technavio Technavio is a leading global technology research and advisory company. Their research and analysis focuses on emerging market trends and provides actionable insights to help businesses identify market opportunities and develop effective strategies to optimize their market positions. With over 500 specialized analysts, Technavio's report library consists of more than 17,000 reports and counting, covering 800 technologies, spanning across 50 countries. Their client base consists of enterprises of all sizes, including more than 100 Fortune 500 companies. This growing client base relies on Technavio's comprehensive coverage, extensive research, and actionable market insights to identify opportunities in existing and potential markets and assess their competitive positions within changing market scenarios. Contacts Technavio Research Jesse Maida Media & Marketing Executive US: +1 844 364 1100 UK: +44 203 893 3200 Email: [email protected] Website: www.technavio.com/ SOURCE Technavio LA JOLLA, Calif., Jan. 23, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- This year, Cadence, a globally recognized, women-owned travel company, celebrates an extraordinary milestonetheir 30th anniversary. From ambitious beginnings, Cadence has grown into a respected powerhouse, offering corporate travel services, meetings and incentive programs, and serving as a host agency to an elite network of over 180 independent luxury travel advisors. "We lead with care, are grounded in trust, and strengthened by resources," said Wendy Burk, Founder and CEO of CADENCE. Post this Wendy Burk, Cadence Travel's visionary founder and CEO For three decades, Cadence has remained at the forefront of the industry by nurturing meaningful relationships, empowering teams with advanced tools, and fostering a culture of connection. Wendy Burk, Founder and CEO, expresses their dedication to the success of travel advisors: "We lead with care, are grounded in trust, and strengthened by resources. Together, we've nurtured a community where success flourishes and everyone rises." 2025 also marks another milestone for Cadence25 years of partnership with Virtuoso, cementing its place as a leader in luxury travel. This recognition is supported by an impressive list of accolades, including a second consecutive year on the Travel Weekly Power List, and being named one of San Diego's "Best Places to Work" for the seventh year running. The celebration continues with Cadence Connects, the company's signature annual event, to be hosted at the iconic Hotel del Coronado. Their 10th-anniversary gathering, May 7-10, 2025, will be the property's first large-scale activation following a $550 million restoration and revitalization. Over the course of three days, 100+ travel providers will connect with Cadence's top advisors, fostering community and driving shared success. "Hotel del Coronado is incredibly proud to partner with Cadence in celebrating this momentous milestone," said Robert Marusi, Commercial Director. "As a national historic landmark, we've always been a place where people gather to create lasting memories, and it's especially inspiring to host a company that empowers women and shares our passion for travel and hospitality. We raise a toast to Cadence's continued success and look forward to hosting a dazzling event in celebration." ABOUT CADENCE Cadence is an award-winning, internationally recognized travel company dedicated to the art of taking better care of peopletheir clients, employees, and partners alike. Named one of the world's first Forbes Travel Guide-endorsed travel agencies, Cadence offers curated and customizable solutions for every travel need. As a valued member of Virtuoso and Tzell, Cadence powers a worldwide network of 180+ independent luxury travel advisors who deliver unparalleled service and expertise. SOURCE Cadence Travel Nachawati Law Group: Meetings will address legal options, resources to help rebuilding process LOS ANGELES, Jan. 23, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Survivors of the Los Angeles wildfires are invited to a new series of information sessions to provide resources and information, answer questions about a wide range of legal options, and provide an update on active litigation to hold responsible parties accountable for the devastating and historic fires. The meetings are the latest by attorneys in the Los Angeles office of Nachawati Law Group, which has deep experience representing individuals impacted by wildfires and other weather events, as well as complex and high-profile litigation across the U.S. Residents impacted by the Palisades, Eaton, Hurst and other recent Los Angeles-area fires are invited to attend. Visit https://wildfiretrial.com/ or call 888-955-2254 for more details. The meeting schedule includes: Friday, January 24 : Town Hall Meeting, 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. PST , at the Arcadia /Monrovia VFW Auxiliary Post 2070, 825 S Magnolia Ave. in Monrovia . : Town Hall Meeting, , at the /Monrovia VFW Auxiliary Post 2070, 825 S Magnolia Ave. in . Saturday, January 25 : Town Hall, including smothered pork chop dinner, 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. PST , at the Arcadia /Monrovia VFW Auxiliary Post 2070, 825 S Magnolia Ave. in Monrovia . In addition to experienced attorneys answering questions, the meetings will include special guest Lt. Col. Thomas De La Garza, U.S. Army (retired). De La Garza, a former Psychological Operations Officer who also served as Air Domain Chief in the NORAD & USNORTHCOM Joint Operations Center, will discuss victim trauma from the Eaton fire and the resilience of Americans to rebuild following tragedy. According to California law, companies and other parties can be held accountable when their actions cause wildfires. Nachawati Law Group was among the first to file litigation on behalf of a fire victim against Southern California Edison. The lawsuit filed by a survivor of the Eaton fire claims that Edison failed to maintain adequate clearances between electrical lines and dry, combustible brush and vegetation. In addition, the utility company did not follow industry best practices and de-energize electrical lines during times of high fire risk, according to the lawsuit. Firm attorneys expect to file lawsuits against additional defendants as the investigation continues. About Nachawati Law Group Nachawati Law Group fights for individuals and families harmed by corporate negligence. The firm represents parties in mass tort litigation, businesses and governmental entities in consumer protection cases, and individuals in complex personal injury claims. For more information, visit https://ntrial.com. SOURCE Nachawati Law Group By deeply understanding customer purchase behavior, Cavallo helps distributors uncover new revenue opportunities and preemptively address profit-reducing issues like churn GRAND RAPIDS, Mich., Jan. 23, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Cavallo, the leader in AI-powered Order Intelligence solutions, today announced its new purpose-built analytics capabilities that help distributors and manufacturers gain deeper insights into customer behavior based on order trends. The latest innovation from Cavallo adds first-to-market features tailored to quickly increase profitability, drive higher customer satisfaction, and, most importantly, improve retention rates. Cavallo now addresses customer retention issues with enhanced Predictive Churn, Profit Indicators and ABCD Segmentation tools. Businesses can easily identify at-risk customers, prioritize high-value accounts and uncover growth opportunities with out-of-the-box features. These insights enable businesses to address costly churn proactively and help align sales and marketing efforts with the data needed to better engage with customers and nurture relationships. Cavallo will showcase its new Order Intelligence capabilities during a free webinar on February 20th at 11 a.m. Pacific and at Acumatica Summit 2025, which will take place January 26-29 at the Wynn Las Vegas. Attendees can visit Booth #113 to learn more and see live demonstrations. To register, please visit: https://cavallo.zoom.us/webinar/register/6017355883955/WN_ybINO9KVQ2eQNVYp0ag9wA#/registration At Cavallo, we know how vital it is to have a complete understanding of every customer, and having deep insights and context into their buying behavior is a great way to achieve that goal," said Mike Biwer, CEO at Cavallo. "We're adding very powerful capabilities that extend beyond ensuring flawless orders to increase profits with actionable customer insights. Retaining existing customers is the cornerstone of profitabilitybecause no business can grow its profits while watching its customers walk out the door." Cavallo simplifies complexities with out-of-the-box capabilities that eliminate time- and resource-consuming customization required with a traditional BI tool. Its AI algorithms are tuned to provide meaningful insights, from profitability levers to customer churn risk, to ensure immediate results. The Cavallo Order Intelligence platform combines item, customer and sales performance data to empower efficient decision-making and value-based actions with confidence. The latest Cavallo Order Intelligence enhancements support the company's broader strategy of continuous innovation. Its product roadmap includes expanded ERP integrations beyond Acumatica and Microsoft Dynamics as it solidifies its position as the Order Intelligence leader. In 2025, the company expects to broaden its integration reach to additional leading ERP systems and introduce new workflow and intelligence capabilities to serve a broader market. The Cavallo Order Intelligence platform was built from the ground up to enhance order-centric profitability. Its customers report reducing manual errors by 90%, cutting order processing times by 80%, and increasing pre-tax profits by 2-10x. Attendees at Acumatica Summit are invited to see firsthand how Cavallo is reimagining order management and transforming data into actionable insights. About Cavallo Cavallo is a leading innovator in Order Intelligence, offering AI-powered solutions that optimize order processes, eliminate inefficiencies, and drive profitability at scale. Purpose-built for distributors, manufacturers, and product-centric brands, it powers businesses to integrate with leading ERP systems seamlessly. For more information, visit www.cavallo.com . Media Contact: Jacob Harvey Catapult PR [email protected] SOURCE Cavallo Whole Dog Care facility celebrates honor with continued commitment to the community MADEIRA, Ohio, Jan. 23, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Central Bark Madeira-Indian Hill , the Madeira-Indian Hill branch of the premier Whole Dog Care franchise shaping canine care, is proud to announce its recognition as 2024 New Business of the Year by the Madeira Chamber of Commerce . This distinction highlights the company's leadership in the local business community and dedication to serving the Madeira area. Central Bark Madeira-Indian Hill named 2024 New Business of the Year by the Madeira Chamber of Commerce Since its opening in October of 2023, Central Bark has welcomed hundreds of four-legged friends alongside their families to the suburban Cincinnati facility for: enrichment day care programs, grooming services, training sessions, boarding, boutique retail pet goods, and community events. Central Bark's unique Whole Dog Care approach combines industry-leading dog care expertise with the latest in canine behavioral science. This unique approach to enrichment care provides a healthy and balanced blend of exercise, social group play, learning, rest, and "TLC" to help dogs be happy, healthy, calm, and well-rounded companions. Central Bark has quickly become an integral part of the Madeira-Indian Hill community, actively participating in and sponsoring numerous local initiatives. These include: appreciation events for local veterinarians, the McDonald Commons Welcome Back Bash, Symmes Bicentennial Blast, Madeira Girls Night Out, three Cincinnati Reds 'Bark in the Park' events, Madeira's Costume Parade and playdate, Paws in the Park, and more. As they enter 2025, Central Bark remains committed to building strong community connections and contributing to the vibrant local business ecosystem. "As an entrepreneur and pet parent, it's an absolute honor to see our dedication to quality pet care recognized by the Madeira business community with the title of New Business of the Year," said Clark Shuler, co-owner of Central Bark Madeira-Indian Hill. "We look forward to continuing to enrich the lives of our four-legged customers and their families while contributing to the thriving Madeira business community in the years to come." In the wake of their successful first year, the Central Bark operations team had the privilege of collaborating with marketing classes at Indian Hill High School , sharing insights about business operations, industry experience, and the strategies that drive success. These interactive sessions allowed the team to connect with the next generation of business professionals and reinforced their commitment to fostering educational and professional growth in the community. Central Bark is dedicated to delivering the safest and highest quality care for dogs and their pet parents. Meeting evolving customer needs and exceeding expectations with its standout approach to Whole Dog Care, Central Bark is honored to receive the New Business of the Year title and looks forward to continued success in partnership with the Madeira community. For more information on Central Bark, visit centralbarkusa.com . Franchising opportunities can be found at centralbarkfranchising.com . About Central Bark: The Central Bark franchise system was founded in 2003 and now operates under the name Barkley Ventures Franchising, LLC. For more than 20 years, the brand has grown to over 40 locations across more than a dozen states. The company has hosted over two million dog visits. Central Bark participates in VetFran, the International Franchise Association's (IFA) veteran program, and offers a franchise fee discount to qualifying veterans. Central Bark is also an IFA MinorityFran participant. For more information about franchising with Central Bark, visit centralbarkfranchising.com or call 866-799-2275. Media Contact: Sarah Hughes [email protected] 818.404.4431 SOURCE Central Bark Michigan's first location will introduce Central Bark's unique Whole Dog Care approach to the Detroit metro area ROCHESTER, Mich., Jan. 23, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Central Bark , the premier whole dog care franchise and industry pioneer, is set to open its first Detroit area location in Spring of 2025. The state-of-the-art Rochester facility located at 200 South St. will offer dogs and their owners dog day care, boarding services, baths, grooming, training, and more. All services are grounded in Central Bark's unique Whole Dog Care philosophy which combines industry-leading care expertise with the latest in canine behavioral science. Central Bark is set to open its first Detroit area location in Spring of 2025. Leading Central Bark's introduction to Michigan is franchise owner and operator, Meredith Mannino. Born and raised in the greater Detroit area, Meredith has strong roots in the community, further strengthened by her experience as an elementary school teacher. Mannino wants to build a strong community of dog owners with this Central Bark location and sees it as an opportunity to continue to serve local families in new and exciting ways. She looks forward to making a meaningful impact through partnerships with dog rescues and local advocacy organizations. "Both my father and my grandmother have been successful entrepreneurs in the Detroit area for many years, which has given me an incredible appreciation for the impact a strong business can bring to the community," said Mannino. "I saw a need for safe, science-based dog care in my area and knew that Central Bark's innovative whole dog care approach would be a welcome addition for local pet parents. I couldn't be more thrilled to bring my commitment and passion for helping dogs to the Central Bark family." Central Bark typically features approximately 6,000 7,000 square feet of indoor space plus more than 2,000 square-feet of outdoor play area. Activities include small flexible playgroups, group skills work, rest periods, and personalized one-on-one enrichment sessions. Enrichment add-ons give pups the extra attention they love and the freedom to use their senses, safely exploring with their instincts as they engage with interactive toys, puzzles, and games. For more information on Central Bark, visit https://www.centralbarkusa.com/ . Franchising opportunities can be found at https://centralbarkfranchising.com/ . Media assets can be found: HERE About Central Bark: The Central Bark franchise system was founded in 2003 and now operates under the name Barkley Ventures Franchising, LLC. For more than 20 years, the brand has grown to over 40 locations across more than a dozen states. The company has hosted over two million dog visits. Central Bark participates in VetFran, the International Franchise Association's (IFA) veteran program, and offers a franchise fee discount to qualifying veterans. Central Bark is also an IFA MinorityFran participant. For more information about franchising with Central Bark, visit centralbarkfranchising.com or call 866-799-2275. SOURCE Central Bark Boliden's Extraordinary General Meeting was held on January 23, 2025 live in Stockholm and through postal voting. STOCKHOLM, Jan. 23, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Resolution on authorization for the Board of Directors to resolve on new share issues The Meeting resolved, in accordance with the Board of Directors' proposal, to authorize the Board of Directors to, on one or more occasions during the period up to the Annual General Meeting 2025, resolve on a new issue of shares with or without preferential rights for the company's shareholders. If a share issue is carried out without preferential rights for the company's shareholders, the total number of shares that may be issued may not exceed the number of shares which corresponds to 15 percent of the number of shares as of the date of the Extraordinary General Meeting. The purpose of a share issue shall be to raise proceeds to achieve an efficient capital structure and refinance approximately half of the bridge loan secured to finance the acquisition of Neves-Corvo and Zinkgruvan. Minutes The minutes with complete resolutions from the Meeting will be available on the company's website at https://www.boliden.com under "Operations/Corporate Governance/Annual General Meetings". A copy of the minutes, except for the voting list, will also be sent to shareholders who request it from the company and who provide their postal address. For further information, please contact: Klas Nilsson Director Group Communications +46 70 453 6588 [email protected] This information was brought to you by Cision http://news.cision.com https://news.cision.com/boliden/r/communique-from-boliden-s-extraordinary-general-meeting,c4094974 The following files are available for download: https://mb.cision.com/Main/997/4094974/3221144.pdf Press release SOURCE Boliden WASHINGTON, Jan. 23, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is warning consumers to immediately stop using Babypark sling carriers because they lack structural integrity and can fail to retain infants in the carriers, posing a fall hazard in violation of federal safety requirements. The sling carriers also do not have required warnings and instructions. The CPSC issued a Notice of Violation to the seller, Shenzhen Huideming Electronics, of China, but the firm has not agreed to recall these sling carriers or offer a remedy to consumers. About 750 sling carriers were sold online at Shein.com from March 2024 through November 2024. The Sling carriers are labeled with "babypark", GB/T 40227-2021" and "GB31701-2015." The Babypark sling carriers may have also been sold in various printed patterns by other third-party sellers and on other websites. CPSC urges consumers to stop using the sling carriers immediately and dispose of them. Do not sell or give away these hazardous sling carriers. Report any incidents involving injury or product defect to CPSC at www.SaferProducts.gov. Individual Commissioners may have statements related to this topic. Please visit www.cpsc.gov/commissioners to search for statements related to this or other topics. About the U.S. CPSC The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is charged with protecting the public from unreasonable risk of injury or death associated with the use of thousands of types of consumer products. Deaths, injuries, and property damage from consumer product-related incidents cost the nation more than $1 trillion annually. CPSC's work to ensure the safety of consumer products has contributed to a decline in the rate of injuries associated with consumer products over the past 50 years. Federal law prohibits any person from selling products subject to a Commission ordered recall or a voluntary recall undertaken in consultation with the CPSC. For lifesaving information: - Visit CPSC.gov. - Sign up to receive our e-mail alerts. - Follow us on Facebook, Instagram @USCPSC and Twitter @USCPSC. - Report a dangerous product or a product-related injury on www.SaferProducts.gov. - Call CPSC's Hotline at 800-638-2772 (TTY 301-595-7054). - Contact a media specialist. Release Number: 25-107 SOURCE U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission Funding will support organizations serving older adults in Atlanta, Boynton Beach, Chicago and New York City, bridging gaps in local health care and social systems WOONSOCKET, R.I., Jan. 23, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The CVS Health Foundation (NYSE: CVS) today announced $4 million in grants over five years as part of its new Healthy Aging initiative to support Atlanta Regional Collaborative for Health Improvement in Atlanta, GA, Center for Better Aging in Chicago, IL, EngageWell Independent Provider Association in New York, NY and Palm Health Foundation in Boynton Beach, FL. Each organization will receive $1 million in funding to improve health care access and resources for aging community members with brain, heart and behavioral conditions, as well as their caregivers. Image provided by CVS Health "People over the age of 65 are enjoying longer, more active lives and make up the largest generation of older adults in U.S. history," said Sheryl Burke, Senior Vice President of Corporate Social Responsibility and Chief Sustainability Officer at CVS Health. "We're excited to work with each of these organizations that are making a significant impact by preparing and providing the health care and resources our communities need for the generational shift of aging Americans." Americans are having fewer children and living longer. According to the Census Bureau, more people in the U.S. will likely be over 64 than under 18 by 2034. With this rise in aging Americans, the CVS Health Foundation identified an opportunity to introduce Healthy Aging as a new focus area for giving. The new grants will support organizations working to help simplify a complex care navigation process and bridge a critical gap in local health care and social systems to help older adults lead healthy lives. Atlanta Regional Collaborative for Health Improvement (ARCHI) The Atlanta Regional Collaborative for Health Improvement will use the grant to enhance its Community Resource Hub to help older adults with brain, heart and behavioral health conditions connect to essential health care and resources. With this funding, ARCHI plans to expand its network of partners to better serve aging adults and improve access to medically tailored meals and educational services. "Collaboration like here with the CVS Health Foundation has shown us that when we work together, we can indeed invert the burden from those who have traditionally been left out of good health, including many of our city's underserved elders," said Jeffrey M. Smythe, Executive Director of Atlanta Regional Collaborative for Health Improvement. "The system can indeed bear that burden, we can change the system of care to be more person-centered, and we look forward to this opportunity to further expand the work of these dedicated partners." As one of the of partners, Caitlin Behringer at Open Hand Atlanta shares, "We saw tremendous results through our nutrition interventions that were provided to members of the Community Resource Hub, and we know we will continue to see significant improvements in older adults' health outcomes. Leaders from across multiple of these sectors have come together today because we know this can be a game-changer and we can provide significant improvements to the systems of care for our most marginalized older adults and their caregivers." Center for Better Aging The Center for Better Aging at St. Bernard Hospital will use the grant to improve its coordinated care model, which is designed to address the high rates of chronic conditions in the South Side of Chicago. It will establish a data system to track health outcomes for the aging population and support initiatives to strengthen community connections for residents and their caregivers. "The Center for Better Aging has a mission to advance quality and equality in health care to underserved communities across Chicago's South Side where health disparities like coronary heart disease and struggles with cognitive difficulty disproportionately affect older adults," said Estrelitta Harmon, Executive Director, Center for Better Aging. "Support from the CVS Health Foundation will expand our capacity to detect and address critical brain, heart and mental health conditions and provide first-rate specialty care. The CVS Health Foundation will also support programming and social support for the unpaid caregivers who help older adults to manage these complex conditions." The Center for Better Aging and its partners deliver whole-person health care and provide medical and wellness services across the St. Bernard Hospital campus, in-home wellness visits and through community outreach. As a partner of Center for Better Aging, Vivian Moore, LCPC, CCM, SPARC Wellness Care Coordinator shares, "In our partnership with CBA we've been able to ensure that patients are not delayed in discharge and we're not keeping them longer than they need to be kept, but also assuring that when they're discharged they have the proper equipment with them to support stabilization post-discharge." EngageWell Independent Provider Association EngageWell will deploy the funding to enhance its ongoing work making health care nimbler and more responsive to the aging New York City population. It will allow EngageWell to expand its Care Your Way initiative infrastructure for telemedicine, add additional Community Health Workers and provide medication adherence support for senior citizens with heart and or behavioral health conditions. "EngageWell is excited to bring our Care Your Way Initiative to older New Yorkers, focusing on low-income elders of color who often experience barriers accessing quality healthcare," said Christopher Joseph, Executive Director of EngageWell IPA. "Elders in these communities often experience significant challenges due to chronic health conditions exacerbated by socio-economic factors, shortages in geriatric specialists, and difficulties navigating technology and transportation. By harnessing innovative technology with Community Health Worker technical assistance and outreach, we aim to address the unique needs of aging New Yorkers, making a meaningful impact on their health and well-being." As a partner of EngageWell and president and CEO of ACCO Asian community Care organization, Tom Gu shares, "We joined EngageWell in 2023 and are proud to serve over 1400 seniors each year. During COVID-19, our seniors faced increased isolation and fear, so we created an app to connect them with much needed support. When we saw how Engage Well was using technology to improve care, we knew we wanted to be part of the network." Palm Health Foundation With this funding, Palm Health Foundation will create a Healthier Aging Initiative as part of its Healthier Boynton Beach to support caregivers who are over 60 years old. Often a caregiver's own health gets overlooked, so this grant will help to identify, coordinate and connect health and wellness services to caregivers in the community. "Palm Health Foundation wants to see all Palm Beach County residents have opportunities to thrive and reach their full health potential," said Patrick McNamara, President and CEO at Palm Health Foundation. "We make progress toward this vision by centering the voices of those we serve. Our Healthier Boynton Beach initiative is community-driven, with caregivers leading solutions for fellow caregivers to improve and sustain their quality of life." As part of leading this work, Ricky Petty, Healthier Boynton Beach Project Director shared, "Our community had a conversation about family caregiving and the importance of it and they realized some of the challenges that they face on a day-to-day basis. Challenges such as chronic health conditions, limited access to healthcare, supportive services and the financial strain that it has on families. This initiative is driven by their voice and experience." About CVS Health CVS Health is the leading health solutions company, delivering care like no one else can. We reach more people and improve the health of communities across America through our local presence, digital channels and over 300,000 dedicated colleagues including more than 40,000 physicians, pharmacists, nurses and nurse practitioners. Wherever and whenever people need us, we help them with their health whether that's managing chronic diseases, staying compliant with their medications or accessing affordable health and wellness services in the most convenient ways. We help people navigate the health care system and their personal health care by improving access, lowering costs and being a trusted partner for every meaningful moment of health. And we do it all with heart, each and every day. Follow @CVSHealth on social media. Media contacts Courtney Tavener 401-712-3698 [email protected] SOURCE CVS Health TOKYO, Jan. 22, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- DeepRoute.ai is excited to announce its participation in Automotive World Tokyo 2025, where CEO Maxwell Zhou has been invited to deliver a keynote speech on the paradigm shift in autonomous driving empowered by end-to-end model. After a year of robust business growth, customer successes and technology advancements, DeepRoute.ai invites media and industry partners to join them for in-depth discussions at the exhibition, located at East Hall #E55-23 at Tokyo Big Sight. CEO Maxwell was invited to deliver a keynote speech on its latest technology What's to Expect from DeepRoute at Automotive World Tokyo 2025 DeepRoute will highlight a range of innovative technologies and customer collaborations at the event, including: Recent Design Wins : DeepRoute has secured multiple partnerships, including smart Automobile, a well-established Chinese automaker, and a leading Chinese multinational conglomerate, among others. : DeepRoute has secured multiple partnerships, including smart Automobile, a well-established Chinese automaker, and a leading Chinese multinational conglomerate, among others. Automotive Market Leadership Outlook : In just four months, from September to December 2024 , DeepRoute.ai captured a 10% market share of urban NOA with its two collaborative smart driving cars, establishing itself as a top-tier player among other smart driving solution providers. In 2025, over ten vehicle modelsincluding SUVs, MPVs, off-road vehicles, and morewill be launched with DeepRoute's smart driving platform DeepRoute IO. More than 200,000 vehicles equipped with this platform are expected to hit the consumer market, solidifying DeepRoute.ai as a leader in smart driving solutions. : In just four months, from September to , DeepRoute.ai captured a 10% market share of urban NOA with its two collaborative smart driving cars, establishing itself as a top-tier player among other smart driving solution providers. In 2025, over ten vehicle modelsincluding SUVs, MPVs, off-road vehicles, and morewill be launched with DeepRoute's smart driving platform DeepRoute IO. More than 200,000 vehicles equipped with this platform are expected to hit the consumer market, solidifying DeepRoute.ai as a leader in smart driving solutions. Win-Win with Automakers : DeepRoute.ai is committed to developing best-selling cars in partnerships with automakers. One model integrated with DeepRoute IO has achieved 3 times the sales of its non-smart driving counterpart, becoming the best-selling in its class. : DeepRoute.ai is committed to developing best-selling cars in partnerships with automakers. One model integrated with DeepRoute IO has achieved 3 times the sales of its non-smart driving counterpart, becoming the best-selling in its class. Expanding Global Clientele and Deployment : DeepRoute.ai will establish its European office and initiate global road testing this year, accelerating its efforts to bring smart driving technology to international markets. : DeepRoute.ai will establish its European office and initiate global road testing this year, accelerating its efforts to bring smart driving technology to international markets. Innovative VLA model to Be Deployed Mid-2025: With a forward-looking technological vision, DeepRoute.ai will be the first to deploy the VLA model in consumer vehicles, making smart driving decisions more transparent, understandable, and trustworthy. "I am deeply honored to be invited by Automotive World Tokyo to share our technology advancements. This exhibition presents a fantastic opportunity to connect with Japanese partners and explore future cooperation," said Maxwell Zhou, CEO of DeepRoute.ai. "In 2025, we are committed to strengthen our leadership with the deployment of our cutting-edge VLA model and expanding adoption of our DeepRoute IO smart driving platform. We are well-positioned to become the provider of choice in ADAS and look forward to collaborating with global automakers to bring smart driving vehicles to the world." Executive speech details: CEO Keynote Session Date: January 22 Time: 15:00-15:40 (GMT+9) Location: Conference B, East Hall Topic: The Autonomous Driving Paradigm Shift: Empowered by End-to-End Model Speaker: Dr. Maxwell Zhou , CEO Date: Time: 15:00-15:40 (GMT+9) Location: Conference B, East Hall Topic: Speaker: Dr. , CEO Technology Seminar Date: January 23 Time: 11:00-11:20 (GMT+9) Location: East Hall 6 New Tech Trend Venue Topic: How End-to-End Model is Fueling a 10x Expansion in Robotaxi and Smart Driving Passenger Vehicles Speaker: Dr. Xuan Liu , Vice President and Partner SOURCE DeepRoute.ai CINCINNATI, Jan. 23, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Dolbey and Company, Inc. has announced a strategic partnership with Ikonopedia, a leader in breast imaging solutions. This collaboration brings together Dolbey's state-of-the-art speech recognition and automation technology, Fusion Narrate powered by nVoq, with Ikonopedia's intuitive physician-built mammography structured reporting system. Physicians using both Fusion Narrate and Ikonopedia can navigate, dictate, and complete breast reports without the use of a keyboard or mouse. "Dolbey and Ikonopedia are well aligned in our shared goal for more effective patient care. By offering a voice-activated mammography reporting system, I'm confident that we will improve patient outcomes, enabling our clients to spend more time reviewing images and provide the best possible care," said Emily Crane. "We are excited to continue working with Dolbey to deliver new technologies and enable healthcare providers with the best solution." "Our partnership with Ikonopedia saves time, reduces click fatigue, and ultimately drives a more streamlined mammography workflow," says Dolbey SVP and General Manager John Dolbey. "This partnership strengthens our ability to deliver impactful and meaningful solutions for our healthcare partners." This partnership is expected to yield significant improvements to accessibility and efficiency in mammography reporting. For more details on how Dolbey and Ikonopedia are working together, see the Ikonopedia and Dolbey Partner Page. About Dolbey Dolbey's award-winning healthcare suite of solutions improve productivity while delivering better documentation, improving patient care. Since 1914, Dolbey has consistently evolved its products, incorporating the latest technologies available to meet the demands of the healthcare community. Today, Dolbey's suite of products includes speech recognition (premise or cloud-based), CAPD, CDI, CAC, transcription, and dictation. To learn more about Dolbey's front-end speech recognition software for EMRs, visit www.dolbeyspeech.com. About Ikonopedia Inc. Ikonopedia Inc. is a leader in breast imaging reporting and tracking solutions, providing innovative, cloud-based software designed to improve efficiency and accuracy in breast imaging. Founded by renowned breast radiologists, Ikonopedia is committed to enhancing patient care through state-of-the-art technology and a patient-centered approach. www.ikonopedia.com CONTACT: Brian Gaysunas, [email protected] SOURCE Dolbey and Company, Inc. As Canine Companions celebrates its milestone anniversary in 2025, long-time partner Eukanuba and Katie Couric share how task-trained service dogs change lives in extraordinary settings. ST. CHARLES, Mo., Jan. 23, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- EUKANUBA, a leader in science-based premium performance nutrition and part of the Mars, Incorporated family of brands, premiered a new installment of the Mars Inc. Unleashed with Katie Couric series, highlighting long-time partner Canine Companions. Ahead of Canine Companions' landmark 50th anniversary in July, the segment features David Rozelle, a retired Army Colonel who became the first military amputee to return to combat, and his journey of healing with his Canine Companions service dog. Eukanuba and Katie Couric Media Team Up in Celebration of Canine Companions 50th Year Anniversary The feature follows Colonel Rozelle and Service Dog Kylynn from their home in South Carolina to the University of Delaware where Col. Rozelle reunites with Patricia Banks, the woman who raised Kylynn as a puppy in the most unexpected of places. "Each service dog alters the story of someone's life in ways that are beyond comprehension to many, and we are honored to play a part in providing Eukanuba science-based premium performance nutrition to create more independence for each recipient," said Maribel Psara, Eukanuba brand leader. "The story of Colonel Rozelle and Kylynn is a testament to our ongoing partnership with Canine Companions and the life-changing work being done each day." According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 64 million people in the United States live with a disability, including three million children.1 Canine Companions is the originator of the concept of service dogs and has provided more dogs to people with disabilities than any other organization in the United States. For 50 years, they have matched service dogs with children, adults and veterans with disabilities at no cost to the recipient. Canine Companions service dogs are expertly trained to work with people with more than 65 different types of disabilities including physical disabilities, deaf or hard of hearing, cognitive disabilities and military-related post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). "For over 30 years, we've had the pleasure of having Eukanuba as a partner in independence," says Jeanine Konopelski, chief marketing officer at Canine Companions. "The connection with Eukanuba reaches all aspects of our programs, from the health of our working dogs and the awareness that comes from a longstanding partnership with an expert in the canine nutrition field. We are immensely grateful for this foundational partnership and look forward to its continuation for years to come." Since 1991, Canine Companions has exclusively trusted Eukanuba science-based premium performance nutrition to support all stages of development of the dogs in their program. From gestational support in utero, through puppy growth, development and training, and as expertly trained adult service dogs, Eukanuba nutrition continues to support the unique physical and mental performance of these service dogs that are critical to their successful daily performance. To watch the story, visit https://katiecouric.com/video/video/eukanuba-veteran-service-dog/ or www.eukanuba.com/us/canine-companions to learn more. References Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Disability and Health Data System (DHDS) [Internet]. Available from: http://dhds.cdc.gov About Eukanuba With over 50 years of research, Eukanuba offers a complete food lineup, and delivers exceptional, customized nutrition. Eukanuba's products cater to all types of dogs and are categorized according to life-stage, size and health-and-performance requirements. For more information visit www.eukanuba.com. 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 PrinciplesQuality, Responsibility, Mutuality, Efficiency and Freedominspire our 150,000 Associates to act every day to help create a better world for people, pets and the planet. About Canine Companions National nonprofit Canine Companions is celebrating 50 Years of Independence. In 1975, a door towards greater independence was opened for people with disabilities and it all started with a dog. Canine Companions invented the concept of the modern service dog to assist people with physical disabilities, empowering people with disabilities to live with greater independence. As the first and largest provider of service dogs, Canine Companions serves adults, children and veterans with disabilities and professionals working in health care, law enforcement, and educational settings. Since our founding in 1975, we have provided these services at no cost to the recipient. Canine Companions is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) and has six locations across the country serving all 50 states. Learn more at www.canine.org or call 1-800-572-BARK (2275). SOURCE Eukanuba The following statement was issued by Dan Stein, president of the Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR) in response to final passage of the Laken Riley Act by Congress. WASHINGTON, Jan. 22, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- "The Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR) applauds Congress for its swift action in passing the Laken Riley Act with bipartisan support. Fittingly, final passage by the House of Representatives comes eleven months to the day after the Georgia nursing student was brutally murdered by a criminal illegal alien who had been allowed to enter our country and remained at large even after being charged with serious offenses in New York City. "The Laken Riley Act will be one of the first pieces of legislation President Trump signs into law in his new administration. In his inaugural address, the president spoke of the need to restore common sense to government, and enacting legislation that requires Immigration and Customs Enforcement to detain more criminal aliens certainly fits that description. "It is especially heartening that the bill that emerged from the Senate Monday and passed today in the House is stronger than the original version. Led by Senators Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and John Fetterman (D-Pa.), that chamber, by a 75-24 margin, added key provisions from Sarah's Law to the final bill. The amendment is named for Sarah Root, another promising young woman who was killed in 2016 by an illegal alien drunk driver who was released from federal custody and allowed to run free. This added provision requires DHS to issue detainers and take into custody aliens who are charged with, arrested for, convicted of, or admit to having committed crimes that resulted in death or serious bodily injury. "Along with the executive orders signed by President Trump on his first day in office, the bipartisan support for the Laken Riley Act gives Americans hope that enactment of other commonsense border and immigration enforcement measures, that truly protect the interest and security of the American people, can be achieved in the 119th Congress." Contact: Joey Chester, [email protected] or 202-740-7355 SOURCE Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR) BEDMINSTER, N.J., Jan. 23, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- FastTrack, a leader in the digital automation arena for life and disability insurance carriers, is pleased to announce that it has formed a strategic partnership with Reinsurance Group of America, Incorporated (RGA) to bring its patent-pending digital life and life waiver of premium workflow automation and life claims system technology to clients and prospects. This collaboration will leverage the strengths of both organizations, combining RGA's expertise in reinsurance and claims management consulting with FastTrack's experience in life and life waiver of premium workflow automation and life claims system technology. By aligning these complementary capabilities, the partnership aims to drive innovation, propel growth opportunities, and enhance client experiences for both organizations. "RGA is focused on driving digital transformation initiatives that impact the entire life insurance lifecycle. This partnership enables intelligent automation capabilities across life insurance and waiver of premium product," said Senan O'Loughlin, Executive Vice President, Head of U.S. Individual Life, RGA. "FastTrack's ability to digitize both claims workflow and claim system functionality is a leap forward in this journey, and this partnership exemplifies how RGA addresses client pain points with innovative solutions tailored to their needs." "We are excited about this strategic partnership with RGA," said Thomas Capato, CEO & Cofounder, FastTrack. "Through this collaboration, we are not only expanding our capabilities but also delivering greater value to our customers. Together, we are poised to innovate and drive growth, and we look forward to a successful partnership that will benefit all stakeholders and set new benchmarks in our industry." RGA and FastTrack recognize the life and disability insurance vertical's keen focus on enhancing customer claim experiences combined with a continuous pursuit to improve operational processes. As part of the agreement, RGA and FastTrack will join forces in identifying insurance carriers that will benefit from the collaboration. Thereafter, both companies are committed to a joint engagement process, which will provide life and life waiver of premium insurance carriers the opportunity to execute their digital transformation strategies, realize operational and financial improvements, and provide an enriched customer claim experience. About FastTrack FastTrack a division of Kamine Technology Group (KTG) has been a market leader in providing intelligent, automated claims management solutions and services to the Life & Disability insurance vertical since 2012. Headquartered in Bedminster, N.J., FastTrack's unique blend of smart technology and decades of insurance subject-matter expertise has secured key partnerships with many of North America's leading group and individual insurance carriers. FastTrack's comprehensive suite of made-for-insurance Intelligent Automation Tools is revolutionizing claim management/process, freeing up mission-critical resources and vastly improving the claims journey experience for claimants, beneficiaries, employers, agents/brokers, examiners, and more. Key performance advantages include the elimination of up to 90% of manual administrative tasks, the implementation of auto-administrative and auto-adjudication pathways, the creation of data-rich digital claimant profiles that reduce risk and accelerate claim decisions by 30%-40%, and direct savings on carriers' reserves and interest expenses. For more information, please visit: FastTrackRTW.com About RGA Reinsurance Group of America, Incorporated (NYSE: RGA) is a global industry leader specializing in life and health reinsurance and financial solutions that help clients effectively manage risk and optimize capital. Founded in 1973, RGA is today one of the world's largest and most respected reinsurers and remains guided by a powerful purpose: to make financial protection accessible to all. As a global capabilities and solutions leader, RGA empowers partners through bold innovation, relentless execution, and dedicated client focus all directed toward creating sustainable long-term value. RGA has approximately $4.0 trillion of life reinsurance in force and assets of $120.3 billion as of September 30, 2024. To learn more about RGA and its businesses, please visit rgare.com or follow RGA on LinkedIn and Facebook. Investors can learn more at investor.rgare.com. For further information, please contact: Ellie O'Brien FastTrack [email protected] 908-470-2191 FastTrackRTW.com Follow FastTrack on LinkedIn Lizzie Curry Executive Director, Public Relations, RGA 636-736-8521 [email protected] SOURCE FastTrack SAN DIEGO, Jan. 23, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Labs has been awarded a $100 million, 5-year Indefinite Delivery, Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contract to support key U.S. Air Force priorities.The IDIQ can be leveraged for development or procurement of additively manufactured unmanned aerial systems (UAS) and advancing next-generation autonomy capabilities. This award underscores the Air Force's The contract spans five years and enables the Air Force to issue multiple task and delivery orders, providing flexibility to adapt to shifting operational demands. Individual task orders will allow for performance periods of up to 24 months after the final order is placed. Under this contract, Firestorm is open to orders for work across the USG. "This award reflects the Air Force's confidence in Firestorm's ability to deliver modular, cost-effective UAS solutions that redefine the boundaries of innovation," said Dan Magy, Co-Founder/CEO, Firestorm Labs. "We are excited to contribute to the modernization of warfighter capabilities, ensuring operational agility and strategic dominance in evolving combat environments." Firestorm's systems leverage advanced manufacturing processes and modular design principles to deliver scalable, low-cost solutions that address the Air Force's priorities for operational dominance in contested environments. "Production for group 1-3 drones anywhere in the world is what we offer, added Chad McCoy, Co-founder/Chief Strategy Officer. "Our vision is to enable the production of systems, parts, and prototyping at the edge, agnostic of vendor. xCell is our response to the challenges of an uncertain supply chain, isolated geography, and contested logistics that demand innovation. Working closely with the Air Force has allowed Firestorm to focus on the hardest problems and deliver impactful solutions. We're not offering a single solution for a niche problem; we are laying the foundation for the future of warfare." About Firestorm Labs Headquartered in San Diego, CA, Firestorm Labs is a leading provider of additive-manufactured unmanned aerial systems (UAS). Firestorm specializes in delivering scalable, modular, and rapidly deployable UAS solutions to support today's warfighter. By combining innovative design approaches with advanced manufacturing, Firestorm empowers its customers with scalable, rapidly deployable solutions that ensure mission success in contested environments. About AFRL The Air Force Research Laboratory is the primary scientific research and development center for the Department of the Air Force. AFRL plays an integral role in leading the discovery, development, and integration of affordable warfighting technologies for our air, space and cyberspace force. With a workforce of more than 12,500 across nine technology areas and 40 other operations across the globe, AFRL provides a diverse portfolio of science and technology ranging from fundamental to advanced research and technology development. For more information, visit www.afresearchlab.com. About AFWERX As the innovation arm of the DAF and a directorate within the Air Force Research Laboratory, AFWERX brings cutting-edge American ingenuity from small businesses and start-ups to address the most pressing challenges of the DAF. AFWERX employs approximately 370 military, civilian and contractor personnel at four hubs and sites executing an annual $1.4 billion budget. Since 2019, AFWERX has executed over 6,200 new contracts worth more than $4.7 billion to strengthen the U.S. defense industrial base and drive faster technology transition to operational capability. For more information, visit: www.afwerx.com. SOURCE Firestorm Labs, Inc This year's commemoration honors the past and present of the University's existence and impact. HAMPTON, Va., Jan. 22, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Hampton University is set to honor its legacy of excellence and resilience with an extraordinary Founders Day weekend of events. The official celebration will be on Sunday, January 26. This year's event promises to be unforgettable, featuring an inspiring keynote address by newly appointed Four-Star General Xavier Brunson '90 and the much-anticipated re-grand opening of the Hampton University Museum, the oldest African American museum in the nation. A Legacy of Leadership and Vision Founders Day serves as a time to reflect on Hampton University's storied history, which began in 1868 when General Samuel Chapman Armstrong established the institution to educate newly freed men and women. Since then, the University has produced greatness in its areas of research, programs, and its alumni body. Hampton University is set to honor its Founders Day weekend of events Jan. 24-26. Post this Many of the University's distinguished alumni have followed in the persevering footsteps of its founder General Chapman, like current University President and former Army Lieutenant General Darrell K. Williams '83 and current Army General Xavier Brunson '90. These military experts can trace the beginnings of their Armed Services tenure to their experiences on the campus of Hampton University. Over the past 157 years, Hampton University has grown into a beacon of academic excellence, social change, and cultural preservation. The institution's legacy has touched nearly every aspect of African American progress since the end of American slavery to include the Reconstruction Period, the Harlem Renaissance, the Civil Rights Movement, the Black Power Movement, the Black Lives Matter movement, and beyond. The Founders Day program will take place in Ogden Hall, beginning at 11:30 a.m., and will honor this rich heritage while celebrating the university's ongoing impact. Keynote Speaker: Four-Star General Xavier Brunson Hampton University is honored to welcome General Xavier Brunson as this year's keynote speaker. A distinguished leader, strategist, and trailblazer, General Brunson recently made history as one of the highest-ranking African American officers in the U.S. Army. With a career spanning over three decades, he has served in pivotal roles across the globe, including deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan and leadership positions in Europe and the Pacific. His current duties include overseeing United States Forces Korea. General Brunson is widely celebrated for his commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion within the military. His leadership philosophy emphasizes building strong, cohesive teams and inspiring future leaders to excel. A graduate of Hampton University, General Brunson embodies the values of perseverance, service, and excellence that the institution instills in its students. The Re-Grand Opening of the Hampton University Museum Following the keynote address, the celebration will continue with the re-grand opening of the Hampton University Museum. Established in 1868, the museum is a crown jewel of the university, housing over 12,000 artifacts, including African, Indigenous, and Pacific Islander art, as well as one of the largest collections of works by African American artists. The museum's recent renovations have enhanced its ability to showcase these treasures while preserving its historic character. The re-grand opening ceremony will feature remarks, an opportunity to tour the museum, and a reception. A Day to Celebrate Hampton's Legacy and Future "This Founders Day is a moment to honor our past, celebrate our present, and chart a brand-new day for our future," said Hampton University President Darrell K. Williams. "With General Brunson's inspirational leadership and the reopening of our beloved museum, we are reminded of the enduring power of education and culture to transform lives." Public Event Details: Screening of "First Class" Documentary Date: Saturday, January 25 Time: doors open at 3 p.m. doors open at Location: Student Center Theatre, Hampton University Campus Wreath-Laying Ceremony Date: Sunday, January 26 Time: Founders Day Program begins at 9:30 a.m. Founders Day Program begins at Location: University Cemetery, Hampton University Campus Founders Day Program with Keynote Speaker General Xavier Brunson, Hampton University Museum Re-Grand Opening Date: Sunday, January 26 Time: Founders Day Program begins at 11:30 a.m. Founders Day Program begins at Location: Ogden Hall, Hampton University Campus Ogden Hall, Campus Museum Re-Grand Opening immediately follows the Founders Day program. These Founders Day weekend events are open to the public, and all are invited to join Hampton University in honoring its heritage and vision for the future. About Hampton University Hampton University, nestled along the scenic shores of Hampton, Virginia, is a dynamic historically Black institution with a storied legacy of academic excellence, pioneering research, and dedicated community service. Here, students discover an empowering environment that fuels their ambitions, nurtures their potential, and inspires them to rise, lead, and excel. Founded in 1868, Hampton combines a robust liberal arts education with a strong emphasis on scientific and professional disciplines, offering a wide range of distinctive programs, including leading-edge degrees in STEM, business, arts, and health sciences. The University is at the forefront of research in areas such as atmospheric science, cancer treatment, and cybersecurity, driving innovation that impacts the world. Additionally, the newly launched School of Religion stands out as the first HBCU to offer a doctoral degree in theology, religious studies, and ministry. Contributing $530 million annually to both the regional and the Commonwealth of Virginia's economy, Hampton plays a vital role in regional development while championing diversity, inclusion, and opportunity. Recognized by Money Magazine as one of the "Best Colleges in America" and honored by Coastal Virginia as the "Best Private College," Hampton University is a close-knit community of learners and educators representing 44 states and 32 territories and nations. Committed to nurturing intellectual curiosity, critical thinking, and global citizenship, Hampton prepares its students to lead and thrive in an evolving world. For more information, visit www.hamptonu.edu. SOURCE HAMPTON UNIVERSITY PHILADELPHIA, Jan. 23, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- FMC Corporation (NYSE: FMC) announced today that its 2025 annual meeting of stockholders will be held via live webcast on Tuesday, April 29, 2025, at 2:00 p.m. ET. Instructions for accessing the webcast will be available on the company's Investor Relations website, located at https://investors.fmc.com. About FMC FMC Corporation is a global agricultural sciences company dedicated to helping growers produce food, feed, fiber and fuel for an expanding world population while adapting to a changing environment. FMC's innovative crop protection solutions including biologicals, crop nutrition, digital and precision agriculture enable growers and crop advisers to address their toughest challenges economically while protecting the environment. FMC is committed to discovering new herbicide, insecticide and fungicide active ingredients, product formulations and pioneering technologies that are consistently better for the planet. Visit fmc.com to learn more and follow us on LinkedIn. Statement under the Safe Harbor Provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995: FMC and its representatives may from time to time make written or oral statements that are "forward-looking" and provide other than historical information, including statements contained in this press release, in FMC's other filings with the SEC, and in reports or letters to FMC stockholders. In some cases, FMC has identified these forward-looking statements by such words or phrases as "will likely result," "is confident that," "expect," "expects," "should," "could," "may," "will continue to," "believe," "believes," "anticipates," "predicts," "forecasts," "estimates," "projects," "potential," "intends" or similar expressions identifying "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including the negative of those words or phrases. Such forward-looking statements are based on management's current views and assumptions regarding future events, future business conditions and the outlook for the company based on currently available information. The forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results to be materially different from any results, levels of activity, performance or achievements expressed or implied by any forward-looking statement. These statements are qualified by reference to the risk factors included in Part I, Item 1A of our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2023 (the "2023 Form 10-K"), the section captioned "Forward-Looking Information" in Part II of the 2023 Form 10-K and to similar risk factors and cautionary statements in all other reports and forms filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC"). FMC cautions readers not to place undue reliance on any such forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date made. Forward-looking statements are qualified in their entirety by the above cautionary statement. FMC undertakes no obligation, and specifically disclaims any duty, to update or revise any forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances arising after the date of such statements or to reflect the occurrence of anticipated events, except as otherwise required by law. This press release may contain certain "non-GAAP financial terms" which are defined on our website www.fmc.com/investors. Such terms include adjusted EBITDA, adjusted earnings, free cash flow, organic revenue growth and return on invested capital. In addition, we have also provided on our website reconciliations of non-GAAP terms to the most directly comparable GAAP term. SOURCE FMC Corporation SHENZHEN, China, Jan. 23, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Recently, the "2024 KPMG China Fintech 50" list release and award ceremony was held in Shanghai. Kingdee Credit Technology (Shenzhen) Co., Ltd. ("Kingdee Credit Tech"), a leader in the field of enterprise digital credit, was recognized for the fourth time for its outstanding contributions to empowering inclusive finance over the past decade. Since the launch of KPMG China's first "Fintech 50" list in 2016, the "KPMG Fintech 50" has attracted significant attention from the industry. The selection committee for this year's list included dozens of professionals and representatives from KPMG's global and China offices, reflecting the cutting-edge technology and innovation in China's fintech sector. In his speech, Zhang Chudong, KPMG's Asia-Pacific and China Financial Services Managing Partner, emphasized that the development of cutting-edge technologies like generative AI is driving fintech innovation in areas such as financial product development, service optimization, and risk management, empowering the five major areas of the financial industry: technology finance, green finance, inclusive finance, pension finance, and digital finance. In the rapidly transforming fintech field, data has become the key fuel driving innovation and decision-making. Kingdee Credit Tech's inclusion for the fourth time is a testament to its ongoing commitment to "ensuring every enterprise has digital credit." By leveraging core technologies such as AI, big data, graph computing, and RPA, Kingdee Credit Tech integrates multi-dimensional data from authorized financial, tax, invoice, and corporate legal sources. Through self-developed and bank-collaborated credit risk assessment models, the company supports financial institutions in achieving precise marketing and risk management, effectively contributing to the growth of the real economy. Currently, Kingdee Credit Tech collaborates with over 200 banks and financial institutions and has helped 700,000 small businesses access over 180 billion yuan in digital credit. Kingdee Credit Tech's "Industry Transaction Map" has been widely applied in areas such as microfinance and supply chain finance, offering banks accurate solutions for reaching high-quality enterprises within the industrial chain. With a vast accumulation of authorized data and advanced graph computing technology, banks can accurately identify the relationship networks and transaction links of enterprises and their upstream and downstream partners. This allows them to filter out high-quality companies and even identify small businesses with up to six layers of transactional or equity relationships with core enterprises, thereby enhancing customer acquisition and risk control efficiency. For example, in partnership with JD Technology, Kingdee Credit helped 500,000 businesses within the industry map gain higher supply chain financing, effectively improving liquidity in the supply chain. In the microfinance sector, Kingdee Credit Tech launched the Kingdee Feiqi App, providing small enterprises with efficient and intelligent online financing services. In the field of small and micro-enterprise services, Kingdee Credit Tech has launched Ailit, a SaaS APP for inventory and sales management specifically tailored for Chinese businesses and entrepreneurs. It supports multiple languages, currencies, and exchange rate switching, including Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese, English, Portuguese, and Spanish. Ailit meets the needs of overseas clients in areas such as invoicing, inventory management, financial reconciliation, and business analysis, helping to enhance the operational efficiency of their international businesses. Looking ahead, Kingdee Credit Tech will continue to leverage the value of digital credit and actively explore innovative fintech applications to support the high-quality development of digital inclusive finance. SOURCE Kingdee Credit Technology (Shenzhen) Co., Ltd. IRVINE, Calif., Jan. 23, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Finding oneself embroiled in potentially criminal employment tax federal or state allegations of willful failure to collect or pay over taxes is bound to be unnerving, stressful, and downright frightening. Employers in the United States are legally obligated to withhold employee income taxes, Social Security, and Medicare taxescommonly referred to as "trust fund taxes"and remit these amounts to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). These obligations, outlined under 26 U.S.C. 3102(a), 3102(b), 3402, and 3403, extend beyond simple withholding of taxes. Employers must truthfully account for and timely remit these taxes to the IRS. A deliberate failure to meet these obligations constitutes a violation of 26 U.S.C. 7202, a felony offense under federal tax law. Employment Tax Representation This federal crime applies specifically to individuals or entities responsible for collecting and paying over taxes imposed on others, such as employers withholding taxes from employees' wages. It does not apply to individuals solely responsible for paying their taxes, such as employees themselves. Employers who willfully neglect their obligations under 7202 can face both severe civil and criminal tax penalties, leading to a potential criminal tax prosecution. Elements of the Offense To secure a conviction under 26 U.S.C. 7202, the government must prove three elements beyond a reasonable doubt: Duty to Collect, Account for, and Pay Over the Tax: The individual must have been legally obligated to fulfill these responsibilities. Failure to Fulfill the Duty: Evidence must demonstrate that the accused failed to collect, account for, or pay over the employment tax as required. Willfulness: The failure must have been intentional and deliberate, with the accused having the ability to pay but choosing not to do so. Just choosing to pay other creditors over the IRS is sufficient to establish willfulness. Your better off going bankrupt than kiting payroll taxes. The law imposes this duty on "any person required" under the Internal Revenue Code. Courts have interpreted this to include business owners, executives, financial officers, or any individual who possesses the authority and ability to ensure employment tax compliance. Notably, under IRC 3403 and Reg. 31.3403-1, employers are liable for withheld taxes even if the funds were not collected from employees. In such cases, the IRS may pursue unpaid taxes from the responsible person's personal assets, such as homes, vehicles, or other business holdings. Willfulness: The Key Component Willfulness is a central element of the offense under 26 U.S.C. 7202. It requires proof that the individual acted with intentional disregard for a known legal duty. Investigators, Prosecutors and the Courts often infer willfulness through circumstantial evidence. Common examples include: Failing to remit trust fund taxes while continuing to operate the business. Using withheld taxes for other expenses, such as payroll or operational costs. Making false employment tax accounting entries. Operating a cash-only business to obscure income & payroll. Destroying or failing to maintain adequate financial records. Purposefully understating payroll taxes on employment tax returns. Paying employees in cash and failing to file 1099's or employment tax returns. Notably, financial hardship does not negate willfulness . Courts have consistently found that prioritizing other debts over tax obligations demonstrates deliberate intent to violate employment tax laws. The IRS often relies on trained Fraud Referral Specialists (FRS) to identify "firm indications of fraud," which can escalate a routine civil employment tax audit into an exponentially severe criminal employment tax investigation when willful intent is likely. A good faith belief in non-violation of tax laws may negate the willfulness element required for a conviction. In Cheek v. United States (498 U.S. 192, 1991), the Supreme Court held that a defendant's sincere beliefhowever unreasonablethat they were not violating tax laws could serve as a defense against willfulness. However, this defense is narrowly applied and cannot be based on frivolous arguments, such as claims that employment taxes are unconstitutional. While the belief need not be objectively reasonable, the less plausible it appears, the more likely a finding of guilt will follow. At the Tax Law Offices of David W. Klasing, we deploy sophisticated defense strategies to make it significantly harder for the IRS to prove willfulness in criminal tax investigations. Demonstrating willfulness requires the government to establish that a taxpayer knowingly and intentionally violated a known legal dutya burden we actively challenge by presenting evidence of inadvertence, negligence, or genuine mistakes. For instance, we may highlight circumstances where conduct was careless but unintentional or where taxpayers relied in good faith on the advice of counsel or accountants after fully disclosing their financial details. Additionally, we emphasize complexities in tax law that may have led to misunderstandings about filing obligations, leveraging Supreme Court precedents that recognize good faith mistakes as a valid defense. By meticulously building a narrative of uncertainty, reliance, or mental incapacity, we effectively counter the IRS's claims of deliberate misconduct, safeguarding our clients from severe criminal tax penalties and reputational harm. Criminal Penalties for Willful Failure to Collect or Pay Over Tax The Department of Justice has significantly increased prosecutions under 7202 in recent years, particularly for employment tax violations. Violations of 26 U.S.C. 7202 are classified as felonies and carry significant civil and criminal tax penalties: Imprisonment : Up to five years per offense. : Up to five years per offense. Fines : Up to $250,000 for individuals and $500,000 for corporations under 18 U.S.C. 3571. : Up to for individuals and for corporations under 18 U.S.C. 3571. Restitution : Convicted individuals must pay back taxes, interest, and penalties in addition to criminal penalties. : Convicted individuals must pay back taxes, interest, and penalties in addition to criminal penalties. Prosecution Costs: Defendants may also be ordered to cover the government's costs for investigating and prosecuting the case. Willful Tax Crimes and IRS Criminal Tax Investigations Willfulness can significantly increase the likelihood of a clandestine IRS criminal tax investigation, as it involves deliberate violations of tax laws. The IRS Criminal Investigation Division (IRS-CI) meticulously examines actions such as withholding taxes but failing to remit them, falsifying financial records, or using fictitious payees to obscure income. These willful acts often trigger heightened scrutiny, with investigators leveraging advanced techniques to identify "badges of fraud"patterns that reveal intentional misconduct. Examples include concealed financial accounts, unexplained increases in net worth, or irregular cash transactions. Once preliminary indicators of fraud are detected, they can escalate into firm evidence of willfulness, compelling IRS-CI to initiate a criminal tax investigation. Taxpayers engaging in such conduct face amplified legal risks, making swift and skilled legal intervention essential to mitigate the potential for severe penalties, imprisonment, and lasting reputational harm. The IRS may assess a civil Trust Fund Recovery Penalty (TFRP) under 26 U.S.C. 6672 against responsible individuals who willfully fail to collect or remit trust fund taxes. The statutory language of 7202 closely parallels 6672, with the Department of Justice frequently using civil TFRP cases as the basis for criminal tax referrals under 7202. This is often assessed against multiple parties within a single organization. I.E. owners, management and accounting personnel. Proactive Measures: The Voluntary Disclosure Program For employers who have willfully failed to comply with their tax obligations, the IRS Voluntary Disclosure Program (VDP) offers a path to resolve non-compliance while potentially avoiding criminal tax prosecution. Participants must: Submit a truthful, timely, and complete disclosure, including all required documentation (e.g., Form 2848). Cooperate fully with the IRS in determining the correct tax liability. Pay in full or establish an installment agreement for taxes, interest, and penalties owed. A disclosure is considered timely if submitted before the IRS initiates a civil tax examination, criminal tax investigation, or receives information about noncompliance from third parties. Our experienced dual-licensed voluntary disclosure Attorneys and CPAs at the Tax Law Offices of David W. Klasing will be able to help get you back into compliance by filing the appropriated amendments to your returns, preparing any missing foreign information returns, and helping you enter into a streamlined of voluntary disclosure program, depending on if badges of fraud are apparent in your fact pattern that shows your actions were willful. Even if you have willfully committed tax crimes, self-reporting the fraud through a voluntary disclosure program before the IRS has started an audit or criminal tax investigation will usually result in the taxpayer being brought back into compliance without ever facing criminal tax prosecution. Why Choose the Tax Law Offices of David W. Klasing? Facing allegations of willful failure to collect or pay over taxes under 26 U.S.C. 7202 or related tax violations is not only daunting but also carries life-altering financial and criminal tax consequences. At the Tax Law Offices of David W. Klasing, we provide a full spectrum of services tailored to your specific needs, offering unparalleled expertise in defending against employment tax violations, trust fund recovery penalties, and criminal tax charges. Our team of dual-licensed Civil and Criminal Tax Defense Attorneys and CPAs is uniquely equipped to handle every aspect of your case, from navigating government investigations to mitigating exposure through the IRS Voluntary Disclosure Program. Our firm combines technical proficiency in tax law with strategic legal defense, ensuring a comprehensive approach to resolving your case. Whether addressing allegations of willfulness, countering the government's evidence, or guiding you through voluntary disclosures to limit prosecution risks, we deliver meticulous representation designed to safeguard your liberty, finances, and reputation. With the attorney-client privilege protecting sensitive information and a proven long track record in defending complex employment tax cases, the Tax Law Offices of David W. Klasing is your indispensable ally in confronting and overcoming these challenges. Don't let the stakes overwhelm you Call us today at (888) 310-3543 or complete our online contact form to secure a reduced-rate initial appointment. To make our services as accessible as possible, we've introduced a convenient scheduling option, where clients can reserve a four-hour slot at any of our satellite locations, and David W. Klasing, an instrument-rated private pilot, will personally travel in the firm's fast and efficient Cirrus SR22 to any of our satellite offices to meet with you. We have designed this service to benefit our clients, with no additional travel expenses added to your bill. Here is a link to our YouTube channel: click here! See our Employment Tax Law Q and A Library See our Criminal Tax Law Q and A Library See our Audit Representation Q and A Library Public Contact: Dave Klasing Esq. M.S.-Tax CPA, [email protected] SOURCE Tax Law Offices of David W. Klasing, PC Customizable, anaerobic-enabled system aims to accelerate discovery and development of sustainable biofuels at the University of WisconsinMadison's GLBRC BOSTON, Jan. 23, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Ginkgo Bioworks (NYSE: DNA), which is building the leading platform for cell programming and biosecurity, today announced that Ginkgo Automation will design and deploy a flexible, anaerobic-enabled laboratory automation system for the Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center (GLBRC), a U.S. Department of Energy-funded Bioenergy Research Center at the University of WisconsinMadison. This new system is designed to support the diverse needs of multiple investigators and research teams simultaneously, enabling GLBRC scientists to more efficiently discover and optimize synthesis of biofuels and bioproducts from plant biomass. A collection of Reconfigurable Automation Carts (RACs) that are designed to improve the throughput and efficiency of lab operations. GLBRC's mission involves numerous investigators tackling a variety of scientific challenges, requiring flexible and robust research infrastructure. The anaerobic-capable automation system Ginkgo Automation will develop is designed to enable GLBRC scientists to run multiple, diverse experiments at once, across both aerotolerant and anaerobic conditions, while increasing "walkaway" timeallowing investigators to spend more time interpreting data and planning the next generation of experiments rather than tending to routine laboratory tasks. By consolidating diverse experimental needs into a single, flexible system, Ginkgo Automation expects to help GLBRC advance its mission of enabling cost-effective, sustainable biofuel production at scale. Ginkgo Automation's capabilities are built on years of internal expertise honed at Ginkgo Bioworks and Zymergen, encompassing hardware design, software integration, and applications development. Ginkgo Automation brings significant prior experience in automating workflows for anaerobic organisms , a key requirement for many of GLBRC's research programs. The result is a customizable, future-forward system that can be easily adapted to meet emerging research needs and support more complex workflows as GLBRC continues to pioneer innovations in the bioenergy space. In addition to providing advanced automation hardware and software, Ginkgo Automation's deployment at GLBRC will include access to Catalyst Flow, a fully remote, active error resolution and troubleshooting support service. Catalyst Flow's proactive monitoring is expected to enable Ginkgo's scientists and engineers to identify and resolve approximately 80-90% of system errors remotely, without the need for user-initiated tickets. Remote recovery is especially critical when working within an anaerobic chamber, because of how disruptive environmental breaches are to research throughput. This helps enable extended walkaway time, improved instrument uptime, and minimized interruptions to research activities, allowing investigators at GLBRC to focus on innovation rather than maintenance. "This project brings us one step closer to transforming the way researchers leverage laboratory automation," said Will Serber, Head of Ginkgo Automation. "With the design of this new, automated, anaerobic-enabled system, we're not just pushing boundarieswe're reimagining what's possible in the lab. By giving GLBRC investigators the ability to run flexible, multi-user, lab-directed evolution workflows in a highly automated manner, we expect this system to accelerate scientific progress. Ultimately, it's about empowering researchers to achieve more with less effort and drive real-world impact in biofuels and bioproducts development." "We're excited to incorporate this advanced automation system into our workflows," said Michael Botts, Laboratory Automation Coordinator at GLBRC. "Our researchers tackle a wide range of scientific challenges, from optimizing microbial conversion processes to exploring new feedstocks. Having a single, flexible platform that can manage both anaerobic and aerobic conditionsand can run multiple experiments simultaneouslywill be a game-changer. It frees our scientists to focus on innovation and analysis, rather than routine lab tasks, ultimately helping us advance our mission more efficiently." To learn more about how you can leverage Ginkgo's Automation - built by scientists for scientists - please visit our website . About Ginkgo Bioworks Ginkgo Bioworks is the leading horizontal platform for cell programming, providing flexible, end-to-end services that solve challenges for organizations across diverse markets, from food and agriculture to pharmaceuticals to industrial and specialty chemicals. Ginkgo Biosecurity is building and deploying the next-generation infrastructure and technologies that global leaders need to predict, detect, and respond to a wide variety of biological threats. For more information, visit ginkgobioworks.com and ginkgobiosecurity.com , read our blog , or follow us on social media channels such as X (@ Ginkgo and @ Ginkgo_Biosec ), Instagram (@ GinkgoBioworks ), Threads (@ GinkgoBioworks ), or LinkedIn . GINKGO BIOWORKS INVESTOR CONTACT: [email protected] GINKGO BIOWORKS MEDIA CONTACT: [email protected] Forward-Looking Statements of Ginkgo Bioworks This press release contains certain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the federal securities laws, including statements regarding the capabilities and potential success of the partnership and Ginkgo's cell programming platform. These forward-looking statements generally are identified by the words "believe," "can," "project," "potential," "expect," "anticipate," "estimate," "intend," "strategy," "future," "opportunity," "plan," "may," "should," "will," "would," "will be," "will continue," "will likely result," and similar expressions. Forward-looking statements are predictions, projections and other statements about future events that are based on current expectations and assumptions and, as a result, are subject to risks and uncertainties. Many factors could cause actual future events to differ materially from the forward-looking statements in this press release, including but not limited to: (i) volatility in the price of Ginkgo's securities due to a variety of factors, including changes in the competitive and highly regulated industries in which Ginkgo operates and plans to operate, variations in performance across competitors, and changes in laws and regulations affecting Ginkgo's business, (ii) the ability to implement business plans, forecasts, and other expectations, and to identify and realize additional business opportunities, (iii) the risk of downturns in demand for products using synthetic biology, (iv) the uncertainty regarding the demand for passive monitoring programs and biosecurity services, (v) changes to the biosecurity industry, including due to advancements in technology, emerging competition and evolution in industry demands, standards and regulations, (vi) the outcome of any pending or potential legal proceedings against Ginkgo, (vii) our ability to realize the expected benefits from and the success of our Foundry platform programs, (viii) our ability to successfully develop engineered cells, bioprocesses, data packages or other deliverables, and (ix) the product development or commercialization success of our customers. The foregoing list of factors is not exhaustive. You should carefully consider the foregoing factors and the other risks and uncertainties described in the "Risk Factors" section of Ginkgo's annual report on Form 10-K filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") on February 29, 2024, Ginkgo's most recent quarterly report on Form 10-Q, and other documents filed by Ginkgo from time to time with the SEC. These filings identify and address other important risks and uncertainties that could cause actual events and results to differ materially from those contained in the forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made. Readers are cautioned not to put undue reliance on forward-looking statements, and Ginkgo assumes no obligation and does not intend to update or revise these forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise. Ginkgo does not give any assurance that it will achieve its expectations. SOURCE Ginkgo Bioworks HANOI, Vietnam, Jan. 22, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The Industrial AI Federation, Aitomatic, and the National Innovation Center of Vietnam announced today the AI-Semiconductor Conference (AISC) 2025. The conference will bring together over 1,000 global industry leaders from Google DeepMind, Stanford, Intel, TSMC, and Samsung to explore AI technologies transforming the $500B semiconductor and chip design industry. Taking place March 12-14, 2025, AISC will feature the world premiere of SemiKong, the breakthrough semiconductor foundation model that has demonstrated significant yield improvements in advanced chip manufacturing. Following the success of the International Industrial-AI Conference (IIAC) at Stanford, AISC 2025 features an unprecedented assembly of global technology pioneers: Eric Schmidt , former CEO of Google, discussing strategic economic development in the age of AI, exploring opportunities and considerations for global technological advancement , former CEO of Google, discussing strategic economic development in the age of AI, exploring opportunities and considerations for global technological advancement Christopher Nguyen, pioneer in Domain-Expert AI Agents (DXAs) and global leader in industrial AI, presenting transformative applications in semiconductor manufacturing Quoc Le of Google DeepMind, presenting advances at the forefront of AI in Planning and Reasoning autonomy of Google DeepMind, presenting advances at the forefront of AI in Planning and Reasoning autonomy Azalia Mirhoseini of Stanford , sharing breakthroughs in end-to-end AI-driven chip design from idea to manufacturing of , sharing breakthroughs in end-to-end AI-driven chip design from idea to manufacturing Richard Socher of YOU.COM, exploring fundamental advances in AI for Science VP Bank, one of Vietnam's top-three innovative banks, showcasing strategic application of AI across banking operations and customer services top-three innovative banks, showcasing strategic application of AI across banking operations and customer services Michael Kokalari of Stanford , presenting insights into Southeast Asia's economic outlook for the next decade , presenting insights into economic outlook for the next decade Industry leaders from Intel, IBM Research, and Honeywell, discussing practical implementations of AI in manufacturing "AISC 2025 marks a pivotal moment in the evolution of AI and semiconductor technologies," said Dr. Christopher Nguyen, General Co-Chair of AISC. "We're bringing together the world's foremost innovators to showcase real breakthroughs at the intersection of AI and semiconductors." A major highlight will be the world premiere of SemiKong, developed through collaboration between Aitomatic and FPT Software. This foundation model represents a significant leap forward in semiconductor manufacturing and design, with early deployments demonstrating unprecedented yield improvements. The conference features specialized tracks: AI for Semiconductor Manufacturing, featuring the industry-defining SemiKong foundation model End-to-End AI-Driven Chip Design and Manufacturing Domain-Expert AI Agents (DXAs) and Industrial Applications Technical Deep Dives and Policy Strategy Strategic partnerships with IBM, Meta, VP Bank, Panasonic, Fulbright University Vietnam, and Marvell enable unique technology demonstrations. A special reception will mark Vietnamese technology companies and research institutions joining the AI Alliance (thealliance.ai), alongside existing members including IBM, Meta, Aitomatic, Intel, and AMD. Early bird registration is open until January 31, 2025, offering significant savings. Limited premium sponsorship packages are available, providing unique opportunities to showcase your brand to 1,000+ industry leaders and decision-makers. Benefits include private meeting rooms, priority access to VIP networking events, speaking opportunities, and exhibition space in prime locations. About The Industrial AI Federation The Industrial AI Federation brings together global organizations in AI, semiconductor, and industrial sectors to foster collaboration, drive innovation, and shape the future of computing. Its flagship events, the AI-Semiconductor Conference (AISC) and the International Industrial-AI Conference (IIAC), are highlights of the year where global leaders gather to share insights and advance the field. For more information, visit https://www.aisc.events About Aitomatic Aitomatic builds the Domain-Expert Agent (DXA) Factory, the industrial platform for creating AI agents that combine deep industry knowledge with advanced AI capabilities. Selected by Fortune 500 leaders in financial services and manufacturing, Aitomatic was founded by enterprise AI veterans including pioneers from Google's early AI initiatives. The company is headquartered in Palo Alto, California. For more information, visit https://www.aitomatic.com. Media contacts: [email protected] , [email protected] SOURCE Industrial AI Federation LOS ANGELES, Jan. 23, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The son of Zhi Feng Zhao, an 84-year-old Chinese immigrant who tragically lost his life in the Eaton Fire earlier this month, has filed a wrongful death lawsuit. The suit against Southern California Edison alleges that the utility company's negligence in maintaining equipment and vegetation sparked the deadly wildfire, which tore through the Altadena area on January 7, 2024. "This was a preventable tragedy. None of this had to happen," said Rob Jarchi, an experienced wildfire attorney and partner at the plaintiff's firm Greene Broillet & Wheeler, LLP, who represents the Zhao family. Jarchi, who lost his home in the Pacific Palisades fire, brings a unique perspective to his advocacy for wildfire survivors. "Losing my own home in the Pacific Palisades fire gave me a profound understanding of what wildfire survivors endurethe loss of security, cherished memories, and a sense of home. Advocating for others in the wake of my family's tragedy has been both challenging and healingit allows me to direct my loss into meaningful action." The plaintiff, Shaw Zhao, was en route to visit his father when the fire erupted. The flames, driven by fierce Santa Ana winds, consumed the family's Altadena home, leaving Zhao unable to escape. The lawsuit seeks accountability for what Jarchi describes as a "preventable tragedy," pointing to Southern California Edison's failure to act on red flag warnings in the days before the fire. Born into poverty in rural China, Zhao overcame childhood adversity to become a scholar and a father whose resilience inspired those around him. He graduated from Peking University, pursued a successful career, and instilled in his son a love for learning and problem-solving. Shaw, now a data scientist, credits his father for shaping his values and determination. "He is a person of fortitude, perseverance, and intelligence," he said, remembering his father's commitment to family and education. "I think this case, like many of the others that are going to be filed, is about justice for Mr. Zhao and the community," Jarchi told the Pasadena Star News. "Wildfires don't just happenthey're often the result of negligence. My work is about ensuring Southern California Edison takes responsibility for its conduct, and to prevent further tragedies," Jarchi said. Greene Broillet & Wheeler, LLP is a personal injury law firm in Los Angeles dedicated to representing people who have been seriously injured by the wrongful conduct of corporations and other wrongdoers. We are an award-winning firm that has recovered billions of dollars for our clients since we were founded over 50 years ago. Greene Broillet & Wheeler is one of the first firms to file a wrongful death lawsuit relating to the Eaton fire against Southern California Edison, and is the only firm that represented family members of every person who passed away in the tragic Woolsey Fire, one of the most destructive fires in California's history. Our firm also represents those that were harmed by the fires in Maui. Link to the lawsuit: https://drive.google.com/file/d/11iZq48Pnliyxu_D9CKoXmujYjM6KOFto/view?usp=share_link Media Contact: Gina Fernandes | Juris Productions [email protected] SOURCE Greene Broillet & Wheeler, LLP Secretary of State Marco Rubio has said that much of the history of the 21st century will be written in the Indo-Pacific. On his first day in office, Secretary Rubio met with the foreign ministers of three Indo-Pacific countries, which, along with the United States, make up the Quad Australia, India and Japan. The four foreign ministers issued a joint statement reaffirming a shared commitment to strengthening a Free and Open Indo-Pacific where the rule of law, democratic values, sovereignty and territorial integrity are upheld and defended. They wrote, Our four nations maintain our conviction that international law, economic opportunity, peace, stability and security in all domains, including the maritime domain, underpin the development and prosperity of the peoples of the Indo-Pacific. We also strongly oppose any unilateral actions that seek to change the status quo by force or coercion. In readouts of Secretary Rubios separate meetings with the three officials, a commitment to deepening ties between each country and the United States was emphasized. In the meeting with Japanese Foreign Minister Iwaya Takeshi, Secretary Rubio underlined that the U.S.-Japan Alliance is the cornerstone of security and prosperity in the region. When Secretary Rubio met with Indian External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, the State Department noted the two men discussed a wide range of topics, including strengthening their partnership on critical and emerging technologies, defense cooperation, and energy. In the meeting between Australian Minister for Foreign Affairs Penny Wong and Secretary Rubio, the State Department said the two officials hailed the longstanding U.S.-Australia Alliance as foundational to international security and prosperity. Secretary Rubios first meetings with three of the United States allies underscore what he said to State Departments employees the same day that under President Donald Trump, the foreign policy of the United States is clear about its mission: anything that makes [America] stronger or safer or more prosperous will be our mission. I expect every nation on earth to advance their national interests. And in those instances and I hope there will be many in which our national interests and theirs align, we look forward to working with them. President Trumps overriding goal for global policy, said Secretary Rubio, is the promotion of peace ... because thats in our national interest. The meetings between the United States and its partners in the Quad demonstrate a commitment to this shared goal. - Attending the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2025 for the third consecutive year - Participating in the Oil & Gas Governors session and other discussions, focusing on energy transition and transportation cooperation - Introducing an Intelligent Future Shipyard with AI integration in collaboration with Palantir SEOUL, South Korea, Jan. 22, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- HD Hyundai Executive Vice Chairman Chung Kisun attended the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2025 ("Davos Forum") in Davos, Switzerland, where he introduced the future of K-shipbuilding and discussed cooperation in the energy sector. HD Hyundai Executive Vice Chairman Chung Kisun in a promotional video by the global big data analytics company, Palantir Technologies. (Photo credit: Palantir Technologies) The Davos Forum serves as a global platform where leaders from politics, business, and academia gather to address and find solutions to pressing global challenges. This year's event, themed "Collaboration for the Intelligent Age," takes place from January 20 to 24. Chung's participation marks his third consecutive year at the forum, following his first attendance in 2023. During the forum, he took part in the Oil & Gas Governors, and Supply Chain & Transport Governors meetings consecutively, focusing on cooperation plans for realizing a Multi-Fuel Future, which includes energy transition and transportation, as well as optimizing the building and operating of Software-Defined Vessels through digital technology. These two governors' meetings bring together CEOs from leading global companies, including A.P. Moller-Maersk, PSA International, Shell, and TotalEnergies. Chung also unveiled the blueprint for the Future of Shipyard (FOS) project through a promotional video by the global big data company, Palantir Technologies ("Palantir"). The FOS is an advanced future shipyard that implements digital technologies such as data, virtual and augmented reality, robotics, automation, and artificial intelligence. This video, showcased at Palantir's booth on Davos Promenade, featured interviews with Chung and other HD Hyundai executives. It provided a glimpse of how cutting-edge digital technologiesincluding collaboration with Palantircould transform the shipyard of the future. "For many decades now, HD Hyundai has been leading the world's shipbuilding industry with the most innovative technologies." said Executive Vice Chairman Chung. "(We are) drawing on the latest innovation in AI, digital twins, and so much more to transform our shipyards, unlocking a whole new level of productivity and safety." Since 2021, HD Hyundai has been driving the digital transformation of its shipbuilding business through the FOS project. This initiative focuses on enhancing on-site productivity using advanced technologies, with the goal of ultimately realizing an Intelligent Autonomous Operating Shipyard with minimal human intervention. HD Hyundai plans to complete the FOS project by 2030, with the goal of achieving a 30% improvement in productivity and a 30% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions. SOURCE HD Hyundai Workers Forced to Picket Line After Hertz Fails to Negotiate Fair Contract DALLAS, Jan. 23, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Workers at Hertz represented by Teamsters Local 745 were forced to the picket line after the company failed to negotiate in good faith and offer a fair contract. The 45 workers service the Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport (DFW), the second largest airport in the U.S. "Hertz Teamsters are done with the disrespect," said Brent Taylor, Secretary-Treasurer of Local 745 and Southern Region International Vice President. "Every single day, these workers provide exceptional and essential customer service to one of the busiest airports in world. It's shameful that Hertz is refusing to offer these Teamsters what they are worth." "Teamsters at DFW are not playing Hertz's games. We're not backing down until the company comes to its senses and offers a fair deal," said Rocco Calo, Director of the Teamsters Industrial Trades Division and Eastern Region International Vice President. "The Teamsters represent more than 4,000 Hertz workers nationwide, and we're ready to bring the full strength of this union to this fight." Workers voted down Hertz's subpar offer on January 17 and have been on the picket line since January 18. Teamsters will stay on strike until they receive a fair contract. "My co-workers and I are proud Teamsters, and we are 100 percent unified in this fight," said Ebony Mason, a customer service representative at Hertz and Teamsters chief steward. "We won't stop fighting until we win the strong contract that we deserve." Teamsters Local 745 represents workers in a wide variety of industries throughout the Dallas-Fort Worth area and the surrounding communities. For more information, go to teamsters745.org. Contact: Matt McQuaid, (202) 624-6877 [email protected] SOURCE Teamsters Local 745 Leading e-commerce fulfillment platform supports high-growth with non-dilutive growth-debt funding package SALT LAKE CITY, Jan. 22, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- iDrive Logistics, a leader in shipping and fulfillment solutions for e-commerce businesses and 3PL fulfillment warehouses, has secured a growth loan from Decathlon Capital Partners. This multi-million dollar investment package will support iDrive's ability to meet growing customer demand, deliver expanded functionality, and provide greater value to its customers and partners. Headquartered in Lehi, Utah, iDrive Logistics empowers e-commerce brands to succeed on a global scale. Through innovative, small-parcel spend management and a proprietary business intelligence platform, iDrive helps customers optimize transportation costs and improve supply chain visibility. Details of the revenue-based financing were not disclosed. Shaun Rothwell, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of iDrive Logistics, said the company's mission is to revolutionize small parcel management. "When I founded iDrive Logistics in 2008, my vision was to build a team of industry experts and create a network that delivers unmatched value for our customers," Rothwell said. "Today, we've managed billions in transportation and invested heavily in infrastructure and technology to meet the evolving needs of our clients." Brett Haskins, Chief Operating Officer of iDrive Logistics, said the company's goal is to help e-commerce businesses provide a better overall shipping and returns experience for their customers. "This funding enables us to further develop and provide our innovative shipping technology to our customers and 3PL partners without giving up any equity or ownership of the company," Haskins said. John Borchers, Managing Director of Decathlon Capital Partners, said Decathlon is excited to be partnering with iDrive. "iDrive Logistics has built a remarkable reputation for helping e-commerce businesses succeed through their expertise and cutting-edge solutions," Borchers said. "We're excited to support their growth as they expand their offerings and continue to lead the way in supply chain innovation." Stillwater Capital, a leading transportation and logistics mergers and acquisition advisory firm, was the exclusive financial advisor to iDrive in the transaction. Stillwater's deal team was led by Executive Vice President Jordan Nix with the support of Vice President Brad Kerkhof. "The iDrive team has built a fantastic business that solves some of the biggest e-commerce fulfillment challenges in the market," Nix said. "This investment will propel them to achieve the scale they deserve. Borchers and the Decathlon team are excellent capital partners that will help drive the business forward." About iDrive Logistics iDrive Logistics provides shipping and fulfillment solutions for top e-commerce brands and 3PL warehouses. With over 100 years of collective small parcel experience, iDrive specializes in small-parcel spend management and supply chain visibility, empowering customers to reduce costs and optimize operations. iDrive Logistics is a trusted partner for businesses aiming to succeed on a global scale. Learn more at www.idrivelogistics.com . About Decathlon Capital Partners Decathlon Capital Partners provides growth capital for companies seeking alternatives to traditional equity investment. Through the use of highly customized growth-debt financing solutions, Decathlon provides long-term growth capital without the dilution, loss of control and operational overhead that often comes with equity-based funding. With offices in Palo Alto and Park City, Decathlon is the largest revenue-based funding investor in the U.S. and is active across a wide range of sectors. Learn more at www.decathloncapital.com. SOURCE iDrive Logistics PARIS and AMMAN, Jordan, Jan. 23, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- SoftAtHome and Orange Jordan announced the imminent deployment of the world's first fully prpl-based broadband solution with a home gateway and Wi-Fi repeater powered by prplWare and complementary SoftAtHome products. The new home gateway and Wi-Fi repeater are powered by prplWare, which includes the prplOS and prplMesh. In World Premiere Orange Jordan to Deploy prpl based Wire (PRNewsfoto/SoftAtHome) prpl extends the Orange device's shelf life and brings operators greater independence from hardware constraints to deliver new and innovative services. Through this project SoftAtHome enabled five critical advantages promoted by the prpl Foundation including higher velocity by de-complexifying Gateway stack integration onto multiple platforms, a focus on service-driven innovation, enabling proprietary differentiation from a 3rd-party services ecosystem, API harmonization through collaboration & convergence to help scale up businesses, open source to improve testing and avoid duplication and wasted efforts, and cultivating a community. Orange Jordan's new gateway offers fiber connectivity and delivers the advantages of Wi-Fi6E. For this project, prplWare was extended with several critical operator features such as VoIP, Wi-Fi repeater, API migration all the while keeping compatibility with the existing infrastructure, etc. prplMesh already brings Wi-Fi management capabilities and hardware abstraction. SoftAtHome added smart Wi-Fi algorithms, such as Wi-Fi repeater management, packet prioritization, intelligent channel selection, remote device management, and enhanced security features with the Wifi'ON Product running on top of prplWare. Orange Jordan commented on this agreement saying: "At the outset of this project, we were looking for a software solution that leveraged our installed base of devices while simultaneously preparing an exciting future of services for our broadband subscribers. SoftAtHome exceeded our expectations with this prpl-based advanced solution and their extensive expertise." Orange Group said, "Orange Jordan is the first within the Orange Group to deploy a prpl-based home gateway solution, which is the result of Orange Group's investment in prpl open-source solutions. The whole operator community will benefit from access to new home gateway-based services." Arnaud Bellivier de Prin, CEO at SoftAtHome, said, "I am proud that our teams have delivered the world's first prpl-based solution deployed simultaneously on the home gateway and Wi-Fi repeaters and grateful to Orange Jordan for their continued trust in SoftAtHome and for paving the prpl way for our club of operators". About SoftAtHome SoftAtHome is an independent software provider with seven critical solutions: broadband (Connect'ON), Wi-Fi (Wifi'ON), security (Secure'ON), smart home (Things'ON), video (Watch'ON), analytics and QoE monitoring (Eyes'ON), and a new gateway Appstore environment (Orchestr'ON). With its products deployed in over 30 million home networks and millions of mobile devices, SoftAtHome helps telecom and network operators deliver enhanced digital home experiences. The company's 300+ employees, mainly software engineers, are committed to innovation and actively contribute to open-source communities like prpl. SoftAtHome's hybrid solutions leverage cloud-based components and software embedded in multiple mobile and fixed devices. For more information: www.softathome.com or [email protected] For Press Information Contact: Marta Twardowska for SoftAtHome E: [email protected] @SoftAtHome About Orange Jordan Orange Jordan is one of the subsidiaries of Orange Global Group, which is present in 26 countries around the world. Orange Jordan operates in line with the Group's strategy "Lead the Future", and through its positioning as a Responsible Digital Leader, it supports the national digital transformation vision. Orange Jordan prioritizes community service, and in this context, it implements a comprehensive CSR strategy that revolves around 4 pillars including digital education, digital inclusion, entrepreneurship, climate, and environment. Orange Jordan, with more than 1600 employees in 301 shops and locations across Jordan, strives to provide the best customer experience through an integrated set of digital solutions including fixed, mobile, internet, data, and Smart Life Solutions to around 4.1 million customers in Jordan. Orange Jordan's solutions are comprehensive as they serve businesses in addition to individuals under its sub-brand Orange Business. Orange Jordan inspires by its values namely transparency, agility, results-oriented, customer centricity, collaboration, caring, and excellence. To learn more about us, please visit our website: www.orange.jo. About Orange Orange is one of the world's leading telecommunications operators with revenues worth 39.7 billion euros in 2023 and 128,000 employees worldwide until 30 June 2024, including 72,000 employees in France. The Group has a total of 285 million customers worldwide until 30 June 2024, including 246 million mobile customers and 21 million fixed broadband customers. The Group is present in 26 countries. Orange is also a leading provider of global IT and telecommunication services to multinational companies under the brand Orange Business. In February 2023, the Group presented its strategic plan "Lead the Future", built on a new business model and guided by responsibility and efficiency. "Lead the Future" capitalizes on network excellence to reinforce Orange's leadership in service quality. Orange is listed on Euronext Paris and on the New York Stock Exchange. For more information on the internet and on your mobile: www.orange.com, www.orange-business.com and the Orange News app or to follow us on Twitter: @orangegrouppr, and the Orange News app or to follow us on Twitter: @orangegrouppr. Orange and any other Orange's product or service names included in this material are trademarks of Orange or Orange Brand Services Limited. Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2603894/SoftAtHome_Orange_Jordan.jpg Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1900675/5128874/SoftAtHome_Logo.jpg SOURCE SoftAtHome INDIANAPOLIS, Jan. 23, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The stage is set for an inspiring celebration of school choice and educational opportunity at the Schrott Center for the Arts at Butler University. Students from elementary through high school will share their talents and creativity in a vibrant student showcase hosted by Stages and Pages in collaboration with the Uplift Foundation, Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, and the National School Choice Awareness Foundation. The student showcase event will take place from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. on Thursday, January 30 at the Schrott Center for the Arts at Butler University. Focused on celebrating school choice through performance, the event will feature students of all ages sharing their skills and talents. A key theme will be the importance of mentorship and event organizers affiliated with Omega Psi Phi Fraternity and the Asante Arts Institute will invite attendees to step into mentorship. This event comes at a pivotal moment for Indiana families, as the Choice Scholarship Program increased eligibility to private school vouchers, allowing 97% of students across the state to access this program. School fees for out-of-district public school transfers have also recently been eliminated, and The Indiana Learns program will soon begin providing families with the funds for tutoring services to address learning loss. "By celebrating the incredible talents of students from across Indiana, this event highlights how school choice empowers young people to thrive in environments that best support their learning and growth," said Eric Saunders, the co-founder and CEO of Stages & Pages, Inc. "We are excited to host this event and share more about the unique opportunities available to all Indiana students." The event is timed to coincide with National School Choice Week, from Jan. 26 to Feb. 1. This year marks the 15th anniversary of the Week, which will include activities and events nationwide aimed at celebrating and raising awareness of educational opportunities for families. Location Details: Butler Arts & Events Center - Schrott Center for the Arts is located at 610 W. 46th Street Indianapolis, Indiana 46208. The event will take place at the Schrott Mainstage. For more information and RSVP visit IndyStudentShowcase.com . The National School Choice Awareness Foundation (NSCAF) raises broad and positive awareness of school choice through two charitable programs: organizing National School Choice Week each January and the research, development, and promotion of comprehensive and unbiased school navigation resources for parents via School Choice Week, Navigate School Choice, and Conoce tus Opciones Escolares. NSCAF does not advocate for or oppose legislation at any level of government and is steadfastly nonpartisan and nonpolitical. SOURCE National School Choice Week Faruqi & Faruqi, LLP Securities Litigation Partner James (Josh) Wilson Encourages Investors Who Suffered Losses In Rentokil To Contact Him Directly To Discuss Their Options If you purchased or acquired securities in Rentokil between December 1, 2023 and September 10, 2024 and would like to discuss your legal rights, call Faruqi & Faruqi partner Josh Wilson directly at 877-247-4292 or 212-983-9330 (Ext. 1310). [You may also click here for additional information] NEW YORK, Jan. 23, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Faruqi & Faruqi, LLP, a leading national securities law firm, is investigating potential claims against Rentokil Initial plc ("Rentokil" or the "Company") (NYSE: RTO) and reminds investors of the January 27, 2025 deadline to seek the role of lead plaintiff in a federal securities class action that has been filed against the Company. Faruqi & Faruqi Logo (PRNewsfoto/Faruqi & Faruqi, LLP) Faruqi & Faruqi is a leading national securities law firm with offices in New York, Pennsylvania, California and Georgia. The firm has recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for investors since its founding in 1995. See www.faruqilaw.com. As detailed below, the complaint alleges that the Company and its executives violated federal securities laws by making false and/or misleading statements and/or failing to disclose that: (1) Rentokil experienced levels of disruption in the early pilots of the Terminix integration; (2) Rentokil experienced significant, ongoing, self-inflicted execution challenges integrating Terminix; (3) the disruption and execution challenges imperiled Rentokil's integration plan for Terminix; (4) Rentokil and Terminix were still two separate businesses that were not yet integrated; (5) Rentokil's failure to integrate Terminix negatively impacted the Company's business and operations, particularly organic revenue growth in North America; and (6) as a result of the above, Defendants' positive statements about the Company's business, operations, and prospects were materially false and misleading and/or lacked a reasonable basis at all relevant times. The truth began to be revealed prior to the markets opening on April 18, 2024, when Rentokil issued a press release announcing its financial results for the first quarter of 2024, reporting that organic revenue growth in North America had increased by only 1.5% year-over-yearbelow the Company's guidance of 2% for the first quarter and 2% to 4% for the full year, issued just six weeks earlier. During the corresponding earnings call held later that day Chief Executive Officer ("CEO") Andrew M. Ransom assured investors that "our integration program is on track[,]" while Chief Financial Officer ("CFO") Stuart M. Ingall-Tombs maintained, "we're pretty confident about our revenue guidance now." On this news, the price of Rentokil ADSs fell over 9%, from a closing price of $28.25 per ADS on April 17, 2024, to a closing price of $25.61 per ADS on April 18, 2024. The truth was revealed on September 11, 2024 when, before the markets opened, Rentokil provided an unscheduled "Trading Update," announcing that the Company now expected only 1% organic revenue growth in North America for the second half of 2024well below the Company's prior guidance. In the related press release, Rentokil disclosed, "[T]he trading performance in July and August was lower than anticipated. There has also been some modest disruption to organic growth from branch integration." During a related conference call with analysts held later that same day, CFO Ingall-Tombs revealed that, after nearly two years of integration efforts, "I think what we have got is still because we've got 2 separate businesses, which are largely at an operational front-end not integrated yet. . . ." During the same conference call, CEO Ransom admitted, "This is a manifestation of execution challenges, execution -- a need to improve our execution. It's not a market phenomenon. As we can see at the moment, if further information comes to light suggest [sic] reserve the right to change that answer, but I don't think it's market[,] I think this is on us." On this news, the price of Rentokil ADSs fell over 21%, from a closing price of $31.60 per ADS on September 10, 2024, to a closing price of $24.95 per ADS on September 11, 2024. The court-appointed lead plaintiff is the investor with the largest financial interest in the relief sought by the class who is adequate and typical of class members who directs and oversees the litigation on behalf of the putative class. Any member of the putative class may move the Court to serve as lead plaintiff through counsel of their choice, or may choose to do nothing and remain an absent class member. Your ability to share in any recovery is not affected by the decision to serve as a lead plaintiff or not. Faruqi & Faruqi, LLP also encourages anyone with information regarding Rentokil's conduct to contact the firm, including whistleblowers, former employees, shareholders and others. To learn more about the Rentokil Initial plc class action, go to www.faruqilaw.com/RTO or call Faruqi & Faruqi partner Josh Wilson directly at 877-247-4292 or 212-983-9330 (Ext. 1310). Follow us for updates on LinkedIn, on X, or on Facebook. Attorney Advertising. The law firm responsible for this advertisement is Faruqi & Faruqi, LLP (www.faruqilaw.com). Prior results do not guarantee or predict a similar outcome with respect to any future matter. We welcome the opportunity to discuss your particular case. All communications will be treated in a confidential manner. SOURCE Faruqi & Faruqi, LLP WASHINGTON, Jan. 23, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Amid headlines portraying the vaping industry as a one dimensional public health risk, a more complex story is unfolding. With a pivotal case now before the Supreme Court, the vaping industry is at the center of a legal battle that could redefine federal authority and reshape industry regulation nationwide. Lotus Vape Technologies voices concerns about the broader implications for small businesses and consumer freedom. The lawsuit challenges the Food and Drug Administration's regulatory framework for flavored e-cigarette products. While the FDA claims these regulations protect youth from nicotine addiction, critics argue the policies lack transparency and disproportionately target small businesses. "Hundreds of small businesses invested millions of dollars into compliance efforts, only to have their applications denied without proper review, resulting in the abrupt closure of thousands of small businesses nationwide," says Michael Larsen of Lotus Vape Technologies. "Meanwhile, only a handful of tobacco only and menthol flavored vapor products, exclusively owned by Big Tobacco, have been approved out of 6 million applications submitted, mostly by small businesses. This isn't about public health; it's about consolidating power and shutting down competition." Studies reveal that the 2018 San Francisco Flavored Vapor Ban led to a significant rise in youth smoking for the first time in decades. Further research confirms that restricting flavored vapor products increased smoking rates across all age groups, demonstrating that banning vape alternatives only drives ex-smokers and potential smokers back to cigarettes, the deadliest addiction in history. For millions, vaping is a critical tool for quitting smoking. However, these regulations risk driving consumers back to combustible cigarettes or unregulated markets filled with unsafe products and bad actors. Small businesses face additional barriers, consolidating the market under Big Tobacco, the same corporations responsible for over 480,000 American deaths annually. The FDA has faced sharp criticism for its inconsistent regulatory approach, as highlighted in the Wages vs. FDA case. The Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals found the FDA acted arbitrarily by altering approval requirements post-submission, ignoring critical marketing plans, and denying applications based on undisclosed standards. Judge Andrew S. Oldham described the FDA's actions as a "wild goose chase." The court emphasized the agency must follow the law. The Supreme Court's decision will shape the future of public policy and individual rights. A ruling in favor of the industry could usher in a new era of regulatory fairness and competition, while siding with federal agencies risks entrenching restrictive policies that stifle innovation, reinforce monopolies, and limit access to essential resources. For press inquiries, interviews, and press materials, please contact [email protected]. SOURCE Lotus Vape Technologies SONOMA COUNTY, Calif., Jan. 23, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Juice Beauty, the trailblazer in clinically proven, clean skincare, proudly marks its 20th anniversary with a powerful mission: to empower you to age beautifully, not defiantly, with clinically proven skincare solutions. As we step into 2025, Juice Beauty remains unwavering in its commitment to effective formulas and organic ingredients, now presented in a vibrant, refreshed look that embodies our evolution. Why Juice Beauty Stands Out Juice Beauty Celebrates 20 Years In a world where many skincare brands are like watered-down coffeediluted with fillers and lacking true potencyJuice Beauty stands out with its undiluted truth. Our unique and exclusive SuperJuice Complex, a potent blend of antioxidant-rich fruit juices and active ingredients, floods your skin with nutrients for unparalleled, visible results. No petroleum fillers. No fluff. Just pure, powerful ingredients that deliver what they promise. A New Look, A Timeless Promise While our dedication to effective formulas and organic ingredients remains steadfast, our new look reflects the brand's evolution. In 2025, consumers can expect: Refreshed Brand Identity : A visual transformation that captures the essence of Juice Beauty. : A visual transformation that captures the essence of Juice Beauty. Enhanced Website : An improved online experience designed to inspire and inform. : An improved online experience designed to inspire and inform. Sleek, Modern Packaging: Iconic products will feature stunning, sustainable packaging debuting in Summer 2025. Quote from Lance Patterson, CEO "Juice Beauty has led the clean beauty movement for two decades with our powerful, clean skincare. Our mission is to empower you to age beautifully, not defiantly, with clinically proven skincare solutions. We are thrilled to introduce this bold new look as we continue our journey," said Lance Patterson, Chief Executive Officer of Juice Beauty. "Our new tagline tells the story well in just four words - 'Juice In. Junk Out!' join us in in celebrating our unwavering commitment to our core values. Experience the Difference; Choose Juice. About Juice Beauty Juice Beauty is a pioneering beauty company known for offering clinically validated skincare and skincare-infused makeup formulated with authentically organic ingredients. Our mission is to empower you to age beautifully, not defiantly, with clinically proven skincare solutions. Our exclusive SuperJuice Complex is at the heart of every product, maximizing potency for unparalleled, visible results. Founded and headquartered in Sonoma County, California, Juice Beauty products are available at ULTA Beauty nationwide, Sephora Canada, and JuiceBeauty.com. PR Contact: Elizabeth Bergman 917-903-6768 [email protected] SOURCE Juice Beauty CHENGDU, China, Jan. 23, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Sichuan Kelun-Biotech Biopharmaceutical Co., Ltd. (the "Company") announced that the Company received marketing authorization in China from National Medical Products Administration (NMPA) for the programmed cell death ligand 1(PD-L1)-directed innovative humanized monoclonal antibody ("mAb") tagitanlimab (formerly KL-A167) used in combination with cisplatin and gemcitabine for the first-line treatment of patients with recurrent or metastatic nasopharyngeal cancer (NPC). The approval is based on a randomized, double-blinded, placebo controlled, multi-center, phase III clinical study evaluates the efficacy and safety results of tagitanlimab in combination with cisplatin and gemcitabine versus placebo in combination with cisplatin and gemcitabine for the treatment of recurrent or metastatic NPC, which was led by Professor Shi Yuankai of the Cancer Hospital Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences as the principal investigator. According to the study results, tagitanlimab used in combination with cisplatin and gemcitabine for the first-line treatment for recurrent or metastatic NPC could have better progression-free survival (PFS), higher objective response rate (ORR) and extended duration of response (DoR) compared with chemotherapy, where all the patients could benefit regardless of the PD-L1 expression. The median PFS for tagitanlimab in combination with chemotherapy is not reached compared to 7.9 months for placebo in combination with chemotherapy (HR=0.47, 95% CI: 0.33-0.66, p<0.0001), and the risk of disease progression and death is reduced by 53%; ORR is 81.7% vs 74.5%; median DoR is 11.7 vs 5.8 months (HR=0.48, 95% CI: 0.32-0.70), which has nearly doubled compared to placebo arm; currently the median overall survival (OS) is still not mature, however the beneficial trend for OS of tagitanlimab in combination with chemotherapy has already been observed (HR=0.62, 95CI: 0.32-1.22), and its risk of death is reduced by 38%[1]. Tagitanlimab also showed a manageable safety profile. This is the second indication approved for tagitanlimab. Previously, NMPA has approved the marketing in China of tagitanlimab monotherapy for the treatment of patients with recurrent or metastatic NPC who have failed after prior 2L+ chemotherapy. Dr. Micheal Ge, CEO of Kelun-Biotech said, "We are pleased that the second indication of our self-developed PD-L1 monoclonal antibody was successfully approved for marketing and demonstrated statistically significant and clinically meaningful improvements in PFS. For domestic NPC patients, Tagitanlimab has realized a breakthrough in therapeutic coverage and innovation from the backline to the frontline, which once again strongly validates the excellent strength of Kelun-Biotech's new drug research and development. In the future, the company will always be based on unmet clinical needs, source innovation, and explore more and more excellent clinical therapeutic solutions to benefit more patients." About Kelun-Biotech Kelun-Biotech6990.HKis a holding subsidiary of Kelun Pharmaceutical (002422.SZ), which focuses on the R&D, manufacturing, commercialization and global collaboration of innovative biological drugs and small molecule drugs. The company focuses on major disease areas such as solid tumors, autoimmune, inflammatory, and metabolic diseases, and in establishing a globalized drug development and industrialization platform to address the unmet medical needs in China and the rest of world. The Company is committed to becoming a leading global enterprise in the field of innovative drugs. At present, the Company has more than 30 ongoing key innovative drug projects, of which 2 projects have been approved for marketing, 2 projects are in the NDA stage, and more than 10 projects are in the clinical stage. The company has established one of the world's leading proprietary ADC platforms, OptiDC, and has 1 ADC project approved for marketing, 1 ADC project in NDA stage, and multiple ADC or novel ADC projects in clinical or preclinical research stage. For more information, please visit https://kelun-biotech.com/. [1] Label of tagitanlimab SOURCE Sichuan Kelun-Biotech Biopharmaceutical Co., Ltd. CHICAGO, Jan. 23, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The Dermatology Association of Radiation Therapy (DART), a national non-profit medical society working to heighten awareness of radiation therapy in the dermatological setting through advocacy, education, and research, today announced the publication of the first large retrospective cohort study to evaluate the potential effects of neighborhood-level socioeconomic deprivation and patient-level comorbidity on freedom from recurrence following Image-Guided Superficial Radiation Therapy (Image-Guided SRT, or IGSRT) for nonmelanoma skin cancer (NMSC). The study was published on December 1, 2024, in the peer-reviewed medical journal Cancers. Researchers found that freedom from recurrence does not significantly vary by neighborhood socioeconomic status or comorbidity burden. They report, "In combination with previous cohort studies indicating the superiority of IGSRT, these findings suggest that IGSRT is an excellent first-line treatment option for patients who cannot or choose not to undergo surgical removal of NMSC regardless of their socioeconomic or comorbidities." Further, "there was no significant association found between neighborhood deprivation or comorbidity burden and freedom from recurrence of NMSC at 2-, 4-, or 6-years following treatment with IGSRT." The article, "The Impact of Socioeconomic Status and Comorbidities on Non-Melanoma Skin Cancer Recurrence After Image-Guided Superficial Radiation Therapy," is authored by Liqiao Ma, Michael Digby, Kevin Wright, Marguerite A. Germain, Erin M. McClure, Francisca Kartono, Syed Rahman, Scott D. Friedman, Candace Osborn and Alpesh Desai. Their work was funded by DART. DART Chairman Jacob Scott, M.D., who was not involved in the research, noted, "From a public health standpoint, the findings on NMSC recurrence rates in rural versus urban areas are of particular interest." The article underscores that the Institute of Medicine in 2003 identified rural residence as a potential risk factor for health disparities, stating that rural hospitals are characterized by lower-quality clinical decision-making, technical diagnostic and therapeutic processes, and monitoring processes than those in urban teaching hospitals. The new research shows, "Nearly three-quarters of the cohort are in metro areas with populations of 250,000 or greater. This supports the idea that patients in more urban areas are more likely to have access to radiation treatment. This presents an opportunity for improving access to treatment for NMSC via the increased adoption of IGSRT by rural dermatology practices." Image-Guided SRT is presently available in more than 360 dermatology practices, spanning nearly all 50 states. The journal report suggests that dermatology practices offering Mohs micrographic surgery (MMS) could incorporate IGSRT to improve their communities' access to NMSC treatment. The authors also addressed reimbursement as a limitation to access, noting that "most Mohs surgeons do not accept Medicare." Consistent appropriate Medicare coverage, they suggest, "could help provide treatment to the Medicare population." Additionally, they write that because IGSRT offers short individual treatment sessions compared with MMS (15 minutes versus 2-4 hours, respectively), this technology also provides an alternative treatment option for patients unsuited or uninterested in surgical management. Acknowledging DART's efforts in developing professional standards, the article advises that, "in dermatology settings, radiation therapists can specialize in administering IGSRT using low-energy photons to treat NMSC. They follow DART Appropriate Use Criteria for the treatment of SCCs and BCCs. The clinical expertise and technical skill set of radiation therapists, in collaboration with radiation oncologists, medical physicists, and the appropriate multi-disciplinary team, ensures the quality and safety of treatment." DART Chairman Scott observed, "Advancements in radiation therapy are being made at a rapid rate and as new peer-reviewed research emerges to confirm the superiority of such developments, dermatologists everywhere should consider embracing them for the benefit of patients. This study's implication that Image-Guided SRT can improve the lives of patients in rural areas in particular is worthy of note." About the Dermatology Association of Radiation Therapy (DART) The Dermatology Association of Radiation Therapy (DART) is a national non-profit medical society working to heighten awareness of radiation therapy in the dermatological setting through advocacy, education, and research. It is the only medical society focused on the use of radiation therapy and other nonsurgical options for the treatment of skin cancer and dermatologic conditions. Membership information and additional details can be found at dermassociationrt.org. Media Contact: Matt Russell Russell Public Communications 520-232-9840 [email protected] SOURCE Dermatology Association of Radiation Therapy On the day of his inauguration, President Donald Trump signed an executive order designating cartels and other organizations as foreign terrorist organizations and specially designated global terrorists. The Cartels, said President Trump, have engaged in a campaign of violence and terror throughout the Western Hemisphere that has not only destabilized countries with significant importance for our national interests but also flooded the United States with deadly drugs, violent criminals, and vicious gangs. The Cartels functionally control, through a campaign of assassination, terror, rape, and brute force nearly all illegal traffic across the southern border of the United States. In certain portions of Mexico, they function as quasi-governmental entities, controlling nearly all aspects of society. The Cartels activities threaten the safety of the American people, the security of the United States, and the stability of the international order in the Western Hemisphere. Their activities, proximity to, and incursions into the physical territory of the United States pose an unacceptable national security risk to the United States, said President Trump. And by invoking the Alien Enemies Act of 1798, I will direct our government to use the full and immense power of federal and state law enforcement to eliminate the presence of all foreign gangs and criminal networks bringing devastating crime to U.S. soil, including our cities and inner cities. Gangs such as Tren de Aragua and La Mara Salvatrucha, or MS-13, continue to pose threats to the United States, noted President Trump. Their campaigns of violence and terror in the United States and internationally are extraordinarily violent, vicious, and similarly threaten the stability of the international order in the Western Hemisphere. President Trump vowed to ensure the total elimination of these organizations presence in the United States and their ability to threaten the territory, safety, and security of the United States through their extraterritorial command-and-control structures, thereby protecting the American people and the territorial integrity of the United States. As commander in chief, said President Trump, I have no higher responsibility than to defend our country from threats and invasions, and that is exactly what I am going to do. FLOWER MOUND, Texas, Jan. 23, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Momentum by NowCerts and their exclusive Momentum Agency Management Platform (Momentum AMP), a leader in delivering innovative agency management solutions, is thrilled to announce a new partnership with The AC Group of Companies, a highly regarded resource and community for independent insurance agents nationwide. This collaboration is designed to bring The AC members access to the cutting-edge Momentum AMP platform and its advanced Momentum Rate technology, unlocking unprecedented efficiency and new opportunities for growth. The partnership will give agents within The AC community access to Momentum AMP's innovative tools, designed to simplify quoting, streamline workflows, and deliver actionable insights. Through the new Momentum Wholesale Insurance Network (WIN), agents gain unparalleled market access, while having Momentum Rate (Momentum's Commercial Lines Rater) within the platform. This will enable The AC members to reduce operational complexities, allowing them to focus more on building client relationships and growing their businesses. "Partnering with The AC empowers agents to redefine success with innovative tools and a supportive community." Post this "Here at The AC Group of Companies, we focus on the solution, not the problem. In the current environment, our partnership with Momentum AMP will help insurance agents grow, prosper, and increase revenue across the board." said Kenneth Urbania, President and Chief Executive Officer of The AC. "Momentum AMP is committed to developing solutions that address the real challenges agents face every day," said Michael Lebor, President. "By partnering with The AC, we're not just providing tools; we're empowering a community of agents to redefine what success looks like in today's insurance industry." This collaboration goes beyond just tools and technology. It reflects a mutual belief in supporting the independent agent with more than just resourcesit's about fostering a shared ecosystem of innovation, knowledge-sharing, and support to fuel sustainable success in an evolving insurance landscape. Michael Lebor also highlights that through this partnership, The AC agents will gain valuable benefits, including access to the Momentum Platformproviding them with Momentum AMP, a best-in-class agency management solution. Through this partnership, The AC agents will benefit from: Faster and smarter quoting through the integration of Rate within the Momentum AMP platform. through the integration of Rate within the Momentum AMP platform. Access to enhanced tools that simplify processes, minimize administrative burdens, and create operational clarity. that simplify processes, minimize administrative burdens, Tailored growth opportunities built on actionable insights and data-driven strategies unique to their needs. For existing Momentum AMP users, this partnership brings: Enhanced Access to The AC's Community and Resources. Momentum users gain access to The AC's expansive network, industry expertise, and support tools designed to foster collaboration, growth, and professional development. Momentum users gain access to The AC's expansive network, industry expertise, and support tools designed to foster collaboration, growth, and professional development. Greater Access to Markets and Programs. Momentum users can leverage The AC's extensive network of carriers and exclusive programs, providing more options to meet client needs and expanding opportunities to write diverse lines of business. About Momentum AMP Momentum AMP is a leading provider of cutting-edge agency management solutions, helping insurance professionals streamline their operations, grow their businesses, and better serve their clients. With platforms like Momentum WIN and Momentum Rate, Momentum AMP is shaping the future of insurance technology. For more details about Momentum AMP's transformative solutions, visit www.momentumamp.com. About The AC The AC is a vibrant network and resource hub for independent insurance agents, providing the tools, support, and community needed to achieve long-term success. Built on a foundation of innovation and collaboration, The AC empowers agents to navigate challenges and capitalize on opportunities in today's dynamic insurance landscape. To learn more about The AC's mission to support and empower independent agents, visit https://jointheac.com/ . SOURCE NowCerts MECCC Earns Three-Year Accreditation from the Commission on Cancer of the American College of Surgeons Again! BRONX, N.Y., Jan. 23, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Montefiore Einstein Comprehensive Cancer Center (MECCC) continues to rank among the nation's top cancer centers, earning Three-Year Accreditation once again from the Commission on Cancer (CoC) of the American College of Surgeons (ACS). One of the most respected and prestigious designations for cancer care, this continuous accreditation builds on MECCC earning comprehensive status from the National Cancer Institute in 2023. Team at Montefiore Einstein Comprehensive Cancer Center The CoC surveyor noted MECCC as "exceptional," providing top marks for commitment to research, surgical excellence and nursing continuing educationall critical components to providing the very best cancer care. Established in 1922 by the American College of Surgeons, the CoC is a consortium of professional organizations dedicated to improving patient outcomes and quality of life for cancer patients. To earn CoC accreditation, a center must meet or exceed 38 quality care standards, be evaluated every three years, and maintain excellence in the quality of patient care, including prevention, education, research and survivorship. Research Fueling Excellence Ranked in the top 1% of all hospitals in the nation for cancer care according to U.S. News & World Report 235 MECCC members are engaged in high-impact, transdisciplinary research. MECCC enrolls more than 1,000 patients in its 320 + active clinical trials. Approximately 80% of MECCC clinical trial participants are from historically underrepresented groups, compared to only 8% nationwide. Scientific findings and community-based research ensure cancer care is constantly evolving based on the most up-to-date insights. For example, surgical led initiatives like MECCC's Lung Cancer Screening Program and Follow-up ASessmenT of Lung Nodules Clinic (FAST-Clinic), uses AI to identify and track patients at increased risk of lung cancer, and has contributed to reducing the incidence of advanced stage 4 lung cancers in the Bronx by nearly 12%. Life-saving initiatives, such as these, contributed to the renewal of the CoC also naming MECCC as an ACS Surgical Quality Partner. "By focusing on patient-friendly screening methods and sophisticated surgical diagnostic techniques, cancers are being discovered earlier, when they are most treatable with minimally invasive surgery," said Brendon M. Stiles, M.D., chief, Divisions of Thoracic Surgery & Surgical Oncology; associate director, Surgical Oncology, MECCC, and professor, Cardiothoracic Surgery, Einstein. Nearly all 200 MECCC nurses also participated in continuing education courses to advance patient care, ranging from Essentials of Oncology Nurses to Managing Oncologic Emergencies. These education courses are on top of MECCC nurses' commitment to researching, understanding and supporting the social determinants of health, distress and survivorship issues that directly impact cancer patients' outcomes. "Our educational initiatives are designed by nurses, for nurses so having these efforts be recognized by the Commission on Cancer is incredibly rewarding," said Maureen Scanlan, MSN, RN, NEA-BC, senior vice president and chief nurse executive, Montefiore Einstein. "Receiving feedback on our processes from the CoC expands our ability to standardize care experiences across 20 oncology specialties for patients and clinicians, alike." The achievements recognized were made possible by the MECCC Cancer Registry Team who collect and report patients' complete history, diagnosis, treatment and health status. "Our continued CoC accreditation reflects the tremendous talent and dedication of MECCC specialists in caring for patients of the Bronx and beyond," said Edward Chu, M.D., M.M.S., director of MECCC, Carol and Roger Einiger Professor of Cancer Medicine and professor of oncology, medicine, and molecular pharmacology at Albert Einstein College of Medicine, and vice president of cancer medicine at Montefiore Medicine. "I'm incredibly grateful for Dr. Katia Papalezova, surgical oncologist, lead, MECCC Melanoma & Sarcoma Program, Associate Professor, Surgery, Einstein, who served as the head of our Cancer Committee throughout this cycle, and Linda Fisher, our Director of Cancer Registry Program & Analytics, for their leadership. Together, this dynamic duo worked tirelessly to ensure that the CoC standards were met, and above all, our marriage of science, patient care, and community advocacy shined." About Montefiore Einstein Comprehensive Cancer Center Montefiore Einstein Comprehensive Cancer Center (MECCC) is a National Cancer Institute (NCI)-designated comprehensive cancer center and a national leader in cancer research and clinical care located in the racially and ethnically diverse borough of the Bronx, N.Y. MECCC combines the exceptional science of Albert Einstein College of Medicine with the multidisciplinary and team-based approach to cancer clinical care at Montefiore Health System. Founded in 1971 and an NCI-designated cancer center since 1972, MECCC is redefining excellence in cancer research, clinical care, education and training, and community outreach and engagement. Its mission is to reduce the burden of cancer for all, especially people from historically underrepresented groups. SOURCE Montefiore Einstein Comprehensive Cancer Center Top catholic university in the US today joins Uwill to further bolster mental health offering NATICK, Mass., Jan. 23, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Mount Saint Joseph University has announced a partnership with Uwill, the leading mental health and wellness solution for colleges and students, to enhance and expand the college's existing counseling capabilities. Uwill's proprietary technology facilitates immediate appointments with licensed mental health counselors based on student needs and preferences. For students dealing with a mental health crisis, Uwill provides a direct connection to a licensed therapist trained in trauma for immediate support. "It is important we provide our students with the tools to enable their success during their college experience and beyond," said Jaimi Cabrera, Director, Wellness Center at Mount Saint Joseph University. "Our partnership with Uwill ensures our students have access to the mental health and wellness support they need in their academic and personal experiences to persevere and succeed." Recent survey data shows that while 70% of college students have been facing mental health challenges since starting college, only 37% of these students actively sought out mental health support, citing social stigma, cost concerns, and other uncertainties as reasons for this behavior. Mount Saint Joseph is one of nearly 50 religious schools to have partnered with Uwill in offering students mental health support during a time of increased mental health difficulties across the country. "When supporting the mental health of students, it is critical to provide options that meet a wide variety of needs and backgrounds to ensure all students are able to find a provider that they can relate to," said Michael London, Founder and CEO of Uwill. "Supporting Mount Saint Joseph students with providers that can relate to their experience is one of many ways Uwill aspires to close the mental health gap." Utilizing its proprietary technology and counselor team, Uwill pioneered the first student and therapist matching platform. The solution offers an immediate appointment with a licensed counselor based on student preferences, all modalities of teletherapy, a direct crisis connection, wellness programming, realtime data, and support. Uwill serves more than 3 million students from all 50 states at institutions including Baylor University, Randolph-Macon College, Sacred Heart University, and Michigan State University. About Uwill: Uwill is the leading mental health and wellness solution for colleges and students, and the 27th fastest growing private company in the nation according to the Inc. 5000. As the most cost-effective way to enhance a college's mental health offering, Uwill partners with more than 400 institutions, including Princeton University, the Ohio State University, Santa Fe Community College, and University of Alabama - Online. Uwill is also the teletherapy education partner for NASPA and the Online Learning Consortium. For more information, visit uwill.com. About Mount Saint Joseph University: Here at the Mount, we mean it when we say it's about something much bigger than any of us. Grounded in the vision of its founders, the Sisters of Charity, an MSJ education is based on an interdisciplinary liberal arts and professional curricula emphasizing values, integrity and social responsibility. We consistently live a culture of ethics and service in everything we do, and we are here to help serve your personal journey in an interconnected world. For more information, visit msj.edu . Contact: Brett Silk [email protected] SOURCE Uwill, Inc Winston-Salem based digital health company is chosen as a top-10 finalist for competitive techquity program to be held at the VIVE 2025 Event in Nashville, TN WINSTON-SALEM, N.C., Jan. 23, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- mPATH Health, a digital health company dedicated to improving cancer screening, is proud to announce its selection as one of ten finalists in HLTH Foundation's second annual Techquity for Health Case Study Competition. This recognition highlights mPATH's dedication to providing cancer-screening services and digital health strategies to reduce outcome disparities and systemic inequities. "We initially developed mPATH at Wake Forest University School of Medicine to overcome literacy barriers in healthcare. A digital program can use animations and graphics to convey a message whereas health professionals can only use their words," says Dr. David Miller, mPATH inventor and founder of mPATH Health. "We can also program a digital application to use easy to understand words, something I often forget to do as a doctor." mPATH Health selected as one of 10 finalists in the HLTH Foundation's Techquity for Health Case Study Competition. Post this The Techquity for Health Case Study Competition honors digital health solutions and data-driven approaches that address systemic inequities while advancing health equity. As a finalist, mPATH will attend at the renowned digital health executive conference, ViVE 2025, and collaborate with fellow health equity leaders at ViVE Impact Programs. The winner of this highly competitive program will be announced live at the event, which will be held in Nashville, TN, February 16-20, 2025. "Being selected as a finalist for the Techquity Competition is incredibly meaningful for us, because it validates the groundbreaking work we did at Wake Forest and the incredible research coming out of the Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist Comprehensive Cancer Center," says Miller. mPATH Health's selection as a finalist underscores its commitment to addressing one of the most pressing challenges in healthcare: improving early detection and outcomes for cancer patients. "One of the best ways to decrease health inequities in cancer and decrease mortality across diverse and socioeconomically challenged populations is to decrease late stage presentations by more robust cancer screening," says Ruben A. Mesa, MD, FACP, Executive Director, Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist Comprehensive Cancer Center. "In rigorous trials funded by the National Cancer Institute and conducted with primary care patients across Atrium Health, mPATH has shown significant expansion of colorectal cancer screening and increases in early detection, leading to improved outcomes." Based on foundational research, The Techquity for Health Coalition defines techquity in healthcare as the strategic design, distribution and availability of technology to advance health equity. Equally important, the Coalition adopted as part of its scope an intentional effort to avoid exacerbating existing inequities and outcomes disparities as a routine aspect of technology innovation, data governance and management. "mPATH Health is a great example of clinician technologists recognizing an opportunity to improve care for all patients regardless of their background, circumstances, health literacy or digital literacy," says Eric S. Kirkendall, MD, MBI, Deputy Director of the Center for Healthcare Innovation. "Wake Forest University School of Medicine's Center for Healthcare Innovation is proud to have been a partner in this project and help build the innovative technology that has led to increased cancer screening rates and better health." For more information about mPATH Health, please visit www.mpathhealth.com . About mPATH Health mPATH Health is a digital health company dedicated to transforming preventive cancer screening by integrating automation and behavioral science. By leveraging cutting-edge technology and personalized outreach, mPATH empowers individuals to prioritize their health and undergo regular screenings for early cancer detection. For more information, visit www.mpathhealth.com . About Atrium Health Atrium Health is a nationally recognized leader in shaping health outcomes through innovative research, education and compassionate patient care. Based in Charlotte, North Carolina, Atrium Health is part of Advocate Health, the third-largest nonprofit health system in the United States, which was created from the combination with Advocate Aurora Health. A recognized leader in experiential medical education and groundbreaking research, Wake Forest University School of Medicine is its academic core. For more information, visit atriumhealth.org . About HLTH Foundation HLTH Foundation promotes equity, inclusion and opportunity in healthcare, focusing on underserved patients, healthcare professionals and innovators in digital health and health technology. HLTH Foundation is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization. About ViVE ViVE is the premier, curated event experience for digital health decision makers focusing on the business of healthcare. ViVE merges the leadership of CHIME and the marketplace of HLTH to create a digital health event focused on the business of transformation in healthcare - bringing together C-suite executives, senior digital health leaders and buyers, health startups and investors, policymakers, the patient community, and solution providers. Media contact Cassie Allen, mPATH Head of Commercial Development (919) 675-4949 [email protected] SOURCE mPATH Health ORANGE, Calif., Jan. 23, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- M S International, Inc. (MSI) , the leading supplier of flooring , countertops, wall tile, and hardscaping products in North America, is excited to be an exhibitor at The International Surface Event 2025. The International Surface Event (TISE) is the ultimate way to engage with MSI's newest LVF, large format porcelain, wall tile, and more. TISE 2025 will take place at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas, Nevada from January 28 30. Come visit MSI at booths 5616 and 5623 to see the latest and greatest. This year, MSI will showcase a wide range of new and on-trend products, including the newest, domestically-sourced luxury vinyl flooring collections, Everlife Studio and XL Studio. Expect to see other luxury vinyl flooring additions as well with the new loose lay LVP collection, Kallum, and an entirely new product category with MSI's first WPC flooring: the Wayneparc and Wayneparc Reserve series. The Exotika Collection is another standout that will be featured at the event, a new large-format porcelain tile with a variety of bold colors inspired by natural stone. The event will also feature MSI's newest range of on-trend fluted wall looks, including the Gems, Folk, Hip Hop, Piano, and Acoustic Wood Slat Collections, as well as new marble fluted wall tile. Attendees can also explore our beautiful outdoor living products with the new Rockmount Veneer Collection and the newest additions to the Terrado Manufactured Stone Veneers Collection. "We are thrilled to reveal our latest and upcoming products at TISE this year," said Jessica Davis, Director of Marketing and Communications at MSI. "Our product line up showcases some of the most on-trend and innovative designs in the market." Engage with these products firsthand at the event and see the amazing craftsmanship and quality that define MSI. Join us at TISE for the unique opportunity to see the most ingenious innovations from MSI's efforts in making dream surfaces attainable. To browse the newest products featured at the TISE event, please view our press kit . About M S International, Inc. (MSI) Founded in 1975, MSI is a leading supplier of flooring, countertop, wall tile, and hardscaping products in North America. Headquartered in Orange, California, MSI maintains 50 state-of-the-art showrooms and distribution centers across the U.S. and Canada, with domestically sourced products for Q Premium Natural Quartz in Latta, South Carolina, and Premium LVT in Cartersville, Georgia. MSI's product assortment includes an extensive offering of quartz, LVT, tile, turf, natural stone, and porcelain products imported from over 37 countries on six continents. To explore MSI's complete range of products, visit www.msisurfaces.com . Find us on Instagram , Facebook , and LinkedIn . Media Contact: Kristina Durkin PR Coordinator (404) 680-0220 [email protected] SOURCE M S International, Inc OAKLAND, Calif., Jan. 23, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Whether your first language is English, Spanish, Mandarin, Vietnamese, Mam, or Arabic, you'll find information about public school options in Oakland at a free charter school choice fair on Saturday, February 1. Join more than 500 community members in exploring Oakland, California's charter public school options and enjoying family fun. Hosted by Oakland Enrolls, the fair will take place from 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM at Oakland Unity High School. Parents will have the opportunity to learn about Oakland's diverse charter school options and receive hands-on assistance with enrollment applications from trained volunteers. Interpreters will be available throughout the event to ensure all families can access information in their preferred language. While parents explore educational options and complete applications, families can enjoy various activities including a balloon artist, face painting, photo opportunities, and complimentary refreshments. The fair is designed to be both informative and welcoming for the whole community. "We believe every child deserves access to a school that meets their unique needs," said Lisa Gibes de Gac, Executive Director of Oakland Enrolls. "This fair is about breaking down barrierswhether linguistic or logisticalso families can make informed decisions about their children's education in a supportive and accessible environment." Oakland Enrolls is a non-profit organization committed to helping Oakland families choose the best Oakland public schools for their children by making the process of selecting and enrolling in a public school easy, efficient, and equitable. The event is timed to coincide with National School Choice Week 2025, which will feature thousands of events nationwide celebrating educational opportunity. Oakland's charter schools represent about one-third of the city's public school options, offering diverse educational approaches to meet varied student needs. Location Details: Oakland Unity High School is located at 6038 Brann St, Oakland, CA 94605. Families can learn more and RSVP for this free event at OaklandEnrollsSchoolFair.com or schoolchoiceweek.com/events/2025-oakland-feria-de-escuelas-charter/ to access the information in Spanish. The National School Choice Awareness Foundation (NSCAF) raises broad and positive awareness of school choice through two charitable programs: organizing National School Choice Week each January and the research, development, and promotion of comprehensive and unbiased school navigation resources for parents via School Choice Week, Navigate School Choice, and Conoce tus Opciones Escolares. NSCAF does not advocate for or oppose legislation at any level of government and is steadfastly nonpartisan and nonpolitical. SOURCE National School Choice Week AUBURN HILLS, Mich., Jan. 23, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Dodge is searching for fresh talent to introduce the next generation of Dodge muscle to a new audience, with one critical qualification: be badass. The new Dodge Badassador program is recruiting passionate enthusiasts to represent Dodge at events across the country. New Dodge Badassador program starts search for passionate enthusiasts to represent Dodge as brand ambassadors Apply now to be a Dodge Badassador at Dodgegarage.com/badassador Select Dodge Badassadors will travel to events such as auto shows, vehicle launches, enthusiast events, NHRA drag races and more Perks include access to Dodge vehicles, Dodge VIP treatment, Dodge gear and more Dodge Badassador program launches during annual Barrett-Jackson auction in Scottsdale, Arizona , this week where attendees can apply at the Dodge display , this week where attendees can apply at the Dodge display Barrett-Jackson will also feature first Dodge Thrill Rides in the all-new, all-electric, 670-horsepower Dodge Charger Daytona Scat Pack For more information on the all-new Dodge Charger Daytona and full Dodge vehicle lineup, visit Dodge.com Dodge is searching for fresh talent to introduce the next generation of Dodge muscle to a new audience, with one critical qualification: be badass. The new Dodge Badassador program is recruiting passionate enthusiasts to represent Dodge at events across the country, with America's performance brand now accepting applications at Dodgegarage.com/badassador. "We continue to push the boundaries of performance, and we're looking for brand ambassadors who are also ready to shake up the status quo," said Matt McAlear, Dodge CEO. "If Dodge isn't pushing boundaries, if Dodge isn't making people uncomfortable, we wouldn't be Dodge, and those are the kind of ambassadors the brand is looking for: enthusiasts who disrupt, who will stand out and shine a light on the next generation of Dodge muscle." Dodge Badassadors will share the love for all Dodge performance vehicles, including the industry's first all-electric muscle car, the 670-horsepower Charger Daytona Scat Pack, which retains the title as the world's quickest and most powerful muscle car. Lucky recruits will experience the full Dodge portfolio, including the 496-horsepower Charger Daytona R/T, the 710-horsepower Dodge Durango SRT Hellcat, the most powerful gas engine SUV ever, and the 288-horsepower Dodge Hornet R/T with PowerShot. Select Dodge Badassadors may have the opportunity to travel to events throughout 2025, including auto shows, new vehicle launches and first drives, Dodge enthusiast gatherings, regional and dealership events, NHRA drag races and more. Badassador perks include: Badassador Card: Provides entry to Dodge enthusiast and motorsports events Provides entry to Dodge enthusiast and motorsports events Dodge Rides: Exclusive access to Dodge vehicles to create and promote innovative content Exclusive access to Dodge vehicles to create and promote innovative content Dodge VIP: Elite VIP-level experience at events, including vehicle launches, delivering behind-the-scenes access and creating compelling content Elite VIP-level experience at events, including vehicle launches, delivering behind-the-scenes access and creating compelling content Dodge Social: Appear in official Dodge social channel features and posts and leverage access to Dodge lifestyle and motorsports partners Appear in official Dodge social channel features and posts and leverage access to Dodge lifestyle and motorsports partners Dodge Gear: Complimentary Dodge swag and Dodge-branded gear Complimentary Dodge swag and Dodge-branded gear Dodge Meet-ups: Face time with the Dodge team and celebrities for Q&As and to discuss updates and collaboration opportunities To apply to become a Dodge Badassador and for complete program details, visit Dodgegarage.com/badassador. All-new Dodge Charger Daytona Thrill Rides, Badassador Program Kickoff at Barrett-Jackson The Dodge Badassador program, as well as the first Dodge Thrill Rides in the all-new, next-generation Dodge Charger Daytona, will launch in the Dodge display area at the Barrett-Jackson auction, Jan. 18-26, in Scottsdale, Arizona. Barrett-Jackson attendees will be the first among the public to ride along in the all-new Dodge Charger Daytona Scat Pack, starting Jan. 22. Not your typical electric vehicle, the Charger Daytona Scat Pack features Drift/Donut mode. Thrill riders will also be able to feel the rumble of the Fratzonic Chambered Exhaust system, which delivers muscle-car levels of sound intensity that set the Charger Daytona apart from ordinary BEVs. Dodge will also begin taking applications for potential Dodge Badassadors at Barrett-Jackson, with any who feel worthy to vie for the opportunity invited to apply at kiosks located in the Dodge display. Dodge//SRT For 110 years, the Dodge brand has carried on the spirit of brothers John and Horace Dodge. Their influence continues today as Dodge, America's performance brand, shifts into high gear with a lineup that delivers unrivaled performance in each of the segments in which the brand competes while moving forward to a future that includes electrified muscle in the form of the next-generation, all-new Dodge Charger. The next-generation Dodge Charger electrifies a legend, with the Charger retaining its title as the world's quickest and most powerful muscle car led by the all-new, all-electric 2025 Dodge Charger Daytona Scat Pack. The all-new Dodge Charger will also offer performance choices via multi-energy powertrain options including the 550-horsepower Dodge Charger SIXPACK H.O., powered by the 3.0L Twin Turbo Hurricane High Output engine. Dodge also keeps its foot on the gas as a pure performance brand with the 710-horsepower Dodge Durango SRT Hellcat, the most powerful gas engine SUV ever, and best-in-class standard performance in the compact-utility vehicle segment with the Dodge Hornet. Dodge is part of the portfolio of brands offered by leading global automaker and mobility provider Stellantis. For more information regarding Stellantis (NYSE: STLA), please visit www.stellantis.com. Follow Dodge//SRT and company news and video on: Company blog: http://blog.stellantisnorthamerica.com Media website: http://media.stellantisnorthamerica.com Dodge brand: www.dodge.com Direct Connection: www.DCPerformance.com DodgeGarage: www.dodgegarage.com Facebook: www.facebook.com/dodge Instagram: www.instagram.com/dodgeofficial Twitter: www.twitter.com/dodge and @StellantisNA YouTube: www.youtube.com/dodge, https://www.youtube.com/StellantisNA SOURCE Stellantis NEWARK, N.J., Jan. 22, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Panasonic has announced a series of new firmware updates for its full-frame mirrorless LUMIX S5II and S5IIX, as well as its Micro Four Thirds mirrorless GH7 and G9II cameras, aimed at improving the shooting experience and enhancing functionality. Aligned with LUMIX's ongoing commitment to supporting creators, the latest firmware updates will be available to download free of charge from the LUMIX Global Customer Support website on January 23, 2025. LUMIX S5II Firmware Version 3.2 and LUMIX S5IIX Version 2.2 Compatibility with the LUMIX Lab smartphone app has been expanded to include remote shooting, shutter control, image transfer directly from the camera, and a wireless live streaming feature* for enhanced functionality. The highly accurate phase hybrid auto focus system has been further improved with enhanced subject detection. A new option is now available to select detection of airplanes and trains, as well as specific parts of cars and motorcycles. A display feature for multiple frame markers has been added, allowing for the simultaneous display of up to three frame markers. The size and position of each frame marker can be adjusted, adding versatility for content creators framing for different aspect ratios or planning shots with multiple compositions. This further enhances the unrivaled convenience of shooting in Open Gate. Hybrid Zoom and Crop Zoom features have been introduced, offering higher magnification without the need to exchange lenses. Hybrid Zoom achieves this magnification using only the zoom ring by combining optical zoom with Crop Zoom. Crop Zoom extracts the central part of an image and enhances the zoom effect without degrading image quality. These features provide greater flexibility for precise framing and capturing shots, catering to a variety of shooting scenarios. MP4(Lite) compatibility has been added, enabling video recording in Open Gate mode with reduced data consumption without compromising resolution. This new smartphone-optimized format makes it easier to quickly share content on social media. Operational stability has been improved. *LUMIX S5IIX only. LUMIX GH7 Firmware Version 1.3 Compatibility with the LUMIX Lab smartphone app has been expanded to include remote shooting, shutter control, image transfer directly from the camera, and a wireless live streaming feature for enhanced functionality. A display feature for multiple frame markers has been added, allowing for the simultaneous display of up to three frame markers. The size and position of each frame marker can be adjusted, adding versatility for content creators framing for different aspect ratios or planning shots with multiple compositions. This further enhances the unrivaled convenience of shooting in Open Gate. MP4(Lite) compatibility has been added, enabling video recording in Open Gate mode with reduced data consumption without compromising resolution. This new smartphone-optimized format makes it easier to quickly share content on social media. Operational stability has been improved. LUMIX G9II Firmware Version 2.3 Compatibility with the LUMIX Lab smartphone app has been expanded to include remote shooting, shutter control, and the transfer of images selected on the camera, enhancing its functionality. The highly accurate phase hybrid auto focus system has been further improved with enhanced subject detection. A new option is now available to select detection of airplanes and trains, as well as specific parts of cars and motorcycles. A display feature for multiple frame markers has been added, allowing for the simultaneous display of up to three frame markers. The size and position of each frame marker can be adjusted, adding versatility for content creators framing for different aspect ratios or planning shots with multiple compositions. This further enhances the unrivaled convenience of shooting in Open Gate. The Crop Zoom feature has been introduced, enabling the extraction of the central part of an image and enhancing the zoom effect without degrading image quality. This feature also allows prime lenses to be used as if they have a longer focal length, enhancing the versatility of existing lenses in different shooting scenarios. MP4(Lite) compatibility has been added, enabling video recording in Open Gate mode with reduced data consumption without compromising resolution. This new smartphone-optimized format makes it easier to quickly share content on social media. Operational stability has been improved. About Panasonic Corporation of North America Newark, N.J.-based Panasonic Corporation of North America is a leading provider of Consumer Lifestyle technologies and innovative Smart Mobility, Sustainable Energy, Immersive Experiences, and Integrated Supply Chain solutions. The company is the principal North American subsidiary of Osaka, Japan-based Panasonic Holdings Corporation. One of Interbrand's Top 100 Best Global Brands of 2023, Panasonic is a leading technology partner and integrator to businesses, government agencies, and consumers across the region. Learn more about Panasonic's ideas and innovations at www.na.panasonic.com/us . Follow Press Updates for Panasonic LUMIX: Website, http://us.panasonic.com/news Facebook, http://www.facebook.com/lumix Instagram, http://www.instagram.com/lumixusa SOURCE Panasonic Corporation of North America - With over 560 locations, the leading national eye care franchise has been honored as the #1 ranked in the optical industry and the second-highest ranked health and wellness franchise of 2025 - NEW YORK, Jan. 23, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Pearle Vision, a leading national eye care franchise, is honored to be recognized as one of the top 50 franchises in Entrepreneur's Franchise 500, the world's first and most comprehensive franchise ranking. Pearle Vision secured the #43 spot for its outstanding performance in areas including unit growth, financial strength and stability, and brand power. The eye care franchise also ranks #1 in the optical industry and the second-highest health and wellness franchise of 2025. "We are thrilled to be recognized by Entrepreneur magazine as a top franchise for the tenth year in a row," said Gunjan Kumar, President of Pearle Vision and Retail License Brands. "This accolade is a testament to our brand's strategic franchise development efforts across the United States and our incredible network of committed franchisees that seek to provide exceptional experiences and services every day. We look forward to building on this momentum in 2025." Proving to be a smart investment opportunity for optometry professionals and investors, Pearle Vision has also been identified as a top franchise for veterans who are attracted to the franchise model and comprehensive marketing support and training. The optical industry has continued to be a sustainable one over the years, with the number of Americans aged 65 and older expected to nearly double by 2050. To view Pearle Vision in the full ranking, visit www.entrepreneur.com/franchise500. Results can also be seen in the January/February 2025 issue of Entrepreneur, available on newsstands January 14th. Pearle Vision is actively seeking qualified candidates, including optometry professionals and investors, to join the team across the U.S. For more information about franchising opportunities with Pearle Vision, visit ownapearlevision.com. About Pearle Vision Franchising Pearle Vision, established by Dr. Stanley Pearle in 1961 and now part of EssilorLuxottica, continues to be a trusted leader in the optical industry. Ranked No. 1 in the Eye Care category for four years running by Entrepreneur magazine, Pearle Vision supports over 560 locations through a strong franchise network. The brand enhances franchise success with superior products, advanced supply chains, and comprehensive franchisee support dedicated to maintaining Dr. Pearle's legacy of genuine eye care. Pearle Vision invites entrepreneurial leaders to join its mission of providing exceptional vision care across North America. To learn more about Pearle Vision, visit www.pearlevision.com. To learn more about franchise opportunities with Pearle Vision, visit www.ownapearlevision.com. Contact: Nadia Caron Fish 919 954-893-9150 [email protected] SOURCE Pearle Vision BIRMINGHAM, Ala., Jan. 23, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Porter Capital, a leader in specialty financing solutions for businesses nationwide, proudly announces the successful completion of a financing agreement for an international healthcare staffing agency headquartered in Virginia. The agreement, consisting of a $15 million factoring facility and a $5 million term loan, replaces a conventional loan, injects critical liquidity, and helps the agency avoid a pressured majority sale to a private equity firm. Referred to Porter Capital by a trusted banking partner, the healthcare staffing agency needed refinancing to address several challenges, including a drop in revenue from its COVID-19 peak, a necessitated buyout of a major shareholder, and a reduction in its available credit. In addition, the tight timeline, compounded by the holiday season, required Porter Capital to work swiftly and creatively. By leveraging both factoring and term loan solutions, Porter Capital enabled the staffing agency to retain control of the business while positioning it for future growth and profitability. "This transaction showcases our ability to move quickly and structure innovative financing solutions under tight deadlines," said John Cox Miller, Senior Vice President, National Sales Manager, at Porter Capital. "We're thrilled to help this healthcare staffing firm secure the liquidity they need for operational stability and future growth." With offices around the globe, the staffing agency brings deep expertise to domestic and international markets. Its diverse portfolio and strong leadership in the field foster partnerships with government agencies, international organizations, and the private sector worldwide. With an immediate financing solution in place, the agency has the runway to stabilize operations, rebuild revenue streams, and pursue higher valuation opportunities in the future. The Chief Legal Officer of the healthcare staffing agency stated: "We met with seven other alternative lenders, and Porter Capital emerged as the best of the best. Porter's commitment to face-to-face collaboration was refreshing. They worked tirelessly, even through two holidays, to deliver both factoring and a term loan, ensuring no gaps in our financing needs and flexibility to support our long-term objectives. One word to sum up our experience with Porter Capital: excellent." Marc Porter, CEO of Porter Capital commented, "This financing package exemplifies Porter Capital's commitment to delivering tailored solutions that meet the unique needs of our clients, even under challenging circumstances. It's partnerships like these that underscore our dedication to helping businesses thrive." The successful closing of this deal underscores Porter Capital's reputation for handling complex, non-traditional transactions, even under challenging conditions. It also builds on the firm's strong referral partnerships with banks, brokers, and consultants who trust Porter to deliver flexible and timely financing to clients. About Porter Capital Porter Capital Corporation was founded in 1991 by brothers Marc and Donald Porter in Birmingham, AL. Porter offers working capital solutions to businesses all over the country in a variety of industries. As a direct lender and factoring company, Porter Capital has provided billions in funding since its inception. Porter Capital offers Invoice Factoring and Asset Based Credit Lines up to $25 million. Since founding the company, Porter Capital has expanded to include a special transportation division known as Porter Freight Funding. The Porter businesses continue to grow by providing working capital solutions, emphasizing personalized, dedicated customer service without sacrificing speed and efficiency. To know more about Porter Capital Corporation and how it can be a working capital solution provider for businesses, call 1-888-865-7678 or visit www.portercap.com. Contact: Michelle Milhoan [email protected] SOURCE Porter Capital GAPSPIRIN gets low-dose aspirin to those most at risk to help close the maternal health gap in preeclampsia NEW YORK, Jan. 23, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- In recognition of January 23rd as Maternal Health Awareness Day, the Preeclampsia Foundation in partnership with Patients & Purpose announced the launch of "GAPSPIRIN", an evidence-based education campaign, encouraging the use of low-dose aspirin to help prevent preeclampsia and close the maternal health equity gap. GAPSPIRIN combines education on the challenges faced by Black expecting mothers with information on low-dose aspirin prophylaxis, empowering healthcare providers to address preeclampsia risk. Preeclampsia is a serious hypertensive disorder that poses life-threatening risks during pregnancy and the postpartum period. It sits at the center of our maternal health crisis, and disproportionately impacts Black mothers, who are 60% more likely to develop it. Despite increasing awareness of poor maternal health outcomes for Black mothers in the United States, from national media coverage to high-profile advocates like Allyson Felix sharing their own maternal health experiences, not much has changed. The maternal health gap remains stubbornly wide. The real tragedy? Preeclampsia, which affects about 5-8% of all pregnancies and is on the rise, can often be prevented. A simple low-dose aspirin regimen early in pregnancy reduces the risk for many patients, yet many Black women still aren't informed of the condition or of aspirin as an option. "That's where an effort like GAPSPIRIN comes in," said Dina Peck, Chief Creative Officer of Patients & Purpose. "We partnered with the Preeclampsia Foundation to help close the diagnosis and prevention equity gap in preeclampsia by educating healthcare providers and their patients about low-dose aspirin." GAPSPIRIN is first launching in five New York City zip codes identified as having high risk for preeclampsia and maternal mortality, and primarily serving Black populations. One hundred community obstetric healthcare provider offices received a package that includes resources and education about disparities and aspirin as a preventative treatment for preeclampsia. The providers are invited to submit their reections on current maternal health practices and prescribing habits, and to pledge to help close the maternal health gap. "The stark reality is that Black women face so many barriers to a healthy pregnancylimited access to healthcare, decreased time during doctor visits, and symptoms and concerns that often get overlooked," said Dr. Cornelia Graves, a maternal-fetal medicine subspecialist with Tennessee Maternal Fetal Medicine and member of the Preeclampsia Foundation's Medical Advisory Board. "The healthcare community must respond by making sure that Black women are heard, informed, and receive low-dose aspirin prophylaxis for preeclampsia when appropriate to improve outcomes." "The Preeclampsia Foundation is focused on promoting solutions to care for Black women affected by hypertensive disorders of pregnancy, not just restating the problem," said Preeclampsia Foundation Director of Communications and Engagement Laney Poye. "We have the power to close the gap in maternal health by taking proactive action. That's why we are taking a multi-level approach that includes national, local, and individual action to address preeclampsia and its impact on Black women and birthing people." The Preeclampsia Foundation and Patients & Purpose will continue to promote GAPSPIRIN this year and will be working to deliver this life-saving prevention tool to community health workers across the country. Learn more at https://gap-spirin.com ABOUT PREECLAMPSIA FOUNDATION The Preeclampsia Foundation is a U.S.-based 501(c)(3) non-profit organization established in 2000 to improve the outcomes of hypertensive disorders of pregnancy by educating, supporting, and engaging the community, improving healthcare practices, and finding a cure. We envision a world where preeclampsia and related hypertensive disorders of pregnancy no longer threaten the lives of mothers and their babies. For more information, visit www.preeclampsia.org. ABOUT PATIENTS & PURPOSE No one knows patients better than Patients & Purposea full-service agency who is committed to making patients better communicators with their doctors, better managers of their conditions, and better advocates for their health. It's their commitment to excellence, as well as their experience in everything from DTC to patient services, that has made P&P the industry's premier patient marketing agency. SOURCE Omnicom Health Group TAIPEI, Jan. 23, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- ProLogium, a global leader in next-generation lithium ceramic batteries, announced that its Gigafactory in Dunkirk, France, has successfully obtained a construction permit on December 16, 2024, and an environmental permit on December 18, 2024. This milestone underscores ProLogium's commitment to clean energy, highlighting its execution capability and leadership in the industry. Despite challenges in the EV industry, ProLogium has stayed on course, advancing steadily and demonstrating its determination to deliver on its promises. Since announcing its site selection in May 2023, the company has worked tirelessly, completing 13 public hearings in the first phase within six months under the oversight of local communities. In May 2024, the company submitted applications for construction and environmental permits, with public consultations concluding in October. Within seven months, both permits were successfully securedan achievement made possible by the joint efforts of ProLogium's Taiwan and French teams and the strong support of the French government and stakeholders. ProLogium extends its heartfelt gratitude to all who have supported this endeavor. The Dunkirk Gigafactory will be built in three phases, with construction set to begin in 2025 and mass production planned for 2027, reaching full capacity based on market demand. This project marks a pivotal step in ProLogium's global expansion and injects renewed confidence into the global green energy industry. Stay tuned for more updates and exciting developments. About ProLogium: ProLogium Technology was founded in 2006 and is an innovative company specializing in the development and manufacturing of next-generation lithium-ceramic batteries. ProLogium offers advanced solutions for electric vehicles, consumer markets, and industrial applications. Its proprietary technologies are protected by over 900 international patents (both granted and under review). The company has delivered more than 12,000 lithium-ceramic battery samples to global automakers for testing and the development of modules. ProLogium's first gigawatt-hour scale production demonstration line, located in Taoyuan, Taiwan, began production in 2024 to serve the global market. In May 2024, ProLogium announced the opening of its first overseas R&D center, located in Paris-Saclay, dedicated to developing solutions tailored to the European market. At the same time, ProLogium's first overseas gigafactory project, located in Dunkirk, France, successfully completed the public consultation process to obtain construction and environmental assessment permits. Construction is expected to begin in 2025, with mass production slated for 2027. SOURCE ProLogium Monopar's pipeline includes clinical-stage radiopharmaceuticals targeting advanced solid tumors and late-stage ALXN1840, a treatment for Wilson Disease NORTH CHICAGO, Ill., Jan. 23, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science announced that Monopar Therapeutics is the latest biotech company to join the Helix 51 biomedical incubator community. Monopar, a clinical-stage biotechnology firm, is developing personalized and precise radiopharmaceuticals to diagnose and treat aggressive cancers, and will utilize the labs and other resources in Helix 51 to further its research objectives. Rosalind Franklin University's Innovation and Research Park, located between Chicago and Milwaukee, is designed for collaboration among academic and industry scientists and entrepreneurs. The IRP currently houses six disease-focused research centers. Helix 51, RFU's biomedical incubator, continues to expand its roster of startup, early-stage and international companies. "We are excited to be a part of the vibrant biomedical community at RFU," said Monopar COO Andrew Cittadine, MBA. "We see this as an opportunity to accelerate the development of new products and were drawn to the talented and collaborative community at Helix 51." Radiopharmaceuticals drugs that selectively target cancer and are linked with radioisotopes are a key component of nuclear medicine. Rapid advancements in the field have significantly improved healthcare by enabling highly targeted diagnosis and treatment of diseases, particularly cancer, through the precise delivery of radiation directly to diseased tissues. The technique helps minimize damage to healthy organs, leading to earlier detection, more effective therapies and improved patient outcomes with fewer side effects. An article published this month in the journal Signal Transduction and Targeted Therapy hailed the technology's ability to "improve the efficiency and biosafety of tumour diagnosis and therapy." Monopar is also working on a late-stage investigational drug for the treatment of Wilson Disease, a rare genetic disorder. Helix 51 is the only wet-and dry-lab based incubator in Lake County, Illinois, which is home to more than 122 bioscience companies and 33,000 bioscience jobs. The university's Innovation and Research Park also provides research space to biotech and biopharma companies looking to grow. The IRP features numerous core facilities essential for drug, device and diagnostic research and development. "Rosalind Franklin University is committed to expanding collaboration between academic research and the life-science industry to develop new therapeutic solutions for difficult-to-treat diseases," said Dr. Joseph DiMario, RFU interim vice president for research. "Our Center for Cancer Cell Biology, Immunology, and Infection and Center for Genetic Diseases can also provide additional research support and expertise to Monopar. We're pleased to include them in our growing oncology cluster of companies." About Rosalind Franklin University Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science is committed to serving humanity through the interprofessional education of health and biomedical professionals and the discovery of knowledge dedicated to improving wellness. The university embodies the spirit of inquiry and excellence modeled by its namesake Dr. Rosalind Franklin, whose Photo 51 was crucial to solving the structure of DNA. Recognized for its research in areas including neuroscience, brain-related diseases, inherited disorders, diabetes, obesity, and gait and balance, RFU encompasses the Chicago Medical School, College of Health Professions, College of Nursing, College of Pharmacy, School of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies and the Dr. William M. Scholl College of Podiatric Medicine. Learn more at rosalindfranklin.edu. Office of Marketing and Communications [email protected] SOURCE Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science EVA Approved for Use with the Evoke Smart Loop System in the U.S. Potential to Improve Outcomes and Reduce Burden of Care for Chronic Pain Patients MINNEAPOLIS, Jan. 23, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Saluda Medical, Inc., a pioneer in the development and commercialization of a novel neuromodulation platform designed to transform the lives of patients with chronic neurological conditions, today announced United States (U.S.) Food & Drug Administration (FDA) approval for its biomarker-based, automated patient programming platform in spinal cord stimulation (SCS), representing a significant advancement for SCS therapy. The new programming platform, EVA, is compatible with all commercially implanted Evoke System patients in the U.S. EVA is designed to improve the SCS patient programming experience by automating manual programming steps and autonomously scanning and analyzing a patient's nerves to optimize therapy settings. This automated programming workflow has the potential to minimize the burden of care by substantially reducing the time element of programming and elevating the overall patient experience, while simultaneously improving daily clinic throughput in busy pain practices. The innovation behind EVA is powered by sensing, measuring, and adjusting stimulation based on each patient's unique biomarker response, known as evoked compound action potentials (ECAPs). "With the added benefit of an automated programming workflow, the Evoke System is better positioned to transform the SCS category than ever before," said Timothy Deer, MD, President and CEO, The Spine & Nerve Center of the Virginias, and Clinical Professor of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, WVU School of Medicine. "EVA has the potential to usher in new benefits for clinicians and staff with greater ease of use, faster and more consistent programming, and monitoring physiological data to adjust settings to an optimal therapeutic dose." Clinical data on EVA will be presented at the North American Neuromodulation Society (NANS) Annual Meeting, to be held in Orlando, FL from January 30 February 1, 2025, where further insights into the platform's impact on patient programming will be shared. "We witnessed the sophisticated therapy optimization of EVA occur in less than 13-minutes, the benefits of which could have a tremendous impact on improving patient outcomes while simultaneously increasing clinic efficiencies," said Jason Pope, MD, principal investigator of the Prospective Dose-Controlled Closed-Loop Study, and Founder and CEO, Evolve Restorative Center. About Saluda Medical Saluda Medical is a commercial-stage medical device company focused on developing treatments for chronic neurological conditions using its novel neuromodulation platform. The Company's closed-loop, dose-control platform senses and measures neural responses to stimulation and automatically adjusts therapy based on real-time neurophysiological feedback. The Company's first product, the Evoke System, is indicated as an aid in the management of chronic intractable pain of the trunk and/or limbs, including unilateral or bilateral pain associated with failed back surgery syndrome, intractable low back pain, and leg pain, and is designed to treat chronic neuropathic pain by providing spinal cord stimulation (SCS) therapy that senses and measures neural activation to optimize therapy and reduce patient and clinician burden. 12-month results from the EVOKE study, the first and only prospective, multi-center, parallel-arm, double-blind, randomized controlled pivotal study with a voluntary crossover arm in SCS, that demonstrated clinically superior pain relief to open-loop therapy, were published in The Lancet Neurology, 24-month results were published in JAMA Neurology, and 36-month data, that demonstrated sustained pain relief, were published in Regional Anesthesia and Pain Medicine. To learn more, including risks and important safety information, visit www.saludamedical.com/us/safety/. Saluda and Evoke are registered trademarks owned by Saluda Medical Pty Ltd. Investor Contacts: Brian Johnston or Sam Bentzinger [email protected] [email protected] SOURCE Saluda Medical As the wine & spirits industry shifts, the leading importer reveals a fresh redesign that represents the portfolio's evolution and expansion MIAMI, Jan. 23, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Shaw-Ross International Importers , a leading force in the nation's beverage alcohol industry, has unveiled a rebranding of its logo to reflect the evolution and strategic expansion of the portfolio. Originally featuring a wine bottle, the updated logo now reflects a well-rounded portfolio of both wine and spirits, signaling a refreshed brand identity that embraces a broader range of products as Shaw-Ross enters a new chapter, aligned with the evolving landscape of the alcohol industry. "Shaw-Ross is thrilled to unveil a logo that represents the evolution of both our portfolio and strategy," said Shaw-Ross President Scott Jove. "As we adapt to market changes, we look forward to this next chapter, which features a diverse range of spirits while remaining true to our legacy wine brands." As Shaw-Ross moves into the future, the rebranding reflects a broader shift in both the company's portfolio and leadership. Under the direction of Scott Jove, Shaw-Ross is embracing a new chapter that reflects the changing landscape of the alcohol industry. This new look and feel represents not only the company's growth but also Scott's dynamic leadership as President, driving the organization forward into an exciting new era. Shaw-Ross boasts a diverse portfolio that includes premium Japanese beverages, wines, and spirits, positioning the company to capitalize on shifting consumer preferences. Known for iconic brands like Gekkeikan, the top selling sake in the U.S., and iichiko, Japan's leading shochu, Shaw-Ross is also set to introduce a revamped TYKU Sake range in 2025, following the brand's acquisition in 2023. Alongside its Japanese offerings, Shaw-Ross represents prestigious wine labels such as The Pale Rose By Sacha Lichine, Rapaura Springs, Sena, La Scolca, Sartori di Verona, and Real Sangria, the category leader in imported Sangria. Building on its long-standing success with spirits brands such as Pusser's Rum, Ron Barcelo, and Papas Pilar, Shaw-Ross has also expanded its craft spirits portfolio with strategic acquisitions like Hemingway Whiskey, Crystal Head Vodka, Gentleman Cut Bourbon, and most recently, Santo Tequila. This move reflects the company's continued commitment to a well-rounded and evolving product lineup. Shaw-Ross is one of the country's largest importers, representing both domestic and international luxury brands that are recognized leaders in their categories. Through a hands-on marketing approach, Shaw-Ross has pioneered innovative strategies while staying committed to proven methods, driving consumer demand and ensuring the continued success of its premium wine and spirits portfolio. As the portfolio grows, the team is embracing significant nationwide expansion enabling Shaw-Ross to build stronger collaborations with new suppliers. About Shaw-Ross International Importers Founded in 1968 as a boutique wine and spirit importer representing several brands, Shaw-Ross is one of the nation's leading importers. The team represents over thirty suppliers worldwide, whose brands enjoy full national distribution through a network of outstanding wholesalers. Press Contact: Alejandra Pinedo Colangelo & Partners [email protected] SOURCE Shaw-Ross International Importers PERRY, Ga., Jan. 23, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Sigma Defense Systems, a leader in defense technology, proudly announced the grand opening of the expanded office facility of the EWA Warrior Services division in Huntsville, Alabama. This new 12,000 square-foot office provides critical resources to support customers across the Department of Defense (DoD) that includes Army, Navy, Space Force and other organizations as the company has added 20 new jobs in Huntsville since 2023. Jeff Morgan, President of EWA Warrior Services, a Sigma Defense Division, is joined by representatives from the office of Congressman Dale Strong, Alabamas 5th Congressional District, representatives from Huntsville mayors office, Tommy Battle, and members of the Huntsville Chamber of Commerce for the opening of the new Huntsville office. The ribbon cutting took place on January 22nd, 2025, with Sigma Defense Systems executives, employees and distinguished guests taking part in the ceremony. Those who attended included representatives from the office of Congressman Dale Strong, Alabama's 5th Congressional District, representatives from Huntsville mayor's office, Tommy Battle, and members of the Huntsville Chamber of Commerce. EWA Warrior Services specializes in the design, development, and sustainment of advanced Electronic Warfare (EW) systems and threat simulation technologies, supporting test and training missions for multiple customers within the DoD. The new facility is the third building added to the Huntsville campus which represents over 19,500 square feet of research and development space already in operation. The site serves as a hub for developing and delivering test and training solutions and includes CNC machines, 3-D printers, specialized laboratory spaces and equipment for rapid prototyping manufacturing and production Jeff Morgan, President of EWA Warrior Services, presided over the opening ceremony and shared his perspective: "This new facility represents not just growth for EWA Warrior Services, but our ability to deliver cutting edge solutions for our customer and bring new jobs to the Huntsville community. We are excited to celebrate the opening of this new office, but more importantly we are excited about what this means for our ability to deliver on our commitment to our customers." EWA Warrior Services joined Sigma Defense in May 2024 through the acquisition of its parent company EWA. Sigma Defense employs over 800 people globally, delivering solutions for CJADC2, DevSecOps and C5ISR and other services for national security. About Sigma Defense Sigma Defense Systems LLC is a leading technology company serving the Department of Defense (DoD) providing systems and services for Intelligence Surveillance and Reconnaissance since 2006. The company's software-focused approach to tactical communications accelerates information collection and sharing for faster decision making and better mission outcomes. Customers turn to Sigma Defense for engineering, program management, and data logistics services for technical solutions that encompass ground, air, and space-based systems and sensors and network and satellite communications. Sigma is headquartered in Perry, GA with satellite offices both CONUS and OCONUS. For more information visit sigmadefense.com and follow Sigma Defense on LinkedIn for news and updates. SOURCE Sigma Defense Systems PUNE, India, Jan. 23, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Singapore Data Center Market Overview The Singapore data center market is anticipated to expand from USD 1,296.79 million in 2023 to an estimated USD 3,039.16 million by 2032, demonstrating a robust CAGR of 9.53% from 2024 to 2032. Singapore's strategic position as a data hub in Asia, coupled with its advanced infrastructure and excellent connectivity, makes it an ideal location for supporting digital transformation and growing cloud computing needs. Government initiatives, such as sustainable policies and data-driven frameworks, further enhance market growth. Global players like Google, Microsoft, and Amazon Web Services, alongside local operators like SingTel and Keppel Data Centres, dominate the competitive landscape. Their investments in hyperscale and colocation facilities underpin the market's dynamism. The demand to adopt cutting-edge technologies like AI, IoT, and edge computing also drives data center development in the region. However, challenges such as land scarcity and rising energy costs could impede growth. Despite this, Singapore's innovation-driven ecosystem and strategic centrality ensure its long-term potential as a leading data center hub. Preview the report with a detailed sample and understand how it can benefit your business strategy. Request a free sample today - https://www.credenceresearch.com/report/singapore-data-center-market Singapore Data Center Market Drivers The Singapore data center market thrives on a confluence of factors propelling its expansion and evolution. Foremost among these is the surging demand for cloud services and ongoing digital transformation. Businesses are increasingly shifting to cloud-based models to enhance efficiency and scalability; as regional cloud storage needs skyrocket, Singapore emerges as a preferred hub. For instance, a significant portion of businesses in Southeast Asia are adopting cloud adoption strategies, reflecting increasing reliance on robust data infrastructure. Government policies and initiatives play a critical role in shaping the market's growth trajectory. Programs like the Infocomm Media Development Authority's (IMDA) Data Center Development Blueprint prioritize energy efficiency, land optimization, and industry collaboration. Singapore's stringent cybersecurity framework further builds trust among data center operators and global corporations looking for secure environments to host their operations. The city-state's strategic location amplifies its importance. Positioned at the heart of Asia, Singapore serves as a gateway to several thriving economies in the region, enabling quick and seamless distribution of data services. It is linked to over 20 submarine cable systems, providing high-capacity, low-latency connections that facilitate global accessibility. This connectivity is critical as the Asia-Pacific region generates a significant share of the world's data traffic. Domestically, Singapore's internet penetration exceeds 90%, driving robust local demand for data-intensive services. The rapid advancement of 5G networks and the growing e-commerce industry significantly influence the market. E-commerce revenues in Singapore are estimated to reach billions of US dollars annually, requiring scalable, dependable data storage and computational capabilities. Furthermore, with 5G technology rolling out across the Asia-Pacific, innovations in IoT, AI, smart devices, and autonomous systems demand faster, smarter data infrastructure. Lastly, sustainability remains an essential driver. With the government pushing for greener operations, data center operators are adopting energy-efficient solutions such as liquid cooling and renewable energy integration into their facilities. Not only do these measures address environmental concerns, but they also align with broader corporate strategies aimed at cost optimization. These drivers establish Singapore as a premier data center location, combining connectivity, innovation, and government support to meet both regional and global demands. However, challenges like high operational costs highlight the need for innovative practices to sustain growth. Preview the report with a detailed sample and understand how it can benefit your business strategy. Request a free sample today - https://www.credenceresearch.com/report/singapore-data-center-market Growth Opportunities in the Singapore Data Center Market The Singapore data center market offers significant growth opportunities, driven by technological advancements and strategic positioning. Edge computing is emerging as a key area, enabling low-latency data processing for high-demand applications like AI, IoT, and augmented reality. This shift pushes operators to develop decentralized infrastructure closer to end-users. The rise of AI and IoT is further amplifying the demand for advanced data analytics and processing capabilities. Businesses require high-performance solutions that seamlessly scale to accommodate increasing data loads. Sustainability has also become a critical growth driver, with operators investing in energy-efficient technologies like liquid cooling and striving for renewable energy adoption. Innovation in cooling systems and renewable energy integration presents new business prospects, especially as Singapore focuses on minimizing the environmental impact of data centers. Additionally, its status as a regional hub offers opportunities for collaboration with international tech companies entering the Asia-Pacific market. Regulatory support and cutting-edge technological advancements remain pivotal for driving long-term growth and ensuring industry sustainability. Singapore Data Center Market Segmentation Analysis Based on Type Enterprise : These data centers specifically serve individual businesses, offering dedicated infrastructural solutions for secure and tailored data management. Enterprises rely on them to ensure operational continuity and data security. : These data centers specifically serve individual businesses, offering dedicated infrastructural solutions for secure and tailored data management. Enterprises rely on them to ensure operational continuity and data security. Edge : Positioned closer to end-users, edge facilities facilitate low-latency services essential for IoT, AI, and gaming applications. Their role has grown with the increasing demand for real-time data processing. : Positioned closer to end-users, edge facilities facilitate low-latency services essential for IoT, AI, and gaming applications. Their role has grown with the increasing demand for real-time data processing. Colocation : Colocation centers provide shared spaces for companies to host IT infrastructure. They are cost-effective and popular among SMEs and large businesses looking to reduce capital expenses and enjoy high reliability. : Colocation centers provide shared spaces for companies to host IT infrastructure. They are cost-effective and popular among SMEs and large businesses looking to reduce capital expenses and enjoy high reliability. Hyperscale : Focused on scalability, hyperscale facilities support large businesses and cloud operators. Given the accelerated adoption of cloud computing, these centers lead the charge in meeting massive data processing and storage requirements. : Focused on scalability, hyperscale facilities support large businesses and cloud operators. Given the accelerated adoption of cloud computing, these centers lead the charge in meeting massive data processing and storage requirements. Managed : These centers provide end-to-end IT management, resonating with businesses aiming to outsource complexities while focusing on core operations. : These centers provide end-to-end IT management, resonating with businesses aiming to outsource complexities while focusing on core operations. Modular: Quick to deploy and expand, modular centers cater well to fluctuating storage needs. Their flexibility reduces downtime and minimizes infrastructure costs. Based on Compound Hardware : : Power Systems like UPS and generators ensure consistent energy supply and system stability. like UPS and generators ensure consistent energy supply and system stability. Cooling Systems including advanced liquid cooling technologies help maintain operational efficiency while using less energy. including advanced liquid cooling technologies help maintain operational efficiency while using less energy. Racks and Servers form the backbone of data centers, ensuring optimal resource utilization. form the backbone of data centers, ensuring optimal resource utilization. Networking Devices enable seamless connectivity, crucial for effective data transmission. enable seamless connectivity, crucial for effective data transmission. Others include monitoring tools, fire suppression systems, and alarms integral to functionality. include monitoring tools, fire suppression systems, and alarms integral to functionality. Nigeria Data Centre Infrastructure Management Software : : Cloud-based solutions allow remote management and scalability, meeting diverse business needs. solutions allow remote management and scalability, meeting diverse business needs. On-premises systems offer local control and security for organizations handling sensitive data. systems offer local control and security for organizations handling sensitive data. Service : : Professional Services ensure streamlined setup through consultation, integration, and execution. ensure streamlined setup through consultation, integration, and execution. Support & Maintenance focuses on equipment reliability and uptime. focuses on equipment reliability and uptime. Managed Services offer outsourced operations, ensuring businesses get expert management without in-house resources. Based on Size Small : Designed for startups and businesses with limited IT needs, offering basic yet effective solutions. : Designed for startups and businesses with limited IT needs, offering basic yet effective solutions. Mid-Sized : These cater to mid-tier businesses, balancing cost efficiency and scalability. : These cater to mid-tier businesses, balancing cost efficiency and scalability. Large: Supporting hyperscale players and enterprises with extensive operations, these facilities handle massive workloads. Based on Tier Tier 1 & 2 provide basic redundancy and lower-cost solutions for non-critical workloads. provide basic redundancy and lower-cost solutions for non-critical workloads. Tier 3 ensures high reliability and fault tolerance, widely favored by enterprises for production environments. ensures high reliability and fault tolerance, widely favored by enterprises for production environments. Tier 4 delivers the highest uptime guarantees, essential for mission-critical and high-security operations. Based on Industry IT & Telecom : This sector leads the market due to its constant need for connectivity and vast data storage demands. : This sector leads the market due to its constant need for connectivity and vast data storage demands. BFSI : Financial institutions depend on data centers for secure storage and rapid processing of sensitive financial data. : Financial institutions depend on data centers for secure storage and rapid processing of sensitive financial data. Manufacturing : Supports real-time inventory management and IoT-enabled smart factory solutions. : Supports real-time inventory management and IoT-enabled smart factory solutions. Healthcare : Requires reliable storage and processing capacity for patient records, medical research, and telemedicine. : Requires reliable storage and processing capacity for patient records, medical research, and telemedicine. Government : Hosts sensitive national data and aligns with security and compliance mandates. : Hosts sensitive national data and aligns with security and compliance mandates. Others include innovative fields like gaming, education, and media which are leveraging data centers for enhanced operations and consumer experiences. Each segment demonstrates its own unique role in meeting the diverse needs of businesses, establishing Singapore as a thriving hub for data center innovation and operation. Singapore Data Center Market Segmentation Segmentation Based on Type Enterprise Edge Colocation Hyperscale Managed Modular Based on Compound Hardware Power Systems Cooling Systems Racks Servers Networking Devices Others Nigeria Data Centre Infrastructure Management Software Cloud-based On-premises Service Professional Services Integration & Implementation Consulting Support & Maintenance Managed Services Based on Size Small Mid-Sized Large Based on Tier Tier 1 Tier 2 Tier 3 Tier 4 Based on Industry IT & Telecom BFSI Manufacturing Healthcare Government Others Based on Region Central Business District (CBD) Jurong Woodlands Preview the report with a detailed sample and understand how it can benefit your business strategy. Request a free sample today - https://www.credenceresearch.com/report/singapore-data-center-market Regional Analysis of the Singapore Data Center Market Singapore plays a vital role as a key data hub in Asia, bolstered by its strategic geographical location and cutting-edge connectivity infrastructure. The city-state boasts over 70 operational data centers, supported by an extensive network of more than 20 submarine cable systems. This connectivity infrastructure fortifies its position as a regional gateway, facilitating rapid and reliable data transfers between the Asia-Pacific region and global markets. These high-capacity submarine cables ensure ultra-low latency, making Singapore a preferred choice for data-heavy applications and international enterprises. The government's proactive policies and incentives contribute significantly to the market's regional strength. Initiatives like the Green Data Centre Programme from the Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) focus on sustainable innovation and energy-efficient technologies, critical for maintaining the nation's competitive edge amidst land and energy constraints. Strategic zoning plans have been introduced to optimize land use, while strong cybersecurity measures guarantee safe and compliant operational frameworks for global businesses. Major tech giants, including Google, Microsoft, and Amazon Web Services, continue to expand their presence in Singapore, alongside prominent local players like SingTel and Keppel Data Centres. This robust presence highlights Singapore's role in supplying advanced cloud and colocation services to regional businesses. The country's operational reliability and scalability appeal to industries ranging from IT and finance to healthcare and manufacturing. Regional digital transformation trends further heighten Singapore's influence in Asia. With internet penetration exceeding 90% domestically and the Asia-Pacific contributing the largest share to global data traffic, Singapore remains indispensable for managing digital demands. Digital advancements like 5G are driving innovations in IoT and AI, which further amplify the need for strong, scalable data center infrastructure. Tailor the report to align with your specific business needs and gain targeted insights. Request customization now - https://www.credenceresearch.com/report/singapore-data-center-market Top Companies Net Singapore Pte Ltd (Mediacorp) Air Trunk Operating Pty Ltd Cyxtera Technologies Digital Realty Trust Inc. Empyrion DC Equinix Inc. China Mobile International Ltd PhoenixNAP Princeton Digital Group Rackspace Technology Inc. STT GDC Pte Ltd Preview the report with a detailed sample and understand how it can benefit your business strategy. Request a free sample today - https://www.credenceresearch.com/report/singapore-data-center-market Latest Developments: September 2024: Blackstone, a global asset management company, announced the acquisition of AirTrunk for A$24 billion . This transaction marks Blackstone's largest investment in the Asia Pacific region. . This transaction marks Blackstone's largest investment in the region. November 2023 : Cyxtera successfully navigated its Chapter 11 proceedings, reaching an agreement to be acquired by Brookfield Infrastructure Partners for $775 million . This acquisition, expected to close in early 2024, includes Brookfield ending some of Cyxtera's leases and buying out leases on data centers in Singapore and Frankfurt . : Cyxtera successfully navigated its Chapter 11 proceedings, reaching an agreement to be acquired by Brookfield Infrastructure Partners for . This acquisition, expected to close in early 2024, includes Brookfield ending some of Cyxtera's leases and buying out leases on data centers in and . April 2021 : Digital Realty extended its data center operations in Singapore by opening its third data center, a 50-megawatt facility named Digital Loyang II or SIN12. With this opening, Digital Realty has made significant investments of over US$1 billion in Singapore4. : Digital Realty extended its data center operations in by opening its third data center, a 50-megawatt facility named Digital Loyang II or SIN12. With this opening, Digital Realty has made significant investments of over in Singapore4. April 2023 : Empyrion DC, a data center operator focused on sustainable infrastructure, announced plans to explore opportunities in Singapore for developing green data centers. While specific projects haven't been publicly disclosed, the company aims to address the increasing demand for eco-friendly and energy-efficient data solutions in the region. : Empyrion DC, a data center operator focused on sustainable infrastructure, announced plans to explore opportunities in for developing green data centers. While specific projects haven't been publicly disclosed, the company aims to address the increasing demand for eco-friendly and energy-efficient data solutions in the region. June 2023 : Equinix unveiled plans for its ninth International Business Exchange (IBX) data center in Singapore , named SG9. With an initial investment of approximately $100 million USD , SG9 is strategically located in the Tanjong Kling data center park. This facility is designed to meet the surging demand for interconnection and colocation services, supporting businesses in their digital transformation journeys across the Asia-Pacific region. : Equinix unveiled plans for its ninth International Business Exchange (IBX) data center in , named SG9. With an initial investment of approximately , SG9 is strategically located in the Tanjong Kling data center park. This facility is designed to meet the surging demand for interconnection and colocation services, supporting businesses in their digital transformation journeys across the region. March 2023 : Equinix completed the expansion of its SG5 data center, adding significant capacity to support the growing needs of enterprises and cloud service providers. The expansion enhances connectivity options and provides advanced solutions for hybrid multicloud deployments : Equinix completed the expansion of its SG5 data center, adding significant capacity to support the growing needs of enterprises and cloud service providers. The expansion enhances connectivity options and provides advanced solutions for hybrid multicloud deployments August 2023 : China Mobile International (CMI) launched its second data center in Singapore , bolstering its network infrastructure to better serve global and regional customers. The new facility enhances CMI's capabilities in providing high-speed connectivity, cloud networking, and integrated communication services, facilitating enterprises in their international expansion and digitalization efforts. : China Mobile International (CMI) launched its second data center in , bolstering its network infrastructure to better serve global and regional customers. The new facility enhances CMI's capabilities in providing high-speed connectivity, cloud networking, and integrated communication services, facilitating enterprises in their international expansion and digitalization efforts. July 2023: PhoenixNAP announced the expansion of its Singapore data center offerings by introducing new cloud and bare-metal server solutions. This initiative aims to meet the increasing demand for secure, scalable, and compliance-ready infrastructure services in Southeast Asia . The expanded services include advanced cybersecurity features to support businesses dealing with sensitive data and regulatory requirements. data center offerings by introducing new cloud and bare-metal server solutions. This initiative aims to meet the increasing demand for secure, scalable, and compliance-ready infrastructure services in . The expanded services include advanced cybersecurity features to support businesses dealing with sensitive data and regulatory requirements. May 2023 : Princeton Digital Group (PDG) revealed plans to develop a new 100MW data center campus in Singapore , named SG3. This hyperscale facility is designed to cater to major cloud providers and large enterprises, addressing the skyrocketing demand for digital infrastructure. SG3 will incorporate sustainable design principles, focusing on energy efficiency and reduced environmental impact. : Princeton Digital Group (PDG) revealed plans to develop a new 100MW data center campus in , named SG3. This hyperscale facility is designed to cater to major cloud providers and large enterprises, addressing the skyrocketing demand for digital infrastructure. SG3 will incorporate sustainable design principles, focusing on energy efficiency and reduced environmental impact. January 2023 : PDG secured a $500 million equity investment led by Mubadala Investment Company. The funding is set to accelerate PDG's expansion across Asia , including significant developments in Singapore . This investment underscores PDG's commitment to scaling its operations to meet the demands of the rapidly growing digital economy. Reasons to Purchase this Report: Gain a comprehensive understanding of the market through qualitative and quantitative analyses, considering both economic and non-economic factors, with segmentation and sub-segmentation details provided in terms of market value (USD Billion). Identify regions and segments expected to experience the fastest growth or dominate the market, with a detailed analysis of geographic consumption patterns and the factors driving or hindering market performance in each region. Stay informed about the competitive environment, with rankings of major players, recent product and service launches, partnerships, business expansions, and acquisitions from the past five years. Access detailed profiles of major market players, including company overviews, insights, product benchmarking, and SWOT analysis, to understand competitive advantages and market positioning. Explore the present and forecasted market landscape, with insights into growth opportunities, market drivers, challenges, and constraints for both developed and emerging regions. Benefit from Porter's Five Forces analysis and Value Chain insights to evaluate various market perspectives and competitive dynamics. Understand the evolving market scenario, including potential growth opportunities and trends expected in the coming years. Preview the report with a detailed sample and understand how it can benefit your business strategy. 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The company is a market research and consulting firm serving governments, non-legislative associations, non-profit organizations, and various organizations worldwide. We help our clients improve their execution in a lasting way and understand their most imperative objectives. Contact Us Mitul Dean Tower C-1105 , S 25, Akash Tower, Vishal Nahar, Pimple Nilakh, Haveli, Pune 411027, India [email protected] www.credenceresearch.com Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2562161/5131678/Credence_Research_Logo.jpg SOURCE Credence Research Inc Denver-based Meyer brings 20+ years of experience, including top leadership positions at DispatchHealth, DaVita, and McKinsey & Company DENVER, Jan. 23, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- SonderMind today announced the addition of Jen Meyer to its leadership team as President of Commercial and Consumer Business, accelerating its ability to execute high-value national partnerships across the healthcare ecosystem. The leadership addition comes at a time of national expansion for SonderMind, now serving 48 states and D.C., and while building a science-backed self-care offering and seamless paths to care through the SonderMind app , delivering the comprehensive and outcome driven mental wellness solution that clients, providers, and payors want. "Jen brings to SonderMind decades of experience working at the intersection of large providers and health plans to drive industry leading partnerships focused on next-generation care models and value-based care delivery," said Mark Frank, CEO and Co-Founder of SonderMind. "In addition, her recent leadership at DispatchHealth demonstrated her expert ability to drive improved industry solutions that seamlessly combine technology and care delivery, which dovetails perfectly into the comprehensive mental health solution we provide at SonderMind. I couldn't be more energized about her joining the team." SonderMind adds Jen Meyer as President of Commercial + Consumer, releases AI-powered app features, now in 48 states + DC Post this "SonderMind's comprehensive mental health capabilities are a true differentiator in the industry and have proven to drive value for all stakeholdersfor individuals, health plans, and healthcare providers," said Jen Meyer, President of Commercial and Consumer Business at SonderMind. "SonderMind's new national footprint is a clear demonstration of the value industry stakeholders see in their enhanced capabilities and results, aligned with high-quality, comprehensive, and low-cost care." Starting in January 2025, Meyer is serving as President of Commercial and Consumer Business. Previous to SonderMind, Meyer served as Chief Revenue Officer at DispatchHealth and held leadership roles at DaVita and McKinsey & Company. She has an MBA from Kellogg School of Management and a finance degree from the Carlson School of Management at the University of Minnesota. "No one is offering a comprehensive, integrated behavioral health solution like SonderMind," said Holly Maloney, Managing Director at General Catalyst and SonderMind Board Member. "Jen is a highly valued addition to the leadership team because she has both sophisticated healthcare industry understanding and deep relationships to deliver the SonderMind therapy, psychiatry, and self-care solution to more payors, providers, and individuals." Wherever individuals are in their journeyready for therapy or notthere is a SonderMind solution. Leveraging AI to improve the experience of navigating self-care and getting into therapy or psychiatry, SonderMind recently unveiled a series of new app capabilities, including an AI-powered care concierge to help individuals follow a path to the right solution for them at that moment in time. SonderMind also released Daily Reflections, prompting users to reflect on their wellbeing before entering into therapy or in between sessions. Further, the app now features a robust library of self-care tools, including breathing exercises, neurotunes, brain training, and other written and video content. The app is free and available for download on iOS and Android . SonderMind is currently delivering therapy in 48 states and D.C. and psychiatry in 20 states and D.C. SonderMind's 10,000+ provider group continues to deliver high-quality care while accepting national, local, Medicare, Medicare Advantage, and VHA insurance plans. Learn more about SonderMind's footprint and expanding insurance coverage at sondermind.com/states . About SonderMind At SonderMind, we believe everyone deserves one personalized, connected, and effective mental health destination to take care of their mental health and well-being at any stage of life. SonderMind care encompasses everything from therapy and medication management to meditation and mindfulness exercises. Our clinicians leverage our digital tools and research to deliver increasingly high-quality care and to develop thriving practices. Combining technology and human connection, SonderMind drives better outcomes through our comprehensive approach. Learn more about SonderMind at sondermind.com or download the mobile app, available on iOS and Android . SOURCE SonderMind The Island's First St. Regis Hotel Introduces Unrivaled Elegance, World-Class Dining, and Signature Service to the Caribbean PALM BEACH, Aruba, Jan. 23, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- St. Regis Hotels & Resorts is proud to announce the opening of The St. Regis Aruba Resort, a seafront oasis designed by Hirsch Bender Associates. As part of Marriott International's distinguished luxury portfolio, the resort epitomizes the brand's rich heritage and signature rituals, offering an exclusive escape on Aruba's most coveted coastline. This resort elevates the island's hospitality scene with its refined elegance, featuring the first-ever St. Regis casino and a rooftop dining destination helmed by acclaimed Chef Akira Back. The St. Regis Aruba Blending local Dutch-Caribbean culture with the storied legacy of the St. Regis brand. Taking inspiration from the island's powdery white beaches, cultural richness, and Casibari Rock Formations, guests are invited to experience the colonial architecture and colorful areas inspired by the island's streets, guiding visitors to the best address on-island. The newly built resort presents 252 exquisite guestrooms, including 52 suites personalized to guest's needs. "Aruba is one of the most remarkable islands in the Caribbean, and we are proud to unveil The St. Regis Aruba Resort on the pristine shores of Palm Beach, further expanding our global portfolio of legendary hotels and resorts," said George Fleck, Senior Vice President and Global Brand Leader for St. Regis Hotels & Resorts. "As we continue to celebrate 120 years of timeless elegance, we remain deeply focused on growing our resort portfolio and solidifying St. Regis as the ultimate symbol of luxury leisure destinations and one-of-a-kind experiences." The resort offers guests six distinctive culinary experiences, celebrating the exotic flavors of Aruba's multicultural heritage. Showcasing the island's vibrant culinary fusion, these venues introduce innovative signature dishes to the gastronomic scene. At the heart of the dining offerings is the rooftop restaurant, Akira Back, by Michelin-starred Chef Akira Back, where guests can savor his acclaimed Japanese and Korean-inspired creations while enjoying breathtaking viewsa harmonious blend of exceptional flavors and stunning vistas. The St. Regis Aruba Resort's additional dining experiences include Eskama, an immersive Caribbean restaurant, and Nuba, an Aruban-inspired pool and beachside restaurant. In addition to the property's restaurants, The St. Regis Aruba Resort will feature two bars, The St. Regis Bar and Ventura, and a coffee shop, Grano Cafe. As tradition for all St. Regis properties, The St. Regis Aruba Resort will feature its own iteration of the Bloody Mary, fittingly titled the Bon Bini Mary, which guests can enjoy at The St. Regis Bar. "Bon Bini" means "welcome" in Papiamento the local language of Aruba. The Bon Bini Mary, inspired by the island's warm hospitality, is a unique creation that blends local papaya, lime, and habanero chili with aromatic spices, creating a uniquely Aruban cocktail. The resort offers an array of world-class amenities designed for relaxation and indulgence. Guests can unwind at two exquisite pools with private cabanas, stay active in the state-of-the-art fitness center, or rejuvenate at The St. Regis Spa. Nestled against the serene backdrop of Aruba's pristine beaches and azure waters, the spa features curated treatments inspired by the island's natural beauty. Younger guests are welcomed at The Children's Club, where cultural and educational experiences bring Aruba's rich heritage to life. "Aruba has long been a haven for travelers seeking exceptional escapes, and St. Regis' legendary vanguard spirit and traditions are a perfect fit for this extraordinary destination," said Brian King, President of Caribbean & Latin America (CALA) for Marriott International. Offering stunning backgrounds, The St. Regis Aruba Resort's meetings and events spaces combine luxurious elegance with impeccable service. The property's 20,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor function space are ideal for any occasion, specifically the resort's Terrace Suites and Astor Ballroom. Visitors can enjoy tailored experiences designed to meet their group's unique needs, enhanced by exceptional culinary offerings, dedicated event planners, and the renowned St. Regis Butler Service, ensuring every detail is flawlessly executed. With the opening of The St. Regis Aruba Resort, the brand introduces its renowned luxury and signature service to the stunning shores of Palm Beach. "A St. Regis hotel is the ultimate House of Celebration, from the daily champagne sabering to afternoon tea and we are eager to bring these moments to the breathtaking shores of Aruba," said Oliver Reschreiter, General Manager, The St. Regis Aruba Resort. "Guests can immerse themselves in the island's vibrant culture, indulge in exquisite cuisine, and experience the legendary St. Regis service. We are confident that The St. Regis Aruba will become a true icon of luxury hospitality in the Caribbean." For more information or reservations, please visit: stregisarubaresort.com. ABOUT ST. REGIS HOTELS & RESORTS Combining timeless glamour with a vanguard spirit, St. Regis Hotels & Resorts is committed to delivering exquisite experiences at more than 60 luxury hotels and resorts in the best addresses around the world. Beginning with the debut of The St. Regis Hotel in New York by John Jacob Astor IV at the dawn of the twentieth century, the brand has remained committed to an uncompromising level of bespoke and anticipatory service for all of its guests, delivered flawlessly by the signature St. Regis Butler Service. For more information and new openings, visit stregis.com or follow Instagram and Facebook. St. Regis is proud to participate in Marriott Bonvoy, the global travel program from Marriott International. The program offers members an extraordinary portfolio of global brands, exclusive experiences on Marriott Bonvoy Moments , and unparalleled benefits including complimentary nights and Elite status recognition. To enroll for free or for more information about the program, visit marriottbonvoy.com. ABOUT MARRIOTT BONVOY Marriott Bonvoy's extraordinary portfolio offers renowned hospitality in the most memorable destinations in the world, with more than 30 brands that are tailored to every type of journey. From The Ritz-Carlton and St. Regis to W Hotels and more, Marriott Bonvoy has more luxury offerings than any other travel program. Members can earn points for stays at hotels and resorts, including all-inclusive resorts and premium home rentals, and through everyday purchases with co-branded credit cards. Members can redeem their points for experiences including future stays, Marriott Bonvoy Moments, or through partners for luxurious products from Marriott Bonvoy Boutiques. To enroll for free or for more information about Marriott Bonvoy, visit. SOURCE Marriott International, Inc. TEL AVIV, Israel, Jan. 23, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Startup Nation Central, a nonprofit that promotes the Israeli innovation ecosystem globally, has released the Israeli Health Tech Top 100 of 2024 landscape map, celebrating Israel's innovation and transformative impact in health tech. As the largest tech sector in Israel, encompassing over 1,600 companies, health tech demonstrates the nation's leadership in digital health, medical devices, and biopharma. Curated from Startup Nation Central's Finder business platform, this map highlights the most impactful startups in the sector, showcasing those that secured the largest funding rounds in 2024. These companies exemplify the dynamic investment landscape within the sector. In addition, the map spotlights the ecosystem's standout investors and notable exits. Israeli Health Tech Top 100 of 2024 Landscape Map (Credit: Startup Nation Central) (PRNewsfoto/Startup Nation Central) Health tech private funding in 2024 reached approximately $1.2 billion, demonstrating sustained momentum with a modest decline from the $1.6 billion raised in 2023. Digital health led the sector, attracting $545 million, followed by medical devices at $380 million and pharma/biotech at $262 million. A notable trend in 2024 was a significant increase in the average funding amount per deal. Reaching $4.6 million across 102 rounds, this figure is more than twice the 2023 median of $2.16 million across 150 rounds. This suggests a shift towards larger, more impactful investments within the health tech landscape. To provide a holistic view of the evolving health tech landscape, we included a dedicated section for the most prominent early-stage startups that have secured the largest pre-seed and seed funding rounds across digital health, medical devices, and biopharma including: AISAP (Digital Health): raised $13 million in seed funding to develop and commercialize its AI-powered ultrasound platform, for improving the accuracy and efficiency of cardiac ultrasound examinations. in seed funding to develop and commercialize its AI-powered ultrasound platform, for improving the accuracy and efficiency of cardiac ultrasound examinations. DreaMed Diabetes (Medical Devices): secured $3 million in funding and strategic partnerships to develop its AI-powered platform endo.digital solution for personalized insulin treatment. in funding and strategic partnerships to develop its AI-powered platform endo.digital solution for personalized insulin treatment. Promise Bio (Pharma & Medical Biotechnology): $8.3 million to advance precision medicine with epi-proteomics and AI to predict therapy response. This map also features the top investors for 2024 including, Peregrine with 15 investments this year, eHealth Ventures is an incubator and VC firm with 8 startups in 2024 and Iron Nation is a non-profit organization, also stood out with their support of early stage ventures that address global health challenges. 2024 witnessed several exit activities, with the medical devices sector leading the way includin, among others: Innovalve Bio Medical (Medical Devices) by Edwards Lifesciences, V-Wave (Medical Devices) by Johnson & Johnson, C2i Genomics (Medical Devices) by Veracyte, and more. View Israel's Health Tech Top 100 of 2024 landscape map here. About Startup Nation Central: Startup Nation Central helps global solution seekers tackle complex challenges by giving them frictionless access to the expertise and solutions of Israel's problem solvers - and their bold and determined approach to innovation. We call this Impatient Innovation. Our free business engagement platform, Finder, grants unrestricted access to real-time, updated information and deep business insights into the Israeli tech ecosystem, explore potential opportunities, and forge valuable business connections. Infographic - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2604715/Startup_Nation_Central_Infographic.jpg SOURCE Startup Nation Central NEW YORK, Jan. 23, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Stax LLC, a global strategy consulting firm specializing in commercial due diligence, value creation, and exit planning for private equity firms, PE-backed companies, hedge funds, and investment banks, is pleased to announce the appointment of Robert Lytle as Senior Managing Director at Stax. With over 30 years of strategy consulting experience, Robert brings deep expertise in guiding private equity firms and PE-backed companies through due diligence and value creation initiatives to deliver impactful results. "I'm thrilled to join Stax at such an exciting point in its growth journey," said Robert Lytle. Post this Robert Lytle, Senior Managing Director, Stax Robert joins Stax following a distinguished 25+ year career at Parthenon and EY-Parthenon. As a founding member of Parthenon's global education practice, which he led for 15 years, Robert shaped strategies for education companies, universities, K-12 institutions, and government agencies. In his final three years, he led EY-Parthenon's U.S. Government and Public Sector practice, delivering strategic solutions to federal and state entities. Robert's career began as a U.S. Army Aviator before transitioning to consulting with Bain & Company after earning his MBA. "Our private equity focus continues to attract seasoned professionals who deepen our vertical and sector expertise while enhancing our leadership team," said Paul Edwards, Global Practice Leader. "Rob's impressive track record aligns perfectly with our content-led approach to mid-market private equity clients, and also ensures our team has access to the best talent to work with and learn from. Having shared a city with Rob for the past two decades, I'm delighted to now call him a colleague and look forward to working together to build our firm and drive our growth." "I'm thrilled to join Stax at such an exciting point in its growth journey," said Robert Lytle, Senior Managing Director. "Stax reminds me of the early days of Parthenon, before its acquisition by EYa dynamic, entrepreneurial firm with incredible potential. We have a unique opportunity to build a world-class consulting firm over the next 5-10 years and position Stax as a leading brand in the industry. I greatly value Stax's exclusive focus on the private equity investment lifecycle. This clear vision not only accelerates talent development and creates unparalleled opportunities for our people but also makes the journey both meaningful and rewarding." "Throughout his remarkable career, Robert has influenced countless careers through his leadership and mentorship. His dedication to talent development and diversity in leadership is evident, with several of his mentees now among the most senior women in consulting," said Jayson Traxler, Stax CEO. "Robert's arrival also marks a significant milestone in Stax's global expansion. His extensive experience in transforming a boutique firm into a global leader underscores Stax's commitment to growth and the creation of a platform built to move at the pace of private equity. He will truly help our clients de-risk their investments in a globally complex environment." About Stax LLC Stax LLC is a global management consulting firm serving corporate and private equity clients across a broad range of industries including software/technology, healthcare, business services, industrial, consumer/retail, and education. The firm partners with clients to provide data-driven, actionable insights designed to drive growth, enhance profits, increase value, and make better investment decisions. Please visit www.stax.com and follow Stax on LinkedIn, Instagram, Threads, and Facebook. SOURCE Stax LLC DENVER, Jan. 23, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- When someone is hurt or killed in a workplace accident , the effects ripple beyond the individual to spouses and children. Young people who lose a parent often shoulder the financial burden of supporting the family while dreams of a higher education fall to the wayside. Here are two of their stories. Diego Gonzales Locked out of the registration process due to an outstanding tuition balance, Diego Gonzales was unsure if he'd be able to continue attending college. Financing his education was a seemingly insurmountable obstacle. "My father died in a car accident while working," shared Diego. "My mom would work all day and night to help pay for college, but that is extremely unfair to her." That's when the Pinnacol Foundation scholarship stepped in. The Foundation paid Diego's tuition balance, allowing him to register for classes again. As a junior at the University of Arizona, Diego is working towards a bachelor's degree in dance. He dreams of performing on Broadway and one day opening his own studio for underprivileged youth. Thanks to the foundation scholarship, which provides financial support to the children of Colorado workers who were seriously injured or killed on the job, Diego can keep dancing. Christian Kay When Christian Kay's father died in a workplace accident, his family's future was altered forever. "My father was the director of ski patrol at Wolf Creek Ski Area when he was buried in an avalanche and did not survive," explained Christian. Christian sought help from the Pinnacol Foundation and received a scholarship. "It is so helpful to receive this scholarshipmy family greatly values education, but it's extremely expensive nowadays," he said. "I've had a successful first year of college, and I'm very excited that I can afford to continue towards earning my degree." Raised in Colorado, Christian is now a sophomore at Eastern Oregon University where he is studying agriculture entrepreneurship and hopes to have a career in business. What is the Pinnacol Foundation? The Pinnacol Foundation provides scholarships to the children of Colorado workers who were seriously injured or killed on the job. Since the foundation's launch in 2001, we've awarded nearly $7.4 million in scholarships to over 800 students across Colorado. Scholarship applications are accepted every year Nov. 1-Feb. 15. The Pinnacol Foundation was created by Pinnacol Assurance , a top-performing provider of workers' compensation insurance . Contact: Liz Johnson Director, Public Relations 303.361.4816 (office), 720.939.7238 (mobile) [email protected] SOURCE Pinnacol Assurance WELLESLEY, Mass. and TORONTO, Jan. 23, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Sun Life Financial Inc. (TSX: SLF) (NYSE: SLF) announced today that it is supporting people affected by the wildfires in California with $225,000 in donations to multiple community organizations providing services to affected areas across Los Angeles County. The wildfires in the Los Angeles area are among the largest there in recent history, burning more than 30,000 acres and destroying thousands of homes. Local donation recipients are: YMCA of Metropolitan Los Angeles Community Impact Fund which is providing essential items, access to showers, food, wi-fi, and free childcare, including for first responders. The Los Angeles Unified School District Education Foundation's Emergency Relief Fund which was started to support both short- and long-term needs of the school communities impacted by the wildfires. The fund focuses on providing financial assistance to students and families, resources for students, and mental health support. In addition to local community groups, Sun Life affiliated companies SLC Management and BGO (part of SLC Management) are contributing to the American Red Cross. Sun Life U.S. (including DentaQuest) and MFS are contributing to the World Central Kitchen and the American Red Cross. As part of Sun Life's commitment to people, clients and communities, the company is helping impacted clients who may need to find dentists or other provider care services in a new location. Sun Life is also providing clients with extra time to make premium payments, make alternate arrangements to receive their benefits, particularly if they have had to evacuate, and offering access to Employee Assistance Programs to help people cope with the trauma. Clients in need are encouraged to visit Sun Life's website for information on how to find help. Anyone wishing to help is encouraged to donate to the American Red Cross. About Sun Life Sun Life is a leading international financial services organization providing asset management, wealth, insurance and health solutions to individual and institutional Clients. Sun Life has operations in a number of markets worldwide, including Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Hong Kong, the Philippines, Japan, Indonesia, India, China, Australia, Singapore, Vietnam, Malaysia and Bermuda. As of September 30, 2024, Sun Life had total assets under management of C$1.51 trillion. For more information, please visit www.sunlife.com . Sun Life Financial Inc. trades on the Toronto (TSX), New York (NYSE) and Philippine (PSE) stock exchanges under the ticker symbol SLF. Note to editors: All figures in American dollars Media contacts: Sun Life U.S.: [email protected] Sun Life Canada: [email protected] SOURCE Sun Life U.S. DAVOS, Switzerland, Jan. 23, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Tech Mahindra (NSE: TECHM), a leading global provider of technology consulting and digital solutions to enterprises across industries, has partnered with the Wall Street Journal Intelligence to launch The Tech Adoption Index, a report with critical insights into global technology adoption trends. The report was unveiled at the World Economic Forum in Davos by Dr Anish Shah, Group CEO and MD, Mahindra Group; Mohit Joshi, CEO & Managing Director, Tech Mahindra; Josh Stinchcomb, EVP & Chief Revenue Officer, The Wall Street Journal; and Peeyush Dubey, Chief Marketing Officer, Tech Mahindra. Tech Mahindra and Wall Street Journal Intelligence Launch The Tech Adoption Index Report at WEF 2025 The marquee report draws insights from over 1,000 global C-suite executives and industry leaders across 10 countries in North America, EMEA, and Asia, working at companies generating at least $500 million in annual revenue. Josh Stinchcomb, Chief Revenue Officer, the Wall Street Journal, said, "We found that the most successful companies must balance speed, scale, and ROI with smooth integration. Tech Mahindra's expertise in digital transformation was instrumental in the research process and deepened our exploration of these complex challenges." Key findings from the Tech Adoption Index: 84% of companies believe a diverse technology portfolio is crucial to achieving business success Artificial intelligence (AI), cybersecurity, and cloud computing emerge as the most instrumental technologies driving enterprise growth Businesses see 5G and IoT as key enablers but face challenges in seamless onboarding and integration of emerging technologies The report also provides a unique benchmarking tool hosted on a dedicated Tech Mahindra property within the Wall Street Journal website. This platform will enable organizations to measure the efficacy of their technology portfolios against industry standards, fostering informed decision-making. Peeyush Dubey, Chief Marketing Officer, Tech Mahindra, said, "The Tech Adoption Index highlights that digital maturity isn't just about keeping up with technologyit's also a key indicator of resilience, foresight, and competitive strength. Our partnership with the Wall Street Journal Intelligence underscores our shared vision and commitment to empower enterprises with a clearer understanding of their digital journey, enabling smarter decisions that shape a sustainable future." The Tech Adoption Index is part of Tech Mahindra's ongoing collaboration with The Wall Street Journal to explore key factors for deploying digital infrastructure. The report will be available as a downloadable whitepaper that users can access towards the end of the benchmarking survey hosted on the WSJ and Tech Mahindra's dedicated portal. For more information on how TechM can partner with you to meet your Scale at Speed imperatives, please visit https://www.techmahindra.com Social Media Channels: Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Youtube Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2603686/The_Tech_Adoption_Index.jpg Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2539364/Tech_Mahindra_Logo.jpg SOURCE Tech Mahindra NBL Secures Trademark for Black Business Enterprise (BBE), Revolutionizing Economic Freedom for Black Entrepreneurs Post this "The time for waiting and pleading is over," declared Dr. Ken L. Harris, President and CEO of the NBL. "Integration has failed to deliver economic justice for Black businesses and communities. DEI initiatives and affirmative action have fallen short, leaving us chained to systems that exclude and diminish us. The BBE Certification is our economic emancipation proclamation for the 21st century." Failed Promises of DEI and Economic Inclusion: Decades of systemic neglect and performative gestures have exposed the shortcomings of so-called inclusion initiatives: Legal Setbacks: The 2023 Students for Fair Admissions v. Harvard and UNC decision dismantled race-based affirmative action, rendering DEI strategies ineffective. The 2023 Students for Fair Admissions v. and decision dismantled race-based affirmative action, rendering DEI strategies ineffective. Empty Commitments: Corporations pledged over $200 billion for racial equity since 2020, yet the promises produced negligible results for Black businesses. Corporations pledged over for racial equity since 2020, yet the promises produced negligible results for Black businesses. Shrinking DEI Efforts: Political and corporate entities, alongside Black gatekeepers, have retreated into performative actions, abandoning real progress. Political and corporate entities, alongside Black gatekeepers, have retreated into performative actions, abandoning real progress. Colonial Lexicon: Words like "minority," "marginalized," "people of color," and "disadvantaged" perpetuate dependency. The BBE movement rejects these labels, embracing ownership, power, and autonomy. The BBE: Reclaiming Economic Power: Currently, Black businesses represent only 1% of certified minority firms, excluding them from more than $500 billion in public and private sector contracts. The BBE Certification transforms this dynamic with: Certification: Reserved for businesses with at least 51% Black ownership, prioritizing equity for Black entrepreneurs and honoring the $1.5 trillion in annual Black consumer spending power. Reserved for businesses with at least 51% Black ownership, prioritizing equity for Black entrepreneurs and honoring the in annual Black consumer spending power. Scorecard: A digital accountability tool ensuring corporations and government entities equitably spend with Black businesses. A digital accountability tool ensuring corporations and government entities equitably spend with Black businesses. Proven Success: Piloted through the National Black Supplier Development Program, generating $150 million in contracts with corporations like Comerica Bank, Cummins, DTE Energy, Ford, GM, Lear, Magna, Stellantis and Toyota, A Call to Action: The BBE Certification national launch will take place at the 125th Quasquicentennial National Black Business Conference in Atlanta, August 2023, 2025, alongside the Black Economic Freedom Movement's Digitize 1 Million Black Businesses by 2028 Campaign. Dr. Harris challenges: "We will no longer beg for seats at tables where Black enterprise is undervalued. We will build our own tables, anchored in ownership and self-reliance, working only with those who genuinely support Black economic freedom." About National Business League: Founded in 1900 by Booker T. Washington, the National Business League (NBL) is the nation's oldest and largest trade organization committed to advancing economic equity for Black businesses. Visit www.nationalbusinessleague.org. About National Alliance for Black Business (NABB): Co-founded in 2022, NABB unites the National Black Chamber of Commerce, the World Conference of Mayors, and 100+ other Black organizations to drive growth and prosperity for Black businesses. Visit www.nationalallianceforblackbusiness.com. NBL Media Contact: Minehaha Forman, MBA Email: [email protected] Phone: +1-510-220-0759 SOURCE The National Business League INDIANAPOLIS, Jan. 23, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The National Police Association (NPA) supports the Qualified Immunity Act of 2025, a crucial piece of legislation that would once and for all codify the vital protections our police officers require to do their jobs without fear of frivolous lawsuits. Matthew Kaplan / Alamy Stock Photo Since 1967, the U.S. Supreme Court has recognized and upheld the Qualified Immunity Doctrine, providing a legal shield to officers who act within the bounds of the law. Now, Senator Jim Banks (IN) has reintroduced this critical measure in the Senate (S. 122), where it has been referred to the Committee on the Judiciary. Meanwhile, in the House, Representative Virginia Foxx (NC-5) has introduced the companion bill (H.R. 503), which is now in the House Judiciary Committee's hands. Once they're made available, the Senate bill's text will be posted here, and the House bill's text will be posted here. Qualified immunity protects those who operate lawfully. Any officer who crosses the line into criminality or violates constitutional rights faces accountability under the full force of the law. But that fact has not stopped the radical anti-police crusaders from their relentless push to dismantle these protections. The dangerous agenda of stripping away these protections has already taken hold in leftist strongholds like Colorado and New Mexico, where short-sighted politicians have chosen ideology over public safety. And the results? An unprecedented crisis in police morale, staffing shortages, and officers second-guessing their every move for fear of personal financial ruin. "Police officers should not have to fear financial ruin for performing their work lawfully and constitutionally," said Paula Fitzsimmons, Legislative Director of the National Police Association. "This bill ensures that officers can carry out their duties without the constant threat of politically motivated lawsuits undermining their mission to protect and serve." By passing this legislation, Congress will send an unmistakable message: America stands with its law enforcement officers. Our leaders must show their commitment to law and order, not bow to the reckless demands of the anti-police mob. We commend Sen. Banks and Rep. Foxx for their steadfast support and call upon every patriotic lawmaker to stand up and pass this bill without delay. The National Police Association is a nonprofit organization that supports law enforcement through advocacy, education, and law. For more information, visit NationalPolice.org. Media Contact: Paula Fitzsimmons 302-469-1765 [email protected] SOURCE National Police Association CHICAGO, Jan. 23, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Shapiro+Raj, a leading insights and strategy consultancy, announces the release of its latest study, The Provider Perspective: Insights on Policy, Practice, and Patient Care. This four-part series offers a timely exploration of how healthcare providers across the nation are preparing to meet emerging challenges while staying committed to evidence-based patient care. Zain Raj, Chairman & CEO of Shapiro+Raj The study is a focused national exploration of healthcare providers' perspectives across key specialties, including Hematologists/Oncologists, Medical Oncologists, Surgical Oncologists, Radiation Oncologists, Dermatologists, Gastroenterologists, Rheumatologists, and Neurologists. By capturing insights from these diverse specialties, it provides a nuanced view of how frontline specialists are navigating an evolving healthcare landscape. These insights don't just reflect the challenges ahead; they equip pharmaceutical companies and healthcare organizations with the strategic knowledge needed to align with provider priorities and deliver meaningful solutions in this transformative time. A Study Rooted in Understanding the Frontline Perspective "Healthcare providers are at the heart of patient outcomes, yet their perspectives are often left out of broader industry conversations. This study gives voice to their concerns, expectations, and steadfast commitment to care," said Zain Raj, CEO of Shapiro+Raj. "We believe the findings will help healthcare stakeholderspharma companies, payers, and policymakersbetter understand and address the complex realities providers are facing." About the Series The Provider Perspective: Insights on Policy, Practice, and Patient Care A Shapiro+Raj Study on the Outlook of US Healthcare Providers This four-part series provides an in-depth look at how healthcare providers across key specialties are navigating a rapidly shifting policy landscape. Drawing on our latest research, the series delves into critical issues shaping their perspectives and practices. Each article explores a distinct theme, offering actionable insights for healthcare and pharmaceutical leaders: United Purpose, Divided Perspectives Unpacking the contrasting political and emotional perspectives among healthcare providers, revealing how personal convictions shape professional outlooks. Growing Concerns About Reimbursement Highlighting how providers foresee shifts in funding and insurance reimbursement impacting their ability to deliver care. Access to Vulnerable Populations Examining the anticipated impacts of policy changes on underserved groups, including Medicaid patients and those requiring specialty care. Implications for Practice Settings Exploring how these challenges may alter the day-to-day realities of different care environments and their long-term outlooks. While many industry reports focus on systemic impacts or macroeconomic trends, this study turns its attention to the frontlinehealthcare providers whose voices are critical in shaping the future of patient care. The findings explore providers' expectations, concerns, and dedication to evidence-based care amid anticipated policy and funding changes. Why This Study Matters The findings aim to spark meaningful conversations and inform strategies across the healthcare ecosystem. By addressing challenges such as access disparities, funding uncertainty, and reimbursement shifts, the series offers insights for stakeholders to better align their efforts with the shared purpose of improving patient outcomes. Join the Conversation The first installment in this series is available now at https://shapiroraj.com/united-purpose-divided-perspectives/. Subsequent articles will be released over the coming weeks, offering a comprehensive view of the evolving healthcare landscape. About Shapiro+Raj Shapiro+Raj, the largest minority-owned research and insights consultancy in the U.S., is dedicated to helping Fortune 500 clients shape the future of their business and brands with Future-Forward Insights. Recognized as the Top Innovative Research Company and the #1 Strategic Insights Consultancy, Shapiro+Raj is a Nationally Certified Minority Business Enterprise. The firm is headquartered in Chicago, with offices in New York and Pune, India. For more information, https://shapiroraj.com/. SOURCE SHAPIRO+RAJ TOKYO, Jan. 23, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- TOBU TOWER SKYTREE Co., Ltd., the operator of TOKYO SKYTREE, is holding "My Hero Academia in TOKYO SKYTREE," the first collaborative event between the tower and the TV anime series "My Hero Academia." The anime is based on the hit manga written and illustrated by Kohei Horikoshi, that was published in the Weekly Shonen Jump (Shueisha). The event kicked off on Wednesday, January 8, and will last until Tuesday, April 8, 2025. Key visual of "My Hero Academia in TOKYO SKYTREE": https://cdn.kyodonewsprwire.jp/prwfile/release/M108036/202501142832/_prw_PI1fl_5euO61cc.jpg Special website of "My Hero Academia in TOKYO SKYTREE" https://www.tokyo-skytree.jp/en/event/special/heroaca/ The 450-meter-high Tembo Galleria has an exhibition featuring the event's key visuals. Limited-edition goods that are only available at the event and special cafe menu items are offered on this floor. In addition, a photo shoot service is available to those who want a picture of themselves with their favorite "My Hero Academia" characters of their choice. On the 350-meter-high Tembo Deck, exclusive videos are screened on the windows converted into a giant screen of SKYTREE ROUND THEATER every night of the event. Also taking place during the evening, the exterior of the tower will have a special "My Hero Academia"-themed lighting inspired by various characters from the anime. Moreover, TOKYO SKYTREE's official character Sorakara-chan, dressed in the costume of All Might, a prominent character in "My Hero Academia," has four meet-and-greet sessions per day with visitors to pose for snapshots taken with them. Special admission tickets to these observation decks with a novelty card featuring "My Hero Academia" are also available. TOBU TOWER SKYTREE hopes that those who come to Japan will visit and enjoy TOKYO SKYTREE on the occasion of the event. About TOKYO SKYTREE The 634-meter-high TOKYO SKYTREE is the world's tallest free-standing broadcasting tower. It has two observation decks, the Tembo Deck, 350 meters high, and the Tembo Galleria, 450 meters high, commanding a spectacular panoramic view of Tokyo. At night, TOKYO SKYTREE is colorfully lit up in three lighting styles -- "Iki," characterized by a pale blue, "Miyabi," featuring Edo purple, and the "Nobori" auspicious tangerine hue. Special lighting can be seen during seasonal and other events. Official website: https://www.tokyo-skytree.jp/en/ For more details, please check each social media account: Official Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tokyoskytree_global/ Official X: https://twitter.com/skytreeofficial Official Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TOKYOSKYTREE.official/ SOURCE TOBU TOWER SKYTREE CO., LTD. MUNSTER, Ind., Jan. 23, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- TopFire Media, one of the nation's leading franchise development marketing and public relations agencies, has once again achieved recognition in Entrepreneur Magazine's Top Franchise Development Marketing Suppliers annual survey for the seventh consecutive year. TopFire Media, one of the nation's leading franchise development marketing and public relations firms, has been honored as a top-ranked service provider in Entrepreneur Magazine's Top Franchise Suppliers annual survey for the seventh consecutive year. This prestigious ranking, featured in the (Insert Month) issue of Entrepreneur and on Entrepreneur.com, celebrates exceptional suppliers and vendors who play a critical role in the franchising industry." "Our entire team is thrilled to receive this ranking and being ranked among Entrepreneur's Top Franchise Suppliers for the seventh year is an incredible honor," said Matthew Jonas, President and Managing Partner of TopFire Media. "This recognition reflects the trust our clients place in us and the dedication of our team to delivering innovative, results-driven franchise marketing solutions." Entrepreneur's Top Franchise Suppliers ranking is based on an annual survey of franchisors, which includes both emerging brands and some of the most established names in the industry. This year, over 1000 franchise brands participated, and suppliers were ranked according to survey results in areas of overall satisfaction, quality, cost, and value. Since its founding in 2013, TopFire Media has assisted numerous businesses in achieving their franchising objectives through a holistic, multi-channel approach. The company's services encompass digital franchise development marketing, search engine optimization, public relations, digital franchise advertising, and more, all tailored to help both emerging and established franchisors maximize their growth by attracting high-quality prospects. The company serves clients across a diverse range of industries, including fast-casual, QSR, healthcare, fitness, home services, education, personal services, insurance, pet services, real estate, and more. About TopFire Media: TopFire Media is a leading full-service franchise development marketing and public relations agency specializing in franchise development marketing and lead generation. The agency collaborates with businesses of all sizes, offering franchise development marketing services to both emerging and established franchise brands in North America. For more information, visit www.topfiremedia.com (http://www.topfiremedia.com). Contact: Samantha Frontera TopFire Media (847) 703-0529 [email protected] SOURCE TopFire Media Totara version 19 introduces a modernized UI, integrated LXP capabilities, and OpenAI-powered enhancements. LONDON, Jan. 23, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Totara has announced the release of version 19 of its platform, introducing a host of new features designed to elevate user experience and learning outcomes. This update includes collaborative learning tools, a refreshed user interface (UI), and Totara's first step into AI with its OpenAI Integration. Totara's new Explore catalogue offers advanced personalisation options. With version 19, all Totara customers can integrate collaborative learning seamlessly into the learner journey. Core features such as Workspaces, Forums, and user-generated content sharing, previously part of Totara Engage, are now standard in the Totara Learn LMS. This consolidation enhances the user experience, encouraging knowledge sharing, peer connections, and providing safe practice spaces that contextualize learning content and can be easily built into everyday learner journeys. A Unified and Modernized User Experience The latest update delivers significant UI and UX enhancements to create a more cohesive and intuitive experience. Key updates include: 'Inspire' Theme: A sleek, modern design reduces clicks and surfaces Totara's most-used features for a streamlined user experience. A sleek, modern design reduces clicks and surfaces Totara's most-used features for a streamlined user experience. 'Explore' Catalogue: Offers advanced personalization options, allowing learners to access content tailored to their audience type. Offers advanced personalization options, allowing learners to access content tailored to their audience type. Mobile-Friendly Design: A refined default browser experience optimizes usability on mobile devices. Embracing AI-Driven Learning Version 19 also marks Totara's initial venture into AI-driven solutions with the introduction of its OpenAI Integration. This feature empowers Totara's partners to leverage OpenAI's processor to access specified content and data within Totara's LMS. To learn more about Totara's approach to AI, visit https://www.totara.com/approach-to-ai/. Dave Cruickshank, Chief Executive Officer of Totara Learning Group, commented: "We're excited to introduce powerful collaborative learning features to all Totara users by bringing these into our core LMS product. It's now easier than ever for learners to contextualize content by discussing ideas, sharing best practices, and exchanging useful insights with peers. These tools help elevate everyday training content and drive meaningful behavior change." He added, "Our ongoing commitment to improving usability is evident in version 19's UI and UX enhancements. These changes benefit both learners and administrators, ensuring an intuitive, effective experience for all users." About Totara Totara is a global leader in learning management technologies, supporting over 1,500 customers and 20 million users worldwide. Its flagship product, Totara Learn, is a fully customizable LMS tailored to meet the needs of multinational corporations, government agencies, and mid-sized enterprises. Totara's adaptable architecture, delivered by a network of over 75 partners, addresses complex organizational and security requirements. With offices in the UK, US, and New Zealand, Totara's team of 120 continues to drive innovation and growth, including a strong focus on the US market. Following its FedRAMP authorization in August 2023, Totara has expanded its presence in federal agencies, with the US now accounting for over one-third of its ARR. For more information, visit www.totara.com. SOURCE Totara Learning Inc. SAN FRANCISCO, Jan. 23, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- With winter hosting and game day celebrations in full swing, Uber Eats (NYSE: UBER) today announces a new partnership with Wegmans Food Markets, Inc., bringing the beloved supermarket's products directly to customers' doors. Starting this month, Uber Eats users will have the convenience of ordering from Wegmans' expansive collection of high-quality groceries through the app, increasing consumer access to the company's offerings. Wegmans locations in Massachusetts, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, New Jersey, and Washington, D.C. are now available to shop on the Uber Eats and Uber apps, giving consumers near-instant access to Wegmans' unique selection of products, from restaurant-quality meals and artisan breads, to fresh produce, cheese sourced from around the world, and grocery staples. Wegmans locations in New York, Pennsylvania, and Delaware will be added to the app in February. Locations in Massachusetts, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, New Jersey, and Washington, D.C. are on Uber Eats Post this As always, Uber One members will benefit from $0 Delivery Fee and 5% discount on all Wegmans orders with a $35 minimum purchase. And all new Wegman's' consumers will benefit from up to 40% off their next order of $60 or more until February 5th . Terms apply. See app for details. "We're thrilled to welcome Wegmans to the Uber Eats app this January," said Hashim Amin, Head of North American Grocery and Retail Delivery at Uber. "Wegmans is synonymous with high-quality food and exceptional service, and now customers can easily order everything they need for game day entertainingfrom fresh produce to prepared meals and snacksdelivered right to their door. This partnership is another step in our mission to make grocery shopping more convenient and accessible for everyone." Expanding Access to Quality Groceries This collaboration aligns with Wegmans' commitment to providing exceptional customer service and innovation. By joining forces with Uber Eats, Wegmans aims to bring more options to its customers, allowing them to shop when and how they want. "Our goal is to make meals easy and help our customers live healthier, better lives through exceptional food," said Erica Tickle, Wegmans Vice President of Marketing and Digital Growth. "Partnering with Uber and expanding our delivery network is just one way we're able to continue delivering on that mission." An Effortless Shopping Experience Customers can browse and order from an extensive selection of Wegmans' products on the Uber Eats app, including fresh produce, prepared meals, and everyday essentials. Customers can build group orders with family members, place orders any time of day, and easily select replacement items with an intuitive shopping experience, real-time tracking, and the reliable delivery services that Uber Eats is known for. About Uber Uber's mission is to create opportunity through movement. We started in 2010 to solve a simple problem: how do you get access to a ride at the touch of a button? More than 55 billion trips later, we're building products to get people closer to where they want to be. By changing how people, food, and things move through cities, Uber is a platform that opens up the world to new possibilities. Press: [email protected] About Wegmans Food Markets, Inc. Wegmans Food Markets, Inc. is a regional supermarket chain with 111 stores located along the east coast. The family company, recognized as an industry leader and innovator, celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2016. Wegmans has been named one of the '100 Best Companies to Work For' by FORTUNE magazine for 27 consecutive years, ranking #6 in 2024. Taxes and fees may still apply. See app for membership details. Promo expires on (2025-02-04) 11:59PM PDT. Taxes and fees still apply. Order of minimum $60 (before taxes and fees) is required. Max discount $35. Exclusions may apply. Valid only at participating and qualifying merchants in the US where Uber Eats is available. Cannot be combined. Orders placed ahead of time must be scheduled for delivery before expiration date. Offer and terms are subject to change or cancellation. Check app for availability. SOURCE Uber WAUKEGAN, Ill., Jan. 22, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- UCC ENVIRONMENTAL (UCC), a global leader in sustainable engineered solutions for air pollution control, water/wastewater treatment, and solids handling, is pleased to announce the promotion of Kevin L. McDonough to President and Robert K. Koleno to Chief Operating Officer (COO). These leadership changes mark an exciting chapter in the company's continued growth and commitment to excellence in mission-critical industries. Andrew Warrington will continue to serve as Chief Executive Officer. Kevin L. McDonough President As President, Kevin will spearhead strategic initiatives, drive business development, and uphold UCC's reputation as a trusted partner in the power, mining, steel, cement, and other heavy industry sectors. Kevin has held leadership roles of increasing responsibility for over 25 years with UCC. He and his sales and marketing teams have secured record year-over-year revenue growth, setting new benchmarks for the company's financial performance. He has successfully led the strategic expansion into key markets, unlocking new opportunities with diversified revenue streams. Additionally, Kevin has cultivated and secured high-value partnerships with industry leaders, strengthening the company's competitive position and accelerating growth prospects. Kevin's distinguished record of driving business development and delivering sustainable growth will continue to shape UCC Environmental as it moves forward. "Along with our exceptional team, I am honored to continue to help build the next century of UCC Environmental, based upon our noble mission to provide engineered solutions that have a direct and positive benefit on humanity and the environment. I am deeply committed to fostering a culture of collaboration, integrity, and excellence at every level of our organization. Our employees are the foundation of our success, and I will ensure we continue to provide them with the support and opportunities to thrive. We are equally committed to our customers and stakeholders, ensuring we continue delivering innovative solutions and unmatched service. Together, we will drive UCC's continued growth and strengthen our position as a trusted partner in the industries we serve." Robert K. Koleno Chief Operating Officer (COO) In his new role as Chief Operating Officer, Rob will oversee the company's daily operations and execution of complex engineering projects. With 35 years of experience at UCC, Rob has been instrumental in leading large-scale initiatives that have significantly enhanced operational performance. He developed a robust estimating process with foundational elements that have guided the company's projects for over 25 years. Rob also played a key role in re-establishing the UCC India office in Pune, strengthening the company's global footprint and operational capabilities. Additionally, under his leadership in Project Management and Contract Engineering, UCC has successfully closed over 1,000 contracts, consistently delivering results as promised, on time, and within budget. Rob brings a proven track record of leadership in driving innovation, optimizing workflows, and fostering growth. "I am honored to take on the role of Chief Operating Officer and look forward to advancing our operational foundation as we continue to drive growth. This opportunity allows us to refine our strategies and push the boundaries of innovation across the organization. I am committed to ensuring that UCC remains a great place to work, providing our employees with the latest tools to consistently exceed customer and stakeholder expectations while fostering a culture of collaboration and excellence." Andrew Warrington, CEO, stated, "These leadership changes mark a pivotal moment in UCC's evolution, strengthening our foundation and refining our strategic focus. Kevin and Rob's expertise and commitment, along with our exceptional team, will guide the company through its next growth phase, ensuring that UCC remains a leader in delivering sustainable solutions to meet our customers' and global community's needs." About UCC Environmental UCC Environmental is a global leader in environmental solutions specializing in solids handling, wastewater treatment, and pollution control technologies for power generation, mining, and heavy industrial markets. Since 1920, the company has been dedicated to designing, supplying, constructing, and maintaining world-class systems engineered to meet the unique demands of utility and heavy industry providers. Its robust team of research and development engineers, designers, and supply chain experts ensures exceptional performance, uncompromising quality, and on-time delivery of manufactured components and replacement parts. With a global network of sales and service professionals, we proudly support customers and installations across six continents. Website: www.uccenvironmental.com Media Contact Dawn Williams Director, Global Marketing & Communications UCC Environmental Phone: 847 473 5900 Email: contactucc@uccenvironmental SOURCE UCC Environmental The new report highlights companies that best support their caregiving employees. WASHINGTON, Jan. 23, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- U.S. News & World Report, the global authority in rankings and consumer advice, today announced the inaugural U.S. News Best Companies to Work For: Supporting Family Caregiving . The ratings, an expansion of U.S. News' Careers offerings , provides a look at the 80 best publicly traded companies across 29 industries to help employees and job seekers make decisions about workplaces that best support their responsibility of caring for loved ones. Workplaces that offer benefits commonly provided within their respective industries were rated more highly. The ratings also considered publicly available employee sentiment and other data that demonstrate how a company supports the everyday experience of its workers. "Many employees across the workforce juggle heavier personal responsibilities on top of their day-to-day professional duties," said U.S. News' Vice President of Careers, Carly Chase. "The U.S. News Best Companies to Work For: Supporting Family Caregiving ratings provide a look at top workplaces that make it easier for employees to manage their family care and professional commitments so they can contribute their best selves to the company's success." The new ratings a coalescence of data and expertise, including from, U.S. News, the Milken Institute's Future of Aging, Hopkins Business of Health Initiative and SHRM (the Society for Human Resource Management ) build on an existing suite of Best Companies to Work For offerings by evaluating how companies and their competitors best support employees tasked with caring for loved ones. "The Milken Institute and SHRM have esteemed reputations that underscore the critical need for inclusive workplaces for all," says Chase. "U.S. News is proud to partner with leading industry experts at both organizations to spotlight companies that support employees who are caregivers in their personal lives." "As caregiving demands grow, our vision for this list underscores the critical role of employers in fostering supportive workplaces. We are honored to have collaborated with the Hopkins Business of Health Initiative on a Delphi study that contributed to the data behind U.S. News & World Report's inaugural list recognizing employers setting the bar in caregiving support," said Milken Institute Future of Aging Managing Director Diane Ty. "Our new report, Supporting Family Caregiving: How Employers Lead , highlights the impact caregiving demands are having on the workforce and offers actionable insights for employers to lead in today's tight labor market." "Business leaders and HR professionals are crucial in designing benefit plans that meet the evolving needs of today's workforce. As people live longer, many employees are juggling the dual responsibilities of caring for both children and aging parents," said SHRM Chief of Staff, Head of Government Affairs & Corporate Secretary, Emily M. Dickens. "Unfortunately, caregiver support is often overlooked." "Organizations that recognize this challenge and prioritize the well-being of caregivers show not only empathy but a true commitment to creating compassionate, sustainable workplaces," Dickens added. "Offering resources to help employees care for sick, aging, or injured loved ones goes beyond being just a benefit it's paramount for cultivating a resilient and dedicated workforce." U.S. News' methodology incorporates a weighted scoring approach for the ratings, informed by partner data from SHRM and the Milken Institute. Companies evaluated for the ratings followed a similar review process of the general Best Companies while emphasizing caregiving-related benefits data. The ratings only considered companies listed in the Russell 3000 Index. U.S. News partnered with Revelio Labs , QUODD and Good Jobs First , which gathered relevant data, including employee sentiment, to calculate the six metrics used in the list: quality of pay and benefits; work-life balance and flexibility; job and company stability; physical and psychological comfort; workplace belongingness; and career opportunities and professional development. For further details on how the metric scores were calculated, see the methodology . For more information, visit Best Companies to Work For: Supporting Family Caregiving and share the rankings on Facebook , LinkedIn and X (formerly Twitter) using #BCTWF . About U.S. News & World Report U.S. News & World Report is the global leader for journalism that empowers consumers, citizens, business leaders and policy officials to make confident decisions in all aspects of their lives and communities. A multifaceted media company, U.S. News provides unbiased rankings, independent reporting and analysis, and consumer advice to millions of people on USNews.com each month. A pillar in Washington for more than 90 years, U.S. News is the trusted home for in-depth and exclusive insights on education, health, politics, the economy, personal finance, travel, automobiles, real estate, careers and consumer products and services. About SHRM SHRM is a member-driven catalyst for creating better workplaces where people and businesses thrive together. As the trusted authority on all things work, SHRM is the foremost expert, researcher, advocate, and thought leader on issues and innovations impacting today's evolving workplaces. With nearly 340,000 members in 180 countries, SHRM touches the lives of more than 362 million workers and their families globally. Discover more at SHRM.org . About the Milken Institute The Milken Institute is a nonprofit, nonpartisan think tank focused on accelerating measurable progress on the path to a meaningful life. With a focus on financial, physical, mental, and environmental health, we bring together the best ideas and innovative resourcing to develop blueprints for tackling some of our most critical global issues through the lens of what's pressing now and what's coming next. SOURCE U.S. News & World Report, L.P. Water Environment Federation's Technical Exhibition & Conference demonstrates exemplary environmental and social responsibility ALEXANDRIA, Va., Jan. 23, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The Events Industry Council announced today that WEFTEC 2024, an annual event hosted by the Water Environment Federation (WEF), has achieved PLATINUM level certification to EIC's Sustainable Event Standards. WEFTEC's 2023 event previously achieved GOLD certification from EIC. Last year, WEFTEC drew more than 21,000 registrants and 1,000 exhibiting companies last. As of January 2025, WEFTEC is one of only four events to become EIC Platinum certified. Water Environment Federation's Technical Exhibition & Conference has received EIC PLATINUM certification for exemplary environmental and social responsibility. "Achieving the highest level of certification to the Events Industry Council's Sustainable Event Standards is a testament to our dedication to sustainability and commitment to advancing practices that benefit the communities we serve," said Stephanie Jones, WEF's Managing Director of Event Strategy. "EIC's Sustainable Event Standards have provided us with a clear path to elevate our efforts and set a new benchmark for sustainable events in our industry." The EIC Sustainable Event Standards were created through a global collaborative process with participation from subject matter experts in all sectors. They provide a framework for collaboration and a strong focus on guidance and metrics so that event professionals at all stages of their sustainability journey have the support needed to implement and measure sustainable practices. "This milestone reflects our mission to not only inspire innovation in the water sector but also to lead by example in minimizing our environmental footprint," said Ralph Exton, Executive Director of WEF. "I'm extremely proud of our WEF events team and all our staff who contributed to this achievement." The standards specify performance criteria in the areas of organizational management; marketing; communications and engagement; climate action; water management; materials and circularity; supply chain management; diversity, equity and inclusion; accessibility; and social impact. "WEFTEC's achievement exemplifies what is possible when event organizers commit to integrating sustainability into every facet of their operations," said Amy Calvert, CEO of the Events Industry Council. "This certification not only reflects WEF's leadership but also demonstrates their dedication to setting a high standard for environmental and social responsibility in the events industry." The Alliance for Audited Media, a not-for-profit auditing organization, performed the independent third-party certification of WEFTEC's compliance with the Event Organizer standard. "Certifying WEFTEC at the PLATINUM level highlights their extraordinary commitment to sustainability and transparency. We applaud WEF's team on this achievement," said Richard Murphy, CEO, president and managing director, Alliance for Audited Media. About WEF The Water Environment Federation (WEF) is a not-for-profit technical and educational organization of more than 30,000 individual members and 75 affiliated Member Associations representing water quality professionals around the world. Established in 1928, WEF's mission is to inspire the water community in pursuit of human and environmental well-being. WEF's goals are to attract and develop a passionate workforce, cultivate a purpose-driven community to sustainably solve water challenges for all, and lead the transformation to the circular water economy. Learn more at wef.org. About Industry Events Council The Events Industry Council's global federation includes 33 Association Members representing 103,500 individuals and 19,500 entities, and 22 Corporate Members with global operations and event teams in countries around the world. EIC is the global champion for event professionals and event industry excellence. It promotes high standards and professionalism in the events industry with the Certified Meeting Professional (CMP) program and signature program activities. The CMP credential is recognized globally as the badge of excellence in the events industry. The qualifications for certification are based on professional experience, education and a rigorous exam. Learn more at www.eventscouncil.org. About The Alliance for Audited Media As the largest not-for-profit media assurance organization, the Alliance for Audited Media delivers impartial, credible data to help media buyers buy and sellers sell. AAM works alongside the media and advertising industry to establish standards that can be verified independently, ensuring the legitimacy of the businesses that drive media's progress. AAM also provides verification for compliance programs including brand safety, privacy, sustainability and tech assurance. Learn more at auditedmedia.com. Media Contact: Heidi Bragg, (703) 684-2465, [email protected] SOURCE Water Environment Federation This sponsorship is a perfect fit for W&H, as they have long championed the importance of effective infection prevention with their innovative and award winning line of Lexa sterilizers and their newly released Lexa Mini Class B rapid sterilizer to add to their robust sterilizer portfolio. The new Lexa Mini adds a new level of versatility and convenience providing a wide range of applications as a complimentary device for the sterilization of handpieces, or as a back-up for tabletop sterilizers. Infection Prevention Educational Program W&H has launched an educational program focused on infection prevention, led by Karen Gregory, RN CDIPC, and Michelle Strange, MSDH, RDH, CDIPC both renowned experts in infection control and instrument reprocessing and active members of ADS. Karen is a registered nurse and holds the specialized Certified in Dental Infection Prevention and Control (CDIPC) certification. She has served on the Board of Directors for the ADS and is a recipient of the James J. Crawford Award, honoring her lifetime achievements in advancing dental infection control. Michelle has a Master's in Dental Hygiene Education and is committed to educating healthcare professionals on infection prevention, holding her Certificate in Dental Infection Prevention and Control. She is a practicing dental hygienist, the owner of Level Up Infection Prevention and MichelleStrangeRDH. "We are proud to continue our partnership with ADS as a Super Sponsor and to further our efforts in advocating to our dental community the critical topic of infection prevention and proper sterilization," says Rick Pinero, General Manager for W&H's Dental Equipment Business Unit. "W&H is committed to educating our dental community to safeguard both their practices and their patients and our educational program reinforces this commitment." About W&H W&H Impex, Inc. located in Ontario, Canada is a subsidiary of W&H Group. Headquartered in Burmoos, Austria, the international W&H Group is a global leader in the development and manufacture of medical technology products. Passion and innovation are the driving force of the company. High-quality product and service solutions and a strong focus on research and development as well as social responsibility make W&H a locally and globally successful family business. More than 1,300 employees contribute to the production of hardware and software products for use in the dental, medical and veterinary industries. SOURCE W&H Impex Inc. Media assets here LOS ANGELES, Jan. 23, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The YMCA of Metropolitan Los Angeles (LA Y), with the support of Southern California Gas Co. (SoCalGas), is expanding its commitment to providing ongoing critical resources to communities recovering from the recent wildfires in Southern California. SoCalGas is providing a $400,000 donation to the LA Y towards its Eaton fire response to support the immediate and long-term needs of the community as residents begin to navigate the next stages of this crisis. SoCalGas' donation helps expand access to the LA Y's critical resources such as extended hours of operation; free community access for all LA Y's amenities (showers, Wi-Fi, food, water, and essential items); free childcare for children of first responders, essential workers, and children of families who were displaced, evacuated, or who otherwise experienced loss; and access to Teen Centers. For additional information about how to access services, visit www.ymcala.org. "As soon as evacuation orders were lifted and residents began returning to the area, the LA Y ensured all of our Centers for Community Well Being were open to provide essential services to all impacted," said Victor Dominguez, president and chief executive officer of the YMCA of Metropolitan Los Angeles. "Recovery will be a long journey for many in our community, and our centers are here to provide ongoing support every step of the way. We are committed to ensuring that impacted individuals and families have access to the services they neednot just today, but for the long road ahead." In addition to its financial contribution, 100 SoCalGas employees are volunteering at the Pasadena-Sierra Madre Y to organize thousands of pounds of community donations. Anyone affected by the fire can come to 611 E. Sierra Madre Blvd. to get food, water, clothes, personal hygiene items, and other goods that can aid their recovery. "The pain and loss being felt in this community makes our hearts grieve. In times like these, it is important that we help the pillars and foundations of the community come together, which is why we support the YMCA of Metropolitan Los Angeles," said Maryam Brown, chief executive officer of SoCalGas. "They are here, they are on the ground, they are your neighbor, and so are we." "I am moved by our community's strength in the face of the Eaton fire," said Victor M. Gordo, Pasadena mayor. "The partnership between the YMCA of Metropolitan Los Angeles and SoCalGas exemplifies the spirit of collaboration and support that defines our community. This generous donation and dedicated volunteers are a testament to our shared commitment to helping those affected rebuild their lives. Together, we can ensure that every resident has access to the resources and support they need during this time." Supervisor Kathryn Barger emphasized the importance of community partnerships during emergencies. "As thousands of residents have endured destruction and displacement, I'm heartened by the compassion and care so many community organizations have shown them in their time of need. I'm thankful to the YMCA and SoCalGas for extending a helping hand and illustrating a collaborative spirit. We truly are stronger together, and the last two weeks have shown us the power of government, individuals, nonprofits, and private partners uniting for the common good," Supervisor Barger said. The LA Y, with support from SoCalGas, will continue to provide essential resources and support services to help individuals and families in the recovery process to ensure people have the help they need to rebuild and move forward. If you would like to support the LA Y wildfire relief effort, please visit ymcala.org/community-response to learn about how to make a financial contribution, donate the most needed supplies, or volunteer your time. Most needed items include: Hygiene kits and toiletries (new items only) Diabetic-friendly food, instant coffee, powder creamer, baby formula, peanut butter/jelly, cereal Reusable bags/grocery bags Luggage Sleeping equipment (blankets, sleeping bags, air mattresses) Air purifiers Heaters Please note that clothing donations are not needed at this time. For information about SoCalGas services, please visit socalgas.com/fires and socalgas.com/edr . About SoCalGas SoCalGas is the largest gas distribution utility in the United States serving approximately 21 million consumers across approximately 24,000 square miles of Central and Southern California. SoCalGas is a recognized leader in its industry and community, as demonstrated by being named one of Reuters' Top 100 Innovators Leading the Global Energy Transition and Corporate Member of the Year by the Los Angeles Chamber of Commerce. SoCalGas is a subsidiary of Sempra (NYSE: SRE), a leading North American energy infrastructure company. For more information, visit SoCalGas.com/newsroom or connect with SoCalGas on social media @SoCalGas. About YMCA of Metropolitan Los Angeles The LA Y is the Center for Community Well-Being in Los Angeles, committed to building stronger communities by providing equitable programs and services to empower all. We are focused on fighting food insecurity, providing equity in education, making sure every child has the opportunity to experience the joy of sports, ensuring kids and teens have a safe place to grow, learn and live a healthy lifestyle. The LA Y's health and wellness initiatives offer medical and mental health resources to ensure everyone has access to basic health needs. Our mission is to provide services and resources that contribute to the well-being of our community. Visit ymcaLA.org for more information. More on Facebook, or Instagram. SOURCE Southern California Gas Company Tourists enjoy performances at Zhangjiajie Romance Park in Zhangjiajie, central China's Hunan Province, Jan. 21, 2025. As the 2025 Chinese New Year will fall on Jan. 29, excitement is palpable everywhere in China. The Chinese people immerse themselves in traditional customs and partake in the festivities. The Chinese New Year, or the Spring Festival, falls on next Wednesday, marking the beginning of the Year of the Snake. (Photo by Wu Yongbing/Xinhua) An artist performs at the scenic spot named "the City of Tang Dynasty (618-907)" in Xiangyang City, central China's Hubei Province, Jan. 21, 2025. As the 2025 Chinese New Year will fall on Jan. 29, excitement is palpable everywhere in China. The Chinese people immerse themselves in traditional customs and partake in the festivities. The Chinese New Year, or the Spring Festival, falls on next Wednesday, marking the beginning of the Year of the Snake. (Photo by Zhao Jun/Xinhua) A woman in traditional costumes poses for pictures at the scenic spot named "the City of Tang Dynasty (618-907)" in Xiangyang City, central China's Hubei Province, Jan. 21, 2025. As the 2025 Chinese New Year will fall on Jan. 29, excitement is palpable everywhere in China. The Chinese people immerse themselves in traditional customs and partake in the festivities. The Chinese New Year, or the Spring Festival, falls on next Wednesday, marking the beginning of the Year of the Snake. (Photo by Zhao Jun/Xinhua) An aerial drone photo taken on Jan. 22, 2025 shows folk artisans patrolling across a bridge in Fengqiao Town of Zhuji City, east China's Zhejiang Province. As the 2025 Chinese New Year will fall on Jan. 29, excitement is palpable everywhere in China. The Chinese people immerse themselves in traditional customs and partake in the festivities. The Chinese New Year, or the Spring Festival, falls on next Wednesday, marking the beginning of the Year of the Snake. (Photo by Guo Bin/Xinhua) Folk artisans perform dragon dance at Pingyao Ancient Town in Jinzhong City, north China's Shanxi Province, Jan. 22, 2025. As the 2025 Chinese New Year will fall on Jan. 29, excitement is palpable everywhere in China. The Chinese people immerse themselves in traditional customs and partake in the festivities. The Chinese New Year, or the Spring Festival, falls on next Wednesday, marking the beginning of the Year of the Snake. (Photo by Liang Shengren/Xinhua) Tourists walk through a dragon-shaped lantern at Longting Park in Kaifeng of central China's Henan Province, Jan. 22, 2025. As the 2025 Chinese New Year will fall on Jan. 29, excitement is palpable everywhere in China. The Chinese people immerse themselves in traditional customs and partake in the festivities. The Chinese New Year, or the Spring Festival, falls on next Wednesday, marking the beginning of the Year of the Snake. (Photo by Li Junsheng/Xinhua) Folk artists perform at Xixiaying Manchu Township in Zunhua, north China's Hebei Province, Jan. 22, 2025. As the 2025 Chinese New Year will fall on Jan. 29, excitement is palpable everywhere in China. The Chinese people immerse themselves in traditional customs and partake in the festivities. The Chinese New Year, or the Spring Festival, falls on next Wednesday, marking the beginning of the Year of the Snake. (Photo by Liu Mancang/Xinhua) Local villagers enjoy New Year feast at Pingyan Village of Sanjiang Dong Autonomous County, south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Jan. 22, 2025. As the 2025 Chinese New Year will fall on Jan. 29, excitement is palpable everywhere in China. The Chinese people immerse themselves in traditional customs and partake in the festivities. The Chinese New Year, or the Spring Festival, falls on next Wednesday, marking the beginning of the Year of the Snake. (Photo by Li Hanchi/Xinhua) A child is pictured during a local folk show at Lantian Yao Township, Lingchuan County, south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Jan. 22, 2025. As the 2025 Chinese New Year will fall on Jan. 29, excitement is palpable everywhere in China. The Chinese people immerse themselves in traditional customs and partake in the festivities. The Chinese New Year, or the Spring Festival, falls on next Wednesday, marking the beginning of the Year of the Snake. (Photo by Liu Jiaoqing/Xinhua) Tourists enjoy the night view by taking bamboo rafts on Gongshui River in Xuanen County, central China's Hubei Province, Jan. 21, 2025. As the 2025 Chinese New Year will fall on Jan. 29, excitement is palpable everywhere in China. The Chinese people immerse themselves in traditional customs and partake in the festivities. The Chinese New Year, or the Spring Festival, falls on next Wednesday, marking the beginning of the Year of the Snake. (Photo by Song Wen/Xinhua) A girl is pictured during a local Spring Festival carnival in Gaomi of Weifang City, east China's Shandong Province, Jan. 22, 2025. As the 2025 Chinese New Year will fall on Jan. 29, excitement is palpable everywhere in China. The Chinese people immerse themselves in traditional customs and partake in the festivities. The Chinese New Year, or the Spring Festival, falls on next Wednesday, marking the beginning of the Year of the Snake. (Photo by Li Haitao/Xinhua) Ge Ying (L), a paper-cutting artisan, teaches people to make paper-cutting works marking the Year of the Snake in Tangshan City of north China's Hebei Province, Jan. 22, 2025. As the 2025 Chinese New Year will fall on Jan. 29, excitement is palpable everywhere in China. The Chinese people immerse themselves in traditional customs and partake in the festivities. The Chinese New Year, or the Spring Festival, falls on next Wednesday, marking the beginning of the Year of the Snake. (Photo by Zhu Dayong/Xinhua) An artisan displays snake toys made of cloth in Binzhou, east China's Shandong Province, Jan. 21, 2025. As the 2025 Chinese New Year will fall on Jan. 29, excitement is palpable everywhere in China. The Chinese people immerse themselves in traditional customs and partake in the festivities. The Chinese New Year, or the Spring Festival, falls on next Wednesday, marking the beginning of the Year of the Snake. (Photo by Chu Baorui/Xinhua) Local residents perform dragon dance to celebrate the traditional Chinese Xiaonian festival, which marks the start of the countdown to Chinese New Year, in Boai County of Jiaozuo City, central China's Henan Province, Jan. 22, 2025. As the 2025 Chinese New Year will fall on Jan. 29, excitement is palpable everywhere in China. The Chinese people immerse themselves in traditional customs and partake in the festivities. The Chinese New Year, or the Spring Festival, falls on next Wednesday, marking the beginning of the Year of the Snake. (Photo by Cheng Quan/Xinhua) Editor: JYZ Members of division of the Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak (EAST) Physics and Experimental Operations celebrate the success of an experiment in Hefei, east China's Anhui Province, Jan. 20, 2025. The Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak (EAST), dubbed China's "artificial sun," maintained a steady-state high-confinement plasma operation for a remarkable 1,066 seconds on Monday, setting a new world record and marking a breakthrough in the quest for fusion power generation. The duration of 1,000 seconds is considered a key step in fusion research. The breakthrough, achieved by the Institute of Plasma Physics under the Chinese Academy of Sciences, greatly improved the original world record of 403 seconds, which was also set by EAST in 2023. (Xinhua/Zhou Mu) HEFEI, Jan. 20 (Xinhua) -- The Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak (EAST), dubbed China's "artificial sun," maintained a steady-state high-confinement plasma operation for a remarkable 1,066 seconds on Monday, setting a new world record and marking a breakthrough in the quest for fusion power generation. The duration of 1,000 seconds is considered a key step in fusion research. The breakthrough, achieved by the Institute of Plasma Physics under the Chinese Academy of Sciences (ASIPP), greatly improved the original world record of 403 seconds, which was also set by EAST in 2023. The ultimate goal of an artificial sun is to create nuclear fusion like the sun, providing humanity with an endless, clean energy source, and enabling space exploration beyond the solar system. Global scientists have worked for more than 70 years on trying to achieve this feat. However, only after reaching temperatures over 100 million degrees Celsius, sustaining stable long-term operation, and ensuring controllability can a nuclear fusion device successfully generate electricity. "A fusion device must achieve stable operation at high efficiency for thousands of seconds to enable the self-sustaining circulation of plasma, which is critical for the continuous power generation of future fusion plants," said Song Yuntao, ASIPP director. He emphasized that the fresh record is of monumental significance, representing a crucial step toward the development of a fusion reactor. Gong Xianzu, head of the division of EAST Physics and Experimental Operations, said they have upgraded several EAST systems since the last round of experiments. For example, the heating system, which previously operated at the equivalent of nearly 70,000 household microwave ovens, has now doubled its power output while also maintaining stability and continuity. Since starting operation in 2006, EAST has been an open test platform for Chinese and international scientists to conduct fusion-related experiments and research. China officially joined the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) program in 2006 as its seventh member. According to the agreement, China is responsible for about 9 percent of the project's construction and operation -- and ASIPP is the main unit of the Chinese mission. ITER, which is under construction in southern France, will be the world's largest magnetic confinement plasma physics experiment device and the largest experimental tokamak nuclear fusion reactor, once completed. In recent years, EAST has continuously achieved groundbreaking milestones in the high confinement mode, which serves as the fundamental mode for experimental fusion reactors, including ITER and the future China Fusion Engineering Test Reactor (CFETR), providing valuable references for the construction of fusion reactors worldwide. "We hope to expand international collaboration via EAST and bring fusion energy into practical use for humanity," said Song. In Hefei, east China's Anhui Province, where EAST is located, a new generation of experimental fusion research facilities is under construction -- aiming to further accelerate the application and development of fusion energy. Gong Xianzu (4th, L), head of division of the Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak (EAST) Physics and Experimental Operations, and other team members celebrate the success of an experiment in Hefei, east China's Anhui Province, Jan. 20, 2025. The Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak (EAST), dubbed China's "artificial sun," maintained a steady-state high-confinement plasma operation for a remarkable 1,066 seconds on Monday, setting a new world record and marking a breakthrough in the quest for fusion power generation. The duration of 1,000 seconds is considered a key step in fusion research. The breakthrough, achieved by the Institute of Plasma Physics under the Chinese Academy of Sciences, greatly improved the original world record of 403 seconds, which was also set by EAST in 2023. (Xinhua/Zhou Mu) Gong Xianzu (R), head of division of the Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak (EAST) Physics and Experimental Operations, and Lu Kun, deputy director of Institute of Plasma Physics of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (ASIPP), celebrate in Hefei, east China's Anhui Province, Jan. 20, 2025. The Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak (EAST), dubbed China's "artificial sun," maintained a steady-state high-confinement plasma operation for a remarkable 1,066 seconds on Monday, setting a new world record and marking a breakthrough in the quest for fusion power generation. The duration of 1,000 seconds is considered a key step in fusion research. The breakthrough, achieved by the Institute of Plasma Physics under the Chinese Academy of Sciences, greatly improved the original world record of 403 seconds, which was also set by EAST in 2023. (Xinhua/Zhou Mu) This photo shows the Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak (EAST) in Hefei, east China's Anhui Province, Jan. 15, 2025. The Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak (EAST), dubbed China's "artificial sun," maintained a steady-state high-confinement plasma operation for a remarkable 1,066 seconds on Monday, setting a new world record and marking a breakthrough in the quest for fusion power generation. The duration of 1,000 seconds is considered a key step in fusion research. The breakthrough, achieved by the Institute of Plasma Physics under the Chinese Academy of Sciences, greatly improved the original world record of 403 seconds, which was also set by EAST in 2023. (Xinhua/Huang Bohan) This photo shows the Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak (EAST) in Hefei, east China's Anhui Province, Jan. 15, 2025. The Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak (EAST), dubbed China's "artificial sun," maintained a steady-state high-confinement plasma operation for a remarkable 1,066 seconds on Monday, setting a new world record and marking a breakthrough in the quest for fusion power generation. The duration of 1,000 seconds is considered a key step in fusion research. The breakthrough, achieved by the Institute of Plasma Physics under the Chinese Academy of Sciences, greatly improved the original world record of 403 seconds, which was also set by EAST in 2023. (Xinhua/Huang Bohan) This photo shows the control center of the Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak (EAST) in Hefei, east China's Anhui Province, Jan. 20, 2025. The Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak (EAST), dubbed China's "artificial sun," maintained a steady-state high-confinement plasma operation for a remarkable 1,066 seconds on Monday, setting a new world record and marking a breakthrough in the quest for fusion power generation. The duration of 1,000 seconds is considered a key step in fusion research. The breakthrough, achieved by the Institute of Plasma Physics under the Chinese Academy of Sciences, greatly improved the original world record of 403 seconds, which was also set by EAST in 2023. (Xinhua/Zhou Mu) Gong Xianzu (C), head of division of the Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak (EAST) Physics and Experimental Operations, communicates with team members during an experiment in Hefei, east China's Anhui Province, Jan. 20, 2025. The Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak (EAST), dubbed China's "artificial sun," maintained a steady-state high-confinement plasma operation for a remarkable 1,066 seconds on Monday, setting a new world record and marking a breakthrough in the quest for fusion power generation. The duration of 1,000 seconds is considered a key step in fusion research. The breakthrough, achieved by the Institute of Plasma Physics under the Chinese Academy of Sciences, greatly improved the original world record of 403 seconds, which was also set by EAST in 2023. (Xinhua/Zhou Mu) This photo shows the control center of the Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak (EAST) in Hefei, east China's Anhui Province, Jan. 20, 2025. The Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak (EAST), dubbed China's "artificial sun," maintained a steady-state high-confinement plasma operation for a remarkable 1,066 seconds on Monday, setting a new world record and marking a breakthrough in the quest for fusion power generation. The duration of 1,000 seconds is considered a key step in fusion research. The breakthrough, achieved by the Institute of Plasma Physics under the Chinese Academy of Sciences, greatly improved the original world record of 403 seconds, which was also set by EAST in 2023. (Xinhua/Zhou Mu) Team members of division of the Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak (EAST) Physics and Experimental Operations observe data during an experiment in Hefei, east China's Anhui Province, Jan. 20, 2025. The Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak (EAST), dubbed China's "artificial sun," maintained a steady-state high-confinement plasma operation for a remarkable 1,066 seconds on Monday, setting a new world record and marking a breakthrough in the quest for fusion power generation. The duration of 1,000 seconds is considered a key step in fusion research. The breakthrough, achieved by the Institute of Plasma Physics under the Chinese Academy of Sciences, greatly improved the original world record of 403 seconds, which was also set by EAST in 2023. (Xinhua/Zhou Mu) Gong Xianzu, head of division of the Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak (EAST) Physics and Experimental Operations, communicates with team members during an experiment in Hefei, east China's Anhui Province, Jan. 18, 2025. The Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak (EAST), dubbed China's "artificial sun," maintained a steady-state high-confinement plasma operation for a remarkable 1,066 seconds on Monday, setting a new world record and marking a breakthrough in the quest for fusion power generation. The duration of 1,000 seconds is considered a key step in fusion research. The breakthrough, achieved by the Institute of Plasma Physics under the Chinese Academy of Sciences, greatly improved the original world record of 403 seconds, which was also set by EAST in 2023. (Xinhua/Zhang Duan) Gong Xianzu, head of division of the Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak (EAST) Physics and Experimental Operations, observes data during an experiment in Hefei, east China's Anhui Province, Jan. 19, 2025. The Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak (EAST), dubbed China's "artificial sun," maintained a steady-state high-confinement plasma operation for a remarkable 1,066 seconds on Monday, setting a new world record and marking a breakthrough in the quest for fusion power generation. The duration of 1,000 seconds is considered a key step in fusion research. The breakthrough, achieved by the Institute of Plasma Physics under the Chinese Academy of Sciences, greatly improved the original world record of 403 seconds, which was also set by EAST in 2023. (Xinhua/Du Yu) Gong Xianzu (1st, R), head of division of the Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak (EAST) Physics and Experimental Operations, communicates with team members after an experiment in Hefei, east China's Anhui Province, Jan. 16, 2025. The Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak (EAST), dubbed China's "artificial sun," maintained a steady-state high-confinement plasma operation for a remarkable 1,066 seconds on Monday, setting a new world record and marking a breakthrough in the quest for fusion power generation. The duration of 1,000 seconds is considered a key step in fusion research. The breakthrough, achieved by the Institute of Plasma Physics under the Chinese Academy of Sciences, greatly improved the original world record of 403 seconds, which was also set by EAST in 2023. (Xinhua/Huang Bohan) Gong Xianzu, head of division of the Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak (EAST) Physics and Experimental Operations, observes data during an experiment in Hefei, east China's Anhui Province, Jan. 20, 2025. The Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak (EAST), dubbed China's "artificial sun," maintained a steady-state high-confinement plasma operation for a remarkable 1,066 seconds on Monday, setting a new world record and marking a breakthrough in the quest for fusion power generation. The duration of 1,000 seconds is considered a key step in fusion research. The breakthrough, achieved by the Institute of Plasma Physics under the Chinese Academy of Sciences, greatly improved the original world record of 403 seconds, which was also set by EAST in 2023. (Xinhua/Zhou Mu) Team members of division of the Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak (EAST) Physics and Experimental Operations observe data during an experiment in Hefei, east China's Anhui Province, Jan. 20, 2025. The Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak (EAST), dubbed China's "artificial sun," maintained a steady-state high-confinement plasma operation for a remarkable 1,066 seconds on Monday, setting a new world record and marking a breakthrough in the quest for fusion power generation. The duration of 1,000 seconds is considered a key step in fusion research. The breakthrough, achieved by the Institute of Plasma Physics under the Chinese Academy of Sciences, greatly improved the original world record of 403 seconds, which was also set by EAST in 2023. (Xinhua/Zhou Mu) Editor: ZAD If you were looking for the Charlestown Democratic Town Committee website and ended up here, try this Got news tips, gossip, suggestions, complaints?E-mail us: progressivecharlestown@gmail.com We strive to avoid errors in our articles. Our correction policy can be found here In 2024, PJSC Ukrnafta produced 1.17 billion cubic meters of gas, marking a 6.5% increase compared to 2023 (1.097 billion cubic meters), and 1.418 million tonnes of oil, up 0.6% from the previous year (1.410 million tonnes). According to the company's press release on Thursday, total hydrocarbon production in 2024 increased by 70,500 tonnes of oil equivalent or 3%, reaching 2.42 million tonnes compared to 2.35 million tonnes in 2023. "Despite prolonged power outages that limited mechanized oil extraction, the company not only managed to offset natural declines but also achieved growth in oil and gas output," said Ukrnafta's CEO, Serhiy Koretsky. He noted that the company has been improving its production figures for two consecutive years. Looking ahead to 2025, Ukrnafta plans to drill new wells, modernize its equipment by replacing Soviet-era machinery with advanced technology from global leaders, and intensify production efforts. Ukrnafta is Ukraine's largest oil extraction company and operates a national network of filling stations. In March 2024, the company took over the management of Glusco assets, and now operates 547 filling stations 462 of its own and 85 under management. The company is implementing a comprehensive program to renew operations and modernize the format of its filling stations. Since February 2023, Ukrnafta has been offering its own fuel vouchers and NAFTA Cards, which are sold to both legal entities and individuals through Ukrnafta-Postach LLC. Ukrnafta holds 92 licenses for industrial development of fields. It has 1,832 oil and 154 gas production wells on its balance. The largest shareholder in Ukrnafta is Naftogaz Ukrainy, which holds a 50% plus one share. In November 2022, the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine decided to transfer the corporate rights of the company, previously owned by private shareholders, to the state. The Ministry of Defense now oversees these shares. Washington, Jan 23 : US President Donald Trump told his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin on Wednesday to make a deal to end the grinding Ukraine war "now" or face tariff hikes and more sanctions. "If we don't make a 'deal', and soon, I have no other choice but to put high levels of Taxes, Tariffs, and Sanctions on anything being sold by Russia to the US, and various other participating countries," Trump said on his Truth Social network. The US President said he was "not looking to hurt Russia" and had "always had a very good relationship with President Putin," a leader for whom he has expressed admiration in the past. "All of that being said, I'm going to do Russia, whose Economy is failing, and President Putin, a very big FAVOR. Settle now, and STOP this ridiculous War! IT'S ONLY GOING TO GET WORSE." "Settle now, and stop this ridiculous war! It's only going to get worse. If we don't make a "deal," soon, I have no other choice but to put high levels of taxes, tariffs, and sanctions on anything being sold by Russia to the United States, and various other participating countries. Let's get this war, which never would have started if I were President, over with! We can do it the easy way, or the hard way - and the easy way is always better. It's time to 'make a deal.' No more lives should be lost," Trump added. Trump was taking a harder line than he had during a White House press conference on Tuesday when he said it "sounds likely" that he would apply additional sanctions if Putin did not come to the table. The US President also declined to say whether he would continue his predecessor Joe Biden's policy of sending weapons to Ukraine to fight off Russia's invasion, launched in February 2022. "We're looking at that," he said at the press conference. "We're talking to (Ukrainian President Volodymyr) Zelensky, we're going to be talking to President Putin very soon." Before his inauguration on Monday, Trump had vowed to end the Ukraine war before even taking office, raising expectations he would leverage aid to force Kyiv to make concessions to Moscow. In unusually critical remarks of Putin on Monday, Trump said the Russian President was "destroying Russia by not making a deal". Trump added that Zelensky had told him he wanted a peace agreement to end the war. Whatever route Trump chooses, he is unlikely to execute it before speaking with Putin, firm in his belief that direct communication could lead to positive results. A call between the men will happen "very soon," Trump said this week. -- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text Washington, Jan 23 : Two students were killed in a school shooting in Nashville in the American state of Tennessee in yet another grim reminder and manifestation of the country's runaway gun violence crisis. Metro Nashville Police Department has said the first call to the 911 emergency number was received of the shooting at 11:09 a.m. on Wednesday. The shooter killed one student and then turned the gun upon himself and died of self-inflicted wounds, the police said. A third student received a grazing wound. The police identified the deceased as 16-year-old Josselin Corea Escalante and the shooter as 17-year-old Solomon Henderson. The school district (@MetroSchools) released a statement on X saying, "Antioch High School is on a lockdown due to shots being fired inside the school building. Metro Police are on the scene. The person responsible for shooting is no longer a threat. We will be gathering students in the auditorium and will provide information on reunification as soon as possible." The Wednesday shooting came nearly two years after three nine-year-old students and three adult staff members were killed in a shooting at another school in the same city. The shooter was also killed by police. The Wednesday shooting was the first in President Donald Trump's second term. "The President and his team are monitoring the news out of Nashville," the White House said in a statement. "As details unfold, the White House offers its heartfelt thoughts and prayers to those impacted by this senseless tragedy and thank the brave first responders responding to the incident." School shootings have become tragically endemic in the United States as is gun violence generally. There were 39 shootings in schools in 2024, according to a tracker maintained by Education Week, which said it was the highest since it started monitoring such shootings in 2018. The 2024 aggregate amounted to more than two school shootings a month. The most devastating of such shootings took place in 2012 in a Connecticut school that claimed the lives of 20 elementary school students and six adults. Six years later, a shooter opened fire inside a Florida school killing 17 people and wounding 17. Overall, the Gun Violence Archive reported that 16,088 people died from gun violence in 2024. Washington, Jan 23 : US President Donald Trump has issued an executive order designating Yemen's Houthi rebels as a Foreign Terrorist Organisation (FTO), reversing a Biden-era policy that had removed the group from the State Department's list of global terror groups. The executive order was issued by Trump on Wednesday. The move grants the US government additional sanctions authority, giving Trump more tools to go after the Iran-backed Yemeni terror group. The policy comes after the Houthis, also known as Ansar Allah, fired ballistic missiles at Israel for months, including as recently as Saturday. The Houthis, who came to power in 2015 amid a civil war in Yemen, have wreaked havoc on global shipping since late 2023, which they say is in support of Hamas and the Palestinians following the October 7, 2023, attacks. Democratic and Republican lawmakers urged former President Joe Biden to reconsider his February 2021 decision to remove the Houthis from the FTO list, a choice that he said was due to humanitarian considerations. His administration argued that taking the Houthis off the FTO list was necessary for civilians in Yemen to have better access to aid amid a bloody civil war. In January 2024, Biden added the Houthis to the US list of Specially Designated Global Terrorists -- a designation that is not as strong as the FTO label, and which did not satisfy Capitol Hill lawmakers who sought the higher classification. In November 2024, Senator Jacky Rosen (Democrat from Nevada) and then-Senator Marco Rubio (Republican from Florida) led a letter calling for Biden to return the Houthis to the FTO list. Rubio is now serving as Trump's Secretary of State. "The Houthis' activities threaten the security of American civilians and personnel in the Middle East, the safety of our closest regional partners, and the stability of global maritime trade," said the text of the executive order, which specifically refers to the Houthis firing more than 300 at Israel since October 2023. "Supported by Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Quds Force," the order said, "the Houthis have fired at US Navy warships dozens of times since 2023, endangering American men and women in uniform." The order also includes a statement of US policy toward the Houthis. Washington will strive "to cooperate with its regional partners to eliminate Ansar Allah's capabilities and operations, deprive it of resources and thereby end its attacks on US personnel and civilians, US partners, and maritime shipping in the Red Sea," according to the executive order. Washington, Jan 23 : US President Donald Trump has issued an executive order designating Yemen's Houthi rebels as a Foreign Terrorist Organisation (FTO), reversing a Biden-era policy that had removed the group from the State Department's list of global terror groups. The executive order was issued by Trump on Wednesday. The move grants the US government additional sanctions authority, giving Trump more tools to go after the Iran-backed Yemeni terror group. The policy comes after the Houthis, also known as Ansar Allah, fired ballistic missiles at Israel for months, including as recently as Saturday. The White House said Trump was directing the US Agency for International Development to "end its relationship with entities that have made payments to the Houthis, or which have opposed international efforts to counter the Houthis while turning a blind eye towards the Houthis' terrorism and abuses". The Houthis, who came to power in 2015 amid a civil war in Yemen, have wreaked havoc on global shipping since late 2023, which they say is in support of Hamas and the Palestinians following the October 7, 2023, attacks. Democratic and Republican lawmakers urged former President Joe Biden to reconsider his February 2021 decision to remove the Houthis from the FTO list, a choice that he said was due to humanitarian considerations. His administration argued that taking the Houthis off the FTO list was necessary for civilians in Yemen to have better access to aid amid a bloody civil war. In January 2024, Biden added the Houthis to the US list of Specially Designated Global Terrorists -- a designation that is not as strong as the FTO label, and which did not satisfy Capitol Hill lawmakers who sought the higher classification. In November 2024, Senator Jacky Rosen (Democrat from Nevada) and then-Senator Marco Rubio (Republican from Florida) led a letter calling for Biden to return the Houthis to the FTO list. Rubio is now serving as Trump's Secretary of State. "The Houthis' activities threaten the security of American civilians and personnel in the Middle East, the safety of our closest regional partners, and the stability of global maritime trade," said the text of the executive order, which specifically refers to the Houthis firing more than 300 at Israel since October 2023. "Supported by Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Quds Force," the order said, "the Houthis have fired at US Navy warships dozens of times since 2023, endangering American men and women in uniform." The order also includes a statement of US policy toward the Houthis. Washington will strive "to cooperate with its regional partners to eliminate Ansar Allah's capabilities and operations, deprive it of resources and thereby end its attacks on US personnel and civilians, US partners, and maritime shipping in the Red Sea," according to the executive order. -- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text Washington, Jan 23 : US President Donald Trump spoke with Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, media reports confirmed. This is his first known conversation with a foreign leader since assuming office, and it comes amid a complex situation in the Middle East. During the call, the Crown Prince congratulated Trump and conveyed the congratulations of King Salman to the President after being sworn in, wishing the American people further progress and prosperity. The pair discussed bilateral cooperation to establish peace, security, and stability in the Middle East, in addition to enhancing bilateral cooperation to combat terrorism. A freshly struck hostage-and-ceasefire deal is leading to hopes for greater normalisation between Israel and its neighbours. In the call, Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Trump "discussed ways of cooperation between the Kingdom and the United States of America to establish peace, security and stability in the Middle East region, in addition to enhancing bilateral cooperation to combat terrorism," according to a statement from the Saudi official news agency. Saudi Arabia was Trump's first stop abroad during his first presidency. He said in the Oval Office this week that he chose the kingdom because officials there vowed to make significant investments in the United States. He said he would consider returning to Saudi Arabia if similar investments were made. Prince Mohammed appears to have received the message. In Wednesday's call, Prince Mohammed stressed "the Kingdom's desire to expand its investments and trade relations with the US in the next four years by an amount of $600 billion, expected to increase if additional opportunities become available". Trump and the Saudi Crown Prince cultivated close relations during his first term, helped in part by Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner. The warm ties came despite a US intelligence report finding Prince Mohammed played a significant role in the murder of American journalist Jamal Khashoggi. Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman becomes the first foreign leader to hold a phone call with US President Donald Trump since he returned to office this week for a second term. The deal would likely be part of a massive defence agreement that Riyadh is looking to sign with Washington, which would provide Saudi Arabia with security guarantees from the US if it faces attack and be accompanied by huge investments in the American economy. Trump told Saudi Crown Prince that he looks forward to working with Riyadh to advance common interests, the Saudi readout added. There is no readout immediately available from the White House. Washington, Jan 23 : Secretary of State Marco Rubio expressed the US' support for Israel in a call with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday and reiterated Washington's support for its ally, and the two also discussed Iran and Israeli hostages in Gaza, the State Department said. The call was Rubio's first with Israel since the administration of Republican President Donald Trump took office on Monday. Trump and his predecessor, Democratic former President Joe Biden, have both been supporters of Israel during its wars in Gaza and Lebanon. Rubio underscored that "maintaining the United States' steadfast support for Israel is a top priority for Trump," the State Department said in a statement. Rubio told Netanyahu that Washington will continue to work "tirelessly" to help free the remaining hostages in Gaza, the State Department added. The latest bloodshed in the decades-old Israeli-Palestinian conflict was triggered on October 7, 2023, when Hamas militants attacked Israel, killing 1,200 and taking about 250 hostages, according to Israeli data. Israel's subsequent military assault on Gaza has killed more than 47,000 Palestinians, the Gaza Health Ministry said, while also leading to accusations of genocide and war crimes that Israel denies. The assault displaced nearly the entire population of Gaza and caused a hunger crisis. A ceasefire went into effect on Sunday and has led to the release of some Israeli hostages in Gaza and Palestinian prisoners held by Israel. Rights groups have criticised the mounting humanitarian crisis from Israel's military assault. Washington has maintained its support, saying it is helping its ally in its defence against Iran-backed militant groups, including Hamas in Gaza, Hezbollah in Lebanon, and the Houthi rebels in Yemen. This is Rubio's second day on the job, after being sworn in on Tuesday. "The Secretary congratulated the Prime Minister on Israel's successes against Hamas and Hezbollah and pledged to work tirelessly to help free all remaining hostages held in Gaza," State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce said in a statement. The call comes as US Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff announced plans to travel to Gaza during a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas. Netanyahu has also asked the Trump administration to approve a plan to allow five Israeli military outposts to remain in southern Lebanon, a source told media. Rubio and Netanyahu spoke about "addressing the threats posed by Iran and pursuing opportunities for peace". -- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text Washington, Jan 23 : Nearly hours after meeting with newly appointed US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Wednesday, External Affairs Minister (EAM) S. Jaishankar said that "India expects accountability" for the attack on the Indian consulate in San Francisco in 2023 a "very serious matter" and those responsible to be held accountable. He was in the US to attend Donald Trump's inauguration as the 47th President. Responding to a question at a press conference in Washington D.C. on Wednesday, EAM Jaishankar said, "The arson attack on our consulate in San Francisco is a very, very serious matter, and it is something for which we expect accountability. We would like to see that people who did it are held responsible." The Consulate General of India in San Francisco was attacked by a group of assailants in March 2023. The intruders had committed criminal trespass, damaged public property, and attacked officials of the Consulate. Some attackers had also tried to set the Consulate building on fire on the same day with the use of some inflammable substances. Protesters were seen breaking through the makeshift security barriers while raising pro-Khalistan slogans and even installing two Khalistani flags inside the Consulate premises. Around three months later, again in July, violent Khalistani activists attacked and sought to burn down the Indian consulate in San Francisco. The incident, though, did not cause any damage inside the premises of the diplomatic building, but it was the second time that Khalistanis made the SF consulate a target. At the time, the attack was brought to the attention of the highest rung of American national security and diplomatic apparatus in Washington D.C., which instructed agencies to immediately investigate the incident and heighten security. India had made it clear that it wanted to see action in the matter, and not just sympathy. It wanted arrests of those involved in these incidents and preemptive measures by the US authorities to stop any such attacks in the future. The local San Francisco police department, special diplomatic security personnel, and state and federal authorities were notified and they launched a probe into the July incident thereafter. The incident was strongly condemned by the US, which called it a "criminal offence". EAM Jaishankar held a bilateral meeting with Marco Rubio after the swearing-in ceremony of Donald Trump. The two leaders also, according to EAM Jaishankar, held a brief discussion on Bangladesh. However, the EAM did not get into further details on the same and said that "I don't think it's appropriate". EAM Jaishankar had also attended the first Quad ministerial meeting of the new Donald Trump administration on Tuesday and held the first bilateral meeting with Rubio shortly after. In addition, the EAM also raised India's concerns over prolonged visa delays with Rubio, saying that these delays impact business, tourism, and the overall relationship. He had said that the relationship is not "well-served" if it takes that many days for people to get a visa. New Delhi, Jan 23 : Delhi woke up to light rain amid 'poor' air quality on Thursday morning with an overall Air Quality Index (AQI) of 262 recorded at 6 a.m., according to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has predicted more light rain throughout the day, with maximum and minimum temperatures expected to hover around 22 degrees Celcius and 12 degrees Celcius, respectively. Additionally, the foggy conditions caused by low temperatures have further compounded the situation, disrupting visibility in the early morning hours. Several flights at the Indira Gandhi International Airport were delayed due to the dense fog blanketing the city. Despite the precipitation, the AQI levels across various parts of Delhi remain concerning. Key areas recorded the following AQI readings: Anand Vihar (320), Jahangirpuri (317), Vivek Vihar (305), Wazirpur (289), Okhla Phase-2 (269), Rohini (298), Ashok Vihar (291), Patparganj (287), Pusa (268), ITO (263), Najafgarh (234), R K Puram (249), and Shadipur (203). Anand Vihar and Jahangirpuri topped the charts with avery poora air quality, while most other regions stayed in the higher range of the apoora category. The rain offered a brief respite from the cityas pollution, as experts noted that light showers could help settle dust particles and marginally improve air quality but temporarily. While the IMD has assured that the light rain may provide temporary relief from pollution and slightly improve air quality, they also highlighted that the improvement might not last long without sustained precipitation or stronger winds to disperse pollutants. Residents are advised to take necessary precautions, especially those with respiratory or cardiovascular conditions, as the current AQI levels remain harmful to vulnerable groups. Earlier on Friday the Centreas air quality panel revoked restrictions under Stage 3 of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) in Delhi and neighbouring areas as air quality improved in the city. The move comes a day after the Commission for Air Quality Management rolled back GRAP 4 following a dip in air pollution levels in Delhi-NCR. The CAQM said in a statement that its sub-committee on GRAP conducted its meeting on Friday and reviewed the air quality scenario in the region as well as the IMD/IITM forecasts. Americans are very disappointed that in the last few years there has been a lot of talk about the need to increase military spending and fight more, but at the same time no attempts have been made to end the war unleashed by Russia in Ukraine through negotiations, said Ambassador-at-Large in the Donald Trump administration Richard Grenell. Grenell said on Thursday at the Ukrainian Breakfast in Davos, organized by the Victor Pinchuk Foundation, that Vladimir Putin and Joe Biden had not spoken for over three and a half years. He added that they thought it was outrageous and that the American people also thought it was outrageous. He emphasized that it was important to be able to talk to people. According to him, Americans are extremely frustrated that the USA is spending hundreds of billions of dollars and leaders are not talking to each other to try to solve the problems. The ambassador recalled that President Trump has been very clear about his desire to solve these problems. Talking is a tactic, and you can't solve problems peacefully if you don't talk, Grenell once again pointed out. In his opinion, the US State Department has also been sidelined in solving the problem. The ambassador-at-large emphasized that they were shocked that so many foreign ministers in Europe and so many American politicians at that time simply did not try to stop the war. He added that they thought it was immoral not to try to stop wars that they were told were absolutely inevitable. He also expressed the opinion that if the NATO Secretary General talks about including Ukraine in NATO, this will cause resistance in the United States. Grenell explained that the American people were the ones who paid for defense and that they couldn't be asked to expand the NATO umbrella if the current members weren't paying their fair share. Asked about the possibility of the new US administration increasing pressure on Russia and Putin if he continues his aggression, the ambassador noted that the Trump administration is in a situation of bad choice, because after three years the war is sinking further into chaos. Grenell said that now that President Trump had taken office, he believed Trump had inherited a terrible mess, with few good options available. However, he noted that President Trump was someone who had already made it clear that he was going to put pressure on both sides to stop the conflict and was focused on trying to stop the killing. The ambassador-at-large added that President Trump needed some time, as he was the best negotiator, and explained that there was a difference between a threat and a real threat. He pointed out the contrast between Joe Biden, who had said "don't," and President Trump, who immediately stepped in and tried to communicate with both sides to get them to the table. At the same time, Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo, as a remark after this speech, reminded that the main and foremost enemy is Russia, while in the USA the discussion about the war in Ukraine is often conducted within internal political conflicts. De Croo called for prioritizing the strengthening of Ukraine and its positions in possible negotiations. Patna, Jan 23 : The Enforcement Directorate (ED), Patna Zonal Office, has arrested Jawahar Lal Shah under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002, in connection with a Ponzi scheme, an official said. Shah was produced before the Special PMLA Court in Patna wherein he was sent to judicial custody, the official said on Wednesday. The ED initiated an investigation based on an FIR registered by the Bihar Police under sections of IPC, 1860, against Mahua JLG Development Cooperative Society Ltd, Jawahar Lal Shah, and others. The ED investigation revealed that Shah in connivance with his associates formed various companies or co-operative societies namely Mahua Joint Liability Group Dairy Products and Agro Industries Ltd, Mahua Joint Liability Group Development Cooperative Society Ltd, Mahua Gavy Prasankaran Swavlambi Sahkari Samiti Limited, etc., and collected money around Rs 25 to 100 crore from the public with assurance to pay higher returns. The companies/co-operative societies failed to pay the assured return to the investors on maturity and shut down their offices. The investor's funds were layered, laundered, and diverted to the accounts of Jawahar Lal Shah and his associated persons/entities and part of which has been utilised in acquiring immovable properties. During the ED investigation, searches were conducted under section 17 of PMLA at the premises linked with Jawahar Lal Shah and other associates at five locations in Bihar, West Bengal, Delhi, and Uttar Pradesh on January 7, which resulted in recovery and seizure of incriminating documents, including digital devices. Further investigation into the case is underway. Patna, Jan 23 : The Enforcement Directorate (ED), Patna Zonal Office, has arrested Jawahar Lal Shah under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002, in connection with a Ponzi scheme, an official said. Shah was produced before the Special PMLA Court in Patna wherein he was sent to judicial custody, the official said on Wednesday. The ED initiated an investigation based on an FIR registered by the Bihar Police under sections of IPC, 1860, against Mahua JLG Development Cooperative Society Ltd, Jawahar Lal Shah, and others. The ED investigation revealed that Shah in connivance with his associates formed various companies or co-operative societies namely Mahua Joint Liability Group Dairy Products and Agro Industries Ltd, Mahua Joint Liability Group Development Cooperative Society Ltd, Mahua Gavy Prasankaran Swavlambi Sahkari Samiti Limited, etc., and collected money around Rs 25 to 100 crore from the public with assurance to pay higher returns. The companies/co-operative societies failed to pay the assured return to the investors on maturity and shut down their offices. The investor's funds were layered, laundered, and diverted to the accounts of Jawahar Lal Shah and his associated persons/entities and part of which has been utilised in acquiring immovable properties. During the ED investigation, searches were conducted under section 17 of PMLA at the premises linked with Jawahar Lal Shah and other associates at five locations in Bihar, West Bengal, Delhi, and Uttar Pradesh on January 7, which resulted in recovery and seizure of incriminating documents, including digital devices. Further investigation into the case is underway. The Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002 (PMLA) is a criminal law enacted to prevent money laundering and to provide for confiscation of property derived from, or involved in, money laundering and for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto. ED has been given the responsibility to enforce the provisions of the PMLA by investigating to trace the assets derived from proceeds of crime, provisionally attaching the property, and ensuring prosecution of the offenders and confiscation of the property by the Special court. New Delhi, Jan 23 : Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday paid homage to Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose on his 127th birth anniversary, hailing him as a symbol of hard work and courage whose life serves as an inspiration for the youth of India. Taking to X, PM Modi wrote, "Today, on Parakram Diwas, I pay homage to Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose. His contribution to India's freedom movement is unparalleled. He epitomised courage and grit. His vision continues to motivate us as we work towards building the India he envisioned." The Prime Minister also shared a video message in which he praised Netaji's unwavering dedication to the nation. In the message, PM Modi said, "Netaji's life was a culmination of hard work and valour. He gave up his personal dreams and interests for Indiaas independence. If he wanted, he could have lived a comfortable life, but he chose to sacrifice it for the resolution of a free India." Highlighting Netaji's role in asserting India's heritage, he added, "Netaji was among the great leaders who not only opposed foreign forces but also firmly countered those who questioned Indiaas heritage. It was he who presented India as the 'Mother of Democracy' to the world. His life and contributions continue to inspire Indian youth." Born on January 23, 1897, in Cuttack, Odisha, Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose remains a towering symbol of patriotism and courage. Recognising his invaluable contributions to India's freedom struggle, the Government of India declared his birthday as 'Parakram Diwas' in 2021. The day aims to honour his legacy and motivate citizens, especially the youth, to emulate his bravery and national pride. In 2021, the first Parakram Diwas was celebrated at the Victoria Memorial Hall in Kolkata. Subsequently, a holographic statue of Netaji was inaugurated at India Gate in 2022. Additionally, plans are underway to construct a National Memorial dedicated to Netaji on the Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose Dweep. Netajias life was marked by sacrifice and an unwavering commitment to justice. Born into a prominent Bengali family, Bose began his studies at Presidency College in Kolkata but was expelled in 1916 for his nationalist activities. After graduating from Scottish Church College in 1919, he went to the University of Cambridge to prepare for the Indian Civil Service. Despite passing the civil service examination in 1920, Bose withdrew his candidacy the following year and returned to India to dedicate himself to the freedom movement. Known for his indomitable spirit, visionary leadership, and dedication to equality, Netaji continues to inspire generations of Indians. Seoul, Jan 23 : South Korean drug major Celltrion's autoimmune disease treatment has been launched in five major European nations, the company said on Thursday. The treatment a" SteQeyma -- is an ustekinumab biosimilar treatment for multiple chronic inflammatory diseases. According to Celltrion, it was released in France on Monday (local time), following its launch in Italy and Spain earlier this month, Yonhap news agency reported. The launch in France follows its release in Britain last month and in Germany in November. The drug won the European Commission's (EC) approval in August for biologic therapy in gastroenterology, dermatology, and rheumatology indications. It marked Celltrion's seventh biosimilar to win the EC's approval, following Remsima, Truxima, Herzuma, and others. Celltrion said it plans to expand sales of SteQeyma in Europe and also introduce the product in the US in the future. According to data from healthcare researcher Iqvia, the European ustekinumab market was valued at $3.1 billion in 2023, with the global market size reaching $20.4 billion. Meanwhile, the South Korean drugmaker also aims to achieve annual sales of 5 trillion won ($3.58 billion) in 2025. The target will be driven by the growth of its biosimilar products and a new treatment for autoimmune diseases, according to its chairman Seo Jung-jin in November last year. The 2025 sales target is 50 per cent higher than the 3.5 trillion won of annual revenue expected to be recorded in 2024, Jung-jin said. "By 2027, the company will also be able to post an annual revenue of 10 trillion won," he said. Celltrion also plans to commercialise 22 products, including biosimilars, by 2030. In December, last year, Celltrion also established a subsidiary in South Korea to specialise in the contract development and manufacturing organisation (CDMO) business. The new company, named Celltrion BioSolutions, plans to construct its first manufacturing facility in South Korea, with a production capacity of 200,000 litres to manufacture various products, including antibody-drug conjugates, and cell and gene treatments. Mumbai, Jan 23 : Director Arati Kadav has revealed that her upcoming film "Mrs," starring Sanya Malhotra, is inspired by the stories of real-life women. Kadav crafted the film's narrative and script by drawing from the experiences, struggles, and resilience of women in the real world. The upcoming film stars Sanya in the lead role and is set to release soon on the Zee5 streaming platform. Speaking about the same, Arati Kadav shared, "For me, storytelling has always been about truthcapturing the raw, unfiltered experiences of people. "This isn't just one woman's story; it's the lived reality of many women." She added, "I spoke to women balancing dreams and duties, navigating patriarchal norms, and redefining their identities. Their stories inspired me to craft a narrative that celebrates resilience and individuality. Sanya Malhotra brings this story to life with such grace and depth, and I'm confident it will resonate deeply with audiences everywhere." Directed by Arati Kadav, known for her work in 'Cargo', and produced by Harman Baweja, the film explores themes of womanhood, identity, and relationships, offering an authentic and compelling cinematic experience. The ensemble cast also features veteran actor Kanwaljeet Singh, along with Nishant Dahiya and Siya Mahajan. To ensure the authenticity in the narrative, Arati also revealed that she engaged in extensive conversations with women from various walks of lifehousewives, working professionals, mothers, and young girls. These discussions allowed her to incorporate real-life experiences into the script, offering valuable insights into the challenges, aspirations, and triumphs of contemporary women. The result is a film that truly reflects the diverse realities of modern womanhood. "Mrs." which is a remake of the Malayalam movie "The Great Indian Kitchen," will release on OTT platform Zee5. Yesterday, the makers shared the teaser of the film on social media, and it showed Sanya balancing domestic responsibilities while grappling with societal patriarchy. The new teaser of Mrs. reads, "A woman finds her voice and dreams lost when she marries a middle-class doctor and is expected to become a housewife. What happens next? Coming Soon." -- Except for the title, this story has not been edited by Prokerala team and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed New Delhi, Jan 23 : In a respite for Mark Zuckerberg-run Meta, the National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT) on Thursday stayed the five-year ban imposed by the Competition Commission of India (CCI) on WhatsApp for its data-sharing practices. The NCLAT bench, led by Justice Ashok Bhushan, said such a ban could disrupt WhatsApp's business model in the country. WhatsApp has more than 500 million monthly active users in India. The appellate tribunal also directed Meta to deposit 50 per cent of the Rs 213 core penalty imposed by the CCI, within two weeks. The social media giant has already paid 25 per cent of the fine. Last week, the NCLAT had reserved its order on a plea by Meta and WhatsApp seeking a stay on the CCI order that imposed a penalty of Rs 213 crore for "abuse of dominant position". According to the tribunal, the upcoming data protection law in India could address concerns related to data privacy. WhatsApp's 2021 Privacy Policy allows for user data to be shared with group cos like Meta, and Insta without an "opt out" option. Earlier this month, social media platform Meta moved the NCLAT against the CCI order. In November last year, the competition watchdog directed WhatsApp to not share user data collected on its platform with other Meta products or companies for advertising purposes for a period of five years, along with imposing a penalty of Rs 213.14 crore on Meta for allegedly abusing its dominant position. Meta informed the NCLAT that the CCI order has wide ramifications for the industry as a whole and therefore, an urgent hearing in the matter will be required. Last year, after the CCI directed WhatsApp not to share user data collected on its platform with other Meta products or companies for advertising purposes for a period of five years, the social media platform said it disagreed with the CCI's decision and planned to appeal. The CCI began a probe in March 2021 into WhatsApp's revised privacy policy, which enabled mandatory data sharing with Facebook (now Meta) and its companies, along with an expanded scope of data collection. Hyderabad, Jan 23 : Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) working president K.T. Rama Rao on Thursday hit back at Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy for calling him an IT employee. The former IT Minister reacted to remarks made by the Chief Minister during an interaction with a news channel in Davos, where he was attending World Economic Forum's annual meeting. "To those who think they can belittle me by calling me just an IT employee, I say: being part of the IT industry takes genuine talent, education, skill, and dedication Unlike carrying bags of cash to bribe MLAs or paying Delhi bosses for a job!," Rama Rao posted on 'X' while referring to the bribery allegations against Revanth Reddy. KTR, as the BRS leader is popularly known, also stated that IT professionals across the world earn their livelihood through hard work and ingenuity. "To my fellow brothers and sisters in the IT and ITES industry, I salute you. Your tireless efforts and brilliant minds are the backbone of the modern tech world. Without you, the wheels of innovation and progress would grind to a halt," he wrote. "Let's be honest: some accidental politicians, can't hold a candle to your educational credentials or your work ethic. And we're all paying the price for their half-baked policies. I'm unapologetically proud of my roots, my education, my work experience, my tech background and my comrades," added KTR, who was minister for IT, industry, municipal administration and urban development in the previous government. Revanth Reddy had Wednesday called KTR an IT employee when he was asked to comment on KTR's remark that he doesn't know anything. "KTR worked in IT companies. He is an IT employee. He will always have an employee mindset. I am a politician. I am a policymaker. I need not know everything," said the Chief Minister. Revanth Reddy said that if he wants to make a policy he would give directions to the officials concerned. He also pointed that former Prime Minister P. V. Narasimha Rao and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu did not have any experience of working on computers. Bengaluru, Jan 23 : The police custody of six Maoists, who surrendered before Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, ends on Thursday and they will be produced before the National Investigation Agency (NIA) Special Court. The NIA court had remanded them to the custody of Chikkamagaluru Police for six days. Sources revealed that the Kerala Police are likely to seek custody of the surrendered Maoists. The Maoists were interrogated by Koppa Deputy SP Balaji Singh and his team. Siddaramaiah on January 8 welcomed the surrendered Maoists to the mainstream by offering them roses and copies of the Constitution at his home office 'Krishna' in Bengaluru. With the six Maoists laying down arms, the Congress-led government declared Karnataka as Left Wing Extremism-free state. Mundagaru Latha from Mundagaru in Sringeri Vanajakshi from Balehole in Kalasa; Sundari from Kutluru near Mangaluru; Marappa Jayanna Aroli from Raichur; Vasantha T. aka Ramesh from Tamil Nadu, and N. Jeesha from Kerala surrendered in presence of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah. Addressing the media after the surrender of the Maoists, CM Siddaramaiah said: "To eliminate Naxalism in Karnataka and address their demands, we are committed to taking all necessary measures within the legal framework." "There is no room in democracy or the Constitution for achieving justice through armed struggle," CM Siddaramaiah underlined. According to sources, Mandagaru Latha, the eldest daughter of a poor tribal family from Sringeri Taluk, in 2000, at the age of 18, took up armed resistance. Since then, she has been part of a guerrilla group operating across Karnataka and Kerala. Her family allegedly faced the threat of losing their home under the Kudremukh National Park Project. Sundari is also a tribal woman who grew up in poverty. In 2004, at the age of 19, she joined the Maoist party and became part of a guerrilla group operating in Karnataka and Kerala. Vanajakshi, the senior-most member of the group, served as an unopposed member of the Gram Panchayat in 1992 and 1997. Influenced by the "armed movements" of the time, she decided in 2000 that it was the only path. Since then, she has been part of a guerrilla group operating across Karnataka and Kerala. Jayanna Aaroli, a Dalit youth from Aaroli village in Manvi Taluk of Raichur district, holds a Bachelor's degree. Vasantha, a B.Tech graduate from Arcot in Vellore district, Tamil Nadu, was influenced towards Maoism. Jisha, an Adivasi woman from Makkimala in Wayanad district, Kerala, studied up to the 8th grade before becoming part of the "armed struggle" in Kerala in 2018. In 2023, Jeesha moved from Kerala to Karnataka along with other members of the group, sources stated. Bhopal/New Delhi, Jan 23 : Madhya Chief Minister Mohan Yadav on Thursday will campaign for the BJP in Delhi's two Assembly constituencies to add more firepower to the party's election strategy. According to the Chief Minister's office, he will address the first public rally in the Madipur Assembly seat in West Delhi. He will seek public support for the BJP's candidate Urmila Kailash Gangwal. After that, he will address a second public rally in the Rohini Assembly seat for BJP candidate Vijendra Gupta. These will be CM Mohan Yadav's first public rallies for the upcoming Delhi Assembly elections. The national capital goes to polls on February 5, and the counting will take place on February 8. The main contest in Delhi is between the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and the opposition BJP, however, the Congress will try to find its lost ground in the national capital. Winning Delhi is being viewed as a matter of prestige for the BJP as it has not won the national capital since 1993. The Congress won three elections between 1993 and 2008, and since then AAP has been in power. In the last Assembly elections held in 2020, AAP returned to power winning 62 out of 70 Assembly seats. Aiming to retain power, former Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal-led AAP has come up with its tested formula of "freebies" to woo the voters. He has announced seven-point promises to the citizens of New Delhi. The Assembly election is crucial for AAP as several of its leaders, including the party's national convenor and former CM Arvind Kejriwal and his Deputy Manish Sisodia, have come out from jail recently and are facing incumbency as well. Kejriwal-led AAP had emerged out of the 'Anti-Corruption Movement' led by social activist Anna Hazare against the Congress-led UPA government in 2011-2012. The party had highlighted corruption reported during former CM Sheila Dikshit-led Congress government in the national capital. The AAP made its debut in politics securing 28 out of 70 Assembly seats in Delhi. Interestingly, Kejriwal formed a government and became Chief Minister of Delhi with support from Congress, the party he had accused of indulging in massive corruption, especially the much talked about 'Commonwealth Ghotala' in 2010. Now in the 2025 election, Kejriwal-led AAP is facing questions over alleged corruption cases in its 10 years of rule and lack of development. The BJP led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has named Kejriwal's party as the "AAP-da model". PM Modi addressed the BJP's booth workers on Wednesday and stated that the strength of the partyas booth workers will ensure a massive win for the party in the upcoming Assembly polls. Hubballi : , Jan 23 (IANS) Former Karnataka Chief Minister and BJP MP Basavaraj Bommai has accused the Congress-led state government of losing control over microfinance institutions (MFIs), leading to widespread harassment of vulnerable citizens. Addressing the media here on Thursday, Bommai alleged that microfinance agencies were resorting to extreme measures, including forcibly seizing even mangalsutras from women. This exploitation, he claimed, has driven families to abandon their homes, with some even taking their own lives. "The government is failing to enforce the law. There is no fear among these institutions, and rowdy elements are being allowed to carry out collections," Bommai said. He criticized the government for its contradictory stance, mentioning that while it claims to support women-centric programmes, it is unable to curb the harassment perpetrated by some microfinance companies. Bommai recalled a law introduced during H.D. Kumaraswamy's tenure as Chief Minister to regulate high-interest lending practices. However, the legislation was stayed by the court. He urged the current government to take steps to lift the stay, impose stringent regulations, and reclaim control over this sector. Meanwhile, Karnataka Home Minister G. Parameshwara acknowledged the issue, stating that the Finance Department must act against MFIs operating without proper licenses. "We are not fully aware of unlicensed microfinance companies in the state, but the Finance Department must intervene," Parameshwara said on Wednesday. He assured that complaints from affected people would prompt immediate action and investigation. The minister also noted recent incidents linked to MFI harassment. "A woman in Tiptur town of Tumakuru district committed suicide due to harassment by MFIs. Similar cases have been reported in and around Tumakuru. We have registered cases and initiated legal action," he said. Parameshwara stressed the need for preventive measures but admitted that proactive monitoring is challenging. "Guidelines exist for microfinance businesses, but violations, especially by unregistered entities, cause problems. Innocent people often invest their money and get trapped. Whenever such violations come to our notice, we will act decisively," he said. One person was killed and 26 were injured, including a baby, as a result of a missile and drone attack by Russian occupiers on the city of Zaporizhia on the night of Thursday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said. "At night, the Russian army fired missiles and drones at Zaporizhia. These were strikes on residential areas and infrastructure. At the moment, one person is known to have died as a result of this terror. Some 26 people were injured, including a two-month-old child," Zelenskyy wrote on Telegram on Thursday morning. According to him, rescuers who eliminated the consequences of the first strike were injured during the repeated shelling. "All relevant services are working on the spot. They are doing everything to help people as much as possible," the head of state said. The President emphasized the need to increase pressure on the Russian Federation due to daily terror. "We need major sanctions against Russia, more air defense to protect our cities and communities, and weapons for our soldiers at the front. Support for Ukraine is what saves lives and cannot wait," Zelenskyy added. Patna, Jan 23 : Former Bihar MLA Anant Singh had a narrow escape on Wednesday after a firing incident, which involved a gunfight and clash between two groups in Nauranga village in Bihar. The incident, allegedly involving the infamous Sonu-Monu gang, has drawn sharp criticism from Opposition leaders over Bihar's deteriorating law and order situation. Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) spokesperson Mritunjay Tiwari condemned the incident, stating that law and order in Bihar has "completely collapsed" and that criminal rule has taken over the state. Tiwari expressed outrage over the fact that such an event unfolded in Patna with around "200 rounds of bullets" being fired, questioning what kind of state Bihar had become under the leadership of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and the NDA government. Tiwari further criticised the Chief Minister's focus on his Pragati Yatra, while criminals run rampant across the state. "What is happening in Bihar? There is a rampage by criminals, and the people in power are busy saving their government while the police's courage is fading," he said. The altercation in Nauranga village began when Anant Singh and his aides visited the area to intervene in a dispute involving the Sonu-Monu gang, which had reportedly taken control of a house. According to sources, tensions rose when the gang members allegedly misbehaved with Singh and his team, leading to a violent exchange of gunfire. After the shootout, police forces from five different stations arrived at the scene to investigate the incident. The attack on Singh highlights the growing concerns over the state's escalating crime and the erosion of the authority of law enforcement agencies in Bihar. Singh stepped out of jail on August 14, 2024 after the Patna High Court acquitted him in a case related to the possession of an AK-47 assault rifle and a bulletproof jacket. He was convicted by the Patna MLA/MP special court and awarded 10 years' imprisonment, which made him lose membership of the Bihar Assembly. Aizawl, Jan 23 : Foreign cigarettes valued at Rs 3.38 crore were seized from Tuichang bridge areas of Lawngtlai district in Mizoram and one person was arrested in this connection, officials said on Thursday. A defence spokesman said that in yet another success in its crusade against smuggling activities, Assam Rifles, along with Mizoram Police personnel recovered 260 cases of foreign cigarettes, smuggled from Myanmar. The accused hails from the Champhai district. The entire consignment has been handed over to the Police Department of Hnahthial under Lawngtlai district for further legal proceedings. The Assam Rifles christened as the 'Sentinels of Northeast', doubled efforts to nab the kingpins behind the smuggling of contraband in Mizoram, an official statement said. Though there are six Mizoram districts - Champhai, Siaha, Lawngtlai, Hnahthial, Saitual and Serchhip - share a 510 km-long unfenced border with Myanmar's Chin state, Champhai district is the hot spot of the smuggling of various drugs, arms and ammunition and various other contraband. The Assam Rifles troops have seized huge quantities of drugs valued at Rs 74 crore in Tripura and Manipur during the past week. On January 16, in a significant blow to the illicit drug trade, the para-military personnel successfully intercepted and recovered a massive cache of banned Yaba tablets and Brown Sugar worth around Rs 62 crore from Mata Village in Manipur's Churachandpur District. The Assam Rifles personnel also arrested two drug peddlers, including a woman, and recovered Rs 3.37 lakh, four smart mobile phones with Indian and Myanmar SIM cards from them. On January 20, in a meticulously planned operation, Assam Rifles seized huge quantities of highly addictive 60,000 methamphetamine tablets also known as Yaba tablets worth Rs 12 crore in West Tripura and arrested two drug peddlers. The drug peddlers were identified as Kanai Das (36) and Kishan Kumar Sarkar (32), both residents of the West Tripura district. The seized drugs and the arrested individuals have been handed over to the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence for further investigation and legal proceedings. Kolkata, Jan 23 : After being suspended from the party earlier this month, Trinamool Congress leader Santanu Sen, who had been most vocal on the issue of R.G. Kar rape and murder case, has now lost his official portfolio in the West Bengal Medical Council. On Thursday, the former Rajya Sabha member, Dr Santanu Sen, a medical professional in personal life and also an alumnus of R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital, was replaced as the West Bengal government representative in the state medical council. Sen was suspended from Trinamool Congress on January 10 because of his alleged involvement in "anti-party activities". Earlier to that, he was also removed from the post of state spokesman of the party. However, at that point in time the Trinamool Congress neither specified the tenure of Sen's suspension nor clarified what they meant by "anti-party activities". Sen's brief reaction to a section of the media on this issue was since the decision was given by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, the highest leader of the party, he was accepting it. He has been replaced in the state medical council by Asim Sarkar. It is learnt that the decision to replace Sen was taken in December last year and now that replacement has been done. Since the R.G. Kar case surfaced, Sen has been extremely vocal within the party on this issue, especially against the former and controversial principal of RG Kar, Sandip Ghosh. Differences and distance between Sen and the Trinamool Congress leadership started since then. Then, a cold war surfaced between Sen and Trinamool Congress legislator and the president of the council, Sudipto Roy, also a medical practitioner, whose office and nursing home were raided by the ED officials in connection with financial irregularities at R.G. Kar. Sudipto Roy was also summoned and questioned at ED's office in Salt Lake on the northern outskirts of Kolkata then. Thiruvananthapuram, Jan 23 : After a tumultuous relationship with outgoing Governor Arif Mohammed Khan, the ruling CPI-M in Kerala appears to be cozying up to the new Governor, Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar. In an article published in the CPI-M's party organ, State Secretary M.V. Govindan praised Governor Arlekar for his conduct. Govindan particularly mentioned Arlekar's decision to read out the Governor's full address, which included remarks critical of the Centre, during the Kerala Legislative Assembly session on January 17. "We all remember what happened in the Assembly in 2024 when then-Governor Arif Mohammad Khan abruptly ended his address in under two minutes. In contrast, the new Governor, despite the anti-Centre remarks in the address, fulfilled his constitutional duty by delivering the entire speech. This is a positive development, and we hope it continues in the days ahead," Govindan wrote. Reports suggest that unlike Khan, who was seen as a politician, Arlekar is regarded as a staunch RSS figure with strong backing from the BJP leadership and RSS top brass. Known for his no-nonsense approach, Arlekar has already demonstrated his assertiveness. On his first day in office, he reinstated key Raj Bhavan officials from the Kerala Police who had been removed, following a meeting with the officiating State Police Chief. On the other hand, Khan's tenure was marked by frequent clashes with Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and his cabinet, often spilling into the public domain. These conflicts culminated in an unceremonious farewell for Khan, with neither Vijayan nor his ministers attending his farewell. In a stark contrast, Vijayan recently interrupted a media briefing to head to the airport and personally welcome Arlekar -- a gesture that signals a potential reset in the relationship between the state government and the Raj Bhavan. Arlekar took oath as Kerala Governor on January 2 replacing Arif Mohammad Khan who moved to Bihar as state's new Governor. Mumbai, Jan 23 : Shahid Kapoor recently featured on Raj Shamani's popular podcast "Figuring Out". During their insightful conversation, the 'Kabir Singh' actor talked about his forthcoming release "Deva", his experience growing up with a single parent, and his views on parenting. Shahid Kapoor was also asked about the attributes that he wants his children to take and not take from him. Reacting to this, the 'Jab We Met' actor was quoted saying, "Always do the right thing, I always try and do the right thing, whether I am liking it, whether someone else is not liking it, whether it is damaging to me, doesn't matter, ill do the right thing." Shahid Kapoor also revealed that he does not want his kids to do his job. He stated, "Kaafi saari cheeze hai, that I do not want them to take from me, I want them to be more confident inherently, which I think they both are. I wasn't inherently that confident. Ideally, I wouldn't want them to do my job, picture mein mat aana yaar. Kuch aur karo, Bohot up and down hota hai yaar, bohot rough hai. (Don't get into acting. Do something else. There are many ups and downs, it's very rough) If they want to, it's their choice, but I would be like choose something simple, this is too complex." The latest episode of Raj Shamani's podcast featuring Shahid Kapoor will be released on 23rd January 2025. In the meantime, Shahid Kapoor shared his experience of playing Dev Ambre during the trailer launch event of "Deva". Calling the film deeply personal, the actor said, "Deva is a piece of my heart," he said. "For many years, people were telling me to do a massy film, something that resonates with the masses. For me, this is the next step in my journey. It's been one of the most challenging films of my career. There's so much in Dev's character that I don't want to reveal just yetyou'll have to watch it on January 31." Helmed by Rosshan Andrrews, "Deva" is expected to reach the audience on 31st January 2025. -- Except for the title, this story has not been edited by Prokerala team and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed New Delhi, Jan 23 : As the BJP continues to level serious accusations against AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal, claiming ties to Khalistani elements, Congress leader Abhay Dubey fired back, suggesting that the BJP's attacks were not just targeting Kejriwal, but also calling into question the role of India's Home Ministry. Speaking to IANS on Thursday, Dubey questioned the BJP's approach, saying, "The BJP is not only questioning Arvind Kejriwal but also the competence of its own Home Minister. Where is Union Home Minister Amit Shah when such serious claims are being made? If the BJP has evidence, they should present it, and appropriate action must follow." Dubey also addressed claims by AAP Rajya Sabha MP, Sanjay Singh, who accused the BJP's Parvesh Verma of distributing money and goods even as the Model Code of Conduct is in force ahead of the February 5 Assembly elections in the national Capital. Dubey criticised the Election Commission of India's (ECI) silence on the issue despite repeated complaints by the AAP. "The ECI's silence raises serious questions about the fairness of our elections. All political parties should demand answers," he said. The Congress leader didn't hold back in criticising the situation in the national Capital further, suggesting that both AAP and BJP were guilty of political missteps, urging them to work together for more transparent elections. "Both the BJP and AAP are misusing their resources. The AAP, just like the BJP, is in power in Delhi and must be held accountable for misusing government resources," he added. Dubey also reacted on Prime Minister Narendra Modi's anticipated visit to the Maha Kumbh Mela in February. "While the Constitution guarantees everyone the freedom to practice their religion, we must ask: What is the real motive behind these visits? Is it to influence voters in Delhi?" he questioned. Meanwhile, Union Home Minister Amit Shah is set to attend the Kumbh Mela on January 27, where he will take a holy dip and perform Ganga Puja. President Murmu is scheduled to attend major events in Prayagraj on February 10 and Vice President Dhankhar will visit on February 1. Security and administrative measures are being ramped up to ensure the smooth visit of these leaders during the religious gathering. New Delhi, Jan 23 : Coining a new term "Alcohol Affected Party" for the ruling party, the Delhi Congress on Thursday came out with an expose -- based on a purported audio clip of a sitting MLA -- on the alleged liquor scam in the national capital under the now-withdrawn excise policy. New Delhi, Jan 23 (IANS) Coining a new term "Alcohol Affected Party" for the ruling party, the Delhi Congress on Thursday came out with an expose -- based on a purported audio clip of a sitting MLA -- on the alleged liquor scam in the national capital under the now-withdrawn excise policy. Congress National Spokesman Pawan Khera shared an audio clip of a sitting AAP MLA in which the latter is purportedly heard opposing the controversial excise policy during a discussion with the then Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia. In the purported conversation, AAP's Narela MLA Sharad Chauhan is heard saying that he objected to the excise policy but Sisodia tells him that it was needed to generate party funds for fighting elections in Gujarat, Goa and Punjab. "At present, the money for the Delhi election is coming from Punjab," said Chauhan in the audio recording. Hitting out at Sisodia, Khera said Delhi voters now do not want a "manager" of liquor scam to provide education to their children. Delhi Pradesh Congress Committee President Devender Yadav said the party was the first to expose the liquor scam and file an FIR in the liquor scam that led to the arrest of AAP leaders and release on bail on stringent terms. He said the Rs 2,000 crore liquor scam was a means for the AAP central leadership to offer money-making opportunities to all its close associates. "The liquor scam has impacted the women the most as the youth and men have been pushed into addiction," Yadav said, adding that at one stage the AAP government had started offering two free bottles of liquor on purchase of one bottle. The actions of the AAP leaders do not match their promise of offering transparent governance, he said. Yadav said the AAP's policy of promoting liquor sales is now hitting Punjab where alcoholism has increased ever since the party came to power. "The presence of an AAP government in Punjab has strengthened the roots of liquor lobby in Delhi as well," he said. The DPCC also launched a campaign song "Zarorat Hogi poori, Dilli mein Congress hai Zarori" with many party leaders shaking a leg on it. New Delhi, Jan 23 : Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's mega rally at Mustafabad in the national capital on Thursday was cancelled due to his poor health and on medical advice, party's Delhi Chief Devender Yadav said. "As of now, Rahul Gandhi's election rally in Madipur on Friday is on schedule and he is likely to address a massive gathering," said Yadav, a day after the Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha failed to turn up for an election rally near Inderlok metro station in Sadar Assembly on Wednesday. Dismissing speculation that the cancellation of Gandhi's rallies was aimed at helping the AAP - by not causing a division of Muslim voters - Yadav said, "These are rumours. We are fighting the election independently." "After the Republic Day, the party leaders are going to step up the campaign in Delhi," he said, indicating a busy schedule for Gandhi and party MP Priyanka Gandhi in the coming days for campaigning for the Assembly elections. Alleging a collusion between the AAP and the BJP, Yadav said when the Congress does not hold a rally then the "elder brother" says we are helping the "younger brother" while the "young brother" alleges that "we are not supporting their fight against the "big brother". The Congress campaign for the February 5 Assembly election was expected to get a big boost from Gandhi's three daily rallies on three successive days, starting January 22, but out of these, two have been cancelled. Gandhi is expected to join the party campaign on Friday with an election rally in West Delhi's Madipur. Earlier, announcing Gandhi's election rally schedule at a press conference at the Delhi Pradesh Congress Committee office, former Delhi Minister Narendra Nath said that the party's star campaigner is expected to raise issues affecting the people of Delhi. He said, apart from "exposing the failure" of the AAP government and the BJP in addressing the ills afflicting the Capital, Rahul Gandhi may also pitch for Dalits to get their dues. The Congress has failed to win even a single seat in the last two Assembly elections for the 70-member House. The party's political drought came after three successive victories in Assembly elections between 1998 and 2008. The result for the current Assembly poll will be announced on February 8. New Delhi, Jan 23 : Even as the US has pulled out from the World Health Organization, Serum Institute of India (SII) chief Adar Poonawalla on Thursday said that the UN health agency's role is essential in global health systems. New Delhi, Jan 23 (IANS) Even as the US has pulled out from the World Health Organization, Serum Institute of India (SII) chief Adar Poonawalla on Thursday said that the UN health agencyas role is essential in global health systems. In a media interview at the World Economic Forum (WEF) 2025 in Davos, Poonawalla said that WHO plays a crucial role in maintaining global standards on medicines and vaccines. In addition, they also contribute to testing, research, and surveillance. "They (WHO) maintain, and sustain global standards for medicines and vaccines, and they're essential for maintaining global health systems, testing, research, and surveillance," Poonawalla said. His comments come as the new Donald Trump-led administration in the US pulled out funding from the WHO. Shortly after his inauguration to a second term, Trump signed the executive order on the withdrawal stating that the WHO mishandled the Covid pandemic and that the agency required "unfairly onerous payments" from the US that were disproportionate to the sums provided by other, larger countries, such as China. The US has long been the largest contributor to the WHO's mission, contributing $1.28 billion in 2022 and 2023 - $400 million more than Germany, the second-largest contributor. Poonawalla called on other nations to step up and bridge the funding gap left by the US. "We've been calling upon leaders and others here to step up to bridge that gap because there are other countries who can and $500 million is not a huge amount in the grand scheme of things for countries to pitch in and contribute." He also shared about how SII is tackling the global malaria challenge by providing vaccines, especially in poor countries. SII is "trying to reduce malaria in countries in Africa by providing vaccines that can save lives", the CEO said, while calling for collaboration between governments and private entities to develop affordable solutions to various other diseases. "With our capacity and partnerships, we aim to ensure that every individual who needs these vaccines gets access to them," he added. Globally, the WHO data reveals that an estimated 2.2 billion cases of malaria and 12.7 million deaths have been averted since 2000, but the disease remains a serious global health threat, particularly in the WHO African Region. In 2023, there were an estimated 263 million cases and 597,000 malaria deaths worldwide -- representing about 11 million more cases in 2023 compared to 2022, and nearly the same number of deaths. Poonawalla noted that SII has been shipping the R21/Matrix-M malaria vaccine to African countries, which has an efficacy of 77 per cent. New Delhi, Jan 23 : Cement maker UltraTech Cement on Thursday reported more than 17 per cent decline in its consolidated net profit for Q3 FY25 at Rs 1,470 crore, compared to Rs 1,774.78 crore in the year-ago period. However, the companyas consolidated revenue from operations increased by nearly 3 per cent year-on-year to Rs 17,193 crore. The growth was driven by higher sales volumes and better price realisations across its segments. Following the announcement, UltraTech Cementas share price went up by almost 6 per cent to Rs 11,333 on the NSE, extending the gains it made before the results. UltraTech's consolidated earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortisation (EBITDA) dropped 8 per cent year-on-year to Rs 3,131 crore. However, its operating EBITDA per tonne for domestic grey cement improved sequentially to Rs 964. The realisation per tonne for grey cement declined 9.6 per cent year-on-year but saw a slight quarter-on-quarter improvement of 1.4per cent, reaching Rs 4,970. The company saw growth in cement sales volumes. Domestic grey cement sales increased by 10.5 per cent year-on-year to 28.1 million tonnes, supported by rising demand in rural areas and government spending on infrastructure, it informed in the exchange filing. Additionally, white cement and ReadyMix Concrete (RMC) volumes grew by 6 per cent and 14 per cent, respectively. UltraTech also reported lower logistics and fuel costs due to shorter delivery distances, improved efficiencies, and a higher use of green power. The share of green power rose to 33.4 per cent in Q3 FY25, compared to 24.1 per cent a year earlier. The recent acquisition of India Cements Limited, effective December 24, 2024, added 14.45 million tonnes to UltraTechas grey cement capacity. The companyas total domestic grey cement capacity is now projected to reach 209.3 million tonnes by FY27. Europe should support Trump's sanctions ultimatum to Putin - this opinion was expressed by Lithuanian Foreign Minister (2020-2024) Gabrielius Landsbergis on Platform X. According to the former minister, Trump put Putin in a difficult position by "issuing an ultimatum." "I'm sure this is not the way Putin expected things to work... Now Putin has to choose - accept that he fears new sanctions because his economy is a shambles, or prove that his imperialist ambitions will not be limited by these demands," Landsbergis wrote on X. "The ultimatum is a step in the right direction, but we must do more - not only sanctions, but also military support and security guarantees," the Lithuanian politician said. "By the way, if it wants to appear credible, the EU could at least announce support for Trumps sanctions. And I trust that now even Orban will have to agree," Landsbergis wrote. Sydney, Jan 23 : A damaging storm that hit Australia's east coast in the early hours of Thursday morning has left thousands of people without electricity and major roads blocked by fallen trees. The electrical storm hit the east coast town of Grafton, almost 500 km north of Sydney, the capital city of the state of New South Wales (NSW), before dawn on Thursday and moved north into Queensland, delivering intense rainfall and wind speeds exceeding 100 km per hour, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation reported. The storm caused widespread damage, bringing down trees and power cables. As of 9:30 am local time, over 25,000 homes and businesses were without power. The State Emergency Service (SES), which said it was caught off guard by the storm, received more than 100 calls for help. Work to restore power to properties affected by blackouts has begun, Xinhua news agency reported. In another incident, a man died and the other man was injured in a house fire in western suburbs of Melbourne, the capital city of Australia's state of Victoria. Emergency services were called to the house in Deer Park, about 16 km west of central Melbourne, at about 12 pm local time on Thursday after the fire started in a bedroom, the ABC reported. Police said that two people were in the home at the time. One man died at the scene and the other man in his 30s was taken to a nearby hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. Fire and rescue authorities said that the fire was contained to one bedroom and was brought under control in less than 15 minutes. The cause of the fire has not yet been determined. It is the second deadly house fire in the area in seven days. A 27-year-old woman was killed on January 16 when a house in the neighbouring suburb of Truganina was targetted in an arson attack that police said was a case of mistaken identity. Bhopal, Jan 23 : Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav on Thursday paid tributes to legendary freedom fighter Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose on his birth anniversary. Chief Minister Yadav paid floral tributes to the iconic leader at Subhas Chowk in Bhopal. On the occasion, he was accompanied by State BJP president V. D. Sharma and party's state organisational secretary Hitanand Sharma and some other party leaders. Remembering the Subhas Chandra Bose, Chief Minister Yadav said the iconic freedom fighter devoted his life to the nation. He said that despite clearing Indian Civil Services (ICS), Netaji decided not to work under the British government. "Clearing the ICS exam at the time was a big achievement, but Netaji decided to take the path of patriotism and make the country free from British rule," CM Yadav said. Born in 1897, Bose was a charismatic and popular leader who rose to become the president of the Congress in 1938 but fell out with the party after he advocated for raising military, to fight India's colonial rulers. "Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose became Congress president but the Congress didn't like him. Later, he established his army (Azad Hind Fauj) to fight against British rule," he added. Notably, in 2021, the Modi government officially designated January 23 as Parakram Diwas (Valour Day) to mark the birth anniversary of Subhas Chandra Bose. The day aims to honour his legacy and motivate citizens, especially the youth, to emulate his bravery and national pride. Plans were also underway to construct a National Memorial dedicated to Netaji on the Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose Dweep. On the occasion of Parakram Diwas 2025, a grand celebration is scheduled to unfold from January 23 to January 25 at Barabati Fort in the historic city of Cuttack, the birthplace of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose. Known for his indomitable spirit, visionary leadership, and dedication to equality, Netaji continues to inspire generations of Indians. Hyderabad, Jan 23 : Police have intensified the probe into the bone-chilling crime of a man who killed his wife, cut her corpse into pieces and boiled them in a pressure cooker. Forensic teams were gathering evidence from the house in New Venkateswara Nagar Colony in Jillelaguda under the limits of Meerpet Police Station of Rachakonda Police Commissionerate on the outskirts of Hyderabad. Police have reportedly found traces of bones from Jillelaguda Lake in which accused Guru Murthy had thrown body parts of Venkata Madhavi (35) after boiling them in a cooker at his house. Police continued questioning the 39-year-old accused, an ex-serviceman presently working as a security guard at DRDO in Kanchan Bagh on a contract basis. According to police, the couple originally hail from Prakasam district of Andhra Pradesh. Married 13 years ago, they have a son and a daughter. The family had been living in a rented house in New Venkateswara Nagar Colony in Jillelaguda of Balapur mandal in Rangareddy district for the last five years. Police said they took up the investigation after Madhavias mother Subbamma lodged a complaint on January 18 that she was not seen. According to the complaint, Madhavi had left the house after a fight with her husband. Guru Murthy had accompanied Subamma to Meerpet Police Station to lodge the complaint. The police, which took up the investigation into the missing complaint, scanned the footage from CCTVs in front of the house. Police did not find any visuals of Madhavi leaving the house while the suspicious movements of Guru Murthy were recorded. Police grilled Guru Murthy, who initially tried to mislead the investigators but finally admitted his crime. However, the police are not entirely depending on the statement of the accused for the investigation as he gave incoherent answers to some of the questions. The accused reportedly shared shocking details of his brutal act. The couple had an argument on January 16 when the children were not at home. The accused hit her head with a heavy object resulting in her death. To dispose of the body, he cut it into pieces with a knife used to cut mutton. He then put the pieces into a cooker and boiled them. The accused later packed the pieces in plastic covers and threw them in a nearby lake. Different teams of police were working to gather clues both from the house and the lake. The police are likely to declare details of the sensational case after completing the investigation. They are also trying to ascertain if the accused killed a dog and disposed of its corpse before repeating the same with his wifeas body. Meanwhile, shocked over the incident, immediate neighbours of Guru Murthy in the colony locked their houses and left the area. New Delhi, Jan 23 : A 40-year-old man from Bengaluru with travel history to Dubai has reportedly tested positive for Mpox. The man has been admitted to Victoria Hospital and is undergoing treatment, media reports said. Further investigations are underway to confirm other details of the suspected case. Mpox caused widespread concern in 2024, with about 15 countries in Africa battling the deadly infection, forcing the World Health Organization (WHO) to declare a public health emergency of international concern in mid-August. The outbreak began with the emergence of the poorly understood but more dangerous clade 1b variant. It was first detected in the DRC in September 2023. The strain was also reported in countries including Sweden and Thailand. More recently, Britain's health security agency (UKHSA) reported a case of the mpox variant clade Ib in England -- the sixth case in the country since October last year. Clade 1b is a deadlier Mpox strain, posing a notable risk to children. In 2024, India also reported about three cases of Mpox, but the case belonged to clade IIb -- responsible for the 2022 outbreak. Symptoms of Mpox include fever, blisters, swollen lymph nodes, and rectal bleeding; early detection is critical. The WHO also prequalified Bavarian Nordicas vaccine against Mpox -- a first against the deadly monkeypox virus (MPXV). Modified Vaccinia Ankara-Bavarian Nordic or MVA-BN is indicated for active immunisation against smallpox, mpox, and related orthopoxvirus infections and disease in all adults 18 years of age and older. The vaccine can be administered as a 2-dose injection given 4 weeks apart. The WHO defines Mpox as a viral illness caused by the monkeypox virus -- a species of the genus Orthopoxvirus. It can be transmitted to humans through physical contact with someone infectious, with contaminated materials, or with infected animals. The common symptoms include skin rash or mucosal lesions, which can last 2 to 4 weeks. These are typically followed by fever, headache, muscle aches, back pain, low energy, and swollen lymph nodes, which resolve independently. However, in some cases, it can turn fatal. Ankara, Jan 23 : The death toll from the devastating fire at Turkey's Kartalkaya ski resort in northwestern Bolu province has risen to 78, and 11 people have been detained in connection with the incident, Turkish Justice Minister Yilmaz Tunc said Thursday. Among the detainees are Bolu municipality's Deputy Mayor responsible for the fire department, the fire chief, and the owner and the manager of the hotel, Tunc said on social media platform X, adding that investigations are ongoing. The fire, which broke out in the early hours of Tuesday, spread rapidly through the 12-story wooden hotel. Initial investigations suggest that the fire originated in the restaurant area on the fourth floor before engulfing the upper levels. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan declared a national day of mourning on Wednesday. "Those who caused such a disaster in any way, those who have negligence and fault will be held accountable before the law," Erdogan said at a press conference after the cabinet meeting. He added that 17 of the wounded had been discharged and the treatment of the other wounded, one of whom is in intensive care, continued, Xinhua news agency reported. The hotel was accommodating 238 guests during the busy holiday season. Kartalkaya is a popular ski resort in the Koroglu mountains, some 300 km east of Istanbul. Bolu is a city in northern Turkey, and administrative centre of the Bolu Province and of Bolu District, located on the highway between Istanbul and Ankara. Located at the top of the Koroglu Mountains, 38 km from Bolu city centre, the ski and mountain hotel is spread over an area of 60,000 square metres. It is one of Turkey's premier winter tourism destinations, attracting thousands of visitors during the ski season. Prayagraj, Jan 23 : The Namami Gange Pavilion, set up by the Namami Gange Mission to spread the message of cleanliness and conservation of the holy river, is attracting a large number of visitors every day at the Maha Kumbh-2025 The pavilion begins with an interactive biodiversity tunnel that offers visitors an experience of the Ganga's biodiversity and natural beauty. Equipped with modern projection technology, this tunnel showcases the chirping of birds on the banks of the Ganga and highlights the importance of the river. The main attraction of the pavilion is the digital exhibition, which presents the various efforts for the cleanliness and conservation of the Ganga. Another highlight is the Prayag Platform, which displays real-time data on the Ganga-Yamuna rivers and their tributaries. This platform provides information on water levels, cleanliness, and pollution-related statistics. The pavilion also showcases riverfront development and the functioning of sewage treatment plants along the banks of the Ganga. This exhibition helps visitors understand how the government and its organisations are making technical and structural efforts to maintain the cleanliness of the Ganga. The pavilion features replicas of creatures found in the Ganga, such as the Ganga dolphin, turtles, crocodiles, and fish. This initiative is proving to be educational, especially for children and youth, allowing them to understand the Ganga's biodiversity and the importance of its conservation. The exhibition also features a special Reading Corner set up by the National Book Trust (NBT), where a collection of books related to the Ganga, Maha Kumbh, social policies, and national pride is available. Institutions like the Indian Institute of Forest Management, Ganga Task Force, and IIT Delhi are sharing information on the conservation of endangered species of the Ganga, public awareness, and waste management. This information is helping emphasize the Ganga's significance and raise awareness among the public. The pavilion also features a statue of Lord Ganesh, symbolising the purity and cleanliness of the Ganga. The Namami Gange Mission has appealed to the devotees coming to the Maha Kumbh to recognise that the Ganga is not just a river but an integral part of India's culture, history, and economic life. Keeping it clean and preserved is the duty of every citizen. New Delhi, Jan 23 : The Republic Day parade will be a powerful showcase of the strength, valour and discipline of armed forces, an army official said on Thursday. He noted that in preparation for the parade, a full dress rehearsal was organised at Kartavya Path on Wednesday. "The 76th Republic Day Parade on 26 January will be a grand celebration of India's rich heritage and its progress as a nation," the official said. He pointed out that the Army's Bhishma Tank-T90, SARATH Infantry Carrying Vehicle BMP-II, NAMIS (Nag Missile System), CHETAK (All Terrain Vehicle), BRAHMOS, AGNIBAAN and PINAKA missile system will be displayed at Kartavya Path on Republic Day. "The army will also showcase its KAPIDHWAJ (Specialist Mobility Vehicle), BAJRANG (Light Specialist Vehicle), AIRAWAT (Vehicle Mounted Infantry Mortar System), NANDIGHOSH (Quick Reaction Force Vehicle (Heavy), TRIPURANTAK (Quick Reaction Force Vehicle (Medium), SANJAY (Battlefield Surveillance System (High Altitude Areas), SANJAY (Battlefield Surveillance System (Desert), LAGHU ANTARAL SETU PRANALI 10M (Short Span Bridging System 10M) and Akash Weapon System," the official said. The official added that the Brigade of the Guards, Mechanised Infantry Regiment, Punjab Regiment, Rajput Regiment, JAT Regiment Contingent, Garhwal Rifles Regiment Contingent, Sikh Light Infantry and Bihar Regiment will also participate in the marching and band contingents of the Army during the parade. He said that before the parade, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will lead the nation in paying tribute to the martyrs by laying a wreath at the National War Memorial. "The parade will begin at 10:30 AM with the 'National Salute' and will continue for 90 minutes, reflecting the journey of India's heritage and growth," the official said. He said that during the parade the army will display New Generation Equipment in Mechanised Column. "Six marching contingents from the Army, 08 Mechanised Columns and Mounted Cavalry will participate," he said. He further added that there will be tableaux of Department of Military Affairs (DMA) and Veterans. "The motorcycle display by the Corps of Signals (Army) will be one of the major attractions of the Republic Day celebration at Kartavya Path," he said. He added that there will also be a showering of flower petals by the IAF helicopters. "In the end, the fighter jets of the Indian Air Force will perform fly past," he said. The official pointed out that Param Vir Chakra and Ashok Chakra awardees will also be a part of the parade. "Indonesian Contingent and Band will march at Kartavya Path (Country of Chief Guest). There will be a veteran's tableau: Swarmin Bharat: Virasat aur Vikas," he said, adding that the Navy Brass Band, Navy Marching Contingent and Navy Tableau will exhibit achievements of the Indian Navy. "Indian Coast Guards will have their band and a marching contingent and a tableau showing coastal security - maritime search and rescue," he said. The army official said that the parade will follow the route from Vijay Chowk to the National Stadium along Kartavya Path, with President Droupadi Murmu, taking the salute during this prestigious event. "The Indian Army will be represented by a Mounted Column, 08 Mechanised Columns, and 06 Marching Contingents. Lt Gen Bhavnish Kumar, General Officer Commanding Delhi Area will be the Parade Commander and the the Parade second in command is Maj Gen Sumit, VSM, Chief of Staff, Delhi Area," the official added. --IANS gcb/dan Chandigarh, Jan 23 : A Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) delegation on Thursday met Gurudwara Elections Chief Commissioner Justice (Retd) S.S. Saron and requested him to extend the process for registration of voters for the Shiromani committee elections to March 31, besides weeding out all bogus votes. The SAD delegation, led by working President Balwinder Singh Bhundar, former President Sukhbir Badal and SGPC president Harjinder Singh Dhami, presented the memorandum to Justice Saron. Sukhbir Badal informed Justice Saron that the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government had directed booth-level officers to register votes en mass from voter lists due to which thousands of non-Sikhs had been given the voting right for the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak (SGPC) elections. He said besides this, names of genuine voters were being deleted even as bogus votes were being added as part of the "conspiracy to take over control of the SGPC by hook or by crook". Badal urged the Chief Commissioner to issue directions for reviewing all voter lists so that bogus could be deleted. He also appealed to the Chief Commissioner to extend the time for making new votes, saying several eligible voters had still been left out of the election process. Badal also gave the example of Himachal Pradesh where the voter list has not been made till now. Later, while briefing newspersons about the memorandum, Daljit Singh Cheema said SAD stood for registration of genuine voters but it was condemnable that the AAP government was "coming in the way" of this exercise. He said the situation was such that thousands of non-Sikhs who had not applied to be registered as voters for the elections had been given this right. He said the delegation had also apprised the Chief Commissioner about the Sikh "rehat maryada" under which it was compulsory to suffix Singh or Kaur with Sikh names. "We have submitted voter lists to the commission in which the names of voters are in contravention to the Sikh rehat maryada," Cheema said. SAD working President Bhundar said the delegation had also requested Justice Saron to ensure that rules governing the registration of voters were adhered to. New Delhi, Jan 23 : The Delhi High Court on Thursday agreed to examine a plea alleging "manipulation" in Delhi University Students' Union (DUSU) Executive Committee polls. New Delhi, Jan 23 (IANS) The Delhi High Court on Thursday agreed to examine a plea alleging "manipulation" in Delhi University Students' Union (DUSU) Executive Committee polls. Issuing a notice, a Bench of Justice Jyoti Singh sought responses of Delhi University, its Chief Election Officer, Election Officer DUSU Executive Committee, and other respondents on a plea filed by Mustafa Ali, a second year student in South Campus' Department of Finance and Business Economics. In his petition, Mustafa Ali, an elected Central Councillor from the South Delhi Campus, contended that a "manipulated, illegal and arbitrary" voter list was created by the Election Officer for the benefit of certain candidates in the DUSU Executive Committee elections. "It is a matter of fact that no elections were conducted by Respondent No. 3 (Department of Buddhist) for the Post of President and Central Councillor and hence these seats were vacant. [T]he Department in its own statement denies its membership with DUSU and on the other hand is illegally nominating members for the DUSU Central Council which are affecting the Executive Council elections," stated the petition. The plea questioned the nomination of two students as President and Central Councillor just a few hours before the elections for the DUSU Executive Committee 2024-2025, adding that the "intention of the University of Delhi and Department of Buddhist was clear from their actions, they wanted to manipulate the election results". "It is submitted that on 21/12/2024 the voter list for DUSU Executive Committee 2024-2025 was published by the University of Delhi on its website, in this voter list there were 146 voters (No member from the Department of Buddhist). The last date for filing nomination was 23/12/2024 and the final candidates' list was published on 24/12/2024 by the election officer. It is submitted here that just 2 days before the date of the election a new voter list for DUSU Executive Committee Election 2024-2025 was published by the Election Officer containing 148 votes (including the President and Central Councillor from the Department of Buddhist) in the late evening of 26/12/2024," stated the plea, filed through advocate Ashu Bidhuri. It added that the petitioner regularly gave his representations to the authorities before and after the date of voting but no action has been taken till now and the authorities failed to address the grievances raised. As per the petition, after completion of the DUSU polls, the varsity further conducts elections for the Executive Committee as mandated by the Delhi University Student Union Constitution. "All the members of the DUSU central council (Elected President and Central Councillors from each college/department) are eligible to vote and contest elections for the DUSU Executive Committee elections," it said. New Delhi, Jan 23 : Calling the ruling AAP in Delhi an 'ATM for dispensing lies', Uttar Pradesh (UP) Chief Minister, Yogi Adityanath, on Thursday fired up the BJP's Assembly poll campaign, asking voters to repeat their Lok Sabha election verdict against Arvind Kejriwal and team for "pursuing politics of divide and rule". Addressing a massive election rally in Kirari Assembly constituency for BJP candidate Bajrang Shukla, CM Adityanath said, "Their policy of giving financial assistance to priests initially did not include temple pujaris and when it did, it excluded heads of Valmiki temples." "The AAP's agenda does not include priests of Valmiki temples," he said, adding that the scheme for paying salaries to heads of religious places started with Moulvis as part of their polarisation strategy. "Their policy of 'Banto aur raj karo (divide and rule)' got exposed even in the scheme for giving honorarium to heads of places of worship," he said, calling the AAP a 'jhoot ka ATM (ATM for dispensing lies).' Showcasing the performance of "double-engine" governments in states around Delhi and in the Hindi belt UP, Haryana, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh, the saffron-clad UP CM hit out at Kerjwal and Atishi governments for failure to clean the Yamuna, remove mountains of garbage, provide infrastructure push and affordable and continuous power supply. Taking to task the ruling AAP over a polluted Yamuna, he said, "The quality of water of the Yamuna is far better in Prayagraj than what it is in Delhi." He also targeted the AAP government for failure to improve or beautify any place of worship in Delhi. "Look what has been done under Prime Minister Narendra Modi at Kashi, Ayodhya and Prayagraj. Today, 1,000 places of worship in UP are getting a facelift," he said. Taking a swipe at the Delhi government for power cuts and costly electricity, the UP CM said, "The rate of one unit of power in Delhi is almost three times the Rs 3.50-Rs 4 that we charge for one unit in UP." Seeking a massive mandate for the BJP in Delhi, CM Adityanath said during the Lok Sabha elections, the AAP's top leader had sought votes by saying that through their verdict they should decide whether he would remain in jail or not. "By giving 7-0 mandate in LS elections in the BJP's favour, the voters in Delhi have already given a verdict against the AAP. I am sure, they are just waiting to repeat it in the Assembly elections," he said. Elections to pick a 70-member Assembly will be held in Delhi on February 5 and results will be declared on February 8. The BJP is banking upon star campaigners like PM Modi and CM Adityanath to return to power in Delhi after 27 years. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine and the Main Intelligence Agency of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine successfully conducted a joint operation to free three Ukrainian sailors from the captivity of the Yemeni Houthis, where they had been held for over a year. "Three Ukrainian citizens were detained during the hijacking of the cargo ship Galaxy Leader in November 2023. Negotiations on their release have been ongoing since then," the press service of the Foreign Ministry reported. Now the three Ukrainians are safe and in the care of Ukrainian diplomats, are in good physical condition and have all the necessary documents. They will soon return to Ukraine. "Grateful to our colleagues at the Main Intelligence Agency for the successful joint operation to free Ukrainian citizens," the department noted. Ukraine also expressed special gratitude to the Sultanate of Oman and, in particular, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Oman for their attention to the fate of the three Ukrainians and mediation in facilitating their release from captivity. "We expect further active development of bilateral relations after the opening of a foreign diplomatic institution of Ukraine," the MFA added. Kochi, Jan 23 : Five CPI-M members have moved the Ernakulam sessions court seeking anticipatory bail in the abduction case of the woman councillor, Kala Raju, of the Koothattukulam municipality. The alleged abduction of Raju occurred when she publicly expressed dissatisfaction with her party and indicated her intent to vote against CPI-M directives in a municipal poll on January 18. She was reportedly assaulted and forcibly taken away by her own party members while she was attempting to participate in the voting process. She recorded her statement on Wednesday before the magistrate. The local police also arrested four CPI-M members related to the case however the Congress-led UDF and Raju stated that the arrested accused were not the real culprits. After a furore in the ongoing Assembly session and the news that the arrested four accused were not the real culprits, the police booked a few others along with the five members who had approached the court for anticipatory bail. All five CPI-M members have denied the allegations, describing the case as politically motivated and an attempt to tarnish their reputation. In their anticipatory bail plea, they have alleged that Kala Raju has been influenced by UDF workers and that the present complaint, filed by her children, is only an attempt to defame CPI-M workers. "The mother of the de facto complainant is influenced by the UDF party workers and counsellors. The instant crime is registered in pursuant to a planned attempt to defame and corner the CPI-M party workers," the petition read. The Left Democratic Front (LDF) - to which the CPI-M belongs - presently holds 13 seats in the municipal council, which forms the majority of the 25-member council. The LDF is facing opposition from 11 UDF members and one independent member. The UDF had planned to move a no-confidence motion against the municipal body's chairperson, Vijaya Sivan from the CPI-M on January 18, but due to the massive uprising which led to the extent of Raju coming under attack and also saw her dress being torn and forcefully taken away in a car. It was based on Raju's children that a criminal complaint in the matter, in which 50 individuals from the CPI-M were accused of being complicit in the alleged crime. However, the four who were earlier arrested were given a rousing reception when they came out of the jail on Thursday by the local CPI-M workers. Imphal, Jan 23 : Manipur Chief Minister N. Biren Singh on Thursday said that the state on its eastern side has been facing illegal infiltration problems from Myanmar, adding an alert is also being maintained in the state's western as well as southern regions to block the illegal entry of people from the neighbouring country. The Chief Minister said that Manipur has an inter-state border (204 km) with Assam. He said that Assam along with Tripura have also been facing infiltration problems from Bangladesh. "If Assam could not detect the illegal infiltrators from Bangladesh, these migrants might enter into Manipur," Biren Singh told the media. Assam and Tripura share a 263 km and 856 km border with Bangladesh, respectively. However, most parts of the international frontiers of the two states have been fenced off, but some patches still remain unfenced. The Chief Minister said that besides the security forces, indigenous people in general must be alerted about the illegal infiltration from across the border. Giving a stern warning against those people spreading wrong information and rumours, he said that appropriate strict action would be taken as per law against those people spreading hate speeches, false and fabricated information and narratives through the social media. "No one has the right to disturb society, individuals and any family by spreading hate speeches, false and fictitious information through the social media," Biren Singh said, adding that the government would not tolerate any irresponsible statements and views on social media. The Chief Minister announced that with the improvement of the law and order situation in the state, the state government has resumed the "Go to Hills" mission to take the administration to the door steps of the people. He said, on Wednesday, the state cabinet meeting was held in the tribal inhabited Tamenglong district, and with the guidance of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, various projects worth around Rs 300 crore have been announced. "The state's Tamenglong district was once the most backward district and now one of the most developed districts in the country," the Chief Minister claimed. Biren Singh, who holds the Home portfolio, said that as part of the government's "war against drugs", Manipur Police along with paramilitary and other security forces have regularly been destroying illegal poppy cultivation, mostly in the hilly areas. Shivamogga : , Jan 23 (IANS) The Karnataka BJP on Thursday said that if the Lokayukta gives Chief Minister Siddaramaiah a clean chit in the Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) case, the party would fight against it. Karnataka BJP President and MLA B.Y. Vijayendra, while speaking to the media on Thursday in Shivamogga said, "If the reports in the media are true and the Lokayukta investigative agency has given a clean chit to the Chief Minister in the MUDA scam, it is evident that the investigation has not been conducted properly. "The BJP's long-standing suspicions that the Lokayukta has bowed to the CM's pressure seem to have come true." Vijayendra added, "Recently, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) released a press note detailing the financial irregularities in the MUDA, which they have also shared with the media. On the other hand, the Karnataka High Court has also exposed the MUDA scam in detail. Amid this, the Chief Minister and the state government have also tried to insult and demean the Honourable Governor, which is objectionable." "If it is true that the Lokayukta report was submitted just before the High Court ruling, then this is certainly not right. There is no sanctity to such a report," he claimed. Responding to a question, he remarked, "The ED cannot release statements to the media without evidence. If the ED has pointed out irregularities in the MUDA, it must be backed by proof. In light of the ED report, it appears that the Chief Minister rushed to secure a clean chit, leaving no room for doubt about this development." Meanwhile, speaking to reporters in Bengaluru, the Leader of Opposition R. Ashoka alleged on Thursday that, "Despite the ED seizing assets in the MUDA scam, the Lokayukta police have taken no action, and attempts are being made to close the case." Ashoka claimed, "The BJP has strongly fought against the MUDA scam and the irregularities in the Valmiki Development Corporation. In the MUDA scam alone, irregularities amounting to Rs 4,000-5,000 crore have taken place." "CM Siddaramaiah returning 14 sites proves his involvement. Despite the ED seizing properties, the Lokayukta police are trying to shut down the case without taking any action," Ashoka claimed. He added, "Therefore, we demand that this case be handed over to the CBI. Officials are being blamed for the scam, but the role of CM Siddaramaiah is being covered up. The BJP will continue its fight against this." He further added, "The Lokayukta police work under the state government. They also need transfers and promotions, which influences the way investigations are conducted. Even if the police submit a report, it is certain that CM Siddaramaiah will be given a clean chit." Ashoka stressed, "Only if this case is handed over to the CBI will the truth come out. Former Minister B. Nagendra was given a clean chit by the SIT, and similarly, CM Siddaramaiah is sure to be given one as well. Hence, we are resuming our fight and will continue until the investigation is handed over to the CBI." Karnataka Lokayukta probing the MUDA case, has given a clean chit to Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and his wife B.M. Parvathi, sources confirmed on Thursday. CM Siddaramaiah is the accused number one and Parvathi is named as the second accused. Sources revealed that the team headed by Mysuru Lokayukta SP, T.J. Udesh has concluded the investigation and is all set to submit the report to the court on January 27. The Lokayukta is making final consultations with the legal experts before the submission of the court, sources added. The Karnataka High Court had adjourned the hearing in the plea seeking a CBI probe into a case related to the alleged irregularities in the MUDA to January 27. The development is likely to trigger a controversy as investigations by the ED have found the involvement of CM Siddaramaiah in the scam. However, CM Siddaramaiah had maintained that the ED statement against him is politically motivated. According to sources, the report by the Lokayukta has categorically stated that no role of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has been found in the MUDA case. The report stated that there are irregularities and discrepancies regarding the process of denotification and conversion of land and the violations in this regard were committed by the officers. The report further stated that the MUDA Commissioner and the Revenue officers were involved in the scam by violating the rules and guidelines. Bengaluru, Jan 23 : BJP MLA Gali Janardhana Reddy said on Thursday that Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar is trying to persuade BJP's prominent leader B. Sriramulu to join the Congress party in an attempt to counter Minister for PWD Satish Jarkiholi. Addressing a press conference on Thursday in Bengaluru, Reddy said that Sriramulu's dissatisfaction with BJP leaders is becoming evident. Sources claim that Minister Satish Jarkiholi is a close confidant of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and that the Jarkiholi brothers are accused of running a political stronghold in the Belagavi region. Satish Jarkiholi has openly challenged Shivakumar within the party. Shivakumar is reportedly the mentor of Minister for Women and Child Welfare Laxmi Hebbalkar, who has been challenging the dominance of Satish Jarkiholi and his brothers in Belagavi, according to sources. Reddy further alleged that Shivakumar, in a bid to contain Satish Jarkiholi, is in talks with Sriramulu. "If Sriramulu wants to quit the BJP, he can make that decision. His consideration of leaving the party is not new; he had left the BJP earlier to start his own BSR party. I had advised him against quitting the BJP at the time," Reddy said. "I had asked Sriramulu to stay in the BJP as there was a chance of the CBI arresting me. He did not listen to me then. Now, if he wants to listen to someone else and leave the BJP, let him go ahead," Reddy added. He added that however, Sriramulu should not drag my name into this. In the Ballari region, there is talk of Sriramulu leaving the BJP. In response, former Minister Sriramulu, speaking to the media in Ballari city on Thursday, dismissed the allegations made by his former ally turned rival Reddy. He clarified that he has no plans to quit the BJP. "I won't quit the party. When I offered to resign due to humiliation at the recently held core committee meeting, people asked if I was planning to leave the BJP. I said I would meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah. I made it clear that I will not betray the trust of Modi and Amit Shah," Sriramulu stated. "Who am I to counter Minister Satish Jarkiholi? Leaders from the Valmiki community are already present in the Congress party. Even after my electoral defeat, I remain influential in the BJP. The claim that Deputy Shivakumar is trying to use me to counter Satish Jarkiholi is false," he clarified. "When a powerful person portrays a lie as the truth, it may be perceived as the truth. In such situations, the truth is often overshadowed by lies," Sriramulu said. "More than anything, self-respect is important. Against this backdrop, I considered resigning from the party. I am the one who built the BJP in the Ballari region for six years when Reddy was in jail. I have been elected MLA six times. Reddy has only won the MLA election once. I also won a Lok Sabha election. When Reddy was released from prison, I welcomed him to Ballari by gathering 25,000 people in 2018," Sriramulu pointed out. "Reddy is upset because I didn't welcome him this time," he added. Sriramulu further said, "He is trying to portray me as a criminal. I don't have a single criminal case against me. He talks as if he has a clean record. I have all the documents against him and will expose him at the right time," he stated, without directly naming Reddy. The infighting within the Karnataka BJP has come to the forefront, with former minister B. Sriramulu accusing MLA Gali Janardhana Reddy of attempting to undermine his political career on Wednesday. Sriramulu, a prominent leader representing the oppressed classes, has expressed his willingness to resign from the party in response to these tensions. Sriramulu had claimed that BJP Karnataka in-charge Radha Mohan Agarwal had humiliated him during a recent state core committee meeting. According to Sriramulu, Agarwal blamed him for the party's defeat in the by-election for the Sandur Assembly constituency. "Agarwal alleged that I did not work for BJP candidate Bangaru Hanumantha, leading to the party's loss," Sriramulu said. New Delhi, Jan 23 : Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri will be visiting Beijing on January 26-27 for a meeting of the Foreign Secretary-Vice Minister mechanism between India and China, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) announced on Thursday. "The resumption of this bilateral mechanism flows from the agreement at the leadership level to discuss the next steps for India-China relations, including in the political, economic, and people-to-people domains," read a statement issued by the MEA. Last month, National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval had travelled to Beijing to meet Chinese Vice President Han Zheng. During the meeting, NSA Doval had emphasised that the resumption of the meeting between special representatives of both countries for the boundary question after an interval of five years is an important move to implement the consensus reached by the leaders of the two countries, and is of great significance for advancing bilateral relations. India and China had also decided to give "positive directions" for cross-border cooperation and exchanges, including resumption of the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra, data sharing on trans-border rivers and border trade, during the 23d meeting of the Special Representatives (SRs) of India and China which was attended by NSA Doval and Wang Yi, Member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and China's Minister of Foreign Affairs. The two representatives had met in accordance with the decision taken during the meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping in the Russian city of Kazan on the sidelines of the BRICS Summit in October 2024 which decided the future course of meetings to oversee the management of peace and tranquillity in border areas and to explore a fair, reasonable and mutually acceptable solution to the boundary question. PM Modi had conveyed it to the Chinese President that India-China ties have to be based on three mutuals - mutual trust, mutual respect and mutual sensitivity - if they have to return to a positive trajectory and remain sustainable. "We welcome the consensus reached on issues that have arisen on the India-China border in the last four years. Maintaining peace and stability on the border should remain our top priority. Mutual trust, mutual respect and mutual sensitivity form the basis of our relations," said PM Modi following the significant bilateral meeting with Xi Jinping - the first at the delegation level in nearly five years. Shivamogga, Jan 23 : Amid demands over his replacement as State BJP Chief, B. Y. Vijayendra said on Thursday that everything will be clear in the coming days. Shivamogga, Jan 23 (IANS) Amid demands over his replacement as State BJP Chief, B. Y. Vijayendra said on Thursday that everything will be clear in the coming days. Addressing the media in Shivamogga, Vijayendra said, "Our workers have shown appreciation for my efforts. It is natural for a few to express dissatisfaction, but their dissatisfaction is not about my leadership. We operate in a democratic system. Elections for district president positions are already underway, and elections for the state president position will also be held. There will be proper answers to all issues in the coming days." "A few senior leaders have been making statements against me. Recently, BJP National General Secretary Radha Mohan Das Agarwal, party co-in-charge Sudhakar Reddy and Ponn Radhakrishnan participated in a meeting. Around 55-60 MLAs, MLCs, and MPs attended the meeting. Reports in newspapers and the media have stated that 80-90 per cent of the attendees appreciated my work as state president and expressed their support for continuing my leadership," he said. "Senior leader and former Chief Minister B. S. Yediyurappa has been insulted by certain leaders by making disparaging comments for over a year now. This has hurt our workers deeply. We will bring all these issues to the attention of the national leadership and ensure they are resolved," he claimed. On former minister and party B. Sriramulu reportedly threatening to quit after facing criticism at the meeting, Vijayendra remarked, "I noticed the statements made by Sriramulu in the media regarding what was discussed in the core committee meeting. Sriramulu is a senior leader, and I respect him. In the meeting, in the presence of National General Secretary Radha Mohan Das, we discussed the need for unity. Discussions also focused on strategies to bring the BJP back to power with a majority." "We won't discuss these matters publicly. Sriramulu must also ensure no room for misinterpretation arises. Let us all work together and move forward unitedly," he said. Meanwhile, the Leader of the Opposition in the state Assembly R. Ashoka said: "I, along with former CM and BJP MP Basavaraj Bommai, will discuss the matter with Sriramulu. There are no separate factions within our party. I have not made any complaint against State President B.Y. Vijayendra to the high command. However, false reports in the media claim that I have complained." "There has been no separate meeting or identification based on caste, such as Vokkaligas holding exclusive meetings. This is also fake news," he clarified. Senior leaders Ramesh Jarkiholi, Basanagouda Patil Yatnal and others have raised the banner of revolt against Vijayendra's leadership, sources said. They are planning to pitch former MLA Kumar Bangarappa against Vijayendra, the sources added. Mumbai, Jan 23 : Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishu Deo Sai said on Thursday that the state government is fully geared up to attract investments in textile, technical textile, tourism, information technology, semiconductors, data centres, infrastructure, health, education, manufacturing and services apart from the encouraging expansion in steel, mining and power generation. The Chief Minister said that the state government has recently released its new industrial policy proposing a slew of incentives to the investors, adding that it has also given an industry status to the tourism sector in a bid to exploit its full potential in the state. "The government aims to generate five lakh jobs in five years," the Chief Minister said. The Chief Minister, who was in the city to address the investors conference, told reporters that the government has held sector-specific and focused investors meetings in Raipur, Delhi and Mumbai and will be holding similar summits in Bangalore, in foreign countries and will also invite investors. "During the Raipur meet, the government has received investment intentions worth Rs 43,000 crore, in Delhi Rs 17,000 crore and in Mumbai over Rs 6,000 crore. This is just the beginning as the government has launched a dialogue with the investors asking them to visit Chhattisgarh and make further decisions on investments," he said. The Chief Minister added that the government hopes to organise an investors conference in October-November this year, adding that Chhattisgarh is centrally located with good connectivity and lack of industrial and labour disputes. He further added that the 'double-engine sarkar' - the BJP-led government at the Centre and in the state - is working jointly to end Maoism by March 2026. The Chief Minister said the state government's drive against Maoism is paying off as nearly 240 Maoists have been killed in one year. "One central committee member of Maoist - on whom a reward of Rs 1 crore was declared - was killed along with 15 other members on the Chhattisgar-Odisha border," the Chief Minister added. He added that Maoism is restricted to five smaller districts in the Bastar region, especially in the dense forest area. He also claimed that the government's fight against Maoism has been hailed across the country. "Of Chhattisgarh's total area of 1,35,000 sq km, Maoism is restricted to a paltry 5 per cent. It is about 300 to 400 km away from Raipur airport. In the wake of the strong action by the Centre and the state government, the existing units are not only doing well but they are carrying out expansion. Besides, a lot of investors are coming to the state. Recently, Adani Group announced an investment of Rs 75,000 crore while in the steel sector, the state expects an investment of Rs 1 lakh crore in the next five to six years," he said. The Chief Minister added that tourism is another sector where the investment will come a big way. "The government on its own is developing a textile park in Janjgir district and it has already earmarked 350 acres of land for the same," he added. He further pointed out that the government provides Rs 15,000 to industrial units from the textile sector for skilling so that they can provide jobs to the aspirants with the necessary skill sets from the state. The Chief Minister said that the government is quite optimistic about changing the perception of investors when it comes to Maoism mainly due to its present drive to end it. "When Chhattisgarh was formed there were only 3,000 industrial units but now there are 28,000 industrial units and they are going to increase in the days to come because of its comprehensive policy against Maoism and investor-friendly initiatives," he remarked. Meanwhile, the Chief Minister also met a couple of industrial giants including Aditya Birla Group, Godrej Group, Essar, Welspun, Pidilite, Drools and Nantex Machinery. He also held interactive meetings with the US Consul General Mike Hankey and the Consul General of Russia Ivan Fetisov. Ramallah, Jan 23 : Two Palestinians were killed in an Israeli military operation in Burqin, a town west of Jenin city in the northern West Bank, the Palestinian Health Ministry said Thursday. The ministry identified the victims as 30-year-old Qutaiba Shalabi and 25-year-old Mohammed Nazzal. Palestinian sources in Jenin said that Israeli forces surrounded a house in Burqin on Wednesday night, using loudspeakers to demand those inside surrender. The forces fired several portable rockets at the house before demolishing it with a bulldozer, the sources added. Meanwhile, the Israeli army said in a press statement that, during its operation together with the Shin Bet security agency, its forces killed two "members of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad movement" who were involved in an attack on January 6 in the village of Al Funduq, east of the West Bank city of Qalqilya, "which killed three Israelis and wounded six others." The Israeli forces also arrested several individuals allegedly linked to the attack, it said, adding that an Israeli soldier sustained moderate injuries during the operation and was taken to hospital for treatment. The Israeli army has been conducting a large-scale military operation dubbed 'Iron Wall' in Jenin and its surrounding refugee camp for the third consecutive day, Xinhua news agency reported. On Wednesday, Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz said the operation represents a shift in the IDF's "security strategy" in the West Bank. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Tuesday that the operation aims to "eradicate terrorism" in Jenin and claimed Iran is behind anti-Israeli militant activity in the city. The operation comes as Israel halted its fighting in Gaza on Sunday, as the truce agreement took effect. Still, the violence escalated in the West Bank with the raid in Jenin and a series of settler attacks on Palestinian villages. Jammu, Jan 23 : Delhi High Court on Thursday issued notice to the National Investigation Agency (NIA) on the bail application moved by Lok Sabha member from J&K's Baramulla constituency, Engineer Rashid. "Delhi High Court has issued a notice to the NIA in response to a plea moved by Awami Ittihad Party (AIP) chief and Baramulla Member of Parliament (MP), Engineer Rashid seeking bail," Chief Spokesperson of the Awami Ittihad Party (AIP), Inam-un-Nabi wrote on X. He added that Engineer Rashid through the plea has sought directions from the High Court to the trial court judge to expedite a decision on his pending regular bail application. "Alternatively, he has requested the Delhi High Court to adjudicate the matter and make a ruling on the bail. The next date of hearing is January 30, 2025," he said. This plea is seen as part of Engineer Rashid's ongoing legal battle to secure his release from prolonged incarceration. The AIP leadership has consistently maintained that the charges against their leader are politically motivated and aimed at silencing his advocacy for the democratic rights of the people of Jammu and Kashmir. The next hearing of the case is scheduled for January 30, 2025. AIP has expressed hope for a fair and expeditious ruling in the case. Engineer Rashid fought the Lok Sabha elections from Tihar Jail and won the election against Omar Abdullah with a margin of over two lakh votes. He was released on interim bail to attend to his ailing parents. During that period, he extensively campaigned for AIP leaders in the Legislative Assembly elections. Despite Engineer Rashid pulling crowds during his public speeches, he was unable to translate his apparent popularity into votes. AIP won just one Assembly seat in the elections. His brother won from the Langate Assembly constituency of Kupwara district. Langate Assembly constituency was represented by Engineer Rashid twice before he chose to fight for the Lok Sabha elections. Ankara, Jan 23 : Turkish police detained 2,795 suspects in a nationwide anti-drug trafficking operation, Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya said on Thursday. In the operation code-named "Narkokapan-9," the police seized more than one tonne of narcotic substances and 13.8 million narcotic pills, Yerlikaya said on social media platform X, without specifying the time of the operation. A total of 4,192 teams, 10,480 personnel, 47 UAVs and helicopters, and 98 drug sniffer dogs took part in the operation across 77 Turkish provinces, Yerlikaya said. Video footage posted on Yerlikaya's X account showed police entering apartments and buildings and putting suspects into vehicles, Xinhua news agency reported. Located at the crossroads of Asia and Europe, Turkey has been grappling with international drug smuggling for years. Last week, the Turkish police seized 11.225 million drug pills and more than 1.2 tonnes of additives in a major operation in Istanbul, Yerlikaya had informed. The police also detained 11 suspected drug manufacturers, informed Yerlikaya in a social media post, without specifying the exact time of the operation. The police also confiscated 364 kg of empty capsules and six drug pill production machines, along with 73 aluminum blister rolls, he added. Yerlikaya mentioned that such operations aimed to safeguard the future of Turkey's youth. "Every operation we conduct and every substance we seize is a step towards protecting our future. Keeping our youth away from drugs is a shared responsibility," he said. Since 2023, Turkey had ramped up its crackdown on drug smuggling. Last year, the Turkish police had detained hundreds of suspects for drug trafficking and seized a massive amount of narcotics. In September, the police had seized 479 kg of narcotics and 160,967 pills in simultaneous operations across 42 provinces with the help of seven police teams, 1,418 personnel, 12 aerial vehicles, and 37 narcotic detector dogs. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy clarified that he did not say that Ukraine needs 200,000 peacekeepers, their possible number would depend on the size of the Ukrainian army. "By the way, I did not say that we need 200,000.... A journalist asked me. I said, maybe more, maybe less," Zelenskyy said in an interview with Bloomberg. The president explained that a million-strong army is needed to stop Putin, but if the USA and Europe say that such an army needs to be reduced, then other troops will be needed instead. "If we reduce it by 200,000, by 300,000, by 500,000. This will mean that other troops will be needed instead. In the amount that we have reduced," Zelenskyy specified. He stressed that the peacekeeping contingent can help, but "if there is a will from other countries." Mumbai, Jan 23 : A day after the Maharashtra government announced the signing of 54 MoUs with investment proposals worth Rs 15.7 lakh crore at the sidelines of the World Economic Forum summit, the Shiv Sena and Congress took a swipe at the Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, saying that as most of the companies were from Mumbai and Maharashtra the MoUs could have been signed here instead of spending crores of rupees on Davos trip. Shiv Sena leader and former minister Aaditya Thackeray on Thursday said that the Davos trip of Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis seems to be totally misaligned by his office as of the 29 companies, only one was from outside India with whom MoUs were inked. In his post on X, Aaditya said: "Being always supportive of any real investment/proposed investment coming into our nation and our state, this Davos trip of CM Fadnavis ji seems to be totally misaligned by his office, Out of the MoUs for proposed investment signed with 29 companies, only one is from outside of India. The rest are all Indian or have headquarters/bases in India. Of the 29 companies, 20 are based in Maharashtra, 15 of which are in Mumbai where the @CMOMaharashtra is located." He further said: "The question really is, what's the point of asking of all these 28 companies to sign MoUs in Davos, when the time in Davos could have been better utilised by the Chief Minister for international relations with other visiting dignitaries, companies and entrepreneurs. Davos is the most amazing place for building global relations for a State, with so many amazingly talented individuals and organisations coming together." "What's the point of being busy within ourselves when the CM could have an outreach to the world for Maharashtra? Interact with others in Congress and attend the fantastic sessions to keep pace with the world. Why could Magnetic Maharashtra not been held, just like it has not been held since mid-2022, and have all these companies sign MoUs here?" he asked. "I humbly urge the CM, to do all these important MoUs, from within our country in Maharashtra itself, inviting the world over, instead of doing it there and not meeting the world. It'll also be good if the current government can work with the WEF in bringing a summer Davos/mid-year Davos to Maharashtra- something we had started pitching in May 2022," said Aaditya. He further added: "Also, on a side note, it's hilarious to see the entire dept and officers of the Urban Development minister being there but the minister himself being dropped from the delegation in favour of another minister from his party." Meanwhile, the Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee general secretary Sachin Sawant also targeted the Chief Minister over the signing of MoUs and questioned why to go to Davos. In his post on X, Sawant said: "They spent crores of rupees of public money and went to Davos and made investment agreements with Indian companies. Now the headquarters of all these companies are in Mumbai. These agreements were made sitting in the ministry! Reliance's Anant Ambani could have thanked the government from Mantralaya. But the pretence and lies are the working methods of this grand alliance government. This is part of MahaYuti's functioning." Kolkata, Jan 23 : Leader of Opposition (LoP) in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi on Thursday faced criticism from all political parties in West Bengal for mentioning the date of the demise of Subhas Chandra Bose on his official X handle, while paying tributes to Netaji on his birth anniversary. In his post, the Congress MP mentioned August 18, 1945 as the reported date of death of the iconic freedom fighter. The date mentioned by the LoP was the same date on which the plane carrying Netaji from Saigon and destined for the then USSR-occupied Manchuria crashed at Taihoku (presently Taipei). However, none of the commissions set up subsequently on Netaji's 'disappearance' could ever confirm August 18, 1945 as the exact date of his death and a mystery surrounds the fate of the freedom fighter. The first criticism of the MP came from the All India Forward Bloc, a party founded by Netaji himself after quitting the Congress party. The Forward Bloc Chairman Naren Chatterjee claimed that this was not the first time that the Congress party or one of its leaders had created controversy by distorting facts about Netaji. "Can Rahul Gandhi give a definitive explanation on how Netaji died on the date mentioned by him? Can he present any proof in support of his claims? It is unthinkable how a person occupying such an important constitutional post in Indian democracy can make such an irresponsible comment," he claimed. The BJP's state President in West Bengal and Union Minister of State, Sukanta Majumdar demanded that Rahul Gandhi apologise for the social media post. "I strongly protest against the claim that Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose died on August 18, 1945, as stated in the social media post by Rahul Gandhi. I also demand an apology on his part for showing disrespect towards Netaji, who was incidentally the first Prime Minister of undivided India. I appeal to all Netaji followers to raise your voices on this issue," Majumdar said. The Trinamool Congress' General Secretary in West Bengal Kunal Ghosh said that LoP Gandhi should at least issue a corrigendum in the matter. "Netaji was acknowledged as Prime Minister of the Azad Hind Government set up by him in 1943 by six nations globally then," Ghosh claimed. "So the date of death of such a personality can't be arrived at without proper research and documentation. Hence, what he said is not acceptable to the people of Bengal," said Ghosh. However, not a single Congress leader from West Bengal came forward to make any comments on Rahul Gandhi's controversial post. Budapest, Jan 23 : Hungary is prepared to provide its full transit capacities to supply Slovakia with gas via the southern TurkStream pipeline, Hungarian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Peter Szijjarto said here on Thursday. It is Hungary's sovereign right to decide about its energy sources and routes, rejecting any external pressure, Szijjarto said during a press conference in Budapest. He criticised the recent suspension of gas transit through Ukraine, calling it "unacceptable" and a threat to regional energy security. Ukraine stopped the transit of Russian natural gas to Europe on January 1, following the expiration of a five-year transportation agreement. Hungary has increased the annual capacity of its interconnector with Slovakia by 900 million cubic meters to strengthen the neighbouring country's energy security, he added, Xinhua news agency reported. He also noted that Hungary imported 7.6 billion cubic meters of gas through the TurkStream pipeline last year, leaving an additional 900 million cubic meters of free capacity for further transit. Earlier this month, in a Facebook post, Szijjarto had attributed the increase in natural gas prices to "artificially imposed reductions in supply" originating from political decisions and sanctions. The European Union (EU)'s competitiveness has suffered significantly, said Szijjarto, adding that higher natural gas prices than those paid by global competitors are to blame. Data showed that in 2023, roughly 15 billion cubic meters of Russian gas were transported via Ukraine to Europe, accounting for around 5 per cent of Europe's needs. Following the halt of the Ukraine transit, the TurkStream pipeline under the Black Sea becomes the sole remaining route for transporting Russian gas to Europe. The halt of the Ukraine transit is also dealing a major blow to Moldova, which imported about two billion cubic meters of gas annually from Russia via Ukraine. In the more affluent Austria, public sentiments are more optimistic as the Austrian government has repeatedly assured its people that the country has built up adequate gas reserves and made thorough preparations for a switch to alternative suppliers. New Delhi, Jan 23 : BJP candidate Ramesh Bidhuri, contesting from the Kalkaji Assembly seat, has alleged that Delhi Chief Minister Atishi of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) lacks campaign workers in the constituency. Bidhuri claimed that CM Atishi is resorting to false allegations to create controversy, instead of showcasing her achievements during her decade-long tenure in Kalkaji. Responding to a video released by CM Atishi, in which she reportedly identifies a person intimidating and assaulting AAP workers as his nephew, Bidhuri clarified, "I want to state clearly that he is not my nephew. I have filed a complaint with the police and the Election Commission, urging them to investigate this video and expose the AAPas misleading tactics." Speaking to IANS, Bidhuri asserted, "Atishi has no campaign workers and has failed to organise a single meeting in her constituency, especially in areas like Gali No. 8 to 16. The roads remain broken, and the sewers are neglected. If she had workers, she could produce at least one photograph from any meeting she has held." He further criticised her approach, stating, "She has earned the nickname acake ministera for merely attending childrenas birthday celebrations with cakes. Thatas been her most visible activity in recent months." Bidhuri accused CM Atishi of attempting to divert public attention and avoiding discussions about her track record. "She openly said that I havenat done any work in Kalkaji. But if you visit the area, youall see my nameplate on the community centre I built. She hasnat noticed it because she doesnat visit the locality," he told IANS. He added, "Atishi once claimed she would vote for the BJP if she found a single achievement of mine in Kalkaji. Now, will she cast her vote for the BJP?" The Congress has fielded Alka Lamba from Kalkaji making it into a three-cornered contest in this high-profile battle. Voting will be held on February 5 and the counting of votes is scheduled for February 8. New Delhi/Agartala, Jan 23 : From the eight northeastern states, only the Tripura tableau will be displayed this year during the Republic Day parade on Kartavya Path in New Delhi, officials said on Thursday. A senior Tripura government official said that a total of 26 tableaus will be on display while the theme of Tripura tableau this time would be cultural diversity of India. "In accordance with the theme, traditional 'Kharchi Puja' and its rituals attached to the worship of 14 deities and their significance would be showcased in the Tripura tableau," the official said. In June-July, the century-old 14 Hindu deities simultaneously worshipped in 'Kharchi Puja' in the erstwhile princely state's previous capital Puran Habeli, now Khayerpur, 8 km north of Agartala. Thousands of people from various parts of the country and neighbouring Bangladesh participated in the colourful 'Kharchi Puja' which is held every year with traditional fervour and rituals. The annual 'Kharchi Puja' and festival is meant to cleanse the sins of mortal souls. Originally a Hindu tribals' festivity, the Puja is now observed by all communities and religions. With colourful marquees, illumination, religious rites and chanting of 'mantras' amid drum beats, the festival features 14 deities -- Shiva, Durga, Vishnu, Laxmi, Saraswati, Kartik, Ganesha, Brahma, Abadhi (God of water), Chandra, Ganga, Agni, Kamdev and Himadri (Himalaya). As per tradition, the week-long festival began (in June-July) with a colourful procession accompanied by the Tripura police music band. All deities and priests were escorted by Tripura Police personnel, who also presented a guard of honour to the Chief Royal Priest -- Raj Chantaia. According to the official, three main aspects have been focused in the proposed tableau. Firstly it is a blend of tradition and modernity, symbolising progress, bamboo designs and frames, application of technology, and models in traditional attire would be displayed on the tableau. Secondly, 14 deities would be presented through bamboo and cane craftsmanship. and thirdly, the tableau would house worship of Ha-Buma (earth mother) and cultural presentation. Additionally, there would be an aesthetic presentation of bamboo and flower-made designs with a blend of modern artistic spirit. The priest would also be seen performing rituals in traditional attire. At the same time, the ancient spirituality of Tripura would find expression in the tableau. The official said that the total of 26 tableaus on the Republic Day parade would be the platform for cultural presentation by the central government and state governments. Tableaus would come from various departments and ministries comprising the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, Ministry of Tribal Affairs, Ministry of Women and Child Development, Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, Ministry of Rural Development, Ministry of Earth Science, Ministry of Animal Husbandry and Dairying, Ministry of Culture, Financial Services department and CPWD. Among the states, tableaus of Goa, Uttarakhand, Haryana, Jharkhand, Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Tripura, Karnataka, Dadra, Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu, Delhi, West Bengal and Chandigarh would be displayed on Kartavya Path in New Delhi on January 26. New Delhi, Jan 23 : Highlighting 'Modi ki Guarantee', BJP National President J.P. Nadda on Thursday said the AAP government in Delhi has broken all records of 'corruption, choosing the Rs 2,000 crore liquor scam over improvement in the education sector. Addressing an election rally in Uttam Nagar in west Delhi, he said a party which came to power riding public anger against corruption has indulged in graft by fooling and looting people with an innocent face and calling themselves 'kattar imandar' (most honest). "On the one hand, Arvind Kejriwal is building his Sheesh Mahal with Rs 52 crore, on the other, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is giving shelter to four crore people under PM Awas Yojana," he said, assuring that all welfare schemes in Delhi continue under the new BJP government as per 'Modi ki guarantee'. Women will get Rs 2,500 financial assistance once the BJP comes to power, unlike the lies that the AAP has spread in Punjab and Delhi on the financial assistance to women, he said. He said the energy of voters in Uttam Nagar gives him confidence that they have decided to uproot the 'corrupt' AAP - which is known as 'AAP-da' (calamity for the city) - in the coming Assembly elections. With an eye on voters in west Delhi's unauthorised colonies, J.P. Nadda said the AAP government deprived the poor of services by planning a Rs 65,000 crore scam in Mohalla Clinics in the name of fake lab tests. "He does not undertake any small scam. He always aims for big ones, including Rs 2,800 crore in Delhi Jal Board, Rs 5,400 crore an ration cards, Rs 1,300 crore in classroom construction, Rs 4,500 crore in bus purchase and Rs 300 crore in fake medicines," J.P. Nadda said, indirectly referring to AAP national convenor and former chief minister Arvind Kejriwal. J.P. Nadda accused the AAP government in Delhi of blocking welfare schemes introduced by PM Modi. "PM Modi has given 300 new electric buses to the city so far and by December 2025 another 2,000 buses will be introduced," he said, highlighting the infra push under the Central government, including the expansion of the Delhi Metro network from 190 km to 400 km and 135 new Metro stations in the last 10 years. The BJP National President also highlighted the Rs 30,000 crore rapid rail project from Delhi to Meerut, Rs 8,000 crore expenditure on the Delhi-Meerut expressway, Rs 3,600 crore spent on urban extension road from Alipur to Mahipalpur, Rs 7,500 crore on Dwarka Expressway, Rs 920 crore on Pragati Maidan integrated transit corridor and Rs 11,000 crore on 135-km Eastern peripheral expressway from Kundli border to Palwal road. "Ten years ago, when there were no Eastern and Western Expressway trucks not destined for Delhi, used to create jams and pollution in the city," he said, highlighting how the Central government has spent crores of rupees for Delhi's development. Seeking votes for BJP candidate Pawan Sharma in Uttam Nagar Assembly constituency, he said the BJP will change the face of Delhi and take the city forward which has been pulled back in terms of development by Kejriwal. Assuring clean water through taps, J.P. Nadda said that due to contaminated water supplied by the AAP government, 20,000 cases of jaundice and diarrhea were reported in the city in 2023-24. He also promised that the new BJP government would introduce Rs 5 lakh health insurance for all Delhiites in its first Cabinet meeting. Thiruvananthapuram, Jan 23 : A day after the Congress-led Opposition levelled grave corruption allegations against the way the Kerala government bought PPE kits during the Covid pandemic and over the sanction given to a controversial liquor company, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Thursday denied all charges. The Congress raised the PPE kits issue on the floor of the Assembly after the CAG report on this aspect was tabled during the ongoing session of the House. However, CM Vijayan answering to the allegations on Thursday said the need of the hour during the pandemic was to save human lives and that was what they did then. "At such times, it was necessary to act quickly and we did that! While the CAG report talks about figures, it was a committee which decided to go forward with the PPE kit purchase. One should see things in an overall perspective, especially the then grave emergency health situation," said CM Vijayan. Regarding the sanction given to the controversial firm Oasis Commercial Private Limited, whose top official was in jail in connection with the Delhi excise case, CM Vijayan said there is no system of inviting industries to set up in Kerala through a tendering process. "There are brewery plants currently operating in our state. This new project is one which will bring in Rs 600 crore investment and provide direct jobs to 650 people and indirect jobs to over 2,000 people. The approval of the local panchayat is not needed as it's the state government that gives the clearance. "With regards to water being exploited, what's wrong with providing water for new industries? We will go forward with this project and also if any other such projects come up," said CM Vijayan. Top Congress leaders like Leader of Opposition V.D. Satheesan and his predecessor Ramesh Chennithala have been raising these alleged corrupt deal issues on the floor of the Assembly. These leaders said that in the CAG report it was pointed out that PPE kits which were available for Rs 550 per piece were not purchased and instead more expensive ones were bought at a cost of Rs 1,550 per kit, which caused a loss of Rs 10 crore to the government. About the sanction given to Oasis to set up an ethanol plant, a multi-feed distillation unit, an Indian-made foreign liquor bottling unit, a brewery, a malt spirit plant, and a brandy/winery plant at Kanjikode on a 26-acre plot purchased two years ago, they said this was a blatant violation of all rules and regulations and against the interest of water-scarce Palakkad district. Chennai, Jan 23 : Well known Tamil film director and actor Rajkiran has warned members of the public to be wary about fraudsters, who, using pictures shot with him, may attempt to con them. .In a lengthy post in Tamil on Facebook, Rajkiran, who has delivered some of Tamil cinema's landmark films like 'En Rasavin Manasile' and 'Aranmanai Kili', wrote, "It is a very common thing for people to click pictures with me as I am an actor. Some people click pictures with me claiming they are directors or producers. Some others click pictures saying they are fans or admirers." "If you come across people, who, using such pictures clicked with me, approach you saying they are my relatives or are close to me, be very careful while dealing with them. Please be careful irrespective of the reason they are approaching you for," Rajikiran said. The actor said that a person, who had introduced himself by a particular name several years ago, had told him that he wanted to produce a film with him in it and had left after taking pictures with him. However, the actor disclosed that the man never met him after that nor did he produce his film. "This incident occurred seven or eight years ago. Now, I have got to learn that this person, using a different name and using the pictures he clicked with me then, has now attempted to con another person called Thalapathy," Rajkiran said. Stating that he wished to make it clear that he does not entertain any recommendations, the actor said, "No recommendation will work with me. As far as my affairs go, I alone make my decisions." "The reason I am putting up this post is to ensure that nobody cheats anybody else using the pictures they have clicked with me," the actor added. Mangaluru, Jan 23 : Karnataka Police have arrested 10 individuals, including Ram Sena founder Prasad Attavar, in connection with the attack on a massage parlour in the communally sensitive Mangaluru city, police sources confirmed on Thursday. According to the police, Prasad Attavar and nine other activists, who barged into the massage parlour and destroyed furniture and equipment, have been taken into custody. Attavar was arrested from his residence. Details regarding further legal proceedings are awaited. Earlier, Rama Sena workers attacked the massage centre alleging that the management of the centre is carrying out illegal activities at the centre. According to police, the Hindu activists led by local leader Prasad Attavara barged inside the massage parlour located in the Bijai area and smashed the furniture and glasses of the centre. Reportedly, a group of 12 persons destroyed everything at the massage parlour. Reacting to the incident, state Home Minister G. Parameshwara said that he has directed the police department to arrest the concerned persons immediately. "We don't know why the attack was carried out. I have given directions to initiate action as per the law. These incidents should not take place. There should not be any obstruction to carry out their business. No one should take the law into their hands," Parameshwara stated. He added that if there are centres indulging in illegal activities, one has to file a complaint with authorities, adding that the police will initiate action. "The civil authorities would have given conditions to run their business. If they are not followed, the authorities will initiate action against them," Parameshwara stated. Minister for Health Dinesh Gundu Rao, who in-charge of Mangaluru district, said that the incident is 'condemnable'. He stated, "Under the name of Sri Ram Sene, acts of hooliganism are being carried out. Do not tarnish Lord Rama's name by engaging in such acts in his name. No one has the right to take the law into their own hands. Such violence and disturbances in the name of Sri Ram Sene are unacceptable." "If there is any illegal activity, it should be brought to the attention of the police, and complaints should be filed. Taking matters into one's own hands, causing destruction, and behaving like hooligans is not the way. Everyone must abide by the law and maintain peace and order," Minister Rao stated. "Strict instructions have been given to the police to take stringent action against such individuals. Committing such acts in the name of god is disrespect to Lord Rama. Hindu organisations must also condemn such behaviour," Rao underlined. "If anyone engages in moral policing and takes the law into their hands, we will take strict action against them. If this behaviour continues, it will hinder the development of regions like Mangaluru in the future," he warned. He further added that since the Congress government has come to power, it has been working to uphold law and order in the state, however, some organisations are trying to disrupt peace and create chaos, which is an attempt to destabilise the state's law and order. Meanwhile, Sri Ram Sena has clarified that there is no connection between them and the attackers. Ram Sena founder Prasad Attavar told media persons that the attack was carried out by Ram Sena activists. "Drugs were given to young girls aged between 18 years and 19 years and they were used to carry out prostitution. One of the girls, a relative of our worker has been entrapped here. We have attacked the centre following a tip-off. There are 25 massage parlours in Mangaluru city. This one parlour was attacked as we had got information on illegal activities. The attack was carried out with the intention to save the girls," he claimed. However, the owner of the massage parlour, Sudheer, said that the attackers carried some item with them and kept it in the parlour. "The parlour has been run for two years with proper documents and licenses," he said. New Delhi, Jan 23 : Former Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal on Thursday claimed that his car was attacked during a public rally in Hari Nagar constituency and blamed the Delhi Police as well as Home Minister Amit Shah for the 'orchestrated' assault. He alleged that Delhi Police, acting at the behest of Home Minister, allowed the Opposition's supporters to trespass into his public rally, who in turn attacked his car. The AAP supremo also lashed out at the Election Commission for failing to contain constant attacks on him during the election campaign and said that such conduct raises serious questions on the efficacy of poll body. The alleged attack comes close on the heels of similar incident in New Delhi constituency where his car suffered a brick attack, as shown in the video, though the same was strongly contested by BJP, which called it a brazen attempt to seek sympathy votes. The AAP chief, on a campaign trail in the city, addressed public rally in Hari Nagar on Thursday evening, where he hardsold Delhi government's free electricity, free water, Mohalla clinics and free bus travel for women. He exhorted the public to vote in favour of incumbent government to enjoy all the free services and repeatedly warned them against pressing the "wrong button". "All these facilities will continue only till when the AAP government is in power. If the BJP comes to power, all the freebies will vanish and your life will be ruined," he told the gathering. He also reiterated a host of poll pledges as announced by the party including the Mahila Samman Yojana, providing Rs 2,100 allowance to women, Sanjeevni Yojana for elderly and also subsidised bus travel for youth. He said that if AAP is voted to power, he will bring all these schemes into operation within months of forming government. Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic says it is unacceptable for Russia to retain control over the occupied territories of Ukraine, and that a freeze in the war is unacceptable as a result of the peace talks under discussion. Plenkovic said on Thursday at the Ukrainian Breakfast in Davos, organized by the Victor Pinchuk Foundation, that with all due respect to the new impetus of President Trump's administration, everyone should want to start negotiations and engage. He warned against falling into the trap of political naivety. He added that he fully agreed on strengthening Ukraine as much as possible, sticking to their principles, and ensuring that, whenever and whatever peace agreement is concluded, it will not leave the current occupied territories in a frozen conflict and give them another opportunity. He noted that European countries should participate in peace negotiations, but Ukraine should be the main player in them. The Croatian Prime Minister emphasized that he believed Europe should be at the negotiating table, with Ukraine being the main player. He suggested that if a ceasefire is reached, it should involve a gradual, peaceful integration of Europe. He stated that, based on the experience of his own country 30 years ago, this would be the only solution. He added that no one wanted more victims, deaths, refugees, or destruction, and that Ukrainians, as well as everyone else, knew this. However, he stressed that the plan had to be truly complete, not just the first step. At the same time, he noted the rise to power in European countries of political forces that allegedly advocate peace. He pointed out that everyone advocates peace, but there is a difference and a nuance: whether they advocate for peace that will then impose sanctions on the aggressor and leave the currently illegally occupied and annexed territories permanently under Russian control, or whether they will adhere to the basic principles of the international order, namely respect for sovereignty, territorial integrity, and the existence of their neighbors. Varanasi, Jan 23 : In an innovative move, the Varanasi administration has introduced the Maha Kumbh Pathshala initiative, aiming to educate young minds about the historical and religious significance of the Kumbh Melas. As part of this initiative, primary school students in Varanasi have been provided with a 10-page booklet detailing the importance of various Kumbhs held across India, including the Maha Kumbh. Each day, children will have a dedicated 30-minute class to delve deeper into the religious importance of the Kumbh, helping them understand its cultural and spiritual relevance. The children are also encouraged to read the booklet at home and share the knowledge with their families, creating a ripple effect of awareness. Speaking to IANS, Sneha, a student, shared her excitement about the new learning experience: "Today in class, we learned about the Maha Kumbh, and our teacher gave us a booklet to read at home for 30 minutes every day. We were taught how the Maha Kumbh, Ardh Kumbh, and Purna Kumbh Melas are celebrated, and what makes each of them special." Shivam, another student, elaborated on the story behind the Kumbh: "We learned that the Maha Kumbh has a very old origin. It all started with a war between the gods and demons. The gods were losing, so Lord Vishnu suggested they churn the ocean. Many treasures emerged, including the Amrit Kalash, and as Lord Vishnu instructed Garuda to carry it, some drops of Amrit fell at four placesa"Prayagraj, Haridwar, Nashik, and Ujjain. Thatas where the Kumbh Melas began!" Himanshu Nagpal, the Chief Development Officer (CDO) of Varanasi, explained the purpose of the initiative: "We've prepared a comprehensive booklet on the Maha Kumbh, covering its history, present-day facilities, infrastructure, and geographical significance. This knowledge will be shared in schools for three weeks, with 10-15 minute sessions each day, ensuring that every child, except for board exam students, gains a solid understanding of this grand spiritual event." He added, "The Kumbh Mela is the largest pilgrimage in the world, and it's crucial that children from all over the country are educated about it. Varanasi, being the spiritual heart of the world, must ensure its children are well-informed about such a monumental event. The ultimate goal is to empower children with knowledge about the Kumbh, and motivate them to spread this information to their families and communities." As part of this initiative, children who demonstrate exceptional understanding will be awarded certificates, reinforcing the importance of this cultural education. Through this program, Varanasi aims to foster a generation that is not only spiritually aware but also deeply connected to the rich traditions of India. Islamabad, Jan 23 : The National Assembly of Pakistan on Thursday passed the controversial Prevention of Electronic Crimes (PECA) Amendment Bill 2025 amid a massive protest by the main opposition party Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and the country's media community. The controversial bill was tabled in the Parliament on Wednesday by law minister Azam Nazeer Tarar and later referred to the standing committee for review. On Thursday afternoon, the bill was introduced in the National Assembly under a supplementary agenda by Federal Minister Rana Tanveer. As per the new PECA bill provisions, strict action would be taken against anyone who shares, publicly exhibits or transmits any false or fake news through any information system. During the proceedings, political parties including PTI and Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) opposed the bill and staged a walkout in protest, terming the bill as an "open license" for the government to imprison anyone who opposes it, even on social media. "The PECA Act Amendment Bill introduces harsh penalties for social media users who criticise the government. Are you (the government) trying to silence everyone in Pakistan and not allow anyone to speak against the government? You want to label every activist as anti-state? It is clear that no one can express views or criticise the government anymore now. This law will backfire on the government. We reject it completely," said PTI's National Assembly member Zartaj Gul. The politician questioned the government's intentions behind rushing the bill through the legislative process. "The bill was proposed yesterday and referred to the standing committee. And today, it was forced through the parliament without any proper briefing or explanation. This is not how a country should be run, by silencing everyone," she stated. Spokesperson and Information Advisor to the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) government, Barrister Saif also slammed the government for passing the PECA amendment bill. "The grave that they are digging for the media will eventually be their own. These new laws are being introduced to eliminate media, judiciary and political opposition," he said. The bill has also been strongly opposed by the journalist bodies, who staged a walkout from the press gallery of the National Assembly in protest of the bill's passing on Thursday. "The amendments are a deliberate attempt to suppress the media, social media and the journalist community," said Afzal Butt, President of Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ). "The KUJ protests any attempt to suppress freedom of expression under any circumstances and demands immediate withdrawal of this black law," read a statement issued by the Karachi Union of Journalists (KUJ). According to the Section 26(A) of the new PECA Act, whoever intentionally disseminates, publicly exhibits, or transmits any information through any information system, that he knows or has reason to believe to be false or fake and likely to cause or create a sense of fear, panic or disorder or unrest in general public or society, shall be punished with imprisonment which may extend up to three years or with a fine which may extend to Rs two million, or both. The bill allows establishment of a Digital Rights Protection Authority (DRPA), with the power to identify and remove any online content that falls under fake news or false propaganda and is judged illegal. In spite of the huge criticism, the government maintains that the bill is critical to safeguard the public at large from what it terms as "harmful and illegal" content. Terming the matter as an issue of national security, the government emphasised that fake news, false propaganda and spread of misinformation/disinformation needs to come under the radar of scrutiny. "This is a matter of national interest for Pakistan. False propagandas are created on social media where politicians, armed forces, judiciary and other government and armed forces officers are being targetted. This is being done by elements hired to spread hatred, intolerance, chaos and unrest against our institutions and incite masses to violence. This cannot be allowed and has to be stopped," said Information Minister Atta Tarar. "Every country in the world has a policy for the media and the information that is shared. No country allows fake news to be allowed to propagate. We are doing the same. PECA ordinance is bad news to all those who spread fake news and wrong facts and does not aim to suppress freedom of expression or the freedom of press," he added. Chennai, Jan 23 : Actor Manikandan, who is one of the most successful stars in the Tamil film industry today, has now disclosed about a time when he thought of quitting the film industry because of the going getting tough. .The actor, who will next be seen in the comedy drama 'Kudumbasthan' which hits screens on Friday, in an interview to a YouTube channel, said, "One day, everything that I was working on as a dubbing artiste got shut down. I got very worried about what I would do for my income." Stating that he approached a friend in the IT sector for a job, the actor said, "I told my friend, 'I thought cinema would save me. I am finding it extremely difficult to leave it and move on. But after this, the situation here has got so difficult that it is better that I move on. I need to take up some stable job to steer my family ashore and then come back.'" Recalling that his friend tried to reason with him not to arrive at that decision, Manikandan said that he left with almost tears in his eyes. "I took a bus back home and slept that night. The next morning, when I opened my eyes, I found three missed calls from director Nalan Kumarasamy. When I called him, he asked me to come to his office, where he gave me the script of 'Kaadhalum Kadandhu Pogum to read. There was a driver character called Murali in it. He asked me about the character and asked me if I would be willing to do it," said Manikandan. "I said yes to acting but told him I did not know to drive a car. He replied, 'That is your problem boss! You need to learn it.' I ran back to the friend in the IT sector and asked him to enroll me in a driving school as I did not have a penny in my pocket. He enrolled me and I learnt driving in 10 days and did that role. There has been no looking back as an actor after that," said Manikandan. --IANS Mkr/ Kolkata, Jan 23 : Special Task Force (STF) of West Bengal Police on Thursday conducted raids in Murshidabad district in connection with a terror link case. The raid was carried out at the residence of Rafiqul Islam. However, he was not present at his residence in Hariharpara in Murshidabad district. An official said that the STF officials have issued a notice against Islam and asked him to present at the STFas office in Kolkata on January 27. Sources said that recently the STF officials arrested one youth Minarul Sheikh from the same locality for having links with underground fundamentalist groups. It is learnt that the call list of Minarul Sheikh had detailed conversations with his neighbours Rafiqul Islam which made the investigating officials feel the necessity of Rafiqul as well. Sources said that the arrested youth also admitted that Rafiqul had accompanied him during his travels to neighbouring states, especially Assam. Recently, security and intelligence agencies, both state and central, have enhanced vigil in the districts having international borders with Bangladesh, in apprehension of members of underground fundamentalist groups trying to establish sleeper cells in West Bengal taking advantage of the political tension in the neighbouring countries. The intelligence agencies have also alerted about outsiders of late having started residing in the villages adjacent to the international borders with Bangladesh renting rents at local houses. The house owners in the bordering villages have also been cautioned to be extremely careful of letting out rooms on rent to outsiders without cross-checking their credentials in the matter. Mangaluru, Jan 23 : Karnataka Police have arrested 10 individuals, including Ram Sene founder Prasad Attavar, in connection with the attack on a massage parlour in the communally sensitive Mangaluru city, police sources confirmed on Thursday. According to the police, Prasad Attavar and nine other activists, who barged into the massage parlour and destroyed furniture and equipment, have been taken into custody. Attavar was arrested from his residence. Details regarding further legal proceedings are awaited. Earlier, Rama Sene workers attacked the massage centre alleging that the management of the centre is carrying out illegal activities at the centre. According to police, the Hindu activists led by local leader Prasad Attavara barged inside the massage parlour located in the Bijai area and smashed the furniture and glasses of the centre. Reportedly, a group of 12 persons destroyed everything at the massage parlour. Reacting to the incident, state Home Minister G. Parameshwara said that he has directed the police department to arrest the concerned persons immediately. "We don't know why the attack was carried out. I have given directions to initiate action as per the law. These incidents should not take place. There should not be any obstruction to carry out their business. No one should take the law into their hands," Parameshwara stated. He added that if there are centres indulging in illegal activities, one has to file a complaint with authorities, adding that the police will initiate action. "The civil authorities would have given conditions to run their business. If they are not followed, the authorities will initiate action against them," Parameshwara stated. Minister for Health Dinesh Gundu Rao, who in-charge of Mangaluru district, said that the incident is 'condemnable'. He stated, "Under the name of Sri Ram Sene, acts of hooliganism are being carried out. Do not tarnish Lord Rama's name by engaging in such acts in his name. No one has the right to take the law into their own hands. Such violence and disturbances in the name of Sri Ram Sene are unacceptable." "If there is any illegal activity, it should be brought to the attention of the police, and complaints should be filed. Taking matters into one's own hands, causing destruction, and behaving like hooligans is not the way. Everyone must abide by the law and maintain peace and order," Minister Rao stated. "Strict instructions have been given to the police to take stringent action against such individuals. Committing such acts in the name of god is disrespect to Lord Rama. Hindu organisations must also condemn such behaviour," Rao underlined. "If anyone engages in moral policing and takes the law into their hands, we will take strict action against them. If this behaviour continues, it will hinder the development of regions like Mangaluru in the future," he warned. He further added that since the Congress government has come to power, it has been working to uphold law and order in the state, however, some organisations are trying to disrupt peace and create chaos, which is an attempt to destabilise the state's law and order. Meanwhile, Sri Ram Sene has clarified that there is no connection between them and the attackers. Ram Sene founder Prasad Attavar told media persons that the attack was carried out by Ram Sene activists. "Drugs were given to young girls aged between 18 years and 19 years and they were used to carry out prostitution. One of the girls, a relative of our worker has been entrapped here. We have attacked the centre following a tip-off. There are 25 massage parlours in Mangaluru city. This one parlour was attacked as we had got information on illegal activities. The attack was carried out with the intention to save the girls," he claimed. However, the owner of the massage parlour, Sudheer, said that the attackers carried some item with them and kept it in the parlour. "The parlour has been run for two years with proper documents and licenses," he said. Mumbai, Jan 23 : Boney Kapoor recently took to his official Instagram handle and dropped a black and white picture of himself from his younger days, along with a picture of his son Arjun Kapoor. The photograph shows us the uncanny resemblance between Boney Kapoor and Arjun Kapoor. The filmmaker captioned his latest social media post, "Hairy Son with Hairy Father". Jumping on a chance to comment on the post, one of the Insta users wrote, "Love this. He gets his good looks from you and offocurse lots of hair". Another one penned, "Fabulous". The third comment read, "Nice". A couple of days back, Boney Kapoor dropped another Instagram post, sharing throwback photographs with his late wife Sridevi from their trip to Alaska. The producer shared an old picture of the couple where he can be seen hugging the late superstar. In the other two photos posted by Boney Kapoor, he and Sridevi are seen being all lovey-dovey amidst a beautiful backdrop. He captioned the Insta post, "Romancing in Alaska amongst the glaciers & the fall season which arrives early September there," along with three heart emojis. Meanwhile, on the professional front, Arjun Kapoor is presently working on his upcoming romantic entertainer, "Mere Husband Ki Biwi". Made under the direction of Mudassar Aziz, he will be seen sharing screen space with Bhumi Pednekar and Rakul Preet Singh in his next. Recently, an unfortunate mishap took place on the sets of "Mere Husband Ki Biwi" when a ceiling collapsed on the set in parts. It happened as the team was shooting a song at Imperial Palace, Royal Palms, in Mumbai. The collapse left Arjun Kapoor, producer Jackie Bhagnani, and director Mudassar Aziz injured. Additionally, a camera attendant reportedly suffered a spine injury, while the director of photography (DOP) fractured his thumb. Choreographer Vijay Ganguly also reportedly sustained injuries to his elbow and head. However, none of the actors or crew members were seriously hurt. Aden, Jan 23 : Yemen's pro-government forces thwarted an attack by militants of the Yemen-based al-Qaeda factions targetting a military installation in the country's southern province of Abyan on Thursday, a security official told Xinhua. The official said on condition of anonymity that a unit of the 2nd Brigade of Yemen's pro-government forces successfully defended against a "treacherous attack" by al-Qaeda militants in Omran Valley at dawn. Intense clashes persisted for some three hours, resulting in casualties for the terrorist group, and ultimately forcing them to retreat from the battlefield, the official said, without specifying the number of the casualties. The pro-government forces remain "fully vigilant and ready to respond urgently to any threat and confront all terrorist attempts," the official added. Meanwhile, a medical source told Xinhua news agency that at least six soldiers from the pro-government forces were injured during the engagement, with some sustaining critical wounds. Al-Qaeda factions have been exploiting Yemen's protracted civil war and fragile security environment to consolidate their presence, particularly in the south. In late 2022, the Yemeni government and Southern Transitional Council initiated a counter-terrorism campaign to dismantle al-Qaeda strongholds across Abyan province. Yemen has been engulfed in a civil war since the Houthi group seized control of several northern provinces in late 2014, forcing the internationally recognised Yemeni government out of Sanaa. Since last November, the Houthi group has launched rocket and drone attacks on Israel and disrupted "Israeli-linked" shipping in the Red Sea, reportedly in solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza amid the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. In response, the US-led navy coalition stationed in the Red Sea has conducted regular air raids and strikes against Houthi targets since January to deter the group from disrupting international shipping lanes. Thiruvananthapuram, Jan 23 : At the ongoing 55th annual meeting of the World Economic Forum (WEF) at Davos in Switzerland, Kerala Industries Minister P Rajeeve made a strong pitch for pursuing development goals in a sustainable and inclusive manner. Speaking at a joint media briefing with the Union Minister, state Chief Ministers, and ministers of the Indian states attending the WEF, Rajeeve said the state government's well-crafted policy initiatives have set Kerala's industrial ecosystem on a high-growth trajectory. The state has been pursuing an industrial promotion model that places great emphasis on responsible and inclusive practices, the Minister said, pointing out that the motto of the Invest Kerala Pavilion at WEF is 'we are changing the nature of business'. "The transformation undergone by Kerala in the last few years is visible across the spectrum of economic activity from high tech-driven industries to Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs)," said Rajeeve. He further pointed out that the New Industrial Policy (NIP) of the government has prioritised over 20 segments, where investment from across the world will be promoted with all government support and safeguards. The Invest Kerala Global Summit, scheduled in Kochi on February 21 and 22 will showcase the specific domains and projects where investment is expected. Kerala also hosted panel discussions on deep tech, biotechnology, and e-governance and these discussions brought to focus Kerala's significant contributions to India's initiatives in deep-tech innovation, particularly in healthcare, space technology, and artificial intelligence. Speaking at the Summit, Chief Secretary Sarada Muraleedharan emphasised that Kerala's strategic global partnerships and innovative orientation have laid a strong foundation for advancements in the deep-tech sector. "The state is dedicated to formulating innovative policies for sustainable growth and attracting investments. By participating in the WEF, Kerala has been able to showcase its potential in deep tech innovation, gain global recognition, and foster collaboration," said Muraleedharan. --IANS sg/dan Guwahati, Jan 23 : The National Investigation Agency (NIA), Special Court, Guwahati has sentenced two terror suspects to imprisonment in the ABT (Ansarullah Bangla Team) case, NIA sources said on Thursday. NIA sources said that the Special NIA court pronounced the sentence on Wednesday and both the terror suspects hail from the Barpeta district of Assam. They have been punished under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act. Accused Mamunur Rashid has been sentenced to three years of rigorous imprisonment and a fine of Rs 1,000 has been imposed. Also, the court awarded imprisonment of one month and rigorous imprisonment for the period already undergone (2 years 10 months and 13 days) under the UA (P) Act. He has also been sentenced to imprisonment of three months under section 120 (B) IPC. Accused Mukibul Hussain alias Makibul Hussain has been sentenced to imprisonment for six months and fine of Rs 500, as well as imprisonment of 14 days under section 120 (B) of IPC. Like his co-accused Mamunur, he has also been sentenced to rigorous imprisonment for the period already undergone (2 years 8 months and 13 days) under the UA (P) Act. The case, registered in March 2022, relates to a module of ABT with affiliation to the proscribed international terror organisation Al-Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent (AQIS). The module, led by Bangladeshi national Saiful Islam alias Haroon Rashid, was active in the Barpeta district of Assam. The NIA had filed a chargesheet in the case against eight accused in August 2022, followed by a supplementary chargesheet against two others in August 2023. Further investigation and trial in the case continues. Meanwhile, the Assam Policeas Special Task Force (STF) since December 17 last year has so far arrested 14 associates of the Bangladesh-based ABT from Assam, West Bengal and Kerala. Assam Police officials said that of the 14 detainees, including a Bangladeshi national, were working under the direction of Md Farhan Israk, a close associate of Jasimuddin Rahmani, the Chief of ABT. The ABT sent one Bangladeshi national Md Sad Radi alias Shab Sheikh a resident of Rajshahi, Bangladesh, to India to spread their nefarious ideology amongst like-minded people across India. --IANS sc/dan Amaravati, Jan 23 : Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu's four-day visit to Davos aimed at creating 'AP Brand' image and setting up a network to invite massive investments to the state ended successfully, the state government said on Thursday. Amaravati, Jan 23 (IANS) Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naiduas four-day visit to Davos aimed at creating 'AP Brand' image and setting up a network to invite massive investments to the state ended successfully, the state government said on Thursday. While holding fruitful discussions with Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) of various globally-renowned companies and representatives of different nations, the Chief Minister actively took part in the round-table conferences as part of the World Economic Forumas annual meeting. According to Chief Ministeras Office (CMO), Naidu was successful in attracting and impressing the investors. During meetings with heads of different business houses, the Chief Minister explained in detail the opportunities available in the state for making their investments. He particularly focussed on the new policies being adopted for promoting various business houses and industries, the plans of Swarnandhra-2047 and the cooperation being extended to investors. The Chief Minister invited them to visit the State personally to have first-hand information on all these issues following which various companies have evinced keen interest to set up their units in the State. On day one of the World Economic Forum summit, Chandrababu discussed in detail the possibilities of inviting investments from Switzerland during a meeting with the Indian ambassador in Switzerland, Mrudul Kumar. After arrival at Zurich along with Ministers Nara Lokesh and T.G. Bharat and a team of officers, the Chief Minister had a meeting with the members of the Europe TDP Forum and NRIs. Chandrababu Naidu also had a friendly meeting with Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy during which they discussed developmental activities being undertaken in both the Telugu States and the investments being made. Chandrababu Naidu also took part in the Meet-and-Greet programme with industrialists from both the Telugu states. On the second day of his visit, Chandrababu addressed a meeting of the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) on green industrialisation during which he said that only Indians have the capacity to grow as global-level entrepreneurs. The European Solidarity faction has demanded an extraordinary meeting of the parliamentary committee on national security, defense and intelligence and a closed session of the Verkhovna Rada due to the arrests of military commanders. We insist on an extraordinary closed session of the committee on national security with the invitation of the leadership of the security forces, the Commander-in-Chief and the Minister of Defense. We also insist on a closed session of the Verkhovna Rada devoted to the analysis of the provision of the Armed Forces of Ukraine with weapons, the state of fortifications and mobilization, the faction said in a statement published on the website of the political force on Thursday. The European Solidarity faction believes that the parliament has no right to observe from the sidelines attempts to discredit the Armed Forces of Ukraine. The faction called the authorities' actions to detain military commanders an attempt to blame their own miscalculations in the insufficient provision of the Ukrainian Armed Forces with weapons, failures in the construction of fortifications on military personnel, and demanded an end to politically motivated persecution, the consequences of which could be irreversible. "The Ukrainian Armed Forces are the guarantor of the preservation of Ukrainian statehood, and the current attacks on the Army demotivate soldiers and officers, tie the hands of mid-level commanders before making decisions. In fact, this is a message to all commanders: each of them can be hung on the hook of criminal cases and imprisoned with astronomical bail for difficult decisions, without which war is impossible," the statement says. According to European Solidarity, today there is a need to unite around the Ukrainian Armed Forces, strengthen management and defense strategizing in order to stabilize the front line and be stronger in the eyes of the enemy and international partners. Mumbai, Jan 23 : Shiv Sena supreme and Deputy Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Thursday took a dig at his former boss and Shiv Sena-UBT chief Uddhav Thackeray, saying that the condition of those who abandoned Balasaheb Thackeray's thoughts is such that they can even not tolerate and even speak out. "We cherished Balasaheb's thoughts. We never left them. That is why we got a resounding victory," he said amid thunderous applause at the rally organised on the occasion of Shiv Sena founder late Balasaheb Thackerayas birth anniversary to celebrate the party's thumping win in the state assembly election. Taking a swipe at Uddhav Thackeray, Shinde said: "You need strength to fight elections independently. You cannot fight the election sitting at home. It does not work like this." He attacked Uddhav Thackeray saying that he will build a memorial that will destroy Balasaheb's thoughts. "You contested 97 seats in the assembly and won 20. We contested 80 seats and won 60 seats. Now tell me whose Shiv Sena is real? The people have already given their verdict," he noted. "The uprising that we did two and a half years ago and the subsequent historic victory are being discussed all over the world. This success is due to Balasaheb Thackeray's thoughts. It is due to the unity of the MahaYuti. This is the success of hard work, diligence and also due to beloved sisters, brothers, elders, youth and farmers for whom we worked relentlessly for two and a half years," said Shinde. He further added: "In two and a half years, we worked with our feet on the ground. We did not waste a single moment. That is why we won. Development works were done fourfold. People-oriented schemes were made and development was also done. We combined both. That is why the people of the state showed their trust. That is why I bow down before the people. I bow to them too.a "You all showed trust. You supported me. That is why the son of an ordinary farmer could become the Chief Minister of the state,aa he said. "Balasaheb taught self-respect. You measure how much work I have done in two and a half years. People used to say CM means Chief Minister. I say CM means common man. Now Devendra Fadnavis is the CM. I am DCM. DCM means Dedicated to the Common Man,aa he remarked. "Our self-respect is more important than any chair. This teaching was given to us by Balasaheb. You may become an MLA, an MP, a minister, but do not forget that you are a Shiv Sainik of Balasaheb Thackeray,aa he said. Meanwhile, he announced the partyas membership drive while exhorting the party cadres to gear up for the upcoming local and civic body elections to continue the victory march. Bengaluru, Jan 23 : Richard Chen, Director General (DG) of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Centre (TECC) in Chennai said, Taiwan is proud to be a trusted partner of India and align with the Make in India initiative. Addressing media on Thursday at IMTEX 2025, a leading global machine tool show event in Bengaluru, Richard Chen stated: "India's manufacturing sector is a global leader in machinery, automotive, and defence, undergoing a remarkable transformation with Industry 4.0 and IoT. Taiwan is proud to be a trusted partner in this journey, offering advanced automation and machine tools solutions that enhance efficiency and align with the 'Make in India' initiative." "At IMTEX 2025, we are showcasing cutting-edge products from renowned Taiwanese brands, designed to empower Indian manufacturers. Together, Taiwan and India share a vision of progress through innovation, driving advancements in machinery and automation for a brighter future," he added. He added that the showcased technologies are specifically designed to meet the evolving demands of India's manufacturing sector. "They offer solutions for enhanced precision, automation, and sustainability, key factors for the industry's growth. By providing state-of-the-art equipment and solutions, we aim to empower Indian manufacturers to compete on a global scale, fostering a shared future of innovation and economic progress," Richard Chan stated. "We aim to solidify our role as a global leader in innovation, foster meaningful partnerships with Indian manufacturers, and contribute to the growth of the India manufacturing industry. By introducing transformative machine tool technologies, we hope to inspire a new era of industrial excellence and collaboration between Taiwan and India," he said. M. G. Balakrishna, President of the Federation of Karnataka Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FKCCI) said that industry associations like FKCCI are eager to collaborate with initiatives like Taiwan Excellence to facilitate knowledge exchange, promote joint ventures, and create opportunities that drive industrial growth and innovation in India. "The cutting-edge tools unveiled today will help Indian companies enhance operational efficiency, improve product quality, and adopt sustainable practices, enabling them to stay competitive in a dynamic global market," Balakrishna stated. Taiwan Excellence (TE) pavilion at IMTEX 2025, offers an exclusive opportunity to explore Next-Gen manufacturing tools from 13 renowned Taiwanese brands. Patna, Jan 23 : The district administration of Patna has issued an order on Thursday to close all schools up to Class 8 for two more days due to the ongoing severe cold weather. All private and government schools, pre-schools and Anganwadi centres in Patna district in Patna district will remain closed for students up to Class 8. The closure is effective from January 24 to January 25. Classes for students above Class 8 will operate from 9:00 AM to 3:30 PM during this period. Educational activities related to board exams will continue without any changes. Earlier, schools were closed till January 23, 2025, due to cold weather. The administration has taken this step to ensure the safety and well-being of students amid the extreme cold conditions in the region. "We have issued an official order citing the prevailing cold weather and low temperatures that could pose health risks to children. The district is experiencing extremely cold weather and low-temperature conditions, which may adversely affect the health and well-being of children," said Chandrashekhar Singh, the district magistrate of Patna. The order has been issued under Section 163 of the Indian Civil Security Code 2023. It is an extension of Office Order No. 876, dated January 21, 2025. The ongoing winter in Bihar has intensified, with the combination of western winds, dense fog, and a looming possibility of rain significantly affecting daily life. The Meteorological Department has warned that the cold wave conditions will persist across the state for the next three days, bringing further challenges to the residents. The minimum temperature is expected to drop by 2 to 3 degrees Celsius in the next 48 hours, with most districts witnessing temperatures between 10 to 14C. The maximum temperature is also predicted to remain below normal, amplifying the cold. Moderate to dense fog is prevalent across Bihar, leading to low visibility and disrupting daily commuting in districts including Patna, Vaishali, Saran, Muzaffarpur, Darbhanga, Katihar, Kishanganj, Sitamarhi, Araria, Supaul, Madhubani, Saharsa, Saran, Purnea, and Bhagalpur. The foggy conditions are expected to persist for at least the next three days, according to the Patna Meteorological Centre. Patna, Jan 23 : Residents of Patna, Saran, and Bhojpur have been facing severe traffic jams on National Highway 922 (Patna-Arrah Highway). In response to the growing public inconvenience, Bihar's Deputy Chief Minister and Road Construction Minister, Vijay Kumar Sinha, convened a high-level meeting on Thursday to devise a solution. The meeting, conducted via video conferencing, included senior officials from the Road Construction Department, district administrations, and Superintendents of Police from Patna, Bhojpur, and Saran. Sinha assured attendees and the public that the traffic congestion issue would be resolved soon with the implementation of several key initiatives. The meeting was attended by senior officials, including the Additional Chief Secretary of the Road Construction Department, who presented detailed, point-wise facts about the traffic situation. Additionally, the Additional Director General of Police (Traffic) gave a comprehensive presentation on the challenges and potential remedies. Sinha emphasised that widening the stretch between Kanhauli Chowk and Koilwar to four lanes is crucial to alleviating the Bihta traffic jam. "This road, under the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI), will play a key role in reducing congestion. Officials from NHAI were present during the meeting and were directed to expedite the road-widening process," Sinha said. He also directed immediate repairs to be carried out on the 5-kilometer flank connecting Manbhavan Chowk (Bhojpur) to Jhanga Chowk (Saran). This repair is expected to provide relief by easing the flow of vehicles and mitigating traffic jams significantly. To ensure smoother traffic management, round-the-clock police deployment has been arranged at major congestion points. Special instructions have been issued to facilitate hassle-free movement for small vehicles, which are often disproportionately affected by traffic snarls. An alternative route from Naghar (NH-139) to Pareb (Bihta) is under consideration. This route will serve as a bypass, redirecting vehicles away from bottlenecks at Bihta Chowk. Once completed, vehicles coming from Kanpa-Bikram will be able to reach Bhojpur directly without entering Bihta Chowk. Sinha reiterated the government's commitment to resolving the Bihta jam problem as quickly as possible. "All the concerned officials have been directed to make concerted efforts and carry out necessary construction and improvement works. Smooth traffic flow in the state is a priority under the guidance of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar," Sinha said. The four-lane NH 922 is a key route to connect Delhi to Patna, via Poorvanchal Expressway, Agra-Lucknow Expressway and Yamuna Expressway. Patna, Jan 23 : The Bihar Education Department has taken swift action in response to allegations of corruption against Rajnikant Praveen, the District Education Officer of West Champaran and suspended him with immediate effect. The decision was taken after a huge amount of cash and property documents were recovered during the raids conducted by the State Vigilance Unit (SVU) at four premises linked to the official in West Champaran, on Thursday. According to an official, the SVU registered an FIR under the Disproportionate Assets (DA) Act against him after raids were conducted at 4 locations in West Champaran. The findings suggest that Praveen accumulated a large amount of illegal wealth, both movable and immovable, between 2005 and the present. The raiding team recovered Rs 2 crore from his house in Bettiah. "Praveen is facing serious charges of corruption and misconduct. The department has taken a decision to suspend him and reassign him to a new post during the investigation against him," an officer of the education department said. "Now, the departmental proceedings are being initiated against him under the Bihar Government Servant (Classification, Control and Appeal) Rules, 2005. During this suspension period, Praveen will still receive a subsistence allowance, paid from his designated headquarters," he said. This development could have serious implications for Praveen's career and reputation. The discovery of a substantial amount of currency notes further indicates the scale of his alleged corruption. The vigilance team, which arrived from Patna, began its operations early Thursday morning. A significant raid was conducted at Praveen's residence in the Vasant Vihar locality, under the jurisdiction of the Mufassil police station. As a huge amount of currency notes were recovered from his house, a note-counting machine was brought in to tally the recovered currency notes. Praveen and his family reportedly own land and flats worth several crores in cities such as Patna, Darbhanga, Madhubani, and Muzaffarpur. Praveen is an officer of the 45th batch of the Bihar Education Service, having joined the service in 2005. During his career, he served as an Education Officer in Darbhanga, Samastipur, and other districts of Bihar. His total service spans approximately 19-20 years. Dubai, Jan 24 : A late blitzkrieg by Dasun Shanaka was instrumental in helping the Dubai Capitals register a comprehensive win against the Gulf Giants in the ILT20 Season 3 at the Dubai International Stadium, here on Thursday evening. The Dubai Capitals won by five wickets and eight deliveries to spare as Shanaka threw the kitchen sink at the Gulf Giants, to seal an important win. Asked to bat first, the Gulf Giantsa skipper James Vince looked to attack from the get-go. At the other end though, Obed McCoy gave the Dubai Capitals their first wicket, as he dismissed Ibrahim Zadran for three. Vince, who hit four boundaries in his 24, was joined by Jordan Cox and kept the scoreboard moving for the Gulf Giants. Just before the end of the powerplay, Vince was dismissed, and early in the seventh over, Tom Alsop was knocked over for two by Zahir Khan. From then on, Cox took charge and had good support from Gerhard Erasmus. Even though the Dubai Capitals kept things tight, Cox and Erasmus rebuilt and put on a 69-run stand to give the Giants some momentum in the final phase of the innings. Erasmus though departed for 29, and shortly after, Cox completed his half-century and now had the big-hitting Shimron Hetmyer for company. Hetmyer and Cox were looking to score quickly, but the Dubai Capitalsa bowling kept them firmly in check. In the final over of the innings, Cox was run out for a well-made 70, which helped the Gulf Giants post a competitive 153/5 in 20 overs. Hetmyer remained unbeaten on 17. In response, Ben Dunk and Shai Hope started steadily and were looking to set up the platform for the chase for the Dubai Capitals. Dunk though could not bat long and fell for 10, and Khalid Shah added 10 more to the cause, both falling as they looked to go long, which gave the Gulf Giants the advantage, momentarily. Gulbadin Naib joined Hope after that, and the duo found the gaps well, picking up a series of important boundaries as the Dubai Capitals fought back. Gulbadin though was the next to depart for 17 as Aayan Khan picked up his second wicket. Najibullah Zadran could not stick around for too long and was back in the hut for seven, bringing captain Sikandar Raza to the middle, alongside Hope. Raza and Hope put on 33 runs together, which steadied the ship. The Dubai Capitals needed a strong partnership, and Hope along with Raza were able to set up the platform for the big launch in the final overs. Hope was packed off for 47 by Blessing Muzarabani, who conceded 18 runs in the over as Dasun Shanaka started in fifth gear. Shanaka continued his attack on the Gulf Giants bowling right through and finished off the contest with two sixes, a boundary, and a single in the 19th over. Shanaka finished unbeaten on 34 off 10 deliveries while Raza had 26 from 15. Brief scores: Gulf Giants 153/5 in 20 overs (Jordan Cox 70, Gerhard Erasmus 29, Dushmantha Chameera 1-31) lost to Dubai Capitals 154/5 in 18.4 overs (Shai Hope 47, Dasun Shanaka 34 not out; Aayan Khan 2-23) -- Except for the title, this story has not been edited by Prokerala team and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed Bhopal, Jan 24 : During Thursday's hearing on the "criminal liability" case in a Bhopal court, Dow Chemical withdrew its application seeking modification on a previous order, arguing that the hearing should be on "jurisdiction" only. In its previous order in December 2024, the district court sought a response on Dow Chemical's business integrity plan during the establishment of the Union Carbide factory in Bhopal. On Thursday, the counsel representing Dow Chemical argued that the court should make modifications to its previous order. However, the CBI (prosecution) opposed it contending that, "The US-based firm is not accepting Indian Court's jurisdiction to decide criminal liability against it, but seeking a modification on the order." Public Prosecutor Manphool Bishnoi pointed out that under Indian criminal law, the jurisdiction of the court is decided by the place where the criminal offence has been committed and undisputedly the disaster (Bhopal Gas Tragedy) that killed tens of thousands occurred in India. On the "criminal liability" issue, Dow Chemical argued that it had committed "no offence" as it had purchased Union Carbide 17 years after the disaster happened in 1984. After hearing the arguments from both sides, the district court has set April 9 as the date for final arguments on matters of liability of Dow Chemical and the jurisdiction of Indian courts over it. A petition demanding that Dow Chemical be held accountable for the 1984 gas tragedy was filed in 2014 in a Bhopal district court. Since then, Dow Chemical US has been sent as many as seven summons for appearance in the criminal matter. Dow Chemical ignored six summons, however, appeared before Bhopal's trial court in October 2023, for the first time in 17 years. Since their appearance, they have been citing that Indian courts have no jurisdiction over the American firm. The victims of the gas tragedy are demanding that Dow Chemical be held accountable for the 1984 tragedy, which killed thousands and caused severe environmental damage. In the meantime, CBI, the prosecution agency in this matter, is also seeking that Dow Chemical reveal its business integration plan which ascertains the asset amount of Union Carbide that went into Dow Chemical. Dow Chemical has been arguing that the case does not fall under the jurisdiction of the Bhopal court, which had served a show-cause notice to it based on the pleas of the petitioners. However, the gas victims assert that the Madhya Pradesh High Court resolved the jurisdiction issue in 2012, and Dow Chemical should be made an accused in the case. The hazardous chemical waste of Bhopal's Union Carbide factory was shifted for safe disposal at Pithampur in Dhar district on January 1. The incineration process is being carried out by the state government under the supervision of the Madhya Pradesh High Court. New Delhi, Jan 24 : Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto arrived for a four-day visit in New Delhi on Thursday night during which he will meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi and will attend the 76th Republic Day Parade in India. This is President Prabowo's first state visit to India. He was received by the Minister of State for External Affairs, Pabitra Margherita at the airport in New Delhi. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said that the visit will further strengthen the India-Indonesia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. "A warm welcome to President Prabowo Subianto @prabowo of Indonesia as he arrives in New Delhi on his first State Visit to India. Received by MoS @PmargheritaBJP at the airport. President @prabowo will be the Chief Guest for India's 76th Republic Day celebrations. This visit will further strengthen the IndiaIndonesia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership," MEA Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said in a post on X. President Prabowo, who is in India from January 23-26, will also be the Chief Guest for India's 76th Republic Day celebrations. Apart from a comprehensive review of bilateral ties, discussions during the visit are also expected to include regional and global issues of mutual interest. Before departing, President Prabowo shared the details of his visit on X, and said the visit is aimed to strengthen strategic cooperation in areas such as security, maritime, and digital technology development. He also informed that he will depart for Malaysia after his Indonesia visit. "Today, I depart for New Delhi, India, to attend the 76th Republic Day celebrations of India. During my visit, I will meet with the President and Prime Minister of India to strengthen strategic cooperation in areas such as security, maritime, and digital technology development," the Indonesian President said. "After completing my agenda in India, I will continue my trip to Malaysia at the invitation of Yang di-Pertuan Agong Sultan Ibrahim and Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim. Close cooperation with friendly countries has always been our priority to build a stronger and more prosperous region together," he added. During his visit, President Prabowo is set to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, President Droupadi Murmu and Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar, the MEA said. On Friday, he will meet External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar at the Taj Mahal Hotel at 4 p.m. On January 25, President Prabowo will participate in a ceremonial reception at Rashtrapati Bhavan at 10 a.m., followed by a wreath-laying ceremony at Rajghat. He will later hold a meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi at Hyderabad House at 12 p.m., which will include the exchange of Memorandums of Understanding (MOUs) and press statements. In the evening, he will meet with India's Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar at the Taj Mahal Hotel at 4 p.m. At 7 p.m., he will meet President Droupadi Murmu at Rashtrapati Bhavan. On January 26, President Prabowo will attend the Republic Day Parade as the Chief Guest. Later in the afternoon, he will attend the "At Home" Reception hosted by President Murmu at Rashtrapati Bhavan. At 5:30 pm, he will depart for Indonesia. Notably, with President Prabowo as Chief Guest at this year's Republic Day, a 352-member marching and band contingent from the country will be participating in the Parade on the Kartvya Path in the national capital. This will be the first time that an Indonesian marching and band contingent will participate in a national day parade abroad. Several MoUs and announcements are likely to be concluded and the third CEO Forum will be held on the sidelines. President Prabowo will be the fourth Indonesian President to attend India's Republic Day celebrations. PM Modi paid an official visit to Indonesia in 2018. During the visit, India-Indonesia bilateral ties were elevated to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership and a shared vision of India-Indonesia Maritime Cooperation in the Indo-Pacific was also adopted. PM Modi also met President Prabowo on the sidelines of the G20 Summit in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in November last year. This was the first meeting between the two leaders. Indonesia is now part of the BRICS group and has expressed its appreciation for India's support towards its membership of the forum of emerging economies. Sources said Indonesia is interested in learning from India and other countries to strengthen its defence system and is keen on technology transfer. They also said a defence deal is unlikely to be finalised during this visit and that India and Indonesia also have robust defence cooperation with the Defence Cooperation Agreement signed in 2018. Both India and Indonesia are close maritime neighbours with cultural and trade ties spanning over a millennia. The annual Bali Yatra festival, which commemorates the historic voyages by Indian seafarers who would set sail to Bali, is one such example of these cultural linkages. Indonesia is one of India's largest trading partners in the ASEAN region. Bilateral trade in 2023-24 reached $29.40 billion. Indian investments in Indonesia amount to $1.56 billion in infrastructure, power, textiles, steel, automotive, mining, banking and consumer goods sectors. -- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text Davos : , Jan 24 (IANS) US President Donald Trump has invited global businesses to manufacture their products in the US and promised them lower taxes but also issued a stern warning that if they choose to produce their goods elsewhere, they would have to pay tariffs worth 'billions and trillions' of dollars. Virtually addressing the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, Switzerland, on Thursday, Trump promised substantial tax cuts to businesses that choose to produce in the US. "My message to every business in the world is very simple. Come make your product in America, and we will give you among the lowest taxes of any nation on Earth. We're bringing them down very substantially, even from the original Trump tax cuts," he said. For businesses choosing not to manufacture in the US, Trump warned, "But if you don't make your product in America, which is your prerogative, then very simply, you will have to pay a tariff differing amounts, but a tariff which will direct hundreds of billions of dollars and even trillions of dollars into our treasury to strengthen our economy and pay down debt." He further asserted that there is "no better place" than the "good old USA" to create jobs and build factories under the Trump administration. "Under the Trump administration, there will be no better place on earth to create jobs, build factories, or grow a company than right here in the good old USA," he added. Trump has proposed a 15 per cent corporate tax rate for companies that manufacture in the US, subject to approval from Congress. Trump began his presidency on Monday without immediately imposing the tariffs he had promised during his election campaign, including a 10 per cent duty on global imports and 60 per cent on goods from China. But he said at that time that Canada and Mexico faced a 25 per cent duty on February 1 on goods they send to the US because of illegal immigration and illicit drug shipments, including fentanyl, across their US borders. Trump on Tuesday extended the February 1 deadline to China, threatening a 10 per cent duty. Referring to the relations with Canada, the US President, noted that the US has been at a deficit of nearly $200 billion or $250 billion with Canada, which he argued was unfair. He again reiterated his point to make Canada the 51st US state, adding that in that case, there would be no need to impose a tariff on it. "Canada, we have a tremendous deficit with Canada. We're not going to have that anymore. We can't do it. It's, I don't know if it's good for them. As you probably know, I say you can always become a state. Then if you're a state, we won't have a deficit. We won't have to tariff you," he said. "But Canada has been very tough to deal with over the years, and it's not fair that we should have a $200 billion or $250 billion deficit," he added. Trump also highlighted that the US no longer relies on Canada for products like cars, lumber, and oil. "We don't need them to make our cars and they make a lot of them. We don't need their lumber because we have our own forests... We don't need their oil and gas. We have more than anybody," he said. Recently, Trump announced that his administration is planning to impose 25 per cent tariffs on imports from Mexico and Canada. The US President, for some time, has been saying that Canada should be made the 51st US State to avoid facing these tariffs. He even referred to outgoing Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau as "Governor of state of Canada". He said he plans to ask Saudi Arabia and the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) to cut the price of oil they produce to boost the global economy. He contended that if the current global oil price -- about $77 a barrel -- is cut, "the war in Ukraine will end immediately." Russia uses revenue from its own oil production to help fund its three-year war on neighbouring Ukraine. Trump said that in the global economy, the US "just wants to be treated fairly by other countries". He said the US wants to have a "fair relationship" with China, the world's second-biggest economy. "We don't want to take advantage," he said of Washington-Beijing relations. "We just want to have a level playing field." -- Except for the title, this story has not been edited by Prokerala team and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed Ukraine should become member of EU, NATO, retain territory, this to be loss for Russia President of Finland The principle of the inviolability of borders is sacred and should not be violated when reaching a peace agreement on Ukraine, emphasizes President of Finland Alexander Stubb. Stubb said on Thursday at the Ukrainian Breakfast in Davos, organized by the Victor Pinchuk Foundation, that there are three key principles in statehood that he considers sacred. The first is independence, and he stated that Ukraine would retain its independence. The second is sovereignty, specifically whether Ukraine would retain the right to choose whether to join the EU or NATO. The third is territorial integrity, and he emphasized the importance of adhering to the rules and principles of international law, stating that we need to stick to the borders that existed before and maintain that stance. He also referred to the experience of Finland, which retained its independence in World War II, but lost sovereignty and 10% of its territory, including the area where his father was from. "Let's not allow this to happen in Ukraine," the head of the Finnish state emphasized. In the long term, according to Stubb, Ukraine should become a member of the EU and NATO, and this will be a loss for the Russian Federation. He said that for him, there are two key issues, both of which are imperative. Ukraine must become a member of the European Union, and in the long term, Ukraine must become a member of NATO. He added that this is the only way Putin would lose this war. The Finnish President expressed hope that this could be achieved within a year. This seasons offerings explore well- and lesser-known religious histories, tackle timely social issues, and advise readers on how to boost their faith in an increasingly cynical world. Top 10 Four Red Sweaters: Powerful True Stories of Women and the Holocaust Lucy Adlington. Harper Paperbacks, Mar. 18 ($19.99 trade paper, ISBN 978-0-06-337513-0) The Dressmakers of Auschwitz author provides a moving account of four Jewish girls whose fates became intertwined with a simple article of clothing during the Holocaust, according to PWs starred review. 150,000-copy announced first printing. The Girl Who Baptized Herself: How a Lost Scripture About a Saint Named Thecla Reveals the Power of Knowing Our Worth Meggan Watterson. Random House, July 22 ($30, ISBN 978-0-593-59500-8) Recovering the story of Thecla, a first-century teenager who risked death to follow the apostle Paul, theologian Watterson explores Christianitys radical founding principles and calls for their renewal. Heaven Help Us: How Faith Communities Inspire Hope, Strengthen Neighborhoods, and Build the Future John Kasich. Zondervan, Apr. 8 ($29.99, ISBN 978-0-310-36882-3) Religious institutions play a vital role in fortifying communities by bridging interfaith divides, providing social services, and more, according to former presidential candidate Kasich. Lower Than the Angels: A History of Sex and Christianity Diarmaid MacCulloch. Viking, Apr. 15 ($40, ISBN 978-1-9848-7867-0) NBCC award winner MacCulloch covers 3,000 years of Christian views on sex, gender, and marriage, highlighting diverse and often contradictory perspectives and those who espoused them. Melting Point: Family, Memory, and the Search for a Promised Land Rachel Cockerell. Farrar, Straus and Giroux, May 6 ($32, ISBN 978-0-374-60926-9) Cockerell recounts how her great-grandfather helped found a temporary homeland in Galveston, Tex., for Jewish refugees fleeing antisemitic violence in early-20th-century Eastern Europe, underscoring how the community struggled between retaining its identity and assimilating into American culture. Migrant God: A Christian Vision for Immigrant Justice Isaac Samuel Villegas. Eerdmans, Mar. 13 ($22.99 trade paper, ISBN 978-0-8028-8443-5) By advocating on behalf of migrants, Christians can build a beloved community where people of all sexes, races, and identities are cared for, minister Villegas suggests. Miracles and Wonder: The Historical Mystery of Jesus Elaine Pagels. Doubleday, Apr. 1 ($30, ISBN 978-0-385-54746-8) National Book Award winner Pagels digs through scripture to reconsider contested elements of Jesuss life, arguing that many were embellished or papered over in the gospels by disciples eager to gain new followers. 200,000-copy announced first printing. Queer & Christian: Reclaiming the Bible, Our Faith, and Our Place at the Table Brandan Robertson. St. Martins Essentials, May 27 ($30, ISBN 978-1-250-32134-3) Sketching out an inclusive theology, pastor Robertson debunks scripture-based arguments against homosexuality, celebrates queer figures throughout Christian history, and offers support to those who feel alienated by their church communities. Shamanism: The Timeless Religion Manvir Singh. Knopf, May 20 ($30, ISBN 978-0-593-53754-1) New Yorker contributor Singh traverses the globe to uncover the origins, traditional healing practices, and modern relevance of the ancient spiritual tradition. A Simple Guide for a Better Marriage: Quick, Practical Insights Every Couple Needs to Thrive Gary Chapman, with John Hinkley. Moody, Feb. 4 ($16.99 trade paper, ISBN 978-0-8024-3406-7) The Five Love Languages author explains how improving conflict management, intimacy, and communication can make for more godly marriages. Religion & Spirituality Longlist Fiction Bethany House Green Pastures by Patricia Johns (Mar. 18, $17.99 trade paper, ISBN 978-0-7642-4417-9). Three sisters in Lancaster County, Pa., grapple with professional and romantic trials while struggling to uphold their Amish communitys traditions. Shattered Sanctuary by Nancy Mehl (Mar. 18, $17.99 trade paper, ISBN 978-0-7642-4336-3) follows an expolice officer as she reluctantly joins the search for a cunning serial killer and unpacks the trauma of her former partners murder. Two Seconds Too Late by Dani Pettrey (Apr. 15, $17.99 trade paper, ISBN 978-0-7642-3849-9). An idyllic New Mexico spa becomes the chilling backdrop for an undercover investigation when a guest vanishes after a fight with her boyfriend. Kregel The Dreams We Knew: A Novel of the Roaring Twenties by Rachel Scott McDaniel (Feb. 25, $16.99 trade paper, ISBN 978-0-8254- 4814-0) centers on a private investigator with secrets of her own who teams up with a former flame to solve a fashion models murder in New York City. Written in Secret (The Art of Love and Danger #1) by Crystal Caudill (Mar. 11, $16.99 trade paper, ISBN 978-0-8254-4907-9). A Cincinnati crime novelist gets entangled in a murder investigationand an unexpected romance with its lead detectiveafter her latest thriller appears to predict a series of grisly murders. Revell Across the Crying Sands by Jane Kirkpatrick (May 20, $18.99 trade paper, ISBN 978-0-8007-4609-4). A woman mourning a miscarriage finds hope and fulfillment in taking over a demanding postal route. Break My Fall by Lynn H. Blackburn (Mar. 18, $17.99 trade paper, ISBN 978-0-8007-4537-0). The latest Gossamer Falls suspense novel sees a good-hearted dentist become the unwitting target of a vast criminal network. Midnight on the Scottish Shore: A Novel of World War II by Sarah Sundin (Feb. 4, $18.99 trade paper, ISBN 978-0-8007-4186-0). This pulse-pounding tale of divided loyalties follows a double agent whose life is imperiled when her Nazi contacts start to suspect shes hiding something, according to PWs review. Tyndale Fiction As Sure as the Sea by Jamie Ogle (Feb. 11, $32.99, ISBN 978-1-4964-7971-6). In the Eastern Roman Empire, 20-year-old Demitria struggles to deliver aid to Christian communities persecuted by Emperor Diocletian. An unexpected crisis forces her to accept help from a handsome stranger. WaterBrook Hopes Enduring Echo by Kim Vogel Sawyer (Mar. 25, $18 trade paper, ISBN 978-0-593-60083-2). Romance blooms between a resourceful pipeline maintenance worker and a paleontology student as the pair hunt for dinosaur bones buried alongside the Arkansas River. Nonfiction Baker Jesus Revealed in the End Times: Hope for Today from the One Who Holds Our Future by Robert Jeffress (Mar. 4, $28.99, ISBN 978-1-5409-0050-0) unpacks the biblical prophecy for the end-times with a focus on Christs role in those events. Balance Ask Your Spirit: Receiving Life Changing Wisdom from Your Elevated Intelligence by Christine Lang (June 10, $19.99 trade paper, ISBN 978-1-5387-7391-8) explains how readers can use their inner spiritual compass to navigate lifes challenges. Bantam The Year God Died: Jesus and the Roman Empire in 33 AD by James Lacey (May 20, $32, ISBN 978-0-593-35522-0). Bestseller Lacey contextualizes Jesuss life against the backdrop of a politically volatile first-century Roman Empire, shedding new light on Christianitys beginnings. Beacon A Lamp unto Yourself: A Beginners Guide to Asian Spiritual Practices, from Advaita and Buddhism to Yoga and Zen by C. Pierce Salguero (Apr. 22, $24.95, ISBN 978-0-8070-2039-5) discusses the historical and philosophical foundations for such practices as tai chi and insight meditation, and provides basic guidance for new practitioners. BenBella God Was Right: How Modern Social Science Proves the Torah Is True by Mark Gerson (June 3, $39.95, ISBN 978-1-63774-617-2). The Hebrew Bible offers trenchant answers to modern questions about happiness, personal transformation, diversity, and peer pressure, according to the author. Brazos The Anti-greed Gospel: Why the Love of Money Is the Root of Racism and How the Church Can Create a New Way Forward by Malcolm Foley (Feb. 11, $21.99 trade paper, ISBN 978-1-58743-630-7) analyzes how the pursuit of profit has fueled racism in America and how Christian values can counteract such forces. Becoming the Pastors Wife: How Marriage Replaced Ordination as a Womans Path to Ministry by Beth Allison Barr (Mar. 18, $24.99, ISBN 978-1-58743-589-8) argues that the rising importance of the pastors wife has provided women with a new area of influence in the church, while also reducing their independent leadership opportunities and solidifying rigid gender hierarchies. Broadleaf Church Camp: Bad Skits, Cry Night, and How White Evangelicalism Betrayed a Generation by Cara Meredith (Apr. 29, $26.99, ISBN 979-8-88983-100-6) contends that Christian summer camps inculcate campers with toxic ideas of God while exploiting their faith for money and power. The Secret Despair of the Secular Left: Our Fraying Connections with Our Communities, Our Bodies, and the Earth by Ana Levy-Lyons (June 10, $26.99, ISBN 978-1-5064-8625-3) posits that the gradual weakening of religious institutions has created a spiritual emptiness in modern society and outlines alternate forms of connection to fill it. The Wounds Are the Witness: Black Faith Weaving Memory into Justice and Healing by Yolanda Pierce (Feb. 4, $25.99, ISBN 978-1-5064-8533-1) draws on scripture to probe the historical wounds sustained by Black Americans and consider how they might be repaired. Cambridge Univ. Silence of the Gods: The Untold History of Europes Last Pagan Peoples by Francis Young (July 31, $39.99, ISBN 978-1-009-58657-3) uncovers how pagan communities like the Sami and Finno-Ugri covertly practiced their religious traditions for centuries after Christianity became the official religion of all European countries. Chosen Books When Women Support Women: Embracing Gods Call to Be Yourself and Build Ladders for Others by Jessika Tate (Mar. 25, $18.99 trade paper, ISBN 978-0-8007-7301-4) encourages Christian women to forge supportive relationships through which they can help reform their churches and communities. Convergent The Tears of Things: Prophetic Wisdom for an Age of Outrage by Richard Rohr (Mar. 4, $27, ISBN 978-0-593-73581-7) mines the writings of Jewish prophets for advice on navigating todays divided world by prioritizing such values as human connection and divine love. Eerdmans The Fearless Christian University by John W. Hawthorne (Feb. 13, $24.99 trade paper, ISBN 978-0-8028-8456-5). Todays Christian colleges are fueled by a philosophy of fearof culture wars, public relations crises, demographic shifts, and morethat leave their students unprepared to navigate an increasingly secular world, according to the author. Judeophobia and the New Testament: Texts and Contexts, edited by Sarah E. Rollens, Eric M. Vanden Eykel, and Meredith J.C. Warren (Apr. 24, $44.99, ISBN 978-0-8028-8288-2), details how Christian scripture has been weaponized to spread antisemitism and supersessionismthe idea that Christians have replaced Jews as Gods true peoplefrom the churchs early days to the present. Pilgrim: A Theological Memoir by Tony Campolo, with Steve Rabey (Feb. 25, $23.99, ISBN 978-0-8028-8494-7), recounts the late evangelical church leaders life and theological evolution as he grappled with questions about capitalism, racism, and politics. The Experiment The Jewish Way to a Good Life: Find Happiness, Build Community, and Embrace Lovingkindness by Shira Stutman (Mar. 25, $22.95, ISBN 979-8-89303-017-4) shares how ancient Jewish values can help those of all faiths to live more meaningful, joyful lives. Fair Winds Sacred Ceremony for a Sacred Earth: Indigenous Wisdom for Healing and Transformation by Aniwa Council of Elders (May 6, $39.99, ISBN 978-0-7603-9212-6). Indigenous elders from various traditions share ancient teachings, stories, and practices for connecting with nature and ones community. Faith Words The Keys to a Happy and Healthy Marriage by Joyce Meyer (June 17, $12, ISBN 978-1-5460-4697-4) explains how couples can use scriptural insights to build successful relationships that prioritize God. Farrar, Straus and Giroux The Last Supper: Art, Faith, Sex, and Controversy in the 1980s by Paul Elie (May 27, $33, ISBN 978-0-374-27292-0) traces the origins of todays postsecular age to artists who renegotiated notions of religiosity in 1980s popular culture in individualized, noninstitutional ways, from Martin Scorsese in The Last Temptation of Christ to Madonna in Like a Prayer. Fordham Univ. Grace of the Ghosts: A Theology of Institutional Reparation by Jeannine Hill Fletcher (May 6, $29.95 trade paper, ISBN 978-1-5315-0987-3) discusses how Catholic institutions can repair harms wrought by their historical ties to white supremacy, including slaveholding at Georgetown University and forced assimilation at Indian Boarding Schools. Harvard Univ. For I Have Sinned: The Rise and Fall of Catholic Confession in America by James M. OToole (Mar. 4, $35, ISBN 978-0-674-29452-3) charts the rites rise in the early 20th century through its 1970s decline (thanks in part to decreased trust in the Catholic church and the growing popularity of counseling) and speculates on its future. Herald God Looks Like Jesus: A Renewed Approach to Understanding God by Gregory Boyd (May 27, $14.99 trade paper, ISBN 978-1-5138-1551-0) suggests that Gods true nature is embodied by Christs self-sacrificial, other-focused life and ministry. Hodder Faith Unmaking Mary: Shattering the Myth of Perfect Motherhood by Chine McDonald (July 8, $22.99, ISBN 978-1-3998-1463-8) studies depictions of the Virgin Mary in art and literature to debunk notions of the ideal mother that permeate Christianity and popular culture. Inner Traditions Return with Elixir: Four Maps for the Souls Pilgrimage Through Death and Rebirth by Miles Neale (Apr. 1, $29.99 trade paper, ISBN 978-1-64411-843-6) integrates Tibetan Buddhist philosophy with the work of Joseph Campbell and Carl Jung to help guide readers on a path to self-realization. IVP Black Woman Grief: A Guide to Hope and Wholeness by Natasha Smith (Feb. 25, $17.99 trade paper, ISBN 978-1-5140-0964-2) frames faith as a source of healing for Black women whove endured racism, oppressive social systems, and other traumas. You Are Not Your Own: Belonging to God in an Inhuman World by Alan Noble (July 8, $19.99 trade paper, ISBN 978-1-5140-1095-2) posits that the burden of determining ones purpose creates an individualistic and disordered society, and suggests that people instead find their meaning in God. IVP Academic Global Christianity and Islam: Exploring History, Politics, and Beliefs by Wafik W. Wahba (Feb. 4, $40 trade paper, ISBN 978-0-8308-5195-9) traces the faiths intertwined histories and the narratives that have shaped them. Jewish Publication Society Planting Seeds of the Divine: Torah Commentaries to Cultivate Your Spiritual Practice by Yiscah Smith (June 1, $24.95 trade paper, ISBN 978-0-8276-1571-7) provides scriptural excerpts and commentaries designed to help foster ones ability to seek the divine in the everyday. Knopf Jesus Wept: Seven Popes and the Battle for the Soul of the Catholic Church by Philip Shenon (Feb. 11, $35, ISBN 978-1-101-94641-1) chronicles the history of the modern Catholic church and its shifting attitudes toward mercy and forgiveness, its sex abuse scandals, and its ties with other faiths. Kregel Brave Woman, Mighty God: 30 Things You Can Do by Laura L. Smith (Mar. 11, $18.99 trade paper, ISBN 978-0-8254-4892-8) spotlights 30 biblical women who persevered through difficult circumstances thanks to Gods help, and promises that readers can do the same. NavPress Befriending God: How We Are Undone, Changed, and Made New by Tanya Godsey (Feb. 11, $18.99 trade paper, ISBN 978-1-64158-867-6) recommends that readers cast aside performative religious rites and seek intimacy with God in lifes challenges and complexities. Stop Trying to Be Successful: The Seemingly Illogical and Sometimes Completely Baffling Call of God by Pete Portal (Feb. 18, $18.99 trade paper, ISBN 978-1-64158-962-8) encourages Christians to discard individualistic notions of professional success and find value in God. New York Univ. Black Religion in the Madhouse: Race and Psychiatry in Slaverys Wake by Judith Weisenfeld (Apr. 29, $35, ISBN 978-1-4798-2978-1) reveals how, in the decades after emancipation, white psychiatrists pathologized Black modes of religious practice like embodied worship, shaping damaging theories of Black mental health that were harnessed in racist ways. Paulist Why I Remain a Gay Catholic: A Spiritual-Sexual Journey by Paul F. Morrissey (June 3, $32.95, ISBN 978-0-8091-5725-9) recounts how the author embraced his identity as a gay priest thanks to a renewed understanding of Gods character. Princeton Univ. American Maccabee: Theodore Roosevelt and the Jews by Andrew Porwancher (June 10, $35, ISBN 978-0-691-20366-9) examines the presidents complicated relationship with the Jewish people, including how he garnered early support from immigrant Jews and contended with an influx of European Jewish immigrants and the xenophobia it engendered. Reaktion Light on Darkness: The Untold Story of the Liturgy by Cosima Clara Gillhammer (June 16, $25, ISBN 978-1-83639-043-5) details the Western European history of religious liturgy, highlighting its influence on art, music, and literature. Red Wheel Naturally Modern Magick: The Essential Compendium of Spells and Rituals for Health, Happiness, and Prosperity by Lacey Burbage (Mar. 3, $22.95, ISBN 978-1-59003-584-9) gathers charms, spells, and practices that utilize such ingredients as crystals, flowers, and water to harness the power of the natural world. Revell Am I a Better Christian on Zoloft? And Other Questions About Faith I Should Probably Keep to Myself by Mark Tabb (June 3, $18.99 trade paper, ISBN 978-0-8007-4628-5) invites Christians to get curious about their faith and tackles some uncomfortable questions (If I believe God is in control, why am I upset about politics?). Shambhala How Confucius Changed My Mind: And What He Can Teach You About the Art of Being Human by Charles B. Jones (May 20, $19.95 trade paper, ISBN 978-1-64547-299-5) considers how Confucianism sheds light on lifes most enduring questions, including what it means to be human. In This Body, in This Lifetime: Awakening Stories of Japanese Soto Zen Women by Sozen Nagasawa Roshi, trans. by Kogen Czarnik, edited by Esho Sudan (June 17, $24.95 trade paper, ISBN 978-1-64547-358-9), illuminates the personal and spiritual lives of 30 Japanese nuns and laywomen who practiced under female Zen master Roshi in WWII-era Japan. Sourcebooks How to Be a Saint: An Extremely Weird and Mildly Sacrilegious History of the Catholic Churchs Biggest Names by Kate Sidley (Apr. 29, $19.99, ISBN 978-1-7282-7741-7) takes a comedic jaunt through Catholicisms history, highlighting the saints who shaped the church and the doctrinal quirks it developed along the way. St. Martins Essentials The Bible Says So: What We Get Right (and Wrong) about Scriptures Most Controversial Issues by Daniel McClellan (Apr. 29, $30, ISBN 978-1-250-34746-6) corrects common scriptural misconceptions about abortion, monotheism, modesty, and more. Tuttle The Spirit of Shinto: Finding Nature and Harmony on Japans Sacred Path by Hector Garcia, trans. by Russel Andrew Calvert (May 20, $15.99, ISBN 978-4-8053-1840-9), overviews Japans indigenous religion, touching on its history, influences on Japanese and Western societies, and present-day applications. Tyndale Elevate Why Im Still a Christian: After Two Decades of Conversations with Skeptics and Atheiststhe Reason I Believe by Justin Brierley (Apr. 22, $18.99 trade paper, ISBN 978-1-4964-6693-8) explores how the authors conversations with Philip Pullman, Richard Dawkins, and other atheists have reinforced his faith. Tyndale Momentum If the Ocean Has a Soul: A Marine Biologists Pursuit of Truth Through Deep Waters of Faith and Science by Rachel G. Jordan (June 3, $18.99 trade paper, ISBN 979-8-4005-0584-3). Studying the natural world through a spiritual lens, the author considers what the sea reveals about Gods power and how humans might heal a damaged environment. Univ. of Notre Dame Women in the Orthodox Tradition: Feminism, Theology, and Equality by Ashley Marie Purpura (Apr. 15, $55, ISBN 978-0-268-20922-3) deconstructs the patriarchal traditions and values that uphold orthodox Christianity, and offers in its place a theology that centers womens perspectives and voices. Univ. of Pennsylvania Longing and Belonging: Jews in the Modern Islamic World, edited by Nancy Berg and Dina Danon (Feb. 25, $64.95, ISBN 978-1-5128-2711-8). Contributors explore the rich history of Jews in Islamic countries during the first half of the 20th century, revealing complex forms of connection and exchange. Univ. of Wisconsin Chai Noon: Jews and the Cinematic Wild West by Jonathan L. Friedmann (June 3, $42.95, ISBN 978-0-299-35210-3) unpacks how Jewish filmmakers have shaped the Hollywood Western, often by imbuing the films with a distinctly Jewish sensibility despite the absence of characters who are recognizably of the faith. Upper Room Sacred Tension: Embracing Dissonance and Dialogue in the Old Testament by William P. Brown (Mar. 1, $24.99 trade paper, ISBN 978-0-8358-2080-6) contends that the apparent contradictions in the Hebrew Bible are an invitation into an ongoing debate about scriptural issues and ethics. Verso Citizens of the Whole World: Anti-Zionism and the Cultures of the American Jewish Left by Benjamin Balthaser (July 22, $26.95, ISBN 978-1-80429-137-5) connects some Jews support of Palestinian liberation in the wake of the October 7 attack on Israel and the war in Gaza to a broader progressivist Jewish history in America. W Before You Climb Any Higher: Valley Wisdom for Mountain Dreams by Jonathan McReynolds (Feb. 18, $19.99 trade paper, ISBN 978-1-4003-3887-0). The gospel artist issues an upbeat invitation for burned-out believers to find comfort in their true, core identity as a son or daughter of God, per PWs review. Jesus Doesnt Care About Your Messy House: He Cares about Your Heart by Dana K. White (Feb. 11, $19.99 trade paper, ISBN 978-1-4003-4437-6). Untangling false links between cleanliness, morality, and faith, the author reassures readers that Gods love transcends earthly issues like disorganization. WaterBrook Here Be Dragons: Treading the Deep Waters of Motherhood, Mean Girls, and Generational Trauma by Melanie Shankle (Feb. 18, $26, ISBN 978-0-593-60120-4). Reflecting on her childhood with a verbally abusive mother, Shankle recalls how faith helped her to heal her emotional wounds and raise a daughter with a stronger sense of self-worth. Wayne State Univ. East End Jews: Sketches from the London Yiddish Press, edited by Vivi Lachs, trans. by Vivi Lachs and Barry Smerin (Apr. 22, $34.99 trade paper, ISBN 978-0-8143-5134-5). Selections from 26 Yiddish writers open a window into the Jewish East End Community from 1850 to the 1950s, capturing interactions between Jews and their British countrymen while probing other challenges and debates of the time. Weiser The Tarot Architect: How to Become the Master Builder of Your Spiritual Temple by Lon Milo DuQuette (May 5, $24.95 trade paper, ISBN 978-1-57863-854-3) provides a holistic introduction to tarot, including the practices history, its role in Western mysticism, and the spiritual significance of specific cards. Worthy Your Pain Has a Name: A Therapists Invitation to Understanding Your Story and Sorting Out Who You Are from What Hurts by Monica Dicristina (May 13, $19.99 trade paper, ISBN 978-1-5460-0642-8) shows how readers can harness their faith to dismantle false narratives that are holding them back. Zondervan Believe: Why Everyone Should Be Religious by Ross Douthat (Feb. 11, $29.99, ISBN 978-0-310-36758-1) constructs a stimulating but flawed argument for religious belief that touches on supernatural phenomena and the complexities of human consciousness, according to PWs review. Bibles not only lift the spirit for believers. For many religion publishers, Bible and Bible-related books provide the biggest boost to their bottom line. The Association of American Publishers StatShot program reported an 8.3% rise in revenue for the first 10 months of 2024 over the same period in 2023 for all 1,279 participating publishers, but the religious book category had the largest increase up 18.5% in the same time frame. Last year, religion publishers also had the biggest sales increase among all AAP categories. When PW asked executives last year what the sales drivers were, they pointed to Bibles and Bible-centric studies, commentaries, and devotionals. And it's still so today, five marketing executives tell PW. But, they also suggest, there are other drivers pushing up the numbers. They cite titles that promise inspiration, soothe anxiety, or guide the way to harmony at home or successful leadership in the light of faith, or point toward joy. HarperCollins Christian Publishing For HCCP, home to Zondervan and Thomas Nelson, which publish Bibles and related titles by the hundreds including prodigious backlists as well as new formats, there's no rival to their Bible's importance. Bible studies and curriculum sales were both up over 20% for 2024 over 2023, says Doug Lockhart, SVP for sales and marketing. "As a matter of fact, for HCCP, our backlist percentage for the last six months of the year was 84% of sales. It is historic for us." Lockhart attributes this to "a hunger for something eternal and stable." He also says sales of trade nonfiction, including books often classified as Christian living titles, and children's titles were up single digits over the prior year, despite the declining numbers of people who attend church or identify with a specific denomination. The Coming Golden Age: 31 Ways to be Kingdom Ready (Nelson), an October release and Publishers Weekly bestseller by David Jeremiah, known for his writings on end-times prophecies, was followed a month later by an accompanying Bible study from Harper Christian Resources. Lockhart says in 2025 HCCP will carry on with "growing the visibility of our brands," keying off the massive sales of the Jesus Calling titles from the late Sarah Young, the company's perennial top-selling author, and leveraging new bestsellers by authors for Thomas Nelson such as Lysa TerKeurst (I Want to Trust You, but I Don't: Moving Forward When Youre Skeptical of Others, Afraid of What God Will Allow, and Doubtful of Your Own Discernment) and Max Lucado (What Happens Next: A Travelers Guide Through the End of This Age). InterVarsity Press Shane White, divisional VP for sales, marketing, and publicity, sees continued success with IVP's unique Bibles Terry Eastman's First Nations Version: An Indigenous Translation of the New Testament, released in 2021, and its September 2024 spin-off picture book based on the Gospel of Luke, Birth of the Chosen One: A First Nations Retelling of the Christmas Story. A First Nations Version Psalms & Proverbs is planned for release this summer. Other strong-selling Bible-related books include: the 2023 revised and expanded 1,200+ page Dictionary of Paul and his Letters; the illustrated Our Church Speaks a devotional highlighting saints across history; The New Testament In Color: A Multiethnic Bible Commentary with two dozen contributing scholars; and scores of LIfeGuide books and Bible studies that target niche markets. White says they are "thrilled" with sales for Moms at the Well: Meeting God Through the Mothers of Scripture, which is a 7-week interactive Bible study by authors Tara Edelschick and Kathy Tuan-MacLean, with an accompanying video. And another interactive study, Redeemer: God's Lovingkindness in the Book of Ruth by Dorina Lazo Gilmore-Young, comes out next week.[Feb. 11] Says White, "People want to live better in the light of faith. They want to see books about hope, now more than ever. They want to know God is right there for them. Christianity and Scripture and the people who write from these perspectives hit people where they live. That's why we see the sales we see." Baker Publishing Group "Whatever denomination you're in, whatever your religious background, you're engaging the Bible more now than you did 10 years ago," says Bob Gaudet, BPG's executive VP of marketing and publicity. While the company always offered a Bible, it's moved strongly into Bible studies and commentaries with author Tara-Leigh Cobble's blockbuster, The Bible Recap and her series of Bible studies leading the way. Gaudet calls her "the wonder woman. Her sales nearly doubled from 2022 to 2023 and doubled again from 2023 to 2024." What else is selling big? "Books on fear and anxiety," says Gaudet, noting sales for author Jamie Winship's 2022 debut book for Baker imprint Revell, Living Fearless: Exchanging the Lies of the World for the Liberating Truth of God, have "just exploded. It launched well. And then it just keeps growing and growing and growing." Today is a tense time, with wars abroad, culture wars at home, and natural disasters, too, so parents are scrambling for help for their children from a Christian perspective. Gaudet points to thriving sales for backlist books for Baker's Bethany imprint by therapists Sissy Goff (Raising Worry-Free Girls, 2019) and David Thomas (Raising Emotionally Strong Boys, 2022). Looking ahead, Gaudet sees another avenue of growth books that take on the hard questions people are asking of religion right now. He cites two February releases for Baker Books, Erin Hicks Moon's I've Got Questions: The Spiritual Practice of Having It Out with God and Mark Tabb's Am I a Better Christian on Zoloft? And Other Questions I Should Probably Keep to Myself. Says Gaudet, "People aren't finding answers in the pews so they are looking outside on their own. This is the new normal." Penguin Random House Christian Publishing Group The group, which formed in October and includes WaterBrook & Multnomah, may not publish a Bible, but Bible-related books on spiritual formation and devotionals that key off scripture passages are a strong category for them, says Ginia Croker, VP director of marketing. For example: prolific bestselling author John Mark Comer just chalked up sales 400,000 copies for his latest title, Practicing the Way: Be With Jesus. Become Like Him. Do as He Did. It was released by WaterBrook last January and a study guide was added in November. Croker says, "People are drawn to his warm voice and adherence to Biblical principles." Croker also sees a thriving audience for the Bible-based encouragement found in works such as 2024's top-selling devotional for WaterBrook, The Joy of the In-Between: 100 Devotions for Trusting God in Your Waiting Season by Ashley Hetherington, and Mark Batterson's holiday season hit A Million Little Miracles: Rediscover the God Who Is Bigger Than Big, Closer Than Close, and Gooder Than Good (Multnomah). "Readers are really drawn into those titles about joy and wonder. These books resonate in a world that can often feel strained and a bit divisive," says Croker." In 2025, she says, the publisher is keeping a close eye on the Gen Z market with a forthcoming devotional, Out of the Wilderness: Out of the Wilderness: 31 Devotions to Walk with God Through Your Hardest Seasons (WaterBrook, June) by the duo who host the Girls Gone Bible podcast, Angela Halili and Arielle Reitsma. Eerdmans Eerdmans, where revenue was up 10% for fall for 2024 over fall 2023, does not publish a Bible, but Will Bergkamp, senior VP of sales, marketing, and finance, points out, "We are deeply into Biblical studies through multiple commentary series that are essential for pastors, professors, and students and just keep shipping out of the warehouse." He calls Eerdmans "an eclectic press that serves a lot of different interests." Hence, 2024's success also stood on titles as varied as The Wise Leader by entrepreneur and philosopher Uli Chi, which had multiple printings and strong group and event sales; New Testament scholar Brant Pitre's Jesus and Divine Christology, "a meaty title that has exceeded all of our expectations;" Daniel Silliman's biography One Lost Soul: Richard Nixon's Search for Salvation; and Brad East's Letters to a Future Saint: Foundations of Faith for the Spiritually Hungry, which was a runner up for Christianity Today's 2024 Book of the Year award. In 2025, expect books that take on the swirling currents in culture and faith today such as Michelle Van Loon's fall title, Downsizing: Letting Go of Evangelicalisms Nonessentials. "Whether it's history, Biblical Studies, theology or leadership, the books do well because I think the mood is now for people to dig in," says Bergkamp. These books, he says, are "cousins in the sense of being deep, thoughtful, engaging. They are similar in that they speak to people's spiritual hunger. That's Eerdmans' DNA." Interfax-Ukraine to host discussion 'What should Ukraine expect from Trump?' On Monday, January 27, at 12.00, the press center of the Interfax-Ukraine News Agency will host a discussion entitled "What should Ukraine expect from Trump?" Participants include: political expert Kostiantyn Matviyenko; political scientist, co-founder of the National Platform for Sustainability and Cohesion Oleh Saakian, political expert, managing partner of the National Anti-Crisis Group Taras Zahorodniy (8/5a Reitarska Street). The event will be streamed on the Interfax-Ukraine YouTube channel. Admission requires registration on the spot with press ID cards. Above, President Trump brandishes a sword to cut a cake on Inauguration Day. But cutting government is no piece of cake -- and he has what some might call a terrible swift habit of sacking federal inspectors general (IGs) who could help him. By Bob Ivry, RealClearInvestigations January 23, 2025 COVID-19 emergency relief money, which began to flow soon after President Donald Trump signed the CARES Act in March 2020, united Americans from different walks of life, no matter their race, religion, or political affiliation, in the dogged pursuit of fraud. The federal government lost enormous amounts in COVID-19 economic relief begun hastily in the first Trump administration. To distribute financial help quickly as lockdowns spread, the Small Business Administration and the lenders it worked with didnt fact-check applications for Paycheck Protection Program loans before they approved them. That gave Americans a chance to show off their fiction-writing skills. Entrepreneurs, a bank manager, prison inmates, a Florida sheriffs deputy, employees of the federal government, and a Jersey guy called Harlem Pete were just some of the folks charged with making stuff up in order to receive one of the 11.3 million loans worth a total of $786 billion the SBA dispersed to save businesses and their employees but not itself from devastating losses due to the pandemic. The SBA has since categorized one in four of those loans as improper payments, meaning they could be fraudulent. That may be an extreme situation, but its not an isolated one. From 2003 to 2023, the federal government racked up an estimated $2.7 trillion in improper payments. And thats a low estimate. Above, the logo for DOGE, the new federal agency that might need the help of inspectors general, with whom the first Trump administration did not always get along. The discovery of much of this fraud and abuse can be traced to the work of the governments in-house watchdogs: the 74 inspectors general. Embedded in each Cabinet-level department along with agencies such as Amtrak and the Securities and Exchange Commission, the IGs identify and recover money lost to fraud and waste and prod the agencies to adopt safer and more efficient methods. The work of the IGs could become more important during the Trump administration, especially in connection with the new Department of Government Efficiency, led by Elon Musk. Musk, the richest man in the world, has suggested he might cut a trillion dollars or more in federal spending, and the IGs would seem to offer a ready-made partner. But theres a hitch: President Trumps fraught relationship with IGs offices, whose probes have sometimes put them in the presidents crosshairs. In 2020, during his first term, Trump used his executive power to oust five IGs without warning in the space of six weeks. The first firing came soon after Trump signed the CARES Act into law. The president ordered the dismissal of Glenn Fine, the IG tasked with overseeing the $2 trillion pandemic-relief programs. Trump also canned the watchdogs for the State Department, whom Secretary Mike Pompeo said was undermining the agency; the Transportation Department, who was reportedly investigating whether the agency was favoring contractors in Kentucky, Secretary Elaine Chaos home state; and the Department of Health and Human Services, whose office had just issued a report on the shortage of hospital equipment in the early days of the pandemic. Sen. Joni Ernst: The Iowa Republican will lead a bipartisan group in the Senate to support IGs. Perhaps in response to such concerns, a coalition of the IG offices announced last week that Sen. Joni Ernst would lead a bipartisan group in the Senate to support IGs. The so-called IG Caucus includes Republican Sens. Chuck Grassley of Iowa and James Lankford of Oklahoma and Democrats Gary Peters of Michigan, Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut and New Hampshires Maggie Hassan. A statement said they would help further IG efforts to conduct effective oversight of federal programs and operations and improve government efficiency. In fiscal 2023, the 74 IG offices recovered $10.9 billion, conducted investigations that resulted in the conviction of 4,318 scammers, and won 1,106 civil actions on a combined budget of $3.5 billion. The recoveries are a return on investment of more than $3 of taxpayer money for every $1 spent to run the offices. (That figure includes only actual cash the watchdogs clawed back, not money that would be saved if agencies adopted IG recommendations, a higher number often cited by the IGs.) They are, of course, only a fraction of the estimated fraud, waste, and abuse that most experts believe is out there. Glenn Fine: Trump ordered the firing of this IG tasked with overseeing the $2 trillion pandemic-relief programs. Christi A. Grimm, the HHS official whom Trump fired five years ago, was reappointed by President Joe Biden. She told Congress in April that her investigators recouped $3.16 billion in expected recoveries in fiscal 2023 on a budget of less than $500 million. The HHS, which includes Medicare and Medicaid, has a $2 trillion annual budget thats more than twice that of the Defense Department. In her testimony, Grimm made the case for Congress allocating her office more money because, she said, her investigators nationwide have been turning down between 300 and 400 viable criminal and civil health care fraud cases each year because they lacked the resources. IG offices also critique the methods of their departments in the interests of saving money and streamlining operations. The Department of Housing and Urban Development, which has a lousy record of fraud detection in its rent-assistance programs, has an inspector generals office, led by Rae Oliver Davis, thats identified changes in the processes for the department that could save $982 million if implemented. On the other side of the ledger, the post-Glenn Fine SBA said it got back only about $20 million of the more than $1 billion of the loans it identified for recovery in fiscal years 2000 to 2023. Hannah Padilla, Government Accountability Office: Stop improper payments before they happen. After is too late. Was the pandemic emergency spending worth it? Was the fraud an acceptable price to pay? The CARES Act enjoyed universal congressional support it passed the Republican-controlled Senate unanimously and the majority-Democrat House on a voice vote. Some researchers report it boosted employment and kept millions of paychecks flowing, which was the goal of programs like the PPP. On the other hand, the Justice Department said in its 2024 report on combatting COVID-19 scams that civil pandemic fraud enforcement will continue to require substantial resources for years to come. It can be argued that without bailouts there would be no fraud to track down, so do away with bailouts. But it wouldve taken nerves of steel, and a casual attitude toward reelection, for officeholders to have saved Wall Streets biggest banks in 2008 and then in 2020 deny Americas 33 million small businesses, which are responsible for nearly two-thirds of net new jobs in the U.S. and produce more than 40% of the countrys economic output. Given that lawmakers chose bailouts, the problem was the speed and accuracy with which the money was distributed. We believe the real focus should be on preventing the overpayment or the improper payment from occurring to begin with, said Hannah Padilla, a director at the Government Accountability Office, a nonpartisan watchdog that reports to Congress. Once the payment is made, its very difficult to get it back. Padilla said now is the time to put stricter controls in place before the government starts writing checks to avoid or deal with another disaster. Its a lot more cost-effective to have controls that are as tight as can be, she said. We want them to think about lessons learned for next time. Elon Musk: Is his red pen mightier than the bloated budget? (To be continued.) And it will happen again. Years ago, when his young daughter asked him, Whats a financial crisis? JPMorgan Chases longtime CEO Jamie Dimon said he told her, Something that happens every five to seven years. Dimon may have been off on the number of years, but not far off. How DOGE sees governments role in limiting the damage of an emergency, or recouping funds misappropriated by fraud, or the constituency it chooses to protect, can, at this point, only be decoded by parsing the occasional public statement from its twin powers. Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy who had been tapped as the outfits co-leader but has reportedly stepped down to run for governor of Ohio didnt make themselves available for comment. DOGE can only recommend; its up to Congress where the money goes, or where it stops going. Public comments from the principals suggest theyll use a machete to cut the size of government rather than a scalpel. Ramaswamy told followers on X that they should expect certain agencies to be deleted outright. Will those kinds of decisions be based on improving government efficiency, or on some other criteria? Trump has promised to obliterate the Deep State. I am your justice, he told the Conservative Political Action Conference in 2023. I am your retribution. DOGE is very much a black box right now, said William Galston, senior fellow in governance studies at the Brookings Institution. Legally, its a bunch of guys sitting around talking. Already, a group of attorneys has filed a lawsuit claiming that DOGE, as a non-governmental organization, violates federal transparency laws, among other infractions. DOGEs work is expected to be completed by July 4, 2026, Americas 250th birthday, so theres little time to waste. Like the haste with which the SBA cut checks for small businesses during the pandemic, DOGE will be making decisions quickly and based on a variety of criteria. While its aim is clear to thwart what Ramaswamy has called the bureaucratic machine how it will execute its mission remains unclear. Perhaps an early indication of how this new government watchdog agency plans to proceed will be the relationship it strikes with the watchdogs already in place. Find a great selection of commercial real estate, manufactured homes, timeshares and more for Sale Buy real estate. Find a great selection of commercial real estate, manufactured homes, timeshares and more for Sale in US and Canada. Search Real Estate The nominees for the 36th annual GLAAD Media Awards are in. ADVERTISEMENT Wicked, Shrinking and Arcane are among the works nominated at this year's ceremony, which will be held March 27 in Los Angeles. GLAAD, an LGBTQ media advocacy organization, hosts the GLAAD Media Awards to celebrate LGBTQ creators and stories across film, television, music and other media. "In a time of unprecedented challenges for LGBTQ people, LGBTQ stories are the antidote to anti-LGBTQ violence, legislation and disinformation," a press release states. "GLAAD's mission to accelerate acceptance and understanding for LGBTQ people through visibility in media stands stronger than ever..." The award recipients will be selected from among 303 nominees, which were announced Wednesday. The Outstanding Film - Wide Theatrical Release nominees are: Cuckoo, Drive-Away Dolls, Love Lies Bleeding, Mean Girls, My Old Ass, Problemista, Queer and Wicked. Meanwhile, shows in the running for Outstanding Drama include: 9-1-1: Lone Star, Arcane, The Chi, Doctor Who, Found, Heartbreak High, Interview with the Vampire, Star Trek: Discovery, The Umbrella Academy and Wicked City. Abbott Elementary, Ghosts, Hacks, Loot, The Sex Lives of College Girls, Shrinking, Somebody Somewhere, Sort of, We are Lady Parts and What We Do in the Shadows are among the shows up for Outstanding Comedy Series. FOLLOW REALITY TV WORLD ON THE ALL-NEW GOOGLE NEWS! Reality TV World is now available on the all-new Google News app and website. Click here to visit our Google News page, and then click FOLLOW to add us as a news source! "Whether it's rampant misinformation or defamation of transgender people, LGBTQ youth, or the shocking corporate rollback of policies and programs that keep LGBTQ people seen and safe in a workforce, what will always prevail is our truth and talent," said Sara Kate Ellis, president and CEO of GLAAD. Adam Lambert, Billie Eilish, Doechi, Elton John, Joy Oladokun, Kali Uchis, Omar Apollo, Orville Peck, Tove Lo and Victoria Monet have all been nominated for Outstanding Music Artist. Interfax-Ukraine to host press conference 'Ecologists launch lawsuit against Kyiv City Council for blocking creation of protected areas' On Wednesday, January 29, at 11.00, the press center of the Interfax-Ukraine News Agency will host a press conference entitled "Ecologists launch lawsuit against Kyiv City Council for blocking creation of protected areas." Participants include: lawyer of the Kyiv Ecological and Cultural Center Oleksandr Diadiuk; member of the board of the public organization Svarozhychi Oksana Burhun; director and chairman of the public organization Eco-team Mykhailo Pohrebysky; director of the Kyiv Ecological and Cultural Center Volodymyr Boreiko (8/5a Reitarska Street). The event will be streamed the Interfax-Ukraine YouTube channel. Admission requires registration on the spot with press ID cards. Just after an election season and amidst ongoing tumultuous foreign conflicts, protests and political demonstrations remain at the forefront of many students' minds. However, with the increase in protest comes the inevitable debate: are these protests really doing anything? And without tangible policy change, are these protests really successful? The Athens-Clarke County Mayor and Commission decided which items will appear on the consent agenda next month at the agenda setting meeting on Thursday. The items garnering the most discussion were rezoning requests recommended by the ACC Planning Commission and the remaining were old and new business items. The government on Thursday said it has cancelled the auction of Tamil Nadu's Nayakkarpatti tungsten mineral block which is near the Arittapatti Biodiversity site and a number of cultural heritage sites. Tungsten is a critical and strategic mineral. The announcement came a day after representatives of local Ambalakarars community from Madurai district met coal and mines minister G Kishan Reddy and urged him to cancel the sale of the block. "During the meeting on January 22, 2025, the Ambalakarars requested the Union minister to cancel the auction of the Nayakkarpatti tungsten block. "The Union minister patiently heard the delegation and expressed that the Union government fully supports the bio diversity heritage protection. "After detailed deliberations, considering the importance of the biodiversity heritage site in the area and the commitment of the government of India under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership towards protecting traditional rights, it has been decided to annul the auction of Nayakkarpatti tungsten mineral block," the mines minister said in a statement. The mine covering over 20.16 sq km area was proposed for the auction in February last year. Inputs were taken from the government of Tamil Nadu before the block was put up for auction. Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin had earlier urged Modi to cancel the award of tungsten mining rights in Madurai district. Stalin asserted that his government will not allow mining there considering aspects such as a biodiversity heritage site and people's opposition. The state government had informed that land schedule details were unavailable. It was also informed that a quarry lease for granite over 47.37 hectares in Aritapatti village, Melur Taluk, had been granted to TAMIN, a state government entity, on September 19, 2008 for 30 years. Vedanta group firm Hindustan Zinc Ltd emerged as the preferred bidder in the auction of the block on November 7 last year. Since February, when the block was first put to auction and till the declaration of result, "there was no communication from any quarter including state government regarding any opposition to the auction. "Nor did the state government request the central government to drop the block from auction," the mines ministry said. This block was auctioned as a composite licence block, which means that the block has been partially explored and the successful bidder will have to carry out exploration in the block before mining lease is granted. Photograph via Linkdin Patanjali Foods Ltd on Thursday said food regulator FSSAI has directed the company to recall a specified batch of packed red chilli powder due to non-conformity with food safety norms. The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) issued an order in this regard on January 13, the company said in a regulatory filing. The food safety regulator "has directed Patanjali Foods to initiate recall of the entire batch of implicated food (i.e. Red Chilli Powder (packed) of Batch No. AJD2400012 due to non-conformance of Food Safety and Standards (Contaminants, Toxins and Residues) Regulations, 2011", it said. Incorporated in 1986, Baba Ramdev-led Patanjali Ayurved group firm, Patanjali Foods (erstwhile Ruchi Soya) is one of India's top FMCG players. The company is present in edible oils, food and FMCG and wind power generation sectors. It sells products under various brands like Patanjali, Ruchi Gold, Nutrela, etc. Patanjali Foods posted 21 per cent increase in standalone net profit to Rs 308.97 crore for September quarter. Its net profit stood at Rs 254.53 crore in the year-ago period. Total income rose to Rs 8,198.52 crore during the second quarter of this fiscal year from Rs 7,845.79 crore in the year-ago period. The project is critical as the region expects huge investments in the automotive, renewable energy, and space sectors. IMAGE: The Dakshin Bharat Gateway Terminal of VO Chidambaranar Port in Thoothukudi. Photograph: Kind courtesy, VO Chidambaranar Port Authority/Wikimedia commons A day after Tesla's global rival VinFast identified VO Chidambaranar (VOC) Port in Thoothukudi as key to its $2 billion manufacturing unit plans in India, sources revealed that a Rs 7,056 crore outer harbour project at the port is drawing interest from both domestic and global industry leaders. The first phase of the project is expected to be operational by 2028. According to a source familiar with the development of the outer harbour container terminal project, global players such as Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone, DP World, Jan De Nul, the Anil Agarwal-led Vedanta group, JM Baxi, and Dakshin Bharat Gateway Terminal have expressed interest in the project. The contract is expected to be awarded by March this year. This project is critical as the region expects huge investments in the automotive, renewable energy, and space sectors, alongside ongoing investments by Vietnamese major VinFast. The Indian Space Research Organisation is planning its second spaceport in Tamil Nadu's Kulasekarapattinam, while firms including ACME and Singapore's Sembcorp are contributing Rs 36,238 crore in renewable energy investments. The state government's emphasis on industrialising this region has attracted Tata Solar Power, Vikram Solar, and several others. The Tamil Nadu government expects about Rs 1 trillion in investments in this area. The envisioned project aims to transform VOC Port into the first transshipment hub on India's East Coast. When asked about the global interest in the outer harbour project, Susanta Kumar Purohit, chairperson of VOC Port Authority, said, The bids will be opened on February 11, and the contract will be awarded by March. VOC Port takes pride in being ranked No.1 among India's major ports for its outstanding operating ratio of 27.87 per cent. This business-friendly environment is a clear path to the success of the outer harbour container terminal project. We are receiving interest from many companies for the outer harbour project, both national and international, Purohit added, without revealing further details about the bidding. The outer harbour is a new expansion project designed to increase the port's capacity to accommodate larger container ships. The project involves developing two deepwater container terminals, each 1 kilometre-long, with a draft of 16 metres and a capacity to handle 2 million twenty-foot equivalent unit (TEU) each. The project includes state-of-the-art container handling and advanced logistics infrastructure to efficiently manage 4 million TEU of containerised cargo. This will enable VOC Port to compete effectively with the major container handling ports in the region, Purohit added. This comes a day after VinFast Asia's Chief Executive Officer Pham Sanh Chau indicated that Thoothukudi was chosen for its manufacturing unit due to its proximity to VOC Port and the airport, with exports to West Asia and Africa being key priorities. According to port management, VOC Port benefits from natural advantages such as its strategic location near the EastWest International Sea Route, and the distinction of being an all-weather, 24x7 port, in addition to rail-road connectivity and proactive work culture. The international sea route is about 80 nautical miles from the port. The project will be developed in two phases, with a concession period of 45 years instead of the usual 30 years. The operator is exempted from paying any revenue share to the port for the initial 10 years and is given a 15-year window to meet the minimum guaranteed throughput obligations. This provides ample room for building and sustaining the business without any financial burden. The project is modelled on 40 per cent gateway volumes and 60 per cent transshipment volumes, unlike competing ventures, Purohit added. Feature Presentation: Rajesh Alva/Rediff.com 'Skilled labour is different from immigration.' 'While any adverse immigration ruling will impact Indians, it may not necessarily affect the IT services industry.' Kindly note the image has been posted only for representational purposes. Photograph: Kind courtesy Joshua Woroniecki/Pixabay.com US President Donald J Trump has said that he likes both sides of the argument on the H-1B foreign guest workers' visa, noting that America needs 'very competent' and 'great' people, which is possible through this visa programme. The remarks have sparked optimism among professionals and businesses reliant on the H-1B visa programme, and provided much-needed relief to many employed in India's IT services sector. 'I like both sides of the argument, but I also like very competent people coming into our country, even if that involves them training and helping other people who may not have the qualifications they do,' Trump said on Tuesday. 'But I don't want to stop -- and I'm not just talking about engineers, I'm talking about people at all levels,' he added. The US president was responding to a question on the ongoing debate on H-1B visas within his support base. The H-1B visa is a non-immigrant visa that allows US companies to employ foreign workers in specialty occupations that require theoretical or technical expertise. "I think this aligns with what the industry has been saying for some time: Skilled labour is different from immigration. While any adverse immigration ruling will impact Indians, it may not necessarily affect the IT services industry," a senior executive of an IT services firm said. Industry players and HR experts asserted that in a world increasingly driven by artificial intelligence (AI), talent mobility is critical. According to Bloomberg, Indian citizens accounted for nearly three-fourths of the 386,000 H-1B visas issued in 2023. "The US needs skilled talent, and they have been vocal about it. What might evolve is the definition of the 'American Dream'," said Neeti Sharma, CEO of TeamLease Digital. While there may not be immediate impacts, she added the US will need to consider developing locally available skilled employees in the long run. "We've also observed that several global capability centres are being set up in India. Even US businesses realise the need for access to talent. Though talent in India may seem expensive, comparable talent in the US is still 25 to 30 per cent costlier," she explained. HR experts noted that of the 65,000 H-1B visas issued annually, Indian IT services firms typically account for 35,000 to 45,000. This number is expected to decline as larger companies increase local hiring. For instance, Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) has focused on hiring talent from local colleges in the US. Currently, the firm's workforce in the US is evenly split between local hires and H1-B visa holders. TCS has also reiterated its reduced dependence on H-1B visas, applying for approximately 3,000 visas annually. Infosys has significantly decreased its reliance on H-1B visas. During a recent media interaction, CFO Jayesh Sanghrajka said: 'Within our US onsite population, over 60 per cent are independent of H-1B visas. We've built a resilient model, and our dependence on H-1B visas has reduced significantly.' 'Our onsite mix has dropped from 30 per cent to 24 per cent, while nearshore operations have increased.' Wipro has also followed a similar approach. 'We've been investing in and hiring a significant number of locals in the US, who now comprise a substantial portion of our workforce. Additionally, we maintain a good inventory of H-1B visas to meet requirements as needed,' Chief Human Resources Officer Saurabh Govil said during the company's Q3 FY25 earnings call. Nasscom said H-1B visas have nothing to do with immigration issues and instead fill critical skills gaps in the US. "This visa bridges a critical skills gap...does the skills gap exist during Trump's era? As of now, the answer is yes," Nasscom Vice-President Shivendra Singh told PTI. "Will the H-1B visas be important as a result of that, the answer is yes. Will India be important because of our skill sets -- Indian nationals getting 70 per cent of visas -- the answer is yes," Singh added. "So India has a very important role and Indian talent has a very important role in the growth of the US economy." Feature Presentation: Ashish Narsale/Rediff.com 'In Independent India's politics you will not find any leader of a political party who has not contested elections or not held a powerful post.' 'It was only Balasaheb who never contested elections or held a post.' On the occasion of Balasaheb Thackeray's 99th birth anniversary, close aide Subhash Desai recalls vignettes about the Shiv Sena founder. IMAGE: Subhash Desai with Balasaheb Thackeray. Photograph: Kind courtesy Subhash Desai January 23 is Shiv Sena founder Balasaheb Thackeray's 99th birth anniversary. Thackeray passed away on November 17, 2012, leaving a chasm in Maharashtra politics. What made Balasaheb, Balasaheb? Veteran Shiv Sena leader Subhash Desai, one of Balasaheb Thackeray's close aides, explains to Syed Firdaus Ashraf/Rediff.com what made his late leader one of a kind. When did you join Balasaheb Thackeray and become a Shiv Sainik? I started working with him in 1980. He told me to take care of letters which people wrote to him from across Maharashtra and India. People wrote him letters and they were very sentimental ones too, describing their day to day problems. He told me to take charge of that and later he would respond to those letters. When I took those letters to him for signing, he used to write, 'yours obediently'. In Marathi it was written 'aapla namra'. He insisted that one must be humble in politics when you are responding to the public in letters. He had humility in him. What did you learn from him? He always stood by his statements. No denials. Whatever is spoken is spoken. He always advised us before speaking, think twice. But once you speak don't deny your statement. He never cared for the outcome (of his statements) or for his own well-being as political leaders try to find excuses to come out of a bad situation they are stuck in after making (controversial) statements. IMAGE: Balasaheb Thackeray at the BrihanMumbai Municipal Corporation headquarters. In the middle is Manohar Joshi, who went on to become the Shiv Sena's first chief minister in 1995. Photograph: Kind courtesy Gopal Shetty What is the one incident you recall about Balasaheb Thackeray on his birth anniversary? The Vishwa Hindu Parishad had called all its cadres to Ayodhya before December 6, 1992. At the same time, there was a Shiv Sena rally at Pandharpur where Balasaheb said that his Shiv Sainiks will go to Ayodhya (on December 6) but they will not go for 'bhajan kirtan'. This was a signal by him. On December 6, 1992, when the Babri Masjid was being demolished BJP leaders tried to stop them. You can check the interview of the then BJP leaders (with Rajat Sharma) where you will see L K Advani stating that he sent Uma Bharti requesting her to persuade the kar sevaks who had climbed the dome of Babri Masjid to get down. Uma came back and told Advani the people who were on top of the dome were speaking in Marathi. After which he sent Pramod Mahajan who too came back disappointed. The Babri Masjid was demolished and even Atal Bihari Vajpayee regretted its demolition. It was only Balasaheb Thackeray who said he was proud of his Shiv Sainiks who demolished the Babri Masjid. It was a clear-cut stand. The then BJP chief minister of Uttar Pradesh, Kalyan Singh, too tried to protect the Babri Masjid. Now, Ram Mandir everyone wants to take credit for. Be it PM Modi or Home Minister Amit Shah. But then the question, where was the land to build thw Ram temple in Ayodhya? It was made available only after demolishing the Babri Masjid. Modi and Shah have conveniently forgotten this episode. IMAGE: Subhash Desai, left, with Balasaheb Thackeray. Photograph: Kind courtesy Subhash Desai If you were to define Balasaheb Thackeray in one line, what would it be? He was the most straightforward person I have ever met in my life. What was his mission in politics? He was very committed to his struggle and cause of his party. I remember there was once a morcha at Kala Ghoda near the Jehangir Art Gallery in Mumbai and the police did not allow our meeting to be held there. We then moved to Apollo Bunder near the Gateway of India. The public and his supporters who came insisted that he must give a speech. There was no stage built but yet they wanted him to speak. So, he climbed on the bonnet of a car and addressed the crowd. Someone got a megaphone and he spoke. Nothing could stop him. Today, his statue has been built near Regal cinema which is near the place from where he addressed the meeting from the car bonnet. IMAGE: Balasaheb Thackeray addresses supporters at Kala Ghoda, Mumbai. Photograph: Kind courtesy Gopal Shetty Any low point that you can recall? In the 1970s he fought the elections and lost. He lost the Parliament, assembly and even municipal corporation elections. In 1980 too the Shiv Sena lost badly. But he never got frustrated. He had the attitude of never give up. Finally, he established his government in 1995 when the Shiv Sena in alliance with BJP came to power in Maharashtra. Can you recall any incident about his Hindutva? In 1987, there was a by-election in Vile Parle in Mumbai. At that time all the political parties contested against the Shiv Sena, which included the BJP. In this election Balasaheb used the slogan,'Garv Se Kaho Hum Hindu Hain' (say with pride we are Hindus)'. After the results came out, Pramod Mahajan of the BJP understood that elections in India can be fought on Hindutva and one can get elected. This was certified by the BJP and he approached Balasaheb with the proposal for an alliance with the BJP. After this election the Shiv Sena and BJP alliance came into existence in Maharashtra. IMAGE: Balasaheb Thackeray with Pramod Mahajan, architect of the Shiv Sena-BJP alliance. Photograph: Kind courtesy Gopal Shetty How was his governance style when the Shiv Sena-BJP was in power? He treated everyone with respect. He never discriminated a person on his caste, creed or community. Why could Maharashtra not get another leader like Balasaheb Thackeray? Every leader in politics has ambition. You will find no leader who has no ambition in politics. In Independent India's politics you will not find any leader of a political party who has not contested elections or not held a powerful post. It was only Balasaheb who never contested elections or held a post. He was leading a party and making his juniors, office-bearers to contest elections and win. He never expressed his willingness to contest any time. He refused to contest and nobody in our party dared to suggest to him that he must contest elections. Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri will travel to Beijing on a two-day trip beginning Sunday, in the second such high-profile visit from India to China in less than one-and-a-half months. IMAGE: Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri (right) meets Iran deputy Foreign Minister Majid Takht Ravanchi during the 19th India-Iran Foreign Office Consultations meeting, in New Delhi, January 4, 2025. Photograph: ANI Photo Last month, national security adviser Ajit Doval travelled to Beijing and held talks with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi under the framework of Special Representatives (SR) dialogue on the boundary dispute. "Foreign secretary Vikram Misri will be visiting Beijing on January 26 and 27 for a meeting of the foreign secretary-vice minister mechanism between India and China," the ministry of external affairs said on Thursday. "The resumption of this bilateral mechanism flows from the agreement at the leadership level to discuss the next steps for India-China relations, including in the political, economic, and people-to-people domains," it said in a brief statement. The decision to revive the SR dialogue mechanism and other such formats was taken at a meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping in Kazan on October 23. In the nearly 50-minute meeting, Modi underscored the importance of properly handling differences and disputes and not allowing them to disturb peace and tranquillity in border areas. The Modi-Xi meeting came two days after India and China firmed up a disengagement pact for Depsang and Demchok, the last two friction points in eastern Ladakh. In the SR dialogue, India pressed for a fair, reasonable and mutually acceptable settlement of the overall boundary dispute between the two countries. Doval and Wang also focused on "positive" direction for cross-border cooperation including resuming the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra, river data sharing and border trade. Last week, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said the India-China relationship is trying to disentangle itself from the complications arising from the post-2020 border situation and more thought needs to be given to the longer-term evolution of the ties. "At a time when most of its relationships are moving forward, India confronts a particular challenge in establishing an equilibrium with China. Much of that arises from the fact that both nations are on the rise," he had said. The external affairs minister noted that as immediate neighbours and the only two societies with over a billion people, India-China dynamic could never have been easy. "But it has been further sharpened by a boundary dispute, by some baggage of history and by differing socio-political systems. Misreadings by past policy-makers, whether driven by idealism or absence of realpolitik, has actually helped neither cooperation nor competition with China," he said. "That has clearly changed in the last decade. Right now, the relationship is trying to disentangle itself from the complications arising from the post-2020 border situation," he added. The Air Traffic Control Service "Azeraeronavigation" (AZANS) of CJSC Azerbaijan Airlines has entered into a strategic agreement with NATS, the UK's leading provider of air traffic management services. This partnership aims to conduct a comprehensive analysis and enhance operational procedures, maintenance processes, and regulatory compliance, marking a significant step forward in strengthening Azerbaijan's position in the global aviation industry. The collaboration between AZANS and NATS focuses on implementing strategic initiatives, including: Optimizing Air Traffic Management Communication, Navigation, and Surveillance (CNS) procedures and systems to enhance flight safety and reduce delays. procedures and systems to enhance flight safety and reduce delays. Enhancing compliance with international standards , ensuring efficiency and operational reliability. , ensuring efficiency and operational reliability. Adopting advanced technologies and global best practices to drive sustainable development and improve operational processes. to drive sustainable development and improve operational processes. Training and developing personnel capabilities, including specialized training programs, site visits, and joint workshops with NATS experts. With its strategic location, Azerbaijan airspace and Heydar Aliyev International Airport have a unique opportunity to become a key air traffic hub. The partnership with NATS will enable us to meet the highest standards of modern aviation, focusing on safety, environmental sustainability, and operational efficiency, said AZANS Director Farhan Guliyev. Martin Rolfe, NATS Chief Executive, emphasized: Azerbaijan is seeing rapid growth in its aviation sector and this agreement is an opportunity for us to share our experience of managing some of the busiest airports and airspace in the world. Im looking forward to working together, learning from each other, and helping Azerbaijan fulfil its ambitions. It should be noted that this partnership will serve as a foundation for the further growth of Azerbaijan's aviation sector, strengthening its position as a regional leader and establishing a reliable and efficient infrastructure for air carriers. The collaboration with NATS will enable the implementation of cutting-edge technologies, providing passengers and airlines with an enhanced experience, including reduced delays, improved flight safety, and support for sustainable development. Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday said "almost all" pending ideological tasks including the abrogation of Article 370 have been completed by the Narendra Modi government, and it will continue on the same path in its third tenure. IMAGE: Union Home Minister Amit Shah addresses the inauguration of a fair organised by the Hindu Spiritual and Service Institute, in Ahmedabad, January 23, 2025. Photograph: ANI Photo The senior BJP leader was speaking after inaugurating the Hindu Spiritual & Service Fair, also known as `Hindu Adhyatmik Seva Mela', at the Gujarat University grounds here. There was a time when Hindus hesitated to disclose their identity in their own country, he claimed. "In ten years, the situation has changed. Now, almost all the pending works as per our ideology have been completed, be it the abrogation of Article 370 from Jammu and Kashmir, construction of Ram Temple in Ayodhya, abolition of triple talaq and implementation of Uniform Civil Code (UCC)," he said. Notably, while the UCC has not been implemented at the national level, BJP-ruled Uttarakhand has introduced it and Shah had told the Rajya Sabha last month that it would be implemented in all the states. While the Modi government completed these unfinished works in ten years, earlier governments had not touched them for 70 years, Shah further said in his speech here. The Modi government will continue in the same direction in its third tenure, he added. He also noted that it was a matter of pride that "170 countries accepted Yoga." "During the G20 Summit, leaders from across the world came here and offered their tributes to Mahatma Gandhi, which is also a matter of pride for us. The government was successful in bringing back nearly 350 stolen idols of our deities from across the world," the Union minister said. Talking about the Hindu Adhyatmik Seva Mela, Shah said Hindu temples and organisations served society in various ways including educating tribals or providing healthcare to lakhs of poor citizens, but never publicized their work. He thanked the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh for bringing all such service-oriented Hindu organisations under one roof through this event so that people understand the contribution of these institutions. The Seva Mela has some 200 stalls of Hindu organisations working for the betterment of society, including one dedicated to Maharani Ahilyabai Holkar, the 18th century ruler of Indore state who restored nearly 200 temples including Somnath which were destroyed by Muslim invaders, he noted. This article was first published 4 years ago In a transformational move, the Indian Army is considering a proposal to allow civilians including young working professionals to join the force for a three-year tenure as officers and in other ranks in diverse areas like logistics and front-line formations. Top military sources said the army is also considering to induct personnel from paramilitary forces and central armed police forces for a short duration of up to seven years following which they would be allowed to return to their parent organisations. The "game-changing" proposal to allow civilians to work for three years is being examined by top commanders of the army and its main aim is to bring people closer to the 1.3-million-strong force by giving them an opportunity to experience military life, they said. "If approved it will be a voluntary engagement and there will be no dilution in selection criteria. Initially 100 officers and 1,000 men are being considered for recruitment as part of test bedding of the project," spokesperson of the army, Col Aman Anand said when asked about it. The sources said minute details of the proposal are being worked out, adding age and fitness level will be among the key criteria for recruitment under the 'Tour of Duty (ToD) or 'Three Years Short Service' scheme. There is a "resurgence of nationalism and patriotism" in the country and the proposal attempts to tap the feelings of the youths who do not want to join the srmy as a profession but wish to experience the military life for a temporary duration, a source said. The proposal, which is a part of broad reforms envisaged for the force, is set to be discussed at a conference of top commanders of the Indian Army following which the process would be taken forward, the sources said, adding the scheme will benefit the srmy financially. At present, the srmy recruits young people under short service commission for an initial tenure of 10 years which is extendable up to 14 years. According to the proposal, the people to be recruited under the ToD will be eligible to be deployed as combatants in key forward locations and there will be no restrictions in their roles. The sources quoting an internal study said the Army would gain significant financial benefit from the ToD scheme as it will save a huge amount of money on gratuity, severance packages, leave encashment and pension. Young working professionals would be allowed to apply under ToD, they said. The srmy has also made a comparative study on whether the training costs on people to be recruited under ToD will be commensurate with their subsequent limited employment for only three years. The initial approximate financial calculations show that the financial benefits accrued would be exponential. Sources said the cumulative approximate cost of pre-commission training, salary and other expenses is nearly Rs 5.12 crore and Rs 6.83 crore on an officer if he or she is released after 10 and 14 years respectively. However, similar cost for those released after three years would be just Rs 80 lakh to Rs 85 lakh each. Since, approximately 50 per cent to 60 per cent of the Short Service Commissioned Officers are granted permanent commission, the cost of their retention till attaining 54 years of age is too high. Similarly, money saved on cost incurred by the government for a sepoy with 17 years of service as compared with a ToD sepoy with three years of service for a 17-year period would be substantial. The savings for only 1,000 jawans could be Rs 11,000 crore which could then be utilised for the much needed modernisation of the Indian armed forces, the sources said. They said a stint in the Army would also be helpful for young people in getting jobs in corporate as well as government sector. An officer or soldier after completing one year of training and three years of ToD is likely to display visible improvement in self-confidence, teamwork, responsibility, initiative, stress management, innovation and social skills, according to a military officer. "Initial survey tells that all corporates would favour an individual who has been trained by military and comes to them at 26/27 years of age rather than a raw college graduates at 22/23 years of age," he said. The move to recruit personnel from paramilitary forces and central armed police forces is being considered under a concept called 'Inverse Induction Model'. The rivalry between Tesla CEO Elon Musk and OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has intensified, centering on a groundbreaking artificial intelligence project known as Stargate, reported The Associated Press. IMAGE: Elon Musk gestures at the podium inside the Capital One arena on the inauguration day of Donald Trump's second presidential term, in Washington, DC, on January 20, 2025. Photograph: Mike Segar/Reuters The dispute now involves the support of United States President Donald Trump, highlighting a clash of egos and strategic priorities between two tech titans. Trump, on Tuesday, announced a new partnership involving OpenAI, Oracle, and SoftBank to invest up to $500 billion in Stargate -- a venture aimed at developing AI infrastructure. Trump described the initiative as 'a resounding declaration of confidence in America's potential' under his administration. Musk, however, questioned the viability of this ambitious venture. In a post on his social media platform X, Musk cast doubt on the financial readiness of the project's backers. 'They don't actually have the money,' Musk wrote. 'SoftBank has well under $10B secured. I have that on good authority.' Altman promptly fired back on Wednesday, refuting Musk's claims and inviting him to visit Stargate's initial construction site in Texas. Altman asserted that the project's scope would benefit the nation, contrasting Musk's criticisms with patriotic undertones. 'This is great for the country,' Altman wrote, urging Musk to prioritise America's interests in his new advisory role with the Trump administration. As per the AP report, the public spat over Stargate reflects a deeper, long-standing conflict between Musk and Altman. The animosity began years ago when the two served on OpenAI's board, clashing over its leadership and vision. Musk, an early investor and board member of OpenAI, eventually left the organisation and later filed a lawsuit accusing it of abandoning its nonprofit mission to pursue commercial profits. The legal battle escalated last year when Musk requested a court injunction to prevent OpenAI from converting into a for-profit entity. A federal court hearing is scheduled for February. In response to his fallout with OpenAI, Musk founded his own AI company, xAI, which is building a data center in Memphis, Tennessee. Musk alleges that OpenAI, supported by Microsofts vast computing resources, enjoys an unfair competitive advantage. At least four out of the 13 persons killed in the Jalgaon train accident have been identified as hailing from Nepal, authorities said on Thursday. IMAGE: Officials at the site after passengers of Pushpak Express were hit by Karnataka Express, at Pachora in Jalgaon on Wednesday. Photograph: ANI Photo A minor boy and two women were among the four Nepalese victims, they said. At least 13 persons were killed and 15 injured after some passengers of the Mumbai-bound Pushpak Express, who got off the train after an alarm chain-pulling incident, were run over by the Karnataka Express on the adjacent tracks in Maharashtra's Jalgaon district on Wednesday evening. "Of the 13, we have identified eight bodies so far, including two from their Aadhaar cards," Special Inspector General of Police Dattatraya Karale told PTI. The eight identified deceased include four hailing from Nepal, Jalgaon district information officer Yuvraj Patil said. As per the list provided by authorities, the four Nepalese victims have been identified as Kamala Navin Bhandari (43) (who lived at Colaba in Mumbai), Javakala Bhate (60) (who resided at Bhiwandi in Thane), Lachchiram Khataru Pasi (40) and Imtiyaz Ali (11). Out of the injured persons, 10 were currently undergoing treatment -- nine at the Pachora civil hospital and one at a medical facility in Jalgaon city. The others who suffered minor injuries were discharged, Patil said. A team of the Central Railway personnel on Wednesday night visited the hospitals and distributed a total ex-gratia of Rs 2.70 lakh to nine of the injured passengers, an official said. The accident took place between Maheji and Pardhade stations near Pachora town in north Maharashtra's Jalgaon district, when the Lucknow-Mumbai Pushpak Express halted after someone pulled the chain at around 4.45 pm on Wednesday, Central Railway officials earlier said. Some passengers onboard the Pushpak Express, fearing a blaze, hastily jumped onto the adjacent tracks and were run over by the oncoming Karnataka Express heading from Bengaluru to Delhi, as per officials. Dilip Kumar, Executive Director, Information and Publicity, Railway Board, however, denied that any spark or fire inside the coach caused passengers to pull the alarm. In a video message from Davos in Switzerland, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Wednesday said, "Some passengers in the train mistakenly assumed that smoke is coming out of the train and they jumped. Unfortunately, they were run over by another train." The CM announced a financial assistance of Rs 5 lakh each to the next of the kin of the passengers who died in the tragedy. The Railway Board separately announced an ex-gratia of Rs 1.5 lakh each to the kin of the deceased, Rs 50,000 for grievous wounds and Rs 5,000 for simple injuries. Refuting perceptions of roadblocks to bring back the mortal remains held in an urn in a Buddhist temple in Renkoji in Japan, widely believed to be that of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, a section of descendants of the national hero claim they have documentary evidence to prove that the temple authorities have always been more than willing to hand over the 'ashes' to India. IMAGE: Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose with Indian National Army soldiers. Photograph: Kind courtesy The Forgotten Army Documentary/Doordarshan The demand to bring back the remains and conduct DNA tests to affirm whether they indeed belong to one of the tallest figures of India's freedom struggle has been an abiding wish of a significant bulk of Netaji admirers who seek closure to one of India's longest persisting enigma: whether Bose perished in the aftermath of a fatal Japanese military aircraft crash in present-day Taiwan, on August 18, 1945. Reports of as many as 10 national and international enquiries probing Netaji's disappearance on that fateful day, now available in the national archives in New Delhi, have confirmed Bose's death at a hospital in the Japanese military airfield in Taihoku, now Taiwan, as a result of the severe burn injuries he suffered in the crash. An exception to those committees' findings was that of the Commission chaired by retired Supreme Court judge Manoj Kumar Mukherjee, the last of the probe panels constituted by the Union government, which submitted its report in November 2005 and concluded that Bose "is dead", though he "did not die in the plane crash, as alleged". "The ashes in the Japanese temple are not of Netaji," the Commission had further concluded. The Indian government had rejected the findings of the Commission. The confusion over the alleged "lack of cooperation" from the Renkoji temple priests, some descendants of Netaji maintained, could have arisen from the Mukherjee Commission report which blamed the "temple authorities' reticence" in allowing commission-designated experts to physically inspect and collect "potentially less charred bone pieces from the casket lying in their custody" for conducting DNA tests. Speaking to PTI on the eve of Netaji's 128th birth anniversary, Chandra Kumar Bose, the leader's grand nephew, said, "The PMO and the Indian government must respond to the numerous letters sent by Prof Anita Bose Pfaff, Netaji's daughter and other members of the Bose family regarding arrangements to bring Netaji's remains to India, which is lying in a foreign country." "Netaji wanted to return to Independent India, but he could not as he sacrificed his life fighting for India's freedom. It is an act of sacrilege that his remains continue to lie in Japan. There is conclusive evidence that the remains are of Netaji in 10 enquiry reports. "However, if the government feels the remains are not of Netaji, then a statement must be issued to this effect. Mere silence is an insult to the memory of this great leader," he added, drawing attention to the cold and solitary locale of Renkoji where the remains lie preserved for nearly eight decades." Madhuri Bose, grand-niece of Subhas Bose, maintains that Reverend Mochizuki, head priest of the Renkoji temple as well as successive governments of India and Japan were "at the time entirely supportive of DNA testing on the remains and certainly took no actions to deny access to the remains." In her foreword to the recently published book, From Shadows To Light: The Truth of Netaji's Mortal End, authored by Bose researcher Sumeru Roy Chaudhury, Madhuri alleged that certain parts of the translation from Japanese of the original letter from the temple authorities which was included in the Mukherjee Commission report were "inexplicably missing". The missing part "is a clear reaffirmation of his firm commitment to a DNA testing process, expressed as follows: My father (the first Reverend Mochizuki) used to tell me when he was alive that the remains should be returned to India. I felt that if I accepted the proposal for DNA testing and the remains would eventually be returned to India, my father's soul and spirit could finally be at rest," Madhuri wrote. "Many of us in the family are convinced that Netaji succumbed to his injuries in 1945," she told PTI, "Those who feel otherwise are free to pursue their theories but they must bring conclusive proof for the same." Surya Kumar Bose, the eldest son of Netaji's nephew Amiya Nath Bose, who paid multiple visits to the Renkoji temple and spoke to its current priests, also confirmed the willingness of the authorities to cooperate for scientific tests on the remains. "In my last visit in 2019, I met the current head priest and the widow of the priest who met Justice Mukherjee. They were consistent in their willingness to hand over the remains for testing," he said. Author-researcher Roy Chaudhury said that the now-declassified Netaji files revealed at least two government correspondences, one during the 1990s and the other at a subsequent date, which underscored "no political benefits" in bringing back the remains. "The Manmohan Singh government had made significant progress in getting the remains transferred to the newly-built Indian embassy office in Tokyo. The move got stonewalled once Singh's term ended," he said. "Narendra Modi has visited Japan, both in his capacity as the Gujarat chief minister and as the Prime Minister of India, more times than any other Indian statesman. But I can't tell you why he never visited Renkoji," Surya Bose added. United States President Donald Trump has warned his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin to end the 'ridiculous war' in Ukraine or face high tariffs and further sanctions. IMAGE: US President Donald Trump delivers remarks on AI infrastructure at the Roosevelt room at White House in Washington, DC on January 21, 2025. Photograph: Carlos Barria/Reuters Trump, who was sworn in as the 47th President of the United States on January 20, said this on Truth Social on Wednesday, a social media platform owned by him. Trump called out Russian President Putin by name in the social media post, arguing that he always had a good relationship with the leader, but that it was time to settle 'this ridiculous War!' Asserting that he is looking to hurt Russia, Trump said he wants no more lives to be lost in the war. 'Let's get this war, which never would have started if I were President, over with! We can do it the easy way, or the hard way - and the easy way is always better. It's time to MAKE A DEAL. NO MORE LIVES SHOULD BE LOST!!!' Trump said. 'I love the Russian people, and always had a very good relationship with President Putin -- and this despite the Radical Left's Russia, Russia, Russia HOAX. We must never forget that Russia helped us win the Second World War, losing almost 60,000,000 lives in the process,' he said. He also warned that if there was not a ceasefire deal soon, he would have no other choice but to impose tariffs, taxes and sanctions on anything being sold by Russia to the United States, and various other participating countries. 'All of that being said, I'm going to do Russia, whose Economy is failing, and President Putin, a very big FAVOUR. Settle now, and STOP this ridiculous War! IT'S ONLY GOING TO GET WORSE. If we don't make a deal, and soon, I have no other choice but to put high levels of Taxes, Tariffs, and Sanctions on anything being sold by Russia to the United States, and various other participating countries,' Trump said making an open appeal to the Russian leader. The Biden administration has already imposed numerous sanctions on various Russian economic sectors, including its oil and energy sectors earlier this month, in an effort to cut off its revenues to fund the war in Ukraine. Trump has for months called for a ceasefire in Ukraine, urging both sides to negotiate. Russian forces invaded Ukraine in early 2022, and both sides have sustained heavy losses in the nearly three years of fighting since. During his campaign, Trump repeatedly said he could settle the war between Russia and Ukraine in one day if he was elected president. He would go on to claim that Putin would never have invaded had Trump been president, the National Public Radio reported. On Tuesday, Trump said he is ready to meet Putin anytime, but at the same time, he warned that he would likely impose sanctions on Russia if the latter does not come to the negotiations table on the issue of Ukraine. "It sounds likely," Trump told reporters when asked if the US will impose additional sanctions on Russia if Putin doesn't come to the negotiation table. Trump also said that Ukraine's President Zelensky told him that he would like to have peace. "He's told me that he wants to have peace very strongly, but it takes two to tango. We'll see what happens. Anytime they want, I'll meet. I'd like to see that end. Millions of people are being killed. It's a vicious situation," he said. In view of the 'unidentified illness' in Rajouri's Badhal village, the village has been declared a containment zone, and the affected families' homes sealed; a few patients brought to Government Medical College (GMC) in Rajouri on Thursday. IMAGE: Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah meets family members of the victims during his visit to Budhal village, in Rajouri on Tuesday. Photograph: ANI Photo Principal GMC Rajouri Amarjeet Singh Bhatia assured government efforts to stop the rising death toll, citing no evidence of viral infection as healthcare workers remain unaffected after 1.5 months. "The steps that we are taking which include containment, people being shifted to medical college, this shows that our govt, administration, MLA are sincerely putting efforts to stop the Death toll from rising further...there is no proof to say that this a virus as health care workers are staying there for 1.5 months but no one has fallen ill...evidence suggests that we don't have to be scared but since we are fighting an invisible enemy, we need to take all the steps...this is not a quarantine, we are just shifting patients to a different place..," he said. The Jammu and Kashmir government has launched an investigation into the unexplained deaths, with the assistance of health institutions across the country. The Rapid Response Teams have been deployed and also water sources have been tested. Meanwhile, on Wednesday, Union Minister Jitendra Singh also stated that initial tests conducted by a toxicology laboratory in Lucknow under CSIR indicated the absence of any infection, virus, or bacteria. Earlier, JK Chief Minister Omar Abdullah visited Rajouri's Badhal and assured citizens affected by the disease. CM Abdullah told reporters, "The day when we got the information, the health department along with other departments have been working to understand the causes behind such incidents... Tests were done, and we concluded that there were no bacteria or viruses that caused those deaths." "Later, we found that all those deaths happened in three families," he added. He said that the authorities are yet to ascertain the cause behind these deaths. "But, we are yet to find the reason behind 17 deaths... Since it's not a disease, police are also involved in it and they have formed a team to investigate the matter. Central govt team is also there and we together will look into the incidents to find the reason behind all these deaths...." CM Omar Abdullah added. Union Home Minister Amit Shah had also ordered the constitution of an inter-ministerial team led by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) to investigate the causes of unexplained deaths in three incidents reported over the past six weeks. Barely a kilometre-and-a-half from Shyamnagar railway station in West Bengal's North 24 Parganas district lies the unassuming Noapara police station, which holds a unique historical connection to Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose. IMAGE: NCC cadets pay floral tribute to Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose on the occasion of his 128th birth anniversary, in Patna on January 23, 2025. Photograph: ANI Photo On January 23 every year, policemen at the station not only celebrate Netaji's birth anniversary, but also commemorate the freedom fighter's brief yet significant 'stay' at the station when he was detained by the British in 1931. Nearly 93 years ago, around 5 pm on October 11, 1931, Netaji was arrested by the British police while on his way to address a meeting of the Bengal jute mill workers' organisation at Golghar in Jagaddal. He was taken to Noapara police station, where he was detained for a few hours. During his detention, Bose was offered tea, which he declined because it was given by a British officer. The ceramic cup and saucer used on that occasion have been carefully preserved by the police station as a tribute to the legendary freedom fighter. As a mark of respect, the police station installed a small memorial inside its premises. It includes a photograph of Netaji placed beside the preserved cup and saucer. A room has also been converted into a library featuring books on Netaji's life and legacy. "We consider ourselves lucky to work at this police station where our beloved Netaji had stepped in. He has been an inspiration for us. His visit here is not widely known, and we believe everyone should learn about this chapter of history," a senior police officer told PTI. According to historical accounts, Bose was stopped by the British police while en route to the meeting and subsequently arrested because of fear that his speech could incite unrest. "Netaji stayed here for a few hours and was offered tea by the then officer-in-charge, which he politely refused. These details have been passed down through generations," the officer added. Netaji was released around midnight on October 12, 1931, after the then district magistrate of Barrackpore, intervened. However, Bose was given the condition that he could not enter Noapara for three months, according to Netaji researcher Jayanta Chowdhury. Noapara police station comes under Barrackpore police commissionerate. Every year, the memorial room is opened to the public on his birthday to pay homage to Netaji, and senior officers of Barrackpore police commissionerate participate in the commemorative programme. "This year too, we have arranged a celebration of Netaji's birthday, allowing the public to visit the room, witness this slice of history, and pay their respects," an official said. Outside the police station, a statue of Netaji stands proudly, symbolising his legacy. Behind the statue, authorities have put up a hoarding of Bose with his followers sitting outside a thatched room, which once housed the Jaggatdal Goalghar Bangiye Jutemill Worker's Association. Another photograph, part of the hoarding, showcases Bose sitting on a chair guarded by two havildars inside the police station. -- By Sudipto Chowdhury in Jaggatdal India has always been open to legitimate return of undocumented Indians to their country, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said on Wednesday, noting that New Delhi is still in the process of verifying those from the United States who can be deported to India and the number of such individuals cannot be determined yet. IMAGE: US Secretary of State Marco Rubio meets with External Affairs Minister Dr Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong, and Japanese Foreign Minister Iwaya Takeshi at the State Department in Washington, DC, on January 21, 2025. Photograph: Elizabeth Frantz/Reuters "As a government, we are obviously very much supportive of legal mobility because we do believe in a global workplace. We want Indian talent and Indian skills to have the maximum opportunity at the global level. At the same time, we are also very firmly opposed to illegal mobility and illegal migration," Jaishankar told a group of Indian reporters in Washington, DC. "Because you also know that when something illegal happens, many other illegal activities get joined onto it, which is not desirable. It is certainly not good reputationally. So, with every country, and the US is no exception, we have always maintained that if any of our citizens are there illegally, and if we are sure that they are our citizens, we have always been open to their legitimate return to India," Jaishankar said. The minister was responding to a query on news reports that India is working with the Trump administration for the deportation of some 1,80,000 Indians in the US who are either undocumented, or have overstayed their visas. "This position is not unique to the United States. I do understand that right now there is a certain debate going on, and a resulting sensitivity which is there, but we have been consistent, we have been very principled about it and that remains our position. I conveyed that clearly to Secretary (of State, Marco) Rubio," he said. "At the same time, I also told him that, while we understand all of this, and I also accept that these are autonomous processes, it is in our mutual interest to facilitate legal and mutually beneficial mobility. "If it takes 400-odd days of waiting period to get a visa, I don't think the relationship is well served by this. He (Rubio) also noted that point," he said. "But while I've seen some numbers... I caution you about them because for us, a number is operative when we can actually validate the fact that the individual concerned is of Indian origin," Jaishankar added. 'Confident and upbeat administration' Jaishankar, who spent four days in the US capital as Trump 2.0 took over the reigns of power, left for New Delhi on Wednesday after witnessing what he termed a 'very confident, and upbeat administration'. "What I saw was really a very confident and upbeat incoming administration. I mean that feeling that 'look, we need to get things done'," he said. Jaishankar, 70, was seated in the front row during the presidential inauguration at Capitol Rotunda, attended the inaugural ball, held bilateral meetings with Secretary of State Marco Rubio, National Security Advisor Mike Waltz, attended a multilateral Quad meeting, besides interacting with top officials of the new Trump administration. "You are a partner with whom we can get things done because there is already a strong chemistry between the (US) president and the (Indian) prime minister. There is a history of working together," Jaishankar said in response to a query. "Given the buoyancy and confidence I saw in the last 48 hours, I feel it's an extraordinarily active administration. And not just the last 48 hours, they were actually very active even before assuming office. Going by the energy I could experience, I can tell you in many ways that it is fully reflected on the Indian side, and we would certainly like to use it to take our relationship to a higher level," he added. Stating that he attended a presidential inauguration for the first time, Jaishankar said, "I was there at the Rotunda observing the swearing-in. It was obviously very impressive." 'Had brief discussion with Rubio, Waltz on situation in Bangladesh' Jaishankar on Wednesday said he had brief discussion on the current situation in Bangladesh with Secretary of State Rubio and National Security Advisor Mike Waltz. "Yes, we had a brief discussion on Bangladesh. I don't think it's appropriate that I get into more details," Jaishankar said. However, there was no discussion on the attacks on Indian consulates in the US or the threat to Indian diplomats here, Jaishankar said. "I didn't raise those issues on this occasion," he said. "But I do want to say that the attack on our consulate in San Francisco is a very, very serious matter. It is something for which we expect accountability, and we would like to see that people who did it are held responsible," Jaishankar said. Asked about two cases -- one against a former Indian official and another against an Indian business tycoon -- which have come up in US courts in the last two years, Jaishankar said, "No, the subject didn't come up (during the meetings)." -- By Lalit K Jha in Washington, DC The third piece of the knife used to attack Bollywood actor Saif Ali Khan in his Bandra home on January 16 has been recovered, a police official said on Thursday. IMAGE: Actor Saif Ali Khan shows a thumbs up as he reaches his residence after getting discharged from Lilavati Hospital, in Mumbai on Tuesday. Photograph: ANI Photo Khan was allegedly attacked by Shariful Islam Shehzad Mohammad Rohilla Amin Fakir (30) alias Vijay Das, a Bangladeshi national staying illegally in the country. "The third piece of the knife, which comprises the handle and some part of the blade, was recovered from close to Bandra Talao, more than a kilometre away from the actor's residence in Satguru Sharan building. We took the accused to the lake on Wednesday evening and recovered this missing part of the knife," the Bandra police station official said. While one piece of the knife blade broke and got lodged near the spine of the actor during the attack, which had to be removed by doctors at Lilavati Hospital, the second part was found in Khan's house when 'panchnama' was carried out, the official informed. He showed us where he had disposed of the knife after walking 1.4 kilometre post the incident, the official said. "He has told us he stole the knife from the Thane restaurant where he was working," the police official added. BAKU, Azerbaijan, January 23. The 54th Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum, held in Davos, Switzerland, under the theme "Collaboration for the Intelligent Age", has become a critical platform for decision-makers to shape global economic and political priorities. Azerbaijan, represented by President Ilham Aliyev, has played an active role in this year's discussions, with numerous meetings emphasizing the country's growing significance as a reliable economic partner and a hub for regional cooperation. Over the course of three days, President Ilham Aliyev engaged with heads of state, leaders of global corporations, and representatives of major international organizations, reinforcing Azerbaijans position as a key player in fostering mutually beneficial partnerships. These meetings highlighted the countrys appeal to international investors and its strategic role in addressing global energy and transport challenges. During his visit to Davos, the President of Azerbaijan held productive discussions with several world leaders, underscoring the country's growing role as a reliable partner in global and regional affairs. Meetings with leaders such as German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic highlighted Azerbaijan's contributions to Europe's energy security, with discussions focusing on expanding gas exports and strengthening ties with the European Union. Similarly, conversations with Latvian President Edgars Rinkevics and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy reinforced Azerbaijan's commitment to fostering bilateral relations, encompassing political, economic, and energy cooperation. President Aliyev also engaged with leaders from Iraq and Israel, emphasizing mutual interests in economic development and cultural ties. Discussions with Iraqi President Abdul Latif Jamal Rashid and Kurdistan Region Prime Minister Masrour Barzani explored opportunities to deepen trade and humanitarian cooperation, while the meeting with Israeli President Isaac Herzog highlighted the historical friendship between Azerbaijanis and Jews. These engagements demonstrate Azerbaijan's active diplomacy and its role in promoting peace, stability, and collaboration across diverse regions. President Ilham Aliyev's meetings with top executives of leading international companies underscored Azerbaijans attractiveness as an investment destination. At the request of the Carlsberg Group, Ilham Aliyev met with Henrik Poulsen, Chair of the Supervisory Board, and Jakob Aarup-Andersen, CEO. The company praised Azerbaijans favorable investment climate and highlighted plans to increase the localization of its products in the country. A similar meeting was held with Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem, Group Chairman and CEO of DP World, a global leader in port operations and logistics. Discussions centered on Azerbaijans role as a regional transport hub and the opportunities presented by the North-South and East-West transport corridors. The meeting reinforced Azerbaijans importance in facilitating global trade and logistics connectivity. In the financial sector, President Ilham Aliyev met with Jared Cohen, President of Global Affairs at Goldman Sachs Group Inc.. The company, which has collaborated with Azerbaijan since 2010, highlighted its commitment to supporting the countrys financial sector and exploring new investment opportunities. This partnership is further evidence of Azerbaijans integration into the global financial system and its appeal to leading investors. Nick Studer, CEO of Oliver Wyman Group, also expressed his companys interest in Azerbaijans economic transformation. Discussions touched on cooperation in financial markets, energy, and trade, with a focus on new opportunities in the region. A significant highlight of Azerbaijan's presence in Davos was President Ilham Aliyev's meeting with Odile Renaud-Basso, President of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD). The two sides discussed ongoing and future projects, including the financing of the water management system in Ganja. The meeting concluded with the signing of a loan agreement, marking another milestone in Azerbaijans collaboration with major financial institutions. The flurry of high-profile meetings in Davos is a testament to Azerbaijan's growing influence on the global stage. The countrys reputation as a reliable and forward-looking partner has been built on years of consistent policies and successful implementation of international agreements. Under President Ilham Aliyev's leadership, Azerbaijan has become a trusted partner for both Eastern and Western stakeholders. Its strategic location, coupled with its focus on energy, transport, and financial cooperation, makes it an indispensable player in addressing global challenges. The active participation of leading companies and governments in discussions with Azerbaijan reflects the increasing trust in President Ilham Aliyev's leadership and the countrys role in shaping the region's future. These engagements not only highlight Azerbaijan's economic potential but also reinforce its commitment to fostering global partnerships for sustainable growth and development. The performance of party-hoppers will count this time in government formation in Delhi as the three major players in the assembly polls -- the Aam Aadmi Party, the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Congress -- have fielded around 20 foe-turned-friends in the electoral battle. IMAGE: BJP's former councillor candidate from Sundar Nagri, Bhumika Singh and other workers join AAP in the presence of Delhi Chief Minister Atishi ahead of the Delhi assembly elections, at party office in New Delhi on January 18, 2024. Photograph: Ritik Jain/ANI Photo However, it won't be a smooth sailing for these candidates who are now trying to prove themselves in a new setup that has thrown at them multiple challenges including the unease among workers and leaders of their adopted parties. With elections close by, several prominent leaders of the AAP, the Congress and the BJP switched sides, seeking to redirect -- and in some cases resurrect -- their political careers. Amid uncertainty over getting tickets for the assembly polls, around half a dozen BJP leaders crossed over to the AAP which promptly fielded them from different constituencies. These leaders had contested assembly polls as BJP candidates in 2020. One of them is Pravesh Ratan whom the AAP has fielded from the Patel Nagar (SC) seat against former minister and BJP candidate Raaj Kumar Anand. In 2020 also, they were rivals, but from different parties -- Anand from AAP and Ratan from BJP. Jitender Singh Shunty and Surinder Pal Bittu joined the AAP and got tickets from Shahdara and Timarpur constituencies, respectively. Three other BJP leaders -- Brahm Singh Tanwar, B B Tyagi and Anil jha -- joined the AAP and were given tickets to contest these polls. Tyagi is contesting the polls from Laxmi Nagar, Jha from Kirari and Tanwar from Chhatarpur. Kartar Singh Tanwar who defeated Brahm Singh Tanwar in the 2020 polls is now a BJP candidate from Chhatarpur. Jha was fielded by the AAP from Kirari seat by denying ticket to outgoing party MLA Rituraj Jha. Anil was defeated by Rituraj in 2020, with a small margin. The Arvind Kejriwal-led party has also fielded Congress leaders who switched over to the AAP in recent months. Within days of joining, the AAP fielded Veer Singh Dhingan from Seemapuri, Sumesh Shokeen from Matiala and Zubair Ahmed from Seelampur. The BJP's big catch included former Delhi Congress president Arvinder Singh Lovely and former transport minister in the AAP government Kailash Gahlot. Lovely is contesting on BJP ticket from Gandhi Nagar seat while Gahlot is party candidate from Bijwasan constituency. The party also gave tickets to former Congress leaders including Raj Kumar Chauhan from Mangolpuri, former MLAs Neeraj Basoya from Kasturba Nagar, and Tarvinder Marwah from Jangpura. As for the Congress also, it managed to wean away outgoing AAP MLAs Dharam Pal Lakra (Mundka) and Abdul Rahman (Seelampur), and gave them tickets soon after joining the party. Lakra, who joined the Congress earlier this month, is now seeking a reelection as the Congress candidate from Mundka. AAP councilor Rajesh Gupta, who joined the Congress along with Lakra, is now a Congress candidate from Kirari. Rehman joined the Congress in December last year and was rewarded with ticket from Seelampur. Further, former AAP MLAs Devender Sehrawat and Haji Ishraq got tickets from Bijwasan and Babarpur seats, respectively, after joining the Congress in recent months. Political leaders said several new entrants have good chances of winning the elections. Sehrawat, Haji Ishraq and Abdul Rehman are capable of springing up surprises, claimed a Congress leader. Delhi is slated for a triangular contest among the ruling AAP and opposition BJP and Congress, for the 70 Assembly seats going to polls on February 5. The results will be declared after counting of votes on February 8. The Shiv Sena-UBT on Thursday demanded the Bharat Ratna for Shiv Sena founder the late Bal Thackeray. Photograph: Punit Paranjpe/Reuters Speaking on the occasion of the late leader's 99th birth anniversary, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut said the BJP-led government has in the last ten years conferred the country's highest civilian honour on some persons who did not deserve it. "But the man who truly sowed the seeds of Hindutva in the country must also be given the Bharat Ratna. Why has he not been given Bharat Ratna? 'Hindu-hriday Samrat' Bal Thackeray must be honoured with the award. This is Shiv Sena (UBT)'s demand," he said. Raut noted that Thackeray's birth centenary was a year away. "Before the centenary starts, it is necessary that he gets the Bharat Ratna. You could not give the Bharat Ratna to Veer Savarkar. If you give Bharat Ratna to Balasaheb, it will also be an honour for Veer Savarkar," the Rajya Sabha member further said. His party colleague and Mumbai South MP Arvind Sawant also made the same demand, saying that Thackeray showed the country what "Hindutva ideals" are. "The government (at the Centre) which calls itself pro-Hindutva must honour him with Bharat Ratna. We strongly demand this," he said after paying respects to Thackeray at his memorial at the Shivaji Park in central Mumbai. Raut, meanwhile, took a swipe at the rival Shiv Sena led by Maharashtra deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, likening it to Chinese firecrackers that won't burst. The real Shiv Sena is at 'Matoshri', the Thackeray family's residence in Bandra where Uddhav Thackeray lives with his family, he said. "There are counterfeit medicines, clothes in the market.... There are Chinese crackers. They don't burst but there are only sparks. Such products are being brought by the BJP," he said. Maharashtra cabinet minister Nitesh Rane on Thursday said the way Saif Ali Khan came out of hospital following a knife attack made him wonder if the Bollywood star was 'really attacked or he was acting'. Earlier, Bangladeshis entering the country illegally were found on roadsides, now they enter homes, the Bharatiya Janata Party leader said, referring to a man hailing from the neighbouring country being arrested for entering the actor's residence in Mumbai and stabbing him. The stabbing incident occurred on January 16, when Khan, 54, was attacked in his 12th-floor apartment in the upscale Bandra area during an attempted robbery. He sustained multiple stab wounds and underwent two surgeries at the Lilavati Hospital in Mumbai. The actor was discharged from the hospital on Tuesday. Police have arrested the intruder, identified as Shareeful Islam Shehzad Mohammad Rohilla Amin Fakir, a 30-year-old Bangladeshi national who illegally entered India last year and assumed the alias Vijay Das. He is currently in police custody, and initial investigations indicate he intended to commit theft during the attack. Speaking at a BJP event here on Thursday, Rane said, "The way Saif came out of the hospital, I am wondering if he was really attacked or is he acting." He said while Bangladeshis coming to India illegally were earlier found on roadside, now they enter homes. "May be the Bangladeshi intruder wanted to take him away," the ports and fisheries minister said. Everyone speaks up when a 'Khan' is attacked, but not when a Hindu actor is attacked, he claimed. "Opposition leaders Jitendra Awhad, Supriya Sule did not speak about (late actor) Sushant Singh Rajput. She is concerned only about Saif Ali Khan," Rane alleged. Rajput died by suicide at his home in Mumbai in June 2020. Rane said people should be aware of what's happening around them. Meanwhile, Maharashtra Congress chief Nana Patole slammed the government for indulging in 'religious divide' instead of maintaining law and order. 'Mixing religion and politics is BJP's agenda' to divert the attention from issues being faced by people, he said. "Instead of raising Hindu-Muslim angle in law and order situations, police must catch the real culprit. There are reports about the person caught on CCTV and the one arrested (in Saif attack case) not being the same person. Earlier police had detained some lookalikes and released them. It is sad that cine artists, sarpanch, common citizens are not safe," Patole said. The Congress leader also said the case of Sushant Singh Rajput's death is with the Central Burau of Investigation (CBI). "There is BJP government in the state and at the Centre...why is it that the case hasn't been resolved. We had spoken about it that time," he said. On Wednesday, Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Nirupam also commented on the 'quick' recovery of Saif Ali Khan. "Doctors at the Lilavati hospital said the knife had penetrated 2.5 inches inside the actor's back and the surgery went on for six hours. They should tell us if a person who underwent a six-hour-long operation can recover so quickly," Nirupam said. Shiv Sena-Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray MP Sanjay Raut on Wednesday said the knife was wedged deep, but Saif Ali Khan walked out alive from the hospital. "This is nothing short of a miracle by the doctors," he said. Students at Ashoka University in Haryana's Sonipat are on a warpath against the administration after it clamped new security measures involving a vehicle check and prohibition on carrying cigarettes and alcohol on campus. Image used for representational purpose only. Photograph: ANI Photo The new protocols, reportedly outlined in a January 13 email by the varsity's Vice President of Operations, also include shifting student movement to another gate, Gate 2, and submitting students to pocket checks. Students have criticised the measures as invasive and an overreach of authorities, demanding a roll-back. The Ashoka University Student Government alleged the students were informed about the decision without any prior consultation. A petition opposing the protocols, issued hours after the announcement, has reportedly garnered over 1,100 signatures, including faculty members'. The varsity in a statement said the measures were introduced to enhance security on campus, after consultation with the faculty. "The measures of screening baggage and belongings at Ashoka University Campus are aimed at enhancing the safety and welfare of our students and campus residents. These measures have been implemented in consultation with Faculty and Staff representatives and keeping the Student Government and Campus Ministry involved, since safety of students and their well-being is of paramount concern to us," it said. Students have alleged that the measures, which took effect on January 17, include searching of vehicle, their glove compartments, belongings of taxi drivers and family members on move-in days. "Incoming vehicles faced invasive searches, including glove compartments and under-seat spaces. Belongings of taxi drivers and family members were also subject to these scanners on move-in days, something the student body was not informed about," a statement from protesting students said. Some students claimed they were forced to submit their personal belongings, such as shampoo bottles, for inspection under apprehension they may be used to carry alcohol. On January 19, students gathered at Gate 2 to for a demonstration. Students said the administration tried to suppress their protest by continuously wetting the atrium floor to prevent gatherings, deploying additional security guards, and blocking the area with planters. "The administration continuously wetted the atrium floor with pipes and buckets of water to prevent students from gathering in the open space, used historically for this purpose," the students alleged in a statement. The Left-backed All India Students' Association issued a statement expressing solidarity with the students, criticising the alleged surveillance as a violation of constitutional privacy rights. "Ashoka University, which prides itself on being a liberal bastion, has unveiled itself as a policed space," it said. The Kumbh Mela is what it is because of the devotion of millions who make it an experience like no other. It is experiencing the heart and soul of India and the brotherhood of mankind. IMAGE: Mudit Jain at the tent city at the Maha Kumbh Mela 2025. Photographs: Mudit Jain When I heard that friends were going to Prayagaraj for the Kumbh Mela in January 2025, my wife Malti and I immediately seized the opportunity to go with them for a most unusual experience and the journey of a lifetime. Luckily we got a booking in the specially created tent cities built for the Kumbh Mela and also on the direct flight from Mumbai to Prayagraj. We were on our way during the holy days of 13th and 14th January during which the crowds were going to be especially large leading to a curfew of normal activities. Through contacts, we were able to able to enjoy the largest festival in the world without any hindrance. As per government statistics, this Kumbh Mela would draw crowds of over 400 million during the 45 days it would last from January 13 to February 26, 2025. To house such a huge influx of pilgrims and tourists, the Uttar Pradesh government established a temporary city spanning 4,000 hectares comprising 150,000 tents apart from sanitation and transport facilities and over 40,000 security personnel. The bathing ghats extended over 12 km, the parking space covered 1,800 hectares, there were over 150,000 toilets and over 3,000 security cameras. Thirty pontoon bridges were built across the Ganga to enable movement between the two banks of the river. The estimated budget for the Kumbh Mela is around Rs 12,000 crore (Rs 120 billion) and is estimated to generate over Rs 2 lakh crore or $25 billion in revenue). The numbers are mind boggling. While these figures could be overstated, the fact is that the Kumbh Mela is the largest gathering on the planet with pilgrims and tourists coming in from all over the world apart from sadhus from the remote corners of the Himalayas who are the heart of the festival. This year's Kumbh Mela is special as the planetary configuration is the same as that which was prevalent at the time of the Samudra Manthan which occurred when drops of nectar mistakenly fell from the pot being carried by the devas to prevent the asuras from seizing it. IMAGE: Malti Jain at the tent city. We arrived at a sparkling new airport terminal in Prayagraj and drove to the Kumbh Mela site over clean roads, with huge hoardings of the Kumbh featuring the prime minister and the UP chief minister. Many roads were blocked and we had to navigate our way to reach our tented accommodation. The tent city had come up on the banks of the Ganga and the enormity of the arrangements have to be seen and experienced to be comprehended. The climate was cool and the water of the Ganga and Triveni Sangam were clean and refreshing, not very cold, with special arrangements made to take a holy dip with strong temporary railings in the river. To manage the humongous crowds, all vehicles were banned and one had to walk over huge swathes of land to visit the akhadas and the dhams which are the core of the festival. The area was dusty and filled with people but there was no stampede and the crowd was well disciplined with the security and police managing the site very efficiently. There was sufficient facility for snacks and drinking but with a lack of sufficient toilets in the main area. IMAGE: Malti and Mudit Jain with a friend at the Maha Kumbh Mela. On the first day, January 13, we crossed one of the pontoon bridges to visit the akhadas and dhams. It took a while for us to reach the numerous dhams, which were temporarily constructed housing religious leaders and their devotees conducting havans within their site. Many of the sadhus agreed to meet us due to the arrangements we had made though there were huge crowds inside the dhams. We met saints from Kashmir to South India, offered donations and had private audiences with the heads of the dhams who gave the normal good advice of leading a life doing good deeds and in harmony with nature avoiding excesses. IMAGE: Malti and Mudit take a snan in the Sangam. After visiting the dhams we walked further into the Kumbh Mela site housing the akhadas (14 of them including one for transgenders established in 2025) apart from the normal akhadas with Naga sadhus and Aghoris. There was a constant milling of crowds resembling a fun fair and again we got to see the main sadhus along with their disciples. We took their blessings and exchanged pleasantries with them, getting prasad; we also made donations. This festival was meant for the sadhus who sat on their thrones, dispensed advice and were constantly sought by the milling crowds who could manage to get an audience with them. We walked over 10 kms within the Kumbh Mela to experience the many dhams and akhadas. IMAGE: Blessing from a sadhu. On the second day, January 14, the auspicious day of Makar Sankranti, we went for a holy dip close to the Triveni Sangam on the side of the Yamuna. The facilities were well provided by the UP government -- the changing rooms for women near the sand bank of the river, toilets some distance away, and temporary railings in the river to facilitate a complete dip and also protect oneself from being swept away by the river current. While there were numerous people near our side of the river, it was all very orderly and everyone was able to soak in the experience and feel the bliss of bathing in the holy Ganga. It was amazing to see crowds of people sitting on the sand banks to experience this holy and unique festival, with some chanting hymns. IMAGE: Malti and Mudit Jain with friends. In the evening we went to the Parmarth Niketan ashram to meet Swami Chidanandaji and Sadhvi Bhagawati Saraswatiji. The Parmarth Niketan ashram, established temporarily near the banks of the Ganga, was an oasis of calm and peace, neat and clean, evoking bliss and solitude despite the crowded Kumbh Mela. The makeshift tents were aesthetically made of jute with paintings done by the locals on them; the flooring neat and clean and free of dust. We were privileged to get an audience with Swami Chidanandaji and Sadhvi Saraswatiji who specially mentioned that the makeshift ashram was built by the local people using local material with children doing the art work to add beauty to it. It was a perfect combination of materialism and spirituality of providing local employment and also shelter to the visiting pilgrims. On the 3rd day, we were privileged to participate in a havan conducted by Swami Chidanandaji and Sadhvi Saraswatiji amongst devotees with chants and rituals creating a truly devotional atmosphere. IMAGE: A signboard thanking Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. If I were to sum up the experience of the Kumbh Mela it would be to quote a friend: "It's the largest collection of the devoted, the gullible, touts, conjurers, tricksters charlatans, the disillusioned, the opportunists (including photographers), derelicts (hate to use that word) the underprivileged, the privileged etc... but all things considered, the brotherhood and love all around diminishes everything else... it's a mad and fantastic churning of humanity. The true India. A circus one must witness to believe and I am glad I did." IMAGE: A signboard for the Sangam. The Kumbh Mela is what it is because of the devotion of millions who make it an experience like no other. It is experiencing the heart and soul of India and the brotherhood of mankind. A must visit to experience the Kumbh Mela in its totality. The epic NSG Calendar for 2025 is here! There is art, action and heroism. Photographers Pravin Talan and Rupali Talan have captured the various action moments of the elite National Security Guard commandos during their training in tough conditions. Interestingly, this year's calendar has images including night combat operations, enhanced anti-hijack operational tactics and upgraded bomb disposal and detection systems. Mastery amid mayhem: The commandos are ready to move in on the target. Relentless in every realm: Commandos advance along narrow passage wading through muddy water. Swift, deadly and decisive: The enhanced counter-hijack operation personnel. Blending in, taking out: Camouflaged commandos in action. Unbreakable spirit, relentless resolve: Women commandos wade through mud. Force in motion: Giving cover during action. Fearless and fierce: Commandos with their aggressive dog squad in action. Emerging with precision: The fully equipped underwater operation squad is ready for the kill. High stakes, unshaken grit: Commandos operate in CBRNe (Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear, and Explosive) environments. Deadly focus: An anti-terrorist commando squad in action. Defining moments, timeless heroes: An NSG commando in action over the Taj Mahal Palace, Mumbai. Protecting the promise of tomorrow: Guarding the National Capital. Subhas Chandra Bose was under house arrest, yet he pulled out a daring escape from his Elgin Road residence in Calcutta to Germany via Pakistan, Afghanistan, Russia... IMAGE: Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose Photograph: PTI Photo from the Rediff Archives One of Kolkata's most famous addresses is a palatial Bengali mansion that was home to Subhas Chandra Bose. Built by his lawyer father in 1909 whose name continues to be etched at the front entrance, the home still has the original marble plaque bearing the address. There is a prevailing serenity as you go past the gate into the walkway where a parked vintage German-made Wanderer car takes your breath away. The car is placed inside a glass enclosure and has been preserved with utmost care because of the storied journey it made more than 80 years ago. It was the last time Subhas Chandra Bose sat in the family car as he made his escape from the British that January night in 1941 never to return to India again. His 21-year-old nephew Sisir Kumar Bose drove non-stop to Gomoh in present day Jharkhand, 300 kms away, where Netaji boarded the Kalka Mail to Delhi on the first leg of his Great Escape to Germany via present day Pakistan, Afghanistan, Russia to seek outside help to free India. Both the train and station were subsequently named after Netaji. The car was restored on the 75th anniversary of the Great Escape and is serviced once a week. The house was dedicated to the nation in 1947 by Netaji's elder brother freedom fighter Sarat Chandra Bose, and set up as a museum and research centre by Sisir Kumar Bose in 1961. Photograph: Archana Masih/ Rediff.com IMAGE: Woodburn Park, the original address set in marble with black lettering is preserved in the courtyard of the elegant Bengali mansion. At the time of his great escape, Netaji, Bengal's most famous revolutionary, was under house arrest by the British. The house was always under the watch of guards and secret police. Netaji did not step out of his bedroom for weeks as he planned the escape and grew a beard to impersonate a Muslim insurance agent. A wooden staircase leads to the first floor bedroom that used to be his father's before his passing. Janaki Nath Bose's imposing four-poster bed is placed near Netaji's spartan cot. The room is kept exactly as it was when he left. His clothes, suitcases, ayurvedic medicines and Bhagavad Gita are some of his personal belongings he left behind. One can imagine Netaji quietly leaving the room fired by the desire to free India as he tip-toed out in the dead of night. Footprints marked outside the long balcony show the path he had taken out of the second floor bedroom to the waiting car. Looking at them makes one think about the great risks he had taken in undertaking that long and perilous journey. The museum also has the dhoti, chadar and bowl that he used on his last meal that night. Photograph: Archana Masih/ Rediff.com IMAGE: Footsteps on the corridors and around the house show the path taken by Netaji out of this beautiful home, never to return. The adjoining room belonged to elder brother Sarat Chandra Bose, a barrister trained in England who not only gave up a thriving legal profession to join the freedom movement, but donated his personal wealth to the cause. The selfless commitment that our freedom fighters nurtured for India is admirable. One is simply dwarfed by their colossal accomplishments. The rooms display articles and furniture belonging to the family and uniforms worn by Netaji. On the walls are framed letters written by the brothers where the thoughts of India's freedom dominate the contents of every letter. Photograph: Archana Masih/ Rediff.com IMAGE: The vintage Wanderer car in which Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose made the great escape from this house in 1941 is displayed in a glass cubicle. In one of the letters in Bengali, Netaji informs his family about his German wife and daughter. She was only four weeks old when Netaji left Europe on a three-month submarine voyage to Japan. A photograph of him with the crew of the Japanese submarine is among the many pictures in the museum, along with the last photo taken in Saigon. The house is the best documentation of Netaji's 48-year-old life covering his role as a freedom fighter in India, his travels abroad bolstering help because he believed non violence was not enough to rid India of the British and his command of the Indian National Army. Today on his birth anniversary, we honour the towering legacy of Netaji, the man Gandhi called 'The Prince among Patriots' -- and whom Bose gave the title 'Father of the Nation'. Feature Presentation: Aslam Hunani/Rediff.com Photo: Press Service of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan BAKU, Azerbaijan, January 23. On January 23, Ilham Aliyev, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, made a phone call to Recep Tayyip Erdogan, President of the Republic of Turkiye, Trend reports. The Azerbaijani President expressed his deepest condolences to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan regarding the fire at a hotel in the Kartalkaya ski resort in Turkiyes Bolu province, which resulted in numerous casualties. He prayed to Allah the Almighty to grant mercy to those who lost their lives in this horrific tragedy and wished a swift recovery to the injured. President Ilham Aliyev also mentioned that he had sent a letter of condolence to the President of Turkiye on January 21 regarding the tragedy. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan expressed gratitude for the attention and condolences, emphasizing that Turkiye and Azerbaijan always stand by each other and will continue to do so in the future. During the phone conversation, the heads of state exchanged views on various aspects of bilateral relations. BRATTLEBORO Jessica Everlith will fill in on the Windham Southeast School District Board until the March election. After interviews with three candidates and an executive session to discuss the appointment privately at a special meeting Tuesday, the board voted 5-3 to have Everlith cover the vacancy created when Eva Nolan resigned earlier this month. The remaining year of Nolan's term will be served by a Dummerston resident who wins the March 4 election. "When I saw the opening for the School Board, I was interested because I'm a very civically minded person," Everlith told the board. "I volunteer at Dummerston School and occasionally have at Village Closet in Brattleboro. I also do some other volunteer work with various organizations, and so this has been a natural step for me to get even more involved in something that I have a personal connection to." Everlith has one child at Dummerston School and another who will be enrolling in pre-k in the fall. She also served as elected clerk of Representative Town Meeting in Branford, Conn. For about a decade, Everlith has worked with nonprofits with different missions. "So marrying all that together, this feels like the next natural thing for me to be involved with," she said, seeing her background as being helpful in figuring out "creative solutions" to foster an inclusive and belonging environment in school, and help students and families thrive. Everlith said she's watched a couple of recordings of board meetings, read most meeting minutes and is interested in joining the Policy and Amendment Committee. Gretchen Lanterman, another candidate, said she joined the Dummerston School community a few months ago. Her child attends pre-school there. "I felt that I would be a good person to fill this role," Lanterman told the board. "I guess I felt like I was going to be a fresh voice, like Jessica, and I'm going to bring hope." About two years ago, Lanterman moved to Dummerston from Rhode Island. She said her family loves the local school system. Her resume includes jobs conducting event management for profits. She said her experience as a parent and with nonprofits would help the board. Lanterman told the board she watched recent meetings where it discussed the budget and food service. Everlith and Lanterman both plan to run for School Board seats in March. In Dummerston, two terms will be available. Jody Normandeau, former board member, also volunteered to fill the vacancy. She moved to Dummerston in 1970, has children and grandchildren who graduated from Dummerston School and Brattleboro Union High School, and stays involved in board matters but doesn't plan to run for election. "I'm not an educator," she said. "I'm a kid person." Normandeau cited the governor, Legislature, Agency of Education, State Board of Education and Vermont School Boards Association as being challenges "because they keep putting things on the schools that need to be paid for in other ways than the Education Fund. And they keep putting things on teachers, which makes the teachers have so much to do that they can't really do what they would like to do with with the students." Normandeau described herself as a proponent of small schools. She also suggested the board could takes its time more in hiring. Board member Shaun Murphy told the Reformer he voted in favor of Everlith along with board members Brian Remer, Kim Price, Matthew Schibley and Colleen Savage. "It's so nice to have young people involved, parents," Murphy said. "I'm pleased with Jessica being our next board member." Everlith will serve until March 18. Eva Nolan resigns from Windham Southeast School District Board BRATTLEBORO Eva Nolan is resigning from the Windham Southeast School District Board, seein Nolan stepped down after serving two years of her three-term. "I have made the difficult decision to resign from WSESD so that voters can have ample time to choose their representative for the rest of the year," she said in a statement. "I genuinely feel that, under the current board structure, there isn't a clear path toward meaningful progress." In her statement to the Reformer, Nolan said her focus now will shift to her family and career. "Its my hope that my departure will open the door for the next leader to foster real advancements," she said. "We truly need a board that prioritizes effective governance." Nolan declined to elaborate further. Registered voters of Dummerston, Brattleboro, Guilford and Putney will vote for candidates of their choice for board members at the March 4 election. "While it is required that residents of each town fill certain seats on the WSESD Board, registered voters from all four towns vote for all of the open positions," Mo Hart, executive assistant for Windham Southeast Supervisory Union, said in an earlier announcement about the vacancies. Others seats up for election this year include a three-year term representing Brattleboro and a three-year term representing Guilford. Xavier Carter virtually attended a plea agreement hearing in Brattleboro from New Hampshire, where he is currently incarcerated. An unidentified man stands at the edge of flood waters on Route 11 in Londonderry on Monday, July 11, 2023. Flooding from the West River closed highways and forced evacuations. MICHAEL ALBANS -- BENNINGTON BANNER Now, its been 15 years. Most of the girls that are coming in here today dont know anything about Jessica, said Debbie Bolognani. But, she BAKU, Azerbaijan, January 23. During his official visit to Azerbaijan, Major General Abdullah Kashif, Director General of Military Operations of the Pakistan Armed Forces, met with Deputy Commander of the Land Forces of the Azerbaijan Army, Major General Ilgar Latifov, on January 23, Trend reports via the Defense Ministry of Azerbaijan. "The meeting underscored the current state and future prospects of military cooperation between Azerbaijan and Pakistan. It also highlighted the importance of enhancing the intensity of joint exercises to facilitate the exchange of competence with the aim of further advancing the knowledge and skills of military personnel. The discussions concluded with the signing of the 'Instructions for Conducting Staff Talks between the Land Forces of the Azerbaijan Army and the Land Forces of the Pakistan Army'," the ministry statement said. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel BAKU, Azerbaijan, January 23. Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Azerbaijan Jeyhun Bayramov met with Ambassador of the Republic of Turkiye Jahit Bagchi on the occasion of the completion of his diplomatic activity in Azerbaijan on January 23, Trend reports. The meeting discussed various aspects of the Azerbaijani-Turkish alliance, as well as regional and international security issues of mutual interest. Bayramov once again expressed condolences to the brotherly Republic of Turkiye on the tragic fire in Bolu, wished the souls of those who died in the terrible incident rest in peace by Allah, healing the wounded, and emphasized that Azerbaijan is always close to the Turkish state and people. The minister expressed gratitude to Ambassador Jahit Bagchi for his fruitful diplomatic activity in the country and contribution to the Azerbaijani-Turkish brotherhood, friendship, and alliance, and wished him success in his future activities. It was especially noted that his activity as Ambassador fell on the historical periods of the Azerbaijani-Turkish alliance, including the signing of the Shusha Declaration. Moreover, it was emphasized that the successful development of the Azerbaijani-Turkish alliance in such spheres as politics, security, economy, trade, investment, energy security, transport and communications, humanitarian issues, and other directions is a source of satisfaction. Also, it was noted the importance of constant support and solidarity within the framework of regional and international organizations, as well as several multilateral formats. Additionally, it was expressed confidence that the joint activities of our countries, contributing to regional and international security in a broad sense, will be continued. In this context, it was noted that Azerbaijan will continue to support stability and solution of humanitarian issues in regions such as the Middle East and Syria together with brotherly Turkiye. It was also stated that there is a great potential for cooperation between Azerbaijan and Turkiye in the African continent. Bagchi noted that he will always proudly remember his activity as Turkiye's ambassador to brotherly Azerbaijan, expressed gratitude for the support provided, and expressed readiness to further contribute to strengthening the brotherhood and alliance of Azerbaijan and Turkiye. In the course of the meeting, the sides also exchanged views on other issues of mutual interest. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel 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 New Zealand, digital adoption among NGOs has accelerated significantly, with organisations increasingly recognising technologys role in delivering services to communities across both urban and rural areas. 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. In New Zealands non-profit sector, cybersecurity practices vary considerably. While larger organisations often maintain robust security measures, smaller NGOs face resource constraints that can impact their cyber resilience. Recent data from CERT NZ indicates that non-profit organisations remain attractive targets for cyber attacks, highlighting the need for comprehensive security training and implementation of protective measures like multi-factor authentication. Then there is also the lack of skills and knowledge that hinders NGOs from unlocking digital technologies full potential. For New Zealand NGOs, building digital capabilities while maintaining focus on community service remains a critical challenge, particularly in regions where access to technical expertise may be limited. 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, including numerous organisations throughout New Zealand. 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 New Zealand, the demand for technology solutions in the non-profit sector continues to grow, driven by increasing digitalisation needs and the emphasis on effective service delivery across the countrys diverse communities. 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. Together, they developed an innovative solution to address forest degradation in Vietnams Mu Cang Chai forest, home to endangered western black gibbons. The project developed a Proof-of-Concept computer vision-based solution utilising remote sensing and machine learning to detect cardamom crops in satellite imagery. This pioneering approach achieved 96% pixel accuracy in test areas, demonstrating how technology can be effectively applied to conservation challenges. The success of this initiative has particular relevance for New Zealands conservation sector, where similar technologies could be adapted to monitor and protect native ecosystems and endangered species. It showcases how innovative technologies can be applied to address environmental challenges while creating scalable, sustainable solutions. 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. Yasaman crossed more than half a dozen countries on foot, bus, and boat and paid thousands of dollars to smugglers to reach Mexico. Yasaman, an Afghan woman whose name has been changed to protect her identity, believed she was within touching distance of realizing her dream: entering the United States. But her hopes came crashing down on January 20, when new U.S. President Donald Trump declared an emergency on the southern border with Mexico as part of a crackdown on illegal immigration. As part of the executive order, U.S. authorities shut down the CBP One mobile app -- the only legal way for migrants to make an appointment with U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers, request asylum, and enter the country legally. "I don't know what to do now," said Yasaman, who arrived in Mexico in November 2024. "I'm waiting [for] what Trump will decide next about migrants." Yasaman, speaking by telephone from Mexico, said she received a notification on January 20 that read: "Existing appointments scheduled through CBP One are no longer valid." The shutdown of the app will affect thousands of migrants, including Afghans, hoping to enter the United States legally. Around 1 million appointments had been scheduled through CBP One since it was introduced in January 2023. Not Happy In Brazil Mexico has been a relatively new route for thousands of Afghan migrants seeking a new, better life in the United States. RFE/RL contacted the United Nations refugee agency and the Mexican migration authorities to find out how many U.S.-bound Afghan migrants are currently in Mexico. We have not received a response. An Afghan migrant who spoke to RFE/RL from the southern Mexican city of Tapachula estimated there were up to 1,500 people from Afghanistan in that city alone. Karimullah, whose name has been changed over privacy concerns, said Afghan migrants live in rented apartments, relying on the "limited amount of money" they have brought from Afghanistan or borrow from their relatives abroad. "Families go hungry for days while waiting for money from relatives," he said. A former civil rights activist, Karimullah fled Afghanistan after the hard-line Taliban returned to power in August 2021. After running out of money to pay for food and rent and as she was still waiting to get an appointment through CBP One, Yasaman got a job as a kitchen helper at a restaurant in the capital, Mexico City. Like many other Afghan migrants in Mexico, both Karimullah and Yasaman had already been offered asylum in other safe countries -- in their case Brazil, which has issued thousands of humanitarian visas for Afghan nationals since 2021. Asked by RFE/RL why they didn't want to stay in Brazil, where they had been given free accommodation and food, both Karimullah and Yasaman said they did not see a "good future" there due to a lack of jobs and other opportunities. Instead, many Afghans pay money to people-smugglers to take them through Bolivia, Peru, Equador, Colombia, Panama, and other countries to reach the U.S.-Mexico border. 'Life For Immigrants Not What It Used To Be' Some cross the border illegally. Ehsan Khan, a 26-year-old former driver from Kabul, entered the United States illegally in November 2024, hoping to get settled in the country before Trump closes the U.S. borders. After spending two months at an immigration detention facility, Khan was released on January 11 with an electronic ankle bracelet for authorities to monitor his movements. Speaking from San Diego by phone, Khan told RFE/RL that Afghan migrants should think twice before coming to the United States, because "the life in America for immigrants is not what it used to be." Khan did not give details of his new life in the United States but said it isn't worth the traumatic journey he had through Honduras and Guatemala, where he said he "was beaten by thieves who demanded money" and witnessed his best friend drown in the sea. "I saw my friend screaming for help as he drowned and I looked helplessly. I wanted to jump into the water, but I knew I couldn't swim. His parents often call me from Kabul and ask about him, and we cry," Khan said. Back in Mexico City, Yasaman is determined to enter the United States "by any means, legally or illegally." "I don't have a life or home in Afghanistan to go back to," Yasaman said. "I see my future only in America." 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." Ukrainian soldier Mykhaylo Hurzhiy was severely wounded in combat and has endured nearly two years of physical therapy to try to regain the use of his legs. But his path to recovery began with a moment of joy when Hurzhiy's girlfriend proposed to him in his hospital room. The couple married soon after and have supported each other through the veteran's grueling rehabilitation. BAKU, Azerbaijan, January 23. The office headed by EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs Kaja Kallas confirmed 13 days ago the extension of the mandate of the EU mission in Armenia for another two years. At first glance, making this decision may seem like a routine diplomatic procedure, but there is a much larger geopolitical plan behind it. Under the rhetoric of peace support, Brussels intends to utilize the monitoring mission in Armenia (EUMA) as a tool to change the balance of power in the South Caucasus. EUMA's activities, previously presented as a purely observation mission, are eventually turning into activities of an agency, intelligence, and military nature. The new mandate provides not only for continued monitoring of the situation but also for equipping the mission with military equipment, special vehicles, and weapons. European representatives, who previously were limited to only binoculars and cameras, will now be authorized to carry weapons. The shift from watching to taking up arms shows the EU's intent to bolster its presence in the region, both in terms of political influence and military might. The planned deployment of EUMA representatives on the Armenian-Turkish and Armenian-Iranian borders is of particular concern. These territories are points of strategic geopolitical tension, where the interests of such major players as Russia, Turkiye, and Iran most acutely collide. The situation on the Armenian-Turkish border stands out in this context. It is guarded by Russian border guards under historical agreements. Brussels is aimed at the gradual displacement of the Russian military, including the strategically important 102nd military base in Gyumri. This is not just a diplomatic move, but an open challenge to Moscow and an attempt to influence regional dynamics. The arming of EUMA would not have been possible without the active participation of France. Paris, the chief architect of this strategy, is on the hunt for fresh avenues to bolster its geopolitical standing after experiencing a notable decline in its sway over Africa and grappling with challenges in its overseas regions. The South Caucasus has become a convenient platform for the realization of France's ambitions. Emmanuel Macron is known for his harsh anti-Russian and anti-Azerbaijani rhetoric and openly supports the idea of strengthening the European presence in the region. However, in reality, this presence is causing increased tensions and a new arms race. Emmanuel Macron speaks openly about Armenia's defense and strengthening European influence in the region. Behind his rhetoric are personal ambitions. France views Armenia as an instrument rather than an objective. As long as Paris can achieve its goals, it doesn't care about the country's future or stability. The EU's support for Armenia is accompanied not only by political rhetoric but also by real steps. Through the European Peace Facility, Armenia has received military aid for 2023-2024, which includes armored vehicles, air defense systems, and other weapons. This emphasizes that Brussels views Armenia not as a partner but as a tool to achieve its strategic goals. Armenia's economy, security, and future interests European politicians only insofar as they can be used in geopolitical games. This reckless and perilous approach to the region guarantees that local players will push back fiercely. Azerbaijan has made its feelings clear from the outset, voicing its discontent with the mission's partiality and neglect of Baku's concerns. The official Baku warned last year that these attempts to change the balance of power in the South Caucasus would only lead to escalation and new conflicts. The expansion of the mandate of the EU mission in Armenia and its militarization further undermine the vulnerable stability in the region and threaten peace. Turkiye views these European plans as a threat to its influence. The presence of EU armed units on the Armenian-Turkish border is not just a challenge for Ankara but an interference in its strategic interests. Iran is keeping a watchful eye on the situation. The northern border with Armenia holds significant weight when it comes to Tehran's national security interests. Top Iranian officials, standing against the growth of the EU mission, have consistently pointed out that such actions would shake the foundations of regional stability. The aforementioned policy of Brussels makes it difficult to accept the EU as an impartial mediator. The expansion of the European Union mission in Armenia is a step towards escalation, not peace. France, playing a key role in this process, is using the European Union to realize its ambitions. This policy not only undermines regional stability but also threatens overall security in the South Caucasus. Brussels needs to reconsider its policy and prioritize balanced cooperation instead of unilateral support. Otherwise, the EU, having lost the trust of Azerbaijan, Turkiye, and Iran, will further increase tensions in the region. The South Caucasus is a region that requires a delicate balance, and unilateral decisions only complicate the situation. Recall that in March 2023, head of the EU mission, Markus Ritter declared in an interview with Deutsche Welle - we have only binoculars and cameras at our disposal. At the time, these statements sounded like a guarantee that the mission would remain purely observational. However, the situation has changed dramatically in two years. Brussels no longer hides that the mission will be equipped with modern military equipment and vehicles, and its personnel will have the right to carry weapons. These steps clearly show that the EU has moved away from its peacekeeping rhetoric and toward a military strategy. The European Peace Facility plays a special role in this process. This instrument, created to finance EU military projects, has already been actively used to build up Armenia's military potential. This fund has allocated large amounts of resources for the supply of armored vehicles, air defense systems, and other military equipment during the period 2023-2024. Although formally these steps are explained by ensuring Armenia's security, in reality, they turn this country into a platform for foreign geopolitical games. Baku has long deciphered this approach. Azerbaijan has repeatedly urged the EU to refrain from unilateral policies, but these warnings have been ignored. Brussels is causing a new wave of conflicts in the region, the South Caucasus is becoming an arena where the interests of regional states are sacrificed to the goals of external forces. The policy aimed at strengthening Armenia and increasing the EU's military presence carries serious risks for the entire region. This approach, which does not take into account the interests of Azerbaijan, Turkiye, and Iran, looks like playing with fire. Militarization of the EU mission in Armenia is a step aimed not at peace but at control and influence. The South Caucasus is a delicate and intricate area where a single misstep can ignite a fresh conflict. The European Union, while aiming to be a beacon of peace, may find itself stirring the pot of tension. If Brussels decides to take a hard line on militarization, its bound to stir the pot and create ripples far and wide. The EU's decision to expand its mission in Armenia to 2025 has a geopolitical context. Brussels, hiding behind peacekeeping rhetoric, is turning this mission into an instrument of military and political pressure. The South Caucasus is becoming yet another arena where the interests of global and regional players collide. The militarization of the EU mission carries serious risks for the South Caucasus. Instead of promoting stability, Brussels is exacerbating existing contradictions and creating new lines of tension. The EU's unilateral policy transforms it from an actor perceived as a neutral partner to a party to the conflict. The intervention of foreign forces further aggravates the confrontation between key regional players, complicating the peace process. Azerbaijan, Turkiye, and Iran have demonstrated an intransigent stance against an increased European military presence. This will further complicate regional dynamics, weaken security, and increase the risk of escalation. The South Caucasus is becoming a geopolitical battleground where local interests are ignored and the ambitions of foreign powers prevail. The European Union mission in Armenia is shifting from a peacekeeping role to one that serves as a tool for political leverage and increased militarization. Under the guise of security, Brussels is pushing a strategy of geopolitical dominance that could jeopardize the region's stability. Azerbaijan, Turkiye, and Iran are openly protesting against such interference, emphasizing that the EU's steps will only deepen contradictions and create a new wave of tension. If Brussels is really interested in stability in the South Caucasus, it should reconsider its approach. Otherwise, the EU runs the risk of turning the existing tensions into a full-scale crisis, losing the trust of regional players. Obviously, Armenia is not a partner for France, but a tool. Paris isn't exactly aiming for lasting peace in the South Caucasus. On the flip side, it is poised to trade peace in the region for the chance to undermine its geopolitical rivalsRussia, Turkiye, and Azerbaijan. This policy brings up valid concerns: how closely do the interests of Paris and Brussels align with the goals of regional stability? Are they prepared to consider how their actions might ripple through the peace in the Caucasus? Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel BOZEMAN, MT Artificial intelligence seems to be everywhere these days, from social media apps to the laboratories of Montana State University. Now, thanks in part to a doctoral student in MSUs Gianforte School of Computing, its in the states agriculture fields helping farmers take the guesswork out of maximizing crop yields. To a layperson, one field of winter wheat might look just like the one adjacent to it. However, Giorgio Morales, an MSU Ph.D. student from Peru, has the data to show that soil conditions and other variables can change significantly not just from field to field, but also in the span of just 10 meters. Morales is leveraging artificial intelligence to crunch thousands of data points to help farmers maximize their crop yields and profits while potentially lowering the amounts of fertilizers they use. Morales is developing AI methods to determine how combinations and quantities of variables such as soil nutrients, nitrates, humidity and precipitation influence a particular outcome in this case, crop yield. Its part of a practice in farming called precision agriculture, in which novel technologies are integrated into production systems. We can collect data from the soil, and also, we can use aerial images and satellite images to monitor the fields. All of that data can be combined to understand the behavior of the of the fields themselves, said Morales, who is expected to graduate from MSU with a Ph.D. in computer science in 2025. We can use that information to predict whats going to happen during the harvest. Armed with this highly detailed information, farmers can adjust the amount of seed, water or fertilizer they need to apply in specific places to maximize their profit and minimize the guesswork. But, for Morales, his dissertation is only indirectly about maximizing crop yields and minimizing wasted seed and fertilizer. His primary objective is to develop computer models of data-crunching techniques that utilize a powerful subset of AI called neural symbolic regression. It may sound like a biological function within the human brain, but its actually a highly complex computer process that transforms the data into a mathematical function that, thanks to AI, is highly adaptable to different settings or projects. Neural symbolic regression is a new field of study, he said, with the first academic paper on the subject published in 2021. In the history of scientific discovery, it took a lot of trial and error to obtain mathematical laws that explain certain phenomena, but they were limited to very specific situations, he said. When you move away from that situation, even just a little bit, that equation doesnt explain the phenomena anymore, so you have to come up with another equation. But if we have data and observations about the world, is there a way to simply train a model using artificial intelligence to tell us this is the equation that explains the phenomenon that youre observing? Its that potential adaptability, made possible by AI, that is the subject of Morales dissertation. Hes using data gathered on winter wheat farms near Billings and Great Falls to develop models that could one day be adapted to industries beyond this data-driven method of farming. Artificial intelligence is a topic of study throughout MSUs computing labs, said John Sheppard, a Norm Asbjornson College of Engineering Distinguished Professor of Computer Science who is also Morales Ph.D. adviser. MSU is very active in several funded projects that involve artificial intelligence and machine learning, Sheppard said. For example, in addition to the Data Intensive Farm Management project that Giorgio is working on, work is under way with the U.S. Navy developing methods for risk-based predictive maintenance for fighter aircraft, among many other projects. Other AI initiatives include an NSF-funded EPSCoR project called SMART FireS, a collaborative venture with the University of Montana in which researchers are using AI and machine learning to extend the Navy work to do probabilistic risk assessment of prescribed burns. The objective is to use AI methods to optimize the location and extent of the burns to reduce wildfire risk. While at Montana State, Morales has been lead author of 11 papers and coauthor of another three. He recently gave a presentation on his most recent accepted, peer-reviewed paper at the European Conference on Machine Learning and Principles and Practice of Knowledge Discovery in Databases in Vilnius, Lithuania. The fact that different communities and groups are recognizing Giorgios contributions is a clear indication of the quality and potential impact of his research, Sheppard said. There is no doubt that to succeed in the AI space requires working hard, and Giorgio does that. There is no doubt that he has the inspiration to motivate and drive that hard work. HELENA, MT Montana Stockgrowers Foundations (MSF) Cattle Drive Program continues to grow and is quickly becoming the premier feed out contest in the state of Montana. The Cattle Drive Program allows producers and supporters to donate a steer, or the value of a steer, and watch that donation grow. Donors also receive data on the growth and performance of that steer. MSF is proud to announce that the 2023 Cattle Drive program raised over $220,000. The funds raised will be invested in educational programs, scholarships, leadership development and conservation programs. Donated steers were placed on contest on Feb. 20, 2024. In order to ensure the highest quality beef to program purchasers, each steer was harvested when they were at their optimum weight. Average daily gain was calculated based on the number of days between those dates. The winners for the 2023 Cattle Drive Program are as follows: Top three steers in the average daily gain category First Place: Merck Cattle Animal Health (steer purchased from Veseth Cattle Co.) Second Place: David Schuett, Schuett Farms, Dillon Third Place: Dale and Janet Veseth, Veseth Cattle Co., Malta Following harvest of the steer, each carcass was graded and using the Steer of Merit program evaluation process, a carcass value was determined for each steer. Top three steers in the carcass value category: First Place: Jim Steinbeisser, VS Inc., Sidney. Second Place: Kerry Erickson, Ismay. Third Place: Katelynn Larson and Alexis Dynneson, Dynneson Ranch, Sidney. New this year, an overall champion steer was awarded. This steer placed highest in both contest categories: Overall Champion Steer: Kerry Erickson, Ismay MSF and Montana Stockgrowers Association (MSGA) would like to thank the 2023 Cattle Drive Program donors and sponsors. The 2024 Cattle Drive is currently accepting donations. To participate in the 2024 program, contact Heidi Kool at [email protected] or 406-442-3420. WASHINGTON The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced the 2025 enrollment periods for key safety-net programs Agriculture Risk Coverage (ARC) and Price Loss Coverage (PLC) as well as Dairy Margin Coverage (DMC). Agricultural producers can submit applications to USDAs Farm Service Agency (FSA) for ARC and PLC for the 2025 crop year from Jan. 21 to April 15 and for DMC for the 2025 coverage year from Jan. 29 to March 31. ARC and PLC provide financial protections to farmers from substantial drops in crop prices or revenues and are vital economic safety nets for most American farms. Meanwhile, DMC provides producers with price support to help offset milk and feed price differences. Our safety-net programs provide critical financial protections against commodity market volatilities for many American farmers, so dont delay enrollment, said FSA Administrator Zach Ducheneaux. If youre getting coverage through the Agriculture Risk Coverage or Price Loss Coverage programs, avoid the rush and contact your local FSA office for an appointment. Even if you are not changing your program election for 2025, you still need to sign a contract to enroll. And at $0.15 per hundredweight for $9.50 coverage, risk protection through Dairy Margin Coverage is a relatively inexpensive investment in a true sense of security and peace of mind. The American Relief Act, 2025 extended many Farm Bill-authorized programs for another year, including ARC and PLC as well as DMC. ARC and PLC Producers can elect coverage and enroll in ARC-County (ARC-CO) or PLC, which provide crop-by-crop protection, or ARC-Individual (ARC-IC), which protects the entire farm. Although election changes for 2025 are optional, producers must enroll through a signed contract each year. Also, if a producer has a multi-year contract on the farm it will continue for 2025 unless an election change is made. If producers do not submit their election revision by the April 15 deadline, their election remains the same as their 2024 election for commodities on the farm from the prior year. Farm owners cannot enroll in either program unless they have a share interest in the cropland. Covered commodities include barley, canola, large and small chickpeas, corn, crambe, flaxseed, grain sorghum, lentils, mustard seed, oats, peanuts, dry peas, rapeseed, long grain rice, medium grain rice, safflower seed, seed cotton, sesame, soybeans, sunflower seed and wheat. USDA also reminds producers that ARC and PLC elections and enrollments can impact eligibility for some crop insurance products including Supplemental Coverage Option, Enhanced Coverage Option and, for cotton producers, the Stacked Income Protection Plan (commonly referred to as STAX). For more information on ARC and PLC, producers can visit the ARC and PLC webpage or contact their local USDA Service Center. DMC DMC is a voluntary risk management program that offers protection to dairy producers when the difference between the all-milk price and the average feed price (the margin) falls below a certain dollar amount selected by the producer. DMC offers different levels of coverage, even an option that is free to producers, minus a $100 administrative fee. The administrative fee is waived for dairy producers who are considered limited resource, beginning, socially disadvantaged or a military veteran. DMC payments are calculated using updated feed and premium hay costs, making the program more reflective of actual dairy producer expenses. These updated feed calculations use 100% premium alfalfa hay. For more information on DMC, visit the DMC webpage. More Information Producers can apply for ARC, PLC and DMC through the FSA at their local USDA Service Center. FSA helps Americas farmers, ranchers and forest landowners invest in, improve, protect and expand their agricultural operations through the delivery of agricultural programs for all Americans. FSA implements agricultural policy, administers credit and loan programs, and manages conservation, commodity, disaster recovery and marketing programs through a national network of state and county offices and locally elected county committees. For more information, visit fsa.usda.gov. USDA touches the lives of all Americans each day in so many positive ways. In the Biden-Harris administration, USDA is transforming Americas food system with a greater focus on more resilient local and regional food production, fairer markets for all producers, ensuring access to safe, healthy and nutritious food in all communities, building new markets and streams of income for farmers and producers using climate smart food and forestry practices, making historic investments in infrastructure and clean energy capabilities in rural America, and committing to equity across the Department by removing systemic barriers and building a workforce more representative of America. To learn more, visit usda.gov. On July 27, 2013, the McKenzie County Sheriffs Office received a report of suicide threats for a male individual. The suicidal male was not able to be located on the day of the report. A search for the male was conducted around the last known area. Family had contact with the suicidal male the morning of his disappearance. A search party containing the following agencies were involved: McKenzie County Sheriffs Office, Dunn County Sheriffs Office, United States Forest Service, North Dakota Game and Fish, United States Border Patrol, North Dakota Highway Patrol, Civil Air Patrol and the Bismarck Mounted Police. On Sept. 28, 2013, our office received a call from a hunter who discovered human remains south of Watford City. The remains were later determined to be those of Duncan Templer. The remains of Duncan Templer were transferred to the North Dakota Medical Examiners Office where an autopsy was conducted, ultimately resulting in the manner and cause of death to be undetermined. The origin surrounding the death of Duncan Templer was investigated by the McKenzie County Sheriffs Office, however, remained to be undetermined in nature. On Dec. 20, 2024, the McKenzie County Sheriffs Office was contacted by a family member of Duncan Templer who requested the case be re-opened. The McKenzie County Sheriffs Office has decided to re-open the death investigation case of Duncan Templer. Our goal is to determine the possible cause and manner of death, and to provide the family of Duncan Templer the closure they have been seeking for all these years. We want to reiterate to the public that this is not being considered as an open homicide investigation, rather an open death investigation. We are asking the public to contact the McKenzie County Sheriffs Office with any information surrounding the death of Duncan Templer. If you do have information regarding this case, please call the McKenzie County Sheriffs Office a 701-444-3654 and request to speak to a Detective within our Investigations Division. Richland Economic Development Corporation (REDC) is making a bold move to rejuvenate their annual meeting this year. Instead of the banquet style event of years past, they are refreshing the method of reporting to their membership and the community by hosting a more casual, fun event. Please join them on Thursday, Feb. 13 beginning at 6 p.m. at the Richland County Event Center. Music by Judd Burman will provide the perfect atmosphere as you enjoy an adult beverage from The Ranger Lounge and taste the talents of LeRoy Strasheim. In lieu of the formal presentation of the event, a printed annual report will be at the tables for participants to peruse. Later on, REDC is pleased to feature Jaimie Charon, Montana Business Attraction Specialist, in a fireside chat format. The discussion will focus on the various programs that he and Leslie Messer have worked on the past 18 months. Topics include the process of building a better prepared community, meeting the client's needs, the amount of time that recruitment can take and what has been successful in other Montana communities. Please plan to attend this interesting event. RSVP to the REDC office at 406-482-4679 by Feb. 5. Tickets are $25 per person and the event is open to the public. Sidney, MT Sidney Health Center is excited to announce the addition of Shannon Shepherd, MSN, CNM, FNP, to its Women's Health Clinic. With over 25 years of experience in women's health, Shannon brings a wealth of knowledge and a deep commitment to providing personalized, compassionate care to women in the MonDak region. Shannon has dedicated her career to empowering women by listening to their concerns and providing comprehensive care tailored to their unique needs. Over the course of her career, she has delivered approximately 2,500 babies and has developed expertise in a wide range of services, including routine and high-risk obstetric care, gynecological exams, family planning, menopause management, and breast care. Shannon's journey into women's healthcare was inspired by her own childbirth experiences, which drove her to become a family nurse practitioner and certified nurse midwife. Her approach to care emphasizes collaboration and respect, aiming to provide a positive and empowering healthcare experience for every patient. In her new role at Sidney Health Center, Shannon will fill the position previously held by Wendy Wiltzen, FNP, who retired in July 2024 after 40 years of dedicated service to the community. She joins the talented team of Dr. Malua Tambi, Dr. Lisa Ross, and Dr. Kristan Adams, working together to meet the evolving healthcare needs of women in the MonDak region. "Joining Sidney Health Center is an exciting opportunity to continue my passion for women's health," said Shannon. "I look forward to serving this community and helping women navigate all stages of their healthcare journeys." Outside of work, Shannon enjoys traveling, exploring national parks, and spending time with her family, including her beloved 118-lb. Rottweiler. Her adventurous spirit has taken her to 45 states and numerous countries, and she is eager to explore more in the future. Shannon's arrival marks a significant step in continuing Sidney Health Center's commitment to delivering exceptional, patient-centered care. The clinic is proud to welcome Shannon and invites community members to schedule an appointment to meet her. For more information or to schedule an appointment, call Sidney Health Center's Women's Health Clinic at 406-488-2577 or visit the organization's website at sidneyhealth.org. August A. Lindecker, 86, Alexander, ND, peacefully passed away on Wednesday Jan. 8, 2025, at the Mountrail County Medical Center, Stanley, ND, with family by his side. Funeral Services will be Wednesday January 22, 2025, at 11 a.m. at the Zion Lutheran Church, Fairview, MT, with Minister Bill Buckley officiating. A luncheon will follow the service. Visitation was Tuesday, Jan. 21, 2025, from 10 a.m.5 p.m. at the Fulkerson Stevenson Memorial Chapel, Sidney, MT. August will be laid to rest in the Yellowstone Point Cemetery, Cartwright, ND. Military honors will be presented by the United States Army Funeral Guard and the Carl E Rogen Post 29, Watford City, ND. Fulkerson Stevenson Funeral Home, Sidney, MT, is assisting the family. Remembrances, condolences, and pictures may be shared with the family at http://www.fulkersons.com. August was born on June 15, 1938, in Charbonneau, ND, to Earnest and Mary Lindecker. After finishing school, August spent his time working on the family farm. In 1958, just shy of 20 years old, August enlisted in the Army National Guard of Montana. He went on to serve nine years in the army before being honorably discharged in August 1967. After his time in the army, August did many different things to keep himself busy. He farmed, was a trucker, hauled hay, and enjoyed playing the guitar and singing. August taught himself how to play the guitar and to sing on his own and enjoyed performing in front of other people. He performed at many nursing homes, Big Opening, and really wherever they would let him. There were many nights of jam sessions held at his house where he would simply play guitar and sing for hours. He truly had a passion for the art of music. August was a jack of all trades and picked up many different hobbies and traits over the years. Not only was he good at performing and a hard worker but he also learned welding, was a mechanic, and enjoyed trail riding on horseback. August was a proud member of the Moose Lodge and a lifetime member of the NRA. If there was one thing August would let you know right away, it was that he was not a big fan of children. He loved his nieces and nephews but never cared about having any children of his own. August will remain in our hearts forever, and we will cherish the memories that we were able to share with him for an eternity. August is survived by his brother, George Lindecker; nephew, George Walker; nieces, Mary Erickson, Karen Schaffer, Dorothy Johnson, Myrtle Olive, Vera Boyle, and Selma Lane; along with numerous great nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents, Earnest and Mary; sister, May (Art) Olson, Annie (John) Walker; nephews, John Walker, Steve Lindecker, great-grand nieces, Angela Thunker, Jacquelyn Erickson. Memorial Services for Jeanette Anderson, 62, Watford City, ND, were held on Tuesday, Jan. 21, 2025, at 11 a.m. at the First Lutheran Church, Watford City, ND, with Garrett Gudmunsen and Matthew Rolfson officiating. A luncheon followed the burial at The American Legion Carl E Rogen Post 29 for a time of fellowship and sharing. Jeanette will be laid to rest at Silent City Cemetery, Keene, ND. In lieu of flowers please send a donation to the Wilmington Lutheran Church Sunday School. The service will be livestreamed directly on Jeanette's obituary page on our website: http://www.fulkersons.com. Fulkerson Stevenson Funeral Home, Watford City, ND, is assisting the family. Remembrances, condolences, and pictures may be shared with the family at http://www.fulkersons.com. Jeanette K. Anderson, 62, Watford City, ND, passed away peacefully on Saturday, Jan. 11, 2025, at the McKenzie County Hospital, Watford City, ND, leaving behind a legacy of love and kindness. Jeanette was born Dec. 10, 1962, in Watford City, ND, to Norman and Loretta Anderson. n her younger years, she lived in Keene and then moved to Watford City with her parents and 2 sisters. She attended Watford City High School in the graduating class of 1981. In 1987, Jeanette met the love of her life, Charles Ceynar. They have been lifelong partners up until the day she passed away. With this union, Charles and Jeanette had one son, Marc Ceynar. She also had 2 stepdaughters, Tanya and Janelle. She refused to be called a stepmom, "I came into your life after you were born but that doesn't matter. You girls are my daughters." She had incredible love for her family. Jeanette worked at Schafer SuperValu from 1980-1983. When Susan and Mike Tschetter bought the grocery store and renamed it Mike's SuperValu, she became one of the longest employees of 30 years. Her dedication to the many customers and co-workers is still remembered 12 years after her retirement. Jeanette had many passions, and she put her whole heart into each one. First and foremost, she was a devoted grandmother. She proudly referred to herself as "Head Granny at Granny's Daycare". Owen, Colton, Liam, Levi, Jayden and Austen will never forget her love, dedication and how she made each one feel special. The boys are truly blessed. She also loved her fur babies: Eddie, Skippy, and Sami. Another passion of Jeanette's was quilting. When she completed one, it was a creative piece of art that was shipped all across the United States. Any time there was a fundraiser, auction, benefit supper or raffle, Jeanette always donated one of her unique, one-of-a-kind quilts. Jeanette was also an avid coin collector, phenomenal cook (the best meatballs and prime rib!) and photographer. Volunteering her time and helping coordinate events were truly important to her. From the VFW Auxiliary, Legion Auxiliary, Boy Scout Troop 382 Treasurer, Silent City Cemetery Secretary/Treasurer and President of Friendly Fifteen Homemakers were just a few. She enjoyed every moment of putting her time and effort into these organizations. Jeanette had such a wide-spread, amazing impact on the community. She was kind, dependable, and fiercely loyal. Jeanette is survived by her son, Marc (Jeana) Ceynar; daughter, Janelle Ceynar; life partner, Charles Ceynar; mother, Loretta Anderson; grandchildren; Colton and Owen Ceynar, Liam Hersch, Austen and Jayden Huckaba, and Levi Wilson; sisters, Roxanne Anderson, Carla Anderson; brothers-in-law, Bruce Ceynar and Brad Ceynar; many aunts, uncles, and cousins. She was preceded in death by her father, Norman Anderson; daughter, Tanya Ceynar; beloved dog, Sami; brother-in-law, Keith Ceynar; her grandparents, along with many aunts, uncles, and cousins. BAKU, Azerbaijan, January 23. The Western Azerbaijan Community condemns the racist policies of the Armenian government, Trend reports via the community's statement. The community made the statement commenting on the placing of Western Azerbaijan in the category of military-political risks by the Foreign Intelligence Service of Armenia, in its annual report published today. "The expression of the desire of the ethnically cleansed Western Azerbaijanis to return to their homes in conditions of peace, security, and respect for dignity within the framework of international law as a threat to security distorts this just cause and proves that Armenia sees multi-ethnicity as a threat to itself. Such an approach by Armenia indicates that it is still playing the same old tune of discrimination and racism it has been singing for decades. The Western Azerbaijan Community strongly condemns the racist policy of the Armenian government and demands that it ensure the right of Western Azerbaijanis to return," the statement said. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel By Dr. Haley Menge, Dr. Jon Kolstad and Dr. Kristen O'Brien For Montana's elderly citizens, nursing home residents, and others who struggle to travel long distances for medical care, access to trusted eye care close to home is essential. Yet, outdated laws in Montana restrict highly trained doctors of optometry from performing certain in-office procedures that could safely and effectively be done in their offices. It is time to modernize these regulations to ensure Montanans can receive timely, high-quality care without the burden of traveling hundreds of miles. Montana's optometrists are often the first resource for patients' vision and eye health. However, current state laws limit their ability to fully utilize their extensive education and training. These restrictions prevent optometrists from performing in-office procedures that they are qualified to provide, such as laser treatments for glaucoma, minor post-cataract surgeries and others-procedures that have been safely performed by optometrists in other states for decades. The lack of access to local care disproportionately affects vulnerable populations, including seniors and those living in rural or underserved areas. For many, traveling to urban centers for basic procedures is not just inconvenient but a significant barrier to receiving necessary care. By passing the Optometry Bill 2025, Montana can eliminate these barriers and bring modern, patient-centered care closer to home. Proven Safety and Trust The evidence is clear: Optometrists in 12 states, including Wyoming, South Dakota, and Colorado, safely perform these procedures. Data shows over 146,000 laser treatments performed by optometrists without unforeseen complications. Moreover, 94% of Americans trust optometrists as reliable sources of eye health care, underscoring their critical role in managing patients' vision and overall health. Montana's optometrists are equipped to meet these standards. They complete nearly 10,000 hours of education and training, manage thousands of patient cases before practicing independently, and pass rigorous board exams. Their expertise ensures these in-office procedures can be done safely and effectively. Tangible Benefits for Patients Updating Montana's optometry laws will have a profound impact on patients across the state: Improved Access: Rural and underserved communities often face long waits and costly travel to see specialists. Allowing optometrists to perform these procedures locally eliminates unnecessary referrals, saving patients both time and money. Enhanced Care: By enabling optometrists to use the tools and techniques they are trained for, Montanans can receive high-quality, timely eye care close to home, reducing delays in treatment that could compromise health outcomes. Strengthened Healthcare Infrastructure: Aligning Montana's laws with neighboring states not only attracts top talent to our communities but also addresses significant gaps in healthcare coverage. A Common-Sense Solution Montana's Doctors of Optometry have delivered safe, effective, and trusted care for decades. Modernizing these laws allows them to continue that legacy while ensuring our state remains at the forefront of accessible healthcare. The Optometry Bill 2025 is a practical, patient-focused solution that prioritizes the needs of Montanans. We urge lawmakers to support this legislation to guarantee that all Montanans, especially our elderly and underserved populations, can access the eye care they need-close to home, safe, and trusted. Let's modernize Montana's optometry laws and improve healthcare for everyone in our state. The Authors: Dr. Haley Menge, Dr. Jon Kolstad and Dr. Kristen O'Brien are doctors of optometry practicing in Montana. Dr. Menge has been serving the Glasgow community for the past 11 years after returning to her rural, northeastern Montana roots. Dr. Kolstad also practices in rural northeast Montana, where he has supported clinics in Glasgow, Scobey and Wolf Point for the past 23 years. Dr. Kristin O'Brien is in private practice in Sidney and serves patients in a roughly 100-mile radius. Donald Trump Expands Border Crackdown, Plans to Deploy 10,000 Troops The internal memo outlines plans for a larger-scale military presence and expanded detention capacity. Donald Trump on US Immigration and Asylum Latest News: The Trump administration is intensifying efforts to combat illegal immigration, considering the deployment of 10,000 soldiers to the U.S.-Mexico border and the conversion of Department of Defense bases into detention centers for migrants, according to an internal memo obtained by CBS News. In an executive order signed on Monday, President Trump declared a national emergency at the southern border, directing the Department of Defense to support the Department of Homeland Security in achieving "complete operational control." The directive includes building border barriers and providing military resources to bolster Customs and Border Protection (CBP). Advertisement White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt announced on Wednesday that an additional 1,500 troopscomprising 1,000 Army personnel and 500 Marineswill join the 2,500 already stationed at the border. These troops will focus on supporting CBP operations, constructing barriers, and deterring illegal crossings while avoiding direct law enforcement roles. The internal memo outlines plans for a larger-scale military presence and expanded detention capacity. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is seeking to establish 14 new detention centers with a combined capacity of over 60,000 migrants. Additionally, military airlifts will be used to support deportation flights for over 5,000 detained migrants. Trumps administration has also issued an unprecedented order to summarily deport unauthorized migrants without allowing them to request asylum, citing national security and public health concerns. These measures are part of a broader campaign to tighten border security, a hallmark of Trumps policy agenda. Advertisement Despite a decline in illegal border crossings to a four-year lowlargely due to prior asylum restrictions and a Mexican government crackdownTrump continues to frame immigration as an urgent crisis, invoking constitutional powers to justify the aggressive approach. (For more news apart from Donald Trump on US Immigration and Asylum Latest News, stay tuned to Rozana Spokesman) January 23, 2025 UPDATE A roundup of local and international news. Newsflash Newsroom, 23.01.2025, 20:19 A roundup of local and international news. CELEBRATION The Romanian Ministry of National Defense and the local authorities will organize on Friday, January 24, in the garrisons where there are monuments dedicated to the Union of the Romanian Principalities, military and religious ceremonies dedicated to the celebration of the 166th anniversary of this historical event. In Bucharest, a military wreath laying ceremony will be held at the Statue of Prince Alexandru Ioan Cuza. Every year, on January 24, Romanians celebrate the Union of the Romanian Principalities that took place in 1859, under the leadership of Prince Alexandru Ioan Cuza, an act of political will of the leaders of Moldavia and Wallachia, and the first step towards the creation of the modern Romanian unitary state. SECURITY Over 22,000 employees of the Ministry of Internal Affairs will make sure that the events dedicated to the Union of the Romanian Principalities in the upcoming days unfold smoothly. Around 1,400 traffic police officers will be present on public roads, especially on those that are usually crowded during mini-holidays. Various activities will be organized throughout the country in approximately 130 locations, with an estimated participation of over 60,000 people. CORRUPTION Vlad Oprea, the Liberal mayor of Sinaia, the most popular resort on the Prahova Valley (southern Romania), was detained on Thursday by prosecutors of the National Anticorruption Directorate, in a case in which he is suspected of corruption. According to the prosecutors, he claimed and received bribe of almost 240,000 Euros from a businessman, in order to facilitate the issuance of the necessary documentation for the construction of a hotel in the city. Oprea is also accused of having allowed the unauthorized activity of providing public catering services for a restaurant in Sinaia, between July 2019 and January 2024, in order to obtain undue benefits. PROTEST Railway workers, reserve military, policemen, miners, foresters, steel workers or employees of the Bucharest Subway system are expected, on Friday, at a rally organized near the government offices, in protest at the new social and salary policies of the ruling coalition made up of the PSD-PNL-UDMR, the Federation of Railway Transporters Unions from Romania (FSTFR) have announced. The estimated number of participants in the protest is 30,000. RELEASE The Romanian Foreign Ministry has announced that the Romanian crew member of the Galaxy Leader ship, released from Yemen, is safe and sound. The crew has been in captivity for more than a year after the Houthi rebel group captured the ship, at the start of a series of attacks on ships in the Red Sea, motivated by Israels war against the Palestinian Islamist movement Hamas. The 25 sailors from the Philippines, Mexico, Romania, Bulgaria and Ukraine were detained in November 2023 by Houthi fighters, who used a helicopter to board the cargo ship that started from Turkey, heading India. A Houthi-controlled Yemeni television station said the crew had been freed and handed over to Oman, following the completion of the Gaza ceasefire agreement between Hamas and Israel, which took effect on Sunday. The release comes after months of diplomatic work involving the sailors home countries, as well as the UNs International Maritime Organization. The Romanian Foreign Ministry specifies that the action is the result of the efforts of the Foreign Intelligence Service and the other institutions within the crisis cell. The Romanian authorities also thank the external partners, especially the Sultanate of Oman and the neighboring Bulgaria, for the important support given to solving this complex and extremely difficult case. REORGANISATION The reorganization of central public institutions and of state-owned companies in Romania, with a view to reducing budget expenses, has created discontent among the employees. Several ministries have already announced reorganizations and the reduction of the number of employees. The Parliament leadership also announced the reduction of civil servant positions by approximately 400, which led to a spontaneous protest by the employees. REPORT The vice-president of the European Parliament, the Romanian social democrat Victor Negrescu, says that the European Comission will present, in a relatively short time, a report on foreign interference in the presidential election in Romania, through the Chinese network TikTok. The European Commission can make specific recommendations or impose fines on the network, Negrescu explained. He also said that the Vice-President of the Commission for Tech Sovereignty, Security and Democracy, Henna Virkkunen, spoke about the possibility that all social networks, not just TikTok, which interfere in democratic debates and elections, be subject to stricter control and sanctions if they violate the European legislation in the field. MApN dismantles Russias misinformation campaign Russian publications have included Romania in a new misinformation campaign regarding the war in Ukraine and that prompted Bucharests quick response Photo; Fb.com / MApN Sorin Iordan, 23.01.2025, 13:50 Romanias Ministry of National Defence has denounced a new misinformation campaign concerning Romania. Russian journalists have this time tackled the drone attack on the night between January 16th and 17th the Russian forces launched against the civil infrastructure of Ukraines ports, close to its border with Romania. According to them, the attack was launched a day later, in the night between January 17th and 18th, allegedly against a convoy of Romanian troops or mercenaries trying to cross the Danube from Romania to Ukraine in their dinghies. According to the aforementioned Russian sources, ground military installations belonging to Romanias armed forces would have opened fire against the flying drones. The same propaganda material says that the drone attack, which has been ordered by high-ranking Russian army officers, would have caused significant casualties among the Romanian troops. The Kremlin scenario also includes helicopter gunships belonging to the Romanian Air Force, involved in medevac operations and also supporting with fire the operation of the Ukrainian forces on the other bank of the river. The aforementioned propaganda material has triggered a prompt response from Bucharest. The Defence Ministry in Bucharest, also known as MApN, has described those presented by the Russian press as absurdities without any real support. The Ministry says that in the night between January 16th and 17th, the Romanian armys monitoring and surveillance installations signaled a series of violations of Romanias airspace, which imposed alerts issued for the residents of the Tulcea county and the activation of two F-16 jet fighters of the countrys air force. Later, experts with the MApN, the Romanian Intelligence Service and the Interior Ministry, have identified two areas in which parts of the Russian drones fell to the ground. The Romanian Defence Ministry says that although absurd and false, the information invented by Kremlins propaganda laboratories is in line with the pattern of the Russian operations aimed at influencing and manipulating the Romanian and allied public space. According to MApN, their objective is to create a false perception that NATO would try to join the war against Russia and that Romania is being pushed into this conflict. The Romanian side says that this propaganda narrative is also targeting the Russians who are being manipulated into believing the myth of the besieged city, that Russia is in danger of being attacked by NATO, and that in Ukraine, the Russian invading troops are actually fighting NATO in the so-called special military operation According to Bucharest, the reality, which the Kremlin propaganda is trying to cover up, is that Russia, which completely disdains international norms, has militarized the Black Sea, invaded Ukraine and illegally annexed Crimea in 2024, and since 2022 has been engaged in an illegal aggression war against a neighbouring sovereign country. Last, but not least, the Ministry says that it expects the false information presented in the aforementioned material to be taken over by the vectors of the Russian propaganda operating inside the Romanian public space and get hyped up mainly on digital platforms. (bill) Cadence Bank (CADE) Wednesday said it has agreed to buy FCB Financial Corp., the bank holding company for First Chatham Bank, a Savannah, Georgia-based community bank. Under the terms of the merger agreement, Cadence Bank will issue 2.3 million shares, plus $23.1 million in cash, for all outstanding shares of FCB Financial Corp. stock, subject to certain conditions and potential adjustments. Founded in 2002 by local leaders who live and work in the community, First Chatham Bank operates eight branches across the Greater Savannah area. Upon completion of the transaction, First Chatham Bank President & CEO Ken Farrell will serve as Cadence Bank Division President - Southeast Georgia. The merger has been unanimously approved by the boards of directors of both companies. Pending regulatory approval, the approval of FCB Financial Corp. shareholders, and the satisfaction of other customary closing conditions, it is anticipated to close during the third quarter of 2025. For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com Business News Elon Musk has expressed skepticism over President Donald Trump's massive artificial intelligence infrastructure project. A day after Trump announced the $500 billion AI investment, Musk wrote on his social media platform X, "They don't actually have the money. SoftBank has well under $10B secured. I have that on good authority." OpenAI CEO Sam Altman refuted Musk's claim on X, writing, "Wrong, as you surely know. want to come visit the first site already under way? this is great for the country. i realize what is great for the country isn't always what's optimal for your companies, but in your new role i hope you'll mostly put (America) first." Trump made the announcement at the Oval Office in the presence of Altman, Oracle CTO Larry Ellison and SoftBank CEO Masayoshi Son. "This is to me a very big thing. I think it's going to be something that's very special," Trump said. "The American people should take President Trump and those CEOs' words for it," White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said in an interview on Wednesday in apparent reference to Musk's remarks. "President Trump is very excited about this infrastructure announcement in the field of AI, which is obviously growing, and something the United States of America needs to capitalize on, because our adversaries, such as China, are very advanced in this field. So, the American people should take President Trump and those CEOs' words for it -- these investments are coming to our great country, and American jobs are coming along with them," Leavitt told Fox News. Days ahead of assuming office, Trump had appointed Musk, who is one of his closest allies, as the head of the newly created Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE, a cost-savings effort. Tuesday, leading companies had revealed plans to form a new company, named Stargate, with the goal of enhancing the AI infrastructure within the United States. Stargate intends to invest $500 billion over the next four years, building new AI infrastructure for OpenAI in the country. The initial equity funders in Stargate are SoftBank, OpenAI, Oracle, and MGX. SoftBank and OpenAI are the lead partners for Stargate, with SoftBank having financial responsibility and OpenAI having operational responsibility. SoftBank's Masayoshi Son will be the chairman. OpenAI has promised to invest $100 billion in the project initially. For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com Business News The Defense Department is sending 1500 active-duty soldiers and additional air and intelligence assets to the southern border to augment troops already conducting enforcement operations in the region. This was announced by Acting Secretary of Defense Robert Salesses within hours of President Donald Trump issuing an executive order directing the Pentagon to address the situation at the border, and declaring an emergency. "The president directed me to take all appropriate action to support the activities of the secretary of homeland security in obtaining complete operational control of the southern border of the United States," Salesses said in a statement. The Pentagon has since established a task force to oversee the expedited implementation of border-related executive orders with U.S. Northern Command heading up the effort with the supported of U.S. Transportation Command, the National Guard Bureau, the military services and the Department of Homeland Security. The 1500 additional active-duty service members will initially be put to work on the placement of physical barriers and other border missions. In addition, the Defense Department will provide airlift support for flights operated by DHS to implement the deportation of more than 5000 illegal immigrants detained by CBP at the border sectors in San Diego and El Paso, Texas. Transcom is providing two C-130 Hercules and two C-17 Globemaster aircraft to assist in the mission, a senior military official told the media. Additionally, UH-72 Lakota military helicopters have begun flying in support of CBP. DOD is coordinating with the State Department to obtain diplomatic visas and provide host-nation notification for those who have been deported. For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com Business News The new U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the State Department will no longer undertake any activities that facilitate or encourage mass migration. "Our diplomatic relations with other countries, particularly in the Western Hemisphere, will prioritize securing America's borders, stopping illegal and destabilizing migration, and negotiating the repatriation of illegal immigrants," he said in a statement, detailing "Priorities and Mission of the Second Trump Administration's Department of State." Rubio said he will "faithfully execute and observe in both letter and spirit" in his Department President Trump's executive order eliminating 'DEIA' requirements, programs, and offices throughout the government. "Relatedly, we must return to the basics of diplomacy by eliminating our focus on political and cultural causes that are divisive at home and deeply unpopular abroad. This will allow us to conduct a pragmatic foreign policy in cooperation with other nations to advance our core national interests". Rubio said that the State Department will support and defend Americans' rights to free speech, terminating any programs that lead to censoring the American people. "we must leverage our strengths and do away with climate policies that weaken America," according to the new State Secretary. While not ignoring threats to U.S. natural environment and supporting sensible environmental protections, the State Department will use diplomacy to help President Trump fulfill his promise for a return to American energy dominance, Rubio said. For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com Business News Belgian consumers continued to express more pessimistic attitudes at the start of the year, the National Bank of Belgium said on Thursday. The consumer sentiment index dropped to -11.0 in November from -9.0 in the previous month. In January, households seem to be much more cautious about the general economic outlook, and they also expect to save less, the survey said. The index measuring the general economic situation of the country worsened to -30 from -24. Meanwhile, the financial situation of households remained negative and stable at a reading of -2.0. The index for savings among households dropped to 18 from 21. The survey also revealed that expectations concerning the job market are unchanged from last month. For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com Business News BAKU, Azerbaijan, January 23. President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev has signed a decree amending the "List of Public Legal Entities Exempt from Value-Added Tax (VAT) for Providing Services Funded by the State Budget," Trend reports. The decree expands the list of public legal entities exempt from VAT for providing works and services funded by the state budget. The newly added entity to the list is the Restoration, Construction, and Management Service in the Kalbajar District. The decree takes effect from September 1, 2024. South Africa's wholesale trade declined sharply in November after a strong rebound in October, preliminary data from Statistics South Africa showed on Thursday. At constant prices, wholesale sales dropped an unadjusted 7.3 percent year-on-year in November after a 4.9 percent increase in the previous month, which was the first growth in fifteen months. On a monthly basis, wholesale sales fell a seasonally adjusted 3.1 percent in November, in contrast to a 3.5 percent growth in October. In the three months ending November, total wholesale trade rose 0.2 percent compared with the previous three-month period. For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com Economic News What parts of the world are seeing the best (and worst) economic performances lately? Click here to check out our Econ Scorecard and find out! See up-to-the-moment rankings for the best and worst performers in GDP, unemployment rate, inflation and much more. President Donald Trump has signed an Executive Order re-designating Ansar Allah, commonly known as the Houthis, as a Foreign Terrorist Organization. Trump designated the Iranian-backed militant outfit as a foreign terrorist organization just before leaving office of his first term in January 2021. Within one month of taking office, the Biden administration reversed the Houthis' designation. The Houthi movement is a Zaydi Shia Islamist political and military organization that emerged from Yemen in the 1990s. The group has been a central player in Yemen's civil war, and controls large swathes of the country, including the capital city. The rebel movement has been frequently targeting international shipping in the Red Sea, including U.S. military vessels and oil tankers, since mid-November, 2023, in retaliation for Israeli attacks in Gaza. The Houthis have fired at U.S. Navy warships dozens of times, launched numerous attacks on civilian infrastructure in partner nations, and attacked commercial vessels transiting the Red Sea more than 100 times. The risky situation in the trade route has forced many shipping companies to suspend Red Sea operations, and reroute their vessels around the Cape of Good Hope, adding significant cost and weeks of delay to the delivery of goods. The Executive Order directs the Secretary of State, in consultation with others, to recommend the re-designation of the Houthis within 30 days. Under President Trump, it is now the policy of the United States to cooperate with its regional partners to eliminate the Houthis' capabilities and operations, deprive them of resources, and thereby end their attacks on U.S. personnel and civilians, U.S. partners, and maritime shipping in the Red Sea, the White House said. Following the Houthis' re-designation as an FTO, the Executive Order also directs the Administrator of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and the Secretary of State to jointly review United Nations partners, nongovernmental organizations, and contractors operating in Yemen. Following this review, the President will direct USAID to end its relationship with entities that have made payments to the Houthis, or which have opposed international efforts to counter the Houthis while turning a blind eye towards the Houthis' terrorism and abuses. For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com Business News Standing among other winners and representatives at the SALA awards in November 2024, Xhegwana holds up his award By The Division of Communication and Advancement Sithembele Isaac Xhegwana, a PhD student at Rhodes Universitys Critical Studies in Sexualities and Reproduction (CSSR), has been recognised with two respected literary awards. With academic qualifications including a BSocSci (Honours) in Sociology and an MA in English (Creative Writing) from the University of Cape Town, Xhegwana exemplifies the fusion of rigorous scholarship and artistic creativity. His recent accolades, particularly for his poetry collection Dark Lines of History, reflect the profound impact of his work on South Africas literary and cultural landscape. In November 2024, Xhegwana was honoured with the South African Literary Award (SALA) in the poetry category. Established in 2005 by the wRite associates in partnership with the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture, SALA celebrates authors who contribute significantly to South Africas cultural and literary heritage. Joining an elite group of writers who have preserved the countrys histories and philosophies through literature, Xhegwanas work stands as a testament to the power of storytelling. A month later, his poetry collection Dark Lines of History earned further recognition at the inaugural Eastern Cape Literary Awards (ECLA). Hosted at the Amwazi South African Museum of Literature in Makhanda, the ECLA highlighted his role in shaping the Eastern Capes literary identity. Together, these honours solidify Xhegwanas reputation as a vital voice in contemporary South African literature. Dark Lines of History delves deeply into South Africas historical, social, and cultural tapestry. Through vivid imagery and poignant reflections, the collection examines themes of identity, memory, and resilience. Its national and regional acclaim highlights the power of literature to serve as both a mirror reflecting societal challenges and a map guiding readers through them. His poetic talent also shone in March 2023, when his piece The Ostrich Egg Carrier of the Kalahari won an AVBOB mini competition themed Water is Life. The poem masterfully intertwines environmental concerns with cultural narratives, showcasing his ability to create resonant and impactful works. Xhegwanas achievements extend beyond poetry. In 2024, he was appointed to the English National Language Body under the Pan South African Language Board (PANSALB). This role allows him to influence policy and initiatives that celebrate linguistic diversity and support the development of South African languages. As a PhD student at Rhodes University, Xhegwanas success enhances the institutions reputation as a centre of intellectual and creative excellence. His academic journeyfrom sociology to creative writingdemonstrates the Universitys commitment to interdisciplinary scholarship and its support for students whose work bridges theory and practice. Furthermore, his story offers valuable lessons for aspiring writers and academics. His ability to balance rigorous research with creative expression exemplifies the potential of interdisciplinary approaches. By sharing his journey, Xhegwana can inspire emerging writers and researchers, particularly those addressing societal challenges through literature. The Maruti Swift Hybrid spied testing in Delhi NCR gives us a glimpse of what the company has been cooking. Where design is concerned, we can see that it is almost similar to India-spec Swift. So, test mules of this vehicle can hide in plain sight and thats exactly what this particular unit is doing. If there were camouflage, this vehicle would have attracted more attention. Spied in a lovely Black shade, Swift Hybrid shows a promising future. Maruti Swift Hybrid Spied Testing Previous test mules of Swift Hybrid had a Hybrid badge, this unit ditches that as well. As seen in the spy shots from MRD Cars, key differentiators of Swift Hybrid include a slightly sportier front and rear bumper with more black elements to reduce visual bulk. There seems to be a silver finish on lower bumper at the front too. Theres a radar module on front grille, which is the main takeaway. At the sides, things get a lot more interesting because it gets same alloy wheel design as global Swift. Also, there are disc brakes at the rear, something that only Japanese-spec (JDM) model gets. Even the Swift Hybrid sold in Australia doesnt get rear disc brakes. Only JDM model. ADAS Suite & Hybrid Tech The main addition on JDM-spec Swift over the India-spec model is ADAS suite, to increase safety proposition. Other notable add-ons to JDM Swift over Indian Swift are an electronic parking brake and heated seats option. Other than these features, the main changes on Swift Hybrid for Japan are with the powertrain. JDM Swift Hybrid comes equipped with a 1.2L Z12E powertrain with CVT gearbox boasting mild-hybrid tech. This sophisticated Hybrid technology reduces fuel consumption with assistance from an ISG (Integrated Starter Generator) motor, that draws power from a dedicated battery. This improves fuel efficiency significantly and Suzuki claims 24.5 km/l (combined) with Swift Hybrid. Breaking down the numbers, JDM Suzuki Swift Sport promises 20.8 km/l mileage (fuel efficiency) in Urban, 24.8 km/l in Suburban and 26.3 km/l in Expressway. In India, even without the Hybrid tech, Maruti Suzuki claims up to 25.75 km/l (combined) with AMT. Only for export? What were seeing here, is a JDM-spec Suzuki Swift and Suzuki Swift Hybrid testing in India that is highly likely to be exported to Japan. Considering that Maruti Suzuki doesnt offer rear disc brakes with Dzire, Baleno, Fronx, Brezza, Ciaz and Ertiga, it is safe to predict that India-spec Swift might never get it. If this is true, Swift will be the third Maruti Suzuki vehicle to be exported to Japan from India after Baleno and Fronx. BAKU, Azerbaijan, January 23. The staff limit for the Ministry of Agriculture and state agrarian development centers in Azerbaijan has been raised, Trend reports. President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev signed the relevant decree in this regard. According to the decree, the staff limit for the Ministry of Agriculture has been increased from 202 to 212 full-time positions, while the staff limit for state agrarian development centers has been raised from 867 to 926 full-time positions. Photo: Press Service of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan BAKU, Azerbaijan, January 23. Azerbaijan has made amendments to the Charter of the Shusha City State Reserve Management, Trend reports. President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev has signed a decree in this regard. According to the decree, the reserve management is now responsible for supplying hot water and heating to the residential buildings already under its supervision and ensuring their thermal energy needs are met. Additionally, the reserve management will charge fees for the maintenance and repair of residential spaces, including services for upkeep, ongoing and capital repairs of shared property (including elevators) in multi-apartment buildings that it oversees the construction of, with the fees to be defined in the respective contracts. Furthermore, the reserve management will have the right to provide hot water and heating services within the designated area based on a contract and collect fees for these services, with the fees to be determined by the contract. The amounts to be charged under these contracts will be approved. The near-Earth asteroid 2024 PT5 is on an Earth-like orbit that remained in the immediate vicinity of our planet for several months at the end of 2024. 2024 PT was first detected on August 7, 2024, by the NASA-funded Sutherland, South Africa, telescope of the University of Hawaiis Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System (ATLAS). The asteroid does not pose a hazard to Earth, but its orbit around the Sun closely matches that of our planet. About 10 m (33 feet) wide, the object appears to be composed of rock broken off from the Moons surface and ejected into space after a large impact. We had a general idea that this asteroid may have come from the Moon, but the smoking gun was when we found out that it was rich in silicate minerals not the kind that are seen on asteroids but those that have been found in lunar rock samples, said Dr. Teddy Kareta, an astronomer at Lowell Observatory. It looks like it hasnt been in space for very long, maybe just a few thousand years or so, as theres a lack of space weathering that would have caused its spectrum to redden. Dr. Kareta and his colleagues used observations from the Lowell Discovery Telescope and the NASA Infrared Telescope Facility (IRTF) at the Mauna Kea Observatory in Hawaii to show that the spectrum of reflected sunlight from the surface of 2024 PT didnt match that of any known asteroid type. Instead, the reflected light more closely matched lunar rocks. This discovery doubles the number of known asteroids thought to originate from the Moon. Asteroid 469219 Kamooalewa was found in 2016 with an Earth-like orbit around the Sun, indicating that it may also have been ejected from the lunar surface after a large impact, the astronomers said. As telescopes become more sensitive to smaller asteroids, more potential Moon boulders will be discovered, creating an exciting opportunity not only for scientists studying a rare population of asteroids, but also for scientists studying the Moon. If a lunar asteroid can be directly linked to a specific impact crater on the Moon, studying it could lend insights into cratering processes on the pockmarked lunar surface. Also, material from deep below the lunar surface in the form of asteroids passing close to Earth may be accessible to future scientists to study. This is a story about the Moon as told by asteroid scientists, Dr. Kareta said. Its a rare situation where weve gone out to study an asteroid but then strayed into new territory in terms of the questions we can ask of 2024 PT5. The findings were published January 14, 2025 in the Astrophysical Journal Letters. _____ Theodore Kareta et al. 2025. On the Lunar Origin of Near-Earth Asteroid 2024 PT5. ApJL 979, L8; doi: 10.3847/2041-8213/ad9ea8 BAKU, Azerbaijan, January 23. Leyla Aliyeva, Vice President of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation, founder and head of the IDEA Public Union, together with Arzu Aliyeva, head of the Baku Media Center, participated in the World Economic Forum event titled "Accelerating Sustainability Through Innovation and Collaboration" on January 23 in Davos, Trend reports. In her speech, Leyla Aliyeva highlighted pressing environmental issues in the region, focusing on the critical ecological challenges facing the Caspian Sea. She emphasized that over the past decade, the Caspian's water level has significantly decreased, underscoring the urgency of addressing this issue. Describing the Caspian as the world's largest lake, holding over 40 percent of the total water reserves of all global lakes, Aliyeva provided detailed insights into its unique ecosystem. She noted that the environmental problems affecting the Caspian Sea have led to a decline in the populations of several species, including the Caspian seal, sturgeon, and salmon. Aliyeva expressed particular concern over the sharp reduction in the number of Caspian seals and stressed the importance of protecting this endangered species. Aliyeva also introduced the Caspian Research Center, established by IDEA and presented at COP29, which focuses on studying, monitoring, and addressing the complex issues of the Caspian. She highlighted that the center aims to strengthen regional cooperation and ensure the long-term sustainability of the sea. Concluding her speech, Leyla Aliyeva called on international experts, research institutions, and other stakeholders to collaborate on projects and initiatives to safeguard the Caspian's unique ecological system. She emphasized the necessity of continuous monitoring, analysis, and support for scientific research in this vital area. The event brought together visionary leaders, innovators, and stakeholders from around the world to explore innovative solutions to pressing global challenges. The event was addressed by high-level representatives from organizations across various countries. BAKU, Azerbaijan, January 23. Azerbaijani Minister of Foreign Affairs, Jeyhun Bayramov, met with Belarusian Ambassador Andrei Ravkov on the occasion of the conclusion of his diplomatic mission in Azerbaijan on January 23, Trend reports via the ministry. According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan, Bayramov expressed gratitude to the ambassador for his productive work during his tenure in the country and wished him success in his future endeavors. The importance of high-level contacts, mutual visits, and exchanges of views within international platforms was emphasized in the context of strengthening the strategic partnership between the two countries. In particular, the broad prospects for cooperation in the areas of economy, trade, and investment were noted, along with the significance of the Joint Intergovernmental Commission on Trade and Economic Cooperation between Azerbaijan and Belarus. The necessity of continued mutual support and collaboration within regional and international organizations was also highlighted. Ambassador Andrei Ravkov thanked Azerbaijan for its mutually beneficial cooperation and support during his time in the country, expressing confidence in the continued growth of the Azerbaijani-Belarusian strategic partnership. The meeting also included discussions on other issues of mutual interest. With the support of Yelo Bank and the organization of the international payment system "Mastercard Worldwide," the "Customer Tech Conference" was held in Azerbaijan for the second time. The event gathered over 70 representatives from the countrys leading banks to discuss the latest financial trends, technological advancements, and innovations shaping the future of banking. Held at Yelo Bank's head office, the conference provided a unique platform for participants to explore solutions to the challenges of a rapidly evolving financial ecosystem and to exchange ideas. Key topics on the agenda included innovations expected in the second quarter of 2025, the role of artificial intelligence in enhancing cybersecurity, and Mastercard's advancements in the realm of cryptocurrencies. It is worth noting that Yelo Bank also hosted the first "Customer Tech Conference" held in Azerbaijan in May last year. At Yelo Bank, we prioritize supporting financial innovations and bringing global best practices to our country. Events like this offer invaluable opportunities to explore new technologies, stay updated on trends, and foster meaningful collaborations within the sector. We look forward to continuing our support for such initiatives in the future. Need more information about our banking services? Then call 981 or visit our Facebook, Instagram, Whatsapp, or yelo.az accounts. Yelo Bank Brighter Banking! BAKU, Azerbaijan, January 23. We want the person who perpetrated a terrorist attack against the Azerbaijani Embassy in Tehran to be executed, Rizvan Askarov, father of martyred Orkhan Askarov, during a terrorist attack on the Azerbaijani Embassy in Tehran, told Trend. About a year and a half ago, the deputy prosecutor general of the Islamic Republic of Iran arrived in Baku, and we had a meeting at the Prosecutor General's Office of the Republic of Azerbaijan, where we were offered condolences and told that compensation or the death penalty could be imposed following the laws of the Islamic Republic of Iran. As Orkhan Askarov's father, of course, I said that I demand execution, he noted. Askarov emphasized that a year and a half ago the relevant documents were prepared in this regard. My youngest son and I composed a letter requesting execution. Now they once again desire this demand, and we will rewrite it again. We want the execution of whoever perpetrated this terrorist act. We have no other demands. January 27 is the anniversary of Orkhan Askarov's death. We will notarize and submit the relevant documents, he added. To note, a man armed with an automatic weapon and numerous magazines perpetrated a terrorist attack on the Azerbaijani Embassy in Iran on January 27, 2023, at around 08:30 am. Orkhan Askarov, head of the embassy's security service, died while preventing the attack, and two others were wounded. The Supreme Court of Iran prepares to render its verdict on the individual responsible for the assault on the Azerbaijani Embassy in Tehran. The case was forwarded to the court for substantive evaluation. The tribunal will extend an invitation to the kin of the affected parties. If the victims request the imposition of the execution of the perpetrator, the criminal matter will be forwarded to the relevant authority for enforcement. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel BAKU, Azerbaijan, January 23. An appeal against the conviction of Zahir Askerov, the captain of a vessel belonging to Azerbaijans Caspian Sea Oil Fleet, who was charged with treason, has been reviewed, Trend reports. The decision was announced today at the Baku Court of Appeal during a session chaired by Judge Gabil Mammadov. According to the ruling, the appeal was rejected, and the original verdict from the first-instance court remains in effect. Notably, Zahir Askerov had been sentenced to 16 years in prison by the Baku Court on Grave Crimes. The investigation, conducted by the State Security Service of Azerbaijan, aimed to prevent espionage and sabotage activities orchestrated by the intelligence services of the Islamic Republic of Iran against Azerbaijan. It also uncovered a spy network. As a result, it was discovered that Askerov, while serving as the captain of a ship in the Caspian Sea Oil Fleet, had been recruited during religious studies in the Iranian city of Qom. In exchange for material incentives, he secretly collaborated with Iranian intelligence agents. Over time, Askerov gathered information on foreign companies and diplomatic representations in Azerbaijan, as well as on naval exercises in the Caspian Sea and cargo deliveries to oil platforms, all of which could have jeopardized Azerbaijans sovereignty and defense capabilities. He relayed this information through his mobile phone and in direct meetings in Iran. Zahir Askerov was arrested in November 2023 during an operation conducted by the State Security Service. He was charged under Article 274 of the Criminal Code of Azerbaijan (treason). 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. The application window has opened for Macomb County nonprofits to join the inaugural cohort of the Advancing Macomb Nonprofit Accelerator. Up to 10 nonprofits either serving or based in Macomb County will be accepted into the program, which includes a four-month leadership and operational development program.The Advancing Macomb Nonprofit Accelerator is intended for small and mid-size nonprofits looking to build capacity and community, and all the while learning how to better bolster their organizations impact. Session topics include conversations on grant-seeking and fund development, board development and engagement, and more.The community development nonprofit Advancing Macomb leads the initiative in partnership with regional and statewide organizations. Those organizations include Co.act Detroit, Culture Source, Michigan Community Resources, Michigan Nonprofit Association, Nonprofit Enterprise at Work, Nonprofit Network, and Velocity. Advancing Macomb program manager Meghan Rutigliano is tasked with helping to lead the initiative.Meghans impressive background, including her work with Burning Man Project, LION Publishing, Outlier Media and Planet Detroit, will be an incredible asset to the program and our community here in Macomb County, says Phil Gilchrist, executive director of Advancing Macomb.The four-month leadership and operational development program will launch on Monday, March 10, and run through June, meeting both online and in-person two to three times each month.The deadline to apply is Saturday, Feb. 15. Details are available via the Advancing Macomb website Advancing Macomb is proud to lead this innovative program, which underscores our commitment to fostering thriving communities through nonprofit collaboration and support, says Gilchrist.Got a development news story to share? Email MJ Galbraith here or send him a tweet @mikegalbraith John Grap The Battle Creek Community Foundation has named Mary Muliett as its new president/CEO, Courtesy Lynn Ward Gray La June Montgomery Tabron, President and CEO of W.K. Kellogg Foundation This story is part of Southwest Michigan Second Wave's On the Ground Battle Creek series BATTLE CREEK, MI La June Montgomery Tabron made history when she became both the first woman and the first African American to serve as President and CEO of the W.K. Kellogg Foundation , the seventh-largest foundation in the United States.In her new book, How We Heal , she paints a vivid portrait of her growing-up years in Detroit during the 1960s and how they set her on the path to take the helm of one of the worlds largest philanthropic institutions. In addition to How We Heal, she also has written a youth-focused book titled, Our Differences Make Us Stronger ", which describes in words and illustrations a story about sharing our identities and making new friends.Amid her travels throughout the United States to promote her new books, Tabron shares insights with On the Ground Battle Creek about her full-circle American story, a coming-of-age journey where she gains a firsthand understanding of how systemic racism prevents our children and communities from thriving and learns about the transformative role healing can play in helping all of us transcend the legacy of racial inequality.I wrote these books because I believe that finding a path toward healing is essential to building a country and world where all children can thrive. Both in my personal life and in my role as President and CEO of the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, I have seen how many people are tired of division and yearning to heal, yet dont know where to begin. These books introduce a proven model for change and offer readers the tools to put that model into practice. By using the tools of racial healing, individuals and communities can build trust, forge meaningful relationships, and bridge the barriers that are currently keeping us apart.I actually found the process of revisiting my past cathartic, which is something I didnt entirely expect. One of the stories I tell in "How We Heal" and Our Differences Make Us Stronger is about a childhood trauma I had all but forgotten: losing contact with my best friend and next-door neighbor, Jenefer. Jenefer and I were very close, but one day, she and her family moved away and I never saw her again. As an adult, I now understand that they left because of White Flight, or the exodus of white families from racially diverse, urban centers to predominantly white suburban neighborhoods. But as a five- or six-year-old, I had no way of understanding why I was suddenly being separated from my best friend. Revisiting this early chapter of my own life, among others, helped me better understand that this was an experience from which I needed to heal the kind of experience all of us would benefit from engaging in our own lives.I share a lot of my career journey in the bookfrom my first high school internship at General Motors and my first job out of college in the audit department of a major accounting firm, to my current position as president and CEO of WKKF. Each experience has shaped my approach to leadership. A key lesson Ive learned along the way is the importance of leading with empathy and speaking truth to power. I have aimed to embody those values as I advanced through the leadership ranks at WKKF. Thankfully, my honesty and advocacy have been well-received, and I hope they have cultivated a culture where people feel empowered to speak up for themselves and others.Coming from a family of 10 children and a community that cared deeply about its neighbors, I have always understood the importance of supporting others and helping them reach their full potential. But these values, as I share in the book, didnt become the driving forces of my career until 1987, when the Kellogg Foundation recruited me for their financial controller position. At the time, I knew a lot about Kelloggs cereals but little about the independent foundation created through W.K. Kelloggs generosity. So, I started researching and appreciated what I learned particularly when it came to the foundations commitment to racial equity and closing the digital divide for Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). These stories spoke to me as a young Black woman navigating the American workforce in the 1980s, and I became eager to join a field that shared many of my own values.I am, of course, guided by the singular mission Mr. Kellogg charged our foundation with nearly a century ago: Use the money as you please so long as it promotes the health, happiness, and well-being of children. Like myself, Mr. Kellogg wasnt interested in the spotlight or anyone appeasing his ego. So, when I became President and CEO in 2014, I made referent power the driving force of my leadership.Referent power is guided by the principles of mutual trust and shared ownership over a mission. Instead of leading with a command-and-control approach, I prefer to model an influence-and-inspire attitude one that shows staff members it's okay to take risks, go out on a limb, and do whats necessary to get good ideas heard and implemented. Most importantly, as WKKFs leader, Ive worked hard to ensure were always focused on our key stakeholder: children.It's not about me, its not about you, its all about the children has been such an important guiding principle for the culture Ive built at WKKF that Ive put it on a t-shirt that Ive given to every new staff member since I became President and CEO.Philanthropy plays an important role in our society, but we recognize that we cant be everything to everyone. Our founder, Mr. Kellogg, believed in the power of communities to forge their own solutions to the problems they face and wanted to use the foundation to equip people with the knowledge and resources to pursue those solutions. In other words: we believe philanthropy is at its best when it works in community with community. Today, were carrying this vision forward by looking for community-led opportunities where our investments and partnership can make an outsized impact on children and families.One great example here in Battle Creek is the Battle Creek Public Schools transformation and the Bearcat Advantage scholarship, which covers up to 100% of college tuition for all eligible Battle Creek Public School (BCPS) graduates who attend any college or university in Michigan or any HBCU across the country. These incredible investments were the result of our years-long partnership with BCPS families and faculty who helped the foundation identify a need in the community and co-create a solution to transform the school district, making the educational ecosystem in the city more equitable, and to prepare students to take advantage of the opportunity to attend college, without cost being a barrier to them.From ideation to print, both books took just under a year to write. I know this sounds unbelievably fast, but it was made possible by the incredible teams I worked with both internally and externally. With their help, I was able to gather, synthesize, and piece together countless hours of conversations and research in a relatively short period of time.After reading these books, I hope people will feel more empowered to engage with our stories their own story, the stories we all share, and the story we can write together. This starts with having open, honest, and ongoing conversations about our differences, and engaging with the uncomfortable truths that can yield mutual understanding, mutual respect, and mutual recognition with each of us seeing ourselves in each other.This journey is reflected in many of the stories I share including the ones that take place here in Battle Creek. Over the past three decades, Ive had the privilege of witnessing our citys transformation as it has reckoned with its own legacy of racism, confronted hard truths about its past and present, and become the strong, diverse community I know and love living in today. I hope readers everywhere will be inspired by Battle Creeks journey and recognize that healing is possible for their community, too.As President and CEO of a philanthropic organization dedicated to achieving racial healing and advancing racial equity, I find this current moment particularly challenging. Right now, our political dialogue seems intent on tearing our national community apart and denying our common humanity. In this kind of environment, its easy for people to fall into the trap of zero-sum thinking or the false belief that one groups success comes at the cost of anothers. And, at the same time, I also think this moment reaffirms why WKKF has focused for years on racial healing, and it motivates me to keep working to reach new audiences with our message about the positive impact that racial healing has on peoples lives.Despite these very real obstacles, I believe we can still embrace what we share our humanity, our values, our aspirations, and our interdependence. Thats why I wrote these books, to help people recognize that we are all bound together by a shared fate. When we see how our differences can make us stronger, we can start building the better future our children, families, and communities deserve. BAKU, Azerbaijan, January 23. The Minister of Economy of Azerbaijan Mikayil Jabbarov and SOCAR President Rovshan Najaf discussed issues of effective cooperation and diversification of areas of joint activity with bp's Executive Vice President for Production and Operations, the country's minister wrote on X, Trend reports. Together with SOCAR President Rovshan Najaf, we were pleased to meet with Gordon Birrell, bp's executive vice president for production and operations, within the Davos Economic Forum. We discussed the company's active participation in the transition to green energy, effective cooperation with our country, and diversification of joint activities, the publication reads. bp made its inaugural entry into Azerbaijan by establishing its initial office in Baku in June 1992. In recent years, alongside the Government of Azerbaijan and our collaborative partners, bp has spearheaded top-tier initiatives Azeri-Chirag-Gunashli (ACG), Shah Deniz, and Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan (BTC) which have played a pivotal role in advancing the Caspian Sea as a contemporary hydrocarbon hub. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel Consumer sentiment has weakened to fresh lows, a closely-watched survey suggested on Thursday, as the new year got off to a sluggish start. According to the latest consumer sentiment monitor from the British Retail Consortium, expectations for the next three months have softened across a number of areas. The personal finance situation dropped to -4 in January, down one point on December, while the state of the economy eased to -34 from -27. Respondents also signalled they intended to spend less now the festive season was over. Personal spending on retail fell to -9 from -3, while spending overall declined to 4 from 11. In contrast, expectations for personal saving in the current quarter increased to -3 from -5 a month earlier. Helen Dickinson, chief executive of the BRC, said: "As the government warns of tough times ahead, it is little surprise that the public have caught the January blues. "Concerns [are] most pronounced among older generations. Gen Z (18-to-27 year olds) remain the only group to expect the economy to improve, while two thirds of 60-to-78 year olds expect things to get worse. "Expectations of retail spending and wider spending both fell significantly, though much of this is likely to be at the end of the Christmas period, as people tightened their belts for the new year." The survey was carried out for the BRC by Opinium between 10 and 14 January 2025. A sample of 2,000 UK adults were questioned, with their answers weighted and assigned a net score. The UK competition watchdog has launched an investigation into Google and Apple s dominance across smartphone ecosystems, it confirmed on Thursday. The Competition and Markets Authority said around 56m people aged 16 and over have access to a smartphone in the UK - around 94% of the population. Nearly all of those devices will have come with either Apples operating system iOS or Googles Android pre-installed. Both brands also have their own app stores and browsers with either leading or exclusive positions. "This means Apple and Google are able to exert considerable influence over much of the content, services and technological development provided on a mobile device," the CMA noted. The regulator has therefore decided to investigate competition between and within Apple and Googles mobile ecosystems, possible leveraging of their market power in other activities, and potential exploitative conduct. Sarah Cardell, chief executive of the CMA, said: "The operating systems, apps and browsers installed on our phones and tablet devices act as our gateway into the digital world. "More competitive mobile ecosystems could foster new innovations and new opportunities across a range of services that millions of people use, be they app stores, browsers or operating systems." The announcement came just days after CMA chair Marcus Bokkerink left the business, reportedly after the Department for Business and Trade intervened. The government was allegedly concerned that the regulator was not sufficiently focused on growth. Bokkerink - who started his five-year term in 2022 - has been replaced on an interim basis by Doug Gurr, the former head of Amazons UK business and current director of Londons Natural History Museum. The CMA said it would it take a "proportionate and transparent" approach to the Apple-Google probe, working with a range of stakeholders as well as the companies themselves. It will accept comments until 12 February, before producing its final report by the end of October 2025. Google, which is owned by Alphabet, said: "Androids openness has helped to expand choice, reduce prices and democratise access to smartphones and apps. It is the only example of a successful and viable open source mobile operating system." Apple said it would "continue to engage constructively" with the CMA, adding: "Apple believes in thriving and dynamic markets where innovation can flourish." The governments statistics agency is spending 8m to hire an army of low-paid temporary workers amid efforts to fix its virtually unusable data on unemployment and wages in Britain. Under pressure over the quality of its data, the Office for National Statistics last month agreed the multimillion-pound deal with the employment agency Randstad to recruit interviewers to help increase the reliability of its labour force survey (LFS). Guardian Campaigners will be blocked from excessive legal challenges to planning decisions for major infrastructure projects including airports, railways and nuclear power stations as part of the governments drive for economic growth. High court judges will be given the power to rule that judicial reviews on nationally significant projects that they regard as totally without merit and which can currently be brought to the courts three times will be unable to go to appeal. Guardian Sweden is urging Britain to club together with Northern European neighbours to purchase a fleet of mini-nuclear power plants. Ebba Busch, the Swedish deputy prime minister, said her country wanted to band together with allies to jointly order at least 10 to 15 small modular reactors (SMRs) in a bid to cut costs and share expertise. Telegraph Lisa Nandy, Culture Secretary, must set a deadline for a sale of The Telegraph by an Abu Dhabi fund after it made a very concerning call for budget cuts, Sir Ed Davey has demanded. Sir Ed, the Liberal Democrat leader, was responding to news that RedBird IMI, which was blocked from completing its attempted takeover last year, had urged Telegraph executives to make one in 10 staff redundant and abandon planned editorial investments. - Telegraph Saba Capitals plan to take control of seven UK investment trusts has suffered a blow as the first group of shareholders to vote on its plans almost unanimously rejected them. Herald Investment Trust said the proportion of shareholders who voted against resolutions put forward by Saba, a US hedge fund, represented a damning indictment of Sabas proposals to remove the trusts board and appoint its own choice of directors. The Times BAKU, Azerbaijan, January 23. Tajikistan's chairmanship in the CIS will launch work on the development of a project for the digitalization strategy of key intermodal transport corridors among CIS (Commonwealth of Independent States) member countries, the Tajik Ambassador to Azerbaijan Ilkhom Abdurakhmon said, Trend reports. He made the remark during a briefing at the embassy dedicated to his country's chairmanship in the CIS in 2025. "This process will involve the expertise of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific," the ambassador explained. Abdurakhmon noted that in the transportation sector, support for the activities of the Intergovernmental Road Council, the Coordinating Transport Meeting, and the Railway Transport Council will continue, focusing on the design, construction, reconstruction, and operation of road and railway infrastructure, as well as the improvement of road structures. "Special attention will be given to supporting joint efforts to further eliminate barriers to international transit transport and conducting predictable and transparent tariff policies," the diplomat added. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel Tata Group-owned Air India Express is set to expand its operations in the National Capital Region by launching flights from Hindon Airport on March 1, 2025, as per sources. The airline will connect Hindon to Goa, Kolkata, and Bengaluru, while continuing full operations at IGI Airport. Hindon provides a more affordable option to airlines, especially the budget carriers, with much wider time slots available, sources said. At present, Hindon handles UDAN flights operated by Star Air. The Air India Express flights will be operated from the civil enclave operated by the Airport Authority of India (AAI) at Hindon, which is an air force station. This initiative aligns with the airline's efforts to expand its domestic network through the 'Deep India Connect' plan. Currently, Air India Express boasts a fleet size of 94, a significant increase from the 26 aircraft it had under government ownership just two years ago. Besides, the number of routes served by the airline has more than doubled, with around 400 daily flights compared to 75-77 two years ago. Under the second phase of its transformation program, Air India Express aims to have a fleet of over 100 aircraft by the end of the current fiscal year, with more domestic and international routes. Notably, the airline is guided by a five-year-long transformation program, V1Rise, which forms a key part of the ambitious Vihaan initiative of its parent company, Air India. The recent merger with AIX Connect marked the completion of the first phase of V1Rise, known as Synchronisation. During this phase, the unified entity unlocked synergies by merging two airlines that previously served niche markets. The former Air India Express was a regional international carrier serving routes between India, the Middle East, and South-east Asia, while AIX Connect served only domestic routes within India. The airline aims to have an efficient and deep domestic network during this phase. It will also scale up business and keep costs under control, sources said. Air India Express plans to increase flight frequencies to and from tier-II and tier-III cities, aiming to reach 55 stations in FY25, up from 45 in FY24. It currently operates from or to over 50 stations. Furthermore, the Tata Group-promoted low-cost carrier aims to grow its passenger traffic by over 50 per cent in FY25 versus the previous fiscal year on the back of new routes, a larger fleet size, and operations to new destinations. Accordingly, the airline plans to ferry 2.4 million passengers per month by the end of FY25 from 1.6 million passengers carried per month by the end of FY24. Health and wellness enterprise Happiest Health unveiled the Technology & Innovation in Healthcare Summit 2025 in Bengaluru today. The high-profile event saw healthcare experts and industry come together and discuss the ever-growing potential of emerging technologies in healthcare practices, giving individuals practical insights into their implementation. The summit was inaugurated by Mr Ashok Soota, Executive Chairman of Happiest Minds, amidst over 400 participants. The summit introduced delegates to panel discussions and talks on vital topics shaping the future of healthcare, including those on artificial intelligence, robotics, and telemedicine. The informative sessions provided deep insights into how the industry is evolving with these innovations and the opportunities to look forward to, besides giving individuals the chance to network with industry leaders and technology innovators. The summit generated plenty of important conversations in a collaborative environment, reflecting Happiest Healths commitment to adding value to the healthcare space in India. Mr. Ashok Soota, Executive Chairman, Happiest Minds in his keynote address on opportunities in healthcare through innovation and technology, spoke extensively on various healthcare modules, touching upon innovation, data in healthcare, industry disruptions, and more. On whats driving innovation, he said, Today, we are witnessing the convergence of three forces. These forces of convergence are spatial omics technologies becoming increasingly high throughput and high resolution, large-scale data sets generated by patient biopsies and such, and AI models becoming even more powerful and sophisticated. These three convergence forces will lead to more powerful interventions. The summits first panel discussion, titled AI & Tech In Healthcare: Is Adoption Happening Fast?, was moderated by Dr Sreenivasan Narayana, President and CEO of Healthcare Services, Happiest health, was led by Mr Kalyan Sivasailam, Founder and CEO of 5C Network, Dr Manjiri Bakre, founder and CEO of OncoStem Diagnostics, and Mr Niranjan Subbarao, co-founder and CEO of Cyclops Medtech. The discussion covered how the rapid adoption of technology like machine learning and data analytics is leading to improved diagnostics, personalised treatment plans, and increased operational efficiency, transforming patient care and making it more precise. Dr Harshavardhan Rao B, consultant Department of Medical Gastroenterology, Ramaiah Memorial Hospital, held a session on AI and its Applications in Healthcare & in Medical Gastroenterology in Your Practice. Speaking on challenges from a physicians perspective, he said: One of the things that we consider when we talk about AI is whether it will affect our relationship with patients. Most patient-reported outcome measures are based on an excellent relationship with the patient. There is a placebo effect with most medications. And if the patient does not trust the doctor and the medicine, the clinical outcomes will be sub-optimal. That doesnt diminish the fact that medications work. Its just that we have to recognise the effect the placebo effect has with AI and with reduced interaction, will that affect patient care? A panel discussion on the Hospitals of Tomorrow involved Mr. Hanuman Jayaram, CTO, CTSI South Asia, an affiliate of Siemens Healthineers, Mr Kumar KV, group CIO of Narayana Health, and Mr Srinivas Iyengar, VP, IG head Healthcare & Life Sciences, Happiest Minds. Mr Kumar KV shared his thoughts on the hurdles hospitals can expect in the future: The key backbone, especially in the next five10 years, is going to be from a technology standpoint. This basically necessitates that healthcare providers have all the tools required to provide efficient care, save lives, generate efficiency, and improve outcomes. Apart from having a suitable workforce and embracing digital transformation to transform the business model, the biggest challenge is to get the technology equation right". Mr. Sridhar Mantha, CEO of Generative AI Business, Happiest Minds, delivered the valedictory address on future developments in healthcare technology. He discussed the problem with healthcare data for training AI models: Based on the AI models looking at the data right now, its quite easy for us to train the models. But its not that simple, as not all data is valuable. Theres enough garbage in the data. So, provided we have sufficient quality data to train the model on, we can reach at least 90% of the quality. Mr Ashish Pratap Singh, Chief Marketing Officer of Happiest Health, said, The Technology & Innovation in Healthcare Summit is meant to catalyse dialogue between healthcare and technology experts, combining IT expertise with healthcare innovation. We intend to showcase the latest advancements and foster actionable insights and collaborations to revolutionise patient care and transform the healthcare landscape. Indian Institute of Management Indore (IIM-I) has signed two memorandums of understanding (MoUs) with international institutionsLinnaeus University, Sweden, and College of Management, National Sun Yat-sen University (NSYSU), Taiwan. These collaborations are aimed at hosting joint academic events, sharing research and educational resources, and conducting joint academic programmes. The agreements will also facilitate student and faculty exchange initiatives, as well as collaborative research projects. Notably, this marks IIM-I's first MoU with a university in Sweden. IIM-I director Professor Himanshu Rai said, "At IIM-Indore, we are committed to expanding our global footprint and creating opportunities that transcend borders. Our collaborations with Linnaeus University and NSYSU reflect our dedication to providing students and faculty with exposure to diverse perspectives, cutting-edge research, and innovative learning experiences. Linnaeus University, located in Sweden, is renowned for its strong focus on entrepreneurship, sustainability, and global engagement, with students and faculty from over 80 countries. This partnership will provide our students and faculty with unique insights into Sweden's innovation-driven economy, sustainable business practices, and an international academic environment. Together, we will explore solutions to global challenges and encourage entrepreneurial thinking". Rai stated that NSYSUs strong presence in technology and its global acclaim in business education will provide IIM-I with opportunities to engage in pioneering research, share insights on technological innovations, and tap into the vibrant Asian business landscape. The partnerships will involve hosting joint academic events such as conferences, symposia, and workshops, creating platforms for meaningful dialogue and the exchange of ideas. Dean of School of Business & Economics at Linnaeus University Professor Susanne Ackum said, "Sweden and India share a spirit of innovation and entrepreneurship, and partnering with IIM-Indore , a Triple Crown B-School ranked among the top business schools in the world, is an incredible opportunity. Linnaeus University will benefit from insights into India's dynamic and rapidly growing economy, offering Swedish students and faculty an opportunity to engage with one of the most vibrant markets in the world". Professor Shu-Chuan Jennifer Yeh, Dean of the College of Management at NSYSU said, "Taiwan and India are emerging leaders in technology, innovation, and business. Partnering with IIM Indore, a globally recognised institution ranked third in Central Asia in Eduniversal rankings and committed to impactful education, will allow us to explore synergies and drive innovation. This collaboration brings together two academic communities that are dedicated to excellence, offering immense value through joint research and educational initiatives". A public feud has broken out between Tesla CEO Elon Musk and OpenAI Chief Executive Sam Altman over Stargate, a newly announced artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure initiative supported by former U.S. President Donald Trump. Unveiled on Tuesday, Stargate is a joint venture between OpenAI, Oracle, and SoftBank with a lofty investment target of up to $500 billion. The project will purportedly create data centers and power generation facilities to accelerate AI technology. Trump described the endeavor as a significant step for America, highlighting its reported initial private $100 billion funding as 'a resounding declaration of confidence in America's potential'. However, government cost-cutting initiative advisor for Trump, that is, billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk, openly showed skepticism over project's financial viability. They don't actually have the money, 'Musk claimed on X, the social media platform he owns'. SoftBank has well under USD 10B secured. I have that on good authority. Altman fired back by accusing Musk of spreading misinformation. "You're wrong, as you surely know," Altman responded on X, inviting Musk to visit Stargate's first construction site in Texas. "This is great for the country. I realize what is great for the country isn't always what's optimal for your companies, but in your new role, I hope you'll mostly put (America) first", Altman added. OpenAI together. The current dispute involves Musk's alleged failure to receive promised shares from OpenAI and claims by Altman that Musk never owned any OpenAI shares, since the company never issued him any. Their acrimonious battle, however, reflects a deeper animosity between Musk and Altman. This feud has roots going back to the time the two founded. The current dispute involves Musk's alleged failure to receive promised shares from OpenAI and claims by Altman that Musk never owned any OpenAI shares, since the company never issued him any. Their acrimonious battle, however, reflects a deeper animosity between Musk and Altman. Meanwhile, the origins and financiers of Stargate are still shrouded in mystery. Oracle Co-founder Larry Ellison called the Texas project the first of potentially 20 data centers. But Microsoft, one of OpenAI's most important partners, was notably absent from Trump's announcement. Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella later confirmed that Microsoft had indeed invested in Stargate but insisted on its separate $80 billion AI infrastructure initiative, saying, "Look, all I know is, I'm good for my USD 80 billion". Musk, who launched his own AI venture, xAI, last year, contends that OpenAI and its partner Microsoft enjoy an unfair competitive edge in the AI race. As Stargate progresses, the controversy underscores the high stakes and intense rivalries shaping the future of AI infrastructure. BAKU, Azerbaijan, January 23. Shell has announced that Huibert Vigeveno, Director of Downstream, Renewables, and Energy Solutions, will step down from his position on 31 March 2025, Trend reports. Vigeveno, who has been a member of Shells Executive Committee since January 2020, is leaving to pursue other opportunities. Shells CEO, Wael Sawan, expressed gratitude for Vigeveno's significant contributions, particularly his leadership in driving Shell's customer value proposition across multiple sectors. Sawan also highlighted Vigeveno's successful integration of BG Group and his leadership in transforming Shells Downstream, Renewables, and Energy Solutions segments. "Todays performance is a reflection of his leadership," Sawan said, adding that the business is in a strong position moving forward. Furthermore, Shell has appointed Andrew Smith as Director of Trading and Supply, and Machteld de Haan as Director of Downstream, Renewables and Energy Solutions, both of whom will join the Executive Committee starting 1 April 2025. This leadership transition is part of Shells ongoing efforts to adapt its structure to deliver its strategic goals, with a continued focus on driving value while reducing emissions. Paras Defence announced plans to invest Rs 12,000 crore to establish Indias first optics park in Maharashtra. An initial agreement was signed with the state government at the World Economic Forum in Davos. The project, set to begin in 2028, is expected to run until 2035, ensuring scalability and flexibility. The investment is set to create a technology hub for defence, space, automotive, semiconductor and other applications, the company said in a statement. It also reaffirms Paras Defence's commitment to the 'Make in India' initiative while advancing India's aspirations for technological independence in critical sectors, the company said, adding that the project is poised to generate over 2,000 direct employment opportunities. Under the initial agreement, the Maharashtra government has committed to assisting the company in securing land, providing various incentives, and facilitating necessary approvals to make the ambitious project a reality. "This revolutionary project will not only boost the domestic manufacturing ecosystem but also solidify India's position as a global innovation hub," Paras Defence & Space Technologies Ltd Managing Director Munjal Sharad Shah said. Reliance Consumer Products (RCPL) has acquired Pune-based packaged foods brand SIL, known for its jams, sauces, and baked beans. The company made the announcement on Wednesday, which is another strategic step in RCPL's efforts to expand its FMCG footprint and compete with industry giants like Hindustan Unilever (HUL), Tata Consumer, and Cremica. SIL Foods, an enterprise built from James Smith & Co., has manufacturing facilities near Pune and Bengaluru. Its ownership passed through numerous changes over the years, from Marico Industries to Scandic Food India, a subsidiary of Denmark's Good Food Group, and in 2021, to Food Service India. RCPL's Chief Operating Officer, Ketan Mody, stated that the company is committed to unlocking the full potential of SIL and making the brand more relevant in today's market. This acquisition complements RCPL's growing portfolio, which includes brands such as Ravalgaon and Toffeeman confectionery, Campa soft drinks, Raskik beverages, Sosyo carbonated drinks, and Lotus chocolates. Reliance Retail Ventures, posted an impressive topline of Rs 8,000 crore for the first nine months of FY25. This acquisition is part of a larger trend of consolidation in India's food and beverages sector. RCPL, a wholly owned subsidiary of, posted an impressive topline of Rs 8,000 crore for the first nine months of FY25. This acquisition is part of a larger trend of consolidation in India's food and beverages sector. Recent deals include acquisition of a 40% stake in Hindustan Coca-Cola Beverages by the Bhartia family; Agro Tech Foods acquires Del Monte Foods; Compass India Food Services bought a 70% majority in ICS Foods. Under this umbrella, with SIL, RCPL will add strength to the fast-growing package foods segment to dominate the challenging FMCG terrain of India. Uday Desai has been appointed Managing Director for Malaysia at Dentsu Creative, a role he shared via LinkedIn. Thrilled to begin this exciting new chapter with dentsu Malaysia as Managing Director! Dentsu's philosophy of 'Innovating to Impact' and the One Dentsu approach deeply resonate with me, and I am inspired by the opportunity to collaborate with such talented individuals to drive creativity and innovation for our clients, his LinkedIn post read. For me, leadership is about creating an environment where great ideas thrive, and Im committed to fostering a culture of collaboration, excellence, and purpose. I look forward to building meaningful outcomes together with this incredible team. Thank you to everyone who has been part of my journey so faryour support means everything! Here's to new challenges and even greater achievements ahead, he stated. Before joining Dentsu Creative, Uday Desai served as Integrated Client Partner at Dentsu Vietnam. With over 20 years of experience, Uday Desai is a seasoned professional in brand development across APAC, MENA, and India. His career includes roles at Dentsu Vietnam, BBDO Worldwide, Hakuhodo First, and other prominent organizations. Good morning Staten Island, and welcome to the brand new daily SILive.com morning report. Listen to the audio update using the player above. To get full reporting on each of these stories, check out the accompanying links. Note that the stories in the report are editorially curated and then summarized and read aloud by artificial intelligence. Some variations in pronunciation, tone or diction may result. We want to know what you think! All feedback is valuable. After youve listened, take our 3-question survey here to let us share your thoughts. Approximately 99,000 birds needed to be euthanized as an outbreak of H5N1 bird flu has infected its way through Long Islands last remaining duck farm, multiple media outlets are reporting. The virus, which is highly contagious and deadly among domestic poultry, was confirmed by lab tests late last Thursday, Crescent Duck Farm President Doug Corwin said in an interview with Riverhead Local. The tears I couldnt walk through this place in the last week without crying, Corwin told the outlet. As soon as I got the diagnosis, I talked to everybody. I knew what this thing was. It was like Covid for ducks. Everything ended. With the future of the farm in jeopardy, Corwin said that hes working with the state to try to preserve the genetic material the farm, which has been in operation since 1908, has developed over decades. He added that its possible that eggs from prior to the outbreak will meet testing requirements and can be hatched at another hatchery. According to the CDC, Avian influenza, which was first seen in New York in 2022, rarely infects people. However, those who have job-related or recreational exposures to infected birds are at higher risk of infection even though the virus is not known to be transmissible among humans. While no one at Crescent Duck Farm is known to have contracted the virus, Corwin said that everyone associated with the facility is being monitored. STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. One New York City department is seemingly not ready to play ball with President Donald Trump as he continues to issue executive orders related to migrants, immigrants and refugees already in the United States, and those planning to enter the country. In an internal NYPD memo by Commissioner Jessica Tisch that was obtained by the Advance/SILive.com, officers are reminded to not assist federal authorities in immigration enforcement in the five boroughs. The core principle for all members of service is to keep in mind the distinction between criminal enforcement and civil immigration enforcement, the memo reads. The Department investigates criminal activity without regard to a persons immigration status. The memo, which was sent to officers on Jan. 18, goes on to state the fact that a person is present in the United States without lawful authorization is a civil matter, not a crime. According to the memo, city law prohibits the use of city resources for enforcement of any civil provision of the Immigration and Nationality Act, and members of service are not permitted to engage or assist in civil immigration enforcement. That includes contacting U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents, also known as ICE agents, to let them know where an individual who might be targeted by those authorities is located, and detaining an individual so that the agents can take that person into custody, the memo continues. Tisch also reminded officers not to impede civil immigration enforcement, and to only assist in enforcement action if theres an immediate threat to public safety. NYPD officers can step in to protect a federal civil immigration official should they come under physical attack. Should NYPD officers encounter federal immigration officials, the memo advises, they should notify their chain of command. The memo echoes what the department is already practicing. According to data from the Mayors Office of Immigrant Affairs, the NYPD received 35 detainer requests from ICE between Jan. 1 and Sept. 30. The NYPD did not honor any of the detainer requests. Data from Oct. 1 to Dec. 31 was not yet available. DOEs memo The NYPD memo follows a similar memo sent by New York City Public Schools commonly known as the New York City Department of Education that stated it was planning to provide training to school bus staff in the event federal immigration officials approached buses. When previously reached for comment, the Department of Education did not address questions about what, specifically, the training entailed, or when it would take place. The department did, however, state it is committed to protecting the right of every student to attend public school, regardless of immigration status, national origin, or religion. Trumps executive orders, other actions Among the executive orders issued and other actions taken by Trump since he took office on Jan. 20: Shutting down the U.S. Customs and Border Protection app, which was created to provide an orderly way for people to start the process for asylum; ending birthright citizenship, which guaranteed U.S.-born children are citizens regardless of their parents status; and identifying the pathways to follow through on his promise for mass deportations of millions and millions of people. On Wednesday, Tom Homan, Trumps border czar, told Fox News that ICE had already conducted 308 arrests nationwide. Also Wednesday, Trump canceled travel for refugees already cleared to come to the U.S. Thousands of people were impacted, according the Associated Press, including more than 1,600 Afghans who assisted Americas war effort and relatives of active-duty U.S. military personnel. The U.S. House of Representatives this week approved the Laken Riley Act. The act requires the detainment of unauthorized immigrants accused of theft and violent crimes, and had bipartisan support, and passed with a tally of 263-156. Its named for a Georgia nursing student who was murdered by a Venezuelan man in 2024. The Laken Riley Act looks to be the first legislation Trump will sign in his new term. Several organization and higher-profile people have called on Trump to desist. An organization dedicated to protecting those of Arab descent in the U.S. rebuked one of Trumps executive orders in what it says is essentially a reproduction of the 2017 Muslim ban. In a written statement, the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee said that the new Protecting the United States from Foreign Terrorists and Other National Security and Public Safety Threats executive order employs identical statutory powers as the 2017 legislation. Previous ICE raids on Staten Island U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers have conducted raids on Staten Island before, including in 2017, 2019 and 2020. In February 2017, two Staten Islanders were among the 41 people ICE agents arrested. The men, according to ICE, were both Mexican, and both permanent legal residents. Both were convicted of violent crimes and were being represented by the Legal Aid Society, according to previous reporting by the Advance/SILive.com. More than 80 people were arrested throughout New York City, the Hudson Valley and Long Island in a five-day enforcement in September 2019. That included a 24-year-old Staten Islander who, according to ICE at the time, had pending charges for second-degree rape of a person under the age of 15, third-degree rape and sexual misconduct. An organization dedicated to protecting those of Arab descent in America is rebuking one of President Donald Trumps executive orders in what they say is essentially a reproduction of the 2017 Muslim Ban. In a written statement, the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC) said that the new Protecting the United States from Foreign Terrorists and Other National Security and Public Safety Threats executive order employs identical statutory powers as the 2017 legislation. The new order will require the Attorney General, the Director of National Intelligence, and the Homeland Security and State secretaries to devise a report within 60 days identifying countries whose vetting and screening processes are deemed too deficient. The new order goes a step further than its 2017 predecessor by adding language that opens the door to ideological exclusion by allowing the government to deny visas or entry based on perceived political opinions, religious beliefs, or cultural backgrounds, the ADC wrote. They additionally pointed to the orders ability to to remove individuals from these identified countries who are already legally in the United States, again using ideology as a basis for removal under the direction of Homeland Security. We cannot allow governments to continue to erode our First Amendment rights or to revive the fear and distrust that defined the post-9/11 era. Standing against these regressive measures is our shared responsibility. If we permit this corrosion of rights for one community, we risk the freedoms of all, the ADC implored. They are asking Trump to stop stigmatizing and targeting entire communities of people, saying that the First Amendment which gives American citizens the right to freedom of expression, religion, speech, and more is being carved away in light of this order. The statement included the language from the order, which is as follows: Section 1. Policy and Purpose. (a) It is the policy of the United States to protect its citizens from aliens who intend to commit terrorist attacks, threaten our national security, espouse hateful ideology, or otherwise exploit the immigration laws for malevolent purposes. (b) And the United States must ensure that admitted aliens and aliens otherwise already present in the United States do not bear hostile attitudes toward its citizens, culture, government, institutions, or founding principles, and do not advocate for, aid, or support designated foreign terrorists and other threats to our national security. Protestors projected an image of billionaire Elon Musk giving what has been widely called a Nazi salute onto Musks Tesla Gigafactory factory in Berlin, Germany. The image was accompanied by the words Heil Tesla, according to Newsweek. Musk was criticized after many claimed he gave a Nazi Heil Hitler salute at a rally for President Donald Trump earlier this week. The stiff-armed salute given twice by Musk at the rally quickly went viral on social media. Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk gestures as he speaks during the inaugural parade inside Capitol One Arena, in Washington, DC, on January 20, 2025. (Photo by ANGELA WEISS / AFP) (Photo by ANGELA WEISS/AFP via Getty Images)AFP via Getty Images Two left-wing activist groups, Led By Donkeys from the United Kingdom and Germanys Center for Political Beauty, claimed responsibility for the protest on X, the social media site owned by Musk. Critics on social media, including Musk-owned X, were quick to liken Musks gesture to the Heil Hitler salute of Nazi Germany. Responding on the same platform, Musk said his critics need better dirty tricks. The everyone is Hitler attack is sooo tired, Musk wrote. Claire Aubin, a historian who specializes in Nazism within the United States, told the BBC that Musks gesture was a sieg heil, or Nazi salute. My professional opinion is that youre all right, you should believe your eyes, she posted on X, referring to those who believed the gesture to be an overt Nazi reference. Ruth Ben-Ghiat, a history professor at New York University, said: Historian of fascism here. It was a Nazi salute and a very belligerent one too. But the Anit-Defamation League, which battles anti-Semitism, defended Musk. This is a delicate moment. Its a new day and yet so many are on edge. Our politics are inflamed, and social media only adds to the anxiety, the group wrote on X. It seems that Elon Musk made an awkward gesture in a moment of enthusiasm, not a Nazi salute. But again, we appreciate that people are on edge. The Trump administration has canceled travel plans for refugees who have already been cleared to come into the United States. The Associated Press reported that the refugees had been approved to come here before a deadline next week suspending Americas refugee resettlement program. The AP said that thousands of refugees who fled war and persecution and had gone through a sometimes yearslong vetting process in order to come to the U.S. are now stranded at various locations worldwide. Included in that number are more than 1,600 Afghans who were part of Americas war effort, as well as relatives of active-duty members of the U.S. military. President Donald Trump put the program on pause this week as part of his crackdown on immigration. His executive order had left open the possibility that refugees who had been screened to come to the U.S. and had flights booked before Mondays deadline might be able to get here under the wire. But in an email dated Tuesday and reviewed by The Associated Press, the U.S. agency overseeing refugee processing and arrivals said that refugee arrivals to the United States have been suspended until further notice. Just over 10,000 refugees from around the world had already gone through the vetting process to come to the U.S. and had travel scheduled over the next few weeks, according to a document obtained by the AP. It was not immediately clear how many of those had been set to arrive by the upcoming deadline. Gabriela had been preparing for the arrival of her parents, her brother and other relatives who had tickets to fly to Los Angeles from Guatemala in early February after their refugee status was approved in November. Their flight has been canceled. We are still in shock. We dont know what we can do, we dont know what will happen, said Gabriela, who came to the U.S. through the refugee program last year. I hope something changes, and they can come. Many veterans of Americas longest war have been trying to help Afghans they worked with, in addition to their families, find refuge in the U.S. Many were prepared for a suspension of the resettlement program but had hoped for special consideration for the Afghans. Billionaire Elon Musks Department of Government Efficiency is looking at stopping production of the U.S. penny, saying that the coin costs more to manufacture than its worth. But eliminating the ubiquitous coin could actually cause consumer prices to increase, CBS News reported. In a post on X, the social media site that Musk owns, DOGE wrote, The penny costs over 3 cents to make and cost U.S. taxpayers over $179 million in FY2023. The Mint produced over 4.5 billion pennies in FY2023, around 40% of the 11.4 billion coins for circulation produced. Trump created DOGE and has given it a mandate to cut government spending. Musk has said that the agency is looking to trim $500 billion in government spending. The penny is worth only 1 cent and its production cost has increased in recent years. Each penny cost just 1.5 cents to mint in 2016. Pennies are mostly made of zinc, with a copper overlay to give them their distinctive color. While zincs price fluctuates from year to year, its cost per metric ton is now double what it was in 2016, according to data from the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis and quoted by CBS News. While federal officials have called for the government to stop minting the penny in the past, there could be a downside. The Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond has said that eliminating the penny could cause manufacturers to round prices up to 5-cent intervals, increasing costs for consumers. Canada stopped minting its one-cent coin in 2012 and an analysis six years later showed that Canadian consumers paid about $3.27 million in additional Canadian dollars at grocery stores each year due to prices being rounded higher after the change. On the other hand, there may be additional, hard-to-quantify costs to using pennies that would argue in favor of elimination. Counting pennies to make change takes time, and as the old business adage goes, time is money, the Richmond Fed said. The nickel costs 14 cents to make and distribute, CBS News said. BAKU, Azerbaijan, January 23. Europe boasts significant potential in skills, research, and innovation, said European Commissioner for Trade and Economic Security Maros Sefcovic, as he addressed the World Economic Forum session themed "How to Project Europes Power", Trend reports. We are the biggest trading bloc with the highest social standards, enormous consumer power, and huge potential in skills, research, and innovation, Sefcovic stated, urging Europe not to underestimate its global position. He highlighted the European Union's unique ability to unite 27 member states to address shared challenges, adding that European leaders are now focusing on enhancing competitiveness and cutting red tape. Sefcovic underscored Europes reputation as a transparent and reliable partner, which is driving global interest in forging trade agreements. There is momentum with our partners who see Europe as a partner that respects the rule of law, invests locally, and builds mutual value, he said, calling this reputation Europe's "business card" in a fragmented world. Looking ahead, Sefcovic stressed the importance of future technologies and securing critical raw materials. We must ensure that critical technologies like chips are developed in Europe and not outsourced. We learned hard lessons from the COVID-19 period when supply chains faltered, he noted. He also emphasized the need to improve Europe's ability to scale up innovations, pointing to gaps in education, research, and competition policies. We dont just need startups, we need scale-ups, Sefcovic said, urging a faster, more efficient system to keep Europe competitive in a rapidly changing global economy. STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. President Donald Trump sparked a wave of disagreement inside of his own party by pardoning those who harmed Capitol police during the January 6th attack. The divergence comes from both the Senate and the House of Representatives, according to reporting from multiple news outlets. Even Staten Island House of Representative Congresswoman Nicole Malliotakis voiced her opposition to Trumps move during a televised CNN interview on Tuesday. I do have an issue with those who assaulted police officers, and I think that those do need to serve the time. That is unacceptable. Ive always sided with our police officers in saying that any assault or cop killers should never be released, Malliotakis said. According to NBC News, Alaska Republican Sen. Lisa Murkowski said the following: Im disappointed to see that. And I do fear the message that is sent to these great men and women that stood by us. Malliotakis and Murkowski were joined by at least four other Republicans including: Kentucky Sen. Mitch McConnell, Louisiana Republican Sen. Bill Cassidy, Maine Sen. Susan Collins and North Carolina Sen. Thom Tillis, according to Newsweek. I think that whether youre in Baton Rouge, New Orleans, Shreveport, Monroe, Lafayette, Alexandria, Lake Charles or Washington, D.C., its wrong to assault anybody but certainly to assault an officer. Im a big back-the-blue guy, Cassidy said. Collins told Newsweek: I do not support pardons given to people who engaged in violence on January 6, including assaulting police officers, or breaking windows to get into the Capitol, for example. Even the Fraternal Order of Police and the International Association of Chiefs of Police decried Trumps and Bidens pardons that released individuals convicted of killing or assaulting law enforcement officers, Axios reported. Trumps pardons, which impacted over 1,500 people who participated in the attack on the Capitol, comes just days after Vice President J.D. Vance claimed the following, the BBC said: If you committed violence on that day, obviously you shouldnt be pardoned. 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! 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 Shes lying back with her arms behind her head, smiling because she knows everything. Shes wearing a spangly jacket and glowing, a bit. Renaissance painters used to mix crushed quartz into their paints to achieve such an effect, but for Madonna, I think its natural. At 13, I have a magic trick of imagining myself into photos. Im in the moment before, or the moment after. I am just out of frame, receiving Madonnas wisdom on love affairs and how to achieve smokey eyes. Like a Virgin had landed. That video, the canals in Venice, the lion, the bed-hair, the belly button. When Molly Meldrum interviewed her on Countdown I watched, transfixed. Who is Madonna? he asked, quite seriously. She laughed. Madonna is me. Molly confessed that hed overlooked her first single, but now that he had some context he could see she was going to be huge. Madonna did not dispute this. Maybe you just needed more of a picture, she said, as if trying to make him feel better. Early Madonna style appeared to be achievable. Soon I was decked out in bracelets (black elastic from Mums sewing cabinet), crucifixes (Mums, Nanas), a floppy black bow (pantyhose, Mum, again sorry!), a lace curtain (op shop) worn as a poncho over a mesh vest (Dad why?). My plundering created the desired effect, but only if I stood back from the mirror and squinted. Still, it was something to come home from school, whisk off my hated uniform and change into my secret, glamorous identity. It was a private, tremulous glamour. If anyone else were to see it, it would disappear instantly. I read about Susan Seidelmans Madonna-starring Desperately Seeking Susan (1985) long before it arrived in Australia. A Life so Outrageous it Takes Two Women To Live it, the tagline read. I was waitingwaitingwaiting. Movies took forever to cross the ocean, and when I finally saw it, three months after its US release, I loved it even more than I imagined possible and immediately went to see it again. Madonna as Susan is a glittering vagabond and object of obsession for New Jersey housewife Roberta (Rosanna Arquette). Robertas been following Susan and Jims correspondence in the personal ads Desperately seeking Susan. Meet me, four oclock, Battery Park. Keep the faith. Love, Jim and one day, she leaves the suburbs to stake out their rendezvous. Roberta tails Susan around Manhattans Lower East Side. When Susan trades her used-to-belong-to-Jimi-Hendrix pyramid-eye jacket for some bedazzled pixie boots, Roberta buys the jacket and wears it home. (Youre buying secondhand clothes now? What are we, poor? cries her yuppie husband.) Thus begins her emancipation. At their next would-be meet-up, Roberta knocks her head, suffers amnesia and is mistaken for Susan, who we learn is being chased by a gangster. (She stole some earrings from him that turned out to be ancient Egyptian artefacts.) The rest of the film has Susan seeking Roberta seeking herself, with the gangster in hot pursuit, and hapless love interests futzing on the sidelines. Photo: Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan ASTANA, Kazakhstan, January 23. The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan and the newly appointed Ambassador of China met to discuss key issues of mutual cooperation, Trend reports. The Deputy Prime Minister - Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Murat Nurtleu, received the newly appointed Ambassador of China to Kazakhstan, Han Chunlin. During the conversation, the parties discussed current issues of Kazakh-Chinese cooperation in the political, trade-economic, and cultural-humanitarian spheres and exchanged views on the prospects for its further development. Special attention was paid to the timeline of anticipated bilateral visits and events at both the highest and senior levels this year, along with collaboration within multilateral frameworks. At the end of the meeting, Minister Nurtleu wished the Ambassador of China success in his work in Kazakhstan. Additionally, Han Chunlin had previously met with the President of Kazakhstan, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, where key issues of the bilateral agenda were discussed, including the prospects for the development of trade-economic, investment, and cultural-humanitarian cooperation. Subsequent to the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991 and Kazakhstan's independence, China and Kazakhstan have engaged in a process of rapprochement and fortification of relations, characterized by a succession of border agreements, economic collaboration, and strategic partnership. In an effort to enhance regional collaboration on security, economic advancement, and the combat against terrorism and drug trafficking among Central Asian countries, Kazakhstan and China have established themselves as co-founders of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO). Kazakhstan seeks to counter the geopolitical and economic dominance of its northern neighbor, Russia, by cultivating relationships with China. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel Advertisement Review Eating outSydney Sydneys hot new rooftop bar is worth dressing up for if you can get a table Japanese-inspired three-bite snacks star at Joji, the new high-energy CBD bar from the team behind Nour in Surry Hills and two-hatted Aalia in Martin Place. Callan Boys January 24, 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 1 / 9 Sydneys newest rooftop bar is perched atop the Cartier flagship store. Jennifer Soo 2 / 9 Scallop and bug sando with pickled cabbage mayo. Jennifer Soo 3 / 9 Chicken wing the fermented chilli. Jennifer Soo 4 / 9 Jennifer Soo 5 / 9 Jennifer Soo 6 / 9 Crispy rice with smoked eel and shichimi. Jennifer Soo 7 / 9 Okinawa brown sugar purin. Jennifer Soo 8 / 9 Jennifer Soo 9 / 9 Jennifer Soo Previous Slide Next Slide 14.5 / 20 How we score Japanese$$$$ I swear I havent been turned away from a bar this often since late-night missions to Newtowns Town Hall Hotel during uni days: 10pm on Friday Sorry, were at capacity; 4pm on Saturday Maybe come back in three hours; surely, 8pm on Wednesday? If you dont have a reservation, were probably full until midnight. Bloody hell. I could just book a table, sure, but according to Jojis press release, sent to my inbox when the 100-seater opened in October, this is Sydneys newest rooftop bar, perched atop the Cartier flagship store. I just want a quick sharpener after dealing with the hordes at David Jones, not a big night out that requires planning two weeks in advance. Scallop and bug sando with pickled cabbage mayo. Jennifer Soo Advertisement Jojis popularity is surprising, even in a city that loves shiny new things, especially shiny new things on rooftops. Perhaps its the central location, but I may have underestimated the loyalty of Esca Groups regular customers, too. The hospitality business also operates Nour in Surry Hills and two-hatted Aalia in Martin Place, both restaurants that are expanding conceptions of Middle Eastern cuisine while doing a healthy trade in Chablis and fish-bowl pours of rose. Jojis popularity is surprising, even in a city that loves shiny new things, especially shiny new things on rooftops. When I finally cave and make a booking, Jojis blackwood tables are crowded with good-looking, highly preened people. Its certainly an attractive place to be seen, featuring shiny metals popping against earth tones, polished timbers and cosy upholstery. Floor staff are warm and efficient and, after three visits, Im yet to experience the kind of chilly service I was expecting after the initial back-and-forths at the door. Crispy rice with smoked eel and shichimi. Jennifer Soo Unlike at Nour and Aalia, the food at Joji is largely Japanese. Aalias Paul Farag leads the kitchen, and three-bite snacks are very much the thing. Crisp-fried rice cakes ($14 each), say, topped with a mix of smoked eel, onions and creme fraiche not dissimilar to rillettes and kicked up with yuzu juice, Middle Eastern spices and salted perilla seed oil. Its an eel dish for people who dont like eel. Minced bug and scallop is fashioned into simple, delicious rissoles served between squishy white bread ($32); robata-grilled chicken-wing skewers ($12 each) are brushed with a thumping glaze of roast chook garum and fermented chilli. Advertisement The menu has enough length and breadth to wrangle a full dinner. A respectable sashimi plate ($49) is bright with tuna, salmon, kingfish and scallop; soy-marinated chicken karaage comes blistered in a potato-flour batter made extra buttery thanks to a spritz of beurre noisette ($21); a sizeable pork chop ($49) is grilled over coals and boosted by a salty-sweet, sticky tare sauce, although the pigs rim of fat needed a more gentle rendering on one occasion. Im not quite sold on the mango sorbet mochi ($14), either: it comes covered in a skin that peels off in punctured swatches and makes the glutinous dessert look haunted. Photo: Jennifer Soo I havent met a cocktail here I didnt like, though, and the deathly cold Shichimi ($28), made with mezcal, chilli-infused tequila and umeshu plum liqueur, is a bracing way to start the night or cap it at about 2am, which is when Joji closes every night of the week. A smaller bar menu is available after midnight and headlined by a $29 burger sauced with bolognese (yes) made with cooked-down trim and fat caps of Japans super-marbled A5 wagyu. Its intense as it sounds. Advertisement No doubt a walk-in spot at the bar will be easier to nab as more shiny new things open in the CBD. In the meantime, you cant blame a joint for being popular, and an online bookings platform is eternally better than a no-reservations policy and a queue. If youre going to plan two weeks ahead for one martini and a bowl of fried chicken, this is the place. The low-down Vibe: High-energy cocktail bar worth dressing up for Go-to dish: Scallop and bug sando with pickled cabbage mayo ($32) Drinks: Sharply crafted cocktails, plus sake, whisky and a clipped list of Australian and French wine, mostly in triple-digit territory Cost: About $150 for two, excluding drinks, caviar and sea-urchin supplements Restaurant reviews, news and the hottest openings served to your inbox. Sign up I didnt set out to become a crime writer. When I began writing, I was aiming for what I thought of as something higher. For 10 years or so, I focused primarily on short stories. I was published in all the right places, even won a few prizes. I was, of course, in training for that pinnacle of literary expression the big, serious novel. Why are so many law-abiding readers fascinated by tales of murder and mayhem? Credit: Raymond Forbes LLC / Stocksy Uni As well as developing my technical muscle, I was also waiting to be magically transformed into the type of person I imagined wrote novels: someone all-knowing and wise, with a perfect understanding of the human dilemma, someone who knew all the answers to all the questions. Surely real authors were not like me: an ordinary suburban mother, busy with family and work and with a mind scattered in myriad ways? Eventually, I stopped waiting for this metamorphosis. Far from developing into that sagacious, godlike creature, I still seemed to have only questions, none of which were ever satisfactorily answered. It had become clear that I was going to continue to be myself, and anyway, by this time Id discovered that most writers were ordinary people, living ordinary lives. Despite this, theyd managed to write novels. Good novels. I limbered up, took a deep breath and began the ascent. My first novel, Out of the Silence, was a fictionalised retelling of the intertwining stories of Maggie Heffernan, a young Australian woman, who, destitute and despairing and suffering from what was then called puerperal mania, drowned her infant in the Yarra River, and Vida Goldstein, the suffragist (and one of Australias first female Senate candidates) who championed her cause, eventually securing her release from prison. A statue of Captain Cook in Sydneys east has been splashed with red paint and had its hand and nose knocked off in the leadup to the Australia Day weekend. Randwick City councillor Dr Carolyn Martin told 2GBs Ben Fordham the damage was discovered on Friday morning, and the statue was an absolute mess. The statue of Captain James Cook in Randwick has been vandalised for the second time in 12 months. Credit: Nick Moir Its the second time the sandstone statue on Belmore Road, Randwick, has been vandalised in 12 months. Theyve splattered paint all over it ... and theyve knocked his hand off and part of his face and nose, she said on Friday morning. Police have arrested a second man over an attempt to burn down Newtown Synagogue this month, Tasering the suspect before he was taken into custody. The arrest took place as the first man charged over the antisemitic attack abandoned a court bid to be released. Two men were captured on CCTV spraying swastika symbols on the synagogue before pouring clear accelerant on the building and lighting it on the evening of January 11. Police arrested 33-year-old Adam Moule at Camperdown on Tuesday evening after raids on two properties. Thanks for joining us for live coverage of todays news. Well be back on Tuesday morning. If youre just catching up, here are a few of the stories that made headlines today: Brisbane Metro is changing the city bus network, with tweaks to eight public bus routes along with broad changes to school bus routes too. Heres what you need to know. From rats nests and cockroaches to hand basins without clean water, almost 50 food venues were taken to court by Brisbane City Council last year for serious food-safety breaches. Premier David Crisafulli has sought to assure public servants their jobs are secure after his governments budget update forecast debt would rise to $217.8 billion by 2027-28. Novak Djokovic has stunned the Australian Open, withdrawing through injury after losing the first set against Alexander Zverev in their much-awaited semi-final. The high-profile case of locked-up Australian Gregor Haas, father of NRL star Payne Haas, has taken an extraordinary turn in the Philippines by way of a secret and successful bid for him to be recognised as a Filipino citizen. Award-winning US singer-songwriter Luke Combs will take over Brisbane this weekend, playing in front of a packed house at 52,000-seat Suncorp Stadium. And as the nation waits to find out which name will be added to the long and illustrious list of winners, were asking: what does it mean to win the Hottest 100 today? It is highly likely that Queenslands credit rating will be downgraded as a result of the states finances, Treasurer David Janetzki revealed on Thursday during what he repeatedly referred to as Labors last budget update. Briefing journalists during the Mid-Year Fiscal and Economic Review, Janetzki said Queensland should be prepared to lose its AA+ rating, which would increase borrowing costs. That was largely due to the states debt being forecast to reach $217.83 billion by 2027-28, an increase on the $172 billion estimated in Labors 2024 budget. Queensland Treasurer David Janetzki delivers the Mid-Year Fiscal and Economic Review on Thursday. Credit: Markus Ravik Janetzki said the blowout was mainly a result of existing government programs and services that went unfunded in Labors last budget. Police are investigating the death of a man in a house fire in Melbournes west. Its believed he died after being pulled from the burning Deer Park home by neighbours on Thursday afternoon, who commenced CPR. Police are investigating a fatal house fire in Melbournes west today. Credit: Nine News A second occupant, a man in his 30s, has been taken to Footscray hospital in a stable condition. Victoria Police said the exact circumstances surrounding the incident are yet to be determined. The police union is a step closer to a new wage deal with Victoria Police after an industrial stand-off lasting more than 18 months. On Thursday, Victorias Police Association conducted an informal poll of members regarding the latest wage proposal. Victoria Police and its officers are in a long-running dispute over pay. Credit: Eddie Jim An internal memo of the poll, seen by this masthead, said 13,333 members voted, with 67 per cent indicating they would endorse the revised wages proposal. A clear majority of members indicated that they would support an Enterprise Agreement in the terms outlined, the memo states. Students at a Melbourne Jewish school have been told not to wear their uniforms in the CBD due to fear of reprisal, as educators increase security in response to a wave of antisemitic attacks in Melbourne and Sydney. The targeting of a Sydney daycare centre has heightened anxiety among a community already on edge, exacerbated for some by Victoria Polices failure to make arrests over the firebombing of the Adass Israel Synagogue in Ripponlea late last year. Chabad of St Kilda Rabbi Effy Block said despite the taskforce of 50 cops sitting in a room trying to work on the case, very few perpetrators involved in the recent spate of incidents targeting Jewish homes and businesses had been arrested. Rabbi Effy Blocks home and car were graffitied with antisemitic messages in St Kilda last year. Credit: Luis Enrique Ascui Block, who runs the education facility near Melbournes Jewish heartland, said his home and car were vandalised with antisemitic graffiti in November, which included the message Jews kill babies. He said he reported the incident to police, who took pictures, but no arrests had been made. Fiona Wardman was just seven years old when the swelling started. With almost no warning, her hand began to balloon like a rubber glove hooked to a tap. The swelling was so extensive her skin buckled and split under the strain. Then, after a few days of pain, the swelling would disappear. We had no idea what it was, says Wardman. She was terrified. The swollen hand of a patient with hereditary angioedema. Credit: HAE Australasia / Supplied As she hit puberty, the attacks intensified, striking almost once a week. When she was 31, an attack struck her throat, almost swelling her windpipe closed. I dont know how close I was to death, but I dont ever want to be there again. BAKU, Azerbaijan, January 23. Export-oriented manufacturing companies from Germany, including those from Bavaria, have been invited to consider investing in the Alat Free Economic Zone (AFEZ), the Azerbaijani Embassy in Germany told Trend. The Embassy reported that this invitation was made during the German-Azerbaijani Economic Forum held in Munich under the theme "Exploring New Horizons: Investment and Cooperation in Azerbaijan for German Companies." The forum, which took place on January 21, 2025, was jointly organized by the Azerbaijani Embassy in Germany and the Eastern Committee of the German Economy, with the support of the AFEZ authority and the Bavarian Economic Association. The event was also partnered with the Bavarian Economic Forum East-West (OstWestWirtschaftsForum Bayern). Bertram Brossardt, Chief Executive Officer of the vbw (Bavarian Business Association), emphasized the forums importance for further strengthening bilateral economic ties during his opening speech, attended by major Bavarian companies. In his address, Azerbaijani Ambassador to Germany Nasimi Agayev detailed Azerbaijans growing economic potential, its role in the Middle Corridor, ongoing transport and transit projects, energy transition potential, and green energy, as well as the active presence of German companies in Azerbaijan. He noted that Bavaria accounts for a significant portion of trade between Azerbaijan and Germany, with 177 Bavarian companies already having business ties with Azerbaijan. The ambassador urged Bavarian companies to take full advantage of the favorable business and investment climate in Azerbaijan. Bavaria's European and International Affairs Minister Eric Beiwenger also highlighted the success of many Bavarian companies operating abroad and underscored the event's significance as a platform for expanding their operations in Azerbaijan. Valeh Aleskerov, Chairman of the Alat AFEZ Authority, provided detailed information about the unique legislation, favorable geographical location, financial and non-financial incentives, available industrial land plots, and transport and logistics centers equipped with necessary infrastructure and engineering systems within the AFEZ. He invited export-oriented manufacturing companies from Germany, particularly Bavaria, to consider investing in AFEZ. The event continued with a panel discussion titled "Strengthening Cooperation: Incentive Measures for Companies from Germany and Azerbaijan." The discussion featured prominent speakers, including Fariz Aliyev, a representative from Azerbaijan's Ministry of Digital Development and Transport; Rena Humbatova, Deputy Director of the State Agency for Renewable Energy under the Ministry of Energy of Azerbaijan; Orkhan Mammadov, Chairman of the Board of the Agency for Small and Medium Business Development; and Yusif Abdullayev, Executive Director of the Agency for the Promotion of Exports and Investments. Participants were informed about Azerbaijan's strategic location at North-South and East-West transport hubs, regionally significant transport projects, energy potential, energy corridors, and government policies in these sectors, as well as the favorable business climate created for foreign investors and SMEs. Particularly highlighted were the German companies significant opportunities for engaging in a wide range of economic projects underway in Azerbaijan. The second panel session, Success Stories: German Companies Growing in Azerbaijan, featured speakers from Falk Beratung [FALK group of companies], Commerzbank, Schneider Group, and Ecovis, discussing successful partnerships between German companies and Azerbaijan. The Azerbaijani delegation visiting Munich also held meetings with Bavaria's State Minister for European and International Affairs Eric Beiwenger and the Ministry of Economics of Bavaria to discuss bilateral cooperation," the embassy statement said. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel An Albany surfer has described fending off a shark underwater while tangled in his leg rope after it charged at him and bit into the board he was attempting to use as a shield. Dale Kittow was surfing off Cheynes Beach, about 68 kilometres east of Albany, on Wednesday just before 4pm when he paddled over a wave and spotted a three-metre shark just 10 metres away. Dale Killow, 37, described fending off the shark while being dragged underwater. The 37-year-old told 9 News Perth he had watched on from his 64 board as the animal believed to be a bronze whaler began circling him 150 metres offshore. Then suddenly, it charged at him. Apprentices will be given $10,000 to learn their trades in a federal bid to attract more workers to the construction industry and fix a chronic labour shortage that is being blamed for driving up the cost of housing. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese will pledge the funds in a major speech on Friday that will also promise help for households on the cost of living and policies to expand the economy, as Labor loses ground to the Coalition ahead of this years election. Anthony Albanese has promised $10,000 more for apprentices to encourage more people to take up trades. Credit: Louie Douvis The incentive payment will be offered to all apprentices in construction trades so they receive the money at five stages through their courses, adding to an existing scheme that offers the same amount to apprentices in renewable energy jobs. Albanese will also signal an increase in the federal allowance paid to apprentices who have to move away from home to take up their jobs, currently set at $77.17 per week. There is so much that is so self-evidently awful about the current spate of antisemitic attacks in Sydney that one feels trite even pointing it out. That the firebombed synagogues and childcare centres, the torched homes and cars and businesses (including non-Jewish ones by mistake) represent a true outrage, worthy of the condemnation they have received, and which cannot be allowed to stand. That such violence which has all the immediate hallmarks of terrorism overwhelmingly chooses its victims not personally, but as Jews. That they are targeted not as people, but as the opposite: representatives of an un-people. That the spectres this must evoke in the Jewish imagination, of stories both ancient and merely generations old, are of the most horrific sort. But beyond all that, so little is self-evident. Just how little became clear this week when the Australian Federal Police raised the prospect that overseas groups are paying mercenary criminals in cryptocurrency to undertake these attacks. We believe criminals for hire may be behind some incidents, Commissioner Reece Kershaw revealed on Wednesday. So part of our inquiries include who is paying these criminals, where these people are, whether they are in Australia or offshore, and what their motivation is. In an instant, it became almost impossible for us to say what we are dealing with. There is still a lot of work to be done, and we are not ready to rule anything in or out, Kershaw added. So, as it stands, and until the police know more, we dont know whos behind all this. We dont know where they are. We dont even know why its happening. A proposal to criminalise hate speech in NSW has split religious organisations, with Australias peak Jewish body welcoming it as long overdue, but the Anglican and Catholic churches warning it could have unintended consequences of criminalising expressions of doctrine. Following the string of violent antisemitic attacks which have shocked Sydney, Premier Chris Minns has flagged plans to overhaul existing racial vilification law to create a new criminal offence for hate speech despite a recent NSW Law Reform Commission review recommending against it. Premier Chris Minns has flagged plans to overhaul existing racial vilification laws. Credit: Flavio Brancaleone Changes to section 93z of the Crimes Act have long been controversial. Last year, after a nine-month review, the Law Reform Commission warned terms such as hatred were imprecise and can mean different things to different people. That recommendation came after concerns were raised by legal and religious groups, including the Anglican and Catholic churches, who fear such a reform could impact on their right to preach Christian values. One of President Donald Trumps first announcements has been Stargate, a new joint venture designed to unlock up to $US500 billion ($800 billion) in private sector investment to fund AI infrastructure, create more than 100,000 jobs, and help the US stay ahead of its fast-moving rivals like China. What is Stargate? Stargate, in Trumps words, represents the largest AI infrastructure project in history by far and is a joint venture that will invest $US500 billion to construct the network of data centres and computing infrastructure needed to power artificial intelligence development. Donald Trumps AI announcement has ruffled feathers. Credit: Bloomberg The project will at least according to Trump create more than 100,000 jobs almost immediately. Oracle boss Larry Ellison said 20 data centres would be built over the next five years, with each half a million square feet (46,452 square metres) in size. Initial construction is apparently already under way in Texas. This is largely because attendees consider the journey part of the experience. One scroll through the popular Facebook group Travelling To Mundi Mundi Bash (27,000 members and counting), and youll find travellers sharing complex caravan setups, asking for advice on travel routes to maximise their journeys, and announcing road hazards worth avoiding. With people driving from all over Australia, the Mundi Mundi Bash experience can start weeks before the event, and your rollicking journey there becomes a hot topic of conversation. I lost count of how often I was asked, How did you get to the Bash? Vanessa Amorosi takes centre stage. Even at the festival, the main stage is just one part of the experience. Stretching back for hundreds of metres is a wide semicircle of camping chairs, packed snack trolleys and punters coming together to enjoy the day, whatever that may look like. With the kind of idyllic community atmosphere youd find in a fantasy commune, attending the Mundi Mundi Bash solo is not a lonely experience. I make several friends in the merchandise queue while swaying together to Daryl Braithwaites Horses, including three friends in their 60s who have made the pilgrimage to the bash every year since 2022. We all live in different cities now, one woman explains, her breath hot in my ear as she yells over the music. Its a great excuse to come together. Going nuts to break a Nutbush record. This sense of community is fuelled by an extensive line-up of activities that dont involve the music stage. Theres an attempt to break the Nutbush line-dance world record, a yearly occurrence where rows of boot-clad fans dance to Tina Turners iconic Nutbush City Limits (the record has passed between Mundi Mundi Bash and Big Red Bash for years). At the Mundi Undi Run, 1500 attendees race in their underwear to raise funds for the Royal Flying Doctor Service. Under a large canopy to protect from the soaring desert temperatures, kids and amateur artists paint portable toilet doors (Dunny Door Painting). Back at the campsites, old friends catch up, caravans parked back-to-back, and new friends are made around crackling campfires that dot the landscape as night falls. My husband and I have been invited to a wedding in Puglia in August. We have just over two weeks to get there from Rome and are hoping to hire a car to see some of Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia and Albania beforehand. Is there a route you can recommend avoiding some of the August crowds? A Jerram, Darlington, NSW August is prime time for tourism along the Adriatic coast. Credit: Getty Images You could certainly hire a car in Italy and drive through Slovenia, Croatia, Montenegro and Albania, although Bosnia and Herzegovina is not an EU country and that might present a problem with a hire car. However in August, youre not going to avoid the crowds. This is prime time for tourism along the Adriatic coast and the Dalmatian islands off Croatia and the whole region will be packed. You might also find it difficult to arrange one-way car hire. If you want to dodge the masses you could head east to Romania and Bulgaria, two outstanding destinations that see relatively few tourists. The same applies to the Baltic states. You might also resign yourself to the crowds and spend those two weeks in Puglia, possibly staying in a couple of places and then another week somewhere along the coast in the Salento region, and my pick would be the glorious strip of coast between Santa Caesarea Terme and Castro Marina. The rocky coastline is serrated with coves perfect for swimming, the food is sensational and not expensive and surrounding towns offer plenty of potential for day trips. In early October 2025, we will have two weeks to drive the car of two avid bike riders who will be riding from Portugals Paradela to Tavira. Should we stay in a few places, or just go direct to the Algarve? We visited Lisbon last year so dont need to return. D Stone, Hampton, Vic Thats a decent amount of time to make the 650-kilometre journey almost the entire length of Portugals coast, and theres plenty along the way to make this a special experience. First stop Porto, where one of the highlights is the cruise along the Douro, Portugals wine river, the source of port wines. You can do it either on a full-day cruise aboard the vessels that depart from the pier at Vila Nova de Gaia, or by taking the train from Portos Sao Bento Station to Pinhao and back. Some operators offer a cruise upriver from Porto to Pinhao followed by a train ride back to Porto. Check the tourist office in Porto for information, and see the Visit Porto website. After Porto your next stop could be the coastal city of Coimbra. Rising across a hilltop, this was the countrys capital in the Middle Ages, endowed with a treasury of baroque and gothic buildings. Dont miss the Joanina Library at the University of Coimbra, its incredible. Use Coimbra as a base to visit the coastal city of Aveiro, a small delight with pastel-coloured buildings casting a mirror image across its canals. Next stop, Obidos, a fortified town with narrow, cobbled laneways spiralling down from its hilltop castle, now a luxury hotel. If on your previous visit to Lisbon you didnt visit Sintra, this is a must-see, once the summer retreat of the Portuguese royal family, sprinkled with pretty villas, castles and palaces. From here youre just a short drive away from the Algarve and Tavira. Entry to the United States is about to get easier but only for a select group of Australians. Global Entry is part of the US Trusted Traveller Program, a US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) scheme that allows expedited clearance for pre-approved, low-risk travellers arriving in the country. At selected airports, Global Entry members can enter a dedicated booth, where their passport is scanned and the traveller can proceed to a CBP officer for verification, slashing immigration processing times. US Border Control officers in Washington, DC. Credit: AP While Australian citizens will be able to apply for membership of the Global Entry program this month, eligibility is tight. Only those who have visited the US at least five times in the previous 12 months can apply. An adverse travel history that might include a breach of customs protocols in any country or a violation of agriculture importation regulations, or a past or pending criminal offence including driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol are grounds for disqualification. London: A British teenager who killed three young girls at a Taylor Swift-themed dance class has been jailed for at least 52 years for a crime that shocked Britain and triggered days of nationwide rioting. Axel Rudakubana, 18, admitted killing the girls and stabbing 10 others last July in the northern English town of Southport an attack so violent that prosecutors said it appeared he had tried to decapitate one of the victims. Axel Rudakubana admitted to killing the three girls and stabbing 10 others last July. Credit: Merseyside Police The court was told the last thing he had searched for online before he set off on his stabbing spree was information about the knife attack on Bishop Mar Mari Emmanuel at the Good Shepherd church in Wakeley, Sydney, early last year. He was said to have shown no remorse since the attack on the dance class six months ago, which prompted questions about how authorities failed to spot multiple warning signs and intervene in his escalating pattern of violence. BAKU, Azerbaijan, January 23. The Central Bank of Azerbaijan (CBA) and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) have held discussions on enhancing the effectiveness of monetary policy transmission, CBA Governor Taleh Kazimov shared in a post on his X page, Trend reports. The post highlights a meeting held with Anna Bordon, the head of the IMF mission for Azerbaijan, the Middle East, and Central Asia, at the Central Bank. "During the meeting, there was a broad exchange of views on Azerbaijan's macroeconomic situation, medium-term macroeconomic expectations and forecasts, monetary policy reforms and decisions made, as well as the policy framework for ensuring financial sector stability and the implementation of IMF recommendations within the financial sector assessment project. Additionally, the discussion covered issues related to further improving the efficiency of monetary policy transmission and the development of the financial sector," the post read. PHILIPSBURG:--- The House of Parliament will sit in a Central Committee meeting on January 23, 2025. The Central Committee meeting is scheduled for Thursday at 10.30 hrs. in the Legislative Hall at Wilhelminastraat #1 in Philipsburg. Representatives of the St. Maarten Farmers Cooperative will be in attendance. The agenda points are: 1. Presentation by the St. Maarten Farmers Cooperative regarding the state of agriculture on Sint Maarten 2. Approval of composition delegation and provisions for Members of Parliament to participate in the SSS Cooperative meeting in The Bottom, Saba from February 12-14, 2025 Members of the public are invited to the House of Parliament to attend parliamentary deliberations. All persons visiting the House of Parliament must adhere to the house rules. The House of Parliament is located across from the Court House in Philipsburg. The parliamentary sessions will be carried live on TV 15, Soualiga Headlines, via SXM GOV radio FM 107.9, via Pearl Radio FM 98.1, the audio via the internet www.sxmparliament.org, www.pearlfmradio.sx and www.youtube.com/c/SintMaartenParliament PHILIPSBURG:--- In a Central Committee meeting held Wednesday, January 22nd, the leader of the United Peoples Party, MP Omar E C Ottley, presented the Minister of Vromi with a series of suggestions and proposals aimed at addressing the urgent infrastructure and zoning needs of St. Maarten. This significant discussion focused on the critical necessity for strategic planning to manage the island's rapid growth and to implement effective disaster prevention measures. During the meeting, Minister VROMI presented a new zoning plan, which prompted an interesting dialogue among members of Parliament. MP Ottley seized the opportunity to address the Minister and highlight the importance of a well-structured approach that encompasses short-term, medium-term, and long-term strategies. He emphasized that the long-term plan should include a comprehensive urban study, which investigates not only the physical layout of the city or town, but also urbanism, which looks at the social dynamics and living conditions of its inhabitants. St. Maarten is a vibrant melting pot, and in the coming years, our existing infrastructure will be strained by the increasing volume of visitors to our shores. It is imperative that we proactively plan for this growth to ensure we maintain the quality of life for our residents while also accommodating tourists, said Ottley In addition to advocating for a focused urban study, Ottley encouraged the Minister of VROMI to explore the concept of mixed-use zoning, which would allow for a diverse range of development that could support both local residents and possibly the agricultural sector. This was suggested after his party member MP Lacroes pointed out the lack of agricultural land and lack of support given to the local farmers. Ottley presented the minister with a thesis done in Rotterdam in 2015 showing the benefits of mix land use in urban environments. By promoting a blend of different land uses, the island can enhance its sustainability and foster a sense of community. As the meeting concluded, the Minister of Vromi expressed his agreement with the ideas presented by MP Ottley and reiterated his commitment to working with the relevant stakeholders to get it done. PHILIPSBURG:--- The Sint Maarten Police Force (KPSM) takes this opportunity to inform the public of Sint Maarten of the specific requirements for operating motorcycles and scooters legally on public roads. These regulations apply to all vehicles, whether registered on Sint Maarten or originating from the French side of the island. Legal Requirements for Motorcycles and Scooters 1. Possession of a Category A Drivers License o Operators must hold a valid Category A drivers license, which is designated for: Motorcycles, with or without sidecars. Three-wheeled motor vehicles with an unladen weight not exceeding 400 kg (900 lbs). o Individuals must be at least 18 years of age to qualify for a Category A drivers license. 2. Mandatory Valid Insurance o All motorcycles and scooters must be covered by an active and valid insurance policy. 3. Vehicle Inspection Certification o Vehicles must possess a valid inspection card to confirm they meet the necessary technical and safety standards. 4. Payment of Road Tax o The applicable road tax must be duly paid to the authorized tax offices on Sint Maarten. Regulations for Vehicles from the French Side Operators of motorcycles and scooters registered on the French side of the island are required to comply with the aforementioned conditions when driving on Sint Maartens roads. KPSM would also like to emphasize the critical importance of wearing safety helmets for all motorcycle and scooter riders. Mandatory Helmet Use 1. Requirement o All riders and passengers of motorcycles and scooters must wear a properly fitted and approved safety helmet while operating or riding on public roads. 2. Enforcement o Failure to wear a safety helmet can result in fines or other penalties. o Police officers will actively monitor compliance to ensure the safety of all road users. The use of helmets significantly reduces the risk of head injuries and fatalities in accidents. The Sint Maarten Police Force will enforce these regulations rigorously. Operators found in violation risk the confiscation of their vehicles. These measures aim to enhance road safety and ensure compliance with local traffic laws. KPSM urges all residents and visitors to cooperate by adhering to these legal requirements, thereby fostering a safer and more orderly road environment for everyone. PHILIPSBURG:--- The National Recovery Program Bureau (NRPB) invites all eligible micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) to take advantage of the final opportunity to apply for grants and low-interest loans through the Enterprise Support Project (ESP). Applications will be accepted from midnight on February 1st to 5 pm on February 7th, 2025, marking the last phase of this significant initiative. Since its launch in 2020, the ESP has disbursed over $19 million in financial support, assisting nearly 300 local businesses across various sectors, including agriculture, healthcare, hospitality, and transportation. This assistance has boosted innovation, supported job creation, and strengthened economic growth throughout Sint Maarten. With the majority of the projects funding already disbursed, this final application window represents the last opportunity for eligible businesses to benefit from the projects resources. Funded by the Sint Maarten Trust Fund, which is financed by the Government of the Netherlands, the ESP has worked in partnership with local banks and training institutions to provide resources for long-term success. As the project enters its final phase, applicants should be aware that this is the last opportunity to apply, and it is imperative to take note of significant changes. Applications will only be accepted during this limited time, from midnight on February 1st to 5 pm on February 7th, 2025. Submissions received outside of this timeframe, including incomplete or late submissions, will not be considered. Additionally, as previously announced, on December 18th, 2024, transportation businesses are no longer eligible for funding. This decision reflects the programs commitment to distributing funds equitably, following the allocation of nearly $4 million to the transportation sector. Financing for vehicles, including passenger cars, SUVs, pickup trucks, and construction vehicles, is no longer available. Businesses that have already received funding are not eligible to apply again. Although the financial support component of the ESP is concluding, the project remains committed to supporting Sint Maartens small businesses through enterprise and development initiatives. With financial assistance from ESP, the Small Business Academy by Qredits, and the Entrepreneurship Development Program by the Sint Maarten Entrepreneurship Development Centre (endorsed by the Ministry of Tourism, Economic Affairs, Transport and Telecommunications) will continue to provide valuable resources for entrepreneurs who are looking to strengthen and grow their businesses. Eligible businesses are encouraged to prepare their applications thoroughly to ensure compliance with the requirements outlined on the NRPBs website. Applications will be reviewed on a first-come, first-served basis during the designated submission window. For additional information, applicants may consult the detailed guidelines and FAQs available at www.nrpbsxm.org/esp. Questions or feedback can be directed to the ESP team via email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . The Enterprise Support Project is part of the Sint Maarten Trust Fund, which is financed by the Government of the Netherlands, managed by the World Bank, and implemented by the NRPB on behalf of the Government of Sint Maarten. PHILIPSBURG:--- An alleyway is being transformed as part of Be The Change Foundation (BTC), the @ColorMeSXM initiative. Twenty-two murals have been added to Philipsburg by local and regional artists since the projects inception in 2020. This alleyway project will feature our largest mural yet, spanning over 210m! @ColorMeSXM is our way of uplifting Philipsburg, showcasing the talents of local and regional artists, and creating a unique activity for residents and visitors through a self-guided map. We are deeply grateful for the ongoing support from artists, the community, and grant agencies, said BTCs Project Coordinator Laura Bijnsdorp. The upcoming transformation is executed in collaboration with Plastic Free SXM, an initiative to reduce single-use plastics on the island through community action and legislative reform. Plastic Free SXM is executed by the St. Maarten Development Fund (SMDF) on behalf of the Government of St. Maarten and supported by the Resilience, Sustainable Energy, and Marine Biodiversity (RESEMBID) programme, funded by the European Union and implemented by Expertise France. Artists Nascha Kagie and Daphne Prevoo will take the lead in designing the large mural depicting a fantastical underwater world while highlighting the environmental threats of plastic pollution. "However, to complete the mural, we will need a lot of helpful and creative volunteers, as this is a massive project," shared Nascha & Daphne. Interested volunteers can follow Plastic Free SXM on Instagram & Facebook - where the volunteer opportunities will be posted, as well as on www.volunteer.sx. The designated alleyway for this project, Afloopsteeg, located next to Seaview Beach Hotel, will first undergo cleaning, preparation, and base-layer painting under the guidance of LICCOM Construction, a key partner in the initiative. We are proud to contribute to this community project, enhancing Philipsburg through art, and eagerly anticipate the final result, shared Henk Van den Heuvel, Director of LICCOM Construction. Other key supporters include the Prins Bernhard Cultuurfonds Caribisch Gebied, the St. Maarten Tourism Bureau, and Philipsburg community and business representatives. The mural is expected to be completed over the next several weeks, with opportunities for community members to assist the artists during the process. Updates on the project will be shared on Facebook (Be The Change Foundation) and Instagram (@ColorMeSXM). For more information about Plastic Free SXM visit @plasticfreesxm (Facebook & Instagram) or www.plasticfree.sx. RESEMBID is a 47-project programme that supports sustainable human development efforts in 12 Caribbean Overseas Countries and Territories (OCTs) Aruba, Anguilla, Bonaire, British Virgin Islands, the Cayman Islands, Curacao, Montserrat, Saba, Sint Eustatius, Saint Barthelemy, Sint Maarten, and Turks and Caicos. Musk bashes Trump-backed AI mega project Washington, Jan 22 (AFP) Jan 22, 2025 Tech titan Elon Musk cast doubt Wednesday on a $500 billion AI project announced by US President Donald Trump, saying the money promised for the investment actually wasn't there. The comments marked a rare instance of a split between the world's richest man and Trump, with Musk playing a key role in the newly installed administration after spending $270 million on the election campaign. In his first full day in the White House, Trump on Tuesday announced a major investment to build infrastructure for artificial intelligence led by Japanese giant SoftBank and ChatGPT-maker OpenAI. Trump said the venture, called Stargate, "will invest $500 billion, at least, in AI infrastructure in the United States." But in a post on his social media platform X, Musk said the main investors "don't actually have the money." "SoftBank has well under $10B secured. I have that on good authority," Musk added in a subsequent post. - 'Wrong' - Musk's swipe could be particularly targeted at OpenAI, the world's leading AI startup that Musk helped found before leaving in 2018. The Tesla boss and OpenAI chief executive Sam Altman, who was present at the White House on Tuesday, have been mired in a serious feud with Musk opening repeated lawsuits against the company behind ChatGPT. "Wrong, as you surely know. Want to come visit the first site already under way?" Altman replied to Musk on X. "This is great for the country. I realize what is great for the country isn't always what's optimal for your companies, but in your new role I hope you'll mostly put (country) first," he added. OpenAI is one of the world's highest valued startups but loses money on the high costs of turning out its expensive technology. According to the Wall Street Journal, cloud giant Oracle, which is also involved, has about $11 billion in cash and securities. SoftBank has roughly $30 billion of cash on hand. "The American people should take President Trump and those CEOs words for it. These investments are coming to our great country and American jobs are coming along with them," Trump's spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt told Fox News. The Stargate project is committed to invest an initial $100 billion in the project, and up to $500 billion over the next four years. Abu Dhabi's AI-focused state fund MGX and Oracle are also providing funding for the project, while SoftBank-owned Arm, Microsoft and Nvidia will be technology partners. According to the companies, the project is initially building a data center operation in Texas, where construction is already underway. Ahead of taking office, Trump this month unveiled a $20 billion Emirati investment in US data centers, as well as a previous investment pledge from SoftBank. arp/bjt SOFTBANK GROUP X Tesla Musk bashes Trump-backed AI mega project Washington, Jan 23 (AFP) Jan 23, 2025 Tech titan Elon Musk cast doubt Wednesday on a $500 billion AI project announced by US President Donald Trump, saying the money promised for the investment actually wasn't there. The comments marked a rare instance of a split between the world's richest man and Trump, with Musk playing a key role in the newly installed administration after spending $270 million on the election campaign. In his first full day in the White House, Trump on Tuesday announced a major investment to build infrastructure for artificial intelligence led by Japanese giant SoftBank and ChatGPT-maker OpenAI. Trump said the venture, called Stargate, "will invest $500 billion, at least, in AI infrastructure in the United States." But in a post on his social media platform X, Musk said the main investors "don't actually have the money." "SoftBank has well under $10B secured. I have that on good authority," Musk added in a subsequent post. - 'Wrong' - Musk's swipe could be particularly targeted at OpenAI, the world's leading AI startup that Musk helped found before leaving in 2018. The Tesla boss and OpenAI chief executive Sam Altman, who was present at the White House on Tuesday, have been mired in a serious feud with Musk opening repeated lawsuits against the company behind ChatGPT. "Wrong, as you surely know. Want to come visit the first site already under way?" Altman replied to Musk on X. "This is great for the country. I realize what is great for the country isn't always what's optimal for your companies, but in your new role I hope you'll mostly put (country) first," he added. OpenAI is one of the world's highest valued startups but loses money on the high costs of turning out its expensive technology. According to the Wall Street Journal, cloud giant Oracle, which is also involved, has about $11 billion in cash and securities. SoftBank has roughly $30 billion of cash on hand. "The American people should take President Trump and those CEOs words for it. These investments are coming to our great country and American jobs are coming along with them," Trump's spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt told Fox News. The Stargate project is committed to invest an initial $100 billion in the project, and up to $500 billion over the next four years. Abu Dhabi's AI-focused state fund MGX and Oracle are also providing funding for the project, while SoftBank-owned Arm, Microsoft and Nvidia will be technology partners. According to the companies, the project is initially building a data center operation in Texas, where construction is already underway. Ahead of taking office, Trump this month unveiled a $20 billion Emirati investment in US data centers, as well as a previous investment pledge from SoftBank. - 'Immediately' - SoftBank, headed by flamboyant Japanese tycoon Masayoshi Son -- who announced Stargate on Tuesday with Trump, Altman and Oracle boss Larry Ellison -- declined to comment. In its statement on Tuesday the Japanese investment group said it would "begin deploying $100 billion immediately" for the project. The firm's shares were up around six percent on Thursday, having added more than 10 percent on Wednesday. Technology news outlet Information said that SoftBank and OpenAI each plan to commit $19 billion of capital to Stargate, Bloomberg News reported. The two companies would then both own 40 percent of it, the Information said, citing comments by Altman to colleagues. It added that Oracle and MGX would contribute about $7 billion apiece, with the rest of the money coming from limited partners and debt financing. Son, 67, founded SoftBank in his 20s. He made spectacularly successful early bets on Yahoo! and Alibaba but also some disastrous investments such as in WeWork. In Trump's first term the rags-to-riches investor promised SoftBank would invest $50 billion in the United States and create 50,000 jobs. Appearing alongside the then US president-elect in December, Son said he would now "double down" with $100 billion and generate employment for 100,000 Americans. arp-kh-stu/bs SOFTBANK GROUP X Tesla BAKU, Azerbaijan, January 23. Axpo has announced its first electricity purchase agreements in Hungary, securing approximately 60 megawatts (MW) of green energy under pay-as-produced power purchase agreements (PPAs), Trend reports via the company. These agreements ensure market access for two green energy producers, covering balancing risks and providing revenue stability by hedging against spot price market volatility. The short-term PPAs include Axpos commitment to offtake the entire energy production from the following solar plants: An 18 MWp plant in Barcs, southern Hungary, operational since May 2024, with the agreement valid until the end of 2025. A 23 MWp plant in Szakoly, eastern Hungary, operational since October 2024, with the agreement valid until the end of 2026. A 20 MWp plant in Szoc, western Hungary, also operational since October 2024, with the agreement valid until the end of 2026. Axpos presence across central and southeastern Europe has been steadily growing, with offices in key markets such as Poland, Romania, Austria, Bulgaria, and Greece, among others. These offices offer a broad range of services, including energy trading, green certificates, and the full supply of power and gas. The companys Budapest office, the latest addition to its regional network, plays a critical role in expanding Axpos activities in Hungary. Its origination team has developed a robust client portfolio, which includes several internationally recognized brands from the fast-moving consumer goods, pharmaceutical, and construction sectors. Follow the author on X: @Lyaman_Zeyn Rubio affirms 'ironclad' US commitment to Philippines Washington, Jan 22 (AFP) Jan 22, 2025 US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Wednesday the United States under President Donald Trump remained committed to the Philippines' defense, as tensions simmer with Beijing in the South China Sea. In a call with his Philippine counterpart Enrique Manalo, Rubio "underscored the United States' ironclad commitments to the Philippines under our Mutual Defense Treaty," State Department spokeswoman Tammy Bruce said. Rubio, a longtime hawk on China, discussed the "dangerous and destabilizing actions in the South China Sea" by Beijing, formally known as the People's Republic of China (PRC). "Secretary Rubio conveyed that the PRC's behavior undermines regional peace and stability and is inconsistent with international law," Bruce said. US leaders have repeatedly stood by the Philippines, a treaty ally and former US colony. But Trump is known for questioning alliances, including NATO, claiming allied nations treat the United States unfairly by not paying more for defense. Rubio made the call with his Philippine counterpart a day after a veiled warning to Beijing on the South China Sea during a four-way meeting with his counterparts from India, Japan and Australia. The Philippines have engaged in increasingly tense confrontations with China over disputed South China Sea waters and reefs over the past year. China claims most of the strategic waterway despite an international tribunal ruling that its claim lacked any legal basis. Russian strike kills one, injures 16 in southern Ukraine Kyiv, Ukraine, Jan 23 (AFP) Jan 23, 2025 A Russian missile strike on the southern Ukrainian city of Zaporizhzhia on Thursday killed one person and wounded 16, the regional governor said. "Russian missile attack on Zaporizhzhia claimed one life. A 47-year-old man died," regional governor Ivan Fedorov said on Telegram. Among the 16 injured was a two-month-old baby, he said. "Residential buildings... were damaged by a strike. The blast wave broke out windows and damaged a roof," the governor said. The attack was the latest in an intensifying series of strikes on southern Ukraine as both Moscow and Kyiv vie for advantage in the early days of US President Donald Trump's administration. On Wednesday, Trump stepped up the pressure on Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin to make a peace deal with Ukraine, threatening tougher economic measures if Moscow does not agree to end the nearly three-year-old war. Prior to his inauguration on Monday, Trump had vowed to end the Ukraine war immediately upon taking office, raising expectations he would leverage aid to force Kyiv to make concessions to Russia, which invaded in February 2022. Two soldiers dead, 12 wounded in ambush by ex-Philippine rebels Manila, Jan 23 (AFP) Jan 23, 2025 Former Muslim rebels ambushed government troops assigned to escort UN staff visiting the southern Philippines, killing two soldiers and wounding 12 others, the military said Thursday. Wednesday's attack came more than 10 years after the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) signed a peace agreement with Manila, ending a decades-old armed campaign initially for a separate state and later Muslim self-rule in Asia's bastion of Catholicism. A military statement said the soldiers were "fired upon by unidentified armed personalities" in Basilan island, triggering a firefight that left two soldiers dead and 12 others wounded. The commander of the army unit, Brigadier General Alvin Luzon, said Thursday MILF gunmen attacked the troops who had been dispatched to "provide area security" to a United Nations team that was to visit a development project in the former MILF stronghold. The UN visit was later aborted due to the firefight, he added. The UN country office in the Philippines did not immediately respond to AFP's request for comment. The peace treaty had led to the creation of a self-rule area in a Muslim-populated region in the southern Philippines, now run by Chief Minister Ahod Ebrahim, the former MILF chief. However the process of decommissioning the weapons of thousands of MILF fighters following a lengthy armed campaign that left thousands dead is yet to be completed. Ebrahim said in a statement sent to AFP that the regional Bangsamoro government -- which includes the island province of Basilan -- was "deeply saddened by the unfortunate encounter" with MILF members. He urged all parties to "remain calm as we work towards addressing this incident through appropriate channels", while stressing the regional government "remains steadfast in its commitment to the full implementation" of the peace treaty. Philippine Army commander Lieutenant General Roy Galido condemned the attack and said his forces are "working closely with local government units and law enforcement agencies to ensure that the perpetrators of this treacherous act face the full consequences of their actions". Russian drones, missiles kill one, wound 25 in south Ukraine Kyiv, Ukraine, Jan 23 (AFP) Jan 23, 2025 A Russian drone and missile attack on the southern Ukrainian city of Zaporizhzhia on Thursday killed one person and wounded 25 others, rescue workers said. The state emergency service posted images of a destroyed building and a damaged firetruck that were hit in the apparent double-tap attack. "The attack left one person dead and wounded 25 people, including a two-month-old baby and four rescuers," the emergency services said in a statement. They said Russian forces had launched a combined drone and missile attack at intervals, explaining that firefighters had been wounded in "the second" attack. "We need more sanctions against Russia, more air defence systems to protect our cities and communities, and more weapons for our warriors on the front lines," Zelensky said on social media. The industrial city had an estimated population of more than 700,000 people before the Russian invasion in February 2022, and lies around 35 kilometres (20 miles) from the frontline. The wider region is home to Europe's largest nuclear power plant and was claimed by the Kremlin as Russian territory in late 2022. At least 13 people were killed in the city earlier this month in one of the single deadliest attacks in weeks of the nearly three-year war. The emergency services said an administrative building, residential buildings had been damaged. The Ukrainian air force said that Russia had fired four Iskandr missiles at Zaporizhzhia in the attack. It also said Ukrainian air defence systems had shot down 57 drones, including the Iranian-designed Shahed attack variety. The attack was the latest in an intensifying series of strikes on southern Ukraine as both Moscow and Kyiv vie for advantage in the early days of US President Donald Trump's administration. On Wednesday, Trump stepped up the pressure on Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin to make a peace deal with Ukraine, threatening tougher economic measures if Moscow does not agree to end the nearly three-year-old war. Prior to his inauguration on Monday, Trump had vowed to end the Ukraine war immediately upon taking office, raising expectations he would leverage aid to force Kyiv to make concessions to Russia, which invaded in February 2022. burs-jbr/oc/ach Two soldiers dead, 12 wounded in ambush by ex-Philippine rebels Manila, Jan 23 (AFP) Jan 23, 2025 Former Muslim rebels ambushed government troops assigned to escort UN staff visiting the southern Philippines, killing two soldiers and wounding 12 others, the military said Thursday. The UN and the Philippine military both condemned Wednesday's attack in Basilan island, which came more than a decade after the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) signed a peace agreement with Manila. The 2014 peace deal ended a decades-long armed campaign, initially for a separate state and later Muslim self-rule in Asia's bastion of Catholicism, but the decommissioning of weapons has yet to be completed. A military statement said the soldiers were "fired upon by unidentified armed personalities", triggering a firefight that left two soldiers dead and 12 others wounded. The soldiers' commander, Brigadier General Alvin Luzon, said Thursday that MILF gunmen were responsible for the attack, and that the UN visit to the former rebel stronghold was aborted. UN resident coordinator Gustavo Gonzalez "strongly" condemned the ambush, which he said occured when Philippine troops were escorting a team from United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) "for community engagement in the area". "This was the first such incident involving a United Nations team since the implementation of the peace process," Gonzalez said in a statement, adding "we will stay and deliver" on the UN commitment to support peacebuilding efforts in the southern Philippines. The peace deal led to the creation of a self-rule area in the Muslim-populated region, with an elected parliament and chief minister, former MILF chief Ahod Ebrahim. Ebrahim said in a statement sent to AFP that the regional Bangsamoro government -- which includes the island province of Basilan -- was "deeply saddened by the unfortunate encounter" between the army and the MILF forces. He urged all parties to "remain calm as we work towards addressing this incident through appropriate channels", while stressing the regional government "remains steadfast in its commitment to the full implementation" of the peace treaty. Philippine Army commander Lieutenant General Roy Galido condemned the attack and said his forces are "working closely with local government units and law enforcement agencies to ensure that the perpetrators of this treacherous act face the full consequences of their actions". Rubio affirms 'ironclad' US commitment to Philippines Washington, Jan 23 (AFP) Jan 23, 2025 US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Wednesday the United States under President Donald Trump remained committed to the Philippines' defense, as tensions simmer with Beijing in the South China Sea. In a call with his Philippine counterpart Enrique Manalo, Rubio "underscored the United States' ironclad commitments to the Philippines under our Mutual Defense Treaty," State Department spokeswoman Tammy Bruce said. Rubio, a longtime hawk on China, discussed the "dangerous and destabilizing actions in the South China Sea" by Beijing, formally known as the People's Republic of China (PRC). "Secretary Rubio conveyed that the PRC's behavior undermines regional peace and stability and is inconsistent with international law," Bruce said. US leaders have repeatedly stood by the Philippines, a treaty ally and former US colony. But Trump is known for questioning alliances, including NATO, claiming allied nations treat the United States unfairly by not paying more for defense. Trump returned to the White House on Monday. Rubio made the call with his Philippine counterpart a day after a veiled warning to Beijing on the South China Sea during a four-way meeting with his counterparts from India, Japan and Australia. The Philippines have engaged in increasingly tense confrontations with China over disputed South China Sea waters and reefs over the past year. China claims most of the strategic waterway despite an international tribunal ruling that its claim lacked any legal basis. Manila and Washington have deepened their defense cooperation since Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos took office in 2022 and began pushing back on Beijing's claims to the South China Sea. Philippine Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro also met with new US National Security Advisor Mike Waltz at the White House on Wednesday to "discuss critical security matters," Manila's defense department said in a statement. Teodoro "highlighted the importance of strengthening bilateral defense ties in addressing emerging geopolitical challenges," the statement said. "Waltz and his team underscored the need to enhance cooperation with the Philippines and looked forward to increasing mutual security activities in support of a free and global Indo-Pacific (region)," it added. Last month, the Philippines said it planned to acquire the US Typhon missile system as part of a push to secure its maritime interests, sparking warnings from China of a regional "arms race." Kremlin declines comment on alleged 'spy ship' in UK waters Moscow, Jan 23 (AFP) Jan 23, 2025 The Kremlin declined on Thursday to comment on UK accusations that a "Russian spy ship" passed through British waters, a day after London issued a warning to President Vladimir Putin. The UK said on Wednesday that its Royal Navy had tracked the ship about 45 miles (72 kilometres) off its coast, saying the vessel was being used for "gathering intelligence". "I do not have information on what this is about in detail. So I would not comment on this," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said. British Defence Secretary John Healy told parliament a day earlier that the Yantar ("Amber" in Russian) was also "mapping the UK's critical underwater infrastructure". "I also wanted President Putin to hear this message: 'We see you, we know what you're doing and we will not shy away from robust action to protect this country'," he told MPs. Healy said it was the second time the Yantar had been detected in British waters in recent weeks, after it was spotted in November. Relations between Moscow and London have been frosty for years, with Russia singling out the UK as one of the most hostile Western countries, but have dipped to new lows since the Ukraine offensive. The UK is one of Kyiv's staunchest allies. BAKU, Azerbaijan, January 23. Azerbaijan and Vestas Wind Systems have discussed possibilities of cooperation in the field of wind energy utilization, the Azerbaijani Minister of Economy Mikayil Jabbarov wrote on X, Trend reports. We were pleased to meet again with Morten Dyrholm, Vice President of Vestas Wind Systems A/S, within the Davos Economic Forum. During the discussion, we focused on the importance of implementing green technologies, the positive impact of innovative solutions in industry, and opportunities for cooperation in wind energy utilization, the publication says. To note, electricity production by green energy sources in Azerbaijan last year compared to 2023 increased by 1.729 billion kilowatt-hours and amounted to 3.851 billion kilowatt-hours. Over the 12 months, power generation from thermal power plants totaled 24.543 billion kilowatt-hours, from hydropower plants more than 3 billion kilowatt-hours, and through other sources 839.9 million kilowatt-hours. During this period, wind power plants produced 51.1 million kilowatt-hours, solar power plants produced 556.3 million kilowatt-hours, and a solid waste incineration plant produced 232.5 million kilowatt-hours of electricity. Bangladesh frees 178 troops over deadly 2009 mutiny Dhaka, Jan 23 (AFP) Jan 23, 2025 Bangladesh let 178 former paramilitary troops walk free from jail Thursday, nearly 16 years after they were detained over a violent mutiny that massacred dozens of senior army officers. Rampaging troops from the Bangladesh Rifles (BDR) murdered 74 people during the two-day revolt that began in Dhaka and spread across the country in 2009, destabilising the government of then-premier Sheikh Hasina weeks after she took office. Thousands of participants were rounded up after the mutiny ended with more than 150 initially sentenced to death in trials criticised by rights groups for procedural shortcomings. Those bailed on Thursday had been acquitted of murder charges, but were kept in custody on accusations of violating explosives laws -- with their cases still pending more than a decade after the revolt. "I can't express my feelings in words. I am returning to my family. I came out of a life full of darkness into the light," newly released prisoner Abul Kashem, 38, told AFP. The releases came months after the ouster of Hasina following a student-led uprising against her 15 years of autocratic rule over the South Asian nation. Relatives of the jailed men thronged prisons in Dhaka from early in the morning after news of the impending release spread. "It feels like a dream. I never would have imagined he could come out of jail if Hasina was still in power," Shiuly Akter, 40, the wife of one of the men released on Thursday, told AFP. "There was no justice here; what happened to us was unfair. My husband knew nothing about the mutiny or the killings. He was just a novice in the BDR when he was arrested." A previous official investigation into the mutiny blamed years of pent-up anger among ordinary soldiers, who felt their appeals for pay rises and better treatment were ignored. But that probe was carried out during Hasina's tenure, and her opponents have claimed her involvement in a conspiracy to orchestrate the mutiny in a plan to weaken the military and bolster her own power. Since her fall, families of soldiers killed in the violence have been campaigning to reopen the investigation, a demand met last month by the interim government which replaced Hasina's regime. The mutineers stole thousands of weapons from the BDR headquarters before embarking on a killing spree in the barracks. The uprising quickly spread, with thousands of soldiers pledging allegiance to the mutineers before it was quashed by the army. French aircraft carrier to visit the Philippines Manila, Jan 23 (AFP) Jan 23, 2025 France's aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle is to visit the Philippines next month, the French envoy to Manila said Thursday, signaling a deepening security cooperation between the two countries. The vessel will lead a carrier strike group on a port call that "underscores France's commitment to strengthening its involvement alongside the Philippines", ambassador Marie Fontanel told a maritime security forum. France has been seeking to reassert its importance in the Asia-Pacific region, where China and the United States are vying for influence. The Philippines is meanwhile trying to strengthen relations with allied countries as it engages in increasingly tense confrontations with Beijing over reefs and waters in the strategic South China Sea. Prior to the Manila visit, the carrier group is scheduled to hold a maritime drill with the United States in the Philippine Sea, Fontanel added. Manila and Paris have said they are expected to enter talks on a defence pact soon that would allow them to deploy troops to each other's territories, similar to Philippine arrangements with the US and Japan. Russian strikes kill 3, wound dozens in Ukraine overnight Kyiv, Ukraine, Jan 23 (AFP) Jan 23, 2025 Russian aerial attacks on frontline towns in eastern and central Ukraine on Thursday killed at least three people and wounded dozens, officials said. The authorities said a 53-year-old woman was killed by a Russian bombardment in the frontline town of Kostyantynivka and a 54-year-old by a Russian drone strike on a village in the northeastern Kharkiv region. Emergency services in the central city of Zaporizhzhia earlier announced one person was killed and said 51 were wounded -- including four firefighters and a two-month-old -- in an overnight drone and missile attack. Rescuers posted images of a destroyed building and a damaged firetruck they said were hit in the apparent double-tap attack. Russia fired drones and missiles at intervals, authorities said, explaining that firefighters had been wounded in "the second" attack. "We need more sanctions against Russia, more air defence systems to protect our cities and communities, and more weapons for our warriors on the front lines," Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on social media. The industrial city of Zaporizhzhia had an estimated population of more than 700,000 people before the Russian invasion in February 2022, and lies around 35 kilometres (20 miles) from the frontline. The wider region is home to Europe's largest nuclear power plant and was claimed by the Kremlin as Russian territory in late 2022. At least 13 people were killed in the city earlier this month in one of the single deadliest attacks in weeks of the nearly three-year war. The Ukrainian air force said that Russia had fired four Iskandr missiles at Zaporizhzhia in the attack. It also said Ukrainian air defence systems had shot down 57 drones, including the Iranian-designed Shahed attack variety. The Zaporizhzhia attack was the latest in an intensifying series of strikes on southern Ukraine as both Moscow and Kyiv vie for advantage in the early days of US President Donald Trump's administration. burs-jbr/jc/phz Russia rejects UK accusations of targeting undersea cables Moscow, Jan 23 (AFP) Jan 23, 2025 Russia on Thursday denied ever targeting underwater communications cables, a day after London accused a "Russian spy ship" of passing through British waters and issued a direct warning to President Vladimir Putin. Britain said on Wednesday that its Royal Navy had tracked the ship about 45 miles (72 kilometres) off its coast, saying the vessel was being used for "gathering intelligence" and had been mapping critical underwater infrastructure. The accusations come with concern about the sabotage of underwater communications links between NATO countries, blamed on Russia. In a statement cited by Russian state news agencies, Moscow's embassy in London said: "The accusations made by the British defence establishment against Russia of creating some kind of threat to the underwater communications of the country and its NATO allies are absolutely untenable. Such threats never come from Russia." It accused London of "inflaming tensions" in the Baltic and North Sea. The Kremlin had earlier declined to comment on the issue. British Defence Secretary John Healey told parliament on Wednesday that the Yantar ("Amber" in Russian) had been "mapping the UK's critical underwater infrastructure". "I also wanted President Putin to hear this message: 'We see you, we know what you're doing and we will not shy away from robust action to protect this country'," he told MPs. Healey said it was the second time the Yantar had been detected in British waters in recent weeks, after it was spotted in November. Several undersea telecom and power cables have been severed in the Baltic Sea in recent months, with experts and politicians accusing Russia of orchestrating a hybrid war. The sabotage has been blamed on a "shadow fleet" of vessels -- often ageing and operating under opaque ownership -- that carry Russian crude oil and petroleum products, embargoed since the invasion of Ukraine. The most recent incident occurred on December 25, when the Estlink 2 electricity cable and four telecom cables linking Finland and Estonia were damaged. That came just weeks after two telecom cables in Swedish waters were severed on November 17 and 18. Asked about Healey's statement, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Thursday: "I do not have information on what this is about in detail. So I would not comment on this." Relations between Moscow and London have been frosty for years, with Russia singling out the UK as one of the most hostile Western countries, but have dipped to new lows since Russia launched its military offensive on Ukraine. BAKU, Azerbaijan, January 23. Executive Director of the International Energy Agency (IEA) Fatih Birol discussed the challenges and opportunities in the global clean energy transition during the panel discussions "All Hands on Deck for the Energy Transition" at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, Trend reports. "Our current estimate is, with the projects which have their FIDs, we are going to see 2.7 times increase of renewables, which is not bad, and we can even accelerate this and come to that level. Second, in terms of energy efficiency, this is the problem, because doubling means doubling from what? So global energy efficiency was about 2% per year increase. Doubling would have meant 4% efficiency improvement each year, but 2024, global energy efficiency improvement was even below the historical average. It was 1%. So this is a problematic area," Birol stated. He emphasized the significant challenges facing the clean energy transition globally. "So this is where we are, and if you ask me, there are many challenges in front of the clean energy transition globally, many of them. If I have to pick up one of them, and I'm a man who makes his hands dirty with data, I can tell you the fault line is the following. We have today $2 trillion clean energy investments, and 10 years ago it was $1 trillion, big growth from $1 trillion to $2 trillion. This is the problem. Of this $2 trillion, 85% of this clean energy investment takes place in the advanced economies in China. 15% takes place in the countries where you have the 60% of global population." Birol highlighted the disparity in clean energy investments between regions. "I don't know if I gave too many numbers, but 15% of the clean energy investments are happening in the 60% global population, which is Africa, Latin America, Asia, and so on. So how are we going to make sure that the clean energy investments and the projects in these countries are going to meet? This is the fault line of, for me, the biggest problem. And between those three regions, there are all challenges, but Africa is the main problem, the main challenge," he concluded. Follow the author on X: @Lyaman_Zeyn The overwhelming majority of the Scottish public see renewables and energy efficiency measures as the way to achieve an affordable and secure energy supply in the long-term. Polling also shows that three-quarters of Scottish business leaders think that transitioning away from oil and gas is in the public interest and support a ban on new licensing. 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 ALMATY, Kazakhstan, January 23. Save the Caspian Sea is thrilled to share that it has joined the Blue Community, marking a significant milestone as the first organization from Central Asia to become part of this worldwide network focused on safeguarding and sustainably managing water resources, Trend reports. The Caspian Sea, the largest enclosed body of water on the planet, is in deep trouble with an ecological crisis like never before. The relentless march of industrial exploitation, pollution, and the harsh realities of climate change have led to the sea receding at a staggering pace, wreaking havoc on its one-of-a-kind ecosystem and putting the livelihoods of local communities in jeopardy. Save the Caspian Sea, founded by environmental activist Vadim Ni, is on the frontlines of this critical issue. The campaign launched in December 2024 brings together NGOs, activists, and concerned citizens to raise awareness, hold polluters accountable, and implement solutions to protect this vital body of water for future generations. "The Blue Community is a wonderful and crucial initiative. By fostering global cooperation, it helps promote the protection and sustainable use of water resources, raises awareness about water conservation, and encourages responsible water management practices at the local and international levels," Vadim Ni said. The Blue Community welcomed Save the Caspian Sea with enthusiasm. Maude Barlow, co-founder of the initiative, remarked: "For the first time, a Blue Community on the Asian continent joins our network. This is so exciting, and there is so much to do. Uniting our forces, we can make a difference and turn the world blue. My best wishes and a very warm welcome to Save the Caspian Sea!" This landmark partnership signals a new chapter in the global fight to preserve the Caspian Sea. With the backing of the Blue Communitys extensive international network, Save the Caspian Sea plans to amplify its efforts to raise global awareness of the Caspians silent crisis and mobilize international support to protect this irreplaceable body of water. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel Fuji Rock got its name from the festivals first event in 1997, when it was held at the base of Mount Fuji. Its now in the Naeba Ski Resort in Yuzawa, Niigata, within the so-called Japanese Alps, but the vistas are no less stunning. Each summer, the ski resort town is flooded with 100,000 visitors, and ski paraphernalia is uprooted in favour of festival stages, tents and food trucks. This years line-up is currently tbc, but it tends to skew towards more indie rock. Last years headliners were The Killers, Kraftwerk and Noel Gallaghers High Flying Birds, with more musical stylings from the likes of Peggy Gou, Sampha, Girl in Red, Turnstile, The Last Dinner Party and Fontaines DC. Its position as the largest outdoor music event in Japan means theres also a huge contingent of homegrown talent, so you can pick up a few new favourites with your old reliables. If its cheap airfares and the promise of unique culture that youre after, book a return to historic Sarajevo asap. Skyscanner reports a 45 per cent price drop over the past year to the capital of Bosnia and Herzegovina, thanks to new routes. The London Standard contributor Suzanne Moore has long been fascinated by the Jerusalem of Europe, which she calls a crucible of history. It is famously the site of the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand in 1914, which led to the First World War. But it has much more to offer than remnants of the past. Go for its incredible people. Go to watch the moon rise over the mosque. Go for its wonderful little sausages (cevapi). Go to smoke shisha in the old town. Go drink a cocktail in a trendy bar. Go for its amazing soul, implores Moore. This isnt a place known for its luxury hotels, but all the better for travellers on a budget. Isa Begov Hamam Hotel offers rooms from 100 and has a tranquil hammam. HS This represents a vindication for the hundreds of other claimants who were strong-armed into settling, without being able to get to the truth of what was done to them. Mohammed Zahid, known as Bossman, was said to have given free underwear from his lingerie stall on Rochdale Market to both complainants, along with money, alcohol and food, in return for regular sex with him and other Asian men in the town. BISHKEK, Kyrgyzstan, January 23. Kyrgyzstan is concerned about the inclusion of Keremet Bank, Gazprom Neft Asia, and Munai Myrza companies in the US sanctions list, Trend reports via the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Kyrgyzstan. Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Meder Abakirov, raised the issue during a meeting with US Ambassador to Kyrgyzstan Lesslie Viguerie. Abakirov emphasized that Kyrgyzstans relevant state authorities regularly engage in consultations with their counterparts from the US on matters related to bilateral cooperation. He also formally requested the removal of these companies from the sanctions list. Ambassador Viguerie expressed the US's willingness to jointly search for mutually acceptable solutions to resolve the issue of removing the Kyrgyz companies from the sanctions list. On January 15, the US Department of the Treasury, through the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), imposed sanctions on Keremet Bank, a Kyrgyzstan-based financial institution. The sanctions were due to the banks involvement in facilitating cross-border transfers for Promsvyazbank, a Russian bank under US sanctions since 2022. BAKU, Azerbaijan, January 23. The joint high-level event on the interaction between the CIS and the UN will be held for the first time within the framework of Tajikistan's chairmanship in the CIS, the ambassador of Tajikistan to Azerbaijan Ilhom Abdurahmon said at a briefing of the embassy dedicated to Tajikistan's chairmanship in the CIS in 2025, Trend reports. A joint high-level event on the interaction between the CIS and the UN will be held for the first time in the history of the CIS on the margins of the high-level week of the UN General Assembly at the headquarters of the world organization. The adoption of the next UN General Assembly resolution on cooperation between the UN and the CIS will also be facilitated, the ambassador said. According to him, in the political dimension, efforts will be aimed at further promoting the positive image of the CIS on the world arena as an integration association, expanding the Commonwealth's ties with the UN and specialized agencies, as well as regional organizations SCO, CSTO, EAEU, and others. As part of this process, a series of joint events on specific issues will be held, and the issue of granting SCO observer status with the CIS will also be considered. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel Photo: Official website of the President of Tajikistan DUSHANBE, Tajikistan, January 23. The President of Tajikistan Emomali Rahmon has appointed Emomali Sobirzoda as the new minister of defense of the country, Trend reports via the presidential administration. Prior to his new appointment, Sobirzoda held the position of First Deputy Minister of Defense and Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Tajikistan. By another decree, President Rahmon appointed Bobodjon Saidzoda as First Deputy Minister of Defense and Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Tajikistan. Previously, the position of minister of defense was held by Sherali Mirzo, who, by a new decree, was appointed head of the State Secret Protection Department under the Government of Tajikistan. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel Former Deputy Prime Minister Gelu Voican Voiculescu showed up at the General Prosecutor's Office on Thursday morning to be informed that he is a defendant in the June 1990 Mineriad case for committing crimes against humanity. The prosecutors must redo the investigation in this case, as the evidence gathered was annulled in court, said Agerpres. Initially, in June 2017, the case was sent to trial, but the Supreme Court ruled in December 2020 to return the file to the Military Prosecutor's Office for the investigation to be redone from scratch. So far, former President Ion Iliescu, former Prime Minister Petre Roman, General (ret.) Vasile Dobrinoiu, Colonel (ret.) Petre Peter, Adrian Sarbu, former head of cabinet of former Prime Minister Petre Roman, and Miron Cozma, former leader of the miners from the Jiu Valley, have been re-indicted. Prosecutors argue that, in June 1990, individuals holding decision-making positions in the Romanian state at the time launched a policy of repression against the civilian population in the Capital, resulting in the death of 4 individuals, the rape of 2 individuals, the physical and/or psychological harm of over 1,300 people, and the illegal deprivation of liberty of over 1,200 people. Germany and France have long been regarded as the twin engines of Europe. While France has to deal with its own slate of problems, in Germany many important issues are on the back burner while the country waits for a new government. Can hard-nosed conservative Friedrich Merz be the fresh pair of hands the country needs?, informs Agerpres. One month from now on February 23 Germany is electing a new parliament. While the European Union's largest economy is busy with campaigning there is not much bandwidth for pressing European topics. Depending on the outcome of the polls, difficult and drawn-out coalition talks might follow - leading to further paralysis and German distraction from EU affairs. Clashes between Chancellor Olaf Scholz and his coalition partners over how to get the economy back on its feet were at the heart of the government's collapse in November. It consisted of the Social Democrats (SPD), the Greens and the liberal Free Democrats (FDP). It's the economy, Olaf Germany's economy shrank for a second straight year in 2024 according to official German figures, with little hope of a speedy recovery as Europe's traditional powerhouse is also mired in political crisis. Gross domestic product in Europe's largest economy fell 0.2 percent last year, according to preliminary figures from federal statistics agency Destatis, after a 0.3 percent contraction in 2023. Germany finds itself in the unusual position of being at the tail end in European terms of growth - the European Commission has predicted the overall Eurozone economy to have grown by 0.8 percent in 2024, well above Germany's result. Germany's structural problems are manifold and affect its economic position in the EU. Wollmershauser, head of forecasts at the German economic think tank Ifo, summed up the situation in mid-January, listing the challenges ahead. Who will rule in Germany? After February 23, Germany will most likely be ruled by a coalition government again, yet a return of the so-called traffic-light coalition of SPD, FDP and Greens is unlikely. Rebooting the German economy will be one of the main tasks for the new government, which - judging from current polling - could be led by the conservative CDU/CSU party bloc. In polls conducted five weeks ahead of the elections the picture is pretty clear: The Christian Democratic Union (CDU) and their Bavarian sister party CSU lead the opinion polls of the three main pollsters with a range from 29 to 31 percent, followed by the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) with 20 to 21 percent. Scholz's SPD is only the third-strongest party according to these polls with around 16 to 18 percent, the Greens hold at between 13 and 14 percent. The FDP currently polls around 4 to 5 percent - it may not surpass the 5-percent-threshold to make it into the Bundestag. The leftist party Die Linke (3 to 4 percent) and the new leftist-conservative Bundnis Sahra Wagenknecht (4 to 7 percent) may also not clear that hurdle. If asked whom they want to be their chancellor, German voters equally prefer the CDU/CSU candidate Friedrich Merz and the Green's Robert Habeck (both at 23 percent) over Scholz (17 percent). The German chancellor is not directly elected. A coalition between the CDU/CSU and SPD is the most likely scenario. So far, all parties have ruled out forming a government with the AfD. What is at stake in Germany and Europe? Whoever takes over in Berlin will have a massive to-do list ahead of them. Apart from fixing the economy and the country's crumbling infrastructure, Germans are clamouring for lower energy costs and the county needs to further reduce its dependence on fossil fuels. One question is whether the new government will subsidise the construction of gas-fuelled power stations, which should serve as back-ups in times when wind and solar energy generation is insufficient. Prospective chancellor Merz is expected to change course on several key policy topics - environmentalists fear steps backward. Merz for example is sceptical about Germany's energy transition to 'green' steel and his party has already promised to re-introduce fuel subsidies for farmers. But while he recently said he 'regretted' the phase-out of nuclear power, it was probably too late now for a reversal. Merz stressed that he remained committed to Germany's path towards energy transition away from fossil fuels. What does Merz want? The conservative party leader regards himself as better placed to enter negotiations with US President Donald Trump than Scholz, who has been more critical of the new US administration - in particular regarding Trump ally Elon Musk's recent interventions in the German election campaign. Merz's perceived better rapport with Trump could become essential if the US president fulfills his promise of implementing new tariffs. Germany fears it could be on the front line in a new EU-US trade war, which would hit Germany's export-oriented economy hard. At a meeting of the European People's Party (EPP) in Berlin on January 18 Merz also said that in view of Trump's inauguration the following Monday he added that this event would accelerate 'our efforts to join forces and act together'. Trump will also expect Germany - and the EU - to position themselves more clearly against China. The new leaders in Berlin will have to figure out how to deal with this and other demands from Washington. Merz stressed that Germany must take on a leadership role with others in Europe. In his opinion it would be key to pass the Mercosur trade agreement with several South American states, he said on Tuesday. Also European governments should improve their cooperation in the acquisition of military equipment. 'There are many opportunities for the Europeans, which we do not take advantage of at the moment', Merz added. Getting Germany's armed forces into shape after years of cost-cutting is another task for the new government. While Scholz's government had been internally split on how much support to give to Ukraine, Merz remains vocal in his support for increased military support for the embattled country. He accused Scholz of electioneering last week over the latter's refusal to sign off on further arms deliveries to Ukraine worth around 3 billion Euros. Merz - and also Scholz's former coalition partners - believe financing that aid is possible as an 'extraordinary expenditure' without taking on new debt. Scholz however demands additional borrowing, which would affect the so-called debt brake - Germany's constitutional restrictions on ordinary borrowing. It is now expected that Ukraine will have to wait for a decision until after the February 23 polls. Merz is also pursuing a harder line on migration. At the EPP-meeting he pointed out that a series of new initiatives by other EU member states existed to improve European rules on migration. 'We need stricter rules to rein in irregular migration to Europe,' he said. Italy and the Netherlands had made great progress on that issue, he added. 'Germany, unfortunately only [makes] smaller steps.' Apart from the big topics such as migration and defence, other EU members look to Germany for specific aspects of cooperation: In Sweden for example, the conservative government is hoping for better cooperation on energy issues with Germany. Energy minister Ebba Busch wants Germany to divide the country into electricity price areas, which also would have an effect on the prices in Sweden. At the same time, Busch is very critical towards the German view on nuclear energy. 'It's one thing that Germany doesn't want nuclear energy for themselves, but a different thing when they are stopping others from using funds for it. It's hypocrisy,' Busch fumed in Brussels in December. In Europe, Sweden is relying heavily on support from Germany when it comes to being frugal. The government and the opposition are united in saying no to any plans for common European borrowing and want to keep the European budget as small as possible. But the pressure is hard on Sweden to follow the change in Finland and Denmark, where other traditionally frugal governments have changed their positions. The content of this article is based on reporting by AFP, ANSA, dpa, EFE, TT as part of the European Newsroom (enr) project. DUSHANBE, Tajikistan, January 23. Head of Tajikistan for the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), Holger Wiefel, the EBRDs financial sector team, met with Amonatbank Chairman Salimzoda Alijon to discuss the progress of joint initiatives and explore prospects for further cooperation, Trend reports via the EBRD. During the meeting, the discussions focused on key initiatives aimed at developing human capital and establishing a lending market in Tajikistans somoni currency as part of a Memorandum of Understanding signed on September 26, 2023. The key areas of cooperation include comprehensive training programs for Amonatbank employees through EBRDs financial courses, strengthening financial operations, and organizing an EBRD "Open Day" for Amonatbank employees and business clients. In 2024, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) signed 23 projects with Tajikistan, totaling 88 million euros. Last year, the bank quadrupled its investment volume in Tajikistan compared to 2023 (21 million euros for 16 projects). A Romanian national recently expelled from Serbia is safe, and the Romanian Embassy in Belgrade has requested clarifications from Serbian authorities of the reasons why the measure was taken, Romania's Foreign Ministry (MAE) reported on Thursday, conform Agerpres. It is an incident that took place in the Republic of Serbia, involving citizens of third countries and EU member states, including Romania, who participated in a workshop for members of non-governmental organisations hosted by Belgrade. On the night of Tuesday to Wednesday, the Romanian Embassy in Belgrade was contacted by a Romanian national, a member of a Romanian non-governmental organisation dealing with social projects, a participant in the mentioned seminar, who reported that, that night, he was asked to identify himself by the local police authorities and taken to the headquarters of a police station in Belgrade, with other participants in the seminar. Subsequently, the measure of leaving Serbia within 24 hours was ordered with regard to the Romanian citizen and other participating foreign citizens, as well as the measure of banning entry into Serbia for a period of one year. The Romanian national told the embassy that the measure was ordered without further explanation, allegedly for national security reasons, according to Serbian legislation. "Given the extremely harsh nature of the measure, the embassy immediately notified the Serbian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, officially, requesting, in the exercise of its the provision of consular assistance, clarifications on the reasons that led to the above-mentioned measures being taken," according to MAE. The Romanian citizen, who left Serbia safely on Wednesday, received advice on the ways to challenge the measure ordered under the Serbian legislation. MAE and the Romanian Embassy in Belgrade, in consultation with other diplomatic missions whose citizens were targeted by similar measures, keep the case under consideration. Serbian police have detained, interrogated and expelled several young foreigners from EU countries who were participating in a workshop for civil society leaders, according to the DPA news agency. The people included five Croatians, as well as Romanian and Irish citizens, who were visiting the country to take part in a two-day workshop, entitled NGO Academy, organized by the Austrian Erste Foundation and the Vienna School of Economics. According to the Croatian nationals involved, the group was sitting at the bar of their hotel in the capital Belgrade after the workshop, when plain-clothes police officers detained them and took them to a police station. The authorities reportedly said this was for "endangering the security of Serbia and its citizens." The expulsion of several EU citizens from Serbia is unprecedented, such a measure having in the past mainly targeted Russian opponents who took refuge in Serbia. A spokeswoman for the Austrian Erste Foundation expressed her "dismay" to dpa. "For us, this is simply inexplicable," she said, emphasizing that the NGO Academy has been held in many locations across Central and Eastern Europe since 2013, including regularly in Belgrade. Croatian Foreign Minister Gordan Grlic Radman said his ministry would issue a note of protest and would inform the European Commission, as well as Poland, which holds the rotating EU presidency, about the 'humiliating treatment of Croatian citizens' by the Serbian authorities. A technical evaluation mission of the Secretariat of the Corporate Governance Committee of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) took place on January 20-23 at the General Secretariat of the Government (SGG), informs Agerpres. According to SGG, the major objective of the mission was to analyse and evaluate the implementation by Romania, as a candidate state, of the OECD recommendations in the field of corporate governance that address both private sector companies on the Romanian capital market and state-owned enterprises. OECD experts analysed the alignment of national legislation, policies and practices with the organisation's standards related to the implementation of the three components in the field: the Guidelines on Corporate Governance of State-Owned Enterprises, the Guidelines on Combating Corruption and Integrity in State-Owned Enterprises and G20/OECD Principles of Corporate Governance 2023 At the discussions, the General Secretariat of the Government was represented by Deputy Secretary General of the Government Adrian Tutuianu, who reaffirmed Romania's firm commitment to achieving the objective of joining the OECD by 2026. He presented the progress made by Romania in order to achieve the OECD standards and recommendations in the field of corporate governance, as well as the actions moving forward for the preparation of the technical evaluations that will take place at the organisation's headquarters in Paris. In the spring of this year, the presentations of the OECD Secretariat's conclusions on this area of assessment will take place at the Working Party on State Ownership and Privatisation Practices (March) and the Corporate Governance Committee (April) meetings. During this mission to Bucharest, the OECD delegation was made up of Sara Sultan, Head of the State-Owned Enterprises Unit - OECD; Emeline Denis and Tiziana Londero, both policy analysts in the Corporate Governance Unit, Capital Markets and Financial Institutions Division, Financial Affairs and Enterprise Department. The General Secretariat of the Government is the national institutional focal point in Romania for the relationship with the OECD Committee on Corporate Governance and organised at the Victoria Palace meetings with both experts and, throughout the week, officials of the relevant public bodies as well as actors from the Romanian business community, namely: the Association of Fund Managers in Romania, Association of Independent Administrators Romania, AMCHAM Romania, Romanian Association for Investor Relations, National Integrity Agency, AMEPIP, Pluri consulting, Financial Oversight Authority, Authority for Public Supervision of Statutory Audit Activity, Bucharest Stock Exchange, Romanian Chamber of Financial Auditors, Court of Accounts of Romania, National Anticorruption Directorate, Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Justice, Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure, Ministry of Energy, Commercial Court of Bucharest, Transgaz, Transelectrica, Teraplast, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, National Company of Highways and Road Infrastructure, Franklin Templeton/Fondul Proprietatea, Association for Privately Administered Pensions in Romania and NN Pensii. Romania is in the process of joining OECD, currently being at the stage of providing additional technical information, organising fact-finding missions and subsequent evaluation in the 26 committees of the organisation. The National Liberal Party's National Council is meeting on Sunday at the Palace of Parliament to officially give the seal of approval to the presidential bid of former party chairman Crin Antonescu in the May election, informs Agerpres. The meeting, which is due to start at 11:00 am, was convened following the decision of the PNL National Political Bureau meeting on January 13. "As regards the designation of PNL's candidate for the office of President of Romania, the Political Bureau decided by unanimous vote to convene for January 26 the statutory body that validates the contender, thus formalizing PNL's backing for the candidacy of Mr. Crin Antonescu - the coalition's joint presidential candidate. (...) We have confidence in Mr. Crin Antonescu's qualities, in the experience he has gained, and the PNL will do everything possible in the pre-campaign and the campaign period, to communicate to the voters the reasons why we support this decision and for Mr. Antonescu to enter the second round and win the presidential election," said PNL acting chairman Ilie Bolojan on January 13, after the meeting of the PNL National Political Bureau. On December 23 last year, the PSD, PNL, UDMR leaders and the representative of the minorities signed the coalition protocol, and Bolojan announced on this occasion that former Liberal leader Crin Antonescu will be the coalition parties' candidate for Romania's presidency. On January 21, the PSD National Political Council validated Crin Antonescu's candidacy for the presidential run. According to Social Democrat Radu Oprea, the decision was also made to call an extraordinary party congress on February 2 to support Antonescu in the presidential election. Romania's pavilion at the Osaka 2025 World Expo, which will take place from April 13 to October 13, has been built with sustainability in mind, including by Romanian workers, General Commissioner of the Romanian Section for Expo Osaka 2025 Ferdinand Nagy said on Wednesday. He participated in a press conference alongside Ambassador of Japan in Bucharest Katae Takashi, said Agerpres. Nagy mentioned that the country's mascot at the Expo is an illustration of a pelican named Haru ("spring" in Japanese), which highlights the importance of Romania's national resources. The official mentioned that the goal for the national pavilion is to attract one million visitors, while the Expo Osaka organisers' target for the entire event is 25 million visitors. The activity calendar for the Romanian pavilion includes economic aspects, artistic events, and showcases major research projects such as ELI-NP, with the theme "Land of Tomorrow." The budget for Romania's pavilion is 64 million lei, spread between 2022 and 2026, according to the General Commissioner of the Romanian Section. "The pavilion was awarded through a bidding process to a Japanese company, as only they were able to construct it. The contract value is 20 million lei for a 'turnkey' pavilion," he added. Romania's pavilion is part of the circular economy, as its structure is recyclable and reusable. "The structure was made in France. They are working in Japan with workers from Romania, Romanian workers. I found out when I was in Japan. The French, because it's a French company, are working with Romanian workers whom they brought to Japan to work on Romania's pavilion. It's something unusual, and it's something to be proud of, after all," said Ferdinand Nagy. In turn, the Ambassador of Japan voiced hope that Romania's presence at Expo Osaka will bring greater visibility to the country. "Unfortunately, Romania is not very well known by Japanese businesspeople. So the goal of this event was also to promote Romania," said Katae Takashi, according to the official translation. In this context, the Japanese ambassador also mentioned the Strategic Partnership between the two countries. According to the diplomat, Osaka Expo is a "window to the world" for the Japanese people. "I hope that through the organisation of the Osaka Expo and Romania's participation, the bilateral relations will continue to develop and deepen, as they were elevated to the level of a Strategic Partnership two years ago," added Ambassador Katae Takashi. This will be the third time that Osaka hosts the World Expo, organised once every five years, after the editions in 1970 and 1990. According to the Romanian Foreign Affairs Ministry (MAE), on November 16, 2022, Government Decision no. 1399/2022 was adopted, approving Romania's participation in the World Expo "Designing Future Society for Our Lives," which will be held in Osaka, Kansai region, Japan, from April 13 to October 13, 2025. The Government Decision also outlines the administrative measures necessary for Romania's preparation and participation in this event, including the establishment of an interministerial organising committee. During the meeting of the interministerial committee for organising Romania's participation at Expo 2025 Osaka on August 21, 2023, the architectural concept for the pavilion, called "The Romanian Magic Box," was adopted. This architectural concept was selected following a competition organised by the "Ion Mincu" University of Architecture and Urbanism in Bucharest, in partnership with the Foreign Affairs Ministry, with the participation of students from the Faculty of Architecture. The relics of the Holy Empress Helena, mother of Saint Constantine the Great, Emperor and Equal-to-the-Apostles, will be brought to Pantocrator Monastery in southern Romania for a historic pilgrimage. The sacred remains, currently housed in a Venetian Catholic church, will stay at the monastery from April 30 to May 8, 2025. Saint Helena was originally buried in Rome, with her relics later moved to Constantinople New Rome. During the Fourth Crusade in 1211, they were taken by Western knights to Venice, where they have remained for over eight centuries. This marks only the second time the relics will visit an Orthodox country, following a 2017 pilgrimage to Greece. Second Orthodox Country to Receive the Relics Every year, on the Sunday of the Holy Myrrh-Bearing Women, Pantocrator Monastery is adorned in celebration as part of a beautiful tradition started in 2015, where relics are brought for a pilgrimage, said Archimandrite Serafim Baciu, the administrative vicar of the Diocese of Alexandria and Teleorman, for basilica.ro. These spiritual events are primarily held to honour the first witness of the Lords Resurrection, Saint Mary Magdalene, the patron saint of our monastery, and have included the veneration of other holy relics as well. Stop at the Patriarchal Cathedral Not coincidentally, both Saint Mary Magdalene and the Holy Empress Helena bear the title Equal to the Apostles. The former was a witness and preacher of the Lords Resurrection, while the latter discovered the Holy Cross in Jerusalem and was the primary founder of the first churches at the sites of Christs Nativity and Resurrection, the vicar noted. This year, as the Romanian Patriarchate celebrates its centennial, the joy of the anniversary events will be enhanced by this spiritual event, added Archimandrite Serafim Baciu. On April 30, the first day of the pilgrimage, the holy relics will rest at the Patriarchal Cathedral in Bucharest, protected by Saint Helena and her son, Emperor Constantine the Great, from 3:00 PM to 6:00 PM. Meeting of Two Equals to the Apostles The relics of the Holy Empress Helena will arrive at Pantocrator Monastery the same day around 7:30 PM. In their presence, the monastery will commemorate the Translation of Saint Mary Magdalenes relics from Ephesus to Constantinople on May 4 and the feast day of the monasterys main church on May 8. Additionally, on May 5-6, 2024, the Diocesan Center of Alexandria and Pantocrator Monastery will host the National Symposium, Faith, Service, and History in Ecclesial and National Contexts: 100 Years of Patriarchate and 1700 Years Since the First Ecumenical Council. This year marks the 1700th anniversary of the First Ecumenical Council of Nicaea (325), which was convened by Saint Constantine the Great and his mother, Saint Helena. The arrival of the relics comes during the centennial celebrations of the Romanian Patriarchate, adding spiritual significance to the events. Approximately one million women in Romania are named Elena or derivates, making the pilgrimage particularly meaningful for the faithful. ST. LOUIS Ed Martin, a former Missouri Republican leader and candidate, is now at the helm of the U.S. attorneys office for the District of Columbia. Martin, a board member of a group that has described defendants in the Jan. 6, 2021, U.S. Capitol riot as victims of political persecution, was listed this week as U.S. attorney on newly-filed federal motions to dismiss Jan. 6-related cases that have yet to go to trial. Several news organizations reported this week that Martin has been tapped as interim U.S. attorney for D.C. in President Donald Trumps new administration. Trump on Tuesday issued a sweeping grant of clemency to all 1,500-plus people charged. Trumps transition office last month had announced that Martin would become chief of staff at the U.S. Office of Management and Budget. Its not clear whether Martin at some point will still move to that position. Martin could not be reached for comment Wednesday. The U.S. Justice Department, which oversees U.S. attorneys, did not respond to a request for clarification. Martin has been a board member of the Patriot Freedom Project, which says on its website that the prosecution of Jan. 6 defendants by the former Biden administration appeared to be politically motivated as they are being subjected to harsher treatment due to their political affiliation. Martin, who formerly lived in St. Louis, is an ex-Missouri Republican Party chairman and was chief of staff to former GOP Gov. Matt Blunt. He also chaired the St. Louis Election Board and ran unsuccessful races for a St. Louis-area U.S. House seat and Missouri attorney general. In recent years, he has lived in the Washington area. Trump, in a news release last month on the previous appointment to the federal budget position, noted that Martin had co-authored a book called The Conservative Case for Trump in 2016 with the late conservative icon Phyllis Schlafly. The Associated Press contributed to this report ST. LOUIS COUNTY The nonprofit National Museum of Transportation near Kirkwood is trying to raise money to remove graffiti from two of its trolleys. Terri McEachern, executive director of the museum, said vandals damaged the trolleys Jan. 10. Video cameras show two people carrying bags and entering the property on Barrett Station Road about 6 a.m. that Friday, McEachern said. They walked in along train tracks of the Union Pacific mainline and climbed over rocks to get to the trolleys, she said. A green-and-cream trolley was sprayed with white bubble letters. Initials and numbers were scribbled across its side. On another part of the trolley, big red bubble letters, JSK, were outlined in black. The vandals painted the graffiti as snow was falling. Thats somebody with a mission, McEachern said. Snow started accumulating that day around 6 a.m., and continued until 1 to 3 inches had fallen throughout the region, according to the National Weather Service. That was on top of the several inches of snow and sleet from the Jan. 5-6 snowstorm. After defacing the trolleys, the vandals then spray painted the security cameras, Darryl Ross, president of the museums board, said in a statement. The vandals havent been caught yet. St. Louis County police Detective Calvin McClain said Thursday that he has no suspects. Stay tuned, he said. Im hoping something will come to light. McClain said the video images arent that great and he chose not to publicize them in his effort to find the vandals. He said he cant even confirm if the vandals were male or female. The cost to remove the graffiti from both trolleys will be $20,000, McEachern said. The museum has an annual operating budget of $2.2 million. As a nonprofit, it receives no government support and relies on donations. The museum has nine full-time employees and 45 seasonal part-time workers. Its 135 volunteers donate some 15,000 hours of work a year to the museum, she said. Our trolley volunteers, they do all the restoration work and they operate the trolleys, she said. Its just so discouraging for them. The museum aims to have the trolleys cleaned up and ready to run again by mid-March, when theyd typically be ready for the next season. The trolleys are now roped off, covered in ice and snow, McEachern said. She declined to allow the Post-Dispatch to take a photograph of the damaged trolleys, saying she didnt want to give the taggers notoriety. One of the trolleys was the St. Louis Waterworks Railway #10. It was built by St. Louis Car Co. for the city-owned electric railway in 1914, according to the museum. The waterworks railway ran between the citys Baden neighborhood and the Chain of Rocks water plant for city workers, beginning in 1902. The other trolley is the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority, #2740. It was built in 1947. The museum is at 2933 Barrett Station Road, near Kirkwood in unincorporated St. Louis County. Graffiti isnt seen much in the county, but it has covered many parts of St. Louis. The city spends roughly $365,000 annually for graffiti removal through the nonprofit Brightside St. Louis. But that pays for removing only a fraction of what is out there. For information on the Museum of Transportations fundraiser, go to the museums website. Missouri officials are warning the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency of a high likelihood there is radioactive contamination in a smoldering landfill in Bridgeton. In a letter last week, the Missouri Department of Natural Resources asked that the EPA assume oversight of the Bridgeton Landfill, arguing it may contain nuclear waste like the adjacent West Lake Landfill. The two landfills, situated in the St. Louis suburb of Bridgeton, have received extensive attention from regulators over the years. The Bridgeton Landfill has been experiencing a subsurface smoldering event a chemical reaction that heats and consumes waste like a fire but lacks oxygen for more than 14 years, emitting noxious odors and raising concerns among residents that the fire might reach the radioactive waste in the West Lake Landfill next door. The West Lake Landfill is subject to an EPA oversight and a cleanup to remove thousands of tons of uranium left over from World War II. But, the state argued in its letter, there may be radioactive waste in the Bridgeton portion of the landfill far closer to the subsurface smolder than previously known. Kellen Ashford, a spokesman for the EPA, said in an email that the agency has no new evidence or information to support any claim that radiologically-impacted material is present anywhere else in the Bridgeton Landfill. Ashford said the EPA is seeking more information from the state about its letter. Brian Quinn, a spokesman for the Missouri Department of Natural Resources, said in an emailed statement that the department agreed with the EPAs most recent work and analysis at the site. Quinn did not immediately respond to follow-up questions about the agencys belief that the Bridgeton Landfill may contain radioactive waste. The landfills owner, Republic Services, could not be reached immediately for comment Wednesday evening, but its subsidiary, Bridgeton Landfill LLC, told KMOV there is no evidence whatsoever of radiologically impacted material in Bridgeton Landfill. The St. Louis area has struggled for years with a radioactive waste problem. During World War II, uranium was refined in downtown St. Louis for use in the Manhattan Project, the name given to the war-era effort to build the worlds first atomic bomb. After the war, the waste was trucked to St. Louis County and dumped at the airport where it leaked into Coldwater Creek, polluting its banks and waters and subjecting generations of families to radiation exposure and an increased risk of certain cancers. The waste was sold and moved to a site in Hazlewood still adjacent to the creek where it continued to expose residents. In 1973, after valuable metals were extracted from the pile, the remaining waste was illegally dumped in the West Lake Landfill, where it remains today. The EPA is nearing the end of a process to plan an excavation of much of the radioactive waste from the landfill. Parts of the landfill with lower levels of contamination will be capped. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is overseeing the cleanup of Coldwater Creek. Last week, the EPA announced it would expand the excavation at the West Lake Landfill because it found additional radioactive contamination. Under the revised plan, another 40 acres of the landfill will be included in the cleanup. Crews will need to dig up another 20,000 cubic yards of contaminated soil and debris, and the price of the cleanup will climb to almost $400 million. For years, the EPA thought the radioactive material was confined to two portions of the landfill, relying on findings from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, which, in the late 1970s, flew a helicopter over the landfill to measure gamma radioactivity. That effort missed contamination in parts of the landfill. The Missouri Department of Natural Resources letter came in response to the EPAs announcement last week that it would expand the cleanup. The state agency said it supported the expanded cleanup and recommended that the EPA considers being the lead agency for all the potentially affected properties. Missouri Independent is part of States Newsroom, a network of news bureaus supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Missouri Independent maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Jason Hancock for questions: info@missouriindependent.com. Follow Missouri Independent on Facebook and X. TASHKENT, Uzbekistan, January 23. Uzbekistan Airways will begin operating direct flights between Tashkent and Madrid starting April 7, the airlines told Trend. The flights will be conducted weekly, every Monday, offering travelers a convenient connection between Uzbekistan and Spain. Meanwhile, the number of foreign tourists visiting Uzbekistan amounted to 7.2 million people from January through November 2024. This indicator increased by 18.8 percent (1.1 million people) compared to the same period last year. Amongst all the countries, Kyrgyzstan took the cake for having the lion's share of tourists who flocked to Uzbekistan during this perioda whopping 2.12 million people. Tajikistan came in second with 2.1 million people, followed by Kazakhstan (1.3 million people), Russia (741,200 people), and Turkmenistan (171,200 people). An Air Force A-10 Thunderbolt II operates at Osan Air Base, South Korea, Jan. 21, 2025. (U.S. Air Force photo by Jason Cochran) OSAN AIR BASE, South Korea Air Force A-10 Thunderbolt IIs in South Korea are making their final flights this week during an annual joint exercise before the sturdy ground attack aircraft are retired. The four-day Buddy Squadron exercise kicked off Tuesday with eight A-10s from the 51st Fighter Wing out of Osan, about 35 miles south of Seoul, wing spokesman Maj. Kippun Sumner said by phone Thursday. An unspecified number of FA-50 Fighting Eagles and KA-1 light-attack aircraft from the South Korean 8th Fighter Wing are also participating in the drills, according to a South Korean air force news release Wednesday. Pilots will conduct combat patrol missions together to ensure joint operational capabilities in South Korean airspace, the release said. A South Korean air force KA-1 light-attack aircraft takes off from Wonju Air Base, South Korea, Jan. 21, 2025. (South Korean air force) All 24 A-10s stationed in South Korea are scheduled to be retired this year as part of an Air Force effort to modernize its fleet. The aircraft will be moved in phases to the 309th Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Group at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Ariz., where they will undergo maintenance and display preparations, the 7th Air Force announced in November. No replacement is imminent and existing U.S. and South Korean aircraft on the Korean Peninsula, including F-35A Lightning IIs and F-16 Fighting Falcons, can fill the A-10s role, the 7th Air Force said at the time. There is no specific date for the A-10s final flight in South Korea, Sumner said. The A-10, also known as the Warthog for its distinctive appearance and durability, is a single-seat aircraft primarily used for close air support missions. Originally developed by Fairchild Republic, it has served the Air Force since 1975 and participated in the Gulf War, Iraq War, the war in Afghanistan, and the war against the Islamic State in Syria. Buddy Squadron has been conducted annually since 1991 and is one of several aerial exercises regularly held by the two air forces in and around South Korea. Others include Korea Flying Training and the Vigilant Defense drills held in the second half of the year. Misawa Air Base is home of the 35th Fighter Wing in northeastern Japan. (Aaron Kidd/Stars and Stripes) High levels of chemicals used in firefighting foam have been detected near a U.S. Air Force base in northeastern Japan, officials announced Wednesday. PFAS per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances was found at five places near Misawa Air Base during a December survey, according to data posted on the Aomori Prefectural Office website. The Air Forces 35th Fighter Wing and Japan Air Self-Defense Force operate from the base. PFAS, and its components, PFOS and PFOA, are also found in many household products, from stainproof and waterproof fabric to nonstick cookware, according to the American Cancer Society. They are linked to an increased risk of certain tumors of the liver, testicles, breasts and pancreas. U.S. Forces Japan announced in November that the U.S. military had destroyed its last supplies of firefighting foam containing the chemicals at installations in the country. The Misawa survey, conducted by local and central government officials, detected the highest chemical levels at one location since testing began in 2022, an official at Misawa citys environment protection section told Stars and Stripes by phone Thursday. Some Japanese government officials may speak to the press only on condition of anonymity. In January 2022, the wing reported that water had leaked through a cracked pipe that once held firefighting foam in a hardened aircraft shelter on Misawa and flowed into the wastewater treatment system. Three months later, a water quality survey at the Itsukawametsutsumi reservoir, near the air base, found 14 times more PFAS than Japans national provisional target value of 50 nanograms per liter. The December survey found 760 nanograms of PFAS per liter in water from the reservoir. Seawater just over a half-mile offshore contained 0.8 nanograms of PFAS per liter, according to the data posted online. Tests found 180 nanograms of PFAS per liter of water in drains connected to a reservoir in Tengumori, also near the base, the data show. Water in those reservoirs has not been used for drinking and the city will continue to monitor the situation, the Misawa city official said. Water in Ane Numa, a freshwater pond south of Lake Ogawara, also near the base, contained 22 nanograms of PFAS per liter, the data show. Water from the lake, tested at three sites, had between 2.2 to 2.7 nanograms of PFAS per liter, according to the data. Air Force officials at Misawa did not respond to emailed requests for information Thursday morning and did not answer phone calls that afternoon. The next survey will be conducted in May, according to the prefectural website. Four A-10C Thunderbolt II aircraft from the Maryland Air National Guard fly in formation over the state in May 2023. Air National Guard A-10s that were stranded at NAS Sigonella in Sicily for months returned to the U.S. on Jan. 18, 2025, a Maryland National Guard spokesman said Jan. 22. (Rachel Underwood/ Air National Guard) Six Air National Guard jets stuck at a Navy base in Sicily for months have returned to the U.S., a Guard official said. The A-10C Thunderbolt II aircraft departed from Naval Air Station Sigonella last week and arrived in the U.S. on Saturday, Maj. Benjamin Hughes, a Maryland National Guard spokesman, said Wednesday. Four of the jets, also known as Warthogs, were at Warfield Air National Guard Base at Martin State Airport in Maryland as of Monday, Hughes said. The other two attack jets, assigned to the Michigan Air National Guard, were at Selfridge Air National Guard Base, home of the 127th Wing, Penny Carroll, a spokeswoman for the base, said on Thursday. The Warthogs had been parked at Sigonella since November after a routine stop there while returning from deployment to the Middle East. Five of the planes needed repairs before making the trans-Atlantic flight, leaving only one that was mission-ready. The timeline for repairs was dependent on parts availability, the Air Force said at the time. Shortly after Stars and Stripes asked about the Warthogs, officials announced they were scheduled to leave on Jan. 16. The Air Force is working to divest itself of the A-10, a combat workhorse popular for its ability to offer close-air support to troops on the ground. Still, the Warthog continues to have a presence in U.S. combat, especially in the Middle East where, among other missions, American personnel are helping with efforts to prevent a resurgence of the Islamic State group in Iraq and Syria. A-10s supporting ground forces recently in Iraq were successful in eliminating the ISIS fighters within a cave, U.S. Central Command said in a Jan. 6 statement. And on Nov. 29, A-10s were flown to strike militants preparing a rocket rail near Mission Support Site Euphrates in Syria. While the 175th Wing of the Maryland ANG was on deployment, most of its missions supported anti-ISIS operations, the wing said in a statement Nov. 1. The 3D-printed drone developed by the U.S. Army's 101st Airborne Division takes its initial flight Oct. 10, 2024, at Fort Campbell, Ky. The drone is set to be tested during Operation Lethal Eagle in the spring. (Kaden Pitt/U.S. Army) An Army division that became legendary for the World War II exploits of its paratroopers is carving out a new niche in the sky in anticipation of future battlefields. The Kentucky-based 101st Airborne Division launched its own drone-making mission, which is aimed at getting cheap aerial systems into the hands of soldiers for experimentation, the unit said this week. The initiative is the latest push by the Army to incorporate the commercial-type drones put into effective use by both sides in the Russia-Ukraine war into U.S. Army combat formations. Relying on a 3D printing program, the groundbreaking effort will revolutionize how troops operate, the division said in a statement Tuesday. This is bigger than simply printing parts, Col. Travis McIntosh, a deputy commander for the 101st, said in the statement. We are reshaping the (small drone) enterprise at the tactical level. The plan is to produce 100 of the systems at the divisions home base at Fort Campbell through a joint effort with the 5th Special Forces Group. Soldiers assigned to the 101st Airborne Division use a 3D-printed drone Oct. 10, 2024, at Fort Campbell, Ky. The division created its own drone-making program in response to soldiers' desire to have cheap, expendable unmanned aircraft to use for skill development. (Kaden Pitt/U.S. Army) A civilian working with the 101st Airborne Division's innovation program controls a 3D-printed drone Oct. 10, 2024, at Fort Campbell, Ky. (Kaden Pitt/U.S. Army) While the U.S. military has relied on large, long-range drones for many years, the war in Ukraine has showcased how cheap, off-the-shelf technology can also make a difference on the battlefield. In 2023, U.S. European Commands Gen. Christopher Cavoli singled out such devices as having a paralytic effect on Russian forces. Russian troops also have been effective at using similar systems. Furthermore, China and Russia are surging ahead in the realm of (small drones) while the United States moves at a relatively glacial pace, the Modern War Institute at West Point said in March. The institutes report noted that Ukrainian troops trained by Americans were shocked by U.S. soldiers general ignorance of drone warfare tactics. Soldiers at the small-unit level need to be supplied with large numbers of expendable drones so platoons and squads can experiment in the field and develop standard operating procedures, according to the report. The 101st Airborne said its push to manufacture such systems came in response to requests from soldiers for more versatile, durable and expendable drones than what have so far been available. The statement did not say how much production costs, but the new drones will be tested in the spring during an exercise dubbed Operation Lethal Eagle, which is focused on various Army prototypes and initiatives. Tulley Gate at Fort Belvoir, Va., on Oct. 24, 2024. (Eric Kayne/Stars and Stripes) An Army lieutenant colonel called out of retirement by the service to face a court-martial at Fort Belvoir, Va., for an accusation of sexual assault has had the charges against him dropped, according to court records. Lt. Col. Adam Winograd, 47, pleaded not guilty in April to the charge that he had sex with a major without her consent in Manassas on Feb. 24, 2022, according to the charge sheet and online court records. The womans name is redacted from the charge sheet. He was also charged with assault for a 2018 altercation with his then-teenaged son, which was also dropped. Col. Joseph Messina, Fort Belvoir garrison commander and the convening authority on Winograds case, dismissed the charges against the retired officer on Jan. 16, about a month before the court-martial was scheduled to begin. Officials at Fort Belvoir did not respond to a request for comment on why he made the decision. The move came about two weeks after the judge in the case ordered Messinas legal counsel advise him on whether the evidence in the case was strong enough to obtain and sustain a conviction, said Nathan Freeburg, an attorney for Winograd. Doing so is required by a policy that went into effect Jan. 1, 2024. But based on Messinas testimony provided in the court documents, the commander might not have received such legal guidance. Freeburg said it is possible that this led to Messina withdrawing the charges. Lt. Col. Winograd intends now to proceed with his life, he said. Hes happy that the Army has applied the appropriate legal standard and seen the deficiencies in a case against him. Dismissing the yearslong case before trial leaves fundamental questions unanswered, said Ryan Guilds, special victims counsel for the major. My client is committed to pursuing those answers, not just for herself but for every victim who faces the prospect of reporting and pursuing accountability and justice, he said. Before Winograd retired in December 2022, the Army had already attempted to charge him for the same sexual-assault accusation. The case ended after a preliminary hearing to review evidence in the case determined the charge should not move to a court-martial, according to court documents. Civilian authorities also had considered prosecuting Winograd but also determined there was not enough evidence, according to court documents. The major lobbied Lt. Gen. Allan Pepin, then the commander of the Military District of Washington, to appoint someone else to re-examine the case because of possible bias. Pepin did not determine any bias in the original decision but in May 2023 agreed to allow a review from another convening authority in an abundance of caution, according to court documents. A second preliminary hearing was held in February 2024 and found probable cause for the charge of sexual assault. Messina then moved the charges forward for a court-martial. The Office of Special Trial Counsel, which was established in December to handle certain charges, including sexual assault, said it is not involved in Winograds prosecution. The office has the authority to bring back older cases but it did not do so in this case. Group photo of 28 of the 30 survivors of the Bataan Death March who attended their second reunion held at the Bahnhof Hotel in Darmstadt, Germany, April 8-9, 1949. All survivors served in the European Theater of Command (EC) at the time of the reunion. The two women in the picture are most likely Mrs. Earleen Francis and Mrs. Carmen Sewell who both served as Army nurses and survived the Bataan march and married fellow survivors. A third U.S. Army nurse survivor who also attended the reunion was 1st Lt. Eleanor M. Garen. (Gordon Curvan/Stars and Stripes) This article first appeared in the Stars and Stripes Europe edition, Apr. 9, 1949. It is republished unedited in its original form, including offensive terminology now considered offensive but commonly used at the time. We had seen it coming for many weeks. The Voice of Freedom; from Corregidor had told us, Help is on the way, but now, with Hongkong, Singapore, Malaya and the Netherlands East Indies all in the hands of the Japanese army, and with the Japanese navy dominating the Western Pacific and the China Sea, all of us felt that help would not arrive in time. Since Jan. 7, 1942, all troops in Bataan had been on half Filipino-rations. If you do not know what that means, ask a survivor. Medical supplies had been almost exhausted on the many casualties and the great number of malaria and dysentery cases, and no resupply was available. Artillery ammunition had been strictly rationed since March 1. Grenades, mortar and small-arms ammunition were at-shockingly low levels, and no resupply was available. The two hospitals were taxed beyond their capacity with malaria and dysentery cases. No more such cases could be sent them. New cases had to remain in organization areas to be treated by local medical corps men. In the majority of cases rest was the only treatment. Since Jan. 26, when Japanese attacks from the north had forced the withdrawal of the I and II Corps to the reserve battle position, no ground had been lost to the enemy. They had made four landings on the west coast of Bataan all of them pushed back into the sea. The enemy had dug a salient into the reserve battle position, but it was wiped out, although with heavy losses for us and annihilation of the enemy caught in the pocket. The Japanese air force, with complete air superiority, had had a Roman holiday since our surviving bombers and most of the remaining P40s had gone to Australia. Gen. Douglas MacArthur had been ordered to Australia and Gen. Jonathan M. Wainwright had become the commander-in-chief and had gone from Bataan to Corregidor. The Japanese army had given us a rest since about Feb. 25. They had underestimated the job. They had sent a boy to do a mans work. Why did not the Japanese let us starve to death and rot on Bataan and Corregidor? We believed oriental face was the cause. Now they were preparing for the kill. Our intelligence reports indicated fresh troops were arriving, probably from Malaya. On March 22 our patrols ran into furious opposition, indicating a closer approach to our lines of heavier Japanese forces. New Japanese warships joined the craft already in Philippine waters. Two of the survivors attending the Bataan Death March reunion in Darmstadt, Germany on April 8-9, 1949. Possibly Mrs. Eileen Francis and her husband, Maj. Garnet P. Francis. Mrs. Francis was a U.S. Army nurse when serving in Bataan. (Gordon Curvan/Stars and Stripes) Survivors of the Bataan Death March at their reunion held at the Bahnhof Hotel in Darmstadt, Germany, April 8-9, 1949. The two women in the picture are most likely Mrs. Earleen Francis and Mrs. Carmen Sewell who both served as Army nurses and survived the Bataan march and married fellow survivors. (Gordon Curvan/Stars and Stripes) On March 25 the Japanese air force increased its bombing of Bataan along our front and rear areas. The few prisoners caught alive were from fresh divisions. On the night of March 28-29 the enemy hit our II Corps (on the east flank) but by morning the line had been reestablished. On March 30, as if in reprisal, the Japanese air force bombed the base hospital on South Bataan, killing men on their stretchers and nurses and doctors who had stayed at their sides. On, March 31 the Japanese Manila radio said, the raid was unintentional. The Battle of Bataan took on a sinister note from the morning of April 3 on. The enemy shelled the positions of the I and II Corps and their infantry tore holes in the middle of the II Corps. New waves of shock troops hit the II Corps line on the night of April 4-5, and Japanese barges, mounting 75-MM guns, struck the rear of the II Corps from Manila Bay. The situation on the II Corps front grew worse and the enemy, with new companies of tanks, supported by dive bombers, drove deep holes in the II Corps positions on April 5. Continued attacks caused the beginning of the disintegration of the II Corps on April 6 and 7; the situation was hopeless. Maj. Gen. E. P. King, Jr., the commander of Bataan, sent his chief of staff to Corregidor to inform Wainwright of the hopelessness of the situation and the fact that he might have to surrender. Wainwright, who had his orders from MacArthur not to permit surrender, sent back a message to King not to surrender but to attack. To the garrison on Bataan, ill-fed, depleted from malaria and dysentery, with medical supplies, food and ammunition running out, this order was given without a full realization of the conditions in Bataan. On April 8 the II, Corps was again rolled back, even though available troops from the I Corps, on the west side of Bataan had been rushed over to help stem the tide. So, at 6 am on the morning of April 9, King sent the Japanese an offer of surrender. The Japanese accepted, but the order to cease fire did not get to the Japanese front lines for another 24 hours. The firing eventually stopped and the Japanese moved in to enjoy the spoils. The terms of surrender required all U.S. and Filipino troops to assemble at their various headquarters, pile their arms and all military equipment and await the arrival of Japanese officers. On the arrival of the Japanese, the U.S. officers and troops were told to take whatever baggage they could carry and were directed to march to the south toward Mariveles. The Filipino officers and men were segregated but marched by the same roads. Japanese soldiers looted everything they desired rings, watches, fountain pens, knives and pesos. At points along the road the prisoners were required to deposit all baggage. Each prisoner was then directed to keep his canteen, mess kit, one blanket, one change of underwear and one change of socks and his toilet articles. The Japanese had made no provisions for feeding or providing water for their captives. The weather was hot, the sun was bright and brassy. So, from the surrender of Bataan, started the nightmare and the horrors of the Death March the trek from southern Bataan to San Fernando, a long, slow, tortuous march. For some it meant disease from which they never recovered; for others, death from a Japanese bayonet or pistol; and for the rest the humiliation and the horrors of Japanese prisoner-of-war camps. Will our country always be so shortsighted? Is our way of self-government so unwieldy that a repetition of Bataan can occur? Lest we forget recall sharply and vividly the days of Pearl Harbor, the fall of Bataan, the fall of Corregidor. About the author: Brig Gen Clinton A. Pierce, now Augsburg Military Post commander [per 1949 ed.], was promoted during the battle of Bataan to brigadier general, and the same day became the first American general to be wounded. When Bataan surrendered, Pierce was taken prisoner by the Japanese. He was among those Americans forced to take the Death March, from Bataan south to San Fernando. After three years, Pierce was liberated in Manchuria by the Russians on Aug. 25, 1945. TASHKENT, Uzbekistan, January 23. Uzbekistan and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) discussed the progress of the reconstruction of the 0-84 km section of the D213 Road Urgench-Khonka-Khazarasp-Amu Darya River-A380" project, Trend reports. The project was reviewed at a meeting between the Chairman of the Committee for Roads under the Ministry of Transport of Uzbekistan Jamshid Tursunov, and representatives of EBRD. Discussions during the meeting also touched on the status of the toll road construction project between Tashkent and Samarkand. Both parties exchanged proposals to expedite the implementation of these critical infrastructure projects. Meanwhile, the reconstruction project, initiated under presidential decree, is a key infrastructure development initiative. A loan agreement worth $238 million was signed with the EBRD in 2024, contributing to the total project cost of $294.1 million. Uzbekistan's share in the project is $56.1 million. The reconstruction involves upgrading the current two-lane road to a four-lane highway with cement-concrete pavement along an 84 km stretch. Additionally, the project will include the construction of 43 bridges costing $15.8 million; two overpasses costing $27 million; three pedestrian overpasses costing $1.7 million; 70 km of pedestrian and bicycle paths. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel Brig. Gen. Kevin Collins, commander of the 3rd Marine Logistics Group, presents a Purple Heart to Chief Warrant Officer 2 William Faffler at Camp Kinser, Okinawa, Jan. 6, 2025. (Weston Brown/U.S. Marine Corps) CAMP KINSER, Okinawa Marine Cpl. William Faffler was two months into his only deployment to Afghanistan when his mine-resistant ambush protected vehicle, or MRAP, rolled over a 120-pound roadside bomb. Faffler, now a chief warrant officer 2, was a combat cameraman recording video on a route clearance mission with the Armys Task Force Thor in Helmand province, May 2, 2010. After four hours of rolling, I turned [the camera] off for a second, and, of course, thats exactly when it happened, Faffler, a visual information officer with 3rd Marine Logistics Group, told Stars and Stripes on Wednesday. The blast knocked him unconscious for two minutes, according to a Jan. 6 news release from the logistics group. During a Jan. 6 ceremony at Camp Kinser, Faffler collected two Purple Hearts, long overdue. Both medals recognized Faffler had suffered traumatic brain injuries while in action, injuries that went undiagnosed until last May, he said. He earned the second Purple Heart on Oct. 25, 2010, during a foot patrol with Bravo Company, 1st Reconnaissance Battalion. Cpl. Todd Love, walking point ahead of Faffler, stepped on an IED and lost both legs and his left arm. Chief Warrant Officer 2 William Faffler recently received two Purple Hearts for traumatic brain injuries he sustained in Afghanistan in 2010. He now serves as a visual information officer for the 3rd Marine Logistics Group at Camp Kinser, Okinawa. (Brian McElhiney/Stars and Stripes) Half the guys from my team were pretty out of it. They got a good chunk of that blast, Faffler said. Those blasts were among hundreds experienced by patrols during the deployment, retired Col. Robert Gardner, at the time the operations officer with 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, told Stars and Stripes in an email Thursday. Many Marines were reluctant to acknowledge those invisible blast effects since a three strike rule was in effect where if they suffered three blasts, they would not be able to go outside the wire for the rest of their deployment, he said. And no Marine wants to let his fellow Marines down by not being there. Many service members fear being stigmatized as weak or unfit for duty if they seek treatment for traumatic brain injuries, or TBI, according to Sgt. Major of the Marine Corps Troy Black, who talked about TBI for a Health.mil podcast in March. They may not recognize the symptoms, have concerns about their mental health or harbor other misconceptions about TBI, said Black and others on the podcast. Faffler and his wife, Katie Faffler, both from Minneapolis, and their four children struggled for years with Fafflers symptoms, which included forgetfulness, personality changes and insomnia. Chief Warrant Officer 2 William Faffler stands in his office at 3rd Marine Logistics Group headquarters on Camp Kinser, Okinawa, Jan. 22, 2025. He recently received two Purple Hearts for traumatic brain injuries sustained in Afghanistan in 2010. (Brian McElhiney/Stars and Stripes) You just dont realize all the sacrifice youre doing these years even after deployments and stuff and how it affects your family, because you just keep going, Katie Faffler said by phone Wednesday. Looking back now, Im like, oh, all those things make sense now. Faffler attributed some symptoms to post-traumatic stress disorder. He explained it as a software-hardware issue. Software is like a bug fix, it just takes time to work it out; youre just processing a crazy thing that happened to you, he said. And we did that we got past that point, I feel like, that we could put it in its box. But then there was always this thing that I couldnt get over. Faffler is taking supplements for the neurotransmitter gamma-aminobutyric acid, or GABA, which has a calming effect, and is weighing other treatment options. He also wants to help other Marines with service-related brain injuries receive Purple Hearts. I know that theres so many people out there that dont have that validation, and you feel a little crazy, he said. If you have these things and you know theres just something wrong, but everyones telling you, Ah, no, youre OK, thats a very weird spot to be in. An American flag waves during a demonstration near the presidential residence in Seoul, South Korea, Jan. 15, 2025. (David Choi/Stars and Stripes) SEOUL, South Korea Supporters of impeached South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol are using American symbols to voice their allegiance following his arrest due to a failed attempt to impose martial law last month. For weeks, thousands of pro-Yoon demonstrators rejecting the insurrection charges against him have rallied outside the National Assembly, presidential residence and courthouses. Many wave American flags, while others carry banners with conservative U.S. political slogans, such as Make Korea Great Again, linking Yoons situation to the future of U.S.-South Korea relations. Yoon was arrested Jan. 15 after a weekslong standoff between his security detail and investigators. Early Sunday, the Seoul Western District Court extended his detention for up to 20 days at prosecutors request. That decision stirred his supporters many clutching U.S. flags who stormed the building, broke windows and vandalized furniture and office equipment. Fifty-six had been arrested as of Wednesday, according to the court. A supporter of impeached South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol rides a scooter near Seoul Western District Court, Jan. 20, 2025. (David Choi/Stars and Stripes) American and South Korean flags hang from a tent where volunteers serve coffee to supporters of impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol near the presidential residence in Seoul, South Korea, Jan. 15, 2025. (David Choi/Stars and Stripes) A supporter of impeached South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol wears an American flag mask outside Seoul Western District Court, Jan. 20, 2025. (David Choi/Stars and Stripes) At a demonstration outside the court on Monday, protester David Heo donned a hat emblazoned with the stars and stripes. Since the founding of our country, people have waved the U.S. and South Korean flags together, he said. Even during Park Geun-hyes administration, we waved both flags. Its not anything strange. Park, who led the country from 2013 to 2017, was impeached and served nearly five years in prison for abuse of power and bribery. Another Yoon supporter, Park Jin-hee, carried a sign that read, Stop the Steal, a phrase popularized by supporters of President Donald Trump. Yoons backers claim his impeachment is a politically motivated scheme by opposition parties. The U.S. has helped South Korea in many ways, including building hospitals, churches and schools during and after the Korean War, Park said. Thats why were holding two flags. Yoon declared martial law briefly on Dec. 3, prompting more than 1,000 protesters outside the National Assembly to demand his ouster. However, demonstrations by Yoons supporters now appear to outnumber those of his opponents. Nearly 52% of 1,002 respondents to a poll released Monday by the Pen and Mike news agency said they believe Yoons arrest was justified. Nearly 45% said they still support the president. Supporters of impeached South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol damaged this wall during a protest at the Seoul Western District Court, Jan. 15, 2025. (David Choi/Stars and Stripes) A supporter of impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol camps out in front of the presidential residence in Seoul, South Korea, Jan. 15, 2025. (David Choi/Stars and Stripes) The day Yoon was taken into custody, hundreds of his supporters braved freezing temperatures outside the presidential residence, some equipped with sleeping bags and blankets. Scores of presidential security staff also gathered outside the residence, where Yoon had barricaded himself. More than 3,000 police officers arrived to arrest him, according to the Reuters news agency, but Yoon surrendered to prevent unsavory bloodshed. We believe in politicians like Trump so thats why were waving the American flag, said Shin Hee-chae, who traveled 200 miles from Ulsan to attend Mondays rally. His car bore an American flag mounted on the hood. The protests reflect generational divides in South Korea, according to Sung-Yoon Lee, a fellow at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars in Washington, D.C. Conservative groups in South Korea, many composed of senior citizens, have a closer connection to the U.S. due to their upbringing in the wake of the Korean War, Lee said by phone Friday. South Korea relied heavily on U.S. support after the war, with 69% of imports between 1953 and 1962 funded by Washington, according to the U.S. Agency for International Development. Lee noted that younger generations may harbor anti-U.S. sentiments due to historical incidents, such as the 2002 deaths of two South Korean schoolgirls hit by a U.S. Army vehicle. The soldiers involved were acquitted, leading to nationwide protests. Another factor is hope among Yoons supporters that Trump or his allies might step in on Yoons behalf. They somewhat naively believe that the U.S. will somehow politically intervene, which, of course, it cannot, even if it wanted to, Lee said. A presidential election is expected in two months unless the Constitutional Court dismisses the impeachment. A U.S. Army M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket System is greeted by Estonian children waving and cheering as it rolls down the street during a parade in Rakvere, Estonia, Jan. 16, 2025. Estonia has taken delivery of its first HIMARS launchers, after they were handed over at a Lockheed Martin plant in Arkansas on Jan. 13, and are expected to arrive in the Baltic country in the coming months. (Joseph Novak/U.S. Army) Estonias push to strengthen deterrence against neighboring Russia is getting a boost from a U.S.-made mobile artillery weapon that has drawn widespread interest because of its battlefield performance in Ukraine. The Baltic country, which has been a NATO member since 2004, received its first High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems earlier this month, according to separate statements Wednesday by Estonias Defense Ministry and the U.S. Embassy in Tallinn. Six HIMARS launchers were officially handed over to Estonian defense officials at the Lockheed Martin production facility in Arkansas on Jan. 13 and will be shipped to Estonia in the coming months, the statements said. From this summer, we will gain long-range precision strike capability with HIMARS, which will significantly expand the possibilities for defending Estonia, Maj. Tanel Tatsi, chief of staff of the Estonian militarys artillery battalion, said in Tallinns statement. The high-profile acquisition underscores Estonias commitment to modernizing its defense capabilities as well as NATOs broader reinforcement efforts, in light of persistent concerns about Russian aggression. Estonias location on the eastern flank of the NATO alliance makes it a potential flashpoint in the event of widening hostilities. The addition of HIMARS significantly upgrades its long-range firepower. HIMARS has a proven track record in Ukraine, where the rocket launchers have allowed Ukrainian troops to hit Russian command posts and logistics hubs far behind the front lines. The systems armored cab holds three operators a driver, gunner and section chief and is designed to withstand small-arms fire and artillery fragments. Estonia signed the agreement to procure six HIMARS launchers in December 2022, in what the defense ministry described as one of the largest arms deals in the countrys history, valued at more than $200 million. An Estonian flag is draped over a door of the first High Mobility Artillery Rocket System launcher built for the Baltic country at a Lockheed Martin plant in Camden, Ark., Jan. 13, 2025. The writing on the inside of the door marks the occasion. (U.S. Embassy Tallinn via X) Magnus-Valdemar Saar, director of Estonias National Center for Defense Investments, hailed the swift turnaround from contract signing to delivery. Developing such a strategic capability in cooperation with our largest ally, the United States, and achieving delivery in just two years is a vivid example of mutual trust and excellent cooperation, Saar said in a statement Wednesday. Beyond the core equipment, the contract includes GMLRS precision-guided rockets, communications systems, logistical support and personnel training. According to defense officials, the package is designed to give Estonia an extended-range precision-strike capability, a critical deterrent in a region where Russian troops are deployed just across the border. With the new rocket systems, Estonian forces will be able to strike targets out to roughly 40 miles using GMLRS-guided rockets, and up to 180 miles with M57 ATACMS ballistic missiles. In early 2024, the defense ministers of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania pledged to cooperate on future HIMARS use, after each country had placed its own orders. Altogether, the three Baltic states intend to field 20 launchers over the coming years. Lithuanias first HIMARS are expected to arrive later this year, while Latvias are expected to be delivered in 2027. Hungarian PM Viktor Orban listens to Slovakian PM Robert Fico speak to the media during the joint press conference in the Mirror Hall of the Slovak Governmental Office on Jan. 21, 2025, in Bratislava, Slovakia. The leaders met to discuss the protection of the TurkStream pipeline, the last operational gas pipeline connecting Russia with the European Union. Last week, Moscow accused Ukraine of targeting infrastructure in Russia related to the pipeline, which runs under the Black Sea to Turkey, then through Bulgaria to Serbia, Hungary, Slovakia, and Austria. (Zuzana Gogova/Getty Images via TNS) (Tribune News Service) The fate of the European Unions sanctions against Russia was thrown into limbo after a top Hungarian official called for a debate on the measures before an end-of-month deadline to renew them. The election of Donald Trump in the U.S. has created a new situation, which means sanctions renewal shouldnt be automatic, Cabinet Minister Gergely Gulyas told reporters on Thursday. The comments echoed those of Prime Minister Viktor Orban, who irked E.U. counterparts at a summit meeting last month by saying he wanted to wait until Trumps inauguration before deciding whether to extend sanctions. The last-minute intervention raised the prospect that a normally routine decision to extend measures may be jeopardized. The issue remains open. Gulyas declined to answer repeated questions about whether Orban would veto a renewal or if an extraordinary E.U. summit would have to be convened on the issue. The Hungarian premier has repeatedly called for the end of Russian sanctions. One of the E.U.s closest Trump allies, Orban has backed the U.S. presidents ambition to end the war swiftly, asserting that the new administration was poised to cut off aid to Ukraine. But Trumps remarks on Wednesday, in which he threatened Russia with further tariffs and sanctions if President Vladimir Putin failed to make a deal to end his war on Ukraine, may complicate Orbans position. I hope that the government of Hungary has read the message from the president of the United States and then we pass the sanction, Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski said at the World Economic Forum in Davos. Then we have another package and, yes, we need to close loopholes. E.U. ambassadors will meet in the coming days to see if they can advance the renewal, which requires the unanimous support of the blocs 27 member states. Several diplomats said there is currently no backup plan for extending the sanctions should Orban continue to block them. With assistance from Natalia Ojewska. 2025 Bloomberg L.P. Visit bloomberg.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. A woman in a burqa poses for a portrait in Ishkashim, Afghanistan, on Nov. 9, 2024. (Carolyn Van Houten/The Washington Post) The International Criminal Courts chief prosecutor announced Thursday he is seeking arrest warrants for the leader of the Taliban and another senior regime official over their alleged persecution of women and girls in Afghanistan. The requested warrants target Hibatullah Akhundzada, the reclusive Kandahar-based leader of the Taliban, and Abdul Hakim Haqqani, the groups chief justice. Karim Khan, the ICC prosecutor, said his office has determined there are reasonable grounds to believe that both men bear criminal responsibility for the crime against humanity of persecution on gender grounds. The judges of the court in The Hague will now decide whether to issue the warrants, the first to be sought over the situation in Afghanistan. Khan, a British lawyer, said Thursday that warrant applications for other senior Taliban members would be filed soon. These applications recognise that Afghan women and girls as well as the LGBTQI+ community are facing an unprecedented, unconscionable and ongoing persecution by the Taliban, the prosecutor said in a statement. He added that persons whom the Taliban perceived as allies of girls and women have also been targeted. The Taliban-run Foreign Ministry and the chief government spokesman did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The application for warrants was the result of a years-long investigation and was widely applauded by human rights groups Thursday. But even if the warrants are issued, they are likely to remain largely symbolic. Akhundzada and Haqqani have made no known trips abroad in recent years, and Haqqani was already sanctioned by the European Union in 2023 for gender repression. Many of the countries where Taliban officials are currently able to travel have not signed or ratified the Rome Statute - the ICCs founding document - meaning they have no obligation to arrest Akhundzada and Haqqani. The decision is likely to deepen the international isolation of the Taliban regime, which has not been formally recognized by any government since seizing power in 2021 after the withdrawal of U.S. forces. Some countries have tried to establish diplomatic ties with the regime to solve bilateral issues, but the Talibans treatment of women - regarded by human rights experts as unparalleled in its severity and systematic implementation - has significantly hindered further engagement. Earlier this week, President Donald Trump suspended the U.S. refugee admissions program, which halted flights for Afghans who had hoped to resettle in America and left thousands of other applicants in limbo. Many of those seeking refuge are women and girls, who say they have no future in Afghanistan. The government in Kabul has imposed increasingly repressive measures against women and girls, banning them from secondary and university education and limiting their ability to participate in public life. Women are currently barred from parks and are forbidden from long-distance travel without a male relative. Last month, they were banned from pursuing careers as nurses and midwives, which experts warned could exacerbate a mounting health crisis in the country. Based on testimonies, forensic reports and public statements, the ICC prosecutor said his office found the Taliban leaders to be in violation of the right to physical integrity and autonomy, to free movement and free expression, to education, to private and family life, and to free assembly. The complaint also cited acts of murder, imprisonment, torture, rape and other forms of sexual violence, enforced disappearance, and other inhumane acts. Taliban officials have said previously that womens lives have improved under their rule. Akhundzada said in a 2023 audio message that he wants women to live comfortable lives. Behind closed doors, some members of the Taliban government have criticized Akhundzada for the tightening restrictions against women and girls. But almost none of them have made their reservations public. Haq Nawaz Khan contributed to this report. Soldiers from the Texas National Guard watch a Border Patrol helicopter hover above a group of civilians wading in the Rio Grande River along the Texas-Mexico border in 2023. More active-duty troops, resources and assets are on their way to the U.S. border with Mexico, White House officials said Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2025. (James Garcia/U.S. Army) As many as 1,500 troops along with other resources and assets began moving to the U.S.-Mexico border on Wednesday for a deployment that includes the use of military aircraft to conduct deportation flights and support for construction efforts to extend the wall that separates the two countries, the Defense Department announced. Acting Defense Secretary Robert Salesses approved three actions Wednesday, following executive orders signed Monday by President Donald Trump. The president directed me to take all appropriate action to support the activities of the secretary of Homeland Security in obtaining complete operational control of the southern border of the United States, Salesses said in a statement. The deportation flights will include more than 5,000 migrants detained by Customs and Border Protection near San Diego and El Paso, Texas, he said. The Department of Homeland Security will provide in-flight law enforcement and the State Department will obtain the necessary clearances and notification to other countries. The deployment includes two C-17 and two C-130 transport aircraft to support the deportations, according to a senior military official who spoke to reporters Wednesday on the condition of anonymity. Information on which troops or units will deploy or where they will go along the four-state border with Mexico was not announced, though White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said Wednesday in an interview with Fox News that the mission is underway. This comes off [Trumps] day one action to direct the Defense Department to make homeland security a core mission of the agency, she said. This is something President Trump campaigned on. The American people have been waiting for such a time as this for our Defense Department to actually take homeland security seriously. Trump on Monday ordered the Pentagon to deploy as many troops as needed to the border. He also ordered the military to begin work on a wall between the U.S. and Mexico and come up with a security plan to seal the border and maintain the sovereignty, territorial integrity and security of the United States. The deployment of 1,500 troops will include helicopters and intelligence analysts to support increased detection and monitoring, Salesses said. It will consist of 1,000 Army personnel, including a battalion headquarters, and 500 Marines, the senior military official said. The Marines were previously assigned to the Federal Emergency Management Agency to assist with the California wildfires. They were released from that mission [and] are being reassigned to the southwest border. These forces will work on the replacement of physical barriers and other border conditions, the military official said. The Marines and soldiers will join about 2,500 National Guard members now at the border, according to the Pentagon. Those troops work a support mission that includes detection and monitoring, data entry, training, transportation, vehicle maintenance, warehousing and logistical support. This includes helicopters for aerial reconnaissance in support of Customs and Border Protection personnel on the ground. That mission began in April 2018 during Trumps first term as president and remained in place during former President Joe Bidens four years in office. Trump deployed active-duty troops to the border for several months in late 2018 after a large group of migrants arrived at one time. Biden briefly returned active-duty forces to the mission in May 2023 to prepare for changes to border-security policies that were in place following the coronavirus pandemic. U.S. Northern Command, which is the combatant command that has typically managed military troops working at the southwest border, will lead the mission with support from Transportation Command and the National Guard Bureau. The military supported border wall construction during Trumps first term as president, primarily through contract management. He also diverted more than $10 billion from the Defense Department, including money flagged for military construction projects, to build a wall along the border. When Biden took office in 2021, he halted most border wall construction. Matthew Adams contributed to this report. President Donald Trump speaks Tuesday, Jan. 21, 2025, in the Roosevelt Room of the White House. (Julia Demaree Nikhinson/AP) President Donald Trump on Thursday said all NATO countries must sharply increase their defense spending, demanding member states push well beyond current benchmarks that many of them already struggle to hit. Trump, speaking to an audience of global leaders gathered at an economic forum in Davos, Switzerland, said the current NATO threshold that calls for spending 2% of gross domestic product on military matters is insufficient. Im also going to ask all NATO nations to increase defense spending to 5% of GDP, which is what it should have been years ago, Trump said, speaking virtually from Washington. Trump, who made allied defense spending the focus of his approach to NATO in his first term, said the United States has shouldered too much of the security burden inside the 32-nation bloc. He said the situation has been unfair to the United States. Trump didnt directly say the 5% standard would apply to the United States. Washington would have to significantly boost its own defense spending to hit the 5% mark. Currently, the U.S. spends about 3.4% of GDP on the defense budget. Going to 5% would push the Pentagon budget of roughly $842 billion to more than $1 trillion. The focus on defense spending comes amid a wide range of security threats, stretching from the Pacific to Europe and the Middle East. Among NATO states, defense spending levels have been steadily rising for years. About 20 countries now hit the 2% mark, up from only three in 2014. Russias armed intervention in Ukraine in 2014 followed by its full-scale attack in 2022 have been major factors in the increases. Pressure from Trump during his first term also pushed allies to spend more, alliance officials have acknowledged. NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte, speaking in Davos on Thursday, backed Trumps demands for more spending. The problem is not the U.S., the problem is Europe, said Rutte, who added too many European states are failing to spend the bare minimum on defense. Thats problem No. 1, he said. Problem No. 2 is that 2% is not nearly enough. In the next five years, NATO will be unable to defend itself if spending stays at the 2% level, he said. In Europe, there is disagreement about the increase to 5%. Poland has backed the idea, and Warsaw has said it expects to hit the higher threshold in 2025. Lithuania has made the same commitment. But some of NATOs larger countries have not shown interest in a higher alliance requirement. Germany, which has been a focal point of Trumps criticisms over the years, finally hit the 2% level in 2024. But German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has balked at the idea of going much higher. Canadas Department of National Defense has said military spending would reach 1.176% of GDP by 2030, though the parliamentary budget office said that estimate was too high. How Germany manages the defense spending debate with Trump could factor into White House calculations about the future of the American military in Europe. At the end of Trumps first term, he sought to remove about 12,000 troops from Germany in connection with his complaints about the chronic low levels of domestic spending on defense by successive German governments. Doug Collins, the nominee to be the next secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs, is sworn in Tuesday, Jan. 21, 2025, before his Senate confirmation hearing in Washington. (Eric Kayne/Stars and Stripes) WASHINGTON The Senate Veterans Affairs Committee on Thursday almost unanimously advanced the nomination of Doug Collins to be the next secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs, paving the way for a vote by the full Senate. The committee voted 18-1 in support of Collins, a 58-year-old Air Force Reserve colonel and military chaplain from Georgia who served as a Republican in the House from 2013 to 2020. A Senate vote to confirm him will likely take place next week. I appreciate his firsthand experience, said Sen. Jerry Moran, R-Kan., the panels chairman. I appreciate what he brings to the table as a veteran, as a military chaplain, a lawyer and a lawmaker. I also appreciate his commitment to putting veterans first and to being forthright and transparent with this committee. The only opposition to Collins nomination came from Sen. Mazie Hirono, D-Hawaii, who said she was worried Collins would further privatize VA care and overturn regulations that allow the VA to provide abortion care in cases of rape, incest or to protect the life of the mother. Collins told senators during his confirmation hearing this week that we will be looking at that issue when I get in there to confirm that the VA is actually following the law. He has been an outspoken critic of abortion and as a lawmaker in 2016 introduced a bill to ban federal funds for abortion services. Sen. Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut, the top Democrat on the committee, also expressed concern about Collins less than a completely explicit or clear answer on abortion but said he supported his nomination. I was impressed by many of his answers and commitments to continue the forward progress for our veterans, which has been such a bipartisan cause, particularly in seeking expansion of the PACT Act for toxic exposed veterans, upgrading the VA facilities nationwide, delivering more resources to prevent veterans homelessness and utilizing every resource possible to stop veterans suicide, he said. Blumenthal and Moran said they were closely following the potential impact on the VA of the federal hiring freeze announced by President Donald Trump earlier this week. Moran said the committee is seeking more details on the directive from Trumps transition team. It would be useful to have Secretary Collins confirmed, in a position to advocate for his department and for the veterans who that department serves, and he indicated a willingness to do so, Moran said. If confirmed by the Senate, Collins will lead the second-largest agency in the federal government, with a $369 billion budget and nearly 400,000 employees who provide health care, disability compensation and other benefits to 18 million veterans. 25th GPHG awards ceremony Thursday 13 November 2025 The Grand Prix dHorlogerie de Geneve (GPHG) invites you to mark your calendars for its annual celebration of the 12th art to be held on Thursday 13 November 2025. The 25th GPHG Awards Ceremony will be held at the Batiment des Forces Motrices in Geneva, a new venue in a landmark location that has played a key role in the citys watchmaking development. This flagship event in the watchmaking calendar will see the professions leading representatives gather to honour the years finest timepieces. Meanwhile, GPHG Academy members will have the task of proposing the watch creations eligible for the competition, prior to brands' official entries this spring. They will then take part in each stage of the selection process that will determine the winners of this anniversary edition. Benedict Cumberbatch has confirmed that his character, Dr. Strange, will be a key character in the movie Avengers: Secret Wars." The actor shared details about the future of his character in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. ADVERTISIMENT In an interview with Variety, the actor also revealed that he will miss the movie "Avengers: Doomsday," which will be released in 2026 but will play an important role in the next part of the franchise. Cumberbatch admitted that he inadvertently disclosed this information, but confirmed that his character will be central to the final film of the new Marvel saga. The actor explained that his absence in "Doomsday" is related to the plot development, but in "Secret Wars," Dr. Strange will be a key figure. The last time the character appeared was in the 2022 film "Doctor Strange" in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and his story is far from over. According to Cumberbatch, Marvel is open to discussing the further development of Strange, which could lead to a third solo movie about the Sorcerer Supreme. ADVERTISIMENT In addition to his work in blockbusters, Cumberbatch is actively involved in independent projects. He is involved in creating non-standard films through his production company SunnyMarch. One of these films is The Thing With Feathers, which will be presented at the Sundance Film Festival. The film shows a completely different side of the actor, showing him in a more emotional and dramatic role. Despite his success in the Marvel franchise, Cumberbatch continues to look for creative challenges. His company develops unique projects that, according to him, Hollywood is not always ready to support. At the same time, the actor does not lose interest in large-scale movie adventures, believing that superhero films are a modern mythology that fascinates millions of viewers. ADVERTISIMENT In addition, Marvel is preparing another sensation the return of Robert Downey Jr. who will play Dr. Doom this time. Cumberbatch found out about it during the broadcast of Comic-Con 2024, which was a surprise even for him. He immediately wrote to the head of Marvel Studios, Kevin Feige, expressing surprise at the studio's decision. As for working on the Marvel set, Cumberbatch admitted that at first, it was difficult for him to adapt to large-scale production. Only over time did he learn to be more relaxed in the role of Dr. Strange. An important lesson for him was the interaction with his colleagues, such as Robert Downey Jr. and Tom Holland, who easily improvised in their scenes. Despite his busy schedule at Marvel, Cumberbatch is not ready to give up the role. He believes that the character has great potential and is looking forward to seeing what storylines the studio decides to develop next. Dr. Strange remains one of the most important figures in the cinematic universe, and his participation in "The Secret Wars" will be crucial. But Cumberbatch's return to the role of Sherlock Holmes is still in question. He noted that it is possible only if the new season surpasses the previous ones. However, now the actor's main focus is on future Marvel projects and independent films. Subscribe to OBOZ.UA channels on Telegram and Viber to keep up with the latest events. The 37-year-old faced prosecution over the seizure of 30,000 worth of cannabis from a taxi he was stopped in Drugs charges brought against murdered Belfast man John George are to be formally withdrawn, it was announced in court today. The 37-year-old faced prosecution over the seizure of 30,000 worth of cannabis from a taxi he was stopped in. But a judge at Belfast Magistrates Court agreed to end the case against him following confirmation of his death in Spain. Mr George was reported missing in December after failing to return home from a holiday in Alicante. A murder investigation was launched after his body was discovered earlier this month. Autopsy reports have now established that the father-of-two was stabbed and then shot, according to a lawyer representing the family. A 32-year-old man from the Czech Republic has already appeared in a Spanish court charged in relation to his murder. Mr George was on bail charged with possessing Class B drugs with intent to supply at the time of his death. He had been a passenger in a taxi stopped by police on the Lisburn Road in south Belfast back in April 2023, a previous court heard. Searches of the vehicle led to the discovery of vacuum packed consignments of cannabis in the boot area. The haul had a potential street value of 30,000. John George with brother Darren and sisters Courtney and Caitlin Police alleged that Mr George was connected to a wider network involved in an illegal trade across the Greater Belfast area. But at that stage defence representatives argued he merely acted as a courier to service his own personal addiction. The case against Mr George and two Chinese nationals charged as part of the same investigation was due to progress to trial sometime later this year. However, in court today, a Crown lawyer said the defendant John George was the unfortunate deceased. District Judge Steven Keown confirmed: As he has passed away the charges are withdrawn. Following the brief hearing defence solicitor Mark Austin said: The case (ended) because Mr George was sadly found dead in Spain. Case adjourned for DPPs directions A grandad accused of trespassing and producing a wooden pole at a proposed international protection accommodation centre has said the charges should be struck out. Daryl McMahon (49) was charged following an alleged incident at Thornton Hall, a state-owned 160-acre farm in north Co Dublin. Last June, the Government revealed it intended to use a portion of the property to provide temporary tented accommodation for 1,000 asylum-seekers. Mr McMahon, of Quilty House, Malahide Road, Dublin 17, appeared at Swords District Court charged with criminal trespass and possession of a wooden pole at Thornton Hall on August 6, 2024. The case was before the court for DPPs directions, but Sergeant Terri Ferguson said directions were outstanding. Sgt Ferguson said there were three other co-accused and it was a substantial file. The accuseds lawyer said DPPs directions should be available by now, and he asked for the case to be struck out. Judge Michael Connellan said he would not strike out the charges. Mr McMahon said he had the right to speak and the case should be struck out as DPPs directions were unavailable. Judge Connellan adjourned the case to a date next month. As part of his bail conditions, Mr McMahon must stay away from Thornton Hall and sign on at his local garda station. He asked for the signing-on condition to be relaxed, as he was helping to care for a sick grandchild, but Judge Connellan refused. The accused has not yet indicated a plea to the charges. Thompson (43) has claimed that his life is under direct threat from the Hutch crime family because of his conviction for the feud murder of David Douglas. Gangland killer Freddie Thompson can move his prison assault trial to Tullamore but his pleas to have the case held in Dublin on security grounds have been rejected. Thompson (43) has claimed that his life is under direct threat from the Hutch crime family because of his conviction for the feud murder of David Douglas. He is due to go on trial before Portlaoise Circuit Court charged with assaulting and threatening to kill an assistant chief officer in Portlaoise on different dates in 2022. However, Thompson has argued that the court isnt secure to hold his trial and that it should be moved to the Criminal Courts of Justice (CCJ) in Dublin. Ruling on the application, Judge Keenan Johnson said that Thompson has previously made a failed bid to have his trial transferred. He had unsuccessfully argued that he would not get a fair trial due to the adverse media publicity relating to his court appearances. Thompson is serving a life sentence for the 2016 murder of David Douglas in the context of the Hutch/Kinahan feud and has submitted that as a result he is under direct threat from the Hutch crime family. He has also claimed that throughout his eight years in custody, prison officials have constantly informed him that his life is under threat, and that this was the reason his requests to be transferred to Wheatfield Prison in Dublin have been rejected. Thompson expressed serious concern for his personal safety if his trial takes place in Portlaoise, citing the fact that he is brought from a prison van through a public area to the court. He claimed that an armed individual would have no problem attacking him as he walks to the courthouse. This issue, he said, was highlighted by members of the media getting close to him to take photographs as he left the court previously. Thompson also submitted that there are no checks and balances on members of the public entering the court and that security facilities in the CCJ were more appropriate. Evidence had been given by Detective Garda Padraic Ryan that a security plan is drawn up every time Freddie Thompson appears in court given his membership of the Kinahan crime gang. He said gardai in Portlaoise were experienced in dealing with the security arrangements and that there have never been any issues during Thompsons regular visits to hospital. Judge Johnson said that Portlaoise courthouse had adequate security in place to hold the trial but noted that Thompson must run the gauntlet of public areas in accessing the courthouse from the prison van. He said that Tullamore courthouse provides for prisoners to be transferred to the building by a secure access point which is closed to the public and that it may be more appropriate if the trial is moved there. Judge Johnson stated he will make that direction if the accused is satisfied with it and put the matter back to February 27. The judge also remarked that prisoners being held in prison vans on a public street outside the court is a wholly unsatisfactory situation and hoped this would soon be sorted with a new courthouse for Portlaoise which is long overdue. Freddie Thompson sat with his arms folded during the hearing and didnt address the court. Joseph Boyle, of no fixed abode, pleaded guilty to assault causing serious harm, robbery, theft and threatening to kill or cause serious harm at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court A 42-year-old man has been jailed for five years for a single punch to a man, causing serious brain injury. The Dubliner also received a further three-and-a-half-year jail term for several other offences, including the robbery of two tourists in Dublin city centre last year. All involved violence or the threat of violence. Joseph Boyle, of no fixed abode, pleaded guilty to assault causing serious harm, robbery, theft and threatening to kill or cause serious harm at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. Judge Martin Nolan heard he had 86 previous convictions before sentencing him today. In the most serious incident, he assaulted a man on the street. The injured party was discovered by civilians on his back and barely breathing on the Phibsborough Road. Since there were no witnesses or CCTV of the incident, it was first thought he had suffered an overdose, and he was administered Naloxone, which caused him to come around a bit. He was taken to the Mater Hospital, where he spent five and half months. Detective Garda Gary Moran told the court when Boyle was interviewed, he admitted the assault. Boyle said a verbal argument occurred with the injured party who was across the road, and they were going to have a straightener. Boyle punched the injured party once in the jaw, causing him to fall to the ground, and he ran off. The garda told David Perry BL prosecuting it was not possible to ascertain whether it was the punch or the fall that caused a traumatic brain injury. The injury was life-threatening in nature, and the injured party would have died, but not for the medical treatment he received. A CT scan of the brain showed he suffered cognitive impairment. The injured party has made a good recovery, but some cognitive issues still remain. Boyle was charged in 2022 and was granted bail. He pleaded guilty on his trial date earlier this month. Det Gda Moran agreed with Padraig Dywer, SC, defending, that Boyle accepted responsibility and was remorseful for what he had done. He further agreed Boyle said he hit him in the jaw and didnt expect him to drop like that. He told gardai he got a call saying the injured party was in a bad way. Det Gda Moran further agreed Boyle told gardai, Im sick Im after doing that. This was a terrible injury,not an intended injury, Mr Dwyer said in mitigation. He said his client had spent a lot of time in and out of prison over the years. He said there was a letter before the court outlining Boyles chaotic life and expressing genuine remorse and regret. He spent time in Wheatfield Prison, where he has found it difficult, and hopes to transfer to Mountjoy Prison as there is a medical facility where he was able to access proper counselling. He is on 60 mg of methadone but was on 80mg. Mr Dwyer said Boyle started drinking as a teenager, which led to drug addiction. In a separate incident on January 8, 2024, the court heard Boyle stole washing powder from the More for Less shop in Charlestown Shopping Centre and lunged at a security guard with a knife. He was on bail at the time. He threatened to stab a security man after he caught him stealing cleaning products from Tesco in Kilbarrack. When the security man pursued him, Boyle said, I have a knife, and I'll stab you. He was on bail at the time for the previous two offences. He gave a false name to gardai, and when charged and bailed, he later went into custody and pleaded guilty on his arraignment date. The garda agreed with Karl Monahan BL, defending that when interviewed, Boyle said, I was a cobbler, cleaner and a few other things but stopped working as he had a problem with alcohol. He said he was going to sell the items. Det Gda Moran also agreed Boyle said he had the knife because he had threats on his life. He further agreed Boyle identified himself on the footage holding the knife. In another incident while on bail, Boyle was charged with one count of robbery of two tourists in Dublin city centre. Detective Garda Aaron Connell of the NCBI said two New Zealand nationals who had just arrived were sitting on the steps of the Belvedere Hotel at 11 pm on June 8, 2024, when Boyle, who was with a woman, asked them for 20. He then produced a knife and stole an iPhone, Kindle and a New Zealand identification card. Boyle persisted in asking them for money, but the people said they had none as they had just arrived in the country. The phone was later tracked to Moore Street, where it had been thrown in a market stall. Boyle was arrested and identified himself on CCTV footage. He told gardai he and his female companion were short of money, and that things had gotten out of hand. He said he had produced a pen but later admitted it was a knife in a moment of madness. He was charged on June 9 and released on bail on June 10, 2024. He pleaded guilty earlier this month. In a final incident where he was on bail for the previous four offences, Boyle and his partner Kia OConnor (34) were shown on CCTV by Detective Garda Neil Cepeda in an altercation with another man and woman. The incident, which happened on June 27, 2024, in the outdoor stairwell of Beckett House, an apartment block on Gardiner Lane in the city, Boyle is seen brandishing a knife. Boyle punches a man in the head, and OConnor chases the other woman up the stairwell. OConnor, who pleaded guilty to violent disorder, throws a bottle at the woman, and as the man has gotten back to his feet, Boyle appears to slice or cut the other mans hand, the court was told. Boyle told gardai he was out of his head on crack on the day. The court heard OConnor, a mother-of-two of no fixed abode but originally from Cork, had a number of setbacks and started taking heroin. Aidan McCarthy, BL, defending, said she had also suffered a miscarriage carrying Boyles child. Yesterday, the couple embraced for a few moments in the dock of Court 5 the main sentencing court of the Courts of Criminal Justice - before being separated when Boyle was led back into custody. Judge Nolan jailed OConnor for a year. Boyle returned to court this afternoon to receive his sentence. Judge Nolan described the single punch to the head as a savage blow. He noted that it wasnt possible to say whether this had caused the serious brain injury or the resulting fall to the ground. He noted that he had been hospitalised for five and a half months, had difficulty with mobility, and still had problems. His injury had affected him greatly every day of his life, he said. Ive no doubt that this defendant didnt mean to cause these injuries, but when you punch someone in the way he punched this man, theres always a chance serious injuries will ensue, he said. He has a problem with violence. The more time you engage in violence, the greater the chance youll do someone serious harm. Judge Nolan imposed a five-year sentence for the assault causing harm. He said he had to sentence him globally on the other offences. I have no doubt he had a serious and chronic drug problem and, over the years, developed a violent temperament, he said. And Ive no doubt he was a menace. He imposed three and a half years on those charges, to run consecutive to the five years for the assault. Ricky Fagan, 31, appeared before a special sitting of Letterkenny District Court today A judge has refused bail to a man charged with causing the deaths of two teenagers in a crash in Co Donegal in 2017. Ricky Fagan, 31, appeared before a special sitting of Letterkenny District Court today. It followed a brief appearance at Carndonagh District Court after Mr Fagan was extradited through a European Arrest Warrant from Northern Ireland earlier this week. He was charged with dangerous driving causing the deaths of Nathan Fullerton (17) and Nathan Farrell (18) at Quigleys Point on April 29, 2017. Fagan was further charged with the possession of cocaine and with possessing cocaine with the intent to sell or supply it to others relating to an incident at Mulberry Avenue, Buncrana, on July 10, 2020. He was remanded in custody and appeared at Letterkenny District Court today where he sought bail. Garda Sergeant Graham Morgan of Carndonagh Garda Station said he was objecting to bail on a number of grounds said the State would have 'grave concerns" about the accused getting bail. Fagan's solicitor, Mr Donough Cleary, argued that his client was entitled to bail. Having considered the matter, Judge Ciaran Liddy refused bail. He noted the seriousness of the charges. Judge Liddy said he accepted that Fagan had surrendered his passport but said the accused could "walk across the border unchecked and on balance is a flight risk." Fagan, with a previous address in Buncrana, was arrested in Northern Ireland on September 15, 2022, and was extradited to the Republic of Ireland on Tuesday. Fagan was the alleged driver of a car in which Mr Fullerton and Mr Farrell were travelling in, along with two other friends, on April 29, 2017. The car hit a wall before crashing into a tree on the Quigleys Point to Moville road at around 3.35am. The friends were returning home from a night out at a disco at the time. Fagan was remanded in custody to appear by videolink to Letterkenny District Court on February 4. Paul Houlihan asked are you afraid of me? and asked him do you know what gay means? A man who approached a 12-year-old boy and his six-year-old sister and made sexually offensive comments as they sat in a car waiting for their father to return from a nearby pharmacy has been convicted under the Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Act 2017. Paul Houlihan, 55, of Harbour Road, Cobh, Co. Cork appeared before Judge Colm Roberts at Mallow District Court. Court presenter Inspector Mary Skehan said that the incident occurred outside the Cobh Pharmacy on East Beach, Cobh on February 2, 2023. Giving evidence Garda Paula Sibley told the Court that a report was made to Cobh Garda Station by the injured partys father that a man had opened the door to their car while the two children were waiting for him to return from the chemist. The boys father had followed the man in his car and stopped to take a photo of him which he then showed to Gardai. The man was identified as Paul Houlihan. In recorded video evidence, the boy who was 12-years-old at the time said that his father had collected him and his sister from school at 2.30pm and had driven to the pharmacy to collect a prescription. The boy said that he was sitting in the passenger seat and his sister was sitting in the back of the car behind the drivers seat. The boy said that a man walking past stared at him and he looked away to try to avoid eye contact. The man approached the car and opened the door and stood between the open door and the car. He said the man asked his name and where he lived and began touching his left hand which he did five or six times. The boy said that the man told him he was gay and had sex all through the night. The man also told him that sometimes I want to put a knife through my heart. The boy said that he was frightened and could feel he was going pale. He said the man was dressed all in black and had yellow gunk around his mouth. He said that he couldnt talk and could feel his heart racing and didnt know what was going to happen next. The man then asked are you afraid of me? and asked him do you know what gay means? He said the man seemed to be getting annoyed before he told the boy you better not fuck with me before he slammed the door and walked away. CCTV was shown to the Court in which a man dressed in black walks near the location of the pharmacy at approximately the same time as the incident occurred. The man in the CCTV was identified as Paul Houlihan and also matched the photo taken by the boys father. Paul Houlihan was subsequently questioned but initially denied he was in the area at the time. Giving evidence in Court he admitted that he was the man in the CCTV but denied making the comments to the boy. He told the court he may have walked past the car and said hello. Mr Houlihan said that he had consumed half or a full bottle of vodka and 20 cans of beer at the time. Judge Colm Roberts asked Mr Houlihan if he was drunk to which he replied I was happy, I was able to walk, he added I know my limits. Judge Roberts convicted Mr Houlihan of engaging in offensive conduct of a sexual nature and asked for a probation report to be prepared. He said that Mr Houlihan was lucky there was only one charge before the Court. The case was adjourned to April 24 for penalty. ISPCA Animal Welfare Inspector Caroline Faherty told the court how she discovered thirteen dogs living in filthy, rat-infested sheds and had no access to water A man is facing imprisonment after thirteen dogs were discovered in horrific conditions by ISPCA inspectors almost two years ago. Mr Vasyl Fedoryn of Ballypierce, Charleville, Cork, pleaded guilty to nine charges under the Animal Health and Welfare Act 2013 at Mallow District Court on Monday, 20 January. The court heard evidence from ISPCA Animal Welfare Inspector Caroline Faherty, who responded to a complaint from a concerned member of the public on April 21, 2023. Inspector Faherty told the court how she discovered thirteen collies and German shepherds, twelve of which were puppies, on Mr Fedoryns property living in filthy, rat-infested sheds and had no access to water. They had no bedding, and their coats were matted with faeces, an emotional Inspector Faherty said, adding that she had to break padlocks to enter one of the sheds. Photo: ISPCA She said the horrific conditions were some of the worst she had faced in her career and would stay with her forever. An immediate decision was made to seize all the dogs, and the full extent of the conditions became clear as they were being removed. Inspector Faherty told the court how the smell was so putrid and stomach-turning that she repeatedly retched and had to leave the sheds for air. She recalled how she had to change into rubber boots and oilskins to enter the sheds as there were faeces and sewage everywhere. Three German Shepherd pups were unable walk properly as they were malnourished and confined. They had no muscle mass in their legs and were walking on their back knees. Inspector Faherty described some of the collies as feral and extremely nervous, which made it very difficult to get near them. Photo: ISPCA Fresh drinking water was provided for a lactating German shepherd who was feeding four pups, and she was so thirsty that the water had to be temporarily removed out of fear for the dogs welfare. Videos of the scene were played in court. The court also heard that, although every effort was made to rehabilitate the dogs with veterinary interventions, high-level nutrition, and physiotherapy, four of the dogs had to be euthanised based on veterinary advice. These included a young German shepherd whose limbs were so deformed he could not bear any weight as he grew, and three of the feral collie dogs that did not respond to rehabilitation efforts and were in constant fear and distress. After hearing the evidence, Judge Colm Roberts commented to Inspector Faherty that she had been traumatised during the rescue, which she confirmed. Judge Roberts convicted the defendant but adjourned sentencing until April 1 pending a probation and welfare report. He warned that given the level of cruelty and neglect evident in this case, a custodial sentence was extremely probable. The defendant agreed not to keep any animals until that date. In Moldova, scientists have found large footprints of a bipedal dinosaur. This footprint, measuring 92 cm in width, belongs to a Hadrosaurus. ADVERTISIMENT They also discovered a 24-meter-long track consisting of 13 fossilized footprints, each measuring 85 cm wide, as well as numerous other fossilized prints. This discovery indicates that one of the largest bipeds on the planet lived in Mongolia, which raises hopes for the discovery of similarly massive skeletal remains, Phys.org writes. The joint study, conducted by Okayama University of Science (OUS) and the Institute of Paleontology of the Mongolian Academy of Sciences, uncovered one of the largest Hadrosaurus footprints ever found, experts say. According to the researchers, since dinosaur tracks had already been found in the western part of the Gobi Desert in 2018, the researchers decided to continue excavations here a few years later. ADVERTISIMENT As a result, a team of experts discovered new prints of extinct footprints, including the three largest hadrosaurs' tracks ever found and a continuous path of 13 fossilized prints over 24 meters. "The identification of the 14 tracks, including one found in 2018, allows us to analyze the posture, walking style, speed, and group behavior of the dinosaurs details that cannot be deduced from skeletal fossils," said Shinobu Ishigaki, director of the OUS Dinosaur Research Museum and excavation leader. Until now, the largest known Hadrosaurus skeleton belonged to a Shantungosaurus discovered in Shandong Province, China. However, recent discoveries in Mongolia suggest that similarly massive skeletal remains may be found elsewhere. "Our next goal is to discover the complete skeleton of the dinosaur," said Shinobu Ishigaki. Only verified information is available on the OBOZ.UA Telegram channel and Viber. Do not fall for fakes! Murphy had pleaded guilty to manslaughter but not guilty to the murder of 23-year-old Jamie Kavanagh at a hostel on Harrington Street, Dublin 8 on April 19, 2023 The mother of murder victim Jamie Kavanagh has spoken of feeling like a wound that is wide open, as the man who told gardai he wanted to kill her son stone dead was sentenced to life in prison at the Central Criminal Court. Burying your child is unnatural, it changes everything about you, and a violent end adds a whole other level of despair, said Niamh McGuinness today, during the sentencing of Robert Murphy (42). Murphy had pleaded guilty to manslaughter but not guilty to the murder of 23-year-old Jamie Kavanagh at a hostel on Harrington Street, Dublin 8 on April 19, 2023. However, the jury deliberated for close to five hours before returning their unanimous verdict of guilty to murder on November 14 last. At the sentence hearing, Detective Sergeant Tim OSullivan gave evidence to counsel for the State, Sean Gillane SC, that in the early hours of the morning, a 999 call was made of an incident at the hostel. Witness Carrie Benn, who had been living at the hostel with Mr Kavanagh and Murphy at the time, said she heard Mr Kavanagh calling for help, so she gained entry to his bedsit and saw that he was injured. When the emergency services arrived, they found that Mr Kavanagh had suffered a number of stab wounds and was in a serious and critical condition. Mr Kavanagh was brought to St James Hospital but shortly afterwards succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced dead. Det Sgt OSullivan said the deceased suffered seven injuries, including six sharp force injuries comprising three stab wounds and three incisions. The most serious injury was a 13cm wound to his left flank that caused damage to his left lung and kidney. The cause of death was the stab wound to his trunk causing internal injuries. Det Sgt OSullivan said that when arrested and cautioned, Murphy said: I done that, I'll tell youse what happened. Murphy told gardai that he went for Mr Kavanaghs neck and wanted to kill him stone dead. The detective said that Murphy also suggested he acted in self-defence as there had been an altercation. CCTV footage showed Murphy in a laneway to the rear of the premises, wearing a balaclava. He climbed over the rear wall and entered the rear door, before he spent two minutes at the door of Mr Kavanaghs bedsit trying to gain entry. When he was searched by gardai, he was found with a bag containing blood-stained clothing, a balaclava and knives. Det Sgt OSullivan told the court that Murphy had 66 previous convictions, including eight for the possession of knives and other articles, as well as convictions for the possession of firearms and ammo, and arson intending to endanger the life of another. In her victim impact statement, Ms McGuinness said that Jamie was her hero, whose death had left the family absolutely devastated. She said that Murphys trial had been even worse than she could have imagined, as he entered a not guilty plea and attempted to blame her son, which did nothing more than compound the trauma. Ms McGuinness said that the eventual verdict of guilty changed nothing, as it did not bring her son back. What I wouldnt give to feel one of his bear hugs now, she said, going on to describe herself as a broken mother. I have to hold his love and compassion inside of me and know that he forgives me for not protecting him, said Ms McGuinness. He speaks to me in my dreams. He is sorry that I am in so much pain. In the dream Im crying and hes crying, and we are hugging to feel each others comfort, she said. Saying that she misses his voice and his unique, contagious laugh, Ms McGuinness described herself as a wound that is wide open. Burying your child is unnatural, it changes everything about you, and a violent end adds a whole other level of despair, she said. Ms McGuinness went on to say that when her daughter, Jamies younger sister, heard the news, she released a primal scream and begged her mother to tell her it was not true. Looking at him in a coffin that I had to pick out was unbreakable, so unbearable that I blacked out twice. It looked like him but then again it didnt. It was all wrong, she said. I have to choose life every day, every day is an effort not to give up. I have to see myself through his eyes, she said. Ms McGuinness concluded by saying: Jamie, you know the beat of my heart from the inside. I promise to love you forever. Ms Justice Melanie Greally thanked Ms McGuinness for her victim impact statement, expressing the courts regret that the trial was such a harrowing and brutal experience for the family. Defence counsel, Brendan Grehan SC, told the court that Murphy had said that he never meant for this to happen, but things got out of control. Hes sorry for the young lad, his family and friends, said Mr Grehan. Ms Justice Greally sentenced Murphy to life in prison, backdated to the date he went into custody, April 19, 2023. The trial had heard that Jamie Kavanagh lived in the bedsit on Harrington Street which was run by hostel and charity 'Crosscare'. Murphy lived next door to Mr Kavanagh on the first floor of the hostel, where many people were "on the margins" and on State aid. The jury rejected the defence case that Murphy had only entered the deceaseds room in order to frighten, but not kill him and lacked the necessary intent. The defence had argued that the stabbing was a badly executed effort by Murphy to get Mr Kavanagh out of the house and that the prosecution had also failed to prove Murphy was not acting in what he believed was self-defence. However, the prosecution said that all mentions of drug use and knives in the house were just red herrings in the case and what mattered was Murphys honest intention. Murphy was also discovered to have 750 in cash on his person. Amber Smith gave evidence that she and her partner Jamie Kavanagh had planned to move to Spain together, with the deceased securing a loan of probably over 900 from family members to begin their new life. The male detective was threatened with the firearm after challenging the masked man A prolific criminal is in garda custody following an attempted armed robbery which was foiled by two unarmed detectives who were in the shop buying their lunch. The suspect targeted a shop in Dublin yesterday evening across the road from Walter Scott House, the building on Military Road where several garda national units are located. The masked man entered the store shortly before 7pm armed with a suspected firearm, and threatened staff. Two unarmed detectives from the Garda National Bureau of Criminal Investigation (GNBCI) were in the shop at the time on their lunch break and confronted the raider. The male detective challenged the masked man and identified himself as a garda, but was threatened with the firearm. Following a struggle, the detective and his female colleague managed to disarm and restrain the suspect with assistance from members of the public. One source said: "The weapon is an imitation firearm but looks very real and the gardai and public thought it was a real weapon and have to be commended for their actions." The suspect arrested at the scene is a prolific criminal from west Dublin aged in his 40s who has around 100 previous convictions. A garda spokesperson said: "Gardai have arrested a man following the attempted armed robbery of a retail premises on Military Road, Dublin 8 earlier this evening At approximately 6:55pm a masked male entered the premises armed with a firearm and demanded money. Two plainclothes members of the Garda National Bureau of Criminal Investigation (GNBCI) a male and a female were present in the store at the time. The male Detective Garda became aware of the ongoing attempted armed robbery and challenged the masked male. The Detective Garda identified himself and was threatened by the masked male with the firearm. "A physical struggle ensued and the member was assisted by his female Detective Garda colleague, disarming and restraining the male. The two garda members were also assisted by a member of the public in the shop. Shortly after, local Divisional resources responded to the incident and Gardai from the Divisional Detective Unit from Kilmainham Garda Station formally arrested the male. The male, aged in his 40s, was taken to a Garda Station in Dublin where he is currently detained under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act, 1984. A firearm that is believed to be a replica has been seized and a ballistic examination will be conducted to determine its status under Irish legislation. Investigations are ongoing. Both members are being provided with all necessary welfare supports by their local management. It is understood that gardai dispersed around 20 protesters from the scene in Coolock and the fire has been brought under control The former Crown Paints factory in Coolock, north Dublin, which was at the centre of a protest over plans to redevelop it to house asylum seekers (Niall Carson/PA) Arson is suspected to be the cause of a fire that broke out this evening at the former Crown Paints site this evening on Dublins Malahide Road. It is understood that gardai dispersed around 20 protesters from the scene in Coolock and the fire has been brought under control. Gardai were notified of the fire shortly before 7pm. Gardai and emergency services are currently at the scene of a public order incident at a premises on the Malahide Road, Coolock this evening, Wednesday 22nd January 2025, a garda spokesman told the Irish Independent. It is at least the eighth fire to break out at the vacant factory site which has been earmarked for the housing of International Protection Applicants (IPAs). This is the first fire to happen there this year. The last reported fire at the site was in October. No injuries have been reported tonight. A full scale riot broke out at the location last July - a site which was being renovated to accommodate over 700 IPAs, and had become the focus of protests and violence. Last July gardai spent hours attempting to police the out-of-control situation before fully equipped public order units arrived almost four hours after an arson attack on a digger and security staff were attacked. Thirty people were arrested on that occasion but there are no reports of arrests tonight. With tensions high last July there was four arson attacks in the space of a week and it was understood that tensions in the area had eased. Garda public order units were not deployed to the site tonight and the incident was dealt with by local gardai. It is proposed to develop 230 prefabricated units to accommodate up to 741 international protection applicants. In October at the High Court, lawyers for the company leasing and proposing to develop the former Crown Paints warehouse, said that works on the project will not commence unless the site is safe. The court also heard there is currently no contract with the State for the provision of international protection accommodation at the premises, while any potential contract would be subject to preconditions. It is at least the eighth fire to break out at the vacant factory site which has been earmarked for the housing of International Protection Applicants (IPAs) Flames shoot out of the building after the latest attack Footage has emerged of the latest fire attack at a proposed asylum seeker site in Coolock. Video shared on social media platforms show flames shooting above the former Crown Paints factory on Dublins Malahide Road. Gardai say they were alerted to an incident of criminal damage by fire that occurred at the premises. The fire was extinguished a short time later by Dublin Fire Brigade, a Garda spokesperson said. No injuries were reported. It is understood that gardai had dispersed around 20 protesters from the scene in Coolock which was at the centre of a protest over plans to redevelop it to house asylum seekers. It is at least the eighth fire to break out at the vacant factory site which has been earmarked for the housing of International Protection Applicants (IPAs). The former Crown Paints factory in Coolock, north Dublin, which was at the centre of a protest over plans to redevelop it to house asylum seekers (Niall Carson/P This is the first fire to happen there this year. The last reported fire at the site was in October. A full scale riot broke out at the location last July at the site which was being renovated to accommodate over 700 IPAs, and had become the focus of protests and violence. Last July gardai spent hours attempting to police the out-of-control situation before fully equipped public order units arrived almost four hours after an arson attack on a digger and security staff were attacked. Thirty people were arrested on that occasion. With tensions high last July there was four arson attacks in the space of a week and it was understood that tensions in the area had eased. Garda public order units were not deployed to the site last night and the incident was dealt with by local gardai. It is proposed to develop 230 prefabricated units to accommodate up to 741 international protection applicants. In October at the High Court, lawyers for the company leasing and proposing to develop the former Crown Paints warehouse, said that works on the project will not commence unless the site is safe. The court also heard there is currently no contract with the State for the provision of international protection accommodation at the premises, while any potential contract would be subject to preconditions. Police are investigating the serious assault at Templemore Avenue. It was closed to motorists and pedestrians on Thursday morning, causing traffic delays Police at the scene in east Belfast A man has been stabbed in the neck in east Belfast. Police are investigating the serious assault at Templemore Avenue. It was closed to motorists and pedestrians on Thursday morning, causing traffic delays. Two suspects are still at large, detectives said. Police at the scene in east Belfast Detective Sergeant Alexander said: Police received a report at approximately 2.30am this morning, Thursday 23rd January, that two men had been attacked in the Templemore Avenue area. An altercation occurred, and a man aged in his 50s was allegedly stabbed in his neck sustaining a serious injury. He required hospital treatment, and remains in a serious, but stable condition. A second man reported non-life-threatening injuries. Police attended the scene including officers from our ARV and Dog Unit - and extensively searched the area for the two suspects. However, they were not located. Our enquiries are continuing today, and the Templemore Avenue area has now fully reopened. Police have appealed for anyone with information on the incident to contact them. More to follow. New research shows men are now opting for laser hair removal treatment and even brotox Last year marked a significant rise in the popularity of male laser hair removal in Ireland. Therapie Clinic, Europes leading medical aesthetic clinic and a pioneer in laser hair removal in Ireland, has shared new data with SundayWorld.com. After observing an increase in male clients, Therapie Clinic launched a dedicated male-focused campaign in August 2024. Since its launch, sales for male laser hair removal have surged by an astonishing 85 percent. The campaign, centred on education, addressed male-specific concerns and highlighted the convenience and safety of laser hair removal. With the support of various male influencers, including Ireland and Munster rugby star Conor Murray, the campaign showcased how quick and easy the treatment can be. Murray opted to use laser hair removal on his back The male customer is mainly focusing on areas such as their backs, shoulders, chest, stomach and the backs of their necks. Some are even opting for full beard laser hair removal to really minimise their grooming time. When it comes to laser hair removal for men, anecdotally in-clinic customers say the convenience of the treatment is what appeals most to them. No longer having to think about shaving their chests or shoulders simply saves time. Another point of interest for male customers at Therapie Clinic is the increase in Brotox (anti-wrinkle injections for men) appointments is also on the rise with over 180 percent increase in mens Anti-Wrinkle Treatments. Therapie has over 75 clinics nationwide In 2024, the Irish owned company announced a three year plan which will see the number of locations across Ireland increase due to the mass demand for treatments such as anti-wrinkle injectables, laser hair removal, advanced skin and body treatments. Phillip McGlade CEO of Therapie told us: Up until now the male customer has seemed elusive. However, grooming habits are changing and culturally Irish men are now far more comfortable being open about wanting to look and feel their best. "Therapie Clinic facilitates this for all of our customers. A real point of interest from speaking with our male customers is that they really value expertise, so when coming to Therapie Clinic they know they are in safe hands, as our teams have the best global training, use the most up to date technology and tools, and value customer safety and satisfaction above all else. We could be put out on the streets A married father of three currently residing in Wicklow town is fearful for his familys future after they were informed they have to vacate their rented property. Sergiu Secrii has been living with his family at a property at Harbour View for over 12 years which they have been renting. However, their original landlord lost the property to the bank five years ago, and now the bank have told Sergiu that he, his wife, Yulia, and their three children, Daniel, Sofia and Gabriel, must leave the premises. We are finding it impossible to find anywhere else to live, said Sergiu. We are in limbo at the moment and just dont know what the future holds. The lack of rental properties on the market means it really makes little sense for us to continue renting. There is a housing crisis and there is huge demand for the few, if any, rental properties that are currently available, and the rents involved are enormous. My family need some form of security which you just dont get in the rental market. Sergiu Secrii outside the home he has been renting in Wicklow town. We could secure rent for a new house but that would only mean we could find ourselves back in the same situation again in no time. The uncertainty we have been living under is extremely frustrating and is definitely taking its toll. Sergiu, who is originally from Moldova, has been refused a mortgage by three separate banks and attempts to secure a home loan with Wicklow County Council were also turned down. We have been refused a mortgage from three banks and Wicklow County Council also refused us a home loan because we dont have enough money in our account. Its all proving incredibly stressful and this isnt how we wanted the new year to start. Our kids are small and attend creche and school locally, but they are too young to realise what is happening and are just happy to come back to their home each day. Sergiu and his family first started renting the property over 12 years ago, but only started to encounter issues when the property was taken over by the bank. We have always been on time with our rent and there were never any problems with our former landlord, said Sergiu. We reached agreement with the landlord when we first moved in. I told him we wouldnt be asking him to carry out maintenance of the house because I could do that myself. Things were working out just fine until the house was taken over by the banks. After learning that his landlord had lost the house, Sergiu tried to secure a contract with the new owners, which proved unsuccessful. He also immediately sought to get the family included on Wicklow County Councils social housing waiting list. However, despite believing he was on the waiting list, Sergiu later discovered the family hadnt been included on the list. I decided to visit Wicklow County Council offices a couple of years ago just to check on our status and see how close we were to getting social housing, only to be told we werent even on the list. They seemed to have lost my paperwork so I had to go through it all over again. Thankfully, this time they provided me with a reference number, but the waiting list is long, and it would be still some time before we secure any social housing from the council. As Sergiu struggles to secure a mortgage, he is growing increasingly worried that his family could find themselves homeless unless their dire situation quickly changes. We never had these same difficulties when we were first looking to rent over 12 years ago. There wasnt the same level of demand and there were more rental properties available, at much more reasonable prices. The constant uncertainty we have been enduring for the past five years has caused us so much stress, and now we could be put out on the streets. My family are settled in the Wicklow town area, where they go to school and creche. Ideally we would love a property in the same area, but I work in Bray, and somewhere suitable in the general area would work as well. "We arent looking for help from the state, and we arent looking for something for free. We just want to be given a chance. Earlier in the evening a demonstration had taken place outside a house where three males had been arrested over allegations of child sex abuse Protestors outside the take away There were dramatic scenes in a Leinster town last night after gardai sealed off a fast-food takeaway from a two-hundred strong group of protesters. Earlier in the evening a demonstration had taken place outside a house on an estate where three males had been arrested on Monday over an investigation into allegations of child sex abuse. All three were released without charge. However, when one of them attempted to enter the house on Tuesday a large group prevented him from doing so. At the end of last nights protest, organisers instructed the group to march to the local garda station and demand answers as to why no charges had been brought. Gardai at the scene They also claimed they were looking for answers in connection to another historic crime. However en-route to the garda station, protesters stopped at a chipper after spotting an individual inside and diverted to surround the entrance. Dozens of gardai arrived and pushed the crowd on to the pavement on the opposite side of the road in a bid to guarantee the males safety. Garda checkpoints and traffic diversions were in place over two hour period A garda spokesperson said, "The incident has now passed off no arrests were made. Gerard Hayes has been in custody since January 10 arrest An Irish businessman faces a terrorist threat charge in the US after he is alleged to have made a hoax bomb threat in Texas. Gerard Hayes, who is originally from Portumna in Co Galway, remains in custody following his arrest by police officers on January 10. Mr Hayes is an accomplished businessman who previously served as the vice-president of business development with IDA Ireland in the US. Now aged 44, he emigrated to America more than 20 years ago and is married with children. His employment history also includes a stint in a senior management role at the Waldorf Astoria hotel in New York. He has lived in Austin, Texas, for several years. Mr Hayes is currently the chief executive of a foreign direct investment (FDI) consultancy firm, Advise Global. He was with IDA Ireland for six years up to 2019. It is alleged that he called 911 shortly after 8am on January 10 and said there was a bomb in his car that had been left in the carpark in front of a H-E-B supermarket in northwest Austin. It is further alleged that Mr Hayes told 911 despatchers the store would need to be evacuated. Corporal Jose Mendez, of the Austin Police Department (APD), said police quickly located the vehicle in question and evacuated the nearby area. Store management made the decision to evacuate the building for a number of hours. I want to acknowledge the frustration and the panic that can come with these types of calls Mr Hayes vehicle was identified, impounded and searched by bomb specialists at the local police department. No explosive devices were found in the search. The Irishman was arrested at a separate location later that morning and transferred to Travis County Jail in central Texas, where he remains. Stock image In a media briefing following the incident, Cpl Mendez said it appeared to be connected to an earlier dispute between Mr Hayes and the H-E-B store approximately two days earlier. However, details of that incident were not disclosed. Cpl Mendez said it was his understanding that Mr Hayes called the threat in about his own car. I want to acknowledge the frustration and the panic that can come with these types of calls, said Mr Mendez. But as much of an inconvenience as it may have caused, everything done was to ensure the publics safety. He is a larger-than-life character and has never been in trouble before The incident has caused concern within the Irish-American business community, which holds Mr Hayes in high regard. Several former colleagues of Mr Hayes have spoken about the alleged incident. A source close to him described it as beyond shocking and totally uncharacteristic. He is a very talented guy who achieved huge success at an early age, said the source. I feel very sad he finds himself in this situation. He is a larger-than-life character and has never been in trouble before. Mr Hayes is from a highly respected family in Portumna and one local woman said her heart goes out to the family. A spokesperson for IDA Ireland declined to comment on the alleged incident, except to say: Gerry Hayes is no longer an employee of IDA Ireland. Kylie and Kendall Jenner, two of the most famous sisters in the fashion industry, showed off their impeccable bows during a recent vacation in Aspen, Colorado. Accompanying their friend Hailey Bieber and her husband Justin, the Jenner sisters not only enjoyed winter activities but also attracted attention with their fashionable looks. ADVERTISIMENT During a dinner at Casa Tua restaurant, the Jenner sisters and Hailey Bieber appeared in all-black outfits. Kylie chose an elegant fur coat, black tights, pumps, and sunglasses, creating a chic and mysterious look. Kendall opted for a more dramatic option, choosing a jacket and skirt with a slit lined with fur, elle.com writes. The next day, the stars went to a ski resort where they demonstrated their skills on the slopes. Kylie chose a comfortable down jacket and black pants, while Kendall opted for a bright yellow and black jacket. Both sisters wore identical black helmets and goggles, creating a stylish sporty look. ADVERTISIMENT After returning from her trip, Kylie continued to enjoy her relationship with actor Timothy Chalamet. The couple was spotted together at several events, including the Golden Globe Awards and the Paris premiere of the movie "A Complete Unknown." Sources claim that Kylie is very serious about this relationship and sees Timothy as her future husband. Kylie's family also approved of her new relationship. Sources say that all members of the Jenner family are very warm to Timothy Chalamet. Kylie and Kendall Jenner continue to be one of the most stylish stars in Hollywood. Their looks are always the subject of discussion among fashion critics and fans. A recent trip to Aspen was another confirmation of their impeccable taste and ability to combine comfort and style. Subscribe to the OBOZ.UA channels in Telegram and Viber to keep up with the latest events. Nebojsa Pap (31) of Beechville in Athlone, Westmeath, appeared via video link A man accused of murdering his mother in her home on the outskirts of a midlands town has insisted he is engaging very well with medical professionals in custody ahead of the completion of a psychiatric assessment. Nebojsa Pap (31) of Beechville in Athlone, Westmeath, appeared via video link at a sitting of Athlone District Court on Wednesday afternoon charged with murdering 58-year-old Mirjana Pap at her home on December 28, 2024 contrary to common law. Murder accused Nebojsa Pap has been remanded in custody for a further four weeks. (Pic: Paddy Cummins) It was Paps third time to come before the District Court following his initial appearance at a special sitting of Mullingar District Court on January 3. Pap, who appeared on camera wearing a grey jumper, last appeared at a sitting of Athlone District Court two weeks ago where he was remanded in custody for a further two weeks. Sgt Paul McNally, for the State, said a further four week adjournment was being sought by the prosecution owing to the fact directions from the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) were still outstanding. Mirjana Pap That drew a startled response from defence solicitor Mark Cooney who expressed his surprise at the delay, revealing that a psychiatric assessment on his client was ongoing with an admission to hospital not being ruled out. In directly addressing the accused, Mr Cooney referred to the psychiatric evaluation which was being carried out on Pap, something which led him to reply: I am engaging very well, I am yes. Asked by Mr Cooney if he was consenting to being remanded in custody for a further four weeks, Pap looked into the camera and replied simply: Yes. Judge Bernadette Owens consequently remanded Pap in custody to reappear by video link at a sitting of Athlone District Court on February 19 when DPP directions and a psychiatric report are anticipated. Details surrounding Paps latest court appearance comes just over a week after Ms Pap was laid to rest in Coosan Cemetery in Athlone. The Croatian national, who was a widow, lived and worked in Athlone for several years and previously worked at the Athlone accommodation centre. Her body was found on bogland at Curraghaleen outside the midlands town on December 30 after being reported missing two days earlier. The National Emergency Coordination Group has advised that all schools will close for the duration of the Red warning Every county faces Status Red weather warnings on Friday, as Storm Eowyn threatens disruption, damage and cancellations. The National Emergency Coordination Group has advised that all schools will close for the duration of the Red warning. It said: A Status Red severe weather warning means shelter in place. People in the areas affected by Red warnings should stay indoors, avoid unnecessary travel and take action to protect themselves and their properties. Read more Storm Eowyn: The whole of the island of Ireland under Status Red alerts Schools, early learning and childcares settings and further and higher education institutions in red level warning areas will close for the duration of the Red warning. Employers in Red warning areas should facilitate working from home for all employees who can do so. Only emergency service workers should be leaving home for work, where directed by their employer. Stock photo Met Eireann Weather Warnings Explained Widespread disruption to public and other services is to be anticipated. According to Met Eireann, the centre of Storm Eowyn will track just off the northwest coast on Friday morning with a swathe of extremely strong and damaging winds extending across the country bringing disruption. This means that weather warnings are in place at different times across the country through Thursday evening and into the following day, with much of the disruption expected on Friday. Weather warnings in place across Ireland for Friday, January 24. Graphic: Met Eireann Heres how the weather alerts are expected to impact each county around Ireland: Carlow: A Status Red wind warning from 2am on Friday until 10am on Friday. Storm Eowyn: Gale to storm force southerly winds becoming westerly will bring severe, damaging and extremely destructive gusts in excess of 130km/h Cavan: A Status Red wind warning from 6am on Friday until noon on Friday. Storm Eowyn: Gale to storm force southerly winds becoming westerly will bring severe, damaging and extremely destructive gusts in excess of 130km/h Clare: A Status Red wind warning from 3am on Friday until noon on Friday. Storm Eowyn: Gale to storm force southerly winds becoming westerly will bring severe, damaging and extremely destructive gusts in excess of 130km/h Cork: A Status Yellow alert for rain from 9pm Thursday to 3am Friday, with a warning of heavy rain leading to localised flooding. A Status Red wind warning from 2am on Friday until 10am on Friday. Storm Eowyn: Gale to storm force southerly winds becoming westerly will bring severe, damaging and extremely destructive gusts in excess of 130km/h Donegal: A Status Red wind warning from 6am on Friday until 3pm on Friday. Storm Eowyn: Gale to storm force southerly winds becoming westerly will bring severe, damaging and extremely destructive gusts in excess of 130km/h Dublin: A Status Red wind warning from 6am on Friday until noon on Friday. Storm Eowyn: Gale to storm force southerly winds becoming westerly will bring severe, damaging and extremely destructive gusts in excess of 130km/h Galway: A Status Red wind warning from 3am on Friday until noon on Friday. Storm Eowyn: Gale to storm force southerly winds becoming westerly will bring severe, damaging and extremely destructive gusts in excess of 130km/h Kerry: A Status Yellow alert for rain from 9pm Thursday to 3am Friday, with a warning of heavy rain leading to localised flooding. : A Status Red wind warning from 2am on Friday until 10am on Friday. Storm Eowyn: Gale to storm force southerly winds becoming westerly will bring severe, damaging and extremely destructive gusts in excess of 130km/h Kildare: A Status Red wind warning from 6am on Friday until noon on Friday. Storm Eowyn: Gale to storm force southerly winds becoming westerly will bring severe, damaging and extremely destructive gusts in excess of 130km/h Kilkenny: A Status Red wind warning from 2am on Friday until 10am on Friday. Storm Eowyn: Gale to storm force southerly winds becoming westerly will bring severe, damaging and extremely destructive gusts in excess of 130km/h Laois: A Status Red wind warning from 6am on Friday until noon on Friday. Storm Eowyn: Gale to storm force southerly winds becoming westerly will bring severe, damaging and extremely destructive gusts in excess of 130km/h Leitrim: Clare: A Status Red wind warning from 4am on Friday until noon on Friday. Storm Eowyn: Gale to storm force southerly winds becoming westerly will bring severe, damaging and extremely destructive gusts in excess of 130km/h Limerick: A Status Red wind warning from 2am on Friday until 10am on Friday. Storm Eowyn: Gale to storm force southerly winds becoming westerly will bring severe, damaging and extremely destructive gusts in excess of 130km/h Longford: A Status Red wind warning from 6am on Friday until noon on Friday. Storm Eowyn: Gale to storm force southerly winds becoming westerly will bring severe, damaging and extremely destructive gusts in excess of 130km/h Louth: A Status Red wind warning from 6am on Friday until noon on Friday. Storm Eowyn: Gale to storm force southerly winds becoming westerly will bring severe, damaging and extremely destructive gusts in excess of 130km/h Mayo: Clare: A Status Red wind warning from 4am on Friday until noon on Friday. Storm Eowyn: Gale to storm force southerly winds becoming westerly will bring severe, damaging and extremely destructive gusts in excess of 130km/h Meath: A Status Red wind warning from 6am on Friday until noon on Friday. Storm Eowyn: Gale to storm force southerly winds becoming westerly will bring severe, damaging and extremely destructive gusts in excess of 130km/h Monaghan: A Status Red wind warning from 6am on Friday until noon on Friday. Storm Eowyn: Gale to storm force southerly winds becoming westerly will bring severe, damaging and extremely destructive gusts in excess of 130km/h Offaly: A Status Red wind warning from 6am on Friday until noon on Friday. Storm Eowyn: Gale to storm force southerly winds becoming westerly will bring severe, damaging and extremely destructive gusts in excess of 130km/h Roscommon: A Status Red wind warning from 6am on Friday until noon on Friday. Storm Eowyn: Gale to storm force southerly winds becoming westerly will bring severe, damaging and extremely destructive gusts in excess of 130km/h Sligo: A Status Red wind warning from 4am on Friday until noon on Friday. Storm Eowyn: Gale to storm force southerly winds becoming westerly will bring severe, damaging and extremely destructive gusts in excess of 130km/h Tipperary: A Status Red wind warning from 6am on Friday until noon on Friday. Storm Eowyn: Gale to storm force southerly winds becoming westerly will bring severe, damaging and extremely destructive gusts in excess of 130km/h Waterford: A Status Yellow alert for rain from 9pm Thursday to 3am Friday, with a warning of heavy rain leading to localised flooding. A Status Red wind warning from 2am on Friday until 10am on Friday. Storm Eowyn: Gale to storm force southerly winds becoming westerly will bring severe, damaging and extremely destructive gusts in excess of 130km/h with entire country under Status Red warnings Westmeath: A Status Red wind warning from 6am on Friday until noon on Friday. Storm Eowyn: Gale to storm force southerly winds becoming westerly will bring severe, damaging and extremely destructive gusts in excess of 130km/h Wexford: A Status Red wind warning from 2am on Friday until 10am on Friday. Storm Eowyn: Gale to storm force southerly winds becoming westerly will bring severe, damaging and extremely destructive gusts in excess of 130km/h Wicklow: A Status Red wind warning from 6am on Friday until noon on Friday. Storm Eowyn: Gale to storm force southerly winds becoming westerly will bring severe, damaging and extremely destructive gusts in excess of 130km/h MARINE WARNING: A Status Red storm warning for all coasts of Ireland and on the Irish Sea. Southeast winds veering west will reach storm force 10 or violent storm force 11. This warning is valid from midnight on Thursday into Friday, lasting until 6pm on Friday evening. NORTHERN IRELAND: The UK Met office has issued an amber warning for strong winds from 6am-9pm on Friday. Storm Eowyn is expected to cross Northern Ireland early on Friday morning. It will then continue north-east across the northern half of Scotland during Friday afternoon and is expected to be centred near Shetland during Friday evening. According to a release from The Department for Infrastructure, gusts could reach speeds of 80-90mph and are likely to cause disruption. The Department for Infrastructures roads and rivers teams have been monitoring river levels and sea levels, checking and clearing road gullies and other drainage and infrastructure and have additional staff on standby to respond to incidents. Abdallah Almadhoun was born in Ireland but had been living in Gaza. Palestinians stand among the rubble of destroyed buildings in Rafah, Gaza, following the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas. Photo: Reuters A 23-year-old Irish citizen has been killed in Gaza. The man died earlier this month, but his citizenship was only confirmed to Irish officials last night. He has been named as Abdallah Almadhoun, who was born in Ireland but had been living in Gaza. His death was confirmed to officials at the Department of Foreign Affairs through its representative office in Ramallah, in the West Bank. The exact circumstances of his death are unclear. One source said officials were informed he was killed around two weeks ago. When contacted, a spokesperson for the Department of Foreign Affairs said: The department is aware of this case. As with all consular cases, the department does not comment on the details of individual cases. Confirmation of the Irish citizens death came just days after a ceasefire was declared between Israel and Hamas in Gaza. The agreement is supposed to last for six weeks and will result in 33 militant-held hostages being released in return for hundreds of Palestinians imprisoned by Israel. The conflict has killed at least 46,000 Palestinians in Gaza, according to the Palestinian health ministry, since it began on October 7, 2023. On that date, Hamas-led militant groups launched attacks on Israel, killing around 1,200 people and taking about 250 hostages. Irish national Kim Damti (22), who also held Israeli citizenship, was killed in the October 7 attacks while attending a music festival near the Gaza border. A ceasefire between Israel and Hamas took effect on Sunday, and the focus has shifted in part to ways of bringing permanent peace after 15 months of war that has flattened the Gaza Strip and inflamed the Middle East. The Palestinian Civil Emergency Service and medical staff have recovered around 200 bodies from the rubble since the ceasefire. A UN damage assessment released this month showed that clearing over 50 million tonnes of rubble left in the aftermath of Israels bombardment could take 21 years and cost up to $1.2bn (1.15bn). While hundreds of truckloads of aid flowed into Gaza yesterday, officials from the Palestinian Authority, rivals to Hamas, held meetings with European officials to arrange taking up responsibilities at two vital crossing points with Egypt and Israel. A Palestinian official familiar with the matter said Egypt sent bulldozers and some engineering vehicles to carry out repairs to the road on the Gaza side of the border that had been damaged by Israels ground offensive. Nearly 900 humanitarian aid trucks entered the Gaza Strip on Tuesday. A senior UN official said there had been no apparent law-and-order issues so far. The struck-off doctor, who misdiagnosed hundreds of patients over two decades, was finally prevented from causing harm to patients in Belfast Trust hospitals in 2017 Disgraced neurologist Dr Michael Watt has been at the centre of one of the UK's largest patient recalls. Watt worked as Neurology consultant for the Belfast Trust, a recent inquiry found that the Belfast Trust failed to act early on concerns raised by patients A relative of a patient who died after being misdiagnosed by Dr Michael Watt has questioned the ethics of a government U-turn on investigating all his deceased patients. Colin Armstrong obtained, through a Freedom of Information request, details of so-called ethical advice which Health Minister Mike Nesbitt said changed his departments mind from investigating the several thousand patients who died under Watts two decades of care as had been promised to a tiny percentage. That bombshell revelation came during a long-called-for meeting between the Health Minister and relatives of patients who died while being treated by Dr Watt. Health Minister Mike Nesbitt Photo: Liam McBurney/PA Wire At the meeting at the Department of Health last October, reported on in this paper, about the Watt Deceased Patients Review (DPR), reference was made to ethical advice received on the subject. This advice was used as the basis for not proceeding with the implementation in full of the review which would have seen more than 3,500 patients at least investigated. The meeting with the Health Minister came after years of campaigning from relatives like Colin for the Department of Health to complete the review into all the deaths which took place over the ten years before Dr Watt was relieved of his medical duties. Disgraced neurologist Dr Michael Watt has been at the centre of one of the UK's largest patient recalls. Watt worked as Neurology consultant for the Belfast Trust, a recent inquiry found that the Belfast Trust failed to act early on concerns raised by patients Colin, whose mum Ruth was diagnosed with epilepsy that she never had and was prescribed powerful medication by Dr Watt which he believes contributed to killing her, says he was disappointed to be told on Tuesday that the commitment would not be completed. I requested a copy of this advice under Freedom of Information legislation and have now been sent the document, Colin told the Sunday World last week. The advice comes in the form of a document produced by the Regional Clinical Ethics Forum in March 2023. Although it was submitted 20 months ago I was not aware of it until the meeting at the department; I do not believe that it was referred to directly in any correspondence I had with the Department of Health between March 2023 and October 2024. And I do not find this documents arguments convincing. The document lays out the three options for the implementation of the DPR of which the department chose the third option limited implementation involving only those families which have requested inclusion. Full implementation, the document claims, would take time and therefore cause distress, says Colin. One wonders why this was not used as an objection to the recall of living patients which must have been stressful for many of them. It is asserted also that full implementation would result in high costs. I now know, thanks to another FoI request, that no estimation has ever been made of the cost of full implementation so one wonders therefore how the Ethics Forum members can be so sure that full implementation is unaffordable? He says advice was also given that full implementation would be unworkable but he does not accept that and points to the much larger recall of living patients. Colin says: I do not find this documents case convincing. It omits much. There is no clear reference to the original terms of reference of the review nor are we told why those terms were not adhered to from the start. There is no mention of the Royal College of Physicians (RCP) recommendation in its report on the 44 cases in Phase 2 that there should be further investigation of Watts treatment of cases of epilepsy and CODP. Brief reference is made to Article 2 of the Human Rights Act but not to the specific duty prescribed there of the investigation of suspicious deaths. This is the real weakness of the Ethics Forums document. It does not state that the RCP recommended that four of the 44 cases it reviewed in 2021-22 should be referred to the coroner or medical examiner a hardly insignificant proportion. The struck-off doctor, who misdiagnosed hundreds of patients over two decades, was finally prevented from causing harm to patients in Belfast Trust hospitals in 2017 after a GP raised alarm bells over his treatment of one of his patients in December 2016. Dr Watt was finally struck off the medical register in November 2023 and by last September more than 160 people had contacted a PSNI investigation team looking into his practices, while many of those treated by him believe others should face investigation for not stopping him earlier. The disgraced neurologist made hundreds of misdiagnoses over more than 20 years in both the NHS and private practice, in illnesses including stroke, Parkinsons disease, multiple sclerosis and epilepsy in what is developing into the biggest scandal to ever hit the health service. Colin claims that the ethics document which changed government policy on the DPR is more about protecting the reputation of the department, the Belfast Trust and other medical staff. I still believe that the failure to complete the DPR has been determined by the medical professions desire for reputational self-protection something that usually or invariably becomes apparent in medical scandals, he says. The Department of Health should not believe that any well-informed observer will think that the case has been made for not implementing in full the Watt Deceased Patients Review. From inspiring young surfers at the Billabong Grom Series to witnessing top competitors at the New Zealand Festival of Longboarding, Taurangas two upcoming surf events proudly celebrate the citys thriving surf culture and beach-loving lifestyle. This weekend, January 25 and 26, the Billabong Grom Series, presented by Oceanbridge, will make waves at Tay Street Beach. Now in its 20th year, this event is the first in a three-part series designed to give young surfers their first taste of competitive surfing. Its a fun-filled weekend where participants can challenge themselves, develop their skills, and foster a passion for the sport. Millie Dyck about to paddle out in Mount Maunganui. Photo/Adam Dyck. The series features competitions across three age groups (Under-18, 16, and 14) with opportunities to earn national ranking points and strive for selection in the New Zealand Junior Surfing Team. Local surfer Millie Dyck, aged 11, will compete in the U14 division. Millie, who started surfing at age 5 with her dad, is thrilled to participate. I go surfing any chance I can. Its so cool to have local competitions and I love catching up with surfers from other clubs in New Zealand, she said. The Billabong Grom Series, seen here in 2024, is back on January 25 and 26. Photo/ Coastal Surf Images Ben Kennings of Surfing New Zealand highlights the importance of events like these for the surfing community. Mount Maunganui has a strong surfing community, with many leading surfers at a national level as well as New Zealand representatives. Running these events at the Mount allows local surfers the ability to surf in home waters and inspire the next generation of talent to be active, enjoy the surrounding natural environment, and perhaps one day excel at a national level. New Zealand Festival of Longboarding Returning to Papamoa Domain on the weekend of Saturday and Sunday, February 15-16, is the New Zealand Festival of Longboarding, a true celebration of longboarding in New Zealand. Some of the NZ Festival of Longboardings line-up from 2024. Photo/ Coastal Surf Images The festival brings together some of the countrys most talented surfers, with divisions ranging from Under-18 through to Over-60s. The New Zealand Festival of Longboarding attracts the countrys top talent, from national champions to local legends, said Kennings. With divisions including Over-50s and 60s, the event provides the perfect platform for surfers of all ages to come together, share stories from times past, and enjoy the camaraderie of participating out on the water. A competitor at the 2024 NZ Festival of Longboarding. Photo/ Coastal Surf Images These events have received funding through the Tauranga Western Bay Community Event Fund, a collaboration between Tauranga City Council, Western Bay of Plenty District Council, Acorn Foundation, BayTrust, and TECT. This fund provides financial support to community-led events that deliver positive social outcomes and enrich our communities. Were proud to support events that truly define our city our ocean and beaches are part of our DNA, Tauranga City Council venues and events manager Nelita Byrne said. These events inspire the next generation of surfers and highlight the beauty of our coastal city. We cant wait to welcome surfers and spectators to our stunning beaches this summer. Surfing New Zealand echoes this sentiment. To have the Tauranga Western Bay Community Event Fund supporting the two national events scheduled for the summer of 2025 is amazing. These events bring participants from across the country, plus family and friends, to the region to enjoy what the Bay of Plenty has to offer, a spokesperson said. The NZ Festival of Longboarding has divisions ranging from Under-18 through to Over-60s. Photo/ Coastal Surf Images The Billabong Grom Series is being held from 8am-5pm on Saturday and Sunday, January 25 and 26, at Tay Street Beach, Mount Maunganui. The New Zealand Festival of Longboarding is being held on Saturday and Sunday, February 15 and 16, at Papamoa Domain. For more information on these events and more, visit whatsontauranga.co.nz. You took advantage of my innocence as a young girl, and preyed on me from a young age, to the point that I was confused about what was happening to me, the victim said in a statement read out in court. A schoolgirl who was abused by her stepfather hundreds of times over nine years was left perpetually confused and scared and still suffers from the ongoing impact of his actions. Warning: This story deals with details of the sexual abuse of a child and may be distressing. Sleepless nights became the norm as I battled fear that you would enter my room again and would take advantage of me, and prevented me from finding safety even in the confines of my own home. Her 39-year-old stepfather was today sent to prison for four years and two months after being sentenced in the Tauranga District Court. Crown prosecutor Hannah Speight read the victims impact statement, which discussed the post-traumatic stress disorder and ongoing mental health challenges the now-adult victim continues to face. The abuse had played a pivotal role in breaking apart the girls family. The guilt I carry for coming forward with the truth weighs heavily on me as it has contributed to the fragmentation of relationships that are really important to me. She said she had only fully understood her stepdads actions once she reached adulthood. A 39-year-old has been imprisoned for sexual assaults on his young stepdaughter, over a nine-year period. Given lollipops and cash to buy silence According to court documents, the abuse started when the girl was around 6 years old, escalating from the use of sex toys to perform indecent acts through to sexual violations involving oral sex by the age of 11. He would sometimes offend against her while her younger brother was asleep in the same room. From the outset of the offending, the man attempted to keep the girl from disclosing the abuse. When she was very young, he would offer her lollipops after the indecent acts, and then ask her not to tell anyone what had happened. As she got older, he would instead give her money and currency for online gaming. He would text her and ask her to wear shorts to bed, offering more money and currency for online gaming. He would take advantage of that clothing to offend against her the next morning. There was a period in the nine-year abuse where he would use a sex toy to perform an indecent act most mornings for approximately one year. The abuse stopped when she went to live with her biological father. Stepdad deeply regrets actions The stepfather faced one charge of sexual violation by unlawful sexual connection, four charges of an indecent act on child under 12, and one charge of an indecent act on a young person. His lawyer Bill Nabney asked for a starting point of six to seven years imprisonment. He said this reflected what was for the most part low-level indecent acts, other than the one instance of a sexual violation. The scale, especially the indecent assault offending, is significant, but the actual nature of it is lower level for offending of this type, in my submission. He also asked for discounts for the mans background and substance abuse issues, which had contributed to his actions, for his early guilty plea, and remorse. He is truly sorry and remorseful, its not just an act on his part, he certainly deeply regrets what he did to his stepdaughter, Nabney said. The Crown agreed with the available discounts for background and guilty plea, but sought a slightly higher starting point of seven to eight years imprisonment. Judge Melinda Mason pointed to the breach of trust, premeditation, victim vulnerability, harm caused, and scale of the offending as aggravating factors. The girl had been entitled to look to her stepfather for love and protection not sexual gratification. Shes also suffered a family relationship breakdown because of your ongoing relationship with her mother, and she finds it difficult to deal with that, Judge Mason said. The impact of your offending is ongoing and is not going to stop with this sentencing, and that needs to be acknowledged. The judge referred to the mans guilty plea as preventing the victim from having to endure a trial, and also noted the mans background, where hed also been the victim of abuse. The judge accepted the mans remorse was genuine, but had to be viewed in the context of the lengthy period of offending against the girl. But I accept with the counselling [the man was getting] and with your refreshed understanding of the impact your offending has had on the victim, that you are genuinely remorseful. Judge Mason set the start point at seven years' imprisonment and gave the man a 25% discount for guilty plea and a 15% discount for personal factors and remorse. He was sentenced to four years' and two months' imprisonment, and will be automatically added to the Child Sex Offender Register. SEXUAL HARM He was deported back to New Zealand in July 2024. The man was convicted in Queensland on a number of charges of sexual offending against a child in early 2020, and was sent to prison. A child sex offender deported from Australia was able to rejoin the New Zealand community without oversight because of a loophole in the law governing the return of 501s. A New Zealand judge who considered how he should be dealt with on return said the mans offending was serious and his risk profile is such that ongoing oversight and engagement with a probation officer is appropriate. However, District Court Judge David Robinson found he did not have jurisdiction to impose a final order placing conditions on the man under the Returning Offenders (Management and Information) Act 2015, known as the ROMI Act. That was because the man spent 15 months in custody in Queensland before being released to serve the rest as a suspended sentence a situation the ROMI Act did not cater for when it was set up to govern the oversight of returning deportees. The man is not named in a recently published district court decision, and the location of the court where the case was heard has been deleted. Instead, the offender has been given the fictitious name Tom Findley in the court documents, which showed he spent two periods in an immigration detention centre in Australia before being sent home. He had lived in Australia since 1999 and was deported under Section 501 of the Australian Immigration Act, under which a persons visa can be cancelled if they fail a character test. The section has been widely used to deport New Zealanders who have picked up criminal convictions in Australia. Collectively, these people have become known as 501s. Findley arrived back in New Zealand and was made subject to an interim order under the ROMI Act in July. It included conditions not to associate with people under 16, to not consume alcohol or illicit drugs and to live where a probation officer told him to. The Department of Corrections then applied for a final order in September last year in what should have been a routine procedure to maintain oversight over him and allow for him to be assessed for a rehabilitative programme. Instead, Judge Robinson found he did not have jurisdiction in Findleys case to make the final order sought by the department. Findley could not be treated as a returning prisoner under the ROMI Act, because he had been free in the community for more than six months after serving his jail time and between his two stints in immigration custody. He was also not subject to parole or monitoring, supervision, or other conditions under a court order in the community. Instead, he was in the suspended part of his jail term a four-year period where he was free but still technically under sentence after serving 15 months in custody. Judge Robinson said his jurisdiction to impose an oversight order on Findley came down to whether a suspended sentence under Queensland law amounts to monitoring, supervision, or other conditions for the relevant sentence for the purposes of the New Zealand ROMI Act. He found that it did not after consulting Australian legal authorities, who said a suspended sentence does not involve any form of monitoring, control or directed rehabilitation. The suspended sentence scheme under [Queensland law] has no features similar to standard or special release conditions applicable to short terms of imprisonment, or parole conditions that could be applied in New Zealand, Judge Robinson said. Those are, of course, the conditions that can be applied under the ROMI Act. He turned down the Department of Corrections application for a final order and discharged the interim orders that had been imposed previously. This is a matter which, in my view, requires legislative attention, Judge Robinson said. The offending for which Mr [Findley] was convicted was serious, and his risk profile is such that ongoing oversight and engagement with a probation officer is appropriate. But he said the ROMI Act should be explicit if it was intended to apply to people on a suspended prison sentence when they are deported to New Zealand. Had I found there was jurisdiction to make the final orders sought, I would have found the conditions necessary to facilitate Mr [Finley]s rehabilitation and reintegration, and to reduce the risk of reoffending, the judge said. The proposed conditions were entirely appropriate for the management of a convicted sex offender. A spokesperson for Corrections said the department was aware of the judgment. We are currently considering the courts decision and how we will respond, including any appeal. While this matter is under consideration it would be inappropriate to comment further at this stage. Recently graduated enrolled nurses are struggling to find jobs, after spending thousands of dollars on training that they hoped would open up more career opportunities in healthcare. A diploma in enrolled nursing takes 18 months - half the time of a bachelor degree - but covers more scope than a health care assistant course. An enrolled nurse can take care of patients, record vital information, provide medication, and work across a variety of health settings, including hospitals, general practices (GPs) and resthomes. Health New Zealand (HNZ) figures showed that 196 students graduated last year, about a third have found jobs (68), and just roughly one in five (44) have been hired by HNZ. There were 778 students doing an enrolled nursing programme in institutes under Te Pukenga in 2024. Rotorua woman Kelly Chandler was a health care assistant (HCA) in a resthome, before she started the diploma in enrolled nursing at an institute in Tauranga - a relatively cheaper option than doing a bachelors in nursing, she said. Chandler said many of her classmates, like her, were mature students who had worked as HCAs. She finished up in November last year and had done placements in acute care, mental health, aged care, and community and rehabilitation. Chandler said there had been few jobs available and she had the impression that many employers did not understand what enrolled nurses can do. "I've have emailed every single GP clinic in Rotorua, and only one's come back with a 'maybe' and I've never heard back from them, and most of the emails... a couple I did get back is [sic] sorry we have a HCA system, it's awesome for the HCAs, but we're not HCAs," she said. Chandler said she had also been told that Rotorua Hospital and Taupo hospital did not have enrolled nursing vacancies at all. She said it was likely she may need to return to her old job. "Got to do something, I've got student loans to pay back, you know we've got to live, and I just feel like that we just going to have to go back to being our HCA roles, not being paid enough," she said. Chandler said many of her classmates were in similar situations. "They are all petrified, because they've had to give up their other jobs to do the training in the first place... some of them have got nothing, they've had to go back job searching, and others have only got two days a week, and these are grown women, these are mums, that's the sad part about it," she said. Fifty-eight-year-old Tauranga woman Micheline Lagarto - who also used to be a healthcare assistant - said she took up the course as she felt she was capable of doing more. Lagarto has also struggled to find a job since finishing the course late last year. She said this was not the outcome she expected after making sacrifices to study - including cutting down her work hours, and paying about $12,000 for the course. "It's very sad, very sad and frustrating, we were taught to complete our course, and we passed our state finals, our graduation is March, and still there's nothing going on for us, that I've started looking at Australia," she said. "My aim is just to go out there, to be able to work and help people, it doens't really matter community, clinic or hospital," she said. Lagarto said she hoped to find a role in aged care or in palliative care. She said she had applied for many positions, but had often been told by employers they were looking for registered nurses. Lagarto said she felt that many employers in the Bay of Plenty were confused about the scope of work for enrolled nurses. As of 20 January, the scope of practice for enrolled nurses has expanded - meaning that enrolled nurses are no longer required to work under the direction of registered nurses. New Zealand Nurses Organisation delegate and enrolled nurse Michelle Prattley said she hoped this change will open up new opportunities for enrolled nurses in emergency departments, rural primary health, private hospitals and prisons. Prattley, who did not have any issue finding work when she graduated in 2015, said it's "heartbreaking" to see the new graduates struggle to find employment in the current environment. She said enrolled nurses played an important part - particularly when the workforce was stretched - and she was worried about the future. "They're a vital part of the healthcare system, the healthcare team, we need more nurses, the nurses that we got are burning out, and also enrolled nursing is an ageing population. "So we've got a lot of enrolled nurses due to retire or are retiring now, and our numbers are going to drop dramatically when that cohort of nurses that are retiring go, and we need them replaced, they're a valuable member of the healthcare team," she said. Prattley said HNZ needed to take action to keep these professionals in the country. "Retain these people and to keep the diploma of enrolled nursing going, we need a commitment from Te Whatu Ora to employ enrolled nurses," she said. A HNZ spokesperson said in a statement that they recognised the concerns of the graduates, and were committed to supporting them into roles as they became available. "National progress in nursing recruitment over the past year has exceeded expectations, with more nurses now employed by Health NZ hospitals than ever before. "This success has significantly changed the nursing workforce landscape and resulted in far fewer vacancies," the statement said. HNZ said it employed 750 enrolled nurses, and had 36.9 FTE vacancies for enrolled nurses as of September 2024. A search on HNZ's jobs website on 22 January showed there were seven vacancies for enrolled nurses across the country - five of those were part time positions, and just two were based in the North Island. HNZ said while it was going through a reset, recruitment for clinical roles responsible for the delivery of frontline services "continues in line with budgeted FTEs". -RNZ Tributes are flowing from around the world for a Tauranga fisherman who died after a day spent in his favourite place. Richard George Marquand, better known as Dick, died from a heart attack on January 2. The 76-year-old was part of the landscape, seen most days fishing the inner Tauranga Harbour off Matua He had just returned from a day wading along the flats when he collapsed at his Otumoetai home. He would often walk 10km to 15km each day stalking kingfish, recalled Dave Miller, who was taught fly fishing by Dick and saw him most days. Kingfish ride on the back of stingrays, so he would watch for the subtle ripples and the dark disk shapes gliding in the water. Ambassador, pioneer Miller said the retired wildlife officer loved to pass on his knowledge, and would get messages from as far away as the United Kingdom asking for advice or for him to be a fishing guide in the Bay of Plenty. Dave Miller with his good friend, the late Dick Marquand, celebrating Marquands 74th birthday at Harbourside Restaurant. Photo: supplied Dick was a great ambassador for Tauranga and pioneered flyfishing in salt water. He taught multitudes of fishermen how to catch a kingfish on a fly, which is extremely difficult to do, said Miller. His largest kingfish was 22kg, and he released every kingfish he caught. He was very concerned about the decreasing numbers in the harbour. Conservation passion Dick Marquand is survived by his five children. On Facebook, Dicks son Shane Marquand described his father as a man seldom without a smile. I grew up idolising this man and stuck to him as if I was his shadow, he wrote. He was very passionate regarding the conservation of New Zealand nature; from the mountains down the streams to the seas. Marquand had been diagnosed with breast cancer in July 2020. More recently, he was diagnosed with prostate cancer but it was a comfort to Miller that he spent the day fishing before passing so suddenly. The drug One of his sayings was: The tug is the drug. When I was with him, I felt like I was with David Attenborough. His knowledge and love of nature was incredible, Miller said. The late Dick Marquand in his happy place. Photo: supplied Dick was also very social. He had almost 5000 Facebook friends and would talk to everyone he met at the waterfront and delighted in patting their dogs. He always carried dog treats. My dog still waits for him. Miller described Marquand as the kindest person he knew, recalling the time that an eight-foot (2.4m) bronze whaler swam by, dragging a line in its mouth. He grabbed the shark by the tail and flipped it upside down, which puts the shark in a quiet state. He was able to remove the hooks, line and seaweed and the shark swam away. The late Dick Marquand untangles a fishing line from a bronze whaler shark in Tauranga Harbour. Photo: supplied Another day, when I was fishing with him, a pod of orcas swam within 30 metres of us and started flipping eagle rays into the air and catching them in their mouths. It was a sight to behold. Miller is planning a memorial seat on the Matua waterfront with a plaque dedicated to Marquand. Dick was considered fly fishing royalty and I was so privileged to call him my friend. Rest in peace Dick. You were extraordinary. Not many people can claim theyve continuously volunteered during 40 years of their life let alone to the same organisation. But Maungatapus Pam Smith can. The 86-year-old recently retired after four decades as a Meals on Wheels delivery driver in Tauranga. Now she wants anyone considering volunteering for Meals on Wheels to: Go do it! Its really fulfilling and is a good way to help the community. After moving to Tauranga from Auckland in 1984, Pam was looking for a way to help the community. Volunteering with Meals on Wheels was the perfect opportunity, she said. Her weekly run covered the Avenues and over the years she got to know the people she was delivering to. Sometimes youre the only person they see each day. As a result, she enjoyed and grew fond of many meal recipients and having a quick chat when bringing their dinner. You couldnt chat long as there were more meals to deliver. Red Cross Midland area adviser support Cameron Wright said Pams dedication as a Meals on Wheels volunteer with the New Zealand Red Cross Tauranga branch was nothing short of extraordinary. For 40 years, she selflessly delivered hot meals and warm smiles to those in need, embodying the true spirit of community service. Her unwavering commitment and compassion have made a significant impact on the lives of those she has served. We deeply admire Pam and thank her for her remarkable service and the positive difference she has made in our community, said Wright. Her legacy of kindness and dedication will continue to inspire us all. Nationally, the NZ Red Cross co-ordinates more than 3000 Meals on Wheels volunteers who deliver about 710,000 meals and compassion across 33 locations in Aotearoa offering a lifeline to those in need. June 2021 marked 70 years of the New Zealand Red Cross Meals on Wheels service. Read more about it here: www.redcross.org.nz/about-us Scientists have found a spotted hyena in southeastern Egypt. It was the first unexpected find recorded in the last 5000 years. ADVERTISIMENT However, the animal was found dead. The spotted hyena was caught and killed by local residents after it strangled two goats in the Elba National Park, Newsweek reports. "My first reaction was disbelief until I checked the photos and videos of the remains. When I saw the evidence, I was surprised. It was more than we expected to find in Egypt," said ecologist Abdullah Nagy of Egypt's Al-Azhar University. The animal, which is native to sub-Saharan Africa, was caught and killed by locals in Wadi Yahmib, about 30 kilometers miles from the Egyptian-Sudanese border. This is about 500 kilometers north of the known range of spotted hyenas in Sudan, experts say. ADVERTISIMENT Researchers suggest that rare weather events have opened up a migration corridor that has allowed the predator to move beyond its normal hunting grounds. Abdullah Nagy and his colleagues believe that a once-a-decade weather cycle associated with the Active Red Sea trough is causing more rain on the Egyptian-Sudanese border. This, in turn, accelerated the growth of plants, paving the migration corridor along which they traveled in search of grazing animals to feast on. An analysis of historical satellite imagery of the region confirmed that over the past five years, this corridor has seen higher levels of plant growth, potentially enough to support prey that could be of interest to the hyena, ecologists say. "The fact that the corridor area has become less ecologically harsh, offering easier passage, may explain how the hyena reached this far north," Nagy said. Only verified information is available on the OBOZ.UA Telegram channel and Viber. Do not fall for fakes! SIDNEY-- On Tuesday, January 14, 2025, the City of Sidney swore in a new Council Member, and the initial reaction from many in the community was unfamiliarity with the new appointee. Brett Kerkman was appointed to fill out the rest of Paul Strommen's term, about two years. Strommen, who also acted as Vice-Mayor, resigned his seat to take office as District 47's new State Senator in the Nebraska Legislature. With the opening also came controversy, as supporters of the candidate who earned third place in last November's council elections believed their candidate should be elevated and take Strommen's vacated seat. Some others wanted a new special election held for the position. As discussed in previous issues of the Sun-Telegraph, the procedure for filling the remainder of a term when a seat is vacated is very clear. In a city that has a City Manager form of government, the Mayor makes the ultimate decision on how to fill the seat, and he can use an application process or have a special election. Mayor Sherman decided to go with the application process as a special election would cost the city money and delay the filling of the seat. Mayor Sherman interviewed several candidates who applied for the position, and he chose Kerkman to serve out the rest of Strommen's term. The belief that a candidate from a different election can be "elevated" to another position because he had the third-highest vote total simply is mistaken. The only way a losing candidate is elevated to take a City Council seat is if the winner is declared ineligible to serve prior to taking the oath of office. The Sun-Telegraph had the opportunity to speak with Brett Kerkman, and find out a bit more about the man and his motivations for serving on the City of Sidney Council. Kerkman is originally from Burwell, Nebraska, and graduated high school in 2002. He then went to Central Community College and earned a degree in Electronic Technology. He was a technical worker for Platte Valley Communications in Kearney, but after some time with the company, he decided that he wasn't the right fit to work as a technician. He switched over to sales, and worked for some years in the audio/visual field, selling conferencing applications for remote meetings. He married his wife, Amber, in 2011, and eventually moved to Colorado Springs. After the birth of their first daughter, the couple struggled to find quality daycare in the Colorado Springs area and decided to move back to Nebraska. Although they looked at Ogallala, Kerkman said that Sidney was a better fit, and had higher quality and more available daycare options. "We moved here in March of 2020, the same week that everything shut down due to the COVID-19 pandemic," Kerkman said with a chuckle. The disruption of business during this time caused Kerkman to look for another opportunity, and he moved over to ASC Capacitors in Ogallala to work as the Sales & Marketing Manager for the company. He stayed in Sidney, and he and his wife had another daughter. Now with a family including two young daughters, Kerkman felt that he needed to get more involved in the community. He had participated in a few fundraising activities and some community service work, but he felt he could make a bigger contribution. When the opportunity came to serve the remainder of Paul Strommen's term, Kerkman jumped at the chance. "I really didn't know anybody on the council, and I once briefly met Mayor Sherman, but I felt that with my background in strategic planning and understanding finance somewhat, I could make an impact here in Sidney. So I went through the application process, had a good meeting with Mayor Sherman, and I was appointed," Kerkman said. "Sidney is such a nice town with a lot of promise for the future, and I want to be able to give back to the community. Although I've only been here for about five years, this is home for me and my family, and anything I can do to make things better, I'm here to help," he said. Kerkman has already hit the ground running, receiving a large binder of information on city workings, meeting with department heads, and consulting with City Manager David Scott to get himself acclimated to his new role. "It's a lot to learn and get your head around, but I think as time progresses and I become more familiar with how things work and certain processes, I really think I'll be able to be an effective councilman and help the city," he said. by Chabella Guzman | PREEC Communications The Nebraska Extension held a Crop Production Clinic on Wednesday, Jan. 8, 2025 at the UNL Panhandle Research Extension and Education Center in Scottsbluff. The clinic featured presentations and research updates on crop issues and grower interests. Among the topics for the day was ongoing research in battling the wheat stem sawfly. A native to Nebraska, the insect has become a big problem for wheat growers in the Panhandle. The High Plains Ag Lab (HPAL) has spent many years and extensive research on the sawfly done by Team Sawfly and Vinicius Zuppa, a... An evening drenched in rhinestones and BBQ sauce, the 2024 Cheyenne County Chamber Banquet kicked off to a large crowd on Saturday, January 18, 2025. Held at the Cheyenne County Fairgrounds, the evening's emcees were local DJs from Projekt:3D, Lucy and Don Davis, in their fourth year of hosting the evening awards. Opening the event with a heartfelt rendition of the National Anthem, sung by the Sun-Telegraph's own Kelsey Arrington, the evening of community camaraderie was kicked off with a delicious BBQ meal prepared and served by Cheyenne County's favorite constructor of culinary delights, Sea... "God spoke to Moses, 'Take your sandals off your feet, for the place where you stand is holy ground'." Exodus 3:5. Moses' encounter with God on a mountainside reveals much about how we might act if the Lord suddenly stood before us. Apparently, we'd advise God that we're not qualified for whatever He came to talk to us about! One year some 300 saleswomen met at Omaha, Nebraska. I was chosen as the keynote speaker. My assignment was to inspire, encourage and challenge these saleswomen to greater efficiency, higher goals and greater income. They applauded. At lunch, I turned on my little cassett... SUR in English Manilva Thursday, 23 January 2025, 10:35 Compartir With its serene and tranquil atmosphere, stunning beaches and natural surroundings, and the warmth and hospitality of its people, Manilva stands out within the diverse range of tourist towns that make up the Costa del Sol. A combination of factors has given Manilva a truly unique essence and personality. Its identity is shaped by its spectacular beaches, well-maintained and picturesque hiking routes, high-quality wines and its strong emphasis on residential tourism. Unlike major Costa del Sol towns such as Marbella or Torremolinos, which are known for their wide variety of hotels, Manilva is characterised by its focus on residential tourism. Its an ideal place to live, thanks to its mild climate, peaceful environment, excellent cuisine and friendly locals. Many visitors are so captivated by Manilva that they end up making it their second home. The numbers highlight the importance of residential tourism in the towns accommodation offering: Manilva currently has 13,111 properties designated for tourist use. The beauty of Manilva's beaches The combination of sun and sand has been key to establishing Manilvas strength as a tourist destination. The beauty of its coastline is one of its main attractions, offering a collection of beaches with crystal-clear waters to refresh your senses. Manilvas coastline stretches over eight kilometres, featuring wide, expansive beaches with fine sand that gently slopes into the sea. The environmental quality of its waters, along with its full range of services and accessibility for people with reduced mobility, earns these beaches the European Blue Flag distinction each season. Among its standout beaches is Punta Chullera, known for its ecological and naturist profile. It boasts stunning coves surrounded by rocks and low cliffs, offering exceptional natural beauty and ecological richness. Its clean, transparent waters are particularly ideal for underwater fishing. Another notable beach is La Duquesa, one of the most popular and frequently visited every summer thanks to its spaciousness and excellent location next to the La Duquesa Marina, one of Manilvas main tourist hotspots. Zoom The busiest beach, however, is Sabinillas, situated opposite the town centre of Manilva. It is a paradise for fishing enthusiasts, featuring one of the richest fishing grounds in Malaga province. The rocky areas are home to a variety of species, such as grouper, snapper, seabream, dentex, lobster, crayfish and many more. Zoom El Castillo beach, with its combination of long stretches of sand, rocky areas perfect for fishing and beach bars serving the best fried fish, and Los Toros, with its natural, untamed character and peaceful, relaxing atmosphere, are also popular choices within the municipality. A haven for nature lovers Beyond the sun and sea, Manilva offers many other attractions, including its rich natural spaces. This makes the town a paradise for hiking enthusiasts. Hiking not only provides undeniable health benefits but also allows visitors to enjoy the spectacular natural surroundings of the area. Manilva town hall has made significant efforts to promote hiking, including the publication of a guide featuring seven routes that pass through iconic spots such as Pinar de Tabanos, a small forest of stone pines; the cork oak forest of Loma del Negro; Cerro de los Castillejos, home to a Late Bronze Age archaeological site; the Alcorrin stream, where traces of the ancient Mediterranean forest of cork and Andalusian or Moorish gall oaks can still be seen; the picturesque views along Vizcarronda and its restored 18th-century winery; the springs of La Penuela and El Chorro; and the cliffs of Punta Chullera, a gem of the Costa del Sol. A destination for wine tourism Manilva, long associated with wines made from the Muscat of Alexandria grape, has also been a pioneer in embracing the vast potential of wine tourism. The town boasts a unique space for this purpose: the Vinas de Manilva Interpretation Centre (CIVIMA). CIVIMA offers a fascinating insight into Manilvas viticulture, focusing on aspects such as the wine production process, comparing traditional and modern techniques, and the festivals and customs linked to winemaking. The centre is located next to Bodegas Nilva, which has revived the old Muscat vineyards, producing wines of the highest quality. Visitors can enjoy the full experience of the landscape, vineyards and wine through guided tours of CIVIMA, vineyard visits, wine tastings and eno-gastronomic experiences. The conversation between President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky and US President Donald Trump will take place soon. Consultations are ongoing. ADVERTISIMENT This was stated on January 22 by the Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine Andriy Yermak during the discussion panel "Formula for Peace for Ukraine" at the World Economic Forum in Davos. He emphasized the importance of the meeting between the two heads of state. "We continue consultations. I really hope that the conversation between Presidents Zelensky and Trump will take place soon. This is very important," the Presidential Administration chief emphasized. According to Yermak, Ukraine "cannot lose a single minute" as the war continues. Kyiv wants to familiarize the new US administration with the situation at the front and Ukraine's strategy of peace and victory as soon as possible. He praised Trump's willingness to end the war, noting that the Ukrainian government is ready to cooperate fruitfully with the US administration. ADVERTISIMENT At the same time, Yermak emphasized that Ukraine will never agree to the language of ultimatums used by Russia. According to him, we do not demand anything more than what is enshrined in the resolutions of international law, and this is, accordingly, enshrined in the Peace Formula and Zelensky's Victory Plan. The head of the Presidential Office also emphasized that Zelensky "will never agree to territorial compromises" or to solutions that look like Minsk-3 or Minsk-4, stressing that these were bad documents with many questions. Yermak also touched upon the issue of nuclear weapons. He emphasized that "if Ukraine had nuclear weapons, this war would never have happened." According to him, if this war does not end in a just peace, everyone in the world will realize that only nuclear weapons work as a guarantee of security, especially when it comes to the aggression of a nuclear state against a non-nuclear one. At the same time, he emphasized the political responsibility of the signatories of the still valid Budapest Memorandum, which did not prevent the war. As reported by OBOZ.UA, Zelensky named the conditions under which he would start a dialogue with Russia. He said that Russian troops should return to the line of full-scale invasion. According to the head of state, this would be a fair opportunity to start negotiations on ending the war. Only verified information on our Telegram channel OBOZ.UA and Viber. Do not fall for fakes! Current Print Subscribers will be prompted to either login to their current site user account or to create a new one. A confirmation email will be sent when a new user account is created, which must be confirmed within three days in order to provide uninterrupted online access through your Print Subscription. Once the email address is confirmed please provide your Account Number to activate your Print Subscription Service. Syracuse, N.Y. A fire in the attic of a Syracuse home Wednesday night resulted in seven people being taken to a hospital, firefighters said. When firefighters arrived at 2225 Grant Blvd. around 7:10 p.m., they saw fire coming from the attic of the multi-family home, according to Capt. Phillip Vogt, a spokesperson for the Syracuse Fire Department. Before firefighters arrived, a police officer had knocked on a door at the home to tell residents there was a fire, Vogt said. Everyone inside the house was able to get out, he said. Fire was found burning in the ceiling of the second floor of the two-and-a-half-story home. It was quickly contained, Vogt said. Eleven people were displaced from the home; seven children and four adults. The house has apartments on the first and second floors, and possibly in the basement, Vogt said. Seven people were transported to Upstate University Hospital for smoke inhalation, he said. An adult was also being evaluated at the scene for smoke inhalation. The fire started in the space between the ceiling of the second floor and the attic floor, Vogt said in a news release. The fire was caused by an undetermined electrical malfunction and was classified as an accident, he said. There is smoke, water and fire damage in the attic and second floor of the house. Other parts of the building also have smoke and water damage The residents were assisted by the American Red Cross. Staff writer Timia Cobb covers breaking news. Have a tip, a story idea, a question or a comment? You can reach her at tcobb@syracuse.com. By John Annese | New York Daily News New York Seven people from New York City and Long Island have been busted in a massive Covid relief fraud scheme that netted $44 million and one of the defendants was so brazen he rapped about his crime in a song named after the IRS, the feds alleged Wednesday. The suspects scammed the money through thousands of bogus tax returns, spending it on jewelry, designer clothes, fancy cars and electronics, according to federal prosecutors who called it the largest scheme of its kind in the U.S. One suspect, Keith Williams, described the fraud on a recorded call as like taking candy from a baby, while another, Jamari Lewis, bragged about the scheme in a rap track titled Im Really Sophisticated (IRS), the feds allege. Lewis, 26, of Queens, who raps under the name Mr. Chaketah, flashes high-end clothes and sneakers in the songs music video, singing, That government bread I ran that s--t up, like how am I gon lose? the feds allege. All seven suspects have been indicted in Long Island Federal Court. The fraudsters took advantage of several government relief programs enacted by Congress in 2020 at the height of the Covid pandemic, which shut down the U.S. economy and caused the death of more than 1.2 million Americans. They applied for funds through the Employee Retention Credit, which was established to give businesses incentive to keep paying employees while they were shut down by giving back a percentage of their wages to the businesses through tax credits, the feds allege. Federal prosecutors refer to the scheme as the largest Employee Retention Credit fraud case in the country. The fraudsters also applied for Sick and Family Leave Credit, and several scammed relief bucks out of the Paycheck Protection Program, the feds allege. Williams, 46, of West Hempstead, ran much of the scams operations out of his credit repair business, Credit Reset, the feds allege, and the suspects churned out thousands of tax returns between November 2021 and June 2023. A raid of Williams home found millions of dollars in luxury items investigators believe was bought with the ill-gotten relief bucks including items from Rolex, Gucci, Louis Vuitton, Fendi, Balenciaga and Versace, and vehicles like a Land Rover, a Polaris Slingshot and a Tesla Model Y, the feds said. As alleged, the defendants shamefully took advantage of a global health emergency to line their pockets with millions of dollars that were intended for struggling families and small businesses just trying to stay afloat and lavished themselves with luxury goods while shamefully boasting about their criminal activity, acting U.S. Attorney John Durham said Wednesday. Williams lawyer, Chris Cassar, called the indictment overreaching. The government will be unable to prove that Keith Williams intentionally and knowingly committed any conspiracy or tax crime, he said. The other suspects include Janine Davis, 41, of Wheatley Heights, Morais Dicks, 55, of Dix Hills, James Hames, 65, of Campbell Hall, Ewendra Mathurin, 32, of Queens Village, and Tiffany Williams, 41, of Brooklyn. Williams lawyer, Gilbert Bayonne, said Wednesday she entered a not guilty plea, and its too soon in the process to comment on the case. Dicks lawyer, Darnell Crosland, said his client firmly denies the allegations. He has always conducted his business with honesty and integrity. The charges are unfounded, Crosland said. The other suspects lawyers didnt immediately return messages seeking comment Wednesday. _____ 2025 New York Daily News. Visit nydailynews.com. Yes, chefs! Four talented Upstate New York chefs have been nominated for one of the most prestigious honors in the culinary world: a James Beard Award. The four chefs hailing from restaurants in Western New York, the Catskills and the Hudson Valley are among the 11 semifinalists up for best chef in New York state: Clare de Boer, of Stissing House in Pine Plains Ryan Fernandez, of Southern Junction in Buffalo Efren Hernandez, of Casa Susanna in Leeds Shaina Loew-Banayan, of Cafe Mutton in Hudson The rest of the New York chefs named as semifinalists are from New York City and Long Island eateries. Chef Efren Hernandez, of Casa Susanna in Leeds, N.Y., is a semifinalist for a James Beard Award. Photograph courtesy of Casa SusannaPhotograph courtesy of Casa Susanna The 2025 James Beard Awards semifinalists were announced Wednesday. The nominees for the Oscars of the food world will be named on April 2, the James Beard Foundation said, and winners will be announced at the James Beard Restaurant and Chef Awards ceremony on June 16 at the Lyric Opera of Chicago. The four chefs werent the only Upstate New York representatives named as James Beard Award semifinalists. Shaina Loew-Banayan, owner and chef of Cafe Mutton in Hudson, N.Y., has been nominated for a James Beard Award. Loew-Banayan said this photo is their current headshot.Photo provided by Cafe Mutton Waxlight Bar a Vin, a wine-focused restaurant in Buffalo, is a semifinalist for the outstanding wine and other beverages program award. Christopher Bates, owner of and master sommelier of F.L.X. Table in Geneva, is a semifinalist for outstanding professional in beverage service. The 2025 awards are far from the first time Upstate chefs have been named James Beard Award semifinalists or winners. Two of this years semifinalists, Chef Fernandez and Waxlight Bar a Vin, were James Beard Awards finalists in 2024. Zak Pelaccio, the executive chef and co-owner of the former Fish & Game restaurant in Hudson, was named the Northeasts Chef of the Year in the James Beard Foundations ceremony in 2016. Comedian Nikki Glaser has added 17 new dates to her already massive 2025 Alive and Unwell tour, following her acclaimed performance as the host of the 2025 Golden Globes. The new shows will include additonal shows at venues such as the Boch Center in Boston (February 23), Beacon Theatre in New York City (March 28-29), San Jose Civic in California (April 5), and the Chicago Theatre (May 22). Glaser will also visit Toronto, Austin, Richmond, Baltimore, and more. Ticket presale for the new shows is currently ongoing, followed by the general public sale beginning Friday, January 24, at 10 a.m. local time via Ticketmaster. Use code UNWELL for early access. Tickets are also available through secondary market platforms such as Vivid Seats, SeatGeek, and StubHub, which offer verified tickets with buyer guarantees. These resale platforms may offer below-face-value pricing and availability for sold-out shows, depending on demand. A complete list of Glasers tour dates is available here. Glaser is best known for her witty and risque comedy, touching on topics such as aging, sex, relationships, anxiety and depression in her signature unapologetic, brutally honest style. Her previous stand-up comedy specials include Bangin', Good Clean Filth and Someday Youll Die, among others. Shes also known for hosting shows like Not Safe with Nikki Glaser on Comedy Central, Blind Date on Bravo, FBoy Island on HBO Max and The CW and Lovers and Liars on The CW, as well as her hit podcast The Nikki Glaser Podcast. On January 20, 2025, Donald Trump took the oath of office as the 47th President of the United States. On the same day, the nation celebrated its annual tribute to the life of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr, whose name and dream was invoked in Trumps inaugural address. Here in Central New York, Syracuse University hosted its 40th MLK Day celebration, welcoming Dr. Sarah Willie-LeBreton, President of Smith College, as the keynote speaker. A noted and respected scholar and leader in her own right, Dr. Willie-LeBretons ties to Syracuse run deep. Her father, Dr. Charles V. Willie, who was a college classmate and life-long friend of Dr. King, came to Syracuse University as a sociology graduate student in 1950. He received his doctorate here in 1957. In 1967, he became the first Black tenured professor in the history of Syracuse University, where he remained until leaving for Harvard in 1974. Over the course of his career at Syracuse, Dr. Willie played a significant role in the struggle for civil rights both on campus and in the wider community. His friendship with Dr. King was instrumental in briging the iconic pastor from Atlanta, Georgia to the Salt City to speak on two occasions, in 1961 and in 1965. By the time King made his second trip to Central New York to speak at Syracuse University on July 15, 1965, the city and the nation as a whole, were deep in the throes of a civil rights revolution that was recasting nearly every aspect of American life. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. during his speech at Syracuse University Summer Sessions, July 15, 1965.Courtesy of the Onondaga Historical Association For most Americans, Dr. King, the recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize the previous year, was the face of this revolution. This non-violent movement, which had taken shape in the south a decade earlier, brought about a significant swing in public opinion that led to the passage of a landmark Civil Rights Act signed in July 1964 that, among a host of other things, outlawed discrimination in public places and employment. Kings visit came at an important inflection point for the movement and for the man. Dr. Kings visit to Syracuse marked a significant moment for the local chapters of civil rights groups like the Congress on Racial Equality (CORE) and the NAACP, who, along with Dr. Willie and Dr. Bill Wayson, helped facilitate Kings visit. According to Wayson, King was also very interested in the sanitation workers strike that was taking place in Syracuse at the time. Locally, these groups and their allies had been fighting against urban renewal, school segregation, and discrimination in housing and employment practices in the Salt City for years, as a continuation of their broader work across the country. CORE protestors in the 15th Ward of Syracuse, September, 1963.Courtesy of the Onondaga Historical Association The focus of the movement was moving north, where despite common misconceptions, Jim Crow lived as comfortably as he did below the Mason Dixon line. King had served on COREs national advisory board in the late 1950s, and the organization worked closely with his Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC). Among the earliest proponents of the sit-in back in the 1940s, CORE supported the Greensboro Four, in 1960. In May, 1961, they sponsored and orchestrated the Freedom Rides to challenge segregation on interstate buses and bus terminals in the southern states. The success of the Freedom Rides led to a proliferation of CORE chapters nationally. In November 1961, Syracuse University chemistry Professor Dr. George Wiley and eleven graduate students formed Syracuses local chapter. As a contextual aside, about week later, on December 6, 1961, S.U. half back Ernie Davis became the first black player to win the Heisman Trophy. From these humble beginnings, Wiley and his colleagues built a robust and moderately effective movement for social justice on campus and in the city. Beginning in 1963, CORE led non-violent protests in the Syracuses 15th Ward, decrying segregation and housing discrimination, and the enlargement of the so-called ghetto wherein nearly 90% of the Syracuses Black population had been forced to live. Residential segregation caused school segregation by default. Wiley and CORE made these interconnected issues their primary targets. They also organized marches and boycotts against several city department stores. In cooperation with the NACCP, CORE also picketed the Hotel Syracuse, the citys grandest hotel and site of many university functions, demanding that the hotel hire black waiters and bellmen. The Hotel capitulated in August. Later that month, Syracuses CORE chapter sent nearly 300 representatives to the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, where Dr. King delivered his I Have A Dream Speech. A series of successful boycotts of Syracuse department stores, citing discriminatory hiring practices, followed in 1964. In the summer of 1964, CORE published Project 101: Toward Social Justice. This impressively researched study laid out in stark detail the hopelessly interrelated problems of discrimination in housing and employment, and school desegregation and public welfare procedures. The study offered 106 specific proposals needed for breaking the treadmill cycle in which the negro in Syracuse is caught so that they can actually attain freedom and full citizenship. These solutions were applicable to nearly any American city. COREs work in Syracuse had raised Dr. Wileys national profile, as well as the plight of African Americans in northern cities. Kings visit was further proof of the success of local activists and the networks they had built. In March, 1965, just a few months prior to Dr. Kings visit, Syracusans and their fellow countrymen were glued to the events in Alabama. There, thousands of protestors organized by SCLC and the Student Non-Violent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) gathered to march from Selma to Montgomery to fight for voting rights. These protestors, which included several clergymen from Syracuse, were attacked by local police on Bloody Sunday, March 7, 1965, after crossing the Edmund Pettus Bridge. King joined them the next day for the historic march to the state capital. A few weeks after the horrific scenes in Selma, in early April, Syracuses CORE chapter bused in nearly three dozen veterans of Bloody Sunday to march in the ongoing protests against what they alleged to be discriminatory hiring practices at Niagara-Mohawk. By the time of these protests, the events in Syracuse and other northern cities had garnered significant national attention to the reality that segregation was not a uniquely southern phenomenon. It was in this context that Dr. King came to Syracuse University. Speaking to a crowd of nearly 1,000 people in Sims Hall, Dr. King announced a new national strategy for his group, SCLC and their collaborators, the first move into the north on a major scale. Recognizing the work already being done by local groups against the intertwined degenerative evils of discriminatory housing and employment, King said his group had no plans in Syracuse in the near future and praised the good work and great support that Syracuse ministers gave us in Selma. He concluded with the timely reminder that change is not self-operative; you cannot depend upon American institutions to function without prodding and pressuringAny real change in the status quo depends on continuous creative action to sharpen the conscience of the nation. His words and his example, along with the work of those he inspired to fight for change and for justice, remain as powerful and as instructive as they were six decades ago. Robert Searings weekly articles are supported by the William G. Pomeroy Public History Media Series. To learn more about the William G. Pomeroy Foundations work to promote public history, visit wgpfoundation.org. Oswego, N.Y. A Tennessee man who federal prosecutors say visited Oswego to have sex with an underage girl has been arrested after making a second trip to see the same girl, according to court papers. Thomas Farr, 51, was arrested after Homeland Security investigators learned he had been exchanging sexually explicit text messages and photographs with a 13- and a 12-year-old girl in Oswego County, according to court papers filed this week by prosecutors in the U.S. Attorneys Office for the Northern District of New York. Farr was arrested by Oswego County Sheriffs Office deputies on Dec. 5 at the Walmart in the city of Oswego, prosecutors said. One of the victims told investigators that Farr had visited in October 2024 and took the two girls to The Fort where she said he sexually abused one of them, according to court papers. The fort is believed to be Fort Ontario, a state historic site in the city of Oswego. Pictures of the two girls at the historic site in October were found on Farrs phone, prosecutors said. Over two dozen images of one of the girls were found on one of the phones, along with sexually explicit videos. Messages between the girl and Farr were also found, which include Farr describing sexual acts he wanted to do to the minor, according to court documents. Moments before Farr was arrested, he sent a picture to one of the girls of him holding a handgun to his forehead with a text message saying, Im not going to prison, according to court documents. He also sent a message asking the girl to not tell anyone and said that if she gave her phone to authorities both her and the other victim would go to a foster home, according to court papers. When he was arrested, a loaded handgun was found tucked into his pants and two phones were confiscated from him, prosecutors said. Farr was charged with sexual exploitation of a child, according to court documents. He is also facing several state-level felonies, including the use of a child in a sexual performance, court records show. He is currently being held on $250,000 cash bail in the Oswego County jail. Farr is a registered sex offender in Tennesse and Florida, according to both states sex offender registries. Tennessee has a three-tiered sex offender system, Farr is classified a violent offender, the highest level of their classification system which is reserved for serious felony sex crimes. His victim was 15 years old, prosecutors said. It was not immediately available what he was convicted of in Tennessee. In 2006, Farr was convicted in Florida for sexual battery by a custodian with a victim 12 or older but younger than 18. He was sentenced to 10 years in prison. Florida designated Farr a sexual predator. Staff writer Timia Cobb covers breaking news. Have a tip, a story idea, a question or a comment? You can reach her at tcobb@syracuse.com. Syracuse, N.Y. Syracuse officials are considering increasing fines and publishing an online list of compliant properties as ways to nudge more landlords into getting on the rental registry. An analysis of the citys registry released Thursday by City Auditor Alexander Marion estimates that just 25% of properties that should be on the list actually are. The citys Department of Neighborhood and Business Development disputes that number, but says its own review has concluded compliance to be at 33%. Thats well below the 42% rate the city had been citing. NBD recently finalized a new formula for determining the number of register-required properties, and the list grew by 25% to 10,567. As designed, this critical tool identifies one- and two-family rental properties and ensures their ongoing compliance with city codes, Marion wrote in his 80-page report, titled Runaway Rentals. Unfortunately, widespread compliance has long eluded the City. Syracuse started its rental registry in 2007 as a tool to improve conditions at one-unit rentals and two-unit rentals not occupied by owners. Rentals with three or more units and mixed-uses such as first-floor retail or office space are required under state law to receive a certificate of code compliance and are therefore exempt from applying to the city registry. One reason the city started the registry was to track down the actual owners of smaller rentals that are often listed by LLCs with no direct contact information readily available from public records. Getting properties on the registry can allow the city to more easily secure permission to conduct compliance inspections, including tests for lead paint chips and dust that can be a health hazard. But since inception, many landlords have ignored the registry. And some have even taken the city to court to challenge its legality. In 2012, the city lost a case in which landlords challenged a registry requirement that they allow code enforcement staff inside for inspections. In 2018, the Syracuse Common Council updated the registry law to give the city permission to seek a court warrant if a landlord denied an inside inspection. A lawsuit filed last year by a group of landlords said the city was not getting warrants but refusing to issue registry compliance records if landlords didnt check the box consenting to interior inspections. Following that complaint, the city has gone to court dozens of times seeking warrants. Marion said thats a good move. Our Corporation Counsels work to seek these warrants should be commended but also accelerated and expanded; these required inspections help promote safe, healthy places to live for Syracuse families, Marion wrote. In a response to the auditors report, Neighborhood and Business Development Commissioner Michael Collins said his staff is already working on two other recommendations the auditor included: publishing an online list of compliant properties so tenants can research potential landlords and increasing fines for non-compliance. The current penalty is $100 per day of non-compliance. We like the idea of a compliant landlord list, Collins wrote. To that end, we have been working on a public-facing interactive map that we will look to unveil this year. Marion suggested fines start at $1,000; Collins did not indicate what level of increase they intend to seek. The Syracuse Common Council would have to approve such a change. City reporter Jeremy Boyer can be reached at jboyer@syracuse.com, (315) 657-5673, Twitter or Facebook. President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky believes that any peacekeeping force, if deployed in Ukraine, should include US troops. This will be the key to their effectiveness. ADVERTISIMENT Zelensky said this in an interview with Bloomberg. According to him, European allies do not have enough soldiers to be a realistic deterrent to dictator Vladimir Putin, and any other solution risks causing divisions within NATO. "This cannot happen without the United States. Even if some European friends think it is possible, no, it cannot be. No one will take any risks without the United States," the president explained. According to Bloomberg, Zelensky is now seeking the support of the United States, our most important ally, as the diplomatic push to end the fighting in Ukraine "gathers momentum." "He was angered by the idea, expressed on Tuesday, that military support from his European allies would be enough," the article says. Zelensky also named the minimum number of peacekeeping troops that could prevent another Russian attack. The head of state noted that it is at least 200 thousand military personnel. As reported by OBOZ.UA, President Volodymyr Zelensky spoke about the possibility of deploying peacekeepers on the territory of Ukraine - this issue is currently being discussed with several key international partners, including France and Poland. However, Ukraine needs serious security guarantees. Only verified information is available on our Telegram channel OBOZ.UA and Viber. Do not fall for fakes! Where is the cheapest place to retire in the United States? Two of the spots where you can expect your hard-earned savings to last are in New York, a new study has found. Rochester was named the 12th-cheapest place to retire in the U.S. in the ranking by GOBankingRates, a personal finance website. Buffalo, the second-biggest city in the Empire State, was ranked the No. 22 most-affordable city. The top spot on the list of the cheapest places to retire was snagged by Toledo, Ohio. This isnt the first time Upstate New York has been recognized as a great destination for retirees. Syracuse and Rochester were named among the best places to retire in America in 2024 by U.S. News and World Report, while Lake Placid made a list of great mountain towns for retirees in 2023 by MoneyTalksNews. How did Buffalo and Rochester earn a spot on the 2025 ranking? To compile its list, GOBankingRates compared the annual retirement income needed for basic costs including groceries, health care and housing in the 100 biggest cities in the United States. The banking website also rated the livability of each city and only included communities with a senior population of at least 10%. The cost of living in both Western New York cities is well below the national average, according to GOBankingRates: Its 16.8% lower than the U.S. average in Rochester and 11.5% lower in Buffalo. At $8,455 per year, GOBankingRates said Rochester was considered one of the most affordable places for housing on its list. Housing in Buffalo was also deemed well below the national average at $11,852 per year. While Rochester ranked higher on the list for affordability, Buffalo earned a higher livability score. Beth A. Broadway is president and CEO of InterFaith Works, a refugee resettlement agency in Syracuse. There is an ancient form of torture called death by a thousand cuts. The victim receives the first cut, bleeds, becomes frightened but does not die. The second cut also causes the victim to bleed, further frightening and now weakening the victim, but death does not come. The hundredth cut adds resignation to weakness and fear. The 500th cut begins to drive the victim insane. When the victim finally receives the final 1000th cut, death comes. This is the effect of the new executive order to halt the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP). This executive order is the first of the cuts, made so publicly and with such immense disregard for the families who will remain torn apart, to the victims of war and repression who remain unsafe, and to the thousands of communities who have given our hearts, our economies and our vibrancy to the diverse peoples of the world. Members of my staff and I spent yesterday in Albany, talking with legislators about the importance of refugee resettlement. We traveled with refugee leaders from across Upstate and Downstate New York, people who themselves are former refugees, and those of us who have dedicated our lives and service to them. The executive order is the first cut, and it is having its desired effect the spreading of fear. Ostensibly, the halt is to assure the safety of the U.S. from refugees who might come to harm us. Of course, it is well-known, well-documented and assured by the FBI, Homeland Security, CIA and the United Nations that refugees who are moved out of camps to become New Americans are the most carefully screened and vetted immigrants on the planet. Of course, this unveiled language is about selectively excluding people for political purposes. Of course, we will stand firm in our resolve to continue to serve refugees and to help them become solidly planted here in our community. Immediately after the November election, our federal government and the refugee resettlement agencies participated in what I call The Push a full-scale campaign to bring as many refugees as possible to the U.S. Last week, across the United States, the refugee resettlement communities, agencies, and the federal government achieved a landmark goal of settling 6,000 people in just three months across New York state. These were people who were fully vetted, waiting for travel documents, and many came to be reunited with their families. Our agency alone settled over 400 people during The Push, and last week we received 71 people representing 22 households! I wish that each and every one of you reading this could have been at the airport to greet them, to see the relief and joy in their faces and the faces of their family members. Please know that many people joined us in The Push churches, temples, mosques all provided meals for our staff who worked 18-hour days. Volunteers set up 100+ households in the last three months. Our quilt shop provided 50 baby quilts; 1,858 coats were cleaned and donated by over 100 different individuals and entities. We will galvanize again and again, with your help and Gods grace. Listen. This is the sound of democracy working. When the cuts keep coming, (and they will) our agency wants you to know, firmly, deeply, truly, that we will bandage up and keep on going, just as we have done before. One thousand cuts wont stop us. Because our community is a proud resettlement city. Because our state holds the lantern of hope in its harbor. Because our nation will come back from this brink and InterFaith Works will still be here, doing its part to affirm the dignity of all. Related: Syracuse immigrants are put in ankle monitors, their passports taken in Trumps first day A Florida man accused of storming the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, has been arrested again a day after President Donald Trump pardoned him. Politico reports Daniel Ball, 39, was released from pretrial detention in Washington, D.C., Tuesday when his felony assault charges were dismissed as Trump pardoned some 1,500 people charged in the Capitol riots. Ball had been accused of violent acts, including throwing an explosive device that disoriented officers in the Lower West End Tunnel and caused hearing loss, as well as throwing dangerous weapons at a line of officers protecting the Capitol. But on Wednesday, Ball was back behind bars for a separate case. ABC News reports Ball was rearrested on federal gun charges that had been pending for two years. An arrest warrant said he had been charged in Florida for unlawfully possessing a gun as a felon. Ball, of Homosassa, Florida, has at least three previous felony convictions, including in 2017 for domestic violence battery by strangulation and two convictions in October 2021 for resisting law enforcement and battery on a law enforcement officer. He was arrested in May 2023 for his alleged role in the Capitol riots. Trumps pardons also included more than 200 people who pleaded guilty to assaulting officers in the siege, which left at least 140 officers injured. Notable figures pardoned included Proud Boys leader Enrique Tarrio and Oath Keepers founder Stewart Rhodes, who were both convicted of seditious conspiracy against the U.S. for attempting to stop the peaceful transfer of power to President Joe Biden after the 2020 election. According to the New York Post, Balls case was one of more than 450 that were still pending. Trump defended the pardons on Wednesday, calling the sentences ridiculous and excessive. These are people who actually love our country, so we thought a pardon would be appropriate, Trump said. On the night of January 23, the aggressor country Russia attacked Ukraine with almost a hundred attack drones, and on Thursday morning - with ballistic missiles. The defenders of the sky shot down 57 UAVs, and more than two dozen more were lost locally. ADVERTISIMENT Enemy drone and missile strikes caused damage and casualties in Zaporizhzhia. The Ukrainian Air Force reported that the attack was repelled. It is noted that since 19:00 yesterday, the aggressor has launched 92 Shahed-type attack UAVs and other drones, including imitators from the directions of Millerovo, Orel, Kursk, Bryansk, Primorsko-Akhtarsk (Russia). In addition, the occupiers used four Iskander-M/KN-23 ballistic missiles from the Voronezh region of the Russian Federation. The air attack was repelled by anti-aircraft missile troops, electronic warfare units, and mobile fire groups of the Air Force and the Defense Forces of Ukraine. As of 09:30, 57 enemy drones were confirmed to have been shot down in eight regions: Poltava, Sumy, Kharkiv, Chernihiv, Mykolaiv, Kherson, Zaporizhzhia, and Dnipro regions. ADVERTISIMENT Another 27 imitator UAVs were locally lost without any negative consequences, and three were still in the air, so combat operations continued. Air defense units shot down seven Shaheds in the sky over Sumy region, and one was destroyed over Cherkasy region. In the evening of January 22, at least five enemy drones hit Zaporizhzhia, causing a fire, but no casualties. In the morning of January 23, Russia hit Zaporizhzhia with four ballistic missiles, killing a man. The attack hit a power facility in the city , destroyed a high-rise building and damaged dozens of houses. Dozens of people were injured in the attack, including a two-month-old baby, rescuers and power workers. The Kharkiv region was also affected by the fall of downed enemy UAVs: at about 05:40 on Thursday, Shaheds hit an open area near the village of Lytvynove in the Zolochiv community, damaging a power line. As reported by OBOZ.UA, on the night of January 22, the Defense Forces shot down 65 drones out of 99 launched by the Russians, and another 30 UAVs did not reach their targets. As a result of the enemy attack, institutions, industrial enterprises, outbuildings, private and apartment buildings in six regions were damaged. Only verified information is available on our Telegram channel OBOZ.UA and Viber. Do not fall for fakes! 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. navj Newbie Join Date: Jan 2025 Location: Kochi Posts: 6 Thanked: 39 Times Creta saved me in an accident | Horrible experience with Hyundai & its service center We met with an accident last July and escaped without even a scratch. Our lives were saved, and our lives changed after that night. First and long post alert. This is my account of the night and the terrible experiences I'm facing with the service center that claims to be the largest Hyundai Dealership in South Kerala. On July 26th, I had to drive to my native place from Kochi to attend the funeral of someone close. It rained all the way, and at night, I lost control of the car and hit an electric post. The next morning, I drove to the accident spot, police station, and service center to get the proceedings done, and by evening we towed the car to the service center. I had taken an extension of RSA, but when I called the service center, they specifically informed me that RSA is a headache and that only one towing vehicle is available in the district, so it's good for nothing. By then, the gravity of the accident and events started to take a toll on me, but the next morning I contacted Hyundai and learned that I was supposed to register an RSA request and follow the procedure accordingly. I contacted the service station and raised a complaint. They initially washed their hands of the issue, but in the end, they agreed to pay half of the money. Following up with service stations, multiple visits, and calls to know whats happening, along with the promised dates, just kept passing by. A promised timeline of just over a month turned into two, then three months. They kept coming up with new things that delayed the work. When enough was enough, I raised several follow-ups with senior people at the dealer, and finally, after three months, my parents went there and took the car back. In the end, I had to pay double the amount they initially quoted verbally, since insurance takes care of those matters. By the weekend, I reached home and inspected the car. Bingo. I understand accidents can't be fixed in one go, but from the roof light to the missing boot flap, I made a list of things that were immediately missing or not working. The service center promised to take care of it at the next service. Fair enough. Three weeks later, I came back to my native place for my cousin's wedding. On the way to the wedding venue, the car broke down. Then started the saga of an optimistic day turning into an example of incompetency from the Hyundai dealership and Hyundai. 1.I called the same service guy. They sent a mobile team, but the people who came had no clue about the history of the car or anything. 2.The service center guy now insisted on putting in an RSA request and agreed to pay the rest of the money if it exceeded the limit. (Now RSA is legit for them since they have to pay the money otherwise.) 3.I asked for a spare car and pushed further. Hesitantly, they agreed. 4.I got a call from the RSA driver who said he would be here soon. 5.The dealer said the spare car was ready but in another showroom around 20 km away. They also said the team member at the spot would stay there and deal with RSA so that I could attend the wedding. 6.We went to that second showroom, and the wait started. It was around 1 pm, and the car had broken down around 9:30 am. 7.After another hour or so, at the dealership they showed me the spare car. I specifically asked the manager whether it was a petrol or diesel engine. I had serviced my car at this place once before, and the experience was bad. The manager had an attitude of "everything is right, sir, you are just making a fuss." I knew this guy from then. He said, "Diesel, sir." I double-checked. "Diesel, sir, don't worry about it. It will run anywhere. Just take it, sir." 8.We filled diesel at a nearby pump, and the vehicle started showing the signs of a petrol car running on diesel fuel. Meanwhile, I called RSA, no response. I called the guy who was supposed to be with the car. He said, "Sir, I gave the keys to a nearby restaurant. RSA will collect them from there." (Without my permission or even communication.) I called the dealership again, and they had no clue but promised to make sure someone was there. 9.Back to the spare car, I drove it back to the center, called the guy, "Sir, you are just simply worrying, no issues, sir, take it, sir." I insisted on testing it with a service guy. One came, checked, and said no issues. Still no idea where the RSA was, but the dealer said a guy from their side had reached the spot. 10.I took the spare car, and within a kilometer, it broke down. A call to the same guys confirmed that it was a petrol car. Well done. Then we had to wait another 30 minutes or so for the towing pickup to come. Not even a kilometer, but yeah. Now the same manager started saying, "Sir, the car will be ready in just 20-30 minutes, sir, please wait, sir." That was the point I felt humiliated to the core. How could someone treat me so casually without an ounce of respect to get away from their responsibilities? "All I'm asking for is a bit of honesty here. 20-30 minutes max, apparently." Now, around 70 km away from the wedding venue and 160 km to Kochi on the opposite side, I knew the day was gone and got fed up with everything. I had to come back at night for work reasons. We got the money back for the diesel we filled and took a bus to Kochi. No response from RSA yet; the dealer said their guy was still at the spot. Around 4:30 pm, I got a call from a lady claiming that she was with RSA and said the pickup had some issues and was at the workshop and they would reach in 45 minutes. Around 5:30 pm, RSA called and said there was no one at the spot. I called the dealer, and they said they had sent the same guy in the morning, but he went to get some food nearby. This is the same guy who gave the key to the restaurant nearby. By 7 pm something, they sent me pictures of the towing and vehicle reaching the service station. The next day I called the dealership, and they said the diesel pump was faulty and they had ordered the spare. The issues from my side had already been given to them in writing, and they said they would take care of those things too. A wait of 2 weeks. "Sir, the fuel pump is ready, and we have moved the vehicle to the body department. They will call," said the executive. Then I got a call from the service guy who was dealing with it from the start. "Sir, we checked the car and ordered the parts. Please wait, sir." Well, they all live under the same damn roof, and it took them 2 weeks to check and order? Another 2 weeks and constant follow-ups, further delays to committed dates, they finally told me that delivery would happen. Nothing happened that day, but I got a call again saying, "Sir, the faulty back window glass, we don't know what to do, and the missing boot flap, we ordered a new one, but that's not fitting your car, sir." They are saying a Creta boot flap ordered from the company is not fitting the Creta but promised to get one from another center in the morning and deliver. The farce. Since I was in Kochi, I needed it to be delivered to my home in the native place. The next morning, I got a call from the driver, but he said the flap was not available at the center. The service guy then on the call said, "Sir, the driver started so early, sir, so he couldn't get it since the dealership won't open that early." Then promised to take care of it in two days. Its been a week. Whenever I follow up, the answer is, "We are waiting for the parts, sir." I tried to connect with their regional service head. After listening to the complaint, he asked me to hold the call, then cut the call. No response after. The most annoying part is the feedback calls from Hyundai and the Dealership team. While the vehicle is at the center, I constantly get calls for feedback and stuff, but nothing happens after. Also, after the day, I got several calls from RSA, so many calls and people asking what happened, apologies, sir, thank you. Then someone else claims that they have received a complaint from my side and apologizes and goes. Repeat. The dealership mentioned here claims they are the largest one in South Kerala. Although the Creta is a good car, Im done with Hyundai. Never again. The humiliation, Im unable to put it into words. They just treat it like nothing, especially when you have not much car knowledge. One thing: the staff and people I was in contact with were never rude or unwilling to help. Everyone is nice and good but just incompetent. Latest update: They said by 26th the issues will be sorted. Lets see Attached Thumbnails Last edited by navj : 22nd January 2025 at 09:52 . Reason: spelling errors and pictures needed according to the message i got from admin Russian occupants in Yevpatoriya in the west of the occupied Ukrainian Crimea are building fortifications along the Black Sea coast. In fear of a Ukrainian landing, the invaders are building fortifications, dugouts, trenches, and training personnel. ADVERTISIMENT This was reported on January 23 by the Atesh military movement of Ukrainians and Crimean Tatars. They also published a photo of the results of the reconnaissance. "The occupiers are preparing for the landing of the Ukrainian Defense Forces and digging in on the beaches in Crimea," the publication says. In particular, Atesh agents conducted reconnaissance of the fortifications that the Russian Armed Forces are building on the coastline near occupied Yevpatoriya. ADVERTISIMENT Fortifications, dugouts and trenches are being built on the beaches. The guerrillas have also identified the locations of their personnel. Objects are under guard, access to the beaches is blocked. "But this is not a problem for us, because our agents are both among local residents and among the military of the Russian Armed Forces, who are aware of the criminality of the Putin regime's war against Ukraine," Atesh said. ADVERTISIMENT The guerrillas added that the information collected on the actions of the Russian invaders in the occupied Crimea is systematically transferred to the Ukrainian Defense Forces. Atesh also called to join the resistance, to do this, you need to contact the coordinator of the movement @Ametham_atesh_ua in Telegram. As OBOZ.UA reported earlier, the occupiers began building shelters near the Belbek military airfield near Sevastopol. In this way, the enemy is trying to protect its aircraft from Ukrainian strikes. Only verified information is available on the OBOZ.UA Telegram channel and Viber. Do not fall for fakes! Neversaygbye BHPian Join Date: Feb 2014 Location: Calcutta Posts: 430 Thanked: 1,955 Times View My Garage Part 3: Aurangabad, here we come! The Odisha stretch till the Chhattisgarh border was mostly uneventful - I maintained the speed limit of 80 kmph though there was hardly any traffic. There were some junctions and crossings but on the whole it was an easy stretch unlike the road to Sambalpur the day before. The quality of the highway improved further and the number of roadside habitations went down as soon as we entered Chhattisgarh, and with the pesky speed limit gone coupled with a lack of people, traffic and crossings, we started making good progress, despite being wary of the odd herd of cattle sitting on the median every once in a while. We stopped for a quick cuppa at a roadside dhaba on the Pithora bypass. I also used this opportunity to catch up on some work, not to mention feed biscuits to one hungry local dog. Tea break done, we were soon on our way. I would be meeting my friend at Bhilai today, and though for a while it looked like we would reach in time for lunch with him, we eventually realized that it would be at least 3 pm by the time we'd reach so dropped the idea and decided to have lunch on the way rather than make him wait. Unfortunately we had crossed Raipur and its plethora of shops and restaurants by then and nothing suitable seemed to be coming up on Google Maps, so we went for the first somewhat busy looking roadside dhaba we found. It was a rather basic place and really short staffed so the order took what seemed like an eternity to arrive. However, the roti, tadka and lassi were good and after a slow but hearty lunch we were soon on our way. A word about the stretch through Raipur, Durg and Bhilai - here the highway passes through these towns and because of that there are traffic signals with some congestion every now and then. Also the road is a bit broken and uneven more often than not. However, despite the imperfections of the road, the standard and quality of infrastructure all around is to be seen to be believed in all of these towns. These are supposed to be Tier 1 and Tier 2 cities but can give any major metro a run for its money. Durg and Bhilai are also contiguous and it is hard to understand where one ends and the other begins. We reached Bhilai at about 4:30 pm thanks to the slow lunch and some sub-optimal turn-off recommendations from Google and met my friend Sourabh (spelt Soourabh) at his office where he was patiently waiting for us. He and his family run the Rungta group of institutions in Bhilai. Soourabh had recommended that we have our dinner at the Haldiram's in Bhandara as it would take us at least 5-6 hours to reach Nagpur from Bhilai, by which time most joints in Nagpur would be closed. This turned out to be a great suggestion. The Haldiram's in Bhandara is on the highway, serves lip-smacking vegetarian fare and has plenty of seating, along with limited dedicated parking (enough for 5-6 cars). It is best to put in Hotel Meena Residency as the location on Google Maps as the restaurant is on the ground floor of the same building. The Pao Bhaji was just too good! As was everything else! Soourabh had also warned us that the road on the Maharashtra side would be really bad, and that again unfortunately turned out to be true. After crossing the border we got a very strong feeling of deja vu and felt that we were back in Odisha again. The road was a mess with lots of construction work and diversions, not to mention broken surface and potholes. It also did not help that we took the turn off for commercial vehicles at the state border by mistake. That set us back by at least another 45 minutes and eventually we reached our hotel in Nagpur, the Airport Centre Point only after 11 pm. There were certain reasons for choosing this particular hotel. For one it is close to the Samruddhi Mahamarg which we would be taking to Aurangabad the next morning. Secondly, I had stayed here once before during our college reunion and had found the rooms to be functional and decent. With nothing much to do after checking in, we turned in for the night. We woke up a bit early the next morning and after finishing breakfast left the hotel, only to find that the rear left passenger tyre had lost a wee bit of air pressure overnight. It was nothing major and the TPMS showed the pressure to be within the acceptable limit. However, I still topped up with Nitrogen when I refueled at an IOC bunk prior to starting for Aurangabad. From my previous trips I had found the TPMS of the Safari to be quite accurate and this time too there was no exception. The meter at the pump gave similar readings as the TPMS and this particular tyre did turn out to have low pressure. I wanted to actually get the tyre checked for a puncture but decided to do that later as the petrol pump did not have a machine for removing the tyre from the alloy and I was loathe to have someone drill a hole in a fairly new tyre to put in a plug, in case it did turn out to be a puncture. Refueling done, we were soon at the starting point of the Samruddhi Expressway. The Balasaheb Thackeray Samruddhi Mahamarg begins on the outskirts of Nagpur and will end at Mumbai once it's complete. It is a six lane access controlled concrete elevated expressway with a speed limit of 120 kmph and the toll is Rs. 1.77 per km, as of September 2024. The road is complete till Nashik and makes the entire 400 odd kms journey till Aurangabad a breeze. We were stopped by the police at the entry point to the expressway - they checked the car registration, that all occupants were wearing seatbelts and also whether we were using Nitrogen in the tyres (yes to the last two). They were a bit surprised when they learnt that we had come all the way from Calcutta and were going to Aurangabad. Anyway, they warned us that the highway sees many accidents and asked us to drive safe and wished us a happy journey. Then we were well and truly on our way and I drove on what must definitely be one of the best roads in India. The trials and tribulations of the horrible road from the night before soon became a distant memory and for the next few hundred miles we had clear smooth tarmac at our disposal. As you can see from the pic above, there are skid marks where someone had probably had a blowout and lost control. We could understand why the police had checked whether we were using Nitrogen in the tyres and had warned us about accidents on this road. I kept a hawk eye on the TPMS and the tyre seemed to be holding up well so we progressed on our merry way at a decent speed. Today's itinerary included a detour to Lonar Lake. It is some 300 kms from Nagpur and 150 odd kms from Aurangabad. To get here, one needs to get off the Expressway at the Mehkar Exit and then follow GMaps. It will take you through some congested towns and villages including Mehkar but the route is accurate and for a change Google does not recommend routes that are too narrow for a car to pass through or lead into an unfinished flyover or a lake. Lonar Lake is an impact crater lake caused by a meteorite strike some 50,000 years ago. It is what is technically called an astrobleme and the only known hyper velocity impact crater on basaltic rock on earth. As such, it is almost perfectly spherical with a circumference of about 6 kms at the rim and is the only lake of its kind in India. It is a Ramsar site too and is famous for the pinkish hue of the water that can be seen in some seasons due to the unique micro-organisms that grow in the extremely salty and alkaline environment (unfortunately we missed out on that). The lake is very deep (150 metres) and the water is also very saline. It is seven times saltier than sea water. Though we were tempted to go down to the water's edge some 450 feet below we decided not to as the climb down and back up would have been anything but easy and we would have lost a considerable amount of time in the process too. We had reached Lonar Lake at about lunch time and so had stopped at the MTDC property near the lake for lunch. It is near the rim of the crater on one side though you can only see a part of the rim of the crater and not the water from there. As it is quite a large property with a cafe on the first floor which affords a great view of the crater across the road, we thought that it would be an ideal place for lunch and went in with high hopes. However our hopes were dashed when we realized that they hardly have any visitors and even fewer staff. The sole cook cum waiter at the deserted restaurant could only rustle up some khichdi for us. He charged a pretty penny for it too and this is one MTDC property that we will not be recommending. It has incredible potential though, and we felt that on the whole MTDC needs to promote Lonar Lake and this property better. Maybe things will change if the lake gets the UNESCO World Heritage tag, which the Maharashtra government is actively pushing for. After spending some time at the lake, we were back on the way to Samruddhi Mahamarg through some state highways and village roads, all of which were in excellent condition. We reached the expressway just as the heavens opened up and for the next stretch we careened along a wet and empty Samruddhi Mahamarg. Despite the inclement weather, we reached Aurangabad in good time. In retrospect, the entire day's journey turned out to be the easiest one of the entire trip and I also got the best tank-full to tank-full mileage of 14.6 kmpl on this leg, despite driving at three digit speeds for a substantial part of the way. Aurangabad, which has been recently renamed to Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar, is a town steeped in the past and there are many things of interest for any lover of history. For one, the city had some 52 entry gates built during the reign of Aurangzeb, when the entire city was located within fortified walls. At present a few of these gates survive, standing forlorn like lone sentinel guarding the memory of a distant past. We came in through the gate above and soon made our way to our digs which in this case happened to be the MTDC Hotel Aurangabad which is walking distance from the railway station and quite centrally located. It is a large property with ample parking and a quirk - all the staff including the security at the gate are women. It is a laudable initiative indeed - just that Santanu and I were quite non-plussed when two women came to get the suitcases from our car. We were caught in two minds - it was a case of chivalry vs women's equality but eventually chivalry won and we carried our (rather heavy) suitcases ourselves. However, we let the women carry the laptop bags so that they also felt that they had done their duty. It was win-win all around, I'd say. Our rooms were quite large and we were even upgraded to a suite as the room we were initially allotted had a problem with the AC. It was interesting to discover another Safari with the same WB RTO number in the parking - they had driven to Mumbai earlier and come down from there. Three Tata Safaris in the parking and two from the same overall locality in Calcutta - seriously, what are the chances! As the service staff is all-female, there is no room service and no service after 11 pm. I suppose we can live with such small inconveniences if that helps in empowering women. We had few complaints with the service since the staff went out of their way to fix the issue with the AC and even upgraded us. However, while trying to fix the AC the power supply tripped multiple times. The property did not have a resident electrician but the staff still managed to get somebody to come and fix the issue and all was well in the end, despite a few anxious moments initially, when we felt that we would be spending the night in darkness. Note for MTDC: Please provide the staff with a proper support system and have resident plumbers and electricians (I'm sure there are women working in these roles who can be recruited, so that the staff still remain all-female). The service staff should not be having to run around to find an electrician at 9 pm in the evening. Despite these issues, we were quite happy with the rooms and service overall. The suite was huge and similar to a 1BHK apartment and the three of us made the best use of it with Ananya and Santanu chatting in the living room and me taking my calls in the pantry cum dining room. However, though we were happy with the rooms and the service, we were very unhappy with the breakfast. The choice for the free breakfast was limited to a plate of sabudana khichdi OR one measly thalipeeth per person. Not substantial by any yardstick. They were not even willing to give extra thalipeeths that we wanted to pay for as the number of one was fixed by MTDC HO (or so they said) and there was no option to charge for breakfast. We found this rather strange (and disappointing) to say the least. Well, while the gastronomic disaster that went by the name of breakfast was undoubtedly the lowest point when it came to food, the other meals (typically dinner) at the MTDC weren't all that great either. Thankfully we always had our lunch outside - in fact we got the chance to taste sumptuous biryani and mutton fry at The Great Sagar, which should be a must do for all non-vegetarians visiting Aurangabad. The interesting thing was that the biryani had half a boiled egg in it, though a boiled egg in biryani is something that we typically associate with the biryani in Calcutta. Other than the sumptuous meal at the Great Sagar, food only played a supporting role as we gallivanted around the places of interest in and around Aurangabad. There was just too much to cover and most of our meals were rushed through. Despite trying to fit in everything, we still had to drop Aurangzeb's tomb and Grishneswar Temple due to paucity of time. We also had to skip Panchakki thanks to a heavy downpour while we were at Bibi ka Maqbara. Eventually we could only visit Bibi ka Maqbara, Ajanta and Ellora and Daulatabad Fort, and we felt that this was good enough. Coming to Bibi ka Maqbara, it is called the other Taj Mahal but there is actually no comparison. This is a very, very poor cousin and even the proportions are different. Originally built by Aurangzeb's son Azam Shah in memory of his late mother Dilras Banu, the edifice houses her tomb (Maqbara means mausoleum in Arabic after all). The mausoleum part is where the major similarity with the Taj ends. Unlike the Taj, the material used for construction is plaster and not marble. There are similarities in the overall design and layout of course, but even without considering the difference in material, the structure is nowhere near as big and grand as the Taj. However, it is still a must see though we would not recommend paying for a guide there. (The only help that our guide provided was to share his umbrella with Santanu when it started raining cats and dogs and we had to rush back in the pouring rain as I had a call to attend). Bibi ka Maqbara is an imposing structure in its own right, as long as you don't compare it with the Taj Mahal The maqbara is actually more impressive on the inside than on the outside The tomb itself. Like I've mentioned before, Bibi ka Maqbara was one of the four points of interest in Aurangabad that we had on our bucket list. It was even then just the entree and not the mains. The mains were Ajanta and Ellora caves and they were where we spent the maximum time. We left Sambalpur after a hearty breakfast at our hotel. We weren't in any particular hurry on this day since the plan was to reach Nagpur by evening, and it was about a 10-12 hour drive away. On the way I'd be meeting an old college classmate at Bhilai, but even with that break and detour, we knew that we would reach Nagpur by late evening at the most.The Odisha stretch till the Chhattisgarh border was mostly uneventful - I maintained the speed limit of 80 kmph though there was hardly any traffic. There were some junctions and crossings but on the whole it was an easy stretch unlike the road to Sambalpur the day before. The quality of the highway improved further and the number of roadside habitations went down as soon as we entered Chhattisgarh, and with the pesky speed limit gone coupled with a lack of people, traffic and crossings, we started making good progress, despite being wary of the odd herd of cattle sitting on the median every once in a while.We stopped for a quick cuppa at a roadside dhaba on the Pithora bypass.I also used this opportunity to catch up on some work, not to mention feed biscuits to one hungry local dog.Tea break done, we were soon on our way. I would be meeting my friend at Bhilai today, and though for a while it looked like we would reach in time for lunch with him, we eventually realized that it would be at least 3 pm by the time we'd reach so dropped the idea and decided to have lunch on the way rather than make him wait. Unfortunately we had crossed Raipur and its plethora of shops and restaurants by then and nothing suitable seemed to be coming up on Google Maps, so we went for the first somewhat busy looking roadside dhaba we found.It was a rather basic place and really short staffed so the order took what seemed like an eternity to arrive. However, the roti, tadka and lassi were good and after a slow but hearty lunch we were soon on our way.A word about the stretch through Raipur, Durg and Bhilai - here the highway passes through these towns and because of that there are traffic signals with some congestion every now and then. Also the road is a bit broken and uneven more often than not. However, despite the imperfections of the road, the standard and quality of infrastructure all around is to be seen to be believed in all of these towns. These are supposed to be Tier 1 and Tier 2 cities but can give any major metro a run for its money. Durg and Bhilai are also contiguous and it is hard to understand where one ends and the other begins. We reached Bhilai at about 4:30 pm thanks to the slow lunch and some sub-optimal turn-off recommendations from Google and met my friend Sourabh (spelt Soourabh) at his office where he was patiently waiting for us. He and his family run the Rungta group of institutions in Bhilai.Soourabh had recommended that we have our dinner at the Haldiram's in Bhandara as it would take us at least 5-6 hours to reach Nagpur from Bhilai, by which time most joints in Nagpur would be closed.This turned out to be a great suggestion. The Haldiram's in Bhandara is on the highway, serves lip-smacking vegetarian fare and has plenty of seating, along with limited dedicated parking (enough for 5-6 cars). It is best to put in Hotel Meena Residency as the location on Google Maps as the restaurant is on the ground floor of the same building.The Pao Bhaji was just too good! As was everything else!Soourabh had also warned us that the road on the Maharashtra side would be really bad, and that again unfortunately turned out to be true. After crossing the border we got a very strong feeling of deja vu and felt that we were back in Odisha again. The road was a mess with lots of construction work and diversions, not to mention broken surface and potholes. It also did not help that we took the turn off for commercial vehicles at the state border by mistake. That set us back by at least another 45 minutes and eventually we reached our hotel in Nagpur, the Airport Centre Point only after 11 pm. There were certain reasons for choosing this particular hotel. For one it is close to the Samruddhi Mahamarg which we would be taking to Aurangabad the next morning. Secondly, I had stayed here once before during our college reunion and had found the rooms to be functional and decent. With nothing much to do after checking in, we turned in for the night.We woke up a bit early the next morning and after finishing breakfast left the hotel, only to find that the rear left passenger tyre had lost a wee bit of air pressure overnight. It was nothing major and the TPMS showed the pressure to be within the acceptable limit. However, I still topped up with Nitrogen when I refueled at an IOC bunk prior to starting for Aurangabad. From my previous trips I had found the TPMS of the Safari to be quite accurate and this time too there was no exception. The meter at the pump gave similar readings as the TPMS and this particular tyre did turn out to have low pressure. I wanted to actually get the tyre checked for a puncture but decided to do that later as the petrol pump did not have a machine for removing the tyre from the alloy and I was loathe to have someone drill a hole in a fairly new tyre to put in a plug, in case it did turn out to be a puncture.Refueling done, we were soon at the starting point of the Samruddhi Expressway. The Balasaheb Thackeray Samruddhi Mahamarg begins on the outskirts of Nagpur and will end at Mumbai once it's complete. It is a six lane access controlled concrete elevated expressway with a speed limit of 120 kmph and the toll is Rs. 1.77 per km, as of September 2024. The road is complete till Nashik and makes the entire 400 odd kms journey till Aurangabad a breeze.We were stopped by the police at the entry point to the expressway - they checked the car registration, that all occupants were wearing seatbelts and also whether we were using Nitrogen in the tyres (yes to the last two). They were a bit surprised when they learnt that we had come all the way from Calcutta and were going to Aurangabad. Anyway, they warned us that the highway sees many accidents and asked us to drive safe and wished us a happy journey.Then we were well and truly on our way and I drove on what must definitely be one of the best roads in India. The trials and tribulations of the horrible road from the night before soon became a distant memory and for the next few hundred miles we had clear smooth tarmac at our disposal.As you can see from the pic above, there are skid marks where someone had probably had a blowout and lost control. We could understand why the police had checked whether we were using Nitrogen in the tyres and had warned us about accidents on this road. I kept a hawk eye on the TPMS and the tyre seemed to be holding up well so we progressed on our merry way at a decent speed.Today's itinerary included a detour to Lonar Lake. It is some 300 kms from Nagpur and 150 odd kms from Aurangabad. To get here, one needs to get off the Expressway at the Mehkar Exit and then follow GMaps. It will take you through some congested towns and villages including Mehkar but the route is accurate and for a change Google does not recommend routes that are too narrow for a car to pass through or lead into an unfinished flyover or a lake.Lonar Lake is an impact crater lake caused by a meteorite strike some 50,000 years ago. It is what is technically called an astrobleme and the only known hyper velocity impact crater on basaltic rock on earth. As such, it is almost perfectly spherical with a circumference of about 6 kms at the rim and is the only lake of its kind in India. It is a Ramsar site too and is famous for the pinkish hue of the water that can be seen in some seasons due to the unique micro-organisms that grow in the extremely salty and alkaline environment (unfortunately we missed out on that). The lake is very deep (150 metres) and the water is also very saline. It is seven times saltier than sea water. Though we were tempted to go down to the water's edge some 450 feet below we decided not to as the climb down and back up would have been anything but easy and we would have lost a considerable amount of time in the process too.We had reached Lonar Lake at about lunch time and so had stopped at the MTDC property near the lake for lunch. It is near the rim of the crater on one side though you can only see a part of the rim of the crater and not the water from there.As it is quite a large property with a cafe on the first floor which affords a great view of the crater across the road, we thought that it would be an ideal place for lunch and went in with high hopes. However our hopes were dashed when we realized that they hardly have any visitors and even fewer staff.The sole cook cum waiter at the deserted restaurant could only rustle up some khichdi for us. He charged a pretty penny for it too and this is one MTDC property that we will not be recommending. It has incredible potential though, and we felt that on the whole MTDC needs to promote Lonar Lake and this property better. Maybe things will change if the lake gets the UNESCO World Heritage tag, which the Maharashtra government is actively pushing for.After spending some time at the lake, we were back on the way to Samruddhi Mahamarg through some state highways and village roads, all of which were in excellent condition. We reached the expressway just as the heavens opened up and for the next stretch we careened along a wet and empty Samruddhi Mahamarg.Despite the inclement weather, we reached Aurangabad in good time. In retrospect, the entire day's journey turned out to be the easiest one of the entire trip and I also got the best tank-full to tank-full mileage of 14.6 kmpl on this leg, despite driving at three digit speeds for a substantial part of the way.Aurangabad, which has been recently renamed to Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar, is a town steeped in the past and there are many things of interest for any lover of history. For one, the city had some 52 entry gates built during the reign of Aurangzeb, when the entire city was located within fortified walls. At present a few of these gates survive, standing forlorn like lone sentinel guarding the memory of a distant past.We came in through the gate above and soon made our way to our digs which in this case happened to be the MTDC Hotel Aurangabad which is walking distance from the railway station and quite centrally located.It is a large property with ample parking and a quirk - all the staff including the security at the gate are women. It is a laudable initiative indeed - just that Santanu and I were quite non-plussed when two women came to get the suitcases from our car. We were caught in two minds - it was a case of chivalry vs women's equality but eventually chivalry won and we carried our (rather heavy) suitcases ourselves. However, we let the women carry the laptop bags so that they also felt that they had done their duty. It was win-win all around, I'd say.Our rooms were quite large and we were even upgraded to a suite as the room we were initially allotted had a problem with the AC. It was interesting to discover another Safari with the same WB RTO number in the parking - they had driven to Mumbai earlier and come down from there.Three Tata Safaris in the parking and two from the same overall locality in Calcutta - seriously, what are the chances!As the service staff is all-female, there is no room service and no service after 11 pm. I suppose we can live with such small inconveniences if that helps in empowering women. We had few complaints with the service since the staff went out of their way to fix the issue with the AC and even upgraded us. However, while trying to fix the AC the power supply tripped multiple times. The property did not have a resident electrician but the staff still managed to get somebody to come and fix the issue and all was well in the end, despite a few anxious moments initially, when we felt that we would be spending the night in darkness. Note for MTDC: Please provide the staff with a proper support system and have resident plumbers and electricians (I'm sure there are women working in these roles who can be recruited, so that the staff still remain all-female). The service staff should not be having to run around to find an electrician at 9 pm in the evening.Despite these issues, we were quite happy with the rooms and service overall. The suite was huge and similar to a 1BHK apartment and the three of us made the best use of it with Ananya and Santanu chatting in the living room and me taking my calls in the pantry cum dining room.However, though we were happy with the rooms and the service, we were very unhappy with the breakfast. The choice for the free breakfast was limited to a plate of sabudana khichdi ORmeasly thalipeeth per person. Not substantial by any yardstick.They were not even willing to give extra thalipeeths that we wanted to pay for as the number of one was fixed by MTDC HO (or so they said) and there was no option to charge for breakfast. We found this rather strange (and disappointing) to say the least.Well, while the gastronomic disaster that went by the name of breakfast was undoubtedly the lowest point when it came to food, the other meals (typically dinner) at the MTDC weren't all that great either. Thankfully we always had our lunch outside - in fact we got the chance to taste sumptuous biryani and mutton fry at The Great Sagar, which should be a must do for all non-vegetarians visiting Aurangabad. The interesting thing was that the biryani had half a boiled egg in it, though a boiled egg in biryani is something that we typically associate with the biryani in Calcutta.Other than the sumptuous meal at the Great Sagar, food only played a supporting role as we gallivanted around the places of interest in and around Aurangabad. There was just too much to cover and most of our meals were rushed through. Despite trying to fit in everything, we still had to drop Aurangzeb's tomb and Grishneswar Temple due to paucity of time. We also had to skip Panchakki thanks to a heavy downpour while we were at Bibi ka Maqbara. Eventually we could only visit Bibi ka Maqbara, Ajanta and Ellora and Daulatabad Fort, and we felt that this was good enough.Coming to Bibi ka Maqbara, it is called the other Taj Mahal but there is actually no comparison. This is a very, very poor cousin and even the proportions are different. Originally built by Aurangzeb's son Azam Shah in memory of his late mother Dilras Banu, the edifice houses her tomb (Maqbara means mausoleum in Arabic after all). The mausoleum part is where the major similarity with the Taj ends. Unlike the Taj, the material used for construction is plaster and not marble. There are similarities in the overall design and layout of course, but even without considering the difference in material, the structure is nowhere near as big and grand as the Taj. However, it is still a must see though we would not recommend paying for a guide there. (The only help that our guide provided was to share his umbrella with Santanu when it started raining cats and dogs and we had to rush back in the pouring rain as I had a call to attend).Bibi ka Maqbara is an imposing structure in its own right, as long as you don't compare it with the Taj MahalThe maqbara is actually more impressive on the inside than on the outsideThe tomb itself.Like I've mentioned before, Bibi ka Maqbara was one of the four points of interest in Aurangabad that we had on our bucket list. It was even then just the entree and not the mains. The mains were Ajanta and Ellora caves and they were where we spent the maximum time. Last edited by Neversaygbye : 17th January 2025 at 01:34 . Editor's take: After years of half-filled promises and underwhelming realities, it looks like Samsung has finally succeeded in bringing the kind of seamless experience that we all hoped AI, digital assistants, and agents would or could bring to our mobile devices. Well, to be fair, it's Samsung in conjunction with Google (along with some help from Qualcomm) that's making the magic happen inside the just-launched Galaxy S25. From the outside, Samsung's new S25 mobile phone is simply the latest iteration of the company's long-running line of premium Android smartphones powered by Qualcomm's latest generation Snapdragon processor. It's also got a pleasant, rounded-edge design, better cameras, a fresh set of color options, and a few cool new features all the things you'd expect from a next-generation device. But what really stands out on the Galaxy S25 based on some of the demos and brief hands-on time we've had with the device is the fact that it has digital assistant capabilities that actually work. Plus, it offers options for learning individual preferences that go well beyond what's been available on other devices. In other words, it brings the remarkable breadth, impressive accuracy, and highly individualized personalization promises of modern LLM-enabled AI to life in an always-on, always-connected, always-with-us mobile device. Part of this is due to the new level of partnership between Samsung and Google that suggests a deeper level of cooperation and co-design than has existed before. For example, in the past, it often felt like Samsung tried to replicate the software functionality that Google already offered in Android. With the Galaxy S25, however, the companies are working to bring the best of both worlds together to enable the best possible user experience. The most notable example is the default action of automatically launching Google's Gemini personal assistant with a long push on the S25. Yes, you can enable that option on Google's latest Pixel phones, but it's not on by default, and Samsung sells a significantly larger number of phones than Google. That means most people will experience this for the first time on a new S25 or previous generations of Galaxy smartphones when Samsung provides upgrades to them. Our experience with Gemini both voice-based and text input-based so far has been extremely impressive, offering a huge range of options for requesting information, getting suggestions, and even participating in long conversations on virtually any topic imaginable via Gemini Live. In addition, Google announced that future extensions of Gemini Screen Share and Live Video, which add new multimodal intelligence capabilities that can understand what's currently on your phone's screen and what the phone's camera is seeing will be coming to S25 first. But it's not just the Gemini integration that makes the S25 impressive. Samsung has also integrated Bixby as well as several other custom AI models it created for on-device data personalization options. Samsung smartly recognized that Gemini can offer a much more comprehensive set of cloud-based personal assistant features than Bixby, but Bixby has the advantage of running directly on the device and having access to both the actions we perform on devices as well as things like device settings. As a result, Bixby and these other on-device models can start to learn the types of actions we regularly perform, data we search for, etc., and it can store all that information securely on the device through the use of Samsung's Knox device security framework. Best of all, Gemini and Samsung's onboard models can work together in some pretty compelling ways. For example, we can ask Gemini for information about an upcoming event and have it put on our personal calendar. This public information to private calendar integration is possible because Samsung worked with Google to allow data to be passed from Gemini to several of Samsung's own apps, which have access to the data stored on the phone. While this might seem like a small step, it's hugely important because it's one of the first times the ability to combine these two "data worlds" has been enabled. More importantly, it means the experience is as completely seamless and intuitive as it needs to be for regular people to actually use these kinds of capabilities. At present, these integrations are limited to Samsung native apps, Google's suite of apps, as well as Spotify and WhatsApp, but apparently, a number of integrations with popular third-party apps are in the works. In addition, eventually, we'll be able to do things like push the side button to call up Gemini, request a change to the phone's settings, and have Bixby perform the operation. In the meantime, the two can work side-by-side, and we can launch either of them by voice using the appropriate keyword if we don't want to use the hardware button. Regardless, hiding the workings of multiple models behind a simple, unified user interface of Samsung's OneUI 7 is exactly what makes the combined design efforts on the S25 so intriguing. One of the other important advantages of having Bixby run on the device with help from the NPU on the Snapdragon 8 Elite Mobile Platform is the ability to discover and store information about our personal preferences and routines on the phone. The new Snapdragon SoC, by the way, will now be built into every S25 worldwide the sign of increased collaboration between Samsung and Qualcomm as well and instead of just offering slightly higher speeds, includes new custom circuitry to help with the camera processing and other AI features on the S25. Leveraging what Samsung is calling the Personal Data Engine, the onboard Samsung models are able to see what activities occur on our phone screen regardless of the app we're running and then train the onboard model to learn the kinds of information we're requesting, the types of activities we do on a regular basis, etc. From that, using what the company referred to as knowledge graph technology, it can eventually start to make recommendations or automatically program routines and perform them on our behalf (all with our permission, that is). Importantly, all of this knowledge graph data stays on the device and never goes to the cloud. The Personal Data Engine (PDE) is also what powers the new Now Brief and Now Bar functions, which serve up information based on our preferences and the information gleaned from the knowledge graph. It's this level of customization that has the potential to turn on-device AI into something that evolves from a clever parlor trick into an indispensable personal digital assistant. Of course, it also has the potential to create an incredible privacy and security nightmare. Data of this type could provide the most detailed dossier about what any individual does online that we've probably ever seen a huge magnet ("honeypot") for the bad guys. Thankfully, Samsung recognized that and embedded the PDE data into its hardware-based, on-device Knox Vault security solution, which has now been upgraded to offer post-quantum levels of cryptography. Because of these potential security concerns, Samsung allows us, of course, to turn off the data tracking features if we don't want to leverage them. It's an issue that any kind of AI-powered personalization device or service is going to face. Collectively, Samsung is calling all of these various AI-related capabilities Galaxy AI a phrase that has expanded to cover the company's own AI models, the extensions that integrate Gemini with Bixby, the AI features built into several of its apps, and the personalization enabled by the Personal Data Engine. Trying to make sense of it all isn't particularly easy, nor is it anything that the vast majority of consumers will ever really care to understand. But it's the combination of these Galaxy AI features along with the clean integration of Google's Gemini in the S25 that makes this such a compelling offering. To be clear, there's still a great deal more work to be done at a model integration and app ecosystem level, but at last, it seems the promise of AI on devices is finally coming to life. Bob O'Donnell is the founder and chief analyst of TECHnalysis Research, LLC a technology consulting firm that provides strategic consulting and market research services to the technology industry and professional financial community. You can follow him on Twitter @bobodtech Serving tech enthusiasts for over 25 years.TechSpot means tech analysis and advice you can trust What just happened? As the world's leading semiconductor manufacturer, TSMC's production halt following the 6.4-magnitude earthquake in Taiwan has triggered industry-wide concern. Its customers are closely monitoring the company's damage assessment and potential production disruption, which could impact global chip supply chains. The powerful 6.4 magnitude earthquake that struck southern Taiwan on January 21 has led to a disruption in production at TSMC. While there were no reported fatalities, the tremor caused considerable damage throughout the region, prompting the firm to implement immediate safety measures. TSMC evacuated staff from its central and southern production sites and temporarily halted operations as a precautionary step. Fortunately, initial inspections revealed that TSMC's facilities largely withstood the quake without major structural damage, thanks to their design, which accommodates seismic events of up to magnitude 7. Despite this resilience, the earthquake may have affected between 10,000 to 20,000 wafers currently in production. These wafers are critical for TSMC's operations, particularly within its advanced fabrication plants located in the Southern Taiwan Science Park, including Fab 14 and Fab 18. These facilities are responsible for producing state-of-the-art chips utilizing N3 technology for major clients such as Apple and Intel. Although inspections confirmed no damage to essential infrastructure or utilities like electricity and water, the sensitive technical equipment within these fabs may require recalibration due to vibrations from the earthquake and its aftershocks. TSMC is expected to update its recovery timeline in the coming days. The financial implications of this event appear manageable for TSMC. In the last quarter alone, the company processed over 3.4 million wafers, averaging around 37,000 wafers per day. Consequently, even though 20,000 wafers may seem significant, they represent only a small fraction of TSMC's overall output. TSMC is expected to resume full operations relatively quickly. Historical context provides further reassurance; a similar earthquake in April 2024 resulted in losses estimated at $92 million but did not severely disrupt long-term operations or output. In fact, overall tool recovery in TSMC's fabs reached more than 70 percent within 10 hours of that earthquake. Other semiconductor manufacturers in Taiwan are also assessing their operations after implementing precautionary shutdowns, including UMC and Innolux. Meanwhile, Taiwanese media report that TSMC suppliers have mobilized to get production running as soon as possible. This mobilization is part of TSMC's long-standing enterprise risk management system, which is designed to minimize potential disruptions. Forward-looking: There's an exciting new cancer treatment on the horizon called Flash radiotherapy that could shake up the field as we know it. Rather than delivering radiation over several minutes like current techniques, Flash supercharges traditional radiotherapy by blasting tumors with an extremely intense dose of radiation in under a second. While it may not sound like a major leap, this approach offers one big advantage: killing cancerous cells while doing less damage to surrounding healthy tissue. This is believed to occur because healthy tissues can better withstand the rapid dose than cancer cells. Early experiments on healthy lab mice are promising and have already proven that the rodents don't develop the typical side effects, even after two rounds of radiation. The work behind Flash radiotherapy is being bolstered by an unlikely source: CERN, the particle physics lab famous for the Large Hadron Collider. While the concept of Flash originated from radiobiologists over a decade ago, CERN is adapting its particle accelerators originally designed for smashing atoms to deliver radiation at ultra-high speeds for cancer treatment Billy Loo, who runs the Flash lab at Stanford University, stated to the BBC that Flash produces less normal tissue injury than conventional irradiation without compromising anti-tumor efficacy. This would prove especially useful for treatments aimed at more delicate areas, like the brain, which is typically treated at a high cost. As Dr. Marie-Catherine Vozenin from Geneva University Hospitals explained to the BBC, "We're able to cure kids with brain tumors, but the price they pay is high things like lifelong anxiety, depression and significant loss of IQ." If successful, Flash may allow higher cure rates for notoriously deadly cancers like glioblastoma brain tumors. Flash could also allow higher radiation doses to tackle tough-to-treat cancers that have spread to other organs. With conventional radiotherapy, doctors often can't go as far as they'd like over fears of collateral damage. But Flash could make more aggressive treatments viable. Human trials of Flash are already underway at various hospitals around the world. For instance, the Cincinnati Children's Hospital in Ohio, US, is planning an early-stage trial involving children with metastatic cancer that has spread to their chest bones. For now, most of these treatments are using protons as the radiation particle since proton therapy machines can be adapted for Flash delivery. But researchers are also exploring other particles like carbon ions and electrons. Once human trials prove fruitful, addressing accessibility will be another challenge. Equipment required for such therapy is massive in size and hugely expensive, limiting its availability to more sophisticated hospitals. Carbon ion therapy hardware can even be building-sized. Making Flash cheaper and improving accessibility is a challenge CERN is working on by collaborating with hospitals and companies. The ultimate goal is to make it possible for any hospital with radiotherapy equipment to provide Flash. There's still a lot of research to be done, of course, and the risks of Flash are being studied. But the early signs are enough to get oncologists excited. Big if true: A team of researchers led by Andrew Sweetman made the serendipitous discovery last year that metallic rocks on the ocean floor are producing oxygen. Now, the same team is looking to confirm that discovery and finally put an end to a growing controversy amid the scientific community. Professor Andrew Sweetman and his colleagues set out to measure seafloor respiration but instead stumbled upon a hidden ecosystem capable of producing oxygen. The most crucial element for life on Earth is typically generated through photosynthesis, a process that requires plants and sunlight. However, the "dark oxygen" discovered by Sweetman's team operates without either. Scientists are still debating whether this "shocking" finding stems from a genuine phenomenon or is merely the result of faulty equipment or measurement errors. Sweetman is now spearheading a new research project to verify the dark oxygen discovery, with three expeditions planned to closely investigate the metallic nodules that serve as natural "geobatteries." The endeavor faces significant challenges, including skepticism from the scientific community and opposition from mining corporations with vested interests in the seabed. Gerard Barron, CEO of The Metals Company, expressed doubt about the findings, stating that no "credible scientist" has ever found evidence of dark oxygen production using the same methods employed by Sweetman's team. "Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence. We're still waiting," Barron said. Barron's company funded the research that led to the discovery of dark oxygen but is now working to discredit Sweetman's findings. The mining company's primary interest lies in exploiting the metallic nodules to extract raw materials. As the world transitions to environmentally friendly energy sources, the demand for these precious metals is expected to surge. A potentially groundbreaking discovery like anaerobic oxygen production could pose a significant obstacle to these mining efforts. Sweetman has faced criticism from other scientists as well. Nature Geoscience, the scientific journal that published his work in 2024, may even decide to retract the paper. Sweetman described the media storm surrounding the discovery as life-changing, noting that it has been "extremely tiring" to navigate. Despite the challenges, the scientist is committed to providing definitive proof that dark oxygen production from the ocean floor is a legitimate phenomenon. The first expedition is slated to depart from San Diego in January 2026. The research team will be using a $2.4 million grant from The Nippon Foundation and will deploy custom-built probes designed to operate 12,000 meters below sea level. These probes will gather new data, collecting samples of water and seafloor sediments in an effort to confirm the dark oxygen theory once and for all. Serving tech enthusiasts for over 25 years.TechSpot means tech analysis and advice you can trust In brief: The new space race has attracted multiple private ventures. From cargo delivery to facility construction in orbit and on the Moon, the burgeoning space economy has everyone racing to get in on the ground floor. If successful, an upcoming mission will establish the first lunar data center. Florida-based startup Lonestar Data Holdings plans to launch the first Moon-based data center dubbed the "Freedom Data Center." The compact but fully operational information hub will piggyback on an upcoming lunar lander mission by Intuitive Machines aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket in February. Lonestar says storing data on the Moon offers unique benefits. First, it provides unmatched physical security and protection from natural disasters, cyber threats, and geopolitical conflicts that could put Earth-based data at risk. The solar-powered mini-facility is also much more environmentally friendly than energy-hungry data centers on our home planet, utilizing naturally cooled solid-state drives. The company has already lined up some high-profile early customers for their lunar platform, including the state of Florida, the Isle of Man government, AI firm Valkyrie, and the pop rock band Imagine Dragons. The company has been working towards this milestone for years, successfully testing data storage on the Moon in February last year and aboard the International Space Station in 2021. However, putting something as complex as a data center on the lunar surface is still an enormous technical challenge. The harsh environment, maintenance difficulties, and astronomical costs could create some problematic issues. There are also inherent risks associated with space launch. There is no option for equipment recovery if something goes wrong. Thankfully, the data center will have a ground-based backup at a Flexential facility in Tampa. Lonestar has yet to release specific operational details or hardware specs. It will be interesting to see the company's plans for communication between lunar and ground-based facilities. Lonestar isn't the only venture planning to establish a lunar data center. Reuters reports that several other companies are eyeing similar space-based facilities, including Lumen Orbit, which recently raised $11 million at a $40 million valuation. Masthead credit: Pavel Chagochkin A hot potato: LinkedIn users have recently filed a class action lawsuit against the Microsoft-owned business and employment social network. Premium subscribers claim the company violated their privacy by using personal data to train AI algorithms without their knowledge or permission. Millions of LinkedIn Premium customers intend to fight the social network in court. A lawsuit filed in a San Jose, California federal court states that users are seeking compensation after discovering that LinkedIn used their private personal messages for AI training purposes. The lawsuit states that LinkedIn tried to cover its tracks and was aware of the unlawful practice against its customers. The class action comes after LinkedIn quietly updated its privacy policy in September 2024, stating that it uses people's data to train machine learning algorithms. The lawsuit alleges that the social network began using personal data, including employment history, individual details, and private messages, even before announcing the policy change. "These are false claims with no merit," a LinkedIn spokesperson told BBC News. LinkedIn claims the alleged inappropriate data use did not involve customers in Europe, the UK, or Switzerland and changed the website's FAQs section to explain that users could opt out of data sharing. However, the new policy would not apply to AI training that had already taken place. The lawsuit says LinkedIn's behavior indicates a pattern of attempting to cover its tracks. The company knew it was violating the law and breaching the contractual promises of the Premium subscription and its privacy standards. Managers made a blatant attempt to minimize public scrutiny of the alleged data abuse. The plaintiffs seek $1,000 in compensation per user, accusing LinkedIn of violating the US Stored Communications Act. Furthermore, the lawsuit asks that the company pay an additional, unspecified amount for breach of contract and violation of California's unfair competition law. LinkedIn has shown no interest in settling the potentially damaging complaint, fully maintaining that the suit is frivolous. Like most tech companies, LinkedIn is pouring money into AI models and generative AI to boost profits and future business prospects. Ironically, LinkedIn has disavowed any inaccurate, misleading, or fake content its AI model produces, warning that such information is the user's responsibility. The relationship between Google and HTC has been ongoing since 2017 when the internet company acquired its smartphone business, but now, another deal went down between both companies and it is focused on mixed reality. Google recently announced that it is now in agreement with HTC to acquire its VIVE engineering team which is known for its work on XR experiences. This is a massive step for Google as it is on the verge of developing its Android XR business and is set to deliver its take on mixed reality software and hardware, looking to take on its rivals like Apple, Meta, and more. Google Buys HTC's VIVE Engineering Team For $250 Million The latest blog post from Google announced that it has now signed an agreement with HTC where some of VIVE's engineering team are transitioning over to the Mountain View giant's company to help in their developments. Google regarded that HTC's team is highly regarded in the VR space, and this would help bolster the tech giant's plans to develop more into its mixed reality business. According to a report from TechCrunch, the deal between Google and HTC resulted in a whopping $250 million deal, and it gives the internet company a part of HTC's extended reality business in the form of its workforce. This successful acquisition makes Google and HTC's second major deal after the Mountain View giant previously bought the entirety of HTC's smartphone business way back in 2017 for $1.1 billion. Google's HTC Acquisition Is Key to Android XR's Expansion Google specified that HTC's engineering team that focuses on extended reality is now set to join Android's XR business which the American Big Tech designated to create the upcoming experiences in the mixed reality space. Moreover, Google mentioned that HTC's VIVE team will be working on the "headsets and glasses ecosystem" which the company did not yet specify. Android XR: The Latest Developments and News Over the past years, there have been plenty of showcases and prototypes from Google regarding its work on mixed reality experiences which it wants to share with the world, but so far, these are still under development. There is one major development from Google known as Project Iris, a secret AR device from Google that can utilize the Pixel Watch to expand more of its controls, with patents confirming the tech from the Big Tech. Last year, Samsung also announced that it is working on a mixed reality experience for users which involves both Google and Qualcomm to join the efforts in developing one of the biggest partnerships in XR. That being said, the past months bore bad news for all, especially as the project was hit with setbacks in its development, with the so-called "Project Moohan" turning out to be a bigger challenge for the trio. There were also rumors that Google is still considering the development of a next-gen 'Google Glass' device from the company, but reports claimed that the company has an "unstable commitment" to it. Despite all of these setbacks, Google is still making a massive move towards advancing its developments, and it is now in the form of an acquisition of HTC VIVE's engineering team, all meant to help Android's XR business. The latest from Nintendo only gave a teaser on the Switch 2 console and another separate short showcase for the latest changes on the Joy-Con, but a retailer already opened pre-orders for the upcoming gaming device which leaked its potential pricing. Despite this, the retailer from Europe did not reveal the Switch 2's actual release date, and the details remain a secret from Nintendo. With these new pre-order details behind the Switch 2, the expectations that say it will remain at the same price point as the previous console already fell through, but while it is only several dollars more expensive, there is a possibility that it may be more than the latest figure. Nintendo Switch 2 Pre-Order Leaks Console Price A European retailer, more specifically from Italy, called GamesandMovies.it shared a new development for the Switch 2 ahead of Nintendo's anticipated Direct event that will commence this April. The retailer already opened pre-orders for the Switch 2 way ahead of other companies, and it is offering gamers a chance to snag the latest console from the company for 364.99. Converting its Euro price to US dollars, this puts the Nintendo Switch 2 at an approximate selling price of $379.77 for the American market, which is $29 more expensive than the Switch OLED that fetched for $349.99. The Italian retailer's pre-order for the upcoming console came as a massive surprise for all as Nintendo has yet to announce further details regarding the Switch 2, with the Direct event set to bring more information regarding the device. Will Switch 2 Be More Expensive than the Last? ComicBook Gaming argued that the Switch 2 is expected to sell for less in the United States because it is one of the most important markets for Nintendo, claiming that it could be priced the same as the Switch OLED's $350. However, the report also suggested that the Italian retailer's pre-order pricing prompts a more expensive console that may start at $400. That being said, it is unknown if the Italian retailer already has insider knowledge from Nintendo regarding the console's price or if it is only a rumor, but its release date is still fairly unknown. Nintendo Switch 2's Expectations There have been massive expectations for the Switch 2 for the past years as Nintendo has been bugged by gamers to release the next-gen console, particularly as it is already aging significantly in the market. Rumors claimed that Nintendo will deliver a larger console which is more than its OLED release, and it will also deliver improved performances alongside new features for all to enjoy. It has only been a week since Nintendo gave the world what it has been waiting for and shared the first-look trailer behind the new console, confirming that it will be called the Switch 2. Next, the company unveiled that it features a larger display which transforms the overall size of the still-hybrid console, offering redesigned Joy-Cons and dock, and its new color scheme. Nintendo only unveiled one AAA-rated first-party game for the Switch 2 which is speculated as the new "Mario Kart" title which is already long overdue for the franchise as the previous one was a remaster from the Wii U. Nintendo's Direct event this April will share the full reveal of the device but an Italian retailer is already opening its pre-orders which detail its possible pricing that is reportedly more expensive than its last release. If NATO is hesitant about Ukraine's membership, member states should provide it with strong military assistance so that the country can defend itself and deter Russia. Military assistance is a lever of influence during the likely negotiations between Ukraine and Russia. ADVERTISIMENT This was stated by former NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos on Wednesday, January 22, Ukrinform reports. At the same time, he believes that the best guarantee of security for Ukraine is Article 5 on NATO's collective defense. The members of the North Atlantic Alliance could decide for themselves how far Article 5 can be applied. As an example, he cited East Germany, which was not covered by guarantees. There were also U.S. guarantees for Japan without including the Kuril Islands occupied by Russia. Therefore, it is possible to extend Article 5 without the territories of Ukraine that are temporarily occupied by Russia. "I understand that there is not much enthusiasm in the capitals around this (Ukraine's membership in NATO - Ed.). Then there is a secondary solution - to arm Ukrainians to the teeth. If we did something wrong in 2014, it was that we did not arm Ukraine from 2014 to 2022. In 2017-2018, there was a big discussion in NATO, and most countries said no to supplying lethal weapons to Ukraine because it could provoke Russia. And then there was President Trump, who decided to deliver lethal weapons to Ukraine," said the former NATO Secretary General. ADVERTISIMENT Now the US president wants an agreement to end the war between Ukraine and Russia, but any agreement must include leverage. The leverage that the West has to influence Russia is military support for Ukraine, Stoltenberg said. "The single most persuasive force in these negotiations is the brave Ukrainian soldiers and the weapons we provide them with. So if the United States continues to provide support, if Europe steps forward and we have the legal conditions to do so for a long time, then I think we can force Russia to change its calculations and accept a peace that is just and lasting," Stoltenberg emphasized. As OBOZ.UA reported, President Volodymyr Zelensky said that Ukraine's membership in the North Atlantic Alliance depends on the United States. Other NATO member states will be guided by Washington's position. He believes that if Donald Trump sees Ukraine in NATO, everyone will be in favor. According to Bloomberg, Russian dictator Vladimir Putin will demand neutral status, limited military capabilities, and a rejection of NATO from Ukraine in any negotiations with new US President Donald Trump. And he will demand that all this be enshrined in the Constitution. Only verified information on our Telegram channel OBOZ.UA and Viber. Do not fall for fakes! Solar power surpasses coal in EU for first time Paris, Jan 23 (AFP) Jan 23, 2025 Solar overtook coal in the European Union's electricity production in 2024, with the share of renewables rising to almost half the bloc's power sector, according to a report released Thursday. Gas generation, meanwhile, declined for the fifth year in a row and fossil-fuelled power dipped to a "historic low", climate think tank Ember said in its European Electricity Review 2025. "The European Green Deal has delivered a deep and rapid transformation of the EU power sector," the think tank said. "Solar remained the EU's fastest-growing power source in 2024, rising above coal for the first time. Wind power remained the EU's second-largest power source, above gas and below nuclear." Overall, strong growth in solar and wind have boosted the share of renewables to 47 percent, up from 34 percent in 2019. Fossil fuels have fallen from 39 to 29 percent. "A surge in wind and solar generation is the main reason for declining fossil generation. Without wind and solar capacity added since 2019, the EU would have imported 92 billion cubic metres more of fossil gas and 55 million tonnes more of hard coal, costing EUR59 billion," the report said. According to Ember, these trends are widespread across Europe, with solar power progressing in all EU countries. More than half have now either eliminated coal, the most polluting fossil fuel, or reduced its share to less than five percent of their energy mix. "Fossil fuels are losing their grip on EU energy," said Chris Rosslowe, lead author of the report. "At the start of the European Green Deal in 2019, few thought the EU's energy transition would be where it is today: wind and solar are relegating coal to the margins and pushing gas into decline." - Battery storage - But Rosslowe cautioned much work remains. "We need to accelerate our efforts, particularly in the wind power sector," he said. Europe's electricity system will also need to increase its storage capacity to make the most of renewable energies, which are by definition intermittent, he added. In 2024, plentiful solar energy helped drive down prices in the middle of the day, sometimes even resulting in "negative or zero price hours" due to an overabundance of supply compared to demand. "A readily available solution is a battery co-located with a solar plant. This gives solar power producers more control over the prices they receive and helps them avoid selling for low prices in the middle of the day," the report said. The think tank suggested consumers could reduce their bills by shifting usage to periods of abundance (smart electrification), while battery operators could earn revenue from buying power when prices are low and selling it back when demand peaks. Batteries have advanced significantly in recent years, with installed capacity across the EU doubling to 16 GW in 2023, compared with 8 GW in 2022, according to Ember. But this capacity is concentrated in just a small number of countries: 70 percent of existing batteries were located in Germany and Italy at the end of 2023. "More storage and demand flexibility is needed to sustain growth and for consumers to reap the full benefits of abundant solar," Ember said. "After a challenging few years for the wind power sector, additions are set to grow, but not by enough to hit EU targets. Closing this gap will require continued policy implementation and political support, such that the rate of additions between now and 2030 is more than double that of recent years." Tractors, forests, nuclear weapons: Five things about Belarus Warsaw, Jan 23 (AFP) Jan 23, 2025 Belarus is holding a presidential election on Sunday that will secure another five-year mandate for Alexander Lukashenko, who has been in power for over three decades and crushed all opposition. Here are five things to know about the authoritarian former Soviet republic, a Kremlin ally with a population of nine million people. - Kremlin subject - Lukashenko's last re-election in August 2020 with an official tally of more than 80 percent support was followed by a peaceful mass protest movement. The unprecedented protests rocked the government but were eventually crushed, with several people killed and thousands arrested. Heavy prison sentences were handed out to government critics. Hundreds of thousands of Belarusians fled. Targeted by Western sanctions, Lukashenko abandoned a long-standing balancing act between Moscow and the West and turned to the Kremlin for help. In February 2022, Belarus allowed Russian troops to use its territory to invade Ukraine even though the Belarusian army did not take part. Moscow has since stationed tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus -- a threat against Kyiv but also against Belarus's NATO-member neighbours Latvia, Lithuania and Poland. - Ravaged by WWII and Chernobyl - Belarus paid the heaviest price of all the Soviet republics in World War II, which killed a total of 27 million Soviet citizens. Belarus was first in line as Nazi Germany invaded the Soviet Union, losing 2.3 million inhabitants -- around a quarter of the population. In April 1986, tragedy struck again when the Chernobyl nuclear power station melted down in neighbouring Ukraine, most of the fallout hitting Belarus. Around 23 percent of its territory was contaminated, including 1.8 million hectares of farmland. An exclusion zone of 1,700 square kilometres (over 650 square miles) was created -- most of it in Belarus -- and around 330,000 people were evacuated. - Potatoes and tractors - The Belarusian economy is still largely state-owned -- a Soviet legacy that Lukashenko, a former collective farm boss, has preserved. Output from the country's farms, particularly dairy, carrots and potatoes, is still prized in the rest of the former Soviet Union. Lukashenko likes to make public appearances on farms. In 2016, US actor Steven Seagal joined him on a visit and took a bite from a carrot handed to him by the Belarusian leader. During a visit to the Kremlin in 2018, he gifted Putin four sacks of potatoes. In industry and manufacturing, Belarus is also known for its tractors -- a source of national pride -- and its lingerie. The economy has been badly affected by international sanctions. - Forests and migrants crisis - A vast landlocked plain, Belarus is divided between areas with Polish and Russian influences. It also has vast natural reserves -- marshlands, lakes, rivers and forests. In the west, the Bialowieza forest stretches into Poland. Formed 10,000 years ago, the forest is a UNESCO world heritage site -- one of the last primeval forests in Europe and a great reservoir of biodiversity. But Bialowieza is threatened by deforestation and has also been the backdrop of a migrant crisis which began in 2021 between Poland and Belarus. Warsaw has accused Minsk of encouraging thousands of migrants from Africa and the Middle East to come to Belarus and to enter Polish territory in an attempt to destabilise the European Union. In response, Poland has built a security fence through the forest which environmentalists warn is limiting the movement of wild animals. - Death sentence - Belarus is the last country in Europe and the former Soviet Union that still carries out capital punishment, killing people with a bullet to the back of the neck. The dates of executions are never made public, the bodies of prisoners are not returned to their families and no information is released about where they have been interred. Non-governmental organisations say 400 people have been executed in Belarus since 1991. The last reported execution dates back to 2022. U.S. President Donald Trump's peace plan for Ukraine will help the aggressor country, Russia, regain its strength and regroup. This opinion was expressed by Lieutenant General Mike Elviss, who is the commander of the British Field Army. ADVERTISIMENT He believes that the American president's promise to mediate peace will allow the Kremlin to rebuild its armed forces and collude with the "new axis of aggressors." This is stated in the article of The Times. Elviss warned that when the fighting stops, a race will begin to rebuild armored forces as countries prepare for the next war. "What is certain is that as soon as the guns fall silent in Ukraine, there will be a resurgence of Russia, reconstruction and further collusion with the new axis of aggressors," he said. The new axis of aggressors includes China, Iran and North Korea, which are working with Russia to destabilize the West. Senior officers in Britain's Ministry of Defense also believe that once Trump reaches a peace deal, a race will begin between Russia and the West to prepare their armies for the next conflict. ADVERTISIMENT Lt. Gen. Ralph Wooddiss, who commands NATO's Allied Rapid Reaction Corps, spoke about his belief that Russia will be "much better" in the event of the next conflict because its army is constantly adapting to combat. He added that the United Kingdom needs to be careful about assuming that Russia will fight with the "same level of skill" that they demonstrated in 2022 when they failed to quickly invade Ukraine. Maj. Gen. Matthew Van Wagenen, the U.S. Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations and Intelligence at NATO's European Headquarters, said he believes Russia is already rebuilding its forces rapidly and will return to a level of military capability by 2022 "faster than we think." He warned that the Alliance has a shortage of armored vehicles due to assistance to Ukraine and reduced investment over the past 35 years, and that countries should increase production in preparation for future conflict. ADVERTISIMENT The article states that Trump aims to end the war in Ukraine within the first 100 days of taking office. However, NATO allies are concerned that Kyiv is not in a strong enough position to begin negotiations that are likely to favor Putin and lead to Ukraine "giving up large chunks of its territory." To recap: Donald Trump has instructed Special Envoy for Russia and Ukraine Keith Kellogg to end the Russian-Ukrainian war in 100 days. However, according to The Wall Street Journal, it will be much more difficult to conclude a deal with dictator Vladimir Putin than Trump promised during the election campaign. As reported by OBOZ.UA, US President Donald Trump called on Russia to end the war against Ukraine and conclude a peace agreement. If this does not happen, he threatened to impose new sanctions and duties on all Russian exports to the United States. Only verified information on our Telegram channel OBOZ.UA and Viber. Do not fall for fakes! War is speeding Ukraine's green energy shift: CEO Davos, Switzerland, Jan 23 (AFP) Jan 23, 2025 Russia's invasion is forcing Ukraine to speed up its green energy transition as a way to secure its electricity supply and infrastructure against attacks, the head of Ukraine's biggest private electricity provider said. "Building wind farms or solar farms is not only about decarbonisation. It's about also energy security and resilience," Maxim Timchenko, chief executive of DTEK, told AFP at the World Economic Forum on Wednesday. "It's much harder to hit and switch off these power stations than thermal or hydro," he said. Russia has repeatedly targeted Ukraine's energy system as part of its nearly three-year war waged on its neighbour. Timchenko announced at the Davos gathering what he called the biggest private investment in Ukraine since Moscow launched its invasion in 2022: A 450 million euro ($468 million) deal to buy 64 wind turbines from Denmark's Vestas. The turbines will expand DTEK's Tyligulska wind farm on the Black Sea coast. Turbines also offer the advantage of coming online rapidly and progressively as they are installed, with some of the new ones from Vestas churning out power as soon as this year. "I hope that by, before next winter we will add already 60 megawatts of capacity with this program," with full capacity of 500 megawatts at Tyligulska reached by the end of 2026. That would be enough to supply around 900,000 homes, he said. - 'More resilient' - The project underscores Ukraine's push to reduce its reliance on fossil fuels or nuclear energy to operate huge power plants for an extensive grid, which are both particularly exposed to Russian airstrikes. The country's infrastructure has often been targeted and crippled, leading to blackouts or emergency voltage reductions -- so-called "brownouts" -- that are especially painful during the winter. "This transition from... a highly centralised, highly vulnerable energy system to clean, decentralised, more resilient, and new in terms of technology system... this transition is accelerated by the war," Timchenko said. DTEK also announced two weeks ago a deal with a German-American group Fluence to build what Timchenko called the first industrial-scale battery storage project in Ukraine. That project is targeted for October, and the company is in talks with potential partners for two other wind parks. The hope is that smaller renewable energy sites spread across the country will reduce the system's vulnerability as well as emissions. And an attack would have to destroy all of a wind farm's turbines to completely shut it down. Wind and solar currently generate 10 percent of Ukraine's needs and coal or gas-fired plants produce 20 percent, with nuclear plants the main provider at 55 percent. "These investments make us more resilient. We feel much more confident that the Russians will not destroy this new power station in such extent that they can do it withe thermals," Timchenko said of the Tyligulska expansion. "Basically all our power stations were attacked for several times during 2024," he noted, with substations and transmission lines also targeted. Nonetheless he said DTEK had managed to recover much of the lost capacity, and currently 50 to 60 percent is operational. "Taking into account that we have a drop of consumption since the beginning of the war, this capacity together with support of imports of power is enough to avoid any blackouts," Timchenko said. soe/js/jm Drinking water in many French cities contaminated: study Paris, Jan 23 (AFP) Jan 23, 2025 A type of "forever chemical" linked to health problems and birth defects has been found in the tap water of many French cities and towns including Paris, according to a study released on Thursday. The TFA (trifluoroacetic acid) chemical was detected in 24 out of 30 samples taken, particularly in Paris, according to the survey carried out by consumer rights organisation UFC-Que Choisir and the environmental group Future Generations. TFA is a type of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substance (PFAS), often called forever chemicals because they do not degrade easily. On top of that, in 20 out of 30 samples the concentrations of TFA exceeded European regulatory limits for 20 individual PFAS. Under European Union rules, from 2026 all drinking water must not exceed 500 nanograms per litre for all PFAS. NGOs are demanding that TFA be added to the list. Of the 30 cities and towns where water has been analysed, the French capital's 10th district has the second highest concentration, at 6,200 nanograms per litre, behind Moussac in the south of France. The town of Bruxerolles in western France came in third, at 2,600 nanograms per litre. - 'No miracle solution' - The groups lamented that in France, TFA is "rarely -- if ever -- sought by regional health agencies during drinking water controls". "There is no miracle solution to offer consumers," Pauline Cervan, a toxicologist at Future Generations, told reporters on Thursday. "Bottled water is also contaminated and filters are not effective." In addition to TFA, the two groups analysed the presence of other forever chemicals in the water. PFAS concentrations "remain in line with the standard chosen by France" where the limit is set at 100 nanograms/litre. But this standard is "much less stringent than those of other countries" such as the United States and Denmark, the groups said, adding that French standards are "far too unprotective" and are not based on "any solid toxicological data." If France were to apply the strictest standards and include TFA, 80 percent of the samples in the survey would be found to be non-compliant, said Olivier Andrault of UFC-Que Choisir. "We therefore need to act," he added. "At an individual level, it is impossible to escape PFAS," added Cervan. "So we need collective action by the public authorities." A bill aimed at restricting the manufacture and sale of PFAS, which was adopted at first reading by lawmakers in the spring of 2024, is due to be put to the vote again next month. Volkswagen hopes to avoid hefty EU emissions fines Frankfurt, Germany, Jan 23 (AFP) Jan 23, 2025 Volkswagen wants to boost sales of electric cars to avoid 1.5 billion euros ($1.56 billion) in fines under stricter EU carbon emissions targets, a source at the German car giant said Tuesday. "1.5 billion is the risk... That's the fine we would be facing, the theoretical amount if we would do nothing at all," the source told AFP. "We have new [electric] models coming. That's not the value we expect for the year," the source added. From this year, the European Union is lowering the average emissions that new vehicles sold in the bloc are permitted to produce, with carmakers facing hefty fines if they fail to comply. Several EU countries including France and Italy had urged Brussels to ditch the penalties for embattled European carmakers, who have been plunged into crisis by a stuttering switch to electric vehicles and increasing competition. Xavier Chardon, who heads Volkswagen in France, told AFP that the group was counting on the French and German markets above all to boost sales of electric cars. In a separate statement, the 10-brand group, which apart from its namesake also owns Audi, Skoda and Seat, said that previously introduced and upcoming all-electric models would help the firm achieve the EU target. One way of avoiding fines would be the purchase of other carmakers' unused carbon credits. However Volkswagen said it hopes to avoid fines "primarily through its own efforts, based on the positive product momentum", according to the statement. "There is no doubt that the 2025 targets represent a particularly significant challenge, as sales of electric vehicles across the industry have not been meeting expectations," it added. In Germany alone -- Europe's biggest auto market -- electric car registrations fell 27.4 percent in 2024, hit in particular by the removal of government subsidies. They now make up of 13.5 percent of all vehicle registrations, compared to 18.4 percent in 2023. lep-tsz-vbw/yad 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 Standing on stage at the Bitcoin 2024 Conference in Nashville last summer, Donald Trump knew exactly how to get the crowd on his side. After promising to make the US the crypto capital of the planet and fire the deeply unpopular SEC chairman Gary Gensler, the Republican candidate made a pledge that received one of the biggest cheers of his speech. I will commute the sentence of Ross Ulbricht to a sentence of time served, he said, referring to the founder of the notorious dark web marketplace Silk Road, who had been in prison since 2013. Its enough, its enough. On Tuesday the first full day of his presidency Trump granted Ulbricht a full and unconditional pardon, allowing him to walk free after more than 11 years of incarceration. Four of those years imprisoned were during Trumps first term in office, leading some to accuse the incoming president of pandering to a fringe segment of voters who the Republican candidate courted during his campaign. This group was made up of libertarians and cryptocurrency holders , who had made Ulbricht into a cause celebre after he was handed a double life sentence plus 40 years for non-violent crimes. He was seen as a champion of internet freedom and the person who built the platform that provided the first mass use case of bitcoin. The Free Ross website, which was run by his family, described him as an idealistic libertarian, passionate about free markets and privacy. Some also praised Silk Road for being a safer way to buy illicit drugs than on the streets, where buyers risked robbery, violence, or unsafe products though the sites notoriety led him to be labeled the most dangerous man on the internet. The dark web site was based on the libertarian non-aggression principle, allowing people to buy and sell anything, so long as no third party was harmed. The rules of the site, which was only accessible through specialist software, meant that child pornography, stolen goods, violent services and fraudulent activity were strictly prohibited. A study by Carnegie Mellon University found that the most common transactions were for personal-use amounts of marijuana a drug that has since been legalised throughout many parts of the US. Ulbricht admitted his guilt but sought forgiveness on the grounds that the punishment for his crime was more severe than that of murderers and rapists. In a letter to President Joe Biden in 2022, Ulbricht wrote: At 26, I made an e-commerce website called Silk Road that allowed people to buy and sell anonymously online. I thought at the time that I was promoting my ideals, but I have since learned what a terrible mistake I made. It was supposed to be a place where anyone could buy or sell whatever they chose so long as they werent hurting someone else. [] Over countless hours, I have searched my soul and examined the misguided decisions I made when I was younger. I have dug deep and made a sincere effort to not just change what I do, but who I am. I am no longer the type of man who could break the law and let down so many. The most serious accusations against Ulbricht involved an alleged murder-for-hire service, however no evidence existed of any killings taking place, leading his supporters to claim that he had been targeted by corrupt federal agents and the victim of a politically-motivated witch hunt. In pardoning Ulbricht, Trump used similar language to compare Ulbrichts case with his own legal troubles. The scum that worked to convict him were some of the same lunatics who were involved in the modern day weaponisation of government against me, the president wrote in a post to Truth Social on Tuesday, further indicating that Ulbrichts release was politically motivated. It has inevitably drawn comparisons to other politically-motivated pardons granted by Trump, most notably around 1,500 January 6 rioters some of whom were found guilty of seditious conspiracy and assaulting law enforcement officers. But rather than insurrectionists, Trump was placating a less violent section of his supporters. His post added: I just called the mother of Ross William Ulbright [sic] to let her know that in honour of her and the Libertarian Movement, which supported me so strongly, it was my pleasure to have just signed a full and unconditional pardon of her son, Ross. 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 Former president Joe Bidens reign in the Oval Office was completely removed from the Google search results for the term US Presidents for a time on Thursday morning. The glitch was fixed around 2am Eastern time; its not clear for how long Biden was written out of Googles history. The list gave President Donald Trump as having served as the last two presidents of the United States. The list was correct before that, naming Presidents Obama, Bush, Clinton and so on. The erasing of the Biden administration was first noticed by BlueSky users, many of whom believed it was big techs latest attempt to cosy up to Trump. On Monday, the biggest names in Silicon Valley, Apple CEO Tim Cook, Meta founder Mark Zuckerberg and Google CEO Sundar Pichai, joined First Buddy Elon Musk to watch Trump be inaugurated as the 47th president. Musk later stole the headlines following an appearance at a rally in which he made an odd salute. open image in gallery The search results that greeted many users in the early hours of Thursday, with Biden missing ( Google ) The outrage on the liberal enclave of BlueSky was palpable in the early hours of Thursday. If this stands, this will be one of the boldest and most dangerous moments in the existence of the internet, as it will be a clear show of force that those in opposition will disappear completely, wrote one user. Joe Biden was deleted from Google list of Presidents. My guess is it is a high level hack?, said another. Google United States Presidents and Biden is not on there. This is bigger than social media, wrote another. In the days leading up to the search glitch, millions of Meta users began complaining that their accounts were forced to follow President Donald Trump and Vice President J.D. Vance, and were forbidden from unfollowing. I, like others, repeatedly unfollowed Trump and Vance on Monday, only to discover that I was following them again, said Facebook user Anna Springer on Threads, which is also owned by Meta. Not sure if it was just a glitch or something intentional, but it definitely happened. Meta communications director Andy Stone offered a defense in a post on X. People were not made to automatically follow any of the official Facebook or Instagram accounts for the President, Vice President or First Lady, Stone said on X. Those accounts are managed by the White House so with a new administration, the content on those pages changes. And on Threads, Stone said: It may take some time for follow and unfollow requests to go through as these accounts change hands. The Yemeni Houthis have released the crew of the Galaxy Leader merchant ship, which was seized in the Red Sea in November 2023, at the beginning of their attacks on shipping in response to the war between Israel and the Hamas group. Among them were sailors from five countries, including Ukraine. ADVERTISIMENT This was reported on Wednesday, January 22, by the AP news agency. The release of 25 sailors took place with the mediation of Oman. "Oman did not immediately recognize the release, although a Royal Omani Air Force plane flew to Yemen on Wednesday and took off again about an hour after the Houthis' statement. The Houthis also said that Hamas had separately requested the release of the ship's 25-person crew, including sailors from the Philippines, Bulgaria, Romania, Ukraine and Mexico," the newspaper writes. The Houthis said in a statement that the move was part of a ceasefire agreement in Gaza. Hans Grundberg, the UN Special Envoy for Yemen, called the crew's release "heartwarming news that will end the detention and separation they and their families have endured for more than a year." "This is a step in the right direction, and I urge that these positive steps continue on all fronts, including ending the naval attacks," he added. ADVERTISIMENT The Houthi rebels had earlier said they had seized the Galaxy Leader because of its ties to Israel. As noted, the Bahamas-flagged vessel is allegedly linked to Israeli billionaire Avraham "Rami" Ungar, who is known as one of the richest men in Israel. "On Monday, the Houthis made it clear that they would now limit their attacks in the Red Sea corridor to Israeli-linked vessels after the ceasefire in Gaza, but warned that larger-scale attacks could resume if necessary. However, this is not likely to be enough to encourage global companies to return to the route, which is crucial for the supply of goods and energy between Asia and Europe. Their attacks have halved traffic through the region, which has seriously reduced the income of Egypt, which operates the Suez Canal, connecting the Red Sea to the Mediterranean," the article says. As OBOZ.UA reported, earlier journalists found out that the Russians could transmit satellite images to the Yemeni Houthis to strike merchant ships in the Red Sea. They needed it to guide missiles and drones to the ships. The data from Russian satellites could be transmitted to the Houthis through the Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. Only verified information is available on the OBOZ.UA Telegram channel and Viber. Do not fall for fakes! It was created in the third century to remain forever in its original location, yet since its discovery on a private estate during construction work sometime before 1850, it has traveled at least 8,768 miles across the globe, only to return to its starting point in the Spanish city of Nigran. Spanish lawyer Gonzalo Fernandez-Turegano calculated this incredible journey and shared the details via WhatsApp, using the in-flight Wi-Fi on his way to New York. His message came just as the Roman Mosaic of Panxon was finally returned to its homeland this Wednesday, following a long and arduous odyssey. The mosaic, depicting a marine scene, was for many years was like a ghost a fragment of history known only through mentions in old texts, descriptions, and faded photographs from scholars of the past. Its physical trace had vanished amid the twists and turns of the international art market. That changed in 2018, when Fernandez-Turegano, an avid admirer of art, books, museums, and galleries, rediscovered the mosaic in the collection of the Carlton Hobbs antiques house in Manhattans Upper East Side. As a child, Fernandez-Turegano was already captivated by history and art. He vividly recalls being fascinated by a black-and-white photograph of the mosaic in a thick book on the history of the Vigo area, which he discovered at his aunt and uncles house. The image depicted a fragment almost a meter square that survived from a much larger Roman mosaic, long since destroyed. This mosaic had once adorned a room in an ancient villa at O Castro de Panxon, a peninsula caressed by the waves of Nigran, a municipality in Pontevedra, in the Spanish region of Galicia. The fragment featured a mullet and a pair of clams, rendered in tesserae now known to have been vibrantly colored. These marine creatures appeared on a sea depicted with brush-like strokes called water flies, a motif common in other Iberian mosaics with oceanic themes. The accompanying text in the book included insights from the late archaeologist Fernando Acuna Castroviejo, who had traced the mosaics history. For decades, this marine mosaic, which had captivated Fernandez-Turegano during his childhood vacations in Galicia, remained etched in his memory. Now a lawyer and banking executive based in Madrid, that early fascination would resurface and lead to a remarkable rediscovery. Mosaic inlaid in the 19th century table in the home of collector and dealer Carlton Hobbs. Gonzalo Fernandez-Turegano. Seven years ago, Fernandez-Turegano rediscovered this historical gem by chance while browsing the Carlton Hobbs catalog. He partnered with a group of friends, family members, art experts, and Nigran residents to spearhead a grassroots initiative to recover the mosaic and return it to its homeland. With support from the local City Council which contributed 40,000 ($41,650) and a crowdfunding campaign, the Association for the Repatriation of the Mosaic successfully raised the necessary 58,000 ($60,000) in 2022 to purchase the piece. The mosaic, preserved within a 19th-century table, was finally secured. The recovery process was slow and, at times, discouraging. We faced a thousand difficulties, recalls Fernandez-Turegano. When we were setting up the association, the Covid-19 pandemic hit; the crowdfunding was slow; the seller agreed to deliver the mosaic in London, but Brexit introduced a new hurdle import VAT to Spain. It took months to secure an exemption, he explains. But in the end, thanks to the financial support of the Nigran City Council and the generosity of friends and donors, we achieved our goal, he says, celebrating as he flies over the Atlantic. Late Wednesday, the table containing the Roman mosaic fragment departed Madrid for Nigran. Meanwhile, Mayor Juan Gonzalez closely followed updates from the transport company, monitoring the cargos journey home. The mosaic is now officially owned by the Nigran City Council, following an official ceremony last Saturday at the Colnaghi gallery in Madrid three years after its purchase was finalized. The artifact had arrived at Colnaghis London branch, the European collaborator of Carlton Hobbs, in March 2023. There, it awaited repatriation for over a year and a half, finally returning to Spain in late November 2024 after a quarter-century in exile. Since its return, the mosaic has been on display, and on Wednesday it completed the final 372 miles of its eventful journey. It will now be exhibited in the plenary hall of this coastal municipality as part of a museum project led by Arbore Arqueoloxia, the company responsible for excavations in the area. The mosaic will remain there temporarily until a permanent exhibition space is established. The discovery site a rocky crag separating two beaches near the Panxon fishing port was never properly excavated. Asociacion para la Repatriacion del Mosaico Romano de Panxon According to Acuna Castroviejo (19452016), who documented the mosaics existence in the 1970s, the Puga family of Nigran discovered this treasure sometime before 1850 during construction work on their seaside property. Originally part of a much larger mosaic, the Puga family managed to save a single fragment from destruction, embedding it in a Roman-style scissor table to preserve it. The first recorded owner was Umbelina Gonzalez Lavandeira, widow of Mr. Puga, as noted in a 19th-century manuscript. Over time, the family sold the table to Ricardo Blanco-Ciceron, one of Galicias most renowned art collectors, who passed away in 1926. After decades of obscurity, the mosaic resurfaced in 2000 at Castellana Subastas in Madrid, where it was purchased by a Danish bidder for just under two million pesetas (around $12,000). By 2012, the mosaic had made its way to New York, though its whereabouts remained unknown in Galicia until six years later, when Fernandez-Turegano stumbled upon the familiar fish motif that had been etched in his memory since childhood. He had found it by chance while browsing a Carlton Hobbs catalog online. On a trip to New York I made an appointment to see it, Fernandez-Turegano explained to EL PAIS two years ago. [Hobbs] had no idea about its origin, although the then curator of Roman art at the Metropolitan Museum, Carlos Picon, had identified it as a 3rd-century Lusitanian mosaic. I said that I was interested in repatriating it, and he said that if the intention was to exhibit it, he would be willing to lower the price, from $75,000 to $58,000. In October 2020, the newly formed Association for the Repatriation of the Panxon Roman Mosaic signed a booking agreement with Hobbs, a dealer specializing in European aristocratic furniture, and his gallery manager, Stefanie Rinza. Our job is to ignite the spark and then step into the background. We leave the glory of cutting the ribbon to the politicians, said Fernandez-Turegano, who, alongside friends and neighbors of Nigran, championed the mosaics return from start to finish. However, the Madrid-based lawyer was unable to be in Galicia to witness the final chapter of the mosaics extraordinary journey. Panxons archaeological remains According to the 19th-century manuscript cited by Acuna Castroviejo, the preserved mosaic fragment is just a corner of a larger scene that may have included elements resembling castles and dolls. However, much of the mosaic was tragically thrown away, as the manuscript recounts, leaving only this small remnant. The discovery site a rocky crag separating two beaches near the Panxon fishing port was never properly excavated. Yet, the local toponym O Castro has long hinted at the secrets hidden beneath its private estates, buildings, yacht club, pier, and summer villas. Over the years, a series of accidental discoveries confirmed the areas rich Roman history: a pottery workshop, an altar dedicated to Mercury, and amphorae fished from the bay by local sailors. Between New Years Eve 2022 and New Years Eve 2023, while the mosaic waited to travel from London, nature unveiled more of Panxons ancient secrets. A fierce storm caused part of the cliff to collapse, exposing hundreds of archaeological remains grinding stones, pottery, bones, and building materials from two millennia ago. Remarkably, the first person to discover these artifacts and raise the alarm was Gustavo Pascual, an archaeologist, history teacher, and second vice-president of the Association for Repatriation. A neighbor of the area and a key figure in the mosaics rescue, Pascual had ventured out for a walk during a break in the storm, only to stumble upon the extraordinary find. Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get more English-language news coverage from EL PAIS USA Edition Australian actor Nicholas Eadie, who won an Australian Film Institute award for his role in the 1987 miniseries Vietnam opposite Nicole Kidman, has died in Sydney. The 66-year-olds death was announced on Facebook yesterday by fellow actor Will Conyers, who wrote, I send my deepest sympathy to all those that were touched by this very special artist and human being. Australian actor Nicholas Eadie, pictured in 2005, has died, aged 67. Credit: Getty Images Conyers added: I am paralysed. He welcomed me to my time in Sydney in the 80s. Such a generous soul. Eadie, a NIDA graduate, was well known for his roles in the TV shows Cop Shop, The Henderson Kids, in which he starred as Uncle Mike, A Country Practice and Medivac. He also starred opposite Sigrid Thornton in the film The Man from Snowy River II. The son of slain bikie boss Mick Hawi is one of the nine people charged over the spate of antisemitic attacks in Sydney, the Herald can reveal, as police investigate the possibility of foreign actors and organised crime being responsible for the incidents. Adam Hawi was last week charged over his alleged role in the lead-up to an incident in Woollahra in November, when a ute was torched, multiple cars damaged and Matt Morans Chiswick restaurant graffitied with anti-Israel messages. Comanchero bikie chief Mahmoud Mick Hawi; a ute torched in the Woollahra antisemitic attack. Credit: Nine News Police say estimated value of damage is close to $100,000. Detectives will allege that Hawis car was used in the attack and that he refused to tell detectives who was driving it. Musks Nazi salute What a despicable display by Elon Musk following the inauguration yesterday. What sort of person chooses to publicly align himself with one of the most fiercely despised symbolic gestures in the world? Reading about his familys roots to the Apartheid scheme in South Africa, as detailed in yesterdays Age, only makes me more afraid of the sort of person Musk is apparently unafraid for all to see. Any rebuke yet from Trump? Silence speaks volumes. Joyce Butcher, Williamstown No surprise in voter trends We are all appalled by Trump 2.0 and rightly so. But as an outcome within the stream of historical events, is it all that surprising? The US and other western democracies such as Australia, have now experienced decades of economic and foreign policies that have been anathema to the interests and welfare of their citizens. In the Australian context, taxation and economic policies have given lip service to equality, but actually benefit the well-to-do. Thus, income earners are fully taxed, but investors enjoy capital gains and dividend imputation privileges. In foreign and defence policies, Australia has actively engaged in wars alongside the US in countries far away, and which have nothing to do with Australias self-defence. The American electorate have opted to ditch the political paradigms of the past and move in a new direction. David Fry, Moonee Ponds Bad path to follow Coalition party members want to follow in Trumps path. Does this mean they want to become more racist, less inclusive and more ignorant? This isnt the Australia I was brought up in, and I hope the Australian people see it for what it is a lazy approach to policy to create fear to win government. Bruce McMillan, Grovedale Think before voting The headline Voters turn to Dutton as inflation fears bite (23/1) says it all. Voters are upset by cost of living pressures and want some clear action. This concern is understandable, but it is concerning that voters are not remembering the changes the federal Labor government have already enacted for the public good. Shaun Carney outlines more than a dozen of them (PMs rescue mission may be too late, 23/1). He argues voter amnesia is due to Albaneses failure to voice a vision and to be a strong, shouty leader. Are we this shallow, that we cannot analyse the real situation? Apparently, we are. Voters are swinging to Dutton with his big talk and scant policy detail. His proposed reduction in government spending will hit the most vulnerable. His priority for nuclear energy will delay reduction of emissions and threaten the future of our planet. Think again, Australia. Jan Marshall, Brighton Albaneses tight deadline Shaun Carneys Albanese now realises hes on a rescue mission to save the sinking ship, 23/1) is a compelling analysis of Anthony Albaneses situation as we head soon to what is likely to be one of the most consequential elections in recent times. Our energy future and realising the opportunities available to countries that drive the renewables revolution depend on the outcome. The election of a climate denier US president in the US increases that opportunity. As the US pulls back, countries such as Australia have unique opportunities to fill the resulting void. Carney calls out several key reasons for the governments struggles, all of which equally apply to the Dutton-led opposition, but it is the government that people look to for leadership its confidence in understanding ordinary peoples challenges. Albanese has four months to grab the attention of the doubters. For a start, it would be great to hear him articulate a position on what Carney says is the greatest policy challenge facing us, the inequality and intergenerational wealth divide caused by the nations housing arrangements. David Brophy, Beaumaris Pride march boycott I, too had very negative opinions about police involvement with Midsumma until I had started working with some ex-police in my current work role. They had suffered extreme post-traumatic stress, and I saw the human, and often complex side, behind the uniform. Unlike the USA, we dont have a gun culture, and the Midsumma organisers have lost some perspective in deciding to exclude a small group of public servants. Its why I wont be attending the Pride March as a lesbian this year, and boycotting it along with my queer friends. Jenny Smith, East Melbourne Teachers unpaid work Your correspondent (Letters, The cost of education, 23/1) highlights the disparity between funding of government and private schools. The gap means government schools have little choice but to rely on parents for assistance. And, its not just parents who pay. A family member with a one-year contract to teach grade 2 this year, has spent around $500 to equip her classroom, and I have spent a further $50 purchasing books from op shops to provide reading material. She is working two days this week, unpaid, cleaning the room after a temporary wall was built. Meanwhile, down the road at the local private school, teachers can get on with the job of preparation, in clean, fully equipped rooms. Jan Storey, Beaumaris Mental system declines Your correspondent (Restraint policy needed, Letters, 23/1) is spot on in his professional justification of the role of restraint and seclusion policy and procedures in acute psychiatric care. The mental health system, has always been the poor cousin of the general health system. It is obvious that this state is worse now since the 1980s when I trained as a psychiatric nurse years. Then, psychiatric nurses had three years of speciality training and restraint and seclusion were interventions of last resort. They were applied and monitored by qualified staff, not security guards or police, as happens now. Severe mental illness is not pretty, and very often its sufferers do not attract societys sympathies. Human rights abuses will continue against mentally ill people for as long as our mental health system remains nothing more than an ambulance at the bottom of the cliff. Michelle Goldsmith. Eaglehawk Save Lost Dogs Home Lost Dogs Home in limbo as government stonewalls over deal, 23/1) is a sad revelation about the future of this proud institution which has existed to provide compassionate care for societys cast-offs since 1910. While it is vital that both the Victorian government and the homes leadership can come to agreement without delay, the dealbreaker seems to hover around finances. Would substantially increasing the annual fees paid to councils by a levy to be awarded to the Lost Dogs Home be a user-pays scheme to raise funds? It also might deter potential dog and cat owners from using pets as a disposable item. Judith Hudson, Elwood Tennis crowd stress Tennis Australia is celebrating record-breaking crowds at the Australian Open. However, the apparent overselling of ground passes has turned what should be an exciting day of tennis into a logistical nightmare, especially for families. With four children in tow, navigating the packed grounds and waiting in long queues made it almost impossible to enjoy matches on outside courts. The day became a frustrating and stressful ordeal. Megan Smithies, Frankston Halting tennis It is reasonable in an individual sport to allow short injury or toilet breaks without forfeiting the match, but if it goes beyond a few minutes, the offending player should receive a suitable points penalty spread over the next couple of games (it should cover both the opponents serve and their own serve). If it is a long period, the player should forfeit a game. This would prevent tactical breaks intended to stop the opponents momentum whilst still enabling the player to continue participating in the match. Graham Pilkington, Brighton David Astle distraction I enjoy doing the daily quick crossword, that is until the end of week approaches when I become mildly anxious. For I know that the crossword will have Quick by DA. I admire your love of language and all its quirkiness, David Astle, but on Fridays you often drive me to distraction ... and shouting cross words. Ray Liversidge, Warrnambool AND ANOTHER THING Bishop Budde How dare Bishop Mariann Edgar Budde embrace Christian values in a country that promotes them all the time. John Rawson Mernda Thank God for turbulent priests. Jane Sullivan, Kew East I vote for a sainthood for the Bishop of the Episcopal Church in Washington! Joan Segrave, Healesville These supposedly masculine types now in charge seem to turn into snowflakes at the slightest hint of criticism. Steve Melzer, Hughesdale The eleventh commandment: Thou shalt not question or criticise Donald Trump or anything he says. Brendan OFarrell, Brunswick Will no one rid me of this meddlesome priest(attributed to Henry II). Apparently, Gods spokesperson, Bishop Budde, does not regard Trump as Gods Chosen One. Frank Jones, Melbourne Old proverb: When a clown moves into a palace, he doesnt become king. The palace becomes a circus. Danny Hampel, Caulfield North General Oleksandr Syrsky, Ukraines top military commander, said this week that North Korean losses continued to climb, estimating that almost half of those sent had been either injured or killed, but he warned that they were highly motivated, well-trained and brave. Reinforcements are expected within the next two months, according to one senior US defence official. The New York Times spoke to a dozen Ukrainian soldiers and commanders who are engaged in direct combat with North Korean soldiers, as well as four US defence officials and military analysts, to put together a portrait of how the North Koreans operate on the battlefield. The Times also viewed video of North Korean assaults provided by the Ukrainian military. Ukrainian military vehicles close to the border with Russias Kursk region this month. Credit: Finbarr OReilly/The New York Times The US officials requested anonymity to speak frankly about battlefield details. Ukrainian soldiers and their commanders asked to be identified only by their first names in accordance with military protocol. With 1.2 million troops, North Koreas military ranks among the worlds largest standing armies, and its entry into the war was a profound escalation in a war now approaching its fourth year. Loading Even before it sent troops to Russia, North Korea was a major supporter of Russias war effort. It has sent Moscow millions of artillery shells which now account for about half of the Russian munitions fired daily and more than 100 short-range ballistic missiles, according to Western and Ukrainian intelligence officials. The Kremlin has denied deploying North Korean soldiers to the battlefield and is taking steps to hide their involvement, officials said. For instance, the North Koreans have been issued what one Pentagon official described as pocket litter documents that register them as being from Russias Far East. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that one of the captured soldiers was found to have a military ID in the name of a resident of Tuva, southern Siberia. The fake identity used data from a real Russian citizen, Ukrainian intelligence officials said. Ukrainian claims about attempts to hide North Korean participation could not be independently verified. Loading While North Korean soldiers provide additional manpower, the Russians have struggled to integrate them into the battlefield. The difficulties have ranged from minor issues, like finding uniforms small enough to fit North Korean soldiers, to communication problems that have led at least twice to North Korean and Russian forces clashing directly because of mistaken identity, US officials and Ukrainian soldiers said. The Russians are taking steps to address the issues, Ukrainian soldiers said, but have yet to form a more cohesive fighting force. Now theyve started composing groups that include a translator or someone who speaks Russian with a radio, but these groups are not very effective, said Andrii, the Ukrainian commander. Using video from a drone camera, Andrii described an assault soon after it happened earlier this month, offering a window into North Korean tactics. It feels like they specifically came here to die, and they know it themselves. Olesksii, a Ukrainian platoon commander Viewed through thermal imaging, the North Korean soldiers stood out as small dark specks on the snow-dusted fields. They walked some 8 kilometres with many killed along the way and were massing in a tree line for an assault on a Ukrainian trench a short-distance away. There are about 50 of them here, Andrii said. Some were wounded, the video showed, but they did not retreat. They waited for reinforcements and then attacked. Assault groups were made up of five to eight soldiers. The North Koreans take many casualties, Andrii said, but keep sending new units. Loading Its just forward, forward, he said. Its motivation, orders and strict discipline. The shock brigade tactic of soldiers advancing with little concern for the mayhem that awaits them is heavily featured in North Korean military training and propaganda. Adopted from the Korean War days, the strategy has caused many casualties in a war fought over open and flat lands with drones, according to South Korean intelligence officials. But they said the North would consider those losses a necessary cost of becoming more skilled in modern warfare. It feels like they specifically came here to die, and they know it themselves, said Oleksii, a platoon commander. Ukrainian intelligence officials said two North Korean soldiers captured on January 9 were also providing insights into the deployments in Kursk. And Ukrainian Special Operations Forces have released excerpts from a number of diaries and communications collected from the bodies of North Korean soldiers, which US officials said appeared authentic. In one diary, a North Korean soldier wrote that he was motivated to join Russias fight to redeem himself from an unspecified transgression. I wear the uniform of the revolution to protect the Supreme Commander, he wrote. I betrayed the Party that trusted me and committed ungrateful acts against the Supreme Commander. The sins I have committed are unforgivable, but my homeland has given me a path to redemption, a new start in life. He also included practical details, like how to shoot down a drone. Simultaneously, the one baiting the drone keeps a distance of 7 metres, while those shooting stay 10-12 metres away. If the bait stands still, the drone will also stop moving. At this moment, the shooter eliminates the drone. Loading The North Korean tactics have forced the Ukrainians to adapt. For instance, drone pilots said they generally did not target individual North Koreans, hunting for groups instead. And given the density of North Korean assaults, the standard procedure of placing anti-personnel mines about 15 metres apart does not work well. Now, soldiers said, they were trying to leave no more than 5 metres between mines. Interestingly, Ukrainian soldiers said, the North Koreans try to remove their dead and wounded from the battlefield, which is different from the Russians. Loading Andrii shared drone video of the process, with some dead and wounded soldiers being dragged out pulled by their arms or loaded on sleds as others moved into the position. The North Korean forces deployed to Ukraine included about 500 officers and at least three generals, according to Ukrainian military intelligence. The generals are posted at Russian command and control headquarters, US defence officials said, and that is where the objectives are decided. The commanders decide when they need artillery and how long to wait before ground forces manoeuvre, a senior US defence official said. They synchronise with the troops in the field so that the troops are not talking to their Russian counterparts, to reduce miscommunication. Ukrainian soldiers fighting in Kursk said the North Korean tactics were costly but effective. The Koreans are starting to push the front lines, targeting less defended areas and wearing out our troops that way, said Oleksii, the platoon commander. Fighting one of the worlds largest armies was hard enough, he said, but fighting two was on the edge of what was possible. Capturing prisoners has proved challenging because North Koreans have been trained not to be taken alive, soldiers said, and Russian drone operators were always watching. The sun peeks through the morning haze between residential and office blocks. At the intersection, dozens of pedestrians, cars, motorbikes and bicycles pass by on their way to their daily tasks. A policeman directs traffic. Street sweepers rest on a curb. No one stops to examine what lies behind the faded blue fences surrounding the building. It is the Huanan Seafood Market. Ground zero for the coronavirus has become an everyday urban landscape. The first cases of an unknown pneumonia were detected here at the end of December 2019. It was closed on January 1, 2020 for disinfection. It remains closed. And empty. Wuhan was placed under lockdown on 23 January 2020, exactly five years ago. And, five years later, this city of 13 million inhabitants, traversed by the Yangtze River, is trying to turn the page. Although some things have not changed: after a while wandering around the market, and taking some photos, a small door opens and a security guard emerges shouting. On the left, the now closed Huanan Seafood Market in the Chinese city of Wuhan. Guillermo Abril Wuhan has picked up the pace. Its citizens have resumed their lives. Covid has gradually disappeared from the conversation. Carrie, the English name of a 28-year-old Wuhan resident who works for an international health insurance company, says that the city is full of hope. It is Monday, dinner time in a packed restaurant. All around her are families, couples, happy people. The Chinese New Year is approaching and many are already on vacation. Carrie adds, as a symbol of this reawakening, that Wuhan will be one of the venues for the Spring Festival gala, the most-watched television program in China, a staple in almost every home to welcome the new year. Wuhan is the largest city in central China and the capital of Hubei province, reads a recent article on state media outlet CGTN about the gala. There is no mention of the pandemic, just as the program is unlikely to discuss Covid, the first patients, the dead, or the weeks when Beijing insisted that the virus was not transmissible between humans. Five years later, there are no official commemorations in China, and the state press, governed by strict propaganda rules, does not cover the event. After almost three years of a zero-Covid policy, the Chinese government went from confining cities and forcing the population to take PCR tests every 48 hours to declaring victory against the virus overnight. But there are those who do not forget. On the surface, it seems that there are no obvious changes in the city and the people of Wuhan. However, you can often sense that the pain from back then is still burning in peoples hearts, says the famous writer Fang Fang, who lives in Wuhan. A worker at Wuhan's new seafood market, located on the outskirts of the city, to which former traders from the market where the coronavirus outbreak was detected moved. Pictured on Tuesday, January 21. Guillermo Abril During that first lockdown, which lasted 76 days, Fang kept a meticulous record that she posted on the internet and was read by tens of millions of people. Later published under the title Wuhan Diary (2020), in the book she claims that devastating damage could have been avoided if the authorities had not insisted on reporting only positive news and hiding negative news, prohibiting people from telling the truth. The writer continues to pay for that observation. Fang is not in town; she responds to EL PAIS by text message. She has been travelling a lot lately. Because of Wuhan Diary, the authorities banned the rights to publish and distribute my works, and they took away all my social activities, she explains. This has left me with a lot of free time. Since I am not too old yet and can still drive, I decided to travel. Read ten thousand books and travel ten thousand miles [quoting a proverb] is a beautiful dream for Chinese writers. China is huge and there are many places worth visiting. Her words mask the bitter taste of censorship. Beijing has silenced, persecuted, and even imprisoned people who offered an alternative view. In May 2024, to give a recent example, journalist Zhang Zhan, 40, was released after serving a four-year sentence for documenting the early days of the pandemic from Wuhan. She recounted the harassment of victims relatives who demanded an investigation, and the arrests of other independent reporters. The government has run this city through intimidation and threats That is the real tragedy of this country, she lamented in the last of her videos from Wuhan. A stall at Wuhan's new seafood market. Guillermo Abril One of the first to deviate from the official narrative was ophthalmologist Li Wenliang, who in January 2020 raised the alarm before the authorities did. He alerted close contacts that several patients admitted to his hospital were showing symptoms very similar to those of SARS, the respiratory syndrome caused by a coronavirus that in 2003 killed almost 800 people worldwide. The private message went viral. It cost him a reprimand from the police for spreading rumors. Shortly afterward, he became infected with Covid and died on 7 February, 2020. A few days earlier, he had declared in an interview: I believe that in a healthy society there should be more than one voice. Chinas Supreme Court ended up strongly criticizing the behaviour of the Wuhan police and defended Li and other doctors who had been reprimanded. The ophthalmologist is almost unanimously considered a hero today. His account on Weibo, the most popular social network in China, is another thermometer that indicates people do not forget. When the anniversary of his death approaches, it is filled with spontaneous messages such as this recent one: Doctor Li, it is 2025, I hope everything goes well for you, that you are happy and healthy. Others recall various events from the pandemic on social media, often playing videos and sharing photos from that time, Fang adds. She speaks of an accumulation of emotions that inevitably silently transform people, even though the term pandemic has almost disappeared from official articles. An alley at the back of the now-closed Huanan Seafood Market. Guillermo Abril In Wuhan, some find it hard to forget. Mr Li, a 60-year-old seafood vendor, had three stalls in the Huanan market. It is Tuesday, and he is sitting in the midday sun in front of one of the stalls he opened a year ago in the new suburban location to which he has been moved. He admits that he was better off before: he was more central. He is wearing knee-high rubber boots. The smell of dried fish surrounds him as he recalls the day when staff dressed in safety suits arrived and told him that everything was going to be closed and that he had a couple of hours to get out. He was a little scared. A widespread rumor He has friends and acquaintances among the first people to be infected; some died, others recovered, some were treated at the hospital where the ophthalmologist worked (a hero, he says). He received compensation of 30,000 yuan (around $4,115) for his losses. He claims, like several of those interviewed, that the pandemic was brought by American soldiers during the military Olympic games held in the city in October 2019. It is a widespread rumor in Wuhan, and in the rest of China. This unfounded theory was bolstered in 2020 by an unsubstantiated insinuation by Zhao Lijian, then a spokesman for the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs. When did patient zero begin in U.S.? How many people are infected? What are the names of the hospitals? It might be U.S. army who brought the epidemic to Wuhan. Be transparent! Make public your data! U.S. owe us an explanation! he wrote on social media. Fishmonger Li says he saw with his own eyes a group of Americans visiting the market shortly before the pandemic: There is no way it is a coincidence, he speculates, also without evidence. Two shopkeepers at a stall next to the old, closed seafood market say something similar. Mrs Liu and Mrs Li they dont give any further details, they are sisters-in-law, over fifty years old, one says eat sunflower seeds while waiting for customers. They run a frozen meat business in a run-down alley behind the market. The shop is right next to the blue fence topped with razor wire. Sometimes, they say, tourists come with their cameras and questions. They say they fear that their words will be distorted by the foreign press. In conversation, they do not deviate from the official narrative: We are happy because we managed to overcome a great challenge. During Covid, the citizens of Wuhan were very united. We had a lot of confidence in the governments measures. For such a huge country, they did a great job. Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get more English-language news coverage from EL PAIS USA Edition Volodymyr Zelenskiy has frequently resorted to coups deffect in the nearly three years of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, putting forward ambitious plans that were meant to keep public spirits high and secure international support for his countrys defense. One of these plans was his Peace Formula, a 10-point initiative presented last year and which he was now expecting to formalize with his allies to negotiate an end to the war with Moscow. But Kyiv has postponed the summit that was to seek agreement on a common position because of the risk that it would end in failure. Zelenskiys Peace Formula, on paper, has met with the support of the European Union and the majority of its member states, in addition to the United States, the United Kingdom, and other countries such as Canada and Japan. Experts consulted by EL PAIS believe, however, that his points are maximalist, far removed from the geopolitical reality and the difficult situation on the battlefield. The arrival in the White House of Donald Trump, who has stated his priority to end the conflict at all costs, and the need for China, Russias ally, to pressure Vladimir Putin to open up to dialogue have further undermined the plans chances of success. The plan was discussed in June 2024 at a first peace summit in Switzerland in which about 100 countries participated. The initiative addresses issues such as the territorial integrity of the invaded country, energy security, the creation of a tribunal for war crimes committed by Russia, and the return of imprisoned Ukrainian citizens. Zelenskiys goal was for a second, final meeting to be held last November, just after the U.S. elections. But his Foreign Ministry has acknowledged that the meeting has been postponed. It is clear that holding the event just for the sake of holding it is unnecessary. We need something that will be effective, and we are working on it, Ukrainian Foreign Ministry spokesman Georgi Tiji said on December 27. Numerous Ukrainian political analysts have written off the next meeting and the formula outlined by Zelenskiy as shelved. The first peace summit ended in nothing. And if it did anything it made the situation worse because it showed a decrease in support for Ukraine compared to 2022, and the consolidation of the group of countries that more or less share Russias position, Mikola Kapitonenko, a professor at the Institute of International Relations at Kyiv National University, told Ukrainian media outlet Telegraf on Monday. After this, Kapitonenko continued, negotiations for a second summit have no hope [of prospering] anymore. Zelenskiys Peace Formula, based on the principles of sovereignty laid out in the UN Charter, seeks overwhelming support from the international community for the Ukrainian position at the negotiating table. A total of 95 states and international organizations signed the final declaration issued at the first summit. But what seemed to be a success was received in Ukraine as a defeat, because it showed that major players on the global chessboard, such as China, Brazil, India, and Mexico, did not support the document. The summit was also marked from the outset by the absence of then-U.S. president Joe Biden, who chose instead to attend a fundraiser for his election campaign. Zelenskiy reacted angrily to Bidens decision not to attend, even accusing him of playing into Putins hands. Peace summit hardly salvagable Ivan Gomza, professor of political science at the Kyiv School of Economics, lists the mistakes he believes the Ukrainian authorities made at the first summit: the non-involvement or lukewarm support of key players; miscalculation between maximalist goals, such as the demand to liberate all occupied territories, including Crimea, and military possibilities; and the rhetoric of decolonizing Ukraine from Russian influence, which was frowned upon by countries of the Global South. Considering the complexity of all this, Gomza says, it was a good idea to tacitly bury the plan. With the current situation of division between the countries of the North and the South, the summit is hardly salvagable. Gomza adds that the return of the Republican president to power in the U.S. makes it even more advisable to change strategy: Trump adds reasons to be cautious about the viability of the summit and its possible resolutions. Only if it has a real impact, with Washington, Brussels, and other powers of the Global South signing on, would the Peace Formula and the summit make sense, he says. Zelenskiy spoke at length about future negotiations in his speech at the Davos Forum on Tuesday, but did not mention his formula. He insisted that a just and lasting peace must be found, and security guarantees for his country that would deter Russia from attacking again put in place. The Ukrainian leader also warned about the influence that Washington and Beijing will have on the outcome of the war in the face of what he sees as a loss of European influence. Right now, its not clear whether Europe will even have a seat at the table when the war against our country ends. We see how much influence China has on Russia, Zelenskiy said. But will President Trump listen to Europe, or will he negotiate with Russia and China without Europe? Trump revealed Tuesday that on his first day in office he demanded Chinese President Xi Jinping use his influence to bring Putin to the negotiating table. The Trump administration is probably not going to feel constrained by [Zelenskiys] Peace Formula, or by any document agreed to at a future summit, unless Russia supports it. Trump and his team want to end the war and are not too concerned about what happens with Ukraine, says Paul DAnieri, an expert on Russia and Ukraine at the University of California Riverside. Unfortunately for Ukraine, he continues, bilateral negotiations between the U.S. and Russia will probably play as big a role as negotiations in which Ukraine takes a direct part. Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get more English-language news coverage from EL PAIS USA Edition Migrants line up at a border bridge in Ciudad Juarez, Chihuahua to begin their asylum application with their CPB ONE appointment, on January 18, 2025. One in four foreigners in the United States is an undocumented migrant. At least 11 million people reside in the country without legal status, with 77% having lived there for five years or more, according to data from the 2022 census. In 1980, 80% of undocumented migrants were concentrated in six states California, Texas, Florida, New York, New Jersey, and Illinois. Today, their distribution is broader, with these six states now accounting for 56% of the total. Accurately counting all undocumented immigrants in the United States is a challenging task. However, the government can track those who pay taxes, as it is mandatory regardless of immigration status. Whats more, independent organizations estimate there could be as many as 14 million undocumented migrants in the country. Approximately six million people hold temporary residence permits in the U.S. Of these, around 2.6 million are awaiting decisions on their political asylum requests, primarily from Latin American countries. Another 300,000 have been provisionally accepted as refugees, including Ukrainians and Afghans. Additionally, 540,000 individuals are beneficiaries of DACA, a program introduced by Barack Obama to regularize the status of young people who arrived as minors. Forty percent of undocumented immigrants in the U.S. are from Mexico. However, over the last decade, migration from Mexico has decreased. In contrast, the number of Venezuelan migrants has increased fourfold, and the number of Colombians has nearly doubled. Since returning to the White House on Monday, Trump has made it clear that he wants to deport as many undocumented immigrants as possible. He will start, he said, with migrants with criminal records. According to the U.S. judicial system, there are at least 425,431 immigrants classified as criminals, though many of the offenses are minor infractions. In 2024, 22% of the charges were for traffic violations, which include driving with a broken headlight, driving without a license and ignoring a traffic sign. Undocumented migrants are often unable to obtain drivers licenses in most states due to their lack of legal documentation. Immigration-related offenses were the second most common category, accounting for 18% of all charges. These include entering the country illegally, re-entering after deportation, or providing false information upon entry. Theft of various kinds made up 7% of the offenses, while drug-related crimes accounted for 6%. In recent years, migrants with criminal records have accounted for less than half of those deported. A long history of mass deportations The latest figures from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) reveal that the U.S. has been carrying out mass deportations for years. In 2024 alone, under the Biden administration, 271,484 people were deported more than in any single year of Donald Trumps previous term. Deportations under both the Biden and Obama administrations were concentrated primarily at the southern border, with most cases involving pushbacks following detected illegal crossings. The highest number of deportations in recent history occurred during Obamas presidency in 2012, when more than 400,000 people were deported; 80% of these deportations involved individuals crossing between the United States and Mexico. What sets Trump apart is his refusal to focus solely on new arrivals at the border. Instead, he has threatened mass raids on homes and workplaces in major cities far from the border, targeting migrants who have lived in the U.S. for years. Trumps proposed arrests threaten to violate the sanctuary city policies of places like New York, Chicago, and Los Angeles major urban centers that have chosen not to cooperate with ICE and have implemented less restrictive measures toward undocumented immigrants. Despite this, Trumps team has announced plans to sign an executive order granting ICE the authority to operate in these cities. In sanctuary cities, undocumented migrants can often obtain a state-issued ID, which grants access to banking, healthcare, and educational services. In some cases, they can even acquire a drivers license, though this is permitted in only 18 of the 50 states. Currently, undocumented immigrants have limited pathways to regularize their status. One of the most common routes involves children born in the U.S. to undocumented parents. These children, who automatically gain U.S. citizenship by birth, can petition for their parents legal status when they turn 21. However, Trump has indicated his intent to abolish birthright citizenship, even though it is a right enshrined in the Constitution. Even under current law, the process of regularization is fraught with challenges. Applicants must meet stringent criteria, such as having no traffic violations or administrative infractions and proving they have paid taxes consistently. According to Pew Research, 4.4 million children in the U.S. have at least one undocumented parent. Asylum appointments cancelled Trump has announced plans to end the CBP One cell phone application, a tool that allowed individuals to request political asylum and provided a safer alternative to crossing the border into the United States. Introduced by the Biden administration, the app was designed to keep migrants on the Mexican side of the border while they awaited appointments with U.S. immigration authorities. It also helped expedite the rejection of applications deemed ineligible. According to The New York Times, Trumps announcement has already led to the apps closure as of Monday, resulting in the cancellation of appointments for approximately 30,000 migrants. In 2023, a total of 456,750 asylum applications were registered at U.S. entry points, with nearly half filed by Cubans and Venezuelans. During Trumps first term (20172021), despite his hard-line rhetoric, more asylum applications were approved than under the Democratic administrations of Obama and Biden. The asylum system faced significant disruption during the Covid-19 pandemic due to the implementation of Title 42. This policy allowed migrants who crossed the border illegally to be immediately expelled without the opportunity to request asylum. Although Title 42 was introduced under Trump, the Biden administration oversaw the return of the majority of the three million individuals affected by the policy. The CBP One cell phone app was introduced in 2023, following the end of Title 42. Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get more English-language news coverage from EL PAIS USA Edition Donald Trump has faced his first judicial setback regarding his executive orders. A federal district judge on Thursday temporarily blocked the executive order that sought to deny U.S. citizenship to the children of undocumented migrants. The measure was one of the first actions taken by the Republican president after his arrival at the White House, when he signed a series of executive orders targeting immigrants. Legal experts had warned that the order would face significant challenges, as it directly conflicts with the 14th Amendment of the Constitution, which has guaranteed citizenship to anyone born in the U.S. since 1868, regardless of their parents immigration status. Judge John Coughenour sided with the states of Washington, Arizona, Illinois, and Oregon, which collectively filed a lawsuit to challenge the executive action, signed by Trump on January 20. The courts ruling applies to one of the five lawsuits filed against the executive order, which has sparked numerous appeals from a total of 22 states and garnered support from several human rights organizations. The first lawsuit was filed just minutes after Trump signed the order by groups including the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU). Judge Coughenour called the order blatantly unconstitutional at the hearing, which took place before Justice Department attorney Brett Shumate, who was defending Trumps position. Frankly, I have difficulty understanding how a member of the Bar could state unequivocally that this is a constitutional order, said the judge. With over four decades on the bench since being appointed by Republican President Ronald Reagan, he noted that he could not recall any measure in his career that was so clearly unconstitutional. The judges ruling will remain in effect for two weeks, temporarily preventing the controversial measure from taking effect. The executive order, which cannot be applied retroactively, asserts that the privilege of United States citizenship does not automatically extend to persons born in the United States: (1) when that persons mother was unlawfully present in the United States and the father was not a United States citizen. It also denies citizenship to children whose parents are in the U.S. on temporary work, education, or tourist visas. The Justice Department argued Wednesday that the states lacked sufficient standing to bring the case, despite many lawsuits being accompanied by names and testimony from pregnant women whose children could be directly impacted by the measure, which was set to take effect on February 19. Coughenours decision marks the first in what is expected to become a prolonged legal battle between the executive and its opponents. The Seattle judges order sets the executive order on a path through a series of appeals, ultimately making its way to the Supreme Court, where it could take months to reach a final resolution. The Trumpist camp hopes that the conservative justices appointed to the Supreme Court during Trumps first term will break with over 150 years of legal tradition and rule in favor of denying citizenship to the children of undocumented immigrants. In 2022, approximately 255,000 babies were born in the U.S. to undocumented mothers, representing 7% of all births that year. When Trump signed his executive order, he told the cameras that the U.S. was the only country in the world that upheld the principle of jus solithe right of the soilarguing that it should be abolished. This claim, however, is incorrect; around 30 countries still maintain the practice, including the U.S.s neighboring powers and key partners, Mexico and Canada. Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get more English-language news coverage from EL PAIS USA Edition A wildfire is once again threatening thousands of people in California. Like the fires of two weeks ago, which struck almost without warning, a huge curtain of smoke is hanging over the communities of Castaic and Santa Clarita in northern Los Angeles County. Named Hughes, the fire has been raging since it was reported at about 11:00 a.m. Wednesday morning. In just a few hours, the fire destroyed 3,800 hectares, forcing the mandatory evacuation of some 31,000 people with another 23,000 under evacuation warnings, L.A. County Sheriff Robert Luna said. There were no reports of homes or other structures burned. Hughes advanced at incredible speed. A Fire Department spokesman said the flames were consuming some 14 hectares per minute, driven by the Santa Ana winds, which originate in the interior of California and travel between the states mountain ranges. In a little over six hours, these air currents caused the area threatened by Hughes to grow from 20 hectares to almost 4,000 hectares. Officials told a press conference that the wind strength was expected to diminish between Wednesday and Thursday. Were not too worried about it, said a spokesman for CAL Fire, the state firefighting force responsible for battling these types of fires. The lull in the wind would make it possible to tackle the flames more effectively. State officials had already warned that high winds would be prevalent again this week, prolonging a fire season that has killed at least 25 people and destroyed tens of thousands of homes both east and west of Los Angeles. By Wednesday night, about 14% of the Hughes Fire had been contained. The situation that were in today is very different from the situation we were in 16 days ago, Los Angeles County Fire Chief Anthony Marrone said Wednesday evening. Red flag warnings were extended through 10 a.m. Friday in L.A. and Ventura counties. Officials remained concerned that the Palisades and Eaton fires could break their containment lines as firefighters continue watching for hot spots. State authorities urgently mobilized eight California National Guard aircraft to fight the fire from the air. About 20 firefighting vehicles and heavy machinery have also been sent to the affected region, 40 miles north of Los Angeles, to cut off the flames. This event, which is taking place on federal land, has forced the California state government to send 1,100 firefighters to the area. By late Wednesday afternoon that number had swelled to about 4,000, according to the state authorities. Firefighters work as the Hughes Fire burns in Castaic Lake, California, January 22, 2025. David Swanson (REUTERS) Meanwhile, evacuation orders were issued. The first to receive them were the residential neighborhoods northwest of the No. 5 freeway, which crosses California from south to north, and which was closed for several hours. Firefighters were forced to reverse the closure so as not to obstruct the passage of first responders along the highway. The evacuation was extended to nearby neighborhoods and areas to the south, including several elementary schools. Students were moved to Hart High School in the town of Santa Clarita, which has been converted into a temporary center for displaced persons. Classes in the entire region were suspended on Thursday. Another issue of concern to authorities is the possibility of the fire reaching the Pitchess prison, which would force the evacuation of its 5,000 inmates. Luna had initially assured that the jail was not within the area to be evacuated, but the advance of Hughes finally forced authorities to take measures to protect the inmates. The sheriff himself later confirmed to the media that some 400 inmates were being moved to a large concrete building where they would be sheltered from the flames. Two of the three structures we have there are made of this material and our experts tell us they will be safe, Luna told CBS. We have a plan to evacuate them if we have to, the sheriff added hours later at a press conference. This new fire comes two weeks after the Eaton and Palisades fires ravaged the communities of Pacific Palisades and Altadena. Those two fires required the mobilization of a small army of 15,000 firefighters. Despite this, the blazes consumed more than 16,000 acres of the city and caused 25 deaths. Hughes now demonstrates that Californias fire season is not over. Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get more English-language news coverage from EL PAIS USA Edition 12 killed as passengers get down on tracks, crushed by another train People gather at the site following the death of several passengers after they stepped down due to a rumour of fire and were run over by another train passing on the adjacent tracks, in Maharashtras Jalgaon district on Wednesday. (PTI) JALGAON : AT LEAST 12 passengers were killed on Wednesday evening when they jumped from their Mumbai-bound train in panic due to a false fire alarm, only to be tragically run over by another train on the adjacent tracks here, officials said. The tragedy unfolded when passengers onboard the 12533 Lucknow-Mumbai Pushpak Express, fearing a blaze when sparks flew from the trains wheels, hastily jumped onto the adjacent tracks and were run over by the oncoming Karnataka Express heading from Bengaluru to Delhi, they said. As many as 15 other passengers were injured in the accident, which took place between Maheji and Pardhade stations near Pachora town in North Maharashtras Jalgaon district, when Pushpak Express halted after someone pulled the chain around 4.45 pm, Central Railway officials said. In a video message from Davos in Switzerland, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said, Some passengers in the train mistakenly assumed that smoke is coming out of the train and they jumped. Unfortunately, they were ran over by another train. He announced financial assistance of Rs 5 lakh each to the next of the kin of the passengers who died in the tragedy, while the Commissioner of Railway Safety, Central Circle, will probe the circumstances leading to the accident. The tragic loss of lives in a very unfortunate incident near Pachora in Jalgaon district (which) is deeply distressing. I pay my heartfelt tributes to them, Fadnavis posted on X. Deputy CM Eknath Shinde said prima facie passengers of Pushpak Express jumped off the train amid rumours of a fire on board the train. Special Inspector General of Police Dattatraya Karale told PTI that a fire incident occurred on Pushpak Express. The train stopped, and some passengers disembarked and stepped on the tracks when they were run over by New Delhi-bound Karnataka Express, he added. Jalgaon district information officer Yuvraj Patil said 12 passengers were killed in the tragedy, while 15 others were injured. Pushpak Express departed from the spot in just 15 minutes, while the Karnataka Express was removed within 20 minutes. Ajay Maken alleges scam worth Rs 382 cr by AAP Govt NEW DELHI : CONGRESS leader Ajay Maken on Wednesday accused Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convenor Arvind Kejriwal of committing a health-related scam worth Rs 382 crore. Of the 14 Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) reports, one report suggests a scam carried out by Kejriwal, which is related to health, he added. The Delhi CM made his party on the basis that he will fight corruption... At that time, he made corruption allegations against Congress based on CAG reports. Today, there are 14 CAG reports that make serious corruption allegations against Arvind Kejriwal. One such CAG report suggests a scam by Arvind Kejriwal related to health which is worth Rs 382 crore, Maken said in a press conference. Maken made serious allegations against Kejriwal, claiming that the additional expenditure on three hospitals, which has been revealed in the CAG reports, was the reason they were stopped from being tabled. The CAG reports suggest that a sum of Rs 382.52 crore more than the tender was spent on three hospitals. This is the reason that Arvind Kejriwal did not let the CAG report be presented in the Vidhan Sabha. I am making a direct allegation that this is the reason that the CAG report was stopped, Maken alleged. He highlighted the delays in the hospital construction by the AAP Government in Delhi, saying that only three hospitals have been erected in a decade, which started during Congress tenure. The CAG report says that three hospitals have been prepared in the last 10 years. All three of them were started in Congress time. The delay in Indira Gandhi Hospital was five years, Burari Hospital was delayed by six years and Maulana Azad Dental Hospital was delayed by three years, Maken said, adding that an additional Rs 314 crore was spent for the Indira Gandhi Hospital in Delhi followed by additional Rs 41 crore spent on Burari Hospital and additional (than the tender) Rs 26 crore on Maulana Azad Dental Hospital. The Congress leader further revealed that Rs 2,623 crore sanctioned for the infrastructure budget lapsed, from 2016-17 to 2021-22, since the money was not spent. Of the Rs 653 crore grant provided by the Centre during the COVID-19 crisis, Rs 360 crore was not spent, Maken said, adding that the AAP Government merely installed 1,235 medical beds instead of the announced 32,000 beds. From 2016-17 to 2021-22, Rs 2,623 crore sanctioned for infrastructure budget lapsed because the money was not spent. This was also the COVID period. This is criminal negligence that Rs 2623 crore lapsed. This is the reason why the CAG report was not presented. During COVID, they got a Rs 635 crore grant from the Centre. Out of which, Rs 360 crore were not spent at all... People were dying due to lack of medical facilities and 56 per cent of the grant given by the Centre remained unused... From 2016-17 to 2021-22, in four different budgets, they announced that they will install 32,000 medical beds... But only 1,235 beds were installed. Only 3.8 per cent achievement... This is also in the CAG report on which they (AAP) are sitting, Maken said. Maken pointed out that shortages of doctors were 50 to 74 per cent while the nursing staff was short by 73 to 96 per cent in Rajiv Gandhi and Janakpuri Super Speciality hospitals. In Rajiv Gandhi and Janakpuri Super Speciality hospitals, doctor shortage is 50-74 per cent... The nursing staff is short by 73-96 per cent. Paramedic staff is short by 17-62 per cent... New dynamics THE opting out of Mr. Vivek Ramaswamy as the joint chief of the newly-established Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) by President Mr. Donald Trump, points to a new dynamics of domestic American politics. Mr. Ramaswamy has stated clearly that he may run for governorship of the State of Ohio. In other words, Mr. Ramaswamy -- who had pulled out of the race for presidential nomination of the Republican Party a few months ago -- appears to be getting ready for another try at US presidency four years later. For the 39-year-old Indian-origin entrepreneur-turned politician, the move could be a major -- and risky -- step in an ambitious career in public affairs. Obviously, in the next some time, Mr. Vivek Ramaswamy will remain in public glare for each of his moves. When the race for the Republican nomination got hotter, Mr. Vivek Ramaswamy was being given a serious consideration by the partys eco-system as well as common American voting public of which Indian diaspora forms an important segment. Realising that Mr. Donald Trumps claim was a way stronger than his own, Mr. Vivek Ramaswamy had chosen to step aside in Mr. Trumps favour. He then became one of the strongest votaries of Mr. Trumps presidency and campaigned relentlessly for its fruition. All that contribution did bring Mr. Ramaswamy closer than ever to the Trump camp, in the process winning for him the top position in the conceptual DOGE. Those who analysed Mr. Ramaswamys personality, however, were conscious that he would never be the man sitting quietly and waiting for his next chance. For, Mr. Vivek Ramaswamys entrepreneurial spirit could never allow him just to wait and watch. Instead, he has now taken a proactive plunge into the uncharted territory of gubernatorial race. This is truly beginning a campaign unimaginably well in advance. But three years ago, when the Republican nominations were in consideration, Mr. Vivek Ramaswamy was already an old hand at an early campaign -- barely in his mid-thirties. In spite of the fact that Mr. Donald Trump, too, was building his own campaign, Mr. Ramaswamy kept his flags up and fully unfurled -- attracting international attention because of the nerve and verve he demonstrated. A similar trajectory appears to be taking shape even now as Mr. Ramaswamy has opted out of the spotlight of the new idea of DOGE and taking to a rather uncertain race for governorship of Ohio. Changing political thought-process about political demography may help Mr. Ramaswamy in his new mission. For, as President Mr. Donald Trump talks of a remake of policies of acceptance of people from different nationalities into American citizenship domain, a large segment of the Indian diaspora, too, may find itself unsteadily perched in the US society. That segment may become a votary of somebody as fierce and independent as Mr. Vivek Ramaswamy as their face or voice. This certainly does not suggest that Mr. Ramaswamy opted out of the new Trump administration on account of differences on an issue. Yet, in Mr. Ramaswamys political calculus, this dimension may have got factored. There is no doubt that Mr. Donald Trump is all set to change the internal political dynamics of the united States. In the process, he may create an altogether different narrative -- and Mr. Vivek Ramaswamy may turn out to be a beneficiary of that new wave of politics. There is no doubt that he has taken a calculated risk in his other rising political career trajectory. But then, his courage of conviction and willingness to take risks may become his winning points. There is, therefore, enough reason to expect the rise of new Indian-origin superstar on American political horizon in the times to come. In Americas new socio-political demography, he may have a more than bright chance of a good show. Quad Sends strong signal to China External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar with Japanese Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and Australias Penny Wong during a Quad Foreign Ministers meeting in Washington DC. (PTI) By Lalit K Jha WASHINGTON QUAD Foreign Ministers strongly oppose any unilateral actions that seek to change the status quo by force or coercion in Indo-Pacific IN A move sending a strong signal to China, Foreign Ministers from Quad countries have strongly opposed any unilateral actions that seek to change the status quo by force or coercion. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Tuesday hosted External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, Penny Wong from Australia and Japans Takeshi Iwaya for his first multilateral meeting as the top American diplomat. After the hour-long meeting, the four ministers reconfirmed the Quad Leadership Summit in India later this year. India will host the 2025 Quad Leaders Summit. In 2024, the Quad Leaders Summit was supposed to be held in India, but then US President Joe Biden was keen to hold the event in Wilmington. A joint statement issued after the Quad Foreign Ministers meeting reaffirmed their shared commitment to strengthening a Free and Open Indo-Pacific where the rule of law, democratic values, sovereignty, and territorial integrity are upheld and defended. Our four nations maintain our conviction that international law, economic opportunity, peace, stability, and security in all domains, including the maritime domain, underpin the development and prosperity of the people of the Indo-Pacific. We also strongly oppose any unilateral actions that seek to change the status quo by force or coercion, it said. The US, India, Japan and Australia compose the Quad, a four-way grouping. They have been stepping up cooperation in various fields such as defence and energy, amid Chinas increasing military and economic clout in the region. We are committed to strengthening regional maritime, economic, and technology security in the face of increasing threats, as well as promoting reliable and resilient supply chains, the statement said. We look forward to advancing the work of the Quad in the coming months and will meet together on a regular basis as we prepare for the next Quad Leaders Summit hosted by India, it said. China claims most of the South China Sea. Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan have counter claims. China also claims sovereignty over the disputed Senkaku islands in the East China Sea, claimed by Japan. In Beijing, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning Wednesday said that Chinas activities in relevant waters are lawful, legitimate and completely justified. Responding to a question on the Quad Ministers meeting, she reiterated her opposition to the grouping, saying China has always advocated that cooperation among countries should not target any third party. Engaging in group politics and bloc confrontation will not bring lasting peace and security, and is not conducive to peace and stability in the Asia-Pacific and the world as a whole, she said. We hope that relevant parties will do more things that help enhance mutual trust and cooperation between countries, she said. In a post on X, Jaishankar said that the Quad Foreign Ministers meeting sent a clear message that in an uncertain and volatile world, the Quad will continue to be a force for global good. Significant that the Quad FMM took place within hours of the inauguration of the Trump Administration. This underlines the priority it has in the foreign policy of its member States, he posted on X. Our wide-ranging discussions addressed different dimensions of ensuring a free, open, stable and prosperous Indo-Pacific. Agreed on the importance of thinking bigger, deepening the agenda and intensifying our collaboration, he added. In November 2017, India, Japan, the US and Australia gave shape to the long-pending proposal of setting up the Quad to develop a new strategy to keep the critical sea routes in the Indo-Pacific free of any influence amid Chinas aggressive behaviour in the region. Saif meets auto-rickshaw driver who took him to hospital after knife attack MUMBAI ; BOLLYWOOD star Saif Ali Khan has met auto-rickshaw driver Bhajan Singh Rana, who rushed him to hospital after he was injured in the knife attack at his home in Mumbai, and thanked him for the help. The actor also gave the driver some money and assured all help to him whenever needed. Khan (54) was repeatedly stabbed with a knife by an intruder inside his 12th-floor apartment in the upscale Bandra area in the wee hours of January 16. The actor suffered multiple stab injuries in the attack and underwent an emergency surgery at the Lilavati Hospital. He returned home on Tuesday. Khan met Singh Rana on Tuesday at the hospital before getting discharged. I met him (Saif) yesterday at the hospital. He called to thank me, to help him reach the hospital. He praised me. I got the blessings from him and his family, the auto-rickshaw driver told PTI. He (Khan) introduced me to his mother (Sharmila Tagore), and I touched her feet. He gave me (money) whatever he felt was right, and said whenever I need help he will be there, Singh Rana said. Saif attack case: Multiple departments of forensic lab to examine evidence: MULTIPLE departments under the Forensic Science Laboratory at Kalina in Mumbai will examine key pieces of evidence seized by the police investigating actor Saif Ali Khan knife attack case, officials said on Wednesday. Police on Sunday arrested the attacker, identified as Bangladeshi national Shareeful Islam Shehzad Mohammad Rohilla Amin Fakir, for stabbing Khan at his Bandra apartment on January 16 during a burglary bid. A variety of materials, including mobile phones, clothes of the accused, and CCTV footage seized following the arrest of Fakir (30) alias Vijay Das, have been sent to the FSL for examination. FSL departments such as Tape Authentication and Speaker Identification (TASI), Biology, DNA, Footprints, Physics, Cyber, and others will be involved in analysing the evidence, a police official said. An official said police didnt notice blood stains on the clothes of the accused seized from his bag when he was arrested from Thane. The official said investigators are facing difficulty in interrogating Fakir due to the language barrier as he speaks Hindi with a heavy Bangladeshi accent. The accused has been asked to speak slowly so that police could decipher his statements, the official added. Police on Tuesday reconstructed the sequence of events of the crime unfolded at Khans building in Bandra. The accused was taken to a nearby building briefly during the recreation of the crime, the official added. A day before, Khan was discharged from a private hospital in Mumbai after five days during which he underwent two surgeries. UP Cabinet meets in Kumbh Mela area, approves key projects MAHAKUMBH NAGAR : THE Uttar Pradesh Cabinet met in the Maha Kumbh Mela area on Wednesday following which Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath announced several key decisions on development projects and policy changes aimed at boosting the States growth. Addressing the media, the Chief Minister highlighted the wide range of topics discussed at the meeting, including policy matters on incentives in aerospace and defence sectors, and infrastructure development and specific issues related to Prayagraj. He also announced construction of three new medical colleges in Baghpat, Hathras and Kasganj districts. One of the major announcements was related to the States aerospace and defence policies, which, he said, was initially implemented in 2018, has completed five years and will now be revamped. The revised policy will include new incentives to attract large investments into the sector, Adityanath said. The Cabinet meeting comes on a day that also marked the first anniversary of the consecration ceremony of the Ram Lalla idol at the Ram temple in Ayodhya and ahead of the February 5 Milkipur by-poll. Adityanath said the Cabinet also discussed the distribution of incentives under the Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) and Fortune 500 investments made in Uttar Pradesh. New investment proposals were presented, and Letters of Intent (LOIs) will be issued. Among the key investments, a Rs 10,000 crore investment in Mirzapur and additional proposals in Moradabad were discussed. There are two more such projects, he said. UP CM, Ministers take dip at Sangam after Cabinet meet: UTTAR Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath along with his Cabinet on Wednesday took a dip in the Triveni Sangam during the ongoing Maha Kumbh Mela. The bathed around 2.15 pm after the Cabinet meet here to discuss policies. The Ministers also engaged in some light-hearted, celebratory moments of camaraderie in the sacred waters. CM Adityanath was surrounded by his Cabinet colleagues, who splashed water on him together as the entourage bathed amid high security. The Cabinet meeting and the holy dip comes on a day that marks the first anniversary of the consecration ceremony of the Ram Lalla idol at the Ram temple in Ayodhya. U.S. President Donald Trump presented his plans to participants at the Davos Forum in Switzerland on Thursday, outlining his dissatisfaction with the EUs treatment of the United States in economic matters and announcing that he will ask NATO allies to spend 5% of GDP on defense, three percentage points more than the current target Im trying to be constructive, because I love Europe, Trump said in his speech via videoconference from Washington. From the standpoint of America, the EU treats us very, very unfairly, very badly, He went on to explain the reasons for his complaint, largely focusing on a trade relationship he views as unfairly imbalanced, while also criticizing fines imposed on U.S. companies for alleged violations of free competition rules, which he described as a form of hidden taxation. So, we have some very big complaints with the EU, said Trump. The dissatisfaction on the economic front adds to Trumps concerns about the military spending of many NATO partners, particularly in Europe, which he believes is insufficient. He made his demand clear, calling for a significant increase in defense spending. Im also going to ask all NATO nations to increase defense spending to 5% of GDP, he said, arguing that the limited contributions from others represent another way in which the U.S. is taken advantage of. The pursuit of what he described as fair relations especially through the lens of trade balance and military contributions lies at the heart of his approach to international relations. In his speech, which was followed by a Q&A session with four prominent business leaders, Trump expressed a desire to meet with President [Vladimir] Putin soon to push for an end to the hostilities in Ukraine. He also noted that he had raised the issue during his recent phone conversation with Chinese President Xi Jinping. Hopefully, China can help us stop the war between Russia and Ukraine. They have a great deal of power over that situation, and well work with them. I mentioned that during our phone conversation with President Xi, he said. On the domestic front, Trump insisted that he is leading a revolution of common sense. He reiterated his commitment to carrying out the largest deregulation campaign in history and delivering the largest tax cut in American history. The culture war also surfaced in the speech, with Trump promising to abolish all nonsense measures promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion, which he labeled as discriminatory. He vowed that under his leadership, the U.S. would once again become a country governed by merit. Overall, the references to the cultural battle were minimal compared to the singular focus of Argentine President Javier Mileis speech earlier Thursday morning. Throughout his speech, Trumps transactional approach to international relations became evident. He referenced reports of an alleged Saudi project to invest around $600 billion in the U.S. Ill be asking the crown prince, whos a fantastic guy, to round it out to around $1 trillion. I think theyll do that because weve been very good to them, said Trump. The presidents comments were likely a nod to Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, whom the Biden administration has linked to the dismemberment of journalist Jamal Khashoggi in a Saudi consulate in Turkey. He was not the only authoritarian leader praised by Trump, who also said he likes Xi Jinping very much. Im also going to ask Saudi Arabia and OPEC to bring down the cost of oil, Trump continued. He argued that reducing oil prices thereby limiting Russias revenues could potentially end the war in Ukraine. Following the initial 15-minute speech, Trump took questions from four business leaders Ana Botin, president of Banco Santander; Stephen Schwarzman, chairman of Blackstone; Brian Moynihan, CEO of Bank of America; and Patrick Pouyanne of Total Energies. Both Botin and Schwarzman expressed their appreciation for his deregulation agenda and inquired about it, though Trump did not delve into further details. Botin took the opportunity to briefly present her bank to Trump, who responded by saying she had done a fantastic job. The exchange with Moynihan, however, was less fluid, with Trump criticizing U.S. banks for failing to adequately extend credit to conservatives. Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get more English-language news coverage from EL PAIS USA Edition U.S. President Donald Trump has defended issuing pardons for the 1,500 people convicted of the assault on the Capitol, with which they tried to keep the Republican in the White House on January 6, 2021. In an interview granted to Fox News, the first since his inauguration last Monday, Trump stated that they were treated like the worst criminals in history. And you know what they were there for? They were protesting the vote, because they knew the election was rigged. He also described the attacks that the assailants perpetrated against law enforcement as minor incidents. Most of them were absolutely innocent and have served a long term in jail, in horrible conditions, he maintained in the interview in the Oval Office. The case against them, he said, is nothing more than a political stunt... not in all cases, but most of them are very patriotic. Host Sean Hannity, a conservative media star who avoided posing remotely uncomfortable questions to the president and who consistently sided with the Republicans views, was forced to add that they shouldnt be allowed to storm the Capitol. Trump also expressed interest in having his predecessor, Joe Biden, investigated. The Republican returned to the White House as the first U.S. president convicted of a felony, having been found guilty of falsifying accounting documents in connection with hush money payments to porn actress Stormy Daniels before the 2016 election. Over the last year and a half Trump also faced charges for his role in attempts to alter the outcome of the 2020 election, and for the unlawful handling of classified documents. In his remarks to Hannity, the new president seemed to hope his Democratic predecessor would be put through a similar experience. Its really hard to say that they shouldnt have to go through it all, he argued. Biden preemptively pardoned his brothers and brothers-in-law in the final minutes of his presidency, when Trump and he were already on Capitol Hill for the handover ceremony. In December, the former president also pardoned his son Hunter, who had cases pending in court for tax evasion and unlawful possession of a firearm. According to Trump, Biden has set an amazing precedent. And you know, the funny thing, maybe the sad thing is, he didnt give himself a pardon, the new U.S. president added, although Biden didnt need to: the Supreme Court ruled last summer in one of the cases involving Trump that U.S. presidents enjoy immunity for acts they carry out in the exercise of their functions. The conversation had been recorded hours before its broadcast, on the same day the Pentagon began to deploy 1,500 additional soldiers to the border with Mexico to collaborate in the deportation of irregular immigrants, erect barriers, and assist in detection and monitoring efforts. The measure is part of the administrations steps to fulfill the executive orders that Trump signed just hours after his inauguration against irregular immigration, the main priority of his first days in the White House, and which include suspending the right to asylum and restricting the right to birthright citizenship. And he promised more. Among his statements in the interview, he pointed to the possibility of withholding federal funds from cities that refuse to turn illegal immigrants over to federal authorities for deportation. I may have to do that, he observed. I believe the number is 21 million people he said of irregular immigrants on U.S. soil, and a large percentage of them are criminals from all over the world, the Republican stated, repeating the false accusations he made time and again during his electoral campaign. Trump also threatened to withhold funds to California to help recovery efforts following the catastrophic fires in Los Angeles unless the heavily Democratic state changes the way it manages its water resources. The Republican has falsely repeated over and over again, as he did in the interview, that measures to protect an endangered fish species in the northern part of the state are to blame for there being no water in hydrants when firefighters tried to use them. I dont think we should give California anything until they let water flow down from the north to the south, he said. Among the dozens of executive orders Trump signed Monday was a 75-day extension for short-form video platform TikTok, which a law passed in May and endorsed by the Supreme Court last weekend required the company put itself up for sale and divest from its Chinese owner, ByteDance, by January 19 or face a ban in the United States. The law was motivated by national security concerns: that the data of the 170 million TikTok users in the U.S. could end up in the hands of the Chinese government, and that Beijing could use the social network to disseminate propaganda content. Trump downplayed those fears. But you can say that about everything made in China, he argued. Is it that important for China to be spying on young people? On young kids watching crazy videos? During the interview, Hannity also asked Trump about the attack he suffered last July in Butler, Pennsylvania, where he was wounded in the ear during a rally when a shooter opened fire on him from a nearby building. The president has stated that God saved his life because he was destined to make America great again and rescue the country from the problems in which, according to him, the Democratic administration has plunged it. Does he now have more faith in God? I think so... statistically I shouldnt be here. If I hadnt turned my head... I got off by millimeters, Trump said. Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get more English-language news coverage from EL PAIS USA Edition KYODO NEWS - Jan 23, 2025 - 23:00 | All, World, Japan The following is the latest list of selected news summaries by Kyodo News. ---------- Japan TV host, ex-SMAP pop idol Masahiro Nakai quits showbiz amid scandal TOKYO - Japanese TV host Masahiro Nakai, who was a member of the former pop group SMAP, said Thursday he has retired from show business following alleged sexual misconduct that led broadcasters to suspend programs featuring him. "As of today, I will retire from entertainment activities," Nakai, 52, said on his fan club website, sending shockwaves to his admirers across Japan and other parts of Asia. ---------- China court sentences man to death over Japanese school bus stabbings SUZHOU, China/TOKYO - A Chinese court on Thursday sentenced a man to death over a knife attack near Shanghai last June that injured a Japanese mother and her child and killed a Chinese bus attendant trying to stop him, Japan's government said. The Suzhou Intermediate People's Court said the Chinese jobless man named Zhou Jiasheng, 52, convicted of stabbing the three at a Japanese school bus stop in Suzhou, Jiangsu Province, on June 24, was "debt-ridden" and did not want to continue living, a government official told reporters in Tokyo. ---------- Japan's trade deficit shrinks 44% in 2024 on record exports TOKYO - Japan's trade deficit in 2024 shrank 44 percent from a year earlier to 5.33 trillion yen ($34 billion), as exports hit a record high due to robust vehicle and semiconductor-related demand, government data showed Thursday. While exports rose for the fourth straight year, Japan's trade balance also remained in the red for the fourth consecutive year, as elevated energy prices in recent years increased import costs for resource-scarce Japan. ---------- Nissan cancels plan to produce small EV at U.S. plant NEW YORK - Nissan Motor Co. said Wednesday it has abandoned a plan to produce a small electric vehicle model at its Mississippi assembly plant. The vehicle was among five EV models to be produced at the Canton plant starting in 2026 in stages. Nissan said in a statement that the plant is focusing on projects with greater production potential. ---------- No abnormalities in water samples taken near Fukushima plant: China BEIJING - China has found no abnormalities in seawater samples it independently collected last October, according to Chinese media, in a step that could pave the way for the lifting of Beijing's total ban on Japanese seafood imports. Chinese research institutions detected no abnormal data in the radioactive concentration of tritium, cesium-137 and strontium-90, the Global Times, a tabloid affiliated with China's ruling Communist Party, said Wednesday. ---------- BOJ expected to raise policy rate to 0.5% on robust wage outlook TOKYO - The Bank of Japan is expected to raise its policy rate to 0.5 percent from the current 0.25 percent in a two-day meeting which started on Thursday, encouraged by the outlook for another round of sharp pay hikes in this year's annual wage negotiations. The key short-term rate is expected to be elevated to a level unseen since October 2008, when the global economy was being pulled into a recession by a financial crisis. ---------- Japan retains economic view in Jan., optimistic on business climate TOKYO - The government on Thursday retained its assessment that the Japanese economy is recovering moderately, expressing a more optimistic view about the current business environment. In its monthly report for January, the Cabinet Office said the economy is "recovering at a moderate pace, although it remains pausing in part," using the same expression for its overall assessment for the sixth consecutive month. ---------- Central Tokyo condo prices top 100 mil. yen again in 2024 TOKYO - The average price of new condominiums released last year in central Tokyo topped 100 million yen ($639,000) for the second year in a row, as costs for building materials remained high, real estate research firm data showed Thursday. But the price was slightly lower than the previous year, falling by 2.6 percent to 111.81 million yen per unit in the capital's 23 wards, the Real Estate Economic Institute said. Video: New station for Osaka 2025 World Expo venue opens KYODO NEWS - Jan 23, 2025 - 19:14 | World, All, Japan A Chinese court on Thursday sentenced a man to death over a knife attack near Shanghai last June that injured a Japanese mother and her child and killed a Chinese bus attendant trying to stop him, Japan's government said. The Suzhou Intermediate People's Court said the Chinese jobless man named Zhou Jiasheng, 52, convicted of stabbing the three at a Japanese school bus stop in Suzhou, Jiangsu Province, on June 24, was "debt-ridden" and did not want to continue living, a government official told reporters in Tokyo. While there had been speculation that Zhou might have targeted Japanese nationals, the court made no mention of Japan in rendering the ruling, the official said. Japanese Consul General in Shanghai Masaru Okada and other consulate staff were present at the court to hear the ruling. The case, followed by another fatal stabbing by a Chinese man of a schoolboy whose father is Japanese in the southern city of Shenzhen in September, has attracted considerable attention in Japan, fueling safety concerns among its citizens living in China. The crime was "extremely heinous and made a huge social impact, therefore it deserves the death penalty," the court was quoted by the official as saying. The bus attendant, Hu Youping, 54, died of stab wounds days after trying to stop the attack. In responding to the ruling, Japan's Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi said, "The crime, which killed one person and wounded two, including an innocent child, is totally unacceptable," adding that Tokyo will continue to demand that Beijing ensures the safety of Japanese residents in China. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said at a news conference in Beijing that China will continue to take the same measures to protect foreign citizens in China "as before" while avoiding any direct reference to the ruling. Before the ruling, Chinese authorities had not disclosed the motive and other details of the rampage, calling it an "isolated incident." Zhou was a resident in the eastern Chinese province of Anhui, next to Jiangsu, and had come to Suzhou before committing the crime, the Japanese government official said, citing the court. It held the first hearing of the case on Jan. 9. The Japanese woman in her 30s had been waiting with her son of preschool age for her older child to return from school before the knife attack. In the Sept. 18 incident in Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, the 10-year-old son of a Japanese father and Chinese mother was fatally stabbed on his way to a Japanese school. The first court hearing in the case is scheduled to be held Friday. Related coverage: Chinese court begins trial over stabbing of Japanese mother, child KYODO NEWS - Jan 23, 2025 - 20:53 | World, All, Japan China said Thursday no abnormalities were found in seawater samples it independently collected near the crippled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant, reportedly carried out last October, but stressed the need to continue such monitoring before it can lift a total ban on Japanese seafood imports. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning told a press conference that Beijing's opposition to the treated water discharge into the sea, which began in August 2023, "remains unchanged." She said having China conduct its own independent monitoring was "only one of the steps" for Japan to fulfill its commitments. The resumption of Japanese seafood imports "depends on a series of scientific data including our follow-up independent sampling and monitoring" and whether Tokyo will take measures to guarantee the quality and safety of its aquatic products, Mao added. She said Chinese research institutions detected no abnormal data in the radioactive concentration of tritium, cesium-137 and strontium-90. The Global Times, a tabloid affiliated with China's ruling Communist Party, reported Wednesday the samples were collected last October. China joined a survey of the marine environment under the framework of the International Atomic Energy Agency, together with South Korea and Switzerland. "Specific data will be compiled and released by the IAEA," the Global Times said. Japan and China agreed in September last year that seafood imports from Japan will gradually resume, contingent on Beijing's participation in the monitoring activities. China had imposed the blanket ban immediately after the first release of treated water. The tabloid quoted Chinese experts as saying Japan's "unilateral decision to initiate the discharge lacks legitimacy" and "a cautious approach should always be maintained from a scientific perspective." Related coverage: Nuclear reactor in Japan's Matsue restarted for 1st time since 2012 Nearly 90% of Chinese view Japan negatively, 2nd-highest level: poll Central Japan nuclear unit becomes 1st to fail post-Fukushima safety check KYODO NEWS - Jan 23, 2025 - 14:29 | All, Japan, Travel/Tourism Facial recognition ticket gates will be introduced Friday for some Keisei Electric Railway Co. trains connecting a major Tokyo station and Narita airport, aiming to reduce congestion caused by rising foreign tourists to Japan. The system, powered by artificial intelligence, will be in use for Keisei Skyliner trains connecting Ueno Station in Tokyo with Narita International Airport in Chiba Prefecture, the railway operator said. The system was shown to the media Thursday. Passengers must first register a facial photo and complete payment via the train operator's reservation website. By showing one's face at a tablet at the gate, the system issues a reserved-seat ticket for the next departing train. "Smooth boarding without waiting in line after arriving at the airport can be expected," a Keisei official said. "We hope customers will experience the convenience (of the system)." Passengers who wish to select a specific seat or board a different train other than the immediately departing train will need to purchase tickets at station counters or vending machines. In addition to Ueno, Narita Airport Terminal 1, and Terminal 2 and 3 stations, the system will also be available at Nippori Station on the line. Related coverage: Luxury trains offering tourists a chance to visit Japan's hidden gems Disney-themed Shinkansen trains to begin service in Japan from Feb. 21 JR Central to test pet-friendly shinkansen car KYODO NEWS - Jan 23, 2025 - 12:42 | All, Japan Japan's trade deficit in 2024 shrank 44 percent from a year earlier to 5.33 trillion yen ($34 billion), as exports hit a record high due to robust vehicle and semiconductor-related demand, government data showed Thursday. While exports rose for the fourth straight year, Japan's trade balance also remained in the red for the fourth consecutive year, as elevated energy prices in recent years increased import costs for resource-scarce Japan. Overall exports grew 6.2 percent from the year before to 107.09 trillion yen, the highest since comparable data became available in 1979, buoyed by chip-making equipment shipments to China and U.S.-bound hybrid vehicles, the Finance Ministry said. Imports climbed 1.8 percent to 112.42 trillion yen, up for the first time in two years, driven by personal computers from the United States and copper ore from Chile, the ministry said in a preliminary report. In 2024, the yen averaged 150.97 against the U.S. dollar, 7.7 percent weaker than the previous year, according to the ministry. "While a weak yen increased both exports and imports in value terms, imports were curbed by lower crude oil, coal and natural gas prices (compared with 2023), leading to an improvement in the trade balance," said Ryotaro Tsuchiya, an economist at Mizuho Securities Co. But the improvement in Japan's trade balance may slow this year if new U.S. President Donald Trump imposes higher import tariffs as promised during his presidential campaign, Tsuchiya added. Japan had a trade surplus of 8.64 trillion yen with the United States in 2024, down 0.7 percent from the previous year, as exports rose 5.1 percent to 21.30 trillion yen and imports jumped 9.5 percent to 12.65 trillion yen. With China, Japan ran a 6.44 trillion yen trade deficit, down 3.4 percent and marking the first reduction in three years, with exports rising 6.2 percent to 18.87 trillion yen and imports expanding 3.6 percent to 25.30 trillion yen. Japan's trade surplus with the rest of Asia, including China, surged more than sixfold to 3.03 trillion yen. The country remained in the red for the 13th straight year with the European Union, logging a trade deficit of 1.89 trillion yen. For December alone, Japan reported a 130.9 billion yen trade surplus, the first black ink in six months. Exports in the reporting month increased 2.8 percent to 9.91 trillion yen and imports grew 1.8 percent to 9.78 trillion yen from a year earlier. Related coverage: FOCUS: Japan carmakers brace for Trump tariffs with tie-ups, supply shifts Foreign visitors to Japan, their spending, hit record high in 2024 Japan annual wage talks begin amid high hopes for sustained pay hikes AMMAN/BAGHDAD, Jan. 23 (Xinhua) -- Jordan's Foreign Ministry on Thursday condemned the Israeli raid on the city of Jenin in the occupied West Bank. Ministry spokesperson Sufian Qudah stressed the Kingdom's strong rejection and denunciation of the Israeli forces' violations of international laws and their obligations as an occupying power, according to a statement issued by the ministry. Qudah emphasized the need for the international community to compel Israel to respect international humanitarian law, halt escalation in the occupied West Bank, ensure calm in the Palestinian territories, and prevent the situation from deteriorating further, which he said could threaten the security of the entire region. Also on Thursday, the Iraqi Foreign Ministry condemned the ongoing Israeli attacks in Jenin, saying they constitute a flagrant violation of international humanitarian law. In a statement, the ministry called on "the international community, especially the Security Council, to assume its responsibilities to stop these violations, protect the Palestinian people, and ensure security and stability in the region." For the past three days, the Israeli army has been conducting a large-scale military operation in Jenin and its surrounding refugee camp, killing at least 10 people and injuring dozens of others, according to figures released by the Israeli military and official Palestinian news agency WAFA. ANKARA, Jan. 23 (Xinhua) -- Turkish police detained 2,795 suspects in a nationwide anti-drug trafficking operation, Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya said Thursday. In the operation code-named "Narkokapan-9," the police seized more than one ton of narcotic substances and 13.8 million narcotic pills, Yerlikaya said on social media platform X, without specifying the time of the operation. A total of 4,192 teams, 10,480 personnel, 47 UAVs and helicopters, and 98 drug sniffer dogs took part in the operation across 77 Turkish provinces, Yerlikaya said. Video footage posted on Yerlikaya's X account showed police entering apartments and buildings and putting suspects into vehicles. Located at the crossroads of Asia and Europe, Turkiye has been grappling with international drug smuggling for years. Gently flows the mighty Ganga, embracing the ancient and the new, invigorating life as we know it, and nurturing civilization through its every drop. Celebrated since perpetuity all along its journey, every 12 years the mighty river receives millions that flock to it seeking its blessings. For vast multitudes, the Kumbh Mela, observed at the confluence of the Ganga, Yamuna and the invisible Saraswati at Prayag, has remained a symbolic link with ancestors who generations ago came to the very spot in reverence, and went back with memories that lasted a lifetime. The Mahakumbh of 2025, currently underway at Prayag, is anticipated to see a footfall of nearly 300 million pilgrims during the 45 days of the mela, making it the largest religious gathering on the planet. It has taken a mammoth effort, by all the stakeholders, to ensure that this vast multitude of humanity reaches the holy sangam and partakes its blessings with ease. For Mahakumbh 2025, the Indian Railways is not just facilitating travel but making the entire experience a remarkable blend of tradition and technology. It has taken an investment of Rs 5,000 crore over the past three years to develop Kumbh-related infrastructure projects, including a new river bridge. Not to be outdone, the digital initiatives taken to facilitate travel for the citizens at large, are taking the lead in transforming rail travel into a pleasurable experience. Advertisement Pilgrimage Goes Digital Advertisement The Kumbh Rail Seva website launched by the Indian Railways, is a one-stop digital platform for real-time updates on train schedules, ticket availability and station amenities. Paired with a multilingual mobile app, it ensures no devotee is left behind, regardless of linguistic or technical barriers. Pilgrims can plan routes, book tickets, and access essential services at their fingertips a critical step for managing the influx of millions. To enhance accessibility and inclusivity, announcements are being made in 12 major Indian languages, catering to the linguistic diversity of the country. Even the facilitation booklet is available in 22 languages. The toll free number also provides information in Hindi, English and regional languages, ensuring seamless communication regardless of language, region or country. The integrated digital Railway Display Network at nearly 2,000 stations offers real-time updates for passengers. By streamlining communication, these digital screens ensure that pilgrims experience minimal inconvenience during their journey. Moreover, Indian Railways has embraced social media platforms like Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram, keeping travellers informed with timely updates and announcements. Complementing these efforts are touch-screen kiosks strategically installed at major terminals. These kiosks function as both ticket counters and information hubs, enabling efficient navigation and reducing long queues. Additionally, the integration of barcode-based UTS (Unreserved Ticketing System) at stations, along with QR codes printed on the specially designed green jackets of Railway personnel, is saving long waiting time at ticket counters and at the same time reducing paper usage. War Room: Safeguarding the Mahakumbh Experience The nerve centre of this massive logistical operation is the 247 Mahakumbh War Room in Prayagraj. Armed with cutting-edge monitoring systems, the War Room oversees real time train operations, public traffic, and crowd movement in constant coordination with Mahakumbh administration and disaster management agencies. More than a thousand surveillance cameras (some equipped with facial recognition) and drones have been deployed to enhance security monitoring. More than 23,000 Railway Protection Force (RPF) and state police personnel are on ground, supporting the digital surveillance and disaster management systems. A Vision for the Future By embracing innovation, even while honouring spirituality, Indian Railways is not merely transporting devotees; it is shaping an experience that bridges the past and the future. Initiatives undertaken by leveraging state of the art technology, exemplify the happy coexistence of Indias rich cultural and spiritual legacy,and the world of emerging scientific innovation. Mahakumbh 2025, stands as a testimony to the governments dedication to both -preserving Indias heritage, and shaping a technology-rich future for the coming generations. The author s ex-chairman and CEO of Railway Board Chief minister Mamata Banerjee today criticised the forest department for making decisions without consulting the state government, describing the move as harmful to the interests of both the people and tourists. During an administrative review meeting in Alipurduar, Miss Banerjee questioned the departments autonomy, remarking, Is the forest department out of Bengal (Banglar baire)? Why are decisions being made that alienate people and the tourists alike? Advertisement She expressed her displeasure over unpopular measures, saying, People dont know you (forest officials). We are accountable for these decisions. People dislike your actions, and that cannot continue. Miss Banerjee also directed that no decisions be taken without informing chief secretary Manoj Pant. Advertisement In a major announcement, Miss Banerjee waived all entry fees for tourists visiting forest areas, including charges for vehicles and nature observation camps for students. She instructed the chief secretary to address the issue and ensure smooth implementation. The move came after reports revealed that tourists were being charged Rs 2,500 for vehicle use, and additional fees were imposed for organising student camps at Jayanti in Alipurduar. The chief minister also criticised the language used in posters warning against poaching, which read, Pacharkarider guli kore mara habe (poachers will be shot at). She instructed officials to replace the aggressive tone with a legal warning. When informed that the posters were put up by Air Force authorities, Miss Banerjee asked the chief secretary to take up the matter, emphasising the need for coordination between agencies and the state government. Miss Banerjee addressed a series of complaints against the forest department, including strict restrictions on picnics, the use of old roads by forest villagers belonging to adivasi (tribal) community, and the denial of permissions for homestays in forest area. She urged officials to resolve these issues sensitively, keeping local sentiments and development in mind. Highlighting safety concerns, CM instructed authorities to designate safe zones for picnics, away from potential wildlife threats like elephants, leopards, or tigers. Siliguri mayor Gautam Deb raised concerns about the growing number of highrise buildings in forest areas, which she said detracted from the regions natural beauty. Miss Banerjee directed local bodies to restrict such constructions and asked zilla parishad officials to report violations to the district magistrate and superintendent of police. She acknowledged that similar constructions in Lataguri, Jalpaiguri district, had already impacted the areas scenic charm. The CM also directed the tourism department to develop Lankapara, an area near Bhutan that has already emerged as a popular tourist destination in the Dooars. Miss Banerjees stern remarks and decisive actions reflect her commitment to balancing tourism, environmental preservation, and local development, ensuring that governance remains inclusive and effective. Swarnalata Josh (75), who was close to chief minister Mamata Banerjee, passed away after a long illness in her residence in Burdwan town on Sunday. Due to a brain stroke she was bedridden for the last few years. With her death the Sainbari massacre incident has been revisited after almost 55 years. Advertisement On 17 March 1970, during the naming ceremony of her son Amrit Josh, the goons of CPM allegedly stormed into the house and killed her several brothers. Advertisement The family was a supporter of the Congress at that time. The then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi had flown to Burdwan and visited the charred house of the Sain family. With the death of Swarnalata Josh on Sunday and the death of her brothers widow, Rekha Rani Sain last year, now her ailing and aged husband Amal Kanti Josh remained as the only living survivor and an eyewitness of the horrific incident in Burdwan about 55 years ago. Since coming into power in May 2011, chief minister Mamata Banerjee had also provided armed security outside the home of Swarnalata Josh. Swarnalata Josh, her husband and son Amrit used to be present on every 21 July programme at Kolkata almost every year. We are indebted to Mamata Banerjee for providing us security. Armed constables have been posted outside our house by the East Burdwan Police since 2011. She had formed the first commission to probe the Sainbari massacre after taking charge as the chief minister. Our family has suffered a lot during the Left Front regime and whenever my mother visited Miss Banerjee with our problems she used to listen patiently, said Amrit Josh. This photo provided by COLPRENSA on Jan. 22, 2025 shows emergency workers and displaced people at the General Santander Stadium in Cucuta, Colombia. (Catalina Olaya/COLPRENSA/Handout via Xinhua) BOGOTA, Jan. 22 (Xinhua) -- Colombia's Attorney General's Office on Wednesday reactivated arrest warrants for 31 leaders of the nation's largest rebel group following the attacks in the northeastern Catatumbo region that have left at least 80 dead and 32,000 displaced. The violence unleashed by the National Liberation Army (ELN) guerrillas has caused a "humanitarian tragedy," the authorities said, adding the rebels violated the conditions for suspending their arrest, which had been put in place by the government to facilitate peace talks in 2022. Among those wanted are the ELN's military chief Herlinto Chamorro, alias "Antonio Garcia," and the group's chief negotiator in peace talks, Pablo Beltran, it added. Colombian President Gustavo Petro declared a state of internal unrest on Tuesday, calling the violence one of the "most dramatic events" in the country's recent history. He criticized the lack of information on the ELN's growing strength and questioned how the group moved to the region without detection. This photo provided by COLPRENSA on Jan. 22, 2025 shows displaced people at the General Santander Stadium in Cucuta, Colombia. (Catalina Olaya/COLPRENSA/Handout via Xinhua) In just three months, another grandson of rebel poet Kazi Nazrul Islam passed away. He was the youngest one. Babul Kazi (59), the only son of elocutionist Kazi Sabyasachi was laid to rest at a graveyard in Dhaka yesterday. Babul, a businessman by profession, suffered a major burn injuries on 19 January and was shifted to Dhaka Burn Hospital immediately. Advertisement He suffered 74 per cent burn injuries as the hospital diagnosed, said Babuls sister Khilkhil Kazi. She added: He was a smoker and was charred the moment hed ignited a cigarette lighter inside the toilet at home in the morning. Babul was a student of Churulia Naba Krishna High School at his grandfathers birth place for two years since 1978. Kazi Nazrul died in Dhaka in 1976 and on 1 October Babuls cousin brother Kazi Anirban died after a major cardiac arrest in Switzerland. Advertisement Babuls father Kazi Sabyasachi died at 49 in 1980 and uncle Kazi Anirudhha, a guitarist, died at 42 years in 1974 in Kolkata. The Reliance Industries Limited on Thursday signed an MoU with the Maharashtra government to invest approximately Rs 3.05 lakh crore which is projected to create more than 3,00,000 jobs. The deal was signed at the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, according to a tweet posted on the official X account of the Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. CM Fadnavis said that the investment would span various sectors such as petrochemicals, polyester, renewable energy, green hydrogen, green chemicals, industrial area development, retail, data centres, telecommunications, hospitality, and real estate. Advertisement A groundbreaking moment for Maharashtra as the GoM and RIL signed a historic MoU worth Rs 3,05,000 crore, with over 3,00,000 employment opportunities across diverse sectors, including new energy, retail, hospitality, and high-tech manufacturing, under the leadership of Anant Ambani, the tweet said. Advertisement It is an extreme honour and moment of pride for me and for RIL as we embark on this remarkable MoU with the Government of Maharashtra. RIL has always been deeply committed to the idea of New India under the visionary leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Anant Ambani said in a video accompanied by the tweet. As the largest business group in India, we are spread across the country, furthering our commitment to build a great nation. In this regard our Rs 3.05 lakh crore MoU, spread across new energy, retail, hospitality, green power, hi-tech manufacturing, is a step in that direction. We are inspired by the phenomenal leadership of Devendra Fadnavis, whom I have known personally for over 10 years, Anant Ambani said. Anant Ambani lauded CM Fadnavis vision to make Maharashtra the gateway to Indias 5-trillion US dollar economy, and called it remarkable. He said the CMs vision to make Maharashtra the first trillion-dollar state is practical and doable in the next few years. Ambani, who was part of the Maharashtra state economic advisory council, said that he is impressed by the planning process of the Devendra Fadnavis government to achieve this target. We are with Maharashtra in this pursuit, Anant Ambani said. Announcing yet another promise on Thursday ahead of the assembly polls, Arvind Kejriwal said if re-elected in Delhi, job creation would be his governments top priority for the next five years. The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convener assured the people of Delhi that his party would eliminate unemployment from the national capital with the cooperation of the two crore residents of Delhi just as it achieved historic progress in other fields. Advertisement He emphasised that ensuring jobs for the youth would be the top priority for the AAP government. Advertisement Highlighting the past successes of the AAP government, Kejriwal claimed that his team facilitated employment for 12 lakh youths during the pandemic and is now working on a comprehensive plan to secure jobs for Delhis children. He reaffirmed his commitment to bolstering key sectors like education, health, and infrastructure. I am traveling across Delhi for election campaigning, visiting every lane and meeting people. Over the past ten years, we have worked hard to address the difficulties in peoples lives. In the fields of education, healthcare, electricity, water, and roads, we have made significant progress, he added. He said that it pains him when Delhis children, despite being educated, are unable to get jobs. Whats worrying is that such unemployed youths fall into bad company and at times end up indulging in criminal activities. The AAP chief said, Today in Punjab, with our government in power, we have provided government jobs to over 48,000 children and facilitated private-sector job opportunities for more than 3 lakh children in just two years. We know how to create jobs and our intentions are pure. Just a day before filmmaker Ram Gopal Varma announced his ambitious passion project Syndicate, a Mumbai court sentenced him to three months in prison over a cheque bounce case. On Tuesday, The Andheri Magistrate Court announced the verdict after the case was in court for seven years. The Magistrate ordered the issuance of a standing non-bailable warrant against the filmmaker for his arrest. Notably, the Satya maker didnt attend the hearing. The court found Varma guilty under Section 138 of the Negotiable Instruments Act. The act penalises cheque dishonour due to insufficient funds or exceeding the accounts arranged amount. Alongside the order to generate an arrest warrant, the court also ordered him to pay 3.72 lakhs as compensation to the complainant within three months. Failure to uphold the compensation order will result in an additional three months of imprisonment. Advertisement A company named Shree filed the case against Varmas firm in 2018 through Maheshchandra Mishra. In June 2022, the court granted Ram Gopal Varma bail after he provided a personal bond and a cash security of 5,000 rupees. Advertisement While announcing the sentence, Magistrate Y.P. Pujari clarified that there would be no set-off under Section 428 of the Code of Criminal Procedure. This is because Varma was not in custody during the trial. The details of the judgement are not out yet. Meanwhile, on Wednesday, Ram Gopal Varma announced his next project, Syndicate with which he seeks to wash away his cinema sins. Touted as a hard-boiled crime saga, the film will hinge upon blood-churning horrors- these are not supernatural but very human. He claims that the film is futuristic not because of its setting. However, it is because it will be something that can transpire anytime in the future, maybe the very next day. ONLY MAN CAN BE THE MOST TERRIFYING ANIMAL In CONTINUATION to my CONFESSION note on SATYA film , I DECIDED to make the BIGGEST film ever The film is called SYNDICATE Its about a terrifying organisation which threatens the very EXISTENCE of INDIA The CONCEPT STREET Ram Gopal Varma (@RGVzoomin) January 22, 2025 Also read: Only Man Can Be the Most Terrifying Animal: Ram Gopal Varma announces crime saga Syndicate Bollywood actor and entrepreneur Vivek Oberoi is making waves at the World Economic Forum (WEF) 2025 in Davos, Switzerland. Speaking with ANI, Oberoi expressed his pride in Indias growing prominence on the global stage, as the country takes center stage at this prestigious event. Advertisement Its an incredible experience to be here, Vivek Oberoi said, reflecting on his interactions with key Indian leaders, including chief ministers and national ministers. India is everywhere at WEF, and Im thrilled to witness the transformative business initiatives being spearheaded by Bharat. Advertisement Oberoi is actively promoting cutting-edge technology and infrastructure projects. A key focus of his efforts is the burgeoning drone technology sector. He revealed his association with Indrajaal, a company specializing in drone tech and security solutions. Highlighting a major milestone, he announced, Were signing a $150 million Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Telangana state government, and we expect to finalize it by tomorrow. Beyond drones, Vivek Oberoi is championing Indian innovation through his collaboration with the Motwani Jadeja Foundation, which supports groundbreaking tech companies. He mentioned Indian startups like Skyroot, which is advancing rocket technology, and Digantara, a pioneer in satellite development. These companies are showcasing Indias potential on a global scale, he said. Oberois endeavors extend to infrastructure and sustainability through his consultancy firm, Pentacle, which is exploring partnerships with Maharashtra. He also shared his enthusiasm about a dinner meeting with Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, discussing plans to transform Amravati into a global tech hub. Its exciting to see leaders like CM Naidu focusing on creating opportunities for young tech talent from around the world, Oberoi remarked. The actor also met with Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu and other leaders to explore future collaborations. While many agreements are still in their early stages, Oberoi emphasized the importance of taking the first steps toward transformative initiatives. The WEF 2025, running from January 20 to 24, has seen Indias largest-ever delegation, including five union ministers and three state chief ministers. The India Pavilion at the event highlights the potential of states like Kerala, Telangana, Uttar Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, and West Bengal, aiming to attract global investment and foster innovation. Meanwhile, actress Bhumi Pednekar, another Indian representative at WEF, spoke about gender equality and her aspirations in the film industry. Recognized as a Young Global Leader by the WEF, Pednekar shared her vision for empowering young girls and creating positive change. From the start of my career, Ive aimed to inspire change, both on-screen and off-screen, she said, expressing gratitude for the opportunity to participate in such meaningful conversations. BJP president JP Nadda on Thursday lashed out at the AAP government in Delhi, alleging that it broke all records of corruption during its decade-long rule and that those who entered politics to fight against dishonesty are now among the most corrupt. Addressing a public meeting in West Delhis Uttam Nagar, Nadda alleged that the AAP government was involved in a liquor scam worth crores of rupees, while several other alleged scams surfaced during its rule. Advertisement Pointing to the AAPs promise of free water, Nadda sharpened his attack, accusing the partys dispensation in Delhi of an alleged Rs 28000 crore scam discovered in the Delhi Jal Board. He claimed that the AAP government failed to complete the audit. Advertisement He said that while the AAP government talked of an education revolution, it sidelined it and got embroiled in the alleged liquor scam. Hitting out at the AAP government over its mohalla clinic health model, Nadda alleged it was tainted by a scam of about Rs 65,000 crore involving fake medical tests. He also accused the then-Arvind Kejriwal dispensation of a Rs 300 crore fraud related to medicines at government health institutions. The BJP national chief lambasted the AAP supremo, accusing him of betraying and inflicting damage on people from all age groups and coming from all sections of society. Nadda alleged that AAP has expertise in spreading falsehoods, adding that people will no longer fall for its lies. The BJP leader further said that this election will determine Delhis future whether the city progresses towards development or regresses in terms of growth. He said that the AAP government has ruined the entire city with piles of garbage scattered in many areas, while the pollution of the holy Yamuna river has also not been addressed despite promises made by the AAP chief. Nadda accused the state government of neglecting the citys roads and expressed sympathy for auto rickshaw and e-rickshaw drivers, stating that when they navigate such broken roads, they end up spending high on repair of their vehicles, while their earnings remain low. The BJP leader also highlighted the miserable condition of waterlogged streets and overflowing drains in many areas of the city, urging people to vote for change and improvement this time, and not fall for the falsehoods of AAP. BRS turned Congress MLA Danam Nagender has trained the guns on his own government for the demolition work carried out to clear pavements in Hyderabad ,saying that governments run by bureaucracy dont survive. A day after some establishments on pavements in Chinthal Basthi area of his constituency Khairtabad were demolished , he warned that governments which work under bureaucracy often get a bad name. He also called out the officials for being selective about demolition and challenged them to start the exercise from Old City area. The minority dominated Old City area is the citadel of AIMIM. Advertisement Yesterday, Nagender had opposed the demolition in his constituency. He had even threatened to sit in front of bulldozers to stop the demolitions. He was particularly upset that the officials had not kept him in the loop though he is the local MLA. Today, the dissident MLA reminded how Chief Minister Revanth Reddy, who is currently abroad ,had intervened when the eatery run by a poor woman, Kumari aunty was being demolished at Madhapur last year. Advertisement If Kumari Auntys stall was allowed, same should be applicable for other vendors in city, said the annoyed MLA. He went on to add, If the officials are given complete freedom, those governments will not survive. The officials are troubling the poor who do their daily business in the name of demolitions. I cannot stand by and watch if injustice is done to the people of Hyderabad. Wherever the people of Hyderabad face hardship, I will be there. Nagender was the first BRS MLA to join the Congress following the defeat of K Chandrasekhar Rao in the 2023 Assembly elections. He also fought as Congress candidate against G Kishan Reddy from Secunderabad constituency but lost the Lok Sabha elections. The turncoat MLA has not been comfortable by the demolitions undertaken by Revanth Reddy government and has criticised the HYDRA in the past too. In a significant step towards enhancing regional security and cooperation, senior commanders from the Border Security Force (BSF) and Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) held a sector-level coordination meeting on January 22 near the India-Bangladesh border in Meghalaya. The discussions were led by BSF DIG Manoj Kumar Barnwal from Sector HQ Shillong and BGB Deputy Director General Md. Saiful Islam Chowdhury from Sylhet. Advertisement The agenda centered on implementing the Coordinated Border Management Plan, a bilateral initiative aimed at addressing complex border management challenges such as cross-border crimes, smuggling, and illegal migration. Advertisement The India-Bangladesh border, spanning over 4,000 kilometers, is one of the longest international borders in the world. Shared by five Indian states, including Meghalaya, the border is often marred by security issues such as cattle smuggling, human trafficking, and disputes over unmarked boundary segments. To mitigate these challenges, both nations established the Coordinated Border Management Plan in 2011, fostering collaborative efforts between BSF and BGB to patrol sensitive areas, enhance information sharing, and reduce border tensions. During the talks, the commanders emphasized resolving cross-border issues through mutual understanding and dialogue. Both sides reiterated the importance of proactive measures to ensure peace along the boundary. They agreed on conducting regular coordination meetings to further strengthen bilateral relations and improve border security mechanisms, according to a statement. Days after the shocking attack on Bollywood actor Saif Ali Khan, Maharashtra Minister Nitesh Rane has questioned the authenticity of the stabbing incident. He went further, likening Saif Ali Khan to garbage that needs to be taken away. Speaking at an event in Maharashtras Pune on Wednesday, Rane also claimed that the actor was dancing when he came out of the hospital. Look at what Bangladeshis are doing in Mumbai. They entered Saif Ali Khans house Maybe he came to take him (Saif) away. It is good, garbage should be taken away. I saw when he (Saif) came out of the hospital, I doubted whether he had been stabbed or he was acting. He was dancing while walking, he said. He further criticized NCP leaders Supriya Sule and Jitendra Awhad for raising their voices only when a Muslim actor is attacked, accusing them of remaining silent when similar incidents involve a Hindu actor. Whenever any Khan like Shahrukh Khan or Saif Ali Khan gets hurt, everyone starts talking about it. When a Hindu actor like Sushant Singh Rajput is tortured, no one comes forward to say anything That Mumbras Jeetuddin (Jitendra Awhad) and Baramatis Tai (Supriya Sule) did not come forward to say anything They are only worried about Saif Ali Khan, Shah Rukh Khans son and Nawab Malik, he added. Tech giant Infosys is all set to expand its IT campus at Pocharam. The move will lead to the creation of 17,000 new jobs in Telangana. An announcement to this effect was made at the World Economic Forum in Davos following a meeting between Infosys CFO Jayesh Sanghrajka and IT and Industries Minister of Telangana, D Sridhar Babu. The expansion will lead to the creation of an additional 17,000 jobs at the Pocharam campus where Infosys currently has over 35,000 employees, making it one of its largest campuses in the country. The construction of the new IT buildings in phase 1 with an investment of Rs 750 crore is expected to be completed in the next 2-3 years. The new construction will accommodate 10,000 people, claimed the state government. Advertisement IT and Industries Minister Sridhar Babu said, The Government of Telangana remains dedicated to nurturing talent, creating opportunities, and fostering strategic alliances to propel the states economy forward. Advertisement Infosys CFO Jayesh Sanghrajka said, Our partnership with the Government of Telangana reflects our shared vision of driving innovation, empowering communities, and strengthening the IT landscape. TOKYO, Jan. 23 (Xinhua) -- Japan logged a trade deficit of 5.33 trillion yen based on preliminary statistics using an average exchange rate of 150.97 yen to the U.S. dollar in 2024, data from the Ministry of Finance showed Thursday. The deficit, marking the fourth consecutive year in the red, decreased by 44.0 percent from the previous year, the data showed. In 2024, Japan's exports grew 6.2 percent year-on-year to 107.09 trillion yen, marking the fourth straight year of growth. Key contributors included a 27.2-percent increase in semiconductor manufacturing equipment exports, a 3.7-percent rise in automobiles, and a 10.6-percent increase in semiconductor and electronic components. Imports rose 1.8 percent to 112.42 trillion yen, driven by significant increases in computer-related goods (including peripherals), non-ferrous metal ores, and power machinery imports, which grew by 31.7 percent, 14.7 percent, and 17.2 percent, respectively. In contrast, imports of coal, semiconductors, and crude oil declined. In December alone, trade balance recorded a surplus of 130.9 billion yen, marking the first surplus in six months. (1 Japanese yen equals about 0.0064 U.S. dollars) The decision to revoke the suspension of IAS officer Pooja Singhal has ignited a political storm in Jharkhand with the BJP launching a scathing attack on the INDIA bloc and the Jharkhand government for the move. BJP MP Ravi Shankar Prasad said, Leaders of the INDIA alliance make tall claims, but corruption in their governments has reached a shameful level. Pooja Singhal was arrested on serious corruption charges. Rs 16 crore was recovered from her CA and Rs. 36 crore in cash was seized by the PMLA authorities. After 28 months in jail, she was granted bail in December, and now on January 21, her suspension has been revoked and she has been reinstated. This is a highly shocking and reprehensible step. Advertisement Targeting Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, Ravi Shankar Prasad said, Congress has a significant role in the Jharkhand government. In such a situation, the question arises as to what role Congress played in the reinstatement of Pooja Singhal, who is embroiled in corruption charges? Rahul Gandhi, who always invokes the Constitution, should answer. Is this not open support for corruption? Advertisement Pooja Singhal was arrested on corruption charges after crores of rupees were recovered from her residence. After spending a long time in jail, she was granted bail. Recently, the government revoked her suspension bringing the matter back into the limelight. Accusing the government of trying to protect Singhal and promote corruption in the state, The Opposition demanded an investigation into the matter. The ruling party says it was not appropriate to keep Pooja Singhal under suspension until she was proven innocent. They said the investigating agencies are investigating the matter, if anyone is found guilty, action would be taken against him/her. It would be better if Kejriwal, instead of making fabricated accusations of attacks against political opponents, focused on the internal conflicts within his party, from Hari Nagar to Kalkaji, said Delhi BJP president Virendra Sachdeva on Thursday. Reacting to AAP chief Arvind Kejriwals fresh claims of an attack on his car, Sachdeva on Thursday condemned the AAP chief stating that his stories of such attacks are nothing, but fabricated narrations. Advertisement Mocking the AAP chief for his claims, Sachdeva sarcastically alleged that Kejriwal spends so much time fabricating stories of attacks on himself and accusing the Election Commission and Delhi Police, that if he devoted even half of that energy towards campaigning for his candidates, he might manage to win one or two seats. Advertisement Sachdeva pointed out that Kejriwal, who has already fabricated accusations of attacks in places like Narela, Greater Kailash, and New Delhi, has now falsely claimed an attack in Hari Nagar. The Delhi BJP chief further claimed that Kejriwal, who often blames the opposition for such attacks, has forgotten that his own party is facing internal rebellion in Hari Nagar. Sachdeva claimed that the sitting MLA from Hari Nagar Rajkumari Dhillon is rebelling against Kejriwals declared candidate and contesting the elections herself. The BJP leader further stated that nearly 1,000 workers from Delhis four assembly constituencies resigned from the AAP on Thursday and added that it would be better for the AAP chief to focus on his partys internal strife instead of making fabricated accusations against his political opponents. Kerala Congress (J) MP, Francis George on Thursday clarified that he had never said anywhere that he would support the Waqf Amendment Bill in Parliament . He made the clarification after his earlier statement supporting the Waqf Amendment Bill during a speech at Munambam in connection with the agitation of the Munambam Land Protection Committee sparked a controversy. Speaking to media persons in Kottayam on Thursday, he said that he did not say that he or his party would support the Waqf Amendment Bill in Parliament and added that the campaign claiming he would vote for the Bill in Parliament is absurd. George , who represents Kottayam Lok Sabha constituency as nominee of Kerala Congress(J) , a constituent of the Congress-led UDF,said that the report that he would support the Waqf Amendment Bill in Parliament is distorted news. Advertisement He also said that both he and his party are committed for ensuring that issues like these are resolved through the judicial system, without infringing citizens fundamental rights. He made it clear that he would oppose any provision in the bill that seeks to include people of other religions in the Waqf Board and would also reject provisions that undermine the protection of Waqf properties Advertisement Earlier, Francis George had reportedly stated that he fully supports the Waqf Amendment Bill. He announced his support for the proposed Waqf Amendment Bill in Parliament, pledging to take a positive stand on the matter. Speaking at the 100th day of the Munambam land struggle , organized under the leadership of the Assembly of Christian Trust Services (ACTS), the MP emphasized his commitment to justice and fairness, declaring that his party is ready to cooperate with anyone to uphold these principles. Francis George said that, as a peoples representative and as a representative of a political party, he would support the new Bill. His statement was reportedly met with jubilation by the people of Munambam. He also reportedly urged the Centre not to succumb to pressure and to move forward with presenting the Waqf Amendment Bill The protests by around 610 families of Munambam coastal village in Keralas Ernakulam district against the claim by Waqf board on their land emerged as major concerns for the CPI-M led-LDF and Congress-led UDF with the influential Catholic community coming out in open against their stance on the issue. The Munambam issue started in 2019 with the Waqf board staking claim over the land citing that it was Waqf land that was donated to Farook college in Kozhikode by one Siddique Sait in 1950. In 2022, they were told that they cannot pay the land tax on their properties. Following this, the Kerala government intervened and allowed them to pay the tax. However, a forum under the banner Waqf Samrakshana Samathi (Waqf protection forum) challenged the move in the Kerala High Court. The court then stayed the Kerala governments decision to allow the protesting families to pay tax. The case is still pending before the High Court Kerala Governor Rajendra Viswanath Arlekar called on former state chief minister V S Achuthanandan at his residence in Thiruvananthapuram on Thursday and inquired about his health from his family members. Speaking to the media after visiting the veteran Communist leader, the governor said he had heard about him since his college days and that he was the one who led an exemplary public life. As I happen to be the Governor here, I thought I must meet him and his family. Although V S could not speak due to ill health, I was able to communicate with him. I pray for his good health, he said. Advertisement The governor further said that his meeting with Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and his wife was very cordial. The couple had the other day visited the governor at the Raj Bhavan Advertisement On a query by the media persons regarding the draft University Grants Commission(UGC) Regulations of 2025 , Governor Arlekar said all the views about the UGC draft guidelines should go to the proper platforms and they will discuss it. Downplaying the Kerala governments criticism and opposition to the draft UGC guidelines, Arlekar said everyones views would be considered before a final version is released. It is still a draft, not the final version. So, considering everybodys different views, they will come out with the final document, he said. India being a democracy everybody has the right to say anything over anything in this country and there was nothing wrong with it, the governor added. Meanwhile, in an article in the CPI-M mouthpiece, Deshabhimani, published on Thursday, partys state secretary M V Govindan praised Governor Arlekar. The article said it was welcome that the governor was not prepared to refrain from performing his constitutional duty despite criticism from the Central government. Unlike the previous governor, Arif Mohammed Khan, the new governor was prepared to read the state governments policy speech in full, and that he expects a similar approach from the Governor in the coming days as well, Govindan said in the article. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday interacted with students on Parakram Diwas and explained to them about the PM Suryagarh Yojana as a tool to tackle climate change. On the 128th birth anniversary of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, commemorated as Parakram Diwas, the Prime Minister had a special interaction with the young friends in the Central Hall of the Parliament. Advertisement Explaining to the students about the PM Suryagarh Yojana, he said as part of the scheme, solar panels were installed on the rooftop of the house, which would produce electricity through solar energy, thereby eliminating the need to pay electricity bills. He added that the electricity generated could be used to charge e-vehicles, thereby eliminating the spending on fossil fuels and curbing the pollution. Advertisement He informed the students that any surplus electricity generated at home, after personal use, can be sold to the government, which will buy it from them and provide monetary compensation. He added that this meant that students can generate electricity at home and sell it for profit. He enquired from the students what was the goal of the nation by 2047, to which a student, with utmost confidence, answered to make India a Developed Nation (Viksit Bharat). Upon being asked by him about why only till 2047, another student replied that by then, our current generation will be ready for the nations service when India will be celebrating the centenary of her Independence. Mr Modi later asked the students about the importance of today to which they replied it was the birth anniversary of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, who was born in Cuttack, Odisha. The Prime Minister remarked that there was a grand event being held in Cuttack to celebrate the birth anniversary of Netaji Bose. He then asked another student, which saying of Netaji motivates you the most, to which she replied, Give me blood and I promise you freedom. She further explained that Netaji Bose demonstrated true leadership by prioritising his country above all else and that this dedication continues to inspire us greatly. The PM then asked what actions do you derive from the inspiration, to which the girl student replied that she was motivated to reduce the carbon footprint of the nation, which is a part of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Mr Modi further asked the girl about what were the initiatives undertaken in India to reduce carbon footprint, to which she answered that electric vehicles and buses were introduced. The Prime Minister emphasised that over 1,200 electric buses provided by the Union government were operating in Delhi and more would be introduced. A day after a delegation of local leaders led by BJP state president K Annamalai called on Union Minister for Mines G Kishan Reddy urging him to cancel the tungsten mining lease near Madurai, secured by the Vedanta groups Hindustan Zinc Ltd., the Modi government had annulled the project. This followed month-long massive protests against the project as it comes in a region rich in biodiversity and cultural and historical heritage. The state assembly too had passed a unanimous resolution opposing tungsten mining with Chief Minister MK Stalin asserting that till he holds office, the project would not be allowed. Advertisement Announcing the annulment of the project, the Union Ministry of Coal and Mines said in a release, After detailed deliberations, considering the importance of the Biodiversity Heritage site in the area and the commitment of the Government of India under Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modis leadership towards protecting traditional rights, it has been decided to annul the auction of Nayakkarpatti Tungsten mineral block. Advertisement It also mentioned the meeting the local community leaders, spearheading the protests, had with Kishan Reddy on Wednesday (Jan 22nd) and acknowledged the many representations made to the Ministry opposing the project citing the threats to biodiversity. On January 7, more than 10000 people undertook a 25 km march from Melur to Madurai to press for the cancellation of the mining lease. Hinting at the annulment, Annamalai told the media in the national capital after the meeting with Reddy that a good decision will come within a day. The locals too remained with their fingers crossed. Now, there is jubilation in the villages Nayakkarpatti and Arittapatti adjoining Melur town in Madurai district. Annamalai also posted the Ministrys decision on his X handle. Denying the BJP any credit, Chief Minister Stalin, reacting to the cancellation, said that the Union Government had to bow down before the peoples sentiment and the state governments resolve. I promised that tungsten mining would not come till I am there in office. A unanimous resolution was also passed in the Assembly. The Union Government had to bow down before the peoples sentiment and the state governments resolve, he wrote on X. Henceforth, the Union Government should not auction mining leases unilaterally without the concurrence of the State Governments and the (principal opposition) AIADMK should not extend support to legislations that undermine the rights of States, he added. The Nayakkarpatti mining block is located in the vicinity of Arittapatti, the first Biodiversity Heritage Site of the state, having ancient rock cut temples, Jain caves and beds dating back to 2200 years as well as early Tamil inscriptions besides lakes and rocky hillocks besides fauna and flora. There are 72 lakes, 200 natural springs and three check dams. The locals are also demanding that the region, comprising the 48 villages, be declared as a protected agricultural zone. Stating that 2025 has been declared the Year of Industry in Madhya Pradesh, Chief Minister Dr Mohan Yadav hinted at special focus on investment-friendly policies, excellent infrastructure, and the availability of skilled human resources to accelerate industrial development to make the state economically more advanced and prosperous. The chief minister said this while interacting with industrial group leaders, businesspersons, and prospective investors in Pune, Maharashtra on Wednesday evening. He invited industrial groups and investors to the Global Investors Summit to be held in Bhopal on February 24 and 25 in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Advertisement Describing Madhya Pradesh as a state full of opportunities for industrial activities and investments, he said with natural beauty, religious sites, and world-class infrastructure it is emerging as an attractive destination for investors. In this context, the CM cited the example of Pithampur and Mandideep which have developed as major industrial hubs not only for the state but also for the entire country. Advertisement The CM told the investors that simplified and attractive policies have been developed for sectors like education, health, mining, pharmaceuticals, tourism and IT. Chief Minister Dr Yadav claimed that industries in Madhya Pradesh do not face challenges from labour or other issues. He said the concept of Ease of Doing Business is deeply embedded in both the government and society. With the use of IT resources, managing industries in Madhya Pradesh has become much simpler and more efficient in the current era. Dr Yadav expressed the confidence that the upcoming Global Investors Summit would further strengthen the relationship between industrial groups and Madhya Pradesh. He hoped the session would serve as a catalyst in shaping the industrial future of the state and boosting economic activities. The peaceful, green landscapes of Ramgarh, nestled along the winding Damodar River, became an unexpected stage for a monumental event in Indias struggle for independence. In March 1940, the 53rd session of the Indian National Congress was held here, marking not only the beginning of the historic Quit India movement but also the launch of Netaji Subhas Chandra Boses revolutionary journey. The meeting of ideas and strategies at this session reshaped the course of Indias fight for freedom, ushering in a new chapter in the political and ideological battle against British rule. Advertisement A Historic Gathering: The Ramgarh Congress Session Advertisement Between March 18 and 20, 1940, Ramgarh became the beating heart of Indias independence movement. The Congress session was presided over by Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, with prominent leaders like Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, and Dr. Rajendra Prasad in attendance. Under Gandhis leadership, the Congress resolved to push for a mass civil disobedience campaign, urging Indians to unite against British imperialism and demand the countrys freedom. In the midst of this, Gandhi used the platform to call upon women to fight social evils such as untouchability, illiteracy, and superstition, highlighting that true independence also meant social and moral liberation. His call echoed throughout the country, fusing the political struggle with a broader vision for social justice. But as Congress pursued its non-violent civil disobedience path, another, bolder voice was rising in Ramgarh. Subhas Chandra Bose, who had resigned from the Congress presidency due to ideological differences with its leadership, used this very session to break away and carve out his own path for Indias liberation. Netajis Radical Break: The Anti-Compromise Conference While the Congress session progressed with its resolutions, a parallel and highly significant event unfolded in Ramgarh. Subhas Chandra Bose, defying Congresss moderate approach, launched the Anti-Compromise Conference. Organized by the Forward Bloc and Kisan Sabha, and with the support of revolutionary leaders like Swami Sahajanand Saraswati, the conference set the stage for Boses uncompromising vision for Indias freedom. Boses arrival in Ramgarh was nothing short of dramatic. He was greeted by throngs of supporters in a grand procession from Ranchi, symbolizing the deep-rooted connection between Bose and the masses. At the Anti-Compromise Conference, Bose delivered fiery speeches that resonated deeply with Indias youth. He emphasized that the struggle for independence was not just a political battle it was a moral and existential fight against imperialism. His call for immediate, radical action against the British inspired countless Indians to rise up. Boses declaration to embrace a militant strategy for independence marked a stark departure from Gandhis non-violent approach. His famous slogan, Give me blood, and I will give you freedom, which would later become a rallying cry for the Indian National Army (INA), had its roots in the ideological energy sparked at this very conference. The peaceful, green landscapes of Ramgarh, nestled along the winding Damodar River, became an unexpected stage for a monumental event in Indias struggle for independence. In March 1940, the 53rd session of the Indian National Congress was held here, marking not only the beginning of the historic Quit India movement but also the launch of Netaji Subhas Chandra Boses revolutionary journey. The meeting of ideas and strategies at this session reshaped the course of Indias fight for freedom, ushering in a new chapter in the political and ideological battle against British rule. A Historic Gathering: The Ramgarh Congress Session Between March 18 and 20, 1940, Ramgarh became the beating heart of Indias independence movement. The Congress session was presided over by Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, with prominent leaders like Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, and Dr. Rajendra Prasad in attendance. Under Gandhis leadership, the Congress resolved to push for a mass civil disobedience campaign, urging Indians to unite against British imperialism and demand the countrys freedom. In the midst of this, Gandhi used the platform to call upon women to fight social evils such as untouchability, illiteracy, and superstition, highlighting that true independence also meant social and moral liberation. His call echoed throughout the country, fusing the political struggle with a broader vision for social justice. But as Congress pursued its non-violent civil disobedience path, another, bolder voice was rising in Ramgarh. Subhas Chandra Bose, who had resigned from the Congress presidency due to ideological differences with its leadership, used this very session to break away and carve out his own path for Indias liberation. Netajis Radical Break: The Anti-Compromise Conference While the Congress session progressed with its resolutions, a parallel and highly significant event unfolded in Ramgarh. Subhas Chandra Bose, defying Congresss moderate approach, launched the Anti-Compromise Conference. Organized by the Forward Bloc and Kisan Sabha, and with the support of revolutionary leaders like Swami Sahajanand Saraswati, the conference set the stage for Boses uncompromising vision for Indias freedom. Boses arrival in Ramgarh was nothing short of dramatic. He was greeted by throngs of supporters in a grand procession from Ranchi, symbolizing the deep-rooted connection between Bose and the masses. At the Anti-Compromise Conference, Bose delivered fiery speeches that resonated deeply with Indias youth. He emphasized that the struggle for independence was not just a political battle it was a moral and existential fight against imperialism. His call for immediate, radical action against the British inspired countless Indians to rise up. Boses declaration to embrace a militant strategy for independence marked a stark departure from Gandhis non-violent approach. His famous slogan, Give me blood, and I will give you freedom, which would later become a rallying cry for the Indian National Army (INA), had its roots in the ideological energy sparked at this very conference. Legacy of Ramgarh: Netajis Vision Lives On Today, the site of the 1940 Ramgarh Congress session lies within the Sikh Regimental Cantonment, where a memorial stands to honor the historic event. The session remains etched in the annals of Indias freedom struggle as one of the defining moments that shaped the course of the nations destiny. Netaji Subhas Chandra Boses vision, which was crystallized at Ramgarh, continues to inspire generations. His call for radical action against British rule and his commitment to a militant path for liberation laid the foundation for the formation of the INA and the search for international alliances to further the cause of Indias independence. A Pivotal Moment in History The 1940 Ramgarh Congress session, with its blend of Gandhis non-violent resistance and Boses radical militancy, represents a defining moment in Indias quest for independence. It showcased two contrasting but equally important paths to freedom one rooted in civil disobedience and the other in revolutionary action. Together, they illustrated the diverse strategies that would ultimately unite the nation in its struggle for liberation. Ramgarhs contribution to Indias freedom movement is more than just historical it is a living, breathing reminder of the sacrifices and struggles that shaped our nation. Netajis revolutionary vision, alongside the steadfast commitment of Jharkhands people, ensures that Ramgarh will always remain a symbol of the unyielding spirit of Indias fight for independence. Today, the site of the 1940 Ramgarh Congress session lies within the Sikh Regimental Cantonment, where a memorial stands to honor the historic event. The session remains etched in the annals of Indias freedom struggle as one of the defining moments that shaped the course of the nations destiny. Netaji Subhas Chandra Boses vision, which was crystallized at Ramgarh, continues to inspire generations. His call for radical action against British rule and his commitment to a militant path for liberation laid the foundation for the formation of the INA and the search for international alliances to further the cause of Indias independence. A Pivotal Moment in History The 1940 Ramgarh Congress session, with its blend of Gandhis non-violent resistance and Boses radical militancy, represents a defining moment in Indias quest for independence. It showcased two contrasting but equally important paths to freedom one rooted in civil disobedience and the other in revolutionary action. Together, they illustrated the diverse strategies that would ultimately unite the nation in its struggle for liberation. Ramgarhs contribution to Indias freedom movement is more than just historical it is a living, breathing reminder of the sacrifices and struggles that shaped our nation. Netajis revolutionary vision, alongside the steadfast commitment of Jharkhands people, ensures that Ramgarh will always remain a symbol of the unyielding spirit of Indias fight for independence. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Thursday described Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose as the epitome of courage, loyalty, and selfless service, calling on the youth to find inspiration in his vision and ideals. On the occasion of Netaji Subhash Chandra Boses birth anniversary, he paid glowing tributes by garlanding his statue at Parivartan Chowk. He also reflected on Netajis immense contributions to the nation, hailing him as a great son of Mother India and an iconic hero of the freedom struggle. Advertisement Addressing the youth, the Chief Minister highlighted Netajis extraordinary life, remarkable personality, and historic deeds. He described how Netaji gave a transformative direction to Indias freedom struggle, igniting an enduring flame of patriotism in the hearts of Indians. Advertisement His immortal slogan, Give me blood, and I will give you freedom, inspires generations and is a testament to his undying legacy, CM Yogi remarked. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath stated that Netajis birth anniversary is celebrated as Parakram Diwas, to honor his unparalleled valor and contributions. He said, This illustrious son of Mother India reshaped the freedom movement with his vision and actions, becoming a beacon of pride and inspiration for every Indian. He praised Prime Minister Narendra Modis 2021 decision to declare January 23 as Parakram Diwas, calling it a profound gesture of the nations gratitude to Netaji. The Chief Minister also reflected on Netajis bold choice to resign from a prestigious civil service position, refusing to work under colonial rule. This act of defiance, he noted, epitomized Netajis patriotism and served as a source of inspiration for countless young Indians. He highlighted Netajis unyielding spirit, which thrived despite resource constraints. Netajis slogans ignited nationalism, leading to his house arrest by the British. Undeterred, he sought international support in Germany, Japan, and beyond, showcasing his relentless dedication to Indias freedom, the Chief Minister asserted further. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath urged the youth to rise above caste, religion, language, and regional differences, prioritizing national duty above all. He stated that Netaji Subhash Chandra Boses life exemplifies unwavering loyalty and dedication to the nation. The Chief Minister urged the youth to look beyond personal careers and recognize their responsibilities toward the country and society. Recalling Netajis courage and commitment, CM Yogi remarked that his remarkable personality continues to inspire youth, teaching them resilience in the face of challenges. Every step of Netajis journey served as a guiding light, leading his contemporaries in the freedom struggle and offering solutions to societal issues. The Chief Minister remarked that Netajis message is as relevant today as it was during the freedom movement. He encouraged the youth to embrace Netajis ideals and actively contribute to nation-building. CM Yogi said, Celebrating Yuva Pakhwada, from the revered birth anniversary of Swami Vivekananda to that of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose, this entire program offers a fresh wave of inspiration to the youth. He expressed that this celebration serves as a powerful source of motivation for the youth. Emphasizing unity, he urged every citizen to rise above caste, creed, religion, region, and language, and focus on a single dutyRashtradharma. He added that the towering legacy of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose continues to inspire people to serve the nation with unwavering dedication. Shiv Sena Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Raut on Thursday demanded Bharat Ratna, the countrys highest civilian honour, for party founder late Bal Keshav Thackeray, popularly known as Balasaheb Thackeray. Several people who never deserved Bharat Ratna received it. But the man who truly sowed the seeds of Hindutva in this country deserves the Bharat Ratna. Why has Bal Thackeray, the Hindu Hriday Samrat, (emperor of Hindu hearts) not been honoured with this award? Bharat Ratna must be conferred upon Balasaheb. This is the Shiv Sena demand, Raut said on the occasion of Bal Thackerays 99th birth anniversary which is being observed on January 23. Advertisement Balasaheb Thackeray passed away on November 17, 2012. Advertisement Incidentally, the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena has made the demand earlier as well and the same demand was also made on February 9, 2024 by Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray. Raut said that Thackerays centenary is just a year away. Before his centenary begins, it is imperative that he is given the Bharat Ratna. The government could not award the Bharat Ratna to Veer Savarkar. If they confer it upon Balasaheb, it will also honour the legacy of Savarkar, Raut said. Comparing the Deputy CM Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena to Chinese firecrackers, Sanjay Raut said that The real Shiv Sena is in Matoshri. There are counterfeit medicines and clothes in the market. There are Chinese crackers. They dont burst but there are only sparks. Such products are being purchased by the BJP. In a related development Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray, along with his son Aaditya Thackeray, led a tribute ceremony on Thursday to honour Bal Thackeray, even as Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah paid their respects. In a post on his X handle, PM Modi tweeted, I pay homage to Balasaheb Thackeray Ji on his birth anniversary. He is widely respected and remembered for his commitment to public welfare and towards Maharashtras development. He was uncompromising when it came to his core beliefs and always contributed towards enhancing the pride of Indian culture. However, reacting to the PMs tribute to Balasaheb Thackeray Sanjay Raut said, I dont want to name and disrespect them, but if the government really wishes to pay tribute to Balasaheb Thackeray, they should announce the Bharat Ratna for him on January 26, Republic Day. The Union Home Minister and the Prime Minister have tweeted tributes to Balasaheb. If they genuinely mean it, they should act immediately. Meanwhile, the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena and the Deputy CM Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena are all set to hold two separate rallies on Thursday, to commemorate the birth anniversary of Shiv Sena founder, in a competition to stake claim over his political legacy. Both the Senas are expected to sound the poll bugle for the forthcoming local civic body elections in Maharashtra which would include the cash rich Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), which has been under control of the undivided Sena for practically three decades. The Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Senas rally will be held in Andheri, while Deputy CM Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Senas rally will be held at the Bandra-Kurla Complex. A Shinde-led leader Shaina NC said that a huge rally will be held at the Bandra Kurla Complex to honour Balasahebs legacy. We are committed to ensuring that the saffron flag continues to soar over the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) this year, Shaina NC said. They (Uddhav Thackeray and his son Aaditya Thackeray) owe an apology to the people of Maharashtra for betraying Balasahebs ideology. Unlike them, Shiv Sena does not engage in vote bank politics or treat Muslim brothers merely as voters. In his desperation, Uddhav Thackeray has aligned himself with the Congress and sought support from the Muslim community, abandoning the principles which Balasaheb stood for. Shiv Sena remains resolute in its fight against illegal Bangladeshi immigrants, which is a cause Balasaheb had championed, Shaina NC of the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena said. Global leaders have urged cooperation to prevent trade tensions and protectionism at the World Economic Forum (WEF) Annual Meeting, which began on Monday. #GLOBALink Intensifying BJPs campaign for the February 5 Delhi Assembly polls, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, on Thursday, launched a scathing attack on the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government in Delhi, accusing it of distributing Aadhaar cards to Bangladeshi infiltrators and settling Rohingyas in the city. The Uttar Pradesh chief minister, who addressed massive public meetings here at Kirari, Karol Bagh and Janakpuri for BJP candidates,accused AAP national convenor and former Delhi Chief Arvind Kejriwal of playing with national security and creating riots in the city. Bangladeshi infiltrators are being provided with Aadhaar cards through Aadhaar-making machines in the houses of AAP leaders, the Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister said. Advertisement AAP is distributing Aadhaar to infiltrators, Rohingya are being settled in Delhi. Arvind Kejriwal is playing with national security, he (the AAP chief) created riots here. The Aam Aadmi Party has made the picture of Delhi ugly and it has no right to come to power, Yogi Adityanath added. Advertisement Targeting the AAP government over the issue of basic amenities in the national capital, Yogi Adityanath said, There are no basic facilities in Delhi, there are good and wonderful roads in Maha Kumbh, it is not known whether there are potholes in the roads in Delhi or whether there are roads in the potholes. The BJP leader also claimed that piles of garbage were visible on every street in Delhi. He drew a parallel between the roads of Noida and Delhi. The Uttar Pradesh chief minister said, These (AAP) people have turned Delhi into a garbage dump. These days, Arvind Kejriwal is repeatedly talking about Uttar Pradesh, but he should not forget that now people are looking at Uttar Pradesh as a model Yogi Adityanath, urged the voters of Delhi to repeat their Lok Sabha election verdict against Arvind Kejriwal and his team for pursuing politics of divide and rule. Their (AAP governments) policy of giving financial assistance to priests initially did not include temple pujaris but when it did, it excluded heads of Valmiki temples. The AAPs agenda does not include priests of Valmiki temples, he said, adding that the scheme for paying salaries to heads of religious places started with Moulvis as part of their polarisation strategy. Their policy of Banto aur raj karo (divide and rule) got exposed even in the scheme for giving honorarium to heads of places of worship, he said, calling the AAP a jhoot ka ATM (ATM for dispensing lies). Referring to the 2020 riots in Delhi, Yogi Adityanath said, You must have seen how riots were carried out in Delhi in 2020 and the involvement of Aam Aadmi Party councillors and their MLAs in this entire conspiracy came to the fore. They are constantly playing with national security. Hitting out at Kejriwal, the Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister said, The person who can betray his guru Anna Hazare will be an expert in betraying the public as well. They are betraying the country as well as the people. Yogi Adityanath lashed out at Kejriwal over the pollution in Yamuna. If as a chief minister, my ministers and I can take a dip in the Sangam in Prayagraj, I want to ask the president of Aam Aadmi Party in Delhi, Arvind Kejriwal, can he go and take a bath in Yamuna with his ministers, he asked. Have AAP-DA people ever taken forward the work of beautification of any temple? If you want to see a model, then look at the grand Shri Ram temple of Ayodhya, Yogi Adityanath said. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu denied on Wednesday media reports claiming that Israel has allowed the Palestinian Authority (PA) to manage the Rafah crossing between Gaza and Egypt. The Rafah crossing serves as a critical gateway for humanitarian aid and allows Gazans to travel abroad for essential medical treatment. Advertisement Earlier reports from Israeli and Palestinian media indicated that officials from the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) and the European Union discussed preparations for the PA to take control of the Palestinian side of the crossing, following the ceasefire agreement that went into effect on Sunday after 15 months of Israeli onslaught that devastated the enclave. Advertisement The report is incorrect, Netanyahus office said in a statement, accusing the PA of attempting to create a false picture to the effect that it controls the crossing. The statement notes that the Israeli military forces are currently deployed at the crossing point and nobody passes through it without supervision and approval from the military and Shin Bet security agency. The technical management at the crossing is handled by Gazans unaffiliated with Hamas, who, according to Netanyahus office, have been managing civilian services in the enclave, such as electricity, water and sewage, since the start of the war. The European Union Border Assistance Mission is designed to support Palestinian efforts at monitoring and securing the crossing. However, the office acknowledged that although the PA is not directly involved in managing the crossing, it is responsible for stamping passports. This action is essential, as international agreements stipulate that Palestinians can leave the Gaza Strip only with the PAs stamp. This arrangement is valid for the first phase of the agreement and will be reviewed later, the office said, Xinhua news agency reported. Gaza has been under a blockade imposed by Israel since 2007. At the onset of the war in October 2023, Israel cut all water, food, electricity, and fuel supplies to Gaza, while allowing some aid to enter via trucks. KABUL, Jan. 23 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese national has been killed in northern Afghanistan's Takhar province. The victim was shot dead by unidentified gunmen Tuesday night in Dasht Qala district of Takhar province, Mohammad Akbar Haqqani, the provincial police spokesman, told Xinhua. The cause of the incident remains unclear and an investigation is in progress, Haqqani added. "China is deeply shocked at the attack and strongly condemns it. We express our condolences over the lives lost," said Mao Ning, a spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China, on Thursday. "China has lodged serious protests to Afghanistan right after the attack and asked the country to conduct thorough investigations into the attack, and bring the perpetrators to justice." Mao added. Barely a week since US President Donald J Trump launched his crypto token $TRUMP and it is soaring in value, one of Indias wealthiest industrialistsMukesh Ambani, MD and Chairman of Reliance Industrieswas expected to be in the right position to launch JioCoin. The Indian conglomerates web3 partner Polygon announced the launch of the token on social media. However, so far, there has not been any official statement surrounding JioCoin or any crypto offering directly from Reliance Jio. Initial reports suggest that JioCoin is a reward token built using the Ethereum Layer-2 blockchain. JioCoin, as reports suggest, is not a cryptocurrency in the traditional sense. Instead, JioCoin resembles reward tokens/coins that are earned by users of Jio platforms. The news of JioCoin had been making waves on social media ever since Reliance-owned Jio Platforms Ltd announced a web3 collaboration agreement with blockchain services provider Polygon Labs last week. Polygon, in its announcement, introduced the use case where customers can earn JioCoins by browsing through Reliance Jios native JioBrowser, terming it as incentivizing users for surfing the internet. This potential move also marks the conglomerates entry into the decentralised digital token/currency space, one that has been marred with regulatory hurdles and controversy in India. Reliance Jios @JioBrowser is already giving users access to one of the most exciting uses cases incentivizing users for surfing the internet. turning attention > rewards through a native wallet integration powered by Polygon pic.twitter.com/o9XfWeTd7h Polygon (,) (@0xPolygon) January 22, 2025 According to a study by Delhi-based technology policy think tank, Esya Centre, published last month, Indians use more offshore platforms to deal with cryptos, especially to avoid the comparably high taxes levied on blockchain tokens when compared to other securities. From January to October 2024, Indian activity on offshore platforms shot up 77 per cent as local users circumvented restrictions with private networks (VPNs), mirror platforms or servers, with some even migrating completely to non-compliant exchanges. The study also argued that 82 per cent of Indian users would return to trading through domestic or India-compliant platforms if the TDS (tax deducted at source) is cut to 0.01 per centthis is the current tax levied on securities and commodities. In contrast, not only does the centre levy 1 per cent TDS on the transfer of crypto assets from July 2022 if the transactions exceed Rs 50,000 (or even Rs 10,000 in some cases) under Section 194S, it also slaps a 30 per cent (plus 4 per cent cess) tax on gains made from trading cryptocurrencies under Section 115BBH of the Income Tax Act. Earlier last week, in a joint announcement, Jio Platforms and Polygon Protocols-owned Polygon Labs announced a strategic partnership. This deal included adding Web3 capabilities to certain existing applications and services owned and operated by Jio Platforms. Jio Platforms CEO Kiran Thomas then commented on how excited they were to explore the boundless possibilities of Web3 and bring unparalleled digital experiences to users. Sandeep Nailwal, founder of Polygon, termed the move a significant step forward for web3 adoption in India. Crypto in India Unwelcome regulations, high taxes push more Indians to offshore crypto exchanges Polygon Labs is known for its web3 technology and blockchain expertise in the country. Reliances telecom arm, Jio, on Wednesday night, announced its November 2024 subscriber data. In the month, it added 12.1 lakh wireless subscribers to hit a total of 46.12 crore mobile users. Polygons offering is looking at such a potential user base, which is much higher than Jios telecom rivals. According to the TRAI, during the period, Airtel, Vodafone Idea and BSNL shed subscribers. Jios November data marked the end of its straight customer shedding for four months before this. In contrast, major rival Bharti Airtel lost at least 11.4 lakh wireless subscribers in November. At month-end, Airtels total mobile users reduced to 38.4 crore. Vodafone Idea lost 15 lakh users to reach 20.8 crore customers. BSNL, which saw gains before the month of November, shed only 3.5 lakh subscribers. The state-controlled carrier had a total of 9.20 crore users by month-end. Jios collaboration with Polygon marks the telecom sectors first major move in protecting tech from blockchain industry players. It remains to be seen what Reliance would do and how a token from Jioif anywould work in the Indian crypto space. Fianna Fail leader Micheal Martin leaves Leinster House, the Irish parliament building, in Dublin, Ireland, on Jan. 23, 2025. (The Houses of the Oireachtas/Handout via Xinhua) LONDON, Jan. 23 (Xinhua) -- Fianna Fail leader Micheal Martin has been confirmed as the new Irish prime minister after a vote in the Dail, lower house of Irish parliament, local media reported on Thursday. The lawmakers on Thursday voted to elected Martin as Taoiseach (Irish prime minister) for the second time by a coalition of the country's two large centre-right parties, Fine Gael and Fianna Fail, and independent lawmakers. The election of Taoiseach had previously been delayed on Wednesday after the Dail was suspended amid chaotic scenes in the chamber. "As I look at Ireland today, it is clear that there can be a degree of cynicism towards politics, and too often we dismiss the motivation of others, especially those we disagree with. I reject this. I believe in the good faith of those who seek to serve their communities in elected office," Martin said. Martin talked about domestic challenges, including housing and support for people with disabilities, acknowledging "too many ...have to fight too hard to access the services they deserve." Martin, 64, was Taoiseach from 2020-2022 before handing the leadership to Fine Gael for the second half of the term. Under the deal between the two parties, outgoing prime minister Simon Harris is set to return as premier in late 2027. The new Irish government is facing a series of international challenges including efforts to reform the European Union and the return to the White House of U.S. President Donald Trump, who pledges to impose tariffs, posing a potentially major threat to Ireland's export-oriented economy. Fianna Fail and Fine Gael, members of Ireland's previous governing coalition, held onto power following the general election held in late November last year. The two parties secured a combined 86 seats in the 174-seat Dail, falling just two seats short of a majority. The main opposition party Sinn Fein won 39 seats, only second to Fianna Fail, which won 48 seats. Fianna Fail leader Micheal Martin (4th L, front) is congratulated upon becoming the new Irish prime minister outside Leinster House, the Irish parliament building, in Dublin, Ireland, on Jan. 23, 2025. (The Houses of the Oireachtas/Handout via Xinhua) Fianna Fail leader Micheal Martin leaves Leinster House, the Irish parliament building, in Dublin, Ireland, on Jan. 23, 2025. (The Houses of the Oireachtas/Handout via Xinhua) Fianna Fail leader Micheal Martin and his wife wave at the crowd outside Leinster House, the Irish parliament building, in Dublin, Ireland, on Jan. 23, 2025. (The Houses of the Oireachtas/Handout via Xinhua) During the visit of Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto to India for the Republic Day celebrations for which he is the chief guest, a major defence deal is likely to be announced. According to media reports, even as Indonesia is engaged in a territorial dispute with China and amid the growing assertions of Beijing in the South China Sea, the country is looking to ramp up its defence capabilities and is reportedly planning to seal a deal for the purchase of BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles. Developed through a joint venture between Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and Russia's NPO Mashinostroyeniya, BrahMos is a universal long-range supersonic cruise missile system that can be launched from submarines, ships, aircraft, or land platforms. The missile flies at a speed of 2.8 Mach or almost three times the speed of sound. ALSO READ: Hard to detect, highly manoeuvrable Hangor-class submarines by China to soon be part of Pakistan Navy Indonesias defence ministry recently sent a letter to the Indian embassy in Jakarta, with the details of a $450 million BrahMos deal, reported The New Indian Express recently. The two countries have been discussing the procurement deal for a few years even as Indonesia has been facing budgetary constraints for going ahead with the deal. However, there is no official confirmation on the deal yet from both sides. If the sale happens, Indonesia will be the second country after the Philippines to procure the missile from India. India, in April, had delivered the first batch of BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles to the Philippines as part of a $375 million deal with the Southeast Asian nation to supply the weapon systems. A few other countries, including Argentina, have also shown interest in procuring BrahMos missiles from India. Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDL) of India and German naval company Thyssenkrupp Marine Systems (TKMS) is expected to get the multi-billion dollar deal to build six conventional submarines for Indian Navy under Project 75. Project 75 is a major military acquisition initiative by the ministry of defence aimed at boosting the Navy's submarine capabilities. Under the project, the Navy is looking to buy advanced submarines that can stay underwater for three weeks. According to news agency ANI, the defence ministry found the bid by Larsen & Toubro non-compliant, leaving MDL and German company TKMS the only vendor left in the Rs 70,000 crore tender race. ALSO READ: Amid US fears of PLAN outnumbering its Navy, Chinese Navy adds another new-generation frigate to its fleet The news agency reported quoting defence sources as saying that the proposal by L&T in partnership with Spanish state-owned company Navantia did not comply with the Indian Navy's requirements. The two companies had displayed the functioning of its Air Independent Propulsion (AIP) system in Spain to the Indian Navy. However, the Navy asked for a sea-proven system in its requirements in the tender documents. AIP system allows submarines to stay submerged for extended periods of time, enhancing their stealth and operational effectiveness. The Print reported that the first submarine under Project 75 is expected to be delivered in seven years from the date of signing of the contract. MDL had recently delivered the sixth and final Scorpene-class submarine, Vaghsheer, part of the Kalvari-class Project P-75 initiative to the Navy. Xiao Chen, a Chinese scientist, is set to head the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC)s technical committee for nuclear instrumentation, replacing Gerhard Roos. Roos, managing director of the German Nuclear Safety Standards Commission, has been the chairman of the committee since 2016. Established in 1960, International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) Technical Committee 45 (TC 45) focuses on nuclear instrumentation, specifically developing international standards for electrical and electronic equipment systems used in nuclear applications. According to South China Morning Post, Xiao graduated from Beijing's Tsinghua University. The scientist, with more than two decades of experience in the nuclear industry, held positions at the Chinese Institute for the Standardisation of the Nuclear Industry and the Standardisation Administration of China. She began her career at the Chinese Atomic Agency before moving to the Chinese Institute for Standardization of the Nuclear Industry. ALSO READ: Amid US fears of PLAN outnumbering its Navy, Chinese Navy adds another new-generation frigate to its fleet The scientist has been taking part in IEC standardisation processes since 2005 and has been a member of seven of TC 45 working groups. Since 2012, she has been Secretary of TC 30 SC1 (General Nuclear Instruments Subcommittee) at the Standardization Administration of China (SAC). China National Nuclear Corporation said she is the first person from Asia to head the committee. International standards in nuclear instrumentation play a crucial supporting role in the operation of nuclear facilities, the application of nuclear technology and the development of nuclear radiation detection, as well as international trade, the state-owned enterprise has been quoted as saying. I intend to actively try new methods and new tools proposed by the IEC. My aim will be to improve the efficiency in the compilation of standards as well as to promote the community through the development of more projects, she told IEC. While the national average caesarean delivery rate in India is 21.5 per cent, a report published in the peer-reviewed medical journal The Lancet shows there are stark disparities based on regions, wealth and sector. Regionally, Nagaland had the lowest rates of caesarean deliveries, 5.2 per cent while Telangana topped the charts with 60.7 per cent. In fact, not just Telangana, but other southern states, such as Tamil Nadu (44.9 per cent), and Andhra Pradesh (42.4 per cent) also had the highest rates of deliveries by caesarean section. Possible reasons for this include factors such as improved healthcare accessibility, higher literacy, higher GDP, and provision of payments beyond the JSY (the Centres Janani Suraksha Yojana) scheme, they say. On the other hand, eastern states such as Nagaland, Meghalaya (8.2 per cent), and Bihar (9.7 per cent) had the lowest rates. The journal reported a preference for vaginal deliveries in Bihar due to their affordability and shorter recovery times as the potential reasons for this. The report, which uses data from the fifth National Family Health Survey, also shows that the rate of caesarean deliveries is generally higher in private hospitals compared to public ones, across all income groups. On average, about 47.5 per cent of deliveries in private sector facilities were done by caesarean section, compared to only 14.3 per cent in the public sector. We demonstrate that CD (caesarean delivery) rates in the private sector are higher than in the public sector across all wealth quintiles in India. This mirrors trends noted in other research reaffirming that wealthier populations are linked to increased CD (caesarean delivery) access, the report noted. The disparity between the richest and poorest is also visible, with over two-thirds of states showing at least twice the caesarean delivery rate among the richest wealth quintile compared to the poorest. In three-quarters of the states, the rate of caesarean deliveries was less than 10 per cent among the poorest. In fact, the national average rate for the poorest wealth quintile was five times lower than the richest according to the report, with Assam registering the most stark difference between the rates for its poorest and the richest sections. The report also found that in the public sector, births decreased from the poorest to the richest quintile, while in the private sector, they increased, highlighting the shift of reliance toward private facilities among high-income populations. From our analysis, in the public sector, births decrease from the poorest to the richest quintile (41,82513,975), while in the private sector, they increase (4,15815,865), highlighting the shift of reliance toward private facilities among populations with high-income, the report revealed. The poorest quintile predominantly relies on public healthcare facilities and is disproportionately impacted by the limited availability and/or subpar quality of care in public establishments. The report highlighted the increasing penetration of private healthcare across the country. Both people with high income and people with low income in India have higher CD rates in private facilities than in public facilities, the authors observed. This highlights the dual nature of healthcare in India, where private care is often seen as offering more immediate services, benefiting high-income populations, while low-income populations struggle to access timely and safe CDs. This story is done in collaboration with First Check, which is the health journalism vertical of DataLEADS. The Omar Abdullah-led government in Jammu and Kashmir, the first elected administration in the region since the abrogation of Article 370 in 2019, completed 100 days in office. Since taking charge on October 16, the government has implemented a few measures. However, it continues to be hamstrung due to the constraints of governing a Union territory, where key powers remain with Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha. A few notable steps taken by the government include the passage of two resolutions. In its first cabinet meeting on October 18, the government passed a resolution seeking the restoration of statehood to Jammu and Kashmir. This was followed by a resolution during the inaugural session of the legislative assembly in early November, calling for restoring special status to Jammu and Kashmir with constitutional guarantees and protections. The resolutions didnt mention Article 370, and attracted criticism from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Peoples Conference (PC) and Awani Itehad Party (AIP). Among its initial measures, the government sanctioned 575 lecturer posts in the education department. The upper age limit for candidates appearing for the Public Service Commission's Combined Competitive Exam was also raiseda move welcomed by young aspirants. The government restored the November-December academic calendar for students up to Class IX, reversing the previous administration's controversial decision to align with the national academic calendar. In the first cabinet meeting of 2025, held on January 20, key proposals cleared by the cabinet include pollution abatement projects for the Jhelum and Banganga rivers, bio-remediation of the Achan dumping site in Srinagar and the construction of a new hospital block at SMHS Hospital in Srinagar. Abdullah has also engaged directly with the public by converting his official residence in Srinagar into a grievance redressal office. The government has approved key reforms such as the implementation of a three-tier faculty structure for dental colleges, amendments to the Jammu and Kashmir Goods and Services Tax Act, and the elimination of oral tests for certain government posts. Additionally, measures were announced to address the pending dearness allowance for government employees and pensioners. In Delhi, he has held meetings with key Union ministers, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, and Home Minister Amit Shah, demanding restoration of statehood and additional financial assistance for tourism, agriculture, and horticulture sectors to create jobs and stimulate economic growth. A request for Rs 6,000 crore in financial aid has also been placed to address budgetary gaps. The government has also encountered setbacks on some fronts. A proposal to reinstate December 5, the birthday of National Conference founder and Omar Abdullahs grandfather Sheikh Abdullah, as an official holiday was overruled by the Lieutenant Governor. This has been viewed by critics as a blow to the chief ministers ability to make decisions. Sinha also blocked the governments decision to retain former advocate general D.C. Raina in his position after Raina resigned. The decision underscored the limited powers of the elected government in the Union territory, where Sinha holds sway. Perhaps the most unexpected challenge Abdullah has faced has come from within the party. Syed Agha Rouhallah Mehdi, NC MP from Srinagar, has been highly critical of the governments weak stand on issues of the restoration of Article 370 and statehood. Mehdi has not only been vocal on the two issues but also on other matters concerning Jammu and Kashmir. On December 23, he staged a protest outside Abdullahs residence against the rules introduced in Jammu and Kashmir that have increased the percentage of reservation for different groups beyond 60 per cent, forcing those belonging to open merit to move court and also demand reversal of the rules. The government has constituted a committee to look into the issue under Minister of Health and Education Sakina Itoo, but said it will wait for what the court has to decide on the matter. NC leaders and the NC president Farooq Abdullah criticised Mehdi for staging protests against the party and the government with Itoo calling his actions a cheap publicity stunt. Mehdi, however, said he was committed to raising the issues concerning the people. In one of his interviews, he said Abdullah risked being seen as Delhis man in Kashmir if he didnt advocate strongly for the rights snatched from the people of Jammu and Kashmir. Abdullah did raise the issue of the restoration of statehood with PM Modi during the inauguration of the Z-Morh tunnel at Sonmarg on January 13. Modi responded by saying, I am Modi, I keep my promises. There is unanimity among observers that the Abdullah-led government is feeling constrained to operate at will and unless statehood is restored, the government will be unable to come good on the promises made to people before the elections. There are also concerns among NC supporters that unless Abdullah toughens his stance on the restoration of statehood, he runs the risk of becoming unpopular. The Central Bureau of Investigation filed its charge-sheet against NGO Oxfam India before the special court in the national capital on Thursday. The organisation is accused of collecting foreign funds violating norms. The organisations FCRA license was suspended in January 2022. The central agency has filed charge-sheet against Oxfam India and its former CEO Amitabh Behar, who is currently executive director of Oxfam International for alleged violations of rules and regulations related to foreign funds, investigators said. The case was registered against Oxfam India in April 2023, based on a complaint from the Union home ministry. The central agency has accused the NGO of trying to continue operating with foreign funds in India despite its application for FCRA licence renewal being rejected. Oxfam India was planning to create a structure to continue its operations with foreign funds even after its application for FCRA renewal was rejected, Hindustan Times reported. IT searches conducted at the premises of Oxfam as part of the probe revealed the organisation was planning to pressure the Indian government for renewal of its FCRA licence through foreign governments and foreign institutions. In its complaint, the home ministry alleged, Oxfam India has the reach and influence to request multilateral foreign organisations to intervene on its behalf with the Government of India. In an earlier statement, Oxfam India had said it is fully compliant with Indian laws. It said, "Oxfam India is fully compliant with Indian laws and has filed all its statutory compliances, including Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA) returns, in a timely manner since its inception. Oxfam India has been cooperating with all government agencies since its FCRA registration wasn't renewed in December 2021," PTI reported. The cold war brewing between former minister B. Sriramulu and Gangavati MLA G. Janardhan Reddy reached a peak on Thursday after the two leaders lashed out at each other in separate press meets held in Bengaluru and Ballari. The friends-turned-foes, who helped the saffron party get a foothold in Ballari district in late 1990s, accused each other of plotting to finish each other politically. Reddy labelled Sriramulu as "ungrateful" and mocked at his inability to win elections too. "Sriramulu has grown insecure after the party gave ticket to Bangaru Hanumanthu, a fellow ST leader, to contest the Sandur Assembly bypolls. If Sriramulu wants to quit the party, let him do it. But why is he trying to tarnish my name? I heard that D.K. Shivakumar is trying to woo Sriramulu to join the Congress to counter PWD minister and ST leader Satish Jarkiholi," alleged Reddy, tactfully tying his adversary in knots after Sriramulu's outburst against him. In a counter, Sriramulu recalled the incidents that led to the showdown and said, "During the core committee meeting (on Tuesday) Radha Mohandas Agarwal, BJP state in-charge openly humiliated me saying I was responsible for the party's loss in Sandur. I denied that charge as I did campaign in Sandur. Agarwal withdrew his statements after D.V. Sadananda Gowda, who is heading the committee to study the reasons for the party's defeat in Sandur, defended me saying such allegations were baseless as he was yet to submit the report. I am hurt because state president Vijayendra did not defend me." Sriramulu, who suspects that Reddy instigated Agarwal against him, alleged that Reddy was trying to take control over Ballari once again and drive him out of the district. The Valmiki leader, who lost consecutive electionsBallari rural (Assembly) and Ballari (Lok Sabha)slammed Reddy for taking credit for his political growth. Earlier, Reddy claimed that he considered Sriramulu as his "child" and had stood by him during his tough times. "When his maternal uncle was murdered by his political opponents, I saved Sriramulu from getting killed and also stopped him from avenging his uncle's murder. I got him a ticket to contest in 1999. He lost the seat but won the same seat in 2004. He became a minister after I urged Yediyurappa to induct him into the cabinet. I had advised him against floating his own party (BSR Congress) but in vain. In 2018, I helped him win the Molkalmuru seat in Chitradurga by 45,000 votes, even after his car was attacked during the campaign. Today, he is accusing me of curtailing his growth. He should have earned people's trust when I was away from Ballari (in jail) for 14 years. But he could not even win in his own district," mocked Reddy. Sriramulu dismissed Reddy's claims saying he was not a "criminal" or a "wayward" person but belonged to a respectable political family. "Party is my mother and I will not betray it. Yesterday, my party leaders asked me not to make public statements and I refrained from it. But I realised that, lies, in the hands of the powerful, becomes the truth. So I wanted to clarify my position. I built my political career through my pro-poor and anti-feudal struggles. I have a taint-free image. The BJP leadership had faith in me and gave me tickets to contest from two seats, a rare privilege extended by the parties to big leaders. I might have lost the elections, but I am still recognised as a good leader owing to my credibility. No one can build up someone unless he is destined to make it big," said Sriramulu, adding that Reddy was known for "building castles in the air". KPCC chief DK Shivakumar slammed Reddy saying there was no truth in such claims. BJP leader R Ashok rubbished Reddy's claims saying Sriramulu would not quit the party. "Why would he quit the party where is a core committee member only to become an ordinary party workers in another party,?" he reasoned. The Barabanki police has arrested two people for posting objectionable videos about women in the ongoing Mahakumbh and making objectionable comments about the gathering. One of the arrested, Kamran Alvi, claims to be a journalist. On his Facebook account, he posted a reel of women bathing at the Mahakumbh with the caption Sangam tat ka bhavya nazara (Grand visual from the Sangam). The focus is on one woman whose cleavage is visible. Alvis post wonders whether such displays should be permissible at places of religious significance. One of the comments made on the post asks Alvi to stay within his limits as a journalist. A case has been registered against him under section 299 (deliberate and malicious act, with intent to outrage religious feelings of any class by insulting its religion or religious beliefs) of the BNS Act for insulting religious symbols. The second arrested is Abhishek Kumar who had posted objectionable comments about Hindu Gods and Goddesses on his social media page. Objections to both posts were made by members of Hindu organisations which labelled them as deliberate provocations to disrupt social harmony. Authorities have issued an alert, urging people to be cautious while sharing or commenting on social media content related to religious events. City Kotwali Station House Officer, Alok Mani Tripathi said that social media was a powerful tool that must be used carefully and responsibly. He also said that the police, which was already monitoring social media posts, would amp up its efforts to nip any problems. The police have also asked for citizens to come forward if they notice any such objectionable content online. It is notable that the UP police have deployed cyber warriors to constantly monitor and tackle misinformation and disinformation about the Mahakumbh. On Netaji Subhash Chandra Boses 128th birth anniversary, his daughter Anita Bose Pfaff called on the government to take steps to bring back his mortal remains which, she claimed, have been kept at a temporary home in Renkoji Temple in Tokyo, Japan. She said we must accept that Netaji had died following an airplane crash on take-off in Taipei, Taiwan. Many Indians still remember and honour the heroes of Indias independence struggle. Many freedom fighters had to flee their country during the colonial rule to avoid persecution and to continue the struggle from abroad. Many of them never returned to their motherland. Their remains remained in foreign lands. Netajis remains, too, were given a temporary home in Renkoji Temple in Tokyo, Japan, Anita Bose said in a press statement. She pointed out that for decades most of the Indian governments hesitated or refused to bring back Netaji's mortal remains even though the priests of Renkoji Temple and the Japanese government were ready and eager to let his remains return to his motherland. Initially there may have been good reasons for the Indian governments reluctance to take this step, she said, noting that many people, including members of his own family, hoped that he had not died on August 18, 1945 and that he had been able to escape persecution and death once again. However, she said, most of the documents pertaining to Netajis deathincluding 11 reports on investigations of the eventhave become available to the public. "Therefore we must accept that he died on that day, following an airplane crash on take-off in Taipei, Taiwan. Do not keep Netaji exiled any longer! Allow him to return home. Many compatriots still remember him, honour him and love him even to this day, she further said. Im more interested in my fathers life and work than his death: Anita Bose Anita Bose had for long maintained that the air-crash theory was a logical conclusion of the mystery surrounding her fathers death. She had also written to the prime minister demanding a DNA test to ascertain whether the remains were of Netaji or not. When his death was officially declared on August 23, 1945, there were British and American investigations immediately. For the British he was a great problem. If the British had executed him, my father would have gained martyrdom and that would have had serious repercussions in India. However, those investigations were kept a secret and so people found the crash theory non-convincing, she had said in an interview to THE WEEK in 2022. Maharashtra Ports Minister Nitesh Rane has stoked a fresh row and raised doubts about whether Bollywood actor Saif Ali Khan was really stabbed by an attacker recently. Targeting the opposition, the minister also charged unlike Khans, none comes forward in support of Hindu artists. #WATCH | Pune: Maharashtra Minister Nitesh Rane says, "Look at what Bangladeshis are doing in Mumbai. They entered Saif Ali Khan's house. Earlier they used to stand at the crossings of the roads, now they have started entering houses. Maybe he came to take him (Saif) away. It is pic.twitter.com/XUBwpwQ6RQ ANI (@ANI) January 23, 2025 Addressing a public gathering on Wednesday, Rane allegedly said, Look at what Bangladeshis are doing in Mumbai. They entered Saif Ali Khan's house. Earlier they used to stand at the crossings of the roads, now they have started entering houses. Maybe he came to take him (Saif) away. It is good, garbage should be taken away, ANI reported. Doubting whether the actor was attacked, Rane charged, I saw when he came out of the hospital, I doubted whether he had been stabbed or he was acting; he was dancing while walking. Accusing the opposition of being anti-Hindu, the minister charged while everyone raises hue and cry when a Khan is attacked, none comes in support of Hindu artists. When a Hindu actor like Sushant Singh Rajput is tortured, no one comes forward to say anything. That Mumbra's Jeetuddin (Jitendra Awhad) and Baramati's Tai (Supriya Sule) did not come forward to say anything. They are only worried about Saif Ali Khan, Shah Rukh Khan's son and Nawab Malik... Have you ever seen them worrying about any Hindu artist?, ANI reported quoting the minister. The actor, who was attacked by an alleged intruder who sneaked into his house on January 16 suffered six stab wounds in the attack. The actor underwent multiple surgeries at Lilavati Hospital and was discharged on Tuesday. South Korea's arrested President Yoon Suk-yeol attends the fourth hearing of his impeachment trial at the constitutional court in Seoul, South Korea, Jan. 23, 2025. (SeongJoon Cho/Pool via Xinhua) SEOUL, Jan. 23 (Xinhua) -- South Korea's constitutional court on Thursday held the fourth hearing of President Yoon Suk-yeol's impeachment trial, with the arrested president being present for the second time. Yoon presented himself at the courtroom at about 2:00 p.m. local time (0500 GMT) after attending the third hearing in person on Tuesday for the first time. During the fourth hearing, Yoon said his martial law imposition did not fail but ended earlier than expected, stressing that he ordered the withdrawal of martial law troops from the National Assembly building as soon as it was repealed by the parliament. Yoon's testimony was in striking contrast to the comments made by the former deputy chief of the National Intelligence Service (NIS). The former deputy chief told lawmakers Wednesday that Yoon gave him orders over the phone about 20 minutes after the martial law declaration that politicians, including chiefs of the ruling People Power Party and the main opposition Democratic Party, should be "rounded up and removed." Yoon also urged military commanders over the phone to push martial law troops into the chamber of the National Assembly, where lawmakers gathered to lift the martial law, by "firing guns" and "using axes" to break the door open, according to multiple media outlets citing the prosecution's indictment. Under the constitution, a president is required to report the martial law imposition to the National Assembly, a sole body with the right to repeal the martial law. The motion to impeach Yoon was passed through 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 martial law on the night of Dec. 3 last year but it was revoked by the National Assembly hours later. Throughout the midnight hours, military helicopters landed at the National Assembly and hundreds of armed special forces troops broke into the parliamentary building, TV footage showed. During the hearing, Yoon himself asked questions to Kim Yong-hyun, the arrested former defense minister, claiming that there were not many special forces troops in the main building of the National Assembly. Kim answered that there were about 280 special forces troops all over the main building. After the end of the hearing, Yoon moved back to the Seoul Detention Center in Uiwang, some 30 km south of the court. Next hearings were scheduled to be held on Feb. 4, 6, 11 and 13. A warrant to extend the detention of the arrested Yoon for up to 20 days was granted by a Seoul court on Jan. 19, making Yoon the country's first sitting president to be formally arrested. The Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (CIO) referred Yoon's case to the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office and demanded Yoon's indictment as the CIO with the right to indict judges, prosecutors and high-ranking police officers has no right to indict the president. Yoon rejected the CIO's repeated calls to appear in its office for questioning. The prosecution was widely expected to indict Yoon under detention for the insurrection and other charges around Feb. 5. Yoon was apprehended in the presidential office on Jan. 15, becoming the country's first sitting president to be arrested. Jung Chung-rae, head of the Legislation and Judiciary Committee of the National Assembly, speaks to the press before attending the fourth hearing for the impeachment trial of President Yoon Suk-yeol in Seoul, South Korea, Jan. 23, 2025. (Xinhua/Yao Qilin) South Korea's arrested President Yoon Suk-yeol attends the fourth hearing of his impeachment trial at the constitutional court in Seoul, South Korea, Jan. 23, 2025. (SeongJoon Cho/Pool via Xinhua) A vehicle carrying South Korea's arrested President Yoon Suk-yeol arrives at the constitutional court in Seoul, South Korea, Jan. 23, 2025. (Xinhua/Yao Qilin) South Korea's arrested President Yoon Suk-yeol attends the fourth hearing of his impeachment trial at the constitutional court in Seoul, South Korea, Jan. 23, 2025. (SeongJoon Cho/Pool via Xinhua) South Korea's arrested President Yoon Suk-yeol attends the fourth hearing of his impeachment trial at the constitutional court in Seoul, South Korea, Jan. 23, 2025. (SeongJoon Cho/Pool via Xinhua) South Korea's arrested President Yoon Suk-yeol attends the fourth hearing of his impeachment trial at the constitutional court in Seoul, South Korea, Jan. 23, 2025. (SeongJoon Cho/Pool via Xinhua) South Korea's arrested President Yoon Suk-yeol (L) attends the fourth hearing of his impeachment trial at the constitutional court in Seoul, South Korea, Jan. 23, 2025. (SeongJoon Cho/Pool via Xinhua) Yun Gap-geun, one of Yoon's lawyers, speaks to the press before attending the fourth hearing for the impeachment trial of President Yoon Suk-yeol in Seoul, South Korea, Jan. 23, 2025. (Xinhua/Yao Qilin) South Korea's arrested President Yoon Suk-yeol (2nd R) attends the fourth hearing of his impeachment trial at the constitutional court in Seoul, South Korea, Jan. 23, 2025. (SeongJoon Cho/Pool via Xinhua) South Korea's arrested President Yoon Suk-yeol (1st L, above) attends the fourth hearing of his impeachment trial at the constitutional court in Seoul, South Korea, Jan. 23, 2025. (SeongJoon Cho/Pool via Xinhua) A vehicle carrying South Korea's arrested President Yoon Suk-yeol arrives at the constitutional court in Seoul, South Korea, Jan. 23, 2025. (Xinhua/Yao Qilin) South Korea's arrested President Yoon Suk-yeol attends the fourth hearing of his impeachment trial at the constitutional court in Seoul, South Korea, Jan. 23, 2025. (SeongJoon Cho/Pool via Xinhua) South Korea's arrested President Yoon Suk-yeol attends the fourth hearing of his impeachment trial at the constitutional court in Seoul, South Korea, Jan. 23, 2025. (SeongJoon Cho/Pool via Xinhua) South Korea's arrested President Yoon Suk-yeol attends the third formal hearing of his impeachment trial at the constitutional court in Seoul, South Korea, Jan. 21, 2025. (Woohae Cho/Pool via Xinhua) South Korea's arrested President Yoon Suk-yeol attends the third formal hearing of his impeachment trial at the constitutional court in Seoul, South Korea, Jan. 21, 2025. (Woohae Cho/Pool via Xinhua) South Korea's arrested President Yoon Suk-yeol attends the third formal hearing of his impeachment trial at the constitutional court in Seoul, South Korea, Jan. 21, 2025. (Woohae Cho/Pool via Xinhua) A vehicle carrying South Korea's arrested President Yoon Suk-yeol arrives at the constitutional court in Seoul, South Korea, Jan. 21, 2025. (Xinhua/Yao Qilin) A vehicle carrying South Korea's arrested President Yoon Suk-yeol arrives at the constitutional court in Seoul, South Korea, Jan. 21, 2025. (Xinhua/Yao Qilin) South Korea's arrested President Yoon Suk-yeol attends the third formal hearing of his impeachment trial at the constitutional court in Seoul, South Korea, Jan. 21, 2025. (Woohae Cho/Pool via Xinhua) South Korea's arrested President Yoon Suk-yeol attends the third formal hearing of his impeachment trial at the constitutional court in Seoul, South Korea, Jan. 21, 2025. (Woohae Cho/Pool via Xinhua) This Saturday, January 25, 2025, will mark 75 years since the establishment of the Election Commission of India (ECI) in 1950. The National Voters Day, which precedes the Republic Day of India, is special this time around, states the election commission. According to data from the government body responsible for elections to public offices across the country, the countrys electoral database stands at 99.1 crore. As it approached the 100-crore mark, the commission stated that the current database has 21.7 crore young electors from ages 18 to 29. The electoral gender ratio in India improved to 954 women to 1000 men in 2025, versus 948 in 2024, said ECI. The election commission is scheduled to celebrate the event in New Delhi with Indian President Droupadi Murmu as the chief guest. Union Minister of State for Law and Justice (Independent Charge), Shri Arjun Ram Meghwal will grace the occasion as the Guest of Honour, besides the Chief Election Commissioner and the Election Commissioners leading the event, announced the commission. Heads and representatives of election management bodies from around the world are attending the event at the heels of the two-day conference hosted by the ECI on January 23 and 24. The ECI also announced the 2025 theme Nothing Like Voting, I Vote for Sure. The event will also see President Murmu present the Best Electoral Practices Awards to state and district officials who demonstrated exemplary performance in ensuring the smooth conduct of elections, added the ECI. The commission also announced that it would release a short clip of the upcoming docu-drama series by Warner Bros Discovery, India Decides. India began observing National Voters Day in 2011, commemorating the foundation day of the ECI. Kapil Sharma was among Indian celebrities who recently received death threats from Pakistan. The threats were sent via email. Besides Kapil, celebs including Rajpal Yadav, Remo D'Souza and Sugandha Mishra also received threats. Who sent the death threats? The emails were reportedly send from the Gmail ID, don99284@gmail.com, on December 14. The sender of the email signed off as Bishnu, who sought a reply within eight hours of receiving the message. The sender threatened that if the celebrities failed to reply, they will have to face consequences on personal and professional fronts. The email said that the recent activities of the celebs are being monitored. It added that the mail is not meant to harass them or a publicity stunt. Among the celebs Rajpal Yadav was the first to lodge a complaint with police on December 17, 2024. Sugandha and Remo had also filed complaints, followed by Kapil. Amboli Police in Mumbai have registered an FIR against an unidentified person under BNS section 351(3). The revelation comes days after actor Saif Ali Khan was attacked by a Bangladeshi man, identified as Shariful Islam Shehzad. He broke into the actor's apartment in Bandra and stabbed him six times. The man has been arrested while Saif has returned home on Tuesday after being discharged from Lilavati Hospital. Separately, Salman Khan received several death threats from the Lawrence Bishnoi gang in connection with the 1998 blackbuck case. The animal is considered sacred by the Bishnoi community. Israel has informed Hamas that it expects Arbel Yehud to be one of the four hostages who will be released on Saturday. Yehud is one of the seven remaining women hostages awaiting release. However, she is reportedly not under Hamas captivity but is being held by the Palestinian Islamic Jihad. Israel fears that Hamas may delay her release because of this. Arbel Yehud, Nir Oz, 3 days before the Oct 7 massacre . This is Arbel's last video before her abduction to Gaza . Arbel is held captive by Hamas in Gaza for 381 days together with her partner Ariel Cunio. The short video also accurately distills her radiant personality. pic.twitter.com/1tWyGqAZP0 Iris (@streetwize) October 21, 2024 Hamas is bound to reveal the names of the four hostages on Friday, 24 hours before releasing them. Another female civilian held by Hamas is Silberman Bibas, who was abducted along with her sons, Ariel Bibas, 5, and Kfir Bibas, 2. Her husband, Yarden Bibas, is also held in Gaza. The remaining women hostages are soldiers, which include Agam Berger, Karina Ariev, Naama Levy, Danielle Gilboa and Liri Albag. Hence, it is highly likely that the hostages being released on Saturday would include Yehud, Silberman and her two children. In exchange of the each women civilian, Israel is expected to return 30 Palestinian security prisoners. For each female soldier, 50 Palestinians will be released, including 30 convicts serving life terms. Last Sunday, three female civilians were released by Hamas, including Romi Gonen, Emily Damari and Doron Steinbrecher. In exchange, 90 Palestinians were released by Israel. It was a groundbreaking, remarkable meeting. The Nasi of Dirshu, Rav Dovid Hofstedter met with incoming US Ambassador to Israel, Mike Huckabee earlier this month. It was a wide-ranging conversation that confirmed Huckabees stature as an oheiv Yisrael who feels a deep connection with the land of Israel and the Jewish People. Moreover, during the course of the conversation, it became clear that Mr. Huckabee has an especially deep admiration for the religious community and those scholars who spend their days and nights studying the Torah, the foundational document that clearly delineates Eretz Yisrael as the land of the Jewish People. After discussing Mr. Huckabees own harrowing visit to the Kever of Yosef Hatzaddik in Shechem one dark night at 2:00 a.m., Rav Dovid delicately brought up the topic of the compulsory draft in Israel for all young man. He asked the incoming Ambassador if he, Sees the future of Israel as a country that will include scholars. Do you see wholesale drafting of all young people? Or should there be diversity? Rabbi Hofstedter related that he remembered that even when the United States had a compulsory draft back in the days of the Vietnam War, not everyone was drafted. There were exceptions for divinity students and the like. Rav Hofstedter stressed that he was not posing his question to the Ambassador in his official capacity but rather on a personal level. How do we go forward? Rav Dovid asked. Yes, Israel finds itself threatened existentially, surrounded by enemies, but this can also involve an existential threat to the heart and soul of the country. If everyone will be drafted who will carry the spiritual legacy of the country. Should there be scholars that remain to maintain the values, the soul of the country? On a Personal Level, Not on a Policy Level Mr. Huckabee was remarkably forthright in framing his answer, saying, The diplomatic answer is that it would be completely inappropriate for me to try to advise and steer the policy of Israel. My job is to advise the United States regarding its policy on Israeli affairs, not to advise the Israelis about their own affairs. However, Mr. Huckabee didnt stop there. He pivoted to express his own personal views. On a practical and personal level, not on a policy level, Huckabee said, there are many ways that people can serve their country and not all of them are military. We see in our own country that [there are those who for reasons of conscience] who do not serve in combat, but they serve in other capacities, where they are needed. Ambassador Huckabee suggested that perhaps in Israel they can also make similar calculations as they have done in America and realize that there are other ways to serve the country aside from the combat roles. It was clear that Ambassador Huckabee was expressing that, in his personal view there is a great role to be played by the scholars who preserve the soul of the country just as there is a critical role that the combat soldiers have in defending the physical body of the country and that the two roles are not contradictory, but rather they compliment one another. The Ambassador concluded by highlighting that he knows this is a delicate issue and a contentious issue in Israel, but he pointed out that it is so important to realize that without the biblical foundation, there really is no basis for the Jewish claim of the land of Israel. Without the Torah it is just another geo-political entity. What makes it so special, Mr. Huckabee said with feeling, is that it is the land that G-d has chosen and deeded to the Jewish people There is a document for this, there is a blueprint for this, and it is the document that was given to Abraham. That should be the blueprint! At the meeting, Mr. Huckabee also spoke about the fact that he was a non-Jew serving as the ambassador to Israel. He told Rav Hofstedter, Some people say, Oh my Heavens, we need a Jewish guy to be ambassador. But heres what I have heard Rabbi, from a number of people. They said that in a way this is going to be better [than having a Jew as ambassador]. If a Jewish person is ambassador, everyone says, Oh, of course he is pro-Israel, he is Jewish. A non-Jew creates a bigger impact when he is pro-Israel. Mr. Huckabee also mentioned that this was a job that was offered to him without his asking, and he accepted because he felt that he can make a real difference in the region. Of Diversity, Antisemitism and a Blessing Another fascinating aspect of the visit was the effort Rav Hofstedter made to ensure that Mr. Huckabee would be well acquainted with the charedi community and their spiritual sages and leaders. He offered to accompany and introduce the Ambassador after he is confirmed and has taken up his post in Israel, to the senior Gedolei Yisrael. Mr. Huckabee was very eager to take Rav Hofstedter up on his offer saying that he would welcome the unique opportunity to meet, interact with and hear the view of the senior sages of Israel. Rav Hofstedter also stressed how important it would be for the Ambassador to get to know the charedi population firsthand rather than from the caricatures in which they are painted in the media. There are thousands of American citizens who are charedim living and studying in Israel, Rav Hofstedter shared. Mr. Huckabee, in turn, expressed his deep desire to get to know them first hand. During the meeting, an additional pivotal topic of conversation was the issue of antisemitism. Rav Hofstedter said, Were going through a very difficult time now. You just cant believe that its such a short period after the Holocaust that the world has forgotten it all. We are under attack around the world, especially the Orthodox Jews who are visibly Jewish and are easy targets. The people of the world can have tolerance for everything and almost anybody, but not Orthodox Jews. Its so sad. And we are under assault in America. The yeshivah system, the Torah school system in New York, is under assault. Not everyone has an appreciation that this is the community that adheres to the Bible. The woke culture that is affecting so much of Western civilization affects Israel as well. Theyre not immune from it by any means. Mr. Huckabee clearly showed his recognition regarding the differences between the various communities in Israel, saying, There is a big difference between the lifestyle in Tel Aviv and the lifestyle in Jerusalem. I think its a fair assessment to say wokeism is alive and well in many parts of Tel Aviv and Herzliya. Aside from Mr. Huckabees deep understanding of the role that Torah learning plays in defense of Eretz Yisrael, his final parting words showed his feelings and understanding of Jewish tradition. When he took leave of Rav Hofstedter he said, [the blessing is] Next Year in Jerusalem. I hope it is THIS year in Jerusalem! A New York court has sentenced Matthew Mahrer, an autistic Jewish man, to two and a half years in prison for assisting a neo-Nazi in obtaining an illegal firearm in 2022. Mahrer and his accomplice, Christopher Brown, were arrested in Manhattan, as YWN reported, after Brown threatened to attack a synagogue. Police later recovered the firearm in Mahrers apartment. The arrests sparked widespread concern over the potential for violence and raised questions about Mahrers involvement in the crime. During Wednesdays sentencing, the courtroom was filled with Mahrers family and supporters, alongside members of the Jewish community advocating for a harsh penalty. Despite a plea from Mahrers attorney for an alternative to incarceration, the judge ruled that sentencing guidelines left no room for such a measure. I could not be more grateful that no one was hurt, and Im sorry to everyone, especially my family, Mahrer said in a tearful address to the court. Im never going to stop trying to be a better person. The announcement of Mahrers prison sentence was met with visible emotion, as some of his family members and supporters wept. In addition to serving two and a half years in prison, Mahrer will remain under legal supervision for two years following his release. (YWN World Headquarters NYC) In a historic decision, the Baltimore City Democratic Central Committee voted Tuesday night to recommend Delegate Dalya Attar for a state Senate seat, positioning her to become the first Orthodox Jewish woman to serve in the Maryland Senate if Governor Wes Moore approves the appointment. Attar, 34, emerged as the committees choice over Delegate Malcolm P. Ruff and six other candidates following interviews conducted via Zoom. Five of the eight committee members representing District 41 supported Attar, while three voted for Ruff. The vacancy in the Senate arose after former Senator Jill P. Carter resigned on January 3 to join the State Board of Contract Appeals. If appointed, Attar, who has served as a prosecutor and was first elected to the House of Delegates in 2018, would continue to represent the diverse Northwest Baltimore district and take her place in history. Attars candidacy marks a groundbreaking moment not only for Maryland but also for the nation, as she has previously noted that she is the highest-ranking Orthodox Jewish woman ever elected to public office in the United States. During the interview process, Attar stressed her commitment to education and community engagement, pledging to host town halls and listening sessions to address the needs of the district. Everyone wants the same thing, she said. Everyone wants to live together safely and with the most opportunities for their families. As education is her top priority, Attar expressed interest in joining the Senate Committee on Education, Energy, and the Environment. Senate President Bill Ferguson has indicated she would be assigned to that committee if appointed. Attars supporters on the central committee included former Delegate Angela Gibson, who described the process as fun, along with Lakesha Brown Wright-El, Alex Friedman, Baltimore City Councilmember Yitzy Schleifer, and Sandy Rosenbluth. Ruff received votes from Brian Easley, Dayvon Love, and central committee chair Tammy Stinnett. (YWN World Headquarters NYC) Republican efforts to exclude people in the U.S. illegally from numbers used to divvy up congressional seats among states have begun anew, with four Republican state attorneys general suing to alter the once-a-decade head count even before President Donald Trumps second term in office began Monday. Trump joined in the battle immediately upon returning to office, signing an executive order on Monday that rescinded a Biden administration order and signaled the possibility of a push by his new administration to change the 2030 census. Those efforts may get a boost from the GOP-controlled Congress, where Republican U.S. Rep. Chuck Edwards from North Carolina earlier this month re-introduced legislation that would put a citizenship question on the census form. During his first term, Trump signed an order that would have excluded people in the U.S. illegally from being included in the 2020 census numbers used to allot congressional seats and Electoral College votes to each state. The GOP president also mandated in a second order the collection of citizenship data through administrative records. A Republican redistricting expert had written that using citizen voting-age population instead of the total population for the purpose of redrawing congressional and legislative districts could be advantageous to Republicans and non-Hispanic whites. Trump issued the memos after the U.S. Supreme Court blocked his earlier attempt to add a citizenship question to the 2020 census questionnaire. The high court said the administrations justification for the question seems to have been contrived. Both Trump orders were rescinded when President Joe Biden arrived at the White House in January 2021, before the 2020 census figures were released by the U.S. Census Bureau, the nations largest statistical agency. I think its an open question about how much energy the administration and Congress will try to bend the statistical system to its will, historian Margo Anderson said about Trumps second term. Not because they wouldnt like to, but because there are other parts of the national government that they are more interested in. The Fourteenth Amendment says that the whole number of persons in each state should be counted for the numbers used for apportionment, the process of allocating congressional seats and Electoral College votes among the states based on population. The numbers also guide the distribution of $2.8 trillion in federal dollars to the states for roads, health care and other programs. The lawsuit filed Friday by the GOP attorneys general of Kansas, Louisiana, Ohio and West Virginia seeks to exclude people in the country illegally or temporarily from the numbers used to apportion congressional seats. It claims that Ohio and West Virginia each unfairly lost a congressional seat and an electoral vote after the 2020 census because people in the U.S. illegally were included, and that each of the four states stands to lose a congressional seat and electoral vote after the 2030 census if that doesnt change. Projections released last month by Election Data Services dont show those four states losing seats after the 2030 census. The projections instead say California, New York and Illinois states with Democratic majorities are likely to lose the most seats and electoral votes. The Census Bureau on Tuesday didnt immediately respond to an email seeking comment. Opponents of the citizenship question on the 2020 census said it discouraged participation by immigrants and residents who were in the country illegally, resulting in inaccurate figures. A Census Bureau simulation released in 2023 indicated that a significant number of noncitizens were missed in the count, which took place during the last year of the first Trump administration and at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. Demographers and researchers expect the second Trump administration to change or reverse recent actions by the Biden administration related to U.S. statistical agencies. They include combining into a single question race and ethnicity questions that previously were asked separately on forms and adding a Middle Eastern and North African category. Many experts also expect planned questions about sexual orientation and gender identity on the most comprehensive survey of American life to be on the chopping block. Some have concerns that Trump will politicize the Census Bureau with large numbers of political appointees, with little experience, as happened during his first term. The Heritage Foundations Project 2025 policy guidebook for a Republican presidential administration advocated putting committed political appointees and like-minded career employees in bureau positions so they could execute a conservative agenda. They could easily put in the same type of idiots they put in last time for political purposes, said Andrew Beveridge, a sociology professor at Queens College and the CUNY Graduate School and University Center, who is an expert on the census. I would assume that he will do what he tried to do before. (AP) Chinas relations are starting to improve with Japan, India and other countries that former U.S. President Joe Biden courted, just as Donald Trump brings his more unilateralist approach back to the White House. The change of leadership in Washington on Monday could be an opportunity for China, which has long railed against Bidens strategy of building partnerships with like-minded countries to counter its growing influence. Biden reinvigorated a grouping known as the Quad the United States, India, Japan and Australia. Chinas relations with all three of those U.S. partners are improving, as are its ties with Britain. The durability of Bidens legacy is now in question. During his first term, Trump didnt hesitate to challenge traditional U.S. partners. It is possible that Trump may drift away from U.S. allies, making them pay more attention to Chinas role, and in fact it has provided a chance for Chinas diplomacy, said Wu Xinbo, dean of the Institute of International Studies at Fudan University in Shanghai. I think we should grasp the chance. But U.S. National Security Council spokesperson Brian Hughes said that Trump has a record of rallying the world toward a more competitive stance with China. Trump agreed to a Free and Open Indo-Pacific strategy that Japan introduced during his first term and he backed excluding Chinese companies from telecom networks in the U.S. and many of its partners. On Tuesday, Secretary of State Marco Rubio hours after he was sworn in met with the foreign ministers of Australia, India and Japan in Washington, a move that suggested engaging the Quad countries and countering Chinas influence will remain a priority for Trump. Fence-mending with China has limits Beijings rapprochement with the U.K. and Japan is in its early stages, and major differences remain that limit and could derail it. India turned the page with China on a bitter border dispute last October, but protested when Beijing created two new counties in an area claimed by both nations. Still, new leaders in Australia, the U.K. and Japan have shown a desire to warm relations with China, the worlds largest manufacturer and a source of strategic minerals. The government in Beijing has reciprocated in part because it wants foreign investment to help revive its economy, which could be set back if Trump follows through on a threat to impose higher tariffs. Chinese President Xi Jinping told European Council President Antonio Costa in a phone conversation last week that both sides could bring more stability and certainty to the turbulent global situation. China and Britain restarted economic and financial talks after a six-year hiatus when the U.K. Treasury chief visited Beijing this month. From Chinas point of view, improving relations with American allies and increasing economic cooperation will offset the shock to China-U.S. economic relations, Wu said. Trumps statements agitate U.S. allies In Washington, theres a strong bipartisan consensus that the U.S. must prevail in its economic and tech rivalry with China to maintain its global leadership. During his confirmation hearing, Rubio called China the most potent and dangerous near-peer adversary this nation has ever confronted. Biden kept the tariffs Trump levied on China and imposed more on Chinese electric cars and solar cells. But unlike Biden, Trump has irked U.S. allies and partners with his recent remarks on possibly annexing Greenland, an autonomous territory of NATO ally Denmark, and making Canada the 51st American state. Hal Brands, senior fellow at the Washington-based think tank American Enterprise Institute, said he believes some top strategists in Beijing are salivating at the damage they think Trump is going to do to U.S. alliances and the opportunities this creates for Beijing to resurrect some of its relationships with Japan and Europe that had moved in a very sharply anti-China direction since COVID. Trumps rhetoric and attempts by adviser Elon Musk to interfere in British and German politics, are certain to have a ripple effect, said Sun Yun, director of the China program at the Stimson Center in Washington. Countries want to at the minimum keep their options open, she said. China is unlikely to be a better choice than the U.S., even under Trump, but it is important to find some counterbalance. The Philippines isnt mending fences Chinas relations arent improving with every U.S. partner. The Philippines complained recently about what it called a monster Chinese coast guard ship in nearby waters, and the foreign ministers of Japan and the Philippines said last week they would convey to Trump the urgent need for the U.S. to remain engaged in the region. China and the Philippines did reach a temporary deal last July that has prevented further violent confrontations around Second Thomas Shoal, one of several outcroppings that both countries claim in the South China Sea. Uncertainty about Trumps policies is prompting both China and Japan to seek a stable relationship, said Taizo Miyagi, an expert on Japanese diplomacy at Chuo University in Tokyo. A Japanese foreign minister has visited Beijing for the first time in seven years, and Chinese military officials were in Tokyo last week to resume defense exchanges after a five-year hiatus. In a way it is a Trump effect, Miyagi said. Many other countries are likely thinking the same and this could invigorate their diplomatic activities. Britain steers a new course with China British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has sought to rebuild ties with Beijing since his Labour Partys election victory last summer. Its a marked shift from predecessor Rishi Sunak, who in 2022 declared an end to his countrys golden era of friendship with China. In Britains case, Trumps return may not be driving the rapprochement. Many European leaders may not welcome Trumps America-first agenda, but the idea that as a result they will all kowtow to Beijing for more trade is fanciful thinking on the part of some of our Chinese friends, said Steve Tsang, director of the SOAS China Institute at the University of London. Most would prefer to remain partners with Washington. French President Emmanuel Macron, outlining his vision for global diplomacy in a New Years speech, declared that his country was a solid ally of Trump. He and others hope that Trump will respond positively to their outreach. Much will depend on what path the returning U.S. president takes, and how the rest of the world reacts. (AP) CAIRO, Jan. 23 (Xinhua) -- Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi urged here on Thursday intensified efforts to maintain peace and security in the Red Sea and the Horn of Africa, stressing the region's strategic importance to global stability. Sisi made the remarks at a joint press conference with visiting Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud following their meeting earlier in the day, the Egyptian Presidency said in a statement. "We agreed on the need to intensify efforts to maintain peace and security in that vital region, which affects global security," Sisi said, referring to the Red Sea and the Horn of Africa. He highlighted the outcome of the October 2024 Asmara Summit among Egypt, Somalia, and Eritrea, describing it as "significant progress in relations and coordination among our countries," and stressed the importance of building on the summit by holding a second trilateral meeting "to fortify this partnership." Earlier this month, Cairo hosted the first meeting of a new trilateral committee with Somalia and Eritrea to follow up on the October summit between the leaders of the three countries. Sisi reaffirmed Egypt's commitment to supporting Somalia, describing it as "a fundamental pillar for the Horn of Africa's stability." According to the statement, the two presidents signed a joint political declaration to elevate bilateral relations to the level of strategic partnership. Some memoranda of understanding were also signed between the two countries. The Somalia Presidency has not issued a statement yet regarding the meeting, but said Wednesday that during Hassan's official visit to Egypt, he would discuss with Sisi strengthening joint counter-terrorism efforts, enhancing economic and development cooperation, and advancing cooperation on regional peace and security, among other topics. The Red Sea's security is critical for ensuring uninterrupted global trade through the Suez Canal, a key economic lifeline for Egypt that has experienced revenue losses due to regional instability. Hours after returning to the White House, President Donald Trump made a symbolic mark on the future of artificial intelligence by repealing former President Joe Bidens guardrails for the fast-developing technology. But what comes next from Trump and how it will diverge from how his predecessor sought to safeguard AI technology remains unclear. The new administration didnt respond to requests for comment about the repealed Biden policy and even some of Trumps most enthusiastic tech industry supporters arent so sure. I think that the previous order had a lot in it, said Alexandr Wang, the CEO of AI company Scale, describing Bidens 2023 executive order on AI as overly lengthy but declining to name what about it was harmful. Its hard to comment on each individual piece of it. Theres certainly some parts of it that we strongly agree with. Wang, who traveled to Washington to attend Trumps inaugural festivities, is also optimistic that better things are yet to come. He and other Silicon Valley leaders who previously worked with the Biden administration have embraced Trump and hope to guide his approach toward one with fewer restrictions. In its early days, Trumps team has already set the tone for a very productive administration with a lot of deep collaboration between industry and government, Wang said. Not much left to repeal? Much of Bidens order set in motion a sprint across government agencies to studys AI impact on everything from cybersecurity risks to its effects on education, workplaces and public benefits. That work is done. The reports have been written and the recommendations generated, and theyre available for everyone to build on, said Alexandra Reeve Givens, CEO of the nonprofit Center for Democracy & Technology. The executive orders work is completed, whether or not its rescinded. Those reports are helping to inform the private sector as well as federal agencies and state governments, she said. Not only that, but much of the standard-setting established by Bidens order followed the path of earlier AI executive orders signed by Trump in his first term that carried over into the Biden administration. If you look past the kind of political positioning on this, the Biden executive order built upon themes that were established in the first Trump administration and have been reiterated by bipartisan voices in Congress, she said. Regulating powerful AI One key provision of Bidens AI order that was still in effect until Monday was a requirement that tech companies building the most powerful AI models share details with the government about the workings of those systems before they are unleashed to the public. In many ways, 2023 was a different time in the AI discourse. ChatGPT was a novelty and Elon Musk long before he became a close adviser to Trump had called for a moratorium on advanced AI development. Bidens own worries were amplified after watching the Tom Cruise film Mission: Impossible Dead Reckoning Part One in which the world is threatened by a sentient and rogue machine, according to his then-deputy chief of staff. The executive order followed public commitments to the Biden administration from tech companies including Amazon, Google, Meta, Microsoft and OpenAI welcoming third-party oversight. But the order went further in invoking the Defense Production Act, which dates from the Korean War, to compel companies to share safety test results and other information if their AI systems met a certain threshold. Little is known publicly about how those confidential exchanges worked in practice, but the government scrutiny was heavily criticized last year by some Trump backers such as the venture capitalist Marc Andreessen, who also sits on the board of Facebook parent Meta Platforms. Andreessen said over the summer that he was concerned with the idea that were going to deliberately hamstring ourselves through onerous regulations while the rest of the world lights up on this, and while China lights up on this. Ideological differences on AI Trump is following through with a campaign promise to rescind Bidens AI order. His campaign platform described it as hindering AI innovation and imposing Radical Leftwing ideas on the development of this technology, tying it to broader concerns from Musk and other Trump allies about woke AI chatbots reflecting liberal biases. But the Biden order itself didnt restrict free speech. Some provisions sought standards for the watermarking of AI-generated content, part of a strategy to reduce the dangers of impersonation and abusive sexual deepfake imagery. The order also directed multiple federal agencies to guard against potential harms of AI applications, warning against irresponsible uses that reproduced and intensified existing inequities, caused new types of harmful discrimination, and exacerbated online and physical harms. One former White House science adviser who helped craft Bidens rights-based AI approach described Trumps action as a politically motivated repeal with no thoughtful replacement. Trumps move signals that he is less supportive than the Biden administration of issues around privacy, around peoples civil liberties and civil rights and just concerns around safety more broadly with regards to advanced systems, said Alondra Nelson, the former acting director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy. Addressing those concerns is important for people to adopt the AI tools that businesses are developing, added Nelson, now a fellow at the Center for American Progress. Americans have some of the highest rates of mistrust of AI in the developed world, she said, citing surveys. Pivot to AI common ground Some of Bidens AI moves are still in place, at least for now, such as a year-old AI Safety Institute focused on national security. Trump also hasnt yet weighed in on Bidens bigger conflict with the tech industry pending rules restricting AI chip exports to more than 100 countries in an effort to counter Chinas backdoor access to them in places such as the Persian Gulf and Southeast Asia. Nor has Trump repealed Bidens most recent AI executive order a week-old action that seeks to remove hurdles for AI data center expansion in the U.S. while also encouraging those data centers to be powered with renewable energy. Trump on Tuesday talked up a joint venture investing up to $500 billion for AI data centers and electricity infrastructure to power them, through a new partnership called Stargate formed by ChatGPT maker OpenAI along with Oracle and SoftBank. At a press conference, he didnt seem familiar with Bidens latest AI order but said he wouldnt rescind it. That sounds to me like its something that I would like, Trump said. Id like to see federal lands opened up for data centers. I think theyre going to be very important. (AP) Many U.S. adults are on board with the idea of beefing up security at the southern border and undertaking some targeted deportations, according to a new poll. But as President Donald Trump begins his second term with a series of sweeping executive orders on immigration, the findings suggest his actions may quickly push the country beyond the limited consensus that exists on the issue. There is a clear desire for some kind of action on U.S.-Mexico border security, according to the survey from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research. Half of U.S. adults think increasing security at the border should be a high priority for the federal government, according to the poll, and about 3 in 10 say it should be a moderate priority. Just 2 in 10, roughly, consider it a low priority. The vast majority of U.S. adults favor deporting immigrants convicted of violent crimes, and the Trump administrations deportation efforts may begin there. But Trumps initial executive orders have gone far beyond that including efforts to keep asylum-seekers in Mexico and end automatic citizenship. And Trump, a Republican, is continuing to signal an aggressive and likely divisive approach, with promises to deport millions of people who entered the country illegally while declaring a national emergency at our southern border. About 4 in 10 American adults support deporting all immigrants living in the U.S. illegally, and a similar share are opposed. Most Americans think local police should cooperate with federal immigration authorities on deportations in at least some cases, but implementation could quickly become unpopular. On Tuesday, the Trump administration threw out policies limiting arrests of migrants in sensitive places like schools and churches, even though a shift to such arrests would be largely unpopular. Some support for more immigration enforcement Immigration was a key issue in the 2024 election, and the poll indicates that its still a high priority for many Americans as Trump takes office. Illegal border crossings soared under Trumps predecessor, President Joe Biden, with border arrests from Mexico reaching a record-high of 250,000 in December 2023. Despite Trumps claims of an immigrant invasion, crossings have plunged since then, amid increased Mexican enforcement and the Democratic Biden administrations June 2024 order that dramatically limited asylum claims at the border. But memories of those rising numbers, and the chaos that ensued when migrants were bused by Republican governors to northern cities, may have helped shape American attitudes. The survey found that about half of Americans think the government is spending too little on border security, and the vast majority favor deportations of people who have been convicted of violent crimes. I want to see more people coming here legally, said Manuel Morales, a 60-year-old Democrat who lives near Moline, Illinois. He first came to America by crossing the border illegally from Mexico nearly 40 years ago. But at the same time, Im against all these caravans coming (to the border), with thousands and thousands of people at one time, said Morales, a technician for an internet provider. Hes deeply sympathetic to migrants who come to the U.S. to escape repression or poverty and feels that too many Americans dont understand the yearslong efforts required to enter the U.S. legally. Yet, he also believes the number of migrants has simply become too great in the past few years. We cannot just receive everybody into this county, he said. Trumps most sweeping plans are less popular Trump rarely gives specifics when he calls for mass deportations, but the survey indicates many Americans are conflicted about mass roundups of people living in the U.S. illegally. Removing immigrants who are in the country illegally and have not committed a violent crime is highly divisive, with only about 4 in 10 U.S. adults in support and slightly more than 4 in 10 opposed. And relatively few Americans, about 3 in 10, somewhat or strongly favor changing the Constitution so children born in the U.S. are not automatically granted citizenship if their parents are in the country illegally. About 2 in 10 are neutral, and about half are somewhat or strongly opposed. Doug DeVore is a 57-year-old Republican living in southern Indiana who believes that immigration went haywire during the Biden administration. But the idea of large-scale operations to check peoples immigration status makes him uncomfortable. I probably wouldnt be 100% against it, he said. But theres that fine line between gathering information on people living in the U.S. illegally and automatically deporting them, added DeVore, who works in a candy factory. Local cooperation with immigration authorities is popular but not arrests in schools or churches As the Trump administration prepares to attack sanctuary jurisdictions that limit cooperation with federal immigration authorities, the poll finds that the vast majority of U.S. adults think police in their community should cooperate with federal immigration authorities to deport people who are in the country illegally in at least some cases. Only about 1 in 10 Americans say the local police should never cooperate with federal law enforcement on these deportations. Theres a divide, though, on whether cooperation should happen across the board or if it should happen only sometimes. About two-thirds of Republicans say local police should always cooperate, a view that only about one-quarter of Democrats share. But relatively few Democrats say local police should never cooperate and most, about two-thirds, say cooperation should happen in some cases. And a wave of arrests could quickly spark a backlash, depending on how they happen. U.S. immigration agents have long abided by guidance that deters arresting parents or students at schools and other sensitive places, but some of Trumps rhetoric has raised questions about whether those policies will persist. The poll finds that a shift toward arresting people in the country illegally at places like churches and schools would be highly unpopular. Only about 2 in 10 U.S. adults somewhat or strongly favor arresting children who are in the country illegally while they are at school, and a similar share support arresting people who are in the country illegally while they are at church. Solid majorities, about 6 in 10, oppose these kinds of arrests. Even Republicans arent fully on board less than half favor arrests of children in schools or people at church. (AP) The M23 rebel groups advance toward eastern Congos largest city has displaced over 178,000 people in the past two weeks, the United Nations said, as the fighters closed in on Goma on the border with Rwanda. The M23 has been making significant advances, though it was unclear whether the rebels will try to capture Goma, which they seized in 2012 and controlled for over a week. Congolese authorities said Tuesday its fighters seized the town of Minova, on a key supply route for Goma, a regional hub for security and humanitarian efforts. M23 is one of about 100 armed groups that have been vying for a foothold in mineral-rich eastern Congo in a decades-long conflict that has created one of the worlds largest humanitarian crises. More than 7 million people have been displaced. Congo, the United States and U.N. experts accuse Rwanda of backing the M23, composed of ethnic Tutsis who broke away from the Congolese army over a decade ago. Rwandas government denies the claim. The U.N. humanitarian agency said Tuesday the new mass displacement was caused by fighting around Minova in South Kivu province. Thousands of people spilled out of packed wooden boats in Goma on Wednesday, some with bundles of belongings strapped around their foreheads. Displaced people have filled the Nzulo camp on the outskirts of Goma, the capital of North Kivu province and home to around 2 million people. But some people were already leaving the camp as rebels approached. David Kasereka fled on a motorbike with a child, barely stopping to speak. We dont know where we are going, because everywhere, the bombs are following us, he told The Associated Press. Nadege Bauma, like many in Nzulo, was first displaced due to intense fighting in the town of Sake. Inside the camp, the mother of six gathered what she could of her belongings and piled them into a minibus to flee again. We just learned that the M23 have arrived in Ngwiro (about 19 miles or 30 kilometers west of Goma) and we decided to leave the area because bullets and bombs are falling, she said. The provincial governor of South Kivu, Jean-Jacques Purusi, confirmed the capture of Minova, adding that the rebels have also taken the mining towns of Lumbishi, Numbi and Shanje along with the town of Bweremana in North Kivu province. Congos military said in a statement Tuesday that the rebels made breakthroughs in Minova and Bweremana. (AP) A U.S. Border Patrol agent who was killed in Vermont during a traffic stop near the Canadian border was a military veteran who worked security duty at the Pentagon during the Sept. 11 attacks, his family said. He was a devoted agent who served with honor and bravery, a family statement provided to The Associated Press late Tuesday said. He had a tremendous respect and pride for the work he did; he truly embodied service over self. Agent David Maland, 44, was killed Monday afternoon following a traffic stop, a U.S. Customs and Border Protection spokesperson said in a statement. A German national in the country on what the FBI called a current visa was killed and an injured suspect was taken into custody and is being treated at a local hospital. The violence temporarily closed part of Interstate 91 about 20 miles (32 kilometers) from Canada in Coventry, part of the small, 27,000-resident community of Orleans County in the Northeast Kingdom section of Vermont that straddles the international border. Maland had many chances for promotion but turned them down to stay in the field, said his cousin, Minnesota state Rep. Krista Knudsen. She paid tribute to the Minnesota native, who went by Chris, on the House floor Wednesday before lawmakers observed a moment of silence. He will be remembered for his courage and commitment to protecting fellow Americans, said Knudsen, a Republican from Lake Shore. He is also a person who served faithfully with honor and bravery. He always put his service above himself. Maland, whom the FBI confirmed was a U.S. Air Force veteran, was killed close to the U.S. Customs and Border Protections Newport Station, part of the Swanton Sector that he was assigned to. The sector encompasses Vermont, parts of New York and New Hampshire, and includes 295 miles (475 kilometers) of international boundary with Canada. The Derby LineRock Island Border Crossing is located about 12 miles (19 kilometers) by highway north of Coventry. Its a major link to the Canadian province of Quebec, giving northern Vermont more French speakers than most of New England. Malands family said his career spanned nine years in the military and 15 in the federal government. On Sept. 11, 2001, his duty station was the Pentagon, and when news of the terrorist attacks broke, he was sent to guard an undersecretary to one of the branches of the military for several days at a bunker at the Joint Base-Anacostia Bolling, in southeast Washington. Maland also was a K-9 handler who he served in Texas, near the border with Mexico, before heading to the northern border. His aunt, Joan Maland, said he was about to propose marriage to his partner. We are all devastated, she told AP in a text. She called him an exceptional person. Incredible man. Knudsen said she and Maland both grew up in Fairmont, Minnesota, where he graduated from high school in 1999. Chris was an incredible man and will be missed dearly. I am grateful for his service and I know he was very proud of it, she said. Our family is heartbroken. He died in the line of duty, serving to protect our country. We will cherish his memories and mourn his sacrifice. Until we meet again, Godspeed, you good and faithful servant. Maland was the first Border Patrol agent to be killed in the line of duty since Javier Vega Jr. was shot and killed near Santa Monica, Texas, in 2014, according to records provided by U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Vega was initially considered to be off duty at the time of his death, but in 2016 it was re-determined to have been in the line of duty, the agency said. In 2010, Brian Terry s killing exposed the botched federal gun operation known as Fast and Furious. Border Patrol Agent Nicholas J. Ivie, of the Brian A. Terry Border Patrol Station, was mortally wounded in the line of duty in a remote area near Bisbee, Arizona, in 2012. Border Patrol Agent Isaac Morales was fatally stabbed while off duty in 2017 in Texas. (AP) The Supreme Court on Wednesday seemed inclined to revive a civil rights lawsuit against the Texas police officer who shot a man to death during a traffic stop in Houston over unpaid tolls. The justices appeared to be in broad agreement that the New Orleans-based 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals should take another look at the case of Ashtian Barnes, who died in his rental car in April 2016 on the shoulder of the Sam Houston Tollway. Barnes was shot by the officer, Roberto Felix Jr., who jumped on the sill of the drivers door of Barnes car as it began to pull away from the stop. Felix fired twice in two seconds because he reasonably feared for his life, his lawyers wrote in their Supreme Court brief. Lower courts had dismissed the excessive force lawsuit filed against Felix by Barnes mother, Janice Hughes. The issue before the justices is whether those lower courts used the right standard, evaluating Felixs actions only at the moment of the threat that caused him to shoot Barnes. Lawyers for Hughes and the Justice Department said courts should use a wider lens, the totality of the circumstances, to evaluate the suit against Felix. Taking all the circumstances into account, courts would find that Felix acted unreasonably by jumping onto the side of Barnes car, Nathaniel Zelinsky, Hughes lawyer, told the court. The justices appeared headed for a narrow ruling that might simply say the two-second rule is not the law, Justice Neil Gorsuch said. The Supreme Courts decision could help clarify the standard judges apply nationwide, but it might not ultimately help Hughes. Even if Felix ultimately is found to have violated Barnes rights, the officer probably would be shielded from financial liability by a separate high court standard known as qualified immunity. Justice Brett Kavanaugh posed several questions in which he appeared worried that a win for Hughes could make life more dangerous for police officers during traffic stops, when they might have to make decisions in a matter of seconds. The officer does not get the time we spent here today making the decision, Kavanaugh said. Barnes had been driving to pick up his girlfriends daughter from day care when he was pulled over by Felix, who received a radio message that the license plate on Barnes car had unpaid tolls associated with it. Barnes girlfriend had rented the car and Barnes was unaware of the outstanding tolls, according to court records. In siding with the officer, 5th Circuit Judge Patrick Higginbotham voiced regret that a routine traffic stop has again ended in the death of an unarmed Black man. A decision is expected by early summer. (AP) Authorities in Naples have arrested a 30-year-old Moroccan man on terrorism charges, including affiliation with ISIS and plotting violent acts against the citys Jewish community, the Polizia di Stato announced on Wednesday. The suspect faces charges of international terrorism of Islamic origin and subversion of the democratic order. The arrest followed an operation led by Naples Digos division and coordinated by the citys Public Prosecutors Office Anti-Terrorism Working Group, with assistance from the Central Directorate for Preventive Police. Investigators uncovered evidence linking the man to ISIS and his online promotion of extremist content. Officials revealed that the suspect had been planning violent actions targeting the Jewish community in Naples, including acquiring a knife as part of his intentions. Further searches were conducted on individuals connected to the suspect, although details of their involvement have not yet been disclosed. Of note, the terrorist who carried out a stabbing attack in Tel Aviv on Tuesday, where six people were injured, was also Moroccan. The attacker in that case had been residing in the United States after obtaining a green card through a diversity visa program. (YWN World Headquarters NYC) A 33-year-old man has been arrested in connection with an antisemitic attack on the Newtown Synagogue in Sydney, Australia, where vandals spray-painted swastikas and attempted to set the building on fire on January 11. The New South Wales Police Force announced the arrest on Wednesday. Adam Edward Moule faces multiple charges, including arson and property damage, and has been denied bail. Strike Force Pearl detectives apprehended Moule during an overnight raid in Camperdown. The police established Strike Force Pearl in December to address hate crimes, which has already led to nine arrests. New South Wales Police Commissioner Karen Webb stated that a second arrest in the case is expected soon. NSW Premier Chris Minns emphasized the operation is just getting started. Commissioner Webb confirmed that authorities have strong leads in the ongoing investigation, supported by a dedicated team of 40 detectives. The attack on Newtown Synagogue is part of a troubling rise in antisemitic incidents across Australia, including vandalism of other shuls and properties. A recent snap cabinet meeting convened by Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese addressed the surge in antisemitism, which has resulted in 166 reported incidents in recent weeks. Fifteen of these are under investigation, with 36 people charged in New South Wales and 70 arrests made in Victoria. Australian Federal Police Commissioner Reece Kershaw revealed that authorities are investigating possible international links to these crimes, including the use of cryptocurrency to fund local perpetrators. We are looking into whether overseas actors or individuals have paid local criminals in Australia to carry out some of these crimes in our suburbs, Kershaw said. Prime Minister Albanese has vowed to strengthen legal measures and improve coordination to combat antisemitism. His government has faced criticism, with Opposition Leader Peter Dutton accusing him of being slow to act. This is a national crisis, Dutton said at a rally on Tuesday. We are experiencing rolling terrorist attacks in our community, and the prime minister is being dragged kicking and screaming to address it. Albanese has condemned antisemitism unequivocally, stating that his government calls it out consistently and works with the community to address these issues. The surge in antisemitism in Australia mirrors trends observed globally, with reports of Iran allegedly paying criminals in Europe and elsewhere to carry out attacks targeting Jewish communities. Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu has linked the rise in attacks to perceived anti-Israel policies by Australias left-wing Labor government. Since June, Australia has recorded at least eight major antisemitic incidents, including the arson attack on the Adass Yisroel shul in Melbourne in December and vandalism of a Sydney child-care center earlier this week. (YWN World Headquarters NYC) Former President Donald Trump has suggested that Joe Biden should have issued himself a pardon before the end of his presidency, reigniting debates over the use of preemptive pardons. The remarks came during a preview of an upcoming interview with Fox News Sean Hannity, set to air Wednesday at 9 p.m. EST. In the teaser, Trump accused Biden of weaponizing the Department of Justice to target him politically, pointing to the federal indictments he faces in Florida and Washington. Trump implied that Bidens actions could leave him vulnerable to similar treatment. This guy went around giving everybody pardons, Trump said, referring to Bidens last-minute preemptive pardons issued during his final hours in office. And you know, the funny thing, maybe the sad thing, is he didnt give himself a pardon. Trumps remarks came after Hannity mentioned Bidens 2020 campaign promise to avoid preemptive pardons. Cutting him off, Trump defended his decision not to pardon himself or his allies during his presidency, claiming there was no wrongdoing to pardon. We had people that suffered, Trump said, referring to former aides Steve Bannon and Peter Navarro, who both served four-month sentences for contempt of Congress. Theyre incredible patriots. Theyve lost their fortunes, their nest eggs, paying lawyers, and so much more. Trump added that neither Bannon nor Navarro would have accepted a pardon, even if offered. Biden, meanwhile, has defended his use of preemptive pardons for his siblings and their spouses, stating they were necessary to shield his family from potential political attacks. The pardons were issued quietly less than an hour before Biden left office, during a moment when attention was focused on the inauguration of his successor. Bidens decision has faced criticism from both sides of the aisle. Representative Adam Schiff (D-CA) told ABC News last month that preemptive pardons set a dangerous precedent. This is not a precedent we want to set, Schiff said, referencing Bidens actions. Trump has seized on the controversy, accusing Biden of hypocrisy for warning against blanket pardons during his campaign. He told everyone he wouldnt do it, but he went and pardoned his family on the way out, Trump said. (YWN World Headquarters NYC) CNN is reportedly preparing to lay off hundreds of employees as part of a sweeping restructuring plan under its new CEO, Mark Thompson. The layoffs, expected to be announced on Thursday, come as the network pivots to focus on building a global digital audience and streamlining its operations, according to CNBC. The move will impact multiple departments, with potential cost-saving measures including relocating some productions from New York and Washington to Atlanta, where operations are less expensive. The layoffs are part of a broader effort by CNN, owned by Warner Bros. Discovery, to lower production costs, consolidate teams, and revamp its linear TV lineup while expanding digital subscription offerings. CNN is not the only media outlet facing cuts. NBC News is reportedly planning layoffs later this week, though the number of affected employees is expected to be fewer than 50. Earlier this month, The Washington Post announced it would cut approximately 4% of its workforce, while the Associated Press revealed in November that it would reduce its workforce by about 8%. The layoffs come just days after Thompson, the former BBC and New York Times executive, held a series of virtual editorial meetings to outline a new approach to CNNs coverage. Thompson urged top on-air personalities, including Jake Tapper and Anderson Cooper, to adopt a more measured tone in their reporting on former President Donald Trump. During a Sunday meeting, Thompson emphasized that CNN should avoid relitigating Trumps past legal controversies, such as his convictions for falsifying business documents tied to the alleged Stormy Daniels hush money payment. Instead, he encouraged staff to approach coverage of Trumps second term with an open mind, focusing on the future rather than the past. Thompson reportedly advised against editorializing or expressing personal outrage, a significant departure from CNNs historically critical stance toward Trump during his first term. He made it clear that he did not want the coverage to relitigate the past, wrote Status reporter Oliver Darcy. Thompson also emphasized the importance of balancing tough-minded reporting with fair-minded journalism. During a follow-up meeting on Tuesday, Virginia Moseley, CNNs executive editor, acknowledged the challenges ahead, joking that the network was out of practice in managing the relentless news cycle Trump generates. Thompsons strategy represents a shift from the approach of former CNN boss Jeff Zucker, whose leadership was marked by a combative relationship with Trump. CNN has faced mounting challenges in the ratings race, trailing behind competitors MSNBC and Fox News. For example, Fox News dominated viewership during Trumps recent inauguration, drawing 10.3 million viewers between 11:30 a.m. and 1 p.m. ET, far surpassing other networks. Thompsons push for a fresh editorial approach is seen as a bid to rebuild CNNs reputation and recapture audience trust. However, the impending layoffs signal the significant challenges the network faces as it seeks to adapt to a rapidly changing media landscape. A CNN spokesperson declined to comment on the layoffs or the editorial strategy shift. Staff reactions to the changes remain muted, with reports indicating that no one raised questions during the virtual meetings, signaling clear but unchallenged leadership directives. (YWN World Headquarters NYC) A new survey conducted by the Conference on Jewish Material Claims Against Germany has found that a majority of people in seven countries believe a genocide against Jewish people similar to the Holocaust could happen today. The findings also highlight a concerning decline in knowledge about the Holocaust, particularly among younger generations. The survey polled adults in the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Austria, Germany, Poland, Hungary, and Romania. The results were released ahead of the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz on January 27. In the United States, 76% of respondents said they believed another Holocaust could occur, followed by 69% in the UK, 63% in France, 62% in Austria, 61% in Germany, 54% in Poland, and 52% in Hungary. Romania had the lowest percentage, with 44% considering such a scenario possible. The survey also revealed significant gaps in Holocaust knowledge. Across countries, a large share of people underestimated the number of Jewish victims, with 18% to 28% believing that two million or fewer Jews were killed, far below the historically documented six million. Alarmingly, younger respondents aged 18-29 were more likely to believe the death toll had been exaggerated. In France, 46% of young adults said they were unfamiliar with the Holocaust, compared to 15% in Romania, 14% in Austria, and 12% in Germany. Overall, one in five French adults reported they had not heard of the Holocaust or were unsure if they had. When asked to name Nazi concentration camps, nearly half of Americans (48%) could not identify a single one out of the more than 40,000 camps and ghettos established during World War II. A quarter of respondents across all countries also failed to name any camps or ghettos. Holocaust denial and distortion were identified as significant issues, particularly in the U.S. and Hungary, where respondents reported denial was more prevalent. Despite the troubling trends, there is broad global consensus on the importance of Holocaust education. More than 90% of respondents in all countries agreed that teaching about the Holocaust is essential to ensure history does not repeat itself. Gideon Taylor, president of the Claims Conference, called the gaps in knowledge deeply concerning, emphasizing the need for more effective Holocaust education. The alarming gaps in knowledge, particularly among younger generations, highlight an urgent need for more effective Holocaust education, he said. Matthew Bronfman, head of the team that commissioned the report, struck a hopeful note, pointing to the widespread support for Holocaust education. Now our task is clear; we must take this mandate and make it happen, he said. (YWN World Headquarters NYC) ISLAMABAD, Jan. 23 (Xinhua) -- Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has extended condolences to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan over the loss of precious lives in a deadly fire incident, according to a statement issued by the prime minister's office. In a telephone conversation held with the Turkish president on Thursday, the Pakistani prime minister expressed solidarity with the people of Turkiye. "The entire Pakistani nation is saddened by the news and is praying for the departed souls and for the speedy recovery of those injured. The people of Pakistan stood in full solidarity with their brothers and sisters in Turkiye," the prime minister's office statement quoted Sharif as saying. The prime minister also lauded the swift response by the Turkish authorities in dealing with the unfortunate incident, and offered to extend any assistance that may be needed in this regard, said the statement. More than 70 people were killed in the devastating fire at Turkiye's Kartalkaya ski resort in northwestern Bolu province, according to the Turkish interior ministry. A federal judge in Seattle is set to hear the first arguments Thursday in a multi-state lawsuit seeking to block President Donald Trumps executive order ending the constitutional guarantee of birthright citizenship regardless of the parents immigration status. U.S. District Judge John Coughenour scheduled the session to consider the request from Arizona, Illinois, Oregon and Washington. The case is one of five lawsuits being brought by 22 states and a number of immigrants rights groups across the country. The suits include personal testimonies from attorneys general who are U.S. citizens by birthright, and names pregnant women who are afraid their children wont become U.S. citizens. The order, signed by Trump on Inauguration Day, is slated to take effect on Feb. 19. It could impact hundreds of thousands of people born in the country, according to one of the lawsuits. In 2022, there were about 255,000 births of citizen children to mothers living in the country illegally and about 153,000 births to two such parents, according to the four-state suit filed in Seattle. The Trump administration argued in papers filed Wednesday that the states dont have grounds to bring a suit against the order and that no damage has yet been done, so temporary relief isnt called for. The administrations attorneys also clarified that the executive order only applies to people born after Feb. 19, when its set to take effect. The U.S. is among about 30 countries where birthright citizenship the principle of jus soli or right of the soil is applied. Most are in the Americas, and Canada and Mexico are among them. The lawsuits argue that the 14th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution guarantees citizenship for people born and naturalized in the U.S., and states have been interpreting the amendment that way for a century. Ratified in 1868 in the aftermath of the Civil War, the amendment says: All persons born or naturalized in the United States and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside. Trumps order asserts that the children of noncitizens are not subject to the jurisdiction of the United States, and orders federal agencies to not recognize citizenship for children who dont have at least one parent who is a citizen . A key case involving birthright citizenship unfolded in 1898. The Supreme Court held that Wong Kim Ark, who was born in San Francisco to Chinese immigrants, was a U.S. citizen because he was born in the country. After a trip abroad, he faced being denied reentry by the federal government on the grounds that he wasnt a citizen under the Chinese Exclusion Act. But some advocates of immigration restrictions have argued that case clearly applied to children born to parents who were both legal immigrants. They say its less clear whether it applies to children born to parents living in the country illegally. Trumps executive order prompted attorneys general to share their personal connections to birthright citizenship. Connecticut Attorney General William Tong, for instance, a U.S. citizen by birthright and the nations first Chinese American elected attorney general, said the lawsuit was personal for him. There is no legitimate legal debate on this question. But the fact that Trump is dead wrong will not prevent him from inflicting serious harm right now on American families like my own, Tong said this week. One of the lawsuits aimed at blocking the executive order includes the case of a pregnant woman, identified as Carmen, who is not a citizen but has lived in the United States for more than 15 years and has a pending visa application that could lead to permanent residency status. Stripping children of the priceless treasure of citizenship is a grave injury, the suit says. It denies them the full membership in U.S. society to which they are entitled. (AP) Google expedited access to its artificial intelligence tools, Vertex and Gemini, for Israel following the Hamas attack on October 7, 2023, according to a report published by The Washington Post on Tuesday. The report highlights that Google provided direct support to Israels Defense Ministry and the IDF, even as the company publicly sought to distance itself from Israels national security operations. This followed employee protests over Googles multibillion-dollar Nimbus cloud computing contract with the Israeli government. Internal documents obtained by The Washington Post reveal that a Google staff member warned the company that Israel might turn to Amazon, a competitor in the cloud services market, if Google failed to quickly increase access to its AI capabilities. Amazon also works with the Israeli government under the Nimbus contract. Google has faced significant internal backlash over its involvement with Nimbus, firing over 50 employees who protested the contract. Despite criticism, Google has maintained that the contract does not involve highly sensitive, classified, or military workloads relevant to weapons or intelligence services. The documents reviewed by The Washington Post do not clarify how Israels military utilized Googles AI tools. These tools can perform a variety of tasks, including automating administrative processes that are not directly connected to front-line operations. (YWN World Headquarters NYC) IDF forces overnight Wednesday eliminated two of the three terrorists who carried out the deadly terror attack in the village of Al-Funduq near Kedumim about two weeks ago, killing three Israelis and injuring nine. IDF forces are currently in the Jenin area as part of Operation Iron Wall, which is focused on rooting out terrorism in the area. Under the direction of intelligence information from the Shin Bet, the forces surrounded a building in the village of Burqin and implemented the pressure cooker technique using explosives and gunfire. BChasdei Hashem, after a prolonged battle of about four hours, the IDF forces eliminated the terrorists. One IDF soldier was moderately injured and was evacuated to the hospital. The two terrorists, Mohammed Nazal and Qutaiba al-Shalabi, were members of the Jenin-based Islamic Jihad terror group. The Shin Bet arrested several other terrorists who aided the perpetrators of the deadly attack during the operation. The hunt for the third terrorist is ongoing. (YWN Israel Desk Jerusalem) Israel transferred a message to Hamas on Wednesday demanding that hostage Arbel Yehud, 29, be released on Shabbos together with the four other female hostages. Hamas has refused to release Yehud in the first phase or provide information about her condition to Israel, claiming that she is held by terrorists from a Salafi organization linked to Islamic jihad. However, Israel is demanding that Hamas fulfill the conditions of the agreement, and ensure that Arbel, as a female hostage, is released together with the other female hostages. According to the ceasefire agreement, Hamas is expected to transfer two lists on Friday afternoon: the first the names of the four female hostages to be released on Shabbos, and the second a list of the status and condition of the remaining 26 hostages to be released in the first phase, including how many are alive. The number of terrorists that Israel will release will be determined based on this information. According to the agreement, the living civilians are supposed to be released first, and Israel is demanding full compliance in implementing the agreement. Yehud was kidnapped from Kibbutz Nir Oz, where she grew up. Her brother Dolev, Hyd, was murdered while defending the kibbutz on October 7. His remains werent found until eight months later on the kibbutz. (YWN Israel Desk Jerusalem) Delta Airlines is planning to resume flights to and from Israel on April 1, and could potentially push that timeline up, according to Globes. The airline had previously extended the suspension of its Israel operations until April 1, 2025 and confirmed Thursday that it will resume flights on that day. However, the recent return of major European carriers, including Lufthansa Group, Air France, British Airways, and easyJet, has increased speculation that U.S. airlines may follow suit and reinstate flights to Israel sooner. While Delta has allowed customers to book flights from Tel Aviv to New York starting in April, the absence of an official announcement specifying a resumption date has caused hesitation among travelers. Typically, airlines formally confirm the return of operations to Ben Gurion Airport to reassure consumers. Despite the lack of confirmation, the Israeli tourism industry is optimistic that Delta will resume its flights as scheduled in Aprilor possibly earlier. The optimism stems from both the wave of foreign carriers that have already resumed flights to Israel and political pressure in the United States. Senator Ted Cruz recently voiced confidence that U.S. airlines will restart flights to Israel within 30 days. In an interview, Cruz argued that the suspension of flights is more politically motivated than safety-driven. He attributed some of the delays to labor unions, including the flight attendants union, which he claimed has taken anti-Israeli stances. As the incoming chair of the Senate Commerce Committee, Cruz said he could take significant steps to expedite the restoration of flights, expressing confidence that the issue would be resolved by the end of February. Delta Airlines, prior to the outbreak of the October 7, 2023, war, operated 17 weekly flights between Tel Aviv and three U.S. cities: New York, Atlanta, and Boston. After initially resuming New York-Tel Aviv flights in May 2024 for a brief three-month period, Delta suspended operations again in August following growing tensions in northern Israel. Since then, Delta has continually extended the suspension of its flights. Delta is not alone in this disruption. United Airlines and American Airlines also suspended their Israel operations in October 2023. United briefly resumed flights in 2024 but later suspended them indefinitely, while American has not resumed its Israel flights at all. Unlike Delta, which has provided specific cancellation dates, United and American have left their suspensions open-ended. Before the war, the three U.S. airlines collectively operated 55 weekly flights between Tel Aviv and various U.S. destinations. (YWN World Headquarters NYC) A senior Israeli military officer, Maj. Gen. Oded Basiuk, was confronted by a journalist during an official visit to London yesterday. Basiuk, who serves as the head of the IDFs Operations Directorate, was approached outside a British security think tank near the UK Ministry of Defence headquarters. In a video shared by Declassified UK, a British investigative news outlet, journalist Alex Morris is seen attempting to question Basiuk. General Basiuk, what did you discuss with the MoD? Morris asked as he approached the IDF officer. Morris then escalated his questioning, asking, Are you worried about the ICC [International Criminal Court] investigating you for war crimes? and shouting, Are you a war criminal, General Basiuk? as the general entered the building without responding. The incident comes amid efforts by pro-Palestinian organizations to pursue criminal prosecution against Israeli military personnel abroad. (YWN World Headquarters NYC) Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has come to the defense of Tesla CEO Elon Musk as Democrats accuse him of performing a Nazi salute during a public event celebrating Donald Trumps inauguration as the 47th President of the United States. Netanyahu rejected the accusations against Musk, calling them a false smear. Elon is a great friend of Israel, Netanyahu said in a statement. He visited Israel after the October 7 massacre, in which Hamas terrorists committed the worst atrocity against the Jewish people since the Holocaust. He has since repeatedly and forcefully supported Israels right to defend itself against genocidal terrorists and regimes who seek to annihilate the one and only Jewish state. I thank him for this. Musk responded to Netanyahus support with a brief thank you on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter. The controversy arose on Monday during an event at the Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C., where Musk addressed a crowd of Trump supporters. After thanking the audience for what he described as a pivotal moment for human civilization, Musk made a series of gestures that Democrats dishonestly claimed resembled a Nazi salute. The sequence included slapping his hand on his chest and extending his arm at an angle with his fingers together. Responding to the backlash, Musk dismissed the accusations, saying, The radical leftists are really upset that they had to take time out of their busy day praising Hamas to call me a Nazi. Musks Wikipedia page was even updated to describe his gesture as a Nazi or fascist salute. Musk lashed out at Wikipedia, accusing the platform of being biased, and urged his supporters to defund Wikipedia until balance is restored. Wikipedia co-founder Jimmy Wales pushed back against Musks claims, stating, I think Elon is unhappy that Wikipedia is not for sale. I hope his campaign to defund us results in lots of donations from people who care about the truth. If Elon wanted to help, hed be encouraging kind and thoughtful intellectual people he agrees with to engage. (YWN World Headquarters NYC) On the night before October 7, an IDF intelligence unit gathered information indicating that Hamas was preparing to fire rockets at Israel and also observed unusual activity among Hamas aerial forces that indicated they were preparing for activity, Ynet reported on Thursday. These signs were discussed in IDF consultations in the following hours but no officials made a decision to raise alerts over a possible Hamas attack or cancel the Nova party which was being held with thousands of attendants in an open area near the Gaza border. Contrary to earlier reports, during these consultations, senior IDF officials had seriously considered the possibility that Hamas was about to launch an attack on Israel. Previous reports said that the IDF only considered the possibility that Hamas was preparing for a military exercise. At 2 a.m., Maj.-Gen. Yaron Finkelman, the commander of the IDFs Southern Command, who resigned from his position on Tuesday immediately after IDF Chief of Staff Herzi Levi announced his resignation, held a phone consultation with other senior officers, Shin Bet operatives, and an Air Force representative about warnings of unusual activity in Gaza. Finkelman said that there were three possibilities, the third being an assault. A summary of the Southern Commands consultations was delivered to the head of the IDF Operations Directorate, Gen. Oded Basyuk, who made several phone calls. After consulting the deputy head of Shin Bet, the commander of the Southern Command, the operations commander, and the intelligence research department chief, there are three possible scenarios, he wrote. A Hamas drill, increased preparedness to defend against an Israeli attack, preparations for an operation against Israel in the coming hours including an incursion from the sea or a strike on the gas rig, breaching the border, abductions, a widescale terror attack, rocket fire or an infiltration from the air. He ordered a limited number of actions, including a review of Israels aerial defenses around the gas rig but although he understood that there was a risk of a rocket attack or an unusual terror attack, the conclusion was that there must be careful preparation to protect sensitive sources and coordinate actions with military intelligence. Halevi held consultations with Basyuk and Finkelman at 4 a.m. and ordered an aerial intelligence flight over Gaza, saying that if Hamas was conducting a drill, it was an opportunity to gather information. Halevi then ended the consultation with the decision that barring significant developments, further consultations will be held at 8:30 a.m. All orders issued by Halevi and Finkelman were limited ones that protected intelligence sources and prevented Hamas from realizing Israel was aware of its unusual activities. An official close to the government said the Southern Command was aware of the Nova festival and had approved it. If the information, not about the assault but about possible rocket fire, didnt meet the standard to stop the party, what would have? At the time, a senior IDF officer recommended that the IDF at least end the party at Nova to protect the participants from possible rocket fire, saying that it wouldnt be the first party or concert that the Southern Command canceled. However, his warning went unheeded. Protecting sources was prioritized, a senior officer said. If someone would have thought that there was really a danger, preventing it would have been prioritized over any of the intelligence sources and thats why a limited group was involved in the discussions. The head of the IDFs military intelligence and the Commander of the Air Force did not participate in the discussion. IDF leaders decided to take only limited steps, choosing the avoidance of the exposure of sensitive intelligence sources over readiness. A source who participated in recent consultations called this revelation a nuclear bomb. Even if there were no other warning signs, such as the increase in activity of Hamas aerial forces and the activation of Israeli SIM cards, Hamass preparations to fire rockets at Israel alone should have been enough to cancel the Nova party, where the mobile shelters were inadequate to protect thousands of people. According to the report, this information was included in documents reviewed by senior government and security officials who presented them in their demands for the resignations of Halevi and Finkelman. (YWN Israel Desk Jerusalem) The Trump administrations appointment of Michael DiMino as deputy assistant secretary of defense for the Middle East has sparked widespread concern among pro-Israel conservatives, with critics pointing to his controversial views on Iran, Israel, and U.S. involvement in the region. DiMino, a former military analyst at the CIA and a Defense Department official under Trumps first term, recently served as a fellow at Defense Priorities, a think tank advocating for reduced U.S. engagement in the Middle East. His comments and policy stances have drawn sharp criticism for downplaying threats from Iran and its proxies and for opposing traditional U.S. military strategies in the region. In a February 2024 webinar, DiMino argued that the Middle East holds minimal strategic importance for the U.S., saying that vital threats in the region are minimal to nonexistent. He advocated for a significant reduction of U.S. military presence in Iraq, Syria, and the Gulf, instead promoting diplomacy and intelligence-led operations. Pro-Israel groups have expressed alarm at his remarks on Irans ballistic missile attacks on Israel, which he described as a fairly moderate response to Israeli actions. DiMino has repeatedly opposed military strikes on Iran, warning that such actions could provoke escalation. In April 2024, he praised President Bidens efforts to restrain Israel from striking Iranian nuclear sites, a stance many conservatives view as appeasement. DiMino has also been critical of U.S. military actions against Iranian-backed militias and the Houthis in Yemen, describing such strikes as futile. He has argued for increased diplomatic efforts and humanitarian aid rather than military intervention, often urging the U.S. to pressure Israel to modify its policies in Gaza and the West Bank. His views on regional security have further fueled concerns. In a policy paper, he dismissed U.S. interests in the Red Sea as negligible, suggesting that China, rather than the U.S., should address Houthi threats to shipping lanes. He has also criticized potential U.S. security guarantees to Saudi Arabia as part of a normalization deal with Israel, calling Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman an erratic figure. Critics within the administration and pro-Israel circles view DiMinos positions as inconsistent with President Trumps more hawkish approach to the region. A Republican congressional defense staffer described DiMinos views as diametrically opposed to Trumps policies, which emphasize a maximum pressure campaign against Iran and robust support for Israel. The appointment has drawn comparisons to Elbridge Colby, another Trump administration official whose stance on Iran has been criticized by conservatives. Both DiMino and Colby are seen as proponents of a more isolationist foreign policy, a perspective many fear will undermine U.S. commitments to its allies. This foreign policy is the same as Obamas foreign policy in the Middle East, said a former Trump administration official. We are at a point of choosing whether to allow Iran to become a nuclear weapons power, and people like DiMino dont see that as a threat. (YWN World Headquarter NYC) UN chief urges global collaboration to address mounting challenges Xinhua) 08:15, January 23, 2025 UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres speaks during the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting in Davos, Switzerland, on Jan. 22, 2025. (Xinhua/Lian Yi) At the World Economic Forum in Davos, UN chief Guterres on Wednesday called for global unity to address pressing challenges, including the climate crisis and geopolitical tensions. DAVOS, Switzerland, Jan. 22 (Xinhua) -- The United Nations (UN) chief on Wednesday issued a stark warning about the mounting challenges facing humanity, including the climate crisis and geopolitical divisions, and urged the global community to work together to tackle them. Addressing the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting in Davos, Switzerland, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said the world was confronting a "Pandora's box of troubles" and emphasized that collaboration is the key to addressing these challenges. He painted a dire picture of the climate emergency, likening humanity's dependence on fossil fuels to a "Frankenstein monster" that spares no one. "Our fossil fuel addiction is a Frankenstein monster, sparing nothing and no one. All around us, we see clear signs that the monster has become the master," he said. "Sea-level rise, heatwaves, floods, storms, droughts, and wildfires are just a preview of the horror movie to come." This photo taken on Jan. 20, 2025 shows the logo of the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, Switzerland. (Xinhua/Lian Yi) The UN chief urged governments to honor their promises by delivering new climate action plans ahead of the COP30 climate change conference in Brazil. He also called on financial institutions to support the energy transition in developing nations. Guterres turned his focus to artificial intelligence, acknowledging its potential to revolutionize sectors like healthcare, education, and crisis response. However, he cautioned against the risks posed by AI, including its potential to disrupt economies and labor markets. He called for urgent and unified action to address these challenges. "As a global community, we must live up to these great responsibilities, and let's do so by working as well in collaboration as the motto of the World Economic Forum." (Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun) SIGN UP FOR THE DAILY JWR UPDATE. IT'S FREE. (AND NO SPAM!) Just click here. TikTok users rejoice at the site's return from its 14-hour hiatus, curmudgeonly critics me included wonder whether President Donald Trump can really get around the congressional statute aimed at banning it. The short answer: Of course, he can. True, as a legal matter, a president can't simply suspend the operation of a duly enacted law. As a practical matter, however, Trump will stand in a long line of chief executives who have used prosecutorial discretion to achieve the same end. From the start, I've criticized the wordily named Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act, which was rushed through Congress last year on national security grounds. The statute, which we'll call PAFACA, was designed to force TikTok's Chinese parent company, ByteDance Ltd. , to sell the app to a U.S. purchaser. Absent such a sale, or a 90-day window in which a sale is being negotiated, the law imposes massive financial penalties on entities that "distribute, maintain, or update" TikTok such as by offering it in an app store or hosting its data on servers. Trump proposes freeing Big Tech from the potential fines, at least for now; companies that have distributed or maintained TikTok before are safely harbored if they resume. Which they have. Once more, the world is safe for videos of cooking, dancing, setting political commentary to music and engaging in various other activities best left unmentioned. Hooray for the First Amendment, down with protectionism, and so on. But how can this be? If Congress says those distributing and maintaining the popular app must pay $5,000 per user try calculating that how can the president say no, and the fines needn't be paid? Because of prosecutorial discretion, the all-but-unreviewable freedom of the Oval Office's occupant to decide which laws to enforce, when, and how. The authority might be inherent in the presidency; it has existed since the middle of the 19th century when Congress expressly granted the attorney general supervisory authority over U.S. attorneys. Forty years ago, the U.S. Supreme Court described the choice of whether to undertake prosecution as "a decision which has long been regarded as the special province of the Executive Branch, inasmuch as it is the Executive who the Constitution charges to "'take Care that the Laws be faithfully executed.'" The best-known recent example is President Barack Obama's use of the tool to protect the class of immigrants known as "Dreamers." He made this choice after Congress refused to enact legislation protecting them. The implementing rules expressly cited prosecutorial discretion as legal justification for Obama's action. Although a sharp debate broke out among scholars, and the courts soon got involved, the program, in its essence, survived the controversy. Back in the 1980s, the Supreme Court invoked prosecutorial discretion to explain why the federal government could choose to punish some of those who failed to register for the draft while ignoring others. Even President Joe Biden's effort to cancel certain student loan indebtedness has been defended as an exercise of prosecutorial discretion. The authority would seem broad enough to encompass Trump's decision to suspend fines for Big Tech temporarily under PAFACA. As the courts have repeatedly noted, the principal exception would be a case where the president's decision not to enforce a particular law violated the plaintiffs' constitutional rights. For example, should the government, under the guise of prosecutorial discretion, indict only Black but never White drug offenders, the courts could intervene. But even there, the burden is difficult to meet so difficult that one has trouble imagining a potential litigant who could plausibly assert that Trump's reinstatement of TikTok violates a constitutional right. (1) None of this is to say that Trump has the issue's merits right. Already, some are thundering anathema at the notion that Trump might use his temporary suspension order as a bargaining chip in negotiations with China on other matters. Others see the pause as purely partisan, an effort to further reduce Democrats' advantage among younger voters. And then there's the real worry that TikTok is, by design, even more addictive than other social media. However, such criticisms don't go to whether a president has the power to suspend the fines; they only go to whether Trump is exercising his discretion wisely. I'm not sure he is. My opposition to PAFACA rests in part on Congress' lack of sufficient fact-finding to show that China is hoovering up data from TikTok users and in part on my conviction that using an algorithm to curate content is a form of free speech (as Justice Gorsuch recently reminded us). Mainly, however, it's because I'd rather have people than the government choose apps. So why do I worry? Because recent chief executives have become far too comfortable at using prosecutorial discretion as a tool for willy-nilly rewriting statutes that otherwise seem crystal clear. Eventually, it becomes unnerving but that's a topic for another day. ____ (1) Some courts have also found standing for states to challenge presidential decisions not to enforce particular laws, but even there, the states had to show a substantial burden on their own resources as a result of the decision. ____ Wang Huning, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, extends festive greetings at a symposium with leaders of national religious groups ahead of the Chinese New Year on Jan. 23, 2025. (Xinhua/Yao Dawei) BEIJING, Jan. 23 (Xinhua) -- A senior official of the Communist Party of China (CPC) on Thursday delivered Spring Festival greetings to religious personages and believers nationwide. Wang Huning, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, extended festive greetings at a symposium with leaders of national religious groups ahead of the Chinese New Year. Speaking highly of the work of religious groups in 2024, Wang urged efforts to develop religions in the Chinese context, strengthen governance of religious affairs, and build active and healthy religious relations, in a bid to contribute to Chinese modernization. He stressed maintaining guidance of core socialist values and Chinese culture, and thus forming religious doctrines that are in line with China's national conditions step by step. Highlighting strengthening law-based religious affairs governance, Wang called for efforts to enhance self-education, self-management and self-restraint of religious circles. A 32-year-old resident of East Jerusalems Issawiya neighborhood was arrested last month on suspicion of maintaining contact with Hezbollah and other terror groups, according to a joint statement from Israel Police and Shin Bet. The suspect, whose name has not been released, was detained on December 25 and handed over to Shin Bet for questioning. Authorities allege that he had been in frequent communication with Hezbollah operatives over several years and was a member of an online group affiliated with the terror organization, called the Resistance Axis. Investigators say the suspect shared sensitive photographs of key sites and traveled to Jenin in the West Bank to meet with operatives from other terror groups, posing for photos with their weapons. The case is part of a broader pattern of recruitment efforts by Iran and Hezbollah to enlist Israeli residents for espionage and attacks. Recent months have seen several arrests and indictments related to these activities, including Jerusalem residents reportedly recruited via a Hezbollah operative using the alias Dania. The suspects indictment is expected soon. (YWN World Headquarters NYC) President Donald Trump is reportedly preparing to appoint his Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, to spearhead diplomatic negotiations with Iran. According to reports from The Financial Times and Axios, the move suggests Trump may prioritize diplomacy before increasing pressure on Tehran. Witkoff, a real estate mogul who played a key role in securing the recent ceasefire deal with Hamas, is expected to lead efforts to curb Irans nuclear program. This aligns with Trumps broader goal to reduce conflicts in the region, the FT reported. While the U.S. National Security Council has not confirmed the reports, a senior Republican staffer expressed concern, accusing Witkoff of easing pressure on groups like Hamas and Hezbollah, potentially endangering American interests and allies such as Israel. In recent interviews, Witkoff stressed his commitment to diplomacy, praising Qatars role in negotiating recent agreements and expressing optimism about fostering regional cooperation. During his first term, Trump imposed strict sanctions on Iran and withdrew from the 2015 nuclear deal. Following his re-election, he has signaled plans to renew a maximum pressure campaign, targeting Irans oil income while reiterating his opposition to Irans pursuit of nuclear weapons. Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu has expressed support for Trumps policies, saying they share a unified perspective on addressing the Iranian threat. (YWN World Headquarters NYC) Our community is heartbroken over the untimely passing of Bashya Schylander, a devoted wife, mother of four, and a talented designer and architect. Bashyas creativity and dedication were the backbone of her familys stability, both emotionally and financially. Her remarkable talent was reflected in her role as the designer of the state-of-the-art Miami Beach mikvah, and she also assisted in the construction of mikvaos around the worldleaving behind a lasting legacy of beauty and sanctity. After a long and courageous battle with illness, which carried significant expenses, Bashyas tragic loss leaves her husband and four young, unmarried childrenages 10, 13, 14, and 16facing an uncertain future filled with daunting challenges. These children, now without their beloved mothers guidance and care, need our support to secure their education, daily needs, and future life milestones, including the significant costs of weddings. The responsibility of helping them rebuild their lives is one we must share as a community. This campaign was launched to provide the family with the financial security they desperately need. All funds will be used to support the childrens well-being and future and will be overseen by an anash committee headed by Rabbi Leib Schapiro, ensuring every dollar is used responsibly. Click here to donate Let us honor Bashyas memory by stepping forward to support the family she loved so deeply. Your generosity will provide these children with hope, stability, and the knowledge that their community stands beside them in their greatest time of need. Click here to donate Thank you for your kindness and support. Have you had a problem with a company? Email helen.crane@thisismoney.co.uk In October, I signed up to a new Tesco Mobile contract which came with an iPhone 14 in black. The phone was set to be delivered by DPD, but on the scheduled day it attempted delivery and said no one was home. This wasn't the case. I live on a farm and six people including myself were working there that day. The next day, a DPD driver arrived and delivered the parcel - but when I opened it, it was an iPhone 15 in green. I called Tesco Mobile and it said I could keep the newer phone if I was happy with it. But when I removed it from the box I realised it was not a real phone, but a display model. All of the ports are moulded shut and it has no slot for a charger or sim card. I contacted Tesco Mobile customer service, but it insists the correct phone was delivered. It has now issued me with a deadlock letter. I'm tied into a two-year contract for the fake phone which costs 24.74 per month for the handset and 18.50 per month for the airtime. P.W, North Yorkshire Delivered a dupe: P.W ordered an iPhone - but received a pretend one in the post Helen Crane, This is Money's consumer champion replies: What a bizarre experience. You were expecting a brand-new iPhone 14 - worth 599 - but received a useless plastic brick. With a sticker for a screen and no working parts inside, it takes the concept of a 'dumb phone' to the next level. Bemused, you even took it into your local Tesco, and the assistant said that was the type of phone they were sent to put on display in store. I found these pretend iPhones for sale online, for about 10. They're advertised as being a childrens' toy, photography prop or for 'pranks' - but in my mind are obviously a gift to scammers. Neither Tesco nor DPD was able to tell me how this fake phone got into your package. It could have been mistakenly packed by Tesco, but equally it could have been swapped during the delivery process. It's sadly becoming more common to hear of delivery drivers or warehouse workers nicking the contents of parcels. They then stick any old item in there that weighs about the same, in order to convince the unsuspecting recipient to accept it on the doorstep. When you order something from a retailer online and it doesn't arrive or is damaged (or in your case replaced altogether) then it is the shop's responsibility to sort it out, not the parcel delivery company. 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 You contacted Tesco Mobile, but it insisted the real handset was packed and delivered on the first scheduled day. But if that was the case, why would DPD make another delivery there on the next day, when you were handed the dummy device? The DPD tracking records show a missed delivery on the first day, and then a successful one the day after. If you refused to pay the monthly bill, Tesco said you would be in breach of contract, so you felt forced to keep stumping up for the useless brick. After a couple of months with no luck persuading Tesco, you contacted me. Within two days of me speaking to Tesco Mobile and, you had received another phone delivery - a real one this time. You were also refunded for the two months of airtime and device payments you had made, totalling 86.48, and given a 50 gesture of goodwill. A Tesco Mobile spokesman said: 'Were really sorry this has happened, and weve spoken with [the customer] directly to resolve his issue. 'Were also completing an internal investigation to make sure this doesnt happen again.' DPD did not respond to a request for comment. Royal Mail left gadget under a VAN and it was stolen In August I bought a Nintendo Switch games console on Ebay for 65. It was delivered to my house by Royal Mail. Because I was out, the driver left it underneath a van (not mine) outside my house. The parcel was then stolen. The Ebay seller doesn't want to refund me. He says he sent the item as agreed and it wasn't his fault it was stolen. Mail fail: Royal Mail left S.K's console underneath a van, where it got nicked I tried to get my money back from Ebay itself under its money back guarantee, but it says that, as the tracking information showed the package was delivered, it is not liable. Royal Mail says it can't consider the claim unless I have a receipt for the postage - which I don't as I was the recipient, not the sender. I asked the Ebay seller but he isn't replying to my messages any more. I'm at an impasse. What should I do? S.K Helen Crane replies: I'm sorry to hear your Switch was swiped. Reselling sites like Ebay, Vinted and Depop are great for getting bargains and reducing waste. But if you buy something from an individual and not a company and something goes awry, it can be much harder to get your cash back. On the one hand, I understand the Ebay seller's lack of action, as none of this was his fault - but getting back to you about the proof of postage would be the decent thing to do. I contacted Ebay and Royal Mail to see if there was any way you could claim your cash back for the console. An Ebay spokesman said: 'We understand [the customer's] frustration, however incidents where items are stolen after delivery are not covered under our UK policy. We recommend buyers contact the delivery company to resolve such issues.' Ebay also said its money back guarantee offers protection to buyers for 30 days from the estimated delivery date. You made your claim outside that time, so it would not be accepted. I then contacted Royal Mail. It confirmed that it would need a certificate of posting (in this case, the sender's receipt) to consider a claim. 'Usually, the process is the customer will submit a claim to the sender, who will then submit a claim to us. However we will deal with the recipient if they can provide us with what we need,' a spokesperson said. 'Alternatively, if the customer can provide us with something from the seller which says they're unwilling to put in a claim to us then we can look into that.' In cases where parcels are not stolen or lost but are damaged, recipients can use the packaging with the postmark on, according to Citizens Advice. Royal Mail added that there are limits on compensation depending on the level of service used. In your case the parcel was sent with a standard first class post, so the maximum is 20 -far less than the 65 cost of the console. Sadly, it seems your only option is to continue badgering that Ebay seller to either give you proof of postage, or a note saying he won't make a claim, so that Royal Mail will consider it. Those who buy and sell online may also wish to note that using Royal Mail's Tracked 24 or Tracked 48 service - although more expensive - offers compensation up to 150 if the item is lost. Editor's note: The era of drones is on the horizon. Some say it is already becoming reality in China, thanks to the rapid rise of "low-altitude economy" and great affordability of Chinese-made drones. Xinhua hereby presents a series of three stories to shed light on the "drone revolution" in China, and how it will redefine everything from disaster response to rural employment. The following is the second piece about drones' contribution to China's disaster response and human rights protection. BEIJING, Jan. 23 (Xinhua) -- After a 6.8-magnitude earthquake struck southwest China's Xizang earlier this month, two categories of drones were among the first "rescuers" to arrive at the epicenter. While Wing Loong-2H, a large fixed-wing unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), flew over a vast expanse of hard-to-access areas in search of toppled houses and trapped people, smaller multi-rotor drones were activated to conduct dragnet searches, deliver supplies and shine torchlight to assist overnight rescue efforts. The rescue operation saw 407 trapped individuals taken to safety within 24 hours after the quake occurred on the morning of Jan. 7. In total, this earthquake killed 126 people and left 337 others injured. This was the latest instance of China's massive deployment of UAVs in response to a disaster or other dangerous situations -- an initiative praised both for saving lives and protecting rescuers from harm. "In the past, when emergencies like earthquakes and landslides occurred, we power company workers needed to set up lighting to facilitate nighttime rescue operations, which required arranging wires, erecting poles and hanging emergency lights. The entire process took 1 to 2 hours," said Wang Xia, an engineer with the power supply company of the city of Qianjiang in central China. "Now, however, we only need to fly a portable drone equipped with lights. This buys precious time for the rescue," Wang added. The UAV has made a name for itself in serving China's earthquake rescue efforts since the devastating Wenchuan earthquake of 2008, when drones sent back precious images of quake-hit areas. Technological advances in recent years, combined with falling prices, have resulted in the wider use of UAVs in emergency scenarios. According to the National Fire and Rescue Administration, Chinese fire fighters have been equipped with 14,586 UAVs, including fixed-wing drones and multi-rotor drones, which have played an "irreplaceable role" in response to wildfires, flooding, earthquakes and other geological disasters. One key opening the way for their large-scale deployment is China's mature industrial chain for drone components and software, which has significantly brought down drone prices, said Li Zhenxing, secretary-general of the low-altitude economy association of the city of Nanning in south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. The takeoff of China's low-altitude economy has also endowed drones with more powerful AI algorithms and a wider range of supportive devices -- enabling them to perform tasks including dropping fire-extinguishing bombs and tossing life buoys to people in danger of drowning, Li added. In September last year, when Super Typhoon Yagi unleashed floods in Nanning, enterprises under Li's association sent 38 drones, equipped with high-definition cameras and infrared thermal imagers, to patrol river bands and search for trapped people. During China's flood season this summer, the domestically-developed Wing Loong-2H has also served as an airborne communication base, providing signals for an area of about 2,700 square km during its three-day mission in a flood-stricken county in Sichuan Province, according to the Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC). New UAV technologies also featured in high-rise fire drills in several Chinese cities in 2024. A drone developed by a Chongqing-based company demonstrated its ability to spray foam and break windows at a height of 200 meters, while navigating turbulent airflow near the blaze. PUTTING HUMANS IN CONTROL ROOMS In addition to helping with emergencies, these devices are liberating Chinese workers from grinding labor and dangerous tasks -- putting them in safer control and monitoring positions instead. UAV inspection and maintenance of the grid, for instance, has become the norm in many mountainous Chinese provinces. In northwest China's Gansu Province, a fleet of 1,047 drones has replaced humans in conducting patrols of all the power transmission lines of 110 kilovolts or above. UAV inspections now also cover all electric lines of 35 kilovolts or above in southwest China's Yunnan Province, where most of the lines are located in out-of-the-way mountains. "Grid failures are often caused by flying objects like plastic bags, kites and balloons. To remove them we used to have to climb high, putting us at risk of both falling and electrocution," Wang said. "Now we operate drones, equipped with fire-breathing devices or robotic arms, to do these jobs." Wang's team of five workers is responsible for the inspection and maintenance of 686 kilometers of lines in Qianjiang. As many grid poles are located far from main roads, Wang used to have to walk several miles a day in an area where temperatures shoot to above 40 degrees Celsius in summer. Since 2020, the city of Qianjiang has equipped each rural power supply station with at least one drone, which has made human patrols a thing of the past, while also achieving a four-fold improvement in efficiency. "To be clear, we have not reduced recruitment or fired people since using drones, because we were severely understaffed in the first place," Wang said. "Now, instead of trekking in mountains, we can sit comfortably in control rooms and monitor patrolling drones." A British vlogger visits a tech company in Guangzhou to experience China's business innovation and share stories of Greater Bay Area companies going global. Gardai have arrested a man following the attempted armed robbery of a retail premises on Military Road, Dublin 8 earlier this evening, Wednesday, January 22. At approximately 6:55pm a masked male entered the premises armed with a firearm and demanded money. Two plainclothes members of the Garda National Bureau of Criminal Investigation (GNBCI) a male and a female were present in the store at the time. The male Detective Garda became aware of the ongoing attempted armed robbery and challenged the masked male. The Detective Garda identified himself and was threatened by the masked male with the firearm. A physical struggle ensued and the member was assisted by his female Detective Garda colleague, disarming and restraining the male. The two Garda members were also assisted by a member of the public in the shop. Shortly after, local Divisional resources responded to the incident and Gardai from the Divisional Detective Unit from Kilmainham Garda Station formally arrested the male. The male, aged in his 40s, was taken to a Garda Station in Dublin where he is currently detained under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act, 1984. A firearm that is believed to be a replica has been seized and a ballistic examination will be conducted to determine its status under Irish legislation. Investigations are ongoing. The wholly suspended sentence imposed on former soldier Cathal Crotty, who beat Natasha O'Brien unconscious on a public street in Limerick city after she asked him to stop shouting homophobic abuse, sends out the wrong message regarding society's attitude towards such crimes, the Director of Public Prosecutions has argued. In an application to overturn the original sentence against Crotty, 22, on the grounds that it is unduly lenient, Lily Buckley bl told the Court of Appeal that a prison sentence is required to deter others who might consider committing similar crimes. Addressing the court this Thursday morning, Ms Buckley said the DPP has no issue with the sentencing judge setting a headline sentence of four years for the assault. However, the director is of the view that the decision to reduce that to three years, fully suspended, gave too much weight to the mitigating factors in the case. READ ALSO: Irish Rail issue bizarre warning to trampoline owners on the eve of 'historic' Storm Eowyn The sentencing judge, the now retired Judge Tom O'Donnell, identified Crotty's guilty plea, good service record in the army, and lack of previous convictions as mitigating factors. Ms Buckley said the judge also appeared to place significant weight on the fact that Crotty was likely to lose his job as a result of his conviction. Ms Buckley pointed out that Crotty is not married and has no dependents, submitting that the judge had placed excessive weight on the likely job-loss. The Court of Appeal has viewed CCTV footage of the assault before Crotty's lawyers will be given a chance to respond to the DPP's submissions. The Crotty case prompted a public and political outcry in July last year after it emerged that Crotty had assaulted Ms O'Brien on a street in Limerick city on May 29, 2022 after she heard him call someone a "faggot" and asked him to stop shouting homophobic abuse. He then verbally abused Ms O'Brien using the same word before carrying out the assault. Crotty initially lied to gardai, telling them he had been attacked first, but changed his story when confronted with CCTV. Hours after the attack Crotty, who was a serving member of the Defence Forces at the time, boasted on Snapchat: Two to put her down, two to put her out, in reference to striking Ms OBrien. He was discharged from the army in July. Crotty, from Ardnacrusha, Co Clare, was aged 20 at the time of the assault. In June 2023, Judge ODonnell, sitting at Limerick Circuit Criminal Court, imposed a suspended three-year term on Crotty and ordered him to pay 3,000 compensation to Ms OBrien. The hearing before the three-judge Court of Appeal is continuing this afternoon. The Court of Appeal has overturned the fully suspended sentence handed down to former soldier Cathal Crotty and jailed him for two years for assaulting a woman in a random attack. Crotty, with an address at Parkroe Heights, Ardnacrusha, Co Clare, pleaded guilty to assaulting Natasha OBrien in Limerick in 2022. Crotty had walked free from court after being given a three-year suspended sentence for the attack in a case that prompted protests across Ireland and put pressure on the Irish Government to tackle violence against women. Crotty was discharged from the Defence Forces in July last year. The sentence handed down sparked nationwide protests and TDs on all sides of the House gave her a standing ovation when she appeared in the Dail in June. On Thursday, Ms Justice Isobel Kennedy said the sentencing judge gave undue weight to mitigating factors in the case. He was sentenced to three years in prison, with the final 12 months suspended. He will also pay Ms OBrien 3,000 euro in compensation. Met Eireann has issued a total of eight Status Red weather warnings for all of Ireland that come into effect at various times from tonight through Friday. Red weather warnings are extremely dangerous and destructive and pose a danger to life. Met Eireann warns that gale to storm force southerly winds will become westerly with extreme, damaging and destructive gusts in excess of 130km/h Met Eireann warns that impacts of Storm Eowyn are: Danger to life; Extremely dangerous travelling conditions; Unsafe working conditions; Disruption and cancellations to transport; Many fallen trees; Significant and widespread power outages; Impacts to communications networks; Cancellation of event; Structural damage; Wave overtopping; Coastal flooding in low-lying and exposed areas As of 9am on Thursday, there are eight Status Red weather warnings in place from Met Eireann. There is also a Status Orange wind warning for all of Ireland from midnight until 4pm on Friday. The Status Red weather warnings are as follows. A Status Red wind warning for Carlow, Kilkenny, Wexford, Cork, Kerry, Limerick and Waterford from 2am on Friday until 10am on Friday. A Status Red wind Warning for Clare and Galway from 3am on Friday until 11am on Friday A Status Red wind warning for Leitrim, Mayo and Sligo from 4am on Friday until 12 noon on Friday. A Status Red wind warning for Cavan, Monaghan, Dublin, Kildare, Laois, Longford, Louth, Meath, Offaly, Westmeath, Wicklow, Roscommon and Tipperary from 6am on Friday until 11am on Friday. A Status Red wind warning for Donegal from 7am on Friday until 2pm on Friday. A Status Red storm warning from Valentia to Erris Head to Fair Head and on the Irish Sea from midnight until 2pm on Friday. A Status Red storm warning from Fair Head to Wicklow Head to Valentia and on the Irish Sea from midnight until 2pm on Friday. Status Red - storm warning from Rossan Point to Malin Head to Strangford Lough and on the Irish Sea North of Isle of Man from 2pm on Friday until 7pm on Friday BUDAPEST, Jan. 23 (Xinhua) -- At least 20 schools in Budapest and surrounding areas were evacuated on Thursday morning due to bomb threats, Hungarian local media reported. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban said he is on a "Hotline" with the interior minister over bomb threats received by multiple schools across Hungary Thursday morning. "We will strengthen the security of the schools in question and investigate the background of the bomb threats," Orban said on Facebook. The head of the Prime Minister's Office Gergely Gulyas said that 29 schools in Budapest and one in Hodmezovasarhely received bomb threats early in the morning. All the schools received the same message, in which the writer, expressed a desire to take revenge on the recipients, Gulyas said. Gulyas also said that police have launched an investigation for making threats to public safety. The Hungarian police are in contact with Slovak authorities, as a similar series of mass bomb threats occurred in Slovakia a few years ago. No actual bombs were found in those cases. Here's the deal . . . Immigration raids on schools are unlikely and even the most hardcore MAGA officials have demurred on this topic . . . Basically, only online trolls want the Feds to go after youngster students. However . . . Things could change: Guardian: Trump says immigration authorities can arrest people at churches and schools Amid widespread fear . . . A local school District is offering a fact check and a milquetoast statements to parents and community . . . Check-it: A letter the Olathe School District sent to parents and staff on Wednesday stating, our administration is fully aware of the executive action and is actively reviewing the changes to understand their implications for our district. The school district said it is awaiting further guidance from the Kansas Department of Education, which is expected to come out Thursday. The letter goes on to say, the safety and well-being of our students remain our highest priority. While these changes are being analyzed, our focus will continue to be on protecting and supporting our students and families. We appreciate your patience and understanding as we work through these developments. Read more via www.TonysKansasCity.com link . . . Right now across the metro there are quite a few online "news" outlets claiming that local immigration raids are underway. Reality check . . . Kansas City metro immigration enforcement is constant along with frequent sweeps that have been increasing since late last year. However . . . We won't deny that more agents making detentions is not only a possibility but likely. "Update from a Jackson County legislator Manny Abarca . . . "Call, email or text my office. "This President has already threatened locally elected officials, likely violating our duty and constitutional rights, but I want to know whats going on." Oooooops . . . Almost forget the red text for dramatic effect . . . LA MIGRA FEAR SWEEPS KANSAS CITY METRO!!! Now, some of the "reporting" is straight up GARBAGE . . . Already we've seen a few panicked posts about door-to-door sweeps and that's just categorically untrue . . . Let's not forget that a bunch of social media hacks are attempting to spin this story into clicks for clout and a few coins. In any event, here's one of many notes that so many locals across the metro are putting on blast . . . "ICE Agents have been spotted in Olathe Kansas. If you are certain you will not be targeted please record what encounters your see, information during these troubling times is important. Review what rights you have and reach out to community members you trust." Here's more via www.TonysKansasCity.com from Lawrence Food Not Bombs . . . One of many organizations putting this online word on blast . . . This is the advice that a lot of locals are sharing: Developing . . . Close Save asset to your list Please log in to use this feature Log In or Sign Up ABU DHABI, Jan. 23 (Xinhua) -- Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, deputy prime minister and minister of foreign affairs of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), held a phone conversation on Thursday with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio on strategic ties between the two countries. Sheikh Abdullah "expressed his eagerness to work with Rubio to enhance the friendship and strategic partnership between the UAE and the U.S., contributing to regional and international peace and security," the UAE's foreign ministry said in a statement. He and Rubio also "reviewed regional and global developments and efforts to combat extremism and hatred, promote tolerance and co-existence, and support worldwide peace, stability and development," the ministry said. Following the phone talks, the U.S. Department of State issued a press release, saying that the two officials discussed "the importance of the U.S.-UAE partnership for peace and stability in the region," as well as "the ceasefire agreement in Gaza, the release of the hostages, and humanitarian aid for Gaza." The two sides committed to elevate bilateral ties and work together on shared opportunities and to counter common threats, it said, adding that Rubio reiterated the need to continue implementation of the Gaza ceasefire deal. KHARTOUM, Jan. 23 (Xinhua) -- Sudan's government and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) traded accusations on Thursday over a fire at the Khartoum oil refinery, a key piece of infrastructure that has been under RSF control since fighting erupted in April. Information Minister Khalid Ali Aleisir said in a statement the RSF had "set fire to the Khartoum (Oil) Refinery in Al-Jaili," north of the capital, calling it part of "a series of systematic criminal acts aimed at destroying vital facilities." He listed previous alleged RSF targets including water and electricity stations, dams, hospitals, homes, government institutions, museums, schools, universities and other infrastructure. "This is a blatant violation of international humanitarian law and the Geneva Conventions," Aleisir said, adding the government would rebuild and continue efforts "to eradicate this rebellious group from Sudan." He also called for the international community to classify the RSF, its members and supporters as terrorist entities. The RSF countered, saying the army launched airstrikes on the refinery. "The ongoing aerial bombardment of the refinery, the latest of which was this morning, which led to its destruction, represents a full-fledged war crime," the RSF said in a statement. The Khartoum refinery, the country's largest, was built in the 1990s and is located in the Al-Jaili area, approximately 70 km north of Khartoum. It has a capacity of 100,000 barrels per day, supplying a significant portion of Sudan's fuel needs. Its strategic importance has made it a key battleground in the ongoing conflict. The fighting between the Sudanese army and the RSF began in mid-April 2023, escalating from a power struggle between the two military factions. The conflict has caused a severe humanitarian crisis, killing nearly 30,000 people and displacing more than 15 million, according to figures from international organizations, though accurate counts are difficult to obtain amid the ongoing violence. The conflict has also disrupted essential services, including healthcare, water, and electricity, and crippled the country's economy. LIBREVILLE, Jan. 23 (Xinhua) -- Gabon's Energy Minister and government spokesperson Seraphin Akure-Davin announced late Wednesday that the central African country's presidential election will take place on April 12. The electoral college will be convened for the announced date, with voting taking place in accordance with regulations in force, he said while reading the final communique from the Council of Ministers, chaired by President Brice Clotaire Oligui Nguema. As of now, no one has officially declared candidacy for president. According to the new constitution adopted in November 2024, Gabon will implement a presidential system, abolishing the position of prime minister. The presidential term is set at seven years, with a limit of one re-election. On Aug. 30, 2023, Gabon announced that Ali Bongo had been re-elected in the presidential election held on Aug. 26. Shortly afterward, members of the military, on behalf of the Committee for the Transition and Restoration of Institutions (CTRI) established by them, declared the annulment of the election results, claiming they had seized power and dissolved state institutions. Nguema, commander-in-chief of the Gabonese Republican Guard, was subsequently appointed as head of the CTRI and the transitional president of Gabon. In November of the same year, the CTRI announced plans to hold a referendum on the new constitution by the end of 2024 and to organize general elections in August 2025. Visiting writers series announces spring 2025 events UAF College of Liberal Arts photo by Sarah Manriquez. At left, Daryl Farmer, professor of English and director of the Midnight Sun Visiting Writers Series, interviews Leigh Newman, a National Book Award-honored author, on Friday, Oct. 25, 2024, in Schaible Auditorium. Authors from Alaska and beyond will share their works as part of the Midnight Sun Visiting Writers Series through April at the University of Alaska Fairbanks. The spring 2025 events begin with the Solstice Poetry Cycle, featuring readings by more than 30 local poets on Jan. 30 from 7-8:30 p.m. at UAFs Salisbury Theatre. Subsequent events with featured writers include evening public readings and afternoon book club meetings and craft talks. Featured authors include Joy Castro, Brook McClurg (at events March 28, April 3 and 4) and Annie Wenstrup (April 11, 17 and 18). UAF alumni Sean Enfield, Zack Medlin and H. Warren also will participate jointly (Feb. 14, 20 and 21). The series, established in the early 1970s, is sponsored by the UAF Department of English. The events are open to the public and can be attended in person or online. Organizers ask for pay-what-you-can donations at the door for the Solstice Poetry Cycle, but all other events are free. Below is the full schedule for the spring 2025 semester: Jan. 30 Solstice Poetry Cycle, 7 p.m., Salisbury Theatre Feb. 14 Book club: Sean Enfield, Zack Medlin and H. Warren, 3 p.m., Student Success Center, Rasmuson Library Feb. 20 Public reading: Enfield, Medlin and Warren, 7 p.m., UA Museum of the North Feb. 21 Craft talk: Enfield, Medlin and Warren, 3 p.m., Student Success Center, Rasmuson Library March 28 Book club: Brook McClurg, 3 p.m., Student Success Center, Rasmuson Library April 3 Public reading: Joy Castro and Brook McClurg, 7 p.m., UA Museum of the North April 4 Craft talk: Castro and McClurg, 3 p.m., Student Success Center, Rasmuson Library April 11 Book club: Annie Wenstrup, 3 p.m., Student Success Center, Rasmuson Library April 17 Public reading: Wenstrup, 7 p.m., UA Museum of the North April 18 Craft talk: Wenstrup, 3 p.m., Student Success Center, Rasmuson Library For more information, visit the Midnight Visiting Writers Series website. ADDITIONAL CONTACT: Daryl Farmer, program director and professor of English, dlfarmer@alaska.edu 156-25 CANBERRA, Jan. 23 (Xinhua) -- Australia's Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has announced extra funding for the nation's green bank to boost investment in clean energy projects. Albanese and Chris Bowen, minister for climate change and energy, said on Thursday that the federal government has directed an extra 2 billion Australian dollars (1.25 billion U.S. dollars) to the Clean Energy Finance Corporation (CEFC). They said in a joint statement that the additional investment would unlock an estimated 6 billion AUD (3.76 billion USD) worth of private sector investment in decarbonization projects, supporting jobs, economic growth and energy security. "We are building Australia's future, not taking Australia backward," Albanese said. The CEFC was established in 2012 with an initial 10 billion AUD (6.27 billion USD) in funding to invest in economy-wide decarbonization opportunities on behalf of the government. According to the government, it is the world's largest dedicated green bank. Bowen said on Thursday that there are "big opportunities and big benefits" for Australia in the global green energy transition so long as the country acts immediately. "We're getting on with the changes needed to make the most of Australia's natural comparative advantage, having some of the best sun, wind, and critical mineral resources in the world," he said. The CEFC's investments have delivered estimated greenhouse gas emissions savings of over 160 million tons. The new funding announcement was made as part of an ongoing pre-election campaign blitz from Albanese. Australia's general election, in which climate change and energy policies are expected to be key issues, must be held by May. Welcome Guest! You are here: Home Fact finding team finds widespread police brutality in Prabhani A fact finding team in its report found widespread police brutality and administrative lapses following the riots in Prabhani, Maharashtra in December last Thursday January 23, 2025 11:16 PM , ummid.com News Network Mumbai: A fact finding team in its report found widespread police brutality and administrative lapses following the riots in Prabhani, Maharashtra in December last. Violence had erupted in Prabhani December 11, 2024 following the desecration of the Indian Constitution replica installed in front of the statue of Dr BR Ambedkar a day before. The Fact-Finding Team, led by Adv. Abhay Taksal (CPI), Adv. Pawan Jondhale, Sudhir Salve, Comrade Vikas Gaikwad, Comrade Pritam Ghagave, and Rahul Pradhan, visited Prabhani and conducted interviews with victims, eyewitnesses, and local authorities. "Unfettered Police Brutalities: PARBHANI" The team in its report documented the harrowing accounts of police combing operations in Dalit-majority areas like Bhim Nagar, Priyadarshini Nagar, and Sarang Nagar of the city. Residents reported police breaking into homes, assaulting men and women, including minors and elderly individuals, and using caste-based slurs, the fact finding team, guided by Human Rights Activist Teesta Setalvad, Secretary Citizens for Justice & Peace or (CJP), and Journalist and Poet Raju Parulekar, said in its report. Women recounted instances of extreme violence, including injuries on their private parts, and detainees were allegedly tortured in custody with blows to their feet and palms to conceal visible injuries, the fact finding report on Prabhani violence said. The brute violence and unchecked brutalities displayed by police during the beatings of women and the young in their homes during the combing operations and after that in custody have violated all laws and statutes including directions by the Supreme Court on police conduct towards those in custody, the fact finding team said in its report titled "Unfettered Police Brutalities in PARBHANI". "Administrative Lapses" Claiming administrative lapses, the fact finding team in its report said that prior to the desecration, an event was organised by a far-right Hindutva gorup near the area of incident during which incendiary speeches were made. The report said that the administration allowed the Hindu Ekta Morcha - an outfit with with a history of inviting speakers who make incendiary speeches that violate the law and breach social peace, to proceed with its event without adequate preventive measures. "No steps, such as videography of speeches or imposition of Section 144 of the CrPC (163 pf the BNSS), were taken to avoid unrest, the fact finding team said. The police also failed to investigate the role of Datta Sopan Pawar, who desecrated the Constitution replica and was swiftly declared mentally deranged without a formal psychiatric assessment", the fact finding team said. "March to Mumbai" Meanwhile, a long march has been organised from Maharashtras Parbhani district, seeking justice for Somnath Suryawanshi, who died in judicial custody days after violence erupted in Parbhani. The march reached Watur village in Partur Taluka in the States Jalna District on Wednesday January 22, 2025, with hundreds of people joining them to reach Mumbai. After Jalna, the rally will move towards Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar (Aurangabad) district. The long march, started on January 17, will end in Mumbai on February 18. 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 Stargate: Trump announces $500bn AI project, Musk skeptical U.S. President Donald Trump Wednesday January 22, 2025 announced the launch of $500 billion AI project even as X CEO Elon Musk doubted its viability Thursday January 23, 2025 9:43 PM , ummid.com News Network [Team 'Stargate' posing outside White House Wednesday January 22, 2025.] Washington: U.S. President Donald Trump Wednesday January 22, 2025 announced the launch of $500 billion AI project even as X CEO Elon Musk doubted its viability. The tech giants who will lead, what is billed as the worlds AI largest project, include OpenAI founder Sam Altman, Oracle Chairman Larry Ellison, and SoftBank CEO Masayoshi Son. U.S. President Donald Trump Wednesday January 22, 2025 announced the launch of "Stargate" - $500 billion AI project even as X CEO Elon Musk doubted its viability. pic.twitter.com/rSC4CiDMJs ummid.com (@ummid) January 23, 2025 Addressing a specially convened press conference to announce the Stargate launch at White House, Trump said this will be "the largest AI infrastructure project in history", with an investment of "at least $500 billion", of which the first installment will be $100 billion. Trump said Stargate will build the physical and virtual infrastructure to power the next generation of AI. Addressing the press, Oracle Chairman Larry Ellison said Stargate's first one-million square-feet data centre is already under construction in Texas. Initial equity funders Graphics giant Nvidia is also reportedly in talks over a possible partnership in the project though it is yet to publicly make any confirmation. "Arm, Microsoft, NVIDIA, Oracle, and OpenAI are the key initial technology partners", OpenAI said. The initial equity funders in Stargate are SoftBank, OpenAI, Oracle, and MGX. "SoftBank and OpenAI are the lead partners for Stargate, with SoftBank having financial responsibility and OpenAI having operational responsibility", OpenAI said. SoftBank CEO Masayoshi Son will be the Chairman of the Stargate project. Targets The Stargate Project intends to invest $500 billion over the next four years building new AI infrastructure for OpenAI in the United States, and the first and immediate investment will be $100 billion. "This infrastructure will secure American leadership in AI, create hundreds of thousands of American jobs, and generate massive economic benefit for the entire world", OpenAI said. "This project will not only support the re-industrialization of the United States but also provide a strategic capability to protect the national security of America and its allies", the ChatGPT maker said. "As part of Stargate, Oracle, NVIDIA, and OpenAI will closely collaborate to build and operate this computing system. This builds on a deep collaboration between OpenAI and NVIDIA going back to 2016 and a newer partnership between OpenAI and Oracle", Microsoft funded AI giant said. "This also builds on the existing OpenAI partnership with Microsoft. OpenAI will continue to increase its consumption of Azure as OpenAI continues its work with Microsoft with this additional compute to train leading models and deliver great products and services", the company said. Musk unconvinced Doubting the viability of the project, Elon Musk said, "I don't trust Sam Altman, and I don't think we want the most powerful AI in the world controlled by someone who's not trustworthy." Elon Musk further said, "They dont actually have the money. SoftBank has well under $10B secured. I have that on good authority." Elon Musk's comments are important as he has emerged as one of the key advisers of Trump since the 2024 U.S. Elections. Portia Kersten, CFO to startups in Silicon Valley and Ohio State University and Columbia Business School alumna, highlighting the faultline said, "Is this a joke? Altman is a known bad actor and OpenAIs balance sheet is anemic. And, Mr. SoftBank lost billions in the WeWork scam making it questionable that they can raise huge sums necessary. "Also, what value does antiquated Oracle bring? I hope theres a plan B or some actual plan that involves Elon Musk and X AI", she added. Follow ummid.com WhatsApp Channel for all the latest updates. Select Language To Read in Urdu, Hindi, Marathi or Arabic. TEHRAN, Jan. 23 (Xinhua) -- Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi on Thursday reiterated Iran's "longstanding" and "clear" commitment to global nuclear non-proliferation. "Iran signed, in 1968, the NPT (the Non-Proliferation Treaty) as a founding member. Iran's Supreme Leader (Ali Khamenei) has issued a religious edict outlawing all WMDs (weapons of mass destruction)," Araghchi wrote on social media platform X. Iran signed a nuclear deal, formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), in 2015, which "imposed the most intrusive inspection regime in IAEA history" and which stated "Iran reaffirms that under no circumstances will Iran ever seek, develop or acquire any nuclear weapons," he wrote. "This is a permanent and clear commitment which Iran has remained committed to -- even after the U.S. unilaterally withdrew from the deal in 2018," he wrote. Araghchi's remarks came as UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said Wednesday at the World Economic Forum in Davos that he hopes "the Iranians understand that it is important to once and for all make it clear that they will renounce to have nuclear weapons." 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. BEIJING, Jan. 23 (Xinhua) -- China's public offering fund sector has maintained a stable development trend in recent years, with further measures set to boost the development of this sector in 2025, an official said at a press conference on Thursday. Assets under the management of China's public offering funds rose to 33 trillion yuan (about 4.6 trillion U.S. dollars) by the end of 2024 from 13 trillion yuan in 2019, according to Wu Qing, chairman of the China Securities Regulatory Commission. In 2025, the sales fees of public offering funds would be further slashed, saving a total of 45 billion yuan annually for investors, Wu told the press conference held by the State Council Information Office. The University of Sydney is limiting protest and political expressions on campus with a new draft of policies that earned them pushback from students. While not entirely a ban, the university students will now need permission to display banners and restrict sending bulk political emails by staff unless they have first expressed interest in the subject matter. Those opposed see these measures as a further escalation of the "draconian" protest rules that were brought into place in 2024. Revisions follow recommendations from the Hodgkinson review, conducted after the university dissolved a pro-Palestine encampment, per The Guardian. Among the proposed rules are forbidding students to address classes on topics outside the course syllabus, setting tight rules about posters, and potentially introducing a "civility rule" that could help clear up contentious language in speeches. All of this will help find the right balance between free speech and safety and well-being, officials say. Read more: Chinese Students Rethink Australian Degrees Amid Visa Cap Concerns University of Sydney Hit with Critics After Plans to Limit Campus Activism However, critics see the policies as authoritarian, right after the drafts were released, according to City Hub Sydney. History lecturer David Brophy said that they were more restrictive than the Australian law allows and that they would "chill activism on campus and in society." Angus Fisher, the SRC president, pointed out that the policies threaten the university's rich activist history, which boasts such notable alumni as Australia's current prime minister. The Greens' spokesperson on higher education, Senator Mehreen Faruqi, stated that the reforms were worse than last year's measures. There is widespread fear that these reforms would severely check the freedom of speech and political participation on campus by students and staff who have identified the university as a free and open space. For now, the university officials are currently consulting with the staff and students to get feedback on the proposed policies, with a submission deadline of February 13. According to Acting Vice-Chancellor Prof. Annamarie Jagose, the free speech and academic freedom should be preserved while maintaining the inclusivity and safety of the campus. BUDAPEST, Jan. 23 (Xinhua) -- Hungarian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Peter Szijjarto said on Thursday that Hungary welcomes the Middle East ceasefire between Israel and Hamas and has the keen interest in fully implementing a Gaza ceasefire agreement, "Hungary welcomes and highly appreciates the agreement that led to a ceasefire and hostage agreement between Israel and Hamas," Szijjarto said during a joint press conference with his Israeli counterpart Gideon Sa'ar who is in Hungary on its first official visit. The agreement has significantly improved the security situation not only "in Europe, but in the whole world," Szijjarto said. "We hope that this ceasefire and prisoner exchange agreement will create the basis for the return of our Hungarian citizen who is still held captive by Hamas," Szijjarta said. Sa'ar echoed Szijjarto's sentiments, highlighting the importance of the agreement in stabilizing the region. He also expressed gratitude for Hungary's support of Israel in the international arena. Both ministers underscored the importance of continued cooperation between the two countries, particularly in light of the complex security situation in the Middle East. College students are no longer seeing personal finance as an optional college course. At the University of Maryland, Gen Z students scramble to get into finance classes, fearing that entering adulthood without any formal financial education would lead to serious financial problems down the line. A significant number of Gen Zers are finding themselves financially ill-prepared, with more than half lacking basic knowledge about managing money. Yahoo Finance shared that a SIFMA Foundation study determined that more than 75% of parents surveyed do not believe they are sufficiently qualified to discuss investing with their children, an education gap students must fill on their own. Alongside this, nearly three out of five students have considered dropping out due to financial stress. But if not worse enough to take them out of school, it instead, destroys their mental health. This was further supported by professors like McMillian and Dorothy Kelly, from the University of Virginia, who emphasized that learning to manage finances can improve not only a student's financial situation but also their emotional well-being and overall life satisfaction. Should Finance Courses be Mandatory? While personal finance courses are helpful, both professors agree that they should not be mandatory. Instead, students should be motivated to take them because of the value they see in the content. Now, there are courses tailored to students' specific needs. This can include budgeting basics for freshmen to more advanced topics for upperclassmen. But still, the goal is to provide students with the tools they need to succeed in their current financial realities rather than overwhelm them with complex topics they aren't ready to tackle. While these lessons are available, financial education alone is not enough to solve the challenges financial stress students face. Educators like Andrea Pellegrini of the University of Illinois highlight the need for a more systemic change in the financial system. She encourages students to stay informed, but also be critical of financial opportunities. Most importantly, forgive themselves when they make mistakes. For now, these college students acknowledge that understanding personal finance is a lifelong journey, and it's never too late to start learning. Graven designed the British Airways Lounge at Washington Dulles International Airport, following the BA Galleries Lounges brand concept that Graven developed for international roll-out. The BA Lounge opened in preparation for the A380 inaugural flight from Washington Dulles. Angeline Mayhead, Lounge Development Manager, British Airways said of Gravens design The design challenge at Washington was ensuring that we could accommodate the volume of guests departing on our new A380, whilst creating warm and welcoming zones within the lounge. One of the largest lounges in North America and the first of our A380 lounges, the feedback has been tremendous with guests commenting on the thoughtful design scheme and luxurious spaces such as the Concorde Dining Room for guests travelling in First and the stylish Club Bar with views out to the runway and beyond. Graven has successfully continued to evolve the lounge design, adding the wow factor yet retaining consistency across the portfolio of new lounges. Gravens guidelines define the global standard across all lounges for BA. Used to explain concept principles and specifications to architects and designers around the world, each lounge also has its own locally influenced character and Graven collaborates with local architects, craftsmen and artists on each project internationally. Considered one of the most influential buildings of the 20th century, Glasgow School of Art epitomises the distinctive style of Scottish architect, Charles Rennie Mackintosh. A magnet for art students from around the world, it has become one of the city's leading tourist landmarks, attracting more than 30,000 visitors annually. ZM Architecture worked with Page\Park, as part of a joint architectural team, to improve public access to the celebrated School. Drawing heavily upon our conservation expertise, our functional and creative design mirrors the fabric and themes developed in the building itself. World Bank's Regional Vice President for South Asia, Martin Raiser on Thursday said that the World Bank proposes a long term, focused 10 years Country Partnership Framework (CPF) for Pakistan as an anchor for a joint commitment to address country's development challenges ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 23rd Jan, 2025) World Bank's Regional Vice President for South Asia, Martin Raiser on Thursday said that the World Bank proposes a long term, focused 10 years Country Partnership Framework (CPF) for Pakistan as an anchor for a joint commitment to address country's development challenges. The Proposed Country Partnership Framework for Pakistan,(FY 2026-2035) would run up to 10 years is anchored around six outcomes focused on Pakistans most critical development needs, he said this while addressing the launch event of Pakistan Country Partnership Framework (FY 2026-2035) here. He said this partnership fosters a unified and focused vision for Pakistan and the partnership fosters a unified and focused vision for Pakistan, around six outcomes with clear, tangible and ambitious 10-year targets we jointly aim to reach. He said it is strategically designed to complement and support the governments efforts, ensuring alignment with its priorities to address the countrys most pressing challenges. The new Country Partnership Framework (CPF) that we launched today is therefore very timelyhe added. Martin Raiser said Pakistan stands at a pivotal moment, with an ambitious program of reforms on the move, macroeconomic stabilization clearly taking hold and, importantly, the government recent launch of its National Economic Transformation Plan, Uraan Pakistan, laying the groundwork for a sustainable and inclusive growth recovery. He said that on this important day where we formally launched, this morning with the prime minister, the new World Bank Group Partnership Framework for Pakistan that will span a period up to the year 2035. Our new Partnership adopts a long-term perspective because selectivity and consistency of our engagement over an extended period is needed to impact country outcomes such as addressing child stunting and learning poverty, enhancing climate resilience, transitioning to cleaner energy, or improving air quality he said. World Bank's regional vice President for South Asia, said this document will indeed serve as a long-term anchor for our joint commitment to address key country development needs, in alignment with the Governments priorities, and for the benefit of the people of Pakistan. He said the World Bank resources will not be enough to reach our joint ambitions. Raiser said the CPF approach aims to crowd in much needed private capital in underinvested parts of the economy- including with the support of our private sector arms the International Finance Corporation (IFC) and the Mlutilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA). He said that unlocking private investment in priority sectors will require a mix of public and private sector solutions and enabling policy reforms and also, partnerships will be critical. More resources will be needed to have impact at scale which will require a close collaboration with other multilateral and bilateral development partners of Pakistan, he added. Martin Raiser by fostering alignment and leveraging joint programs, the new CPF aims to ensure that efforts are harmonized, resources are utilized efficiently, and based on each others comparative advantages, we can step back in sectors where other partners or the private sector, including IFC, can take the lead. He said that focus, leverage and long-term approach anchored on tangible targets: this is a shift in the way we engage with Pakistan, which reflects a broader change in the World Banks new country engagement model and Pakistan is a pioneer. It is indeed the first country where we are implementing this new engagement approach, he said. Martin Raiser said, I am happy to report that our Board of Directors strongly supported it when we discussed the CPF last week in Washington and noted in particular the strong country ownership the CPF. He said that today is a start of an ambitious and long journey and it will take leadership in steering, focus on the results and persistence, we may need to adjust and course-correct as circumstances change. All this will require continuous joint monitoring and strategic planning. That also is a shift in the way we will work together for the betterment of the people of Pakistan, he said. In his concluding remarks, Secretary, Economic Affairs Davison, Dr. Kazim Niaz said that CPF is just for this long term economic partnership between Pakistan and World Bank for sustainable economic growth in the country. DAVOS, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News / WAM - 23rd Jan, 2025) The UAE Pavilion at the 55th Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos hosted the highly anticipated third edition of the DP World Leader Series under the theme Global Trade Outlook 2025. This flagship event featured an engaging fireside chat between Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem, Group Chairman & CEO of DP World, a leading global logistics provider, and John Defterios, Visiting Professor of business at NYU Abu Dhabi, for an insightful fireside chat. Together, they delved into the transformative trends reshaping global trade amid a rapidly evolving geopolitical and economic landscape. Emerging Trends: The session explored how trade continues to drive global economic growth, fostering opportunities and improving quality of life worldwide. Against the backdrop political transitions, economic uncertainty and shifts in global power dynamics, the discussion underscored the urgency of building resilient trade relationships and enhancing international collaboration. Government and Business Collaboration: Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem emphasised how governments and businesses can work together to enhance global supply chains, boost economic competitiveness, and address pressing trade challenges. Innovation as a Catalyst: Emphasising the transformative potential of innovation, the discussion offered insights into how emerging technologies can make trade smarter, faster, and more efficient, thereby ensuring broader access to markets, resources, and technologies. Emerging Markets: A central focus of the session was the role of emerging markets in shaping the global trade landscape. H.E. Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem highlighted the importance of fortifying supply chains in these regions to capture untapped opportunities and support their development priorities. This discussion gained additional significance as the global trade agenda will be influenced by pivotal international forums in 2025, such as the G20 Summit chaired by South Africa, COP30 hosted by Brazil, and the BRICS+ Summit, as well as Malaysias leadership of ASEAN. The session also delved into the evolving roles of global institutions and multilateral forums in adapting to the interests of diverse economies, ensuring they are well-represented in critical trade discussions. Sustainability will be another important theme, as the conversation explores how global leaders can integrate sustainable practices into supply chains while balancing economic growth imperatives. Innovation will be underscored as a driver for resilient trade, with practical approaches to accelerating trade-enabling technologies discussed in detail. The session provided a unique opportunity to gain actionable insights into the future of trade and to explore how collaboration between governments and businesses can drive resilience, sustainability, and innovation in a rapidly transforming global environment. The DP World Leader Series continues to serve as a cornerstone of the UAE Pavilions agenda, reflecting the nations unwavering commitment to fostering international dialogue and innovation. By hosting forward-looking discussions the UAE Pavilion underscores its role in advancing global trade and promoting solutions that address pressing challenges. (@ChaudhryMAli88) ABU DHABI, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News / WAM - 23rd Jan, 2025) The Muslim Council of Elders participated in the Future World Chan Forum, organised by the Europe-Asia Center, Shaolin Temple, and the World Meditation Foundation (WMF), in collaboration with the Global Center for Sustainable Development Goals and Leadership Skills Development under the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR), Singapore. The forum was held at Shaolin Temple in Henan Province, China, from 19th to 22nd January, in the presence of elite leaders, decision-makers, and thinkers from around the world. During its participation in the opening session of the forum, the Muslim Council of Elders emphasised the pivotal role of contemplation and reflection in enhancing global peace and human well-being, internal balance, and deepening self-awareness. This effort contributes to building a bridge connecting different cultures and religions. The Council pointed out that islam places deep thinking at the core of its teachings as a means to achieve inner peace and a profound understanding of the relationship between the Creator, humans, and their surroundings. It also highlighted that our shared human values remind us that, despite the diversity in the expression of our spiritual traditions, they converge towards a single goal: to strive for a more peaceful and just world. Furthermore, the Council added that the Document on Human Fraternity, signed by His Eminence Prof. Dr. Ahmed Al-Tayeb, Grand Imam of Al-Azhar Al-Sharif and Chairman of the Muslim Council of Elders, and His Holiness Pope Francis, Pontiff of the Catholic Church, in Abu Dhabi in 2019, is a living example of the power of interfaith cooperation in promoting values of peace and mutual respect. The Council continues to support all initiatives that prioritise dialogue and understanding to address global issues such as conflicts, inequality, and environmental degradation. It calls for the importance of drawing wisdom from spiritual traditions to enhance cooperation among peoples and work towards building a sustainable future characterised by peace and harmony for future generations. In the same context, the Muslim Council of Elders participated in a panel discussion titled "Paths to Developing Environmental, Social, and Institutional Governance from a Global Governance Perspective." The session explored ways to enhance the development of environmental, social, and institutional governance from the perspective of global social governance. The Council emphasised the crucial role that wisdom plays in building a more just and peaceful world, highlighting its deep commitment to enhancing dialogue and cooperation among religious leaders and unifying their ethical voices in addressing global challenges. This commitment is manifested through numerous initiatives and leading activities, including holding seven rounds of East-West dialogue, sending more than 15 peace convoys around the world, and gathering religious leaders in Abu Dhabi in 2023 to sign The Call of Conscience: Abu Dhabi Interfaith Statement on Climate Change. This statement was a collective call to action on climate change ahead of the COP28 conference. Additionally, the Council organised the Faith Pavilion at COP28 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, and COP29 in Baku, Azerbaijan, showcasing the vital role that spiritual values play in addressing global crises, particularly climate change. The Muslim Council of Elders also participated in launching the "Seeds of Fraternity" initiative, which was introduced during the forum's events. This initiative aims to enhance values of friendship, understanding, and respect among people and communities from diverse cultural backgrounds. It seeks to break down barriers between East and West to address global challenges collaboratively and make tangible progress in various sustainable development goals. The initiative includes a series of activities, most notably organising "East Meets West" events showcasing 108 cultural topics that integrate arts, philosophy, and history, conducting global dialogues about the civilisation of fraternity with international leaders to devise solutions for shared challenges, building a diverse educational system in cooperation with the United Nations Institute for Training and Research to offer programmes focusing on sustainable development and intercultural communication, and establishing a global cooperation network among governments, organisations, and institutions to support cultural, environmental, and educational projects. The Future World Chan Forum brought together experts and meditators from various cultures, religions, and fields to explore how to enhance meditation for individual well-being and the harmonious development of the global community within a global framework, laying the groundwork for establishing a "Global Meditation Council" to promote global cooperation and integration in this field. (@ChaudhryMAli88) DAVOS, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News / WAM - 23rd Jan, 2025) During a panel discussion at the World Economic Forum (WEF) annual meeting in Davos, Dr. Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, Minister of State for Foreign Trade, emphasised the UAEs leadership in reshaping the future of global trade. Speaking under the theme Hacking Trade and Investment, Al Zeyoudi highlighted ways the UAE is leveraging emerging technologies to make trade smarter, cleaner and more efficient, while also announcing the release of the latest TradeTech Report. A key pillar of the UAEs TradeTech initiative, launched in partnership with the World Economic Forum (WEF) and the Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development (ADDED) to accelerate the adoption of emerging technologies in global trade systems, the second iteration of the TradeTech Report outlines how advanced technologies, particularly artificial intelligence (AI), are transforming global trade by increasing efficiency, promoting sustainability, and creating new opportunities for businesses of all sizes. During the session, Al Zeyoudi emphasised the UAEs vision to leverage technology to create a seamless, inclusive, and sustainable global trading system, and highlighted several UAE trade operators who are deploying innovative solutions including AI, robotics and IoT capabilities to address real-world challenges. He stated, Trade remains one of the most powerful drivers of economic growth, innovation, and prosperity. With the right technologies, like AI and blockchain, we can revolutionise supply chains, reduce barriers to entry, and bring greater transparency and inclusivity to global trade. The UAE is committed to fostering these advancements and leading the way in creating a smarter, more resilient global trading ecosystem. Al Zeyoudi concluded that trade is evolving and nations like the UAE must seize this opportunity to shape a new global trading system. By integrating advanced technologies and fostering partnerships across borders, we can unlock unparalleled opportunities for economic growth, sustainable development, and shared prosperity. Al Zeyoudi went on to share findings from the TradeTech Report, revealing that the adoption of AI has the potential to increase trade in goods and services by up to 13.6 percent by 2040. However, he said, the report warns of risks such as AI divergence, where uneven adoption could fragment global trade systems. To counter this, Al Zeyoudi called for interoperability, trust-building, and investment in workforce development and digital infrastructure as critical to maximising AIs benefits. Al Zeyoudi also provided updates on the TradeTech Initiatives TradeTech Accelerator and Sandbox programs. According to Al Zeyoudi, the TradeTech Accelerator has now onboarded 15 startups developing solutions such as AI-powered customs automation and blockchain-enabled trade finance platform, while the TradeTech Sandbox, which provides a collaborative space for businesses and regulators to test and refine emerging technologies in real-world conditions, is underway. Insights from the sandbox will be unveiled at the second TradeTech Forum, taking place in Abu Dhabi in April 2025. The UAEs TradeTech Initiative, launched in 2023, reflects the countrys commitment to modernising global trade systems and fostering collaboration between governments, businesses, and innovators. By driving the adoption of technologies like AI, blockchain, and IoT, the initiative aims to unlock trillions of Dollars in additional global trade value and ensure that the benefits of trade are distributed equally. ABU DHABI, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News / WAM - 24th Jan, 2025) The United Arab Emirates has strongly condemned and denounced the Israeli occupation forces' attack against the city of Jenin in the occupied West Bank. In a statement, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) called on the international community to fulfill their responsibilities to end the continuous Israeli violations, emphasising the necessity of concerted international endeavours to halt the escalation and prevent further loss of life. The Ministry stressed the importance of providing full protection to civilians according to international law and treaties. Furthermore, the Ministry called on the international community to intensify efforts to achieve an immediate ceasefire, prevent further loss of lives, avoid further fuelling the situation in the Occupied Palestinian Territory and the region, and to advance all efforts to achieve a comprehensive and just peace. The Ministry stressed the need to support all regional and international efforts to advance the peace process in the middle East, as well as end illegal practices that undermine the two-state solution. The Ministry reiterated the UAEs unwavering commitment to reinforcing peace and justice, and fulfilling the rights of the brotherly Palestinian people. WAH CANTT, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 23rd Jan, 2025) An alleged inter-district car lifter was killed in an encounter with the Taxila police, the police have said. According to a police spokesman, the car lifters opened fire on a police party near Nehar stop area in the jurisdiction of Taxila police station. In the ensuing exchange of fire, the accused, identified as Musa Khan, who was involved in dozens of car theft cases in Rawalpindi, Islamabad and Lahore was shot dead while his accomplice managed to flee from the scene, leaving behind a stolen car. The spokesman said that when the police party signaled a car to stop during a snap check, the accused opened fire on the police and tried to escape. The car stolen from the same area one day ago was recovered during the operation, he added. APP/ajq/378 SHEIKHUPURA, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 23rd Jan, 2025) Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Education, Naeem Abbas Rana stressed the importance of character building in schools, highlighting its significance in shaping students into responsible citizens. According to Education department, during a surprise visit to Government High School Kalu on Thursday, accompanied by District Education Officer Secondary Fazal Elahi and District Education Officer Elementary Bakhtiar Ahmad, CEO Education Rana emphasized that teachers play a vital role in building students' character alongside their education. "Character building becomes the capital of their life, enabling them to play a positive role as useful citizens of society," He said. He also said that the importance of language skills, particularly English, in connecting knowledge and facilitating global communication. The CEO presented medals to outstanding teachers, including Mirza Muhammad Yaqoob, Muhammad Aslam, Muhammad Nawaz, Muhammad Amjad, Muhammad Amir Rana, Faraz Mohsin Umar, and students who excelled in scouting and sports. He also inaugurated the newly renovated principal's office. Naeem Abbas praised the school principal, Rana Ehsanul Haq, for maintaining high educational standards, discipline, and renovating the school within a short period. The visit aimed to encourage teachers and students to strive for excellence and promote a positive learning environment. APP/stf-378 A Turkish airliner lands at Damascus International Airport in Damascus, Syria, on Jan. 23, 2025. (Photo by Ammar Safarjalani/Xinhua) DAMASCUS, Jan. 23 (Xinhua) -- A Turkish Airlines passenger jet carrying Syrian passengers landed at Damascus International Airport on Thursday for the first time in 13 years, state news agency SANA reported. In a press conference at the airport, Syrian Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates for Humanitarian Affairs Ahmad Dukhan applauded the resumption of flights, thanking "the Turkish government and people for standing by the Syrian people." Dukhan underscored the "deep roots" of the bilateral relationship, calling the return of direct flights "the beginning of renewed cooperation" and a ray of hope for Syrians abroad hoping to return to their country with dignity. Turkish Airlines Director General Bilal Akshi said the move would serve the interests of Syria, its people, and the region. Turkish Deputy Foreign Minister Nuh Yilmaz, also on board the flight, hailed the development as "a historic moment," saying the restored air link will reconnect Damascus to the rest of the world. Passengers arrive at Damascus International Airport in Damascus, Syria, on Jan. 23, 2025. (Photo by Ammar Safarjalani/Xinhua) (@FahadShabbir) ABBOTTABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 23rd Jan, 2025) Deputy Inspector General of Police Hazara Region Nasir Mehmood Satti Thursday praised the integrity and bravery of the Torghar police during his visit to the district, where he addressed a Police Darbar and met with members of the Dispute Resolution Council (DRC) and local elders. Speaking at the Darbar held at the Torghar Police Headquarters, DIG Satti highlighted the corruption-free record of the Torghar police and assured swift resolution of personnel's professional concerns, including promotions on merit and improved facilities. He also pledged to expedite the headquarters' construction to provide modern offices and residential quarters. Junior-ranked officers were encouraged to utilize their qualifications for promotions through competitive exams. DIG Satti also committed to advocating for hardship allowances at the provincial level. In a separate meeting with DRC members and elders, he appreciated their role in maintaining peace and promised to strengthen the council by providing a functional, well-equipped office. He assured legal support for the implementation of DRC decisions. DIG Hazara applauded Torghar residents for consistently supporting state forces against terrorists and anti-social elements, expressing confidence in their continued cooperation for peace and stability. (@ChaudhryMAli88) MULTAN, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 23rd Jan, 2025) Shamshabad police arrested two drug smugglers and seized at least four kilograms of hashish on Thursday. According to the police, the raid was conducted by a team led by the SP Cantt and arrested the accused with narcotics who were identified as Asad Abbas and Shahbaz. The accused had been involved in drug trafficking. The accused have been charged under the Anti-Drugs Act and the police started investigations. (@FahadShabbir) A high-level delegation from Hutchison Ports, led by Andy Tsoi, Managing Director for the Middle East & Africa Division, met with Federal Minister for Maritime Affairs Qaiser Ahmed Shaikh and secretary Syed Zafar Ali Shah to share a proposed US$1 billion investment plan ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 23rd Jan, 2025) A high-level delegation from Hutchison Ports, led by Andy Tsoi, Managing Director for the middle East & Africa Division, met with Federal Minister for Maritime Affairs Qaiser Ahmed Shaikh and secretary Syed Zafar Ali Shah to share a proposed US$1 billion investment plan. Accompanying Andy Tsoi were Capt Rashid Jamil, Country Advisor for Hutchison Ports Pakistan, and Leonard Fung, business Director for the Middle East & Africa Division at Hutchison Ports. This groundbreaking proposal, which includes an upfront US$200 million Foreign Direct Investment (FDI), aims to modernize Pakistans port infrastructure and elevate its role in global trade, said a press release issued here on Thursday. The proposed investment focuses on upgrading Karachi International Container Terminal (KICT) and South Asia Pakistan Terminals Limited (SAPT) with advanced automation technologies, enhancing operational efficiency, and adopting eco-friendly solutions. The plan includes the introduction of electrified and remote-control equipment to reduce carbon emissions, reflecting the governments commitment to sustainable development. Additionally, Hutchison Ports proposal includes the establishment of a state-of-the-art warehousing depot to address the growing demands of Pakistans trade sector. Significant funding is also proposed for improving road infrastructure around the south wharf to ensure smooth container traffic flow and boost supply chain efficiency. The minister welcomed the proposal, stating: "This partnership represents a significant milestone in Pakistans journey to becoming a global trade leader. Hutchison Ports confidence in our economic potential highlights the transformative opportunities in our maritime sector." Andy Tsoi, Managing Director of Hutchison Ports, expressed his views: "We are proud to partner with the Government of Pakistan to modernize and innovate its maritime infrastructure. This proposed investment reflects our long-term commitment to enhancing trade and logistics in the region." Other delegates also shared their optimism about the projects potential to significantly boost Pakistans trade and logistics capabilities, further strengthening Hutchison Ports long-standing partnership with the country. The Ministry of Maritime Affairs remains focused on fostering partnerships that drive economic growth, create jobs, and strengthen Pakistans global trade networks. This landmark proposed investment underscores Pakistans potential to become a key player in the global maritime industry. Inspector General of Police (IGP), Syed Ali Nasir Rizvi, has initiated the second phase to evaluate the performance of the Islamabad Police and its various units, with a focus on public-centric policing and improved operational efficiency ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 23rd Jan, 2025) Inspector General of Police (IGP), Syed Ali Nasir Rizvi, has initiated the second phase to evaluate the performance of the Islamabad Police and its various units, with a focus on public-centric policing and improved operational efficiency. A public relation officer told APP that the individual performance of all divisions and units will be reviewed. Commanders of all divisions are to ensure audits of their subordinate staff. To make performance more effective, the KPIs monitoring mechanism will be made more active, and all divisions and units of Islamabad Police will be utilized in an effective manner for the safety and ease of citizens. The IG Rizvi issued directions to the Operations Division, directing that all forms of policing, including proactive, preventive, and community policing, should continue. Patrols in the city should be purposeful, and suspicious elements should be closely monitored. IG also assigned additional tasks to Islamabad Police's specialized units, including the Homicide Unit, SSOIU, anti-car lifting unit, anti-theft and robbery unit, and organized crime unit. Furthermore, the IG Rizvi issued instructions to Safe City Islamabad, emphasizing the importance of ensuring effective surveillance through cyber security digital sophistication by utilizing all available resources. All cameras, trackers, drones, wireless sets, and body-worn cameras should be fully operational to ensure optimal performance. The IG Rizvi further stressed the need to improve police accessibility, address challenges, reduce deficiencies, combat crime, and take more measures for the convenience of citizens. Rizvi emphasized launching various digital platforms and apps to meet modern-day needs and ensure ease of access for citizens, thereby resolving their problems. IG Rizvi has directed commanders and supervisors of all divisions, units, and branches to carefully review the performance of their units and reward officers demonstrating outstanding performance. Officers who show good results in crime prevention will retain their positions, while those showing negligence and carelessness will face strict accountability. IG Rizvi further said that police officers should work around the clock to ensure the safety of citizens' lives and property. Serving humanity is the key to earning Allah's pleasure. Our motto should be "Live to serve" and "Service with Passion." /APP-rzr-mkz ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 23rd Jan, 2025) Urging Kashmiri masses to observe Indias Republic Day as Black Day, Jammu Kashmir National Acting chairman Altaf Hussain Wani has said that the fascist country that has usurped the fundamental rights of Kashmiri people has no justification whatsoever to celebrate republic day. In a statement issued here today, the front leader, while referring to Indian government's duplicity, said that on the one hand RSS influenced regime celebrates the country's transition to the Republic and adoption of constitution with great pride while on the other hand it doesn't hesitate to violate the very same constitution which had guaranteed special status to Kashmir and other rights and privileges under article 370 and article 35-A. Denouncing the Indias bellegerent military occupation of Kashmir said, Indian occupation forces deployed in length and breadth in the restive region have been grossly involved in trampling down the fundamental political and democratic rights of the Kashmiri people. Notwithstanding their commitments of holding a free, fair and impartial plebiscite to let the people of Jammu and Kashmir decide their political fate, the Indian rulers have chosen a violent path to suppress by dint of force the aspirations of Kashmiri people, Wani said adding that it was incumbent upon the international community to take serious notice of the illegal occupation of Kashmir by India, which he said has been major cause and consequence of unrest in the region. Reiterating his partys call for strike on 26th January, Wani appealed to the Kashmiri masses to observe a complete strike on the day to convey to the world that India's illegal occupation was not acceptable to them. Meanwhile, the National Front spokesman denounced the killing of innocent Kashmiri youth by Indian forces in fake encounters and termed it as a part of India's settler colonialism policy. He also denounced the intensified restrictions imposed in the Kashmir valley ahead of India's so-called republic day. The intensified restrictions, house to house searches and frisking of commuters and passengers by the Indian forces have made their lives miserable. Chaudhry Salik Hussain, Federal Minister for Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development (MOPHRD), delivered an inspiring address at the Closing Ceremony of the International Labour and Environmental Standards Application in Pakistans SMEs Project (ILES) ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 23rd Jan, 2025) Chaudhry Salik Hussain, Federal Minister for Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development (MOPHRD), delivered an inspiring address at the Closing Ceremony of the International Labour and Environmental Standards Application in Pakistans SMEs Project (ILES). The event marked the conclusion of a groundbreaking initiative aimed at fortifying Pakistans adherence to international labour and environmental standards, said a press release issued here on Thursday. In the presence of distinguished guests, including Ambassador of the European Union to Pakistan Madam Riina Kolke, Coordinator to the Prime Minister on Climate Change Ms. Romina Khurshid Alam, Director of the ILO Office for Pakistan Mr. Geir Tonstol, the minister lauded the collaborative efforts that led to the projects resounding success. The ILES project has not only strengthened the capacity of tripartite stakeholders to promote and enforce labour rights but also directly benefited hundreds of enterprises, institutions, and organizations across the nation. This initiative accelerated Pakistans ability to meet international obligations, aligning with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and trade agreements with the European Union, he said. The federal minister expressed profound gratitude to the European Union for its generous funding and to the International Labour Organization (ILO) and WWF-Pakistan for their unwavering guidance. He also commended the dedication of provincial labour departments, worker and employer representatives, and other key contributors to the projects achievements. Reflecting on the eight-year journey under the GSP+ framework, the minister emphasized the critical role of sustainable practices in economic development. The ILES project has demonstrated that respect for labour and environmental rights is not just a moral imperative but also a cornerstone for sustainable and inclusive economic progress, he expressed. Looking to the future, Salik Hussain reaffirmed the governments commitment to building on the momentum of the ILES project. Key initiatives announced include accelerating the ratification, reporting, and implementation of international labour standards; fulfilling commitments to ratify key conventions, including the Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) conventions and the Convention on Violence and Harassment at Work (C190), by 2025; and strengthening support for provincial labour departments to enhance worker wellbeing and rights. The federal minister highlighted the enduring impact of the ILES project in fostering a collaborative community dedicated to safeguarding labour and environmental standards. While we bid farewell to this remarkable initiative, its legacy will live on through platforms like the Provincial Tripartite Consultation Committees (PTCCs), Federal Tripartite Consultation Committees (FTCCs), and other mechanisms for advancing social dialogue and addressing critical labour issues. The event concluded with the minister's extending of heartfelt thanks to the EU, ILO, WWF-Pakistan and all stakeholders for their steadfast commitment to Pakistans developmental goals. Together, we have laid the groundwork for a brighter, more equitable future. Pakistan and Azerbaijan have reiterated their commitment to enhancing collaboration in the areas of trade, energy, air connectivity, and people-to-people contacts ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 23rd Jan, 2025) Pakistan and Azerbaijan have reiterated their commitment to enhancing collaboration in the areas of trade, energy, air connectivity, and people-to-people contacts. This was discussed during a meeting between President Asif Ali Zardari and the visiting Minister of Defence Industry of Azerbaijan, Vugar Mustafayev, who along with his delegation called on him at Aiwan-e-Sadr here. Welcoming the visiting minister, the President highlighted the historic and deep-rooted relations between Pakistan and Azerbaijan. He urged the need to increase people-to-people contacts, tourism links, and trade and business relations to promote regional economic cooperation. The President called for finding ways and means to strengthen cultural linkages and further boost people-to-people exchanges. He welcomed the operationalization of direct flights between Pakistan and Azerbaijan, expressing the hope that it would further boost people-to-people ties. Over 72,000 Pakistanis have visited Azerbaijan in 2024 for business and tourism purposes, marking a 25% increase from the previous years figure of 55,000 travellers. The Minister of Defence Industry of Azerbaijan highlighted the deep-rooted ties between the two countries, saying that Azerbaijan was keen on further enhancing bilateral cooperation with Pakistan in the fields of energy, business, and culture. He said that both nations had supported each other through challenging times and expressed gratitude for Pakistan's political support to Azerbaijan which, he said, would always be remembered by the people of Azerbaijan. He thanked the President for his warm welcome and conveyed the sincere wishes of the President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev, for the good health of the President and the continued success, peace and prosperity of Pakistan. PESHAWAR, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 23rd Jan, 2025) The Peshawar High Court has extended a ban on gold mining in Kohat district due to the use of mercury in the process and directed the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to inspect the environmental conditions of the area. The court has also sought a report from the provincial government before the next hearing. Advocate Nauman Mohibullah Kakakhel, in his petition, argued that mercury is used in the mining process in Kohat, which not only causes environmental problems but also leads to the disposal of waste into the Indus River, polluting the water. He further stated that the waste generated from mercury usage negatively affects the Indus River and nearby agricultural lands. The use and improper disposal of this chemical are harmful to humans, animals, and plants and violate the Environmental Protection Act. Deputy Director Legal of the Environmental Department, Mumtaz Ali, informed the court that more time is required for site inspection. The court granted the provincial government a one-month extension and continued the injunction against the use of mercury in gold mining. LAHORE, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 23rd Jan, 2025) The Punjab Information Technology board (PITB) hosted the second session with a delegation from the National Centre for State Courts (NCSC) and Cursor for Development and education (CODE) Pakistan. This visit was part of the Digitally Integrated Criminal Justice System initiative, a collaborative effort between the CODE Pakistan, NCSC and PITB. The delegation was led by Carlos E Jimenez Gomez, Principal consultant and Digital Transformation Expert at NCSC and Waleed Yawar, representative of the CODE Pakistan. The session was chaired by Syed Qasim Afzal, PITBs Additional Director General (ADG), who provided an in-depth overview of the current state of Pakistans criminal justice system. He also discussed the challenges and strategic measures necessary for the successful implementation of the Digitally Integrated Criminal Justice System, which aims to modernize the justice sector with advanced digital solutions. Jamal Ahmad, Director of Project Management at PITB, then briefed the delegation on the technical procedures behind the initiative. Following the briefing, the delegation toured PITBs e-Khidmat Center at Arfa Software Technology Park. PITB Senior Programme Managers Salman Ali Khan and Qasim Tufail showcased the centers state-of-the-art services, which provide citizens with efficient government services and contribute to streamlining operations across Punjab. The session fostered productive discussions, with all participants offering valuable insights to refine the projects strategy and ensure alignment with its goals. ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 23rd Jan, 2025) Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday spoke on telephone with the President of the Republic of Turkiye Recep Tayyip Erdogan and conveyed his deepest condolences over the loss of precious lives in the tragic fire incident at the Grand Kartal Hotel in northwestern Turkiye. The prime minister said that the entire Pakistani nation was saddened by this news and was praying for the departed souls and for the speedy recovery of those injured. He assured President Erdogan that the people of Pakistan stood in full solidarity with their brothers and sisters in Turkiye in their hour of grief. The prime minister lauded the swift response by the Turkish authorities in dealing with the unfortunate incident and offered to extend any assistance that may be needed in this regard. President Erdogan thanked the prime minister for this kind gesture which was a manifestation of the strong fraternal bonds between the two countries and reflected their common desire to further strengthen these ties to their mutual benefit. NEW DELHI, Jan. 23 (Xinhua) -- The death toll in the train accident in the western Indian state of Maharashtra has risen to 13, police said Thursday. According to police, 15 people were injured in the accident, 10 of whom are still in the hospitals. Of the 13 killed in the accident, police so far have been able to identify only eight. The accident occurred Wednesday evening after some passengers disembarked from a train following an alarm chain-pulling incident. They were later run over by another train in Pachora of Jalgaon district, about 425 km northeast of Mumbai, the capital city of Maharashtra. Preliminary investigations carried out by the police said that someone had pulled the train's alarm chain, causing it to come to a halt. Fearing a fire inside the train, many passengers deboarded onto the adjacent tracks, but were mowed down by another passing train. Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis expressed grief over the deaths in the accident and announced financial assistance for the victims. Kinshasa, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 23rd Jan, 2025) The M23 armed group has seized further territory in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo and on Thursday was continuing to tighten its grip on provincial capital Goma, which is almost surrounded by fighting. Weaknesses within the Congolese army, as well as backing from Rwanda are aiding the fighters of the M23, according to experts, who have not ruled out an offensive on Goma, at the heart of the mineral-rich region torn apart by 30 years of conflict. For several weeks, clashes between the M23 and Congolese armed forces (FARDC) have intensified. Hospitals have seen an influx of patients, and since the beginning of January, more than 230,000 people have fled the violence, the United Nations said. The army acknowledged on Tuesday a "breakthrough" by "the Rwandan army and its M23 puppets" after the capture of Minova, a trading town supplying Goma some 50 kilometres (31 miles) from the city by road. A UN expert report seen by AFP in July said that 3,000 to 4,000 Rwandan soldiers had been fighting alongside the M23 and that Rwanda had "de facto control" of the group's operations. Kigali has never explicitly recognised territorial aggression in the DRC. M23 fighters early this month had already captured Masisi, the administrative capital of Masisi territory in North Kivu province which lies around 80 km northwest of Goma and has around 40,000 inhabitants. The closest fighting to Goma is around 10 km away. The armed group has occupied the hills around Goma for almost two years and threatens to choke the city's economy by taking the port of Minova in the west. The FARDC and militias backing the army have established defensive lines around the city. But observers doubt these forces could offer real resistance in the event of an offensive. A UN peacekeeping force known as MONUSCO has a base in Goma but it is unclear how it will react if the city falls. In December, a meeting between Congolese President Felix Tshisekedi and Rwandan President Paul Kagame, as part of an Angola-led peace process, was cancelled due to lack of agreement. At this stage, "nothing prevents the M23 and Rwanda from trying to take Goma," Reagan Miviri, a researcher at the Congolese Ebuteli institute, told AFP. "The Luanda process is no longer there, the American pressure is no longer there. Rwanda has nothing to fear, it seems to accept this aggression," he said. Some observers also fear Donald Trump's return to the White House might impact Rwandan attitudes. Kagame recently said he was "certain" that "many things, even on the geopolitical level, will change... in particular those linked to the east of the DRC". Eastern DRC has vast mining resources and is a complex landscape of rival armed militias which has seen violence ebb and flow since regional wars in the 1990s. The M23 was formed in 2012 from a mutiny within the army of former fighters of the National Congress for the Defence of the People (CNPD), a Congolese political-military movement with a Tutsi majority that is now inactive. It had already taken control of Goma by the end of November 2012. But 11 days later, the Congolese army had retaken the city with the support of the UN mission in the DRC and diplomatic pressure from the international community on Rwanda. At the end of 2013, the FARDC had driven the armed group out of the last positions it occupied in the mountains of North Kivu. The M23 resurfaced at the end of 2021 and the Congolese army has rarely recovered territory lost in recent months. "We have some symbolic towns where we're going to have the Congolese military allocating a significant amount of resources... being able to overwhelm the M23 at a very local level," Remi Dodd, sub-Saharan Africa analyst at RANE Network said. But Dodd pointed to the challenges faced by the army, such as "corruption, inadequate equipment... low morale and also low discipline". "All of these challenges really impede the ability (of the FARDC) to respond to the M23," he said. Meanwhile, the "inaction" of the troops of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) present in North Kivu is becoming "flagrant", according to other observers. The forces deployed to support the FARDC are composed of soldiers from South Africa, Tanzania and Malawi. Davos, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 23rd Jan, 2025) Argentina's President Javier Milei defended on Thursday the "innocent" hand salute made by US billionaire Elon Musk this week, as he slammed "woke ideology" in a fiery speech to the World Economic Forum. Musk caused a stir this week by making hand gestures at an inauguration event for US President Donald Trump that drew comparisons to the Nazi salute. Milei told the WEF in Davos, Switzerland, that his "dear friend Musk" has been "unfairly vilified by wokeism in recent hours for an innocent gesture that only means... his gratitude to the people". The libertarian leader praised Musk and other likeminded leaders such as Trump, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban and El Salvador's President Nayib Bukele. "Slowly an international alliance has been formed of all those nations that want to be free and that believe in the ideas of freedom," he said. Milei then turned his sights on the WEF itself. "I must say, forums like this one have been protagonists and promoters of the sinister agenda of 'wokeism' that is doing so much harm to the West," Milei told the audience of global business and political A-listers. He said "the mental virus of woke ideology" was "the great epidemic of our time that must be cured. It is the cancer that must be removed". UNITED NATIONS, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 23rd Jan, 2025) Amid a deadly wave of violence in Colombia since the signing of the 2016 Final Peace Agreement, Pakistan called on all armed groups in the South American country to engage with the government to establish ceasefire at an early date, and recommit to the process of dialogue, respecting the Colombian constitution. Speaking in the United Nations Security Council meeting focusing on the situation in Columbia, Ambassador Munir Akram, permanent representative of Pakistan to the UN, underscored the urgency of implementing the 8-year-old accord that represents the collective desire of the Colombian people not only to bring an end to the decades long conflict but also their aspiration for a better future. The 15-member Council met following last week's clashes between the National Liberation Army (ELN) and a rival armed group, EMBF, in the remote northeastern region, leaving dozens dead, including former combatants, peace signatories, social leaders, and human rights defenders. Many victims were targeted individually, according to news reports, while thousands of civilians were displaced. "Peace embodies more than the mere absence of conflict," the Pakistani envoy told delegates, noting Colombian governments policy of dialogue with various armed groups. Accordingly, Ambassador Akram underlined the need to create conditions that prevent the resurgence of violence by providing justice, ensuring safety and building a social and economic edifice that caters to the needs of all peoples. He voiced concern over the continued violence against former combatants of FARC, social leaders, and human rights defenders, particularly the targeting of indigenous people, Afro-Colombians and the peasants by armed groups as well on the reports of sexual and gender-based violence against women and children and recruitment of children by armed groups. "We condemns the recent attacks, reportedly perpetrated by members of ELN in Catatumbo," Ambassador Akram said, expressing regret over the loss of life resulting from this attack as well as displacements of local population resulting from this incident. "We call upon all armed groups to sincerely engage with the government to establish ceasefire at an early date, eschew all forms of violence, and recommit to the process of dialogue without preconditions, respecting local laws and the Colombian constitution," he said, adding justice to the victims of the conflict would go a long way towards ensuring sustainable and lasting peace. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres condemned the violence and reiterated the importance of fully implementing the Final Peace Agreement as the cornerstone for consolidating peace in the country. [He] calls for an immediate cessation of acts of violence against the civilian population and for unhindered humanitarian access, UN Spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said in a statement. Carlos Ruiz Massieu, Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Colombia called on armed groups to cease all actions that endanger civilians. I condemn the killings which are an attack against peace itself and I call again for armed groups to cease all actions that place at risk the civilian population, including community leaders and peace signatories, he said. Berlin, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 23rd Jan, 2025) A day after Donald Trump's inauguration as US president, the mood was jubilant at a small Berlin campaign event of the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, despite the biting winter cold. "Donald Trump... has of course given us a bit of a tailwind, and now it's our turn to step up," said Daniel Krueger, an AfD councillor greeting supporters at the door in his flat cap and hunting jacket. Like Trump, the AfD opposes immigration, denies climate change, rails against gender politics and has declared war on a political establishment and mainstream media it condemns as censorious and "woke". Ahead of Germany's February 23 elections, it is polling at around 20 percent, a new record for a party that has already shattered a decades-old taboo against the far right in post-war Germany. After Trump's inauguration ceremony, Alice Weidel, the AfD's top candidate, wrote on X that "all of this would also be possible in Germany -- you just have to want it. Choose AfD!" Trump's comeback has been a huge boost for the party, with co-leader Tino Chrupalla among the guests at the inauguration, following right-wing populist gains in Italy, the Netherlands and Austria. The AfD has also won global exposure thanks to Trump ally Elon Musk, who posted on his X platform that "only the AfD can save Germany" and this month hosted a lengthy and wide-ranging live chat with Weidel. Inside the Berlin meeting, around 100 supporters applauded as a video showed highlights from the AfD's latest party congress in the eastern town of Riesa. "At the moment the mood is really, really good," said AfD Berlin chair Kristin Brinker at the event where a cardboard cut-out of Weidel was standing on the bar. The AfD is not traditionally strong in Berlin, but Brinker said that lately she had been "approached on the street... with comments like 'Great, keep it up!'" - 'Close the borders' - At the recent AfD congress, Weidel vowed that a government containing the AfD would force the "total closing of Germany's borders" as well as "large-scale repatriations". "Re-mi-gra-tion," she bellowed at an enthusiastic crowd. She also slammed Germany's green energy push with its "windmills of shame" and called for Germany to leave the European Union. All other parties have ruled out cooperating with the AfD, sections of which are designated as right-wing extremist by Germany's domestic security service. But its growing success, especially in the ex-communist east, has been met with alarm in the country that once voted Adolf Hitler into power. Germany's era of "populist immunity is clearly coming to an end. The far right believes its time has finally arrived," said Michael Broening of think tank the Friedrich Ebert Foundation. He said that "across Europe, far-right parties have learned to soften their stance at least rhetorically when approaching power". "But in Germany, the AfD remains entrenched in its ideological wilderness," he said, suggesting its political isolation may be driving its radicalisation, and vice versa. Formed in 2013 as a eurosceptic fringe party, the AfD quickly shifted focus to protest against a mass influx of migrants under Angela Merkel. The party entered parliament in 2017 with 13 percent of the vote. Last September, the AfD became Germany's first far-right party in post-World War II history to win a state election outright, in the eastern region of Thuringia. Bjoern Hoecke, the state's party leader, has been repeatedly accused of historical revisionism and convicted of using a Nazi slogan at election rallies. Marianne Kneuer, comparative politics professor at Dresden University of Technology, said the recent support from Musk is "something that the AfD finds incredibly affirming and which it can exploit very well". The AfD has not always been friends with Musk. When he first announced plans to build a Tesla plant outside Berlin, the AfD voted against it, citing environmental concerns. But Rainer Galla, an AfD candidate in the district, now says that "if Elon Musk correctly recognises that only the AfD can still turn the tide in Germany and save our country, and then publicly expresses that, then I very much welcome that". Moscow, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 23rd Jan, 2025) The Kremlin said Thursday it saw nothing new in US President Donald Trump's latest remarks on the Ukraine conflict, but that Moscow was ready for "mutually respectful" dialogue with him. The new US leader on Wednesday threatened fresh sanctions on Moscow if it did not strike a deal to end its nearly three-year offensive on Ukraine. "We do not see any particularly new elements," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters, asked about Trump's comments. Peskov said it was clear from Trump's first presidency that he "liked" sanctions and that Moscow was "closely following" his statements. "We remain ready for dialogue, for equal, mutually respectful dialogue," Peskov said. Expectations are high that Russian President Vladimir Putin and Trump will soon hold a phone call on the conflict in the coming days. Russia's troops have been advancing on the battlefield in recent months, while both Moscow and Kyiv have increased their aerial attacks deep behind the frontlines. In a post on Truth Social, Trump on Wednesday told Putin to make a deal "now" and threatened "high levels of Taxes, Tariffs, and Sanctions." The Kremlin has repeatedly dismissed the barrage of Western sanctions that it has been hit with since ordering troops into Ukraine in February 2022. The Russian economy has largely defied Western hopes the restrictions would push it into economic collapse. Peskov on Thursday conceded that Russia faced economic "problems" -- "as all countries" -- but said Russia had the resources to meet "all military requirements." (@FahadShabbir) Ukraine on Thursday announced evacuations of children from several towns in the northeastern Kharkiv region threatened by Russian forces, as Moscow said it saw nothing new in US President Donald Trump's call for it to end its invasion Kyiv, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 23rd Jan, 2025) Ukraine on Thursday announced evacuations of children from several towns in the northeastern Kharkiv region threatened by Russian forces, as Moscow said it saw nothing new in US President Donald Trump's call for it to end its invasion. But on the ground in northeastern Ukraine, Kharkiv region governor Oleg Synegubov said "267 children and their families are to be evacuated from 16 settlements to safe places". Synegubov said the towns and villages affected are near Kupiansk, a town which Russia has tried to capture for months where fighting is raging around its outskirts. Outnumbered Ukrainian forces are struggling to hold back a better resourced Russian army across a long front line. "The decision was made due to the intensified hostile shelling. We urge families with minors to save their lives and leave the dangerous areas," Synegubov said on social media. He earlier said a 54-year-old woman was killed in a Russian attack on a village near Kupiansk. Kyiv also said that Russian air attacks had killed at least three others and wounded dozens in other frontline towns. Stockholm, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 23rd Jan, 2025) Sweden and Finland, Europe's most forested countries, are not doing enough to protect their Primary and old-growth forests, falling short of EU commitments, the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) said in a report Thursday. "Thousands of hectares of forests with high conservation value are logged each year, despite their importance for climate stability, biodiversity, and long-term ecological health," said the WWF. The two Nordic countries are "exploiting loopholes to allow logging in forests that should be safeguarded," the organisation said in a statement. Private forest owners insist they are complying with current legislation and that their felling of trees is sensible. "Nobody cuts down trees just for the fun of it," Magnus Kindbom, forestry director at the Federation of Swedish Farmers (LRF), told AFP. "It's because there's a need in society. "And if we didn't use wood products, which have no negative impact on the climate, then we would have to use more fossil fuels, which always have a negative impact on the climate," he added. "That's the dilemma we face: how to find the best compromise between having access to more biomass to improve the climate, and understanding its impact on biodiversity." - 'Dilemma' - In Sweden, the forestry industry accounts for around 140,000 jobs according to the Swedish Forest Industries Federation, which represents companies in the pulp, paper and wood-processing industries. At the same time, forests -- the second largest carbon sink after the oceans -- help mitigate climate change, which for the WWF underlines the importance of preserving them. According to the EU's Nature Restoration Law, which came into force in August, 20 percent of natural areas -- including forests and marshes -- must be restored by 2030 to the state they were in the 1950s. This applies to all forests, whether natural or cultivated for forestry purposes -- not just protected areas. "The current government has shown a low ambition to strictly protect primary and old-growth forests on private lands," the WWF said. "Consequently, Sweden has an ongoing loss of primary and old-growth forests due to clear-cutting," the environmental group argued. - 'Rare' - Sweden's Minister for Rural Affairs, Peter Kullgren, told AFP that the criticism was unfounded. "Sweden is a leader in forest protection," he said in a written statement. "Over 25 percent of Sweden's forests have already been taken out of production, and over 10 percent are already strictly protected. "This makes Sweden one of the EU countries closest to achieving the biodiversity goal" for 2030, he added. At the same time, Sweden's forests are far from what they were in 1950, according to a 2024 article published by Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences' (SLU) Swedish Species Information Centre. It argued that much of the biodiversity in the country's forests was not faring well. "Logging of high nature-value forests is one of the main reasons why forest species" are threatened, the article said. According to SLU, sufficiently ancient forests are now "rare" in Sweden and "only a few percent of productive forest land can be qualified as old in the biological sense". VIENTIANE, Jan. 23 (Xinhua) -- The Chinese Embassy in Laos hosted a reception here on Wednesday to celebrate the upcoming Chinese New Year, or Spring Festival, bringing together guests from both Laos and China across various sectors, filling the venue with a vibrant festive atmosphere. Speaking at the event, Chinese Ambassador to Laos Fang Hong extended New Year greetings and highlighted the successful inclusion of the Chinese New Year and the Lamvong dance of Laos on UNESCO list of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2024. She also recalled the progress made in China-Laos cooperation in 2024, and encouraged the guests to work to further enhance friendship and cooperation between the two countries across various sectors. The event featured cultural performances by students and teachers from the National University of Laos. The audience enjoyed a variety of performances, including songs, dances, and Sichuan Opera face-changing. South Korea should increase efforts to prevent China from normalizing its claims to sovereignty over a disputed maritime area in waters the two countries share, analysts say. China has been doing it for decades in the South China Sea, analysts say, where it has been using so-called gray zone tactics to assert its claims over vast stretches of maritime territory claims contested by several neighboring countries in the area. Recent Chinese activity in the waters it shares with South Korea has prompted analysts' warnings that Beijing is doing the same to Seoul. South Korean officials said earlier this month that China had installed a steel structure in disputed waters west of South Korea, The Chosun Daily in Seoul reported. Using reconnaissance satellites, South Korean intelligence agencies detected the structure last month and estimate that it exceeds 50 meters in width and height, The Chosun Daily said. The structure was spotted in the disputed area known as the Provisional Measures Zone, or PMZ, in the Yellow Sea, which South Korea calls the Western Sea. The zone is where the exclusive economic zones of the two countries overlap. The zone was established in 2001 to manage the overlapping claims to the area. Building any kind of facility and conducting activities unrelated to fishing are banned in the area until the dispute is settled. China installed two similar structures in a nearby area in April and May, prompting protests by South Korea. 'Gray zone strategy' "It is likely that these recent actions are tied to a gray zone strategy that slowly encroaches on this area in ways that over the long-term reinforces their claims," said Terence Roehrig, an Asia-Pacific security expert and lecturer at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. "The goal of a gray zone strategy is to slowly force the target state to accept a new normal in the area. Seoul must ensure that does not happen by continuing to assert its position and insist that the delimitation of these waters be settled through negotiation," Roehrig continued. "China views the Yellow Sea as a crucial area for its security and potential gateway into the Chinese heartland. It is likely that eventually, these structures may have some military use," he added. Gray zone tactics blur the line between what is legal and illegal through paramilitary coercions designed to weaken an adversary over time. China's tactics have included building artificial islands and making incursions, pushing the boundary of what is allowed to project military power and control sea routes. "The incident demonstrates China is using the same strategy it employed in the South China Sea with South Korea now," said Rahman Yaacob, research fellow for the Southeast Asia program at the Lowy Institute. According to Yaacob, China has used gray tactics to build civilian structures in the South China Sea since the early 1990s. China installed structures in Mischief Reef back then, saying their purpose was to support fishermen, he said. "We now know Mischief Reef has been converted into a military base on an artificial island," Yaacob said. China now has a military base on an artificial island it built on Mischief Reef, which is in the Spratly Islands. Mischief Reef is also claimed by multiple countries that protest China's military buildup. Admiral John Aquilino, the former U.S. Indo-Pacific commander, said in 2022 that China seemed to have completed the construction of missile arsenals, aircraft hangers, radar systems and other military facilities in Mischief Reef. David Maxwell, vice president of the Center for Asia Pacific Strategy, said China might want access to "the mineral rights under the sea and to be able to transit freely in the area so it can control commerce and flow of activities in the area" close to South Korea. Sustained structures in the region could impact naval operations of South Korea and the U.S., he continued. "It's important that South Korea, in particular, but also the United States, Japan and other allies do not allow China to normalize its activities," Maxwell added. "That's what it wants to do normalize its presence so it can claim it as its sovereign [maritime] territory." In response to South Korea's protests, China said last year that the structures were for supporting fishing activities. The Yellow Sea is a key fishing site for China. "It's certainly possible that the structures are used to support fishing activities," said Tabitha Grace Mallory, a founder and CEO of China Ocean Institute and a University of Washington professor focusing on China's ocean policy. "The fact that these structures are being built unilaterally in the PMZ is just unnecessarily provocative," she added. Telling VOA on Tuesday that he is "not familiar with the situation," Liu Pengyu, a spokesperson for the Chinese Embassy in Washington, said, "I would like to point out that China is a responsible country that has always carried out distant-water fishery and marine scientific activities in accordance with laws and regulations." Exploiting political turmoil Some analysts say China could be taking advantage of Seoul's political situation to install the structure in the disputed waters. The installation coincides with the political chaos stemming from South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol's short-lived declaration of martial law. "China is helping to create the political chaos in South Korea so that it can conduct these activities inside South Korea's economic exclusive zone" and "act with impunity," Maxwell said. Others are unsure whether the two incidents are related. "I don't know if this is explicitly tied to exploiting [South Korea's] political turmoil," said Andrew Yeo, the SK-Korea Foundation chair in Korea studies at the Brookings Institution. "But Beijing may be testing South Korea's political resolve over disputed maritime claims, especially if we anticipate that the Trump administration will press [Seoul] to do more to counter Chinese threats in the Indo-Pacific," Yeo continued. Patrick Cronin, the Asia-Pacific security chair at the Hudson Institute, said Beijing does not want to push South Korea too hard, although it has an opportunity to do so, because "China has an interest in opening a healthy relationship with South Korea, especially at a time when it thinks it is going to have a more amendable government in place." Cronin was referring to main opposition Democratic Party leader Lee Jae-myung, considered pro-China, having a shot at running for the next presidential election, which could be held in few months if the Constitutional Court rules in favor of Yoon's impeachment. Beijings lack of clarity about whether it will lift sanctions previously placed on Marco Rubio the new U.S. secretary of state and a China hawk has sparked speculation on Chinese social media about whether Rubio will become the first American diplomat in his position who cant visit China. On Baidu, Chinas most popular search engine, sitting atop the trending chart Tuesday night was the question, Will China remove sanctions on the new U.S. Secretary of State? On Weibo, Chinas microblogging site similar to X, netizens wonder if Rubio will become the first U.S. secretary of state who wont be able to come to China. This guy has been barred from entering China, let alone visiting China, one Weibo user commented. Its now a question how he will be able to deal with China. Tough on China Rubio, the first Cabinet member of the second Trump administration to be confirmed by the Senate, was sworn in Tuesday. He was one of the toughest congressional lawmakers on China during his 14-year tenure as a senator. Rubio introduced bills, made statements and worked with rights groups that were highly critical of Chinas human rights record and growing influence around the world. A Chinese state media article once called him one of America's most radical anti-China politicians. In 2020, within a month, the Chinese government sanctioned Rubio twice. The first was announced in July of that year as part of the retaliation against the U.S. governments sanctions against a Chinese government department and four officials in Xinjiang for human rights violations alleged to have taken place in the region. The second one was announced in August after Washington sanctioned 11 Chinese and Hong Kong officials. I dont want to be paranoid, but I am starting to think they dont like me, Rubio tweeted sarcastically back then after learning about the sanctions. During his confirmation hearing last week, Rubio reaffirmed his position on China, asserting that China remains the biggest threat to the United States 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, he said during the hearing. On Chinas heavily censored internet, most of the comments on his swearing-in have been negative. In a proposed Cabinet lineup that includes candidates who are controversial, Rubio stands out as one with bipartisan support. He received a unanimous 99 confirmation votes. Experts say that how Rubio approaches China will depend largely on President Donald Trump. Rubio has a long history of working on China. But everyone in the Cabinet is loyal to Trump. I do think Trump will be the ultimate decision maker on China, Yun Sun, a senior fellow and co-director of the East Asia Program and director of the China Program at the Stimson Center, told VOA Mandarin. Any China policy will be a balance of issues to reach what Trump defines as American national interests. Hawkish views and friendly views will both be a part of the deal, she said. Necessary to 'maintain contact' In his new role, Rubio has put Beijing in a peculiar position. The Chinese government has not publicly sent a clear signal regarding questions about whether it will lift sanctions on him to allow him to visit. When asked if China would drop the sanctions, Guo Jiakun, a spokesperson for Chinas foreign ministry, said Tuesday at the daily press conference, "China will firmly defend national interests. In the meantime, it's necessary for high-level Chinese and American officials to maintain contact in an appropriate way." Recent online speculation about Rubio has evolved since social media users noticed the Chinese government ostensibly changed its translation of Rubios name. Claims circulated that Beijing changed the translation so that it could lift sanctions on Rubio without looking embarrassed, because now China can say the sanctions were aimed at a different person than Rubio. But the so-called new translation isnt new at all. The first translation has been the most widely used for Rubio in Chinese government documents and media. However, as early as 2019, Peoples Daily, Beijings flagship state media outlet and a mouthpiece of the Chinese Communist Party, used the second translation to refer to Rubio in an attack article. Transcripts from Chinas foreign ministry also show that when the two sanctions on him were unveiled in 2020, Rubio was referred to by a third variation of his name. The speculation garnered so much attention that Mao Ning, a spokesperson for Chinas foreign ministry, was asked about it on Wednesday at a press conference. I am not yet aware of what you mentioned, she said. Lin Yang contributed to this report. Chad's Constitutional Council has ignored opposition calls to set aside results of last months parliamentary elections for gross irregularities and fraud, and proclaimed the ruling party of Chad's president, Field Marshal Mahamat Idriss Deby, the winner. Officials said nominations for senatorial elections to end the transition are open, but the opposition insisted another transitional government should be formed and transparent elections organized to end the three-decade Deby family rule. Officials in Chad said opposition leaders assembled Wednesday in the capital, N'djamena, to protest the election results published Tuesday by the Constitutional Council, the central African nations highest court. Clement Sianka, spokesperson of Chad's National Assembly of Democrats, an opposition political party that participated in the Dec. 29 polls, said he took part in the protest because his party is surprised that the council refused to annul the elections he said were marred by fraud, low voter participation and intimidation of civilians Chad's military considered to be opposition supporters. Sianka said that by ordering government troops to chase opposition party representatives from polling stations, Deby, who in December declared himself as field marshal, the highest rank in Chad's military, once more sent a strong message to civilians that he wants to take power at any cost and continue the three-decade rule begun by his father, Idriss Deby Itno. Sianka said fraud was alarming, with ballot boxes confiscated and stuffed by supporters of Deby's Patriotic Salvation Movement, or MPS, party in front of helpless civilians. He said the MPS party declared its candidates as winners in towns and villages where civilians obeyed opposition boycott calls and elections did not take place. Sianka spoke on Chads state TV on Wednesday. According to the final results published by the countrys Constitutional Council on Tuesday, the MPS won124 seats in the 188-member National Assembly. Sixty-four women were voted in as lawmakers, according to the official results, an increase of 36 women over Chad's last legislative period, which ended in 2011. Officials say financial difficulties have made it impossible for legislative polls to be held since 2011. The opposition said the polls, the first in over a decade, should be set aside because most of Chad's roughly 8.3 million voters heeded opposition calls for a boycott. There were no indications the polls were to be free, fair and transparent as civilians already knew that Deby wanted to confiscate power, Chad's opposition said. However, Chad's Constitutional Council said voter turnout was over 50%, and the elections were peaceful with no major incidents that could affect the outcome of polls. Chad's Political Actors Consultation Group, or GCAP, a coalition of several dozen political parties, on Wednesday said democracy was stifled during Chad's three-year transition period. GCAP said Deby, who took power as a military ruler in 2021, persecutes critical opposition leaders to maintain the rule of his father. Idriss Deby spent three decades in power until he died while fighting rebels in April 2021. GCAP said Deby should hand power to a civilian capable of managing another transition during which transparent elections will be organized for a return to democratic rule. The group did not say who they think will manage the transition are advocating. Chad's opposition also accused the elections management body of rigging elections to favor Deby, who appoints and can fire the elections management bodys officials. Chad's Constitutional Council has neglected calls for an immediate end to the countrys transitional government and the cancellation of the Dec. 29 elections. The council says such calls are intended to bring chaos in Chad. On Wednesday the National Agency for the Management of Elections or ANGE reiterated calls on qualified civilians to prepare their nomination papers before a Jan. 24 deadline and run in the country's first senatorial elections, to be organized in April. Officials say the senatorial election will be the last polls to be organized by the transitional government in its efforts to hand power over to civilian rule. Ahmed Bartchiret, president of ANGE, said ANGE will not accept intimidation by opposition parties that want to disrupt Chad's unity and create chaos. He said ANGE will organize free, fair and transparent elections as it freely organized a constitutional referendum and presidential elections to hand over power to civilian rule as desired by the peace-loving people of Chad. Chad's opposition has always contested the outcome of elections since Deby became transitional president. Deby said he respects the verdict of the ballot and called on civilians to work with democratically elected officials for the development of Chad. U.S. President Donald Trump said Thursday he would soon talk with Russian President Vladimir Putin to try to push the Russian leader to end his nearly three-year war on neighboring Ukraine. "Millions of young lives are being wasted. That war is horrible," Trump, via video link from Washington, told global business leaders meeting at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. He said "Ukraine is ready to make a deal," although no peace negotiations have been announced. "This is a war that never should've started." Trump, three days into his second term in the White House, said he would ask Saudi Arabia and the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries to cut global oil prices, now about $77 a barrel, to curb Russia's oil revenues, which it uses to fund the war. "If the price comes down," Trump said, "the war in Ukraine will end immediately." "It's so important to get that done," he said. "It's time to end it." WATCH: Trump pressures Russia to end Ukraine war as Kremlin shrugs off sanction threats Russia unfazed by threats Trump's new remarks on the war came a day after he described the conflict as a "ridiculous war" and told Putin in a social media message that if he didn't move to end it, the U.S. would impose new tariffs, taxes and sanctions on Russian exports to the West. But the Kremlin was unmoved by Trump's threat, saying Thursday it did not see any particularly new elements in U.S. policy toward Russia. "He likes these methods, at least he liked them during his first presidency," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters. Peskov said Russia remains ready for "mutually respectful dialogue" with the United States as Trump starts a four-year term in the White House. Trump told Putin in a social media post that he was "not looking to hurt Russia" and that the U.S. "must never forget" that Russia helped the U.S. win World War II, but that it was time to end Moscow's attack on neighboring Ukraine. "All of that being said," Trump noted on his Truth Social account, "I'm going to do Russia, whose Economy is failing, and President Putin, a very big FAVOR. Settle now, and STOP this ridiculous War! IT'S ONLY GOING TO GET WORSE." "If we don't make a 'deal,' and soon," Trump said he would "have no other choice" but to impose the taxes, tariffs and sanctions. Under former U.S. President Joe Biden, who left office as Trump assumed power, the United States and its European allies frequently sanctioned key sectors of the Russian economy and oligarch friends of Putin, worsening the country's economy but failing to stop the war. Trump said, "Let's get this war, which never would have started if I were President, over with! We can do it the easy way, or the hard way and the easy way is always better. It's time to "MAKE A DEAL." NO MORE LIVES SHOULD BE LOST!!!" Russian attack kills 1, say officials in Zaporizhzhia On the battle front, officials in southern Ukraine's Zaporizhzhia region said Thursday a Russian ballistic missile attack killed at least one person and injured 24 others. Regional Governor Ivan Fedorov said on Telegram that Russian drones also destroyed an energy facility and knocked out power to tens of thousands of people. In the Mykolaiv region, Governor Vitaliy Kim said on Telegram that Ukrainian air defenses shot down nine Russian drones. But debris from the drones damaged several houses, Kim said. Ukraine's military also shot down several drones over the Dnipropetrovsk region, Governor Serhiy Lysak said. Russia's Defense Ministry said it shot down four Ukrainian drones over the Belgorod region located along the Russia-Ukraine border. Some information for this report was provided by The Associated Press, Agence France-Presse and Reuters Business has been intertwined with American politics since before the nations founding. And although unelected business leaders play a major role in financing campaigns and policy initiatives, few in recent memory have taken as personal and public a role in politics as Elon Musk. Even before the 2024 election, the South African-born entrepreneur often interacted with the U.S. government via his companies. His electric car manufacturer, Tesla, has received green energy subsidies, while his company Space X holds multiple contracts with NASA and the U.S. military to provide space-launch services, develop vehicles and operate flights. Through SpaceX, Musk also played a key role in U.S. support for Ukraines defense against Russias invasion by providing Starlink satellite internet terminals to Ukrainian forces. Musks involvement in the war became a source of concern after reports emerged that he was directly making decisions regarding the terminals use in the field and was in personal contact with Russian President Vladimir Putin and other top Russian officials. Musk attained an even more notable role in the media through his 2022 purchase of social media platform Twitter, which had become a de facto public square where journalists, companies and government officials made public announcements and engaged in discussion alongside regular users. Renaming the site X, Musk overhauled verification and content moderation policies to combat what he described as left-wing bias, reinstating President Donald Trumps account as well as multiple accounts that had been banned for hate speech. As the presidential election drew near, Musk used the platform to boost Trumps policy positions, eventually making campaign appearances alongside him and sitting in on his calls with foreign leaders. Musks involvement culminated in the businessman being announced as head of a new advisory commission on government efficiency, named after an internet meme and cryptocurrency that Musk himself had popularized. But while Musks involvement in U.S. politics may be unusual compared to his contemporaries, it recalls earlier eras when larger-than-life business leaders exercised great influence over the countrys affairs. J.P. Morgan (1837-1913) Having made his early career on Wall Street, John Pierpont Morgan gained fame by reorganizing the countrys booming railroad industry in the wake of the Civil War. By organizing conferences among railroad companies and consolidating the ones he held shares in, he helped create an integrated rail system, as he would later do with the nations steel production. When the economic panic of 1893 saw the U.S. running out of gold reserves, Morgans company stepped in to bail out the government, supplying gold in exchange for Treasury bonds. Then in 1907, when a financial panic threatened to collapse the nations banks, Morgan was again credited with saving the country by bringing together bank executives and forcing them to agree on a mutual stabilization plan. Morgan is remembered as a serious businessman who prioritized stability over speculation and supported hospitals, museums and universities through his philanthropic efforts. But Morgans integration of railroad and steel industries created monopolies that inspired the nations earliest antitrust laws. Moreover, the fact that the U.S. government twice had to rely on a private businessman to bail out its finances became a major cause for concern, leading to the creation of the Federal Reserve. Henry Ford (1863-1947) Henry Ford is best known for developing the first mass-produced automobile, making what was previously a luxury product affordable for the average consumer. Beyond the road, Ford popularized the assembly line and the 40-hour workweek as well as setting higher wage standards under the reasoning that better-paid and happier workers would be more productive and able to buy the cars they made. Ford believed that industry and consumerism would not only benefit the economy but promote world peace, actively campaigning against war as a waste of productivity. Having failed to prevent U.S. entry into World War I, Ford dutifully supplied the war effort and quieted his activism, but he still ran for U.S. Senate in 1918 a race he narrowly lost. Yet not all aspects of Fords reputation have aged well. The tycoons paternalistic and generous approach to his employees went hand-in-hand with his adamant opposition to unionization efforts and worker strikes, which were suppressed by force. His pacifism had a darker side as well. Ford was notably antisemitic and believed that Jewish people had been responsible for World War I as well as multiple ills in American society. After buying the Dearborn Independent newspaper in 1918, Ford used it to publish multiple antisemitic conspiracy theories, stopping only after threats of a boycott against his companies. As part of the America First Committee, Ford campaigned against U.S. entry into World War II and continued to do business with Nazi Germany up until the U.S. declared war in 1941. William Randolph Hearst (1863-1951) As owner of the San Francisco Examiner and the New York Morning Journal, Hearst built a media empire while pioneering a form of sensationalistic reporting that came to be known as yellow journalism. The Journals exaggerated reports of Spains colonial violence in Cuba inflamed American opinion and increased calls to intervene. When Congress eventually declared war on Spain in 1898, Hearst personally traveled to Cuba to cover the conflict. Hearsts media operations would later expand to more than two dozen newspapers in multiple cities, as well as magazines and book publishers. After setting his sights on politics, Hearst briefly served in the U.S. House of Representatives for New Yorks 11th district but narrowly lost subsequent mayoral and gubernatorial bids. Hearsts papers had published editorials violently denouncing President William McKinley, and he was blamed for incitement upon McKinleys assassination in 1901. Initially a progressive populist, Hearst shifted toward right-wing isolationism in the wake of World War I and the 1917 Russian Revolution. While denouncing President Franklin Delano Roosevelts New Deal policies as anti-American, Hearst expressed admiration for Hitler and published articles by the German leader. Nevertheless, Hearst supported U.S. entry into World War II following the attack on Pearl Harbor, shifting his focus to promoting anti-Asian sentiment and the internment of Japanese Americans. Today, Hearst is remembered as the real-life inspiration for the film Citizen Kane, which was made during his lifetime and which he sought to block from being released. Conclusion Tycoons who shaped American politics in past eras inspired admiration and controversy, their impact becoming clear only in hindsight. It remains to be seen whether Musks influence will outlast the Trump administration, and whether other modern-day moguls will follow his example. Transgender cartel musical "Emilia Perez" topped this year's Oscar nominations, earning 13 nods in an announcement on Thursday postponed by the devastating Los Angeles wildfires. French director Jacques Audiard's Mexico-set musical, released by Netflix, shattered the record for the most Academy Award nominations for a non-English-language movie. It was followed by epic immigrant saga "The Brutalist" and show-stopping musical adaptation "Wicked," which each picked up 10 nominations. Bob Dylan biopic "A Complete Unknown" and Vatican thriller "Conclave" bagged eight nods apiece. Voting deadlines had to be extended this month, as Los Angeles the home city of the Academy Awards was devastated by multiple blazes that have killed more than two dozen people and forced tens of thousands to flee. Nominees were unveiled in subdued circumstances, as a town that typically fixates on the Oscars race was instead fixated on new fires burning north of the city. Even so, the glitzy Oscars ceremony itself is still set for March 2, and the stars and studios who have spent months and millions of dollars campaigning learned if they have made the coveted final shortlists. "Emilia Perez," in which a narco boss transitions to life as a woman and turns her back on crime, picked up nods for best picture, best director and best international film, as well as multiple song, score and sound nods. Its star, Karla Sofia Gascon, became the first openly trans acting nominee in best actress, and Zoe Saldana was nominated for best supporting actress. Their more famous co-star, Selena Gomez, who has been criticized for her Spanish-language dialogue, missed out. Even so, the Netflix film easily surpassed the most nominated non-English-language movie ever a record previously held by "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" and "Roma," each with 10. In best actor, firm favorite Adrien Brody was nominated for "The Brutalist" along with Timothee Chalamet ("A Complete Unknown"), Ralph Fiennes ("Conclave") and Colman Domingo ("Sing Sing"). But in an unexpected pick sure to ruffle a few feathers in the new White House, the fifth and final spot went to Sebastian Stan, for his unsettling transformation into a young Donald Trump in "The Apprentice." The movie drew threats of lawsuits from Trump's attorneys, particularly for a scene in which the new U.S. president is shown raping his wife. In arguably the morning's biggest surprise, Jeremy Strong, who plays the youthful Trump's sinister mentor Roy Cohn, was also nominated in his supporting role. He edged out the likes of Denzel Washington ("Gladiator II"). Meanwhile, in an intense race for best actress, A-listers Angelina Jolie and Nicole Kidman who went all-out with their performances in "Maria" and "Babygirl," respectively missed out entirely. Instead, comeback queen Demi Moore, who charmed the industry with her Golden Globes acceptance speech for body horror-satire "The Substance," was nominated and is seen as the favorite. Her rivals include Gascon, "Anora" star Mikey Madison, "Wicked" lead Cynthia Erivo and Brazil's Fernanda Torres for "I'm Still Here." VIENTIANE, Jan. 23 (Xinhua) -- Laos will address environmental challenges through sustainable consumption and production practices promoted by the Climate Exchange Campaign, local media reported Thursday. The campaign, which empowers youth to tackle climate change, was officially launched in Lao capital Vientiane on Wednesday. Focused on advocacy, innovation, and collaboration, it aims to equip the next generation to lead in solving critical environmental issues. The launch was supported by the European Union (EU), Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC), Swisscontact, the Lao Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, and other partners. The launching event gathered over 60 representatives from government, civil society, academia, and the private sector. Discussions centered on reducing single-use plastics and promoting environmental awareness. The event featured two sessions, including pioneering solutions to combat single-use plastic pollution, and advocacy and awareness for a sustainable future. The Climate Exchange Campaign will focus on youth-led initiatives, including workshops and mentorship programs, to empower young people as "Climate Responders." By promoting collaboration and innovation, the campaign aims to create a sustainable future for Laos. Haiti's capital could become overrun by criminal gangs if the international community does not step up aid to a United Nations-backed security mission there, U.N. chief Antonio Guterres warned in a report Wednesday. More money, equipment and personnel are needed for the Kenya-led international force, Guterres said, adding that any further delays risk the "catastrophic" collapse of Haiti's security institutions and "could allow gangs to overrun the entire metropolitan area" of Port-au-Prince. The U.N. secretary-general lamented that the mission is "still not deployed to full strength," limiting its capacity to support the Haitian national police. Haiti's Foreign Minister Jean-Victor Harvel Jean-Baptiste, speaking at a meeting of the U.N. Security Council, said that the country faced "major difficulties" that threaten not just the population but also "the very survival of the state." The Security Council gave the green light in October 2023 to the Multinational Security Support (MSS) mission designed to support Haiti's authorities in their fight against gang violence. But since then, just under 800 of the 2,500 police officers hoped for have been deployed. More than 5,601 people were killed in Haiti last year as a result of gang violence, about a thousand more than in 2023, the U.N. said. In the report, Guterres said setbacks in Haiti's political process have "contributed to a climate in which these atrocities have become possible." Haiti currently has no president or parliament and is ruled by a transitional body, which is struggling to manage extreme violence linked to criminal gangs, poverty and other challenges. The U.N. also recorded 315 lynchings of people allegedly affiliated with gangs as well as 281 cases of alleged summary executions by police. More than a million Haitians have been forced to flee their homes, three times as many as a year ago. The Caribbean nation has suffered from decades of instability, but the situation escalated last February when armed groups launched coordinated attacks in the capital to overthrow then-Prime Minister Ariel Henry. Unpopular and unelected, Henry stepped down in April, his resignation eventually giving way to a transitional government, which had by November fired its interim prime minister and replaced him with current Prime Minister Alix Didier Fils-Aime. The U.N. Special Representative in Haiti, Maria Isabel Salvador, criticized the "increasing fragmentation" of the temporary council. "While there is progress on the political front and reason to be timidly hopeful, the transition framework remains fragile," she told the U.N. Security Council on Wednesday. Salvador said the humanitarian situation had reached "alarming levels," saying that over six million people -- nearly half the population -- required humanitarian assistance. The United States had, under former President Joe Biden, backed a request by Haitian authorities to transform the security mission into a U.N. peacekeeping force, but faced opposition from China and Russia. So far, the mission has had limited impact on the frequency of attacks by armed groups, who are accused of committing numerous murders, rapes and kidnappings for ransom. The attacks have also targeted key buildings and infrastructure, which forced the closure of the capital's airport to commercial flights in November. The chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court announced Thursday that he is seeking arrest warrants for high-ranking Taliban leaders in Afghanistan accused of crimes against humanity, citing widespread discrimination against the countrys female population. Karim Khan identified the suspects as the Taliban supreme leader, Hibatullah Akhundzada, and his chief justice, Abdul Hakim Haqqani, saying his action is based on a thorough investigation and evidence collected in the process. My Office has concluded that these two Afghan nationals are criminally responsible for persecuting Afghan girls and women and persons whom the Taliban perceived as allies of girls and women, Khan stated. He noted that the persecution has been ongoing since August 2021, when the Taliban regained control of Afghanistan and imposed their strict interpretation of Islamic law, or Sharia. Khan said, without elaborating, that his office would soon file additional applications seeking arrests of other senior Taliban members. ICC judges are now required to review the applications before deciding whether to issue an arrest warrant for Akhundzada and Haqqani. Experts anticipate the process could take weeks or even months. These applications recognize that Afghan women and girls, as well as the LGBTQI+ community, are facing an unprecedented, unconscionable, and ongoing persecution by the Taliban, Khan stated. Our action signals that the status quo for women and girls in Afghanistan is not acceptable. Afghan survivors, in particular women and girls, deserve accountability before a court of law, added the chief prosecutor. The Hague-based ICC is mandated to rule on the worlds worst offenses, such as war crimes and crimes against humanity. The court has no police force and relies on its 125 member states to execute its arrest warrants. Taliban officials did not immediately offer any response to the ICC announcement. Akhundzada, who governs the country from the southern city of Kandahar, has issued numerous edicts over the past three-and-a-half years, imposing extensive restrictions on Afghan women and girls that the United Nations has condemned as gender apartheid. Girls are banned from pursuing education beyond the sixth grade, including attending institutions that train midwives and nurses. Most women are prohibited from working in both the public and private sectors. They are blocked from visiting public parks, gyms, and baths. The Taliban have mandated that females cover their faces in public and that they cannot travel long distances without a male guardian making Afghanistan the only country in the world to impose such bans on women and girls. The U.N. and global rights groups have condemned the bans and demanded the Taliban reverse their restrictions on women, saying they are a key sticking point in the Afghan authorities pursuit of official recognition for their government in Kabul. The Taliban have vehemently defended their governance, asserting that their policies align with Sharia and Afghan culture. Taliban leaders say all Afghan citizens rights are provided for under Islamic law. An Israeli tank killed two Palestinians west of the city of Rafah in southern Gaza on Thursday, the enclaves civil defense said. The Israeli military said it was looking into the attack, according to media reports. Rafah is near the border with Egypt. The attack comes days after a ceasefire agreement began on Sunday between Israel and the militant group Hamas that is expected to last for at least six weeks. Also on Thursday, Israels military said Thursday it killed two Islamic Jihad militants who were involved in a deadly attack on a bus in the occupied West Bank earlier this month. The Israel Defense Forces said its troops killed the militants in the village of Burqin amid an exchange of fire after the militants had barricaded themselves in a building. One Israeli soldier was injured in the attack, the military said. Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz praised the operation Thursday and said Israel will continue its operation targeting terrorists in the Jenin refugee camp in the West Bank to ensure it does not become a base for attacks. Israel launched the operation on Tuesday, days after it began a ceasefire with Hamas in the Gaza Strip. Violence in the Israeli-occupied West Bank increased after the October 2023 Hamas attack on Israel and the subsequent Israeli counterassault in Gaza. Palestinian health officials say Israeli raids and attacks by Israeli settlers have killed more than 800 Palestinians in the West Bank during that time. Israels military says at least 29 Israelis, including soldiers have been killed. The Gaza war began with the Hamas attack in which the militants killed 1,200 people and took 250 people hostage. Hamas has been designated a terrorist organization by the U.S., U.K., EU and others. Israels counteroffensive in Gaza has killed more than 47,000, with most of them women and children, according to the health ministry in Gaza. The U.S. State Department said new Secretary of State Marco Rubio pledged to help Israeli free the remaining hostages as he spoke by telephone Wednesday with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Rubio "congratulated the Prime Minister on Israels successes against Hamas and Hezbollah" and highlighted that maintaining "steadfast support for Israel is a top priority" for the United States under President Donald Trump, according to a statement from State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce. Hamas, a U.S.-designated terror group, said it will release another round of hostages on Saturday. A Hamas official told Agence France-Presse on Tuesday that the next group of hostages would be four Israeli women, who would be set free in exchange for a number of Palestinian prisoners held by Israel. Shortly after the six-week ceasefire began, Hamas released three hostages while Israeli freed 90 Palestinian prisoners. Another component of the ceasefire is that more aid will flow into Gaza. On Thursday, the United Nations said 653 aid trucks entered the besieged enclave. Some information in this report came from The Associated Press, Reuters and Agence France-Presse. Firefighters battled multiple wildfires Thursday in southern California, including a new blaze that erupted a day earlier and prompted authorities to order more than 30,000 people to evacuate. The Hughes Fire northwest of the city of Los Angeles became the latest focus for fire crews Wednesday as it swelled to burn an area of more than 41 square kilometers near the Lake Castaic recreation area. The fire was about 14% contained early Thursday as forecasters warned of another day of dry and windy conditions that could make it difficult to keep fires from spreading. There is a chance for some relief in the coming days with the National Weather Service saying some rain is expected in the area beginning Saturday. Forecasters said they expect up to a centimeter of rain across much of the Los Angeles area, while localized thunderstorms could bring even more rain in limited locations. The potential for those storms has prompted concerns about the possibility of mudslides with debris flowing down hilly areas that have been scorched by several weeks of wildfires. In addition to the Hughes Fire, crews are still battling the Palisades Fire on the western side of Los Angeles and the Eaton Fire in the foothills to the north of the city. The fires that broke out in Southern California on Jan. 7 have killed at least 28 people and destroyed thousands of buildings. The death toll is expected to climb as emergency workers comb through the ashes. U.S. President Donald Trump, who has been critical of the response to the fire, is expected to travel to Los Angeles this week. Some information for this report came from The Associated Press. Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi terror group appears to be well-positioned to shield its leaders from retaliatory strikes recently threatened by Israel, international researchers tell VOA. Israel also faces its own challenges in potentially engaging in long-distance targeting of Houthi leaders, but those researchers say the Israeli threat to Houthi rule is likely to grow in the future. Israel has carried out five long-distance airstrikes on Houthi infrastructure and other targets in Yemen since last July, in retaliation for the Houthis firing hundreds of drones and missiles as part of an Iranian proxy war launched against Israel in October 2023. The Biden administration had labeled the Houthis a Specially Designated Global Terrorist organization last January, citing their use of missiles supplied by Iran to attack Red Sea shipping. President Donald Trump, who took office this week, signed an order on Wednesday starting a monthlong process of further penalizing the Houthis with a designation as a Foreign Terrorist Organization. After Israels latest Yemen strike on Jan. 10, Defense Minister Israel Katz issued a videotaped warning to Houthi leaders, saying Israel will hunt you down repeating a threat that he first made last month to decapitate the Houthi leadership. Houthi leader Abdul-Malek al-Houthi issued a defiant videotaped message of his own on Monday, saying his militia will monitor an Israel-Hamas ceasefire that took effect a day earlier in Gaza and escalate conflict with Israel if (it) breaches the deal. The Houthi leader is known for being elusive and issuing videotaped statements from undisclosed locations. Mohammed Albasha, a Yemeni American former journalist and founder of U.S.-based consultancy Basha Report that specializes in Middle East and North Africa risk assessments, told VOA that he has not observed any public meetings involving al-Houthi in Yemen since 2015. That is when a Saudi-led coalition began an offensive to try to oust the Houthis from the Yemeni capital, Sanaa, which the militia stormed into the year before. In a series of interviews for this report, Albasha and other international researchers specializing in Yemen said they suspect that al-Houthi has been hiding for years in the mountains of his clans home base of Saada province in northwestern Yemen, along with other senior figures of his militia. I dont think Israeli threats have changed the behavior of Houthi leaders much, said Wolf-Christian Paes, a researcher at the International Institute for Strategic Studies. Since 2015, they have fought Saudi and Emirati forces who tried to target their leadership, which made them very security conscious, Paes said. Al-Houthi has rarely met U.N. or other foreign visitors in person or given interviews to journalists. Ely Karmon, a researcher at Israels International Institute for Counter-Terrorism, said Houthi leaders appear to have tightened those precautions in response to recent developments, including Israels five strikes on Yemen, dozens of U.S.-led strikes on Houthi targets in Yemen since last January, and Israeli attacks on Iranian proxy leaders elsewhere in the region. Karmon noted that 10 days after Israels first airstrike in Yemen on July 20, 2024, the Houthis patron, Iran, held a swearing-in ceremony for its new president, Massoud Pezeshkian, and al-Houthi did not travel to the Islamic republic to attend. Hamas political chief Ismail Haniyeh, another Iranian proxy leader, did travel to the Iranian capital for the inauguration and was assassinated in an Israeli bombing hours after the event. April Longley Alley, a researcher at the U.S. Institute of Peace, said the Houthis also are likely to be skeptical of using transmitting technology anywhere near their top leader. Israel used communications devices to attack Hezbollah on consecutive days in September, first detonating thousands of rigged pagers and then hundreds of rigged walkie-talkies that it surreptitiously delivered to the Lebanese terror group. Ten days after the pager attack, Israel assassinated Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah in an airstrike on his southern Beirut stronghold, giving the Houthis more cause to bolster the protection of al-Houthi, the researchers said. Beyond the Houthis home base in Saada, the militia has a political leadership running an internationally unrecognized authority in Sanaa, called the Supreme Political Council. Albasha, the former journalist, said the councils prime minister and other ministers are not involved in military matters and operate under the authority of the militias senior commanders from Saada and the Houthi clan. The researchers said Houthi political leaders and spokesmen appear regularly in public in Sanaa, but typically in settings with many civilians present, giving those officials a human shield from potential aerial attacks. In the latest such appearance on Wednesday, the Houthis Supreme Political Council prime minister, Ahmed Ghaleb Nasser al-Rahawi, appeared at a government auditorium where several hundred people gathered to commemorate the 2004 killing of Hussein al-Houthi, a brother of the militias current leader, by forces of Yemens then-President Ali Abdullah Saleh. But the researchers said the Houthis tactics for shielding their leaders from attack also have drawbacks. Houthi military leaders are going to be very skeptical of using phones, and that is likely going to make it harder and more time consuming for them to exchange messages between Saada and Sanaa, Longley Alley said. Ari Heistein, an Israel-based researcher with the Counter Extremism Project, said Houthi military leaders risk losing relevance in running their regime if they disconnect from electronic communications for prolonged periods. Running a country of more than 32 million people with serious problems is hard to do from isolation in a remote environment, Heistein said. The researchers said it is harder for Israel to strike leaders of the Houthis than those of Hezbollah and other Iranian proxy groups located nearer its borders because Yemen is more than 2,000 kilometers away. That distance requires several hours of flight time for Israeli warplanes to reach their targets, versus minutes for the same warplanes to reach neighboring territories. They said Israel also lacks in Yemen the same kind of human intelligence sources that it established in Lebanon and Palestinian territories before the start of the recent conflict, when it perceived Yemen to be a relatively low threat. Karmon, the counterterrorism researcher, said that if the ceasefire in Gaza holds and the Houthis refrain from firing more projectiles at Israel in the coming weeks and months, he expects Israel to focus on closing what he called a huge intelligence gap in Yemen. He said Israel could utilize long-range drones, satellites, human sources and intelligence-sharing with the U.S. and regional partners to do that. Heistein said Israel likely will use its surprise September attacks on Hezbollah, which were years in the making, as a model for dealing with threats from Yemen. If the Houthis quiet down for a while, the next time they begin causing trouble, particularly for Israel and international shipping, Israel probably will have a plan in place to take out their leadership, Heistein said. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio is scheduled to visit Panama and other countries in Central America amid President Donald Trumps push to reclaim the Panama Canal and Washingtons efforts to curb illegal migration. State Department spokeswoman Tammy Bruce confirmed that Rubio will travel to Panama, Guatemala, El Salvador, Costa Rica and the Dominican Republic starting late next week.The trip is expected to mark Rubios first foreign visit as secretary of state. The State Department said that Rubio is prioritizing engagement within the Western Hemisphere. A spokesperson told VOA, Engaging with our neighbors is a vital element in addressing migration, supply chains and economic growth, which are key to Secretary Rubios pursuit of foreign policy focused on making America strong, prosperous, and safe. Trump has said he has not ruled out the possibility of either military or economic measures to achieve his stated goal of bringing the Panama Canal back under U.S. control. Earlier this week, Rubio outlined his foreign policy priorities, including halting the mass entry of undocumented migrants into the United States. The State Department will no longer undertake any activities that facilitate or encourage mass migration, Rubio said in a statement. Our diplomatic relations with other countries, particularly in the Western Hemisphere, will prioritize securing Americas borders, stopping illegal and destabilizing migration, and negotiating the repatriation of illegal immigrants to their home countries. New U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio discussed China's "dangerous and destabilizing actions in the South China Sea" with his Philippine counterpart on Wednesday and underscored the "ironclad" U.S. defense commitment to Manila. "Secretary Rubio conveyed that (China's) behavior undermines regional peace and stability and is inconsistent with international law," the U.S. State Department said in a statement on the call with Foreign Minister Enrique Manalo. The Philippines has been embroiled in wrangles at sea with China in the past two years and the two countries have faced off regularly around disputed features in the South China Sea that fall inside Manila's exclusive economic zone. Rubio's call came after he hosted counterparts from Australia, India and Japan in the China-focused "Quad" forum on Tuesday, the day after President Donald Trump returned to the White House. The four recommitted to working together. Quad members and the Philippines share concerns about China's growing power and analysts said Tuesday's meeting was designed to signal continuity in the Indo-Pacific and that countering Beijing would be a top priority for Trump. In the call with Manalo, Rubio "underscored the United States' ironclad commitments to the Philippines" under their Mutual Defense Treaty and discussed ways to advance security cooperation, expand economic ties and deepen regional cooperation, the statement said. China's foreign ministry said its activities in the waters were "reasonable, lawful and beyond reproach." Speaking at a regular press conference, ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said the United States was "not a party" to the South China Sea dispute and had "no right to intervene" in maritime issues between China and the Philippines. "Military cooperation between the U.S. and the Philippines should not undermine China's sovereignty and maritime rights and interests in the South China Sea, nor should it be used to endorse the illegal claims of the Philippines," Mao said. The Philippines, a U.S. defense treaty ally, is among the first countries to engage with the new U.S. administration to discuss critical security matters, Manila's defense department said in a statement. Its defense secretary Gilberto Teodoro and U.S. National Security Adviser Mike Waltz met at the White House on Thursday to reaffirm the enduring alliance between their two countries. Just ahead of Trump's inauguration, the Philippines and the United States carried out their fifth set of joint maritime exercises in the South China Sea since launching the joint activities in 2023. Security engagements between the allies have soared under Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., who has moved closer to Washington and allowed the expansion of military bases that American forces can access, including facilities facing the democratically governed island of Taiwan, which China claims as its own. Visiting the Philippines last week, Japanese Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya said a trilateral initiative to boost cooperation launched by Japan, the U.S. and the Philippines at a summit last year would be strengthened when the new U.S. administration took over in Washington. Its tough to gain admission to Yale University, and its getting even tougher for international students as standout students from around the world set their sights on Yale. The Yale Dale News, the campus newspaper, takes a look at the situation here. Read the full story here. Hundreds of LGBTQ+ couples married in Thailand Thursday as the kingdom became the third place in Asia to legalize same-sex unions. The decision carries serious economic potential in that country. The new law came into effect on Thursday, following only Taiwan and Nepal in Asia. It also makes Thailand the first Southeast Asian nation to recognize same-sex marriage, in a region of several Muslim-majority nations where homosexuality is outlawed on religious grounds. Now, in an administrative change that carries major consequences, the word spouse replaces husband and wife in statutes, unlocking access for same-sex couples to practical benefits previously only enjoyed by heterosexual marriages. Those include the ability to adopt children, take out joint mortgages, pass on property after death, benefit from next-of-kin status and receive state benefits - as well as crucial medical rights to give consent on behalf of their partners in an emergency. Across the country, from Krabi in the south to Chiang Mai in the north, couples married in registration ceremonies that ranged from intimate at local government offices to a mass wedding at a downtown shopping mall in Bangkok. Thai national Rittigiat Subma married his Chinese partner, Xichen Lin, in Bang Rak district, Bangkoks most popular district for marriage. Pride rainbow flags and umbrellas hung above the offices, while a three-piece band provided the soundtrack to the weddings. Im so happy. Its long overdue, Rittigiat told VOA. My partner and I can now take a loan together to buy a house, we can access other equal benefits and make big medical decisions for one another. I can get a spouse visa after we register our marriage here and move to Australia with him for his work. Proudly holding the red-bound marriage certificate book, his spouse, Xichen Lin. said the pair - who are both 27 and work for tech firms - knew they wanted to get married within weeks of meeting each other. Had this bill not been passed there wouldnt be a relationship for us, because one of the premises of our relationship is that were going to have a future. With no legal possibilities for gay couples in China where same-sex marriage is illegal, he said Thai law has unlocked that possibility. We are able to live a normal life now just like a regular couple; we can tell the others that we are married we can share assets and represent each other in legal circumstances. Despite the joy and celebration, there were notes of caution from LGBTQ+ advocates who say their equality efforts continue beyond the same-sex bill. The law may take effect today but that doesnt mean discrimination against LGBTQ+ community has changed overnight, said Tunyawaj Kamolwongwat, a lawmaker for the progressive Peoples Party, and a key driver of the law change. There is a long journey ahead of us with other laws needing to catch up now we have to follow up on an array of issues including pregnancy through assisted reproductive technologies, [and] foreign citizenship for LGBTQ+ partners ... Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra has reaped the political dividends from the legal change, which follows years of delayed efforts to get same-sex marriage codified. With the power of love by all of you, today Thailand marks a historic day in making the world know that we embrace every kind of love, every gender that is a fundamental part of democracy, Paetongtarn, now at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, said in a prerecorded video message. There are also big hopes for an economic bounce, with companies from insurance and mortgages to hotels keen to cash in on the so-called pink baht. Paetongtarns government has put same-sex marriages under the kingdoms "soft power" drive - alongside Thai pop music and movies - sensing an economic opportunity from a reputation for openness and hosting weddings and honeymoons in one of the worlds top tourist destinations. A study by travel platform Agoda said that Thailands marriage equality legislation is set to deliver an additional 4 million international visitors per year and increase tourism revenue by nearly $2 billion annually within two years after it is enacted. Thai official data says around 9% of the population - or 4.4 million people - identify as LGBTQ+, representing a domestic marriage market of around $50 million. Dujruedee Thaithumnus, a wedding consultant on the tourist haven of Koh Samui in the Gulf of Thailand, said the island was ready for the inflow of couples. It will boost the economy of the entire island from musicians who play at weddings, to make-up artists and flower shops to photographers and hotels. The island is already packed as it is. I cant imagine after the law change is official. U.S. lawmakers confirmed a second key member of President Donald Trumps national security team Thursday, voting 74-25 to make John Ratcliffe the 25th director of the countrys premier spy agency. Ratcliffe, who served as director of national intelligence at the end of Trumps first term, took the oath of office about two hours later, as administered by Vice President JD Vance. Vance called Ratcliffe a great patriot and said he is someone who has the trust of the president. Ratcliffe now will head an intelligence operation that Trump and Republicans have criticized for a failure to cultivate information on critical developments in places like Ukraine, Afghanistan and the Middle East, and for using the information it did get to defend the previous administrations policies. Ratcliffe indicated during his confirmation hearing last week that substantial changes would be in store, saying the spy agency would be more aggressive both in collecting human intelligence and in countering U.S. adversaries. We will collect intelligence, especially human intelligence, in every corner of the globe no matter how dark or difficult, he told lawmakers at the time. "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. "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 added. If it doesn't, then it's time to find a new line of work. The confirmation vote came three days after Trump took the oath of office and after a plea from the top Republican and Democrat on the Senate Intelligence Committee for a speedy vote on Ratcliffes nomination to lead the CIA. "Our world is far too dangerous for any delay in having a Senate-confirmed leader in charge of the CIA," Senators Tom Cotton and Mark Warner said in a statement Monday, after their committee advanced Ratcliffe by a 14-3 margin. Push from Thune Senate Majority Leader John Thune, a Republican, on Tuesday also pushed for his colleagues to move quickly on Ratcliffes nomination. Under the Biden administration, the intelligence community made some notable misses, Thune said. Mr. Ratcliffe brings the right experience and the right approach to the CIA, he said. Cotton, the Senate Intelligence Committee chairman, also praised Ratcliffe as someone capable of getting the CIA back on track. "The nation needs a strong, capable and aggressive CIA, he told Ratcliffe at his confirmation hearing last week. 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. But the confirmation vote was delayed after criticism from some leading Democrats. I want the record to show that I strongly oppose the nomination, Democrat Ron Wyden said Tuesday. In 2020, I opposed his confirmation to be director of national intelligence because I believe his partisanship and willingness essentially went to the proposition of doing what would please Donald Trump, he said. Unfortunately, his actions as head of national intelligence only confirmed my concerns. Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer echoed that opposition before Thursdays vote. I will respectfully vote no, not because of our political difference, which of course exists, but because I am deeply worried that Mr. Ratcliffe will be unable to stand up to people like Donald Trump and Tulsi Gabbard, who are known to falsify intelligence, he said. There may be no agency more important than the CIA that has to be fact-based. Sometimes, these facts will lead to inconvenient conclusions for his superiors and the president, he said. Its in those cases where truth, not fiction, not ideology, must prevail, and I have my doubts that Mr. Ratcliffe will be able to hold firm. Gabbard hearing scheduled Gabbard, a veteran of the U.S. Army National Guard and a former Democratic lawmaker, is Trumps choice to be the next director of national intelligence. Her confirmation hearing has been scheduled for next week, when she will be asked about accusations from both Democrats and some Republicans that she has repeated Russian disinformation and about her 2017 meeting with former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, who stands accused of war crimes. Ratcliffes opponents have accused him of defying Congress and withholding information in the 2018 murder of Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi a killing that U.S. intelligence concluded was ordered by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. They also have criticized Ratcliffe, in his role as director of national intelligence, for the September 2020 release of a Russian intelligence assessment that seemed to back Trumps allegations of nefarious activity by his opponent in the 2016 U.S. presidential election, Democrat Hillary Clinton. But that decision, and others by Ratcliffe to push back against previous U.S. intelligence assessments that Russia had endeavored to help Trump win the 2016 election, is part of what endeared him to the president. And Ratcliffes insistence on a more aggressive CIA, according to some analysts, resonated with both Republicans and Democrats. There was criticism throughout the hearing that the CIA has gone soft on collecting human intelligence, on stealing foreign adversary secrets, Tyler McBrien, the managing editor of Lawfare, told VOA. A lot of criticisms about how the CIA has failed to predict in the past four years major geopolitical events, including the fall of the Assad regime and even the New Orleans terrorist attack. Ratcliffe really is focused on that human intelligence aspect and also a reorientation toward what he sees as the biggest national security threat, which is China, McBrien said. No-bias pledge Ratcliffe has promised lawmakers that under his leadership the CIA will deliver insights free of political bias and that he will not lead a purge of employees based on their perceived political views or perceived loyalty to Trump. He also promised to reinvigorate CIA investigations into 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, calling it an indispensable tool. Katherine Gypson and Kim Lewis contributed to this report. Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, talks with local people while visiting a food market in Shenyang, capital city of northeast China's Liaoning Province, Jan. 23, 2025. Xi on Thursday inspected Shenyang. (Xinhua/Ding Haitao) SHENYANG, Jan. 23 (Xinhua) -- Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, on Thursday inspected Shenyang, capital city of northeast China's Liaoning Province. Xi made the trip shortly before the Spring Festival, the most important holiday for the Chinese people, which falls on Jan. 29 this year. Xi visited a food market and a residential community in Shenyang, where he learned about the supply of goods during the holiday season and measures in place to meet residents' daily needs and optimize public services, as well as details of progress made in improving people's life. For more than a decade, Xi, as the Party and the state's top leader, has made it a tradition to spend time with ordinary people ahead of the Spring Festival. Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, learns about measures in place to optimize public services as well as details of progress made in improving people's life while visiting a residential community in Shenyang, capital city of northeast China's Liaoning Province, Jan. 23, 2025. Xi on Thursday inspected Shenyang. (Xinhua/Li Xueren) Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, learns about measures in place to optimize public services as well as details of progress made in improving people's life while visiting a residential community in Shenyang, capital city of northeast China's Liaoning Province, Jan. 23, 2025. Xi on Thursday inspected Shenyang. (Xinhua/Xie Huanchi) Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, talks with local residents while visiting a residential community in Shenyang, capital city of northeast China's Liaoning Province, Jan. 23, 2025. Xi on Thursday inspected Shenyang. (Xinhua/Li Xueren) Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, learns about measures in place to optimize public services as well as details of progress made in improving people's life while visiting a residential community in Shenyang, capital city of northeast China's Liaoning Province, Jan. 23, 2025. Xi on Thursday inspected Shenyang. (Xinhua/Wang Ye) Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, learns about measures in place to optimize public services as well as details of progress made in improving people's life while visiting a residential community in Shenyang, capital city of northeast China's Liaoning Province, Jan. 23, 2025. Xi on Thursday inspected Shenyang. (Xinhua/Li Xueren) Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, talks with local residents while visiting a residential community in Shenyang, capital city of northeast China's Liaoning Province, Jan. 23, 2025. Xi on Thursday inspected Shenyang. (Xinhua/Xie Huanchi) Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, talks with local residents while visiting a residential community in Shenyang, capital city of northeast China's Liaoning Province, Jan. 23, 2025. Xi on Thursday inspected Shenyang. (Xinhua/Xie Huanchi) Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, talks with local residents while visiting a residential community in Shenyang, capital city of northeast China's Liaoning Province, Jan. 23, 2025. Xi on Thursday inspected Shenyang. (Xinhua/Wang Ye) Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, talks with local people while visiting a food market in Shenyang, capital city of northeast China's Liaoning Province, Jan. 23, 2025. Xi on Thursday inspected Shenyang. (Xinhua/Xie Huanchi) Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, learns about the supply of goods during the holiday season and measures in place to meet residents' daily needs while visiting a food market in Shenyang, capital city of northeast China's Liaoning Province, Jan. 23, 2025. Xi on Thursday inspected Shenyang. (Xinhua/Xie Huanchi) Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, learns about the supply of goods during the holiday season and measures in place to meet residents' daily needs while visiting a food market in Shenyang, capital city of northeast China's Liaoning Province, Jan. 23, 2025. Xi on Thursday inspected Shenyang. (Xinhua/Xie Huanchi) Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, learns about the supply of goods during the holiday season and measures in place to meet residents' daily needs while visiting a food market in Shenyang, capital city of northeast China's Liaoning Province, Jan. 23, 2025. Xi on Thursday inspected Shenyang. (Xinhua/Wang Ye) Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, learns about the supply of goods during the holiday season and measures in place to meet residents' daily needs while visiting a food market in Shenyang, capital city of northeast China's Liaoning Province, Jan. 23, 2025. Xi on Thursday inspected Shenyang. (Xinhua/Wang Ye) Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, learns about the supply of goods during the holiday season and measures in place to meet residents' daily needs while visiting a food market in Shenyang, capital city of northeast China's Liaoning Province, Jan. 23, 2025. Xi on Thursday inspected Shenyang. (Xinhua/Xie Huanchi) Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, talks with local people while visiting a food market in Shenyang, capital city of northeast China's Liaoning Province, Jan. 23, 2025. Xi on Thursday inspected Shenyang. (Xinhua/Li Xueren) U.S. President Donald Trump on Wednesday re-designated Yemen's Houthi movement, known formally as Ansar Allah, as a "foreign terrorist organization," the White House said. The move will impose harsher economic penalties than the Biden administration had applied to the Iran-aligned group in response to its attacks on commercial shipping in the Red Sea and against U.S. warships defending the critical maritime chokepoint. Proponents of the move say it is overdue, though some experts say it could have implications for anyone seen as aiding the Houthis, including some aid organizations. "The Houthis' activities threaten the security of American civilians and personnel in the Middle East, the safety of our closest regional partners, and the stability of global maritime trade," the White House said in a statement. The Houthis, who control most of Yemen, have carried out more than 100 attacks on ships plying the Red Sea since November 2023, saying they were acting in solidarity with Palestinians over Israel's war against Hamas 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. The group has 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. Under the Biden administration, the U.S. military sought to intercept Houthi attacks to safeguard commercial traffic and waged periodic strikes to degrade Houthi military capabilities. But it did not target the group's leadership. At the start of his presidential term in 2021, Joe Biden had dropped Trump's terrorist designations to address humanitarian concerns inside Yemen. Confronted with the Red Sea attacks, Biden last year designated the group as a "Specially Designated Global Terrorist" organization. But his administration held off on applying the harsher FTO designation. British charity Oxfam said the move would worsen the suffering of Yemeni civilians, disrupting vital imports of food, medicine, and fuel. "The Trump administration is aware of these consequences but chose to move forward anyway, and will bear responsibility for the hunger and disease that will follow," Oxfam America's director of peace and security, Scott Paul, said in a statement. David Schenker, who was assistant secretary of state for Near Eastern affairs in the first Trump administration, said Trump's move on Wednesday was an obvious, early step to respond to what he described as one of Iran's leading proxy forces in the Middle East. "While the redesignation likely won't have a positive impact on the group's behavior, the measure suggests the new administration is not looking to induce (or cajole) the Iranians to negotiations through blandishment," Schenker told Reuters. The Trump administration said the U.S. will work with regional partners to eliminate Houthi capabilities, deprive it of resources "and thereby end its attacks on U.S. personnel and civilians, U.S. partners, and maritime shipping in the Red Sea." The designation will also trigger a broad review of U.N. partners, non-governmental organizations and contractors operating in Yemen, the White House said. "The President will direct USAID to end its relationship with entities that have made payments to the Houthis, or which have opposed international efforts to counter the Houthis while turning a blind eye towards the Houthis terrorism and abuses," the White House said. The Houthis in recent days have signaled they were scaling back attacks in the Red Sea following a multiphase cease fire deal between Israel and Hamas. Earlier on Wednesday, the group released the crew of the Galaxy Leader commercial ship more than a year after they seized their Bahamas-flagged vessel off the Yemeni coast. U.S. President Donald Trump escalated his campaign against diversity programs on Tuesday by pressuring the private sector to join the initiative and telling government employees in offices administering such programs they would be placed on paid leave. On his first day in office, Trump issued a series of executive orders to end diversity, equity and inclusion programs, which attempt to promote opportunities for women, ethnic minorities, LGBTQ+ people and other traditionally underrepresented groups. Civil rights advocates have argued that such programs are necessary to address long-standing inequities and structural racism. Trump and his supporters say DEI programs end up unfairly discriminating against other Americans and weaken the importance of candidates' merit in job hiring or promotion. In an executive order issued on Tuesday, Trump revoked executive orders dating as far back as 1965 on environmental actions, equal employment opportunities and encouragement to federal contractors to achieve workforce balancing on race, gender and religion. The 1965 order that was revoked was signed by then-President Lyndon Johnson to protect the rights of workers employed by federal contractors and ensure they remained free from discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or national origin, according to the Labor Department. The Trump executive order seeks to dissuade private companies that receive government contracts from using DEI programs and hiring on the basis of race and sex what the order called "illegal DEI discrimination and preferences" and asks government agencies to identify private companies that might be subject to civil investigation. "As a part of this plan, each agency shall identify up to nine potential civil compliance investigations of publicly traded corporations, large non-profit corporations or associations, foundations with assets of 500 million dollars or more, State and local bar and medical associations, and institutions of higher education with endowments over 1 billion dollars," the order said. Full details on how the Trump administration would enforce "civil compliance investigations" were not immediately available. The order issued on Tuesday stipulates that federal and private-sector employment preferences for military veterans could continue. The executive order was celebrated by conservative activists and Republican leaders. It was also met with condemnation from civil rights leaders who are strategizing how to respond to Trump's actions. Reverend Al Sharpton, founder and president of the National Action Network, formally announced Wednesday the organization and its partners plan to identify two companies in the next 90 days that will be boycotted for abandoning DEI pledges. Reuters first reported the coordinated action ahead of Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Basil Smikle Jr., a political strategist and policy adviser, said he was troubled by the Trump administration's assertion that diversity programs were "diminishing the importance of individual merit, aptitude, hard work and determination" because it suggested women and people of color lacked merit or qualifications. "There's this clear effort to hinder, if not erode, the political and economic power of people of color and women," Smikle said. "What it does is opens up the door for more cronyism," he said. The White House did not immediately respond to a request from Reuters to address criticism from civil rights advocates. Separately, the Trump administration instructed U.S. federal government departments and agencies to dismantle all DEI programs, advising employees of such programs that they would be immediately placed on paid leave. The government should by the end of business on Wednesday inform employees of any government offices or units focused exclusively on DEI that their programs will be shut down and employees placed on leave, the Office of Personnel Management said in a memorandum. The Tuesday memo also included a template for agency heads to use, encouraging federal employees to report alleged attempts by "some in government to disguise" continued use of DEI programs and initiatives "by using coded or imprecise language." A directive, using nearly identical wording, was distributed Wednesday to staff at various federal agencies and departments, including the State Department, according to a memo viewed by Reuters. Trump also signed a memorandum on Tuesday that ends a Biden administration initiative to promote diversity in the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), ordering the FAA administrator to immediately stop DEI hiring programs, the White House said. Trump ordered the FAA to conduct a safety review that would replace any employees who fail to demonstrate their competence. "President Trump is immediately terminating this illegal and dangerous program and requiring that all FAA hiring be based solely on ensuring the safety of airline passengers and overall job excellence," the White House said in a fact sheet. President Donald Trump on Wednesday announced Brent Bozell III as his nominee to lead the U.S. Agency for Global Media, which oversees VOA and other independent news networks. Bozell is a conservative political activist and writer who founded the Media Research Center, an organization set up to counter what it identifies as liberal bias in media and popular culture. MRC has also challenged technology companies that it says were suppressing conservative voices. A date for Bozells Senate confirmation hearing has not yet been set. Congress is currently holding hearings for the presidents picks to lead federal agencies. Bozell on the social media platform X said he was honored by the nomination. There is lots of work to be done. I look forward to meeting with Senators ahead of my confirmation hearing to explore how best to ensure the priorities of the President are met, he posted. If confirmed by the Senate, Bozell will lead the USAGM, an organization that in 2024 sought a $950 million budget to oversee several entities dedicated to reporting news and combating censorship that have a combined weekly audience reach of more than 420 million. Those organizations include Voice of America, the Office of Cuba Broadcasting, and the nonprofits Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Radio Free Asia, the Middle East Broadcasting Networks, Open Technology Fund and Frontline Media Fund. As CEO, Bozell will work closely with the International Broadcasting Advisory Board a seven-person bipartisan body that ensures the editorial independence of the networks is protected and that the mission to provide unbiased information is carried out. The board includes the U.S. secretary of state. Trump's choice, Marco Rubio, was sworn in as secretary of state on Tuesday. The board also must provide approval via majority vote for any requests by the CEO to hire or dismiss network heads. Trump in early December has said he would like journalist turned politician Kari Lake to lead VOA. Lake worked as a TV journalist for nearly 30 years before moving into politics. She ran unsuccessfully for governor of Arizona and challenged her loss in lawsuits. A run for senator was also unsuccessful. The roles of VOA director and network heads are not presidentially appointed. Instead, a CEO makes a selection that goes to the bipartisan board for unanimous approval. Congress made changes to the role of CEO and advisory board in December 2020 after the first presidentially appointed head of the USAGM, Michael Pack, was found to have engaged in gross mismanagement and abuse of power while at the agency. If approved, Bozell will take over USAGM at a crucial time, with Chinese and Russian state-run propaganda gaining traction, and the safety of the journalists at USAGM under threat in hostile countries. At least 11 journalists who work with USAGM networks are currently imprisoned by hostile governments in Myanmar, Belarus, Azerbaijan, Vietnam and Russian-occupied Crimea. Others have lost their lives while reporting in dangerous environments, including Haiti. In December, a freelancer who helped with marketing for VOA Creole was killed in a gang attack. The last head of USAGM, Amanda Bennett, stepped down ahead of Trumps inauguration. A former VOA director and Pulitzer-winning writer, Bennett was nominated to the position by President Joe Biden in 2021. In announcing his pick Wednesday, Trump noted that Bozell and his family have fought for the American principles of Liberty, Freedom, Equality, and Justice for generations. Bozells father, L. Brent Bozell, founded a conservative Catholic magazine, was a speechwriter for Republican Senator Barry Goldwater, and in 1970 organized the first antiabortion march in Washington. One of Bozells five children was pardoned by Trump this week, after being sentenced to more than three years in prison for his role in the Jan. 6, 2021, riot on the Capitol. U.S. President Donald Trump on Thursday invited global businesses to manufacture their products in the U.S. and promised them lower taxes but warned if they chose to produce their goods elsewhere, they would have to pay tariffs to export them to the United States. "America is back and open for business," Trump, in a video linkup from Washington, told corporate leaders meeting at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. "My message to every business in the world is very simple: Come make your product in America, and we will give you among the lowest taxes of any nation on Earth," Trump said. "But if you don't make your product in America, which is your prerogative, then, very simply, you will have to pay a tariff." Trump, three days into his second term in the White House, said he wants to cut the U.S. corporate tax rate from 21% to 15%, although that needs approval from his political allies in the Republican-controlled Congress. Lawmakers have begun debating how to extend and reshape personal and corporate tax cuts enacted in 2017 during Trump's first term in office. Trump promised the U.S. would supply Europe with the liquified natural gas it needs but contended that the European Union treats the United States "very, very unfairly" with the extent of regulations it imposes on American businesses operating in the 27-nation bloc. The president complained specifically about tariffs and environmental impact statements for new construction projects, calling them "things you shouldn't have to do." Trump promised that his administration would make the U.S., already the world's biggest economy, "a manufacturing superpower" and said the government during his four-year term would eliminate 10 business regulations for every new one that is imposed. He said he plans to ask Saudi Arabia and the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries to cut the price of oil they produce to boost the global economy. He contended that if the current global oil price about $77 a barrel is cut, "the war in Ukraine will end immediately." Russia uses revenue from its own oil production to help fund its three-year war on neighboring Ukraine. Trump said that in the global economy, the U.S. "just wants to be treated fairly by other countries." He said the U.S. wants to have a "fair relationship" with China, the world's second-biggest economy. "We don't want to take advantage," he said of Washington-Beijing relations. "We just want to have a level playing field." The United States is expected to reduce funding to U.N. agencies that do not align with the Trump administrations America First policy, and newly sworn in Secretary of State Marco Rubio spelled out his foreign policy priorities and met with Asian allies. A look at U.S. policy in the Middle East going forward now that Donald Trump has returned to the White House. A trip to Burkina Faso to examine how misinformation is a worldwide problem, and a look at whats new with the Indian navy. President Donald Trump is expected to visit hurricane- and fire-damaged areas of the US on Friday. The president will stop in North Carolina, which was hit by Hurricane Helene in September, and Los Angeles, where fires continue to burn and over 100,000 people are under evacuation orders. From Los Angeles, Genia Dulot has our story. The U.S. House of Representatives on Wednesday gave final approval to a bill that requires the detainment of unauthorized migrants accused of theft and violent crimes, marking the first legislation that President Donald Trump can sign as Congress, with some bipartisan support, swiftly moved in line with his plans to crackdown on illegal immigration. Passage of the Laken Riley Act, which was named after a Georgia nursing student who was murdered last year by a Venezuelan man, shows just how sharply the political debate over immigration has shifted to the right following Trump's election victory. Immigration policy has often been one of the most entrenched issues in Congress, but a crucial faction of 46 politically vulnerable Democrats joined Republicans to lift the strict proposal to passage on a 263-156 vote tally. "For decades, it has been almost impossible for our government to agree on solutions for the problems at our border and within our country," said Senator Katie Britt, an Alabama Republican. She called the legislation "perhaps the most significant immigration enforcement bill" to be passed by Congress in nearly three decades. Still, the bill would require a massive ramp up in U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's capabilities, but it does not include any new funding. Meanwhile, Trump has launched a slew of executive orders intended to seal off the U.S. border with Mexico to immigration and ultimately deport millions of migrants without permanent legal status in the U.S. On Wednesday, Trump also canceled refugee resettlement, and his administration has signaled that it intends to prosecute local law enforcement officials who do not enforce his new immigration policies. Republican congressional leaders have made it clear they intend to follow suit. Their toughest challenge, however, will be finding a way to approve the funding to implement Trump's hardline plans. "What he's doing is kickstarting what will ultimately be our legislative agenda," said House Speaker Mike Johnson. House Republicans initially passed the legislation last year with support from 37 Democrats. It then languished in the Democratic-controlled Senate. This year, Republicans, now with control of both congressional chambers, have made it their top priority. When it came before the Senate, 12 Democrats voted in favor of passage, and when the House voted on a version of the bill earlier this month, 48 Democrats supported it. "While the bill is not perfect, it sends a clear message that we think that criminals should be deported," said Representative Tom Suozzi, a New York Democrat who has called on his party to support tougher immigration enforcement. Under the legislation, federal authorities would be required to detain any migrant arrested or charged with crimes such as shoplifting. The scope of the proposal was widened in the Senate to also include those accused of assaulting a police officer or crimes that injure or kill someone. The bill also gives legal standing to state attorneys general to sue the federal government for harm caused by federal immigration decisions. That gives states new power in setting immigration policy at a time when they have been trying to push back against presidential decisions under both the Trump and Biden administrations. Ultimately, even the Trump administration is likely to struggle to implement the new requirements unless Congress follows up later this year with funding. Republicans are strategizing how to push their priorities through Congress using a party-line process known as budget reconciliation. They have put the cost of funding Trump's border and deportation priorities at roughly $100 billion. The Department of Homeland Security has estimated the Laken Riley Act would cost $26.9 billion in the first year to implement, including an increase of 110,000 ICE detention beds. Most Democrats criticized the lack of funding in the bill as proof that it is a piecemeal approach that would do little to fix problems in the immigration system and saddle federal authorities with new requirements. "The bill's authors claimed it's going to result in the arrest and detention of serious criminals, but it will not do that because it's a totally unfunded mandate," said Democratic Senator Chris Murphy. Others raised concerns that the bill would strip due process rights for migrants, including minors or recipients of the Deferred Action for Unaccompanied Minors program. Senator Alex Padilla, a Democrat, said that federal authorities would now be forced to prioritize detention of migrants arrested for low-level crimes like shoplifting, rather than those who commit violent felonies. On the whole, there is no evidence that immigrants are more prone to violent crime. Several studies have found immigrants commit crimes at lower rates than those born in the U.S. Groups that advocate for restrictive immigration policies dispute or dismiss those findings. A federal judge on Thursday temporarily blocked President Donald Trump's executive order denying U.S. citizenship to the children of parents living in the country illegally, calling it "blatantly unconstitutional" during the first hearing in a multistate effort challenging the order. The 14th Amendment to the Constitution promises citizenship to those born on U.S. soil, a measure ratified in 1868 to ensure citizenship for former slaves after the Civil War. But in an effort to curb unlawful immigration, Trump issued the executive order just after being sworn in for his second term on Monday. The order would deny citizenship to those born after February 19 whose parents are in the country illegally. It also would forbid U.S. agencies from issuing any document or accepting any state document recognizing citizenship for such children. Trump's order drew immediate legal challenges across the country, with at least five lawsuits being brought by 22 states and a number of immigrants rights groups. A lawsuit brought by Washington, Arizona, Oregon and Illinois was the first to get a hearing. "I've been on the bench for over four decades. I can't remember another case where the question presented was as clear as this one is," U.S. District Judge John Coughenour told a Justice Department attorney. "This is a blatantly unconstitutional order." Thursday's decision prevents the Trump administration from taking steps to implement the executive order for 14 days. In the meantime, the parties will submit further arguments about the merits of Trump's order. Coughenour scheduled a hearing on February 6 to decide whether to block it long term as the case proceeds. Coughenour, 84, a Ronald Reagan appointee who was nominated to the federal bench in 1981, grilled the DOJ attorney, Brett Shumate, asking whether Shumate personally believed the order was constitutional. Shumate assured the judge he did "absolutely." He said the arguments the Trump administration is making now have never previously been litigated, and that there was no reason to issue a 14-day temporary restraining order when it would expire before the executive order takes effect. The Department of Justice later said in a statement that it would "vigorously defend" the president's executive order, which it said "correctly interprets the 14th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution." "We look forward to presenting a full merits argument to the court and to the American people, who are desperate to see our nation's laws enforced," the department said. The U.S. is among about 30 countries where birthright citizenship the principle of jus soli or "right of the soil" is applied. Most are in the Americas, and Canada and Mexico are among them. The 14th Amendment was ratified in 1868, in the aftermath of the Civil War, to ensure citizenship for former slaves and free African Americans. It states: "All persons born or naturalized in the United States and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside." Trump's order asserts that the children of noncitizens are not "subject to the jurisdiction" of the United States, and therefore not entitled to citizenship. Arguing for the states on Thursday, Washington Assistant Attorney General Lane Polozola called that absurd, noting that neither those who have immigrated illegally nor their children are immune from U.S. law. "Are they not subject to the decisions of the immigration courts?" Polozola asked. "Must they not follow the law while they are here?" Polozola also said the restraining order was warranted because, among other reasons, the executive order would immediately start requiring the states to spend millions to revamp health care and benefits systems to reconsider an applicant's citizenship status. "The executive order will impact hundreds of thousands of citizens nationwide who will lose their citizenship under this new rule," Polozola said. "Births cannot be paused while the court considers this case." Washington Attorney General Nick Brown told reporters afterward he was not surprised that Coughenour had little patience with the Justice Department's position, considering that the Citizenship Clause arose from one of the darkest chapters of American law, the Supreme Court's 1857 Dred Scott decision, which held that African Americans, whether enslaved or free, were not entitled to citizenship. "Babies are being born today, tomorrow, every day, all across this country, and so we had to act now," Brown said. He added that it has been "the law of the land for generations that you are an American citizen if you are born on American soil, period." A key case involving birthright citizenship unfolded in 1898. The Supreme Court held that Wong Kim Ark, who was born in San Francisco to Chinese immigrants, was a U.S. citizen because he was born in the country. But some advocates of immigration restrictions have argued that case clearly applied to children born to parents who were both legal immigrants. They say it's less clear whether it applies to children born to parents living in the country illegally. Trump's order prompted attorneys general to share their personal connections to birthright citizenship. Connecticut Attorney General William Tong, for instance, a U.S. citizen by birthright and the nation's first Chinese American elected attorney general, said the lawsuit was personal for him. Later Thursday, he said Coughenour made the right decision. "There is no legitimate legal debate on this question. But the fact that Trump is dead wrong will not prevent him from inflicting serious harm right now on American families like my own," Tong said this week. Critics warn that Vietnam's ongoing push to restructure the country's media will allow authorities to have tighter control over news outlets and more effectively spread propaganda. The media restructuring started in 2019 when former Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc signed the National Press Development and Management Planning until 2025 policy. According to the plan, 180 press organizations will be shut down, and 8,000 reporters and editors will lose their jobs. Phil Robertson, director of Asia Human Rights and Labor Advocates, told VOA the media restructuring has become more severe under General Secretary To Lam, who took over as leader of the Communist Party after the July 2024 death of his predecessor, Nguyen Phu Trong. "There's little doubt that this so-called reform will result in the Vietnamese people getting even less real news, Robertson wrote in an email. This is precisely the path one expects an authoritarian like To Lam to take, doubling down on government control of what the people hear and see." To Lams broader ambitions for government reform include consolidating 14 ministries into seven. Under the governments plan, dubbed Resolution 18, each ministry will be allowed to have one official news publication, further cutting the number of news outlets in the country. The move could cut the number of news outlets in half, some analysts say. The government plans to concentrate resources into six national media conglomerates. The six outlets include Nhan Dan the newspaper of the Communist Party as well as the outlets of the Defense Ministry and Public Security Ministry. Vietnam Television will become the sole national television channel, absorbing smaller broadcasters. On Jan. 15, broadcasts for 13 channels operating under Vietnam Multimedia Corporation, or VTC, ended, along with Voice of Vietnam TV and Nhan Dan TV. VTC was the countrys second-most-popular television broadcaster and had been operating for 20 years. One 21-year-old journalism student was working as an intern at VTC in Hanoi when it shut down at midnight on Jan. 15. He said all the staff gathered on the first floor and had a countdown until all the TV monitors were turned off. Afterwards, they had fireworks. He said approximately 1,000 VTC employees lost their jobs that night. Everyone was crying, he said, asking to be referred to as Justin. After 20 years working at the station, doing a lot of collaboration, doing a lot of programs, doing a lot of special news, they have been kicked out for no reason. That's how they are feeling. A regular VTC viewer in northern Vietnam who described herself as a housewife said it's painful to see the broadcast shuttered. Honestly, I don't want any channel to close, she wrote on Facebook in Vietnamese. I consider those channels as family members. Losing a channel is like losing a person. 'Bitter medicine' On Dec. 1, To Lam spoke during a national conference on the implementation of Resolution 18. He stated the restructuring is designed to streamline the political system and remove institutional bottlenecks. This is really a difficult issue, To Lam said. It will involve thoughts, feelings, aspirations and affect the interests of a number of individuals and organizations. The implementation in many units will certainly encounter difficulties, the General Secretary said. However, we still have to proceed because to have a healthy body, sometimes we have to take bitter medicine. Trinh Huu Long, a democracy advocate and co-founder of the Taiwan-based nonprofit Legal Initiatives for Vietnam, said the government is rushing to finalize its media restructuring and the consolidation of government ministries. Everyone is working around the clock, he said. They're planning to finish everything in March, when the Congress will hold a special session to rubber stamp this massive restructure. Nguyen Hong Hai, a senior lecturer at Hanoi's VinUniversity, told VOA that while working in the public sector, he saw the need for reform firsthand. There's the fact that there are a lot of employees who are not working, in the real sense, and there's a lot of waste, he said. Every society needs reforms. But the thing is, how to do it effectively? Justin, the journalism student in Hanoi, supports the government reforms although he said change is happening too fast and without new opportunities for those who lost their livelihoods. That includes his uncle, who worked for VTC for some 20 years. We have cried, but we still 100% agree with what the government decided, he said. We just want to comment, Please, if you want to kick me out, give me a new job. Do not change so rapidly so that people will be shocked, like right now, kicked out from the job and with no other proposal for the future. Pushing propaganda Long said that as Hanoi focuses its resources into six national media conglomerates, authorities will have more power to push Hanoi's agenda. The government will invest in a small number of state agencies to make them a lot more effective in propaganda, Long said. The number one function of every state-media outlet is to promote and defend the [Communist] Party. Serving readers is secondary. In a November 2024 report, Legal Initiatives for Vietnam stated that there are currently 17 independent journalists behind bars in the country, all of whom were jailed within the last five years. While all media outlets in Vietnam undergo government censorship, some outlets are funded by private corporations, although they must receive their licenses from government ministries. Long said these semi-privatized outlets, which have been the most professionalized and provided news which has not entirely aligned with Hanoi and government policy, are being pushed out. The quality is going to go south very, very quickly, he said. Long gave the example of Zing News. In July 2023 the news site was suspended for three months after it was investigated by the Ministry of Information and Communications. The outlet came back after the suspension but was rebranded as Z News and the quality and frequency of its content was greatly downgraded, effectively making the outlet irrelevant, Long said. He said that the outlet was punished for writing articles about Russia's war on Ukraine that created pro-Ukraine sentiment among the Vietnamese public. "They published a lot of articles about the Ukraine war that fell out of the [Communist] Party's line, which is always to be pro-Russia, Long said. A researcher of Vietnamese media, who asked to remain anonymous due to safety concerns, told VOA that the digitizing of national media allows it to masquerade propaganda as news. I think it's very depressing. It's going to be uniform news, and it's going to be only from the government's point of view, the researcher said. There's going to be fewer and fewer people dedicated to work as journalists and seeking out the news that matters to the Vietnamese people. With the continuation of Turkish attacks, Syrian Kurds are calling on the international community to put pressure on Turkey to end the war in Syria. In recent days, there has been a movement to denounce attacks on the Kurdish region of Syria. Click here for the full story in Kurdish. BEIRUT, Jan. 23 (Xinhua) -- Lebanese President Joseph Aoun on Thursday urged the international community to provide humanitarian and material support to facilitate the return of Syrian refugees to their homeland. According to a statement from the Lebanese Presidency, Aoun asked the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), Filippo Grandi, to help organize the repatriation of displaced Syrians during a meeting at Baabda Palace. "Lebanon wants Syrians to return as soon as possible, especially now that the factors driving their displacement have been addressed," Aoun said. He emphasized that Lebanon can no longer shoulder the burden of hosting a large number of refugees. Aoun noted that many refugees had already returned to Syria after recent developments there, but others had arrived in Lebanon in the aftermath. "We are ready to cooperate with you in every way to make this return possible," he said, also stressing the importance of halting illegal border crossings. Grandi, for his part, said that over 200,000 Syrians had returned from Lebanon, Jordan, and other countries since the change in Syria's regime on Dec. 8, 2024. A UNHCR poll, he added, showed a sharp increase in those willing to return, rising from 1 percent to 30 percent in just a few weeks. "Our message today is that we want to support the returnees," Grandi said. "We've already begun this effort and are committed to working with Lebanon to ensure a sustainable return." He further stressed the need for financial and logistical support to ensure the return is permanent, and appealed for collaboration with donor countries to provide aid to Syria. Grandi also revealed plans to meet with Syria's de facto leader, Ahmed al-Sharaa, on Saturday to discuss the next steps in the process. With the new U.S. administration pushing for a quick end to the war in Ukraine, many of the countrys 3.5 million internally displaced hope to return to their homes. Many of those homes have been destroyed and for many people, that means rebuilding from nothing. Lesia Bakalets in Kyiv has their story. VOA footage by Vladyslav Smilianets. Mqondisi Dube GABORONE, BOTSWANA A Botswanan official said this week the nation will no longer issue work permits to foreign teachers and truck drivers in order to protect local jobs. Minister of Labor and Home Affairs Pius Mokgware told a group of unemployed teachers protesting in Gaborone that the government already has stopped issuing permits to foreign educators and truck drivers. He said that last month the government rejected 140 applications for work permits. Thabang Kopelo, who was representing the unemployed teachers, said they want the new government, which took office in October, to go a step further. We now demand the cancellation and the immediate suspension of issuing of work permits to teachers who come from outside of Botswana. ... There are [already] thousands and thousands of local teachers, Kopelo said. The groups actions werent xenophobic, Kopelo said, but a plea to the government to prioritize citizens in hiring teachers. In other countries ... they are being attacked, Kopelo said. Derogatory language is being used against them. We are not moving in that approach; we are fellow brothers and sisters." In neighboring South Africa, clashes between migrants and locals have often turned deadly, with citizens arguing foreigners are taking their jobs. Gaborone-based Congolese teacher Patrice Okomi said there is not much foreign workers can do except abide by the host governments regulations. "We are here at the mercy of the government, and it is entirely up to the Botswana authorities to decide our future, Okomi said. If the feeling is that we have overstayed our welcome, there is not much we can do except to prepare for our exit." Botswanas stable economy has attracted migrant workers, the majority fleeing hardship in neighboring Zimbabwe. According to figures from the government office Statistics Botswana, there are 4,581 holders of foreign work permits in Botswana, with teachers comprising 18% of the total. Keeping pace with Hollywoods perpetual awards horserace. Sign up for the newsletter here. Photo-Illustration: Vulture; Photo: Focus Features, Neon Awards season! Its kind of like a conclave, as seen in 2024s Conclave. Dont you think? Consider the Roman Catholic pageantry and aesthetic splendor of it all, with the ceremonial rites, the pilgrimages to grand cathedrals (St. Dolbys, St. Beverly Hiltons), lots of sermonizing, and even fast days. We analyze whos sitting where, and with whom, at various awards events, just like the cardinals in the Vatican cafeteria. There are corruption scandals, whisper campaigns, and possible bribery afoot, just like with those gossipy Vatican queens. Hopefuls speechify, and ballots are counted with great pomp and circumstance by accounting-firm representatives, as serious as emissaries of God himself. And it all goes down among a very wealthy and closed-off little unbreachable society that has been greatly influential for a long time. Now that that metaphor has been firmly established, lets take it a step further and determine which of Conclaves popeful-hopefuls are which of this awards seasons most talked-about contenders. (In this scenario, cinching the votes for papacy = winning Best Picture in the highest church of movies, the Oscars.) The dead pope Oppenheimer Photo-Illustration: Vulture; Photo: Focus Features, Universal Pictures Huge shoes for any of these guys to fill. No successor that feels clear or inevitable off the bat. Cardinal Adeyemi Emilia Perez Photo-Illustration: Vulture; Photo: Focus Features, Pathe A very strong player early on in the voting, with an international bloc behind him. On the surface, appears to be a progressive, even a transgressive, pick, but as we get deeper into the conclave/campaign season, more people are made publicly aware of his regressive values and offensive nature. More voters actually laying eyes (and ears oh God, those songs) on Emilia Perez over the next few weeks could in fact hurt its chances of going all the way to the top. Cardinal Bellini Anora Photo-Illustration: Vulture; Photo: Focus Features, Neon The sexy, cool American of the bunch, with a refreshing sense of humor and good head on its shoulders. This contender has garnered a lot of positive buzz but underperformed in the early voting (in this case, at the Golden Globes). From there, Bellinis campaign flagged and fizzled out, but hes still the one were all talking about months later. Can Anora take things a step further than its cardinal counterpart and win any of the major categories? Cardinal Tedesco The Brutalist Photo-Illustration: Vulture; Photo: A24, Focus Features, Universal Pictures Visually stylish and bombastic, albeit with feet firmly planted in the past, taking up all the space in the room. Tedesco came in to this conclave mad as hell, similar to how The Brutalist made a huge splash early in its awards campaign, receiving major awards with critics voting bodies and at the Globes. But this candidate comes with controversy; the films use of AI is not a good look, particularly so soon after the Hollywood strikes of 2023, which put AI at the fore of concerns over labor and intellectual rights. Like Adeyemi/Emilia Perez, The Brutalist could become the villain of the whole race if someone doesnt intervene to stop it. Plus, director Brady Corbet reading an acceptance speech off his phone is just so Tedesco. Cardinal Tremblay Wicked Photo-Illustration: Vulture; Photo: Focus Features, Universal Pictures Theres a lot of institutional power and money behind this candidate, to say nothing of flashy practical effects (he was flexing with that Nespresso), but his ambitions outpace his capabilities as a contender. The technical prowess is there, but he seems a tad dim and less philosophically daring compared to the others. If hes made it this far and been this close to the pope (whos sort of these guys version of the Wizard), then he must be broadly popular. But he wants it too bad, and his campaign is severely lacking in tact. Sister Agnes Dune: Part Two Photo-Illustration: Vulture; Photo: Focus Features, Warner Bros. Pictures Shes been here the entire time, is very stylish and well-respected, especially considering her lower station (Dune: Part Two is the only action/sci-fi among this years hopefuls). But she is shut out of the conclave and is not even in the conversation of who will win the ultimate title. Still, her presence can influence the race in below-the-line categories. Mostly, though, Agnes is Dune: Part Two because of the space nuns. Cardinal Benitez The Substance Photo-Illustration: Vulture; Photo: Focus Features, MUBI An outsider who appears to have materialized out of thin air. Benitez would be a radical and fresh choice. And the very essence of his being, once it is revealed, is sort of the divine epitome of The Substances slogan, Remember, you are one. Benitezs twist, much like the third act of The Substance, had audiences all titillated and in disbelief and freaking the fuck out. Both within the film and as an avatar of the film, Benitez is the peoples princess, and the same could be said of how The Substance, particularly lead actress Demi Moore, has positioned itself in the campaign. Benitez was able to win hearts and votes at the conclave with one impactful speech; Moore may have done the same at the Golden Globes. Benitez went into this conclave not even wanting it but he accepted the appointment with characteristic grace. If The Substance were to win Best Picture, which feels unthinkable now, it would be like a miracle, like an act of God. And besides, Best Actress is the most important award of the night for many Oscars fans anyway; its literally like assuming the papacy for awards-watching gays. Cardinal Lawrence Conclave Photo-Illustration: Vulture; Photo: Focus Features When this selection process kicked off, Cardinal Thomas Lawrence was well-liked and respected but not making waves or campaigning terribly hard to assume the top brass. Secretly, though, and quietly, he built momentum, keeping his eyes on the race and adjusting accordingly. Hes a candidate who unites many factions, in some ways fronting as a traditional choice while in actuality being fairly transgressive. Hes a candidate whom dads and scholars alike can appreciate. He also fronts like hes humble but deep down is a striver. Thomas is smart and put together, represents decency, like how Conclave represents a different kind of decency, decency as in its decent, like this is very well-crafted but not necessarily a shattering work. He came really close to becoming pope; Conclave will also likely make it into the Best Picture lineup but probably wont win. Photo-Illustration: Vulture; Photos: Sundance Institute, Pavel Talankin, A24 Lest you get too comfortable thinking back on last years movies following this mornings Oscar noms, the 41st Sundance Film Festival is kicking off tonight in Utah. Last years lineup brought us indie favorites like I Saw The TV Glow and Between the Temples, and this years festival promises a number of oddities and originals. From Ayo Edebiris turn as a music blogger (too close to home) in Opus to mumblecore renegade Mary Bronsteins sophomore feature after a 17-year(!) break to a two-part documentary on Pee-wee Herman, here are the 15 movies well be lining up in the snow to see. Atropia Photo: Sundance Institute Filmmaker, actress, and journalist Hailey Gates makes her feature film debut with Atropia starring Alia Shawkat and Callum Turner as actors on opposite sides of a military role-playing simulation who fall in love by accident. Gates is a fascinating emerging figure in the industry, recognizable to cinephiles for her brief turns in Twin Peaks: The Return, Uncut Gems, and Challengers as the poor woman in estate law who matches with Patrick Zweig on Tinder, as well as being the granddaughter of screenwriter Joan Tewkesbury. Atropia is kind of giving something between Black Mirror and Westworld, sure, but with a supporting cast that boasts Tim Heidecker, Chloe Sevigny, and Ivy Wolk, theres room for Gatess debut to be one of the fests funniest flicks. All Thats Left of You Photo: Sundance Institute Cherien Dabis returns to Sundance for the third time with All Thats Left of You, in which she also stars, about three generations of a Palestinian family. Its been nearly a year since No Other Land debuted at the Berlin Film Festival, setting off a chain of hesitancy and urgency around films that address the ongoing conflict between Israeli and Palestine. There is a dearth of Palestinian filmmakers making narrative films that feel as urgent and necessary as documentary ones, and Dabiss latest promises heart and soul while also contending with Palestinian history, collective grief, anger, and intergenerational trauma. If I Had Legs Id Kick You Photo: Logan White Its been 17 years since Mary Bronsteins Yeast (starring Greta Gerwig, the Safdie brothers, Sean Price Williams, and Bronstein herself) made waves across the burgeoning mumblecore scene, her debut feature an acerbic comedy that would predict a decade of work to come. Bronsteins sophomore feature, If I Had Legs Id Kick You (already a title for the ages), stars Rose Byrne, A$AP Rocky, and Conan OBrien three people who have maybe never shared a sentence until now. Itd be pleasurable enough to see any one of those people in a movie, but the combo working together in Bronsteins sharp milieu guarantees laughs; whether those are laughs of genuine pleasure or nervous unease, well just have to see. Pee-wee As Himself Photo: Dennis Keeley/HBO Its been 18 months since Paul Reubens passed away, but prior to that, director Matt Wolf began a series of conversations with the actor about his work as an artist and as Pee-wee Herman, Reubenss beloved alter ego. For all that we know and saw of Herman, Reubens worked hard to protect his personal life right up until he lost control of everything. The two-part documentary is an intimate look into Reubenss body of work, along with the uneasy clash between character and man, as well as a capstone of a creative life built around excitement and joy. Rebuilding Photo: Jesse Hope Okay, unfortunately, there has to be more to this blurb than press still features Josh OConnor in a cowboy hat, but imagine if thats all it said: Press still features Josh OConnor in a cowboy hat. Rebuilding is the sophomore feature from Coloradan filmmaker Max Walker-Silverman, whose debut film, A Love Song starring Dale Dickey and Wes Studi as old friends reconnecting was a touching, romantic work. Rebuilding tells the story of a family putting their lives back together after a wildfire, a film with far more resonance than anyone could have predicted in the months leading up to the festival. With Walker-Silvermans humanist touch in this loving portrait of the American West, Rebuilding could be one of the festivals most prescient and moving films. Train Dreams Photo: Adolpho Veloso Greg Kwedar and Clint Bentleys Sing Sing is in the Oscar conversation this year, but the duo is back already with an adaptation of Denis Johnsons novella about a logger named Robert Granier in the early 20th-century West. With Bentley directing this time around, Train Dreams promises a naturalism to this historical drama, love story, and metaphysical meditation that wrestles with our sense of being, and how we reconcile the immensity of our lives with our barely discernible place in the world. If its as dreamy and moving as its source material, then Train Dreams will be a marvel to behold. The Wedding Banquet Photo: Luka Cyprian Andrew Ahns remake of Ang Lees queer romcom is one of the festivals buzziest titles, chockablock full of people we know and love: Bowen Yang, Kelly Marie Tran, and Lily Gladstone. For one, itll be nice seeing Gladstone in a movie where hopefully she doesnt have to suffer and yearn quite as much as she did for Martin Scorsese and Kelly Reichardt. Itll be interesting to see how Ahn reinvents Lees film which wound up being a major awards player back in 1993 and whether his take on The Wedding Banquet can cement it as one of the decades great rom-coms. Kiss of the Spider Woman Photo: Sundance Institute Bill Condon, who once brought us Dreamgirls, Chicago, and whatever was going on with the live-action Beauty and the Beast, arrives in Park City with a remake of the 1980s musical starring Diego Luna, Tonatiuh, and Jennifer Lopez. Can this cult classic find a new audience in the 2020s? What will J.Lo be wearing in Park City? Can Condon summon a real Sundance spectacle? This flashy musical feels very un-Sundance-y in the best possible way, which makes it one of the festivals most curious anomalies. Peter Hujars Day Photo: Sundance Institute Ira Sachs (Passages, Little Men) is one of our great directors of actors, and this one seems like a perfect one for his sensibility and talents. Its a recreation of a now-legendary 1974 interview between writer Linda Rosenkrantz (Rebecca Hall) and downtown photographer Peter Hujar (Ben Whishaw). The interview is remarkable for its unremarkable-ness: Hujar relates the occurrences of an ordinary day to Rosenkrantz, who had planned to put together a book of interviews with people about their average days, though eventually she published this one as its own standalone book. Sachss ability to convey lives in miniature should serve him well with such an intimate, subtle premise, especially given the power of these two actors. GEN_ Photo: Bellota Films/Stemal Entertainment/Elefants Films Gianluca Matarreses documentary focuses on two subjects that have recently become politically fraught: It follows the work of a Milan doctor who specializes in fertility treatments and gender-confirmation surgeries. Actually, he does more than that: Dr. Bini lends a sensitive ear to a diverse group of patients and their concerns, and he advises them about all matters relating to their situations. That hes doing all this in Italy, still quite a conservative country, makes the subject doubly fascinating, potentially explosive, and maybe even inspiring. Mr. Nobody Against Putin Photo: Sundance Institute A teacher in a remote Russian town, tasked with recording school assemblies, secretly begins filming the transformation of his school into a nationalistic and militaristic propaganda machine in the wake of Putins invasion of Ukraine. There have been a lot of documentaries about various aspects of the Ukraine War and the situation in Russia; some have admittedly been extraordinary. This unique perspective, shot over many months by someone who is not a professional filmmaker, could break out in ways that more polished work hasnt of late. The Ugly Stepsister Photo: Marcel Zyskind Every year at Sundance there are at least one or two genre breakout titles originating in the Midnight Section. Heres one that could pull off that trick this year: It retells the story of Cinderella (with some additionally gnarly tweaks) but from the perspective of one of her much-maligned stepsisters, Elvira, whose struggles with body image are even hinted at in the original fairy tale. Alternate and irreverent versions of legendary fables are nothing new nowadays, but this one seems uniquely promising and fun. Zodiac Killer Project Photo: Sundance Institute A true-crime doc that takes aim at true-crime docs? Director Charlie Shackleton takes us through a film about the Zodiac Killer that he never got to make but maybe he sort of still did, albeit in somewhat experimental, interrogative fashion. With its familiar tropes, its faux-suspense, its boilerplate reenactments, the genre has taken over not just nonfiction streaming series but also the world of documentary in general, like a kind of uncontrollable cinematic weed. The idea of a film that deconstructs true crime and its cliches and maybe us viewers in the process is too delicious to resist. The Things You Kill Photo: Bartosz Swiniarski Iranian American director Alireza Khatami goes to Turkey with this one, a psychological thriller about a university professor who begins to suspect that the sudden death of his elderly mother might have some unstated, troubling causes. Privy to his suspicions and intentions is a mysterious gardener who seems to come out of nowhere with myriad solutions to our heros problems. The Turkish cast is excellent, and the idea of Khatami mixing his ambitious stylistic markers with a genre-inflected drama is beyond promising. Opus Photo: A24 John Malkovich plays a legendary pop star (were in), and Ayo Edebiri is the young writer (were in) who gets invited to his sinister estate (were in) and discovers sinister, cultlike goings-on (we are so in). But seriously, the culture has been sick with thrillers about young people getting invited to remote locales for bizarre rituals among the wealthy of late. Surely one of them will eventually prove to be good. Maybe its this one? Keeping pace with Hollywoods perpetual awards horserace. Sign up for the newsletter here. Congratulations to Oscar nominees Monica Barbaro, Sebastian Stan, and Fernanda Torres. Photo-Illustration: Vulture; Photos: Searchlight Pictures, Briarcliff Entertainment, Alile Onawale/Sony Pictures Classics/Everett Collection The most unpredictable awards season in recent memory came to a head Thursday morning with the 2025 Oscar nominations. Early categories like Supporting Actor and Adapted Screenplay mostly went chalk, but elsewhere, the Academy put its stamp on the race, promoting otherwise unheralded contenders to the front of the line and leaving out a few hopefuls whod looked secure since September. Lets meet after hours in a secluded stairway in the Vatican and discuss the most notable snubs and surprises. Welcome to the race, Im Still Here. As the countless Brazilians who flooded the Academys YouTube page can attest, Walter Salless family drama had the mornings most unexpectedly strong showing. Things started predictably, with a nomination for Best International Film. Then, the Supporting Actress and Original Screenplay races featured key misses from other female-led contenders, a signal that Fernanda Torres might be the one to emerge from this years Best Actress cage match. When Torres was indeed announced in the fifth actress spot, Brazilians celebrated. They thought their morning had peaked, but the best news was yet to come, when Im Still Here snagged a seat in the Best Picture ten. To say this was unexpected would be an understatement. Though the film had attracted a passionate following after the fall festivals, it had not been nominated for a top prize at any other precursor. Some credit must go to the Golden Globes, which gave Im Still Here a late surge of momentum by handing Torres the Best Actress in a Drama trophy. But its also the latest sign of an ever-more-international Academy: Just as Bong Joon Ho instructed, voters have overcome the one-inch barrier of subtitles, which makes a Portuguese-language period piece just as Oscar-friendly as a Hollywood production. Sebastian Stan trumped Daniel Craig. I confess that, after the election, I thought The Apprentice was kaput. With the real Donald Trump still very much in our lives, why would voters cast a ballot for the fictional version? Turns out, I had it the wrong way around. Once nervous media outlets declined to book Sebastian Stan for their roundtables, the actor was able to turn his campaign into a cause a vote for Stan became a vote against corporate America lining up behind the president-elect. Stan still split votes throughout the precursors with his own, arguably better performance in the black comedy A Different Man which earned a Makeup & Hairstyling nod this morning but that only helped him stay in the conversation. (When he won the Golden Globe for A Different Man, the actor was careful to link both films in his acceptance speech.) Stan was also able to ride the reverse-coattails of co-star Jeremy Strong, who became a mainstay of the Supporting Actor race. All this gave the Marvel veteran more juice than Daniel Craig, who campaigned hard for his turn as a William S. Burroughs stand-in in Queer, but whose film was too esoteric to find favor with the Academy. Monica Barbaro got into Supporting Actress A Complete Unknown stormed through the guild nominations like a rolling boulder, so it was reasonable to expect a strong showing at the Oscars for the Dylan biopic. Still, Monica Barbaro was not guaranteed to show up in the Supporting Actress category: Though her performance as Joan Baez had been nominated at SAG, other precursors passed her over, and with a voting body that now tends to prefer veterans (see Conclaves Isabella Rossellini), the Top Gun: Maverick actress could have been hamstrung by a lower career profile. This just shows the power of no expectations. Barbaro rode the Complete Unknown train as far as she could, becoming the mornings most pleasant surprise. Voters surely appreciated the miraculous way Barbaro nailed Baezs inimitable soprano, which proves the No. 1 rule of Oscar punditry: Never bet against a transformation, especially one that comes with a vocal component. While Jamie Lee Curtis did not. In news that had many pundits breathing a sigh of relief, Jamie Lee Curtis was not in fact nominated for her Bonnie Tyleraided turn in The Last Showgirl. Until about two weeks ago, Curtis missing would not have been especially surprising. The Last Showgirl is a low-budget indie thats barely 80 minutes long (fully half of which is wordless shots of the characters posing in front of the Las Vegas skyline), and a muted reception at TIFF put it off most pundits radars. But then Curtis scored SAG and BAFTA nods, leading many to wonder if she was in line for a classic halo nomination, the kind of just because honors the Oscars sometimes bestow on recent winners. Nope. As with Hustlers, this tale of a fading burlesque cabaret was not up to the Academys highbrow standards, as Curtis joined star Pamela Anderson on the sidelines. But, honestly, two SAG noms and zero Oscars feels precisely right for a movie like The Last Showgirl. Hard Truths and Challengers were completely shut out. Last year, the Academys tastes mostly overlapped with the tastes of online cinephiles, give or take a Barbie. Not so much this year. First, Challengers the film Ive received the most questions about from regular moviegoers, asking why it wasnt in the awards conversation was left out of Score, Original Screenplay, and even Original Song, seemingly too edgy or too commercial for the Academys conservative taste. (As Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross might have put it: No no no no no no no no no no.) This was followed by another shutout for Mike Leighs Hard Truths, despite influential critics groups rallying around the Best Actress campaign of star Marianne Jean-Baptiste. Some fans may blame the films distributor, Bleecker Street, which has underwhelmed at the Oscars in the past; others may blame voters who were not in the mood to watch a character study of a mentally ill British woman picking fights with everyone she meets. Either way, Letterboxd will be rioting tonight. What does the directors branch have against Edward Berger? Twice now Edward Berger has directed a film that receives major Oscar attention, and twice now Edward Berger himself has missed the cut in Best Director. At least with All Quiet on the Western Front two years ago, the explanation was that the German was a new face on the scene. What was the excuse for snubbing his work on Conclave, the kind of craft-heavy, visually appealing filmmaking the Academy often favors? I suspect we may be seeing a little cliquishness on the part of this branch, which draws from both Hollywood and the international-film-festival scene. A European who attended NYU and then made his name in German TV, Berger may simply not be in the club for the Academys snobbiest branch. A Real Pain and Sing Sing missed Best Picture. We tend to speak of the increasingly global Academy as a progressive development, and for the most part, thats true. Films like The Substance and Im Still Here would not have been Best Picture nominees a decade ago, and their entrance is a net positive. Still, that means fewer spots to go around for the films that used to be Oscar mainstays: U.S. indies like A Real Pain and Sing Sing, each of which deal with distinctly American themes. Though both were nominated for their acting and writing, the pair missed out at top honors, replaced by their international brethren. This may be a blessing in disguise for A Real Pains Kieran Culkin, who is on the verge of sweeping every Supporting Acting prize in existence, as the Best Picture snub helps his campaign retain at least a little underdog charm. Nickel Boys was left out of its strongest category. While were celebrating the good news, one acclaimed American art-house film did get off the Best Picture bubble: Nickel Boys, which also earned an Adapted Screenplay nod. However, the Oscars continued a precedent set at the precursors, as the films most innovative element its immersive first-person cinematography was not nominated by the Academys branch. Clearly, there was love for Nickel Boys in the Academy as a whole, but Im stumped by what the cinematographers arent seeing here. Flow got double-nominated. The same week The Brutalist became mired in an AI controversy, the low-budget animated film Flow which was created by a small team of Latvians working with open-source software cemented its status as this years little movie that could. Not only did it pull off the expected Animated Feature nom, it snuck into the International Film five as well. (All the better that the Academy renamed the former Foreign-Language Film category, as the wordless Flow is not in any language.) Thankfully, Flow will remain a dark horse for the trophy, as the assumed animation front-runner, The Wild Robot, was also recognized for its Score and Sound. We still have no idea who the Best Picture front-runner is. After everything that happened this morning, the race for the ultimate Oscar remains as up in the air as its been all year. Emilia Perez led the field in total nominations with 13, one shy of tying the all-time record, but couldnt pull Selena Gomez into Supporting Actress. Conclave missed Director, while A Complete Unknown missed Editing. Anora and The Brutalist got in everywhere they were expected to but nowhere they werent. The Academy has done its bit, now its back to the precursor ceremonies to see which contender, if any, can begin to pull away from the competition. A giant panda cub is pictured during a group appearance event in celebration of the Spring Festival at the Shenshuping giant panda base of the China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda in Wolong, southwest China's Sichuan Province, Jan. 23, 2025. Twenty-five giant panda cubs were gathered at two breeding bases in southwest China's Sichuan Province on Thursday to send Spring Festival greetings to global audiences. All the cubs were born in 2024 -- 13 at the China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda, and 12 at the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding. (Xinhua) CHENGDU, Jan. 23 (Xinhua) -- Twenty-five giant panda cubs were gathered at two breeding bases in southwest China's Sichuan Province on Thursday to send Spring Festival greetings to global audiences. All the cubs were born in 2024 -- 13 at the China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda, and 12 at the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding. At the Shenshuping giant panda base of the China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda, 13 cubs explored the venue, which was adorned with traditional Chinese treats such as Tanghulu (candied fruits) and decorations including snake-shaped toys to celebrate the upcoming Chinese Year of the Snake. Meanwhile, another 12 panda cubs appeared at the Chengdu base, which was decorated with lanterns and other items featuring intangible cultural heritage, such as paper cuttings. This year's Spring Festival, also referred to as Chinese Lunar New Year, falls on Jan. 29. The two organizations constitute the national giant panda conservation and research center, a world-class platform inaugurated in 2023 for giant panda research cooperation and exchange. Over the years, the organizations have been cooperating on giant panda protection and academic exchanges, achieving breakthroughs in major research areas such as the protection of panda populations and habitats. The two organizations have also assembled expert panels to support the Giant Panda National Park, which was established in 2021 and covers parts of the provinces of Sichuan, Shaanxi and Gansu. Thanks to the protection efforts, the International Union for Conservation of Nature downgraded the status of the giant panda from endangered to vulnerable. Official data shows the wild giant panda population in China has grown from around 1,100 in the 1980s to nearly 1,900. The global captive population of giant pandas now stands at 757. China's iconic giant pandas, with their round faces, plump bodies and signature markings, are beloved worldwide as both cultural symbols and emblems of biodiversity. A giant panda cub is pictured during a group appearance event in celebration of the Spring Festival at the Shenshuping giant panda base of the China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda in Wolong, southwest China's Sichuan Province, Jan. 23, 2025. Twenty-five giant panda cubs were gathered at two breeding bases in southwest China's Sichuan Province on Thursday to send Spring Festival greetings to global audiences. All the cubs were born in 2024 -- 13 at the China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda, and 12 at the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding. (Xinhua) Staff members holding giant panda cubs pose for a group photo during a group appearance event in celebration of the Spring Festival at the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding in Chengdu, southwest China's Sichuan Province, Jan. 23, 2025. Twenty-five giant panda cubs were gathered at two breeding bases in southwest China's Sichuan Province on Thursday to send Spring Festival greetings to global audiences. All the cubs were born in 2024 -- 13 at the China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda, and 12 at the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding. (Xinhua) Giant panda cubs are pictured during a group appearance event in celebration of the Spring Festival at the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding in Chengdu, southwest China's Sichuan Province, Jan. 23, 2025. Twenty-five giant panda cubs were gathered at two breeding bases in southwest China's Sichuan Province on Thursday to send Spring Festival greetings to global audiences. All the cubs were born in 2024 -- 13 at the China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda, and 12 at the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding. (Xinhua) Giant panda cubs are pictured during a group appearance event in celebration of the Spring Festival at the Shenshuping giant panda base of the China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda in Wolong, southwest China's Sichuan Province, Jan. 23, 2025. Twenty-five giant panda cubs were gathered at two breeding bases in southwest China's Sichuan Province on Thursday to send Spring Festival greetings to global audiences. All the cubs were born in 2024 -- 13 at the China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda, and 12 at the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding. (Xinhua) Staff members holding giant panda cubs pose for a group photo during a group appearance event in celebration of the Spring Festival at the Shenshuping giant panda base of the China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda in Wolong, southwest China's Sichuan Province, Jan. 23, 2025. Twenty-five giant panda cubs were gathered at two breeding bases in southwest China's Sichuan Province on Thursday to send Spring Festival greetings to global audiences. All the cubs were born in 2024 -- 13 at the China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda, and 12 at the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding. (Xinhua) A giant panda cub is pictured during a group appearance event in celebration of the Spring Festival at the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding in Chengdu, southwest China's Sichuan Province, Jan. 23, 2025. Twenty-five giant panda cubs were gathered at two breeding bases in southwest China's Sichuan Province on Thursday to send Spring Festival greetings to global audiences. All the cubs were born in 2024 -- 13 at the China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda, and 12 at the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding. (Xinhua) A giant panda cub is pictured during a group appearance event in celebration of the Spring Festival at the Shenshuping giant panda base of the China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda in Wolong, southwest China's Sichuan Province, Jan. 23, 2025. Twenty-five giant panda cubs were gathered at two breeding bases in southwest China's Sichuan Province on Thursday to send Spring Festival greetings to global audiences. All the cubs were born in 2024 -- 13 at the China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda, and 12 at the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding. (Xinhua) A giant panda cub is pictured during a group appearance event in celebration of the Spring Festival at the Shenshuping giant panda base of the China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda in Wolong, southwest China's Sichuan Province, Jan. 23, 2025. Twenty-five giant panda cubs were gathered at two breeding bases in southwest China's Sichuan Province on Thursday to send Spring Festival greetings to global audiences. All the cubs were born in 2024 -- 13 at the China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda, and 12 at the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding. (Xinhua) Worker Chen Gongxing and his family members are pictured at the construction site of an expressway linking Yufeng and Yizhou of south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region in Liuzhou of Guangxi, Jan. 22, 2025. The Chinese New Year, or the Spring Festival, will fall on Jan. 29, marking the beginning of the Year of the Snake. More than 100 workers of China Railway 12th Bureau Group Co., Ltd. will remain at the construction site of an expressway linking Yufeng of Liuzhou City and Yizhou of Hechi City in Guangxi this Spring Festival, China's traditional occasion for family reunion. As the Chinese New Year is drawing near, many family members of these workers have arrived at the construction site in Liuzhou. Meanwhile, a series of festive activities are going on here as well. (Xinhua/Huang Xiaobang) An aerial drone photo taken on Jan. 23, 2025 shows workers at the construction site of an expressway linking Yufeng and Yizhou of south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region in Liuzhou of Guangxi. The Chinese New Year, or the Spring Festival, will fall on Jan. 29, marking the beginning of the Year of the Snake. More than 100 workers of China Railway 12th Bureau Group Co., Ltd. will remain at the construction site of an expressway linking Yufeng of Liuzhou City and Yizhou of Hechi City in Guangxi this Spring Festival, China's traditional occasion for family reunion. As the Chinese New Year is drawing near, many family members of these workers have arrived at the construction site in Liuzhou. Meanwhile, a series of festive activities are going on here as well. (Xinhua/Huang Xiaobang) Workers and their family members pose for group pictures at the construction site of an expressway linking Yufeng and Yizhou of south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region in Liuzhou of Guangxi, Jan. 22, 2025. The Chinese New Year, or the Spring Festival, will fall on Jan. 29, marking the beginning of the Year of the Snake. More than 100 workers of China Railway 12th Bureau Group Co., Ltd. will remain at the construction site of an expressway linking Yufeng of Liuzhou City and Yizhou of Hechi City in Guangxi this Spring Festival, China's traditional occasion for family reunion. As the Chinese New Year is drawing near, many family members of these workers have arrived at the construction site in Liuzhou. Meanwhile, a series of festive activities are going on here as well. (Xinhua/Huang Xiaobang) Workers are pictured at the construction site of an expressway linking Yufeng and Yizhou of south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region in Liuzhou of Guangxi, Jan. 22, 2025. The Chinese New Year, or the Spring Festival, will fall on Jan. 29, marking the beginning of the Year of the Snake. More than 100 workers of China Railway 12th Bureau Group Co., Ltd. will remain at the construction site of an expressway linking Yufeng of Liuzhou City and Yizhou of Hechi City in Guangxi this Spring Festival, China's traditional occasion for family reunion. As the Chinese New Year is drawing near, many family members of these workers have arrived at the construction site in Liuzhou. Meanwhile, a series of festive activities are going on here as well. (Xinhua/Huang Xiaobang) Chen Yimiao, the 11-year-old daughter of a construction worker, does her homework at her father's dormitory on the construction site of an expressway linking Yufeng and Yizhou of south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region in Liuzhou of Guangxi, Jan. 23, 2025. The Chinese New Year, or the Spring Festival, will fall on Jan. 29, marking the beginning of the Year of the Snake. More than 100 workers of China Railway 12th Bureau Group Co., Ltd. will remain at the construction site of an expressway linking Yufeng of Liuzhou City and Yizhou of Hechi City in Guangxi this Spring Festival, China's traditional occasion for family reunion. As the Chinese New Year is drawing near, many family members of these workers have arrived at the construction site in Liuzhou. Meanwhile, a series of festive activities are going on here as well. (Xinhua/Huang Xiaobang) Workers are pictured at the construction site of an expressway linking Yufeng and Yizhou of south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region in Liuzhou of Guangxi, Jan. 23, 2025. The Chinese New Year, or the Spring Festival, will fall on Jan. 29, marking the beginning of the Year of the Snake. More than 100 workers of China Railway 12th Bureau Group Co., Ltd. will remain at the construction site of an expressway linking Yufeng of Liuzhou City and Yizhou of Hechi City in Guangxi this Spring Festival, China's traditional occasion for family reunion. As the Chinese New Year is drawing near, many family members of these workers have arrived at the construction site in Liuzhou. Meanwhile, a series of festive activities are going on here as well. (Xinhua/Huang Xiaobang) Workers prepare dinner at the construction site of an expressway linking Yufeng and Yizhou of south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region in Liuzhou of Guangxi, Jan. 22, 2025. The Chinese New Year, or the Spring Festival, will fall on Jan. 29, marking the beginning of the Year of the Snake. More than 100 workers of China Railway 12th Bureau Group Co., Ltd. will remain at the construction site of an expressway linking Yufeng of Liuzhou City and Yizhou of Hechi City in Guangxi this Spring Festival, China's traditional occasion for family reunion. As the Chinese New Year is drawing near, many family members of these workers have arrived at the construction site in Liuzhou. Meanwhile, a series of festive activities are going on here as well. (Xinhua/Huang Xiaobang) Workers and their family enjoy dinner at the construction site of an expressway linking Yufeng and Yizhou of south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region in Liuzhou of Guangxi, Jan. 22, 2025. The Chinese New Year, or the Spring Festival, will fall on Jan. 29, marking the beginning of the Year of the Snake. More than 100 workers of China Railway 12th Bureau Group Co., Ltd. will remain at the construction site of an expressway linking Yufeng of Liuzhou City and Yizhou of Hechi City in Guangxi this Spring Festival, China's traditional occasion for family reunion. As the Chinese New Year is drawing near, many family members of these workers have arrived at the construction site in Liuzhou. Meanwhile, a series of festive activities are going on here as well. (Xinhua/Huang Xiaobang) Knox had appealed verdict in slander retrial in last bid to clear her name. Amanda Knox has lost her bid to overturn a slander conviction in relation to the 2007 murder of British student Meredith Kercher after Italy's top court upheld the ruling on Thursday. American Knox, 37, spent four years in prison in Italy after being convicted of the murder of 21-year-old Kercher, before being cleared of the crime in 2015 along with her Italian former boyfriend Raffaele Sollecito. Knox returned to Italy last June in an attempt to quash a three-year defamation conviction for falsely accusing Congolese bar owner Patrick Lumumba of killing Kercher, telling reporters that she wanted to clear her name "once and for all of the false charges against me." Lawyers for Knox claimed that she had been under police duress when she named Lumumba who was jailed for two weeks in 2007 before being released. However Knox lost her bid to overturn the slander conviction after a court in Florence upheld the ruling, prompting her to appeal the verdict in one last attempt to clear her name. Knox, who returned to the US in 2011 after being freed by an appeals court in Italy, followed Thursday's court proceedings from home. Cover image: Amanda Knox in court in Perugia, Italy, 22 January 2011. Photo credit: Alessia Pierdomenico / Shutterstock.com. David Raleigh Garda Headquarters has encouraged any sex worker in the Limerick or Munster area who has been the victim of assault to report the matter confidentially to gardai. The appeal was made following an alleged false imprisonment and sexual assault of two female sex workers in Limerick, last Sunday night/Monday morning. Subsequent allegations emerged on Wednesday that some gardai had protected men who had allegedly sexually assaulted and committed violence against sex workers in the city. Garda headquarters urged any sex worker in Limerick or the wider Munster region to speak to gardai if they were under threat. Gardai said the safety of sex workers, was a priority for the force, and that if any sex worker finds themselves in immediate danger or in an emergency, always contact 999/112. Gardai said they were investigating allegations that two women were held at a premises close to the city centre and subjected to violent sexual and physical assaults over prolonged period between last Sunday/Monday. One of the women may have played dead while the other managed to escape and raise the alarm nearby, reliable sources said. Gardai said the suspect, a male Irish man, had been found dead, they were not looking for anyone in relation to the mans death, and that there was no ongoing risk to public safety in respect of the suspect. Its believed the man brought the two women to the premises separately and may have been seeking a third lady while gardai were actively trying to trace him. A statement released on Wednesday by online sex worker safety scheme UglyMugs.ie offered that serious assaults on sex workers and victims of sex trafficking, are happening on a daily or weekly basis and that the vast majority of these men are Irish nationals. It said the State was obliged to take an interest in and help vulnerable persons, including street sex workers and sex trafficking victims but it has not. It claimed sex workers were over-policed and under protected by the gardai and that the Garda Commissioner, Drew Harris, had done nothing for people in sex work or victims of sex trafficking. In response, Garda Headquarters said it did not comment on remarks made by third parties but that it strongly encouraged sex workers who had been assaulted to speak with us at any Garda Station, or alternatively on the free, Garda Confidential Line number, 1800 666 111 / Crime Victims Helpline at www.crimevictimshelpline.ie. We are here to listen and support anyone that requires assistance and advice or believes that they are subject to threat, the statement continued. Their safety is a priority and gardai will treat any report of a crime against them in the course of their work, sensitively and with the utmost seriousness whether it is assault, theft or criminality of any other kind. Gardai said it regularly engages with sex workers through the Organised Prostitution Investigation Unit (OPIU), the Garda National Protective Services Bureau (GNPSB) and local Gardai, providing safeguarding checks, safety advice, and contact details for specially trained Garda Liaison Officers, and other important support services. It is also through safeguarding checks that gardai can link in with those in the sex trade who may be vulnerable or who maybe being sexually exploited or trafficked. Garda HQ said it was cognisant of the fact that the sale of sexual services in Ireland is not a criminal offence, and some people wish to work independently in the sex trade and that the protection of Human Rights of all persons is a fundamental principle for An Garda Siochana. Meanwhile, the head of the Ruhama charity, which provides supports for sex workers and sex trafficked victims, said it was horrified and deeply concerned by the news of the violent attack on two women in Limerick. We hope the women concerned are accessing all the necessary supports, Barbara Condon said. Ms Condon said Ruhama was very worried about the increase in the level of violence against women involved in the sex trade being reported in recent years and that it was vital that victims receive adequate support and that justice is pursued to prosecute violent perpetrators. For anyone singing to access its supports Ruhama operates a freephone number 1800-020-202 and a free-text support service by texting REACH too 50100. A source outside of the UglyMugs group, who is familiar with the women who work as street sex workers in Limerick City, said An Garda Siochana needed to do better in supporting the women. They said that women had shared among themselves that attacks, similar to the alleged incident last Sunday night, have been happening at an increased frequency in Limerick. Its been going on quite a while nowthey have been picked up and physically and sexually assaulted for hours on end, said the source. There is still a lot off stigma and shame associated with working on the street, these women are very vulnerable so it is harder for them to report these incidents. Some of the women working on the street are also entrenched in (substance) addiction and homelessness and are in need of support. Tomas Doherty Summary Micheal Martin is the new Taoiseach after he received his seal of office from the President The Fianna Fail leader named his senior Ministers ahead of the first Cabinet meeting this evening Mr Martin was nominated as taoiseach by the Dail after parties reached a temporary agreement over speaking rights for the opposition Ceann Comhairle Verona Murphy did not recognise the Regional Independents technical group so that todays vote could go ahead The planned election of Mr Martin as taoiseach on Wednesday was derailed after chaotic scenes in the Dail 6.05pm Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald criticised the gender balance of the new Cabinet. Only three of the 15 Cabinet Ministers are women: Helen McEntee, Jennifer Carroll MacNeill and Norma Foley. That is one less than the total number in the 2020 government, when there were four women leading ministries. Ms McDonald told the Dail she had a "sense of deja vu" and said the Cabinet looked very male and pale. Labour leader Ivana Bacik noted there were almost as many people called James in the Cabinet as there were women. 5.35pm Micheal Martin is back in the Dail, this time as Taoiseach, along with his new ministerial team. Here is the full list of Ministers attending Cabinet. Taoiseach Micheal Martin Tanaiste, Foreign Affairs, Trade and Defence Simon Harris Finance Paschal Donohoe Public Expenditure, Reform and Infrastructure Jack Chambers Justice, Home Affairs and Migration Jim OCallaghan Education Helen McEntee Health - Jennifer Carroll MacNeill Housing and Local Government James Browne Transport and Environment Darragh OBrien Social Protection Dara Calleary Enterprise and Employment Peter Burke Arts, Culture, Tourism, Communications and Sport Patrick ODonovan Further and Higher Education James Lawless Children and Disability Norma Foley Agriculture Martin Heydon Government Chief Whip, and Minister of State for Mental Health Mary Butler Minister of State for Disability Hildegarde Naughton Minister of State for Agriculture Noel Grealish Minister of State for Transport Sean Canney Attorney General Rossa Fanning SC 5.15pm The new Minister for Health is Fine Gael's Jennifer Carroll MacNeill. Patrick ODonovan is the Minister for Arts, Culture and Media. Fianna Fail's James Lawless is promoted to Cabinet as the Minister for Higher Education. Peter Burke is the Minister for Enterprise. Martin Heydon is the Minister for Agriculture, meaning Donegal TD Charlie McConalogue is likely out of the Cabinet. 5.00pm Some other Cabinet positions have been filled. Dara Calleary is back at the table as the new Minister for Social Protection. Norma Foley is leaving the education brief to become the Minister for Children. Mary Butler will be the Government's new Chief Whip. 4.45pm Micheal Martin's Cabinet is beginning to take shape. Jim OCallaghan has been promoted from the Fianna Fail backbenches to be appointed Minister for Justice. Helen McEntee has been confirmed as Minister for Education and Youth. Paschal Donohoe will be Minister for Finance, while Jack Chambers will take the role of Minister for Public Expenditure. James Browne is the new Minister for Housing, as Darragh OBrien moves to Transport and Climate Change. 4.15pm Micheal Martin has returned to Leinster House and we are expecting to find out who is in the new Cabinet imminently. As Mr Martin takes up the role of Taoiseach again and Simon Harris prepares for a stint handling foreign affairs, trade and defence, we have profiled some of the TDs who could be in line for a ministerial role. Read more: Minister profiles the fresh and familiar figures tipped for Cabinet roles 3.45pm Some official photogrpahs have been released of Micheal Martin receiving his seal of office from President Michael D Higgins, before sitting for a private meeting in the President's office. President Michael D Higgins presents the seal of office to Taoiseach Micheal Martin in Aras an Uachtarain. Photo: Maxwells President Higgins signs the warrant of appointment. Photo: Maxwells President Michael D Higgins with newly elected Taoiseach Micheal Martin in the President's office. Photo: Maxwells 2.45pm President Michael D Higgins greeted Micheal Martin on arrival at Aras an Uachtarain and both moved into the State Reception Room, where the papers were signed and Mr Martin received his seal of office. The President and the Taoiseach then moved to a separate room for a private conversation. Next step is the process is the return to Leinster House to choose the new Cabinet. 2.15pm Micheal Martin has now left Leinster House and is on his way to Aras an Uachtarain to receive his seal of office from the President. Micheal Martin is flanked by colleagues forming a guard of honour as he leaves Leinster House. Photo: Liam McBurney/PA Micheal Martin with his wife Mary as he leaves Leinster House. Photo: Liam McBurney/PA Wire 1.50pm Micheal Martin is addressing the Dail after being nominated to serve as the next taoiseach. He said it was "a profound honour to be nominated to serve as head of the government in a free, democratic and diverse republic." "Today I am deeply conscious of the democratic tradition which our country has developed over more than a century. "We should never take for granted the freedoms and opportunities secured for us by the generations who sat here before us, and by the men and women who fought and campaigned for the establishment of Dail Eireann." 1.45pm Fianna Fail leader Micheal Martin has been nominated as taoiseach by the Dail. TDs voted 95 to 76 in support of the nomination of Mr Martin, one day after a chaotic row disrupted the process and resulted in the suspension of the Dail. Mr Martin will formally become taoiseach during a ceremony with President Michael D Higgins at Aras an Uachtarain, scheduled for after 2.15pm. Mr Higgins will sign the warrant of appointment and hand Mr Martin the seal of the Taoiseach. 1.25pm The Dail also heard contributions from People Before Profit, Independent Ireland and some Independent TDs, who were all against the nomination of Micheal Martin as taoiseach. A roll call vote is now underway for the nomination of taoiseach. 1.10pm Labour leader Ivana Bacik said the expected swapping of top government roles between Simon Harris and Micheal Martin reminded her of groundhog day. She said the Programme for Government was essentially promising more of the same, adding: If you parse through that document, there is no sense of any acceptance of a need for change at all. Social Democrats deputy leader Cian OCallaghan said his party would not be supporting the nomination of Mr Martin or Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald. Mr OCallaghan said the coalition between Fianna Fail, Fine Gael and Independents including Michael Lowry marked a new low in Irish politics. 1.00pm Simon Harris said Fine Gael will support Fianna Fail leader Micheal Martins nomination as taoiseach. Mr Harris expressed sincere congratulations to Mr Martin before his expected return to the office of taoiseach. It is fair to say I could sense you were nurturing a mild desire to be taoiseach again and I sincerely want to congratulate you on the achievement and wish you well as we work together in partnership again. He said Fine Gael was looking forward to participating in the coalition government. 12.50pm Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald has accused government figures of arrogance, after being put forward as a nominee for taoiseach. Addressing the Dail, she said: Why is it that in a country that is so wealthy, nothing seems to work? The answer is Fianna Fail and Fine Gael and you have no excuses left. The resources are there, yet your Programme for Government is simply a charter for more of the same, a blueprint for further crises. Ms McDonald conceded that her nomination would not be successful. She said: Today will not be our day, but our day will come. Our work, our ambition, for building a better, fair, equal and united Ireland has never been more important. We stick to that task with real belief, renewed hope and refreshed determination and it is in that spirit that I accept this nomination. 12.40pm Sinn Fein nominated party leader Mary Lou McDonald for the position of taoiseach. Party TD Mairead Farrell said it was an incredible honour to nominate Ms McDonald. She has a vision for Ireland, a vision not confined to this room, but a vision that encompasses all of Ireland and all of its people. Sinn Fein had nominated Ms McDonald for the role in December, but the proposal was rejected by the Dail. Pearse Doherty seconded the proposal and used his speaking time to highlight the findings of the Moriarty Tribunal on Independent TD Michael Lowry. 12.20pm The Order of Business was passed and the nomination of the taoiseach is now progressing. Fianna Fail's Albert Dolan begins proceedings by proposing Micheal Martin as taoiseach. Mr Dolan, who had attempted to nominate his party leader on Wednesday, said: As I was saying... it is an honour to finally propose to the Dail that we nominate, Deputy Micheal Martin for the appointment as taoiseach by an Uachtaran na hEireann. He added: By every reasonable measure, Deputy Martin has shown that he is qualified to lead our government with distinction. 12.05pm A "roll call vote" is now taking place in the Dail over the Order of Business. Once that is complete and the vote passes, the process to nominate a taoiseach will begin. 12.00pm There has to be an explicit understanding that no Independent TD can be in government and opposition at the same time, Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald said. Ms McDonald said she welcomed that the government-affiliated Independents would not be given opposition speaking time today, adding that it could not be a temporary arrangement. She was speaking while she objected to the governments proposal for the Order of Business which included pushing back the next sitting of the Dail to February 5th. On that matter, she said it was quite scandalous given the time wasting seen on Wednesday. The comment was met by laughter from the government benches. Labour, the Social Democrats and People Before Profit were among opposition parties who also said they did not agree with the postponement of the Dail to February 5th. Sinn Fein president Mary Lou McDonald outside Leinster House this morning. Photo: Liam McBurney/PA 11.50am Government chief whip Hildegarde Naughton agreed with the Ceann Comhairle that there was ambiguity in the standing orders at the centre of the dispute about speaking time. She said the Government would bring forward a motion to establish a Committee on Standing Orders and Dail Reform. 11.45am The Dail is now sitting ahead of the vote to nominate a taoiseach. Ceann Comhairle Verona Murphy read a statement confirming that she is not recognising the Regional Independents Group for the purposes of todays sitting. I trust my decision today provides a road map for all parties and all members to find a solution that is acceptable to all, she said. 11.35am Regional Independent TDs at the centre of a row over speaking time in the Dail have agreed not to seek opposition time during proceedings today in a bid to allow the nomination of a new taoiseach to proceed. In a statement, the Regional Group said they would do so on a temporary basis. The group said: Following intensive discussions last night and today with the Ceann Comhairle, Taoiseach and Tanaiste, the Regional Group has decided that in the interest of not having a repetition of yesterdays appalling and outrageous scenes in the Dail, the Group will cooperate with todays Order of Business. Yesterdays scenes were a shameful display of obstruction which denied the people a democratic right to have a government. The Regional Group have agreed to this temporary measure to facilitate the election of taoiseach and members of the government. The future positioning of the group will be referred to the Dail Reform Committee by way of Dail motion tonight. The committees composition will reflect the proportional representation in this Dail. The aim is to have a decision before the Dail reconvenes on the 5th of February. The Dail is now due to resume session at approximately 11.40am. 11.15am TDs have been arriving at Leinster House ahead of today's sitting of the Dail. Richard Boyd Barrett of People Before Profit arrives at Leinster House. Photo: Liam McBurney/PA Independent TD Kevin Moran. Photo: Liam McBurney/PA Independent Ireland TD Michael Collins outside Leinster House this morning. Photo: Liam McBurney/PA 11.00am A meeting of party leaders at Government Buildings has been described as constructive, paving the way for Micheal Martin to be nominated as taoiseach. The intervention by Ceann Comhairle Verona Murphy to exclude recognising the Regional Independent Group was seen by both sides as significant. It is hoped that Ms Murphys decision will break the log jam. Labour whip Duncan Smith said: Its positive to see the Ceann Comhairle recognising only two technical groups, both in opposition, for the purposes of todays meeting. This is the solution that I and others proposed both in our submission and at numerous meetings yesterday. The Dail is likely to resume at 11.30am, an hour later than planned. 10.50am Simon Harris and Micheal Martin outside Government Buildings last night. Photo: Brian Lawless/PA Micheal Martin and Simon Harris made a joint statement this morning ahead of the Dail reconvening. The leaders of Fianna Fail and Fine Gael said the election of a taoiseach must happen today. The statement said: The formation of groups in Dail Eireann is a matter for the Ceann Comhairle. Issues regarding Dail reform and groupings can and should be discussed by a Dail reform committee. This can meet as early as today but proportionality must also prevail. The most important duty the Dail has is to elect a taoiseach and government, and both party leaders agree this must happen today. 10.40am The Ceann Comhairle of the Dail has said she will not recognise speaking time for a group of Independents at the centre of a dispute that prevented the nomination of a new taoiseach yesterday. Verona Murphy said that, during todays proceedings, she would recognise two other technical groups but not the collection of TDs that contain Independents who supported the formation of the incoming government. She is expected to seek further advice for future sittings. That should allow for the nomination of a new taoiseach today, but it is still possible that proceedings could be derailed again. 10.30am Good morning and welcome to our live coverage of the nomination of a new taoiseach. The Dail is to reconvene today at 11.30am after a chaotic row yesterday over how speaking time should be allocated to the government-affiliated Independent TDs. A meeting of opposition party leaders is taking place this morning in order to agree a resolution before the Dail resumes. Efforts to appoint a taoiseach after Novembers general election failed as the opposition disrupted proceedings to protest against the matter on Wednesday. Central to the row is a move to allocate opposition speaking time to the Independents. Opposition parties said this would dilute the practice of holding the government to account and eat into their time to raise issues. You can get all the latest developments and updates here on breakingnews.ie throughout the day. A group of young people in Waterford are to submit a petition on youth mental health services when the Dail reconvenes. Members of Waterford Comhairle na nOg Molly Power, Ali Legg, and Lily McCarthy told councillors and officials about their 2024 work at this months council plenary meeting in Dungarvan. The petition to bring Jigsaw to Waterford was launched at the West Waterford Festival of Food last year and has since gained 1176 signatures. The petition was started as part of the Comhairle na nOg programme for 2024 with a topic of mental health. Members had identified a lack of accessible and affordable mental health support and hope Jigsaw could change that. Comhairle na nOg will continue to work on mental health in 2025. We dont know what that will look like yet, but we are hoping to do some good, said Lily. Cllr John Pratt, who was appointed the chair of the Waterford Comhairle na nOg steering committee in November, urged his council colleagues to support the push to bring Jigsaw to Waterford. I would ask each and every one of you here to support it in any way you can to get Jigsaw to the county. It is paramount for the mental health services, said Cllr Pratt. A YEAR IN REVIEW In addition to the launch of their petition, members told the council that they have taken part in several projects throughout the year. In 2024, the group had 26 members, seven identified as male, 18 female and one non-binary. In March, they partnered with the Waterford council for an artivism workshop linking nature with mental well-being. Members got their hands dirty and planted trees at the SETU Arena, said Molly. In June, they were awarded seed money to develop the project into Cherrymount and Carriganore. Two members represented Waterford at Dail na nOg, and the Waterford members attended the Comhairle na nOg youth conference in November. Jigsaw attended that conference. Waterford members took part in Pieta Houses Darkness into Light in May and in September, the Link for Gaza Awareness campaign. FANTASTIC WORK Councillors at the meeting were very positive about the presentation, giving the young speakers a round of applause. Mayor of Waterford Cllr Jason Murphy said the report was concise but comprehensive. A lot of positives in there, especially the tree planting in Cherrymount. It is a fantastic initiative, said Cllr Murphy. Cllr Catherine Burke said it was great to see young people involved in politics. Cllr Liam Brazil congratulated the group on their work and presentation. For young people to come in here today and talk about mental health, I think it is fantastic and I will help you along as much as possible. Mental health is something that is so close to my heart. Mental health is something we cant talk enough about, and I am so proud of you for coming in and talking to us. I think its fantastic, said Cllr Brazil. I just want to wish you all well, and I think you are doing fantastic work, said Cllr Burke. Cllr Kate OMahoney told the young speakers: "Please know that if you need anything, I am only a text or a phone call away." Cllr Niamh ODonovan said she has worked in youthwork for ten years, and it's great to see the work young people do. To have the three of ye here. I think a lot of us can see ourselves growing up similar to ye in the past. I just hope that we maybe talk about and ensure that there is a platform and support for our active young people like yourselves who put up your hands, who participate, who have really good values on empathy, non-judgmental that are needed in our communities. And that you continue to get ye from Comhairle na nOg to this chamber in the future. I wish you the very best, said Cllr ODonovan. All critical infrastructure and essential services are now operating in emergency mode ahead of the arrival of Storm Eowyn, the Chair of the National Emergency Coordination Group has said. As Waterford braces for the arrival of the Status Red-level winds, here are the emergency numbers you may need at hand. Power and Water: ESB Networks is highlighting the dangers posed by fallen live wires; advising the public and the emergency services to stay away from these fallen cables and report such cases immediately. ESB Emergency Services can be contacted at 1800 372 999. The public can monitor www.PowerCheck.ie in regard to power restoration times. Uisce Eireann customers can check the website and social media channels for updates on potential water outages or get in touch with any issues or concerns via their 24/7 customer care centre at 1800 278 278. Local issues: Members of the public can contact Waterford City and County Councils Customer Services Desks on 0818 102020 from 9am to 10pm on Friday, January 24, after which calls will be transferred to the Councils emergency services number. Waterford City and County Council's Integrated Homeless Services, Severe Weather Protocol is also in operation, with extra bed capacity available at McGwire House. The Outreach Team from Waterford Integrated Homeless Services has been in contact with any known rough sleepers to advise them of the shelter arrangements (051 879930). Women and children fleeing domestic violence should present to Oasis House, 71 Morrisson's Road, Waterford (051 370367). Emergency services numbers: If you spot someone in trouble at sea or on the cliffs or coast, or even if you think that someone may be in trouble, dial 112/999 and ask for the Coast Guard, or if you are in trouble at sea, call on VHF Channel 16, MF 2182 KHz or use DSC. Call the emergency services by dialling 112 from a mobile or fixed phone line. The same number, 112 also works in any EU country and from any phone, free of charge. Weather information: You can monitor Met Eireann forecasts by visiting https://www.met.ie/ for the most up-to-date information. Information is available across social media platforms and other news media sources. Useful phone numbers: Gardai, Fire, Ambulance and Coast Guard: 999/112 ESB Networks: 1800 372999 Gas Networks Ireland: 1800 205050 Irish Water: 1800 278278 AA Breakdown Assistance: 01 6497460 National Poisons Information Centre: 01 8092566 YANGON, Jan. 23 (Xinhua) -- The Shwedagon Pagoda, also known as the Golden Pagoda in Myanmar, attracted over 8.65 million visitors in 2024, U Boe Thin, a member of the Shwedagon Pagoda Board of Trustees told Xinhua on Thursday. Among these, over 90,000 were foreign visitors, with the majority coming from China, Thailand and Vietnam, he said. This marks an increase of over 10,000 in foreign visitors compared to 2023, he said. However, the overall number of visitors in 2024 decreased compared to 2023, when the pagoda attracted over 10 million visitors, he added. A prominent presenter on the Nine Today program will leave the network after accepting a $50,000 cash prize in return for comments he made on air. Alex Cullen was stood down on Saturday after it emerged he had followed through on an offer from Melbourne-based billionaire Adrian Portelli to refer to him as McLaren Guy rather than the Lambo Guy tag he has developed in media. Today presenter Karl Stefanovic informed viewers of Cullens departure on Friday morning. As most of you are well aware, our colleague Alex Cullen has not been on air with us this past week. There has been widespread reporting on the circumstances surrounding this; what I can say is that last night, Alex and Nine agreed that he would finish with the network, Stefanovic said. John Aiken has been overseeing the matchmaking on Married at First Sight for 10 years. And every season, he says, the job finds new ways to shock him. The biggest surprise for me this season was the role of TikTok, says Aiken, who serves as one of the shows three expert hosts. People are developing their dating mindsets from social media, so what youre going to see this year is some quite extreme views about men, women, relationships, he says. And its jaw dropping when you hear it, see it, youre gonna pull your hair out. Married at First Sight experts: dating coach Mel Schilling, relationship specialist John Aiken and sexologist Alessandra Rampolla. Credit: Channel Nine Married at First Sight returns on January 27 for its 12th season, when it will take a new batch of Australian singles to the altar, wed them to complete strangers, and task them with trying to build a functional relationship. The marriages arent legally binding, which is a good thing, given most of the pairings spectacularly implode before the seasons end. But the resulting fireworks sure keep viewers hooked for its most recent season finale, MAFS, as its better known, drew a timeslot-winning national audience of 2.7 million. Police are hunting for a man who allegedly stole two cars with children inside them along Great Eastern Highway in Kalgoorlie on Wednesday afternoon. Shocking CCTV footage released by police shows a woman racing for her orange Kia Sportage which has her child inside as a shirtless man jumps in and drives away. CCTV footage shows the horrifying moment the car is stolen. Credit: WA Police The woman attempts to open the door, and holds on for as long as she can, but eventually is forced to let go as the car speeds off. The incident occurred at 4.05pm on Great Eastern Highway in Somerville, near Gatacre Drive. A fresh bid to sell groundwater drawn from a bore in the Perth Hills has reignited a campaign against the practise, but a local orchardist says the survival of his business is hanging on the ventures approval. The application to extract 30,000 kilolitres of water a year from a privately owned stone fruit orchard in Pickering Brook comes six months after soda giant Coca-Cola drew considerable media scrutiny for extracting water from a site further south in Karragullen for its bottled products. A group called Save Perth Hills Water has surfaced to tackle concerns around commercial water extraction in the region. Credit: Composite: Cameron Myles While the Karragullen bore was located in an unproclaimed groundwater area meaning there was no fee, and it is legal to take water community pressure around the transparency of extraction volumes and impacts on the water table saw Coca-Cola hit pause on its operations in May. Now, as a new, unrelated application has surfaced, so too has the communitys discontent. A 32-year-old woman who had been arrested for assault in Boone, North Carolina, took her aggression out on the police car's backseat, The Charlotte Observer reported. Boone Police Sgt. Dennis O'Neal said a "substantial amount of padding" had been chewed away, adding up to $650 in damages. The department's Facebook post suggested they "may need to invest in Kevlar seat covers." Authorities were still deciding whether to charge her in connection with the car's damages. [Charlotte Observer, 1/8/2024] People check a ruined house in Burqin, West Bank on Jan. 23, 2025. (Photo by Ayman Nobani/Xinhua) RAMALLAH, Jan. 23 (Xinhua) -- Two Palestinians were killed in an Israeli military operation in Burqin, a town west of Jenin city in the northern West Bank, the Palestinian Health Ministry said Thursday. The ministry identified the victims as 30-year-old Qutaiba Shalabi and 25-year-old Mohammed Nazzal. Palestinian sources in Jenin said that Israeli forces surrounded a house in Burqin on Wednesday night, using loudspeakers to demand those inside surrender. The forces fired several portable rockets at the house before demolishing it with a bulldozer, the sources added. Meanwhile, the Israeli army said in a press statement that, during its operation together with the Shin Bet security agency, its forces killed two "members of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad movement" who were involved in an attack on Jan. 6 in the village of Al Funduq, east of the West Bank city of Qalqilya, "which killed three Israelis and wounded six others." The Israeli forces also arrested several individuals allegedly linked to the attack, it said, adding that an Israeli soldier sustained moderate injuries during the operation and was taken to hospital for treatment. For the third consecutive day, the Israeli army has been conducting a large-scale military operation dubbed "Iron Wall" in Jenin and its surrounding refugee camp. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Tuesday that the operation aims to "eradicate terrorism" in Jenin and claimed Iran is behind anti-Israeli militant activity in the city. The operation comes as Israel halted its fighting in Gaza on Sunday, as the truce agreement took effect. Still, the violence escalated in the West Bank with the raid in Jenin and a series of settler attacks on Palestinian villages. People check a ruined house in Burqin, West Bank on Jan. 23, 2025. (Photo by Ayman Nobani/Xinhua) People check a ruined house in Burqin, West Bank on Jan. 23, 2025. (Photo by Ayman Nobani/Xinhua) A National Workshop on the implementation of an advanced ruling system was held in Nukualofa, Kingdom of Tonga, from 13 to 17 January 2025. The Workshop was organized jointly by the WCO and Tonga Customs Administration, with the sponsorship of the Customs Cooperation Fund (CCF) of Japan. It was facilitated by an accredited expert on HS from Spain and two pre-accredited experts from Japan and Tonga, and attended in-person by 18 officials and managers from Tonga Customs. During the opening ceremony, Mr. Michael COKANASIGA; Chief Executive Officer, Ministry of Revenue, spoke on behalf of Tonga Customs and highlighted the importance of HS classification as one of the pillars of Customs. He emphasized the importance of having an advance ruling system for the improvement of tariff classification infrastructure in the country. He thanked the WCO and CCF Japan for working together with Tonga Customs Administration to strengthen this important technical area. He encouraged the participants to take the opportunity to improve the technical works focusing on the modernization of the current classification work model in the country, which have direct linkage on revenue collection. The Workshops focus was to develop an Action Plan to improve the institutional capacity to carry out classification in an efficient manner. Furthermore, the Workshop offered an opportunity to discuss the WCO guidelines and to assist users of the HS to modernize their tariff classification work and related infrastructure. The presentations included the WCO guidelines on Advance Rulings and on Customs Infrastructure for Classification, Valuation and Origin as well as a perspective of these guidelines in the context of the WTO Trade Facilitation Agreement. One participant presented the organizational structure and functions of the Tonga Customs Administration, including details on its tariff classification model. In his closing remarks, Mr. Michael COKANASIGA thanked the WCO and CCF Japan for their ongoing capacity building support and expressed his confidence on the practical benefits for the participants of Tonga Customs after the discussions on a wide range of topics on tariff classification and advanced rulings held during the workshop. ADEN, Yemen, Jan. 23 (Xinhua) -- Yemen's pro-government forces thwarted an attack by militants of the Yemen-based al-Qaeda factions targeting a military installation in the country's southern province of Abyan on Thursday, a security official told Xinhua. The official said on condition of anonymity that a unit of the 2nd Brigade of Yemen's pro-government forces successfully defended against a "treacherous attack" by al-Qaeda militants in Omran Valley at dawn. Intense clashes persisted for some three hours, resulting in casualties for the terrorist group, and ultimately forcing them to retreat from the battlefield, the official said, without specifying the number of the casualties. The pro-government forces remain "fully vigilant and ready to respond urgently to any threat and confront all terrorist attempts," the official added. Meanwhile, a medical source told Xinhua that at least six soldiers from the pro-government forces were injured during the engagement, with some sustaining critical wounds. Al-Qaeda factions have been exploiting Yemen's protracted civil war and fragile security environment to consolidate their presence, particularly in the south. In late 2022, the Yemeni government and Southern Transitional Council initiated a counter-terrorism campaign to dismantle al-Qaeda strongholds across Abyan province. Yemen has been mired in a devastating civil war since late 2014, with the Houthis battling the internationally recognized government. BEIJING, Jan. 23 (Xinhua) -- China's State Council announced the appointment and removal of several officials on Thursday. Gao Zheng was appointed vice minister of culture and tourism, while Du Jiang will no longer hold this post. Feng Pengzhi and Wang Yang were appointed members of the National Academy of Governance's academy affairs committee. Lu Jianwei was appointed deputy head of the National Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine. Wan Ping was appointed deputy commander of the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps and vice general manager of the China Xinjian Group. Chai Liyuan was appointed president of Tianjin University, replacing Jin Donghan. Liu Xinjian was removed from the post of deputy political commissar of the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps. BANGKOK, Jan. 23 (Xinhua) -- The 9th ASEAN International Chorus Festival was held on Wednesday in Bangkok, Thailand, with 14 teams from ASEAN countries, Japan, and China participating in the competition. Mom Rajawongse Worapha Chakraphan highlighted that music is a language without borders, and the art of choral singing is a bridge that connects hearts. Thailand places great importance on promoting cultural exchange and collaboration through strong ties. "I hope the power of music will help enhance understanding and foster good relationships among nations while jointly celebrating the beauty of diverse cultures," she said. Yao Lisen, chairman of the ASEAN International Choir Festival Organizing Committee, pointed out that under the theme "Voices in Harmony, Dreams Together," the competition would serve as a bridge for cultural exchange through a series of captivating performances and interactive activities, fostering mutual understanding and friendship among nations. Jian Debin, president of Zhangjiajie College in central China's Hunan Province, told Xinhua that the competition provided students with an opportunity to showcase their professional skills on an international stage and presented the charm of Zhangjiajie to the world. The event, held from Jan. 22 to 26 and organized annually since 2016, has received widespread attention from various sectors of Thai society. Grant Sought To Improve Ambulance Barn The Kimball County Commissioners met in regular session on Jan. 21, addressing items tabled from the Jan. 9 meeting and new issues on the current agenda. The County Holiday Schedule for 2025 was approved. The county will recognize 15 holidays by closing the courthouse, including Dec. 24 and 25. Those same days have been declared holidays by the state and federal government. A short discussion occurred about Juneteeth. It was described as a National Independence Day celebrated annually on June 19 to commemorate ending slavery in the United States. Juneteenth is a federal, state and local holiday. The commissioners continued with the approval of appointed officials: Ben Sauter as Interim County Highway Superintendent, Darcee Wheeland as County General Assistance, a contract with Scotts Bluff County for the County Veterans Service Officer, Rick Wangler as Weed Superintendent, and Sheila Newell as the County Zoning Administrator. The commissioners divided up the commissioner appointments and then determined by vote that county departments heads needed to contact all three commissioners in an email, discontinuing individual contact except for county officials meeting representatives. Commissioner David Hottell will head county officials meetings, and Elyse Lukassen be the contact for IT and the Nebraska Racing and Gaming Commission. The Quarterly Jail Inspection was again delayed until the next meeting. In action items, two financial resolutions were passed. The first one transferred $250,000 from the Inheritance Fund to the General Fund, and the second resolution transferred $100,000 from the General Fund to the Road Fund. The Road Fund cannot levy taxes, so the General Fund typically transfers to the Road Fund. The county board met with Interim County Highway Superintendent and County Sheriff Dave Hottell. Hottell received approval on the bids for putting a laundry on the third floor. Ben Sauter updated the commissioners on grader tires and a permit from High West Energy to occupy county right of way to put an electric line under County Road 48 because the line was a clearance issue. Kimball Health Services met with the county board to give an update and ask for support on a grant opportunity for the ambulance barn. Cassie Gasseling, CEO/CFO of Kimball Health Services, reported that from March to December 2024, the average daily census was 3.5 patients in the hospital. ER visits have picked up, averaging 147 visits per month, and the hospital is averaging 18 surgeries a month. Gasseling said that all conditions required by USDA will be met by March. Kimball Health Services also has been looking into grants for ambulance service improvements. The ambulance barn, formerly Best Plumbing, needs updating and a place for paramedics to stay, officials said. The remodel would cost somewhere between $500,000 to $1 million. FEMA has grant opportunities for the remodel, but because Kimball Health Services is a political subdivision of the county, the county has to support the application process. The board authorized and approved its project support, with KHS liable for the 5% application fee. Applications are due in September, and awards will be made in February 2026. Kimball Health Services addressed another issue in relation to the extreme rural parts of the county and the lack of communication in that area. The ambulance is considering going to a statewide radio system, which would eliminate many of the dead spots, but the Sheriffs Office dispatch would need a $20,000 upgrade to go digital. They would like the commissioners to consider sharing the expense with them. The item was tabled so that more information could be attained, and the sheriff would be involved in the discussion. They will meet for more discussion at the next commissioner meeting on Feb. 4. Stephen Maguire A judge has refused bail to a man charged with causing the deaths of two teenagers in a crash in Co Donegal in 2017. Ricky Fagan (31) appeared before a special sitting of Letterkenny District Court on Thursday. It followed a brief appearance at Carndonagh District Court after Mr Fagan was extradited through a European Arrest Warrant from the North earlier this week. He was charged with dangerous driving causing the deaths of Nathan Fullerton (17) and Nathan Farrell (18) at Quigleys Point on April 29th, 2017. Mr Fagan was further charged with the possession of cocaine and with possessing cocaine with the intent to sell or supply it to others relating to an incident at Mulberry Avenue, Buncrana, on July 10th, 2020. He was remanded in custody and appeared at Letterkenny District Court on Thursday where he sought bail. Garda Sergeant Graham Morgan of Carndonagh Garda Station said he was objecting to bail on a number of grounds said the State would have "grave concerns" about the accused getting bail. Mr Fagan's solicitor, Mr Donough Cleary, argued that his client was entitled to bail. Having considered the matter, Judge Ciaran Liddy refused bail. He noted the seriousness of the charges. Judge Liddy said he accepted that Fagan had surrendered his passport but said the accused could "walk across the border unchecked and on balance is a flight risk." Mr Fagan, with a previous address in Buncrana, was arrested in Northern Ireland on September 15th, 2022 and was extradited to the Republic on Tuesday. Mr Fagan was the alleged driver of a car in which Mr Fullerton and Mr Farrell were travelling in, along with two other friends, on April 29th, 2017. The car hit a wall before crashing into a tree on the Quigleys Point to Moville road at around 3.35am. The friends were returning home from a night out at a disco at the time. Mr Fagan was remanded in custody to appear by videolink to Letterkenny District Court on February 4th. Ireland West Airport Knock has issued an update on Friday flights ahead of the arrival of Storm Eowyn. In a social post, the airport said: "Met Eireann have issued a Status Red wind warning for Leitrim, Mayo and Sligo, which will come into effect at 4am Friday morning and conclude at 12pm, midday, on Friday. "Passengers or people collecting passengers at the airport on Friday are advised to contact their airline for the most up-to-date flight information. If your flight is impacted as a result of the weather warning your airline will notify you directly in advance. "The airport is continuing to monitor the situation and will post updates as and when new information is made available." SYDNEY, Jan. 23 (Xinhua) -- A man died and the other man was injured in a house fire in western suburbs of Melbourne, the capital city of Australia's state of Victoria. Emergency services were called to the house in Deer Park, about 16 km west of central Melbourne, at about 12 p.m. local time on Thursday after the fire started in a bedroom, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation reported. Police said that two people were in the home at the time. One man died at the scene and the other man in his 30s was taken to a nearby hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. Fire and rescue authorities said that the fire was contained to one bedroom and was brought under control in less than 15 minutes. The cause of the fire has not yet been determined. It is the second deadly house fire in the area in seven days. A 27-year-old woman was killed on Jan. 16 when a house in the neighboring suburb of Truganina was targeted in an arson attack that police said was a case of mistaken identity. Scientists from Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI) have tracked a migrating salmon that swam from Greenland back to its native river in Mayo. The state environmental agency has acoustic tracking technology set up at the entrance to Killary Harbour which picks up signals from any tags attached to fish. Glen Wightman, IFI Research Officer, said: We recorded a mystery fish at Killary Harbour that had been tagged near Qaqortoq, in southern Greenland. "Although it had not been tagged in fresh water in Ireland, we know that when salmon migrate from the sea, they are using their strong homing instinct and typically returning to their river of origin. The town of Qaqortoq is more than 1,242 nautical miles (2,300km) from Mayo. IFI sensors traced the fish again in recent weeks as it swam up the River Erriff in Mayo, which is IFIs National Salmonid Index Catchment. Glen added: These tags are pinging a unique code every 60 to 90 seconds. Our acoustic arrays can record them moving into and through monitored rivers when they swim by. Our salmon research colleagues working in Greenland said this fish weighed 3.3kg and was 64cm long when it was tagged in September 2023. It may be a 5kg salmon now, having spent two winters at sea. We believe this feeding visitor to Greenland has now migrated upstream to spawn in the River Erriff, to pass on its genes to the next generation of salmon. IFI corresponded with overseas organisations, including the USA federal agency NOAA Fisheries, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, the Atlantic Salmon Federation, and the Association of Fishermen and Hunters in Greenland, to identify the tag and find out how far the fish had travelled. Tim Sheehan, of NOAA Fisheries, said: This tagging effort furthers one of our main goals to develop a better understanding of the factors driving salmon abundance and the challenges they face. SEOUL, Jan. 23 (Xinhua) -- South Korea's anti-corruption agency said on Thursday it has decided to refer the arrested President Yoon Suk-yeol's "insurrection case" to the prosecution, according to multiple media outlets. The Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (CIO) decided to transfer the case to the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office, demanding the indictment of Yoon as the CIO has no right to indict the president. Yoon was apprehended in the presidential office on Jan. 15, becoming the country's first sitting president to be arrested. A warrant to extend the detention of Yoon for up to 20 days, including the arrest period, was granted by a Seoul court on Jan. 19. The CIO and the prosecution agreed to jointly investigate Yoon's "insurrection" charge by questioning the impeached president for 10 respective days. The prosecution was widely expected to indict Yoon for the "insurrection" and other charges around Feb. 5. Yoon rejected the CIO's repeated call to appear for questioning. 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 "insurrection" charge, declared a martial law on the night of Dec. 3, but it was revoked by the National Assembly hours later. MANILA, Jan. 23 (Xinhua) -- The Philippines has imposed a temporary import ban on birds and poultry products from South Dakota of the United States due to an outbreak of bird flu, the Philippines' Department of Agriculture said Thursday. In a memorandum dated Jan. 22, Philippine Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel ordered the ban on importing domestic and wild birds and their products, including poultry meat, day-old chicks, eggs, and semen for artificial insemination from South Dakota. According to the memo, South Dakota reported on Dec. 17 last year "several outbreaks" of a highly pathogenic avian influenza H5N1. As an emergency measure, Laurel issued the memo directing the Bureau of Animal Industry to suspend the processing and issuance of sanitary and phytosanitary import clearances for importing domestic and wild birds from South Dakota. The memo added, "All shipments coming from South Dakota that are in transit, loaded, or accepted unto port before the official communication of this order shall be allowed, provided that the products were slaughtered or produced on or before November 23, 2024." Bird flu spreads among wild aquatic birds worldwide and can infect domestic poultry and other bird and animal species. BAGHDAD, Jan. 23 (Xinhua) -- Iraq exported about 101 million barrels of crude oil in December 2024, compared to 98.8 million in November, the country's Oil Ministry announced Thursday. During the month, approximately 100.19 million barrels were exported from oil fields in central and southern Iraq via the Port of Basra, 519,931 barrels from the Qayyara oilfield in the northern province of Nineveh, and 309,515 barrels were sent to neighboring Jordan, the ministry said in a statement, citing statistics from the State Organization for Marketing of Oil, an Iraqi company. Iraq's economy relies heavily on crude oil exports, which account for about 90 percent of the country's revenues. MOSCOW, Jan. 23 (Xinhua) -- Russia is open to equal dialogue with the United States and is waiting for a signal from Washington, Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Thursday. In a post on Truth Social Wednesday, U.S. President Donald Trump said he does not want to hurt Russia, and called for an immediate end to the Ukraine crisis. Trump said he would impose new sanctions and taxes on all Russian goods if he couldn't reach a deal with Russia. Asked about Trump's comments, Peskov said "We are closely monitoring all the rhetoric, all the statements." "We remain ready for dialogue, as President Vladimir Putin has repeatedly said," he said, adding that Moscow is anticipating potential dialogue to be equal and mutually respectful. Peskov also said Russia was still waiting for signals from the U.S. side. BRUSSELS, Jan. 23 (Xinhua) -- Solar power overtook coal in Europe's electricity mix for the first time in 2024 while gas declined for the fifth year in a row, energy think tank Ember said in a report on Thursday. "Driven by expanding wind and solar power, renewables have risen from a share of 34 percent in 2019 to 47 percent in 2024," the report said, adding that fossil share declined to a historic low of 29 percent in 2024, from 39 percent in 2019. It said solar power is growing in every EU country, while coal is becoming increasingly marginal. EU's solar power electricity generation increased by 21.7 percent in 2024 from 2023. Meanwhile, total EU gas consumption has fallen by 20 percent in the past five years, with about a third of the decline occurring in the power sector. At present, nuclear power accounts for 23.7 percent of the EU's electricity generation, followed by wind with 17.4, gas with 15.7, hydro with 13.2, solar with 11.1 and coal with 9.8 percent. The rest is covered by bioenergy and other sources. Despite progress in its green transition, energy prices in the EU remain high. In 2024, the average wholesale gas price in EU countries was nearly five times that of the United States, while industrial electricity prices were approximately 2.5 times higher. The United States is EU's largest supplier of liquefied natural gas. According to a report released by USAFacts last September, three-quarters of U.S. energy production comes from fossil fuels as renewable energy, nuclear power, and natural gas liquids in combination account for the remaining quarter. U.S. President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Monday to announce the country's intention to withdraw from the Paris Agreement. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said on her X account Tuesday that "All continents will have to deal with the growing burden of climate change. Its impact is impossible to ignore." "The Paris Agreement continues to be humanity's best hope. Europe will stay the course. And we'll keep working with all nations that want to stop global warming," she said. SIGN UP FOR THE DAILY JWR UPDATE. IT'S FREE. (AND NO SPAM!) Just click here. Donald Trump promised "shock and awe" during the first days of his presidency. He didn't disappoint the majority of Americans who understood that the country has been on a distressing course over the past four years. Historians will record that Monday was an eventful day. Donald J. Trump, after a four-year hiatus, took the oath of office just the second president to serve non-consecutive terms while Joe Biden left the Oval Office with no apparent concern for his unfortunate legacy. Inside the rotunda of the U.S. Capitol the weather precluded an outside ceremony Chief Justice John Roberts swore in Trump. His subsequent 30-minute address was a succinct tribute to the hope and optimism the incoming president offered in his campaign. "The Golden Age of America begins now," he said. Adding that, "We are one people, one family and one glorious nation under G od," he said. "To to every parent who dreams for their child and every child who dreams for their future, I am with you. I will fight for you, and I will win for you. We are going to win like never before." Trump later wasted little time, as he promised, getting down to business. On his first day, he signed a host of executive orders revoking a number of destructive Biden polices, particularly those that led to chaos at the nation's border with Mexico. He also pardoned most of those involved in the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol, a controversial decision. But it's worth noting that many of those involved have already served their time. Trump made clear to voters that he would take this step unlike Biden, who lied to Americans about his intentions regarding his son Hunter's circumstances. In stark contrast to his successor, Trump held an impromptu news conference in the White House in which he answered a wide-range of questions from reporters a show of confidence that Americans haven't seen for the past four years. Monday's historical events represent an energetic start to Trump's second term and indicates his commitment to delivering on his agenda for the American people, a majority of which voted for a new direction. The contrast between Trump's first day and Biden's last couldn't have been more stark. Biden left the White House handing out get-out-of-jail-free cards to family members as a shield against potential retribution. It was an unprecedented abuse of presidential power. Many Americans may reasonably ask what these people have to hide. The events of Monday confirm the wisdom of the decision voters made on Nov. 5. We march forward with confidence that the nation will prosper and exert strength moving forward. (COMMENT, BELOW) SYDNEY, Jan. 23 (Xinhua) -- A man is in hospital in a critical condition after being assaulted by a group on a major road in inner Sydney. Police in the state of New South Wales (NSW) said that the 26-year-old man was on Enmore Road in Newtown, a popular nightlife spot in Sydney's inner southwest, at about 11 p.m. local time on Wednesday when he was attacked by a group of people. Ambulance paramedics treated the man for significant head injuries before taking him to a nearby hospital in a critical condition. A crime scene has been established and police have asked anyone with information that could aid their investigation to come forward. JAKARTA, Jan. 23 (Xinhua) -- Indonesia's free meal program has reached 650,000 school children in 31 provinces, according to President Prabowo Subianto. "From January to April 2025, this program aims to target 3 million children. By April to August 2025, it will reach 6 million children. In September, we hope to cover 15 million children, and by the end of 2025, our goal is for all Indonesian children to receive nutritious food," Prabowo stated during a plenary cabinet session at the Presidential Office on Wednesday. "This is a strategic issue. We are strengthening Indonesia's future. Indonesian children must be strong, intelligent, enthusiastic, and able to attend school effectively. I believe that in the near future, we will see improvements in the academic performance of our children," he added. The program, which began on Jan. 6, is expected to expand its scope to include not only students but also pregnant women, breastfeeding mothers, and children under five years old. 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... Xilankapu, which means "knitted floral bedclothes" in the Tujia dialect, is a kind of traditional brocade woven by ethnic Tujia people. Xilankapu records the Tujias' lifestyle and traditions, and it is reputed as the "colorful living fossil" of the Tujia ethnic group. In 2006, the weaving craft of Tujia brocade was included on the first list of the nation's intangible cultural heritage. Cultural Symbol Tujia people mainly inhabit the mountainous region where central China's Hubei and Hunan provinces border southwest China's Guizhou Province and Chongqing Municipality. Tujia people are adept at weaving brocades. The weaving craft of Tujia brocade has a history in excess of 1,500 years, and the craft has been passed on from generation to generation. Tujia brocade is one of the five famous categories of Chinese brocades, along with Shu brocade, from southwest China's Sichuan Province, Yun brocade, from Nanjing, capital of east China's Jiangsu Province, Song brocade, from Suzhou, also in Jiangsu Province, and Zhuang brocade, from south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. Xilankapu, a type of traditional hand-woven brocade, plays an important part in the daily lives of Tujia people. Newborns receive Xilankapu from their grandmothers. Tujia infants sleep with quilts made with Xilankapu. Tujia girls begin learning how to weave Xilankapu when they are young. Tujia women weave Xilankapu, to be the main part of their dowries, before their weddings. There are many steps to making Xilankapu, including spinning, threading, dyeing, weaving and knotting. Xilankapu is unique for the weaving craft used to make it; colored silk, cotton and/or woolen threads are woven to form patterns on latitudes, while deep-colored cotton threads are woven to form patterns on longitudes. Tujia women weave both auspicious customs and their daily lives into Xilankapu, which features more than 200 classic patterns, including ethnic culture, natural sceneries, birds and animals, household items, flowers and other plants, geometric drawings, and Chinese characters, with auspicious meanings. Inheritors Liu Dai'e, a national inheritor of the weaving craft of Tujia brocade, was born into a Tujia family in a village, in Hunan Province, in 1955. Liu began learning brocade-weaving skills, from her grandmother, Peng Mei, when she was a girl. Peng was a known brocade weaver in the village. Liu has been fond of Xilankapu, and she has been able to weave abundant patterns since she was young. Liu has devoted herself to protecting, developing and promoting Xilankapu since she graduated from high school in 1978. For decades, she has trekked deep into the mountains, and she has visited many Tujia villages, to collect the traditional Xilankapu patterns woven by the Tujia people. She has collected more than 100 pieces of old brocades, and she has tried to restore some of the patterns of the brocades. "The Tujia language does not have a writing system. Tujia brocade is not merely a craft, but it records the history and culture of the Tujia ethnic group. So, we must protect, inherit and develop it well," Liu says. Liu is committed to the development and promotion of the brocade-weaving skills. In 2010, she set up a brocade-weaving and craft-training center in her village. Since then, she has trained hundreds of apprentices, and she has helped locals improve their lives by making Xilankapu. She has also developed Xilankapu products with aesthetic, fashionable elements. "We need to create high-quality, high-end brocades. Only in this way can we enhance confidence in ethnic culture, and achieve social and economic benefits," says Liu. Ye Shuiyun, born in 1967, is another national inheritor of the brocade-weaving craft. When she was 12, Ye began learning brocade weaving and folk painting from Ye Yucui, her grandaunt and a national-level master of arts and crafts. In 1983, Ye Shuiyun became an assistant to her grandaunt, and she helped collect and sort traditional Xilankapu patterns. During the past three decades, she has dedicated herself to making, studying and promoting Xilankapu. She has also learned the techniques of tie-dyeing and wax printing, and she has innovatively integrated those techniques with the techniques used to make Xilankapu. Modern Twist Sisters Tan Yanhua and Tan Yanbin manage their clothing brand, which has combined Xilankapu elements with fashionable clothes and accessories, in their hometown, in Enshi Tujia and Miao Autonomous Prefecture, in Hubei Province. They have improved the Xilankapu-weaving craft, to make finer and more closely woven brocades, and they have innovatively developed Xilankapu products, with fashionable elements. During the past few years, the Tans have established several Xilankapu-weaving bases in Enshi, and they have provided free training to local women, especially rural women and in-need women, to help them earn money by making Xilankapu products. They have also cooperated with colleges, as well as primary, middle and vocational middle schools, in Hubei. The sisters have also given Xilankapu-weaving courses and lectures attended by students. In 2022, they transformed the traditional brocade-weaving machine, making it easier for children and physically challenged people to operate. They received a national patent for their new type of brocade-weaving machine. In 2023, the Tans became beneficiaries of the Genius Mom project. The project was initiated by the China Women's Development Foundation, in 2019, to provide assistance to craftswomen who wanted to inherit and promote intangible cultural heritage. The Tans became leaders of the project's craft workshop in Enshi. They have participated in the project's activities, through which they have obtained opportunities to cooperate with artists and designers. In September 2023, they participated in a charity fashion show, during China Fashion Week, at which time they shared the charm of Xilankapu. "We hope more young people will contribute to the promotion of Xilankapu, and that they will inject life into the time-honored culture, to help Xilankapu go global," says Tan Yanbin. Photos from Yang Feng and Interviewees Source: China Women's Development Foundation (Women of China English Monthly December 2024) Editor: Wang Shasha 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. TEHRAN, Jan. 23 (Xinhua) -- The Iranian Foreign Ministry on Thursday welcomed the release of the Galaxy Leader vessel's crew, who had been held by Yemen's Houthi group for over a year. The Houthi group announced the release of the 25 crew members on Wednesday, saying the move was coordinated with Hamas and mediated by Oman as part of broader support for the Gaza ceasefire agreement between Hamas and Israel, according to Houthi-run al-Masirah TV. Houthi leader Abdulmalik al-Houthi directed their release, after they had been held since the capture of their vessel in November 2023. In a statement, Mohammad Alibek, Iranian assistant foreign minister and director general of the Persian Gulf Department at the Iranian Foreign Ministry, said the ministry is pleased that the vessel's crew would return to their countries on the back of the Houthis' "sincere" cooperation. Over the past few months, the ministry has been following up on the issue through communications with the relevant parties in Yemen as well as Hamas, Alibek noted. The crew's detention began when Houthi fighters boarded the vessel via military helicopter in international waters off Yemen's Hodeidah port on Nov. 19, 2023. While the crew has been freed, the vessel remains in Houthi custody at Hodeidah port. The Houthi group has controlled much of northern Yemen, including Hodeidah, since the outbreak of civil war in 2014. Weather Alert ...WIND ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM 1 PM FRIDAY TO 1 AM CDT SATURDAY... * WHAT...South winds 15 to 25 mph with gusts up to 45 mph expected. * WHERE...Portions of southern Illinois, western Kentucky, and southeast Missouri. * WHEN...From 1 PM 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. && The Irish Dail (Parliament) will meet Thursday, January 23 when Micheal Martin, leader of Fianna Fail, will likely be nominated as Taoiseach (Prime Minister) with Fine Gael leader Simon Harris as Tanaiste (Deputy Prime Minister). Martins nomination was supposed to be confirmed Wednesday but the Dail sitting descended into farce when opposition TDs (members of parliament), led by Sinn Fein, successfully disrupted Martins nomination because of a dispute over speaking rights. Members of the Regional Independent Group (RIG) which is supporting the government, have also formed a technical group allowing speaking rights normally reserved for members of the opposition. At the time of writing, no agreement has been reached and the Dail adjourned until Thursday morning. Simon Harris (left) and Micheal Martin in the Dail Eireann Chamber on January 22, 2025 [Photo by Houses of the Oireachtas/Flickr / CC BY 2.0 Assuming a resolution is found, the new administration taking office will be a coalition of Fianna Fail and Fine Gael, the two main bourgeois parties in Ireland, along with nine right-wing Regional Independent Group (RIG) members. Under the agreement worked out between the two parties Martin will hold the post of Taoiseach till 2027, which will then rotate to Harris, the current outgoing Taoiseach. The RIG, handed regional concessions for their support, will have two junior ministers sitting at cabinet (referred to as super-junior) and three junior ministers acting as ministers of state. The general election last November resulted in the votes of Fianna Fail and Fine Gael combined falling short of an overall majority, with both parties receiving 42 percent of first preference votes, securing 86 seats, between them. Sinn Fein received 19 percent of the vote winning 39 seats, a drop of 5.5 percent nationally compared to the 2020 election. The Green Party, who were part of the outgoing coalition, plummeted, keeping just one of its 11 seats. The fact that the two longstanding rivals of Irish politics have once again been forced into government together testifies to the growing resentment by working people of the ongoing crises in homelessness, health care, education and social provisions. A graphic released by broadcaster RTE after the election showed the combined vote of Fianna Fail and Fine Gael over the past 17 years down 33 percentfrom 68.9 percent in 2007, to 40.5 percent in 2024. The Irish Labour Party and its ideological protege the Social Democrats increased their share of the vote, winning 11 seats each. Both parties rushed to holding talks on government formation, putting forward their credentials as safe bets to govern on behalf of capitalism in Ireland. In the end, Fianna Fail and Fine Gael, doubtless with an eye across the Atlantic, considered the right-wing independents would serve better as the governments third leg. In line with this, the ruling parties have agreed a programme for government devoted to expanding corporate and private wealth at the expense of the Irish working class, while securing Irelands place as the preferred investment hub for US tech and pharmaceutical corporations. The programme Securing Irelands Future warns, the positive, global economic environment, which has benefited Ireland for many years, is no longer guaranteed. In response, the new government proposes a sharp shift to the right and pledges to defend economic resilience through a whole of Government Action Plan for Competitiveness and Productivity for reform and reducing the cost and regulatory burden on business, investing in infrastructure, digital regulation and reform, energy reform, international trade and research and development, and innovation. In other words, the new coalition is pledging to increase levels of exploitation and rip up what business regulation there is while pouring resources into key economic sectors, namely semiconductors, pharma, medtech, ICT, finance and agribusiness. Particular attention is drawn to AI and data centres. In public finance, the programme pledges to run budget surpluses while reducing public debt and maintaining a tax system that supports innovation. The government seeks a corporatist deal with the trade unions for a new public sector pay deal, linked to a reform agenda, i.e. increased productivity. New measures are proposed to force welfare claimants into work. The government proposes a new employment strategy focused on intensive engagement and supports to help those most distant from the labour market. There are promises on housing, but the headline 300,000 new homes is aimed primarily at the private sector and will amount to massive handouts to housing developers, with only limited subsidies for first time buyers. New social housing will be restricted to a minimal 12,000 units annually. Some investment will be directed towards infrastructure, particularly transport, in recognition of its necessity for retaining transnational corporation investment. Five thousand more police and 20 more judges are to be recruited. The previous coalition government was criticised by Israel during the election for its intervention in the International Court of Justice case against the genocide in Gaza. The new programme is a full capitulation to Tel Aviv. It pledges to give effect to the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) Working Definition of Antisemitism which maliciously equates criticisms of Israel government policy with anti-Jewish hate. The government intends to continue with the Occupied Territories Bill that had annoyed Israel and US investors, but subsequent statements made by Taoiseach Martin made clear that the government was looking to rework every section of the legislation, clearly with a mind to entirely neutralising or further delaying its already minimal impact. The coalition will also unequivocally support Ukraine, affirming that Russia cannot win this war and supporting Ukrainian resistance and upholding sanctions against Russia. Ireland is not a NATO member and retains a pretence of neutrality while being politically supportive of NATO operations. This includes allowing Shannon airport to be used as stopover for military transport flights. The previous government allocated 1.35 billion to military spending, a 100 million increase on the previous year. It said at the time, This level of investment is critical in the current geopolitical situation. The new programme notes that it will Progress the Naval Service Vessel Renewal and Replacement Programme, replacing secondary armament across the fleet and enhancing our subsea capabilities, and we will continue to develop our maritime support infrastructure, investing to future proof Haulbowline Naval Base, and establishing an additional East Coast Base for the Naval Service. The forces to which the government is turning for support include some of the most discredited figures in Irish politics. The most prominent and wealthiest independent is Michael Lowry. Although not included in the government he was a prominent part of the negotiations and is widely seen as leader of the RIG. A former minister in Fine Gael, Lowry, who represents Tipperary, was recently named Irelands richest politician with an estimated worth of 6.4 million. He has been the subject of a succession of political and financial scandals since 1996, and the focus of two government inquiries. The McCracken Tribunal into political corruption found that the supermarket owner Ben Dunne paid for huge extensions to Lowrys home while he was a government minister. The Moriarty Tribunal found that Lowry pocketed hundreds of thousands of pounds sterling in exchange for favourable treatment in granting mobile phone licences. The RIG also includes Galway TD Noel Grealish, who in 2019 described African asylum seekers as economic migrants who sponge off the system at a public meeting in Galway. He was speaking to a crowd over speculation that a direct provision centre may be located close to the town. Later the same year Grealish claimed Nigerian migrants were repatriating 3.5 billion to Nigeria and that some of this was the proceeds of crime. He claim was debunked; a mere 17 million was sent back to Nigeria. Part of the orientation to the RIG was the appointment of Verona Murphy as Ceann Comhairle (speaker) of the Dail. Murphy, another former Fine Gael member, former haulage company owner and until recently head of the Irish Road Haulage Association, once claimed that migrant children as young as three or four years of age were a danger because of ISIS brainwashing. Murphy has also been accused of workplace bullying. In Ireland as throughout the globe, bourgeois politicians openly flaunt the concept that the rule of the oligarchs and their hangers on is the natural way of things. A report published last week by the charity Oxfam showed that Ireland itself now has 11 billionaires, who saw their wealth grow by a third in 2024 to 50 billion. The top oligarchs saw their wealth grow by 35.6 million every single day in 2024. The new government intends to accelerate that process, while scapegoating migrants for its consequences. All workers in Ireland seeking a way forward in the struggle for decent living standards are posed with developing a means to expropriate the tremendous wealth of that same oligarchy. This means taking up the struggle for socialism. ULAN BATOR, Jan. 23 (Xinhua) -- A series of cultural events promoting northwest China's Qinghai Province officially kicked off in Ulan Bator, the capital of Mongolia, on Thursday. Co-organized by China's Ministry of Culture and Tourism, the Chinese embassy in Mongolia, the Chinese Cultural Center in Ulan Bator, and other organizations, the events, titled "Happy Spring Festival-Beautiful Qinghai with Mountains and Water Sources," aims to strengthen cultural exchanges between China and Mongolia. Shen Minjuan, Chinese Ambassador to Mongolia, who attended the opening ceremony, emphasized that Qinghai is known as the "source of mountains and rivers." She described the province's majestic, steep mountains, which are the origins of the Yangtze, Yellow, and Lancang rivers. "There, people and nature coexist harmoniously, multi-ethnic cultures blend and thrive, and the economy and society flourish," Shen said. "Qinghai is a microcosm of China, reflecting the nation's inheritance and development of traditional culture and the achievements of Chinese-style modernization." The event also showcased Qinghai's intangible cultural heritage, including embroidery works from the Tu ethnic group, such as leather embroidery, Pan embroidery, Regong thangka, and filigree painting. These works were displayed at an exhibition during the opening ceremony at the Chinese Cultural Center in Ulan Bator. Additionally, guests on the scene enjoyed Qinghai's folk songs together and felt the charm of intangible cultural heritage. Israel is using the first phase of the ceasefire in Gaza as an opportunity to step up its war on the West Bank. Given the green light by the Trump administration, Israel Defense Forces (IDF) soldiers and security forces have launched a massive operation centred on Jenin which Foreign Minister Israel Katz declared will mark a shift in the IDFs security strategy in Judea and Samaria [the Biblical name used by far-right Zionists to refer to the West Bank]. Israeli military vehicles guard a road where a military bulldozer operates in the West Bank refugee camp of Jenin, January 22, 2025. [AP Photo/Majdi Mohammed] Making clear the governments intentions, fascist finance minister Bezalel Smotrich said, After Gaza and Lebanon, today, with Gods help, we have begun to change the security concept in Judea and Samaria. Several reports suggest Smotrich secured a commitment to include security in the West Bank as one of Israels official war goals in exchange for his backing the Gaza ceasefire agreement. United Nations special rapporteur on human rights in the occupied Palestinian territory Francesca Albanese warned bluntly, As the long awaited ceasefire in Gaza took place, Israels death machinery escalated its firing in the West Bank If it is not forced to stop, Israels genocide of Palestinians will not be confined to Gaza. Mark my words. The fear was echoed by UN secretary general Antonio Guterres, who coupled unfounded optimism for the ceasefire with the observation, The other possibility is for Israel feeling emboldened by the military successes that it has had to think this is the moment to do the annexation of the West Bank and to keep Gaza in a kind of limbo situation. At least 10 Palestinians have been killed in Jenin, and 40 wounded. The numbers could be much higher, with ambulances blocked from reaching the wounded. Nebal Farsakh, a spokesperson for the Palestinian Red Crescent, told reporters, No one can break the siege on the refugee camp and the surrounding area. The organisation said it was deeply concerned about the wellbeing of Jenins residents. Repeating the tactics used in its criminal war of genocide in Gaza, Israeli forces have surrounded the Khalil Suleiman governmental hospital. In charge of the facility, Wissam Bakr told reporters, The current situation is awful. Israeli forces destroyed the roads in front of the hospital. They put the rubble from the destroyed streets in front of hospital exits to prevent ambulances from entering or leaving. Two nurses and three doctors had been shot on the main road leading up to the building on Tuesday, he explained, adding that 600 staff and patients were now sheltering as best they could inside. Bakrs account was confirmed by Adel Besher, who told Al Jazeera, I slept in the yard of the hospital. Even though my house is 200 metres away from here, I couldnt reach it. There were many injured people. Four from al-Amal Hospital were wounded, among them doctors, nurses and patients. There were also three or four people injured near my house and no one was able to rescue them. He added that Israeli forces shot at whoever got near them. Two were injured while trying to rescue them. According to the Wafa news agency, residents in several Jenin neighbourhoods were ordered to leave their homes, and the city, by loudspeaker. Exact numbers have been difficult to count under siege conditions. Scores of people have been arrested and detained. Roland Friedrich, the Director of UNRWA (United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees) Affairs for the West Bank described the camp as nearly uninhabitable, with some 2,000 families displaced since mid-December. UNRWA has been unable to provide full services to the camp in this time. He added that the operation using advanced weaponry and warfare methods including airstrikes is expected to last days. Friedrich noted that the Israeli operation follows more than a month of armed clashes inside Jenin Camp between PSF [Palestinian State Forces, commanded by the Palestinian Authority] and Palestinian armed actors. According to Middle East Eye, PA security forces stormed al-Razi hospital in Jenin on Wednesday and arrested a wounded man believed to be a member of the Jenin Battalion and wanted by the Israeli army. The PA raid appeared to be the first time Palestinian forces publicly participated in an Israeli military assault in the West Bank. There are fears that Jenins fate awaits other cities in the West Bank, with Israeli forces massively increasing the number of military checkpoints and gatesto nearly 900 throughout the territorysealing off entry and exit to major population centres. The Aida refugee camp was stormed on Wednesday, and raids carried out in Tulkarem and towns around Ramallah and el-Bireh. Medical Aid for Palestinians member Aseel Baidoun, based in Ramallah, told the Guardian, For two days we have been experiencing an extensive military lockdown. The Israeli army has placed hundreds of new checkpoints that are making the movement between towns and cities almost impossible Its an open-air prison; we feel we cannot move around. If you want to go from Ramallah to Jericho its impossible, and its almost impossible to even reach nearby villages. Theres not only restrictions on movement but insane attacks from settlers. Dozens of masked settlers attacked the villages of Jinsafut and al-Funduq near Jerusalem on Monday night, bringing materials to set buildings and cars on fire, and attacking three houses, a nursery and a carpentry shop. They also threw stones and fired shots. Similar attacks have since taken place in the villages of Sinjil, Ein Siniya, Turmus Aya and Khirbet Aqwiwis. At least 21 Palestinians have been injured and hospitalised, including elderly people and three children. Meanwhile, the residents of Gaza continue to sift through the 50 million tons of rubble that is all that remains of their levelled cities, with 80 percent of the buildings in northern Gaza destroyed, leaving 300,000 homeless. Relatives and civil agencies are searching for an estimated 10,000 bodies trapped underneath the wreckage. More than 200 have been found since the ceasefire came into effect four days ago. Frequently all that can be found are bones. The work is slow going, in part because the IDF has killed roughly 100 staff members of the civil defence agency and destroyed many of its vehicles. It also takes place under fire. On Wednesday, 28-year-old Akram Atef Zanoun was shot and killed, and four others wounded, by an Israeli quadcopter while removing rubble from their mostly destroyed homes in Rafah citys Shaboura camp. The smooth passage of 2,400 aid trucks into Gaza since the ceasefire was signed, a vast increase, confirms that Israel deliberately restricted the flow of these vital suppliesusing starvation and disease as a weapon of warfor over a year. British Dr. James Smith, who volunteered at Gazas Al-Aqsa Hospital, told Al Jazeera, One of the most important things to remember is a genocide doesnt end with a ceasefire, particularly a ceasefire as fragile as this. Its simply ongoing now by other means, he said, pointing to the Strips ruined healthcare system. A correspondent for the news agency, Hind Khoudary, reported, You cant imagine how destroyed the infrastructure across the Gaza Strip is. Sewage is filling the streets. In some places, theres a lack of water. Desalination plants are not working any more. The infrastructure has completely collapsed. The looming deadline for Israels ban on UNRWA threatens to plunge the region deeper into catastrophe, with over two million Gazans relying on the agencyplus many hundreds of thousands of Palestinians in the West Bank. A report from the Peace Research Institute Oslo, Consequences of the Israeli UNRWA Ban, warned of the dire impact the ban on the organisation would have. Co-author Jorgen Jensehaugen explained, In less than one weeks time, its collapse in Israeli-controlled areas could cripple the humanitarian operation in Gaza. Demonstration in Dessau on the 20th anniversary of Oury Jalloh's death, 7 January 2025 (Photo series: https://umbruch-bildarchiv.org/oury-jalloh-20-jahre-kampf-um-aufklaerung-und-gerechtigkeit) [Photo by heba/Umbruch Bildarchiv On January 7, on the occasion of the 20th anniversary of Oury Jallohs death, several hundred people took to the streets of the East German city of Dessau. Oury, a 35 year old man from Sierra Leone and the father of a two-year-old son, was chained hand and foot and burnt to death in a cell at the Dessau-Rosslau police station on January 7, 2005. Two decades later, the German state still refuses to clarify the circumstances of his death and hold to account those responsible. Demonstrators who marched from the police station in Dessau-Rosslau to the city courthouse last week carried signs and banners remembering not only Jalloh, but also the many other victims of police violence in Germany. One banner denounced the police murder of Mouhamed Lamine Drame, a youth who was killed in Dortmund two and a half years ago. A few days earlier, on December 12, 2024, the Dortmund Regional Court acquitted all five police officers involved in his death. The official version of Jallohs death remains that he killed himself. Although he was chained hand and foot to a cell bed, it is claimed he managed to fish a lighter out of his pocket, tear a hole in a flame-retardant mattress and set it and himself completely ablaze in just 20 minutes. This version is not only absurd, it has already been refuted multiple times, including by professional investigators and international experts. This is also the conclusion reached in a new six-part Crime Time series on Germanys ARD TV channel. The filmmakers refrained from presenting a so-called balanced picture repeating the cynical comments of the police station manager Hanno Schulz. According to Schulz, the police officers dealing with Jalloh were two very calm, reserved representatives. Schulz declared there had to be an end sometime with the investigations. Nevertheless, the ARD film makes the course of events sufficiently clear. In the early morning of January 7, 2005, Jalloh approached two women on the street saying he wanted to make a phone call. The women called emergency services. Two police officers then arrived and arrested Jalloh, who had been drinking and resisted his arrest. He was taken by force to the police station and a short time later lay severely injured on a mattress in cell 5. As a later autopsy demonstrated, at this point his nasal bone and several ribs were broken, his eardrum had burst and he had suffered a skull fracture. After the police officers left Jalloh in his injured state, tied to his cell bed, the fire alarm went off in cell 5 of the police station. The police chief on duty responded by switching off the alarm twice. By the time someone finally checked, thick black smoke was coming out of the cell. Jalloh was not only dead, he was found burnt beyond recognition. The official investigations were conducted extremely carelessly; a video team destroyed recordings from the scene of the crime, so there remains no record on film. The public prosecutors office refused to have the body X-rayed and it was left to Jallohs friends to arrange this later at their own expense in order to determine his injuries. Original charges of involuntary manslaughter ended in an acquittal of all police officers because the witnesses for the prosecution changed their testimony retrospectively and all of the police kept silent. A charred lighter that turned up in the evidence from the cell cannot have come from the scene of the crime. This fact was established by later investigations by Jalloh supporters. It emerged that two other men had already died at the same police station before Jalloh and the investigations into these deaths had not yet been completed in January 2005. This raises the question if there was an attempt to cover up multiple police murders. Over the years, additional private and official fire tests have clearly shown that the fire that took place in cell 5 could not have started without an accelerant. The research group Forensic Architecture (FA) reconstructed the course of events. They concluded that such a fire requires the draft of an open door. All of this clearly proves that Jalloh, locked in and handcuffed, could not have set himself on fire. More than twelve years after his death, the senior public prosecutor in Dessau finally opened a murder investigation. But shortly afterwards, the case was taken away from him and handed over to another public prosecutor in Halle, who quickly declared the case closed. When politicians in the state parliament asked questions and demanded clarification, the minister of justice lied to parliament about the state of the investigation. In late 2017, the public prosecutors office officially closed the investigation. When Ourys brother Saliou Jalloh turned to the Higher Regional Court in Naumburg in 2019, the court dismissed the proceedings. Eventually, Saliou Jalloh took the case to the Federal Constitutional Court in Karlsruhe, but in February 2023, this court also closed the file on the murder in cell 5. Its main argument was that the termination of the investigation by the Higher Regional Court of Naumburg did not violate the constitution. Finally, an attempt to file a complaint with the European Court of Human Rights also failed; the complaint was rejected on the grounds of a formal error. For 20 years, the police, judiciary and politicians have denied that Oury Jalloh could not have set himself on fire under any circumstances. To this day, the absurd version of suicide is accepted and established in the courtrooms of Dessau, Magdeburg, Halle and Naumburg, in the state parliament of Saxony-Anhalt, and most recently in Karlsruhe and The Hague. It has been declared that the case is legally closed in Germany. But as the Initiative in Memory of Oury Jalloh correctly writes in its press release, the facts speak a clear language: this was murder! A murder that must not be a murder. And, as the press release continues, the crime of murder is not subject to time limits. The fight for clarification and justice will continue until the Oury Jalloh affair has been resolved and the perpetrators held to account! Saliou Diallo, Ourys brother, described last weeks rally in Dessau as another anniversary of the fight for the truth. The years of cover-ups and denials by the German judiciary in this and other cases represents a serious warning. Justice will not come from these forces. In todays world of escalating war, the priority of the government and state, including the courts and all the state organs of violence, is not to focus on education and mutual understanding, but increasingly on confrontation. Tragic attacks on migrants such as those in Solingen, Mannheim and most recently Magdeburg are being used as an excuse to arm the police and intensify agitation against refugees and migrants. In the Alternative for Germany (AfD), party leader Alice Weidel is now openly and loudly raising the far right slogan of remigrationbut such a policy is not restricted to the AfD. All of the main parliamentary partiesthe Social Democratic Party, the Greens, the Free Democratic Party, the Christian Democratic Union, Christian Social Union, Left Party and Sahra Wagenknecht Allianceare pursuing similar policies, even though (or precisely because) they are involved in an election campaign. Such policies are directed principally against the working class, which is facing major struggles in the face of attacks on its jobs, wages and rights. Only the struggle for a socialist, international perspective can ultimately ensure genuine justice for the victims of police violence. While he did not announce immediate tariff increases on his first day in office, US President Donald Trump issued a sweeping executive order setting out an agenda for a full-scale economic war against the rest of the world, friend and foe alike. President Donald Trump speaking during a campaign event in Laconia, New Hampshire on January 22, 2024. [AP Photo/Matt Rourke] The order, under the title America First Trade Policy, is aimed at trying to overcome some of the problems with tariffs, so far as boosting the economic position of the US is concerned. Despite Trumps repeated snake oil salesman claims that tariffs are an impost on foreign companies and bring billions of dollars into the US, and may even be a mechanism for paying off government debt, the reality is that they are paid for by American companies importing goods and ultimately by consumers in the form of higher prices for those goods if the tariff hike is passed on. The only impact on the foreign company is that its market position in the US is worsened if the tariff is passed on. The Customs and Border Protection authority does not receive a single dollar from a foreign entity. Recognising this to be case, the executive order announced the establishment of a new agency called the External Revenue Service (ERS). It is being tasked with investigating the feasibility of establishing and to recommend the best method for designing, building and implementing the ERS to collect tariffs, duties and other foreign trade-related revenues. Speaking to reporters after his inauguration, Trump indicated the new measures could be directed against the entire world, saying he may impose a universal tariff on all imports because essentially all countries take advantage of the US. But the key issue, necessitating the establishment of a new agency, is how to make foreign corporations pay, rather than US firms. As he stated in his inaugural speech, instead of taxing our citizens we will tax and tariff foreign countries to enrich our citizens. It will be massive amounts of money pouring into our Treasury coming from foreign sources. The America First trade declaration contained a raft of measures which, if implemented, threaten to completely upend what remains of previous trade regulations, already disrupted by the previous Trump measures and those implemented by Biden, involving restrictions on the export of advanced computer chips from the US. The first item in the order was to launch an investigation by the Treasury, the Commerce Department and the US Trade Representative into the causes of the persistent US trade deficits in goods and services and the national security implicationsthe risks arising from such deficits. It is to recommend appropriate measures, such as a global supplemental tariff or other policies, to remedy such deficits. Another investigation by a range of departments will review and identify so-called unfair trade practices by other countries and recommend action. The United States agreement with Mexico and Canada will be examined in preparation for its review in July 2026. A possible currency conflict is also in preparation with the Treasury Secretary instructed to review the policy of the US, with respect to the rate of exchange between the US dollar and the currencies of its many trading partners, and recommend appropriate measures. The Treasury already has the power to name what it deems to be currency manipulators. But the new order goes further and points to the misalignment of currencies. In line with the objective of raising increased revenue from foreign corporations, as seen in the collection of tariffs, the order announced a review of tax policy with regard to foreign corporations and individuals. It is being conducted under what has been described as an obscure provision of the US tax codeSection 891. The executive order called on the Treasury Secretary to investigate whether any foreign country subjects US citizens or corporations to discriminatory or extraterritorial taxes. Section 891 says that when the president declares there is such discrimination, the tax rates should be doubled in the case of each citizen and corporation of such foreign country. Congressional approval is not required. Such a declaration appears virtually certain because the details of the executive order have been the subject of discussion and preparation by the Trump transition team. There is an old adage in government circles around the world that you do not launch an investigation until you know the result. The international tax rules drawn up by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), yet to be adopted, appear to have been thrown into disarray. In a separate policy memo, Trump said the US was withdrawing its support for the OECD tax pact. The memo said that the US would investigate whether any foreign countries are not in compliance with any tax treaty with the US or have any tax rules in place, or are likely to put tax rules in place, that are extraterritorial or disproportionately affect American companies. The Financial Times reported the comments of an unnamed European Union official who said Trumps turn to the tax issue reflected the pressure from high-tech firms who want Trump to move on this area, rather than trade, because this is where fortunes are at stake and big tech has an interest. Trump did not immediately order tariff hikes against Chinahe has threatened a 60 percent impostbut announced in the executive order that the Trade Representative should review the existing US-China trade agreement, determine whether China was acting in accordance with its provisions and recommend appropriate actions up to and including the imposition of tariffs or other measures as needed. Threats by Trump to impose a 100 percent tariff on Chinese goods, unless Beijing agreed to the sale of at least 50 percent of the TikTok app to a US firm, were intended to send a message about the intent of the new administration. The executive order also made clear the Trump administration intends to intensify the controls on the export of advanced chips to China, and others considered to be strategic adversaries, introduced under Biden. The secretaries of state and commerce were tasked with making recommendations regarding how to maintain, obtain, and enhance our Nations technological edge and how to identify and eliminate loopholes in existing export controls. In language resembling that of a Mafia boss, it said the review should assess and make recommendations regarding export control practices to incentivize compliance by foreign countriesthe phrase make them an offer too good to refuse comes to mind. There was a series of other investigations launched by the order, covering such issues as intellectual property rights, import of drugs such as fentanyl, government procurement policies, anti-dumping measures, and aluminium and steel from the standpoint of national security. No tariffs have been implemented as yet, but Trump said actions against Mexico and Canada, because they were allowing a mass number of people to come into the US as well as fentanyl, could be put in place by February 1. There was a slight sigh of relief in the EU when no immediate actions were taken. But Trump made clear he has Europe in his sights. In an outburst on Monday evening, he said: They dont take our cars, they dont take our farm product, they dont take almost anything. And yet we take their cars and we take their farm product, we take a lot from them. So well figure that out with either tariffs or they will have to buy our oil. The investigations ordered by Trump have, in the main, to report by April 1. But even before that deadline, all indications are that the global economic war he has set out will be well advanced. The fires that have been engulfing Los Angeles for more than two weeks have become the costliest such disaster in US history. They have killed 28 people to date and caused an estimated $275 billion in long-term economic damage, with only a small portion covered by insurance. The blazes have destroyed over 12,000 structures and burned more than 60 square miles in and around Los Angeles, leaving devastation in their wake. Zane Grey Estate after Eaton Fire The various fires have resulted in the evacuation of 200,000 people and the ruin of entire neighborhoods, reducing thousands to homelessness, as well as wiping out hundreds of small businesses. Generally speaking, this disaster, like most other disasters, impacts the vulnerable most, as one expert noted this week. The calamity itself is the product of climate change, government neglect and the anarchy of the free enterprise system. Southern California, in addition to being a center of the film and television industry, is a major focal point of cultural creation and exhibition. It is also home to remarkable recreational sites, tourist attractions and parks. Inevitably, given the fierce, uncontrollable intensity of the fires, recent weeks have seen countless individual works of art consigned to smoking rubble. The conflagrations have collectively leveled numerous heritage sites, libraries, churches and buildings designed by renowned architects. The WSWS has already taken note of the loss of more than 100,000 scores, in addition to the complete musical and personal archive of 20th century composer Arnold Schoenberg, a profound cultural blow. One of the cultural venues seriously damaged by the fires is the Zorthian Ranch in Altadena, which was a 48-acre historic artist commune. It was founded in the 1940s by Armenian-American artist Jirayr Zorthian. The Zorthian family escaped the Armenian genocide and emigrated to the US in 1923. The ranchs website explains: On the morning of January 8, the Eaton Fire blazed rapidly through much of Altadena and surrounding areas, destroying many homes and businesses, and disrupting the lives of all in its path. Although an impressive and valiant effort was made to save the Zorthian Ranch, almost all of it was destroyed in the fire. Thankfully, every individual that resided there as docents, builders, artists and collaboratives made it to safety through this catastrophic event. The many animals up there were ushered to safe places. Two main houses remain. The community spaces, the rest of the property, as well as the historical archives with Jirayr Zorthians artwork are now gone. The family is now attempting to raise the funds necessary to keep the place running as an artistic community. Also destroyed were several architectural and historical landmarks, such as the Zane Grey Estate in Altadena, designed by Myron Hunt and Elmer Grey in 1907. Elmer Grey was a prominent American architect in the early 20th century, who designed numerous landmarks in southern California, including the Beverly Hills Hotel, the Huntington Art Gallery, the Pasadena Playhouse and Wattles Mansion. The author Zane Grey (no relation), well-known for his works in the Western genre, bought the Altadena estate in 1920. It was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2002. The Will Rogers Ranch House, designed in 1926 by A.C. Semrow, and which became part of a state park in 1944 (and was listed as well on the National Register of Historic Places), was also lost in the Palisades fire. Will Rogers (1879-1935) was a prominent American vaudeville performer, writer and humorist-social commentator. He was hugely popular at the time of his death in a plane crash. Will Rogers ranch house before and after (Will Rogers Ranch Foundation) The Will Rogers Ranch Foundation website carried this message: We are deeply saddened to share that both the historic home of Will Rogers and the Barn that Jokes Built have both fallen victim to the Palisades Fire. While the loss to the Will Rogers Ranch is devastating, it pales in comparison to the loss of the property and businesses and, more importantly, the lives of those in the surrounding area. -Jennifer Rogers, Rogers family representative. This loss is immeasurable, but we remain committed to preserving Will Rogerss legacy for future generations. Other architecturally significant buildings destroyed include the Pasadena Waldorf School/Scripps Hall, designed by Charles W. Buchanan in 1904 and also listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1999. Park Planned Homes, which was one of the first modernist housing tracts in the world, built in 1948 by Gregory Ain was also burned. According to one commentator, it appears 20 of the 28 houses were lost. This project (1946-48) consisted of 28 houses and a landscape design by Garrett Eckbo. It was of high significance to both architectural history and landscape history. (solarhousehistory.com) Ain was a left-wing figure, hounded by the FBI in the 1950s. Avenel Housing Group in. Los Angeles, designed by Gregory Ain (not destroyed in fires) [Photo by Doncram / CC BY 3.0 The Palisades Business Block, built in 1924 by Clifton Nourse, was just recently restored before being leveled by the fires. It was listed by Los Angeles as Historic-Cultural Monument #276. The Andrew McNally House, built in 1887 by Frederick L. Roehrig was the former home of the renowned mapmaker, and was used in numerous Hollywood productions. It was burnt to the ground on January 8 by the Eaton Fire. Newer buildings, such as the Keeler House, built in 1991 by Ray Kappe, one of the founders of the Southern California Institute of Architecture, were also lost. In addition, there were numerous libraries and schools damaged or lost. The Theosophical Library Center in Altadena, which featured collections of rare books, manuscripts and artwork from around the world, along with the Palisades Branch Library, and the Odyssey Charter School-South, were all reduced to ashes by the fires. Religious sites such as the Altadena Community Church, the Pasadena Jewish Temple and Center and the Masjid Al-Taqwa Mosque were also consumed in the blazes. Andrew McNally House after Eaton Fire Museums and galleries, including the Alto Beta Gallery in Altadena and the iconic Bunny Museum, which housed 46,000 rabbit-themed exhibits, and the Eaton Canyon Nature Center, a hub for environmental education, were all destroyed along with their exhibitions. Popular culture sites were also not spared. The Palisades Fire consumed the home where the Doors hit Light My Fire was penned, as well as the Moonshadows Malibu, a famed restaurant along the Pacific Coast Highway. This is only a very partial list. Some of these sites have stood for over a century, others only a few decades, but they were all an integral part of the cultural heritage of Los Angeles and southern California. Many of the individual artworks are simply irreplaceable, while the buildings, and even more, what they meant as places where people congregated, will be difficult if not impossible to recreate under decaying capitalism, which subordinates everything to profit. The loss of so many landmarks, so many cultural sites will be felt profoundly by great numbers of people in the coming weeks, months and years. The American ruling elite, predatory, in the full sense of the word, and criminal (Trotsky), is entirely culpable for the ongoing tragedy. Careless, philistine, shortsighted, indifferent to everything but their bank accounts, they took no serious measures to prevent the fires, or to provide protection from the fires, whichas can be seen, for example, by the ability to save the Getty Museum from the Palisades Firewas entirely possible. However, the money was not made available, and the plans were not made. The result is another American catastrophe. The leaders of New Zealands establishment political parties all congratulated the new fascist president of the United States, Donald Trump, on his inauguration on January 20. Following the obscene spectacle of Trumps inauguration, in which he enunciated his far-right agenda including mass deportations and imperialist expansionism, New Zealands politicians are pitching to work with Washington as closely as possible. New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon delivering state of the nation speech in October 2024 [Photo: Christopher Luxon Facebook] New Zealands Prime Minister Christopher Luxon, who leads the National Party-NZ First-ACT coalition government declared: Bound by history and shared values, the relationship between our two great countries has strong foundations. I look forward to working together to make the most of the opportunities that lie between us. At a media conference on Wednesday, Luxon was asked: President Trump has threatened to take back the Panama Canal, hes also refused to rule out sending military forces into Greenland. Does that align with the rules-based international order that you often talk about? Luxon refused to respond, saying that he was not commenting on affairs of another country. Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters, leader of the anti-immigrant, populist NZ First party, congratulated J.D. Vance on being sworn in as vice president, saying he also looked forward to working together to further deepen the relationship between New Zealand and the US. He added effusively that both countries were two of the worlds great, longest-running democracies. Peters, who is also Foreign Minister, proffered his congratulations and best wishes to anti-China war hawk Marco Rubio on his confirmation as Secretary of State. A strong US-NZ relationship supports close cooperation in a turbulent world, Peters said. We look forward to working together to advance our shared interests, including in the Indo-Pacific. New Zealand, which is a minor imperialist power with interests throughout the Pacific and internationally, is already integrated into US-led wars. It is part of the US-led Five Eyes intelligence alliance including Australia, Canada and Britain. Successive Labour and National Party governments have supported the US militarisation of the Indo-Pacific in preparation for war against China. Peters, who has led the strengthening of relations with the US in the Pacific, believes the government is better placed this time than in 2016 to forge links to Trumps circle. He told Newsroom on January 9: Weve done all we possibly can thus far to make every connection we possibly can to get close to that presidency. Far-right ACT Party leader David Seymour, a key figure in the government, hailed Trumps installation, telling Newstalk ZB it was part of a global uprising against bureaucracy and government waste, that included the extreme right-wing president Javier Milei in Argentina and growing likelihood of a far-right government in Canada. Greens co-leader Chloe Swarbrick issued a statement that ignored Trumps expansionist threats, mass deportation plans and the fascistic character of his inauguration remarks. She merely tut-tutted at Trumps withdrawal from the 2016 Paris Agreement on climate changea toothless agreement that consists of nonbinding promises and has done nothing to restrain fossil fuel giants and other major polluting corporations. The main opposition Labour Party leader Chris Hipkins, according to Radio NZ, congratulated Trump on his inauguration, saying the party wished him and the American people success. The unanimous kowtowing of the countrys leadership to would-be Fuhrer Trump is confirmation that bourgeois politics is lurching violently to the right in New Zealand, as in the US and internationally. The ruling classes, as the WSWS noted in its New Year statement, are restructuring politics in accordance with the oligarchical character of contemporary capitalist society to wage war abroad and war on the working class. Since assuming office at the 2023 October election, following the collapse of support for the incumbent Labour-led government, the National-led coalition has imposed a brutal austerity agenda to destroy tens of thousands of jobs and public services. It is looking to Washington to maintain New Zealands neo-colonial role in the Pacific by cementing the security-military alliance. The ACT Party responded to Trumps statements last week threatening Greenland, Canada and the Panama Canal by saying New Zealand must avoid isolation by doubling its military budget from 0.9 to 2 percent of GDP. ACT MPs Mark Cameron and Laura McClure said in a statement on January 15: We can no longer rely solely on goodwill and historic alliances Leaders like Trump have sent a blunt message: allies who dont pull their weight shouldnt expect protection. The diversion of billions more dollars for war will be paid for with even deeper attacks on social programs on which working people rely. This is not an agenda that can be imposed democratically. The government is preparing major attacks on free speech and other basic rights, including through the Foreign Interference Bill, which is supported by the Labour Party. Labours welcoming of the Trump regime is particularly significant. In January 2017, then MP Jacinda Ardernmonths before she was elevated into the party leadership and became prime ministerjoined a protest outside the US Consulate in Auckland, part of global actions held in opposition to Trumps threats against abortion rights and other fascistic pronouncements. Arderns attendance was entirely cynical and hollow. Her Labour government between 2017 and 2023 strengthened New Zealands alliance with US imperialism, supporting the build-up of US military assets in the Pacific to prepare for war against China, and sending New Zealand troops to Britain to help train Ukrainians to fight against Russia. Domestically, Ardern oversaw a massive transfer of wealth to the rich and increased poverty and homelessness. Ardern last year joined the US Center for American Progress (CAP), an influential Democratic Party-aligned outfit specialising in imperialist propaganda. She then appeared at the Democratic National Convention to praise Kamala Harriswhose administration was backing Israels genocide in Gaza and suppressing domestic oppositionas the embodiment of kindness and empathy. The rightward shift in New Zealands political establishment is echoed in the media. In an op-ed in the New Zealand Herald on January 11, the papers business editor Fran OSullivan expressed admiration for his threats to reorganize the Americas and Greenland under US domination. Intimately connected within the corporate and political elite, OSullivan has long been a mouthpiece for advancing right-wing economics and the demands of big business. According to her, there is geographical logic to Trumps musings vis-a-vis Panama, Canada and Greenland. There is plenty of distaste for his tactics, she observed, but he is not a lone horseman either. Make no mistake on this, he means business. OSullivan did not oppose Trumps threat to take the Panama Canal by force, simply noting that Panama President Jose Raul Mulino had disputed claims the canal is under Chinese influence. Irrespective of Mulinos objections, she said, US House Republicans had introduced a bill to repurchase the canal after Trumps concerns that the critical waterway is under Chinese control. She suggested that New Zealand move decisively to forge closer ties with Washington, raising the possibility of hosting a US military base. The grovelling adulation of the new fascist president must be a warning to the working class. Trumps program of social counter-revolution and imperialist war is not just an American phenomenon; it is shared by New Zealands ruling elite and its political parties. The rise of the far-right and fascism, genocide and world war, can only be stopped through the building of a socialist movement of the international working class to abolish the capitalist system, which is the source of war, dictatorship and inequality. The Stellantis (then Chrysler) assembly plant in Belvidere, Illinois, on October 26, 2007 [AP Photo/Paul Beaty] The efforts of the United Auto Workers bureaucracy to collaborate with the new Trump administration, based on their shared America First economic nationalism, are rapidly taking shape in the days since the inauguration. On Wednesday, Fain announced that Stellantis had agreed to reopen its assembly plant in Belvidere, Illinois, by 2027, cancel plans to shift production of the Dodge Durango SUV from Detroit to Windsor, Canada, and make a significant investment in Kokomo, Indiana, reversing plans to move work out of this country. Fain attributed the companys decision to the UAWs Keep the Promise campaign, saying the victory is a testament to the power of workers standing together and holding a billion-dollar corporation accountable. Thank you to the thousands of members and leaders who rallied, marched, filed grievances, and talked to coworkers. Your solidarity forced Carlos Tavares out as CEO of this company, and its been a game-changer. In fact, the UAW launched the toothless publicity stunt to head off a growing movement of rank-and-file workers against the massive job cuts, which Stellantis and the other automakers began carrying out after the UAW bureaucracy sold out the 2023 contract battle by 150,000 Stellantis, GM and Ford workers. Fain claimed the union would call a national strike to defend jobs, without any intention of doing so. The UAW bureaucracys assurances about securing jobs are not worth the paper they are written on. Nor has Fain indicated what labor cost reductions the UAW offered to secure the deal. As a Stellantis worker at the Sterling Heights Assembly Plant (SHAP) in metro Detroit told the World Socialist Web Site, The UAWs statement really doesnt say anything, just Fain claiming victory. But the CEO is pushing to make the company competitive again, and that is going to mean more pressure on our jobs and conditions. Fain admits, We still have thousands of our union sisters and brothers laid off. Indeed, the 2023 labor agreement praised as a historic, job-creating deal by Fain and President Biden opened the door for thousands of job cuts. This included a hidden clause in the 900-page UAW-Stellantis contract agreeing to the permanent firing of more than half of the companys 5,200 temporary part-time workers after promising them full-time jobs. Concluding his cynical letter, Fain writes, Throughout this process, weve all learned an important lesson: it takes a fight to keep jobs here in this country. Weve shown the company, and the nation that we are ready for that fight. While Fain did not openly acknowledge it, the Stellantis decision followed meetings between company executives and Trump in the days leading up to the inauguration. Stellantis Chairman John Elkann spent four days in Washington meeting with incoming U.S. President Donald Trump and several top administration officials, two people familiar with the matter told Reuters on Tuesday. The Reuters report continues, The talks underscore the efforts of business leaders, such as Elkann, to build ties with the new U.S. administration while Trump threatens to disrupt the status quo with major economic and trade policy changes. Elkann, the scion of the Agnelli family, reportedly met with Trump two times during his stay in Washington before flying back to Italy. The automaker, which imports 40 percent of the cars it sells in the US from Canada and Mexico, would be hit hard by Trumps threats to impose 25 percent tariffs on the two countries. After the visit, Stellantis issued a company statement, saying, Trumps clear focus on policies that support a robust and competitive manufacturing base in the United States is hugely positive. We look forward to working with him on the crucial objectives of strengthening our industry and the nations economy. CNBC also reported Wednesday that the Leaders from each of the Big Three automakers in Detroit have now separately spoken or met with Trump. They also were among the companies to each donate $1 million to Trumps inauguration. It is not clear yet whether Fain or any other UAW bureaucrats took part in the pilgrimage to kiss Trumps ring. But the day before the inauguration, the Washington Post published an editorial by Fain, titled, I am the UAW president. Were ready to work with Trump. In it, Fain singled out Trumps trade war policies for praise, saying, We agree that we need a strong system of tariffs that serve the national and working-class interest. Tariffs should bring jobs back to America, put products in communities such as Belvidere, Illinois, and push companies to invest in good jobs, not exploit workers abroad. Workers do not have national interests, only class interests. The Keep the Promise campaign was based on two fundamental lies, which have united the UAW bureaucracy with Trump: (1) that the job cuts were caused not by the ruthless drive for capitalist profit but the foreign owners, who have no regard for American workers and America; and (2) that US workers can only defend their jobs at the expense of Canadian and Mexico workers, instead of uniting against the global automakers in a common fight to defend the right to a secure, good-paying job for all workers. Fain and his backers in the Democratic Socialists of America used the campaign to promote the election of Kamala Harris. In his appearance at the Democratic National Convention in August 2024, Fain criticized Stellantis for reneging on its deal, praised Harris and Biden for standing shoulder to shoulder with working people and denounced Trump as a scab. But since the electoral defeat of the Democrats, whose endless warmongering and indifference to the social and economic catastrophe enabled Trump to posture as a champion of workers and win, Fain has dropped such rhetoric. Instead, the UAW president is bending over backwards to win the favor of the oligarchs and fascists in Trumps regime. Like the ruling class, the union bureaucrats fear nothing more than a massive movement from below that threatens their wealth and privileges. While some workers have been taken in by Trumps nationalist rhetoric, history shows such a reactionary perspective can only lead the working class to disaster. For decades, the UAW bureaucracy, the auto bosses and the two corporate-controlled parties have promoted Buy American nationalism to demand workers sacrifice their wages and working conditions to boost the competitiveness and profitability of their own capitalist corporations. This never saved a single job. Instead, some 850,000 UAW jobs have been lost at the Big Three since 1979. This is not due to unfair trade agreements but to the crisis of American and world capitalism and the ruthless drive to lower labor costs and boost profits. The anti-Asian racism promoted by the UAW bureaucracy in the 1980s, which resulted in such horrors as the beating death of Chinese-American engineer Vincent Chin in 1982, was used to divide workers and cover up the UAW leaders own complicity in the slashing of the jobs and wages of hundreds of thousands of workers. Trump intends to use the services of the trade union bureaucracy to completely subjugate the working class and wage war against American imperialisms rivals abroad. He is beginning with the scapegoating and rounding up of immigrants, but this will be followed by the use of the military to crush all domestic opposition to the rule of the oligarchs and their wars to seize resources and territories like the Panama Canal, Greenland and even Canada. Will Lehman, the Pennsylvania Mack Trucks worker who ran as a socialist candidate for UAW president in 2022, issued a statement responding to Fains groveling before Trump. In it, Lehman stated: The working class is an international class, which today is more connected through a single process of global production than in any other period in history. Workers in America cannot defend themselves at the expense of workers in every other country. The solution for workers is not America First but the unity of the working class around the world, including VW workers fighting massive job cuts in Germany and Stellantis workers in Italy, the UK and other countries. Lehman concluded: As the naked class interests that Trump represents become clear to millions, including those who voted for him, working class opposition will grow. But this rebellion can only be developed if workers consciously reject the nationalist and pro-capitalist poison long promoted by the UAW bureaucracy and both corporate-controlled parties. This means expanding the International Workers Alliance of Rank-and-File Committees (IWA-RFC) into every factory and workplace. The fight against job cuts and capitalist exploitation must be combined with the defense of our immigrant co-workers and opposition to wars for profit. The massive wealth and concentration of economic power in the hands of Musk and other oligarchs must be broken and their vast private fortunes expropriated so they can be used for social needs. This is the only way that jobs and high living standards can be guaranteed to all, and democracy prevail over fascism and dictatorship. A person pushes a wheelchair across Bourbon Street as snow falls in the French Quarter in New Orleans, Tuesday, Jan. 21, 2025 [AP Photo/Gerald Herbert] An unprecedented winter storm moved across parts of the US Gulf Coast on Tuesday and Wednesday bringing record low temperatures and snowfall, sleet and freezing rain from Texas up through the Carolinas. According to Reuters, at least 10 people were killed by the brutal cold temperatures from the historic Southern storm. Winter storm warnings were in effect on Wednesday in eight states from Louisiana to Virginia, and a blizzard warning was issued for the first time along parts of Louisianas coast. A CNN report noted, The storm impacted 1,500 miles of the Deep South from the Texas Gulf Coast to the Atlantic Coast of the Carolinas, causing widespread closures and travel disruptions, including stranded motorists and thousands of canceled flights. On Wednesday, the National Weather Service (NWS) reported, Major highway and air traffic disruptions, including road closures and flight cancellations, remain a concern, including for areas further west along the Gulf Coast where snow has already come to an end. The NWS report continued, These travel impacts may linger for several days given the historic heavy accumulations combined with frigid temperatures, as well as the lack of equipment for clearing roads compared to areas further north more accustomed to this amount of snowfall. According to electric utility tracking website PowerOutage.us, approximately 60,000 customers were without power across Texas, Louisiana, Florida and Georgia as of Wednesday afternoon. An NWS report warned, Any power outages across the Gulf Coast and Southeast due to the winter storm will exacerbate the threat from the cold for these areas. A slow recovery is expected Thursday as high temperatures rise around 5-10 degrees [-15 to -12]. Decades-old snowfall records were shattered in Louisiana, Alabama and Florida. Preliminary reports said New Orleans recorded 8 inches [20 cm] of snow (the previous high was 2.7 inches [6.8 cm], set in 1963); Mobile, Alabama, recorded 7.5 inches [19.05 cm] (the previous high was 3.6 inches [9.1 cm], set in 1973); and Pensacola, Florida, recorded 7.6 inches [19.3 cm] (the previous high was 2.3 inches [5.8 cm], set in 1954). Milton, Florida, recorded 8.8 inches [22.3 cm], which broke the previous statewide record of 4 inches [10 cm], also set in Milton in 1954. Meanwhile, the cold temperatures also broke records. For example, Zack Fradella, meteorologist with Fox8 in New Orleans, posted on X: INCREDIBLE COLDAll-time record temperatures are falling this morning. Its 3 [-16] in New Iberia, 8 [-13] in Lake Charles, 5 [-15] in Lafayette. These are the coldest numbers ever recorded at a few of these sites. In Tallahassee, the capital city of Florida, where temperatures are typically in the 60s in January, the forecast called for a low of 4 on Wednesday. Floridas infrastructure is not equipped for such conditions, as the state lacks a substantial fleet of snowplows and salt trucks. The lack of preparedness for such an event led to widespread standstills across much of northern Florida. Major highways, including parts of Interstate 10, were shut down due to icy conditions and accidents. Schools and businesses were closed, and residents were advised to stay indoors to avoid hazardous conditions. Among those who died from the cold temperatures were two people from Austin, Texas, according to city officials. Although the identity of the individuals has not been released, a report by CBS Austin said, Austin-Travis County Emergency Medical Services has responded to more than a dozen cold exposure calls since Monday. The Travis County Medical Examiner will investigate the causes of the two deaths. Another death occurred in Georgia due to freezing temperatures, according to the Georgia Emergency Management Agency (GEMA) Director Chris Stallings. In a press conference on Tuesday, Stallings said, a critical-needs patient got hypothermia on Monday night and died. He did not say where the person lived or what specifically led to the persons death. The other deaths were in Florida, Louisiana and Alabama caused either by hypothermia or vehicular accidents on icy roads. Deaths cause by the cold were also reported in other parts of the US as deep sub-zero temperatures took hold. The body of a 35-year-old woman, identified by police as Cassandra Shields, was found on Sunday in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. The Minnehaha County Sheriffs Office believes the cause of death was exposure to the extreme cold. The Milwaukee County Medical Examiners Office is investigating a possible hypothermia death in Milwaukee that took place on Sunday. The medical examiner said an 80-year-old man was found outside near the intersection of 12th and Orchard after an overnight fall on a sidewalk. An article published by the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) in mid-December said the number of people who have died in the US from cold weather-related causes more than doubled between 1999 and 2022. The scientists said that increasing extreme winter weather events due to climate change could be to blame. The study, which was conducted by researchers at Bostons Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School and Brigham and Womens Hospital, found that underlying causes of the increase could be more frequent extreme winter weather events and the rising burden of risk factors for cold-related mortality, such as homelessness, social isolation and substance use. The analysis of a total of 40,079 deaths recorded during the 24-year period, in which cold was noted as either an underlying or contributing cause, showed the rate of cold-related deaths more than doubled from .44 per 100,000 people to .92 per 100,000 people. A review of the article by Forbes said, Cold-related deaths were highest among adults 75 years and older, though people between 45 and 74 experienced the largest annual increase, and men were more likely to die from cold-related deaths than women. It added, More American Indian, Alaska Native and Black people die every year from cold-related deaths than any other racial or ethnic groups, but Hispanic and white people saw the biggest increases annually in the cold weather-related mortality rate. Approximately 273 million peopleor 80 percent of the population of the contiguous United Statesare expected to experience freezing cold over the next seven days, according to data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Meteorologists say two factors are likely contributing to the Arctic air mass that has swept across the lower 48 US states. One is the polar vortex, which is stretched out and strong right now. The polar vortex is associated with a southward shift in the jet stream, allowing the cold air to travel into the continental US. The other is a strong ridge of high pressure that has been building up near Alaska, which can also help force the jet stream to dive down south over the continental US and bring cold Arctic air with it, according to scientists at NOAA. The persistence and strength of intense winter weather is connected with global warming. The Earths global average temperature has been rising since about 1850, and climate science has established that human activity, including the burning of fossil fuels, is accelerating the pace of warming beyond what would occur naturally. Ocean surface temperatures are rising faster than air temperatures and warmer oceans can drive more intense evaporation and send more water vapor into the air for developing storms. More water vapor typically means heavier rain and snow rates. According to meteorologist and weather reporter Heather Waldman: Of all regions on Earths surface, the Arctic is warming the fastest. This warming creates imbalances in the polar vortex, an area of powerful winds near the Arctic Circle. As climate change continues, snowstorms are still going to be part of the weather we experience. Shifts in moisture and temperature patterns will change where we see that snow and how much. Some regions could see significantly less snow in the long run as warming air favors more rain than snow. This is a concern for California, which relies on Sierra snowmelt as part of the states water supply. Changes in storm track patterns could also lead to relatively infrequent but unusually big snow events like what fell this week in the southern Gulf states. A sticker advertising the Talking about (the Silencing of) Palestine conference In mid-January, the conference Talking about (the Silencing of) Palestine in Frankfurt, Germany, hosted over 60 speakers from universities in ten countries, and several hundred participants. A further 2,000 or so people participated online. The conference had to overcome considerable political resistance and a boycott by the renowned Goethe University, which had cancelled all the rooms booked for the event shortly before it began. The two-day conference, held on January 16 and 17, covered numerous topics related to the history and present situation of Palestine, Zionism and Israel, as well as the public perception and silencing of the genocide in Gaza and the response of Western universities. There was a wealth of interesting, detailed lectures by researchers, lecturers, Middle East experts, historians, journalists, doctors and activists. Among them were the Australian genocide researcher and history professor in New York, A. Dirk Moses, sociologist Donatella della Porta from Florence, political scientist Helga Baumgarten, who worked at Birzeit University in Ramallah, and Wieland Hoban, editor of Jewish Voice for a Just Peace in the Middle East. There were many Palestinian speakers, such as anthropologist Rami Salameh from Birzeit University, who had needed two days to travel from the West Bank to Frankfurt; researcher and editor Hazem Jamjoun, who gave the very informative introductory presentation on the history of the conflict; or the professor, writer and doctor Ghada Karmi. (Short statements from some of the speakers can be found here). According to a press release, the aim of the conference was to explore and address the dynamics of the discussion about Palestine and counteract the attempt to silence discussions about Palestine from the outset. This conference, it continued, is an attempt to defend and open critical spaces for discourse at universities. But that was already too much for Goethe University. Less than ten days before the start of the conference, University President Enrico Schleiff announced that the room bookings for the event had been suspended. A day later, the organisers learned from the press that the university had cancelled all room allocations. This was preceded by a campaign by Hesse Commissioner for Jewish Life and the Fight against Anti-Semitism, Uwe Becker (Christian Democratic Union, CDU), who denounced the conference in a press release as a travelling circus of well-known haters of Israel. The same Goethe University, which had no qualms about inviting right-wing agitators like Boris Palmer or the pro-police ideologue Rainer Wendt (who was only uninvited due to an outcry among students and staff) as part of Susanne Schroters so-called Islam research, criticised the short notice of the application and the purported lack of transparency of the applicants in the case of the Palestine Conference. The organisers were mainly lecturers, research assistants and students at the Frankfurt university themselves. Since last years Students4Palestine protest camp in April, they had repeatedly tried to enter into dialogue with the university administration. In May 2023, the same Frankfurt university also tried to stop an anti-war meeting organised by the International Youths and Students for Socialist Equality (IYSSE) from taking place in the premises of the Protestant Student Community. The meeting was ultimately allowed to go ahead due to an international protest campaign. However, the most recent Palestine conference had to be moved at short notice to the premises of Medico International. Final round of the conference Talking about (the Silencing of) Palestine. From left to right: Dr. Britta Ohm, Dr. Hanna Pfeifer, Dr. Donatella della Porta and Dr. Tahani Nadim (moderator) [Photo by Dilara J.] This conference should have taken place at the university, said Dr Ilyas Saliba from Berlin in the closing session, which was dedicated to the perspectives of academic freedom. He described how, in recent times, increasing political influence has led to police presence on campus becoming the norm. Hostility towards academics was being stirred up in society. As a result, not only Palestine-related topics came under fire: Covid or climate issues are also affected by defamation and hate speech. Italian professor Donatella della Porta added that the boycott by Goethe University was by no means an isolated case, pointing to dozens of cases, such as that of the Lebanese-Australian scientist Ghassan Hage, who was dismissed without notice by the Max Planck Institute because he dared to condemn the Israeli mass murder of Palestinians on social media. Della Porta criticised Germanys matters of state doctrine, which operates with an abusive concept of antisemitism by taking the definition of the International Holocaust Remembrance Association (IHRA) as its basis. This definition is an ahistorical and anti-democratic construct that defines any political opposition to Zionism and to Israels oppression of the Palestinians as antisemitic. Significantly, all the parties represented in the Bundestag (federal parliament) have either agreed to this disgraceful definition or tacitly supported it (as does the Left Party). Della Porta pointed out that economic and military interests were behind this, and that the IHRA definition had nothing to do with academic seriousness. Dr. Britta Ohm, a media anthropologist at the Gutenberg University in Mainz, shed light on the social structures that prevail at universities and favour censorship. She made it clear to the participants that 92 percent of university staff were only employed on a temporary basis and could lose their jobs at any time. Only eight percent, the professors, enjoyed tenure as civil servants for life. They were untouchable; they have power over everything. She recalled the role that university professors had played during the Nazi era. A student assistant teacher from Leipzig, who was also on the podium, called for not accepting research becoming militarised. They are supporting genocide! We are accepting defeat too quickly; we are not fighting enough. Do we believe in universities as a space for discourse? Dr. Hanna Pfeifer, professor of political science at the Goethe University, said that it was about reclaiming the universities as academic undertakings. This triggered a sometimes emotional discussion at the end of the conference. There were many students in the audience, and they described their experiences with state repression since the solidarity camp protests in early summer and of a climate of fear. One said that a conference organised by [Susanne] Schroter is treated completely differently than our conference; everything is paid for. Why? Her research on Islam, migration and the police directly meets the needs of the state. Another described the universities as places for reproducing the social order. One participant said, I quit my job after October 8, 2023, it was a very difficult year! Some expressed the opinion that more could have been achieved with stronger protest and pressure on those in power, while others supported the opinion that the universities should be more harshly criticized. At the end of the conference, students chanted slogans such as: The students united will never be defeated. This reflected the lack of perspective regarding the necessary action to halt the genocide in Gaza and the persecution of the Palestinians more generally. While it was important that the conference was able to take place despite the boycott and was a success, it ended with an open question: how can we move forward? This can only be answered from a Marxist perspective. It is clear that appeals for more militancy and determination in academic circles will not be enough to stop the genocide against the Palestinians and break the official silence. To do that, it is necessary to turn to the working class, educate it and win it over to a socialist programme against capitalism, war and genocide. It is no coincidence that the conference raised this question so sharply and left it unanswered in Frankfurt of all places. Goethe University is the historical stronghold of the Critical Theory of the Frankfurt School developed by Max Horkheimer and Theodor Adorno. While Marxism, as understood by Marx and Engels, Rosa Luxemburg, Lenin and Trotsky, is inextricably linked to the working class, the Frankfurt School wrote off workers as a revolutionary class. It saw workers only as a backward mass, stupefied by consumption, media and repressive education. This view must be overcome if there is to be a future. The author of these lines put forward the book The Logic of Zionism: From Nationalist Myth to Genocide in Gaza by David North at the conference. This volume explains the Marxist perspective on the Palestinian question, No matter how heroic the struggle of the Palestinians, the intolerable conditions they confront will not be resolved without the development of an international movement of the working class for socialism. This is very evident in the developments of the last few days and President Donald Trumps inauguration in Washington. The so-called ceasefire in Gaza cannot be trusted; the ceasefire agreement with Lebanon has been repeatedly violated by Israel since November 2024. On his first day, Trump signed, among many new executive orders, one lifting all sanctions against violent settlers in the West Bank. In Germany, too, government politicians are continuing their attacks on Palestinians and on migrants as a whole. At the beginning of January, it became known that the German authorities had quietly cut funding to numerous NGOs. This affects at least six Palestinian and two Israeli organisations, Zochrot and New Profile, which work for conscientious objectors and for the reappraisal of Israeli history. The attack is part of a socio-political new era, corresponding to that in foreign and military policy. Februarys early federal elections are to bring a stable government to power in order to triple military spending, slash social spending and enforce mass layoffs, as at VW. This means that the working class in Germany is also facing enormous new struggles. It is the only force capable of changing the situation. All over the world, resistance is growing against Israels policy of eradicating Palestinian life, as well as against the collaboration of each government with the Zionist butchers. This resistance can only be effective if it rests on the working class and arms it with a socialist and internationalist perspective. Only in this way can the genocide be ended, the Jewish apartheid state overcome and replaced by a state that grants its Palestinian and Jewish citizens full equality. As it says in The Logic of Zionism: The great historical and political paradox of the present situation is this: The Israeli working class cannot defend its own democratic rights without fighting for the democratic rights of the Palestinian people against Zionist oppression. And the Palestinians cannot achieve their aspirations for democratic rights and social equality without forging a fighting alliance with the Israeli working class. The only viable perspective is not a mythical two-state solution, but a unified socialist state of Jewish and Arab workers. US troops on Arizona-Mexico border [Photo: U.S. Army/2nd Lt. Corey Maisch] On Wednesday, following a series of anti-immigrant executive orders issued by President Donald Trump, acting Secretary of Defense Robert Salesses announced the Pentagon is deploying more active-duty troops to the US-Mexico border in furtherance of Trumps plans to carry out the largest deportation operation in US history. Since being sworn in on Monday, Trump has used the power of the presidency to declare a national emergency and order the Department of Defense, Department of State, Department of Justice and Department of Homeland Security to prioritize defending the sovereignty of the US from an alleged invasion of immigrants. On Wednesday, Trump signed an executive order suspending the physical entry of aliens engaged in an invasion of the United States through the southern border. As a matter of fact, there is no armed invasion force attempting to attack the US or its citizens on the Southern or any other border. The vast majority of those seeking entry at the US-Mexico border are workers and their families fleeing from countries currently subjected to US economic sanctions, trade war measures or other imperialist machinations. In a statement published Wednesday following Trumps latest anti-immigrant executive order, Salesses wrote that under his direction the Department of Defense had established a Task Force to expedite the implementation of Trumps executive orders, which includes deploying US military forces to carry out directed missions called for by the President. Anonymous Pentagon officials have told multiple outlets, including the Washington Post and CNN, that as many as 10,000 troops could be deployed in the near future to the Southwest border. This is the initial effort that we can do right away, and we anticipate many additional missions, an unnamed senior US military official told Politico. This is just the start. Another senior military official told CNN, Weve been told to treat this like a national emergency because its been declared a national emergency. Dont be surprised if you see Marines being dropped off by helicopters. Salesses order Wednesday calls for deploying 1,500 ground personnel to the US-Mexico border. He noted in his order that this was a 60 percent increase in active-duty forces at the Southwest border since Monday. There are currently some 2,200 troops in El Paso, Texas, working alongside Texas Guardsmen as part of Governor Greg Abbotts Operation Lone Star. Politico reported that the 1,500 figure includes 500 Marines, who had previously been on standby to assist with the still raging Los Angeles fires. On Wednesday, the Hughes fires erupted in the Castaic area in northern Los Angeles County, igniting more than 9,000 acres. As of this writing, the fire is burning out of control. At 5:00 p.m. over 31,000 people were in a mandatory evacuation zone, while another 23,000 were under imminent evacuation warnings. The active-duty troops being deployed are currently being assigned a support role and are prohibited from acting in a law enforcement capacity. That could change, however, if Trump invokes the Insurrection Act of 1807 which empowers the president to deploy US military and federalized National Guard troops within the United States to suppress a civil disorder or rebellion. As part of his executive orders, Trump revealed that he would decide within the next 90 days whether or not to invoke the Insurrection Act. In addition to operating drones and helicopters, the ground troops will be augmented by the Pentagons Transportation Command, which will use military aircraft to airlift more than 5,000 human beings currently detained by Customs and Border Protection (CPB) out of the United States. Flights will be ongoing from San Diego, California, and El Paso, Texas. Finally, Salesses ordered the troops to assist in the construction of temporary and permanent physical barriers along the border. US troops have previously strung up hundreds of miles of barbed concertina wire as part of building the Southern border wall. Salesses, a former Marine Corps officer, was appointed to head the Pentagon while Trumps current nominee, fascist Pete Hegseth, is still undergoing discussion in the Senate. He concluded his memo, This is just the beginning. President Trump directed action from the Department of Defense on securing our nations borders and made clear he expects immediate results. That is exactly what our military is doing under his leadership. Far from offering any resistance to Trumps plans to deploy the military on US soil against immigrants and their families, Democrats are providing Trump the legal framework to detain and deport tens of thousands more people. On Wednesday, 46 Democrats joined all Republicans in the House to pass an amended version of the fascistic Laken Riley Act. House Democrats who voted in favor of the bill include Ohios Emila Sykes, a member of the Congressional Black Caucus; former Army Colonel Yevgeni (Eugene) Vindman and pro-Israeli genocide New York Rep. Ritchie Torres. It will be the first piece of legislation Trump signs since being inaugurated on Monday. The legislation requires federal immigration police to detain and possibly deport undocumented immigrants, who have simply been accused of petty crimes, such as shoplifting. The law would also allow state attorneys general to bring civil lawsuits against specific federal officials if they feel they are not enforcing immigration law to their liking. The bill includes no reforms or pathways to citizenship. The only amendments that were added to the bill were both from Republicans. Texas Senator John Cornyns amendment expanded the list of offenses eligible for detainment and deportation to include assaulting a police officer, while an amendment filed by Iowa Senator Joni Ernst includes acts that cause the death or bodily harm to an individual. This would allow immigrants involved in car accidents, which may be no fault of their own, to be detained and deported. The bill includes no funding mechanisms, but Democrats previously estimated it would cost $83 billion over three years to facilitate the detention of another 110,000 people, as well as hire another 20,000 border agents. Monash University researchers recently issued two discussion papers highlighting the untenable and appalling working conditions in Victorias public schools. Educators suffer from poor wages, excessive workloads and growing staff shortages, creating a profound crisis in the public school system. Thousands of South Australian teachers on strike, November 9, 2023. [Photo: Facebook/Australian Education Union (SA)] However, the research was commissioned by the Australian Education Union (AEU) and the findings make no reference to the union bureaucracys responsibility for the worsening conditions in schools, through its numerous sell-out agreements negotiated with governments, Labor and Liberal-National alike, over decades. In 2022, the AEU forced through another wage-cutting agreement with the state Labor government, despite strong opposition from teachers amid soaring living costs. The deal failed to address class sizes and offered only minimal reductions in workloads, which were quickly absorbed by additional school meetings and activities. As a result, more than 40 percent of teachers rejected the agreement, and thousands resigned from the union in protest. Members of the Committee for Public Education, which called for the rejection of the deal and fought for the formation of rank-and-file committees to take forward the struggle, recently spoke with several teachers on how conditions in the schools have changed since the imposition of the sell-out. Amanda, a primary school teacher, said: The AEU promised significant gains from our last agreement. I dont think anybody was under any illusion that was going to be the case! Still to this day, I cant find any teacher who voted yes to the agreement, or who believes that it was a good thing. 2023 and 2024 were really tough years in educationthe toughest yet. 2025, I can only believe, will be harder again. The last deal was pushed through in the most anti-democratic way. The union prevented people speaking at online meetings, which happened because of the pandemic. The union decided who spoke and they censored oppositional voices on the AEU Facebook page. In online meetings they stifled comments even in the chat and then when it came to the vote, it was voted school-by-school, not through the Australian Electoral Commission (AEC). Thats interesting considering other votes, including being able to attend an AEU conference as a delegate, are overseen through the AEC. As the CFPE predicted, we took a massive pay cut in real terms. Not getting increments means that my wages have only gone up based on the measly 1 percent every six months. This is well below the increased cost of living. Amanda explained how staff shortages were further exacerbating dire conditions in the schools. The main thing I believe teachers wanted in the last agreement was a decrease in our face-to-face teaching time and a decrease in class numbers. The agreement kept our class sizes exactly the same. However, due to the staff shortages, we are continually impacted by classes being split, as we cant always access Casual Relief Teachers (CRTs). By the end of the year, schools have no funds to employ CRTs and we end up having extra kids in our rooms for weeks on end. This means that our class sizes, of an average of 26, were actually more like 30 for the majority of Term Four. The AEU promised us an extra hour of non-face-to-face time that was supposed to be autonomous time. Principals interpreted that clause the way that they wanted to. We still have meetings in those hours, and other jobs to do, which means the extra hour is not autonomous at all. Our working conditions have become so regressive. We need to take our future off the hands of the union bureaucrats and develop organisations where we can discuss and put forward our own demands on wages and conditions. Robert, a Learning Specialist in a Melbourne secondary school, also spoke on the staffing crisis. He said: Weve been told at my school that were practically fully staffed going into next yearbut being fully staffed in 2025 isnt the same as being staffed in 2019. Being fully staffed in 2025 means Assistant Principals are teaching. It means Leading Teachers and Learning Specialists on laughably inadequate time allowances are teaching. It means interns and fresh grads who need to be mentored, but no one with the time to mentor them. It means waiting to see how many staff actually come back after the break. It means out-of-control student behaviour and battered teacher morale after four years of understaffing and high turnover. And it means having to listen to Ben Carroll, the Minister for Education, sit there and tell the public that everything is fine. Robert added: Teachers who were at the top of the pay scale at the expiration of the last agreement are $15,000 a year worse off in real terms today. And the historic 90-minute-a-week reduction in face-to-face time that these pay cuts brought havent been properly implemented. Many schools, particularly and unsurprisingly in the traditionally hard to staff low-SES schools, are now bearing the brunt of the states catastrophic teacher shortages. Schools are dealing with student behavioural problems. This is a complex problem and I am sure there are all sorts of social factors feeding into the behaviour were seeing. For example, the impact of prolonged lockdowns due to COVID on adolescent socialisation, absent and overworked parents, and an understandable feeling that education is worthless. But at the school level, the biggest factor seems to be the breakdown of whole school behaviour management processes thanks to high turnover and inexperienced teachers who lack the confidence to hold students to account. Carolyn, a primary school teacher in Melbourne, commented: We face many problems at our school related to funding and lack of safe school buildings and infrastructure. I dont think there has been any significant renovations since the early 1990s. Nearly 10 of our classrooms are portables. Some are old, some new, and some have had to be removed because of general disrepair and asbestos. Because of enrolments, we have had at times had to use specialist classrooms as general classrooms. On workloads, Carolyn explained: Every school day I come into work an hour early. So thats an extra five hours every week. Most days I stay back at least an hour after school and after meetings. All up for the week, I am doing an extra 10-12 hours beyond the school day. This does not include stuff I do on the weekends. Sometimes my partner messages me and asks when I am coming home. Once I get home, I am still thinking about what stuff I didnt get done and have to get done before the next day, or for the next meeting. None of this includes report writing and preparing Individual Education Plans (IEPs), which can take hours. I know of some teachers who have to prepare 9 IEPs in one class alone. Carolyn described the changing situation in schools over the past decade. I did my degree 10 years ago and teaching has changed so much. There is a certain conception in the media about teachinga perception in sections of the general public that filters down to the students. It is hard to explain, but some students dont see why they are at school, that they are there to learn, to allow other students to learn. It sometimes feels that we are there just to entertain students, and we seem to be losing respect and authority in the classroom. As teachers we are expected to deal with students psychological needs or emotional wellbeing and mediate between students when theyre having issues on social media. There are so many different roles that were expected to fulfill, but in a lot of cases, we arent qualified to be able to help them in these ways. We do have counsellors and wellbeing support, but we have so many kids who need to access this. I have had kids in my class with really volatile behaviours. Students who would just tip over tables and rip things up. That then goes out into the yard as well, with violence between students, and even some teachers feel intimidated. It is actually really dangerous. Carolyn continued: In the past we had an education support staff member in a class, or shared between two classes to assist, but now that funding is being directed somewhere else. When incidents happen, we can call a principal or call wellbeing staff, but half the time principals are in meetings, or theyre already caught up with someone else whos having the same behaviours somewhere else. The union agreement did nothing to address these problems. As soon as the agreement was gotten through, the union was then out campaigning for the election of the Labor government. If educators would like to report on conditions in your schools, please contact the Committee For Public Education. Statements can be anonymous. Contact the CFPE: Email: cfpe.aus@gmail.com Facebook: facebook.com/commforpubliceducation Twitter: CFPE_Australia Facebook: facebook.com/groups/opposeaeusellout Lion dancers perform during a Chinese cultural event at the United Nations Office at Nairobi (UNON) premises in Nairobi, Kenya, Jan. 22, 2025. (Xinhua/Wang Guansen) The Spring Festival is profoundly significant in fostering mutual understanding and strengthening global bonds, Director-General of the United Nations Office at Nairobi (UNON) Zainab Hawa Bangura said at a Chinese cultural event Wednesday. NAIROBI, Jan. 23 (Xinhua) -- The Spring Festival is profoundly significant in fostering mutual understanding and strengthening global bonds, Director-General of the United Nations Office at Nairobi (UNON) Zainab Hawa Bangura said at a Chinese cultural event Wednesday. "On behalf of the UN family in Kenya, I pray that this Lunar New Year of the Wood Snake brings us all uncommon wisdom and discernment to address the myriad challenges we face as a race today," Bangura said. The half-day event, hosted at the UNON premises, featured an array of cultural showcases, including acrobatic performances, Chinese cuisine, fashion displays and traditional calligraphy. Co-hosted by the UNON, the Chinese Embassy in Kenya and China Media Group (CMG), it drew senior officials, diplomats, university students and faculty members, and celebrated the spirit of cross-cultural exchange. A kung fu performer from the Shaolin Temple performs during a Chinese cultural event at the United Nations Office at Nairobi (UNON) premises in Nairobi, Kenya, Jan. 22, 2025. (Xinhua/Wang Guansen) Bangura said that the Spring Festival, officially inscribed by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) on Dec. 4, 2024, on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, has become a vibrant symbol of Chinese culture while bridging civilizations worldwide. The UN official underscored the role of multilateral institutions in uniting people to celebrate such occasions, which foster harmony and collaboration on a global scale. She also connected the universal themes of peace and harmony embodied by the Spring Festival to the UN's core mission of promoting international solidarity and coexistence. Bangura's remarks set the tone for the event, seamlessly blending cultural appreciation with a call for collective wisdom to address contemporary challenges. Kung fu performers from the Shaolin Temple perform during a Chinese cultural event at the United Nations Office at Nairobi (UNON) premises in Nairobi, Kenya, Jan. 22, 2025. (Xinhua/Wang Guansen) Jane Makori, deputy director-general for Asia and the Pacific in Kenya's Ministry of Foreign and Diaspora Affairs, echoed Bangura's sentiments, describing the Chinese traditional festival as a unifying celebration that transcends cultural boundaries. "The Spring Festival has always brought together people from diverse cultures, races, and creeds, promoting mutual respect and understanding," Makori said, adding that Kenya has effectively leveraged these celebrations to deepen cultural diplomacy with China, paving the way for stronger bilateral ties. The event also featured remarks from Chinese Ambassador to Kenya Guo Haiyan, who highlighted the universal values embodied by the Spring Festival. Acrobats perform during a Chinese cultural event at the United Nations Office at Nairobi (UNON) premises in Nairobi, Kenya, Jan. 22, 2025. (Xinhua/Wang Guansen) "The Spring Festival represents the Chinese people's yearning for peace and harmony, as well as the value of harmonious coexistence between humans and nature, which has gained widespread recognition and resonance worldwide," Guo said. She said that the festival is not only a reflection of traditional Chinese culture but also a lens through which modern societal challenges can be addressed. The Xiaohongshu app, also known as RedNote, displayed on an iPhone screen on Friday, January 17, 2025, in Los Angeles. [AP Photo/Andy Bao] Rednote has gained millions of US users as TikTokers, outraged by the US governments banning of the app, flock to the Chinese-owned TikTok-like app. The app had 3.4 million active daily users in the US as of Monday, a steep increase from the fewer than 700,000 a day earlier. Rednote is known as XiaoHongShu in China, meaning Little Red Book, a reference to the Stalinist former leader of China Mao Zedongs book by the same name, and has 300 million users mostly based in China. Rednote isnt the Chinese version of TikTok. The domestic version is known as Douyin. Douyin preceded TikTok, with content on the platform previously restricted to China only until recently when the app was suddenly opened up to US users. While Douyin isnt available in the app stores in America, making it difficult to quantify how many downloads there have been among US users, it is available for download on its website for iPhone and Android users. The hundreds of thousands of US users who moved to Rednote made a very conscious protest against the anti-Chinese trade war policy of the whole political establishment, both Democratic and Republican, and all branches of government. The Supreme Court, Congress and the presidency have all agreed to ban the massively popular app, which is used by 170 million Americans. The campaign to ban the app was made a priority by the Biden administration and the Democrats, with the ban one of the last acts of the administration. The Democrats carried out the ban on the grounds that the app was a threat to national security, that it would be used for propaganda purposes by the Chinese government and that the Chinese government would be stealing Americans data. The government has no evidence for any of these claims. It even admitted during a Supreme Court hearing that it had no evidence that TikTok engaged in covert content manipulation in this country, one of the central claims to the governments case put before the Supreme Court. The real purpose of the ban, in addition to the trade war component, which will be covered later in this article, is to control the discourse among Americans within the country and to keep it under the strict oversight of government and corporate media censors as American imperialism forces through ever more unpopular policies. Within the aforementioned hearing, the government admitted it was worried about Americans arguing with other Americans. As a Pew Research Center study done in 2024 indicated, 39 percent of Americans regularly obtained news from TikTok. Much of the accounts on TikTok are organic, the product of users voting with their finger-swipes, instead of censorship and official partnerships. As a USA Today article admitted that while Instagram Reels and YouTube Shorts scrambling to fill the void, that alternatives have yet to replicate TikToks reach and cultural impact. The other aim no doubt is to cut off the American working class from its class brothers and sisters overseas. Given the aims, it is safe to say that the ban backfired. This is in no small part reflected by Trumps intervention to delay the ban of the app, with the app returning to life after Trumps declaration. Moreover, those protesting the ban did so on the eve of the inauguration of a fascist thug to the highest office in the country, one who made vilifying China one of his administrations top priorities during his last term and is known for his China-baiting. Trumps was the first presidential administration to put forward the TikTok ban. Trumps fascistic secretary of state, Marco Rubio, led the campaign to ban the app and was one of the first backers of the bill to ban it. Significantly, downloads and usage of apps for learning Chinese have surged, with Chinese Rednote users making recommendations of apps to their American counterparts. Duolingo has seen a 216 percent increase in Chinese lessons. Rednote has also introduced in the past week a button to translate comments into English and other languages. This exposes the attempt by the corporate media and political establishment to pose the anti-China campaign as having a popular base. Rather, it is something introduced from above by the ruling elite and their representatives. If anything, this episode has exposed that the propaganda campaign of US imperialism has actually been fairly ineffective to date. US-based users flocking to Rednote have exchanged humorous comments and videos declaring that they are personally delivering their user data to their Chinese spy, with some even going so far as to say they would rather personally travel to China to furnish their personal information than use Meta. Chinese users have, for the most part, received their American counterparts warmly, joking about imposing a cat tax or pet tax from US users requesting they post pictures of their pets, and also jokingly demanding user data. The Rednote episode shows the power of new technology to facilitate the breaking down of cultural barriers as well as the obsolete national borders. This also objectively demonstrates the possibility of a movement against the capitalist system on a world scale. The move to Rednote has no doubt upset Meta and Google. Meta, the parent company of Facebook, is infamous for spending millions lobbying for the ban in order to remove the competition from the US market. Meta hoped its short-form video service, Instagram Reels, would be able to fill the vacuum left by TikTok. Google, the owner of YouTube, also spent millions seeking to capitalize with its own short-form video service, YouTube Shorts. TikTok has enjoyed high growth in the past few years. While Facebook and YouTube have a higher user count, these companies understand that every second spent on TikTok is lost advertisement and data mining revenue from their platforms. They also fear the powerful suggestion algorithm on TikTok, which is developed by ByteDance and is regarded as more advanced than either Instagram Reels or YouTube Shorts algorithms. There is a reason that Trump and his billionaire cronies are looking to buy the algorithm. The Mexican government announced Tuesday that it received the first deportees of the new Trump administration at a hastily erected attention center in Matamoros, Tamaulipas, on the border with Brownsville, Texas. Donald Trump and Claudia Sheinbaum [Photo by DHS and Mexico City Government / CC BY 4.0 During her daily press conference, President Claudia Sheinbaum said that such centers are being set up at border crossings to process migrants waiting or being sent back following Trumps first executive orders, which immediately shut down the last program available to request US asylum at the borderthe CBP One mobile app. The US Border Patrol has reportedly been directed to return all migrants crossing illegally, denying them the right to request asylum, which is enshrined in US and international law. As part of the so-called Mexico Embraces You program, Sheinbaum said that foreign nationals deported into Mexico will be detained and repatriated to their home countries, where many refugees face threats to their lives from gangs and governments. Her administration will offer Mexican nationals deported from the US a debit card with 2,000 pesos ($97) for transportation, which only covers about half of the bus ticket from Ciudad Juarez, on the border, to the capital. Officials have also said that deportees will get priority access to work programs, social security and welfare. But beyond these verbal promises and some legal advice, the Sheinbaum administration has entirely discarded any real resistance to the uprooting of hundreds of thousands and potentially millions of Mexicans and other immigrants from their lives, and higher wages in the United States. Border Report described the initial setting up of tent cities at the attention centers, including one in Ciudad Juarez that will hold up to 2,500 migrants temporarily. The tiny, haphazard and last-minute character of these facilities, amid near-freezing temperatures, foreshadows a public health and humanitarian disaster, as the Trump administration proceeds with full force and expects Mexico to build concentration camps. Sheinbaum said she is negotiating with the White House for the reopening of the CBP One App for migrants to request appointments with US border officials while waiting in southern Mexico or Central America. Official contacts began on Tuesday with a phone call between Foreign Secretary Juan Ramon de la Fuente and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who had already been confirmed unanimously by the Senate. Sheinbaum said the call was very cordial and touched on security and migration issues. Far from securing any concessions from Trump, however, the Mexican authorities merely agreed to resume the Remain in Mexico Program, giving the green light that day for the US Border Patrol to activate it formally and begin sending migrants back. In these crucial days, as Trump openly bases his project on Hitlers Reich in preparation for expansionist neocolonial wars and the establishment of a fascist dictatorship, beginning with the deployment of thousands of US troops to the border amid threats to bomb Mexico, the most significant service Sheinbaum could provide to Trump and his immigration Gestapo would be to call for calm and insist that everything will be alright. And on Wednesday, she began her press conference by declaring: To our fellow countrymen and countrywomen, firstly, that they are not alone; and secondly, that we must also remain calm, and that we must also see how the process develops during these weeks. After stressing that it is important to keep a cool head and avoid confrontation, she said that only what is written on the decrees matters and not Trumps rhetoric. However, she then proceeded to outline Trumps first decrees in a way that ignored their most important parts and implications. Trumps declaration of a national emergency at the southern border and the Remain in Mexico Program are not new, she said, noting that her predecessor and mentor Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador maintained a relationship of respect and cooperation when Trump declared a border emergency in February 2019. She insisted that Mexico will maintain its own migration policy and will seek the repatriation of migrants from the standpoint of a humanist government. But during the same press conference, she boasted that the Mexican military and other agencies have made sure that, out of thousands who have joined migrant caravans from southern Mexico, no caravans have arrived [to the US border] since we arrived in October. Caravan participants have been compelled to desist or get on government buses to be cruelly sent back to southern Mexico. The total number of migrants reaching the US-Mexico border has dropped by 78 percent, she noted. Sheinbaum added that most of the world will continue to call the Gulf of Mexico by its name even if Trump calls it the Gulf of America, as if it were an etymological question and not one of securing its resources and area through force. Moreover, Trump merely asked to study who will be called a terrorist organization, she added, referring to the US governments designation of Mexican drug cartels as terrorists and threats to carry out military operations in Mexico. Sheinbaum said that Mexico will seek to collaborate on security matters them in their territory and us in ours. On trade, dismissing Trumps threats of devastating 25 percent tariffs on Canada and Mexico as early as Feb 1, Sheinbaum said that what they are saying is that they want the trade deal to continue even if they request talks about its revision. She concluded by applauding the vote of confidence in her administration expressed by the main Mexican employer group, the Consejo Coordinador Empresarial (CCE), as it shows that there is unity among most Mexicans. Accordingly, the Permanent Commission of the Mexican Congress, where the ruling coalition led by Sheinbaums Morena party holds supermajorities in both houses, passed a resolution calling for national unity to face Trumps decrees and defend Mexican sovereignty. All other parties voted for the resolution, except for the openly right-wing National Action Party (PAN). The oligarchic Revolutionary Institutional Party (PRI) has used the opportunity to absurdly dust off its bygone nationalist fervor, with its legislator Nestor Castillo declaring that the fatherland stands before the party and that the United States is not all of America. What is all the nationalist chest-thumping about, one could ask, if the government expects a friendly and respectful Trump? The answer is that the Morena administration and the ruling elite it represents are responding, above all, to the fear that Trumps fascist agenda and their own complicity will provoke a mass radicalization among Mexican workers and youth. This complicity, however, is not only due to fecklessness before the open threats from the imperialist neighboring power to the north. There are lucrative class interests at stake, which were summed up by Sheinbaum during her 100-day address on January 12. She called on Trump to maintain the US-Mexico-Canada free trade agreement as the only option to successfully confront the competition posed by the economic and commercial progress made by Asian countries, referring implicitly to China. She continued: Our bet has not only been North America, but also to seek in the future the economic and commercial integration of the entire American Continent, making it the most powerful region in the world, without exception... For this reason, I am convinced that the relationship between Mexico and the United States will be good During his first term, Trump also threatened Mexico with tariffs to secure collaboration on questions of trade and migration, and President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador (AMLO) yielded on every question, most significantly creating a militarized National Guard whose main task has been to harass, detain and terrorize migrants, including several deadly shootings. In April 2020, as the COVID-19 pandemic was wreaking havoc, Washington threatened Mexico with major divestments unless Lopez Obrador ordered the reopening of workplaces supplying US industry, which he did immediately. Under AMLO, Mexico secured its spot as Americas main trade partner and largest recipient of nearshoring investments, as companies were encouraged to move production from Asia in preparation for war against China. The wealth of Mexicos five richest billionaires grew 227 percent, including a 944 percent jump for the fortune of German Larrea, owner of conglomerate Grupo Mexico and close AMLO ally. The Mexican ruling class sees itself entirely as junior partner of US and Canadian imperialism in the building of Fortress North America. Ruling circles in Mexico coldly prefer Trumps prioritizing the confrontation with China and aggressive colonial policy across the Americas over the Democratic Partys focus on war against Russia, which explains why AMLO effectively supported Trumps coup attempt in late 2020 by refusing to recognize Bidens overwhelming victory until the last possible moment. When Trump speaks of Americas golden age, Mexican billionaires open their pockets hoping to catch some of the coins. Moreover, there is also a long history of Mexican government collaboration with mass deportation campaigns from the US, most infamously in the 1954 Operation Wetback, when truckloads of Mexican deportees were swiftly picked up at the border and sent to areas of Mexico that needed cheap labor. Similar calculations are undoubtedly at play today. Exactly six years before Trumps first deportations to Matamoros, on January 22, 2019, thousands of Mexican maquiladora workers marched to that port of entry to call on US workers to wake up and join the largest strike in North America in two decades against the same transnational corporations. The potential power of a unified political movement of workers across North America, whose hands sit on the levers of the most advanced industries in the world, overshadows any military force and fascistic regime. The fundamental task today is to develop the necessary revolutionary, socialist and internationalist leadership to achieve it. The International Youth and Students for Social Equality (IYSSE) and the Socialist Equality Party (SEP) in Sri Lanka held a campaign at the entrance of Peradeniya University on Tuesday against the anti-democratic ban imposed on its January 3 meeting entitled How to fight against the IMF austerity? SEP and IYSSE members and supporters picketing on January 21, 2025, against the ban on the IYSSE lecture at Peradeniya University Acting Vice Chancellor Ranjith Pallegama banned the meeting which had been sponsored by the Political Science Student Association (PSSA). He instructed the head of the Department of Political Science to cancel the meeting unless the topic of meeting was changed so as not to appear to challenge the government policies. The IYSSE statement condemning this anti-democratic action drew significant support from students, teachers and workers immediately. The ban became a national issue with comments in the establishment press and questions raised in parliament. In a desperate attempt to prevent the issue being taken up by students, the Vice Chancellor of Peradeniya University, Terrence Madhujith, on January 15 banned all activities of the Peradeniya Student Union (PSU) and faculty unions, without giving any reason. Two days later, he ended the sweeping ban, again offering no plausible explanation. The university authorities, however, have not lifted the ban on the IYSSE lecture. IYSSE and SEP members campaigned on Tuesday at the Galaha junction, the main entrance to university premises, carrying placards. The slogans included: Lift Peradeniya Universitys ban on IYSSE meeting against austerity, Hands off freedom of speech in universities and Build IYSSE branches in universities. The campaigners distributed over a thousand copies of the latest IYSSE statement, Sri Lanka-Peradeniya University tries to justify ban of IYSSE lecture, both in Sinhala and Tamil languages. The campaign attracted attention from workers, students and others. The SEP/IYSSE literature table received special attention from university students, lecturers and workers, some of whom bought Marxist books. They strongly opposed the cancellation of the IYSSE meeting. Two arts faculty students taking part in the campaign against the ban on the IYSSE lecture at Peradeniya University Tharushi, an Arts Faculty student, said that she knew about the ban on the IYSSE meeting from her friends. As your statements and articles explain, this is an attack on freedom of speech and academic freedom. Referring to the Peradeniya Student Union, she added: I am surprised to see the cold silence maintained by the student union despite the fact that this attack has broader implications for all student unions and groups inside universities and beyond. She explained that a number of her friends shared the same opinion, but had not come forward out of fear of intimidation. An animated discussion developed as IYSSE members particularly brought to her attention the relative academic freedom during the 1950s and 60s inside universities. She was enthusiastic to know that Trotskyists for decades have been fighting anti-Marxist tendencies, including post-modernism and Pabloism inside universities. Danidu, from the Medical Faculty, joined the discussion, expressing his strong opposition to the cancellation of the IYSSE meeting. Like me, there are many more students who oppose this anti-democratic action of the vice chancellor, he said. While expressing some disappointment about the silence of student unions, he added: However, I am not surprised by this cowardly response, because they are openly supporting the JVP/NPP [Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna/National Peoples Power] government which has totally abandoned their election promises after coming to power. He referred to the fruitless discussions of the student unions with the education minister Harini Amarasuriya, who is also prime minister, about the burning issues facing students, including hostel problems, the lack of lecturers and lecture halls and the meager budget allocation for education. Danindu said nothing has changed in relation to those issues and the situation has only worsened. Given the pro-IMF policies not only of the JVP/NPP government but of all previous capitalist governments, Danidu said he could understand why the topic of the IYSSE meeting on the IMF was opposed by authorities. He said while millions of workers are badly affected by IMF austerity, students also are not spared from those attacks. Speaking about the many problems in the health sector, he said: Now I can understand how this profit-hunting social system does not care about human lives. For example, during the COVID-19 pandemic, governments around the world left millions of people to their own fate. While drug companies earned huge profits, COVID has not been eradicated and is continuously taking human lives. A number of other students expressed their opposition to the ban on the IYSSE meeting and emphasised the importance of this campaign. SEP/IYSSE members explained the direct connection between the JVP/NPP governments implementation of IMF austerity policies and involvement in cancelling the IYSSE lecture. Some workers who voted for the JVP/NPP and its leader, President Anura Dissanayake, expressed their disappointment in the government saying they were lied to during the presidential and general elections a few months ago. A small businessman expressed his opposition to the ban of the IYSSE event, adding: Now the situation for small businessmen like me and broader masses of people is going from bad to worse because of the pro-IMF policies of the government. However, the situation with big business is totally different and they are doing well. Every government has taken loans for their own benefit and made normal people to pay for those loans. SEP and IYSSE members picketing on January 21, 2025, against the ban on the IYSSE lecture at Peradeniya University Chaturanga, a postal worker, said: I oppose this anti-democratic attack banning a meeting opposed to the IMF. He continued: While the government promised to reduce the prices of school items including exercise books, school bags and shoes, nothing has been done. Food items are unbearable. That is how the government has made us to pay for IMF loans. He has to work additional part-time jobs to earn enough money because of the unbearable living conditions. A 30-year-old driver for the state agricultural department stopped to talk with IYSSE campaigners. He is not married because he has to financially help his two brothers who are at school. In opposing the ban on the IYSSE meeting, he said the IMF austerity measures affect not only workers but students and other oppressed sections of the population. The campaign concluded with a speech by Dehin Wasantha, an SEP central committee member and a non-academic university worker. Wasantha outlined what had happened since the ban on the IYSSE meeting and explained its broader implications. He highlighted the treacherous role played by the pro-JVP PSU and the Inter University Students Federation (IUSF) controlled by the fake-left Frontline Socialist Party (FSP), who have deliberately keep silent on this anti-democratic attack and allowed authorities to crush students democratic rights. We, the SEP/IYSSE, emphasise the fact that the revolutionary class in the society is the working class and the students must turn to that class. These student unions are totally hostile to this socialist perspective We should strengthen this campaign within the working class. He called on students to build up IYSSE branches in every university. Workers, youth, students, intellectuals, all people who care about democratic rights, should issue statements demanding the vice chancellor to lift the ban on our meeting. Read the World Socialist Web Site that is the voice of this struggle and introduce it to your friends. We also ask you to condemn the ban by Peradeniya University authorities on the IYSSE lecture. Send protest letters to the university authorities, with copies to the IYSSE. To: Acting Vice Chancellor, University of Peradeniya Email: vc@pdn.ac.lk Cc: IYSSE Email: iysseslb@gmail.com Migrants wait at the Chaparral checkpoint in Tijuana, Mexico, Jan. 20, 2025. Minutes after U.S. President Donald Trump took office, the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) announced it has canceled all scheduled appointments for immigration and border processing. (Photo by Joebeth Terriquez/Xinhua) Agricultural experts warned that the existing farm labor shortage, when combined with a possible 25 percent tariff on Mexican and Canadian imports threatened by the Trump administration, could drive up food prices nationwide. SACRAMENTO, the United States, Jan. 23 (Xinhua) -- Fear of deportation has led to a sharp drop in farm worker attendance across California's agricultural heartland, leaving crops unharvested following U.S. President Donald Trump's immigration crackdown, local news outlets have reported. In Bakersfield, located in Kern County, California, residents reported sightings of U.S. Border Patrol agents in unmarked Chevrolet Suburbans allegedly targeting field workers. Sara Fuentes, a manager at a local gas station, told the California non-profit news site CalMatters that plainclothes agents detained individuals outside her store and only stopped those who "looked like they worked in the fields." Fuentes added that a typical morning rush of farm workers buying breakfast never materialized that day -- an indication that fear kept them away from work. The immediate impact is evident in Kern County, one of the nation's most productive agricultural regions. Over the last two weeks, growers have seen sharp declines in their workforce attendance, which they attribute to heightened immigration crackdowns. Citrus grower and former Kern County Farm Bureau president, Peter Belluomini, reported that his usual harvest crew dropped from 30 workers to just five, saying many were "hiding at home" out of fear. He told Ag Alert, the weekly newspaper of the California Farm Bureau Federation, that his farm could not harvest the expected volume of citrus because so few workers showed up. Casey Creamer, president of the citrus growers' trade association California Citrus Mutual, echoed these concerns. "We're in the middle of our citrus harvest," Creamer told CalMatters. "This sent shockwaves through the entire community. People aren't going to work, and kids aren't going to school." Creamer noted that 75 percent of the workforce did not report to the fields during this critical harvesting period. Such disruptions highlighted California agriculture's reliance on immigrant labor. The Central Valley, which produces roughly a quarter of the nation's food, depends heavily on farm workers, many of whom lack legal authorization to work in the United States. A 2022 survey from the U.S. Department of Labor found that 42 percent of farm workers nationwide were undocumented, and the California Farm Bureau estimated that around half of California's agricultural workforce was undocumented. The potential economic fallout of labor shortages and deportations looms large. Migrants line up at the Chaparral checkpoint in Tijuana, Mexico, Jan. 20, 2025. Minutes after U.S. President Donald Trump took office, the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) announced it has canceled all scheduled appointments for immigration and border processing. (Photo by Joebeth Terriquez/Xinhua) Richard S. Gearhart, an associate professor of economics at California State University-Bakersfield, described the loss of a significant portion of the farm labor force as "absolute economic devastation" and warned of a "recession-level event if this becomes the new long-term norm." Meanwhile, farmers share similar worries in Monterey County on the California coast, which includes the famed Salinas Valley -- often called "the Salad Bowl of the World." Norm Groot, executive director of the Monterey County Farm Bureau, told NBC News that the region required about 55,000 migrant workers for harvest season starting in late April. Even the threat of deportation, he noted, could deter many from coming to work, potentially leaving lettuce, strawberries, broccoli, and other crops to wither in the fields. Concerns have mounted since the Department of Homeland Security announced it would roll back Obama-era guidelines that limited immigration enforcement in sensitive areas such as hospitals, places of worship, and schools. Agricultural experts warned that the existing farm labor shortage, when combined with a possible 25 percent tariff on Mexican and Canadian imports threatened by the Trump administration, could drive up food prices nationwide. Citing 2022 data in a Harvard Business School report, Mexico supplied 51 percent of fresh fruit imports and 69 percent of fresh vegetable imports to the United States, while Canada accounted for 2 percent of fresh fruit imports and 20 percent of fresh vegetable imports. "At a time when many local farms are already facing labor shortages, disruptions like these adversely affect local agricultural production," said Kern County Farm Bureau President Jenny Holtermann in a social media statement. The repercussions of widespread deportations could ripple far beyond California. According to an analysis by Iowa State University's Investigate Midwest, undocumented workers comprise about 16 percent of all food supply chain employees nationwide, including 41 percent of farm workers. The study suggested that deporting a large portion of these workers could potentially increase food prices by 10 percent and lead to the "likely collapse" of the American agricultural system. MOGADISHU, Jan. 23 (Xinhua) -- Somalia and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) on Thursday called for increased investment in anticipatory action to mitigate the anticipated adverse climate impacts on the 2025 Gu (rainy) season. The Somali Disaster Management Agency (SoDMA) and the FAO said in a statement issued in the Somali capital of Mogadishu that urgent preparedness measures are essential to safeguard Somali communities from the anticipated below-normal rainfall forecast for the March-April-May Gu season. The organizations reiterated the urgent need for immediate and coordinated action among all stakeholders, including international partners and local communities, to address the worsening drought conditions. SODMA Commissioner Mohamud Moallim noted the critical need for increased investment in anticipatory action. "Since the last rainy season has already failed and the upcoming one is predicted to be below normal, now is the right time to anticipate what might potentially be a full-fledged drought hazard, which might last for several seasons to come." FAO Representative in Somalia Etienne Peterschmitt said the UN food agency is committed to supporting Somalia in building resilience programs, providing evidence-based analysis, early warning, and data-driven approaches to mitigate the impact of drought. "Efforts include unconditional cash support, water trucking, and pre-positioning of relief packages to save lives and livelihoods while reducing displacement and household vulnerabilities," he added. According to the FAO, the forecast predicts late rains, prolonged dry spells, and increased temperatures, and reflects what was experienced in 2017 and 2021. The dry conditions could significantly undermine agricultural productivity, water availability, and overall resilience. The two organizations said the provision of early warning information on the onset and performance of the rains and advisory on the best-suited crop varieties for the below-normal rains should be prioritized, alongside access to fodder and livestock treatment programs to significantly reduce stress on animals and secure food supplies. CAIRO, Jan. 23 (Xinhua) -- Egypt's foreign ministry on Thursday condemned an Israeli military operation in the occupied West Bank city of Jenin, which has left dozens wounded and killed. In a statement, the ministry warned of the operation's repercussions on the security and stability of the West Bank, cautioning that it could further escalate tensions in the region. "The Israeli military operation conflicts with regional and international efforts to restore stability and calm in the occupied Palestinian territories, potentially leading to serious consequences," the statement said. The Israeli army has been conducting a large-scale operation in Jenin and its surrounding refugee camp for the past three days, resulting in at least 12 deaths and dozens of injuries, according to figures from the Israeli military and the official Palestinian news agency WAFA. BEIRUT, Jan. 23 (Xinhua) -- Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud reiterated Saudi Arabia's support for Lebanon during a visit to Beirut on Thursday, emphasizing the importance of reforms for the country's stability and progress. Faisal met with Lebanese President Joseph Aoun at Baabda Palace, according to a statement released by the Lebanese Presidency. He conveyed greetings from Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. "The kingdom would stand by Lebanon throughout its journey of renewal, working closely with its partners to ensure stability and progress," the statement quoted Faisal as saying. He also highlighted the importance of planned reforms and said the Saudi crown prince supported initiatives to improve Lebanon's future. For his part, Aoun expressed appreciation for Saudi Arabia's support, particularly in helping resolve the recent presidential vacancy. He described the visit as a "message of hope" and highlighted the historical ties between the two countries, expressing his desire for stronger bilateral relations. He also outlined his administration's priorities, including reconstruction, economic recovery, and strengthening security institutions. The Saudi foreign minister also met with Prime Minister-designate Nawaf Salam, reaffirming the kingdom's commitment to Lebanon and urging the prioritization of national interests and the implementation of reforms. Salam welcomed Faisal's visit, noting it was the first such visit by a Saudi foreign minister to Lebanon in 15 years, reiterating his commitment to implementing political, judicial, administrative, and financial reforms and restoring Lebanon's position within the Arab world. Aoun was elected Lebanon's new president on Jan. 9, filling the presidency left vacant for around two years due to deep political divisions. Days later, on Jan. 13, Aoun appointed Salam, former president of the International Court of Justice in The Hague, as Lebanon's new prime minister and tasked him with forming a government. The developments are widely viewed as a sign of Hezbollah's waning influence in Lebanon, marking a potential shift in the country's political landscape. BRUSSELS - Not just one or two but three titles will be up for grabs for the first time, along with thousands of dollars in scholarships, during the 28th annual Miss Door County Scholarship Program pageants Feb. 1. Miss Door County 2024 Kylee Duessler receives her crown from 2023 titlist Lindsay Schuh, back, and 2023 Miss Door County's Teen Kalei Klaubauf during the 2024 Miss Door County pageant. The 2025 pageant to crown Miss Door County, Miss Door County's Teen and a first-ever Miss Cherryland takes place Feb. 1 at Southern Door Community Auditorium. The 2025 pageants will crown Miss Door County for the 28th time and Miss Door County's Teen (from a jam-packed field of contestants) for a 14th time, but this year the program also will crown a first-ever Miss Cherryland. The new title was launched to provide more opportunities for young women living or working in 11 other counties in Northeast Wisconsin to take part in a pageant and possibly earn scholarships. Four women each are competing in the Miss Door County and Miss Cherryland contests, with a record 10 vying for Miss Door County's Teen. The Miss Door County and Teen winners will succeed 2024 winners Kylee Duessler and Emily Bley, respectively, in the annual contests sponsored by the Miss Door County Scholarship Organization. Miss Door County 2024 Kylee Duessler, left, and Miss Door County's Teen 2024 Emily Bley will crown their successors, and a first-ever Miss Cherryland will be crowned as well, at the 2025 Miss Door County pageant Feb. 1 at Southern Door Community Auditorium. Areas of competition in all three contests are private interview, artistic expression in talent, lifestyle and fitness in sportswear, on-stage interview, and evening gown. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The new Miss Door County and Door County's Teen will move on to take part in the Miss Wisconsin and Wisconsin Teen pageants held from June 18 to 21 in New Berlin. The Miss Wisconsin winner, of course, advances to represent the state in the Miss America pageant in September. Since the first Miss Door County contest took place in 1997, one titlist has gone on to become a Miss Wisconsin Kimberly Sawyer, who won the local crown in 2008 and the state title in 2010. Duessler last year became the first currently reigning Miss Door County to place in the Top 5 at Miss Wisconsin. And, three Miss Wisconsins would become a Miss America: Terry Meeuwsen Friedrich (1973), Laura Kaeppeler (2012) and Grace Stanke (2023). Appearing at this year's pageant as special guests are 2024 Miss Wisconsin, Mandi Genord of Beaver Dam, and Miss Wisconsins Teen, Ella Bey of Pewaukee. Eric Paulsen, host of the "Discover Wisconsin" syndicated and streaming TV travel program, is the new emcee. Miss Door County 2025 contestants Isabella Dereszkiewicz-Hodowany Isabella Dereszkiewicz-Hodowany, a student at Sevastopol High School. Her community service initiative is "Empowering Voices to Protect Womens Lives" and she will give a speech on The Definition of a Woman for her talent. Ellie Engerson Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ellie Engerson, a student at Southern Door High School. Her community service initiative is "Giving Students an Outlet Through Music" and she will sing for her talent. Faith Blackley Faith Blackley, a Northeast Wisconsin Technical College student. Her community service initiative is "Preserve Today, Protect Tomorrow" and she will sing for her talent. Amolia Jefferson Amolia Jefferson, a student at Sevastopol High School. Her community service initiative is "Lead, Read, Succeed: Inspiring Kids to Enjoy and Excel in Reading" and her talent performance is speed cake decorating. Miss Cherryland 2025 contestants Ntuhkem Fonkem Ntuhkem Fonkem, a student at Fox Valley Technical College. Her community service initiative is "Empowering College Students with Sickle Cell Disease" and she will sing for her talent. Chloe Staudenmaier Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Chloe Staudenmaier, a student at the University of Minnesota. Her community service initiative is "POV: Protecting Our Veterans" and she will play the piano for her talent. Brooklyn Heyn Brooklyn Heyn, a student at Concordia University Wisconsin. Her community service initiative is "Blood Donation: Lets Save Lives!" and she will play the violin for her talent. Hanna Mertens Hanna Mertens, a student at Bellin College of Nursing. Her community service initiative is "Heart to Heart: Teaching the Importance of Cardiac Care" and she will perform a jazz dance for her talent. Miss Door Countys Teen 2025 contestants Briana Barganz Briana Bargan, a student at Sturgeon Bay High School. Her community service initiative is "Ribbon to Reality: Bridging Awareness and Financial Support for Cancer Care" and she will sing for her talent. Anna Dalke Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Anna Dalke, a student at Gibraltar High School. Her community service initiative is "Undercover Wheel" and she will play the piano for her talent. Abbigail Reseburg Abbigail Reseburg, a student at Algoma High School. Her community service initiative is "Child Health and Safety" and she will give an EpiPen demonstration for her talent. Sayde Jeanquart Sayde Jeanquart, a student at Sturgeon Bay High School. Her community service initiative is "Advocating for the Importance of Screen Time Management" and she will play the baritone euphonium for her talent. Skyler Kopkey Skyler Kopkey, a student at Luxemburg-Casco High School. Her community service initiative is "Priceless Princess: Taking the Price Tag Off of Beauty" and she will sing for her talent. Elise Jackson Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Elise Jackson, a student at Southern Door High School. Her community service initiative is "Next Gen Civics" and she will play the piano for her talent. Teagan Williams Teagan Williams, a student at Southern Door High School. Her community service initiative is "Little Literacy Launchers" and she will sing for her talent. Jakayla Steinhorst Jakayla Steinhorst, a student at Luxemburg-Casco High School. Her community service initiative is "Deep Roots Elevating Agriculture" and she will tap dance for her talent. Ophelia Linnan Ophelia Linnan, a student at Sevastopol High School. Her community service initiative is "Wisconsin Initiative For Superior Education: Promoting Educational Equity In Rural Areas" and she will perform a traditional Argentinian tango and malambo folk dance with boleadoras (stringed throwing weapons) for her talent. Brynleigh Ash Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Brynleigh Ash, a student at Gibraltar High School. Her community service initiative is "The Palette Project" and she will sing for her talent. Miss Door County awards scholarships Since its first competition in 1997, the Miss Door County organization has awarded more than $275,000 in scholarships, which the organization claims makes it one of the top local pageants for scholarships in the state. It also noted the women taking part have the opportunity to become involved in and represent the Peninsula at various events, network with the community, promote their community service initiatives, grow confidence and build relationships. The program started its Princess Program, now rebranded as the Cherry Blossom Program, in 2010 and the teen program in 2011. The Miss Door County, Miss Door County's Teen and Miss Cherryland contests start at 5:30 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 1, at Southern Door Community Auditorium, on the Southern Door County School District campus, 2073 County DK, Brussels. Tickets are $20 and fewer than 100 remain available as of Jan. 21. For advance tickets, go to the Southern Door district office or visit southerndoorauditorium.org. For more about the pageant or the Miss Door County Scholarship Organization, visit missdoorcounty.org. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Contact Christopher Clough at 920-562-8900 or cclough@gannett.com. MORE: The Door County Film Fest made some changes. Here's what's new, along with some of the movies playing MORE: Door County man hammers his way, literally, to historical society award as 2024's top volunteer FOR MORE DOOR COUNTY NEWS: Check out our website This article originally appeared on Green Bay Press-Gazette: Three young women will be crowned at the 2025 Miss Door County pageant Wheres your favorite place to grab a cup of coffee and catch up? According to Springfield residents, its a little shop on the corner of West Cook and Spring Street, just a block away from the Illinois State Museum. Its the vintage charm of Vinegar Hill Mall and classic, cozy feel that gives Wm. Vans Cafe a bustling cult following. The inside of Wm. Van's Cafe at 107 W. Cook St. is known for it's charming decor and big windows illuminating the whole cafe. Not just a cult following, but now a position on Americas best independent coffee shops, as Illinois top caffeine spot. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Serving breakfast, brunch and aesthetics worth a picture or two, Wm. Vans average rating was 4.46 out of five. General Manager Sydney Huffman said the growing interest in local coffee spots comes from the experience and that it really does matter if your barista knows you. Not only are you supporting your local community, but you have more personable experiences when youre at your local shop, Huffman said. Your morning coffee run becomes more than an iced latte; its a chance to connect with the familiar faces. The business regularly rotates the drink menu depending on season and place an emphasis on quality over quantity Huffman says in the past nine months shes been GM, the most important part is seeing what sticks in the menu and strikes a chord with coffee fans and finding a way to add it to the next menu. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The top three local coffee spots nationwide are The Espresso Bar in Taos, New Mexico at 4.93 stars out of five, Prestogeorge Coffee and Tea in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania at 4.90 and Iris Bagel and Coffee House in Arlington, Texas with 4.86. A sandwich and side salad from Wm. Van's Cafe is seen in this undated photo in Springfield. Big is out - small is in According to OnDeck, big chain cafes are saving money by opening smaller premises to minimize costs and concentrate on walk-through trade. Meanwhile, independent cafes are capitalizing on their already cozy premises by delivering personality, quality and good company to customers looking to sit down with a brew and a pastry and maybe even return to the counter for more. The specialty coffee shop market is tipped to grow by $39.17 billion from 2022 to 2027, driven by the indie sector. The same follows suit for Springfield; the city has seen a growth in locally-owned coffee shops in the past year trying to enter the market. Methodology The rankings are put together by OnDeck, a platform offering loans for small businesses, using publicly available Tripadvisor pages for rankings. Building a list of the major cities in every state, the five-star rated local establishments were isolated from chains. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Lastly, cities were ranked based on the weighted average five-star rating across all independent coffee shops in that city. This analysis was completed in October 2024. Claire Grant writes about business, growth and development and other news topics for The State Journal-Register. She can be reached at CLGrant@gannett.com; and on X (Formerly known as Twitter): @Claire_Granted This article originally appeared on State Journal-Register: Wm. Van's Cafe best coffee shop in Illinois according to new report COURTESY HANA QUON Hana Quon, of Patisserie HQ, Honolulu, is a James Beard Foundation 2025 Restaurant and Chef Award Semifinalist for the category of Outstanding Pastry Chef or Baker. COURTESY HANA QUON Hana Quon, of Patisserie HQ, Honolulu, is a James Beard Foundation 2025 Restaurant and Chef Award Semifinalist for the category of Outstanding Pastry Chef or Baker. The James Beard Foundation today announced its, and more than a few from Hawaii are on the list. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The James Beard Awards are considered to be among the nations most prestigious honors, recognizing exceptional talent in the culinary and food media industries, as well as a demonstrated commitment to equity, sustainability, and creating a culture where all can thrive, according to the foundation. Last year, Honolulus Bar Apron, a cocktail bar owned by Tom Park and Justin Park (no relation ) won the Outstanding Bar Award. In 2022, won the James Beard Award for Best Chef in the Northwest & Pacific region for her work at Fete in Honolulu Chinatown. This year, five Hawaii chefs are semifinalists in the category, which also includes the states of Alaska, Oregon, and Washington. Nominees will be announced on April 2, and winners will be announced at the James Beard Restaurant and Chef Awards ceremony in June at the Lyric Opera of Chicago. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The foundation said there are usually 25 categories, but in celebration of the Awards 35th anniversary, three new ones were added this year. They include Best New Bar, Outstanding Professional in Beverage Service, and Outstanding Professional in Cocktail Service. 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. The following semifinalists from Hawaii include : Best Chef : Northwest & Pacific :Ki Chung, Bar M aze, HonoluluEd Kenney, Mud Hen Water, HonoluluHyun Kim, OKims, HonoluluAndrew Le, The Pig and the Lady, HonoluluSheldon Simeon, Tiffanys, Wailuku, Maui Emerging ChefKeoni Regidor, Lehua, Hilo Outstanding BakeryThe Local General Store, Honolulu Outstanding Pastry Chef or BakerHana Quon, Patisserie HQ, Honolulu Outstanding Professional in Cocktail ServiceDave Newman, Pint + Jigger, Honolulu 5 Comments By participating in online discussions you acknowledge that you have agreed to the. An insightful discussion of ideas and viewpoints is encouraged, but comments must be civil and in good taste, with no personal attacks. If your comments are inappropriate, you may be banned from posting. Report comments if you believe they do not follow our. Having trouble with comments ? . ADEN, Yemen, Jan. 23 (Xinhua) -- The Houthi group on Thursday rejected the United States' decision to reclassify them as a "Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO)," calling the move a politically motivated attack on Yemen's sovereignty. In a statement from the Houthi-backed "foreign ministry" in Sanaa, the Houthis condemned the U.S. classification as "a deliberate attempt to pressure Yemen and demonstrate bias towards Israel in the ongoing Gaza conflict." The group accused the United States of using terrorist designations as political tools, arguing that the classification represents more than an administrative action. Instead, they characterized it as an assault on Yemeni solidarity with Palestinian resistance. The Houthis emphasized their strategic position in supporting Palestinian rights and defending Yemen's territorial integrity, warning that such "provocative measures" would only strengthen their resolve. They called on the international community to denounce what they termed an "unjust classification" that could worsen Yemen's humanitarian crisis. In contrast, the internationally recognized Yemeni government supported Washington's decision, asserting that the classification accurately reflects the Houthis' potential threat to regional security. U.S. President Donald Trump signed an executive order Wednesday to re-designate the Houthis as an FTO, effectively reversing a previous Biden administration decision that had removed the group from the list. The reclassification follows escalating tensions in the Red Sea, where the Houthis have conducted maritime operations targeting vessels they claim are linked to Israel. In response, the United States and Britain have conducted retaliatory strikes against the group's infrastructure in Yemen. One person was arrested after two police pursuits Tuesday, according to the Warren County Sheriffs Office. [DOWNLOAD: Free WHIO-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] Officers were sent to the area after reports of two suspicious vehicles and people looking into parked cars, according to police. TRENDING STORIES: Officers pursued the two vehicles, a Land Rover and a Ford Expedition, from the neighborhood. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Officers believed the vehicles had been stolen, and had fled from multiple agencies, according to police. The Land Rover crashed, and officers arrested 19-year-old Jakel Hill, who attempted to flee on foot from the scene, police say. Responders attempted to initiate a traffic stop on the Ford Expedition, but the vehicle fled, police say. The vehicle was going over 110 miles an hour, police say. A crash nearby made traffic back up, and the vehicle drove over the grass median and headed back on the interstate. The pursuit continued at high speeds on city streets, with the vehicle running stop signs and lights, police say. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The occupants bailed from the Expedition in Moraine near Vancouver and Benson Drive, according to police. The driver continued, and abandoned the vehicle near Evertt Drive and Lexington Ave. The Land Rover had been stolen out of Mason, according to police. Officers were not able to locate any suspects from the Expedition, according to police. [SIGN UP: WHIO-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter] Jan. 23Babydoll Yates, 42, was booked and released for fleeing in a motor vehicle and no Minnesota driver's license after a reported chase that ended at 805 Jefferson Ave. at 3:21 a.m. Wednesday. Juvenile cited for marijuana Police cited one juvenile for possession of marijuana at 8:48 a.m. Wednesday at Albert Lea High School, 2000 Tiger Lane. Windows broken out of vehicle The driver side window and windshield of a vehicle were reported broken out at 9:35 a.m. Wednesday at 210 S. Third Ave. The incident reportedly happened sometime that morning. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Medical marijuana stolen Medical marijuana was reported stolen from a vehicle at 2:44 p.m. Wednesday at 911 S. Newton Ave. The theft reportedly occurred sometime between Jan. 16 and Jan. 21. 1 arrested for 911 interference, domestic assault Police arrested Trevor Allen Vanryswyk, 45, for gross misdemeanor 911 interference and domestic assault at 7:13 p.m. Wednesday at 114 Morningside Road after he reportedly threatened a woman with an ax. Theft reported Police received a report at 10:25 p.m. Wednesday that someone had stolen an internet box outside of a house at 714 S. Newton Ave. Almost one in eight young adults in Germany has never heard the terms "Holocaust" or "Shoah," according to a poll that comes amid the growing popularity of the far right. In Germany, 12% of 18 to 29-year-olds surveyed told pollsters the terms were not known to them. The proportion was even higher in Austria at 14%, in Romania at 15% and in France, a soaring 46% of young people. The survey was commissioned by the Jewish Claims Conference with 1,000 respondents in Germany, France, Austria, Britain, Poland, Hungary, Romania and the United States. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A significant proportion of young people in all of the countries do not know that up to 6 million Jews were killed during the Nazi era, the poll found. In Germany, the proportion of 18 to 29-year-olds was 40%. Some 15% said 2 million or fewer Jews were murdered. The proportion was even higher in the other countries, the highest in Romania at 32%. In Germany, 2% of all respondents agreed with the statement that the Holocaust did not take place. In almost all countries surveyed, a large majority said that something like the Holocaust could happen again today. In the US, 76% of respondents agreed with the statement, while 69% said so in Britain. In France, 63% said it could happen again, 62% in Austria and 61% in Germany. Almost one in eight young adults in Germany has never heard the terms "Holocaust" or "Shoah," according to a poll that comes amid the growing popularity of the far right. In Germany, 12% of 18 to 29-year-olds surveyed told pollsters the terms were not known to them. The proportion was even higher in Austria at 14%, in Romania at 15% and in France, a soaring 46% of young people. The survey was commissioned by the Jewish Claims Conference with 1,000 respondents in Germany, France, Austria, Britain, Poland, Hungary, Romania and the United States. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A significant proportion of young people in all of the countries do not know that up to 6 million Jews were killed during the Nazi era, the poll found. In Germany, the proportion of 18 to 29-year-olds was 40%. Some 15% said 2 million or fewer Jews were murdered. The proportion was even higher in the other countries, the highest in Romania at 32%. In Germany, 2% of all respondents agreed with the statement that the Holocaust did not take place. In almost all countries surveyed, a large majority said that something like the Holocaust could happen again today. In the US, 76% of respondents agreed with the statement, while 69% said so in Britain. In France, 63% said it could happen again, 62% in Austria and 61% in Germany. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Central Council of Jews in Germany expressed alarm at the results of the study, that was carried out in November 2023. "The worrying rise in anti-Semitic verbal and physical violence that we are seeing in Germany has its roots to a large extent in disinformation and the lack of information about the Holocaust," said Central Council President Josef Schuster. The study highlighted the problem especially with regard to young adults, he said. Schuster called for efforts from lawmakers, educators and the media to counteract this. The term Holocaust describes the systematic persecution and murder of European Jews by the German National Socialists and their supporters between 1933 and 1945. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Up to 6 million Jews were killed, according to the latest research described on the Yad Vashem Holocaust memorial website. Around 1 million were murdered in the Auschwitz extermination camp which was liberated 80 years ago, on January 27, 1945. Thirteen people are dead after fleeing one train and getting hit by another, officials said. Authorities in India said the passengers exited the train on the evening of Wednesday, Jan. 22, local time after rumors of a fire began to spread onboard, according to the BBC and The New York Times. The Pushpak Express was traveling through Maharashtra State when the train came to an abrupt stop about 170 miles away from its destination in Mumbai, NDTV reported. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ashok Pawar, Pachora police inspector, said two people spread the rumor after hearing a tea seller shouting nearby about a fire, according to The Economic Times. "Some passengers jumped out of the moving train to save themselves from the fire, Pawar said. But the train was moving at a good speed so one of the people pulled the [emergency] chain, and the train stopped. Related: I Was Stuck in an Underground N.Y.C. Subway for 1.5 Hours and Needed to Be Evacuated (Exclusive) Some of the passengers who disembarked from the first train were then struck by the Karnataka Express, which was traveling on an adjacent track, according to The New York Times. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Seven people who died from the crash were from Nepal, and four others were from the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, Pawar said. Deepak Gupta/Hindustan Times via Getty Passengers seen waiting for Pushpak Express on April 9, 2019 in Lucknow, India. Passengers seen waiting for Pushpak Express on April 9, 2019 in Lucknow, India. 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. Another 10 people, eight men and two women, were injured in the collision, according to The Economic Times. They are being treated at the Civil Hospital in Jalgaon. Two of the passengers who were injured were the two people who authorities believe started the rumor about the fire, Pawar said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Related: At Least 280 People Dead and Hundreds More Injured in Three-Way Train Crash in India: 'Deep Sorrow' We have instructed the administration to provide treatment to all the injured at government cost, the inspector explained. Our ministers and Collectors are looking into the incident. Prime Minister Narendra Modi said in a post on X that he was "anguished by the tragic accident on the railway tracks in Jalgaon on Wednesday. I extend my heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families and pray for the speedy recovery of all the injured, Modi said. Authorities are providing all possible assistance to those affected. Read the original article on People MEMPHIS, Tenn. Millennia, the Ohio-based company that failed to pay its bills and violated rules that left Serenity Tower residents in unsafe conditions, has to return all 150 deposits to their tenants. The request was made by the judge while in court on Thursday morning. MORE ON SERENITY TOWERS Serenity Towers was deemed uninhabitable and now all residents must be relocated within 4 months. The Memphis Housing Authority is assisting the city in securing housing for them. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to publicly available records, the Department of Housing and Urban Development has abated its Housing Assistance Payment contract with Millennia at Serenity which means tenants will get vouchers to move. 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, said Carlissa Shaw, City of Memphis attorney. City plans to vacate Serenity Towers before summer Millennias attorney requested to be taken off the case but was denied. Unless they hire another attorney, Millenia must have representation every time they go to court. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The next court appearance for both parties is scheduled for February 6. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. 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: Dr. Charles E. Hurlburt. Image courtesy Oklahoma City National Memorial Museum. We want to remember Dr. Charles E. Hurlburt, 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. An 18-year-old has been arrested after he physically assaulted a 21-year-old man and threatened him with a machete earlier this month, according to police. Police investigated the incident and identified the suspect as Jeremiah Medina. Around 9:30 Wednesday morning. police responded to the area of a Belmont Street apartment for a warrant issued for Medina. Police arrested Medina at the apartment and charged him with criminal threatening and simple assault. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Officers also arrested 19-year-old Alexander Medina Jr. on a warrant out of Concord. 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 A 19-year-old man who was one of three suspects charged in the killing of a 19-year-old man in southeast Reading last spring is in Berks County Prison following his extradition from New York City. Luis Santos-Cruz, no permanent address, was committed to the prison without bail to await a hearing following arraignment Wednesday night before District Judge Tonya A. Butler in Reading Central Court. Reading police charged him in June with first- and third-degree murder, conspiracy and firearms offenses in the April 1 shooting of Christian Disla in the 1200 block of Muhlenberg Street. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Santos-Cruz was captured in New York City by federal marshals in October and detained pending extradition. His brother, Jonielle Cruz, 18, was arrested about a month after the shooting. He was 17 at the time of the shooting, but the Berks County district attorneys office approved charging him as an adult. Jonielle Cruz was held for court on first- and third-degree murder and conspiracy charges following a preliminary hearing Aug. 21 and returned to jail without bail to await action in county court. A third suspect, Gavin E. Will, 17, of the 1100 block of Perkiomen Avenue, was arrested in November and charged as an adult with the same offenses. Hes also in the county jail without bail after being held for court on the charges following a Jan. 3 preliminary hearing. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Disla was killed by a single gunshot wound to his back, according to police. He was found behind a home in the 1300 block of Muhlenberg Street after police were called to the area for reports of shots fired. A second man was shot but survived his wounds. According to investigators: The second victim, whose name was withheld, said he had been at a corner store at Cotton and Rehr streets shortly before the shooting. He was confronted by three men who he identified as Luis Santos-Cruz and Jonielle Cruz, and a third male over a previous incident. The victim said the three males attacked him and left. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The victim said he went inside the store after the assault and met with Disla and another person. Disla and the other victim left the store and got into the second victims car. While sitting in the parked car in the 1300 block of Muhlenberg Street they heard gunshots. Disla got out of the car and ran, while the second victim drove off. Security videos from the area show Santos-Cruz walking into the street in the 1400 block of Muhlenberg Street and firing a handgun toward the 1300 block, where Disla and the second victim were parked. The footage also shows Cruz following Santos-Cruz into the street, talking on his cellphone. Audio from one of the videos captured Cruz saying, Shoot em, right before the gunfire erupted. A federal judge on Thursday temporarily blocked President Donald Trumps executive order restricting birthright citizenship to babies born on U.S. soil. The order is one of several efforts by the administration to block migrants entry into and residence in the country. The executive orders and directives include canceling flights to the United States for refugees already approved to legally enter the country. They also do away with protections for sensitive zones, which previously prevented immigration officials from arresting undocumented immigrants in places like schools, churches and womens shelters. As legal battles over Trumps executive orders play out, heres what to know about the history of birthright citizenship. What is birthright citizenship? Birthright citizenship was first established in 1868 by the 14th Amendment of the United States Constitution: All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The policy was the result of African Americans pushing for decades to be recognized as full citizens and part of a trio of amendments the 13th, 14th and 15th that ended U.S. slavery and established citizenship and voting rights for some people of color. In the decade before the amendment, the U.S. Supreme Court had issued a landmark ruling in Dred Scott v. Sandford stating that people of African descent, whether they were free descendants of slaves or enslaved themselves, could not be U.S. citizens. Whats important to remember about Dred Scott is that its impact on the ground in the daily lives of African Americans is very limited, historian Martha S. Jones said in a 2018 interview with Democracy Now. Very few courts are willing to enforce the literal terms of Dred Scott in the cases that they hear, state legislatures are not prepared to defer to the courts reasoning, and African Americans even in the face of the devastating rhetoric in Dred Scott continue to wage a campaign for citizenship into what then becomes the era of the Civil War. Those efforts ultimately led to the right to citizenship being enshrined in the Constitution for all people born in the United States except children born to foreign diplomats. Initially, the law also did not include children born to foreign military members or Native American children, but these have since been changed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Supreme Court upheld birthright citizenship in the 1898 case United States v. Wong Kim Ark. Justices affirmed the right to U.S. citizenship for a man who was born in California to parents who were Chinese citizens. This decision confirmed that children born in the country to immigrant parents have U.S. citizenship. There are moments when the Constitution is vague. This is not one of them, Harold Solis, co-legal director of Make the Road New York, said in a Tuesday Zoom call hosted by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU). If a president can unilaterally restrict birthright citizenship today, what constitutional rights and who elses citizenship might be reinterpreted away tomorrow? What does Trumps order say and how will it affect people? Trumps executive order states that the 14th Amendment excludes birthright citizenship from persons who were born in the United States but not subject to the jurisdiction thereof. The administration interprets that statement to bar citizenship from children born in the United States to a mother who is living in the country without authorization and a father who is not a citizen or permanent resident, as well as children born in the country to a migrant mother who has temporary legal status including a visa and a father who is not a U.S. citizen or permanent resident. The order does not address transgender parents or parents from other queer identities. It also defines mother as a female biological progenitor, and father as a male biological progenitor. Leaders of executive departments and agencies have until February 19 to issue public guidance on how the policy will be implemented. If the order survives lawsuits, it would apply to anyone born after February 19. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While Trump expressed interest in scaling back birthright citizenship during his first term, advocates and legal experts on the ACLU call reiterated that no other president has attempted such a huge change to U.S. birthright citizenship. Nobody really knows how any of this is supposed to work, which is part of why this is so chaotic and so cruel, and why theres so much fear and uncertainty for families around the country right now, said Cody Wofsy, deputy director of the ACLUs Immigrants Rights Project. Data from the Annie E. Casey Foundation shows that an estimated 910,462 births occurred in 2018 to foreign-born mothers, which includes those who entered the country both with and without authorization. A Pew report analyzing data from the same year found that 250,000 babies were born to immigrant parents who entered the country without authorization. Typically all babies born in the United States would be eligible as citizens to receive access to health insurance coverage through Medicaid or the Childrens Health Insurance Program meant to provide free or low-cost health coverage to low-income people. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Children born into mixed-status households, or those with undocumented or non-citizen family members, already face barriers to government services even without the threat of their birthright citizenship being taken away. In many cases, undocumented parents do not pursue coverage out of fear of government surveillance and detention. One recent study found that participation in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program among children from mixed-status families declined significantly during Trumps first term. The ACLU told reporters Tuesday that children born after Trumps executive order goes into effect would lose eligibility for these types of government services. The question is whether the order will pass the constitutionality test in court. A child waves the American flag as her mother becomes a citizen of the United States during a naturalization ceremony for new U.S. citizens in Troy, NY. (Michael P. Farrell/Albany Times Union via Getty Images) Does the order have legal standing? Trumps executive order on birthright citizenship has been blocked temporarily nationwide.In court on Thursday, senior U.S. District Judge John Coughenour, an appointee of former President Ronald Reagan, said, Ive been on the bench for over four decades, I cant remember another case where the question presented is as clear as this one is. This is a blatantly unconstitutional order, according to reporting by The Seattle Times. In the days after Trump signed the order on Monday, five pregnant women joined a lawsuit filed in federal district court in Maryland challenging its constitutionality. The ACLU and immigrant rights advocacy groups launched their own lawsuit, and attorneys general in more than 20 states have sued separately to block the order from going into effect. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The complaint by the attorneys general argues that the Constitution does not empower the president or Congress to override or conflict the clear language granting automatic citizenship to individuals born in the United States. All of the cases note the harm that this would cause for the thousands of children born in the country to non-citizen parents. For example, one pregnant woman from Venezuela suing the administration described the fear that her child will be stateless. Former Oregon Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum, who served in the position for 12 years and sued the first Trump administration multiple times, noted during an interview with The 19th that the attorneys general sued in two states, Massachusetts and Washington state. Thats not surprising, Rosenblum said. It doesnt mean theyre disagreeing. It just means that theres different opportunities in different states and federal courts, and sometimes it makes sense to have multiple actions sort of paralleling each other. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Executive orders have to be grounded in existing law and constitutional authority to be upheld, so it will be in the hands of federal judges to determine whether the administrations interpretation of the 14th Amendment is valid. For now, the Seattle-based district judge has put a 14-day pause on the order. Rosenblum noted the level of preparation that went into this moment. We started preparing as the Democratic AGs almost two years ago for the potential eventuality, Rosenblum said. I believe that theres no group better prepared to push back where appropriate. The post The 19th Explains: Birthright citizenship and Trumps order to end it appeared first on The 19th. News that represents you, in your inbox every weekday. Subscribe to our free, daily newsletter. Global Times: Its reported that Chinese research institutions have completed the tests and analysis of the first independent sampling of the Fukushima nuclear-contaminated water discharged into the sea. Could you share more details with us? Mao Ning: To ensure independent sampling and monitoring by China and other stakeholders is one of the commitments made by Japan on the issue of the discharge of the Fukushima nuclear-contaminated water into the sea. We learned from relevant authorities that Chinese research institutions have completed the tests and analysis of Chinas first independent sampling. No abnormality was seen in the activity concentration of tritium, caesium-137 and strontium-90. Global Times: Does the test result prove the safety of the discharge of the Fukushima nuclear-contaminated water into the sea? Mao Ning: The discharge of the Fukushima nuclear-contaminated water concerns the worlds common interest. Japans unilateral action taken in spite of concerns of neighboring countries and the international community lacks legitimacy and rationality. Chinas firm opposition to Japans discharge of Fukushima nuclear-contaminated water into the sea remains unchanged. In the absence of any compulsory international mechanism to stop the discharge, independent sampling by stakeholder countries on a continuous basis as a method of monitoring is an effective way to control the risks that come with the discharge. Meanwhile, we noted that professional agencies pointed out that one single test provides limited reference. China will continue to work with the international community to urge Japan to fulfill its commitments, put the discharge under strict international oversight and continue the independent sampling and monitoring of the water. AFP: The new U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio had a call yesterday with his Philippines counterpart Enrique Manalo. A State Department spokesperson said that Rubio underscored the United States ironclad commitments to the Philippines under the countries mutual defense treaty and that the two also discussed Beijings dangerous and destabilizing actions in the South China Sea. Does the Foreign Ministry have a reaction to this call? Mao Ning: Chinas activities in relevant waters are legitimate, lawful, and fully justified. The U.S. is not a party to the South China Sea issue and has no right to interfere in the maritime issues between China and the Philippines. The military cooperation between the U.S. and the Philippines should not undermine Chinas sovereignty and maritime rights and interests in the South China Sea, still less should such cooperation support or advance the Philippines illegal claims. China will continue to take necessary steps to firmly safeguard its territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests and uphold peace and stability in the South China Sea. Beijing Daily: The White House said a few days ago that the U.S. will withdraw from the Paris Agreement on climate change. Comments say that this will cast a cloud over the global effort of climate response and green transition. What is your view on this? Mao Ning: China regrets the U.S. announcement of withdrawal from the Paris Agreement. Climate change is a common challenge facing all humanity. No country can opt out or stay unaffected. As Vice Premier Ding Xuexiang pointed out in his special address at the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2025, we must follow a consistent approach in addressing climate change. The fundamental solution to climate change is green transition. China is accelerating green and low-carbon transition across the board and taking concrete actions to peak carbon dioxide emissions before 2030 and achieve carbon neutrality before 2060. China has built the worlds largest and most complete new energy industrial chain. 70 percent of the photovoltaic components and 60 percent of wind power equipment worldwide come from China. The high-quality production capacity has served as a strong boost to global green development and climate response. No matter how the international landscape may evolve, Chinas determination and action for proactive climate response will not change, and we will continue working with all parties to build a fair and equitable global climate governance system for win-win cooperation and advance global green and low-carbon transition and sustainable development. AFP: Id like to follow up on a question yesterday about a Chinese mine worker who had reportedly been killed in Afghanistans northern Takhar province. Since then, the Islamic States regional chapter has claimed responsibility for the attack, according to a monitoring group called SITE. This monitoring group said that IS issued a communique reporting that fighters fired at a vehicle containing a Chinese. Does the Foreign Ministry have further information today or comments on this incident? Mao Ning: China is deeply shocked at the attack and strongly condemns it. We mourn the death of the victim. China has lodged serious protests to Afghanistan right after the attack, and asked the country to conduct thorough investigations into the attack, and bring the perpetrators to justice. China firmly opposes all forms of terrorism and calls for resolute and strong efforts in cracking down on ISIS, the ETIM and other terrorist organizations designated by the UN Security Council with zero tolerance. China will closely follow the security situation in Afghanistan and continue supporting Afghanistan in combating all forms of terrorism and violence, and upholding national security and stability. We urge the Afghan interim government to take resolute and effective measures to ensure the safety and security of Chinese citizens, institutions and projects in Afghanistan. Kyodo News: A peoples court in Suzhou today handed down a ruling on the case of attack against a Japanese woman and her child last June, and the Chinese defendant was sentenced to death. What is Chinas comment? Mao Ning: From what I have gathered, the case is in judicial process and Chinas judicial authorities will handle the case in accordance with law. China will, as always, act to protect the safety of foreign nationals in China. Bloomberg: U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has had a series of calls, mainly from U.S. allies so far, part of his outreach to a growing list of countries including Japan, Australia, South Korea, Saudi Arabia, UAE and the Quad. Were wondering, does Chinas Foreign Minister plan to speak with Mr. Rubio and can such a call take place given that Mr. Rubio has been sanctioned twice by China? Mao Ning: I have no information to share on your question. Let me say more broadly that its necessary for high-level Chinese and U.S. officials to engage each other in appropriate ways. In the meantime, China will firmly defend its national interests. CCTV: A follow-up on the test result of the discharge of the Fukushima nuclear-contaminated water. Does a normal test result mean that China will resume imports of Japanese aquatic products? Mao Ning: The Chinese government always puts people first and firmly safeguards the food safety of our people. On the issue of resuming imports of Japanese aquatic products, China always follows a science-based approach. The first independent sampling and testing is just one of the steps for Japan to implement its commitments on the discharge issue. The resumption of Japanese aquatic products depends on results from a series of data including those from Chinas continuous independent sampling and monitoring and whether Japan will take concrete measures to effectively guarantee the quality and safety of exported aquatic products to China. Reuters: According to a Reuters report today, the U.S. deployed its Typhon missile launchers to a new location in the Philippines. A senior Philippine government source said that their redeployment would help determine where and how fast the missile battery could be moved to a new firing position. I just wanted to ask for any comments on the report. Mao Ning: On the U.S. deployment of Mid-Range Capability missile system in the Philippines, China has made clear its opposition more than once. Let me stress again that by bringing this strategic offensive weapon into this part of the world, the Philippines is essentially creating tensions and antagonism in the region and inciting geopolitical confrontation and an arms race. This is a highly dangerous move and an extremely irresponsible choice for its own people, the people of the other Southeast Asian countries, and regional security. We once again call on the Philippines to heed the call from regional countries and their peoples, correct the wrongdoing as soon as possible, quickly pull out the Typhon missile system as publicly pledged, and stop going further down the wrong path. Reuters: The Financial Times reported on Wednesday that two Iranian cargo vessels carrying an ingredient for missile propellant will sail from China to Iran in the next few weeks, potentially subjecting the involved Chinese entities to U.S. sanctions. I wanted to ask for a comment on that report. Mao Ning: I am not familiar with what you mentioned. Let me say that China strictly controls the export of dual-use articles in accordance with laws and regulations on export control and our international obligations. China opposes any illicit unilateral sanctions. Reuters: More than half of the American businesses in China say they are concerned about a further deterioration in the bilateral relationship between the economies, according to a survey from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. Thats the highest level in five years. Do you have any comment on that report? Mao Ning: This actually reflects how important it is to pursue a steady, sound and sustainable China-U.S. relationship. China always views and develops China-U.S. ties in line with the three principles put forth by President Xi Jinping, namely mutual respect, peaceful coexistence and win-win cooperation. We also hope the U.S. will work with China and bring China-U.S. relations back onto the track of sound and steady development. DAMASCUS, Jan. 23 (Xinhua) -- Syrian security forces on Thursday destroyed large quantities of narcotics seized in western rural Damascus, an official from the narcotics bureau told Xinhua. The illegal drugs were incinerated at former military sites, where authorities dug pits to burn the confiscated drugs, the official said. Among the haul were 4 tonnes of crystal meth and 30 tonnes of precursor chemicals used to produce Captagon. The items were discovered on a farm in the Yafour area, just outside Damascus, according to the official. In a separate operation in the nearby town of al-Saboura, authorities uncovered a storehouse containing thousands of tramadol pills, all packaged and ready for distribution. Officials did not disclose details regarding arrests or the ongoing investigation into related trafficking networks. A statue dating back more than 2,000 years was allegedly found in a black bag near garbage bins in a part of the Greek city of Thessaloniki. In a Wednesday, Jan. 22 press release, the Greek Police said that a 32-year-old man went to the Thermaikos Crime Investigation and Prosecution Department on Saturday, Jan. 18, and handed over a bag containing the statue. The Greek Police added that an archaeologist from Ephorate of Antiquities was alerted about the discovery. The archaeologist examined the find and concluded that it falls under the relevant legislation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Related: Ancient Cemetery in Egypt with 'Book of the Dead' Papyrus and Mummies Has Been Uncovered Afterward, said authorities, the statue was seized by police officers from the Cultural Heritage Protection Office of the Department for Combating Illicit Trafficking in Persons and Goods, who are investigating the case. The Greek Police also said that the ancient statue will be handed over to the Forensic Investigations Sub-Directorate of Northern Greece for laboratory examination. It will then be transferred to Ephorate of Antiquities for safekeeping and study. 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. : Greek Police A 2,000-year-old Greek statue A 2,000-year-old Greek statue According to the authorities, the statue is from the Hellenistic period, which covers between 323 B.C. and 30 B.C. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The loose drapery on the statue appears to indicate that it depicts a goddess, according to Estelle Strazdins, a classical studies expert at the Australian National University in Canberra, The Washington Post reported. Related: Elementary School Students Find Rare Prehistoric Sloth Bone While Digging for Crawdads The fact that it is marble suggests that it was probably dedicated in a temple, Strazdins further told the newspaper. Because of the size around 30 inches it would not be the main statue in the sanctuary, but it might be a gift that someone has given to the god either to thank them for something or in the hopes of getting some kind of grant. CNN reported that authorities launched an investigation to figure out who abandoned the statue. A man was briefly detained for questioning but was later released without charges, added the outlet. PEOPLE contacted the Greek Police for additional information on Thursday, Jan. 23. Read the original article on People TRIBECA, Manhattan (PIX11) At least two firefighters were injured as they worked to knock down a cellar fire in Manhattan during frigid conditions late Wednesday night, according to the FDNY. It broke out on White Street in Tribeca around 11:45 p.m. Over 100 firefighters and EMS personnel responded to the scene, fire officials said. More Local News Firefighters were seen on an upper level trying to bring the flames under control amid rising smoke in damp and frigid air. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The firefighters who were hurt suffered minor injuries, according to the FDNY. 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. LAS VEGAS (KLAS) Two women who robbed and killed a man in his Las Vegas Strip hotel room will serve at least 10 years in prison as part of a plea deal, a judge ruled Thursday. In November, Erika Covington, 21; and Arionna Taylor, 22, agreed to plead guilty to charges of second-degree murder for the May 2023 shooting death of Bryan Altamirano-Solano, 25, records said. Altamirano-Solano was in the country seeking asylum from Nicaragua. Police initially said the women killed Altamirano-Solano inside the room at Caesars Palace and then stole his wallet. Police nor prosecutors have ever said which woman they believe pulled the trigger, however, a cartridge casing inside the room matched Taylors weapon, they said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In court Thursday, Clark County District Court Judge Tierra Jones sentenced the women along the terms of the agreement, which includes a maximum term of 25 years. Erika Covington, 21; and Arionna Taylor, 22, are sentenced to 10-25 years in prison on Jan. 23, 2025. (KLAS) I would like to send my condolences to Brians family, Covington said. I deeply, genuinely apologize for the grief and the pain thats been brought to you guys family. Taylor declined to speak during the sentencing. According to the court documents, a surveillance camera recorded Altamirano-Solano at around 2:14 a.m. talking with two women in a valet area. Another camera captured the trio walking to Altamirano-Solanos room around 2:35 a.m. The video shows a bag slung over Altamirano-Solanos chest. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Less than 15 minutes later, another camera captured Covington and Taylor running through a hallway, prosecutors said. One of the women was carrying Altamirano-Solanos bag, they said. Brian Altamirano-Solano, 25, was in the country seeking asylum from Nicaragua. (KLAS) Detectives later located two explicit videos on Altamirano-Solanos phone, which they said included Covington and Taylor. It wasnt enough just taking his belongings, they had to kill him, Altamirano-Solanos father, Victor Altamirano, said during the sentencing. I ask for justice for my son. Altamirano-Solanos mother and brother joined the hearing remotely. The pain that I felt was so deep, Nelly Altamirano said. I felt like I just lost my life. I had so many questions. Why? Why my son? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Nevada state law allows prosecutors to charge more than one person with murder if a pair or group is accused of committing the crime together. Covington and Taylor did not call for help after the shooting. A housekeeper found Altamirano-Solanos body more than eight hours after the shooting. The women will be eligible for parole in 2033 with credit for time served. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. BOONE COUNTY, Ill. (WTVO) Police have arrested Samuel Manos, 22, on charges that he possessed and distributed child pornography. According to the Boone County Sheriffs Office, in July 2024, police were contacted by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children with a tip that child pornography had been uploaded from a device tracked to Manos. Authorities from Boone County assisted the Illinois Attorney Generals Office in investigating the case, which led to charges against Manos and his arrest. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He faces 6 counts of Dissemination of Child Pornography and 2 counts of Possession of Child Pornography. Manos was taken into custody and then released following a pre-trial detention hearing. He faces up to 30 years in prison if convicted. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. Its been 26 years since two-year-old Teekah Lewis was kidnapped from a Tacoma bowling alley, and her disappearance remains a mystery. She was last seen on Jan. 23, 1999, at about 10:30 p.m. at the New Frontier Lanes bowling alley on Center Street. She had been playing in the arcade area of the bowling alley before she disappeared. She was wearing a green Tweety Bird T-shirt, white sweatpants, and red, white, and black Air Jordan shoes at the time. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A maroon late 1980s or 90s Pontiac Grand Am with tinted windows and a spoiler was seen speeding away from the bowling alley parking lot shortly after she disappeared. In 2020, Tacoma police announced that theyd developed a description of a person of interest. Officers said there was a man at the bowling alley the night Lewis disappeared. He is described as white, about 30 to 40 years old, with brown curly hair, a mustache, and pockmarks on his face. Detectives have also released age progression pictures, showing what she may look like now, in her mid-20sstill, no leads have been strong enough to point to what happened to Lewis. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The department and Lewis family arent giving up hope. Anyone with information that may help solve this case is asked to call Crime Stoppers of Tacoma/Pierce County at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477). Saudi Arabia said it would invest at least $600 billion in the US over the next four years. President Donald Trump has long enjoyed a good relationship with the Saudi crown prince. Trump has moved quickly since taking office, signing executive orders and announcing investments. Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has told the newly inaugurated President Donald Trump that his oil-rich nation would invest at least $600 billion in the US over the next four years. The crown prince told Trump about the investment during a congratulatory phone call on Wednesday evening, the state-run Saudi Press Agency said on Thursday. The report said the two leaders discussed how the US and Saudi Arabia could work together to promote peace and security in the Middle East. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Representatives for Trump and Saudi Arabia's foreign ministry did not respond to requests for comment from Business Insider. Trump has long enjoyed a good relationship with the crown prince. Saudi Arabia was the first foreign nation he visited during his first term. When Trump met the crown prince in June 2019, he described him as a "friend of mine" and said he was "opening up Saudi Arabia." Deal after deal Shortly after being sworn in on Monday, Trump moved quickly, issuing a wave of executive orders covering areas including trade, immigration, and energy. He's also been working on deals, both domestically and abroad. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On Monday, Trump signed an executive order to pause the ban on TikTok for 75 days. Trump said while signing the order that the US should own half of TikTok if he's able to halt the ban. "I may not do the deal, or I may do the deal. TikTok is worthless, worthless, if I don't approve it," Trump said, adding that the social media platform could be worth $1 trillion. And on Tuesday, Trump announced Stargate, a new joint venture between OpenAI, Oracle, and SoftBank. The president said Stargate planned to invest up to $500 billion in artificial-intelligence infrastructure across the US. "Before the end of my first full business day in Washington and the White House, we have already secured nearly $3 trillion of new investments in the United States and probably that's going to be six or seven by the end of the week," Trump said while announcing Stargate on Tuesday, though he did not elaborate on the sources of the investments. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Later, on Wednesday, Trump made an overture to Russian President Vladimir Putin about the Ukraine war. Trump said in a Truth Social post that he was doing Russia a big favor by offering to end the conflict. "If we don't make a 'deal,' and soon, I have no other choice but to put high levels of Taxes, Tariffs, and Sanctions on anything being sold by Russia to the United States, and various other participating countries," Trump wrote. "We can do it the easy way, or the hard way - and the easy way is always better," Trump added. Saudi Arabia has its own priorities It is unclear how Saudi Arabia's new investment in the US aligns with its economic priorities. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In 2016, the country launched its Vision 2030 plan to transform its oil-dependent economy into a more diversified one boosted by tourism and sports. The kingdom has already pumped billions into its economic pivot, with some investments going to the US. But its sovereign wealth fund, the Public Investment Fund, said last year that it would focus more on its domestic economy. It's the world's sixth-largest sovereign wealth fund, per the Sovereign Wealth Fund Institute. The fund's governor, Yasir Al Rumayyan, told delegates at Saudi Arabia's Future Investment Initiative business conference in October that the fund was planning to cut the proportion of foreign investments from 30% to between 18% and 20%. "A lot of people would come looking for our money to be invested abroad. But that thing shifted over the years," Al Rumayyan said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "So now, we're more focused on the domestic economy," he added, "and we've been achieving and doing so many big things." Read the original article on Business Insider The Hennepin County Attorneys Office has cleared three Minneapolis police officers involved in the fatal shooting of an armed man in June. The loss of any life is a tragic event, Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty said in a Wednesday statement. After a thorough review of the (Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension) investigation, the decision to decline charges in this case is appropriate. Our thoughts are with everyone impacted by this incident. According to investigators, officers Enoch Langford, Abdirizaq Mumin and Chaz Wilson fired their weapons during the June 12 confrontation, which ended near the intersection of 34th Street and Hiawatha Avenue in Minneapolis. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement BCA investigators say the officers responded to a 911 call from a person who said they were threatened by a man with a gun. At the scene, officers tried to make contact with the man later determined to be Michael Warren Ristow, 39, of Bloomington, but investigators say Ristow fled from officers. After a foot chase and repeatedly ordering Ristow to stop, he appeared to rack the slide of the firearm and began raising it to point at the officers, who then fired, striking Ristow multiple times. He was later pronounced dead at a hospital. The BCAs investigation was conducted at the request of the Minneapolis Police Department, in accordance with state law. Related Articles DAYTON, Ohio (WDTN) After roughly a 1-year deployment, soldiers from the Ohio Army National Guard are coming home. A release from the Ohio National Guard reported 30 soldiers from the 1137th Signal Company (Tactical Installation and Networking-Enhanced) will return to Ohio on Jan. 25. The returning soldiers were deployed around 12 months ago to the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility. Soldiers worked through the CENTCOM area, which included installing, maintaining, repairing and replacing telecommunication network lines and infrastructure. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The public is invited to a ceremony to welcome the soldiers back on Jan. 25 at 10 a.m. at Ohio National Guard headquarters, Maj. Gen. Robert S. Beightler Armory, located at 2825 W. Dublin Granville Road in Columbus. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WDTN.com. The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) has unveiled 1,474 awards for 2025 that will be given to organizations across the country. Among those are 35 grants going to arts organizations and individuals around Minnesota, including the Children's Theatre Company (CTC), Guthrie Theater, Milkweed Editions, Coffee House Press, the American Composers Forum, St. Paul Chamber Orchestra, Public Art St. Paul, and the Regents of the University of Minnesota. The NEA is proud to continue our nearly 60 years of supporting the efforts of organizations and artists that help to shape our countrys vibrant arts sector and communities of all types across our nation, said NEA Chair Maria Rosario Jackson, PhD. Lisa Howard (Witch) in the Guthrie Theater's production of "Into the Woods". Photo by Dan NormanCourtesy of Guthrie Theater. The grants for Minnesota-based groups range from $10,000 to $60,000, offering organizations vital funding for operating costs, research, or project-specific capital. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The largest grant recipient in the state was the Arrowhead Regional Arts Council in Duluth, which received $60,000 to support the "expansion of competitive grant programs for arts organizations and individual artists." Other awards include $10,000 for the Zenon Dance Company's efforts to bring a dance tour to rural Minnesota, $35,000 to FilmNorth to support development activities for independent filmmakers in the region, $20,000 for Mizna's print journal, $20,000 to Theater Mu for the world premiere production of Ankita Raturi's "Fifty Boxes of Earth," and $40,000 that will support the production of an upcoming musical from the CTC. (A complete list can be found below.) We are delighted to have the support of the NEA for our new musical 'Milo Imagines the World,' a joint commission in partnership with the Rose Theatre in Omaha, and Chicago Children's Theatre, Rick Dildine, the CTC's new Artistic Director, said. The creative team has crafted a beautiful adaptation of Matt de la Pena and Christian Robinson's book, and we are so excited to share this story and music with our audiences. Nearly 2,200 eligible grant applications were submitted last February for this round of grants. In total, the 1,127 grants were awarded by the NEA this month, putting more than $31 million into supporting theater, film, literature, music, dance, and other arts projects in the country. Related: Rick Dildine sees no nobler task than work as new artistic director for Children's Theatre Grants given to Minnesota groups, per the NEA: Seven police officers have been shot after responding to a call late Wednesday about a family member in distress and needing immediate help at an apartment in San Antonio, police said. However, as police responded to the scene, they were shot one after the other in succession, according to San Antonio Police Chief Bill McManus. The suspect was found shot dead in the apartment after a standoff for several hours, McManus said. They are still investigating whether it was self-inflicted or from the SWAT team that was called in, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement All of the officers are being treated for non-life-threatening injuries, authorities said. PHOTO: San Antonio Police responded near the scene of a shooting, in a screengrap from a video on Thursday, Jan. 23, 2025. (KSAT) MORE: Police officer shot inside home they were responding to for help The first officer who responded was shot in the lower extremities while the second officer was shot shortly afterward, police said. A third responding officer subsequently arrived on scene and was shot before a fourth officer responded and was struck by a bullet in the upper torso, police confirmed. No further details were given on the other three officers. PHOTO: San Antonio Police Chief William McManus speaks with reporters in a screengrap from a video on Thursday, Jan. 23, 2025. (KSAT) MORE: Woman poisoned 1-year-old girl for months to exploit her for online donations: Police Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The identities of the police officers involved have not yet been released but McManus said that each of them had between four to eight years of experience on the force. The suspect -- a male in his 40s -- has not yet been identified by police. The suspect involved in the shooting had been arrested on Jan. 18 for two charges of assault and a driving while intoxicated charge, police said. He was currently out on bond, according to McManus. 7 cops shot in San Antonio while responding to call for help from apartment originally appeared on abcnews.go.com TEHRAN, Jan. 23 (Xinhua) -- Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei has condemned the U.S. moves to re-add Cuba to its list of state sponsors of terrorism and re-designate Yemen's Houthi group as a foreign terrorist organization. He made the remarks in separate statements released by the ministry on Thursday while reacting to decisions by newly inaugurated U.S. President Donald Trump to relist Cuba on Monday as a "state sponsor of terrorism" and order the State Department on Wednesday to re-designate the Houthi group as a "foreign terrorist organization," revoking decisions by his predecessor Joe Biden. Baghaei said the U.S. accusation against Cuba and inclusion of the country in its list of "state sponsors of terrorism" were "unjustifiable, baseless and rejected." He pointed to the U.S.'s long history of using such "unfounded and arbitrary" listings to advance its foreign policy by discrediting other countries, and described the latest anti-Cuba action as being "contrary to the principles and regulations of international law and an excuse for imposing unilateral and cruel sanctions against independent nations." Baghaei emphasized that such unilateral actions not only violated the Cuban people's fundamental human rights but also further weakened the rule of law at the international level and promoted lawlessness. He called on the international community to oppose such actions by the United States. Commenting on the U.S. State Department's re-inclusion of the Houthi group in its list of "foreign terrorist organizations," Baghaei said the "unjust and baseless action, which is in contradiction with international law," served as a pretext to impose "inhumane" sanctions against the Yemeni people. He hailed the Yemeni people's "honorable solidarity with the oppressed Palestinian people" in the face of Israel's "occupation and genocide," describing the U.S. State Department's move as being aligned with the former U.S. administration's support for and complicity in Israel's "15-month-long killing and genocide" against Palestinians in Gaza. Seven San Antonio, Texas police officers were shot by a barricaded suspect Wednesday night, the city's police chief said. The suspect was found dead from a gunshot wound, he added. Chief William McManus told reporters the incident began when officers responded to a call from a family member of the suspect regarding a "suicide in progress" at an apartment complex in the Stone Oak neighborhood of north San Antonio. The first officer who arrived "was shot in the lower extremity," McManus said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Another officer arriving after him, or about the same time as him, was also shot," the police chief continued. "Third officer arriving on the scene was shot as well. And finally, the fourth officer who arrived on the scene was shot, I believe that was in the upper torso." The four officers were hospitalized with what were believed to be non-life-threatening injuries, McManus said. Later, in a video posted on Facebook, McManus said the number of officers shot was actually seven in all. He didn't disclose anything about the condition of the three others. In the video, McManus said it wasn't clear whether the suspect shot himself or was hit by police gunfire. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He had described the suspect as a man in his 40s. "The suspect had three arrests on Jan. 18, two for assault offenses and one for DWI. He was out on bond at the time," McManus said. Some surrounding units were evacuated during the incident, which McManus said in the video went on for "several hours." The four wounded officers McManus originally mentioned had between four and eight years of experience with the department, he said. A resident of the apartment complex, Joseph Loredo, told CBS San Antonio affiliate KENS-TV he was studying for an exam when he "heard a loud pop," then saw helicopters overhead. He said he later heard a series of shots. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "I just heard a loud pop; it was a like a single pop. I didn't think much of it and my mom is living with me so she told me to come out to the balcony because she heard a lot of noise," Loredo said. "Sure enough, when we go out to the balcony, we heard a bunch of helicopters. And then 20 seconds after we were out there, we heard more shots. It was like two or three shots. I told my mom, 'Hey mom, those are gunshots.'" Judge temporarily blocks Trump's birthright citizenship executive order Trump's birthright citizenship executive order in court Border officials told to comply with Trump's asylum orders SHREVEPORT, La. (KTAL/KMSS) The following five stories are a great place to start if youre interested in learning about historic places, people and events that are tied to Shreveport and connected to the American civil rights movement of the 1960s. Booker T. Washington High School Booker T. Washington High School was a school for African American students in Shreveport that opened on Jan. 23, 1950. It cost more than $1.5 to build a state-of-the-art structure in 1963, which was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2015. But when students at BTWHS protested for civil rights in 1963, violence erupted. Students from Booker T. Washington High School running away from a cloud of tear gas on Sept. 22, 1963. (Source: Langston McEachern photographs, The Shreveport Times Collection, Northwest Louisiana Archives, Louisiana State University Shreveport) To learn more about BTWs place in civil rights, read: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Booker T. Washington High Schools place in Shreveport Civil Rights history Shreveports connection to Freedom Summer Dave Dennis, Sr. was raised on the Miles Plantation in Shreveport and grew up to become the architect of Freedom Summer in 1964. Dennis was studying at Dillard University in New Orleans when he became involved in the Congress of Racial Equality and joined in with Freedom Riders across the American South. Dennis became a leader in COREs voting registration efforts, particularly in Mississippi, and worked with legends of the civil rights movement such as such as John Lewis, Diane Nash, Andrew Young, C.T. Vivian, James Farmer, Wyatt Tee Walker, and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.. Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. (3R) participating in planning session for Freedom Riders bus trip from Montgomery, Alabama to Jackson, Mississippi. (Photo by Lee Lockwood/Getty Images) Dave connected with Dr. C.O. Simpkins of Shreveport, who was the President of the United Christian Movement and a founder of the SCLC, which Dr. King headed throughout his years of activism. Dennis connected with other prominent figures in Shreveports Civil Rights efforts and became one of them. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For more information about David Dennis connection to the civil rights movement, read: Shreveports David Dennis was architect of Freedom Summer of 1964 Bombing at Lake Bistineau A triple-bombing that occurred on the night of Tues., Apr. 24, 1962 was meant to strike fear in the hearts of those working for equality in Northwest Louisiana. A lakehouse owned by Shreveport dentist and civil rights activist Dr. Cuthbert Ormond (C.O.) Simpkins was destroyed when the bomb blasted the property. The ruins of Dr. C. O. Simpkins home on Lake Bistineau was destroyed by an explosion in 1962. (Source: Times photo b Lloyd Stilley) An investigation of the bombing of Simpkins home revealed that someone returned to the lake house the day after it was bombed. They set the remains of the home on fire. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Two more bombings, both related to Shreveports civil rights movement, occurred on the same date. Simpkins worked directly with Martin Luther King, Jr., Robert F. Kennedy, and others who made the movement move. And we now know the story behind a photograph of Simpkins, RFK, and MLK that appeared in widely-distributed civil-rights era literature. To learn more about the three bombs that caused Dr. Cuthbert Ormond Simpkins to leave Shreveport, read: Lost history: Triple bombing at Lake Bistineau in 1962 Desegregation of Shreveports bus center Busses from across the country came to The Continental Trailways Bus Station in Shreveport, filled with out-of-town passengers and returning locals, and it was easy for residents in Shreveport to buy affordable bus or train tickets to New England, Florida, the Rocky Mountains, or hundreds of places in between. Passengers could even travel internationally to Canada and Mexico! The Shreveport Journal, Fri., July 14, 1961 Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The terminal was home to several bus lines, but there was a catch to eating at The Terminal Grill: you had to have white skin. And as if that werent enough of an embarrassment, if you were Black, you had to ride in the back of the busand thats only if seats were available after white passengers bought their tickets. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was aware of the situation in Shreveport, and he was also fully aware that it wasnt just a Shreveport problem. It was a Southern problem. Caddo District Court records show precisely what happened when four Freedom Riders were arrested on Aug. 4, 1961, as they tried to get on a bus to Jackson, Mississippi. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement To learn what happened, read: 1961: Six Shreveport Freedom Riders tried to desegregate Trailways Bus Center Coleman College Coleman College was established in Gibsland, Louisiana in 1887 and became the first college for African Americans in North Louisiana. In 1899, tuition was $1.60 and room and board was $5.50 a month. By 1932, tuition had increased to $1.75. During the schools heyday, the Coleman Bulldogs biggest rivals were the Grambling Tigers. Coleman College is easily one of the greatest (African American) Baptist Schools not only in Louisiana, but in the South, wrote William Hicks in the History of Louisiana Negro Baptists from 1869-1954. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Coleman College later moved to Shreveport and educated the next generation of citizens, some of which became leaders in Shreveports civil rights movement. To learn more about Coleman Colleges history, read: Coleman College: First African American college in North Louisiana If you would like to know more about the civil rights movement in Caddo Parish, Louisiana, visit the KTAL Caddo Parish Civil Rights Trail Project webpage. The project is a collaboration between KTAL NBC 6, LSU Shreveport, and Red River Radio. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. A court in India has sentenced five men to death for the gang rape and murder of a teenager as well as the killing of her father and toddler-aged niece. The crime was committed in January 2021 when the men offered the girl and her family -- all members of a disadvantaged tribal community in the central state of Chhattisgarh -- lifts on their motorbikes while they were waiting for public transport. They later clubbed the teenager's father to death as he attempted to stop the rape and killed her three-year-old niece, public prosecutor Sunil Kumar Mishra told AFP. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The last victim was found unconscious by villagers several days later and died on her way to hospital. Five men were found guilty of the rape and triple murder "and condemned to death," Mishra said on Thursday, the day after the sentence was published by the court. A sixth man "was found guilty of association in crimes, but his involvement in rape was not proved, so he was sentenced to imprisonment for the remainder of his life for killings," he added. India imposes the death penalty, although it is rarely carried out in practice. An average of nearly 90 rapes a day were reported in 2022 in the country of 1.4 billion people, but activists say many more go unreported. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A court in the eastern city of Kolkata sentenced a man to life in prison this week after he was found guilty of raping and murdering a 31-year-old doctor last year. The family of the doctor broke into tears, saying they were "shocked" at the sentence and had hoped her murderer would be hanged. Members of the citizen forum including doctors walk in a rally protesting a rape and murder of a resident doctor in a government hospital early August, in Kolkata, India, Oct. 1, 2024. / Credit: Bikas Das / AP The discovery of her bloodied body at a state-run hospital in August stoked nationwide anger and protests at the chronic issue of violence against women. The gruesome nature of the attack drew comparisons with the 2012 gang rape and murder of a young woman on a Delhi bus, which also sparked weeks of nationwide protests. Four men convicted of the bus attack were executed in March 2020. Last week, more than four dozen men were arrested for the repeated sexual abuse of a teenager, who said around 60 men targeted her in the southern state of Kerala over several years. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The men accused of the attacks include a childhood friend of the girl, along with neighbors and family friends, police told CBS News' partner network, BBC News. There are at least five students from her college and former classmates from her school among the accused, according to Indian outlet The News Minute. The alleged abuse came to light last month when a team of counselors working under a government program visited her house. Judge calls Trump's birthright citizenship executive order "blatantly unconstitutional" Judge temporarily blocks Trump's birthright citizenship executive order Trump's threat to world businesses on tariffs President Trump sat down Wednesday with Fox News host and ally Sean Hannity for his first one-on-one interview since returning to the White House for his second term. Trump has taken questions from reporters on each of his first three days in office, including the Hannity interview. In his prime-time sit-down with Hannity, the president fielded questions in the Oval Office on his 2024 election win, the natural disasters that have ravaged North Carolina and California, and former President Bidens use of preemptive pardons in his final hours in office. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Here are five takeaways from the interview. Trump: Biden got bad advice to not pardon himself Trump told Hannity he was given the option on his way out of the White House in 2021 to pardon himself, but declined because he believed he had done nothing wrong despite public efforts to overturn his election loss. Trump then went on to suggest it was a mistake Biden didnt take advantage of that power himself in his final hours, which culminated Monday at noon. This guy went around giving everybody pardons, Trump said. And you know, the funny thing, maybe the sad thing, is he didnt give himself a pardon. And if you look at it, it all had to do with him. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump later said Biden got very bad advice. Joe Biden has very bad advisers. Somebody advised Joe Biden to give pardons to everybody but him, Trump said. Trump told Hannity he would defer to Congress as to whether lawmakers should investigate Biden and his decision to preemptively pardon family members and Trump critics such as retired Gen. Mark Milley, former Rep. Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.) and members of the House panel that investigated the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol. In announcing those pardons, Biden said he was concerned those individuals would be subject to politically motivated investigations. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump also revealed to Hannity that he was given the option on his way out of the White House in his first term to pardon himself, but declined. I was given the option. They said, Sir, would you like to pardon everybody, including yourself? I said, Im not going to pardon anybody. We didnt do anything wrong, Trump said. Legal experts suggested at the end of Trumps first term that it was untested legal grounds for a president to try to preemptively pardon themselves. Trump bashes FEMA, suggests disaster recovery be left to states The president was sharply critical of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), suggesting at one point states should handle their own response to natural disasters but still have the federal government providing money. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement FEMA has not done their job for the last four years. But unless you have certain types of leadership, its really it gets in the way, Trump said. And FEMA is gonna be a whole big discussion very shortly, because Id rather see the states take care of their own problems. I love Oklahoma, Trump continued. But you know what, if they get hit with a tornado or something, let Oklahoma fix it. And then the federal government can help them out with the money. Trump repeatedly attacked the Biden administration and FEMA in the wake of Hurricane Helene, which devastated parts of Florida, Georgia and the Carolinas. A FEMA worker was fired last year after they told aid workers not to go to homes with Trump yard signs, further inflaming GOP criticism of the response. Trump previews North Carolina, California trips The president will make his first domestic trip away from Washington on Friday when he travels to North Carolina and California to tour disaster recovery efforts. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But its unclear whether Trump will meet with Democratic state leaders on the ground. The president told Hannity he wasnt sure if hed be meeting with California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D), a fierce political rival, or with North Carolina Gov. Josh Stein (D), who just took office. The president repeated his claims that hes been making for days that California could better combat its fires in Los Angeles if it directed water from the northern part of the state to the southern part of the state. Trump signed an executive order Monday directing departments to route more water from Northern California to Southern California. But Rep. John Garamendi (D-Calif.), who represents a Northern California district, said the presidents executive order was a blatant political ploy that does nothing to implement science-backed methods that would strengthen water supply or support firefighting capabilities. Trump shrugs off TikTok privacy concerns Trump brushed away national security concerns about the TikTok app, which were at the center of a bipartisan law to ban the platform if its China-based owner did not divest its ownership stake. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement You can say that about everything made in China, Trump said when Hannity noted concerns that the app could be used by Beijing to spy on its users. We have so many things made in China. So why dont they mention that? Trump said. The interesting thing with TikTok, though, is youre dealing with a lot of young people. Is it that important for China to be spying on young people? Young people watching crazy videos and things. The president signed an executive order Monday giving TikTok an additional 75 days before a law banning the popular video-sharing platform takes effect. The move has been greeted with skepticism by some Republicans. Trump signed an executive order in 2020, during his first term, effectively banning TikTok over data privacy concerns because of its parent company, ByteDance. While the order was never enacted after legal challenges, Trump has in the past year become an outspoken fan of TikTok, citing his popularity on the app during his campaign. Trump calls Jan. 6 assaults on police officers minor incidents For the second day in a row, Trump was asked about his decision to pardon defendants charged in connection with the Jan. 6, 2021, riots at the Capitol who committed violence against police. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On Wednesday, the president dismissed some of those clashes as minor incidents. They were in there for three and a half years treated like nobodys ever been treated. So badly. Treated like the worst criminals in history, Trump said of his decision to pardon roughly 1,500 people. The other thing is this: some of those people with the police, true. But they were very minor incidents. They get built up by a couple of fake guys who are on CNN all the time, Trump said. His comments were likely referring to individuals such as former Washington, D.C., police officer Michael Fanone, who have appeared on CNN to criticize Trumps rhetoric and actions around Jan. 6, including the mass pardons. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump on Monday night in one of his first official acts as president granted roughly 1,500 full, complete and unconditional pardons for rioters charged in connection with the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol attack. There have been 1,583 total defendants charged. About 600 Jan. 6 defendants were accused of assaulting, resisting or impeding police, including some charges of using flagpoles and pepper spray to assault police officers protecting the Capitol on Jan. 6. Ten defendants were convicted of sedition, the crown jewel of the Justice Departments sprawling prosecution. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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 board member at TikToks parent company said that a deal to save the app from disappearing in the United States will be done soon. Despite the messy legal landscape, both the US and China appear to show interest in dialogue to keep the app available for Americas 170 million users. Heres what else you need to know to Get Up to Speed and On with Your Day. 1. Immigration President Donald Trump is dispatching around 1,500 troops to the US-Mexico border to follow through on a promise to crack down on illegal immigration. The move comes just days after the Trump administration asked the military to be prepared to deploy up to 10,000 active duty troops immediately, setting off a scramble inside the Pentagon. In an Oval Office interview on Wednesday, Trump also told Fox News he might have to cut funding to so-called sanctuary cities if they do not comply with his immigration orders. Meanwhile, the House voted on Wednesday to pass the Laken Riley Act, a GOP-led bill to require detention of undocumented migrants charged with certain crimes, handing an early legislative win to Trump and congressional Republicans. 2. School shooting One student has died and another was injured in a shooting Wednesday at Antioch High School in Nashville, Tennessee. Authorities said a 17-year-old male student armed with a pistol fired multiple shots in the schools cafeteria, killing a 16-year-old female student. The shooter killed himself after the attack. Police are investigating whether the victims were directly targeted or struck by random gunfire. Wednesdays tragedy was the first school shooting to occur in the US this year, based on CNNs school shooting database parameters. There were 83 incidents in 2024, the most of any year CNN has tracked. 3. California wildfires A new fast-moving wildfire in Southern California has prompted thousands of evacuations. The Hughes fire in Castaic impacting both Los Angeles and Ventura counties had burned more than 10,000 acres and is 14% contained as of early today, according to Cal Fire. No structures have been reported damaged or destroyed but the fire threat remains critical in the region. The unincorporated community of Castaic is about 15 miles northwest of the city of Santa Clarita and borders the Angeles National Forest. Approximately 31,000 residents in the area are under evacuation orders, while 23,000 are under evacuation warnings. 4. Winter storm Icy roads are creating treacherous conditions across the Gulf Coast after a massive winter storm on Tuesday dumped historic snow on several states. The storm and its brutal cold impacted 1,500 miles of the Deep South, killing at least 11 people and causing widespread travel disruptions, including stranded motorists and thousands of canceled flights. The heavy snowfall is over, but the cold is sticking around and keeping slippery conditions in place. Many cities are asking residents to avoid driving as the sun melts snow that then refreezes, increasing the danger on roadways. 5. Thailand marriage equality Hundreds of same-sex couples are tying the knot across Thailand today as the country becomes the first in Southeast Asia to recognize marriage equality. The landmark bill marks a momentous win for the LGBTQ+ community, which has fought for more than a decade for the same marriage rights as heterosexual couples. Under the legislation, passed by Thailands parliament and endorsed by the king last year, same-sex couples are now able to register their marriages with full legal, financial, and medical rights, as well as adoption and inheritance rights. BREAKFAST BROWSE Why some Instagram users arent able to unfollow Trump and JD Vance Some social media users, including celebrities, are posting complaints that Meta wont let them unfollow President Donald Trump, Vice President JD Vance and first lady Melania Trump on Instagram. Heres what we know. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Theres a steep fee to climb Mount Everest Nepal will increase the permit fees for climbing Mount Everest by more than 35% to $15,000, making the worlds tallest peak more expensive for mountaineers for the first time in nearly a decade. Trash or treasure? A marble statue believed to be more than 2,000 years old was found abandoned in a garbage bag near the Greek city of Thessaloniki, police said. Feeling bored has a purpose. Here are 5 things to know about boredom Many try to avoid boredom, but it serves a purpose. A neuroscientist explains why people get bored and how to turn boredom into motivation. This animal is bouncing back from the brink of extinction Animal conservationists in Australia have launched an initiative to bring back miniature kangaroo lookalikes. TODAYS NUMBER 1,500 Thats around how many species of fish live in Australias Great Barrier Reef, the worlds largest coral reef. However, a new study has found that record ocean heat and coral bleaching have reached catastrophic levels, disrupting most fish communities in the area. TODAYS QUOTE Its a miracle that Im here. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Emme Bellucci, a 12-year-old who was hospitalized for months after she was prescribed the powerful antibiotic widely known as Bactrim. The medication, often used to treat severe acne, is prescribed to an estimated 3 million people in the US each year but can also cause rare, dangerous reactions, researchers say. TODAYS WEATHER Check your local forecast here>>> AND FINALLY These athletes are dragon boat racing but not on water Hundreds of athletes from around the world raced their dragon boats across frigid ice in a bid to claim the Ice Dragon Boat Championship in China. Watch the video here. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com LONDON (AP) A man has been arrested on suspicion of grievous bodily harm after five people were stabbed on Thursday morning in south London, emergency services said. The Metropolitan Police said a man in his 50s, two men in their 30s and two men in their 20s were taken to hospital with stab wounds and that their conditions were assessed as not life-threatening. The incident took place in an industrial park in Croydon, and near an Asda supermarket. Police also said a 30-year-old man was arrested nearby on suspicion of grievous bodily harm and possession of an offensive weapon. He was also taken to hospital with injuries that were not life-threatening. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Based on initial enquiries we believe all those involved knew each other," said Chief Superintendent Andy Brittain, local policing commander for south London. "Therefore we do not believe there is any wider risk to the public. The London Ambulance Service said one of the injured was taken to a major trauma center in London. We sent a number of resources to the scene, including ambulance crews, a paramedic in a fast response car, an incident response officer, members of our Tactical Response Unit and Londons Air Ambulance, the service said. The incident comes on the day that a teenager faced sentencing for fatally stabbing three girls at a Taylor Swift-themed summer dance class in the northwestern English town of Southport. The News Five years after Wuhan imposed the worlds first COVID-19 lockdown, public health experts worry that Donald Trumps policies could make it harder to fight the next global pandemic. On his first day in office, the president moved to withdraw the US from the World Health Organization, and later paused all external communications from federal health agencies. Scientists fear that an exit from WHO which will take at least a year could diminish the US standing as a global health leader and complicate its response to another pandemic, because US agencies wouldnt have access to the organizations global data. WHO has long been a target for conservatives who said it has become too politicized and infringes on American sovereignty. SIGNALS Experts split on the extent that China can fill funding gap left by US Sources: The Washington Post, The Telegraph Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The US withdrawal from the World Health Organization endangering some 20% of its budget is giving a great benefit to the Chinese, a a global health policy expert told The Washington Post: Beijing could try to fill the gap Washington leaves behind, both in terms of money and in leadership. China has historically prioritized diplomacy through bilateral partnerships over multinational organizations, some other experts cautioned, especially given Beijingsincredibly complicated relationship with the WHO since COVID, The Telegraph noted. It might be a big opportunity for China but do they really care about the WHO or do they care more about maintaining broader influence bilaterally? one health policy researcher said. Developing countries will feel the biggest hit Sources: NPR, Axios, Forbes The WHO is crucial for responding to global health crises, especially in impoverished and developing countries, with several world nations facing a resurgence of tuberculosis and a growing risk of malaria driven by climate changes. The agencys funding is already secured for this year, but the developing worlds health must be safeguarded from the kinds of tensions and conflicts and politics that go on between countries, a United Nations researcher argued. Some public health experts are also concerned that conservatives could push Trump to enact a potential ban or rollback of US funding for global NGOs that provide abortions. Trumps WHO withdrawal, health picks are double whammy for US public health Source: MIT Tech Review The WHO withdrawal will ultimately leave the US in a weaker position in terms of its pandemic and epidemic preparedness, and the personal views of the new administrations top health picks including Secretary of Health and Human Services nominee Robert F. Kennedy Jr. could equate to a double whammy for US public health, an epidemiologist told MIT Tech Review: Were setting ourselves up for large measles disease outbreaks, he stressed. WHO also facilitates the sharing of data between countries, crucial to tracking ongoing outbreaks, including bird flu. WHITE PLAINS, NY (WJW) Two school officials face public corruption charges, accused of stealing $50,000 from the school they worked for in New York. Greenburgh-Graham Union Free School District serves students with disabilities from kindergarten to 12th grade. Man killed in I-77 crash in Green was local coach According to the district attorneys office, the districts former superintendent and a former security system specialist face multiple charges. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Oliver Levy, who was the superintendent at the time, worked with Surendra Kumar, a security system specialist, to purchase 168 gift cards between July 2018 and June 2022, according to the district attorneys office. The defendants are accused of using $50,000 meant for the school for personal expenses, including jewelry and luxury handbags. Levy, 55, and Mr. Kumar, 48, were arrested in May 2024. Ohioan wins $1M on lottery scratch-off ticket They were arraigned on Wednesday. Each face multiple charges of larceny and public corruption. The top charge, Second-Degree Grand Larceny as a Crime of Public Corruption, carries a maximum potential sentence of 8 1/3 to 25 years in prison. 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. More than half of Ukrainians believe that a potential deal to end the war with Russia will be doomed to fail if it does not include the full restoration of Ukraine's territorial integrity. Source: public opinion poll conducted by the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology (KIIS), as reported by European Pravda Details: A total of 57% of all Ukrainians agree that any peace agreement that does not restore the full territorial integrity of Ukraine is doomed to fail. This majority is maintained across different groups by age, region of residence, and language practice in private life. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In particular, 55% of Ukrainians living in the West, 60% in the Centre and South, and 58% in the East strongly agree or rather agree with this statement. Figures have been corrected according to the updated tables provided by the IBiF, Identity and Borders in Flux: The Case of Ukraine. The researchers also note that those who strongly agree or somewhat agree that any peace agreement that does not restore the full territorial integrity of Ukraine is doomed to fail are six percentage points more likely to have a negative view of Trump's election. However, in general, more than half of the respondents perceive Trump's new presidency as rather positive (from "rather good than bad" to "very good"). Background: On 22 January, Donald Trump said that if a deal to end the war in Ukraine is not reached soon, he will have "no other choice but to put high levels of Taxes, Tariffs and Sanctions on anything being sold by Russia to the United States and various other participating countries". Ukraine's Foreign Ministry welcomed the statement, while the Kremlin said it saw nothing new in it. Support UP or become our patron! A majority of Ukrainians 57% believe any peace agreement that does not fully restore Ukraine's territorial integrity is destined to fail, according to a survey by the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology (KIIS) published on Jan. 23. The survey revealed that this stance is shared across age groups, regions, and language practices. The poll, conducted between Nov. 22 and Jan. 7, reflects strong public sentiment as Russia's full-scale war approaches its third anniversary, with Moscow continuing its offensive in Ukraine's east. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The researchers also noted a link between attitudes toward territorial integrity and perceptions of U.S. President Donald Trump's new administration. Over half of respondents regard Trump's presidency positively, ranging from "rather good" to "very good." But those who strongly or somewhat agree with the statement about territorial integrity are more likely to view Trump's presidency negatively. The survey's results were based on telephone interviews with 1,600 respondents residing in Ukraine-controlled territories. Expectations for possible peace talks in 2025 are rising, as Trump has vowed to bring Kyiv and Moscow to the negotiating table. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Reports from the Wall Street Journal suggest his administration is weighing a plan to delay Ukraine's NATO membership by at least 20 years in exchange for continued Western arms supplies and the deployment of European peacekeepers to monitor a ceasefire. Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Dec. 26 that Russia aims to "end the conflict" in 2025, emphasizing hopes for front-line success. He expressed openness to dialogue with Trump but reiterated Russia's demands, including no territorial concessions. Read also: Kyiv Independent identifies high-ranking Russian officer, officials involved in looting of museums in southern Ukraine Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. NEW YORK, Jan. 23 (Xinhua) -- Former New York mayor and media mogul Michael Bloomberg announced Thursday that his philanthropy will offer funding to help cover the U.S. contribution to the UN climate agency after President Donald Trump declared withdrawal from the Paris climate accord again. "Bloomberg Philanthropies and other U.S. climate funders will ensure the United States meets its global climate obligations following the federal government's intent to withdraw from the Paris Agreement for the second time," the foundation said in a statement. This includes covering the funding gap left by the United States to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and upholding the country's reporting commitments, according to the foundation. "From 2017 to 2020, during a period of federal inaction, cities, states, businesses, and the public rose to the challenge to uphold our nation's commitments -- and now, we are ready to do it again," Bloomberg, who also serves as a UN special envoy on climate ambition and solutions, said in the statement. He also promised to continue his support for America Is All In, a coalition of U.S. cities, states, and businesses, as well as other subnational climate leaders working to meet the U.S. commitment to reduce emissions 61 percent to 66 percent below 2005 levels by 2035. The UNFCCC, the parent treaty of the 2015 Paris Agreement and the 1997 Kyoto Protocol, is the UN entity tasked with supporting the global response to the threat of climate change. It focuses on facilitating the intergovernmental climate change negotiations among nearly 200 countries and supporting to advance the implementation of the convention. In 2017, Bloomberg pledged up to 15 million U.S. dollars to support the UNFCCC following then Trump administration's first withdrawal from the Paris accord, media reported. Hours after his inauguration on Monday, Trump signed an executive order to pull the United States out of the Paris climate accord for the second time. The first Trump administration officially let the United States exit the Paris Agreement in November 2020, dealing a major blow to international efforts to combat the climate crisis. Joe Biden, who succeeded Trump in January 2021, signed an executive order after taking office to bring his country back into the accord. CHAMBERSBURG, Pa. (WHTM) In many states, county leaders dont have to decide how often to reassess property values which are used to calculate property taxes because state law tells them when to do it. Maryland homeowners, for example, never go more than three years without having their home values reassessed. Pennsylvania has no such requirement, so considering the expense of assessments (millions of dollars for even a midsized county) its no surprise many counties wait longer. But no county has waited as long as Franklin, which last reassessed all its properties in 1961. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Thats not to say Franklin County property owners pay taxes from that era. Municipalities need to pay 2024 prices for things like police and fire services, so they essentially multiply the low property values by higher numbers those are called millage rates to get the total amount of revenue they need now. But critics say there are two problems with relying on very old assessments: The idea of using property values to determine taxes is for wealthier people to pay more, but homes and neighborhoods change over the decades. A household of modest means today, living in a home highly valued as luxurious decades ago but that has fallen into disrepair, could find itself paying more than a high-income household in a newly-rejuvenated neighborhood. Chambersburg, specifically, is approaching a state limit of how high the millage rate, or multiple, can go. (The limit is 30; Chambersburg is at 27.) And when you approach that, technically, you dont have a way to go any further, said Allen Coffman, the boroughs council president. Youre stuck at that point. Chambersburg is one of five Franklin County boroughs the other four are Shippensburg, Greencastle, Mercersburg and Mont Alto who issued a joint statement expressing frustration that county commissioners dont appear motivated to do a new countywide assessment. On the other hand, they said the county has reassessed some property values but done so illegally, in what a law firm hired by Chambersburg called a spot reassessment scheme. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The allegation: that the county is reassessing properties using a spot reassessment scheme based on the prices of recent sales transactions. Thats common practice in some states, but firm lawyers wrote its illegal in Pennsylvania. Not so, county commissioners said in a statement. As per state guidelines, the Franklin County Tax Assessment Office validates every property sale. If staff find there are new structures on a property or some that have been removed staff adjust the property assessment for that change and only for that change, read the statement, attributed to all three commissioners. This method is not fraudulent; this is not a scheme. The changes to a propertys assessment rate are not a spot assessment. The changes are not based on the propertys sales price. Asked whether the commissioners might consider a countywide reassessment, a spokeswoman said the county will continue with its normal procedures regarding assessment. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Coffman questioned how an assessor could take recent changes to houses and convert them, in a standardized way, to 1961 valuations. I dont know how you can take that home and turn that value back to what it was in 1961, because there are things that are in that home we didnt put in homes in 1961, like internet, Coffman said. He said the borough isnt looking to collect a different amount of total tax dollars as a result of a reassessment just collect them more fairly, in proportion to realistic current property values, plus avoid bumping up against the state millage cap. In a reassessment, a third [of tax bills] go up, a third go down and a third will stay the same roughly those numbers, Coffman said. So really, two-thirds of the population should be happy with it, because theyll either stay the same or go down. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Franklin County property owners, like those in other counties, have the right to appeal the assessed values of their properties. Coffman hypothesized a higher percentage of appeals in Franklin County might be successful than in counties with more recent countywide assessments. However, abc27 News couldnt confirm a clear correlation. In 2024, 47 of 87 appeals by property owners in Franklin County, or 54 percent, resulted in valuation changes i.e., were successful according to the countys tax assessment office. The first two other central Pennsylvania counties to respond Wednesday afternoon to requests for equivalent information Cumberland and Lebanon had broadly similar rates. Get daily news, weather, breaking news and alerts straight to your inbox! Sign up for the abc27 newsletters here Among central Pennsylvania counties, after Franklins 1961 countywide assessment, Juniatas in 1973 is the second oldest, although commissioners there plan a new assessment in 2026. The next oldest is Fulton (1990), followed by Mifflin (1999); Dauphin (2002); York (2006); Adams, Cumberland and Perry (all 2011); Lebanon (2013) and Lancaster (2017). Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. 6Smith, the steak and seafood eatery on Lake Minnetonka in Wayzata, is celebrating a decade of its absurdly large "Fat Pants Friday" specials. Every Friday, the restaurant dishes up an absurdly enormous 3,000-calorie, Instagram-worthy meal. The 10-year celebration takes place on Friday, Jan. 24, when 6Smith will bring back the original Fat Pants Friday special at the original price. The Bacon Burger Bomb is a towering burger with three eight-ounce pork burgers, pork belly, three slices of Swiss cheese, white cheddar sauce, bacon crumbles, bacon bites, bacon syrup, and a sunny-side-up egg on a pretzel bun A previous Fat Pants Friday special at 6SmithCourtesy of 6Smith It's a shockingly large mmeal,and it'll be just $8 with its celebratory retro pricing. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The restaurant expects fans of the weekly special to line up before 11 a.m. because it plans to offer just 200 servings of the anniversary plate during a three-hour window. 6Smith's The Bacon Burger BombCourtesy of 6Smith Since its inception, 6Smith has created around 480 different specials, including keeping it going through the pandemic by offering "Son of Fat Pants Friday" as a takeout special. At the time it launched, owner Randy Stanley told Minnesota Monthly that the idea was a way to bring business to the restaurant during winter months and to flip the bird to everything right and righteous. Related: James Beard semifinalists includes 11 nominations for Minnesota restaurants LONGVIEW, Texas (KETK) Seven families have been affected following an apartment fire in Longview on Tuesday night. OFFICIALS: Firefighter injured, several pets die in Longview home fire Fire Marshal Kevin May said firefighters were dispatched to the Shelby Apartments on Bill Owens Parkway at around 11 p.m. A preliminary investigation indicates that a tenant had the fire on in their chimney which progressed into the attic. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement May said though there are eight units in the building, only seven of them had tenants. Two units also suffered water damage as a result of the fire. A hotspot rekindled behind a closet, May said, that could have been caused by insulation. Officials said no injuries were reported in this incident. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. Jan. 23 (UPI) -- Seven police officers were injured in a shooting at a San Antonio apartment complex that started Wednesday night, while the suspect was killed, authorities said Thursday morning. Police arrived at the scene at the apartment complex in the northern portion of the city after receiving a call from a family to report a "suicide in progress." The first four officers were fired upon when they arrived, San Antonio Police Chief William McManus said. The suspect, who was not identified but described as a male in his 40s, then barricaded himself in the apartment where three other officers were shot, McManus said in an early morning update. He said the first four officers suffered non-life-threatening injuries in the incident. The condition of the other three officers was not clear. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Some of the surrounding apartment units were evacuated during the incident, which went on for "several hours," authorities said. Police used tear gas before entering the apartment and ended the standoff. McManus later reported that the suspect was found dead of a gunshot wound, but it was not determined if it was self-inflicted or from authorities. He also confirmed that the suspect had been arrested on two counts of assault and one count of DWI on Jan. 18 but was released from the Bexar County Jail on bail. NEW YORK Seven people from New York City and Long Island have been busted in a massive COVID relief fraud scheme that netted $44 million and one of the defendants was so brazen he rapped about his crime in a song named after the IRS, the feds alleged Wednesday. The suspects scammed the money through thousands of bogus tax returns, spending it on jewelry, designer clothes, fancy cars and electronics, according to federal prosecutors who called it the largest scheme of its kind in the U.S. One suspect, Keith Williams, described the fraud on a recorded call as like taking candy from a baby, while another, Jamari Lewis, bragged about the scheme in a rap track titled Im Really Sophisticated (IRS), the feds allege. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Lewis, 26, of Queens, who raps under the name Mr. Chaketah, flashes high-end clothes and sneakers in the songs music video, singing, That government bread I ran that s--t up, like how am I gon lose? the feds allege. All seven suspects have been indicted in Long Island Federal Court. The fraudsters took advantage of several government relief programs enacted by Congress in 2020 at the height of the COVID pandemic, which shut down the U.S. economy and caused the death of more than 1.2 million Americans. They applied for funds through the Employee Retention Credit, which was established to give businesses incentive to keep paying employees while they were shut down by giving back a percentage of their wages to the businesses through tax credits, the feds allege. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Federal prosecutors refer to the scheme as the largest Employee Retention Credit fraud case in the country. The fraudsters also applied for Sick and Family Leave Credit, and several scammed relief bucks out of the Paycheck Protection Program, the feds allege. Williams, 46, of West Hempstead, ran much of the scams operations out of his credit repair business, Credit Reset, the feds allege, and the suspects churned out thousands of tax returns between November 2021 and June 2023. A raid of Williams home found millions of dollars in luxury items investigators believe was bought with the ill-gotten relief bucks including items from Rolex, Gucci, Louis Vuitton, Fendi, Balenciaga and Versace, and vehicles like a Land Rover, a Polaris Slingshot and a Tesla Model Y, the feds said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As alleged, the defendants shamefully took advantage of a global health emergency to line their pockets with millions of dollars that were intended for struggling families and small businesses just trying to stay afloat and lavished themselves with luxury goods while shamefully boasting about their criminal activity, acting U.S. Attorney John Durham said Wednesday. Williams lawyer, Chris Cassar, called the indictment overreaching. The government will be unable to prove that Keith Williams intentionally and knowingly committed any conspiracy or tax crime, he said. The other suspects include Janine Davis, 41, of Wheatley Heights, Morais Dicks, 55, of Dix Hills, James Hames, 65, of Campbell Hall, Ewendra Mathurin, 32, of Queens Village, and Tiffany Williams, 41, of Brooklyn. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Williams lawyer, Gilbert Bayonne, said Wednesday she entered a not guilty plea, and its too soon in the process to comment on the case. Dicks lawyer, Darnell Crosland, said his client firmly denies the allegations. He has always conducted his business with honesty and integrity. The charges are unfounded," Crosland said. The other suspects lawyers didnt immediately return messages seeking comment Wednesday. _____ LANSING, Mich. (WLNS) Eight arts and culture organizations in Lansing received a combined total of $70,000 in grant funding, Lansing Mayor Andy Schor announced Wednesday. The City of Lansing Arts and Culture Grants are administered annually and designed to assist arts and culture organizations in creating community-driven projects that specifically capitalize on Lansings assets. The projects combine inspiration and innovation that contribute to creating a sense of place for residents, businesses and visitors, writes the city in a release. The Arts Project Grants specifically look to fund projects and programs that increase accessibility to arts and culture for everyone and engage our communities in the process, while also adding growth and visibility to our city. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The 2025 Arts Project grantees and projects include: Capital City Film Festival The festival will take place from April 2 to April 12, with 5,000 expected guests, featuring special programs centered on Folk & Traditional Arts, the Arab American Narratives Project, and the CCFF Poetry Project. REACH Studio Arts Center Located at 1804 S Washington Ave, REACH provides free arts programming led by local teaching artists with no pre-registration required and no fee. Grit, Glam, and Guts Black Girl Day of Play is an event intended to bring Black women and girls from Lansing and across the state to play together in a way rooted in Black culture. Michigan Institute for Contemporary Art JazzFest and BluesFest are annual music festivals open to the public, intended to bring different communities around Michigan to Old Town. Lansing Symphony Orchestra The LSOs Neighborhood Concerts bring music directly to places like parks, chapels, local theaters, and farmers markets. Happendance, INC Happendance will host a program that will feature weekly dance and movement workshops at after-school program locations, culminating in a performance at the Schmidt Community Center. The Capitol Collective DBA Lansing 5:01 The DamJam music festival allows residents t to experience a robust Lansing-based artisan village, musical performances, and live art installations with chalk artists and muralists. The Poetry Room The Poetry Room is designed to uplift marginalized voices, including free open mic nights, poetry slam competitions, and poetry workshops. We are so proud to partner with the City of Lansing to provide these grants to our area arts and cultural organizations, said Meghan Martin, Arts Council executive director. Supporting these organizations is extremely important, as they provide so much valuable programming, events and other offerings to our community. These funds help them grow in their expertise and capacity and add creative richness to our region. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. TERRE HAUTE, Ind. (WTWO/WAWV) A 10 mile back up starting at the Brazil exit on I -70 has the Indiana State Police encouraging motorists to seek a different route. Indiana State Police Sgt. Matt Ames said the back up is due to several accidents and semis that could not make it up the hills because of no traction. The backup starts at the Brazil exit, MM 23 towards Indianapolis. ISP is encouraging motorists to seek another route, said Ames. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement From 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. ISP worked 17 accidents and five slide-offs according to Ames. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. Police are investigating after a woman was found dead and a man stabbed in Ohio. [DOWNLOAD: Free WHIO-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] Officers found Kathleen Spiegel, 76, of Findlay, dead on a front porch in the extreme cold weather, according to " target="_blank">Findlay Police. TRENDING STORIES: They also discovered Gary Spiegel, 50, inside the home on Lester Avenue stabbed with wounds to the head and face. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Medics transported him to an area hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. He is listed in stable condition, police say. A suspect has been identified as David Spiegel, 45. Officers arrested him for domestic violence. He is at the Hancock County Justice Center. Police have ordered an autopsy on Kathleens death, but foul play is not suspected currently. [SIGN UP: WHIO-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter] An arrest was made after a 9-year-old Illinois boy was shot and killed in Wisconsin. Officers were called to a home in Lake Geneva, Wis., on a report of a shooting at around 2:25 a.m. on Monday, Jan. 20, according to a news release from the Town of Geneva Police Department. Police said a boy had been shot and was taken to a local hospital, where he was pronounced dead. In a statement shared with PEOPLE on Wednesday, Jan. 22, the Brookfield LaGrange Park District 95 in Illinois identified the boy as second-grade student Michael Meager. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We are deeply saddened by the sudden passing of second-grade student Michael Meagher, the statement reads. Michael brought amazing energy to life at Brook Park Elementary, where he was known for his incredible kindness and was beloved by all. The entire school community mourns his loss." In the coming weeks and months, we will celebrate Michaels life. Our focus now is on supporting the Meagher Family and our school community in every possible way during this difficult time, the statement concluded. Loved ones remembered Michael as a bright and funny 9-year-old boy on a GoFundMe campaign created to help his family offset funeral costs. Police have arrested Steven D. Merkel Jr., 52, in connection with the shooting, per the release. Merkel has been identified as the boys stepfather, WISN-TV 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. He is charged with first-degree reckless homicide and is being held in the Walworth County Jail, police said. Its unclear if he has entered a plea or retained an attorney to speak on his behalf. Further details about the shooting have not been shared by police. Read the original article on People Property tax deferrals for struggling Hoosiers are one option on the table. (Getty Images) Homeowners are about to get hit with an average property tax bill increase of 7%, and state lawmakers are wrestling with how to handle it. From credits and deductions, to caps and deferrals everything seems on the table. Well get something that we think people will be happy with, but at the same time, we cant hamper the revenue stream going to local government, because its going to affect the police departments and fire departments and local services that are provided by counties and cities and towns, said Sen. Travis Holdman, R-Markle. Its going to take some hard work. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Holdman was part of an AARP Indiana virtual town hall Wednesday on property taxes, along with a representative from Gov. Mike Brauns office and several tax experts. Holdman said new data show average homestead bills will go up 7% statewide when they are sent out for spring payment. A look at how Indiana property taxes have gone up in the last two years. (Presentation from the AARP town hall) In comparison, homesteads went up 17.1% and 6.6% respectively the last two years, said Larry Deboer, emeritus professor of agricultural economics at Purdue University. This was largely because home values spiked post-pandemic. Deboer walked through the history of Indianas property tax system. He also provided data showing Indiana ranks better than many other states in key areas, from the median property tax paid and the percent of income paid to property tax. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But he noted Indianas property taxes ranked 44th lowest in 2022 and dropped to 33rd lowest in just one year. Property taxes are rising everywhere, but apparently theyre rising faster in Indiana than in most other states, Deboer said. He also explained that increasing homeowner deductions shifts the burden to others, such as farmers and businesses. Robert Ordway, senior policy advisor for Gov. Mike Braun, talked about the need for Senate Bill 1 currently up for debate in the Indiana Statehouse which increases deductions for homeowners and caps annual bill growth in the future. He said the property tax burden used to be more uniformly split between homeowners, business and farmers at about one-third each. But that amount has risen for owner-occupied homes to about 45%. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ordway called Senate Bill 1 a great starting point. And as youve heard, there are other bills out there related to property tax reform, and the governor is open to taking his piece of clay and seeing how it can be molded through the process, Ordway continued. Hopefully we create a win win for everybody at the end of this first session. A recent AARP Indiana survey of Indiana voters aged 50-plus who own a home found that 84% saw an increase in property taxes in the past three years and 66% believe the amount they pay is high. Other key findings from the survey include: Policy Proposals: 93% agree that increased communication about existing state property tax relief programs is essential. 74% support allowing all Hoosiers to pay property taxes on a monthly basis. 76% support the implementation of a new statewide tax credit for older homeowners. Holdman is carrying the bill but has concerns. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement My concern with the bill is just the price tag that it has on local government, which is $1.1 billion in the first year, grows up to $1.6 billion, which directly impacts local government services, he said. Were trying to reach a compromise. Holdman instead talked about four other property tax bills that will be heard in his Tax and Fiscal Policy Committee next week. One, Senate Bill 6, authorizes counties to create a property tax deferral program. It would allow a homeowner to defer up to $500 of their property tax bill each year, with a maximum cumulative amount of $10,000. Individual counties would decide who is eligible, such as having an income limitation. Holdman said the deferral becomes a lien on the property and must be satisfied if the property is transferred or sold. And there will be annual interest of 4%. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ambre Marr, state legislative director for the AARP, said a deferral program is one of the organizations top proposals for the 2025 session. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX RIYADH, Jan. 23 (Xinhua) -- Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman informed U.S. President Donald Trump on Thursday of the kingdom's plans to expand investments and trade with the United States, aiming for up to 600 billion U.S. dollars over the next four years, according to the Saudi Press Agency. During a phone conversation, the crown prince congratulated Trump on his inauguration, relaying well-wishes from King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud. The two leaders explored avenues to strengthen bilateral cooperation, focusing on promoting peace, security, and stability in the Middle East, as well as enhancing joint efforts to combat terrorism. The crown prince said the U.S. administration's anticipated reforms could generate "unprecedented economic prosperity and opportunity." He emphasized Saudi Arabia's interest in partnering with the U.S. to capitalize on these prospects for investment and collaboration. Trump expressed gratitude for the congratulations and reaffirmed his commitment to working closely with Saudi Arabia on issues of mutual interest. The White House, in a statement, noted that the discussion touched on Saudi Arabia's "international economic ambitions," along with trade and other potential opportunities for cooperation. Abilene, Texas (KTAB/KRBC) Abilene City Council is not offering support to a project hoping to bring low-income housing downtown. A group named OPG Cypress Partners, LLC wants to turn their multi-story property at 301 Cypress Street into a 60-unit low-income housing community, and theyre seeking a Multifamily Direct Loan Program loan from the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs to help fund the project. City Council approval would improve the odds of getting this loan, which is highly competitive. Still, during a meeting on Thursday, January 23, council members gave a 5-1 vote against supporting the project after several downtown business owners came forward and expressed their concerns. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement One business owner from Free Play Arcade, Sarah Kader, said she is familiar with living in low-income housing communities, and her experience raising her family there has made her question if having something similar in downtown Abilene would be safe. I experienced arson, the beheading of a neighbor, and all kinds of really traumatic things; safety is my concern in this area, Sarah Kader said. Her husband, Derek Kader, expressed different concerns, saying hes not sure low-income housing fits the vision for the future of downtown Abilene. Im also not sure that a project like this also aligns with the downtown revitalization. However, I cant speak in detail about that. That it doesnt exactly vibe with whats going on with that area, Derek Kader said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement OPG Cypress Partners, LLC can still proceed with their loan application without the citys support if they so choose. Because the property is already zoned for housing, the project does not need approval from city council. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. Jan. 22Roughly 100 abortion rights advocates rallied Wednesday on the steps of the Washington Capitol, calling on state lawmakers to take additional action to protect women's reproductive rights amid fears the federal government could take steps to restrict the procedure. The event, organized by Pro-Choice Washington, was held on what would have been the 52nd anniversary of Roe V. Wade, a landmark Supreme Court decision that found women had a constitutionally protected right to an abortion. More than two years after the Supreme Court overturned the ruling, many, including Gov. Bob Ferguson, expressed concern the second Trump administration will push for tighter abortion access. During an interview Wednesday, Ferguson said he anticipated the federal government taking measures to restrict access to abortion and other reproductive care. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Yes. Yeah, I would be naive to think that they wouldn't take some action, honestly," Ferguson said. "So, we just have to prepare for the worst-case scenario, and that's the way we're approaching it." In one of his first acts in office, Ferguson signed an executive order that directed the Department of Health to convene a panel of medical providers, experts and lawmakers to "recommend strategies for protecting reproductive freedom." Ferguson said Wednesday the group will "give us advice on what we need to do" while helping to "look forward." Ferguson said the panel also will look at "what changes to state law can add additional protections in light of a Congress and a president that are hostile to reproductive rights." Sami Alloy, interim executive director of Pro-Choice Washington, called on lawmakers to pass legislation "that will affirm Washington's legal protections and safeguard our rights against a hostile administration that we know will stop at nothing to roll them back." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "We are calling on the legislature to invest robustly in our clinics and our care infrastructure, because we know a right without access is not really a right," Alloy said. "And we are here today calling on the Legislature to protect the rights of patients and providers who rely on our state to access care." Ferguson's executive order, Alloy said, will help the state "do everything we can to resist Project 2025 and to safeguard our rights." "And I know that together, with our legislators and our attorney general, we're going to get it done here in Olympia," Alloy said. "We're going to make sure that no matter who you are, no matter what part of the state you live in, that we can maintain our rights to abortion and gender-affirming care, that we can stand with immigrants and workers, and that we're not going back." Sen. Manka Dhingra, R-Redmond, said while lawmakers have strengthened and protected abortion access during recent sessions, more can be done. Dhingra has sponsored legislation that would ensure "people who lose a pregnancy are not criminalized." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The bill, Dhingra said, is needed after an Ohio woman named Brittany Watts was charged with felony abuse of a corpse after a miscarriage 22 weeks into pregnancy. While the charge was later dropped, Watts has since sued both the hospital and the police department that arrested her. "I wish I could tell you this was only an isolated incident, but there are cases like this all over the country," Dhingra said. While a similar prosecution has not been filed in Washington, Dhingra said her bill would repeal "the Washington state crime of concealing a birth." Dhingra said there is no evidence the law has been used in the 100 years it has been on the books in Washington, though "other states have used similar laws to justify arrest, punishment and prosecution of people for their pregnancy outcomes." "We cannot have laws like this on the books in the state of Washington," Dhingra said. The bill was heard in the Senate Law and Justice Committee on Monday and is scheduled for an executive session in the committee Thursday. As we trudge through the last month of winter and enter into early spring, warmer-than-average temperatures could invade much of the U.S. except the Northwest, according to an outlook released Thursday by The Weather Company and Atmospheric G2. Heres the big picture: Above-average temperatures are expected from the Southwest across much of the Plains and East from February to April. This includes much of the South, which is most likely to see warmer-than-average temperatures. In contrast, those in the Northwest and parts of the Northern Plains could see cooler-than-average temperatures as we move into the spring. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Now, lets take a look at each of the next three months in more detail. February: The weak La Nina that peaked in January will continue to leave its impression on the temperature outlook for the last month of winter as it begins to subside. The below-average forecast for parts of the Northwest and Northern Plains in contrast with the milder temperatures expected across much of the South reflect the pattern that typically emerges during a La Nina event. Above-average temperatures will be more than welcome across parts of the southern tier that have been plagued with colder-than-usual temperatures and record-setting snow in January. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement However, February could still have some tricks up its sleeve. Historically, cold Januaries are not followed by very warm Februaries, according to Todd Crawford, Vice President of Meteorology at Atmospheric G2. With this month being the coldest January to date since 2014, there is certainly a colder risk to the forecast below as winter comes to an end. (15-min details: For even more granular weather data tracking in your area, view your 15-minute details forecast in our Premium Pro experience.) March: As winter makes the handoff to spring, milder-than-average temperatures are expected to take over much of the country. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement All but a handful of states could see above-average temperatures take over by March with the bullseye expected to shift further west, focused in the Southwest and Southern Plains. But for those in the Northwest, it's not time to put away that winter coat just yet. Temperatures are still expected to lean colder than average, leaving you shivering at the start of the spring. The negative phase of the Pacific-North American pattern can be thanked for these colder-than-average temperatures. This phase typically emerges on the backside of a weak La Nina, according to Crawford, for the most part confining cool temperatures to the Northwest. (192-hours: Further beef up your forecast with our detailed, hour-by-hour breakdown for the next 8 days only available on our Premium Pro experience.) Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement April: There isnt much change in our outlook as we move into the height of spring. Colder-than-average temperatures start to retreat from the Northwest, leaving a thin swath of the northern tier with a slightly below-average outlook. Cooler temperatures are also expected to creep into New England by April. But as for the rest of the country, above-average temperatures will likely continue to dominate, providing a beacon of hope for those tired of layering up and scraping ice off their windshields. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Caitlin Kaiser graduated from the Georgia Institute of Technology with both an undergraduate and graduate degree in Earth and Atmospheric Sciences before starting her career as a digital meteorologist with weather.com. A Miramar man charged with murder is asking a Broward judge to dismiss his case, accusing the male alleged victim of making a forceful and unwanted sexual advance that triggered their fatal 2020 confrontation. Marvin Jean-Pierre, 26, is charged with first-degree murder in the late 2020 death of Jose Mondelus, 52, a musician at the church Jean-Pierres mother attended in Miramar. According to investigators, Jean-Pierre admitted hitting Mondelus in the face with a clothing iron, covering his head in a Publix shopping bag, and stuffing his body in the closet of Mondelus Miramar home. But Jean-Pierre was in court Wednesday for the first day of a stand-your-ground hearing claiming he acted in self-defense because he believed he was about to be sexually assaulted by Mondelus. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement There is no indication from phone records or witness statements that Mondelus was gay or bisexual. He was once married to a woman and was a member of a Baptist church that did not support homosexuality or gay relationships, said Jean-Pierres mother, Guelita Jean-Pierre, who testified Wednesday. Initial police reports indicate Marvin Jean-Pierre was staying in Mondelus apartment temporarily in late December 2020 when Mondelus sister became worried that she did not hear from her brother. After the New Years celebrations, the sister asked police to check on Mondelus welfare. They found his body in his closet and evidence that Jean-Pierre used his car between Dec. 29, 2020, when Mondelus was last seen, and Jan. 1, 2021, when his body was found. Jean-Pierre admitted, according to the earliest police report, that he was sleeping naked in Mondelus bed while he believed Mondelus was on the couch. According to the report, Jean-Pierre told police that he woke up to find Mondelus standing over him wearing little clothing and rubbing Jean-Pierres chest. According to the report, Jean-Pierre got up, started to put clothes on, and found a clothing iron he used to strike Mondelus. After choking Mondelus, Jean-Pierre hid his body in a closet, then used the victims car for the next two days when he needed to. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Defense lawyer Gabe Ermine conceded his client killed Mondelus and that he hid the body, but Jean-Pierre did it, Ermine said, because he could not stand to see the face of the man who just tried to rape him. In a stand-your-ground motion filed in September, Ermine pointed to several statements his client made to police that indicate he genuinely feared a sexual battery was imminent, certain to happen unless he did something forceful to stop it. Floridas stand-your-ground law allows the use of deadly force to prevent a violent felony, including rape. Prosecutor Taylor Collins said there was no imminent sexual assault, eliciting testimony from Miramar Detective Mark Moretti that there was no evidence the victim was gay and no indication from questioning Jean-Pierre that the defendant was in fear for his life. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Jean-Pierre is expected to take the stand on Thursday to repeat what he appears to have told investigators on the day he was arrested that the victim wanted sexual favors because he was letting Jean-Pierre stay in his apartment and wasnt charging him rent. That allegation never made it into the first police reports, but it is allegedly contained in bodycam footage that has not yet been played in court. If convicted of the charge, Jean-Pierre faces a sentence of life in prison. The stand-your-ground hearing resumes Thursday afternoon before Broward Circuit Judge Lorena Mastrarrigo. Rafael Olmeda can be reached at rolmeda@sunsentinel.com or 954-356-4457. Follow him on Threads.net/@rafael.olmeda. Getty Images A lawsuit filed by the ACLU of Michigan and the national ACLU seeks to force the release of records by both U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), and the county jails it contracts with, on detained immigrants held in those facilities. The lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, says that despite clear mandates by law to make those records public, ICE has increasingly taken steps to conceal records related to the thousands of detained immigrants who are held each day by county jails under contract with ICE. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The lawsuit comes as the Trump administration gears up for what it has said will be the mass deportation of immigrants who are in the country illegally. On Wednesday, the GOP-led U.S. House passed legislation that greatly expands mandatory detention requirements of immigrants charged and arrested on petty crimes. The bill is heading to Trumps desk. According to a press release by the ACLU of Michigan, county jail records related to detained immigrants, including intake, medical, disciplinary, and grievance records, as well as communications with jail staff, are typically subject to Michigans Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) law. However, the agency claims ICE instructs county jails to withhold those records in response to state-law records requests, rendering most information about detained immigrants completely secret. A huge aspect of ICE detention is hidden in a black box, stated the release. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The ACLU says to achieve secrecy about immigrant detention records, ICE uses an obscure federal regulation which says that county facilities shall not disclose records related to people detained by ICE, and should instead let ICE disclose them through the federal Freedom of Information Act. However, it claims ICE abuses the regulation by forbidding counties from disclosing records that they have created and maintained, and that ICE doesnt possess and has likely never even seen. Public scrutiny of government conduct is a hallmark of our democracy. This is especially true for jails, prisons, and immigration detention centers, where government officials have almost total control over the daily lives of incarcerated peopleand where they exercise that control behind closed, locked, and guarded doors, said Ramis Wadood, staff attorney for the ACLU of Michigan. Wadood says the goal of the lawsuit is to put a stop to what he calls an illegal and anti-democratic practice. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The ACLU says without the records, immigration service providers cannot adequately assist detained immigrants, and organizations such as itself cannot fully shed light on the treatment of immigrants behind bars. The lawsuit states that four county jails in Michigan are used by ICE for immigration detainment including the Calhoun County Correctional Facility, which it identifies as the primary location, as well the Monroe County, St. Clair County and Chippewa County jails. ICE shouldnt be pursuing an end run around state transparency laws in an attempt to shield themselves from public scrutiny particularly in light of the agencys long history of abuse. With the Trump administration [pursuing] a mass deportation and detention agenda, its more important now than ever that we know what happens inside ICE detention facilities, said My Khanh Ngo, staff attorney with the ACLUs Immigrants Rights Project. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Jan. 22Most people probably don't know about the lawsuit against Maine's public defense system, "but nearly every one of those people knows this: If you can't afford an attorney, you need to be provided with one," Carol Garvan from the American Civil Liberties Union of Maine told a courtroom on Wednesday. Garvan was in Kennebec County Superior Court for the start of a three-day hearing focused on Maine's indigent defense crisis. A judge ruled this month that hundreds of people in Maine who are constitutionally entitled to legal representation have been effectively denied an attorney. Now, the court must decide what to do about it. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The ACLU of Maine is asking that people be released from jail after seven days without a lawyer, and that their charges be dismissed if they still don't have one after 45 days. (Charges could be refiled when a defense attorney is available). There are more than 900 adult criminal cases without lawyers, and Garvan said these defendants are spending, on average, 66 days without representation. Attorneys for the state questioned Wednesday whether this widespread release would be fair to public safety. An assistant attorney general cited a deadly incident in Auburn this summer when a man was released from jail after waiting two weeks for a lawyer. The state has argued there are already enough remedies for Maine's unrepresented population: Once lawyers are appointed in the case, they can argue for sanctions in light of their client's violated rights, and judges have already dismissed charges and released people on an individual basis. The ACLU says these constitutional violations are so egregious that the harm can't be undone. They called on a handful of expert witnesses Wednesday, including a criminal defense attorney and a law professor, who expounded on the consequences. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The longer someone has to wait for a lawyer, the harder it is to reinvestigate and defend a case, or to negotiate a fair plea agreement, the ACLU said. Their experts also described the collateral consequences to a defendant's housing, employment, family relationships and wellbeing. Eve Brensike Primus, a law professor at the University of Michigan who studies indigent defense systems around the country, also highlighted a hit to the public's confidence in its criminal justice system. The rights of the accused, particularly the right to their own attorney, is a bedrock principle to our society, she said. Yet there are judges across the state continuously admitting that these rights are being violated and there's nothing they can do. "It's disheartening. It's deflating," said Primus. "You can actually see it in courtrooms, the reactions that individuals will have when judges make these statements. It absolutely does affect the faith that people have in the justice system, and whether people are getting a fair shake and the rights honored that they're supposed to have." CONTINUOUS REPRESENTATION Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Maine has had some public defenders since 2022, but still relies heavily on private attorneys who agree to take indigent cases. They join different rosters based on case type, their training and experience. Those lists are managed by what is now called the Maine Commission on Public Defense Services. Judges use those rosters to find attorneys for their defendants, and the lawyers get reimbursed by the state at a set rate. But when those rosters are empty, or attorneys already have too many cases, judges can't find anyone to appoint. Walter McKee, who has practiced criminal defense law in Maine for roughly 30 years, testified about the value of having continued legal representation early in a case. "These are processes that are important to be dealt with, right from day one," McKee said. "Law enforcement has had a significant amount of time to investigate and follow up. They're way ahead of the defendant. Those delays are significant, right from the start." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He said Maine's "lawyer of the day" program falls short. These are temporary attorneys who represent criminal defendants during their first court appearance, when no permanent lawyers are available. As Maine struggles to find attorneys to take on indigent cases, courts have grown to rely even more on a shifting slate of lawyers of the day to represent defendants on a weekly basis, to attempt to reargue bail until another attorney is available. "It's very, very different," McKee said. "The 'on a continuous basis' part is essential." Assistant Attorney General Sean Magenis asked McKee what would bring him back, as the Maine Commission on Public Defense Services struggles to attract counsel. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "That's an interesting question," said McKee, adding his hourly rate is more expensive than what the state reimburses. "I kind of got enough work as it is right now." CANDID TESTIMONY Primus said the ACLU paid her to review Maine's laws and policies for appointing counsel. She interviewed lawyers and court employees, and observed hearings in which judges met with unrepresented defendants. Primus said Maine is an outlier. It was, after all, the last state in the nation to hire full-time public defenders in late 2022 after years of relying exclusively on private counsel. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Primus cited several studies in other states, finding that it actually saves money and improves representation to have a significant public defense presence. It would also help the state attract and retain new, entry-level people doing this work (at a time when the state is struggling to find enough lawyers for these cases.) She said a similar lawsuit by the ACLU of Michigan spurred positive change in her state, which quadrupled its number of public defense offices over a decade. "With Maine relying so predominantly on the private bar to take these cases ... it's created a far more significant challenge for you to attract lawyers, for you to keep lawyers and for you to quickly assign lawyers," Primus testified. The Maine Commission on Public Defense Services has made the same argument outside of court as the commission seeks more funding for full-time public defense positions from state leaders. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement All seven commissioners and their executive director are named defendants in the ACLU's lawsuit, and Superior Court Justice Michaela Murphy has found them liable for violating the constitutional rights of Maine's unrepresented criminal defendants. But the commission has tried to publicly distance itself from the legal arguments their counsel, an assistant attorney general, has made on their behalf. The ACLU of Maine highlighted various "candid" statements from commissioners in their court depositions. The ACLU is arguing these were admissions of the harm done to unrepresented defendants and the seriousness of Maine's problem. "Why do I believe in the Sixth Amendment?" commission Chair Joshua Tardy said in an October deposition that was read aloud in court. "It's a constitutional right. ... I think with unrepresented individuals, if we allowed that, it would cut away at the fabric of our community and our society." Copy the Story Link The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) sued Wednesday over President Trumps expansion of a program that allows immigration officials to carry out swift deportations. Trumps Department of Homeland Security on Tuesday issued a rule enabling expedited removals to take place nationwide for migrants who cannot prove they have been in the country for two years. Its a massive expansion, as under the Biden administration the program was limited to within 100 miles of international borders. Expedited removals enable law enforcement to carry out deportations after a quick inspection, without conducting a full hearing, if a migrant does not present a valid asylum claim. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Administrations decision to expand expedited removal to a vast group of noncitizens living anywhere in the United States disregards nearly three decades of experience showing that the expedited removal process, even when used at the border for new arrivals, is rife with errors and results in widespread violations of individuals legal rights, the ACLU wrote in its complaint. Filed in Washingtons federal district court, the ACLUs lawsuit claims Trumps expansion runs afoul of federal immigration law and violates the constitutional due process rights of those subjected to the expedited proceedings. The Biden administration relied heavily on expedited removals after ending Title 42, which allowed for migrants to be swiftly expelled, barring them from seeking asylum. The ACLU is representing Make the Road New York, a progressive immigration nonprofit that says its members would be subject to Trumps expansion. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Everyone in this country is entitled to due process it is one of the core tenets of our government, Arlenis Morel, the groups co-executive director, said in a statement. To fast track the deportation of people who have entered this country to find safety and build a life for themselves and their families, without even a chance to see a judge, will only sow fear in immigrant communities and increase the terror of being separated from loved ones forever, Morel continued. The Hill has reached out to the Justice Department for comment. Wednesdays lawsuit marked the ACLUs second challenge to a major Trump administration action since he took office. The civil rights group is separately suing over Trumps executive order restricting birthright citizenship. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 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. The Anti-Defamation League is scolding Elon Musk after coming to the billionaire titans defense earlier in the week. ADL CEO Jonathan Greenblatt took to Twitter/X after Musk made a series of Holocaust jokes on Thursday in an attempt to make light of criticisms of his controversial crowd salute at President Trumps inauguration celebration Monday. More from The Hollywood Reporter Weve said it hundreds of times before and we will say it again: the Holocaust was a singularly evil event, and it is inappropriate and offensive to make light of it, Greenblatt wrote and then tagged Musk: The Holocaust is not a joke. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The official ADL account also shared the post. We've said it hundreds of times before and we will say it again: the Holocaust was a singularly evil event, and it is inappropriate and offensive to make light of it. @elonmusk, the Holocaust is not a joke. https://t.co/oeXLod2C1W Jonathan Greenblatt (@JGreenblattADL) January 23, 2025 The comment was in reaction to Musk posting on X a series of puns while referencing infamous Third Reich officers: Dont say Hess to Nazi accusations! Some people will Goebbels anything down! Stop Goring your enemies! His pronouns wouldve been He/Himmler! Bet you did nazi that coming Musk went viral for his vehement one-armed salute on Monday night on President Donald Trumps Inauguration Day, followed by his dismissive attempts to shrug off any criticism (Frankly, they need better dirty tricks, Musk wrote on X. The everyone is Hitler attack is sooo tired). The ADL reacted to concerns about the gesture by giving Musk the benefit of the doubt: It seems that @elonmusk made an awkward gesture in a moment of enthusiasm, not a Nazi salute, but again, we appreciate that people are on edge. In this moment, all sides should give one another a bit of grace. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Interestingly, its a controversy that likely could have been over before it began had Musk simply given a serious reply to questions about the gesture when it first started surging on his social media platform following his speech. But the X chiefs reluctance to take questions and criticism with any degree of seriousness has now rolled the issue its third day of headlines and debate. Best of The Hollywood Reporter Sign up for THR's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. EAST PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) Not everyone is able to use the bathroom on their own. Its a reality caretakers and those with disabilities face across the country and here in Rhode Island. Cathy Andreozzi is the founder of the Tori Lynn Andreozzi Foundation. Her daughter, Tori Lynn, was left with a severe brain injury after she was hit by a drunk driver in 2003. I entered a world of medical complexity, Cathy Andreozzi told 12 News on Wednesday. Along the way, I was supported by lots of families, and so one of the things we try to do is to pay it forward. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Her daughter passed away in November 2022 at 31 years old. Diane Silva has two teenage daughters. Her youngest daughter Ella became total care dependent when she was 5 years old due to a brain bleed and stroke. Diane Silva and Cathy Andreozzi bonded over their shared journey as their daughters caretakers. Andreozzi and Silva connected over their shared journey. All through Toris life after the crash, I experienced the lack of ease to take care of my daughters basic needs, Andreozzi explained. I know first hand what it was like not to be able to take her to a restroom and make her comfortable. Navigating the outside world and being out in public is difficult if there is not an adequate place to use a restroom, Silva added. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Silva leads the Rhode Island Chapter of the Changing Spaces Campaign, an organization that works with legislators and advocates for public restrooms to have adult adjustable-height changing tables. Accessibility is not a one-size-fits-all, Andreozzi said. Just because someone has enough room to roll into a stall doesnt mean everyone has the same dignity, safety or ability to be changed. Its important for changing tables to be a big enough size, as well as height adjustable. Height-adjustable tables protect both those with disabilities and their caregivers who may have to lift them. Advocates, including Andreozzi and Silva, want the adult changing tables to be installed in public restrooms both for safety and so those with disabilities can feel valued. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I couldnt fix the one thing that I wanted to fix, Andreozzi said. The one thing I could do was give my daughter the best quality of life possible, so that meant integrating her into the community, but the community didnt have everything that she needed to make her feel like a viable part. 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. BEIRUT, Jan. 23 (Xinhua) -- With Israel's 60-day deadline to withdraw from Lebanese territory nearing its end, Hezbollah warned on Thursday against any delays, demanding full compliance with the ceasefire agreement. In a statement, the group stressed the withdrawal must be completed without exception. Addressing reports Israel might seek to extend its presence in Lebanon, Hezbollah urged the Lebanese government to press the agreement's sponsors to ensure the deadline is met. It called for close monitoring of the final phase of the pullout, the full deployment of the Lebanese army, and the swift return of displaced residents. The group also cautioned against allowing any pretexts to prolong the occupation. Hezbollah emphasized that missing the deadline would constitute a clear violation of the agreement and an infringement on Lebanese sovereignty. It warned such a move would signal a new phase of occupation, requiring a firm response from the Lebanese state using all measures permitted under international law. "As we closely follow the situation, which should culminate in a full withdrawal in the coming days, we stress that any breach of the agreement or attempt to evade commitments under false pretexts will be unacceptable," the statement said. "We call for strict adherence to the agreement, leaving no room for concessions." Abortion rights advocates standing at a street corner in St. Petersburg on Jan. 22, 2025. (Photo by Mitch Perry/Florida Phoenix) Two months after a proposal to repeal Floridas six-week abortion law and enshrine abortion rights into the state constitution failed to gather the 60% required for passage, more than 100 people gathered Wednesday on four street corners in downtown St. Petersburg to advocate for the cause. The late morning event took place under what for Floridians was considered frigid weather conditions (the temperature was in the low 40s) on the 52nd anniversary of the 1973 U.S. Supreme Court ruling that enshrined a federal right to an abortion a right removed by the high court in 2022s Dobbs decision and given back to the states to decide. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Were very disheartened with the defeat of the ballot measure but we know that doesnt change the fact that Floridians still need abortion care, said Amy Weintraub of Pinellas NOW (National Organization for Women). Women are accessing abortion with the help of the providers that are still open and providing service up until six weeks of pregnancy. Bree Wallace is director for case management with the Tampa Bay Abortion Fund, which provides financial assistance and logistical support for patients seeking abortions. Bree Wallace with the Tampa Bay Abortion Fund in St. Petersburg, Florida on Jan 22. 2024 (Photo by Mitch Perry/Florida Phoenix) I dont think that were going to get back abortion rights for a while in Florida, she acknowledged. I think that we went even more red in this [past] election and [state Republicans] just have a lot of power right now. And it doesnt mean that we dont have a lot of power too, but we have to use it in the moment at least in more community ways. Florida is gone, said Linda Darin, treasurer for Pinellas NOW, in describing the state of politics in the Sunshine State in 2025. Im from Detroit originally, and when I moved here at least Florida was semi-purple. Its gone now. And you know we had a meeting the night after the election where we had about 20 women there, and were just all looking at each other saying, What happened to this country? Something is wrong here. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Following the 1973 Roe decision, Floridas abortion rights laws were further boosted by a 1989 Florida Supreme Court ruling holding that a 1980 constitutional amendment that added the right to privacy to the state Constitution included a right to an abortion before viability. Then, in 2022, the Florida Legislature and Gov. Ron DeSantis approved a 15-week abortion ban just months before the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe. The Legislature and the governor went even further in 2023, approving the six-week abortion ban. In April 2024, the Florida Supreme Court voted to overrule its 1989 precedent, upholding the 15-week ban. Thirty days later, the six-week law went into effect. Amendment 4 Abortion rights activists spent more than $100 million on a 2024 constitutional amendment (Amendment 4) to restore a womans right to an abortion up until the time of viability, estimated to be around 24 weeks. The measure received strong support from the public, getting 57% of the vote, but short of the 60% threshold required for passage. Drew Thea in St. Petersburg on Jan. 22, 2025. (Photo by Mitch Perry/Florida Phoenix) Drea Thew, of Gulfport, said she felt devastated after Amendment 4 failed at the ballot box, but she says shes not giving up the fight. But she acknowledged that she doesnt see any legislative or initiative process on the horizon. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I knew that [Yes on 4] movement spent a very large amount of money. Tons and tons of money to do this. We werent able to do this because of suppression, oppression, and lies by the [DeSantis] administration and the legislators. So, if we didnt do it then, Im not sure its going to happen again. And now DeSantis is back with the legislators to make the citizens initiative process even harder for the citizens of this state to make their voices heard. So, Im not that hopeful. Weintraub recently stepped down as reproductive rights program director for Progress Florida after leading that groups efforts in the Yes on 4 campaign. Shes not sure there will be a similar effort anytime soon. It was a tremendous amount of energy that was poured into that effort, she recounted. I dedicated a year-and-a-half, maybe two years of my life into that, and many, many other repro leaders did too. And we raised an unprecedented amount of money more than $100 million dollars. We did get a strong majority, 57%, but it just wasnt enough to get that inflated requirement. So, its unclear to me what the movement will do, but Im skeptical that will happen anytime soon. Scott Mahurin, president of Florida Preborn Rescue, told the Phoenix the pro-life movement in Florida is excited and motivated. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We are emboldened not only by the Trump victory but the defeat of Amendment 4 last November, he said. We must protect the preborn of Florida from destruction and discrimination. Much work remains to be done, but it is easier to have a national administration that is not fighting us every step of the way. Web purge Among the moves the Trump administration has performed this week on abortion was removing a government website focused on reproductive health called reproductiverights.gov. It was launched by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services in 2022 as a part of a public awareness campaign to safeguard information on rights to access reproductive care, as well as provide details on what health insurance is required to cover and where to go if one needed health insurance. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX It also shared details on how to access birth control and abortion care and offered a list of other services covered by most insurance plans, including breast and cervical cancer screenings, prenatal care, and HIV screenings, according to USA Today. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump himself called the Florida six-week ban too short last August but, after drawing heat he reversed himself a day later and said he would oppose Amendment 4. The president said earlier in the campaign that he wanted to allow the states, and not the federal government, to pass any such laws. St. Petersburg resident Peggy McCloud believes Trump will stay out of the issue. I think he will because he understands political expediency, she said, adding, I dont think that hell mess with it. DeSantis spent much of 2024 on the campaign trail denouncing Amendment 4 (as well as Amendment 3, which would have legalized recreational cannabis), including spending public funding to make sure the measure failed to get the 60%. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hes now being feted by anti-abortion groups. On Friday he is scheduled to receive a National Pro-Life Recognition Award from Priests for Life, a Florida group, during the National Prayer Service in Washington, D.C., along with South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem and Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen, all of whom helped defeat abortion measures in their states last year. No matter the outcome, the work that was done in these battles to educate and mobilize our fellow citizens has lasting value, said Priests for Life National Director Frank Pavone in a press release. We will celebrate the victories and we will commit ourselves to undo the amendments that unfortunately did pass. They will not stand. Im hopeful Orlando Democratic state Rep. Anna Eskamani, who worked at Planned Parenthood for six years, said in a statement Wednesday that the fact that 57% of Floridians voted to repeal the six-week law last November sent a clear message: Floridians oppose abortion bans. Across the state, people are stepping up supporting abortion funds, volunteering, and fighting to protect the right to decide when or if to start a family, she said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Access to abortion care should not depend on who you are, where you live, or how much money you make. Together, as a powerful majority, we will fight for a future where every person has the freedom to make decisions about their body and life. The road ahead will not be easy, but our cause is just, and we will not back down. Im hopeful, said St. Petersburg resident Joy Williams at the rally. What are we going to do? We cant go back. I would be happy to put these signs down and not have to be out here anymore. But it appears that we go forward, and then we go back. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE Sherman Smith/States Newsroom Both the ACLU and Lambda Legal laid out their plans this week to vigorously oppose an executive order by President Trump which they say requires discrimination against transgender individuals, while advocates in Michigan say the tone of the order has had the effect of making the community, especially trans kids, less safe. The overarching sentiment that Im hearing from just about everyone, whether theyre part of the community or not, is this is permission to hate that seems to be seeping out of the administration, Roz Keith, founder and executive director of Stand with Trans, told the Michigan Advance. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I think that bullying in schools is going to increase, violence against the trans community, particularly trans women of color, is going to increase. These are just my predictions. Im not speaking on behalf of Stand with Trans, but for me personally, I predict these things because were giving people permission to hate a particular segment of the population, said Keith, the parent of a trans son. On his first day in office on Monday, Trump signed an executive order that essentially seeks to erase trans and nonbinary people, asserting that males and females are not changeable which is grounded in fundamental and incontrovertible reality, a viewpoint completely at odds with scientific evidence. Additionally, a list of priorities published to the official White House website on Monday states among the ways Trump plans to bring back American values is to establish male and female as biological reality and protect women from radical gender ideology. Keith says the notion that being trans is an ideology, and not a scientific fact as evidenced by those who live that reality every day, is hard to understand. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Thats so ridiculous, because its hard to fathom that there are adults who presumably are educated and probably have some modicum of intelligence who are going down this path, she said. The legal battlefront There are going to be significant changes across government based on the instruction from the President to discriminate against transgender people, and we are monitoring those across the government and preparing to take whatever action is needed to ensure that transgender people are able to experience full protection of the law, said Chase Strangio, co-director of the ACLUs LGBTQ & HIV Project. Speaking on a call with reporters on Tuesday, Strangio said that in the short term, Trumps executive order will restrict access to identification documents for trans individuals and could lead to solitary confinement and transfer of transgender inmates in federal prisons. We are looking at everything, trying to figure out what is happening, and monitoring both the new policy from the federal agencies, new potential proposed rules and regulations from the federal agencies, and then, of course, the material consequences on the ground for transgender people, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The order, which Strangio said rolls back civil rights protections for transgender people that are guaranteed under Title IX and Title VIl, is in itself not self-executing and will require specific action by federal agencies, which will likely form the basis of challenges by the ACLU and Lambda Legal. Title VII, passed as part of the 1964 Civil Rights Act, prohibits employment discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex and national origin, while Title IX, passed in 1972, protects people from discrimination based on sex in education programs or activities that receive federal financial assistance. In April, the former Biden administration announced changes in the Title IX law that codified protections for transgender students and prohibited discrimination against LGBTQ students and employees based on their sexual orientation, gender identity and sex characteristics. Trump has promised to overturn the rule change, and Mondays executive order is seen as the first step in that process. As of Wednesday, the U.S. Department of Education website states that nondiscriminatory actions covered under Title IX also include sexual orientation and gender identity, but that guidance is expected to change as it already has on other government websites. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We know that information has already been taken down from the Department of State website, said Strangio. I think that at this point, it is very likely that an individual would not be able to access a passport with a gender marker that is different from their sex assigned at birth. Strangio said because there isnt yet a formal policy from the Department of State, they dont have a clear indication for individuals about what exactly will happen. But we are monitoring that and waiting to see exactly how each of these directives to federal agencies will play out on the ground, he said, adding that another agency they are monitoring is the Bureau of Prisons, which was named explicitly in the executive order. We are hearing that individuals are being moved into some sort of solitary confinement, administrative isolation, and being told that they are going to be transferred from womens prisons to mens prisons. Were trying to figure out exactly whether BoP has enacted new policy or that the agency is just acting pursuant to the executive order itself, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Omar Gonzalez-Pagan, senior counsel and health care strategist at Lambda Legal, said while the order itself is vague on specifics, it absolutely shows what the administrations overall plan is. The takeaway from today is that people should be concerned about what this executive order, not necessarily does, but rather indicates and signals, which is the abandonment by this administration with regards to enforcement of civil rights protections for transgender people, said Gonzalez-Pagan. Meanwhile, Loren Khogali, executive director of ACLU Michigan, said the group plans to challenge the new administrations efforts at the state level, as well. The ACLU will confront a second Trump presidency with every ounce of its formidable skills, strategic prowess, and people power, said Khogali. Whether its fighting efforts at mass deportation that target our family members, neighbors, and co-workers, or defending reproductive freedom for all, protecting our First Amendment right to speak out against government action, or guarding the rights of our LGBTQ+ Michiganders, the ACLU will be unwavering. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement That effort will begin with a virtual townhall set for at 7 p.m. Thursday. Titled Taking on Trump: The First 100 Days, it will outline plans to counter the most urgent threats and show you how to get involved in the fight ahead. At the national level, the ACLU is also awaiting word from the U.S. Supreme Court in U.S. v. Skrmetti, in which it heard arguments in December on whether Tennessees ban on gender affirming care for minors is unconstitutional. The high courts decision will set legal precedent on equal protection for transgender children. Strangio, who argued the Skrmetti case before the U.S. Supreme Court, becoming the first known transgender person to do so, said while they expect the Trump Administration to reverse course and back out of opposing the ban, it wont affect the case itself. Nothing, of course, would change just by virtue of them changing their position or even moving to dismiss the petition insofar as the case continues to be live, The controversy remains, said Strangio, who noted that the case was brought as a private action by three families with transgender children and Memphis Dr. Susan Lacy, who are challenging Tennessees ban on puberty blockers and hormone therapy for transgender minors. Photo by Zackary Drucker, The Gender Spectrum Collection Can you help me here? Legal strategies aside, Keith says the fear is palpable among trans individuals and their loved ones, with pleas for help coming from across the country. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We have a a TikTok video out there that talks about our resources and how Stand with Trans is here for the community, and within the last 48 hours I saw this huge uptick of comments like, Can you help me in Pennsylvania? Can you help me in Ohio? Can you help me here? What about Texas? So all these people are looking for support and weve basically said our therapy services are only in Michigan due to the licensing, but if you need to find someone in your state, just let us know and we will help you, she said. Keith says theres no doubt there will be a negative impact for Trumps policies, but theres also no doubt that no one is just going to give up on their loved ones and the community at large. Folks are trying to stay positive but theres this kind of seesaw between This is really bad, this is really awful and on the other hand, Were gonna fight. Were not backing down, she said. Trans people exist. They will always exist. They have always existed and regardless of the barriers, were going to continue to fight to make sure that folks get what they need. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX The leader of the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD), Alice Weidel, has demanded an immediate parliamentary vote on closing the country's borders following the attack in the southern city of Aschaffenburg. Weidel, the party's candidate for chancellor in the German election on February 23, said the conservative CDU/CSU bloc must abandon its "firewall" on cooperation with the AfD in order to pass legislation on the "closure of borders and turning back of illegal immigrants." "There must be no more firewall deaths," Weidel said on X on Thursday, one day after two people including a 2-year-old child were killed in a stabbing by a 28-year-old Afghan asylum seeker. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Conservative leader Friedrich Merz has repeatedly ruled out cooperating with the AfD, who are second in the polls. Germany last year introduced border checks despite Schengen Area rules on free movement. Interior Minister Nancy Faeser has signalled she intends to extend the checks beyond March 2025. On Tuesday, January 7, Tony Obi, a rapper who performs as Fat Tony, went to the gym. And when he came home to the northeast Los Angeles County town of Altadena at 8:00 p.m., Eaton Canyon was on fire. My neighbor and I stepped out onto the street, and the whole sky was red, he recounts. He went to spend the night at his girlfriends home in a different L.A. neighborhood; in the morning, a neighbor texted that every house on their street, Poppyfields Drive, had burned down and that the town of Altadena was gone. Obi thought that this was an exaggeration. It wasnt. Altadena, an unincorporated community just north of Pasadena, is an outlier in Los Angeles. The town had a population of around 42,000, with a picturesque main street filled with small, beloved businesses, like the health-food store Oh Happy Days and the Western-themed dive Rancho Bar. Altadena attracted famed artists and intellectuals (author Octavia Butler was raised and buried there, and the likes of artists Paul McCarthy and Martine Syms and actor John C. Reilly all call the town home), along with young families looking to purchase homes in L.A.s hypercompetitive housing market. But it was also a historically Black neighborhood, one where Black middle-class families could flourish in the wake of the passing of 1968s Fair Housing Act. Houses were passed down between generations of families. Houses that are now gone. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I love that Altadena is a historic Black neighborhood, says Obi. It was nice to live in a northeast L.A. neighborhood and actually see Black people every single day. FREDERIC J. BROWN - Getty Images Obi says that he had planned to raise a family in his house in Altadena. Instead, that house burned with everything he owned inside, other than what he could carry in a small overnight bag. (He is hoping to purchase new belongings via funds raised on GoFundMe , and he plans to donate any excesses to the Pasadena Humane Society.) He is grieving for his neighborhood. I loved being able to see the mountains from my living room every single day, he says. I loved how many mom-and-pop small businesses were in my neighborhood. It just really felt like we had our own little pocket right outside of L.A. Ive never in my adult life experienced living in a community like my Altadena community, straight up. Never. Never ever. There was a rich history of Black homeowners in Altadena, explains artist and L.A. native Christina Quarles. My wife grew up there. And she went to school with Martine Syms, who was born there and now is a prolific artist. My friend Kenturah Davis, whos an artist, recently bought a house there just around the corner from her parents. These are established artists who are coming to Altadena not as gentrifiers but as people returning to their hometown. Quarles, her wife, Alyssa Polk, and their three-year-old, Lucinda, lost a home in Altadena to an unrelated fire in April and were in the process of rebuilding when the Eaton Fire struck. Lucinda knows what it is like to have a fire and not be able to go home, says Quarles. So we explained that now the firemen came to all of Altadena, not just our house. She was in my wifes arms. And immediately, her eyes got heavy. She started to almost fall asleep, and then her body spiked to a 103 degree fever. Shes just really not doing well with this. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A few of Quarless pieces were salvaged, but she and fellow Altadena artists have lost years worth of work. Ross Simonini, an artist, musician, and author, left Altadena with his wife and infant daughter on Tuesday night, taking extra precautions before receiving an official evacuation order. We went to bed thinking we would be back in a day or two, and then we woke up in the morning and our house and everything around it was gone, he says. For blocks and blocks and blocks all around us, theres not a single home left standing. Our whole street is just chimneys. Simonini also lost his Altadena art studio, which contained the entirety of his archives, nine musical instruments, a small recording studio, and work for three upcoming gallery shows, sales from which would have served as a years income. He is raising funds via GoFundMe , but there are some things that cant be replaced. There are also things that are just the most heartbreaking to lose, like some drawings I made with my mom when I was a little kid, he recounts. My mom passed years ago. You dont realize how sentimental you are until you lose one of these charged magical objects. Just hours before the Eaton Fire began, the Palisades Fire had ignited on the Westside of Los Angeles. As of press time, the Pacific Palisades, a coastal enclave thats home to numerous celebrities and iconic pieces of L.A. architecture, has almost entirely burned, with the fire tearing through 23,700 acres of land. Poppie van Herwerden, a now New Yorkbased creative and art director, wasnt nervous at first. Her parents, Julie and Wouter van Herwerden, had lived in their 1970s bungalow in the Palisades for 32 years. But after the van Herwerdens evacuated, she saw their house on the news, fires dotting the roof. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Wouter works as a sound engineer for film and television, and Julie is an artist who taught classes out of her garage for neighborhood children, many of whom she saw through to art school. A kind landlord ignored market rates and kept their rent at the same base as it was in the 90s, allowing them to stay in an increasingly wealthy neighborhood. My mom has always been an artist, says Poppie. She does a lot of painted furniture and decoupage, so the house itself was just filled with handmade things. And she also collected old mirrors. There were a lot of thrifted things. And it really had a warm glow about it. It felt very unique and very creative. And so people loved going there. All my friends from high school, friends who came from homes that were broken or sadpeople just loved being in our home. Poppie, who set up a GoFundMe for her parents, mourns her mothers wedding dress , an iridescent gold Vivienne Westwoodesque gown custom-made by a friend, an assistant to Zandra Rhodes. She was a toddler at her parents wedding, and the little pink tutu she wore was hanging on her mothers bedroom wall until the fire. Ive been speaking to so many friends I havent spoken to in so long, and theyre like, I dont think people realize how many people like your parents are in the Palisades, Poppie says. There are people who raised their kids there in the 60s, in the 70s, in the 80s and are still there. There were a lot of people in my neighborhood who were much older and lived in these nice little houses. And so I really feel for them because theyre the ones who are going to be most greatly affected by this. They dont have huge insurance policies or anything to fall back on. Theyve lived in these homes and theyve loved these homes for decades. In the wake of incomprehensible loss, Angelenos have come together to help one another. Producer Kaitlyn Fong, whose Eagle Rock home was threatened by the Eaton Fire while her family home in the Palisades burned, is one of the five organizers of the LA Clothing Drive , an initiative spearheaded by L.A. stylist Lana Jay Lackey. The clothing drive is seeking new and unused clothing for families affected by the fire (brands and individuals interested in donating are urged to email the organization directly), while those in need can email and ask for specific items. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We just wanted to create customized packages for people based on their style, to get back their sense of identity, says Fong. The drive began in earnest just this past Friday and is already serving over 150 families, with a focus on those with under-resourced, verified GoFundMes. Its important to Fong and her cohort to create an experience more akin to shopping than receiving donations. For example, a company in Nashville reached out and wanted to donate, but they only do Western-style clothing, she explains. And then a girl reached out on behalf of her parents who lost their house, so we asked her about their style. And shes like, My dad only wears Western clothing. A little crazy. Theres so many small things like that that are happening that are just really heartbreaking and also heartwarming. Penelope Gazin, founder of Fashion Brand Company , lost her home in the Eaton Fire. Gazin, a cancer survivor who is unable to breastfeed, left with nothing except a cooler of breastmilk for her three-month-old, leaving her wardrobe behind. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Obviously I went on Amazon and bought diapers and formula and everything that was essential for surviving and supporting my children, says Gazin. But I was like, I literally dont own a bra. I dont own underwear, and my underwearIm on my period and I dont even have tampons or anything like that. Weirdly, at the end of the day, in survival mode trying to get all the essentials, I was like, It would be nice to have a little treat or something. One clothing brand, Rat Boi , reached out to Gazin and offered her a $250 gift card. Inspired, she began distributing $200 gift cards from her own company. Fashion Brand Company has now given out over $50,000 and counting in gift cards to victims of the fire, and its hosting a medical clinic , beginning this Saturday, offering medication refills, asthma and COPD treatment, and inhalers. Those in the art world, no stranger to fundraising, have also swiftly begun to raise money and materials for artists and art workers impacted by the fires. On Wednesday, Los Angeles museums (the J. Paul Getty Trust, LACMA, MOCA, and the Hammer museum, among others) announced the creation of a $12 million fund to aid affected artists . A group of Los Angeles art workers also came together to create the Grief and Hope fund , with the goal of urgently distributing $500,000 to artists who lost their homes and studios. Painter Adam Alessi, an L.A. native, was devastated by news of the fires, mourning the loss of Craftsman homes, Altadena, and the destruction of L.A.s iconic stretch of the Pacific Coast Highway, where you could get a beer at the Reel Inn after a day on a salty Malibu beach. Over the weekend, he took to Instagram , seeking materials to distribute to affected artistsanything from clay to paint to hard drives for those who lost their studios and the materials required to continue their practices. The initiative, dubbed Artist Relief L.A., quickly exploded. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I was putting stuff aside, like notepads and watercolors for a friends mom who had lost her house, Alessi details. And I realized that artists in my position buy such an abundance of stuff. Were collectors. And so I was like, Well, I know every other artist I know has a ton of these things that they could donate. We could try to get other people back on their feet. Alessi and a group of volunteers have been inundated with donations, logging materials in a spreadsheet to create a sort of art-supply store from which artists in need can request their preferred materials. Those from out of town are encouraged to send gift cards. When asked to explain the magnitude of the loss of a studio, Alessis voice cracks. Studios are not art supplies in a room, he says. Its a whole domain, and its how the air is and how the light is and how it smells and how it feels. And no amount of materials that I can supply or anyone donates will create that. That is something thats truly lost when a studio goes up in flames. Christina Quarless Altadena studio, somehow, survived two separate fires. I cant work in this graveyard for a while, she says. But it is a strange thing too to have this sort of weird resilient art structure that exists. I cant tell if its some sort of sign, like a good omen or a bad omen. The plants around the studio lived too. You Might Also Like A long-time Secret Service agent who rushed to the stage during the attempted assassination of Donald Trump in July will be the new leader of the troubled agency, the president announced Wednesday. Sean Curran, who had been serving on Trumps personal security detail, will replace Ronald Rowe as director, the president said in a post on Truth Social. The president cited Currans actions during the assassination attempt at a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "He proved his fearless courage when he risked his own life to help save mine from an assassins bullet in Butler, Pennsylvania," Trump said. "I have complete and total confidence in Sean to make the United States Secret Service stronger than ever before." The agency came under intense criticism from Congress for security lapses following the attempt on Trumps life. Days after the incident, Director Kimberly Cheatle resigned amid the backlash. Trump also named conservative activist L. Brent Bozell III to be the next CEO of the United States Agency for Global Media, an independent agency which oversees the distribution of broadcast news throughout the country. Bozell's son was sentenced to nearly four years in prison for taking part in the Jan. 6, 2021, assault on the Capitol. Bozell was released on Wednesday as a part of the president's sweeping pardon for everyone convicted in the attack. (Bloomberg) -- Brooke Rollins, Donald Trumps nominee for agriculture secretary, supports the presidents plan of a mass deportation at a scale that matters, a move that could hurt US farmers who are heavily reliant on foreign labor. Most Read from Bloomberg That is my commitment, is to help President Trump deploy his agenda in an effective way while at the same time defending, if confirmed Secretary of Agriculture, our farmers and ranchers across this country, Rollins said at her confirmation hearing on Thursday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump has promised the biggest deportations in US history. That could increase labor costs for farmers, who rely heavily on both documented and undocumented immigrant workers, and inflate food prices for consumers. More than 40% of US crop farmworkers were undocumented from 2020 to 2022, according to the US Department of Agriculture. Rollins said she knows her job, if confirmed, will be to ensure that the president understands what deportations mean to the agriculture community. I believe sincerely that he will execute his agenda that he has promised the American people, but that will never forget our ag community in so doing, she said. Rollins also said she will work with the secretary of labor to reform and perhaps modernize the H-2A visa for temporary farmworkers. Agricultural trade groups have pushed for an expansion of the program, which US farmers have become increasingly reliant on in recent years. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2025 Bloomberg L.P. TERRE HAUTE, Ind. (WTWO/WAWV) Over the last few weeks, the state of California has been impacted by recent wildfires. Here in the Wabash Valley, Terre Haute native Richard Goodall reflects on his time spent in the state during his Americas Got Talent journey. Just four months ago, Richard Goodall won Season 19 of Americas Got Talent. During his time in California, when he wasnt filming or in rehearsals, Goodall and his wife Angie would spend time enjoying the west coast hospitality. They even got married in California. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Where it does hit close to me is (Angie) and I got married while I was on the show, said Richard Goodall. The show kind of set us up for a really nice dinner and it was right on the Pacific Ocean, called Moonshadows. Moonshadows was one of many businesses that was devastated by the recent wildfires. Photo from AGT producer Moonshadows before wildfires Photo from Richard Goodall Places I drove by and to think Ive been there and that theyre not longer there, said Goodall. The recent wildfires is even having an impact on Americas Got Talent, as the recent in-person auditions were postponed in Pasadena. Despite the recent devastation, the Terre Haute native and AGT winner is nothing but grateful for the time he got to spend in California. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I am extremely grateful for all the time that we got to spend out in California. Angie absolutely loved California. Its beautiful out there. The people are amazing. There are so many amazing people out there, said Goodall. The Americas Got Talent winner also mentions if you can help, to do so. If you can get in contact with your local Red Cross to be able to send out a case of water. Or if you cant afford anything at all, just say a prayer at home, said Goodall. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. From the Techne on The Dispatch Welcome back to Techne! Im a big fan of The Public Domain Review, an online journal focusing on works of art and literature now in the public domain. Hugh Aldersey-Williams, a writer and curator, just published a fascinating piece on two French architects, Etienne-Louis Boullee and Claude-Nicolas Ledoux. Both architects pioneered a revolutionary style that emphasized pure geometric forms and stripped-down classical elements. Sometimes impractical, sometimes realized, these beautiful sketches are markers in the transition toward modern architecture. AIs Emerging Paradox While the presidential transition commanded headlines this week, equally significant shifts were occurring in AI technology. Just hours before Donald Trumps inauguration, DeepSeek released its latest model, achieving a breakthrough in AI reasoning that matches the best models of OpenAI and Anthropic but at a fraction of the cost. DeepSeek, which is backed by a Chinese financial trading firm, has been able to continually keep up with the industry leaders while navigating stringent U.S. chip export controls. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This development challenges the assumption that cutting-edge AI progress requires massive computational resources available only to better-funded Western companies. DeepSeeks models still arent cheap, at the cost of $5.5 million, but the company has been able to keep up with the best companies in the U.S. even with the chip restrictions. It is helping to show that innovative engineering and efficient resource use might matter more than raw computing power in the long run. The AI landscape has transformed dramatically in just the first month of 2025. Things are moving fast, so let me get you up to speed. Executive orders, past and present. In the first couple of hours of his presidency, Trump issued 46 separate executive actions, the most consequential for AI policy being his repeal of the Biden administrations Executive Order on the Safe, Secure, and Trustworthy Development and Use of Artificial Intelligence. Ive written about the Biden EO in a number of places because it was the organizing agenda for AI policy. It included some 150 requirements that forced various agencies to publish frameworks, studies, and undertake rulemaking related to AI. Trumps rescission will cancel the reporting requirements attached to Bidens EO, but the substance of the former administrations work will remain. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Federal agencies like the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the Food and Drug Administration, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, and National Institute of Standards and Technology have issued more than 500 AI-relevant regulations, standards, and other governance documents. Some or none of these could be on the chopping block if the various agency heads under Trump decide to unravel the regulations. However, any rollback would require administrative processes that could last months. And many of these policies, particularly those focused on consumer protection, probably wont be repealed even after review. Perhaps the most consequential question is what Trump will do with the expansive authority Biden claimed under the Defense Production Act (DPA). The DPA, originally passed during the Korean War and reauthorized every five years since, has evolved from a wartime industrial policy tool into a broader instrument for addressing critical technology challenges. Biden broke new ground by using the DPA to compel AI companies to share access to their models, arguing that concentrated control of frontier AI systems poses national security risks. While Trumps early moves signal a pullback from Bidens regulatory framework, he may find value in preserving these expanded executive powers over the AI industry. Ashley Mehra, a fellow at the Mercatus Center, explains more in her brief on how to lawfully apply the Defense Production Act. The Biden export controls. In the waning hours of the Biden administration, the Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) , adopted a new rule that controls who gets the computing chips needed to train advanced AI models. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This rule put into place a three-tier system for AI chip access. Nations getting largely unfettered access to advanced chips include Americas closest allies, mainly Western nations like the U.K. and EU members, along with Asian tech powerhouses like Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan. At the other extreme, strategic competitors like China, Russia, and Iran face complete restrictions as third-tier countries. No advanced chips can be imported. But most of the worlds nations fall into a middle tier that applies complex limitations to their chip imports. For these countries, the rules create both limits for individual companies and national caps. Any single company can import computing power equivalent to roughly 1,700 of todays high-end Nvidia H100 chips per year without special permission. When companies need more, they must navigate a demanding approval process requiring consent from four different U.S. government agencies: the Commerce, Energy, State, and Defense departments. Even if approved, these larger orders count against their countrys annual limit of about 50,000 H100-equivalent chips. The rule also implements enhanced security standards for development facilities. This change in policy is the latest in a series of restrictions imposed by the Biden administration on semiconductor exports. In early December 2024, the Commerce Department significantly expanded its controls on the Chinese semiconductor industry. These rules restricted sales of high-bandwidth memory to China and limited access to crucial chip design software. The Commerce Department also added 140 Chinese companiesincluding tool manufacturers, fabrication facilities, and investment companies involved in semiconducting manufacturingto a list of those that can no longer sell products in the United States. Perhaps most significantly, the administration expanded the Foreign Direct Product Rule, which prohibits any product containing even a single chip designed or manufactured with American technology from being sent to blacklisted fabrication facilities. These combined measures represent the most comprehensive attempt yet to restrict Chinas access to advanced semiconductor technology. Even with all the restrictions, Chinese companies like Huawei are getting access to the most advanced chips through intermediary companies. More importantly, Chinas biggest chipmaker, SMIC, has been making strides on advanced chips without the most recent technologies. As the Financial Times explained, SMIC seems to be doing the impossible but at a cost. Its advanced chips cost 50 percent more than its main competitor, Taiwans TSMC, and they are of lower quality. So while China can work around U.S. restrictions, its costing money and manufacturing efficiency. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But DeepSeeks recent innovations underscore that chip access might not be as constraining as previously thought. Why DeepSeek matters. DeepSeek, to me, is the most important firm in AI right now. DeepSeek was founded in May 2023 by High-Flyer, one of the largest quantitative trading funds in China. DeepSeeks breakthrough came in December 2024 with DeepSeek-V3, a model that matched the performance of GPT-4o and Claude 3.5 Sonnet while using far fewer resources. The company achieved this through a mixture-of-experts approach that selectively activated a limited number of models parameters for each token. A token is the basic unit of text in AI models that serves as both an input and an output. It can be a word, a part of a word, or a single character like a period or a question mark. By demonstrating that state-of-the-art AI systems can be developed in this way, this company has lowered the barrier to entry for a range of state and nonstate actors to get into the fray. DeepSeek estimated the training cost for its model at $5.5 million, which isnt much to be on the bleeding edge when OpenAI spent $80 million to $100 million to train ChatGPT 4.0 just a generation back. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While previous estimates suggested only major tech companies and well-resourced nations could develop advanced AI systems, DeepSeeks training cost represents a dramatic lowering of financial barriers. The timing is particularly significant, as it occurred just as U.S. export controls on advanced semiconductors were tightening. Nations with substantial technical talent but limited access to advanced computing infrastructure, such as Russia, Iran, and Pakistan, might now have a viable path to developing sophisticated AI capabilities. Even individual billionaires with sufficient technical expertise could theoretically pursue similar programs, though assembling the necessary technical talent would remain a significant hurdle. Thats the unintended consequence of U.S. export controls. While the U.S. succeeded in maintaining its choke point over high-end semiconductor access, this may have inadvertently sparked innovations that make such choke points less relevant. The proliferation of these more-efficient AI development techniques could ultimately pose greater security challenges than the concentrated development of chip-intensive systems by major state actors. Going big with Stargate. While DeepSeek demonstrates the potential for doing more with less, OpenAI is pursuing the opposite strategy by betting big on massive computing infrastructure. A day after repealing Bidens executive order on AI, Trump stood alongside OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, Oracle CEO Larry Ellison, and SoftBank CEO Masayoshi Son to announce a major new investment in data centers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement OpenAI laid out the details on X: The Stargate Project is a new company which intends to invest $500 billion over the next four years building new AI infrastructure for OpenAI in the United States. We will begin deploying $100 billion immediately. This infrastructure will secure American leadership in AI, create hundreds of thousands of American jobs, and generate massive economic benefit for the entire world. This project will not only support the re-industrialization of the United States but also provide a strategic capability to protect the national security of America and its allies. This isnt out of the blue. OpenAI has been talking about building a $100 billion data center that requires 2 million graphics processing units and 5 gigawatts of power to run. The plans are laid out in the companys September 2024 Infrastructure Is Destiny white paper. One buildout is currently underway in Texas and others are being considered. The key here will be getting the energy needed to run this data center and the returns to make investment worth it. This contrast in approaches highlights a fascinating divide in the AI industry: Some firms are finding ways to build powerful AI systems with minimal resources, while others believe that unprecedented scale is the key to future breakthroughs. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The future is likely to lie in between these two poles. While efficiency innovations can reduce the computing needed for todays AI capabilities, pushing beyond current frontiers might still require massive computational resources. Will export controls matter in the long run? The assumption that maintaining American technological superiority requires controlling access to cutting-edge hardware is being challenged on multiple fronts. Just as DeepSeek shows that innovation can sometimes substitute for raw computing power, Chinas response to export controls demonstrates how restrictions can spark unexpected adaptations. My views on China have changed since President Trump first placed restrictions on Huawei back in 2018. Ive become more concerned about the leadership of Chinese President Xi Jinping and the direction hes taking his nation. At the same time, Ive become less certain that the export control regime can effectively slow Chinas AI progress. Im not the only one changing their tune. Ben Thompson, the author of the Stratechery blog, recently wrote that you could make the case that the China Chip Ban hasnt just failed, but actually backfired. Dean Ball of the Mercatus Center had similar thoughts in a post on the export controls, writing that it is either the wisest or the most disastrous decision of President Bidens administration. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As it considers further trade restrictions against China, President Donald Trumps administration will have time to plan out its next steps and would do well to think carefully about its goals. There is time. Trumps executive order on America First Trade Policy has a section on economic and trade relations with China that outlines a series of studies to be undertaken. As Bill Bishop pointed out in the Sinocism blog, this means that: These studies will take months, giving the PRC perhaps more breathing room expected from economic pressure from the US, at least for much of 2025, as well as a window to try to negotiate some sort of a broader deal with the Trump administration. However, the language in the EO about China should be seen as a clear warning to Beijing that significant increased pressure is under consideration. The rise of DeepSeek alongside the launch of OpenAIs Stargate project presents a fascinating paradox: As the U.S. bets on maintaining technological superiority through massive infrastructure investments, innovative approaches from abroad are demonstrating alternative paths forward. As the Trump administration settles in and considers its approach to both AI regulation and China policy, these early developments suggest that maintaining technological advantage may require more nuanced tools than export controls alone. The challenge ahead will be crafting policies that can effectively balance national security concerns with the reality that innovation often finds a way around barriers. Until next week, Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Will Notes and Quotes 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. LOS ANGELES, Jan. 23 (Xinhua) -- The most recent wildfire, the Laguna Fire, was reported in Ventura County in U.S. California on Thursday morning and due to the threat, California State University Channel Islands has ordered the immediate evacuation of its campus. According to the Ventura County Star newspaper, the fire was ignited at approximately 8:35 a.m. local time near the community of Camarillo and on the hills west of the university campus. Crews arriving at the scene said the blaze was burning in brush and spreading rapidly, the Ventura County Fire Department reported, adding its size had grown to 50 acres shortly before 10:30 a.m. local time. Helicopters were on scene assisting with water drops. "Firefighters are aggressively attacking the fire from the air and ground with additional resources assessing and mitigating any potential structure threats in the immediate area," Ventura County Fire officials said on social media. Authorities also issued evacuation orders for California State University Channel Islands, and University Glen. The latter is a residential community located adjacent to the university's campus. "A fire has been reported on Round Mountain/Sat'wiwa and the campus has been ordered to evacuate," officials said in an emergency alert. "Please proceed to evacuate the campus and University Glen/Ancapa Canyon immediately." Military officials say they have solved the mystery of a pilot who disappeared while flying over Vietnam during a mission in 1967. Lt. Col. Donald W. Downing, 33, of Columbus, Wisconsin, was officially accounted for on Friday, Dec. 20, about 57 years after his death, according to a news release from the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency. Downing was piloting an F-4C Phantom II aircraft during a nighttime armed reconnaissance mission over the then-Democratic Republic of Vietnam on Sept. 5, 1967, when his aircraft vanished, the agency said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The first aircraft in the mission witnessed a large, bright fireball in the air while on a run to their target. Afterward, officials said that Downings aircraft did not respond to any radio calls. Related: Remains of Missing Tuskegee Pilot Identified Nearly 79 Years After World War II Mission The Air Force reported Downing as Killed in Action on April 28, 1978, after the captain was not located during a search following his disappearance. He was also posthumously promoted to the rank of lieutenant colonel. In May and June of 2024, a team recovered life support equipment, possible material evidence, aircraft wreckage, unexploded ordnance and possible osseous material in Quang Binh Province, according to the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency. 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. DNA analysis and anthropological analysis were all used to help identify Downing's remains as well as material and circumstantial evidence. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Related: Heartwarming Video of Woman Giving $1,300 to Struggling Veteran Goes Viral, Leading to $450K in Donations Downing will have a funeral at Arlington National Cemetery, according to officials. A rosette will be placed next to Downings name at the American Battle Monuments Commissions Courts of the Missing at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific in Honolulu to indicate he has been accounted for. "DPAA is grateful to the government of Vietnam for their partnership in this mission," the agency said. Read the original article on People AUGUSTA, Kan. (KSNW) Native Kansan Dale Redding joined the Air Force in 1959 after completing the Reserve Officers Training Corps (ROTC) Program at Wichita State University. A case of vertigo kept him on the ground, and he became a very busy transportation officer. We can handle the motor pool, which youve probably heard of. Weve got vehicle operations. Weve got vehicle mechanics. Weve got commercial transportation. Weve got trucking. Weve got vehicle maintenance, the airport/airplane business. Theres a little bit of everything you can do in transportation, he said. Redding worked many transportation jobs for the Air Force, including in combat zones in Vietnam, loading and unloading C-130 aircraft. He recalls a time when he and his team had to tend to a helicopter that was hit and fell onto the runway. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When I went out there to talk to the guys in the helicopter, the pilot was all shook up. He said hed never get in a helicopter again. The gunner was dead, and the copilot was wounded, but we got those guys out, and then we picked up the helicopter and put it to the side of the field and got the flow of the C-130s back on the ramp and back up in the air, he said. Air Force veteran who hates flying fell in love with the Air Capital During the Tet Offensive in 1968, Redding witnessed people shot at the American embassy in Saigon. You do what you do in combat zones, just like its in training or what you do every day in the airport, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Soon after, Redding returned to the States, where he trained personnel on how to load and unload C-130s. He went on to manage hundreds of employees at multiple airports. Redding retired from the Air Force as a lieutenant colonel and decided to further his education. I went back to school. I got a masters degree, and I still didnt know what to do I just decided to retire. In about 1986, I was retired, and Im still retired today, he said. Redding says his niece convinced him to return to the Air Capital to invest in her business. He did just that and then had thoughts about possibly leaving. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement From that point on, the government wouldnt pay for my transportation, my household goods, and my move. So I was here, and I didnt want to spend another 10 grand to make another move, so I stayed here, he laughed. Redding says joining the Air Force and retiring in the Air Capital are two of the best decisions hes ever made. Wichita is great. Wichita is a good city. If I had a choice again for a lot of places to be, Wichita is about as good as any of them, he said. If you want to nominate a veteran for our Veteran Salute, send an email to connect3news@ksn.com or fill out our online contact form! 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 KSN-TV. All products featured on Conde Nast Traveler are independently selected by Conde Nast Traveler editors. However, when you buy something through our retail links, Conde Nast may earn an affiliate commission. Getty Ryanair flight 7124 took off as planned from Dublin airport on April 9, 2024, heading to Lanzarote, Spain. But mid-flight, a drunk and unruly passenger disrupted operations, causing the plane to divert to Porto, Portugal instead. After landing, the crew reached their maximum work hours and werent allowed to fly again without resting. So the plane, crew, and passengers were forced to overnight in Portugal and depart for Lanzarote the next morning. Ryanair had to shell out more than 15,000 euros on food, accommodation, and other costs associated with crew and airport fees. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As crazy as it all sounds, this story isnt totally unique in an era of travel in which unruly passenger incidents have become increasingly common. What is notable about this story, however, is that Ryanair is now suing the disruptive passenger for the full cost of the damages, and requesting that EU authorities impose a two-drink limit in European airports for all travelers to avoid similar situations in the future. We fail to understand why passengers at airports are not limited to two alcoholic drinks (using their boarding pass in exactly the same way they limit duty free sales), as this would result in safer and better passenger behavior on board aircraft, and a safer travel experience for passengers and crews all over Europe, Ryanair said in a recent statement. Drunk passengers are a well-documented issue across the airline industry. So much so that in 2022when the number of unruly passenger incidents was cresting during the pandemicsome cabin crew pushed to limit onboard alcohol consumption. That year, the union representing American Airlines flight attendants requested alcoholic drinks in economy be capped at two per customer to help with episodes of out-of-control fliers. (The limit never happened.) Unruly passenger incidents in the US have dropped by 80% since record highs in early 2021, according to the FAA, but recent increases show there remains more work to do. As the number of incidents have waned, the initiative to limit alcohol seems to have lost steam in the US. But drunk and unruly fliers are still a massive issue for airlines around the world. In 2023, for example, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) reported 1 incident for every 480 flights worldwide, based on data from 50 international airlines. Plus, the number of reports mentioning verbal and physically abusive behaviors also increased in 2023, IATAs report says. In 2024, there were 2,102 unruly passenger incidents reported to the FAA, who referred at least 43 of the cases to the FBI for criminal prosecution review. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Whats more: An airport drink limit appears to have solid support from travelers. According to a recent YouGov poll of 6,771 British adults, 62% of respondents said they would support a two-drink limit in airport bars. Only 9% of respondents strongly opposed the idea. But some airline experts are less enthused about a potential limits effectiveness, at least as a standalone solution. The two-drink limit is a band-aid, a spokesperson for The European Cockpit Association, which represents 40,000 pilots, told travel industry site Skift in January. The real fix is stronger enforcement and better laws. While limiting alcohol consumption onboard can mitigate some issues, it doesnt tackle the root cause: the lack of robust regulatory and enforcement mechanisms on the ground. Those mechanisms could include tighter assessments of passengers for signs of intoxication or aggression as theyre boarding the plane. But even if passengers arent drunk at boarding, it doesnt mean that they wont drink too much during the flight, sometimes from their own alcohol stash they bring aboardan action thats prohibited but is nonetheless a part of many incidents of unruliness. (Ryanair says it limits the amount of alcohol it serves on its flights, particularly in disruptive passenger cases.) And although Ryanairs request to the European Commission has brought the issue of alcohol and unruly behavior back to the fore, its not the first time the EU and UK airports have considered a cap on drinking in airports. Back in 2016, the UKs aviation minister considered restricting alcohol sales in the countrys airports, following a surge of high-profile drunk passenger incidents that year. And in 2018, the nations Home Office seriously threatened to ban airport alcohol service before 10 a.m. after complaints from a number of airlines about drunk passengers, including Ryanair. Those initiatives never stuck. And today, airports around the UK, including major hubs like London Heathrow, can start serving up booze as early as 5 a.m. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement So will an airport drink limit finally gain traction in Europe, and potentially catch on at airports around the globe? If history is any indication, it seems that travelers wont have to worry about their airside tipples being restricted anytime soon. Originally Appeared on Conde Nast Traveler The Latest Travel News and Advice Al Sharpton has raised concerns over the jury selection in A$AP Rockys shooting trial. The Civil Rights activist took to X on Wednesday (Jan. 22) to express concerns about the racial imbalance in the selection processwhich reportedly includes only four Black individuals among the 106 potential jurors. Sharpton let it be known that the Harlem rapper deserves to be judged fairly by his peers, as is his Constitutional right. It is absolutely ridiculous that the jury will be not fair and representative, so as to deprive A$AP Rocky of a fair trial, he wrote. When we have four (4) Black people in the city of Los Angeles, out of one hundred and six (106) and exactly zero (0) within in the first thirty (30) possible candidates for the jury something appears to be very wrong with the system. Sharpton emphasized that although he is not privy to the specific details of Rockys trial, he found the statistics alarming. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A$AP Rocky, whose real name is Rakim Mayers, has pleaded not guilty to charges of assault with a semiautomatic firearm related to a 2021 shooting incident involving Terell Ephron (A$AP Relli). The rapper was arrested in 2022 and reportedly declined a plea deal that would have included a 180-day jail sentence. Rockys attorney, Joe Tacopina, has stated that his client is eager to tell his story. According to police reports, an argument between two individuals allegedly escalated into gunfire. The suspect and two others reportedly fled the scene, while the alleged victim suffered minor injuries. Tacopina has indicated that he plans to call two witnesses who can testify that the weapon seen in surveillance footage was a starter pistol prop gun, which Rocky allegedly carried for security purposes. Sharpton further urged the Los Angeles District Attorneys office to ensure a fair trial. I am monitoring this trial and challenging the Los Angeles District Attorney to ensure that fair and representative justice is afforded to A$AP Rocky, he reiterated. During a pre-trial hearing on January 16, Judge Mark S. Arnold sought clarification on A$AP and Rihannas marital status, which could determine if she is called to the stand to testify. However, Tacopina responded, Shes his common-law wife, your Honor. Or just wife, prompting an objection from prosecution. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A prosecutor countered, If theyre not legally married, we prefer that she not be referred to as his wife and that she is just referred to as his significant other or mother of his children. However, the judge pressed for confirmation, asking if the couple was legally married anywhere. Tacopina admitted, I dont know, but shes certainly his common-law wife. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When asked whether Rihanna would attend the trial, Tacopina remained uncertain. I dont know. Thats a family decision, he told legal affairs journalist Meghann Cuniff. Hes very protective of Rihanna and doesnt want her anywhere near this proceeding. But thats a family decision theyll make. Reportedly, jury selection is expected to last about 15 days. If convicted, A$AP Rocky faces up to 24 years in prison. Take a look at Al Sharptons remarks about A$AP Rockys trial above. More from VIBE.com Sign up for Vibe's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. MONTGOMERY, Ala. (WIAT) There was still a little snow on the ground in Montgomery on Wednesday. Yet farther down south, cities are doing what they can to fight or embrace the snow and ice. In the morning, I saw a few flurries, said Merritt Kopec, a resident of Daphne. And I was like, OK, this is it. This is all were going to get. Theres no way were going to see what they say were going to see. Then a few hours later, it started piling up on the ground, and I was like, OK.' While she and her family were stuck inside Wednesday, Kopec said her son took it all in. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Even the sun hitting our roads, the snow is melting, but then its not melting enough to where its completely okay to drive, Kopec explained. So all the schools have been closed. About two-and-half hours northeast in Opp, residents were encouraged to stay off the roads. But Lisa Castaldo, an executive operations officer with the Alabama Emergency Management Agency, said road conditions are getting better. Frigid tonight, Slow warming trend with rain returning on Sunday Itll be one for the history books, Castaldo said. I think that theyre still adding it up to the totals and doing the work after the storm, but it is definitely a historic snowfall for parts of Alabama. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Castaldo stressed for everyone to use caution when traveling. Please heed the warnings of your local officials, Castaldo said. We are starting to see those conditions ease up from the snowfall and the icing, but we are still going to be experiencing some really cold conditions. Jeff Whatley with the Alabama Rural Electric Association said less than 2,000 members lost power because of the storm. He said they get more outages from people sliding into poles on icy roads rather than just snow alone. A dry snow versus wet snow was a saving grace for us because a dry snow will fall off the limb, where wet snow will stick, Whatley said. Same way with the wire. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement James Gordon with the Alabama Department of Transportation said it is putting down salt and plowing the snow after it melts, but some of it could turn into ice Wednesday night. Its probably best to change those travel plans mainly because were still dealing with this probably this evening, tomorrow morning, all-day Thursday, Gordon said. We dont see things getting back to normal probably until Friday. Castaldo said to be careful using space heaters in your home and spending time outside with the extremely cold temperatures. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. NELSON COUNTY, Ky. (FOX 56) An Alabama man is facing assault charges after he allegedly stabbed a man in the back seat of a pickup truck on Wednesday in Nelson County. Man hospitalized after East New Circle Road shooting, no arrest made A uniform citation shows that around 6 a.m. on Wednesday, deputies were dispatched to the 1000 block of Samuels Loop in Nelson County in response to reports of a stabbing. When authorities arrived, the sheriffs office posted on Facebook that a man had allegedly been stabbed at least 4 times in his right arm during a confrontation inside a pickup truck. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The victim told law enforcement that Luther Burton TJ Banks, 31, of Albertville, Alabama, allegedly stabbed him. Court documents show that blood was allegedly found on Banks clothes, as well as the back seat of the pickup truck. Luther Burton Banks, 31, was lodged in the Nelson County Detention Center on Wednesday. (Nelson County Sheriffs Office) Read more of the latest Kentucky news Banks was arrested and charged with second-degree assault. He was lodged in the Nelson 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 FOX 56 News. An Alabama man charged with homicide in two separate mass shootings pleaded not guilty in state court on Wednesday. Damien McDaniel, 22, is accused of killing 11 people between July and September of last year in Birmingham, Alabama which would account for over 7% of all homicides in the city in 2024. McDaniel is also accused of wounding 29 others during that time period. McDaniel's lawyer John Robbins said that he hasn't "seen a shred of evidence, and he added that even if he had he would be barred from publicizing the details of the ongoing case. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Were putting together a very good team to handle the defense, and we want to make sure this process is fair and that we protect his rights," Robbins told AL.com. Eight of the 11 capital murder charges are related to two separate mass shootings in Birmingham in 2024. One shooting took place outside of a Birmingham nightclub in July and left four people dead and 10 others wounded. Another man, Hatarius Woods, 27, was also charged with capital murder in connection with the July mass shooting. The other took place outside of a different Birmingham nightclub in September where four people were fatally shot and 17 others were injured. A spokesperson for the Birmingham police department said that there were multiple shooters in the September mass shooting, and that the investigation is ongoing. Birmingham had three total mass shootings in 2024. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement McDaniel is also accused of three separate fatal shootings that took place on three separate days in August and September culminating in 11 total homicides. There were 151 homicides in 2024, according to the Birmingham Police Department, the highest number of people killed since 1933, when there were 148 homicides. These individuals started back in July, and they did not stop from September, Birmingham Police Department spokesperson Truman Fitzgerald said at a news conference in November where he announced McDaniel's indictment on charges related to July's mass shooting. We often say on these crime scenes that we have a few select criminals that add to this crime and give Birmingham a bad name. ___ 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. HUNTSVILLE, Ala. (WHNT) The first piece of legislation to be signed by President Donald Trump is on its way to his desk. Wednesday afternoon, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the Laken Riley Act, advancing it for him to sign into law. Prior to passing in the House, it worked its way through the U.S. Senate where it passed with all Republicans and 12 Democrats supporting it. The act was sponsored by Alabama Senator Katie Britt. Family found in burning Monrovia home died in murder-suicide, sheriffs office says Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The bill requires the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to detain certain non-U.S. nationals who have been arrested for burglary, theft, larceny, or shoplifting. News 19 spoke to Sen. Britt who called the bill, the most significant immigration enforcement bill since 1996. Britt said it was pretty remarkable to pass the legislation with bipartisan support. Britt said the reasoning behind the bill is simple. If you come here illegally and you commit a crime, you should not be able to roam the streets, she said. Man airlifted to hospital in serious condition after dog attack, MCSO investigating Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It is named after Georgia nursing student, Laken Riley, who was killed in 2024. If this law had been in place, then Laken Riley would still be alive, Sen. Britt told News 19. During the debate on the house floor on Wednesday, some Republicans urged the passing of the bill. Take the criminals off the streets, like Laken Rileys killer, which is exactly what this bill does, said Rep. Tom McClintock of California. However, some democrats challenged the law. Changing our laws so that any immigrant is detained if they are accused, not convicted, accused of a crime undermines due process, said Rep. Maxwell Frost from Florida. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The U.S. House of Representatives passed the bill just after 4:00 p.m. Central on Wednesday afternoon. Senator Britt celebrated the bills passing, saying shes thrilled it will be the first law signed by President Trump. It will be the very first bill President Donald J. Trump signs into law which could not be more incredible both for Lakens life and legacy and really making sure we continue to keep people safe, Sen. Britt told News 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 WHNT.com. ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) A man tied to eight robberies in Bernalillo County will spend the next decade behind bars. Sergio Salinas-Rodriguez pled guilty to three armed robbery charges and aggravated battery for robbing a Walgreens, Subway, and six cell phone stores in 2023. Albuquerque man sentenced to life in prison for murdering his ex-girlfriend Judge Brett Lovelace sentenced Rodriguez to ten years behind bars. 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. Jan. 22A judge this week sentenced an Albuquerque man to life plus six years in prison in the 2022 killing of 20-year-old Yasmin Marquez. Jonathan Gabriel Martinez, 24, was convicted by a 2nd Judicial District Court jury in October of first-degree murder and tampering with evidence for burning Marquez's car. The life sentence handed down Tuesday by Judge Bruce Fox requires Martinez to serve at least 30 years before he is eligible for parole. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Martinez met with Marquez, his former girlfriend, at a park in Southeast Albuquerque on April 15, 2022, court records show. Cellphone data introduced at trial showed the pair traveled to Pajarito Mesa before Marquez's phone was disconnected. Martinez then traveled to the Jemez Mountains, then Corrales, where he set Marquez's Dodge Magnum on fire, witnesses testified. Six weeks later, Marquez's remains were found in the Jemez Mountains off U.S. 550. Nancy Laflin, a spokeswoman for the 2nd Judicial District Attorney's Office, said prosecutors have no immediate plans to refile charges against Martinez in the 2021 shooting death of a teenager during a Summerfest celebration in Downtown Albuquerque. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In that case, a jury acquitted Martinez in August of first-degree murder and conspiracy to commit first-degree murder in the killing of 19-year-old Trevonte Robbins. But jurors failed to reach verdicts on charges of second-degree murder, conspiracy to commit second-degree murder and aggravated battery in that case. Laflin said the DA's Office has the option of refiling those charges, but has not done so "at this time." BAGHDAD, Jan. 23 (Xinhua) -- Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia' al-Sudani expressed on Thursday his country's aspiration for greater cooperation with the Arab Monetary Fund (AMF) and affirmed his government's support for the activities of the AMF. Al-Sudani made the remarks during his meeting with AMF's Chairman Fahad bin Mohammed Al-Turki in Bagdad, according to a statement by his media office. Al-Sudani expressed Iraq's desire for the AMF to expand the participation of Iraqi professionals in its activities and strengthen ties with Iraqi financial institutions, the statement said. He stressed the Arab Monetary Fund's pivotal role in fostering stronger Arab relations by coordinating financial, monetary, and trade policies, thereby promoting shared interests across the region, it noted. The prime minister also emphasized the importance of AMF's contributions to Iraq's reconstruction and development efforts, particularly in infrastructure projects, while highlighting Iraq's role as a founding member and the second-largest contributor to the Fund after Saudi Arabia. For his part, Al-Turki reiterated AMF's commitment to supporting Iraq and participating in its development programs, while emphasizing the organization's eagerness to enhance constructive cooperation in the financial and economic sectors. Founded in 1976, the AMF is a regional Arab organization with the aim to support the economic development and financial stability of its 22 member states. Endtiem Jan. 22The two men allegedly stole a vehicle and spent the next few hours robbing employees of a gas station and cellphone store at gunpoint. When officers caught up to the pair, one gave up immediately. The other, Roberto Perez, was shot by police as he ran through a McDonald's parking lot. The Albuquerque Police Department on Wednesday released lapel video and gave a play-by-play of the Dec. 22 shooting, where officers Nathan Kamps and Raymond Marquez opened fire on Perez, injuring him. Police said Perez, a convicted felon, had a gun in his hand when he was shot. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Perez was released from the hospital and booked into the Metropolitan Detention Center on Friday, charged with aggravated assault on a peace officer with a deadly weapon and possession of a firearm by a felon. His alleged accomplice in the robberies, 35-year-old Joshua Garcia, is in jail on armed robbery, auto theft and resisting, evading or obstructing an officer charges. It was the 13th time Albuquerque police shot at someone in 2024 and the last such shooting of the year. The shooting of Perez is still under investigation by the Multi-Agency Task Force. Cmdr. Kyle Hartsock, with APD's Criminal Investigation Division, said Kamps has been with the department since 2017 and has not been in any other shootings. Marquez, identified in court records, has been with APD since 2009. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement During his time with APD, Marquez has shot at five people, including Perez. At least one of those prior shootings was fatal. Hartsock said both officers are back on duty. During an interview, Marquez told police he fired at Perez because he refused to drop the gun after multiple opportunities and "was running toward a more populated area." Kamps, he said, told police he fired when he saw Perez start to turn toward police with the gun in his hand. It began on the morning of Dec. 22, when someone called 911 to report their Hyundai had been stolen from their home in Southwest Albuquerque. Then, around 1 p.m., officers were called to an armed robbery at a Circle K in Northeast Albuquerque. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Thirty minutes later, police were called to an armed robbery at a Verizon store near Unser and Ladera on the West Side. Hartsock said Perez and Garcia were identified as the suspects in surveillance video from both robberies, taking "cash and cigarettes" from the gas station and the cash register drawer from Verizon. At 4:25 p.m., a license plate reader captured the stolen Hyundai near Pennsylvania and Comanche NE and detectives found the car nearby, following it to an AutoZone parking lot on Carlisle, north of Menaul. Hartsock said just before 5 p.m., officers tried to detain the pair as they left the AutoZone and both took off running Garcia through the lot and Perez back to the Hyundai. Garcia gave up when an officer pointed a rifle at him and he was taken into custody as Perez ran toward a McDonald's. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In the lapel video, Marquez yells at Perez to drop the gun repeatedly and then, as they run in front of the McDonald's entrance, he and Kamps open fire. Perez fell to the ground screaming, the gun several feet away, and the officers took him into custody. Hartsock said the 9mm handgun found on Perez was loaded and had been bought in 2004 by another person. He said they are investigating how Perez got the gun. Jan. 22Manchester aldermen have approved plans to build a new Beech Street School, reversing a 2024 vote by the board to put the project on hold. The project appeared on the agenda of Tuesday's meeting of the Board of Mayor and Aldermen at the request of Mayor Jay Ruais. Ruais was the deciding vote on Nov. 19, breaking a 7-7 tie along party lines, by voting against the request from the school district, saying he and aldermen needed more information on financial matters and parks in the area before moving ahead with plans to build the new Beech Street School on land currently occupied by Sheridan-Emmett Park. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement No tie-breaker was needed Tuesday night though, with the measure passing 8-6. Ward 1 Alderman Chris Morgan was the lone board member to flip his vote from last time, voting to approve the request this time around. School officials sought the blessing of aldermen to move ahead with the partial release of the Amoskeag Trust deed for Sheridan-Emmett Park, located near Stanton Park, Valley Street Cemetery and the JFK Coliseum, and authorize a change in use for the land from park to allowing school use. Superintendent of Schools Jennifer Chmiel estimated that delaying the project could result in additional costs of $250,000 per month since the November vote. Morgan said he changed his vote in favor of authorizing the change of use for Sheridan-Emmett Park, allowing for the continuation of construction of a new Beech Street School, after conversations with stakeholders and constituents that made it "clear to me that the horse had left the barn on Phase 1." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "The portable classrooms have been purchased, students are being educated in them and at this point in time, the most viable and pragmatic approach is to proceed with construction of a new Beech Street school," Morgan said. "My number one priority is to make sure that taxpayer dollars are spent in the wisest way possible. The current school district budget covers the costs associated with Phase 1 and proceeding will not result in an increase in property taxes. However, if we prolong this decision further, taxpayers will incur additional expenses though delaying the project." Mayor Ruais said he supported the board's decision, saying the questions he had in November about the potential loss of state adequacy aid, the placement of a new high school, access to parks in the area during the interim construction and costs and feasibility of alternate plans, have been answered by school officials. "Any increase in cost to the project, requiring further bonding, would have to be passed by the current BMA and BOSC," Ruais said. "These are not cost-effective, time-sensitive alternatives, that will permanently place these kids in a school and get them out of the modulars. That is entirely unacceptable. While I did not support the plan approved by the previous BOSC and BMA, the focus of this, and future boards, should be on delivering this project on time and under budget." Both Ruais and Morgan said they do not support Phase 2 of the school district's facilities plan "as currently described," which includes new construction and renovation costs totaling more than $2 billion. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ahead of Tuesday's vote, board Chairman Joe Kelly Levasseur laid into the school district's plan. "This cake is baked this is going to pass tonight, one way or another," Levasseur said. "The irony is having to come here and listen to Ward One always tell the rest of the city how we have to live, how much money we have to spend. In four years, your sewer bill will be $1,000 more than it is today. In four more years, your taxes will be a minimum of $1,000 more than they are today. So that'll be $2,000 more that you have to pay our wonderful government to live in Manchester Ward One. "They must have money coming off the trees up there, because they don't care how much they spend or how many buildings we build. It's always people from Ward One." "I welcome Ward One to come here and testify anytime they want," Ward 3 Alderman Pat Long said. "Last I knew they were part of this city. Second of all, I've heard people that were in favor from all different wards, not just one ward or two wards." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ward 5 Alderman Tony Sapienza pointed out all the board was voting on Tuesday was approving a land swap. "All this big conversation about all the money that's already been decided," Sapienza said. "So what this is, is a delay tactic. 'Stop the project and do nothing' is where we're going to end up. We're going to be here five years from now with no progress." Chmiel said she was grateful for the vote allowing the Beech Street project to move forward. "We greatly appreciate the strong support of the members of our community taxpayers, educators, business leaders, elected officials who came here tonight to speak in support of this project," Chmiel said in a statement. "This new school is a major investment in the students, families and staff of Beech Street School. Moreover, it's an investment in the center city an important symbol that we believe in the potential of the place and the people who live there. Our team is eager and ready as we know there is no time to waste." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement School board Vice Chairman Jim O'Connell said the vote was a "step in the right direction" for the city. "Our students and families deserve to have great schools," he said. "Tonight's vote sends a message that the city of Manchester is ready to invest in its future. The area where this school will be built is the most needy part of our proud city. Thousands of future Manchester children will benefit from this decision. "Let the message ring out, Manchester is on the march, Manchester is a great place to live, work and play and it is a great place to educate your children," O'Connell said. Tuesday's vote does not authorize the demolition of the current Beech Street School. Once the school is vacated, the building becomes the property of the city and aldermen will have the authority to decide what to do with it. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Beech Street School work is part of the $306-million first phase of the school district's long-term facilities planning project, which includes the closure of Henry Wilson Elementary School, construction of a new elementary school near the current Beech Street School, shifting Hillside and McLaughlin middle schools to the grade 5-8 model, and additions and renovations at all four middle schools to accommodate fifth-grade students. According to information provided by the school district, part of the rationale behind demolishing the existing Beech Street School and building a new one is the project "prioritizes equity by investing in the center of the city," and building on a site adjacent to the existing school minimizes impact on students and educators. School officials said the $290-million bond debt service is being covered by the current school district budget and will not result in an increase in property taxes, and the district will cover all of the costs for demolition of the building. The time frame for a new school to be built on the Beech Street site would be approximately two years from start to occupancy. Tuesday's vote followed more than two hours of public testimony from dozens of residents speaking both in favor of and against the Beech Street School proposal, with several citing fears regarding the rising cost of living in the Queen City. The Alexander brothers, the Miami luxury realtors indicted on sex-trafficking charges, have arrived at and are being held in the notorious Metropolitan Detention Center (MDC) in Brooklyn, New York, where Sean Diddy Combs and the alleged gunman in the murder of the CEO of UnitedHealthcare now await their own trials. Tal, Oren and Alon Alexander were earlier indicted by the FBI and the U.S. Attorneys Office for the Southern District of New York for operating a sex-trafficking scheme that led to dozens of sexual assaults of women between 2010 and 2021. The three Alexander brothers, who have pleaded not guilty to the charges, were earlier denied bail in Miami and have now been extradited to New York City. More from The Hollywood Reporter Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement They are now locked up in Brooklyn MDC, a Federal Bureau of Prisons spokesperson has told The Hollywood Reporter. The Metropolitan Detention Center is also holding rap world star Sean Diddy Combs, who has pleaded not guilty to three counts involving sex trafficking and racketeering and awaits his trial, and Luigi Mangione, who faces a murder trial for the alleged killing of Brian Thompson, the CEO of UnitedHealthcare. The Brooklyn jail is the citys only federal lockup and previously held high-profile inmates like Sam Bankman-Fried, Ghislaine Maxwell and R. Kelly. Before their arrest and jailing, the Alexander brothers and their luxury brokerage in Miami focused on residential real estate deals for ultra high net worth clients, including Hollywood names. Their celeb and mogul clients included music producer Timbaland, model Adriana Lima, designer Tommy Hilfiger and hedge funder Ken Griffin. Best of The Hollywood Reporter Sign up for THR's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. The Alexander brothers, the high-flying Miami Beach trio, are currently in custody at the same facility as Sean Diddy Combs and Luigi Mangione after they were extradited to New York on federal sex trafficking charges. Tal Alexander, 38, and his younger brothers Alon and Oren Alexander, who are 37-year-old twins, were indicted in December in the Southern District of New York and face sex-trafficking charges. In a January filing obtained by PEOPLE, prosecutors wrote that over 40 women have accused at least one of the brothers of rape or sexual assault between 2002 or 2003 and 2021. Each brother has been accused of forcible rape by at least 10 different women, per the filing. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A spokesperson for the federal Bureau of Prisons tells PEOPLE that the three brothers are currently behind bars at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn. Related: Prosecutors Claim 'Depraved' Videos Show Alexander Brothers Are Rapists, Including One in Which Woman Says 'No' MDC is the same facility where Combs who is also accused of sex trafficking and Mangione accused of murdering UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson are being held. 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. Tal and Oren are luxury real estate moguls, who have represented several high-profile clients, while Alon works as an executive for his familys private security firm. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In an unsealed indictment, prosecutors accuse the brothers of dating women they met through social contacts before allegedly raping them. After victims were lured with the promise of material goods or luxury experiences, they were drugged, prosecutors allege. In a subsequent filing, prosecutors claimed they searched a New York City apartment leased by Tal and found several photos and videos that show Oren and Alon, as well as several third parties, recording themselves having sex with women who either appeared intoxicated or unaware they were being recorded. The brothers have each pleaded not guilty to the charges. Read the original article on People ALLEGHANY HIGHLANDS, Va. (WFXR) On Tuesday, January 21, Alleghany Highlands Public Schools (AHPS) released its finalized policy guidelines for student cell phones and electronics device use during the school day. The approved guidelines comply with Gov. Glenn Youngkins executive order issued in July 2024 and will go into effect on February 1, 2025. At the start of the 2023-2024 school year, AHPS laid out a proactive cell phone and mobile device policy with the goal of minimizing distractions and maximizing safety. Current guidelines do not allow devices to be used during class instruction and were modeled from other school divisions and feedback from online parent surveys. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement RCPS maintaining cell phone policy entering new year However, Executive Order 33 signed by Gov. Youngkin directed the Virginia Department of Education to define policies that further restrict device usage and model a cell phone-free education. We understand that there are many positives and negatives about the ways cell phones are used in our society, said Kim Halterman and Melinda Snead-Johnson, leaders of AHPS. We appreciate the importance of this topic and appreciate everyones flexibility in making additional changes this school year. The revised AHPS guidelines, effective Feb. 1 sate the following: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Covington Middle School and Alleghany High School students will not be permitted to use cell phones between classes. AHS students will be allowed to use their phones for practical purposes during lunch. Examples include communicating with families, discussing changes to afternoon plans, or contacting employers. Students at CMS will not be permitted to use phones at lunch. As per current practice, students in elementary schools will be allowed to bring cell phones to school; however, the phone must be turned off or placed in Do Not Disturb mode. AHPS will not be liable for any phone thats brought to school by a student. In cases of emergency, AHPS will contact students families. The division uses School Messenger for emergency communications. As a reminder, parents need to keep student contact information up to date by contacting the school the student attends. It is also important for parents not to block their phones from receiving calls from AHPS. All AHPS school offices can be contacted by phone. LCS announces 2025 cell phone policy, Off & Away All Day The Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) website has information on final guidance for cell phone-free education in public schools and the executive order issued by the governor last July. AHPS has previously shared information and other resources from the VDOE on its social media pages. There is a lot of information on cell phones from these sources, and we continue to encourage our community to read these materials, said Halterman and Snead-Johnson. State education officials plan to review the guidance at the end of the school year to consider ways to refine and improve it, according to the VDOE. 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 WFXRtv. ROME (AP) Italys highest court on Thursday confirmed a slander conviction against U.S. defendant Amanda Knox for accusing an innocent man of murdering her British flatmate 17 years ago in a sensational case that polarized trial watchers on both sides of the Atlantic. Knox had appealed the conviction based on a European Court of Human Rights ruling that said her rights had been violated by police failure to provide a lawyer and adequate translator during a long night of questioning just days after 21-year-old Meredith Kercher's murder in the university town of Perugia. Judge Monica Boni read the verdict aloud in a courtroom that was empty except for a few reporters and guards. The lawyers for both Knox and the man she wrongly accused, Patrick Lumumba, had gone home during deliberations. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The ruling seemingly ends a 17-year legal saga that saw Knox and her Italian ex-boyfriend convicted and acquitted in flip-flop verdicts in Kerchers brutal murder, before being exonerated by the highest Cassation Court in 2015. The slander conviction against Knox had survived multiple appeals, and Knox was reconvicted on the charge in June after the European court ruling cleared the way for a new trial. Reached by telephone, Lumumba said he was satisfied with the verdict. Amanda was wrong. This verdict has to accompany her for the rest of her life, he said. Knox's lawyer, Carlo Dalla Vedova, expressed surprise at the court's decision. We are incredulous,'' Dalla Vedova told reporters in the courthouse by phone. "This is totally unexpected in our eyes, and totally unjust for Amanda." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Knox called it a surreal day in a post on X. Ive just been found guilty yet again of a crime I didnt commit, her post said. And I was just awarded the Innocence Network Impact Award, created to honor an exonerated person who raises awareness of wrongful convictions, policy issues, or assists others post-release. Speaking recently on her Labyrinths podcast, Knox said: I hate the fact that I have to live with consequences for a crime I did not commit. She said consequences included difficulties in obtaining visas to some countries because of a criminal conviction. Her defense team says she accused Lumumba, a Congolese man who employed her at a bar in the central Italian university town of Perugia, during a long night of questioning and under pressure from police, who they said fed her false information. The European Court of Human Rights found that the police deprived her of a lawyer and provided a translator who acted more as a mediator. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Knox, now 37, does not risk any more time in jail. She has already served nearly four years during the investigation, initial murder trial and first appeal. But Knox had continued the legal battle with the aim of clearing her name of all criminal wrongdoing. Knox returned to the United States in 2011, after being freed by an appeals court in Perugia, and has established herself as a global campaigner for the wrongly convicted. She has a podcast with her husband and has a new memoir coming out titled, Free: My Search for Meaning. Knox was a 20-year-old student in Perugia when Kercher was found stabbed to death on Nov. 2, 2007, in her bedroom in the apartment they shared with two Italian women. The case made global headlines as suspicion quickly fell on Knox and her boyfriend of just days, Raffaele Sollecito. But another man, Rudy Hermann Guede, from the Ivory Coast, was eventually convicted of murder after his DNA was found at the crime scene. He was freed in 2021, after serving most of his 16-year sentence. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The European court ordered Italy to pay Knox damages for the police failures, noting she was particularly vulnerable as a foreign student not fluent in Italian. Italys high court ordered the new slander trial based on that ruling. It threw out two signed statements drafted by police falsely accusing Lumumba in the murder, and directed the appellate court that the only evidence it could consider was a hand-written letter she later wrote in English attempting to walk back the accusation. However, the appellate court in its reasoning said that the four-page memo supported a slander finding. On the basis of Knox's statements, Lumumba was brought in for questioning, despite having an ironclad alibi. His business suffered, and he eventually moved to Poland with his Polish wife. Arriving at court, he underlined that Knox has never apologized to me. ___ Barry reported from Milan. Over 15 years following her original murder conviction, Amanda Knox is headed back to court in Italy, and she's requesting support from her followers. The former American exchange studentwhose 2009 conviction in the 2007 death of her roommate, Meredith Kercher, was overturned in 2011 before she was re-convicted in 2014 and finally acquitted in 2015is still facing an uphill battle with the country's legal system. On Jan. 23, she returned to court for a final chance to clear her name in a related defamation case. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement SIGN UP for Parade's Daily newsletter & get the scoop on the latest TV news & celebrity interviews delivered right to your inbox In addition to her conviction in Kercher's death, Knox was convicted of defamation after she signed a false confession implicating her boss, Diya Patrick Lumumba, in Kercher's murder, which she attributed to intense police pressure following an entire night of interrogation. The charge was upheld when her other convictions were overturned, so Knox appealed to the European Court of Human Rights in 2019, leading to yet another retrial that found her guilty "of criminal slander" again. "...now this is my final bid to clear my name once and for all," she wrote in a thread on X explaining the situation on Wednesday, Jan. 22. Ive been fighting this charge of criminal slander since I was first convicted in 2009. When I was acquitted of murder in 2015, this charge was upheld, so I appealed to the European Court of Human Rights in 2019, which ruled in my favor. Amanda Knox (@amandaknox) January 23, 2025 According to Knox, who now serves as an advocate for the wrongfully convicted, "this lesser charge" was the building block for her initial conviction. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Amandas a liar. She acted like a guilty person, so she must be guilty of murder," she mused. "My interrogation, which Italys own courts deemed to be illegal, derailed everything [and the] police were never held accountable for the crimes they committed against me behind closed doors." As reported by the Associated Press, police failed to provide her with a lawyer and an adequate translator. As a result, she's restricted in her travels, recently having to cancel a trip to Australia because her "criminal background" prevented her from getting a visa. She also continues to face scrutiny from strangers, although she acknowledges "how lucky [she is] and that what other people think of [her] doesnt affect who [she] truly [is]." While "there are much bigger problems in the world right now than [her] trial and reputation," Knox still appreciates any support. "...I won't lie: when total strangers out there say [they're] rooting for me, it really does bolster my spirits," she concluded. "So if you care to shout, to repost this, to send a hug, Im listening. Grazie mille." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The high court is set to deliberate later today, but it's unclear when they may reach a conclusion. Next: Brad Pitt Issues Crucial Warning After Fan Allegedly Scammed Out of $850K Amanda Knox is close to finding out whether her name will be cleared once and for all. On Thursday, Jan. 23, Italys highest court will decide on her appeal of her slander conviction after she falsely accused a Congolese bar owner of murdering her British roommate in Italy in 2007 during an aggressive police interrogation, the Associated Press reports. During a two-hour hearing, Knox, 37, and Patrick Lumumba, the man she accused of murdering Meredith Kercher, 21, presented their cases before Italys Supreme Court of Cassation in Rome, where appeals are heard, Reuters reports. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The outcome will finally end the ordeal for Knox that began when Kercher was found murdered in their flat in Perugia on Nov. 1, 2007. The court began deliberations on Thursday. Heres what to know: Knox Says She's Being Punished for 'Crime I Did Not Commit' In 2024, Knox was sentenced to three years in prison for wrongly accusing Lumumba of the murder, which she claims she did while under duress during lengthy police questioning. If the court upholds the slander conviction, Knox will not be sent to prison because of time she has already served behind bars, which amounted to four years, which she served during the investigation, her initial murder trial and her first appeal, the AP reports. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Related: Amanda Knox Is Back in Court This Time For Alleged Slander. Here's Everything to Know Knox has said she simply wants to clear her name. I hate the fact that I have to live with consequences for a crime I did not commit, she said recently on her Labyrinths podcast, the AP reports. Related: Amanda Knox Found Guilty in Murder Case Retrial In a lengthy Instagram post in October 2023, Knox, 37, wrote about how she looking forward to potentially being completely exonerated. Lumbumba vehemently disagrees, telling reporters outside the Cassation Court that he hopes the conviction stands and stays with her for the rest of her life, according to the AP. Knox's Rocky Legal Road Knox was a 20-year-old exchange student in November 2007 when Kercher was found dead in her bedroom with more than 40 stab wounds and a deep gash in her throat. She had also been sexually assaulted. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Knox and her boyfriend at the time, Raffaele Sollecito, were arrested five days later for her murder. After a sensational, 11-month trial, Knox and Sollecito were convicted of murdering Kercher. Knox spent four years in prison, heading to court again and again to clear her name. 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. In 2011, the two won an appeal and were freed and cleared of most charges. But in a second appeals trial in 2014, Knox was once again found guilty of murdering Kercher, and sentenced to 28 1/2 years in prison. Sollecito was also found guilty and was sentenced to 25 years. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Related: Man Who Killed Meredith Kercher, Amanda Knox's Roommate in Italy, Is Freed from Prison Finally in 2015, the pair were officially exonerated by the Cassation Court, Italys highest court, PEOPLE previously reported. But her legal troubles weren't quite over. The Slander Conviction After Kerchers murder, Knox was questioned for 53 hours by Italian police, despite not being fluent in Italian. During the interrogation, she accused Lumumba, her boss at the time, of murdering her roommate, signing statements typed up by police, the AP reported. She recanted the accusation in a four-page handwritten note the next day, the AP reported. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Still, police took Lumumba into custody for questioning, holding him for nearly two weeks. He was released after someone came forward with an alibi for him, according to The Guardian. At the time, Knox's lawyers argued that she pointed the finger at Lumumba because she was under duress and didnt have an interpreter or legal assistance at the time, The Guardian reported. In 2016, the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) ruled that her rights had been violated during her interrogation, the AP reports. Knox appealed the slander conviction and the Court of Cassation annulled it, CBS News reports. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In 2024, the Court of Cassation ordered a retrial, during which she was found guilty. She appealed the conviction and her three-year sentence, and will learn the disposition of her appeal today. Read the original article on People Italys high court has upheld the remaining conviction against American Amanda Knox, who was jailed and later acquitted of the 2007 murder of her British roommate Meredith Kercher. Knox was convicted of slandering her former boss Patrick Lumumba by falsely accusing him of Kerchers murder. Knox, 20 at the time, signed two statements prepared by police regarding her accusation against Lumumba. She later wrote a handwritten note questioning her false accusation. Lumumba was arrested after Knoxs accusation and spent two weeks in jail until police released him due to lack of forensic evidence. He blames the arrest on his losing his club Le Chic, which closed shortly after. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In a long legal saga, Knox and her then-boyfriend Raffaele Sollecito were convicted of Kerchers murder after her body was found at the student apartment she shared with Knox in Perugia. The two were acquitted, then reconvicted before being definitively acquitted in 2015. However, the slander conviction remained. Knox petitioned the European Court of Human Rights, which ruled in 2023 that her rights were violated during the 2007 interrogation that led to her false accusation against Lumumba. In June 2024, a court in Florence upheld the slander conviction, which led to Thursdays high court hearing. Knox, who attended the June 2024 hearing but who did not attend Thursdays high court session, posted a lengthy thread on X outlining her side of the story, including how the police were never held accountable for the crimes they committed against me behind closed doors. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In a separate post following the verdict, she said, Its a surreal day. Ive just been found guilty yet again of a crime I didnt commit. And I was just awarded the Innocence Network Impact Award, created to honor an exonerated person who raises awareness of wrongful convictions, policy issues, or assists others post-release. Lumumba, who did attend Thursdays hearing, told reporters upon entering the court that Knox never apologized to me. Speaking outside court after the verdict, Lumumba said he was very satisfied with the ruling, according to the news agency Reuters. Amanda did wrong, this sentence must accompany her for the rest of her life. I had a good feeling about this since the afternoon. I hail Italian justice with great honor, he said. During the June hearing, Knox told the two-judge, six-jury panel that she was sorry she did not try to retract the accusation against Lumumba sooner, but insisted she was a young person in an existential crisis when she accused him. I did not know who the assassin was, she told the court. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Knox does not face any additional jail time. Correction: This story has been corrected to reflect that Knox and Kercher shared an apartment in Perugia, Italy, at the time of Kerchers death. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com Amanda Knoxs notorious legal saga has finally come to an end, nearly 20 years after she was arrested and jailed for the 2007 murder of her roommate, Meredith Kercher, during a study abroad program in Italy. Italys top court on Thursday upheld Knoxs slander conviction, brought against her after she wrongfully told authorities Congolese bar owner Patrick Lumumba was the one who killed Kercher. The courts decision foiled Knoxs last-ditch effort to completely clear herself of criminal wrongdoing in the case of Kerchers slaying. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This is my final bid to clear my name once and for all, she wrote on social media Wednesday night while awaiting the verdict. I am not a liar. I am not a slanderer. I was not present at my house when Meredith was murdered. Knox, a Seattle native, was a 20-year-old student living in the Italian city of Perugia when she and her then-boyfriend, Raffaele Sollecito, were arrested for killing Kercher. The British student was found with her throat slit on Nov. 7, 2007, beneath a blanket on the floor of the bedroom she shared with Knox in the Hilltop University dorms. Authorities almost immediately homed in on the couple as prime suspects in the case, which garnered international interest and spawned sensational news headlines worldwide. Throughout the legal proceedings, resulting in two convictions and two appeals for Knox before she was finally acquitted of murder in 2015, the media dubbed the young student Foxy Knoxy, further fueling both her fame and notoriety. The court, at the time, did however uphold her conviction for slandering Lumumba, who spent two weeks behind bars before authorities eventually confirmed his alibi. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Knox was sentenced to three years already served for falsely implicating him, but she launched an appeal in 2019. Her legal team specifically cited a ruling from the same year by the European Court of Human Rights, which concluded Knoxs rights to a lawyer and an interpreter were violated during her initial interrogations with Italian authorities. An appeals court in Florence last year reconvicted Knox, who testified that she pointed the finger at Lumumba the owner of a bar where shed worked part-time because of intense police pressure. She vowed at the time to again appeal the ruling in front of Italys top court. What really gets me is that this lesser charge was what the whole murder trial fell back on, Knox said in a series of social media posts Wednesday. My interrogation, which Italys own courts deemed to be illegal, derailed everything. The police were never held accountable for the crimes they committed against me behind closed doors. Knoxs lawyers told Reuters she did not travel to Italy for the legal proceedings, opting instead to stay home with family. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In the wake of Thursdays verdict, her attorneys said they were incredulous at the courts decision to uphold her slander conviction. This is totally unexpected in our eyes, and totally unjust for Amanda, lawyer Dalla Vedova told reporters in the courthouse. Reached by telephone, Lumumba said he was satisfied with the ruling. Amanda was wrong, he told The Associated Press. This verdict has to accompany her for the rest of her life. Rudy Guede, an immigrant from the Ivory Coast, was convicted of Kerchers killing during a separate trial and sentenced in 2008 to 16 years behind bars. In December 2020, an Italian court ruled he could complete his term with community service. He was released from prison in 2021 for good behavior. _____ Director-General of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) Qu Dongyu speaks at a celebration of the Chinese Year of the Snake at the FAO headquarters in Rome, Italy, Jan. 23, 2025. (FAO/Handout via Xinhua) ROME, Jan. 23 (Xinhua) -- The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) hosted a celebration at its headquarters on Thursday to mark the upcoming Chinese Year of the Snake, which begins on Jan. 29, Lunar New Year's Day. The event showcased traditional Chinese cultural elements, including martial arts performances, music played on guzheng -- a traditional Chinese stringed instrument -- and festival traditions such as red envelopes containing cash gifts and Spring Festival couplets inscribed with auspicious words. Addressing the gathering, FAO Director-General Qu Dongyu emphasized the increasing global recognition of the Chinese Lunar New Year. He highlighted the UN General Assembly decision to list it as a UN floating holiday and UNESCO's addition of "Spring Festival, social practices of the Chinese people in celebration of the traditional New Year" to the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. "This reflects that the Chinese Lunar New Year is not only a traditional Chinese festivity, but represents a day for universal family values and advocates respect for the diversity of global civilizations, the promotion of exchanges and mutual learning, and the value of inclusiveness," Qu said. He explained that the snake symbolizes wisdom, creativity, and transformation, aligning with FAO's ongoing efforts toward institutional renewal. He linked these attributes to the organization's milestones as it marks its 80th anniversary this year. "The Year of the Snake represents opportunities for life-changing transformation and a rebirth," Qu said, calling for solidarity, understanding, and collaboration to achieve a more harmonious and inclusive world. People celebrate the Chinese Year of the Snake at the headquarters of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) in Rome, Italy, Jan. 23, 2025. (FAO/Handout via Xinhua) People celebrate the Chinese Year of the Snake at the headquarters of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) in Rome, Italy, Jan. 23, 2025. (FAO/Handout via Xinhua) This story has been updated because an earlier version included an inaccuracy. Amarillo Habitat for Humanity (AHFH) marked the completion of its 121st home by presenting a brand-new residence to the Way family in Lee Green's Addition in the El Barrio neighborhood. The ceremony took place at 1 p.m. Wednesday. The Way family, consisting of parents Taybor and Htoo Way and their five children, expressed profound gratitude as they received the keys to their three-bedroom, two-bath home. We fervently pray for Gods blessings to grant us a peaceful life in our new residence, said Htoo Way. She added, We are so thankful to Habitat for Humanity and our community for giving us this opportunity to build a better future for our children. Htoo Way is presented with the keys to her family's new home from Sarah Curtis of Amarillo Habitat for Humanity Wednesday in Amarillo. Htoo Way thanks Sarah Curtis with the Amarillo Habitat for Humanity for her new home Wednesday in Amarillo. She spoke about how this home means so much to their family. This home is more than just walls and a roof; its a foundation for our dreams and our childrens future. We are immensely grateful to everyone who made this possible. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Sarah Curtis, director of operations for AHFH, highlighted the family's dedication and hard work. The Way family has completed over 500 sweat equity hours and attended more than 30 financial literacy classes. Their commitment alongside our volunteers exemplifies the spirit of Habitat for Humanity, Curtis said. She added, Our goal is to empower families through sustainable homeownership, and the Way family is a shining example of what can be achieved with perseverance and community support. As refugees from Burma, the Way family worked tirelessly not only on their own home but also assisted in building homes for their neighbors. Their perseverance allowed them to build credit, save for a down payment, and prepare for stable homeownership. Living in a nicer home without the constant worry of maintenance issues is a blessing, Htoo Way shared. Ngosu Way, one of the Way family's daughters, expressed her happiness about the new home. It feels like a dream come true. Weve been living in an apartment since I was in elementary school, and now we dont have to worry about waiting for repairs or dealing with bad conditions, Ngosu said. Members of the Way family stand outside of their new home Wednesday in Amarillo. William Larkin, construction supervisor for AHFH, emphasized the importance of volunteer support. Seeing families like the Way family receive their keys is the culmination of hard work from our volunteers and the community. Its one of the best feelings in the world, Larkin said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Amarillo Habitat for Humanity relies on donations and volunteer labor to keep costs down and provide affordable housing. Major donors for the Way family's home include Amarillo National Bank, Atmos Energy, City of Amarillo, IKEA, and Schneider Electric, among others. Amarillo Habitat for Humanity moved its 121st family into a new home Wednesday in Amarillo. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Founded in 1981, Amarillo Habitat for Humanity is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to building safe, affordable housing for qualified low-income families. To date, AHFH has served 121 families in the Amarillo community, providing not just homes but also hope and stability. We aim to place families in the same area to foster a built-in support network, Curtis explained. Our mission is to help families build wealth and secure a brighter future. This article originally appeared on Amarillo Globe-News: Amarillo Habitat for Humanity gives house keys to Way family Authorities in Texas have issued an Amber Alert for a 3-year-old who disappeared this week. Chandler Baker was last seen in San Antonio around noon on Wednesday, Jan. 22, the Texas Department of Public Safety said in an alert. A 38-year-old woman is wanted in connection with the childs disappearance. Samantha Castaneda has been identified as the person Chandler was last seen with, per the alert. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Authorities did not release any information about how, or if, Chandler and Castaneda might know each other. San Antonio police did not immediately respond to questions for further information. 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. Chandler and Castaneda are both White. Both have brown eyes and brown hair. Chandler weighs 35. lbs and Castaneda weighs 175 lbs. Anyone who has information or may have seen them is urged to call 911 or the San Antonio police at 210-207-7660. Read the original article on People School officials in Worcester are assuring parents their childrens rights will be upheld as President Donald Trump implements a rigid immigration agenda. In a letter sent home to parents on Tuesday, Superintendent Rachel H. Monarrez said the school department is committed to providing a safe and supportive environment where every child can succeed. Justice Department directs prosecutors to probe local efforts to obstruct immigration enforcement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement WPS is steadfast in its commitment to ensuring the safety, well-being, and rights of all our children, she wrote. According to the letter, the following protections are maintained for Worcester Public Schools students and families when it comes to their immigration status: WPS does not ask for families immigration statuses. WPS will not coordinate with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). WPS does not share student records with ICE, except in rare instances when a court order or parental/guardian consent is provided. WPS will not allow ICE agents access to WPS facilities without a criminal judicial warrant signed by a federal judge. WPS will not admit ICE agents into schools based on an administrative warrant, an ICE detainer, or any other document related to civil immigration enforcement. In a clarifying memo sent to families on Wednesday, Superintendent Monarrez says there have been no sightings of immigration officials or ICE at bus stops or at schools in Worcester. The guidelines sent in Tuesdays later highlighted the procedures the district would undertake for any future interactions with federal immigration authorities if need be. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If you have any further questions please read our letter, view state law on mass.gov, speak with the Transportation Department at 508-799-3152 or speak with your childs school principal, Superintendent Monarrez told families. Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) A new database allows users to examine and compare private school demographics of more than 1,000 private schools in Ohio. The data was collected for all 50 states and Washington, D.C., by ProPublica and published in an interactive database launched Jan. 16. The data can be broken down by state, after which it can be further sorted by religious orientation and what grade level or program it serves. Users can also search for individual schools nation-wide. ProPublica used data from the National Center for Education Statistics Private School Universe Survey. The survey has been distributed every other year since 1989 and aims to provide more information about the school options that may not be required to submit state data. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement State law will allow schools to expel students indefinitely In Ohio, more students are attending private schools than ever before. According to data from the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce, private school enrollment numbers were on a steady decline from 2014 to 2021. After a state program offering scholarships to attend private schools expanded in 2022, numbers increased rapidly, surpassing 2014s numbers in just three years. This school year is the first in Ohio to surpass 180,000 private school students since 2010. According to the data, Ohios public schools are more diverse than Ohios private schools. Neither is as racially diverse as Ohios population as reported in the 2020 U.S. Census, which includes adult populations, which may contribute to the difference in racial diversity. The data also does not include schools that did not respond to the survey or homeschool populations, which could contribute as well. Users can look at specific information for each of Ohios 1,055 private schools included in the data. When observing individual private schools, users can look at the racial makeup of their student bodies, the address of the school, when it was founded, what grade levels it serves and what religious orientation it is affiliated with. The data also includes racial demographics over time and allows users to look at the survey responses from different years. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Governor creates group to investigate how missing persons cases are handled The data also compares each private school to the public school district it resides in. For some, the districts were comparable; ProPublica compared Columbus Academy to Gahanna-Jefferson schools and found their population of white students was within one percent of each other 55.9% for Academy and 55.5% for Gahanna. In some cases, this led to significant diversity differences between districts, such as Bishop Watterson High School and its comparison school, Columbus City Schools. Bishop Watterson is 86.9% white and just 2.7% Black, compared to Columbus, which is 19.6% white and 56.8% Black. According to the data, about 58% of Ohios private schools are Christian-affiliated. That number does not include Christian Amish schools, which also make up a large number of Ohios private schools. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement ProPublicas work marks the first time private school data has been consolidated in this way. Although the National Center for Education Statistics survey allows people to see recent data, examining historical data and trends required sorting through large text files, ProPublic said. The free database is available 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 NBC4 WCMH-TV. Almost five millennia ago, hundreds of engraved, disc-shaped stones were deposited in a giant pit at the Neolithic Vasagard site on the small Danish island of Bornholm. For decades the so-called sun stones mystified researchers, but now scientists report in the journal Antiquity reveal that they may have served a very specific purpose: A ritualistic attempt by Neolithic humans to protect themselves from climate change and disease. Climate scientists from the Niels Bohr Institute at the University of Copenhagen in Bornholm analyzed ice cores from Greenlands ice sheets and demonstrated that a major volcanic eruption occurred on the island 2,900 years ago. Because this roughly corresponds with the date of the sun stones, it follows that the stones would have been created as part of a religious or other supernatural ritual to address the weather changes. "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 2,900 BC," archaeologist Rune Iversen from the University of Copenhagen, who previously participated in site excavations led by the Museum of Bornholm and the National Museum, said in a statement. "The ditches were subsequently closed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Speaking with Salon, Iversen brought the Neolithic rituals to life by describing the elaborate ceremonies that would have been practiced by the ancient humans. Causewayed enclosures were large ritual gathering sites with a significance to a larger community, Iversen said. People returned to these sites and made depositions (offerings) and at many of these we see traces of feasting indicating that many people came together and participated in the ceremonies that took place there. I imagine that such gatherings also were of social significance and served to facilitate social integration of the communities. This can be seen from the engravings on the stones themselves, which the researchers divide into six types. There are sun motifs, which have many varieties but usually include, as the study authors put it, incised lines (rays), including concentric circles, emanating from a circular central motif; bands that either run up like a ladder or follow a transverse and longitudinal pattern; lines and strokes in geometric patterns such as patchworks and crosses, or being merely random; plants; blank spaces; and figures that cannot yet be categorized. The sun and plant motifs were by far the most prevalent on the sun stones. Now that we know they were made during a time of weather-related crises, this makes sense. Want more health and science stories in your inbox? Subscribe to Salon's weekly newsletter Lab Notes. Neolithic societies relied on the sun for the successful growth of their crops and thus for the continued prosperity of the families dependent upon each harvest, the authors write. It does not, therefore, seem unreasonable to consider the engraved stones as fertility offerings, their deposition at Vasagard an invocation to secure the growth of crops. The virtual absence of figurative imagery in the archaeological record of the north-west European Neolithic highlights the exceptional nature of the stone plaques from Vasagard. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The sun stones correspond with the decline of the so-called Funnel Beaker tradition in European Neolithic culture, or the era in which the pottery-using hunter-gatherers in the north began to adopt farming and husbandry for food. At Vasagard the deposition of the engraved stones correlates with a change from activities centred on the causewayed enclosure to new rituals taking place in small, circular cult houses inside wooden palisades, the authors write. The effects of the climate crisis may have resulted in increased competition and conflicts at a time when the classical Funnel Beaker tradition was dissolving and was soon to be followed by new cultural changes resulting from migrations impacting eastern, central and northern Europe and beyond. In addition to the volcanic eruption, Northern Europeans during the Neolithic period would have also worried about infectious disease. Archaeologists and DNA scientists studying bones from the region and time found evidence of widespread plague. While this does not seem to be reflected on the stones themselves, that does not mean there are not more enigmas about the sun stones which need to be cracked. The sun stones are completely unique, also in a European context, Lasse Vilien Srensen, senior researcher at The National Museum of Denmark and co-author of the research paper, said in a statement. The closest we get to a similar sun-cult in the Neolithic is some passage graves in southern Scandinavia or henge structures like Stonehenge in England, which some researchers associate with the sun. With the sun stones, there is in my mind no doubt. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Srensen added, It is quite simply an incredible discovery, which demonstrates that depositions honouring the sun is an ancient phenomenon, which we encounter again in South Scandinavia during the climate disaster caused by a volcanic eruption in the year 536 AD, where several large gold hoards were deposited as sacrifices. Iversen compared the Neolithic reactions to their eras climate changes with humanitys own climate changes today. The latter are primarily caused by human activity such as the use of fossil fuels. The Neolithic people didnt know why the sun was shrouded so they tried to handle the situation by communal efforts to bring back the sun, Iversen said. If we can learn from this, it might be that we as individuals are not alone in facing climatic changes and challenges and a communal effort is indeed needed today. Just outside New York Citys Central Park Zoo, not far from where Robert F. Kennedy Jr. once stealthily deposited a dead bear cub, stands a bronze statue to another animal: Balto, the husky that, 100 years ago this month, played a leading role in a daring and perilous rescue that captured the worlds attention. Nome, a small town in the northwestern reaches of the Alaskan territories, had been hit with an outbreak of diphtheria, a highly contagious and cruel respiratory infection that can be particularly deadly to the young. As the children of Nome and surrounding communities fell ill, and some died, the towns one doctor sent a desperate plea to state and national officials for a fresh supply of the antitoxin serum needed to treat the infected and stem a larger epidemic. But Nome, with its subarctic climate, was icebound in winter and nearly unreachable. With little time to waste, locals organized a relay of dogsleds to transport the needed doses across 674 treacherous miles of Alaskan wilderness in temperatures as low as 50 degrees below zero. In all, 20 heroic men and 150 dogs braved the unsparing elements to deliver the lifesaving serum. Balto anchored the final lap. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The centennial of this heroic expedition is particularly timely, coming as the United States Senate considers President Donald Trumps nomination of Kennedy, a serial purveyor of dangerous disinformation about vaccines, to lead the Department of Health and Human Services. [Read: Were about to find out how much Americans like vaccines] It is not too obvious, in 2025, to state that vaccines work. In 1921, before the scientific breakthrough that led to the Tdap vaccine, approximately 200,000 Americans were infected with diphtheria, and 15,000 died. By the turn of the century, thanks to compulsory vaccination of schoolchildren, the number of cases dwindled to almost nothing. From 1996 to 2018, America experienced an average of fewer than one case a year. Polio, measles, and many other potentially deadly diseases also were virtually eradicated by vaccines. Yet a rising anti-vax movement, fueled by click-hungry demagogues and a growing populist revolt against experts, institutions, and mandates, threatens to drag America backwards. The movement was turbocharged by political resistance to the COVID vaccines, whose development Trump helped speed and deservedly heralded. Near-universal vaccination rates among Americas schoolchildren are dropping. Even slight declines threaten the herd immunity that protects entire communities from the spread of disease. Predictably, potentially deadly childhood diseases are becoming more common again. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For two decades, RFK Jr. has stood at the forefront of this anti-vaccine movement. In books, speeches, and social-media posts, he has championed a widely discredited theory that certain vaccines promote autism and suggested that life under Americas COVID-vaccine mandates was worse than under Hitlers fascist regime (he apologized for the latter remark). In 2021, The New York Times recently reported, Kennedys Children Health Defense organization petitioned the FDA to withdraw its authorization of the COVID vaccines, which already had saved hundreds of thousands of people and would allow Americans to resume their normal lives. In the petition, Kennedys organization argued that the vaccines were not only harmful but unnecessary, and embraced disproven and dangerous theories about alternative treatments. [Read: What going wild on health looks like] In 2022, the attorney Aaron Siri, a top Kennedy adviser, filed a petition asking the FDA to rescind its approval of the polio vaccine, which, since its inception in the 1950s, has been used by billions of people and has helped subdue that dreaded scourge. For a time, Siri reportedly helped Kennedy screen candidates for future HHS positions and was thought to be in line for one himself, but a transition spokesperson told The Wall Street Journal last week that he was no longer involved. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Kennedy presents the Senate with an interesting dilemma. He bears the name, if not the outlook or gravitas, of his famous father. His emphasis on healthy eating and physical fitness to combat obesity is as sensible now as it was when First Lady Michelle Obama championed those causes in the previous decade, to the scorn of many Republicans. His environmentalism is so pronounced that Trump has publicly assured the drill, baby, drill crowd that Kennedy wont touch the oil and gas. His anti-corporate bent and deep suspicion of government bureaucracy appeal to populists on the left and right. And government bureaucracies, which are particularly prone to inertia and special-interest influence, should be challenged. But their renewal must be guided by facts, not exotic, debunked claims. If confirmed, Kennedy will oversee the FDA, which approves vaccines. He will have authority over the National Institutes of Health, which funds and underwrites essential research that leads to vaccines and cures, and the CDC, which plays a central role in quelling public-health threats. It is an awesome responsibility and a crucial platform, dangerous in the hands of a charlatan who places conspiracy theories over science. [Read: RFK Jr. is in the wrong agency] Vaccines and medications should be rigorously tested and scrutinized for their efficacy and side effects, free of pressure and lobbying from the firms that develop them. The public needs and deserves that confidence. But those tests and standards should be based on proven science and not quackery. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Kennedy will face intense questioning about all of this, as well as his stability and judgment, at his confirmation hearing, which is slated for Wednesday. If he is confirmed, his promotion of junk science and vaccine hesitancy could prove as threatening to American public health as the barriers posed by an unforgiving, frozen Alaskan wilderness were to the desperate children and parents of Nome a century ago. At the foot of Baltos memorial in Central Park are three words: Endurance, Fidelity, Intelligence. Can enough United States senators overcome political pressure and demonstrate those same qualities in the coming days? Article originally published at The Atlantic People in Southern California have risked their own safety to rescue animals, both big and small, from the wildfires that have killed 27 people and displaced many more after thousands of structures were destroyed. The Palisades and Eaton fires have become two of the most destructive wildfires in Southern Californias history, according to Cal Fire, after having burned an area of land larger than Paris. Not everyone was near their homes when evacuations were announced, forcing some to leave their beloved pets and livestock behind. The Pasadena Humane Society has worked to feed pets left trapped inside homes and has taken in at least 610 animals since the fires broke out on January 7, the organization said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We are logging every report of animals left behind and dispatching search and rescue teams as quickly as possible in areas that are safe to enter, Kevin McManus, the Pasadena Humane Societys spokesperson, said last week. Approximately 33,000 people remained under evacuation orders and another 8,000 were under evacuation warnings as of Saturday, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriffs Department. Officials have set up evacuation centers across the Los Angeles area for people to bring pets and livestock. Hundreds of horses, along with some cows, pigs, sheep and donkeys were evacuated from the fire zones and brought to safety at the Los Angeles Equestrian Center. But not all animals could be saved, with several reportedly killed by the Eaton Fire, according to the Los Angeles County Department of Animal Care and Control. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As officials work to respond to reports of animals needing help, some individuals and independent groups in the area have sprung into action to assist. We will be there for you Vera Valdivia-Abdallah and her 18-year-old daughter, Tamarah Valdivia, live about 60 miles north of Altadena, California, where the Eaton Fire had burned more than 14,000 acres by Sunday. When they saw the fires in the distance, the horse-loving duo prepared their trailers and got ready to help. It doesnt matter if you know the person or not. If there is a fire in Southern California, people come with trucks and trailers, Valdivia-Abdallah told CNN. You help other equestrians, because when its your turn to have a fire, we will be there for you. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The equine industry contributes billions to Californias tourism industry and economy, according to the California Horse Power Coalition. Valdivia-Abdallah runs Love This Horse, a horse rescue that specializes in taking in forgotten, neglected and abused Arabian horses from law enforcement seizures, local animal shelters, distressed owners, and from low-end horse auctions. Valdivia-Abdallah is part of a volunteer group that rescues horses from fires and transports them to safety. Their efforts began a few years ago as a group chat. Theyve since advanced to walkie-talkie-like communications over an app where members exchange details about rescue opportunities, according to Valdivia-Abdallah. Its basically like youre the fire department and youre being dispatched, she said. Tamarah Valdivia walks with a horse rescued from a wildfire zone in Southern California. - Tamarah Valdivia The groups dispatcher receives distress calls about endangered horses and deploys whomever is available and closest. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement With the dispatchers guidance, Valdivia-Abdallah and her daughter loaded up horses on January 7 and drove them to different stables, keeping at it for 21 hours and squeezing in naps where and when they could. Driving through Altadena was surreal, because the electricity was out and the roads looked like somebody had taken a chainsaw and chopped up all the trees and thrown them in the road, Valdivia-Abdallah said. She said horses are intelligent animals that can pick up on environmental and human stress, which can make rescue situations more precarious. But she said her daughter has a way with the horses. Valdivia-Abdallah described it as a special kind of magic, which keeps the horses calm. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement People have donated money to Love this Horse over the past week, and as a way to give back, Valdivia-Abdallah said she gave the funds out as grants. As of Friday afternoon, she said she has given $500 each to 27 horse owners impacted by the fires. Social media post sparks team rescue effort Cole Bush, a livestock owner who runs a grazing business more than an hour north of the Palisades and Eaton fires, told CNN a social media post by a fellow equestrian lover and community leader sparked her desire to help animals evacuate. I was like, oh my gosh, thats what I have to offer! Bush said. Bush lives in Ojai, California, about 84 miles northwest of the Pacific Palisades area of Los Angeles ravaged by wildfire. She said shes experienced firsthand the devastation of natural disasters, including the Thomas Fire that threatened her small city in 2017. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I have a livestock business with very unique trailers, she added. Bushs business involves letting goats and sheep graze to reduce the amount of grass and other highly flammable vegetation, which can decrease the likelihood of a wildfire. I have double-deck small ruminant trailers, and I can fit 100 sheep and goats in each one, and I have trucks, she said. She asked her own social media community how she could help. Her online post was shared widely within 24 hours, according to Bush. I was inundated with people just dropping me addresses and (which) animals were where, she said. A group rescues horses during the Eaton Fire in Altadena, California, on January 8, 2025. - Michael Nigro/Bloomberg/Getty Images Bush mass text messaged people she knew had horses and livestock and coordinated a group equipped with trailers, trucks and helping hands. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement After heading to the Los Angeles Equestrian Center to discover there really wasnt any centralized dispatch area in place to bring animals, according to Bush, her team regrouped. We realized that we just really had to be on call and make connections and review social media posts of like, whats going on, where there were pockets of animals (that) needed support, she said. A woman on a small farm in Old Agoura Hills in Los Angeles County contacted Bush seeking help evacuating her sheep, horses, ducks and chickens. Bush and her crew drove deep into the community, which the business owner described as a terrifying place to be as a nearby wildfire unfolded. The roads are small, (a) ton of tree cover, its like one way in, one way out, Bush said, adding power and cell phone outages stopped them from getting notifications of the fires proximity. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Bushs team arrived to find others had shown up to help and had left behind sheep and goats. The animals can be hard to handle, but Bush says working with small ruminants is her speciality. You have to have skill to understand the behavior (of the animals), Bush said. Its very different (from) rescuing horses. A dog looks on at the Pasadena Humane Society after owners were evacuated due to the Eaton Fire in Pasadena, California. - Zaydee Sanchez/Reuters These animals are essentially family While Bush and her group coordinated getting animals to safety, she said she realized the need to shift focus beyond the current situation and into the future for these animals as firefighters make progress containing the blazes. This is a long-game effort. Animals are going to be displaced from these temporary (evacuation) places, Bush said. If they cant go home, theyre going to need new homes, permanent new homes, until theres a rebuild to where they go, Bush said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Thus, they launched the Ojai Horse and Herd Network. The network, only about a week old and already growing with support from people wanting to help, operates as a directory for livestock handlers by connecting those in need with those who can offer assistance, according to Bush. People who have livestock and other herd animals and want to lend a hand, either during the ongoing disasters or in the future, can fill out a form describing how they can help in an emergency. If a 200-pound pig needs to be evacuated, for example, there might be someone nearby who has a ramp a pig can use to walk into a trailer, Bush says. In Ojai right now, we have flyers going on every feed shop in town so when horse people or animal people see that flyer, they use the QR code and they sign up and say, this is what I have to offer, Bush said. A fundraiser for the network has so far raised more than $28,000, which Bush says will go toward feeding and sheltering the animals and people affected by the wildfires. These animals are essentially family, Bush said. My world revolves around the care of them So to leave behind these creatures that rely on us to live is essentially losing a part of our meaning and connection to how weve chosen to live our lives. She added: I believe that animals help us to be better humans. I believe that animals help us to understand our part in the natural world. CNNs Michelle Watson and Artemis Moshtaghian contributed to this report. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com The Anniston City Council convened Tuesday night, with Mayor Jack Draper leading the meeting by proclaiming January 2025 as Human Trafficking Awareness and Prevention Month. The first item on our agenda tonight is a proclamation for Human Trafficking Awareness and Prevention Month, Draper said. The mayor then read the proclamation, emphasizing the citys commitment to combat human trafficking and supporting survivors. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Whereas human trafficking is a public health issue and crime that harms the health and well-being of individuals, families, and communities, often across generations... Now, therefore, we, the City Council of the City of Anniston, Alabama, do hereby proclaim January 2025 as Human Trafficking Awareness and Prevention Month, Draper concluded. Jessica Smith, director of community engagement at the United Way of East Central Alabama, and Pam Stack, program director of HopeUNITED, the organizations anti-trafficking initiative, spoke to the council about their ongoing efforts to educate the community and support victims. Pam works directly every day with education and intervention with clients as well as parents and young adults and teens in our community, just trying to educate them on what trafficking may look like in our communities, Smith said. Smith emphasized that misconceptions about trafficking often obscure the real threat. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I know oftentimes we hear, you know, sketchy white vans driving around kidnapping people, and thats not what it looks like. Its oftentimes online exploitation that our kids have gotten involved in, and not just kids but adults as well, she said. Were trying to do the best at educating our community on what that looks like, as well as stepping in and intervening when we do come across victims who may need assistance. In other business, the council approved a retail liquor license for Dreamers USA LLC, located at 3006 McClellan Blvd. They also approved a $1,500 change order request for roof repairs at the new city hall by Bradshaw and Pitts due to a leak, as explained by City Manager Steven Folks. During the council comment period, Councilman Demetric DD Roberts urged residents to check on vulnerable community members as cold weather approaches. Please check on your family members, loved ones, the elderly people you may know. Its supposed to get down to about 12 in the morning. The city is doing as much as we can to try to help, Roberts said. But the cold, hard fact is sometimes we have people who dont want help, but theyre still someones loved one, someones child. So if you get a chance, please check on those people. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Roberts also expressed gratitude for the city staff. Id be remiss if I didnt say thank you all for coming. It always looks great to look out and see someone other than the city staff, Roberts said. Our city staff does a great job making it possible for us to do what we do as council members. So to Mr. Folks and your staff, please let them knowthank you. God bless you. Councilwoman Millie Harris echoed Roberts sentiments and urged residents to care for their pets during the cold weather. I agree that we need to look out for the elderly, for people less fortunate than we are, but also we need to look out for our animals, our pet friends, Harris said. People leave them chained outside. If were cold, theyre cold. Dog houses need to have straw in them rather than blankets. You can get straw at Pickettes or wherever. The council then went into executive session to, discuss the general reputation and character, physical condition, professional competence, or mental health of individuals and to discuss preliminary negotiations involving matters of trade or commerce in which the governmental body is in competition with private individuals or entities or other governmental bodies in Alabama or in other states. SPRINGFIELD, Mo. OzarksFirst is celebrating Black History Month by honoring the African-American history in the Ozarks, including the African-American Heritage Trail that runs through Springfield. Right now, the trail has eight stops, but coordinator Lyle Foster said he hopes to have 23 markers eventually. Its really a passion project, of course, Foster said. The ninth, and newest marker, will be placed next month, in February 2025. Its just behind the Benton Avenue A.M.E. Church on Central Street. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its going to be called Church Square North to honor the Washington Avenue Baptist Church. One of the things thats very powerful about the history of African-Americans in our community was really just at the end of the slavery era, African-Americans had a chance to establish their own houses of worship, Foster said. This ninth spot will finish the square of the four African-American churches in Springfield. The trail has been five years in the making. Its really giving us an opportunity to preserve the history, the legacy of so many people and places within the Springfield-Greene County community, Foster said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Foster wanted to start the trail after moving to Springfield and learning about the rich history of the area. I would talk to and interview local people, Foster said. They would tell me these wonderful, amazing things that happened. Im like, Well, how would I know? How would somebody moving to the community know about these things? And that was one of the reasons that the trail idea was actually conceived. He says Springfield does not have a large demographic of African-American people compared to other cities in Missouri. Of course, theres a reason and theres a history behind that, Foster said. But even though the community wasnt necessarily very large in numbers, it was extremely powerful in terms of its rich cultural contributions to our history. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He says these historical places have contributed to what Springfield is today. We dont want to lose those things, Foster said. In many cases in our community, some of the sites, some of the locations dont even exist anymore. Foster tells OzarksFirst that some of the markers of the trail come from a time of segregation. For example, Silver Spring Park, for people to know that this was a park exclusively for African Americans, during segregation, Foster said. Were celebrating the history of that park, preserving it for the future. The heritage trail marker on the Downtown Square tells the story of the 1906 Easter lynching. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement That story has a lot of powerful understanding about how Springfield became what it is, Foster said. So while its a very painful part of our history, sometimes we have to actually understand the pain to be able to know where we need to go from here. Foster says there are several more markers in the works for this year. They hope to put QR codes on the markers, where you can listen to interviews with local people who lived through the history. You can find the Springfield-Greene County African-American Heritage Trail markers at: Silver Springs Park Park Central Square Mary Jean Price Walls on Missouri State Universitys campus Albertas Hotel Lincoln Memorial Cemetery Church Square South on Tampa and Washington Avenue Grahams Rib Station on Washington Avenue and Chestnut Street Lincoln School at Ozarks Technical Community College Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. OKLAHOMA CITY (KFDX/KJTL) The alleged co-defendant of Anthony Patterson who recently appeared on Texomas Most Wanted list is now awaiting extradition after she was arrested Wednesday morning in Oklahoma City. Jandreani Dashimella Bell, 32, of Vernon, was booked into the Oklahoma County Detention Center in Oklahoma City on Wednesday morning, January 22, 2025. THE LATEST: Pattersons alleged co-conspirator on Texomas Most Wanted list Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to Wichita County Courthouse officials, Bell was taken into custody by U.S. Marshals and is set to be extradited to Wichita County, where she currently has multiple charges pending related to the human trafficking and child sex crimes case against Anthony Patterson. Bell was among the five individuals to appear on Texomas Most Wanted list, published on Friday, December 27, 2024, by the Wichita Falls Area Crime Stoppers. According to court documents, Bell was scheduled to appear in the 30th District Court on Friday, Dec. 20, for a pre-trial hearing regarding the four felony charges pending against her in connection to the human trafficking and child sex crimes case against Anthony Patterson. Court documents show that Bell failed to attend that hearing, prompting Judge Jeff McKnight to order that her bond was forfeited and for a warrant for her arrest to be issued. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement READ MORE: Anthony Pattersons trial, conviction, and sentence Patterson was found guilty of one count of human trafficking and four felony child sex crimes and sentenced to more than three decades behind bars by a Tarrant County jury in November 2024 after a four-week trial. During Pattersons trial in Fort Worth, testimony from the two child victims revealed that Bell, their adult cousin whom they called Gentry, was responsible for transporting the girls from their home in Vernon to Wichita Falls, where she later met up with and was paid by Patterson. According to Pattersons defense team, however, Bell was an unreliable prostitute attempting to extort the wealthy former president of the Patterson Auto Group. Before the trial began, they filed a motion to exclude any out-of-court statements made by Bell regarding Patterson. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement TIMELINE: Human trafficking and child sex crimes case against Anthony Patterson Though Bell was originally listed as a potential witness in the trial, she was never called to testify. Prosecutors explained during closing arguments that if she had taken the stand, they would not have been legally able to prosecute her for her role in the human trafficking case. Prosecutor Brooke Grona-Robb told the Tarrant County jury during closing arguments that she wanted every single person responsible for what happened to the two child victims to be held accountable. This is a developing story. Stick with Texomas Homepage for updates as more information becomes available. All individuals charged with a crime are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. Close Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 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. DAMASCUS, Jan. 23 (Xinhua) -- A car bomb exploded Thursday in the city of Manbij in Aleppo province in northern Syria, killing three people and wounding five others, a war monitor reported. The car bomb went off near the Zidan Hanizal School in Manbij, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. This incident marks the third major bombing in the region within a week. On Tuesday, a powerful blast from a similar device rocked an area near a base used by the Turkiye-backed Syrian National Army in Manbij. Two days earlier, another car bomb killed two fighters from pro-Turkish factions and severely injured a third near the village of Kaber Saghir, also in Manbij's eastern countryside. No group has claimed responsibility for the latest explosion. Jan. 22Anthony's Italian Kitchen will close in February after 33 years in business when founder Anthony Barrasso retires. The last day for the longstanding Middle Street restaurant will be Friday, Feb. 7, two days before Barrasso's 84th birthday. Barrasso said he had previously hoped to pass the restaurant on to his two younger adult children who work there. But the venue's lease is expiring, and he said his kids are wary of the current circumstances in the Greater Portland restaurant sector. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "It turns out that they weren't crazy about the idea of putting their names on a long lease, the way things very are very squishy in this business right now," Barrasso said. Barrasso said the restaurant has faced financial challenges since the pandemic, and the "struggle" has been draining for the crew, so he considers his decision to retire well timed. "The kids are just getting tired, and I'm getting tired," he said, adding that he would like to sell the business if the right buyer emerged. Anthony's Italian Kitchen launched at 151 Middle St. in 1992. Three of Barrasso's kids have worked at the restaurant since it opened, serving nearly 60 sandwiches from their extensive menu, along with pizza and customer favorites like lasagna and eggplant Parmesan, all cooked from their grandmother Lucy's recipes. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The restaurant is also beloved for its genial hospitality. Barrasso is known to greet customers warmly, sometimes even with hugs. "I've done 33 years here," Barrasso said. "We can go out with our heads high. We did a good job." Copy the Story Link Elon Musk arrives for the Inauguration of Donald J. Trump in the U.S. Capitol on January 20, 2025. - Credit: Kevin Lamarque - Pool/Getty Images After a year-long truce between Elon Musk, owner of the extremism-saturated X (formerly Twitter), and the Anti-Defamation League, an organization meant to combat antisemitism and other kinds of bigotry, it seems the billionaire and the advocacy group are on the outs once again. Musk and the ADL had first taken shots at each other during a spat in 2023, with the nonprofit saying X had allowed an explosion of hate speech under Musks watch, and the billionaire countering that they were trying to smear him while stifling free speech. He even amplified a hashtag, #BanTheADL, that white supremacists used to call for the removal of the organization from the website, and blamed the ADL for a precipitous drop in ad revenue as brands ditched the app because of the rise in harmful content that it and other watchdogs had warned about. More from Rolling Stone Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But following Hamas Oct. 7 attack on Israel that year, Musk and ADL chief executive Jonathan Greenblatt came to an agreement about the need to restrict language on the platform associated with the Palestinian liberation movement. Musk also made symbolic visits to Israel and Auschwitz that seemed to further smooth things over. A detente lasted until just after President Donald Trumps second inauguration this month. Even when Musk faced outrage for making a gesture at the event that white nationalists recognized (and celebrated) as a Nazi salute, the ADL urged people to give the billionaire who has allowed pro-Nazi accounts to flourish on his platform a pass. This is a delicate moment, read a post on Monday from the groups official X account. It seems that [Musk] made an awkward gesture in a moment of enthusiasm, not a Nazi salute, but again, we appreciate that people are on edge. In this moment, all sides should give one another a bit of grace, perhaps even the benefit of the doubt, and take a breath. But Musk made little attempt to allay concerns that he had thrown a Sieg Heil at a lectern bearing the United States presidential seal. Indeed, he seemed to enjoy the controversy, and continued to stoke it on Thursday with a series of Nazi-related puns. Dont say Hess to Nazi accusations! he wrote in a post on X that also included the line Some people will Goebbels anything down! as well as the baffling non-sequitur His pronouns wouldve been He/Himmler! (X CEO Linda Yaccarino responded to all this with a laugh-crying emoji.) The World War II wordplay was evidently a bridge too far for Greenblatt after the ADL had gone to bat for Musk in a statement on the inauguration salute that was widely seen as an abdication of the nonprofits exact purpose. Weve said it hundreds of times before and we will say it again: the Holocaust was a singularly evil event, and it is inappropriate and offensive to make light of it, he wrote in a post on X that quoted Musks, telling the worlds richest man that the Holocaust is not a joke. The ADL itself quote Greenblatts post and added, Making inappropriate and highly offensive jokes that trivialize the Holocaust only serve to minimize the evil and inhumanity of Nazi crimes, denigrate the suffering of both victims and survivors and insult the memory of the six million Jews murdered in the Shoah. (The ADL declined to comment beyond this statement.) Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement These remarks spurred further criticism from various corners. Bend the Arc, a progressive Jewish group that had taken the ADL to task for excusing Musks inflammatory gesture, wrote in their own X post: The ADL will condemn Elon Musks awful, tasteless Holocaust puns but thinks his Nazi salutes celebrating Trumps inauguration are fine? Theyre missing the big picture here. Jewish political cartoonist Eli Valley went further, sharing an illustration of Greenblatt with his arm around a saluting Hitler and saying, The salute is fine! Just dont make jokes! Musk has yet to acknowledge the chiding from Greenblatt or the ADL, so its too early to say whether they will resume the sort of public bickering we saw in 2023. Still, he appeared to believe he had accomplished something with his trolling. When right-wing political commentator Dave Rubin replied to his Nazi puns with the comment Humor is the fascist way to defeat these people, Musk agreed, They cant stand being mocked, using a laugh-crying emoji. It was not immediately clear who the pair meant by they or these people. Best of Rolling Stone Sign up for RollingStone's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Jerell Blakeley director of government, community, and racial and social justice for the Indiana State Teachers Association testifies in committee on Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2025. (Leslie Bonilla Muniz/Indiana Capital Chronicle) For four hours on Wednesday, and with tempers flaring throughout, Indiana lawmakers and plenty of constituents debated whether diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) efforts combat or constitute discrimination. Senate Bill 235 describes DEI as dealing with race, ethnicity or sex and defines it as any effort by state agencies to influence staff composition, promote differential treatment, promulgate related policies or training, or take official positions containing terms from a list of 15 banned phrases. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It would bar agencies from funding DEI offices or employees and from bestowing contracts or grants on entities that mandate DEI training and lets Indianas attorney general sue for violations. Sen. Tyler Johnson, R-Leo. (Photo from Indiana Senate Republicans) Heather Akou, an Indiana University fashion design professor representing the University Alliance for Racial Justice, testified that the list curtails free speech and urged lawmakers to strike it. She said some of the terms have innocuous meanings, like allyship, which she defined as looking out for the rights and needs of a group you do not personally belong to. Other phrases include intersectionality, disparate impact and social justice. The legislation also takes aim at higher education: banning DEI offices, employees, internal audits and consultant use. The attorney general could sue for up to $250,000 per violation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The proposal contains health education provisions adding state oversight to academic standards, mandating letter grades and banning pass-fail grading in required courses, although author Sen. Tyler Johnson, R-Leo, admitted the language needed work. Boards regulating health profession licensing also wouldnt be able to use DEI in license requirements or decisions. Dr. Allon Friedman, an IU Medicine School professor and dialysis unit director, declared that DEI has inflicted enormous damage on the medical profession and should be expunged. He said the values cause medical professionals to dehumanize patients by treating them as belonging either to an oppressor or oppressed class, undermine excellence in favor of mediocrity and encourage a hostile mindset and grievance-based mentality. Ahead of testimony, the Senate Judiciary Committee removed language allowing citizens to sue. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The panel advanced the legislation in an 8-2 vote along party lines. It next heads to the Senate floor for further amendments. Witnesses also flocked to Senate Bill 289, which cracks down on DEI in K-12 schools. It would require schools, local governments and state agencies to post related training and curricular materials and bar them from promoting stereotypes. It would also ban them from requiring students and employees to adhere to DEI concepts or spend public funds on DEI consultants or trainers. Multiple opponents harkened back to a century ago, when the white supremacist Ku Klux Klan controlled Indianas Statehouse. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement DEI came in the aftermath of civil rights legislation, said Jerell Blakeley, representing the Indiana State Teachers Association. He said they were hallmark principles to ensure that our country did not revert into policies that led to terrible things. Sen. Brett Clark, R-Avon, speaks in committee on Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2025. (Leslie Bonilla Muniz/Indiana Capital Chronicle) Kileen Lindgren, the legal policy manager for the conservative Pacific Legal Foundation, countered that the legislation prevents discrimination and increases transparency. The bill was moved in a 7-3 vote, with Sen. Sue Glick, R-LaGrange, joining Democrats in opposition. The committee also advanced legislation making it easier for property owners to rid their holdings of squatters, after more than an hour of debate. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advocates said the legal system applies landlord-tenant law to ill-effect, and that its too hard for owners to regain control of their properties. Opponents feared abusive landlords could use Senate Bill 157s provisions to evict tenants with informal or unwritten living agreements, and suggested alternative legal mechanisms. It moved on an 8-2 vote. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX The German government's anti-Semitism commissioner said understanding and acknowledging the crimes of the Nazi era is essential for immigrants to fully integrate into German society. "We need to engage those who live here in the culture of remembrance because only then can they successfully integrate into our society," Felix Klein told dpa in an interview. This need, Klein stressed, is particularly significant for people arriving from the Arab world or Muslim-majority countries. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The anti-Semitism commissioner noted that many newcomers often ask, "What does this have to do with us?" Klein argued that knowledge of German history is critical - not only for understanding the country's past but also for interpreting its foreign policy decisions. Klein highlighted the complexities of Germany's relationship with Israel, which he said can be challenging to explain to those from Arab states or Muslim-majority nations. "It's important to say: You have to know the history of this country in order to be able to understand the relationship between Germany and Israel," Klein stressed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As the government's anti-Semitism commissioner, Klein maintains close ties with Israel. However, he acknowledged that Germany's relationship with Israel is not without its challenges. "There are statements by Israeli ministers that are absolutely unacceptable and also violate international law," Klein said, citing as an example comments by Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, who suggested starving the Palestinian population in the Gaza Strip. Klein praised German leaders, including Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock, for firmly rejecting such rhetoric. The German government's anti-Semitism commissioner said understanding and acknowledging the crimes of the Nazi era is essential for immigrants to fully integrate into German society. "We need to engage those who live here in the culture of remembrance because only then can they successfully integrate into our society," Felix Klein told dpa in an interview. This need, Klein stressed, is particularly significant for people arriving from the Arab world or Muslim-majority countries. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The anti-Semitism commissioner noted that many newcomers often ask, "What does this have to do with us?" Klein argued that knowledge of German history is critical - not only for understanding the country's past but also for interpreting its foreign policy decisions. Klein highlighted the complexities of Germany's relationship with Israel, which he said can be challenging to explain to those from Arab states or Muslim-majority nations. "It's important to say: You have to know the history of this country in order to be able to understand the relationship between Germany and Israel," Klein stressed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As the government's anti-Semitism commissioner, Klein maintains close ties with Israel. However, he acknowledged that Germany's relationship with Israel is not without its challenges. "There are statements by Israeli ministers that are absolutely unacceptable and also violate international law," Klein said, citing as an example comments by Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, who suggested starving the Palestinian population in the Gaza Strip. Klein praised German leaders, including Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock, for firmly rejecting such rhetoric. Klein expects fewer anti-Semitic crimes in Germany following the Gaza ceasefire and Israeli hostages' release, as seen after past conflicts. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement However, he noted that the "anti-Israel milieu" would likely remain. According to the German government, 3,931 crimes related to the Middle East conflict were recorded in the first nine months of 2024, according to preliminary figures. Of these, 1,536 crimes were classified as anti-Semitic. Nancy Mace is planning to run for South Carolinas governor and shes hoping her great relationship with Donald Trump will be a difference-maker. The controversial congresswoman, who is an outspoken advocate of anti-trans policies, spilled her aspirations in an interview with the Associated Press, revealing that she is seriously considering a statewide run for governor in 2026. Ive been in the state Legislature before, I have great relationships in Washington now, and Ive acquired the leadership necessary to be bold, to make sure that we are moving forward with conservative policies, she said. I have made a difference in the work that I have done up here, and know that I could do even more at the state level. Mace lost and then regained Trumps support. / Win McNamee / Getty Images Since being elected to represent South Carolina in 2020, Mace has often grabbed headlines, although rarely because of her policy work. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Just three days into her Congress tenure, on Jan. 6, 2021, a mob of pro-Trump protestors stormed the Capitol. Rather than seeking shelter, Mace begged her staffers to let her get punched in the face for media attention, three former aides told the Daily Beast in January 2024. More recently, she has been in the news for her successful push to ban an incoming transgender colleague from using the Capitol Hill bathroom corresponding to her gender identity. And last week, Mace stoked outcry when she seemed to challenge a Democratic rival to a physical fight on the House floor. Rep. Nancy Mace challenged Rep. Jasmine Crockett to a fight in Congress after she said chile: I am no child, do not call me a child. Im a grown woman [] If you want to take it outside we can do that pic.twitter.com/5gtZlBJwJU Pop Base (@PopBase) January 15, 2025 Mace has also emerged as one of the loudest pro-Trump voices in the Housea 180 after she disavowed him in the wake of Jan. 6. She said she will ask for his endorsement for governor, and expects to get it. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump is going to need people in governor seats in 26, Mace told the AP. Its not going to be an easy election cycle for us. In 26, we need people who can win, win big, and implement his agenda, and I will do that. Ive been doing it. I have a great relationship with him, and I will be asking him for his support statewide in South Carolina. In February 2022, Trump, apparently harboring a grudge over Maces Jan. 6 criticism, endorsed her primary opponent and called the congresswomen an absolutely terrible candidate who has been disloyal to the GOP. A week later, Mace groveled for Trumps forgiveness in a fawning Newsmax interview. It appeared to pay off, as he wound up endorsing Maces re-election bid in 2024, describing her as a strong conservative voice. Mace said she hopes to make her final say on the governor run by the end of February. South Carolinas lieutenant governor, Pamela Evette, and attorney general, Alan Wilson, are also among those considering running for governor. The Nashville-area was rocked by a school shooting on Wednesday that left two dead and one injured at Antioch High School. Just after 11 a.m. on Wednesday, a 17-year-old male student at Antioch High School opened fire inside the school's cafeteria, fatally shooting a 16-year-old female student and grazing another student. Nashville police said the shooter died after turning the gun on himself. The aftermath of this devastating event has left many in shock and remembering the tragic gun violence in schools and in the community that happened years before. There are also many across the country asking what happened. What happened at Antioch High School in Nashville on Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2025? By 11 a.m. it was a normal day at Antioch High School, students had or were finishing up their morning class and some were headed to lunch, nine minutes later 17-year-old Solomon Henderson opened fire inside Antioch High School's cafeteria. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Metro Nashville police received their first 911 call of an active shooter just a few minutes later. In the cafeteria, a female student was shot and killed another student was grazed by a bullet in the shooting before Henderson shot himself, according to reports. Police are still looking into whether there was a connection between the shooter and the students who were killed and injured. Two school resource officers were in the building, but not in the cafeteria at the time of the incident. Neither could intervene before the shooter turned the gun on himself. In the aftermath, as students were released from the school, they described a scene of chaos and terror wondering what happened, were they going to be okay and if their friends or family were still alive. Who was killed at Antioch High School on Wednesday? The girl who died was 16-year-old Josselin Corea Escalante, according to MNPD. The name of the male student who was grazed by a bullet has not been released at the time of this report. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The shooter died of a self-inflicted gunshot, according to reports. Where is Antioch High School? What county is Antioch, TN in? Antioch High School is located in Nashville's Antioch neighborhood in Davidson County just 17 miles from downtown Nashville. Shootings in Nashville: Community reels after Antioch, brings painful reminders of past gun violence This recent shooting comes just before the two-year mark of the Covenant School shooting on March 27, 2023, when a shooter killed three 9-year-old students and three staff members. "My heart aches for the students and teachers and parents of Antioch High School," Covenant School student's mother Mary Joyce said in the aftermath of Wednesday. "It is unimaginable until it happens to you, and the terrifying impact and loss from today will never leave them. They will carry this day forever. How many more... this must stop." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It is not the first time that Antioch has been in the headlines due to devastating gun violence. Two shootings happened within a mile and a half of the school. 2017 Burnette Chapel Church of Christ shooting leaves 1 dead On Sunday, Sept. 24, 2017, Emanuel Kidega Samson, 25 at the time, opened fire on the congregation of Burnette Chapel Church of Christ as they were leaving Sunday service. The shooting left one dead and seven injured that day. The incident came to an end when churchgoer Robert "Caleb" Engle, 22 at the time, confronted Samson in the church and was able to subdue him, police later described him as a "hero." Samson was convicted of first-degree murder, civil rights intimidation and multiple other counts. He is currently serving life without parole at Riverbend Maximum Security Institution in Tennessee. A year after the shooting at Burnette Chapel Church of Christ the community would be rocked again by gun violence. 2018 Antioch Waffle House shooting leaves 4 dead On April 22, 2018, Travis Reinking opened fire at an Antioch Waffle House killing four people and injuring several others. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to reports by The Tennessean, Taurean C. Sanderlin, 29; Joe R. Perez, 20; DeEbony Groves, 21; and Akilah DaSilva, 23, died after a gunman walked into the restaurant just after 3:20 a.m. and opened fire with an AR-15 semi-automatic rifle. Three others, James Shaw Jr., Kayla Shaw, Sharita Henderson and Shantia Waggoner, were wounded in the shooting. Even wounded, Shaw tackled Reinking and was able to wrestle away the AR-15 from him. Reinking fled the store and a 34-hour manhunt ensued. Reinking was arrested, but did not go to trial immediately after being diagnosed with schizophrenia and a judge determining he was unable to stand trial. Just a few month later, it was determined he could stand trial, but it would be four years before a guilty verdict would be handed down in the case. He is serving life without parole in the Morgan County Correctional Complex. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This story discusses violence, suicide and self-harm. If you or a loved one are at risk, contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline for support by calling or texting 988 or 1-800-273-8255. You can also chat the lifeline at 988Lifeline.org, and find additional services for the deaf and hard-of-hearing. This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Antioch High School: Not first time gun violence hits Nashville area Two students are dead and another was wounded late Wednesday morning in a shooting at Antioch High School in Nashville. The situation was still developing Wednesday afternoon, but here's what we know so far: How many people were shot? Police said two students, including the shooter, died and another suffered a graze wound after shots rang out in the cafeteria of Antioch High School in Nashville at 11:09 a.m. Wednesday. Police said the shooter, a 17-year-old male, killed a 16-year-old female before turning the gun on himself. The third student was a 17-year-old male. Whats the safety status? Police said the situation has been contained." The school was bussing students to a reunification site for parents at 3754 Murfreesboro Pk. Metro Schools transportation released a full plan for returning all Antioch High students to their homes. What do we know about the shooter? Very little information has been released about the shooter. Police have not yet released the shooter's name, nor the names of the victims. Witnesses have said the shooter was a junior at the school. What are parents and students saying? Students have described a harrowing scene that include accounts of people running away from the sound of gunshots, while parents have described anxiously awaiting calls from their children. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Brandi Lemons, an 18-year-old senior, said she was walking into the cafeteria with other students to have lunch when she heard gunshots. Lemons said she was about to climb over a milk counter to escape when she saw the shooter walk around a corner toward her. She said he then put the gun in his mouth and pulled the trigger. Lemons said she did not know the shooter and did not know if he was specifically targeting people. Right now were scared and confused, she said. What are elected officials saying? Gov. Bill Lee made a brief statement offering prayers for the victims and community. "Ive been briefed on the incident at Antioch High School and am grateful for law enforcement & first responders who responded quickly and continue to investigate," Lee said. "As we await more information, I join Tennesseans in praying for the victims, their families & the school community." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Sen. Jeff Yarbro, D-Nashville, said the state clearly should start doing the work needed to keep kids safe. Tragic news in Antioch today, Yarbro wrote in a social media post. High school kids really ought to be able to go to the cafeteria without fear of being shot. Mayor Freddie OConnell posted about the shooting: This is a heartbreaking moment for the families, the school and the city." This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Antioch High School shooting: What we know so far in Nashville Mayor Freddie O'Connell was joined by Metro Nashville Public Schools Superintendent Adrienne Battle and other community leaders at a news briefing Thursday afternoon, a little over 24 hours after the attack that left two students dead, including the shooter, at Antioch High School. At the briefing, O'Connell announced a new fund through the Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee dedicated to addressing school violence incidents that occur on school grounds or during school events in Davidson County. The "Nashville School Violence Support & Healing Fund" began collecting donations to the fund Wednesday, with all proceeds going directly to the families of victims in the Antioch High shooting, as well as faculty and other students experiencing emotional trauma in the wake of the shooting. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Unfortunately, we still have this playbook from Covenant that we can lean on to help this process go smoothly," Community Foundation CEO Hal Cato said at the briefing. "I am just glad and honored that we can stand in this place and be with this community right now, in this really difficult moment." Cato said the Community Foundation hopes to raise "as much money as we possibly can." He added that the Community Foundation will be working with MNPS to set up a committee of Antioch parents and community members who will be responsible for deciding how the funds will be distributed. O'Connell also reiterated updates that had already been shared earlier in the day Thursday, including where community members can find mental health resources and other supports through Friday evening. "In Nashville, when tragedies happen, we know how resilient this community is and how we all step up to help," O'Connell said. "This makes all of us 'second responders' to a tragedy, and that spirit of togetherness is inspiring." What is MNPS doing to address school safety? Battle, for her part, said MNPS will do "everything we can" to support students and staff at Antioch High, and encouraged community partners who want to help in the wake of the shooting to donate to the Community Foundation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Battle also talked about what steps the district might take next in implementing new safety measures in school buildings. Her remarks came not long after an MNPS spokesperson shared earlier Thursday afternoon that an existing artificial intelligence-powered weapon detection software installed on cameras at the high school failed to pick up on a student's gun during the deadly shooting. Battle said MNPS continues to work with the Metro Nashville Police Department to investigate as tensions remain high and unsubstantiated threats and rumors regarding whether other schools might be targeted circulate online. Battle said the district asks parents, students and community members to report any concerns to a trusted adult or the police, but not to "circulate or spread rumors that can cause fear and panic across the community." Battle said Metro schools, historically, have been safe, and the district intends to work from here to make them safer. She said she's been in close contact with O'Connell's office, MNPD, district leaders, the school board and others about what needs to be done to support students and staff in the short-term, as well as potential future steps to add to existing safety protocols. Battle said those conversations have resulted in some next steps for safety at Antioch High and the entire district, but she stopped short of sharing any specifics. Instead, Battle said the district is still working to firm up its plans and will announce the details once they're finalized. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "These are heartbreaking days for all of us as educators, for everyone at Antioch High School," Battle said. "Quite frankly, this is a nightmare for us. We already know that this reinforces how important it is for us to know our students, build relationships and foster trust. Our students need us." This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Nashville mayor announces fund for Antioch school shooting victims An artificial intelligence-powered weapon detection software installed on cameras at Antioch High School failed to pick up on a student's gun during a deadly shooting Wednesday, according to a Metro Nashville Public Schools spokesperson. The software, known as Omnilert, is an add-on to the camera network at all MNPS campuses. The district has invested more than $1 million into the software after the MNPS board approved a contract in February 2023. "In this instance, based on the location of the shooter and the position of the weapon, it did not activate the system," MNPS spokesperson Sean Braisted told The Tennessean. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement However, the system did activate as armed police officers entered the school, he said. The shooting left 16-year-old Josselin Corea Escalante dead and a 17-year-old boy wounded after a bullet grazed him. The shooter, 17-year-old Solomon Henderson, then fatally shot himself. Police are still investigating the shooting. Metro Nashville Police Department John Drake said the shooter was a student at Antioch High and that he rode the bus to school Wednesday morning before making his way to the cafeteria, where he confronted and shot Escalante. He then fired several rounds before turning the gun on himself, Drake said. MNPS director says she's committed to preventing future tragedies Metro Nashville Public Schools Director Adrienne Battle said Wednesday that multiple safety measures are in place at Antioch High, including school resource officers, a secured vestibule at the entrance and cameras with the weapon-detection software. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement She praised school staff, including school resource officers who rushed to the cafeteria from another part of the building, for responding quickly as the shooting unfolded. "While we have been focused on addressing the immediate situation, we are committed to understanding how and why this happened and what more we can do to prevent such tragedies in the future," Battle said in an emailed statement Wednesday. "Its important to remember that our schools have historically been safe places for learning, friendship, and growth. We cannot allow this tragedy to overshadow the positive experiences of our 80,000 students." Antioch High School will be closed for the rest of the week. The Southeast Community Center at 5260 Hickory Hollow Parkway is set up as a hub for resources that include meals, counseling and food boxes for staff, students and families at Antioch High School. The remainder of MNPS schools will remain open this week, and school counselors are on hand to provide support for students who need it. This story has been updated to add more information and to correct the spelling of the weapon detection software. This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Antioch shooting: Nashville schools' AI weapon detection system failed NEW YORK, Jan. 23 (Xinhua) -- A shooting at the Antioch High School near Nashville, Tennessee, on Wednesday left two students dead, sending shockwaves through the community and caused many clamoring for answers and gun reform. The victims included a teenage girl and the suspected shooter himself. Two other students were injured, one from a bullet graze and the other not from the gunfire, but from a fall, reported USA Today on Thursday. Metro Nashville Public Schools Director Adrienne Battle called it a "heartbreaking day" for Antioch High, Metro Nashville Police Department, and the greater Nashville community, whose residents are all too familiar with the scourge of gun violence. Nearly two years prior, three nine-year-old students and three adult staff members were killed in a shooting at The Covenant School, a private elementary school in Nashville. Chante Fryes daughter is a ninth grader at Antioch High School, in Southeast Nashville. Like other parents, she was devastated when she heard news that the school had been placed on lockdown following reports of gunshots in the school cafeteria. Frye spoke to The Tennessean while waiting to be united with her daughter at the Ascension Saint Thomas Antioch hospital, across from Antioch High. She said she was terrified when she received her daughters text about the lockdown, while adding that its almost not surprising because it's getting worse with the fights and the violence at school. This reality is at the root of the uptick in school shootings taking place across America, though it is unlikely to be discussed in the coming days, weeks, and months, as politicians and pundits pick apart the events that rocked a city still reeling from 2023s shooting at the Covenant School. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The conversations will be centered on the safety of school children, as they should be. But its irresponsible for those conversations to focus only on guns. Its irresponsible to not acknowledge the increasing fragility of kids mental health, or the terminal ways in which they view the issues affecting them most. Young people are affected by our celebrations of conflict This generation isnt the first to struggle with extremism. Indeed, the tendency to view everything through a life-or-death lens is inherent to youth and is attributable to a still-developing brain and a subsequent inability to weigh the long-term consequences of short-term decisions. Dasia Pleitez prays as she waits to reunite with her daughter after the shooting at Antioch High School in Antioch, Tenn., Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2025. But there is a uniqueness to this era that exploits the vulnerabilities of our most vulnerable and leaves carnage in its wake. There is social media, which exacerbates conflicts both real and perceived while disseminating them widely for all to see, to comment, to laugh. To pick a side and gleefully attack the other. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement And theres also the continued polarization of our society which normalizes nay, celebrates drama. We are horrified by kids who livestream brawls that break out in school classrooms and spill out into the hallways. But we celebrate verbal sparring during Congressional hearings and other clapbacks gone viral. We find justification for our allies so long as our enemies bomb first. The problem is bigger and deeper than gun violence As of this writing, there is no clear motive for the 17-year-old student who killed one female student and injured another before fatally turning the gun on himself. There is, of course, no justification in this case; there is no explanation that will explain the taking of a life. And yet, as we consider the violence that had been ripping apart schools across this country far too often and for far too long we must remember: We are rearing children in an incubator of violence, wherein conflict resolution is seen as a weakness and there are few, if any, limits to how low one will go to defend their position. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This is a matter bigger and deeper than firearms. Guns may provide a quicker, cleaner way to kill. But those who want to kill will find a way, with or without them. Andrea Williams The question we should be asking is: Why do these kids want to kill at all? And why arent we stopping them before they do? Andrea Williams is an opinion columnist for The Tennessean and curator of the Black Tennessee Voices initiative. She has an extensive background covering country music, sports, race and society. Email her at adwilliams@tennessean.com or follow her on X (formerly known as Twitter) at @AndreaWillWrite and BlueSky at @andreawillwrite.bsky.social. This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Antioch High School shooting: Find source of youth violence | Opinion Two students are dead and one injured after a 17-year-old male student armed with a handgun opened fire in the cafeteria of Antioch High School in Nashville on Wednesday morning. The student then fatally shot himself, according to the Metro Nashville Police Department. The shooter, identified as Solomon Henderson by Metro Nashville Police, was a 17-year-old student at the school. Nashville Police Chief John Drake said during a 2:30 p.m. news conference there are online materials that are factoring into the polices investigation.As to a motive, we're looking into that," Drake said. "There are some materials on the internet that we're looking at that's under the investigation." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Antioch school shooting updates: Get the latest on the shooting in Nashville A nearly 300-page document posted on the X social media platform contains numerous selfies of what appears to be the shooter with various alt-right paraphernalia scattered between statements against race mixing, wishes to take revenge on society, statements praising Adolf Hitler and pages of explicit photos from previous school shootings. Social media accounts linked in the document and scattered across many platforms including X, Kick, TikTok and more focused heavily on groyper content a nickname used by many online white nationalist and neo-Nazi groups as well as incel content, a name referring to young men who claim to be involuntarily celibate and espouse incredibly violent misogynistic views. In the same document, updated four hours before the shooting, the writer expressed dismay at having to "speed up" an original plan to commit the shooting on Thursday, and said their goal was to kill "at least 10 people," alongside a specifically targeted elementary school teacher who was not named. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On a Bluesky account linked in the document, a post on Wednesday morning read, Today seems like a good day to die. The shooter also appeared to have livestreamed the attack from multiple platforms, including Kick. Wednesday night, Kick confirmed the shooting was partially livestreamed on the platform, and that the account was "rapidly" banned and the content removed. "We extend our thoughts to everyone impacted by this event," the company said in a statement on X. "Violence has no place on Kick. We are actively working with law enforcement and taking all appropriate steps to support their investigation." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In another document linked to the shooters alleged social media, which are all under various pseudonyms, a nearly 50-page rant lays out more detailed motivations and inspirations. Candace Owens, a Nashville-based conservative commentator who was recently temporarily suspended from YouTube for hate speech, is credited in the document as an inspiration. The document says the writer was stunned by her insights and her own views, which helped push the writer further and further into his antisemitic beliefs. Owens on Wednesday night responded to her name being in the document in a post on X. "Regarding the alleged 'manifesto,' it is an obvious troll. How can you tell? Because the deranged individual plagiarized the exact same language from the Christ Church New Zealand Manifesto, combined with other manifestos and writings freely available on the web," she said. "In essence, it is a plagiarized document." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement She added that that copy-cats know that "they can gain traction by just mentioning what they perceive to be big names, because the media will push those names for clicks." Among others, the document also names far-right political podcaster Nick Fuentes and far-right podcaster Ethan Ralph, among other prominent far-right commentators that espouse white nationalist views, as well as Destiny, a popular left-leaning streamer. Also in the document were images promoting the Great Replacement Theory, a white supremacist conspiracy theory purporting that individuals of color are systematically replacing whites to take over governments, and references to militant accelerationism a nihilistic and violent ideology that supports sparking violence in vulnerable areas with the end goal of collapsing society as a whole. Carla Hill, senior director of investigative research at the Anti-Defamation League Center on Extremism, confirmed that the organization had reviewed one of the writings allegedly posted by the shooter. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Our analysts located a sprawling manifesto full of anti-Black content, references to accelerationism and antisemitism," Hill said. "It also plagiarized from various far right manifestos and publications, including Terrorgram Collective and a manifesto by Matthew Harris. Drake said in a news conference that he hopes in the future, if people see something concerning, they say something.We believe there's some materials out there, and maybe they were seen, Drake said, adding if someone said something, maybe more could have been done. Contributing: Evan Mealins of The Tennessean and Will Carless of USA Today. The USA TODAY Network - Tennessee's coverage of First Amendment issues is funded through a collaboration between the Freedom Forum and Journalism Funding Partners. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Have a story to tell? Reach Angele Latham by email at alatham@gannett.com, by phone at 931-623-9485, or follow her on Twitter at @angele_latham This story has been updated to include comments from conservative commentator Candace Owens and to clarify wording about a document linked to the shooters alleged social media. This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Antioch school shooting: What's known about shooter Solomon Henderson Germany is witnessing an election campaign like none before it. With rare bouts of mud-slinging, a resurgent far right eyeing unprecedented gains, and war raging on the EU's doorstep - all set against the uncertain backdrop of a second Trump presidency - a nervous atmosphere permeates Europe's largest economy, exactly one month to go before voters head to the polls on February 23. A shortened timetable has only increased the tensions, with the election set to take place just 109 days after the collapse of Chancellor Olaf Scholz's three-party coalition in November. 'Debate with respect' The acrimonious break-up of Scholz's centre-left coalition set the tone for what quickly became an unusually bitter election campaign. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Scholz accused his sacked finance minister Christian Lindner of "weeks of sabotage" and of lacking the "necessary moral maturity" to do his job. The conservative opposition leader, Friedrich Merz, denounced Scholz's behaviour as "shameful." Using a pejorative form of his rival's name, Scholz stung back with a phrase that echoed through the campaign coverage: "Fritze Merz likes to talk garbage." In an attempt to cool temperatures, mainstream parties - excluding the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) and insurgent Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance (BSW) - signed a 'Fairness Agreement' before Christmas. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Two and a half pages long, the initiative was directed against extremist statements, targeted disinformation, and the disruption of election campaign events. It also sought to minimize violence and personal attacks during campaigning. "We debate with respect for each other, refrain from personal disparagement or attacks on the personal or professional environment of politicians," the signatories agreed. While January has not seen the same level of acrimony between the parties, it has had its fair share of surprises, including a highly unusual intervention by tech billionaire Elon Musk, who is openly supporting the AfD. And the stakes feel higher than ever, with far-right parties seeing a rise in support across the continent and Germany's economy in recession for a second consecutive year. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It is therefore unclear whether the fair-play pact will continue to temper tensions in the final month of campaigning. "It is not just about the Chancellery," said an editorial in the respected Frankfurter Rundschau daily last week. The German election is a test of whether politicians will "defend the achievements of democracy, the rule of law and human rights." Election surprises could sway the vote Equally hard to predict are the issues that will be playing on German voters' minds on election day. An attack on a Christmas market in the eastern city of Magdeburg, leaving six dead, thrust domestic security concerns to the top of the campaign agenda over the winter holidays. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The latest stabbing in the southern city of Aschaffenburg, which saw a 2-year-old child killed on Wednesday by an Afghan asylum seeker with a history of psychological problems, has further intensified the heated debate on migration and deportations. New US President Donald Trump may produce further surprises, although reports suggest he may not immediately follow through on his threats to impose trade tariffs on the European Union. Trump has also pledged to quickly end Russia's war in Ukraine, which could have massive implications on the election campaign. Many voters are also concerned by events across the southern border in Vienna, where the far-right Freedom Party of Austria is set to form a government after centrist parties were unable to reach a coalition deal. Coalition wrangling to come No matter how turbulent the campaign gets, at least two parties will ultimately have to come together to govern Germany's 84 million residents, after the first winter election since 1987. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to current polls, the most realistic options are a coalition between the centre-right bloc led by Merz and Scholz's Social Democrats (SPD), or an alliance between the conservatives and the Greens. However, there is a distinct possibility that the next chancellor may have to look for a third partner to secure a majority in parliament - an unenviable position given Germany's recent experience of three-way coalitions. The complex picture means it is difficult to predict how long it will take for Germany to have a functioning government again, with optimists hoping that a new Cabinet will be in place by Easter, just under two months after the vote. The shortest period between an election and the swearing-in of a new German government is 23 days, as seen in 1969 and 1983. In 2017, by contrast, it took Angela Merkel 171 days to start her fourth and final term as chancellor, after the conservative leader finally agreed a "grand coalition" with the Social Democrats. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) is slamming the U.S. billionaire class for going all in on President Donald Trump after his election victory in November, noting that many who previously criticized him are now in a kiss-ass race to show Trump their utmost fealty. All of these people that were scared before about being associated with him, from the most common basic level to the most elite level, theyre all all-in now because this is now a billionaire feeding frenzy, she said Thursday on Jon Stewarts The Weekly Show podcast. It is a kiss-ass race, Ocasio-Cortez continued. It is, How can I show how much fealty I have to Donald Trump in order to get my digs? I think whats really important for people to understand, now and every day of this administration, is that youre being ripped off. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Rep. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) similarly shared concern Tuesday about a potential oligarchy in the U.S., noting billionaires Jeff Bezos and Elon Musk already own a major news publication and social media platform, The Washington Post and X (formerly Twitter), respectively. Trump recently bragged about all the rich tech moguls who visited him after the election, including Bezos, who slammed Trump in 2016, and Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, who said in 2020 that he was disgusted with Trumps divisive rhetoric. Both men attended Mondays inauguration alongside several other wealthy executives: Googles Sundar Pichai, OpenAIs Sam Altman, Apples Tim Cook and Musk who is reportedly getting an office at the White House to lead his new Department of Government Efficiency. Bezos and Zuckerberg share a laugh at Monday's presidential inauguration. Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images Ocasio-Cortez said the list of prior Trump critics now currying favor with him has helped normalize Trump in American culture making his second term so much more dangerous than the first. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The first time, people were really on edge, they were on guard, they were very vigilant about any break that he would have with these norms, the New York lawmaker said Thursday. This time, the norms are becoming him the norms are embracing him. Even these little things that everyday working people may not care about, but they are strong cultural signals, she continued. Oscar de la Renta dressing all of the women, theres all these cultural symbols. De la Renta did indeed dress both Ivanka Trump and Second Lady Usha Vance in custom ensembles and shared photos of their looks on the official Oscar de la Renta Instagram account. Everyone is being ripped off, Ocasio-Cortez said of Trumps newpoliciesalreadynegativelyaffectingvoters. And he goes up there, and he says what he wants to say, but hes just the quintessential New York con man. Related... Democratic Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is not a fan of billionaires like Tesla CEO Elon Musk and Meta chief Mark Zuckerberg publicly backing President Donald Trump. She made that clear during a Thursday appearance on Jon Stewarts The Weekly Show podcast, saying, This is now a billionaire feeding frenzy. It is a kiss ass race. Mannn, Stewart sighed, before AOC continued: It is, how can I show how much fealty I have to Donald Trump in order to get my digs? And I think whats really important for people to understand now and every day of this administration is that youre being ripped off. Youre being ripped off, dude. .@AOC on the dangers of a newly normalized Trump and his billionaire feeding frenzy. New pod out now! #JonStewart #TheWeeklyShow pic.twitter.com/vUPJzin77F The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart (@weeklyshowpod) January 23, 2025 Musk, notably, contributed $277 million to help get Trump back in the White House. And he was joined by a number of other Big Tech CEOs who sat behind Trump at his inauguration on Monday, including Zuckerberg, Google CEO Sundar Pichai and Amazon founder Jeff Bezos. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement (You can read what the presidents supporters felt about the tech CEOs going to Washington, D.C., to kiss Trumps ring by clicking here.) Interestingly, Trumps opponent in the 2024 presidential election received far more support from billionaires; Vice President Kamala Harris was backed by 83 billionaires, while Trump received support from 53 billionaires, according to Forbes. More billionaires backed Joe Biden against Trump in 2020 as well. Biden received donations from 230 billionaires, Forbes reported, while Trump received donations from 133 billionaires. Ocasio-Cortez, during her Thursday podcast appearance, added that Trump is a quintessential New York con man. She also said he is much more dangerous now compared to his first term because he has been normalized. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Still, the New York congresswoman had some criticism for her own party as well, saying the Democratic party needs to be able to give Americans a clear answer on what it stands for. You can hear her full conversation with Stewart which includes an intriguing section on lawmakers getting rich off of stock trading on Spotify and on Apple Podcasts. The post AOC Tells Jon Stewart Billionaires Are in a Kiss Ass Race to Please Trump | Video appeared first on TheWrap. President Donald Trump signed an executive order Monday shortly after his inauguration calling for the Gulf of Mexico to be renamed the Gulf of America, and Denali, the tallest peak in the United States, to revert to the name Mount McKinley. The Associated Press sent its staff the following style guidance for both geographic areas. We will use Gulf of Mexico, while acknowledging the name Gulf of America in our copy. We will also use Mount McKinley rather than Denali. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The AP ___ Donald Trump has signed an executive order to rename the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America. The body of water has shared borders between the U.S. and Mexico. Trumps order only carries authority within the United States. Mexico, as well as other countries and international bodies, do not have to recognize the name change. The Gulf of Mexico has carried that name for more than 400 years. The Associated Press will refer to it by its original name while acknowledging the new name Trump has chosen. As a global news agency that disseminates news around the world, the AP must ensure that place names and geography are easily recognizable to all audiences. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We can use this language to describe the new designation in text, photo captions, and audio and video scripts: Trump signed an executive order renaming the Gulf of Mexico as the Gulf of America. The order only carries authority within the U.S. Other countries and international institutions continue to use the name the Gulf of Mexico. For now, our maps, graphics and interactives will use Gulf of Mexico. We continue to consult with our product partners on language and labelling. Per the AP Stylebook, you may also use Gulf or Gulf Coast to describe the body of water along the Louisiana, Texas, Mississippi, Alabama and Florida coasts. There are other examples where the AP refers to a geographical place by more than one name. For example, the Gulf of California is sometimes referred to as the Sea of Cortez. The U.S. government has designated that body of water as the Gulf of California, while Mexico recognizes it as the Sea of Cortez. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump also signed an executive order to revert the name of North Americas tallest peak, Denali in Alaska, to Mount McKinley. Former President Barack Obama changed the official name to Denali in 2015 to reflect the traditions of Alaska Natives as well as the preference of many Alaska residents. Trump said in his executive order that he wanted to restore the name of a great president, William McKinley, to Mount McKinley. The Associated Press will use the official name change to Mount McKinley. The area lies solely in the United States and as president, Trump has the authority to change federal geographical names within the country. The AP Stylebook will be updated to reflect both decisions. These two paragraphs can be included in stories as needed to explain our decision-making: The AP regularly reviews its style guidance regarding name changes, in part to ensure its guidance reflects common usage. Well continue to apply that approach to this guidance and make updates as needed. The Associated Press says it will recognize President Donald Trumps plans to change the name of Alaskas Mount Denali to Mount McKinley but will stop short of switching from calling the Gulf of Mexico by that name. Trump signed an executive order Monday to change the name of North Americas tallest mountain and the AP agreed that as president, he has the authority to change federal geographical names within the country. Its been called Denali since 2015, when former President Barack Obama changed it to match the traditions of Alaska Natives and theirancient Athabaskan name for the peak. It was originally designated Mount McKinley in 1917, honoring the legacy of William McKinley, the 25th president of the United States. Trump announced he would restore the name to the 20,000 foot peak on Monday, but has faced blowback from lawmakers in the days since. Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) said she was totally against the name change, while the states only House member, Rep. Nick Begich (R-Alaska) stated on Monday that, "what people in the lower 48 call Denali is not of my concern. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trumps executive order Restoring Names That Honor American Greatness gives the Interior secretary 30 days to reinstate the mountains name and subsequently update the Geographic Names Information System, the federal database of names of geographic features and towns across the country. Trumps pick to lead the department former North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum has yet to be confirmed by the Senate, and the mountain is, as of Thursday afternoon, still called Denali in the GNIS. But its not a total stylebook victory for Trump. The large body of water at the U.S. southern border will remain as the Gulf of Mexico, the AP announced. The reason is all about jurisdiction. Where the mountain is firmly on U.S. land and its federal geographic name is under the presidents purview, the Gulf shares borders with Mexico, where Trump doesnt have jurisdiction. The Gulf of Mexico has carried that name for more than 400 years, the APs Amanda Barrett, the vice president of standards and inclusion at the wire service, wrote.The Associated Press will refer to it by its original name while acknowledging the new name Trump has chosen. The publication said the Gulf isnt the only body of water that carries multiple names. The Gulf of California is called the Sea of Cortez in Mexico, and AP uses both. The AP must ensure that place names and geography are easily recognizable to all audiences, she wrote. The AP Stylebook is a widely used resource in newsrooms across the country, and is seen as the industry standard for grammar and stylistic choices. The publication itself is read in over 100 countries with nearly 45 million monthly users. Doris Youngblood remembers the excitement and sense of affirmation she felt as a young Black girl learning about Black Oklahomans who overcame the trials of racism and segregation to triumph as successful leaders in their communities. As founder of Oklahoma Black Living Legacy, Youngblood and other members of the nonprofit hope to share that same excitement and pride with other Oklahomans through a new mobile app designed to educate users about the state's rich Black history. "This type of access to our history is important because it makes it readily available to people," Youngblood said. "This is what Oklahoma Black Legacy is all about." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The app will be officially introduced at a gathering set for 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Feb. 15 at the Oklahoma History Center, with live jazz music to be featured. Broadcast journalist Bob Dotson, the event's keynote speaker, holds a special place in Youngblood's heart because of all the Black history she learned watching "Through the Looking Glass Darkly," his Emmy Award-winning documentary that aired in the 1970's which focused on the history of Blacks in Oklahoma. The app is designed for walking and driving tours of 31 sites in Oklahoma City, with some sites shining a spotlight on more than one person. All in all, the app tells 50 stories of historic people and places, like the mansion built by Dr. W.H. Slaughter, Oklahoma City's first Black physician and property owner known for his generosity and love for his community. Youngblood and her husband Marq have owned the Slaughter Mansion since 2013 and they have restored the three-story structure not far from the intersection of Interstate 35 and NE 63. Another house on the tour is that of Walter and Frances Edwards, who developed the Edwards housing addition to provide quality housing for Black families after World War II. More: Edwards Family Efforts Recognized Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "We thought it was important to document these landmarks," Youngblood said. "As people drive by, the site or significant person will pop up on a map. The map is interactive, and participants can take quizzes." Neighborhoods included on the tour include JFK, Deep Deuce and the Edwards Addition. Buildings will also take center stage, including the Jewel Theater, plus churches, schools and the homes and businesses of prominent Black leaders. The Jewel Theater is seen on Nov. 22 in Oklahoma City. The app will highlight the stories of historic figures like author Ralph Ellison, civil rights leader Clara Luper, musician Charlie Christian, Dr. W.L. Haywood, haircare magnates Sidney and Mary Lyons, Dr. Charles Morgan, Dr. Gravelly Finley and musician, educator and theater owner Zelia Breaux. More: Retirement Not in Doctor's Plans Vision to highlight history Other members of Oklahoma Black Living Legacy include James R. Johnson, Oklahoma Black Living Legacy chairman and grandson of developers Walter and Frances Edwards; Marq Youngblood, Doris Youngblood's husband; Renita Fish-Wisby, the great-great niece of Dr. Haywood; Christian Jackson, Rozia McKinney-Foster and Marcus Young. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Doris Youngblood said their group has been anticipated sharing the app they created with the community-at-large. She said she has a background in project management and software development so she had an "inkling" of what she wanted to see created. She said an Oklahoma Historical Society Preservation Grant and other sponsors helped fund the project. Volunteers with Oklahoma Black Living Legacy conducted the research for the app, with help from staff and volunteers at the Oklahoma History Center. The group said more information will be added to the app eventually. Youngblood said she hopes people who engage with the app glean valuable insight into the lives of Black Oklahomans who lived, worked and raised their families with dreams of creating brighter futures. "What I think about is how determined these folks must have been," Youngblood said. "I mean, look at all they created." The three-story home built by Oklahoma Citys first Black physician soon came to be a symbol of the familys generosity, says the owner of the 10-room house at 3101 NE 50. More: St. Anthony Hospital's first Black doctor was generous from Oklahoma to Africa Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Much of what these pioneers created still stands. The Slaughter Mansion, Calvary Baptist Church, the Edwards Addition and the home of Walter and Frances Edwards are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. But the tour also highlights some historic sites that are gone. During visits to sites where the original buildings no longer stand, vintage photos will appear on the app, Youngblood said. Johnson said the app is a way to help people look back at the past to gain a better understanding of their history. More: OKC's first Black doctor built a mansion in 1921. Today, it is helping keep his story alive. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Hopefully, the children and youth that see this, they will have an image of what they can become," he said. "They can be anything they want to be." Oklahoma Black History app launch When : 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Feb. 15. Where: Oklahoma History Center, 800 Nazih Zuhdi Drive. This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Oklahoma Black History highlighted in brand new app APPLETON, Wis. (WFRV) Friends and family members of the Appleton Fire Department are in mourning on Thursday following the death of retired Captain Michael Woody Woodzicka. According to a post on social, Captain Woodzicka was a dedicated firefighter, leader, and union advocate who served the Appleton community for over 30 years. 19-year-old man who allegedly set fire to congressional office makes first court appearance Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Officials with the Appleton Fire Department say Captain Woodzicka began as a firefighter with the department on August 14, 1989, and retired as captain on January 5, 2022. Captain Woodzicka is also said to have held positions of driver/engineer and lieutenant while also earning multiple Lifesaving Awards during his years of service. Known for his strength, quick wit, and dedication to mentorship, Captain Woodzicka was a beloved figure who inspired countless firefighters. He was not only a firefighter and a union leader but also a father, brother, mentor, and friend. Our thoughts are with his family, friends, and the many lives he touched throughout his incredible career. Rest in peace, Captain Woodzicka. Your legacy will never be forgotten. The Appleton Fire Department The official obituary for Captain Woodzicka can be viewed 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 WFRV Local 5 - Green Bay, Appleton. Anglican Watch Responds to Bishop Mariann Inauguration Day Sermon NEWS PROVIDED BY Anglican Watch Jan. 22, 2025 ALEXANDRIA, Va., Jan. 22, 2025 /Standard Newswire/ -- Anglican Watch is issuing this response to Bishop of Washington Mariann Buddes Inauguration Day sermon, in which she asked President Trump to act with integrity and compassion towards those who are afraid, including the LGBTQ+ community and immigrants. We endorse Bishop Buddes call to treat all persons with dignity and respect, including those in marginalized communities. Further, we believe that doing so is consistent with the message of the Gospels, which is to love thy neighbor as thyself," said Anglican Watch editor Eric Bonetti. That said, we are concerned that Bishop Budde may be overlooking her own role in perpetuating injustice. We note, for example, that Bishop Budde has repeatedly ignored complaints from victims of abuse within the Episcopal Church. She also has ignored our repeated requests to remove from office a person on the board of the National Cathedral School, whom we believe has made his money via his role in the American 'enhanced interrogation' program, which focused on Muslims and many believe to involve torture. Anglican Watch repeatedly contacted Bishop Budde directly about these matters but did not receive a response. We also contacted the schools Department of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion about these issues but were ignored. We believe that others will take Bishop Buddes message about the need to act with integrity and mercy most seriously when she addresses those issues of injustice within her own control, Bonetti concluded. Anglican Watch is the unofficial watchdog of the Episcopal Church and covers abuse and misconduct within the church. Started in 2015, we are online at https://www.anglicanwatch.com. SOURCE Anglican Watch CONTACT: Eric Bonetti, 240-630-3767, eric@anglicanwatch.com NAIROBI, Jan. 23 (Xinhua) -- Kenya played host to about 80,000 inbound Chinese tourists in 2024, up from 51,000 in 2023, and hopes to get more this year, a senior government official said on Thursday. John Ololtuaa, principal secretary in the Ministry of Tourism and Wildlife, told Xinhua in the Kenyan capital of Nairobi that the increase was mainly driven by marketing campaigns in five major cities in China. "The government, through the Kenya Tourism Board, ensured that Kenya had in-market agency representation in China so that Chinese tour operators and travel agents could effectively raise awareness of Kenya's unique tourism products," Ololtuaa said on the sidelines of the launch of preparations for the World Chamber Forum-Africa Global Summit 2025 scheduled to take place in Kenya in April. Hosted in conjunction with the Kenya National Chamber of Commerce and Industry, a trade lobby, the three-day inaugural WCF-Africa Global Summit will bring together more than 4,500 delegates from 70 countries, including heads of state and government, entrepreneurs, and innovators under the theme "Africa's Global Future: Integrated, Innovative and Sustainable." According to data from the Ministry of Tourism and Wildlife, Kenya received 2.4 million foreign visitors and generated 350 billion shillings (about 2.7 billion U.S. dollars) in revenue from the tourism sector in 2024, making the industry a key source of foreign exchange earnings alongside tea, horticulture and diaspora remittances. Ololtuaa said Kenya is seeking to increase the number of inbound Chinese tourists to over 150,000 by intensifying marketing efforts on Chinese-language digital marketing platforms such as Weibo, WeChat, and Douyin. He revealed that in the first quarter of 2025, Kenya will host key opinion leaders from China to develop and share digital content that will promote Kenya on Chinese social media based on their firsthand experiences in Kenya. In order to increase Chinese arrivals, Kenya is also implementing a sales and marketing campaign aimed at driving year-round visitation and enhancing business conference arrivals to Kenya, Ololtuaa added. CARL JUNCTION, Mo. Construction of the newest building for a local school district is underway. Crews have poured the cement slab that will form the basis for a new Bulldog Archery and JROTC building in Carl Junction. It sits next to the new practice field near the junior high. Voters approved the project last spring. Be this summer before its complete but we anticipate having it done. And in addition to the practice space, well have two classrooms in it for ROTC and for some of our PE classes, our outdoor pursuits classes, said Dr. David Pyle, CJ R-1 Assistant Superintendent. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The school district plans to start using the new building next fall. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. File photo by Cronkite News Aaron Gunches was sentenced to death and hes ready to die. The state is ready to accommodate him. So, whats the problem? Oxymoronic as it sounds, it still has to meet the Constitutions demand to avoid cruel and unusual punishment. And a Virginia law professor on Thursday filed a second friend-of-the-court brief asking the Arizona Supreme Court not to issue a death warrant for Gunches, who was sentenced to death for a 2002 murder and has asked the state to go forward with his execution, because the states plan to execute him doesnt meet that constitutional standard. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Corinna Barrett Lain, who has a forthcoming book about the failures of execution by lethal injection, first attempted to file her brief Jan. 6, but it was rejected. Her motion cites mounting evidence that pentobarbital, the drug used in Arizona and other states for execution, kills by flash pulmonary edema that is, by setting off a reaction that instantly fills the lungs with fluid and effectively drowns the prisoner long before he or she reaches a painless state of anesthesia. The pain and suffocation and terror that likely ensue has been compared to the torture known as waterboarding. Things have changed since Lain made her first attempt at stopping the execution, and that spurred her to file another. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The court didnt consider my first brief, but allowed me to resubmit on the question of its authority to not issue the warrant when the statutory requirements have been met, Lain said. And thats a really important question. It also gets to the heart of my interest in this case. My interest is, and always has been, the rule of law. Someone needs to advocate for the basic legal and ethical precept that, when the state takes life in its citizens name, it still has to conduct the execution lawfully. On Jan. 15, outgoing U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland threw out the federal execution protocol using pentobarbital, arguing that it likely violated constitutional limits on pain and suffering. But that isnt stopping Arizona from pursuing Gunches execution, which could happen as soon as mid-March. Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes told ABC15 on Jan. 21 that, We have procured the drugs necessary to carry out executions in Arizona. We are prepared to do that. We anticipate that we will be executing Aaron Gunches on March 18, if the Supreme Court approves the execution warrant. Whether that remains policy under President Donald Trumps administration remains to be seen. On Jan. 20, he pledged that his administration would take all necessary and lawful action to ensure that each state that allows capital punishment has a sufficient supply of drugs needed to carry out lethal injection. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But what drugs? After a disastrous botched execution in 2014 in which 15 injections of a questionable drug cocktail took nearly two hours to kill a prisoner, a federal judge ruled that there were only two drugs that Arizona could use for execution: sodium thiopental and pentobarbital. Neither is readily available in the United States for use in executions. Thiopental is an outdated anesthetic that is no longer manufactured in the U.S. And though former Trump AG Bill Barr exempted its execution use from FDA scrutiny, the European companies that make the drug are forbidden by law from selling it for use in executions. Pentobarbital is also manufactured in Europe. And although it has clinical uses, European pharmaceutical companies will not sell it to corrections departments for the aforementioned reason. As a result, both the state and federal prison systems have relied on purchasing pentobarbital salt, the active pharmaceutical ingredient, and then contracting with compounding pharmacies to turn it into something that can be injected into prisoners veins. David Duncan, a former federal judge magistrate who had been hired by Gov. Katie Hobbs to study the states execution protocol, told Arizona Mirror earlier this month that the states supply of pentobarbital sat in glass jars in a refrigerator in Florence, and he questioned whether it was still chemically active. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement (Duncan was fired by Hobbs when it appeared that his evaluation of Arizona executions would be damning, and she and Mayes, in a changing political climate, had decided to resume executions, starting with Gunches.) Then, a Tennessee-based federal public defender told Arizona Mirror that the states supply of pentobarbital salt came from Absolute Standards, a Connecticut company that was the only domestic producer of pentobarbital salt, and the same company that supplied the feds and other states with their supplies. But Absolute Standards has publicly stated that it stopped producing pentobarbital salt in 2020 the same year that appears on a heavily redacted invoice for Arizonas supply. And the company managers told the federal defender that the salt had an expiration date of two-and-a-half years. One pharmaceutical company that used to make pentobarbital salt says on its product page that the drug has a shelf life of three years. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement None of that is deterring Mayes. Regarding former AG Garlands comments on pentobarbital, Attorney General Mayes views have not changed and she is prepared to enforce the death penalty in accordance with Arizona law, Richie Taylor, a spokesman for the AGs Office, told the Mirror. And he referred back to a Nov. 22 letter from Ryan Thornell, the director of Arizona Department of Corrections, Rehabilitation and Reentry, to Hobbs in which he said that the department had conducted its own review of execution protocols and concluded that all problems were resolved and executions were ready to resume. In that letter, Thornell wrote that his office had spoken to the Arizona Department of Public Safety about the efficacy testing protocol for the pentobarbital. That hasnt been done historically, he said, until the court issues a death warrant and until the drug is compounded for use in the execution. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He also noted that the corrections department had spoken with Absolute Standards about the drug supply and its shelf life, though he didnt expound on what was learned other than to say it aided our understanding of the direction from the previous administration surrounding the acquisition of the supply. Gunches is representing himself in his litigation, and his court-appointed advisory counsel did not respond to requests for comment. Gunches has been as adamant about not communicating with the media as he has been in his wish to die. Lain started her new brief with an argument that she could indeed introduce her information directly to the Supreme Court, and that the court could decline issuing a death warrant. She wasted little time making her case that Arizonas execution protocols dont meet the constitutional standards. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The evidence is overwhelming that Arizona cannot lawfully carry out an execution by lethal injection at this time. Its pentobarbital protocol is sure or very likely to cause a tortuous death even in the best of circumstances, which is why the federal government has now abandoned its pentobarbital protocol, she wrote. And the circumstances here are far from optimal. The State is on the cusp of using an inexperienced, untrained team to inject likely expired drugs stored in unmarked mason jars, that were produced by a company that does not make drugs for human consumption, and that will be compounded by a pharmacy that the ADCRR itself has previously disavowed. All of that against a backdrop of terminating the independent review whose preliminary findings documented fatal flaws in the States lethal injection regime. And as for Trumps statements about providing execution drugs, she said it doesnt speak to the heart of the issues in this case, which is that Arizonas protocol is sure or very likely to lead to a torturous death. Some people oppose the death penalty, others support it, but just because a state has the death penalty doesnt mean the government can do whatever it wants. Executions must be lawful, she said. Thats whats at issue in this case. I dont see any reason for confidence that the state can lawfully conduct an execution by lethal injection at this time. In fact, just the opposite is true. The court will likely issue a death warrant and set an execution date. Even if the drugs are expired, theres little doubt they will kill him. But will the execution be quick and painless? Thats an open question. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE Credit Arizona state Superintendent Tom Horne, who this week uttered public words of political sacrilege. He dared to disagree with President Donald Trump. While other Republicans cheer Trumps every move really, its been quite entertaining to watch all those back the blue politicians have no problem with pardoning Jan. 6 rioters who beat up the cops Horne broke ranks with Trump on a piece of his immigration plan. Advertisement Advertisement Horne told the Phoenix New Times Morgan Fischer that he opposes Trumps plan to send ICE agents into schools to roust undocumented immigrants. If they do that, less kids will come to school, Horne said flatly, if not quite grammatically. To which, I think many Arizona legislators would reply: And thats a bad thing? How many murderers are there in kindergarten? Acting Homeland Security Secretary Benjamine Huffman on Monday issued new guidelines on immigration enforcement, one of which reversed a Biden administration decree that ICE agents steer clear of sensitive areas like churches and schools. This action empowers the brave men and women in CBP and ICE to enforce our immigration laws and catch criminal aliens including murderers and rapists who have illegally come into our country, he said. Criminals will no longer be able to hide in Americas schools and churches to avoid arrest. Advertisement Advertisement Me? I wonder how many murderers and rapists are lurking about in little Joses kindergarten class or in the school lunchroom. Opinion: Schools will pay (again) for their forced role in immigration raids This seems more about terrorizing the tots and their parents than it does about catching murderers and rapists. Win-win, right? We hunt the immigrants who clean our houses and mow our lawns and pick our crops, and they keep their kids out of school, saving us money. Wrong. Horne is right: ICE raids will keep kids from school Horne correctly noted that its not (a childs) fault their parents came here illegally. He correctly noted that a fear of immigration raids will prevent children many of whom, by the way, are U.S. citizens from getting an education. Advertisement Advertisement To which many of our leaders would reply: And this is a bad thing? Reach Roberts at laurie.roberts@arizonarepublic.com. Follow her on X (formerly Twitter) at @LaurieRobertsaz, on Threads at @LaurieRobertsaz and on BlueSky at @laurieroberts.bsky.social. Subscribe to azcentral.com today. This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: ICE raid on schools will hurt kids, GOP leader bravely says | Opinion The "social section" in Crawford County Library's Van Buren branch (Screenshot from court documents) Arkansas Attorney General Tim Griffin has appealed a federal judges December ruling that portions of a 2023 state law changing how libraries handle controversial materials are unconstitutional. On Dec. 23, U.S. District Judge Timothy Brooks of the Western District of Arkansas agreed with the 18 plaintiffs that two of the five sections of Act 372 of 2023 violate the First Amendment. The law would have created criminal liability for librarians who distribute content that some consider obscene or harmful to minors and given elected officials the final say over what books are available to the public. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On Wednesday, Griffin filed an appeal of the decision on behalf of most of the defendants, Arkansas 28 prosecuting attorneys. The accompanying response to the plaintiffs legal complaint asserted that the plaintiffs libraries, bookstores, advocacy groups and individual library patrons do not have standing to sue and that the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Arkansas does not have jurisdiction over the matter. Brooks wrote in his 37-page ruling in December that the court does have jurisdiction and the plaintiffs do have standing to challenge the two applicable sections of Act 372. Section 1 of the law would have made furnishing a harmful item to a minor a Class A misdemeanor. Brooks asserted in both his December ruling and his July 2023 temporary injunction that this section was too vague and would create unnecessary burdens on public access to speech. Two other defendants in the case were Crawford County and its county judge, Chris Keith. Their attorney, Samuel McLelland, notified Griffins office Tuesday that they do not plan to appeal Brooks ruling, according to court documents. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Crawford County parties had been defending Section 5, which would have required a committee of library staff, selected by head librarians and representative of diverse viewpoints, to be the first to review library materials challenged on the basis of appropriateness. If a challenger disagreed with the library committees decision, city or county elected officials would have had the final say on where material is placed. Brooks ruled that Section 5 risked allowing the views of a vocal few [to] dictate what is generally available to the public without providing any justification. The two Crawford County defendants, along with the county quorum court and library director, lost a separate First Amendment lawsuit in September. Griffin motion to intervene 1.22.25 Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Crawford County Library System moved childrens books with LGBTQ+ topics to segregated social sections, accessible only to adults, at all five branches between December 2022 and January 2023 after county residents objected to their availability at multiple quorum court meetings. County officials later cited Act 372, which became law in March 2023, as a reason to keep the books segregated. In May 2023, three parents of minor library patrons filed a lawsuit claiming the social sections violated the First Amendments provision that the government must not favor an establishment of religion. Crawford County librarians returned the segregated books to their original sections in compliance with U.S. District Judge P.K. Holmes ruling in favor of the plaintiffs. The case was reassigned to Brooks in October, and the defendants have not appealed. On Wednesday, Griffin filed a motion to intervene in order to defend Section 5. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The case will go to the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, based in St. Louis. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX CONCORD, N.H. An Arkansas woman pleaded guilty in federal court on Wednesday to stealing more than $300,000 from New Hampshire credit union customers. Court records show 27-year-old Tyra Brown of Benton pleaded to one count of wire fraud. Sentencing will take place at a later date. Federal, state program helps Arkansans who had their SNAP benefits lost due to scam The trial was heard in the Eastern District of Arkansas Court after being transferred from New Hampshire. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Prosecutors said Brown was a remote customer service agent for a New Hampshire credit union, which gave her access to customer information, including security questions, answers and account balances. Brown used that access to steal $310,674.89 from at least 10 elderly victims and attempted to steal $428,526.84 in total. Officials said Brown used wire transfers, electronic debits and Zelle to transfer victim funds to her account. Little Rock woman sentenced for stealing and selling human remains Officials explained that wire fraud charges can result in a sentence of up to 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss, whichever is greater. A federal district court judge imposes based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes governing sentence determination. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The federal system has no 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 KARK. WASHINGTON (DC News Now) The United States Capitol Police (USCP) said an armed man who took a U.S. Capitol tour and visited the Library of Congress was arrested on Tuesday. USCP said it received information about a man in the area with mental health issues and suicidal thoughts who was allegedly armed. According to security from USCP, the man entered through the south CVC checkpoint. After the metal detectors at the security checkpoints went off, an officer went on to do a secondary hand search and then allowed the man to go into the building. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement USCP said that officer is suspended while it investigates the officers performance in that search. USCP said there is no evidence that Faber was coming to harm Congress. At about 1:15 p.m., officers saw the mans car on First Street near East Capitol Street. They looked around the area and found that the man had recently been in the Capitol Visitor Center (CVC) and had taken a Capitol tour. At about 2:15 p.m., officers found the man walking toward his car after touring the Library of Congress. USCP stopped, searched, and arrested the man. Officers found that he had a 9mm handgun hidden in his waist. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Man arrested in connection to 2012 sexual abuse in Northeast DC James A. Faber, 27, of Massachusetts, was arrested for unlawful activities, carrying a pistol without a license, possession of an unregistered firearm, unlawful possession of ammunition and resisting arrest. The U.S. Attorneys Office is investigating the case. The USCP demands the highest standards when it comes to screening visitors, so a full review of this incident has already been ordered, as well as mandatory refresher training on security screening, so this never happens again, said USCP in a statement. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. Arnold Schwarzenegger is giving back to Los Angeles. The actor and former governor of California shared a post on Instagram Tuesday, Jan. 21, in which he wrote that he is donating $1 million to three foundations to assist in relief efforts more than two weeks after a series of devastating wildfires broke out in L.A. "A lot of my fans have asked me how they can help LA. Im going to lead the way. Im sending a million dollars of my own money, split between @lafdfoundation, @cafirefound, and @habitatla. I dont like when companies or rich people ask their fans to make their donations for them," Schwarzenegger, 77, wrote in the caption to his post which features a t-shirt that bears his likeness and the phrase "L.A. Strong." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "But I know you want to help. So I had my team design a shirt. 100% of the profits will go to those organizations," the Terminator actor wrote. "The shirt might look familiar - its based on an LA classic, the knock-off version of me they sell to tourists on the Venice boardwalk, except I can use my image. You can get it at the link in my bio." Related: Arnold Schwarzenegger Goes Gray to Play Santa Claus in First Photo from The Man with the Bag Multiple wildfires in Los Angeles first broke out on Tuesday, Jan. 7 that have since sent tens of thousands of residents including celebrities like Leighton Meester and Adam Brody, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Joshua Jackson, Anna Faris, Ricki Lake and Cary Elwes displaced from their homes. Thousands of structures have been affected so far in what is considered the most destructive firestorm in the citys history. As the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner announced on Thursday, Jan. 16, there have been at least 27 deaths. 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. A new fire, known as the Hughes Fire, sparked around 10:53 a.m. local time on Wednesday, Jan. 22; the fire has grown to 3,407 acres and is considered 0% contained, according to Cal Fire. Meanwhile, the Eaton Fire is 91% contained and the Palisades Fire is considered 68% contained. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Related: Arnold Schwarzenegger and Uma Thurman Have Batman Reunion: 'Freeze and Ivy, Reunited' Ivan Apfel/Getty Images Arnold Schwarzenegger on April 4, 2024 Arnold Schwarzenegger on April 4, 2024 Schwarzenegger is no stranger to acts of charity. Back in November, he shared a video of himself speaking to local news outlet Fox 11 as he volunteered at a youth center in east L.A. on Thanksgiving Day. "Giving back is, to me, everything," he said in the news clip, which noted Schwarzenegger has been donating turkeys to the youth center for more than three decades. Read the original article on People HENDERSON, Ky (WEHT) Ascension St. Vincent in Evansville, in collaboration with several agencies, is reminding the public that the hospital will host a blood drive in honor of injured Evansville Police Officer Jordan Rundle. Rundle was seriously injured in a car accident in Newburgh in December while off duty. Rundle was transported to Ascension St. Vincent where he received immediate treatment before being transported out of state for further treatment. Hockey game to benefit EPD officer injured in life-threatening crash Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Officials say he is still receiving care at Vanderbilt. Officials state the blood drive will take place on January 28 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at The Manor at Ascension St. Vincent. Officials also say the event is being organized through a partnership between Team Jordan, EPD, FOP Lodge #73 Evansville and American Red Cross. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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). By Karen Sloan (Reuters) - Two major U.S. state bar associations have pushed back after President Donald Trump took aim at efforts to promote more diversity in the legal profession. Trump in an executive order on Tuesday included state and local bar associations as targets for federal civil probes into private-sector diversity, equity and inclusion programs that may constitute illegal discrimination or preferences, along with medical associations, publicly traded companies and major nonprofits and universities. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The State Bar of California, the largest state bar in the country with more than 197,000 active members, said in a statement on Wednesday that the executive order will not affect its programs "as none of our work in this space involves illegal discrimination or preferences." The Massachusetts Bar Association's president, Victoria Santoro, said the organization's diversity efforts do not violate the law, adding: "I think there are better ways our federal government could use its time than looking at bar associations." The executive order, part of a wider push by Trump to roll back DEI in the public and private sectors, escalates pressure from conservatives on legal industry diversity programs that gained steam after the U.S. Supreme Courts 2023 decision barring the consideration of race in college admissions. Edward Blum, a conservative activist and architect of the Supreme Court affirmative action case, has challenged diversity programs in the legal profession. He said on Wednesday the new executive order should force bar associations to end sex and race quotas for board memberships and "may foreclose the need for further state-by-state legal challenges to these unfair and illegal policies." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Bar associations are mandatory or voluntary groups, typically funded through member dues, that advocate for attorneys and sometimes oversee attorney licensing and discipline. They have emerged in recent decades in many states as vocal proponents of diversity, creating programs to promote ethnic minorities, women, LGBTQ lawyers and other underrepresented groups in leadership posts and throughout the legal profession. While those groups have steadily gained ground, whites make up 77% of American lawyers but only 60% of the U.S. population, according to the American Bar Association. The American Bar Association and state and city bar groups in New York, Pennsylvania and Texas did not immediately respond to requests for comment or declined to comment. Many state and local bar associations maintain fellowship or internship programs that place racially diverse law students in legal jobs, hold job fairs geared toward law students of color, or provide scholarships. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement After the Supreme Court's 2023 ruling on affirmative action, conservative legal groups sued or filed complaints against several bar associations and law firms over such programs, alleging they are discriminatory. In 2024 the ABA revised the criteria for its longstanding program aimed at boosting the number of racially diverse judicial clerks to eliminate references to minority students and communities of color after a conservative legal group accused it of using illegal racial quotas. The same year, the State Bar of Wisconsin modified a diversity program for law students after a conservative legal advocacy group sued, alleging racial discrimination. Some prominent law firms, including Winston & Strawn and Morrison Foerster, altered their application criteria for diversity fellowships in 2023 after being sued by Blum. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The ABA, which has about 150,000 paying members and is the federally recognized accreditor of U.S. law schools, has made diversity and inclusion a core mission, making it a target of the anti-DEI movement. A coalition of attorneys general from 21 Republican-controlled U.S. states has twice warned the ABA that its law school accreditation rules, which require schools to show commitment to diversity through recruitment, admissions and programming, are unlawful. Some DEI rollbacks have come about without litigation. The Florida Bar last year ended all its diversity and inclusion initiatives after the state's Republican-controlled Supreme Court ordered it to stop funding such programs, saying the organization must treat all members impartially and without bias. (Reporting by Karen Sloan in Sacramento, California; Additional reporting by Sara Merken in New York, Mike Scarcella in Washington and David Thomas in Chicago; Editing by David Bario and Matthew Lewis) GAZA, Jan. 23 (Xinhua) -- Two Palestinians were killed in an Israeli artillery strike on Rafah, in the southern Gaza Strip, on Thursday, Gaza's civil defense said, accusing Israel of violating the ceasefire agreement with Hamas. Mahmoud Basal, a spokesperson for Gaza's Civil Defense, said Israeli forces targeted a group of Palestinians in the Tel Al-Sultan neighborhood west of Rafah. He confirmed two deaths and several injuries, with the wounded taken to a local hospital. Palestinian security sources told Xinhua the strike hit an area designated as a safe zone under the ceasefire terms, which had allowed residents to return. The Israeli military has not commented on the incident. It is the latest reported breach of the truce, following previous claims of Israeli actions in Gaza. On Wednesday, the Israeli military said in a statement it had engaged armed suspects in Gaza, citing perceived threats to its troops. It said it had "neutralized" Akram Zanon, a member of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad movement, and claimed to have responded to individuals approaching military positions in multiple locations. Also in the statement, the Israeli military reiterated its commitment to the ceasefire but stressed its readiness for further developments and urged Palestinian civilians to avoid military zones and follow safety instructions. The ceasefire agreement, brokered by Egypt, Qatar, and the United States, took effect on Sunday. The deal outlines a phased roadmap to de-escalation. In the first 42-day phase, Hamas is required to release 33 Israeli hostages, while Israel is to free over 1,890 Palestinian prisoners and detainees. PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) An audit found that Portland officials lack of communication concerning grant management led to a city bureau wasting more than $13,000 in funds. The Auditors Office uncovered its report on the Office of Community and Civic Lifes inefficient response to grant non-compliance on Tuesday. The investigation first began in October 2023, when a member of a neighborhood association reported that East Portland Neighbors had given them a grant check that bounced. Portland Public Schools outlines potential cuts ahead of $40M budget deficit Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While East Portland Neighbors isnt a city organization, watchdogs noted officials had active grant agreements with the group in which it would serve as a fiscal sponsor for other organizations without tax-exempt status. Between July 2022 and June 2023, EPN agreed to buy liability insurance coverage for other groups. The nonprofit was then expected to send the Office of Community and Civic Life an invoice to reimburse the purchase. But auditors reported that organizations began reaching out to the office after learning they still werent covered by insurance. According to the investigation, insurance brokers said EPN hadnt paid for the policies leading to delayed payment fees. Officials alleged the group then told Civic Life it didnt have enough funds to cover insurance. The city watchdog reported that the office spent another seven months fixing the issue, despite having reason to believe the nonprofit violated its agreement. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Portland police chief, Multnomah County DA speak after anti-Trump protest arrests This led to wasteful spending and non-compliance with the Citys procurement card policy, the Auditors Office wrote. In addition, other City bureaus continued to work with EPN without being aware of EPNs financial issues. We also found that there was a delay in resolving financial issues with EPN that impacted the City and the responsibility to resolve these issues was passed on to a smaller organization with limited capacity. Civic Life ultimately spent $43,394 on liability insurance coverage, although its initial agreement with EPN required just $30,000. Auditors said the office could have used the additional funds for other programming focused on civic engagement and inclusive, livable neighborhoods. However, investigators also said Civic Life could have been under external pressure to quickly address the issue and help neighborhood associations obtain insurance. The report argued the office could have benefitted from the city establishing a formal process for addressing grant non-compliance. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Auditors suggested that officials create clear guidelines for grant agreements and train Civic Life staff on procurement card policies. Portlands air quality similar to wildfire-hit Los Angeles on Wednesday EPN is no longer on Oregons list of active nonprofit corporations, but Assistant City Administrator Annie Von Burg and Deputy City Administrator for Budget & Finance Jonas Biery still agreed with auditors outstanding recommendations. The administrators noted that the City of Portland adopted the Outgoing Grants Administration Policy last 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 KOIN.com. AURORA, Mo. The Aurora-Marionville Police Department (AMPD) is investigating a homicide after a woman turned herself in in the early morning hours of Thursday, Jan. 23. According to a probable cause statement, Taylor Santiago, 32, is facing multiple charges including first-degree murder, first-degree robbery, unlawful use of a weapon, and first-degree endangerment of a child. Taylor Santiago mugshot On Jan. 23, arrived at the Aurora Police and Fire Facility at around 1:45 a.m. and called from the parking lot, saying that she had killed her estranged husband, Troy Huffman, at her home. When officers arrived at the apartment, they found Huffman deceased. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement AMPD Chief Wes Coatney says that Santiago allegedly shot Huffman several times with a .38 caliber revolver and that a child was inside the home at the time of the shooting. Plato man killed in single-vehicle crash AMPD said Santiago also disclosed to police that she had driven to Arkansas earlier and shot two additional people, including the biological father of one of her children, who was also home at the time of the shooting. Police have also seized the gun they believe Santiago used in the incidents, according to AMPD and there is no ongoing threat to the Aurora or Marionville community. Aurora police are assisting the Carroll County Sheriffs Office with their investigation of the homicide that was reported in Arkansas. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to the Carroll County Sheriffs Office Facebook page, deputies located a male and a female victim at a residence. The male was transported to the hospital in serious condition. The female was pronounced dead. During the post-Miranda interview, Santiago told police she invited Huffman to her residence for the sole reason of killing him and then stealing his car. She admitted to police she drove Huffmans car to Carroll County to kill Huffmans estranged lover and her current lover. Santiago is currently being held in the Lawrence 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 KOLR - OzarksFirst.com. DENVER (KDVR) It has been more than a week since Aurora Public Schools said suspicious activity was detected on their network and internet and phone services were shut down. On Thursday, the district said most services have been restored. On Jan. 14, Aurora Public Schools said it was experiencing a districtwide internet and phone outage. The district shut down the network as a precaution to protect school systems, APS spokesperson Corey Christiansen said to FOX31. Because of the outages, the district had to delay class start times on Jan. 16-17. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement School districts address possible ICE actions after new immigration crackdown begins In an email update on Thursday, the school district told FOX31 that internet and phone services have been restored to all schools and district sites. The district said there may be some lingering connectivity issues in specific buildings. We still have some programs that are not available, but our technology team remains focused on restoring those as soon as possible and providing all necessary support to our schools. We shared with staff and families on Monday evening that some programs would continue to be unavailable, said Christiansen in the email. District says safety remains a top priority Following the outage, Aurora Public School teachers spoke with FOX31 anonymously, expressing safety concerns. The teachers claimed the districts security systems were completely down. 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, one teacher said. Veteran-owned business rocked by vehicle theft In the Thursday email, the district said safety remains a top priority. We have many safety measures in place at our schools and our staff utilize numerous tools and methods to keep our students and staff safe, said Christiansen. We acknowledge that many of our staff and community members may feel frustrated. It has been a challenging time and has required staff and students to pivot and change in many new ways. We remain appreciative and proud of how students and staff have adapted to this challenge. Cause of outage under investigation Little detail has been released about the suspicious activity that initially caused the outage, but the school district said the investigation is ongoing. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In the email, Christiansen said the district is continuing to work with third-party experts and partners to determine the cause. When the district has more details, they will share it with the 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 FOX31 Denver. By Barbara Erling and Kuba Stezycki WARSAW/KRAKOW, Poland (Reuters) - When Teresa Regula arrived at Auschwitz as a 16-year-old, the first real pain she experienced was of her ears burning. "They shaved us down to bare skin, and it was a scorching hot day, August 4... That was the first authentic pain I felt," said the now 96-year-old Jewish survivor, speaking from her home in Krakow ahead of the 80th anniversary of Auschwitz's liberation by Soviet troops on Jan. 27. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Her memories illuminate the suffering experienced by the estimated 1.3 million people sent to the Nazi death camp set up in occupied Poland as part of Adolf Hitler's "Final Solution" to annihilate European Jews. Most Auschwitz inmates perished there. The Gestapo, Hitler's secret police, took Regula and her mother from their home in Krakow in 1944 and sent them to the Plaszow camp, where her mother was executed. Teresa was then transported to Auschwitz and given the number 22011. Once a healthy child, she contracted chickenpox, measles, and scarlet fever in the camp. What kept her alive was the thought that "my father, who I always believed could do anything, would come and take me out of there". She later learned that he was mistakenly shot dead by Russian forces when they liberated the Gross Rosen concentration camp in what was then eastern Germany. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "When I returned (from the camp), I thought 'I'm never going to have children ever'. If they had to go through even a fraction of what I went through, I didn't want that," the retired sociologist said. Married but childless, Teresa for long decades repressed all memories of her time at Auschwitz. "Now everything comes back to me," she said. BURNING BODIES Janina Iwanska, a Polish Catholic woman sent to Auschwitz at almost the same time as Teresa in 1944, has also remained childless. "I won't live much longer. But when I look at the youth and the little ones... what will their future be? I see it as bleak," the 94-year-old said, citing the "hatred" and divisions in modern society and predicting another war. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Janina, transported to Auschwitz from Warsaw in a freight train, recalled stepping out to the smell of burning bodies. In the camp, she cared for children in the block she lived in, earning rewards like hot milk soup. "The children were treated differently; they didn't have to work. They only had to wait patiently - either for their mothers or for the war to end," she said. Janina did not witness the liberation of Auschwitz because she was evacuated days earlier by the Germans. She was eventually liberated by U.S. forces on May 2 from the Ravensbruck concentration camp for women in northern Germany. On Monday the retired pharmacist will return to Auschwitz once again to share her story before an audience that will include Britain's King Charles, France's President Emmanuel Macron and numerous other heads of state and government. (Reporting by Barbara Erling, Kuba Stezycki; Editing by Gareth Jones) AUSTIN (KXAN) Several Austin City Council members voiced their support for a proposed redesign of Congress Avenue, including the possible introduction of an urban plaza and the removal of a decade-old moratorium on new downtown events. The Congress Avenue Urban Design Initiative has proposed a full revamp of Congress Avenue between Riverside Drive and 11th Street to the tune of an estimated $130 million. Transportation leaders are eyeing initial improvements to the corridor between Cesar Chavez and 11th Streets, with a possible plaza between Seventh and 11th Streets. The city has $22 million available from the 2020 Active Transportation and Safety Bond to cover portions of that first phase of work. Based on that available funding, the city could financially cover two of the four blocks included in that pedestrian plaza proposal along with additional improvements south of Seventh Street, as confirmed during a Dec. 3 Austin Urban Transportation Commission meeting. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement RELATED: Austin to drop report on Congress Ave. revamp, pedestrian plaza next year Susan Somers, chair of Austins Urban Transportation Commission, presented to the mobility committee Thursday her commissions December recommendations for approving the project. Elements highlighted in the Urban Transportation Commissions approval included: Advocating Austins city manager take all action necessary to fully adopt the plan Implementing a Civlovia or a temporary event that closes the streets to cars as part of a pilot for the urban design initiatives plaza configuration Removing the indefinite moratorium on new downtown street events adopted in the city in 2014 Installing retractable bollards and designated lanes for bicyclists riding in the public plaza Working toward an eventual two-way conversation on 7th-10th streets to two-way streets incorporated in the Austin Core Transportation Plan Somers specifically flagged the ongoing moratorium on new events downtown, stressing the need for its lift to really maximize the spaces potential. To me, this is actually a little shocking that we have an indefinite moratorium on new downtown street events. Did you know? she said to the committee. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Austin Mobility Committee Chair Paige Ellis and committee member Zohaib Zo Qadri echoed their support for the Urban Transportation Commissions recommendations as a way to revitalize that portion of downtown and reimagine the business and community space opportunities. The Austin Transportation and Public Works Department confirmed to KXAN a full report on the proposal and community feedback will come out this spring, with outlines for next steps in the project. Those updates will be available 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. NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) Law enforcement surrounded the last known address of the Antioch High School shooter Wednesday, removing boxes of material from the residence. There was a large police presence outside an Antioch home Wednesday afternoon; a spokesperson for the Metro Nashville Police Department (MNPD) confirmed authorities were in Antioch at the shooters last known address. Solomon Henderson, 17, was identified as the shooter. Antioch High School Shooting | Continuing Coverage Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Neighbor and Antioch High School student Valeria Martinez shared her experience with News 2. He kind of reached for something, pulled it out and just started shooting, Martinez said. I quickly ran out, but I did see some girl fallI thought I was going to die. The contents of the boxes have not been revealed at this time, though in a Thursday update, the MNPD said no firearms or firearm parts were found during a search of the residence. 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. Democratic strategist David Axelrod said Tuesday former President Biden gave a gift to President Trump by pardoning his family minutes before the latters inauguration. Calling the move egregious, Axelrod said Biden should not have done it at the end of his presidency. Man up, and if youre gonna do it, do it, but dont do it literally as you have one foot out the door so you dont have to explain it or be accountable for it, he said on his Hacks on Tap podcast. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Biden pardoned a handful of family members just minutes before the end of his presidency on Monday, sparking pushback from Republics and Democrats alike. Trump criticized the last minute pardons, saying the move made Biden look very guilty. After Bidens Monday pardons, Trump also issued a blizzard of pardons, most notably for over 1,000 Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol rioters. Axelrod said Bidens move ultimately blurred the events of Jan. 6 for Trump. What they did was they gave Trump a gift because it fuzzied up the story, the J6 story for him, the former Obama administration official said about Bidens pardons. Rep. James Comer (R-Ky.), who chairs the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, said in a statement that Bidens pardons were a confession of the Biden familys corruption. Meanwhile, Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) questioned the extent of Bidens pardons and whether they were necessary. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its probably time for us to take a look at the way the pardon system is being used, he added. Murphy is not the only Democrat calling for reform after the flurry of presidential pardons earlier this week. House Democrats are now making calls for Congress to rein in the pardon powers of the president. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. By Edward McAllister, Fatos Bytyci and Aleksandar Vasovic OBILIC, Kosovo/BELGRADE (Reuters) - For 30 years, Shemsi Gara operated a giant digger in a Kosovo coal mine, churning up toxic dust that covered his face and got into his airways. Home life wasn't much better: the power plants that the mine supplies constantly spew fumes over his village. Gara died on Sunday aged 55 after three years of treatment failed to contain his lung cancer. In his final days, unable to walk, he lay on a couch at home, gaunt and in pain, as a machine pumped oxygen into his dying body. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "I kept telling him I wanted to help, but I couldn't," said his wife Xhejlane, who mourned in her living room with friends on Wednesday. "He would say 'Only God knows the pain I have'." As much of the world moves to reduce the use of fossil fuels, pollution in Western Balkan countries remains stubbornly high due to household heating, outdated coal plants, old cars, and a lack of money to tackle the problem. Relatively small cities such as Serbia's capital Belgrade and Bosnia's capital Sarajevo have frequently topped daily global pollution charts, according to websites that track air quality worldwide. This has costly health impacts, and could also jeopardise such countries' prospects of joining the European Union, which has stricter emissions standards. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "There are no resources in the region for the reduction of air pollution," said Mirko Popovic, a director with the Renewables and Environmental Regulatory Institute think-tank in Belgrade. In the EU, net greenhouse gas emissions have dropped by about 40% since 1990, driven by the embrace of renewable energy, a European Commission report said in November. Western Balkan nations have pledged to reduce carbon emissions but economic hardship has slowed progress. Kosovo, one of Europe's poorest countries, generates more than 90% of its power from coal. The World Bank estimates that a transition to a coal-free economy will cost 4.5 billion euros. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement SMOG The impact of pollution is clear across the region, especially in winter. Smog has cloaked Belgrade this week, while Sarajevo sits in a valley that acts as a pollution trap. The Bosnian capital's air quality was classed as "hazardous" on Tuesday, the worst in the world, according to IQAir, which tracks pollution levels. In North Macedonia's capital Skopje, mask-wearing locals often lose sight of nearby snow-capped mountains for days. The rate of deaths attributable to ambient pollution is relatively high - 114 per 100,000 people in Bosnia and around 100 in Serbia and Montenegro, World Health Organization data show, compared with just 45 in Germany and 29 in France. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Gara was buried on Monday in a cemetery in Obilic, outside Kosovo's capital Pristina. From the graveside, mourners could hear the chug of a nearby conveyor belt transporting coal from the mine to the power plants. Gara's doctor, Haki Jashari, blamed Gara's cancer on his years at the coal mine, and on the polluting power plants. Cancer rates more than doubled in Obilic over the last two years, Jashari said - the result, he added, of a generation of exposure to pollutants. He expects it will get worse. Kosovo's energy ministry told Reuters it was committed to reducing emissions and was investing in renewable energy projects and upgrading existing plants. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Jashari only wishes more could have been done sooner. "They would have shut the plants down if we were part of the EU. It is unacceptable." (Reporting by Edward McAllister and Fatos Bytyci in Obilic and Aleksandar Vasovic in Belgrade; Additional reporting by Daria Sito-Sucic in Sarajevo; Editing by Gareth Jones) In 2022, Lithuanias then-Culture Minister Simonas Kairys decided that performing Russian composer Pyotr Illyich Tchaikovskys classic ballet "The Nutcracker" was no longer an appropriate way to celebrate the Christmas season. Lithuania is a staunch supporter of Ukraine, and Kairys, believing that Russian culture could not be separated from Russian imperialism, called for a mental quarantine otherwise known as cultural decolonization. At the end of last year, Sarunas Birutis, the newly installed culture minister, announced that he liked Tchaikovskys music and saw no reason to prohibit it. Some Lithuanians agree, including another former minister of culture, who said: We fought Soviet power to get the freedom not to ban things. The Nutcracker debate in Lithuania echoes similar, though usually more fraught, arguments in Ukraine. In 2023, the Kyiv City Council decided that Russian music, plays, books, and art should no longer be showcased in public. Statues of Alexander Pushkin, one of Russias greatest poets, were removed from public places. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The patriotic urge to ban works of art associated with an enemy country is not new, of course. During World War I, some British people wanted to prohibit the performance of German music in concert halls, and there was even a proposal to replace German-made pianos with British-made models. "The patriotic urge to ban works of art associated with an enemy country is not new." When World War II came around, music played a very different role in Britain. The celebrated British pianist Myra Hess performed her famous lunchtime concerts in London during the Blitz. Hess, who was Jewish, saw no problem with playing music by the great German composers. To her, and to the Londoners who flocked to hear her, Mozart, Beethoven, and Bach belonged to the world, not to Germany alone. In Nazi Germany, the same music was performed on official occasions, such as Adolf Hitlers birthday, to demonstrate the superiority of German culture. Wilhelm Furtwangler, the most famous German conductor at the time, would not have disagreed about the exalted status of German music, but he was not a Nazi. In his view, great music lifted people above politics and wartime propaganda, hence his refusal to leave his home country, or to stop performing there. German conductor and composer Wilhelm Furtwaengler acknowledges the applause of the audience after a concert by the Berlin Philharmonic in Berlin, Germany, on Jan.1, 1933. In the front row are (L-R) Herman Goering, Adolf Hitler, and Josef Goebbels. (Getty Images) The Nazis never banned all enemy culture either. Shakespeares plays were performed in Germany throughout World War II, although "The Merchant of Venice" posed some problems: Shylock, the Jewish moneylender, might evoke a little too much sympathy. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement One of the aims of wartime propaganda is to demonize the enemy and portray them as less than human. Hollywood movies had been very popular in Japan (and in Germany) until December 1941. After the attack on Pearl Harbor, Japanese propaganda portrayed Americans as devils and beasts, and their devilish and beastly cultural products were swiftly taken out of circulation. So, is banning the art of another country ever a good idea? In principle, no. Tchaikovsky cannot be held responsible for Russian President Vladimir Putins war of aggression. Withholding great works of art from the public will have a narrowing, provincializing effect. Artists like Ludwig van Beethoven, William Shakespeare, and Leo Tolstoy transcend borders. And yet, perhaps the Ukrainians should be given some slack. Britain was not in danger of being dominated by German culture during WWII, let alone forcibly assimilated into it. Putins vision of building a broader "Russkiy mir" (Russian world) in which peripheral countries are subservient to the Kremlin, and their cultures are reduced to folkloric dances on official occasions, poses a fundamental threat to Ukraines survival as an independent nation-state. "So, is banning the art of another country ever a good idea? In principle, no... And yet, perhaps the Ukrainians should be given some slack." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement To speak of cultural decolonization suggests a parallel between Ukraine and the former European colonies in Asia and Africa, where some local elites were indeed Anglicized or Francicized. But a better comparison would be to Korea under the Japanese Empire between 1910 and 1945. During this period, Koreans were not so much colonial subjects as widely despised second-class citizens. In the later stages of Japans imperial rule, Koreans were forced to adopt Japanese names and be educated in Japanese. After Japans defeat in World War II, Koreans, nearly robbed of their identity, also narrowed their cultural horizon by rejecting all things Japanese. It was only in the 1990s that Japanese movies, comic books, pop music, and literature began to re-enter South Korea, and they were not always well received. To those of us who espouse the principle of universal humanism, this kind of cultural chauvinism might seem provincial, if not bigoted. But Koreans were once fighting for their survival as a people. Culture was an existential matter. The same is true for Ukrainians today. Shunning Russian music, art, and literature, despite having deep historic links with such works, will not do much for universal humanism in Ukraine. But Ukrainians have more pressing concerns: they must fight to maintain their own distinct language and culture, as well as their own government. Once they secure their sovereignty, neither they, nor indeed the Lithuanians, will have any reason to fear Pushkins poetry or Tchaikovskys music. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Editors Note: The opinions expressed in the op-ed section are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Kyiv Independent. Submit an Opinion Read also: Russias Baltic Sea sabotage is no accident, its strategy Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. Some conservatives and MAGA faithful are livid over Elon Musks daylong public meltdown over Donald Trumps AI infrastructure project, saying the presidents staff needs to get control of the tech titan. Steve Bannon, in an interview with POLITICO, said Musk brought in his own personal vendetta when the worlds richest man began railing against Trumps announcement of a $500 billion dollar investment in AI infrastructure from tech giants OpenAI, Oracle and SoftBank. Ive never seen action like this in my life, Bannon, Trumps one-time chief strategist, said. He also called on White House chief of staff Susie Wiles to sit him down and sort it out immediately. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The rift marks another break between some of Trumps MAGA supporters and Musk, who launched himself into Trumps orbit and has served as his social media hype-man and adviser on tech and other issues. Bannon, in particular, has been sharply critical of Musk, previously taunting the billionaire over what he said was a lack of actual power among the presidents inner circle. Besides leading the presidents effort to make the government more efficient with the so-called Department of Government Efficiency, Musk has reportedly secured himself workspace at the White House, though its unclear exactly what this will entail. At the same time, Musk has caused a stir with some of Trumps allies over H-1B visas. Many Trump supporters advocate for stricter immigration measures, while Silicon Valley tech companies and others use H-B1 visas to attract skilled foreign workers. In December, Musk publicly waded into the immigration debate by advocating for H-1B visas, posting on social media that If you force the worlds best talent to play for the other side, America will LOSE. Trump, though, has seemingly praised the program to bring high-skilled workers to the country. Musk this week picked a new fight over the presidents effort to build up Americas AI infrastructure. He responded to the OpenAI post on X announcing the presidents project, dubbed Stargate, by saying, They dont actually have the money. He later added: SoftBank has well under $10B secured. I have that on good authority. Part of the fight is likely due to Musks long conflict with Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, who joined Trump in the Roosevelt room Tuesday to announce Stargate. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Theres something fundamentally wrong here about the structure and about his understanding of the structure. Bannon said. This is not Silicon Valley. This is not tech bros. Musk did not respond to a request for comment. Hes not alone. Conservative radio host Erick Erickson called for an intervention for Musk, posting a clip from his show Wednesday on Musks own platform, X. I think hes becoming Icarus. But the strongest criticism came from Bannon, who left the White House early in Trumps first term but still commands a massive America First audience. Bannon claims that he supports Musks efforts to make the government more efficient, but at the same time denounces the tech billionaire. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ive never seen someone on another aspect of the government that has been deputized by the president himself come in and openly criticize him, he said. The White House did not respond to a request for comment, but Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told Fox News Wednesday that Trump is very excited about this infrastructure announcement. She did not mention Musk. BEIJING, Jan. 23 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese court has overturned the ruling in a high-profile case, a move analysts say underscores the country's firm stance on cracking down on crimes related to new psychoactive substances. Zhang Zhengbo, a former university chemistry professor, was convicted of smuggling, selling, transporting and manufacturing narcotic drugs in the latest retrial. He was sentenced to 15 years in prison by the high court of Hubei Province, the Office of China National Narcotics Control Commission said on Thursday. Between January 2014 and June 2015, Zhang and three others were found to have produced and trafficked state-controlled psychoactive substances amounting to over 110 kilograms. They were initially convicted of drug crimes in 2017, but the case went through a series of retrials to determine whether their involvement with psychoactive substances constituted drug offenses. In a 2023 ruling that drew widespread media attention, the offenders were convicted of "illegal business operation" instead and received lesser sentences. In the December 2024 retrial, the ruling was overturned. Along with Zhang, his principal accomplice, Yang Chaohui, was sentenced to life in prison. Analysts said it demonstrates China's consistent position on countering narcotics and effectively deters drug-related crimes. Steve Bannon has yet again slammed Elon Muskthis time for the billionaires petty criticism of an artificial intelligence project rolled out by Donald Trump that involves his tech rival Sam Altman. Bannon rebuked Musk for bringing his own personal vendetta into the White House and suggesting Altman, whos the CEO of OpenAI, and others involved in the so-called Stargate project did not have the $500 billion needed to launch it. Ive never seen action like this in my life, a baffled Bannon told Politico, referring to Musk. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Bannon, himself a former White House strategist, suggested Trumps chief of staff, Susie Wiles, should sit the worlds richest man down and sort it out immediately before he does something that interferes with the presidents agenda. The drama is the latest break between Musk and a growing MAGA faction. Bannon has led criticisms against the Tesla CEO, calling him childish, a globalist, and unfit to be in Trumps inner circle. Donald Trump skewered Elon Musk in a 2022 post to Truth Social. / Truth Social Musk, 53, is still relatively new as a MAGA figure. He seemingly bought his way into a White House role after spending hundreds of millions on Trumps campaign. Prior to that, Trump had publicly mocked the native South African as being weak as recently as 2022. Bannon, meanwhile, has stood behind Trump unequivocally since he entered politics in 2015a point Bannon regularly repeats. Trump has shown his appreciation for the conservative influencers loyalty, too, with Trump name-dropping him as recently as a Wednesday in a Fox News interview where he said the 71-year-old was an incredible patriot. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It appears Musk still has the upper hand in the MAGA civil war between Bannon and Musk that began in December. Bannon claimed he would have Musk dropped from Trumpland by inauguration day, but fell well shortevidenced by Musk speaking at a celebratory rally and being given an office inside the White House on Monday. A reporter asks Steve Bannon if hes made peace with Elon Musk. Steve responds, Elons gotta make peace with the President. Whats he dumping on that joint venture for? Hes criticizing the presidentwe cant have that in the White House. pic.twitter.com/mJt1bJG1jq Grace Chong, MBI (@gc22gc) January 22, 2025 Bannon has continued to hurl his attacks from afar, however, namely on his six-days-a-week podcast, War Room. He has taken his criticisms of Musk more mainstream in recent days, however, including the scalding interview he gave Politico and what he said to reporter on the street who asked him about Musk. Elons gotta make peace with the president, Bannon told the reporter. Whats he dumping on the joint venture for? Hes criticizing the president, criticizing the deal yesterday. He says the guys only got $10 billion, president says he has $500 billion. Cant have that in the White House. The joint venture in question was announced by Trump this week and will supposedly see $500 billion invested in AI infrastructure through a partnership formed by OpenAI, Oracle, and SoftBank. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Musk criticized the deal immediately, writing on X that they dont actually have the money and that SoftBank has well under $10B secured. I have that on good authority. Elon Musk has been criticized by MAGA for questioning a project that was announced by Donald Trump. / X This peeved Altman as much as it did Bannon. The tech executive called out Musk and claimed he was dead wrong about the ventures funding. Wrong, as you surely know, Altman responded. Want to come visit the first site already under way? This is great for the country. I realize what is great for the country isnt always whats optimal for your companies, but in your new role I hope youll mostly put [America] first. Bannon gave his reaction to Politico, saying: Theres something fundamentally wrong here about the structure and about [Musks] understanding of the structure. This is not Silicon Valley. This is not tech bros. Steve Bannon has argued for months that Donald Trump needs to rid his inner circle of Silicon Valleys billionaires. / Michael M. Santiago / Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Much like he has chosen to ignore Bannon throughout MAGAs H1-B visa debatein which Musk in favor of the program, and Bannon wants to end outrightMusk did not address Bannons criticisms as of Thursday afternoon. Instead, Musk spent his first Thursday as director of the Department of Government Efficiency posting hourly to X, including a series of Holocaust jokesjust days after he was criticized for making a gesture akin to a Nazi salutethat were condemned by the Anti-Defamation League. It is not just Bannon who is fed up. The conservative radio host Erick Erickson also had harsh words for Musk this week, declaring on his show that the billionaire needs an intervention. I think hes becoming Icarus, Erickson added. DES MOINES, Iowa Basic Bird restaurant opened its doors for a short while on Wednesday. The restaurant is currently serving customers while awaiting repairs after a driver suffered a medical emergency last Thursday and slammed into the front of the building along Beaver Avenue. The owner of Basic Bird said in the beginning he couldnt believe what was happening, and was just grateful no one was hurt, including the driver. The restaurant posted on Facebook Wednesday that they were cleared by the city to reopen, and are overwhelmed by the support theyve received so far. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Oh, its been mind blowing, I mean, not just support from the people who come in and dine in our doors but from other small businesses that I am sure are going through their own struggles so, its like especially heartwarming to have somebody who goes through those struggles and can relate and still donate to us, said Joe Tripp, Owner of Basic Bird. No injuries reported after explosion at Iowa Army Ammunition Plant Tripp also spoke on the extent of the damage done to the building. We have pretty extensive damage on the original because there is a new addition on the building, he said. She hit it with such force that she cracked the original structure away, so I think were going to have to remove brick by brick the whole storefront on the whole corner there. Relay brick, a new window in, redo floors and signage. So, it looks like we are looking at around three to four weeks of closure when its all said and done. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement After the accident, Basic Bird started a GoFundMe page to help support the recovery of the business, and has already raised thousands of dollars. Tripp said he hopes that even during repairs, the restaurant can provide delivery or carry-out to customers. Metro 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 who13.com. BATON ROUGE, La. (Louisiana First) A Baton Rouge man is facing charges of attempted second-degree murder and home invasion after police say he broke into a home and attempted to stab another man. Baton Rouge Police arrested Clayborn Thomas, 33, following a series of incidents at a residence in the 11000 block of Bard Avenue on Tuesday, Jan. 21. According to the affidavit, police were first called to the home after a woman asked for Thomas to be removed. The two had been involved, but the woman stated she had moved on with her life. Officers removed Thomas and instructed him not to return. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Thomas allegedly returned later, claiming he needed to retrieve a hat, prompting a second call to police. Officers again warned him to stay away. Man arrested, accused of crashing car into home causing fire in Baton Rouge Later that night, as the woman and her boyfriend were preparing for bed, Thomas reportedly returned a third time. He pried the door open and entered the home armed with a kitchen knife, according to the affidavit. The woman told police that Thomas ran upstairs and attacked her boyfriend with the knife. The boyfriend managed to defend himself, disarm Thomas, and subdue him. He was not injured in the incident. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Police apprehended Thomas and transported him to a local hospital for evaluation. After being released, Thomas was booked into the East Baton Rouge Parish Prison on Wednesday, Jan. 22. Thomas is charged with attempted second-degree murder and home invasion. This case 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 Louisiana First News. BATON ROUGE, La. (Louisiana First) Baton Rouge i Need Thee, Great Young Men mentoring program works with local students who may be placed in alternative schools. Pastor Brandon Buckley, the brainchild of the program, said he relates to these students, adding that he had been kicked out of school more than once. Mentors Hilery Williams and Robert Dorsey also relate to students. The team currently works with a readiness school in East Baton Rouge Parish. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A lot of the kids are being misguided because they lack guidance. They lack guidance because most African young men, if were being honest, dont have a father in their life, Dorsey said. Students have opened up to them about depression, loneliness and peer pressure. According to research, a male mentor can significantly benefit boys by boosting their self-esteem and improving decision-making and performance at school. Half of parents think childrens mental health worse due to social media, survey finds The mentoring program has a three-part curriculum teaching students about identity, integrity and destiny. The program started last year and is already seeing success. School administrators are reporting major improvements in the classroom. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Their response is simply thank you. We can feel the appreciation from the boys, Buckley said. Because of the programs success, Buckley is working to expand the program to more than one school. 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) The Baton Rouge Water Company released a notice asking people to conserve water. According to a release, the water company is asking customers to save water due to increased pressure on the water system, which can lead to plumbing line breaks. How to conserve water: Dont drip faucets during the daytime. Limit shower time and other high-volume water-consuming activities. Run hot and cold water in 20-30-second intervals instead of overnight dripping. The company said to check the property for plumbing leaks. Other parishes including Iberville, Ascension and West Baton Rouge have also asked residents to save water to prevent plumbing issues. Latest 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 Louisiana First News. WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR) President Donald Trump promised on the campaign trail to veto a federal abortion ban, but Democrats warn there are already efforts underway to get the country closer to that point. Leave it to the states. Out the window, said Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) on what would have been the 52nd anniversary of Roe v. Wade Wednesday. Mr. President Trump, this is the national level. Youre already involved, and youre breaking your promises. House and Senate Republicans are pushing a bill this week to require health care providers to try to save the life of an infant in the rare case the baby is born alive during or after an attempted abortion. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its a simple bill, said Senate Majority Leader John Thune, (R-S.D.). Those innocent lives deserve to be protected, said House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.). U.S. Sen. Patty Murray, (D-Wash.) stressed it is already illegal in the U.S. to intentionally kill a baby that is born alive. Republicans are still peddling debunked lies about how abortion works and the people who get them, Murray said. More than 140 congressional Republicans also sent a letter to President Trump asking him to expand on what they call life-affirming pro-life policies. The next step, I hope, is for President Trump to issue executive orders that will put back in place his policies from his first term, said U.S. Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.). Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hawley signed the letter and recently introduced a bill to defund Planned Parenthood and other abortion providers. They should not be able to get taxpayer money to do that, Hawley said. U.S. Rep. Kelly Morrison (D-Minn.) who called herself the first and only pro-choice OBGYN in Congress, urged Republicans to remember who elected them. Voters across the country have shown that they want to preserve a womans right to access the health care that she needs, Morrison said. The Trump administration also removed the reproductive rights page from the official White House 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. Farm groups backed Bayers request, saying Roundup is critical to agriculture and losing the product would be devastating for Missouri farmers (Scott Olson/Getty Images). Bayer pleaded with Missouri lawmakers Thursday to pass legislation critics say would shield the company from lawsuits claiming its glyphosate-based herbicide Roundup causes cancer. Representatives for Bayer argue the legislation would clarify labeling requirements and prevent courts from creating a patchwork of obligations for the manufacturer. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But environmental groups and attorneys for Roundup users who have become ill say the legislation would insulate the company from accountability and prevent sick customers from suing the company. They urged legislators not to protect Bayer over their constituents. Bayer, which has its U.S. headquarters in St. Louis, is the only domestic producer of glyphosate, which is commonly used by farmers to control weeds. In recent years, it has faced thousands of lawsuits from users claiming the product causes non-Hodgkins lymphoma. The company has settled cases or been ordered to pay out billions of dollars associated with the cases. Need to get in touch? Have a news tip? CONTACT US Those litigation costs, the company says, are untenable for a product it argues is safe. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Continuing to lose billions of dollars on an approved product based on scientifically unsound claims is unsustainable, Liza Lockwood, medical affairs lead for Bayer, testified Thursday before the Missouri Senate agriculture committee. Lockwood, along with farm and industry groups, urged senators to pass legislation that would declare the company satisfies its duty to warn customers as long as its pesticides are registered with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and carry an approved label consistent with the EPAs opinion on the ingredients safety. While Bayer claims the legislation wouldnt preclude users from suing, attorneys for plaintiffs say that the Roundup lawsuits are predominantly failure to warn cases, which accuse the company of not telling customers of the possible risks associated with the product. The legislation, they say, would insulate Bayer from those cases. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Matt Clement, an attorney based in Jefferson City, told the Senate committee Thursday that the legislation would ensure Bayer doesnt have to warn customers or be held accountable by anyone harmed by it. Respectfully, what theyre asking you to do is give them immunity, Clement said. Farm groups backed Bayers request in the committee hearing, saying Roundup is critical to agriculture and losing the product would be devastating for Missouri farmers. The legislation received a mixed response from lawmakers on the committee. The bills sponsor, Republican state Sen. Justin Brown of Rolla, said a company should not be required to warn consumers of something that no regulatory body around the globe has found to be true. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But the bill drew pointed questions from state Sen. Barbara Washington, a Democrat from Kansas City. Are all the courts and the farmers and the people that have died and have the sicknesses is that not from Roundup or is that just something they made up? Washington asked Lockwood. Lockwood said the science indicates glyphosate is safe for humans. Washington replied: So the money that you all have paid out, you just paid it out of the goodness of your heart? Bayer and supporters of the legislation are at odds with environmental groups and plaintiffs attorneys over the true risk associated with glyphosate. The Environmental Protection Agency determined the product is unlikely to be a human carcinogen, but later withdrew that finding and restarted its review. Farm groups backed Bayers request, saying Roundup is critical to agriculture and losing the product would be devastating for Missouri farmers. (Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images) (This image cannot be republished unless you have a Getty subscription.) Bayer pleaded with Missouri lawmakers Thursday to pass legislation critics say would shield the company from lawsuits claiming its glyphosate-based herbicide Roundup causes cancer. Representatives for Bayer argue the legislation would clarify labeling requirements and prevent courts from creating a patchwork of obligations for the manufacturer. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But environmental groups and attorneys for Roundup users who have become ill say the legislation would insulate the company from accountability and prevent sick customers from suing the company. They urged legislators not to protect Bayer over their constituents. Bayer, which has its U.S. headquarters in St. Louis, is the only domestic producer of glyphosate, which is commonly used by farmers to control weeds. In recent years, it has faced thousands of lawsuits from users claiming the product causes non-Hodgkins lymphoma. The company has settled cases or been ordered to pay out billions of dollars associated with the cases. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Those litigation costs, the company says, are untenable for a product it argues is safe. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Continuing to lose billions of dollars on an approved product based on scientifically unsound claims is unsustainable, Liza Lockwood, medical affairs lead for Bayer, testified Thursday before the Missouri Senate agriculture committee. Lockwood, along with farm and industry groups, urged senators to pass legislation that would declare the company satisfies its duty to warn customers as long as its pesticides are registered with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and carry an approved label consistent with the EPAs opinion on the ingredients safety. While Bayer claims the legislation wouldnt preclude users from suing, attorneys for plaintiffs say that the Roundup lawsuits are predominantly failure to warn cases, which accuse the company of not telling customers of the possible risks associated with the product. The legislation, they say, would insulate Bayer from those cases. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Matt Clement, an attorney based in Jefferson City, told the Senate committee Thursday that the legislation would ensure Bayer doesnt have to warn customers or be held accountable by anyone harmed by it. Respectfully, what theyre asking you to do is give them immunity, Clement said. Farm groups backed Bayers request in the committee hearing, saying Roundup is critical to agriculture and losing the product would be devastating for Missouri farmers. The legislation received a mixed response from lawmakers on the committee. The bills sponsor, Republican state Sen. Justin Brown of Rolla, said a company should not be required to warn consumers of something that no regulatory body around the globe has found to be true. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But the bill drew pointed questions from state Sen. Barbara Washington, a Democrat from Kansas City. Are all the courts and the farmers and the people that have died and have the sicknesses is that not from Roundup or is that just something they made up? Washington asked Lockwood. Lockwood said the science indicates glyphosate is safe for humans. Washington replied: So the money that you all have paid out, you just paid it out of the goodness of your heart? Bayer and supporters of the legislation are at odds with environmental groups and plaintiffs attorneys over the true risk associated with glyphosate. The Environmental Protection Agency determined the product is unlikely to be a human carcinogen, but later withdrew that finding and restarted its review. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE HONOLULU (KHON 2) Online doctor visits and prescription purchases are more common now than ever, but the local Better Business Bureau cautions that theres a hidden danger: not all online pharmacies play by the rules. Get Hawaiis latest morning news delivered to your inbox, sign up for News 2 You Cameron Nakashima with the BBB said, Not all online pharmacies or supplement stores are legit. He shared a recent warning from the Drug Enforcement Administration citing a 2024 study that found that out of 116 online pharmacies tested, nearly half were flagged as rouge or unsafe. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The study found that these rogue online pharmacies often skip safety steps like requiring prescriptions or consultations when selling people prescription-only medications. Even when online consultations were conducted, their methods, accuracy, and safety were called into question. Kauai pro surfer Blanchard starring in hit FOX show Nakashima said most concerning is that many of the medications being sold by rogue pharmacies have been found to have poor or inaccurate ingredients, making them extra dangerous. Heres how you can protect yourself, according to Nakashima: Prioritize transparency. If you are contacting a doctor online through the pharmacy website, look into the doctor you are talking to. Are they credentialed? Can you find information about the pharmacies the website is using to fulfil the orders? Who is making the product? Where are the products being made? This information should be on their site and easy to verify. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Research the claims being made about the supplements, medications, and medicines you plan to purchase: Has the product been clinically tested with conclusive results? Do they link to credible research that backs up their claims? Download the free KHON2 app for iOS or Android to stay informed on the latest news Most importantly, look up information about the online pharmacy you are considering to find out what others have experienced. You can look up review forums and review videos. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. WINCHESTER, Ky. (FOX 56) Support is something many take for granted, but for the unhoused, it can be a lifeline. Winchesters Beacon of Hope Shelter has been providing that support for 10 years. LATEST KENTUCKY NEWS: With this weeks frigid temperatures, the need has never been greater. People come in; we offer them hot meals and hot showers, said Tammy Goldy, the manager of Recapture Recovery at the shelter. One of the big things that we do here is we provide all of their needs. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Wyndel Beattie, Beacon of Hope Shelter manager, said support is one of the biggest needs for the unhoused community. Nobodys there to support them, nobody, Beattie added. Everybody looks over the homeless people; they dont see them as significant. LATEST KENTUCKY LISTS AND RANKINGS: Offering support has been the goal of the shelter since the doors opened. We provide all of their needs; they dont have to come in with anything, not even an I.D. or anything, said Beattie. When its cold like this, we need them to come in. Because of the frigid temperatures, the shelter is now at capacity, serving around 80 people a day. But its not just the people walking through the doors who need support. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Thats not counting the people that are calling and messaging that we help outside of the shelter as a support system for them as resources and sending them to different places and things, said Goldy. So we help quite a few people; our phones ring nonstop. Beattie knows what its like to ask for a helping hand all too well; he was once a client himself and says he now has the help bug. Latest central Kentucky weather forecast I caught the help bug a long time ago; its one of the things that is just instilled in you after a while and it becomes a part of who you are, added Beattie. The need for help is never-ending, but were told more people are in need this year not only because of the harsh weather but also because of a new Kentucky law making so-called sanctioned public camping illegal. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A lot of people that normally wouldnt come into a shelter that has been out in tents or in the woods and other places are coming because, as we know, they passed the law where you cannot be homeless anymore, said Goldy. But for those needing a place to lay their heads at night, both Beattie and Goldy want to remind people theyre not alone. I want to help you succeed and get to a good, healthy place in life, said Goldy. We all struggle, so its not something to be shameful or embarrassed of; just come and let us help. Read more of the latest news in politics I never thought I would end up in a shelter, but it comes to a point where when life hits you, youve got to have people like us and people who advocate for the things that you need at that moment, added Beattie. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The shelters current needs are plastic utensils, plastic cups, cleaning supplies, toilet paper, paper towels, shampoo, soap and body wash, laundry detergent, trash bags, and any food items. To help or volunteer, you can visit their 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 FOX 56 News. A Long March-3B rocket carrying a test satellite for communication technology blasts off from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center in southwest China's Sichuan Province, Jan. 23, 2025. The satellite was launched at 11:32 p.m. (Beijing Time) and entered the planned orbit successfully. (Photo by Ma Yongtao/Xinhua) XICHANG, Jan. 23 (Xinhua) -- China sent a new test satellite for communication technology into space from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center in the southwestern province of Sichuan on Thursday. The satellite was launched by a Long March-3B rocket at 11:32 p.m. (Beijing Time) and entered the planned orbit successfully. According to the launch center, the satellite will be used for satellite communications, radio and television and data transmission services. It will also serve as a platform for testing and validating related technologies. This launch was the 558th mission of the Long March series carrier rockets. A Long March-3B rocket carrying a test satellite for communication technology blasts off from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center in southwest China's Sichuan Province, Jan. 23, 2025. The satellite was launched at 11:32 p.m. (Beijing Time) and entered the planned orbit successfully. (Photo by Ma Yongtao/Xinhua) A Long March-3B rocket carrying a test satellite for communication technology blasts off from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center in southwest China's Sichuan Province, Jan. 23, 2025. The satellite was launched at 11:32 p.m. (Beijing Time) and entered the planned orbit successfully. (Photo by Ma Yongtao/Xinhua) A Long March-3B rocket carrying a test satellite for communication technology blasts off from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center in southwest China's Sichuan Province, Jan. 23, 2025. The satellite was launched at 11:32 p.m. (Beijing Time) and entered the planned orbit successfully. (Photo by Ma Yongtao/Xinhua) Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson speaks to reporters after launching her campaign for governor in Lansing, Mich., on Jan. 22, 2025. (Photo by Andrew Roth/Michigan Advance) Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson said that her focus if shes elected governor in 2026 would be on efficiency and transparency in state government. Benson spoke to reporters in Lansing while filing paperwork to officially declare herself as a candidate for the Democratic nomination after announcing her campaign earlier in the day. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement She pointed to her work reducing wait times in Secretary of State offices, which she said had been the poster child of inefficiency until she took charge of the states second-largest agency in 2019 as an example of the type of streamlining she wants to bring to other state agencies. I know every single one of our states 10.5 million residents have experienced firsthand how I can get things done, listen to residents, transform institutions and make government work well for them, Benson said. Benson is the first Democrat to jump into the race to succeed Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, whos term-limited in 2026. Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan, a lifelong Democrat, announced last year hell run as an independent, thus avoiding a primary fight with Benson. On the GOP side, Senate Minority Leader Aric Nesbitt (R-Porter Twp.) declared his candidacy last week. My view as governor is that our job will be to stand up to anyone, anywhere, no matter how powerful, and make sure the residents of Michigan feel safe and protected in their homes, in their communities, in their schools, in their workplaces. Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson While Benson said she would do a deep dive into each state agency, she said she especially has her eye on the states largest agency: the Department of Health and Human Services. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Benson said theres currently a disconnect between the policies that Democrats pass and their implementation, causing the effects of the policies to not be fully felt. She pointed to subsidies for childcare as an example, saying that while as many as 300,000 families should be able to access the subsidies, only 30,000 currently are, saying its because were not actually connecting the dots from our policy to how things are administered. Benson said state agencies are led by great people who are trying their best, but oftentimes need more help, support, collaboration and partnership in order to get the job done. Im an administrator. I know how to get things done, I know how to run institutions, and I come to this campaign, and ultimately to this job, with that background in mind, Benson said. Thats why Ill be able to go to the citizens of Michigan and say, Weve got these policies, we can get these policies passed and funded, but then weve got to deliver and actually meet people where they are. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Benson said that she would take executive action to voluntarily open the governors office to Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests a pledge Whitmer also campaigned on but has, so far, declined to follow through on. State agencies that are already subject to FOIA requests should create online portals where the results of those requests are publicly accessible, Benson said, an initiative she implemented for the secretary of states office. Benson campaigned for secretary of state in 2018 on a pledge of a 30-minute guarantee for secretary of state offices. In launching her campaign for governor, she set a goal for the state on education: She wants to bring Michigan from ranking in the bottom ten nationwide to ranking in the top ten nationwide. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Asked if she would have a punchy slogan like Whitmers calls to Fix the damn roads, Benson floated Housing for everyone as a possibility, saying that there is a housing crisis in the state. Every conversation is that people want access to higher-paying jobs and lower costs, particularly when it comes to housing, Benson said. Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson speaks to reporters after launching her campaign for governor in Lansing, Mich., on Jan. 22, 2025. (Photo by Andrew Roth/Michigan Advance) Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson speaks to reporters after launching her campaign for governor in Lansing, Mich., on Jan. 22, 2025. (Photo by Andrew Roth/Michigan Advance) Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson speaks to reporters after launching her campaign for governor in Lansing, Mich., on Jan. 22, 2025. (Photo by Andrew Roth/Michigan Advance) Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson speaks to reporters after launching her campaign for governor in Lansing, Mich., on Jan. 22, 2025. (Photo by Andrew Roth/Michigan Advance) Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson speaks to reporters after launching her campaign for governor in Lansing, Mich., on Jan. 22, 2025. (Photo by Andrew Roth/Michigan Advance) Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson speaks to reporters after launching her campaign for governor in Lansing, Mich., on Jan. 22, 2025. (Photo by Andrew Roth/Michigan Advance) Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson speaks to reporters after launching her campaign for governor in Lansing, Mich., on Jan. 22, 2025. (Photo by Andrew Roth/Michigan Advance) Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson speaks to reporters after launching her campaign for governor in Lansing, Mich., on Jan. 22, 2025. (Photo by Andrew Roth/Michigan Advance) Benson said she chose to launch her campaign today because it is the anniversary of Roe v. Wade, which she said serves as a reminder of rights that we have lost over the last several years and rights weve got to continue fighting for to make real for every one of our residents. She said she also decided to launch her campaign now because Democrats are concerned about the start of the second administration of President Donald Trump. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement My view as governor is that our job will be to stand up to anyone, anywhere, no matter how powerful, and make sure the residents of Michigan feel safe and protected in their homes, in their communities, in their schools, in their workplaces, Benson said. The secretary of state said that if Trump asked her to have the Michigan State Police aid in rounding up illegal residents in the state, she would likely decline the request. The bottom line is if someone is trying to wrongly rob our citizens and our residents of their rights and freedoms, Ill be there to stand in the way, Benson said. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX BERNALILLO COUNTY, N.M. (KRQE) Bernalillo County commissioners are considering whether to follow the example of other counties and give low-income homeowners a break on their property taxes. But first, they want to know how much money it would cost the county. Story continues below It could be a financial relief for homeowners with a low income in Bernalillo County. In 2021, the New Mexico legislature created a law requiring counties to examine the possibility of a tax rebate for residents, every two years. In counties that adopt it, homeowners who make less than $24,000 a year in taxable income can get between $175 and $350 yearly through a property tax rebate program. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This would give some folks some relief given the fact that a lot of folks incomes hasnt increased by very much, said state senator Debbie OMalley. When she was a Bernalillo County commissioner, she tried to introduce the ordinance years ago, but it didnt get passed. Now, commissioners are taking another look at it following other counties whove implemented this including Los Alamos, Santa Fe, and Dona Ana County. Colloquially I think what we think of is probably a lot of you know older folks, our elders that work their whole lives and managed to scrape enough by to pay for their home, said Eric Olivas, Bernalillo County Chair. Commissioners said theyre interested in the idea, but theyre still trying to nail down what impact it would have. Right now, the countys Department of Finance said there are more than 65,406 tax filers in the county who meet the low-income threshold but what they dont know, is how many of them are homeowners. That means the number of people actually eligible for the rebates is unclear and so is the impact on county finances. Commissioners called for more analysis to get those numbers before they take a vote. Some additional analysis from our staff as well as maybe some independent economic analysis just to really identify, sort of again, what this population looks like, who are these folks, how many individuals are there, and what might the uptake look like. You know we have to keep in mind our fiscal impact to the countys budget and you know what other programs this could affect if its too expensive, said Olivas. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement County commissioners will vote next Tuesday on whether to implement the tax rebate. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. Bernice King, daughter of Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr., accused the Black pastor at President Trumps inauguration of misusing the slain civil rights leaders I Have a Dream speech. Bernice King, the youngest child of the civil rights legend and a staunch critic of Trump, argued Rev. Lorenzo Sewell distorted her fathers speech. I dont deny the power of my fathers most well-known speech, I Have a Dream, King posted on social media. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement However, its power and popularity (with focus on its conclusion) have been misused to weaken its clear messaging about ending racism, stopping police brutality, ensuring voting rights, and eradicating economic injustice. Sewell on Monday prayed that America would begin to dream again before launching into an echo of the conclusion of Martin Luther King Jr.s 1963 speech. Trumps inauguration was just the third time in history that the event coincided with Martin Luther King Day. Bernice King added that it is no surprise to her that her fathers I Have a Dream speech is quoted more often than some of his other most famous works, including The Other America, The Three Evils of Society, Beyond Vietnam and Letter from Birmingham Jail. While her fathers Letter from Birmingham Jail is a call to conscience for Christians, it also speaks of integrating prayers about civil disobedience and freedom being demanded by the oppressed, she wrote. That writing is much harder to distort, she added. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its simpler to distort the rousing conclusion of #IHaveADream and twist it to push a narrative that authentic, compassionate work to prevent and stop discrimination is actually discriminatory, King said. King added that her fathers speeches, sermons and writings provided a strategy and path toward realizing his dream, but said that path has not been collectively embraced. Instead, she said, several of Trumps executive orders this week blatantly disregard both the strategy and the path. She did not identify which executive orders to which she was referring. However, she urged Americans to keep prayingbut dont pray the Dream in pursuit of false peace, which cries for unity while decrying inclusive and equitable policies and practices. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Pray the Dream in tandem with work for true peace, which, as my father said, is the presence of justice, King concluded. In an interview with The Hill, Sewell said he was unaware King had an issue with his sermon and said he is doing his best to realize her fathers dream. She needs to understand that Im working my butt off, Sewell said. She has no idea what were doing to actually make his dream come to fruition I work in nothing but poor Black communities, the same communities that her dad fought for. Sewell, born and raised in Detroit and now a pastor at 180 Church, added that many of those who came up to him following the ceremony praised his sermon and had no idea he was quoting the civil rights leader. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Sewell added that he thinks Bernice King is mad about him praying at Trumps inauguration because she and her brother, Martin Luther King III, have been outspoken critics of the president and his policies. She needs to understand that her dads legacy is more than just a birthday, Sewell said. Before she criticizes me, and before she thinks Im doing something bad, she must understand that Im busting my butt for her and her family, because I really believe that Im the next Dr. King. Sewell said he is particularly dedicated to ensuring Black Americans have access to fair housing, something Martin Luther King Jr. emphasized often. Just because your last name is King, that does not mean you know how to fulfill the dream, Sewell added. 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. Paleontologists have found a massive dinosaur footprint, measuring a full 92 centimeters (roughly 35 inches) across. This colossal footprint hints at the existence of a truly gigantic dinosaur potentially larger than even the fearsome Tyrannosaurus Rex. It was unearthed in Mongolia by Okayama University of Science (OUS) and the Institute of Paleontology, Mongolian Academy of Sciences. The footprint belongs to hadrosaurid dinosaurs famously known for their distinctive flat, duck-like beaks. They belong to the ornithischian family Hadrosauridae. Dinosaur footprint depiction. Okayama University of Science Massive footprints This massive footprint is believed to belong to a giant Saurolophus, a duck-billed dinosaur estimated to exceed 15 meters in length. This would make it larger than even famous predators like Tyrannosaurus Rex and Tarbosaurus. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement However, its skeleton remains have not been found yet. Saurolophus is mostly known for its long, spike-like crest that projects upward and backward from its skull. Like other hadrosaurs, it had a broad, flat beak resembling a duck's bill. These dinosaurs lived during the Late Cretaceous period. The paleontological team made another major discovery: a massive trackway of 13 fossilized footprints. Each of these impressive footprints measures 85 centimeters in width, and the entire trackway extends for 24 meters. This remarkable find was accompanied by the discovery of numerous other fossilized footprints. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While fossilized skeletons provide invaluable insights into dinosaur anatomy and physiology, fossilized tracks offer a unique window into their behavior and interactions with their environment. "The identification of 14 trackways, including one found before 2018, enables the analysis of posture, walking style, speed, and group behavior details that cannot be inferred from skeletal fossils," said Dr. Shinobu Ishigaki, Director of the OUS Museum of Dinosaur Research, who led the excavation work. Footprint could provide valuable insights Researchers conducted an investigation in the western Gobi Desert between June 1 to 15, 2024. This specific site was first spotted during a joint survey in 2018. It is recognized as a key locality for the discovery of large hadrosaurid footprint fossils, making it a prime location for further paleontological research. This finding fuels excitement among paleontologists. It raises the possibility that the skeletons of these colossal dinosaurs might be discovered in the region. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Unearthing such skeletal remains would provide invaluable insights into the anatomy, behavior, and ecology of these gigantic creatures. Before this discovery, the largest known hadrosaurid skeleton belonged to Shantungosaurus, discovered in China. This discovery in Mongolia suggests that similarly massive hadrosaur skeletons might also be found in this region. "Our next goal is to uncover the full skeleton of the large Saurolophus responsible for these footprints," stated Dr. Ishigaki in the press release. In another discovery earlier, the UK's largest dinosaur trackway site was uncovered in an Oxfordshire quarry. Nearly 200 massive footprints were discovered, dating back approximately 166 million years. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The site showcases evidence of various dinosaurs, including the predatory Megalosaurus (reaching 9 meters in length) and herbivorous dinosaurs that were even larger. This discovery provides valuable insights into the diverse dinosaur life that once thrived in the UK. This exceptional find was made by researchers from the Universities of Oxford and Birmingham. A light-up CBD sign outside of "Despensary," a cannabidiol shop at 219 4th Street in Des Moines. (Photo by Linh Ta/Iowa Capital Dispatch) Legislators moved forward with a bill Thursday that could allow more businesses to join the states medical cannabis program. Currently, Iowa law only grants five licenses for opening medical cannabidiol (CBD) dispensaries now granted to MedPharm Iowa with two dispensaries in in Windsor Heights and Sioux City, and Iowa Cannabis Company in Iowa City, Waterloo, and Council Bluffs. Senate File 46 would raise that limit to 10, allowing for five new dispensaries to open in the state. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Logan Murray, a lobbyist with Green Leaf Cannabis Co., said the expansion of the program through licensing would address issues brought forward by the Iowa Medical Cannabidiol Board in previous years. The board recommended in its 2023 report that the state grant more licenses in an effort to provide Iowans with greater geographical access to medical cannabis products. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX While the Medical Cannabidiol Board recommended removing the cap on licenses and moving to a system of approving licenses based on analysis of market demands, Murray said raising the cap would also help address current needs in Iowas medical cannabis system. We see that these numbers have stagnated, and more opportunities with different dispensaries will allow the more Iowans to gain access to this program, Murray said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But lobbyists representing the companies currently licensed under the medical cannabidiol program said there is not enough space in Iowas medical CBD market for the expansion to be a benefit for the state. We believe, frankly, the program isnt sustainable for added licenses, David Adelman, speaking on behalf of Iowa Cannabis Company, told lawmakers. If youre looking to expand or to create more efficiencies or more productivity with the program, we believe theres different ways, but we think that there are some significant flaws in this legislation. Senators had approved a measure in 2024 raising the limits on the number of dispensaries in the state that failed to advance in the Iowa House. Another issue lobbyists brought up was the expansion of the program without a change to the current limit under state law for businesses of having a maximum three medical cannabidiol dispensary licenses. Sen. Scott Webster, R-Bettendorf, said he plans to amend the legislation to remove this provision and allow businesses to open more dispensaries while still abiding by the total limit of 10 dispensaries throughout the state. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Phil Jeneary with the Iowa HEMP Coalition was opposed to the bill, saying the Legislature should not move to expand the medical CBD program while limiting hemp products through measures like the 2024 hemp law. That legislation set limits of 4 milligrams of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) per serving in consumable hemp products and a 10 mg maximum per container, in addition to adding new restrictions and penalties on the possession, sale and manufacturing of hemp products. Lawmakers are considering another bill Thursday, House Study Bill 29, that would limit the consumption of drinks containing tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) in vehicles. Jeneary said 2oo Iowa businesses either closed or had to relinquish their hemp registration because of the law. He said these regulations came despite hemp products being federally legal under the 2018 Farm Bill while the medical cannabidiol program is still in conflict with federal law. Our organization believes that we cant have the Department of Health and Human Services and the Legislature kind of crushing and providing regulations on one industry that is legal, while promoting a federally illegal business venture, Jeneary said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Webster said medical cannabidiol programs have been recognized across federal levels, and that medical CBD products sold through the program should not be compared to consumable hemp products. I dont think that because the (2018) Farm Bill created a loophole for hemp that we should just all of a sudden say that theyre the market, and thats the particular area, Webster said. I think, when it comes to mental health and situations like that, medical marijuana has its promises and it has situations where it has worked. And theres other areas within the state of Iowa and medical conditions that medical marijuana doesnt work for. Its heavily regulated. It is very much, in the situation, watched over and made sure that its safe. The measure advanced out of subcommittee with unanimous support, heading to the Senate Commerce Committee for further consideration. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE House Bill 60 would make the end of a lease period a valid reason for termination of tenancy. (Getty Images) By the time she heard the news, Ann Marie ORourke had been living in her Hampton apartment for 18 years. It was her solace shortly after a divorce, a small but comfortable unit with good neighbors and a balcony view, not too close to the beach but not too far. Then, in August 2023, she found out: The building that had been managed by one family for decades was going to be sold. ORourke knew whatever came next wouldnt be good. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement That winter, in late 2023, the new owners significantly increased ORourkes rent. Despite her fixed Social Security income, ORourke, 76, scrimped for two months to pay it and stay. But by February 2024, none of that mattered; ORourke was handed an eviction notice. The new owners were renovating. They had plans for an Airbnb. The eviction set off a mad dash for ORourke, who spent months trying to find anything affordable that would keep her in her town with the help of a court extension secured by New Hampshire Legal Assistance. And it almost put her in the ranks of Americans 65 and older who have been made homeless by the housing crisis, a number that increased nationally by 73 percent from 2019 to 2021, according to a Department of Housing and Urban Development report. This year, Republican lawmakers are pushing for a bill that would make it easier for landlords to evict tenants, allowing them to do so at the end of their lease period without the need for another reason. House Bill 60 would make the end of a lease period a valid reason for termination of tenancy. Currently, landlords must provide one of a number of concrete reasons for evicting a tenant from damage to property to nonpayment of rent and tenants may stay in a rental unit past the expiration of the original lease unless the landlord has given that reason. HB 60 would eliminate that good cause requirement. Rep. Bob Lynn testifies to the House Housing Committee in favor of House Bill 60, a bill allowing landlords to evict tenants at the end of a lease period, on Tuesday, Jan. 22, 2025. (Photo by Ethan DeWitt/New Hampshire Bulletin) During a hearing before the House Housing Committee, the sponsor of the bill, Rep. Bob Lynn, a Windham Republican, said the legislation would allow the lease to be treated like a true contract between landlord and tenant, and would give landlords more flexibility to rent to people knowing they could end the lease at the end of the stated period. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If youre a landlord and you have the right to have a lease for a year mean a year, you might say, Alright, Ive got some questions about this person, but its only a year. Im willing to take the chance for a year, and if things dont work out, at the end of the year Im just going to say Im not renewing the lease, he said. But if, as the law is now, you allow that person to come in, youre stuck with that person literally forever. But opponents, who include ORourke, say the legislation would allow landlords to end leases arbitrarily, something they warn could lead to housing discrimination. And they say older residents would be particularly affected, because they could be evicted if they asked for renovations to help with aging, such as stability bars. A contractual relationship, not a moral obligation An earlier version of the legislation passed the Republican House in 2024, but was sent to interim study by the Republican Senate by voice vote. This year, with expanded Republican majorities in the House and Senate, Lynn is hoping the bill has a better chance. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement To Lynn, the former chief justice of the New Hampshire Supreme Court who has been a landlord in the past, the bill would give landlords full control over their property and allow them to take more risks with tenants. At a more than two-hour hearing Tuesday, some landlords agreed with Lynn. The perceived difficulty in evicting people has kept prospective landlords away from the business, they argued, meaning there are fewer housing units available. My experience is that many people who have owned rental properties the mom and pops for lack of a better term are increasingly hesitant to invest in rental properties and own them because of the difficulty of terminating tenancies, said Rep. Dick Thackson, a Troy Republican and landlord himself. And the landlords argued tenants should know what they are agreeing to when signing a lease in the first place and to be prepared for the possibility their lease wont be renewed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement These are all adults, said Matt Mayberry, the CEO of the New Hampshire Homebuilders Association. And a lease is a contractual relationship, not a moral obligation. But a number of housing advocates say the new law could allow landlords to drop tenants for no reason at all, even after years or decades of living in one place and paying rent on time. And they say because most rental leases last 12 months, the proposed law would mean any of those tenants could face eviction after one year, with little negotiating power otherwise. Some said the law could make tenants reluctant to report problems to landlords, knowing that they could be asked to leave after the lease is up. Retaliatory evictions are illegal and would continue to be if the law passes, but opponents argued proving that an eviction were retaliatory would be difficult to do should the bill pass. For Victoria Markiewicz, a community organizer with the Granite State Organizing Project, finding an affordable studio in Manchester was hard enough. Then, in December, the hot water and heat stopped working, she testified on Tuesday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Markiewicz told her landlord. But she wonders what would have happened if the law were in place. With this law potentially going through, Im scared that my landlord will end my lease in March because Ive complained about maintenance issues, to find someone who is willing to put up with those issues, given the current housing market, Markiewicz said. Others, such as ABLE New Hampshire, a disability rights organization, argued the law could allow landlords to more easily discriminate against people with disabilities. Fears of discrimination and retaliation Lynn and other proponents of the bill say even if the legislation passed, landlords would not be incentivized to evict tenants en masse. Most of them crave stability, and there is little economic benefit to ejecting a tenant who is not causing problems and is paying steady rent, they argued. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its a measure of absolute last resort, said Nick Norman, government affairs chair of the Apartment Association of New Hampshire. Its fairly painful to evict. Its expensive; its time consuming. You end up with an apartment that has to be renovated before it can be put back on the market. So theres no rash of evictions that I can possibly foresee if this were to pass. But Democrats on the Housing Committee raised concerns that the law could allow landlords to discriminate or retaliate covertly, by hiding behind other reasons. They said it would be easier for landlords to evict a tenant if they disapproved of their lifestyle choices, sexuality, or identity, without needing to raise the issues directly. Rep. David Paige, a Conway Democrat, raised the possibility that a landlord could make a sexual advance on a tenant and then evict the tenant if the advance were rejected. That action would be illegal, but proving in court that an eviction is driven by such discrimination is difficult, said Marta Hurgin, staff attorney at New Hampshire Legal Assistance. This eviscerates whatever good cause we may have to pursue that this is not a legitimate eviction, she said at the hearing. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The judge will say, Has your lease expired? Yes. The end, she said. It doesnt matter if you complain about your heat. It doesnt matter if your children are loud. It doesnt matter if youre in an interracial relationship. What matters to a judge, if this law passes, is has your lease expired? That will be the end of the eviction hearing. A defense of good cause One landlord, Paul Stewart, is opposed to the law. Stewart argues landlords already have plenty of opportunities to initiate evictions. And he said the good cause requirement in current statute protects both landlords and tenants. The cause requirement is really a safeguard so that owners landlords are not running roughshod over residents, he said in an interview. Stewart, who has managed rental properties for 37 years, says while complying with the existing causes to evict might seem onerous to some landlords, it encourages good practice. Good landlords keep notes about interactions with tenants and put complaints and warnings against them in writing, he said. Allowing landlords to evict without a reason could lead them to fall afoul of federal anti-discrimination laws in housing, something the current state law guards against, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Looking back to her own eviction, ORourke says she understands that the landlords cited a legitimate cause renovation though she believes they have not carried out that renovation. But even if lawful, the process to find her new apartment has been a nightmare. She had been living on a month-to-month lease for most of the 18 years she lived in her previous place, and hadnt expected the change. Suddenly, she found herself considering senior housing, applying for welfare assistance from Hampton, and contemplating homelessness. She moved into a new apartment smaller, but functional last summer, she said. But even that is no haven. The month she moved in, the building was bought by new owners, she said. She now worries there will be a rent increase, or even another eviction. Whether HB 60 passes or not, ORourke has hard-earned advice for other tenants. Be aware of what is going on, what is behind that lease, or the end of the lease, she said in an interview. Because I came in, I didnt know any of this. And for 18 years, too, I lived oblivious, because I didnt have a lease, and I had nothing. A handshake. In 2019, then-Secretary of State Katie Hobbs hung an LGBTQ pride flag from the historic Arizona Capitol building. A Republican proposal aims to make such displays illegal in all government buildings in Arizona. Photo by Arizona Capitol Museum/@azcapitolmuseum | Twitter A Republican bill that would bar LGBTQ pride flags on government property moved forward Wednesday, despite concerns about the bills free speech implications. The proposal would limit governments to flying only the United States, POW and MIA flags, the Arizona flag, Arizona Indian Nations flag, first responder flags, historic American flags and blue star service or a gold star service flags. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The basic intent behind this came from my time in the military, Rep. Nick Kupper, R-Surprise, told the House Government Committee on Jan. 22 when it considered House Bill 2113. When I was on duty in uniform, I represented the militaryThis just brings it to the same level with us in the state government. Kupper said the bill is not aimed at pride flags specifically, nor is it about stopping the freedom of speech of any one individual or group. He characterized it as a government speech issue. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX The proposal would directly block display of LGBTQ pride flags, the use of which has infuriated Republicans in recent years. When Gov. Katie Hobbs was secretary of state, she hung a pride flag from the historic Capitol building, but Republicans forced her to promptly remove them for violating the state buildings rules. After she became governor, Hobbs hung the flag from the Executive Tower for the first time ever. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In an email exchange with the Arizona Mirror, Kupper said the legislation is not aimed at Hobbs display of the pride flag. Democrats, however, believe stamping out government recognition of LGBTQ people is the true purpose. What a sad waste of time. The reason housing is expensive isnt because of pride flags. The reason health care costs are out of control isnt because of pride flags. The reason child care costs as much as tuition isnt because of pride flags, Rep. Oscar De Los Santos, D-Phoenix, co-chair of the Arizona LGBTQ Caucus, said in a statement to the Mirror. How about we focus on the things that actually matter for once? While Kupper did not mention in his testimony that the bill is aimed at any particular group, he took to X to reply to the anti-LGBTQ Libs of TikTok account, which was asking for a one flag policy for classrooms to remove pride flags. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement My bill in AZ, HB2113, prevents schools from displaying flags other than official government ones, Kupper wrote on the social media platform formerly known as Twitter. But it wouldnt only bar pride flags. During his testimony, Kupper brought up the controversy surrounding U.S. Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito, who flew a flag favored by Christian nationalists outside his home. This would prevent flags such as that from being on any government or state property in our official capacities, Kupper said. Arizona Senate Majority leader Janae Shamp displays the Appeal to Heaven flag flown by Alito on her desk, and the flag has been spotted elsewhere at the Capitol in recent years. Critics of the bill also spoke in committee about their concerns of how it would impact the First Amendment rights of public employees and elected officials. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Marilyn Rodriguez, a lobbyist for the ACLU of Arizona, said the bills broad blanket descriptions impacts all government employees, essentially barring them from displaying any flag other than the approved ones whether they are at work or not. Public employees do not lose their First Amendment rights upon employment or election, Rodriguez said, adding that the bill would disallow a teacher from having a Mexican flag in a classroom or a public employee from having an Israeli flag on their car. The committee amended the bill to add county flags to the list of approved flags, but city flags would still be disallowed. The bill passed out of committee on a party-line vote, with Republicans voting in favor and Democrats opposing. The bill heads next to the full House of Representatives for consideration. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE Indiana could have a universal preschool system, and we don't have to sacrifice local control or circumvent existing providers in churches or community centers to do it. A bill that would allow universal preschool in local communities is winding its way through the Indiana General Assembly. Accountability to taxpayers is at the forefront. Opinion: Indiana districts can fund free, universal preschool through referendums Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Rep. Blake Johnson, D-Indianapolis, recently introduced House Bill 1622. It would give local communities the opportunity to build a universal preschool system that includes a variety of providers: churches, community centers, school districts, charter schools, private schools and other entities that serve our children. The bill respects community priorities across Indiana, giving counties the ability to pass a referendum to pay for preschool. The process puts local taxpayers in the drivers seat. It also enables trusted community institutions, like the United Way or Earling Learning Indiana, to manage the program to ensure all types of providers have access to resources. Best of all, citizens will have an opportunity to re-evaluate their investment when the referendum comes up again for a vote. This holds government, community institutions, providers and advocates accountable to the people. Mission-driven institutions are stepping up to provide quality care for children who are not yet old enough to enter kindergarten. From churches to community centers, these providers often operate on a shoestring budget because they depend solely on what parents can afford. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Communities that pass preschool levies under HB 1622 will share that financial commitment countywide, enabling providers to competitively recruit and pay educators and guarantee more stable services for families who select those providers. The bill also gives us an opportunity to better utilize existing facilities in our communities. Churches and community centers often have underutilized space that could be used to serve children. Traditional public school districts and public charter schools have unused classrooms and even whole buildings that could be converted to pre-K centers. Finding adequate, safe facilities presents a perennial challenge, but there are possible solutions if communities take the lead. We know this is a tough challenge to undertake, and building access to preschool in communities across our state wont happen overnight. We need more early childhood educators to ensure students are receiving quality instruction, and while there may be facilities available in some communities, those spaces likely are unevenly distributed across the state. Vicente Hernandez Lopez, left, and Valentina Santana play on their first day of pre-K, Monday, July 31, 2023 at Carl Wilde School IPS #79. The pre-K classes are new at the school. But we can do hard things as a state, and this bill is a solid start. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Decades of research indicate access to quality preschool leads to improved academic outcomes, higher earnings, a reduction in criminal activity and lower levels of dependence on public assistance. The Indiana business community has long advocated for expanded access to preschool to promote economic growth and knock down barriers for families who need quality options to educate our youngest learners. But a national report released last year found that 85% of Indiana 4-year-olds and 91% of our 3-year-olds could lack access to quality preschool offerings. Our state is leading the way when it comes to ensuring families have access to K-12 options that meet their students needs. Its time we come together to support a clear plan to make sure those same kinds of opportunities are available to students before kindergarten. For more than a decade, the Indiana General Assembly and early learning advocates from across the state have built a clear case for preschool in the public mind. In every corner of the state there are practitioners, business leaders and elected officials who continue to put forward the needs of families, especially those with young kids. Through that rigorous work, weve invested in our neediest children through the On My Way Pre-K voucher program and taken a hard look at regulations around childcare to prioritize safety while recognizing not all providers operate the same way Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We understand that our revenue growth as a state will not adequately cover all the priorities outlined by legislators. If expanding preschool is a priority, the fairest approach is for local communities to decide whether it is a priority for them. This bill allows them to do that while avoiding unfunded mandates; residents in each county can decide what solution works best for them. Johnson and I became dads around the same time. Even though we both had adequate financial means, relatively flexible jobs, and, most importantly, amazing wives, finding and sustaining childcare was hard for both of us. And if it was hard for us, its likely hard for many Hoosiers. According to the Economic Policy Institute, Indiana ranks 18th out of 50 states and the District of Columbia for most expensive infant care at $12,612 per year or $1,051 per month. Childcare for a 4-year-old costs $9,557 per year or $796 per month. Fortunately, we have a solution that helps communities address the need for expanded preschool. HB 1622 represents policymaking at its best: instead of just indicating a problem exists, this legislation creates a transparent approach to solving the problem. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It asks taxpayers directly if this is the solution they want and gives them an opportunity to re-evaluate their initial investment. This family-driven process holds government, preschool providers and early learning advocates accountable for building a system that is efficient and responsive to the needs of Hoosiers. Patrick McAlister is the principal of PM Strategies. This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: House Bill 1622 would bring universal preschool to Indiana HENDERSON, Ky. (WEHT) A bill introduced in the Indiana House of Representatives is trying to eliminate the countable asset limit for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). If Senate Bill 529 is passed, it would expand categorical eligibility for SNAP by eliminating the countable asset limitation. The Indiana.gov website says SNAP provides food assistance to low and no income people and families living in the United States. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In Indiana, the Family and Social Services Administration is responsible for ensuring federal regulations are initially implemented and consistently applied in each county. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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). NAIROBI, Jan. 23 (Xinhua) -- Kenya plans to leverage the World Chamber Forum-Africa Global Summit 2025 scheduled to take place in April in Nairobi, the Kenyan capital, to boost foreign direct investment. Abraham Korir Sing'Oei, principal secretary in the Ministry of Foreign and Diaspora Affairs, said Thursday that the summit represents a pivotal moment in the country's commitment to increasing private investments and channeling them into priority sectors of the national development blueprint. "We are committed to leveraging on the summit to cement our position as the commercial gateway to East Africa as well as the rest of the continent," Sing'Oei said. He vowed to work with other African investment promotion agencies to utilize the platform to showcase the continent as a unified investment destination. Hosted in conjunction with the Kenya National Chamber of Commerce and Industry, a trade lobby, the three-day inaugural Africa Global Summit will bring together more than 4,500 delegates from 70 countries, including heads of state and government, entrepreneurs and innovators under the theme "Africa's Global Future: Integrated, Innovative and Sustainable." Abubakar Hassan Abubakar, principal secretary in the Ministry of Investments, Trade and Industry, said the summit is expected to bring unprecedented opportunities to Kenya, including direct access to potential investors and partners from across the globe as well as practical insights into navigating the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). He noted that the meeting will display to investors Kenya's selected public-private partnership projects across key sectors such as transport, energy, urban development and digital infrastructure that are well-structured, bankable, and ready for implementation. WASHINGTON Congress approved a bill Wednesday to detain undocumented immigrants who have been accused of committing even minor crimes, with two Texas Democrats voting for the bill. The Laken Riley Act passed the U.S. House on Wednesday afternoon on a 263-156 vote, with 46 Democrats joining all voting Republicans supporting the bill. U.S. Reps. Henry Cuellar of Laredo and Vicente Gonzalez of McAllen were among the Democrats who voted for the bill. Supporters worked to make sure that the bill targeting undocumented immigrants would be the first legislation of President Donald Trumps second term. He has campaigned on mass deportations and hardening the border, and many of his Republican allies in Congress are eager to provide the legislative muscle in support. More than 11 million undocumented immigrants live in the United States, with 1.6 million living in Texas. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The bill now heads to Trumps desk to be signed into law. The U.S. Senate advanced the bill on Monday with 12 Democratic senators joining all Republicans in voting for the bill. The bill is named after Laken Riley, a Georgia nursing student who was killed by an undocumented immigrant from Venezuela. It would require the Department of Homeland Security to detain undocumented immigrants arrested for or charged with burglary, theft, larceny, shoplifting or assaulting a police officer. It also allows state governments to sue the federal government if they feel Washington is failing to enforce border laws. The bill does not include funding to increase detention capacity. Funding for immigration enforcement is one of Republicans top priorities as it works out its spending plans for the year. The bill is separate from similar legislation that passed the House last week that would require deportation for migrants convicted of sex crimes or domestic violence. Cuellar, Gonzalez and U.S. Rep. Julie Johnson, D-Farmers Branch, were among the 61 Democrats who joined Republicans in voting for that bill. It is now in the Senate. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Both Sens. John Cornyn and Ted Cruz have advocated for stricter penalties for criminal activity by undocumented immigrants. Cornyn included an amendment to the act that would make assaulting a law enforcement officer one of the punishable crimes. Last year, Cruz introduced the Justice of Jocelyn Act, which was named after Jocelyn Nungaray, a 12-year-old Houstonian who was murdered last June. Two undocumented immigrants from Venezuela were charged with her murder. The Justice for Jocelyn Act would require the Secretary of Homeland Security to detain all migrants unless there is no detention space available and mandate tracking devices and curfews for migrants who are not in detention. The bill would also mandate deportation for migrants who fail to comply with their release order. Many of the Democrats who voted for the Laken Riley Act represent competitive districts where Republicans have accused Democrats of being too light on the border. Gonzalezs district was Republicans biggest target in Texas this year, and Cuellar is likely to be targeted in next years elections. Both represent districts Trump won that have swung heavily to the right in recent years. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Cuellar and Gonzalez have both broken with their party on votes related to the border and other issues Republicans campaigned on, such as transgender rights. Cuellar founded a Democrats for Border Security task force last year. But other Democrats say the bill amounts to fear mongering. A National Institute of Justice study found that undocumented immigrants tend to commit crimes at a lower rate than U.S.-born citizens. The Laken Riley Act does not make exceptions for recipients of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals a program that protects immigrants who entered the country illegally as children from deportation. It makes it so that immigrants, including dreamers, who are supposed to be protected from deportation, if they were accused of a crime like shoplifting, even if they didn't do it, that they and their families lives could be ruined by deportation. said U.S. Rep. Greg Casar, D-Austin. Laken Riley's killer was tried and convicted and sentenced to life in prison, and he should be convicted and held accountable for this horrific killing. But the Laken Riley Act has nothing to do with her. Jan. 22OLYMPIA As the City of Spokane Valley struggles to adequately staff its police force for a rising population, Councilman Rod Higgins told members of the Senate Law and Justice committee that a proposed $100 million grant program to hire law enforcement personnel would be a "great start." "However, we ask the Legislature to also please consider ways to help cities sustain reliable law enforcement funding, so we're not faced with service cuts or layoffs over the long term," Higgins said during testimony in Olympia Tuesday morning to support the proposal. The Spokane Valley councilman was before the committee to testify in support of legislation to establish a state grant program to hire additional law enforcement, a proposal that has bipartisan support in the Legislature. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While months away from the end of session, legislation to support cities like Spokane Valley in hiring additional law enforcement has seen strong support in the early days of the legislative session. The bipartisan bill is sponsored by the chair and ranking members of the committee Sens. Manka Dhingra, D-Redmond, and Jeff Holy, R-Cheney and Gov. Bob Ferguson indicated in his inaugural address that the Legislature's final budget must include the proposal. For Spokane Valley, the proposal could help ease the city's finances as it looks to boost its police department to match its rising population. The city, Higgins said, has grown from around 85,000 in 2003 to 110,000 in 2025, with a study released last year indicating it would need 25 additional dedicated law enforcement officers, three shared law enforcement officers and two civilian positions. Through federal funding, the city is currently hiring 10 additional officers, though Higgins said it remains "acutely understaffed for our growing community." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Nathan Olson, Ferguson's public safety policy adviser, testified in support of the legislation Tuesday and urged that the bill pass out of committee. A former detective in the Spokane Police Department, Holy told the committee Tuesday that the grant would be "one step, one aspect of an integrated solution that we need to address here to re-establish interest, motivation for people to want to be law enforcement officers." "I think this is a timely bill here, and I'm happy to present it," Holy said. Speaking on behalf of the labor organization, the Washington Council of Police and Sheriffs, Jeff DeVere said funding more officers would boost response times for residents in need while easing officers' workload and stresses. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "We are also glad to hear the conversation that this is not viewed as just a one-time effort," DeVere said. "We are thousands of officers down. This is not going to be taken care of in a biennium." James McMahan, policy director for the Washington Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs, noted in testimony before the committee that Washington continues to rank last among every state in the country and Washington, D.C. in officers per capita, and has held the rank for 14 years. "We're falling further and further behind," McMahan said. "We've never had a lower officers' per capita than we've had in our most recent year. We are continually going down." According to McMahan, Washington would need to hire 1,370 additional law enforcement officers, more than double the size of the state's largest police force, to tie for 50th place. "We are that far behind," McMahan said. Gov. Katie Hobbs delivers her State of the State address on Jan. 13, 2025, on the floor of the Arizona House of Representatives. Photo by Gage Skidmore | Flickr/CC BY-SA 2.0 A bill that would require the governor to submit to televised questioning from lawmakers each month took its first step toward becoming law on Wednesday. The proposal would mandate that the governor show up at the Legislature every month during the annual legislative session so lawmakers could personally question her. The idea for House Bill 2051, said its sponsor, Scottsdale Republican Rep. Alexander Kolodin, comes from the United Kingdoms practice in which the prime minister faces questions from the House of Commons. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Kolodin said that one of the two goals of the bill is to increase civic engagement. A publicly broadcast question-and-answer session between the legislative and executive branch would facilitate that, he said, adding that it would be really fun for kids who come and visit the Capitol to see. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX The other aim, Kolodin said, is to facilitate better communication between the two branches in order to make the machinery of the government function better. The Legislature and the Governors Office have often butted heads, even in years where Republicans controlled both branches. But tensions between the two branches have been higher since 2023, when Katie Hobbs became the first Democrat to serve as governor since 2009. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hobbs has vetoed a record number of bills, while Republicans have stymied her administration by refusing to confirm the people shes chosen to run state agencies. Despite that, Kolodin told the House Government Committee that he believes the televised event would help foster better communication between them, as there is a lack of face to face communication currently. As its currently written, the law would not go into effect until 2027. Beginning that year, on the third Wednesday of each month, the governor would have to appear for questions before the House of Representatives and Senate on alternating months. The governor would have to answer two questions from the majority leader and their designee, two questions from the minority leader and their designee, one question from four members of the body chosen at random and one follow-up question to each question asked. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The bill passed out of committee on a party-line vote, with Republicans voting in favor and Democrats opposing. The bill heads next to the full House of Representatives for consideration. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE (Photo illustration by Seth Tupper/South Dakota Searchlight) A South Dakota Senate committee advanced a bill Thursday at the Capitol in Pierre that would make an increase in the states 911 surcharge permanent. The monthly, per-line charge applies to landline and cellphone service, and is used to help local governments fund their 911 call centers. Legislators and Gov. Kristi Noem adopted a 75-cent increase in the surcharge last year, from $1.25 to $2. The temporary measure is set to expire on July 1, 2026. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The new bill would remove the sunset clause, making the fee increase permanent. Several people representing state and local 911 organizations testified in favor of the bill, including Jenna Severyn, a lobbyist for the South Dakota Police Chiefs Association. This 911 increase does help create a stronger and safer South Dakota, she said. Before last year, lawmakers had not increased the surcharge since 2012, and it was supporting only 30% of local call centers operational costs while local governments funded the rest, said Jason Husby, the states 911 coordinator. He said the increased surcharge is covering about 45% of those costs. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Some legislators on the Senate Judiciary Committee expressed concerns Thursday about call center efficiencies which were also raised last year and encouraged Husby to work with call centers to consolidate. Husby said consolidation has already dropped the number of call centers in the state from 43 to 28 in recent years, and he said a newly prepared, statewide report on 911 operations provides a roadmap for further consolidation discussions. A lobbyist for the wireless phone industry testified against the legislation, saying South Dakotans are paying $8 million more in surcharges annually because of the increase. He asked lawmakers to delay action on the sunset clause until next winter, which would allow time to study the new report and consider consolidations and efficiencies that might reduce the need for the higher surcharge. Several lawmakers expressed concerns about the impact of the higher surcharge on South Dakotans finances, but nevertheless voted for the measure. The single no vote against six yes votes came from the committee chairman, Sen. David Wheeler, R-Huron, who said hes concerned about the states lack of control over the money and its inability to require consolidation by local call centers. But he also said he recognizes the need for an increased surcharge, and his no vote in the committee doesnt mean Im not going to vote yes when the bill comes up for a vote by the full Senate. NORTH CAROLINA (QUEEN CITY NEWS) New federal legislation on immigration has been sent to the Presidents desk after passage in the House Wednesday evening. The Laken Riley Act, cosponsored by Senator Ted Budd, was named for a Georgia student who was murdered while out for a run in February 2024. As the bill is written, illegal immigrants accused of theft or burglary would be detained by federal authorities until they are deported. This is about preventing tragedies in the future and any Democrat that doesnt support this, they certainly didnt get the message that America sent loud and clear on November 5th, said Budd. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement President Trumps Jan. 6 pardons draw criticism from NC Senator Thom Tillis Rileys killer, Jose Ibarra, was in the country illegally and had been arrested multiple times for shoplifting but was able to stay in the country after each arrest. In the time Ive spent going all 100 counties in North Carolina, I hear sheriffs repeatedly echo the same thing to me over and over and that is every single county in North Carolina is now a border county, Budd added. The federal legislation follows state bill HB 10, which requires North Carolina sheriffs to cooperate with ICE. The bill specifically honors requests to hold illegal immigrants charged with serious crimes for at least 48 hours. QCNEWS.COM POLITICS NEWS Mecklenburg County Sheriff Garry McFadden has said he will follow the law. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Were always going to cooperate with ICEbefore December 1, all 100 sheriffs were mandated by law to cooperate with ICE, HB 10 is the same thing, said McFadden. But McFadden expressed concerns about every county and agency having the resources to handle extended detentions, This is also costing taxpayers money. Its costing manpower here at my staff and you know everybody said that theyre short, which we are short, but we still are going to follow the law and do what we need to do. The Laken Riley Act is now in the hands of President Trump, who is expected to sign 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 Queen City News. The bill requiring county property tax assessment boards of appeal members to live in Indiana was held in the Senate Local Government Committee on Thursday to be amended based on the committee members questions. Senate Bill 187, authored by State Sen. Dan Dernulc, states the term of anyone serving on a county property tax assessment board of appeals who isnt an Indiana resident will expire July 1. The fiscal body, which is the council in Lake County, would then be required to appoint a new member to finish out the members term. The bill maintains Indianas current PTABOA law that states a member has to be at least 18 years old and be knowledgeable in the valuation of property. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Dernulc, R-Highland, said he drafted the bill after learning about Lake County PTABOA member Samantha Steele, who is also a Cook County Board of Review commissioner and was arrested for driving under the influence in Chicago late last year. I bring this bill in front of you to fix an issue that we have as it relates to the PTABOA, Dernulc testified before the committee Thursday. I have no reason (to believe) that this person has done anything wrong on the PTABOA, but I do believe that the person who serves on PTABOA should be an Indiana resident. State Sen. Greg Taylor, D-Indianapolis, proposed tightening the language in the bill to make it clearer that the PTABOA member would have to live in Indiana throughout his or her term. That way, Taylor said, a member couldnt get appointed while an Indiana resident and move within the term. For example, Indiana legislators have to live in their districts when elected, but if they were to move out of their district they could still serve out the remainder of their term, Taylor said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The senators on the committee expressed disbelief with Taylors example. Committee chair James Buck said it was his understanding that state legislators had to live in their district throughout their term. Thats new to me. Ive never heard of that one, Buck said about Taylors example. Brad King, co-director of the Indiana Election Division, attended the committee meeting and told the committee that the state constitution dictates that anyone running for office has to live in Indiana for two years before running. However, the state constitution doesnt address that the elected official has to live in their district throughout their term, he said. The committee members voiced support for changing the language in the bill to reflect that the member has to live in Indiana throughout his or her term. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If you want to make sure that their whole term that they live in Indiana, I would put that in there specifically. I wouldnt leave it open to interpretation, Taylor said. State Sen. Mike Bohacek, R-Michiana Shores, said in his district counties have had difficulties finding qualified members to appoint to the PTABOA. Bohacek suggested the bill be further amended to state that if someone owns property in Indiana and has the proper qualifications he or she could serve on the PTABOA. I just dont want to see PTABOA hearings be delayed. Ive seen how messy that could get, they get stacked up, Bohacek said. To have those not be able to convene because we dont have proper representation would be a problem. State Sen. Daryl Schmitt, R-Jasper, asked if the Lake County council or commissioners have voiced their support for the bill. Dernulc said he hadnt talked to the council or commissioners about the bill. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement One of my fundamental goals is to drive decisions local, Schmitt said. Lake County Board of Commissioners Michael Repay, D-3rd, said Lake County officials want to appoint the most qualified people to the PTABOA. There are like 101 more important things that could positively impact the citizens of Indiana and the citizens in Senator Dan Dernulcs district than a fully qualified individual who doesnt live in the county, Repay said. Ultimately, Buck said he would hold the bill until next Thursday. Dernulc said Taylor brought up good points during the committee meeting that should be incorporated into the bill. I think were going to be fine, Dernulc said. Im fine with the potential changes and fine with bringing it back next week. akukulka@post-trib.com (Bloomberg) -- Rebuilding homes destroyed by wildfires in the Los Angeles area could take more than a year to even begin and thats if everything goes smoothly, according to Rick Caruso, a billionaire developer and former mayoral candidate who says city leaders failed to protect lives and property. Most Read from Bloomberg Can the public rely on our leadership to set the right priority? Caruso, who ran unsuccessfully for LA mayor in 2022, said in an interview. Whats been, unfortunately, proven to be true is the answer is no. The priority of government is to keep people safe and to give them an opportunity to prosper. And they failed on both of those. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Palisades and Eaton fires, fueled by strong winds and unseasonably dry conditions, have killed at least 28 people and scorched 15,000 structures, mostly homes. As of Thursday, they were between 72% and 95% contained. Caruso said officials failed to heed weather warnings and were unprepared for the powerful gusts that drove the flames. He hired private firefighters to protect his Palisades Village shopping center, which was spared even as homes and buildings all around it were destroyed. Officials have faced criticism over reports that dry hydrants hampered early efforts to control the fires, with officials saying the infrastructure wasnt built for blazes of such a massive size. Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass pushed back against Carusos comments, with her office highlighting her executive orders to expedite debris removal and slash red tape to accelerate rebuilding. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Mayor Bass is leading our city through one of the worst crises in our history, spokesperson Zach Seidl said in an emailed statement. Hurricane-force winds and unseasonably dry conditions drove these firestorms. Misinformation surrounding this crisis has been staggering. Property losses from Palisades and Eaton fires may reach $45 billion, according to an estimate by real estate information service CoreLogic Inc. Before leaving office, Joe Biden pledged full federal aid for the first 180 days of firefighting, but President Donald Trump has yet to offer similar support. Congressional Republicans have called for disaster funding to come with conditions. Caruso spoke on Wednesday as the Hughes Fire erupted north of Los Angeles, burning more than 10,000 acres and putting 50,000 people under evacuation orders or warnings, while a new blaze broke out early Thursday near Bel Air just off the 405 freeway. Here are excerpts from the interview, edited for clarity and conciseness. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement President Trump is visiting Los Angeles on Friday to see the wildfire damage. What should be his takeaways? Its important for him to see the vastness of the destruction, both in the Palisades and in Altadena. I hope they drive through it rather than fly over it, because you really need to see it from the ground to get to get a full sense of the scope of it and the devastation. Hes a man that understands development and building, which is great. So bringing that expertise to the county and the city, along with the federal funding, is going to be critically important. How soon, if everything goes right, can people move back? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Everybody should start being able to build their house within a year. That would be my goal. Theres going to be a shortage of everything, which is going to be an issue. Theres going to be a shortage of architects. Theres going to be a shortage of contractors. Theres going to be a shortage of supplies. But, you know, a year to two years, Id like to see that place massively under construction. How should they rebuild? Quickly remove the toxic waste. Quickly remove the debris. And, at the same time, start engineering the upgrades to the infrastructure. All the power lines should be underground. The streets need to get rebuilt. The water mains need to get resized. This is an older community, and it needs to be brought into the 21st century. And then cut the red tape at the city level to issue building permits. Preserving the nature and the character of the Palisades, and again, the same with Altadena, is very important. People that live there want to go back to the lifestyle that they had. I dont think they want to make it look like its a master-planned development. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A lot of labor in construction is immigrants. Do you think Trumps mass deportation policy is good for doing all this work? What Ive heard him say is that theyre focusing on capturing criminals and gangs, people with a record of crime. I agree with that. But listen, we need immigrants in California. We certainly need the immigrant population in Los Angeles. And to your point, we need them to help rebuild the city. What will happen to your Palisades shopping center while theyre still rebuilding the homes? Were going to reopen as as soon as we can, as soon as its safe to reopen and the toxic waste is removed from around us. We plan on being literally a beacon of hope and a gathering place for that community. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Do you want to run for mayor again? Honestly, Im not even thinking about it, because right now, I am so focused on trying to get the city and the state to work together and do it quickly to get things going. Im frustrated. (Updates with damage estimates in eighth paragraph.) Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2025 Bloomberg L.P. WASHINGTON One of President Donald Trumps first official acts on Monday was signing an executive order declaring there are only two sexes. It is the policy of the United States to recognize two sexes, male and female, reads the order. These sexes are not changeable and are grounded in fundamental and incontrovertible reality. Under my direction, the Executive Branch will enforce all sex-protective laws to promote this reality. Trumps action is part of the GOPs yearslong efforts to stoke fears about transgender people and push them out of public spaces. In effect, the order means the U.S. government will no longer provide any money or contracts to groups or people that it considers to be promoting gender ideology. Federal agencies will now only issue passports and visas that offer female or male sex markers, and these will be based on the persons assigned sex at birth. The order also bans taxpayer money from being used for gender-affirming care. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The executive order punches down a particularly vulnerable community; trans people only make up about 1.6% of adults in the U.S. But on a more technical level, the way its been written is so embarrassingly ignorant of basic human biology that it would be laughable if its effects werent so harmful. In its strangely constructed definitions of female and male, the order states that a persons gender is defined by the size of a reproductive cell at the moment of conception, a stage when all embryos are phenotypically female. In other words, it appears that Trump just declared all Americans are female. This prospect has drawn mockery on social media and has been noted by Rep. Sarah McBride (D-Del.), the first transgender member of Congress. President Donald Trump's definitions of "women," "men" and embryonic cell development make absolutely no sense. The White House This language, which isthe basis for interpreting the entire executive order, isso sloppily written that it could end up being grounds for legal challenges. There are many reasons why this Executive Order is legally vulnerable, and the definitions themselves are just one part, Karen Loewy, senior counsel and director of constitutional law practice at Lambda Legal, a legal group focused on LGBTQ+ rights, said in an email. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As we see how agencies take steps to fulfill its directives, we are prepared to hold them accountable, she said. So how badly did Trump officials butcher theirattempt to lump everyone into two sexes? Did the president really just make us all women? HuffPost reached out to seasoned biologists around the country to help make sense of Trumps definitions of sex, gender and reproductive cells. They dont know what hes talking about, either. Lots of folks are wondering the same thing! Dr. Francisco Diaz, director of the Center for Reproductive Health and Biology at Pennsylvania State University, said of the Trump White Houses understanding of how biology works. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Embryos are neither male nor female by Trumps definition, Diaz said, since there are no germ cells present at conception. Germ cells are reproductive cells that later become eggs and sperm, and that are set aside early in embryonic development. How about men after vasectomies? No germ cells there, are they still male? asked Diaz, who is also an associate professor of reproductive biology at the university. Are postmenopausal women still female? Not a super tight definition! he concluded. The at conception wording seems forced to define personhood as beginning at conception and not really to define sex. Donald Trump holds up an executive order he signed immediately after becoming president. Do you really want to take at stab at dictating how embryonic cell development works, sir? via Associated Press Republicans for years have tried to legislate their personal beliefs about life beginning at conception. Theyve introduced versions of a bill called the Life at Conception Act 13 times since 2011. These efforts have almost certainly influenced the conception language in Trumps latest executive action. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Dr. Richard Bribiescas, an anthropology professor at Yale University and the president of the Human Biology Association, said the orders definitions of sex and gender ignore all kinds of variations that take place in human development. Woman/man, boy/girl are gender identities that do not necessarily align with biological characteristics of sex, he said in an email. Genders are components of human variation that are influenced by culture, identity, and many other non-biological factors. To illustrate the difference between sex and gender, we can talk about male/female chimpanzees (our closest evolutionary relative) but it would be non-sensical to discuss chimpanzee women, men, boys or girls. Trumps definitions of female and male are also flawed, said Bribiescas, because he is tying them to something called anisogamy in biology, or the observation that females of some species, including humans, tend to produce larger gametes (the reproductive cells that come from germ cells) compared to males. Anisogamy is not a universal rule in biology, he said. But Trumps executive order defines females as people belonging to the sex that produces the large reproductive cell and males belonging to the sex that produces the small reproductive cell. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The size of a persons gametes is just one characteristic among many (ie., genetic, hormonal, developmental, physical) that is used to describe sex, Bribiescas said. Clearly, this order is not fully informed by current biological science. A transgender rights supporter takes part in a rally outside of the Supreme Court as it hears arguments in a case on transgender health rights in Dec. 2024. Kevin Dietsch via Getty Images Some health experts said the problems with Trumps definitions of sex and gender go beyond his ill-informed understanding of embryonic cells. Put simply, neither sex nor gender is a simple binary. This executive order is highly problematic from a biological standpoint because it overly simplifies what we know to be an incredibly complicated developmental process, said Dr. Josh Snodgrass, a professor of anthropology and global health at the University of Oregon. Its just not that simple from a genetic standpoint, and then becomes even more complicated with time under the influence of hormones, environmental exposures, and social experiences. Snodgrass, the past president of the Human Biology Association, noted that Trumps order also doesnt account for people who are intersex, which means they are born withgenitals, chromosomes or reproductive organs that dont fit into the typical male/female sex binary. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This reads to me as coming from people who desperately want the world to be simple for sex to be a simple binary and for us to return to some imagined time when this was more broadly accepted, he said. The problem is that its not only science that shows us that human biological variation is more complicated, but other cultures do and have also appreciated this for thousands of years. Snodgrass added that there is one more thing missing from the executive order that belongs in all conversations about sex and gender: empathy. The authors of this executive order seem like they are trying to twist science to fit their worldview, but that this worldview is painfully out of step with reality, he said. Related... Bird flu isnt part of the quad-demic of viruses circulating through the country this winterCOVID, seasonal flu, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), and norovirusand its risk to public health, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), remains low. But that doesnt mean an H5N1 avian influenza pandemic isnt possible or even probable. The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), of which the CDC is part, believes the current bird flu outbreak has pandemic potential. Though person-to-person spread hasnt yet been detected, H5N1 has infected 67 people in 10 states, including a death in Louisiana. Thats in addition to infection in more than 136 million poultry, nearly 11,000 wild birds, and over 900 dairy cattle as of mid-January. To that end, HHS has granted Moderna $590 million to help accelerate the development of a bird flu vaccine. The agency announced its backing of the Massachusetts-based pharmaceutical firm about 72 hours before President Donald Trump was sworn in for his second term. (Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a vocal vaccine skeptic, is Trumps pick to head HHS.) However, the partnership isnt new. The Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA), part of the HHS Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response (ASPR), supplied the funding and has been working with Moderna since 2023 to develop mRNA vaccines for use during influenza-related public health emergencies. This latest financial support comes on top of the $176 million BARDA gave Moderna last summer. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Avian flu variants have proven to be particularly unpredictable and dangerous to humans in the past. That is why this response has been a top priority for the Biden-Harris Administration and HHS, outgoing HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra said in a Jan. 17 news release. Accelerating the development of new vaccines will allow us to stay ahead and ensure that Americans have the tools they need to stay safe. View this interactive chart on Fortune.com HHS bets on mRNA vaccines for future pandemics You likely hadnt heard of mRNA vaccines before the COVID-19 pandemic. Moderna and Fortune 500 competitor Pfizers messenger RNA COVID vaccines were the first of their kind to be FDA-approved for human use. Modernas Dr. Doran Fink, clinical therapeutic area head for gastrointestinal and bacterial pathogens, explained to Fortune earlier this month how they differ from other vaccines you may have received. With [traditional] protein-based vaccines, the vaccines contain a protein that is typically produced by bacteria or yeast that are grown up in culture, and then the proteins are purified from that culture, Fink said. That protein is injected into the muscle or the tissue just under the skin, where it comes into contact with immune cells that then create the response that provides protection. For the mRNA vaccines, we dont have the protein. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Because mRNA vaccines instruct your body to make proteins that trigger immune responses rather than rely on weakened or inactivated viruses, they can be developed and updated more quickly. HHS said its award to Moderna was, in part, to enhance mRNA platform capabilities. The award made today is part of the ASPRs commitment to strengthening pandemic preparedness through investments in innovative technology such as mRNA vaccines, thenAssistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response Dawn OConnell said in the news release. mRNA technology will complement existing vaccine technology, allowing us to move faster and better target emerging viruses to protect Americans against future pandemics. Last year, Moderna completed a Phase I/II clinical trial of an investigational influenza vaccine called mRNA-1018, which was tested against H5 and H7 bird flu subtypes. The company said in a Jan. 17 news release that the early-stage trial produced positive preliminary data that would be shared at an unspecified upcoming scientific meeting. A Phase III trial for mRNA-1018 is planned. Another Phase III trial will target H7N9, according to HHS. In order to combat multiple health threats, the agency added that Moderna will design up to four additional pandemic influenza vaccines for testing in Phase I clinical trials. Seasonal flu shot as a tool in pandemic prevention It may sound like something out of a sci-fi flick, but its possible for H5N1 to swap genetic material with a human seasonal flu virus and spawn a new form of influenza with pandemic potential. Thats why the CDC encourages everyone 6 months and older to get their annual flu shoteven though it wont specifically protect them from bird flu. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Coinfection with bird and seasonal flu viruses is rare, the CDC says, and that risk will further lessen the more people get immunized. As of the week ended Jan. 4, less than half of U.S. adults (43.4%) and children (42.9%) had received the 202425 seasonal influenza shot. For more on bird flu: This story was originally featured on Fortune.com NEW YORK Nearly 100,000 ducks will be killed at Long Islands last major commercial duck farm after bird flu was detected at the Suffolk County facility. Crescent Duck Farm in Aquebogue has played host to numerous state and federal officials and inspectors after the discovery last week, Newsday reported. You constantly monitor your flock three times a day. One day things looked unusual. I noticed a few lethargic birds that didnt seem right, farm president Doug Corwin told the outlet. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The birds tested positive for H5N1 influenza, the bird flu that has been infecting people, poultry and pets since 2022. No people working at Crescent Duck Farm or other nearby animals have tested positive for H5N1, according to News 12 Long Island. The farm was quarantined, and its 99,000 birds will be euthanized to prevent any spread of the disease. Long Island was once known for its extensive duck farming industry, but Crescent Duck Farm is the last commercial farm still standing. Corwin told Newsday he wasnt sure the operation would survive the euthanasia of the entire flock. This isnt my job, its my life, he told the paper. Its my legacy. I think were kind of iconic, considering we are what Long Island was known for. And I just dont want it to end this way. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While bird flu easily circulates in wild birds, its spread to other animals has caused problems for the American food industry. Last week, a poultry plant in Georgia had to shut down after multiple chickens tested positive. Throughout the U.S., 67 people have been infected by H5N1 during the lengthy outbreak, according to the Centers for Disease Control. One person, identified only as a Louisiana man older than 65, died a few weeks ago. The man had been in contact with sick and dying infected birds in a backyard flock, according to a CDC investigation. _____ CAIRO, Jan. 23 (Xinhua) -- Ten members of a criminal gang were killed and one injured during a police raid on a drug smuggling network in southern Egypt, the Egyptian Interior Ministry said Thursday. The operation followed investigations confirming that the gang was planning to distribute large quantities of drugs to their clients, the ministry said in a statement, without providing the time frame of the raid. The gang consisted of 11 convicts who had already been sentenced to prison terms, including life imprisonment, for committing crimes such as drug trafficking, murder, arms smuggling, and armed robbery. When security forces approached their hideout, the gang opened fire, triggering a shootout that led to the deaths of 10 of them, the ministry said. In addition to firearms, police confiscated a cache of narcotics with an estimated street value of about 55 million Egyptian pounds (1.09 million U.S. dollars), according to the statement. Credit - Evgenia ParajanianiStock/Getty Images Who gets to be an American? Since the 14th Amendment to the Constitution was adopted in 1868, the answer to that question has been cemented in the American psyche: anyone born on U.S. soil is a U.S. citizen. That is until Donald Trump issued an executive order on Jan. 20, 2025the first day of his second term as Presidentthat would make birthright citizenship conditional on the legal status of ones parents, targeting many of the hundreds of thousands of children born each year to immigrants. The order was immediately challenged as unconstitutional and is expected to be held up and potentially blocked by the courts before it can go into effect. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But just how radical is the idea of limiting who can be a citizen? The U.S. is one of around 30 countries that follows the principle of generally unrestricted jus soli, meaning right of soil. This has allowed millions of people each year to automatically become American citizens irrespective of their parentage. Under Trumps order, which is set to take effect on Feb. 19, at least one parent must be either a citizen or a lawful permanent resident for their U.S.-born child to become a citizen. Taking into account other new orders to enforce more stringent immigration restrictions, at least one lawsuit against the Trump Administration contends that the affected children of the proposed birthright citizenship revision risk deportation or detention, could lose access to public benefits, and may even be rendered stateless. What does it mean to not have birthright citizenship? Across the world, birthright citizenship is not considered the norm. Canada and Mexico have unrestricted birthright citizenship, as do a majority of Latin American countries. But across Asia, Europe, and Africa, almost none doat least without similar restrictions to what Trump is proposing. Most countries with restricted birthright citizenship have conditions that broadly depend on either the legal residency status of at least one of the childs parents, the residency of the child, or both. In Australia, for example, a child born there can become a citizen either if at least one parent is a citizen or permanent resident of Australia, or if the child resides in Australia for a decade following their birth. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Where countries dont follow jus soli, they generally rely on jus sanguinis, meaning right of blood. Countries like Singapore and China require at least one parent to be a citizen in order for their child to become one. Whether or not the child is born in the country doesnt mattercitizenship still follows their parents nationality. The U.S., like many other countries that follow jus soli, also applies jus sanguinis to children born to an American parent overseas. If the practice of birthright citizenship appears geographically skewedits much more common in the Western Hemispheresociologist John Skrenty told Politifact that might be because for many countries it was a tool of colonialism, used to quickly outnumber native populations. In the U.S., the 14th Amendment was adopted to address the legal status of freed slaves. Have other countries changed their birthright citizenship laws before? In recent years, several countriesincluding Pakistan, the Dominican Republic, and Irelandhave revised their citizenship laws to restrict or revoke birthright citizenship. An Islamabad High Court heard the 2022 petition of a Pakistani-born Afghan who had not been granted citizenship despite Pakistans birthright citizenship. The Court ruled in favor of the petitioner, but in November 2024, Pakistan introduced restrictions that would mean a person born in Pakistan, to be a citizen, had to either have a parent who was a citizen or permanent resident, or reside in Pakistan for a decade after their birth. The change stands to impact many more Afghan refugees who may lack the documentation needed to stay in Pakistan. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement One of the most severe changes occurred in the Dominican Republic, where the government abolished birthright citizenship in 2013, ruling that anyone born after 1929 who does not have at least one parent of Dominican blood would be considered to be in the country illegally or in transit. The restriction denationalized more than 200,000 children of immigrants, many of whom were ethnically Haitian, according to Reuters. And in 2004, Ireland became the last country in Europe to end unrestricted birthright citizenship when 79% of voters in a referendum chose to amend their constitution to require at least one parent be an Irish or British citizen, permanent resident, or legal temporary resident (excluding students and asylum seekers). The change was brought about after a much-publicized immigration loophole was discovered when two Chinese nationals living in the U.K. traveled to Belfast to give birth, which (due to Irelands unique relationship with both the U.K. and the E.U.) gave them so-called backdoor access to permanent residence in the U.K. as parents of a dependent E.U. citizen. In 2018, around when Trump earlier discussed ending birthright citizenship in the U.S., a proposed law to restore birthright citizenship in Ireland gained ground after a high-profile case of a nine-year-old Ireland-born boy who faced deportation along with his Chinese mother. A survey at the time found 71% of Irish respondents wanted to bring birthright citizenship back. However, while the boy was ultimately granted a reprieve from the government, the bill to restore birthright citizenship failed, though the Irish Labour Party continues to advocate for such a change. Chad de Guzman contributed reporting. Contact us at letters@time.com. Weve reached the end of another week. But before we clock out for the weekend, were giving credit where its due. Bishop Budde is the latest champion in our Winner of the Week series. Bishop Budde and her respectful leadership couldnt have come at a better time. If youll recall, the day after President Trump took office the first time, thousands took to the streets to protest an agenda they predictedcorrectly, it turned outwould do serious damage to civil rights in this country. This time response has been more muted, not because the country is any less polarized (its not) but because of many factors we wont iterate here; the election is over, it happened, he won. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Still, the world keeps turning, and for those in positions of power who cant remove themselves from the narrative, the question arises (again): How to respond? On January 21, Bishop Mariann Edgar Budde delivered a sermon that demonstrated a solemn and tactful approach. It ended with a widely quoted plea addressed explicitly to the president, who was in attendance at the National Cathedral. (The whole thing is worth watching.) In the name of our God, I ask you to have mercy upon the people in our country who are scared now, she said, her eyes locked with the presidents. There are gay, lesbian, and transgender childrenwho fear for their lives. The people whomay not be citizens or have the proper documentation. But the vast majority of immigrants are not criminals. I ask you to have mercy, Mr. President, on those in our communities whose children fear that their parents will be taken away. And that you help those who are fleeing war zones and persecution in their own lands to find compassion and welcome here. Bishop Buddes sermon was widely shared and praised, but it also left a lot of people wondering, who is Bishop Budde? Currently shes the leader of Episcopal Dioscese of Washington, a position shes held since 2011. She is also the first woman to hold that position. And though as the Bishop of Washington, shes certainly a practiced public speaker, she told The New York Times that before her sermon, she was nervous. I had a feeling that there were people watching what was happening and wondering, Was anyone going to say anything? she told the paper on January 21. Was anyone going to say anything about the turn the countrys taking? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In her remarks Bishop Budde also explored the meaning of unity and did more than pay lip service to the concept. She enumerated three key principles that underly true unity: honoring the inherent dignity of every human being; honesty in both private conversation and public discourse; and humility. She warned against feeding the outrage industrial complex that profits and capitalizes off of vitriolic disagreement, criticizing the current culture of contempt. But she did not downplay or gloss over the very real reasons Americans are divided, acknowledging that in democracy and in government, not everyones ideals will be upheld. Which is all well and good in theory, you may be thinking. Sure, the religiously enlightened would insist we love our enemies, but if my enemy hates me, why should I be unified with them on any level? Fair enough. But in a practical sense, whats the alternative? We work with people we disagree with. We have family members we disagree with. We share a country with people we disagree with. Have boundaries, yes, but also a sense of community as people. As Bishop Budde pointed out, first responders during a natural disaster never ask those they are helping for whom they voted in a past election or what positions they hold on a particular issue. You dont have to live in the still-burning city of Los Angeles, as I do, to appreciate that. Though Bishop Budde herself is an advocate for many liberal causes, she did not push an agenda, but in her plea asked simply for mercy. I doubt it will have much effect on Trumps thinking (in fact, hes already bashed her on social media), but thats not really the point. We have a tendency, in election years, to think theres only one person in the whole country with any power, and thats just not true. We also have spiritual leaders and business leaders and people like the recently departed Cecile Richards, a leader in the fight for reproductive rights. And those people will have to deal, in some form or another, with Trump and Trumpism in the coming months and years. Justified rage is an option, and a fair one. Stoic dignity another. But as Bishop Budde demonstrated, earnest, respectful, and intelligent discussion is possible, and staring down the barrel at another Trump term and all it entails, Ill take it. Originally Appeared on Glamour The Right Rev. Mariann Edgar Budde, whose appeal to President Donald Trump for mercy in her sermon at a national prayer service earlier this week caused a stir, said she will not apologize despite Trumps criticism. I dont hate the president, and I pray for him, Budde told NPR in an interview Wednesday. I dont feel theres a need to apologize for a request for mercy. Budde, the bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Washington, addressed Trump directly during Tuesdays prayer service at Washington National Cathedral, asking him to have mercy upon the people in our country who are scared now, specifically citing LGBTQ people and undocumented immigrants. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Buddes remarks drew plenty of praise but also harsh criticism from Republicans and from Trump himself. The president soon lashed out at Budde, calling her a Radical Left hard line Trump hater in a post on Truth Social, and accused her of having brought her church into the World of politics in a very ungracious way. In an interview with Fox News, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Budde should apologize to Trump, calling the remarks egregious. Budde told MSNBCs Rachel Maddow on Wednesday that her sermon had been intended to appeal to what we know to be true about our immigrant neighbors, who they are, the kind of people that were blessed to be among, and to remember them in our understanding of what it means to be America. Budde told NPR that she regrets the angry reaction to her sermon, but said she stood by her remarks. I regret that it was something that has caused the kind of response that it has, in the sense that it actually confirmed the very thing that I was speaking of earlier, which is our tendency to jump to outrage and not speak to one another with respect, she said. But no, I wont I wont apologize for what I said. This article was originally published on MSNBC.com The Rt. Rev. Mariann Edgar Budde in an interview late Wednesday defended the recent plea for mercy she made to President Trump that sparked his demand for an apology. Were in a particularly harsh moment now when it comes to conversations around immigrant populations in our midst, Budde, the Episcopal Diocese of Washingtons spiritual leader, told MSNBCs Rachel Maddow. And so that was the reason for the tone I took now, but it couldve been a very different tone in a different context. During an inauguration National Cathedral prayer service on Tuesday, Budde called upon Trump to have mercy upon the people in our country who are scared. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement There are gay, lesbian, transgender children, Democratic, Republican, independent families some who fear for their lives, Budde added. Trump said after the service that it wasnt too exciting. The president criticized Budde the following morning and demanded an apology. The so-called Bishop who spoke at the National Prayer Service on Tuesday morning was a Radical Left hard line Trump hater. She brought her church into the World of politics in a very ungracious way. She was nasty in tone, and not compelling or smart, Trump wrote in a Truth Social post. Budde told Maddow on Wednesday she wanted to make, as you heard, a plea, a request to Trump that he broaden his characterization of the people that are, are frightened now and are at risk of losing everything. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement She also said she thought I would acknowledge, to the president, acknowledge that he had come to the highest office of the land, that he had millions of people had entrusted him with this power. GOP Rep. Mike Collins (R-Ga.) said after the service that Budde should be added to the deportation list. The Hill has reached out to the White House for comment on Buddes most recent remarks. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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 reverend who called on President Trump to have mercy on transgender children and immigrants during a prayer service for his inauguration said in a new interview she would not apologize for her remarks. I am not going to apologize for asking for mercy for others, Bishop Mariann Edgar Budde told Time magazine in an interview published Wednesday afternoon. The interview comes after Trump criticized Budde as a Radical Left hard-line Trump hater and called on her to apologize for her nasty remarks at the National Cathedral prayer service on Tuesday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The so-called Bishop who spoke at the National Prayer Service on Tuesday morning was a Radical Left hard-line Trump hater. She brought her church into the World of politics in a very ungracious way. She was nasty in tone, and not compelling or smart, Trump said in a lengthy Truth Social post Wednesday morning. She failed to mention the large number of illegal migrants that came into our Country and killed people. Many were deposited from jails and mental institutions, the president added. It is a giant crime wave that is taking place in the USA. Apart from her inappropriate statements, the service was a very boring and uninspiring one. Trump also called on her and the church to apologize to him. She is not very good at her job! She and her church owe the public an apology! Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Budde, in the interview with Time, pushed back on some of Trumps characterizations of her, saying, I dont hate President Trump. I strive not to hate anyone, and I dare say that I am not of the radical left either, whatever that means. That is not who I am. On whether she is good at her job, Budde said, That is for other people to judge, and so he is certainly entitled to his opinion. Hours before Trump took to social media, Budde made a plea to Trump during her sermon as he sat in the first pew at the service. I ask you to have mercy upon the people in our country who are scared. There are gay, lesbian, transgender children, Democratic, Republican, independent families some who fear for their lives, she said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The people who pick our crops and clean our office buildings, who labor in poultry farms and meatpacking plants, who wash the dishes after we eat in restaurants and work the night shifts in hospitals they may not be citizens or have the proper documentation, but the vast majority of immigrants are not criminals, she added. During her comments about migrants, Budde noted migrant workers pay taxes and are faithful members of U.S. churches, mosques, synagogues and temples, arguing their children fear their parents are going to be taken away. And she called on Trump to aid people fleeing war zones and persecution. Budde also told Trump that people in the U.S. are scared of his presidency. Asked whether she wants to encourage others to push back on Trumps policies, Budde told Time, I would love to have people present another alternative, yes, and to bring compassion and breadth into our public discourse. 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. Bishop Mariann Edgar Budde, who made waves this week for asking President Trump to have mercy on LGBTQ children and immigrants during a prayer service he attended at the National Cathedral, said she does not hate the president, but his demand for an apology will likely go unanswered. I am not going to apologize for asking for mercy for others, Budde, 65, told Time on Wednesday. She told NPR similarly, I dont feel theres a need to apologize. At a prayer service for the inauguration Tuesday, Budde, who has led the Episcopal Diocese of Washington since 2011, directly appealed to Trump on behalf of people in our country who are scared now. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement There are gay, lesbian and transgender children in Democratic, Republican and independent families, some who fear for their lives, Budde said during Tuesdays service. She said most immigrants, even those without proper documentation, were good neighbors and the vast majority are not criminals. Trump, who during his first hours in office Monday signed executive orders on immigration and transgender rights, told reporters afterward that Buddes service was not too exciting, was it? Later, in the early hours of Wednesday, Trump fumed at Budde on Truth Social, writing in a lengthy post that she is a Radical Left hard line Trump hater who is bad at her job. Her service, he wrote, was uninspiring, nasty in tone, and not compelling or smart. She and her church owe the public an apology! he wrote. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Other Republicans piled on, questioning Buddes faith and whether her gender disqualified her as the dioceses spiritual leader. One House GOP member said Budde, who was born in New Jersey, should be added to the deportation list. I dont hate President Trump, Budde told Time on Wednesday. I strive not to hate anyone, and I dare say that I am not of the radical left either, whatever that means. That is not who I am. She added that she doesnt feel personally at risk over Trumps targeting her, Although people have said they do wish me dead, and thats a little heartbreaking. It was a pretty mild sermon, Budde said. It certainly wasnt a fire and brimstone sermon. It was as respectful and as universal as I could, with the exception of making someone who has been entrusted with such enormous influence and power to have mercy on those who are most vulnerable. 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. Louisville, Kentucky will get its first BJ's Wholesale Club very soon. The membership-based wholesale club will open its doors in the Derby City on Friday, January 31, according to a news release. This will be the company's 250th store and the very first one in Kentucky. The store is located near Jefferson Mall and carries groceries, household essentials and decor, pet supplies, electronics, and more. Members receive discounts and an option for cash back on purchases. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Much like a Costco or Sam's Club, the stock can change from week to week, creating a "treasure-hunt shopping experience." The Louisville location also has a gas station. BJ's is partnering with Louisville's local food bank, Dare to Care, with plans to donate unsold meat, dairy, and produce every week. Were excited to collaborate with BJs Wholesale Club as a new community partner in Louisville, Dare to Care President Vincent James stated in the release. This partnership will help deepen our mission of providing pathways to end hunger in our community. BJ's has locations in 20 states, including Florida, Georgia, Maryland, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Virginia. The new store will bring that to 21 states. The BJ's name is very familiar in the Northeast as the company is based in Massachusetts. BJ's is currently offering a $40 welcome reward to regular members or an $80 reward for Club+ memberships. Memberships start at $55 for a year. Read the original article on Southern Living Snow was cleared Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2025, from Interstate 10 near Grosse Tete following a winter weather system that dumped more than 10 inches of snow in some parts of South Louisiana. (DOTD traffic camera photo) Residents of South Louisiana are being asked to stay put for at least another day, with more freezing weather and perilous road conditions in the forecast. Sunny conditions Wednesday helped melt snowpack from many streets and highways, but falling overnight temperatures are expected to freeze any water thats left. That will create black ice thats dangerous to motorists and frequently hard to detect on what otherwise looks like a clear roadway. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement State crews are expected to clear major stretches of Interstate 10, and some overwater bridges have been reopened. But Gov. Jeff Landry said non-essential travel is still not recommended until temperatures get back to a point where ice on roads is no longer a concern. Just dont get in a hurry to go anywhere, the governor said during a news conference at the Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness. State Transportation Secretary Joe Donahue said crews should have the I-10 Atchafalaya Spillway Bridge and the new Mississippi River Bridge in Baton Rouge cleared soon. The Bonnet Carre Spillway Bridge and the I-10 Twin Spans should be cleared Thursday, he said. One lane in each direction of the Crescent City Connection was opened Wednesday afternoon, and clearing of the Hale Boggs Memorial Bridge in Luling should be complete Thursday, according to Donahue. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Even with interstates becoming passable again, local crews still have to clear ice from onramps and offramps. Motorists are being urged to stay off roads until local officials give the all-clear. Updates on road conditions are being posted to 511la.org. Col. Robert Hodges, Louisiana State Police superintendent, said most people have heeded the warnings. Troopers had responded to more than 100 accidents as of Wednesday afternoon, with only minor injuries to report. When travel conditions are unsafe, it places our motorists and first responders in danger and ties up valuable emergency response resources when troopers have to respond to traffic accidents, Hodges said. Woman dies in camper fire The governor also relayed news he learned just before the news conference about a fatal fire related to the winter weather. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to the State Fire Marshals Facebook page, a camper fire in Beauregard Parish claimed the life of a woman. The cause of the fire remains under investigation. Landry used the incident as a fire safety reminder for residents, who he advised to turn off space heaters before going to bed. He also discouraged the use of electric and gas ovens as heaters, with the latter creating a risk of carbon monoxide poisoning. The ability to fight fires could be impacted if the hard freezes burst water lines, but such issues have been isolated. The state health department has issued boil water advisories to Grand Isle and Lafourche Parish Water District 1. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In Grand Isle, officials say multiple breaks in a water main resulted in a drop in pressure below levels needed to prevent possible contamination of the supply. The issue in Lafourche Parish involves a water line break and increased demand from customers keeping a constant drip to avoid broken pipes in their homes, according to district officials. In New Orleans, customers are asked to conserve water by not using washing machines and dishwashers. New Orleans warming shelters reaching capacity The extreme cold has forced New Orleans to expand its warming centers, with more than 200 people needing to seek refuge. Its primary center reached its capacity of 120, forcing officials to open a second thats nearing its 100-person limit. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Collin Arnold, the citys emergency preparedness director, said another recreational center building is prepared to handle any overflow. Most people at the warming centers have gotten there on their own, but the city is helping people with transportation as long as streets are safe. Arnold said 46 people have requested a ride, and transit officials have told him they would be available to help those with mobility issues. The city has never needed more than two warming shelters in the past to meet its needs, according to Arnold. He said nonprofit service organizations and the temporary state shelter for the unhoused have helped the city manage the demand. Some 150-200 unhoused people are at the temporary state shelter near Gentilly that opened a week ago, Arnold said. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE The back-and-forth continues. Within hours of Justin Baldonis team leaking footage from the set of It Ends With Us, attorneys for Blake Lively in a letter moved for the court overseeing her civil rights lawsuit to impose a gag order against Baldoni lawyer Bryan Freedman. They accused him of effectively continuing the alleged smear campaign against Lively by repeatedly talking to the press, leaking information to gain public favor for his clients and issuing false statements. More from The Hollywood Reporter Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In a move atyptical of his litigation strategy, Freedman didnt himself provide a comment, but sources close to Baldoni say its grossly unfair to impose a gag order after Justin has been defamed by The New York Times in an article that they say has cost him three jobs and hundreds of millions of dollars. All Justin wants to do, the source says, is release videos and text messages to prove the allegations are false. The source adds, its unbelievable that Blake Lively would go on a takedown campaign against Justin and then immediately turn around and say she wants a gag order so that Justin cant defend himself. Earlier this month, Lively filed a lawsuit in federal court in New York accusing Baldoni of sexual harassment during the making of It Ends With Us, and him and his associates of orchestrating a smear campaign following the movies release. Baldoni, who both directed and stars in the movie opposite Lively, filed his own complaint last week against Lively and husband Ryan Reynolds seeking at least $400 million in damages. Hes represented by no-holds-barred lawyer Freedman, who isnt shy when it comes to talking to the press (at one point, he warned he would sue anyone connected with certain abhorrent behavior into oblivion). The letter referenced a cease-and-desist Lively sent to Freedman last month. It claimed that Freedman had defamed and engaged in unlawful retaliation against the actress, pointing to his statements to the press in the wake of Lively filing a complaint with the California Civil Rights Department while leaking a copy of the document. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Lawyers are not publicity agents, the letter stated. We are required to follow a different set of professional standards than publicists and crisis managers. One of those standards is the prohibition against knowingly making factual misrepresentations, even when doing so would help defend or promote our clients interests. Among the allegedly false statements referenced in the cease-and-desist is Freedman asserting that there were no proactive measures taken with media or otherwise, that the representatives of Wayfarer Studios still did nothing proactive nor retaliated, and only responded to incoming media inquiries to ensure balanced and factual reporting and monitored social activity. The request for a gag order was filed on Tuesday, the same day that Baldonis team provided footage to the media, beginning with Daily Mail, which he says disproves one of Livelys claims. He has gone on the record numerous times and told the public that he and his team have nothing to hide and that the footage substantiates his position. Baldonis team is also preparing to compile a website containing all correspondence, as well as relevant videos that they say will disprove Livelys claims. Michael Gottlieb, a lawyer for Lively, said that the leaking of that footage, among other moves amid his media blitz, violates various rules relating to professional conduct for lawyers. One example: Attorneys are barred from making extrajudicial statements that could impact court proceedings. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement His conduct threatens to, and will, materially prejudice both the Lively Case and the Wayfarer Case by tainting the jury pool, the letter stated, referencing his litigation-via-press-statements strategy. One issue relates to sharing evidence with the press that could be inadmissible in court. Livelys legal team urged the court to schedule a hearing to consider a gag order against Freedman. Shes represented by Manatt, Phelps & Phillips and Willkie Farr & Gallagher, as is Reynolds. This isnt the first time Freedmans statements to the press landed him in potential trouble. Last year, MediaLink fonder Michael Kassan sued him for defamation for allegedly trying to tarnish his reputation at the direction of UTA in a bid to prevent employees and clients from following him to his next venture. The allegedly defamatory statements concerned Freedman calling Kassan a pathological liar. The lawsuit was later dismissed. Best of The Hollywood Reporter Sign up for THR's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. A federal judge has temporarily blocked President Donald Trumps day-one order to end birthright citizenship for the children of non-citizens. Responding to a request from officials in Washington, Arizona, Illinois and Oregon, U.S. District Judge John Coughenour issued a restraining order against the Trump administration's move to redefine the rights established in the 14th Amendment. Trump's order was set to take effect on Feb. 19 but will remain on hold until a case from those three states makes its way through the courts. In the suit filed on Tuesday, attorneys for those states said that Trump's order would affect hundreds of thousands of children currently in the United States. In total, 22 states have sued the Trump admin over the order. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In the hearing on Thursday, Judge Coughenour called Trump's order "blatantly unconstitutional." The Ronald Reagan appointee said the move from Trump's administration "boggles the mind" and flies in the face of long-established interpretations of the 14th Amendment. While the Trump administration's attorneys argued that the states had no standing to sue in advance of the order's implementation, Coughenour disagreed in his Thursday ruling. The judge said that states stood to lose out on federal funding and that residents within the states could be deprived of their rights. He said Trump's order would pose immediate, ongoing, and significant harms that cannot be remedied in the ordinary course of litigation. The 14th Amendment, ratified in 1868, declares that all persons born or naturalized in the United States and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside. Trump claimed in the order that undocumented immigrants children were not subject to the jurisdiction of the United States, a notion Coughenour rejected. Are they not subject to the decisions of the immigration courts? he asked. Must they not follow the law while they are here? JOHANNESBURG, Jan. 23 (Xinhua) -- South Africa has expressed "profound regret" over the U.S. decision to withdraw from the Paris Agreement, said a government official on Thursday. This came after U.S. President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Monday announcing the country's intention to withdraw from the Paris Agreement. South African Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment Dion George said the withdrawal is an abdication of the global responsibility that damages multilateralism, international law, and trust between nations. "The Paris Agreement represents the most flexible and dynamic approach to addressing climate change. All countries have a common responsibility to act, with varied capabilities under the Paris Agreement," said the minister. He said the United States, which has contributed significantly to global warming and the climate crisis affecting the world, has a moral obligation to lead in reducing emissions and support developing economies in contributing to the global effort. "We recall the substantial contribution that previous U.S. administrations have made to facilitate South Africa in addressing climate change, including the recent support to South Africa's just energy transition partnership," the minister said, calling on the current U.S. administration to take its commitments under international law seriously, and carefully consider the ramifications of its withdrawal from the Paris Agreement. George reaffirmed South Africa's commitment to realizing the goals set out in the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and its Paris Agreement while expressing hope that the global community will continue tackling climate change with the urgency it deserves. President Donald Trumps most public-facing White House officials were introduced to the country on Thursday. The three female aides with striking physical similaritiesKaroline Claire Leavitt, Sonny Joy Nelson, and Kieghan Nanglegathered reporters outside of the White House, where they pledged to prioritize transparency in the administrations relationship with the press. Welcome to the Trump White House, where truth and transparency actually matter. @GettyImages pic.twitter.com/2BwVcrV3RD Karoline Leavitt (@PressSec) January 23, 2025 Welcome to the Trump White House, where truth and transparency actually matter, said Leavitt in the Thursday press briefing, answering questions about President Trump sending an additional 1,500 troops to the U.S.-Mexico, which was first reported by Reuters. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The sight of the three womenall with sleek icy-blonde hair and in polished, long winter frocksstanding together during the press briefing led right-wing news commentator Mary Rooke to declare: We are finally entering our Blonde Supremacy era, a tweet that garnered thousands of likes and retweets. Heres what to know about each of the photo-ready Trump aides: Meet Karoline Claire Leavitt Twenty-seven-year-old Karoline Claire Leavitt became the youngest White House press secretary in history when she was promoted to the role after serving as Trumps campaign spokeswoman. Karoline is smart, tough, and has proven to be a highly effective communicator, said Trump as he announced her appointment. We are finally entering our Blonde Supremacy erapic.twitter.com/DlENWZPY1m Mary Rooke (@MaryRooke_) January 23, 2025 Hailing from New Hamphire, Leavitt studied communications and political science at the Catholic Saint Anselm College and served as an assistant press secretary in Trumps first administration. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Leavitts website boasts, I helped prepare Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany for high-pressure briefings [and] fought against the biased mainstream media. Leavitt also has a failed congressional run on her resume, closing her 2022 primary campaign as a Republican running against incumbent Democrat Chris Pappas, reported the New York Times. Karoline Leavitt speaks at a press conference held at Esteys Country Store, Oct.18, 2022. / The Washington Post / The Washington Post via Getty Im Now in the top job, Leavitt is tasked with defending Trumps policieslike Sean Spicer, Sarah Huckabee Sanders and Kayleigh McEnany before herand she is already receiving praise for her performance by MAGAs most vocal leaders. A @PressSec who answers questions fully and directly without referring to other agencies or rolling her eyes?? WE ARE SO BACK, wrote Lindsey Fifield on X, a former communications official with the The Heritage Foundation, and Nikki Haley for President. Meet Sonny Joy Nelson Sonny Joy Nelson announced in November 2023 that she was joining the effort to return Trump to the White House, serving as director of Trumps surrogates during his campaign. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Now, more than ever before, America needs a seasoned leader who can restore us to our former glory. President Trump is the only one for the job, she tweeted. Inaugural Ball pic.twitter.com/ZlAPGF2Qgh Sonny Joy Nelson (@sonnyjoynelson) January 21, 2025 Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Now in an undisclosed communications role, Nelson has frequently been spotted backing up Leavitt and sharing behind-the-scenes snaps from the MAGA world. Nelso hails from the Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill Area, according to her LinkedIN profile, and makes reference to her Christian values in her social media profiles. Under her bio information, she wrote, Jesus paid it all. Meet Kieghan Nangle Kieghan Nangle serves officially has Leavitts executive assistant. A Texas native, Nangle has also used her social media account to share insights from the MAGA world and to heap praise on President Trump. Its an honor to serve you Mr. President, she wrote in a June 16, 2024 post, celebrating Trumps birthday two days before, from West Palm Beach, Florida. Although her duties seem to be exclusively relegated to helping out Leavitt, Nangles previous appearances as Fox News college campus correspondent could prove she has what it takes for prime time. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Let freedom ring!! declared Megyn Kelly in response to celebrations of the womens Blonde Supremacy era online. But given Trumps penchant for dismissing his MAGA mouthpieces according to his whim, time will tell if blondes truly have more fun when Trump is in charge. HONOLULU (KHON2) January is National Blood Donor Month, which is a great time to give back and help save lives. Get Hawaiis latest morning news delivered to your inbox, sign up for News 2 You It is a time for us to thank our donors for all they do to help Blood Bank of Hawaii provide a safe and sufficient blood supply for our state. Its also an opportunity to raise awareness about the ongoing need for blood donations. With recent tragedies, both locally and nationally, the demand for blood and blood products is high, said Dr. Kim-Anh Nguyen, the CEO of the Blood Bank of Hawaii. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Incentives will be given out to donors with giveaways. We partnered with Wai Kai and Cirque du Soleil Auana to host giveaways through the end of February. Nguyen said. Wai Kai donated two sets of tickets to their AquaVenture floating playground located on the west side of Oahu. Cirque du Soleil Auana donated two tickets to their new show at the Waikiki Beachcomber. Participants can qualify for the giveaways by donating blood at our Young Street and Waikele Donation centers, scheduling their next appointment, or entering our giveaway on Instagram. Our hope is that this initiative encourages new and returning donors to make an appointment. Keeping blood pressure under control is critical. Theres a new option for tough cases The Blood Bank of Hawaii has made it very to easy to donate with lots of locations. One donation can save one to three lives, and it is a simple process. The Blood Bank of Hawaii recommends that donors: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Be at least 18 years old (16 and 17-year-olds can donate with a signed parental consent form). Weigh at least 110 pounds. Have a valid photo ID with your birthdate. Be in good health. Wait at least eight weeks between donations. One of the most impactful ways to help is by donating blood and platelets regularly. Platelets, in particular, are crucial because they have a short shelf life of just three to four days. They play a vital role in surgeries, cancer treatments, and caring for victims of traumatic injuries. To make your appointment and enter our giveaway, visit our website at bbh.org to schedule an appointment, or call us at (808) 848-4770. We host blood drives across Oahu and travel to Kauai, Maui, and Big Island three times a year to ensure everyone has a chance to donate. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. JOPLIN, Mo. An upcoming blood drive emphasizes the need for donation while honoring a blood recipient. The Community Clinic of Southwest Missouri is partnering with Community Blood Center of the Ozarks in hopes of getting as many people as possible to donate blood in honor of Colton Zuckerman. The teen was recently diagnosed with leukemia, and those who know him best say multiple blood transfusions have helped him greatly in his cancer journey. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The young man lives in Arizona currently, but his family has ties to the Joplin area. His mom is a dear friend of the Community Clinics executive director. His mother is from this area, Stephanie Reneau Zuckerman, and their whole family has been very charitable to this community. They have the Zuckerman Family Foundation, and theyve been, especially after the tornado, they were very giving in this community. And we are just wanting to show that family support and show them that in this area we still love and want to honor them, said Stephanie Brady, Community Clinic of SW MO Executive Director. Especially during the winter time, we never know what type we need we need them all! Right now, we are low on O-negative, which is the universal blood type that can go to anyone that is rushed into the hospital in an emergency, so we always like to have that on hand. But, we need all blood types, so please just come and donate, said Belinda Belk, CBCO Field Representative. The goal is to get at least 30 people registered for the event, and 200 pints are needed every day to meet the needs of local hospitals. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its tomorrow (Friday) from 11 to 5 at the Community Clinic of Southwest Missouri. It should take donors 45 minutes to an hour of their time. Thats on the corner of 7th and Joplin in the city of Joplin. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. (Bloomberg) -- Michael Bloomberg, the former mayor of New York, will help cover US financial obligations under the Paris Agreement as President Donald Trump prepares to leave the global climate agreement. Most Read from Bloomberg Bloomberg, the founder and majority owner of Bloomberg LP, the parent company of Bloomberg News, provided the same support when Trump withdrew from the Paris accord in 2017, contributing more than $15 million. The money will support the running of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and enable the US to tally and report its carbon emissions to the UN. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement After his inauguration on Monday, Trump began the process of withdrawing the US from the Paris deal, which seeks to limit the rise in global temperatures. He also halted some financial aid to help developing countries adapt to a warmer planet and transition to green energy. The impact of US disengagement from global climate diplomacy is still uncertain, though diplomats and activists have been preparing for the outcome since Trump won the election last year. American people remain determined to continue the fight against the devastating effects of climate change, Bloomberg said in a statement on Thursday. Now, philanthropys role in driving local, state, and private sector action is more crucial than ever. Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2025 Bloomberg L.P. (Bloomberg) -- A federal judge ruled former US Senator Bob Menendez doesnt deserve a new trial on corruption charges even though prosecutors gave jurors a laptop that contained evidence they werent supposed to see. Most Read from Bloomberg It was extraordinarily unlikely that jurors were aware that 11 documents that had been ruled inadmissible in the case were included among the 3,000 other exhibits on the laptop, US District Judge Sidney Stein said Wednesday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement After the trial ended in a guilty verdict in July, prosecutors disclosed to Menendez that the laptop had nine exhibits that the judge had ordered redacted. Defense lawyers later found two other unredacted documents. Jurors convicted Menendez, 71, of bribery, extortion and acting as a foreign agent of Egypt. Prosecutors said the New Jersey Democrat took bribes of 13 gold bars, almost $500,000 in cash and a Mercedes-Benz as bribes from businessmen seeking favors. Two businessmen also were convicted at the trial. Menendez is scheduled to be sentenced Jan. 29. Prosecutors urged the judge to impose a 15-year prison term. Menendez, the former chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, is the only public official convicted of serving as a foreign agent while in office, and his conduct is perhaps more serious than that for which any other senator has been convicted in United States history, prosecutors argued. Defense lawyers said the failure to black out some of the information contained on the laptop allowed prosecutors to sneak in key evidence about Egypt that Stein said was not allowed. The judge barred the full exhibits under the US Constitutions Speech or Debate clause, which protects lawmakers from legal actions arising from statements made during legislative activity. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Stein, who presided over the trial, said Menendez asked him to find that the jury was a team of super sleuths, determined to uncover a few bits of information that it had no reason to know existed sprinkled on a few of pages within tens of thousands of pages of evidence. The judge also said defense lawyers had enough time before deliberations began to examine the laptop and discover any errors in the exhibits a notion that the Menendez team had argued was preposterous. Faced with the apparent failure of the defense to accurately review the exhibits themselves, counsel claim there was insufficient time to do so, the judge wrote. At no time, however, did any member of the three defense teams share this purported concern with the court or request more time to review the laptop. Menendez plans to appeal his conviction. In a statement, he said an appeals court will hold these prosecutors to account for their misconduct, which is the kind of behavior that has caused so many to question the motives and judgments of overzealous prosecutors who act above the law and believe they are unanswerable to anyone. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Menendez is planning to ask President Donald Trump for a pardon, according to a person familiar with the matter. Former President Joe Biden declined a pardon request before leaving office. The case is US v. Menendez, 23-cr-490, US District Court, Southern District of New York (Manhattan). Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2025 Bloomberg L.P. HINDS COUNTY, Miss. (WJTV) A boil water notice has been issued for nearly 1,000 customers in Hinds and Copiah counties. According to the Mississippi State Department of Health (MSDH), Reedtown Water Association officials said the notice was issued on January 22. The notice affects 900 customers on the Hinds and Copiah portion of the water system. Tanker trunk overturns on I-20 in Warren County Health officials strongly recommend that all water be boiled for one minute before it is consumed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Residents will be notified immediately when the advisory is lifted. 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. RAYMOND, Miss. (WJTV) A boil water notice has been issued for the City of Raymond. According to leaders, the city was notified about a systemwide water loss around 5:30 a.m. on Thursday, January 23. They said city crews and Inframark assessed the situation and discovered that the sensor that regulates the pumps to the water tanks froze when the tank was full, which triggered the pumps to refill the tanks. Boil water notice issued for nearly 1,000 Mississippi customers Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The situation has been corrected, and water is now being distributed through the system. A boil water notice will be in place until the city has been cleared from the Mississippi State Department of Health (MSDH). Health officials strongly recommend that all water be boiled for one minute before it is consumed. Customers can contact Raymond City Hall at 601-857-8041 with any questions. 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. ABUJA (Reuters) - At least 20 fishermen have been killed in Nigeria's northeastern state of Borno after Boko Haram insurgents attacked their village, fishermen and local security officers said on Thursday. Nigeria has been grappling with a 16-year-long Islamist insurgency in its northeast driven primarily by Boko Haram and its offshoot ISWAP that has led to huge human and economic losses, including mass displacement and a humanitarian crisis. Modu Ari, a member of the civilian joint task force, said the insurgents stormed the fishing community of Gadan Gari on Wednesday at about 11:00 GMT, and opened fire at fishermen working in the area, killing at least 20. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Mustapha Kacahallah, a resident, said his child was killed in the attack and that they had buried more than 15 people. The military and Borno state officials have not yet commented on the attacks. (Reporting by Ahmed Kingimi; Writing by Chijioke Ohuocha; Editing by Nick Zieminski) (Bloomberg) -- Former President Jair Bolsonaro said he wont flee Brazil if sentenced to prison, a week after a judge barred him from traveling to Donald Trumps inauguration amid investigations into an alleged coup attempt. Most Read from Bloomberg Ill go to jail, Bolsonaro said in an interview with CNN Brasil on Thursday. I wont leave Brazil. I wont run away from Brazil. Bolsonaro has been the subject of numerous criminal investigations since leaving office at the end of 2022, including a probe into whether he and his allies attempted to undermine President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silvas government following that years election. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Federal Police have recommended criminal charges against Bolsonaro and 36 others over the apparent coup plot, while also alleging the former leader had full knowledge of a plan to assassinate Lula, his vice president and Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes. Brazils prosecutor generals office is currently weighing whether to file formal charges against Bolsonaro. Authorities have also recommended charges in a probe involving the alleged illegal sale of gifts received from foreign governments, and another focused on falsified vaccination records. Bolsonaro has denied wrongdoing in each case. Moraes blocked his request to travel to Washington for Trumps inauguration, citing the possibility of an escape attempt. Authorities seized Bolsonaros passport last year as part of the coup investigation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Bolsonaro said Thursday that he could have fled Brazil when he traveled to the US after his 2022 election defeat, or during a trip to Argentina to attend President Javier Mileis inauguration in 2023. I came back here knowing all the risks Im taking, he said. Bolsonaro also acknowledged that he may not be able to run for president again in 2026, despite repeated suggestions that he would succeed in overturning his eight-year political ban. In June 2023, Brazils electoral court barred him from seeking public office, saying he had abused his power by using a meeting with foreign ambassadors to cast doubt on the countrys voting system. He told CNN Brasil that his son Flavio Bolsonaro, a senator, would be an excellent candidate. He would also have no problem supporting a run by his wife, Michelle Bolsonaro, as long as she appoints me chief of staff, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2025 Bloomberg L.P. A powerful "bomb cyclone" named Storm Eowyn (pronounced AY-oh-win) has pummeled parts of Ireland and the United Kingdom with fierce winds and heavy rainfall Friday, and it has roots in the historic winter storm that just hit the U.S. Gulf Coast Tuesday. Hurricane-force wind gusts (74 mph or greater) have been clocked and Ireland has preliminarily set a new record. Portions of Ireland and the northern United Kingdom have measured wind gusts over 80 mph. A 114 mph gust at Mace Head, Ireland, set a preliminary new record highest wind gust speed for the country, according to Irish Meteorological Service, Met Eireann. The highest wind gust in the United Kingdom so far is 100 mph in Drumalbin, Scotland. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Associated Press reports that more than 1 million homes and businesses in Ireland and Northern Ireland were without power due to unprecedented, widespread and extensive damage to electricity infrastructure, the Irish Electricity Supply Board said. One person was killed by the storm a man in County Donegal, Ireland, who died when a tree fell on his car, local police told the AP. Ahead of the storm's arrival, schools were closed, and trains, ferries and hundreds of flights were canceled in the Republic of Ireland, neighboring Northern Ireland and Scotland, the AP said. Highest level of alerts issued in Ireland and parts of the United Kingdom: Red warnings for high winds have been hoisted in all of Ireland. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The U.K. Met Office has also issued red warnings for high winds and heavy rain in Northern Ireland as well as central and southwest parts of Scotland. Other parts of Scotland and northern England are in the second-highest level alert. The "bomb cyclone" has its roots in the recent U.S. Gulf Coast winter storm. Jet stream energy that helped produce historic snowfall on the U.S. Gulf Coast Tuesday triggered the development of low pressure off the southeastern U.S. coast. From there, that low has rapidly intensified over the North Atlantic and spread into Ireland and the U.K. as an intense "bomb cyclone". This means the storm's low pressure has dropped by at least 24 millibars in 24 hours or less, meaning it has rapidly intensified. Storm Eowyn has more than doubled the criteria. The reason this all matters beyond just a geeky statistic is the lower the pressure in a storm, the more intense it is. And the greater the difference in pressure over an area, the stronger the winds. The low-pressure system formed Wednesday morning off the Southeast coast. It has rapidly-intensified along it trek through the North Atlantic. Chris Dolce has been a senior meteorologist with weather.com for over 10 years after beginning his career with The Weather Channel in the early 2000s. ABUJA, Jan. 23 (Xinhua) -- Nigerian troops have killed at least 25 members of the gang led by nortorious terrorist Bello Turji, the military said Wednesday. Turji's second-in-command Aminu Kanawa and about eight other commanders were killed as troops raided terrorist camps in the northwestern states of Sokoto and Zamfara from Monday to Tuesday, Edward Buba, the spokesman for the Nigerian military told a press briefing. Buba said "the camp of Turji is in disarray" following the killing of Kanawa and dozens of others. "The death of Turji's second-in-command, close allies, commanders, and combatants was a significant blow to the terrorists' network in the northwestern part of Nigeria, as well as their fighting capabilities," Buba said, noting this group of terrorists was responsible for numerous kidnappings and terrorist attacks across the region. "Overall, troops are not relenting until these terrorists are destroyed," said Buba. GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. (KREX) Patrick Sneddon, accused of the September crash that resulted in the deaths of three people including two Colorado Department of Transportation employees was in court Tuesday afternoon for a hearing on bond. Sneddons bond was previously set at $100,000 cash-only. Judge Jeremy Chaffin heard from relatives and former coworkers of Trent Umberger and Nathan Jones, who asked that Sneddons bond not be reduced. We would just like to have the bond not dropped, not be taken away, like our spouses, our sons, our mothers, our fathers, were taken away, said Wendy Jones, Nathan Jones mother. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Sneddons criminal history was brought into question as he has prior convictions for possession of marijuana and careless driving from 2013. Ultimately, despite Sneddons history, Chaffin determined Sneddon was not a flight risk, changing his bond to $100,000 cash or surety. Chaffin also set several conditions should he post bond, including no drugs or alcohol including marijuana, no driving, a curfew between the hours of 8 p.m. and 6 a.m. and he must submit to pretrial supervision which includes substance testing. He would also be on a no-contact order with the victims and witnesses and he would not be allowed to leave the state without permission. Sneddon is charged with three counts of vehicular homicide while driving under the influence and failure to yield to a public service vehicle among other charges. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Sneddon is due back in court for a preliminary hearing at 1:30 p.m. on March 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 WesternSlopeNow.com. Border crossings in the Southwest are reportedly down as President Donald Trumps administration begins its immigration crack down. The number of daily Southwest border encounters dropped by nearly half on Wednesday, according to a report. Border Patrol apprehended just over 840 people crossing the border between ports of entry, reported NBC News. The figure is down from nearly half the daily crossings in December which were 1,552, NBC reported, citing a U.S. official. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Crossings in December were lower than they were the same month in 2020 ahead of Joe Bidens first term. We saw a similar drop in early 2017, noted the outlets Homeland Security correspondent Julia Ainsley. Since taking office four days ago, Trump has wasted no time implementing his anti-immigration agenda. The number of Southwest border encounters reportedly dropped by nearly half on Wednesday as Trump begins his immigration crack down (AFP via Getty Images) Speaking at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, via video conference, Trump told delegates that his administration has halted all entry of illegal border crossers. That action, as youve probably seen, has already started very strongly, Trump said. Have deployed active duty U.S. military and National Guard troops to the border to assist in repelling the invasion. It was really an invasion. We will not allow our territory to be violated. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Independent has contacted Customs and Border Protection for more information. At his inaugural address on Monday, Trump announced a slew of drastic executive orders targeting immigration on his very first day in office. Trump told the World Economic Forum that his administration has halted all entry of illegal border crossings (AFP via Getty Images) His administration also shut down the CBP One app effective immediately, leaving families waiting for appointments at the border in the lurch as their appointments were suddenly canceled. Approximately 11 million immigrants were living in the U.S. illegally in 2022, according to the latest estimates from Pew Research Center. In 2024, there were around 2.1 million encounters at the southern border, according to the latest CBP data. This was down by 14 percent from 2023 when figures show closer to 2.5 million encounters at the border. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In December 2023, there were over 249,000 encounters at the border, a record-breaking month. As part of the anti-immgration plans, Trump signed an executive order revoking the right to birthright citizenship which is protected by the 14th Amendment effective from February. The move already faces legal challenges from 22 states and activist groups. In the latest setback for the new administration, a federal judge has temporarily blocked Trumps order in one of the legal challenges. DENVER (KDVR) Boulder police investigated a bomb threat on Pearl Street Thursday morning but found nothing. Just before 11 a.m., Boulder police posted on X that officers were in the 1000 block of Pearl Street investigating the threat. FOX31 Newsletters: Sign up to get breaking news sent to your inbox The following roads were closed: 9th Street and Spruce Street 10th Street and Spruce Street 11th Street and Pearl Street Police said a K-9 and a bomb squad team responded. Shortly after 11:30 a.m., police gave the all clear and streets were reopened. 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. A Bradford County man will spend more than a decade in federal prison after he was found guilty of transporting a minor across state lines to engage in sexual conduct. Chief U.S. District Court Judge Matthew Brann sentenced Mark Douglas Miller, 45, of Wyalusing, to 12 years in prison followed by 10 years of supervised release. Between January and March of 2020, Miller knowingly and willfully transported a minor across state lines for the purpose of engaging in illicit sexual conduct, according to acting U.S. Attorney John C. Gurganus. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The case against Miller was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the U.S. Department of Justice to combat a growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Related Accused of 'courting' 14-year-old, former youth pastor pleads guilty to sexual assault The accusations against Miller were investigated by the FBI and Pennsylvania State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alisan Martin prosecuted the case. Follow Jeff Murray on X (Twitter) @SGJeffMurray. To get unlimited access to the latest news, please subscribe or activate your digital account today. This article originally appeared on Elmira Star-Gazette: Wyalusing man who crossed state line with minor for sex gets prison Originally appeared on E! Online A Brazilian influencers life has been cut short. Ricardo Godoi, who garnered an online following for posting social media content about luxury cars, died on Jan. 20 at age 45 after going under general anesthesia to get a full back tattoo, according to the owner of the tattoo studio overseeing the procedure. What happened was that, at the beginning of the sedation and intubation, he went into cardiac arrest, the studio owner, who described Godoi as a great friend, told the Daily Mail in an interview published Jan. 22. That occurred before they even started tattooing him. He was quickly checked and a cardiologist was called in to try to revive him, unfortunately without success. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Godoi passed away at 12 p.m. local time, according to a tribute post shared on his official Instagram page. Today we say goodbye to Ricardo Godoi, the caption of the Jan. 20 post read via Portuguese translation, an incredible person who left his mark on the hearts of all who had the privilege of knowing him. More from E! Online The message went on to highlight how Godoiwhose social media bio indicated he was married at the time of his deathwill be remembered by those who knew him best. His joy, generosity and light will continue to be present in our memories and in every story he helped to build, the message continued. May he rest in peace. Our condolences to his family and friends. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement E! News has reached out to Godois family for comment but has not heard back. Instagram/Ricardo Godoi The tattoo studio gave details about the precautions taken before the incident in a separate statement to the Daily Mail. We hired a private hospital with all the staff, equipment and anesthetic drugs necessary for the safety of the procedure, the statement explained. We also hired a doctor with a specialism in anesthesiology and experience in intubation, whose documentation was approved by the hospital. And amid the shock of the internet personalitys death, his loved ones continue to grieve the untimely loss. I spoke to him in the morning, Godois friend Eduardo Razuk told the outlet. Unbelievable, none of us expected that. He's already in my prayers, Godoi was certainly an enlightened person. For the latest breaking news updates, click here to download the E! News App Former Tennessee state Sen. Brian Kelsey, R-Germantown, is again attempting avoid serving time in a new legal maneuver alleging prosecutors "coerced" false testimony from former state Rep. Jeremy Durham to build the case against him. The flurry of legal filings on Thursday, hundreds of pages of documents Kelsey argues is proof a judge should vacate his sentence altogether, comes just days after the U.S. Supreme Court rejected his appeal of his 21-month federal prison sentence. Kelsey has exhausted all of his appeals options. State Sen. Brian Kelsey, R-Germantown, recites the pledge of allegiance during a special session at State Capitol in Nashville, Tenn., Wednesday, Oct. 27, 2021. Andrew Nelles / The Tennessean Now, the former lawmaker alleges he has proof including audio Kelsey recorded of Durham that the prosecution's lead witnesses either lied in their testimony or later admitted Kelsey is innocent of the campaign finance scheme he once pleaded guilty to. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On Thursday, Kelsey asked the federal judge in his original case to vacate his sentence, in addition to allowing him to remain free until 30 days after his motion to vacate is decided. Kelsey has otherwise exhausted all of his appeals options. Related: State Sen. Brian Kelsey, Nashville club owner indicted in campaign finance conspiracy Kelsey submitted recordings of Durham, which are transcribed in part in the filings, that allege Durham "changed" his testimony against Kelsey after prosecutors were threatening [him] like hard core" to cooperate. Durham was granted immunity in the case in a prosecution deal. In filings, Kelsey told the court he purchased a handheld recorder on the way to meet Durham in November 2023 and recorded their conversation. He later recorded a phone call with Durham and Durham's wife last month. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Today is the first day since the recordings were made that Mr. Kelsey could legally present this new evidence to the Court," Kelsey's attorney Joy Longnecker said in response to a Tennessean question about why Kelsey revealed these recordings now. "His appeal concerned other issues, and he obtained the first recording in the middle of his appeal." Kelsey also alleges prosecutors withheld evidence from him in regards to another recording, this time from The Standard social club owner Joshua Smith, who pleaded guilty in the case and agreed to testify against Kelsey. The former lawmaker argues Smith, in a purported phone call partially recorded by an associate he was in a financial dispute with, claimed innocence in the Kelsey case. The associate allegedly sent the recording to prosecutors in August 2022, two months before Smith pleaded guilty in the case, according to Kelsey's new legal filing. In legal filings, Kelsey argues that Smith's private protestation of innocence "directly contradicts" his plea agreement made under oath months later. Kelsey said he decided to plead guilty after Smith's plea, and he would not have done so if he knew Smith had been proclaiming innocence on a secret recording. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Related: Nashville's private club with a PAC Kelsey initially pleaded guilty in November 2022 but months later tried to renege on the plea deal. The career civil, Georgetown-educated lawyer and a former chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee , whose Tennessee law license was suspended following his guilty plea, told a federal judge he should be released from the plea deal because he was unfamiliar with the criminal justice system. The argument fell flat in court, and he was sentenced to serve 21 months in prison. Following the sentencing, Kelsey filed a series of appeals in an attempt to take the case back to trial. The prosecution has not yet responded to Kelsey's Thursday filings. This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Kelsey asks judge to vacate sentence, files Durham secret recordings In North Dakota, former Cass County Sheriff's Deputy Darin Viken has been charged with six counts of misdemeanor disorderly conduct related to his role as coordinator of the county's 24-7 sobriety program. The program, which can be mandated as a condition of bond or probation for crimes in which drugs or alcohol played a part, requires daily drug and alcohol testing. Viken is accused of harassing women in the program. He was fired in July after the North Dakota Bureau of Criminal Investigation began its investigation. The post Brickbat: Sobering Allegations appeared first on Reason.com. Britain will not refer to the Gulf of Mexico as the Gulf of America despite Donald Trumps order for it to be renamed, The Telegraph understands. Britain will continue to call the body of water by its current name unless the new title ordered by Mr Trump gains widespread usage in English. The US president instructed the US Board on Geographic Names to change the gulfs name within hours of taking office on Monday, after arguing that the ocean basin was ours and the US did most of the work there. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The name will change on official maps in the US within 30 days. Some navigation apps, including Google Maps, are under pressure from Republicans to change it immediately. However, Mr Trump cannot change the name used by other countries or by international organisations because the gulf is an international body of water with coastlines in the US, Mexico and Cuba. The Telegraph understands the name will not change on official maps in Britain unless Gulf of America becomes the most commonly used name for it by English speakers. Officials believe that is not likely for some time, if at all. A source said the gulfs name cannot be universally changed by a single country and that the new name ordered by Mr Trump will not apply to UK products. Mr Trump instructed the US Board on Geographic Names to change the gulfs name within hours of taking office - Carlos Barria/Reuters The name change is likely to create controversy at the UN, which has an expert advisory panel on contested place names. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The UN refers to the Falkland Islands, the British name for the south Atlantic archipelago, but provides the Argentinian name Malvinas in brackets on official documents. Mexico has already objected to Mr Trumps decision, arguing that other countries will continue to refer to the 617,800 square mile ocean basin by its historical name. For us, it is still the Gulf of Mexico, and for the entire world it is still the Gulf of Mexico, said Claudia Sheinbaum, the Mexican president, on Tuesday. She previously joked that Mexico should refer to the US as Mexican America. Mr Trump first revealed his plans in a press conference on Jan 7, when he said the ocean body was ours Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He said: Were going to be changing the name of the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America, which has a beautiful ring that covers a lot of territory. What a beautiful name. And its appropriate and Mexico has to stop allowing millions of people to pour into our country. Clearwater Beach on the Gulf of Mexico coast in Florida - John Coletti/Getty Images Contributor On Monday, he issued an executive order within hours of taking office to change the official name used by the federal government. The order, titled Restoring names that honor American greatness, said that the gulf would play a pivotal role in shaping Americas future and would be renamed the Gulf of America in recognition of this flourishing economic resource and its critical importance to our Nations economy and its people. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In the same order, Mr Trump renamed Denali, North Americas tallest mountain, after William McKinley, the 25th US president. The mountain was historically known as Denali by the local Koyukon people in Alaska, but was renamed Mount McKinley by a gold prospector in 1896. The official name was changed back to Denali by the Obama administration in 2015, in recognition of its heritage and importance to native peoples. Mr Trump has now reversed that decision. The Telegraph understands that the UK will follow Mr Trump in renaming the mountain on official maps, since it is located entirely within the US and therefore within the jurisdiction of the US Department of the Interior. 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 BRITAIN, Conn. (WTNH) A New Britain teacher was allegedly placed on leave after refusing to remove a small crucifix from the wall near her desk, according to a press release from the First Lady Institute. Bridgeport Public Schools announces guidelines for protecting students during potential ICE raids Marisol Arroyo-Castro, who has taught in Connecticut public schools for 32 years, was allegedly told by her vice principal in December that she had to remove the crucifix from her desk or else she would be disciplined for insubordination. Arroyo-Castro claims she has had the crucifix on display for 10 years alongside other items like student artwork and a calendar. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement She is now on administrative leave and the school is considering whether or not to terminate her. Her attorneys call the incident a violation of the First and Fourteenth amendments, which state that people have freedom of speech and freedom to exercise religion. Not only that, the free speech clause says that if for example, if all the other teachers are allowed to put secular things in their personal workspace, then the school cannot ban religious items, Keisha Russell, senior counsel at First Lady Institute said. New Britain Superintendent Dr. Tony Gasper sent News 8 this statement: Recent claims regarding the Consolidated School District of New Britains actions toward a staff member are both inaccurate and misleading. To clarify, the matter involves the teachers decision to prominently display a religious symbola crucifixon the front wall of her public-school classroom, which violates both federal and state laws requiring public schools to remain neutral in religious matters, said Dr. Tony Gasper, Superintendent of Schools, New Britain, CT. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The placement of this symbol in a highly visible position in the classroom infringes on the religious freedoms of our diverse student population. This issue extends beyond the display of the crucifix. The teachers actions included incorporating her personal religious beliefs into her instruction, which led to concerns from students and staff of different faiths. Reports indicated that students in the classroom felt uncomfortable. Students and staff raised concerns about the environment being overly influenced by the teachers religious views. We will not allow any teacher to use their position of authority to impose their personal religious beliefs or infringe on the civil rights of our students, said Gasper. Our commitment is to ensure a learning environment where all students and staff feel respected and valued, regardless of their faith or beliefs. Over the past several weeks, the district has worked diligently to resolve the matter in a cooperative and collaborative manner, following legal guidance at every stage of this process. The teacher remains on paid administrative leave while discussions continue with her and the union. Despite repeated efforts, the teacher declined multiple opportunities to address the concerns in a manner that respected both her faith and the diverse religious beliefs of students in the classroom. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. JUBA, Jan. 23 (Xinhua) -- South Sudan has directed telecom companies to block access to social media for a maximum of three months, citing concerns over the dissemination of graphic content relating to the ongoing violence against South Sudanese in neighboring Sudan. As the country's communications industry regulator, the National Communication Authority (NCA) ordered all internet service providers and telecom operators to block access to all social media accounts, effective from Wednesday midnight. "This is culminating from the recent upheaval in Sudan that has exposed the South Sudanese population to unprecedented levels of extreme violence through social media posts," NCA Director General Napoleon Adok Gai said in a statement issued in Juba, the capital of South Sudan. Gai said the South Sudanese refugees in Wad Madani city of Sudan were targeted by violent attacks, which resulted in the deaths of women and children. These incidents were subsequently captured in videos and shared on social media without regard. Several South Sudanese have been angered by footage from Sudan that showed killings of South Sudanese nationals by the Sudan Armed Forces on Jan. 11, in Wad Madani. The footage sparked two days of deadly violent riots, particularly in Juba, Northern Bahr el Ghazal State, and Warrap State. The angry South Sudanese rioters attacked Sudanese-owned shops and looted goods, and also vandalized them, in revenge for the killings of South Sudanese nationals. The NCA said the social media ban is necessary to prevent the spread of violent content, particularly videos depicting brutal attacks on women and children which were widely shared on social media sites. Gai said the blockage of social media will last for a minimum of 30 days and the directives may be lifted as soon as the situation is contained. The contents depicted violate the country's local laws and pose a significant threat to public safety and mental health, especially to vulnerable groups, the official added. Telecom operators in South Sudan, including MTN, Zain, and Digitel, informed their subscribers that access to social media services through their internet connections has been suspended following the directive from the NCA. However, the drastic decision by the telecom industry regulator has been roundly condemned by some South Sudanese, who viewed the move as a violation of citizens' rights. Yar Mary, an online business owner, said the social media ban will affect communications between her and her clients. "This suspension of the social media sites will affect my business very badly, most communications with my clients are through social media, especially WhatsApp, and therefore if this ban continues, my business will collapse," she said. Javier Milei has accused Britain of locking up people who exposed crimes committed by immigrants. The Argentinian president channelled recent claims by Elon Musk as he gave a speech at the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, Switzerland, suggesting that woke-ism has distorted the issue of immigration. He said: Is it not true that right now as we speak, in the UK, citizens are being imprisoned for exposing horrifying crimes committed by Muslim migrants? Crimes that the Government seeks to conceal? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Mr Milei a former economist who campaigned for the presidency wielding a chainsaw to demonstrate his cost-cutting plans gave no further detail on the cases he was referring to. However, it follows repeated interventions by Mr Musk on behalf of people locked up during last summers rioting for social media posts inciting violence. Mr Musk has also wrongly claimed that Tommy Robinson, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, a convicted criminal who founded the English Defence League, is a political prisoner. Mr Milei was pictured last year with the billionaire X owner and has praised him in the past. Argentinas president, who attended the inauguration of Donald Trump as US president this week, accused delegates at the event in Davos, Switzerland, of being the ideologues of [woke] barbarity. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He said: Havent we heard only recently how certain European leading authorities and quite reddish, I should say actually have made open appeals to censorship? Actually, there is no censorship but rather this idea that you need to silence those who dont partake in the woke ideology? And what kind of society can woke-ism create? A society that replaces the free exchange of goods and services with the arbitrary redistribution of wealth at gunpoint. In a sprawling address, Mr Milei also defended the innocent hand gesture made by Mr Musk at the inauguration, which many compared to a Nazi salute. Mr Milei has defended the innocent hand gesture made by Mr Musk at the inauguration, which has been compared to a Nazi salute - ANGELA WEISS/AFP Mr Milei told the WEF in Davos that his dear friend Musk has been unfairly vilified by woke-ism in recent hours for an innocent gesture that only means ... his gratitude to the people. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Argentinian leader praised Musk and other Right-wing leaders such as Mr Trump, Benjamin Netanyahu, the Israeli prime minister; Giorgia Meloni, the Italian prime minister; Viktor Orban, the Hungarian prime minister; and Nayib Bukele, El Salvadors president. He said: Slowly, an international alliance has been formed of all those nations that want to be free and that believe in the ideas of freedom. Woke-isms first strategy is to discredit those of us who challenge these things, first by labelling us and then by silencing us. If youre white you must be racist, if youre a man you must be a misogynist or part of a patriarchy. If youre rich you must be a cruel capitalist. If youre heterosexual you must be heteronormative or homophobic or transphobic. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For every challenge they have a label and then they try to suppress you by force or by legal means. Because beneath the rhetoric that they so often preach what truly lies is their blatant desire to eliminate dissent, criticism and ultimately freedom so they can continue to uphold a model in which they are the main beneficiaries. A government spokesman said: This government is absolutely committed to freedom of speech which already exists in law for education providers. However, we have been clear that individuals posting hateful, illegal content should know this will be met with a robust law enforcement response. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Which is why were taking action so social media platforms remove illegal content - including illegal mis- and disinformation and hateful content - protecting our communities from harm spread online. 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. Telegraph readers have weighed in on Spains new tax plans that would effectively ban British people from buying holiday homes. The reform would charge non-EU citizens who are not resident in the country a 100pc tax when buying property. Spains socialist prime minister, Pedro Sanchez, accused foreigners from outside the EU of purchasing the properties not to live in them, but to speculate. The Left-wing leader has also this week gone further and suggested Spain could ban anyone from outside the EU from buying properties. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The majority of Telegraph readers say that the policies wont help Spains housing crisis and argue that they could backfire. Many believe rural areas will struggle and that tourism, particularly from Britain, is essential for supporting the countrys economy. We are an easy target Some commenters insist that this drastic measure targets British buyers and could harm tourism-dependent communities in Spain. Reader Alyson Silcox, who owns a Spanish coastal holiday home, says she cannot see the sense in this proposal: We never rent out our home. Were not trying to make a quick buck. The view from Alyson Silcoxs Spanish holiday home - Alyson Silcox Silcox continues: The property tax is not a sensible move by the [Spanish] government. Theyve picked non-EU citizens, mainly British, because they can. We are an easy target, but they will soon realise they have shot themselves in the foot. We do a lot of activities here. We go out, socialise, and spend money. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Steven OSullivan agrees that British buyers significantly contribute to Spains economy and suggests this property tax seems to be directly targeting them. If the measure was for all non-nationals I think I could get on board. As an EU citizen, the measure will not affect me but it is an interesting move, he says. An anonymous reader, who lives in Spain, argues that housebuilding for sale to foreigners brings huge employment and inward investment. The fact is that many lower-earning Spanish could never afford property in tourist areas, so its up to Sanchezs government to provide affordable housing. If Sanchez kills the property market many Spanish people wont be able to afford any housing. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Similarly, Karen Woodward highlights that rural southern Spain is full of half empty villages and will struggle to survive without expats from the UK and EU countries. Woodward says: There are abandoned houses all over the countryside. The work is agricultural, cement and stone factories and seasonal tourism. Without outsiders coming to live there and tourism some of these places will die. This is just another raid on peoples pockets to pay for more socialist largess Many readers suggest that Spains property tax proposals will have little effect on the housing crisis unless other issues, such as in the construction industry, are addressed first. Walt Middle says: I live in Spain and there is no housing crisis. Spaniards dont want villas with pools. They want apartments in towns. This is just another raid on peoples pockets to pay for more socialist largess. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement James Neale says: The housing problem in Spain is of their own making. The construction industry in southern Spain does not build houses for Spanish residents. It builds overpriced apartments and expensive villas for tourists who will stay for a few weeks and eat out most of the time. The Spanish government needs to encourage the industry to build homes for local people that are affordable and they can live in comfortably all year round, he adds. Protesters in Barcelona have rallied against the impact of millions of visitors on locals quality of life - Bruna Casas/REUTERS Similarly, Edmund Blackadder argues: Like the UK, people cant afford the house or flat they want in the area they want to live in. He continues: Stopping expats buying holiday flats or houses in holiday resorts wont make any difference to young people who think they should be able to get what they want in downtown Barcelona or Palma at a price theyre willing to pay. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Brian Brownlee describes how he has noticed half-built skeletons of buildings have been left all over the country. These abandoned building sites with rubbish and weeds growing in them are quite ghastly. Local authorities seem unable or unwilling to deal with these extremely common phenomena. They complain about the shortage of housing for Spaniards, but when they actually complete the building of housing estates, there is hardly any infrastructure in them: no shops, no schools, nothing. So for whom have they been constructed? Not for normal local people with families, thats for sure. People should not be buying holiday homes Some readers support the motion, pointing out that Spain is tackling a significant housing affordability problem and these measures could deter foreign buyers and free up housing for local residents. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Andy Sandon argues that Spain is correct to take this action. He explains: When a country has a housing crisis, people should not be buying second and third homes, or holiday homes there. We should apply a similar law on foreign buyers here in the UK. Perry Mills agrees: Good for Spain. Too bad our political parties are too spineless to implement a similar policy here. Only UK citizens should be allowed to buy homes and residential properties in the UK. Having just sold his house in Mallorca due to the increase in tourists and foreign buyers, reader Andrew Lapping says that Palma especially has reached breaking point. It has become so gridlocked in the summer, its almost a no-go area with a car, he adds. Many locals are moving to other areas as a result. Lapping also emphasises that property prices in Spain have boomed, which is also pushing locals to move further away from cities: My house has almost doubled in value in five years and I sold it within 24 hours of marketing it to a German family. 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. British royal finances were often in the spotlight in 2024, and 2025 looks set to be no different. This April, the amount they receive from the British public purse will increase to a record 132 million as campaigners are poised to challenge royal funding. The Sovereign Grantthe amount paid to the monarchy by the U.K.s Treasuryis increasing by 45 million to 132 million this year in a move that looks set to see royal finances spark more debate. Campaigners have described the rise as scandalous at a time when the UK government is struggling to find money for other things. This is public money, all of this money comes from the government, at a time when the government is not able to properly fund schools, hospitals policeIt is scandalous, CEO of Republic Graham Smith said. Not only should it not be going up at all, it should be going down. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When the increase was announced last year, Buckingham Palace made it clear that much of the additional money would be put towards the 369 million fixed cost of the Buckingham Palace renovations. However, they declined to say specifically how much of the 132 million (worth more than $162 million USD as of January) would be allocated towards the construction work. I think you always have to put this into perspective and say that in terms of the whole government budget the cost of the royal family is a drop in the ocean, said journalist Richard Palmer, who has been writing about the royals for 20 years. But its an important headline-grabbing moment when the amount that the royal family is going to be given is announced. The rise, particularly this year, has raised quite a few eyebrows. As well as their public funding facing scrutiny, the King and Prince of Waless private incomes from the Duchies of Lancaster and Cornwall are also set to be challenged further this year. The Duchies were the subject of Dispatches documentary The King, The Prince and Their Secret Millions in November, which revealed that they are charging the NHS, armed forces and charities rent to generate private income for the royals. In 2025 were going to be launching a campaign to have the Duchies abolished, Graham Smith said. I think that the Dispatches documentary really hit a nerve, I think people were really quite angry about it. The Duchies are land and property portfolios that provide the sovereign and heir with an income. The Duchy of Lancaster paid the King 27.4 million in the last financial year and the Duchy of Cornwall paid the Prince of Wales 23.6 million. This is considered to be private money, but conventionally they spend it on a mixture of public and private expense. However, campaigners argue that the Duchies belong to the State and that the money should go to the Treasury for the public good. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In recent years the number of working royals has reduced with the deaths of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip and the stepping back of Prince Harry and Meghan and Prince Andrew. The number of working royals is unlikely to increase again for several years until Prince William and Kates children are old enough to carry out engagements. The days of the royal family doing three and a half thousand engagements a year are now long gone, so the public is getting less for their money, Richard Palmer said. I do think that the monarchy in general does a good job for the country and is part of the glue that binds us all together but that doesnt mean that as an institution, as individuals, they should be able to avoid criticism. They are not above scrutiny. You Might Also Like The UK is sending submarine-hunting aircraft to participate in a new NATO operation in the Baltic Sea. The operation is a response to recent incidents in which several undersea cables were damaged. The damage came amid an increase in threats to critical underwater infrastructure. The UK will be deploying submarine-hunting aircraft in support of a new NATO operation. The aircraft will fly patrols above the Baltic Sea and monitor threats to underwater infrastructure. Last week, NATO announced the start of a mission called Baltic Sentry to boost its military presence in the Baltic Sea. The operation came in response to a suspected hybrid attack in late December that ultimately damaged several underwater cables. Britain's defense ministry said on Wednesday that the UK will provide P-8 Poseidon and RC-135 Rivet Joint maritime patrol and surveillance aircraft to the Baltic Sentry initiative. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The P-8 is a multi-mission patrol aircraft made by Boeing that can be equipped with torpedoes and anti-ship missiles and perform maritime reconnaissance and anti-submarine missions. The highly capable sub-hunter, a derivative of the civilian 737, was developed for the US Navy but is also in service with NATO allies. The UK operates nine of these planes at Lossiemouth, a Royal Air Force base in Scotland. A Royal Air Force RC-135 Rivet Joint approaches a KC-135 Stratotanker for fuel over Poland in October. US Air Force photo by Senior Airman Christopher Campbell The British aircraft will complement other maritime assets deployed in support of Baltic Sentry, such as frigates and a small fleet of naval drones, to protect critical undersea infrastructure, which NATO officials, military leaders, and expert observers say is very vulnerable to sabotage. In late December, Finland accused a commercial vessel believed to be part of Russia's so-called "shadow fleet" of dragging its anchor for miles along the seabed, damaging a Finnish-Estonian power line and four telecom cables. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement There have been other instances of suspected sabotage linked to Russia, which has been actively engaged in hybrid warfare attacks against NATO, especially since the start of the Ukraine war. Earlier this month, the British government said that it deployed a UK-led reaction system to track potential threats to undersea infrastructure and monitor the shadow fleet. NATO followed up these efforts with the launch of Baltic Sentry. US Army General Christopher Cavoli, the Supreme Allied Commander Europe, said last week that "Baltic Sentry will deliver focused deterrence throughout the Baltic Sea and counter destabilizing acts like those observed last month." An Estonian naval ship sails in the Baltic Sea in January as part of an increased NATO presence in the region. AP Photo/Hendrik Osula Critical underwater infrastructure can be easily damaged by crude and sophisticated means. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Russia has a fleet of spy ships, special-mission submarines, and naval drones capable of targeting underwater infrastructure, and NATO has expressed concern about their activities, particularly those tied to the General Staff Main Directorate for Deep Sea Research, or GUGI. In recent years, NATO has detected an uptick in threats and warned that Moscow is developing capabilities for underwater combat. The range of threats demands NATO keep an eye on both surface vessels and undersea assets. On Wednesday, UK Defense Secretary John Healey revealed that British forces had caught a Russian spy ship hanging around critical undersea infrastructure twice in recent months. It previously surfaced a sub next to it to send a message. NATO allies have taken some steps to address the growing threat, such as testing new technologies, announcing increased patrols over the North Atlantic, and collaborating to protect critical undersea infrastructure like cables. Read the original article on Business Insider MORRIS COUNTY, Texas (KTAL/KMSS) Morris County is one of 24 Texas counties chosen to receive funding in the second round of the Bringing Online Opportunities to Texas Program, better known as BOOT. According to Texas Comptroller Glenn Hegars office, $701.9 million in awards were announced on Wednesday. The second round, or BOOT II, aims to continue enhancing broadband access for rural and underserved communities statewide. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hegars office says the BOOT initiative is funded partly by the federal Coronavirus Capital Projects Fund and supplemented by voter-approved state revenue. More Texas News This historic investment will ensure that reliable, high-speed broadband critical to health care, education and economic development is available to every person in these counties, Hegar said. The counties selected for this program demonstrated a pressing need for broadband infrastructure investment, and this program will provide vital assistance to help these communities access essential online resources. The grant money is being administered by the Comptrollers Broadband Development Office and agreements totaling $424.6 million have been finalized to cover projects in 13 of the 24 selected counties during BOOTs second round. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Morris County is one of the 13 counties where a broadband infrastructure project will occur. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. At least two people who pleaded guilty for their roles in the Jan. 6, 2021, riot at the U.S. Capitol say they dont want pardons for what they did, with one saying President Donald Trump can shove his pardon up his a**. I am guilty of the crimes I have committed and accept the consequences, Jason Riddle, who was sentenced to 90 days in jail for two misdemeanor offenses, told ABC News. Riddle of New Hampshire admitted to drinking pilfered wine and stealing a book on Senate procedure from the Capitol during the 2021 violence. At the time of the attack, he said he was an obsessor of Trump and struggling with alcohol. His probation included him attending alcoholic treatment. Jason Riddle was sentenced to 90 days in jail for two misdemeanor offenses. He admitted to drinking wine that he found in the Capitol and stealing a book. Justice.gov It is thanks to those consequences I now have a happy and fruitful existence, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I dont need to obsess over a narcissistic bully to feel better about myself, he said. Trump can shove his pardon up his ass. Pamela Hemphill, a 71-year-old woman from Idaho who was publicly branded MAGA Granny after her participation in the events, also said she would refuse Trumps pardon. Im not going to take it. I gotta do some research on who to contact to refuse it, she told KGW8. The message is, if I took a pardon, that what I did that day was OK, she said. They were criminals. They broke the law. I broke the law. Pay the price. Pam Hemphill is seen on the steps of the Idaho Capitol in 2020. Hemphill served two months in prison after participating in the 2021 attack. Idaho Statesman via Getty Images The U.S. Supreme Court ruled in U.S. v. Wilson back in 1833 that a presidential pardon may be rejected by the person to whom it is tendered. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement And if it be rejected, we have discovered no power in a court to force it on him, Chief Justice John Marshall wrote at the time. Hemphill served two months in a federal prison in 2022 as part of a plea deal after prosecutors said she pushed past police barriers and rallied other rioters to follow her lead. Just come on it. What are you doing, just get in here. Its your house, she hollered, as seen in video she took of the events. She said she fully believed that the election had been stolen from Trump and that if enough people fought back, he would stay in office. Now I know it was a cult, and I was in a cult, she told The New York Times. Related... WASHINGTON Brooke Rollins, President Donald Trumps pick for Agriculture Secretary, stood behind the presidents proposals for mass deportations and tariffs even as she acknowledged they could make life harder for farmers. But she told senators at her nomination hearing Thursday that she will find ways to cushion the blows. Trump believes tariffs are a very important tool in his toolkit to continue to bring America back to the forefront of the world, and to ensure that we have a thriving economy, Rollins said. But just as he did and we did in the first administration, he also understands the potential devastating impact to our farmers and our ranchers. So I fully understand and we are prepared to do something similar to ensure that we can close those holes moving forward under any sort of tariff execution. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump has threatened to levy 25% tariffs on China, Mexico and Canada. Mexico is Texas biggest trading partner and one of the states biggest agricultural export markets, along with Canada. Texas farmers bore the consequences of Trumps tariffs against China in 2018, which were met with retaliatory tariffs by Beijing on cotton, corn and sorghum, some of Texas biggest exports. The Trump White House allocated aid at the time for the agriculture sector to weather some of the losses resulting from the tariffs. Democrats on the committee noted that several farmers said during the last Trump administration that they would prefer trade, not aid and to open up overseas markets. Rollins said she would work with the U.S. Trade Representative and others in the administration to make sure farmers are protected amid tariffs. Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Illinois, also pointed out that 40% of agriculture workers in the country are undocumented. Rollins didnt dispute the industrys reliance on undocumented labor but defended Trumps plans for mass deportations. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Listen, the presidents vision of a secure border and a mass deportation at a scale that matters is something I support, Rollins said. That is my commitment to help deploy President Trumps agenda in an effective way. Numerous Democrats asked how farms could operate with so much of the labor force deported. Rollins repeatedly said she would work with Trumps Department of Labor to make sure none of these farms or dairy producers are put out of business. She said reforming the H-2A temporary agricultural worker visa could fill the labor gap. She pointed out that Trump has been very clear that this first round will be aimed at, as you mentioned, those who have committed crimes. Rollins, a native of Glen Rose, is one of Trumps less controversial nominations. The Agriculture Committee, which is largely bipartisan, will vote at a future meeting on advancing her nomination to the full Senate, who will vote on her confirmation. Rollins currently leads the America First Policy Institute, a conservative think tank closely linked to Trump. She previously served as CEO of the Texas Public Policy Foundation, one the most prominent conservative think tanks in Texas. The group has had an outsized influence on the national stage with several of its alumni gaining prominence in national conservative circles. Rollins said she modeled the America First Policy Institute off of TPPF. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement At TPPF, we fundamentally redefined the mission of a think tank from just having ideas or writing about them in white papers to actually effectually changing policy for the people of our state, Rollins said. We engaged strongly during those 15 years with Texas rural and small town communities, giving them a voice in government that was too often denied. Rollins vowed to dedicate the first 100 days as secretary to pushing out disaster aid to farmers reeling from recent natural disasters, including droughts, hurricanes and heatwaves. Congress passed a disaster relief package in December that included over $3 billion expected to go to Texas agriculture sector. She portrayed a farming environment beleaguered by high input costs and market uncertainty. It will be a fast and furious effort to make sure we move that economic aid out, Rollins said. She also agreed with Democrats on the committee that the trend of farms being bought up by multinational corporations at the expense of smaller farms should be reversed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We have to find a better way, and it can't come always through government subsidies. We've got to expand the market, Rollins said. Rollins vowed to support food assistance and nutrition programs that make up the lion's share of federal spending on agriculture such as SNAP. She said she was fully aware and have a heart for this work, but added it is imperative to ensure those taxpayer dollars go to intended recipients and are spent efficiently. Democrats and Republicans in Congress have been divided on implementing more stringent work requirements for SNAP. Food assistance programs like SNAP make up an overwhelming majority of spending under the Farm Bill, a mammoth legislative package normally passed every five years. Congress has punted for over a year on renewing the Farm Bill, with work and nutrition requirements for SNAP remaining a fissure. Almost all SNAP participants are already required to work unless they have extraordinary circumstances such as childcare and eldercare. Rollins called work requirements important and said she would commit to working with Democrats to make sure they are implemented fairly. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Agriculture Department manages a wide-reaching portfolio. In addition to the nations farming, the department also oversees rural development in areas including health care and housing. Sen. Tina Smith, a Democrat from Minnesota, feared that USDAs rural development program, a little understood branch of the agency that is involved in rural issues ranging from housing to health care, could be gutted as part of Trumps government efficiency push. Government efficiency is a top priority of the Trump White House, with the newly minted Department of Government Efficiency led by Elon Musk set on cutting billions of dollars in federal spending. Rollins said she appreciated that rural development went beyond agriculture and that revivifying, restoring and bringing back rural America was one of the programs she was most excited about, including supporting housing and education for rural Americans. Under her leadership, TPPF opposed biofuels, which are made from agriculture products and are a major priority for agriculture interests that crosses party lines. Asked by Sen. Amy Klobuchar, the top Democrat on the Agriculture Committee, about the organizations post opposition, Rollins acknowledged that the group has historically supported the states oil and gas industry, which at times competes with biofuel production. But she said she was open to supporting the biofuels industry, as is Trump. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Klobuchar asked about Rollins familys financial interests in the oil and gas industry, which Rollins had to disclose as part of her nomination. Rollins insisted that anyone that has ever worked with me will tell you, even to the detriment of organizations I have run, detriment financially to my potential family, that I have never, not ever made a decision based on financial interests, ever. Neither of Texas two senators serve on the Senate Agriculture Committee. But both Sens. John Cornyn and Ted Cruz introduced Rollins at Thursdays hearing, calling her a no-brainer. Both have known Rollins for decades going back to her time in the Texas governors office and leading the Texas Public Policy Foundation. She's proven herself to be a leader, she's proven herself to be an innovative policy thinker, and she's proven herself able to bring people together to accomplish major objectives, Cruz said. Everybody who knows Brooke Rollins loves Brooke Rollins, and you will, too, said Cornyn. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement During the first Trump administration, Rollins worked in the White House as director of the Domestic Policy Council and as assistant to the president for strategic initiatives. In that role, she worked with both Democrats and Republicans in Congress to pass the First Step Act, a bipartisan criminal justice reform bill that was signed into law in 2018 an experience that she highlighted to show that she was eager to work with members of both parties at USDA. Rollins previously served as policy director to former Gov. Rick Perry, where her portfolio included agriculture policy. Several Republican governors endorsed Rollins nomination including Gov. Greg Abbott, in a letter earlier this month. Simply put, there are few better qualified than Secretary-designate Brooke Leslie Rollins to understand and engage state concerns, state priorities, and state action, the governors wrote. Texas is a leading agricultural state, with over 230,662 farms covering 125.5 million acres. The majority of Texas agriculture is in meat, with over half of the industrys market value roughly $15 billion worth being in beef production, according to the Texas Department of Agriculture. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Rollins mother is state Rep. Helen Kerwin, who represents state House district 58 based in Cleburne and Rollins jokingly referred to as the oldest freshman legislator in Texas history. Kerwin was in the audience during Thursdays hearing and took advantage of her trip to Washington to talk with senators about PFAS, chemicals often used in water resistant materials that have been linked to cancer. Rollins graduated from Texas A&M and the University of Texas Law School. Disclosure: Texas Public Policy Foundation has been a financial supporter 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. A Brookline man is accused of using Snapchat to lure several young children in multiple states to send him explicit and degrading photographs and videos of themselves, the U.S. Attorney said Thursday. Scott Cunha, 24, was ordered held pending a detention hearing on Jan. 29 after appearing in federal court in Boston on Thursday, following his arrest at his home in Brookline, U.S. Attorney Leah Foley said in a statement. Cunha is charged with recruiting a 15-year-old child to produce and send him child pornography. He is due back in court on Wednesday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Cunha formerly worked for the Town of Brookline as a youth swim coach and lifeguard, according to his LinkedIn profile and town payroll records. The towns recreation director said in an email Thursday that Cunha is not currently an employee of the Brookline Recreation Department/the Town of Brookline and has not been for over 2.5 years. Today the Town of Brookline was made aware of the arrest of former part-time employee, Scott Cunha, employed with the Town from September 2019 to July 2022. We have no evidence at this time that the circumstances of this case are related to his employment, Town of Brookline spokesperson Christina Metcalf said in a statement on Thursday afternoon. We understand this news may be concerning to our community, and our thoughts are especially with those who have been harmed. As this is an ongoing, federally led investigation, we must refer further inquiries on this specific case to the FBI, Metcalf said. At least a dozen potential minor victims of Cunha have been identified so far, and an investigation is ongoing, prosecutors said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Prosecutors allege that Cunha victimized children in Massachusetts, Connecticut, New Jersey, Indiana, Michigan, Missouri, and Alabama. Federal investigators in their report detailed graphic and disturbing electronic communications between Cunha and the children he is accused of sexually exploiting. Ur a slut thats why have u round not looking for forever or love just obedience and nudes, Cunha is alleged to have messaged one of the young victims, court documents show. According to the complaint, from at least 2022 to 2024, Cunha communicated over Snapchat with multiple minor children between 10 and 16 years old from across the country. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Cunha met up with at least one minor victim, according to the complaint. One of the alleged victims, an Indiana girl, was 10 or 11 when Cunha began communicating with her, court documents show. Another, in Massachusetts, was just 13. Yet another, in Connecticut, was 15. Using Snapchat, prosecutors said Cunha enticed victims to send him child pornography -- explicit and degrading videos of themselves -- and offered to pay the children money in exchange for meeting up with him in person and engaging in sex acts with him. On May 2, 2023, Cunha asked one of the victims, a 15-year-old Connecticut girl, How much her price would be for irl stuff and told her that he would make time for her whenever she was ready to see him irl, court documents show. He also reminded her that for kinkier stuff the more Ill pay. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Cunha allegedly discussed prices for when he met with the minor, and specifically discussed the amount of money it would cost Cunha for the girl to engage in certain sex acts, including anal sex, with him, investigators said in their report. The girls cell phone showed multiple incoming and outgoing calls with Cunha during May 2023. Investigators said the conversations ranged from 24 seconds to 56 minutes. Cunha also initiated Facetime video calls with the girl on multiple occasions throughout May 2023. Cunhas CashApp records revealed that he paid the girl on multiple occasions from May 4, 2023 through May 8, 2023, investigators said. The accused child predator also directed a 14-year-old girl in Indiana to run to the bathroom and send him nude pictures from school on multiple occasions, investigators said in their report. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Cunha allegedly directed the girl to send pictures of herself playing with her breasts, degrading herself, and calling herself a worthless slut, investigators said. In another instance, after Cunha directed the girl to send him a pornographic video of herself, He told her to degrade herself and then specifically suggested a way in which she could do that. The girl replied, I dont want to Im stressed and Im sad. On June 26, 2023, the girl told Cunha that sending him pictures all day was affecting her mental health, that she had major depression and that she was uncomfortable, investigators said. Anyone who believes they may be a victim or know a victim related to this case is urged to call 617-748-3274. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Brookline town officials also encouraged potential victims to call Brookline Police at 617-730-2222. Town officials in their statement also provided additional resources available 24/7: The National Center for Missing and Exploited Childrens CyberTipline or 1-800-THE-LOST (1-800-843-5678); Childhelp USA National Child Abuse Hotline: 1-800-422-4453 and My Life My Choice. If convicted, Cunha faces a minimum mandatory sentence of 15 years in prison, with a maximum sentence of life in prison, at least five years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. 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 A man was fatally beaten in an apparent robbery on Tuesday, Jan. 21, in Brooklyn, N.Y., the New York Police Department confirmed with PEOPLE. Michael Shelonchik, 53, was found dead in the back of a taxi in the Coney Island neighborhood of Brooklyn. At around 6 p.m., the NYPD received a call that in front of 532 Neptune Avenue, a male victim was attacked by two unidentified individuals who opened the backseat door and began punching the victim." The individuals forcibly removed the victim's chain from his neck and fled on foot, per the NYPD. After the attack, Shelonchik appeared to have suffered a medical episode. EMS transported him to Maimonides Medical Center, where he was pronounced deceased. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner will determine the cause of death. An investigation into the assault is ongoing. The NYPD said the two suspects are believed to be in their 20s with a dark complexion. One was last seen wearing a black hooded coat, blue sweatpants, and white sneakers, and the other individual was wearing a black hooded coat, black pants, and black sneakers. Both males were wearing balaclavas, per NYPD. Related: Man Beaten to Death While Trying to Save Dog Allegedly Being Beaten by Suspect: Reports Getty Stock image of a NYPD patrol car Stock image of a NYPD patrol car Im a widow . Guys . No im sorry just please pray for me . Ive been married since 1994, Shelonchiks wife, Jennifer, posted to Facebook on Wednesday, Jan. 22. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement His daughter Taylor, 27, told the New York Post that her father was born and raised in N.Y.C. "He knew the streets like the back of his hands. Never in life could we imagine something like this could happen to him, she said, describing her dad as a father every girl could dream of. It sounds cliche, but it is true, Taylor added. I feel like you only hear stories about these types of people because just the good die young. He was everything to us. He did everything for us. He was a sole provider, the sole emotional rock, the sole everything. Getty Stock image of police tape Stock image of police tape Related: 80-Year-Old Military Veteran Is Brutally Beaten to Death by Former Teacher in Parking Dispute: Police Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I am going to miss him more than... this is indescribable, she continued. I was just saying to my grandma. I dont know how to live without him. Hes my life. He taught me everything I know. I speak the way I speak because of him. I walk the way I walk because of him. I talk the way I talk because of him ," Taylor told the Post. "Its like somebody took my crutches from beneath me and Im just left with broken legs and I have to learn how to walk." Her sister, Lexi, 20, said she is speechless by the news of her fathers death. 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. Anyone with information regarding this incident can call Crime Stoppers at 800-577-TIPS (for Spanish, dial 888-57-PISTA), submit tips online at crimestoppers.nypdonline.org, or on X (formerly Twitter) @NYPDTips. The N.Y.C. Office of Chief Medical Examiner did not immediately respond to PEOPLEs request for more information on Wednesday. Read the original article on People BINGHAMTON, N.Y. (WIVT/WBGH) Broome County Clerk Joe Mihalko has pledged his support for a former Binghamton Mayor looking to succeed him in the position. On Thursday, Mihalko endorsed Rich David as the next Broome County Clerk. Rich Davids extensive record of public service and his experience as a small business owner make him uniquely qualified to serve as Broome County Clerk, said Mihalko. The Clerks Office is a management and administrative role that requires strong leadership, efficiency, and a dedication to serving the public without politics. Having led the office myself, I know what it takes to succeed in this role. Rich is the only candidate with the administrative expertise, public service background, and results-driven leadership to move the office forward in a way that will benefit both residents and visitors. I am proud to endorse him as my successor. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Mihalko was first elected County Clerk in 2017. He announced his retirement earlier this month. Rich David announces candidacy for Broome County Clerk David served two terms as Binghamton Mayor before leaving at the end of 2021 due to term limits. Before that, he served as Deputy Mayor for Rich Bucci and worked as the Communications Director for SUNY Broome. David also ran for a seat in the New York 52nd Senate District in 2022. I am honored and humbled to receive the endorsement and full support of Broome County Clerk Joe Mihalko, said David. Over the last eight years, Joe has transformed the Clerks Office, expanding services, and improving public access. No one knows better than Joe the skills and qualifications necessary to lead this office effectively. I am grateful for his service and look forward to working with him to ensure a smooth transition. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement David will officially kick off his campaign with an announcement event at the Old Union Hotel in Binghamton on February 12. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. ISLAMABAD, Jan. 23 (Xinhua) -- Pakistan's Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Ahsan Iqbal said that the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) is a testament to the enduring friendship and shared vision nurtured by Pakistan and China over decades. Speaking at a ceremony here on Wednesday to celebrate the forthcoming Chinese New Year and to recognize the contributions of 30 outstanding Chinese staff working on CPEC projects in Pakistan, Iqbal said that CPEC represents a roadmap for sustainable development, mutual growth, and prosperity, not only for the two nations but for the entire region. Highlighting the contributions of the Chinese staff, Iqbal praised their dedication, technical expertise, and relentless hard work, which have been instrumental in transforming ambitious projects into tangible realities. "From energy generation and infrastructure development to logistics and technology, your efforts have been crucial in overcoming challenges and ensuring the successful completion of numerous landmark initiatives," he said. Launched in 2013, CPEC, a flagship project of the Belt and Road Initiative, connects Gwadar Port in Pakistan with Kashgar in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. While the first phase focused on energy, transport, and industrial cooperation, the second phase expands into areas such as agriculture and livelihoods. Discussing the second phase, Iqbal noted that it will unlock immense opportunities, modernize agriculture, digitize industries, drive economic diversification, create millions of jobs, and enhance Pakistan's global competitiveness. Chinese Ambassador to Pakistan Jiang Zaidong also addressed the gathering, expressing confidence in Pakistan's economic growth under the government's leadership and with the collective efforts of its people. "The cooperation and partnership between China and Pakistan will continue to progress steadily, fostering lasting development," he added. The event featured vibrant traditional dances by both Chinese and Pakistani performers, showcasing the rich cultural heritage of the two nations. The audience showed keen interest in the performances and expressed gratitude to China for its pivotal role in strengthening Pakistan-China relations. A special recognition segment was held during the ceremony to honor the best-performing Chinese companies involved in CPEC projects. Certificates of excellence and souvenirs were presented to acknowledge their outstanding contributions. VINCO, Pa. A Brownstown Borough man faces criminal charges after he accidentally shot himself while intoxicated and caring for two children, authorities said. West Hills Regional police charged Alduquan Nyran Murphy Johnson, 37, of Home Street, with illegally possessing a firearm, endangering the welfare of children, reckless endangerment and disorderly conduct. According to a complaint affidavit, police were called Dec. 24 to a Home Street residence for what Cambria County 911 said was a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Johnson and a woman allegedly were each trying to take possession of a handgun when Johnson grabbed the weapon. He accidentally shot himself when he attempted to place the gun into his waistband, the affidavit said. The woman unloaded the .22 caliber semi-automatic handgun before police arrived. Johnson was allegedly found sitting on the bed with a gunshot wound to the upper right thigh, the handgun lying next to him and a .22 caliber shell casing on the floor, the affidavit said. A West End Ambulance crew treated Johnson, who they said was highly intoxicated. Police said Johnson is a convicted felon from New Jersey. He will answer the criminal charges before District Judge Mary Ann Zanghi, of Vinco. LORAIN, Ohio (WJW) A Brunswick City School District worker who pleaded guilty Thursday to a felony wiretapping charge will keep her job. Leann Alferio, 43, of Brunswick, was indicted in February 2024 in Lorain County court on a fourth-degree felony count of interception of wire, oral or electronic communications, court records show. Man killed in I-77 crash in Green was local coach Alferio was arrested in December 2023 and placed on leave from her role in the district as a special education coordinator, FOX 8 News previously reported. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The incident was unrelated to school district business, Superintendent Jason Niedermeyer said told FOX 8 News in a statement issued Thursday, adding that Alferio will keep her job. The Brunswick City School District is aware that one of our employees, Ms. Leann Alferio, Coordinator of Special Education, has an open pending legal matter that is unrelated to school district business. Ms. Alferio was placed on administrative leave originally so that the District would have time and space to understand what occurred. With the safety of our students and staff remaining our number one concern, we have determined that Ms. Alferio can continue to work and support our special education program and its students. The District continues to monitor this situation in the event that it impacts school district business. Brunswick City School District Superintendent Jason Niedermeyer Alferio was set for trial on Thursday, Jan. 23, but instead pleaded guilty to the charge, court records show. Woman gets life in prison for fatal shooting in Akron bar bathroom In December, Alferios attorneys requested an intervention for Alferio in lieu of a conviction. She was ordered to report to adult probation workers for a drug and alcohol evaluation and treatment within 14 days, court records show. Alferio is due for sentencing on April 30, court officials told FOX 8 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 Fox 8 Cleveland WJW. BRUSHTON, N.Y. (WWTI) A 39-year-old Brushton man is facing a plethora of charges after an alleged domestic incident on the evening on January 20. Just before 11 p.m. Monday, Troopers responded to Washington Street in the village of Brushton for a report of a physical domestic dispute. An investigation determined Joshua Villnave, and the alleged victim were involved in a verbal argument which later turned physical, while a child was present in the residence. NYSP seeking help in alleged larceny case at Watertown Best Buy Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement During the altercation, Villnave allegedly struck the victim in the face and presented a knife, making threatening remarks towards the victim. A further investigation determined there is an order of protection in place protecting the victim from Villnave. Here are the following charges that state police levied against Villnave: First-degree criminal contempt Third-degree criminal possession of a weapon Aggravated family offense Third-degree criminal mischief Two counts of second-degree menacing Third-degree assault Endangering the welfare of a child Villnave was arrested and transported to the state police headquarters in Malone for processing. He was arraigned in the Town of Moira Court, where he was remanded to Franklin County Jail in lieu of $10,000 cash or $20,000 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 WWTI - InformNNY.com. Texas-based favorite Buc-ee's has announced intentions to open a massive convenience store and gas station in Oak Creek, bringing its potential future Wisconsin store count to two. In 2023, Buc-ee's said it planned to build one of the world's largest gas stations in DeForest a village of about 10,000 in Dane County, north of Madison. Plans for this location have experienced repeated delays, but the DeForest village administrator recently told the Journal Sentinel they're "moving forward," just at a slower pace than initially anticipated. He added Thursday that the potential Oak Creek project should have no impact on a potential DeForest project. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Both stores are expected to bring hundreds of jobs and attract hundreds of thousands of visitors. Here's what to know about Buc-ee's and its plans for Wisconsin: What is the closest Buc-ee's to Wisconsin? The DeForest and Oak Creek Buc-ee's locations would be the first in Wisconsin and by far the farthest north. The closest locations to Wisconsin are in Kentucky, Missouri and Tennessee, according to the company's online store locator. The closest Buc-ee's to downtown Milwaukee is the Smiths Grove, Kentucky, store. It is 489 miles away. The Buc-ee's in Richmond, Kentucky, is a close second at 495 miles away. The Buc-ee's in Springfield, Missouri, is 580 miles from downtown Milwaukee. Where will Buc-ee's open in Wisconsin? The 74,000-square-foot Oak Creek convenience store would be open 24/7 and include about 120 fueling stations. It's proposed for a 29.6-acre site at 10700, 10820 and 10840 S. 27th St., in the southwest quadrant of the Interstate 94/Elm Road interchange. That's according to a report to the Oak Creek Plan Commission. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The proposed DeForest location would also be 74,000 square feet. It would be located off of Interstate 39/90/94, near the County V interchange. Plans include 120 gas pumps and 20 electric vehicle charging stations. Both stores could rival the brand's biggest store, in Luling, Texas, which is 75,000 square feet and opened last summer. When will Buc-ee's open in Wisconsin? A statement from Buc-ee's said the Oak Creek store could open in early 2027 and "is expected to be the first Buc-ees to be built in the state." The Oak Creek Plan Commission is expected to do an initial review of the proposal at its Tuesday meeting. The site, now a farm, would need to be rezoned for retail use by the Common Council. Other steps in the approval process include changing the city's comprehensive land use plan. A public hearing on the proposal could be scheduled as early as Feb. 17. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Additional city actions could occur this spring, with the Plan Commission doing a final review of site, landscaping and architectural plans in June, the report said. There isn't an opening date set for the DeForest Buc-ee's location. Before plans can move ahead, the Village of DeForest needs to secure about $7 million in funding Buc-ee's has requested for a nearby interchange upgrade. More: What's the big deal about Buc-ee's, the gas-station chain coming to Wisconsin? Let this native Texan tell you Buc-ee's plan includes a $15 million upgrade to the Interstate 39/90/94-County V interchange. The company proposed a cost-sharing agreement where the village or its partners would reimburse Buc-ee's about 47.5% of the project's cost, DeForest Village Administrator Bill Chang said. While the interchange upgrade is necessary to prevent traffic from backing up onto the interstate, Chang said its cost presents a "challenging number" for the village. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Chang said the village plans to work with state and local elected officials to propose state legislation that would help DeForest with the cost. The village and its partners are still discussing what kind of legislation will be proposed, he said. Chang said the village intends to have the legislation proposed in the spring or summer. This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Buc-ee's in Wisconsin: Where, when will it open? Closest Buc-ee's now? BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) A Buffalo woman pleaded guilty Tuesday to first-degree manslaughter following a fatal shooting last summer in the Emerson neighborhood, the Erie County District Attorneys Office announced. Shana Rowe, 40, of Buffalo, shot Shawneequa Pearson, 43, on the night of June 12 on the 100 block of Liddell Street. She was arrested in Rochester nine days later. Pearson was transported to ECMC via ambulance and later died. Rowe pleaded guilty the morning of jury selection in her trial. She remains held without bail and faces a maximum of 25 years in prison when she is sentenced on April 14. 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. SOFIA (Reuters) - Two Bulgarian sailors and a Romanian crew member returned home after being held for 14 months by Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthis, receiving a warm welcome from their families and officials at Sofia airport on Thursday. The trio were part of the 25-member international crew of the vessel Galaxy Leader that the Houthis seized off Yemen's Red Sea coast more than a year ago. They were released on Wednesday and handed to Oman following the three-day-old ceasefire in Gaza's war between Israel and Palestinian militant group Hamas, Houthi-owned Al Masirah TV reported. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Captain Lyubomir Chanev and First Officer Danail Veselinov arrived in Sofia aboard a government airplane that was sent to pick them up from Muscat in Oman on the order of Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov, local media reported. (Reporting by Stoyan Nenov, writing by Daria Sito-Sucic; Editing by Hugh Lawson) A 30-year-old man who barricaded himself inside a Lakewood business for eight hours during a police standoff Wednesday was shot and is in critical condition. Officers were dispatched to a reported burglary at about 9:07 a.m. at a used auto-parts store in the 2000 block of 112th Street South. The owner reported the suspected burglar was still in the area, according to a Pierce County Force Investigation Team news release. The Pierce County Force Investigation Team is made up of regional law enforcement tasked with investigating situations involving where officers use deadly force. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Officers tried to contact the man after they found him in the 10800 block of 25th Avenue South. Shots were fired at about 9:21 a.m. and the man ran off into a nearby business, the release said. He allegedly assaulted an employee. The employee was seriously injured but escaped. The employee reported to police the man had a firearm. The alleged shooter barricaded himself inside the business for about eight hours while negotiators tried to de-escalate the situation, the release said. The area was closed off during negotiations. After eight hours, the man tried to escape from the building and shots were fired at about 6:30 p.m. It is currently not being confirmed who fired shots for the integrity of the investigation, according to a PCFIT spokesperson. Investigators will be reviewing body camera footage and other materials before more information can be publicly made available. He was taken into custody and transported to a local hospital. PCFIT is investigating the incident. Among last Fridays return of Laurel County indictments were four incidents of theft, including a case against Hobert Glenn Buttery. Hobert Buttery, 49, of Ray Johnson Road in East Bernstadt, is indicted on two counts. The first is unlawful taking of the value of $1,000 or more but less than $10,000 by taking two Echo trimmers, three Echo blowers, and a Stihl pole saw owned by Charles Hensley. The items were appraised as a little over $4,000. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The second count regards committing the offense of being a persistent felony offender. His three prior charges all involve theft. The items Buttery is accused of stealing that day were taken from 508 Taylor Drive in London the property of Laurel County Judge Executive David Westerfield. Buttery was arrested at 7:34 p.m. Dec. 23 after Westerfields nephew placed a call to the Laurel County 911 Dispatch Center. Buttery has only acknowledged taking a heater and Stihl weed eater from the backyard of Westerfields property. The investigation has been linked to the Dec. 23 officer-involved fatal shooting of 63-year-old Douglas Harless at his home on Vanzant Road in Lily. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Buttery would go on to tell WKYT that, when speaking with London Police officers, he said he had taken the weed eater to a house in Lily. LPD officers attempted to serve a search warrant on Vanzant Road, possibly at an incorrect address. Other theft-related cases are as follows: Brandon William Webb, Kendra Lynn Shoemaker, and Joseph Robert Branham are accused of theft by unlawful taking of the value of $1,000 or more but less than $10,000. The indictment states that the group stole an air purifier, toys, shoes, clothing, and further unspecified items owned by Walmart on or about Dec. 9, 2024. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement All three individuals are from Cumberland, Kentucky. Bruck Ashley Hudson, 48, of Pine St. in Corbin, is indicted on one count of theft by deception of the value of $1,000 or more but less than $10,000. Hudsons indictment states that, on or about Aug. 28, 2022, she created or reinforced a false impression, including false impression as to law, value, intention, or other state of mind and took $1,250 owned by Harold Barton for guns and ammunition. Robert Reynolds, 66, of North Highway 1223 in Corbin, is charged by the Grand Jury for theft by deception of the value of $1,000 or more but less than $10,000. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Reynolds is accused of creating or reinforcing a false impression while taking $7,973.85 owned by Travis Freeman on or about June 8, 2022. An indictment is an accusation only and does not imply guilt or innocence. A person is presumed innocent until proven guilty. Caitlin Clark is expanding the libraries of children. The Caitlin Clark Foundation announced on Wednesday, Jan. 22, that Scholastic donated 22,000 new books to the WNBA stars charitable foundation in collaboration with Scholastic's national literacy program, the United States of Readers. The program, which launched in September 2021, is dedicated to bridging the gap of literacy and book inequity for students from pre-kindergarten through 8th grade who attend under-resourced schools across the country, according to Scholastic. The new donation was made in an effort to create awareness and measurable impact of early age reading access in under-resourced schools through the United States of Readers and other programs, a news release explains. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The 22,000 books are expected to cover a range of reading levels and school ages, including elementary and middle schools. They will also be distributed to children's hospitals and other non-profit organizations, with a special focus on students in Clarks home state, Iowa, per USA Today. Marla Aufmuth/Getty Caitlin Clark on December 12, 2024 in Boston, Massachusetts. Caitlin Clark on December 12, 2024 in Boston, Massachusetts. "Reading and education have always been hugely important in my life. I remember picking out the books from the Scholastic flyer and how empowering that was for me as a child, and how motivated I was to read, Clark, 23, said in the news release. I want to help kids have the same experience, to develop their reading skills and open their imaginations to dream big," she continued. "I am thrilled that my foundation will support reading as Literacy Champions by collaborating with Scholastic and the United States of Readers." Related: Amanda Gorman's Girls on the Rise Aims to Empower Kids as Well as 'the Village That Is Raising the Child' (Exclusive) Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Chief Impact Officer at Scholastic Judy Newman also noted Caitlin is a proven role model, and we are thrilled to work together with the Caitlin Clark Foundation to make reading more accessible to kids everywhere." Reading and literacy have been on a decline due to the increase in screen time and the COVID-19 pandemics reliance on screens for school and work. Per Scholastics 2022 Kids & Family Reading Report, children between the ages of six and 17 who read five to seven days a week declined by 9%, from 37% in 2010 to 28% in 2022. Related: Dolly Parton's Imagination Library Hits Notable Milestone 200 Million Books Sent to Children (So Far!) Additionally, the Reading is Fundamental organization reported in 2022 that 34% of children entering kindergarten lack the basic language skills needed to learn how to read and 67% of fourth graders read at or below the basic level. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The National Literacy Institute reported in the 2022-23 study that 40% of U.S. students cannot read at a basic level. Maddie Meyer/Getty Caitlin Clark on April 02, 2023 in Dallas, Texas. Caitlin Clark on April 02, 2023 in Dallas, Texas. 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. The United States of Readers program has seen an increase in literacy, motivation and self-confidence in the participating 65,000 students nationwide, Newman reported. Working with Clark will create champion-level advocacy and support to help make radical moves and inspire meaningful improvement to change the trajectory of child literacy rates in America. Read the original article on People By Akbar Novruz French Ambassador Anne Boillons visit to the Alley of Martyrs in Baku, marking the 35th anniversary of the January 20 tragedy, has ignited controversy within Armenian media circles. An article published by an Armenian online outlet has gone so far as to question her motives, alleging that her actions signal disrespect for Armenias narrative. But why would a gesture of humanity and diplomacy provoke such a reaction? It is no secret that political tensions between France and Azerbaijan have existed for some time. Baku has openly criticized Frances actions that contradict Azerbaijans political and economic interests. Be it the French governments continued arms supplies to Armenia, its lingering neo-colonial policies toward small island nations, or its public rhetoric against Azerbaijan, Baku has not hesitated to take a firm stance. Despite these tensions, both countries maintain a functioning diplomatic relationship. Ambassador Boillons visit to honour the memory of Azerbaijans martyrs exemplifies this relationship. Her decision to lay carnations on this solemn day reflects a gesture of profound respect for the Azerbaijani people, shared by many diplomats who joined her in commemorating the tragedy. The Armenian media, however, has portrayed this act as an affront to their narrative, conveniently disregarding the true significance of January 20. The tragedy represents Azerbaijans struggle against decades of Soviet oppressiona dark chapter that witnessed the loss of innocent lives in the pursuit of freedom and independence. For the Armenian media to criticize France for sharing in Azerbaijans grief is not only disingenuous but also indicative of a broader issue: an unwillingness to acknowledge that acts of solidarity can exist beyond political divides. What makes this reaction even more telling is its attempt to conflate history with diplomacy. Ambassador Boillons visit was not a political statement but a tribute to human suffering and resilience. Yet, Armenian media twisted this gesture into a narrative of betrayal, reflecting a discomfort with any form of recognition given to Azerbaijans tragedies. This distortion begs the question: Is the Armenian media truly afraid of diplomacy that humanizes Azerbaijan? Interestingly, the article also speculates about behind-the-scenes negotiations between France and Azerbaijan, citing comments made by Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev about potential diplomatic overtures from Paris. While this claim seems speculative at best, its inclusion reveals a deeper concern. Perhaps the Armenian media fears that gestures of goodwill, like Boillons visit, signal a shift in Frances approach toward Azerbaijanone that could challenge the Armenian narrative and disrupt its long-held monopoly over Western sympathy. Ultimately, the Armenian medias reaction speaks volumes about its priorities. Instead of embracing gestures of humanity and mutual respect, it resorts to distorting historical events and diplomatic actions for political gain. By doing so, it risks isolating itself further in an increasingly interconnected world where diplomacy and dialogue are essential for resolving long-standing disputes. Rather than criticizing acts of solidarity, Armenia and its media would do well to reflect on the importance of fostering mutual respect. Ambassador Boillons visit was not an act of betrayalit was a reminder that diplomacy, even amid tensions, can serve as a bridge for understanding. To reject this is to deny the very essence of what it means to engage in constructive international relations. NICOSIA, Jan. 23 (Xinhua) -- The Cypriot government on Thursday dismissed claims that the Andreas Papandreou airbase in Paphos would be used as a U.S. military base, emphasizing that ongoing infrastructure upgrades are solely for humanitarian purposes. A team of U.S. experts visited the airbase on Thursday morning to evaluate the facility and prepare a study for potential modernization. The delegation is expected to submit a proposal outlining the costs of the upgrades and clarify whether the United States will fully or partially fund the project. Deputy government spokesman Yiannis Antoniou addressed public concerns about the airbase potentially being converted into a U.S. military annex, labeling such claims as unfounded. He explained that the United States had expressed interest in utilizing the facility for evacuation operations during regional crises, similar to past collaborations with European states involving the Evangelos Florakis naval base. Antoniou reiterated that the upgrades aim to improve the airbase's capacity to support humanitarian missions. "This collaboration is centered on mutual benefit and enhancing Cyprus' defense capabilities," he said. As a European Union member state in the eastern Mediterranean, Cyprus is pursuing closer ties with the United States to address military supply challenges. However, this initiative has faced criticism from Turkey and left-wing political parties in Cyprus. Enditem. COTTLEVILLE, Mo. A man from California allegedly involved in a nationwide crime ring was arrested this week for reportedly robbing a woman at a wedding venue in Cottleville, Missouri. According to the Cottleville Police Department, the robbery occurred on August 25, 2024, at the Piazza Messina when the man allegedly stole a womans purse. Police said the victim had left her purse on the back of her chair while sitting outside under a covered patio and walked away from the table with her friends. When she returned, her purse was missing. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Shortly after, the victim received a text notification that her credit card had been used at Target off Mid Rivers Mall Drive for a purchase over $1,000. Mike Matheny reflects on near-death experience and new life mission Detectives with Cottleville PD identified the suspect, who had been wanted across the country for similar crimes. Police said the man resided in California and had been using a fake Puerto Rico drivers license to rent vehicles. The suspect had allegedly been renting vehicles from the same rental car company during crime sprees. The Los Angeles Police Department assisted Cottleville detectives by utilizing surveillance video at the rental car company and waiting for the suspect to arrive. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When he arrived, police took him into custody without incident. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Daily News Despite having a fake drivers license, Cottleville detectives used facial recognition to reveal the mans true identity. Police said the suspect had an extensive criminal history and is allegedly part of a nationwide crime ring. The Department of Homeland Security is now in control of the case as the suspect has crossed multiple state lines. The man is currently in custody and is awaiting indictment. The mans identity has not been released as he has not been formally charged. 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. Residents whose homes were damaged or destroyed by the Los Angeles firestorms are being offered mortgage relief by nearly 270 state-chartered banks, credit unions and other financial companies, Gov. Gavin Newsom said Thursday. The announcement follows a decision by five major banks last week to offer mortgage relief to the fire victims. "I thank each of the financial institutions that are offering this help for Californians recovering from this catastrophic firestorm," Newsom said in a statement. "California will continue working with all stakeholders to support survivors, expedite recovery, and provide relief." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Read more: California's FAIR Plan, the home insurer of last resort, may need a bailout after the L.A. fires The relief includes a 90-day forbearance on mortgage payments and any associated late fees; no reporting of the delayed payments to credit bureaus; protection from new foreclosures or evictions for at least 60 days; and no balloon mortgage payments at the end of the reprieve. Among the Southern California institutions participating in the program are Banc of California, Hanmi Bank, and PennyMac Loan Services. "Banc of California ... is proud to work with the state to provide relief to homeowners and businesses affected by the tragic fires, said Jared Wolff, CEO of Banc of California, in a statement. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The help is available to qualified Los Angeles County residents in the 90019, 90041, 90049, 90066, 90265, 90272, 90290, 90402, 91001, 91104, 91106, 91107, or 93536 ZIP Codes. Borrowers must contact their mortgage servicer to obtain relief. Last week, Wells Fargo, Bank of America, JP Morgan, Citibank and U.S. Bank announced mortgage relief programs. The Palisades and Eaton fires have burned more than 37,000 acres, damaging or destroying over 18,000 homes and killing at least 28 people. Read more: State Farm expands renewal offers to all L.A. County policyholders slated to have been dropped Other actions taken by the governor include postponing the state tax filing deadline until Oct. 15 for Los Angeles County residents. Another executive order allows homeowners to wait until April 2026 to file this years property taxes without penalty. Longer deferrals of up to four years are also available by applying to the Los Angeles County Treasurer and Tax Collector . Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Newsom also has issued an order to protect fire victims from predatory land speculators who make unsolicited and undervalued offers. Violations can be reported to the attorney generals office at oag.ca.gov/report. Newsom's latest announcement was praised by several Southern California lawmakers, including Sen. Sasha Renee Perez (D-Glendale). As the state senator for the Eaton Fire-affected communities, including Altadenas historically African-American and working-class residents, I thank the governor for responding to calls for mortgage relief. I also appreciate the financial institutions that stepped up to provide this critical support," she said in a statement. 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. MIDLAND COUNTY, Texas (KMID/KPEJ)- A man wanted in connection with a California homicide was captured in Midland County earlier this week. According to Sheriff David Criner, on January 21, the Midland County Sheriffs Office Criminal Investigation Division assisted the Kern County Sheriffs Office in Bakersfield, California in locating 41-year-old Michael Anthony McClintock. McClintock was identified as a fugitive from justice in a homicide investigation. With assistance from the Texas Department of Public Safety Criminal Investigation Division and their analyst, investigators found McClintock in the 4200 block of SCR 1140. The SWAT team helped take McClintock into custody without further incident. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement McClintock was booked into the Midland County Detention Center where he remained as of Thursday morning awaiting extradition back to California. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a pair of bills Thursday providing $2.5 billion in state aid in response to the wildfires that have decimated neighborhoods, destroyed schools and damaged public infrastructure across Los Angeles County. "This money will be made available immediately," Newsom said Thursday afternoon, standing in the auditorium of an elementary school in Pasadena that had reopened to students earlier that day, a few miles from the Eaton fire. "We want to get these dollars out in real time." Several dozen people including Mayor Karen Bass, Los Angeles County Supervisors Kathryn Barger and Lindsey Horvath, first responders and legislative leaders stood on blue-painted wood risers behind the governor as he spoke. Newsom said he had just arrived from the Hughes fire, another major Southern California fire in the Castaic area north of Los Angeles that exploded Wednesday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Senate President Pro Tem Mike McGuire (D-Healdsburg) and Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas (D-Hollister) both underscored the bipartisan nature of the legislative effort, with Rivas specifically urging President Trump to follow suit and quickly provide federal dollars to Los Angeles without conditions. The bills, which received support from Republicans as well the Legislature's Democratic supermajority, directs the money to the monumental emergency response and recovery effort, including evacuations, shelter, hazardous waste removal, debris removal, traffic control and environmental testing. "Tens of thousands of our neighbors, our families and friends, they need help," McGuire said during the floor debate in the upper house earlier in the day. "This means that we need to be able to move with urgency, put aside our differences, and be laser focused on delivering the financial resources, delivering the boots on the ground, that are needed and the policy relief that is needed to get neighborhoods cleaned up and communities rebuilt." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Read more: The Palisades fire burned their high school. Now students face COVID-style, remote learning The fires that began Jan. 7 have left at least 28 dead and destroyed more than 16,000 structures in Altadena and Pacific Palisades. Firefighters have made significant progress toward containing the Palisades and Eaton fires, but continue to battle dangerous winds and dry conditions that have brought new fires in the last couple of days. After the wildfires broke out, Newsom expanded the ongoing special session to include the funding for Los Angeles. The governor originally called the special session two days after the November election, requesting that lawmakers give more money to the California Department of Justice to wage legal battles against President Trump. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement During a visit this month, then-President Biden pledged federal funds to support the rebuilding effort. Much of the money approved by the Legislature on Thursday could ultimately be reimbursed by the Federal Emergency Management Agency if Trump follows through with that promise. The money is currently coming from a state emergency reserve account, called the Special Fund for Economic Uncertainties. 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. When Assemblymember Alex Lee was sworn into office at age 25, he became the youngest state lawmaker in nearly a century. The self-described "Zoomer" from San Jose started using TikTok in 2020 and now, five years later, he continues to reach voters on the app, distilling complicated policy issues into bite-sized clips. The first openly bisexual state legislator in California, Lee has made posts supporting the LGBTQ+ community, along with explainers on legislation he wrote to ban the sale of anti-aging skin products to minors and the California special session to stabilize gas prices. With a following that hovers at just under 1,300, Lee said that compared with his colleagues in Sacramento he is mildly, vaguely successful on the app. "I'm not that big of a TikTok star. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But he also described how he uses it strategically, avoiding "things that are cringe" and anything that might risk getting him stereotyped as the Gen Z legislator. Read more: California lawmakers to consider expediting insurance claims after L.A. fires "There's a way to dismiss the youngest member that makes you look unserious or childish, but I'm very deliberate about it," said Lee, who manages his account with the help of his small team. "That's also why I avoid the trendy stuff." The Supreme Court last week upheld a TikTok ban enacted by Congress due to national security concerns, and by Sunday users were blocked from the platform. A mere half-day later, President Trump gave the company a 90-day extension, leaving Lee and a small but growing group of California politicians who are active on the app wondering what comes next. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Sen. Scott Wiener, 54, a Democrat from San Francisco, counts just under 15,000 followers and has been mastering the art of getting videos to rack up views while also making what is sometimes dry policy digestible. "TikTok really allows you as an elected official to connect with a lot of people youre not connecting with otherwise," he told The Times. At first, the senator and his team tried to jump on trends, but he soon pivoted to film direct-to-camera videos, a popular TikTok style. "Those videos do well because people like authenticity," he said. Some posts "flop," he added, but the "bottom line is that TikTok is an extremely powerful platform to communicate with people." Some U.S. lawmakers allege TikTok could be used by the Chinese government to gather data on Americans and fuel misinformation, a claim the company behind the short-form video app has vigorously denied. Trump, through an executive order, gave the company ByteDance three months to either sell the app or be banned. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Wiener said he understands the national security implications but argued a ban would be tragic because it would censor a popular way to communicate. Under a ban, Wiener said he'd probably pivot to Instagram. He has also been pondering hypotheticals. For instance: What happens if tech billionaire Elon Musk purchased TikTok? Im worried hed ruin TikTok like he did X, Wiener said. Countless U.S. officials from across the aisle, from local politics to the executive branch, have made their presence known on the app, including Trump, who has 15 million followers and used the app heavily on the campaign trail. Vice President JD Vance has 2.3 million followers, and U.S. Rep. Alexandra Ocasio-Cortez from New York has 1.6 million. Former U.S. Rep. Katie Porter amassed over half a million. The list goes on. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Read more: This Latino Republican flipped a deep-blue California Assembly district. How? One federal lawmaker who voted against the TikTok ban last year, U.S Rep. Robert Garcia, a Democrat from Long Beach, has been posting on the app since 2022. From his perspective, the app isn't any more dangerous than other forms of social media. "There has to be a better way of looking at all of our social media platforms and being more equitable about how to make them safer," Garcia said. "There is nothing I have heard that makes me think TikTok is an imminent threat to national security." He has about 110,000 followers on TikTok, far more than on other platforms where he maintains a presence. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "TikTok is a great way for reaching folks," Garcia said. It took a little time, but it's been steadily growing. I've had some videos go viral. Read more: Cannabis cafes, AI and parking: How new California laws could affect you in 2025 One of Garcia's most popular videos has over 2.2 million views. The caption reads: When you find out that you are the only Congressman that has to sit on the same three committees as Marjorie Taylor Greene, with a backdrop of the congresswoman and the audio of a man crying, no, no! Another viral clip shows Garcia on MSNBC in December saying, welcome to the Elon Musk presidency. It has 2.5 million views. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Although dunking on political rivals is sometimes the aim, other lawmakers say the app is useful more as a way to engage with constituents and understand their needs. Assemblymember Ash Kalra, a Democrat from San Jose who uses TikTok, said he has learned a lot" from the platform. Especially with the horrific fires in Los Angeles, to see the firsthand experiences of people and to have that empathy, he said. In that sense, it not only connects us to this human experience we share, but it gives a venue for ordinary people to vent their political viewpoints. U.S. Rep. Ro Khanna, a Democrat from Silicon Valley, voted against the TikTok ban and has used the platform over the last few weeks to collect signatures to stop the app from going dark. After four days, the video had almost 18 million views and the petition had collected over 1 million signatures. Khanna, who has amassed 200,000 followers on the app, has since introduced the Repeal the TikTok Ban Act on Monday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The fight continues, Khanna said to the camera. We must make sure that this app never goes dark again. His co-author, U.S. Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.), warned in a statement that shutting down TikTok would be the first step down a slippery slope. They tell you this is about China. About security. About safety. Thats a lie. This is about control, Paul said in a statement. A government that can silence a platform, can silence a person. Today, its TikTok. Tomorrow, its your news. Oliver Haimson, an assistant professor at the School of Information and the Digital Studies Institute at the University of Michigan, is wary of what a ban will do to information access, especially for people under 24, who are a large portion of users. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This matters a lot for young people who are receiving news and learning about political candidates, he said. Haimson also has concerns that users will migrate to TikTok's competitor, Instagram Reels, owned by Meta, which recently ended its fact-checking program. The platform will transition toward a crowd-sourcing method, similar to Musks approach with X. "That worries me, Haimson said. They may be getting things that are not necessarily true." 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. SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) California will spend $2.5 billion to help the Los Angeles area recover from recent deadly wildfires under a relief package signed Thursday by Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom. Newsom signed the laws after the state Legislature approved them with bipartisan support earlier in the day. The measures include $2.5 billion for the state's disaster response efforts such as evacuations, sheltering survivors and removing household hazardous waste. Lawmakers also approved $4 million for local governments to streamline approvals for rebuilding homes, and $1 million to support school districts and help them rebuild facilities. This is about distilling a sense of hopefulness, Newsom said at a news conference in Pasadena, a city recovering from one of the destructive fires that ignited earlier this month. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The aid won approval a day before President Donald Trump is set to visit California for a look at damage from the blazes. He's suggested any federal wildfire relief should come with conditions, though congressional Republicans who represent the state have pushed back on that idea. Former President Joe Biden already approved some disaster aid for the region earlier this month. Newsom called lawmakers into a special session in November to prepare for legal battles against Trump s administration. But after major fires broke out around Los Angeles, the governor shifted gears to prioritize fire relief funding. He expanded the focus of the special session to pass the recovery funding under pressure from Republican state lawmakers who said the focus on Trump was misplaced while the state dealt with the disaster. The governor said he hasn't spoken with Trump about his visit to the state but that he hopes to work with the president despite their political differences. Republican state Sen. Kelly Seyarto criticized Newsom for not issuing the fire relief funding on his own, but ultimately Seyarto supported the bills. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He said in the future, Democrats should do a better job of working with Republicans on crafting legislation for fire response and prevention funding. We need a plan from all of us to make sure this doesnt happen again, he said. The state Senate also approved $25 million Thursday to defend the state against legal challenges by the federal government, along with another $25 million in part for legal groups to defend immigrants facing possible deportation and other threats. The vote fell largely along party lines. The state Assembly would still have to pass the bills before they can reach Newsom's desk. The largest of the recent Southern California blazes ignited on Jan. 7, ripping through the Pacific Palisades neighborhood in Los Angeles and killing 11 people. The Eaton Fire, which broke out the same day near Altadena, has killed 17 people. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The region is also now battling the Hughes Fire, which ignited Wednesday north of Los Angeles, spread more than 15 square miles (39 square kilometers) and led to evacuation orders or warnings for more than 50,000 people. State Senate President Pro Tempore Mike McGuire, a Democrat representing the North Coast, said the fires have been nothing short of devastating. But we promise we have your back, and were going to get through this, he said before Newsom signed the aid into law. Newsom's administration said the state expects to be reimbursed by the federal government for the disaster relief funding. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The governor also announced a commitment Thursday by 270 state-chartered banks, credit unions and lenders to provide mortgage relief to homeowners impacted by fires in Los Angeles and Ventura counties. Assemblymember Jesse Gabriel, a Democrat from Encino and chair of the chambers special session budget committee, said his family was ordered to evacuate for six days while firefighters battled the Palisades Fire. The funding the Legislature passed Thursday is the first of many steps lawmakers will take to support wildfire survivors and to protect communities from the threat of future blazes, he said. No community is immune from these wildfires, Gabriel said. Thats part of what the tragedy in Los Angeles proved to us. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement __ Associated Press writer Jaimie Ding in Pasadena, California, contributed to this report. - Austin 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 Austin on X: @ sophieadanna The San Joaquin County Sheriffs Office arrested a woman in Clements, California, on Wednesday after discovering approximately 27 deceased horses on her multiple properties while executing a search warrant. The woman, Jan Johnson, was charged with cruelty to an animal, threatening a public official, criminal threats and possession of a short-barrel shotgun. She was booked at the San Joaquin County Jail, but a local inmate search site indicated that she was also released on Wednesday. The police had been conducting the search as part of an animal neglect investigation. Animal Services Officers and veterinarians were also at the scene evaluating the animals. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In a statement, the sheriffs office said that the animals living on the properties had limited access to food and water. Sixteen horses so far have been rescued, but four other horses and one bull have been euthanized due to their extreme neglect, the statement added. The animals rescued so far have been taken to the Oakdale Equine Rescue in Oakdale, California, according to the authorities. Animal services officers and veterinarians are still currently evaluating additional horses and animals due to the size of the property, the sheriffs office continued. We are committed to protecting the welfare of all animals in our community and will continue to investigate this matter. Related... HELSINKI, Jan. 23 (Xinhua) -- Former Finnish President Sauli Niinisto on Thursday criticized Europe for avoiding direct contact with Russian President Vladimir Putin since the start of the Russia-Ukraine conflict. Talking to Finnish National Radio Yle after delivering a lecture at Chatham House in London, Niinisto said while Europe is waiting for the outcome of the potential talks between U.S. President Donald Trump and Putin, it has avoided engaging directly with the Russian leader. Since inauguration, Trump has said multiple times that he would be talking to Putin "very soon," including in his virtual remarks to the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting in Davos, Switzerland, on Thursday. He also posted on social media, expressing his willingness to "make a deal" with Russia to "STOP this ridiculous War." From a European perspective, Niinisto expressed frustration, saying he was "annoyed" by Europe's limited involvement in the efforts to end the conflict. Noting Trump's active outreach to Russia, Niinisto emphasized the criticism directed towards German Chancellor Olaf Scholz after he had a phone conversation with Putin in November regarding the conflict. He criticized Europe's "conflicting behavior," saying it fails to present "a convincing picture of Europe's capabilities." The former president also predicted that tensions in Ukraine would persist for a long time, even after a peace agreement is reached. Niinisto, who served as Finland's president from 2012 to 2024, met with Putin multiple times in Finland and Russia, including after the 2014 Crimean crisis. Promises made, promises kept, President Trump liked to crow during his first term, sometimes deservedly. Hes only days into his second term and already hes making that claim after a torrent of executive orders. In no case is his boast more justified, if shameful, than for his Day 1 blanket order pardoning 1,583 rioters who stormed the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, commuting the sentences of those most responsible and violent and dismissing all remaining cases. Trump vowed at rallies throughout his 2024 campaign that once back in office hed immediately free the J-6 hostages. Yet in keeping that promise, he broke a long-forgotten one on the same subject. He made it not at a political rally but in a videotaped recording at the White House, a day after the seven-hour insurrection was put down and as he faced bipartisan condemnation for his complicity. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The president whod inspired the mob to try to keep him in power began that evening by calling Jan. 6 not a day of love among patriots, as he says these days, but a heinous attack on the United States Capitol. And then, still sounding like a normal president, Trump said this: Like all Americans, I am outraged by the violence, lawlessness and mayhem. I immediately deployed the National Guard and federal law enforcement to secure the building and expel the intruders. America is and must always be a nation of law and order. The demonstrators who infiltrated the Capitol have defiled the seat of American democracy. To those who engaged in the acts of violence and destruction, you do not represent our country. And to those who broke the law, you will pay. At the time, the only lies in that passage seemed to be Trumps contention that he immediately deployed forces to quell the tumult that directly or indirectly caused the deaths of nine people, including five police officers. Now we know the whole thing was a lie: Trump wasnt outraged. He didnt really condemn the demonstrators they were pro-Trump, after all, as shown by the banners on poles that were weaponized against police. He didnt care that they were lawless or violent despite the carnage he witnessed watching hours of televised coverage alone in the White House, ignoring aides and family members pleas to intervene. Read more: Jan. 6 rioters freed by Trump include Californians and those who assaulted officers Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Most of all, Trump didnt really believe his rioters should pay. And now, just as Trump has paid no price for his role as the instigator of Jan. 6, hes wiped the books clean for all the attackers, negating verdicts by scores of juries of their peers. A couple of examples of his freed hostages: David Dempsey of Santa Ana, Calif., a man with a criminal history who pleaded guilty and got 20 years in prison, reflecting his cruelty against police. Read the prosecution report : Dempsey clambered over other rioters, using his hands, feet, flag poles, crutches, pepper spray, broken pieces of furniture, and anything else he could get his hands on to batter officers trying to protect the Capitol and those within, including Trumps vice president. Read more: 'Freaked out': Fear, uncertainty grip California's immigrant community as Trump rolls out crackdown plan Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement And Daniel DJ Rodriguez of Fontana, Calif., who ran an online site for the so-called PATRIOTS45MAGA Gang that mobilized militants to come to the Capitol; once there, he pummeled police with a fire extinguisher, poles and a stun gun, which he repeatedly thrust into the neck of D.C. police Officer Michael Fanone, who suffered a heart attack among other injuries. Tazzzzed the f out of the blue," Rodriguez posted afterward. Inside the Capitol, he vandalized offices, broke windows and stole items. He was sentenced to 12 years. By Tuesday, two of the feds biggest gets far-right militia leaders Enrique Tarrio of the Proud Boys (22 years) and Stewart Rhodes of the Oath Keepers (18 years) likewise walked out of prisons . The notion that Stewart Rhodes could be absolved of his actions is frightening and ought to be frightening to anyone who cares about democracy in this country, U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta, who presided over his trial, said last month, anticipating Trumps action. So many such stories. And yet Trumps order tells a grotesquely false one: This proclamation ends a grave national injustice that has been perpetrated upon the American people over the last four years and begins a process of national reconciliation. Read more: Trump immediately flexes presidential powers: 1,500 pardons and a raft of executive orders Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Now-retired officer Fanone, who courageously testified to the House Jan. 6 committee and received death threats because of it, isnt feeling reconciled . With all six of his identified attackers now free (and free to own guns), he posted on Instagram: My family, my children and myself are less safe today because of Donald Trump and his supporters. The prevaricator in chief has also essentially made liars of those around him. Vice President JD Vance told Fox News Sunday a week before, If you committed violence on that day, obviously you shouldnt be pardoned. Obviously? And Pam Bondi, Trumps nominee for attorney general, testified days later at her Senate confirmation hearing that pardons would be decided on a case-by-case basis. And I abhor violence to police officers. If confirmed, shell now enforce Trumps all-encompassing dictate, ensuring that jails and court dockets are cleared of those who beat hundreds of police officers. Whats galling is that Republicans, rather than simply condemning Trump, are drawing a false equivalence between his action and former Presidents Bidens last-minute preemptive pardon of his siblings and their spouses. Biden deserves blame lots for giving Republicans that opening, despite Trumps explicit threat of legal retribution against his family. Yet theres no comparison between Bidens simply objectionable pardons and Trumps execrable blanket clemency for the traitorous. Trump kept a campaign promise, a repugnant one, but in the process broke the earlier, fitting one to make them pay. And with the Jan. 6 pardons, he made a mockery of the rule of law. On his first day as president. @jackiekcalmes Get the latest from Jackie Calmes Commentary on politics and more from award-winning opinion columnist. Sign me up. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio (WKBN) A Campbell man who pleaded guilty Wednesday for the beating death of a 76-year-old man was sentenced to 15 years to life in prison. Read next: Police identify 4-year-old who died, officer who was shot in St. Clair Township RTrell Miller, 22, was sentenced in Mahoning County Common Pleas Court by Judge R. Scott Krichbaum after he pleaded guilty to a charge of murder. Under state law, the only sentence that can be given for a murder conviction is 15 to life. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The charge is in connection to the Oct. 5 beating death of James Mszanski, 76. Police were initially called for a possible shooting at Main and Walter streets, but the Mahoning County Coroners Office said the death of Mszanski was not due to gun violence. Police say Mszanski was beaten. He was taken to St. Elizabeth Health Center where he later died from his injuries. Miller was arrested shortly after Mszanski died. He has been in the jail since his arrest and was indicted in November by a 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 WKBN.com. The cost to camp at Michigan state parks is set to go up in 2025. The Michigan Department of Natural Resources recently announced its adjusting fees for modern and semi-modern campsites and overnight lodging. Campsite rates will increase between $4 and $10 a night depending on the location and amenities. The change goes into effect for overnight stays beginning Aug. 1. Overnight lodging rates will range from $60 to $120 per night. Deluxe lodging will be $160 per night. The rates are being adjusted to be more consistent with fewer rates, according to the DNR. Locations with 85% or higher occupancy rates will incur a 7.5% premium fee per night. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Modern lodges will undergo a phased increase, capping at $236 per night. Locations with 85% or higher occupancy rates will incur a $50 premium fee per night. The DNR is also establishing fees for intermittent camping and equipment storage. There will be no fee increases for rustic campsites in state parks and state forest campgrounds. The Consumer Price Index and a demand-priced lodging model were used to determine the new rates. More: Michigan state park, recreation area campgrounds: Guide to reservations, costs, more "Increased revenue will allow the state parks system to enhance visitor experiences across Michigan," according to the DNR. "This includes improved customer service, cleaner parks and restrooms, natural resource stewardship efforts and upgraded campground amenities like new fire rings and picnic tables. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "The adjustments are based on market analysis that mitigates unfair competition with privately owned campgrounds. The analysis also included other municipal, county, state and private-sector campgrounds in Michigan and the Midwest." It's the first increase in three years, according to the DNR. More: Michigan state park, recreation area campground closures in 2025 The new rates will "help ensure the long-term sustainability of state park operations" according to the agency. The increase is also an attempt to keep pace with fixed costs like utilities, equipment replacement and staff. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The DNR also noted the fee adjustment was supported by the Michigan State Park Advisory Committee on Aug. 7. Some examples of the rate changes at popular state park campgrounds include: Holland State Park: Rate increases from $42 to $50 for 50 amp campsites not already at the $50 rate and increases from $38 to $45 for 20/30 amp. Ludington State Park: A 20/30 amp site increases from $38 to $45, 50 amp site increases from $42 to $50. Traverse City State Park: Rate increases from $38 to $45 for 20/30 amp, increases from $42 to $50 for 50 amp site. Waterloo State Park: Rates increases from $34 to $40 for 50 amp and from $30 to $35 for 20/30 amp. This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Michigan state parks camping rates to increase in 2025 LEBANON, N.H. (myCV) A Canaan man faces multiple charges after assaulting a fast food employee and attempting to flee police Wednesday morning. Police received a report at 10:34 a.m. stating that David Campbell, 54, assaulted a KFC/Taco Bell employee in West Lebanon. Campbell was located, but refused to comply with police and instead left in a vehicle. He was pursued by officers for an unspecified amount of time. Campbell was eventually found and arrested by police in Canaan. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Campbell was charged with simple assault, resisting arrest, and more. He was released on bail, and is set to be arraigned March 24, 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 ABC22 & FOX44. Canada has frozen Russian assets worth over CAD 457 million (more than US$350 million) as part of sanctions against Russia. Source: Ukrinform with reference to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police Quote from Canadian Mounted Police: "A total of CAD 140.1 million in assets have been frozen and financial transactions worth US$317.4 million have been blocked in Canada since 24 February 2022 under the prohibitions set out in the Special Economic Measures Regulations related to Russia." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Details: The Mounted Police also reported blocking financial transactions worth US$387,200 and freezing assets totaling US$148,500 associated with sanctioned individuals from Belarus. Support UP or become our patron! Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said if President Donald Trump levies 25% tariffs on goods from Canada, his country could impose couter-tariffs on U.S. imports. I support the principle of dollar-for-dollar matching tariffs. Its something that we are absolutely going to be looking at if that is how they move forward, Trudeau said at a news conference in Quebec on Tuesday, according to Global News. On Monday, Trump said he would impose 25% tariffs on goods imported from Mexico and Canada starting Feb. 1. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On Tuesday, Trump told reporters he is considering hitting China with an additional 10% tariff on certain goods for shipping fentanyl to the U.S., while also threatening the European Union with tariffs over the U.S. trade deficit with countries in Europe. Trump used his social media platform Truth Social on Wednesday to threaten tariffs on Russia if Vladimir Putin does not end the Ukraine war. Here is a rundown of Trumps tariff threats toward each country and their response so far. Canada Trump said during an interview with the media in the Oval Office that he is considering a 25% tariff on all imports from Canada and Mexico, the top two U.S. trading partners. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We are thinking in terms of 25% on Mexico and Canada because theyre allowing vast numbers of people to come in and fentanyl to come in, Trump said. I think well do it Feb. 1. Trudeau said he is prepared to launch counter-tariffs if Trump makes good on his threats but that he would rather work with U.S. officials to avoid a trade war. We know that if the United States is going to see an increase in jobs, manufacturing and economic growth, theyre going to require more energy, more inputs, everything from lumber and concrete to steel and aluminum, to critical minerals that are the essential ingredients in the economy of the future, Trudeau said during the same Quebec news conference. Canada has all that in an extraordinarily reliable and close partner. Other Canadian officials think a trade war involving tariffs between Canada and the U.S. is inevitable. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement [Trump] declared an economic war on Canada, Ontario Premier Doug Ford said in an interview with The Associated Press. And we are going to use every tool in our tool box to defend our economy. Mexico Along with Canada, Trump has said he would impose 25% tariffs on goods entering the U.S. from Mexico to slow illegal migration and drugs coming across the border. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said officials need to keep cool heads in response to Trumps tariff threats. She also said tariffs would violate the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement trade pact that was signed by Trump in 2020. We are already in communication to start bilateral talks, which are essential, especially with the arrival of President Trump, to establish all communication, respectful dialogue between our countries. That is why I say we must remain calm and have a cool head, acting step by step. So, at this moment, what President Donald Trump signed is that the trade agreement continues, and they open consultations for the review that will be done in 2026, Sheibaum said during her regular morning news conference on Tuesday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On Wednesday, Mexican Foreign Minister Juan Ramon de la Fuente spoke with new U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio about migration and other issues, according to Reuters. The conversations have already begun. It was a very good conversation, very cordial, Sheinbaum said about the meeting between Rubio and de la Fuente during her Wednesday news conference. China During his first term as president, Trump imposed tariffs on thousands of China-made products valued at $380 billion in 2018 and 2019, according to The Tax Foundation, a nonprofit tax policy think tank. In response, China imposed retaliatory tariffs on many U.S. exports, including a wide range of agricultural and food products. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Biden administration kept most of the Trump administrations tariffs on China in place. In May, Biden announced tariff increases on an additional $18 billion of Chinese goods, including semiconductors and electric vehicles. Now Trump is threatening to impose an additional 10% tariff on all Chinese goods entering the U.S. Were talking about a tariff of 10% on China based on the fact that theyre sending fentanyl to Mexico and Canada, Trump told reporters at a news conference Wednesday at the White House. Officials in China have not directly addressed Trumps new tariff threats but said there are no winners in a global trade war. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Admittedly, economic globalization will bring some tensions and disagreements on distribution. These issues can only be resolved in the process of promoting economic globalization. Protectionism leads nowhere, Chinese Vice Premier Ding Xuexiang said Tuesday during a public speech at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. Trade war has no winners. We must seize all opportunities to steer economic globalization in the right direction, tackle the development challenges with universal benefit, and pool strengths with inclusive cooperation, so as to usher in a new phase of economic globalization that is more dynamic, more inclusive and more sustainable. While the Trump administration discusses new tariffs against, freight from China to the U.S. has been surging in recent months. As of Jan. 22, the SONAR Inbound Ocean TEUs Volume Index shows that import container bookings from China to the U.S. (IOTI.CHNUSA) are up 14% week-over-week, 25% compared to 2023 and 1% compared to the same period in 2024. FreightWaves SONAR Import Ocean TEUs Index China to U.S. (blue) shows steady increases compared to the last three years. To learn more about FreightWaves SONAR, click here European Union Trump told reporters Tuesday he is considering tariffs against the European Union because the bloc of nations is not importing enough U.S. goods. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The EU is a political and economic union of 27 member states that are located primarily in Europe. They treat us very, very badly. So theyre going to be in for tariffs, Trump said. You cant get fairness unless you do that. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said Europe is ready to protect our interests. Our first priority will be to engage early, discuss common interests and be ready to negotiate. We will be pragmatic, but we will always stand by our principles, von der Leyen said Wednesday at the World Economic Forum in Davos, according to Le Monde. To protect our interests and uphold our values that is the European way. Russia Trump threatened to levy new tariffs on Russia if the country does not agree to a deal to end its war in Ukraine soon. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In February 2022, Russia began a full-scale invasion of Ukraine with the aim of toppling the government of Volodymyr Zelenskyy. If we dont make a deal, and soon, I have no other choice but to put high levels of Taxes, Tariffs, and Sanctions on anything being sold by Russia to the United States, and various other participating countries, Trump posted Wednesday on Truth Social. In March 2022, the Biden administration ordered a ban on imports of oil, gas and coal from Russia to the U.S. Russian First Deputy Permanent Representative to the U.N. Dmitry Polyansky told Reuters his country is open to negotiations with Trump and Zelenskyy. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement So we have to see what does the deal mean in President Trumps understanding. He is not responsible for what the U.S. has been doing in Ukraine since 2014, making it anti-Russia and preparing for the war with us, but it is in his power now to stop this malicious policy, Polyansky said. The post Canada vows strong response to Trumps tariff threats, Mexico urges calm appeared first on FreightWaves. Correction: The original version of this story incorrectly stated that Deanne Bowers was still in jail. Bowers was released on Jan. 22 after posting bail, and the story was updated to reflect this. The story was also updated to clarify that the Canton Police Department conducted the investigation. CANTON, Pa. (WETM) A Canton woman was arrested after being accused of stealing more than $200,000 from the family-owned business she worked for. Deanne Bowers, 46, was arrested on Jan. 22, two days after her employer reported seeing unusual company credit card activity to the Canton Borough Police Department. The department stated that Bowers used credit cards issued to herself and former employees to steal a total of $209,873.50 from Schoonover Plumbing and Heating between Jan. 2, 2023, and Jan. 18, 2025. She allegedly stole the money through 1,700 separate transactions. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The affidavit accusing Bowers of the crime says the owner of Schoonover Plumbing and Heating noticed the unusual activity on Jan. 16, met with Bowers, got company banking information from her, and saw unexplainable charges. Bowers allegedly admitted to using company credit cards for personal use and claimed to have paid the company back. The proof she reportedly provided her employer was fake. Bowers then turned company cards in to her employer, and she was placed on administrative leave while he further researched the account activity. PSP: Wellsboro man caught stealing $2,000 in tools during burglary According to the affidavit, Bowers was using a credit card issued to herself, one issued to an employee who left the company in October 2023, and one who left in March 2024. These three accounts were hidden from online view. Additionally, Bowers allegedly used a card issued to an employee who retired in January 2023 and another that was issued to herself. In total, Bowers had five company credit cards. Bowers, who was the companys executive assistant and accounts payable and receivable manager, was responsible for collecting cards from Schoonover employees who were leaving the company and deactivating the cards. Instead of deactivating the cards, Bowers is accused of keeping them and using them in addition to two cards issued to herself. The affidavit states that Bowers used the cards for gas, groceries, car insurance, rent, medical appointments, prescriptions, subscription services, online shopping, in-person shopping, and money transfers to friends and family. Bowers also reportedly made five purchases totalling $2,054 on the companys account at Lowes after her access to the company cards was cut off and she was put on administrative leave. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Bowers was charged with theft by unlawful taking (a seond-degree felony), receiving stolen property (a second-degree felony), and access device fraud (a third-degree felony). Bowers was released from the Bradford County Prison after posting $250,000 bail. She is scheduled to appear in court on Jan. 29. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. Public Utilities Commissioner Kristie Fiegen, a Republican, delivers her reelection victory speech on Nov. 5, 2024, in Sioux Falls. (Joshua Haiar/South Dakota Searchlight) A company hoping to build a carbon dioxide pipeline wants a court to disqualify a South Dakota regulator from considering the projects permit application, due to an alleged conflict of interest. Iowa-based Summit Carbon Solutions filed a legal action Thursday in Hughes County court. The company wants an order forcing Public Utilities Commissioner Kristie Fiegen to recuse herself, or an order requiring her to appear and explain why the court shouldnt impose such an order. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Summit said Fiegen has family connections to land that would be crossed by the pipeline. That land is in McCook County and is owned by a trust that includes Fiegens sister-in-law, Jean Fiegen-Ordal, as a trustee. Summit said it has paid Fiegen-Ordal and her husband a total of $88,755 for an easement and for potential damages caused by the project. An easement is an agreement granting access to land. Summit said in a press release that Fiegens family ties create an unavoidable conflict of interest. The company is proposing a $9 billion, five-state pipeline to capture some of the carbon dioxide emitted by 57 ethanol plants and transport it for underground storage in North Dakota. The project has received permits in Iowa, Minnesota and North Dakota, while Nebraska does not have a permitting process. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The South Dakota Public Utilities Commission rejected Summits first application in 2023. Fiegen recused herself from considering that application, due to the same sister-in-laws ownership of land on the proposed pipeline route. A Public Utilities Commissioner may not participate in a proceeding in which the Commissioner has a conflict of interest, Fiegen wrote in a letter at the time. Given this familial relationship, I am regretfully disqualifying myself from participation in this proceeding. Since Summit reapplied last year, Fiegen has refused to recuse herself, saying in a letter to Summit, I do not have a legal conflict. I am sitting on the docket. The letter did not put Summit at ease. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Commissioner Fiegens letter refusing to disqualify herself, Summits legal action says, offers no explanation why the fact of her close family members ownership of land crossed by the proposed pipeline does not constitute a conflict of interest. Summit also said Fiegens involvement could open the door to appeals and litigation, potentially delaying the permitting process. South Dakota law leaves conflicts of interests for public utilities commissioners undefined. It says if a commissioner determines that the commissioner has a conflict, the commissioner should file a recusal letter. Fiegen has refused to comment publicly on the matter beyond her official letters. Public Utilities Commission spokesperson Leah Mohr has said ex parte rules bar Fiegen from discussing the matter. Those rules prohibit direct communication with commissioners about dockets theyre considering. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX MEXICO CITY, Jan. 22 (Xinhua) -- Mexico and the United States have started formal talks on bilateral issues, such as immigration and security, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said Wednesday. The talks began Tuesday after the newly-appointed U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio telephoned his Mexican counterpart, Juan Ramon de la Fuente, said the president. "It was a very good, very cordial conversation," Sheinbaum said during her usual morning press conference at the National Palace in Mexico City. "They talked about immigration issues and security issues," she said, adding that contrary to the speculation "that there is no communication (between the two governments), yesterday it was formally established." Rubio's first call as secretary of state "was to Mexico," stressed the president, "and it was a very cordial call, the foreign minister (De la Fuente) informed me yesterday." In a statement published Wednesday, Rubio outlined his department's priorities, with immigration topping the list. Since his reelection campaign, U.S. President Donald Trump has threatened to take a tough stance on the flow of undocumented migrants and drug trafficking, and on his first day in office he signed a slew of executive orders that directly impact Mexico, including ending the so-called CBP One Mobile Application program that offered migrants a way to schedule an asylum hearing with U.S. immigration authorities without having to travel to the border. Trump also reinstated an immigration policy from his first term known as "Remain in Mexico," which forces asylum seekers to stay in Mexico while their case makes its way through U.S. immigration courts. Jan. 22A Carlisle man who was accused of causing major damage to a former church in Harrison Twp. has been found not guilty by reason of insanity. Kurt Douglas Griggs, 45, was found not guilty by reason of insanity by Montgomery County Common Pleas Judge Elizabeth Ellis, according to court documents. Griggs was ordered to be committed to Summit Behavioral Healthcare in Cincinnati for treatment, with reports on his treatment to be sent to the court within six months of his commitment. A hearing on the matter was set for July 22. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement At the time of writing, Griggs was in the Montgomery County Jail. He was initially charged for breaking into and severely damaging property at the former church at 3680 Wagner Ford Road. The property, which was dubbed Castle Morningstar by the owners, had been converted into two apartments and a photography studio, and is surrounded by Willow View Cemetery. According to a Vandalia Municipal Court affidavit, Montgomery County Sheriff's Deputies responded to the property at 7:30 a.m. on Feb. 29 for a report of a man throwing rocks or bricks at the windows. Security camera footage at the property showed that Griggs had been there since 3 a.m., a sheriff's office report said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The residents were not home at the time of the break-in. Griggs was found inside the building, and admitted to deputies that he had caused the damage, the affidavit said. Damage was extensive multiple windows were broken, including an antique stained glass window, as well as equipment, furniture and other property. Small decorative items were thrown onto the lawn, and a car in the parking lot had both windshields and all of its windows smashed. According to the sheriff's report, Griggs said that he broke into the building because he heard a woman screaming inside, and destroyed the items when he didn't find anyone inside. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This is not the first time Griggs was charged for an incident near the property. In October 2023, Griggs pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor desecration charge involving the Willow View Cemetery. He was sentenced to 90 days in jail with credit for 12 days and 78 days suspended and one year of non-reporting probation. He was also ordered to stay away from the cemetery, to complete outpatient treatment and commit no further crimes, according to court documents. (Photo by Catherine McQueen/Getty Images) There has been much anticipation for the fiscal year 2026 state budget release and for good reason. Headlines over the last several months have continued to remind us of the looming deficit and questions have intensified about what comes next. With the governors budget officially introduced, state legislators, analysts and the like will now all descend and deep dive line by line. The governors budget is a thoughtful approach as it relates to local government and understanding of the everyday challenges we face and we also urge all of our partners in governance to continue to consider the long-term challenges ahead. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As the voice for the 160 municipal local governments, let us be clear: Marylands municipal revenue system is long overdue for a major overhaul. For more than five decades, the framework for municipal revenue raising has largely remained unchanged yet the challenges, demands and services continue to compound on local leaders. In fact, the last substantial revision to Marylands municipal revenue structure occurred in 1967. 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. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 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. Views of writers are their own. Since then, local governments have relied on a narrow set of revenue sources chiefly property taxes; a small portion of income taxes in which municipal leaders do not have the authority to set rates for their own residents; and limited state funding, mostly in the form of highway user revenue funds. Local governments maintain upwards of 80% of road miles on average, 6-9% of municipal budgets are state funded. The current reality is an existing revenue structure that is outdated, inefficient and increasingly inequitable for some of our most vulnerable populations we all aim to protect. While property taxes remain the cornerstone of municipal revenue, they are increasingly insufficient in meeting the costs of modern governance, especially as we face challenges such as aging infrastructure, climate goals and increased expectations of municipal services. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Property taxes disproportionately affect homeowners in areas with high property values, which often include historically marginalized communities. Maryland municipal property values are 13% higher than its unincorporated counterparts and it results in higher taxes, creating financial strain for individuals, particularly those on fixed incomes or in gentrifying neighborhoods. This dynamic can lead to displacement, rising inequality and community instability. Its a formula no leaders want to contribute to. Despite our revenue challenges, the solution lies in our strength Marylands municipalities are mighty economic hubs and in fact, contribute far beyond what one might expect to the states revenue structure. Here is what we know: About 25% of the states residents call a municipality home. 12 of the top 20 Maryland tourist destinations are in or border municipalities. 44 other states and the District of Columbia have an existing local sales tax option or a local food and beverage fee, which supports offsetting the services used by residents and visitors alike. While we may have less than 5% of overall land area, our cities, towns and villages produce 34% of the states entire sales tax revenue without a penny returned. In fact, sales per capita are 50% higher in municipalities compared to unincorporated areas. While the states unincorporated population grew at a rate of .03%, our municipalities grew at 1.3% and registered 55% of the states population growth in 2023. Municipal residents sent an additional $3.2 billion in income tax to the state with no return to the home municipality. In total, municipalities sent almost $6 billion in revenue directly to the state of Maryland in FY23 between property, income and sales tax. The data speaks for itself and our ask is different than what you may expect after seeing such significant numbers. Municipalities are unique, diverse and each with its own vision of how, when it comes to revenue. We recognize the challenge our state faces, and we will not add to the battle ahead. It is long past time for municipalities to have enabling authority. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It is clear that a diverse set of revenue sources is crucial for long-term stability and outcomes for both our cities and the states long-term financial health. Municipalities remain the pulse points of Maryland where her most diverse, vibrant communities gather, celebrate and thrive. We are the economic hubs where Maryland must invest, grow and support to meet its own goals for our collective future. It is Marylands decade and we must commit to lifting all Marylanders, together. A young boy is recovering after he was injured during the first winter storm earlier this month. [DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] On Jan. 10, just before 4 p.m., Atlanta officers were called to Northcliffe Drive in northwest Atlanta for a water rescue. When police arrived, they discovered that a child had fallen down a steep embankment and began stranded. APD later learned a 10-year-old boy was sledding with some friends when his sled went over a steep embankment off of Northcliffe Road. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This happened earlier this month when a winter storm moved through metro Atlanta and north Georgia, leaving behind several inches of snow. TRENDING STORIES: An APD bodycam video shows police, Atlanta Fire Rescue and Grady EMTs pulling the child to safety. The child was placed on a stretcher covered with blankets. Officials said though the child was noticeably distraught and in pain, first responders continued to communicate with the boy that he was safe, and expected to be OK. The successful outcome of this incident is a fine example of the commitment that first responders make every day to keep our communities safe. Despite a winter storm, inclement weather, and cold temperatures, first responders see to it that emergency calls are answered when citizens need their assistance, the Atlanta Police Department said. [SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter] RAW VIDEO: CBS reporter Sam Kuffel has reportedly been let go from her position at WDJT-TV following her social media posts criticizing Elon Musks controversial salute at a recent event. Kuffels remarks, which were made in response to Musks arm movement during a speech, have sparked significant attention and reportedly led to her sudden exit from the station. In this article, we will delve into the details of Kuffels firing and posts criticizing Elon Musks salute. Sam Kuffel reportedly fired after criticizing Elon Musks salute Sam Kuffel, a meteorologist for WDJT-TV in Milwaukee, was reportedly fired from her position at the station. This comes a day after she criticized Elon Musks gesture at a recent presidential inauguration event. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Kuffel posted two Instagram messages on Tuesday accusing the tech mogul of making a Nazi salute. In one post, she claimed Musk had Nazi saluted twice during his speech. She followed up with a second post using a GIF from the show Its Always Sunny in Philadelphia, calling Musk a Nazi. (via The Wrap) The posts sparked a backlash, with conservative radio host Dan ODonnell condemning her remarks as vulgar in his X (formerly Twitter) post. The controversy gained further attention. The Anti-Defamation League described Musks arm gesture as awkward and cautioned against concluding its intent. Musk, who did not directly address the accusations, responded to the situation with humor and criticism of his critics. By Wednesday afternoon, Kuffels biography and photo had been removed from the stations website. A memo was also sent to the WDJT-TV staff confirming that Kuffel was no longer employed there. The station refrained from commenting further, citing personnel issues. As per her LinkedIn, Kuffel had been with the station for over five years, gaining local recognition not just for her weather forecasts but also for her appearances on WRNW-FM. Despite the controversy, Kuffel has not publicly commented on her exit. The post CBS Reporter Sam Kuffel Reportedly Fired After Criticising Elon Musk Salute appeared first on ComingSoon.net - Movie Trailers, TV & Streaming News, and More. BANGKOK Theyve waited six years to call themselves a family. Pehthai Thanomkhet and Nathnicha Klinthaworn finally did Thursday when Thailands law on same-sex marriage came into effect and they got formally married at a mass wedding event in Bangkok. Wearing a tan Thai suit, Thanomkhet, 31, walked into Paragon Hall, an event space in one of the Thai capitals biggest malls. There he held hands with Klinthaworn, 39, who wore a golden-white traditional Thai dress as the couple made their union official. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I feel it has unlocked everything, said Thanomkhet, a human resources manager who goes by his English name, Kevin. We can now use the word family, he said. Kevin and Maple after tying the knot in Bangkok on Thursday. The mass wedding was organized by a Thai rights group, Naruemit Pride, with almost 200 couples successfully registering marriages at the daylong event. In groups of 10 at a time, the couples presented their documents to officials sitting at desks who then legally registered them as married. Spread across the hall, arches adorned with colorful balloons and flowers and the slogan Love wins served as photo backdrops for many of the newlyweds. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Like many others getting married Thursday, Thanomkhet and Klinthaworn had called for years for same-sex marriage to be legally recognized in the Southeast Asian nation. Newlyweds at a marriage event in Bangkok on Thursday. When the district officer was signing, I felt my tears brimming inside. We have fought for two years, but others have fought for 20 years, and today is a success, said Klinthaworn, a live-streamer and salesperson who goes by the name Maple. According to the Thai Interior Ministry, 1,832 couples across the country registered marriages under the new law Thursday, including 654 in Bangkok, 179 of whom were at the mass wedding. While Thailand has long been known as LGBT-friendly, it also retains conservative social values and struggled to pass legislation recognizing same-sex marriage. Thai lawmakers finally passed a marriage equality bill last year, amending the countrys civil and commercial code to replace gender-specific phrases such as men and women and husband and wife with individuals and marriage partners. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The law allows LGBT couples to have the same legal and financial rights as others, making Thailand the first country in Southeast Asia and the third jurisdiction in Asia, after Taiwan and Nepal, to recognize same-sex marriage. The government has embraced the change, organizing a photo session last week for activists and couples, as well as a meeting with Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra and other high-ranking officials. 23 January is the day that we all mark in history, that the rainbow flag has been planted in Thailand gracefully, Paetongtarn posted in Thai on her Instagram account last week. All the love from all the people is accepted legally with respect and dignity. A couple posing for pictures at the marriage event in Bangkok on Thursday. The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration said it had organized workshops and lectures for all officials in charge of handling marriage registration to raise awareness and offer guidance on appropriate communication. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Robert Conner, a Thai American public relations executive based in Washington, said he hoped the law would spread awareness among neighboring countries and even inspire them to follow Thailands example. Even if these other countries dont follow Thailands example of marriage equality, they can at least consider decriminalizing same-sex activities, said Conner, 27, who was born and raised in Phuket. There is also hope that it will benefit Thailands tourism-dependent economy, encouraging LGBT travelers from the United States and elsewhere to consider it as a place to visit and even as a wedding destination. But there is still room for improvement, Conner said, noting that changes to legal language around marriage did not extend to family law. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This means that with some same-sex couples, there can be cases where one parent has no legal protection or no legal connection to their own child, he said. It was still a huge leap forward for couples who have waited years for this moment. I have counted down the date since the day the law passed for today, said Pisit Sirihirunchai, a police officer who married his partner, Chanatip Sirihirunchai. Thanomkhet, who is transgender, said he knew since he was 9 years old that he wanted to be a man. He said his father discouraged him and also disapproved of Klinthaworn, who is a single mother with an 18-year-old son. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Years of campaigning in Thailand has helped change his fathers mind, Thanomkhet said. He doesnt say hes happy, but we can see from his action that he is now open about us, he said. Thai police officer Pisit Sirihirunchai and his partner, Chanatip Sirihirunchai. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Even though Anticha Sangchai and Vorawan Ramwan, a lesbian couple, formally got married Thursday, they have considered themselves married for nearly three years since they walked together in their wedding dresses in a 2022 pride parade in Bangkok. We celebrated our couple, our marriage with our community. It was very exciting. But it was not legal, Sangchai said. Today is very different, she said, adding she was shocked that the day had finally arrived. Its not just in Bangkok where couples are rushing to get their marriages legally recognized. Ploy Rahong, left, marrying her partner, Natamon Sukjaroen, in Koh Samui, Thailand, in October. Ploy Rahong, 31, married her partner of three years, Natamon Sukjaroen, in front of about 300 guests at a sunset wedding on the beach in Koh Samui in October, the month after the marriage equality bill was approved by King Maha Vajiralongkorn and officially written into law. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We wanted to get married awhile already, and once they approved the law, we just went ahead with it, said Ploy, who is Conners cousin. Ploy was celebrating again Thursday at an event in Koh Samui, hosted by the Tourism Authority of Thailand and its local office, for couples who had already married to officially register their marriages. Its like a new beginning, she said. Nat Sumon reported from Bangkok, Mithil Aggarwal from Hong Kong and Janis Mackey Frayer from Beijing. This article was originally published on NBCNews.com Lawyers for the Justice Department and five pregnant immigrants challenging President Donald Trumps executive order on birthright citizenship squared off before a federal judge Thursday over how quickly Trumps directive could go into effect. During a half-hour telephone conference with a judge in Maryland, a Justice Department attorney argued theres no extreme urgency to the six pending lawsuits over the order because it doesnt take effect until Feb. 19 and covers only children born after that date. The executive order doesnt become effective for 30 days, DOJ attorney Brad Rosenberg declared of the directive Trump signed Monday, which instructs federal agencies not to accept or create U.S. citizenship documents for children born to those who are unlawfully in the U.S. or who are here on temporary visas, including student and work visas. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement However, an attorney for the pregnant women and two immigrant rights groups who filed suit on Tuesday, Joseph Mead, said parts of the order appear to go into effect immediately. He also said the uncertainty created by the order is already impacting families, and the stress of the situation could create medical problems for the women. Even today, our plaintiffs are facing irreparable harm in the psychological harm that they have in not knowing the status of their children children who will be born in the coming weeks and months, said Mead, who added that some women may seek to have their children early to beat the deadline in Trumps order. U.S. District Court Judge Deborah Boardman, who is based in Greenbelt and was appointed by President Joe Biden, seemed to agree with the plaintiffs that parts of the order could be in effect now. The judge did not issue a ruling on the matter. Rosenberg said the parts of the order that arent delayed was largely a preamble and noted that another directed agencies to issue guidance on the subject. He said he did not believe agencies had taken any action under the order, but when pressed by Boardman acknowledged he hadnt canvassed them all. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I can only say that I am not aware of the agencies having taken any steps at this point, Rosenberg said. It is very early within the 30 day window. If a child born to parents subject to this order is born this afternoon within the United States, would that person be a United States citizen? the judge asked. As I read the executive order, the answer is yes, Rosenberg said. While theres broad legal consensus that all children born in the U.S. are citizens, aside from the children of foreign diplomats, Mead said the order insists that isnt the case. He argued that is already stirring up confusion and alarm regardless of whether passports and other documents have been affected. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Being a U.S. citizen is not about a piece of paper that the government sends you, its about much more, he said. Boardman ultimately set a bit slower schedule for action in the case than she initially suggested, setting a hearing for Feb. 5 on the motion to block Trumps order. Its possible that the order could already be blocked by then. At least six suits over the order have already been filed and a federal judge in Seattle is scheduled to hold a hearing later Thursday on a request for emergency relief in a case filed there. LONDON, Ky. (FOX 56) Changes are coming to the London city council, one month after city police shot and killed a man while trying to serve a search warrant at the wrong house. On Wednesday, two special called meetings and one ethics board meeting were held at the London Community Center, seeing a councilman resign, a private attorney hired for the city council, and three complaints discussed behind closed doors. This happened as the city faced fallout from the shooting death of Douglas Harless. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Last month, London police went to Harless home while looking for stolen property, although the search warrant was for a different address. Police said Harless pointed a gun at them, leading to the shooting. In the days first meeting, former Councilman Kip Jervis resigned. LATEST KENTUCKY NEWS: My family and I have made the difficult decision to try and lay some things aside that are causing me stress, said Jervis. Jervis has served on the council since 2020, noting that after consulting with doctors, he decided to do what was best for his health. It comes to the point in time when one must be particular about what occupies ones headspace. So now Im going to go help some folks make some music; thats what I like to do. I figure that might add a few years instead of subtraction, said Jervis. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Shortly after, the council met again, deciding to hire its own private attorney, separate from the city attorneya move that the mayor questioned. Bill calls for repaying Kentuckians wrongfully convicted of serious crimes Conrad Cessna, the founding partner of the Cessna & George Law Firm, is a criminal defense attorney who advises the school board. The city would like to put in the record, with Conrad having a large criminal law practice here in the city, would there be any conflicts between him and the city police, considering that he would be representing counsel? And maybe defendants on the city police? said London Mayor Randall Weddle. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Cessna said he was advised by an ethics liaison that his hiring would not be a conflict. Lastly, the Ethics Board met in closed session for the first time in nine months to discuss three complaints of an undisclosed nature. Jane Winkler Dyche, Board Chair, only told FOX 56 that all three complaints came within the last month. Read more of the latest Kentucky news The chair said we will know how the Ethics Board plans to address these complaints within the next few 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 FOX 56 News. This story was updated to add new information. A majority of readers who took a Milwaukee Journal Sentinel poll do not agree with CBS 58's decision to part ways with a meteorologist following comments she made on social media about an arm gesture made by Elon Musk during an event at Monday's presidential inauguration. Thank you to everyone who took the time to vote and leave comments. We will add more to the column tomorrow morning and update the vote totals. With 2,610 people voting as of 11:30 p.m. Thursday, 88% said the TV station made the wrong decision in parting ways with Sam Kuffel. Did a Milwaukee TV station make the right decision to fire a meteorologist following social media posts critical of an arm gesture by Elon Musk? Responses based on 2,610 votes in a non-scientific poll. Here is a selection of reader comments about the station's decision: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Any media who cannot acknowledge that what Musk did was a Nazi salute is not in the business of journalism and is in denial of the truth, or beholden to something other than their stated business." Daniel from Oak Creek "Musk has been elected to nothing. He is favored by Trump only because he spent $200 million to get him elected. And now he is off limits for being criticized for harkening back to fascism? Shame on CBS 58." Shannon from Milwaukee Want to share your thoughts? Scroll below for a form or click here "One of the best at her job, not only in Milwaukee, but in the USA. We live in Milwaukee part time, and as residents of Arizona, traveling around the country in our business, we witness so many local news and weather people. You've (CBS 58) made a huge mistake! Our business requires us to be aware of the weather daily. Sam was absolutely the best at her job. Shame on you're decision making. Freedom of speech is what your business is all about, suck it up, apologize, rehire her, do it now!" Stephen from Fountain Hills, Arizona Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "They bowed to the slightest inkling of pressure from a billionaire oligarch who is trying to buy his way into power. Journalism is about bringing to light the hidden workings of the world that people like Elon Musk manipulate and control. They really, really failed the integrity test on this one." Alexander from West Allis "An individual speaking out in support of democracy and human decency and against Nazism should be encouraged by an employer not punished. Musk has the right to show his support for Nazism and this meteorologist has the right to criticize it." Lisanne from Oconomowoc "The arm gesture was a Nazi salute! Why are you gaslighting us about this? It needs to be called out and Sam is doing the right thing speaking out about it. Frankly as a news organization you and CBS 58 should be as well. Many of us are very concerned about this. Its actually really frightening to have the richest man in the world connected to the most powerful position in the world throwing Nazi salutes on stage. And its part of a troubling pattern with him. Cover this like it matters and dont fire journalists for having passionate responses to it on their private account." Cole from Cedarburg "The firing is so wrong! I used to watch CBS 58 but never again. I also plan to boycott the businesses that advertise on 58 news. Its alarming that a local station is so afraid of Trump that they deny an employee the right to free speech. Sam was communicating her opinion as an individual- not as a station employee. She should be applauded for her strength and commitment to what is right." Judy from Mequon Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Free speech?! What a joke! Sam was truly a breath of fresh air on CBS. We absolutely love her and always watch(ed) CBS news/weather, but not anymore. We'll never watch CBS again, unless Sam is rehired (with an apology and back pay, of course)." William from Racine Here are some comments from readers who supported the station's decision: "Sam is incredibly talented and great at her (former) job. She was also well-versed in sports which gained her another following. But as a media member...I know to stay away from political posts on social media (largely) I can get away with it since I am not on camera. I have dealt with these types of issues for many years while working in WI media in the past dozen years. Bottom line, she needed to stay in her lane...weather and sports. Avoid politics. The station had no choice, I've see the exact same thing happen elsewhere in Wisconsin." Matthew from Muskego. "When you work for a company, particularly a media outlet, you are representing that company - even in your personal accounts. Such is the landscape of social media today." Kristin from Wauwatosa Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "She advertises her social media accounts on the news and then drops an F bomb along with totally unfounded accusations. The tough life of living in the spotlight." Linda from Sussex "Free speech doesn't extend to employment. I am so disgusted with people trying to accuse the other side of being Nazis... and that goes for both sides of the aisle. If you can't be honest to people in your social media, how can I trust you as someone in media who is going to give me true information. " Kate from Milton A majority of readers don't expect to see free speech improve 86% of respondents said they don't expect to see free speech improve under President Trump. Do you expect free speech to improve under President Trump? Responses based on 2,610 votes in a non-scientific poll. Here is a selection of reader comments about what they expect for free speech in the Trump administration: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "I feel that we're already seeing in social media, agencies like the CDC being muzzled, threats of assistance being withheld from Los Angles for being critical of Donald Trump, and situations like this stoking fear of retaliation for speaking out against him or his policies." Melissa from West Allis "Apparently, the media will be kowtowing to Trump and his administration thus I think freedom of the press will be oppressed. Shawnah from Milwaukee "The Biden Administration sought to curtail free speech by working with social media companies to censor speech. While the Trump Administration has concerning ties to social media companies, it does not appear it will approach things in the same manner." Dan from Milwaukee "As he, himself, is the owner of a publicly traded social media platform (Truth Social) on which he lies extensively, I expect Donald Trump wants to control the media and silence his critics." Deborah from Milwaukee Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Trump will not allow free speech. He calls it fake news." Charlotte from Wauwatosa "Yes. Having worked at a UW-System school, I don't know how many times I was told to "be quiet" because I had conservative viewpoints; I challenge you to find a conservative professor with tenure in the UW-System." Scott from Williamsport "I fear that free speech will be punished and we will be in fear for our life these next 4 years." Nate from Milwaukee "Credible statements have already been made by media representatives stating the Biden administration coerced them to censor stories and language critical of the administration and to apply a negative bias toward Republicans/conservatives." Jim from Richfield Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Is there anyone whos in their right mind that thinks Trump values free speech one bit?" Scott from Janesville "Why would free speech improve under Trump? The only speech he wants allowed is praise of him. Anything else he condemns." Daniel from Oak Creek "I expect that many news organizations will fold down and simply parrot whatever their owners say. Jeff Bezos has already muzzled the Washington Post. More papers and news organizations will follow. We need to watch for those news organizations that will freely publish disagreeing opinions. Surely Trump and his minions will target them, using legal or financial force to "toe the Trump rhetoric." It is a dark age for free speech. Trump has already started to crush free speech - after spending four years claiming that others have tried to "shut him down". He is doing far worse to American free speech." Mia from Milwaukee "Yes, because he (Trump) has demonstrated it by allowing TikTok to remain." Kevin from Richfield Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "I believe that if you dont toe the political view point youll be silenced." John from Milwaukee "The missing free speech was conservative, common sense, critical thinking voices." Jana from Milwaukee "Trump is already threatening to go after those who speak out against him. He's threatening, Liz Cheney, Dr. Fauci and the J6 community with prison. They have done nothing wrong except search for the truth. Apparently Trump, Vance and leadership of the Republican party can spread lies without repercussions." Susan from Pewaukee Is this a case of cancel culture? Should we have used that term? A little over half, 56% said the station's decision is an example of cancel culture. Is this firing an example of cancel culture? Responses based on 2,610 votes in a non-scientific poll. Still, many readers took issue with the term cancel culture and its usage in the question: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "The term "cancel culture" has been so sensationalized that I don't know what it means exactly." Jim from Milwaukee "It's an example of excusing anything the "conservatives" do. Like the right wing radio host who is actively encouraging his followers to target people that have commented publicly that they disagree with him." Sarah from Oak Creek "Its just 4 days into the new president term and liberals are afraid he (Trump) is going to be saving the country they ruined." Paul from Wausaukee "It's an example of fascist censorship, which is much, much more dangerous. "Cancel culture" is a rightwing dog whistle used mostly to describe people being mean to each other on social media. Getting fired because you correctly reported a Hitler salute is an example of a news organization supposedly devoted to free speech anticipating the fascists and doing their censorship for them." Ben from Milwaukee "This is a good way of silencing people who have something to say. Before you know what the only people with the microphone will be the billionaires who run this oligarchy." Justin from Milwaukee "No, it's an example of media bending to a developing oligarchy and forgetting world history. If they don't think Musk's gesture was a Nazi salute, they should research videos from American Neo-Nazi gatherings to see the exact same gesture. Shame on CBS 58!" Sandy from Iron Ridge "My understanding is, normally the Far Right invokes the "Cancel Culture" false flag when the Liberal Left points out an issue. This is simply a case of corporate CYA." Ross from Cedarburg "Absolutely yes. Sam discussed a political issue on her social media. She was fired because Trump didn't like it. Trump and Musk canceled her. I think she was lucky that Trump didn't try to have her arrested." Joan from Wauwatosa Did CBS 58 make the right call in firing meteorologist Sam Kuffel? We want to hear your thoughts on this case. Take our poll and answer the survey questions if you have time. We'll add your comments as they roll in. Cancel culture by left and right has come under criticism When I heard about a Milwaukee TV station firing a meteorologist following comments she made on social media, I couldnt help but think about a recent headline in the Wall Street Journal proclaiming Left-wing cancel culture gets canceled. Sam Kuffel was dropped by the local CBS affiliate WDJT-TV (Channel 58) after she criticized billionaire Elon Musk on Instagram for a straight-arm gesture at an inauguration event Monday that many have likened to a Nazi salute. Much of the sharpest criticism over her vulgar comments emanated over the airwaves of talk radio in Milwaukee, where complaints about the censorship of conservative voices, especially on University of Wisconsin college campuses is a frequent topic. The Wall Street Journals headline, reflected that sentiment: The election of Donald Trump expressed widespread frustration with the censorious methods of progressives. Yet it ended with: But conservatives have a cancellation problem too. The Saturday Essay by the Journals Joshua Chaffin wrestles thoughtfully with questions about free speech in the context of George Floyd, #MeToo, DEI, social media and McCarthyism. Elon Musk salute, Sam Kuffel firing illustrate free speech debate What happened at CBS 58 illustrates the push and pull of free speech that is seldom without gray areas. Many were outraged about Musk's gesture, while others said it had nothing to do with Nazi Germany. This all could be seen as fair game for commentary regardless of how you interpreted his arm movement. Kuffel's comments were on her personal account, but she worked for a TV station. Many news organizations have policies about employees posting on topics they cover. She also used an expletive, which could be seen as reflecting poorly on WDJT-TV. EXCLUSIVE: @CBS58 meteorologist Sam Kuffel makes a pair of vulgar Instagram posts while spreading the lie that Elon Musk was giving a Nazi salute during yesterday's Presidential Inauguration. pic.twitter.com/C9qzSNg4J4 Dan O'Donnell (@DanODonnellShow) January 21, 2025 One of President Trump's first executive orders on Monday was titled, "Restoring freedom of speech and ending federal censorship." He's been sharply critical of both the federal government and social media companies for what he calls censorship. Following the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on Congress, Trump was banned from many social media platforms, including Twitter. He was later restored to the social media platform after it was bought, and renamed to X, by Musk. Trump also founded his own company, Truth Social, which describes itself as "America's 'Big Tent' social media platform that encourages an open, free, and honest global conversation. Jim Fitzhenry is the Ideas Lab Editor/Director of Community Engagement for the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Reach him at jfitzhen@gannett.com or 920-993-7154. This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Was a WI TV station right to fire host after Musk comments? | Opinion DANVILLE, Ky. (FOX 56) The charges against a man involved in a controversial arrest in Danville have been dismissed. Police arrested John Hardwick in October of last year, claiming he was intoxicated in Walmart and attempting to steal beer. LATEST KENTUCKY NEWS: Hardwick was charged with public intoxication, criminal trespassing, shoplifting, and resisting arrest. Hardwick entered a not guilty plea back in December. LATEST KENTUCKY LISTS AND RANKINGS: On Wednesday, all of the charges were dismissed with prejudice, meaning Hardwick cant be charged with them 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 FOX 56 News. The University of California is aiming to speed up the faculty discipline process amid criticism that cases take too long to complete including one involving a UC Davis professor accused of posting threats to Zionist journalists that included emojis of blood and a hatchet. UC officials told the Board of Regents at a meeting Wednesday in San Francisco that possible reforms could include systemwide case tracking to understand where delays are occurring, chancellor progress reports on cases, timelines to complete investigations, and a systemwide faculty committee to review cases that an individual campus may be reluctant to take on. The UC Davis case was not mentioned at the meeting, but it has been a driving force in the push for reform. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Three days after the Hamas attack on Israel in October 2023, a post on the X account of Jemma Decristo, a UC Davis assistant professor of American studies, said: one group of ppl we have easy access to in the US is all these Zionist journalists who spread propaganda & misinformation / they have houses w addresses, kids in school / they can fear their bosses, but they should fear us more . The post drew widespread condemnation and calls for Decristo's firing. UC Regent Jay Sures said at the time that the comments were "antisemitic and disgusting," while UC Davis Chancellor Gary S. May denounced them as "revolting in every way" and said the case would be investigated. The university declined to comment on the status of the case Wednesday, saying it involved "confidential personnel matters." Read more: UCLA hires LAPD Cmdr. Steve Lurie to lead safety overhaul following protest violence Decristo, who earns $116,800 annually, remains listed on the UC Davis faculty directory but has not been teaching since the controversial post 15 months ago. The professor did not respond to a request for comment. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The UC Academic Senate takes the lead in reviewing faculty misconduct cases and can recommend sanctions, including written censure, salary reductions, demotions, suspensions without pay or dismissal. Academic Senate Chair Steven W. Cheung cautioned regents Wednesday against hasty action in revising the discipline process. He said comprehensive reviews, which could lead to prolonged hearings in complex cases, might require time to complete beyond any predetermined targets. He cited outside criminal cases in which convictions had been overturned because of flaws in the investigation process. Cheung said UC must guard against such errors, which could result in dismissal of cases, financial penalties or damage to the university's reputation. "There's a natural desire for rapid closure of faculty misconduct cases where factual evidence points to manifestly offensive or seemingly incriminating action attributable to the accused, yet satisfactory closure of all cases, sensational and otherwise, must be tempered by our collective American credence that the accused is innocent until proven guilty," Cheung said in written comments Wednesday. "This belief requires fair, equal and just treatment of the accused and adherence to the transparent procedures that are compliant with applicable state and federal laws." Regents Sures and Rich Leib, however, expressed impatience with the discipline process. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Read more: UC resolves federal civil rights complaints of antisemitism, Islamophobia and anti-Arab bias "When you look at the timelines, this is so beyond what is necessary and reasonable," Leib said. Sures said UC would probably need to "upend the system." "The current process, in my mind, is unacceptable," he said. "The concept of having faculty perform self-governance is not working. Nothing about this system is working now." Leib and Regents Greg Sarris and Maria Anguiano will form a board committee to work with the faculty and administrators who are reviewing the process; the groups plan to recommend changes by May. Regents would vote on them at their July meeting. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement UC Provost Katherine Newman noted that UC sexual violence and harassment complaints took an average of 283 business days more than a year to resolve. Quicker action on faculty misconduct cases would require more investigators at a time UC is facing budget constraints, she said. "None of us are interested in fossilized discipline practices and processes," Newman added. "This is an opportune moment for us to look inward and evaluate what can be improved." 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. People watch virtual remarks of U.S. President Donald Trump at the World Economic Forum (WEF) Annual Meeting in Davos, Switzerland, Jan. 23, 2025. In his message to global business leaders, Trump promised what would be "among the lowest taxes of any nation on Earth" for those who bring manufacturing operations to the United States, but still warned of tariffs for those who do not. (Xinhua/Peng Ziyang) DAVOS, Switzerland, Jan. 23 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Donald Trump said his government looks forward to "doing very well with China and getting along with China" in virtual remarks to the World Economic Forum (WEF) Annual Meeting in Davos, Switzerland, on Thursday. Trump emphasized that the leaders of the United States and China are going to have a "very good relationship." Addressing the ongoing situation in Ukraine, Trump acknowledged China's role and expressed hope for cooperation. "Hopefully, we could work together and get that (armed conflict) stopped," he said. In his message to global business leaders, Trump promised what would be "among the lowest taxes of any nation on Earth" for those who bring manufacturing operations to the United States, but still warned of tariffs for those who do not. Trump also voiced concerns over rising oil prices, adding that he would ask Saudi Arabia and the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) to bring down costs. If they were to send all of these immigrants back, this town would be terrible, a Charleroi native told Channel 11 today. Hes referring to one of the executive orders that President Donald Trump signed on his first day of office where he mentions Charleroi by name, saying that the city has seen a significant influx of immigrants over the last four years. Therefore, the President is suspending the United States Refugee Admissions Program meaning the government will no longer allow refugees into the US. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In fact, the refugee admissions page of the US Department of State is already down. 100% of refugees are on the pathway to citizenship, Sloane Davidson, the Founder and CEO of Hello, Neighbor, told Channel 11. Davidson says this order directly impacts their ability to help immigrants resettle in Pittsburgh. We have families in Pittsburgh that were anxiously awaiting the arrival of their family members, and all of that is all paused. Its just incredibly sad for them to see the end coming so close and have it torn away, Davidson added. Hello, Neighbor also has federal contracts to help with funding, and that is all paused, effective today. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This administration told us what they were planning to do, and to actually see it on paper is very dishearteningeven if we knew it was coming, she added. Davidson was aware of the President specifically mentioning Charleroi in his executive order. It is really unfortunate that the President, who has never stepped foot in Charleroi, who has no connection to Charleroi has chosen to put [the city]in the same category as Springfield, Ohio and other places, she said. The order states that President Trump will determine if the program resumes if its in the interest of the country. Download the FREE WPXI News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Channel 11 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch WPXI NOW Charles Spencer is praising his nephew Prince Harry, following his legal victory against Rupert Murdoch's News Group Newspapers (NGN), the publisher behind the U.K. newspaper The Sun and the now-defunct News Of The World. Spencer, the brother of the late Princess Diana, penned a congratulatory message for the Duke of Sussex, 40, on Wednesday, Jan. 22, after he reached a settlement with NGN before their trial in London officially began. The trial was originally scheduled to begin Tuesday morning and delayed by a day due to private settlement discussions. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "It takes an enormous amount of guts to take on major media organisations like this, and incredible tenacity to win against them," Spencer, 60, wrote in an Instagram post next to a screenshot of a BBC News report about Harry's legal victory. Eugene Gologursky/Getty Prince Harry speaks onstage during The New York Times Dealbook Summit 2024 Prince Harry speaks onstage during The New York Times Dealbook Summit 2024 Related: Prince Harry Receives 8-Figure Sum in Damages After Settling Legal Battle Against Rupert Murdoch-Owned The Sun "Its wonderful that Harry also secured an apology for his mother - she would be immensely touched by this, Im sure, and also rightly proud. Well done indeed," Spencer's statement continued. NGN denied all of Harry's allegations before the parties reached the settlement, which included awarding Harry damages in the amount of an eight-figure sum, likely exceeding $12 million. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Following the settlement, NGN said in a statement obtained by PEOPLE that they offered "a full and unequivocal apology to the Duke of Sussex for the serious intrusion by The Sun between 1996 and 2011 into his private life, including incidents of unlawful activities carried out by private investigators working for The Sun." The statement and apology were the first time NGN admitted wrongdoing. 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! The statement further made reference to "phone hacking, surveillance and misuse of private information by journalists and private investigators instructed by them at the News of the World," and offered an apology for past intrusions into the "private life" of Princess Diana. "NGN further apologizes to the Duke for the impact on him of the extensive coverage and serious intrusion into his private life as well as the private life of Diana, Princess of Wales, his late mother, in particular during his younger years," the statement added. "We acknowledge and apologize for the distress caused to the Duke, and the damage inflicted on relationships, friendships and family, and have agreed to pay him substantial damages." Chris Jackson/Getty Prince Harry attends the Wellchild Awards 2024 at the Royal Lancaster Hotel on September 30, 2024 Prince Harry attends the Wellchild Awards 2024 at the Royal Lancaster Hotel on September 30, 2024 In his suit, which included co-claimant, former Labour Member of Parliament Tom Watson, Harry claimed he was targeted by journalists working for NGN from the mid-1990s until 2011, using methods including "blagging of confidential information from third parties, and instructing private investigators to do these or other unlawful acts." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While it was ruled that the claim could be tried in July 2023, Judge Timothy Fancourt dismissed another claim by Harry related to phone hacking. Related: Prince Harrys Surprise Settlement Ends Legal Battle as Murdoch Tabloids Offer 'Full and Unequivocal Apology' Fancourt stated that Harry was aware of phone hacking at the News of the World in 2012 and said he could have brought his case sooner (the U.K. usually offers claimants six years after a privacy breach to take action). Read the original article on People CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCBD) The Charleston International Airport underwent inspection on Thursday morning to determine if flights can resume. The airport announced Joint Base Charleston inspected the airfield and cleared the airport to reopen. Charleston International Airport reminded travelers to stay in direct contact with their airlines for flight updates. Airport CEO Elliott Summey said, Reopening the airfield after a significant weather event requires an extraordinary level of teamwork and commitment. We want to thank everyone who worked around the clock to restore safe operations. The safety of our travelers, crew, and staff will always be our number one priority. 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. US Foods, a national food service distributor, announced the opening dates for two ChefStore locations in Hampton Roads. Hampton and Virginia Beach stores will welcome their first customers on Saturday, starting at 6 a.m. The Hampton location is near the AMC movie theater, and the Virginia Beach warehouse is in Collins Square not far from Town Center. ChefStore offers wholesale food and restaurant supplies by the case and in individual quantities to the public. Products range from specialty meats and fresh vegetables to restaurant equipment. No membership is required. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement US Foods operates a network of about 90 ChefStore locations across 14 states. Its other Virginia locations are in Lynchburg and Roanoke. ___ If you go NORTHEAST OKLAHOMA Cherokee Nation artists may soon have more funding through proposed legislation to extend the Cherokee Nations Artist Recover Act through 2026 and add $1 million in new funding The Artist Recovery Act provided an economic lifeline to many artists when times were tough and we were recovering from the pandemic, but it has enriched all Cherokees by encouraging a period of unprecedented creativity. We can go further, so we must go further to support Cherokee artists in the years ahead. Cherokee Nation Principal Chief Chuck Hoskin Jr. The art-funded pieces range from small items to large pieces of public art and can be seen across Cherokee Nation properties. Those acquisitions, by law, are in addition to the tribes longstanding law to commit one percent of capital construction budgets to purchase artwork for new facilities. Cherokee Nation Principal Chief Chuck Hoskin Jr. said the law requires his administration and the Cherokee Nation Council to look beyond the laws sunset in 2026 to continue supporting the artist community. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The proposal extends the law through 2026 and adds $1 million in new funding. The additional funding will be added to the unspent funds under the current law, upping the total investment to $4 million. One item on the tribes agenda is establishing an art facility based in Stilwell under the direction of the Cherokee Nations Businesses Cultural Tourism arm. The law commits up to $1.6 million to support artists-related capital projects. Those funds will help complete the tribes planned art repository in Stilwell, which will house art for temporary storage and repair and include gallery space and space for art classes. Artists selling their art or participating in programs must be citizens of the Cherokee Nation. Preference is given to Cherokee artists designated as Cherokee National Treasures. What does the Cherokee Artist Recovery Act cover? C ultural Classes Cherokee artists can apply to be contracted teachers for cultural classes, performances, and demonstrations hosted in the community, as well as specific initiatives for youth classes and programming. Artists are paid for their time, supplies, and travel. Market Access Marketing, travel, and registration support for Cherokee artists participating in qualifying art shows and markets. Marketing Assistance To assist with business development efforts, Cherokee Nation artists can apply for in-kind services supporting the production and printing of approved marketing materials. Facility Enhancements Rehabilitation or construction of Cherokee Nation facilities that increase access to necessary equipment, tools, and space to create and promote Cherokee art. Cherokee Artist Resource Collection Development of a comprehensive database to promote Cherokee artists with links to individual portfolios and sales platforms. Click here to apply online for available opportunities, or download the applications to submit via email or postal service. You can also call (918) 384-7730 for application 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 KSNF/KODE | FourStatesHomepage.com. CHICAGO Two 18-year-old men are charged in connection with a deadly shooting on Fourth of July in the Englewood neighborhood. Eugene Sanders and Dajon Neely, from Chicago, both face one felony count of first-degree murder in the fatal shooting of a 34-year-old man in the 6200 block of South Laflin Street on July 4. Eugene Sanders and Dajon Neely, 18, from Chicago (Chicago police) According to police, the men were arrested Tuesday after being identified as the offenders involved in the murder. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Sanders and Neely are scheduled for a detention hearing 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 WGN-TV. Struggling with declining revenue in its groundbreaking nonprofit radio/newspaper model, Chicago Public Media is offering voluntary buyouts for Chicago Sun-Times journalists and business employees at WBEZ. The WBEZ newsroom will not be affected by the buyout announcement Wednesday, but more cuts could be on the way. In a memo shared with Chicago Public Media staffers and obtained by the Tribune on Wednesday, new CEO Melissa Bell said employees will be offered an incentive package to voluntarily leave the company. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Our hope is that this action and other efforts will reduce our costs so that we can avoid more significant cost-cutting measures down the road, Bell said in a separate memo to WBEZ members. Bell told employees at a staff meeting Wednesday the company is looking to shave $3 million to $5 million off the annual budget through the buyouts. The Sun-Times has 144 employees, including 104 on the editorial side, while WBEZ has 134 employees, with 64 content creators, according to Chicago Public Media. Long a money-losing newspaper, the Sun-Times is still bleeding red ink since joining the nonprofit fold and faces a $12 million operating deficit this year, according to Chicago Public Media. While the shortfall is covered by philanthropic funding through 2026, downsizing at the Sun-Times is part of a broader strategy to gradually eliminate the gap, a spokesperson said Wednesday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Sun-Times Guild, which represents 80 journalists at the newspaper, expressed disappointment over the plan to offer voluntary buyouts. Our union is frustrated that our organizations management did not secure more revenue in the past three years to avoid staffing cuts and secure our sustainability, the union said in a statement. The Chicago Sun-Times merged with WBEZ-FM 91.5 under the nonprofit banner of Chicago Public Media in January 2022, with ambitious plans to leverage synergies and boost the fortunes of both the newspaper and flagship NPR radio station. But there has been significant static at Chicago Public Media recently, with CEO Matt Moog stepping down last year amid revenue shortfalls after engineering the merger of WBEZ and the Chicago Sun-Times, backed by $61 million in initial philanthropic support. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Chicago Public Media implemented layoffs and buyouts in April 2024, trimming the ranks by 17 employees, dramatically scaling back WBEZs podcasting unit and eliminating its urban alternative radio platform Vocalo. In June, the local unit of SAG-AFTRA, which represents more than 60 employees at WBEZ, filed an unfair labor practices complaint against Chicago Public Media in the wake of layoffs and buyouts thinning the ranks at the NPR station. Bell, a digital journalism pioneer who co-founded online news site Vox.com, was named in June to replace Moog, taking the reins in September. In the memo to supporters of the nonprofit media organization, Bell said she plans to build the Newsroom of the Future by investing in innovation, unifying its platforms on one website and reimagining the audio lineup. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement First up is cutting costs through the voluntary buyout ahead of possible layoffs and other measures. While weve made strides in adapting to the rapidly changing media landscape, these efforts havent yet translated into the sustainable revenue we need, Bell said in the memo to WBEZ members. Making this adjustment now is a necessary step to position us for long-term success and fully realize the transformative potential of our combined organization. Elizabeth, a Chicagoan in the U.S. without legal permission and mother of three, is used to being involved in her community on the Northwest Side through volunteering at her childrens school and helping students. But after this week, she no longer feels safe even going near the school doors. A day after President Donald Trump threw out policies that limited immigration arrests at sensitive locations, such as churches, schools and hospitals, a ripple of fear spread across the migrant community in the U.S. illegally who were stripped of protection in places they once felt safest. The announcement also sent medical staff, educators and faith leaders scrambling to come up with plans to protect Chicagos immigrants in the country without legal permission in spaces that historically have been the most secure. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Elizabeth who asked to have her last name withheld due to her status said her family would park their car to wait outside the school to retrieve their kids. Not anymore, she said. Now, we drive by and tell our kids to jump in quickly. On Tuesday, Trump announced his move to reverse guidance used by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to not carry out immigration enforcement in sensitive locations day care centers, schools, places of worship and health care facilities. The ICE guidance had been in place since 2011. Indeed, immigrants have long used churches in Chicago to seek refuge. The movement dates back to the sanctuary movement in the 1980s, when liberal congregations around the U.S. took in illegal immigrants who were fleeing war in Central America. Elvia Arellano and Francisca Lino, prominent advocates against deportation, sought shelter in Adalberto United Methodist Church in Humboldt Park in the early 2000s. Chicago church stops hosting in-person Spanish services amid fears of mass deportations from Trump administration Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement And as tens of thousands of migrants have come to Chicago on buses sent by Texas Gov. Greg Abbott since 2022, many churches opened their doors to help house and feed them. But Trump has made it clear his efforts run in stark contrast to previous administrations guidelines for ICE to find and remove people who no longer have the authority to stay in the U.S., even reportedly directing the Justice Department to investigate local officials who obstruct enforcement in some cases. Authorities in Chicago and Cook County reiterated this week that they would follow local, state and federal laws. In a statement issued Monday, the Chicago Police Department said that the citys police officers do not assist federal immigration authorities with enforcement action solely based on immigration status. The Cook County sheriffs office told the Tribune in a statement that existing state law and local ordinance prescribe our Offices responsibilities regarding federal immigration regulatory programs. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Likewise, Gov. JB Pritzkers office said in a statement Wednesday that the second-term Democrat has been clear that we follow the law in Illinois and expects all federal and local law enforcement to do the same. Threats to prosecute elected officials defending the law is unacceptable discourse in the United States, Pritzker spokesman Alex Gough said. Republicans are attempting to intimidate officials from defending the Constitution and it will not work. Still, this newest order just one of Trumps first-week salvo has hit the people in the country without legal permission and their loved ones hard, including Elizabeths son, who is a U.S. citizen, his mother said. He just graduated high school and wants to go to college, but decided to take a year off before applying because hes worried about his parents getting swept up in a raid. He wants to do the grocery shopping for us. He offered to do everything we usually do outside, just so that we wouldnt have to leave the house, she said. With Trump making good on his pledge to deport millions of immigrants, universities, schools, churches and hospitals across Chicago scheduled a flurry of meetings and training sessions on how to respond if federal agents come knocking on their doors. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The University of Illinois Chicago, a large public university known for its programs and initiatives that support Latino students, said it sent a message to its staff earlier this week with its campus protocol: If any documents are presented, please do not accept them. Direct the officers to UIC Police. Staff have installed panic buttons under nine or 10 desks in the offices that serve some of the most vulnerable students. The buttons connect directly to campus police dispatch. People are hiding. Chicago immigrants stay home from work to avoid potential ICE arrests. CPS, for its part, remains committed to protecting the rights of all students to a public education, despite the executive order language, a district spokesperson said in a statement. CPS has provided guidance to staff to not allow federal immigration officers on school property unless they provide their credentials, the reason they are requesting access and a criminal judicial warrant signed by a federal judge. CPS does not plan to share private student-level information with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) except in the rare case where there is a court order or consent from a parent or guardian, the spokesperson wrote. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Principals would be among the first to be called, said Kia Banks, chief of staff for the Chicago Principals and Administrators Association. Banks said the principals union is directing its members to not let anyone past a schools check point without a warrant. The district has provided multiple resources, but we (still) feel that it is overwhelming for our members, said Banks. We want to streamline some of that information so our school leaders feel confident in addressing the situation should it arrive. Hospitals and medical centers are taking similar measures. A spokesperson for Cook County Health said that law enforcement officials, including immigration agents, are not permitted in these areas unless invited by a patient or if the official has a signed judicial warrant, while adding that staff are being trained on how to best protect patients. Erie Family Health Centers, an Illinois based medical program that serves a large number of immigrants, said it reviewed procedures with staff this week on how to handle law enforcement agencies that approach the health center and will continue to provide services to patients regardless of status. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Although it has not seen a dramatic drop in appointments this week, there is concern among staff that the new policies from the administration will have a chilling effect on whether migrants will seek out care, said Dr. Lee Francis, president and CEO of Erie Family Health Centers. People will be afraid to seek health care, and that could have strong negative impacts on both an individuals health and public health in general, Francis said, emphasizing how missing routine appointments can lead to unnecessary ER visits. When kids miss well-child visits or routine vaccinations, preventable infections can become serious enough to require a trip to the ER, hospitalization, or spread and affect a wider population, Francis said. If a person is pregnant but scared to access prenatal care, this has implications for the health of the patient and their newborn. Meanwhile, faith leaders across Chicago vowed to continue to offer resources, create rapid response teams and offer sanctuary for families who fear being arrested by ICE. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Matt DeMateo, executive director and pastor at New Life Centers, a network of nondenominational Christian churches throughout Chicago and Indiana, said that his team has been preparing to continue advocating and protecting their neighbors as they always have, leading with faith over fear. We have partners ready and willing to open up their spaces ready to care for those in need, said DeMateo, whose work focuses on Little Village, a predominantly immigrant neighborhood. The Rev. Beth Brown of Lincoln Park Presbyterian Church, a longtime advocate of the immigrant community, said interfaith religious leaders have been organizing and preparing the last few months for the new Trump presidency. We were expecting this and we are prepared, she said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement There are several faith communities that are considering providing sanctuary for families who need a few hours or a few days to feel safe, not just traditional sanctuary, she said. Brown said that the community and faith leaders know that the executive order does not change much. According to Brown, churches remain private places where ICE needs a warrant to enter. The only times the federal immigration enforcement agency can go inside is during a public service, but even then, there are spaces in churches where the public cannot enter, so neither can ICE, she said. They are doing this to create fear, Brown said, adding that she doesnt expect to see worship spaces raided anytime soon. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement During a visit to the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico City, Cardinal Blase Cupich, archbishop of Chicago said that the reports of the mass deportations in Chicago are disturbing, according to a news release. Related Articles The Catholic community stands with the people of Chicago in speaking out in defense of the rights of immigrants and asylum-seekers, he said, adding that the church would also oppose all efforts by Immigration and Customs Enforcement and other government agencies to enter places of worship for any enforcement activities. On Wednesday, Bishop Robert Casey, the vicar general of Archdiocese of Chicago, said the Catholic Church will continue to offer resources for immigrants in the city, including their immigration ministry and the services offered through Catholic Charities. But Casey did not clarify if they will also offer sanctuary to those in need. We lift up the human dignity of every man, woman, and child in our community. Together with that we have to assist our communities in living in this country and so we have to be respectful of laws, we have to be faithful citizens, he told the Tribune. We dont exist a part of society but we exist within society. At the Little Village community church, Pastor Paco Amador has switched over some of his daily prayer and other programming to online, hoping to provide some comfort to members. On Wednesday evening, Amador was on his way to pick up one of their members from work because they feared driving back home. In the same manner, other members were helping other families to get groceries and take their kids to school. We dont realize that fear hurts, he said. These families are hurting. Chicago Tribunes John Kim, Sam Charles and Dan Petrella contributed. HENDERSON COUNTY, Texas (KETK) An East Texas man is behind bars after officials reportedly found child pornography in his home. On Wednesday, Henderson County Crimes Against Childrens Task Force and Henderson County Sheriffs Office searched the home of Dustyn Loyd, 24 of Murchison, on FM 2339. One less child predator on the streets: Man sentenced after touching an East Texas child According to officials, during the search Loyd was arrested for online solicitation of a minor and three charges of possession of child pornography. Courtesy of the Henderson Police Department Loyd was transported to the Henderson County Jail and is currently awaiting arraignment. 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 KETK.com | FOX51.com. Sometime around the end of July or the beginning of August, a Venezuelan immigrant who asked to be identified only as Monica expects to give birth to a son or daughter in South Carolina. That child, she said, will be a citizen of nothing. The Venezuelan immigrant and her partner arrived in the United States in 2019 under the Temporary Protected Status program for Venezuelans as the country faced economic and political crisis and quickly applied for permanent asylum to make the United States their new home. While waiting for an interview with immigration officials for the heavily backlogged program, Monica and her partner settled in South Carolina and found work. Six years after they arrived in the United States, she became pregnant. Twelve weeks into her pregnancy, Monica said the couple are consumed with worry about the fate of their childs citizenship, fearful that the Trump administrations new policy on birthright citizenship and Venezuelas ongoing troubles and lack of diplomatic ties with the United States will leave their family in limbo. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I dont understand why my child wouldnt be able to have the same rights as other children born here, both children of immigrants and not, said Monica, who asked to keep her identity hidden out of fear that her familys petition for asylum would be negatively impacted by her participation in the lawsuit. I ask myself, What can we do? My child will be stateless. Hell be a citizen of nothing. Monica is one of five pregnant women who joined a lawsuit filed in federal district court in Maryland challenging the constitutionality of the Trump administrations executive order seeking to end birthright citizenship. The lawsuit was filed by the Institute for Constitutional Advocacy and Protection at Georgetown Law on behalf of the five women and two immigrant advocacy groups, CASA and the Asylum Seeker Advocacy Project (ASAP). The lawsuit is one several filed across the country challenging the Trump administrations order. It would exclude two categories of infants from the right to U.S. citizenship: infants born to a mother who is unlawfully in the country and a father who is not a citizen or permanent resident, and infants born to a mother who is authorized to be in the country for a temporary period of time and a father who is not a U.S. citizen or permanent resident. The latter group includes, but is not limited to, people in the United States with a work, student or tourist visa. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The order would impact any infants born after February 19 and would in effect deprive them of legal documents such as Social Security cards and U.S.-issued passports. The lack of specificity in the executive order has created confusion among families and lawyers about who exactly would be impacted. The order mentions only infants born to a mother and a father, leaving unclear the fate of children born to a single or widowed mother, or to a queer couple in which the nonbirthing parent is a U.S. resident or citizen. The order doesnt wholly define temporary status, meaning that immigrants covered by a wide range of visa programs are awaiting more information to find out if they are impacted. These are examples of the kind of uncertainty and the kind of, really, lack of thought that went into the issuance of this executive order. Unfortunately, there are just a lot of unknowns, because the executive order is attempting to undo hundreds of years of American history, said Rupa Bhattacharyya, the legal director at the Institute for Constitutional Advocacy and Protection at Georgetown. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As he signed the order, Protecting the Meaning and Value of American Citizenship, from the Oval Office hours after taking office, Trump said he believes his administration has very good grounds on which to defend the policy. Trumps Justice Department is expected to make the case that a reinterpretation of the 14th Amendment, specifically the line that says all persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, allows the administration to exclude newborns who it doesnt consider under its jurisdiction. Other lawsuits challenging the law include one filed by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and several of its state branches on behalf of three immigrant advocacy groups, arguing that the order violates the Constitution and would deny impacted infants basic health care and nutrition. Another lawsuit, filed by the Lawyers for Civil Rights and two Massachusetts-based immigrant advocacy groups, argues that the policy would essentially strip citizenship rights from newborn infants and their parents and that is akin to punishment and unconstitutional. The lead plaintiff is a pregnant woman who is due in March and seeking asylum. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The attorneys general of 18 states and two cities, San Francisco and Washington, D.C., are challenging the order in federal district court in Massachusetts, arguing that neither the president nor Congress have the authority to end a right guaranteed by the Constitution. Four more attorneys general filed a similar lawsuit in the Western District of Washington. In the meantime, Monica says that she and other expecting parents like herself will remain worried and confused about the fate of their childrens immigration status. Now that Im 12 weeks, this is really difficult for me. When I should be focused on my baby being healthy, we are stressed, anxious and depressed about this situation that my child may not be able to become a U.S. citizen, she said during a call with reporters Wednesday shortly after the lawsuit was filed. According to court documents, Monica and her partner previously worked as a physician and environmental engineer in Venezuela. In the United States, they have sought work as a house cleaner and in construction. On Wednesday, Monica said that she and her partner have lived according to the law, working and paying taxes. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Now that its been six years, weve decided to become parents. Life goes on, and this is something that is important to us. We feel stable in this country now, Monica said, adding that the asylum programs backlog could leave them waiting for another decade for a permanent decision. It would be hard for Monica and her partner to seek Venezuelan citizenship for their child because the Venezuelan government does not have an embassy or consulate in the United States. Conchita Cruz, co-executive director of ASAP, said that for other asylum seekers, making contact with the consulates of their country of origin could risk their safety or put their asylum claims in jeopardy. Another plaintiff in the lawsuit, a pregnant woman who asked to be only identified as Liza, immigrated to the United States from Russia alongside her partner and petitioned for asylum. The couple says they would face persecution if they return to Russia and therefore cannot safely petition for Russian citizenship for their child, who is due in May. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Federal agencies have until February 19 to issue public guidance about how they will implement the policy. Its possible that a court will intervene before that date, pausing enforcement while a long legal battle ensues. In the meantime, uncertainty looms large among many expectant immigrants. The executive order has caused a lot of confusion for a lot of families like mine, Monica said. People who are here under asylum applications or TPS will this really apply to us? The post My child will be stateless: Pregnant women sue Trump administration over the end of birthright citizenship appeared first on The 19th. News that represents you, in your inbox every weekday. Subscribe to our free, daily newsletter. Chinese officials are increasingly medicating troublemakers and forcing them into psychiatric hospitals to silence dissenters, an investigation has revealed. Citizens who openly protest or criticise authorities have been admitted to hospitals against their will, given antipsychotic drugs, and in some cases even subjected to electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), according to the BBC World Service. Although this has long been an issue, with a group of citizen journalists tracking more than 200 cases involving people being wrongfully admitted to hospital between 2013 and 2017, there are concerns that there has been a recent resurgence of incidents. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Huang Xuetao, a Chinese lawyer, told the BBC: I have come across lots of cases like this. The police want power while avoiding responsibility. Anyone who knows the shortcomings of this system can abuse it. He added that although the 2013 Mental Health Law of China which made it illegal to treat anyone who is not mentally unwell aimed to curb this sort of maltreatment, a weakening of checks and balances had left the system open to abuse. International agencies have also raised concerns about the state of human rights across the vast country. Last week Human Rights Watch warned that ten years into President Xi Jinpings rule repression [has] deepened. Human Rights Watch has warned that ten years into President Xi Jinpings rule repression [has] deepened - Getty Images The BBC tracked down 59 people who dissented against the authorities and were subsequently admitted to hospital on mental health grounds. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Among them were Zhang Junjie, who was admitted to a psychiatric hospital and treated for schizophrenia when he was 17, days after he protested against Chinas stringent Covid-19 lockdown measures outside his university. Mr Zhang, who has since fled to New Zealand, said: The doctors told me I had a very serious mental disease Then they tied me to a bed. The nurses and doctors repeatedly told me, because of my views on the party and the government, [that] I must be mentally ill. It was terrifying. He was locked inside for 12 days, but was later accused of picking quarrels and troublemaking after he defied a fireworks ban at Chinese New Year. Once again he was forcibly admitted to hospital this time for two months. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When he was eventually released, he was prescribed Aripiprazole, which is used to treat schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. It made him feel like my brain was quite a mess, while police would frequently go to his house to ensure he had taken the drugs. Zhang Junjie was admitted to a psychiatric hospital days after he protested against Chinas stringent Covid-19 lockdown measures - David Kirton/Reuters In interviews conducted with undercover journalists, four doctors also confirmed that they had come across patients who had been taken to hospital by police for posting anti-government comments online. One doctor said: The psychiatric department has a type of admission called troublemakers. Another healthcare worker from the hospital where Mr Zhang was held confirmed that patients were kept under surveillance after they were discharged. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The doctor said: The police will check up on you at home to make sure you take your medicine. If you dont take it you might break the law again. When contacted by The Telegraph, the Chinese embassy in London said law-based governance is a fundamental principle of China and that the law explicitly prohibits unlawful detention and other methods of illegally depriving or restricting citizens personal freedom. To abide by the law and bring lawbreakers to justice is a basic principle. No one should be allowed to use democracy as a pretext to engage in unlawful activities and escape justice, the statement added. Attempts to spread falsehoods and smear Chinas judicial enforcement activities cannot change the fact of individuals violations and crimes. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In a statement to the BBC, the embassy said the Chinese Community Party last year reaffirmed that it needs to improve the mechanisms around the mental health 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. China's expanding footprint in Latin America is expected to be high on the agenda when US Secretary of State Marco Rubio visits Panama next week on his first overseas trip since taking office, according to observers. Rubio, who took office this week, is reportedly preparing to travel to Panama as part of a five-nation trip that is expected to also include Guatemala, El Salvador, Costa Rica and the Dominican Republic. The stop in Panama comes after US President Donald Trump's repeated pledges to regain control of the Panama Canal, claiming that it is in the hands of Beijing. 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. Analysts cautioned Beijing not to overreact to any efforts by the Trump administration to "reclaim" the canal but to be alert to potential impacts such action could have on trade. Wu Xinbo, dean of the Institute of International Studies at Fudan University in Shanghai, said that if the US were to regain control of the canal, it would pose "very big constraints" on China's shipping and the country's economic cooperation with Panama and Latin America. "That would be very unfavourable for us," he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Wu also said that suppressing China's trade, investment and Belt and Road Initiative projects in Latin America would "certainly" be among the focuses of Rubio's trip. The trip is expected to be Rubio's first in his new job and as such would be a departure from those of recent predecessors who chose Asia for their initial overseas visits to reflect the Indo-Pacific region's strategic significance in Washington's rivalry with China. Former secretaries of state Hillary Clinton and Antony Blinken, for example, chose Japan for their first official overseas trips in 2009 and 2021 respectively. Austin Strange, an associate professor of international relations at the University of Hong Kong, said Rubio's trip suggested that the new administration might prioritise US national interests in the region, although the canal issue had yet to move beyond vague claims. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He also said the administration's strong focus on illegal migration and border security also made Latin America "a logical choice" for the secretary of state's first overseas visit. Zhu Feng, executive dean of Nanjing University's school of international studies, agreed that Rubio was making efforts to advance Trump's diplomatic agenda and the new US leader appeared to have deep "dissatisfaction" over the Panama Canal. "At the very least, his goal is to pressure Panama to lower fees for [US] ships transiting the canal," Zhu said. He said China should maintain "a certain degree of vigilance" in relation to the canal but he did not expect there to be "a substantial impact" on the belt and road strategy. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He characterised Trump's threat to reclaim the canal as a "complicated international event" that Washington could not easily accomplish, adding that the vital international waterway involved the interests of many nations. "I think that, for now, China should avoid overreacting to the Panama Canal issue," he said. The US built the canal in the early 1900s under then-president Theodore Roosevelt as it looked for ways to enable the transit of commercial and military vessels between its coasts. Washington relinquished control of the waterway to Panama in 1999 under a treaty signed in 1977 by then-president Jimmy Carter. Panamanian President Jose Raul Mulino has insisted that "the canal is and will remain Panamanian" and dismissed claims of foreign interference - a position that Beijing has endorsed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "We agree with what Panama's president said, that the sovereignty and independence of Panama are not negotiable, and the Panama Canal is not under direct or indirect control by any power," Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said on Wednesday. To help counter the narrative of China controlling the waterway, the Panamanian government announced earlier this week that it would audit the local unit of Hutchison Port Holdings, a Hong Kong-based company that has managed container terminals near each end of the waterway since 1997. Wu said China could voice support for Panama's sovereignty and Hutchison's legitimate rights. "We should still actively promote our economic and trade cooperation with Panama and Latin America and not be influenced or disrupted by the US," he added. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But Brian Wong, an assistant professor at the University of Hong Kong, said it was too early to say whether Beijing was a top agenda item for the trip. "There is a danger that we overread into American actions the relevance and the presence of China," Wong said. "I [also] believe the US is overestimating the extent to which Beijing is invested in maintaining the so-called access that it has to the canal." Shi Yinhong, a professor of international relations at Renmin University in Beijing, said Taiwan was likely to be another key factor in Rubio's trip, with more Latin American countries won over by the economic benefits of switching their diplomatic ties from Taipei to Beijing. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "The US Congress hopes some Latin American countries will restore ties with Taipei and is encouraging this through US investment - it's no secret," Shi said. Costa Rica was among the first in the region to establish ties with Beijing in 2007, followed by Panama in 2017 and then El Salvador and the Dominican Republic in 2018. However, Guatemala still maintains ties with Taipei. Beijing sees Taiwan as part of China to be reunited by force if necessary. Most countries, including the US, do not recognise Taiwan as an independent state, but Washington is opposed to any attempt to take the self-governed island by force and is committed to supplying it with weapons. 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. BEIJING (AP) A Chinese man who injured a Japanese mother and her child and killed a Chinese bus attendant trying to protect them in a knife attack near Shanghai last June has been sentenced to death, according to a Japanese government official. A court in the city of Suzhou said Zhou Jiasheng, 52, stabbed the three because he was indebted and did not want to live any longer, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi told reporters in Tokyo on Thursday. The case was one of two stabbing attacks on Japanese children in China last year that raised concerns about increased anti-Japanese sentiment in the country. Tokyo asked Beijing to ensure the safety of its citizens in China. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hayashi said the court ruling, which was not immediately available, made no reference to Japan. We believe the crime that killed and injured the innocent people including a child was absolutely unforgivable, and we take the ruling seriously, Hayashi said. He said officials from the Japanese Consulate in Shanghai were present at the court sentencing. The stabbing occurred at a bus stop for a Japanese school in Suzhou on June 24. A female bus attendant, Hu Youping, who tried to stop the attack died of stab wounds days later. The Japanese mother and child were not seriously injured. In September, a 10-year-old Japanese student died after being stabbed near his school in the southern city of Shenzhen. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Other stabbing attacks involving foreigners last year were isolated incidents, the Chinese government said. In June, a Chinese man stabbed four U.S. university instructors at a public park in Jilin in the northeast as well as a Chinese person who tried to intervene. In May, a knife attack at a hospital in southwestern China killed two people and injured 21 others. Jan. 23 (UPI) -- A Chinese court on Thursday sentenced a man to death for a fatal knife attack near Shanghai last summer. The man, 52-year-old Zhou Jiasheng, was jobless, in debt and didn't want to continue living, a Chinese government official told reporters in Tokyo. A Japanese mother and her child were also injured on a Japanese school bus in Suzhou, Jiangsu Province. The man who was killed tried to stop the attack. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Japanese woman in her 30s was waiting at the bus stop for her preschool child to come from school. Japanese Consul General in Shanghai Masauro Okada was in court to hear the death sentence ruling. The court said the murder was "extremely heinous and made a huge social impact, therefore it deserves the death penalty." The Chinese bus attendant killed in the knife attack was Hu Youping. Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi praised Hu's actions and expressed concern for the injured mother and child. "The government considers the act of killing and injuring three people -- including an innocent child -- to be absolutely unforgivable," Hayashi said. "Taking this verdict into account, the government will continue to strongly urge the Chinese authorities to ensure the safety of Japanese nationals in China." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Attacks on Japanese living in China are creating diplomatic tensions between the nations. But according to China's Foreign Ministry, the June stabbing and a September stabbing death of a Japanese student in China were not indications that Japanese are being targeted. The ministry called them isolated lone-wolf acts and said China is one of the safest nations in the world. China's own tests of seawater samples collected from near the Fukushima nuclear plant have found no negative impact on marine species, increasing the chances that Beijing would eventually lift its ban on Japanese seafood imports. The samples collected near the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant in mid-October were the first to be obtained by Chinese scientists under international supervision from near the ocean discharge outlet where Fukushima's nuclear-contaminated water was released, China's Atomic Energy Authority (CAEA) said on Thursday. China's foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning on Thursday cited comments from experts that "one single test does not say everything", and that China would continue to conduct independent sampling and testing to enhance international oversight of the discharge, signalling that more testing was needed before the seafood ban could be lifted. 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. "The first independent sampling is just one of the steps for Japan to implement its commitment," Mao said. "The resumption of aquatic product imports depends on a series of scientific data, including our follow-up independent sampling and monitoring, and whether Japan will take measures to guarantee the safety and quality of its aquatic products to China." Analyses of the samples showed no unusual concentrations of radioactive nuclides such as tritium, caesium-137, and strontium-90. The radionuclides belong to a class of atoms that are considered unstable because they have extra neutrons or protons, giving them excess nuclear energy. The data will be compiled and published later by the International Atomic Energy Agency, the statement said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement China imposed a blanket ban on Japanese seafood imports soon after Japan began releasing the contaminated water into the ocean. But signs that Beijing was considering easing the ban emerged in September when Tokyo agreed to an international monitoring framework allowing other parties, including China, to engage in independent sampling and monitoring activities. "China will begin to adjust the relevant measures based on scientific evidence and gradually resume imports of Japanese aquatic products that meet the regulation requirements and standards," a Chinese foreign ministry statement said in September. This marked the first collection of China's own samples following Japan's controversial decision to begin discharging the treated radioactive water into the Pacific Ocean in August 2023. A scientist from the CAEA, who was not named, told the state-run Global Times that based on various monitoring data available so far, there had been no evidence to suggest that the discharges had adversely affected marine life in the area, but added that single-test results had "limited reference value". Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "China will continue conducting international and independent monitoring to strengthen oversight and prevent irreversible consequences from the release of Fukushima's radioactive water," the CAEA statement said. Before the ban, China was one of the largest markets for Japanese seafood exporters, and the water release and subsequent ban have further strained relations between the neighbouring countries. The water monitoring is seen as a possible step toward easing a key source of diplomatic tensions. Chinese and Japanese officials have held multiple discussions about the discharges over the past year and a half, with Tokyo repeatedly calling on Beijing to lift its ban on seafood imports. During recent talks, both sides agreed to enhance communication to "appropriately address their respective concerns". Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Tritium is a radioactive form of hydrogen that occurs both naturally and as a by-product of nuclear reactors. The Japanese government has said that the final concentration of tritium in the discharged water was significantly below the regulatory limits for nuclear waste discharges, and also well within the safety standards set by the World Health Organization for drinking water. Caesium-137 is a by-product of nuclear fission and has a half-life of about 30 years. The Japan Atomic Energy Agency said it was a key radioactive material in the discharge that "will require attention for years to come". Similar to caesium-137, strontium-90 has a half-life of about 28 years. It poses a significant health risk due to its tendency to accumulate in bones and bone marrow, where it mimics calcium. 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. Chris Pratt is thankful that his home is still standing after the Pacific Palisades wildfires, but shares that his ex-wife Anna Faris wasnt as fortunate. Miraculously its still standing, the Parks and Recreation alum, 45, said of his home in a social media update shared on Wednesday, Jan. 22. He added, By the grace of God, we have four walls and a roof. Pratt made the video update from his car as he went to check out his property for the first time since wildfires destroyed the Los Angeles-area community beginning on Jan. 7. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its truly devastating, as you know, he said. Silver lining is my house was saved, but at the same time, so many peoples houses were burned around us and the communitys gone. Related: Chris Pratt Speaks Out About 'Unimaginable Tragedy' of L.A. Fires: 'We Are Absolutely Devastated' The Jurassic World actor continued: My sons school is gone. My sons moms house burned down. Pratt, who has been married to Katherine Schwarzenegger since 2019, shares a 12-year-old son named Jack with his ex-wife, Faris. Karwai Tang/WireImage Anna Faris and Chris Pratt, April 2017 He and the Scary Movie actress were married from 2009 until 2018. Anna and her family are safe and very grateful," a representative for the Just Friends actress, 48, told PEOPLE on Jan. 8. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In addition to Faris, Pratt added that dozens of our friends lost their homes. Related: Anna Faris and Chris Pratt's Son: Everything They've Said About Jack Its just wild, he said, before changing to a more positive note. Were resilient. We trust in God, and consider it all a blessing. Before wrapping up, Pratt thanked those who have shared prayers and support. Its been inspiring to see how our communitys come together, he said, promising to give more updates as they became available. Hans Gutknecht/MediaNews Group/ Los Angeles Daily News via Getty he Palisades fire burns near homes in Pacific Palisades on Tuesday, January 7, 2024. he Palisades fire burns near homes in Pacific Palisades on Tuesday, January 7, 2024. The Pacific Palisades Fire has been considered to be the most destructive firestorm in the citys history, with more than 23,400 acres burned as of Wednesday, according to Cal Fire. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Dry vegetation and lack of rain created the ideal environment for flames to spark, while severe winds helped the blazes travel at rapid speeds. Related: Celebrities Who Have Lost Homes in the Los Angeles Fires, and What They've Said Faris is just one of many who have lost their homes. Paris Hilton, Leighton Meester and Adam Brody, Ricki Lake and more have spoken out about their loss while Chrissy Teigen, Britney Spears and more have shared that they evacuated. However, it was not just Malibu and the Pacific Coast Highway homes and businesses that were affected. 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. According to the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner, there have been at least 27 deaths after multiple wildfires spread to various parts of the city. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Pasadena and Altadena residents lost their homes and livelihoods in the Eaton Fire, which burned over 14,000 acres. Click here to learn more about how to help the victims of the L.A. fires. Read the original article on People Chris Pratt has revealed his house has survived the ongoing Los Angeles wildfires. Im going to check out my house. Miraculously, its still standing. By the grace of God, we have four walls and a roof, the Guardians of the Galaxy star said late Wednesday on his Instagram page. More from The Hollywood Reporter Pratt, reporting via a video from his car as he returned to his fire-ravaged Pacific Palisades neighborhood, said his sons school burned down, as had many of his friends own homes. I havent been back since the Palisades fires. Its truly devastating, as you know, and yeah, the silver lining is my house was saved. But at the same time, so many peoples houses were burned around us, and the community is gone, he added. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its just, its just wild, and were resilient and we trust in God and consider it all a blessing. Thanks for all your prayers and your support and your help. Its been, its been inspiring to see how our communities come together. And Ill give you more updates, now that were kind of getting back into life. Here we go. God bless you, thank you for your prayers. Talk to you soon, the Hollywood actor said as he signed off. Numerous Hollywood stars have lost their homes in the wildfires, including Pratts ex-wife Anna Faris, Anthony Hopkins, Billy Crystal, Mel Gibson, Jeff Bridges, Mandy Moore, Milo Ventimiglia, Paris Hilton, Jamie Lee Curtis, Diane Warren, Cary Elwes and more. And the L.A. wildfires have yet to subside. Starting in Pacific Palisades, one of Los Angeles toniest neighborhoods, fires early on spread to parts of Malibu and Santa Monica. The newest blaze broke out Wednesday night near the Getty Center museum and spread amid wind gusts in the area, according to the National Weather Service. Best of The Hollywood Reporter Sign up for THR's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Hollywood star Chris Pratt revealed the condition of his house after the damage caused by the Palisades fires. The fires began earlier this month and caused immense property destruction. The fires also forced millions of evacuations and claimed the lives of over 20 people. Moreover, many celebrities like Billy Crystal and Paris Hilton lost their homes to the fires. Chris Pratt talks about his house being saved from Palisades Fire Chris Pratt revealed that his house survived the onslaught of the Palisades fire. The Guardians of the Galaxy star revealed it via a video he uploaded on Instagram. He filmed the video from his car as he had just arrived to check on his house, which he had evacuated from and not returned to since the fires emerged. Miraculously, its still standing, he said. Um by the grace of God we have four walls and a roof. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The 45-year-old actor then mentioned that he would visit other areas in the town. Pratt then offered some more updates. He revealed that his 12-year-old son Jacks school had burned down. He also mentioned that the fires had claimed his ex-wife Anna Faris house and his friends houses. Its just wild, he said. And were were resillient. And we trust in God. And consider it all a blessing. The Jurassic World actor then thanked fans for their prayers and support and promised to offer more updates. Its been a tough few weeks, but were resilient, he had captioned the post. Praying for LA and all those impacted, well get through this together. God bless. The survival of Chris Pratts house makes him part of a list of a few lucky celebrities whose houses also made it through the wildfires. These few celebrities include James Woods, who had initially feared his house would be gone entirely, Molly Sims, Bill Hader, and Jennifer Garner. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Originally reported by Abdul Azim Naushad on ComingSoon. The post Chris Pratt Shares How His House Was Saved from Palisades Fire appeared first on Mandatory. By Shivansh Tiwary (Reuters) -American Airlines forecast 2025 profit below Wall Street expectations as the carrier braces for higher costs stemming from expensive labor contracts signed last year, sending its shares down 8% on Thursday. The airline also forecast a bigger first-quarter loss than analysts expected, breaking away from the bumper predictions of rivals such as Delta Air Lines and United Airlines that are benefiting from improved pricing and strong winter demand. "We expect non-fuel unit costs to be up mid-single digits year over year with a large majority of the cost growth coming from higher salaries and benefits," CFO Devon May said during its earnings call. The company in September ratified a new five-year deal with 28,000 of its flight attendants, offering wage increases of up to 20.5% along with retroactive pay. It also signed a two-year contract extension in October with a worker group including aircraft maintenance technicians, cleaners and planners. American spent much of 2024 mending relationships with corporate travelers after a botched sales strategy aimed at cutting back on perks and discounts dented the airline's revenue, hurt its image and gave rivals an edge. Shares of Delta jumped nearly 50% last year while United surged 138%, far above American's gains of about 30%. The legacy carrier expects 2025 adjusted earnings per share of $1.70 to $2.70, compared with analysts' average estimates of $2.42, according to data compiled by LSEG. Jet fuel prices have also climbed sharply in the past month, tracking a rise in global crude benchmarks driven by broader sanctions targeting Russian oil revenue, alongside growing optimism about stronger demand from China. The company expects current-quarter adjusted loss per share of 20 cents to 40 cents, compared with estimates for a loss of 4 cents. "As such, 2025 EPS guidance with a $2.20 mid-point looks conservative, considering that the carrier just resoundingly beat its own 4Q EPS guide," Citi analyst Stephen Trent wrote in a note. The Texas-based carrier reported an adjusted profit of 86 cents per share, beating expectations of 64 cents, due to improved pricing. Total operating revenue rose 4.6% to about $13.66 billion, above estimates of $13.39 billion. (Reporting by Shivansh Tiwary in Bengaluru; Editing by Devika Syamnath) In one of his first official acts in his second term, President Donald Trump pardoned 1,500 defendants facing charges related to the January 6, 2021 riots at the U.S. Capitol. They include at least eight from the Greater Cincinnati region. Two of those defendants who talked to The Enquirer were unapologetic and still believed they did nothing wrong. Here's their reaction. Adrian Schmidt: 'Trust in God and Trump' A screenshot from federal documents shows who federal prosecutors identified as Adrian Schmidt at the Capitol on January 6, 2021. Adrian Schmidt doesn't regret what he did on January 6, 2021 at the U.S. Capitol. Advertisement Advertisement He said he was scheduled to report to federal prison on January 28 for a 14-month sentence on a felony civil disorder charge. He pleaded guilty to one charge of civil disorder. Now the 27-year-old Lebanon resident will remain a free man after Trump's pardon "I guess you could say I didn't really plan to go to prison," Schmidt told The Enquirer. He said he knew prison was a possibility but that he was "putting my trust in God and Trump." Trump came through for Schmidt. He said he learned of the pardon reading the news online Monday night. Schmidt was part of the mob that entered the Capitol. Federal prosecutors said "he pushed backward against police officers and their riot shields on the West Plaza and threw an object at the police line." Advertisement Advertisement Schmidt said that wasn't true and if it was, he wondered why he wasn't charged with assault. Schmidt told The Enquirer a police officer opened the door of the Capitol for him. Adrian Schmidt "I walked around and looked at the rotunda," Schmidt said, admiring statues and carvings on the wall. "The very same spot where Donald Trump had his inauguration (Monday)." Schmidt drove by himself to Washington, D.C. that day to listen to the president he's admired since 2016. He took a spot at the back of the crowd and listened to his speech. Then Trump said they would march to the Capitol. "When you've got 500,000 people behind you, you know, and they're moving in one direction, you go with them," Schmidt said. "I started moving forward. And so then you get to the Capitol, and you know, it goes from there." Advertisement Advertisement He bristled at the characterization of the riot as an insurrection, calling that an "absurd" accusation. "I don't think there was any other goal other than to see the Capitol, to see the people's house," Schmidt said. He left the Capitol and went home. He lived peacefully for a while until he said the FBI began following him and asking around about him. He said they contacted his lawyer and, in June 2023, he turned himself in, Schmidt said. The federal charges and possible prison term were an aggravation, he said. But there have been upsides to being a January 6 defendant. It has been good for networking, he said. He's met like-minded individuals. His employer at a flooring company where he works as a salesman has supported him. He wouldn't name the employer. Advertisement Advertisement "I've had more people support me about it than not support me, you know," Schmidt said. "And I've had more people that, when they find out that I'm a part of that...I've gotten more good come out of it in terms of networking and connections than bad, quite frankly." The Seymours: 'We already paid our debt to society' Paul Seymour Sr. and Paul Seymour Jr. (at right, holding flag) inside the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. Paul Seymour Sr. referred to it as the "famous picture of me and my son." It showed the elder Seymour and Paul Seymour Jr.. smiling in the Capitol, with Seymour, Jr. holding a flag. It played a factor in the federal case against them. He said it proves they were doing nothing wrong. On the left side of the photo, two police officers are seen talking to each other. "You can clearly see those cops that were standing right there," Seymour Sr. said. "They weren't in no hurry to push nobody out." Advertisement Advertisement The father and son from Butler County pleaded guilty in 2022 to counts of parading, demonstrating or picketing in a Capitol building, which is a misdemeanor. They received 12 months probation, 60 hours of community service and a $500 fine. Seymour Sr. spoke with The Enquirer. His son did not respond to a request for comment. "We've already paid our debt to society," said Seymour Sr., who now lives in Muhlenberg County in western Kentucky. "So you know, you can't take nothing back. It'd be nice to get my $500 back, but I don't foresee that happening. No big deal." Seymour Sr. said they traveled the night before the "Stop the Steal" rally on January 6 to support Trump. They had no intention of entering the Capitol, he said, but "got caught up into that crowd." The only way out was through the Capitol building, he said. He said an officer directed them through the door. Advertisement Advertisement Federal prosecutors said they spent 30 minutes in the Capitol "parading through the building at will," adding Seymour Jr. was carrying a large Donald Trump flag. The Seymours complied with police officers' orders to exit the building, the court filings state. "My experience was we just wanted to get close to the Capitol and just do little people watching," Seymour Sr. said. "We wasn't there to do any harm." Other regional Jan. 6 defendants who received pardons were: Daniel Harrington, of Independence, was arrested in February 2024 and charged with theft of government property, entering a restricted building, disorderly conduct in the Capitol Building, according to court documents. Witnesses and camera footage showed Harrington entering the Capitol building and Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi's office during the riots, according to federal court documents. He pleaded guilty in April to one count of theft of government property and one county of parading and demonstrating in a Capitol building, both misdemeanors. He served 45 days in jail. Nicholas Brockhoff, 23, of Covington in 2023 received a sentence of 36 months in prison after he pleaded guilty to assaulting, resisting, or impeding officers with a dangerous weapon. Brockhoff was known on Twitter as the "green horn hoodlum." As part of a mob that gathered on the west side of the Capitol, federal prosecutors said Brockhoff threw an unknown object at police officers; assaulted officers by discharging a fire extinguisher toward them; obtained a police helmet and wore it "like a trophy" throughout the afternoon; entered a Senate room through a broken window and kicked in a door to gain entry to a different Senate conference room. Sandra Parker and Bennie Parker, both of Morrow, received five years probation. Prosecutors said the Parkers were part of the group of Oath Keepers who stormed into the Capitol after marching in military-style stack formation up the steps of the building. Sandra Parker was an employee at the University of Cincinnati's Blue Ash campus from 1982 until 2015, working as a claims analyst, software application developer and ultimately director of institutional research. Her husband Bennie Parker was acquitted on an obstruction and conspiracy charge since he stayed outside the Capitol talking to a reporter and didn't go into the building, according to court documents. Dean Robert Harshman, of Waynesville, was arrested in 2023 and charged with obstructing or impeding an official proceeding, among other counts. This story was updated to add a video. This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: See who from Cincinnati received a pardon from Trump for Jan. 6 City Council approves construction for Advanced Manufacturing District EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) The El Paso City Council has approved a contract to begin construction on the first phase of the Advanced Manufacturing District (AMD) at the El Paso International Airport, the City of El Paso announced in a news release. The City said the contract marks a considerable step towards making El Paso a hub for advanced manufacturing, aerospace, and defense industries. The AMD will help grow local businesses and create more jobs in the region, the City said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Creating high-paying jobs for our community has been one of my top priorities, said Mayor Renard Johnson. The Advanced Manufacturing District is a key investment in El Pasos future, fulfilling that promise by opening doors to life-changing opportunities for our residents. This project will not only transform our local economy but also position El Paso as a national leader in advanced manufacturing and innovation. Once completed, it is expected to serve as a launchpad for an estimated 300 new small and medium manufacturing companies and bring approximately 4,000 engineering and technology jobs and 13,000 high-skill technical jobs to far West Texas by 2030, solidifying El Paso as a leader in innovation and workforce development, the City added. This project highlights El Pasos dedication to building a stronger, more innovative economy, said City Manager Dionne Mack. The Advanced Manufacturing District will boost our local supply chain, attract new industries, and create meaningful, high-quality jobs that will drive our region forward. Its an exciting step toward a brighter future for our community. The City said the AMD project began in September 2022 when the U.S. Economic Development Administration awarded $40 million to the West Texas Aerospace and Defense Manufacturing Coalition through the Department of Commerces Build Back Better Regional Challenge. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Of that, $25 million was given to the El Paso International Airport to develop the 250-acre AMD, the City said. The AMD will bring together aerospace and defense companies, manufacturers, and support services. It will also provide resources and training for manufacturing technology startups and small- to medium-sized manufacturers, read the news release. Purpose-built with a shared physical, cyber, and digital infrastructure, the District will address significant barriers to entry by providing access to state-of-the-art facilities and resources. Phase 1 of the project is envisioned to include the construction of a 50,000-square-foot stand-alone building and two 100,000-square-foot multi-tenant buildings, the City said. The City said these proposed facilities would be tailored to the needs of small- and medium-sized manufacturers, fostering innovation and collaboration across industries. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For more information about the AMD and its impact on the region, visit the City of El Pasos Advance Manufacturing 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 KTSM 9 News. In an unusual move, London City Council will hold two separate special-called meetings Wednesday. Both council meetings will take place at the London Community Center. The first will begin at 12 noon. In the case that the motion to enter executive session is successful, council members will privately discuss possible litigation regarding the Dec. 23 London Police officer-involved shooting, as well as a potential property acquisition. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Following executive session, according to the agenda, there will be possible action pertaining to the property acquisition but not the LPD incident. The second meeting will be held at 3:30 p.m. per the request of council members Stacy Benge, Kelly Greene, Justin Young, and Anthony Ortega. The only discussion will regard the decision of hiring local attorney Conrad Cessna to represent the council. If Cessna and the council can come to an agreement of terms, there will be a motion to proceed with hiring him as the council's attorney. These meetings are open to the public. Those unable to attend can watch a livestream of the meetings on the Facebook page "The City of London," although any portion in executive session is not aired. President Donald Trumps mass pardons and commutations for Jan. 6 seditionists, terrorists, obstructionists, and hundreds of other felons dealt a stark blow against the rule of law. The executive action has done what Trump has long accused other countries of doing flooded Americas streets with dangerous criminals. Trumps clemency spree wiped the slate clean for violent actors, including those who bashed Capitol police during the insurrection. And its likely to act as encouragement for militant MAGA factions who think they, too, can now get away with anything. As the Fraternal Order of Police put it in a rare statement blasting Trump: It sends a dangerous message that the consequences for attacking law enforcement are not severe, potentially emboldening others to commit similar acts of violence. Pardoned seditionists are already flexing in public. Enrique Tarrio, the Proud Boys honcho who Trump sprung from 22-year sentence, bragged about the potential for retribution on air with Alex Jones. Trump, meanwhile, is expressing openness to the idea that Proud Boys and the Oath Keepers militia could have a role in the national political conversation, telling a reporter: Well have to see. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Criminal sanction, however, is not the end-all, be-all of accountability. In the wake of the deadly Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville in 2017, there were few arrests and prosecutions. But civil litigation, specifically in the case of Sines v. Kessler, offered a different avenue for justice, subjecting the Charlottesville organizers to a humbling public accounting of their violent acts and dark motivations, and ultimately their liability for civil conspiracy, resulting in a 2021 jury award more than $25 million. (Though its still in the millions, that award has been significantly reduced.) The trial was chronicled in the HBO documentary No Accident. Rolling Stone spoke to two prominent attorneys in that case, Mike Bloch and Ben White, who are now partners at the firm Bloch & White, about what the Trump pardons portend for the next four years, and the role civil suits can play in backstopping whats likely to be at least in the context of prosecuting extremists a dysfunctional Department of Justice. The transcript that follows has been edited for length and clarity. Rolling Stone: What did you make of Trumps pardon spree? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Mike Bloch: It is disheartening. This blanket support for extremists will only add fuel to the fire. The animating principle for Trumps pardons like most other things Trump does is whether the people pardoned were Trump supporters. Im not surprised to see that he issued such a sweeping, blanket pardon for folks who explicitly conceived of themselves as Trumps army. RS: There had been some talk about how these pardons were going to be case-by-case. But then it came down that Tarrio the Proud Boys leader with the longest Jan. 6 sentence got a full pardon. Along with 1,500 others. This was the full monty version. Cop bashers and all. Ben White: Id had some hope that there would be individuation. I had thought given some statements made by now Vice President Vance that certainly these [top] folks werent going to be considered for pardons. And Trump even pardoned those. It was dismaying. We see some of the reactions from Republican lawmakers, unable to defend it, expressing their surprise that he went as far as he did. RS: Some of these guys had terrorism enhancements on their sentences. What does releasing these folks back to the general public augur for the next four years? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement MB: The biggest concern is the message that it sends to white nationalists and white supremacists, that they once again have a friend at the highest levels of power. The defendants in our case were very open about the fact that there would have been no Charlottesville without Trump. And to kick off the new administration with a full-throated support of extremists absolutely will embolden them in the same way. You already see jubilant responses on Telegram and other social channels. Right-wing extremists, generally, will feel the same sort of support they felt in [2017], when they felt comfortable openly committing a conspiracy to commit racially motivated violence in an American city. RS: To give some texture to what youre saying, the Proud Boys Telegram channel right now says: We are so fucking back! Tarrios handle now calls himself Chairman Elect. Hes talking with Alex Jones, talking about helping Trump lock in changes that will last 100 years. The message there is not subtle. Is there an opportunity now for civil litigation against some of the J6 folks to take the wind out of their sails? MB: We expressly brought the Charlottesville litigation to fill a gap left by [then-Attorney General Jeff] Sessions Justice Department. Private causes of action given this current administration will be equally important as a front line of resistance. Because theres equal reason to worry that the [criminal enforcement] priorities of this administration will leave a huge gap to be filled by private litigants who want to stand up against it. BW: Civil litigation does have a deterrent effect. We saw some of that after the Charlottesville verdict came down: an impact on some of the key perpetrators. The free-wheeling nature of their communication, as a group, diminished, not only as the case happened, but as the case closed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement RS: Lets take the cop bashers, who are now free on the streets. Is there an opportunity to go after them in civil court? BW: That it will depend first and foremost on statute-of-limitations concerns. But given the breadth of their misconduct, there are lots of available avenues. And some statute-of-limitation periods are longer than others especially when youre dealing with the serious nature of the charges these guys faced. And to be very clear, a pardon or a commutation is by no means an expression of innocence or non culpability. In fact, it can be just the opposite. Its something that civil litigants on the plaintiff side can rely on to show just how culpable [the defendants] are. RS: Can we talk about big-dollar judgments in civil cases? I was just writing about a Patriot Front civil case, where that white nationalist group got hit with a $2 million judgment for beating up a black musician in Boston during one of their marches. But then I had a prominent right-wing lawyer come jump into my mentions talking about how its impossible to collect on these people. The Charlottesville judgment was initially $25 million. How does the collections process work on extremist groups that, for the most part, dont have bank accounts? MB: The Charlottesville case itself has been on appeal. The damages were reduced, post-trial, by the trial court, and then the Fourth Circuit bumped it up a little bit higher. As far as Im aware, collections efforts have not started in earnest because its still in litigation. It certainly is a challenge collecting particularly from individuals and groups who dont have much money to begin with. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But the deterrent effect can be compelling. I would just note that none of the defendants in the Charlottesville case, as far as were aware, attended Jan. 6 which weve always been pretty proud of. And the process itself can be a huge deterrent. Having a trial that publicly airs exactly what these defendants did; having to sit and face cross examination for days about exactly what they did; and then having a jury of their peers openly announce that what they did was against the law; and then having a judgment that also will hang over your head that entire process can be incredibly effective at deterring future behavior. RS: Theres an element of discovery and public transparency in civil litigation does that help unwind these groups or make them less effective? MB: One of the biggest goals of the Charlottesville litigation was to air publicly what actually was going on: that white supremacist groups are not just espousing a different, albeit hateful, message. Rather, they also care deeply about violence. And that violence is a tactic of white supremacist groups. Thats the kind of thing that can only really be exposed in civil litigation because because plaintiffs have tools to compel documents and testimony that you dont get in any other form of resistance. I think that should be a focus going forward. RS: To be direct, are you guys thinking about trying to collect plaintiffs for another Charlottesville-type lawsuit based on Jan. 6? Or are you thinking more prospectively? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement BW: Mike and I try to use the Sines v. Kessler case as an example of the way in which the civil litigation system can punish atrocities that otherwise go unpunished. That lesson is particularly apt here, especially in connection with the recent pardon activity. You have a group of people that are going unpunished after engaging what everyone would agree is a quite-violent atrocity. MB: We started our firm two-and-a-half years ago, after the Charlottesville trial, to be able to bring more impact cases against extremists and other civil-rights violators. It was the Trump election that led to Charlottesville, that wave of litigation. And now we feel like were back in the same boat. Its going to be another, unfortunately, target-rich environment. Our hope is to be on the front line of the new wave of resistance. RS: Beyond the pardons, as you watch extremist energy build around the new Trump administration, what are your concerns? MW: Here we go again. Unfortunately, you can expect to see more events like Charlottesville. It starts with the jubilation you see from Proud Boys right now on Telegram it is exactly the kind of messaging that we saw in [leaked] Discord [chats] in the summer of 2017. Its a ominous start to the administration. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement BW: I agree with all of that in terms of it being terrifying. But I think people will be as equally motivated to push back. These [pardoned] individuals were not vindicated. They broke the law, and there are tools to enforce law breaking through civil litigation, through state court, through methods that cant be impacted by fiat, or by executive order. This is Trumps last term in office. So as a practical matter, [those pardoned] shouldnt be overly confident that Trump will be their savior, forever and always. Or think that they have a lifetime, get-out-of-jail-free card or lifetime get-out-of-liability-or-consequences card just because they happened to attract the presidents attention, in self-serving ways, on his first day in office. 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. LAS VEGAS (KLAS) A new Costco is planned at the northwest corner of Buffalo Drive and Badura Avenue, just off the South 215 Beltway, according to Clark County documents. The Costco the sixth in the valley is expected to include a gasoline station. The county previously approved land use permits for the project. The Clark County Zoning Commission on Wednesday approved a plan to consider a development agreement with Costco Wholesale Corporation for the 23-acre site in the southwest valley. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Clark County staff recommended a public hearing on Feb. 5, the next meeting of the Clark County Commission. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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) The Clark County School District does not check any students immigration status and is not responsible for enforcing federal immigration laws, a spokesperson said Wednesday. In a statement, CCSD said that, per their general orders, school district police officers are not responsible for and do not enforce federal immigration laws. Children in Nevada are entitled to a free appropriate public education, irrespective of their immigration status, the statement said in part. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement President Donald Trump has promised to deport millions of undocumented immigrants, saying during his inaugural address Monday: We will begin the process of returning millions and millions of criminal aliens back to the places from which they came. Should any law enforcement officer or government agent appear at a CCSD school, staff should ask for identification and ask for the reason for the visit. If there is any concern with the identity of the officer or agent or the reason for the visit, staff should immediately contact CCSDPD, the statement said. In 2017, the School Board of Trustees adopted a resolution to reinforce the districts commitment to students regardless of immigration status. According to the resolution, Student privacy will be protected by restricting the release of confidential student information about students immigration status to immigration enforcement agencies including ICE, unless there is a parent consent, a judicial warrant, subpoena, or court order. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On Monday, LVMPD Sheriff Kevin McMahill told 8 News Now that his department will not partake in mass deportation roundups as President Trump lays out his immigration policies. Las Vegas police do not enforce immigration violations, policy says Although Nevada peace officers have the authority to assist in enforcing federal laws, LVMPD officers will not enforce immigration violations, Metros policy dated October 2019 and updated in March 2023 said. Officers will not stop and question, detain, arrest, or place an immigration hold on any individuals on the ground they are an undocumented immigrant. However, LVMPD will share criminal intelligence regarding transnational organized crime and international terrorists with any and all law enforcement agencies to include ICE. Metro alerts ICE during booking and release for felonies that have the highest impact on public safety, the policy said. However, ICE must obtain a warrant and pick up the inmate. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Henderson police alert ICE to undocumented immigrants in their jail, policy says Henderson police alert federal authorities if an undocumented immigrant is booked into their jail regardless of their charges, documents said but the department will not assist with deportations. In a statement to 8 News Now on Tuesday, a spokesperson for the department said it would not help any federal agency with deportations. The Henderson Detention Center is also an ICE holding facility. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. BRIDGEPORT, W.Va. (WBOY) The Bridgeport Police Department kicked off its Citizens Police Academy on Wednesday, which gives interested citizens an opportunity to learn about police work and get to know the officers. Topics at the academy include how traffic collision investigations work, how to defend yourself, K9 operations and drones. The classes will generally be taught by local police, but there will also be guest lessons, such as a CPR course by Bridgeport EMS. Bridgeport Police Departments Lieutenant James Petroski is the coordinator for the academy and told 12 News that its a benefit to our community and our city, because it builds relationships and creates a group of citizens who are better informed about police operations. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement PSC of West Virginia calls for alternate garbage pick up plans amid winter weather Lieutenant Petroski added that the Citizens Police Academy is also a pre-requisite to join the Volunteers in Police Services (VIPS), and that if youre interested after the class, the Bridgeport Police Department can provide volunteer opportunities. Furthermore, the Bridgeport Police Department said that if you can only come to class on a certain date and want to check it out, youre welcome to do that. The classes will take place in Bridgeports City Council Chamber every Wednesday until March 12 from 5-7 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 WBOY.com. Adept White House legal maneuvering is shielding the new Department of Government Efficiency from Freedom of Information Act transparency regulations and sidestepping onerous federal staffing lawsproviding maximum political and operational flexibility to President Donald Trump and Elon Musk, leader of the DOGE initiative. Trump formally established his effort to streamline government via executive order Monday, within hours of assuming office. And by shifting the existing U.S. Digital Service from the Office of Management and Budget to the Executive Office of the President and reconstituting the agency as the U.S. DOGE Service, Trump ensured it would not be subject to the Freedom of Information Act, but rather, the Presidential Records Act. This latter law grants presidents enormous latitude to keep communications and information secret from Congress and the public. The move was legalnot to mention strategically impressivesome lawyers with government experience have told The Dispatch, because the U.S. Digital Service was born of the executive branch, not created by congressional statute. The U.S. Digital Service was launched in 2016 under President Barack Obama to help modernize government information technology and improve the taxpayers experience with that tech. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Also impressive to those lawyers was declaring DOGE a temporary organization scheduled to sunset July 4, 2026, which allows it to hire individuals for any length of time and compensation Trump and Musk prefer. The Antideficiency Act generally prohibits the government and committees formed to advise federal officials from tapping individuals on an unpaid, volunteer basis. But housing DOGE in the Executive Office of the President and specifying its end-date allowed the administration to skirt those constraints, making it easier to enlist individuals from the business community who might be interested in participating but do not want to quit high-paying day jobs. Very good and clever lawyering on how this is set up, Don McGahn, a Republican lawyer in Washington who served as White House counsel in the first Trump administration, told The Dispatch on Wednesday. They clearly thought it through and did their homework. White House press officials had not responded to text messages requesting comment. To lead DOGE, Trump after the November election appointed Musk, the 53-year-old billionaire CEO of Tesla, SpaceX, and Xand a major Trump campaign benefactorand Vivek Ramaswamny, 39, who made a fortune in pharmaceuticals and sought the 2024 Republican presidential nomination. There was friction between the two wealthy businessmen and Ramaswamy departed the effort this week in preparation to run for Ohio governor in 2026. As late as last week, just days before the presidents inauguration, DOGE organizers were grappling with what legal and organizational structure the department should take, sources have told The Dispatch. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Under consideration was going the route of the political nonprofit, and standing up either a 501(c)3 or 501(c)4. But there were concerns any such entity would subject DOGE to the Federal Advisory Committee Act. The 1972 statute requires outside advisory committees and commissions to make their communications and deliberations available to the public under the Freedom of Information Act, among other transparency requirements. That would present a dilemma for Musk and other DOGE officials: How might they hold discussions with members of Congress and the Trump administrationespecially Trump himselfwithout those conversations becoming public and possibly infringing upon the presidents executive privilege? DOGE organizers also worried about satisfying the somewhat arcane Antideficiency Act, originally passed in 1884, as criminal penalties for violators can include jail time. The Antideficiency Act requires the federal government to pay fair market value for outside services, typically through competitive bidding. The statute additionally prohibits (in most instances) the government from obtaining outside services free of charge. Such sections would have limited Musks ability to enlist private-sector individuals uninterested in becoming fulltime government employees to participate in the effort. The law also would have limited Musks ability to use his deep pockets to fund the advisory committees activities and staff. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The decision to avoid these risks by setting up DOGE as a temporary executive branch agency did not discourage activist groups from filing lawsuits alleging that the Trump administration is nonetheless violating federal transparency and hiring laws. As ABC News reported, the liberal group Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington went to court on behalf of a coalition of teachers and veterans unions, challenges the creation and secret operation of DOGE and asks the federal district court in Washington, D.C., to [block] the operation of DOGE until it comes into compliance with the law. Also suing were a labor union representing federal employees, the environmental activist group Center for Biological Diversity, and the law firm National Security Counselors, which claims that DOGE is in violation of the Federal Advisory Committee Act. Craig Holman, government affairs lobbyist for watchdog group Public Citizen, said the concern is both that Musk has incredible access to Trump and that he has managed to avoid falling under the ethics rules that most government officials who work with the president must abide by. I find this very troubling, Holman said. Musk is going to have a great deal of influence over the administration and Congress itself. Hes in a position where hes going to have more influence than a Cabinet official. Legal experts are not ruling out the prospect that some of the action taken against DOGE might bear fruit. But some believe they face an uphill climb, citing Trumps move to house the department inside an agency created by the executive branch, subject to the Presidential Records Act versus the Freedom of Information Actand the fact that DOGE is slated to disband after less than just 18 months. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The clock will run out on DOGE well before litigation, including all appeals, can be concluded, Bob Bauer, Obamas White House counsel from 2009 to 2011 and now a professor at New York University School of Law, told The Dispatch. Complicating these suits [is] the backstop claim that FACAs limits on how a president gets advice are unconstitutional. Meanwhile, there is no mention of cost-cutting in the executive order Trump signed Monday to formalize the Department of Government Efficiency, signaling the president, and Musk, might be jettisoning one of the original goals of the effort, which was to slash government spending by as much as $2 trillion. Rather, DOGE now appears to be focused on modernizing information technology and infrastructure. This Executive Order establishes the Department of Government Efficiency to implement the Presidents DOGE Agenda, by modernizing Federal technology and software to maximize governmental efficiency and productivity, the order reads. The USDS Administrator shall commence a Software Modernization Initiative to improve the quality and efficiency of government-wide software, network infrastructure, and information technology (IT) systems, the order continues. Among other things, the USDS Administrator shall work with Agency Heads to promote inter-operability between agency networks and systems, ensure data integrity, and facilitate responsible data collection and synchronization. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Indeed, the executive order makes no mention of spending cuts waste, fraud and abuse or other terms indicating cuts to government spending. 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. A Clinton woman was arrested after a criminal complaint says she fraudulently obtained a title for a vehicle in Scott County that was never manufactured. According to the criminal complaint, the defendant, identified as Jessica Lane, 37, applied for an Iowa title at the Scott County Treasurers Office on December 8, 2022. She gave them a bill of sale and fraudulent DC title saying she purchased a vehicle, a Land Rover, from Tiffany Simmons for $49,000. Lane was given a title correction notice to get a notarized bill of sale. She returned to the Treasurers Office on December 20, 2022 and was issued an Iowa title. Lane signed the application for title certifying under penalty of perjury that the information she gave was true and correct. Jessica Lane (Scott County Jail) Jaguar Land Rover Limited later reported to the National Insurance Crime Bureau that the Land Rover with the VIN reported was invalid and never manufactured. Kelly Blue Book says a fair market value for this vehicle in Clinton with the same reported mileage as the title work ranges from $49,007 to $54,408 in a private party sale. The average is listed as $51,708. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Lane told officers the vehicle was bought by Lawrence Steeple and was to be a gift, as the two were to be married. She said she does not know the seller, Tiffany Simmons, and did not purchase the Land Rover from her for $49,000. She said she never saw the vehicle. A warrant was issued for Lanes arrest on January 22, according to court records. The warrant was served on January 23 and she was charged with felony first degree fraud. She was released on her own recognizance and has a preliminary hearing on February 11. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WHBF - OurQuadCities.com. SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (NEXSTAR) Witness after witness has taken the stand. The jury has heard about numerous deals and agreements former house speaker Michael Madigan allegedly made while in office. All in all, it has taken the prosecution and the defense months to present the case. Now, its all coming to a head. Former federal prosecutor who led George Ryan case weighs in You know, this was a guy that was perceived as very, very smart, that operated through other people, former federal prosecutor Patrick Collins said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Illinois officials respond to Trumps executive orders cracking down on immigration Collins was the lead prosecutor in the case against former Governor George Ryan. Now, he is watching as a new team tries to get a conviction for the biggest name in Illinois politics. He says the prosecutions approach is notable. This is the culmination of a multiple-year effort by the U.S. Attorneys Office to come to grips with the corruption at the state level that was engineered in the governments view by the speaker of the house. I do think the government cobbled together what was almost kind of death by a thousand cuts because, this trial took multiple months for the government to put on its case because it was doing it in such a piecemeal fashion and it did not have a lot of Mr. Madigans voice on these recordings, Collins said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Dignity in Pay Act signed into Illinois law Madigan and his longtime confidant Michael McClain are facing 23 different charges, including bribery and racketeering. Madigan is accused of leading a criminal enterprise whose sole purpose is to increase his own wealth and power. The real drama came when Madigan decided to take the stand himself. It was a risky move, but the defense clearly thought they could get the reward too. During his time on the stand, Madigans defense attorneys tried to focus on his upbringing, attempting to humanize the man who had became a larger than life figure in Illinois. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement You can argue that as a defense lawyer in closing, but to have the mouthpiece of it presented by the man himself, but again, called the million dollar question that we dont know is, is the jury buying it? Collins 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 WCIA.com. Canadian mining company B2Gold is moving forward with its plans to invest $10m (C$14.39m) in exploration at the Fekola gold complex in Mali, reported Reuters. The Fekola gold complex features a producing mine and ongoing exploration activities. The decision follows a settlement with the Malian Government over its 2023 mining code, which has reduced the risk of disruption. The new mining code, introduced in August 2023, increases the state's share of mining revenues and removes tax exemptions for mining companies. B2Gold was among the first companies to negotiate a settlement with Mali regarding the new code. The company resolved an income tax demand in September last year and agreed to align some of its exploration activities with the new regulations. B2Gold CEO Clive Johnson said: "From a B2Gold perspective, we have seen a reduction in risk since the signing of our settlement agreement." Malian officials have acted against companies that have not complied with the new code, detaining and arresting employees. Arrest warrants were issued by the government for Mark Bristow, the CEO of Barrick Gold, which is said to be the biggest investor in Mali. Mali recently seized around $245m of gold from Barrick's Loulo-Gounkoto mine, leading Barrick to suspend its operations. Expressing confidence, Johnson said that the company does not foresee any efforts by the government to detain its managers in Mali. "We have expatriate employees that move in and out of the country regularly, including some of the mine management, so there is no reason to think that any detention would ever be contemplated as it relates to B2Gold," Johnson added. In a related development, Hummingbird Resources reached a $16.4m (13.31m) agreement with Malis military government this month, securing the right to operate the Yanfolila gold mine in accordance with the new mining code. The agreement, signed by Hummingbirds subsidiary Societe des Mines de Komana and a government commission, addresses audit concerns. It also establishes a framework for the mines continued operations and future development. "B2Gold to invest $10m in Malis Fekola gold complex" was originally created and published by Mining Technology, a GlobalData owned brand. CHICAGO After three months of testimony and secret undercover recordings, closing arguments in the federal corruption trial of Michael Madigan began Wednesday. Former Illinois Speaker and political confidante Michael McClain is facing a 23-count criminal indictment on corruption charges. Closing arguments could last three days or longer. Earlier Wednesday, US District Judge John Robert Blakey spent nearly two hours reading more than 100 pages of jury instructions. Legal experts say the bar is high for federal prosecutors, as the government aims to prove conspiracy among the defendants with intent to advance their alleged activities. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Majority of Chicagos alders demand removal of antisemitic art at cultural center Amid opening arguments, Assistant US Attorney Julia Schwartz reiterated the states case. [Madigan and McClain] werent working on behalf of the people of the State of Illinois, Schwartz argued. They were working to enhance their power. A PowerPoint presentation shown in court Wednesday began with two words in boldface: Power & Profit. Former federal prosecutor and now private attorney Patrick Collins told WGN News its all about keeping it simple. Theyre trying to give the jurors a roadmap of how to talk about the case when they go back in the jury room, Collins said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Prosecutors focused quickly on Danny Solis, who testified during the three-month-long trial. Madigan abused his public and the office of Chicago Alderman Danny Solis to get business for his private law firm, Schwartz said. Solis, the governments star witness, began wearing a wire for the FBI in 2016, eventually capturing his private conversations with Madigan and others. Still, the landmark political racketeering and bribery trial presents enormous challenges for both sides regarding jurors trying to sort through the complexity of 23 criminal counts. Read more: Latest Chicago news and headlines Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Madigan and McClain both deny any wrongdoing. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. CNN has hired Andrew Roy from CBS News to take a top role as London bureau chief and general manager of Europe, Middle East and Asia coverage. Roy has been vice president and London bureau chief at CBS News since 2022, having previously worked for the BBC for 34 years. More from Deadline CNN said that Roy will work with Matt Wells, the networks vice president of news in London. He will report to Mike McCarthy, managing editor of CNN Worldwide. McCarthy said in a statement, His track record is unrivaled in its scope and his passion for journalism undiminished. He has proven himself time and again as an exceptional leader and were excited to have him take charge of our first-class London and EMEA team. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement CNNs London bureau is the largest outside of the United States, with more than 200 staffers. Its also the base of CNN Internationals European primetime programming. Roy will take his new post in the spring. Earlier today, CNN Worldwide CEO Mark Thompson announced cutbacks impacting 6% of the CNN workforce, but that there will be new hires with a $70 million investment in the networks digital operations. The network also has recently hired Philip Rucker from The Washington Post to serve as senior vice president of editorial strategy and news, based in Washington, D.C. Best of Deadline Sign up for Deadline's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. CNN is cutting 6% of its workforce as the news organization tries to reinvent itself for media's digital future. Facing an exodus of viewers and a systemic decline in pay TV subscriptions, the Warner Bros. Discovery-owned news channel said Thursday it will cut 200 employees from the TV side of the business while investing in the digital operation. "The changes we're announcing today are part of an ongoing response by this great news organization to profound shifts in the way audiences in America consume news," CNN Chairman Mark Thompson told employees in a memo. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Thompson said parent company Warner Bros. Discovery has committed $70 million to the effort to develop new subscription-driven digital products. The plans for reinvention include the development of a direct-to-consumer CNN streaming product that won't require a pay TV subscription. "It's the early days, but we've already established that there's immense demand for it not just in America but around the world," Thompson wrote. CNN launched a subscription streaming service in 2022 called CNN+, which charged users $5.99 a month. After a $120-million investment and major promotional blitz, Warner Bros. Discovery pulled the plug on the new venture shortly after taking over the network. The company did launch a CNN stream for subscribers on Warner Bros. Discover's Max service. But Thompson said the network's digital offering has to go beyond the Max stream. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Well continue to have a strong presence on Max, but we also believe it is not a complete answer to the future of the great linear CNN experience," his memo said. While Thompson has been at work on developing a new business model, the network's ratings continue to decline. In January a month with major news stories including President Trump's inauguration and the Los Angeles wildfires the network is down 13% compared with 2024, according to Nielsen data. CNN has seen its ratings drop since 2021 after experiencing record audience levels during the first Trump administration. Cord cutting has reduced the number of pay TV homes CNN reaches by about 20 million, a major blow to subscription revenue. At a recent defamation trial that CNN lost and then settled, the network presented financial data that showed the network's revenue declined by 20% from 2021 to 2023. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Thompson said the network is looking to generate $1 billion in digital revenue by 2030. The executive added that the hiring for the digital side of the business, adding about 100 positions, will eventually offset the head count losses for the TV operation. Read more: Jim Acosta is tough on Trump. Will CNN move him to the graveyard shift? The move is the company's response to the shift away from traditional TV by young viewers who have turned to streaming video and other online sources for news. CNN has gone through several waves of layoffs since it became a part of Warner Bros. Discovery in 2022. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It's not the only TV organization facing financial pressures. Staff cuts are anticipated at ABC News and NBC News, although they are not expected to be near the scale of the CNN workforce reductions. CNN is also shaking up the program schedule of its cable channel. Longtime anchor Wolf Blitzer is moving out of his 6 p.m. Eastern time slot and displacing "CNN Newsroom" with Jim Acosta. "The Situation Room" with Blitzer and Pamela Brown will air from 10 a.m. to noon Eastern. Acosta remains in talks with CNN over an offer to anchor a new live two-hour program starting at midnight, when cable news typically offers repeats of broadcasts from earlier in the evening. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Other changes include former NPR host Audie Cornish as host of "CNN This Morning" at 6 a.m. Cornish was hired for the short-lived CNN+ service. Kasie Hunt will move to 4 p.m. Eastern to anchor "The Arena," while "The Lead With Jake Tapper" moves to 5 p.m. 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. (The Hill) Cable giant CNN is planning to lay off dozens of employees and undergo a major restructuring as the outlet looks to retool itself around digital during President Donald Trumps second term. The layoffs are expected to impact about six percent of CNNs global workforce, amounting to around 200 jobs on its linear television side, according to a source with knowledge of the plans. The restructuring is part of a decision from CNNs parent company, WarnerBros. Discovery, to invest more than $70 million in the outlet with its previously stated goal of reaching $1 billion in digital revenue by 2030. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement CNN plans to replace many of the traditional linear television jobs it is cutting with new roles in digital products and services and expects to have 100 or more positions posted and filled during the first half of 2025. The changes were announcing today are part of an ongoing response by this great news organization to profound and irreversible shifts in the way audiences in America and around the world consume news, CEO Mark Thompson said in a note sent to staff on Thursday and obtained by The Hill. FCC reopens complaints against top broadcasters America and the world need high quality, fair-minded, trustworthy sources of news more than ever. This difficult and sometimes painful process of change is the only way to make sure we can still provide it. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The network is also planning to make changes to its dayside and evening lineup of programming on cable, with formal announcements expected later on Thursday. CNN, like all major cable channels, has seen a dip in audience since Trumps first term at a time of widespread distrust in mainstream media outlets by American voters. The Ted Turner-founded network, which was known during those years for its aggressive coverage of the president, has gone through a slew of high-profile staffing changes in the years since and seen its editorial tone shift as Trump returns to office. 2025 has only just begun and yet weve already seen more than enough news at home and abroad to be reminded just how important it is that this great news organization succeeds, Thompson said. Given our brand and reputation, given the incredible talent at our disposal, given that spirit of innovation and commitment that has always been a hallmark of CNN, I truly believe that we can do just that. 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. By Elizabeth Howcroft PARIS (Reuters) - A co-founder of French crypto company Ledger was released on Wednesday after being kidnapped from his home in France, the prosecutor's office in Paris said. David Balland was kidnapped early on Tuesday morning at his home in central France and taken by car to another address where he was held captive, the prosecutors said in a statement on Thursday. The kidnappers demanded a "large ransom in cryptocurrency", they said, without giving its size or saying whether it had been paid. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Balland was freed on Wednesday and received medical treatment from the emergency services, the statement said. The rescue operation involved the GIGN, one of France's elite tactical police units, and police are continuing to investigate in order to identify and arrest all the perpetrators, it said, without elaborating. Ledger, founded in 2014, is one of France's top crypto companies. It sells "hardware wallets" - physical devices for storing crypto assets. Balland is one of eight co-founders, the company's website says. In 2021, Ledger raised $380 million in a funding round which valued it at $1.5 billion. The Paris prosecutor's office's organised crime and cybercrime units are involved in the investigation, the statement added. (Reporting by Elizabeth Howcroft in Paris; Editing by Gareth Jones) BOSTON, Mass. (SHNS)A coalition has formed and plans to fight the new legislative push to ban nicotine sales in Massachusetts to anyone born after 2005. Sen. Jason Lewis (D-Winchester) and Rep. Tommy Vitolo (D-Brookline) filed the bill last week. It would define a tobacco product as products derived from either tobacco or nicotine, and would apply to substances that are smoked, chewed, absorbed, or inhaled a range of products that would include cigarettes and vapes. New bill would gradually phase out tobacco products Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Similar generational bans have been approved in municipalities around Massachusetts most recently Tuesday night in Newton, where the city council approved a ban for anyone born on or after March 1, 2004. Faced with an effort to sideline certain buyers statewide, Citizens for Adult Choice rolled out plans to line up outreach to local representatives and senators and eventual committee testimony at the State House. Steve Snider of Newton said at Wednesdays press event that he does not use tobacco products, but was incensed by his home citys new policy, which he called a terrible affront to the principles of personal liberty and responsibility. Are we to allow our autonomy to be selectively curtailed for some officials hypocritical notion of whats good for us? Should our foundational principle of my body, my choice be selectively applied only to certain bodies or certain choices? said Snider, drawing applause in the front room at Carrie Nation Cocktail Club. There is no contradiction between being opposed to smoking, as I am personally, yet embracing the fundamental principle that in our society, we accept that adults are entitled to make personal decisions about the risks they wish to assume. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Lewis-Vitolo statewide ban (SD 1317 / HD 2372) would apply to people born on or after Jan. 1, 2006. The bill notes that the banned category of tobacco products would not apply to a product that has been approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration for the sale of or use as a tobacco cessation product, provided that it is marketed and sold or prescribed exclusively for the approved purpose. The FDA last week authorized the marketing of Zyn nicotine pouches after an extensive scientific review, noting lower cancer risks than other tobacco products along with Zyns potential to ween users off other, more harmful, products. But the federal agency stopped short of full-throated approval. While todays actions permit these specific tobacco products to be legally marketed in the U.S. to adults 21 and older, it does not mean these tobacco products are safe, nor are they FDA approved. There is no safe tobacco product; youth should not use tobacco products and adults who do not use tobacco products should not start, the Food and Drug Administration said in a Jan. 16 news release. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Independent retailer Alex Weatherall, a recent past president of the trade association for convenience stores and gas stations, said it has been unnerving that he encounters well-informed, intelligent people who have been unaware of the ban effort underway around the state. While some might see a snowball of enthusiasm for policy change, Weatherall said the idea has not caught enough traction to be ready for the spotlight on Beacon Hill. Newton was the 13th municipality to enact such a ban, WBUR reported Wednesday. Its going to rebound probably in our favor. Because theyll raise the level of debate. And thatll allow people to get acquainted with some silliness that they otherwise wouldnt be acquainted with, he said. Stephen Helfer of Cambridge Citizens for Smokers Rights likened the proposal to the federal governments prohibition on alcohol and war on drugs, both of which had unintended consequences. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The people who are promoting this, I think, are mostly academics, politicians, public health. I think they have very little respect for the store owners who depend on small purchases. I think they dont have a lot of respect for free enterprise, Helfer told the News Service. As Vitolo and other lawmakers announced plans to file the bill last November, the Brookline Democrat said the addictive nature of nicotine meant it would be unfair to rip the products away from longtime adult users. This legislation treats everyone fairly, Vitolo said last fall. Those who are not old enough now to obtain nicotine products will never be old enough to buy them in Massachusetts. Those who are old enough today will always be old enough. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. The winter storm brought ice and snow in parts of Metro Atlanta and other parts of Georgia, prompting schools in Cobb County to close on Tuesday. Classes resumed for the Cobb County School District and the Marietta City School District on a two-hour delay, Wednesday. While Cobb County barely saw any snow, the temperatures were bitterly cold. Channel 2 Cobb County Bureau Chief Michele Newell spoke to the Director of Transportation for the Marietta City School District who said her team began planning for the weather well before it hit. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In order to get ready for a cold start morning we spent a lot of time pre-planning. We actually pulled up a list of where our employees lived over the weekend and reached out to them to find out who thought they would be able to make it and who would not. With the temps and wind chill being forecasted to be as low as it was this morning, we wanted to make sure we could combine routes to not leave any kids standing in the cold, said Kimberly Ellis who is the Director of Transportation for the Marietta City School District. [DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] A number of school bus drivers live outside of Cobb County in areas that were hit hard with winter weather, which forced some to call off. Our bus drivers live all over metro Atlanta, we happen to pay the highest rate in metro Atlanta for our bus drivers and so they come from everywhere. We have some that live in Atlanta, we have some that live in Stone Mountain, we have some as far away as Union City. Not everyone was able to come in this morning and so that was a part of the reason why I think we did a 2-hour delay, said Ellis. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Tab Wheeler, a retainer bus driver for the district, was ready to jump in where help was needed. Covering routes making sure we get the kids to school safe, said Wheeler. Ellis and some of her staff showed up to work extra early to start 115 school buses, making sure each one was warm when drivers began their shift. TRENDING STORIES: It was freezing. It was 16 degrees when we got here this morning. We were out here this morning at 5:00 a.m. getting all the buses started, said Ellis. When bus drivers arrived, they checked their buses before they made sure the inside temperature was warm enough to pick up students. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We drive around like an hour, we get here early, make sure they are warm, said Wheeler. We were able to get all the kids picked up on time and delivered to school. We did not have any late buses this morning so super proud of my team for that. Everybody pulled together and we just made it happen, said Ellis. [SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter] Big Techs earnings season kicks off this week with a flurry of announcements from some of the industrys most important players including Apple (AAPL), Meta (META), and Microsoft (MSFT). With the new year well underway and AI still the hottest ticket in Silicon Valley, you can expect plenty of conversations about how companies are monetizing the technology and how much they spend on capital expenditures related to constructing data centers and producing new artificial intelligence models. And looming over all of that will be how newly inaugurated President Trump will impact techs biggest trend in years. Whether its tougher tariffs, export controls, or more relaxed antitrust regulations, Big Tech will be keeping a close eye on Washington. And investors are certain to want to know what that means for companies bottom lines. Trump already made his mark on the AI scene on Tuesday, announcing Stargate, a $500 billion AI data center company headed by SoftBank, OpenAI, and Oracle (ORCL) that will see the trio construct data centers to power AI projects within the US. And on Thursday, Trump signed an executive order aimed at ensuring US dominance in AI. Its all going to make for quite an interesting earnings season, and it kicks off with Meta and Microsoft on Wednesday. The Trump factor Investors and analysts will want to know how companies are working with the administration to ensure they dont end up on the wrong end of Trumps proposed tariffs on goods from China. Apple, whose CEO Tim Cook has a good relationship with the president, avoided tariffs during the first Trump administration and will look to do so this time around as well. Amazon (AMZN), Apple, Google (GOOG, GOOGL), Meta, and Microsoft could also see less regulation around antitrust matters and a return to mergers and acquisitions. (L-R) Priscilla Chan, Meta founder Mark Zuckerberg, Lauren Sanchez, Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, Google CEO Sundar Pichai, and Tesla CEO Elon Musk attend the inauguration of Donald Trump on Jan. 20, 2025. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images) Chip Somodevilla via Getty Images Theres also the fate of the CHIPS Act. The legislation, passed under the Biden administration is meant to bring semiconductor manufacturing back to the US. But Trump has criticized the law, which provides billions in funding to chipmakers, saying it was so bad during an appearance on Joe Rogans podcast ahead of the election. Without the cash, Intel (INTC), TSMC, Samsung, and a slew of other semiconductor companies may not be able to complete their ambitious plans to build new chipmaking facilities. Look for word on how the likes of Intel and its competitors are navigating the new administration and whether its heard how it plans to address the CHIPS Act. AI revenue and spending In addition to Trump, you can guarantee that virtually every tech company will mention AI revenue and spending. According to Jefferies analyst Brent Thill, Microsoft should report improved AI consumption and continued spending, something investors have been hoping for as the company works to meet customer demand for AI infrastructure. Numb. A great obliterating numbness settled over Court 5-1 as the recitation of the list of wounds inflicted on the little girls went on and on. They fell under a section called Pathological Evidence. However bad you may have feared the Southport atrocities committed by Axel Rudakubana were, this was so much worse. One parent said what had happened on July 29 at a Taylor Swift dance class was like being trapped inside an extremely dark 5D horror video game except the victims being hacked at and slain were not digital avatars but peoples flesh and blood, children for Gods sake. Elsie Dot, Alice and Bebe (such an enchanting gappy smile she had because, aged just six, her grown-up teeth hadnt come through) were killed in the most savage manner (this wasnt an English murder, it was a Hutus and Tutsis-style massacre ); eight other girls suffered the preferred euphemism life-changing injuries. For the first time, we heard exactly what was done to them. Deanna Heer, the exemplary prosecuting barrister, read a roster of horrors out with a remarkable calm, forensic dignity before turning to the families of the dead and the injured who sat in one corner at the back of the courtroom, separated from the dock by an opaque panel. Anyone want to leave at this point? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement (There were about 30 of them, 80 of us altogether in the pale wood-panelled room, including four barristers in wigs, court staff and a handful of reporters who were allocated a seat near the judges bench.) Tributes left outside Liverpool Crown Court on Thursday - ADAM VAUGHAN/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock A few of the relatives got up and left, faces already ashen, but most decided to stay and endure. If the kids had to live through it, why shouldnt the adults hear exactly what happened? That was the guiding spirit of this most harrowing of days, I think. Honour the girls and their courage, acknowledge all they had suffered while making sure the evil bastard who did that to them was put away for good. (Earlier, in the canteen of Liverpool Crown Court, there were strong views among the tea-drinkers about what punishment Rudakubana, the son of parents who sought asylum in the UK after fleeing the Rwandan genocide, should get. Sir Keir Starmer and his human rights lawyers would not have liked the Scousers eye-for-an-eye concept of justice. Tracy, who was there to see her husband and son sentenced for major-league drug offences, told me she thought they might be travelling back to prison in the same van as that disgusting lad and could take the opportunity to do im in, like. The canteen loved that idea. Brilliant! Most of Britain would concur, I reckon.) In the courtroom, the 11am start time had passed and an hour later we were still waiting to look upon the face of evil. (The first time the families would be in the same room as Rudakubana, who was said to be refusing to appear.) Rudakubana escaped a whole-life order because he was 17 at the time of the murders Deanna Heer was in full flow, talking about stab wounds to the childrens backs as they tried to escape, longstanding obsession with violence, killing and genocide, when, suddenly, there he was. Very tall, slender as a pipe-cleaner, he loped in wearing a pale grey tracksuit. As soon as he was seated, just on the other side of the glass, he ducked down, burying his head in his lap so all that was visible was the sticky-up, matted, jet hair and, very occasionally, the coal-black pupils which rolled back into his head revealing the bright whites of his eyes. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement (The only Satanic thing about him, those scary eyes. Court artist Elizabeth Cook who has studied the killer closely says that, when his mask is off, he pulls constant faces, gurning, hands jerky and fidgeting.) The body language was that of a stroppy teenager who pulls up his hoodie to blot out his annoying parents. He would have been wearing headphones if theyd let him. Nonetheless, there is something coiled about him, combustible; rage is just beneath the surface. Sure enough, it didnt take much to set him off. His counsel said he was fine to appear and he cried out, Im not fine. I feel ill. Paramedic! I need to speak to a paramedic because I feel ill. Mr Justice Goose held his ground and indicated that it was he, not Mr Rudakubana (the courtesy title sounded absurd attached to that foul fiend) who was in control here. But the cries of protest became a bellow, I cant remain QUIET because Im ill, judge. I havent eaten for TEN DAYS. Im not going to remain QUIET. In the public gallery, just a few feet away, there was open scoffing and disbelief at this entitled, arrogant display. If there had been subtitles available they would have read, Our daughters are dead or maimed and you have the gall to say youre ill! Get stuffed! Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I FEEL ILL. I FEEL ILL. MY CHEST is hurting. The judge said hed like him to remain quiet and listen carefully. I didnt choose to feel pain, he retorted, as if this was all about him. Stop ignoring me! Was the author of the most infamous massacre in legal history just a monstrous attention-seeker? Evil has seldom looked more banal. The judge agreed they could take Rudakubana out, but he must return after lunch (he pulled the same childish stunt a second time and missed the sentence being passed). It drained some of the drama from the occasion. All of the bereaved and shocked people who had poured their hearts into their victim impact statements wanted their girls tormentor to be there to hear about the appalling damage he had wrought. Even if hed stayed, I dont think he was capable of comprehending the ocean of anguish hes unleashed. Jenny Stancombe, mother of Elsie Dot, aged seven, one of the three girls murdered, summed it up best: He took our daughter, her life, her future and everything she could have been. There is no greater loss and no greater pain. His actions have left us with a lifetime of grief and it is only right that he faces the same. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But Rudakubana escaped a whole-life order because he was 17 at the time of the murders rather than 18 as he is now. Instead hell be jailed for a minimum of 52 years. I was holding it together until we heard a statement read out from the parents of Alice da Silva Aguiar whom we saw in CCTV footage managing to hobble to a car outside although she was fatally wounded. Her mum and dads pride and joy, as well as their only child, the nine-year-olds death has left a terrifying void. Alices mum often thinks of going to meet her and she hopes her life is shortened so she can be with Alice. Perhaps most astonishing was a teenager who had gone along that day to help her sister and Leanne Lucas, the dance teacher. The judge and barrister were concerned. They kept saying, shes only 14 but she wants to speak. They neednt have worried. A beautiful girl with long brown hair, dressed in a plaid skirt and blouse, she was undaunted. Appearing via a screen, and with composure, she let Rudakubana have it, addressing him in the first person with cold fury: I thought you were playing a joke, she said. You didnt look human, you looked possessed. All I could hear were the screams. She ran onto the landing and shouted at the little girls to run away then followed them. I knew I was running for my life... I knew from your eyes you wanted to kill us all. The fear she experienced, not being able to find her sister, will live with her always. You stabbed me so severely my arm looked like it was inside out... My lung collapsed. Im so scared because of what you did to us... You caused that fear in me and my sister. Give me a reason for what you did, she demanded. Wow! I hope you spend the rest of your life knowing we think youre a coward. She was the best of British. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As the judge read out the sentence, and after some of the most appalling evidence ever heard in an English court, I thought the nation was right to be enraged about Southport. It was the supine political class that tried to play down what happened and denied it was terrorism that should have been jailed. As one of the families said: Keir Starmer was more concerned about the victims of the riots than about us. No one in the court mentioned that Islamist groups had targeted Taylor Swifts concert tour. The little Swifties of Southport were their victims, of that I have no doubt. As Leanne, their dance teacher said, so fragile but bravely appearing in person: He targeted us because we were women and girls because we were vulnerable, easy prey. Yes, he did. Like that astonishing 14-year-old victim said, Rudakubana is a coward. Leanne, like so many caught up in that deafening tragedy, has doubted whether she could go on. Turning towards the empty dock, she stiffened, fighting back the tears: But Alice, Elsie, Bebe, and all the girls Im surviving for you. 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. CLEARWATER BEACH, Fla. (WFLA) Floridas record cold temperatures and snow are having an impact on people here for vacation. On Clearwater Beach Wednesday, people bundled up before heading out on the sand. No one was brave enough to put on a swim suit and absolutely no one was swimming in the surf. 8-9 inches of snow to break record in Florida Rachel Treglia is here on vacation with family from Sioux City Iowa, where the low tonight will be 15 degrees, but she was hoping for warmer weather than the 49 degrees she found in Clearwater. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We havent put on a swimsuit other than to get in the hot tub, Treglia said. Kirk and Judy Nelson are in Clearwater from Chicago to celebrate their anniversary, and they were also a little surprised by the weather. We got married in Jamaica and so we decided to come to some warmer climate, and as you can see its not very warm here, Kirk Nelson said. Store owners are feeling the cold in a different way. Cold weather means slower foot traffic in the store of Jitesh Pradhananj. He opened his store Ocean Vibes in August and then endured back to back hurricanes. Now, business is slow because of the weather, but he did find one advantage from that. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Even if its cold, people are coming in and buying hoodies, sweatshirts, Pradhananj 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 WFLA. American whiskey is running out of time. The distilled spirit consisting of global favorites such as bourbon, rye and Tennessee whiskey is expected to be slapped with a 50% tariff by the European Union on March 31, unless President Donald Trump's administration swiftly negotiates a prolonged suspension or permanent removal of the tariff. With the tariff, a tax on imported or exported goods, looming and the industry facing a gut punch from its largest international trading market, distillers and industry experts are sounding the alarm. Advertisement Advertisement "[The tariff] would have a major effect on a great American success story, and we want to avoid that," Chris Swonger, president of the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States, DISCUS, told The Courier Journal. 'Collateral damage' in a trade war An EU tariff hitting American-made spirits isn't new. In 2018, during Trump's first term, the president saw the start of a trade war after enacting tariffs on steel and aluminum, in hopes of bolstering American manufacturing. The EU counterattacked by imposing a 25% tariff on American whiskey. Tell us what you think: Submit your letter to the editor here The EU tariff, which was in place through 2021, led to a 20% decrease in exports to the EU, equating to hundreds of millions of dollars lost for the American whiskey industry, according to a report by DISCUS. Advertisement Advertisement For Kentucky's Brough Brothers Distillery, the state's first African American-owned distillery, the 2018 tariff hurt the business's ability to continue operating in the European market. Victor Yarbrough is the CEO of Brough Brothers, the first African American-owned bourbon distillery in the state of Kentucky. Jan. 16, 2025. The small Louisville distiller started in 2012 as an import and export company focused on trading spirits from the U.S. to the United Kingdom, while also creating its own branded product. In 2018, the UK was still part of the EU, so when the tariff hit American whiskey, it eventually made it unsustainable for Brough Brothers to continue trading there. "Even with us having the actual distribution pipeline ourselves and that control, it made it very difficult to maintain a profit in the UK," said Victor Yarbrough, CEO and co-founder of Brough Brothers. "Subsequently, we had to pull out of the marketplace." Advertisement Advertisement Yarbrough said his company wants to enter the EU market and hopes to be able to re-enter the UK market soon, but the potential of tariffs returning leaves the business in a position where it has to figure out how to "pivot." "Unfortunately, ... we're kind of seen as collateral damage to the trade war," Yarbrough said. The EU eventually suspended its initial tariff in late 2021, but that suspension is set to expire March 31 because the two sides have not reached an agreement on the steel and aluminum dispute. Swonger said the potential 50% tariff on the American whiskey industry, is causing "great, great, great anxiety" for distillers. Bottles of 3 Kings Single Barrel bourbon await packaging at the Brough Brothers Distillery in Louisville's Park Hill neighborhood. Jan. 16, 2025. Industry leaders are calling for the tariffs to be permanently removed and to restore a fair-trade agreement between the U.S. and the EU on American whiskey. Advertisement Advertisement Starting with Trump's inauguration on Monday, his administration has 70 days to negotiate the tariff before the 50% rate kicks in. Given the limited timeframe and administrative changeover, Swonger believes the most likely immediate resolution is to continue the current suspension of the tariff. "I can't think of a business or an industry in the world that could survive a 50% tariff," said Eric Gregory, president of the Kentucky Distillers' Association. "It's just unheard of." Workers to 'ultimately pay the price' While industry advocates like Swonger and Gregory understand tariffs can act as a tool to encourage industries and businesses to produce products domestically, they say allowing American whiskey an industry and product that exists only in the U.S. to get tangled in a trade war stands to harm American workers. In Kentucky, a state known for its bourbon heritage, Gregory said every job created by the bourbon industry has a ripple effect on the state economy, generally creating or supporting an additional three jobs. Advertisement Advertisement "Look who's going to ultimately pay the price: The farmers who grow the corn, the coopers and the loggers who depend on harvesting timber, the truckers who drive the barrels and the truckers who drive the finished product, not only in Kentucky, but all across the country," Gregory said. "Anything that impacts the Kentucky bourbon industry will impact thousands and thousands of other workers here whose hands don't make the whiskey." When the 2018 tariff first hit, the American whiskey industry was enjoying a period of dramatic growth, which was largely supported by its ability to freely export to markets such as the EU. The tariff halted much of that momentum. While the industry is largely focused on the tariff set to resume in March, it's also watching Trump's pending threat to impose a 25% tariff on all products coming into the U.S. from Mexico and Canada. Advertisement Advertisement If that happens, Swonger said the industry stands to face additional retaliatory tariffs from those countries, which are currently two of the industry's largest trading partners. "We never expected to be pawns in trade wars," Gregory said. Distillers big and small looking for path to survive trade uncertainties For Kentucky, bourbon is a marquee industry, which sustains more than 23,000 jobs across the commonwealth and has drawn more than $4 billion in announced investments since 2019. Since the early 2000s, the state's industry has experienced rapid growth, with Gregory noting from 2008-18, the growth in international exports totaled more than 150%. "Much of the growth of the industry in Kentucky, especially when you look at capital investments over the last five to 10 years, have all been geared towards growth in the international markets," Gregory said. "A lot of the companies who were getting into the export market started planning for more growth to meet the growing global thirst for Kentucky bourbon." Advertisement Advertisement Louisville-based Brown-Forman, the maker of Jack Daniels, Woodford Reserve and Old Forester, is one of the leading exporters of U.S. spirits globally, with 55% of its net sales coming from outside the U.S. The Old Forester bottle water tower on top of the Brown-Forman corporate offices on Dixie Highway was frosty Monday morning after winter storm Blair moved through the metro Louisville area. Jan. 6, 2025. Other major Kentucky bourbon companies that are big exporters include: Heaven Hill, the maker of Evan Williams; Beam Suntory, which produces Jim Beam and Maker's Mark products; and Diageo, the owner of Bulleit Bourbon. "There are some great American, iconic American brands that come out of the great state of Kentucky or Tennessee, where the consumer demand is great for those brands ... but it would be very, very, very costly for those suppliers," Swonger said about the looming 50% tariff. The Courier Journal reached out to the major bourbon distillers to discuss tariffs, but all declined to comment or never responded. Advertisement Advertisement But big whiskey makers aren't the only ones facing impacts. Across the nation, there are more than 3,000 distilleries, with 45 states exporting American whiskey. Further west, in Swisher, Iowa, Jeff Quint, the founder and CEO at Cedar Ridge Distillery known for producing the "No. 1 selling bourbon" in the Hawkeye State, said his company had been exporting for roughly a decade, with a large focus on the EU. But the 2018 tariffs changed that. "It's a paralyzing situation because of the uncertainty. It's an unstable environment to try to build a business within," Quint said. "So, we haven't shipped into the EU anything really very significant since the tariffs initially kicked in." Iowa-based Cedar Ridge Distillery has decided its "not going to entertain a move back into the European Union" until the ongoing trade dispute reaches a removal of tariffs, rather than a continued suspension of the retaliatory practice. Advertisement Advertisement And with the latest tariff threats, Quint said his distillery has no interest in getting involved again until there is some sense of a permanent resolution. "Expansion into the EU? You just cross it off. I mean, we're not giving it any consideration ... throughout most of this year, we're just going to adopt a watch-and-see attitude," Quint said. While some distillers, such as Shelbyville, Kentucky-based craft distillery Jeptha Creed, may not currently export their products in large volume, the return of an EU tariff will still be felt. Joyce Nethery, CEO and master distiller at Jeptha Creed, fears a "a withdrawing tide draws down all boats" and leaves distillers like herself who would be interested in expanding export business to delay those plans, harming potential business growth. "These tariffs are coming in on top of the supply chain pressures that we've had over the past few years, and COVID. There's a lot of small craft distilleries that are going under now, even before the tariffs get started, so this could just be another thing that is kind of a death knell for some distilleries," Nethery said. Contact business reporter Olivia Evans at oevans@courier-journal.com or on X, formerly known as Twitter, at @oliviamevans_. This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: American whiskey industry facing 50 percent tariff from Europe By Sarah Morland (Reuters) -Colombian President Gustavo Petro arrived in Haiti's southeastern city of Jacmel on Wednesday afternoon in a rare visit by a foreign head of state to the Caribbean nation, as Haiti endures an extended conflict with armed gangs. Colombia has also faced a surge in violence from rebel factions that have brought peace talks to a halt. Petro arrived in the small coastal city some 90 km (55 miles) from the capital Port-au-Prince on a Colombian military plane several hours after the visit was expected to start, where hundreds of residents turned out to see his arrival. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Petro had a layover in the Dominican Republic, skirting Haiti's embattled capital where several shootings against diplomatic vehicles were reported just this week. He met with top Haitian government officials including Leslie Voltaire, who holds the transitional presidential council's rotating presidency, in an engagement intended to strengthen bilateral ties. In an evening ceremony, Voltaire thanked Petro for coming despite the violence in Colombia and said their cooperation would help Haiti in terms of security and the economy, without giving further details of the outcome of the talks. Petro also spoke out for unity in face of tightening immigration restrictions in the United States. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "They don't want Haitians, they don't want Venezuelans ... they don't want Colombians," he said. "Well, let's leave them alone a while and see how it goes. I believe we will help each other, and those who kick us out will end up alone." Voltaire has said he wants to foment closer relations with South American nations in a bid to shore up security support as a U.N.-backed security mission fails to hold off the advances of the country's gangs. Gangs have, since the mission's approval in late 2023, gained strategic territories resulting in repeated closures of the capital's main port and airport, and worsening food shortages that have resulted in half of the country's 11 million population going hungry. The number of people internally displaced has more than quintupled to over 1 million from around 200,000 before the partially deployed mission was approved by the United Nations Security Council. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Also on Wednesday, the U.N. Security Council met for a briefing on the conflict, where several nations called for stronger measures to restrict the ongoing illegal flow of firearms largely from the United States to Haiti's now broadly allied criminal organizations. Haitian Foreign Minister Jean-Victor Harvel Jean-Baptiste reiterated calls for the mission, which he said was "gravely underfunded" and lacked key air and maritime capabilities, to be converted into a formal U.N. peacekeeping mission to make it less dependent on voluntary contributions. "We're very much looking forward to the other contributions that have been promised for a long time now," he said. "Haiti cannot overcome this crisis alone. That's why we're asking for increased resources to stabilize our security." Over 200,000 Haitian migrants were deported back to the country last year. (Reporting by Sarah Morland; Additional reporting by Harold Isaac and Michelle Nichols; Editing by Stephen Coates) DENVER (KDVR) Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser says that property management company Greystar has swindled renters money using deceptive advertising and hidden fees. On Jan. 16, Weiser filed a lawsuit with the Federal Trade Commission against Greystar Real Estate Partners LLC for deceptive advertising practices. Greystar, one of Colorados largest rental housing providers, manages approximately 45,000 units across the state. On Wednesday, Weiser sat down with FOX31s Shaul Turner to discuss why he filed the suit. Previous coverage: Colorado attorney general accuses Greystar of deceptive ads, hidden rental fees in new lawsuit Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement An investigation by the FTCs Bureau of Consumer Protection found that Greystar has been deceptively pricing rental housing since 2019. The lawsuit filed on Jan. 16 says the company failed to disclose the mandatory recurring fees charged to tenants, such as trash fees, on rental websites like Zillow. Turner found that Denvers average rent is about $1,700 a month, per Zumper.com. I keep hearing from renters, I cant believe how expensive housing is getting and how much money Im forced to pay, including on these junk fees,' Weiser told Turner. You cant at the last minute come up with all these made-up charges, making the price well more than what you advertise. Colorados Consumer Protection Law requires landlords to reveal how much must be paid after signing a lease, but the Federal Trade Commission and Weiser said Greystar violated that requirement. The lawsuit states that the landlord enticed prospective residents with deceptively low rental prices and then failed to share most or all of the hidden fees the company charges. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Greystar advertises a certain price, people stop looking for apartments, made all their plans for moving, and then sign a lease to find it wasnt what was promised but considerably more with fees like a package delivery fee or a fee for collective maintenance, all of which were never disclosed leading to hundreds of dollars being paid than they were told, Weiser said. Greystar: Lawsuit based on gross misrepresentations The Problem Solvers reached out to Greystar and received a statement saying the lawsuit has no grounds. The complaint is based on gross misrepresentations of the facts and fundamentally flawed legal theories. We will vigorously defend ourselves against this lawsuit, Greystar said. No resident at a Greystar-managed community pays a fee they have not seen and agreed to in their lease. The statement said the lawsuit targets an industry-wide practice where a base rent is advertised, but renters are aware of all fees before signing a lease with Greystar. The company pointed to the Federal Trade Commission and said it has not provided guidance on fees or total monthly leasing pricing. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement US Justice Department accuses six major landlords of scheming to keep rents high Our view, which the FTC implicitly acknowledges by proposing a rule in the first place, is that the most effective path to achieving uniform and consistent fee disclosures is through clear regulatory guidelines for our industry, Greystar said. It is disappointing that the FTC has failed to show any leadership in this area. Greystars full statement can be found here. Weiser told Turner that upholding the Consumer Protection law is important because large rental companies have an unfair edge in disputes with tenants. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Heres what outrages me: Sometimes if you are a lawyer or if you have a friend whos a lawyer and you push back and say, What is this fee, you didnt tell me about it. Theyll back off but a lot of times people, they dont know they can fight for themselves, they just think that theyve got to pay it, the attorney general 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 FOX31 Denver. A Colorado crime lab analyst is charged with more than 100 criminal counts in connection with allegations that she altered reports in sexual assault cases. Yvonne Missy Woods was charged with 52 counts of forgery, 48 counts of attempt to influence a public servant, one count of first-degree perjury and one count of cybercrime, according to the district attorney for the First Judicial District. Woods is accused of altering and deleting quantification values, rerunning batches of DNA without documentation and hiding potential contamination. She is alleged to have submitted reports that said No Male DNA Found in over 30 sexual assault cases in which DNA was found or contamination was present. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Jail records show Woods was in custody Thursday morning. An attorney who was named in an affidavit for Woods arrest warrant did not immediately respond to an email requesting comment. In November 2023, Colorado authorities asked the South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation to investigate Woods work, the affidavit said. She worked at the Colorado Bureau of Investigation from January 1994 until she retired in November 2023. According to the affidavit, a Colorado Bureau of Investigation intern discovered an error two months before the request. The intern, who was not identified, was assigned a project to review quantification data and alerted the labs management that specific data appeared to be missing, the affidavit said. An internal investigation reviewing all of Woods cases found several instances of deleted or altered data, according to the affidavit. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In a recorded interview, Woods was asked about her work at the lab and how contaminated DNA samples were handled. She told investigators that before around 2017 or 2018, some contamination was accepted, the affidavit said. But since then, she said, any contamination would have to be addressed, and she agreed with investigators that it would take a considerable amount of time to rerun batches of DNA, the affidavit said. Woods was asked about discrepancies in her work, including a time she was placed on leave in 2018 over concerns of manipulated or altered data, the affidavit said. Woods said in the interview that she didnt know whether similar cases of manipulated data were all intentional and couldnt give a timeline for when she began altering data, according to the affidavit. She was asked what the benefit would be for deleting or manipulating data and she quickly replied, Being able to report the case, the affidavit said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The affidavit said Woods was asked whether she deleted the data to simply move specific cases forward quickly, to avoid having to do additional work and she agreed. Woods inaccurate reports affected over 500 cases beginning in 2008, according to the affidavit. Those cases are now in question because of the alleged data manipulation. The district attorneys office said the financial cost totaled more than $11 million. A Wisconsin-based firm has been contracted to review the bureaus policies and procedures in the fallout and provide solutions for any potential improvements, NBC affiliate KUSA of Denver reported. The firm has been given a $770,000 contract, the station said. This article was originally published on NBCNews.com GOLDEN, Colo. (AP) A former Colorado Bureau of Investigation DNA scientist appeared in court Thursday to face criminal charges over data tampering that authorities said raises questions about the validity of more than 500 cases. Problems with the scientists work were found in cases involving homicide, sexual assault, robbery and other crimes, according to a law enforcement affidavit. In at least two cases, both homicides, the defendants received lesser sentences under plea deals than they could have faced if they went to trial because prosecutors were afraid Yvonne Missy Woods involvement could lead to acquittals. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Woods was described as a star analyst by a former colleague who was interviewed by investigators, but also one who worked too fast and was not the most thorough," according to an internal affairs report. Authorities havent found any evidence of wrongful convictions, but prosecutors across the state are continuing to review the impacted cases. Woods would sometimes be called as a witness during trials to explain DNA evidence against defendants. But on Thursday, Woods, who retired in 2023, appeared before a judge by video from a suburban Denver jail after turning herself in a day earlier. This gets to the heart of whether or not science can be trusted, whether or not law enforcement can be trusted and quite frankly whether the judicial system can be trusted, Jefferson County judge Graham Peper said during the short hearing. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Woods allegedly told investigators at one point that she had changed data to complete cases more quickly, according to an arrest affidavit. Woods faces 52 counts of forgery, 48 counts of attempting to influence a public servant and one count each of perjury and cybercrime, for alleged misconduct between 2008 and 2023. The fallout from the alleged misconduct is still unfolding. In the most recent case to be impacted, Michael Shannel Jefferson was sentenced last week to 32 years in prison in the home invasion killing of Roger Dean in 1985. Jefferson was identified as a suspect in the cold case in 2021 through DNA evidence. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The allegations against Woods led prosecutors to offer Jefferson a deal to plead guilty to conspiracy to commit first-degree murder, rather than murder. He could be eligible for release in eight years. Jefferson maintains his innocence despite his plea. Deans daughter, Tamara Dean Harney, attended Woods Thursday hearing to see the former scientist held accountable. Its incredible to me that somebody like her could affect so many people in the way that she did. She just didnt consider what she was doing to all of us, to all of the cases, Harney said. The investigation into Woods alleged misconduct began in September 2023 after an intern at the state investigation bureau discovered missing information in a case that Woods handled in 2018. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The subsequent probe into other cases she had worked found Woods altered data to conceal tampering, deleted data that showed she failed to troubleshoot issues within the testing process and did not thoroughly document tests performed in case records, authorities said. A Colorado Bureau of Investigations internal affairs report released last year revealed that concerns about Woods work first surfaced more than a decade ago. As early as 2014, a worker questioned her testing of evidence and in 2018 she was temporarily removed from working on DNA cases after being accused of data manipulation, the report said. In the first prosecution in the state believed to be impacted by Woods work, prosecutors gave Garrett Coughlin the chance to plead guilty to second-degree murder last year partly because they were unable to call Woods to testify in a case that relied mostly on circumstantial evidence. He was accused of killing three people in 2017. His original conviction and sentence were overturned when it was discovered at least one juror lied during jury selection. The deal allowed Coughlin to avoid a possible life sentence for felony murder. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Because Woods flew back to Colorado after learning of the charges, Peper agreed to allow her to use a bail bond company to post her bond rather than paying the full $50,000 in cash in order to be released from jail. Woods attorney, Lindsay Brown, declined to comment after the hearing. The charges cover misconduct in 58 criminal investigations. It wasnt immediately clear why she wasnt charged in the others that prosecutors have called into question. The response to Woods' alleged misconduct had cost more than $11 million, state officials said. Among those costs, the Colorado Department of Public Safety last year asked the Legislature for $7.5 million to pay for an independent lab to retest up to 3,000 DNA samples and for district attorneys to review and potentially reprosecute cases that are affected by lab errors. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement State officials announced Tuesday they had hired a consulting firm to review the state's forensic program. Bureau of Investigations Director Chris Schaefer said in a statement that the hiring of Forward Resolutions LLC was part of the agencys effort to hold itself accountable following the allegations against Woods. ___ Brown reported from Billings, Montana. Democratic Colorado state Reps. Naquetta Ricks of Aurora, center left, and Junie Joseph of Boulder, center right, lead a press conference to speak out against President Donald Trump's mass deportation agenda at the state Capitol on Jan. 22, 2025. (Chase Woodruff/Colorado Newsline) As President Donald Trumps administration continued to spend its first days pursuing aggressive new limitations on both lawful and unlawful means of immigrating to the United States, Colorado lawmakers and community advocates rallied at the state Capitol to warn of the dire consequences Trumps agenda will have for immigrants and non-immigrants alike. We must protect and uplift immigrant families, not tear them apart, said state Rep. Junie Joseph, a Boulder Democrat, as she stood alongside other leaders at the event Wednesday. I call on President Trump to reconsider his policies that will devastate families, harm children and weaken our economy. Instead of mass deportation, we must work to build a system that values dignity, family and the incredible contribution that immigrants make to our society. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In his second term, Trump has vowed to carry out the largest domestic deportation operation in American history. By his own estimation his deport them all agenda would apply to more than 20 million people, though independent estimates put the countrys true undocumented population at around 12 million. No exceptions are to be made for undocumented parents or other relatives of underage U.S. citizens, Trumps border czar, former Immigration and Customs Enforcement director Tom Homan, said last month. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Joseph, a Haitian immigrant and child welfare attorney, said such a policy would cause unimaginable harm to families and result in an overwhelming influx of children entering Colorados foster care system, which is already under a significant strain. These children are American citizens, and they have a right to life with their families, Joseph said. But the reality is that many will face the horror of becoming orphans, separated from their families and plunged into a system that is already overburdened. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Democratic state Rep. Naquetta Ricks, a Liberian immigrant who represents Aurora a community that has been singled out by Trump for immigration enforcement operations noted that 11.4% of Colorados workforce is made up of immigrants and that undocumented workers are instrumental in construction, agriculture and other important industries in the state. As a state, we have set ambitious goals to build more homes, create good jobs, reduce the cost of living, and create thriving, safer, resilient communities, Ricks said. We know that immigrants and their contributions to our communities are key to realizing these goals. Ricks described fleeing her native country of Liberia during a civil war in which her friends and family members were killed. Her family joined relatives in Colorado and like many current immigrants from Venezuela and elsewhere sought political asylum, a legal process that the Trump administration has moved to swiftly and drastically restrict. My mom, my sister and myself had to flee our home, and we were able to come to Aurora to seek refuge, Ricks said. Aurora is a place that is very, very diverse We know that diversity is all around us, and that diversity makes us rich. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE Columbia University says it has suspended one student after expediting its investigation into a group who disrupted a class on Israeli history. Demonstrators handed out flyers with violent imagery to students attending a History of Modern Israel class on Tuesday, the university said in a statement. Columbia said it identified and suspended one student involved, pending a full review, and that its investigation remains active. University officials have not released the students identity. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It was the first day of Professor Avi Shilons class, and students had only just been introduced to the course when protesters whose faces were covered and appeared to be wearing keffiyehs, a traditional Middle Eastern scarf often identified as a symbol of Palestinian identity entered and distributed anti-Israel leaflets, student Elisha Baker told CNN. One flyer shows a burning Israeli flag underneath the words Burn Zionism to the Ground, and another depicts a large black boot about to stomp on the Jewish Star of David and reads Crush Zionism, according to pictures taken by Baker. It was shocking for everyone in the class, said Baker, a junior studying Middle Eastern history. Im still super excited for this class. Its a shame that this incident is going to put us on edge inside the classroom. One of the flyers passed to students by demonstrators. - Lishi Baker Four protesters remained in the classroom for around five minutes before leaving, student Orri Zussman told CNN. Campus security arrived shortly after the protesters left and began receiving information from students on what occurred, as well as photos and videos of the incident. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As a result of the interruption, Columbia previously said it was intensifying its investigative efforts to identify the individuals involved as well as modifying its security measures. The school said it did not know if the demonstrators were students. No group of students has a right to disrupt another group of students in a Columbia classroom, university interim president Katrina Armstrong said in a statement. We want to be absolutely clear that any act of antisemitism, or other form of discrimination, harassment, or intimidation against members of our community is unacceptable and will not be tolerated. Tuesdays class disruption follows a years-long spate of high-profile incidents at Columbias campus in response to the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza just one of many protests that roiled universities across the country last year, disrupting academic life. Some Jewish and Muslim students said they were intimidated, harassed or physically assaulted, CNN previously reported. At Columbia, following a tumultuous school year marked by protests, an encampment on school grounds, a building occupation and the mass arrest of more than 100 demonstrators, the universitys president resigned at the start of the fall semester in August. A week before, three deans resigned after they were removed from their posts over what the school labeled very troubling antisemitic text messages. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In October, nearly six months after Columbia banned a pro-Palestinian student activist who said on a social media video, Zionists dont deserve to live, the coalition that had apologized on his behalf rescinded its statement of regret and advocated for armed resistance against Israel. The university said in a statement it decried any calls for acts of violence. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com By Svea Herbst-Bayliss NEW YORK (Reuters) - BlackRock and Saba Capital Management announced a standstill in a long-raging battle over the future of closed-end funds with the asset manager buying back shares in two portfolios and the hedge fund dropping demands for deep management changes. BlackRock, the world's biggest asset manager, said it will buy back 50% of outstanding shares in its BlackRock Innovation and Growth Term Trust and 40% of outstanding shares in Health Sciences Term Trust for a price of 99.5% of each fund's net asset value. A total of roughly $1.6 billion is being tendered in these funds alone, more than has ever been available to investors. In return, Saba, a large owner in BlackRock's closed-end funds, agreed to stop its campaigns at dozens of BlackRock funds calling for fresh directors to be installed and for BlackRock to be fired as some of the funds' manager. The agreement lasts for three proxy seasons. "This is a monumental outcome for shareholders," Saba's founder Boaz Weinstein wrote on social media platform X. He said the settlement shows how shareholders and managers can find a "win-win" solution. "By committing to shareholder-friendly initiatives, liquidity events and governance enhancements, value can be unlocked for all investors." Saba's Weinstein has for years waged a battle against closed-end funds run by BlackRock and other companies that oversee billions of dollars, arguing they charge high fees and deliver lackluster returns with limited opportunities for average investors to get their money out. The settlement comes some seven months after BlackRock shareholders voted at 10 of its closed-end funds to keep the asset manager's directors in place and retain it as the manager at six funds. Saba has long criticized the gap between the assets held by closed-end funds and their share prices and wanted to install new directors and at some funds fire the manager. Closed-end funds, unlike open-end funds, don't issue or redeem new shares, which can leave them trading above or below the value of the securities held by the fund. Weinstein has been crusading against these types of portfolios for some time and late last year took his fight overseas by urging shareholders in seven UK investment trusts to replace directors and install his hedge fund as the manager. He argued the current boards failed to deliver "sufficient shareholder returns." (This story has been corrected to say that investors voted at a total of 10 funds, not 4, in paragraph 7) (Reporting by Svea Herbst-Bayliss; Editing by Anna Driver) COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) The owners of an apartment complex on the citys Southeast Side have been sued over poor living conditions that include no heat. Columbus Property Action Team filed the lawsuit last week against the owners of the Life at Edgewater Landing apartment complex, located in the Eastland area off Refugee Road, according to court documents. I-71 exit near Tanger Outlets to be built under ODOT proposal Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The lawsuit claims the owners failed to have working heat in dozens of apartments, forcing the city to evacuate 49 units amid frigid temperatures outside and low temperatures in the units. Documents state that Code Enforcement received multiple notices in recent months that units have been without heat due to a failing boiler system. Some of the tenants said they have not been told when the repairs will be completed, but hope it is soon. Please make them come out here and make it habitable for me, tenant William Johnson said. Were just trying to get some justice, you know, and whatever the pressure they put on them, thats as good as good because they dont listen to us, tenant Frederick Mills said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Code Enforcement reportedly inspected the property with each complaint and determined that the patchwork fixes being made were an insufficient long-term solution and that the system needed to be replaced. In January, an emergency notice to repair the system was issued. They were doing patch works for the patch works, werent sufficient in order to sustain the heat when it gets down to zero degrees and some of the units ultimately were failing, Columbus City Attorney Zach Klein said. In addition to issues with the heating systems, Code Enforcement cited the property owners for more than 100 additional violations over the past two years, with 51 violations remaining outstanding. Documents also state that there have been more than 1,100 calls for police service to the premises over the past two years. According to court documents, police have responded to reports of five shootings, 33 shots fired, and 48 persons with guns. CPD has also taken over 340 offense reports at the property since January 2023. These reports include 25 assaults, eight felony assaults, and one homicide. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Group working to protect Columbus immigrants amid Trumps return The Columbus Fire Department has been called to the complex over 600 times since January 2023. These calls include 13 calls for drug overdoses. Well, the last few months, its been terrible on top of crime, Mills said. Its bad out here. It really is. The lawsuit seeks to recoup the cost of relocating affected households to temporary housing under the citys recently enacted Relocation Assistance Code, which requires landlords to cover relocation costs due to emergency vacate orders. The city said it is the first property it has filed against under this new ordinance. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I think that it sets a level of purposeful accountability with landlords that if youre not spending the money over the course of time to make sure that your units are up to speed, Klein said of the new code. As of 4 p.m., representatives for the complexs landlords have not responded to a request 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 NBC4 WCMH-TV. Donald Trump's flurry of first-day executive orders aimed at remaking American government in his image may have Americans' heads spinning, but one stands out from the rest for its sheer audacity. That's the order to rescind "birthright citizenship," which is constitutionally granted to almost all children born within the U.S. borders. Opposition to birthright citizenship emerged almost immediately with its enactment as part of the 14th Amendment, which was adopted in 1868, and has waxed and waned in parallel with political controversies over immigration. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States. U.S. Constitution, 14th Amendment But its emergence as a core issue for Trump owes much to the work of a California lawyer. He's John C. Eastman, a longtime Trump advisor who is facing disbarment proceedings due to his role in the Jan. 6 insurrection. Eastman has advocated a reconsideration of birthright citizenship or as I wrote in 2020, "flogging this dead horse" for years. He has consistently been in the minority among legal authorities on the topic. Still, he maintains, as he did in a recent conversation with me, that "the leading scholars on this issue all agree with me." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He added: "I've probably been most prominent more recently in articulating that position." He declined to say if he had consulted with the Trump campaign or transition team before Trump issued the executive order. Eastman's criticism of birthright citizenship unfurled mostly through legal treatises and in conservative publications until 2020, when an article he wrote for Newsweek made him the public face of the issue. Read more: Column: Newsweek apologized for racism in a Chapman prof's op-ed. Should Chapman disavow it too? The article, which appeared the day after Joe Biden picked Kamala Harris as his 2020 running mate, questioned whether Harris was eligible for the office of president (or by extension vice president) because she didn't meet the constitutional requirement that a president be a "natural born citizen." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Her father was (and is) a Jamaican national, her mother was from India, and neither was a naturalized U.S. citizen at the time of Harris' birth in 1964," Eastman wrote. "That ... makes her not a 'natural born citizen.'" Within days, Eastman's argument was taken up by Trump, who cited him as a "very highly qualified and very talented lawyer." Newsweek, however, promptly disavowed Eastman's article. In an editor's note, the magazine tried to rebut objections that it had been tied in with the "birther" claims that Barack Obama had not been born in the U.S. Rather, it said, the article was merely airing a legitimate legal debate. Two days later, it posted a second note, in which it stated that "this op-ed is being used by some as a tool to perpetuate racism and xenophobia. We apologize. ... We entirely failed to anticipate the ways in which the essay would be interpreted, distorted and weaponized." Before examining the persistence of attacks on birthright citizenship, a few words about Eastman. The former dean and law professor at the Fowler School of Law of Orange County-based Chapman University has seen his activities as a lawyer for Trump lead his career down a dark hole. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Eastman played an important role in promoting Trump's false claim that the 2020 election was stolen from him, and addressed the crowd at Trump's Washington rally on Jan. 6, 2021, that led to the attack on the Capitol that day. A week after that rally, Eastman and Chapman reached an agreement under which he agreed to retire from the university, effective immediately. In January 2023, the State Bar of California launched disbarment proceedings against Eastman, citing his efforts to promote Trump's unfounded claim that the election was stolen. After a more than monthlong trial in the state bar court, in a March 27, 2024, ruling, Bar Judge Yvette Roland found Eastman culpable on 10 of the 11 state bar charges and recommended his disbarment. Read more: Column: The Nazi roots of the Trump-Vance smear of Haitian immigrants Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Eastman "made multiple false and misleading statements in his professional capacity as attorney for President Trump in court filings and other written statements," Roland ruled. Under state bar rules, as long as Roland's disbarment recommendation stands, Eastman is ineligible to practice law in California. His license was also suspended by the Washington, D.C., bar. He is also facing felony charges in Georgia and Arizona connected with the 2020 election; both cases, in which Eastman has pleaded not guilty, are pending. None of these cases involve the birthright issue. Eastman is still fighting disbarment, based in part on his position that his actions on Trump's behalf are protected by his 1st Amendment free-speech rights and that his claims about the election being stolen weren't knowingly false. Oral arguments before the state bar court are scheduled for March 19. If the disbarment recommendation stands, the final decision will be made by the state Supreme Court. That brings us back to the birthright issue. The 14th Amendment was enacted as a direct response to the Supreme Court's egregious 1857 Dred Scott decision, which held that persons of African descent, such as enslaved people and formerly enslaved people, could not be considered citizens under the Constitution. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In its very first line, the amendment states forthrightly, "All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States." Legalistic debate over birthright tends to parse the clause "subject to the jurisdiction thereof." Most legal scholars and courts that have considered the issue accept the prevailing conclusion that it was meant to exclude chiefly children of foreign diplomats and ministers and those of occupying foreign armies, who remain under the jurisdiction of their own countries. (Native American tribes were also excluded initially on the reasoning that the tribes claimed sovereign authority, but they were brought under the amendment's protection in 1924.) Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Some critics argue that the amendment could not have bestowed citizenship on the children of illegal immigrants because "illegal immigration" didn't exist in 1868, as the U.S. then had no immigration restrictions. That's a dubious claim, constitutional scholar Garrett Epps has written. "'Illegal aliens' are 'subject to the jurisdiction' of both state and federal legal systems. They can be, and are every day, arrested, prosecuted and sentenced (even to death) in American courts," and can be sued in civil courts. What Trump could do about birthright citizenship is unclear. Repealing the 14th Amendment would require a new constitutional amendment, a lengthy and complicated process. Some experts have said that Congress could act to redefine "jurisdiction," but even a leading expert on the topic, Rogers M. Smith of the University of Pennsylvania, has acknowledged being in the "minority of scholars who think the Congress can act" to exclude undocumented immigrants' children. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump might be hoping that the current Supreme Court majority, which has disdained its own precedents, would scrap this one though whether it would discard a precedent that has stood for more than a century is an imponderable. The Supreme Court's support of a broad definition of birthright citizenship dates to 1898, in a ruling involving Wong Kim Ark, whose citizenship as the U.S.-born child of Chinese immigrants was challenged because his parents had had no right to become citizens themselves. The court rejected the challenge. Read more: Column: How right-wing judges in Texas are erasing Americans' rights everywhere In a 1982 case, all nine justices accepted the view that undocumented immigrants, "even after their illegal entry" to the U.S., are covered by the 14th Amendment. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A remarkable feature of birthright citizenship is that the broadest definition is supported not only by progressives, but conservatives. Newsweek published a rebuttal to Eastman's article in 2020 by conservative UCLA law professor Eugene Volokh. At the same time, the libertarian Cato Institute attacked Eastman's claims head-on. And on Inauguration Day, Cato's director of immigration studies, David J. Bier, issued a series of broadsides against Trump's executive order, calling it a "blatantly unconstitutional... attack on American tradition, the rule of law, the Constitution, and indeed Americans themselves." In truth, the core issue of birthright citizenship isn't constitutional. It's political, and its politics are acrid in the extreme. The issue is inextricably bound up with racism and the notion of America as a beacon of white supremacy. That has been the one constant in the opposition to birthright citizenship since the enactment of the 14th Amendment, legal scholar Rachel E. Rosenbloom has observed, noting that opposition is typically couched "in a highly racialized language of crisis and invasion." A proponent of a proposed 2009 California ballot initiative aimed at cutting off public benefits for undocumented immigrants, for example, asserted that "illegals and their children" were engaged in "invasion by birth canal." (The measure didn't make it onto the ballot.) Trump has repeatedly employed the rhetoric of xenophobia and invasion to justify his attacks on immigrants. "Theyre poisoning the blood of our country," he said at a rally in 2023, referring to immigrants "from Africa, from Asia, all over the world. Theyre pouring into our country. Opposition to birthright citizenship has tended to surge alongside concerns about immigration, especially when the latter has had a racist component. The Wong Kim Ark case was designed as a test of the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882; the 1982 case arose as a challenge to a Texas law that denied funding for the K-12 education of undocumented immigrant children. (The Supreme Court struck down the law.) Eastman told me in 2020 that he was troubled by what he called the false charge" that he questioned birthright citizenship merely "because Kamala Harris is Black. He said then that he had been studying and writing about so-called birthright citizenship for nearly 20 years in all sorts of contexts, not merely Black politicians. Notwithstanding Eastman's disavowal of racist intent, one can't attribute the same innocence to Trump and his immigration policy team. In his Jan. 20 executive order on border security, he again invoked "the language of crisis and invasion" "Over the last 4 years," the order states, "the United States has endured a large-scale invasion at an unprecedented level." Truly, the ideological basis of the attack on birthright citizenship has barely changed in 127 years. Get the latest from Michael Hiltzik Commentary on economics and more from a Pulitzer Prize winner. Sign me up. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. A few months ago, I had an experience much more familiar to me as a writer than a physician: getting rejected. I had written a piece about my experience as a woman trying to hide her cancer diagnosis. No one wanted to publish it. One major online news outlet suggested a different essay altogether: Write about what I didnt know about breast cancer as a doctor that I learned only as a patient. I stared at this request and then shut my computer. Months later, I saw that the outlet published that piece by a different doctor, who detailed her experience with breast cancer and how it made her a more understanding physician. Unlike this brave person, I couldnt bring myself to write an essay about how I became a better, more empathetic and less judgmental doctor after my cancer diagnosis. Because it wasnt true. I am not a perfect obstetrician/gynecologist. But it did not take a breast cancer diagnosis to get me to start performing breast exams when appropriate, nor to remind patients to get their yearly mammograms. It has not made me more careful, either: I do not tell women to systematically examine themselves for lumps and bumps, as it is no longer recommended by the major professional organizations. I preach breast self-awareness (know what your breasts feel like, watch out for certain warning signs) and I do not add that this is what allowed me to find my own breast lump in the shower, palpating it with expert fingers, knowing before I knew, that I had found a cancer. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement My clinic, near the Bronx in New York, takes public insurance only. Working within the Medicaid/Medicare system is education enough on the inequities in health care, as I struggle to get necessary cardiac testing for my pregnant patients with worrying heart symptoms or find myself booking surgeries four months away because my schedule is overburdened. It did not take my own experience, one of expedited care, VIP treatment and an overabundance of insurance and medical knowledge, to marvel at the disparities baked into our health care system. Nor did having cancer render me any more or less judgmental. I still feel for the women who squeeze themselves into fajas to thin themselves after a cesarean section. After one of my surgeries, I typed fajas into Google to find some of my own, grateful that I had learned the Dominican word for corset. And Im just as likely to privately roll my eyes at a patient who chooses solely naturopathic remedies for cancer treatments as I was before my diagnosis. I am only human, after all. I hope I am just as empathetic now after the surgeries, and the chemotherapy, the hair loss and the early menopause as I was before. Just as likely to hold my patients hand as the anesthesia brings her into sleep. Just as likely to sit with a hopeful parent I have just told is having a miscarriage. To feel what my patients feel without making their experience about my own. This is the crux of my problem with the now I understand essays by my peers. They imply that before they had cancer, they didnt quite view their patients with compassion. It took a life-threatening illness to realize that, yes, their patients are also real people with real lives that are interrupted by the diagnoses we administer. It took cancer to connect. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If this point of view is true of my colleagues, the fault lies with medical training, not with the individual doctor. We are taught to examine patients clinically, as a constellation of symptoms, so that we can determine what is wrong and how to fix it. Thats a good thing you want your doctor to be able to make a diagnosis. Its also important that we have a healthy professional distance from our patients. I have identified stillbirths, seen women die in the labor unit, diagnosed terminal illnesses. I did my medical training during COVID-19. If I were unable to create some kind of wall between those experiences and my daily life, I would fall apart and could not practice medicine effectively for the rest of my patients. But it should not take a critical illness to understand that patients are people, too. This is being addressed more and more by medical schools, as young doctors are now encouraged to examine their patients in the context of their patients lives, in a discipline called narrative medicine. How do they explore their biases and empathy? By putting it in writing, of course. ____ Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Dr. Alessandra Hirsch is a writer and assistant professor of obstetrics and gynecology at Columbia University Medical Center in New York City. She is working on a memoir about her time in residency during the COVID-19 pandemic. ___ Earlier this month, two bodies were found in the wheel well of a JetBlue airplane that departed from New Yorks John F. Kennedy International Airport en route to Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport. The bodies had already begun to decompose, suggesting that the people had died some time before they were discovered. The National Transportation Safety Board did not view this as a safety issue involving flight crew or operations, and so it did not initiate any further investigation. Such incidents, though rare, occur frequently enough that some explanation is necessary and perhaps some actions can be taken to avoid future events. More concerning: Are such events exposing a weak point for aviation security in general? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For most people, it is unimaginable that someone would attempt to fly in the wheel well of a commercial jet and expect to survive. Commercial airplane cabins are pressurized and heated, so flying at altitudes as high as 7 miles above sea level is safe. The air outside the cabin is even colder than the most extreme winter arctic blasts we experience in the continental United States. The low levels of oxygen at high elevations also ensures that a person in a wheel well will eventually lose consciousness until the airplane drops below 10,000 feet. Anyone who believes they can survive several hours under such extreme conditions lacks an understanding of the risks they are taking. They are effectively signing their death sentence by lodging themselves in any part of an airplane outside its climate-controlled cabin. Despite this, somewhat surprisingly, there are some who manage to survive. The profile of the person who undertakes this risky behavior is male and often younger than 30 years old; many have been in their teens. Since 2015, there have been 32 wheel well stowaways globally, with five on U.S. carriers. This has resulted in 24 deaths and eight people surviving, a 75% fatality rate. How does a person gain access to the tarmac and the wheel wells of a plane? The barriers that must be overcome are numerous and complex, particularly in the United States. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The person did not enter the secure part of the airport with a ticket. That means they compromised the barrier fences and gates or hid on a vehicle that had legitimate access. The airports where these people may have gained access are all extremely busy and have large physical footprints, such as New Yorks JFK International Airport and Chicagos OHare International Airport. Though airport perimeters are typically protected by fences, surveillance cameras and patrols, they are not impervious, particularly at night when activity and surveillance may be sparser, and that presents opportunities. Then there is gaining access to the airplanes themselves. Again, night hours when airplanes are parked at gates or in hangars may provide a person the opportunity to stow away in a wheel well in the hopes of remaining undetected by maintenance crews and airline staff until the flight departs the next morning. The more plausible explanation is that stowaways gain access to airplane wheel wells at foreign airports, with their bodies only discovered at domestic airports. For example, information about the JetBlue wheel well breach suggests that the stowaways may have gained access in Jamaica, where the airplane began its journey to JFK before flying to Salt Lake City, then back to JFK and finally to Fort Lauderdale, Florida, where the bodies were discovered. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Given that airport security, particularly airport perimeter security, is certain to be less robust in non-U.S. airports, this would provide a plausible explanation. It is also consistent with the fact that the bodies had already begun to decompose. It does not, however, explain why the bodies were not discovered by JetBlue maintenance staff when the airplane first arrived at JFK from Jamaica. Such inspections for flights that originate at airports with weaker perimeter security should be on the table for discussion. A similar case involved a United flight in December that traveled from Chicago OHare to Hawaii. A body was found in a wheel well when the airplane arrived in Maui. However, the airplane originated in Sao Paulo, Brazil, which raises the question of when the stowaway entered the wheel well. Attempting to stow away in a wheel well is risky. Given that these events, globally speaking, are rare, systemwide policy changes are not necessary. What is appropriate is for maintenance to inspect the wheel wells of airplanes arriving from foreign airports. This simple procedure may lead to earlier detection of these reckless travelers or, in the majority of these cases, their bodies. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The more concerning issue is that if young, inexperienced people can find a way into an airplanes wheel well, could a sophisticated bad actor follow a similar pathway to gain access to airplanes? This should be a matter for discussion at the Transportation Security Administration, particularly for flights originating outside the U.S. Any avoidable death is a tragedy. Stowaways in airplane wheel wells indicate that security breaches are occurring that enable such access. Anytime security vulnerabilities are found somewhere, they expose a security threat that can occur anywhere. How the airlines and the TSA address this issue remains to be seen. ____ Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Sheldon H. Jacobson, Ph.D., is a professor of computer science in the Grainger College of Engineering and the Carle Illinois College of Medicine at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. He uses his expertise in risk-based analytics to address problems in public policy and public health. ___ ISTANBUL (AP) Commercial flights between Turkey and Syria resumed Thursday after 13 years with a Turkish Airlines flight from Istanbul to Damascus. Turkish media showed Syrian families draped in their national flag singing pro-opposition songs and cheering as they prepared to board flight TK0846 to Damascus. Passengers continued their celebrations inside the plane, singing the uprising anthem Hold your head up high, you are a free Syrian. One man sobbed while waiting for takeoff. I missed Syria and am happy to fly back, said Fuad Abdulhalid, who has lived in Turkey for 12 years. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Another passenger, Nail Beyazid, expressed hope as he prepared to visit his home for the first time since fleeing from Syria. We are very happy that (Syria) was liberated, and the situation is very good, Beyazid said. We had a house, a factory. We also had cars, which are gone now. We are going back to take a look. Since the lightning rebel offensive that ousted Syrian President Bashar Assad a month ago, Arab and Western countries that had cut off relations with the former government have been reopening diplomatic relations with Syrias new de facto authorities, headed by the Islamist former insurgent group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, or HTS. The first international commercial flight since Assad's fall, a Royal Jordanian Airlines plane, landed in Damascus earlier this month. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Turkey, a key ally of Syria's new authorities, has expressed its intention to invest in its economy and help its ailing electricity and energy sectors. Turkish Airlines CEO Bilal Eksi announced earlier this month that the airline would fly three times a week between Istanbul and Damascus. The move followed a visit to Ankara by Syrias foreign minister, Asaad al-Shibani, who met with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and other officials. ___ Associated Press journalists Kareem Chehayeb in Beirut, Lebanon, and Albert Aji in Damascus, Syria, contributed to this report. Ryan Gehrig (center), president of Mercy Arkansas Hospitals, testifies in favor of a bill that would allow nonprofit hospitals in Arkansas to hold retail pharmacy permits on Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2025. At right is Troy Wells, president and CEO of Baptist Health, who also spoke in favor of the bill before it was voted down by the Senate Public Health, Welfare and Labor Committee. (Mary Hennigan/Arkansas Advocate) A proposed Arkansas law that would have allowed nonprofit hospitals to hold a retail pharmacy permit narrowly failed in committee Wednesday after more than an hour and a half of discussion and public testimony. Arkansas is the only state in which the law currently prohibits nonprofit, tax-exempt or governmentally-funded hospitals from holding or acquiring interest in retail pharmacy permits. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Lawmakers have attempted for years to change this via policy proposals that intend to help both hospitals and independently owned pharmacies serve their communities, Sen. Jonathan Dismang, R-Searcy, the lead sponsor of Senate Bill 58, told the Senate Public Health, Welfare and Labor Committee. A similar bill died in the House Public Health, Welfare and Labor Committee in 2023 and was sponsored by physician and committee chairman, Rep. Lee Johnson, R-Greenwood. Four leaders at nonprofit hospitals supported SB 58 and said allowing nonprofit hospitals to contract with retail pharmacies will improve patients access to medication. Hospital pharmacies have access to specialized drugs that might be too expensive for independent pharmacies to stock, they said, and hospital pharmacies can be open 24/7 while independent pharmacies are unlikely to be open during nights and weekends. These barriers to patients ability to adhere to their treatment plans after an emergency room visit or hospital stay frequently lands them back in ERs and hospitals, increasing costs for both patients and healthcare systems, said Ryan Gehrig, president of Mercy Arkansas Hospitals. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I dont know if anyone can argue that thats not good for the patient when they could be home, on these meds and being productive, he said. The four committee members who voted to pass the bill were Sens. Ricky Hill, R-Cabot; Fred Love, D-Mabelvale; Scott Flippo, R-Bull Shoals; and chairwoman Missy Irvin, R-Mountain View, a co-sponsor of the bill. Bills need five votes to pass eight-member committees. Republican Sens. John Payton of Wilburn, Clint Penzo of Springdale and David Wallace of Leachville voted against SB 58. Senate Minority Leader Greg Leding, D-Fayetteville, did not vote. Sen. Jonathan Dismang (center), R-Searcy, presents a bill to the Senate Public Health, Welfare and Labor Committee on Wednesday, January 22, 2025. To the left of Dismang is James Welborn, Assistant Vice President of Pharmacy Services at St. Bernards Healthcare in Jonesboro. (Mary Hennigan/Arkansas Advocate) Opponents of the bill and senators who voted against it said independent rural pharmacies might already be struggling financially and could be snuffed out by competition from hospitals in-house pharmacies. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The speakers who testified against the bill were John Vinson, CEO of the Arkansas Pharmacists Association; Lelan Stice, owner of the six Doctors Orders Pharmacy locations in Central and Southeast Arkansas; and Galen Perkins, owner of Express Rx, which has 26 pharmacies in eight states. Were not opposed to hospitals being allowed a permit to care for their patients, Stice said. We are opposed to nonprofit entities unfairly competing in the market and [believe] that careful thought and consideration should be put in place to ensure fair competition in Arkansas. Republican Sen. Justin Boyd, a pharmacist from Fort Smith, filed Senate Bill 86 on Tuesday. It would allow hospitals to hold one retail pharmacy permit per location as long as it meets certain criteria, including the ability to dispense emergency medications on a 24/7 basis. The bill will be heard by the same committee that rejected Senate Bill 58. Hospitals arguments and lawmakers doubts Pharmacies financial solvency and capacity to serve patients have been at the forefront of Arkansas lawmakers concerns for months. In December, a legislative panel approved an Arkansas Insurance Department rule that requires pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) to include dispensing fees in their reimbursements for prescription drugs. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement PBMs are companies that serve as middlemen to negotiate prescription benefits among manufacturers, distributors, pharmacies and health insurance providers. They have been accused of underpaying pharmacies for their own enrichment, including in Arkansas. Troy Wells, president and CEO of Baptist Health, said the states recent action against PBMs while pharmacies struggle underscores the need to pass Senate Bill 58. Wouldnt it be reassuring that hospitals and health systems could step in and potentially meet this important need in our community? Wells said. We often find ourselves stepping in to meet community needs when no one else is willing to do it, especially in rural communities or other underserved areas in our metro communities. House Bill 1150, filed last week, would prohibit PBMs from holding permits for retail pharmacies, including mail-order operations. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Dr. Daniel Mackey, an oncologist at Mercy Fort Smith, told the public health committee Wednesday that he regularly relies on mail-order pharmacies for some patients chemotherapy drugs. This can delay treatment for weeks, while having pharmacies within hospitals would get patients their drugs within days, Mackey said. Mica Knight, St. Bernards assistant vice president for transitions of care, agreed that hospitals would bring dollars back into the state by dispensing more drugs in-house. Payton said one of his qualms about Senate Bill 58 was that it didnt provide assurances that hospital pharmacies will definitely stock drugs that independent pharmacies cant afford. Sen. Jonathan Dismang, R-Searcy, listens to testimony during a public health committee meeting on Wednesday, January 22, 2025. (Mary Hennigan/Arkansas Advocate) Penzo said he also did not want to pass a bill that might put patients last and rob Peter to pay Paul but hoped lawmakers, pharmacies and hospitals could come up with a compromise. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Leding said he also hoped for a compromise and did not vote on the bill out of support for local pharmacists. He added that the bills supporters made a very compelling case for it. Dismang said he does not intend to amend the bill. This is about taking care of patients, and thats my focus, he said. State Sen. Casey Crabtree, R-Madison, on the South Dakota Senate floor during the 2024 legislative session. (Makenzie Huber/South Dakota Searchlight) Sanctuary policies for undocumented immigrants will be banned in South Dakota if legislators adopt a bill that advanced out of a committee Thursday at the Capitol in Pierre. The name sanctuary is often applied to policies that limit state or local cooperation with federal immigration authorities. The bill, from state Sen. Casey Crabtree, R-Madison, would prohibit such policies at the state and local levels. The legislation is based on a law passed in North Dakota. Other states have adopted similar measures, Crabtree said, including Montana, Wyoming and Iowa. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Crabtree said the bill is necessary to ward off policies being adopted in Democratic-leaning states as a backlash against President Donald Trumps immigration crackdown. I believe it is time for the Legislature here in South Dakota to make clear that in our state, we will assist federal law enforcement to keep our communities safe, Crabtree said. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX The Senate Judiciary Committee, which has no Democratic members, voted unanimously to send the bill to the full Senate. There are nine Democrats in South Dakotas 105-member Legislature, which means the party doesnt have enough members to fill seats on all committees. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Nobody testified against the legislation during the committee hearing. Taneeza Islam is CEO of South Dakota Voices for Peace, a Sioux Falls-based nonprofit that supports immigrants. In an interview with South Dakota Searchlight, she expressed concern about the state wading into local policies. If the Legislature can create policies for local law enforcement, what does that really mean, and does it open the door to let them continue to do that with other issues? Islam said. But she added that no South Dakota state or local agencies have adopted sanctuary policies and are unlikely to do so given the dominant position of Republicans across the state. So, at the end of the day, there is no impact, no effect, and this doesnt add anything to make communities safer or make communities less safe, Islam said. PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) Providence Mayor Brett Smiley joined 12 News at 4 to talk about whats ahead for the capital city in 2025. Roger Williams Medical Center Smiley said hes committed to making sure Roger Williams Medical Center stays open after the company that owns the hospital, Prospect Medical Holdings, filed for bankruptcy earlier this month. We rely heavily on that hospital, the mayor told 12 News anchor Kim Kalunian. Im comforted to know that it is sufficiently on everyones radar, but there are a lot of decisions that are outside of our control. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Prospect filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in the Northern District of Texas, meaning a Texas judge will be responsible for much of what happens with the companys assets, which include 16 hospitals in Rhode Island, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, and California. Parking tax Smiley confirmed that the city of Providence will be charging the states 7% sales tax on commercial parking fees. However, he said whether that sales tax is passed on to consumers will be up to the parking lot owners. The mayor presented the parking tax as a way to reduce the citys dependence on property tax for revenue. Providence Public Schools Smiley said he hopes to regain control of the capital citys schools in 2025. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Were ready, he told 12 News. I believe that we are. The mayor said that in the next six months, his Return to Local Control Cabinet will be releasing a series of reports about the steps the city has taken in preparation for the transition. Downtown transformation plan Its great! Smiley responded enthusiastically to former Providence Mayor Joe Paolinos beautification and greenery plan for the citys downtown streetscape. Its great! he said, adding that the plan would be good for both the economy and the environment. He pointed out that Paolinos plans include multiple funding sources, saying, No one party can do this alone. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement READ MORE: Providences next Renaissance? Paolino unveils plan to beautify capital city Power lines at India Point Park Smiley said he, East Providence Mayor Bob DaSilva, and the CEO of Rhode Island Energy are all in agreement: The power lines at India Point Park must be buried. He said the old-fashioned stanchions in the park are at a point of failure and must be replaced, and added, If were going to be spending infrastructure dollars, lets do it the right way. Crook Point Bridge The mayor shared that Providence plans to take possession of the iconic Crook Point Bridge. I dont want to see it torn down, he told 12 News. Were going to do something great with it, Smiley said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement READ MORE: Providence in process of acquiring Crook Point Bridge 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. WARREN, Ohio (WKBN) Trumbull County Sheriff Michael Wilson says his office has been offered a K-9 free of charge. Wilson says the total cost of a police K-9 is around $20,000. He told commissioners Alpha Pack K9 has offered to donate an 18-month-old malinois, its training, and some handling gear for the dog. All the county would need to provide is a cruiser equipped with an enclosure for the dog. This is a great opportunity, and its a great opportunity for the citizens of Trumbull County, Wilson said. You know were all about taking drugs off the road, and this is a very important tool to use that. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Wilson says the dog would be a dual-purpose K-9 officer trained in tracking and detecting 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 WKBN.com. BEIJING/HONG KONG (Reuters) - China is set to impose a 1 million yuan ($137,309) cap on the annual income of staff at central government-owned financial institutions, three sources said, expanding a campaign against excess against a backdrop of economic slowdown. Those whose income already exceeds 1 million yuan will have their payout cut, such as middle and senior managers whose income will as much as halve in an overhaul of the compensation structure at 27 financial giants including the "Big Five" banks, six leading insurers and four major bad debt managers. The bulk of cuts will be made by shrinking bonuses, said two of the three people, who have direct knowledge of the plan but declined to be identified due to the sensitivity of the matter. The most sweeping wage reduction exercise in the $67 trillion finance sector will begin as early as next month though staff are yet to be informed of reasons, the people said. The cap is in line with the government's "common prosperity" drive launched in 2021 to address social and income inequality as growth slowed in the world's second-largest economy. Both state-owned and private financial firms have since proactively lowered salaries and bonuses and discouraged the show of wealth such as by asking staff to avoid wearing expensive clothes and watches. Income caps at state-owned financial institutions, however, could make it harder to retain top talent when private-sector rivals offer competitive compensation packages. The pay cap at central government-owned financial firms was first reported by news outlet Caixin citing unidentified regulatory and banking sources. Executive income at subsidiaries of the targeted firms, including investment banks and asset managers, will be capped at 3 million yuan, the three people also said. Some senior executives at subsidiaries currently earn as much as 5 million yuan, stock exchange filings showed. The Ministry of Finance - the targeted firms' biggest shareholder - and the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security did not reply to Reuters' requests for comment. PAY DISPARITY China is also set to slash pay by about half at the central bank and two financial regulators as part of a revamp that began in 2023 to bring income closer to that of other civil servants, people with knowledge of the matter previously told Reuters. The timing is at odds with government efforts to boost consumption to revive economic growth. Just this month, millions of government workers were given a surprise monthly increase of about 500 yuan on average, beneficiaries told Reuters. WASHINGTON (DC News Now) After President Donald Trump granted a sweeping pardon for those charged and convicted of crimes in the Jan. 6 Capitol riot, law enforcement agencies and officers who defended Congress that day continue to express disagreement with the commander in chief. It was such a complete slap in the face to those of us who protected the Capitol that day, said Winston Pingeon, a former U.S. Capitol Police (USCP) officer who was among 150 members of law enforcement hurt by the pro-Trump mob. For those officers who showed up, protected the president now at his inauguration this time, and continue to protect members of Congress, it is just really despicable, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement DC Police Union expresses dismay over Trump pardons of Jan. 6 rioters USCP Chief Thomas Manger said the pardoning of people convicted of assaulting law enforcement sends a message that politics is more important than policing, according to an interview with CBS News. The DC Police Union, representing 3,600 officers, detectives and sergeants, described dismay over the pardons. It stated, in part, [O]ur stance is clear anyone who assaults a law enforcement officer should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law, without exception. Pingeon said he remembers being pushed, punched in the face, my baton stolen from meripped from my handsand me on my back thinking I just need to protect my gun because I could lose my life right here on the steps of the US Capitol.' Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement After word of Trumps pardons spread, Stewart Rhodes, founder of far-right group the Oath Keepers, described feeling relief, while speaking to reporters outside the D.C. Jail Wednesday. Rhodes was granted clemency after being convicted of seditious conspiracy and sentenced to 18 years in prison, according to the Department of Justice. Civil, immigrants rights advocates sue over order stopping birthright citizen I guess I knew it was coming; joy, gratefulness, Rhodes told reporters Wednesday. Everybody makes mistakes, we are all human, but some make worse mistakes than others and we all need to be held accountable for our actions, Pingeon said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This pardon, it just says theres no accountability and there is no justice, he added. For Pingeon, the memory of Jan. 6 isnt only etched in his mind, but also on paper. He turned to his artistic talent to help cope, saying, Even now, years later, [its] a source of inspiration and a way to cope through that. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I would urge [Trump] to honor his oath of office, just as I did that day and my entire career and ask him, and plead to him that the American people must come first. Our Constitution must come first. This is not about him. This is about all of us and what is right for America, Pingeon said when asked what he would say to President Trump, if given the chance. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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 U.S. House of Representatives gave final passage to a bill named for Laken Riley, a Georgia woman killed in February 2024 by a man who was in the country illegally, clearing the way for President Donald Trump to sign it into law. The House approved an earlier version of the measure weeks ago. They revisited it Wednesday after the Republican-held U.S. Senate amended the bill to expand its scope. The Laken Riley Act would require immigration authorities to detain undocumented immigrants who are charged with certain crimes. It also includes a provision that would empower state attorneys general to sue the federal government over harms caused by illegal immigration. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Rileys case drew national attention as part of the discussion about immigration, a major campaign issue in last years presidential race. As it did weeks ago, the bill received unanimous support from Arizona's House Republicans. Rep. Greg Stanton, D-Ariz., also voted in favor of the measure, as Arizona's Democratic Sens. Mark Kelly and Ruben Gallego did previously. Only one of Arizona's members of Congress voted against the bill: Rep. Yassamin Ansari, a progressive Democrat. Rep. Raul Grijalva, another progressive Democrat from Arizona, did not vote. Grijalva has been in and out of Capitol Hill after undergoing cancer treatment. The bill now heads to Trump's desk for his expected signature. This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: House finalizes migrant crime bill: How Arizona representatives voted The House voted on Wednesday to pass a GOP-led bill to require detention of undocumented migrants charged with certain crimes, handing an early legislative win to President Donald Trump and congressional Republicans, who chose to bring up the measure as their first bill of the new Congress. The bill called the Laken Riley Act will next go to the White House to be signed into law after the Senate approved the measure earlier in the week. The House vote was 263 to 156 with 46 Democrats voting in favor. Republicans made the legislation a top priority after winning the House, Senate and White House, but the bill would not have been able to advance to final passage in the Senate without support from key Democrats as Republicans control only a narrow majority. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Passage of the bill comes as Trump has vowed to make an immigration crackdown a centerpiece of his agenda, and it gives Republicans a legislative achievement within the first week of the presidents return to the White House. But the bill faces major obstacles to implementation as federal officials have warned lawmakers that existing resources are insufficient to execute the law. The fact that the bill won significant support from Democrats signals a notable shift for the party in the aftermath of Trumps presidential win as Democrats from competitive states and districts say the party must do more to address voter concerns over immigration. The legislation exposed a rift within the party, however, as some Democrats called it a common-sense measure while others argued it threatens to undermine civil liberties, due process and public safety. The bill requires the Department of Homeland Security to detain undocumented migrants who are in the US unlawfully or without legal status if they have been charged with, arrested for, convicted of, or have admitted to certain criminal offenses, including theft and burglary. The Senate adopted amendments to expand the list of criminal offenses covered under the bill to include assault on law enforcement officers and crimes resulting in death or serious bodily injury. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The legislation is named after Laken Riley, a 22-year old Georgia student who was killed last year while out for a run. An undocumented migrant from Venezuela was convicted and sentenced to life without parole in the case that reignited a national debate over immigration and crime. One controversial but under the radar provision of the legislation would give state attorneys general the authority to sue in federal court over the decisions by federal officials, including immigration judges, to release certain immigrants from detention. They could also sue to force the State Department to impose visa sanctions against countries that refuse to accept nationals that are eligible for deportation. Democrats opposed to the legislation have argued that it would undermine public safety by allowing courts to second guess legitimate decisions made by law enforcement officers serving on the front lines and could undercut US foreign policy by giving state attorney generals and federal judges overly expansive power with respect to blocking visas. While the bill has now been passed out of Congress, there are hurdles ahead for its implementation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Laken Riley Act will require a ramp-up period and a boost in funding, Immigration and Customs Enforcement privately warned lawmakers in recent weeks. Full implementation would be impossible for ICE to execute within existing resources, the agency said in a memo to lawmakers this month that was obtained by CNN. The agency said that its initial cost estimate of $3.2 billion to execute on the act does not represent the full cost of implementation. ICE is funded for 41,500 detention beds. As of early December, there were more than 39,000 people in ICE custody, according to the agency. ICE estimated it would need an additional 110,000 beds to support the population of people the new act covers, far exceeding its current inventory. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If additional resources are provided, a ramp-up period would be needed due to implementation challenges such as hiring, detention bed availability, and contracting/ acquisition timelines, the memo said. Trump has moved quickly after being sworn in on Monday to take a series of sweeping immigration executive actions that included declaring a national emergency at the US southern border and kicking off the process to end birthright citizenship, a move that has already prompted legal challenge. This story has been updated with additional developments. CNNs Tierney Sneed contributed to this report. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com President Donald Trump left no doubt regarding his about-face on banning TikTok when he invited the social media apps CEO to his inauguration, where Shou Zi Chew sat next to the nominee for director of national intelligence, Tulsi Gabbard, in the Capitol Rotunda. Hours after the ceremony, Trump signed an executive order that put a law ordering the apps sale or shutdown by January 19 on pause, instructing the attorney general not to take action to enforce it for 75 days. Now, congressional Republicans who backed the bipartisan legislation seem willing to give Trump a little leeway with his extensioneven if they dont think it is quite in line with the law. GOP members of both chambers werent willing to say outright that Trump contradicted the law that will ban the social media app if its Chinese-owned parent company, ByteDance, does not divest from it. But most who spoke to The Dispatch this week made the case that the presidents actions are following the laws intent. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement There is some legal debate over that, Rep. Michael McCaul of Texaswho sponsored the bill that eventually was enactedsaid when asked whether Trumps executive order agreed with the law. We have a law that I got passed. The Supreme Court upheld it. Hes using his executive powers to delay enforcement, pending a negotiated resolution to the matter. So, if he can facilitate a deal where the intent of the statutes carried outand that is, a divestment of ByteDance to an American companythen I think we achieve the result we want. Signed into law by Joe Biden in April, the bill designed to protect national security interestsand app users personal data from Chinese accesswas included in a foreign aid package to help Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan. Even before the law took effect Sunday, it had withstood a Supreme Court challenge, and Biden had announced he wouldnt implement it by fining companies such as Apple and Google that might allow access to the app. That left the matter to the incoming administration. After a brief shutdown of the app over the weekend, Trump promised to give TikTok an extension, which led it to resume functional operations, although the app is no longer available in Google and Apple app stores. In the order, Trump argued that the fact that the laws effective date fell right before his taking office interferes with my ability to assess the national security and foreign policy implications of the Acts prohibitions before they take effect and promised to consult with his advisers and the leaders of executive agencies to pursue a resolution that protects national security while saving a platform used by 170 million Americans. The law empowers the president to provide a one-time extension of up to 90 days, but with an important condition: He must certify to Congress that there are binding legal documents in place to execute a divestment that would satisfy the law. Such a deal hasnt emerged. Whats more, Trump did not exactly invoke that power; he just directed his Department of Justice not to enforce the ban. That leaves congressional Republicans facing the conundrum of whether to challenge the authority of a president who is notorious for changing his mind (especially on this issue) or go along with it. GOP senators and congressmen say they will take the latter option, even if the extension isnt strictly what the law dictates. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I think its within the spirit of the law, Sen. Kevin Cramer of North Dakota told The Dispatch. If anybody wants to litigate against it, they can, and well see what courts would do, but I do think its within the spirit of the law. And clearly, Republicans are putting their confidence in the presidents dealmaking abilities. If the new president, who is much more of a dealmaker than the previous one, obviouslyif he thinks he can put something together, some sort of an acquisition by an American company or a group of American entrepreneurs and keep TikTok alive, I think he should be given the 75 days to do it, Cramer told reporters. Michigan Rep. John Moolenaar, who chairs the Houses Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party, made similar comments. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Theres an opportunity to come to a deal that would make TikTok divest from ByteDance so that it could continue as accessible to the American public, he told The Dispatch. Ultimately, the Chinese need to come to the table and negotiate, or it will end here in the United States. President Trump came in at a time where theres a lot happening around the world, and I believe hes going to make the good-faith effortand hes a great dealmakerand hopefully well have an opportunity to see an Americanized version that would keep peoples data safe. Still, not all Republicans in Congress are so deferential. Sen. Bill Cassidy of Louisiana told NOTUS that if Congress has passed a law, I think the law has to be enforced. Likewise, Rep. Carlos Gimenez of Florida, who sits on the Houses China committee, made it clear he thinks Trump should follow the law. Although he said he would leave it to Trump for the 75 days, he was emphatic that the president must see that the laws requirements are met, one way or another. Im going to give him time, but at the end of the day, we have to comply with the law, he told The Dispatch. I certainly support the law. I voted for it. China represents an existential threat to the United States, and TikTok is an arm of China. And so, I want TikTok to be banned, or theyre sold to an American company. 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. NEW HAVEN, Conn. (WTNH) State and local leaders in Connecticut are reacting to a Department of Justice memo on immigration, which says the Trump administration will prosecute officials who resist its crackdown on illegal immigration. The administration said it would allow federal immigration agencies to make arrests at schools, hospitals and churches. In 2019, the First and Summerfield United Methodist Church in New Haven offered sanctuary to several asylum seekers. It was celebrated when one of the immigrants was granted a stay of removal from ICE after staying there for two years. Now, though, the pastor of the church says there is fear among the immigrant community and not just among those who are undocumented. Trump administration throws out policies limiting migrant arrests at sensitive spots like churches Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I assume that he, like all of our other immigrant friends and neighbors, are concerned. Not just about legally what this means for them but what kind of environment this creates for them and their families, Rev. Jamie Michaels at First and Summerfield UMC said. We know kids arent going to school. We know people arent seeking healthcare. Crimes arent being reported, said Maggie Mitchell Salem who is the Executive Director of IRIS. This all happened before and its starting to happen again. New Haven Mayor Justin Elicker said schools are doing what they can to protect all students and follow federal law. They now have protocols in place in case ICE agents come knocking. What kind of world are we living in now where local officials because they disagree with federal policy are being threatened with persecution, Elicker said. Its not just disappointing, its unethical. Its something we see in Russia, in Iran, and now in the U.S. The pastor of the Unitarian Universalist Church in Meriden which has also housed immigrants trying to avoid deportation told News 8 Unless your DNA proves you are descended from native peoples of this continent, you are an immigrant or the descendant of an immigrant. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement There is a lot of uncertainty now, and the executive director of IRIS says what they are going to do is just continue what they have been doing which is trying to help refugees and asylum seekers resettle into the community. Watch News 8 starting at 6 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 WTNH.com. BOSTON (WWLP) A 22-year-old Connecticut man has been sentenced to four years in federal prison for aiding and abetting a bank robbery on Marthas Vineyard in November 2022. Springfield man charged with trafficking cocaine, two firearms and drugs seized during investigation Romane Andre Clayton, of New Haven, Conn., received his sentence in Boston federal court on Wednesday. In addition to prison time, Clayton will serve three years of supervised release. Clayton pleaded guilty in September 2024 to one count of aiding and abetting bank robbery. He was indicted in March 2023, with a superseding indictment filed the following month. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to court documents, Clayton conspired with three others, Omar Johnson, Tevin Porter, and Miquel Jones, to rob the Rockland Trust Bank in Tisbury. On Nov. 16, 2022, the group finalized their plans, with Jones identifying the target bank and providing disguises, including dark clothing and masks resembling elderly men with exaggerated facial features. Courtesy of the Department of Justice Courtesy of the Department of Justice The robbery took place early the next morning. As bank employees arrived to open the building, Porter, Jones, and Johnson, armed with two semi-automatic handguns, forced their way inside through the rear door. Clayton served as a lookout outside the bank, equipped with a walkie-talkie to communicate with the others. Once inside, one of the robbers held a gun to a bank employees head, forcing them to open the vault, stealing approximately $39,100. The employees were restrained with duct tape and zip ties, and one employees vehicle was stolen for the group to escape. Courtesy of the Department of Justice The robbers abandoned the stolen vehicle in the Manuel Correllus State Forest, where Clayton had pre-arranged a second getaway car. The group then left the scene. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Clayton and Porter left Marthas Vineyard via ferry later that day, while Johnson and Jones disposed of the robbery tools at a local farm connected to Jones landscaping job. The firearms were buried, and the disguises and other equipment were burned. Jones then hid the stolen cash, concealing it under a bureau in his bedroom. Courtesy of the Department of Justice Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Jones was sentenced in December 2024 to 10 years in federal prison. Johnson and Porter have pleaded guilty and are awaiting sentencing. 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. HARTFORD, Conn. (WTNH) A press conference and rally were held Thursday in Hartford to expand just cause eviction protection in the 2025 legislative session. Tenants claim landlords too often take advantage of vulnerable tenants and force them out of their housing without providing a reason, which they said negatively impacts renters without a lease or who are month-to-month. Waterbury police cracking down on crime Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For more than 40 years, Connecticut has had just cause eviction protections for tenants who are 62 and over or who are disabled and live in complexes with five or more units. Tenants are asking the state to expand those protections to all tenants in similar complexes. According to tenant movement leaders, over 15,000 Connecticut households have been evicted without cause between 2017 and 2024. Connecticut has some of the highest eviction rates in the country, disproportionately impacting Black and Latino tenants. Tenant unions tried to pass this law this past spring with no luck. News 8 talked with tenants about the issue. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I feel like my family is in witness protection. Like Im running from the mob. Because we constantly have to movesimply because my lease is up, Paul Hamden said. Just cause would mean protecting my shelter, my family, my comfort, and peace, Anionette of New Haven said. Tenant leaders said expanding just cause eviction protection would prevent over 10% of eviction filings. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. On January 23, Ilham Aliyev, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, made a phone call to Recep Tayyip Erdo?an, President of the Republic of Turkiye. The Azerbaijani President expressed his deepest condolences to President Recep Tayyip Erdo?an regarding the fire at a hotel in the Kartalkaya ski resort in Turkiyes Bolu province, which resulted in numerous casualties. He prayed to Allah the Almighty to grant mercy to those who lost their lives in this horrific tragedy and wished a swift recovery to the injured. President Ilham Aliyev also mentioned that he had sent a letter of condolence to the President of Turkiye on January 21 regarding the tragedy. President Recep Tayyip Erdo?an expressed gratitude for the attention and condolences, emphasizing that Turkiye and Azerbaijan always stand by each other and will continue to do so in the future. During the phone conversation, the heads of state exchanged views on various aspects of bilateral relations. By Jonathan Stempel NEW YORK (Reuters) -A federal judge on Tuesday rejected Citigroup's bid to dismiss a lawsuit by New York Attorney General Letitia James claiming it failed to protect customers from online scammers and refused to reimburse customers who were victimized. U.S. District Judge Paul Oetken in Manhattan said the bank's Citibank unit must face James' claim it violated a 1978 federal law concerning electronic wire transfers, and parts of three other claims. Oetken said Congress intended the 1978 law, the Electronic Fund Transfer Act, to protect consumers from sophisticated frauds involving technologies they may not understand, leaving banks in a better position to shoulder the risks of fraud. In seeking a dismissal of the lawsuit last April, Citigroup argued that the law expressly excluded wire transfers. But in his 62-page decision, Oetken said "Citibank's reading would operate in derogation of the statutory purpose." The judge dismissed some claims against New York-based Citigroup, the third-largest U.S. bank. Citigroup said in a statement it was disappointed and was evaluating its next steps. "The industry-standard practices we employ have long been recognized as satisfying applicable law," it said. James said the decision would help her office ensure that Citigroup follows the law to protect customers. "When New Yorkers deposit their money in a bank, they expect it to be kept safe from scammers and thieves," the attorney general said in a statement. James sued last January, saying scammers stole millions of dollars from Citibank customers because the bank's security systems could not investigate red flags such as unrecognized devices, changes in user names and passwords, and "phishing." In one instance, a customer allegedly lost $40,000 after clicking a text message link that appeared to be from Citibank. James also accused Citigroup of coercing customers into signing affidavits that limited their ability to recoup losses, and then summarily rejected reimbursement claims. The lawsuit seeks restitution for customers who were denied reimbursement over six years, and a $5,000 civil fine per violation. Citigroup has acknowledged online wire fraud as a "real" problem, but said its systems stop "countless" fraudulent transactions every day. The case is New York v Citibank NA, U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York, No. 24-00659. (Reporting by Jonathan Stempel in New York; Editing by Franklin Paul and Marguerita Choy) The European Consumer Organisation (BEUC) has called on EU authorities to intervene against social media giant Meta in a report published on Thursday. The EU consumer advocacy group argues that Meta's revised pay-or-consent policy breaches EU law. In a statement, BEUC said the new version of Meta's pay-or-consent policy fails to address the fundamental concerns raised by consumer groups regarding the tech giant's initial approach. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It also noted that the new policy may infringe consumer and data protection regulations, as well as the Digital Markets Act. Meta's original fee-based service was unveiled in November 2023. It required Facebook and Instagram users to either consent to the processing of their personal data for advertising purposes by the company or pay a fee to avoid advertisements based on their personal data. Meanwhile, the initial version caused an uproar from consumer and other civil society groups. BEUC and 19 of its members then filed complaints with their consumer protection authorities, alleging that Meta was engaging in unfair commercial practices. In February 2024, BEUC and eight of its members filed complaints that the consent Meta was obtaining from its users was likely illegal. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement These complaints triggered investigations by European authorities. In July 2024, the European Commission found that Meta's pay-or-consent policy does not comply with the Digital Markets Act. Furthermore, consumer protection authorities raised concerns, suspecting breaches of EU consumer law. At the end of 2024, Meta rolled out a second version of its pay-or-consent policy. However, BEUC and its members now consider Meta's newest pay-or-consent policy breaches EU law on numerous counts. According to consumer groups, the tech major is using misleading practices and unclear terms and confusing interface design to steer users towards Meta's preferred option. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The firm is also not allowing users the possibility to consent freely to their data being processed, they said, while the tech giant does not minimize the data it collects from users. Meta degrades the service to users who do not consent to the use of their personal data, according the advocacy groups. Agustin Reyna, BEUC director general, said: "European consumers should not be fooled by the cosmetic changes Meta applies to its one-year-old pay-or-consent policy. In our view, the tech giant fails to address the fundamental issue that Facebook and Instagram users are not being presented with a fair choice and is making a weak bid to argue it is complying with EU law while still pushing users towards its behavioural ads system." (KRON) A man convicted of murdering two women in California in 1986 interrupted his own sentencing hearing on Tuesday by singing in front of his victims families. David Misch, 63, was convicted last month of murdering Jennifer Duey, 18, and Michelle Xavier, 20. The naked bodies of the two young women were dumped in a remote area of Fremont in the 1980s. On Tuesday, family members were reading their victim impact statements when Misch disrupted the proceeding by singing inside the courtroom, prosecutors said. Sheriffs deputies then removed Misch from the courtroom. David Misch (Fremont Police) Prosecutors said Misch displayed disrespectful behavior purposefully so that he would be thrown out. At most sentencing hearings, murder victims family members are allowed to read statements in front of a judge to describe their pain, loss and sadness over losing a loved one. Victim impact statements give a voice to murder victims. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Chief Assistant District Attorney Royl Roberts said, David Mischs behavior in court was not only reprehensible but a blatant display of no remorse for taking the lives of Jennifer Duey and Michelle Xavier. The families of these two young women have been waiting nearly 40 years to receive justice for their tragic and senseless murders. Last month, a jury found Misch guilty of two counts of first-degree murder. Duey and Xavier attended a birthday party dinner together on Feb. 2, 1986. Hours later, the women were found dead by a motorcyclist along a road in Fremont. Police said they had been shot and stabbed. At the time, Misch was a drug addict who lived in the Fremont area and was known to burglarize businesses, investigators said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The case went cold for 15 years until a detective found Mischs DNA under Dueys fingernails. Mr. Misch claimed that he had seen the two young women being kidnapped at gunpoint and tried to save them. He used this as an explanation for the presence of his DNA in this case, the Alameda County District Attorneys Office wrote. Mischs DNA and lies were presented as evidence at trial, prosecutors said. Another piece of evidence stemmed from one of the victims hands, which had a partial license plate number written on it. The plate matched a vehicle associated with Misch, prosecutors said. Roberts said, Thanks to the jury and this conviction, Mr. Misch will be held accountable. I want to recognize the prosecution team for their professionalism and hard work on this very complex case, starting with Deputy District Attorney Allyson Donovan. Misch will begin serving two sentences of 25 years to life consecutively in state prison after he completes a sentence of 18 years to life he is currently serving for a third murder. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Misch is also linked to the disappearance of Michaela Joy Garecht, a 9-year-old girl who was kidnapped from a Hayward parking lot on Nov. 19, 1988. Michaela Joy Garecht (Images via FBI) According to the FBI, Garecht was with her friends at Rainbow Market when a man moved her scooter closer to his car. When Garecht tried to get the scooter back, he grabbed her and drove away with her in his car. She was never seen alive again. In 2020, Misch was charged with the girls murder. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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 popular brand of cookies has been recalled due to a potentially life-threatening allergen. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced on Tuesday (January 21) that D. Coluccio & Sons was recalling its 300-gram packages of Colussi Cantuccini Chocolate Drops. The chocolate chip cookies were recalled because they may contain undeclared almonds. Consumers with allergies to tree nuts have the risk of serious or life-threatening allergic reactions if they eat these cookies, the FDA said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to the organization, the recalled product was distributed through retail stores and mail orders throughout the United States. The cookies were packaged in a blue bag with the UPC 8002590006020. The lot numbers on the back of the bag are 3540152 BBD 15-01-2025 and L354150 BBD 29-05-2025. The recall was initiated after it was discovered that the almond-containing product was distributed in packaging that did not reveal the presence of almonds. A subsequent investigation indicated that this mistake was due to a temporary breakdown in the companys production and packaging processes. The recalled cookies were distrubuted through mail orders and retail stores across the U.S. (FDA) As of January 23, there have not been any reported illnesses due to the undeclared almonds in the recalled product. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Consumers who bought the cookies are urged to return them to the stores they bought them to get a full refund. The recall comes only days after another popular snack was removed from shelves. On January 20, the FDA issued a recall on the curry-flavored Curvee Puffs Corn Puff Snack bags because they contain undeclared milk. The recall only applies to the 2.46-ounce bags of the Shirakiku brand snacks. People who have an allergy or severe sensitivity to milk run the risk of serious or life-threatening allergic reaction if they consume those products, the agency said. 2024 also saw a rise in unexplained recalls. Last month, 2,023 cases of Great Value, Chicken Broth, sold in 48-ounce containers at Walmart, were recalled, due to the potential for packaging failures that could compromise the sterility of the product, resulting in spoilage. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Although it didnt initially have a classification, it was given a Class II recall on January 21. According to the FDA, that classification is a situation in which use of or exposure to a violative product may cause temporary or medically reversible adverse health consequences or where the probability of serious adverse health consequences is remote. In November, another product sold at Walmart stores in 20 states was recalled: Braga Freshs ready-to-eat 12oz Marketside Broccoli Florets. The broccoli was recalled because of the possibility it was contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes, which can cause invasive illness and intestinal illness. The possible listeria contamination of Braga Freshs broccoli was discovered during random sampling by Texas Health & Human Services from a Texas store location where one of multiple samples yielded a positive test result, according to the FDA. BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KGET) The Kern County Coroners Office identified a man who was stabbed to death in east Bakersfield on Monday. Coroner officials say Jason Raymond Mena, 21, was stabbed in the 3000 block of Pioneer Drive early Monday morning. Mistrial declared after jury deadlocks in resisting arrest case Mena was taken to Kern Medical where he was pronounced dead around 3 a.m. An autopsy will be conducted to determine the cause and manner of death. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Kern County Sheriffs Office is investigating this 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 KGET 17 News. Opponents of the Dakota Access Pipeline gather Nov. 1, 2023, in Bismarck ahead of a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers public meeting on an environmental impact statement. The Standing Rock Sioux Tribe opposes the pipeline, citing concerns for its water supply. (Kyle Martin/For the North Dakota Monitor) The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers says the Standing Rock Sioux Tribes latest lawsuit over the Dakota Access Pipeline should be tossed, arguing the tribe cant sue the agency over a permit that hasnt been granted yet. The lawsuit, filed in October, accuses the Army Corps of unlawfully allowing the Dakota Access Pipeline to operate without an easement, a complete environmental assessment or sufficient emergency spill response plans. The tribe wants a federal judge to shut the pipeline down. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Army Corps of Engineers has jurisdiction over a part of the pipeline that passes below a reservoir on the Missouri River less than a half-mile upstream from the Standing Rock Reservation. The agency for the past several years has been working on an environmental impact statement that, once finalized, will inform whether or not the Corps will grant the easement for that segment of the pipeline. Standing Rock argues the Corps should never have allowed the pipeline to operate while the study is still pending. Standing Rock has opposed the pipeline for years, saying it infringes upon the tribes sovereignty, has damaged sacred cultural sites and will pollute the tribes water supply. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Corps has failed to act and failed to protect the tribe, Standing Rock Chair Janet Alkire said in an October press conference announcing the lawsuit. The Army Corps previously approved the easement in 2017, but a federal judge revoked it in 2020, finding that the Corps violated environmental law by granting it without properly researching how the pipeline would affect the surrounding environment. U.S. District Court Judge James Boasberg consequently instructed the Army Corps of Engineers to complete the environmental impact study. Boasberg also ordered the pipeline to stop operating and be drained, though that demand was overturned by an appellate court. In a 2021 ruling, Boasberg wrote he could not shutter the pipeline because the tribe hadnt sufficiently demonstrated that it posed an immediate threat of irreparable harm. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Standing Rocks latest lawsuit, which is also before Boasberg, seeks to bring new evidence to light, including a 2024 engineering report that raised questions about the construction of the pipeline underneath the reservoir, also known as Lake Oahe. Still, the Army Corps wrote in its January filings that the evidence isnt enough for Boasberg to change his position. The Corps also said that Standing Rock cannot take the agency to court over the easement at this time. At the heart of plaintiffs complaint is a contradiction. The contradiction lies in the fact that the entire complaint is devoted to challenging a decision that has not yet been made, the Corps wrote. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The tribe argues the Corps lack of a position on the pipelines continued operation is, in and of itself, illegal. It says that judges can order a federal agency to take action when that agency unlawfully fails to do so. In his 2021 order, Boasberg also indicated the Corps could have taken a more firm stance on whether the pipeline should be allowed to continue operating while the environmental impact study is underway. Ever since this Courts vacatur order in July 2020, and across two presidential administrations, the Corps has conspicuously declined to adopt a conclusive position regarding the pipelines continued operation, despite repeated prodding from this Court and the Court of Appeals to do so, Boasberg wrote. He also said, however, that this matter was not the place of a court to decide. The Corps claims that even if it does deny the easement under Lake Oahe, it doesnt have the authority to shut the pipeline down. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Standing Rock accuses the Army Corps of several other violations in its complaint. For one, the agency should have closed the pipeline due to evidence its construction damaged Native sacred sites near Standing Rock in 2016, the tribe argues. It also says the Army Corps should have required the pipeline developers to improve its emergency response plans and share them with Standing Rock in the case of a spill under Lake Oahe. The pipelines parent company denies the allegations that it damaged archeological sites and that the company failed to prepare and disclose adequate emergency response plans. The Army Corps says Boasberg should reject these and other alleged violations raised by the tribe since the Corps is still working on its environmental review. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its not the courts role to review a federal agency decision until its final, the Corps wrote. The Corps also says some of Standing Rocks allegations are the jurisdiction of other federal agencies, like the Pipeline Hazardous Materials Safety Administration. The more than 1,000-mile pipeline passes through North Dakota, South Dakota, Iowa and Illinois. Its pathway includes unceded land recognized as belonging to the Sioux Nation under an 1851 treaty with the U.S. government. Pipeline company Dakota Access LLC, North Dakota and 13 other Republican-led states joined the lawsuit on the side of the Army Corps of Engineers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Dakota Access in court documents emphasized its business interest in keeping the pipeline operational. The states have argued shutting down DAPL would harm the regional economy, violate state rights and make road and rail transit less safe. The pipeline has provided tens of millions of dollars in tax revenue to North Dakota, South Dakota, Iowa and Illinois, the states said in documents filed in the lawsuit. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX ALEXANDRIA, Va. (DC News Now) The Alexandria City Council is considering a plan to use the free public transportation system, instead of school buses, to get to and from campus. The proposed plan would use DASH bus stops at Alexandria City High School. As a school board member, Ive seen firsthand that weve been having, challenges recruiting, school bus drivers, Councilman Abdel Elnoubie said as a reason why he pushed the measure. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Woman exonerated after being wrongfully convicted for Safeway robbery in Arlington The switch, according to Elnoubi, would free up resources for the Alexandria City School District to focus on getting elementary and middle schoolers to their destinations. The proposal would fall in line with a Virginia law passed in 2024 that seeks alternative ways to transport students. I just think if theres an alternative for someone or a child or a person, that would be great, said Wanda Lane, who supports the plan. One thing still to be determined how much switching to DASH will save the school district. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We welcome the conversation to find a more efficient and sustainable solution for Alexandrias youth, said DASH General Manager and CEO Josh Baker. Were committed to working with the City and ACPS to see how we can best partner in solving pupil transportation. While we understand the City Councils interest in exploring alternative transportation models, any such decision must be grounded in a thorough, data-driven analysis, said Alexandria School Board Chair Michele Rief. The School Board is committed to ensuring that any decisions made reflect the best interests of our students, their safety and the needs of the community. Trump pardons two former DC officers convicted in 2020 murder case Darnell Johnson opposes the proposal for safety reasons. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Keep them on school busses, not DASH buses, Johnson said. Theres too many people getting on the DASH buses, older folks and stuff like that. Elnoubie said students are already using DASH buses, again, since the service is free. More could soon take advantage of it. A decision on whether to go through with the plan, according to Elnoubie, could be made in the Spring. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. Editors note: This story has been updated to correct information about the schools plan for Friday. We regret the error. OWINGSVILLE, Ky. (FOX 56) This winter weather has had a major impact on Kentucky schools, from snow to ice to extreme cold. Bath County Schools are no exception to feeling the impacts. On Wednesday, the district used its tenth non-traditional instruction (NTI) day of the 2024-2025 school year. LATEST KENTUCKY NEWS: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This means they have already maxed out the number of NTI days they can use for the entire school year, as each district is allotted ten NTI days a school year. Superintendent Steven Evans said he will always put the safety of students and their families first, but having maxed out their allotted NTI days, the district is now in a bit of a bind. Add in the districts new calendar, which eliminated bank days, days the district could miss without having to add on to the end of the year and there are difficult decisions ahead. Evans said he feels pressure to do whats best for the students and their families as the concern for learning loss grows with each passing day. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Read more of the latest Kentucky news Everyone is getting a little stir-crazy and theyre ready to get back and I am as well, Evans explained. I want the kids back in school where we can see their beautiful faces and, you know, get back to in-person instruction. Were not going to come in and pick up exactly where we left off. Were going to have to double back and refresh the kids on what we were teaching. So there will be a week or so that will be a spiral in our curriculum and re-teaching a lot before we start moving forward. Bath County isnt alone in maxing out their NTI days, as several other districts have already used their tenth. So, what does this mean for the future of NTI? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement State Education Commissioner Robbie Fletcher is asking for five more NTI days, increasing the allotted total to 15. No decision has been made on adding NTI days, but Fletcher has reportedly had conversations with lawmakers. LATEST KENTUCKY LISTS AND RANKINGS: Having used all their NTI days, Evans said the only option for districts like his, where several bus routes are still covered in snow and ice, is to use traditional snow days, which would add days to the end of the school year. When it comes to adding NTI days, Evans said its an idea that needs some ironing out. For most districts, the work that is prepared to be used on NTI days is drawn up before the school year even begins and then is sent to students and their families during the first couple of days of school. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Regardless of whether the state decides to add more NTI days starting next school year or retroactively add five days this school year to give districts a break, Evans said teachers still have to come in and prep the work, as they cant hold an NTI day and have students doing nothing. How do Ky. school districts choose between NTI days and traditional snow days? Im not against the additional five days or whatever they decide, Evans said. Its been an unusual time, but this is my third year here, and the previous two years we still had five or six days left on the table. This is unique, but I also dont want to extend the kids summer. Evans also notes that although he doesnt want to have the school year end in mid-to-late June, he is also a major proponent of in-person learning. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement So, if that means adding a couple more days to the end of the school year because theyve used all their NTI days, its worth it so the kids can get the best education 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 FOX 56 News. BEAUFORT, N.C. (WNCT) In the Town of Beaufort, one couple weathered the snowstorm on a boat. What was supposed to be a tropical destination turned into a snowy night in N.C. for Michael Doherty and Emma Pizzey. Not in my wildest imagination did I think we would be in Beaufort, North Carolina, shoveling snow. It just, that just, was surreal, they said. They have traveled to many placesd on their Catamaran, most recently spending time living on it in Washington D.C. and Annapolis, MD. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The snow was just roaring by the boat. Blizzard going sideways, Doherty said. They stopped in Beaufort on their way to the Caribbean. Mike woke up and said, you need to make some bread rather than you need to make a cocktail, Pizzey said. While dreaming of warmer days, they said they had to make do. We were using a deck brush because we dont obviously have a snow shovel, they said. This boats designed for the Caribbean. Its not designed for this kind of freezing cold temperature. So, we had to make of, we had to go out, spend a fair amount of money on it and make pulling additional electrical lines. Thats just the nature of sailing it, you know, you got to get it. You got to play the hand youre dealt. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement They said they are making the best out of their stay along the Crystal Coast. We may trudge through the snow. You might go get a beer here. Just to congratulate ourselves on surviving last night, they said. Once the winter weather is gone, they look forward to island hopping in the Caribbean. People can follow along and keep up with them on Instagram and YouTube at SVEndurance. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. A California couple has filed a lawsuit against JetBlue after a large chunk of ice allegedly fell from one of the airlines planes into their home. Nearly one year after the alleged incident occurred on the night of Jan. 1, 2024, California residents Michael Reese and Leah Ferrarini are suing the airline for $1 million alleging negligence and trespassing, CBS News and ABC News report. The lawsuit reportedly claims that the couple was asleep when an ice chunk the size of a watermelon crashed into their bedroom, nearly resulting in devastating physical injury for the two had they not barely escaped. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Related: N.J. Family Narrowly Escapes Injury After Block of Ice Crashes Through Roof: It Smashed Everything JetBlue aircraft flying in the sky Following the alleged incident, Reese and Ferrarini say they "suffered severe emotional distress" that has resulted in insomnia and a fear of planes flying over their home, the outlets report. The filing reportedly claims that they would "cringe in fear every time a plane passed over their house, which is approximately one every five minutes. The couple are now considering moving out of their dream home as it no longer makes them feel safe. In a statement shared with PEOPLE, a representative for the airline said they cannot comment on the situation due to ongoing litigation, and added, "At JetBlue, safety is our number one priority and guides everything we do." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Related: Worlds Safest Airline for 2025 Revealed and No U.S. Airline Makes the Top 5 The lawsuit claims that the aircraft, a JetBlue Airbus A321, was flying from Los Angeles to New York when the incident occurred. According to a Federal Aviation Administration investigation reportedly cited in the filing, the agency discovered the aircraft had "potable water issues" six months prior to the incident. They claim the aircraft was removed from service a month after the incident, in February 2024, after it was flagged to have its potable water system valve and drain inspected, CBS News reports. 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. A similar incident happened to a New Jersey family in June 2024. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Paul Gomez of Paterson, N.J. told News 12 New Jersey that a block of ice crashed through his roof on the night of Wednesday, June 12, and landed less than 12 feet from where he and his family were sitting. The ice block could have been bio-waste from an airplane, WABC reported at the time. Of the incident, the FAA told PEOPLE in a statement: Generally speaking, we investigate reports that we receive about incidents such as this. Read the original article on People In late December, when TechCrunch reported that EV startup Canoo had just $700K in the bank and was putting its staff on a mandatory unpaid break, it felt like theres never been clearer writing on any wall in history. Thats why it surprised few when, this week, Canoo announced that it would be ceasing operations and filing for Chapter 7 bankruptcy. Most Read on IEN: Canoo had hoped to break into the electric vehicle market with a unique design that covered several bases for users. Calling it a lifestyle vehicle this took the form of a skateboard chassis supporting a swappable design that was pitched in delivery or passenger van styles, as well as a pickup truck. And while the company has had some wins since its inception in 2017 including the Armys review of its Light Tactical Vehicles, as well as deals with the state of Oklahoma, Walmart and the USPS that wasnt enough to keep Canoo afloat. Canoo announced on January 17th that it was insolvent after attempts to secure desperately needed funding had failed. The company said talks with the U.S. DOE Loan Program Office, as well as those with foreign sources, were unsuccessful in netting any financial support to keep the company going. Chairman and CEO Tony Aquila said he was truly disappointed that things turned out as they did and thanked the companys employees and customers for their belief in Canoo and its product. A press release issued by the company has said that Canoo would cease operations immediately and its assets would be liquidated. Earlier this year, Canoo was the subject of some negative press when it was discovered that the company had reimbursed Aquila for the use of his personal private jet in 2023, to the tune of $1.7 million in 2023. Canoos revenue for the entire year was only $886,000. Click here to subscribe to our daily newsletter featuring breaking manufacturing industry news. Sen. Dave Wallace, R-Leachville, presents a bill to the Senate Judiciary Committee on Jan. 22, 2025. (Mary Hennigan/Arkansas Advocate) While a lawsuit challenging the Arkansas Legislatures authority to revive child sexual abuse cases makes its way through the system, Sen. Dave Wallace on Wednesday introduced a safeguard bill to protect funds allocated to victims. Senate Bill 13 would protect nationally allocated funds for more than 500 victims of child sexual abuse in Arkansas, Wallace, R-Leachville, told the Senate Judiciary Committee. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement [SB13] is a narrowly tailored piece of legislation designed to protect the awards already obtained by Arkansas victims of scouting in the Boy Scout bankruptcy trust, Wallace said. This money is awarded to those who won their claims its already committed. In other words, if it doesnt go to the Arkansas victims, it will go to victims of other states. In 2021, Wallace championed legislation that created the Justice for Vulnerable Victims of Sexual Abuse Act, which allowed adult survivors of child sexual abuse to take action against a perpetrator until they turned 55 years old. The law removed the statute of limitations for such cases and opened a two-year revival window for any adult survivor to take civil action, even if their claim had expired under previous state law. In 2023, Wallace amended the law to remove the age limit and extended the revival deadline to February 2026. In the previous two years, more than 20 claims were filed on behalf of over 100 survivors of abuse, according to a press release from Wallace. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But whether the Legislature had the authority to remove the statute of limitations and allow case revivals is a decision thats still pending with the Arkansas Court of Appeals. An hour before Wallace presented his bill, Judges Casey Tucker, Wendy Scholtens Wood and Waymond Brown heard brief oral arguments about the lawsuit challenging the Legislatures authority. The lawsuit, filed by four men during the lookback window in 2022, accused Dr. James Darrell Nesmith of sexual abuse when the men were teenagers. Nesmith in 2018 pleaded guilty to second-degree sexual assault for molesting a teenage boy for four years in the early 2000s. Nesmith knew the boy through their Little Rock church, where Nesmith was a youth director, deacon and Boy Scout troop leader, according to the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. The victim was 27 when he told police about Nesmiths actions. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The ongoing lawsuit alleges Nesmith molested the four men when they were under his medical care at Arkansas Childrens Hospital in the 1990s and 2010s, according to the Democrat-Gazette. On Wednesday, Nesmiths attorney Mark Wankum asked the court to uphold a previous decision from Pulaski County Circuit Court Judge Tim Fox in which he threw out the case. Im not saying we should turn a blind eye to child sexual abuse, but this case is about the scope of the Legislatures authority, Wankum said. Wankum argued that the states highest court had already set precedent in related cases and that the Court of Appeals had an easy job to apply the settled law. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But plaintiffs attorney Brian Brooks told the court that this case was manifestly different from others. He said the law rarely speaks in absolutes and protecting children was more important than allowing perpetrators to get by. Brooks referenced child sexual abuse cases as situations where people arent aware they were abused until decades later or have delayed reporting because theyre afraid of repercussions as the perpetrator is typically someone the victim knows well. To uphold [Foxs] ruling, the court must decide the Legislature got this wrong it didnt. It got this right, Brooks said. The court recessed without any action after approximately 30 minutes of arguments. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Antoinette Grajeda contributed to this report. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX A former day care worker charged with felony battery on a child told investigators the 2-year-old assaulted her first, according to a probable cause affidavit. On Nov. 4, 2024, a little boy spat on one of his teachers at Kiddie Academy in Greenwood after he was asked to clean up toys. The teacher "instantly slaps (the boy's) face hard enough to spin him around and into a cabinet behind him," investigators wrote, describing a video they reviewed as evidence. The woman could also be heard telling a coworker that she "had to smack him because he spit all in my face." She then tugged the toddler out of the classroom by his shirt as he tried to pull away. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The teacher was fired the same day. The child's mother was called in, and the day care notified the Indiana Department of Child Services (DCS). The DCS caseworker's findings triggered a criminal investigation. A Johnson County Sheriff's Office detective visited the former teacher's house on Nov. 20, 2024. She agreed to talk to him, though she wasn't being detained. The woman said that the day care center was so short-staffed that classes had to be combined, and the little boy began misbehaving after he was moved to a class with older kids. He was acting out by throwing toys while she was trying to get the kids to clean up on Nov. 4, she said, according to court documents. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement She then said he was "just standing and not helping." When she asked if he would help clean up, he spit in her face. She slapped him as "a reflex." "I didn't hit him bad, you know, I just gave him a little small tap, he didn't cry or nothing," she told the detective, according to court documents. After the detective said that he was going to prepare a report for the prosecutor's office, she said the boy was spitting on her, which was also battery. The detective agreed that while spitting was technically battery, the alleged perpetrator was two years old. She responded that it was her "mother's instinct to react" by slapping him, and again said that he didn't cry. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On Jan. 23, 2025, the Johnson County Prosecutor's office filed a case against the woman on one felony charge of battery against a person less than 14 years old. Kiddie Academy's corporate headquarters did not immediately respond to a request for comment. This is the second time a central Indiana day care worker has been accused of harming a pupil in recent months. A Kokomo woman who worked at KinderCare in Westfield faces charges of battery on a person less than 14 years old, neglect of dependent and reckless supervision by a child care provider after a case was filed in November. The day care, which failed to report that allegation of abuse to authorities, was put on probation with the state. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement IndyStar uses discretion in naming people accused of crimes, considering the severity of charges and available information, among other factors. Ryan Murphy is the communities reporter for IndyStar. She can be reached at rhmurphy@gannett.com or (317) 800-2956. This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: A former Greenwood day care worker is accused of slapping 2-year-old A federal judge temporarily blocked President Trumps order seeking to end birthright citizenship for the children of many migrants, a major hit to one of the presidents Day 1 orders. Trumps order directly contradicts the Constitution, which guarantees citizenship for all people born within the U.S. under the 14th Amendment. The order ignited suits from 22 different states as well as civil rights groups who argued the order ran afoul of the law by denoting citizenship based on the immigration status of their parents. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement U.S. District Court Judge John Coughenour, a Reagan appointee, agreed to a request from Washington and three other states, blocking the order from taking effect for 14 days. This is a blatantly unconstitutional order, Coughenour told Justice Department attorney Brett Shumate. Coughenour, a Reagan appointee, said hes been on the bench for more than four decades, and he couldnt remember seeing another case where the action challenged was so clearly unconstitutional. The order is a quick victory for Washington and other states led by Democratic attorneys general, though the legal battle will continue even as the order itself is barred from taking effect. The President has no authority to amend the Constitution or supersede the Citizenship Clauses grant of citizenship to individuals born in the United States. Nor is he empowered by any other constitutional provision or law to determine who shall or shall not be granted United States citizenship at birth, the states wrote in their suit. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Fourteenth Amendment and federal law automatically confer citizenship upon individuals born in the United States and subject to its jurisdiction. The broad order didnt just apply to the children of those who may not be lawfully present in the country, as it applies to anyone in the U.S. on a nonimmigrant visa, something that would impact the children of those living in the U.S. on an employment visa. Critics of the order also feared it would create a subclass of U.S. residents without a clear immigration status while denying them other rights to which they would otherwise be entitled. Birthright citizenship has been a critical driver of our countrys economic success, enabling millions to contribute as workers, business owners, and taxpayers. Stripping this constitutional right would create a permanent underclass and destabilize our workforce, the Congressional Hispanic Caucus said earlier this week. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Even before taking office, incoming administration officials seemed to acknowledge underlying issues with such a move, saying they would do so on a prospective basis. On a prospective basis, the federal government will not recognize automatic birthright citizenship for children of illegal aliens born in the United States, an official said in previewing the coming order. Updated at 2:39 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. OTERO COUNTY, N.M. (KRQE) Former Otero County Commissioner Couy Griffin is one of more than a thousand people being pardoned by President Donald Trump for their role in the January Sixth capitol riot. KRQE News 13 sat down with Griffin to see if hed accept it and what it could mean for his political future. Story continues below Were not going anywhere. Were not going to take no for an answer, said then Otero County Commissioner Couy Griffin in a video posted to social media while on Capitol grounds in Washington D.C. on January 6, 2021. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Photos show Griffin climbing to get to the capitol. He was federally convicted of misdemeanor trespassing. His disorderly conduct charge was dismissed. Griffin still maintains his innocence. As God as my witness, I didnt know that area was restricted on January 6th, I never saw any signs, I was never told that area was restricted, said Griffin. Its part of the reason why he said accepting one of President Trumps sweeping pardons of Capitol rioters does not sit well with him. While it would fully exonerate him, he said pardons are political. An appeal should be apolitical, you know. Politics should not be a part of it. Unfortunately, a pardon is political. I was really hoping to find justice in the courtroom, said Griffin. If I felt like it was for sure that I could get a fair shake in the courts I would continue with the appeals process, thats what Id rather do. But, you know, if it boils down to accepting the pardon I will. He said he has to give his final decision to his attorney on Wednesday. But, his political battles wouldnt end there. I still have a bone to pick right here in New Mexico, he said. In September 2022, after a civil lawsuit by some residents, a Santa Fe judge removed Griffin from his position and barred him from running for office. The judge said while Griffin was not violent, he contributed to delaying the certification of the 2020 election by trespassing on Capitol grounds. Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham appointed his replacement to the commission. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Griffin called the entire case a disgrace. Im going to have to continue to pursue thatand I hope that by the time Im done, I can get that ruling reversed, said Griffin. A reversal would open the door to him running for office again in New Mexico. Ive had my belly full of politics but I pray to be humbled to the call if that is the call, If I was to run again, and you know, what the future holds God only knows, said Griffin. When he was convicted, Griffin was sentenced to 14 days in prison but given credit for the 20 days he was in jail immediately after his arrest. Griffin also told KRQE News 13 that the group he founded, Cowboys For Trump, is still up and running and still supports President Trump if not more today than we ever have. 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. (SALIDA, Colo.) While most of us were hiding under a blanket during the below-zero temperatures, a group of Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) Rangers and Officers were becoming experts on how to save lives. On Monday morning, Jan. 20, temperatures were 15 below zero when CPW staff from John Martin, Lake Trinidad, Steamboat Lake, AHRA State Park, and Area 11 set out to the ice to learn ice rescue techniques. Ranger Supervisor Jeff Hammond led the staff of 15 and trained them on rescues, rescue equipment, ice formation/quality, how the cold affects victims, and scene evaluation. CPW staff even took a plunge into the ice to train for the situation. It didnt matter it was one of the coldest days of the year, CPW wrote via X (formerly known as Twitter). The trainees plunged into their assignments and learned to save lives in winter. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement CPW said Hammond conducts similar swift water rescue training each spring, putting themselves at risk to learn how to save others. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. HORRY COUNTY, S.C. (WBTW) Traffic is blocked Thursday afternoon in the Aynor area after a single-vehicle crash severed a utility pole, Horry County Fire Rescue said. The single-vehicle crash happened along Highway 319 near Salem Road, HCFR said. Traffic is currently blocked. Crews responded at 12:46 p.m. No one was taken to the hospital, but the driver signed a medical transport waiver, HCFR said. Utility crews will work to fix the severed pole and downed lines. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The South Carolina Highway Patrol is investigating. * * * Caleb is a digital producer at News13. Caleb joined the team in January 2023 after graduating from Liberty University. He is from Northern Virginia. Follow Caleb on X, formerly Twitter, and read more of his work here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. New London On Sunday, drivers traveling a busy stretch of Eugene ONeill Drive were greeted by the sight of dozens of new colorful posts installed as part of a city beautification initiative. But even city officials were divided about how to describe the new outdoor art exhibit, consisting of 40 posts spaced out on both sides of the road with their yellow, teal, red and orange surfaces glinting with winter sunshine on Wednesday. Mayor Michael Passero on Wednesday described them as birthday candles. Felix Reyes, the city's director of planning and development, dubbed them totems, though he conceded others see over-sized crayons when traveling from Route 32 toward police headquarters. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Theyre doing their job as a conversation piece, Reyes said. Whether you think theyre good or bad, theyre creating a dialogue. And you can go to any other city and not see something like this. The art pieces are part of a wayfinding project that has already seen new signs erected through the city that direct residents and visitors to parking areas and historical and cultural locations. Other work so far has included new decorative road sections on Bank Street, refurbished downtown sidewalks and waterfront pillars that are similar, but smaller, than the Eugene ONeill Drive versions. The City Council in 2023 approved paying the Ohio-based Guide Studio Inc. firm $80,000 in federal American Rescue Act Plan (ARPA) pandemic-relief funding to design the signs and art pieces. Guide Studio and the ACSM Design + Build company were paid another $861,000 in ARPA monies to build and install the signs and artwork, including the new placemaker pillars. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Reyes estimated the city has used up to $3 million in ARPA and state funding including grants and direct aid to fund all the beautification work so far. The last of the signs is expected to be in place by April. We were given three packages of wayfinder options, which we brought to our cultural district, arts council and chamber partners before we made our selection, Reyes said. Our goal was to have signs and art pieces at our entryways, including the waterfront, that matched the citys vibrancy and its history. And theres more to come. A gateway bridge and illuminated arch Reyes said the city expects to transform the dilapidated, 50-year-old Water Street pedestrian bridge into another gateway structure by sprucing up and illuminating the span. Two 18-foot towers are planned for installation near the waterfront that, when lit, will create an archway effect. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Reyes said one big impetus for the beautification work is the incoming National Coast Guard Museum set to be built on the citys waterfront. The facility, slated for a 2026 opening, is expected to bring hundreds of thousands of visitors to the city annually. All these things the new signs, the art pieces and our social media marketing is to set us up to take advantage of tourism, Reyes said. Passero on Wednesday recalled a day several years ago when a large cruise ship docked in New London with several Australian passengers aboard. We were out there putting on our best face and a couple came up to me and said we had such a cute, little city, but asked why no one was taking care of it, he said. Thats always stuck with me. People notice things like broken sidewalk bricks and cigarette butts outside a bar. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Jeanne Sigel, director of marketing and development for the Garde Arts Center, noted social media seems divided on the attractiveness of the new pillars. But if I saw them in any other community while I was on vacation or visiting, Id say how fun, what a great introduction to a city, she said. In this crazy, sometimes mean-spirited world, why not have something welcoming, something that says New London is safe, fun and kind? j.penney@theday.com YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio (WKBN)- Youngstown firefighters battled a house fire on the Citys South Side. It started on the 600 block of Idora Avenue around 6:30 a.m. The battalion chief said that no one was in the house and there was only damage to one room. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. DAYTON, Ohio (WDTN) A person was rescued from a grain bin Wednesday. The Miami Valley Fire District assisted the Farmersville Fire Association with a reported call for a person trapped inside of a grain bin. Photo courtesy of the Miami Valley Fire District According to the Farmersville Fire Association, the incident occurred at the areas local feed supply store. The association and the Miami Valley Fire District were able to remove the person from the grain bin without issue. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 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 WDTN.com. Editors Note: The Abilene Police Department supplied the following arrest and incident reports. All information below comes from reports made by responding officers, and all suspects are considered not guilty unless determined otherwise in a court of law. Incidents 300 block of N Willis Street Stalking A victim was contacted when he reported being stalked by a known suspect. 3300 block of Sherry Lane Assault A victim advised she was assaulted by her live-in boyfriend. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 1600 block of S 7th Street Theft by Check Police took a report in reference to theft by check. 2200 block of Woodard Street Exploitation of Elderly A report was taken for exploitation of the elderly. 1200 block of Yeomans Road Burglary of Habitation A victim in south Abilene reported an unknown suspect broke into her apartment. 600 block of Oak Street Burglary of Building A business owner reported an unknown suspect broke into their building overnight. 900 block of Luzon Street Assault A victim reported she was assaulted by her ex-boyfriend. 3100 block of S Clack Street Assault Family Violence A known suspect assaulted his parents after getting in trouble. 1300 block of Lillius Street Assault 1200 block of N Mockingbird Lane Theft of Property A theft was reported in south Abilene. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 700 block of Oak Street Burglary of Building An Abilene business owner reported his building was broken into and damaged. 2100 block of Lincoln Drive Assault Family Violence A report was taken for assault family violence in north Abilene. 2500 block of Nonesuch Road Theft of Firearm A firearm was reported stolen in south Abilene. 5800 block of Texas Avenue Assault A suspect was arrested for assault and an outstanding warrant. 700 block of Plum Street Injury to Child/Elderly/Disabled A report was taken for assault family violence in north Abilene. 2100 block of N Treadaway Harassment Arrests Cameron Sims Warrant Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Sarah Thornton Warrant Nathan Stapp Driving While Intoxicated Andre Sanders Warrant Shelly Booker Assault Family Violence Steven Arredondo Warrant Clarance Cunningham Public Intoxication Laquieta Hayes Assault, Warrant Isaiah Casas Aggravated Assault Deadly Weapon Joel Hewitt Possession of Controlled substance, Evading Arrest, Warrant Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - January 23, 2025) - GoviEx Uranium Inc. (TSXV: GXU) (OTCQB: GVXXF) ("GoviEx or the Company") is pleased to announce the results of its Feasibility Study ("FS") representing an important milestone as GoviEx advances the Muntanga Uranium Project (the "Project"), fully permitted for mining, towards project financing and development. With limited global new supply of uranium, Muntanga is uniquely positioned to capitalize on this exceptional market environment with potential production forecast in 2028; or two years after financing. Even with rising demand, there are very few advanced uranium projects in the pipeline, creating a significant supply gap that cannot be bridged in the near term Years of underinvestment in uranium exploration and development resulted in a critical lack of new production capacity to meet growing demand and resource depletion LOM average recovery rates of at least 90% with rapid uranium recoveries within 21 days from start of heap irrigation LOM of 12 years based on Probable Mineral Reserves in two deposits, and further potential for upgrading Inferred Resources, exploration, and mining of three satellite deposits Significant leverage to higher uranium prices, with an additional USD 45 million added to NPV for every USD 5 /lb increase in U 3 O 8 prices Story Continues The FS was prepared by Ukwazi Transaction Advisory (Pty) Ltd, SRK Consulting (UK) Limited and SGS Bateman (Pty) Ltd., compliant with the Canadian Securities Administrators' National Instrument 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects ("NI 43-101") and with the support of the Company's internal technical team. The FS will be filed by GoviEx under its profile on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca within 45 days from the date of this news release. The FS represents a detailed, fully costed, and updated engineering study of the Project, considering international best practices and standards for responsible project development. Govind Friedland, Executive Chairman, commented: "The global energy landscape is undergoing a transformative shift, driven by the surging demand for clean, reliable power to support AI-driven technologies and electrification. Amid this growing need for nuclear energy, years of underinvestment in uranium exploration and development have left a critical supply gap that existing projects simply cannot fill. In this extraordinary market environment, Muntanga stands out as one of the few advanced uranium projects ready to help meet this demand. With production forecast for 2028, Muntanga is uniquely positioned to deliver significant value while contributing to the global transition toward sustainable energy." Commenting on the results, Daniel Major, CEO, said: "Our Project is built on a foundation of exceptional fundamentals. With an after-tax NPV of USD 243 million, a robust IRR of 21 %, and low operating costs of USD 32.2 per pound of UO, we have established solid economics that ensure strong profitability. The low technical risk of an open pit mine, combined with conventional processing methods, fast uranium recoveries, and minimal environmental impact, underpins the Project's robustness. Additionally, the potential for significant resource expansion through the development of satellite deposits and exploration only strengthens the long-term value proposition. We're excited to be advancing one of the few uranium projects that can help meet rising demand in a constrained market." Project Overview The Muntanga Project, 100 % owned by GoviEx, is in the southeastern region of Zambia in the Siavonga and Chirundu Districts. The Project encompasses three mining licences - Muntanga (Licence no. 13880-HQ-LML), Dibbwi (Licence no. 13881-HQ-LML), and Chirundu (Licence no. 12634-HQ-LML), covering 719 km2, that are located approximately 200 km south of Lusaka, north of Lake Kariba. Additionally, the Company holds two exploration licences for Nabbanda (Licence no. 22803-HQ-LEL) and Chirundu Extension (Licence no 22075-HQ-LEL), and a recently granted mining licence for Kariba Valley (License no. 38555-HQ-LML) which expands the total combined area to 1,136 km. The Muntanga and Dibbwi mining licences comprise the Muntanga, Dibbwi and Dibbwi East deposits. The Chirundu mining licence contains the Njame and Gwabi deposits. In 2023, Zambia produced 698,000 tonnes of copper3, marking a 14-year low. Despite this, Zambia remained the world's seventh-largest copper producer and the second largest in Africa. In 2024, Zambia's Minister of Mines and Mineral Development announced an ambitious strategy to increase the country's copper production to 3 million tonnes by 2031. In addition to its ambitious copper production goals, the Zambian government has recognized the importance of diversifying its mining sector to reduce reliance on copper and strengthen its economic resilience. This strategy includes promoting the development of other critical minerals, such as uranium, which is increasingly valued in the global transition to clean energy. Against this backdrop, the Project is well-positioned to benefit from the government's diversification strategy and its commitment to the sector. The Project already holds the necessary Mining Permits and is preparing to apply for Environmental Permits in the first quarter of 2025. Securing these permits will enable development to commence, subject to financing being completed. The global energy landscape is undergoing a transformative shift, driven not only by the increasing demand for clean and reliable power to sustain AI-driven technologies and electrification, but also by the growing urgency to enhance energy security amid shifting global geopolitical dynamics. At the same time, years of underinvestment in uranium exploration and development have led to a widening supply gap, with existing projects struggling to keep up with accelerated demand and current rates of resource depletion. Against this backdrop, Muntanga emerges as one of the few near-term uranium projects capable of helping to address this critical gap. With production forecast for 2028, Muntanga is strategically positioned to deliver significant value while contributing to the global demand for sustainable low-emissions power generation. The FS includes detailed environmental and social criteria, which have informed engineering and process designs as well as equipment selections. These standards are aligned with GoviEx's corporate commitment that the Project will meet International Financial Corporation (IFC) performance standards, largely regarded as the global benchmark for responsible project development and a prerequisite for certain financing options. The design criteria prioritize the minimisation of water use, the inclusion of clean energy, and commitments to local procurement, local recruitment, and training. Geology The uranium mineralization occurs within the sandstone of the Karoo Supergroup and is described as a sandstone hosted fluvial channel type deposit. The Karoo Supergroup of sub-Sahara Africa contains what may be the world's largest sandstone-hosted uranium province. Compared to the well-known uranium-bearing sandstone basins of the western US, the area of the Karoo basins is about 30 % greater, but their known uranium content is indicated overall to be lower than that in the US basins. Mineralization In the oxide zones, uranium mineralization is seen as crystal coatings on surfaces and as concentrations close to surfaces with secondary uranium phosphate mineralization (Autunite, meta-Autunite). Primary uranium mineralization consists mostly of Pitchblende, Uraninite or Coffinite. Mineral Resource Estimate The Mineral Resource Statement presented herein represents an updated mineral resource estimate ("MRE") prepared for the Muntanga Project in accordance with NI 43-101. The Project comprises the Muntanga, Dibbwi, Dibbwi East, Gwabi and Njame uranium deposits. The resource estimation MRE work was completed by Andre Deiss, Pr.Sci.Nat., P.Geo. an "independent qualified person" as this term is defined in National Instrument 43-101. The effective date of the resource statement is January 31, 2024. The resource drill hole database for the Muntanga Project contains 2 834 drill holes totaling 191 711 m of drilling; 468 of these drill holes were drilled by GoviEx between 2021 and 2023 totaling 52 924 m of drilling. The database contains 33 280 uranium (U 3 O 8 ) assays and 114 364 m of down-hole radiometric probe data converted in equivalent U 3 O 8 (eU 3 O 8 ) grade data for mineral resource estimation purposes. Figure 1: Muntanga Deposit Mineralization Domain Model Note: Drill hole collars are color coded by drilling campaign year To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/5017/238182_b3e1451c34626b3f_001full.jpg Figure 2: Dibbwi East Deposit Mineralization Domain Note: Drill hole collars are color coded by drilling campaign year To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/5017/238182_b3e1451c34626b3f_003full.jpg The previous Mineral Resource estimate for the Project was reported by SRK with an effective date of March 31, 2023. A comparison of the current and previous Mineral Resource estimates is provided in Table 1. The difference in resources reported is based on a diamond and RC drilling program completed in 2023 and includes 54 holes drilled at Muntanga totalling 2 870 m, 15 holes at Dibbwi totalling 961 m and 15 329 m drilling in Dibbwi East totalling 143 holes. Table 1: Summary comparison of the current and previous Mineral Resource Measured and Indicated estimate M&I Mineral Resource March 31, 2023 MRE January 31, 2024 MRE Variance % Tonnes Mt 42.6 50.4 +18% U 3 O 8 Grade (ppm) 359 359 0% Contained U 3 O 8 (Mlb) 33.7 40.0 +19% Cut-off Grade (U 3 O 8 ppm) 100 90 -10% Inferred Mineral Resource Tonnes Mt 15.0 12.8 -15% U 3 O 8 Grade (ppm) 330 263 -20% Contained U 3 O 8 (Mlb) 10.9 7.4 -32% Cut-off Grade (U 3 O 8 ppm) 100 90 -10% Block model quantities and grade estimates were reviewed to determine the portions of the Mineral Resource estimates having "reasonable prospects for eventual economic extraction" (RPEEE) from an open pit mine. SRK considers that the blocks located within the conceptual pit envelopes show RPEEE and can be reported as a Mineral Resource. Table 2: Mineral Resource Statement*, Muntanga Project, Zambia, effective date, January 31, 2024. Category U 3 O 8 cut-off (ppm) Deposit Tonnes (Mt) U 3 O 8 Grade (ppm) U 3 O 8 Metal (Mlb) Measured 110 Gwabi 1.1 254 0.6 90 Njame 2.5 358 2.0 Indicated 90 Muntanga 8.6 369 7.0 90 Dibbwi 3.2 253 1.8 90 Dibbwi East 31.3 372 25.7 110 Gwabi 2.7 374 2.2 90 Njame 1.0 306 0.7 TOTAL M&I 50.4 359 40.0 Inferred 90 Muntanga 3.4 278 2.1 90 Dibbwi 1.0 213 0.5 90 Dibbwi East 7.1 252 3.9 110 Gwabi 0.2 272 0.1 90 Njame 1.1 329 0.8 TOTAL INFERRED 12.8 263 7.4 *Notes: The effective date of the mineral resource statement is January 31, 2024. The QP for the estimate is Andre Deiss, Pr.Sci.Nat., P.Geo. Associate Consultant of SRK (Canada). Mineral resources are prepared in accordance with CIM Definition Standards (CIM, 2014) and the CIM Estimation of Mineral Resources and Mineral Reserves Best Practice Guidelines (CIM, 2019). Mineral resources are constrained within an optimized pit shell using a uranium price of US$100/lb, mining costs of US$3.30/t, processing costs of US$9.00/t, additional mining costs of US$0.55/t, G&A costs of US$1.50/t, Transport costs of US$1.50 and a royalty of 5 %. Mineral Resources are reported at a U 3 O 8 ppm cut-off grade within the optimized pit shell and are inclusive of Mineral Reserves. Mineral resources are inclusive of mineralization in the low-grade U 3 O 8 80 ppm halo but reported above the relevant cut-off and classed as Inferred Resources. This mineralization represents approximately 5 % of the total Mineral Resources metal (Mlb). 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 will be converted into mineral reserves in the future. All figures have been rounded to reflect the relative accuracy of the estimate. Open Pit Mining Mining operations for the Project are based on standard truck and shovel open pit mining at a planned steady-state rate of 3.5 Mt per annum of ore feed to the heap leach facility. A total of 39.6 Mt of ore (at an average grade of 320 ppm U 3 O 8 ) and 144.1 Mt of waste will be mined over the 12-year life of mine. The Life of Mine open pit stripping ratio is 3.6:1 tonne: tonne. Both ore and waste mining are planned to be undertaken by eight backhoe excavators with 5 m3 buckets, supported by approximately forty-nine haul trucks with a 45-tonne payload. Ore production will commence with mining at the Muntanga deposit, due to its low stripping ratio at 1.2:1, and then continue simultaneously at Dibbwi East deposit with a 4.2:1 strip ratio. Once mining at Muntanga is completed, Dibbwi East will serve as the sole source of ore feed. Figure 3: Ore Mining Schedule To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/5017/238182_goviexfig3.jpg Mining operating and capital costs have been developed with a high degree of confidence as they are based on current supplier quotes to accurately define owner-based operating costs of USD 2.06 /tonne mined. Mineral Reserves The Mineral Reserves of the Project comprise the Muntanga and Dibbwi East sandstone-hosted uranium deposits. The open pit Mineral Reserve estimate summarized below was derived from regularized block models for each deposit based on appropriate modifying factors that include dilution and mining losses. Table 3: Mineral Reserve estimate Classification Quantity (kt) U 3 O 8 Grade (ppm) U 3 O 8 Contained (Mlb) Contribution [%] Muntanga Pit Proven - - - 0% Probable 8.4 331 6.1 100% Sub-Total 8.4 331 6.1 Dibbwi East Pit Proven - - - 0% Probable 31.2 317 21.9 100% Sub-Total 31.2 317 21.9 Notes: All figures are rounded to reflect the relative accuracy of the estimate and have been used to derive sub-totals, totals and weighted averages. Such estimates inherently involve a degree of rounding and consequently introduce a margin of error. Where these occur, Ukwazi does not consider them to be material. The Concession is wholly owned by and exploration is operated by GoviEx. The standard adopted in respect of the reporting of Mineral Reserves for the Project, following the completion of required technical studies, is in accordance with the NI 43-101 guidelines and the 2014 CIM Definition Standards, and have an effective date of 1 January 2025. The open pit Mineral Reserves were reported using a weighted average cut-off grade of 77 ppm U 3 O 8 for Muntanga and 70ppm U 3 O 8 for Dibbwi East, which was based on a selling price of US$90/lb U 3 O 8 , average mining cost of US$1.89/t rock, processing cost of US$2.15/t ore, average recovery of 90.5%, royalty of 5%, G&A of US$0.26/t ore and product port and transport costs of 1.46/lb U 3 O 8 . The open pit Mineral Reserves are derived from a regularized block models of 5 m x 5 m x 2.5 m for Muntanga and 10 m x 10 m x 2.5 m for Dibbwi East and include dilution and 5% mining loss. The qualified person for the Mineral Reserve Statement is Jaco Lotheringen, an employee of Ukwazi. He is an "independent qualified person" as defined in National Instrument 43-101 and has completed a project site inspection. Processing The Central Processing Plant (CPP) was designed to handle 3.5 Mt per annum of Run of Mine material sourced from the Muntanga and Dibbwi East mining sites. The flow sheet encompasses primary, secondary, and tertiary crushing stages, aiming for a P80 of 25 mm. The crushed ore will then be agglomerated with concentrated sulfuric acid (98%), before being loaded onto one of the four on-off heap leach pads using a conveyor stacker system. The heap leach pads each hold approximately 25 days of agglomerated ore feed, and will work in a four-stage cycle: Loading of the agglomerated ore Leaching with a weak sulfuric acid and hydrogen peroxide solution to enable the uranium leaching process. As the leach solution becomes enriched with uranium, it drains into the PLS pond Rinsing with water to remove any remaining dissolved uranium and to neutralise the heap Offloading using front end loaders and conveyors to a final spent ore dump. The heap leach will have three separate ponds: PLS pond where extracted uranium is captured Barren pond which holds acid solutions from the process plant where uranium has already been extracted by ion exchange Makeup water and stormwater dam. The PLS is transferred from the PLS ponds to the PLS clarifier using pumps. The overflow from the clarifier is directed to the continuous ion exchange (NIMCIX) adsorption columns. Resin is introduced at the top of the NIMCIX column, while the PLS feed enters from the bottom and flows upward, and uranium loads onto the resin in a counter-current process. Periodically, the loaded resin (containing adsorbed uranium) is removed from the base of the NIMCIX adsorption column. The loaded resin is added into the elution columns where sulfuric acid (eluent) is fed into the base of the elution columns. Similar to the absorption columns, a counter current flow of resin and eluate occurs within the elution column. The resin is stripped of uranium, while the eluate becomes pregnant with uranium. The eluate from the IX Elution circuit undergoes nanofiltration with the objective to recover sulfuric acid from the eluate whilst concentrating the uranium in the stream. This concentration aims to produce a liquor with reduced treatment costs for uranium precipitation. This precipitate is then dewatered, calcined and packed into drums as U 3 O 8 or yellowcake. The processing plant is to be capable of producing on average 2.2 Mlbs per annum of saleable U 3 O 8 during steady-state operation. A summary of key parameters is provided in Table 4 below. Table 4 - Key Processing Parameters Parameter Unit Value Ore feed source Muntanga and Dibbwi East pits Mtpa 3.5 Uranium recovery (overall) Dibbwi East oxide % 91 Dibbwi East reduced % 90 Muntanga % 93 Total Leach Sulfuric Acid consumption Dibbwi East oxide kg/t 6.5 Dibbwi East primary kg/t 21.0 Muntanga kg/t 5.0 Infrastructure The Project is located in the southeastern region of Zambia, within the Siavonga and Chirundu Districts, near the town of Chirundu, to the east, and close to the Zimbabwe border. Access to the Project is straightforward, with the site connected by sealed roads to the main road running between Chirundu and Lusaka as well as the sealed road to Siavonga. From Siavonga, access continues via a sealed road leading to Munyumbwe in Gwembe District. The roads are generally in a good condition, ensuring reliable transportation routes. The nearest commercial airport is in Lusaka, located 144 km by road from Chirundu. Additionally, the town of Livingstone, situated 560 km west of Muntanga via sealed road, provides a critical gateway to Namibia and the export port of Walvis Bay. The Muntanga Project is expected to be connected to the Zambian National Grid via a new 39 km dedicated connection to the Siavonga 330/132/33 kV substation, which is adjacent to the Kariba Dam. The total average nominal required power capacity for the Project is estimated to be at 7 MW. The potential to install a solar PV power plant and support from a BESS (battery energy storage system) (to manage solar-grid integration) at the Project is under consideration however, this is currently not in the FS base-case. The solar PV power plant remains an option which, if executed, has potential to reduce the average electricity tariff by up to 20 % at current grid and technology pricing. Water Supply Surface water resources close to the Project are limited, as most streams and rivers are ephemeral, such as the Lusithu River. The Zambezi River and Lake Kariba were discarded as water supply options due to the distance from the mines and the likely onerous regulatory approval process. The groundwater analysis and water balance have shown that there will be sufficient groundwater on-site from the pit dewatering process to meet the Project's requirements, without the need to bring water in from external sources. In fact, excess water will be generated and will be released to the environment depending on quality. Operating costs A detailed reassessment of the operating costs was based on recent quotations and tenders. Table 5 - Project Unit Operating Costs USD /t Process USD /lb U 3 O 8 Processing 8.37 13.09 Mining 9.55 14.94 G&A 0.42 0.66 Mine Infrastructure 0.19 0.29 Stacking 0.85 1.34 Reclaiming 0.35 0.55 Power rebate (0.13) (0.20) Product transport 0.93 1.46 Closure 0.05 0.07 Total 20.58 32.20 Capital costs The table below shows the proposed capital requirements of the Project's initial development and remaining life of mine sustaining capital costs. The majority of the sustaining costs are related to replacement of the mining fleet during operations. Table 6 - Project Initial and Sustaining Capital (USDm) Initial Capital Sustaining Capital Mining 36.9 93.2 Processing 137.7 Allowed for as part of opex Water management 5.8 G&A 4.1 Power 20.0 Roads 9.7 1.2 Heap Leach Pads/ Spent Ore Dump 24.2 6.3 HL/Spent Ore Dump Stackers 25.6 Mining Infrastructure 14.1 Relocation 3.9 Total 281.9 100.7 A contingency of 10% was allowed for as part of the capital estimate quoted above. The table below provides a sensitivity of the Projects NPV and IRR% at a range of uranium prices and is based on the Mineral Reserves only. Table 7: NPV and IRR sensitivity Mineral Reserve Case Price (USD/lb U 3 O 8 ) NPV 8% IRR% Payback (Years) 80 153 16.5% 4.8 90 243 20.8% 3.8 100 332 24.7% 3.3 110 421 28.5% 2.9 Upside Potential Radiometric Sorting The Company undertook test work with Rados International Technologies ("Rados") to assess the potential for particle sorting using X-ray fluorescence (XRF). The test work demonstrates the waste rejection and significant uranium upgrade potential for Rados XRF and ore sorting technology for the Project. For design purposes, 95 % uranium recovery at 50 mm will result in a mass pull of 70 %. The potential use of Rados is not currently applied in the FS base case. Work completed to a FS level shows its potential applicability at the Project on all of the deposits and especially for the satellite deposits (Njame, Gwabi and Dibbwi), as it would reduce the ore tonnage that would have to be transported to the central processing plant and increase the plant feed grade. Installation and use of this technology will be assessed in the final FEED (front end engineering design). Satellite Deposits The Feasibility Study has focused on the capital development of the Muntanga and Dibbwi East deposits. However, the project also contains the satellite deposits of Dibbwi, Njame and Gwabi. All aspects of their potential were assessed to a FS level of accuracy and will be included in the Project's ESIA. These deposits can be open pit mined. The ore would be upgraded using the radiometric sort and the material trucked to the heap leach situated between the Dibbwi East and Muntanga deposits for processing. The satellite deposits would represent upside potential 4.6 Mt of ore containing 3.4 Mlb of potentially recoverable U 3 O 8 . The operating cost of mining and delivery of radiometrically sorted ore to the heap leach is forecast to be USD 22.81 /tonne and USD 30.73 /lb U 3 O 8 recovered. Dibbwi Njame Gwabi Total Ore Tonnes (million) 0.9 2.3 3.4 6.5 Ore grade 220 300 322 300 Waste Tonnes (million) 1.0 11.2 6.2 18.4 Stripping ratio 1.11 4.95 1.83 2.82 Recovery (%) 92.2 93.0 73.1 82.6 Inferred Mineral Resources A total material from the Inferred Mineral Resource classification of 5.4 Mt at a grade of 217 ppm U 3 O 8 and 0.5 Mt at a grade of 283 ppm U 3 O 8 at from Dibbwi East and Muntanga respectively are included in the material classified as waste in the open pit mining schedule and hence receive no associated revenue. The material from the Inferred Mineral Resource classification contains an estimated 2.9 Mlb U 3 O 8 . The Company will appoint debt advisors to assess potential financing options for the development of the Project, and parallel to this process will continue with its engagement program with potential off-takers, including North American and European utilities. With strengthening uranium demand and supply struggling to keep pace, the need for advanced, development-ready mining projects has never been greater. Globally 67 new reactors are in build of 1 GWp or larger, with 50 % of these connecting to the grid within next 3 years by 2028. China has plans to quadruple its reactor fleet further intensifying competition for uranium supply. As utilities face possible supply constraints and geopolitical tensions, securing new sources of uranium is becoming more challenging. In this landscape, Muntanga is a near-term uranium project that has excellent potential to supply both Western and Eastern markets. Webinar GoviEx Uranium will host a webinar to discuss the company's developments on Friday, 24 January at 11 hrs EST. To participate, register below: https://events.q4inc.com/attendee/958364867 Qualified Person The scientific and technical information in this release has been reviewed and approved by Jacobus Johannes Lotheringen, B Eng (Mining Engineering), South African Institute of Mining and Metallurgy (SAIMM) - Member (Reg no 701237) and Professional Engineer registered at the Engineering Council of South Africa (ECSA) (Reg no 20030022), employed by Ukwazi Transaction Advisory (Pty) Ltd as a principal mining engineer, who is an independent Qualified Person under the terms of NI 43-101 for uranium deposits. Mr Lotheringen has verified the data disclosed in this news release. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor the Investment Industry Regulatory Organization of Canada accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. About GoviEx Uranium Inc. GoviEx (TSXV: GXU) (OTCQB: GVXXF), is a mineral resource company focused on the exploration and development of uranium properties in Africa. GoviEx's principal objective is to become a significant uranium producer through the continued exploration and development of its mine-permitted Muntanga Project in Zambia. Contact Information Daniel Major, Chief Executive Officer Isabel Vilela, Head of Corporate Communications Tel: +1-604-681-5529 Email: info@goviex.com Web: www.goviex.com Disclaimers & Cautionary Statements This news release does not contain all the information that may be required to evaluate, and does not constitute a recommendation with respect to, any transaction or matter. Any recipient of this news release should conduct their own independent analysis of the matters referred to herein. Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements This news release may contain forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable securities laws. All information and statements other than statements of current or historical facts contained in this news release are forward-looking information. Forward-Looking statements are subject to various risks and uncertainties concerning the specific factors disclosed here and elsewhere in GoviEx's periodic filings with Canadian securities regulators. When used in this news release, words such as "will", "could", "plan", "estimate", "expect", "intend", "may", "potential", "should," and similar expressions, are forward- looking statements. Information provided in this document is necessarily summarized and may not contain all available material information. Forward-Looking statements include those in relation to, (i) existing uranium projects being unable to fill the supply gap in the market; (ii) the strength of the Project and its ability to deliver good economic results; (iii) the Project being a unique development opportunity; (iv) the potential and magnitude of exploration potential upside of the Project; (v) that FS will advance the Project towards Project financing and development; (vi) the timing of any application(s) for and receipt of Environmental Permits for the Project (vii) the method and timing of any development and mining operations at the Project; (viii) the appointment of debt advisors to assess potential financing options for the development of the Project, (ix) continued engagement program with potential off-takers, including North American and European utilities; and (x) Muntanga emerging as one of the few near-term uranium projects capable of helping to address the uranium supply gap with an excellent potential to supply both Western and Chinese markets. Although the Company believes the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, it can give no assurances that its expectations will be achieved. Such assumptions, which may prove incorrect, include the following: (i) that the current uranium upcycle will continue and expand; (iii) that the integration of nuclear power into power grids world-wide will continue as a clean energy alternative; (iv) Zambia continuing to be a mining-friendly jurisdiction promoting the development of other critical minerals, such as uranium and (v) that the price of uranium will remain sufficiently high and the costs of advancing the Company's mining projects will remain sufficiently low so as to permit GoviEx to implement its business plans in a profitable manner. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from expectations include (i) a regression in the uranium market price; (iii) inability or unwillingness of include or increase nuclear power generation by major markets; (iv) potential delays due to potential new health restrictions; (v) the failure of the Company's projects, for technical, logistical, labour-relations, political or other reasons; (vi) a decrease in the price of uranium below what is necessary to sustain the Company's operations; (vii) an increase in the Company's operating costs above what is necessary to sustain its operations; (viii) accidents, labour disputes, or the materialization of similar risks; (ix) a deterioration in capital market conditions that prevents the Company from raising the funds it requires on a timely basis; (x) political instability in the jurisdictions where the Company operates; (xi) the Company not being able to secure acceptable financing for the Project and (xii) generally, the Company's inability to develop and implement a successful business plan for any reason. In addition, the factors described or referred to in the section entitled "Risk Factors" in the MD&A for the year ended December 31, 2023, as well as the Annual Information Form for the year ended December 31, 2023, of GoviEx, which are available on the SEDAR+ website at www.sedarplus.ca, should be reviewed in conjunction with the information found in this news release. Although GoviEx has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results, performance, or achievements to differ materially from those contained in the forward-looking statements, there can be other factors that cause results, performance, or achievements not to be as anticipated, estimated, or intended. There can be no assurance that such information will prove to be accurate or that management's expectations or estimates of future developments, circumstances, or results will materialize. As a result of these risks and uncertainties, no assurance can be given that any events anticipated by the forward-looking information in this news release will transpire or occur, or, if any of them do so, what benefits that GoviEx will derive therefrom. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements in this news release are made as of the date of this news release, and GoviEx disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise such information, except as required by applicable law. Cautionary Note to United States Persons: The disclosure contained herein does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy securities of GoviEx. Safe Harbor Statement under the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995: Except for the statements of historical fact contained herein, the information presented constitutes "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such forward-looking statements including but not limited to those referenced above collectively as "forward-looking statements" under the "Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Information" involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, the performance or achievements of GoviEx to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. 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. 1 At US$ 90 per pound U 3 O 8 2 Excludes Royalties 3 Centre for Strategic & International Studies (June 4, 2024). To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/238182 LANSING, Mich. (WLNS) This week on Crime Stoppers, police need your help identifying people involved in two thefts totaling more than $11,500. 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. Bath Township Theft The Bath Township Police Department is asking for any information related to an incident that occurred on Jan. 12, 2025, at approximately 6:00 a.m. What appears to be a white Hummer arrived at an E Clark Rd address in Bath Township and two male subjects entered the home and stole approximately $10,000 in cash. The homeowners were not present at the time. Frandor Theft The Lansing Police Department is asking for any information regarding the identification of three women that stole more than $1,500 in merchandise from the Ulta Beauty in the Frandor Shopping Center. The incident occurred on August 5, 2024, at approximately 5:00 p.m. (WLNS) Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. Stephen Miller, a close adviser to President Donald Trump, on Wednesday declared that no one is above the law. And while few would disagree with that, in concept, Millers critics were quick to point out that Trumps own actions stand in direct contradiction. Miller, who is White House deputy chief of staff for policy and author of Trumps hard-line anti-immigrant agenda, said on Fox News that the coming days would see a massive scale-up of actions aimed at deporting undocumented immigrants. He warned that the Justice Department would also pursue civil and criminal charges against Americans who try to shelter the immigrants, including elected officials. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The law is clear, Miller said. No one is above the law. Trump is a convicted felon as a result of a criminal case in New York, and he was facing federal prosecution in several other cases that were dropped after a Supreme Court ruling on presidential immunity and his presidential win. Special counsel Jack Smith said last month that had the cases been allowed to proceed, his office had enough evidence against Trump to obtain and sustain a conviction at trial. In addition, one of Trumps very first actions when he returned to the White House this week was to pardon about 1,500 of his supporters who were convicted in the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol, including hundreds convicted of violent crimes. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Millers critics offered some blunt reminders: But if youre trying to obstruct cops protecting the U.S. Capitol, you get a pardon https://t.co/s3mziEEOk9 Eric Columbus (@EricColumbus) January 23, 2025 Except the people who assaulted police officers on Jan 6th, they are above the law. And the people Biden preemptively pardoned, they are above the law.... so basically not no one. https://t.co/qaEvA78NQb Keith Dohrman (@KeithDohrman) January 23, 2025 And he said that with a straight face Pat Fuller #KeeperOfTheFlame (@bannerite) January 23, 2025 The irony is totally lost on Jesse Watters and Stephen Miller. What a clown show. Art Candee (@ArtCandee) January 23, 2025 Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I get it now you can obstruct congress from doing their duty and while doing so you can assult the capitol police. But you can not obstruct ice enforcement activity if you do you'll face criminal jeopardy. https://t.co/PKNwaNi8FA TM (@TommieM99313448) January 23, 2025 He forgot to add: unless you are the cult leader, of course. https://t.co/LHTr2D0EXD Thelma Kerry (@ttunyi) January 23, 2025 Advertisement Advertisement EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) The defense team for Patrick Crusius, the man responsible for the Walmart shooting massacre, filed a motion last month to extend the gag order to include former District Attorney Bill Hicks, according to court documents obtained by KTSM. As we previously reported, Judge Sam Medrano issued the gag order on July 1, 2022, stating that both parties may not discuss the case with the media. According to Crusius defense team, Hicks repeatedly violated the gag order by granting numerous interviews to the media to discuss the case. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement New District Attorney James Montoya beat incumbent Republican Hicks in the Nov. 5 general election, meaning that Hicks is now a private citizen. Crusius defense team argues that without the accountability of a new term as the elected district attorney and unrestrained by this courts gag order, there will be little to keep Mr. Hicks potential public commentary from prejudicing the jury pool. However, Hicks argues that due to his private citizenship, he is entitled to freedom of speech protections. He also said enforcing an extended gag order would be unconstitutional. Hicks said he has not made any attempts to talk about the case since leaving office. He stated that he kept true to the spirit of the gag order, having never discussed the facts of the case, never discussed the trial strategies involved with the case, and never violated Texas Rules of Responsibility, Rule 3.07, which is the main basis in law for the courts gag order. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Crusius pleaded guilty to federal charges back in July 2023 and was sentenced to 90 consecutive life sentences. Crusius murdered 23 people at the Cielo Vista Walmart store on Aug. 3, 2019 and wounded more than 20 others. The states case, which is seeking the death penalty against Crusius, has long been delayed. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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 Tolland man faces larceny and forgery charges for allegedly defrauding a West Hartford resident out of more than $100,000 through a home improvement scam. Rick Labelle, 37, was arrested Thursday on four counts of third-degree forgery and a single count of first-degree larceny, according to Lt. Ryan Riley of the West Hartford Police Department. Riley said detectives in April 2024 began investigating after a homeowner contacted police and claimed that they hired Labelle through his Tolland-based business, Abel Construction and Remodeling, LLC., and that the project was never completed. The homeowner reported suffering a loss of more than $100,000, according to Riley. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Detectives investigated along with the state Department of Consumer Protection, finding that the department had revoked the contractor license of Abel Construction, Riley said. Detectives also found that Labelle allegedly altered several documents and provided the homeowner with fictitious receipts to deceive them, according to Riley. Labelle was charged after investigators obtained a warrant for his arrest. He was expected to face a judge on Thursday in Hartford Superior Court. Anyone with information in connection with the investigation has been asked contact the West Hartford Police Department at 860-570-8969 or whpdtips@westhartfordct.gov. A previously convicted felon has pleaded guilty to a federal firearm charge stemming from an incident in 2022 when authorities learned he had a gun in Hartford through a livestream over social media. Jason Barber, 40, of Hartford took a plea deal Tuesday in federal court in Hartford, pleading guilty to unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon, according to the U.S. Attorneys Office for the District of Connecticut. Federal officials said authorities on March 2, 2022, learned that Barber was sitting in a vehicle and streaming on Facebook Live with a loaded pistol magazine. Officials said he was showing off the magazine in the stream. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Officers located the vehicle on Barbour Street in Hartford and followed Barber into a package store. According to federal authorities, the officers approached Barber and retrieved a Kahr Arms P45 handgun from his coat pocket. The gun contained a magazine with five rounds of .45 caliber ammunition. Authorities noted that Barbers criminal history, which includes state felony convictions on firearm, robbery, drug and escape offenses, disqualifies him from having a gun or ammunition. Barber is free on $100,000 bond while he awaits sentencing, when he faces a maximum of 15 years in prison. His sentencing has not yet been scheduled. Authorities said the case was investigated by the FBI and the Hartford Police Department. A New Haven man has been sentenced to more than five years in prison for having a gun while he was on supervised release for a previous conviction in which he robbed a federal informant. Shaquil Gary, 31, faced sentencing on Tuesday in federal court in Bridgeport where a judge handed him a 66-month prison term followed by three years of supervised release, according to the U.S. Attorneys Office for the District of Connecticut. The sentencing comes after Gary in September pleaded guilty to unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Officials said he was found with a gun as authorities in April 2022 were investigating shootings in New Haven and Hamden and they identified a white SUV they believe was involved. On April 19, 2022, authorities spotted Gary exiting the SUV after parking on Shelton Avenue. According to officials, Gary ran from police and ditched a firearm during the chase. He was apprehended on Hazel Street. According to authorities, police found a loaded Glock model 17 9mm pistol that he had thrown. Investigators later found that the handgun had been reported stolen in Waterbury in 2018. An analysis of the gun using the National Integrated Ballistic Information Network found that it was connected to multiple gang-related shooting incidents in early 2019 while Gary was incarcerated in federal custody. One of the shootings the gun was linked to occurred on Jan. 23, 2019, on Eastern Street in New Haven where a suspected member of the Exit 8 gang of New Haven was found suffering from a gunshot wound, authorities said. The firearm was also linked to an incident on Jan. 29, 2019, near Eastern Street where a witness saw a male firing a handgun from a car and into the front window of an apartment. Federal authorities said the gun was also tied to the shooting of two individuals near Shelton Avenue in New Haven on Feb. 5, 2019. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to officials, Gary was sentenced to eight years in prison in January 2016, followed by five years of supervised release. That sentence came after he committed an armed robbery of an ATF informant in August 2014, officials said. After pleading guilty and while he was awaiting sentencing, Gary tried to send a copy of a non-public case report to friends and family members with instructions to post it on Facebook and tell others that an individual identified in the report was cooperating with law enforcement officers, authorities said. Garys criminal history also includes state felony convictions for the sale and possession of narcotics. A man was arrested on a DUI and drug paraphernalia charge after police reportedly found him slumped over the wheel in Woodbury on Wednesday with an infant in the vehicle. Troopers and officers with the Woodbury Police Department at 3:10 p.m. responded to a report of a driver stopped at the intersection of Joshua Hill Road and Tuttle Road while he was passed out over the steering wheel, according to Connecticut State Police. State police said the vehicle posed a hazard to other drivers. Authorities found an unresponsive man in the driver seat of a black Honda Ridgeline who was later identified as 46-year-old Jason Perillo of Woodbury, state police said. Police also spotted an infant in a rear passenger seat who was found to be 6 months old. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to state police, authorities breached the front passenger side window to get access to the Honda. At that point, police made contact with Perillo. State police said Perillo was found to be in possession of narcotic paraphernalia and was allegedly showing signs of impairment. He failed multiple field sobriety tests and was arrested, according to police. The child was evaluated by medics and returned to their legal guardian. Authorities alerted the Connecticut Department of Children and Families to the incident. Perillo faces charges of operation of a motor vehicle with a child passenger while under the influence of alcohol or drugs, possession of drug paraphernalia and risk of injury to a minor. He was released on a $7,500 bond and is scheduled to appear in Waterbury Superior Court on Feb. 14.. A woman died following a snowmobile crash at a campground in Stafford on Wednesday, state police said. Emergency crews responded to reports of the crash at 3:23 p.m. at Sun Valley Beach Club, located at 51 Old Springfield Road, where it was learned that the operator of a snowmobile was ejected from the vehicle, according to Connecticut State Police. State police said the victim, identified as 48-year-old Jamie Gallicchio of Ellington, was initially taken to Johnson Memorial Hospital. She was later flown aboard LifeStar to St. Francis Hospital in Hartford where she was pronounced dead at 6:52 p.m., according to state police. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A passenger on the snowmobile, a 45-year-old Springfield, Massachusetts man, suffered minor injuries and declined medical treatment at the scene. State police said the passenger was the only known witness to the crash, which remains under investigation. Authorities are asking anyone with information to contact Trooper Nicholas Miranda at 860-896-3200 or nicholas.miranda@ct.gov. CHICAGO The City of Chicago and the Chicago Transit Authority have launched a Know Your Rights ad campaign in response to President Donald Trumps threat of mass deportations. The ad campaign, featured on over 400 screens across CTA buses and trains, directs riders to online resources and guidance for visits by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Chicago will always be a Welcoming City, not just by ordinance, but also with our inclusive and loving spirit, said Mayor Brandon Johnson. Our Know Your Rights campaign in collaboration with the CTA is a demonstration of our commitment to protecting and supporting all people of Chicago. I appreciate President Carter and the CTA for implementing this awareness campaign and I look forward to our Citys continued efforts to stand strong in our welcoming stance. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Immigrant detention beds may be maxed out as Trump moves to deport millions and millions The ads carry with them a QR code that directs riders to the Citys Know Your Rights campaign website. It includes resources in English, Spanish, and French informed by The Resurrection Project, National Immigrant Justice Center, and the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights. President Trump has repeatedly threatened mass deportations through ICE in his campaign and since taking 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 WGN-TV. Rep. Henry Cuellar (D-Texas), whose district borders Mexico, said he supports President Trumps decision to send 1,500 troops to the southern border. He added, however, that the move is expensive and its important to utilize the military as effectively as possible. I support them, but keep in mind that they are limited as to what they can do, Cuellar said in an interview on NewsNations The Hill. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement They dont have enforcement power, he continued. I dont want them to be sitting in cars or vehicles. I dont want them to be there with the joysticks on the cameras. I want them to do things that they can provide. Cuellar said military can help provide surveillance, assist with helicopters and provide certain temporary barriers. We just got to make sure that we use the military the right way because its very expensive, very expensive to have them down there, he said. Cuellar said the military can help provide surveillance, assist with helicopters, and provide certain temporary barriers. Id rather hire the Border Patrol agents, he said. And as you know, we have a problem trying to hire that. We put money for 22,000 new border patrol agents and we have not been able to hire that amount yet. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Associated Press reported Wednesday that acting Defense Secretary Robert Salesses was expected to sign a release order sending up to 1,500 troops to help secure the southern border as Trump pushes to stem the tide of migrants entering the country. The exact number of troops and which would be deployed was still fluid as of earlier Wednesday. The Hill is owned by Nexstar Media Group, which also owns 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 The Hill. Halliburton's Soft Revenue Lags Estimates, Goldman Sachs Analyst Seeks Clarity On 2025 Activities Halliburton Company (NYSE:HAL) shares are trading lower on Wednesday. Goldman Sachs analyst Neil Mehta reiterated the Buy rating on the stock, with a price forecast of $36. Halliburton reported a fourth-quarter revenue decline of 2.3% year-over-year to $5.610 billion, missing the consensus of $5.63 billion. Completion and Production revenue fell 4.2% YoY to $3.2 billion, with $629 million operating income. The analyst noted that softer revenue was mainly due to a decline in Completion and Production, partially offset by Drilling and Evaluation. North America revenue was 7% below the analysts estimate, while international revenue was 3% higher. Also Read: Oracles AI Moonshot: Why Project Stargate Could Propel ORCL Stock Higher Mehta writes, free cash flow for the quarter was $1.104 billion, surpassing the analysts estimate of $930 million and consensus of $1.045 billion. This beat was attributed to better working capital and lower capital expenditures ($426 million vs the analyst estimate of $454 million). During the quarter, the company repurchased approximately $309 million in common stock, in line with the analsysts estimate of $310 million. The analyst is uncertain about 2025 revenue growth by region and is seeking clarity on expectations for activity in the international market, particularly in the Middle East. Mehta has questions on how investors should view long-term margin expansion, especially in a flat activity environment. Additionally, the analyst is ambiguous about Halliburtons future participation in the power space, including its partnership with VoltaGrid. Finally, there is uncertainty around how capital returns in 2025 should be approached, the analyst highlights. Price Action: HAL shares are trading lower by 1.51% to $29.09 at last check Wednesday. Read Next: Photo by Ground Picture on Shutterstock. Latest Ratings for HAL Date Firm Action From To Jan 2022 Morgan Stanley Maintains Overweight Jan 2022 JP Morgan Upgrades Neutral Overweight Jan 2022 Morgan Stanley Upgrades Equal-Weight Overweight View More Analyst Ratings for HAL View the Latest Analyst Ratings Up Next: Transform your trading with Benzinga Edge's one-of-a-kind market trade ideas and tools. Click now to access unique insights that can set you ahead in today's competitive market. Get the latest stock analysis from Benzinga? This article Halliburton's Soft Revenue Lags Estimates, Goldman Sachs Analyst Seeks Clarity On 2025 Activities originally appeared on Benzinga.com 2025 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved. ANADARKO, Okla. (KFOR) An inmate spent just about a full day on the run this week in Anadarko after he walked out of the Caddo County Courthouse in cuffs. Levi Yeahpau was arrested with two others late Wednesday afternoon after running out of his court hearing on Tuesday. The Caddo County Sheriffs Office posted about the incident Tuesday night. It stated that there was a miscommunication between the jailer and the courtroom security guard, which led to Yeahpau walking out. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement LOCAL NEWS: Whats next for Oklahoma death row inmate Brenda Andrew after Supreme Court ruling I just got immediately worried, said Daron Highwalker, Yeahpaus uncle. So basically he walked out both front doors, and he just walked out with shackles on and an orange jumpsuit. Highwalker said that he believes this speaks to many issues that have existed in Anadarko. When I started reading everything they posted, it didnt make sense. Im like, how do all of these people not see him walking out of the courthouse, you know what I mean. Highwalker referenced the Facebook post where the Caddo County Sheriff explained what had happened. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Levi was in custody while in the courtroom, and during the courtroom proceedings there was a miscommunication about who was supervising the inmate. Levi took advantage of this situation and walked out of the courthouse before being noticed. Levi is a fentynol (fentanyl) addict and is currently going through withdrawals, the sheriffs office posted. He was arrested, Sheriff Davis told News 4 he wasnt in handcuffs and an orange jumpsuit. In drone footage, Highwalker kept his camera on the arrests. Two others were also arrested, Tana Circles and Traesha Hopgood, for harboring a fugitive. Traesha Hopgood. Image courtesy Caddo County Sheriffs Office Tana Circles. Image courtesy Caddo County Sheriffs Office In Facebook comments, the sheriffs office posted that they are reviewing policies and procedures after this incident. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Policies and Procedures are being reviewed today on moving inmates back and forth for court and will be amended to correct the issue in the future. There will also be training on the new policies when they are corrected, the sheriffs office posted online. There needs to be more accountability, said Highwalker. This comes after a May incident involving three Caddo County inmates, one who was a murder suspect, escaped through the plumbing. They were found several days later. Yeahpau now faces a charge of escape from arrest or detention and is in the Caddo 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 KFOR.com Oklahoma City. GLYNN COUNTY, Ga. (WSAV) The Glynn County Sheriffs Office (GCSO) has announced a curfew as temperatures drop from Winter Storm Enzo. According to GCSOs Facebook, a curfew has been issued from 6 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 22 through 7 a.m. Thursday, Jan. 23. The Glynn County Board of Commissioners has also declared a state of emergency. This is an unprecedented event in our community and our number one goal right now is to assist our power companies in returning full services to our community, said Glynn County Board of Commissioners Chairman Walter Rafolski. Thank you to our first responders and Public Woks staff who are working around the clock to ensure our citizens have access to emergency care and to assist in full restoration of our transportation network by Friday, Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement County Courthouses and Offices, including the Glynn County Sheriffs Administrative Office, Detention Center Administrative Office and the Detention Center Lobby will be closed 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 WSAV-TV. Jan. 23The state Children, Youth and Families Department has breached its obligation to implement reforms aimed at improving the lives of children taken into state custody, according to an independent arbitrator who has imposed new remedies to combat the "irreparable harm" created by the state's noncompliance. The 34-page decision issued on Tuesday by Albuquerque attorney Charles R. Peifer comes after he listened to testimony last fall on whether CYFD and the state Health Authority violated a 2020 joint settlement agreement touted as a "groundbreaking" way to help the state "solve systemic problems that developed over not just years, but decades," he wrote. "The systemic problems facing CYFD appear to stem primarily from a need to have an adequate and stabilized workforce and an adequate and robust network of placement options for children," wrote Peifer, a former chief assistant state attorney general. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The agreement, known for one of its foster youth plaintiffs, Kevin S., settled a 2018 federal class action lawsuit that alleged New Mexico was depriving children in state custody of their constitutional rights. Both sides agreed to settle to avoid costly litigation and potential federal oversight of the agency, wrote Peifer, and CYFD agreed to meet a set of performance standards. But compliance with the agreement has been elusive for the agency, despite mediation, a corrective action plan and recommendations from two national experts hired by the state. The appointment of Peifer to act as an arbitrator on the case was the next step. "The State has not taken 'all reasonable efforts' to achieve the workforce and caseload standards of the agreement," Peifer wrote. "It can and must do more..." "Measures that in other circumstances, in other Departments, and in other contexts might be sufficient (hiring of consultants, asking for more money, fast-track hiring events, jobs fairs and reorganizations and the other steps CYFD cited in the arbitration) have proved, in the case of the challenges facing CYFD, inadequate to fix a problem that cannot be addressed by ordinary efforts." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A CYFD spokesman said in an email to the Journal on Thursday, "CYFD will continue to hold itself to the highest standard and will use the Kevin S. remedial order to target and prioritize improvements that best help children and youth in its care. While the report contends CYFD is not meeting its deadline for deliverables, it also notes progress in addressing problems highlighted in the arbitration's outcome." Lawyers and advocates who filed the request for arbitration considered the decision a "vindication," said Albuquerque attorney Sara Crecca. "This is really a breakthrough decision, particularly given the governor's and the Legislature's interest in addressing issues with CYFD," said Tara Ford, an attorney who works for Public Counsel in Los Angeles. And the remedies set forth by Peifer are legally enforceable, she said, so that children's attorneys can go to court and sue if the state fails to comply. "I find, based on the evidence presented at the arbitration," Peifer wrote, "that the children in the custody of CYFD are subject to irreparable harm arising from the State's failure to comply with the Kevin S. agreement as detailed in this decision. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "That harm arises directly from excessive caseloads for CYFD caseworkers and the persistent failure of the State to hire and retain an adequate number of caseworkers, and a failure by the state to develop and maintain an adequate supply of foster homes leading to the State sending children to be housed in group settings, including CYFD offices, and children being deprived of their right to timely medical checks, that if performed, would identify medical and behavioral conditions for which the state has a legal obligation to provide treatment." Attorney F. Michael Hart, who was among the lawyers and two nonprofit advocacy groups who filed the class action lawsuit in 2018, said the order helps create a path to compliance for CYFD. Peifer is requiring CYFD to take specific actions and meet certain deadlines in the coming months. For instance, he wrote, CYFD must "take all steps necessary to request adequate funding from the 2025 Legislature." The agency also must submit a plan by April 30 for creating a new classification of worker to help handle on-call, emergency and overnight work, such as taking care of children who are staying in CYFD offices because of a lack of suitable foster homes. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement CYFD officials say progress has been made, including better training of employees, a department reorganization and the ongoing development of a new foster family program aimed at children who need more specialized care. The children's attorneys proposed a range of remedies to Peifer, such as appointing a receiver to manage the state's child welfare system. But Peifer concluded that wasn't "appropriate or necessary at this time," in part because the parties have expressed a willingness to work together. But Peifer wants to hear from the two child welfare experts involved in the case as to whether CYFD and, potentially, the state Health Care Authority, would benefit from the creation within CYFD of an Office of Ombudsman an idea that Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham has opposed in the past. Peifer said the office could focus initially on identifying barriers to workforce development, retention and foster home retention and development. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "An ombudsman could investigate, for instance, the source of bottlenecks in the pipeline of available foster homes, so that effective solutions could be implemented by Department leadership. An ombudsman could also identify and help develop strategies to remove frustrations identified as barriers to retaining caseworkers and foster home families," he wrote. The "positive steps" that have been taken by CYFD, such as holding job fairs and enhancing training of new child welfare workers, aren't enough to lead to "meaningful progress" toward stabilizing the CYFD workforce, Peifer wrote. "In this arbitration, the stakes for the beneficiaries served by the Kevin S. agreement are the highest possible: the failure of the State to have an adequately trained and staffed workforce means the State is failing children whose lives and emotional well-being are wholly entrusted to the State. The children cannot advocate for themselves, they are already in most cases the victims of abuse and neglect and therefore already traumatized when they come into state custody," he wrote. "The problem of hiring and retention of qualified workers, moreover, requires many things to be fixed at once. A piecemeal or incremental approach that addresses problems serially will not work. The Legislature must fund change. Workers must be recruited, they must be onboarded and trained before they find and take another job; they must be supervised and be supported." -This story has been corrected to reflect that arbitrator Charles R. Peifer is a former chief assistant attorney general Oath Keepers founder Stewart Rhodes, who was convicted of orchestrating his far-right extremist groups Jan. 6, 2021 assault on the U.S. Capitol, showed up Wednesday on Capitol Hill, a day after he was released from prison as part of President Donald Trumps sweeping clemency order. Rhodes who was convicted of seditious conspiracy in one of the most serious cases brought by the Justice Department met with at least one lawmaker during his visit and chatted with others, defending his actions that day and taking no responsibility in violent siege that halted the certification of 2020 election. "I didnt lead anything. So why should I feel responsible for that? Rhodes said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It was an extraordinary moment just days into Trump's new administration after the president granted clemency for the more than 1,500 people charged in the riot. At the same time, judges who sentenced hundreds of rioters criticized the presidential pardons that have freed scores of them from prison. Rhodes surprise visit also came on the same day that Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson revived a special committee to investigate the riot, an effort to defend Trumps actions that day and dispute the work of a bipartisan committee that investigated the siege two years ago. Johnson said he would not second-guess Trumps decision to pardon the rioters and we believe in redemption, we believe in second chances. On Wednesday, Rhodes stopped in at a Dunkin Donuts inside the House office building in the Capitol complex before delivering a lengthy defense of himself and his actions. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Wearing a Trump 2020 hat, Rhodes said he was at the Capitol to advocate for the release of another defendant. Rhodes was among 14 Jan. 6 defendants whose sentences were commuted. He told reporters he would be pushing Trump to grant him a full pardon. I think all of us should be pardoned, Rhodes said. Rhodes said he hoped to eventually speak with the president, but had not done so yet. Right now, I like to come here as much as I can, Rhodes said. Rhodes was convicted of seditious conspiracy in the siege that halted the certification of President Joe Bidens victory and left more than 100 police officers injured. He was found guilty of orchestrating a weekslong plot that culminated in his followers attacking the U.S. Capitol in a desperate bid to keep Trump in power. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Rhodes did not enter the building on Jan. 6 and said it was stupid that members of the Oath Keepers did. My guys blundered through doors, he insisted. Judges in Washington's federal court spent Wednesday dismissing a slew of cases against Jan. 6 defendants that were still pending. Several judges took the opportunity in written orders to lament the abrupt end to the prosecutions, saying Trump's mass pardons wont change the truth about the mobs attack on a bastion of American democracy, U.S. District Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly said evidence of the assault on the Capitol is preserved through the neutral lens of riot videos, trial transcripts, jury verdicts and judicial opinions. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Those records are immutable and represent the truth, no matter how the events of January 6 are described by those charged or their allies, she wrote. U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan, who presided over Trump's election interference case before its dismissal, said the president's pardons can't change the tragic truth about the attack. Chutkan added that her order dismissing the case against an Illinois man who was charged with firing a gun into the air during the riot cannot "diminish the heroism of law enforcement officers" who defended the Capitol. It cannot whitewash the blood, feces and terror that the mob left in its wake, Chutkan wrote. And it cannot repair the jagged breach in Americas sacred tradition of peacefully transitioning power. Chutkan and Kollar-Kotelly are among over 20 judges to handle the hundreds of cases produced by the largest investigation in the Justice Department's history. Kollar-Kotelly issued her written remarks in an order dismissing the case against Dominic Box, a Georgia man who was among the first group of rioters to enter the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Other judges at the federal courthouse in Washington spoke out against pardons for Capitol rioters before Trumps second inauguration Monday, when the Republican president pardoned, commuted the prison sentences or ordered the dismissal of charges in all of the 1,500-plus Capitol riot criminal cases. District Judge Carl Nichols, a Trump nominee, said in November that handing out blanket pardons to Capitol rioters would be beyond frustrating and disappointing." Nichols expressed his criticism during a hearing at which he agreed to postpone a Jan. 6 riot defendants trial until after Trump's return to the White House. During a hearing last month, District Judge Amit Mehta said it would be frightening if Rhodes was pardoned. In Congress, lawmakers were stunned by Rhodes' arrival at the Capitol complex many had fled that day. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Does he still constitute a threat to public safety? Does he constitute a threat to American constitutional democracy? asked Rep. Jamie Raskin, D-Md. He led the House's impeachment of Trump, who was acquitted by the Senate on charges inciting the insurrection. Rep. Pete Aguilar, D-Calif., said, Its new and interesting that theyre using the front door this time." At an emotional news conference in the Capitol, two of the police officers who fought the rioters said they are angry and exhausted but will continue to speak out. Metropolitan Police Officer Daniel Hodges, who was crushed in the main center doors of the Capitols West front as rioters grabbed his gas mask and tried to gouge his eyes, said he had been working 12-hour shifts to protect Trump and his supporters during the inauguration. It doesn't matter, Hodges said. "Ill be there. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Box, who was featured in the HBO documentary Four Hours at the Capitol, was found guilty of charges including interfering with police during a civil disorder, a felony. He was scheduled to be sentenced Feb. 21. More than 130 other convicted rioters were awaiting sentencing when Trump issued pardons. John Banuelos, 39, of Illinois, was awaiting trial in a Washington jail when Chutkan dismissed charges that he climbed scaffolding outside the Capitol, pulled what appeared to be a gun from his waistband and fired two shots into the air. In hundreds of cases like this one over the past four years, judges in this district have administered justice without fear or favor, Chutkan wrote. The historical record established by those proceedings must stand, unmoved by political winds, as a testament and as a warning. Nearly 1,600 people were charged with Capitol riot-related federal crimes. More than 1,000 of them pleaded guilty. Approximately 250 others were convicted by a judge or jury after trials. Over 1,100 were sentenced, with more than 700 receiving a term of imprisonment ranging from several days to 22 years. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Over 130 police officers were injured during the riot. At least four officers who were at the Capitol later died by suicide. And Capitol Police Officer Brian Sicknick collapsed and died after engaging with the protesters. A medical examiner later determined he died of natural causes. Kollar-Kotelly said the heroism of officers who defended the Capitol "cannot be altered or ignored. Grossly outnumbered, those law enforcement officers acted valiantly to protect the Members of Congress, their staff, the Vice President and his family, the integrity of the Capitol grounds, and the Capitol Building our symbol of liberty and a symbol of democratic rule around the world," she wrote. This story was originally featured on Fortune.com DENVER (KDVR) Police officers who were involved in the deadly shooting of a suspect wanted for domestic violence in Commerce City last year will not face any charges, the District Attorney for Colorados 17th Judicial District. The shooting happened on June 21, 2024, after an hours-long standoff between law enforcement and the barricaded suspect, identified as 29-year-old James Houllis. Houlis was wanted for multiple warrants and a domestic violence assault that happened earlier that day. Past coverage: Commerce City police shoot, kill man wanted for domestic violence after hours-long standoff Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Houlis was ultimately shot and killed by police. The 17th Judicial District Critical Incident Response Team launched an investigation. On Wednesday, the DA released a decision letter including details of the incident and why the officers were found justified in their actions. Assault, hostage situation leads to standoff Just before 1 p.m. on June 21, 2024, a 911 caller alerted police of an assault happening in a church parking lot located at 6690 E. 72nd Ave. The caller said they saw a man on top of a woman banging her head into the concrete, and said he wouldnt let her leave. When police arrived on the scene, the woman identified the man as Houlis and said he had a knife and fake guns. Witnesses told police that he fled to a nearby apartment, according to the decision letter. Houlis held a maintenance worker hostage at the apartments, pointing a gun at him and threatening to kill him. At one point Houlis hit the worker with a machete, causing a minor cut. Officers ordered Houlis to come out of the apartment. The worker ran to safety when Houlis asked him to look out the back door to see where the police were. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Houlis ran out after the worker holding a knife and a gun and police ordered him to drop the weapons but he went back into his apartment. Police tried to convince Houlis to give up but he refused and said he was not going back to prison. Body-worn camera footage shows the suspect with a gun in the doorway from Commerce City Police Officer Flores point of view. (Screenshot of body-worn camera footage provided by Colorados 17th Judicial District in its decision letter) As Officer Flores attempted to negotiate, Houlis was waving the gun around, even pointing gin the officers general direction with his finger on the trigger, according to the letter. Flores did not shoot as he did not believe Houlis was intentionally pointing the gun at officers. Houlis dropped the knife but again refused to turn himself in. FOX31 Newsletters: Sign up to get breaking news sent to your inbox Officers retreated from the back door area and established a multi-agency perimeter including the Commerce City Police Department, Brighton Police Department SWAT team, Westminster Police Department and the Adams County Sheriffs Office. Suspect makes threats, points gun at officers Houlis barricaded himself the residence. Officers ordered him out of the residence but Houlis threatened to shoot it out with the police, and said he had a bomb that he could activate with his phone. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Officers positioned themselves on a neighboring rooftop around 3:35 p.m. as negotiations continued. According to the letter, Houlis spoke with an officer and made it clear that he wanted to die by the officers shooting him, according to the letter. A search warrant was approved and just before 7 p.m., the SWAT team used loudspeakers ordering Houlis to exit the residence, Otherwise force will be used against you. According to the letter, Houlis started to reach for his gun and acted like he was setting a timer on his phone, showing no interest in surrendering. Teen who shot 5 outside LoDo bar in 2023 sentenced to 7 years Police made a plan to arrest Houlis. He was at the back door when a detective fired a 40mm less lethal round at him. He hunched over and ran inside before he quickly ran back outside. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A K-9 was released and took Houlis down and officers from multiple agencies approached to arrest him. Houlis pointed a gun toward BPD Officer Sandusky and the other officers and Sandusky fired four rounds. At the same moment, according to the letter, CCPD SWAT sniper Sgt. Ahlem, who was on a nearby rooftop, fired two rounds. Officers attempted life-saving measures but Houlis was pronounced dead at the scene. Two airsoft guns that did not have the orange tip identifier were found near him and no explosives were found in the residence. The CIRT investigation concluded that the officers had objectively reasonable grounds to use deadly force, according to the letter, and that evidence does not support the filing of any criminal charges against the officers who discharged their weapons. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. DAKOTA CITY, Neb. (KCAU) A Dakota County commissioner was arrested Tuesday for obstructing police and driving just weeks after a DUI charge. The Dakota County Sheriffs Office confirmed to KCAU 9 News that Commissioner Richard Bousquet was arrested for driving under revocation, driving without a license, and obstructing government operations. Bousquet was arrested by South Sioux City police officers Tuesday night, the sheriffs office said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Bousquet was booked into the county jail but has since bonded out. The Sioux City Journal was the first to report on the arrest. South Sioux City restaurant agrees to change color of building The arrest comes after Bousquet was charged on Jan. 5 with DUI, obstructing government operations, refusal to submit to a breath test, driving left of center, and failure to use a turn signal, the sheriffs office said. All charges are either misdemeanors or citations. Bousquet (R) was elected to the Board of Commissioners in the recent November election. He was elected alongside Jeff Reed (R) and Rogelio Rodriguez-Villalobos (D). Bousquet previously served on the South Sioux City City Council. 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. BALTIMORE About 10 months after colliding with Baltimores Francis Scott Key Bridge, the Dali container ship is back in business. The vessel underwent temporary repairs in Norfolk and then had extensive repairs, sea trials, validation and recertification in China. Now, the Dali has resumed service under the management of Synergy Marine Group, the Singapore-based company announced Tuesday. The 984-foot Dali lost power before striking the Key Bridge and sending it plunging into the Patapsco River on March 26. Six highway construction workers were killed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to the latest report Jan. 16 on VesselFinder, the Dali was then travelling to the port of Ningbo, China, with an expected arrival of this past Wednesday. The ship was sailing under the flag of Singapore. The incident in Baltimore captured worldwide attention and highlighted the challenges and complexities of global shipping, and in its immediate aftermath we reaffirmed our continuing commitment to upholding the highest standards of maritime safety and operational excellence, Synergy officials said on a social media post. The [Dalis] return to service is a testament to the exceptional teamwork of our dedicated professionals ashore and at sea, as well as to the trust placed in us by the vessels principals. Shortly after leaving the Port of Baltimore for a monthslong voyage to Sri Lanka, the Dali, which weighed more than 112,000 tons loaded with freight, experienced a reported power outage near the bridge and smashed into one of its principal supporting piers around 1:30 a.m. The bridge crumbled in an instant, sending a crew of workers, who were repairing potholes on Interstate 695, tumbling into the frigid river below. Officials have pledged to hold those behind the ship accountable for the crash, depending on what an investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board turns up. That independent federal agency is probing everything from what went wrong aboard the Dali and looking at its past to the bridges fracture critical design. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In April, the companies that own and manage the Dali asked a federal judge to absolve them of liability for the cargo ships crash. Grace Ocean Private Ltd., the Singapore-based owner, and Synergy Marine Pte Ltd. together filed the claim in Baltimores U.S. District Court asking to be cleared from liability or limit damages to the value of the ship plus the revenue it stood to make from its cargo, which they estimated at $43.7 million. That case is still pending, according to court documents. The replacement bridge is expected to be completed by October 2028 and will cost between $1.7 billion and $1.9 billion, according to state officials. Congress has approved full funding for the project. Construction crews on barges, drills, cranes, tugs and service vessels have begun drilling to collect soil samples and map subsurface waterways around the Key Bridge. Officials with the Maryland Transportation Authority said noise impacts and traffic disruptions will be minimal and will not significantly impact navigation on the Patapsco River. _____ DENVER (KDVR) The stars have aligned for 12 state parks across Colorado that will work with the International Dark Sky Place certification program to reduce light pollution in their locations. Former CBI forensic scientist, Yvonne Missy Woods, facing 102 felony charges Gov. Jared Polis, Colorado Parks and Wildlife and the Colorado Tourism Office announced the new DarkSky Colorado partnership in a press release on Wednesday. The program is mentorship focused and will implement different strategies to reduce light pollution in state parks and create a clearer view of the night sky. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The three parties said that this is an initiative to protect Colorados stunning night skies and encourage visitor exploration in rural communities, provide educational opportunities and promote off-peak season travel. Reducing unnecessary light pollution saves energy, enhances stargazing tourism, and protects Colorados breathtaking night skies for everyone. This new collaboration with DarkSky Colorado will help keep our star-filled skies clear for future generations of Coloradans and tourists to enjoy comets, constellations, and meteors, said Polis. State parks will receive 20 hours of free consultation from DarkSky Colorado to help improve their light reduction methods and receive an International Dark Sky Place certification. CPW will also offer those parks sky-quality meter equipment. Parks participating in the program include: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Crawford Eleven Mile Elkhead Reservoir Golden Gate Canyon Highline Lake John Martin Reservoir Mueller Rifle Gap State Forest Steamboat Lake Staunton Trinidad Lake CPW is also seeing if the certification can be explored at Sweetwater Lake. Denver crew has short film premier in HBO Max series Dark sky preservation is a growing priority statewide, and were thrilled to be supporting these state parks in achieving reduced unnecessary light pollution, said CPW Deputy Director Heather Disney Dugan. Through this program, participating areas will help lead the way in showing how tourism and environmental stewardship can go hand-in-hand. More information on the program and the participating parks can be found on the Colorado government 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 FOX31 Denver. DAVOS, Switzerland (AP) Leading business and political figures attending the World Economic Forum meeting in Davos, Switzerland, have discussed and debated topics such as technology, tariffs, climate change, Ukraine, Gaza and the global economy this week. Here is some of what they said: ____ We are witnessing a backsliding in democracy everywhere in the world, even in the most advanced democracy, It is a movement into the bad in the wrong direction." Alain Berset, a former Swiss president who heads the Council of Europe, which defends human rights and supports democracy. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement ____ The common denominator for the countries that are failing is the mental virus of woke ideology. It is the great pandemic of our time that needs to be cured. It is the cancer that must be cut out. Javier Milei, president of Argentina. ___ If you dont make your product in America, which is your prerogative, then very simply, you will have to pay a tariff." U.S. President Donald Trump. ___ Were at yet another turning point, which some see as a problem for Europe, but others call a chance. Europe must establish itself as a strong global player. Lets not forget theres no ocean separating European countries from Russia." Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Europe's aid for Ukraine. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement ____ I hope there is an argument that can be made to Trump that this is the thing that (Joe) Biden and (Barack) Obama and (Bill) Clinton couldnt do. You know, this is your chance to get a great big gold medal. Tom Fletcher, the U.N. humanitarian aid coordinator, on hopes that Trump could foster peace in the Middle East. ___ "The world is undergoing an energy transition that is unstoppable. United Nations climate chief Simon Stiell, saying that the door remains open if the U.S. wants to get back into the Paris accord one day. ___ Our fossil fuel addiction is a Frankenstein monster, sparing nothing and no one. All around us, we see clear signs that the monster has become master. -- U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, discussing companies that backtracked on climate commitments. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement ___ The hope within Meta is that this will actually work better and it also has a big advantage, which is that Meta has never seen itself as having the legitimacy to decide what is right or wrong for society. Meta Platforms AI scientist Yann Lecun, explaining the social media companys decision to replace its fact-checking program with crowd-sourced community notes. Exec Edge hosted a fireside chat at the ICR Conference 2025 with Felix Lin, Chief Executive Officer of HF Foods. The in-person interview was joined by Editor-at-Large Jarrett Banks and they discussed key trends in the Asian food space, the main drivers for growth in the current market, and more. Watch the full recording: About Felix Lin Mr. Lin is currently the Chief Executive Officer and President of HF Foods Group, having taken on the role in December 2024 after serving as Interim CEO since October 2024. He has been a pivotal leader at HF Foods for the past five years, contributing significantly to the execution of HFFGs transformation plan. In addition, Mr. Lin also served as HFFGs Chief Operating Officer and as Interim Chief Financial Officer. He will be nominated to join the Board of Directors during its next election cycle in June 2025. Prior to HF Foods, Mr. Lin has had a very successful and diverse career. Most recently, he was Vice President and a Senior Strategy Officer for Blue Bird Corporation (the leading school bus manufacturer in North America), overseeing human resources, corporate and operations training, government relations, compliance and strategy. During his time at Blue Bird Corporation, Mr. Lin also held leadership positions in Manufacturing Operations, Supply Chain, Finance, and Accounting. Earlier in his career, Mr. Lin worked as a key member of the China and Middle East business development team for Blue Bird Corporation under Cerberus Capital Management, LLP. He holds a bachelors degree in finance and accounting from Mercer University, a Master of Accounting degree from Georgia College and State University, and a Master in Business Administration degree from University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Mr. Lin has also served as an Independent Board Member for HFFG from November 2019 to April 2022, where he served as Chairman of the Audit Committee and the Special Investigation Committee. About HF Foods HF Foods Group Inc. is a leading marketer and distributor of fresh produce, frozen and dry food, and non-food products to primarily Asian restaurants and other foodservice customers throughout the United States. HF Foods aims to supply the increasing demand for Asian American restaurant cuisine, leveraging its nationwide network of distribution centers and its strong relations with growers and suppliers of fresh, high-quality specialty restaurant food products and supplies in the US, South America, and Asia. Headquartered in Las Vegas, Nevada, HF Foods trades on Nasdaq under the symbol HFFG. For more information, please visit www.hffoodsgroup.com. Joe Bidens last day in the White House was spent resuscitating Americas political norms, a task he had embarked on since first coming to the presidency in 2021. But despite Bidens final act in office welcoming Donald Trump to the presidential residence with a ceremonial meeting for tea, the bristling new president appears eager to shred those standards in a bid for revenge. Bidens final hours as commander-in-chief were bewildering to many in his party as he maintained a steadfast commitment to the peaceful transfer of power, which included not showing any visible signs of the smallest personal slight to a man he supposedly believes is a fascist and a threat to American democracy. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It was a graciousness that Trump will not return. And with his first week back in the White House just half over, the 47th president is already diving headfirst into a campaign of vengeance. His grudge-settling desires reached new heights Wednesday night as Foxs Sean Hannity aired the first sit-down TV interview with Trump since the president took office at noon on Monday. In the roughly hour-long interview, the president seemed to threaten Biden with criminal prosecution over long-arbitrated claims of family corruption. This guy is running around giving everyone pardons, Trump grumbled to Hannity. The funny thing, maybe the sad thing, is he didnt give himself a pardon, he added ominously. The 46th president granted unconditional pardons to multiple members of his family, including his brothers Frank and James Biden (and James wife, Sara Biden), sister Valerie Biden Owens and her husband, John Owens. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Biden said his family has been subjected to unrelenting attacks and threats, motivated solely by a desire to hurt me the worst kind of partisan politics, adding that he had no reason to believe these attacks will end. He appears to have been correct, as Trump on Wednesday laid the groundwork for going after the former president further: If you look at it, it all had to do with him, said the new president, referring to people surrounding Trump who were convicted of crimes. We had people that suffered. You had [Steve] Bannon put in jail. You had Peter Navarro put in jail, the president said, making his case that a precedent had already been set. You had people that suffered and and far worse than that, theyve lost their fortunes. In a possible reference to Rudy Giuliani, who was ordered by a court to pay massive damages to a pair of election poll workers he defamed, Trump added: Theyve lost their nest egg, paying it to lawyers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Such threats shouldnt always be taken at face value coming from Trump. This is the same president who repeatedly vowed to lock up his 2016 opponent Hillary Clinton, though his Justice Department never launched any criminal investigations into anyone in the Clinton family during his first term. But in this instance, the threat to use the federal government to conduct a highly politically-motivated prosecution of his former opponent comes after a whirlwind few days of targeting Biden appointees, National Security Council (NSC) staff, and other federal employees in an ideological purge. Any prosecution will likely be a decision ultimately made by a Trump political loyalist, Pam Bondi, whom the president is set to install as attorney general in the coming days. Trump, having endured four separate (and in the end, largely inconsequential) criminal prosecutions and intense ridicule after leaving office in 2021, seems more motivated than ever to get even with his enemies. And nothing Biden did during the post-election transition period made things any better least of all his use of presidential pardons. Democrats are now reckoning with their partys across-the-board failure to defeat Trumpism after the January 6 attack on the Capitol. That failure is now likely to resound for decades as an emboldened and vengeful Donald Trump vows to settle the scores. DAYTON, Ohio (WDTN) The technical rescue team of the Dayton Fire Department recently conducted ice rescue training. Amidst artic blasts throughout the Miami Valley, the Dayton Fire Departments technical rescue team completed training in the icy waters at Hollywood Gaming at Dayton Raceway. Photo courtesy of the Dayton Police Department. Photo courtesy of the Dayton Police Department. Photo courtesy of the Dayton Police Department. Photo courtesy of the Dayton Police Department. Photo courtesy of the Dayton Police Department. The department reminds residents to stay off the ice. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. DAYTON, Ohio (WDTN) The Dayton Police Department is seeking public feedback as it seeks accreditation from a state program. The department is in the process of accreditation through the Ohio Collaborative Law Enforcement Accreditation Program (OCLEAP). As part of the process, the department is seeking public feedback. Dayton Fire Department team completes ice rescue training The department is hoping to assess community perceptions and experiences. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Residents can leave comments at the City of Daytons comment portal, which can be found here. Comments can be commendations or concerns; the feedback will support the departments efforts for continued improvement. For more information on the accreditation program, 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 WDTN.com. Donald Trump is reportedly trying to extend deportation power to federal agents outside of the Department of Homeland Security. The Wall Street Journal reportedly viewed a memo from acting Homeland Security Secretary Benjamine Huffman saying that the department plans to extend immigration-enforcement powers to agents at the Justice Department, which oversees the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms, and the US Marshals Service. The memo also noted that FBI agents already possess immigration-enforcement powers called Title 8 authority but the agents typically stick to criminal investigations. The Trump administration reportedly wants to extend immigration enforcement powers to Department of Justice agents, including those in the ATF and DEA (AP) A person familiar with the memo told the Wall Street Journal that the Trump administration wasn't planning to immediately deputize agents for anti-immigration crackdowns, but did expect agencies to lend agents. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The ATF and DEA don't typically deal with immigration enforcement. The US Marshals do more often, but generally only when a fugitive also happens to be illegally in the US. Acting Deputy Attorney General Emil Bove told federal prosecutors on Tuesday to begin investigating and potentially pressing charges against state and local officials in "sanctuary cities" who refused to cooperate with Trump immigration orders. The Department of Homeland Security is reportedly forming task forces to ensure local and state law enforcement are enforcing immigration laws. Trump has already threatened to restart immigration raids in cities like San Francisco, Chicago, Detroit, New York City, and others. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The president isn't just wrapping federal agents into his war on immigrants, but the US military as well. On Wednesday, the Pentagon announced that it planned to send 1,500 active-duty troops to the southern border to "seal" the crossing. That move was made in accordance with a day-one Trump executive order declaring an emergency at the border. Those troops will join the 2,500 troops that were already stationed at the border as part of the Joint Task Forth North out of El Paso, Texas. Trump is sending 1,500 active duty troops to the southern border (Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved) Texas Governor Gregg Abbott's existing border force, Operation Lone Star, is also in the El Paso area. Abbott has forced members of the state's National Guard to sit at the border for the last several years. The mass deportations that Trump seems to be moving towards have prompted Mexican authorities to start construction on a massive shelter to house deportees. The shelter is being built by the Mexican Navy and municipal employees along the Mexico-Texas border in Matamoros. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On Tuesday, Immigrations and Customs Enforcement arrested 308 people living in the country illegally. The figures are on par with daily arrests during Bidens administration. "ICE is doing its job," according to Trumps border czar, Tom Homan. On Wednesday, Trump canceled flights for refugees waiting to fly to the US from various points around the world. While Trump curbing refugee admissions was expected, resettlement organizations were caught off-guard by how quickly he shut the gates. The indefinite refugee ban came early, a particularly cruel, unexpected, and unconscionable decision, according to a statement from Refugee Council USA director John Slocum. Denying refuge to the persecuted is not who we are as a nation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In addition to threatening raids, mass deportation, and banning refugees from entry, Trump has also issued an executive order to end birthright citizenship to children when that persons mother was unlawfully present or lawful but temporary, and if the father was not a United States citizen or lawful permanent resident at the time of said persons birth. The concept that anyone born on American soil is automatically an American citizen is enshrined in the US Constitution. At least 22 states and pregnant women whose children's citizenship is up in the air have sued the Trump administration over the executive order. The Culture Secretary must set a deadline for a sale of The Telegraph by an Abu Dhabi fund after it made a very concerning call for budget cuts, Sir Ed Davey has demanded. Sir Ed, the Liberal Democrat leader, was responding to news that RedBird IMI, which was blocked from completing its attempted takeover last year, had urged Telegraph executives to make one in 10 staff redundant and abandon planned editorial investments. David Castelblanco, a senior figure at the fund, lobbied for the cuts at a meeting last week, raising questions over legal protections intended to prevent foreign state influence. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He told Telegraph executives to forget the sale that RedBird IMI has promised ministers and maintains is its focus. Sir Ed said: This whole situation has dragged on for far too long, and it is very concerning that the private equity firm at the centre of this mess is pressing for redundancies. Ministers must set a deadline for RedBird IMI to sell up, and ensure that they are not improperly meddling in the meantime. David Castelblanco, of RedBird IMI, has urged The Telegraph to reduce costs by cutting staff - RedBird IMI RedBird IMI is being advised by George Osborne, the former chancellor, who now works as an investment banker at Robey Warshaw, a boutique firm based in Mayfair. At the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, on Wednesday, he said: I really cant talk about it. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But, you know, I wish The Telegraph well and Im doing everything to make sure it has a secure future. Mr Osborne and his colleagues are under significant pressure from Abu Dhabi to recoup its outlay of more than 500m. RedBird IMI acquired an option to buy The Telegraph from the Barclay family in December 2023, as part of a complex agreement to help pay off their 1.2bn debt to Lloyds Banking Group. Following a parliamentary outcry over press freedom, in April last year the Government blocked it from exercising the option by outlawing foreign state ownership of newspapers. The United Arab Emirates was angered by the move but RedBird IMI pledged to sell The Telegraph on via an auction which was completed in mid-October. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The winning bidder, the New York publisher Dovid Efune, has subsequently struggled to raise financing for his bid. His was the only approach that offered RedBird IMI a chance of making all its money back, but a succession of potential backers have balked either at the price or the high-profile nature of the process. Dovid Efune has lost exclusive rights to acquire The Telegraph from the UAE-backed private equity fund RedBird IMI - Jared Siskin/Patrick McMullan Stuart Andrew, the shadow culture secretary, underlined mounting demands for Ms Nandy to intervene. It is 20 months since Lloyds originally seized control in June 2023. He said: The Conservative government rightly stepped in to ensure our free press remained independent of foreign governments. However, the current status of The Telegraph is an ongoing concern. The Government cannot sit on the sidelines and let a British institution wither on its watch. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ms Nandy has the option of referring the situation to the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) for an investigation that would be likely to allow the sale to be taken out of RedBird IMIs hands. An auction overseen by The Telegraphs independent directors would seek a market price from any acceptable bidder. Asked about the prospect of a sale forced by regulatory action, Mr Osborne observed that the rules are the rules before walking away from journalists. The Government this week ousted the chairman of the CMA, Marcus Bokkerink, and replaced him with Doug Gurr, the former UK boss of Amazon. He previously worked directly with the Barclay family as part of a partnership with their former courier business Yodel, which included Amazon taking an option on an ownership stake in the business. A CMA spokesman on Wednesday declined to comment on whether Mr Gurr would recuse himself from any discussion of The Telegraph over the potential conflict of interest. Lisa Nandy, the Culture Secretary, is facing calls from senior politicians to intervene in the newspaper auction from hell - Dan Kitwood/Getty Images Europe Ms Nandy has made no comment on the sale of The Telegraph. A government spokesman said: The media merger regime is based on a quasi-judicial process for the Culture Secretary who cannot provide a running commentary on any live case. She will come forward to Parliament when regulatory decisions are made. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement There is already a sale process under way with regard to the Telegraph which is being run by RedBird IMI alone. Last week, RedBird IMI said: There was a broad discussion but RedBird IMI has no role in running The Telegraph, which is wholly and solely the responsibility of the independent directors. Our focus remains on securing a sale that provides certainty for the newspaper and its staff. 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 News Colombias government reissued arrest warrants for the leaders of the National Liberation Army, a paramilitary group with which Bogota was in talks to end the countrys decades-long internal war. Recent attacks by the rebels have led to dozens of deaths and the displacement of tens of thousands after years of falling murder rates. In response, President Gustavo Petro, himself a former guerrilla fighter, has declared war against the group, prompting the UN Security Council to summon Colombias foreign minister. Beyond being useless, the declaration shows that the president has lost his grip on the country, an expert wrote in Colombian daily El Tiempo. ANDERSON, S.C. (WSPA) One person is dead and another is in custody after a shooting Thursday morning in Anderson. Medshore Ambulance Service, Anderson County E.M.S., Anderson fire department and Anderson city police Department responded to the scene, said Chief Deputy Coroner Don McCown, Anderson Co. Coroners Office The shooting happened at the Tanglewood Apartments on Marchbanks Avenue shortly before 9 a.m., according to the Anderson Police Department. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Investigators said the shooter and the victim knew each other and were arguing about family matters. I think the sad point is, any time we start trying to answer with firearms, we put a lot of people in danger, and somebody is always going to get hurt. I think the thing about domestic calls is that people just need to realize they need to take a step back, take a deep breath. Nothing is this bad, nothing should push you to this point, said McCown. The victim was taken to AnMed Medical Center where he died. The Anderson County Office of the Coroner identified the man as Bruce Lemont Bell, 46. Bell died as a result of multiple gunshot wounds. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Officials said Bells manner of death is homicide. The suspect, a 17-year-old, was taken into custody by the Anderson Police Department. The suspects identity has not been released. No other details were immediately 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 WSPA 7NEWS. By Rachel More and Matthias Williams BERLIN (Reuters) -Germany's main opposition leader vowed on Thursday to impose immediate border controls if he becomes chancellor, as expected, after elections next month, a day after an Afghan asylum seeker was arrested for a deadly knife attack targeting children. Friedrich Merz, whose plan would need buy-in from coalition partners after the Feb. 23 vote his party is set to win with a minority, said the attack, which killed a two-year-old boy and an adult passerby, could not become the new normal. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement All "illegal immigrants" should be turned away at the border, including those seeking protection, he said. "We are faced with the ruins of a ten-year-long misguided asylum and immigration policy in Germany," he told reporters, criticising European Union migration rules as "dysfunctional". Merz called for a departure from the EU's Schengen principle of free movement within the bloc, vowing to order permanent controls at all German borders on day one of his chancellorship if he is elected. "There will be a de facto ban on entry into the Federal Republic of Germany for all those who do not have valid entry documents," Merz said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Wednesday's stabbings add to a string of violent attacks in Germany that have boosted concerns over migration and fuelled support for the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD), which opinion polls put in second place behind Merz's conservatives. If implemented, Merz's policies could roil European politics, where concerns over migration have repeatedly tested the EU's model of freedom of movement. The suspect, a 28-year-old Afghan national with a history of violent behaviour who had been undergoing psychiatric treatment, was due to appear before a judge on Thursday afternoon. The judge will decide on his pre-trial detention. The suspect had had his asylum process closed and said he would voluntarily leave Germany in December, but had not left and remained under treatment, Bavaria's interior minister said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A two-year-old boy of Moroccan descent and a 41-year-old man who tried to intervene in the attack, which occurred in a park in the Bavarian city of Aschaffenburg on Wednesday, died of their injuries. Three other people were injured. Chancellor Olaf Scholz, whose Social Democrats (SPD) are trailing in polls, convened an emergency meeting with his Interior Minister Nancy Faeser and security authorities late on Wednesday, branding the attack an "unbelievable act of terror". "I am sick and tired of seeing such acts of violence occurring here every few weeks. By perpetrators who have actually come to us to find protection here," Scholz said in a statement. "A false sense of tolerance is completely inappropriate. The authorities must work flat out to find out why the attacker was still in Germany in the first place. Consequences must follow immediately from the findings - it is not enough to talk." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Merz said the EU's Dublin rules, under which someone's asylum application should be processed in their first country of arrival, had also failed, pointing to the fact that the suspected attacker had come to Germany via Bulgaria. The conservative leader called for an expansion of migrant detention centres, saying individuals caught by police who had already been asked to leave "must be taken into custody ... and deported as quickly as possible." A Merz government would make facilities for this available as soon as possible, such as empty barracks, other buildings or converted shipping containers, he said. Faeser defended her record on deporting people to Afghanistan and said the Dublin system was no longer functioning. But she criticised the conservative-run Bavarian authorities after the attack and questioned whether Merz's proposals complied with EU law, while also warning the CDU leader not to make political capital out of the attack. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 'POLITICAL ANSWERS' Some Germans blame the CDU, and in particular Merz's predecessor and longtime chancellor Angela Merkel, for encouraging the large-scale influx of asylum seekers and migrants, mostly from the Middle East and Afghanistan, in 2015. AfD leader Tino Chrupalla, whose party has won the backing of tech billionaire Elon Musk and who was the only German party leader to attend U.S. President Donald Trump's inauguration on Monday, demanded a change in asylum policy. The AfD and the liberal Free Democrats also demanded closer contacts with the Afghan Taliban, following Austria's lead, to facilitate removing failed asylum seekers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Refugees are more likely to be involved in violent crime than the overall German population, said Christian Walburg, a criminology professor at Muenster University. But this is in part because refugees tend to be young and male - both risk factors - and also more likely than the general population to be burdened with memories of war, violence and difficult childhoods, he said. (Reporting by Rachel More, Matthias Williams, Andreas Rinke, Thomas Escritt, Alexander Ratz, Jorn Poltz; Writing by Rachel More and Matthias WilliamsEditing by Gareth Jones and Philippa Fletcher) The Scoop It may be more difficult than usual for the US Congress to pass legislation to streamline the process for building new energy infrastructure, a senior Democrat who has helped lead recent negotiations over the issue told Semafor. In general, theres still broad bipartisan support for permitting reform, Rep. Scott Peters (D-Calif.) said, and a recognition on both sides of the aisle that none of the countrys energy goals including those of President Donald Trump as well as those of hardline climate activists are possible without making it easier to build transmission infrastructure and pipelines. In the past, Democratic control of the Senate and White House made it possible to craft a bipartisan deal that supported clean power and fossil energy more or less equally, without curtailing environmental impact oversight. Congress got closer than ever last year with a permitting bill compiled by former Sen. Joe Manchin (I-WV), and Sen. John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), but it never reached a vote. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Now, the options available to Republicans in control of the White House and both houses of Congress, albeit with thin majorities have shifted, and the policies they may push for in a successor to the Manchin-Barrasso bill may be hard for a sufficient number of Democrats to swallow, Peters said. That would leave what is arguably the most vital policy measure for the energy transition to face opposition from the politicians most concerned about climate change. In general, Democrats are more leery of permitting reform than Republicans, Peters said. So [Republicans] could easily press Democrats off this bill. Tims view The debate over permitting reform is often framed as a contest between Democrats support for grid lines and Republicans support for pipelines. Manchin-Barrasso threw bones to both, enough to pass the bill out of the Senates energy and natural resources committee with a 15-4 margin. But the bill treaded lightly around the 1970 National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), both because it seemed to fall outside the committees jurisdiction and because revising the law thats the cornerstone for assessing projects environmental impacts is a nonstarter for many Democrats, even though it is often one of the biggest sources of expense and delay for energy projects of all types. That will likely change now, with the contest reframed around what changes Democrats are willing to tolerate to NEPA in exchange for the transmission and renewables benefits in Manchin-Barrasso. And thats a much more difficult debate. A legislative deal is much further out, said Emily Domenech, senior vice president at the consulting and lobbying firm Boundary Stone Partners and former senior policy adviser to House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.). Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In the Manchin-Barrasso bill, in exchange for some Republican concessions such as setting a higher target for renewable energy leasing on federal land Democrats agreed to their own, including leasing mandates for fossil fuels and an expedited review process for LNG terminals. Now, Domenech said, many of Republicans permitting priorities are things they dont need to trade for anymore, because they can get them for free through executive order or the [budget] reconciliation process. That strategy shift is already underway. Trumps day-one executive orders on energy cleared the path for increased oil and gas leasing and LNG terminals, and included a demand that federal agencies eliminate all delays in permitting, including by pursuing a permit by rule process in which projects can be automatically approved if they meet certain criteria. Trump also ordered the White House Council on Environmental Quality to roll back some NEPA regulations. But the more durable NEPA reforms sought by many energy executives can only be achieved through legislation, Domenech said. When those negotiations may begin is unclear, and there will likely be many heated budget battles to get through before then; Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah), who took over from Manchin as chair of the ENR committee, didnt respond to a request for comment. When the time does come, climate-concerned Democrats need to get over their NEPA nerves, said former Sen. Mary Landrieu (D-La.). Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement NEPA has become redundant, she said, because of the Clean Air Act and other environmental laws passed since NEPA. Its starting to become more of a morass, and its just tying people up, costing taxpayers and consumers more money, and not resulting in a stronger environment. The opposition is coming from the hard left against anything associated with fossil fuels, and thats misdirected. Peters, for his part, is open to NEPA reform, but would not take that to be indicative of Democrats on the whole, his spokesperson said. Room for Disagreement Theres enough bipartisan agreement about the urgency of permitting reform that a deal is still within reach, said Jason Grumet, CEO of the American Clean Power Association, a trade group representing low-carbon energy companies. The urgency is only growing stronger as the data center boom drives an unprecedented spike in power demand, an issue Trump has promised to prioritize. There is a sense of shared purpose that there never was before, he said. Absent the ability to build more transmission, we will hit a wall at some point in terms of domestic energy production from any source. And nothing about [the Manchin-Barrasso] framework feels implausible going forward. Notable CHICAGO (WGN) With the dismantling of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion initiatives, or DEI policies, minority and women contractors in Illinois are bracing for major changes they say will impact their small businesses and futures. For the last decade, Jeannette Chavarria-Torres has worked to not only build her business, but make connections and shatter glass ceilings. She said the Trump administrations rollout of reeling in DEI policies is adding more hurdles for her in a male-dominated business. We, as a small business, perform at a high level, said Chavarria-Torres, President of DCH Construction and Hauling. We dont take our work for granted. Everything we do is earned, its not given to us. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement More info: Trump administration directs all federal diversity, equity and inclusion staff be put on leave Based out of Franklin Park, DCH is a firm that primarily works in the public sector and has been doing business for the last ten years. I had to go door-to-door and knock for my opportunities, Chavarria-Torres said. Some of these inclusive programs such as a DB, MBWB, help me get some introductions and be able to talk to prime contractors, and for them to just give me an opportunity that I can prove myself that I can perform at a high level. Government agencies in Illinois set goals in public projects or private development for participation by minority and women contractors. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Jacqueline Gomez, Executive Director of the Hispanic American Construction Industry Association (HACIA), fears that without city or state project goals for participation by minority subcontractors, the work will be taken in house or elsewhere. It will be very impactful for minorities, small businesses and women businesses, which the majority of our nation its the backbone of our country minority, small, diverse businesses, Gomez said. The impact its going to have, its going to be a crisis for the United States. These initiatives, diversity initiatives, give these small firms an opportunity. Thats what these small diversity, or people call them DEI programs, do is they afford these businesses an opportunity Stellantis to resume work at Illinois plant in 2027 as it looks to resolve issues with UAW DEI initiatives have faced challenges in the past. On Tuesday, The American Alliance for Equal Rights (AAER), which opposes DEI practices, filed a lawsuit against an Illinois law that requires non-profits to publicize race demographics on their staff and board members. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In a statement to WGN News, AAER President Edward Blum said, Officers and board members of nonprofits should be selected based upon their individual talents, experience, and interests, not the color of their skin. Meanwhile, Chavarria-Torres said shell focus on her current relationships to show her company is worth keeping. Continuing to communicate with them, show the value of our company, of our 2nd tier contractors that work for us, Chavarria-Torres said. That were a great team to work with, that we perform at a high level and thats a reason why to keep using DCH. Gomez told WGN News Cook County saw a similar trend play out 20 years ago when the county lost their diversity program and they saw participation numbers by minority and woman-owned businesses plummet. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Gomez also said HACIA will continue to work with legislators at the state and local level to advocate for equity and inclusion. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. This story was originally published on Legal Dive. To receive daily news and insights, subscribe to our free daily Legal Dive newsletter. Doing more work with fewer resources, often isolated by remote work, frequently feeling undervalued or ignored the sources of professional stress and burnout are varied for in-house lawyers, many of whom leave for a new role as a result of their dissatisfaction. This places further responsibility on managers to monitor for signs of burnout and to step in forcefully to help, according to a panel of in-house legal executives. Burnout is a crisis in the legal industry, both in the U.S. and abroad, said Amanda Rubio, an attorney and director of Axioms enterprise technology practice. Rubio moderated a Jan. 16 panel discussion with three in-house counsel on practical strategies to avoid and identify stress and burnout. About 97% of in-house attorneys experience stress and burnout, with 39% classifying this as severe, according to Axioms July 2024 survey of 300 in-house counsel. Beyond the human toll of this type of stress, general counsel and their teams must contend with attrition and employee turnover if they dont address the issues, the panel noted. Since the global pandemic in 2020, one of the largest work stressors has been the expansion of working remotely and professionals learning how to navigate a sense of where you draw the line in terms of your time and your availability for work, said Richard Buckley, chief legal and risk officer at Modulr, a London-based electronic payments company. Sometimes you choose to accept a call at 7:30 when thats your exercise time. Should you really take that call? said Nicole Olsman, chief legal officer and head of sustainability for Linxon, a global construction and energy company. Lawyers also tend to be conscientious about their work and feel a sense of duty about helping their companies and colleagues, which can lead to mounting workloads. You get to the end of the day or the end of your week and there is always more to do, he said. Many lawyers also bring to their work a sense of wanting to maintain ownership over things handed to us because of the need to see a task or project completed properly, Olsman said. As a result, many attorneys are not adept at delegating tasks as well as they should, she said. Having workplace flexibility within ones work days and weeks is also a critical component of battling lawyers stress, the panel noted. Most people know what needs to be done and their deadlines. Managers should also note that there are cycles to most businesses, periods where the company will call upon legal for heavy bouts of work and other times when its less busy. Del. Dana Jones (D-Anne Arundel) was able to provide proof she had paid for a 2023 fundraiser that did not initially appear in a campaign finance report last year, but in doing so she revealed that she was signing campaign checks which is prohibited for candidates under state campaign finance law. (File photo by Bryan P. Sears/Maryland Matters) A state delegate may have inadvertently run afoul of state campaign finance law as she sought to address questions recently about a missing 2023 payment to rent a venue for a campaign event. Del. Dana Jones (D-Anne Arundel) faced questions about the Oct. 5, 2023, event during an Anne Arundel County Democratic Central Committee meeting earlier this month, where she was one of three candidates to fill a vacancy in the Maryland Senate. A central committee member at the Jan. 4 meeting alleged that Jones failed to report a payment or in-kind contribution for the event venue, after sponsoring a $150,000 bond request for the organization a year earlier. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Jones strenuously rejected the assertion at the meeting that she failed to disclose a gift or was involved in a pay to play scheme, telling the committee she wont let anyone even buy me a cup of coffee or even a sandwich to avoid appearances of impropriety. In a later exchange with Maryland Matters, Jones produced canceled checks that show her campaign committee paid the Annapolis Maritime Museum $850 for use of the venue on Oct. 5. But the checks also showed something else: Joness signature at the bottom of the payments. Allen Norfleet, director of candidacy and campaign finance for the Maryland State Board of Elections, said state law bars a candidate from having access to campaign funds or disbursing funds, which includes signing checks. That job is supposed to be the purview of a campaign treasurer. The law is there as a check on embezzlement or misappropriation of campaign funds, Norfleet said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The dangers of that were on flagrant display last year, when state prosecutors charged then-Prince Georges County Councilmember Jamel Mel Franklin with two dozen counts of theft, embezzlement and perjury for allegedly using $124,000 to pay for travel, loans, credit card debt and cosmetic surgery, among other expenses. The Democrat pleaded guilty in a plea agreement in November. Jones is not accused of a crime and there are no allegations she misused campaign money or intentionally filed inaccurate reports with the Maryland State Board of Elections. In a text message Thursday morning, Jones said she got bad advice on the ability of candidates to pay campaign bills if a campaign treasurer was not available. She said that when she realized the error she immediately self-reported to the state Board of Elections on the matter by written letter that was sent Wednesday evening. Norfleet, in an interview with Maryland Matters, spoke only about state law and not specifically about Jones and her campaign finance records. But he said its not uncommon for candidates to disburse campaign funds, even though its not allowed under state law. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its way more than I like, Norfleet said. A lot of campaigns have treasurers in name only. Its a busy, time-consuming position and a lot of treasurers dont take it seriously, but its important because the treasurer is legally responsible for campaign reports. He said the state board typically refers cases involving a candidate disbursing campaign funds to the Office of the State Prosecutor because they have more tools and staff to investigate. One of those tools is the ability to subpoena records. Norfleet said the department handles each incident on a case-by-case basis. Not every incident results in a criminal investigation or charges, he said. At the central committee hearing, Jones was one of three candidates vying to fill a state Senate vacancy, along with Del. Shaneka Henson (D), who ran into ethics problems of her own last year. When asked at the meeting about the Annapolis Maritime Museum event, Jones flatly rejected the questions about her fundraising event. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I do not have any undisclosed gifts, Jones said at the Jan. 4 meeting. I do not take coffee. I dont take lunch. I dont take anything. In fact the state also offers a $750 gas fee so you can go around your district and make sure to cover that. For years I also sent that back to the state treasury. I did not receive a gift. I paid for the venue. I also paid for the food, which was a separate caterer. I have the receipts for everything and I paid for all of it myself down to a cup of coffee, she said. I would not allow anyone to even buy me a cup of coffee or even a sandwich, because then I dont ever have to worry or think back: Did I claim it? If you pay for it yourself and it comes right out of your pocket then there is no problem, she said. So no, I would say there is not a problem with my campaign finance report. I paid for that myself just as I paid for every other fundraiser I have ever held, Jones said. Need to get in touch? Have a news tip? CONTACT US Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A review of her finance report for 2023, filed last January, did not show a payment to the museum, but did list an Oct. 5 payment of $2,920 for catering service related to the event. An amended report for 2023, filed with the state last week, shows Jones campaign making an $850 payment to the museum that had mistakenly been shown on the original as a payment to a campaign worker who also serves as Jones legislative assistant. Jones provided images of two cancelled checks related to the event. One was made out to the museum in the amount of $850 on July 18, 2023; the back of the check shows the museum deposited it three days later. The second check showed a $2,920 payment to the caterer, Kens Creative Kitchen, on Oct. 5, 2023. That check was deposited a day later, according to the copies provided by Jones. The sequence numbers on the checks and the dates cashed are consistent. Henson had her own set of ethics problems in 2023 that resulted in her removal from a House committee and a formal rebuke by a legislative ethics panel. That committee recommended Henson never be allowed to serve on the House Appropriations Committee again for her failure to disclose her relationship to a church seeking state bond money. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The committee noted Henson a member of the church also acted as its lawyer under her maiden name and that she failed to disclose these facts to her committee or lawmakers who sponsored the requests. The panels report also noted that Henson participated in meetings in which the requests were discussed and, in addition to failing to disclose her relationship, she did not recuse herself. The committee further noted that Henson lied to House Speaker Adrienne Jones when questioned about the issue and a $10,000 payment she received to represent the church. Henson was ultimately selected to fill the District 30 Senate seat that was vacated by Sarah Elfreth wheh she was sworn in to a seat in the U.S. House this month. This story was updated on Thursday, Jan. 23, to add Jones text message response. Attorneys representing Richard Allen the Delphi man sentenced last month to 130 years for the 2017 deaths of teenagers Libby German and Abby Williams now believe there are four alleged errors that could possibly overturn his guilty verdict. In their Motion to Correct Errors filed Monday, Allens legal team consisting of Bradley Rozzi, Andrew Baldwin and Jennifer Auger said they are also asking for a hearing to address these issues sometime over the next few weeks. This latest motion by the defense is separate from Allens anticipated appeal but could still determine what happens next in the case. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Allens safekeeping order One of the issues the defense brought up in their motion deals with the safekeeping order that was placed on Allen shortly after his October 2022 arrest. The safekeeping proceeding was plainly illegal from start to finish, Allens legal team wrote in the motion, adding that then-Carroll County Sheriff Tobe Leazenby transferred Allen from the Carroll County Jail to the White County Jail with no safekeeping order in place. Leazenby didnt request the safekeeping order until Allen was already at the White County Jail, the defense team claims. But at that point, according to the motion, that allegedly wasnt Leazenbys call. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement That decision should have been left to the White County Sheriff, Allens legal team argues. And because Leazenby reportedly didnt have the right to request the order, Carroll County Circuit Court Judge Ben Diener who removed himself as presiding judge early in the case had no jurisdiction to issue it, per the motion. The safekeeping order was literally void, Allens defense team stated in their motion, citing case law that states a judgement is void if it grants rights or relief to a party that does not have standing to pursue the action. Another issue of error in connection to the safekeeping order, according to the defense, was Allens absolute right to refuse being transferred from the White County Jail into the Indiana Department of Correction. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Allen was in solitary confinement inside both the Westville Correctional Facility and the Wabash Valley Correctional Facility for over a year (from late 2022 until he was transferred to the Cass County Jail late last year as he awaited trial). But per the defense, the safekeeping order that was placed on Allen was allegedly not served to Allen or to Brett Gibson, the attorney Allens wife hired shortly after her husbands arrest. Therefore, the defense claims, neither Allen nor Gibson were able to argue against Allen being transferred to state custody, a move Rozzi, Baldwin and Auger believe violated Allens constitutional rights. Issues with the white van and timeline Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Another issue raised by the defense was in connection to an alleged confession Allen gave to his psychologist, Dr. Monica Wala, regarding a white van he reportedly saw while at the crime scene. It was the white van on a nearby private drive that Allen allegedly told Wala made him panic, prompting him to kill German and Williams instead of sexually assaulting them. Also during trial, Carroll County Prosecutor Nick McLeland argued the detail about the white van was something only the killer would know, per the motion. That vans driver, Brad Weber, also testified during Allens jury trial in November and told the court he drove past the murder scene around 2:30 p.m., two minutes before the prosecution claimed Germans cell phone stopped moving. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement During trial, McLeland called it a hard fact that he believed this was around the time the girls were killed. But according to the defenses latest motion, surveillance video reportedly showed a van matching Webers vehicle heading north (toward the crime scene area) on a nearby access road around 2:44 p.m. that day. If the arrival of Mr. Weber in his van interrupted Mr. Allen, forcing him across Deer Creek, Mr. Weber would have had to arrive near his parents house at the end of the private drive before 2:32 p.m., the defense argued in the motion. In fact, Mr. Weber could not have arrived anywhere on the private drive before 2:44 p.m. on Feb. 13, 2017, Allens legal team added. His (Weber) arrival at about 2:30 could not have been a detail only the killer would know because it did not happen. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The defense went on to claim in the motion that the prosecution knew, or should have known as much, and they either elicited Mr. Webers testimony about the time he arrived home, knowing it was false ahead of time, or failed to correct the testimony once it had been elicited, per the motion. Allens legal team also addressed an FBI report in their arguments for this claim, citing the report indicated Webers phone first pinged around the area at 2:50 p.m., several minutes after he testified he was in the area. This was the only statement allegedly made by Mr. Allen that contained any detail of the murders that might be true, the defense stated in the motion. The State therefore cannot show Mr. Webers uncorrected, false testimony about the time he arrived home did not have an effect on the outcome of the trial. Alleged confession of landowner Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The third issue raised in the defenses motion to correct errors was in regard to Ron Logan, whose property the girls bodies were found on. Allens legal team has argued that Logan, who was never charged in the investigation and passed away in 2020, was the subject of a tip dated May 15, 2017. In that tip, per the defense, Logan is alleged to have confessed to a fellow inmate that he had killed German and Williams. In that alleged confession, Logan reportedly stated he killed the girls and then burned his clothes in a fire pit. Logan also allegedly stated he used box cutters and struggled with one of the girls, before reportedly killing German first, per the motion. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement That tip, according to the defense, was made three months after the girls were killed. The defense noted law enforcement did follow up on the tip, but its unclear what came of the investigation into Logans alleged confession. During Allens jury trial, Dr. Roland Kohr, a forensic pathologist who conducted autopsies on German and Williams, testified the girls were killed by what possibly could have been a box cutter. Its a piece of testimony the defense said could have made a difference had the information been made public sooner. If, instead of for the first time at Mr. Allens trial, Dr. Kohr said seven years earlier the girls could have been killed by a box cutter, there would certainly have been probable cause to arrest and charge Ron Logan with the girls murders, they noted in the motion. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Therefore, the defense claims Logans alleged confession about using a box cutter is newly discovered evidence that could produce a different result should there be a retrial. The headphone jack The last issue raised in the defenses motion deals with reported evidence regarding a headphone jack on Germans phone. During Allens trial, forensic expert Stacy Eldridge, a witness for the defense, testified how she analyzed data logs from Germans phone and determined someone had plugged headphones into the auxiliary jack at 5:44 p.m. Feb. 13, 2017. Eldridge also said those headphones were reportedly removed at 10:32 p.m. that same day. In cross-examination, Indiana State Police 1st Sgt. Chris Cecil told the court he believed dirt or water damage was possibly the cause for the activity, admitting he did a Google search during a court recess to come to that conclusion. But according to Eldridge, as highlighted in the defenses motion, nothing in the data on Germans phone indicated there had been water damage, and none of the reports or extractions created by law enforcement of the phone showed the device was wet, dirty or covered by debris. Ms. Eldridge is unaware of any specific or technological research suggesting that water or dirt damage to an iPhone 6 would cause the phone to inaccurately log wired headphones in or wired headphones out, the defense claimed in the motion. The defense went on to state that it was the prosecutions claim that Germans phone stopped moving at 2:32 p.m., and the prosecution also claimed there is no evidence Allen ever went back to the scene after he left. So, per the defense, someone other than Richard Allen was handling Liberty Germans phone multiple times long after the state contended Mr. Allen left the scene. Democratic attorneys general are vowing to sue the Trump administration if the Department of Justice follows through on a recent directive requiring some local law enforcement to participate in federal immigration crackdowns. It is well-established through longstanding Supreme Court precedent that the U.S. Constitution prevents the federal government from commandeering states to enforce federal laws, the attorneys general from about a dozen states said in a statement Thursday. Emil Bove, acting deputy attorney general with the DOJ, earlier this week issued an agencywide memo directing the FBIs Joint Terrorism Task Forces of which some members are state and local police who are subject to sanctuary policies to assist in the execution of President Trumps immigration-related initiatives. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The memo also warns state and local officials could be charged with harboring undocumented immigrants and localities could face lawsuits for preventing police from working with federal immigration officials. The President has made troubling threats to weaponize the U.S. Department of Justices prosecutorial authority and resources to attack public servants acting in compliance with their state laws, interfering with their ability to build trust with the communities they serve and protect, the Democratic attorneys general continued. The attorneys general called those directives vague threats and empty words on paper. But if they become illegal actions, the Democrats said they will not hesitate to respond. The states are California, New York, Colorado, Connecticut, Hawaii, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Mexico, Rhode Island and Vermont. As state attorneys general, we have a responsibility to enforce state laws and we will continue to investigate and prosecute crimes, regardless of immigration status, they wrote. We will not be distracted by the Presidents mass deportation agenda. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement One of Trumps first actions when he returned to office was signing an executive order seeking to end birthright citizenship in the U.S. Immigrant rights activists and Democratic attorneys general quickly filed legal challenges to block the order, which would otherwise be enacted next month. A federal judge Thursday blocked Trumps order, calling it blatantly unconstitutional. Opponents of Trumps order argue that the Constitution guarantees the right to citizenship for those born in the U.S. under the 14th Amendment. The Democratic field in the New Jersey gubernatorial race appears wide open with a half dozen major candidates in contention, according to an early survey of the race. The Emerson College Polling/PIX11/The Hill poll released Thursday showed the candidates generally within the margin of error of each other and most voters support up for grabs. Rep. Mikie Sherrill (D-N.J.) narrowly leads with 10 percent, while New Jersey Education Association President Sean Spiller and Newark Mayor Ras Baraka tied for second with 8 percent, followed by Rep. Josh Gottheimer (D-N.J.) and former New Jersey Senate President Stephen Sweeney with 7 percent. Jersey City Mayor Steven Fulop received 4 percent. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But 56 percent said they were undecided, which Emerson College Polling Executive Director Spencer Kimball said leaves room for any candidate in the race to consolidate support. On the GOP side, former state Assembly member and 2021 Republican nominee Jack Ciattarelli has more of a lead in what is also a crowded field, with 26 percent. Radio talk show host Bill Spadea came in second with 13 percent, while state Sen. Jon Bramnick, a former state Assembly minority leader, received 4 percent. All other candidates received 3 percent or less. But 47 percent said they were undecided, and Kimball said Ciattarelli is the early favorite but presumably has an advantage in name recognition currently. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The New Jersey governors race will be one of the most high-profile contests in 2025 along with the Virginia governors race. The two states are the only ones in the country that hold their gubernatorial elections in the year following the presidential election. Both have often been seen as indicators of public reaction to the current administration. Incumbent New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy (D) narrowly won reelection in 2021 by a few points over Ciattarelli, but he is term-limited, giving numerous state Democrats the opportunity to jump in the race. The election will also come after a Republican presidential candidate came the closest to carrying New Jersey in a few decades. Vice President Harris won the state over President Trump by about 6 points, still not a razor-tight margin but much closer than the double-digit wins recent Democratic presidential candidates have enjoyed in the state. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement New Jersey voters view of Trump is about even, with 48 percent viewing him favorably and 46 percent viewing him unfavorably. Murphy is also about even, with a favorability rating of 44 percent and unfavorability rating of 42 percent. Voters are accordingly split 50-50 on whether the state is heading in the right direction. But economic issues appear likely to be top of mind in the race, with 63 percent saying their familys income is falling behind the cost of living. On the list of most important issues facing voters, the economy came in first with 44 percent, followed by housing affordability with 21 percent, immigration with 8 percent and healthcare with 7 percent. The poll was conducted from Jan. 18 to 21 among 1,000 registered voters, including 437 Democratic primary voters and 334 Republican primary voters. The confidence interval, similar to margin of error, for the full sample was 3 points, for Democrats was 4.6 points and for Republicans was 5.3 points. 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. Eleven Democratic-led states released a statement criticizing the vague threats from the Trump administration about prosecution related to noncompliance with immigration enforcement. The statement, released Thursday, was signed by 11 state attorneys general in blue states and addressed the recent memo sent out by the Department of Justice (DOJ) instructing prosecutors to investigate state and local governments that dont comply with President Trumps mass deportation plans. Right now, these vague threats are just that: empty words on paper, the statement said. But rest assured, our states will not hesitate to respond if these words become illegal actions. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The statement was signed by California Attorney General Rob Bonta (D), along with the attorneys general of New York, Colorado, Connecticut, Hawaii, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Mexico, Rhode Island and Vermont. On Wednesday, acting Deputy Attorney General Emil Bove reportedly sent a memo to the DOJ workforce instructing them to investigate local officials that threaten to impede Trumps immigration plans. It noted the DOJ could challenge those officials in court for noncompliance. The attorneys general noted in their statement a day later that the federal government is within its rights to use its own resources to implement an immigration plan, but under the case Printz v. United States, the federal government cant use state law enforcement for such actions. Despite what he may say to the contrary, the President cannot unilaterally re-write the Constitution, the attorneys general wrote. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement They argue that Trump has made troubling threats to weaponize the DOJs prosecutorial authority and the departments resources to attack public servants that are working in line with state law. Those actions interfere with state and local officials abilities to build trust in the communities they serve, they argue. As state attorneys general, we have a responsibility to enforce state laws and we will continue to investigate and prosecute crimes, regardless of immigration status, they wrote. We will not be distracted by the Presidents mass deportation agenda. The Associated Press noted that its common for the DOJ to shift enforcement policies under a new administration, but the memo outlines the significant changes to the department and various states under Trumps immigration plan. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. Senate Democrats accused Republicans of rushing the confirmation of Pete Hegeth to lead the Department of Defense despite the numerous allegations against him. The Senate voted on the motion to proceed on Hegseth earlier this week despite the numerous allegations of heavy drinking and alleged sexual misconduct against women. Hegseth has denied any wrongdoing. Democratic Sen. Tim Kaine of Virginia, who during Hegseths confirmation hearing grilled him for cheating on the mother of his child, told The Independent that Republicans changed their plans from confirming Kristi Noem as Homeland Security Secretary first and Hegseth second - now pushing the former Fox News host to the front of the line. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement They switched it around and in my view, they're switching it around because they're worried that other people are going to come out with damaging allegations about Pete Hegseth, Kaine said. That should be a reason why they should slow it down than speed it up. but I think they're speeding it up because of theyre afraid of that. Republicans hope to confirm Defense Secretary nominee Pete Hegseth by Saturday despite questions over his qualifications (Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved) The Senate voted on Thursday to invoke cloture on Hegseths nomination, which would begin 30 hours of consideration of his nomination. Republicans Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Susan Collins of Maine joined every Democrat to oppose cloture. The vote came despite NBC News reporting that his ex-sister-in-law said in a sworn affidavit that Hegseths behavior made his ex-wife Samantha fear for her safety. I haven't taken the temperature of my colleagues recently, Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand told The Independent. I don't know if the report affected anyone's vote. I don't know if the report affected anyone's vote, but I hope they've had enough time to review it, and I hope they've had enough time to think through what an effective SecDef will look like. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Gillibrand repeatedly hammered Hegseth about his writing that We need moms. But not in the military, especially in combat units. Republican Sen. Joni Ernst of Iowa, a veteran who announced last week that she would vote to confirm Hegseth, pointed to the fact that Samantha Hegseth said she did not believe the information to be accurate. Nobody ever talks about what the ex-wife has said, Ernst told The Independent. She is saying that it did not happen, and I think we should listen to her. Ernst, a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee who had been seen as the swing vote, told The Independent that confirming Hegseth was a matter of national security. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We really do need our leads at these agencies, she said. Lets get our primaries in place. Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts said Im worried that there are Republicans who continue to support a man who has demonstrated repeatedly that he has an alcohol abuse and influence. with abuse of women, and should not be confirmed as Secretary of Defense (Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.) Hegseth, a former host at Fox News, has faced numerous questions about his alcohol use, his comments about women serving in combat roles and a police report from a woman who accused Hegseth of sexual assault. Hegseth later reached a settlement with the woman and he has denied wrongdoing. But Democratic Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, who serves on the Armed Services Committee and had sent a 33-page letter to Hegseth ahead of his hearing, said Republicans needed to answer for why they wanted to rush Hegseths confirmation hearing. I'm worried that there are Republicans who continue to support a man who has demonstrated repeatedly that he has an alcohol abuse problem, she told The Independent. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement So far, Trump has not been able to see his cabinet confirmed as quickly as he would have wanted. The Senate unanimously confirmed Marco Rubio, the former Florida senator, as Secretary of State. However, Trump faces numerous obstacles with other nominees such as Tulsi Gabbard, the former Democratic congresswoman who endorsed Trump to become Director of National Intelligence. Next week, the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee and Senate Finance Committee will hold its hearing for Robert F. Kennedy Jr, the environmental lawyer-turned anti-vaccine conspiracy theorist, who is seeking to become Trumps secretary of Health and Human Services. Trump faced a major roadblock after Matt Gaetz, the former Republican congressman he selected to be attorney general. However, Gaetz withdrew his nomination before an Ethics Committee investigation report dropped. Republicans have a three-seat majority in the Senate, meaning that even some senators who could have reservations about Hegseth, such as Collins or Murkowski, might not be enough to block his confirmation. A poster held up at a news conference at the state Capitol in Phoenix, Ariz. advocates for the repeal of the state's remaining anti-abortion laws on Jan. 22, 2025. Arizona voters in 2024 approved Proposition 139, which enshrined the procedure as a constitutional right, but voiding the state's existing anti-abortion laws must be done either piecemeal through lawsuits or by the legislature. Photo by Gloria Rebecca Gomez | Arizona Mirror On the 52nd anniversary of Roe v. Wade, Arizona Democrats called on their Republican colleagues to support repealing anti-abortion laws that remain on the books, saying that voters want guaranteed access to the procedure, not restrictions. Last year, 61% of Arizonans voted to pass Proposition 139, enshrining abortion as a right in the state constitution and prohibiting any attempt to deny, restrict or interfere with a womans ability to obtain one. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But rolling back decades of hostile laws isnt automatic. Legal action is necessary to remove each of the states more than 50 anti-abortion laws. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX That includes a 15-week gestational ban with no exceptions for rape or incest that was the law of the land until last year, when reproductive rights organizations asked the court to void it because it conflicts with the voter-approved protections in Prop. 139. The case is still in the early stages, but Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes, a vocal proponent of abortion rights, has agreed not to enforce the gestational ban while litigation continues, giving providers across the state a legal shield under which to provide care without fear of criminalization. Dr. DeShawn Taylor, owner of Desert Star Institute for Family Planning, one of a handful of private abortion clinics in the Valley, said that shes returned to performing abortions beyond 15 weeks, reassured by Mayes promise that no doctor will be prosecuted while the lawsuit against the gestational ban is ongoing. But there are still too many laws that tie the hands of providers like her when it comes to giving her patients the best care she can, she said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement She shared the story of a woman who arrived at her clinic just one week after the lawsuit against the 15-week law was filed. The woman was shocked to learn she was more than 15 weeks pregnant, and panicked when she initially thought she wouldnt be able to receive an abortion. Taylor and clinic staff assured her she would be able to terminate her pregnancy. But while the clinic feels legally safe ignoring the 15-week law for now, it is still forced to operate under all the other anti-abortion directives which complicate and lengthen treatment that still exist in state statute. What still needs to happen is she has to come back at a future date; what still has to happen is we have to collect information from her to report to the state; and whats still happening is that she cannot get an abortion close to where she lives because most abortion clinics are in Phoenix, because of all the web of restrictions, Taylor said, describing the impact of laws that govern how abortion is carried out in the state ranging from a mandatory 24-hour waiting period to reporting and certification requirements for clinics. Dr. DeShawn Taylor, a local abortion provider, speaks about the need to repeal the states more than 50 anti-abortion laws in Phoenix, Ariz. on Jan. 22, 2025. Since Roe v. Wade was decided in 1973, Republican lawmakers in the state have heavily regulated the procedure with the intent of limiting access to it, including requiring a 24-hour waiting period and mandating an ultrasound before one can be performed. Photo by Gloria Rebecca Gomez | Arizona Mirror Rep. Analise Ortiz, a Phoenix Democrat who has built her political brand around advocating for abortion access, said the 2024 election results leave little doubt about how voters want lawmakers to approach regulating reproductive health care. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement An overwhelming majority of Arizona voters made it clear they want abortion to be legal and accessible, she said during a Wednesday morning news conference. This legislature, regardless of its makeup, has a mandate from voters who value freedom and dont want the government interfering in our private, personal health care decisions. The GOP legislative majority has successfully overseen the passage of dozens of increased constraints on abortion since the 1980s, and after expanding its hold by three seats during the 2024 election, cutting into the already slim Democratic presence in both chambers, its unlikely that any bipartisan push to make access to abortion easier will emerge. Instead, some conservative lawmakers have introduced legislation aimed at advancing pro-life initiatives without directly violating Prop. 139. Tucson Republican Rep. Rachel Keshel sponsored a bill that requires the Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System, the states Medicaid health insurance program, to include a link on its websites home page that leads to information about agencies that could help women through pregnancy and childbirth but not those that provide abortions or refer patients to abortion clinics. (An existing law, which is one of many reproductive rights groups are eyeing for future lawsuits, requires abortion providers to give patients similar information before performing an abortion at least 24 hours before going forward with the procedure.) And Rep. Walt Blackman introduced a bill that would bar the state or any of its agencies from spending any public money in a contract with a person who performs or promotes abortion care. But the Republican from Snowflake also proposed setting up a grant program to award state funds to pregnancy centers, faith-based organizations that provide medical services for women with the aim of convincing them to reject an abortion. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But Democrats remain undeterred in their efforts to eliminate restrictions on abortion care. While local reproductive rights organizations and abortion providers have signaled an intent to take on the states anti-abortion laws in court, the process is costly and time-consuming. This year, Democrats have proposed measures that would repeal the prohibition on providing abortion consultations via telemedicine appointments, overturn a law that prevents the abortion pill from being sent in the mail, and allow providers to advertise their services without the threat of a misdemeanor. Similar efforts in the past have stagnated in the legislature without Republican approval, and that is likely to happen again this year. None of the bills aimed at removing barriers to abortion have yet been assigned to any committees. On Tuesday, advocates urged the GOP majority to reconsider its opposition to repealing the anti-abortion laws. Mackenzie Darling, an attorney with the Arizona Proactive Reproductive Justice Alliance, which is behind this legislative sessions campaign to overturn the states anti-abortion laws, said that restoring full access to the procedure is critical for supporting pregnant Arizonans. Each of us should be free to make decisions about our health and our future with dignity and respect, she said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Rep. Sarah Liguori, D-Phoenix, added that giving women peace of mind is the right thing to do. Pregnancy, she said, is nerve-wracking enough without threats to reproductive health care from elected officials at both the state and federal levels. Pregnancy is equally exciting and its equally scary, she said. And now (what) people are having to run through their mind is: What if my legislator introduces something that hinders my care? What if the president orders a repeal and bans abortion in the country? Reproductive rights advocates fear that President Donald Trumps administration will usher in new laws and policies that constrain abortion care across the country. While Trump has stated that he believes abortion should be left up to the states to decide, he has in the past voiced support for a national ban, and one of his executive orders on Monday included the phrase at conception, alluding to the fetal personhood agenda that pro-life politicians have advanced as a way to outlaw virtually all abortions. Likewise, Republicans in Congress, who now hold a majority in both chambers, and anti-abortion organizations are anticipating the revival and easy passage of anti-abortion proposals that were blocked by Democrats in years past. Any federal action to limit the ability of women to obtain an abortion would nullify the guaranteed right in Prop. 139. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE House Democrats are calling for Congress to rein in the presidents pardon powers after President Trumps mass clemency for the Jan. 6 mob and President Bidens reprieve for certain family members. The Democrats are quick to emphasize that they view Trumps pardons as much more egregious, since they largely benefited people convicted of crimes including violent assaults on police officers while Bidens were largely preemptive. Still, the lawmakers contend the controversy incited by both figures has highlighted potential abuses of the pardon system and demanded Congress step in to adopt some official limits. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Pardons should be rare, Rep. Ami Bera (D-Calif.) said. And I would hope theres a place for us in Congress to try and put some checks and balances on the pardon system so its not just carte blanche. Rep. Mark DeSaulnier (D-Calif.) delivered a similar message, saying Trumps actions in particular have made it absolutely necessary to adopt some boundaries for presidential clemency powers. Theres got to be some criteria, he said. I say that particularly for [Trump]. Theres not an equivalence, even remotely, between him and President Biden. But still, its a very archaic law. And it needs to be looked at. And there should be some criteria, and some role for Congress. This isnt good. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Some Democratic leaders also appear open to reforms. Reps. Pete Aguilar (D-Calif.) and Ted Lieu (D-Calif.), who head the House Democratic Caucus, both said theyre eager for the Judiciary Committee to have a robust debate on potential changes. I support that robust discussion, and I would live by the law of the land, Aguilar said. In the early stages of that debate, though, its unclear what options are available to Congress. Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.), a former constitutional law professor, noted theres already at least one restriction governing pardons: A president cant sell them for his own benefit. And Raskin said Congress could, in theory, adopt additional limits, which might include stipulations that a president cant pardon those who committed crimes in an effort to keep him in power after an election defeat the very scenario surrounding the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol and the hundreds of arrests that followed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We could theoretically make it illegal to pardon someone whose crime you, yourself, incited or aided and abetted, said Raskin, whos now the senior Democrat on the House Judiciary Committee. And then someone in Donald Trumps situation would not be able to pardon his own insurrectionary foot soldiers. Yet there are already questions swirling around the legality of such restrictions. Thats because the presidents pardon powers are derived directly from the Constitution, leaving some lawmakers to wonder if Congress has the authority to adopt reforms without amending the nations founding governing blueprint an enormously high bar that would require support from two-thirds of Congress, in both the House and Senate, and two-thirds of state legislatures from around the country. Raskin said theres an additional complicating factor: The Supreme Courts decision last year to provide Trump with broad immunity from prosecution for all official acts might mean theres no apparatus for enforcing pardon limits even if a president violated them. I dont know if it would be constitutional, and I dont know how you would enforce it, because the presidential immunity decision renders the president effectively immune from prosecution for exercising things that are within his presumptive powers, Raskin said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement So it would probably require a constitutional amendment to try and prevent someone from pardoning his own insurrectionary mob. The debate arrives two days after Trump, in the first hours of his second term, signed a host of executive orders, including one providing a blanket pardon to more than 1,500 people involved in the rampage of Jan. 6, when a mob of Trump supporters stormed the Capitol in a failed effort to overturn his election defeat. Trump also commuted the sentences of 14 other rioters representing far-right white nationalist groups. Many of those people had been convicted of assaulting police officers, prompting a backlash from Democrats and even some Republicans who said Trumps move controverted Republican claims of being the party that champions law and order and personal responsibility. If you back the blue, then obviously you would oppose people who have either pled guilty, or been found guilty, of assaulting law enforcement, said Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.), who led Congresss special investigation into the Jan. 6 rampage. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Biden is also under fire for the pardons he issued in his final months, including those benefiting his son, Hunter, who was facing sentencing in December for several felony charges, and other members of the presidents family. The former president also used the last hours of his White House tenure to offer preemptive pardons to Thompson, Aguilar and the other seven members of the Jan. 6 select committee. Those moves drew howls from many Republicans on Capitol Hill, who said Trumps decision to pardon the Jan. 6 rioters was merely building on the precedent Biden had set an argument rejected by Democrats who were quick to note what they see as a big distinction. The pardons that took place in the morning on Jan. 20 were pardons of innocent people, Raskin said. The pardons that took place in the afternoon were of guilty 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 The Hill. TERRE HAUTE, Ind. (WTWO/WAWV) Wednesday morning, crews began the demolition of the old Vigo County Jail. A full circle moment today for Vigo County when it comes to the criminal justice system and the hard times the former Vigo County Jail gave us as we are transitioning the new Vigo County Security Center, said Vigo County Commissioner, Chris Switzer. The old Vigo County Jail was constantly overcrowded and became the center of a federal lawsuit. The lawsuit forcing the county commission to build a new security center. The security center doubled the jails capacity from 505 beds to the old jails 230. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement There was a lot of maintenance that didnt really happen over the years at this facility, said Switzer. We have a better maintenance plan with the new facility with hopes of it lasting a lot longer but because of all of those underlying issues and not really a way to make this building better, we decided to knock it down and start over. Special Olympic Indiana expands fitness program Switzer said one of the main focuses of this new facility is going to be the continued growth of the countys community corrections program. The county purchased 22 acres in hopes of building a new rehabilitation and treatment facility. Switzer said they are one of the only counties in the state that has a dual diagnosis program that allows inmates to go to community corrections instead of staying in jail. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I dont think a person with a drug or petty theft charge because of drugs should be in a jail cell, said Switzer. They should be out trying to make a better life for themselves, and that is what we are hoping for with this treatment program. Right now, they are not getting those services just sitting in a cell. Switzer added that crews have 60 to 90 days to get this jail completely down. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. HSBC Holdings unveiled a 25-storey office tower in Shenzhen's Qianhai economic zone, presenting it as a cornerstone of the bank's commitment to the development of the Greater Bay Area. The HyQ tower, in the Qianhai Shenzhen-Hong Kong Modern Service Industry Cooperation Zone, is the bank's first wholly owned building in southern China and involved an investment of more than 4 billion yuan (US$550 million). HSBC bought the building from New World Development in 2021 for 3.2 billion yuan. The building is home to HSBC China's Shenzhen branch, HSBC Qianhai Securities and HSBC Software Development Guangdong, a fintech centre. The bank said the tower would be a nerve centre to propel business growth in the Greater Bay Area, a collection of southern mainland cities - along with Hong Kong and Macau - that Beijing would like to be a globally competitive economic zone by 2035. 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. HSBC eyes "huge potential for economic and trade cooperation between Guangdong and Hong Kong amid more world-class Chinese companies moving towards global innovation and development", Peter Wong Tung-shun, HSBC's Asia-Pacific chairman, said at the opening ceremony on Wednesday. "Just like this tall building, we also have far-reaching ambitions and look forward to deepening cooperation with more partners to play a positive role in the development of the Greater Bay Area and the mutual development of the Chinese and world economies." The Qianhai building will house securities and financing services, wealth management, as well as private and commercial banking. Back office support will also be on site. Last week, authorities from Hong Kong and the mainland unveiled a number of measures to support and enhance cross-border connectivity. These included a 100 billion yuan trade-finance facility and upgrades to the Bond Connect scheme. In addition, they said, it would soon be easier for Hongkongers to remotely open bank accounts on the mainland. "All the connect schemes are the foundation," said David Liao, HSBC's co-CEO for Asia and the Middle East. "As more products are introduced, there's a chance for an integrated platform to facilitate cross-border flows." Offshore yuan liquidity will be important to realise more investment and fundraising channels, he said. DENVER (KDVR) The city of Denver is preparing for what some have said could be mass deportations of undocumented immigrants. Now, federal prosecutors say they will investigate anyone who stands in the way of beefed-up enforcement of immigration laws. State lawmakers talk immigration as congressional members ask Polis to change state law Mayor Mike Johnston said in a statement among other things, Denver will cooperate with Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents in cases of violent criminals. The city will also notify ICE of a pending release if the federal agency requests that notification. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The whole state is bound by our state law in this, which is pretty consistent in some of these practices like everywhere in the state, we dont honor ICE detainers, Johnston told FOX31s Kasia Kerridge on Wednesday. If ICE calls and says, Will you hold someone for three more days? That doesnt happen in Douglas County or Yuma or in Denver. A lot of these practices are similar statewide, but we think ours finds a common-sense balance of making sure were not having our local police doing federal law enforcement, thats not our job, were not going to do ICEs job for them. But, if they call for information on folks we have in custody, well let them know when were releasing them. But the mayor said Denver will protect schools, hospitals and churches. Johnston also said Denver police will not perform ICE actions. The city of Aurora said it will work with federal partners and follow federal laws. Aurora Councilmember Danielle Jurinsky said city officials should not stand in the way of new immigration efforts. She was vocally in support of Trumps Operation Aurora after it was announced in late 2024. I think it sends a very clear message. Theres no gray area there. If you are going to take physical action to try and hinder the Federal operation you will be arrested there is no gray area there, Jurinsky said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Jeanette Vizguerra, who took sanctuary as an undocumented immigrant in Denver, says fear is running deep in the community. Vizguerra said hardworking immigrants should be given permission to stay, but thats not the case for criminals. I dont support these people. This is the consequence of these people. Deport them, Vizguerra said. School districts address possible ICE actions after new immigration crackdown begins We think our values are not going to change. We think we want to be both a welcoming city, and a city that serves all of our residents, Denvers mayor told Kerridge said. Were not going to be bullied or blackmailed into changing our policies but we think our policies serve everyone well right now. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We dont ask your status if we stop you for running a red light, but also if we have someone in custody that ICE is looking for they could reach out to us and we can release them to them when they get released from our jails, Johnston said. The ACLU of Colorado has previously said the practice of local law enforcement holding an individual for purposes of a federal civil immigration detainer is illegal. The group sent a letter to Colorado law enforcement agencies in December warning against overreach in federal civil immigration enforcement. The ACLU did not talk about criminal detainers. In plain terms, that means that without a warrant signed by a judge, your officers have no authority to arrest or detain anyone for federal civil immigration purposes. You cannot rely on an ICE form to deprive individuals in Colorado of their liberty. Likewise, if someone is eligible for release from your custody, it is illegal to continue to hold that person to facilitate an ICE pick-up. We ask for your public commitment to uphold your oath of office, abide by state law, and refuse to comply with any such ICE requests, the ACLU told law enforcement. There have been no major reports of any ICE raids in the Denver area in 2025. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Metro Denver Sanctuary Coalition is planning a rally this Saturday in Aurora, according to Vizguerra. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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) More chilly weather is in Denvers weather forecast for Thursday, ahead of a seasonal Friday and more snow chances this weekend. Weather tonight: Cold night Wednesday night will be partly cloudy and cold. Low temperatures will fall to the single digits, which is about 10 degrees colder than normal for this time of year. FOX31 Weather: View the latest Denver forecasts, maps and radar Weather tomorrow: Mainly sunny, cold Thursday will be mainly sunny and cold. High temperatures will struggle to hit freezing and stay nearly 15 degrees colder than average. Looking ahead: Seasonal end to the week, weekend snow Friday, sunshine will aid in boosting high temperatures up to more seasonal levels in the mid-40s but dont get used to these milder temperatures. Friday night, snow showers will start in the mountains, then move west from the foothills into the Denver metro. Snow showers will continue Saturday, before wrapping up Sunday morning. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Snowfall totals will be light, 1-3 inches in the metro and slightly more in the foothills and other higher elevations. Temperatures will only reach a high in the 20s, so roads will likely be slick from fresh snow and below-freezing temperatures. FOX31 Newsletters: Sign up for weather alerts from the Pinpoint Weather team Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Snow showers will end on Sunday, followed by afternoon sunshine. Temperatures will stay cold, only reaching a high in the 20s. The workweek will start with sunshine and more seasonal temperatures climbing into the 40s on Monday, Tuesday and 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 FOX31 Denver. Russia will have to determine what U.S. President Donald Trump means by "deal" before entering into negotiations to end the full-scale war in Ukraine, Russia's Deputy U.N. Ambassador Dmitry Polyanskiy said on Jan. 22. Polyanskiy's remarks come shortly after Trump threatened to impose economic penalties on Russia if the country does not "make a deal" to end the war. "If a deal is not reached, I will have no other choice but to put high levels of taxes, tariffs, and sanctions on anything being sold by Russia to the United States and other participating countries," he posted on his social media platform Truth Social earlier on Jan. 22. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "We can do it the easy way or the hard way." In response, Polyanskiy said Moscow would have to determine what Trump's aims are before it enters any agreements. "It's not merely the question of ending the war," Polyanskiy told Reuters. "It's first and foremost the question of addressing root causes of Ukrainian crisis. So we have to see what does the 'deal' mean in President Trump's understanding." Trump has the opportunity to end Washington's current "malicious policy" against Russia, he added. Trump has yet to present a detailed plan for peace in Ukraine, despite campaigning on promises to put a swift end to the conflict. While he frequently references his good relationship with Russian President Vladimir Putin, his comments on Moscow in recent days have taken a somewhat harder line. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When asked on Jan. 21 if he would impose additional sanctions if Putin refuses to negotiate, Trump replied, "Sounds likely." His team is reportedly devising a sanctions strategy to pressure Russia to the negotiating table. Russia has thus far dismissed any reported peace proposals from the Trump administration and maintained its ambitions to fully occupy four Ukrainian regions Luhansk, Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson. Trump has said that arrangements for a face-to-face meeting with Putin are currently underway. Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. The deportation of the suspect in Wednesday's deadly stabbing in the southern German city of Aschaffenburg failed due to a missed deadline, Bavarian Interior Minister Joachim Herrmann has said. Hermann said Germany's Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF) rejected the Afghan national's application for asylum in June 2023 and ordered him to be deported to Bulgaria under EU migration rules. However, "due to whatever errors and problems", immigration authorities in the southern state of Bavaria were only alerted of the pending deportation on July 26, just six days before the deadline for its execution expired. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Such a return cannot be organized within six days - especially if it comes completely unprepared," said Herrmann. After the deadline was missed, the 28-year-old suspect was left alone until he told authorities in December 2024 that he wanted to return to Afghanistan. However, he was unable to travel home as he did not receive necessary documents from the Afghan consulate, Herrmann said. The minister also added that deporting the man to Afghanistan would have been a challenge. Germany does not have diplomatic relations with the Taliban regime, but it did organize one deportation flight to Kabul in 2024. Milwaukee-area immigrant rights advocates and city officials are urging families with undocumented members to be prepared for the possibility of deportation. At a Wednesday gathering, they addressed concerns that have rapidly risen following the inauguration of President Donald Trump. They asked people to get their information from trustworthy sources, and ignore rumors and word-of-mouth fears traveling through some neighborhoods. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Local group Forward Latino has created a "family planning toolkit" with key tips, which is available for download in English and Spanish at forwardlatino.org. Here are some things impacted families should do. More: Milwaukee immigration advocates stress need to know rights as first Trump orders roll out Connect with an immigration attorney Establish a relationship now with an licensed attorney trained in immigration law, not just a notary public, said Darryl Morin, president of Forward Latino. People should take time to understand their legal rights, and always carry their attorney's phone number. Organize your documents, carry copies with you Those with legal immigration status should carry documents that prove their status, such as their visas or work permits. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Those without legal status should gather together all identification documents and immigration-related paperwork. Keep copies in a safe place at your home, and give copies to your attorney. Milwaukee residents with no other form of photo ID who are unable to obtain a drivers license may consider getting a municipal ID at the License Division at City Hall, said Ald. JoCasta Zamarripa. It's important to know that ID information could be released publicly as part of an open records request or subpoena. Also, residents can obtain certified copies of birth certificates and other vital records, such as marriage, divorce and death certificates, from the Milwaukee County Register of Deeds office. Those documents should also be carried with residents at all times, said register Israel Ramon, and copies should be kept with trusted people. "Everyone that lives in this county, whether they have documented status or not, is welcome in my office," Ramon said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement More: 'Playing defense': Activists organize workshops to support DACA recipients, immigrants in Milwaukee Designate power of attorney An immigration lawyer can help create a power of attorney document that will allow a trusted person to act on an immigrant's behalf if they are detained or deported. Make sure the document includes detailed instructions on who will take care of children and what will happen to finances, property and other assets. Avoid even minor criminal offenses In certain communities, even a traffic stop could lead to an undocumented immigrant being detained and possibly deported. Still, advocates urged people in the city of Milwaukee not to fear calling 911 for emergencies such as crimes or fires. The Milwaukee Police Department and Milwaukee County Sheriff's Office share information with federal immigration officers only when the person is suspected of terrorism, gang activity or violent felonies, and not in cases of less serious crimes. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement More: Is Milwaukee a sanctuary city? Not quite, but it's one of Wisconsin's closest examples What to know if detained Forward Latino encouraged people to call their immigration attorney immediately if detained, and reminded them they have the right to remain silent. They also may say they do not consent to being searched. People should also avoid signing documents without their attorney present, officials from the American Civil Liberties Union of Wisconsin said, as they may unknowingly waive their right to stay in the U.S. People should remember or write down their A-number, or immigration number, and share it with their attorney and family, as it will help in locating them at a detention facility. Relatives could go to locator.ice.gov/odls/#/search or call 888-351-4024 to find their location. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The ACLU of Wisconsin has detailed tips on what to do if detained in a variety of situations, as well as Spanish-language videos on the topic, at aclu-wi.org/en/know-your-rights/immigrants-rights. Sophie Carson is a general assignment reporter who reports on religion and faith, immigrants and refugees and more. Contact her at scarson@gannett.com or 920-323-5758. This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: 5 tips for immigrant families with loved ones who might be detained (COLORADO SPRINGS) Thousands of people across Colorado are nervous as the largest deportation in our countrys history is expected to impact more than 162,000 people. Its unclear how many of those 162,000 people live in Pueblo and Colorado Springs, but according to the El Paso County Sheriffs Office (EPSO), since December 2022, more than 40,000 immigrants have arrived in Denver alone, costing Colorado taxpayers roughly $340 million. A lot of people are scared that just because they dont have documents or anything, that they will get denied and theyll be homeless on the street, said an apartment manager. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement An apartment complex in Colorado Springs said over 30% of their tenants are not documented. We lease out pretty quickly just because of that reason. People were like, Oh, I dont have papers, is that an issue? No, its not [an issue]. As long as you have a valid I.D. and we screen you and nothing comes out on your criminal record, youre fine, added the apartment manager. A restaurant owner in Colorado Springs is also now worried for the future of her business. I am afraid of everything that is happening right now, with all the surprise raids that have been going on. And now that Im opening my second business I am even more fearful because this affects my financial situation. Im not sure what will happen but this already affected me, said Elva Aleman, a local business owner. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement McDivitt Law Firm said once the deportations start, its likely the courts will get involved. Many times the executive orders are challenged based on their constitutionality. Some stand up to that scrutiny, some do not. So, it is going to be a long, protracted legal process to get to a point where we know with certainty that these will be the laws of the land, said David McDivitt. The El Paso County Sherriff Joe Roybal said he intended to work with all federal partners including ICE. Meanwhile, the Colorado Springs Police Chief said his department is going to focus on crime and leave any deportations to ICE. There is no legal requirement for us at this point in time. Right now, the legal standard is what it was two weeks ago or three months ago. And we will comply, as we always have. Until there is a legal requirement for law enforcement, we will maintain our stance, our policies on that, and that is an immigration issue, it is not a local law enforcement issue, said Colorado Springs Police Chief Adrian Vasquez. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Still, many are waiting for answers. This has also affected me emotionally because many people who come to this nation migrate from other countries, and I have friends and family who I have made connections with that could be affected by these changes, said Aleman. The Colorado Migrant Rights Coalition is taking action ahead of the planned deportation. They are holding sessions across the state to allow migrants to learn about their rights. On Jan. 24, the Teller County Sheriffs Office is holding a press conference to explain how they will address the mass deportation. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. ORION TOWNSHIP, Mich. (WOOD) A caseworker for a company that aids refugees was allegedly stabbed multiple times by a refugee in Oakland County, deputies say. The stabbing happened in Orion Township, according to the Oakland County Sheriffs Office. Authorities say the caseworker suffered very serious multiple stab wounds and was in surgery Wednesday evening. As of Thursday morning, the sheriffs office has not released an update on the mans condition. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Deputies say the suspect described as a refugee from Afghanistan fled in his vehicle after the stabbing. He was taken into custody, according to the sheriffs office. Investigators do not believe that anyone else was involved or that the public is in danger. A study funded by the National Institute of Justice, which is part of the U.S. Department of Justice, found that immigrants had lower offending rates than U.S.-born citizens. The study analyzed data from the Texas Department of Public Safety and found that from 2012 to 2018, U.S.-born citizens were arrested at higher rates than immigrants including those with legal status and those who were in the country illegally. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. 37,094 people played the daily Crossword recently. Can you solve it faster than others? 37,094 people played the daily Crossword recently. Can you solve it faster than others? Jamie Dimon highlighted JPMorgan Chase's diversity, equity, and inclusivity commitments. Win McNamee/Getty Jamie Dimon reaffirmed JPMorgan's DEI commitments after pressure from an activist shareholder. One group wants JPMorgan to revisit how compensation is tied to the company's racial-equity goal. Donald Trump signed an executive order on Monday ending DEI programs in the federal government. Jamie Dimon is doubling down on JPMorgan's diversity, equity, and inclusion commitments amid pressure from an activist shareholder. In an interview with CNBC at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, the JPMorgan CEO said the bank was continuing to push ahead with its DEI work and environmental, social, and governance policies. "Bring them on," Dimon said about activist efforts. "We are going to continue to reach out to the Black community, the Hispanic community, the LGBT community, the veterans community." Dimon is known for working on both sides of the political aisle. In 2020, JPMorgan announced a $30 billion program aimed at working on racial equity in personal finance, a move that came as other financial institutions made significant commitments to similar causes. JPMorgan's program included mortgage refinancing and working with historically Black colleges and universities. Dimon's comments at Davos came after the National Legal and Policy Center, a conservative nonprofit, proposed this month that JPMorgan revisit how executive compensation is tied to the company's racial-equity goal. JPMorgan started an "accountability framework" in 2020 to assess executives' progress toward DEI goals, which affects compensation. The firm doesn't publicly break out what proportion of executive pay, including for Dimon, is tied to DEI work. JPMorgan declined to comment on the shareholder proposal. "I don't understand why these Wall Street banks are zigging when the rest of Corporate America is zagging on DEI," Paul Chesser, the director of corporate integrity at NLPC, said in a statement to Business Insider. "Both CEOs, David Solomon and Jamie Dimon, should be smart enough to understand that you don't need DEI quotas to achieve fairness and equality in things like hiring and promotion," Chesser said. NLPC has sent shareholder proposals focused on climate, China, and other issues to major companies in recent years. In a different interview with CNBC on Wednesday, David Solomon, the CEO of Goldman Sachs, said that he'd seen news of shareholder proposals but that he hadn't yet looked at any of them. "We're advising our clients to think about these things," Solomon said. "They think about decarbonization, they think about climate transition. They think about their businesses, how they find talent, the diversity of the talent they find all over the world." GREENVILLE COUNTY, S.C. (WSPA) An armed robbery suspect was shot and killed Thursday afternoon by deputies at a Greenville County motel. According to the Greenville County Sheriffs Office, the shooting took place at the Greenville Inn & Suites on S. Pleasantburg Drive at around 2:40 p.m. Sheriff Hobart Lewis said deputies were looking for a Pickens County armed robbery suspect. Pickens County deputies confirmed the suspect was involved in an armed robbery that occurred at a Shell Station at Old Easley Bridge Road at around 9:30 a.m. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Upon locating the suspect and car in the motel parking lot, deputies approached the vehicle. Officials said the suspect then got out of the car, armed with a gun. A shooting then took place. The suspect was taken to the Greenville Memorial Hospital, where he died a short time later. The Greenville County Coroners Office identified the suspect as Sean Michael Scates, 45, of Mauldin. The coroner said Scates cause of death was multiple gunshot wounds, and the manner of death is homicide. Officials said no one else was injured in the shooting, Lewis said that six deputies were placed on administrative leave. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Both South Carolina Law Enforcement Division and Greenville County Sheriffs Office are investigating the shooting. The shooting occurred at a hotel in Greenville Inn & Suites. Details are limited 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 WSPA 7NEWS. TALLAHASSEE For the last six years, Gov. Ron DeSantis has been used to getting his way with the state Legislature, at times slashing the priorities of Republican leaders and calling them back to Tallahassee to pass bills that boost his political profile. No more. DeSantis now finds himself in a place hes never been before: in a standoff with the states Republican House speaker and Senate president over his call for a special legislative session next week to change laws on immigration, voting and condominiums. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement So far, DeSantis appears to be losing. Hes taken to publicly shaming GOP lawmakers on X and on Fox News, accusing them of hypocrisy by not supporting President Donald Trumps immigration agenda. On Tuesday, he sent a plea through the Republican Party of Floridas email list asking voters to call their local lawmakers. On Thursday, DeSantis held a news conference in Jacksonville to pressure lawmakers to act on immigration. Mondays special session is a great opportunity for the members of the Florida Legislature to basically put their money where their mouth is, DeSantis said. Two years ago, some were crowning DeSantis as Trumps replacement in Republican politics. Now, in the final two years in office after badly losing to Trump in the presidential primary, his style and influence may be wearing thin. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Flailing guy losing relevance, said Sen. Randy Fine, R-Melbourne Beach, one of the Legislatures most fervent immigration hawks and one of the few Republicans in the chamber to publicly clash with DeSantis. Its just theater. None of this is real, Fine said of DeSantis. State lawmakers can pass the measures when they meet for their annual 60-day legislative session on March 5. But DeSantis has made a habit of calling them back to Tallahassee for two- or three-day special sessions to pass some of his legislative agenda ahead of time. Past governors have used that power sparingly, typically for emergencies. DeSantis has called them back eight times since 2021, including twice to address the property insurance crisis. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Other special sessions have stretched the definition of an emergency, however. A month before the 2023 session, he called them back to continue his fight with the Walt Disney Co. Later that year, he called them back to show support for Israel. Earlier this month, he surprised lawmakers by announcing he wanted them back in Tallahassee to help Trumps immigration agenda and to address condominium relief, hurricane response and reforms to the citizen initiative process to amend the state Constitution. The House speaker Daniel Perez, R-Miami, and Senate President Ben Albritton, R-Wauchula, quickly refused. Although they said they strongly supported Trumps agenda, they said it was completely irresponsible to rush to deal with complicated issues. There are ample funds already to help with disaster response, they wrote. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement They noted that DeSantis didnt propose any actual bill language or even meaningful details to consider. They also said that the governors office only gave them a 15-minute heads-up before he announced the special session. (DeSantis' public calendar shows no phone calls or meetings with Albritton or Perez since October.) The result could be that lawmakers show up to Tallahassee Monday morning and promptly leave. The Legislatures pushback has harkened back to a time in which lawmakers more regularly exercised their power against the governor. Maybe the Legislature is going back to being the Legislature again, said Sen. Ed Hooper, R-Palm Harbor. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement DeSantis has since released more details but quietly pared back his agenda for the special session, focusing on some immigration proposals and changes to the states initiative petition laws. Among his requests is the ability to transport migrants living in the country illegally outside the United States, broadening a program that he used to fly migrants to Marthas Vineyard in 2022, and allowing the National Guard and Florida State Guard to assist in deportations. One of the ideas appointing a state immigration enforcement officer to work with the feds shouldnt require legislative action at all. But hes dropped some of his other proposals, including making it a crime for local police and elected officials to fail to fully cooperate with state and federal immigration directives. DeSantis' pressure campaign for the special session has extended to state agency officials. During legislative committee meetings last week, state officials appeared to have been given orders to talk about illegal immigration regardless of whether it related to their agency, leading to awkward exchanges between Republicans. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When Florida Lottery Secretary John Davis switched from talking about gaming security to eliminating in-state tuition for students who are living in the country illegally one of DeSantis' priorities for the special session Rep. Vicki Lopez, R-Miami, stopped him. Im surprised I have to remind anyone again, Lopez said, eyeing a row of DeSantis officials. I would like very much for you to stay on task. Just tell us what the lottery department does. DeSantis political team also hosted a call with county party officials on Thursday to talk about the governors special session plans next week, Republican Party of Florida Chairperson Evan Power confirmed in an interview Thursday. Based on conversations Power had with state lawmakers, he said hes certain that the Legislature will act on immigration but when and what they will do remains uncertain. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I think the issue is, they are waiting to see what the plan is, he said. I think timing is the question. Fine said he believes DeSantis' timing of the special session is the main reason why leaders are pushing back. Legislative committees were already scheduled to meet in Tallahassee in five of the six weeks leading up to the March 5 session. DeSantis chose to call this special session during the only week lawmakers wouldnt be in town, Fine noted. His staff is so incompetent they might not have known we wouldnt be there that week, he said. Times/Herald Tallahassee bureau reporters Romy Ellenbogen and Alexandra Glorioso contributed to this report. A look back at local, national and world events through Deseret News archives On Jan. 23, 1973, President Richard Nixon announced an accord had been reached to end the Vietnam War, and would be formally signed on Jan. 27 in Paris. Four days later, the U.S., South Vietnam, North Vietnam and Viet Cong signed the Paris Peace Accords, ending the American combat role in the war. Americas draft ended as well. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On Jan. 23, as the nation mourned the death of former President Lyndon B. Johnson, the Deseret News reported that Nixon would speak about the peace agreement that night on tevision. Here are the headlines in the Deseret News the next day: Longest U.S. war ends Saturday Utahns express relief, delight for Viet peace A torn U.S. greets peace Peace pact summarized Per United Press International reports, the United States direct military role in the Vietnam War came to an official end at 5:53 p.m. on March 29, 12 years, two months and 29 days after it began the longest war in American history: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement At that moment the last of a fleet of gleaming military transport planes left Saigons Tan Son airport with the final group of the 2,501 departing GIs. A squeaky public address system played a tape-recorded Star-Spangled Banner and a general spoke of peace with honor. They had waited until Hanois jails were emptied of the last 67 American prisoners of war known to be in North Vietnamese hands and the men were flown safely out. As the POWS boarded the planes in Hanoi, U.S. Navy Lt. John C. Ensch, 35, of Springfield, Illinois, summed up their feelings: Its real! Its real! By God, were leaving! Per history, the Vietnamese factions soon began to fight again. The war had cost 45,943 American lives, per news accounts of the day, including those of 358 Utahns. Its effects lingered on as the fate of more than 700 prisoners and missing military personnel was debated. In this Jan. 23, 1973, file photo, North Vietnam delegate Le Duc Tho, left, and U.S. presidential adviser Henry Kissinger shake hands after their meeting where the Peace agreement was initialed at the International Conference Center in Paris, France. | Michel Lipchitz, Associated Press Here are some articles from Deseret News archives about the war and its impact and legacies: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Opinion: Legacies and lessons 50 years after the Vietnam War U.S. relations with Vietnam chronology Vietnam veteran reunited with refugee family in Utah after 40 years Deseret News archives: End of Vietnam War didnt end conflict, or news coverage In Vietnam, bombing memories are still painful after 25 years The lessons of Vietnam For a year, a Wisconsin law has required Milwaukee Public Schools to ensure 25 police officers are "present" during school hours. The school district has not yet met the requirements of Wisconsin Act 12, prompting a larger debate about the effects of school police, as well MPS' day-to-day reliance on the Milwaukee Police Department. The Journal Sentinel analyzed data on police calls from MPS-associated addresses from September 2013 through July 2024. The data showed MPS-associated addresses drive about 3,700 calls to police per school year between 6 a.m. and 10 p.m., when kids could be on campus. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement MPS cut ties with the Milwaukee Police Department in summer 2020 after the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis. That was after years of local activists calling out concerns about over-criminalization of MPS students. As advocates against police presence in Milwaukee schools continue to speak out at school board meetings, the district faces pressure to comply with the state law it had no say in writing. Here's what to know about why people say police should or should not be in MPS. Data shows wide variety of reasons why police are called to MPS schools In the 11 school years of data analyzed, 33% of all police calls tied to MPS addresses related to a broad category: "trouble" with a juvenile, family or subject. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Another 14% of calls related to fighting or battery, and about 13% to people in crises: people needing "mental observation" or who could be "emotionally disturbed," welfare checks and missing people, child abuse, neglect and custody issues, suicide attempts and overdoses. In some cases, police use MPS school addresses as "markers" for nearby incidents requiring a police response. But it would be impossible to separate those calls out, MPD said, without reviewing the thousands of calls separately. The Journal Sentinel reviewed about two dozen police incident reports related to "trouble with juvenile" calls that took place in the 2023-24 school year. Those documents describe police who are called to schools for battery, disorderly conduct and possession of marijuana, weapons at school and child pornography images on kids' phones. Documents show police have been called to MPS schools for behavior of kids as young as 9 and 12 years old. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In the police reports reviewed by the Journal Sentinel, it was school safety staff who responded in real-time to incidents like fights. Police arrived later to interview subjects and potentially make arrests, citations or referrals to the Vel Philips Youth & Family Justice Center, records show. MPS employs about 230 security staff for the district of nearly 67,000 students. Call volume speaks to district's reliance on police to manage student behavior, advocates against SROs say Technically, school police are supposed to remain uninvolved in school discipline and simply enforce the law. But those lines can be blurry leading to issues about how kids' behavior is interpreted, and fears that police presence will only make the problem worse by sending more kids into the criminal justice system. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The history of youth-led activism against the placement of police in Milwaukee schools is long. One central theme in activists' concerns is that schools are already under-staffed, and law enforcement are too often used to respond to student behavior issues that could be better managed by school staff. Research has shown students of color and students with disabilities are more likely to experience arrests, suspensions and other forms of discipline when police are present in schools. In 2018, investigators with the U.S. Department of Education determined that Black students in MPS were being disciplined more often, and more harshly than their peers for the same behaviors. That was true for "several categories of misconduct that are subjective in nature, including chronic disruption or violation of school rules and disorderly conduct," the investigation found. In fall 2013, MPS stopped stationing police in particular schools and transitioned to "mobile" police units amid concerns about increasing arrests and use of police to discipline kids. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The nonprofit Leaders Igniting Transformation has advocated for years to keep police out of MPS schools. One of its organizers, Amber West, said she's concerned young kids are being treated as much older than they are, often as the result of racist stereotypes about Black boys and girls. "They don't see babies as babies anymore," West said. Instead of police, she and other advocates want to see money spent on school staffing that could help address kids' needs and prevent behavior issues. We should evaluate what systems exist that arent the police, and it feels like they refuse to do that," West said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement More: Here's a timeline of police in Milwaukee Public Schools, from 2005 to 2025 Others argue police are needed to respond to issues in MPS schools Advocates for school police say MPS' call volume indicates a need to station officers inside schools. That approach would help police respond more quickly to incidents as they occur, as well as ensure police working with kids know them personally. The state law requiring police in MPS which does not apply to other Wisconsin districts requires school resource officers to take 40 hours of training from the National Association of School Resource Officers. The training includes topics like adolescent development, using trauma-informed practices, working with "diverse" students and people with disabilities. Youre going to have police on campus," said Mac Hardy, NASROs director of operations. "Lets have a properly selected police officer that is trained to work in that school environment and to be part of that school safety team. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Alex Ayala, president of the Milwaukee Police Association union, which represents rank-and-file members of the department, said the presence of school resource officers was unlikely to reduce the number of calls. But the union has still been in support of school resource officers. Ayala said police are already short-staffed, and a school police program would help police better respond to school incidents. What our goal is, is to minimize the impact on districts that are already short on staffing, Ayala said. MPS is over a year behind Act 12s requirements. Its unclear what happens next MPS is more than a year past the Jan. 1, 2024 deadline to comply with Act 12. The state law does not detail what penalties, if any, MPS could face if it does not meet its requirements. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement An analyst at the states Legislative Reference Bureau previously told the Journal Sentinel the most likely penalty was someone could sue for noncompliance. Thats exactly what happened in October, when the Wisconsin Institute for Law and Liberty filed a lawsuit on behalf of parent Charlene Abughrin against the school board over its noncompliance. Not all view the law as having consequences for the district. State Rep. Ryan Clancy, D-Milwaukee, called Act 12 a "bucket list for what Republicans across the state hate about Milwaukee and urged the school board to disregard its implementation. "Act 12 was written, and this provision was written, in a way that you can, and should, ignore," Clancy said at a school board meeting last fall. "There are no teeth. There are no specific timelines, and there is no funding." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Cleo Krejci covers K-12 education and workforce development as a Report For America corps member based at the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Contact her at CKrejci@gannett.com or follow her on Twitter @_CleoKrejci. For more information about Report for America, visit jsonline.com/rfa. David Clarey is a public safety reporter at the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. He can be reached at dclarey@gannett.com. This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Here are arguments for, against police in Milwaukee Public Schools Michelle West waited 32 years. Convicted in 1994 of nonviolent drug offenses, she was ordered to federal prison for two life sentences, plus an additional 50 years. On Sunday, former President Joe Biden commuted her sentence, meaning she will walk away from a low-security correctional facility in Danbury, Connecticut, this week as a free woman. Kemba Smith Pradia waited 24 years. She had been out of federal prison since 2000, after former President Bill Clinton commuted her 294-month sentence. But it took another 24 years, until Bidens final full day in office, for her federal drug conviction to be cleared from her permanent record. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In one of his last acts as president, Biden made history by granting a series of commutations that set a record for a single term. These decisions impacted more than 2,500 people mostly Black and brown who had filed clemency petitions during Bidens term and those of his predecessors over the past 30 years. America is a country built on the promise of second chances, Biden said in his final press release, issued the same day that President Donald Trump took office for a second term and coinciding with the federal holiday honoring Martin Luther King Jr. But those second chances, provided through the clemency process, dont happen overnight. Its an executive power that only presidents, governors and some state parole boards have the power to issue, but rarely exercise. Those elected officials are also better known to reserve granting clemency petitions en masse at the end of their term or during the holidays a move multiple legal, civil rights, and social justice advocates said should be exercised more often. As happy as we are for Michelle, our work continues, said Andrea James, executive director of the National Council for Incarcerated and Formerly Incarcerated Women and Girls, a sentencing reform group. It should not take 10 plus years of advocacy to bring a single woman home. Dr. Julius Garvey stands next to a poster of his father, Marcus Garvey, at the Marcus Garvey Centennial Exhibition in Baltimore in 1974. (Afro American Newspapers/Gado/Getty Images) Granting more than 10,000 clemency applications, fulfills a key campaign promise Biden made to federal lawmakers, civil rights, and social justice advocates to address the criticism of the 1994 crime bill that included sentencing guidelines of mandatory minimum sentences based on the type and quantity of the illegal controlled substance. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Among the most notable of Bidens clemency actions was the posthumous pardon of Jamaican-born civil and human rights revolutionary Marcus Garvey on his century-old mail fraud conviction. Ferrone Claiborne and Terence Jerome Richardson were granted clemency this week. Richardson and Claiborne pleaded guilty in state court to charges connected to the April 1998 killing of a Sussex County, Virginia, police officer during a botched drug bust. Richardson was sentenced to 10 years in state prison, while Claiborne did not receive any jail time. The men accepted a plea agreement to avoid the possibility of the death penalty. Despite entering the plea, both men maintained their innocence. Following outcries from critics about the leniency of the mens sentences, federal prosecutors charged them with drug charges, and they were sentenced to life in prison based on the sentencing guidelines for the drugs involved in the officers killing. For those expected to get released from federal prison this week such as Claiborne, Richardson, and West the road to true redemption after their sentences were commuted is much longer, and more challenging than most realize, advocates said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Im very grateful that after 24 years I no longer have to worry about my past with applying for a job, getting insurance, going into a school system, [and] traveling outside of the country, Pradia, 53, told Capital B on Sunday. So I thank the president and his administration for this honor on this day to receive my pardon. Read More: Acquitted of Murder Decades Ago, Virginia Man Serving Life Fights for His Freedom When Pradia walked out of prison, she was 29. She had served 6 years of a 24-year sentence after pleading guilty to selling 255 kilograms of crack cocaine. She maintains her innocence and said she was arrested only because of her connection to her then-boyfriend, who was the subject of a federal drug investigation. Pradia met West before her release. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I look forward to being able to give her this necklace that she gave me when I walked out of federal prison, said Pradia as tears welled up in her eyes during a Zoom press call hosted by the NAACP Legal Defense Fund on Friday. She was the first person to actually tell me that I was gonna be released. Bidens action has also been seen as a tremendous step to help correct the historic injustice of girlfriend crimes by pardoning Pradia, and commuting Wests life sentence, said Janai Nelson, president of the NAACPs Legal Defense Fund, in a statement. Girlfriend crimes, which ensnare women in the criminal legal system as a result of their romantic associations, have subjected Black women to some of the criminal legal systems harshest penalties, often for little more than being in troubled relationships with coercive partners, Nelson said. After clemency, many face collateral consequences Claiborne, Pradia, Richardson, and West have been part of what sentencing reform advocates say has been an increase in the mass incarceration of Black and brown parents, relatives, neighbors, and co-workers across the country. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Nearly 2 million people, mostly Black, are incarcerated in prisons or jails. Compare this to the figures of the early 1970s when this count was 360,000, according to a report released last year. Today, more than half of the federal prison population consists of people sentenced for drug-related crimes, this months Sentencing Project report revealed. Shortly after her release in December 2000, Pradia launched the Kemba Smith Foundation. I made a commitment that I was going to be true to myself and true to those that I left behind in prison, Pradia said, who along with the LDF, the NAACP, the National Council, and Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc., have been advocating for clemency for West as well as other women incarcerated as a result of domestic violence. In 2019, the womens arrest rate was 63% higher for violent crimes and 317% higher for drug crimes than in 1980, according to a report by the Council on Criminal Justice. Read More: Your Permanent Record Really Stays With You Unless Clean Slate Legislation Passes Amanda Bashi, Wests attorney, said her client has been fighting for clemency for three decades. West will be released sometime this week, just like Claiborne and Richardson, their attorneys said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Bashi alluded to the thousands of clemency applications that are submitted to the president and the nations governors each year. The Justice Departments Office of the Pardon Attorney received 1,532 pardon and 12,401 commutation petitions under Bidens administration. Every name on a list is a life, a whole life. Its a life with a family, with a community, and with a story, said Bashi on the press call while attempting to fight back tears. As the stories behind Bidens commutations and pardons make headlines, this sweeping action has highlighted the legal complexities of the clemency process. While Bidens commutations bring rare legal victories, and offer hope to those like Claiborne, Richardson, and West who have been separated from their families and society for decades their struggles are far from over. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Although those who receive clemency have their sentences commuted, their convictions remain part of their permanent record. That can make it difficult to rebuild their lives to find employment, housing, and everyday essentials without support from family, friends, and community resources. Sentencing reform advocates call such hurdles collateral consequences following a conviction. This is why Jarrett Adams, an appellate attorney for Richardson and Claiborne known locally as the Waverly Two says he will continue to pursue their 27-year-old federal appellate case. He aims to prove that they were wrongfully convicted. Until those hearings are completed with a judge overturning a conviction, the petitioner who received a commutation still has a felony conviction on the books and are disqualified from being added to the National Registry of Exonerations database, wrote Maurice Possley, senior researcher for the organization, in an email to Capital B. Glenn Youngkin, Virginias Republican governor, sharply criticized Biden for commuting the pairs sentence, calling it a grave injustice. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Bidens final clemency actions included 2,502 commutations and 65 pardons. Mirroring the end of Trumps first term, Biden upped the ante by dishing out controversial preemptive pardons to family members and others facing potential retaliatory prosecutions during Trumps second presidency. Bidens preemptive pardons on Monday gave Emanuel Williams pause. Williams, a defense attorney with the Legal Rights Center in Minnesota, said the move exposed the double-edged sword that clemency presents if it is in the wrong hands. Williams, 26, successfully argued a clemency application before the states Board of Pardons while studying for the bar exam. I then started to kind of feel the eeriness of the situation at hand that was presented with these pardons and commutations, Williams said, adding, Knowing that commutations or pardons in four years will likely be very different. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On his first day in office, Trump exercised his clemency powers. He pardoned close to 1,500 of the 1,583 people arrested for the Jan. 6 insurrection, releasing hundreds from federal prison, and bypassing the usual process that relies on a recommendation from the Office of the Pardon Attorney. He also commuted sentences for 14 members of white nationalist hate groups, including the Proud Boys and Oath Keepers, who were largely responsible for the violent acts during the U.S. Capitol riot. Clemency can be used as a powerful tool to right some of the ways that the 94 crime bill has created larger sentencing disparities between Black and brown bodies with their Caucasian counterparts and at the same time it can be used to commute sentences for those who have personally attacked Black and brown bodies, Williams said. He added: Always having that kind of information in the back of my mind can create a bittersweet moment whenever presidents have these mass commutations and pardons at the end of their presidency. The post Despite Pardons, Many Formerly Incarcerated Black People Still Face Uncertainty appeared first on Capital B News. The autopsy on the Phoenix-based flight attendant killed during a Denver layover has revealed new details in the random stabbing spree case. The cause of death for Celinda Levno, 71, was "sharp force injuries," and the manner of death was a homicide, read a statement from the Office of the Medical Examiner for the City and County of Denver. Levno was taken by ambulance from the area of 16th and California Streets in downtown Denver on Jan. 11. The medical examiner's office was notified at 7:39 a.m. on Jan. 12 of Levno's death at the Denver Health Medical Center. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The medical examiner's office also disclosed they were notified of the death of Nicholas Burkett, 35, on the night of Jan. 12 at the same hospital where Levno was taken. Burkett's cause of death was from a "stab wound," and the manner of death was a homicide, according to the medical examiner's office. As of Jan. 13, Denver police said Elijah Caudill, 24, was jailed in connection to two fatal stabbings and two other stabbing attacks and was charged on suspicion of two counts of first-degree murder and two counts of attempted first-degree murder. Police also said there were two surviving stabbing victims, both men. According to police information, Caudill was found with a knife matching the suspect's description in the same area where Burkett was reportedly assaulted which was near where Levno was transported from. The attack was described as a random act by police who as of last week were investigating a potential motive. At the time, Denver Mayor Mike Johnston did not name the suspect but said he had a criminal history and had most recently been jailed in November 2024. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Levno was an American Airlines flight attendant on a layover when she died, according to an Association of Professional Flight Attendants (APFA) spokesperson. She had begun her flight attendant career more than three decades ago at America West before a merger with American Airlines, the APFA detailed. Leaving behind a husband and sister, Levno was a concert flutist and involved in the Arabian horse industry, according to a GoFundMe set up by a friend to help pay for funeral expenses. This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Cause of death confirmed for Phoenix flight attendant Celinda Levno KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WATE) Facebook groups have become a hotspot for scammers- targeting individuals emotions to solicit shares and money. A recent scam post was shared in a Monroe county Facebook group and was also spotted in a Maryville group- its making rounds in areas beyond east Tennessee as well. The scammers goal is to tug at an individuals heartstrings in order for them to be inclined to share the post and or send money. The Better Business Bureau (BBB) told us this is very common, especially in Facebook groups. Engine 107 departs Dollywood, exchanged for Hurricane Helene relief Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Thats thats the number one sign. If you see it in a group, not just an individual post, because they want to get the people in that group to share and share and reshare this and get it out there fast. Its just an easy way to do it. It doesnt take much work and and thats why they use it, explained Tony Binkley The President and CEO of the Better Business Bureau of Greater East Tennessee. The first thing you should do is take a closer look at the profile of the poster. If its in a group, find the persons profile that posted it, and click on their profile page to investigate. See how many friends do they have? Whats their activity level? Is this the first post theyve ever made? Because in a lot of cases it is. Sometimes what theyll do is theyll get this post and pulling out the heart strings, trying to get people to give money, and then they might change the entire post later on to something completely different after its been shared out there amongst all the people in the group, Binkley added. Its also very important to analyze how the post is worded and spelled. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement They may use the word kindly a lot or commonly reply with things that typically people in our country or in our area of the country dont use. So look at the dialect. Look at if theres any misspelled words or bad grammar, said Binkley. The BBB emphasized do not believe everything or everyone you may interact with online. Its almost like we have to look at something and then determine if its true versus assuming its true and determine its false, because when you start giving your money away to try to help somebody and all youre doing is giving it to somebody thats just trying to rip you off, Binkley added. The Cocke County Sherriffs office even posted an alert on Facebook warning that false information was spread by a scammer in order to get shares on Wednesday. If you think you may have been scammed, you can reach out to the Better Business Bureau. They also have a scam tracker site 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 WATE 6 On Your Side. Jan. 22ORONOCO, Minn. No action was taken, but the two sides of a proposed development the city of Oronoo and the developers behind Gold Rush Crossings said their piece with the hopes of solving some issues that have kept the deal from moving forward. Discussion between the city and developers lasted more than two hours during Tuesday night's Oronoco City Council meeting. Joe Sutherland of Counselor Realty, who represents the property owners and investors who have worked for two years to make this 80-acre commercial development happen, said the developers have heard from the community, the Oronoco EDA and others that the deal has support. Now, he wants to hear it from the City Council before taking the next step. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Everybody else wants the project to go," said Sutherland. "We want to know soon if the City Council wants the project to go." Not so fast, said Oronoco's city attorney, Mike Flaherty. "You should not make any promises verbal or otherwise on this agreement tonight," Flaherty told the City Council. Flaherty said while developers have said they have worked on this project for two years, they haven't taken the step necessary for the city to formally get involved: a petition for orderly annexation. The property is not within Oronoco's city limits, but instead is within the boundaries of Oronoco Township. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In an email to the city, developers said if the city doesn't give them some assurances rezoning the portion of the property on the east side of Second Avenue Southeast from residential to commercial, promising to waive sewer and water hookup fees, the city agreeing to pay for upgrades to the road for access they will negotiate with the township for a development agreement instead. Flaherty said the email amounts to a threat to the city, which includes talk of a lawsuit against the city. Flaherty said step one is to apply for annexation, then the city can work on the details of a development deal which the city has yet to see from the Gold Rush Crossings developers and set up a public hearing about rezoning. But Logan Tjossem with Widseth, the Rochester-based engineering firm that represents the developers, said he has not moved forward because he is representing the interests of his client. "My client wants some sort of support from the city," Tjossem said. "Why you haven't heard from us is my client is trying to decide whether to work with city or township." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Mayor Ryland Eichhorst said that's a threat without teeth. With developers talking about retail businesses such as a truck stop, a grocery store and other major utility specifically water utility users, the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency is unlikely to permit septic systems and drain fields when the city's wastewater treatment system runs right past the development. And while Eichhorst and the rest of the city council did not make any motions or vote to formally offer the support or promises members of the development group asked for, Eichhorst said the developers have heard plenty from the city that should let them know that, yes, Oronoco sees the potential benefits of the commercial park. "I have yet to hear anybody that doesn't want to do it," Eichhorst said. "There's no question we need to move on it." Linda King, one of the development partners, has said she and her partners have lost millions waiting for the city to approve the development. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "We're not gonna play the gotcha game," said King. "We're not going to annex to the city unless we know what is going to happen." That, said Flaherty and city engineer Joe Palen, is not how these deals work. Developers take risks and spend money with no guarantee until a deal is worked out and finalized. And that starts in a case where the property is not in city limits with annexation. Council members Jim Phillips and Marie Reisdorfer talked about the importance from the city's viewpoint of getting input from neighbors. Phillips added that taking the process in the right order is important. That means annexation, a public hearing on rezoning and getting a detailed development agreement from the developers that can be read over, not just agreeing to a concept. Flaherty said the city need look no further than the Cedar Crest Pointe residential development sometimes called the Hamilton development where the city ultimately told the developers to go back to the drawing board. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Hamilton spent tens of thousands of dollars and got denied," Flaherty said. "That's the risk. They (Gold Rush Crossings) don't want to take any risk." Eichhorst pointed to a few moments during the back and forth between Palen and members of the development group as a positive sign. Palen pointed out to some members that the city has provided information to the developers' representatives but hasn't seen any response. Further, he agreed with Flaherty that all this is for naught without annexation coming first or at least done concurrently with rezoning. "I think it'll move forward. I'm very happy the other investors were here to hear things from us," Eichhorst said. "It's a terrific idea," Eichhorst said of the deal. He pointed to marketing studies and traffic studies developers said they have completed in support of the commercial park. "It seems like a natural for development outside Rochester on a very busy thoroughfare. I'm very encouraged by it." KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WATE) Knox County Commissioners voted in favor for the creation of a residential infrastructure development district in South Knoxville on Wednesday during a public hearing. The area in that development district stretches from Tipton Station Road to Stock Creek. Back in October of last year, 6 News reporter Don Dare covered on a zoning change from heavy industrial to residential for the property. The land was previously owned and operated on by Atlas Powder Company from the mid 1950s to 1971. The company manufactured explosives, plastics and other industrial chemicals. Proposed subdivision at former TNT storage site in South Knoxville approved Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement All but one commissioner voted for the proposed development district. Before the vote, area residents spoke out on a variety of items including wanting to see the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC) on the environmental impacts Atlas Powder had on the land. Residents also brought up the proposed roundabout for the Martin Mill Pike and Tipton Station Road intersection. One homeowner on Martin Mill Road told commissioners his house would be directly impacted. Theres going to be a roundabout going directly in front of my home, Jeremy St. James said. I probably sit 25-30 feet from the road on Martin Mill Pike, so Im right up on it. The infrastructure out there, a roundabout is not going to fix this by any means. Its just going to be a terrible mess. This statement is referring to a nearly 350-home proposed development on Tipton Station Road. The property at 2814 Tipton Station is roughly 155 acres and backs right up to Stock Creek. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Residents who live along Tipton Station like Victoria Kay were not pleased with how the vote Wednesday night turned out. East TN woman gets mixed messages on whether she owes $12k to Social Security Tonights vote was just so disappointing because they are allowing the rights of property owners who are coming in as developers who dont even own the property yet, whove made a residential district so that way the buyers into the property can be leveed an assessment to pay for road improvements that we didnt ask for, Kay said. Its going to take land from property owners who have lived there for 15 years. This stems from a new law passed in 2024 that allows cities or local governments to create development districts at the request of developers like D.R. Horton. They can then set a levy and apply it to each home built for 25 years. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Gov. Lee presents plan to strengthen immigration enforcement ahead of special session Ninth District Commissioner Andy Fox during the meeting for approval of a residential district and said the improvements that will be made will benefit the county. That will serve Knox County well and it will correct just an awful intersection, Fox said. The development is a done deal, Im trying to see what will best serve the citizens of South Knox County since they are having to put up with this extra housing density. There were some conditions laid out by commissioner Kim Frazier to help the nearby residents as best as possible prior to the vote being made. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement See more top stories on WATE.com Residents like Victoria Kay told 6 News that tonights vote was premature considering a vote on policies has yet to happen. A vote for those will be held on Monday 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. (Bloomberg) -- When President Donald Trump joined tech executives on Tuesday to tout a multibillion-dollar artificial intelligence project led in part by OpenAI, one question sprang to mind: Wheres Microsoft Corp.? Most Read from Bloomberg Despite investing almost $14 billion in OpenAI and using the startups AI models for its next-generation cloud services, Microsoft was mentioned only as a technology partner in a joint venture called Stargate launched by OpenAI, SoftBank Group Corp. and Oracle Corp. Then, in a blog post, the software giant said OpenAI could use rival cloud services to train and run its AI models with Microsofts permission, watering down an exclusivity contract. The flurry of announcements prompted renewed speculation that the Microsoft-OpenAI relationship has frayed somewhat, although each party currently has more to gain together than apart. One thing is clear: Over time, Microsoft has become less willing to spend even more money financing the computing power OpenAI requires to retain a lead in artificial intelligence. In 2023, Microsoft was close to a deal to invest tens of billions of additional dollars in OpenAI, according to people familiar with the situation. At the time, OpenAI Chief Executive Officer Sam Altman was talking to Microsoft about helping fund a massive expansion of AI infrastructure with investors in Asia and the Mideast, the people said. Any Microsoft investment would likely have furthered those ambitions. Then Altman was briefly fired, exposing instability at the heart of OpenAI. Altman was reinstalled as CEO, but the upheaval prompted Microsoft to abandon plans to invest more money, said one of the people, who requested anonymity to discuss private negotiations. Altmans infrastructure plans have since changed several times, but Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella had lost enthusiasm for contributing significant sums. The New York Times previously reported Microsofts planned investment in OpenAI. Microsoft did pump $750 million into OpenAIs most recent $6.6 billion funding round. But its refusal to make a larger commitment prompted Altman to look for other partners and to chafe against a contractual exclusivity provision that required OpenAI to get all of its cloud capacity from Microsoft through 2030. Diana Stanley is retiring in January after nearly 18 years as chief executive officer of The Lord's Place, a social services organization in West Palm Beach dedicated to assisting the homeless. Once she retires, Stanley, 65, will assume the leadership of a foundation whose aim will be to raise money to support the mission of The Lord's Place. A retirement and a continued push to help those in need. Those who know Stanley would expect no less. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Helping others has been Stanley's life's work. Even when she herself has been in great need of help. Especially when she's been in great need of help. As child, Diana Stanley drawn to 'loving all the ones who looked different' Lord's Place Chief Executive Office Diana Stanley (right) stands with Benny Dewer, a former client of The Lord's Place at the 2024 Ending Homelessness Breakfast on Nov. 21, 2024 in West Palm Beach, Florida. Stanley is retiring after nearly 20 years of leading the nonprofit. When Stanley was a 7-year-old girl growing up in Pittsburgh, she got a toy doll named "Little Miss No-Name." The toy-nostalgia website Toy Tales described the doll released by Hasbro in 1965 as "the antithesis of the impossibly glamorous Barbie." It was most certainly that. The doll had oversized, pleading eyes and a sad mouth. A large tear fell from its left eye. Her hair was flat and unstyled, and her dress appeared to be made from a burlap sack. Her hand was molded in a way that, when her arm was extended, she looked like she was begging. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "She doesnt have a pretty dress," the company's marketing stated. "She doesnt have any shoes. She doesnt even have a home. All she has is love." Little Miss No-Name touched something in young Diana. "My little doll and I went everywhere," she recalled. Perhaps it was because Little Miss No-Name wasn't glamorous and fashionable and perfect that young Diana loved her so much. That mindset a love of those who were down and needed help only grew as Diana grew. "I kept loving all the ones who looked different, felt different," she said. Bouts with illness strengthened Diana Stanley's urge to help others The Lord's Place CEO Diana Stanley smiles as co-founder and board member Jack Scarola says a prayer during a ribbon cutting for C Place, a 25-bed supportive housing campus for vulnerable individuals in West Palm Beach Friday September 16, 2022. The Lord's Place opened this new campus for single adults experiencing homelessness, former incarceration, behavioral health conditions, and other barriers to stability. At age 9, it was Diana who was different. She was diagnosed with a bone marrow disease. It wasn't life-threatening, but it was painful, forcing her to wear a cast for half a year, keeping her home from school and isolating her. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But the little girl with the sad doll didn't pout or ask why she got sick. She became the poster child, literally, for a Pittsburgh Children's Hospital fundraising drive that Stanley proudly recalls netted $2 million. A lot of real-life Little Miss No-Names would be helped with that money, and the course of Stanley's life was set. She moved to Syracuse, New York, married and became director of development for The Salvation Army. She raised money and worked with domestic violence survivors and their families. When her mother got older, the Stanleys moved to Fort Lauderdale to care for her. Stanley found work with The Lord's Place, a social services agency whose mission was outstripped by its resources and facilities. She and her team were in the process of addressing that challenge when the coronavirus pandemic struck, followed by a devastating diagnosis: breast cancer. It "caught me totally off guard," she said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Stanley would endure six months of chemotherapy and a double mastectomy. "I was very sick," she said. "I had a lot of complications from chemo." But as she did when she was 9, Stanley was somehow able to avoid asking God or the universe why it was she who had this terrible affliction. "I was never angry that I got it," she said. "I'm a big woman of faith." And that meant, again, using her pain to alleviate the pain of others. "It allows me to help other women who have breast cancer," she said. "I asked myself, 'What do I do with this? How can I use this?' " Chief Executive Officer of the Lord's Place Diana Stanley serves soup during the Palm Beach Empty Bowls 2018 event at Episcopal Church at Bethesda-by-the-Sea on Feb. 2, 2018, in Palm Beach. There was another "benefit" to the diagnosis. Stanley was forced to step back and let others pull a heavier load. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "At work, I was able to see my team grow because I could not be there 24/7," she said. "Good things always come. You just have to look for them." With the work of Stanley and team, The Lord's Place became one of those good things for Palm Beach County. It provides housing, employment, training, re-entry assistance for those who were incarcerated, community engagement services and advocacy. Stanley had long wanted there to be a place in the county where clients could get all of that help from one place. "We waited for a long time in this community for a one-stop shop," she said. "I kept thinking it was going to happen. We waited and waited. Finally, I said, 'Enough is enough. We're going to do it ourselves.' " Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In June 2023, the Lord's Place opened a new, 25,000-square foot building at 2808 N. Australian Avenue that fulfills the goal of providing clients with a single place where they can have many of their needs met. Stanley and her team raised more than $20 million from 208 donors to help pay for the new building, which is nearly triple the size of its previous one. The Fortin Foundation of Florida provided a kickoff gift of $4 million, and the facility was named the Fortin Family Campus in its honor. In the year before the new facility opened, The Lord's Place served more than 1,800 clients, helped more than 400 find housing and provided street outreach to nearly 800 more. The campus means even more people can get help. During The Lord's Place's 17th annual Ending Homelessness Breakfast, Stanley was honored for her work. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement She transformed this agency from a struggling nonprofit that could barely make payroll, an outdated programming center, and a couple of housing campuses into a highly recognized agency of $17 million in revenues annually," said Cornelia Thornburgh, chairperson of the nonprofit's board of directors. Stanley's service to The Lord's Place continues even as retirement looms Chief Executive Office Diana Stanley raises her arms in the air next to Palm Beach Mayor Danielle Hickox Moore, right, and Willy Williams, who cut the ribbon at The Lord's Place new 25,000-square-foot client service center at Fortin Family Campus celebrated with a ribbon cutting on Oct. 19, 2023, in West Palm Beach, Florida. The center opened and began serving clients in early June. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Stanley is spending much of her time now in Cary, North Carolina, where she and her husband will retire. She said she's looking forward to helping one of her daughters, who has two young children. And she will remain connected to The Lord's Place's mission through its foundation. "I look at it almost like a child," she said. "I helped raise this agency up. It will always be a part of my heart. It's ready for the next chapter." Wayne Washington is a journalist covering West Palm Beach, Riviera Beach and race relations for The Palm Beach Post. You can reach him at wwashington@pbpost.com. Help support our work; subscribe today. This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Homeless advocate Diana Stanley retires as CEO of The Lord's Place Diddy has filed a $50 million lawsuit claiming defamation against a man named Courtney Burgesswho claims to have sex tapes of the mogul with other celebrities. Sean Combs filed the legal document in New York on Wednesday (Jan. 22), stating that Burgess and his lawyer, Ariel Mitchell, held interviews falsely claiming that they possess videos depicting Combs sexually assaulting other unnamed celebrities and minors could potentially prevent him from receiving a fair trial in his sex trafficking case, per The Hollywood Reporter. Burgess and Mitchells repeated false and defamatory claims that Burgess possessed videos depicting Mr. Combs sexually assaulting celebrities, including minors, led federal prosecutors to subpoena him to a grand jury sitting in New York, New York, the complaint read. On the day he appeared before the grand jury, Burgess and Mitchell gave an interview on the courthouse steps, during which they acknowledged that U.S. Marshals had visited his residences to ensure compliance with the subpoena. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In the months since Diddys arrest, Burgess has notoriously claimed that he has information on Combs, Combs victims, and even Kim Porters unedited diary, which allegedly reveals secrets regarding the moguls multiple assaults. The outlet details one interview that featured an alleged still of Justin Bieber kissing an unidentifiable male, which Burgess asserts is legit. Sean Diddy Combs attends TimesTalks Presents: An Evening with Sean Diddy Combs at The New School on September 20, 2017 in New York City. Burgess gave another interview to NewsNation, whose parent company Nexstar is listed in the suit, and claimed that he a video that included eight other celebs engaging in sexual activity with the Bad Boy Records boss. Courtney stated that two or three minors were inebriated and were victims of sexual assault caught on camera with other more high profile people in Hollywood. Erica Wolff, one of Diddys lawyers, offered a statement regarding Combs suit against Courtney Burgess and Nexstar. Wolff claimed that the lawsuit was a stand against the malicious falsehoods from Burgess and Mitchell, fabricated and amplified by individuals seeking to profit at his expense. These defendants have willfully fabricated and disseminated outrageous lies with reckless disregard for the truth, Wolff added. Their falsehoods have poisoned public perception and contaminated the jury pool. This complaint should serve as a warning that such intentional falsehoods, which undermine Mr. Combs right to a fair trial, will no longer be tolerated. More from VIBE.com Sign up for Vibe's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Sean Combs has filed a $50 million defamation lawsuit against a man he says lied in news interviews. The lawsuit names Courtney Burgess, his lawyer, and the company that owns NewsNation as defendants. Burgess has alleged in interviews that he has videos involving Combs that show sexual assault. Sean "Diddy" Combs has filed a $50 million defamation lawsuit against a man who said he testified before a New York grand jury as part of the federal criminal sex trafficking case against the hip-hop music mogul. That man, Courtney Burgess, has said in news interviews and on podcasts that he was in possession of several videos involving Combs that show the sexual assault of celebrities and apparent minors. Combs' lawsuit which names Burgess, his lawyer, and the media company that owns the network NewsNation as defendants says that Burgess lied in a bid to raise his public profile and destroy Combs' reputation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The lawsuit says Burgess and his Florida-based attorney, Ariel Mitchell, have engaged in a "willful scheme to fabricate and broadcast outrageous lies concerning Mr. Combs and then to leverage those falsehoods to gain social media fame, enrich themselves, and strip Mr. Combs of his reputation, livelihood, and right to a fair trial." The pair has for months fueled "a media frenzy, fabricating outlandish claims and stirring up baseless speculation about Mr. Combs, vying to outdo each other in a shameless competition to draw attention to themselves, with no regard for the truth," Combs alleges in the lawsuit which was filed Wednesday night in the US District Court for the Southern District of New York. Burgess, Mitchell, and NewsNation owner Nexstar Media Group did not immediately respond to requests for comment by Business Insider. Combs' attorney Erica Wolff said in a statement that her high-profile client who has been locked up pretrial at a federal Brooklyn jail since his September 2024 arrest and indictment "is taking a stand against the malicious falsehoods that have been fabricated and amplified by individuals seeking to profit at his expense." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The defendants' "falsehoods have poisoned public perception and contaminated the jury pool," Wolff said, adding, "This complaint should serve as a warning that such intentional falsehoods, which undermine Mr. Combs's right to a fair trial, will no longer be tolerated." Combs' lawsuit says that the recordings Burgess says he saw do not exist. "Burgess repeated this false claim many times to anyone who would listen, including reporters for major news outlets (including NewsNation, which recklessly repeated and amplified his lies as if they were true)," Combs said in the lawsuit. Combs alleges in the lawsuit that NewsNation did not conduct any investigation before broadcasting the allegations "though it easily could have done so." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Burgess, Mitchell, and NewsNation, the lawsuit alleges, "have caused profound reputational and economic injury and severe prejudice to Mr. Combs." Combs' lawsuit says that Burgess has never met Combs or had any relationship with anyone in his family, yet Burgess has said that Combs' late ex and mother of four of his children, Kim Porter, gave him a copy of her alleged memoir and videos showing the alleged sexual assault of intoxicated celebrities and minors. "Those close to Ms. Porter, including her children and her roommate for over twenty years, had never heard of Mr. Burgess before he made this utterly implausible and completely false claim," says the lawsuit. Combs says the claims made by Burgess prompted investigators to issue a subpoena for him to testify before a grand jury that convened in Manhattan in October. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "In this pitiful spectacle, all pretense of objectivity has been abandoned, as a global audience feasts at the all-you-can-eat buffet of wild lies and conspiracy theories," the lawsuit says. At the center of the indictment against Combs are accusations he orchestrated "freak offs," which prosecutors describe in court papers as "elaborate and produced sex performances that Combs arranged, directed, masturbated during, and often electronically recorded." In these alleged drug-fueled sex sessions, prosecutors say Combs "used force, threats of force, and coercion" to get female victims to engage in sex acts with male commercial sex workers. Combs' attorneys have argued in court papers that the video evidence prosecutors have of the so-called "freak offs" will vindicate the "I'll Be Missing You" rapper at trial. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Combs has vehemently denied the federal charges against him, as well as all accusations of sexual abuse made in a flood of civil lawsuits against him. Read the original article on Business Insider Sean Diddy Combs has sued a grand jury witness who claims to have seen video of the disgraced rap mogul allegedly sexually assaulting eight celebrities, including two who looked underage. The $50 million defamation suit filed against music producer Courtney Burgess claims Burgess invented the videos, which he and his lawyer Ariel Mitchell-Kidd have discussed in several interviews. One of those aired on NewsNation, which was also named in the suit. The Bad Boy for Life artist was arrested in September on suspicion of sex trafficking and racketeering for allegedly forcing women to participate in days-long sex parties he dubbed freak-offs. Combs and his lawyers have denied the charges. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement More than 150 alleged victimsmany of them men and boyshave since accused Combs of sexual assault, creating a media frenzy. Combs now faces more than 30 civil suits, according to the New York Times. Millions of people have come to believe the made-up evidence that Defendants have falsely described and vouched for, the defamation suit alleges. Im standing by my word, Burgess told the Times Wednesday. He had a lot of nerve to want to sue somebody when hes going to rot in jail for all of the things hes done. In a statement to the Times, Mitchell-Kidd called the suit a pathetic ploy to silence victims and people who stand up for victims and said she looked forward to counter suing. Music producer Courtney Burgess told NewsNation he had tapes that allegedly showed Sean 'Diddy' Combs sexually assaulting eight celebrities. / Screenshot/NewsNation Burgess had been called in late October to testify before a New York grand jury considering additional charges in Combs case after prosecutors saw him on a true-crime podcast claiming hed been given USB drives with eight tapes showing Combs sexually assaulting four men, two underage boys and two women. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Afterward testifying, he told TMZ reporters outside the court house that he didnt personally know Combs, but that thanks to his 35 years in the music business, their social and professional networks overlapped. Later, while speaking to NewsNation host Ashleigh Banfield, he explained that hed received the videos from an associate of the late Kim Porter, Combs former partner and mother of three of his children. Based on the locations and camera angles, it was clear the celebrities didnt know they were being filmed, he alleged, and all of them appeared drunk or under the influence of drugs. How many appear to be potentially victimized? Banfield asked. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I think all, to be honest, all were victims, Burgess said, adding that the celebrities didnt seem to know what was happening to them. Burgess has previously said that the flash drives with the recordings had been seized by federal law enforcement officers. In his defamation suit, Combs alleges that Burgess was lying about the tapes in order to gain social media fame and enrich himself. The media circus surrounding the case had led Combs to seek a gag order in October barring prospective witnesses and their attorneys from making statements about the case, which they argued jeopardized Combs right to a fair trial. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The judge rejected that request in early November, saying it was too broad. Not all alleged victims will be participants in this case, and a blanket restriction on their speech will silence individuals who may never have anything to do with the proceedings here, the judge wrote. When that failed, Combs lawyers apparently turned to the defamation suit. Combs criminal trial is set to begin May 5, 2025. Until then, hes being held in the notorious Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn after the judge in the case ruled he was a flight risk and liable to threaten potential witnesses with violence. President Donald Trump stopped by "Hannity" on Wednesday to gripe about former President Joe Biden's decision to pardon many of his family members and enemies of Trump during his final days in office. Trump took care to notice that there's one prominent name that wasn't on Biden's last-minute list: Joseph Robinette Biden himself. "This guy went around giving everybody pardons," said Trump, fresh off of issuing a mass pardon for 1,500 accused January 6 rioters. "The funny thing, maybe the sad thing, is he didn't give himself a pardon. And if you look at it, it all had to do with him." In the closing weeks of his presidency, Biden loosed his pardoning pen. He began his spree signings by issuing a pardon to protect his son, Hunter. The former president's oldest living son had been a target of prosecution for years. In a statement about his decision to pardon Hunter, Joe Biden said he felt that his son was being unfairly prosecuted by right-wing forces. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "From the day I took office, I said I would not interfere with the Justice Departments decision-making, and I kept my word even as I have watched my son being selectively, and unfairly, prosecuted," Biden wrote. "Without aggravating factors like use in a crime, multiple purchases, or buying a weapon as a straw purchaser, people are almost never brought to trial on felony charges solely for how they filled out a gun form... It is clear that Hunter was treated differently." Just before leaving office, Biden issued pardons to many members of his family, as well as Trump targets like Liz Cheney and Gen. Mark Milley. "I cannot in good conscience do nothing, Biden said in a statement. Even when individuals have done nothing wrong and in fact have done the right thing and will ultimately be exonerated, the mere fact of being investigated or prosecuted can irreparably damage reputations and finances. Biden did not pardon himself and it's unclear if he could be prosecuted at all under the Supreme Court's recently created doctrine of presidential immunity but Trump associates are still speaking of the "Biden crime family" in statements to the press. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "To us, it probably proves the point. The suspicion that, you know, they call it the Biden crime family," House Speaker Mike Johnson said on Wednesday. "If they werent the crime family, why do they need pardons? Right?" On the right-wing news channel Real America's Voice, Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., said Biden was "guilty of some of the worst crimes of any president... in our nation's history," adding that Biden's family members "do belong in prison." Watch Trump's interview with Hannity below: (NewsNation) The Los Angeles area wildfires have devastated entire communities and those who are planning to rebuild could be in for an unwelcome surprise, finding their insurance coverage isnt enough to cover the full cost of their claim. Its a widespread problem known as underinsurance and may result in homeowners paying tens of thousands of dollars in unexpected costs to rebuild. What to do if your home is destroyed by a wildfire Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement United Policyholders, a nonprofit consumer advocacy group, said its surveys consistently find more than half of homeowners do not have adequate coverage to replace or rebuild their homes. Other research suggests nearly 75% of homeowners may be underinsured. For perspective: insurers covered $80 billion of the $114 billion of losses attributable to natural disasters in 2023, meaning 30% of those losses were not insured, according to the Congressional Budget Office. In California, the recent wildfires have claimed nearly 16,000 structures and according to an AccuWeather estimate, there could be more than $250 billion in total damage and economic loss. Heres how to know if youre underinsured and what to do about it. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Fire insurance policies spark controversy in California How common is underinsurance and why is it a problem? Most homeowners do not have enough insurance coverage to rebuild their house after a total loss, according to a study published last month. Researchers looked at data from the Marshall Fire in Colorado and found that 74% of the nearly 5,000 policyholders who filed claims were underinsured. Of those, more than a third were classified as severely underinsured, meaning their coverage limits were less than 75% of their homes actual replacement cost. To put that in context, if it costs $1 million to rebuild, thats $250,000 people have to come up with. Most households dont have ready access to those types of resources, Tony Cookson, a finance professor at the University of Colorado Boulder and a co-author of the study, said in a statement. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The study found something else interesting homeowners with inadequate insurance coverage were 25% less likely to apply for rebuilding permits within a year and were more likely to sell their properties instead of rebuilding. In other words: the consequences of underinsurance go beyond individual homeowners and potentially harm local economies trying to bounce back after major disasters. But why are so many people underinsured? Part of it is because people dont know how much coverage they need and tend to focus primarily on premiums. When consumers focus on premiums rather than coverage limits, insurers have a very natural incentive to cut prices by offering less insurance, Cookson said. How do you know if youre underinsured? Figure out how much coverage you need When calculating your insurance needs, its important not to confuse your homes market value with what it would cost to rebuild. Those numbers can be significantly different. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Market value is what your home is worth on the housing market. The replacement cost is what it would take to rebuild or repair your home today, accounting for current construction and labor costs. Many homeowners misunderstand that distinction and wind up underinsured, or in some cases, overinsured. A 2020 Policygenius survey found nearly half of all homeowners (49%) incorrectly believed that the amount of home insurance coverage they need should be based on their homes market value, not the rebuild cost. Generally, the amount of insurance you buy should be based on rebuilding costs, according to the Insurance Information Institute, an industry trade group also known as Triple-I. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Most insurance companies require homeowners to insure their homes for at least 80% of the replacement cost to receive full coverage on a claim. You also need to consider the value of everything inside your home. Most homeowners insurance policies cover your personal possessions for approximately 50% to 70% of the insurance you have on the structure of your home. The math breaks down like this: If you have $200,000 of coverage on the structure of your home, you would be covered for $100,000 to $140,000 worth of the contents, depending on your policy. That could be enough but it may not be, so its a good idea to keep a detailed home inventory. Track down receipts for expensive items and take a video recording of different rooms in your house for additional proof. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Open all the cupboards, open all the closet doors. Go through your garage, Janet Ruiz, strategic communications director at Triple-I, told NewsNation in a recent interview. These are all the things that people really have a hard time itemizing after a loss. Understand your policy and identify gaps in coverage Make sure you know what your insurance policy does and doesnt cover, especially if you live in a disaster-prone area. Standard homeowners insurance policies typically cover damage from wildfires, tornadoes and lightning strikes, according to Triple-I. Other destruction, such as damage caused by floods or earthquakes, generally isnt covered unless you purchase a separate policy. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to FEMA, just 4% of homeowners have flood insurance even though 99% of U.S. counties have been impacted by flooding over the past 30 years. Those who do carry the coverage tend to be in coastal counties, leaving homeowners further inland vulnerable. When Hurricane Helene dumped 40 trillion gallons of water across the Southeast and Southern Appalachia, less than 1% of residents in Buncombe County, North Carolina, had federal flood insurance. Theres another reason to understand your policy: to make sure you get what youre owed. A 2023 working paper published by the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia found that almost 40% of post-fire claims are underpaid. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The researchers looked at data from California wildfires that burned at least 1,000 acres and damaged at least one structure from 2013 to 2020. They found that homeowners received settlements 28% lower on average than the amount to which they were legally entitled. A back-of-the-envelope calculation suggests that households receive about $200,000 to $300,000 less than their entitled amount under California law, the authors wrote. How to avoid being underinsured? United Policyholders has several tips on how to make sure youre fully covered. Here are a few steps the group says you should take: Do a rough calculation of how much youre insured for per square foot to assess how well youre covered. Be honest with your insurance company so it knows the size of your home, other structures, the style of construction, major improvements, unusual features and high-value personal property items. Take and safely store notes that document when and how your insurer, agent, or broker confirms that your limits are adequate to replace your home and possessions. Buy the highest percentage replacement cost endorsement you can afford. Most insurers offer 25-100% above the limits that appear on your declarations page. Raise your deductible to keep your premium affordable when you increase your coverage limits. These are things you shouldnt do, according to United Policyholders: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Dont rely on the purchase, appraised or estimated sale price of your home to set your dwelling limits. That is not predictive of the cost to rebuild. Dont be penny-wise and pound-foolish by buying the lowest-priced homeowners policy. Your home is your biggest asset, so make sure its covered. Dont be afraid to switch insurers to get a better policy. Dont wait until after a loss to get appraisals of valuables. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. SIOUX CITY, Iowa (KCAU) Sioux City and Woodbury County officials are continuing discussions aimed at finding a solution for ongoing transportation issues relating to releases from the new county jail. LEC Authority member Mark Nelson told KCAU 9 back on Jan. 14 that Woodbury County is still gathering data to determine what percentage of people being released do and do not have transportation when leaving the LEC. County board chairman Dan Bittinger provided his own comments following Tuesday nights supervisors meeting. NE Neb. man threatened to burn house down and lit fireworks indoors, sheriff says Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Right now at this point, the county and the city are still exploring options, from my understanding, Bittinger said. Right now, we are trying to find the best solution and not trying to rush through this and make a hasty decision. And so as we work together, the city and the county, well bring those recommendations up at the LEC meeting. Bittinger added that councilman Dan Moore is working with city officials to find solutions as well to help best serve citizens. Police have investigated at least one incident involving someone released from jail. The next LEC meeting is scheduled for Jan. 30 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 SiouxlandProud | Sioux City, IA | News, Weather, and Sports. Newly inaugurated President Donald Trump signed a bevy of executive orders earlier this week, including one that seeks to end the federal government's pressure campaign on social media companies. The "Restoring Freedom of Speech and Ending Federal Censorship" executive order reaffirms the free speech rights of social media users and prohibits government agents from engaging in unconstitutional censorship. "Under the guise of combatting 'misinformation,' 'disinformation,' and 'malinformation,' the Federal Government infringed on the constitutionally protected speech rights of American citizens across the United States in a manner that advanced the Government's preferred narrative about significant matters of public debate," states the order. "Government censorship of speech is intolerable in a free society." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This order is, as the Abundance Institute's Neil Chilson recognized, "good and appropriate." Much of the censorship on social media sites that rightly irked libertarians, conservatives, and dissidents of all stripes was not enforced by the platforms of their own free will; on the contrary, they were browbeaten by various federal agencies, including the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and the White House. It's right and proper for Trump to tell the bureaucrats who work at these agencies: that's enough of that. The First Amendment protects misinformation and hate speech, and the feds have no business policing these categories of speech on social media. Needless to say, self-described disinformation experts hate this orderand mainstream media organizations are always happy to provide a megaphone to their complaints. CNN saw fit to enlist Nina Jankowicz, the discredited former DHS disinfo adviser, to offer a thunderous denunciation. "Disinformation is not a partisan issue; it's a democracy issue," Jankowicz said in a statement. "America's adversaries benefit when our country is internally divided and politically polarized." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On the contrary, internal division and even polarization are the blessings of liberty. Americans disagree strongly on what policies are best for the nation, and we exercise our free speech rights to vigorously debate. Free speech is pro-democracy; America's adversariescountries like China and Russiaon the other hand, crack down on free speech and eliminate internal dissent wherever possible. Another expert cited by CNN fretted that the order would get in the way of vital communication between government actors and platforms. "The vast majority of tech-government contact is not around political speech but is around areas of national security and fighting financial fraud and child sexual abuse material," John Wihbey, an associate professor of media innovation and technology at Northeastern University, told CNN. Wihbey, unlike Jankowicz, has a point: There are legitimate reasons for law enforcement, for instance, to interact with social media companies for the purposes of flagging, investigating, and removing child sexual abuse material, threats of violence, and terrorism. Since those categories of behavior already fall outside the scope of First Amendmentprotected activity, however, efforts to police them are not imperiled by the executive order. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Government actors can and should work with social media companies to identify crime, violence, and sexual abuseand take that content down. But the feds cannot and should not weaponize vague "national security" objections and pressure private companies to comply with unconstitutional dictates. The next step is for Congress to codify this order into law. With a Republican-controlled Senate and House of Representatives, lawmakers could take powerful action to safeguard the free expression rights of social media userseven if that makes Jankowicz really sad. This Week on Free Media I'm joined by Amber Duke to discuss the Nazi salute allegation against Elon Musk, other Trump executive orders, the outrageous preemptive pardoning of Anthony Fauci, and more. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Worth Watching I have just started the next season of Marvel's What If? and I am underwhelmed so far. But I'm a completionist, so I'll still finish it. After that, I'll be watching either Dune: Prophecy or Severance. The post Disinformation Experts Hate Trump's Free Speech Executive Order appeared first on Reason.com. District energy systems employ a centralized facility to supply heating, cooling, and sometimes electricity for multiple buildings in an area through a largely underground, mostly unseen network of pipes. When district energy systems are utilized, individual buildings do not need their own boilers, chillers, and cooling towers. This offers a number of benefits to building owners and tenants. Among them are: Energy Efficiency. Centralized heating/cooling is more efficient than individual building systems, reducing energy use by 30% to 50% in some cases. Cost Savings. Lower operations and maintenance costs through economies of scale and reduced equipment needs per building. Reduced Environmental Impacts. Emissions are lessened and renewable energy resources can often be more easily integrated. Reliability. A more resilient energy supply is often provided, with redundant systems and professional operation. Space Optimization. Buildings need less mechanical equipment, freeing up valuable space. The concept is far from new. In fact, Birdsill Holly is credited with deploying the US's first district energy system in Lockport, New York, in 1877, and many other cities incorporated district systems into their infrastructure soon thereafter. While district energy systems are particularly effective in dense urban areas, they're also widely used at hospitals and at other large campuses around the world. There's over 600 operating district energy systems in the US, and that's in cities, also on college and university campuses, healthcare, military bases, airports, pharma, even our sort of newer industries like Meta, Apple, Google, their campuses are utilizing district energy, because, frankly, there's economies of scale, Rob Thornton, president and CEO of the International District Energy Association (IDEA), said as a guest on The POWER Podcast . District energy is actually quite ubiquitous, said Thornton, noting that systems are common in Canada, throughout Europe, in the Middle East, and many other parts of the world. But, you know, not that well-known. We're not visible. Basically, the assets are largely underground, and so we don't necessarily have the visibility opportunity of like wind turbines or solar panels, he said. So, we quietly do our work. But, I would guess that for the listeners of this podcast, if they went to a college or university in North America, I bet, eight out of 10 lived in a dorm that was supplied by a district heating system. So, its really a lot more common than people realize, said Thornton. The IDEA's mission is to work actively to foster the success of its members as leaders in providing reliable, economical, efficient, and environmentally sound district heating, district cooling, and combined heat and power. The organization was founded in 1909 as the National District Heating Association. Today, the IDEA has a membership of about 3,000 industry professionals in 28 countries around the globe. It hosts two conferences: CampusEnergy , which will be held Feb. 36, 2025, in Boston, Massachusetts, and the IDEA Annual Conference , which will be held June 25, 2025, in Minneapolis, Minnesota. It's not uncommon for unique, locally available resources to be incorporated into district energy systems, which often adds to a system's efficiency, and can provide economic and environmental benefits as well. Thornton offered a number of examples to show how innovative designers can be. For example, Thornton explained that Cornell University in Ithaca, New York, invested a significant amount of money in a deep lake water cooling system back in 2000. Instead of buying electricity from the grid to run electric chillers, they began to take cold water out of Lake Cayuga, Thornton said. The cold water from the bottom of the lake was run about a mile to a heat exchanger building, then two miles uphill to the campus. The school basically traded an electricity bill for a bond payment, said Thornton. Cornell, I think within the last two years, did a forensic analysis of that investment, and they found that not only had the plant performed economically more efficiently than designed, but environmentally better than designed, Thornton reported. And, the bonds were retired in less than 15 years. Another example revolved around data centers, a hot topic for many energy observers these days. Servers in data centers are known to produce a lot of heat. Now, rather than the heat being considered a liability, district energy systems are utilizing the resource as an asset. There's a proliferation of data centers in Dublin, Ireland, and one of the large hyperscalers was actually told they were not going to get a permit for their data center unless and until they were using the heat for district energy, Thornton said. So, it's interesting that we're seeing now recognition that this heat has value and that by itself it's a cost center, but when the heat can be utilized with either a heat pump to polish and improve the heat or use it for heat and cooling, district energy really becomes sort of the aggregating, integrating technology that can reduce downstream emissions, generate efficiencies, and provide economic benefit both to the grid and to the local community. To hear the full interview with Thornton, which contains much more about the benefits of district energy and many other examples of innovative uses, listen to The POWER Podcast . Click on the SoundCloud player below to listen in your browser now or use the following links to reach the show page on your favorite podcast platform: The POWER Podcast 179. District Energy Systems: The Invisible Giant of Urban Efficiency For more power podcasts, visit The POWER Podcast archives . Aaron Larson is POWER's executive editor (@AaronL_Power, @POWERmagazine). From the G-File on The Dispatch Statue of George II erected in 1751 and located in Royal Square, Jersey, United Kingdom. (Getty Images) Hey, Longtime readers know I have a gripe against new ideas in politics. For those unfamiliar with the argument, it goes like this. Most new ideas in politics arent new. But adherents of old ideasfascism, communism, socialism, nationalism, corporatism, technocracy, theocracy, etc.have a bunch of incentives to pretend that theyve come up with something new. Sometimes they claim the idea is wholly novel. Other times, they claim that they have new insight that demonstrates the wisdom and the superiority of some old ideas. Or they think the moment we are living in is so novel, so unprecedented, that these old ideas have taken on new relevance. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For instance, theres nothing new to DEI. Or rather, virtually everything new to it is just fresh marketing of old ideas about social justice or identity politics. But because people fell for the marketing as some new and/or improved thing, it made remarkable headway in a lot of institutions. Its critics believed that it was new, too. And as a result, they believed that they needed new tactics and new arguments to combat it. The problem is that the old arguments against racial preferences, government-enforced equity, etc., were all we needed. Tom Sowell didnt write about DEI in the 80s and 90s because the term didnt exist then. But he demolished the ideas at the heart of DEI all the same. I will give credit to the peddlers of postliberalism and nationalism; they at least concede that their ideas are old. They just think this new moment confers on them new sagacity and seriousness. They benefit enormously from the fact that so much of the left, particularly in academia, has given up on defending classical liberalism and the political science (as it was understood in the Federalist Papers) of the founders and the enlightenment. The left has long been addicted to the most desired thing in intellectual life todaytransgressive edginess, hip non-conformity. Thats how I see the long tradition of left-wing radicalism from Charles Beards An Economic Interpretation of the Constitution of the United States, to all of that Frankfurt School folderol, Howard Zinns and Noam Chomskys anti-American claptrap, to the more recent iterations of the same ideas that go by a dozen different labels and buzzy phrases: institutional racism, antiracism, anticolonialism, etc. What they all share is a desire to seem authentically rebellious by attacking the foundations of our nation and our civilization. The problem is that such ideological non-conformity has become so institutionalized that its become an expression of ideological conformity. When writing a college essay with just #BlackLivesMatter repeated 100 times gets you into Stanford, any pretensions to radicalism look ridiculous. It calls to mind Eric Hoffers famously misquoted line, Every great cause begins as a movement, becomes a business, and eventually degenerates into a racket. (Our new editor Valerie informs me that the real line is What starts out here as a mass movement ends up as a racket, a cult, or a corporation.) In such an environment, claiming that the Enlightenment was a mistake, the Constitution is an outdated relic, and nationalism, socialism, corporatism, (new age) theocracy, or authoritarianism are better than liberal democratic capitalism is a banal conformist racket when it comes from the left. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But it is edgy cool radicalism from the right. I for one find it hilarious when progressives are stunned and outraged at such arguments from the right, when theyve spent decades yawning at, or cheerleading for, the same illiberal hokum from the left. The left counted on the right to make the arguments against identitarianism and for the Constitution, the free market, and property rights. Now that some on the right are making the same arguments, for superficially right-wing rather than left-wing ends, leftists are horrified and broadly ignorant of the counterarguments. If all youve done is read anti-liberal broadsides from Foucault and Fanon, Marx and Marcuse, youve got little in your quiver to shoot at rightwingers making basically the same arguments, other than vague allusion to norms, lame charges of hypocrisy, and, of course, lots of ad hominem outrage. That outrage is a great gift to the new anti-liberals on the right, because it makes them seem cool. And theres nothing a certain breed of intellectual craves more than seeming cool. That in itself is kind of ironic, given that one of the things a lot of the new illiberals detest about American culture is the obsession with the shallow culture of cool and the chasing of radical chic. But thats what Steve Bannon and many of his more intellectual imitators love about their status: they finally get to cosplay as radicals. The new monarchs. I listened to the full New York Times interview with Curtis Yarvin the other day. Also known by the nom de cyber Mencius Moldbug, Yarvin is one of the intellectual leaders of the so-called neo-monarchist or neo-reactionary movements. We have some similar interests and observations (we also have massive disagreements), but for the most part, Ive ignored his writings. Recently, though, hes become more popular, particularly in Silicon Valley, and has been name-checked by people like J.D. Vance and Marc Andreessen. So it made sense for the Times to interview him, and I figured itd be worth my time to give it a listen. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement To say I was underwhelmed with this introduction to The World According to Yarvin is a wild understatement. This is not to say I disagreed with everything he said. Ive written tons about the way people misunderstand democracy. I revisited some of that just last month. Anyway, the point Yarvin made over and over again should be familiar to my readers because I make it all the time. Most institutionsbusinesses, newspapers, political parties, the military, etc.are not internally democratic, and it would be disastrous if they were. Soldiers dont get to vote on what hill to take and employees dont get to vote on what products a company makes. Surgeons dont poll the nurses and orderlies about what organs to remove or cut into. This is not a shocking insight. Or at least it shouldnt be. I think everyone understands that the Catholic Church wouldnt work if the pope held referenda on doctrine. But Yarvin takes this observation and reaches a bewilderingly wrongheaded conclusion: Government shouldnt be democratic either. We need a monarch or, if you prefer, a CEO to run the nation. Apple is a great company, so America should be run like Apple, Yarvin says. No, really. Indeed, he says every business is a monarchy and the New York Times is an absolute monarchy. But you know what? The Times is not a monarchy, absolute or otherwise. In absolute monarchies, people are subjects lacking agency. At Apple, you can quit. In medieval France, you couldnt quit your obligations to the social order as defined by the regime at least not without permission from the monarch. Apple employees have rightsrights enforced by our constitutional regime. They can worship as they please. They can say what they want in their private lives for the most part. They can marry who they want without the permission of their feudal lord. They have private property the CEO cannot take away. Oh, and the CEOs are often answerable to shareholdersand to the government, which protects the intellectual property and physical safety of these corporate campuses. The whole thing is just one giant category error on stilts. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Now, Id guess that Yarvins preferred monarchical America would not involve King Elon invoking the (mythical) right of prima nocta to shtup the bride on her wedding night. But what authority would prevent that? To what principle or institution would a person appeal if the new authoritarian CEO ordered you to be a stonemason when you wanted to be a chiropractor? The CEO knows best, after all, and his authority is supreme in Yarvins telling. Or maybe its not. But Yarvin uses monarch, CEO, and dictator fairly interchangeably. His only concession to the idea that dictators are bad is that the term has taken on a sinister connotation, not that the actual thing itself is sinister. When Bernie Sanders said, You dont necessarily need a choice of 23 underarm spray deodorants or of 18 different pairs of sneakers when children are hungry in this country, conservatives had a field day with this classically vulgar Marxist whine. He was tapping into a great tradition on the left of whining about how the market allocates resources in ways that central planners would find wasteful. Why mock such dirigisme from the left, if you want the same sort of thing from a frickn king? Or CEO, or monarch? Again, he uses these terms interchangeably as if there is no meaningful difference between them. One of the nice things about democracy is that people can overrule the rulers. The whole point of a monarchy is that the rulers word is final. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I could go on for hours about the silliness of all this (and I am sorely tempted to do so on The Remnant). After all, Yarvin is just offering an updated version of the hoary idea that government should be run like a business, with more allusions to Aristotle to make it sound cool. Apple isnt proof that monarchy works, its proof that liberal democratic capitalism is good at creating firms like Apple. As Alex Tabarrok writes in a post about the Yarvin interview: There are many errors here. First, Apple is one firm among countless others most of which do not produce hugely successful products. The big question is not how Apple produces but how Apple is produced. Firms operate as planned entities but they are embedded in and constrained by a broader sea of market competition. Its the competitive environment that drives innovation, efficiency, and consumer satisfaction. Part of my objection to Yarvins schtick is how much it seems like he read Liberal Fascism and missed the point entirely. He starts with a riff about FDR: I do a speech sometimes where Ill just read the last 10 paragraphs of F.D.R.s first inaugural address, in which he essentially says, Hey, Congress, give me absolute power, or Ill take it anyway. So did F.D.R. actually take that level of power? Yeah, he did. After some very annoying interjections from the interviewer, he talks about an anecdote from Harold Ickes diary that Yarvin apparently passed on to Marc Andreessen: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its an excerpt from the diary of Harold Ickes, who is F.D.R.s secretary of the interior, describing a cabinet meeting in 1933. What happens in this cabinet meeting is that Frances Perkins, whos the secretary of labor, is like, Here, I have a list of the projects that were going to do. F.D.R. personally takes this list, looks at the projects in New York and is like, This is crap. Then at the end of the thing, everybody agrees that the bill would be fixed and then passed through Congress. This is F.D.R. acting like a C.E.O. So, was F.D.R. a dictator? I dont know. What I know is that Americans of all stripes basically revere F.D.R., and F.D.R. ran the New Deal like a start-up. Now, in fairness to Yarvin, hes trying to convince progressives that dictatorship or CEOship is good, so he is trying to get people to see FDR as a dictator who did things progressives think was great. But I dont think that. I think FDR did some good things and some terrible things. I think he made the Great Depression last a lot longer than it needed to and entrenched all manner of policies that no wise CEO would impose. The thing is, I know this history very, very, well. I wrote about it at length in Liberal Fascism. And I dont think its outrageous to say that FDR behaved like a dictator at times. But, he wasnt a dictator. He was a popular president with massive supermajorities in Congress during an economic crisis. When Congress didnt give him what he wanted or when the Supreme Court overruled him, he didnt ignore them. Dont get me wrong, he broke a lot of rules, violated a lot of norms, threatened the Supreme Court with court packing and did all manner of things I find outrageous. So if you want to call him a dictator, I might roll my eyes a bit, but Im not going to go all How dare you, sir? I mean, one of my favorite bits from Harold Ickess diary was when he recorded FDR acknowledging (in Ickes words), What we were doing in this country were some of the things that were being done in [Stalins] Russia and even some of the things that were being done under Hitler in Germany. But we were doing them in an orderly way. Yes, the real problem with Nazism and Stalinism was the lack of orderliness. And how was this orderliness imposed? With the force of the state. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In 1934, a Polish immigrant named Jacob Maged was charging 35 cents to press mens suits, a nickel less than the government-set price of 40 cents. (His shop was in a bad location, so he competed with better-placed businesses by offering lower prices.) But under New Deal industrial codes, this was a crime, and he was sent to prison for a month. Though the judge let him out after three days, the point was made. Yarvin looks at this period and says, We need more of that! But when I get my preferred system, what the monarch wants, the monarch gets. Such outrages were not confined to a few outliers; this was how the system worked. The New Deal rewarded big interests, large corporations, associations, guilds, etc. at the expense of the little guys. When Clarence Darrowyes, that Clarence Darrowwrote a final report on how the National Recovery Administration actually worked, he concluded: one condition has been persistent. In Industry after Industry, the larger units, sometimes through the agency of [a trade association], sometimes by other means, have for their own advantage written the codes, and then, in effect and for their own advantage, assumed the administration of the code they have framed. I get why some Silicon Valley fatcats might look favorably on a system that allows the big players with access to the monarch to write the rules for the economy. Heck, it seems like we might be seeing some of that right now and for the same reason the politically connected leaders of big business loved Wilsons war socialism and FDRs New Deal. Its the same reason that corporatism has been popular with the incumbent stakeholdersmedieval guilds, feudal lords, etc.throughout the centuries: They get to make the rules that ensure they stay at the top of the food chain. But if you want more Apples or Googles, you need a system where the Apples and Googles can fail at the hands of the market without being bailed out by the government. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Simply put, you cant run a free society like a business, because a free society isnt a frickn business. Again, I am not a democracy fetishist. I think democracy is a hedge against worse outcomes, not a guarantor of best outcomes. I am open to the idea thatat least for a whilea constitutional monarch would govern better than what weve had for a while. But the constitution part is hugely important. I care a lot more about the liberalism of the Bill of Rights than I do about the proceduralism of democracy. But any such system has threeat least threefatal problems. First, legitimacy. In a liberal democratic society, we accept the government because it is democratically legitimate. What is the legitimacy-conferring principle a new monarch would invoke? God? Good luck with that. Second, how do you hold a monarch accountable? CEOs get fired by shareholders or trustees all the time. Once you accept that wed need some kind of checks and balances to prevent tyrants, you run into problem No. 1 again. How do you pick the board and uphold their legitimacy? If its not via democracy, what is it? If it is via democracy, why not just elect the monarch in the first place? Last, even if we had some mix of Lee Kuan Yew and Mitch Daniels running everything, how do we pick his replacement? The first CEO to draw a sword from a stone? Im sorry for droning on like this. I really dont think these unserious ideas should be taken seriously. But the fact that a lot of serious people do take them seriously demands a rebuttalmany rebuttalsbefore they catch on further. This bullshit isnt cool, novel, or edgy. Its trite, sophomoric, facile, and profoundly unpatriotic. 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. Mr. Young brings a wealth of experience in corporate development, fundraising, and strategic planning to Nova Pacific. His diverse background spans biotech, medtech, and natural resources, providing Nova Pacific with a multifaceted approach to growth. Dr. Setterfield has extensive experience in VMS deposits. His thesis was on the Maybrun VMS deposit in northwestern Ontario, and his MSc studies covered deposit-related synvolcanic faulting in the Noranda VMS camp. He has also been involved in VMS projects in the Chibougamau and Timmins camps in the Abitibi Belt, as well as in Sweden, Brazil, Mongolia, British Columbia and the Yilgarn province of Australia. Dr. Setterfield has 44 years of international exploration experience and is considered an expert in IOCG, epithermal Au and VMS deposit types. He holds a PhD from Cambridge University (England) and has undertaken assignments in many countries. As a consultant for QGX Ltd., he was the company's first representative to visit the Golden Hills (Bayan Airag) area in western Mongolia and was integral to the decision to acquire the property, leading to a discovery of a gold-rich VMS deposit that is presently being mined. Additionally, Dr. Setterfield worked for Western Mining Corporation in Australia, Fiji and Canada. He co-founded Monster Copper Corporation and served as VP of Exploration and director from its incorporation in 2002 to its takeover by Mega Uranium Ltd. in 2007. Tom also co-founded TerraX Minerals Inc. (now Gold Terra Resource Corp.) and served as VP of Exploration and director from 2008 to 2016. He is the former VP Exploration of Avidian Gold and now serves as an advisor to that company. "I am very excited to join the Nova Pacific team," said Dr. Tom Setterfield. "The Lara project encompasses 9 strike km of volcanic stratigraphy equivalent to that which hosts the giant Myra Falls VMS camp. The project contains abundant historical data and has received little modern attention for its potential for precious metal-rich VMS deposits. It is poised for short term success in the immediate vicinity of the Lara deposit and medium to long term success over the length of the property." Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - January 23, 2025) - Nova Pacific Metals Corp. (CSE: NVPC) (OTCQB: NVPCF) (FSE: YQ10) (WKN: A40GFH) (the "Company", or "Nova Pacific") is pleased to announce the formation of a Strategic Advisory Board, marking a significant milestone in the Company's growth trajectory. In a move that underscores Nova Pacific's commitment to excellence, the Company has appointed Dr. Tom Setterfield, PhD, P.Geo., and Mr. Scott Young as the inaugural members of the board. Story Continues Mr. Young's extensive institutional financing network, covering North and South America, Europe, and Asia, positions Nova Pacific to capitalize on global investment opportunities. His proven track record of delivering value over two decades aligns perfectly with Nova Pacific's ambitious growth plans. Warrant Repricing In addition, the Company announces that it has amended the exercise price of an aggregate of 7,410,000 share purchase warrants that are scheduled to expire on May 31, 2025, from $0.50 per common share to $0.40 per common share. Each warrant was originally issued in a $0.10 unit private placement that closed on May 31, 2021, which was prior to the date on which the Company's common shares were listed for trading on the Canadian Securities Exchange. The Company is not planning to deliver replacement warrant certificates to the holders of the warrants, with the original certificates remaining valid until the expiry date described above. Rights of Indigenous Communities Statement Nova Pacific operates on the Traditional, Ancestral and Unceded Territory of the Stz'uminus and Hul'qumi'num Treaty Group, a politically-unified group that represents six Hul'qumi'num-speaking First Nations: Cowichan, Penelakut, Lyackson, Halalt, and Lake Cowichan. The Company's entire team is committed to establishing lasting relationships with local communities by fostering inclusion and contributing to a shared prosperity. About Nova Pacific Nova Pacific is a Canadian exploration and development company focused on the Lara Volcanogenic Massive Sulfide (VMS) Project on Vancouver Island, British Columbia. This brownfields development project boasts a significant historic resource rich in critical and precious metals situated in a prime location with excellent infrastructure. Nova Pacific's forward-looking strategy includes confirmation and infill drilling, completion of an updated mineral resource estimate (MRE) and preparation of a Pre-Feasibility Study if and as required. The Company is committed to creating value for its shareholders while maintaining environmental responsibility and strong community relationships. For additional information please visit: www.novapacificmetals.com On behalf of the Board of Directors J. Malcolm Bell Chief Executive Officer, Director Investor inquiries, or for further information, please contact: Nova Pacific Metals Corp. info@novapacificmetals.com +1-416-918-6785 The Canadian Securities Exchange has not in any way passed upon the merits of the matters referenced herein and has neither approved nor disapproved the contents of this news release. Forward-Looking Information Certain statements contained in this news release may constitute forwardlooking information including, without limitation, statements regarding the Company's exploration plans. Forwardlooking information is often, but not always, identified by the use of words such as "anticipate", "plan", "estimate", "expect", "may", "will", "intend", "should", and similar expressions. Forwardlooking information involves known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results or events to differ materially from those anticipated in such forwardlooking information. The Company's actual results could differ materially from those anticipated in this forwardlooking information as a result of regulatory decisions, competitive factors in the industries in which the Company operates, prevailing economic conditions, changes to the Company's strategic growth plans, and other factors, many of which are beyond the control of the Company. The Company believes that the expectations reflected in the forwardlooking information are reasonable, but no assurance can be given that these expectations will prove to be correct and such forwardlooking information should not be unduly relied upon. Any forwardlooking information contained in this news release represents the Company's expectations as of the date hereof, and is subject to change after such date. The Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forwardlooking information whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by applicable securities legislation. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/238159 Europe's top rights court on Thursday ruled in favor of a 69-year-old French woman whose husband obtained a divorce on the grounds that she stopped having sex with him. The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) condemned France, saying a woman who refuses to have sex with her husband should not be considered "at fault" by courts in the event of divorce. The Strasbourg-based court said France violated article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights, relating to the right to respect for private and family life. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It said that any concept of marital duties needed to take into account "consent" as the basis for sexual relations. "In the Court's view, consent to marriage could not imply consent to future sexual relations," the court said in a news release. "Such an interpretation would be tantamount to denying that marital rape was reprehensible in nature. On the contrary, consent had to reflect a free willingness to engage in sexual relations at a given moment and in the specific circumstances." The ruling came from a panel of seven judges from seven different nations: Spain, France, Armenia, Monaco, San Marino, the Czech Republic and Ukraine. The mother of four, who wished to remain anonymous, hailed the ruling. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "I hope that this decision will mark a turning point in the fight for women's rights in France," she said in a statement. "This victory is for all the women who, like me, find themselves faced with aberrant and unjust court rulings that call into question their bodily integrity and their right to privacy." The ruling comes as French society debates the concept of consent. Women's rights advocates have said the notion of "consent" must be added to France's law defining rape. The woman did not complain about the divorce, which she had also sought, but rather about the grounds on which it had been granted, the court said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Marriage is no longer sexual servitude" The court identified her only as H.W., saying she lives in Le Chesnay in the western suburbs of Paris. "The Court concluded that the very existence of such a marital obligation ran counter to sexual freedom, (and) the right to bodily autonomy," a statement from the court said. "Any non-consensual act of a sexual nature constituted a form of sexual violence," the statement added. The Strasbourg-based court said the French courts had not struck "a fair balance between the competing interests at stake." "The applicant's husband could have petitioned for divorce, submitting the irretrievable breakdown of the marriage as the principal ground, and not, as he had done, as an alternative ground," the court found. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The woman and J.C. married in 1984 and had four children, including a disabled daughter who needed the constant presence of a parent, a role that her mother took on. Relations between husband and wife deteriorated when their first child was born. The woman began experiencing health problems in 1992. In 2002, her husband began abusing her physically and verbally, the court said. In 2004, she stopped having sex with him and in 2012 petitioned for divorce. In 2019, an appeals court in Versailles dismissed the woman's complaints and sided with her husband, while the Court of Cassation dismissed an appeal without giving specific reasons. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement She turned to the ECHR, which acts as a court of last instance where all domestic legal avenues are exhausted, in 2021. "It was impossible for me to accept it and leave it at that," the woman said. "The Court of Appeal's decision condemning me was and is unworthy of a civilized society because it denied me the right not to consent to sexual relations, depriving me of my freedom to make decisions about my body," she said. "It reinforced the right of my husband and all spouses to impose their will." Her case has been supported by two rights group, the Fondation des Femmes (Women's Foundation) and Collectif Feministe Contre Le Viol (Feminist Collective against Rape). Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Emmanuelle Piet, the head of the Feminist Collective Against Rape, hailed the court's decision. "Ms. W spent fifteen years fighting this battle, and it ended in victory, bravo," she told the Reuters news agency. "When you are forced to have sexual relations in marriage, it is rape." While French criminal justice abolished conjugal duty in 1990, "civil judges continue to impose it through an archaic vision of marriage," they said. "From now on, marriage is no longer sexual servitude," said Delphine Zoughebi, a member of the woman's defense team. "This decision is all the more fundamental given that almost one in two rapes is committed by a spouse or partner." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The ECHR is part of the 46-member Council of Europe pan-European rights body. It enforces the European Convention on Human Rights and its rulings are legally binding and not advisory. This photograph taken April 9, 2024, shows the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg, eastern France. / Credit: FREDERICK FLORIN/AFP via Getty Images Judge temporarily blocks Trump's birthright citizenship executive order Trump's birthright citizenship executive order in court Border officials told to comply with Trump's asylum orders HONOLULU (KHON2) Experts say DNA testing is how most cold cases are now being solved. Get Hawaiis latest morning news delivered to your inbox, sign up for News 2 You It helped identify a suspect in the murder of a McKinley High School student with evidence preserved from the 70s. Dawn Momohara Sketch of suspect Sketch of suspects vehicle DNA testing has been part of criminal investigation procedures since the 1980s, according to forensic experts. Its very powerful because the match can be determined in the absence of eyewitnesses or other corroborating evidence, stated David Haymer, Professor of Molecular Biology at the University of Hawaii. But, its also very powerful for excluding individuals as potential contributors to having been involved in a crime scene as well. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Schweitzer brothers sue Hawaii County agencies for malicious prosecution, conspiracy Kinship or genealogy testing is commonly used for decades-old cold cases like the murder of Dawn Momohara, the 16-year-old McKinley High School student was allegedly sexually assaulted and strangled by her classmate, Gideon Castro, in 1977. Castro was arrested Tuesday, nearly 50 years after the attack, following a DNA match obtained from his son. You expect a partial match because people that are biologically related share some of their DNA. So, parents and children, for example, you expect will share about half of their DNA or 50% of their DNA in common. Then when you have you have aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, expect them to share about 25%, said Professor Haymer. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement DNA evidence can last indefinitely if preserved correctly, per Haymer. In Momoharas case, DNA found on her shorts was used to profile the suspect. Theyll go ahead and extract the DNA, and then a series of genetic markers are produced that give you the so-called DNA profile. You can compare that profile to individuals that are considered suspects, stated Professor Haymer. Haymer added the methodology has improved considerably over the years, providing more definitive results. Download the free KHON2 app for iOS or Android to stay informed on the latest news Its pretty amazing how quickly this technology has become critical to solving cold cases and effective, said Professor Haymer. 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. AUSTIN (KXAN) On Thursday, the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) said it identified a man connected with a 1996 cold case of a woman who an Austin park was named after. According to DPS, 86-year-old Mary Moore Searight was murdered in Paris, Texas, on Aug. 18, 1996. DPS said the man was identified using modern evidence testing. The man, later identified as 54-year-old David Paul Cady Jr., was indicted by a Lamar Co. grand jury on Dec. 12. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Mary Moore Searight was found inside her home by her unofficial caretaker. She had been sexually assaulted, badly beaten and strangled. Still alive, Searight was air-lifted to a hospital in Dallas where she succumbed to her injuries three days later, DPS said. Cady, who was 25 at the time, was interviewed by police, and investigators obtained DNA swabs of an unexplained laceration on his right hand; however, there were no major breakthroughs. In 2023, DPS said investigators determined the swabs taken from Cadys injured hand were eligible to be submitted for further analysis. [The] testing led to the discovery of Searights DNA on the swabs taken from Cadys hand, DPS said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Cady was arrested in February 2024 and remains in custody, according to DPS. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. AUGUSTA, Ga. (WJBF) Doctors Hospital of Augusta is informing patients of delayed openings for some practices and services on Thursday, after snow and ice created dangerous road conditions. According to a Facebook post from Doctors Hospital, the following services will open tomorrow at the times listed below: Doctors Hospital Wound Center: 10 a.m. Doctors Hospital Radiation Oncology: 11 a.m. Doctors Hospital Outpatient Rehab: 1 p.m. Doctors Hospital Womens Diagnostic Center: 1 p.m. Doctors Hospital MRI and PET Scan: 1 p.m. The following Doctors Hospital Physician Group practices are closed Wednesday, but will reopen Thursday, Jan. 23 at noon: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Doctors Specialists: Bariatric and General Surgery Doctors Specialists: Cardiothoracic Surgery Doctors Specialists: Cardiology Doctors Specialists: Gastroenterology Doctors Specialists: Orthopedics and Neurosurgery Doctors Specialists: Trauma Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. Veteran documentary filmmaker Ondi Timoner and her wife, Morgan Doctor, were working on a film in Rome on Jan. 7 when they got a late-night phone call. It was Timoners brother. He was calling to inform his sister that he and his family, and their 86-year-old mother, Lisa, had all evacuated to her home in Altadena. They all came to my house because the wind was barely even blowing there, says Timoner. They had all been evacuated from their Altadena homes. So, they got to my place, and my brother started making dinner. There was no evacuation order whatsoever, and then suddenly the power went off, and they saw flames, and everybody panicked and left. More from Variety Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Timoner and Doctor were alarmed by the call on Jan. 7 but got on their scheduled flight to Budapest the following day. They were traveling to Hungary to interview a Holocaust survivor. When they arrived, Timoner received a text from her neighbor informing her that her Altadena home had burned to the ground. The Altadena home of Ondi Timoner and her wife Morgan Doctor burned to the ground, but Timoners late fathers bathrobe inexplicably didnt burn. Timoners brother, thinking that her home would stay intact, grabbed a few hard drives from the directors desk. The hard drives contained raw footage from two documentaries that Timoner is currently working on: All That We Are, about filmmaker Lesley Paterson and her late husband, All Quiet on the Western Front screenwriter Simon Marshall; and a doc for Legendary about the Nazis. Her brother also grabbed the assets to Timoners All Gods Children, about the escalating tensions between Jewish and Black Brooklynites, which premiered at DOC NYC in November. Other than that, the two-time Sundance grand jury prize winner, Timoner, known for docus like DIG!, We Live in Public, and Last Flight Home, lost all of her physical possessions, including her film equipment and hard drives containing footage from past films as well as cash, jewelry, valuable paintings, and her sons artwork. The director also lost extensive research she had been gathering for a screenplay she is writing about her late father, Eli Timoner, and the company he founded in 1972 called Air Florida. All the original articles that my mom had put together through the seventies and eighties about my fathers company its all gone, says Timoner. There was a huge bin of research and all my dads writing, all his original letters, and all of my parents love letters to each other, which I had tied together in a ribbon its all gone. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Doctor, a musician, adds, The problem is that we not only lived in our house, we also both worked there. I lost every instrument that I had and all my recording gear. Ondi lost all her cameras, her lenses, her computer, and her equipment. So it has been incredibly debilitating because its like if we lost our house, but if we still had an office somewhere else, that would be much more manageable. Rebuilding literally everything is daunting. My town is gone, adds Timoner. Both my banks, my post office, our favorite restaurant, Foxs, our pet store, our hardware store, all my neighbors houses are gone. So, our whole way of life has gone. Its like death on so many levels. Its such a crazy radical lesson in impermanence that I have to just kind of embrace right now on some level. Timoner bought the Altadena home in 2011. Before moving in, she remodeled the living room and the dining room. After MTV Documentary Films bought her 2022 Last Flight Home, which premiered at Sundance, Timoner renovated the kitchen. (Last Flight Home intimately chronicles the last 15 days of Eli Timoners life before he died via Californias End of Life Option Act in 2021.) It was a really beautiful, gorgeous house, says Timoner. People came over, and anybody who came just wanted to be there. We had these incredible outdoor screenings and community parties. It was like paradise. The wifi code was Resort5g. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Everything in the home, including a safe deposit box that was supposed to be fire-resistant, burned. The only object that remained was Timoners late fathers favorite cotton robe, which he wore throughout the directors childhood. It was found hanging on a hook on a bathroom door. It was his favorite robe, says Timoner. Everything else in the bathroom is gone except the tile wall. The entire house is crumbled around it. I feel like its sending me a message. I guess hes watching over us. Im not a religious person, and Im a little skeptical about all that kind of stuff, but how is it possible that a cotton robe is the only untouched thing in the house? For now, Timoner and Doctor have moved into Annette Bening and Warren Beattys guest house. Bening and Timoner met when her fictional film Mapplethorpe was released in 2018. So many friends of mine, like Annette and Warren, have been beyond generous, Timoner says. Recently, doc filmmaker Liz Garbus (What Happened, Miss Simone?) and producer Dan Cogan (Icarus) gave the couple duffle bags of clothing. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I am one the luckiest unlucky people out there, she acknowledges. Following their shoot in Budapest, Timoner and Doctor went to New York City for media obligations for All Gods Children and DIG! XX, a 20th anniversary extended edition of DIG! I just stayed the course, says Timoner. That was my way of coping. The National Guard had blocked off our neighborhood, so there was no way to go back to my home. Timoner and Doctor returned to L.A. on last week, and now plan to relocate to New York City in March. Timoner will be at Sundance this week for private screenings of All Gods Children and her latest film The Inn Between, about a hospice care center in Utah for the homeless. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement To help Timoner and her family, actress Tara Subkoff set up a GoFundMe. Best of Variety Sign up for Variety's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Firefighters continue to battle the calamitous wildfires in Los Angeles, with the two largest blazes, the Palisades and Eaton fires, contained at 72 and 95 percent, respectively. Social media users across X, Facebook, Threads, and Instagram have claimed that efforts to contain the fires have been hindered because the Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD) uses a fleet of electric trucks. 45 of Los Angeles fire trucks have to go back to the fire department for 10 hours a day to recharge instead of fighting fires after refueling in 7 minutes, one post said, adding, this is why electric vehicles dont belong anywhere near public safety services. In a since-deleted tweet, actor James Woods shared the viral claim, tweeting, A) is this true? B) if so, were lives lost? A screenwriter with nearly 60,000 followers on X tweeted the image too, and said, Im a Tesla stock owner but electric vehicles dont belong in public service. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The claim is almost entirely false. The LAFD has only one electric fire truck in its fleet, the Rosenbauer RTX, which it acquired in May 2022. The electric firefighting vehicle does not need to be charged for 10 hours a day, and stores energy sufficient for most missions. For extreme cases, it is equipped with both an electric and gas backup energy source. Rosenbauer Americaa subsidiary of Rosenbauer, the Austria-based company that produced the RTXconfirmed that the LAFD has only one electric firetruck. To set the record straight: the Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD) currently operates one Rosenbauer RTX electric fire enginethe only electric fire engine in their fleet, Todd McBride, the Rosenbauer America RTX program manager, told The Dispatch Fact Check. McBride explained that the electric fire truck remains plugged in and charged at the fire station when not responding to a call. Because most operations are neither a daylong endeavor nor a great distance away, the energy stored in the vehicles battery is generally more than enough to power the Rosenbauer RTX through a mission. Most incidents involve 2030 minutes of operational time and minimal driving (typically under 2.5 miles from the station), McBride said. After responding to one or two calls, the truck is plugged in upon returning to the station. But what about longer missions, such as the wildfires plaguing southern California, where firefighters may not have the time to return to the fire station and stand idle while the vehicle recharges? The Rosenbauer RTXs has two forms of backup systems, McBride said. It has an electric onboard generator that automatically recharges the vehicles battery when it drops below 20 percent, and by a 33-gallon fuel tank. The fuel tank, he added, can provide an additional four to eight hours of operation based on energy consumption and can be refueled on-site. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The LAFD was the first fire station in the country to operate an electric fire truck, though stations in nearby Rancho Cucamonga, as well as Minnesota and Colorado, have recently acquired a Rosenbauer RTX too. The Dispatch Fact Check reached out to the city of Los Angeles Fire Department and the Los Angeles County Fire Department for comment. If you have a claim you would like to see us fact check, please send us an email at factcheck@thedispatch.com. If you would like to suggest a correction to this piece or any other Dispatch article, please email corrections@thedispatch.com. Read more at The Dispatch 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 U.S. Justice Department's pursuit of federal oversight of the Phoenix Police Department appears to be on hold with the change of presidential administrations. The Justice Department has been ordered not to pursue new cases, settlements or legal action in ongoing cases, according to reports in the New York Times and Washington Post published late Wednesday. Phoenix has not been notified of any change in the status of its DOJ investigation, Dan Wilson, city communications director, said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The agency's three-year civil rights investigation into policing in Phoenix concluded in June with the release of a 126-page report that said officers routinely engaged in unlawful brutality and discrimination and violated the rights of protesters and unhoused people. The Justice Department launched the Phoenix investigation after a series of high-profile shootings by police and aggressive treatment of protesters that drew national scrutiny. After the report's release, federal investigators under former President Joe Biden's administration vigorously pursued oversight through a court-enforceable contract known as a consent decree overseen by an outside monitor. Investigators even suggested the Justice Department would sue the city to secure the contract. The Phoenix City Council, including Mayor Kate Gallego, opposed such oversight and instead asked for guidance that didn't include a costly outside monitor. Phoenix officials have long maintained the city can reform its Police Department without help. City Manager Jeff Barton, Assistant City Manager Lori Bays and a team of attorneys had been negotiating with the Justice Department, including meetings in September and December. After Phoenix pushed back on the Justice Department, city officials in Memphis followed suit, also refusing to agree to a consent decree. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Justice Department did not enter into any consent decrees during the first Trump administration, although the sole civil rights investigation into a police department that started under Trump ended in a consent decree under Biden. Pushback: Memphis follows Phoenix playbook to resist federal oversight from Justice Department Taylor Seely covers Phoenix for The Arizona Republic / azcentral.com. Reach her at tseely@arizonarepublic.com or by phone at 480-476-6116. This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: DOJ case against Phoenix could be on hold under Trump administration In a directive late Tuesday, the acting deputy attorney general, Emil Bove, instructed the Department of Justice to launch criminal investigations into state and local officials whose policies do not adhere to the Trump administrations federal policies with Immigration and Customs Enforcement, an elaborate scare tactic foreshadowed late in President Trumps first term. The memo, issued by Bove, previously Trumps criminal defense lawyer, warned that state and local officials who do not comply with ICE would be subject to investigation and potential criminal prosecution, citing the Supremacy Clause of the Constitution and threats to public safety and national security. The Supremacy Clause and other authorities require state and local actors to comply with the Executive branchs immigration enforcement initiatives. Federal law prohibits state and local actors from resisting, obstructing, and otherwise failing to comply with lawful immigration-related commands and requests, the memo reads. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement U.S. attorneys will, under this directive, be responsible for investigating alleged non-cooperation and referring state and local officials for potential prosecution, with the memo referring to harboring an undocumented immigrant, refusing to disclose information about someone's immigration status and conspiracy as potential charges that official could face. According to the memo, a newly established Sanctuary Cities Enforcement Working Group in the Justice Department will be responsible for flagging state and local laws and policies that do not adhere to the Trump administrations preferred policies and taking legal action to challenge such laws. The memo echos a plan described by the former attorney general, Bill Barr, in a 2020 speech where he indicated that the Justice Department was in the process of reviewing the practices, policies, and laws of other jurisdictions across the country including a review of whether jurisdictions where complying with our criminal laws, in particular the criminal statute that prohibits the harboring or shielding of aliens in the United States. Trumps homeland security advisor Stephen Miller's organization, America First Legal, also attempted to lean on state and local authorities earlier this week by sending letters notifying them that [y]ou and your subordinates could potentially face up to 20 years in prison and invoking potential racketeering charges if they do not go along with the president's immigration plans. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Such investigations and prosecutions against state and local officials would, if followed through on, see the DOJ attempt to press charges against officials around the country, from New York to Louisiana to Nebraska. However, Matt Cameron, an immigration attorney at Cameron Micheroni and Silvia, told Salon he's skeptical it will come to that. This is all just to scare them," he said, describing directives to cooperate with ICE as essentially an unfunded mandate. Theres a good reason that they might not want to do ICE's enforcement: they want the trust of their community," Camerson said. "They want to be able to enforce the law in their community without the federal government. I cant think of any other field in which conservatives expect the states to do the federal governments business. Cameron said that, in his opinion, harboring charges probably wouldnt hold up in court in most instances because federal law does not require jurisdictions to assist ICE. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement All of these things are essentially ICE asking for favors and you cant prosecute somebody for refusing to do you a favor, Cameron said. This is an issue Barr noted in his 2020 speech. While federal law does not require that 'sanctuary jurisdictions' actively assist with federal immigration enforcement, it does prohibit them from interfering with our enforcement efforts," he said.' According to Cameron, this directive from the DOJ is probably an attempt by the Trump administration to intimidate state and local authorities into dedicating significant resources towards assisting ICE, something ICE needs because it lacks the resources necessary to carry out Trumps mass deportation agenda, at least without an act of Congress. They want every available resource because the truth is that ICE does not have anywhere near the resources they would need to do this, Cameron said. They want people to believe that they can show up anywhere at any time. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Kermit Roosevelt, a professor of law at the University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School, told Salon that while obstruction of federal functions is probably a crime," Trump's order runs up against issues of what is and is not considered obstruction versus declining to enforce federal laws on behalf of another enforcement agency. The limit that this order is running up against is the principle, announced by the Supreme Court in Printz v. United States, that state and local officials cant be required to enforce federal law. So the line-drawing question is going to be distinguishing between requiring state officials to comply with federal law, which is okay, and requiring them to enforce it, which is not, Roosevelt told Salon. This ties into a common misunderstanding of what sanctuary jurisdictions are and what they are not. Sanctuary jurisdiction is not a formal category but rather a name given to a collection of jurisdictions that have a variety of policies in terms of performing enforcement actions on ICEs behalf. Sanctuary jurisdictions do not hide immigrants from ICE or prevent ICE from operating in the jurisdiction. Rather, sanctuary jurisdiction policies play out in the context of detention periods for people brought into police custody and what sort of notification is or is not sent to ICE. A sanctuary jurisdiction may choose not to notify ICE when an undocumented immigrant is released from jail, or they may notify ICE but not hold them on behalf of ICE. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Roosevelt noted that even if the Justice Department successfully challenged state and local laws regarding notifying ICE, enforcing a state law that was later struck down would not normally be considered a crime. To the extent that theres a state law that frustrates the objective of federal law, that would probably be preempted, but acting in compliance with a state law thats preempted is not itself a federal crimethe conduct would have to fall under some other federal prohibition, Roosevelt said. Some law enforcement officials, such as Philadelphia's Democratic district attorney, Larry Krasner, have indicated that they won't bend under this pressure from the Justice Department and will continue abiding by local sanctuary measures, The Philadelphia Inquirer reported. "My office is a law enforcement entity. We are going to follow the Constitution and uphold the law. We are under no obligation to do things that are illegal or simply on Donald Trumps fascist wish list, where he has no authority to compel our conduct, Krasner said. President Donald Trump ordered all federal workers back into the office five days per week via an executive order. Other employers like JPMorgan, Amazon, and AT&T have brought down the RTO hammer, much to workers dismay. Americas largest employer just ordered its workers back into the office five days a week. On Donald Trumps first day in the Oval Office, he signed an executive order mandating all federal employees return to their cubicles. The move will affect nearly 3 million people employed by the U.S. government, many of whom have operated on a hybrid or a fully remote basis for years. Heads of all departments and agencies in the executive branch of Government shall, as soon as practicable, take all necessary steps to terminate remote work arrangements and require employees to return to work in-person at their respective duty stations on a full-time basis, provided that the department and agency heads shall make exemptions they deem necessary, the executive order said. The U.S. government is just one of many organizations prying workers from their couches and sending them back into the office. About 90% of businesses said they planned to implement RTO policies by the start of 2025, according to a 2023 report from Resume Builder. Employers including Goldman Sachs, Amazon, AT&T, JPMorgan, Google, EY, Microsoft, and Apple have all shifted away from work from home, to name a few. And its already taken shape among digital employees: In 2024, about 75% of employees with jobs that could be done remotely said their boss had put in-person mandates in place, up from 63% in early 2023, according to a recent survey from the Pew Research Center. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement CEOs claim working remotely stifles creativity and innovation, diminishes productivity, and disrupts connectivity. Those myths have since been debunked. But despite employees' dismaynearly 73% of Amazons employees considered quitting in response to its controversial five-days-in-office crackdown, according to a poll of 2,585 of the company's workersRTO mandates continue to live on. The WFH wars have been waged for the better part of four years now, since pandemic-era restrictions of social distancing and masks have been lifted. But does Trump's executive order move the needle of power away from employees? Not the tipping pointriding the wave of the WFH wars Experts who spoke with Fortune conceded that Trumps mandate on federal workers will have a broader influence on other organizations WFH policies. But overall, the move is just riding the rolling wave of anti-WFH policies. Sean Puddle, the managing director for Robert Walters North America operations, told Fortune that Trumps RTO decision could serve as a go-ahead for others mulling over in-person mandates. However, hes not certain this decision is a turning point; big employers have been rolling out the policies for years. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I don't know if there's necessarily a sort of silver bullet answer to this. I think it's probably going to be an evolution, like anything, Puddle said, explaining that big businesses questioning the viability of bringing their staffers back to in-office will now use the U.S. governments RTO mandate as a touchstone and excuse to roll out the policy. Theyre probably leaning on the fact that other people are doing it now, too. I don't necessarily think that this is a tipping point. I think it's continuing on with the trend that we've been seeing from employers, Kyle M.K., talent strategy advisor for Indeed, told Fortune. And this could be a cost-cutting mechanism, M.K. pointed out. For example, after announcing his own RTO mandate, the Department of Government Efficiencys (DOGE) head Elon Musk embraced the thought that employees would quit. In a WSJ opinion piece, Musk and former DOGE co-leader Vivek Ramaswamy wrote about "a wave of voluntary terminations that we welcome: If federal employees don't want to show up, American taxpayers shouldn't pay them for the Covid-era privilege of staying home." M.K. made the connection between DOGEs sensibility on the situation and the broader U.S. governments approach with the in-office policy. It is a big deal, but it's not terribly surprising," he said. "Understanding what the Trump administration is trying to achieve with the federal workforce, with the whole Department of Government Efficiency, trying to reduce their workforce. Who is projected to win the fightworkers or employers? Experts told Fortune that employees do have power in the WFH warsand its only projected to grow in the coming years. Indeed, employers may call the shots, but theyre not in control of how staffers react. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I think workers always have the most influence and power over the labor market. If someone doesn't want to work in an office, then they will choose not to work in the office, M.K. said. That might take some time where they have to find new work. But ultimately, they are in charge of their own time and how they choose to use it. The Indeed talent strategy advisor also pointed out demographic shifts that play a major hand in these WFH wars. Americas workforce is aging, and Gen Z and millennials are poised to take over a large part of the labor force in the coming years. These generations value flexible schedules more than othersafter all, half of Gen Z said they would quit their jobs if forced into the office over three days a week, according to a 2024 report from Personio. And in a future with reduced applicant options, theyll hold greater power in who they choose to work for. At that point in time, employers who dont have hybrid or remote work may be out of luck. Whos going to win the work from home wars? It comes down to the fact that we've got an aging workforce. In less than five years, Gen Z and millennials will be a majority of the workforce, and those two generations have identified that flexibility is very important to them, M.K. said. So employers who struggle to keep up [with flexible schedule demands] will also struggle to operate in that world where a majority of the workers determine where and how they want to work. Puddle has also witnessed the swing of power between employers and workers over the years, working at a talent solutions agency. He said staffers have power in this very momentbut that bosses currently have more of an upper-hand, in a tight labor market. But give it some time, and staffers will seize control of the moment. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We went from being very candidate-driven just after COVID. The market changed a couple of years ago, and employers started to get a bit more of a say in terms of the hiring process, as there were less jobs than people, Puddle said. That shift is going to come back at some point, and it will start to become candidate-driven again The pendulum is always moving. This story was originally featured on Fortune.com There is panic in Armenia. The appearance of French Ambassador to Azerbaijan Anne Boyon on the Alley of Martyrs on January 20 caused great concern in the propaganda circles of the neighboring country. Armenia is so accustomed to considering France as "its own" that any deviations from these ideas cause alarm and discontent. So, Madame Boyon visited the Alley of Martyrs and laid flowers at the graves of the victims of Black January. And what especially scared the Armenian side was making a note about it on social media. "On this day of mourning, the 35th anniversary of the Black January tragedy, we, together with our European colleagues, mourn the memory of the victims of the January 1990 events," the French diplomat wrote. Why didn't she refuse to join the diplomats of other countries? - they are worried in Armenia. This concern is related not so much to the French ambassador's visit to the Alley of Martyrs, but rather to the fact that the Armenian agitprop sees this step as a link to recent statements by Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev. Recall that in an interview with local TV channels, the head of state revealed some interesting facts. "I'll tell you one more thing, which, in principle, we never talked about, but I think it will still help to somehow get out of the crisis. Over the past few months, we have received signals from representatives of the French government to establish contacts - there have been three or four such contacts in my memory - from different personalities to our various representatives, and the answer has always been: "We are ready." Yes, we are ready today, but we will not go anywhere - neither to Paris, nor to Brussels. If you need to meet with us, you can meet here, in Baku. Every time at some stage, then again there is a vacuum, silence. Now, recently, another such diplomatic dispatch, let's say a verbal one, was received: to talk again, to discuss. Again, we are ready, we have nothing to share with them, we have no complaints about this country. The main thing is not to be touched or interfered with in our affairs, and not to interfere in the affairs of the South Caucasus," the head of state said. Armenian "analysts" associate Boillon's appearance on the Alley of Martyrs with these statements, considering the diplomat's behavior to be one of the manifestations of Paris' attempt to mend incredibly damaged relations with Baku. The Armenians have made a lot of efforts to destroy these relations, and therefore the neighbors are very worried about the possibility that Paris will suddenly decide to replay everything. The claims against the French ambassador are that she visited the Alley despite criticism from Baku against President Macron and his policies and the fact that Azerbaijan, they say, "pokes its nose into relations between France and Armenia." "This is simply unthinkable! And against the background of all this, we see such a shocking step on the part of Anne Boyon. I would like to be wrong, but it is possible that her behavior is explained by the fact that behind the scenes in Paris they are trying to negotiate something with Baku," one of the Armenian media writes. In addition, Boyon is accused of showing "disrespect for the memory of the victims of the Armenian pogroms." But this is more like pedaling emotions than a serious argument. And the main reason for dissatisfaction with the behavior of the French diplomat is the fear of Paris' desire to start correcting the situation in relations with Azerbaijan, since even a hint of a change in France's position deprives them of the illusion of support. The Armenian side fears that the loss of a key ally will further emphasize its weakness, leaving them alone with the reality that it has no influence in the region. Olin, a U.S. ammunition manufacturer based in Clayton, Missouri, today announced a $75 million deal to acquire AMMO's small-caliber ammunition manufacturing assets in Wisconsin. The assets will be folded into Olin's Winchester Ammunition business. The acquisition includes AMMO's brass shell case capabilities and a 185,000-square-foot production facility in Manitowoc, Wisconsin. According to the company, the Manitowoc facility and its employees will complement Winchester's existing production capabilities. Most Read on IEN: According to the company, once the business is fully integrated with Winchester's economies of scale and value chain from raw material sourcing to projectiles, primers, and loading capabilities the acquisition will realize $40 million in synergies. Brett Flaugher, president of Winchester Ammunition, says the assets in Wisconsin will help Winchester's legacy plants lower costs of high-volume products and make higher-margin specialty rounds at a cost advantage. The transaction is subject to customary terms and conditions and is expected to close in Q2 2025. Olin's President and CEO Ken Lane says the deal is in line with Winchester's acquisition strategy, which began in 2023 with the purchase of White Flyer, a manufacturer of recreational trap, skeet, and sporting clay targets. Olin plans to continue looking for small, bolt-on acquisition targets. Lane says the company expects the Manitowoc assets to generate $15 million to $20 million of incremental adjusted EBITDA in the first year. AMMO opened the Manitowoc plant in September 2022. The facility includes a multi-lane underground range and a lab with state-of-the-art test equipment. Click here to subscribe to our daily newsletter featuring breaking manufacturing industry news. A version of this article originally appeared in Quartzs Need to Know: Davos newsletter. To get updates on the World Economic Forum delivered straight to your inbox all week, sign up here. President Donald Trumps virtual visit to Davos on Thursday laid out his vision for Trump 2.0. Here are some highlights: AI Infrastructure investment: Trump touted the $500B Stargate project with Oracle, SoftBank, and OpenAI, citing it as evidence of renewed business confidence in the U.S. He also will press Saudi Arabia to invest up to $1 trillion, saying hell ask Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to round it up from $600 billion. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Tariffs & Trade: Trump laid out a simple formula: manufacture in America with low taxes, or face tariffs. He called them stroke of the pen policies that will generate trillions for the Treasury. Russias war against Ukraine: The president blamed high oil prices for prolonging the conflict. If the price came down, he said, the Russia-Ukraine war would end immediately. He described war as the worst since World War II. NATO: Trump wants to more than double NATO members defense spending requirements to 5% of GDP. He claimed credit for getting members to pay 2% during his first term: They didnt pay until I came along. E.U. relations: He called the European Union very, very unfair to the U.S., citing VAT taxes, agricultural barriers, and slow approvals for building projects. Trump shared an anecdote about a week-long Irish approval that wouldve taken 5-6 years from the E.U. He made sure to add a diplomatic caveat: I love Europe, I love the countries of Europe, but the process is a very cumbersome one. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Heres what else is happening at the World Economic Forum in Davos. AI, AI, and more AI Before Trumps appearance, Davos finally seemed to turn its attention to AI though naturally, Trump found his way into that conversation, too. The $500 billion Stargate project, a massive AI infrastructure investment backed by OpenAI, SoftBank and Oracle, had SAP CEO Christian Klein praising it as a great role model while lamenting Europes regulatory hurdles. His plea to E.U. leaders? Build their own Stargate. The AI conversation took an existential turn when Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff declared that the assembled executives would be the last generation of CEOs who will only be managing humans. He showcased AIs current reach right there in Davos: an AI assistant in the WEF app that tracks attendees sessions and makes recommendations. From this point forward, he said, we will be managing not only human workers, but also digital workers. And that is just incredible. Even Pope Francis joined the AI conversation from Vatican City, with a message delivered by Cardinal Peter Turkson: AIs human-like outputs are raising critical concerns about truth in public discourse. His call for due diligence and vigilance landed pointedly as AI companies packed the promenade outside, eager to showcase their latest innovations. Back to tariff talk Trumps pivot to Russia sanctions found an unexpected cheerleader: NATO chief Mark Rutte. I was very, very happy with Trumps position, he told CNBC during an interview in Davos on Thursday after Trump threatened high levels of Taxes, Tariffs, and Sanctions if Russia doesnt end its war against Ukraine soon. Rutte hopes Europe will follow suit to choke off the Russian economy. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The NATO heads enthusiasm comes with a nod to Trumps long-standing criticisms: Trump is right, Ukraine is closer to Europe, but Trump is also right that it is a geopolitical conflict. His goal? Getting Europe to step up while securing a good and strong deal to end the war. Meanwhile, WTO chief Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala wants everyone to take a deep breath about tariffs. While acknowledging that tit-for-tat retaliation on tariffs would be catastrophic, she said they are also a stroke of the pen policy and noted that trade often gets unfairly blamed for deeper macroeconomic imbalances. As leaders hyperventilate over Trumps threats, she pointed to the resilience of global trade: $30.4 trillion worth, with 80% under WTO rules. Her message to the Davos crowd? Maybe just chill. For the latest news, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Donald Trumps inauguration speech listed several executive orders he planned to execute on his first day back in the White House. Conspicuous by its absence? The proposed 25 per cent tariffs on all Canadian and Mexican products. Maybe the President had experienced a change of heart? Maybe he was going to work with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to resolve his two main concerns: illegal immigration and the flow of illicit drugs like fentanyl into the United States? Maybe it had been nothing more than Trump being Trump? That was a pipe dream. When a reporter asked Trump in the evening about the tariffs, he confirmed they were coming. I think February 1, he said, confirming also that it could be about 25 per cent on each country. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement There you have it. If Trumps tariffs become a reality, what can Canada do? Many of the countrys political leaders, both Left and Right, say they are ready to push back. If the President does choose to proceed with tariffs on Canada, Trudeau said on Tuesday at a political retreat, the Canadian government will respond and everything is on the table. I support the principle of dollar-for-dollar matching tariffs. Its something that we are absolutely going to be looking at if that is how they move forward. Ontario premier Doug Ford, meanwhile, threatened to clear off every bit of US alcohol off the shelves in hundreds of stores operated by the Liquor Control Board of Ontario, a quasi-monopoly that oversees the provinces liquor retailing and distribution. He also suggested a clear mandate was necessary to wage this economic war, likely meaning a snap election. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement One notable exception has been Alberta premier Danielle Smith. She went to Washington and spoke with Trump and Republican leaders in an intelligent, rational fashion. I dont know that [Trump] responds well to threats, especially empty ones, she told the National Post on Tuesday. Im of the view that we have to find a deal from a more diplomatic point of view. (Saskatchewan premier Scott Moe said on Wednesday that he would also oppose Trudeaus broad-based tariffs.) Smith is rare in adopting a common sense approach towards dealing with Trump. Practically everyone else is thumping their chests unwisely. For while Trudeaus dollar-for-dollar approach to Trumps tariffs may have a small impact, the country is largely defenceless against them. A 25 per cent tariff on all US-bound Canadian exports could throw the Canadian economy into a recession, squeezing gross domestic product by as much as 3 per cent, the Wall Street Journal warned on Wednesday. Retaliatory tariffs would only add to the pain and could potentially hurt Canadas economy and decrease business confidence in an already-shaky financial climate. No-one is suggesting that Canada should just roll over and play dead. But anyone who believes that a middle power like Canada could disrupt a major economic force like the US has smoked far too much of the formers legalised marijuana. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The timing is a problem, too. Canada is currently in a political crisis. Trudeau has lost the faith of most Liberal cabinet colleagues and Canadians, and will be resigning once his successor has been chosen in early March. Since the country will be effectively leaderless when Trumps threatened tariffs could come in, the need for a federal election could not be clearer. Maybe that was Trumps master plan all along. Bring down the weak, ineffective Liberals with crippling tariffs. And precipitate the early arrival of a Conservative government thats like-minded about dealing with border security, illegal immigration and illicit drugs. Michael Taube, a columnist for the National Post, Troy Media and Loonie Politics, was a speechwriter for former Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper 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 Trump revealed his reason behind reversing the ban on TikTok in a Fox interview with Sean Hannity. Trump appeared on his first TV interview with Fox presenter Sean Hannity two days after his inauguration into office. During this time, the newly elected President spoke on his executive order to delay the ban that was put in place for the popular app TikTok. After a long hearing process, a ban on the app went into effect on January 18th, 2025, only for users to regain access to the app less than 24 hours later with the message, Thanks for your patience and support. As a result of President Trumps efforts, TikTok is back in the U.S.! Trump revealed his thought process in lifting the ban on the popular app TikTok, stating that he credits the app for his popularity with younger voters. President Donald Trump has rescinded the security details of three former White House colleagues all of whom face international threats for the work they did on Trump's behalf, The New York Times reports. Trump's former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, former U.S. representative for Iran Brian Hook, and former national security adviser John Bolton each played roles in a 2020 drone strike that killed Iranian general Qassem Soleimani. Since then, the men have reportedly faced continued threats from Iran. Bolton was the target of a murder plot by a member of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps in 2022 presumably out of retribution for Soleimani's death. On Jan. 22, he told the Times that "two separate government agencies called" and said "the threat level remains the same" as two years prior. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Related: The FBI Is Searching for an Alleged Iranian Assassin Reportedly Targeting Trump-Era Officials Iran's threats are also pointed at Trump himself, though as president he enjoys an extensive Secret Service detail. In November, for example, the Justice Department brought charges against a man whom prosecutors accused of being hired by Iran to kill Trump. Related: Iranian Leaders Promise 'Revenge' Against U.S. After Airstrikes Kill Top Military Official BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/AFP via Getty Donald Trum at a 2018 NATO summit with Mike Pompeo and John Bolton behind him Donald Trum at a 2018 NATO summit with Mike Pompeo and John Bolton behind him Former President Joe Biden was aware of the threats against Bolton, Pompeo and Hook, and the three men's security teams were granted by the Biden administration. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Associated Press reported that a former senior official in the Biden administration who spoke on the condition of anonymity said the Trump administration was also made aware of the "active threats" against the men. The former Biden official added that they considered Trump's decision to revoke protection "highly irresponsible." Related: Donald Trump Calls D.C. Bishop 'Nasty' and Not Smart for Asking Him to Show 'Mercy' During National Prayer Service Amid the threats from Iran during Biden's presidency, the Democrat's White House aides issued a warning to Iranian officials that killing a former U.S. government official would be understood as an act of war. Jim Watson-Pool/Getty President Joe Biden in the Oval Office on June 2, 2023 President Joe Biden in the Oval Office on June 2, 2023 Only former presidents and their spouses are guaranteed protection after leaving public office. Thus, Pompeo, Hook and Bolton are not entitled to protection even in the midst of active danger. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Bolton left Trump's first administration in 2019 on bad terms, and since then he's been vocal in his opposition to Trump including writing a tell-all book about his time in the White House. Following the news that his security detail had been revoked in the first days of Trump's second term, Bolton shared that he was "disappointed but not surprised." "Notwithstanding my criticisms of President Biden's national-security policies, he nonetheless made the decision to extend that protection to me in 2021," Bolton wrote in a statement to The Hill on Tuesday, Jan. 21. Related: John Bolton Implies Donald Trump Spends More Time Watching TV Than He Does in the Oval Office ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS/AFP via Getty Brian Hook and Mike Pompeo. Brian Hook and Mike Pompeo. Trump also recently turned against Pompeo, publicly stating that his former secretary of state would have no role in his second administration, despite Pompeo largely continuing to align himself with his former boss. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Pompeo has, on a few occasions, taken jabs at Trump including one instance in 2023 when he said that the Republican Party should move away from "celebrity leaders" with "fragile egos," as Axios reported. Still, Pompeo endorsed Trump in 2024 and spoke at the Republican National Convention. 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. Hook served under Pompeo in Trump's first term, and later served the Wilson Center for Scholars during Biden's presidency. Hours after Trump's inauguration on Monday, the new president publicly fired Hook over social media, in the same breath as three other Biden appointees, writing that they were "not aligned with our vision to Make America Great Again." Read the original article on People President Donald Trump reportedly elicited gasps from the international crowd gathered at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, on Thursday when he suggested that Canada could become a U.S. state in order to avoid the sweeping tariffs he wants to impose. In his first major speech as the 47th president, Trump reiterated many of his economic priorities and claims that the U.S. is treated very unfairly on trade by other nations. He spoke virtually from Washington, a live video feed splashed above the heads of panelists onstage in Switzerland. Trump singled out Canada for a special warning: As you probably know, I say, you can always become a state. And if youre a state, we wont have a deficit. We wont have to tariff you. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The BBCs Faisal Islam said he heard gasps in the Davos hall at the casual remark. Its not fair that we should have a $200 billion or $250 billion deficit, Trump said, vastly overstating the actual trade deficit. We dont need them to make our cars, and they make a lot of them, Trump said, ignoring how vehicles lengthy assembly lines often span multiple countries from start to finish. We dont need their lumber because we have our own forests, etcetera, etcetera. We dont need their oil and gas. We have more than anybody, Trump went on. Trump has yet to act on his tariff threat. But he told reporters after his inauguration on Monday that they are still part of his plan, suggesting a 25% tariff on imports from Mexico and Canada could come down Feb. 1. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Economists agree that imposing tariffs on goods makes them more expensive for U.S. consumers. Related... Donald Trump lies about everything, but the lies strewn throughout his executive order shutting down diversity, equity and inclusion, or DEI, policies in the federal government are especially taxing on one's credulity. Efforts to improve diversity, the order reads, "deny, discredit, and undermine the traditional American values of hard work, excellence, and individual achievement." This paean to the importance of "excellence" and "hard work" comes from a man who, a mere five years ago, looked a row of medical researchers and doctors in the eye and suggested he understood science better than they did, despite having not studied it for a day of his life. He then theorized that Lysol and bleach be used to treat COVID-19 patients "by injection inside, or almost a cleaning, because, you see, it gets in the lungs," aware of the basic scientific principle that painting your lungs with poisonous substances will kill you. The new executive order insists that recruiting diverse applicants is "diminishing the importance of individual merit, aptitude, hard work, and determination." It was signed by a man who has nominated Pete Hegseth, an understudy Fox News host, to run the Department of Defense. Hegseth's only prior administrative experience comes from running two small-time charities into the ground, resulting in his removal from leadership. This ode to the value of skills and knowledge comes from the same half-literate president who also nominated Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to run Health and Human Services, even though Kennedy claims cognitive decline from a brain worm and also refuses to accept the overwhelming scientific evidence showing that vaccines are safe and effective. The only reason the alleged testament to "merit" is even readable is because someone other than Trump wrote it. The "merit"-loving president famously can't get through a 240-character social media post without multiple grammatical errors and misspellings. All three of these men embody the concept of incompetence, but they are white, straight and male. When Trump or any MAGA devotee is talking about "merit" or "excellence," that is what they mean: whiteness, straightness and maleness. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement And the more incompetent or ignorant the straight white man is, the more he is held out as the exemplar of "merit" in MAGA-speak. For all the talk about opposition to discrimination and belief in a "colorblind" society, the actions of MAGA show that their true goal is reserving better jobs and opportunities for straight white men, while relegating women, LGBTQ folks and people of color to underpaid and lower-status employment. Want more Amanda Marcotte on politics? Subscribe to her newsletter Standing Room Only. This much is evident in the other executive orders Trump has been signing. On Monday, he signed an executive order forcing the federal government to discriminate against trans people, even stripping them of health care. He also signed an executive order to repeal federal funds to help Black farmers and investments in majority-Black neighborhoods. Neither program has anything to do with "merit," unless "merit" is code for "white." He made it legal for federal contractors to discriminate "in employment decisions on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or national origin." As a capper, he fired Adm. Linda Fagan from command of the Coast Guard. There were some empty pretexts offered for this, but she was obviously targeted for no other reason than being the first woman to head a branch of the U.S. military. But the most in-your-face proof that neither Trump nor his MAGA followers care about merit can be seen in their admiration of subject-matter ignoramuses so long as they're white men and their utter loathing for anyone who actually knows what they're talking about. It's a movement that treats podcaster Joe Rogan, a college dropout who appears to never research a topic before holding forth on it, as the nation's pre-eminent medical authority. Meanwhile, Dr. Anthony Fauci, a Cornell-educated doctor who ran the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases for 38 years, has become a favorite target for violent threats from Trump loyalists, due to his unwillingness to reject basic scientific truths. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement That is but one example in an infinity of ways that Republicans reject real knowledge and skills, believing that authority and power should be doled out instead to white men whose only skill set is supporting a right-wing agenda. Decades of climate science are routinely dismissed by MAGA blowhards, who prefer to put their trust in Fox News pundits chuckling about how it still snows in the winter. Evolutionary biology has been repeatedly proven true for nearly two centuries, without which all the medical innovations on which even Republicans depend would not have been developed. But MAGA would prefer to believe self-styled preachers who claim that Noah's ark was real and that Adam and Eve had pet dinosaurs. Economics, law, environmental science, nutrition, sociology, psychology: No field is safe from having experts spat upon by MAGA, which prefers the opinions of white male know-nothings. As a 2023 McKinsey report shows, companies that embrace race and gender diversity in higher have 39% better financial performance than other companies. But really, this is also common sense. Women and minorities aren't underrepresented because they are inherently less talented but because they face both overt and systematic discrimination. When efforts are made to include more applicants in hiring, you will snag talented people who were overlooked in more discriminatory settings. This truth was almost comically on the nose during the presidential election, which pitted a smart, capable Black woman against a man who has almost certainly never read a book, not even the ones ghostwritten under his name. During the only debate Trump could even tolerate against Kamala Harris, she mopped the floor with him, showcasing her sharp mind and understanding of the issues, while he raved incoherently about conspiracy theories accusing Haitian immigrants of eating cats. But millions of voters handed Trump the election anyway, because, despite all their talk about "merit," their true belief is that the very dumbest white guy should get the job before the best Black woman. MAGA kept calling Harris a "DEI candidate," showing that the phrase is just a racial slur with no relationship to someone's actual skill or intelligence. Certainly, the pandemic was the ultimate demonstration that MAGA does not care about doing a good job or hiring the best and brightest. They want to put a bunch ideologues in charge, and if the result is widespread system failure, so be it. Trump and his minions literally allowed hundreds of thousands of people to die, rather than accepting that science is real or that leaders should have qualities other than being proudly ignorant white men. Now Republicans are lining up to confirm a clown car worth of dangerously unqualified candidates to run important federal offices. If anything, their lack of qualifications is what's securing them those positions, reflecting this deep-seated MAGA hostility to competence. The last thing Trump or anyone in his coalition wants is a system that actually rewards merit: In a genuine meritocracy, none of them would ever work again. ROCHESTER, N.Y. (WROC) The American Red Cross is sharing a renewed push for blood donations following nearly 500 blood drive cancellations across the U.S. Officials said winter weather and complications from the cold and flu season are to blame for the cancellations, which means its that much more important to donate. One year ago at this time, the Red Cross faced an emergency blood shortage. While supply is stable now, the amount of cancellations nationwide is concerning to officials. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The need for blood is constant. We know that the shelf life for blood is very finite, anywhere from five days to three weeks. Youre coming on that time of year where we are already typically seeing a significant decrease in people coming out, whether thats because of the winter weather or because of cold and flu season. Thats why were really putting the call out now, said Meg Rossman of the American Red Crosss WNY chapter. Rossman said locally, the Red Cross has not seen a significant need to cancel many donation drives. However, she said the push for donors will only help to keep supply strong for those in need. The blood supply right now is stable. But a year ago this month, we were in the midst of an emergency blood shortage. Its because of those compounding factors. We just dont see those numbers coming out. Were stable right now, but given the number of drives canceled nationwide and given the fact were likely to see more storms in the coming days and weeks, that could significantly impact things, said Rossman. Every two seconds, someone is in need of a life-saving blood product. Its so important, not just this time of year, but year-round. Its still early enough in the year where you can make it your resolution to donate blood. For more information and to make an appointment, youre encouraged to visit the Red Crosss website or call 1(800) RED-CROSS. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Those who give blood between now and Sunday will be entered to win a paid trip for two to the Super Bowl in New Orleans. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. No, U.S. Sen. Ruben Gallego is not a turncoat. He has not betrayed his Democratic voters. He has not cast off his liberal values. Democrats are now the party of rich donors There are two kinds of Democrats walking through the wreckage of the 2024 presidential election. There are the sleepwalkers who continue to follow the trail Status Quo. And there are the fully alert. Gallego represents those who opened their eyes and realized that Democrats have become the party of six figures. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Americans with six-figure incomes, $100,000 or above, now overwhelmingly support the Democratic Party. Those below $100,000 the working people who lack high-paying jobs and college diplomas voted Republican, according to Associated Press Votecast. Ruben Gallego represents the working class That means a lot of blue-collar people who used to vote Democrat have abandoned the party. It includes Latino men, who, according to NBC exit polls, voted for Donald Trump over Kamala Harris by 12 percentage points 55% to 43%. Thats a 19% increase over the 2020 election. Even Latino women, who went for Harris by 22 percentage points, moved 8 points in Trumps direction since 2020. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Im bringing the perspective of working class Latinos from Arizona, Gallego told Politico in an article published on Tuesday. And that perspective, I think, has been missing. Gallego demonstrates his commitment to working class values by supporting the Laken Riley Act, which would require Immigration and Customs Enforcement to take custody of undocumented immigrants charged, arrested or convicted of committing acts of burglary, theft, larceny, or shoplifting. He joins 11 other Democrats, including Arizonas Mark Kelly and Pennsylvanias John Fetterman, who voted for the bill named for Laken Riley, an Augusta University nursing student who was murdered while jogging at the University of Georgia. The man convicted was a 26-year-old Venezuelan who had entered the United States illegally. Democrats misread the room on immigration Democrats made a mistake hewing too closely to the politics of their special-interest elites, their donor class that funds campaigns, Nina Turner, a former member of the Democratic National Committee, said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Democratic Party has a problem with a class of people, from elected officials to consultants, who care more about their careers than actually delivering for people. U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders put it this way: It should come as no great surprise that a Democratic Party which has abandoned working class people would find that the working class has abandoned them. That betrayal was particularly acute on the issue of immigration a generational mistake, Roge Karma wrote in the politically left Atlantic magazine. Left-wing immigration nonprofits within the Democratic coalition persuaded party leadership that they would win greater Latino support if they moved left on immigration, he explained. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement And so, in 2016, Hillary Clintons campaign began to emphasize immigration and diversity, Karma wrote. Some Democrats are realizing their mistake In 2020, the party promoted the near decriminalization of the border. Then, in the Biden years, the party tolerated record flows of illegal immigration. The Democratic Partys embrace of these groups was based on a mistake that in hindsight appears simple: conflating the views of the highly educated, progressive Latinos who run and staff these organizations, and who care passionately about immigration-policy reform, with the views of Latino voters, who overwhelmingly do not. Avoiding that mistake might very well have made the difference in 2016 and 2024. It could therefore rank among the costliest blunders the Democratic Party has ever made. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement There are plenty of Democrats waking up with this same perspective. Opinion: Gallego is right. A little prejudice wins elections New York U.S. Rep. Ritchie Torres tweeted soon after the election, Donald Trump has no greater friend than the far left, which has managed to alienate historic numbers of Latinos, Blacks, Asians, and Jews from the Democratic Party with absurdities like Defund the Police or From the River to the Sea or Latinx. There is more to lose than there is to gain politically from pandering to a far left that is more representative of Twitter, Twitch, and TikTok than it is of the real world. The working class is not buying the ivory-towered nonsense that the far left is selling. Gallego is saving the party from itself Its not rocket science, said Michigan Sen.-elect Elissa Slotkin, who joins Gallego in support of the Laken Riley Act. Its talking about ... issues plainly, not from the faculty lounge, but from the assembly line. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement She added, I personally think that identity politics needs to go the way of the dodo. People need to be looked at as independent Americans, whatever group theyre from, whatever party they may be from. Antonio Delgado, Democratic lieutenant governor of New York, wrote in a New York Times op-ed soon after the election that his party has engendered disdain from the very people it sought to serve everyday, hard-working Americans fed up with being lied to and squeezed out of opportunity. The prospect of upsetting the donor class, lobbyists and special interest groups must not prevent us from doing right by our principles. Common sense should rule the day. Yes, we have to secure the border and protect American workers from bad trade deals made in the name of globalization. That donor class, those Democrat elites, are angry right now with Ruben Gallego. They believe he is a Benedict Arnold who has withdrawn his support of immigrants. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement They could not be more wrong. Gallego is part of the vanguard of first responders trying to save the Democratic Party from itself. Phil Boas is an editorial columnist with The Arizona Republic. Email him at phil.boas@arizonarepublic.com. This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Sen. Ruben Gallego is no turncoat on immigration | Opinion LAFAYETTE, La. (KLFY) The Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development has announced westbound I-10 is back in business. Westbound I-10 from I-49 to the Texas state line is now open to traffic, after being closed due to hazardous road conditions brought on by Tueadays snowstorm. DOTD said crews will continue to monitor state bridges and roadways. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 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. WASHINGTON (DC News Now) With federal workers slated to return to office in the coming weeks, businesses in D.C.s downtown area are hopeful for a spike in customers. I think that itll be a great thing to keep money circulating around the area, around the city, bringing warm energy back to the city, said Dale Simmons, owner of Walls Barber Shop. His shop is located on L Street in the Golden Triangle area. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Simmons said theres been a noticeable decrease in foot traffic since the pandemic and a shift to remote work. Trumps executive order to end remote work sparks opposition from federal workers Since the pandemic, its been really dead down here. Money hasnt been flowing around, and people havent been downtown working in the commercial buildings. It has definitely been empty, he explained. As promised, President Donald Trump signed an executive order issuing a return-to-office policy for federal workers. On Wednesday, agency heads received a memo from the U.S. Office of Personnel Management, issuing guidance on how to begin the implementation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Per the memo: The Presidents PM directs agency heads to take all necessary steps to terminate remote work arrangements and require employees to return to work in-person at their respective duty stations on a full-time basis as soon as practicable. It allows agency heads to make exemptions they deem necessary and directs that the directive be implemented consistent with applicable law. The memo also said the federal office buildings sitting mostly empty in D.C. are devastating the local economy and serving as a national embarrassment. Agency heads have until 5 p.m. on Friday to revise their telework policies and notify staff. Implementation should begin in roughly 30 days. Maryland Attorney General: Trumps executive order on transgender rights threatens peoples lives The change in policy has received pushback from some federal workers and their unions, who worry about a mass exodus of workers and a negative impact on quality of life. Its those family-friendly type policies, like a decent telework program that keeps people around, said Randy Erwin, national president of the National Federation of Federal Employees. If they do away with those youre certainly not going to be able to recruit and retain the best and brightest. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Still, business districts in the area are applauding the change. This is something weve been waiting for, so were excited, said Leona Agouridis, CEO of the Golden Triangle Business Improvement District. According to Agouridis, the occupancy rate downtown dropped drastically during the pandemic to just 10%. That number has now risen to about 67%, but she said the impacts of remote work are still being felt. The downtowns economy really depends on having a lot of people here and the vitality and it really is an ecosystem, she said. Its not just people in an office building. Its people who come to the office, they go to lunch at a local business, they pick up their drying cleaning or they go to happy hours after work. 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. (Reuters) -OpenAI and Japanese conglomerate SoftBank will each commit $19 billion to fund Stargate, a joint venture to develop data centers for artificial intelligence in the U.S., the Information reported on Wednesday. The ChatGPT maker will hold a 40% interest in Stargate, and would act as an extension of OpenAI, the report said, citing OpenAI CEO Sam Altman speaking to colleagues. His comments imply SoftBank would also have a 40% interest, the report added. OpenAI and SoftBank did not immediately respond to Reuters' requests for comment. On Tuesday, U.S. President Donald Trump announced that OpenAI, SoftBank Group and Oracle will unveil Stargate and invest $500 billion over the next four years to help the United States stay ahead of China and other rivals in the global AI race. Stargate will initially deploy $100 billion and the rest of the funding is expected over the next four years. The project is being led by SoftBank and OpenAI. (Reporting by Disha Mishra in Bengaluru; Editing by Alan Barona and Rashmi Aich) Dr. Marc Gorelick, president and chief executive officer of Childrens Minnesota, retire in July, capping a 42-year career in pediatric medicine and seven years of advocating for progressive causes at the Minnesota State Capitol. The nonprofit health system runs two pediatric hospitals in St. Paul and Minneapolis, as well as a variety of clinics and specialty centers metro-wide, including locations in Hugo, Lakeville, Roseville, West St. Paul, Woodbury and other suburbs throughout the west metro. Gorelick joined Childrens Minnesota in March 2017 as chief operating officer before transitioning to CEO later that year. In a written statement, board members praised his investments in technology, operations and workforce development, and his leadership during the COVID-19 pandemic. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He is the author of the book Saving Our Kids: An ER Docs Common-Sense Solution to the Gun Crisis, and led the hospitals efforts at the state Capitol to help pass multiple laws aimed at improving health equity for children, including free school meal options for all students, a ban on hair discrimination and an effort to make Minnesota a trans refugee state. Community health initiative During his tenure, the health system launched the Childrens Minnesota Collective for Community Health, which works with community organizations to address everyday social determinants of health. Outpatient and ambulatory services expanded to more than a dozen locations across the Twin Cities metro, and the health system embarked on a $40 million capital campaign to add new inpatient and outpatient mental health programs in St. Paul, Lakeville and Roseville. Kids are facing truly unprecedented mental health crises, said Gorelick in November 2022, at the unveiling for a new 22-bed inpatient mental health unit in downtown St. Paul. Childrens Minnesota was named one of Modern Healthcare Magazines Top Diversity Leaders in 2023 for the executive leadership teams efforts to promote diversity among its own ranks and within the health systems general workforce. Gorelick appointed a Chief Equity and Inclusion Officer early in his tenure, and Childrens is a founding member of the Minnesota Business Coalition for Racial Equity. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Last May, Childrens Minnesota announced it was the first pediatric-only health system in the country to offer on-demand work shifts to local healthcare providers, allowing nurses to review available shifts online and sign up for their preferred date and time. Career background Gorelick was previously executive vice president and chief operating officer of Childrens Hospital of Wisconsin. He has also held faculty positions at the Medical College of Wisconsin and the University of Pennsylvania. He holds an undergraduate degree in history from Princeton University, a medical degree from Duke University, and a Master of Science in Clinical Epidemiology from the University of Pennsylvania. His medical training includes a pediatrics residency at Childrens National Medical Center in Washington, D.C., and a fellowship in pediatric emergency medicine at Childrens Hospital of Philadelphia. In a written statement, the Childrens Minnesota board of directors indicated it has begun a comprehensive search for his successor and will work closely with him in the transition. He intends to lead the organization until his successor in place, they said. Related Articles WACO, Texas (FOX 44) The Dr Pepper Museum has announced a historic year of growth in 2024, with a record-breaking 256,796 paid visitors. The Museum says this achievement marks an 18 percent increase over 2023 (218,037), and also a remarkable 49 percent jump from 2022 (172,227). This rise in attendance highlights the Museums commitment to delivering engaging and award-winning exhibits, expanded programming, and celebrating the legacy of Dr Pepper. The Museum says highlights of its growth includes: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Lifetime Attendance Milestone: Since opening its doors in 1991, the Museum has welcomed 3,070,998 visitors. Major milestones include the 1 millionth visitor in 2007, the 2 millionth visitor in 2019, and the 3 millionth visitor in 2024. This achievement was celebrated with a special 10-2-4 Day event on October 24. Monthly Attendance Growth: The Museum experienced significant year-over-year increases, including a 44 percent rise in April, driven by increased tourism during the Solar Eclipse, and a 22 percent jump during the summer months compared to 2023. This contributed to a milestone of over a quarter-million paid visitors last year. Expanded Reach: The Museum has seen a steady rise in out-of-town visitors, with families and groups traveling to Waco to experience the blend of history, culture, and fun that the Dr Pepper Museum offers. Sponsorships and partnerships with organizations like Keurig Dr Pepper, Waco CVB, HEB, Whataburger, Camp Fimfo, Bird Kultgen Ford, the Billings Family Foundation, and others enabled additional outreach opportunities that expanded the Museums impact this year. New and award-winning exhibits include: Wiltons Landing Exhibit: Opened Dec. 13, this exhibit highlights the evolution of convenience stores, their role in modern culture, and the expansion of Dr Pepper. It also shares stories of underrepresented communities in this part of history. AASLH Award of Excellence: The Museum received the American Association for State and Local History Award of Excellence for its bilingual exhibit The People Who Made Dr Pepper/Las Personas Que Hicieron el Refresco Dr Pepper in September. The Museum was the sole Texas recipient of this prestigious honor in 2024. Dr Pepper Museum President and CEO Chris Dyer expressed his gratitude for the amount of visitors who came to the museum last year and highlights its history, It was invented here downtown, and so, this is really the first commercial bottling plant that the company owned. And its right here in Waco. So its a Waco original. To make its experience accessible to everyone, the museum is currently working on translating exhibits to Spanish. Officials say they also plan to continue providing sensory bags for visitors who need them. For more information about the Dr Pepper Museum, you can visit its official website. 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. Sign up for the Slatest to get the most insightful analysis, criticism, and advice out there, delivered to your inbox daily. Last week, writing about Pete Hegseths hearing to be confirmed as secretary of defense, New York Times columnist David Brooks condemned the Senate committees Democrats for obsessing over the nominees moral qualificationsthe allegations of alcohol abuse and sexual harassmentrather than his views on national security. We live in a social media/cable TV country, the columnist concluded. In our culture you dont want to focus on boring policy questions; you want to engage in the kind of endless culture war that gets voters riled up. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Brooks had a point, but he stretched a bit too far in linking the spectacle to our times. In fact, way back in 1989, before social media existed, the Senate not only challenged but voted down a nominee for secretary of defense, mainly because of charges that he drank too much booze and chased too many skirts. The nominee was John Tower, an otherwise qualified candidate who was named to the post by the newly elected president, George H.W. Bush. Tower had been a four-term Republican senator from Texas and, in his last four years, chairman of the Armed Services Committee. After leaving the Senate in 1985, he served briefly as chief negotiator at the U.S.Soviet nuclear arms control talks, then as chairman of the so-called Tower Commission, which investigated President Ronald Reagans IranContra scandal. (It issued a quite critical report, though harsher on the White House staff than on Reagan personally.) Despite his credentials and his recent membership in the Senates old boys club, Tower was rejectedfirst by his former committee colleagues, then by the full floorbecause of his personal behavior. One key difference from todays drama is that back then, the Democrats held a majority in the Senate. Tower lost in committee in a straight party-line vote, 119, and, soon after, on the floor by 5347, with just two Democrats voting to confirm him. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hegseth, who has claimed he has changed his behavior but also denied the allegations, would probably meet the same fate if he faced the same partisan odds today. He squeaked through the Armed Services Committee this week by a party-line margin, 1413. The vote on the floor, where Republicans hold a 5347 majority, could take place this week. I was the defense reporter for the Boston Globe at the time of the battle over Towers nomination, as well as for part of his time as a senator, and well remember both the man and the fight. He was 5-foot-3, ruddy-faced, his hair slicked back, dressed like a dandy, often with a flower in his lapel-hole. He was not a back-slapperin fact, he was mean, which probably helped propel his downfall. When his nomination started unwinding, few of his former colleagues rallied to his defense; many, whod been on the brunt of his power moves over the years, enjoyed watching him squirm. The downfall came suddenly and surprisingly. Looking back at my Globe articles on the subject (which are not freely available online), Im reminded that, at first, his nomination seemed a sure thing. The Armed Services Committees chairman, Sam Nunn, welcomed him back to the chamber where he had once presided, predicting a swift confirmation. There had been a few press reports about his drinking and carousingthe sorts of accounts that Hegseth, in his battle, would later call anonymous smearsand Sen. Edward Kennedy, among others, expressed dismay over these unfair attacks. But then, Paul Weyrich, a major Republican activist (hed invented direct-mail campaigning), volunteered to appear publicly before the committee and testified that he had witnessed Tower, while on official business, drinking and cavorting with women other than his wife. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement None of this could have surprised any of the panels senators. Towers reputation was widely known. A few years earlier, in the late 1970s, I had been a staffer in the House of Representatives. At the start of each Congress, staff members sat through a briefing about the way Capitol Hill operated. The briefer stressed two imperatives: Always answer constituent mail andthis was directed at the young women in the roomNever get in an elevator alone with John Tower. It was, to say the least, a different time. Lots of senators and congressmen got away with all sorts of behavior that wouldnt be kept secret, much less tolerated, todayand in that department, Tower was one of the most flagrant. Weyrichs public testimony simply brought the fact inescapably out into the open. After the testimony, Nunn asked the FBI to reopen its investigation into Tower and put off the committee vote until the probe was complete. Meanwhile, a boatload of other accusers and witnesses came out of the woodwork. Some of their charges seemed a bit dubious, but others were plausible and backed up. President Bush doubled down on his support of Tower, who was an old friend from his own days on the Hill. Tower denied the charges against him and, behind the scenes, offered to mend his ways, at first saying he would restrict his alcohol intake to wine (no hard stuff) and keeping it to two glasses a day, then pledging to stop drinking altogetherstatements that struck many senators as comically implausible and tended to confirm the charges against him. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In the end, Chairman Nunn declared, I cannot in good conscience vote to put an individual at the top of the chain of command when his history of excessive drinking is such that he would not be selected to command a missile wing, a SAC bomber squadron, or a Trident missile submarine. The other Democrats followed along, some also criticizing Towers lucrative work as a defense consultant in his brief time out of Congress, whichthough it had raised few problems in their minds a few weeks earliernow seemed a disqualifying conflict of interest. It remains to be seen whether new allegations that have just been publicly raised against Hegseth will reopen an FBI probe or have any effect on his fate. On the substantive issues, through his years in the Senate, Tower was an unbridled hawkhe never saw a weapon system that he didnt fully fundbut also a stalwart of the old order at a time when the Cold War was winding down, budget cuts were looming, defense technology was rapidly changing, and ideas for reforming the Pentagon were in the air. Had he been confirmed as defense secretary, Tower probably would have dampened all these impulses. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As a replacement, Bush nominated Republican Congressman Dick Cheney, another old friend, who passed easily. Cheney was a hawk, but also something of a defense reformer. Unlike his later time as the deeply ideological vice president to Bushs son, Cheney ran the Pentagon as, by and large, a pragmatist. (I covered his time at the Pentagon as a Globe reporter as well.) When Iraqs Saddam Hussein invaded Kuwait in 1990 and Bush Sr. responded with a massive troop mobilization and counteroffensive, Cheney managed it quite competently from the Pentagon. A Republican aide in the Senate said to me at the time, Can you imagine the nightmare wed be going through if John Tower was secretary of defense? Tower emerged from his confirmation battle intensely bitter. In his score-settling 1991 memoir, Consequences, he heaped scorn on many of his former colleagues, including those who (ineffectively) defended him. He aimed his deepest scorn at Nunn, whom he blamed for his downfall, denouncing him as blindly ambitious, duplicitous, timid, and priggish. Not long after the books release, Tower died, at age 65, in a commercial airplane crash. He was only the second Cabinet nominee to be rejected by the Senate (though several others, over the years, have withdrawn their names before a vote could be taken). The first was Adm. Lewis Strauss, nominated by President Dwight Eisenhower to be secretary of commerce, rejected in a very narrow vote (4946) by an overwhelmingly Democratic Senate (6434), in part (though not as much as the movie depicted) over his persecution of J. Robert Oppenheimer. Reckless speeds: Man killed in crash near Las Vegas airport LAS VEGAS (KLAS) A driver was killed following a rollover crash near Harry Reid International Airport. The collision occurred Wednesday just before 7 p.m. on Paradise Road, north of Kitty Hawk Way, near Harry Reid International Airport. Police said a sports car traveling at reckless speeds struck a raised concrete barrier, striking a nearby sedan and SUV before overturning and settling on its roof. A driver was killed following a rollover crash near Harry Reid International Airport. It happened on Wednesday shortly before 7 p.m. near Kitty Hawk Way and Paradise Road. (KLAS) First responders cut the sports cars driver, identified only as a 20-year-old man from Las Vegas, from the front seat, but he was pronounced dead at the scene. One other driver was taken to an area hospital with minor injuries. The crash shuttered traffic on Paradise Road, causing gridlock in access to Harry Reid International Airport. Those roads have since reopened. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The crash represents the 12th traffic-related fatality of 2025 in Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Departments jurisdiction, and remains 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 KLAS. Accidents and icy pavement caused a miles-long traffic standstill on the northbound lanes of Interstate 75 in Monroe County, stranding drivers for up to 15 hours and forcing them to spend the night in their vehicles. [DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] Shortly before noon Wednesday, the Georgia State Patrol cleared the highway and traffic slowly began flowing again. Emma Worley was driving home to Cherokee County from Savannah when she got stuck in the paralyzed traffic, just north of the Georgia Highway 42 exit, Tuesday night. By 11 a.m. Wednesday, she had barely moved. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I havent slept, Worley said. Ive never experienced anything like this my whole entire life. She said she waited 15 hours with no food, no sleep, no nothing. Anna Watkins, a spokeswoman for the Monroe County Sheriffs Office, said several accidents north of Forsyth caused the massive backup. The Georgia Department of Transportation treated that stretch of interstate with brine before the storm. RELATED STORIES: Jemes Talabert and his girlfriend were traveling from Miami to Minnesota. We dont have anything to eat, Talabert said. We only have water and weve been here since last night. Its kind of ridiculous. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Alan Burnett was driving from Ocala, Fla., to Ohio. He was about 30 miles from his hotel when he got trapped in this traffic at around 8:30 Tuesday night. I was driving through a terrible storm with cars flying off the road, Burnett said. He said he passed the time listening to the radio, eating a few snacks in my car. But he didnt sleep. I didnt think it was safe to fall asleep on the highway, he said. Mark Coombs was on his way back from Americus, Ga., to his home in Locust Grove. He tried to take the standstill in stride. It is what it is, Coombs said. You go out in bad weather, you gotta deal with it, he said. I grew up north, so I know all about bad weather. It is what it is. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The southbound lanes of I-75 were not affected. By mid-afternoon Wednesday, traffic was moving at regular speeds in both directions of the interstate. [SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter] NEW JERSEY (PIX11) A candidate has emerged as an early favorite in the Republican primary for New Jersey governor, a new Emerson College Polling/PIX11/The Hill poll shows. Jack Ciattarelli leads Bill Spadea 26% to 13% in the Republican primary race for governor, according to the poll released Thursday. Several other Republican candidates polled under 5%. More Local News Ciattarelli is a longtime public servant who came close to beating Gov. Phil Murphy four years ago. Spadea is a longtime drive-time radio host. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement However, 47% percent of Republicans polled were still undecided with several months to go until the primary election in June. With less than six months until New Jerseys gubernatorial primaries, 2021 Republican gubernatorial candidate Ciattarelli emerges as the early favorite in the primary, with presumably higher name recognition, said Spencer Kimball, executive director of Emerson College Polling. Democratic primary race for New Jersey governor The Democratic primary race for New Jersey governor remains close with the majority of voters still undecided, according to the Emerson College Polling/PIX11/The Hill poll. U.S. Rep. Mikie Sherrill received 10% in the poll to take a narrow lead over the rest of the pack. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement New Jersey Education Association President Sean Spiller and Newark Mayor Ras Baraka both received 8%. U.S. Rep. Josh Gottheimer and former state Sen. Stephen Sweeney both received 7%. Jersey City Mayor Steven Fulop received 4%. On the Democratic side, the field is more divided, with Sherrill, Spiller, Baraka, Gottheimer, and Sweeney emerging as early contenders, though the 55% share of undecided voters leaves room for any candidate in the race to consolidate support, Kimball said. Murphy, a Democrat and the current New Jersey governor, is unable to run for reelection due to term limits. The issues on voters minds On the issues, the overwhelming concern for New Jersey voters is the economy and the related issue of housing affordability. A combined 65% of voters said those were their top issues. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The poll examined how the income of New Jersey residents was keeping up with the cost of living 63% of voters said what theyre taking home every month is falling behind the grocery bill, the car payment and other expenses. About 23% of people are breaking even and about 15% say theyre doing well, according to the poll. New Jersey voters also expressed strong opinions about several current hot-button issues. On congestion pricing, its unpopular in New Jersey, with 57% of those surveyed opposing it. There is overwhelming support for the state legislature to mandate free kindergarten at 74%. Voters also strongly support a proposed ban on cellphones in public and charter schools 64% backing that idea. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Finn Hoogensen is a digital journalist who has covered local news for more than six years. He has been with PIX11 News since 2022. 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. ERWIN, N.Y. (WETM) Fire crews from several counties were called to tackle a house fire in Steuben County early Thursday morning. Crews from Steuben County, Chemung County, and Tioga County, Pa. were sent to the scene of a home that was ablaze on Morningstar Trail in Erwin, not far from Corning Community College. Calls came in around 3 a.m. on Thursday, Jan. 23, for a working fire at the home Fire Recovery Efforts: Ovid restaurant among several picking up the pieces, we knew it was over Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Images from the scene showed the house blanketed in smoke and flames still visible from a garage area that was part of the main structure. A separate garage building was seen but sustained the least damage and was still standing. Crews worked for several hours and were in the area well past 5 a.m. still working on tackling the flames. The house sat away from the road down a longer driveway, making it more challenging for crews to get equipment to the house. Its unknown what caused the fire, more information will be provided when 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 WETM - MyTwinTiers.com. It's time to recalibrate the navigation systems on ships, airplanes, as the position of the magnetic North Pole is officially being changed, continuing its shift away from Canada and towards Siberia. Experts from the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the British Geological Survey (BGS) have joined forces as they do every five years to produce a new, more accurate World Magnetic Model (WMM). While the geographical North Pole stays fixed in place (at the very summit of the Earth's rotational axis), the WMM pinpoints the magnetic North Pole where Earth's magnetic field points straight down, a perfectly vertical magnetic field. Magnetic north has shifted a lot over the centuries. (BGS) And as the iron and nickel inside our planet shift, so does Earth's magnetic field, meaning the North (and South) Poles are also constantly on the move. If you're using a compass or a GPS system, knowing exactly where these points are is crucial. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "The current behaviour of magnetic north is something that we have never observed before," says global geomagnetic field modeller William Brown, from BGS. "Magnetic north has been moving slowly around Canada since the 1500s but, in the past 20 years, it accelerated towards Siberia, increasing in speed every year until about five years ago, when it suddenly decelerated from 50 to 35 kilometers [31 to 22 miles] per year, which is the biggest deceleration in speed we've ever seen." Research suggests that two giant magnetic lobes one under Canada and one under Siberia are what's driving the shifting of magnetic north. Sometimes the shifts are dramatic enough that an emergency update is required, outside of the usual 5-year cycle. Now we have a more accurate map of magnetic north, one that should be good for another half a decade. The 2025 World Magnetic Model. (NOAA/NCEI) For the first time, a higher resolution map is also available, which offers more than 10 times more detail: it has a spatial resolution of about 300 km at the equator compared to the standard 3,300 km. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to the BGS team, traveling 8,500 km (5,282 miles) from South Africa to the UK in a straight line would leave you 150 km (93 miles) off course by the end, if you used the old WMM compared to the new WMM for your navigation. That's how much difference it can make, and mapping and logistics companies, together with governments and official agencies, will be making updates. "Major airlines will upgrade the navigation software across their entire fleets of aircraft to load in the new model, and militaries in NATO will need to upgrade software in a huge number of complex navigation systems across all kinds of equipment," Brown told Mindy Weisberger at CNN. The World Magnetic Model 2025 is now live. Deployed on December 31st to all Flight Service platforms, this update ensures youre heading in the right direction for the new year! Potential Impacts: Aeronautical charts , runway numbers , and navigation systems . pic.twitter.com/zFmgAG5xh2 Flight Service (@1800wxbrief) January 7, 2025 However, we won't have to apply any updates to our own phones or sat navs it'll all happen automatically. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The magnetic North Pole was first discovered by Sir James Clark Ross in northern Canada back in 1831. Since then, researchers have gradually been able to track it with more precision, using ground measurements taken all across the globe as well as readings from satellites in space. An earlier version of this article was published in December 2024. Related News A jury acquitted an East Chicago man Thursday in a couples 2021 murder. Gary Shanklin, 23, was charged in the Oct. 13, 2021 deaths of Nalisha D. Martin, 43, of Hammond, and Christopher Burks, 52, of Chicago. The jury saw that the prosecutors and none of their witnesses (could show) how this confrontation started and who fired the first shot, defense lawyer Brandon Hicks said after the verdict. Nobody could tell the sequence of events, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In closing arguments, Deputy Prosecutor Keith Anderson played a video of a man fleeing the scene, running between houses, then down another street. Shanklin could not claim self-defense, he said. When police got to him, he lied to the cops when he denied any involvement in the shooting, the prosecutor said. I didnt shoot anyone, I never owned a gun, Anderson said, quoting Shanklin. Another issue was Martin was found shot in the back execution-style, the prosecutor said. Self-defense was only a legal strategy developed for the trial, Anderson said. There were two guns belonging to Shanklin and Hicks, and three victims, including Martin. Martin was shot first, then Burks shot Shanklin back, before he was killed, he argued. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Shanklin lured the couple to an East Chicago alley where there were no cameras and ended up killing them while getting shot himself, he said. Hicks argued the couple came to his neighborhood. Every single police or CSI official said they didnt know how it started, the lawyer argued. When Hicks asked the detective who shot first, he said there was no way I can tell, he told jurors. Defending yourself does not justify killing everyone at the scene, Anderson later retorted, adding Shanklin killed them for no good reason. As Martin was shot in the back, there was no way that is self-defense, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement East Chicago Police were called at 12:29 p.m. Oct. 13, 2021 to the 1200 block of West 149th Street where a silver Chevrolet Impala hit a house. They found Martin shot in the car, while Burks was lying across the street in a nearby alley, charges state. The passenger side window was shattered, with a bullet casing found on the seat inside. Burks was wounded in the right shoulder, while Martin was shot twice, once in the front and in her back. Both were transported to St. Catherine Hospital in East Chicago. Burks died there, while Martin was airlifted to a Chicago trauma hospital where she died shortly thereafter. Minutes after the call, Shanklin was reported shot in the shoulder down the street on the 4800 block of Walsh Avenue, near his home, police said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement At the hospital, Shanklin claimed to detectives he was walking to a gas station near his house when he heard gunshots and ran, then noticed he was shot. When police were about to perform a gun residue test on his hands, he told them he wanted to wash some blood off his hands. He was told that wouldnt affect the test. I didnt shoot nobody, I dont own a firearm, he said suddenly, according to court documents. The test came back positive and there were fresh cuts on his hands, detectives wrote. Shanklin said he fell on gravel trying to escape, documents said. I dont even own a gun, he said. mcolias@post-trib.com JOPLIN, Mo. A Joplin school earns state recognition for its efforts to help local military families. East Middle School is the districts very first Missouri Purple Star school. It was given the title by the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. The school applied for the designation and earned it based on how it supports students from military families. That includes an onboarding process, which sets up incoming military family students with other peers, to help them make an easy transition. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Theres also a permanent Wall of Heroes in the works, to honor those students family members, as well as any teachers who have served. The school has taken extra steps to make its Veterans Day assembly more meaningful. Having the designation is saying that we are accepting this responsibility that were going to do this piece of our job really well. And I like having that in place. We made this commitment and were going to hold to it now, because DESEs expecting it. But, we really want to do it, said Paul Gipson, East Middle School Asst. Principal. A committee of teachers and counselors help make the transition in and out of school go smoothly, as military families tend to move often. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While the school has served four pages worth of military family students over the past several years, it currently has 10 students enrolled. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. By Vallari Srivastava (Reuters) - U.S. pipeline operator Kinder Morgan said on Wednesday it remains bullish on growth in demand for natural gas driven by AI and data centers, even as it narrowly missed Wall Street's expectations for quarterly profit. The pipeline operator also said it is proceeding with the Trident Intrastate pipeline project, a 216-mile pipeline build that will provide about 1.5 billion cubic feet per day (bcfd) of capacity from Katy, Texas, to the liquefied natural gas and industrial corridor near Port Arthur. Shares of the company were up 1.5% after the bell. The project, announced just days after the U.S. President Donald Trump ended the moratorium on new LNG export permits, is expected to be in service in the first quarter of 2027. "Between LNG exports to Mexico, power and industrial growth, our internal number for growth in the overall natural gas business is roughly 28 bcfd between now and 2030," CEO Kim Dang said on a conference call with analysts. Edward Jones analyst Nick Hummel noted that Kinder Morgan has a very big pipeline footprint, which enables it to capitalize on the growing demand for natural gas. The company also expects to participate in growth opportunities stemming from U.S. President Donald Trump's recently announced private sector investment of up to $500 billion to fund infrastructure for AI, it said on the call. "There's a lot of folks that are going to be chasing (that) opportunity," an executive added. However, its fourth-quarter revenue fell to $3.99 billion, compared to $4.04 billion last year as it struggled with lower crude and condensate volumes transported through its pipelines, which were down about 5%. Kinder Morgan's adjusted profit came in at 32 cents per share for the three months ended Dec. 31, just below analysts' estimates of 33 cents per share, according to data compiled by LSEG. (Reporting by Vallari Srivastava in Bengaluru; Editing by Alan Barona) EAST PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) East Providence Mayor Bob DaSilva is doubling down on the citys diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives. DaSilva signed a proclamation Wednesday reaffirming the citys commitment to fostering and actively promoting equal opportunity for employment. The proclamation is in direct response to an executive order President Donald Trump signed on his first day in office, which calls for the dismantling of the federal governments diversity, equity and inclusion programs. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement RELATED: Trump administration directs federal DEI staff be put on leave We just want everyone to know at the local level where we stand, DaSilva said. In East Providence, we value you for who you are and it doesnt matter what your background is. East Providence will continue to abide by city ordinances that mandate diversity and uphold affirmative action, as well as advocate for a culture of respect and progress toward equality, according to DaSilva. East Providence is a very diverse community of people from all backgrounds and walks of life, so the workforce should, and it does, represent our community, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But not everyone agrees with DaSilvas approach. Joe Powers, chairman of the Rhode Island Republican Party, told 12 News in a statement he supports Trumps decision to end DEI hiring practices. Equity should come in the form of opportunity, not forced outcomes. Hiring decisions should prioritize merit, qualifications and the ability to do the job effectively, rather than focusing on identity factors, Powers said. DaSilvas proclamation to protect DEI practices is misguided and reflective of a broader issue where local leaders prioritize political correctness over practical, fair solutions. Mandating outcomes undermines the foundational principles of fairness and competition that have helped countless Americans succeed, he continued. Instead of dividing people into categories, we should focus on providing all individuals with the tools and opportunities to thrive, such as access to quality education and skills development programs. Policies that focus on forced equity in outcomes ultimately hinder progress, breed resentment, and do little to address the root causes of inequality. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement R.I. Senate Minority Leader Jessica de la Cruz echoed that sentiment. She stressed that hiring should be based solely on merit. We should be looking at whos the best candidate not based on gender, not based on race, but whos the best for the job, de la Cruz said. 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. TYLER, Texas (KETK) On Tuesday, an East Texas man was sentenced to 99 years in prison after multiple run-ins with the law regarding drug charges. Benjamin Clarks trouble with the law dates back to May 2023 when officers were informed that he was on parole while dealing drugs in Diana. A traffic stop was conducted by Upshur County Narcotics Officers after Clark failed to use his blinker. One less child predator on the streets: Man sentenced after touching an East Texas child Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A K9 unit reportedly alerted officers, prompting a search of the vehicle. The officers reportedly found several hidden drug compartments that contained methamphetamine and mushrooms. Clark was arrested and charged with possession of a controlled substance, however he was later released from jail on bond. Marshall woman arrested after pointing gun at coworker, police say He was arrested again in May 2024 by DPS for possession following a traffic stop. On Aug. 5, 2024, Clarks trial began where the district attorney submitted 15 prior convictions stemming since 1985. Nine of those convictions were felonies, the DAs office said, which resulted in Clark being sentenced to federal and state prison. Due to Clarks prior convictions, the state filed a notice of enhancement forcing Clark to be given a life sentence or a sentence of 25 to 99 years. On Tuesday, a jury found Clark guilty of possession of a controlled substance as habitual offender the jury opted to sentence him to 99 years in prison. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The jury gave this sentence due to Clark receiving several opportunities of probation, county jail, prison and parole to fix his life decisions- nothing stopped him from continuing to break the law, according to the DA office. The jury rejected the defenses argument for the minimum sentence of 25 years. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KETK.com | FOX51.com. AUSTIN, Texas (KETK) East Texas State Rep. Trent Ashby (R-Lufkin) filled a bill on Wednesday that would require anyone convicted of child grooming to register as a sex offender. Man pleads guilty to killing 11-year-old Audrii Cunningham, gets life in prison A press release from Ashbys office said that Texas House Bill 2000, or Audriis Law, was named in memory of Audrii Cunningham, an 11-year-old girl from Polk County who was kidnapped and murdered in Feb. 2024. Today, I have filed HB 2000, Audriis Law, named in memory of Audrii Cunningham, whose life was tragically ended in February of last year. Audriis death rocked our community, and this legislation seeks to prevent future tragedies by closing a legal loophole that allows violent sex offenders to stay off the sex offender registry, Ashby said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to the press release, Don McDougal, the man who pleaded guilty to Audriis murder, was previously accused of indecency with a child in 2007 but he pleaded down to the charge of enticing a child and that reportedly kept him off the Sex Offender Registry. It is unconscionable that a violent criminal like McDougal was arrested and charged for attempting to molest a child and then was able to walk the streets without registering as a sex offender, Ashby said. Criminals with a history like McDougal need to be on a publicly available list so that people can protect themselves and their families from tragedies like what occurred in Polk County. The press release states when the Texas House made child grooming a criminal offense in the 88th legislative session, it didnt make it an offense that would place someone on the Sex Offender Registry. Audriis Law is intended to change that. House Bill 2000 will add child grooming to the Sex Offender Registry and address the shortcomings in the law that tragically failed Audrii Cunningham and her family, Ashby said. I look forward to passing this bill into law to ensure that our children are protected from predators that could be hiding in plain sight. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement To learn more, click here to read the full text of HB 2000 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 KETK.com | FOX51.com. KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WATE) A disabled East Tennessee woman has struggled unsuccessfully to pay back $12,000 to Social Security in overpayment benefits. Shes gotten mixed signals about whether she owes the money or not. Jessica Melton said shes been stretched like a rubber band. Supplemental Security Income (SSI) is generally for individuals who dont earn more than $2,019 from work each month. The income limit increases for couples to $3,000. Melton, who has received SSI for years, cant work due to her health. She is married, but her husband said hes never earned $3,000 a month. Knoxville man discovers a scam after letter claims relative left him $10.8 million Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement At the beginning of January, Melton said a Social Security representative told her, that the $12,000 overpayment she received from her SSI wasnt her fault. However, two weeks later, she got a letter saying it was her fault. A huge debt shes been paying to Social Security for the last few years continues to grow. 17 years ago, she had open heart surgery and received a mechanical value. In 2009, she started receiving SSI. Today, she can no longer work due to her health. Her husband Jason, a delivery driver, started working full time in the last 18 months. Prior to that he had been self-employed. Social Security said Melton owes $12,000 for overpayment charges of her SSI benefits. They said they would reevaluate my case every two years. Its been okay up until 2021, said Melton. My husband makes too much money. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Social Security started cutting or changing her monthly SSI check to make up for the overpayment and that hurt financially. It was dwindling down even one month to only $14. Every time I got paid I had to give them a payment of an overpayment. Each time my husband got paid, my overpayment went up, said Melton. Tennessee TVA peak power demand record broken amid cold temperatures A letter from Social Security stated she is no longer eligible for SSI benefits because her husbands income was over $3,000 a month. However, Jason said his pay stubs were always under $3,000 at about $2,800 a month. But Social Securitys calculations were different, making Jessica ineligible for SSI. His salary has been the issue. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement After we got through the understanding of what we needed to do, I found out I wasnt allowed to be self-employed and my wife get SSI, explained Jason. In a handwritten letter, Melton said she reports her husbands income monthly, and it is not over the $3,000 limit. With her income gone, she wrote that theyre struggling. After dropping the letter off personally to Knoxvilles main Social Security office, she got a call. What did Social Security just tell you about the big debt, asked Don Dare. Its gone. Its wiped away. They told me that it was no fault of my own. That the overpayment was not my fault, said Melton. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Executive orders: What are they and what power does Donald Trump have as president However, the good news didnt last long. A letter from Social Security dated January 15 stated We find you were at fault in creating the overpayment. This leaves me paying a debt I dont owe, said Melton. I think it is a lot of red tape. My wife was making a little bit of money. Now that money is gone, Jason added. Melton is now going to seek legal advice about what to do next. The letter sent from Social Security said Melton can request that an administrative judge review her case, but she must make that appeal within two months. Melton said what is frustrating for them is that printed information about SSI is four pages long and difficult to understand. Shes said theyve asked to have someone explain to them face-to-face what theyve done wrong, but she and her husband have been unsuccessful. 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 WATE 6 On Your Side. From the Boiling Frogs on The Dispatch Illustration by Declan Garvey/The Dispatch. Photos via Getty Images. The art of politics is balancing the hard stuff with the easy stuff. A candidate for office makes outlandish promises on the trail then finds himself obliged to make good when he wins. Mass deportation, budget-balancing tariffs, peace in Ukraine, cheaper eggs: Thats the hard stuff. The hard stuff takes time and Americans are impatient. The candidates supporters need to feel that progress is being made while they wait for their hero to deliver on his grander policy vision. To tide them over and stave off disappointment, he resorts to the easy stuff. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Think of the easy stuff as policy lagniappes, little bonus goodies that no one expected or really wanted but which are offered as a token of gratitude to ones customers. The easy stuff supplied by the second Trump administration in its first 48 hours consists mostly of revanchist nomenclatural nonsense designed to give America First nationalists a thrill. Going forward, the executive branch will refer to the Gulf of Mexico as the Gulf of America, Denali as Mount McKinley, and foreign nationals as aliens. Its all very freedom fries, jingoism on the cheap. Trumps infatuation with annexing Greenland can be understood that way too, although of course theres more to that than linguistic rigmarole. Menacing a small Scandinavian ally whose population is smaller than New York Citys over an island territory whose population could fit inside Old Yankee Stadium is the dictionary definition of jingoism on the cheap. The hard stuff takes time, so the new president is doing the easy stuff early. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Another easy thing he did this week is to make it meaningfully more likely that his former national security adviser, John Bolton, will be murdered. Bolton has spent the last five years under threat of death from the Iranian government. Shortly before he left the first Trump White House, he urged the then-president to order the assassination of Qassem Suleimani, the immensely powerful head of Irans Quds Force. A few months later, Trump followed through. Iran has borne Bolton a lethal grudge ever since. The Iranians are serious about it too. In 2022, the Justice Department indicted a member of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard for plotting to have him and, allegedly, former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo killed. By that point, due to the gravity of the risk, Joe Biden had already ordered round-the-clock Secret Service protection for Bolton. That protection continued until this week, when Bolton got a call from the agency informing him that the new president intended to end his security detail. Disappointed but not surprised is how he described his reaction to the news. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When reporters asked Trump about his decision, he framed it as a sort of efficiency measure. I think that was enough time, he said of Boltons Secret Service protection. You take a job, you want to do a jobwere not going to have security on people for the rest of their lives. Why should we? He then proceeded to inform the press that Bolton is dumb and a warmonger. Lets unpack this. Retribution. It bears emphasizing that the reason Boltons life is in danger in the first place is because of something Trump did. He may have targeted Suleimani on Boltons advice, but the decision as president to pull the trigger was hisand hes never regretted it, as far as Im aware. Taking out the Quds Force chief is a key item in his presidential CV, in fact. Whether youre a traditional pro-Israel hawk or a right-wing populist who relishes seeing your idol push bad guys around, Trump liquidating a figure as sinister as Suleimani was an act of audacious strength worth cheering. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For years, Democrats have criticized Republicans for being too bellicose toward Iran, with Bolton himself often cited as a paradigm example. But when Boltons life came under threat from the regime, Joe Biden took the true America First approach by treating the former NSAs safety as a priority for his administration. Bolton himself gratefully noted on Tuesday that his Secret Service detail remained in place despite the fact that he disparaged Bidens foreign policy repeatedly since 2021. You might think that a president whose policy landed Bolton on the hit list to begin with would feel at least the same degree of responsibility to guarantee his security. At a minimum, whatever animosity the new White House harbors toward Bolton should be dwarfed by its animosity toward Iran, enough so to want to deprive the mullahs of the moral victory theyd enjoy by successfully exacting an eye for an eye for Suleimani. You might think. But we all know better, dont we? Another remarkable angle in Trumps decision to yank Boltons Secret Service detail is the timing. This was a Day 1 priority for him. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to the New York Times, Bolton got the call about his security being rescinded sometime on Monday evening, less than 12 hours after Trump was sworn in. That would have been around the same time that the new president was signing shock-and-awe executive orders on major priorities like ending birthright citizenship for children of migrants and rescuing TikTok from ruination. Amid a flurry of activity involving the hard stuff of his presidency, in other words, and at a moment when he was being feted by Washington and his fans, his longstanding bitterness toward Bolton still occupied enough space in the forefront of his mind that he made sure his former adviser wouldnt feel personally safe for so much as a single day of his new term. To him, giving an order to expose Bolton to physical danger was the easiest of easy stuff, Im sure. He promised retribution and here it was, blood red, bright and early on Day 1. And it was retribution, notwithstanding Trumps press-conference babbling about the supposed financial burdens of providing lifetime security to federal officials. This is a guy who called for the total elimination of the debt ceiling just a month ago, remember; hes not sweating the budgetary implications of having to add a few more Secret Service agents, I promise. He did the same thing to Bolton that hes done many times to Liz Cheney, dressing up a personal vendetta as a quasi-principled disagreement over policy. He never cared that Cheney was a warmonger until she embarrassed him by voting to impeach him for January 6. He cared even less about Boltons long history of warmongering when he made him his top adviser on national security. He hates Bolton for the same reason he hates anyone, because Bolton has a low opinion of him and isnt shy about expressing itwhich he began doing in the thick of the 2020 presidential campaign, damaging Trumps chances of winning. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The closest the president and his supporters have gotten to articulating a legitimate grievance against his former aide is objecting that Bolton was reckless in handling classified information. If you dont find that ironic to the point of hilarity, youre probably a Fox News viewer. The last time Bolton had any official interaction with a Trump administration, it involved the Justice Department trying to silence him in dubious ways to spare the president from his criticism. His latest interaction with the new Trump administration can be understood that way as well. If Trump cant force him to shut up, maybe the Iranians can. Protection. Ending John Boltons security detail (not clearance) has one major consequence, my colleague, Sarah Isgur, wrote on Tuesday. Either nobody sane will be willing [to] go into [government] or those that do will refuse to stand up to the bad guys if a future president is going to let them be killed [because] of political differences. Theres good sense there. Various Trump toadies on social media have been screeching at Bolton, whos well off, to pay for his own security, but that misses the point of having the feds supply it. Protecting Bolton on the taxpayer dime is a way to reassure future government employees who might not have the same means that they too will be protected if the need arises. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement So Sarah has a point, in theory. But is it really true that Boltons fate will discourage capable people from joining the government? Michael Waltz, Trumps newest national security adviser, may be a cretin, but he doesnt strike me as insane and I doubt hell refuse to stand up to the bad guys. My guess is that he expects future presidents, Democratic or Republican, will behave the way Biden did toward Bolton, notwithstanding the precedent Trump just set. And hes probably (probably!) right. The lesson for government officials from the Bolton episode isnt that they might fear for their lives someday if they dare to make enemies of Iran or Russia or China or North Korea. The lesson for them is that they might fear for their lives if they dare to make an enemy of Trump. It cant be a coincidence that Boltons security detail was pulled at about the same time on Monday that Trump was signing an order granting clemency to the January 6 insurrectionists. Per Axios, that decision also appears to have qualified as easy stuff for him despite the obvious risk to the public in freeing a group containing hundreds of violent offenders and a few handfuls of seditionist militiamen. F it, release em all, Trump reportedly said to aides when deciding how sweeping his pardons and commutations should be. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Release em all. Thats how easy it was. I dont know what else the angry cops who voted for him expected after he spent months on the campaign trail telling anyone whod listen that he aimed to free the hostages. What did they think an authoritarian meant when he wheezed about law and order? That he would prioritize fighting crime over his own power to commit crime and get away with it? He just pardoned the guy who created the dark webs hub for drug-dealing, for cripes sake. He doesnt care about crime. Look at photos of the crowd on January 6 and youll find the thin blue line flag on display amid the cop-punching, seemingly without irony. Thats because Trump and the thuggish postliberals in his base value the police in the same shallow way they value patriotism and the military and religious faith, as bulwarks of traditional authority against cultural enemies rather than as neutral enforcers of social order. When the cops at the Capitol dared to take sides against them by protecting Congress, the mob could beat them while brandishing the thin blue line banner without seeing any contradiction. When brandished by nationalists, that flag doesnt represent respect for law or for the police. Its a battle standard of traditional authority against any modern element that would usurp it. Impunity for the J6ers and insecurity for John Bolton amount to Trump adopting a similar ethos of raw authority for presidential power. Whether you did violence to the state by trying to overthrow it or face violence from a foreign state trying to murder you, how the executive branch treats you will depend on whether the president personally regards you as a cultural friend or enemy. Theres no sense of dutypatriotic in Boltons case and legal in the case of jailed insurrectioniststhat will compel him to protect his enemies or to punish his friends. There is only authority, to be wielded as he deems fit in his supreme discretion. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement And so, if your personal safety depends on the support of an Article II agency, the events of the last 48 hours amount to quasi-official notice to adjust your friendliness toward Donald Trump accordingly. It seems bad that an unstable demagogue who commands devout loyalty from violent goons should have the power to order law enforcement not to protect those he dislikes from violent goons, but I suppose we litigated that on Election Day. Vox populi, vox dei. Risk. A thought experiment in closing. How do we imagine Trump will react if Iranian terrorists really do murder Bolton? Having that happen after he pulled the victims Secret Service detail would potentially be quite a pickle for the new White House. It also might explain why Joe Biden was so generous in providing Bolton with security. He must have realized that he would have been pummeled by critics if he had refused and the man had ended up dead. For all their animosity toward Bolton, Trump and MAGA surely would have exploited the matter as proof that the then-president and his party of liberals were disgracefully weak on protecting Americans from Iran. The same sort of risk is present for the new White House, arguably more so since Trump is withdrawing protection thats already in place and plainly doing so to satisfy a grudge. That hes willing to needlessly run that risk can only mean that the pleasure of possibly seeing John Bolton killed is worth enough to him that hes prepared to absorb a certain degree of political damage to try to make it happen. He doesnt care how it looks. I mean, does this sound like a guy whos worried about public perceptions? Centrist voters might cringe a bit at Trumps vindictiveness toward Bolton, but cmon: They know what they signed up for. There might not even be much political damage. Democrats and Trump Republicans both despise Bolton for different reasons; certainly, many righties who would have lashed Biden for not protecting him will revel in the demise of one of Trumps most disloyal former deputies. And true-blue postliberals would celebrate the murder of a notorious hawk unabashedly, I suspect. Tucker Carlsons inevitable monologue extolling the Hezbollah fanatic who did the deed and offering suggestions on which deep stater should be next will be an all-timer. Besides, in fairness, blood lust towards ones opponents isnt strictly a MAGA thing. Probably the single most disgusting political spectacle of the last six months is Luigi-mania, and thats mostly (but not entirely) a left-wing phenomenon. Americans have gotten used to unhinged bipartisan political viciousness. The difference between left and right in matters like these is mainly that on only one side does that viciousness trickle up to the very top. I doubt President Trump would feel inclined to retaliate against Iran for Boltons murder, any more than hes inclined to punish China for getting millions of American kids addicted to its dopey social-media propaganda op. Trump likes TikTok because he benefits personally from TikTok; presumably hed like to see one of his harsher critics on the right dead for the same reason. In the end, maybe thats an argument for Iran to leave John Bolton alone. They want to avenge Suleimani and punish Trump? Forget trying to kill him and start trying to book Bolton on American cable news shows. Having to watch him on television every day belittling his intelligence, morals, strategic acumen, and worldview will drive Trump batty. 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. EDGEWOOD, Texas (KETK) Edgewood Superintendent Kristin Prater announced her retirement from Edgewood ISD on Tuesday, that will go into effect on June, 30. Henderson ISD announces new superintendent In a statement, Prater said the decision came with mixed emotions but said she is ready to move into the next chapter in her life. Prater reflected on her tenure with Edgewood and expressed her gratitude for her time with the district. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Water line break on SW Loop 323 repaired, city officials say Looking back on my tenure, I am filled with gratitude for the partnerships we have formed, the challenges we have overcome and the many successes we have celebrated, Prater said. Prater remains committed to ensuring a smooth transition for the district. She said, I will continue to support the Board of Education and the leadership team in the coming months to ensure that the work we have started continues to flourish. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. For years the U.S. Department of Labor has allowed entities to pay subminimum wages to workers with disabilities. The policy through the Fair Labor Standards Act was enacted in 1938 to provide employment to those who otherwise wouldnt have jobs, a worthy cause for the time. But this is 2025 and the state of Indiana is set to end funding for the program in 2027. Dollars, hopefully then, would be redirected to help those individuals find fair employment. This is the best course of action for disabled workers, many of whom are employed in what are called sheltered workshops and many of whom are paid unfairly. To pay them less than minimum wage is a disgrace. The services they provide should be recognized in an equitable way. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I view what I get paid as a slap in the face, Jessica Reynolds, who works for a nonprofit approved to pay subminimum wages, told CNHI state reporter Carson Gerber for a recent story. We agree. Those with disabilities work just as hard some harder than those without disabilities. Their efforts should be fairly compensated. They deserve the same respect as any other worker in our communities. But the solutions arent that simple. Some worry workers could lose Medicaid if they enter community-based employment. Others worry those who cant work in the community will be left behind. We dont want people to just go home and do nothing, Kim Dodson, CEO of The Arc of Indiana, told Gerber. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement So, whats the answer? We applaud state administrators, who Gerber reported, for several years have been edging toward ending sheltered workshops by providing grants to transition to programs that help those with disabilities find private-sector jobs. In addition, the 2017 Indiana Employment First Act mandates state agencies work first to ensure their programs and funding support individuals to find community-based employment. Their efforts are working. The number of entities using certificates to pay subminimum wages has dropped. Businesses also benefit, as Dodson said, Hiring people with disabilities is actually good business, not just good charity, because they are really good employees. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In addition, Indiana Rep. Ed Clere, R-New Albany, has submitted legislation that would do away with income limits for those who want to work and keep their Medicaid benefits. Hopes are the legislation gains traction this year because of the pending workshop phaseout. Clere also authored legislation in 2023 creating a pilot program to train those with disabilities for jobs in manufacturing. He argued sheltered workshops should now transition into training facilities, reported Gerber. And for those with severe disabilities who need the sheltered workshops, Clere supports keeping the workshops around, but paying the workers at least minimum wage. Dodson suggested options could include enrolling clients in day programs to teach skills or providing volunteer opportunities. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A combination of these solutions would help change the landscape for many disabled workers and should be carried out. Its time to end subminimum wage jobs for good and in doing so provide the support needed for those with disabilities to live and work with dignity. Tribune-Star, Terre Haute Linda McMahon isnt in charge of the U.S. Department of Education yet, but if the Senate confirms her, shell be among friends. At least four former staff members from the America First Policy Institute, the right-wing think tank she chairs, have grabbed top posts as the senior leadership team takes shape. They include new chief of staff Rachel Oglesby and Jonathan Pidluzny, deputy chief of staff for policy and programs. As the institutes chief state action officer, Oglesby focused on promoting job opportunities that dont require college degrees, while Pidluzny directed higher education reform work, including calls to eliminate university diversity, equity and inclusion efforts. Get stories like this delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for The 74 Newsletter Civil rights experts immediately noted the addition of Candice Jackson as deputy general counsel. An architect of the 2020 Title IX rule, she said in 2017 that most sexual assault accusations fall into the category of we were both drunk, but later apologized. Another addition with experience from Trumps first term is Tom Wheeler, a former Department of Justice official who was instrumental in reversing Obama-era guidance that said trans students should be allowed to use bathrooms that match their gender identity. Hes been named principal deputy general counsel. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Related McMahons Metamorphosis: Ed Nominees Journey Mirrors the GOPs Turn to Trump Policy experts and former department staff said they expected to see names from America First, which McMahon chaired after leaving her post as head of the Small Business Administration during President Donald Trumps first term. Little known prior to the election, the institute helped shape the aggressive agenda he began to execute on Monday with a series of executive orders, including one that says the U.S. government only recognizes two sexes, male and female. Outside of the education department, Brooke Rollins, who led the think tank, is up for agriculture secretary, and Dr. Heidi Overton, the organizations former chief policy officer, is expected to join the White House Domestic Policy Council. Lots of AFPI folks, which is not surprising with Linda McMahon at the helm. said Jackie Wernz, who runs Education Civil Rights Solutions and served as an attorney in the department while Jackson was there. Wheeler, she said, is also well-known in education law circles and has experience working within the confines of the federal government. But with Trump already challenging existing laws on issues such as immigration and school safety, she said tradition might not matter. It will be interesting to see how he develops now that the rules on how to govern seem to be out the window, she said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Related 22 States, Civil Rights Groups Sue to Block Trumps Birthright Order While hes not from America First, Steve Warzoha, the new White House liaison, is a longtime McMahon colleague from Connecticut, where he led the Greenwich Republican Town Committee. Hes also spent some time at Mar-a-Lago, Trumps Florida headquarters, and according to news reports, was arrested for driving under the influence in 2022 after leaving the area. Asked about the arrest, Madi Biedermann, the departments new deputy assistant secretary for communications and outreach, said she wouldnt confirm or comment on personnel. While the team thus far is light on K-12 education experience, those names are likely to emerge once Trump nominates an assistant secretary for elementary and secondary education. Biedermann said she expects more announcements next week. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The department unveiled the new appointees, who dont require Senate confirmation, as McMahon awaits a hearing before the Senate. A date has not yet been set. On Saturday, Trump also nominated former Tennessee education chief Penny Schwinn as deputy secretary. Related Reading Champion Penny Schwinn Expected to Keep Ed. Dept. Focused on Achievement Several conservatives said they were impressed by the list. Rick Hess, director of education policy studies at the American Enterprise Institute, called them smart, experienced people who know the law, the policies, and the regulatory context, And David Cleary, a principal with The Group, a lobbying firm, said they are a much better prepared team than in Trump 45 and show the administration is interested in more than just school choice. Experts widely believe hell escalate enforcement of civil rights protections for Jewish students. While he has not yet named an assistant secretary for the Office for Civil Rights, Craig Trainor, who spent time at America First Policy Institute as senior litigation counsel could help lead those efforts. The newly named deputy assistant secretary for policy in OCR, he led investigations into antisemitism on college campuses as a senior special counsel for the House judiciary committee under Republican Rep. Jim Jordan of Ohio, the chair. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Related 9 Education Storylines to Watch as Trump Returns to the White House But civil rights advocates said the departments core function is to protect the rights of all students. Many who fought for LGBTQ students rights during the Obama administration are alarmed. The 2016 guidance on rights for trans students were developed after years of meeting with stakeholder groups, tracking the case law developments and looking at the research, said Shiwali Patel, an attorney with the National Womens Law Center who worked in the Obama administration and left during Trumps first term. While the Biden administration wrote those protections into Title IX, Trumps picks, she said, are undoing that regulation without thoughtfulness and care. Liz King, senior director for education equity at The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, an advocacy organization, said the new faces at the department represent a very narrow slice of America. Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell is pushing for a statewide ban on cellphones and other personal electronic devices in school classrooms to boost learning. The Study Act, a bill proposed by Campbell last week, would place a bell-to-bell restriction on the use of cellphones and other devices to improve the learning environment and school culture for students in the Bay State. Some school districts including Lowell, Brockton, and Methuen already have cellphone bans in place. Campbells bill would require all public schools to add one as well. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Campbells bill goes hand-in-hand with her lawsuit against META and TikTok that alleges the social media platforms harm the mental health of young users. Educators from across Massachusetts on Thursday morning will attend Cambells Cellphones and Social Media in Schools Toolkit presentation in Marlboro, where students are allowed to use their phones during lunch breaks but are required to have them put away during class instruction. The toolkit was designed to support school leaders and communities in fostering productive, distraction-free, and inclusive learning environments, according to Cambells office. Cambell hopes superintendents in all districts will sign on with the initiative. Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW KANSAS CITY, Mo. Theres a big concern for customers at the grocery stores. Economists arent sure when the ongoing U.S. egg shortages will end. The shortage is driving up costs for customers. Another wave of bird flu infections is to blame for the crisis. 2 children, 2 adults killed in massive Independence apartment fire The price for a dozen eggs has gone up by about four dollars since January. Thats what managers at the Happy Foods location on East 31st Street say. Store manager Chris Kavadas said his shop isnt feeling the shortage yet, but its tricky keeping store shelves stocked. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Kavadas said hes seen the cost of a dozen eggs double in the past year. I hear it every day about how Im raising the price, and I explain its not me. Every truck that comes in gets a new invoice, and the price usually goes up, Kavadas said. Happy Foods isnt alone. Egg costs are on the rise from coast to coast. Online shopping sites show prices for 12 eggs at retail for anywhere from $4.50 to nearly seven bucks. The American Egg Board says average prices have jumped by around 30%, as avian flu continues to affect hens, and when egg-makers cant deliver, demand outlasts supply. Demand is up for metro farmers, too. Brooke Salvaggio and her family operate Urbavore Urban Farm in east Kansas City. The farm is home to 250 chickens who lay eggs every day. Salvaggios farm sells farm fresh eggs for about eight dollars per dozen. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Man charged for alleged damage to grave of KC homicide victim Youre going to get more bang for your buck with eggs like these, Salvaggio said, showing her hens yield for the day. Salvaggio said shes seen demand rise and fall, based on bird flu spreads of the past. We barely break even on the eggs, even when we charge eight dollars per dozen, but you can only ask so much and have people still buy your eggs, Salvaggio said. For retail customers trying to save a buck, Kavadas recommends organic eggs. His store offers them for less than three dollars for a dozen. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. (Reuters) - Porsche confirmed its earnings outlook for 2024 of a 14-15% profit margin in a call with investors on Tuesday and said it expected 2025 to remain challenging, according to a note by Bernstein Research analysts. The investor call was held before a closed period on company information before annual results scheduled for March 12. Porsche was not immediately available for comment. The carmaker said that it expects sales volume to decline this year because of the withdrawal of the combustion-engine Macan and 718 from the European Union from the end of June, as well as possible further supply chain issues for the 911 model, according to the note. Porsche is working to reduce its footprint in China and will provide more detail in its results call on March 12, the note said. (Reporting by Victoria Waldersee; Editing by Emelia Sithole-Matarise) A voter in Alaska's 2022 special U.S. House primary election drops their ballot into a box, as a poll worker observes. New legislation in the Senate this year would require drop boxes statewide, one per every 20,000 residents. (Photo by James Brooks/Alaska Beacon) The Alaska Legislature will take up election reform proposals this session, with Gov. Mike Dunleavy introducing a bill through the House, and the Senate majority caucus planning to introduce its own reforms later this week. The legislation is in response to a range of issues and complaints around Alaskas elections last year, including concerns around delays in ballot counting and transparency, election security, and problems with staffing, absentee ballots, and long lines at some polling places. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Dunleavy introduced a bill through the House on Wednesday, House Bill 63, proposing new rules for, among others, voter registration, voting by mail, voting and counting timelines. This bill is a necessary step to ensure the integrity and transparency of our election process while addressing Alaskans concerns about reliability, Dunleavy said in a prepared statement on Wednesday. By modernizing our election code, we can provide a more efficient and trustworthy system for voters and election officials alike. The bill also would put new limits on voting time. All ballots would have to be received by the state Division of Elections by Election Day, under the new legislation, when currently they just have to be postmarked and mailed by that day. It would shorten early voting time, which opens 15 days prior to and ends on Election Day. Under the bill, it would close five days before Election Day. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The bill would eliminate the automatic voter registration process when applying for the Permanent Fund Dividend. That provision was enacted in 2016, when Alaskans passed a ballot measure to allow voter registration during the application process. For vote by mail, it would provide postage for all absentee ballots being mailed in. It would allow ballot counting by the Division of Elections to begin sooner, up to 10 days before the election. It would also create an option for communities with less than 750 people to opt for all by-mail voting for their elections. The bill was introduced in the House on Wednesday, and referred to the state affairs and finance committees. On the Senate side, the new majority, made up of a coalition of Democratic and Republican senators, is set to put forth an election reform bill focused on a range of issues, including streamlining the voting process and expanding access for voters. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The bill is scheduled to be introduced in the Senate on Friday, but Anchorage Democratic Sen. Bill Wielechowski discussed the upcoming bill on Wednesday. First off, it addresses the fact that you have 106% more registered voters in the state of Alaska than you do citizens, Wielechowski said. Theres unusual reasons for that, but were really making an effort to try to clean up the voter rolls, because thats been a big concern for many people. For mail-in ballots, the bill would also pay for postage for all ballots, and eliminate the witness signature requirement for absentee ballots, which Wielechowski said isnt verified and has disqualified ballots unnecessarily. So I think a lot of Alaskans are surprised and kind of shocked that theres this bureaucratic kind of roadblock, he said. And that ends up disqualifying hundreds, if not thousands of Alaskans for something that they dont even check. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The bill would establish a ballot tracking barcodes for absentee ballots, and a system for review. If theres a mistake on a ballot, the bill would create an easier process for corrections, he said. Were trying to allow for ballot curing, which is, if you make a mistake on a ballot, the Division of Elections can notify you, and you can fix it. We heard stories this past year about somebody who made a mistake on their ballot. It was identified on their absentee ballot. It was identified before the election, and they couldnt fix it. Everybody knew there was a mistake and unfortunately, his ballot was just discounted. Yeah, so were trying to fix things like that. To address long lines at polling places, as seen in hours-long lines to vote in Anchorage last year, the bill would require ballot drop boxes be available at each regional office, if feasible, and one per every 20,000 residents. Wielechowski said the Senate majority would not support some provisions in Dunleavys bill, such as eliminating the voter registration process in the PFD application. But he said they would work with the governor on election reform initiatives, as the bills move through the legislative process. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement There were some things that were similar to what we have, he said. And our bill is a little bit more expansive, Id say. But look forward to working with the governor, with the (Senate) minority, and the House, and trying to come up with a solution. Election reform is one of the top four priorities laid out by the Senate majority caucus this year, along with education funding, energy and pension reform. Reporter James Brooks contributed to this article. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX An electric line that was repaired after the deadly Eaton wildfire caught fire last week, although emergency crews positioned nearby were able to quickly extinguish the flames. Video and photos of the Friday evening fire show flames across an electric wire connected to Southern California Edisons distribution lines in Eaton Canyon. Debris from the line fell to the ground and continued to burn until firefighters put it out. David Eisenhauer, an Edison spokesman, said the company was aware of the Friday incident but found that it happened on customer-owned equipment. The company had not discovered any problems with its distribution lines in the area at that time, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The line was less than a mile from Edisons transmission tower that is a focus of investigators probing the Eaton wildfire that has killed at least 17 people and destroyed thousands of homes. Edison executives have said their early investigation showed the utility's equipment didn't ignite the wildfire on Jan. 7. Eisenhauer confirmed that the company had recently replaced some distribution equipment near the site where the electric line burned Friday. He said the company could not disclose the name of the customer that owned the electric equipment because of confidentiality rules. The wire was installed over a parking lot near the Eaton Canyon Nature Center that burned in the wildfire. First responders have been using the lot as a staging area. Photos taken by an eyewitness show that Los Angeles County Fire Engine 66 was one of two trucks that responded to the electric line fire. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement County fire department spokesman Carlos Herrera said the agency was inundated with media requests in response to the Eaton fire and couldn't immediately provide comment or details about the incident. The electric line that caught fire is known as a service drop, which connects a utilitys distribution lines to a customer. Richard Meier, a private fire investigator in Palmetto, Fla., said that a service drop line catching fire could be a sign that it wasn't robust enough to handle the power going through. If the wire is too small, you could have undue heating, he said, and eventually the line would catch on fire. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A private fire investigator working in the area on Friday said he was leaving just after dark when he saw two bright flashes. Read more: Regulators criticized Edison's wildfire safety actions months before deadly Eaton fire The investigator, who asked not to be named because he wasnt authorized to speak to the news media, said he shared the images of the burning line because of the potential danger to the public. Eisenhauer, the Edison spokesman, said the electric line fire didn't meet the definition of one that the company must report to state regulators. Among fires that must be reported, according to state rules, are those that cause injuries or property damage of $200,000 or more and may have been caused by the utilities' equipment. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Eaton fire is now 91% contained. It has burned 14,021 acres and destroyed more than 9,000 homes and other structures. Times staff writer Richard Winton contributed to this report. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. Five wild-born elephants that have long inhabited a 2-acre plot in a southern Colorado zoo will not be able to pursue their own release, the states highest court ruled this week. Responding to a petition from an animal rights group, the Colorado Supreme Court decided that although these female African elephants are majestic, the interests protected by the great writ of habeas corpus does not extend to animals. The writ of habeas corpus is a legal procedure through which prisoners can challenge their incarceration. Colorados habeas statute, the ruling stated, only applies to persons, and not to nonhuman animals, no matter how cognitively, psychologically or socially sophisticated they may be. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Because an elephant is not a person, the elephants here do not have standing to bring a habeas corpus claim, the court added. The five elephants in question Missy, Kimba, Lucky, LouLou and Jambo live in Colorado Springs at the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo, founded in 1926 by the Cheyenne Mountain Zoological Society. While the animals were wild-born, many have been there since the 1970s-1980s. The animal rights group, the Nonhuman Rights Project, argued that the elephants had a right to physical liberty and were illegally confined in the zoo, according to the ruling, submitting affidavits from multiple animal biologists who described the elephants as autonomous animals that generally have complex biological, psychological and social needs and who are capable of forming long-term memories. After a lower court dismissed the petition because the elephants did not have standing under the habeas statute, the group appealed to the state Supreme Court. This weeks ruling follows a similar decision made in 2022 in New York, when the Nonhuman Rights Project filed a suit on behalf of an elephant at the Bronx Zoo. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The judges in the Colorado case noted that other courts have dismissed similar claims due to concerns regarding the unintended consequences of recognizing nonhuman animals as persons. Instead, the efforts of the Nonhuman Rights Project to expand existing legal rights for nonhuman animals including for Missy, Kimba, Lucky, LouLou and Jambo are best advanced through the legislative, not judicial, branch, the ruling concluded. In response to the decision, the Nonhuman Rights Project said in a statement that the courts ruling perpetuates a clear injustice, stating that unless an individual is human they have no right to liberty. Future courts will reject this notion, as judges in the United States and around the world have already begun to do, the group added. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For its part, the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo described the lawsuit as frivolous, stressing that the ruling found no legal basis to remove the beloved elephants away from Colorado Springs. While were happy with this outcome, we are disappointed that it ever came to this, zoo officials said in a statement. For the past 19 months, weve been subjected to their misrepresented attacks, and weve wasted valuable time and money responding to them in courts and in the court of public opinion. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. Elizabeth Warren sent Elon Musk a letter with 30 ideas for how his DOGE commission could cut $2 trillion in U.S. spending. Elizabeth Warren has some suggestions for Elon Musk as he settles into his new White House role. On Thursday morning, the senator sent Musk a letter with 30 recommendations for how his DOGE commission could slash $2 trillion in U.S. spending over the next 10 years. In the letter, Warren suggested several progressive policies, including closing tax loopholes for corporations and the wealthiest earners, renegotiating Department of Defense (DOD) contracts, and allowing Medicare to negotiate lower costs for prescription drugs. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Warren claims in the letter that $200 billion could be preserved by renegotiating defense contracts, pointing to a 2011 report that found contractors regularly hike prices for the military. Musk has not publicly addressed the letter, and representatives for the billionaire did not return Fortune's request for comment. DOGE's rocky start Musk's Department of Government Efficiency has had a rocky start. The commission has already lost its original co-chair, Vivek Ramaswamy, and has been hit with three lawsuits. Musk has also backtracked on some of the department's lofty promises around budget cuts. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In an interview broadcast on X, the billionaire told political strategist Mark Penn the previously promised $2 trillion figure was a best-case outcome and that he thought there was only a good shot at cutting half that. It's still unclear how exactly Musk intends to slash government spending. Musk has been soliciting advice from tech leaders on how to root out unnecessary red tape and eliminate waste. However, the main suggestion appears to be a sizable reduction in government headcount. In an op-ed in the Wall Street Journal, the then DOGE co-chairs said they anticipate mass headcount reductions across the federal bureaucracy." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Musk has done similar things at his companies, most notably slashing X's overall headcount by nearly 80%. The billionaire has also done several rounds of layoffs at Tesla. Warren and Musk's public spats There's no love lost between Musk and Warren. The former law professor and Democrat senator has sparred with Musk over Tesla and X in the past. In one public spat in late 2021, Warren accused Musk of "freeloading off of everyone else," while Musk hit back, calling her "Senator Karen." Warren has recently expressed concerns about potential conflicts of interest posed by Musk's proximity to the White House. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In December, the senator wrote to President Trump to ask for conflict-of-interest rules to cover Musk. Putting Mr. Musk in a position to influence billions of dollars of government contracts and regulatory enforcement without a stringent conflict of interest agreement in place is an invitation for corruption on a scale not seen in our lifetimes, she wrote in the letter. She said that Musk was "no ordinary citizen" but the "CEO of several companies that have significant interests before the federal government, pointing to Tesla's government contracts to provide electric vehicles and services to the federal government. This story was originally featured on Fortune.com Sen. Elizabeth Warren told Elon Musk she will work with DOGE to slash wasteful federal spending. Her recommendations to cut spending included reducing the defense budget and fraud in federal programs. There's growing bipartisan support to work with DOGE on achieving its spending cut goals. Sen. Elizabeth Warren said she's "happy" to work with her sometimes sparring partner, Elon Musk, to cut wasteful federal spending. On Thursday, Warren sent a letter to Musk who is leading President Donald Trump's new Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE detailing 30 recommendations to reduce government spending, including taking aim at the Department of Defense budget, fraud in Medicare programs, and education funding for for-profit schools. Musk and his former DOGE co-lead Vivek Ramaswamy originally proposed slashing $2 trillion in federal spending, but Musk later walked back that goal and said during an interview in early January that DOGE has "got a good shot" of reaching $1 trillion in cuts. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While Warren said that she disagrees with some of Musk's initial proposals to cut spending, like reducing veterans' benefits, she said that she agrees with Musk that there is too much wasteful federal spending. "If you are serious about working together in good faith to cut government spending in a way that does not harm the middle class I have proposals for your consideration," Warren said. One of Warren's recommendations included cutting spending at the Department of Defense, which makes up 14% of total government spending, per year-to-date Treasury data. It's an idea that's already gained bipartisan support Democratic Rep. Ro Khanna called out contractors overcharging the department in a December opinion piece and said he would work with DOGE, while GOP Sen. Joni Ernst also expressed her support for cutting defense spending in a November letter. Musk has also previously been critical of defense spending and said it's "not sustainable" during a November speech. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement One of Warren's other recommendations was to crack down on fraud in healthcare programs. Some policy experts previously told BI that rooting out fraud in programs like Medicare could be an area for a quick DOGE win, as Musk can leverage his Silicon Valley tech experience to help root out fraudulent and improper payments in federal programs. Warren's letter to Musk comes amid their long-running public disputes, and her recommendations contain many of her signature positions that Musk and some GOP lawmakers are unlikely to support. They include eliminating charter school funding, restricting federal grants to for-profit universities, and closing tax loopholes for the wealthy. Warren previously singled out Musk as one of many billionaires who should pay more in taxes. Musk and the White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Business Insider. Other recommendations for DOGE cuts Trump officially established DOGE as an office within the White House in a Monday executive order. DOGE's mission in the order is narrower than originally proposed it would focus on modernizing IT systems and it's unclear how exactly the agency will initiate spending cuts. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Still, economic experts and policymakers have continued to outline areas Musk should target. William Gale, a senior fellow at the progressive Urban-Brookings Tax Policy Center, wrote in a Wednesday opinion piece that DOGE should scrutinize tax expenditures, which can take the form of tax credits and deductions, and "they can go on for years with no public attention or review," Gale wrote. Democratic and Republican lawmakers also have ideas. Democratic Rep. Jared Moskowitz previously told BI that he wants to target reorganizing the Department of Homeland Security to allow FEMA and the Secret Service to report directly to the president, simplifying the chain of command. "If this is where that conversation is going to happen, I'm happy to be at the table," Moskowitz said. "And if they want to do stupid stuff, I'll call it out, and I'll vote against it." Ernst's November spending cut recommendations also included eliminating vacant federal buildings, auditing the Internal Revenue Service, and reducing fraud in SNAP benefits. Read the original article on Business Insider VAN ETTEN, N.Y. (WETM) An Elmira man was arrested on Tuesday after state police said he led troopers on a chase for several miles before running on foot. Nathan R. Nehrbass, 43, was arrested on Tuesday, Jan. 21, on the following charges: Criminal possession of a weapon in the third degree, a class D felony. Aggravated unlicensed operation in the first degree, a class E felony. Unlawful fleeing of a police office in a motor vehicle in the third degree, a class A misdemeanor. Driving while impaired by drugs. Other traffic violations. Elmira Heights man faces child sexual abuse material charge Around 3 p.m. on Tuesday, troopers noticed a pickup truck parked at a residence on Hulbert Hollow Road in with two people inside. Troopers claim that the driver of the truck was smoking from a glass pipe and when they tried to approach the vehicle, Nehrbass took off. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Nehrbass fled from troopers for several miles before ditching the truck in a field. Both Nehrbass and the passenger fled the truck and ran from troopers, only to be caught a short time later, state police said. Nehrbass was found with plastic knuckles on him and failed a field sobriety test before he was arrested. The passenger of the vehicle was a 17-year-old male who was handed over to a guardian. Nehrbass was processed in the Van Etten Town Court and taken to the Chemung County Jail without 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 WETM - MyTwinTiers.com. Errol Musk cant see anything wrong with the controversial hand gesture that his billionaire son Elon Musk made at a post-inauguration rally, claiming it was a universal salute. In an interview Tuesday night with Chris Cuomo on NewNation, the elder Musk burst out laughing when asked what he made of the suggestion that his sons gesture, which he made twice, was a Nazi salute. Its absolute nonsense, absolute rubbish, Musk replied. Its a universal, er, salute, or as you said, you know, throwing his heart out, I suppose. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Cuomo asked Errol how people should judge such behavior from his son. What behavior? Errol Musk said. The behavior was fine. I cant see anything wrong with that behavior. Musk also addressed whether Elons maternal grandparents influenced his sons political thoughts. In a separate interview in November, Errol revealed that his son Elons maternal grandparents were Hitler-supporting members of the Canadian Nazi Party who moved to South Africa because they strongly approved of the racist apartheid regime. Heres Elons father casually saying Elons maternal grandparents were in the Nazi party in Canada, supported Hitler, and moved to South Africa because they strongly admired the Apartheid regime. pic.twitter.com/LjI57S7gne Anonymous (@YourAnonNews) January 21, 2025 Errol said this did not have a bearing on his sons political beliefs, and that his son grew up helping with his election campaigns as a candidate for an anti-apartheid party. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Do you assign any of the lineage on the maternal side, to your son. That hes like his maternal grandfather? Cuomo asked. No, not at all, Errol Musk replied. The maternal grandfather passed away when Elon was one-year-old. So thats crazy. The Anti-Defamation League faced some backlash after it defended Musk over his salute, which it said appeared to be just an awkward gesture. Musks estranged daughter, Vivian Wilson, weighed in with a post on Threads on Tuesday, writing, Im just gonna say lets call a spade a f---ing spade. New York University history professor Ruth Ben-Ghiat, an expert in fascism, wrote on X that the gesture was a Nazi salute and a very belligerent one too." Historian of fascism here. That was a Nazi salute - and a very belligerent one too https://t.co/PB9sFCVJGA Ruth Ben-Ghiat (@ruthbenghiat) January 20, 2025 Elon Musk has increasingly voiced far-right political thoughts and boosted parties that support those views in recent months. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In December, he endorsed the far-right German party AfD and hosted a cosy video chat with its leader Alice Weidel. After his purchase of Twitter, he reinstated banned accounts from far-right individuals including the conspiracy theorist Alex Jones, Patrick Casey, the former head of white nationalist group Identity Evropa, and Andrew Anglin, the neo-Nazi publisher of white supremacist website The Daily Stormer, under the guise of supporting free speech. Musk has also previously posted on X accusing a South African political party of openly pushing for genocide of white people. Elon Musk, billionaire adviser to President Donald Trump, leaned into the accusations that his Monday salute was a Sieg heil gesture with a series of trollish Nazi puns on X. Dont say Hess to Nazi accusations! Musk wrote Thursday, referring to German Nazi Party leader Adolf Hitlers deputy, Rudolf Hess. Some people will Goebbels anything down! he joked, referencing Joseph Goebbels, the deeply antisemitic Nazi propaganda minister who organized the 1938 Kristallnacht assault on Jewish families. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Other lines invoked Hermann Goring, the Nazi military leader who wanted to rid Germany of its Jewish population, and Heinrich Himmler, the SS chief who was instrumental in planning the Holocaust. Bet you did nazi that coming, Musk added at the end, with a laughter emoji. The Tesla CEO has been making light of the outrage over his salute, which came at Trumps inauguration rally before the president stopped by Washingtons Capital One Arena. Musk agreed with another X poster who shared a video of Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz (D), claiming the two men were making the same gesture, although Walz used an open palm and a slack arm, unlike Musk. Dont say Hess to Nazi accusations! Some people will Goebbels anything down! Stop Goring your enemies! His pronouns wouldve been He/Himmler! Bet you did nazi that coming Elon Musk (@elonmusk) January 23, 2025 The worlds richest man followed his Nazi puns with a post reading, When I see the troll emoji, its like looking in the mirror. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement His supporters have argued alternately that Musks autism affects how he behaves in public, and that the salute was nothing much out of the ordinary. Musk made the gesture twice while he thanked Trumps supporters in the arena, saying at the time, My heart goes out to you. The Anti-Defamation League covered for Musk on Monday, saying in a statement that he should be given a bit of grace or perhaps even the benefit of the doubt, although critics rejected the groups response. Conservative Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also rose to Musks defense on Thursday. But the ADL and its CEO, Jonathan Greenblatt, did not extend their tolerance to Musks comedy. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Holocaust is not a joke, Greenblatt wrote on X, tagging Musk. The ADL denounced him for making inappropriate and highly offensive jokes that trivialize the Holocaust. Making inappropriate and highly offensive jokes that trivialize the Holocaust only serve to minimize the evil and inhumanity of Nazi crimes, denigrate the suffering of both victims and survivors and insult the memory of the six million Jews murdered in the Shoah. https://t.co/pYpTeRu3Aa ADL (@ADL) January 23, 2025 Musk has made no secret of his affinity for far-right talking points since purchasing Twitter, which he renamed X, in 2022. In the past, he has used his own account to promote the racist Great Replacement conspiracy theory, which posits that white people are being replaced by nonwhite people in Western nations. Musk also allowed neo-Nazi accounts to proliferate on X, sparking a rise in offensive content there. Related... (NewsNation) During an exclusive interview with NewsNations CUOMO, Errol Musk, father of billionaire Elon Musk, revealed what he thinks about his sons collaboration with President Donald Trump and Republicans during the 2024 election, and the fact that hes now become a key figure in the Trump administration. Errol Musk laughed and defended his son against allegations of making a Nazi salute, calling the accusation absolute nonsense and rubbish. Elon Musks gesture at Trump inauguration celebration While addressing a large crowd Monday at Capital One Arena, Musk thanked attendees for helping to elect Trump. He grabbed the left side of his chest with his right hand and extended his arm at a raised angle. Musk turned around and made the gesture a second time. My heart goes out to you, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Democratic infighting is rising as Trump takes center stage Responding to criticism of the stage gesture, Errol Musk pointed out that other politicians have used similar hand signals without controversy. Elon Musk, widely regarded as the worlds richest man with a net worth exceeding $400 billion, has made his mark on space, technology and politics. The elder Musk talked about his own political history, noting he was twice a parliamentary candidate for a party opposing apartheid in South Africa. He also revealed a family connection to the Jewish community through his grandfather. Bidens outgoing letter to Trump: May God bless you Elon changed after Biden snubbed him, father Errol Musk says Errol Musk detailed his sons political transformation, highlighting a shift from supporting Democrats to aligning with Trump. He attributed this change to former President Joe Bidens perceived slight of not inviting Tesla to a White House electric vehicle event in 2021. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He started changing when Biden invited all the electric car manufacturers to the White House in 2021 but didnt invite Tesla. Tesla built a million cars, and the other five manufacturers built about 26 and hadnt even sold one, Errol Musk told NewsNation. Elon couldnt understand that. He started calling Biden a lunatic and the government loony,' Errol Musk said. Elon Musk, widely regarded as the worlds richest man with a net worth exceeding $400 billion, has made his mark on space, technology and politics. After co-founding and selling PayPal, Musk launched SpaceX, which now dominates the reusable rocket industry. He was among the original investors in Tesla, manufacturing millions of electric vehicles, and acquired Twitter, where his influence grew. Musk collaborated with former President Donald Trump and Republicans during the 2024 election and is now a key figure in the Trump administration. To uncover more about the man behind the headlines, NewsNations CUOMO speaks with his father, Errol Musk. Errol Musk recounted a 2016 incident in which Elon and his brother were upset by their fathers public support for Trump. He suggested Elons current alignment with Trump stems from feeling marginalized by the Democratic administration. The tech billionaire is now leading Trumps Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), which is expected to focus on reducing government spending and regulations and has already secured a White House email address. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Speaker Johnson forms committee to probe Dems, Jan. 6 investigation After co-founding and selling PayPal, Musk launched SpaceX, which now dominates the reusable rocket industry. He later was an early investor in Tesla, manufacturing millions of electric vehicles, and acquired Twitter, where his influence grew. We are very happy with Elon, Errol Musk says Errol Musk said he was very happy with Elon, and adds that his children have done well in their fields. He said Elon has broken the mold to some extent, but the family is not sitting back and would like to see more from him. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rushed to Elon Musks defense Thursday, claiming that the billionaires disturbing inauguration gesturewhich millions of people around the world recognized as the Sieg Heil salute used by Adolf Hitlers Nazi Partywas little more than a misunderstanding. Elon is a great friend of Israel, Netanyahu wrote in a post on X claiming that the South African was being falsely smeared. He visited Israel after the October 7 massacre in which Hamas terrorists committed the worst atrocity against the Jewish people since the Holocaust, Netanyahu continued, explicitly thanking Musk. He has since repeatedly and forcefully supported Israels right to defend itself against genocidal terrorists and regimes who seek to annihilate the one and only Jewish state. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Individuals the world over have fiercely debated what Musk meant by giving the alarming salute (twice) on Monday. German journalists torched Musk for making the gesture, acknowledging that such an act would never be allowed in their country. Whoever on a political stage, making a political speech in front of a partly far-right audience, elongates his arm diagonally in the air both forcefully and repeatedly, is making a Hitler salute, journalist Lenz Jacobsen wrote for the German paper Die Zeit in a piece titled A Hitler salute is a Hitler salute is a Hitler salute. Theres no probably or similar to or controversial about it. The gesture speaks for itself. Others argued that Musks increasingly far-right politics were a better target for the Nazi label, claiming that the rhetoric around the salute had gone too far. Meanwhile, Musk himself fanned the controversy by refusing to deny the allegations as to whether he meant his gesture to resemble Hitlers salute. Hitler-loving personalities on the far right of Americas political spectrum, though, werent confused about the meaning behind Musks actions whatsoever. Nick Fuentes, a white supremacist Hitler fan who has called for a holy war against Jews, referred to Musks salute as straight up like Sieg Heil, with loving Hitler energy. Members of the family who own OxyContin maker Purdue Pharma, and the company itself, agreed to pay up to $7.4 billion in a new settlement to lawsuits over the toll of the powerful prescription painkiller, the attorneys general from several states announced Thursday. The deal, agreed to by Purdue Pharma, the Sackler family members who own the company and lawyers representing state and local governments and thousands of victims of the opioid crisis, replaces a previous settlement deal that was rejected last year by the U.S. Supreme Court. In the new one, the Sacklers agreed to pay up to $6.5 billion and give up ownership of the company, which would pay nearly $900 million. The maximum contribution from family members is $500 million more than the previous deal. Its among the largest settlements reached over the past several years in a series of lawsuits by local, state, Native American tribal governments and others seeking to hold companies responsible for a deadly epidemic. Aside from the Purdue deal, others worth around $50 billion have been announced and most of the money is required to be used to stem the crisis. The deal still needs court approval, and some of the details are yet to be ironed out. An arm of the federal Department of Justice opposed the previous settlement, even after every state agreed, and took the battle to the U.S. Supreme Court. But under President Donald Trump, the federal government is not expected to oppose the new deal. We are extremely pleased that a new agreement has been reached that will deliver billions of dollars to compensate victims, abate the opioid crisis, and deliver treatment and overdose rescue medicines that will save lives, Stamford, Connecticut-based Purdue said in a statement. Representatives for Sackler family members did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Kara Trainor, a Michigan woman in recovery for 17 years, said she became addicted to opioids after receiving a prescription for OxyContin to deal with a back injury 23 years ago. She praised the deal. Everything in my life is shaped by a company that put profits over human lives, she said. While no amount of money will ever fully repair the damage they caused, this massive influx of funds will bring resources to communities in need so that we can heal, said New York Attorney General Letitia James, one of 15 state attorneys general involved in negotiating the deal. In West Virginia, the epicenter of the opioid crisis, Attorney General JB McCuskey agreed to the deal but had harsh words for the company and its owners. While West Virginians' lives were being destroyed by opioid addiction, the Sacklers were cashing in every time someone got hooked getting rich with no regard to the toll their drugs were taking on people, families and our communities, the Republican said in a statement. Elon Musk, the world's richest man and Tesla CEO, has waded into Wisconsin's high-profile state Supreme Court race that will determine if the court stays under liberal control or flips back to a conservative majority. "Very important to vote Republican for the Wisconsin Supreme Court to prevent voting fraud!" Musk posted Thursday morning on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter that Musk owns. While races for Wisconsin Supreme Court are technically nonpartisan, partisan groups and donors have already heavily flooded cash into the campaigns of Dane County Judge Susan Crawford, the liberal candidate, and former Republican Attorney General Brad Schimel, the conservative in the race. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The race is expected to attract even more spending and national attention than Wisconsin's 2023 race for Supreme Court, which flipped the court to a liberal majority for the first time in 15 years with the election of Justice Janet Protasiewicz. It became the most expensive judicial race in the country's history. Musk is a prolific political donor and contributed more than a quarter-billion dollars to campaign committees supporting President Donald Trump. He donated $2 million last year that helped elect Republican judges in Texas, where he resides, the New York Times reported. Musk could donate directly to candidates in Wisconsin's Supreme Court race if he chose to. Musk quote-tweeted a post from Scott Presler, a conservative activist, who cited the high court's ruling last July that allowed clerks to reinstate absentee ballot drop boxes ahead of the August primaries and November presidential election. Drop boxes have been the target of Republican scrutiny, including after Republican U.S. Senate candidate Eric Hovde lost his race in Wisconsin and falsely claimed they were only used during the COVID-19 pandemic. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But drop boxes for ballots were used in Wisconsin as far back as the 1980s, in both blue and red areas of the state, without controversy. Multiple recounts and reviews of the 2020 election found no evidence of fraud. Very important to vote Republican for the Wisconsin Supreme Court to prevent voting fraud! https://t.co/tB1qErm2cP Elon Musk (@elonmusk) January 23, 2025 "Where are the donors? Where are the door knockers? Where are the influencers? Where is the support?" Presler said. The state Supreme Court election is April 1. Only two candidates are running for the vacant seat, so there is no primary for the race on Feb. 18. The race is beginning to ramp up candidates started airing their first television ads in the last week. Dane County Circuit Judge Susan Crawford and Waukesha County Circuit Judge Brad Schimel. High-profile issues could soon go before the Supreme Court, including Act 10, which removed bargaining rights from the majority of Wisconsin public employees. A Dane County judge overturned the law late last year, but Republicans are expected to appeal to higher courts. The ruling is currently on hold. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement More: What's on the ballot for Wisconsin's Feb. 18 primary and April 1 spring election? Musk's post about Wisconsin's election came one day after Milwaukee meteorologist Sam Kuffel was fired by her local CBS station for criticizing Musk's arm gesture at an inauguration event which many have likened to a Nazi salute on her personal Instagram account. Reactions to her firing were swift throughout Wisconsin Wednesday, with some on social media criticizing the station's decision and encouraging her to sue. Others supported her firing, saying news employees should not share their personal opinions. This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Elon Musk wades into Wisconsin's high-profile Supreme Court race Elon Musk the worlds richest man alive has been handed his own task force designed to reign in government spending. Heres what you need to know about DOGE, which President Donald Trump officially created on Monday. What is DOGE? DOGE, or the Department of Government Efficiency, began as an offhand comment from Musk last August during a publicized conversation with Trump. I think it would be great to just have a government efficiency commission that takes a look at these things and, and just ensures that the taxpayer money to the taxpayers, hard earned money is spent in a good way, Musk told Trump during an X Spaces event. And Id be happy to help out on such a commission. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its name doesnt actually come from Musk himself. An X user who goes by Sir Doge of the Coin posted the idea, which is itself a reference to DogeCoin, a cryptocurrency based on Kabosu, a viral Shina Inu. Musk the Dogefather is a big fan of DogeCoin, which sparked the meme-coin craze that eventually infected Trump. In early September, about a week after Musk repeated his willingness to serve, Trump announced that Musk has agreed to lead a government effiency commission. High expectations By October, Musk was openly campaigning for Trump across the key swing state of Pennsylvania and running get-out-the-vote campaigns through his America PAC. It was later revealed through regulatory filings that Musk spent at least $250 million to help re-elect Trump. During Trumps late-October rally in New York City, he claimed that his DOGE group could slash $2 trillion in spending from the federal budget. The federal government spent more than $6.7 trillion last fiscal year, with the largest payments directed toward Social Security, Medicare, interest payments, defense spending, and other assorted health costs. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I think we could do at least $2 trillion, Musk said at the time. Your money is being wasted, and the Department of Government Efficiency is going to fix that. Were going to get the government off your back and out of your pocketbook. Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy, the one-time GOP presidential candidate and entrepreneur, were later tapped by Trump to lead DOGE. In a November editorial, the pair said they would use the planned DOGE group to recommend ways to slash federal spending. Key target areas included regulations they deemed burdensome, work-from-home policies for federal staff, funding for non-government organizations, and large-scale headcount reduction. Not only are fewer employees required to enforce fewer regulations, but the agency would produce fewer regulations once its scope of authority is properly limited, they wrote. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement By Jan. 9, Musk has changed his tune on his overall goal for DOGE. During an interview with former Microsoft (MSFT) executive Mark Penn, he said cutting $2 trillion was the best-case outcome, not a minimum goal for success. I think if we try for $2 trillion, then we have a good chance of getting $1 [trillion], he said. Trumps mandate The president on Monday sighed DOGE into law through an executive order. He rebranded the United States Digital Service (USDS), a decade-old technology unit created after the faulty launch of HealthCare.gov, as the United States DOGE Service. The U.S. DOGE Service Temporary Organization has a July 4, 2026, expiration date. Trump has said ending the group then would be the perfect gift to America on the 250th anniversary of the Continental Congress adopting the Declaration of Independence. The order outlines a plan to develop a team of at least four employees per federal agency, including a team lead, an engineer, a human resources specialist, and an attorney. Agency leaders will have 30 days to assemble such a team. The USDS itself will continue its prior mission of modernizing software, network infrastructure, and information technology systems, just under a new name. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The department is also tasked to work with the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) on a federal hiring plan, according to a second executive order. It calls for a plan to put an end to any diversity requirements, which Musk has vehemently opposed, and the use of modern technology to improve hiring. [Musk is] getting an office for about 20 people were hiring to make sure these get implemented, Trump told reporters on Monday, referring to his executive orders, as he signed DOGE into law. Trumps orders dont mention DOGEs primary goal, which has always been to slash regulations and cut federal agencies, such as the Education Department. However, Musk could use the former USDSs work to effect dozens of federal agencies. Additionally, DOGE is now officially housed within the executive branch. Thats a major departure from initial plans to operate as a outside of government group akin to an advisory committee. Such a structure would have allowed Musk to skirt ethics concerns. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Under the current makeup of DOGE, Musk will likely be named as USDS administrator, a job that reports directly to the White Houses chief of staff, or designated as a special government employee. Both would require Musk to follow ethics guidelines, although special government employees are subject to more limited rules surrounding conflicts of interest. The billionaires SpaceX, Neuralink, X, and Tesla (TSLA) are collectively the subject of more than 20 recent investigations or reviews; Musk was sued by the Securities and Exchange Commission just last week. Tesla and SpaceX have received billions of dollars in federal contracts. Congressional aid Both Republican and Democratic lawmakers have expressed interest in helping the group, although the newly formed Congressional DOGE caucus is still overwhelmingly dominated by Republicans. Each lawmaker has their own targets in mind. California Democratic Rep. Ro Khanna plans to target defense spending, as does Independent Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont. Iowa Republican Sen. Joni Ernst, who is leading the DOGE Caucus in the Senate, has called for cuts to funding for electric vehicle charging stations and for the government to sell thousands of vacant or underutilized buildings. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement House Democrats have named New Mexico Rep. Melanie Stansbury to lead her partys members on the House Oversight and Accountability Committees subcommittee designed to work with DOGE. Shes joined by five other Democrats, including high-profile progressives like California Rep. Robert Garcia and Texas Rep. Jasmine Crockett, The Hill reports. The House GOP tapped controversial Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia, to chair the oversight subcommittee, where she will be joined by several other Republicans, including Texas Rep. Brandon Gill. The first cut is the deepest In an unsurprising development, Ramaswamy was pushed out of DOGE, making him the first casualty of the groups cuts. Ramaswamy, who is now preparing to campaign to be Ohios next governor, had been expected to focus on regulatory cuts and the administrative state, The Washington Post reported. But tensions emerged as Ramaswamy approached DOGEs problems from a constitutional perspective, eying budgeting processes and legal pathways to scrap regulations. On the other hand, Musk employed a tech-first perspective, leveraging software, artificial intelligence and data mining to make cuts, according to the Post. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Musk reportedly lost interest in what Ramaswamy could provide, eventually supporting his decision to run for governor or fill Vice President J.D. Vances vacated Senate seat. Ramaswamy also disagreed with DOGEs position as a unit housed within the executive branch, a departure from the original vision for the group. It was my honor to help support the creation of DOGE. Im confident that Elon & team will succeed in streamlining government, Ramaswamy wrote Monday on X. Although hes gone, DOGE has already started fulfilling part of his vision. Through executive orders, Trump has issued a temporary freeze on hiring and regulatory actions, ordered federal agencies and departments to move to end work-from-home arrangements, and end diversity, equity, and inclusion hiring policies. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement By 5:00 p.m. ET on Wednesday, all federal DEI employees will be placed on paid leave as all related offices and programs will be closed, NBC News reports. By Jan. 31, federal agencies are required to submit a written plan to dismiss those employees. DOGE is also reviewing a 19-page report that identified more than $120 billion in annual spending on DEI, the Post reported. Litigation The American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) along with Public Citizen and the State Democracy Defenders Fund, on Monday sued Trump and the OMB over DOGE just minutes after his administration formally began, arguing that they had violated federal transparency requirements. That lawsuit was filed under the pretense that DOGE was a federal advisory committee, rather than the eventual executive branch unit it became. AFGE will not stand idly by as a secretive group of ultra-wealthy individuals with major conflicts of interest attempt to deregulate themselves and give their own companies sweetheart government contracts while firing civil servants and dismantling the institutions designed to serve the American people, AFGE National President Everett Kelley, who represents 800,000 workers, said in a statement. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Another coalition, which includes the Center for Auto Safety and Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, also sued over an alleged lack of transparency with DOGEs efforts. The Center for Biological Diversity asked a federal judge for public records related to DOGE and Trumps transition team, while the National Security Counselors filed a fourth lawsuit. For the latest news, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. President Donald Trump has spent the early days of his return to the White House attacking diversity, equity, and inclusion, as he tries to forge a colorblind society opposed to the kinds of race-conscious programs designed to make amends for historical wrongs and discrimination suffered by Black Americans and other marginalized groups. Trump turned a tragedy into a moment to broadcast his grievances about DEI. The day after a mid-air collision between an American Airlines plane and a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter in the Washington, D.C., area killed 67 people, the president, citing no evidence, pointed the finger at DEI efforts at the Federal Aviation Administration. We have to have our smartest people [in air traffic controller positions], Trump said during a press conference, suggesting that DEI initiatives yield unqualified employees. It doesnt matter what they look like, how they speak, who they are. They have to be talented, naturally talented. Geniuses. Cant have regular people doing their job. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When Trump was challenged on his conclusion that DEI had something to do with the accident, the investigation into which is ongoing, he responded, Because I have common sense. OK? Trumps comments came just days after he signed executive orders gutting the federal governments DEI programs. He also removed all of the members of the Aviation Security Advisory Committee at a time when there are mounting concerns about air safety. As the country prepares for the ripple effects of the new administrations policies, heres an overview of some of Trumps more high-profile orders which encompass everything from trangender equality to migration to climate change and their potential impact on Black communities. This story will be updated. What is the fate of DEI programs? The orders: Trump signed an order dismantling federal agencies DEI programs, impugning these initiatives as wasteful, immoral, and shameful. He signed another order revoking Executive Order 11246, which was signed by President Lyndon B. Johnson in 1965 to prohibit discriminatory hiring and employment practices for government contractors. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The implications: Trump is gutting one of the main mechanisms that his predecessor used to encourage racial diversity in the federal government. One of former President Joe Bidens chief goals when he entered office was to encourage diversity across the federal workforce. To that end, he signed a wide-ranging order in 2021 the year after George Floyds murder sparked racial justice protests across the country directing agencies to draw up plans for prioritizing diversity in hiring and retention. A deadline was set for 5 p.m. on Jan. 22 for the heads of agencies to inform affected employees that theyll be put on paid administrative leave. All DEI-related offices and programs will end, and all websites and social media accounts for these offices will be shut down. The memo also asked federal agencies to submit a written plan by Jan. 31 for dismissing these employees. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement What happens next? Trumps opponents are mobilizing to challenge his efforts. The ACLU, for instance, announced in a new report that it will work with organizations to explore and document the harmful impact of current anti-DEI laws at the federal level. It will also push congressional caucuses and committees to document the social and economic effects of anti-DEI maneuvering on everyday Americans and state and local governments and prod state governors and mayors to create and expand DEI initiatives. What attacks are we seeing on transgender equality? The orders: Trump has signed orders seeking to ban transgender troops from openly serving in the military and restrict gender-affirming care for youth. The implications: Trumps actions immediately sparked fear among transgender Americans, who worry about the hostile climate that the administration is creating. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I dont think a lot of people know what kind of gift that is to just look at yourself in the mirror and feel content, 29-year-old May Anderson told the Washington Post. You dont have to love how you look. You dont have to feel like, Im the sexiest woman alive. You just have to look at yourself in the mirror and feel content. I was never able to do that before. Transition fixed that. The stakes are especially high for Black transgender and nonbinary youth, 21% of whom have attempted suicide in the past year and almost half of whom dont feel safe at school, according to reports released by The Trevor Project and the Human Rights Campaign in 2024. What happens next? Civil rights groups have filed a lawsuit challenging the military ban as unconstitutional. What is happening with the World Health Organization? The order: Trump signed an order to withdraw the U.S. from the World Health Organization, accusing the agency of mishandling of the COVID-19 pandemic that arose out of Wuhan, China, which he cited as one of the central reasons for his decision. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The order instructs the U.S. Secretary of State and the director of the Office of Management and Budget to take appropriate measures to pause the future transfer of any United States Government funds, support, or resources to the WHO. The implications: The WHO is a specialized U.N. agency and broadly functions as a coordinating authority on global health issues, helping countries to respond to infectious disease outbreaks and other public health crises, such as the COVID-19 pandemic. The Trump administration was slow to respond to COVID-19, which killed Black Americans at more than twice the rate of white Americans. Among other things, the administration ignored the pandemic playbook created by former President Barack Obamas team and terminated roles intended to help the federal government to contain the spread of the virus. Historically, the U.S. has been one of the largest financial supporters of the WHO, with annual contributions ranging from $163 million to $816 million over the last decade, according to KFF, a health policy think tank. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The agency isnt without its critics, who say that its slow, toothless, and often hamstrung by partisan politics. Still, experts worry that U.S. withdrawal from the WHO will impede the countrys ability to prepare for the next pandemic. Lawrence Gostin, a professor of public health law at Georgetown University, explained on X that U.S. withdrawal from the agency will endanger Americans, especially vulnerable Americans. The countrys health agencies and pharmaceutical companies use WHO data to develop vaccines and other medications, and departure means losing access to this data. Hes unraveling US engagement & funding now, Gostin wrote in one post. In another, he added that Trump could slash global health funding for HIV, sexual health, polio eradication & health emergencies and could be sowing the seeds for the next pandemic. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement What happens next? The U.S. is required to give one years notice that it intends to withdraw, according to a joint congressional resolution it signed. During that fiscal year, the U.S. must meet its financial obligations to the agency. What might this administration mean for Haitian communities? The orders: Trump signed an order pausing the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program, which permits certain refugees fleeing violence and persecution to legally come to the U.S. after they undergo various security and medical screenings. Trump name-checked Springfield, Ohio, in the order. The small city was upended by bomb threats after Trump on the campaign trail peddled the baseless claim that Haitian residents were eating pets. He also signed an order terminating all categorical parole programs that are contrary to the policies of the United States established in my Executive Orders. This includes programs for refugees and asylum seekers fleeing Haiti, Cuba, Nicaragua, and Venezuela. The programs allow an individual who may be inadmissible or otherwise ineligible for admission into the U.S. to enter the country for a temporary period. An individual whos paroled into the U.S. hasnt been formally admitted into the country for the purposes of immigration law. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump signed an additional order banning birthright citizenship, a right enshrined in the 14th Amendment that recognizes anyone born here as a citizen, regardless of their parents status. Another order Trump signed suspends asylum, a right established in U.S. and international law that allows people who have been persecuted or would face persecution in their home country conditionally stay in the U.S. The order hampers the ability to pursue asylum at the border, leaving migrants who fear for their lives almost no path toward safety in the U.S. The implications: Many Haitians are in the U.S. to escape violence or environmental disasters, and fear what might be in store for them under a second Trump administration. The presidents order regarding refugee admissions instructs officials to review whether further entry into the United States of refugees is in alignment with the interests of the country. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Given Trumps accusations, Haitians are concerned about how else the president might target their communities. The Census Bureau Current Population Survey shows that, as of February 2024, there were 852,000 Haitian migrants in the country and that 689,000 U.S.-born Americans have at least one parent who was born in Haiti. What happens next? Two dozen states and cities, as well as four attorneys general, have sued Trump over the order revoking birthright citizenship, arguing that it violates the U.S. Constitution. One of those officials, Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul, said on Monday, I, myself, am a child of immigrants from Haiti. So, Im a birthright baby. A federal judge on Thursday issued a two-week restraining order on what he called Trumps blatantly unconstitutional birthright citizenship order, at least temporarily blocking it. What is the future of capital punishment? The order: Trump signed an order directing the attorney general to take all necessary and lawful action to ensure that each state that allows capital punishment has the drugs needed to conduct executions via lethal injection. Describing his motivations, Trump referred to capital punishment as an essential tool for deterring and punishing those who would commit the most heinous crimes and acts of lethal violence against American citizens. The implications: In the order, Trump urges the attorney general to pursue the death penalty for all crimes of a severity demanding its use, and specifically for cases that involve the murder of a law enforcement officer and capital crimes committed by migrants lacking legal status. Civil rights organizations have long called on federal and state governments to abolish capital punishment not encourage it highlighting the ongoing racial disparities in sentencing in the U.S. Racism is inextricably linked to capital punishment, as the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund puts it. The death penalty has its roots in slavery, lynchings, white vigilantism, and the racial inequities in sentencing persist to this day. In a statement condemning Trumps many orders, including his pursuit of the death penalty, Janai Nelson, the president of the LDF, nodded to this disparity and the potential dangers to Black communities, saying that the orders represent a sweeping assault on our democratic ideals, as well as an effort to chip away at decades of progress. What happens next? Trumps pick for attorney general, Pam Bondi, is expected to receive Senate confirmation and follow through on his directions. What is the status of the TikTok ban? The order: Trump signed an order pausing for at least 75 days the enforcement of a law that would ban TikTok in the U.S. unless its China-based parent company sells to a U.S. approved buyer, citing concerns about national security and the use of private data. This order could allow Trump to take credit for saving a popular social media app that he was enthusiastic about banning during his first term. The implications: Content creators are in limbo. For many Black content creators, the enforcement of the TikTok ban would be devastating. Thats because it isnt just an app its a means of survival for some of these creators, whove been able to quit their full-time jobs, pay bills, and monetize partnerships with large brands. Takeisha Lafaye, a Mississippi Delta native, told Capital B that she can make a couple videos, lay down, do all this different stuff, and that she can pay all of her bills because of the platform shes established on TikTok. Shes also taken on the responsibility of helping her family: I get to help my family. I take my family to doctors appointments, and I have so much time to move around. Im gonna be sad because its gonna be a real inconvenience, she said. Eight content creators filed a lawsuit to reverse the ban, arguing that it jeopardizes their personal income and creative expression. The U.S. Supreme Court earlier this month upheld the ban, saying that it doesnt violate the petitioners First Amendment rights. Christopher Townsend, one of the eight content creators who sued the government, said that he was thankful for Trumps order. Still, the order only muddies the legal landscape, according to legal experts. The law is technically in effect, since Trump doesnt have the authority to suspend it. Companies that are violating the law are still violating the law, Alan Rozenshtein, a professor at the University of Minnesota Law School, told CNN. Trump could turn around and change his mind. What happens next? The day after Trump signed the order, congressional leaders introduced the Repeal the TikTok Ban Act, a bipartisan bill that would undo previous legislation signed by Biden. What can we expect on the climate and environment front? The orders: Trump signed an order triggering the start of the countrys withdrawal from the Paris climate agreement, drawn up to combat global warming. He signed another order vowing to eliminate what he erroneously refers to as the electric vehicle mandate, Bidens nonbinding goal to have electric vehicles, known as EVs, make up half of new cars sold by 2030 to prod Americans and companies to shift away from gas-heavy vehicles. A third order seeks to eliminate environmental justice efforts, and a fourth doubles down on his promise to drill, baby, drill by declaring a national energy emergency. Still another calls for a sweeping review of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, which is charged with helping Americans to recover from disasters, and he has floated the idea of closing the agency altogether. The implications: These orders arrived as Black neighborhoods in parts of California attempt to recover from wildfires fueled by climate change. Actions that might accelerate climate change would have a disproportionate effect on Black Americans, who are among the groups most significantly affected by climate change. Trump has vowed to declare a national energy emergency, despite the fact that the U.S. is currently producing more oil than any other country. Scientists recently warned that, due largely to oil and gas production, the pace of global warming has intensified. Last year was the hottest year on record, and Black Americans are 40% more likely than non-Black Americans and non-African Americans to currently live in areas with the highest projected increases in mortality rates due to climate-driven changes in extreme temperatures, according to a 2021 Environmental Protection Agency report. Additionally, the move to revamp FEMA and shift more disaster response costs to states could leave under-resourced communities, particularly Black and low-income communities, even more exposed to climate disasters, critics warn. In the meantime, Black Americans remain exposed to 21% more pollution than the overall population average, despite generating 23% less pollution than average. This is partly because Black neighborhoods are often located close to highways and factories. How transportation policy has been meted out over the last century is that were left at the intersection of major highways and major roads, Sheryl E. Ponds, whos the founder of Dai Technologies, one of the first Black woman-run EV adoption corporations, told Capital B last year. We end up with a lot of soot and dust and carbon emissions on our window sills in our home, and school and work absences because of asthma. What happens next? The order says that U.S. withdrawal from the Paris climate agreement will be effective immediately upon this provision of notification, but that process takes a year if not longer. It took close to four years for the U.S. to fully pull out of the agreement when Trump took a similar action during his first term. Growing debates over FEMAs future and climate spending priorities come as the country faces stronger hurricanes, wildfires, and floods. And with more extreme weather looming, Black Americans are still fighting to recover from the last round of disasters. The post The End of DEI: What Trumps Executive Orders Mean for Black Americans appeared first on Capital B News. Renewable energy supplier rsted is doing more than just supplying the nation with clean power. It's also restoring fragile ecosystems. Per reports by Electrek, the North American energy company has donated 953 acres of the Smiley-Woodfin Native Prairie Grassland. The donated land is located next to rsted's largest solar project globally: the Mockingbird Solar Center. Thanks to its 468-megawatt solar farm, the Mockingbird Solar Center will power 80,000 homes and businesses. "Beyond generating electricity, it will inject $75 million into local property taxes, benefiting schools and other public services," wrote Michelle Lewis from Electrek. "The project also created over 550 construction jobs and will continue to be supported by operations staff moving forward." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement However, while the new, massive solar center will support Texas' grid, it's also protecting a vital ecosystem right next door. As a result of the company's donation, the land is now a protected area home to more than 400 species of grasses and wildflowers. Known as the Smiley Meadow Preserve, the area now safeguards one of the rarest ecosystems in the U.S. "Native prairies are the rarest landscapes left in Texas so much so that many people have never seen one," David Bezanson, land protection strategy program director for The Nature Conservancy in Texas, told Electrek. According to reports by Electrek, less than 1% of Texas' original tallgrass prairies still exist today. However, tallgrass prairies are essential for promoting the health of the environment. They not only provide key habitats for pollinators, such as bees and butterflies but also prevent floods and store carbon. As a result, they help protect our food supply while keeping the planet cool. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Restoring this tallgrass prairie will have a widespread impact, according to Bezanson. By creating the Smiley Meadow Preserve, rsted is boosting regional biodiversity and promoting the health of nearby prairies. 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. JACKSON, Miss. (WJTV) Entergy Mississippi will offer their customers free tax preparation and support at upcoming Super Tax Day events throughout its service area. Qualified customers can walk in and receive assistance from IRS-certified volunteers. Entergy Mississippi customers will have access to essential information about tax credits and deductions they might qualify for, including the federal Earned Income Tax Credit, a key program that helps many American families. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement More than $45 million returned to Mississippi insurance consumers Customers unable to attend an event in their area can still receive free, in-person tax preparation services by scheduling an appointment at one of the Entergy-sponsored Volunteer Income Tax Assistance sites, or VITA, through April 15. Entergy Mississippis Super Tax Day dates, time and locations are: Saturday, Feb. 1, 10 a.m. 4 p.m. Clarksdale City Auditorium Annex 506 E 2 nd Street Clarksdale, MS 38614 Saturday, Feb. 8, 10 a.m. 4 p.m. Canton Multipurpose & Equine Center 501 Soldiers Colony Road Canton, MS 39046 Saturday, Feb. 8, 9 a.m. 4 p.m. Smilow Prep Charter School 787 E Northside Drive Jackson, MS 39206 Saturday, Feb. 15, 10 a.m. 3 p.m. M. R. Dye Library 2885 Goodman Road W Horn Lake, MS 38637 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. (WJET/WFXP) An Erie man has been sentenced for trafficking methamphetamine in Pennsylvanias western region. Walter Scott McMahon, 58, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Marilyn J. Horan on Jan. 22 to 76 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release on his conviction of conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. This comes after McMahon pleaded guilty in this case back in February 2023. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to the U.S. Attorneys Office for the Western District of Pennsylvania, McMahon conspired with others to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine between July 2019 and June 2020. The Drug Enforcement Administration and Pennsylvania State Police helped in the investigation leading to McMahons sentencing. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. The European Union will provide 35 billion euros ($36 billion) in financial assistance to Ukraine in 2025 through the G7 Extraordinary Revenue Acceleration (ERA) credit initiative and the Ukraine Facility program, European Commission's vice-president and trade commissioner announced on Jan. 22. Great to meet with @Svyrydenko_Y, Ukraines First Deputy PM, at #Davos2025. We discussed enlargement and steps to bring closer to the EUs Single Market. The EU is delivering financial support through the G7 ERA loan initiative and the Ukraine Facility, with 35bn for 2025. pic.twitter.com/iHQpg6kl1I Valdis Dombrovskis (@VDombrovskis) January 22, 2025 On Jan. 10, Ukraine received three billion euros ($3 .09 billion) from the EU, the first tranche of loans from the bloc funded by proceeds of frozen Russian assets. The money has been provided through the ERA initiative, in which G7 countries pledged to provide Ukraine with almost $50 billion loan, with the EU contributing around $20 billion. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In December 2024, the U.S. Treasury Department announced a $20 billion loan to Ukraine as part of the ERA initiative, backed by the proceeds from approximately $300 billion in frozen Russian assets, primarily held in European countries, with smaller amounts in the United States and Japan. The Ukraine Facility mentioned by Dombrovskis is a pivotal financial assistance program established by the European Union in February 2024 to support Ukraine from 2024 to 2027. In November, the European Commission agreed to allocate 4.1 billion euros ($4.3 billion) under the program aimed to help the Ukrainian government's tasks for recovery, reconstruction, and modernization. Read also: We can do it the easy way or the hard way, Trump says to Russia on ending the war in Ukraine Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas has responded to new US President Donald Trump's comments that Europe is lagging behind in providing support to Ukraine in comparison to the US. She has also insisted that the EU should have a place at the peace talks when the time comes. Source: Kallas in an interview with Reuters, as reported by European Pravda Details: On 21 January, Trump claimed that the United States was providing US$200 billion more in help to Ukraine than Europe. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Its ridiculous. Because it affects them a lot more. We have an ocean between," he said at that time. In response, Kallas pointed out that Europe was the largest donor. "By my account, we have given more than 134 billion to Ukraine. That makes us the biggest international donor," she said in response to questions regarding Trump's comments about Europe needing to contribute more. Kallas emphasised the importance of Europe participating in talks for ending the Russo-Ukrainian war. "Whatever negotiation or agreement there is between Russia and Ukraine, that also concerns Europe. So 'nothing about Europe without Europe' is also the main thing here," she stressed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Kallas expressed some optimism regarding the EUs ability to agree on extending sanctions against Russia before they expire at the end of the month. "I see no reason to weaken or release the sanctions now. Why I'm optimistic is that we have always finally reached the unity and have kept the unity so far, so I'm sure that we will work out this time as well," she said, referring to previous discussions on sanctions. Kallas stated that EU officials are examining what else can be done with Russian assets frozen within the bloc. Background: On the first day of his presidency, Donald Trump said that Vladimir Putin was destroying Russia by not ending the war. Later, Trump indicated he was prepared to consider stronger sanctions against Russia if it refused to negotiate an end to the war in Ukraine. As he congratulated Trump on taking office, Putin said he was ready to engage in dialogue regarding Russias war against Ukraine. On 22 January, Trump called on Russia to make a "deal" to end the war in Ukraine, warning of intensified sanctions and tariffs against Moscow if no agreement is reached. Support UP or become our patron! By Marta Fiorin and Cecile Mantovani DAVOS, Switzerland (Reuters) - The European Union is open to discussing purchases of energy and arms from the United States to ward off tariffs that President Donald Trump has threatened to impose on the bloc, EU's top economy official said on Thursday. Trump has vowed to address a long-running deficit in goods trade with the EU, either through tariffs of more oil and gas exports. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement European Commission Executive Vice President Valdis Dombrovskis said the EU would defend its rights and interests if tariffs were imposed and referred to the retaliatory duties the EU imposed on U.S. imports when EU steel and aluminium were hit by tariffs during Trump's first term. First and foremost though, the EU wanted to engage with the new U.S. administration, Dombrovskis, who is in charge of the economy at the bloc's executive, told Reuters in an interview in Davos. He said U.S. liquefied natural gas (LNG) imports had proven helpful when Russia turned off most gas supplies to Europe in 2022 after its invasion of Ukraine. The U.S. is now the EU's largest LNG supplier. "We're seeking alternative suppliers," he said. "So we had a good cooperation over the last couple of years, and from our side we are ready to see how to further that." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Europe has said another avenue could be military spending, given Europe's need to strengthen its defence capabilities to counter Russia, which would require strong cooperation within NATO. "So certainly there is scope also to discuss how we further strengthen also our military cooperation and military-industrial cooperation," Dombrovskis said. (Reporting by Marta Fiorin and Cecile Mantovani, writing by Philip Blenkinsop; Editing by Tomasz Janowski) The European Parliament on Thursday said it is "deeply concerned" that relaxed fact-checking rules in social networks could benefit Russia. Meta founder Mark Zuckerberg recently announced changes to the moderation of online content. The company plans to end its collaboration with fact-checkers - initially only in the US - and introduce a system similar to X's "community notes." A clear majority of European Union lawmakers condemned the move in a legally non-binding resolution. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The text was backed by 480 members of parliament, while 58 voted against and 48 abstained. Lawmakers "want the European Commission and EU member states to strictly enforce the Digital Services Act in response to these announcements by Meta and X," said a press release, referring to an EU law that lays out content moderation and fact-checking rules. This is an important part of the fight against Russian disinformation, the press release read. US-based milkshake brand The Straw: Modern Milkshakes has announced a national franchise expansion programme. The move aims to extend the company's reach beyond its established customer base in Orange County and Los Angeles. Entrepreneurs have been invited to explore franchising opportunities, with initial targets including Las Vegas, Arizona, San Diego and Los Angeles, and plans for further regional expansion. The Straw: Modern Milkshakes founder Patrick Nguyen said: Starting with very little funding, I understand how difficult it can be to operate a restaurant. With over 30 years of experience, Ive crafted a menu and system that eliminates guesswork and minimises costs to maximise profits. Ive done the hard work so future franchisees dont have to. Our model is built for success, with low overheads and high profit margins, which has created strong customer loyalty and brand recognition. Drawing on his diverse professional background in culinary arts and bartending, Nguyen claims to have crafted a memorable experience at The Straw. The outlet pays tribute to 1950s-style iconic diners and jazz clubs, offering an atmosphere that is "both nostalgic and easy for franchisees to operate". Its shakes include signature creations such as the Cookies and Cream Milkshake with house-made edible cookie dough and the Donkey Kong Milkshake featuring bananas, butter and a cannoli shell. The brand also offers vegan options and shakes infused with beer or spirits. Nguyen added: Our innovative milkshake menu, combined with live music and exciting events, helps build an unforgettable experience. Every visit to The Straw leaves customers wondering: Whats going to happen next? Weve created a dynamic and unique environment that keeps people coming back. "The Straw: Modern Milkshakes to expand franchise programme in US " was originally created and published by Verdict Food Service, a GlobalData owned brand. (Bloomberg) -- Hungary said it will consult the United States before making a decision about renewing the European Unions sanctions against Russia as a deadline looms at the end of the month. Most Read from Bloomberg We will consult our American partners before EU foreign ministers meet on Monday to discuss sanctions, Hungarys chief diplomat Peter Szijjarto said at a press conference in Budapest, adding that the new US administrations position can not be disregarded. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The comments came after an aide to Prime Minister Viktor Orban said the election of Donald Trump in the US has created a new situation, which means sanctions renewal shouldnt be automatic, Cabinet Minister Gergely Gulyas told reporters on Thursday. Orban irked EU counterparts at a summit last month by saying he wanted to wait until Trumps inauguration before deciding whether to extend sanctions, which requires the unanimous support of the blocs 27 member states. The last-minute move raised the prospect that what is a normally a routine decision might be in jeopardy. The Hungarian premier has repeatedly called for the end of Russian sanctions. One of the EUs closest Trump allies, Orban has backed the US presidents ambition to end the war swiftly and asserted that the new administration was poised to cut off aid to Ukraine. But Trumps remarks on Wednesday, in which he threatened Russia with further tariffs and sanctions if President Vladimir Putin failed to make a deal to end his war on Ukraine, may complicate Orbans position. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I hope that the government of Hungary has read the message from the president of the United States and then we pass the sanction, Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski said at the World Economic Forum in Davos. Then we have another package and, yes, we need to close loopholes. EU ambassadors will meet in the coming days to see if they can advance the renewal. Several diplomats said there is currently no backup plan for extending the sanctions should Orban continue to block them. --With assistance from Natalia Ojewska and Marton Kasnyik. (Recasts with Szijjartos comments on consulting with the US in headline, lede and 2nd paragraph.) Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2025 Bloomberg L.P. (Bloomberg) -- The European Union is set to buy time in its case against China at the World Trade Organization over allegations of economic coercion targeting Lithuania, according to people familiar with the matter. Most Read from Bloomberg The EU will likely resume the case this week following a one-year suspension, said the people, who spoke on the condition of anonymity. If the bloc doesnt resume the complaint by the end of this week then it will lapse, a development that could antagonize the incoming Trump administration and some member states. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The EU is trying to strike a delicate balance between its initial exchanges with Trump and his advisers, who have been vocal about the bloc taking a stronger stance toward China. Bloomberg reported earlier that any move to drop the case would frustrate Trumps team. In a procedural move, however, the EU may re-suspend the proceedings as early as next week as it compiles evidence, according to the people. They cautioned that the final decision could still change. A spokesperson from the European Commission declined to comment. The EU filed a complaint against China at the WTO in 2022 as a result of trade restrictions Beijing imposed on Lithuania after the Baltic country opened a Taiwanese representative office in its capital. China, which considers Taiwan its territory, has repeatedly voiced opposition to countries engaging in official contact with the government in Taipei. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Officials from the outgoing administration of President Joe Biden had urged the EU to keep pursuing the case. Trump has vowed to take a tough line on China, has threatened the EU with tariffs and his team has criticized the bloc for being, in its view, weak on Beijing. Some politicians in Lithuania have also been calling for the case to be resumed. Lithuania is urging the European Commission to continue the case, Lithuanias Foreign Minister Kestutis Budrys said in a radio interview with Ziniu Radijas Thursday. Its about an authoritarian regime that applies measures as it pleases, and that does not register or announce any of them anywhere publicly. The commission, the EUs executive arm, said at the time that China was using economic coercion against one of its member states a claim that the US and 17 other countries supported as third parties in the case. Lithuania said in 2023 that trade with China was stabilizing and that the customs restrictions had been lifted. In January 2024, the EU decided to suspend the proceedings, setting off a year-long lobbying frenzy, with other capitals pushing Brussels not to give up for fear that it would set a bad precedent. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The logic back then was that the EU would have likely lost the case because the required evidence was no longer there, according to people familiar with the matter, which would leave the EU looking weak. Suspending the case was tactical, one of the people said. The EU has numerous other cases at the WTO involving China, including over patent royalties, and it has probed the second-largest economy in several areas including public tenders, the procurement of medical devices and electric vehicles, where the bloc applied tariffs last year despite immense pressure from Beijing. --With assistance from Milda Seputyte. Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 2025 Bloomberg L.P. Russia was able to purchase more than 22,000 CNC machines, components and consumables worth US$18.2 billion during 2023 and the first seven months of 2024. Source: a study by the NGO Economic Security Council of Ukraine (ESCU). Quote: "Without CNC machines, manufacturing virtually any weapon would be impossible, making their procurement critical to sustaining Russian aggression," the organisation explains. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Prior to the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Russia imported 70-90% of its CNC machines. The figure for related original components was even higher, at 80-95%. According to the customs payments analysed by the ESCU, the top three manufacturing countries are: China over 62% of all supplies, worth US$2.6 billion; Taiwan 8.9%, worth US$371 million; South Korea 5.47%, worth US$228 million. Almost a tenth of Russias imports came from European manufacturers. Russia obtained more than 10,000 CNC machines worth US$405 million, including: Italy 4,459 machines worth US$168.8 million. Germany 2,849 machines worth US$139.9 million. Even more than the machines themselves, Russia has been buying spare parts and consumables for them over US$14 billion worth. More than US$7 billion worth of these were manufactured in China, but a significant share was also purchased in Europe, the study says. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Over 20% of components, or US$2.6 billion worth, were made in Switzerland, and 3.5% (US$500 million worth) of components and materials were made in Germany. Background: Although it does not provide direct lethal assistance, China exports equipment and technology and shares satellite images with Russia to use in the war against Ukraine and help build up its military industrial complex. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken is said to have provided allies with alarming information about the extent of cooperation between China and Russia. Moreover, the US Treasury Department has warned that companies that supply the Russian military industrial complex with goods and technologies will face serious consequences. China has imposed sanctions on two major US arms companies in response to their arms sales to Taiwan. Support UP or become our patron! The European Parliament has recognised Russian attempts to distort historical documents to justify its war of aggression against Ukraine as baseless and called on the EU to extend sanctions against Russian media outlets that spread such disinformation. Source: Resolution of the European Parliament approved on 23 January, as reported by European Pravda Details: MEPs state in the resolution that the Russian regime systematically falsifies historical arguments to justify the war in Ukraine. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Quote from the resolution: "[The European Parliament] condemns the Russian regimes systematic falsification and use of distorted historical arguments [] in its attempt to manipulate Russian public opinion into supporting criminal actions such as the illegal war of aggression against neighbouring Ukraine, to undermine international support and assistance for Ukraine and to erase Ukraines distinct cultural and historical identity," the resolution states. Details: The resolution criticises Russia's "historical research and holding public debates" on the crimes of the Soviet Union, noting that the Russian regime seeks to "instrumentalise history for its criminal purposes". Therefore, the EU must step up its fight against Russian disinformation, MEPs believe. The resolution calls on the EU to extend sanctions against Russian media outlets that conduct disinformation campaigns that support Russia's aggressive war against Ukraine. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It is worth noting that the European Parliament also called on the EU to "step up its support for exiled independent Russian media". The resolution on Russias disinformation and historical falsification to justify its war of aggression against Ukraine was adopted with 480 votes in favour, 58 against and 48 abstentions. Background: This week, the European Parliament called not to recognise the upcoming elections in Belarus. Support UP or become our patron! Even as their son fled from his eastern Altadena condo in the early evening of Jan. 7 not long after the Eaton fire ignited Justin Chapman's parents remained in their family home about a half-mile away. Their neighborhood just west of North Lake Avenue had yet to receive any evacuation alerts, Chapman said, so his parents felt safe at home and waited for officials to determine whether they might be in harm's way. They decided to to stick it out and went to sleep that night, and then woke up at 3 in the morning with a firestorm blowing around their house and embers flying over their house," Chapman said. "At that point, it still wasnt an evacuation [order]. Broken plates amid the ruins at Altadena resident Xinyi Poe's Maiden Lane home. (Brian van der Brug/Los Angeles Times) But with the blaze barreling down on their family home, Chapman's parents fled. They didn't hear any officials knock on their door or alert residents with a loudspeaker, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "They were very lucky that they woke up when they did," Chapman said. "It's really concerning that it was so many hours later, essentially when it was too late homes were on fire." The evacuation order for much of the area was finally issued around 3:30 a.m., nearly nine hours after the fire broke out. The area also never received electronic evacuation warnings before then, even as multiple fires were reported to have broken out west of the North Lake Avenue boundary, according to a review by The Times. Read more: Western Altadena got evacuation order many hours after Eaton fire exploded. 17 people died there Revelations about the timing of the evacuations have added more unease and anger in Altadena, where at least 17 lives and more than 9,000 structures many of them homes were lost in the fire. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement All known deaths from the fire occurred in neighborhoods west of North Lake Avenue, where electronic evacuation orders were issued around 3:30 a.m. or later, in some cases. Witnesses said L.A. County sheriff's deputies drove down some streets in the area urging people to flee around 2 a.m. But it's unclear how extensive those efforts were and exactly when they began. Longtime Altadena resident Pierre Depuy, 65, center, who lost his home and whose parents and brother lost their homes in the Eaton fire, is hugged by Los Angeles County Supervisor Kathryn Barger as they talk to California Atty. Gen. Rob Bonta and survey fire damage. (Allen J. Schaben/Los Angeles Times) Los Angeles County Supervisor Kathryn Barger, who represents Altadena, has also expressed deep concern about the disparity in alerts and has called for an external review of the evacuation policies and alert system after The Times reported the delayed evacuation orders on Monday. The investigation detailed how evacuation alerts were delayed for much of western Altadena, even as the fire threatened the area. I haven't seen any answers from officials about what happened there," said Chapman, a former Altadena Town Council member, who now works for Pasadena Councilmember Steve Madison. "There was a breakdown of communication somewhere along the line. ... It probably caused some, if not all, of those lives" to be lost. The family of one man who died in western Altadena, Rodney Nickerson, told The Times that their father didn't want to leave his home but would have if he'd been ordered out. That never occurred. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Read more: 12 hours of fire that decimated Altadena: Im going to lose half of my town' While Chapman is thankful his family made it out safely, both his brother's condo and their family home, where Chapman also lived, was destroyed in the blaze. Chapman wasn't home with his parents Jan. 7, but more timely and targeted alerts would have changed how his family and many others reacted. If there had been even an evac warning west of Lake, I would have gone to the house Tuesday night, packed more stuff and made my parents leave," he said. "But because there wasn't a warning, I went to sleep that night thinking our house would be OK." Rosalita Miranda holds a candle and pays respects to the victims of the Eaton fire during a vigil in Pasadena. (Wally Skalij/Los Angeles Times) Some community leaders have also raised concerns about equity in the delayed warnings: Western Altadena has a more racially diverse makeup than neighborhoods to the east and is known is known for its rich Black history. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Earl Ofari Hutchinson, president of the Los Angeles Urban Policy Roundtable, said at a news conference Wednesday that officials "fumbled the ball badly" by not giving neighborhoods in western Altadena timely evacuation warnings when it's clear the entire region was threatened by the fast-moving blaze, which ignited during dangerous winds that hit up to 100 mph. "The fact is that parts of Altadena, predominantly white, they got the warning," he said, but the more racially diverse part of Altadena was issued evacuation orders much later. "African Americans, again, got the short end of the stick." In the 1960s and 70s, North Lake Avenue in Altadena served as the primary east-west dividing line for redlining practices, according to the Altadena Historical Society. Black homebuyers were pushed west while white residents dominated the east side. These racial divides have persisted over time. In 2023, Altadena census tracts east of Lake Avenue had Black population percentages in the single digits, with white residents making up around 60% of the population in each tract. West of Lake, Black and Latino residents made up a majority of the population in every Altadena census tract. The area has maintained a vibrant Black community. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hutchinson called on California Atty. Gen. Rob Bonta to conduct a fast-track investigation into the issue. "The county has to pay massive restitution, massive compensation," Hutchinson said, calling for a public apology. "The failure to issue a timely warning to the residents in the predominantly African American neighborhood resulted in colossal property damage and more importantly colossal and unnecessary injury and loss of life." Wearing protective gear, Eaton fire victim Liz Oh is overwhelmed with emotion as she pauses from searching for keepsakes and valuables among the rubble of her burned-out home of six years on West Marigold Street in Altadena. (Allen J. Schaben/Los Angeles Times) Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Derrick Johnson, president of the NAACP, said the organization is aware of the alert issue and has heard from residents who live in Altadena neighborhoods that didnt receive the evacuation warnings until hours after other nearby neighborhoods did. Altadena has for years been a bedrock of the NAACP in Southern California, given its history and high rate of Black homeowners, Johnson said, often used as a model for how Black families can build equity through homeownership. Thats prompted the NAACP to step in to make sure that the response to the fire, and the recovery that is just beginning, will be as equitable as possible. Any questions about certain neighborhoods not receiving timely alerts, he said, is concerning. The real question is, why? Johnson said. Why would that be, when theyre in the same neighborhood? Johnson said the NAACP is working to verify the reports, and urged public officials to investigate. The NAACP last week also filed a lawsuit against Southern California Edison as co-counsel with the firm Singleton Schreiber, representing an Altadena family whose home was destroyed in the fire. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Johnson said it was important to investigate any concerns that residents in one neighborhood might have not received the alerts, or assistance, that others have. There should be accountability, he said. People died because of that. ... Its alarming when disparities surface, no matter what it looks like." Barger, citing The Times reporting, told Altadena residents at a Town Council meeting this week that a review of what occurred and what may have gone wrong is necessary. "We don't have all the facts, but I think it's important for us to find out lessons learned," Barger said late Tuesday. She plans to introduce a motion for the outside review next week and has already asked county lawyers to start finding consultants. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "I have deep concerns," Barger said. Officials have said that emergency evacuation alerts are issued through a unified command that involves the county Office of Emergency Management and local agencies, including the county fire and sheriff's departments. The alert system experienced other issues during Los Angeles County's days-long firestorm, including a wireless alert about an evacuation warning that hit millions of phones, when it was intended only for a small geographic region near the Hurst fire. Then, that incorrect alert continued to go out, seemingly at random, causing widespread panic, forcing the department to make changes. L.A. County Fire Chief Anthony Marrone told The Times that decisions about evacuation zones in the Eaton fire were made through "a team effort," with input from his agency, the Sheriff's department and the Office of Emergency Management. This has extreme public interest 17 people passed away west of Lake Avenue, and Ive got to get the facts, Marrone told The Times. I'm knocking on wood, but if it's a failure of the Fire Department, I will own it. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Marrone emphasized the firefighters on the ground that night would have played no role in the decision of which neighborhoods received an evacuation order or warning. He said his firefighters, alongside sheriff's deputies, helped evacuate about 500 people from their homes. They did an amazing job that night. They put their lives on the line, he said. Any issue with emergency evacuation alerts, thats going to rest at my level with my command. If it turns out we didnt do something right, thats with me. Times staff writers Richard Winton and Matthew Ormseth 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. LOS ANGELES (KTLA) Residents south and west of Lake Castaic scrambled to flee the path of the Hughes Fire, which had scorched over 5,000 acres in less than three hours on Wednesday. The blaze was first reported shortly before 11 a.m. near Lake Hughes and the road of the same name, according to fire officials. Evacuation orders and warnings were quickly issued and expanded as the flames burned through dry brush in dangerously low humidity with strong Santa Ana winds. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Several residents who live on Pine Crest Place in Castaic took a moment while hurriedly packing their belongings into their vehicles to speak with KTLA 5s Ellina Abovian, including one young man who was helping his mother. A law enforcement official talks to residents under evacuation orders due to the Hughes Fire in Castaic on Jan. 22, 2025. Sky5 view of the Hughes Fire next to Castaic Lake. Jan. 22, 2025. (KTLA) Sky5 view of the Hughes Fire next to Castaic Lake. Jan. 22, 2025. (KTLA) The young man told KTLA that, despite the urgent situation, he was kind of chilling but praying that his home wouldnt burn down. Were getting ready to leave and probably go to my grandmas house in Frazier Park, he said, adding that he only noticed the flames when he woke up at 11 a.m. Another man said he would stay at his home as long as he could. Im going to water down the roofline and our backyard we have some dry brush back there, the man, whose son goes to the now-evacuated Castaic High School, said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Photos: Hughes Fire threatens Castaic Another evacuee, speaking from a home belonging to his girlfriend, said that he was focused on grabbing essential documents and family heirlooms and turning on the sprinklers at the house. They blocked off the roads, so I had to run a couple of miles to get here, the man said. Im okay, but I just want to make sure we get all the pets and everything thats most importantMaterial things arent that important. Sky5 view of the Hughes Fire next to Castaic Lake. Jan. 22, 2025. (KTLA) Sky5 view of the Hughes Fire next to Castaic Lake. Jan. 22, 2025. (KTLA) Sky5 view of the Hughes Fire next to Castaic Lake. Jan. 22, 2025. (KTLA) Sky5 view of the Hughes Fire next to Castaic Lake. Jan. 22, 2025. (KTLA) A firefighting helicopter attacks the Hughes Fire near Castaic, California. Jan. 22, 2025. (KTLA) Sky5 view of the Hughes Fire next to Castaic Lake. Jan. 22, 2025. (KTLA) A woman, Martha, told KTLA that the only thing she was worried about was her family. We are okay, and thats all I need, Martha said. I came from work, and my neighbors are helping me. They are awesome. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Law enforcement officials went door to door in the neighborhood, encouraging residents to leave; they cannot be forced to evacuate. Interactive 3D map shows Hughes Fire perimeter, evacuation zones Click here for the most up-to-date information on the Hughes Fire. A map of evacuation zones can be found here, and a list of shelters for evacuated residents and animals 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 KTLA. EVANSVILLE, Ind. (WEHT) A judges decision on whether to move the trial of Larry Richmond, Sr. will have to wait another day because of issues brought up by the defense team about the judge in this trial. The motion to move Richmonds trial was never heard after attorney Andrew Foster discussed concerns over Judge Robert Pigmans ability to conduct a fair trial. The defense team is asking Judge Pigman to recuse himself and for a special judge to be appointed to the case. Woman charged in Forest Avenue fire; man accused of lying towards investigation Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Foster says during the trial of Elizabeth Fox-Doerr, Judge Pigman referred to Richmond as a bad guy. The defense also says comments during Fox-Doerrs sentencing leads them to believe Pigman would go into this trial with a possible bias. I will not site residual doubt, says Judge Pigman during the sentencing hearing in June of 2024. I think the evidence here does establish the defendants guilt. I personally have no residual doubt of that fact. The jury had none either and I concur in that finding. During the hearing Wednesday, Judge Pigman responded by saying evidence in Fox-Doerrs trial indicated Richmonds state of mind, not his guilt, adding that this is a completely different trial and he has not made a pre-judgement. Judge Pigman also assured Richmond in court that he would have a fair trial. The requests for both a change in venue and judge will be heard at the rescheduled date of February 7. More from Cody Bailey Eyewitness News. Everywhere you are. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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). The immigrant community across Central Florida and beyond is bracing for a major change. President Donald Trump has issued an executive order that changes how birthright citizenship is interpreted, and that would also change who is and who is not considered an American citizen at birth. I think everyone is just scared right now, said Cristina Faria, who has worked with the immigrant community for decades. Her clinic offers health care to undocumented immigrants and she says the concern around here is intensifying. When I decided to open this clinic, it was exactly to take care of the people who were illegal. They dont have documentation; they dont have access to health care. Its a very difficult situation right now. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The 14th Amendment states that all persons born or naturalized in the United States are citizens of the United States and of the State where they reside. It was a historic move back in the 1800s. Since the children of slaves were not deemed to be U.S. citizens, the 14th Amendment was necessary to bring equality into the parties in the United States, said Walter Santos, an Orlando Immigration Attorney. So, it granted citizenship for people who were born here in the United States. However, on Monday, President Donald Trump signed an executive order changing that interpretation, stating that American citizenship does not automatically extend to those born in the United States when that persons mother was undocumented, and the father was not a United States citizen or green card holder at the time of birth. The executive order also states that U.S. citizenship should not be given to children whose parents are in the country legally but only temporarily, like under a tourist, work, or student visa. If youre here as a student and you have a child, your child is not going to be deemed as a US citizen, said Santos. So, what is this child? Is the child already born illegally, or do we have to apply for a derivative status from the mothers or fathers student status? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The change will apply to any parent with a slew of different visas, including the most common F and B statuses (student and visitor visas, respectively). We are we are doing everything like we are home. So why can we be considered like a citizen, like at least our babies, said an immigrant mother who did not want to share her identity. Shes expecting her second child now and has no idea what immigration status her baby will have. The U.S. is our home now. Being an immigrant is having a lot of doubts and worries already, so its hard. So not having that will be something else to worry about, she said, The executive order is expected to go into effect on February 20th. As many as 25 states across the country have already filed lawsuits to put a stop to it. Click here to download our free news, weather and smart TV apps. And click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live. The protests at the beginning of the year began, peacefully enough, with a 40,000-strong human chain that stretched and twisted along the Dhaka-bound lane of the Nabinagar-Chandra highway, a main thoroughfare connecting the city of Gazipur to the rest of Bangladesh. On Wednesday, part of a factory, a truck and three buses were allegedly set ablaze by former garment workers whose patience over the closure of Beximco Industrial Park had finally boiled over. They reportedly vandalized more than 50 other vehicles, attacked several journalists and created a roadblock that stranded commuters for hours until law enforcement officers dispersed the crowd with rubber bullets and tear gas. Firefighters from five units struggled to extinguish the flames that ripped through the ground floor of the five-story Grameen Fabrics and Fashion building, a social enterprise run by the Grameen Telecom Trust, which Nobel laureate and interim government leader Muhammad Yunus founded in 2010. More from Sourcing Journal Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The fire, according to a statement from G.M. Tariqul Islam, the factorys manager, destroyed fabric, machinery and electrical equipment worth 18 crore Bangladeshi taka, or nearly $15 million. Members of the army, industrial police and the regular police have been deployed in front of Grameen Fabrics and Fashiontemporarily shutteredand around the area. Four suspects have also since been arrested, presented before the Gazipur Metropolitan Magistrate Court and placed on a one-day remand, though leaders and workers from Beximco Industrial Park told local media that external provocation was to blame for the escalation in violence. Whoever was responsible, the event marks another bitter milestone for Beximco Group, a once-sprawling multi-industry conglomerate that operated one of Bangladeshs largest vertically integrated textile and garment manufacturers, complete with a glittering clientele that included Marks & Spencer, Target, Calvin Klein owner PVH Corp. and Zara owner Inditex. Its crushing debt, estimated at a stunning 50,098 crore taka, or roughly $4.1 billion, finally caught up with it in December, when the companys inability to open new lines of credit and fulfill orders resulted in the layoff of 40,000 garment workers across 16 of Beximco Industrial Parks apparel factories, including Beximco Fashions, Crescent Fashion and Design, Shinepukur Garments and Yellow Apparels. On Thursday, labor advisor M. Sakhawat Hussain said that Beximcos massive financial liabilities have rendered any reopenings impossible. Simply put, he said at a press briefing held at the Ministry of Labour and Employment, the factories are unable to pay workers salaries. Hussain also said that the government has covered wage payments for three months since September and that a committee will be reviewing the situation later next week. A sale or lease of Beximcos units are its availableand most likelyoptions. The government is always vigilant about ensuring that workers receive their rightful dues, he said, before criticizing what happened the day before. They resorted to arson, which is unacceptable. All those involved will face consequences. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The loss of employment has left workers livelihoods hanging by a thread, according to Nazma Akter, founder and executive director of the Awaj Foundation and president of the Sommilito Garments Sramik Federation, both workers rights groups. She said that it seems like the countrys garment sector, which accounts for nearly 85 percent of its exports, is being roiled every day by one crisis or another. Sufficient compensation, nevertheless, remains at the heart of unrest that has permeated the sector since the sudden collapse of the then-prime minister Sheikh Hasinas Awami League government in August. We have lost our jobs and are now unemployed, facing a very helpless situation, Hadi Islam, one of the protestors, told The Business Standard. The 42,000 workers in the factories are now in great difficulty, and we demand the reopening of the factories. We are dying from hunger, added Rahima Khatun, another former worker. The factories have been closed for several months and have not reopened. Cant you see the condition we are in? Md. Rafiqul Islam Rana, an assistant professor of retailing at the University of South Carolina, said that this was the aftermath of unchecked financial corruption by Salman F. Rahman, who founded Beximco with his brother in 1970 and was once Hasinas most private industry affairs advisor. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Salman, who is currently behind bars, allegedly laundered millions of dollars to a Dubai-based company owned by his son through more than two dozen letters of credit and sales contracts between 2020 and 2024, according to the Bangladesh polices criminal investigation department, which seized 250 crore taka ($205 million) in assets related to the case on Thursday. Earlier in December, the CID filed 17 cases against both Rahman brothers, their sons and 24 others for allegedly laundering some 1,000 crore taka ($820 million) to shell entities in Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates using 93 lines of credit between 2021 and 2024. None of the proceeds from the supposed export of goods were expatriated to Bangladesh as required by law. A Bangladesh Bank report published this week said that Beximco obtained almost 58 percent of its loans through its textile and apparel division and that a significant portion is considered unrecoverable. Of the 32 apparel factories that Beximco Industrial Park had listed, 16 non-existent factories acquired 11,923 crore taka ($978 million) in loans, all of which are in default, it said. But Rana also believes there is more to the protests, echoing previous assertions from trade organizations such as the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association that outsiders were trying to create chaos. While thousands of employees and workers of Beximco Textiles are left without jobs to sustain their livelihoods, it is also crucial to closely examine who is instigating these worker unrests, he said. Based on my conversations with several garment workers from other companies, it often appears that external agitators are responsible for sparking these labor disturbances. The interim government must take immediate action to provide these people with the means to survive while ensuring that Salman F. Rahman is held accountable for his criminal activities. A former Wisconsin police officer who re-enacted George Floyd's murder in front of a class while substituting at a Woodbury school won't face charges over the incident. Steve Williams was working as a substitute teacher at Woodbury High School in October when he was recorded using a student to re-enact the Minneapolis police killing of George Floyd. Despite the school district being willing for further action to be taken, authorities in Woodbury determined that there are no statutes under which charges could be brought. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Woodbury Police completed a full and thorough investigation. We submitted our case file to both the county attorney, as well as the city attorney, and both, independently, concluded that while the situation was awful, it wasn't criminal," Patrol Commander Tom Ehrenberg tells Bring Me The News. Williams involuntarily resigned from the Prescott Police Department in November and is no longer an employee with the substitute staffing service through which he was contracted. According to an email sent out to parents by principal Sarah Sorenson-Wagner, Williams also allegedly made racist and sexist comments while stating that "police brutality isn't real," among other things. Williams was banned from campus after the incident, in which he made the racially charged comments and gestures in four separate English classes. Submitted to BMTN "I specifically want to acknowledge racial harm that occurred when the substitute teacher reenacted the prone restraint that resulted in the murder of George Floyd," Woodbury High School's Principal, Sarah Sorenson-Wagner, told parents. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "This reported behavior is reprehensible. I am embarrassed, and I am sorry this happened to our students. We will take as much time as students need to listen and create open space for courageous conversations that lead to healing, action, and education." The school said Williams exhibited the following behaviors unprovoked during the classes: Stating that "police brutality isn't real." Speaking at length about his gun collection. Stated that "cops would be the best criminals" and that "they know how to get away with stuff," saying that he once got an "A" on a paper about how to get away with murder. Sharing the specific names of the people he arrested. Speaking in disturbing detail about dead bodies he had seen and sharing explicit details about two sexual assault cases he investigated. Telling sexist jokes. Repeatedly telling racially harmful comments. "Invading students' space" and mimicking holding up a gun and pointing it at students. Speaking about a bar fight and fake punching a student with his first "really close" to the student's face. Twisting a student's arm behind the student's back and showed pressure points on the chin. (Reuters) - Toronto-Dominion Bank is aiming to sell about $9 billion of residential mortgage loans in order to modify its balance sheet to comply with a new cap imposed by the U.S. regulators, Bloomberg News reported on Tuesday. This is a part of the plea agreement the Canadian lender reached last year with the government authorities, the report added, citing people familiar with the matter. TD Bank, Canada's second biggest bank and the 10th largest in the U.S., did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment. In October 2024, TD Bank became the largest bank in U.S. history to plead guilty to violating a federal law aimed at preventing money laundering. It agreed to pay over $3 billion in penalties to resolve the charges. The plea deal included a rare imposition of an asset cap and other business limitations. The sale portfolio, for which bids are due next week, includes so-called jumbo mortgages obtained by U.S. homeowners with comparatively high credit scores, the report added. (Reporting by Pritam Biswas in Bengaluru; Editing by Alan Barona) TAMPA A federal indictment made public this week accuses a former U.S. Marine Corps staff sergeant and his wife of causing the death of their 2-year-old daughter in 2022 when the couple lived at MacDill Air Force Base. Kodi Glenn Simon and his wife, Kateri Ann Simon, both 30, are charged with involuntary manslaughter in the girls death. They were arrested last week near Cleveland, Ohio. Federal court records indicate that the couple remained jailed pending a hearing on their continued detention and return to Florida. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Their daughter, Maeve Simon, died after her parents put a suitcase packed with heavy books atop a Pack N' Play playpen where theyd placed her to sleep, according to a public report from the Florida Department of Children and Families. During the night, the suitcase apparently fell into the playpen, pinning the girl by her neck, the report states. She died from asphyxiation. The report documents an investigation in which child protection workers concluded that inadequate supervision contributed to the childs death. The parents knowingly placed items over the top of the toddlers Pack N' Play in an effort to keep her confined inside, an investigator wrote. Although they were not doing it for discipline purposes, and although they were not willfully trying to harm her, their actions ultimately led to her demise. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Simons at the time lived at the air base at the southern end of South Tampa. They had two other children, ages 4 and 6. Before the 2-year-olds death, according to the report, the family had been having trouble with her getting out of her crib at night. The girl would crawl out, mess things up in her room and keep other family members awake, the report states. Worried she might hurt herself, they started placing her inside the Pack N' Play to sleep. They took out the pens pad and placed a mattress inside, but the girl was able to once again climb out, according to the report. They tried repeatedly to keep the girl confined inside. They tried using a mesh cover that zipped near the top. They tried putting the girl in a Sleep Sack baby suit, which restricted her leg movement. They tried placing a foam childrens play couch on top of the playpen. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But no matter what they did, the girl still managed to get out. The parents then started putting the suitcase, loaded with books weighing more than 50 pounds, on top of the playpen with the foam couch and the mesh cover, according to the report. They were planning to soon let the girl start sleeping on the bottom of the bunk bed where her siblings slept. Kodi Simon told investigators that hed put his children to bed between 8:30 and 9 p.m. on Nov. 26, 2022. He said he remembered hearing the girl babbling for about 15 minutes, according to the report. She then went quiet. He assumed she was asleep. His wife, who worked late, returned home about 10:30 p.m. and went to bed, the report states. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The next morning, a Sunday, the parents got up to prepare breakfast. Kateri Simon went into the toddlers room about 9:30 a.m. She found the girl with her neck pinned beneath the suitcase and the other items. The mother immediately pulled her daughter out. The girl was unresponsive. She yelled for her husband, who called 911, the report states. Paramedics tried to revive the girl, but she was declared dead at a hospital. A medical examiner labeled the death a homicide. Kodi Simon told investigators he had several beers the evening of Nov. 26, but said he did not become intoxicated, according to the report. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The report notes pediatric records indicated the girl was developmentally delayed, except in the area of motor skills, for a child her age. It noted in particular a speech delay. The girl had been in speech therapy for six months. There was no indication that the parents had discussed the girls sleep problems with a doctor. Her siblings appeared to be well cared for, investigators found. Neither of them had similar sleep problems. The family had previously lived in North Carolina, Hawaii and Ohio. Investigators found no prior documentation of child welfare concerns. Florida child protection officials referred the family to in-home support services after the girls death. The parents also completed parenting, mental health and grief counseling. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Records obtained by the Tampa Bay Times indicate that Kodi Simon underwent a court martial last February and pleaded guilty to child endangerment. Military officials withdrew charges of involuntary manslaughter and negligent homicide. He received a sentence of a year of confinement and a bad conduct discharge from the military. Thereafter, the family moved back to Ohio. A judge appointed lawyers to represent the couple after their arrest last week, court records indicate. Their respective attorneys could not immediately be reached for comment. Courtesy MPD Courtesy MPD A 40-year-old officer accused of tasing a suspect who surrendered then lying about it in a police report pleaded not guilty today, according to federal court records. Carlos Frate was indicted by a federal grand jury on Jan. 16 and charged with deprivation of civil rights under the color of law and making a false report. MPD fired Frate earlier this month. He pleaded not guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge Rom A. Trader who order Frate released on an unsecured $50, 000 bond. Frate is scheduled for trial before Senior U.S. District Judge J. Michael Seabright on March 25. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Among the conditions of release, the 14-year MPD veteran must surrender all firearms and ammunition to an agent approved by Pretrial Services by Monday, according to court records. After investigating Frate, MPD gave the case to the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The federal charges stem from a Jan. 6, 2024, incident when Frate responded to a disorderly conduct call in Kihei and allegedly tased a man without ordering him to surrender and shocked him again after he was on the ground. 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 ! Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 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. Frate also allegedly created a fake narrative included in his MPD Incident /Investigation Report that the male suspect assumed a fighting stance and refused commands to get on the ground and give up, prosecutors said. If convicted, Frate faces up to 10 years in federal prison on the deprivation of civil rights charge, and up to 20 years in prison on the false report charge. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael F. Albanese. Frates attorney is Megan K. Kau. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 0 Comments By participating in online discussions you acknowledge that you have agreed to the. An insightful discussion of ideas and viewpoints is encouraged, but comments must be civil and in good taste, with no personal attacks. If your comments are inappropriate, you may be banned from posting. Report comments if you believe they do not follow our. Having trouble with comments ? . An ex-police officer in Ohio accused of turning off his body camera video while interacting with two women on duty has pleaded guilty, according to our media partners in Columbus, WBNS-10 TV. [DOWNLOAD: Free WHIO-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] Nicholas Duty, 35, of Pickaway County, was facing two counts of destroying or altering records related to a criminal investigation, according to a previous News Center 7 report. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Duty was an officer with the Columbus Division of Police at the time of the incidents. WBNS-10 reports that Duty initially pleaded not guilty, but changed his plea while in federal court on Jan. 22. TRENDING STORIES: Federal investigators say Duty turned off his body camera while interacting with two women on Oct. 31, 2023, and March 22, 2024. One of the encounters was said to be sexual. Duty was working when the alleged incidents occurred. He was in a marked police car, wearing an official uniform and an assigned body camera, WBNS-10 reported. Investigators said Duty was required to comply with the divisions body camera policies. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The indictment against Duty suggests that he deliberately impeded, obstructed, or influenced a federal investigation. Duty was placed on leave by the Columbus Division of Police and moved to desk duty before he resigned, according to WBNS-10. Duty could face an 18 to 48-month prison sentence. A date for his sentencing has not been scheduled. [SIGN UP: WHIO-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter] Barely an hour after his son killed Ahmaud Arbery with a shotgun after they chased him through their neighborhood, Greg McMichael made a call for help to his former boss, the areas chief state prosecutor. My son and I have been involved in a shooting, and I need some advice right away, McMichael said in a voicemail left on District Attorney Jackie Johnsons cellphone. A video of the killing would ultimately lead to charges against McMichael, his adult son Travis McMichael and their neighbor William Roddie Bryan. All three white men, who used pickup trucks and guns to try to corral the 25-year-old Black man, are now serving life sentences for murder and federal hate crimes. [DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] But all three men avoided arrest for more than two months as Greg McMichael and Johnson kept in touch by phone, court records show. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Nearly five years later, Johnson is going to trial on charges that she used her office to interfere with police investigating Arberys killing. Jury selection is scheduled to start Tuesday in Brunswick, a port city 70 miles (112 kilometers) south of Savannah. Here are key things to know about the case. How was Ahmaud Arbery killed? Arbery was a frequent runner and his route often included the Satilla Shores subdivision where he was killed in coastal Glynn County, less than 2 miles (3.2 kilometers) from his home. When Arbery ran past the McMichaels property on Feb. 23, 2020, the father and son grabbed guns and gave chase. Bryan joined them in his own truck and was recording cellphone video when the McMichaels stopped in the road ahead of Arbery, who tried to run around them. The video showed Travis McMichael shooting Arbery at point-blank range as they grappled over his shotgun. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Police found Arbery was unarmed and carried no stolen property, but they let the men go home. The incident report quoted Greg McMichael saying they suspected Arbery had been stealing from a neighboring home under construction and that his son fired his gun in self-defense. Two months later, Bryans video leaked online, triggering outrage as Arberys death became part of a broader outcry over racial injustice that followed the 2020 police killings of George Floyd in Minneapolis and Breonna Taylor in Kentucky. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation took over the case from local police. The McMichaels were quickly arrested, as was Bryan two weeks later. Who is Jackie Johnson and why was she charged? At the time Arbery was killed, Johnson had served for a decade as district attorney for southeast Georgias Brunswick Judicial Circuit. Greg McMichael worked in her office as an investigator before retiring in 2019. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Because of that connection, Johnson has said she immediately recused her office from handling the case. A neighboring district attorney, George Barnhill, became the first of three outside prosecutors appointed to take over. He soon concluded the McMichaels were legally attempting to detain Arbery and that the shooting was justified. Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr ordered an investigation of the two prosecutors in May 2020 soon after the McMichaels were arrested. Carr said he appointed Barnhill based on Johnsons recommendation, but wasnt told Barnhill already had advised police that Arberys killing wasnt a crime. When voters ousted Johnson in the November 2020 election, she largely blamed the controversy surrounding Arberys killing and insisted she had done nothing wrong. The former prosecutor became a criminal defendant when a grand jury indicted Johnson on Sept. 2, 2021. Carr announced his office was prosecuting the case. RELATED STORIES What crimes do prosecutors say Johnson committed? Johnson is charged with violating her oath of office, a felony punishable by one to five years in prison, by using her position to show favor and affection to Greg McMichael. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The indictment also charges her with a misdemeanor hindering police investigating the shooting by directing that Travis McMichael should not be placed under arrest. Johnson told The Associated Press in 2020 that no one in her office told police not to make arrests. Her lead defense attorney, Brian Steel, said during a December pretrial hearing that Johnson was focused on seeking an unrelated high-profile indictment and didnt know what was going on with Ahmaud Arberys case. Prosecutors havent disclosed much of their trial evidence, but said in court records that 16 calls were made between cellphone numbers for Greg McMichael and Johnson in the weeks following the shooting. How will a jury be picked? Jury duty notices were mailed to 500 county residents, which is more than normal, to facilitate selecting an impartial jury, Glynn County Superior Court Clerk Rebecca Walden said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Potential jurors reporting to the courthouse Tuesday morning will be questioned about what they have read or heard about the case. Walden said she suspects it could take a week or more to arrive at a final jury of 12 members plus alternates. Why did it take so long for Johnson to stand trial? Johnsons case has taken three years and four months to go to trial. Presiding will be Senior Judge John R. Turner, who told the AP in October that the long wait was unavoidable because Steel, Johnsons lead attorney, spent nearly two years in an Atlanta courtroom defending Grammy-winning rapper Young Thug in a prolonged racketeering and gang trial. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Five days after the rapper agreed to a plea deal in Oct. 31, Turner ordered Johnson to make her first court appearance and scheduled her January trial. [SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter] ST. PETERS, Mo. A former school bus driver in St. Charles County admitted to recording the sexual abuse of minors Wednesday in federal court. Robert W. Stillwell, 67, of St. Peters, Missouri, pleaded guilty to two counts of production of child pornography. Imos Pizza is my ayahuasca; Jimmy Kimmel explains distaste for St. Louis staple With the guilty plea, Stillwell admitted to recording the sexual abuse of two minors. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Investigators say Stillwell abused the victims while they were both asleep and awake, and he coerced the older girl into complying with his demands by promising toys and money. Court documents state that Stillwell drank the urine of one of his victims. During the investigation, officials also found a journal in his bedroom that contained several entries that described payments for sexual acts. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Daily News The parents of one victim contacted the St. Peters Police Department in December 2023, leading to Stillwells arrest last April. Stillwell is scheduled to be sentenced on April 22. Prosecutors plan to recommended a sentence of 30 years in prison. 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. By Una Galani and Peter Thal Larsen DAVOS, Switzerland (Reuters) - The head of Bangladesh's interim government, Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus, said on Thursday that his country's high growth under ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina was "fake" and faulted the world for not questioning what he said was her corruption. Yunus, 84, an economist and the 2006 Nobel Peace Prize winner, took charge of the South Asian country's interim government in August after Hasina was forced to flee to neighbouring India following weeks of violent protests. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hasina has been credited with turning around the economy and the country's massive garments industry during her 15 years in power, although critics have accused her of human rights violations and suppressing free speech and dissent. Hasina, who had ruled Bangladesh since 2009, is being investigated there on suspicion of crimes against humanity, genocide, murder, corruption and money laundering and Dhaka has asked New Delhi to extradite her. Hasina and her party deny wrongdoing, while New Delhi has not responded to the extradition request. "She was in Davos telling everybody how to run a country. Nobody questioned that," Yunus told Reuters in an interview on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum's annual meeting in the Swiss Alpine resort. "That's not a good world system at all." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "The whole world is responsible for making that happen. So that's a good lesson for the world," he said. "She said, our growth rate surpasses everybody else. Fake growth rate, completely." Yunus did not elaborate on why he thought that growth was fake, but went on to stress the importance of broad-based and inclusive growth, and the need to reduce wealth inequality. Annual growth in the Muslim-majority country of 170 million people accelerated to nearly 8% in the financial year 2017/18, compared with about 5% when Hasina took over in 2009, before the impact of COVID-19 and the war in Ukraine pulled it down. In 2023, the World Bank described Bangladesh as one of the world's fastest-growing economies. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Since its independence in 1971, Bangladesh has transformed from one of the poorest countries to achieving lower-middle income status in 2015," it said. HURT BY STRAINED INDIA TIES The student-led movement in Bangladesh grew out of protests against quotas in government jobs that spiralled in July, provoking a violent crackdown that drew global criticism, although Hasina's government denied using excessive force. The student protesters recommended Yunus as the chief adviser in the interim government tasked with holding fresh elections. Yunus, who has promised to hold elections by the end of 2025 or early 2026, said he was not interested in running. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Known as the "banker to the poor", Yunus and the Grameen Bank he founded won the Nobel for helping lift millions from poverty with tiny loans of less than $100 offered to the rural poor, too poor to gain attention from traditional banks. "For me, personally, I'm not very driven by growth rates," Yunus said. "I'm driven by the quality of life of the people at the very bottom level. So I would rather bring an economy which avoids the whole idea of wealth concentration." Ties between Bangladesh and India, who have strong trade and cultural links, have become fraught since Hasina was ousted and she took refuge in New Delhi. Yunus has demanded that India send Hasina back to Bangladesh so she can face trial for what it says are crimes against protesters and her opponents, and crimes she is accused of committing during her tenure. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Calling India's rival China a long-term friend of Bangladesh at this difficult time, Yunus said the strained relationship with New Delhi "hurts me a lot personally". "Bangladesh-India relationship should be the strongest possible. You know, you cannot draw the map of India without drawing the map of Bangladesh," he said, referring to how Bangladesh's land border runs almost entirely alongside India's. (Reporting by Una Galani and Peter Thal Larsen; Writing by Sudipto Ganguly in Mumbai; Editing by YP Rajesh and Tomasz Janowski) FAIRVIEW, Okla. (KFOR) An Oklahoma woman who received a presidential pardon for her case tied to the Jan. 6, 2021 Capitol attack says she has no regrets. Dova Winegeart, of Fairview, was sentenced in December. A federal judge found her guilty of attempted destruction of federal property, a misdemeanor. Prosecutors used multiple photos placing Dova at the Capitol that day. Dova was sentenced to four months in prison, followed by a year of supervised release and a fine of $1,000. Jan. 6 rioter declines Trump pardon: We were wrong that day Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Winegeart is one of more than 1,500 January 6 defendants, 13 from Oklahoma, who saw their charges dismissed Monday through pardons issued by President Donald Trump. It was a campaign promise for the second-term president that received equal shares of pushback from Democrats and even some Republican lawmakers. The pardon covers violent and non-violent offenders. Winegeart and her husband, Terry, sat down with News 4 employees for an exclusive interview Wednesday, sharing her side of the story and the years-long path to a pardon she wasnt sure would come. LOCAL NEWS: Oklahomans pardoned following Trumps January 6 executive order I did not think it was a guarantee because I really dont trust much with politicians, said Dova Winegeart. Ive been disappointed way too many times. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The couple both described the process of fighting Dovas initial charges and potential conviction as grueling. Its been very trying, said Terry Winegeart. The angst and the stress, its just been unbelievable. I mean, every day youre always wondering whats going to happen, and then back and forth to D.C. for court and having to go to that place was not good. News 4 employees asked the couple to explain why they went to D.C. on that January day in the first place. The couple says they originally went to a Stop the Steal rally in December, referring to a big point that drove protestors to the Capitol the following month in the first place. Protesters questioned former President Joe Bidens win over President Donald Trumps. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I wanted like to stand up and say, like, give us a chance, said Dova Winegeart. Like, lets look at everything and lets see who won this election. The couple says they did not witness any violence directly that day but did note the smell of tear gas. We just walked up there, said Terry Winegeart. No, there was nobody. No barricades, no cops, no nothing. The crux for prosecutors, photos of Dova they said captured her swinging a metal-tipped wooden pole at a window of the federal building, breaking it. Dova says not all the details in that case are accurate. I hit the door, said Dova Winegeart. I didnt never touch the window. No, and I didnt have any intent on breaking anything or breaking into the Capitol. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Dova said she found the pole in a door and decided to use it for a photo opportunity showing that she was at the Capitol protesting. I thought, oh, okay, there was a stick between the door handles, and I took it out, and I thought it would be, you know, like, hey, Terry, come take a picture of me, you know, in protest, hitting the door, said Dova Winegeart. Winegeart denies that the pole was metal-tipped, describing the pole as a flagpole that had a string on the end of it. News 4 employees asked her if she thought it was strange the pole was stuck between door handles even though she says there was no violent activity. Well, you know, in hindsight, you know, people are like, oh, were, you know, locking them in there and were going to burn it down or whatever, said Dova Winegeart. Im like, oh, you guys stop, you know, thats stupid. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Winegearts say they witnessed a lot of what some of their neighbors assumed they participated in from their hotel via videos, photos, and news coverage like the rest of the world. Federal investigators received tips that led to Dovas arrest in 2022 in Fairview. It feels awful, said Dova Winegeart. The person that originally contacted the FBI turned both of us in for just being there, not necessarily knowing anything about the door or, you know, specifics. Dova says she doesnt know how people who turned January 6 offenders can deal with what they did. They need to be publicly shamed every day for doing that, said Dova Winegeart. I mean, not only did they just try to ruin my life, but my husbands life, our reputations, my business, my sons life. Its shameful. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement However, Winegeart says her family was ecstatic hearing that she would be pardoned on Monday. Her most recent court filing argued her sentence shouldnt be carried out until Trump issued the pardons hed promised and cited Bidens pardon of his son Hunter Biden. I dont know how itll ever go away, and its not like every moment of my day, you know, said Dova Winegeart. I mean, we have a very secure home, you know, security systems, cameras, everything. Were good, but the outside worldhow do you rejoin it? Like youre a different person. The Winegearts said theyre currently planning out their next move, whether that be rebuilding their lives in their current community or moving on. Neither of them said they regret going to D.C. on January 6, saying that they didnt do anything wrong. News 4 employees asked if they agree with critics of Trumps decision to pardon violent offenders. The Winegearts both said they support full pardons for all individuals who received one. 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. By Michelle Conlin and Tom Wilson NEW YORK/LONDON (Reuters) -On Sunday, just before Donald Trump's inauguration, crypto investor Mike Dudas bought more than $145,000 worth of tokens from World Liberty Financial, a fledgling crypto company partly owned by the U.S. president. Unlike typical crypto investments, the World Liberty Financial tokens give their holders a vote on decisions about product features and marketing. Crypto tokens such as bitcoin and ether can be used for payments or developing applications. Dudas said he invested because he was friendly with the project's advisers and was excited about their plan to make decentralized finance (DeFi) more accessible. DeFi is a financial network run on crypto, without traditional gatekeepers like banks. "I think they'll appreciate greatly in value," Dudas told Reuters, explaining why he bought the tokens. "I believe a Trump DeFi company can be worth very much and that the public sale price was attractive." Reuters has identified five others--in locations including Gibraltar and Puerto Rico--who have bought millions of $WLFI tokens, based on interviews and data from Singapore-based blockchain analysis firm Nansen. To identify these people, Reuters reviewed the data from Nansen - which uses algorithms, investigations and user submissions to pinpoint the people behind anonymous crypto wallets. Reuters then confirmed their investments through interviews and analysis of public comments on social media. A primary draw for some of them: the connection with Trump, according to interviews with Dudas and two other investors. World Liberty Financial is "directly connected to our new crypto president Donald Trump," said Sigil Fund, a Gibraltar-based fund whose chief investment officer is one of the investors. The CIO, who goes only by the pseudonym "Fiskantes," spent 40 ether tokens, worth around $130,000 on Wednesday on $WLFI tokens, it said via email. "Fiskantes did ape some WLFI," the fund said, using a slang term popular in the crypto world for investing in new projects without doing due diligence. World Liberty Financial was announced just two months before the U.S. election by Trump, his three sons and one of his top advisors, the billionaire real estate businessman Steve Witkoff. The firm has so far raised at least $300 million selling the tokens, known as $WLFI, according to Reuters calculations based on World Liberty's website and its social media posts. Trumps crypto ventures, including a meme coin known as $TRUMP that has become worth $7.7 billion in just a few days, are raising concerns among ethics experts, market participants and others about the dangers of conflicts of interest and potential of influence over the administration. Trump has long licensed out his name to sell everything from steaks to condos to real estate courses, such as at the now-defunct Trump University. By Gerry Doyle and Karen Lema (Reuters) -The U.S. military has moved its Typhon launchers - which can fire multipurpose missiles up to thousands of kilometres - from Laoag airfield in the Philippines to another location on the island of Luzon, a senior Philippine government source said. The Tomahawk cruise missiles in the launchers can hit targets in both China and Russia from the Philippines; the SM-6 missiles it also carries can strike air or sea targets more than 200 km (165 miles) away. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The senior Philippine government source said the redeployment would help determine where and how fast the missile battery could be moved to a new firing position. That mobility is seen as a way to make them more survivable during a conflict. Satellite images showed the batteries and their associated gear being loaded onto C-17 transport aircraft at Laoag International Airport in recent weeks, said Jeffrey Lewis of the Middlebury Institute of International Studies. The white rain canopies that had covered the Typhon equipment were also removed, according to the images, seen by Reuters and not previously reported. The Typhon system is part of a U.S. drive to amass a variety of anti-ship weapons in Asia. Indo-Pacific Command (INDOPACOM), which oversees U.S. forces in the region, told Reuters the Typhons have been "relocated within the Philippines". Both INDOPACOM and the Philippine government declined to give the specific location to which the batteries were moved. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "The U.S. government has coordinated closely with the Philippine government on every aspect of the MRC deployment, including the location," said Commander Matthew Comer of INDOPACOM, referring to the Typhon by the initials of its formal name, Mid Range Capability. He added that the relocation was not an indication that the batteries would be permanently in the Philippines. The weapon drew sharp criticism from China when it was first deployed in April 2024 during a training exercise. In September, when the United States said it had no immediate plans to pull the Typhons out of the Philippines, China and Russia condemned the deployment as fuelling an arms race. China's foreign ministry accused the Philippines on Thursday of creating tension and confrontation in the region, and urged it to "correct its wrong practices". Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "(The deployment) is also an extremely irresponsible choice for the people of the country and various Southeast Asian countries, and for regional security," ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said at a regular news briefing. Typhons are relatively easy to produce - drawing on large stockpiles and designs that have been around for a decade or more - and could help the United States and its allies catch up quickly in an Indo-Pacific missile race in which China has a big lead. Although the U.S. military has declined to say how many will be deployed in the Indo-Pacific region, more than 800 SM-6 missiles are due to be bought in the next five years, according to government documents outlining military purchases. Several thousand Tomahawks are already in U.S. inventories, the documents showed. Both missiles are Raytheon products. (Reporting by Gerry Doyle in Singapore and Karen Lema in Manila; Additional reporting by Colleen Howe in Beijing; Editing by Raju Gopalakrishnan) Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) questions Pete Hegseth during his Senate Armed Services confirmation hearing on Capitol Hill on Jan. 14, 2025 in Washington, DC. Credit - Andrew HarnikGetty Images If Elon Musk is serious about cutting government waste, fraud, and abuse, he may find help in an unusual place: Elizabeth Warren. While many Democrats in Congress want nothing to do with the billionaire who spent a fortune to help elect Donald Trump, the Massachusetts Senator says she wants to find common ground with Musk in his new role leading the White House's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). In a letter she sent him Thursday morning, Warren proposed 30 recommendations for eliminating $2 trillion in federal spending over the next decade, according to a copy of the letter obtained by TIME. The list includes several of the progressive icons long-held policy fixations: renegotiating Department of Defense (DOD) contracts that independent analysts have found waste billions each year; reforming the Medicare Advantage insurance program and allowing Medicare to negotiate lower costs of prescription drugs; and closing tax loopholes for corporations and the wealthiest earners. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its not clear how Musk will respondbut hes in need of suggestions. Earlier this month, he walked back his pledge of finding $2 trillion in federal savings. That may be due to political constraints. Because Trump vowed on the campaign trail not to touch Medicare and Social Security, and Republicans refuse to cut military spending, DOGE will have to find less conventional ideas to fulfill Musks budget-slashing fantasy. For years, Democrats and Republicans alike have wanted to curb wasteful government spending. While much of Washington recoils at Trumps disruptive, norm-shattering second-term agenda, some see an opportunity for strange bedfellows to emerge. In the interest of taking aggressive, bipartisan action to ensure sustainable spending, protect taxpayer dollars, curb abusive practices by giant corporations, and improve middle-class Americans quality of life, Warren writes to Musk, I would be happy to work with you on these matters. That may be easier said than done. Many of Warrens proposals wont go far with Republican majorities in both houses of Congress, and Musk himself may bristle at many of them. Her missive might do more to make a point than spur an improbable collaboration. Equally significant will be the chorus of deficit hawks who insist the only way to remedy a bloated federal government is to restructure entitlement programs at risk of collapse in 10 years. There's no way to meaningfully improve the deficit and debt situation without meaningful reforms to entitlements, which we also need to do to avert insolvency for Social Security and Medicare, says Maya MacGuineas, president of the nonpartisan Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget. Still, Trump won the election after campaigning on cutting federal spending. For a cross section of Americans, its an issue of serious concern. To that end, Warrens outreach stands to serve as an early test for whether there are areas of bipartisan agreement over where taxpayer money is being squandered, or whether its the first round of a four-year clash of competing visions and priorities. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The biggest cost-saving idea in Warrens letter is to preserve $200 billion by renegotiating Defense contracts. She points to an Inspector General report from 2011 that found contractors regularly hike prices for the military. One egregious example includes the Air Force overpaying 7,943% on soap dispensers. To rectify the problem, she urged passing legislation she previously introduced with Mike Braun, the former Republican Senator from Indiana, that would close loopholes to prevent defense contractors from price gouging the DOD. There is a huge problem of the government being able to supervise these contractors carefully enough to be able to make sure we're getting our money's worth, says Don Kettl, an expert on government administration and former dean of the School of Public Policy at the University of Maryland. Kettl recently wrote an essay in the Washington Monthly arguing that the federal government needs more and better skilled civil servants to oversee contractors and that Musk and Trumps plans to massively reduce the federal workforce will perversely lead to higher, not lower, government spending. The argument is that the market can do the government's work better and cheaper, Kettl says. The problem is that that's not always the case, and contractors often get higher wages. One area ripe for bipartisan cooperation may be tackling wasteful spending and abuse in the healthcare industry, such as ending or overhauling Medicare Advantage. Non-partisan analysts estimate the insurance program overcharged taxpayers by more than $83 billion last year alone. Warren also wants to allow Medicare to negotiate drug prices, an idea for which Trump has previously expressed support. At the same time, Warren proposed cracking down on Pharmacy Benefit Managers (PBMs), which Trump once castigated as famous middlemen who rip off Medicare patients. There has already been some movement in Congress. Last year, Warren introduced legislation with Republican Sen. Josh Hawley of Missouri that would prohibit the parent company of a PBM from owning a pharmacya form of market domination that allows them to charge higher prices with impunity. But not all of Warrens proposals enjoy the same level of budding support across the aisle. In her letter, she calls for boosting the Internal Revenue Services budgetan expense that she argues would be offset by collecting more in taxesand changing the tax code to close loopholes for corporations and the highest income earners. Both ideas are anathema to Republicans, and one of Trumps main domestic priorities is to extend his 2017 tax cuts and embark on a deregulatory crusade. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Warren also wants to eliminate or substantially reduce funding for the Charter Schools Program, which was designed to provide federal grants for charter schools but which the Government Accountability Office has found mismanages and wastes most of its funding. Warren estimates that cuts to this program could save up to $400 million from being frittered away each year. Another target in the educational sector includes for-profit colleges, which have a long history of ripping off students. Warren wants to make them ineligible for federal aid grants. Its still not clear how DOGE plans to operate. Katie Miller, a spokeswoman for the operation, did not respond to questions. Watchdog groups have already sued the Musk commission for allegedly violating federal transparency requirements. Many also fear the apparent conflict of interest in Musk overseeing the agencies that regulate his companies that have contracts with the government. In a December letter to Musk that went unanswered, Warren asked how he would avoid self-dealing. In her latest letter, she offered the chance to cooperate on achieving his larger objectives. Your broad pointthat the federal government spends trillions of dollars on wasteful spending is correct, she writes. And if you are serious about working together in good faith to cut government spendingin a way that does not harm the middle classI have proposals for your consideration. Whether those proposals can go anywhere remains to be seen. Many doubt Musks true intentions in taking the reins of DOGE. Others see the possibility of him proposing technological innovations that can save the U.S. money. But for some of Washingtons most strident voices arguing for government spending reforms, it represents a chance for ideas usually relegated to white papers to finally get a full airing. At this moment, says MacGuineas, I'm a fan of what Elon Musk is doing and Im a fan of what Elizabeth Warren is doing. Contact us at letters@time.com. Trade and geopolitics, as well as supply chain shakeups, are among the top concerns of CEOs in 2025. In addition, CEOs are also concerned about a recession, and the challenge of implementing artificial intelligence (AI) in operations. The data points, from a study conducted by The Conference Board after the U.S. elections last November, surveyed 1,722 C-suite executives and board members, including 508 CEOs. More from Sourcing Journal Nearly half of the CEO respondents said intensified trade wars are leading conflict-related geopolitical business risk in 2025. Tensions between the U.S., E.U., and China also contributed to concerns over an increased risk of conflict in the Asia-Pacific, particularly among manufacturing CEOs. And while the fighting in the Middle East and war in Ukraine dont appear yet to have significant impact on current operations, the CEOs said that could change should those conflicts expand. Given the global political instability and threat of escalating trade tensions, plus lessons from the pandemic-era disruptions, The Conference Board report found a renewed urgency around the need for supply chain resilience. Globally, 78 percent of CEOs said they plan to alter their supply chains over the next three-to-five years. Almost 90 percent said their primary motivations for changing supply chains include risk reduction, cost reduction, proximity to customers, and the greening of supply chains. However, exiting China appears not to be a supply chain solution for most companies. Global CEOs also said higher energy prices were the top economy-related geopolitical risk, particularly in Japan and Europe, while more than half of U.S. CEOs said the size of the U.S. national debt was their chief economy-related geopolitical risk. While the fear of an economic recession or downturn lingers, that concern lessened with 43 percent identifying it as a high impact issue for 2025 versus 53 percent in last years study. Investing in technology, including AI, is a primary strategy for growing profits. For U.S. CEOs, the focus is on the customer experience, while globally, increasing automation was cited as the number one priority. Accelerating digital transformation, including AI, was cited as a top internal priority for CEOs globally this year as more than one-third surveyed said they expect rapidly advancing AI technology to be an organizational game change in 2025. But what could present a hitch to those plans is how to integrate AI into their operations. The respondents said that lack of expertise, integration with existing systems and quality of AI output are the top implementation challenges. Aircraft manufacturers should be riding high thanks to a travel boom that has created unprecedented levels of demand. Bookings have surged as millions head to the beach and the predicted demise of face-to-face business meetings fails to materialise. Airports including London Heathrow have recently announced record passenger numbers. Yet Airbus and Boeing are struggling to build planes fast enough to keep up with demand. Both manufacturers are falling short of delivery targets as their supply chains buckle under the strain. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement British Airways, Ryanair, Virgin Atlantic and Wizz have all been forced to rein in their planned schedules and watch profits ebb away. The manufacturers themselves have been deprived of vital revenue and reduced to firefighting one production issue after another. Across much of the aviation industry, what should have been a boom is turning out to be little more than a whimper. Waiting times for the most popular jets are now into the next decade. The situation can be traced back to multiple causes, including a near-disaster involving a 737 jet that led regulators to cap output at Boeing and engine issues at companies including Rolls-Royce. But Airbus last week highlighted a more basic factor at the heart of the crunch: the industry is suffering from what amounts to a severe case of long Covid, following the exodus of tens of thousands of experienced personnel during the pandemic. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Three years after the last Covid-related curbs were lifted, manufacturers are still woefully short of veteran engineers and technicians, says Christian Scherer, head of commercial aircraft at Airbus. What the supply chain has suffered the most from is a loss of expertise, he says. A lot of people, with years and years of accumulated expertise, that have taken early retirement or have redirected their professional activities elsewhere. That takes a lot of time to rebuild. Thats really the fundamental, deep problem. The supply chain crisis last year forced Airbus to revise an 800-plane delivery target to 770 after barely four months. In the event it handed over 766 aircraft, still almost 100 short of the number shipped in 2019. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Scherer insists Airbus will reach those pre-pandemic production volumes in the foreseeable future, while adding: Im not going to tell you when. Boeing, meanwhile, revealed last week that it had delivered just 348 jets in 2024, down 180 on the previous years tally and less than half its pre-pandemic peak. The US giant was plunged into crisis after a door plug blew out of an Alaska Airlines 737 Max at 16,000 feet last January. Subsequent checks revealed safety and quality-control issues across the supply chain, leading regulators to cap Max output at 38 planes a month. A Boeing insider later said that the depletion of the workforce during the pandemic meant it had to turn baristas into engineers a reference to the location of the companys main assembly lines in Seattle, home to Starbucks and a world centre for coffee roasting. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Potential recruits with a technical bent have meanwhile gravitated towards companies such as Amazon and Microsoft, which are also based in the area. Nick Cunningham, an aviation analyst at Agency Partners, said manufacturers should have seen the staffing problem coming and done more to replace the big hump of middle-aged workers who were set to retire around the same time with or without the pandemic. It was a collective error on the part of the industry on both sides of the Atlantic. It had become very dependent on a group of grizzled veterans.They all looked like members of ZZ Top and called themselves shop rats but they actually did all the work. The new generation of recruits is just not as productive. Theyre a green workforce and with many of the trainers also retiring its going to take years to get them up to speed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It becomes much more expensive because you are making fewer things, so volumes drop even though youre employing the same number of people. At Airbus, bottlenecks are affecting the supply of components ranging from aircraft engines, cabin equipment, galleys and seats to toilet doors and even the bolts and washers that hold together sections of fuselage. Boeing revealed last week that it had delivered just 348 jets in 2024 - Stephen Brashear/Getty Images North America Shortages of interior items have been exacerbated by airlines seeking to refurbish cabins in ageing planes that are being kept in service precisely because of the lack of new jets. Guillaume Faury, the chief executive of Airbus, said last week that shortages of even a simple part at a single supplier could be enough to derail a whole aircraft. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He said: Because we are going at the pace of the slowest of our suppliers, when you think you are there, you are blind-sided by something you were not expecting. The number and depth of the crises that we managed last year was very significant. I dont expect a lot of change in the nature of the problems. Attracting new workers is not the only problem manufacturers face. Cunningham says keeping them is also a challenge, even with the lure of relatively attractive pay deals. He says: They want a nice desk job where they can be on the internet all day. They dont want to work in what can be a cold, noisy and occasionally dangerous environment doing something that is repetitive and really not that pleasant. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Mounting concern about the production crunch was evident in Dublin last week, where aircraft leasing companies that collectively own and manage around half the worlds fleet warned that plane shortages would persist for years. An over-dependency on grizzled veterans, or shop rats, has been blamed for plane-makers staffing struggles - Larry W Smith/Getty Images Steven Udvar-Hazy, the executive chairman of Air Lease, told the Airline Economics conference that neither Airbus nor Boeing were meeting any of their production targets and had made big judgment errors in seeking to increase deliveries before stabilising their operations. Denis Hogan, a founder of SMBC Aviation Capital, said it would take until the end of the decade to fully resolve the supply-chain issues. Bosses were similarly pessimistic about a parallel crisis surrounding the poor resilience of engines supplied by Pratt & Whitney (P&W) and Rolls-Royce. Issues with engines have forced jets to be recalled for emergency maintenance, further depriving airlines of essential capacity. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Jozsef Varadi, the Wizz Air boss, said he had expected groundings of the airlines A320s for the replacement of worn engines to span no more than two years, but it now appears to be a four to five-year issue. Airbus insists that it is making progress addressing these issues. Dozens of staff are working to alleviate bottlenecks at suppliers such as Spirit, which makes wings for its A220 jet and supplied the faulty door panel to Boeing. The European company has also formed a task force to address fastener shortages and a team dedicated to helping airlines procure cabin interiors. In some cases, Airbus is providing financing to companies that would otherwise be unable to provide parts at the required pace. Despite the continued issues, plane-makers plan to boost build rates to reduce order backlogs. Faury said Airbus had no intention of backing away from plans to lift A320 production to 75 planes a month in 2027. Thats 50pc higher than average monthly deliveries last year. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The company is already able to produce aircraft on eight global assembly lines, with two more to be added by next year. Crucially, however, it needs the supply chain to keep in step. The chief executive said: Its not nice to have customers complaining that youre delivering late. But if we are too shy we waste opportunities to deliver planes. We need to find the sweet spot. 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. GREENVILLE, S.C. (WSPA) As the temperatures dip below freezing across the region, thousands of people are looking for ways to stay warm. To avoid ending up at the emergency room, fire crews and local health experts shared advice on how you can prevent a cold weather-related emergency. With bone-chilling temperatures blanketing the region, fire crews said cold-weather emergencies are bound to happen. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If we do catch fires this time of year, a lot of them are related to space heaters and stuff like that, said Lt. Reid Shelton, Berea Fire Department. Lt. Shelton has been with the Berea Fire Department for a decade. Alongside other firefighters, he has responded to a number of calls during the winter months ranging from hypothermia to fires sparked by the improper use of space heaters. With space heaters you want to make sure you have a three-foot circumference where nothing is around them. You want to make sure the correct fuel is in the space heater at all times, said Shelton. You never want to use drop cords or power strips to generate that space heater. You want to go directly into the wall. With proper education, crews told 7NEWS many of the emergencies they respond to could be preventable. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Emergency physician and director of Medical Toxicology for Prisma Health, Doctor David Schaffer, has been on the other end of some of those calls. In the wintertime, particularly, carbon monoxide is a big part of what we see in the emergency departments, said Dr. Schaffer. Crews call it the silent killer, contributing to nearly 100,000 emergency room visits per year, according to doctors. Those symptoms can be very, very subtle. They can mimic a flu or a stomach bug. And so if you have a headache, nausea, vomiting, chest pain, feeling kind of confused or drowsy, particularly if others in the house are suddenly having those same symptoms, you must try to get out of the house as soon as possible, said Schaffer. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Fire crews said carbon monoxide poisonings are often a result of the improper use of generators, specifically when theyre used indoors. When generators are left on for an extended period of time, experts said they emit toxins that are harmful for people and pets. We dont ever advise bringing any generators inside. With the carbon monoxide, its the silent killer, said Shelton. You cant smell it. You cant see it. So, what we advise on the carbon monoxide calls, is to always have an exhaust thats flowing outside of your home with your generators. Leave it on a porch or anything like that. First responders said the best tip for prevention starts with 24/7 detection. Smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors are proven to have saved lives. The biggest thing you can do to help yourself or help your family is having working smoke alarms and have working carbon monoxide alarms. Those will detect the smoke from the fire or the carbon monoxide from the generators. or stuff like that. It will allow you to get out of the house as quick as you can, said Shelton. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Were partnered with the Red Cross so if anybody in our district calls about wanting some smoke detectors installed in their homes, we go out there and install them for free, he added. More on House Fires, Space Heaters & Generators Its important to protect your home from accidental fires year-round, according to the American Red Cross. During the winter months, you should: Never use a stove or oven to heat your home. If using a fireplace, use a glass or metal fire screen large enough to catch sparks and rolling logs. Place space heaters on a level, hard surface, and keep anything flammable at least three feet away. Turn off space heaters and make sure fireplace embers are out before leaving the room or going to bed. Use generators correctly never operate a generator inside the home, including in the basement or garage. Dont hook a generator up to the homes wiring. Connect the equipment you want to power directly to the outlets on the generator. Never heat your home with your oven. We definitely dont advise that, said Shelton. I would say, if you are in a home without heat, definitely look towards a shelter or any place that you could go or a family member that has a heated home. Doctors said there are other risks associated with the colder temperatures, especially for young children and vulnerable adults. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We do see in the emergency department that those who have a history of asthma or COPD, emphysema, or chronic bronchitis, there is an increase in risk of those lung problems during the cold weather, said Schaffer. It can cause, essentially a spasm of the small airways in the lungs that can make it harder to breathe, increasing cough. Small children in particular, in the winter, theyre not as good at preserving heat as us adults, explained Schaffer. They may not be able to communicate or tell you that theyre cold so if youre taking your kids out in the stroller for a walk, they need to have a hat on. They need to have gloves on. Avoiding Hypothermia & Frostbite We often in the southeast United States are not used to thinking about things like hypothermia and frostbite, said Schaffer. I think one of the things that surprises people the most is that hypothermia does not just occur in the winter, it can even occur in the summer months. In an interview Monday, Schaffer said, surprisingly, theyve seen more cases of hypothermia in the emergency department with temperatures in the 40-50 degree range. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its not something youd usually expect, said Schaffer. To avoid a trip to the ER, he recommends layering cotton clothing closest to your skin, wearing gloves, socks, scarves, and hats to cover extremities like hands, fingers, feet, toes and ears. Schaffer said those areas a most prone to frostbite. Doctors said there are some warning signs of frostbite that it may be time to seek medical attention. You know the first thing, we all know that feeling of a cold hand, said Schaffer. When you start losing sensation in that hand or foot or toes, nose, ears; those are thats typically the first signs. Sometimes theres tingling as well, and then it turns into pain or discoloration of the skin. So as you see that skin start to turn purple, maybe white in some people, or even a dark color, that is a very concerning sign that you need to get that extremity warmed as soon as possible. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement To avoid frostbite and hypothermia, the American Red Cross recommends being aware of the wind chill and to dress appropriately. Stay dry. Change wet clothing frequently to prevent a loss of body heat. Wet clothing loses much of its insulating value and transmits heat rapidly away from the body, according to the American Red Cross. When outside, stay active to maintain body heat, take frequent breaks from the cold, and avoid unnecessary exposure to any part of the body. Avoid overexertion, such as shoveling heavy snow, pushing a vehicle, or walking in deep snow. The strain from the cold and the hard labor may cause a heart attack. Sweating could lead to a chill and hypothermia. Experts also recommend drinking liquids, such as warm broth or juice. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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 cryptocurrency problem is by now well known: Mining operations suck up valuable energy from the grid, creating a number of issues in search of wealth for their owners. Communities are impacted by pollution, utilities are destabilized, and the use of dirty fuels continues. Counties, provinces, and countries are taking stands, banning crypto mining in part or altogether. Others, however, are moving in the opposite direction, courting the industry that may account for 176 terawatt-hours of energy use each year equal to the demand of Poland, according to Digiconomist. The figure is so high because of the electricity required by facilities to power computers that can run around the clock. They also need tons of cooling power to keep the machines from overheating, and that usually comes from vital water resources. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It's quite the conundrum, though cryptocurrencies are adapting. In 2022, ethereum switched from an intensive proof-of-work consensus mechanism to a proof-of-stake system and consequently dropped its energy consumption by 99.95%. Other platforms and advancements are moving in the same direction, but what of the most popular one? "Bitcoin might not just adapt to a renewable worldit could be a key player in accelerating the adoption of green energy," Techlomedia reported, noting that "its viability as an asset depends in part on solving these energy problems." The proving ground may be Texas. Solar and wind energy are boosting miners in the crypto-friendly state, and the operators may be able to give something back. Those forms of clean energy are intermittent, creating "inefficiencies in the grid[,] and excess energy is often wasted," according to Techlomedia. Miners can help by buying up the surplus. The hope is that this kind of arrangement creates an incentive for investment in projects powered by such renewables. The outlet noted that before China banned crypto mining, the rainy season in Sichuan marked a peak for bitcoin miners fueled by hydropower. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Small solar farms for example can use mining as a way to generate consistent revenue, making renewable projects more viable in remote areas," Techlomedia added. But bitcoin is banking on technological innovations such as alternative mining algorithms and hardware efficiency advancements rather than a fundamental transformation to create a sustainable future. The gamble is based on a core belief of adherents, who argue that PoW is essential to the blockchain's security and decentralization, as Techlomedia put it. Do you think America could ever go zero-waste? Never Not anytime soon Maybe in some states Definitely Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. This moment offers an opportunity for bitcoin to "lose its reputation as an environmental villain" and usher in an era of transparency, collaboration, and advocacy, per the outlet. Will it survive? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "It depends," Techlomedia concluded. 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. President Donald Trump's sweeping pardons of 1500 accused January 6 rioters sent a clear message to his most die-hard supporters. During a visit to CNN on Wednesday, former D.C. police officer Michael Fanone sent one right back. "This is what I would say to Stewart Rhodes: go f**k yourself," Fanone said live on air, shocking host Pamela Brown. "You're a liar." The former cop was speaking directly to the recently pardoned founder of the Oath Keepers, a far-right militia whose presence was notable during the Jan. 6 riots. Rhodes was sentenced to 18 years in prison for his role in the riot. He walked free earlier this week following Trump's pardons. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Fanone has reason to be sore with Rhodes. He was tased and beaten unconscious during the Jan. 6 riots. He testified before the House Select Committee about his experience in 2021, noting that he suffered a traumatic brain injury and lives with post-traumatic stress disorder. Fanone's testimony before lawmakers was sent up by Fox News host Sean Hannity shortly thereafter. Laura Ingraham accused Fanone of putting on a show to paint the riots as worse than they were. "The facts are the facts," Fanone responded at the time. "They were supported by hundreds of hours of videotape, evidence, eyewitness testimony, they're indisputable." Fanone is far from alone in thinking the J6 pardons crossed a line. Earlier this month, U.S. Capitol Police Chief J. Thomas Manger worried about the troubling precedent that pardons would set. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement What message does that send? What message does that send to police officers across this nation, if someone doesnt think that a conviction for an assault or worse against a police officer is something that should be upheld, given what we ask police officers to do every day? Manger asked in an interview with the Washington Post. Watch Fanone's heated response below: Claim: In January 2025, Russian President Vladimir Putin was seeking to have Dr. Anthony Fauci in the U.S. extradited to Russia in exchange for ending the war in Ukraine. Rating: Rating: False On Jan. 22, posts on the social media platform X alleged that Russian President Vladimir Putin wanted to extradite Dr. Anthony Fauci, the chief medical adviser to the U.S. president from 2021 to 2022, to Russia as part of a deal to stop the Russian invasion of Ukraine. The posts provided no evidence to support the claim. (X user @CilComLFC) The posts alleged that Putin wanted to extradite Fauci, who played a large role the United States' response to the COVID-19 pandemic, for "Crimes Against Humanity." The claim was also spread by The People's Voice, a misinformation outlet run by Sean Adl-Tabatabai, who previously ran the misinformation websites Your News Wire and NewsPunch. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The claim was false, however. If Putin had made such a request, reliable news sources in either Russia or the United States would have reported on it. That had not happened. If Russia wanted to extradite Fauci, it would likely have to file a Red Flag Notice with Interpol. That, too, had not happened. Even if the claim came from a reliable source of information, there's a major hurdle standing in the way: The United States and Russia do not have an extradition treaty with each other. According to the U.S. Department of Justice, the U.S. does not generally extradite without a treaty. Sources: "Crime against Humanity." LII / Legal Information Institute, https://www.law.cornell.edu/wex/crime_against_humanity. Accessed 23 Jan. 2025. Dmitry, Baxter. "Putin 'Demanding Fauci Extradition' for 'Crimes Against Humanity' as Part of Ukraine Peace Deal." The People's Voice, 22 Jan. 2025, https://thepeoplesvoice.tv/putin-demanding-fauci-extradition-for-crimes-against-humanity-as-part-of-ukraine-peace-deal/. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Donald Trump Extraditing Anthony Fauci To Russia At Putin's Demand? What We Know." Times Now, 23 Jan. 2025, https://www.timesnownews.com/world/us/us-news/donald-trump-extraditing-anthony-fauci-to-russia-on-putins-demand-covid-crime-claims-article-117471388. False Claims about Anthony Fauci Being Extradited to Russia Debunked Toronto 99. 22 Jan. 2025, https://www.toronto99.com/2025/01/22/false-claims-about-anthony-fauci-being-extradited-to-russia-debunked/. Funke, Daniel. "Fact-Checkers Have Debunked This Fake News Site 80 Times. It's Still Publishing on Facebook." Poynter, 20 July 2018, https://www.poynter.org/fact-checking/2018/fact-checkers-have-debunked-this-fake-news-site-80-times-its-still-publishing-on-facebook/. Justice Manual | 9-15.000 - International Extradition And Related Matters | United States Department of Justice. 19 Feb. 2015, https://www.justice.gov/jm/jm-9-15000-international-extradition-and-related-matters. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Russian Indictment and Extradition | ACS. 28 Feb. 2018, https://www.acslaw.org/expertforum/russian-indictment-and-extradition/. "Understanding United States Extradition Laws." Musca Law, https://www.muscalaw.com/blog/understanding-united-states-extradition-laws. Accessed 23 Jan. 2025. View Red Notices. https://www.interpol.int/en/How-we-work/Notices/Red-Notices/View-Red-Notices. Accessed 23 Jan. 2025. Wong, Dr Adrian. "Is Putin Extraditing Fauci for COVID Crimes to End Ukraine War?!" Tech ARP, 23 Jan. 2025, https://www.techarp.com/crime/putin-extraditing-fauci-covid-crimes-ukraine-war/. Claim: In a January 2025 executive order, U.S. President Donald Trump inadvertently defined all humans as female. Rating: Rating: False Claims spread that definitions of "male" and "female" included in a January 2025 executive order that asserted sex is established at conception accidentally classified all Americans as women. The claims were based on the common belief that all human zygotes and embryos begin as female. The current scientific understanding of sexual differentiation no longer holds that female is the "default" sex for embryos. Rather, as is the case for male embryos, evidence suggests the development of normal female sexual characteristics in mammals depends on certain conditions. That said, because the executive order did not explain what was meant by "belonging" to a sex, it's possible to interpret its definitions of male and female as either excluding all humans from both sexes or, alternatively, including all humans in both sexes. In January 2025, rumors spread online that President Donald Trump signed an executive order targeting transgender individuals that inadvertently defined all Americans as women. Trump signed the order, titled, "Defending Women from Gender Ideology Extremism and Restoring Biological Truth to the Federal Government," on Jan. 20, 2025, the same day as his inauguration as the 47th president. In it, Trump asserted that it was U.S. policy to recognize only two sexes, male and female, and that those sexes "are not changeable and are grounded in fundamental and incontrovertible reality." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In posts on social media platforms including Reddit (archived), Tumblr (archived), and Facebook (archived), internet users claimed the order's definitions of the terms "female" and "male" logically implied all humans affected by the order were female because all human embryos are female for the first several weeks of gestation. (Facebook user @lara.bee.sharp) As we'll explain below, the common belief that all embryos begin as female is not backed by the current scientific understanding of embryonic sexual differentiation. As a result, claims that the executive order in question inadvertently defined all Americans as female were false. However, the wording of the executive order's definitions of "male" and "female" did leave room for interpretations contrary to the spirit of the order for example, that all humans are neither female nor male. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The relevant part of the "Defending Women" executive order was Section 2, which contained definitions of terms relevant to the policy. According to the order's definitions, as can be seen in items (d) and (e) in the below screenshot, "'Female' means a person belonging, at conception, to the sex that produces the large reproductive cell," while "'Male' means a person belonging, at conception, to the sex that produces the small reproductive cell." (The White House) Some (archived) internet users (archived) pointed out (archived) that zygotes the technical term for fertilized eggs do not produce any reproductive cells at the point of conception, which is true. In humans, females begin the multistage process of producing large reproductive cells (that is, ova or eggs) during the first trimester of gestation, while males do not produce small reproductive cells (sperm) until puberty. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement However, a close read of the definitions shows that the executive order did not make any direct claim about zygotes producing reproductive cells at conception. Instead, it asserted that, from conception, human zygotes belong to either the male or female sex, defining the female sex as the one that collectively produces eggs and the male sex as the one that collectively produces sperm. That said, the executive order did still leave room for creative interpretation of the definitions because of its failure to define the criteria for belonging to a sex. What Does it Mean to Belong to a Sex? One possible definition would be a genetic one, with all humans possessing XX chromosomes defined as belonging to the female sex and all humans possessing XY chromosomes defined as belonging to the male sex. That approach would have had its own issues. There are genetic conditions, albeit rare ones, that can result in a person having an XX chromosome but male sexual characteristics or vice versa. There are also conditions that can result in nonstandard sexual genotypes, such as XXY. That said, because the vast majority of zygotes have from conception either XX or XY chromosomes corresponding to the types of genitalia they'll eventually develop, using genetics as the foundation for the executive order's definition of belonging to a sex would have some grounding in science. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement However, the Trump administration did not use this definition in the executive order, which contained no mention of the words "chromosome," "gene," or "genetic." That left room for another interpretation namely, that what determines someone belonging to the male or female sex is the presence of anatomical characteristics associated with that sex. In other words, according to an anatomical definition, possessing a pen*s would make someone male, while possessing a vagina would make someone female. This is how doctors assign sexes to newborns. The problem with this definition, in the context of the executive order's wording, is that no zygote has any of these physical characteristics at conception, nor does any embryo (the term for the stage of development beginning roughly the second week after conception) begin to develop these characteristics until around six weeks after fertilization. How Does Sexual Differentiation Work? For roughly the first six weeks of gestation, embryos are what scientists call sexually undifferentiated, meaning they have the anatomical potential to develop into either males or females. During the sexually undifferentiated stage, all embryos regardless of their sex chromosomes develop both Mullerian ducts, which have the potential to develop into female reproductive tracts, and Wolffian ducts, which have the potential to develop into male reproductive tracts. These ducts both terminate in a tubelike structure called a cloaca, which later undergoes changes that result in the development of the anus, urethra, and for embryos that develop as female the vagina. Embryos in the sexually undifferentiated stage also develop what scientists call bipotential gonads, which later develop into either ovaries or testes. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The process of sex differentiation is a complicated, weeks-long process that begins around the sixth week of gestation. At that point, if XY chromosomes are present, embryos begin to express what's known as the SRY gene. The expression of that gene leads to the atrophying of the Mullerian ducts, allowing the Wolffian ducts to start to develop into parts of the male internal reproductive system. By contrast, if XX chromosomes are present, embryos typically absorb the Wolffian ducts and the Mullerian ducts begin to develop the female internal reproductive system. Because embryos only develop into males if the SRY gene is expressed, it's sometimes claimed that female is the default sex for embryos, or that all embryos start as female. However, recent science suggests that claim isn't right. Based on studies of sexual differentiation in mice, scientists now believe there's evidence that the development of normal female sex characteristics in mammals does not actually proceed by default, but instead requires the presence of a specific protein called COUP-TFII. When that protein was not present, the authors of one 2017 study found, mice with XX chromosomes did not develop normal female reproductive systems but instead "became intersex possessing both female and male reproductive tracts." In summary, the current science doesn't back the claim that Trump's executive order defined all humans as female. However, the absence of any mention of chromosomes or genetics from the order's definitions of male and female does leave room for other interpretations inconsistent with the spirit of the order. For example, it's possible to interpret the order's definitions as meaning that all humans are neither male nor female or, due to the presence of both Mullerian ducts and Wolffian ducts in early embryos, that all humans are both sexes at once. Sources: Battle of the Sexes: When the Female Embryo Takes Control | NIH Intramural Research Program. https://irp.nih.gov/accomplishments/battle-of-the-sexes-when-the-female-embryo-takes-control. Accessed 23 Jan. 2025. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Chiarello, Paola, et al. "De La Chapelle Syndrome: Clinical and Physical Performance Implications." Sexes, vol. 5, no. 3, Sept. 2024, pp. 198203. www.mdpi.com, https://doi.org/10.3390/sexes5030015. "Defending Women From Gender Ideology Extremism And Restoring Biological Truth To The Federal Government." The White House, 21 Jan. 2025, https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/01/defending-women-from-gender-ideology-extremism-and-restoring-biological-truth-to-the-federal-government/. Ferreira, Lucas G. A., et al. "COUP-TFII Regulates Early Bipotential Gonad Signaling and Commitment to Ovarian Progenitors." Cell & Bioscience, vol. 14, no. 1, Jan. 2024, p. 3. BioMed Central, https://doi.org/10.1186/s13578-023-01182-5. Gilbert, Scott F. "Oogenesis." Developmental Biology. 6th Edition, Sinauer Associates, 2000. www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK10008/. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Klinefelter Syndrome." Nhs.Uk, 18 Oct. 2017, https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/klinefelters-syndrome/. Nielsen, C. T., et al. "Onset of the Release of Spermatozoa (Spermarche) in Boys in Relation to Age, Testicular Growth, Pubic Hair, and Height." The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism, vol. 62, no. 3, Mar. 1986, pp. 53235. PubMed, https://doi.org/10.1210/jcem-62-3-532. Review, Columbia Law. "SEX ASSIGNED AT BIRTH." Columbia Law Review, https://www.columbialawreview.org/content/sex-assigned-at-birth/. Accessed 23 Jan. 2025. Rey, Rodolfo, et al. "Sexual Differentiation." Endotext, edited by Kenneth R. Feingold et al., MDText.com, Inc., 2000. PubMed, http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK279001/. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Schnebly, Risa Aria. "Sex Determination in Humans." Embryo Project Encyclopedia, Arizona State University, 16 July 2021, https://embryo.asu.edu/pages/sex-determination-humans. SRY Gene: MedlinePlus Genetics. https://medlineplus.gov/genetics/gene/sry/. Accessed 23 Jan. 2025. Swyer Syndrome: MedlinePlus Genetics. https://medlineplus.gov/genetics/condition/swyer-syndrome/. Accessed 23 Jan. 2025. Wilson, Danielle, and Bruno Bordoni. "Embryology, Mullerian Ducts (Paramesonephric Ducts)." StatPearls, StatPearls Publishing, 2025. PubMed, http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK557727/. Yu, Megan, and Shu-Min Wang. "Embryology, Wolffian Ducts." StatPearls, StatPearls Publishing, 2025. PubMed, http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK557818/. Zhao, Fei, et al. "Elimination of the Male Reproductive Tract in the Female Embryo Is Promoted by COUP-TFII in Mice." Science, vol. 357, no. 6352, Aug. 2017, pp. 71720. DOI.org (Crossref), https://doi.org/10.1126/science.aai9136. Claim: Following the 2025 inauguration of U.S. President Donald Trump, Facebook parent company Meta forced users to follow him and Vice President JD Vance. Rating: Rating: False Context: Users surprised to notice Trump and Vance in their feeds already were following the official presidential and vice-presidential Facebook accounts, which were transferred from the outgoing administration to the incoming administration. There is no evidence that the company handled the 2025 Biden-Trump transition any differently than it did the 2021 Trump-Biden one. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Following Donald Trump's inauguration as the 47th president of the United States on Jan. 20, 2025, many Facebook users, surprised to see posts from Trump and Vice President JD Vance in their feeds, speculated that Facebook or its parent company Meta had forcibly added the two politicians to their follow lists. Examples of the rumor appeared on Facebook (archived), as well as on other social media platforms including Reddit (archived) and Threads (archived). Multiple readers also wrote in and searched the Snopes website for information about the claim. (Reddit) In short, Meta did not forcibly add Trump or Vance to Facebook users' follow lists. Rather, these users had already followed the official presidential and vice-presidential Facebook accounts. These accounts use the handles @POTUS (short for "president of the United States") and @VicePresident, as the screenshots below show. Trump and Vance took control of the accounts on Jan. 20 as part of the presidential transition process. (@POTUS on Facebook) Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement (@VicePresident on Facebook) During the administration of former President Joe Biden, he and his vice president, Kamala Harris, had control of the same two accounts, as archived versions of those pages show. However, the accounts belonged to Biden and Harris only as long as they held the offices of president and vice president. In other words, when their terms ended, so did their control of those accounts. Trump and Vance both maintained separate Facebook pages before the Jan. 20 inauguration. The handle of Trump's account was @DonaldTrump; Vance's account was @JD-Vance. Both of those accounts were still active at the time of this writing. The @POTUS and @VicePresident Facebook accounts were not the only social media accounts that changed hands after Trump's inauguration. For example, the outgoing Biden administration also handed over control of the official presidential and vice-presidential accounts on X, which used the handles @POTUS for the president's account and @VP for the vice president's account. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As Reuters reported in 2020, handing over control of official social media accounts has become a standard part of the transition between presidential administrations. According to a Threads post (archived) from Katie Harbath, who worked as Facebook's public policy director from 2011 to 2021, Facebook appeared to have followed the same procedure for transitioning official accounts to new officeholders that she and her team developed in 2016. (@katieharbath on Threads) In an email, Harbath said that according to that procedure, "The followers are also copied over to the new account under the assumption that people were following the institution regardless of who is in power." Creation Dates Since the original publication of this story, numerous readers have written in to ask why the @POTUS and @VicePresident accounts on Facebook each show a creation date of Jan. 12 on the "Page transparency" line of their About sections, as can be seen in the below collage of screenshots" (Left: @POTUS on Facebook/Right: @VicePresident on Facebook) Meta has not issued any official explanation of the technical side of the account transition process (we'll update this post if they do). Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Harbath explained over email that, as part of the procedure her team developed, incoming administrations begin to create their pages without the official handles attached in the days or weeks before they take office, while the previous administration is still in control of the official handles. In the case of U.S. presidents-elect, that means they begin to build their official pages at a point of their choosing before Inauguration Day Jan. 20. "That gives the incoming administration time to set up the page," according to Harbath. At noon on Inauguration Day, Harbath said, Facebook removes the official handles @POTUS and @VicePresident from the outgoing administration's pages. Those pages are then renamed to signal that they are an archive of that administration's Facebook activity. Facebook then adds the @POTUS and @VicePresident handles to the pages the incoming administration prepared. Under the Biden administration, the @POTUS and @VicePresident accounts likewise showed creation dates of around a week before that administration's Jan. 20, 2021, inauguration. As can be seen in the below collage of screen grabs from versions of the administration's Facebook pages as archived in early 2021, during Biden's presidency the page transparency section of the @POTUS account said that page was created Jan. 11, 2021. While it was under Harris' control, the same section of the @VicePresident account said it was created Jan. 16, 2021. (Left: Archived version of @POTUS account About section as it appeared in 2021/Right: Archived version of @VicePresident About section as it appeared in 2021) In other words, the existence of recent creation dates on transitioned accounts was not a new development in 2025. Unfollowing and Blocking A number of readers also wrote in to ask about claims that Meta was not allowing Facebook users to unfollow or block the @POTUS and @VicePresident accounts. The same claim also appeared online in posts on social media sites including Facebook (archived) and Threads (archived). Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Reports of technical bugs preventing Facebook users from unfollowing and/or blocking users or pages have circulated online for years. It's possible that users who continued to see posts from the @POTUS and @VicePresident accounts were experiencing this bug. Although Harbath no longer works at Facebook, she acknowledged the possibility that the unfollow/block bug was behind claims of users being unable to follow the pages. Another possibility, she speculated, was that the @POTUS and @VicePresident posts showing up in the feeds of users who had unfollowed the pages were actually suggested posts from Facebook's algorithm, which automatically shows users posts based on past activity (such as visiting a page), regardless of whether the user is following the account that made the post. As Facebook notes in its Help Center, "Content suggested for you is personalized based on what may be relevant to you and are influenced by things such as your previous Facebook activity. Content that is suggested for you can be videos, photos, or articles from Pages and groups that you don't already follow." Meta communications director Andy Stone mentioned the claims in a Jan. 22 Threads post (archived), which read in part: "It may take some time for follow and unfollow requests to go through as these accounts change hands." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement (@andymstone on Threads) In summary, Meta did not force users to follow Trump or Vance. Instead, users who were surprised to see the two politicians' posts pop up in their feed already were following the official presidential and vice-presidential Facebook accounts, which have the handles @POTUS and @VicePresident. We've asked Meta about reports that some users had difficulty unfollowing or blocking the accounts, and will update this story when we have further information. Sources: Bhalla, Aakriti. "Twitter, Facebook to Hand over @POTUS Account to Biden on Jan. 20." Reuters, 21 Nov. 2020. www.reuters.com, https://www.reuters.com/article/world/twitter-facebook-to-hand-over-potus-account-to-biden-on-jan-20-idUSKBN2810LD/. Claim: After U.S. President Donald Trump took office in January 2025, the Spanish-language version of the White House website was no longer available. Rating: Rating: True Context: It is unclear why the Spanish-language version of the White House website is no longer available as of this writing on Jan. 22, 2025. Snopes has reached out to the Trump administration to learn more. Based on archived pages, the website was online on the day of Trump's second inauguration and removed the day after. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement After U.S. President Donald Trump took office in late January 2025, people online noticed that the Spanish-language version of the White House website, which was operational during the previous administration of former President Joe Biden, was apparently no longer available (archived). Snopes readers messaged us asking about the alleged update, which was also discussed on social media. For example, one X user, whose post had amassed more than 16.1 million views as of this writing, wrote: "The Spanish version of the White House website and the White House's Spanish Twitter account have been deleted." The Spanish version of the White House website and the White Houses Spanish Twitter account have been deleted. TrumpFile.org (@TrumpFile) January 20, 2025 Some social media users also posted screenshots of the change that included a "Page Not Found" message instead of the actual website and the button "Go Home." (X user @v8mile) The whitehouse.gov/es website is indeed offline on multiple browsers as of this writing on Jan. 22, 2025. It appeared to be functional on the day of Trump's second inauguration but was no longer available by Jan. 21, based on archival links. As such, we have rated this claim as true. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement However, it is unclear why the site was taken down and whether it was just a technical issue or part of the new administration's agenda. Snopes reached out to the Trump administration for more information and will update this story if we receive a response. According to archival website archive.org, whitehouse.gov/es was online as recently as Jan. 20 (archived). However, on Jan. 21, 2025, the site read "Page Not Found" (archived). Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement (Screenshot via Whitehouse.gov) The current Spanish-language website has a button stating "Go to Home Page," directing visitors to the official White House page in English, which now has an image of Trump over the words "America is Back." According to The Associated Press, however, the button initially read "Go Home" before it was updated to state "Go to Home Page." This report is supported by another archived version of the page. There is also no Spanish-language X account for the White House with the handle @LaCasaBlanca. The one under the Biden administration has been archived on X as @LaCasaBlanca46. This is not the first time the Trump administration has removed its predecessor's Spanish-language version of the White House site. In 2017, soon after Trump took office for the first time, the site went dark despite being online just days before, prior to his first inauguration on Jan. 20, 2017. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The White House press secretary at that time, Sean Spicer, said the administration was going to have a Spanish-language site up and running. However, it never did, as can be seen in an archived version of the webpage from Jan. 17, 2021, days before the end of Trump's first term. The site was back up and running following Biden's inauguration on Jan. 20, 2021. Sources: "Trump Administration Shuts down White House Spanish-Language Page and Social Media." AP News, 22 Jan. 2025, https://apnews.com/article/trump-white-house-spanish-language-website-62224890c5b05c8ce0878358ba4a5266." target="blank">https://apnews.com/article/trump-white-house-spanish-language-website-62224890c5b05c8ce0878358ba4a5266.">https://apnews.com/article/trump-white-house-spanish-language-website-62224890c5b05c8ce0878358ba4a5266. Accessed 22 Jan. 2025. "Trump's White House All but Ignoring Spanish Speakers." AP News, 1 July 2017, https://apnews.com/article/c32fb7decd034a4eadc0459665094393." target="blank">https://apnews.com/article/c32fb7decd034a4eadc0459665094393.">https://apnews.com/article/c32fb7decd034a4eadc0459665094393. Accessed 22 Jan. 2025. Claim: U.S. President Donald Trump pardoned Ross Ulbricht, the creator of dark web marketplace Silk Road. Rating: Rating: True In January 2025, a claim (archived) circulated that U.S. President Donald Trump had pardoned Ross Ulbricht, who was imprisoned for operating the dark web marketplace Silk Road. The rumor was true. On Jan. 22, 2025, Trump announced Ulbricht's pardon on Truth Social, calling (archived) his prison sentence "ridiculous." Federal documentation confirmed the grant of clemency (archived). In 2015, a federal judge in Manhattan sentenced (archived) Ulbricht to life in prison for drug trafficking, computer hacking and money laundering (archived). At the time of Ulbricht's sentencing, U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara called him "a drug dealer and criminal profiteer" and said he "exploited people's addictions and contributed to the deaths of at least six young people," per a 2015 press release by the U.S. Attorney's Office. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to the office, Ulbricht, who was known as "Dread Pirate Roberts" (archived) on Silk Road, created the underground website in January 2011 and oversaw its operation until authorities shut it down in October 2013. Users sold more than $200 million (archived) in illegal drugs on the "sprawling black-market bazaar" (archived) using the virtual cryptocurrency Bitcoin. The site offered other services, including hacking equipment and stolen passports. Federal documentation an "Executive Grant of Clemancy" (archived) signed by Trump says he granted a "full and unconditional pardon" to Ulbricht. CBS News, ABC News, BBC News and other reputable news outlets also reported on the pardon. A presidential pardon does not erase Ulbricht's federal conviction. Trump's Truth Social post (archived) announcing Ulbricht's clemency read in full: "I just called the mother of Ross William Ulbricht to let her know that in honor of her and the Libertarian Movement, which supported me so strongly, it was my pleasure to have just signed a full and unconditional pardon of her son, Ross. The scum that worked to convict him were some of the same lunatics who were involved in the modern day weaponization of government against me. He was given two life sentences, plus 40 years. Ridiculous!" Republican Rep. Thomas Massie, who campaigned for Ulbricht's freedom, celebrated news of his release on X (archived), while other users on the platform decried Trump's pardon. One popular post called it "the most ludicrous pardon in American history." (@RepThomasMassie) Trump moved swiftly to issue pardons following his second presidential inauguration on Jan. 20, 2025, including to 1,500 of his supporters (archived) who attacked the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. Sources: Bianco, Ali. "Trump Pardons Founder of Drug Marketplace Whose Case Was Championed by Libertarians - POLITICO." POLITICO, Politico, 21 Jan. 2025, www.politico.com/news/2025/01/21/trump-pardons-ulbricht-silk-road-00199848. Accessed 23 Jan. 2025. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement cryptojourneyrs. X (Formerly Twitter), 22 Jan. 2025, x.com/cryptojourneyrs/status/1882180220545085614. Accessed 23 Jan. 2025. FBI. "Ross William Ulbricht's Laptop." Federal Bureau of Investigation, www.fbi.gov/history/artifacts/ross-william-ulbrichts-laptop. Accessed 23 Jan. 2025. "Frequently Asked Questions." Justice.gov, 6 Aug. 2019, www.justice.gov/pardon/frequently-asked-questions. Accessed 23 Jan. 2025. Hayes, Christal. "Trump Pardons Silk Road Creator Ross Ulbricht." BBC News, 22 Jan. 2025, www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cz7e0jve875o. Accessed 23 Jan. 2025. Hutzler, Alexandra, et al. "Trump 2nd Term Live Updates: Trump Touting His Plans to Leaders at Davos." ABC News, 22 Jan. 2025, abcnews.go.com/Politics/live-updates/trump-2nd-term-live-updates-executive-action-plans?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=dhfacebook&utm_content=app.dashsocial.com/abcnews/library/media/493661193&entryId=117960772&id=117934786. Accessed 23 Jan. 2025. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Jackson, John. X (Formerly Twitter), 22 Jan. 2025, x.com/hissgoescobra/status/1881884143572971944. Accessed 23 Jan. 2025. "Manhattan U.S. Attorney Announces the Indictment of Ross Ulbricht, the Creator and Owner of the "Silk Road" Website." Www.justice.gov, 4 Feb. 2014, www.justice.gov/usao-sdny/pr/manhattan-us-attorney-announces-indictment-ross-ulbricht-creator-and-owner-silk-road. Accessed 23 Jan. 2025. Mason, Jeff, et al. "After Taking Office, Trump Pardons 1,500 Jan. 6 Defendants." Reuters, 21 Jan. 2025, www.reuters.com/world/us/triumphant-trump-returns-white-house-launching-new-era-upheaval-2025-01-20/. Accessed 23 Jan. 2025. Massie, Thomas. X.com, 22 Jan. 2025, x.com/RepThomasMassie/status/1881857222353076580. Accessed 23 Jan. 2025. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Ross Ulbricht, A/K/a "Dread Pirate Roberts," Sentenced in Manhattan Federal Court to Life in Prison." Justice.gov, 29 May 2015, www.justice.gov/usao-sdny/pr/ross-ulbricht-aka-dread-pirate-roberts-sentenced-manhattan-federal-court-life-prison. Accessed 23 Jan. 2025. "Ross Ulbricht, Aka Dread Pirate Roberts, Sentenced to Life in Federal Prison for Creating, Operating "Silk Road" Website." Www.ice.gov, 29 May 2015, www.ice.gov/news/releases/ross-ulbricht-aka-dread-pirate-roberts-sentenced-life-federal-prison-creating. Accessed 23 Jan. 2025. "Silk Road Drug Website Founder Ross Ulbricht Jailed." BBC News, 30 May 2015, www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-32941060. Accessed 23 Jan. 2025. "Trump Pardons Silk Road Founder Ross Ulbricht." Cbsnews.com, CBS News, 22 Jan. 2025, www.cbsnews.com/news/trump-pardons-silk-road-founder-ross-ulbricht/. Accessed 23 Jan. 2025. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump, Donald. "Truth Social." Truth Social, 22 Jan. 2025, truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/113869112741612092. Accessed 23 Jan. 2025. "Ulbricht Warrant." Justice.gov, 22 Jan. 2025, www.justice.gov/pardon/media/1386096/dl. Accessed 23 Jan. 2025. By Steve Holland (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump on Tuesday announced a private sector investment of up to $500 billion to fund infrastructure for artificial intelligence, aiming to outpace rival nations in the business-critical technology. Trump said that ChatGPT's creator OpenAI, SoftBank and Oracle are planning a joint venture called Stargate, which he said will build data centers and create more than 100,000 jobs in the United States. These companies, along with other equity backers of Stargate, have committed $100 billion for immediate deployment, with the remaining investment expected to occur over the next four years. SoftBank CEO Masayoshi Son, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and Oracle Chairman Larry Ellison joined Trump at the White House for the launch. The first of the project's data centers are already under construction in Texas, Ellison said at the press conference. Twenty will be built, half a million square feet each, he said. The project could power AI that analyzes electronic health records and helps doctors care for their patients, Ellison said. The executives gave Trump credit for the news. "We wouldn't have decided to do this," Son told Trump, "unless you won." "For AGI to get built here," said Altman, referring to more powerful technology called artificial general intelligence, "we wouldn't be able to do this without you, Mr. President." It was not immediately clear whether the announcement was an update to a previously reported venture. In March 2024, The Information, a technology news website, reported OpenAI and Microsoft were working on plans for a $100 billion data center project that would include an artificial intelligence supercomputer also called "Stargate" set to launch in 2028. POWER-HUNGRY DATA CENTERS The announcement on Trump's second day in office follows the rolling back of former President Joe Biden's executive order on AI, that was intended to reduce the risks that AI poses to consumers, workers and national security. AI requires enormous computing power, pushing demand for specialized data centers that enable tech companies to link thousands of chips together in clusters. "They have to produce a lot of electricity, and we'll make it possible for them to get that production done very easily at their own plants if they want," Trump said. As U.S. power consumption rises from AI data centers and the electrification of buildings and transportation, about half of the country is at increased risk of power supply shortfalls in the next decade, the North American Electric Reliability Corporation said in December. President Donald Trump outlined his vision for his second presidential term Monday in the longest inaugural speech by word count since Herbert Hoovers address in 1929. However, Trumps 2,885-word speech included claims that were inaccurate or misleading on immigration, energy and environmental policy, tariffs and international trade, and the Panama Canal. Claim: President Joe Biden administration granted sanctuary and protection for dangerous criminal migrants. Trump emphasized that immigration policy would look different under his administration than under Bidens and, in doing so, made several claims about his predecessors approach to immigration. [The Biden administration] fails to protect our magnificent law-abiding American citizens, he said, but provides sanctuary and protection for dangerous criminals, many from prisons and mental institutions that have illegally entered our country from all over the world. This is missing context. While it is unclear what Trump specifically meant by sanctuary and protection, most policies responsible for aiding illegal immigrants were made at the local level, not the federal level. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Sanctuary cities, soft-on crime DAs that didnt charge migrants (and thus didnt make them removable), and free shelter for all, Daniel Di Martino, a graduate fellow the Manhattan Institute, a conservative think tank, told The Dispatch Fact Check. At the federal level what Biden did was allow a large number of illegal immigrants that overwhelmed border patrol and led to the release of very dangerous people alongside the majority who are just seeking a better life. According to DiMartino, the problem stems more from district attorneys who refuse to charge [criminal illegal immigrants] or collect immigration data of criminals. In fact, the Cato Institutes David Bier found in April that the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency was releasing fewer criminals under the Biden administration than was recorded under the first Trump administration. Though ICE did not publish data on criminal releases prior to 2019, the number of criminally convicted or criminally charged migrants released by ICE in 2019 (34,415 individuals) and 2020 (21,234) was greater than in any fiscal year under the Biden administration. Except for his first quarter in office, Biden has released a lower percentage of those arrested than Trump did from October 2020 to December 2020, falling from 27 percent of arrests to 17 percent in the most recently available quarter, Bier wrote. This shows that falling releases are not just a consequence of falling arrests. In fact, in the most recent quarter available [October to December 2023], ICE arrested nearly 1,500 more people with pending criminal charges or criminal convictions than in the final quarter of the Trump administration. Claim: Trump will reinstate Remain in Mexico immigration policy. Trump said in his speech his administration would pursue reimplementing the Migrant Protection Protocols, commonly known as the Remain in Mexico policy, in which asylum-seekers awaiting U.S. immigration court proceedings must remain in Mexico and are given no authorized temporary access into U.S. territory. [Remain in Mexico] will reduce the number of aliens taking advantage of U.S. law and discourage false asylum claims, the first Trump administrations Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said of the policy when announced in January 2019. Aliens will not be permitted to disappear into the U.S. before a court issues a final decision on whether they will be admitted and provided protection under U.S. law. Per the DHS, the policy was designed to not only limit rates of illegal immigration but also make the process for hearing asylum claims more efficient. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Biden suspended the Remain in Mexico policy for new asylum-seekers on his first day in office, though he reversed course and restarted the program later that year, due in part to a court ruling that found that he violated the Administrative Procedure Act in ending the program. In June 2022, the Supreme Court allowed the Biden administration to end Remain in Mexico once again, ruling that the governments revised method to shutter the program no longer violated federal law. Although the second Trump administration may indeed bring back Remain in Mexico, the president left out some context when he promised to reinstate the policythat reinstatement requires Mexicos approval. Mexican government officials agreed to the plan when first implemented under the Trump administration. The programs brief return under the Biden administration was preceded by a similar but separate agreement between the U.S. and Mexican governments. As The Morning Dispatch reported at the time, Any such implementation, however, couldnt begin until the United States secured the cooperation of the Mexican government. The two countries finally came to an agreement late last week. For humanitarian reasons and on a temporary basis, Mexicos foreign ministry said, the Government of Mexico has decided that it will not return to their home countries certain migrants who have an appointment to appear before an immigration judge in the United States to request asylum there. Its not clear whether Mexico would go along with reinstating the Remain in Mexico program. In February 2023, Mexicos Ministry of Foreign Affairs flat-out rejected any consideration of the programs return. More recently, the departments current secretaryJuan Ramon de la Fuente, who took office in October 2024expressed opposition to bringing back Remain in Mexico, but said, If they reinstate it, this is something we dont agree with. We have a different focus. We want to adjust it. Claim: Trump will end the Green New Deal and revoke the electric vehicle mandate. The 47th president also pledged in his speech to repeal environmental regulations that he said would help unburden American automobile companies. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement With my actions today, we will end the Green New Deal and we will revoke the electric vehicle mandate, Trump said, saving our auto industry and keeping my sacred pledge to our great American autoworkers. The only problem is that two policies he promised to repealthe Green New Deal and an electric vehicle mandatewere never implemented in the first place. While Democratic Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York introduced a Green New Deal bill in 2019prior to the Biden presidencyit never even made it out of committee. Nor has the federal government imposed an electric vehicle mandate, per se. However, the Biden-led Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in March announced new rules regulating emissions from new cars made between 2027 and 2032. While not requiring consumers and car manufacturers to produce or buy electric vehicles, the Biden administration establishe[d] new, more stringent vehicle emissions standards for criteria pollutant and greenhouse gas emissions for new cars made after 2027, with the hope that those emission regulations would increase the market share of electric and hybrid vehicles in the automobile industry. On his first day back in the White House, Trump issued an executive order to eliminate the electric vehicle (EV) mandate and promote true consumer choice. However, the orders text laid out what specifically that entails: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It is the policy of the United States: to eliminate the electric vehicle (EV) mandate and promote true consumer choice, which is essential for economic growth and innovation, by removing regulatory barriers to motor vehicle access; by ensuring a level regulatory playing field for consumer choice in vehicles; by terminating, where appropriate, state emissions waivers that function to limit sales of gasoline-powered automobiles; and by considering the elimination of unfair subsidies and other ill-conceived government-imposed market distortions that favor EVs over other technologies and effectively mandate their purchase by individuals, private businesses, and government entities alike by rendering other types of vehicles unaffordable; The Biden administrations regulations on emissions of new cars are likely to be scrapped under this order, as it can be perceived as regulatory barriers to motor vehicle accessthe regulatory barrier being the emission standards applied to new vehiclesand also might be considered government-imposed market distortions, for it aims to increase the market share of electric vehicles in the auto industry, as the EPAs projections demonstrate. Claim: Trump will institute tariffs instead of taxing our citizens. Trump pledged an overhaul of our trade system that will accumulate revenue through taxing foreign countries rather than Americans. Instead of taxing our citizens to enrich other countries, we will tariff and tax foreign countries to enrich our citizens, he declared Trump is wrong that placing additional tariffs on foreign countries is an alternative to taxes paid by U.S. citizens. The definition of a tariff is a tax paid by those who import goods from foreign countries. Tariffs are an attempt to protect American workers and families by artificially inflating the price of foreign goods, making it more challenging for foreign producers to compete with American-based rivals. That artificial price increase aims to incentivize American consumers to buy American-made alternatives to foreign goods, but, if the foreign-made product remains as the consumers preference, its the American buyer stuck paying the added costnot the foreign country. Moreover, revenue collected from tariffs is wholly insufficient to replace taxes on Americans. Over the past 70 years, tariffs have never accounted for much more than 2% of total federal revenue, stated a December report from the nonpartisan Congressional Research Service. In FY2024, for example, CBP collected $77 billion in tariffs, accounting for approximately 1.57% of total federal revenue. While prior to the 20th century, tariff revenues consistently made up north of 50 percent of federal revenueand even represented more than 90 percent of federal revenue in parts of the early 19th-centurythat would not be attainable today because federal government spends more money than it did a century-plus ago. As federal spending increased, so did the amount of federal revenue collectedmeaning tariffs comprised a smaller share of federal revenue primarily because federal revenue has increased over time. The Panama Canal. Trump also made several false statements while claiming that he would seek to regain control of the Panama Canal. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement American ships are being severely overcharged and not treated fairly in any way, shape, or form, Trump said. And that includes the United States Navy. And above all, China is operating the Panama Canal, and we didnt give it to China, we gave it to Panama. The president added, And were taking it back. Trump further claimed that 38,000 lives were lost in the canals construction. Trump made several incorrect statements: U.S.-flagged shipsboth commercial and navalare not being severely overcharged or otherwise treated unfairly, China is not operating the canal, and 38,000 lives overstates the actual worker death toll while the U.S. was constructing the passageway. The United States completed construction of the canal in 1914, bridging the Caribbean Sea to the Pacific Ocean. After France abandoned an attempt to build a canal through Panama in the late 19th century, the U.S. exercised control over the territory around where the canal runs in a 1903 treaty that former President Teddy Roosevelt forged with Panama. However, former President Jimmy Carter agreed in 1977 to return the canal to Panamanian jurisdiction in phases that ended with Panama taking full control of the canal in 1999. In return, Panama guaranteed the U.S. and all other nations neutral access to the canal. As outlined in the U.S.-Panama treaty, the canal shall remain secure and open to peaceful transit by the vessels of all nations on terms of entire equality, so that there will be no discrimination against any nation, or its citizens or subjects, concerning the conditions or charges of transit, or for any other reason. Panama continues to own the canal and the surrounding territory today, but claims that the central American nation treats U.S. commercial and naval vessels unfairly by overcharging them is false, and would be a clear violation of Panamas pledge of neutrality. As the Dispatch Fact Check reported earlier this month, Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The rates charged on ships passing through the Panama Canal are based on the type of ship making the trip and its size. According to the Wall Street Journal, tolls range from around $300,000 to $1 million per crossing and priority slots can be purchased via auction by ships with time-sensitive cargo. The Panama Canal is required to remain neutral and U.S. military vessels are not subject to higher rates than other vessels, however, American military ships are given priority access to the canal when available. Panamanian officials appear absolute in their unwillingness to break their neutrality agreement. Rules are rules and there are no exceptions, Ricaurte Vasquez, the Panama Canals current head administrator, told the Wall Street Journal earlier this month. We cannot discriminate for the Chinese, or the Americans, or anyone else. This will violate the neutrality treaty, international law and it will lead to chaos. Panama also continues to operate the canalnot China. When Panama obtained full control of the canal at the turn of the 21st-century, the country awarded a contract to a subsidiary of the Hong Kong-based company Hutchinson-Whampoalater renamed CK Hutchinson Holdings following a merger with another Hong Kong-based companyto operate two shipping ports located on both ends of the canal, essentially privatizing the ports that were formerly government-run. The company has no jurisdiction or control over the canal itself, as that authority is vested with a Panamanian government agency, the Panama Canal Authority. Lastly, 38,000 workers did not die while America constructed the Panama Canal. According to the Panama Canal Authoritys website, 5,609 lives were lost from disease and accidents during the American construction era, per archived hospital records. When including estimates of worker deaths during the failed French construction of the canal, the combined death toll reaches about 25,000. However, the true number will never be known, since the French only recorded the deaths that occurred in hospital, the Panama Canal Authority added. Byron Breedlove, a senior managing editor at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Preventions scientific journal, Emerging Infectious Diseases, cited similar figures in an August 2021 issue: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement During the effort to build the canal in the 1880s, more than 22,000 workers from France died, many from malaria and yellow fever, before the etiologies of those tropical diseases were understood. Records indicate that during the period of US construction, more than 55,000 people were employed and an estimated 5,600 died of injury and disease. The death toll would have been higher without effective protocols to control vectorborne diseases, in effect a second special wonder of the canal. If you have a claim you would like to see us fact check, please send us an email at factcheck@thedispatch.com. If you would like to suggest a correction to this piece or any other Dispatch article, please email corrections@thedispatch.com. Read more at The Dispatch 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. President Trump addressed world leaders today at the World Economic Forum. NBC News correspondents Kelly O'Donnell and Christine Romans join Ana Cabrera to break down Trump's comments on tariffs, Russia's war in Ukraine and more. ISLAMABAD (Reuters) - The International Criminal Court prosecutor said on Thursday he had applied for arrest warrants for two Taliban leaders in Afghanistan. Here are some facts on the Taliban leaders accused of "crimes against humanity for widespread discrimination against women and girls": HAIBATULLAH AKHUNDZADA Known as the "Leader of the Faithful", the Islamic legal scholar is the Taliban's supreme leader who holds final authority over the group's political, religious and military affairs. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Akhundzada took over when his predecessor, Akhtar Mansour, was killed in a U.S. drone strike near the Afghan-Pakistan border in 2016. For 15 years, until his sudden disappearance in May 2016, Akhundzada taught and preached at a mosque in Kuchlak, a town in southwestern Pakistan, associates and students have told Reuters. A cleric whose son was a suicide bomber, Akhundzada has spent much of his leadership in the shadows, letting others take the lead in negotiations that ultimately saw the United States and their allies leave Afghanistan after 20 years of grinding counter-insurgency war. Though rarely seen in public and based in the southern city of Kandahar, he has released a number of orders in recent years that ministers in the capital Kabul are bound to implement, including on the closure of high-schools and universities to girls in 2022. ABDUL HAKIM HAQQANI Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Appointed chief justice by the Taliban shortly after it took over Afghanistan in 2021, he also heads a powerful council of religious scholars and is widely believed to be someone whom Akhundzada trusts most. He was a leading member of the Taliban's negotiating team in Doha during peace talks with the United States before foreign troops withdrew. He published a book in Arabic in recent years detailing his vision of governance of an Islamic emirate, or state, in which he emphasised the value of independence and not vowing to external pressure, according to an analysis of the book by the Afghan Analyst Network think tank. (Compiled by Charlotte Greenfield, Editing by Timothy Heritage) BANGKOK (Reuters) - Thailand's historic same-sex marriage equality law came into force on Thursday, making it the first country in Southeast Asia and third territory in Asia after Taiwan and Nepal to legalise marriages of same-sex couples. Below are key facts about the law and what it means. WHO QUALIFIES? Any LGBTQ couple over 18 years of age - of Thai or other nationality - are eligible to marry in Thailand. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Thai nationals are afforded the same legal rights as people in a heterosexual marriage, including engagement, marriage registration, divorce, using their spouse's last name, joint management of assets, tax benefits, social security and health care, adoption and guardianship, and inheritance. For foreign nationals, the rights depend on their immigration status in Thailand. Same-sex marriage with a Thai national will not yet enable them to secure Thai citizenship. CAN SAME-SEX COUPLES START A FAMILY? Thai law still defines parents as a mother and a father, and many experts are concerned about the way officials might interpret the law, such as in determining whether the couple is qualified to adopt a child. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Some lawmakers attempted to change the definition of a parent to a more gender neutral term during parliamentary debates on the marriage equality bill last year, but were unsuccessful. Activists have vowed to continue efforts to change the law and make it more inclusive. The Thai health ministry is also working on legislation to change regulations concerning surrogacy, but there is no clear time frame for such an amendment. CAN PEOPLE CHANGE THEIR GENDER IDENTITY? While LGBTQ people can now marry legally, a draft law on gender recognition that was put to parliament in February last year was not passed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement That means transgender people in Thailand will not be able to change the gender of their birth. Activists have indicated they will submit a new bill. (Reporting by Panu Wongcha-um; Editing by Kate Mayberry) By Nellie Peyton JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) - Twenty-five victims' families and survivors of apartheid-era political crimes have sued South African President Cyril Ramaphosa and his government for what they say is its failure to properly investigate those offences and deliver justice. The group is seeking about 167 million rand ($9 million) in damages, according to the case filed at the High Court in the capital Pretoria on Monday, and shared by the Foundation for Human Rights, an NGO supporting the families, on Thursday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement They are also seeking an order compelling Ramaphosa to create a commission of inquiry into the "political interference that resulted in the suppression of several hundred serious crimes arising from South Africa's past," according to a statement released by the applicants. A spokesperson for Ramaphosa said his legal team would respond to the court papers accordingly and that the president had never interfered with the work of law enforcement agencies or directed them not to prosecute apartheid-era crimes. South Africa was ruled by a white minority government for decades, enforcing institutionalised racial segregation, before becoming a multi-racial democracy in 1994. The African National Congress (ANC) has governed since then but last year was forced to share power with smaller parties after losing its majority in a national election. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The first applicant in the case is Lukhanyo Calata, the son of Fort Calata, one of four anti-apartheid activists known as the "Cradock Four" who were killed in 1985. No one has been prosecuted over the case, and a third inquest is due to start this year, but many key figures linked to the killings have died, the statement said. "Justice delayed in this manner has ensured that justice is permanently denied to our families," Calata said. The other applicants include two survivors of the 1993 Highgate Massacre in which a group of masked men shot dead five patrons at a hotel bar, and the family members of other anti-apartheid activists who were killed or disappeared. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement South Africa set up its Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) in 1996 to help uncover human rights violations perpetrated under apartheid. After it ended in 2002, the TRC handed over a list of several hundred cases to state prosecutors for further investigation, but many were never pursued. "The suppression of post-TRC accountability efforts has led to the loss of witnesses, perpetrators and evidence, making prosecutions impossible in most cases and denying survivors and victims' families rights to justice, truth, and closure," said Odette Geldenhuys, a lawyer representing the applicants. The compensation sought is in the form of "constitutional damages", awarded when a court rules that there have been infringements of constitutional rights by the state. ($1 = 18.5640 rand) (Reporting by Nellie Peyton; editing by Tannur Anders and Mark Heinrich) Plagued by high costs, long waitlists, and near-minimum wage pay for workers, families, and children rallied at the Washington State Capitol Wednesday, urging lawmakers to address the childcare issues they call a crisis. I think there is a childcare crisis in all of Washington, said Kim, a mother living in Port Angeles, I flat out could not find childcare for my one-year-old. Kim encountered waitlists, facilities she wasnt comfortable with, more expensive daycares than she was expecting, and locations that werent feasible for her to reach. The lack of options meant she had to quit her job, a career that had a successful start after she earned her MBA. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I could not find care for my son and I started to meet more and more parents in my position, especially women at the playground who are mothers who used to work and had to stop, Kim said. According to an ECONorthwest study, 40% of parents have had to make a similar choice as Kim or were fired because of childcare issues. That study found that 74% of parents have had some issue with childcare, whether it be cost, quality, or availability. That has led parents to miss an average of five days, costing the state $6.9 Billion. The childcare workforce is the workforce that underpins every other workforce in the community, so we are all impacted by childcare whether we have children or not, Kim said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The childcare workforce faces its struggles as well, with wages at or close to minimum wage. I dont want to be forced with that decision: What I love isnt livable for me, but I want to do it, said Kameko Jones, a childcare teacher on Whidbey Island. In a somewhat rural area, childcare is hard to come by. Kamekos facility has a two-year waitlist. Staffing is preventing them from expanding. We always worry that were not going to be able to keep up with the demand of childcare because there is a huge demand for it, Jones said, We cant expand like we need to because we cant get in the workers because they just cant afford to live on those wages. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The average cost for childcare in Washington is $14,355, costing an average of 18% of peoples income. As we have it right now, providers could not be making any less but families cant be paying any more, Kim said. There are a series of fixes being proposed in the state legislature to address the issues. One bill would create a board that will establish minimum training standards and minimum pay for childcare workers. Another would increase the subsidies to both childcare facilities and families. For Families, it calls to raise the qualifying wage from 65% of the areas median income to 75%, about $91,000 for a family of four. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For providers, currently, they are reimbursed at a rate based on market averages, the bill calls for basing reimbursement on the actual cost providers face. In Governor Bob Fergusons proposed budget, he calls for a $100 million investment in childcare, but amid a budget shortfall estimated to be at least $12 billion over the next four years, it falls short of the requests in those bills. Instead, the only increase in his budget would increase the subsidy for families making 75% of AMI, only if one parent works for a small business. CASSIS, France (AP) In the moment when her world shattered three years ago, Stephanie Mistre found her 15-year-old daughter, Marie, lifeless in the bedroom where she died by suicide. I went from light to darkness in a fraction of a second, Mistre said, describing the day in September 2021 that marked the start of her fight against TikTok, the Chinese-owned video app she blames for pushing her daughter toward despair. ___ Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement EDITORS NOTE 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. There is also an online chat at 988lifeline.org. Helplines outside the U.S. can be found at www.iasp.info/suicidalthoughts. ___ Delving into her daughters phone after her death, Mistre discovered videos promoting suicide methods, tutorials and comments encouraging users to go beyond mere suicide attempts. She said TikToks algorithm had repeatedly pushed such content to her daughter. It was brainwashing, said Mistre, who lives in Cassis, near Marseille, in the south of France. They normalized depression and self-harm, turning it into a twisted sense of belonging. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Now Mistre and six other families are suing TikTok France, accusing the platform of failing to moderate harmful content and exposing children to life-threatening material. Out of the seven families, two experienced the loss of a child. Asked about the lawsuit, TikTok said its guidelines forbid any promotion of suicide and that it employs 40,000 trust and safety professionals worldwide hundreds of which are French-speaking moderators to remove dangerous posts. The company also said it refers users who search for suicide-related videos to mental health services. Before killing herself, Marie Le Tiec made several videos to explain her decision, citing various difficulties in her life, and quoted a song by the Louisiana-based emo rap group Suicideboys, who are popular on TikTok. Her mother also claims that her daughter was repeatedly bullied and harassed at school and online. In addition to the lawsuit, the 51-year-old mother and her husband have filed a complaint against five of Maries classmates and her previous high school. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Above all, Mistre blames TikTok, saying that putting the app "in the hands of an empathetic and sensitive teenager who does not know what is real from what is not is like a ticking bomb. Scientists have not established a clear link between social media and mental health problems or psychological harm, said Gregoire Borst, a professor of psychology and cognitive neuroscience at Paris-Cite University. Its very difficult to show clear cause and effect in this area, Borst said, citing a leading peer-reviewed study that found only 0.4% of the differences in teenagers well-being could be attributed to social media use. Additionally, Borst pointed out that no current studies suggest TikTok is any more harmful than rival apps such as Snapchat, X, Facebook or Instagram. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While most teens use social media without significant harm, the real risks, Borst said, lie with those already facing challenges such as bullying or family instability. When teenagers already feel bad about themselves and spend time exposed to distorted images or harmful social comparisons," it can worsen their mental state, Borst said. Lawyer Laure Boutron-Marmion, who represents the seven families suing TikTok, said their case is based on extensive evidence. The company "can no longer hide behind the claim that its not their responsibility because they dont create the content, Boutron-Marmion said. The lawsuit alleges that TikToks algorithm is designed to trap vulnerable users in cycles of despair for profit and seeks reparations for the families. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Their strategy is insidious, Mistre said. They hook children into depressive content to keep them on the platform, turning them into lucrative re-engagement products. Boutron-Marmion noted that TikToks Chinese version, Douyin, features much stricter content controls for young users. It includes a youth mode mandatory for users under 14 that restricts screen time to 40 minutes a day and offers only approved content. It proves they can moderate content when they choose to, Boutron-Marmion said. The absence of these safeguards here is telling. A report titled Children and Screens, commissioned by French President Emmanuel Macron in April and to which Borst contributed, concluded that certain algorithmic features should be considered addictive and banned from any app in France. The report also called for restricting social media access for minors under 15 in France. Neither measure has been adopted. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement TikTok, which faced being shut down in the U.S. until President Donald Trump suspended a ban on it, has also come under scrutiny globally. The U.S. has seen similar legal efforts by parents. One lawsuit in Los Angeles County accuses Meta and its platforms Instagram and Facebook, as well as Snapchat and TikTok, of designing defective products that cause serious injuries. The lawsuit lists three teens who died by suicide. In another complaint, two tribal nations accuse major social media companies, including YouTube owner Alphabet, of contributing to high rates of suicide among Native youths. Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg apologized to parents who had lost children while testifying last year in the U.S. Senate. In December, Australia enacted a groundbreaking law banning social media accounts for children under 16. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In France, Boutron-Marmion expects TikTok Limited Technologies, the European Union subsidiary for ByteDance the Chinese company that owns TikTok to answer the allegations in the first quarter of 2025. Authorities will later decide whether and when a trial would take place. When contacted by The Associated Press, TikTok said it had not been notified about the French lawsuit, which was filed in November. It could take months for the French justice system to process the complaint and for authorities in Ireland home to TikToks European headquarters to formally notify the company, Boutron-Marmion said. Instead, a Tiktok spokesperson highlighted company guidelines that prohibit content promoting suicide or self-harm. Critics argue that TikToks claims of robust moderation fall short. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Imran Ahmed, the CEO of the Center for Countering Digital Hate, dismissed TikToks assertion that over 98.8% of harmful videos had been flagged and removed between April and June. When asked about the blind spots of their moderation efforts, social media platforms claim that users are able to bypass detection by using ambiguous language or allusions that algorithms struggle to flag, Ahmed said. The term algospeak has been coined to describe techniques such as using zebra or armadillo emojis to talk about cutting yourself, or the Swiss flag emoji as an allusion to suicide. Such code words "arent particularly sophisticated, Ahmed said. "The only reason TikTok cant find them when independent researchers, journalists and others can is because theyre not looking hard enough, Ahmed said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ahmeds organization conducted a study in 2022 simulating the experience of a 13-year-old girl on TikTok. Within 2.5 minutes, the accounts were served self-harm content, Ahmed said. By eight minutes, they saw eating disorder content. On average, every 39 seconds, the algorithm pushed harmful material. The algorithm knows that eating disorder and self-harm content is especially addictive for young girls. For Mistre, the fight is deeply personal. Sitting in her daughters room, where she has kept the decor untouched for the last three years, she said parents must know about the dangers of social media. Had she known about the content being sent to her daughter, she never would have allowed her on TikTok, she said. Her voice breaks as she describes Marie as a sunny, funny teenager who dreamed of becoming a lawyer. In memory of Marie, I will fight as long as I have the strength, she said. Parents need to know the truth. We must confront these platforms and demand accountability. ___ Associated Press writers Haleluya Hadero and Zen Soo contributed to this story. ROCKFORD, Ill. (WTVO) A philanthropic group donated $33,000 to fund an experimental therapy strategy for families in Rockford. The Community Foundation of Northern Illinois Awarded, funding provided by the Doctor Louis and Violet Rubin Fund, to the Family Counseling Services of Northern Illinois. The funding will focus on providing families with an experimental room. The room will provide space to give therapy through art and role-playing techniques. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Family Counseling Services said this therapy can help process difficult emotions that patients are experiencing. Sometimes some very difficult emotions can come out here, anger, sadness and fear, said Family Counseling Services Clinical Director Kelly Finch. they can work through that through some of the things they are doing through the art or through the role-play or the drama or even the music. Family Counseling Services has been operating in Northern Illinois since 1877. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. By Shariq Khan NEW YORK (Reuters) - Oil prices fell on Tuesday after U.S. President Donald Trump declared a national energy emergency on his first day in office, raising concerns of higher U.S. output in a market widely expected to be oversupplied this year. Brent crude futures settled down 86 cents, or 1.1%, at $79.29 per barrel. U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude futures (WTI) for February delivery fell by $1.99, or 2.6%, to $75.89 in its final trading session. More-actively traded March WTI contract fell 2% to settle at $75.83 a barrel. There was no settlement in the U.S. market on Monday due to a public holiday. "End of the day, there is no shortage of oil out there," Mizuho analyst Robert Yawger said, noting that U.S. oil production is at record levels and the OPEC+ producer group still has some 5.86 million barrels per day of output curtailed. "What there is a shortage of is demand," Yawger said. "If the refiner doesn't need to make more fuel, they're not going to buy the crude." The oil market is expected to be oversupplied this year, after weak economic activity and energy transition efforts weighed heavily on demand in top-consuming nations the United States and China. The U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) reiterated on Tuesday its expectations for oil prices to decline both this year and next. "Strong global growth in production of petroleum and other liquids and slower demand growth put downward pressure on prices," EIA economists wrote. Trump also said he was thinking of imposing 25% tariffs on imports from Canada and Mexico from Feb. 1, rather than on his first day in office as previously promised. The delay helped ease concerns of an immediate tightening of the market among U.S. refiners, many of which are geared to process the type of crude oil supplied by these countries, Mizuho's Yawger said. Oil's losses were also limited after the U.S. president said his administration would "probably" stop buying oil from Venezuela. The U.S. is the second-biggest buyer of Venezuelan oil after China. Trump also promised to refill strategic reserves, although analysts questioned whether that would make any changes to oil demand. "(It) will likely not change anything ... Biden was already refilling U.S. SPR at its maximum rate of 3 (million barrels) per month," SEB Research analyst Bjarne Schieldrop wrote, referring to the Strategic Petroleum Reserve, the nation's crude stockpile, designed as a buffer against supply shocks. Also weighing on prices on Tuesday was the potential end to the shipping disruption in the Red Sea. Yemen's Houthis said on Monday they will limit their attacks on commercial vessels to Israel-linked ships provided the Gaza ceasefire is fully implemented. (Reporting by Gabrielle Ng, Colleen Howe and Enes Tunagur; Editing by Marguerita Choy and Nia Williams) MADISON COUNTY, Ala. (WHNT) The Alabama Fire Marshal has offered new details after Madison County Sheriffs Office said a family found dead in a burning Monrovia home died as a result of a murder-suicide. MCSO identified the victims as: Harold Celestine, 46 Meliyah Celestine, 16 Marie Celestine, 49 Alabama Department of Public Health, CDC investigating adverse events following injection Harold and Meliyahs cause of death was revealed to be murder by gunshot wound, and the sheriffs office said Maries death was a suicide by gunshot wound. MCSO added that forensic analysis shows the deadly injuries were sustained by the family before the fire. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We extend our heartfelt condolences to the families affected by this tragic event. Our hearts go out to those who are grieving, and we truly hope that they can find some sense of healing and closure in the days to come. The families and their loved ones remain in our thoughts and prayers during this incredibly difficult time, Sheriff Kevin Turner said. State Fire Marshall Scott Pilgreen told News 19s Emily Moessner that the fire appeared to have been intentionally set in multiple places in the home. He said investigators believe the fire was a direct result of what he called a domestic situation that led to the deaths. The Madison County Sheriffs Office said Harold was a Reserve Deputy with the agency, serving in a volunteer capacity for seven years. He was not a paid employee of the agency and did not possess sworn law enforcement powers. However, as a citizen volunteer with our agency, we requested that the State law enforcement agency take the lead in investigating the circumstances surrounding his death, a spokesperson with the sheriffs office said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Celestines were found dead inside the home after the fire, which happened on Jan. 7. Madison County Coroner Tyler Berryhill said at the time all three people were believed to be family members who lived there. Authorities then began a death investigation. Berryhill said preliminary examinations identified the peoples cause of death, but autopsies were performed in Huntsville to confirm the findings and establish positive identification for each person. The Madison County Sheriffs Office, the State Fire Marshals Office, and the Madison County Coroners Office have submitted dental records for this purpose, the sheriffs office said in a statement about why the three people hadnt been identified over a week later. Court records show that Harold and Marie Celestine had a bench trial in a divorce proceeding before the family was found dead inside the home. Records do not reveal the outcome of the trial. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Crews at the scene when the fire happened said the flames were coming from the front door and quickly spread to the second floor, then the attic. During the initial home search, Monrovia Fire & Rescue said the second floor collapsed and two firefighters received minor 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 WHNT.com. Relatives of an 8-year-old boy and his mother who were murdered by a Connecticut drug gang are outraged that a man convicted in the killings was one of nearly 2,500 people whose drug-related prison sentences were commuted by former President Joe Biden in his last days in office. Adrian Peeler served a 20-year state prison sentence for murder conspiracy in the 1999 shootings of Leroy B.J. Brown and his mother, Karen Clarke, in Bridgeport killings that shocked the city and led to improvements in state witness protection. Prosecutors said Brown and his mother were assassinated to prevent the child from testifying in another murder case. In December 2021, Peeler finished his state sentence but began serving a 15-year term in federal prison for dealing large amounts of crack cocaine. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The federal sentence would have kept him behind bars until 2033. He is now set to be released in July. Clarkes brother, Oswald Clarke, said the commutation caught his family by surprise and that they were angry and dismayed. Im sick and tired and Im disgusted, he told The Associated Press in phone interview Wednesday. Its a very shocking thing. My family is very distraught about it. Its like were being traumatized all over again." It wasnt immediately clear how Peeler, now 48, came to Bidens attention, and the former president did not publicly disclose specific reasons for commuting Peeler's federal sentence. Email and social media messages were left with former White House spokesperson Karine Jean-Pierre and current White House spokesperson Harrison Fields. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In announcing the clemency actions Friday, Biden said he was commuting the sentences of people convicted of nonviolent drug offenses, saying their prison terms were too harsh. The Democrat said he was seeking to undo disproportionately long sentences compared to the sentences they would receive today under current law, policy, and practice. A grand jury indictment of Peeler in the drug case did not mention the killings, only that he and others conspired to sell multi-kilogram quantities of crack cocaine. U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal, a Connecticut Democrat who was the state's attorney general when Brown and his mother were killed, said someone dropped the ball in Peeler's clemency. He and other political leaders in Connecticut, including Bridgeport Mayor Joe Ganim, criticized the commutation. This was a really vicious murder that changed our laws, Blumenthal said in a statement. "It also highlights how we need to take a look at the pardon system to see how it can be improved. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement State Sen. Stephen Harding, the Republican minority leader, called the clemency a slap in the face to all Connecticut victims of violent crimes and their families. Peeler's lawyer, Michael Brown, declined to comment on the clemency. He said Peeler has worked hard to rehabilitate himself in prison and is a different person than he was a quarter-century ago. The guy has done a lot of work on himself and helped a lot of people during his incarceration, Brown said. A spokesperson for the U.S. attorney's office in Connecticut, which prosecuted the drug case against Peeler, said Wednesday that it was not consulted or notified in advance about Peelers clemency. The office declined further comment. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Prosecutors have said Peeler, at the direction of his older brother, Russell Peeler, gunned down Brown and Clarke in their Bridgeport home Jan. 7, 1999. Authorities said the brothers wanted to eliminate Brown as a witness against Russell Peeler in the 1998 killing of Clarkes boyfriend, Rudolph Snead. Brown had identified Russell Peeler to police as the person who shot Snead in a 1997 attack that Snead survived. The boy, who had been riding in Snead's car when he was shot, was expected to testify about the drive-by attack at Russell Peelers trial for subsequently attacking Snead again and killing him at a barbershop. Both Peelers were charged by the state with capital felony and murder and faced the possibility of the death penalty. Despite Adrian Peeler being the alleged shooter, a jury only convicted him of murder conspiracy and he was sentenced to 20 years in prison on the charge and five more years on other charges. Russell Peeler was convicted and sentenced to death for ordering the killings. He was resentenced to life in prison without the possibility of release in 2016 because the state abolished the death penalty. He also was sentenced to 105 years in prison for killing Snead. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In response to the killings, the state legislature passed a law creating a new witness protection program that includes special protections for children. Federal authorities said Russell Peeler ran a sophisticated crack cocaine dealing operation in Bridgeport with a hierarchy that included his brother. Before the killings, prosecutors said Adrian Peeler had a criminal record that including shooting an automatic weapon into an apartment where four young children were inside but not injured, escaping from a halfway house and assaulting a correction official. In the federal drug case, Adrian Peeler pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute cocaine and was sentenced to 35 years in prison. A judge in 2021 reduced the sentence to 15 years, citing revised sentencing guidelines meant to eliminate disparities in prison terms for those sentenced on powder cocaine charges and those locked up for crack. Weve tried for years and years to keep this guy off the streets, Oswald Clarke said. And its a major insult in every way, and the whole state of Connecticut should be shocked, appalled and embarrassed, and the federal government regardless of whos in power, they all should be embarrassed for the kinds of things they are doing. A Connecticut man who was convicted in one of the states most notorious murder cases was one of the nearly 2,500 people whose federal drug-related prison sentences were commuted by former President Joe Biden in his last days in office. Adrian Peeler served a 20-year state prison sentence for murder conspiracy in the 1999 shootings of an 8-year-old boy and his mother in Bridgeport. He finished that sentence in 2021 and began serving a 15-year federal prison term for drug dealing. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He is now set to be released in July. Family of the two killed and Connecticut political leaders are criticizing the commutation. 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 A white Rissos dolphin known to frequent Monterey Bay looked especially luminous Saturday during an extraordinary Southern California appearance. Capt. Delaney Trowbridge of Pacific Offshore Expeditions announced the sighting via Instagram: Casper the Rissos dolphin has NEVER been documented outside of Monterey Bay but today we found him alongside other Rissos and bottlenose on the front side of Santa Rosa Island. Casper the white dolphin next to pod mate. Photo: Delaney Trowbridge Santa Rosa Island is part of Channel Islands National Park off Ventura and Santa Barbara, more than 200 miles south of Monterey. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Rissos dolphins, which can measure 10-plus feet, are robust cetaceans that typically travel in groups of between 10 and 30. Theyre born with dark skin that lightens to a pale gray as they age. As adults, their skin boasts scars caused by rough socializing or battles with squid and other prey. Casper, first spotted as a white calf in Monterey Bay in 2014, is either leucistic or albino. But while his skin had a slight film of algae during previous sightings, on Saturday it was pure white. Initially I thought we had found Blanco, the other white Rissos dolphin that Ive encountered a few times off of San Diego and Catalina Island, Trowbridge told FTW Outdoors. Comparatively, Casper is much whiter, Blanco has dark lips and a dark trim on his fin. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Once we got that closer look it dawned on me, Wow, this dolphin is porcelain white it wasnt Blanco. Casper next to pod mate with scarred body. Photo: Delaney Trowbridge Alisa Schulman-Janiger, a researcher, helped Trowbridge determine, based on fin markings, that the dolphin was Casper. Schulman-Janiger said diatoms that caused the yellowish hue had died off, perhaps in warmer Southern California waters, revealing the sleeker look. The sighting occurred just days after a white killer whale named Frosty was spotted with other orcas near the Channel Islands. Pacific Offshore Expeditions was on a successful Killer Whale Quest when Casper and his pod mates were encountered. This article originally appeared on For The Win: Famous white dolphin surfaces off California with dazzling new look Jan. 22A Farmington man was charged with sexual battery after he allegedly assaulted an acquaintance on a cruise ship after the pair had consumed multiple alcoholic drinks off the ship, authorities said. Randy Gaul, 59, was arrested Saturday following the incident on board the Norwegian Escape, according to a police report from the Miami-Dade Sheriff's Office. Gaul was charged with sexual battery/victim physically helpless. A Miami-Dade judge found probable cause Tuesday to charge Gaul, ordering that he be held without bond, according to a story posted on the website of television station WPLG. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Gaul and the woman were sharing the same cabin and the woman had asked housekeeping to separate the one bed into two, according to the report. The pair got off the ship in Mexico on Jan. 15 and went to a restaurant where they consumed multiple alcoholic beverages, police said. The woman told police she consumed two alcoholic drinks but couldn't finish a third. The victim told police that Gaul's snoring woke her up around 1 a.m. Thursday. When she got up to use the restroom, she felt pain inside her and found blood on her and inside her shorts. Later that morning, she observed blood on her bed sheets. The victim told police that Gaul admitted to having intercourse with her the previous night, the report said. Gaul was arrested Saturday afternoon at an address where the sexual crimes investigations unit is located. "Post Miranda warning, the defendant invoked his rights to have an attorney present," the report said. Gaul couldn't immediately be reached for comment. When Prime Minister Harold Macmillan was asked what might blow a government off course, he quipped events, dear boy, events. In doing so, Macmillan summarised what is probably the single worst problem of the British approach to governing; that it is led by, and does not seek to control, external factors. Almost 60 years later, Boris Johnsons memoirs claimed that an unnamed Tory MP told him we get our foreign policy from the Americans, and our economic policy from the European Union. Fatalism is a tradition that runs deep in the modern British political class though it is one that has intensified in recent years. Not for nothing did Margaret Thatcher explain that there is no alternative to the failed postwar consensus. Yet such a phrase was picked up by those who bought wholesale into the belief of the 1990s: that history had ended. Liberal democracy was the only viable system of governance, and, twinned with capitalism, the shape of the economic landscape was set. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Yet if Thatcher had predicted the rhetorical turn that politics would take, her favoured phrase was used most by the only other politician who could claim to have shaped Britain as much: Tony Blair. Indeed, Blair deployed the language of no alternative in a range of topics as broad as education, military intervention, economic orthodoxy and Northern Ireland, claiming in 2004 that his intention to introduce tuition fees had no Plan B, and in 1999 that there had been no alternative to military intervention in either Kosovo or Iraq. Blairs legacy of fatalism left an indelible mark on British politics, far beyond the rhetorical flourish of either Macmillan or Thatcher. His constitutional changes, especially the Human Rights Act (1998) and the Constitutional Reform Act (2005) meant that, for every subsequent government, there really would be no alternative to the Blairite system. Attempting to shoehorn into British law the supremacy of a foreign court staffed by foreign lawyers in Strasbourg, Blair inculcated a legalistic determinism into British politics that submits the ultimate political authority of Parliament to the European Court of Human Rights. As a result, the ability to change the course of the country, whether on economics or immigration reform, was, our subsequent leaders believed, severely limited. When David Cameron returned from Brussels in 2016 with his renegotiated settlement with the EU, it looked remarkably similar to what came before because it was. And rather than recognise the legal rope that bound his hands, Cameron resigned himself to a situation he was politically unhappy with, but constitutionally bound to, because there was no alternative. What makes this fatalist mindset so frustrating is it is entirely a product of choice. The British State is, theoretically, one of the most politically powerful states in existence, in that the fulcrum of every political decision is the sovereignty of Parliament. This is why Brexit was such an inordinately difficult thing because our political system had forgotten how to take control of itself. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Like a patient waking from a coma, relearning the use of its legs and clearing the fugue, the British State was asked to actually do something and found, remarkably, that it could. But it was so used to having its business determined by external factors, or actors, that there began a long toing and froing between the cabinet and Parliament over who could set the parliamentary timetable, which entity would be able to trigger Article 50, the principal negotiators with the European Union, and so on. The fatalist mindset is on full display in the current Governments decision in fact, insistence to surrender the Chagos Islands, under the guise of following international law. Clearly, there is no alternative at least, until the inauguration of President Trump. Of course, it is telling that the only thing that seemed to prevent this surrender was the return of Trump to the White House, so there is a choice its just not ours to make. So runs the fatalist argument, and as long as this argument holds weight, prosperity will be out of our reach, and we will be the victims of circumstance. Britain must shake this fatalism, and it is entirely within its power to do so. Indeed, the direction this country has taken in the last 30 years is not a product of circumstance, but is a choice, and should be challenged as such. What is more encouraging is that this direction is a choice that can be undone, and the infrastructure to choose an alternative is still there. We just have to be brave enough to take it. 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. BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KGET) Twenty-three dogs. Thats how many were saved by Los Angeles-based rescue Saving Gizmos Friends. Not from an abusive household or a shelter, but allegedly from another rescue, one based in Kern County. Its really disheartening to know that people are claiming to be rescues, and they are neglecting animals, Dr. Melissa Brunson said. I-5 open at Grapevine through Highway 126: Caltrans Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Her Marleys Mutts was one of the many rescues that assisted in taking the dogs away from the California City-based rescue, which they say had been mistreating more than a dozen dogs for an unknown amount of time. Saving Gizmos Friends, named after founder Cassandra Manns first dog, reached out to animal control in California City after Mann heard the poor conditions the dogs were in. At first, animal control found a large number of dogs inside the home, but no evidence of abuse. Then, Mann told him to check the garage. He said I need you to open the garage. So she opened the garage and thats where a majority of the dogs were, said Mann. He said it was very dark, it smelled very bad. Saving Gizmos Friends took the 23 dogs in the garage and got them the treatment they needed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We didnt see the worst of the worst cases, those dogs require 24-hour care, said Brunson. Theres so many of them that are malnourished, theyre underweight, they have wounds on their feet, they have ones on their back, they have skin issues. Brunson and Mann say one dog even tried to free itself by eating its cage, getting wiring stuck inside its stomach. That dog is currently too sick and weak to undergo surgery to remove it. In all, the cost of treatments equal about $50,000, all paid by Saving Gizmos Friends. Those 23 dogs now safe and in the process of finding a home, but the other 17 are at the Cal City rescue. Now she said if you want the rest of the dogs, you need to bring a warrant,' said Mann. So thats where were at. So begins what could potentially be a long legal process for Mann in trying to retrieve the rest of the dogs. All while trying to find homes for the remaining 10 in her care. Her word of advice to avoid situations like this; sometimes the shelter is the best place for an animal to go. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Dogs are ending up in other shelters, in hoarding situations, in abusive households, said Mann. I know people think, at least theyre out of the shelter, but youd actually be sending that dog to a worse fate than if they were at the shelter, had a chance, and if theyre just not thriving, theyre being put down. 17 News has reached out to the California City-based rescue for comment. As of publication, no response. If youd like to help Mann cover medical costs for those dogs, you can donate at SavingGizmosFriends.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 KGET 17 News. By News Centre On January 23, 2025, at the Presidential Complex in Ankara, a significant moment in international diplomacy unfolded. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdo?an hosted Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico for high-level talks, marking a pivotal moment in Turkiye-Slovakia relations. The discussions between the two leaders addressed a range of crucial topics, from bilateral relations to regional and global challenges, further deepening the strategic ties between their countries. During a joint press conference following the tete-a-tete and extended bilateral talks, Erdo?an expressed his pleasure at welcoming Prime Minister Fico and his delegation to Turkiye. He noted that the days talks were centered around finding ways to enhance the already growing relationship between the two countries. "Today, we evaluated ways to further deepen our bilateral relations," Erdo?an stated, acknowledging the shared commitment to strengthening the ties between Turkiye and Slovakia. The most notable outcome of the meeting was the signing of a joint declaration, which raised the relationship between Turkiye and Slovakia to the level of a "strategic partnership." Erdo?an expressed his optimism for the future, wishing for the partnership to bring about beneficial outcomes for both nations. In addition to the political framework established by the declaration, multiple agreements were signed in various sectors, including military cooperation, defense industry collaboration, and cultural exchanges. The defense industry, in particular, was a major focus of the discussions. Erdo?an underscored the significant strides both countries had made in defense technology and military cooperation over the past two decades. As NATO allies, Turkiye and Slovakia have long shared a commitment to regional stability and security, and both leaders emphasized the need for continued collaboration in the defense sector to further enhance this partnership. Economic cooperation between Turkiye and Slovakia has witnessed considerable growth in recent years, with trade volumes steadily increasing. Erdo?an highlighted that trade between the two countries, which stood at around $1 billion in 2019, had now reached approximately $3 billion in recent years. He expressed his belief that the shared target of $5 billion in trade volume was not only attainable but could be surpassed in the near future. To this end, Turkiye will host the first meeting of the Joint Economic and Trade Committee this year, which is expected to play a crucial role in achieving these ambitious economic goals. Prime Minister Fico echoed this sentiment, emphasizing the importance of boosting economic ties. "We are committed to working toward increasing the annual trade volume between our nations to 5 billion," Fico said. "Looking at the dynamic nature of our relations, I have no doubt that this goal is within reach." One of the key points discussed was Slovakia's increasing role in Turkiye's European Union aspirations. Fico reaffirmed Slovakia's strong support for Turkiyes EU accession process, noting that despite the difficulties and challenges inherent in the membership negotiations, Slovakia would remain steadfast in its support for Turkiyes ambitions. "Turkiye has expressed its determination to achieve full EU membership. Slovakia stands firmly behind you, and we hope to see your EU aspirations realized in the shortest time possible," Fico remarked. In addition to economic and political issues, the leaders addressed a number of key international concerns, such as the ongoing war in Ukraine and the situation in Syria. Both Erdo?an and Fico expressed their commitment to finding a lasting and just peace in Ukraine, recognizing the profound impact the conflict has had on Europes security and stability. They both agreed that further escalation of the war would have dire consequences for the region, and they emphasized the need for diplomatic solutions that would bring about a just and lasting peace. Erdo?an also mentioned Turkiye's efforts to address the humanitarian needs arising from the conflict, including the grain shipments that Turkiye has facilitated to help alleviate the global food crisis exacerbated by the war. However, he pointed out that despite efforts to coordinate with Russian and Ukrainian leaders, the full potential of the grain corridor had yet to be realized, and challenges in reaching the most needy regions, especially in Africa, remained. The two leaders also discussed the volatile situation in Syria, where both Turkiye and Slovakia share concerns about regional stability and security. Erdo?an noted that ensuring stability in Syria was essential, and both countries emphasized the importance of removing international sanctions related to Syrias reconstruction in order to expedite recovery efforts. Slovakia, both bilaterally and within the EU framework, could contribute significantly to these efforts, Fico noted, offering Slovakias support for Syrias reconstruction process. Looking beyond bilateral relations, the discussions between Erdo?an and Fico covered a range of regional and global issues. One of the major topics was the ongoing conflict between Hamas and Israel. Erdo?an expressed his satisfaction with the ceasefire agreement reached between Hamas and Israel, emphasizing the need for the international community to ensure that both sides adhere to the terms of the agreement. He reiterated Turkiye's commitment to supporting the Palestinian cause, stressing the importance of a two-state solution based on the 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as the capital. Fico also expressed Slovakia's continued support for Turkiyes efforts in advocating for peace in the Middle East, particularly regarding the situation in Palestine. He praised Turkiyes role in facilitating the recent ceasefire and noted Slovakias alignment with Turkiye on the broader issues of regional stability and peace. Another area of discussion was Turkiyes role in energy security, particularly in relation to natural gas supplies to Slovakia. Given the current geopolitical tensions and energy concerns, Erdo?an offered his support to Slovakia in addressing its energy needs, particularly in light of the recent disruption of natural gas supplies from Ukraine. "We are prepared to take the necessary steps to support Slovakias energy needs," Erdo?an said, offering to engage in diplomatic talks with Russia to ensure the stability of natural gas supplies to Slovakia. This visit by Prime Minister Fico marks a new chapter in the growing relationship between Turkiye and Slovakia. Both countries recognize the importance of a solid, multifaceted partnership that transcends traditional diplomacy and encompasses economic, defense, and cultural cooperation. As Slovakia navigates its role within the European Union and looks to bolster its global presence, its collaboration with Turkiye, a key player in both regional and global politics, will continue to be a vital component of its foreign policy strategy. By Divya Chowdhury and Victoria Waldersee DAVOS, Switzerland (Reuters) -Volkswagen needs to increase investments in the U.S. to hit its market share targets, and cut costs in Europe to achieve profitable growth, its CFO Arno Antlitz said on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos on Thursday. The carmaker now aimed to "double" its market share in the U.S., currently around 4%, by 2030, Antlitz said, a dampened ambition from its previous goal of a 10% share by then. In its home market of Germany, the hard work of implementing cost-cutting measures agreed with unions last month was just beginning, Antlitz said, emphasising that the plan would fail if factories did not speed up their output. His comments reflect the vexing landscape of challenges faced by Volkswagen in its key markets, with the threat of tariffs by newly inaugurated U.S. President Donald Trump coming on top of heavy investor pressure to boost competitiveness at its German sites. The CFO, in charge of the Volkswagen Group's finances since 2021, said the company's challenges mirrored those facing Germany and Europe's wider industrial sector, from securing access to batteries and chips, to improving productivity and return on investment. Fixed costs had to come down before the company, and indeed the region, could begin to grow profitably, he added. "It's a pattern: what's right for Volkswagen might be right for Germany and also right for Europe," Antlitz said. AIMING FOR MORE 'VALUE-ADDED' IN US The CFO declined to comment on how the carmaker would react if U.S. President Donald Trump follows through on threats to impose tariffs on imports from Europe, Mexico and Canada, saying it was "too early". Volkswagen's North American production chain places it directly in the firing line for possible tariffs from Trump. Its Audi and Porsche brands have no U.S. manufacturing base, its VW passenger car brand's U.S. sales consist mainly of imports from its Mexican plant, and its battery cell plant under construction in Canada was set to deliver batteries to the United States. The carmaker has already committed around $20 billion to the North American market, including $10 billion at its Chattanooga plant, $5 billion for a joint venture with EV maker Rivian and $5 billion for its Scout subsidiary. "We need additional initiatives ... to double market share, you have to be even more local," Antlitz said when asked whether Volkswagen plans to expand its plant in Chattanooga, Tennessee. "We are strong in Europe, but we need to do more 'value-added' in the U.S.," added Antlitz, listing research and development as a potential area for investment. A man from Richland County is facing federal charges in connection to cyberstalking, according to a report from CBS affiliate WOIO. [DOWNLOAD: Free WHIO-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] Logan Stanford, 28, is accused of targeting at least three people with threats over three years, according to WOIO. TRENDING STORIES: A grand jury indicted Stanford on Thursday on charges of cyberstalking, making online threats and making interstate threatening communications, WOIO says. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Federal authorities say Stanford sent intimidating threats that were sexual and violent, according to WOIO. Stanford is accused of stalking his victims online, creating social media accounts and email accounts under different names to send repeated messages, WOIO says. The Cleveland FBI handled the investigation. [SIGN UP: WHIO-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter] The FBI and police are searching for a woman accused of robbing several banks in Seattle. The FBI believes the woman has robbed at least five different banks between June 28, 2024, and January 13, 2025. Law enforcement says the woman typically wears a hat and facemask and passes a note to the teller demanding money. She appears to be between 53 and 55 and is in her early to mid-20s. If you recognize the woman or have any information that may help in this investigation, youre asked to call the FBI at 1 (800) CALL-FBI or contact Seattle police. Help the #FBI and Seattle Police Department identify a serial bank robber. If you have information, let us know here: https://t.co/1ci6yDdaYq or call 1-800-CALL-FBI or the Seattle Police Department. pic.twitter.com/SFewsiHQlM FBI Seattle (@FBISeattle) January 22, 2025 The Federal Communications Commission revived three complaint against NBC, ABC and CBS on Wednesday, after a conservative group alleged multiple instances of bias against now-President Donald Trump during the election season. The three complaints were initially filed by a conservative nonprofit group called the Center for American Rights. One accused ABC News of bias towards former Vice President Kamala Harris for fact-checking Trump during a presidential debate; another claimed NBC had violated the equal time rule when Vice President Kamala Harris made a surprise appearance on Saturday Night Live; and the third accused CBS of deceptively editing Harris interview with 60 Minutes. CBS has defended the 60 Minutes sit-down with Harris and denied that it had been edited misleadingly. NBC filed an equal time notice with the FCC to rectify Harris air time, and the network later gave Trump two minutes of free air. And ABC rejected claims that the network had given Harris an unfair advantage. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The FCC chair under Joe Biden, Jessica Rosenworcel, dismissed the complaints last week, in the final days of Bidens term. She said at the time the filings had sought to weaponize the licensing authority of the FCC in a way that is fundamentally at odds with the First Amendment. But FCC Chair Brendan Carr, a Republican and Project 2025 contributor who took over the agency this week after being selected by Trump, reversed that decision. The presidential debate between Trump and Harris in September prompted an FCC complaint when the moderators fact-checked the Republican candidate. AP Photo/Alex Brandon, File Glad to see that our campaign for truth and transparency through the @FCC wont be stopped by the prior chairs last minute attempt to excuse the networks from accountability, Daniel Suhr, president of the Center for American Rights, wrote on X. A fourth FCC complaint against a Fox-owned television station that Rosenworcel had also dismissed was not revived. That complaint had argued the station should lose its license for promoting lies and conspiracy theories about the 2020 presidential election. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Carr criticized Harris Saturday Night Live appearance when it happened. At the time, he argued the surprise skit, just days before the November election, was a clear and blatant effort by the Harris campaign to evade the FCCs Equal Time rule, which forces broadcasters to give the same airtime to political candidates. The purpose of the rule is to avoid exactly this type of biased and partisan conduct a licensed broadcaster using the public airwaves to exert its influence for one candidate on the eve of an election, he wrote. Related... TOPEKA (KSNT) President Donald Trump is moving to end affirmative action and is calling for all federal diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) staff to be put on leave. How will that impact agencies in Kansas? Trump signed an executive order on Monday, Jan. 20 effectively ending DEI programs within the federal government. In Feb. 2023, the administration of former President Joe Biden expanded its DEI policy, claiming it would empower underserved and discriminated-against communities. The Trump administration alleged the Biden Administration had forced illegal and immoral discrimination programs under DEI. By advancing equity, the Federal Government can support and empower all Americans, including the many communities in America that have been underserved, discriminated against, and adversely affected by persistent poverty and inequality, the Biden Administration wrote in its 2023 Executive Order. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This was a concerted effort stemming from President Bidens first day in office, when he issued Executive Order 13985, Advancing Racial Equity and Support for Underserved Communities Through the Federal Government,' the executive order from the Trump White House reads. Should Kansas retirement benefits be used to buy Bitcoin? Many agencies in the Sunflower State could be impacted by the federal changes. Some federal agencies operating in Kansas include: the USPS, Veterans Affairs, the Department of the Treasury, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the Federal Aviation Administration, the Environmental Protection Agency and more. Press Secretary for Governor Laura Kellys Office, Grace Hoge, told 27 News they are evaluating the Trump executive orders. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We are evaluating Executive Orders from the new federal administration and will consider any necessary or appropriate changes to state policy as needed based on our understanding of those Executive Orders, Hoge said. The Postal Service is still assessing the effects of the Presidents Executive Orders on our operations, USPS Strategic Communications Specialist Tara Jarrett told 27 News. VA Eastern Kansas Health Care System does not have DEI-specific positions and will follow all applicable federal guidance regarding ending DEI, a spokesman for Veterans Affairs told 27 News. Kris Craven with the National Weather Service of Topeka, a federal agency that could be impacted by the DEI changes, told 27 News they dont have any full-time DEI positions in Topeka. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Topeka groups conduct Point in Time homeless count, TRM expects uptick At the national level, the NOAA Director of Public Affairs Susan Buchanan said NOAA will not speculate on how the Executive Orders will be implemented. NOAA will remain dedicated to its mission, providing timely information, research, and resources that serve the American public and ensure our nations environmental and economic resilience, Buchanan said. 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 Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. BOSTON (WWLP) Federal agents were in Boston on Wednesday conducting an investigation that lead to at least one person getting arrested. Governor Healey unveils $59 billion 2026 budget The agents were wearing vests that were marked with POLICE-federal agent, and could bee seen going door to door in a neighborhood with a high migrant population, according to NBC Boston. Some witnesses believe the operation is in connection to President Donald Trumps new immigration policies. President Trump said that he is directing ICE to arrest and deport migrants with criminal convictions. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Immigration and custom officials have not commented on this situation at this time. 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. COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) Those who use SNAP benefits often depend on the program for buying food, but some are finding out that its possible for their funds to be stolen, with no opportunity for reimbursement. While food stamp fraud has been around for a long time, a federal program to reimburse those has been able to help those affected. That just stopped as Congress blocked the program that reimburses people who have had their SNAP benefits stolen. The impacts reach beyond those with SNAP benefits as food stamp fraud causes millions of government dollars to be stolen. Were talking about single mothers. Were talking about families who need these benefits. These are people who need these benefits to live, social worker Lakisa Dukes said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Now, thousands are being targeted and having to find ways to survive without the money they rely on for food. Thats literally all I have to use. So when I went to the store the next day, it was all gone, 19-year-old Kaiden Bickmeyer who had his SNAP benefits stolen said. Bickmeyer had his card declined when he went to get food at a store. It kind of hurt my feelings badly because thats all I had for that week, Bickmeyer said. He checked his account and heard this message: A food assistance purchase in the amount of $220.95 was posted on January 7. The purchase was made at a store in Massachusetts when Kaiden was in Columbus all day. It happened in September. I was second month into recovery and being in recovery, you need the SNAP, Christopher Swartzbeck said. Swartzbeck had his SNAP money stolen last year. I had plans to go get meat. All the good stuff and I check my card at six in the morning and it was gone, Swartzbeck said. As soon as it hit the account, it was gone by somebody in New York. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement How Ohios next lieutenant governor will be picked The same thing happened to Shadawna Collier. I was embarrassed for one, because I had a bunch of groceries up at the register. And, you know, I was devastated. I was hurt because, you know, now I am basically out of luck for the rest of the month, Collier said. Hours after their SNAP cards were funded for the month, their money was stolen. Theyre being victimized because they cant, now they have no food. Theres very limited resources right now. So its just really frustrating, Dukes said. 4 Investigates found that in Ohio last year, nearly 27,000 people reported their SNAP benefits stolen, almost $14 million of taxpayer money, gone. Almost 7,000 of those victims were in Franklin County, with more than $3 million stolen. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When I went to Job and Family Services, they had a specific line for people like they directed people to a certain line that this had happened to, Collier said. The federal government did reimburse Collier and Swartzbeck, whose benefits were stolen last year. However, the 2025 American Relief Act does not include money to replace stolen SNAP benefits. Anyone impacted now, like Bickmeyer, wont get their money back. I had nothing left once that was gone, Bickmeyer said. Both sides in abortion battle angle for Ohio funding Ohio Job and Family Services says the SNAP cards are outdated and an easy target for skimming. That means the card information can be stolen with a device or code criminals put on machines you use to pay. Changing the card to add a chip could prevent fraud, but that change will need to come from Congress. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement These people are in a group of population of vulnerable people who are hungry. They dont have time to wait months and months for something to go to the legislative branch, to go through every branch of government. This is an immediate need, Dukes said. 4 Investigates reached out to Congresswoman Joyce Beattys office. She sent a statement saying in part that House Republicans stripped a key provision from the December stopgap funding bill that would have helped victims recoup their stolen benefits. Congress must permanently reinstate this provision in the farm bill and continue supporting efforts to improve security for EBT cards so we can end SNAP skimming theft for good, Beatty said. We also reached out to Congressman Mike Careys office. They shared it is on their radar. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement There are a few ways to protect SNAP benefits, including locking and unlocking your card with every purchase. More information 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 NBC4 WCMH-TV. "Hearst Magazines and Yahoo may earn commission or revenue on some items through these links." President Donald Trump is cleaning house when it comes to federal employeesand now hes cleaning the buildings. Just hours after his presidential inauguration in Washington D.C. Monday, Trump returned to the White House for a second non-consecutive term, and signed a raft of orders, memoranda and rescissions. Charges ranged from the withdrawal from the World Health Organization and the Paris Climate Agreement (again) to transforming a federal government he views as both too bloated and too woke. Among them, modern architecture is also under fire. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The order, Promoting Beautiful Federal Civic Architecture , promotes neoclassical architecture as the official style for federal buildings across America and in Washington, D.C. The policy directs new acting head of the General Services Administration (GSA) Stephen Ehikian to submit, within 60 days, recommendations to advance the policy that federal public buildings should be visually identifiable as civic buildings and respect regional, traditional, and classical architectural heritage in order to uplift and beautify public spaces and ennoble the United States and our system of self-government. A similar policy was put forward near the end of Trumps first term in 2020. It, too, stipulated that federal buildings should be "beautiful," with priority given to classical and traditional styles that are "visual embodiment[s] of America's ideals." The order specified that it was a push away from the often divisive Brutalist architecture that was common for federal buildings built between the 1950s and 1970s. President Joe Biden revoked the order in February 2021 before any significant changes were enacted to existing buildings. Win McNamee - Getty Images The language in this new memorandum is softer than the language in Trump's 2020 executive order, but it doesnt allow the General Services Administration from approving any new buildings, and provides time for the president to nominate a new administrator of the GSA. The American Institute of Architects (AIA) denounced the policy, saying it would stifle innovation. In a press release , the organization wrote, "AIA is extremely concerned about any revisions that remove control from local communities; mandate official federal design preferences, or otherwise hinder design freedom; and add bureaucratic hurdles for federal buildings. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The group adds that it will continue to monitor the process laid out in the memo "and provide feedback from AIA's over 100,000 members comprising licensed, practicing architects who live and work in every community across the country." Will all new federal buildings look like ancient Rome now? If fully implemented, this policy could jeopardize the design quality of billions of dollars' worth of construction projects. However, this wasnt the case with the first memorandum, but it remains to be seen if more persistent action will be taken. Archive Photos - Getty Images The GSA currently owns or leases 8,629 properties across the United States, Puerto Rico, Guam, and American Samoa. One building that might be directly impacted by the memorandum is the J. Edgar Hoover Building that is the headquarters of the FBI. The low-rise brutalist office building, located in Washington D.C., has long been in need of repair. Last year, after a years-long site selection process, the Biden administration selected Greenbelt, Maryland as the location for the new FBI headquarters. In response, Trump posted on Truth Social, "THE NEW FBI BUILDING SHOULD BE BUILT IN WASHINGTON, D.C., NOT MARYLAND, AND BE THE CENTERPIECE OF MY PLAN TO TOTALLY RENOVATE AND REBUILD OUR CAPITAL CITY INTO THE MOST BEAUTIFUL AND SAFEST ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement So will a neoclassical FBI building soon be landing on Pennsylvania Avenue? Only time will tell. You Might Also Like Federal government websites devoted to diversity, equity and inclusion went offline Wednesday as the White House threatened adverse consequences for agencies that fail to report DEI-related information within 10 days. The sites went down a day after the Office of Personnel Management sent a memo to all agencies Tuesday calling for all DEI workers to be placed on paid leave by 5 p.m. Wednesday. One of the instructions in the letter directed agency heads to remove all outward facing media related to DEI work by 5 p.m. Wednesday. Emails sent to agency staff across the government including those working at the departments of Health and Human Services, State, Agriculture, Homeland Security and others on Wednesday used OPM language that said it is aware of efforts by some in the government to disguise these programs by using coded or imprecise language. The emails call for employees to report any change in DEI contract or personnel position descriptions made since the election to OPM. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The emails add: "There will be no adverse consequences for timely reporting this information. However, failure to report this information within 10 days may result in adverse consequences." Each web page touted certain aspects of DEI and the respective agencys commitment to it. For example, an archived version of the page for the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services said the agency understands and supports the value of diversity in improving organizational efficiency and effectiveness. The National Institutes of Health page outlined a strategic plan for DEI and a framework to apply it to the agencys mission, according to an archived version preserved by the Internet Archive. HHS, CMS, NIH and the White House did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Other web pages that focus on health equity remain in place. A web page detailing CMS Office of Minority Health, for instance, was online Wednesday evening. A DEI website for the National Science Foundation was still standing Wednesday evening. Chelsea Ciruzzo, Erin Schumaker, Sophie Gardner, Daniella Cheslow contributed to this report. CORRECTION: This report has been updated to link to the correct page for the National Science Foundation. WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR) Ahead of President Donald Trumps visit to California Friday, the debate continues over federal relief money. Some Republicans say any federal help should come with conditions, potentially setting up a fight in Congress. Some in Congress say disaster relief shouldnt be politicized, as lawmakers try to come up with a solution. President Trump says Los Angeles leadership is to blame as fires continue to wreak havoc across the southern California city. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Theyre dead politically, what theyve done, theyve destroyed the city. What theyve done to that city is unbelievable, said Trump. The president will get a firsthand look at the damage Friday, as the debate continues about federal help. Generally speaking, I think you find that a lot of Democrats are going to be asking for help. So, I think maybe that makes it more one sided, said Trump. Some Republicans say federal assistance should be conditioned on changing California policies they say contributed to mismanagement of the fire, drawing criticism from Democrats. We should not be leveraging the pain and suffering of disaster victims to try to jam through political priorities, said Rep. Ted Lieu (D-Calif.). Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Some California Republicans say more relief needs to be a priority. I think right now the focus is putting these fires out. Were going to ensure that Los Angeles and California get the resources they need to extinguish the fires, said Rep. Vince Fong (R-Calif.). Congress passed emergency FEMA funding in December, well before the fires broke out. Some say more funding is needed now, but the president says FEMA has also been mismanaged. FEMA is going to be a whole big discussion very shortly because Id rather see the states take care of their own problems, said Trump. Its not clear if the president is also onboard with getting California more money to address its problems. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I will say that Los Angeles has changed everything because a lot of money is going to be necessary for Los Angeles. And a lot of people on the other side want that to happen and they want that to happen, said Trump. The president hasnt announced who he will meet in California yet. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. 'I Wish I Could've Predicted It': The $27 Billion Gas Deal Behind AI's Energy Appetite Americas artificial intelligence boom is triggering an unexpected surge in natural gas power plant construction, upending clean energy forecasts and culminating in Constellation Energys $27 billion acquisition of gas giant Calpine. Energy consultancy Enverus projects that 80 new gas-fired plants will be built across the United States by 2030, adding 46 gigawatts of power capacity equivalent to Norways entire electrical system, according to a report issued by the Financial Times. The expansion marks a 20% increase over the past five years construction pace and reverses earlier predictions of declining gas capacity. Gas is actually growing faster now and in the medium term, than ever before, Enverus research analyst Corianna Mah told the Financial Times. Don't Miss: Major tech companies are driving the fossil fuel renaissance. Meta recently announced plans to power its $10 billion AI data center through Entergys $3.2 billion gas plant expansion. Once the facility comes online, the social media giant will become the utilitys largest customer. The Department of Energy expects AI-related electricity demand from data centers to triple within three years. The surge caught even industry veterans off guard. I wish I couldve predicted it 18 months ago, said Bill Newsom, CEO of turbine manufacturer Mitsubishi Power Americas, which now plans to boost production capacity by 50%. Traditional energy companies are rushing to capitalize. ExxonMobil and Chevron are designing plants to supply AI data centers directly while utilities keep aging facilities running longer than planned. Wood Mackenzie has cut its 2035 forecast for gas plant retirements by 10%. See Also: With 100+ historic trademark victories, this company holds IP for some of the highest-grossing characters in history. Now, they've propelled these icons into the future using next-gen patented AR, VR, and AI technology. Theres now a limited window for investors to claim shares at just $2/share with $980 minimumbut the clock is ticking. The construction wave threatens the Biden administrations climate goals, which target a 50% emissions cut by the decades end. According to data from energy think tank Ember cited by the Financial Times, U.S. gas plants released over one billion tons of carbon dioxide last year their highest output on record. A federal judge on Thursday temporarily blocked Donald Trumps attempt to end birthright citizenship, calling it blatantly unconstitutional, according to a report. Trump had on Monday signed an executive order attempting to end automatic citizenship for babies born on American soil from gaining citizenship, even though the 14th Amendment says that all persons born or naturalized in the United States. However, Judge John C. Coughenour, of the Federal District Court, sided with the states that had sued over the orders constitutionality, The New York Times reported. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This is a blatantly unconstitutional order, the judge said in explaining his decision, according to the Times. He also took a jab at Trumps lawyers. Frankly, I have difficulty understanding how a member of the bar would state unequivocally that this is a constitutional order, he said. It just boggles my mind. Trumps order would have prevented the children of undocumented immigrants from gaining citizenship. It also applied to babies born to parents temporarily in the country, like students and tourists. As president, Trump has vowed to crack down on immigration and has previewed plans to round up and deport undocumented immigrants en masse. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The court decision represents the first major setback for Trumps flurry of executive actions, many of which have faced questions over their legality. His executive actions declaring a national emergency at the U.S.-Mexico border and forcing Mexican asylum seekers to remain in the country are also legally suspect, among others, according to Forbes. Another of Trumps first actions in office was to offer a blanket pardon to all of the approximately 1,500 rioters convicted for offenses related to storming the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. One of several civil lawsuits filed in New York claiming that two brothers considered titans in the luxury real estate industry raped a woman as a third brother watched, was tossed by a federal judge Wednesday. U.S. District Judge Lewis A. Kaplan of the Southern District of New York ruled the rape accusation by Angelica Parker against two of the three Alexander brothers would have taken place too long ago and falls outside of the states statute of limitations. For the lawsuit to move forward, the judge said, the rape would have had to occur after June 18, 2017. Parker claims that in the fall of 2012, she and a friend accepted an invitation to one of the brothers Manhattan apartments, where they were given ecstasy and drinks. Parker says she was raped by Alon and Tal Alexander as Oren Alexander, Alons twin, watched. She noted her friend was hiding in a stairwell after being groped by Alon. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement After the lawsuit was filed last summer, Tals attorneys referred to Parker as a professional plaintiff in a story in the online news site the Daily Beast. The attorneys were referring to a civil lawsuit she filed against superstar boxer Oscar De La Hoya a year earlier in which she said the boxer battered her one night at a Ritz-Carlton hotel. A judge dismissed the case, finding it without merit. In his 16-page order, Judge Kaplan gave Parker until Feb. 14 to file a motion requesting an amendment to the complaint related only to Tal Alexander, who she said in the lawsuit attempted to sexually assault her years later. Kaplan is the same federal judge who upheld E. Jean Carrolls $83 million verdict in her defamation case against U.S. President Donald Trump last year. Since the civil lawsuits were filed, the stakes have risen considerably for the brothers. All three were criminally charged in South Florida and New York, with accusations of drugging, raping and trafficking women for sex. In the past few days, the three were transported to Brooklyn, New York, where they remain in federal custody, a source said. All three have been denied bond. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement READ MORE: Alexander brothers denied bail by NYC judge in sex-trafficking case, citing flight risk, danger Parkers New York attorney Michael J. Willemin said he disagreed with the judges decision and believes it will ultimately be reversed on appeal. The court held that Ms. Parker stated a claim against all three brothers for sexual violence. The only reason the case isnt moving forward is the erroneous determination that she brought the claims too late, Willemin said. Thankfully, the prosecutors wont have that problem and we look forward to the brothers being held accountable. The brothers attorneys, Milton Williams and Deanna Paul, said there have been a flurry of lawsuits seeking money with never-before-heard claims. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This frivolous lawsuit highlights the opportunism weve seen at play and puts an end to it, the attorneys said in a statement. The brothers Miami attorney Joel Denaro called the civil cases against the brothers dubious and said they led to the criminal charges. Its wrong they are forced to defend claims that are obviously pre-empted by New York State law. The brothers will continue to fight knowing the truth. They are innocent, he said. READ MORE: Alexander brothers videos show them having sex with impaired women: feds. Defense: consensual Miami Beach and federal rape, sex trafficking charges The three brothers were taken into custody in Miami Beach last month by police and federal agents and charged with a slew of sex trafficking and rape crimes. They were charged federally with conspiracy to commit sex trafficking and related counts of sex trafficking two victims by force, fraud or coercion between 2010 and 2021 in Manhattan, Miami and elsewhere. The local charges stem from three sexual battery cases on Miami Beach that date back to 2016. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement READ MORE: Miami brothers, real estate stars, arrested by FBI. Accused of raping, drugging women The federal charge of conspiring to commit sex trafficking allegedly took place between 2010 and 2021 in Manhattan, the Hamptons and South Florida. Several of the charges carry up to life sentences. All three brothers have so far been denied bond. Even before trial the chances were believed remote, with the same U.S. Attorneys Office in New York prevailing in blocking bail for other high-profile sex-trafficking defendants like Manhattan financier Jeffrey Epstein and rap mogul Diddy. During a hearing in New York last month, a federal agent said his agency had received as many as 40 credible rape claims from other women who claimed to be forcibly assaulted by the Alexander brothers between 2002 and 2021. READ MORE: FBI agent testified that 40 women accusing Alexander brothers of rape are credible A proposal to ban formaldehyde in hair straightening products is now in limbo after President Donald Trump signed an executive order pausing all federal regulations. The Food and Drug Administration announced it would decide by April 2024 whether chemical hair straightening products sold in the U.S. would be banned from using formaldehyde or ingredients that can release formaldehyde when heated. Not all chemical hair relaxers include the chemical, but many include ingredients that can release formaldehyde when heated, the FDA said in 2024. Over the years, an increasing number of studies have linked formaldehyde to cancers that are especially prevalent among Black women. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The agency had initially set a target date for the proposed ban of April 2024, according to a document published in the Unified Agenda, a government website that provides information on regulations under development by federal agencies. The date was moved to July 2024, and then to September 2024. The target dates published in the Unified Agenda are only estimates, not firm deadlines, the agency has said. The FDA did not respond to a request for comment on the executive order Trump signed on Monday. U.S. law does not require the FDA to approve cosmetic products and ingredients, other than food additives, before they go on the market, according to its website. The Environmental Working Group, a research and advocacy group focused on toxic chemicals, has been petitioning the FDA to ban formaldehyde in hair products since 2008, said Melanie Benesh, its vice president of government affairs. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Near the end of 2016, the FDA was prepared to ban it, there were scientists on the record saying, 'let's just ban the ingredient,'" Benesh recalled. But the forward motion toward barring formaldehyde faded with Trump's first administration beginning in 2017. Maryland, California and Washington have banned formaldehyde in hair products, but Benesh said more states may follow suit in the absence of a federal regulation. Still, she added that Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Trump's nominee to lead the Health and Human Services Department, has shown some interest in this issue. Several broad studies have found that chemical hair straighteners can have harmful effects, including data from more than 30,000 Black women ages 35 to 74 that show a prevalence of uterine cancer among those who used hair relaxers more than twice a year for more than five years. Thousands of women have joined a federal class action lawsuit against the makers of chemical hair relaxers, claiming the products have caused uterine cancer, breast cancer and other poor health outcomes. A federal judge set deadlines for later this year to move the case forward. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement CORRECTION (Jan. 23, 2025, 9:12 a.m. ET): An earlier version of this article misstated the first name of the Environmental Working Group's vice president of government affairs. She is Melanie Benesh, not Monica. This article was originally published on NBCNews.com In his testimony earlier this month, former House Speaker Michael Madigan cast himself as a champion of the working class, a consensus-builder who used his power to bring people together on legislation and protect constituents from greedy utilities and corporations. Federal prosecutors say the speaker had a different goal in mind: The Make Michael Madigan Money Plan. Thats the unflattering phrase coined during closing arguments Thursday in Madigans corruption trial, where prosecutors alleged the once-powerful speaker and leader of the state Democratic Party schemed for years to line his own pockets, dangling official action to pressure well-heeled developers to hire his private law firm for tax appeal work. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Make Mike Madigan Money Plan had nothing to do with unions, with labor, with consensus, with community support, with constituent services or even consumer protection, Assistant U.S. Attorney Diane MacArthur told the jury. This was about Mike Madigan, what he wanted, what he got. And, she added, Madigan barreled through repeated red flags raised by alderman-turned-FBI mole Daniel Solis, who even used the radioactive phrase quid pro quo in one wiretapped conversation about a developer. But Madigan was undeterred, MacArthur said. Madigan, 82, a Southwest Side Democrat, and his longtime confidant, Michael 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 the plans to pressure developers, the indictment accuses Madigan and McClain of long-running bribery schemes involving ComEd and AT&T Illinois. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The trial, which began Oct. 8 and is finally inching toward a conclusion, represents the apex of a lengthy federal corruption investigation that has already resulted in convictions of several other Madigan-adjacent figures over the past few years. Madigan, however, is inarguably the biggest target. Prosecutors are scheduled to wrap up the initial phase of their closings Friday morning. Their arguments have already stretched for about 8 hours over two days; the defense may not begin presenting their closing argument until Monday. Jurors likely will not start deliberating until Wednesday at the earliest. MacArthur on Thursday said the profit side of Madigans operation was the Chicago-based law firm he helped found, Madigan & Getzendanner, where had an ownership interest that gave him 50 percent of all earnings. The potential for big contracts was particularly significant in a booming area like Solis 25th Ward which included both the West Loop and South Loop and Madigan was keenly aware of it, MacArthur said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Federal wiretaps captured the speaker telling one developer the West Loop was rapidly developing and noting to Solis that hed read in the news that another wealthy potential client company was buying a high-rise downtown. This was a man whose eyes were focused on client development, because new business meant new profits, MacArthur said. She said that pursuit of money was evident in many of the secretly recorded conversations Madigan had with Solis, where the speaker repeatedly ran right through warning signs that Solis was connecting his power to give developers zoning changes to the developers hiring Madigans firm. Even when Solis uttered the phrase quid pro quo, which is Latin for a this for that trade, in a call with Madigan, the speaker kept plugging away, MacArthur noted, pushing for a meeting with the developers of a West Loop luxury high-rise he hoped would hire his firm. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Solis was not subtle when he was talking to Madigan about this arrangement, MacArthur said. He was so unsubtle that it could have brought a very quick and immediate reaction from Michael Madigan. Madigan could have said Im not doing this, Danny, stop, I dont do business that way Madigan said nothing. He said Yeah, OK. Solis, who became an astonishingly prolific mole after being confronted with his own slew of misdeeds, is central to proving prosecutors allegations. MacArthur said Solis essentially became a walking microphone, capturing Madigan and McClain in relatively unguarded moments where the true motive for much of their behind-the-scenes maneuvering was exposed. One of those moments was the quid pro quo call, a 2017 wiretapped conversation in which Solis told Madigan the West Loop developers understand how this works. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Madigan testified on his own behalf earlier this month that he was surprised and concerned about what Solis was proposing. But MacArthur noted that the speaker did not give Solis any kind of pushback for about three weeks, when he met with Solis face-to-face and told him you shouldnt be talking like that. Solis apologized and had an expression on his face that showed Madigan he had been properly chastised, Madigan testified. But, MacArthur said, that doesnt fit with what jurors have heard about Madigan, including a near-legendary ability to hold political grudges. Solis has just talked about an illegal trade, MacArthur said. Mr. Madigan, who has held on to those grudges for years, is going to forgive somebody from the expression on his face? What Mr. Madigan said to you on the witness stand, that was just not the truth. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement MacArthur also walked the jury through Madigans efforts to work with Solis to get a state-owned parking lot in Chinatown transferred to the city, allegedly so Madigan could get business from a developer who wanted to build on that parcel of land. She argued that Madigan understood the property tax business was premised on a this-for-that arrangement, emphasizing that Solis told him at least twice that developers would send work to Madigans private law firm in exchange for Solis approving their zoning changes. In response, MacArthur pointed out, Madigan acknowledged the deal with simple responses, including: Yeah, sure. Thank you. MacArthur cited a series of phone calls involving Solis or McClain that showed Madigan made efforts to amend a routine land transfer bill to include the Chinatown property. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Adding political intrigue, Madigan wanted to keep his involvement low-key because he feared that his political nemesis, Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner, would oppose the transfer if there were even a whiff of the speakers interest. The effort hit multiple roadblocks, though, and in the waning hours of the May 2018 legislative session, Madigan decided to stall the larger bill from going forward, even though it had significant support, MacArthur said. The speaker said on a recorded conversation with McClain to put the legislation in the drawer for a while, delaying consideration of the measure until the fall legislative session. Madigan and McClain still ultimately failed to get the Chinatown land transfer approved, despite multiple efforts to get support, but MacArthur reminded jurors that a scheme does not have to be successful in order to be illegal. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A few weeks after the land transfer bill passed without the Chinatown amendment, news broke that Solis was a government mole, which put an end to Madigans work with him on transferring the Chinatown property, MacArthur said. Earlier Thursday, the prosecutions arguments focused on the AT&T and ComEd allegations. Madigan was so important to ComEds legislative agenda in Springfield that the utility was willing to bend over backwards to make the then-powerful House speaker happy, showering his cronies with do-nothing contracts, giving special treatment to 13th Ward internship applicants, and putting a Madigan-recommended candidate on its board of directors, Assistant U.S. Attorney Julia Schwartz told jurors. Schwartz played a wiretapped recording in which then-ComEd CEO Anne Pramaggiore told McClain just how valuable the speakers influence had been. You take good care of me and so does our friend, and I will do the best I can to take care of you, Pramaggiore said in May 2018, using McClains favored euphemism for Madigan. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Schwartz highlighted the comment and asked the jury: What is the one thing that Madigan did to take good care of ComEd? Their legislation, Schwartz said. Thats the corrupt exchange. Schwartz also focused on the appointment of former McPier boss Juan Ochoa to ComEds board, which Madigan was allegedly pushing in order to score political points with Ochoas good friend, then-U.S. Rep. Luis Gutierrez, a Chicago Democrat with a large Latino backing. By helping Ochoa, a onetime political nemesis, the speaker benefited personally by shoring up support from Gutierrez, a powerful congressman who had endorsed (Madigan) in a recent election, Schwartz said. Schwartz said Madigans testimony in his own defense that he was just asking McClain for status updates on the Ochoa appointment and really didnt care what the outcome was makes no sense. To emphasize Madigans level of involvement, Schwartz played a series of wiretapped calls over an eight-month period in 2018 and 2019, including one where Madigan told McClain that once the appointment became official, hed like to call Gutierrez first. Gutierrez is the only reason Madigan would talk to Ochoa, Schwartz told the jury. He doesnt care about Ochoa. He cares about himself. Schwartz said that in the end, the question isnt whether Juan Ochoa was qualified for the position, but why everyone pushed so hard to get it done. And the answer is clear, Schwartz said. Madigan wanted it. Madigan controlled ComEds legislation. And Juan Ochoa got the appointment .That is a bribe. But Schwartz said Madigans influence over ComEd hires went far beyond just Ochoa. She also reminded jurors of the barrage of emails McClain sent ComEd officials over many years pressuring them to hire Madigan recommendations, regardless of whether they passed entrance exams or even responded to recruiters trying to reach out. The sheer number of requests the fact they were often unqualified candidates and these folks had connections to Madigan, that goes to motive here, Schwartz said, referring to Madigans sense of entitlement. Madigan is using ComEd as his own personal piggy bank, Schwartz said. One Madigan referral, Kathy Laski, struggled during job interviews yet still had been offered and declined five different jobs at ComEd, Schwartz said, but the company pushed hard anyway to find her something since she was a Madigan request. In his testimony earlier this month, Schwartz noted, Madigan merely said he knew Laski from meeting her at a neighborhood block party some years before. Only on cross-examination did he note that Laskis husband, James Laski, used to be the alderman of the 23rd Ward, part of Madigans Southwest Side power base. He kept that detail from you and that was strategic, Schwartz told jurors. there were details withheld and withheld purposefully. ComEd also reserved a certain number of summer internship slots for people from Madigans 13th Ward; McClain often pushed candidates who did not meet the companys GPA requirements or otherwise didnt meet normal ComEd standards, Schwartz said. The reason they were treated differently is because they came from Madigans ward, Schwartz said. If that sounds upside down, its because it was. An annual carveout for a certain number of jobs thats not lobbying, thats not building goodwill, thats a bribe. Schwartz also took the jury through the lone bribery conspiracy charge involving AT&T Illinois, which alleges that both Madigan and McClain arranged for a consulting gig for Eddie Acevedo that funneled $22,500 to the former state representative even though he did no work for AT&T. Schwartz said McClain first asked about getting Acevedo a contract on the same day Madigan gave word he was willing to meet with AT&T about its legislation to end mandated landline service, which stood to save the company millions. McClain was soon assigned the bill, referred to by its acronym COLR, as a special project for the speaker, she said. Schwartz also recapped testimony from several witnesses, as well as emails and wiretaps, showing that Acevedo was well-known for his boorish behavior in Springfield and that no one at AT&T thought he would bring value as a consultant. Eddie Acevedo was toxic, Schwartz said. He has a serious alcohol problem. He was known to become belligerent, he insulted Republican members, everything you did not want in a consultant, yet AT&T hired him anyway. Schwartz noted that Acevedo didnt have to interview for the position and never submitted a resume. In fact, nobody even talked about the terms with him until they gave him the offer, she said. This was a bogus arrangement, Schwartz said. This was a contract that Madigan controlled. He knew that it was intended to be a bribe, as did McClain. jmeisner@chicagotribune.com mcrepeau@chicagotribune.com rlong@chicagotribune.com CHICAGO Michael Madigan was so important to ComEds legislative agenda in Springfield that the utility was willing to bend over backwards to make the then-powerful House speaker happy, showering his cronies with do-nothing contracts, giving special treatment to 13th Ward internship applicants, and putting a Madigan-recommended candidate on its board of directors, a federal prosecutor argued Thursday. In continuing to lay out the governments evidence in her closing argument to jurors, Assistant U.S. Attorney Julia Schwartz played a wiretapped recording where then-ComEd CEO Anne Pramaggiore told Madigans longtime confidant and co-defendant, Michael McClain just how valuable the speakers influence had been. You take good care of me and so does our friend, and I will do the best I can to take care of you, Pramaggiore said in May 2018, using McClains euphemism for Madigan. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Schwartz highlighted the comment and asked the jury: What is the one thing that Madigan did to take good care of ComEd? Their legislation, Schwartz said. Thats the corrupt exchange. Closing arguments in Madigans landmark case are now in their second day, with prosecutors continuing an initial presentation that includes a PowerPoint presentation with more than 800 slides. After a lunch break, Schwartz, who focused on bribery allegations involving ComEd and AT&T Illinois, will hand over the reins to Assistant U.S. Attorney Diane MacArthur, who will present argument involving the undercover cooperation of former Chicago Ald. Daniel Solis. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Madigans defense argument will likely begin Friday morning, followed by a lawyer for McClain. The jury is expected to begin deliberations next week. Madigan, 82, a Southwest Side Democrat, and McClain, 77, a longtime lobbyist from 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. The trial represents the apex of a long federal corruption investigation that has already resulted in convictions for several other Madigan-adjacent figures over the past few years. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But Madigan is inarguably the biggest fish. Another focus of Schwartzs argument Thursday was the appointment of former McPier boss Juan Ochoa to ComEds board, which Madigan was allegedly pushing to help him politically with Ochoas good friend, then-U.S. Rep. Luis Gutierrez, a Chicago Democrat with a large Latino backing. By helping Ochoa, a onetime political nemesis, the speaker benefitted personally by getting the support of Gutierrez, a powerful congressman who had endorsed (Madigan) in a recent election, Schwartz said. Schwartz said Madigans testimony in his own defense that he was just asking McClain for status updates on the Ochoa appointment and really didnt care what the outcome was makes no sense. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement To emphasize Madigans level of involvement, Schwartz played a series of wiretapped calls over an eight-month period in 2018 and 2019, including one where Madigan told McClain that once the appointment became official, hed like to call Gutierrez first. Gutierrez is the only reason Madigan would talk to Ochoa, Schwartz told the jury. He doesnt care about Ochoa. He cares about himself. Schwartz said in the end, the question isnt whether Juan Ochoa was qualified for the position, but why everyone pushed so hard to get it done. And the answer is clear, Schwartz said. Madigan wanted it. Madigan controlled ComEds legislation. And Juan Ochoa got the appointmentThat is a bribe. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But Schwartz said Madigans influence over ComEd hires went far beyond just Ochoa. She also reminded jurors of the barrage of emails McClain sent to ComEd officials over many years pressuring them to hire Madigan recommendations, regardless of whether they passed entrance exams or even responded to recruiters trying to reach out. The sheer number of requests the fact they were often unqualified candidates and these folks had connections to Madigan, that goes to motive here, Schwartz said, referring to Madigans sense of entitlement. Madigan is using ComEd as his own personal piggy bank, Schwartz said. One Madigan referral, Kathy Laski, struggled during job interviews yet still had been offered and declined five different jobs at ComEd, Schwartz said, but the company pushed hard anyways to find her something since she was a Madigan request. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement There is still a very strong need to bring in, then-ComEd executive Fidel Marquez emailed a coworker, who in response pressed him to say who exactly Laskis connection was. Marquez responded: Laski came to us from (the) Speaker. In his testimony earlier this month, Schwartz noted, Madigan merely said he knew Laski from meeting her at a neighborhood block party some years before. Only on cross-examination did he note that Laskis husband, James Laski, used to be the alderman of the 23rd Ward, part of Madigans Southwest Side power base. He kept that detail from you and that was strategic, Schwartz told jurors. there were details withheld and withheld purposefully. ComEd also reserved a certain number of summer internship slots for people from Madigans 13th Ward; McClain often pushed candidates who did not meet the companys GPA requirements or otherwise didnt meet normal ComEd standards, Schwartz said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The reason they were treated differently is because they came from Madigans ward, Schwartz said. If that sounds upside down, its because it was. An annual carveout for a certain number of jobs thats not lobbying, thats not building goodwill, thats a bribe. Schwartz also took the jury through the lone bribery conspiracy charge involving AT&T Illinois, which alleged both Madigan and McClain arranged for a consulting gig for Eddie Acevedo that funneled $22,500 to the former state representative even though he did no work for AT&T. Schwartz said McClain first asked about getting Acevedo on the same day Madigan gave word he was willing to meet with AT&T about its legislation to end mandated landline service, which stood to save the company millions. McClain was soon assigned the bill, referred to by its acronym COLR, as a special project for the speaker, she said. Schwartz also recapped testimony from several witnesses, as well as emails and wiretaps, showing that Acevedo was well-known for his boorish behavior in Springfield and that no one at AT&T thought he would bring value as a consultant. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Eddie Acevedo was toxic, Schwartz said. He has a serious alcohol problem. He was known to become belligerent, he insulted Republican members, everything you did not want in a consultant, yet AT&T hired him anyway. Schwartz noted Acevedo didnt have to interview for the position, and never submitted a resume. In fact, nobody even talked about the terms with him until they gave him the offer, she said. This was a bogus arrangement, Schwartz said. This was a contract that Madigan controlled. He knew that it was intended to be a bribe, as did McClain. ____ WASHINGTON (AP) President Donald Trump is preparing to reshape the Federal Emergency Management Agency, which has been on the frontlines of responding to recent wildfires in California and last year's hurricane in North Carolina. He spoke at length about the issue with congressional Republican leaders on Tuesday, discussing whether the agency known as FEMA should continue providing assistance to states in the same way, according to a person familiar with the conversation and granted anonymity to discuss it. Conservatives have previously suggested reducing the amount that states are reimbursed for preventing and responding to disasters like floods, tornadoes, hurricanes and more. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump was critical of the agency this week in an interview with Sean Hannity of Fox News, saying FEMA has not done their job for the last four years" and FEMA is getting in the way of everything. The Republican president plans to visit North Carolina, which was devastated by Hurricane Helene in September, and California, which is reeling from some of the most destructive fires in its history, on Friday for his first trip since taking office on Monday. North Carolina has been a focal point for Republican criticism of FEMA, some of it rooted in misinformation. For example, conservatives claimed on social media that hurricane victims were only receiving $750 in relief even if they suffered devastating losses, but the payments were only meant to be a stopgap for emergency expenses until additional assistance could be distributed. Rising hostility led to concerns that FEMA workers could be targeted by militia members. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump also suggested that he would withhold assistance from California during the interview with Hannity. "I dont think we should give California anything until they let water flow down into their system," he said. The president has falsely claimed that the California water policies, which involve fish conservation efforts in the northern part of the state, allowed fire hydrants to run dry in Los Angeles during the fires. Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson, who comes from disaster prone Louisiana, has suggested conditioning federal aid to California. Michael Coen, who recently served as FEMA's chief of staff under the Biden administration, said it was dangerous to put conditions on disaster relief. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Youre going to pick winners and losers on which communities are going to be supported by the federal government," he said. "I think the American people expect the federal government will be there for them on their worst day, no matter where they live. Congress just last year replenished the federal disaster aid fund by $100 billion as part of a massive year-end appropriations bill signed into law by President Joe Biden in the aftermath of back-to-back hurricanes Helene and Milton. But damages from the California fires are expected to tally as among the most expensive natural disaster in the nations history. Trump made Cameron Hamilton, a former Navy SEAL and unsuccessful Republican congressional candidate from Virginia, the agency's interim administrator. Hamilton previously worked on emergency management issues for the Department of Homeland Security and the Department of State, but he has limited experience handling natural disasters. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He's been critical of FEMA on social media and outspoken about increasing security along the southern border, where the agency's resources could be redirected. Project 2025, a conservative blueprint for Trump's second term prepared by the president's allies, included dramatic proposals for FEMA. The plan called for dismantling DHS and relocating FEMA to the Department of Interior or the Department of Transportation. In addition, it suggested changing the formula that the agency uses to determine when federal disaster assistance is warranted, shifting the costs of preventing and responding to disasters to states. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The federal reimbursement rate would be set at 25% of costs for smaller disasters and capped at 75% for larger ones. Presidents can currently authorize the reimbursement of some expenses at 100%, as Biden did for some costs from Hurricane Helene and the California fires. About 6 in 10 voters in Novembers election approved of how FEMA was handling its job, according to AP VoteCast. Roughly 4 in 10 disapproved, but the number was higher among Trump's voters. Two thirds of them said they disapproved of how FEMA was handling its job. _____ Associated Press writers Lisa Mascaro, Zeke Miller and Linley Sanders contributed reporting. Jan. 22The clock ran out on hundreds of WNC families who lost their homes during Helene last week, as FEMA pulled the plug on hotel vouchers for those who allegedly no longer met the criteria for housing assistance. The timing couldn't have been worse coinciding with both an arctic blast and snow that still hadn't melted. "When you are talking about the dead of winter, with unusually cold temperatures, there was great concern for where people were going to go and what they would do," said Renee Rickman of Bethel, a volunteer who's made it her mission to help unhoused flood victims. "The weather made it so much worse than it would have been." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Many who lost their hotel housing had little warning and no time to find somewhere else to go with all their belongings. "It was insanity. It was just a hot mess," Rickman said. Massive confusion surrounding ever-shifting deadlines also exacerbated the problem, Rickman said. There was only a week's notice of the initial move-out deadline of Jan. 11. At the 11th hour, the deadline was extended to Jan. 15. As Jan. 15 drew near, there was rumor of another extension. But it didn't come to pass, at least not in time. "We were inundated with this additional wave of homelessness," Rickman said. "When there is such an influx at one time, we don't have enough time to help them all. They are so stressed out. They are losing hope." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement FEMA was no doubt motivated by wanting to clear the books of those who didn't need hotels anymore and those who didn't need them in the first place. Rickman admitted some were scamming the system. "Some of these people needed to leave. They were abusing the vouchers. There were people who needed to go," she said. "But more than 50%, from what I can tell, there are legitimate reasons that the people needed more time." Backlash has since prompted a FEMA policy change. "Many Western North Carolinians relying on FEMA's hotel program don't have a home to go back to, and it is inhumane to expect these folks to leave the only safe and warm shelter available with only a few days' or a week's notice," Congressman Chuck Edwards said. "I demanded that FEMA provide more notice so that no one else is taken by surprise and asked to leave with nowhere to go." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement FEMA announced Monday it will now provide a 21-day notice before ending someone's hotel housing voucher. Out of the 2,700 households in WNC currently housed in hotels, 740 are deemed no longer eligible and could be facing move-out notices However, the policy change doesn't help those who were forced out of hotels and motels last week. Rickman's volunteer network, called Appalachia and Beyond, went into overdrive as the Jan. 15 deadline rolled around. "Our hearts were breaking for people," she said. "We started calling, calling, calling every hotel and motel we could think of in Haywood County. We left our numbers with the hotel managers and told them to pass it out to people whose vouchers were expiring." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Indeed, multiple hotels in Haywood County confirmed the deadline forced some to leave in a hurry. They scrambled to pack up all their possessions, many with no clear place to go. "They had so much stuff in their rooms, it was hard to get it all out so quickly. And on top of that, the roads were very slick. It was scary for them," said one Maggie Valley motel owner who gave a free night stay to those in that situation to help buy them some time. Other hotel owners shared similar accounts, but likewise did not want to go on the record as they still participate in the FEMA housing voucher program. The exact number who were affected by the motel move-out last week hasn't been confirmed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Edwards claims 1,200 people had to move out of motel rooms, calling it a "catastrophic failure" to evict them during inclement weather. That number hasn't been confirmed, however, as FEMA media representatives did not return phone calls, emails or texts seeking information for this article. The number housed in hotels and motels has declined substantially since early December from 4,900 households to 2,700 now. FEMA claimed all those who lost hotel housing last week didn't need it anymore. "Families checking out Jan. 14 are returning to habitable homes or withdrew from FEMA assistance," FEMA tweeted on X on Jan. 13. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Tell that to Rickman, who was scrambling to help people find housing who had nowhere else to go. Gov. Josh Stein happened to be in Haywood County on the eve of move-out day for a press conference in Canton. He said this when asked about hotel housing running out: "If you've been displaced because of the storm, if your house was damaged or destroyed, it's not yet habitable, you are entitled to housing assistance," Stein said. "If anyone got a notice saying that their temporary housing assistance was being terminated, but they cannot live in their property because it's not ready yet, they need to call that toll-free FEMA number and get back on the list." Rickman said some don't have the ability to navigate the system, however. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "When you are in basic survival mode you don't have the wherewithal to jump through the hoops people are telling them to jump through," Rickman said. In early January, FEMA gave the following reasons for placing someone on the move-out list: An inspection indicated their home is now habitable. They declined an inspection. FEMA has been unable to contact the applicant to update housing needs, despite multiple attempts. Rickman said the call back number was swamped with calls as the move-out date approached, however. "It said there was a three-hour wait. I hung up and didn't try," she said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Rickman recounted one lady who was on the move-out list, but shouldn't have been. "Her camper washed down the river, but FEMA told her her home was habitable. They probably saw the landlord's mobile home on the property and said 'oh that's habitable,'" Rickman said. She luckily got an extension on moving out since her case was under appeal. Renters also fall through the cracks. "There's all kinds of reasons renters can't go back to their rental property. They really did lose their home and don't have anywhere to go," Rickman said. But since they had been renters before the flood, they're expected to simply find somewhere else to rent. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hotel housing for all Helene victims has been on the chopping block on and off, as well. It has been extended four times. Each time, it would get dangerously close to running out, before another extension would be granted. The latest extension was through March, but Gov. Josh Stein said that wasn't good enough. "The people of Western North Carolina are experiencing chaos and uncertainty that is untenable...They need assurance that they will have shelter during this time so long as their home is still uninhabitable. We owe them support, not fear or confusion," Stein wrote in a letter to the head of FEMA last week. FEMA then extended the deadline for hotel housing for eligible victims all the way until May 26. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) will permanently close the disaster recovery center in McDuffie County at 6 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 25. Until then it will be open from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. The center is located at Thomson Depot, at 111 Railroad Street in Thomson, Georgia. [DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] It was opened to provide help for Georgians affected by Hurricane Helene. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement You can find your closest recovery center by visiting https://www.fema.gov/drc. If you are in an affected county, you are encouraged to apply for FEMA disaster assistance. You can online apply at DisasterAssistance.gov. You can also apply using the FEMA App for mobile devices or by calling 800-621-3362. The telephone line is open daily and help is available in most languages. Survivors can also contact the Georgia Call Center at 678-547-2861 Monday through Saturday for assistance with their application. TRENDING STORIES: [SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter] Troopers say a man is dead after a crash involving two SUVs near Oviedo Wednesday night. It happened shortly before 9:30 p.m. along Red Bug Lake Road. Florida Highway Patrol said a man was driving westbound in his Chevy Equinox, approaching the intersection of State Road 417. READ: Cold weather shelters to expand access in Central Florida Investigators said according to a witness, he ran a red light and collided with an Acura MDX. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement FHP said the Acuras driver had just exited southbound SR-417 and was attempting to turn left onto eastbound Red Bug Lake Road. Troopers said the front of the Chevy struck the left side of the Acura. Oviedo Medical Center received both patients following the crash. READ: Owners of Legacy Pools accused of defrauding central Florida homeowners out of millions The Chevys driver, 74, did not survive. FHP said he was a Winter Springs resident. The driver of the Acura, 19, of Oviedo, suffered minor injuries and she is expected to recover. FHP said troopers are continuing to investigate this crash. Click here to download our free news, weather and smart TV apps. And click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live. The bulk of WARN Act claims from Teamsters could be settled this week. (Photo: Jim Allen/FreightWaves) Two separate plaintiff classes with claims alleging that defunct Yellow Corp. failed to provide proper notification ahead of mass layoffs have been settled, a Tuesday hearing in a Delaware federal bankruptcy court revealed. Counsel for Yellow said tentative agreements with the Moore class, approximately 3,200 nonunion employees, and Coughlen claimants, a group of 482 mostly union employees, were settled for undisclosed amounts. Roughly 2,700 of the former employees in the Moore class had already signed severance agreements releasing the company from further liability. The court previously ruled that those releases are valid and enforceable. The former less-than-truckload carrier released most of its nonunion employees on July 28, 2023, with Teamsters employees being released two days later the same day it ceased operations. The company has said it didnt have ample time ahead of the shutdown to provide 60 days notice as required under the Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act. The court previously ruled out the faltering company and the unanticipated business circumstances defenses proffered by Yellow (OTC: YELLQ) as justification for shortening the notification period. The former is allowed when a company is trying to work with lenders to obtain additional funding while the latter allows for a shortened notification period if the company didnt have a reasonable expectation that it would fail when the notice was required in this case late May 2023. The WARN notices provided by Yellow were insufficient as they lacked detail the court said in December. Those notices excluded mention of a July 18, 2023, Teamsters strike notice over missed benefits payments, which Yellow said scared off customers and ultimately led to its demise. Former Yellow CEO Darren Hawkins said at trial on Tuesday that WARN notices to union and nonunion employees contained different language, according to sources that were able to listen in on the closed portion of the trial. Hawkins said the company decided not to mention the damage the strike threat had in its layoff notifications to union employees to keep from further fanning the flames in what had become a heated public back-and-forth. He also said the company had previously pointed to the strike notice as the reason for its closure. The timing of Yellows last shipment could determine if it can use a liquidating fiduciary defense. Yellow contends it saw no viable path forward on July 26, 2023, and that it was a fiduciary unwinding its affairs and preparing to sell assets at the time of its closure, not an employer. Yellow has said its last delivery was on July 29, 2023. A fight broke out at a Costco store in Los Angeles over Pokemon cards, according to a video circulating on social media. The fight was captured at the Atwater Village Costco on Jan. 16, according to a video posted on X by DisguisedToast. Wild footage captured shoppers at the Atwater Village Costco in Los Angeles fighting over large quantities of the coveted Pokemon cards on Jan. 16. Two men fought over a Pokemon box set, with one of them elbowing the other in the face. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Get the f off of me bro, one of the men said. Police weren't called to the scene and aren't investigating the brawl, Los Angeles Police Department officials said. Representatives for Costco didn't immediately return a request for comment. 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. Residents of Indy Ridge Apartments woke early Wednesday morning to popping sounds. Jordan Basss girlfriend thought they were gunshots in their second-floor apartment. And from the first floor, Jocquan Bowden knew the sounds were too low to be gunshots but said, it smelled weird. Maybe BB guns or something, Bowden thought. He and his girlfriend, Kaitlyn McCallister, live on the backside of the bottom floor facing away from the parking lot in the building next to where the fire started. They recall seeing bright red and orange when they looked outside. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When they opened the door of their apartment, they saw their neighbors running, panicking. Thats when I was like, Oh, my God, were on fire! Bowden said. They grabbed their two dogs and two cats before leaving their apartment. Residents would later learn that a family of four, including two children ages 3 and 8, died in the morning fire. Fire investigators looked over the top floor of an apartment building that was destroyed by a massive fire at the Indy Ridge Apartment complex near Missouri 291 highway and East 39th Street in Independence on Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2025. How to help The building where the family lived was a total loss, said Independence Fire Chief Jimmy Walker. The fire that tore through the complex early Wednesday morning affected at least 24 units in one building at Indy Ridge, displacing at least 32 people. The American Red Cross has connected with residents displaced by the fire to offer aid. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Some residents have also launched private fundraisers on GoFundMe, including Bowden who learned that two of their pets a cat and a dog died in the fire, and Jaiyah Roberts, whose 1-year-old son survived the fire along with her mother and sisters. Just two weeks ago, we celebrated my babys first birthday and we were showered with so much love and gifts for him, which all went to flames, Roberts wrote on her fundraising page. As a new mother, I could never imagine the feelings that I had when I got the call that my baby and my family had to be pulled from the top floor of a burning building while I was away. The Players Club Bar and Grill, an Independence bar located at 1501 S Noland Rd, also announced they are accepting donations for those displaced in Wednesday mornings fire. Owner Jennifer Brashear had a pile of things she was already going to donate when she heard about the fire, according to Players Club employee Kristen Howe. We are looking to immediately clothe people and keep them warm, Howe said. Were focusing on clothing and something they can wear and not freeze. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Howe said Players Club is accepting clothes of any size, as well as blankets, shoes, coats, socks, toiletries and any other essential items. Their doors are open from 12:30 p.m. to 11 p.m. The bar is still trying to figure out where to drop off the donations they are collecting, but has been in contact with several aid organizations. The Roger T. Sermon Community Center in Independence is no longer accepting donations. The fire started as a cooking fire in one of the units at Indy Ridge, said Mike OConnell, a spokesperson for the Fire Safety division of the Missouri Department of Public Safety. Independence firefighters responded to the fire shortly before 5:50 a.m. A resident of the Indy Ridge Apartments had left the kitchen while cooking, then run back in upon hearing the smoke alarm to see a grease fire, Walker shared Wednesday night. The resident attempted to put the fire out with a fire extinguisher, then fled the apartment, leaving the front door open, Walker said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement OConnell said that the fire did not start in the same unit in which the victims lived. The fire had started in a neighboring apartment, spreading across two floors as well as to the buildings attic and roof, Walker said. The Department of Public Safety, which has taken over primary communications regarding the fire, has not publicly identified the four victims. The Department has also not shared a final count of how many people were injured in the fire. An investigation into the fire is ongoing, OConnell said. Flames shoot out of the top of a building in the Indy Ridge Apartments complex the 19000 block of East 37th Terrace, north of the Independence Commons shopping center on Wednesday. A resident of a nearby building in the apartment complex shot video of the blaze. The resident who identified herself as Kat, declined to give her last name out of safety concerns. Fleeing a fire Battalion Chief Eric Michel of the Independence Fire Department previously said that the fire appeared to have started on the third floor. The bodies of the family of four were found on the third floor about three hours after the fire started, according to Walker. Bass, who lives in a second-floor apartment next to the building where the fire started, saw a fire truck outside his window as his girlfriend hid under the bed. After running downstairs and seeing the flames, Bass and his partner grabbed their three cats and ran for the door. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement They offered us shelter and stuff, but we were just standing right up to the side in the parking lot because I couldnt keep my eyes off it, Bass said. Paige Miller lives in the building across from the fire-torn buildings and watched the scene unfold. Miller has heard several rumors about how the fire originated. Shes been told a resident was cooking, walked away from a hot stove, and called 911 before leaving the apartment. She also heard that someone had attempted to extinguish a grease fire with water, which only makes a grease fire grow. Millers main concern was for the resident who lived under the apartment where the fire started because he is blind, she said. She was relieved to hear that he wasnt one of the residents who died in the fire but watched firefighters rescue several families and pets. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Miller also said she watched an explosion she thinks ultimately killed the family of four that died. All I can think about is the babies, Miller said. The terrifying fear of being burnt alive literally freaks me out. None of the residents knew the family that died in the fire. The deceased 8-year-old was a second-grade student at William Yates Elementary School in Independence, according to a letter principal Kerri Edwards shared with parents and guardians Wednesday afternoon. Our staff members are completely heartbroken, and we have just begun the grieving process, Edwards wrote. ...I ask that you keep our school family in your thoughts and prayers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement William Yates staff and faculty directly notified the parents of every student in the childs class but did not share any updates directly with students, according to the letter. William Yates is part of the Blue Springs R-IV School District, which was unavailable Wednesday to discuss the deceased students identity. Please keep in mind that students may hear their peers talking about the tragedy in the coming days, Edwards wrote. Sheltering and rebuilding Several other fire departments were called in to help fight the fire throughout the day, Walker said. Fire responders searched the building door-to-door while working to contain the blaze to one building; two firefighters were briefly hospitalized Wednesday with third-degree burns. Basss apartment is unlivable but he estimates 90% of his and his partners items were unaffected. He is grateful to be able to salvage most of his things after the fire and is optimistic about his renters insurance payout as they plan to live with his sister, who is also at Indy Ridge, as they wait to be placed in a new apartment at the end of the month. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Bowden and McCallister arent as fortunate as they wait for their new apartment. They said the complex is putting displaced tenants at a Best Western Hotel less than a mile from the complex. But the couple left their wallets and valuables in the apartment that they havent been able to enter since evacuating. They also said a room at the hotel would be around $100 a night, and the complex would reimburse them after the fact. The Sermon Center and the Red Cross were recommended to assist the couple, but they said those entities wont allow their pets. The fire also occurred on the morning of Bowdens 30th birthday. All of his minimal birthday cheer was swept away after the fire. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I feel terrible for him, its his birthday, McCallister said. I didnt care about it before this, Bowden said. But now, even if I wanted to go see a movie, Main Event, go bowling like we had planned, cant even think about that. Reporter Noelle Alviz-Gransee contributed this report. BATON ROUGE, La. (Louisiana First) Officials said no one was injured after a fire was reported at Lard Oil in Denham Springs on Wednesday, Jan. 22. Authorities, including the Livingston Parish Sheriffs Office, responded to Florida Avenue and rerouted traffic. LPSO said Florida Avenue westbound is currently open. A spokesperson for Lard Oil Group said the fire was contained to the outside porch area of the office building and had no business interruptions. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This is a developing story. 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. POLK COUNTY, Iowa At least ten houseboats were damaged in a large fire at the Saylorville Lake Marina Wednesday night, according to the Polk City Fire Department. Its an unfortunate deal, said houseboat owner Andy Knauss. Theres a lot of people that put a lot of time and effort into their boats. The first calls came in around 6 p.m. from passersby who noticed the flames and thought a building was on fire, said Fire Chief Karla Hogrefe. Dispatchers reportedly spoke to the general manager who was on site and confirmed it was in fact several houseboats that were aflame roughly 40 yards from a fuel storage tank, according to scanner traffic. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Basic Bird restaurant reopens while awaiting repairs after car plows into building Firefighters were then dispatched to the marina in the 6100 block of Polk City Drive. When they arrived, three houseboats that were part of a larger group that had been drydocked for Winter were involved but the fire quickly spread to more than three times that number due to how closely the boats were stored together. Complicating matters was the fact that a privately-owned fire hydrant on the site had not been maintained, said Hogrefe. It was not immediately clear if hydrant maintenance fell under the jurisdiction of marina ownership or the county. The first arriving crews had trouble accessing the water and therefore additional agencies were called in to provide water resources. That included the Johnston-Grimes Fire District, the Boone Fire Department, the Madrid Fire Department and assets from Ankeny. Knauss has stored his boat at the marina since 2012. He happened to be driving to the area when he first noticed something was wrong. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I was actually on my way down here to come to work on my boat, Knauss told reporter Katie Kaplan at the scene. I live in Madrid. I could see the smoke from Highway 415. Im like, Man, thats a big fire in Des Moines.' It did not take long for him to realize the smoke was actually coming from the marina. While he was grateful to find out his boat was unscathed, he was disappointed for the other boat owners who were not so lucky. If this would have happened to mine, I would be devastated, he said. I know there are some kids over here, (pointing to the damaged houseboats closest to the water) that theyre out on their boats every weekend and theyre out here (now). They were just devastated because their boats destroyed. Knauss likened owning a houseboat to owning a vacation home where people spend thousands of dollars not only on the initial purchase but on continued maintenance, upkeep and safe storage. All of the boat owners are required to have insurance on their vessels, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to the Polk County Sheriffs Office, no injuries were reported, and all the houseboats involved were unoccupied. The agency will be leading the investigation into what caused the fire. WHO 13 reached out to the Saylorville Lake Marina through publicly listed phone numbers on Wednesday night and left several voicemails, but the calls were not immediately returned. This is just the latest incident in a long list of headaches Saylorville Marina boat owners have allegedly had to deal with over the past year. Metro 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 who13.com. While new blazes fanned by whipping Santa Ana winds have sparked across Southern California this week, firefighters have continued to make significant progress on some of the states most destructive wildfires that continue to burn. Trumps slew of misinformation about the disaster hasnt helped. Los Angeles Countys response to the furious fires which have resulted in the deaths of 28 people and left thousands without homes in some of the areas most affluent communities has been put under a microscope since they started more than two weeks ago, following months without rain and hurricane-force winds. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Officials have faced harsh criticism from politicians and residents alike. Newly sworn-in President Donald Trump and Republicans have traded shots at Californias Democratic leadership, insisting that more could have been done to help prevent the tragedy. But, many of the presidents statements about how the Golden State should have prepared and other related logistical elements have been ignorant of the role of climate change and are rooted in inaccuracy and a contentious relationship with Governor Gavin Newsom. Trump, who is planning to visit California on Friday following an invitation from the governor, had a lot to say this week about the states water resources that Newsom has sought to correct. Los Angeles has massive amounts of water available to it. All they have to do is turn the valve, and thats the valve coming back from and down from the Pacific Northwest where millions of gallons of water a week and a day even, in many cases, pours into California, goes all through California down to Los Angeles, Trump said, speaking at a press conference about artificial intelligence investments. And, they turned it off. President Donald Trump stands at the White House. Trump has blasted California Democrats over their response to recent deadly wildfires in and around Los Angeles, as well as their water policy and systems (AP) While this isnt the first time the president has brought up getting water from Canada, where exactly this valve is remains unclear. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Media outlets have suggested that he could be referring to the Columbia River, which flows from Canada into the Northwest and the Pacific Ocean. The U.S. and Canada have been negotiating for years to modernize the 61-year-old Columbia River Treaty, which governs the waters of the river. Notably, the State Department updated its webpage detailing the process on the same day as Trumps valve remarks. But, there is currently no infrastructure to send that water southward. Roughly two-thirds of Los Angeles Countys water comes from outside sources via aqueducts: a system of pipes, tunnels and canals that transport the water. It flows there from the Sierra Nevada mountains, the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta and the Colorado River. The county also gets water from the Los Angeles River, the San Gabriel River and groundwater represents a significant portion of local supplies. The state says that reservoirs are at historical highs and that a change in water management in Northern California would not have affected the response to the fires. Orange County Water District, which supplies groundwater to the north half of the county, has enough supply to carry its 2.5 million customers through the worst of any potential droughts for up to five years. The Metropolitan Water District of Southern California has enough water to supply 40 million people for a year. Trumps focus on California water isnt just limited to the valve but even targeted one of the areas water supplies in an executive order. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He issued a memo directing his administration to find ways to reroute water from the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta to the rest of the state for use by the people there who desperately need a reliable water supply. In the executive order, Trump blamed California and the protection of the essentially worthless and endangered Delta smelt fish for preventing a plan in his previous administration to allow enormous amounts of water to flow from the snow melt and rainwater in rivers in Northern California to beneficial use in the Central Valley and Southern California. Two Delta smelt are seen in this photo. The silvery fish typically reach a length of up to three inches and have become center in Trumps push for water for California (USFWS) How are you protecting the Delta smelt by not giving it water? Trump asked. Its a fish. It needs water. Newsom said any connection between smelt policy and the wildfires is outlandish because its not about water availability in Southern California. The only thing fishy are Trumps facts. California pumps as much water now as it could under prior Trump-era policies, his press office noted. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The state had argued that Trumps previous plan to direct water would harm the ecosystem and fish. The smelts population has rapidly declined due to habitat changes, and no smelt were found in the estuary last February. The fishs protection guidelines limit when and how much water can be pumped from the delta, in order to provide the species with adequate freshwater and prevent them from being trapped against intake valves, according to Vox. Theres another reason California has water flowing to the ocean, according to Jay Lund, a professor of civil and environmental engineering at the University of California-Davis. The biggest reason that we have water flowing to the ocean is to keep the delta fresh enough so that we can export water to the south, Lund told KQED. We need to have some water flowing out to keep the salt out. Otherwise, wed pump salty water to the farms and the cities. California Governor Gavin Newsom, center, surveys damage from the Palisades Fire earlier this month in Pacific Palisades, California. Newsom has sought to correct misinformation about wildfire response and the states water resources (AP) A return to the earlier Trump rules has the potential to harm Central Valley farms and Southern California communities that depend upon water delivered from the Delta, and it will do nothing to improve current water supplies in the Los Angeles basin, Karla Nemeth, director of the state Department of Water Resources, told CalMatters. Despite warnings from locals, Trump said that he would cut off wildfire aid in California if Newsom refused to change policies related to water supply and smelt. I dont think we should give California anything until they let the water run down, Trump told Fox News Sean Hannity Wednesday night. The wildfires that have torn through Pacific Palisades and other parts of Los Angeles this month have damaged or destroyed about $350 million in public infrastructure, including streetlights, recreation centers and a library that burned down, according to a city report. The initial cost estimate, which examined damage from the first four days of the fires, was presented Wednesday to the City Council as part of a larger discussion on the impact of the emergency on the city budget. City Administrative Officer Matt Szabo told council members that his office submitted the initial cost estimate to the Federal Emergency Management Agency as part of the process of securing all or partial reimbursement for fire- and wind-related damage. His office, which relied heavily on cost estimates from each city department, will work to refine the figures in the coming weeks. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "These are initial estimates," he told the council. "They will likely grow." Szabo's seven-page memo did not examine public infrastructure damaged or destroyed by the Eaton fire, which burned in Altadena and Pasadena communities outside the city of Los Angeles. It also did not cover public buildings maintained by the Los Angeles Unified School District, the county of Los Angeles or other non-city agencies. The ruins of Palisades Elementary Charter School in Pacific Palisades on Jan. 8. (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times) The vast majority of the damage to L.A. city infrastructure was attributed to the Palisades fire, which destroyed more than 6,700 structures and damaged 904 others, many of them in Pacific Palisades. According to the report, the Department of Water and Power sustained nearly $76 million in damage, mostly to its power distribution system. Sanitation infrastructure, including pumping plants in nearly a dozen locations, sustained damage totaling nearly $48 million. The loss of the Pacific Palisades Public Library was estimated at $55 million. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement FEMA typically assists local governments with disaster recovery by reimbursing 75% of damage costs, the city's financial analysts said. In the final days of the Biden administration, federal officials agreed to reimburse the city for debris removal and emergency responses to the wildfires and the related windstorm at a rate of 100% but only if that work took place within 180 days of the city's emergency declaration. On top of the damaged infrastructure, the city has estimated about $24 million in emergency response costs during the first 10 days of the wildfires much of it for fire and police services. It's not clear whether FEMA's approach to the city's steadily growing emergency expenditures will change during the Trump administration. On Monday, President Trump issued an executive order directing federal officials to ensure that "sanctuary" jurisdictions that "seek to interfere" with immigration enforcement do not receive federal funds. An aide to Hugo Soto-Martinez, one of the council members who proposed the city's sanctuary law, said the city would not lose federal funding under such an order because its sanctuary law does not interfere" with federal law enforcement. "Rather, it ensures that city resources and staff are not used to collaborate with immigration authorities," the aide said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Szabo said his office hopes to avoid tapping the city's emergency reserve as much as possible, instead borrowing money from other funds until federal money arrives. That strategy was employed by the city during the pandemic emergency, when city workers provided COVID-19 testing and many other crucial services. L.A. elected officials had been facing budget pressures well before the fires broke out. The city's emergency reserve has fallen to $320 million, or about 4% of the city's general fund budget, which pays for basic services such as police patrols and emergency response. The city's budget policy calls for that fund to remain at 5%. Also on Wednesday, the council approved the creation of an ad hoc committee on windstorm and wildfire recovery to oversee rebuilding efforts and the distribution of state and federal aid. Councilmember Traci Park, who represents Pacific Palisades, said the committee would focus not just on rebuilding but also on "restoring public faith in our city's emergency and disaster response" system. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "For that reason, we will take these meetings to impacted communities, so we can make it easier and more convenient for residents to participate and have their voices heard," she said. Updates: 11:17 a.m. Jan. 23, 2025: Figures were updated for the number of structures destroyed and damaged by the Palisades fire. 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. 22House and Senate committees took the first testimony of legislation dealing with abortion in the 2025 session, one to create a criminal penalty for transporting a minor to get the procedure without parental consent and the other to mandate the general reporting of abortion statistics. Social conservatives in both chambers moved forward on the measures even though Gov. Kelly Ayotte has said she would veto any further abortion restrictions. Both House Speaker Sherman Packard and Senate President Sharon Carson, both R-Londonderry, have declined to highlight the bills among top priorities for House and Senate GOP leaders this year. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Sen. Glenn Cordelli, R-Tuftonboro, said creating the new crime of helping a minor get an abortion would curb the growing practice of human trafficking in New Hampshire. Under the bill (HB 191), anyone convicted would face a Class A misdemeanor on a first offense that carries up to a year in jail; anyone convicted for a third time would be guilty of a Class B penalty with a term of 3 1/2 to 7 years in state prison. "This bill is about four things, it's about parents' rights, predators, traffickers and protecting minor girls," Cordelli told the House Criminal Justice and Public Safety Committee Wednesday. "This will send a message to predators and sex traffickers that NH is not the place for them." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement New Hampshire law requires a minor girl to at least notify one parent before getting a legal abortion. Cordelli agreed to change his bill to permit a minor to ask a judge to grant a waiver from having to obtain consent; the parental notification law has a similar judicial bypass provision. Jason Hennessey, president of New Hampshire Right to Life, said this also would close a loophole in the existing law as it would make it a crime for an adult to secure for a minor girl a drug that induces an abortion. "This bill protects these minors from being taken advantage of. All this does is require a parent be involved before a minor has an abortion. Who would be scared of that? Traffickers and predators." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Rep. Mary Hakken Phillips, D-Hanover, charged this would be an unconstitutional invasion of privacy and create an "unprecedented climate of surveillance." "This would pit neighbors against neighbors, parents against health care providers and family members against each other," Hakken Phillips said. Sen. Kevin Avard, R-Nashua, attracted the backing of six other GOP senators for his abortion statistics bill (SB 36). New Hampshire, California, New Jersey and Maryland are the only states that don't compel health care providers to share anonymous information about abortions with public health agencies. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Health and Human Services Associate Commissioner Patricia Tilley said creating a database would cost her agency $950,000 in ongoing costs with a one-time setup expense of $250,000 and the need to hire 1 1/2 state employees to monitor it. Courtney Tanner, director of government relations for Dartmouth Health, said her group is concerned about protecting patient privacy as any information given out could reveal who had the procedure. "The volume of abortions we are performing is extremely small," Tanner said. klandrigan@unionleader.com The News US President Donald Trump has used his first days in office to double down on his promise to make immigration a focus of his presidency. On day one, Trump signed executive orders to mobilize the US military at the southern border, classify drug cartels as foreign terrorist organizations, expedite deportations, shut down refugee applications, and revoke birthright citizenship. Much of the fine print remains unclear, but legal challenges are already in motion although many will take months, if not years, to resolve. Meanwhile, state and foreign governments are scrambling to respond to the measures, even as some advocates believe their early efforts will fall short. SIGNALS Birthright rollback could provide a talking point even as likely to fail Sources: Bloomberg, Brennan Center for Justice Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump likely knows the birthright order will fail, Bloomberg columnist Patricia Lopez argued, but it still gives him a talking point and another way to blame opponents for thwarting him. Birthright citizenship whereby children born in the US are automatically citizens is enshrined in the Constitution, and most legal scholars agree that an executive order alone cant nullify that right. And while some critics worry that the current US Supreme Court has bent American jurisprudence into novel shapes to avoid direct conflict with Trump, even the most conservative justices in the nations history, including those that upheld segregation in the late 1800s, couldnt find an honest way around the 14th Amendments plain language, the Brennan Center for Justice wrote. Blue state protections for immigrants could fall short, advocates warn Sources: Poliitco, Los Angeles Times Democratically-controlled California is mulling new legislation that would help connect migrants to legal and community support systems, Politico reported. But the California resolution does not provide funds to hire public defenders that have the training and resources to serve as the first line of defense against mass deportations, immigration law advocate Cyn Yamishiro wrote in the Los Angeles Times. California simply does not have enough public defenders, Yamishiro argued, with many immigrants often going weeks in detention without access to one. Guatemala offers Latin America a roadmap for dealing with Trump Source: The New York Times Weeks before Donald Trump returned to office, Guatemala said it would be open to accepting deportees who are not from Guatemala, adding that deported migrants from the US would be welcomed into the Latin American country with health and employment services, The New York Times reported. The proposal reflects the implications of Trumps unspoken expectation that Latin American countries must receive their deported citizens, and stop them from returning illegally to the US. The promised uptick in deportees could be an enormous economic opportunity for the region, according to one political scientist. Still, many people could choose to try and return to the US as Latin America struggles to combat organized crime, poverty, and the fallout of climate change. GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. (KREX) Area officials and members of the media had the chance to look Wednesday at the first Amazon delivery station in Grand Junction. Amazon officials showcased the 37,400-square-foot facility, 800 Saccomanno Road, as a part of the grand opening event. Were excited to be able to deliver (packages) even faster for our customers. And this investment, in partnership with the City of Grand Junction highlights the growth we have here on the Western Slope, Amazons Head of Economic Development Policy in Colorado Sam Bailey told WesternSlopeNow. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The facility is a last-mile delivery station meaning it is the final location before a package is delivered to someones home or mailbox. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. LAKE GENEVA, Wis. (WFRV) Five individuals have been arrested and charged in relation to an attempted homicide investigation of a shooting that occurred in February 2024. According to a release from the Lake Geneva Police Department, the shooting occurred in the 1000 block of Bonnie Brae Lane on February 12, 2024. The charges were issued by the Walworth County District Attorneys Office. One dead after fatal single vehicle crash in Wisconsin Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The following five individuals were arrested and charged: 17-year-old Stevan Kalous of Genoa City Attempted 1st-Degree Intentional Homicide by Use of a Dangerous Weapon 1st-Degree Recklessly Endangering Safety by Use of a Dangerous Weapon Possession of a Firearm by Adjudicated Delinquent Felony Bail Jumping by Use of a Dangerous Weapon 19-year-old Sthephany Marquez Rocha of Burlington Girlfriend of Kalous Harboring or Aiding a Felon-Falsifying Information Drive or Operate a Vehicle without Owners Consent Obstructing an Officer 17-year-old Nallely Gonzalez Luna of Genoa City Cousin of Kalous Harboring or Aiding a Felon 32-year-old Amanda Pleshek of Genoa City Aunt of Kalous Harboring or Aiding a Felon as a Party to a Crime Possession of a Firearm by a Felon 37-year-old Stacy Gomez of Genoa City Aunt of Kalous Harboring or Aiding a Felon as a Party to a Crime Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Officers were originally dispatched to a report of gunshots in the 1000 block of Bonnie Brae Lane around 10 p.m. on Feburary 12, 2024. Officers found a 17-year-old victim with gunshot wounds. The victim was provided with medical treatment on the scene before further aid was provided at a local hospital. He was released afterwards. An initial investigation indicated that the shooting might have involved drug altercations, and a coordinated search effort was launched to no avail at the time. 19-year-old man who allegedly set fire to congressional office makes first court appearance Investigators since have interviewed multiple witnesses and others connected to the incident along with multiple search warrant executions and hours of data before making the arrests. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The investigation is still ongoing. No more details are avaialble. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. WASHINGTON (DC News Now) The Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) announced Thursday that a man from Florida was arrested in connection to a murder investigation from 2023. In a news release, D.C. police said 22-year-old Andrew Ellis, of Tampa, was arrested on Jan. 22, 2025, in connection to the shooting death of 56-year-old Leo Colter. According to police, on Oct. 1. just after 9:30 p.m., officers were called to McPherson Square for the sounds of gunshots. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While searching the area, responding officers discovered Colter who had been shot, across from the 900 block of 15th Street. He died at the scene. PREVIOUS COVERAGE | Man arrested in connection to McPherson Square shooting 41-year-old Marques Johnson of Northeast D.C. About four months later, the Capital Area Regional Fugitive Task Force arrested and charged 41-year-old Marques Johnson of Northeast D.C. with First-degree murder. As the investigation developed, the DC Superior Court indicted Ellis for First-degree murder while armed. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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 big story: Florida has five of the nations 10 largest school districts based on enrollment. Miami-Dade County ranks third in the latest figures, with more than 335,000 students. Holding down spots six through nine are Broward, Hillsborough, Orange and Palm Beach counties, recently released federal data shows. The numbers also reflect a trend away from public schools. Though they remain the largest form of education, most of the nations largest school districts have seen their enrollments decrease since the COVID-19 pandemic. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Nine of the top 10 districts experienced dips, some as high as 13%. Among the Florida group, Broward had the biggest slide, at 6.6%, while Hillsborough was the outlier with 0.4% increase. Read more from Ed Surge. The reduction in students has led several school districts to explore moves including campus closures. On Wednesday, the Broward County school board ended a year of debate by deciding to close one under-enrolled school and convert three others to K-8 campuses, the Miami Herald reports. Hot topics Start times: The Palm Beach County school board is asking lawmakers to repeal rules requiring later high school start times, noting 75% of surveyed parents oppose the change, WPEC reports. Snow days: Leon County schools will remain closed Thursday because of the winter storm, the Tallahassee Democrat reports. Several other districts are reopening, WCJB reports. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement School board oversight: A newly created inspector general office is now in place in the Broward County school district, WLRN reports. It already has received one complaint. Contract talks: The Alachua County school board approved a new contract for school support employees, while remaining at odds over terms with teachers, MainStreet Daily News reports. Columbia County teachers demanded raises, saying surrounding districts pay better, WJXT reports. Cellphones: Lee County schools are surveying parents about possible new restrictions for student cellphone use, WINK reports. Administrators from other districts that have implemented limitations have offered positive feedback on the 2023 state law regarding cellphones in schools, Florida Phoenix reports. From the police blotter ... A man was arrested on allegations of sneaking into Pasco Countys Zephyrhills High School to rob students and also attacking a teen in a school bathroom, WTVT reports. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Dont miss a story. Yesterdays roundup is just a click away. Before you go ... Ever wonder what that dialect is that theyre using in Miami? Check out this interesting explainer from Florida International University. PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) On the 52nd anniversary of Roe v. Wades passage, Oregon freshman Rep. Janelle Bynum joined the House Democratic Caucus in a press conference on Wednesday, denouncing challenges to abortion access and a bill that undermines womens access to health care. Bynum spoke alongside caucus Chair Pete Aguilar (CA-23), Vice Chair Ted Lieu (CA-12) and Rep. Kelly Morrison (MN-02), addressing House Resolution 21, the companion bill to the Senates Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act, which will be up for vote this week. House Republicans are having us vote on a bill that continues to undermine womens access to health care. For me, thats unacceptable, and its frankly not what I was sent here to work on. So, Ill be voting no, Bynum said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Customer feels ripped off after Woodburn gas station hides its high prices from signs The legislation bans healthcare providers from failing to exercise the proper degree of care in the case of a child who survives an abortion or attempted abortion. The bill defines attempt as a substantial step leading up to an abortion and calls for babies that are born alive after an attempted abortion to immediately be admitted to a hospital. Additionally, the bill calls for mandatory reporting of violations to state and federal law enforcement agencies, stating, A health care practitioner or any employee of a hospital, a physicians office, or an abortion clinic who has knowledge of a failure to comply with the requirementsshall immediately report the failure to an appropriate State or Federal law enforcement agency, or to both. Those who break the proposed law could face a fine and up to five years of imprisonment. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Not going to tolerate criminal behavior: Portland police chief, Multnomah County DA weigh in after anti-Trump protest arrests The resolution was introduced in the House on January 3 by Rep. Ann Wagner of Missouri who said in a press release, This cannot and should not be a complicated issue. Every child deserves a chance to live and thrive. If babies survive an abortion, doctors must treat them like they would any other patient and provide lifesaving medical care to make sure they can grow up to have fulfilling lives like any other. Its time innocent children are treated like the blessings they are. Bynum, denounced the bill and attacks against abortion access, noting, The evidence is clear: in states with less access to care, maternal mortality is higher, infant deaths are higher, and racial inequities are greater. These restrictions also make it harder for expecting mothers to receive the care they need in pregnancies and complications. For me, its nonsense that my daughters I have two of them that theyll have less rights than I did at their age, Bynum continued. Its nonsense that theyve had to decide where to live and go to school based on where theyd have rights. And it is nonsense that my daughters are less safe because of government interference in their health care. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Eye on Northwest Politics On the Senate side, Sen. Patty Murray (D-WA) pointed to existing laws ensuring that all babies regardless of the circumstances of their birth, are equally protected under the law, under the bipartisan Born-Alive Infant Protections Act of 2002. Murrays office said Under [the latest bills] overly broad, vague standards, an induced labor of a fetus with a fatal diagnosis could potentially be considered an attempted abortionthis would subject medical providers to up to five years in prison for not following the requirements of the bill. In cases of a fatal diagnosis, a baby may only live a few minutes or hours outside of the wombthat babys parents may want to spend that precious, limited time holding and saying goodbye to their baby, not having the baby transported to a hospital for aggressive medical care that will do absolutely nothing to save the life of their child and only prolong their suffering. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Concluding her press conference with the House Democratic Caucus, Bynum added, Its time that House Republicans put aside this foolishness and start focusing on real issues, like eliminating maternal mortality and increasing rural access to health care. Like lowering costs and creating good jobs. And like working across the aisle to deliver real results for real 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 KOIN.com. Jan. 22Making New Hampshire the first state in the Northeast to adopt right-to-work legislation would be a magnet to attract new business, supporters say. But more than 100 union members from across the state rallied in subzero temperatures Wednesday, vowing to continue their effort to convince the Legislature to reject right-to-work as it usually has over the past four decades. This year's bill, HB 238, would prevent any company in the private sector from compelling employees to either pay union dues or so-called agency fees that cover the cost of collective bargaining. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The U.S. Supreme Court, in its landmark 2018 Janus ruling, outlawed that practice in the public sector. Presently, 27 states have right-to-work laws. "This gives freedom of choice as to whether or not freedom is correct for you and that can't be held against you as a condition of employment," said first-term state Rep. Donald McFarlane, R-Orange, a bill co-sponsor. Rich Gulla, president of the State Employees Association, told the House Labor, Industrial and Rehabilitative Services Committee that many of the states that adopted right-to-work laws did not see significant job growth. "For the life of me, what I can't understand is the Republican Party that preaches less interference with government and less regulation wants to interfere in the relationship a union has with a private company," Gulla said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Several opponents noted that then-Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump directed that a right-to-work initiative be taken out of the party platform at the Republican National Convention last summer. In his inaugural address on Monday, Trump highlighted his backing from union rank-and-file members as critical to his comeback victory. The International Brotherhood of Teamsters declined to endorse Democrat Joe Biden in the 2024 election. Keith Judge, business agent with Teamsters Local 633, rejected the claim that right-to-work would address the state's chronic workforce shortage. "There isn't really a worker shortage," Judge maintained. "Those employers who provide the best benefits and wages aren't looking for workers." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement John Reynolds, state director of the National Federation of Independent Business in New Hampshire, said 82% of its members support right-to-work, 6% oppose it and the rest are undecided. Over a quarter century, the only time the New Hampshire House passed right-to-work was in 2011 when the GOP had a 3-1 super-majority. Then-Gov. John Lynch, a Democrat, vetoed that bill and the House failed to override his decision. Supporters are hoping this year's bill has a better chance of passage in the House, since Republicans picked up 22 seats in the Nov. 5 elections. In the past, as many as two dozen House Republicans have bucked the party leadership and voted against right-to-work. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Gov. Kelly Ayotte said she's supported this cause since 2010 when she first served in the U.S. Senate. While Ayotte said she'd sign the bill if it gets to her desk, she did not believe it would significantly change the appeal that New Hampshire already has in luring new businesses to locate here. klandrigan@unionleader.com Thursdays high temperatures were a bit deceptive since they occurred while most of us were still asleep. Readings hovered in the middle to upper teens in the wake of a cold frontal passage despite the near sunny skies following early morning clouds and flurries. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The early Thursday evening 24-hour temperature change map illustrates the change in our weather from one day ago. Overnight snowfall totals ranged from 0.5 inches at Midway International Airport to 1.7 inches in Elgin and 1.6 inches in Buffalo Grove. 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. LONDON (AP) Ireland, Northern Ireland and Scotland are braced for one of the most intense storms in decades, with forecasters warning of extremely rare hurricane-force winds and a danger to life. The national forecasters for Ireland and the U.K. both issued the most serious weather warnings Thursday about the impact of Storm Eowyn, which is expected to hit the Irish coast in the early hours of Friday before heading northeast to Scotland. With the storm bringing gusts of wind around 100 mph (161 kph), people have been urged by authorities to put on hold any travel plans, while schools across the areas affected have decided to close for the day. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Irelands Met Eireann issued a rare nationwide red warning for wind across the country between 2 a.m. and 10 p.m. It said theres a possible danger to life as well as extremely dangerous traveling conditions and the prospect of coastal flooding. We havent seen forecasted wind speeds like this in quite a long time," said Eoin Sherlock of Met Eireann. I suppose our inhabitants on the islands have to take great care, because we would expect hurricane-force winds. The country's National Emergency Co-ordination Group said the storm will be one of the most severe Ireland has experienced. The U.K.s Met Office has also issued a red warning for wind for Northern Ireland as well as central and southwestern areas of Scotland on Friday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In response, the government said around 4.5 million people in the path of the storm will receive an emergency alert on their cellphones Thursday at 6 p.m. to make them aware of the warning. It represents the largest real-life use of the emergency system to date and will cause phones to make a loud siren-like sound, even if they are on silent when the alert is issued. We reserve the issuing of Red Warnings for the most severe weather which represents a likely danger to life and severe disruption, and that is the case with Storm Eowyn," the agency's chief meteorologist Paul Gundersen said. Gundersen said winds could gust 80-90 m.p.h. quite widely for a time, and potentially up to 100 m.p.h. for exposed coasts in particular. The record for a gust in Northern Ireland is 124 m.p.h. in County Down in January 1974. This is the first red warning issued for Northern Ireland since the Met Office moved to impact-based warnings in 2011. All schools in Northern Ireland have been advised to close on Friday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its important to emphasize that a red warning is very serious. It's only whenever there is a genuine threat to life and potential damage to property, and the public should expect significant disruption to travel and also potential power outages because of the severity of conditions," Northern Ireland's First Minister Michelle O'Neill said. The Met Office warning applies on Friday from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. in Northern Ireland and for parts of southern Scotland between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. Scotland's First Minister John Swinney said police would issue a formal do not travel notice later for the area covered by the red weather warning. We have to be clear. People should not travel," he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Schools in a number of Scottish local authorities will be closed on Friday, including all schools in Glasgow. The Scottish Parliament in Edinburgh will also close. The other nations of the U.K. England and Wales will also face disruption, with all parts of the country covered by one warning at some point on Friday. Its important to note that even those away from the immediate Red Warning areas will still likely see disruptive weather, with travel plans likely to be severely impacted, as well as the possibility of power cuts for some," said the Met Office's Gundersen. Part of the storm's energy originated with the system that brought historic snowfall along the Gulf Coast of the U.S., said Jason Nicholls, lead international forecaster at the private weather company AccuWeather. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The storm is being propelled by the jet stream and is being fed by energy in upper levels of the atmosphere. A rapid drop in air pressure is expected and could make Eowyn a bomb cyclone, which happens when a storms pressure drops 24 millibars in 24 hours. Scientists say pinpointing the exact influence of climate change on a storm is challenging, but all storms are happening in an atmosphere that is warming abnormally fast due to human-released pollutants like carbon dioxide and methane. Its hard to say if climate change had much impact on the storm," said Nicholls. It was just a matter of a whole bunch of ingredients coming together to help it rapidly strengthen. Suzanne Gray, professor of meteorology at the University of Reading, said the observed trends in U.K. storminess have not provided a conclusive link with climate change," but that studies have shown that "winter storms may become more frequent and clustered in the future, such that several storms occur one after the other. ___ Isabella O'Malley contributed from Philadelphia, PA. DENVER (KDVR) A former forensic laboratory scientist, Yvonne Missy Woods, who worked for the Colorado Bureau of Investigation for nearly 30 years, is facing 102 criminal charges, according to the Colorado First Judicial District Attorneys Office. Woods is accused of 58 instances of criminal misconduct from 2008 to 2023 during her career with CBI. She was employed by CBI from January 1994 to November 2023 and worked at two laboratories in Jefferson County. Questions about her work and processes were raised as long ago as 2014, even as management appeared to consider Woods a golden child who was amazing at forensic work. CBI hires outside firm for forensics operation assessment after data manipulation Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement An arrest warrant for Woods was submitted by the First Judicial District Attorneys Office chief investigator on Tuesday. Woods turned herself into the Jefferson County Jail on Wednesday and is being held on a $50,000 cash-only bond. This strikes a blow to the confidence that all parties and the public has to scientific testing, said FOX31 Legal Analyst Chris Decker to FOX31s Gabby Easterwood. The data is only as accurate as the human beings that are touching it, disclosing it and testifying about it. Woods faces felony charges of: Cybercrime Perjury in the first degree Attempt to influence a public servant (48 counts) Forgery (52 counts) Decker said he has spoken to individuals who were convicted in part by work completed by Woods and then used in court. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I got a call today from an individual who suffered a conviction and received a letter from the CBI indicating that Mrs. Woods had done testing on his case, Decker told Easterwood. Ive gotten calls from other individuals who also got those letters from CBI who do have valid claims that the results of their trial or their decisions to plead guilty were materially affected by that testing. In June 2024, a Boulder defendant in a case involving three killings in 2017 pleaded guilty to lesser charges after prosecutors offered a plea deal. The deal was offered partly because prosecutors were unable to call Woods to testify in the case. He could have faced life in prison without parole, but instead was sentenced to 42 years in prison with seven years of pre-sentence credit. Charges follow investigation into Woods work with CBI In September 2023, an intern with CBI was reviewing quantification data in vestibular swabs within historical sexual assault cases. The intern discovered that in 2018, Woods processed a sample that was missing a quantification value although the male cycle threshold was noted in the sample. An internal review ruled out the possibility of an instrument or quantification kit error and an internal investigation was conducted into Woods workbooks around a similar time frame. Instead, CBI found that Woods deviated from standard testing protocols and cut corners, raising questions about how reliable her testing may have been. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement CBI: Over 1K cases impacted by former forensic scientist employed for decades CBI found various data alterations and deletions in her workbooks related to critical parts of the quality control process. In the internal affairs report, Woods admitted to deleting some historical data on a DNA instrument, but she said she was advised to do so during quarterly maintenance. However, the manufacturer did not recommend the deletion, according to the internal report. In November 2023, CBI requested an external investigation by the South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation into the missing and altered data discovered. Nearly a year later, on Dec. 23, 2024, the South Dakota agency submitted its findings to the CBI which requested additional information and received the final batch of data on Jan. 15, 2025. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The investigation showed evidence of instances where Woods altered and deleted quantification values, re-ran batches of DNA multiple times without any documentation, and concealed possible contamination. Download the FOX31 App: Breaking news alerts & Pinpoint Weather It also found evidence of Woods allegedly deleting specific values in submitted reports to agencies in 35 sexual assault cases, and at least seven homicide cases. The reports filed by Woods stated No Male DNA Found when small amounts of male DNA were detected or there was possible contamination which would have required additional testing and troubleshooting. According to an arrest affidavit for Woods, investigators asked her about the alleged data manipulation, specifically the manipulated results. The affidavit said Woods did not have a good answer but provided a brief explanation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Like the analogy you used. I got to put out seven cases that day instead of five. I dont know, the affidavit says Woods stated. The affidavit shows probable cause statements for 58 instances of criminal misconduct supporting criminal charges. We want to thank the South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation for their diligence in conducting a complex investigation. Based on the available facts and after careful legal analysis, we have filed charges and will now proceed with a criminal prosecution. My office remains committed to reviewing all affected cases within our jurisdiction on behalf of the defendants and victims involved, said 1st District Attorney Alexis King in the Wednesday release. CBI estimated that through 2024, fiscal costs from the alleged misconduct are around $11 million. Agencies that received fraudulent reports Adams County Sheriffs Office, Arapahoe County Sheriffs Office, Arvada Police, Aurora Police, Boulder County Sheriffs Office, Broomfield Police, Colorado Springs Police, Colorado State Patrol, Denver Police, El Paso County Sheriffs Office, Fort Collins Police, Fraser/Winter Park Police, Fremont County Sheriffs Office, Greeley Police, Lafayette Police, Lakewood Police, Larimer County Sheriffs Office, Longmont Police, Loveland Police, Pueblo Police, Rocky Mountain National Park Rangers, Thornton Police, University of Colorado Boulder Police Department, and Westminster Police. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement FOX31 Newsletters: Sign up to get breaking news sent to your inbox CBI announced on Tuesday that it has hired a Wisconsin consulting firm to further assess CBIs forensic services and operations as part of its promise for transparency, accountability, and providing accurate scientific results. Woods first court appearance is scheduled for Jan. 23 at 10 a.m. FOX31s Heather Willard 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 FOX31 Denver. LACKAWANNA COUNTY (WBRE/WYOU) The Lackawanna County Commissioners have appointed six-term former Congressman Matt Cartwright to the Pennsylvania Northeast Regional Railroad Authority (PNRRA). All three commissioners voted unanimously for the appointment. Cartwright, from Moosic, has been a major advocate to restore rail service between Scranton and New York City. Court temporarily blocks Trump order on birthright citizenship Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement My work to restore passenger rail service to Northeastern Pennsylvania is the prime moving factor in my wanting to be on the PNRRA board, Cartwright said. Its been a consuming passion of mine ever since those PNRRA board members approached me in the summer of 2012, and being on the board gives me an avenue to stay active in advocating for this rail project. It will be transformational for Northeastern Pennsylvania. Every single business owner in our area will benefit. The PNRRA has started rail service along lines that were previously operated by several railroads, and has overseen passenger rail service in both Lackawanna and Monroe counties. According to a media release from Lackawanna County Communications Director Pat McKenna. The plan to restore passenger rail service to New York would be the first time since 1970, and feature three daily roundtrips between Scranton and the Moynihan Train Hall at Penn Station in Manhattan, with Pennsylvania stops in Mount Pocono and East Stroudsburg, and in New Jersey at Blairstown, Dover, Morristown, Montclair and Newark, according to a media release from Lackawanna County Communications Director Pat McKenna. Amtrak also estimates that this service could generate $84 million a year in new economics on both sides of the Delaware River. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The board seat is a volunteer position, and Cartwrights term runs through 2029. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. WARREN, Ohio (WKBN) A former corrections officer pleaded guilty to felony charges after he brought drugs into a prison. Read next: Campbell man sentenced in beating death of 76-year-old man Dandre Dukes, 24, pleaded guilty Wednesday to two felony charges: attempted aggravated possession of drugs and attempted illegal conveyance of drugs onto the grounds of a governmental facility. Dukes was a correction officer at Trumbull Correctional Institution on July 17, 2024, when he entered the facility with a suspicious package, according to a release from the prosecutors office. The package contained substances that later tested positive for almost 70 grams of methamphetamine, prosecutors stated. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Dukes, who could face up to 54 months in prison, will be sentenced after undergoing a background investigation conducted by probation officers. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. Jan. 23Former Dayton-area lawmaker Niraj Antani announced his candidacy Thursday to run for Ohio Secretary of State in 2026. Antani, 33, just finished a 10-year run as a state lawmaker representing portions of Montgomery County. The Miami Twp. Republican entered the Ohio House at just 23 years old in 2014 and served six years in the Ohio House and four years in the Ohio Senate. "Living under British rule in India less than 70 years ago, my family didn't have their freedom. They didn't have the right to vote," Antani said in a Thursday press release. "As someone born in America, I uniquely understand we must cherish that we were born free people, born with the right to vote. This is a sacred institution; our vote must be protected, safeguarded, secured. As Ohio's next Secretary of State, I will do just that." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement With his announcement, Antani becomes the first established politician to throw their hat in the ring to take over for current Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose, a Republican who cannot run again in 2026 due to term limits. Antani told this outlet that he expects competition from at least one other Republican in the 2026 primary. The Ohio Secretary of State is tasked with overseeing the state's elections. While much of Ohio's day-to-day election work is handled by the state's relatively autonomous boards of elections located in all 88 counties, the secretary still holds considerable power, including the ability to set directives; lead the Ohio Ballot Board, which writes the official ballot language voters see for constitutional amendments, initiatives and referenda; and participate in the Ohio Redistricting Commission, the legislative map-drawing body that flipped his Senate district from from red to blue in 2023. In 2023, Antani proposed legislation to ban ballot drop boxes. Late in his term, he proposed another bill to require would-be voters to prove their citizenship before registering to vote. Antani blamed Republican Senate leadership for those bills' demise and promised to "continue fighting the entrenched RINO establishment at the Statehouse in order to secure our elections." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As a Hindu and Indian American, Antani has broken various barriers throughout his political career. He's touted himself as the first Hindu state senator in Ohio history and the youngest Hindu and Indian elected official in the country. On X, he explained that a victory in November 2026 would make him the first Hindu and Indian American, and the first Asian American, to be elected to a statewide Ohio office. According to LaRose's office, the only other candidate to file requisite paperwork to run for the position so far is Bryan Hambley, a Warren County Democrat and cancer doctor who is making his first political bid. When he announced his candidacy in early January, Hambley said he was drawn to the post because he's seen his patients and Ohio communities "suffer from a broken and gerrymandered democracy." "Democracy works best when communities can exercise their right to be heard," Hambley said in a press release. "Here in Ohio, we have seen our Secretary of State abuse our democracy, making it harder to vote, purging voters from the voter rolls, and drawing unfair maps that disenfranchise millions of Ohio citizens." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Sen. Theresa Gavarone, an election-issues focused Republican from Bowling Green who sits on the Ohio Ballot Board, is rumored to be planning to run for the position but has not yet made an official announcement. ------ For more stories like this, sign up for our Ohio Politics newsletter. It's free, curated, and delivered straight to your inbox every Thursday evening. Avery Kreemer can be reached at 614-981-1422, on X, via email, or you can drop him a comment/tip with the survey below. Loading... EAU CLAIRE A former Eau Claire man was among those who received a pardon from President Donald Trump for his actions during the Jan. 6, 2021 riots at the U.S. Capitol. Kevin Loftus was charged less than a week after the riots, originally facing charges of knowingly entering or remaining in any restricted building or grounds without lawful authority, as well as violent entry and disorderly conduct on the capitol grounds. That case was closed shortly thereafter and the charges folded into a second indictment which added charges of disorderly and disruptive conduct in a restricted building and parading, demonstrating, or picketing in a capitol building. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Like many of the rioters, Loftus own social media posts were used as evidence, including a photo of him carrying an American flag through the rotunda and a later post saying i am wanted by the FBI for illegal entry. Loftus was not accused of violent behavior in the capitol and pleaded guilty to parading, demonstrating or picketing in the capitol as part of a plea agreement. He received three years probation and was ordered to serve 60 hours of community service. Loftus was one of 11 Wisconsin residents pardoned in Trumps sweeping order on his first day back in the White House. About 1,270 people overall were convicted nationally for their actions. Former El Salvador President Mauricio Funes, who spent the final years of his life in Nicaragua to avoid various criminal sentences, died late Tuesday. He was 65. Nicaraguas Health Ministry said in a statement that Funes had died of a serious chronic illness. Funes governed El Salvador from 2009 to 2014. He lived his final nine years under the protection of Nicaragua President Daniel Ortega, whose government had given him citizenship, allowing him to avoid extradition. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Nicaraguas Foreign Affairs Ministry said that Funes family had decided he would be buried in Nicaragua. The former president had pending sentences in El Salvador for corruption and making deals with the countrys powerful street gangs that amounted to 28 years, but he never set foot in prison. The journalist-turned-politician came to power with the Farabundo Marti National Liberation Front, the leftist party born of El Salvadors civil war and a powerful national political force for three decades that was left with no seats in the Congress after last years election. On Wednesday, his party said in a statement that Mauricio Funes as an investigative journalist and incisive generator of public opinion, as well as in his time as president of the republic, enjoyed broad acceptance and support from the Salvadoran people and the international community. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Current Labor Minister Rolando Castro said via X that Funes skills and contributions to the country as a journalist are undeniable, just as are his mistakes in public office. Funes was born in San Salvador on Oct. 18, 1959. He worked as a teacher in Catholic schools, but later made his name as a war reporter and hosted a highly popular interview show that took on controversial topics. He interviewed multiple heads of state, worked at two television stations and was a correspondent for CNN from 1991 to 2007, winning multiple awards. Then the FMLN came calling, offering to make him their candidate and he won the 2009 elections, defeating Rodrigo Avila of the conservative National Republican Alliance, better known as Arena, that had governed the country since 1989. Funes was a fresh face, not someone directly involved in the civil war as the party tried to remake itself with a less bellicose image. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement At the time, Cardinal Gregorio Rosa Chavez praised Funes as tenacious and someone who wouldnt shy away from El Salvadors problems. But by the time he left office, Funes was hounded by accusations of corruption. In 2016, he fled to Nicaragua. He always denied the accusations and said his troubles were all part of political persecution. But he was tried in absentia six times and convicted in each one. For one, Funes was sentenced in May 2023 to 14 years in prison for negotiating a truce with the gangs to lower the homicide rate during his administration in exchange for giving imprisoned gang leaders perks. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement His last sentence came just last year in June. He was sentenced to eight years in prison for receiving an airplane as a kickback for awarding a construction contract for a bridge project. He was also being prosecuted for allegedly diverting some $351 million in government funds. A number of former officials in his administration, as well as his ex-wife Vanda Pignato, his children and various former partners have also been prosecuted for corruption. His former security minister, David Munguia Payes, was sentenced to 18 years in prison for his role in negotiating the gang truce. Despite Funes troubled presidency, the FMLN won again with President Salvador Sanchez Ceren who governed from 2014 to 2019. Sanchez Ceren had been one of the five guerrilla commanders in the civil war. In recent years, Funes and current El Salvador President Nayib Bukele frequently sparred on social platforms, trading insults. Bukele pushed prosecutions of the former president, especially for his negotiations with the gangs. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Bukele himself had been accused of negotiating with gang leaders, but vehemently denied that and later crushed the gangs in a yearslong all-out offensive. Download the FREE WPXI News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Channel 11 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch WPXI NOW Jan. 23FAIRMONT A Farmington man who rose through the ranks of the Marion County Rescue Squad during his 20s from EMT to paramedic on up to chief died Monday evening. Michael Angelucci was 42. Elected to the West Virginia House of Delegates in November 2018, many community leaders remember Angelucci as a compassionate, caring man who spearheaded the effort to save health care access in Marion County after Fairmont Regional Medical Center closed in Feb. 2020, and laid off some 600 employees just weeks before COVID-19 invaded everyone's lives. "For me, the thing that he will be most remembered for is saving our hospital, because I'm telling you, without him, it wouldn't have happened, and he gave credit to everybody else," said Tina Shaw, former president of the Marion County Chamber of Commerce, who worked closely with Angelucci on the hospital project. "He was the catalyst that made it happen, and not only from hosting meetings here in Fairmont, but also in Charleston, with the officials there and the governor, and then that led to meetings with WVU." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While saddened to hear of Angelucci's passing, Shaw recalls the leadership he displayed working alongside the other members of the Marion County legislative delegation to save health care in Marion County, saying he "truly was the catalyst." "And his passion showed in every step of the way in that process," Shaw said. Shaw and other community members said they will remember Angelucci for the manner in which he fought for union workers, such as miners and teachers, veterans, women's rights and the elderly, and people from every walk of society. "And if he was your friend, he was your friend," Shaw said. "I'm telling you, you could always count on him." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Lloyd White, former director of the Marion County Health Department, has known Angelucci and his family for more than 35 years. In 2000, White served as chief of the Marion County Rescue Squad and hired Angelucci as a medic shortly after his high school graduation. "I hired him at the rescue squad back for his first public service job. He went on then to become a medic," White said. "He was a really, really awesome medic dedicated, caring, patient care skills were second to none. So just, just an overall good guy that's going to be very, very sadly missed." According to White, Angelucci cared deeply about making West Virginia and Marion County a great place to live and work and raise a family, but White will remember Angelucci for his "excellent communication skills." He said he and Angelucci recently had a conversation in which Angelucci discussed getting back into elected office having ran in the past for magistrate and county commission prior to being elected to the House of Delegates in 2018. "Yeah, it's a big loss," White said. "And I think, you know, it's one thing to be a public servant, but then it's another thing to be a public servant who really cares about serving people and tries to get things accomplished in the best interest of others. And that was Mike." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Taylor Downs, who met Angelucci around 2013 while serving as president of the Rescue Squad board of directors, said Angelucci had a knack for working toward a solution with those who held different beliefs, whether it involved his work as a delegate or as chief of the rescue squad. Downs said news of Angelucci's passing hit him as "a complete shock." "I think, you know, in his time as a member of the House of Delegates, if you look at his voting record, he was always trying to make sure that he was doing right by working people, and I think that that was one of his core personality traits, was just to take care of people," Downs said. Jonathan Board, former chairman of the Marion County Chamber of Commerce, worked with Angelucci on the hospital project in 2020. He said so much more than health care was at stake during that time. "Broadly, we all think of the hospital, but there were so many ancillary touch points to that hospital, and it affected really the entire continuum of care throughout Marion County," Board said, "and the benefits of his selflessness during that time, which I witnessed firsthand, continue to bless the people of of Fairmont and all of Marion County." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While serving on the Rescue Squad board, Downs and Angelucci became friends. He said Angelucci never failed to ask how his family was doing, a way of showing he really care for others. "As much as he absolutely loved being in the rescue squad that was his life I also think that serving in the House of Delegates was a joy of his life," Downs said. "I remember when he was running, he would go door-to-door, and then, especially during his first campaign, when he would go door-to-door, and he wrote a handwritten note to everybody he talked to, just to make sure that they knew he had been there, and they could contact him if they had any issues. That was the kind of guy he was, and I considered him a friend." Former state Sen. Mike Caputo, of Rivesville, recalls how concerned Angelucci was during the hospital closure. Angelucci worried that families in need of emergency care would drive there not knowing it had been shuttered. Caputo and Angelucci worked on the hospital project together. "I remember him stationing an ambulance up there for a long time after the hospital had its temporary closing, to make sure that if someone pulled in there looking for care, that someone was there to help them and direct them, you know, to another facility or take them if need be, until he was absolutely certain that the community knew what was going on," Caputo said. "So he wanted health care in Marion County, and he fought hard, and was one of many that did all he could to save the hospital." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While no arrangements have been released, the community mourns Angelucci's passing. Board said it's time for others who have leadership aspirations to fill the void. "He was such a kind individual, and that's something that a lot of folks I've been speaking with since, this tragic news broke have said," Board said. "The one thing that I continually hear is his kindness to everyone, and I know personally, it's a very challenging time to lose a friend, and you know he's going to be missed and in ways that we probably don't even understand yet, but we will learn over time, and we just honor his memory by stepping up and doing what's needed for this community." Reach Eric Cravey at 304-367-2523. A former high-ranking Keolis employee has pleaded guilty to stealing more than $8 million intended to operate the MBTA commuter rail system and to defrauding the IRS, the U.S. Attorney said Thursday. John P. Pigsley, 59, who formerly worked as Assistant Chief Engineer of Facilities for Keolis Commuter Services, also pocketed millions of dollars in cash by stealing and scrapping copper wire bought by Keolis as part of an elaborate scheme, prosecutors said. Pigsley pleaded guilty to five counts of wire fraud, one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, six counts of tax evasion, one count of filing a false tax return and four counts of structuring financial transactions to evade reporting requirements, U.S. Attorney Leah Foley said in a statement. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement U.S. District Court Judge Indira Talwani scheduled Pigsleys sentencing for April 17. Pigsley and John Rafferty, the ex-general manager of a Massachusetts-based electrical company, were charged in April 2023. Since 2014, Keolis has operated the MBTA commuter rail system under an annual contract of $291 to $349 million. Between 2014 and November 2021, Pigsley worked as Keolis Assistant Chief Engineer of Facilities. He responsible for the maintenance of MBTA Commuter Rail Facilities and their engineering operations, including repairs. He also ordered materials and approved his subordinates orders of electrical supplies from outside vendors for Keolis. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Pigsley also ran a separate construction company called Pigman Group. Rafferty was the general manager of LJ Electric Inc., an electrical supply vendor to which Keolis paid over $17 million between 2014 through 2021. Between July 2014 and November 2021, Pigsley and Rafferty defrauded Keolis of over $4 million through a false LJ Electric invoicing scheme, prosecutors said. Specifically, Rafferty bought vehicles, construction equipment, construction supplies and other items for Pigsley, Pigman Group and others, and Pigsley directed Rafferty to recover the cost of these items by submitting false and fraudulent LJ Electric invoices to Keolis, prosecutors said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Rafferty spent more than $3 million on items for Pigsley and others, prosecutors said, including: at least nine trucks; construction equipment including at least seven Bobcat machines; at least $1 million in home building supplies and services; and a $54,000 camper for which Keolis paid Rafferty more than $4 million based on false LJ Electric invoices. In addition to the false invoicing scheme, Pigsley directed Keolis to buy copper wire which he then stole and sold to scrap metal businesses, keeping the cash proceeds for himself, prosecutors said. To hide the theft, Pigsley personally picked up the copper wire orders from vendors or had the orders delivered to his Beverly home, prosecutors said. Pigsley then personally took the wire to scrap yards where he traded it for thousands of dollars in cash several times a month and sometimes more than once a day, prosecutors said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Pigsley obtained more than $4.5 million in cash by stealing and scrapping the copper wire. In addition, Pigsley defrauded the IRS by failing to withhold and pay federal income taxes on income he received from the LJ Electric invoicing scheme and from scrapping copper wire, prosecutors said. Pigsley also filed a false tax return for the tax year 2016, prosecutors said. He deposited over $1.9 million in cash into his bank accounts between 2014 and 2021 and structured some of those deposits to evade currency transaction reporting requirements applicable to financial institutions. The charges of wire fraud and wire fraud conspiracy provide for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The charge of tax evasion provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of filing a false tax return provides for a sentence of up to three years in prison, up to one year of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of aggravated structuring provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Rafferty pleaded guilty in June 2023 to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Rafferty is scheduled to be sentenced on April 10. 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 Former Minister of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania Gabrielius Landsbergis believes the European Union should support Donald Trump's ultimatum regarding sanctions against Vladimir Putin. Source: Gabrielius Landsbergis on X (Twitter); European Pravda reports Details: Landsbergis noted that US President Donald Trump had put Putin in a difficult situation by issuing an ultimatum. Quote: "I'm sure this is not the way Putin expected things to work. Now Putin has to choose accept that he fears new sanctions because his economy is [in] a shambles, or prove that his imperialist ambitions will not be limited by these demands." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Details: He stressed that the ultimatum is a step in the right direction, but more needs to be done: sanctions, military support, and security guarantees for Ukraine. Quote: "We must put Western might on the Ukrainian side of the scales. By the way, if it wants to appear credible, the EU could at least announce support for Trumps sanctions. And I trust that now even Orban will have to agree." Background: Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, a close ally of Donald Trump in Europe, believes the EU should coordinate its sanctions policy against Russia with the new US administration. On 22 January, Donald Trump said that if a "deal" to end the war in Ukraine is not concluded soon, he will have no choice but to "impose high taxes, tariffs and sanctions on everything Russia sells to the United States and other countries concerned". On the first day of his presidency, Trump said that Vladimir Putin was destroying Russia by not ending the war. Later, Trump indicated he was prepared to consider stronger sanctions against Russia if it refused to negotiate an end to the war in Ukraine. Support UP or become our patron! HONOLULU (KHON2) A former Maui police officer, Carlos Frate, was arrested on January 22, 2025, after being indicted on federal charges for depriving an individual of their civil rights. Get Hawaiis latest morning news delivered to your inbox, sign up for News 2 You The charges stem from an incident on January 6, 2024, in which Frate allegedly used excessive force by deploying a taser on a person without legal justification. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Frate, 40, of Kihei, was indicted on January 16, 2025, on two counts: deprivation of civil rights under the color of law and falsifying a police report. The indictment alleges that Frates actions violated the victims right to be free from unreasonable force and that he later fabricated a police report to obstruct the investigation into his use of force. Frate was scheduled for to be arraigned Wednesday, January 22,2025 at 1:30 p.m. in federal court. Rule changes coming to Hawaiis House of Representatives If convicted, Frate faces up to 10 years in prison for the civil rights charge and up to 20 years for the false report charge. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Maui Police Department initially referred the case to federal authorities, and the investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Maui Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael F. Albanese. Maui Police Chief John Pelletier previously emphasized the departments commitment to accountability, stating, When our officers fall short, we must address those failures. This referral underscores our dedication to ensuring justice and maintaining public trust. Frate was terminated from the Maui Police Department earlier this year. Download the free KHON2 app for iOS or Android to stay informed on the latest news Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The investigation remains ongoing, and no further information about the victim has been 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 KHON2. Former Ohio lawmaker Niraj Antani is running to be Ohio's next secretary of state in 2026. Antani, a Republican, finished his term representing part of Montgomery County in the Ohio Senate in December. He said he decided to seek the secretary of state's office because of his family's experience without the right to vote in India. "My family grew up under British oppression in India," he told our Statehouse news bureau. "Within a lifetime, we have gone from being not free people without the right to vote to being able to live in the most vibrant democracy in the world. I feel I have a special appreciation for the right to vote, for making sure that the right to vote is secure, and that's what draws me to this office." Advertisement Advertisement Republican Secretary of State Frank LaRose will leave office in 2027 due to term limits. Antani previously ran for Congress in 2024. He served for six years in the Ohio House and three in the Ohio Senate. Antani said he opposes automatic voter registration, ballot drop boxes and having more than one early voting location in a county, all parts of a proposed amendment to the Ohio Constitution that could go before voters this year. "I think we have to secure our elections. The right to vote is too sacred and too important and elections are won by too small of a margin, not to make sure that every vote is by a registered legal voter who is a citizen of the United States," he said. Advertisement Advertisement Antani said Ohio needs a secretary of state with a "steel spine" to protect the integrity of the election system and pointed to controversial positions he's stuck to in the legislature, such as supporting the ban on abortions when cardiac activity is detected and opposing the gas tax increase. "We need a secretary of state who's going to stand up for the voters, who will not crumble and sway with shifting winds," Antani said. Democrat Bryan Hambley, a Cincinnati doctor, announced his campaign for secretary of state on Jan. 2. State Sen. Theresa Gavarone, R-Bowling Green, is considering a potential run. She said in a statement that leaders throughout the state have approached her about running for secretary of state. Advertisement Advertisement "Im proud to have authored successful legislation to strengthen Ohios elections by finally requiring a photo ID to vote, ensuring stringent post-election audits and listing the partisan affiliation for certain judicial offices on the ballot," she said. Erin Glynn is a reporter 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 The Columbus Dispatch: Former Ohio legislator announces run for secretary of state Rioters who were locked up for their roles in the deadly attack on the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021, are now free. That includes former Proud Boys leader Enrique Tarrio. He landed in Miami on Wednesday after President Donald Trump pardoned him and more than 1,000 others who were convicted. Read: Owners of Legacy Pools accused of defrauding central Florida homeowners out of millions Tarrio was serving a 22-year sentence. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Those pardoned include more than 250 people who were convicted of assault charges. Read: Kissimmee man arrested for beating girlfriend with bat and arson to a motel room More than 140 police officers were assaulted on that day. Click here to download our free news, weather and smart TV apps. And click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live. ORLANDO, Fla. Facing federal criminal charges, former state Rep. Carolina Amesty has retained a well-connected lawyer to plead her case: Brad Bondi, the brother of U.S. Attorney General-nominee Pam Bondi, who if confirmed will oversee the attorneys prosecuting the embattled ex-lawmaker. Court records show Amesty turned to Brad Bondi to contest allegations she stole money from a pandemic relief program. He is a litigator who has been lauded as a top attorney for Fortune 500 companies facing government investigations. Based in New York and Washington, D.C., Bondi is a partner in the high-powered Paul Hastings law firm. Amesty, 30, is accused of fraudulently obtaining $122,000 in small business COVID-19 relief funds through a foundation named for herself and a car dealership that federal investigators dont think was ever licensed to operate, according to a criminal complaint filed late last week. Once viewed as a rising star in the Florida GOP, the one-term former lawmaker from Windermere faces up to 20 years in federal prison. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Elected to the Florida House in 2022, Amesty narrowly lost her reelection bid in November to Democrat Leonard Spencer, a former Disney executive. She ran while facing state forgery charges that ultimately were dismissed. Brad Bondi and Amesty did not respond to messages this week seeking comment. Amestys federal case is being handled by Roger Handberg, the U.S. attorney for the Middle District of Florida, who declined to comment. As attorney general, Pam Bondi would oversee the Justice Department and the work of federal prosecutors. Pam Bondi mentioned her brother in a congressional questionnaire asking about potential conflicts of interest. She wrote she wasnt aware of any cases that present a potential conflict but would consult with appropriate Justice Department ethics officials and act consistently with regulations in the event of one. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement U.S. attorneys are appointed by the president, subject to Senate confirmation. They are subject to removal by the president. Government ethics rules would require Pam Bondi to recuse herself from federal prosecutions in which her brother represents a party, Stephen Gillers, an expert on legal ethics at the New York University School of Law, said in an email. But Brad Bondi would have no obligation to recuse himself, and could continue to represent his client, he said. The rules take the position that the public cannot be expected to trust the independence and objectivity of a prosecutors decisions on behalf of the government if a close relative is the lawyer for the opposing party, Gillers said in explaining why a government attorneys recusal may be required. The trade publication Securities Docket described Bondi as the first choice among Boards of Directors and Audit Committees of the Fortune 500 when their company is faced with SEC or DOJ problems. Hes also held government posts, including with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Bondi represented Tesla in a 2018 settlement with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission over allegations that CEO Elon Musk misled investors with a tweet that he had funding secured to take Tesla private. More recently, Bondi is providing legal advice to YouTube personality MrBeast Jimmy Donaldson and a group of investors looking to buy the TikTok social media platform, according to a report from Bloomberg Law. Amestys federal charges are the second round of criminal complaints against her. The first round of charges stemmed from allegations she improperly notarized a mans signature on a licensing form for a small Orlando-area private college run by her family. Those charges were dismissed last month upon her completion of community supporters and a financial crimes course. In the new federal case, investigators say Amesty and an unnamed relative applied for money through the U.S. Small Business Administration, which offered loans to small businesses and nonprofit agencies affected by the pandemic. They applied for 15 loans and received money for eight different business entities, the complaint says, with the gross amount exceeding $500,000. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The charges stem from the money Amesty received for two of the businesses the Carolina Amesty Foundation and Dinocar Auto Sales LLC. The FBI and other investigators allege some of the federal money provided to the foundation and Dinocar actually was used for Amestys personal expenses, including furniture and credit card bills. Other funds went to support Central Christian University the private Christian college she helped run with her father and Amestys shuttered fast-food chicken restaurant, Pollo Juan, according to the complaint. ---------- A former Polk County substitute teacher was arrested Wednesday after having an inappropriate relationship with a student. 23-year-old Chase Crabb out of Kissimmee was arrested for committing sexual offenses against a student at Haines City High School. Earlier in January the victim reported to her mother that she got sexually charged messages and pictures from her former substitute from December 2023 to December 2024. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The 16-year-old student, who was 15 then, said their communication began over email and then progressed to text messages, Instagram, TikTok, and Discord. Read: Owners of Legacy Pools accused of defrauding central Florida homeowners out of millions These messages included photos of his crotch while also soliciting photos from the victim and trying to convince the victim to engage in sexual intercourse with him. The incident was reported to the Florida Department of Children and Families, and on January 15, 2025, the DCF and the Polk County Sheriffs Office initiated a follow-up investigation. Crabb has been charged with transmission of harmful material to a minor and unlawful use of a two-way communication device, both felonies in the third degree. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Read: Frigid temps to come after cold fronts push through Central Florida Click here to download our free news, weather and smart TV apps. And click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live. WASHINGTON The U.S. Senate confirmed former Texas Congressman John Ratcliffe to serve as the next director of the CIA on Thursday. Ratcliffe represented the 4th Congressional District from 2015 to 2020, when he was confirmed to serve as President Donald Trumps director of national intelligence. He held that position until the end of the first Trump administration. He was succeeded in Congress by Rep. Pat Fallon. The Senate confirmed Ratcliffes nomination to lead the CIA on a widely bipartisan vote of 74-25. Twenty Democrats voted in favor, including Michigan Sen. Elissa Slotkin, who previously worked at the CIA. Independent Sen. Angus King of Maine also voted in favor. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Vice President JD Vance formally swore in Ratcliffe on the White House campus a few hours after the Senate vote, calling him a "great patriot, a guy that has the trust of the President, and I think really believes deeply in the mission, first of all, keeping Americans safe, but also doing it in a way that ensures that the American people have confidence in our national intelligence services." Ratcliffes nomination was far less controversial compared to others Trump has named for his administration. In his confirmation hearing last week, he vowed to keep politics out of the agencys work. Its absolutely essential that the CIAs director be apolitical, Ratcliffe told the Senate Intelligence Committee during his confirmation hearing. Ratcliffes confirmation was among a handful of other appointments that already had their confirmation hearings before Trump was sworn into office and faced little resistance from Democrats. Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Florida, was also swiftly confirmed to serve as Secretary of State on Monday evening. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement U.S. Sens. Ted Cruz and John Cornyn both indicated they would support Ratcliffe early on, along with all of Trumps other nominations. Ive served alongside him, seen his advocacy for our national security firsthand, and watched as he was a fierce defender of President Trump, particularly in the face of Speaker Nancy Pelosis frivolous impeachment attempt, Cornyn, who serves on the Senate Intelligence Committee, wrote in an op-ed in The Dallas Morning News. There is no question that he will continue to advance our states interests within the Trump administration. Still, his confirmation was not without some drama. Republicans tried to get him confirmed earlier in the week through a procedural measure that would cut down debate. But Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Connecticut, objected, prolonging his confirmation process on the Senate floor. Senate Intelligence Chair Tom Cotton, R-Arkansas, expressed frustration at the delay on the Senate floor Tuesday, asserting that Ratcliffes nomination should be an uncontroversial vote. Cotton noted that Ratcliffe had advanced out of the Senate Intelligence Committee on a 14-3 vote. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Not many nominations are going to come out of committee with that kind of vote, Cotton said. I understand the Democrats are opposed to some of President Trumps nominees, and I understand they want to vote no, and I respect that. But should we be denying the country a Senate-confirmed CIA director in such dangerous times for no good reason? The CIA director reports to the director of national intelligence, who oversees the nations 18 intelligence organizations. Trump picked former Democratic U.S. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, who announced she was switching parties last year, for that role. Gabbards selection for director of national intelligence was considerably more controversial than Ratcliffes due to her past comments sympathizing with Russian President Vladimir Putin and ousted Syrian President Bashar Al Assad. Before serving in the intelligence community, Ratcliffe was an ardent Trump supporter in Congress. He defended the president through his numerous legal woes, including his first impeachment. His devotion to the president prompted concerns from Democrats, who voted against his confirmation for director of national intelligence the first time a nominee for the role did not get any support from the opposing party. Some of those concerns of partisanship remained this year. U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden, an Oregon Democrat on the Intelligence Committee, objected to Ratcliffes handling of intelligence related to the death of Jamal Khashoggi, a Saudi journalist killed by Saudi agents in Istanbul. Wyden said Ratcliffe acted in a way that gave the Saudis cover as Trump was currying favor with Saudi leadership despite being legally mandated to reveal intelligence about the incident. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In 2020, I opposed his confirmation to be Director of National Intelligence because of his partisanship and willingness to say whatever might please Donald Trump, Wyden said on the Senate floor Tuesday. Unfortunately, John Ratcliffes actions as DNI only confirmed my concerns. Ratcliffe has defended his record in the role, saying it has mostly stood the test of time and that he operated with the best understanding of intel available at the time. Ratcliffe vows to take a hawkish stance against U.S. adversaries, particularly China, including using riskier tactics and expanding the CIAs human intelligence operations. He identified Chinas technological interference, trans-national criminal organizations on the Mexican border, Russia, Iran and North Korea as the key national security threats. Good decisions are hostage to good information and good intelligence, Ratcliffe said during his confirmation hearing. The better we do at collecting human intelligence, the better decisions you all can make, the better analytic judgments analysts can make, and the fewer intelligence lapses or failures. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We will conduct covert action at the direction of the president, going places no one else can go, and doing things no one else can do, he said. He also assured senators he would reject any attempts from Trumps political operation to interfere in the agencys work and would never alter intel to placate the president. Ratcliffe is a native of Heath, Texas, where he served as mayor from 2004 to 2012. EVANSVILLE, Ind. (WEHT) A former University of Evansville employee pleads guilty after police say he stole mail and underwear at the school. Court records show Zachariah Brock will be sentenced on February 24. Brock was arrested last year after police say he admitted to breaking into a students room and stealing her underwear. Authorities say he also admitted to stealing mail from students. Officers say a bag containing 40 pairs of womens underwear, and over 100 pieces of mail, was discovered in Brocks office. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The terms of his plead have not yet been released, but he was initially facing burglary 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 Eyewitness News (WEHT/WTVW). John Bolton, former national security adviser to US President Donald Trump, said he expects that after four years under Trump's second term, the president will then step down and elections will be held as normal. The US constitution allows a maximum of two terms in office. Bolton, a hardliner and long-serving diplomat, was White House security adviser in 2018 and 2019, but resigned after a dispute with Trump. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Bolton's comments came in response to a query on a talk show being aired by German public broadcaster ARD on Wednesday. He went on to say that the US constitution and institutions are strong and powerful and have enormous backing. He called Trump an "aberration" and predicted he would do even more damage in his second term than in his first. But he is not Julius Caesar and not one of those great dangers that threatened the Roman Republic back then, Bolton said. The US is stronger than Donald Trump, he added. (Photo by simpson33 via iStock / Getty Images Plus) A Fort Dodge couple is suing the city, alleging a police officer improperly entered their home and violated their civil rights. Robert and Tamisha Benedict are suing the City of Fort Dodge and Officer Leighton Walker in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Iowa, alleging assault, trespassing, negligent hiring and supervision of city personnel, and civil rights violations related to an unreasonable search. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The couple alleges that on Aug. 15, 2024, Walker was on duty and patrolling the city while Tamisha Benedict was at home with her two teenage sons and their friends one of whom was Walkers daughter. Around 7 p.m., the lawsuit states, Tamisha Benedict had to leave the house to take one of the children to an event and communicated that fact to Ashley Utley, the mother of Walkers child. She later gave her address to Utley so she could pick up her daughter. According to the lawsuit, Walker then drove to the Benedict house and, while on duty, armed and in uniform, entered the home and conducted a complete search of the property. Walker eventually cornered the teenagers in the basement, the lawsuit alleges, and battered his daughter and dragged her out of the house. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The lawsuit alleges the Benedict children were terrified by the incident. The lawsuit was originally filed late last year in Webster County District Court but was transferred recently to federal court. The city has yet to file a response in either state or federal court. Courtesy file photo From left, Judges Christina Gomez and David Yun speak in 2022, after their formal swearing-in to the Colorado Court of Appeals. Jan. 22Los Alamos National Laboratory is planning to further the field of artificial intelligence and will increase its capacity for manufacturing new plutonium pits in the coming year, according to Lab Director Thom Mason's State of the Lab town hall this week. LANL is the only facility in the country capable of producing plutonium pits, a crucial component of nuclear warheads, and has been tasked with increasing plutonium pit production as the U.S. modernizes its nuclear arsenal. The laboratory has also historically played a role in advancing computing and has plans to bring a new supercomputer online. That should hasten AI development but will also require a controversial new electric transmission line. "Science is a real feedback loop, and innovations in one area allow other areas to move faster," Mason said. "So, when we get a tool like (AI), it's going to speed up the pace of discovery in a way that is probably pretty unprecedented." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Here are four takeaways from Tuesday's town hall: 1. The lab successfully built the first new plutonium pit In 2024, Los Alamos made the first production unit for the W87-1 warhead. It was designed at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in California. A sphere shell of plutonium the size of a bowling ball, a plutonium pit is a key part of a nuclear warhead, according to the Department of Energy website. For years, the lab has been doing development work making multiple pits to develop the process and prove the designs. Now Los Alamos is tasked with building new plutonium pits to modernize the country's nuclear arsenal. While the United States is not increasing its number of nuclear weapons, Mason said, old warheads are being retired as new ones are built to replace them. The Air Force will retire Minuteman missiles and their warheads and replace them with new intercontinental ballistic missiles that will use the new W87-1 warheads. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In the coming years, the lab will work to increase its pit production capacity to 30 plutonium pits per year. "It's going to take the next several years of modernizing equipment, taking out obsolete equipment and aged equipment out of our PF-4 facility, replacing it with modern, state of the art, advanced manufacturing equipment that will allow us to do that," Mason said. LANL has awarded contracts for new gloveboxes sealed containers that protect employees from nuclear materials as they work. The gloveboxes are just part of rebuilding the domestic supply chain for the nuclear industry, Mason said. "There are efforts underway to look at some of the advanced reactor technology, which is something that we're involved in. There has to be a supply chain to go with it," Mason said. "But so far, in terms of the pit production mission, we've been able to find and qualify vendors who have the capabilities that we need to get that done." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 2. Los Alamos needs to increase its power supply Los Alamos has plans for a new electric transmission line, to increase its power supply. The location of the line has garnered pushback from Indigenous communities and environmental groups because the 14-mile line would cross through the Caja del Rio Plateau. The electric power capacity project is meant to increase the capacity, reliability and resiliency of the lab's electric supply, Mason said. There are two existing high-power feeds into Los Alamos, which serve the lab and the town of Los Alamos. The lab's need for electricity has grown because the size of the lab has grown, and much of the power usage has shifted to electricity, Mason said a trend he expects to continue as the vehicle fleet is electrified and high-performance computing needs increase. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In 2027, Los Alamos will get a new supercomputer to replace Crossroads. When the supercomputer goes online, it will exceed the capacity of one of the existing lines. "That's a problem because we are required to have a redundant electric supply," Mason said. 3. LANL is using AI to accelerate scientific research The ribbon was cut on the lab's new Venado supercomputer in April. The supercomputer will accelerate the integration of AI into the lab's work, because it can execute millions more instructions per second at a lower cost with lower energy consumption, said Science, Technology and Engineering Executive Officer Angela Mielke. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "We've seen a lot of improvement in what are called reasoning models, which go beyond simply synthesizing data that's been collected from the internet and trying to produce a paragraph or a document that maybe summarizes it," Mason said. "It now has the capability to go through reasoning steps, particularly in areas of math and science, where there are right answers, and do it in a way that can assist our scientific staff in moving faster." AI is the next evolution in "leveraging computational power to help us do our science," Mason said. The Venado computer runs on a Grace Hopper superchip, which consists of a normal CPU a computer processing unit like a typical computer and a modified GPU. GPUs are graphic processing units, originally designed for gaming computers to create graphics, but Venado's is modified to make it good at physics calculations. 4. Los Alamos leadership expects continued support under Trump Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Although newly sworn-in President Donald Trump and a Republican-led Congress represent a significant political shift in Washington, Mason does not expect support for the lab to waver. Los Alamos has typically had strong bipartisan support, and he believes that will continue. The lab's budget looks stable, Mason said. At present, funding is being provided under a continuing resolution, which will expire in March. Congress also approved $1.5 billion for plutonium modernization at the lab, and $275 million for defense environmental cleanup at Los Alamos with the National Defense Authorization Act, which passed in December. Hiring at the lab is leveling off after several years of rapid growth, Mason said. And while federal employees have been ordered to return to the office via a Trump executive order, LANL staff are employed by Triad National Security, which manages and operates the lab. So lab staff will likely not be required to return to the office, Mason said. The majority of lab employees already work in person, and the ones who work remotely often do so because the lab does not have space for them to work in person, Mason said. GHENT, WV (WVNS) Four schools from across the Mountain State have been chosen to participate in the 15th annual Samsung Solve for Tomorrow STEM competition. According to a press release, the competition will continue into its next state, in which three National Winners will be chosen in April 2025 and receive a $100,000 prize package. This is part of a more than $2 million prize pool. The four West Virginia State Finalists are Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Oceana Middle School, Oceana, WV Pineville Middle School, Pineville, WV East Fairmont Middle School, Fairmont, WV Morgantown High School (two teams), Morgantown, WV Concord University is recruiting people with a STEM degree who want a MAT online degree The competition is designed to bolster students in grades 6-12 to engage in STEM fields to create inventive solutions to solve important issues in their communities. The contest engages the students in active learning that can be used for real problems, making STEM more visible in and outside of school. 300 State Finalists were selected from thousands of entries, demonstrating the fields appeal. The entries submitted this year shine a light on student concerns regarding topics such as the climate crisis, mental health, and safety in schools. An estimated 60 percent of the students proposed solutions involve innovative technologies such as 3D printing, AI, and robotics to create impactful change within their local communities. For more information regarding the competition, visit their website. 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 WVNS. SHREVEPORT, La. (KTAL/KMSS) The last of four defendants accused of a rolling gun battle that killed a teen in South Highlands pleaded guilty on Wednesday. According to the Caddo Parish District Attorney, Deanthony Johnson pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 10 years on multiple counts. Johnson reportedly drove a Dodge Charger and pursued a Chevrolet Cavalier driven by Gavontay Johnson (the two are not related) on May 1, 2022. A third car, a Chrysler 300, driven by Tramaine Taylor, was fired upon by Kenmiccael Ray using a Kel-Tech assault-style rifle more than ten times. During the barrage of gunfire, 13-year-old Landry Anglin was fatally wounded inside her familys home in the 4500 block of Fairfield Avenue. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Prosecutors proved that Ray was the first to open fire; however, after the shooting that killed Anglin, DeAnthony Johnson resumed the pursuit of the Cavalier and opened fire on it at the intersection of Fairfield Ave. and Mitchell St. In September 2024, 16th, Gavontay Johnson, the Cavaliers driver, was convicted of obstruction of justice and was sentenced to 20 years in prison. Also, in September 2024, Chrysler driver Tramaine Taylor was convicted of illegal use of a weapon from a motor vehicle and was sentenced to 10 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 KTALnews.com. ST. LOUIS Kristie Shackelfords situation needed an alteration. The single mom has three teenagers, four jobs, and one big problem: Shes behind on rent and just weeks from eviction. Sometimes youre looking for your next gig as an artist, and in trying to live in that world, things got really tight. It was hard. Its Christmas. I dont have anything to give my kids, Shackelford said. On Dec. 3, Kristie applied for the City of St. Louis Emergency Rental Assistance Program. The city partnered with FORWARD, a Seattle, Washington, company, to administer the program and its $3.3 million in federal funds. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The programs website said applicants and landlords would be notified of their application status after the review process that may take up to 10 days. 50 days later, Kristie still doesnt know if shell get the help she desperately needs. Mike Matheny reflects on near-death experience and new life mission Its hard to feel like I have so much to give, but I dont feel like my world around me values me, Shackelford said. A generous viewer wanted to prove to Kristie just how valuable she is. Minutes after we aired Kristies story Tuesday night, the viewer, who asked to remain anonymous, called FOX 2s Mike Colombo, saying theyd like to help her out. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We picked up the money and met Kristie to share the good news. They feel for you. They want to help you as much as they can. They wanted to share some money with you to help with the situation, Colombo told Shackelford. Im speechless. Thank you so much. Im grateful. For the first time I exhaled. I think Im going to sleep tonight. Im looking forward to that, honestly. Its been a really rough couple of weeks, she replied Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Daily News With $1,000 in her hands, what seemed like a dream is now reality. From the bottom of my heart, thank you so much. Now Im not going to have to try and push back different bills to pay other bills. I can get caught up and make sure my lease gets renewed and that Im in good standing. Im just so grateful. So very grateful. Thank you so much, Shackelford added. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Despite this rewarding resolution for Kristie, the citys emergency rental assistance program is still delayed. In a statement, a spokesperson said, While the City and FORWARD recognize the frustration delays may cause, we remain committed to processing applications as efficiently as possible to maximize the programs impact on the St. Louis Community. The city has yet to agree to an on-camera interview about this issue, but our invitation stands, as does our promise to follow this story every step of the way. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. Fox Newss Greg Gutfeld on Wednesday went after the spiritual leader of the Episcopal Diocese of Washington following President Trumps prayer service. She saw an opportunity to feed her ego, she knew this was going to happen, and she rushed to the trough, Gutfeld said on Fox Newss The Five of the Rt. Rev. Mariann Edgar Budde. On the bright side, I have to say, she didnt call him Hitler, which is good. But who knew Satan wore granny glasses and stole his haircut from John Denver? On Tuesday, Budde participated in an inauguration National Cathedral prayer service. During the service, Budde called for Trump to have mercy upon the people in our country who are scared. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement There are gay, lesbian, transgender children, Democratic, Republican, independent families some who fear for their lives, she added. The people who pick our crops and clean our office buildings, who labor in poultry farms and meatpacking plants, who wash the dishes after we eat in restaurants and work the night shifts in hospitals they may not be citizens or have the proper documentation, but the vast majority of immigrants are not criminals. The following day, Trump went after Budde on his Truth Social platform, saying Budde was a Radical Left hard line Trump hater and demanding an apology. Does she have any evidence that children [are] in danger by this new administration, the administration that is trying to rescue missing kids through this border fiasco? You know, she may have a congregation, but she has no class, Gutfeld said Wednesday. On Monday, Trump signed an executive order acknowledging only two sexes. The order also instructed the promotion of the concept of gender transition to be halted. The order comes as part of a larger promise on the campaign trail from Trump to purge the U.S. of what he has referred to as transgender insanity, as well as push back against diversity and inclusion initiatives from the Biden administration. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Hill has reached out to the Episcopal Diocese of Washington 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. CHICOPEE, Mass. (WWLP) The Valley Opportunity Council (VOC) is once again offering free tax preparation services for eligible residents in Massachusetts and Connecticut through its Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program. The program, which officially began accepting appointments on January 21, will continue through April 30. Tax preparation services are available at three convenient locations: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 20 Lathrop Street, West Springfield 516 Chicopee Street, Chicopee 300 High Street, Holyoke Appointments can be scheduled by calling (413) 612-0206. Residents with incomes up to $67,000 qualify for the program. Appointments are available during weekdays, evenings, and weekends to accommodate busy schedules. Certified volunteer tax professionals will assist individuals with preparing and filing basic state and federal tax returns, including prior year returns. Participants also benefit from free electronic filing (e-filing), which ensures faster refunds compared to traditional paper filing. This service can save participants hundreds of dollars in filing fees. Last year, VOC assisted 861 individuals in filing their state and federal tax returns. For more information or to schedule an appointment, contact VOC at (413) 612-0206. 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. Editor's note: Colorado Politics reporters are covering the opening ceremonies of the regular session of the 75th General Assembly this week. Follow us here for updates. For a second year in a row, a record number of shipwrecks were discovered in Wisconsin's Lake Michigan waters last year. According to the Wisconsin Historical Society, 17 total shipwrecks were discovered last year, thanks to maritime historians and a federal mapping effort in Lake Michigan. The previous record was set in 2023 with 13 shipwrecks found. Of those, 15 were confirmed off Milwaukee, Racine and Kenosha counties last summer, joining the Margaret A. Muir schooner and the John Evenson steam tug both located off Kewaunee County last year as well. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement One discovery was a freight steamer hidden near Racine for more than 130 years as well as a Milwaukee fireboat scuttled in the lake 95 years ago. Both have eluded divers for decades. These discoveries help fill in the blanks about the area's history, said Jerry Guyer, Milwaukee diver, shipwreck enthusiast and business owner. Built in 1893 by the Rieboldt and Wolter Company in Sheboygan, the Milwaukee Fireboat #17, or MFD 17, was Milwaukees second fireboat. It was originally named the James Foley, but was changed in 1901. The fire boat was stationed at the end of E. Water St. After being placed in reserve in December 1922, the vessel was dismantled and scuttled in Lake Michigan in May 1930. Between the mysterious sinkholes and shipwrecks, like the Muir and Evenson, it was a notable year for both Wisconsin and Lake Michigan. Here's what to know about the latest mysteries unveiled in Lake Michigan. Thomas H. Smith freight steamer hidden off Racine The Thomas H. Smith, a small bulk freight steamer often called a tug due to its modest size, was found in 80 feet of water about 5.5 miles east of Wind Point. Built in 1881 in Manitowoc by the Rand and Burger yard, the steamer was commissioned by prominent Sturgeon Bay businessman Thomas Smith. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On Nov. 11, 1893, the 130-foot steamer was bound for Menomonee, Michigan from Chicago when it ran into heavy fog near Racine, Wisconsin. The Smith was struck by the steamer Arthur Orr, and sank within minutes. All 12 crew members survived. The wreck is mostly intact with visible damage from where the steamer collided with it, said Tamara Thomsen, maritime archeologist at the Wisconsin Historical Society. Maritime historians and other shipwreck enthusiasts had been looking for the Smith for a long time, Thomsen said, but its buried up to the gunnel, which was why it was so hard to find. The Thomas H. Smith was a small bulk freight steamer, often called a tug due to its modest size. Built in 1881 in Manitowoc by the Rand and Burger yard, it was commissioned by prominent Sturgeon Bay businessman Thomas Smith.On Nov. 11, 1893, the 130-foot steamer was bound for Menomonee, Michigan from Chicago when it ran into heavy fog near Racine, Wisconsin. The Smith was struck by the steamer Arthur Orr, and sank within minutes. All 12 crew members survived. Milwaukee fireboat abandoned in Lake Michigan One of the city's fireboats, Milwaukee Fireboat No. 17, was also discovered last summer. Fireboats were a necessity in a port city like Milwaukee, easily able to travel along the city's three rivers and lake shoreline. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Built in 1893 by the Rieboldt and Wolter Company in Sheboygan, Milwaukee Fireboat No. 17 was Milwaukees second fireboat. It was originally named the James Foley, but was changed in 1901. The fireboat was stationed at the end of E. Water St. after being placed in reserve in December 1922, the vessel was dismantled and scuttled in Lake Michigan in May 1930. The fireboat is roughly five miles off Milwaukee, and was fairly intact as well. It was abandoned with all the machinery still in place and the only thing that blew off was the cabin, which was lying nearby, Thomsen said. "Milwaukee had a rich history of different kinds of fireboats," Guyer said. "This (discovery) adds to it." Milwaukee Fireboat No. 17 had a twin, Milwaukee Fireboat No. 23, which was the citys third fireboat. That fireboat was docked at the Cherry St. Bridge, but later moved to the Menominee River Dock. It was also scrapped and scuttled, and then later discovered by Guyer in 2005. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement More: Lake Michigan holds much mystery. But does it have the equivalent of a Bermuda triangle? More than a dozen shipwrecks found in Milwaukee, Racine, Kenosha counties In 2023, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Office of Coast Survey the nation's nautical cartographer redid its bathymetric maps, which show how deep landforms go below sea level, in southern Lake Michigan. It created new maps along Milwaukee, Racine and Kenosha counties roughly 9 miles out from the shoreline. The mapping effort unveiled 46 cultural remains, Thomsen said. Not everything uncovered through the mapping effort was a shipwreck though. For instance, she said the maps picked up a pile of gravel that looked like a ship with a pointy end and everything. Not all the remains were entirely new discoveries either. Wrecks and other artifacts are supposed to be reported to the state, but Thomsen said not all of them are. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement So last summer, Thomsen, along with other divers, dove to the dozens of sites to confirm what was there. She also compared notes with Guyer to see what was new. In Milwaukee County, there were six new wrecks, besides the Smith and Milwaukee Fireboat No. 17, which were mostly unidentified tugboats and barges. There were also six new wrecks in Racine County, four fragmentary wrecks from sailing ships that went up on Racine reef along with a complete lifeboat and an unidentified vessel. Another unidentified vessel was found in Kenosha County. Thomsen, along with other divers, confirmed that the two wrecks were the Smith and the fireboat in June and July, respectively. They also did an initial survey where they took measurements and created a 3D model. A full archeological survey will be completed later this year. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The historic society will nominate the Smith and Milwaukee Fireboat No. 17 under the National Register of Historic Places, Thomsen said. To date, there are 80 Wisconsin shipwrecks on the national list, including the most recent St. Peter shipwreck added earlier this month. More: This Ozaukee County shipwreck was given national historic recognition. Here's what to know John Evenson steam tug, Margaret A. Muir schooner also discovered last year The new discoveries join the Margaret A. Muir and John Evenson, both found in Wisconsins Lake Michigan waters off Algoma in Kewaunee County last year. The Muir was discovered by Wisconsin maritime historians, Brendon Baillod and Bob Jaeck, in May after its remains were undetected for 131 years. The 130-foot, three-masted schooner, sank on Sept. 30, 1893 after taking on water from a massive wave near Algoma. It was bound for Chicago with a cargo of bulk salt. Everyone survived, except for the captains dog. A diver from the Wisconsin Historical Society collects photos for a 3D photogrammetry model of the Margaret A. Muir. The Muir sunk on Sept. 30, 1893 after facing rough weather and waves on its way from Bay City, Michigan to Chicago. There were no fatalities from the wreck, except for the captain's dog. The same historians discovered the Evenson, a wooden steam tug built in Milwaukee, last September. The Evenson capsized and sank instantly after being struck by the steambarge I.W. Stephenson while assisting it into the Sturgeon Bay Ship Canal on June 5, 1895. Four crew members were rescued, but fireman Martin Boswell, below deck, went down with the vessel. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to Thomsen, the Muir will go in front of the state review board to be listed on the state's historic register later this winter. The Evenson, however, lacks the archeological integrity to be listed, she said. More: The legendary gales of November left the Great Lakes strewn with tragic shipwrecks Sinkholes were discovered in Lake Michigan, too In August, scientists confirmed there are more than 40 sinkholes at the bottom of Lake Michigan in the Wisconsin Shipwreck Coast National Marine Sanctuary. The sinkholes in Lake Michigan, ranging from 300 to 600 feet across, formed as water dissolved limestone bedrock, causing surface collapse. Groundwater erosion creates caverns beneath the lake, and ceiling collapses eventually form the circular depressions. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement More: Scientists just discovered cold, dark sinkholes in Lake Michigan. What's living in them? More than 1,700 shipwrecks in Lake Michigan Experts estimate that more than 6,000 ships lie on the bottom of the Great Lakes, roughly half of which fell victim during the legendary gales of November, like the well-known Edmund Fitzgerald. More than 1,700 ships are estimated to lie at the bottom of Lake Michigan, most still undiscovered. In Wisconsin's part of the lake, around 780 shipwrecks exist, but only 250 have been identified, according to the Wisconsin Historical Society. Efforts to explore the Great Lakes' depths have ramped up in recent years with the Lakebed 2030 Initiative, led by the Great Lakes Observing System, or GLOS. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In 2024, two Michigan representatives proposed the Great Lakes Mapping Act, a $200 million bipartisan bill co-sponsored by 18 lawmakers from six states, to map the lakebeds in high-resolution, as bathymetric maps can only go so far. High-resolution maps of the bottom of the lakes could be mapped within eight years with proper funding, according to the observing system. More: We know more about the surface of Mars than about the floor of Lake Michigan. But what we do know is remarkable. Caitlin Looby is a Report for America corps member who writes about the environment and the Great Lakes. Reach her at clooby@gannett.com or follow her on X @caitlooby. Please consider supporting journalism that informs our democracy with a tax-deductible gift to this reporting effort at jsonline.com/RFA or by check made out to The GroundTruth Project with subject line Report for America Milwaukee Journal Sentinel Campaign. Address: The GroundTruth Project, Lockbox Services, 9450 SW Gemini Dr, PMB 46837, Beaverton, Oregon 97008-7105. This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: More than a dozen wrecks found in Lake Michigan near Milwaukee, Racine PARIS (Reuters) -A woman who was blamed by French courts for her divorce because she no longer had sex with her husband won an appeal in Europe's top human rights court, the court said on Thursday, reigniting a debate in France over women's rights. The French woman - identified as Ms. H.W, born in 1955 - brought her case to the European Court of Human Rights in 2021 after exhausting legal avenues in France almost a decade following the divorce. The ECHR ruled that the French courts had violated the woman's right to respect for private and family life. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "In the present case, the Court could not identify any reason capable of justifying this interference by the public authorities in the area of sexuality," it said in a statement. The woman, who married her husband in 1984 and had four children with him, wanted the divorce, but contested being blamed for the breakdown, arguing it was an unjust intrusion into her private life and a violation of her physical integrity. She cited health problems and threats of violence from her husband as reasons why she had not had intimate relations from 2004 onwards. The ECHR ruling comes amid a period of soul-searching in France after the high-profile case of Gisele Pelicot, whose husband was found guilty of drugging his wife and inviting dozens of men over to their home to rape her. The case shocked the world, rekindled thorny debates about women's rights in France and turned Gisele Pelicot into a feminist icon. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In a statement released by her lawyer, Lilia Mhissen, H.W celebrated her legal victory. "I hope this decision will mark a turning point in the fight for women's rights in France," she said. "It is now imperative that France, like other European countries, such as Portugal or Spain, take concrete measures to eradicate this rape culture and promote a true culture of consent and mutual respect." Mhissen said the ECHR ruling has no impact on H.W.'s divorce, which is definitive. However, she said it will have a major impact on French law, preventing French judges from making similar divorce rulings in the future. "This decision marks the abolition of the marital duty and the archaic, canonical vision of the family," she said in a statement. "Courts will finally stop interpreting French law through the lens of canon law and imposing on women the obligation to have sexual relations within marriage." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement FRANCE TO 'ADAPT' LAW France's Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs represented the French government in the case. A diplomatic source said the government acknowledged the decision and added that the French government had been involved in the fight against sexual and sexist violence, especially within couples, for years. A law that would modify the legal definition of rape was under consideration in parliament at the moment, the source said. Nicolas Hervieu, a law professor at Sciences Po university, said the decision was "humiliating for France but salutary for the reminder of the principles of sexual liberty and of protection for victims of sexual violence." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Gerald Darmanin, France's justice minister, told reporters he would speak with lawmakers about changing the law. "Obviously we will go in the direction of history and we will adapt our law," he said. H.W., who is from Le Chesnay near Paris, said she had been deeply traumatised by the original French ruling, which "legitimised a family environment where the privacy and dignity of women are ignored and flouted." H.W.'s case was supported by two French women's activism groups. Emmanuelle Piet, the head of one of them, the Feminist Collective Against Rape, said she was delighted. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Ms. W spent 15 years fighting this battle, and it ended in victory, bravo," she said. "When you are forced to have sexual relations in marriage, it is rape." (Reporting by Sudip Kar-Gupta, Gabriel Stargardter and Juliette Jabkhiro; additional reporting by John Irish; Editing by Sharon Singleton and Cynthia Osterman) A French woman who refused to have sex with her husband was not at fault in her divorce, Europes top human rights court has ruled. The 69-year-olds husband had obtained a divorce on the grounds that she had stopped having sexual intercourse with him. However, on Thursday, the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) sided against France, saying that the woman should not be considered at fault by courts in the event of divorce. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The European Court of Human Rights held, unanimously, that there had been: a violation of Article 8 (right to respect for private and family life) of the European Convention on Human Rights, a statement said. The court identified the woman only as HW, saying that she lives in Le Chesnay in the western suburbs of Paris. The woman did not complain about the divorce, which she had also sought, but rather about the grounds on which it had been granted, said the Strasbourg-based court. Any concept of marital duties needed to take into account consent as the basis for sexual relations, the statement said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The court concluded that the very existence of such a marital obligation ran counter to sexual freedom, (and) the right to bodily autonomy, it ruled. The applicants husband could have petitioned for divorce, submitting the irretrievable breakdown of the marriage as the principal ground, and not, as he had done, as an alternative ground, the court found. The domestic courts had not struck a fair balance between the competing interests at stake. Protesters outside the trial of Dominique Pelicot in Avignon - Yoan Valat/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock The woman and the man, identified only as JC, married in 1984 and had four children, including a disabled daughter who needed the constant presence of a parent, a role taken on by her mother. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Conjugal relations dropped off when their first child was born and the woman began experiencing health problems in 1992. In 2002, her husband began abusing her physically and verbally, the court said. Two years later, she stopped having sex with him and in 2012 petitioned for divorce. In 2019, an appeals court in Versailles dismissed the womans complaints and sided with her husband, while the Court of Cassation Frances highest appeals court dismissed an appeal without giving specific reasons. She turned to the ECHR in 2021 after losing her appeals in France. Her case has been supported by two womens rights groups, the Fondation des Femmes (Womens Foundation) and Collectif Feministe Contre le Viol (Feminist Collective against Rape). Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In a joint statement in 2021, they said: Marriage is not and must not be sexual servitude. The notion of consent in sex has become a burning topic in France since the trial of Dominique Pelicot, the Frenchman who recruited more than 70 men online to rape his drugged wife, Gisele. The trial of Gisele Pelicots husband has sparked criticism from feminist groups about rape culture in French society - Clement Mahoudeau/AFP Many of the 50 other men on trial sought to claim they believed she was consenting. They were all found guilty last month and the case sparked criticism from feminist groups about rape culture in French society. A French parliamentary report published this week recommended incorporating the notion of non-consent into the criminal definition of rape. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Currently, French law defines rape as sexual penetration of any kind through the use of violence, coercion, threat or surprise. The report, by French MPs Veronique Riotton and Marie-Charlotte Garin, said: The new definition should specify that consent is specific, must be freely given and may be withdrawn at any time. 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 new wildfire has erupted close to Los Angeles sparking thousands of evacuation orders. Ferocious flames from were devouring hillsides near Castaic Lake, spreading rapidly to cover 9,400 acres in only a few hours. The blaze, named the Hughes fire, was being fanned by strong, dry Santa Ana winds that were racing through the area, pushing a vast pall of smoke and embers ahead of the flames. The fire has quickly burned the hillsides near Castaic Lake - Getty Images Evacuations were ordered for more then 30,000 people all around the lake, which sits about 35 miles north of Los Angeles, and close to the city of Santa Clarita. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Im just praying that our house doesnt burn down, one man told broadcaster KTLA as he packed his car. Another 23,000 people are under evacuation warnings. The greater Los Angeles area is still suffering after two enormous fires which killed more than 24 people and destroyed thousands of structures. Robert Jensen from Los Angeles County Sheriffs Department urged everyone in the impacted area of the new blaze to leave immediately. Weve seen the devastation caused by people failing to follow those orders in the Palisades and Eaton fires, he said. I dont want to see that here in our community as well. If youve been issued an evacuation order, please get out. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Helicopters and planes dropped a fire retardant on the blaze as firefighters desperately tried to stop it from advancing. That fleet included two Super Scoopers, enormous amphibious planes that can carry hundreds of gallons of water. Firemen tackle the Hughes fire in Castaic, California - Ethan Swope/AP Crews from Los Angeles County Fire Department and Los Angeles National Forest were also attacking the blaze from the ground. It was not immediately clear what sparked the fire, but it occurred during red flag fire conditions - when meteorologists say strong winds and low humidity create conditions ripe for rapid fire spread. Meanwhile, to the south, Los Angeles officials were preparing for potential rain even as some residents were allowed to return to the charred Pacific Palisades and Altadena areas. Thousands of people have been told to evacuate the area in northern Los Angeles - REUTERS Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Were going to see another round of critical fire conditions across Southern California, Todd Hall, a National Weather Service meteorologist, said Wednesday morning. At this point, it sounds like a broken record. Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass issued an executive order to expedite clean-up efforts in burn areas and mitigate the environmental impacts of fire-related pollutants. She ordered crews to remove vegetation, shore up hillsides and reinforce roads ahead of the possible rain. The area has been hit by strong winds and very dry conditions - REUTERS Los Angeles County supervisors also approved an emergency motion to install flood control infrastructure and expedite and remove sediment in fire-impacted areas. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As the fires have settled, new challenges lie ahead, Supervisor Kathryn Barger said during a Wednesday news conference. Rains are in the forecast and the threat of mud and debris flow in our fire-impacted communities is real. 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. Rep. Gloria Mendoza, R-Grandview, does the Pledge of Allegiance on the House floor during the first week of the 2025 legislative session. (Photo by Jacquelyn Jimenez Romero) Before this years Washington state legislative session began, Sen. Deborah Krishnadasan was giving her husband a tour of her new workplace: the state Capitol building in Olympia. After multiple failed attempts tapping her badge to access the Senate chambers, Krishnadasan, who was appointed to fill a vacant seat in December, realized she was accidentally trying to get into the governors office. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We had to go up a floor, jokes Krishnadasan, D-Gig Harbor, who replaced Democratic U.S. Rep. Emily Randall in the state Senate after Randall was elected to Congress last year. Rep. Gloria Mendoza, R-Grandview, another new lawmaker, puts a positive spin on the times shes gotten off track navigating the Capitol campus, saying its given her a chance to explore different buildings and introduce herself to people in elevators. You can call it lost, or you could say, hey, this is an opportunity to meet one more person, Mendoza said. This year, over 20 freshman state lawmakers arrived in Olympia, some elected and others appointed to fill vacancies. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Theyre diving into a 105-day stretch of budget-writing and lawmaking. Its a big year to be a rookie, with a multi-billion dollar budget deficit, major policy bills under consideration in areas like housing and education, and a new governor in the mix. Its just wild to me On Jan. 13, the sessions opening day, Rep. Osman Salahuddin, D-Redmond, started the morning with a cup of coffee and hotel waffles. He picked a purple tie to wear a nod to the University of Washington, the college he attended. Rep. Osman Salahuddin, D-Redmond, seen here in the House chamber, had less than a week between the time he was sworn into the seat he was appointed to and the date that the 2025 session began. (Photo by Jacquelyn Jimenez Romero/Washington State Standard) Salahuddin had only six days between the time he was sworn in and the sessions start date. He was appointed to the House to replace Vandana Slatter, who moved to the Senate. On the sessions third day, he was among those who escorted Gov. Bob Ferguson into the House chamber ahead of Fergusons swearing-in. Like Ferguson, Salahuddin served as president of the Associated Students of the University of Washington during his college years. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As the student associations president, Salahuddin testified on education-related bills in front of lawmakers like Rep. Gerry Pollet, D-Seattle. Now Im like sitting next to him in committee, Salahuddin said. Its just wild to me. In her first week, Mendoza went on TVW, the states public affairs television network, to share Republican priorities for the 2025 session in both English and Spanish. She also stood alongside Republican leadership to respond to Fergusons inaugural address. I was honored that I was considered, I wasnt expecting that, she said. Rep. Deb Manjarrez, R-Wapato, was assigned to a seat near the back of the House chamber but was happy with her placement because she ended up sitting next to her mentor, Rep. Alex Ybarra, R-Quincy. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I feel like Im in college to some degree, said Manjarrez, describing her first week of session. Her district seatmate, Mendoza was assigned a seat up front. Ive always been that person that goes and sits at the front, she said. They might have noticed it during orientation, so they probably thought this gal always likes to sit in the front, lets place her there. Whirlwind atmosphere To prepare them for the session, lawmakers get a crash course where they go through mock floor proceedings and learn ethics, rules, and protocol. They provided us with a great deal of orientation, Manjarrez said. Still, the pace of the session can come as a shock. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Despite working busy jobs in the past, Krishnadasan says this is the first time shes had a role where every minute counts. If I sit down and I have 30 seconds, I actually think, what can I get done in 30 seconds? Krishnadasan said. Ive never had that mindset before. Salahuddin describes it as a whirlwind. Everything was happening all at once while I was trying to draft some bills, co-sponsor legislation, he said of his first days, adding that he began the session without a legislative assistant. Theres also fashion etiquette to follow. As a former farmworker, Mendoza used to wear jeans, which are prohibited on the House floor, and long-sleeve shirts. When her career pivoted from the fields to an office, she took her fashion choices seriously and appreciates Olympias formal dress code. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I think that fashion prepares you, Mendoza said, to be ready to do your job. Last week also saw the return of the Governors Inaugural Ball, which transformed Olympias business formal landscape to glitz and glam. New lawmakers went from frazzled to dazzled, shifting from the workday to a big night out. I was working with my wonderful communications person at 5:30 p.m. on the wording of a press release while thinking about getting into my ball gown, Krishnadasan said. Office decor is another consideration. Salahuddin plans to hang memorabilia and artwork in his office that reflects his district, his South Asian roots, and the University of Washington. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When I came in 2018, I remember I had a picture with now former Governor Jay Inslee and when I stepped out after escorting Governor Ferguson, I got a picture with him, he said, adding he plans on displaying those photos in his office Manjarrez put pictures of her family on her office windowsill, right next to her desk, to help her feel less homesick. Wapato is a three-plus hour drive from Olympia. Sen. Deborah Krishnadasan, D-Gig Harbor, on the Senate floor during the early days of the 2025 legislative session. (Photo by Jacquelyn Jimenez Romero/Washington State Standard) Krishnadasan plans to write down two to three things each day shes looking forward to or lessons shes learned in a paper calendar gifted by her daughter. At the end of the session, Im going to have this great collection of things that I thought about or experienced, Krishnadasan said. Friedrich Merz, the man expected to become Germany's next chancellor, has vowed to rule Europe's top economy by returning to his Christian Democrats' conservative roots, help business and crack down on irregular immigration. A long-time rival of centrist ex-chancellor Angela Merkel within the CDU party, Merz has attacked her open-door migrant policy and drawn her ire for accepting support from the far-right AfD on the flashpoint issue in parliament. At age 69, trained lawyer Merz boasts a strong business background -- including at investment fund BlackRock and on many corporate boards, which made him a millionaire -- but has never held a government leadership post. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Nonetheless, the combative orator seeks to project a statesman-like persona and has voiced confidence he can deal with mercurial US President Donald Trump, whom he has labelled "predictably unpredictable". As the three-way coalition of centre-left Chancellor Olaf Scholz has floundered, Merz as head of the opposition CDU/CSU block has rained withering fire on the outgoing "green-left" government. Polls have long declared Merz -- despite lukewarm personal approval ratings -- the strong favourite to oust Scholz and bring an end to what Merz labels "three lost years" for Germany. In a recent blistering parliament speech, Merz likened Scholz and his allies to business managers who have bankrupted a company but still ask to extend their contracts by four years. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Do you know what the owners would say once they stopped laughing?" Merz asked mockingly. "They would politely ask you to leave the company. That's how it is in normal life." Merz's campaign promise is to revive the ailing economy and rebuild Berlin's international standing for "a Germany we can be proud of again". - 'Zero tolerance' - Among his toughest proposals are plans to shut German borders to undocumented migrants, even if they seek asylum and to detain those awaiting deportation. Merz has in the past labelled the sons of Muslim immigrants "little pashas" and accused some Ukrainian war refugees of "social welfare tourism", before later apologising. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Last month, Merz sparked high drama in parliament -- and waves of street protests -- when he pushed through a motion signalling his immigration crackdown with support from the extreme-right Alternative for Germany (AfD), breaking a long-standing taboo. In other signals of a rightward shift, Merz has vowed a "zero tolerance" law and order drive, to reverse marijuana legalisation, limit "woke" policies and gender-sensitive language and study a return to nuclear power. Merz argues all this will lure voters back from the AfD. But, if he wins, he may have to temper some of his policies as he seeks one or more coalition partners. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Scholz has sought to portray his rival as a "hothead" and charged that his dalliance with the AfD signals he would one day rule with the far-right party -- a charge Merz strongly rejects. News magazine Der Spiegel has said Merz takes conflicts personally and is sometimes given to fits of anger, opining that "if Merz were a bullfighter, he would probably hold the red cloth in front of his stomach". - Hobby pilot - Merz, who is Roman Catholic, was born on November 11, 1955, and lives among the rolling hills and forests of the Sauerland region of North Rhine-Westphalia state. At six foot six (198 centimetres) tall, Merz stands out in a crowd and is a licenced pilot who sometimes flies his own private jet. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He has been married for more than 40 years to Charlotte Merz, a judge, with whom he has three adult children. He was elected to the European Parliament in 1989 and soon after to the Bundestag, where his mentor was the late CDU powerbroker Wolfgang Schaeuble. After chancellor Helmut Kohl's long reign ended in a slush fund scandal, Merkel soon sidelined Merz to take over the party and went on to run Germany for 16 years. For over a decade, Merz pursued a career in the private sector but never gave up his life-long ambition of becoming chancellor. A free-market liberal who wants to cut corporate taxes and slash red tape to help Germany Inc, he outlined his views in a 2008 book titled "Dare More Capitalism". Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Merz has sought to turn his long stint in the business world into a key selling point, said political scientist Antonios Souris of Berlin's Free University. "He likes to flirt a little with this role of having returned to politics as an outsider, as an experienced captain of industry, not just a career politician like Scholz." His CV and personal wealth have left Merz open to charges of being out of touch with voters -- an accusation he has rebuffed by insisting he belongs to the "upper middle class". ilp-sr-fec/fz/jj A memorial was held on Tuesday, Jan. 21, for Honor Ward, who died along with Beau Liddell at Wappa Falls on the Sunshine Coast after Liddell tried to save Ward A neighbor remembered Ward as someone who went out of her way to say hello to people Adam Liddell, Beaus father, earlier said that "the whole family is just a mess" following his son's death More than 100 friends and family members gathered for a vigil in Australia this week to remember two teenagers who drowned at a waterfall last weekend when one of them jumped into the water to try and save the other. The memorial was held on Tuesday evening, Jan. 21, at Chaplin Park in Noosaville, Queensland, for Honor Ward, 17, who died along with 17-year-old Beau Liddell on Sunday, Jan. 19, at Wappa Falls on the Sunshine Coast, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC), 7News and Noosa Today reported. We allowed pets in the store, Eleanor Hangeraaf, a co-worker of Wards at a discount store, told 7News and Noosa Today at the memorial. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement She would never let a dog past if she couldnt pet it," Hangeraaf said. "She would immediately run straight through the aisles for that dog, no matter what breed. Related: 'Heroic' Teenager Saves 7-Year-Old Boy from Drowning in California Lake: Truly Saved the Day' Queensland Police said in a previous statement that emergency services responded to a call about a 17-year-old girl, later identified as Ward, who fell off a waterfall at Wappa Falls and failed to resurface around 2:30 p.m., local time on Sunday. Liddell, a friend of Ward, jumped into the water to assist locating the girl but has also failed to resurface, authorities said. Photos were placed across a picnic table at a vigil in Chaplin Park last night, in memory of Honor Ward who lost her life in a drowning tragedy at Wappa Falls on Sunday. https://t.co/YReZ2eFXSp @kristina_puljak #7NEWS pic.twitter.com/Raznojh5F5 7NEWS Sunshine Coast (@7NewsSC) January 22, 2025 After a search and rescue operation involving the fire department and police divers, Wards body was found in the water, followed four hours later by the discovery of Liddells body, also in the water. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Police will prepare reports for the coroner for both the girl and the boy, Queensland authorities said in their statement, adding, Wappa Falls remains closed at this time as investigations continue. (Police later told PEOPLE that the falls had only been temporarily closed by them in order to assist with responding to the deaths in the water.) 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. As 7News reported, photos of Ward were spread out on park tables and surrounded by candles at Tuesday's memorial. Soni Burke, a neighbor, remembered the teen as someone who went out of her way to say hello to people. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement She would put the bin out for the elderly lady next door, Burke told 7News. Related: 18-Year-Old Drowns While Kayaking with Friend: 'One of the Most Beautiful Souls' Wards older brother recalled her as tough but also a good girl, with a good heart. I love her loads and shell forever be in everyones heart, Noosa Today reported. Wards father also praised Liddell for trying to save his daughter at the cost of his own life and called on people to remember Ward, saying, She loved you and we loved her. Ahead of the memorial, Kaylee Rainbow, a friend of the teens, shared on social media that she was with Ward and Liddell when they drowned. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "There was nothing I could do," Rainbow wrote, ABC reported. "Honor was my everything, my safe place, my constant, and now she's gone. Related: Dad Saves His 2-Year-Old Daughter from Drowning, Recalls Holding Her Limp Body and Praying Adam Liddell, Beaus father, earlier said that "the whole family is just a mess" following his son's death, according to ABC. "That's the type of person he was," Adam said at the time of his son trying to save his friend, adding, "He never thought of himself first." Both teens were former students at the Sunshine Beach State High School, ABC reported. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to the network, at least five people had died at the same swimming spot since 2007. Adam Liddell told ABC that steps should be taken to prevent additional deaths at the waterfall: "There could be a lot more done than a couple of little signs that say 'dangerous water. Suzanne Soulsby, who attended the memorial for Ward, also spoke about the safety measures, telling ABC: "It should have been fenced or closed because we had all the rain. "We need common sense, and you don't want to put young people's lives at risk, or anyone's life" she added. A GoFundMe established for Beau has raised more than $17,000 as of Thursday, Jan. 23. Read the original article on People Afghans who have been approved to come to the U.S. as refugees, including allies during the war and a couple of hundred family members of American troops, are now stranded after the Trump administration suspended refugee flights, advocates are warning. One in the cascade of executive actions President Donald Trump signed on his first day in office Monday ordered a suspension of the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program. The executive order said the suspension would take effect Jan. 27. But flights are already being canceled, according to advocates and resettlement agencies, meaning thousands of Afghans already approved for resettlement are now in limbo, along with thousands more who are at some point in the application process. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Read Next: 1,500 Active-Duty Troops Being Deployed to Border Under Orders from Trump "There are a bunch of people who are just quietly grinding this out and a lot of veterans who are suffering in silence as their friends are begging them for help," said Shawn VanDiver, a Navy veteran who leads AfghanEvac, a coalition of organizations that has worked with the State Department to resettle Afghans since the end of the war in 2021. For some veterans of America's longest war, the pleas for help -- and lack of any answers -- are taking a deep emotional toll, VanDiver said. "And when your friend who saved your life is texting you every morning and night, 'Good morning, good evening, friend, brother, any news on my case?' every single day, and you have to face the fact that your government is letting you down and letting them down and sending them to their doom ... it's soul shaking," he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Under Trump's executive order, the refugee program is suspended "until such time as the further entry into the United States of refugees aligns with the interests of the United States," according to the text. It directs the departments of State and Homeland Security to submit a report in 90 days on whether resuming the program is in the interest of the U.S. and every 90 days after that until Trump resumes the program. The order does not suspend the Special Immigrant Visa, or SIV, program, which specifically allows Afghans who worked directly for the military and other American government entities to immigrate to the U.S. But others who supported the American war effort -- such as Afghan partner forces, aid workers and human rights activists -- who aren't eligible for SIVs are caught in the refugee freeze, advocates said. Also in the group of stranded refugees are at least 200 family members of U.S. service members, VanDiver said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While the order was supposed to take effect next week, resettlement agencies were sent a memo by the State Department on Tuesday saying "all previously scheduled travel of refugees into the United States is being canceled, and no new travel bookings will be made," according to a copy of the memo posted on social media by AfghanEvac. Neither the State Department nor the White House responded to Military.com's requests for comment Wednesday on the memo or how the refugee suspension is affecting Afghan allies. It's unclear exactly how many Afghans were booked on flights that have been canceled, but monthly admissions of Afghan refugees in the last few months have averaged about 1,700, said Tim Young, a spokesperson for Global Refuge, a nonprofit resettlement agency. In the last three months of 2024, Afghanistan was the single biggest source of refugees coming into the country, according to State Department data cited by Young. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "We had anticipated possibly being able to resettle at least a few more families before the cutoff," Young said. "This is one of the main ways that we honor our promise to Afghan allies, the allies of America's longest war. So this will have an outsized impact on Afghans who stood shoulder-to-shoulder with us for the better part of two decades." VanDiver estimated that the initial 90-day suspension affects about 1,600 Afghans who have been cleared for resettlement and were scheduled for flights, out of about 10,000 total who have been approved for the refugee program. An indefinite suspension could leave upward of 60,000 in the middle of the refugee application process in limbo, he added. VanDiver's organization, which still officially has an agreement in place with the State Department to work together on resettlement efforts, had hoped to prevent Afghans from being included in any anti-refugee actions by the Trump administration. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement AfghanEvac organized a letter, signed by nearly 700 people and groups, that was sent to Trump and congressional leaders earlier this month warning that leaving Afghans behind "now would be a betrayal of the values we fought to defend and the trust built through years of shared struggle and sacrifice." With the refugee suspension now in place, VanDiver said he is hoping to appeal to Trump's enthusiasm for dealmaking to "make a deal about these loyal people." While some Trump advisers, such as border czar Tom Homan and deputy chief of staff for policy Stephen Miller, are staunchly anti-immigration, others were fiercely critical of the Biden administration for leaving behind thousands of Afghan allies when it withdrew from Afghanistan in 2021. Those who have supported Afghan allies in the past include National Security Adviser Mike Waltz and Secretary of State Marco Rubio. Trump himself campaigned heavily on criticizing former President Joe Biden for the withdrawal, though Trump set it in motion. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Brian Mast, R-Fla., an Army veteran who lost both of his legs in an improvised explosive device blast in Afghanistan, defended Trump's refugee freeze when asked Wednesday about its effects on Afghan allies and dismissed the idea of a carveout for Afghans. "There's been a number of problems related to the way the withdrawal took place that has precipitated letting people in not necessarily vetted to the standards that we want them vetted to," Mast told Military.com. "And this is what the Trump administration had done previously with Sudan and other nations. Look, we're not letting people in without having a proper vetting. That goes for Afghanistan as well." While the SIV program was not included in Trump's Day One executive order, supporters of the program are fearful that it will be targeted next. "There's no question," Rep. Seth Moulton, D-Mass., a Marine veteran who sits on the House Armed Services Committee, told Military.com in a phone interview Wednesday when asked whether he is concerned that the SIV program will be affected. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "My understanding is the SIV program is absolutely impacted," he said, adding that his office receives calls all the time about the issue, but "there's no question that concern and anxiety is way up after this EO." The SIV program allowed upward of 22,000 Afghans to come to the U.S. between 2009 and 2021 -- a mere third of the total applications sent to the State Department over a decade-plus period. Thousands of applications were still pending at the time of the withdrawal. "This is an anxious time for" Afghans, Khalil Arab, a 2019 beneficiary of the SIV program who is now the program manager for the SIVs and Allies Program at Combined Arms, told Military.com on Wednesday. "The good news is that -- so far -- SIV is nowhere mentioned in those executive orders that will prevent them from coming to the United States. That's the good part. But what's going to happen next? We don't know." Amid Biden's disastrous pullout from the country in 2021, Afghans who served the U.S. military and contractors in the war scrambled to get their SIVs approved in time lest they be left to the totalitarian Taliban regime. Many were -- and still are. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Arab, who had worked for U.S. interests during the war for roughly four years, said that his own brother is awaiting relocation from Afghanistan and that he is worried about "what's going to happen, because it's just a matter of time when the administration decides that they're not going to relocate those individuals as well." "The mentality is that we have a new administration that is completely shutting the borders," he said of the beliefs of Afghans he has talked to about the issue. "They're banning all the immigration channels, and basically it's over for us. And anyone to hope for something positive [that] will come out of this administration is foolish." Meanwhile, the SIV backlog still continues. Military.com spoke to one Afghan ally through encrypted messaging who had served the U.S. during the war for years, including with Special Forces up until the withdrawal, according to documents reviewed by the publication and those who had worked with him. He said that the Taliban continue to threaten his family and that his children shelter at home. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Most of the time, we hide and we do not have food to feed the family," he said. Military.com is not publishing his name because of safety concerns. The Afghan sent the publication a rejection letter from the State Department dated Tuesday, which denied his SIV application for a second time, citing an employment letter that it deemed "fraudulent." Jimmy Allen Hill, who was his direct supervisor between 2005 and 2007 while working for the contractor DynCorp, now Amentum, in Afghanistan, detailed to Military.com his long push for getting the Afghan recognized for an SIV, which included providing recommendation letters and contacting his congressman, the contractor and the State Department to no avail. "I saw a lot of them get killed, but he still did it and then we left and hung him out to dry," Hill said. "He's done his time. He's trying the legal way to do everything, but yet we have millions of people that are coming into this country illegally," he added. "But if somebody tries the legal way [it's] 'Oh no, you can't do that.' That's what it's set up for. Vet them. If you think something's screwed up, call their references. Hell, I'll meet with [the State Department] ... face to face if that's what they needed." Arab said he would ask the administration to reconsider the ban on the refugee program and provide a pathway for Afghans who served U.S. interests in the war, even if they don't fall under the SIV program, so they still have a chance to come to the country after vetting. "They actually believe in the values that America actually holds dear to their heart," he said. "So we should give them a chance to be able to come to safety and start a safe and prosperous life." Editor's note: This story was updated with quotes from Rep. Seth Moulton. Related: Arlington Cemetery Confirms 'Incident' with Trump Staff as Campaign Denies Physical Fight The blast of arctic air that moved Tuesday through the Deep South and into Central Florida leading residents to grab snow shovels in the Panhandle and thick raincoats in Orlando will stick around a few more days as another round of near-freezing temperatures is expected by this weekend. Orlando residents are forecast to wake up Saturday morning to temperatures in the low 30s, the coldest yet this month, according to the National Weather Service in Melbourne. But heres the good news for those who dont delight in wintry weather: A gradual warming trend will begin Sunday, with high temperatures expected to reach a monthly normal of 70 degrees. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Although it may seem cold this week Tuesdays low temperature in Orlando was 41 it was actually chillier last year and in 2023 when outdoor thermometers plunged to 38 on Jan. 21 of both years, according to the National Weather Service. Coincidentally, Tuesday marked the 40th anniversary of the coldest day ever in Orlando 19 set Jan. 21, 1985. Folks feel colder [this week] because of the winds; the winds are more elevated this year, said Jessie Schaper, a meteorologist with the agency. Cold rainy weather was especially true in the northwestern Panhandle, where the states 130-year-old record for snowfall was obliterated after the same storm system that blew into Central Florida dropped nearly 9 inches of snow in Milton, according to NWS. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In Pensacola, the official snow measurement Tuesday was 7.6 inches, according to the Pensacola News Journal. Residents were advised to stay home and avoid driving on the icy roads. Schools, government offices, shops and Pensacola International Airport were shut down. Roads and bridges also were closed for safety reasons. Gov. Ron DeSantis on Monday declared a state of emergency. By 3 p.m. Wednesday, about 18,000 customers in northwest Florida were without power. In Ocala, a dusting of light snow was reported at the citys airport early Wednesday, according to the National Weather Service and Ocala-News.com. At Blue Spring State Park in Volusia County on Wednesday morning, the spring-fed water was steaming like a hot cup of tea at 72 degrees while the air temperature was 37 luring 859 manatees into the spring, according to a Facebook post. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The manatees know where they can keep warm! the post said. But its highly unlikely Central Florida will see snow by this weekend, Schaper said. The reason we had rain but not snow was because the temperatures for us were above freezing, she said. The last time Central Florida saw freezing temperatures was Christmas Day 2022, sinking to nearly 30 in some areas and causing sleet in Brevard County. Thursdays high temperature in Orlando is expected to reach 53 with a low of 38. On Friday, its forecast to climb a degree higher to 54. And Saturdays high temperature is expected to reach 59. On Sunday morning, the low temperature is expected to dip to 44 then climb to 70. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The average high temperature for Orlando in January is nearly 72 with an average low of 49. Folks should be aware of the cold air over the next few days, Schaper said. Most of us Floridians are not used to it. So bundle up and check on those who are cold sensitive. Denver-area grocery workers are going to vote next week on whether or not to strike against King Soopers again, the local union representing the workers announced. Thursday: High pressure will build across the Southeast U.S. on Thursday. We will not be as cold with plenty of sunshine and highs in the middle 40s. Thursday night will be mostly clear with lows in the 20s. Friday: A weak cold front will move across Central Alabama on Friday with a few clouds. A rogue flurry cant be ruled out north of I-20, but it doesnt look all that likely. Even if we did see a flurry or two develop, there would be no impacts. High temperatures will be in the lower 40s. Weekend Outlook: The warming trend will continue into the weekend ahead of a cold front with southerly winds. Saturday will be partly cloudy with highs in the upper 40s. The cold front will move into Alabama on Sunday with scattered showers that will continue into Sunday night. High temperatures will be in the upper 40s. Sunday night will have lows in the upper 30s, so no wintry precipitation is expected. Next Week: Showers kick off the week Sunday night into Monday. Tuesday looks mostly dry but additional rain is likely in the second half of the week. Temperatures continue their upward trend, into the upper 50s and low 60s by the second half of next week. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Storm Team 7 Day Be sure to follow the CBS 42 Storm Team: Follow Us on Facebook: Chief Meteorologist Dave Nussbaum, Meteorologist Michael Haynes, Meteorologist Alex Puckett, and Meteorologist Jacob Woods. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. KINGSPORT, Tenn. (WJHL) A whirlwind of activity that has led to several national headlines occurred in the nations capital in the days since President Donald Trumps inauguration. News Channel 11 interviewed Congresswoman Diana Harshbarger to get her thoughts on a variety of topics, including the inauguration and the presidents quickly-signed executive orders. The entire interview can be watched above. Harshbarger expressed support for Trumps sweeping immigration and security orders, as well as his energy policies. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement One of the most notable actions taken by Trump since his inauguration was the pardoning of a majority of the people charged after the Jan. 6, 2021 riots at the Capitol. When asked, Harshbarger told News Channel 11 that she thought Trump was in the right to issue the pardons. Absolutely, thats one of the promises he made to the American people, Harshbarger said. Look at what Biden did in the middle of President Trumps speech. He pardoned his whole family preemptively. Also the January 6 commission he pardoned them preemptively. How many pardons did he give murderers and rapists and child molesters? Look, there is nothing wrong with what President Trump did. These people were incarcerated, and they shouldnt have been. If they did something wrong, Im sure they looked at those records, but hes just going by the mandate. And the promises he made are the promises are the promises hes going to keep, and a lot of them are going to be done immediately with executive orders. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Albuquerque Head of Kingsport previously pleaded guilty to charges related to the Jan. 6 riots and was sentenced to seven and a half years in prison. Court documents stated that he used riot shields to strike at police and later wrapped his arm around an officers neck and pulled him into the crowd. Head was among those to be pardoned and released by Trumps order. Harshbarger claimed that the Federal Bureau of Investigation coerced some of the people charged in the riots into pleading guilty. Let me just tell you what some of these Jan. 6 people have told us, Harshbarger said. The FBI has a way of entrapping you and you have no other choice besides pleading to get whatever sentence they decide they want to give you. So you gotta look a little deeper into these allegations and into the things being reported. She said she is not concerned about Head returning to her district in Northeast Tennessee. Harshbarger said she is sure local law enforcement will have him on their radar but does not expect trouble. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On the topic of TikTok, Harshbarger was resolute in the belief that the app is a national security threat. After legislation was passed that would have required TikToks parent company, ByteDance, to sell control of the app in the U.S. to another company, Trump signed an executive order that pauses the deadline for 75 days. It was a unanimous vote, and it wasnt a ban it was a divestment. They are obligated to sell to a company that we approve of, that Congress and the president approve of, because they are considered a national security threat. The pause on the sale gives the president time, gives Congress time, to decide Well, who is going to take over? So we understand and the president does as well that they are a national security threat and China is an adversarial nation, and ByteDance is the owner of that. Harshbarger said she does hope for a resolution that does not lead to the app disappearing as it is used by 170 million Americans and would have a significant economic impact. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement News Channel 11 also asked Harshbarger if she thought the federal government had done enough to help her district and the rest of Appalachia recover from Hurricane Helene. You can never do enough to replace somebodys home or their land or what theyve lost. Theyll never recoup everything, but the president is traveling to Western North Carolina. He understands what happened in my district in East Tennessee. We voted on disaster relief for the area for six or seven states and any of the counties that were affected. He said he was going to take care of it and I have to take him at his word. She encouraged anyone who has been denied FEMA assistance to reapply and reach out to her or her office for assistance 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 WJHL | Tri-Cities News & Weather. NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) The Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee (CFMT) is gathering funds to support students, staff and families impacted by the shooting at Antioch High School. On Thursday, Nashville Mayor Freddie OConnell, MNPS Director of Schools Dr. Adrienne Battle, CMFT CEO Hal Cato, Nashville Fire Chief William Swann and MNPS Chief of Communications Sean Braisted gathered to announced the creation of the Nashville School Violence Support and Healing Fund. Nashville lawmaker asks governor to address school shootings in 2025 special session Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Funds collected will reportedly go directly to victims families, those who were injured and to faculty and students who are experiencing emotional trauma following the Antioch High School shooting. The shooting happened Wednesday just after 11 a.m. when 17-year-old Solomon Henderson fired shots inside the schools cafeteria, killing 16-year-old Josselin Corea Escalante. Flags over the state capitol building were flown at half-staff Thursday in memory of Escalante, according to Gov. Bill Lee. Antioch High School Shooting | Continuing Coverage Officials said two students were also injured during the incident. One of the students reportedly sustained a gunshot graze to the arm and has since been released from the hospital. Meanwhile, another student was treated for an eye injury that is believed to have occurred after the shooting. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Mayor OConnell said the fund is a new, charitable fund that will address mass violence incidents on school grounds or during school events in Davidson County. The CMFT added they are working with Dr. Battle and her team to set up a committee of Antioch parents and community members who will then decide how the funds are distributed. During the Thursday press conference, Battle said shes been in close contact with school leaders to determine how they can support students and staff in the short-term and what steps they can take in the future to add to their existing safety protocols. Resources available following deadly Antioch High School shooting Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While we have some next steps regarding safety at Antioch and across the district, we are still working to firm up our plans and well announce once those details are finalized, explained Battle. In addition to the community fund, OConnell said Metro has joined the school district in compiling a number of resources for the community. A list of those resources can be found at nashville.gov. To donate to the Nashville School Violence Support and Healing Fund, 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 WKRN News 2. Some of the biggest names in tech came together this week to announce Stargate, a project they say will receive $500 billion in investment for US-based artificial intelligence infrastructure. The joint venture, spearheaded by OpenAI, Oracle, and SoftBank, aims to rapidly build out colossal new data centers crucial to future AI development. It will also prop-up new electricity plants needed to power these notoriously energy-intensive AI models. Stargate already has the blessing of newly-inaugurated president Donald Trump who this week said he has plans to unleash the US fossil fuel industry. Looser regulations on oil and gas extraction will make fossil fuels the obvious, cheapest choice to power Stargates ambitious AI agenda. American AI companies, some of which have publicly committed to offsetting carbon emissions with green energy sources, may now be poised to double down on fossil fuels during a second administration. Drill baby drill is coming for AI. What is Stargate? Donald Trump discussed how Stargate might play out during a press conference Tuesday night. Standing beside him were three of the plans key architectsOracle Co-founder Larry Ellison, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, and SoftBank CEO Masayoshi Son. In theory, the project aims to open up $500 billion in funding to build out new, US-based data centers meant to power AI in the coming years. SoftBank is the primary funder of the entity, and OpenAI will be responsible for the projects operations. Critics, including close Trump ally Elon Musk, have questioned whether or not the companies can actually secure the amount of investment theyve promised. Regardless, Stargate partners say they are already deploying $100 billion to build out the first set of data centers in Texas. Writing in a blog post this week, OpenAI said the multiyear efforts could ultimately create hundreds of thousands of US jobs and secure American leadership in AI. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I think this will be the most important project of this era, Altman told Trump during the Tuesday press conference. We wouldnt be able to do this without you, Mr. President. All of that development cant come soon enough for AI firms. Companies, both in the US and abroad, are racing to ship products and constantly upgrade their AI capabilities. That all requires troves of data and servers which need to be housed in energy-intensive data centers. A Goldman Sachs forecast released last year estimated that data centers like these could account for 8 percent of total US electricity consumption by 2026, up nearly threefold from just 3 percent in 2022. To put that in perspective, The International Energy Agency (IEA) estimates power demand from AI and cryptocurrency together will likely add at least one Sweden or at most one Germany in terms of electricity demand by next year. Those estimates were made prior to Trumps 2024 win. Now, with the presidents vocal support of Stargate, the total number of data centers and the electricity they demand may soar even higher. AIs insatiable energy appetite Newer advancements in generative AI are uniquely responsible for a recent spike in electric usage. AI researcher Jesse Dodge told NPR last year he estimates a single question posed to OpenAIs ChatGPT may require as much energy as it takes to power a lightbulb for 20 minutes. Queries sent to large language models (LLMs), which were trained on trillions of parameters of data reportedly require 10 times the amount of energy as a simple Google search. Energy consumption increases even further with more complex AI-generated content. Studies have shown a single image created by an AI model like DALL-E may require around the same amount of electricity needed to fully charge a smartphone. AI-generated video requires even more electricity. And even though major tech companies like Google and Apple have publicly committed to ambitious renewable energy policy goals, much of this new AI electricity demand is currently being met by coal and natural gas. Google released a sustainability report last year revealing its greenhouse gas emissions had actually shot up 48 percent since 2019, a figure they attributed to further integrat[ing] AI into our products. Microsoft, which supports OpenAI, published its own report admitting its greenhouse gas emissions had risen by 29 percentsince 2020. They arent alone. Analysts at Goldman Sachs say growing energy requirements propelled forward by the broader AI race are leading to power demand the likes of which hasnt been seen in a generation. Nuclear and green energy investments wont cut it Tech companies have made some efforts in recent years to try to satiate their growing energy appetite with renewable sources. Collectively, these companies have spent billions on wind and solar projects intended to offset their use of fossil fuels. The biggest players like Microsoft, Meta, and Amazon are also investing hundreds of millions of dollars into upgrading existing and creating entirely new nuclear power plants. Utility companies are even considering restarting decommissioned reactors to get in on the action as well. In theory, these could one day provide reliable and clean around-the-clock energy to support AIs energy while keeping carbon emissions at bay. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But new nuclear plants will take years or even decades to become fully operational. Companies want the extra power now. The AI race isnt waiting for nuclear or even geothermal power to mature. Energy experts previously told Popular Science that means dirty but undeniably cost-effective fossil fuels are the only solution that will fully realize AIs rapid timetable. The Goldman Sachs forecast noted earlier estimates fossil fuels could make up 60 percent of new energy used to power data centers in the coming years. I think that the world is not prepared for what is about to happen in terms of AI demand, Jamie Beard, executive director of Project InnerSpace, a nonprofit focused on promoting geothermal power, told Popular Science. Trumps message to AI: Drill baby drill A new Trump administration is already making it easier to power data centers with fossil fuels. In the three days since being sworn in, President Trump has declared a so-called national energy emergency and committed to rolling back key Biden Administration climate pledges. Trump has already rolled black restrictions on drilling for oil in Alaska, overturned auto emissions standards, and lifted a pause on approvals for applications to export liquified natural gas. Though legally dubious, experts say a first-of-its-kind energy emergency may grant Trump the ability to fast-track new permits for fossil fuel infrastructure which, in turn, could increase energy supply and lower costs for data center owners. All of this, Trump said during his inauguration is meant to unleash the US energy sector despite some analysis suggesting the world might be approaching an oversupply of oil and natural gas. We will drill, baby, drill, Trump said during his inauguration speech. We will be a rich nation again, and it is the liquid gold under our feet that will help us do it. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Thats likely all welcome news for data center owners and AI companies looking for cheaper, more readily available electricity. Though members of the Stargate Project have not publicly said where they intend to source the bulk of their energy from, the close connection with the Trump administration and the sheer volume of new infrastructure they are setting out to build makes fossil fuels the obvious choice. Oracle, OpenAI, and SoftBank did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Trump, speaking with the Stargate executives Tuesday, said his administration would make it easier for these companies to generate electricity and suggested they could even do so on-site at newly built AI plants. They have to produce a lot of electricity and we will make it possible for them to get that production done very easily, at their own plants if they want, Trump said. At the AI plant they will build energy generation and that will be incredible. Its unclear if building energy operations inside an AI data center is possible in practice. An influx of fossil fuel-powered American AI companies threatens to increase CO2 emissions, raise global temperatures, and upend climate progress made in recent years. Some of AIs biggest supporters argue that this temporary environmental toll might be worth it to further develop a technology that, when matured, could be used to fight the most extreme consequences of climate change. Indeed, some AI models are already being used to increase energy efficiency and improve air pollution monitoring. AI is also playing an important role identifying areas rich in critical minerals needed to manufacture electric vehicles and other lower-emission products. But all of that risks coming at the cost of further warming the planet, which environmental scientists believe contributes to hurricanes, wildfires, and many of the other natural disasters that have become increasingly commonplace in recent years. That can make the AI energy gamble seem less like a logical bet and more like a cynical stumble into an oncoming fire. Donald Trumps pick to lead national intelligence isnt dead in the water, but shes floundering and no one can quite put their finger on why, according to new reports. Despite holding multiple rounds of meetings with Republican senators, Tulsi Gabbard, the former Democratic congresswoman turned MAGA loyalist, has so far failed to fully put to rest concerns that shes overly sympathetic to authoritarian leaders like Russian President Vladimir Putin and Syrias Bashar al-Assad. Theyre also not convinced shes capable of doing the job. Gabbard is an Army Reserve lieutenant colonel who deployed to Iraq, but she has little intelligence experience and has reportedly shown up to meetings with senators without being prepared. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Enough senators still have serious concerns that theyre putting her nomination in jeopardy, one GOP senator told Semafor. Another who spoke to Jewish Insider put it far more poetically. Lets put it this way: I do a lot of boating, the unnamed senator said. Theres a lot of barnacles that need to be scraped off that hull because its starting to create a drag. Its not sinking, its not taking on water, but its definitely slowing down. In 2017, Gabbard secretly traveled to Syriawhich was and remains a designated state-sponsor of terrorismand met twice in three days with Assad. One of their meetings lasted almost three hours, according to a new report in the Washington Post. Tulsi Gabbard has been meeting, and meeting, and meeting with senators. / Alex Wong / Alex Wong/Getty Images At the time, Assad had been waging a bloody civil war for almost six years, killing hundreds of thousands of his own people. Even Gabbards aideswho werent told about the meetings in advancewere shocked by how much time shed spent with him, the Post reported. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A spokesperson for Gabbard told the Post its report was a Deep State smear campaign filled with gross misrepresentation and conjecture. Regardless, about two months after her trip, Gabbard told CNN she was skeptical of the U.S. intelligence finding that Assad had used chemical weapons on his own people. In the years since, she has also parroted Russian propaganda blaming NATO for Russias invasion of Ukraine, and has claimed the country is home to U.S.-funded labs that create deadly bioweapons. (Theyre actually Ukrainian national labs dedicated to preventing outbreaks.) And then theres the fact that she has shown up to meetings with senators unable to discuss key surveillance laws or even say what the director of national intelligence actually does. Over repeat meetings she finally started to do her homework, according to lawmakers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement She was pretty bad in the beginning, but shes doing much better now, one senator told Jewish Insider. Despite all this, no senators have publicly opposed her, as spokeswoman Alexa Hanning pointed out to Semafor. Shes met with almost every GOP Senator in the U.S. Senate and Democrats whove accepted her invitation to meet, Henning said. She is continuing the advice and consent process in the Senate and looks forward to her hearing. But she clearly doesnt have the momentum of Trumps other wildcard nominees, including FBI director Kash Patel and defense secretary Pete Hegseth, Semafor wrote. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Senate is still waiting to receive her FBI background check before the Intelligence Committee can schedule a confirmation hearing. In the meantime, Trump himself still fully supports Gabbard, according to Semafor. But over the past few days hes been less vocal about that support, and has told people its time for her to step up. This is not people trying to put a knife in Tulsi, one source close to the White House told Semafor. But theres a problem, and nobody can figure it out. The News Tulsi Gabbards bid to become Donald Trumps director of national intelligence is on shaky ground, with Republican lawmakers raising private concerns and the president urging her to get aggressive. Republicans are particularly hesitant about her past statements that some have read as too warm toward Vladimir Putin and former Syrian regime leader Bashar al-Assad, whom Gabbard met with in 2017. Shes also questioned some intelligence-gathering tools, though she recently endorsed a provision of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act that allows warrantless surveillance of foreign targets and has the power to sweep up domestic US communications. There are very serious concerns by enough members to put her nomination in jeopardy, one GOP senator told Semafor. A second Republican senator said she still has a lot of questions to answer. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement No one is conveying to Trumps team yet that the former Democratic congresswoman has no path to confirmation. But Gabbard has not had the turnaround in fortunes seen by other presidential nominees once seen as too divisive to get through the Senate, such as FBI director pick Kash Patel or defense secretary pick Pete Hegseth, whos expected to get confirmed this week despite a run of negative headlines and senatorial scrutiny of his personal behavior. Two people close to the White House said top Trump advisers are still behind Gabbard, a military officer in the Army Reserve. Still, despite the lack of any internal push to spike Gabbards nomination inside Trumps network, senior aides and allies are concerned. This is not people trying to put a knife in Tulsi but theres a problem, and nobody can figure it out, one of the people close to the White House told Semafor. Trump himself remains fully supportive of Gabbard, according to both White House sources. But the president has been less vocal about that support in recent days and has told people this is her time to step up: Shes got to prove herself, the first White House source said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Alexa Henning, a spokesperson for Gabbard, noted theres no GOP public opposition to her nomination and said Intelligence panel members of both parties have shown positive support for her nomination and qualifications. Shes met with almost every GOP Senator in the U.S. Senate and Democrats whove accepted her invitation to meet. She is continuing the advice and consent process in the Senate and looks forward to her hearing, Henning said. Gabbard does not have the public commitments to be confirmed by the Senate and has yet to undergo a confirmation hearing on the Intelligence Committee, though she has not yet drawn public GOP opponents, either. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, said she met with Gabbard recently; so did Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, a member of the Intelligence panel. I have a lot of questions I want to ask her, Collins said on Tuesday. Ive done some further research and I look forward to that hearing. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Intelligence Committee, led by Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., is expected to schedule a confirmation hearing the moment her paperwork is complete. The Senate is still waiting on her FBI background check, the only item thats still outstanding before it can move forward. Know More Gabbard is different from Trump nominees like Hegseth, a known commodity to GOP voters from his years on Fox News. There was a palpable backlash on social media and Capitol phone lines in response to Republican senators initial reluctance to back his nomination. Its unlike Bobby Kennedy, or Kash, or Petes or even [Matt] Gaetz those are personal issues or old policy issues that can be overcome, the first person close to the White House told Semafor. Shes just got to knock it out of the park we havent seen that yet. It remains unclear to what degree Trumps grassroots supporters and the Republican base will go to bat for Gabbard, a former Democratic congresswoman and presidential candidate whose turn toward Trump helped her earn a Cabinet nomination. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement And theres plenty of Republicans on the inside fighting for her nomination, including newer senators like Bernie Moreno of Ohio and Tim Sheehy of Montana, who said in a statement for this story: Tulsi wants to reform the intelligence community, so they launched a coordinated smear campaign against her. Gabbards about-face on the surveillance tool also helped her pick up the support of Sen. James Lankford, R-Okla., an Intelligence Committee member. Early on there were some alarms, I think. But I think a lot of the people that had concerns earlier have met with her since, are feeling more comfortable, said Sen. Kevin Cramer, R-N.D. We need to see how it all turns out. But Im inclined to be supportive of her. Even if she can clear the hurdles to come, Gabbard will face a harder floor vote than Trumps first national intelligence director, former GOP Sen. Dan Coats. He was confirmed 85-12 in 2017. Notable Jewish Insider reports some Republicans are likening her nomination to a boat laden with barnacles. Gabbard appeared unprepared at times in her meetings with senators, according to the Wall Street Journal. BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WIAT) A Gadsden man was sentenced to three years in prison for illegal possession of ammunition. Pinson man dies from self-inflicted gunshot after firing gun at deputies DAngelo Martin, 28, was sentenced to three years in prison after pleading guilty in October to being a felon in possession of a firearm, according to U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona. Martin is prohibited from having ammunition because of prior felony convictions. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On April 24, 2023, Gadsden police officers responded to a call that someone had shot at a vehicle in front of the callers residence. GPD found a shell casing on the porch. Martin reportedly admitted to possessing the ammunition that officers found outside the 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 CBS 42. HOLYOKE, Mass. (WWLP) Gary Rome Hyundais Hope on Wheels made a generous donation Wednesday evening to a local cancer support network. Holyoke Mayor Joshua Garcia to march in St. Patricks parade in Ireland Rome presented a check of $10,000 to the founder of the local non-profit, Each Moment Were Alive. The money will go towards the organizations services, which provide support and wellness programs to those diagnosed and recovering. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement And we have survivorship programs so that when they are done with treatment, we can now help them get back to their daily lives, said Cindy Sheridan Murphy of Each Moment Were Alive. After you been through treatment, your life has changed, but they need the support from them, said Gary Rome of Gary Rome Hyundai. The dealership will be hosting a Cocktails for a Cause event in partnership with Each Moment Were Alive. That will be held April 26th. 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. SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) A gas leak was reported on Harbor Island Thursday morning near the San Diego International Airport, prompting authorities to shut down traffic in the area. According to the Port of San Diego Harbor Police, all eastbound traffic on Harbor Island was shut down at the T intersection. The initial call came in after 10 a.m. in the area of Liberator Way and the ramp to Harbor Island Drive, according to the San Diego Fire-Rescue Department. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement People were warned to avoid the east end of Harbor Island while crews from San Diego Gas & Electric and SDFD worked to resolve the incident. This is a developing story. 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 FOX 5 San Diego & KUSI News. The Colorado Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has found that nearly 10% of the 10,786 criminal cases that the state's once most revered forensic DNA scientist worked on over the past three decades have been compromised due to skipped steps, deleted data, or other deceptions. The internal review of all of Woods' cases is now complete, and the full impact of the CBI scandal on the state's judicial system may take years to untangle as there is deep concern among legal and scientific experts that an unknown number of people may now be falsely imprisoned due to her false conclusions. Additionally, the time it takes CBI to evaluate DNA in rape cases has now nearly doubled in the wake of the scandal, rising from an average of 275 days in November 2023 to an average of 517 days. PLATTSBURGH The national average price of gasoline rose again, up 3.1 cents from a week ago to $3.05 per gallon, and up 3.1 cents since last week in New York state to $3.13. According to GasBuddy data, the national average is up 4.3 cents from a month ago and 1.6 cents higher than a year ago, and in New York state, 2.6 cents per gallon higher than a month ago and 10.4 cents per gallon lower than a year ago. It was only a matter of time before the national average began to rise, with oil prices last week reaching their highest level since July. Diesel prices have also jumped, driven by cold weather that has boosted heating oil demand, Patrick De Haan, head of petroleum analysis at GasBuddy, said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In addition, with President Trumps inauguration tomorrow, there could be price impacts depending on the executive orders he is preparing to sign. Well be closely monitoring potential impacts from any orders, while the threat of tariffs and possible retribution from Canada remain top of mind. However, the current increase is not yet the traditional seasonal rise, which is also likely to push prices higher and could begin in a few weeks. California, Washington and Nevada average the highest prices per gallon at $4.38, $3.86 and $3.61 respectively. The states with the lowest average prices per gallon are Mississippi at $2.64, Texas and Oklahoma tied at $2.66. LOCAL PRICES Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As of Monday, Jan. 20 these are the reported prices per gallon from stations around the North Country. Plattsburgh: 24 Hour Fuel $2.89 Sams Club (membership required) $2.96 St Armands $2.97 Bucks Plaza $2.99 Sunoco (Margaret Street) $2.99 Stewarts Shops (Rugar Street) $2.99 Luckys (NY3) $2.99 Mobil (Boynton Avenue) $2.99 Stewarts Shops (Cornelia Street) $3.05 Mobil (NY3) $3.09 Stewarts Shops (S Catherine Street) $3.09 Shell (NY3) $3.09 Champlain: Sunoco (cash only) $3.19 Valero $3.29 Irving $3.29 Mobil (US11) $3.29 Ticonderoga: Stewarts Shops $3.38 Maplefields $3.39 Sunoco -$3.48 Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Saranac Lake: Mobil (Lake Flower Avenue) $3.49 Mobil (Broadway) $3.49 Stewarts Shops (Bloomingdale Avenue) $3.49 Lake Placid: Stewarts Shops (Saranac Avenue) $3.49 Stewarts Shops (Main Street) $3.49 Mobil $3.49 Malone: Mobil (E Main Street) $3.21 Mobil (Spalding Street) $3.21 Stewarts Shops $3.21 Chateaugay: Sunoco $3.14 Stewarts Shops $3.18 Tupper Lake: Sunoco (Main Street) $3.42 Wilmington: Mobil $3.29 Crown Point: Mobil $3.35 Ray Brook: Sunoco (cash only) $3.49 Keeseville: Mobil $3.09 Rouses Point: Stewarts Shops (Lake Street) $3.23 Redford: Maplefields $3.19 Just two days after a shaky ceasefire took hold in the Gaza Strip, Israel on Jan. 21, 2025, launched a large-scale incursion of the Jenin refugee camp in the West Bank. Soldiers raided hundreds of homes in the West Bank city in what the Israeli military called a counterterrorism operation, aiming to reassert control there. Many analysts have suggested the raid is an attempt by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to appease far-right members of his coalition who oppose the ceasefire deal. Whatever the motive, the offensive has been devastating for many of the camps residents. The Israeli military has destroyed infrastructure, closed entrances to local hospitals and forcibly displaced about 2,000 families, according to reports on the raids. As it was, life for inhabitants of the densely populated camp home to some 24,000 Palestinian refugees was hard. The West Bank director of UNRWA, the U.N. agency overseeing refugees, recently described camp conditions as nearly uninhabitable. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The focus of the latest Israeli operation is not new. The Jenin refugee camp, on the western edge of the town of Jenin in the north of the occupied West Bank, has often experienced violence between Israeli soldiers and Palestinian militants. That violence has escalated since the Oct. 7, 2023, attacks, when Hamas gunmen led an incursion into Israel in which around 1,200 people were killed. The camp has faced repeated large-scale military operations by Israeli forces, including drone strikes, ground raids, and airstrikes that have caused widespread destruction. Meanwhile, Israeli settlers have torched Palestinian cars and properties, with 64 such attacks in the Jenin area alone since Oct. 7, 2023. Last December, the Palestinian Authority, which coordinates with Israel to oversee security in parts of the West Bank, also attacked local militants. These events have deepened political tensions and worsened the economic and humanitarian crises in the West Bank. According to the U.N., more than a quarter of the 800-plus Palestinians killed in the West Bank since Oct. 7 attack have come from the Jenin district; several Israeli civilians have also been killed in the West Bank during the same period. As a scholar of Palestinian history, I see this recent episode as the latest chapter in a much longer history of Palestinian displacement and defiance of Israeli occupation. Understanding this history helps explain why the Jenin camp in particular has become a target of Israeli offensives and a center of Palestinian militant resistance. Camp conditions Jenin, an agricultural town that dates back to ancient times, has long been a center of Palestinian resistance. During the 1948 Arab-Israeli War, Arab fighters successfully pushed back Israeli attempts to capture the town. At the end of that war, the town became a refuge for some of the hundreds of thousands of Palestinian refugees who fled or were expelled from lands that became part of Israel. Jenin, along with the hilly interior of Palestine known as the West Bank, was annexed by Jordan. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The U.N. Relief and Works Agency established the Jenin camp in 1953, just west of the city. Since then, the agency has provided basic services to the camps residents, including food, housing and education. Camp conditions have always been difficult. In the early years of the camp, refugees had to stand in long lines to receive food rations, and for decades their cramped homes lacked electricity or running water. The Jenin camp soon became the poorest and most densely populated of the West Banks 19 refugee camps. And given its location near the Green Line the armistice line that serves as Israels de facto border camp residents who were expelled from northern Palestine could actually see the homes and villages from which they were expelled. But they were prevented from returning to them. The rise of militancy Since 1967, Jenin, along with the rest of the West Bank, has been occupied by the Israeli military. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Israeli occupation of Jenin compounded the difficulties of these refugees. As stateless Palestinians, they couldnt return home. But under Israeli occupation, they couldnt live freely in Jenin, either. Human rights groups have long documented what has been described as systematic oppression, which includes discriminatory land seizures, forced evictions and travel restrictions. Seeing no other path forward, many of the camps young refugees turned to armed resistance. In the 1980s, groups such as the Black Panthers, which was affiliated with the Palestinian nationalist Fatah organization, launched attacks on Israeli targets in an effort to end the occupation and liberate their ancestral lands. Throughout the first intifada a Palestinian uprising lasting from 1987 to 1993 the Israeli army raided the Jenin camp many times, seeking to arrest members of militant groups. In the process, Israeli forces also sometimes demolished family members homes and arrested relatives. Such acts of apparent collective punishment reinforced the idea for many Palestinians that the Israeli occupation could only be ended by force. Members of the militant group Fatah in Jenin in 1991. Esaias Baitel/Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images) The Oslo peace process of the 1990s which consisted of a series of meetings between Israeli government and Palestinian representatives led some former militants to hope that the occupation could be ended through negotiations instead. But Jenins camp residents remained marginalized in the West Bank and sealed off from Israel, seeing little improvement in their lives, even after the transfer of administrative powers from Israel to the Palestinian Authority in 1995. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Independent projects like the The Freedom Theatre provided some relief to the camps refugee children, but it was not enough to overcome the grinding poverty or the violence they faced from Israeli soldiers and settlers. By the time the second intifada broke out in 2000, many of the camps teenagers joined militant groups. That included Freedom Theatre co-founder Zakaria Zubeidi, who joined the Fatah-affiliated Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigade. Like the youth of the 1980s, they, too, concluded that only armed resistance would bring an end to the occupation. A cycle of violence? In April 2002, the Israeli army invaded the Jenin camp, hoping to put an end to such armed groups. There were fierce clashes between Israeli soldiers and young Palestinian men in the camp, solidifying Jenins reputation among Palestinians as the capital of the resistance. The lack of progress on peace talks since then, Israels settlement building on occupied land deemed illegal under international law and the inclusion of hard-line Israeli politicians in the government have exacerbated resentment in the camp. Polls show Palestinians increasingly support armed resistance. Seeking to protect the camp from Israeli incursions, in 2021 a group of local residents formed the Jenin Brigades. While its founder was affiliated with Palestinian Islamic Jihad, the group quickly drew in militants from various political factions. Members acquired weapons, patrolled the streets and fought off Israeli military incursions. By 2022, they had declared parts of the camp to be liberated from the Israeli occupation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Seemingly alarmed by the increase in militancy and the stockpiling of weapons in the camp, Israel dramatically stepped up its raids in 2022. It was during such a raid that Palestinian American journalist Shireen Abu Akleh was killed by an Israeli soldier. On July 3, 2023, the Israeli military again invaded Jenin, withdrawing after two days of heavy aerial bombardment and a ground invasion that killed 12 Palestinians and wounded over 100. The latest offensive could well surpass that death toll, with at least 10 killed in the first day of fighting. But the militancy associated with the camp was built on decades of resistance and defiance to occupation that Israel has had little success in extinguishing. Similarly this time, I believe, such militancy within the camp will only increase with the latest deaths and destruction. This article is an updated version of a story that was first published by The Conversation on July 5, 2023. 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: Maha Nassar, University of Arizona Read more: Maha Nassar is a board member at the Foundation for Middle East Peace. By Maayan Lubell JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Even before it was signed, the Gaza ceasefire forced Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu into a tight spot - between a new U.S. president promising peace and far-right allies who want war to resume. That tension is only likely to increase. The stakes for Netanyahu are high -- keeping his coalition government on the one hand and on the other, satisfying U.S. President Donald Trump who wants to use the ceasefire momentum to expand Israel's diplomatic ties in the Middle East. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement One of Netanyahu's nationalist allies has already quit over the Gaza ceasefire, and another is threatening to follow unless war on Hamas is resumed at an even greater force than that which devastated much of Gaza for 15 months. The clock is ticking. The first stage of the ceasefire is meant to last six weeks. By day 16 -- Feb. 4 -- Israel and Palestinian militant group Hamas are due to start negotiating the second phase of the ceasefire, whose stated aim is to end the war. Former police minister Itamar Ben-Gvir's Jewish Power party quit the government on Sunday and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said that he will stay in government only if war resumes after the first phase until the total defeat of Hamas, whose Oct. 7, 2023 attack on Israel triggered the war. "We must go back in a completely different style. We need to conquer Gaza, instate a military rule there, even if temporarily, to start encouraging (Palestinian) emigration, to start taking territory from our enemies and to win," Smotrich said in an interview with Channel 14 on Sunday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump's Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff, however, said on Wednesday he was focused on ensuring the deal moves from the first to second phase, which is expected to include a complete withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza. "Netanyahu is pressed between the far-right and Donald Trump," said political analyst Amotz Asa-El, with the Shalom Hartman Institute in Jerusalem. "Netanyahu's coalition now is fragile and the likelihood that it will fall apart sometime in the course of 2025 is high." Netanyahu's office did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Witkoff told Fox News on Wednesday that he will be on the ground overseeing the ceasefire, a signal that he will keep up the pressure he applied during the deal's negotiations. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to six U.S., Israeli, Egyptian and other Mideast officials who spoke to Reuters in the run-up to the ceasefire announcement on Jan. 15, Witkoff played a crucial role in getting the deal over the line. SAUDI Netanyahu's balancing act between his far-right allies and the White House stretches beyond Gaza. After the ceasefire was struck, Trump said he would build on the deal's momentum to expand the Abraham Accords, a series of agreements reached during his first term that saw Israel normalize ties with Gulf Arab countries. Trump said on Monday he sees Saudi Arabia joining. That strategic goal is shared by Netanyahu. But that cannot happen if war in Gaza is raging, said Eyal Hulata, who headed Israel's National Security Council from 2021-2023. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "If the Gaza war does not end, it is impossible to make progress with Saudi Arabia. And President Trump really wants to complete the expansion of normalization. It is high on his foreign policy agenda." Complicating matters further for Netanyahu, Saudi Arabia has made Palestinian statehood a condition for normalising ties with Israel. Smotrich, and others in Netanyahu's government, are fiercely opposed to that. Still, progress with Riyadh may be seen by the year's end, an Israeli diplomatic official told Reuters, though talks on the second phase of the Gaza ceasefire will likely prove difficult. Around 70% of Israelis support the Gaza deal, according to a poll published on Thursday by Israel's Institute for National Security Studies, and 61% support incorporating it into a broader accord that includes Saudi Arabia. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The ceasefire's first phase includes the release of hostages, a partial withdrawal of Israeli forces and aid flow into Gaza. The second phase, if it happens, would include the release of remaining hostages and the complete withdrawal of Israeli forces. A third phase is expected to start Gaza's reconstruction, overseen by Egypt, Qatar and the United Nations. One of the most difficult issues involved in negotiating the next phases is post-war Gaza's governance. Israel won't accept Hamas staying in power. Hamas so far has not given ground. Trump's national security adviser Mike Waltz said on Sunday, that Hamas will never govern Gaza and if it reneges on the deal, Washington will support Israel "in doing what it has to do." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On Saturday, after his government signed off on the ceasefire, Netanyahu said Israel had U.S. backing to resume fighting if the second stage talks prove futile, leaving himself some political leeway with Smotrich, for now. "If we need to go back to the fighting, we will do so in new ways and with great force," Netanyahu said in a video statement. (Writing by Maayan Lubell; Additional reporting by Nidal al-Mughrabi, John Irish, Steve Holl, Erin Banco, Simon Lewis, Nafisa Eltahir and Andrew Mills; Editing by James Mackenzie and William Maclean) By Nidal al-Mughrabi, Mahmoud Issa and Dawoud Abu Alkas CAIRO/CAIRO (Reuters) - Palestinians in northern Gaza prepared tent encampments for displaced families on Thursday, two days before they were expected to return to their home areas in accordance with the timeline of a ceasefire deal agreed between Israel and Hamas. On open ground surrounded by blown-out buildings, a group of men began putting up rows of white tents to receive families who are planning to return north on Saturday when the Palestinian militant group Hamas is due to release a second batch of hostages in return for dozens of Palestinians jailed by Israel. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Many of the hundreds of thousands of Palestinians expected to head back to the northern Gaza Strip will return to homes in ruins after a 15-month Israeli military offensive that has laid waste to the enclave and killed more than 47,000 Gazans. In October, Israeli forces returned to areas of the north in a major anti-Hamas operation focused on Jabalia refugee camp near Gaza City and Beit Hanoun and Beit Lahiya towns, clearing the area of its inhabitants and razing most of its buildings. "Is this the tent that we dreamed of? This will have to fit 10 people. This tent is for my children coming from the south. Really, is this adequate space?" asked Wael Jundiya, as he prepared a tent for his children who will return from where they have been sheltering in the Mawasi coastal area of the south. "On Saturday, people will come from the south and flood Gaza (City), where will they go? This camp will fit 100, 200 people. There will be 1.5 million coming from the south," Jundiya told Reuters. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Israel launched its assault on Gaza after Hamas fighters stormed across the border on Oct. 7, 2023, killing 1,200 people and taking more than 250 hostages, according to Israeli tallies. Hamas published a statement on Thursday saying the return of the displaced families would begin after Saturday's exchange was complete and once Israeli forces had pulled out from the coastal road to the north. At least four hostages are expected to be handed over to Israel on Saturday. Highlighting concerns by many Palestinians over how strong the phased ceasefire is, an Israeli tank shelling killed two Gazans in Rafah in the south of the enclave, the local civil emergency service said. The Israeli military said in a statement that soldiers had fired towards an armed individual in Rafah although it did not specify whether the person had been hit. The military reported firing towards individuals elsewhere in Gaza but without confirming whether anyone had been injured or killed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement RETURNING ON FOOT Hamas said people would be allowed to return on foot along the coastal road, meaning a walk of several miles to the official northern area from where they could try to get rides in vehicles, which would be searched at checkpoints. People returning must not carry arms, Hamas said. Senior Hamas official Sami Abu Zuhri said the group was in contact with several Arab and international parties who would assist in the return and relief operation, including providing tents. He said Hamas, which governs the enclave, would start work immediately to repair houses not fully destroyed. "We are going to invest all our capabilities to help our people. Municipalities have plans in place to welcome the families returning to the north, including setting up tents for them," he told Reuters. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In Jabalia, the biggest of the Gaza Strip's eight historic refugee camps, and the focus of Israel's campaign in the past three months, many have returned to live inside their wrecked homes, setting small fires to try to warm their children. "They are talking about a truce, a ceasefire, and the delivery of aid. It has been three days since we came back, and we cannot find water to drink. We cannot find covers to keep our children warm. We depend on bonfires all night. We wish to have some firewood for the bonfire, we use plastic, which causes diseases," said Mohammed Badr, a father of 10. His wife, Umm Nidal, said she could not believe the total destruction. "There is nothing left, you cannot walk in the streets. Houses collapsed on top of each other. You get lost, you dont know if this is your home or not," she said. "The smell of dead bodies, and the martyrs are in the streets." (Reporting by Nidal al-Mughrabi in Cairo, Mahmoud Iss and Dawoud Abu Alkas in Gaza, additional reporting by Maayan Lubell and Alexander Cornwell in Jerusalem, Writing by Nidal al-Mughrabi, Editing by Ros Russell) Jan. 22GENEVA A wide variety of improvement projects are on the table for a city seeking to continue to grow. As more businesses move into the downtown area, city leaders are excited about the city's future. The West Main Infrastructure Project continues to provide transportation challenges, but is scheduled to be completed next fall, although a second phase of the project is on hold until financing can be found, city leaders have said throughout the past year. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Geneva City Manager Joseph Varckette is working the implementation of a two-phased Appalachian Community Grant, worth $2.65 million, and will improve the facades of downtown businesses and the "streetscape" of the downtown area. The paving of the Depot Street parking lot will be a big part of the improvements that will also include landscaping, signs, murals and pocket parks to name a few. The administrative details of the project are in midst of being finalized, Varckette said. He said three Joint Economic Development boards meet together on a regular basis. Varckette said Growth Partnership for Ashtabula County Executive Director Greg Myers will be the chairman as the new year gets rolling. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The JEDD agreements include development in Harpersfield and Geneva townships and assist in encouraging development in the area. Varckette said a Designated Outdoor Refreshment Area, that would allow the consumption of alcohol downtown in specifically detailed areas, is in the final stages of approval by the state. He said a $265,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation Safe Streets program will provide for a Comprehensive Safety Action Plan for each participating community which includes Harpersfield and Geneva townships as well. The city continues to work, with a consultant, on a storm water management project, Varckette said. He said the city is also still working on revising the zoning code. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Varckette said the city recently gave an award to Dark Room Brewery for the commitment to the project that has helped revitalize the downtown area during the Genea Area Chamber of Commerce dinner at SPIRE Academy last year. GACC Executive Director Andrew Raymond said the chamber also gave an award to Darkroom Brewing Company and named Joseph Ortiz citizen of the week. Raymond said 92 people attended the event. "It's an opportunity for GACC and it's memers, to come together and honor those individuals and businesses, who have gone above and beyond in the last year," he said. "There is so much happening in the Geneva area. We continue to see our downtown grow and revitalize. Off Interstate 90 in Harpersfield, there is continued growth also, with a new taphouse being built, and the renovations of the old Howard Johnson's property," Raymond said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He said the chamber is excited for what this means for our members and look forward to how we can help the area continue to thrive. Raynond said he is excited about the DORA and Appalachian grant. "Both are amazing opportunities," he said. "The DORA has so much potential to help Geneva's downtown continue to stand out. "The Appalachian grant couldn't have come at a better time. With the downtown full and bustling again, the added funds from the grant will really help wit the upkeep and beautification of our historic buildings. It will also assist with our parking needs, way signage and green space. It will really benefit the local residents and tourists alike," he said. "At a time when many downtowns are shrinking, people are investing in time, money and dreams, in Geneva," Raymond said. "I think that really speaks volumes to how special our area is." This dog was among the 136 dogs seized from a Pierce County puppy mill in January. Photo courtesy of Renegade Paws Rescue A state investigation into a south Georgia puppy mill is ongoing after law enforcement officers with the Georgia Department of Agriculture seized 136 dogs Sunday and shut down the facility in Pierce County. The name of the kennel had not been released as of Thursday because the case is still open and charges may be filed, according to agency spokesperson Matthew Agvent. The dogs were described as neglected. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The departments law enforcement division received a tip alleging animal abuse at a kennel in southeast Georgia. Officers joined state inspectors to check out the property and found violations of rules and regulations and state law, allowing them to obtain a search warrant. The agencys previously disbanded law enforcement arm was reestablished by current Agriculture Commissioner Tyler Harper, a Republican who took office in 2023. I am incredibly proud of the work our law enforcement team did to remove these dogs and address this situation, Harper said in a statement Thursday. Our Law Enforcement Division is working every day to send a clear message that crime in Georgias agricultural sector from animal abuse to drug and labor trafficking and everything in between will not be tolerated, he said. This dog was among the 136 dogs seized from a Pierce County puppy mill over the weekend. Photo courtesy of Renegade Paws Rescue The dogs are a variety of mostly small breeds, like Shih Tzus, Maltese and Boston Terriers. They are being fostered and rehomed through local rescue groups like Savannah-based Renegade Paws Rescue, which helped about 50 of the dogs. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In an online post attempting to raise funds to support the dogs ongoing care, Renegade Paws Rescue described some of the dogs as having rotten teeth, open sores on their paws and matted coats. Jennifer Taylor, the groups executive director and founder, said she was limited in what she could say about the Pierce County case. But Taylor said big cases like this further strain a shelter system that is already facing a huge crisis with overcrowding, especially when it comes to finding homes for larger dogs. Its always challenging to find placement for 50 dogs. The good news for these dogs is theyre small, so that makes it a little bit easier, Taylor said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But it is very difficult for our big dogs, so now we have to try to place our big dogs because there are more that need to be saved every day, she said. Other rescue groups involved in helping the dogs seized in Pierce County are K9 Battle Buddies, Allmons All About Animals, Liberty County Animal Services, the Humane Society of Greater Savannah and the Atlanta Humane Society. These innocent animals were found living in heartbreaking conditions: confined to wire cages, living each minute out in the freezing cold, their matted fur soaked in urine and feces, and deprived of basic veterinary care, the Atlanta Humane Society posted on its website. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX ATLANTA (AP) The state of Georgia is seeking another Supreme Court showdown over the Voting Rights Act, asking a federal appeals court on Thursday to interpret the 1965 law in a way that could make it much harder to prove minority votes have been illegally diluted. A lawyer for the state on Thursday asked a three-judge panel of the 11th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals in Atlanta to overturn a lower court that required lawmakers to draw more Black-majority electoral districts. Georgias Republican Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger argued in court filings that the Voting Rights Act is being misused to bolster Democratic election chances and that white voters prefer Republicans for nonracial reasons. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Representing the state in its appeal, Georgia Solicitor General Stephen Petrany said the evidence failed to prove white people vote the way they do because of race in the electoral districts Republicans drew. It is not covered when the majority simply outvotes the minority based on political polarization," Petrany said. But lawyers for the federal government and the groups who sued to redraw Georgia's congressional and legislative maps say Georgia is trying persuade the judges to make up a new, harder-to-prove standard that could hobble Voting Rights Act lawsuits, less than two years after the U.S. Supreme Court turned back a separate challenge from Alabama to the landmark law. Abha Khanna, a lawyer for some of the groups that sued to overturn the maps, said that in Georgia, Black voters overwhelmingly support Democrats and white voters overwhelmingly support Republicans. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The secretary cannot muster any nonracial explanation for why Black and white voters in Georgia have separated so neatly into separate political parties," Khana said. Among those defending the lower court's decision was Noah Bokat-Lindell, an attorney with the U.S. Department of Justice's Civil Rights Division, who continued federal government involvement in the case Thursday despite the department's new leadership under President Donald Trump ordering a freeze on certain civil rights litigation. The Voting Rights Act was passed to outlaw racial discrimination in elections, including the drawing of districts in ways that effectively blocked minority groups from electing their preferred candidates. In the South, when the lines are redrawn every 10 years to reflect population changes, litigation has followed over whether legislative and congressional districts are fair to Black people. In Georgia, those suits produced an order to redraw Georgia's 14 congressional districts to create one more Black-majority district on the west side of metro Atlanta, as well as orders to draw additional Black-majority state Senate and state House districts. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Some Democrats had hoped the federal court order would result in more gains for their party But Republicans redrew maps that preserved their 9-5 advantage in congressional districts and 33-23 advantage in state Senate districts. Democrats picked up only two seats in the state House, cutting Republicans' majority in that chamber to 100-80. Raffensperger argues the case was wrongly decided because the judge didn't determine that the reason for white voters' behavior was racial. He pointed to the Republican nomination of Herschel Walker, who is Black, for the Senate in 2022. The evidence is virtually undisputed that when you change the race of the candidate, the majority votes virtually the same," Petrany said. "When you change the party of the candidate, the majority voting behavior changes drastically. That brought agreement from Circuit Judge Barbara Lagoa, a Donald Trump appointee who asked Isn't this the best evidence that it's partisan and not racial? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But Sophia Lakin, a lawyer for the American Civil Liberties Union, said Walkers nomination was an isolated case that just cannot overcome the weight of the evidence. Petrany argued that much of that evidence is outdated and that Georgia's segregationist history no longer applies. It cant be that the sins of the past forever taint what Georgia is doing today, he said. But at least one of the judges on the panel said what happened in the past remains important. That just ignores the history of whats happened over 200 years in Georgia," said Judge Robin Rosenbaum, a Barack Obama appointee. Drivers in Georgia described sleepless nights like nothing they had ever experienced, after unprecedented cold weather left three inches of snow and icy roads across the state. Images from the state showed lightly covered roads - but in areas not used to snow, it was enough to paralyze communities. In Monroe County, Georgia, many were forced to shelter overnight in their vehicles on Tuesday due to a miles-long traffic standstill on I-75. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I havent slept, said Emma Worley, who was driving home. Ive never experienced anything like this my whole entire life. Worley told WSB-TV that she had waited 15 hours with no food, no sleep, no nothing. Another driver, Alan Burnett, became trapped in the traffic around 8.30 p.m. Tuesday night. Speaking on Wednesday morning he said he had passed the time listening to the radio, eating a few snacks in my car. In Monroe County, Georgia, many were forced to shelter overnight in their vehicles due to a miles-long traffic standstill (REUTERS) Like Worley, he also did not sleep. I didnt think it was safe to fall asleep on the highway, he told WSB-TV. Aerial photos from the outlet showed stationary traffic backed up, though parts of the highway clearly visible through the light snow. Snow totals reached three inches this week in Savannah, the most that the states oldest city has recorded since December 1989. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Georgia Department of Transportation said Wednesday that a State of Emergency was still in place across the state. The declaration remained in place on Thursday. Snow totals reached three inches this week in Savannah, Georgia, an unprecedented amount (AP) Georgia DOT asks for the publics patience right now. This is a highly unusual winter weather event impacting nearly three-quarters of the state and our crews cannot be everywhere at once, Georgia DOT Commissioner Russell R. McMurry said. Georgia DOT will need time, ability to access the roads to treat or plow, and warmer temperatures working in our favor to help restore and maintain passable conditions. We thank Georgias citizens for staying off the roads and for your patience and understanding while our crews are working around the clock. The Georgia DOT said on Wednesday that a state of emergency was still inplace across the state (REUTERS) However, others more accustomed to the cold weather were less concerned by the adverse conditions. It is what it is, said Mark Coombs, who was on his way back from Americus, Georgia, to his home in Locust Grove when he was caught in the traffic. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement You go out in bad weather, you gotta deal with it, he said. I grew up north, so I know all about bad weather. It is what it is. Elsewhere in the south the snowfall is believed to have broken several records across the region, including in Florida where a preliminary report of 10 inches in one town would set a new all-time record for the state, if confirmed. Two Bundeswehr Patriot systems are set to protect a strategically important airport near Rzeszow in south-east Poland that is key to supplying war-torn Ukraine for the next six months. "These two units will protect NATO alliance territory and at the same time - and this is very important - the logistical supply of Ukraine," said German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius after the handover in Rzeszow. Some 200 soldiers are to operate the systems at the airport, which is some 100 kilometres from the Ukrainian border. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Poland, an EU and NATO member state, is a key political and military ally of Ukraine, which is fending off a full-scale Russian invasion launched in 2022. Pistorius paid tribute to Poland, saying it fulfils its role with "incredible bravura, commitment and passion." Germany also plans to temporarily relocate a Eurofighter fighter aircraft to Poland in summer and this would later monitor Romania's airspace. The airport near Rzeszow is a central logistical hub for Western military aid to Kiev. Previously, US soldiers were stationed there and the airport was protected by US Patriot units. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Polish Defence Minister Wadysaw Kosiniak-Kamysz thanked the US personnel who are being replaced by the Bundeswehr soldiers. German Patriot squadrons already deployed in Poland from January to November 2023, with 320 soldiers running three Patriot systems at two locations near the city of Zamosc, close to the Ukrainian border. They were deployed to protect the country's airspace after two people were killed when a missile hit a Polish village near the border at the end of 2022. The Bundeswehr's Patriot systems, made in the US, are among the most advanced air defence systems in the world and are used to combat enemy aircraft, ballistic missiles and cruise missiles. The defence missiles can hit targets at a distance of around 100 kilometres and at altitudes of up to 30 kilometres in an imaginary bell around the position - depending on the missile used. Global unity stressed at Davos 08:33, January 23, 2025 By Cao Desheng, Xing Yi ( China Daily Chinese Vice-Premier Ding Xuexiang on Tuesday delivered a special address at the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2025 in Davos, Switzerland. (Photo/Xinhua) Vice-Premier Ding Xuexiang has warned of "unimaginable" consequences if the world becomes divided, and he emphasized the need for the international community to work together to oppose a Cold War mentality and zero-sum game, and build a more equitable international order. "If the world becomes divided, it will be difficult for humanity to address common challenges together, and the world could relapse into confrontation and even wars, and no country could remain unaffected," Ding said on Tuesday during the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2025 in Davos, Switzerland. Ding's appearance at the Davos event made him the first senior leader from China to address global concerns about the country's economic prospects and foreign policy priorities since US President Donald Trump assumed office for his nonconsecutive second term on Monday. Ding told the attendees at the event that global governance is undergoing profound adjustments, with imminent tariff wars and trade wars, an ongoing tug-of-war between the forces for and against economic globalization, and intense rivalry between multilateralism and unilateralism. He underlined the need for the international community to jointly promote universally beneficial and inclusive economic globalization, saying that "protectionism leads nowhere" and that a trade war "has no winners". "In terms of foreign trade, we don't seek a trade surplus; we want to import more competitive quality products and services to promote balanced trade," he said. Ding called for upholding and practicing true multilateralism, pursuing the vision of global governance featuring extensive consultation and joint contribution for shared benefit, and ensuring equal rights, opportunities and rules for all countries in international affairs. This year's WEF annual meeting, running from Monday to Friday, is taking place under the theme "Collaboration for the Intelligent Age". While highlighting the importance of leveraging artificial intelligence and emerging technologies to bridge global divides and drive inclusive, sustainable economic growth, Ding called for improving global governance on AI development to ensure that AI becomes an "Ali Baba's cave" filled with treasure, rather than a "Pandora's box" of uncontrollable risk. He urged global cooperation under the United Nations to create strong governance frameworks to ensure that AI benefits humanity while avoiding risks. The benefits of technology should be shared, he said. "We aim to bridge the tech gap and avoid allowing innovation to become a game for the rich countries alone." China will collaborate with countries from around the world in AI development, especially when it comes to sharing new technologies with countries in the Global South, he added. Regarding the Chinese economy, Ding underscored China's high-quality development, noting its 5 percent GDP growth last year despite external and structural challenges. He said that the difficulties faced by the Chinese economy stem not only from the impact of the external environment, but also from the growing pains associated with its own economic structural adjustments. China will adopt more proactive policies to boost consumption and investment, and will promote scientific, technological and industrial innovation, he said. China will further intensify macro policies, and adopt a more proactive fiscal policy and an appropriately accommodative monetary policy, Ding said, adding that the country will promote the sound and stable development of the capital market, stabilize the real estate market, and effectively prevent and defuse local government debt risks to effectively pursue higher-quality economic growth. He also said that the country welcomes more foreign companies to invest and do business in China and share in its opportunities. "China's door of opening-up will not be closed and will only open even wider, and our business environment will only get better." Ding reaffirmed China's unwavering commitment to peak its carbon emissions before 2030 and achieve carbon neutrality before 2060. Fabrice Megarbane, chief global growth officer of the French cosmetics company L'Oreal Group, said that with its presence in China for almost 27 years, L'Oreal has witnessed the development and opening-up of China. "We've been investing in China. We've been growing with China. And even recently we have increased our investment to our center in Suzhou. We've been introducing more brands to the market. We've also been extremely determined to contribute to China's rebound in domestic consumption," Megarbane said. Anny Zhang, CEO of JLL China, a global real estate services company, highlighted Ding's speech about China's opening-up policy, saying that JLL's own expansion in China can serve as firsthand testimony. "Over the years, we have witnessed the openness and innovation of the Chinese market, which provides a solid foundation for foreign companies to set up and grow," Zhang said. "As China further opens up, we look forward to growing and prospering together with the market and contributing to the renewed development of global cities." Participants try Tianjin crepe at a reception held by the Chinese city during the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2025 in Davos, Switzerland, on Tuesday. Tianjin, the host city of the 2025 Summer Davos (Annual Meeting of the New Champions), held the reception on Tuesday evening to mark the upcoming Spring Festival. (Peng Ziyang/Xinhua) (Web editor: Tian Yi, Liang Jun) UCHealth debuted a new clinic in Fountain on Tuesday, expanding area residents' choice for primary and behavioral health care close to home. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz on Thursday said it was "outrageous and shameful" that the Jewish community still faces discrimination, 80 years after the liberation of the Auschwitz concentration camp. At an event in Berlin organized by the International Auschwitz Committee, Scholz said, "Anyone who supports terrorism, anyone who incites anti-Semitism, must expect to be prosecuted" in Germany. "We do not tolerate anti-Semitism," he added. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Scholz said that combating anti-Semitism is a task for all citizens, especially in light of "increasingly shameless attempts to normalize far-right positions." "On the contrary: let's stand up and fight back," said the chancellor. The Holocaust is a "responsibility that each and every one of us bears in our country - regardless of family history, regardless of religion or the birthplace of our parents or grandparents," Scholz said. Up to 6 million Jews were killed by Nazi Germany during the Holocaust, according to the latest research described on the Yad Vashem Holocaust memorial website. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Around 1 million were murdered in the Auschwitz extermination camp which was liberated by Soviet troops 80 years ago, on January 27, 1945. January 27 has been observed as Holocaust Remembrance Day in Germany since 1996. German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius has commented on whether the United States will be able to ensure the end of Russia's war against Ukraine, as promised by new President Donald Trump. Source: Pistorius in an interview with DW, as reported by European Pravda Details: Answering the question about Trump's ability to quickly end Russia's war against Ukraine, the German minister of defence said that first of all, Ukraine's allies should "talk about a ceasefire, and then a sustainable peace for Ukraine, and this means Ukraine needs security guarantees from all the other countries". Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If this scenario is not fulfilled, the likelihood of a repeat Russian attack in "only a couple of years" is very high, Pistorius says, and it is this problem that Europe will have to face "in the months and years to come". The minister also added that he does not like the idea of public discussions of strategy in relation to any negotiations towards a ceasefire or even beyond. Quote from Pistorius: "This is not a thing we should discuss publicly, because otherwise I [may as well] send an email to Vladimir Putin to tell him what we are planning." Background: On 22 January, Donald Trump said that if a deal to end the war in Ukraine is not reached soon, he will have "no other choice but to put high levels of Taxes, Tariffs and Sanctions on anything being sold by Russia to the United States and various other participating countries". On the first day of his presidency, Trump said that Vladimir Putin was destroying Russia by not ending the war. Later, Trump announced that he was ready to consider tougher sanctions against Russia if it did not agree to negotiate an end to the war in Ukraine. Support UP or become our patron! COLOGNE, Germany The German defense ministry has kicked off a lengthy process of remodeling its digital operations and business processes with the aim of making the armed forces, or Bundeswehr, more combat-ready while streamlining back-office operations. Under the banner of Enterprise Architecture Management, or EAM, and armed with a freshly awarded contract to the ministrys own information technology company BWI one that will ultimately grow into 180 million ($187 million) over 10 years officials are fanning out across the agency to catalogue how data travels through the vast bureaucracy. The idea is to look under the hood of all moving parts, documenting processes that range from guiding missiles on their targets to assigning military hospital beds to injured soldiers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The insights are meant to generate a blueprint for a new way of doing business, streamlined flows of standardized data and all. In essence, its an attempt at cutting through the fog of war literally and bureaucratically and unearthing hidden interdependencies that will ideally ignite proverbial light bulbs on doing things more efficiently. Weve always had architectures in IT, but they were isolated, said Col. Ralf Blasajewsky, who is charged with laying the EAM governance groundwork on the Bundeswehrs planning staff until the program gets its own subdivision office in April. The idea of connecting the dots of previously disparate processes stems in part from a report by government auditors that lamented the lack of data interconnectedness, Blasajewsky said in an interview. In response to the charge, he added, defense officials decided to start something big a comprehensive digital model for the entirety of the military apparatus, neatly sorted into functional compartments. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While the work is meant to yield new insights into the operations of the defense ministry, there is also the objective of facilitating joint operations with Germanys other security agencies as well as with allies. When it comes to the vision of Germany as a central European logistics hub for NATO forces in the event of a major war, for example, officials believe an uber-model of government models could do wonders in gauging the requirement for, say, grub for transiting troops. If there were 150,000 American soldiers to march through Germany, there has got to be a baker who delivers the Brotchen, said Blasajewsky, referring to the mini breads popular for breakfast here. The spirit of the EAM approach is more advanced in some communities than others. In joint fires, for example, practitioners have always had to deal with data flowing across the various elements of what officials call the kill chain everything from sensors finding a target to warheads striking it. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Building out the modeling approach even further for artillerists could help leaders understand existing capability gaps a cannon with a particular range, for example and derive acquisition strategies, Blasajewsky said. The integration of drones into combat formations would also benefit from an EAM examination, he argued. As defense officials get started with their modeling work, they are finding that specialists are hard to come by on the labor market. That is because the EAM discipline is also en vogue in the private sector, under the industry modernization mantra known here as Industrie 4.0, according to Blasajewsky. He said the success of the project will depend to a great degree on how the tenets are socialized in the department, ideally with support growing from the lower echelons of the service branches. If we dictate it from above, it wont work. The Franco-German main battle tank project MGCS cleared another hurdle on Thursday, although it is still many years away from rolling off the assembly line. German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius and French Defence Minister Sebastien Lecornu signed an industrial workshare agreement in Paris for the joint development of the state-of-the-art land combat system. Pistorius spoke of "important and significant progress" in "building the land combat system of the future." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The project has faced delays due to disagreements over which companies will get awarded contracts. MGCS will connect battle tanks in a data network that also includes support weapons such as drones and other unmanned systems. The project is intended to succeed the Leopard and Leclerc main battle tanks and should be operational in the course of the 2030s. The companies KNDS Germany, KNDS France, Rheinmetall Landsysteme and Thales SIX are to be involved in production, according to the agreement signed on Thursday. "You can see that the Franco-German engine is not spluttering, it is running smoothly because there is mutual trust," said Pistorius. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Lecornu emphasized Pistorius' commitment to good cooperation between the two countries on defence issues, including beyond the tank project. "This does not mean that we agree with everything, but I think that the defence channel is by far the channel that works best in Franco-German relations today," he said. German Interior Minister Nancy Faeser on Thursday criticized authorities in the southern state of Bavaria following the fatal stabbings in Aschaffenburg. The minister said Bavarian officials must explain why the Afghan suspect in the attack had still been at large at the time of the stabbings, despite having earlier committed several violent offences. "Obviously some things went wrong in Bavaria," said Faeser in Berlin. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Investigations must now focus on why the perpetrator was still in Germany and how the local police and justice system had dealt with him. "The rule of law must show toughness. That includes the authorities, police and judiciary," said Faeser. The minister said the current German government has "massively tightened" laws on the deportation of violent offenders, allowing for more deportations and more security in public spaces through weapons bans and controls. Germany is also the only country in Europe to have deported criminals to Afghanistan since the Taliban's return to power, Faeser said, while revealing that efforts are being made to prepare further flights. The mayor of Aschaffenburg has warned of a "spiral of violence and hatred" following the deadly stabbing in the southern German city. At a wreath-laying ceremony on Thursday, Jurgen Herzing said there were "parallels" to December's car-ramming attack on a Christmas market in the eastern city of Magdeburg, in which six people were killed. "A refugee attacks, injures and kills innocent people," Herzing said. "We can see the parallels." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The suspect in Wednesday's attack is a 28-year-old Afghan asylum seeker believed to have had a history of mental health illnesses. "We can and must never attribute the act of one individual to an entire population group," Herzing said, even if residents experience anger, grief and "thoughts of revenge." The mayor said he was "shaken up" by the stabbing. "I feel as if my own child had died - or my brother had died or been injured," said Herzing. "I think it's the same for many others." A funeral service is to be held in Aschaffenburg on Sunday, the mayor confirmed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Meanwhile, a police spokesman also confirmed on Thursday that the three people seriously injured in the incident are still in hospital but all are "out of danger." According to Bavarian Health Minister Judith Gerlach, a 2-year-old girl was stabbed three times in the neck area with a kitchen knife, while a 72-year-old man suffered multiple injuries to his chest and a 59-year-old nursery teacher broke her arm. Police are relying on witnesses to clarify the course of events, including whether the suspect specifically attacked children from a day-care centre group. Around 10 witness statements have already been received. "There are all sorts of things. This now needs to be analysed," said the police spokesman. WARSAW, Poland As two German Patriot air-defense batteries are set to begin full operations in Rzeszow, south-eastern Poland, the two countries defense ministers met today near the town that has become a logistics hub for Ukraine aid. Germany has deployed two Patriot batteries to Rzeszow along with around 200 German troops to protect the citys military logistics infrastructure. Once the systems reach full operational capacity on Jan. 27, they are to ensure anti-missile protection over the area for at least six months, according to Germanys Ministry of Defense. Since the start of Russias war against Ukraine in February 2022, Rzeszow, a large Polish city in close proximity to the countrys border with Ukraine, has been transformed into a key location in the flow of Western gear to the Ukrainian military. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Rzeszow-Jasionka airport, in particular, is instrumental in the transport chain. An estimated 90 to 95 percent of Western weapons and military equipment for Ukraine are transported via the hub, according to data from the Polish ministry. The Jan. 23 visit there by German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius came shortly after the defense ministers of Poland, France, Germany, Italy and the United Kingdom, collectively dubbed the E5, met in Warsaw to discuss joint military drills to be held in 2026 and their defense industries cooperation with Ukraine. States are safe when three principles are met: the strength of their societies, the strength of their militaries, and the strength of their alliances, Polish Deputy Prime Minister and National Defence Minister Wadysaw Kosiniak-Kamysz said, as quoted in a statement released by his ministry. We are developing these three pillars, while at the same time strengthening our allied relations with the Federal Republic of Germany, according to Kosiniak-Kamysz. Pistorius tempered expectations that Berlins Patriot fire units could remain in Rzeszow for longer than six months. The systems will be needed for Germanys own defense at that time, he said, suggesting other Patriot user nations should offer replacements. Auto industry jobs have long been the lifeblood of the German town of Luedenscheid but now, a trade union official says, the sector's woes have sparked fears it will turn into an "open-air industrial museum". Insolvencies and layoffs have cast doubt on the town's future prosperity, echoing wider anxieties in Europe's biggest economy as it heads toward February 23 elections. Politicians are scrambling for answers on how to turn around the export-led economy, long the envy of the world, which has shrunk for the past two years and faces strong headwinds from China and the United States. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In Luedenscheid, a town of 70,000 in Germany's Ruhr industrial heartland, the mood is glum after autoparts-maker Gerhardi filed for bankruptcy in November, threatening its 1,500 employees with redundancy. Another supplier, Kostal, which makes electronic components, has already relocated hundreds of jobs to eastern Europe, and the future is uncertain for those who remain. "I'm too young to retire but too old to find another job," said Petra Baensch, 60, who has worked for 20 years as a quality control technician at the firm. "It's a terrifying situation." The IG Metall union's local representative Fabien Ferber said that the region's industry "has been promising prosperity to workers for generations" but that this is "collapsing like a house of cards". Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He said last year about 1,000 jobs were lost among the region's car suppliers, which make everything from electronic widgets to plastic body parts. Ferber said many workers fear the town could be "transformed into the world's largest open-air industrial museum". 'Old model not working' Some have voiced similar concerns about the wider German economy, rattling off long lists of both cyclical and structural problems. German industry has been battered by high energy prices sparked by Russia's war in Ukraine as well as rising Chinese competition, even as demand for German exports has fallen in the world's second-biggest economy. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Germany's flagship auto industry has been hit hard as its world-famous brands have been slower than Chinese newcomers in the electric vehicle (EV) race. Industrial titan Volkswagen announced plans in December to cut 35,000 jobs in the coming years after a months-long industrial dispute. Critics also blame years of underinvestment in German infrastructure for trains that no longer run on time, patchy internet connectivity and a dearth of EV charging stations. An ageing society has caused a shortage of skilled labour and threatens a growing pension burden for the country of 82 million. There are bright spots -- global corporate giants including Allianz, Deutsche Telekom, SAP and Siemens helped push the blue-chip DAX stock index to an all-time high this week. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But deeper fears grip a country that has been dominant in 20th century sectors such as combustion engine cars and machinery but has few big players among the world's electronics, internet and AI giants. "The dire state of the German economy" is a key election issue, said ING analyst Carsten Brzeski, who pointed out that it was now the same size as in early 2020, when the Covid pandemic started, "marking five years of de facto stagnation". "Ten years of underinvestment, deteriorating competitiveness and China's shift from export destination to fierce industrial competitor have taken - and will continue to take - their toll on the German economy," he said. Trump jitters Angry discord on how to fix the economy and a tight budget helped break up Chancellor Olaf Scholz's three-party coalition, paving the way for the snap elections. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As the campaign race heats up, candidates are offering rival visions on rebuilding the "Made in Germany" brand. Looming over the race is the return of US President Donald Trump, who has voiced ire about the German trade surplus and threatened tariffs. German officials fear his protectionist policies could theoretically slash Germany's GDP by one percent and destroy 300,000 jobs. Back in Luedenscheid, Mayor Sebastian Wagemeyer of Scholz's Social Democrats said the malaise had boosted local support for the far-right Alternative for Germany, which is polling at around 20 percent nationally. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "This region is a barometer of what's going on in the country," Wagemeyer said. "If it falters, it has repercussions for the whole of Germany." This story was originally featured on Fortune.com (Bloomberg) -- Friedrich Merz, the conservative front-runner in the race for Germanys chancellorship, called for a radical overhaul of the countrys migration policy including permanent border checks. The comments come after an asylum seeker from Afghanistan was taken into custody over a fatal stabbing of a two-year-old child and a man in a park on Wednesday. Most Read from Bloomberg If elected chancellor in February, there will be a de facto ban on entry into the Federal Republic of Germany for anyone who does not have valid entry documents or who make use of European freedom of movement, Merz told reporters in Berlin on Thursday. This also applies expressly to persons with a right to protection. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement European Union rules state that asylum is a fundamental right and international obligation. The leader of Germanys conservative CDU party called the existing migration rules dysfunctional and said he would suspend them as chancellor. Germany must therefore make use of its right to the primacy of national law, Merz said. The knife attack in the city of Aschaffenburg near Frankfurt this week was the latest in a series of deadly incidents that have stoked debate about domestic security and immigration ahead of Germanys snap election next month. Polls suggest that public frustration with the governments policies has helped fuel a recent surge in support for extremist parties. Members of Chancellor Olaf Scholzs government and Merzs conservative bloc have repeatedly called for stricter immigration rules ahead of the Feb. 23 ballot. However, implementing tougher rules and making sure rejected asylum seekers do leave the country has proved difficult for authorities. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I am sick and tired of seeing such acts of violence occurring here every few weeks by perpetrators who have actually come to us to find protection here, Scholz said Wednesday in a post on X. Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2025 Bloomberg L.P. The southern German city of Aschaffenburg on Thursday mourned the victims of a deadly knife attack on a group of children, as investigators searched for a motive and lawmakers questioned why the Afghan suspect was not deported earlier. Mayor Jurgen Herzing warned of a "spiral of violence and hatred" following the incident, in which a 2-year-old child and a 41-year-old man were killed and three others injured in a park in the Bavarian city. At a wreath-laying ceremony, Herzing said there were "parallels" to December's car-ramming attack on a Christmas market in the eastern city of Magdeburg, which left six people dead. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "A refugee attacks, injures and kills innocent people," Herzing said. "We can see the parallels." The suspect in Wednesday's attack in Aschaffenburg is a 28-year-old Afghan asylum seeker believed to have had a history of mental health illnesses. "We can and must never attribute the act of one individual to an entire population group," Herzing said, even if residents experience anger, grief and "thoughts of revenge." The mayor said he was "shaken up" by the stabbing. "I feel as if my own child had died - or my brother had died or been injured," said Herzing. "I think it's the same for many others." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A funeral service is to be held in Aschaffenburg on Sunday, the mayor confirmed, while an alliance of local organizations is planning a silent commemoration in the park on Thursday evening. Injured victims 'out of danger' as police quiz witnesses A police spokesman confirmed that the three people seriously injured are still in hospital but "out of danger." According to Bavarian Health Minister Judith Gerlach, a 2-year-old girl was stabbed three times in the neck area with a kitchen knife, while a 72-year-old man suffered multiple injuries to his chest and a 59-year-old nursery teacher broke her arm. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Police are relying on witnesses to clarify the course of events, including whether the suspect specifically attacked children from a day-care centre group. Around 10 witness statements have already been received. "There are all sorts of things. This now needs to be analysed," said the police spokesman. Suspect to be brought before magistrate The suspect is expected to be brought before a magistrate later on Thursday. The judge is set to decide whether the 28-year-old will be placed in a psychiatric facility or remanded in custody. According to the latest information, the 2-year-old boy who was killed in the attack was from Morocco, while an injured girl is from Syria. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Bavarian Interior Minister Joachim Herrmann said investigators would need to clear up whether the suspect intentionally attacked "children with a migration background." Herrmann said earlier that investigators have found no evidence that the suspect had Islamist motives. The minister told regional public broadcaster Bayerischer Rundfunk on Thursday that reforms are needed to laws for patients with serious mental illnesses. "It is not easy, under our understanding of freedom, to decide that someone must come to a closed facility and be locked up," Herrmann said. "But of course we also have to recognize the obvious risks for our population." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement His comments were echoed by Bavarian Premier Markus Soder, who said he would seek to "toughen up" regulations. Herrmann said the suspect had been assigned a case worker after being admitted to a specialist clinic at least three times following violent incidents. He was subsequently released, but continued taking medication. Herrmann also suggested that laws should be reformed to allow for the possibility of deporting migrants immediately after they are released from hospital. "In the case of foreigners, we must of course ensure that when such situations arise, as a rule, someone can be deported directly from hospitalization," the minister said. Deportation failed due to missed deadline Herrmann offered further information on why the Afghan national was not deported before the attack. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He said Germany's Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF) rejected the Afghan's application for asylum in June 2023 and ordered him to be deported to Bulgaria under EU migration rules. However, "due to whatever errors and problems," immigration authorities in the southern state of Bavaria were only alerted of the pending deportation on July 26, just six days before the deadline for its execution expired. "Such a return cannot be organized within six days - especially if it comes completely unprepared," said Herrmann. After the deadline was missed, the 28-year-old suspect was left alone until he told authorities in December 2024 that he wanted to return to Afghanistan. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement However, he was unable to travel home as he did not receive necessary documents from the Afghan consulate, Herrmann said. The minister also added that deporting the man to Afghanistan would have been a serious challenge. Germany does not have diplomatic relations with the Taliban regime, although it did organize one deportation flight to Kabul in 2024. When Kye Galvin first discovered a love of music at about age 4 neither he nor his parents ever dreamed that he would one day perform at New York Citys legendary Carnegie Hall. But thats exactly what will happen on Feb. 9, when he takes the stage with about 400 of the worlds most talented high school musicians for the High School Honors Performance Series. Galvin, a senior at The Classical Academy, auditioned for the Honors Concert Choir when he received an invitation as a member of the Colorado All-State Choir, he said. Everyone in the All-State Choir was invited to audition, said Galvin, 18. Im pretty sure I was the only one who did. Currently in its 15th season, the Honors Performance Series was established to give elite student musicians a prestigious venue to showcase their talents. The audition process, Galvin said, was fairly simple. All I had to do was record a song, and send it in. So I did that and kind of forgot about it, he said. I thought it would be a good experience to audition, but I had no thought of actually getting in. Blake Galvin, Kyes father, never doubted his son's talent. But with 10,000 students applying for just a few hundred spots, he tried to be realistic about Kye's chances. We talked about the audition as a family and decided, Why not? said Blake, TCAs dean of secondary educational philosophy. Featured Local Savings We figured that the audition would be a great experience for him, but as talented as he is, we never really believed that he would be selected. In November, when Galvin received a letter saying he had been selected as a member of the elite choir, he could barely believe it, he said. I was very, very shocked, he said. Really excited, but shocked. Galvin has studied music, acting and dance for most of his life. He is a member of several local performance groups, including Starz Theater Company and the Fidele Youth Dance Company. He has put in a lot of work to get to this point, Blake Galvin said. There was a point in his singing career when he was getting a little frustrated, because his voice started to change, and he wasnt getting the vocal range that he was used to. But he worked through that. Were super proud of him. Galvin and his parents plan to fly to New York City a few days early to do some sightseeing and take in a couple of Broadway shows. Were lumping my senior trip into this experience, he said. He needs to learn his performance piece before rehearsals begin on Feb. 6. But Galvin says hell be ready. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, he said. Im really excited about it. A little nervous, but really excited. The southern German city of Aschaffenburg on Thursday mourned the victims of a deadly knife attack on a group of children, as investigators searched for a motive and lawmakers questioned why the Afghan suspect was not deported earlier. Mayor Jurgen Herzing warned of a "spiral of violence and hatred" following the incident, in which a 2-year-old child and a 41-year-old man were killed and three others injured in a park in the Bavarian city. At a wreath-laying ceremony, Herzing said there were "parallels" to December's car-ramming attack on a Christmas market in the eastern city of Magdeburg, which left six people dead. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "A refugee attacks, injures and kills innocent people," Herzing said. "We can see the parallels." The suspect in Wednesday's attack in Aschaffenburg is a 28-year-old Afghan asylum seeker believed to have had a history of mental health illnesses. "We can and must never attribute the act of one individual to an entire population group," Herzing said, even if residents experience anger, grief and "thoughts of revenge." The mayor said he was "shaken up" by the stabbing. "I feel as if my own child had died - or my brother had died or been injured," said Herzing. "I think it's the same for many others." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A funeral service is to be held in Aschaffenburg on Sunday, the mayor confirmed. An alliance of local organizations held a silent vigil in the park on Thursday evening. Police said about 3,000 people turned out. Injured victims 'out of danger' as police quiz witnesses A police spokesman confirmed that the three people seriously injured are still in hospital but "out of danger." According to Bavarian Health Minister Judith Gerlach, a 2-year-old girl was stabbed three times in the neck area with a kitchen knife, while a 72-year-old man suffered multiple injuries to his chest and a 59-year-old nursery teacher broke her arm. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Police are relying on witnesses to clarify the course of events, including whether the suspect specifically attacked children from a day-care centre group. Around 10 witness statements have already been received. "There are all sorts of things. This now needs to be analysed," said the police spokesman. Suspect in custody at a psychiatric hospital A district court judge on Thursday ordered the suspect to be temporarily committed to a psychiatric hospital. The order for the man to be committed was issued at the request of the public prosecutor's office and after a psychiatric expert was consulted. Such orders are usually issued when there is evidence that a suspect was not criminally responsible at the time of the offence due to a mental illness. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The man is accused of two murders, two attempted murders and one case of dangerous bodily harm. According to the police and public prosecutor, he has not yet commented on the accusations. Ongoing investigations would determine whether his criminal responsibility could have been diminished at the time of the offence or whether he was actually not criminally responsible, Bavaria's Minister of the Interior Joachim Hermann. Victims identified According to the latest information, the 2-year-old boy who was killed in the attack was from Morocco, while an injured girl is from Syria. Herrmann said investigators would need to clear up whether the suspect intentionally attacked "children with a migration background." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Herrmann said earlier that investigators have found no evidence that the suspect had Islamist motives. The minister told regional public broadcaster Bayerischer Rundfunk on Thursday that reforms are needed to laws for patients with serious mental illnesses. "It is not easy, under our understanding of freedom, to decide that someone must come to a closed facility and be locked up," Herrmann said. "But of course we also have to recognize the obvious risks for our population." His comments were echoed by Bavarian Premier Markus Soder, who said he would seek to "toughen up" regulations. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Herrmann said the suspect had been assigned a case worker after being admitted to a specialist clinic at least three times following violent incidents. He was subsequently released, but continued taking medication. Herrmann also suggested that laws should be reformed to allow for the possibility of deporting migrants immediately after they are released from hospital. "In the case of foreigners, we must of course ensure that when such situations arise, as a rule, someone can be deported directly from hospitalization," the minister said. Deportation failed due to missed deadline Herrmann offered further information on why the Afghan national was not deported before the attack. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He said Germany's Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF) rejected the Afghan's application for asylum in June 2023 and ordered him to be deported to Bulgaria under EU migration rules. However, "due to whatever errors and problems," immigration authorities in the southern state of Bavaria were only alerted of the pending deportation on July 26, just six days before the deadline for its execution expired. "Such a return cannot be organized within six days - especially if it comes completely unprepared," said Herrmann. After the deadline was missed, the 28-year-old suspect was left alone until he told authorities in December 2024 that he wanted to return to Afghanistan. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement However, he was unable to travel home as he did not receive necessary documents from the Afghan consulate, Herrmann said. The minister also added that deporting the man to Afghanistan would have been a serious challenge. Germany does not have diplomatic relations with the Taliban regime, although it did organize one deportation flight to Kabul in 2024. A man stands after laying a wreath following the fatal attack in a park. The day before, a two-year-old boy and a 41-year-old man were killed and two other people seriously injured in a park in Aschaffenburg. Daniel Lob/dpa German investigators are searching for a motive after the deadly stabbing attack in a park in the southern city of Aschaffenburg. Mayor Jurgen Herzing plans to lay a wreath at the scene of the incident on Thursday, one day after a 2-year-old child and a 41-year-old man were killed by an Afghan asylum seeker believed to have had a history of psychological problems. Three others were wounded in the stabbing, which took place just one month before Germany heads to the polls on February 23, and weeks after a car-ramming attack on a Christmas market in the eastern city of Magdeburg. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement No further information on the condition of the injured has been released. The suspect is expected to be brought before a magistrate later on Thursday. The judge is expected to decide whether the 28-year-old will be placed in a psychiatric ward or remanded in custody. Bavarian Interior Minister Joachim Herrmann said on Wednesday that investigators have found no evidence that the suspect had Islamist motives. "At the moment, the speculation is very much in the direction of his obvious mental illness," he said. An alliance of local organizations called is planning a silent commemoration in the park this evening. Bavarian Premier Markus Soder has demanded a "border closure for illegal migration" after an attack in the southern city of Aschaffenburg left two people killed, including a 2-year-old child. "Our motto must be security first," Soder, the leader of the Bavaria's conservative Christian Social Union (CSU), said on Thursday. The CSU is in alliance with the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) at the national level, with elections to be held on February 23. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Germany is a humane country, Soder said. "But in the end, this cannot be at the expense of our own population." A future CDU/CSU government will therefore have a guiding principle of "zero tolerance, zero compromise" on migration, Soder said. The Bavarian premier said he has agreed on a fundamental change in migration policy with the CDU/CSU's candidate to become chancellor, Friedrich Merz. The conservative bloc wants fewer people entering Germany and more leaving the country, he added. To do so, Soder said federal police must be allowed to turn back migrants at Germany's borders and deportations must be stepped up. German conservative leader Friedrich Merz has demanded fundamental changes to migration policy and a dramatic increase in deportations after the deadly stabbing in the southern city of Aschaffenburg. Merz, the favourite to become Germany's next chancellor after elections on February 23, said on Thursday that "the limit has finally been reached" following the latest attack, in which a 2-year-old child and a 41-year-old man were killed by an Afghan asylum seeker with a reported history of mental illness. "We are faced with a shambles of an asylum and immigration policy that has been misguided in Germany for 10 years," said Merz in Berlin, alluding to former chancellor Angela Merkel's decision to allow hundreds of thousands of asylum seekers to enter Germany during the 2015 migrant crisis. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Merz, from the centre-right Christian Democrats (CDU), said that attacks committed by migrants in German cities including Mannheim, Solingen and Magdeburg in the past year cannot become the "new normality." If he does become chancellor, Merz pledged to instruct the Interior Ministry to introduce permanent checks on all German borders and turn back all migrants attempting to enter the country, including those who may be entitled to protection. European Union rules on asylum are dysfunctional, the 69-year-old argued. "Germany must therefore make use of its right to prioritize national law," he added. Deportations and returns must "take place on a daily basis" and the number must be increased, the CDU leader said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He also demanded that "every offender and dangerous person who is obliged to leave the country can be placed in indefinite detention pending deportation." The German government must therefore make more properties available to increase capacity for holding migrants in custody ahead of their deportation, Merz argued. He said that there are currently only some 750 places for 42,000 people required to leave the country. Merz asserted that his proposed reforms would be central to any future coalition government. "Compromises are no longer possible on these issues," he argued. The comments came after Chancellor Olaf Scholz on Wednesday said he was "tired of such acts of violence taking place in [Germany] every few weeks." German conservative leader Friedrich Merz has demanded fundamental changes to migration policy and a dramatic increase in deportations after the deadly stabbing in the southern city of Aschaffenburg. Merz, the favourite to become Germany's next chancellor after elections on February 23, said on Thursday that "the limit has finally been reached" following the latest attack, in which a 2-year-old child and a 41-year-old man were killed by an Afghan asylum seeker with a reported history of mental illness. "We are faced with a shambles of an asylum and immigration policy that has been misguided in Germany for 10 years," said Merz in Berlin, alluding to former chancellor Angela Merkel's decision to allow hundreds of thousands of asylum seekers to enter Germany during the 2015 migrant crisis. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Merz, from the centre-right Christian Democrats (CDU), said that attacks committed by migrants in German cities including Mannheim, Solingen and Magdeburg in the past year cannot become the "new normality." If he does become chancellor, Merz pledged to instruct the Interior Ministry to introduce permanent checks on all German borders and turn back all migrants attempting to enter the country, including those who may be entitled to protection. European Union rules on asylum are dysfunctional, the 69-year-old argued. "Germany must therefore make use of its right to prioritize national law," he added. Deportations and returns must "take place on a daily basis" and the number must be increased, the CDU leader said. SHREVEPORT, La. (KTAL/KMSS) A nonprofit organization in Shreveport is honoring volunteers and community partners who help children who are experiencing trauma after sexual abuse, physical abuse, and child sex trafficking. The Gingerbread House Childrens Advocacy Center is awarding two law enforcement officers and a Louisiana State Representative for their work to ensure traumatized children receive appropriate care. Leone Fitzgerald, the Victim Assistance Program Director for the 1st Judicial District, has been chosen as The Gingerbread Houses Multidisciplinary Team Member of the Year. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Gingerbread House raises more than $150K to help abused children Detective Ronald Glovier of the Bossier Parish Sheriffs Office will receive the Spirit of Jacob Bergen Award, and Rosies Beauty Operators will receive the Community Partner of the Year Award. The award recognizes law enforcement members who personify the qualities the team admired in Jacob Bergren, a Caddo Parish Sheriffs Office investigator who died on Jan. 28, 2020. Louisiana State Representative Raymond Crews will also be honored for his work with The Gingerbread House. The Gingerbread House accomplished the following in 2024: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 884 children received forensic interviews, multidisciplinary investigations, child life, and family advocacy services, averaging 74 forensic interviews per month. 179 (6 confirmed + 173 suspected/high-risk) victims of child sex trafficking received comprehensive direct care services and case management. 217 child victims & their non-offending caregivers received counseling services. 46,531 children and adults participated in prevention education outreach sessions. All services at The Gingerbread House are free of charge to child victims of abuse and their families. Gingerbread House Multidisciplinary Team Awards will be presented at the Bossier Sheriffs Substation at 2510 Viking Drive in Bossier City on Thurs., Jan. 23 at 11:30 a.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 KTALnews.com. The President and CEO of the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) is taking aim at the new Trump administration and tech billionaires supporting him. NGO boss Sarah Kate Ellis spoke at a World Economic Forum panel in Davos, Switzerland, on Thursday, discussing Donald Trumps association with X (formerly Twitter) founder Elon Musk and Meta boss Mark Zuckerberg both of whom were sat front-row for the Presidents inauguration Monday. More from The Hollywood Reporter Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trumps first administration hit about 280 acts against our community and running for the [most recent] election, he spent over $280 million on ads specifically targeting the transgender community, Ellis told fellow panel members Ben Fajzullin, Frida Daniela Ruiz, Alexander Cheng, Jin Xing and Jean Daniel LaRock. Thats a lot of money that could go to a good cause. That is a ton of money. At the center of that money was Elon Musk, she continued (South African Musk has been tapped by Trump as the head of a new department of government efficiency). Ellis said: Its like the 1 percent who is acquiring all this power and all this money, these billionaires are targeting the most marginalized people in the world. Ellis said she believes the targeting is a distraction and urged people to watch what the media moguls are really doing. As long as theyre putting us on guard, criticizing us, theyre making money and theyre grabbing more power. She quoted a GLAAD statistic, in which a recent study showed that 100 million Americans are reached by right-wing media every week. In comparison, progressive media reaches 30 million people a week, Ellis said. You have a 70 million person gap, and I think thats at the center of our challenge right now, she added. Because the narrative has gone to talking about ideology. Theyre creating ideology but being LGBTQ+ [is just] existing. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hours after taking office Monday, Trump vowed to roll back on a myriad of Joe Bidens progressive policies, including ones that support the LGBTQIA+ community. One of his orders demands that the U.S. only recognize two sexes, male and female, as the government is now required to use the term sex rather than gender. He also mandated that identification documents issued by the government, including passports and visas, be based on what it described as an individuals immutable biological classification as either male or female. Best of The Hollywood Reporter Sign up for THR's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. KANSAS CITY, Mo. A GoFundMe has been made to help support the family of the four people killed in the Independence apartment fire. The apartment fire on Wednesday morning tragically claimed the lives of four people, including an 8-year-old and a 3-year-old. 2 children, 2 adults killed in massive Independence apartment fire A GoFundMe to help remember the victims has been started by the family of the victims. Click here to donate. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The funds raised will go towards their memorial and funeral services, according to the GoFundMe page. As of 9:30 a.m. Thursday, they have raised half of their $16,000 goal. Counselors are available within the school district the school-aged victim attended. Firefighters will also have the mental health resources needed. Red Cross opens shelter following apartment fire in Independence The Independence Fire Department confirmed Wednesday night that the fire started because of a stovetop left unattended. 32 residents are displaced. The American Red Cross is assisting them. According to the Independence Fire Department, crews responded to a fire at Independence Ridge apartments around 6 a.m. Wednesday. For over four hours, fire crews battled the flames, along with the weather 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 FOX 4 Kansas City WDAF-TV | News, Weather, Sports. The Colorado Springs Police Department arrested a suspect allegedly involved in three recent bank robberies within city limits. Keith Frey, 40, was taken into custody without incident Wednesday with the assistance of several of the department's specialized units. Police allege Frey was involved in two successful bank robberies in December and another attempt in January. The two successful robberies were of Integrity Bank in the 5000 block of Powers Center Point and the attempted heist was from a Chase Bank on Centennial Boulevard. Marvin Jean-Pierre genuinely thought Jose Mondelus was about to rape him on Dec. 29, 2020, and he didnt have to wait for the violence to start before defending himself, a defense lawyer argued Thursday. Jean-Pierre, 26, took the stand Thursday to give his first account of Mondelus death since the body was discovered on New Years Day 2021. Jean-Pierre is charged with first-degree murder and faces life in prison if convicted. He appeared before Broward Circuit Judge Lorena Mastrarrigo to ask her to dismiss the charges under the states stand-your-ground law on the grounds that he was acting in self-defense. In his testimony, Jean-Pierre said that as a favor to Jean-Pierres mother, Mondelus was letting her son stay with him rent-free while she found more permanent housing for him. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Jean-Pierre said he was asleep, naked, in Mondelus bedroom when he was awakened by the feeling of being touched. According to the defendant, Mondelus was touching him on the chest, on the back and on the buttocks, and the meaning to Jean-Pierre was frighteningly clear: I was going to get raped. Until his death, there was no indication that Mondelus, 52, was gay or bisexual. He had been married (and later divorced) and was a member of a Baptist church in Miramar, the same church were he met Jean-Pierres mother. The church, according to the mother, frowns on homosexuality, which would give any member an incentive to hide their orientation from the public. A police detective who reviewed the victims smart phone records testified Wednesday he found no evidence Mondelus was gay. But Jean-Pierre said the night of the victims death was not the first time there was inappropriate touching. He said Mondelus touched him on the head, shoulders and back several times in the week leading up to their final, fatal altercation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hands on my back. Hands on my arm. Rubbed my head. Things like that, Jean-Pierre said. How did that make you feel? asked defense lawyer Gabe Ermine. Uncomfortable. I tried to shrug it off, Jean-Pierre answered. On that final night, Jean-Pierre said he was startled by Mondelus most assertive overtures to that point. As he awakened, he said he noticed Mondelus was shirtless and pants-less, wearing nothing but underwear. Jean-Pierre said he got dressed and would have left, but Mondelus was blocking the front door. He later admitted to prosecutor Taylor Collins that he didnt think to make his escape through the Miramar apartments back door. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to his testimony Thursday, Jean-Pierre picked up a clothing iron and threw it at the victim, striking him in the face. The two men wrestled, and Jean-Pierre said he subdued him by putting him in a sleeper hold. The defendant claimed Mondelus was still alive but unconscious when he left the apartment. He later returned to the apartment and covered the victims head in a plastic bag, wrapped his body in a blanket and stuffed him in a closet. He never called 911, he said, because he was scared and confused. Under Florida law, someone is entitled to use deadly force if he has the right to be where he is and must act to prevent the commission of a forcible felony. He doesnt have to wait for it to actually happen, Ermine said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The judge said she would consider the self-defense motion and issue a written ruling, but she did not say exactly when to expect one. Rafael Olmeda can be reached at rolmeda@sunsentinel.com or 954-356-4457. Follow him on Threads.net/@Rafael.olmeda. ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) President Warren G. Harding drove a golden spike into the final coupling of the Alaska Railroad more than a century ago, a ceremonial act that marked the launch of a system to easily bring coal and other natural resources out of the wilderness. Harding would die of a massive heart attack just a few days later, on his way back to Washington, D.C. The spike he pounded with such fanfare weighing nearly a pound and valued at up to $50,000 has been in private hands outside of the state ever since. Now, two Alaska institutions want to bring that piece of history home. The Anchorage Museum, with financial backing from the Alaska Railroad, will bid on the 14-karat solid gold spike when it goes up for auction Friday in New York as part of the Christie's Important Americana collection, said Aaron Leggett, the museums senior curator of Alaska history and Indigenous cultures. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The whole history of our state and really the whole history of this town begins with the Alaska Railroad, Leggett said of Alaska and its biggest city, Anchorage. The 5 1/2-inch (14-centimeter) spike is being offered by an unidentified California resident who has owned it since 1983. The Alaska Railroad, originally constructed, owned and operated by the federal government, was sold to the state for $22 million in 1985. The railroad was built to open what was then the Alaska territory to development. It connected Seward, a Pacific Ocean port city on the south-central coast, to Fairbanks, 470 miles (756 kilometers) away in interior Alaska. The construction project lasted from 1914 to 1923. Laying tracks across the untamed Alaska wilderness had a transformational impact on the last century of Alaska's history, said Meghan Clemens, the railroads director of external affairs. Alaska would not become a state until 1959. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Even today, there are few highways in the nations largest state; one of the busiest is along the same passenger and freight rail corridor from Seward to Fairbanks. About 75% of Alaskas 740,000 residents also live along that stretch, called the rail belt, which Clemens said is a testament to how instrumental the railroad has been to the economic development and growth of Alaska. Anchorage, as we know it today, would not exist were it not for the fact that the Alaska Railroad selected Anchorage as the headquarters, Leggett said. The logical choice would have been Seward, but the government instead chose a muddy site along Ship Creek in what is now downtown Anchorage. U.S. Army Col. Frederick Mears worked as an engineer on the construction of the Panama Canal. His work there caught the eye of President Woodrow Wilson, who had plans for a new railroad for the Alaska territory. In his 1913 State of the Union address, Wilson touted the railroad as key to providing access to Alaska's coal and other minerals. With the project nearly complete, the Army sent Mears to Seattle in March 1923, four months before Harding's visit. Before Mears left, the city of Anchorage presented him with the golden spike in appreciation of his work. He sent the spike back from Seattle for the Harding event in Nenana, a community in interior Alaska. Harding was the first president to visit Alaska. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement During the ceremonial launch of the railroad on July 15, 1923, Harding lightly tapped the golden spike twice with a maul, a hammer now behind glass at the railroad headquarters, before driving a regular spike. Shortly after, the golden spike was returned to Mears, and Harding began the long trip back to Washington. He suffered a fatal heart attack and died in San Francisco on Aug. 2, 1923. Since then, the spike has remained out of the public eye, except for a brief display during the 1967 centennial of the U.S. purchase of Alaska from Russia. It's in perfect condition, and shows little evidence of where it was tapped, said Christopher June, a junior specialist at Christies who grew up in Anchorage and remembers field trips on the Alaska Railroad as a child. I think it definitely has a lot of interest and importance to the state," June said. "I would not be surprised at all if the eventual buyer was Alaskan. Setting lobster traps in Casco Bay. (Photo by AnnMarie Hilton/Maine Morning Star) Amid efforts by President Donald Trump to halt future offshore wind efforts, U.S. Rep. Jared Golden is hoping to codify protections for lobster fishing in the Gulf of Maine. Maines fishermen deserve to know that waters critical to our historic, high-value industry are protected not by promises, but by federal law, Golden said. President Trumps recent Executive Order provides some measure of reprieve, but we need a more permanent solution. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Even though the fishing area is currently excluded from approved offshore wind development areas, Golden wants to take protections for Maines fisheries out of the discretion of the chief executive and codify it into law, according to the news release from his office. Just days into his second term, Trump has taken steps to undo the offshore wind advances of the Biden administration. Golden, a Democrat who represents Maines 2nd Congressional District, introduced bipartisan legislation Thursday with Republican Rep. Jeff Van Drew of New Jersey to prohibit commercial offshore wind development in a key fishing area. The Northern Fisheries Heritage Protection Act would safeguard nearly 14,000 square miles of fishing waters known as Lobster Management Area 1 that stretch from the U.S. border with Canada to the north shore of Cape Cod in Massachusetts. While a key area for lobstermen, those waters are also important for more than a dozen other types of fishing including halibut, tuna, oysters and scallops, according to the release from Goldens office. The legislation comes days after Trump signed a Day 1 executive order prohibiting new offshore wind leases on the outer continental shelf, which includes the portion of the Gulf of Maine where eight lease areas have already been mapped. The order also includes a review of the federal governments leasing and permitting process for existing wind projects. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Four of the Gulf of Maine lease areas were auctioned off by the federal Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, which is responsible for mapping out the lease areas, in October and the agreements will remain intact, as of now. The U.S. Department of Interior under Biden said would sell the remaining Gulf of Maine lease areas in 2028, but that could be affected by Trumps order. All eight lease areas off the coast of Maine, Massachusetts and New Hampshire already avoid the fishing area Goldens bill seeks to protect after Maines congressional delegation and Gov. Janet Mills asked BOEM to exclude the area from potential development. In 2023, Mills signed a law to produce 3,000 megawatts of offshore wind energy by the end of 2040. That legislation also seeks to protect Maines fishermen by giving preference to projects sited outside of Lobster Management Area 1. For more than a century, these waters have supported thousands of Maine families, and the industrialization of these waters would disrupt vital fishing grounds and harm the generations-old tradition of lobstering, said Patrice McCarron, executive director of the Maine Lobstermens Association, in the release. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE GONZALES, La. (Louisiana First) As low temperatures continue, Ascension Parish and city officials emphasized that theyre working hard to keep everyone safe. This is the most snow that I have ever seen in my career. And Ive been a fire chief for 38 years, said St. Amant Fire Department Chief James LeBlanc. As snow has impacted all areas of Louisiana, the mayor of the city of Gonzales Tim Riley said he is optimistic about the weather recovery. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The citizens of Gonzales are resilient, they are obedient and theyre cooperative, said Riley. Our water well is doing very, very good. Our towers are doing good, were watching our equipment. Our equipment is doing good. So we have not had a lot of problems. Weve been blessed. The city has also opened a warming center at the Gonzales Civic Center and will be open until Thursday, Riley encourages people to use it. If citizens heaters are giving them problems or their gas goes out, the citizens of Gonzales can come here and warm up, eat a hot meal, said Riley. Sheriff Bobby Webre with the Ascension Parish Sheriffs Office emphasized that safety is a top priority, and the department has been helping in any way they can and doubling up on staff. Webre said the curfew is still in place until Thursday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Well have our curfew again tonight from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m., said Webre. That really helped us last night and I was so glad to report this morning in our briefing that we had no traffic fatalities. We didnt even have a traffic accident last night so that was unbelievable. As the snow melts, he urges people to stay at home and not leave their homes if its not an emergency. The sun is shining, the snow its very pretty. But the road conditions are very hazardous and the snow is different from the ice. Ice is actually a little more challenging, he said. The little bit of snow that will melt today will freeze back into ice in no time, which makes traveling and even walking a lot more difficult. 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. Rochelle Glover looks after nine kids and works odd hours trying to provide for her family. She was at work late Tuesday night and stayed even later due to a co-worker calling off. Erie City Mission opens emergency warming shelter due to freezing temps. When she called her kids at home, three of which are currently sick with the flu, they informed her that the heat had gone out. A good 12 hours of no heat is very hard. Just imagine being at work, feeling helpless, hearing your daughter cry because shes got to go to the bathroom because its so cold, kids coughing and everything, said Glover. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For the next 12 hours, Glover put in maintenance requests with her landlord to get it fixed, but due to the time of day, no one was coming to make repairs. Local heating and plumbing businesses said theyve been getting slammed with requests similar to Glovers. The president of H. Jack Langer Plumbing told JET 24/FOX 66 reporter Matt Mathais calls have consisted of frozen water lines in mobile homes, furnace problems and burst pipes. What I try and do for most of our customer base is that I prioritize the older fellas, ladies and families. They automatically get bumped up to one. Large families that have a lot of children as well. Just try to call us as soon as possible, as soon as you have the problem. Its not going to cure itself, said H. Jack Langer, president of H. Jack Langer Plumbing. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement They do their best to reach people as they have problems, but the amount of work orders is stacking up. And with Glover being at work, relatives being on the other side of the city, and there being so many kids to relocate, she said logistically, staying in the cold home was their only option. Auto repair shops see influx in customers due to frigid temps. The children bundled up in hats, coats and any blankets they could find throughout the night. You look at your kids and just say, I feel bad because as adults we can weather the storm. But when it comes to the kids, its a little different, you know? said Glover. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Around 10:30 a.m. Wednesday morning, the motor of Glovers furnace was replaced, but it was a long night for this family. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. OAK GROVE, Ky. (WKRN) A woman was robbed after stopping to help a man stranded on a Kentucky interstate. Now, more than two years later, deputies say they have arrested the man believed to be responsible. The Christian County Sheriffs Office (CCSO) said the incident took place on Nov. 23, 2022, on Interstate 24 near mile marker 89. Man sought for indecent exposure, peeping tom added to Metros Most Wanted list Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to an arrest warrant by CCSO investigators, 26-year-old Randy Jones, of Goodlettsville, allegedly shoved the woman to the ground and stole her vehicle after she stopped to help. Deputies said the vehicle was later found in Nashville, but the womans belongings, including her wallet, drivers license, government credentials, laptops, clothing, debit and credit cards, and pet bird, were gone. Read todays top stories on wkrn.com The sheriffs office said Jones was arrested in Tennessee on unrelated charges and was taken to the Christian County Jail on Tuesday, Jan. 22, 2025. Jones was charged with second-degree robbery for the 2022 incident. No other information was immediately released. 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. Drugs developed by Alphabets drug discovery subsidiary and designed by artificial intelligence are expected to head to trial by the end of the year, according to a Google (GOOGL) executive. AI applied to science is a lot richer than just the language models, Google DeepMind CEO Demis Hassabis and the founder of Isomorphic Labs during a panel at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, on Tuesday. Well hopefully have some AI-designed drugs in the clinic by the end of the year. Thats the plan, he added. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The four-year-old Isomorphic Labs was spun off from DeepMind in 2021 as a stand-alone subsidiary under Alphabet. In July, it announced deals to work on research with Eli Lilly & Co. (LLY) and Novartis (NVS) to leverage its AI technology namely AlphaFold, its model that predicts a proteins 3D structure to discover therapeutics against multiple targets. Were looking at oncology, cardiovascular, neurodegeneration, all the big disease areas, and I think by the end of this year, well have our first drug, Hassabis told The Financial Times on Tuesday. But Isomorphic Labs isnt the only company working on AI-designed drugs. Interest in leveraging AI to help quickly discover new treatments has been booming. Theres a huge public health need to develop new antibiotics quickly, Stanford University Professor James Zou, who used generative AI to help creature structures and chemical recipes for six drugs, said last year. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Our hypothesis was that there are a lot of potential molecules out there that could be effective drugs, but we havent made or tested them yet, he added. Thats why we wanted to use AI to design entirely new molecules that have never been seen in nature. Insilico Medicine, a Hong Kong-based startup with offices in New York and Boston, became the first company to send an AI-designed drug to clinical trials in 2023. The drug, INS018_055, was designed to treat idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, the most common type of pulmonary fibrosis, a disease that causes scarring on the lungs. Theres currently no cure for the disease, according to the United Kingdoms National Health Service. Trials are still ongoing, but Insilico in November said topline results from its study showed positive results. Earlier this month, Insilico released positive topline results from two phase 1 trials of an AI-designed drug meant to help people with Inflammatory Bowel Disease. The startup also said researchers had used its AI-driven platform to identify potential treatments for endometriosis. For the latest news, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. More than two years after recalling about 1.7 million Ionic smartwatches sold globally, Google-owned Fitbit will pay a $12.2 million penalty for failing to alert consumers that the products can overheat and cause burns, federal regulators said Thursday. Fitbit received numerous reports of the lithium-ion batteries in the watches overheating during 2018, 2019 and continuing into 2020, according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC). In early 2020, Fitbit made an update to address the defect, but continued to hear from people suffering burns and did not report the issue to regulators as legally required. "While health-conscious people wore Fitbit Ionic smartwatches to track their fitness, they had no idea that the watches were putting their safety at risk. They didn't know about the hazard because Fitbit said nothing," CPSC Commissioner Rich Trumka Jr. said Thursday in a statement. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The CPSC and Fitbit announced a recall of the Ionic smartwatches in March of 2020, saying the company had received 115 reports in the U.S. of the batteries in the devices overheating. Domestic customers reported 78 burn injuries, two involving third-degree burns and four of second-degree burns; another 40 incidents were reported internationally. Fitbit discontinued production of its Ionic model, which was used to track activity, heart rate and sleep, in 2020. Image of Fitbit's Ionic smartwatch. / Credit: Consumer Product Safety Commission "Customer safety continues to be our top priority, and we're pleased to resolve this matter with the CPSC stemming from the 2022 voluntary recall of Fitbit Ionic," said a spokesperson for Google, which purchased Fitbit for $2.1 billion in 2019. About 1 million of the recalled smartwatches were sold in the U.S. at retailers including Best Buy, Kohl's and Target, as well as online at Amazon.com and Fitbit.com from September 2017 through December 2021. The products retailed for between $200 and $330 each. Another 693,000 were sold internationally, according to the company. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The 2020 recall came eight years after Fitbit recalled its Fitbit Force activity-tracking wristband after the company received roughly 9,900 reports of the wristband irritating skin and 250 reports of blistering. In addition to the $12.25 million civil penalty, the settlement agreement requires Fitbit to maintain internal controls and procedures to ensure compliance with the Consumer Product Safety Act. The company also agreed to submit an annual report regarding its compliance program and internal controls, the CPSC stated. Trump reacts to Republicans who won't vote for Hegseth How much money is a U.S. president's signature worth? New Alvin Ailey exhibit reveals struggle, strength of legendary choreographer Mike Johnsons office urged Republicans against subpoenaing a key Jan. 6 Committee witness so sexually explicit texts GOP lawmakers sent her would remain under wraps, a report alleged Thursday. The witness in question is Cassidy Hutchinson, a 28-year-old former White House aide from Donald Trumps first term who gave explosive testimony to the committee about his actions leading up to Jan. 6, 2021. Trumps return to power has Republicans clamoring to seek retribution against political foes who probed Trump, his advisers, and his supporters about the infamous day. Sordid texts supposedly sent to Hutchinson appear to have thrown a wrench in at least a portion of those plans, however. Cassidy Hutchinson shares a hug with former Rep. Liz Cheney after testifying in 2022. / EVELYN HOCKSTEIN / REUTERS Rep. Barry Loudermilk, a Republican from Georgia, floated the idea of issuing a subpoena to Hutchinson seeking digital communications that might implicate Trump rivals like former Rep. Liz Cheney of wrongdoing. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Loudermilk was dissuaded from doing this after he was told such a subpoena would reveal sexual texts from members who were trying to engage in sexual favors with Hutchinson and other embarrassing information, The Washington Post reported. The supposed texts are not stopping Loudermilk from pushing forward with an investigationor, reinvestigation, as its been calledentirely, however. Johnson has still asked Loudermilk to chair a new select subcommittee to scrutinize those who probed the Capitol attack. Mike Johnsons office reportedly warned other Republicans to not subpoena Cassidy Hutchinson. / Alex Wong / Getty Images Joe Biden issued Cheney a blanket preemptive pardon to protect her from criminal prosecutions. Hutchinson, a witness called to testify by Cheney, did not receive such a pardon. It was Hutchinsons testimony in 2022 that alleged Trump once grabbed the wheel of a moving limousine to change his destination, lunged at a Secret Service agent, and threw a plate of food against a wall on Jan. 6 and in the days preceding it. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hutchinson has not kept an entirely low profile since testifying, with her publishing a book in 2023 about being thrust into the national spotlight for the Jan. 6 probe. Her lawyer, Bill Jordan, told the Post his client cooperated voluntarily with Congress and stands behind everything she shared. Ms. Hutchinson has testified truthfully and stands behind every word despite the efforts of men in powerful positions to attack her, he said. Jordan did not address the supposed sexual texts. It remains unclear which GOP lawmakeror lawmakersallegedly sent them. Republican Sens. Chuck Grassley (Iowa) and Ron Johnson (Wis.) are launching a probe into the deadly New Years Day attacks in New Orleans and Las Vegas. The public deserves complete transparency and the truth regarding the New Orleans terrorist attack and the Las Vegas car explosion, Grassley and Johnson wrote. While we understand the investigation into both of these incidents is ongoing, we expect your agencies to be forthcoming and responsive to oversight requests from Congress on this very serious matter. In letters to the FBI and departments of Justice, Homeland Security and Defense, Grassley and Johnson, who chair the Senate Judiciary Committee and Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, respectively, demanded further information about the events. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Following the New Orleans incident, the FBI stated that Shamsud-Din Jabbar, the driver behind the Bourbon Street attack on New Years Day that killed 14 and injured 47, was inspired by ISIS and acted alone. Jabbar, who served in the military, researched New Orleans and the deadly Christmas market attack in Germany in the lead-up to the attack, according to the FBI. Jabbar was shot and killed by police following the attack. The senators, per the release, are seeking records from Meta regarding Jabbars Facebook activity leading up to his attack in New Orleanss French Quarter. In videos posted on his Facebook page just hours before the attack, Jabbar had announced his ISIS allegiance and deadly intent. According to a press release, the senators are also following up on legally protected whistleblower disclosures that the FBI special agent in charge (SAC) of the New Orleans field office was on vacation during the New Years attack. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement These are major public events that a SAC should be present for. The FBI failed to note this in any of the joint briefings it provided to Congress and must provide more information, the senators stated. The man who blew up a Tesla Cybertruck at the entrance of the Trump International Hotel in Las Vegas on New Years Day was identified by police as Matthew Alan Livelsberger, who also served in the military. Former President Biden said at the time there was no evidence of a connection between the New Orleans and Las Vegas incidents, adding the New Orleans attacker acted alone. Despite this, in the letters sent to federal agencies, Grassley and Johnson note similarities, such as the use of the app Turo and military service. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On the day of the attacks, Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) had also sought further answers, demanding the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee call then-Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas and FBI Director Christopher Wray to testify after the New Orleans attack. Hawley sent a letter to the new chair of the committee, Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.), saying Biden administration officials cannot shirk public accountability. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. Court documents obtained by the Gazette reveal additional details about the investigation into the Highland Lakes fire that burned 166 acres northwest of Divide and caused over 700 households to be evacuated last year. Lacey Tillitt, 77, was arrested on Jan. 16 for allegedly starting the Highland Lakes fire on Oct. 28, according to the Teller County Sheriff's Office. In Tillitt's arrest affidavit, the woman allegedly told investigators she had been burning carboard boxes inside her house in her wood-burning stove. When she opened the oven to burn more material, the flames escaped, lighting the couch on fire. Tillitt told law enforcement that she tried to put the couch fire out, but was unsuccessful. During law enforcement's investigation, they discovered the "estranged" relationship Tillitt had with her insurance company and learned the residence was set to foreclose, according to the arrest affidavit. The 77-year-old had previously claimed her house had water damage among other things, insurance records show. She had several recorded conversations between December 2022 and May 2023 with her insurance provider that were "cordial" and mainly focused on seeking help with her claims. Other records law enforcement obtained from her insurance provider, American National Insurance revealed Tillitt's plan had then been canceled in May 2023. In the cancelation notice, the insurance company claimed the home was a fire hazard due to the unmanaged vegetation and debris throughout the property. After the cancelation of her plan however, law enforcement says Tillitt started to become more "irate" during conversations with American Nationa. In recorded phone calls with her insurance company, court documents allege Tillitt threatened suicide if the issues with her house were not resolved. Featured Local Savings During several other recorded conversations between Tillitt and American National on Feb. 12. 2024, police allege she made "approximately seven statements of setting her residence on fire." The Arrest affidavit includes transcripts of several scenarios Tillitt described to the insurance company, as a means to end her life "thanks to American National." On May 31, 2024, a Teller County Sheriff's Office deputy called Tillitt to "check on her welfare." A few minutes into the conversation, the deputy reported she told him "I'm okay, unless you see my house burning." She allegedly switched topics shortly after making the statement. Between June 10 and 17, the court documents allege Tillitt called American National over 30 times and was "irate" during most of the conversations in which she demanded work to be done on her home. Tillitt make several more phone calls into American National over the next several weeks, becoming "hysterical" at times. Despite being directed to write a physical claim, she continued to call, according to the arrest affidavit. On Aug. 22, the 77-year-old called again trying to figure out the physical location of her claims adjuster. Prior investigations revealed the claims adjuster had a restraining order filed against Tillitt after she confronted him in Missouri. In the days leading up to Oct. 28, the day the fire broke out, Tillitt allegedly called several times "claiming she was going to die." Tillitt is described as being hysterical, yelling and screaming in these calls according to the arrest affidavit. The day after the fire broke out, Tillitt called American National, informing them her house had burnt down. Investigations revealed her home was originally set for foreclosure on Sept. 9, but kept getting delayed until Oct. 30, two days before the fire started. The investigators with the Teller County Sheriff's Office says their review of the recorded phone calls and documents obtained by American National, provide enough probable cause to arrest Tillitt, claiming she "knowingly and recklessly set fire to her residence." Jail records show that Tillitt was booked in the Teller County jail on Jan. 16 and faces a $50,000 bond to be released. As of Thursday, she remains in jail, facing fourth degree arson charges. Her first appearance in court is scheduled for Feb. 3. Jan. 22The GOP-controlled Ohio legislature is prepping to fast-track a sweeping higher education reform bill that would, among other things, attempt to combat perceived liberal bias on college campuses by blocking universities from offering diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives. On Wednesday, House and Senate proponents touted the so-called "Advance Ohio Higher Education Act" while a dozen or so college students chanted "Higher ed will be dead" in the halls of the Ohio Statehouse. While the new legislation is largely a rehashing of the much-discussed Senate Bill 83, which failed last year, the new all-out ban on DEI added rancor to an already contentious proposal. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "We are banning DEI entirely in our institutions of higher learning," Senate Bill 1 sponsor Sen. Jerry Cirino, R-Kirtland, told reporters at a press conference. "It has become institutionalized discrimination paid for by the taxpayers." Under S.B. 1's framework, public universities would be barred from any mandatory training or orientation involving DEI; blocked from opening new DEI departments and required to dissolve current DEI offices; and prohibited from offering "advantages (or disadvantages) to faculty, staff or students regarding admissions, promotions, tenure or working conditions based on race, ethnicity, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression," among other things. S.B. 1 also gives the state the ability to withhold certain funds from any university unwilling to comply with S.B. 1's DEI prohibitions, Cirino said. For student protesters, S.B. 1's stance on DEI was a major concern. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "I feel like eliminating DEI removes safe spaces from students on campus," Ohio State University neuroscience student Eloni McClain told this outlet Wednesday. She said eliminating DEI focus on campus will harm minority students' sense of belonging. "I think there are a lot of students on campus who have been attacked," McClain said. "Myself, last semester, I was called a (racist slur) by a white student, and that shows me that I don't fit the mold that I think they're looking for." Others, including Cirino and new Ohio House Speaker Matt Huffman, R-Lima, are cynical about DEI's benefits. "I think there have been real problems. It's caused a lack of diversity, certainly a lack of diversity in thought, and has actually caused, in my mind, a lot of racial and religious and ethnic disharmony," Huffman told reporters Wednesday. "So, I think it's an important part of the bill and I support keeping it in the bill." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Cirino expects S.B. 1 to be "on the fast track, for sure" in the Senate, given the overwhelming support S.B. 83 received from its Republican supermajority last general assembly. Sen. Kristina Roegner, R-Hudson, who chairs the Senate Higher Education Committee, told reporters she intends to begin hearings on the bill next week. In the House, Montgomery County Rep. Tom Young, R-Washington Twp., introduced an identical companion bill that has not yet been given a number. He expects the House Workforce and Higher Education committee, which he controls, to begin hearings in two weeks, he told this outlet. Along with its prohibition on DEI, S.B. 1 would: Require students to take a state-designed American civics or history class before being awarded a bachelor's degree; Automatically eliminate any university degree program that awards fewer than five degrees per year on a three-year rolling average; Prohibit full-time university faculty from striking; Require universities to "Affirm and declare that the state institution will not encourage, discourage, require or forbid students, faculty, or administrators to endorse, assent to, or publicly express a given ideology, political stance, or view of a social policy, nor will the institution require students to do any of those things to obtain an undergraduate or post-graduate degree;" Require state training for university trustees and reduce trustee terms from nine years to six. S.B. 1 would also create a state standard for faculty assessment, including a standardized student assessment of their professors "with a focus on teaching effectiveness and student learning." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The only question S.B. 1 asserts must be on that assessment is as follows: "Does the faculty member create a classroom atmosphere free of political, racial, gender and religious bias?" Cirino views the package in sum as a way to help universities reverse a receding tide of enrollment, an existential threat that he attributes to "massively disruptive" cultural changes and demographic realities. "We have far fewer high school graduates, period," Cirino said. "And then, on top of that, we have a situation where other post-secondary options are being taken, somewhat driven by workforce demands, that are driving students away from four-year universities." For others, the reform effort is seen as little more than an attack on post-secondary education in Ohio. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "A professor should be able to teach, research and write according to their area of expertise," said Sarah Kilpatrick, executive director of the Ohio conference of the American Association of University Professors. "What we see S.B. 1 doing is impinging upon that academic freedom because it's political interference. It's trying to dictate how faculty can teach their courses." ------ For more stories like this, sign up for our Ohio Politics newsletter. It's free, curated, and delivered straight to your inbox every Thursday evening. Avery Kreemer can be reached at 614-981-1422, on X, via email, or you can drop him a comment/tip with the survey below. Loading... House and Senate GOP leaders are internally debating a possible deal with Democrats that would include government funding, California wildfire aid, a debt-limit hike and border security money, according to two Republicans with direct knowledge of the matter. Senior Republicans have been privately mulling a bipartisan government funding deal for weeks now, wary that they may not be able to add a debt-limit hike to their party-line reconciliation package given internal GOP divisions over the matter. But conversations around the potential larger deal have heated up in recent days as GOP leaders try to figure out how to lift the approaching debt ceiling while also advancing a massive, party-line reconciliation bill and avoiding a March 15 government shutdown. The strategy isnt finalized. Asked about it on Wednesday, Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) indicated that he was open to linking everything together in a giant package but that several options are currently under discussion. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Im interested in getting a result on all of the above but how we do that is still an open question, he said. It would come with plenty of risks Republicans would need to convince Democrats to accept the border funding increase. And they could face backlash from House GOP hard-liners unless they attach steep spending cuts, which would automatically threaten Democratic support and raise the risk of a shutdown. President Donald Trump has already shown interest in linking wildfire aid to the longer-term debt ceiling hike he is pursuing. House Appropriations Chair Tom Cole (R-Okla.) and Senate Appropriations Chair Susan Collins (R-Maine) met Wednesday as they negotiated a top-line dollar amount to pitch to Democrats that would pave the way for lawmakers to craft the larger funding package. Those appropriators are circling an agreement for the top-line number, which they hope to clinch in the coming days. As expected, conservative hardliners who are less inclined to support funding bills such as Rep. Chip Roy (R-Texas), are signaling theyll oppose such a package. Roy warned in a brief interview Wednesday that he would oppose the option unless there were spending cuts included and indicated he would want disaster relief spending to be paid for. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Linking border, debt and disaster aid to government funding isnt the only option that leadership has floated, and in some cases walked back, in recent weeks. Speaker Mike Johnson has floated linking the debt ceiling to money to recover from the California wildfires. Thune also previously indicated that the debt ceiling was unlikely to be included in the GOP border and energy bill Senate Republicans are crafting, in another sign that Republicans were likely to leave it out of their party-line reconciliation effort. Johnson, Thune and their respective leadership teams met with Trump on Tuesday, where they discussed the government funding deadline, and potentially linking disaster aid and the debt ceiling. President Donald Trump has energized an effort by moderate Republicans to lift the cap on a state and local tax deduction, one of the leaders of that effort in Congress said at a POLITICO event Wednesday. "I think that is critical," Rep. Mike Lawler (R-N.Y.) said at "POLITICO Playbooks First 100 Days: Tax Reform" discussion, recounting that the president has lobbied committee chairs and other Republican lawmakers on the issue. The maneuvering over the so-called SALT cap is emblematic of the complex and divisive issues Republicans still have to work through in their quest to assemble a legislation that would extend tax cuts enacted during Trump's first term something made clear by a trio of lawmakers at the POLITICO event. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) threw a curveball by suggesting a new approach to passing the tax cuts and other GOP priorities: Do it in three bills, instead of the one- or two-bills tactic Republican leaders have squabbled about. And Sen. Michael Bennet (D-Colo.) saw a silver lining for Democrats in the possibility of an expanded Child Tax Credit. Here are the top five takeaways from the event: SALT Republicans are ready to use their leverage Lawler made it clear he and colleagues from New York, New Jersey and California would drive a hard bargain over their desire to lift the current $10,000 cap on the state and local tax deduction. I will never support a tax bill that does not lift a cap on SALT, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Given the GOPs narrow majority in the House, Trump and Republican leaders in Congress are taking the threat seriously and looking for ways to satisfy the SALT group. During his campaign, Trump vowed to address the issue and did so again in a recent meeting with SALT Republicans. "I do think most of my colleagues recognize they need to do something on SALT as part of this negotiation if we are going to get a final bill," Lawler said. "And, again, the president reiterating his support I think is vital here and thats something that ultimately will help get this across he finish line." Lawler is also pitching the issue as key to Republicans keeping control of both chambers in the midterms, since the tax deduction is dear to many constituents in critical swing districts. Trump is heavily courting other swing-district Republicans As if on cue, Lawler said he was going to the White House to meet with Trump on Wednesday. Reps. Don Bacon (R-Neb.) and Brian Fitzpatrick (R-Pa.) were also part of the huddle. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Beyond SALT, centrist lawmakers could push back on ideas that have been floated to cut food programs and establish work requirements for Medicaid to fund the tax cuts. Republicans dont trust the bean-counters The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office has estimated that extending the expiring tax cuts would cost more than $4 trillion over 10 years, known in Congress-speak as the legislations score. While Republicans argue that is an over-estimate, many of them want the tax legislations cost to be offset. Johnson, a member of the tax-writing Senate Finance Committee, was more blunt, calling it a B.S. score. I would ignore those scores, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Johnson backed Finance Committee Chair Mike Crapos plan to count an extension of the tax cuts as costing nothing since the existing policy is just carrying on, not being recreated from scratch. So there ya go, bingo, Johnson said. An expanded Child Tax Credit could also be in the mix While Democrats have traditionally been the party pushing for larger expansions of the Child Tax Credit, many prominent Republicans, like GOP Conference Vice Chair Blake Moore (R-Utah), have indicated they would also like to expand the family tax relief in a reconciliation package. Bennet, long a champion of the CTC who is also a member of the Finance Committee, said hed be willing to work with Republicans on expanding it. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its one of the top priorities, as I understand it for the Republicans, said Bennet, adding he wants to see ultimately, an enduring CTC and one that really does cut out childhood poverty. We could lay the seeds of that in this legislative year, he said. Republicans havent settled key differences over reconciliation strategy GOP lawmakers plan to use a process called budget reconciliation to pass their tax legislation and other priorities, which will allow them to circumvent a Democratic filibuster in the Senate. Johnson told POLITICO that he believes Republicans should do three bills, rather than one (favored by House Republicans) or two (favored by Senate GOP leaders). The first two, which he said could move quickly through reconciliation, would carry border security funding and a straight extension of the tax cuts that are set to expire at the end of the year. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Republicans would then turn to a third bill aimed at simplifying a tax code that Republicans have long argued is too complex. Johnson said the three-bill approach would keep it simple. Comparing it to the House approach, he said: They want one big massive bill to do all these things. Thats pretty complex. BATON ROUGE, La. (Louisiana First News) Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry, alongside state leaders, provided an update Wednesday afternoon as snow and ice continue to impact roadways and communities across the state. State Climatologist Jay Grymes, Department of Transportation and Development (DOTD) officials, and Louisiana State Police Superintendent Colonel Robert Hodges joined Landry to address the ongoing response to the severe winter weather. Historic Snowfall and Ongoing Freezing Temperatures According to State Climatologist Jay Grymes, this snowstorm marks the most significant winter weather event in over a century for Louisiana. Although snowfall has ceased, freezing temperatures are expected to persist through Thursday morning, maintaining hazardous conditions on roadways. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Governor Landry urged residents to take safety precautions, especially regarding heating devices. Make sure you place the space heater on the floor and away from curtains, walls, or furniture, Landry said. Dont leave it unattended. Keep it away from water. When you go to bed at night, just unplug it. Road Closures, Reopening Efforts, and Crash Reports DOTD Secretary Joe Donahue reported ongoing road treatment efforts. Crews are focused on priority routes and major highways to improve safety. Expected to reopen Thursday: The Basin Bridge and the Mississippi River Bridge in Baton Rouge. Expected to reopen by Friday: The Bonnet Carre Spillway and twin spans in New Orleans. Drivers are urged to avoid unnecessary travel as many roadways remain icy and unsafe. Louisiana State Police Superintendent Colonel Robert Hodges reported more than 100 crashes statewide caused by icy conditions. Motorists are encouraged to use extreme caution and monitor updates on road conditions via 511la.org. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement LIST: Roads in, near Baton Rouge closed after Louisiana winter storm brings snow School and Office Closures Many state and local government offices and schools will remain closed through Thursday. Residents are advised to check local updates for reopening information. LIST: Schools, offices in, near Baton Rouge closed Thursday after winter storm Stay Informed and Safe Residents are reminded to monitor official channels for updates and to follow safety guidelines during the ongoing winter weather. 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. (COLORADO SPRINGS) Colorado Governor Jared Polis was in Southern Colorado on Friday, Jan. 24, to deliver the keynote address at the Colorado Springs Chamber & EDC Annual Business Snapshot and the State of the State Address, as well as to visit Pueblo and welcome international delegates. The Colorado Springs event, formerly known as the State of the Chamber, highlighted the past years achievements and outlined the vision for the year ahead. Mayor of Colorado Springs, Yemi Mobolade was in attendance and joined by Dani Bolling, Senior Vice President for Marketing, Communications & Sales for the Springs Chamber & EDC. Governor Polis used this platform to share his legislative agenda and goals for 2025, providing insights into the states future direction and priorities. He touched on topics like reducing the Colorado income tax rate three times during his first term, how hes still working on cutting commercial property taxes in our state, and the fact that hes gotten rid of 208 State Executive Orders that he labeled as out of date. He went on to talk about our states public safety and how we can improve it. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We need a lot more work to make Colorado the frontrunner in public safety, said Polis. This past November, we got a major boost from the voters of Colorado, who made their voice heard in the passage of proposition 130, which will lead to formulaic funding from the State for local police departments and sheriffs departments with wide discretion to meet the local need to make our communities safer. After his Colorado Springs visit, Polis headed to Pueblo to join Mayor Heather Graham, former Mayor Nick Gradisar and Pueblo Community College President Dr. Chato Hazelbaker in welcoming a delegation from Slovenia to Pueblo that included Slovenian Ambassador H.E. Mr. Iztok Mirosic, and Consul Tamara Gorenc. Pueblo and Colorados deep ties with Slovenia have been built on over a century of trust and partnership since the first Slovene families arrived in Pueblo in the 1880s. This visit is an also exciting opportunity to celebrate 30 years of strong military cooperation between the Colorado National Guard and Slovenia, and further strengthen ties that benefit Coloradans and Slovenians alike, said Polis. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. Gov. Tony Evers delivers his seventh State of the State address while standing in front of Assembly Speaker Robin Vos and Senate President Mary Felzkowski. Photo by Baylor Spears/Wisconsin Examiner In his seventh State of the State address Wednesday night, Gov. Tony Evers started to outline his budget priorities declaring 2025 the Year of the Kid and laying out investments and policies to support children and their families. The address came at the start of a legislative session in which Republicans continue to hold majorities in the state Senate and Assembly, though with smaller margins than last session, and a $4.5 billion budget surplus remains unspent. Wisconsin also has about $1.9 billion in the states rainy day fund. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We begin the new year with a new Legislature elected under new, fair maps, Evers said in his address. For the first time in a generation, this Legislature was not elected under some of the most gerrymandered maps in America. I am hopeful this will mean more collaboration, more partnership, a little less rancor and a renewed commitment to do right by the will of the people. Evers announced an array of proposals to support schools, including by providing free meals to students, expanding mental health resources, supporting child care for families and implementing better gun violence prevention measures. Bipartisan collaboration will be necessary for Evers to accomplish the priorities he laid out, and the road could be difficult as Republican lawmakers were mostly critical following the address. What we heard tonight was Gov. Evers longest State of the State address and it was chock full of liberal wishes, empty promises and a whole lot of things that are not going to happen in Wisconsin, Assembly Speaker Robin Vos (R-Rochester) told reporters. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The things the governor talked about tonight, every single thing that he talked about, was a new government program, new government spending, Assembly Majority Leader Tyler August (R-Walworth) said. I really am at a loss for words at how ridiculous the things he talked about were tonight. Highlighting lower taxes Before speaking about his proposals, Evers highlighted the state of taxation in Wisconsin, pointing to a recent Wisconsin Policy Forum report that found the local and state tax burden has fallen to the lowest level on record. Just two decades ago, Wisconsin was in the top five states for our tax burden and the taxes Wisconsinites paid as a share of their income. Today, Wisconsin is in the bottom 16 states in the country, Evers said. We have seen the largest drop in our tax burden of any state over the last 20 years. Evers said tax cuts have been a bipartisan priority. He noted that he has proposed tax cuts in each of his budget proposals targeted at middle class Wisconsinites. He has also accepted some of the proposals that Republicans have sent him. Evers emphasis on the states declining tax burden came as Republicans have said their top priority for the next state budget will be to further cut taxes. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement August accused Evers of taking credit for work that Republicans did pointing out that Evers vetoed Republicans major tax proposals last session. [Evers] actually vetoed the biggest tax cut that has ever been proposed in the state of Wisconsin. He vetoed that, Rep. Tyler August told reporters. Everything that he took credit for tonight economically was because of legislative Republicans work over the last 20 years. Hes an educator, he should know you cant take credit for somebody elses work. Evers pivoted from taxes to his vision for increasing spending and implementing new policies that would help children across the state. I will soon introduce our next state budget, laying out our states top policy priorities for the next two years. Every budget I have ever built began first by doing what is best for our kids, and this one will be no different, Evers said. Proposals to support kids in school If we want to improve our kids outcomes, then we have to shorten the odds, Evers said. If we want our educators and schools to be able to do their very best work in the hours our kids are with them, we have to set them up for success, and we have to start by making sure our kids can bring their full and best selves to our classrooms. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Evers said he would propose historic investments in K-12 education and meaningful investments in early childhood education, the University of Wisconsin system and the states technical colleges. Evers also called for lawmakers to release $50 million that was allocated in the last budget to support new literacy efforts in classrooms. Republicans on the Joint Finance Committee have withheld the money due to disagreements over exactly how the money should be spent, and if the money isnt released before June 30, it will lapse back into the states general fund. Our kids and their futures are too important for petty politics, Evers said. Republicans, release those investments so we can get to work improving reading outcomes statewide. In addition, Evers said that he would propose ensuring that children have access to food and clean water by reintroducing his Healthy Meals, Healthy Kids plan, which would provide free lunch and breakfast in schools, as well as by seeking to address the issue of lead in water. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Making sure our kids are healthy physically and mentally is a crucial part of improving outcomes in our classrooms. But we have to connect the dots between school achievement and the challenges our kids are facing at home and in our communities, Evers said. Take lack of access to clean and safe drinking water, for example. There is no safe level of lead exposure for kids. Evers is proposing that the state dedicate $154.8 million for his Healthy Meals, Healthy Kids initiative. The initiative, he said, would use the money to provide free breakfast and lunches to students as well as for other programs including modernizing bubblers in schools to remove harmful contaminants. Evers called for urgency when it comes to addressing a mental health crisis among Wisconsin children. The state of our kids mental health continues to be concerning for me, both as a governor and as a grandfather. A kid in crisis may be distracted or disengaged and may not be able to focus on their studies, if they are able to get to school at all, Evers said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Evers noted that the 2023-25 state budget included $30 million for school-based mental health services, but it was just a fraction of what I asked the Legislature to approve. His renewed call for more mental health resources comes as children in Wisconsin have reported increasing levels of anxiety, depression, self-harm, and suicidal thoughts over the last decade, especially among girls, kids of color and LGBTQ youth. Evers said hell propose dedicating almost $300 million to supporting mental health services in schools. This would include about $168 million for comprehensive school mental health services aid, $130 million to modify the existing aid for school mental health programs to provide 20% reimbursement for the costs of pupil services professionals, $500,000 for peer-to-peer suicide prevention programs and $760,000 to increase the amount and types of mental health trainings provided to schools. Making sure our kids are healthyphysically and mentallyis a crucial part of improving outcomes in our classrooms. But we have to connect the dots between school achievement and the challenges our kids are facing at home and in our communities, Evers said. Violence prevention including for gun deaths Highlighting the recent school shooting in Madison and the recent death by suicide of a former state lawmaker, Evers said gun violence prevention will be another priority this year. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Thirty-seven days ago, a shooting at Abundant Life Christian School in Madison took the lives of Erin and Rubi a student and an educator who woke up and went to school that morning and will never return home. Six others were injured, and countless lives will never be the same, Evers said. Evers urged lawmakers to come together to work to prevent the next school shooting. Specifically, Evers called for a law that would require background checks for any person seeking to purchase a gun, and implementing red flag laws in Wisconsin so law enforcement and loved ones have a way to remove guns from people who pose a risk to themselves or others. We arent here in Madison to quibble about the semantics of the last shooting. We are here to do everything we can to prevent the next one, Evers said. We do not have to choose between respecting the Second Amendment or keeping kids, schools, streets and communities safe. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Evers said that he would also propose a $66 million investment to support services for crime victims statewide and help critical victim service providers, which would help address recent reductions in federal funding under the Victims of Crime Act. Evers also outlined proposals that would help address deaths by suicide, and spoke about the recent loss of Former Milwaukee Rep. Jonathan Brostoff, who died by suicide in November. We are so deeply saddened that he is no longer with us, Evers said before asking the room to recognize Brostoffs wife and parents, who stood in the gallery looking over the lawmakers. According to the Department of Health Services, Wisconsin reported 932 deaths by suicide in 2022 with almost 60% of those deaths involving a firearm. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If you talk to someone whose loved one died by suicide, many will tell you their loss was not a foregone conclusion. That maybe just maybe if the person they loved had just made it through one more dark night to see with certainty that the sun again would rise, things might have ended up differently, Evers said. Im asking this Legislature to give the next family and the next one, and the family after that, hope for that same opportunity. Evers proposed the creation of a Self-Assigned Firearm Exclusion (SAFE) Program, which would allow people to temporarily and voluntarily register to prevent themselves from purchasing a firearm. Evers also called for lawmakers to reimplement a law that would require a 48-hour waiting period for buying firearms. The window for intervention is very short. Being able to purchase and possess a gun in minutes significantly increases the risk of firearm suicide and firearm homicide, as well, Evers said. Republican lawmakers said they likely wouldnt take up any of Evers proposals related to guns. Assembly Speaker Robin Vos (R-Rochester) talks to reporters after Gov. Tony Evers State of the State address Wednesday evening in the state Capitol. (Photo by Baylor Spears/Wisconsin Examiner) Vos said that there are already some measures in place including background checks and that some money has gone into helping schools protect against shootings. Background checks are required for purchasing a handgun or long gun from a licensed dealer, but arent required for private sales or at gun shows. Unfortunately, sometimes people do bad things and theres only so much that we can do to prevent it, Vos said. Vos said that everyone feels bad for Jonathan Brostoffs death, but accused Evers of using it as a cheap political stunt to try to get a piece of legislation passed. He said Evers response demeans Jonathans death. Lower costs for family through supporting child care There are a lot of ways we can lower everyday, out-of-pocket costs to make sure Wisconsinites and working families can afford basic needs, Evers said. Describing child care as too darn expensive, he highlighted a bipartisan bill that he signed into law last year that will expand the child care tax credit once it goes into effect this year. Evers also said he will propose investing $480 million to continue the states Child Care Counts program, which has provided funding assistance to eligible child care providers to support operating expenses, investments in program quality, tuition relief for families, staff compensation and professional development. The program was started in March 2020 using federal funds and Evers wants to keep it going with state funds. He also wants to dedicate another $20 million to other programs, including Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), and he wants to use the budget to create the framework for community-based 4K. Cautions against forgetting immigration history Evers cautioned Wisconsinites about forgetting the states historical ties to immigrants during his address, appearing critical of President Donald Trump, who was inaugurated on Monday and immediately issued orders sending troop to the U.S.-Mexico border, calling for mass deportation of undocumented immigrants and even attempting to end constitutionally protected birthright citizenship. A lot has happened in Washington in the last 72 hours, and I know there is a lot of angst about what may happen in the days, months and years ahead, Evers said. I want to talk about what that means for Wisconsin and how we move forward together. Wisconsin began as a land of many people, of many origins, each important and none any better than any other, he continued, and that is still who we are 177 years later. The state of Wisconsin was born of immigrants, but today, there are those who would have us forget this fact. Lets agree to be honest about the fact that, in this state, some of our states largest and most important industries and companies have always welcomed the hard work of immigrants, Evers said. Lets agree to be honest about the fact that the story of our states success today is told in the labor of over three million Wisconsinites, including tens of thousands of workers whose only transgression to date was not having the good fortune of being born in this country. Evers and Attorney General Josh Kaul have joined a multi-state federal lawsuit that was filed in Massachusetts to challenge the order trying to deny birthright citizenship. Republicans, meanwhile, were supportive of Trumps work, saying that Wisconsinites voted in favor of it when the state voted for Trump in November. [Evers is] clearly pushing back against the president. Hes lashing out because Joe Biden and Kamala Harris were not only resoundly rejected by the American people, but by the state of Wisconsin, August said, adding that Republicans would be ready to lead on the issue of immigration in Wisconsin. Vos said that a proposal will be coming from Republicans next week that will require cooperation with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to ensure that if someone is here illegally and committed a crime they are deported. Vos said that he is open to the idea of repealing birthright citizenship. I certainly think that theres a legal case to be made. It wasnt enacted until sometime, I think, around the year 1900, so its only been part of our country for about half of our nations existence, Vos said. Apart from immigration legislation, Vos said that Republican priorities would include a tax relief proposal, which he says would provide $1,000 to Wisconsinites, and a proposal to ensure high educational standards if there is an increase in funding for schools. Evers will deliver his budget address and announce his full 2025-27 budget proposal on Feb. 18. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX MADISON - Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers took aim at newly inaugurated President Donald Trump in a statewide address Wednesday, just days after the Republican president declared a national emergency over illegal immigration to the U.S. and sought to end a constitutional policy of providing automatic citizenship to babies born here. "The state of Wisconsin was born of immigrants. But today, there are those who would have us forget this fact," Evers said during his seventh State of the State Address on Wednesday. "There are those who would have us rewrite the story of ourselves, and they would ask us to believe in a distorted and dishonest history. They would have us abandon the values that made us who we are and the people whose blood, love, and labor make our state great. We cannot. And we will not." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In the televised address, Evers dubbed 2025 "The Year of the Kid," a nod to measures he plans to include in his two-year state budget proposal aimed at lowering child care costs for Wisconsin families, expanding mental health programs and meal offerings in schools, and reducing gun violence, among other proposals he laid out Wednesday in a primetime speech. "I will keep saying this until the folks in this building finally hear me if we want to improve our kids outcomes, then we have to shorten the odds," Evers said. "If we want our educators and schools to be able to do their very best work in the hours our kids are with them, we have to set them up for success. And we have to start by making sure ourkids can bring their full and best selves to our classrooms." Republicans pushed back on Evers' ideas, signaling there won't be much compromise in the upcoming budget season. "I'm not sure what planet the governor is living on, honestly," said Assembly Majority Leader Tyler August, R-Walworth. "I mean, the things the governor talked about tonight, every single thing that he talked about, was a new government program, new government spending. I really am at a loss for words at how ridiculous the things he talked about were tonight." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Here are takeaways from Evers' speech: Evers takes aim at Trump's immigration policies Just two days after Donald Trump was inaugurated as president for a second time, Evers took aim at Trump's effort to reduce illegal immigration to the U.S. and end the country's longstanding constitutional policy of providing citizenship to those who are born on American land. "A lot has happened in Washington in the last 72 hours, and I know there is a lot of angst about what may happen in the days, months, and years ahead. I want to talk about what it means for Wisconsin and how we move forward together," Evers said. "Lets agree to be honest about the fact that the story of our states success today is told in the labor of over 3 million Wisconsinites, including tens of thousands of workers whose only transgression to date was not having the good fortune of being born in this country. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement More: Wisconsin AG Josh Kaul joins lawsuit seeking to block Trump birthright citizenship order Evers also said he would direct his administration to fight efforts by the Trump administration or Congress or repeal the Affordable Care Act and to preserve abortion access in the state. In response, Assembly Speaker Robin Vos said Republicans would pass legislation this session requiring law enforcement agencies to cooperate with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to deport "those who commit a serious crime and are being held in our jails or our prisons." "(Republicans) will focus on helping President Trump fix the broken immigration system," Vos said. "There are too many lawless bureaucrats and politicians pushing dangerous sanctuary policies that jeopardize our public safety here in Wisconsin." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement ICE lists Milwaukee County and Dane County jails as "non-cooperative institutions" in Wisconsin. There are circumstances when the Milwaukee Police Department and the Milwaukee County Sheriff's Office will cooperate with ICE, including when terrorism, gang activity or violent felonies are suspected. More: As Trump takes office, what to know about local law enforcement's cooperation with ICE for deportations Previous bills introduced by Republicans attempting to ban "sanctuary city" ordinances in Wisconsin have not made it to the governor's desk, including in 2017 and 2019. August said Evers needs to look at what voters said when they cast their ballot last fall when it comes to immigration. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "It's like he didn't pay attention to what happened in this state," he said. "In the election in November, President Trump won Wisconsin, and one of the cornerstones of his campaign was about illegal immigration." Evers to propose $500M plan to address child care costs Evers also outlined a $500 million plan to address child care costs, with the big-ticket item being a program known as Child Care Counts. For the past few years, this program has funneled federal pandemic funding directly to child care businesses across the state. With funding expected to run out this summer, Democrats have long been calling for the state to invest in continuing the program but their attempts have been blocked by Republicans seeking other solutions. This time, Evers is asking that $480 million over the biennium go to continuing the program. His plan also includes more than $5.5 million to create a grant for employers to support their workers with on-site child care, child care subsidies and other initiatives to help obtain and afford child care. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The broader idea of incentivizing employers to get in on the child care conversation is nothing new, and was heavily championed by Republican lawmakers last session. Evers also plans to leverage more than $19 million in federal funding for low-income families to waive child care subsidy copayments for families making below 150% of the federal poverty level. According to a Forward Analytics report, Wisconsin parents can expect child care for one infant to cost between 14% and 36% of their household income. For families with two children, this can reach as high as 70%. Between program closures and staffing shortages due to low compensation (the average Wisconsin child care worker does not make a living wage), child care in Wisconsin is difficult to find. A recent study from University of Wisconsin-Madison in partnership with the states Department of Children and Families estimated 48,000 Wisconsin children are on waitlists. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Vos said the previously approved child care tax credit should be helpful to families already, but did not share ideas for new ways to bring down soaring costs. "Finding $500 million in a budget that is barely balanced, probably, is not likely, but we have to see the totality of the program," he said. Senate Majority Leader Devin LeMahieu said "no" when asked if the child care proposals would get Republican support. "We passed a plan that (Evers) signed last time for childcare tax credits," he said. "We'll continue to work to try and make sure that there's access, that people get paid more." Evers pushes for gun-related policies Republicans have rejected Following the deadly shooting at a private religious school in Madison, Evers is calling on GOP lawmakers to again consider legislation that would enact a so-called red flag law that would allow a judge to bar people deemed to be a threat to possess firearms. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Just last month, we saw how crucial 'red flag' laws can be to prevent tragedy," Evers said, referring to the December shooting at Abundant Life Christian School. Evers said a red flag law in California allowed law enforcement to identify a man living there who conspired with the shooter in Madison and required him to surrender his guns. "Their quick work almost certainly saved lives," Evers said. "Without 'red flag' laws, law enforcement in Wisconsin are often unable to intervene unless a crime has already been committed. At that point, sometimes its too late. We have to change that." He also announced he would be proposing in his state budget plan a new 48-hour waiting period for gun purchases and a program that would allow people in crisis and considering suicide to enroll in a program that would keep them from purchasing a firearm. Republican lawmakers have rejected the idea of expanding reasons for judges to order Wisconsin residents to surrender their firearms, citing constitutional rights protecting gun possession. They are likely to do so again. In a post on the social media platform X, Senate Republicans said "Governor Evers and (Attorney General Josh Kaul) should enforce the laws that are already on the books before infringing on law abiding Wisconsinite's Second Amendment Rights." Any sort of proposals regarding guns from Evers or legislative Democrats aren't likely to see any kind of Republicans. Vos said the plans to "take guns away from law-abiding gun owners" and those not convicted of a crime is a "non-starter." Evers welcomes family of former lawmaker who died by suicide as guests During the speech, Evers cited the death of former Democratic state Rep. Jonathan Brostoff, who died by suicide, as a reason to create new programs to prevent suicide including ways to keep people from obtaining firearms urgently. Brostoff's family was present in the Assembly chamber on Wednesday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "For too many Wisconsinites, even if they did not know Jonathan, the story of losing him is their story, too," Evers said. "If you talk to someone whose loved one died by suicide, many will tell you their loss was not a foregone conclusion. That maybe just maybe if the person they loved had just made it through one more dark night to see with certainty that the sun again would rise, things might have ended up differently. Tonight, Im asking this Legislature to give the next family, and the next one, and the family after that, hope for that same opportunity." As the entire Legislature stood to honor Brostoff's family with applause, one of the women in the group being honored appeared to put her hands around her mouth and shout "Do something!" back at the cheering lawmakers. Vos said he was saddened by Brostoff's death but stopped short of saying the Legislature would take up gun measures this session. "Of course, all of us feel bad for Jonathan Brostoff's death, but to somehow use it as a cheap political stunt to try to get a piece of legislation passed that he knows is not going to happen really demeans Jonathan's memory," Vos told reporters. Evers to again propose funding for school meals, plans updated lead standards Evers also said Wednesday he would propose $147.7 million in his state budget plan funding to help schools provide free meals to students if the district is participating in the federal National School Lunch Program and School Breakfast program a proposal he has sought in previous budgets that was rejected by Republican lawmakers who control the state Legislature. According to information from Evers office, the proposal could save Wisconsin families as much as $460 a year. Kids in class should be focused on learning, not wondering when or whether theyll eat next. Our kids should never go hungry, period, but especially not at school, he said during the speech. "Lets end school meal debt and make sure every kid has a healthy breakfast and lunch at school with no stigma and at no cost. The proposal also includes $6.1 million for school breakfasts; $458,900 to fully fund the projected eligible costs of the school day milk program; $500,000 for Farm to School programs connecting local farmers to schools; and $250,000 to help school districts and charter schools replace water fountains with water bottle filling stations to reduce lead exposure, according to the governor's office. Under the proposal, schools also would be banned from preventing a student from participating in a graduation ceremony due to unpaid fees such as lunch debt. Evers said the Department of Health Services this year will announce new standards for lead in Wisconsin, aiming to address effects on children at home and in schools, especially after one Milwaukee student was found to have high levels in their blood after drinking water at school. Evers also plans to include $6 million in the budget to support lead poisoning intervention and response. Making sure our kids are healthy physically and mentally is a crucial part of improving outcomes in our classrooms, he said. But we have to connect the dots between school achievement and the challenges our kids are facing at home and in our communities. (This story has been updated to add new information.) Madison Lammert of USA Today Network-Wisconsin and Natalie Eilbert of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel contributed to this report. Molly Beck and Laura Schulte can be reached at molly.beck@jrn.com and leschulte@gannett.com. This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Gov. Tony Evers takes aim at Trump in State of the State address BALTIMORE Gov. Wes Moores tax reform plan that would raise hundreds of millions of dollars more from Marylands wealthiest earners does not go far enough to offset potentially devastating cuts to education, child care and other programs both now and in the future, a growing coalition of advocates and lawmakers said Wednesday. For the second year in a row, legislation theyre introducing, called the Fair Share for Maryland Act, would offer a more aggressive approach expanding corporate taxes in multiple ways, while hiking the highest income tax brackets even further in order to raise between $1.6 billion to $2 billion annually. Designed to reverse some of the $2 billion in cuts Moore also proposed this year, proponents say it would help solve long-term funding issues associated with the Blueprint for Marylands Future education reform plan. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We cannot afford to leave critical funding on the table, said Riya Gupta, the interim executive director of Strong Schools Maryland, the largest advocacy group for the Blueprint. Moores budget plan introduced last week and now under review for the rest of the annual legislative session borrowed significantly from the Fair Share bill in 2024 and, before that, years of similar proposals from more progressive lawmakers. It aims to raise nearly $1 billion annually mostly from changes affecting individuals making at least $700,000. It would double the standard deduction and eliminate the ability for itemized deductions while consolidating lower personal income tax brackets and adding new higher levels. Individuals earning at least $250,000 currently pay a maximum rate of 5.75%. Moores plan would require those making at least $500,000 to pay 6.25% and those making $1 million to pay 6.5%. Four out of every five Marylanders would see no changes or would pay less with an average tax cut estimated at $173 for nearly two-thirds of all filers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The framework is similar to last years version of the Fair Share plan, which Moore and Senate Democratic leadership rejected even as its proponents warned that the state would be forced to make deep cuts if it didnt urgently address lagging revenues. Now facing a $3 billion budget hole and looming cuts impacting education and other essential programs, Moore said he took advice from many groups and that hes tried to make the best decision for each moment in time. Might I be so bold as to suggest that he may have taken a look at our bill from last year and gotten some of his revenue ideas from the Fair Share plan, Sen. Shelly Hettleman, a Baltimore County Democrat who is her chambers prime sponsor of the legislation, said Wednesday. Hettleman said the bill, like last year, would increase taxes for everyone making at least $250,000 while giving a break to lower earners by expanding the child tax credit and earned income tax credits. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement These elements will make our tax system fairer and ensure that each pays what he or she owes, Hettleman said. Del. Julie Palakovich Carr, a Montgomery County Democrat and lead sponsor in the House, said the tax cuts would apply to more than 1 million people. It would also fix glaring problems in our tax code mainly by changing a variety of ways corporations file their taxes, she said. Though Moores proposal also supports some of those efforts, one major difference is in the two plans approach to a method called combined reporting, which targets what critics have long called a loophole allowing companies that operate in multiple states to avoid paying Maryland corporate taxes. The governors version includes so-called waters edge combined reporting, affecting only United States-based companies. Fair Share, mirroring its version from last year, would implement worldwide combined reporting, which would bring in companies that do business in Maryland but that are based in foreign countries. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Palakovich Carr said the move would ensure that multinational corporations cant shift their profits to offshore tax havens to avoid Maryland taxes. Business groups and Republican lawmakers who say the state can focus on economic growth rather than tax policy to get through its budget issues have pushed back on the plan. Mandatory worldwide combined reporting threatens to impose significant double taxation on non-U.S. companies, is inconsistent with state, federal and international tax norms, and violates principles of U.S. tax treaties, the Maryland Chamber of Commerce, which is stepping up its lobbying and advocacy efforts this year, wrote in testimony on the idea of combined reporting in 2024. Senate Minority Leader Steve Hershey, an Eastern Shore Republican, said last week that combined reporting was a dangerous concern that might not get over the finish line in the coming months. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We have never been in favor of combined reporting, Hershey said. The bigger corporations will figure out a way to get around it. They will talk to their consultants and find out that they will not end up paying what I think the analysts believe that theyll pay. Palakovich Carr said one of a few new elements to the Fair Share proposal this year will be a business transportation fee that is identical to one passed in New Jersey last year. Under that states law, a 2.5% surcharge is applied to corporate tax returns with a taxable net income over $10 million. The idea is to target large businesses to help fund the states transportation budget, which is facing deep cuts that are separate from the looming $3 billion general fund shortfall. Moore, for the first time this year, is also proposing to raise money for the transportation budget through a variety of vehicle-focused fees, including a new fee on online retail deliveries. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The governor has not said whether he would support additional tax proposals beyond what he introduced last week, but Democratic lawmakers have said they will continue to put forward their plans either way. It is early, but it does appear that there is an appetite to see other options and to have a larger menu on the table, Palakovich Carr said. ____ #YR# The Baltimore Sun. Visit at baltimoresun.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. BALTIMORE Gov. Wes Moores new budget proposal would raise taxes on Marylands wealthiest residents by adding two new tax brackets at income thresholds the state previously did not account for a plan that some Republicans worry could backfire. As the state wrestles with a $3 billion budget deficit, Moore is asking Marylanders who have done exceptionally well financially to contribute a little bit more so the state can invest more in economic growth, public safety and education. Some Republicans say its a wealth tax that could drive Marylanders out of the state. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Previous reports showed an exodus of thousands of wealthy Maryland residents when taxes were raised, as they were under Gov. Martin OMalley. But a political scientist says tax increases and the alternative cutting programs are both usually unpopular with voters. What Moores tax plan would do For single taxpayers, Moores budget would tax all income beyond $500,000 annually at a rate of 6.25% and all income beyond $1 million annually at a rate of 6.5%. The previous highest bracket, a 5.75% rate for income beyond $250,000, remains intact, while the state tax rate would simplify to a flat 4.70% for all Maryland singles earning less than $100,000 a year. For married couples filing jointly, these figures change slightly Moores budget would tax income beyond $600,000 annually at a rate of 6.25% and all income beyond $1.2 million annually at a rate of 6.5%. The previous highest bracket, a 5.75% rate for income beyond $300,000, remains intact, while the state tax rate would simplify to a flat 4.70% for married Marylanders earning less than $150,000 a year. A direct hit While Moore, a Democrat, says the budget means two-thirds of residents would see a tax cut and 82% would see no change, Republicans are concerned the governors intended revenue generator could backfire. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement State Senate Minority Leader Steve Hershey, who represents the Eastern Shore, praised Moores budget for attempting to stimulate economic development and lowering the corporate tax rate, but disapproved of the personal tax rate increases. The reduction in the corporate tax rate is something weve long advocated for, Hershey said. However, the increase in the personal income tax will be a direct hit to Marylands small business community that file as pass-through entities on personal returns. Other Republicans have suggested the tax on millionaires could drive wealthy residents out of the state and unintentionally reduce revenue overall, as occurred under Malley. According to a 2015 report by The Daily Caller, IRS data showed that roughly 18,600 wealthy taxpayers with $4.2 billion in adjusted gross income an average income of about $225,000 per taxpayer moved out of Maryland between 2007 and 2012. Many of these residents went to business-friendly Virginia or established vacation homes in tax havens like Florida as their primary residences, the report said. Wealth tax or progressive income tax? But Todd Eberly, a political science professor at St. Marys College, says the proposed tax is simply designed to make Marylands tax system more progressive. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Right now, Maryland does not have a particularly progressive income tax. We top out at 5.75 percentage points for anything above $250,000, Eberly said, noting that 19 other states have more progressive tax systems than Maryland. Thats only 1 percentage point higher than the marginal tax rate on somebody earning $25,000. More recent demographic trends seem to offer a case against so-called wealth taxes. Initiatives like the Millionaires Tax in Massachusetts, which imposes a 4% surtax on all income over $1 million, and efforts to enact a similar proposal in Washington the result of a budget crisis similar to Marylands have coincided with the widespread departure of wealthy residents from both states. Massachusetts and Washington rank as the fourth- and tenth-most-fled states by wealthy households, with a net loss of 4,392 and 1,579 in 2023, respectively. According to Eberly, whether or not wealthy Marylanders leave the state will depend more on factors like the source of their income and the quality of their childrens schools than any specific change to the income tax rate. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement People will label it a wealth tax, but cutting programs is no more politically popular than raising revenue, Eberly said. ---------- Andrew Harnik/Getty Images Sign up for The Agenda Thems news and politics newsletter, delivered to your inbox every Thursday. Federal employees are being instructed to snitch on their fellow workers in diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs, after President Trump moved to abolish those offices in an executive order earlier this week. Amid the dozens of executive orders Trump signed so far this week, one instructs federal agencies to dismantle all federal DEI offices and programs, while another calls on the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) to terminate, to the maximum extent allowed by law all workers in DEI-related positions within 60 days. (Another Trump order reiterated those demands specifically towards the Federal Aviation Administration, or FAA the culmination of the conservative campaign falsely blaming DEI programs for airplane safety issues.) Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On Tuesday, CBS News producer Kristin Brown obtained an internal memo from acting OPM director Charles Ezell, which instructs all federal agency heads to take certain steps towards closing DEI offices and firing workers. All DEI office workers should be placed on immediate administrative leave, the memo reads in part, and all DEI contractors should be immediately terminated. The memo also calls for each agency to submit a list of all contract descriptions or personnel position descriptions that were altered after the 2024 election to obscure their connection to DEIA programs. Given the broad brush that they have painted, its potentially very large numbers of people that could be laid off as a result of Trumps order, former acting OPM director Rob Shriver told NPR this week. In a video interview posted Thursday, National Urban League president Mark Morial called Trumps DEI orders an assault on the civil rights movement and everything we've achieved in the last 60 years. A template letter attached to the OPM memo, intended to be used by each department head in communicating the mandate, appears to vaguely threaten any workers who do not report those alleged efforts to obscure DEI programs. We are aware of efforts by some in government to disguise these programs by using coded or imprecise language, the letter reads. If you are aware of a change in any contract description or personnel position description since November 5, 2024 to obscure the connection between the contract and DEIA or similar ideologies, please report all facts and circumstances to DEIAtruth@opm.gov within 10 days. There will be no adverse consequences for timely reporting this information. However, failure to report this information within 10 days may result in adverse consequences. The template letter did not elaborate on what adverse consequences could entail. By Wednesday, some agencies had already taken steps to comply with the Trump mandate, most notably the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). Acting Administrator Janet Petro distributed the letter to her agency as written, as SpaceNews noted, despite having previously called NASA diversity programs paramount to mission success. The Department of Homeland Security tweaked its version of the letter slightly, per the New York Times, assuring workers that failing to report will result in adverse consequences (emphasis added). Everything You Need to Know About Trump's Executive Order Attempting to Erase Trans Americans Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The president signed the sweeping order within hours of taking office, signaling that curtailing the rights of trans people is a top priority for his administration. But just like that time Texas snitch line was flooded with Bee Movie scripts, the internet has not taken Trumps mandate lying down. Shortly after the OPM memo and email address were posted online, numerous social media users began posting plans to flood the designated inbox, aiming to prevent OPM from identifying or taking action on any legitimate reports. The disruption plans ranged from on-the-nose satire to absurdity: on Bluesky, author Craig Calcaterra wrote [f]uck these McCarthyite bastards atop a screenshot of an email naming Trump, Vice President J.D. Vance, and other top administration officials as unqualified persons given government jobs solely because of their race or gender, while on the other end of the spectrum, X user @CameronCorduroy posted the start of his own email the infamous copypasta declaring that Vaporeon is the most canonically fuckable Pokemon. Fortunately, theres been no executive order telling us what we can and cant do with the entire Bee Movie screenplay. How best to use this information is, of course, up to you. Get the best of whats queer. Sign up for Thems weekly newsletter here. Originally Appeared on them. The former Colorado Bureau of Investigation forensic scientist at the center of a DNA scandal that has rocked the state's judicial system appeared remotely from jail for her first court proceeding in Jefferson County on Thursday as the defense and prosecution wrangled over her bond. Yvonne Woods turned herself into Jefferson County authorities on Wednesday. She was booked into jail on a 102-count felony indictment and spent the night there. An arrest warrant for Woods was issued Tuesday and her defense attorney, Lindsay Brown said at the hearing that her client was out of state but immediately flew to Colorado and went directly from the airport to the jail on Wednesday. "She has been cooperative," Brown said, adding she was "low-risk" and should be released without bond. But Senior Deputy District Attorney Darren Kafka argued that releasing her without bond was unacceptable given the breadth and seriousness of the charges. At the end of the brief hearing, Judge Graham Peper adjusted the original $50,000 cash-only bond to allow a $50,000 surety bond, which permits a third party to guarantee Woods' future appearances. Peper appeared to agree with the prosecution about the seriousness of a case, saying, "This gets to the heart of whether or not science can be trusted, whether or not law enforcement can be trusted and, quite frankly, whether the judicial system can be trusted." Woods was ordered to turn in her passport. After the hearing concluded, the daughter of a victim in a case that Woods handled said she is angry and frustrated as she has learned about Woods' manipulation of data in criminal cases. "She did not consider what she was doing to all of us, said Tamara Harney. Harney's father, Roger Dean, was killed during a botched robbery at his Lone Tree home in November 1985. Dean's case had gone cold until Woods analysis of DNA found on a ski mask led to the arrest of William Jefferson, who had been held in Douglas County jail county since 2021. Jefferson had faced life in prison on a first-degree murder charge, but District Attorney George Brauchler said last week he felt he had no choice but to offer Jefferson a reduced sentence of 32 years on a single count of conspiracy to commit first-degree murder, rather than take the case to trial. On Thursday she told reporters she felt she needed to come to the hearing and had hoped to see Woods in person but was disappointed when she only appeared on a screen. In the 35-page indictment, Woods who goes by Missy faces felony charges that include attempt to influence a public servant, perjury, forgery and cybercrime, according to court documents. The former forensic DNA analyst has been at the center of the massive scandal after it was disclosed in November 2023 that the once go-to scientist had deleted data, skipped steps and manipulated DNA evidence in more than 1,000 instances over her nearly three-decade career. There has long been speculation that Woods could face criminal charges as the scandal unfolded over the past year, but it was unclear until now what those charges would be. The South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation reviewed her case for more than a year to determine what, if any, criminal charges were involved. Still, the ongoing judicial crisis has thrown the fate of an undetermined number of criminal cases into limbo, infuriating both prosecutors and defense attorneys alike. Legal experts have said it could take years to untangle the fall-out. Not only is there deep concern that defendants may have been wrongfully imprisoned based on her DNA conclusions and testimony, but also prosecutors in at least three cases so far have said they felt forced to offer reduced charges and lighter sentences to murder suspects once headed for trial, including the Dean case. The scandal that has enveloped CBI had roots stretching back decades and included warning signs that were dismissed. It finally came to light in the fall of 2023 after an intern in the lab became concern about Woods' work. She reported it to lab management and a massive investigation followed that involved a re-examination of more than 10,000 cases Woods had worked on during her 29-year career there. CBI has said it found 1,003 anomalies, or irregularities in her work dating back to 1994.The embattled agency, though, has continued to say that its internal investigation did not show that she had ever falsified DNA matches or fabricated profiles. Featured Local Savings She was allowed to retire in November 2023, rather than be fired just before CBI went public with the scandal. On Thursday, a CBI spokesperson had no comment and referred all questions to the District Attorneys office in Jefferson County. During her time at CBI, Woods rose to become one of the states most respected DNA scientists, often tapped to extract small amounts of genetic material for testing in long unsolved cases. She testified about her findings in such cases in hundreds of cases through the years, CBI has said. She began her career in forensic analysis in 1988 in Wyoming, where she worked for five years, and then moved briefly to work for the Dallas County, Texas Crime Lab. She joined CBI in 1994 specializing in blood, hair, and fiber examination and crime scene investigations before shifting her focus to DNA analysis., according to the indictment and other documents. In both 2014 and 2018, her work was called into question when colleagues reported irregularities to lab supervisors, but the public and law enforcement was never informed. In 2018, according to the indictment and CBIs internal investigation report, she was questioned by the lab for manipulating and altering data. When confronted, she said, It was a rush batch and I was trying to get the data out and thats how it happened. She was then asked why the data deletions appeared to be intentional. She replied, Youre probably right, and she also said, I dont have a reason, and I dont especially have a good reason. When asked when she began deleting data, she told investigators she did not know. However, she admitted, if such deletions occurred only a few times, it was probably accidental; if more, it could be considered intentional. She also admitted that she had deleted data to simply move specific cases forward quickly to avoid having to do additional work, according to both the indictment and the transcript of her questioning which The Denver Gazette obtained. Woods was temporarily relieved of her duties in 2018 after she admitted wrongdoing, sent for mental health counseling. She was soon cleared to return to duty. The 58 instances of criminal misconduct cited in the indictment involved cases of robberies, homicides and sexual assaults, where she is alleged to have changed or deleted data in her computerized workbook. For instance, in a Wheat Ridge homicide, the indictment said she changed the value of a sample batch to undetermined, failing to re-analyze the batch for possible contamination and then failing to report it. In a Lakewood homicide, she is accused of altering data in her workbook and falsely said a DNA profile was not obtained. Although she later amended her report to correct spelling errors, she did not correct the conclusion, the indictment said. Later at trial, the indictment said she gave false testimony about her findings. In case after case spelled out in the indictment, she is accused of altering findings, mislabeling testing, and failing to correct, troubleshoot, or report problems if possible contamination occurred. In several cases, she failed to follow through with needed additional steps or simply said DNA was not found, the indictment said. That is what allegedly occurred in a sexual assault case in Rocky Mountain National Park, where she is accused of deleting data that concealed possible contamination and falsely reported that male DNA was not detected. CBI has maintained throughout that her alleged misconduct in the lab, while damaging, is not expected to change the ultimate outcome in criminal cases in which she was involved and that exonerations of those sent to prison based on her results are unlikely. Others are less sure. In the year since the scandal broke, the fall out is being felt. CBI acknowledged earlier this month that the backlog for testing evidence in rape cases has nearly doubled to more than 500 days because lab workers have been diverted to re-examine Woods work. And so far, three murder cases headed once headed for trial dissolved into plea deals, where defendants were offered lesser charges and lighter sentences from prosecutors who acknowledged it was too risky to proceed because Woods had worked on the cases. There has also been at least one case where someone convicted and now in prison have asked that the case be reopened in light of the scandal. Christopher Osher contributed reporting to this story. House Appropriations Committee Chair Ben Barnes (D-Prince George's and Anne Arundel) gives opening remarks at Wednesday's joint briefing with the Ways and Means Committee on the Blueprint for Maryland's Future. House Speaker Adrienne Jones, left, listens. (Photo by William J. Ford/Maryland Matters) A comprehensive education bill unveiled Wednesday by the Moore administration would slow the growth of per pupil spending beginning next year and continuing for the next eight years, raising concerns among advocates and lawmakers. The reductions begin in fiscal 2026, when the per pupil foundation funding was scheduled to grow from $8,789 per student to $9,226; the administrations bill calls for it to grow next year to $9,063 instead, a reduction in growth of $163 per student. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Instead of growing between 4% and 5% a year for the next eight years, the Excellence in Maryland Public Schools Act calls for growth from 2% to 3% in the same period. From fiscal years 2034 through 2037, the per pupil amount would increase by 3.5% each year, ultimately reaching $13,259 per pupil. Still, the slow-down in growth represents an estimated $234 million less for state schools than was originally forecast, said Mary Pat Fannon, executive director of the Public School Superintendents Association of Maryland. The revised level of funding is not a historic investment, she said. Funding matters for student achievement, Fannon said. We need to advocate and explain that you do need funding in order to get the outcomes that youre expecting. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Del. Ben Barnes (D-Prince Georges and Anne Arundel), chair of the Appropriations Committee, said lawmakers are aware of the change in per pupil spending, which he said will likely cause problems in the House. Thats something were very aware of. I dont think youll see that coming out of the House. Just put it that way, Barnes said. When asked to comment on the revised number, a spokesperson for Gov. Wes Moore (D) pointed to a prepared statement released Tuesday, in which the governor was quoted as saying that the state will still work toward the goals of the Blueprint for Marylands Future, the states 10-year education reform plan, but that it must do so while making it fit our current needs and realities in a post-pandemic environment. Through the Excellence in Maryland Public Schools Act, we propose strategic investments designed to lay out the foundation for effective implementation of key components of the Blueprint, including recruiting and supporting educators and building partnerships between schools and communities, the Tuesday statement said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The bill, House Bill 504, was just part of the discussion at Wednesdays briefing on the status of the Blueprint for the House Appropriations and House Ways and Means committees, at a time when the state is struggling with a budget deficit that is projected to be close to $3 billion in fiscal 2026. Moore has proposed closing that gap with a combination of increased revenues and budget reductions next year, but he and legislative leaders have said the education reform plan is fully funded for the next two years. One goal of the Blueprint is to increase the teacher pipeline, which is also an element touched on in the administrations bill. With more than half of the states teachers coming from other states, according to the state Department of Education, one part of the bill calls for an interstate teacher mobility compact, to let Maryland enter into agreements with other states that have comparable licensing standards and accept teaching credentials from those states. The bill also proposes supporting relocation of eligible military spouses. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The state teachers union agrees with that part of the plan. Maryland State Education Association Vice President Nikki Woodward said a few states with student populations and curriculums similar to Maryland include Massachusetts, New York and Pennsylvania. We unfortunately do not graduate enough students from our education programs across the state, Woodward said in an interview after the briefing. This allows for an easier transition for educators to come into the state and immediately begin to receive their licensure, to begin working. The bill would allow the department to start a national teacher recruitment campaign to bring licensed and prospective teachers to the state that includes up to $2,000 in relocation costs. If approved, that campaign would start July 1 and run through July 2029. State Board of Education President Joshua Michael, left, and Tenette Smith, the Maryland Department of Educations interim deputy state superintendent in the Office of Teaching and Learning, testify Wednesday. (Photo by William J. Ford/Maryland Matters) Other provisions The governors proposal is slated to go before the Senate Budget and Taxation and Education, Energy, and the Environment committees. No bill hearing has been scheduled. A joint hearing on the House version before Appropriations and Ways and Means could be held next month. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Some of the other items in the bill include allowing school officials to apply for grants, beginning next year, to fund expanded collaborative time for teachers. That is time outside of class that teachers use for training, analyzing student data, identifying students who may need help and spending time, one on one or in groups, to get students back on track. The Blueprint plan calls for collaborative time to be expanded from the current 20% of a teachers workday to 40% within the next eight years. But that proposal has run up against the states current teacher shortage: In order to start expanding collaborative time next school year, the state would need up to 15,000 more teachers. The number doesnt account for the 6,000 current teachers who are conditionally approved. The purpose of the grant is to provide funds to establish innovative models that can be replicated for teacher collaboration at the school or local school system level that improve teacher retention and student learning, according to the bills language. Initial awards for the $48 million program would start to be distributed March 1, 2026. The bill also proposes a school system training program and school leadership academy. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The 12-month training program would be for high-ranking school officials, such as the state and local superintendents and school board chairs and vice chairs. Some of the work would include reviewing data and other education information from top-performing school systems in this country and others, researching the benefits of high-quality and diverse teachers and implementing career ladders for teachers. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE A leadership academy would target those who seek to remain or become school principals or other school-based leaders. This academy would also last 12 months and include work on data-informed instruction, utilize teachers on the career ladder and strategies for peer mentorship. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement State Board of Education President Joshua Michael said this week the governors proposal would provide a $134 million investment to boost the states Grow Your Own teacher initiative. He said Wednesday that initiative will help with the Blueprint plan to deepen and strengthen our teacher pipeline. We stand deeply committed to the promise and vision of the Blueprint, Michael said to the House committees. The Blueprint is truly a once-in-a-generation opportunity and represents our nations biggest bet on public education. William Brit Kirwan, vice chair of the Accountability and Implementation Board that oversees the 10-year Blueprint plan, had a few words for any concerns about its future: Keep the faith. Were going to get there. BOSTON (WWLP) The Healey Administration announced their next budget plan for 2026, proposing increasing state spending to more than $59 billion. Officials approve new Springfield courthouse plans Each year in January, the Massachusetts Governor presents her plan for the states finances, for the House and Senate to amend and vote on. For fiscal year 2026, the state government plans to invest to continue several programs, including free community college, improving statewide transportation, and ensuring free school meals. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Governor Healey plans to continue work on the West-East Rail and making higher education more accessible in western Massachusetts through these advancements. Were focusing those investments on things that people depend on, need, all over the state. Childcare, education, housing, transportation, Healey said. This budget totals $59.6 billion and includes $1.95 billion in spending pulled from the so-called millionaires tax. The budget process lasts until July, when lawmakers will need to finalize their choices for the coming fiscal 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. West Virginia Gov. Patrick Morrisey give his inaugural address following his swearing in at the state capitol in Charleston, W.Va., on Monday, Jan. 13, 2025. (Chris Jackson for West Virginia Watch) The phrase Lies, damn lies, and statistics has been around since before most folks knew what statistics were, or did, or meant. The sentiment has lingered for as long as there have been human beings that lie about information to another human being. Which would be since the first ones. While conveying an immutable and universal truth, the origins of the phrase itself is wrapped in a history of highly suspect lore. The There are three kinds of lies version is often attributed to Mark Twain, who himself attributed it to British politician Benjamin Disraeli, who almost certainly never said it as the first written examples come decades after his death. But a tale told enough over a long period of time tends to stick around, even as math and time combine to slowly show the truth of a thing. Slogans and sayings are powerful like that Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Being on the same political team as his predecessor, current West Virginia Gov. Patrick Morrisey isnt going to pound the podium with his own take on lies, damn lies, and statistics, but he has begun to lay the rhetorical groundwork that the previous governor and now-U.S. Sen. Jim Justices rocket ship of fiscal success might not blaze across the bright future skies as brightly as advertised. Were talking about what weve inherited, Morrisey explained during his first week on the job. These problems werent created overnight I can tell you that we do believe that there are significant structural problems with the budget, and Im committed to fixing it. Which Justice refutes: I dont want to get into a battle with the new governor. I want him to do really great, but with all that being said, its almost crazy-talk to tell you the truth, he commented to WCHS news. Nobody can figure out where these numbers could come from. I guess you can project anything you want to project. Which is true. One can project anything, and they do, especially politicians in governmental roles who want to put the rosiest spin possible on their stewardship of the public till. While the line where spin devolves into lies is routinely ignored by the pressure of political necessity, the fact remains that two men who were consecutively in charge of the same responsibilities are saying two different things and both cannot be right. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The math portion, while complicated, is the easier part of this opening drama of the Morrisey era to lay out. Most everyone both in and out of government understand the fiscal issues the state faces, and none of them are new problems. Morrisey highlighted the ongoing habit of using temporary or one-time revenue streams like federal funds to plug ongoing budget needs, the expansion of education spending and the ever-problematic Public Employee Insurance Agency that covers 200,000-plus current and retired state employees. Both current and former chairs of the Senate Finance Committee agree that there are ways to cover the $400 million hole, and that the different projections and methods moved up a known issue several fiscal years earlier than expected. As Sen. Eric Tarr explained to MetroNews, having done that overspending, its moved it up two years. Now, its not as dire as it seems because we also set around quite a bit of reserves here and there to accommodate for when this is going to happen in a couple of years. Which brings up the lies, damn lies, and statistics portion of the fun with government numbers show. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As any sales rep or mid level manager who has ever had to face career death by PowerPoint can tell you, making a chart to get numbers to say what you want them to say and make it look pretty is not only possible, but preferred. Give the people you answer to what they want, complete with graphics, in a way that makes good news your fault and failures someone elses. Fitting to his large personality, Justice always talks of big successes, rocket ships, huge deals, nothing but up, up, up and have you noticed Babydogs excitement over the entire thing. We dont need to be doom and gloom in West Virginia, Justice said. We are Americans. Were West Virginians. We need just to buckle up and go to work. But theres so much good happening in West Virginia right now, itd be hard to turn off the good. Which is well and good, and optimism is something West Virginians historically need more of, not less. But Justice managed to successfully kick the can of fiscal accountability, and questions about his own personal business dealings, down the road past his own stint at the states helm. More specifically down I-64 from his home in Lewisburg, up I-81, and across I-66 to his new job in Washington, D.C. His sunny public pronouncements were only one side of the Jim Justice experience. The other side was constant stonewalling of the press, public denouncements of any questioning of his dealings as governor or a businessman, and frequent private pressure and machinations to undermine any criticism. To his credit, Morrisey has already set an early example of holding what was once a normal rhythm of press availability. Hes made a point to mention he will be residing in Charleston at least somewhat regularly, something Justice was often criticized and at one point taken to court over. The current back-and-forth over the $400 million potential deficit comes from his teams review of state government, showing an interest in the details of government and legislation his predecessor skewed for pronouncements and generalities. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When Morrisey reveals his budget goals and numbers, no doubt the press releases and graphics will show the data the administration wants to show in the way it wants to show it. If he wants to maintain the office he was elected to, politics demands the governor and his team show progress, success and leadership, in chart form and otherwise. The statistics can show whatever they want to, and in his earliest days as governor, Morissey is smartly starting with some honesty of a looming problem, which he then can present himself and his efforts as a solution thereto. Statistics can be good politics like that. Keeping those statistics on the right side of spin/lies ratio requires the continued use of the press not as a vile enemy but as a conduit to present the governors agenda, perspective and plans for the state that elected him. If the governor is serious about his themes of a more fiscally efficient government, that rhetoric needs matching actions of transparency, letting the press do its job of covering state government fiscal and otherwise. Patrick Morrisey is not Jim Justice, and would be foolish to try and get by on slogans and sayings. Or the canine aesthetics of a beloved if not highly mobile bulldog. His first days in office show that he is aware of it. If his statistics stay on the believable side, he can also contrast himself with his predecessor without saying a bad thing directly about him. When challenges inevitably come, the public already has a baseline of the governor telling them of problems that need solved, not just rocket ships to tomorrowland, and will be more open to his suggestions and solutions. Math and time would treat such actions well. The West Virginia electorate might find it refreshing. Believe it or not, not cooking the books, adjusting the stats or lying in general would be really good politics. Imagine what a great chart that could make come election time. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Jim and Janet Colflesh usually walk the Union Canal Towpath every other day to get some exercise and do some nature watching. On Jan. 13, the retirees were on a mission. A friend had photographed a mink in the Tulpehocken Creek, and they were determined to get a look at it. Starting at the Red Bridge at the Berks County Heritage Center, the couple scanned the creek and banks as they walked. Approaching Grings Mill, Janet saw something in the water. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Jim focused his binoculars on a great horned owl face down, dead, in the creek. At first we thought bird flu, Jim said, but when I focused the binoculars in a little bit more, I saw the entanglement. The owl was hopelessly caught in monofilament fishing line. A dead great horned owl is hopelessly entangled in monofilament fishing line along the Tulpehocken Creek near Grings Mill on Monday, Jan. 13, 2025. (Courtesy of Jim Colflesh) Since dead birds need to be reported to the state for avian flu testing, the Colfleshes walked to the park offices at the Berks Leisure Area to report the bird. They were met there with more bad news. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Their find was the second great horned owl that was caught in fishing line in the past few days along the Tulpehocken. Rangers were able to free the first bird alive and transport it to Red Creek Wildlife Center in Schuylkill Haven. The owl, though, had to be euthanized because of its injuries. This owl had suffered some traumatic injuries after being tangled in fishing line and hanging from a tree for an unknown amount of time, said Kaley Egan, clinic manager and one of the lead rehabilitators at the center. The tightly wrapped fishing line had cut off circulation in the owls leg and dug so deeply into the skin to cause infection. The owl had also tried to chew the fishing line off of its wing, which unfortunately resulted in serious wounds to the wing. Due to these significant injuries, we chose to humanely euthanize the owl. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The owl wasnt the only creature the center has treated this year with injuries from monofilament fishing line. In addition to this owl, we have received three mallard ducks, one Canada goose, three aquatic turtles, a great blue heron and a double-crested cormorant this summer suffering from injuries resulting from discarded fishing line and hooks, Kaley said. Some of these animals were able to be saved, while others were not. County and conservation officials are calling for fishermen to be more diligent with the proper disposal of broken fishing lines. The county of Berks Parks and Recreation Department staff are saddened by the recent incidents of owls dying on county lands after becoming ensnared in fishing line, said Jonathan Heintzman, county public relations officer. Berks County waterways, including the Tulpehocken Creek, are prized by fishermen throughout the region, and most of those people are dedicated to fishing with great care and respect for local wildlife. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Heintzman notes that receptacles for spent fishing line are located along the Tulpehocken at Grings Mill and other areas. The county of Berks encourages fishermen to pursue their sport responsibly and make sure that their fishing materials are disposed of properly, he said. Mike McLaughlin, president of the Tulpehocken Chapter of Trout Unlimited, an organization that has worked to make that section of the creek a fishery recognized throughout the state, agrees. Its a shame that such valuable birds lives were lost by angler negligence, McLaughlin said. Trout Unlimited promotes clean waterways, and as part of our ongoing efforts, we encourage anglers to be diligent on their journeys into watersheds to ensure they take whatever trash they produce out with them. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to records kept by the local Baird Ornithological Club, the great horned owl is the first bird species to nest, with many pairs on eggs by mid-January. Undoubtedly, these two owls were a local nesting pair. The great horned owl has been in serious decline throughout the state following outbreaks of West Nile Virus that had also decimated the tufted titmouse population. Nick Bolgiano of State College analyzes Christmas Bird Count data for the Pennsylvania Society of Ornithology and notes that the great horned owl is one of the North American raptors most susceptible to West Nile Virus. In the southeastern counties, great horned owl numbers were 47.2% lower than prior to the arrival of West Nile Virus, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The last several years have seen some modest upticks in Pennsylvania numbers, he said, but their recovery has a long way to go. How avian flu will affect the great horned owl population remains to be seen. The Colfleshes have been in touch with the Tulpehocken Creek Watershed Association and are hoping to lead stream-bank cleanups in the spring. My goal is education, Jim said. Inform people. McLaughlin of Trout Unlimited also encourages action. This incident should serve as a reminder for all those that enjoy the outdoors: do your best to police your own trash and trash left behind by others, he said. A fishing bobber is tangled in some overhanging brush along the Tulpehocken Creek near Grings Mill. Two great horned owls died recently after becoming entangled in discarded monofilament fishing line. (BILL UHRICH/READING EAGLE). The Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank says it is in critical need of help. The organization said it is experiencing a shortage of volunteers at its warehouse, the Market, in Duquesne. They typically experience a shortage in January after the holidays but say cold temperatures have made the situation even harder. As families struggle with higher heating bills, more people are coming to the food bank for help. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We normally see a dip in the number of volunteers after the holidays, but this year were seeing more people come through our doors for food. Were hopeful the community will step up to make sure we have the manpower to feed our neighbors, said Manager of Corporate and Community Giving, Maria Montaro. There are three-and-a-half to four-hour shifts that need to be filled. Those shifts include: Preparing food for distribution Stocking shelves in The Market Bagging items or weighing food at The Market Assisting families as a shopping buddy in The Market Helping families register/get food at distributions Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The group is short about 75 people it needs per week. Anyone older than 18 can help out. Click here to sign up to volunteer at the Great Pittsburgh Community Food Bank. Download the FREE WPXI News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Channel 11 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch WPXI NOW GREENSBORO, N.C. (WGHP) The City of Greensboros Community Safety Department is celebrating after receiving a $1.9 million grant from the Department of Justice. The grant marks the largest amount ever awarded to the department which was formed almost two and a half years ago. The money will go to expanding their Peace on Purpose initiative. Peace on Purpose is the name of a program that works to empower the community to prevent violence. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its not more officers on the streets or more arrests. Its people from the neighborhoods, schools, churches and more all working together to prevent violence, which reduces crime. Community Safety Department Director Latisha McNeill has spent almost two and a half years thinking about reducing violence in Greensboro. I really care about Greensboro, McNeill said. Two years ago, the numbers were stark: 74 homicides. Homicides dropped to 43 in 2024, but people have been alarmed by the six homicides in the first two weeks of 2025. The Greensboro Police Department is holding community meetings and investigating violent crimes with a specialized unit, but GPD Chief John Thompson is quick to admit they need community help. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Latisha McNeill we had the opportunity to go to the White House and speak to the White House on Greensboros efforts in crime prevention that are not specifically tied to policing. They are tied to the office of community safety, Thompson said. Greensboro joined representatives from Philadelphia and Chicago. All three cities are recognized for innovative efforts to prevent violent crime. Seems a little unusual to have little Greensboro be recognized at the White House for those efforts, Thompson said. The CSD has multiple programs, and one of them involves boots on the ground worn by everyday people working with nonprofits with a passion for preventing violence. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Nonprofits are in the streets and working to teach conflict resolution and offering resources to people with issues like job loss, mental health struggles or substance abuse. The grant will enable the CSD to partner with more groups. There are so many different aspects of needs Bringing in multiple partners that can address those needs is going to be key to addressing violence as a whole in our community, McNeill said. The grant also details a plan to work with entities like schools and hospitals to refer people to the nonprofits, allowing for them to intervene in ongoing conflicts and work toward resolution and also identify high-risk people and places so they can direct resources where they are needed most. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It specifically targets people ages 14 to 34. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. Gov. Greg Gianforte listens to Sen. Greg Hertz, R-Polson, outline his subcommittee's proposals out of the Property Tax Task Force at a meeting on Aug. 15, 2024. (Photo by Blair Miller, Daily Montanan) Is Montana Gov. Greg Gianforte a poor communicator? Thats not a rhetorical question. And its not one that I would reflexively ask just to take a whack at the governor, whose policies I have criticized during his first term in office. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I ask the question because of several notable court cases and other instances that lead me to wonder if part of the governors problem if one is even open to the idea that he should be criticized is that his communication style leaves folks wondering: What is he thinking? Or, why is he doing that? Lets take a look at several notable examples: First, Gianforte is notoriously reclusive and insular, appearing mostly, if not exclusively, on conservative talk shows or at events where his handlers have prepared a brief appearance, usually surrounded by grateful people. Ask most members of the press corps and theyll tell you about press availability at events that are usually cut short, or where Gianforte answers one question, only to be whisked off. While most Montana governors have had routine press conferences, not so unlike the ones at the White House, in which reporters ask questions of him and his administration, both during and after the Legislature, Gianforte has nearly completely broken with that tradition. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Even lawmakers in his own party, which, at times has enjoyed a supermajority, were surprised by several high-profile moves made by the governor, including vetoing a popular and bipartisan bill that would have distributed tax proceeds from recreational marijuana in a way consistent with the promises made to Montana voters during the referendum on cannabis. Gianforte did nothing to pump the brakes on an accelerated residential property tax increase, while knowing full well that it would benefit the largest corporations in the state. After public outcry and anger directed at both lawmakers and Gianforte, he turned around blaming local county and city officials across the state for out-of-control spending, despite the fact that most of those same officials are Republicans. A series of stories even seems to call into question whether Gianforte spends much time in Montanas capital city, despite a requirement to do so. Not so long ago, such allegations of a governor avoiding the capital would have been as unthinkable as three-quarters of the states Congressional delegation being born outside of the Treasure State. Many media organizations stopped keeping track of how many questions or requests for interviews have been either declined or ignored outright. For example, when many of us ask for the governors position on legislation to better explain or understand his position, the stock answer is: The governor will thoughtfully consider any legislation that comes across his desk from the Legislature. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Other than confirming the governor is both alive and is cogent, thats not helpful. There are other clues about his insular, maybe even distant approach, from sending Lt. Gov. Kristen Juras as his representative to articulate his administrations position, to how he has even set up his own communication with staff. For example, at the very beginning of his administration, he began Agency Bill Monitoring forms. We dont know a lot about them because, well, neither he nor his staff will communicate about them. But, we do know from some court documents that they are forms that were used for staff to communicate with the governor, which suggests an arms-length approach. Back in the early days of Gianfortes political career, whether by habit or sheer necessity, he used to communicate more, even if it was reading from notes. But that was before he assaulted a reporter. Oddly and disturbingly, hes won every election since then, which continues to be a topic of discussion whenever I travel out of state. The conversation usually goes something like this, Montana, eh? Isnt that the place where your governor Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Yes, punched a reporter, I reply. Was it you? I am asked. Not a bad guess, considering the condition of my nose, but wrong, I inform them. For all the things Gianforte isnt, which may include a decent communicator, hes no dummy. In fact, hes very smart and his background proves it. And, as much as hes taken conservative positions that I strongly disagree with, and seems to have a bromance with big business, there are successes I think would be more notable, if only his communication style was more open and transparent. For example, even though task forces are often used to give the appearance of action, but rarely provide little more than talking points, the suggestions from the housing task force, while far from perfect, were realistic actions the state government could take to help address the problem. And the twin dumpster fires of the state hospital and the prison system have plagued governors of both parties for years. Again, while still far from perfect, the Gianforte administration should be given credit for trying to address the problems rather than just ignore them and hope nothing bad happens during his tenure. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While the governor has a lot of power, vested in his leadership of the executive branch, one of the most important things he can do is articulate a vision, and communicate his reasons for positions. Doing so isnt just the obligation of a politician to his constituents, it also creates a lasting trust between the citizens and the government. In other words, its not about Gianforte, rather his office, in which he is merely a steward and holds in trust for the future. Time was when a person could pick up the phone and talk to the governor. Now, no one even answers. After President Donald Trump on Monday issued an executive order to rename the Gulf of Mexico as the Gulf America, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis jumped on the idea. In an order he issued about this weeks winter storm, DeSantis referred to an area of low pressure moving across the Gulf of America. But changing the name of a water body that is integral to Florida might not be so simple. A computer search of Florida laws shows at least 55 statutes include references to the Gulf of Mexico, while local-government ordinances also are tied to the traditional name. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Some of the references in state laws play fundamental roles. For example, the legal descriptions of boundaries of gulf-front counties from Escambia to Collier include references to the Gulf of Mexico. Part of a legal description of a boundary line of Dixie County, for instance, says it goes southerly down the thread of the main stream of said Suwannee River to the Gulf of Mexico; thence along said Gulf of Mexico, including the waters of said gulf within the jurisdiction of the State of Florida, to the mouth of the Steinhatchee River. Read: Owners of Legacy Pools accused of defrauding central Florida homeowners out of millions But references to the Gulf of Mexico also show up in myriad other ways, including in parts of state laws related to the Board of Internal Improvement Trust Fund another name for DeSantis and the state Cabinet when they deal with land-related issues and to beach projects. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For example, one law says the Department of Environmental Protection shall develop and maintain a comprehensive long-term beach management plan for the restoration and maintenance of the states critically eroded beaches fronting the Atlantic Ocean, Gulf of Mexico, and Straits of Florida. Other references to the Gulf of Mexico show up in laws dealing with issues such as coastal construction, tourist-development taxes, the definitions of water management districts and an agreement with other states known as the Gulf States Marine Fisheries Compact. One part of state law defines coastal barrier islands as meaning geological features which are completely surrounded by marine waters that front upon the open waters of the Gulf of Mexico, Atlantic Ocean, Florida Bay, or Straits of Florida and are composed of quartz sands, clays, limestone, oolites, rock, coral, coquina, sediment, or other material, including spoil disposal, which features lie above the line of mean high water. In addition to the state laws, a spot check of ordinances in gulf-front Pinellas and Sarasota counties showed numerous references to the Gulf of Mexico. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Read: OFFICIALS: Former Visit Orlando employee, local political leader charged with child porn Florida lawmakers and DeSantis could have a way to update state laws to change references from Gulf of Mexico to Gulf of America. The Legislature regularly passes what are known as revisers bills that do such things as change terms in laws. Revisers bills usually pass easily without controversy. But Trumps executive order on the Gulf of America has drawn attention across Florida and other parts of the country. The executive order addressed federal references to the gulfs name, directing the U.S. Board on Geographic Names to provide guidance to ensure all federal references to the Gulf of America, including on agency maps, contracts, and other documents and communications shall reflect its renaming. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Gulf will continue to play a pivotal role in shaping Americas future and the global economy, and in recognition of this flourishing economic resource and its critical importance to our Nations economy and its people, I am directing that it officially be renamed the Gulf of America, the executive order said. Read: Publix-anchored shopping center sells in $40.1 million deal Click here to download our free news, weather and smart TV apps. And click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live. Over the past few months, the Colorado Springs Police Department outfitted all its officers with upgraded body-worn camera equipment that utilizes artificial intelligence in report crafting. The new system from Axon Enterprise (formerly TASER International) will cost the department between $2.5 and $2.6 million annually and will be funded by various grants received by the department and city revenue. One of the key features of the new system is the use of AI auto-transcription. Colorado Springs officers trying out the function have said reduces report generation time by around 50-75%. The reports are generated from the audio transcript, not the actual video, meaning some key elements of the report, such as visual notes and follow-ups, still need to be added. Officers are required to review and verify all AI-generated reports prior to submission into the department system or filing them with the courts. Department officials said Wednesday that the new system has reduced the number of pending calls and ideally will continue to improve officer response time. The department said it was still compiling statistics to show those improvements. Chief Adrian Vasquez said that six months ago, he would see over 100 calls for service in the queue at any given moment. That number has since decreased, with only a dozen or so pending calls throughout the day. "The faster we can write those reports and go through those calls and do what we need to do to resolve them, the faster we can get to the next call," Commander John Koch said. "Efficiency gained at any level will trickle down to the other levels of priorities." Another highlight of the new system is the cameras' livestream capability, allowing other department personnel to watch in real time, even if they are not at the scene. It also allows officers to communicate with each other, which the department says will come in handy during active shooter and other mass casualty situations. "This camera truly is going to be beneficial for the safety of our officers, but it's also going to help inform decision making from a command (standpoint,)" Vasquez said. The old system, which cost the department between $1.2 and $1.3 million annually, needed to be updated to keep Colorado Springs police at the forefront of technological advances, department leaders said. "We assessed body-worn camera technology for the last year, as we knew that this type of potential efficiency gain existed," Koch said. "Axon is used by most major police agencies in Colorado and frankly, across the United States." Featured Local Savings The El Paso County Sheriff's Office currently uses Axon cameras. The new cameras which every city police officer has now been outfitted with are touted as more compact, durable and giving a wider view of the environment. The contract with Axon allows the department to upgrade the equipment around every three years to keep up with technological advances. On Oct. 7, a camera from the previous system experienced a failure while recording an officer-involved shooting that left 41-year-old Matthew Kemper dead. According to prior Gazette coverage, three officers were present during the incident, but the body cameras of the officer involved and one of the witnessing officers were not recording during the first few minutes, as is required both by state law and department policy. Koch said the October incident was 'certainly something we considered" in the move to an updated system. "We looked at our current body cam vendor and felt that it was appropriate to make the transition to Axon by the end of 2025," Koch said. The department confirmed the new system will not eliminate any officer positions. "We have a lot of demands for our time, and finding the resources to meet those demands in a timely manner is very, very difficult to do," Koch said. "This is about making the personnel that we have currently more efficient." For a demo video on how the AI report writing system works and links to relevant policies regarding body-worn camera usage and report writing, visit the department's website. LOS ANGELES (KTLA) Six people, including one suspect, were injured when gunfire erupted in the Westlake neighborhood of Los Angeles and detectives are asking for the publics help in locating two additional persons of interest. The violence unfolded at around 1 a.m. Jan. 22 in the 600 block of South Alvarado Street, according to a news release from the Los Angeles Police Department. Detectives said the gunman walked up to a group of people and opened fire, striking five of them before also being hit by gunfire as well. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Medical personnel with the Los Angeles Fire Department responded to the scene and rushed three of the victims to the hospital in stable condition. Three others, including the gunman, were also taken to the hospital in critical but stable condition. A Los Angeles Police Department patrol cruiser seen in this undated file photo. (OnScene.TV) As investigators gathered evidence and questioned witnesses and victims, they determined that there were two additional shooters during the incident that they are attempting to locate. Man, 52, arrested in a string of nearly 10 Southern California robberies It is unknown at this time if they were shooting at each other or if the gunfire was directed only toward the victims, the release noted. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Authorities said the identity of the suspect in custody is being withheld pending the investigation. In a statement, L.A. Police Chief Jim McDonnell said that extra patrols would focus on the Westlake neighborhood where the violence broke out. Today, the Mayor and I are surging resources to this area to enforce a Zero Tolerance policy on crime if you break the law, you will be arrested, the statement read. Please know that my top priority is keeping you safe, and I will continue to hold anyone who threatens your sense of security accountable. Anyone with information about this investigation is asked to contact LAPDs Rampart Area detectives at 213-484-3660. 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. 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. HARRISBURG, Pa. (WHTM) A man charged in a Harrisburg homicide last year where a former Steelton-Highspire School District student was shot and killed was taken into custody on Thursday by police in Minnesota. Rashad Neal, 30, barricaded himself in his home when officers in Minnesota were trying to arrest him but he was eventually taken into custody, according to a news release from Harrisburg police. A firearm was also found in the home. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to police, Neal was wanted for the fatal shooting of Antoine Byers, 17, on Aug. 12 along the 1700 block of Regina Street. He is accused of grabbing a gun from a vehicle that he was in and shooting Byers. Police activity on Regina Street Kindergarten teacher accused of assaulting Harrisburg student who wanted to use bathroom Byers was shooting at a friend of the group Neal was with when they arrived in the area, charging documents show. Video, witnesses, and cell phone records helped police identify Neal as the alleged shooter. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now WHTM Daily Digest Neal is charged with multiple felony firearm charges, as well as theft and fleeing charges. 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. PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (AP) The money materialized as soon as Colombias president confirmed his visit to southern Haiti. The Haitian government invested more than $3.8 million to more than double the runway at the airport in the coastal city of Jacmel, repair its streets, renovate its town hall and restore electricity to a population living in the dark for at least three years. The speed at which the money materialized and crews overhauled the city left many Haitians stunned in a country whose infrastructure is crumbling and where gang violence has displaced more than one million people. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The government doesnt have money to remove us from the camp or provide security in the country, but it does have 500 million gourdes to spend on itself for a couple of days? wondered Antoine Jean-Baptiste. The 44-year-old unemployed electrician lives in a makeshift shelter like thousands of other Haitians in the capital of Port-au-Prince after gangs razed their neighborhoods. He questioned how much the government spent to fly to Jacmel since driving there is too dangerous because gangs control the main roads leading in and out of Port-au-Prince. They cant pay teachers. Hospitals are closed. Was it necessary to spend all that money for a president that was visiting? Baptiste asked. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On Wednesday evening, Colombian President Gustavo Petro landed on the extended runway and was greeted with a red carpet, armed soldiers and dozens of small Colombian flags flying above the streets that he traveled through to meet with Haitian officials at an upscale hotel. His visit lasted about four hours. Alfred Metellus, Haitis new minister of economy and finance, said the extended runway would help boost Jacmels economy as he announced the investment during a press conference on Tuesday. He said Jacmels prison also is being renovated, and that customers are returning to hotels in an area that once thrived with tourists. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement About a week ago, there was zero activity, he said. We see theres a possibility to make Haiti rise again. But those living in Port-au-Prince and other cities and towns wonder when its their turn to see an investment, and why Haitians arent a priority. The 500 million gourdes could have been useful for providing security, reinforcing the army and recruiting more young, devoted Haitians to serve the country, not for a lousy visit of a president that has his own problems, said Mario Jean-Pierre, 40, who lives in a makeshift shelter after losing his home to gangs. Our kids cant go to school, were not working, families cant eat and were not getting basic necessities to survive here. In Jacmel, some celebrated the investment with caution, especially the return of electricity. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Wood-jerry Gabriel, a multimedia journalist who lives in Jacmel, said residents had been without power for three to five years, and that not everyone saw their electricity restored. He said roads also were paved, the town hall painted and a nearby park decorated and cleaned. It was just showbusiness, he said. Im not confident its going to last. Some also noted that not everyone in Jacmel benefitted from the investment. Former local legislator Wilner Content told Le Nouvelliste newspaper that the citys cleaning staff have not been paid for months. What kind of government is this? said Jean-Baptiste, who used to work in downtown Port-au-Prince until his company shut down because of violence. They cant even take care of their own people, but they want to look good in front of other governments. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Jean-Pierre echoed that anger. He used to drive a small colorful bus known as a tap-tap, but the owner of it fled for the Dominican Republic to escape gang violence and he was left without a job. Jean-Pierre questioned when things would change for him and other Haitians struggling to live in a country where more than 5,600 people were killed last year. Cant wait for something real to happen, he said. ___ Associated Press reporter Danica Coto in San Juan, Puerto Rico contributed. MANHATTAN (KSNT) City officials in Manhattan made a big decision Tuesday to approve $20 million in bonds for a new privately-owned hotel. Manhattan city commissioners voted unanimously in approval of two items during their meeting on Jan. 21 related to the construction of a new 105-room Hampton Inn by Hilton in the Aggieville area. T.J. Vilkanskas, Back Nine Development president, was also in attendance and gave a detailed presentation of what the new hotel would mean for the Little Apple prior to commissioners voting on the topic. Commissioners gave their unanimous approval to the following agenda items: A second amendment to the development agreement with Midtown Land Company, LLC for the Midtown Phase 1 site (12th Street and Laramie Street). Resolution No. 012125-D which authorizes the issuance of Industrial Revenue Bonds amounting to $20 million for the purpose of realizing a sales tax exemption on construction materials. Kansas named best state to drive in nationwide: study Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Vilkanskas told commissioners the new hotel will provide many benefits to the city such as the accumulation of $5 million for the Aggieville Tax Increment Financing (TIF) district to help fund infrastructure improvements until the TIF expires in 2038. The hotel is also projected to generate around $4.9 million in transient guest tax revenue during the TIF period and contribute substantially to property tax for the city after 2038. At the end of the day, we thought that the hotel was the only thing that made sense to move this project forward but I did want to go on record saying that this was not the only thing we were doing, Vilkanskas said. This was not the only thing that we tried. We did look at a lot of other options and those options simply we could not make work. City commissioners had to approve a second amendment for the hotel on Tuesday to allow for the projects space, located near the intersection of Laramie Street and North 12th Street, to be switched to a private project site. Initial plans for the area included the construction of a multi-purpose structure with mostly office space. However, with the new amendment approved, this area is instead cleared for the creation of a 105-room hotel with a 100-stall parking garage. Vilkanskas and Back Nine Development have completed other projects in Manhattan such as the reimagining of the crumbling Royal Towers Apartment complex. His company helped transform the apartments into luxury condos in 2024. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Kansas non-citizens under scrutiny with new drivers license bill You can read through a presentation on the hotel by checking out the document below. To watch the full City of Manhattan commission meeting from Jan. 22, click here. 3.MidtownPresentation-OtherDocs by Matthew Self on Scribd 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 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 KSNT 27 News. One of Donald Trumps biggest media allies, Sean Hannity, flipped the script Wednesday night and probed the President over his decision to release Jan. 6. rioters who were convicted of assaulting police officers. On the first day of his second term in the White House, Trump signed a controversial executive order to quash convictions picked up by a whole host of questionable characters. Among the 1,500 or so convictions pardoned or commuted, there were around 600 accused of assaulting, resisting or impeding police as rioters surged towards the Capitol building. Judges in Washington, D.C. began dismissing the remaining cases against Capitol rioters on Wednesday. / Brent Stirton / Getty Images However, in his first one-on-one interview since returning to the White House, Trump told his old pal that these were just minor incidents. Sitting in the Oval Office, Hannity noted that Trump campaigned on a message of releasing Jan. 6. rioters, but he asked why that extended to those who attacked police officers, something that Republicans would usually treat with zero tolerance. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The only criticism or pushback Ive seen is about people that were convicted or involved in incidents where they were violent with police. Why did they get a pardon? Hannity asked. Trump said in response that the offenders had served their time. A number of reasons. Number one, they were in there for three-and-a-half years, a long time, and many in solitary confinement, treated like nobodys ever been treated. Treated so badly, he claimed. They were treated like the worst criminals in history, and you know what they were there for? They were protesting the vote because they knew the election was rigged and they were protesting the vote, and they should be allowed to protest the vote. You should be allowed to. In an unusual move, Hannity contradicted the president. He interrupted, saying: But shouldnt be able to invade the Capitol. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump continued, saying forgetting about all that. Most of the people were absolutely innocent. Okay, but forgetting all about that, these people have served horribly, a long time. It would be very, very cumbersome to go and look You know how many people were talking about? 1,500 people," he said. President @realDonaldTrumps first interview in the Oval Office with @seanhannity Tune in to Fox News tonight at 9PM ET! pic.twitter.com/O0Fi04Hojk Margo Martin (@margomartin) January 22, 2025 He then claimed that some of the incidents involving police were very minor, before rambling about CNN and murderers allegedly running lose in Philadelphia and Los Angeles. The other thing is this. Some of those people with the police, true, but they were very minor incidents, okay? You know, they get built up by that couple of fake guys that are on CNN all the time. They were very minor incidents and it was time. You have murderers in Philadelphia, you have murderers in Los Angeles that dont even get any time, he said. He then rolled out one of his old favorites, calling the whole thing a hoax. This was a political hoax, and you know what? Those people, and Im not saying in every single case, but there was a lot of patriotism with those people. A lot of patriotism, he said, before Hannity segued onto Joe Biden. Former Washington, D.C., police officer Michael Fanone, was likely one of the fake guys Trump targeted in his diatribe. Daniel Rodriguez pleaded guilty to using a stun gun and plunging it multiple times into Fanones neck. Fanone said he feared he would die that day, he has been a vocal critic of Trump and his rhetoric around the Capitol riots. He said he felt like he had a target on my back placed there by the Trump Administration. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Another of the people pardoned by Trump was Julian Khater, a man convicted of assaulting police officers including Brian Sicknick, who had two strokes and died a day after he was pepper sprayed at the insurrection. The medical examiner said he died of natural causes, but stated all that transpired played a role in his condition. His family have called the Presidents decision a betrayal of decency. Sicknicks brother Craig said Trump is a poor excuse of a man. Senator Cory Booker, who attended Trumps inauguration, said the move was unacceptable. Khater had been sentenced to over six years. Their family would be alive today. The person who was literally seen on camera beating Brian Sicknick has just been pardoned by this President, thats unacceptable to me, Booker said. Brian Sicknick died a day after the Capitol riots. / Brian Sicknick / Public Domain Florida man Daniel Ball was charged in May 2023 with 12 counts tied to the infamous day. Ball, who was pardoned by Trump earlier this week, had violently pushed against police officers at the Lower West Terrace entrance before lobbing an explosive device inside, according to an FBI affidavit. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Perhaps most shockingly, 14 people all linked to the Oath Keepers and Proud Boys extremist groups received commutations. Their felonies will stand, but the President gave the go ahead to their release from prison. Officers described injuries like cracked ribs, traumatic brain injuries, smashed spinal discs and a heart attack, according to NPR. Colorado authorities have identified the remains of a John Doe as a man who disappeared more than two years ago. Santino Cardella, 22, was reported missing in April 2022, with the Colorado Springs Police Department saying foul play may have been involved. In 2024, Colorado Springs police were tipped off about possible remains in nearby Pueblo, Colo., in connection with the investigation. The remains have been determined to be Cardellas, the department said in a statement this week. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Cardellas disappearance may have been linked to a suspect in three other murders, Colorado Springs detective Nicole Black said in 2022, according to the Colorado Springs Gazette. Only one of those accusations has resulted in a conviction: in August, Deka Simmons was convicted of first degree murder for the 2022 killing of Daxcimo Ceja. Simmons was charged in Ceja's murder in April 2022, the same time as Cardellas disappearance. Ceja's body was found in a suitcase within a culvert in October 2023; prosecutors said Simmons killed Ceja in a garage after learning he had a relationship with a minor when he was an adult. A representative with the Colorado Springs police declined to comment on allegations of Simmons being potentially linked to Cardellas killing, citing the ongoing investigation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Related: Colo. Woman Sentenced for Killing Man She Claimed Was Sex Offender: 'Unrestrained Hatred' 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 defense attorney who represented Simmons in her trial for Ceja's murder did not immediately respond to PEOPLE's request for comment. Cardella's cause of death has not yet been determined, but Colorado Springs police said they are treating it as a homicide. Anyone with information or who was a witness to this incident is urged to call the Colorado Springs Police Department at (719) 444-7000. Those wishing to remain anonymous may call the Crime Stoppers Tip Line at (719) 634-STOP (7867) or 1-800-222-8477. Read the original article on People The Hard Rock Cafe will close its River North location March 29 after nearly four decades in business, the company confirmed. Hard Rock has enjoyed serving the Windy City community for nearly 40 years and playing a role in the citys celebrated dining culture, the cafes parent company, Hard Rock International, said in a statement. We are so grateful to our incredible team members, community partners and fans for their support and memories all this time. The restaurant, at 63 W. Ontario St., opened in 1986 and is marked by a giant neon guitar sign and features rock memorabilia on its walls. In a review at the time, a Tribune writer described the cafe as a family restaurant serving up good, honest, filling American fair, including burgers and barbecued ribs. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Definitely not a pick-up joint, this restaurant has a safe feeling that makes it comfortable for unescorted single women, the Tribune reviewer wrote. The closing of the restaurant that was once a popular tourist destination was first reported by Axios. In a notification to the state as required by Illinois law, Hard Rock International reported 55 planned layoffs to begin at the end of March. The company said Chicago employees who were laid off can apply to other positions with the company and that it would provide employees with outplacement support and resources. Hard Rock said it has a total of 319 locations in more than 70 countries. Rockford and northern Indiana are among those locations. Jan. 22A man and woman from Athens were arrested Tuesday and charged with stealing more than $500 worth of merchandise from Walmart Supercenter in Hartselle, according to the Hartselle Police Department. Corey Denezel Watkins, 33, and Kristine Faye Wolfe, 43, are each charged with second-degree retail theft, a Class C felony, and remained in the Morgan County Jail on Wednesday in lieu of $2,500 bonds, jail records showed. "Wolfe and Watkins worked together to distract store personnel and exit the store with a cart full of items without paying," Hartselle police said. The theft occurred at 1201 U.S. 31 S.W., according to an investigator's affidavit. Hartselle police said Wolfe and Watkins were arrested by Huntsville police less than five hours later and transported to Morgan County. david.gambino@decaturdaily.com or 256-340-2438. A Mr. Potato Head sits outside Hasbro Inc's headquarters on Newport Avenue in Pawtucket. (Photo by Alexander Castro/Rhode Island Current) While Gov. Dan McKee pledged to not raise taxes during his 2025 State of the State address, a crowd of progressive advocates gathered a floor below him rallied for higher taxes on the states top earners. The perennial push to bring a millionaires tax to Rhode Island got off to an earlier and more fiery beginning than usual this year. Not surprising, given whats at stake on both sides of the debate. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement To proponents, the tax policy offers a crucial way to boost state revenues, staving off cuts to social services, public transit and health care amid projections of a $223 million structural deficit for the fiscal year that starts July 1. Legislation proposing an extra tax on the top 1% of state earners is slated to be introduced in both chambers this week. Equally stalwart in their opposition, naysayers insist the tax will cause employers and wealthy residents to seek tax-friendlier pastures. Including Hasbro Inc. The Pawtucket-based toy and gaming empire is considering a move to Massachusetts, citing the stronger talent pool and access to amenities that Rhode Island lacks. The absence of a millionaires tax, though, is one way the Ocean State can still compete against its northern neighbor, which began a 4% surtax on income over $1 million in 2023. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its a competitive advantage, House Speaker K. Joseph Shekarchi said, speaking to reporters after Gov. Dan McKees State of the State address on Jan. 14. I think the governor is using that to keep Hasbro and the Hasbro workers in Rhode Island. Hasbro did not return multiple inquiries for comment. Company executives have never mentioned state income taxes in publicly released emails or investors calls regarding potential relocation plans. But its clear to Laurie White that the companys calculus on whether to stay or go hinges on costs associated with doing business including income taxes. Its about two things: access to talent and the cost structure, White, president of the Greater Providence Chamber of Commerce, said in an interview. We cant compete one-to-one with Massachusetts on the talent basis. But on taxes, thats a consideration. A sign directing residents to where they can pay tax bills is seen within Providence City Hall. (Photo by Alexander Castro/Rhode Island Current) Rhode Island lacks the appeal of states like New Hampshire or Florida, which dont tax personal income at all. But it managed to edge out Massachusetts for the first time in a decade last year, in a ranking of state business tax climates by the Tax Foundation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Rhode Island ranked 41st among states with the most business-friendly tax policies, while Massachusetts fell to 46th. The report cited Massachusetts millionaires tax as a key reason for its lower ranking compared with past years. We do not want to lose that momentum, Olivia DaRocha, a spokesperson for McKee, said in an email. She also raised an oft-cited argument among opponents of wealth taxes: that states that raise taxes see their top-earners move elsewhere. A separate Jan. 7 analysis by the Tax Foundation linked lower state income taxes to where people moved within the United States in fiscal year 2024. The Commonwealth saw the sixth-largest net loss in residents in fiscal 2024, losing 0.39% of its population, based on an analysis of U.S. Census Bureau data. Rhode Islands population shrank ever-so-slightly, down 0.03%, according to the report. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Rhode Island should learn a lesson from its neighbor to the north about targeting residents incomes, Katherine Loughead, senior policy analyst and research manager for the Tax Foundation, said in an interview. Rhode Island is already trending in the wrong direction. Outbound migration could be expected to get considerably worse if Rhode Island was to adopt a significant tax increase. Not so, according to Alan Krinsky, director of research and fiscal policy for The Economic Progress Institute, which has supported a Rhode Island millionaires tax. Ahead of a forthcoming Institute research paper on the tax migration myth, Krinsky poked holes in the Tax Foundations analysis. For one thing, Massachusetts was already losing residents at a similar clip even before voters approved the millionaires tax. Also noteworthy to Krinsky are the sizes of population swings, which range from 0.65% loss in Hawaii to 1.26% gain in South Carolina. Thats hardly a mass exodus, Krinsky said. A new Tax Foundation analysis linked state income tax rates to where people moved in fiscal year 2024. (Courtesy of the Tax Foundation) Meanwhile, other studies suggest taxes hold little sway over where people move. New York saw the number of millionaire households increase by 17,500 from 2020 to 2022, despite imposing a higher tax on income over $1.1 million during that time period, according to a December 2023 report by the Fiscal Policy Institute. Residents who earned over $850,000 a year were less likely to move out of state than people in lower-income brackets, the report found. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Loughead acknowledged that taxes are just one factor in a complex decision of where to move: Cost of living, particularly housing costs, also plays an important role. New England overall has seen its population decline because of a higher median age and migration to southern states. Fiscal and policy experts largely agree its too early to draw conclusions from Massachusetts tax on millionaires. Initial state estimates predicted a $2.2 billion revenue boost from the surtax in fiscal 2024. The Massachusetts Department of Revenue projected $2.4 billion revenue from the tax in fiscal 2026 budget projections, according to news reports. Less abstract than future forecasts about revenue and population are the financial woes facing the Rhode Island Public Transit Authority, hospitals, and social services. All the more reason, Krinsky said, to consider a surtax on top earners. Rep. Karen Alzate, a Pawtucket Democrat, plans to introduce legislation this week calling for a 3% surtax on the top 1% of state earners. Preliminary number-crunching suggests that, if approved, the tax would bring in $190 million in revenue per year, affecting residents with net taxable income of $650,000 or more. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Alzate, who introduced similar, though not identical legislation last year, hoped the looming budget deficit might make previous critics take a fresh look at her proposal. This is the year to do it, she said. We are facing a real deficit and we cannot afford to cut social services and education. McKees initial fiscal 2026 spending plan did not include higher taxes on top earners. Senate President Dominick Ruggerio has already signaled his opposition. Shekarchi pledged to remain open to all ideas. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX NEW HAVEN, Conn. (WTNH) A New Haven man was sentenced to five years in federal prison on Wednesday for possessing a gun while on supervised release, according to the Department of Justice. Police arrest New Haven man wanted on multiple warrants Shaquil Gary, 31, threw a handgun on the street while running away from pursuing officers in April 2022. He was on supervised release at the time after serving eight years in prison for an armed robbery charge in 2016. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Gary pleaded guilty to unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon 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 WTNH.com. BOSTON, Mass. (WTNH) A New Haven man was sentenced Wednesday to four years in prison for his role in a bank robbery on Marthas Vineyard two years ago, according to the Department of Justice. Romane Andre Clayton, 22, was sentenced by a federal judge in Boston. His time in prison is set to be followed by three years of supervised release. Hartford police: Boy shot after snowball hit car Clayton pleaded guilty in September to one count of aiding and abetting bank robbery. He was indicted by a federal grand jury in March of 2023 and a superseding indictment was filed that April. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The charges stem from November of 2022, when Justice Department officials say Clayton met Omar Johnson, Tevin Porter and Miquel Jones in Marthas Vineyard to plan a bank robbery. The suspects wore masks resembling elderly men with exaggerated features when they stole roughly $39,100 from the vault at Rockland Trust Bank in Tisbury. Clayton served as lookout during the robbery, using a walkie talkie to communicate with the others inside the bank, officials said. Reward offered after dead puppies found in Bridgeport The other suspects forced their way into the rear door of the bank as employees arrived for the day, threatening the workers with two semi-automatic handguns. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Once inside, officials said one of them held a gun to the head of the employees while forcing them to open the banks vault. The employees were bound with duct tape and plastic zip ties while their belongings were searched and the suspects demanded access to one of their vehicles, which they fled in. Authorities later recovered the firearms and equipment used in the robbery- which were buried in a hole in the ground- and the money, which was hidden under one of the suspects bedroom bureau. According to the Department of Justice, in December, Jones was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison to be followed by three years of supervised release. Johnson and Porter have pleaded guilty and their sentencings are pending. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. Jan. 22Pastors, community leaders and private citizens gathered for the annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Prayer Breakfast at the Lambuth Inn, Lake Junaluska, on Monday, hours before a Presidential inauguration set to dramatically alter the course of politics in this country. While the focus of much of the nation was on politics, their emphasis was on the power of love to change the world. "We're celebrating the life and legacy of Dr. King. I think the greatest lesson he wanted to teach us is the transformative power of love. And that's what we strive to do. We also want to provide racial, social, and economic justice to this county," said Tammy McDowell, Chair of the MLK Committee. The Haywood County MLK Committee holds the annual event, now well into its fourth decade, usually on the MLK Jr. holiday. The breakfast features speakers, prayers, music, and fellowship. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "By continuing to do this year after year, it reminds us over and over again what the dream was really about," McDowell reflected. "I wish it wasn't just once a year. I wish that we could do more, more often. Because people get caught up in all different kinds of things. But at the root of everything is, we have to love each other, we have to respect each other. And that needs to be a reminder more than just once a year." After a hearty breakfast, the event kicked off with an opening prayer by Todd Alston. The Haywood native was taking on a new responsibility. A talented vocalist, Alston sang at the inaugural prayer breakfast when he was just a child. This year, he was the Master of Ceremonies, a task he handled with aplomb. "For me, this event was a staple as a youth," Alston said. "I'm thinking of the many pastors and preachers that were here, the many people that have emceed this event, and now I get to join that list. And it is special to see the vision of Dr. King. There's still a pursuit for it. The pursuit hasn't ended, it hasn't stopped. So it always feels good to see the continued efforts." Following some business, Carol Eggleston explained the Eggleston-Osborne Scholarship, a $1,000 college scholarship eligible for any Haywood County student with a 3.0 GPA. The scholarship was named in honor of Willbur Eggleston and Elsie Osborne, two longtime Black Haywood County educators who combated segregation and discrimination over the course of their careers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The morning proceeded with a series of prayers interspersed with MLK quotes. Rev. William Hamilton, pastor at New Vision Baptist Church in Asheville, performed inspiring music. Prayers were offered by Blake Hart, executive director of Haywood Christian Ministries, Dr. Shelley White, president of Haywood Community College, and Zeb Smathers, mayor of Canton, among others. "Forgive us God, the belief in the lie that there is not enough to go around," Hart prayed. Later, current Eggleston-Osborne Scholarship recipient Keona Coleman stood to read an MLK quote on the transformative power of education. Reverend Tami Forte Logan delivered the keynote address. The speech began by acknowledging that the room of social justice advocates and activists might not be pleased with the results of the recent presidential election, noting feelings of fear and uncertainty. Logan encouraged the crowd to put their trust in a higher power. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The reverend then turned to an examination of MLK's later life, contrasting the soaring hope of King's "I Have a Dream" speech with the more grounded focus of his later activism "racism, excessive materialism, and militarism," as Logan put it. The prayer breakfast was part of a three-day celebration that included a march and a commemorative service at Pleasant Grove Baptist Church in Canton. "By continuing to do this year after year, it reminds us over and over again what the dream was really about. I wish it wasn't just once a year. I wish that we could do more, more often. Because people get caught up in all different kinds of things," McDowell reflected. "But at the root of everything is, we have to love each other, we have to respect each other. And that needs to be a reminder more than just once a year." NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) After two were killed in a shooting at Antioch High School, the community is coming together to pray and try to heal. The Antioch Community Healing Gathering is planned for 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 22, at the Hamilton United Methodist Church, according to Metro Councilmember At-Large Delishia Porterfield announced on Facebook. She and Councilmember Deonte Harrell, who represents a portion of Antioch, have partnered with the church and United Family Fellowship to offer those in the community a place to heal together. Antioch High School Shooting | Continuing Coverage Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement With the news, we see this, but when it happens right here, that hurts so much more deeply, Harrell said at the event. No parent should have to send their child off to school and worry about if theyre going to come home. (Courtesy: Metro Council At-Large Delishia Porterfield) The gathering was called in response to the shooting that took place Wednesday morning, claiming the life of 16-year-old Josselin Excalante. The shooter, identified as 17-year-old Solomon Henderson, also died. Police said he shot himself in the head. Its sad that we have to come together under these pretenses, butI see so many people that care so much, Melissa Alvarez with the Tennessee Hispanic Action Network said at the event. Im sorry to everybody. I am also a mother to three kids in Metro schools. Its scary. Leaders from multiple faith communities also spoke at the vigil, including Reverend Rachel Booker, who led a moment of silence, as did parents affected by the Covenant School shooting in 2023. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement TN lawmakers react to Antioch High School shooting Porterfield said her heart goes out to the victims, their families, and all those affected by this senseless act, in a statement issued on her official Facebook page. It always feels like were not doing enough, but I promise you that as a city, were doing everything we can to try to make sure that these tragedies do not continue to happen, Porterfield said at the event. And it is only when we come together as a community, when we lift each other up, when we hold hands, when we pray togetherthat we acknowledge that we are stronger together and we are better together. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. Signage stands outside the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention headquarters in Atlanta on March 14, 2020. Credit - Elijah Nouvelage/BloombergGetty Images With respiratory-disease season in full swing and a bird flu outbreak rapidly evolving, the new Trump Administration has ordered federal health agencies to secure White House approval before communicating with the public. As the new Administration considers its plan for managing the federal policy and public communications processes, it is important that the Presidents appointees and designees have the opportunity to review and approve any regulations, guidance documents, and other public documents and communications (including social media), through Feb. 1, reads a Jan. 21 memo sent by Department of Health and Human Services officials and reviewed by TIME. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and the National Institutes of Health (NIH) are all housed within HHS. These agencies regularly publish reports, research, and guidance that shape public response to both chronic and acute health threats, ranging from tobacco to infectious and food-borne disease. CDC is the health warning system of the United States, says Katelyn Jetelina, an epidemiologist who has been a communications adviser to the CDC but was not speaking on behalf of the agency. Any policy that slows that warning system, she says, could make CDCs job incredibly chaotic. Behind the scenes, staff at federal health agencies are scrambling to understand what the directive means for their work, says a person with firsthand knowledge of the discussions, who asked not to be identified due to the political sensitivity of the situation. Theyre gaining clarity in real time, they say. The directive does not constitute a full freeze on public communication, suggests the Jan. 21 memo, but rather requires pre-publication review of documents, press releases, website updates, social media posts, and other public communications. Such a policy is not totally unprecedented. In 2017, the first Trump Administration issued a similar communications pause for agencies including the Environmental Protection Agency, the Department of Agriculture, and the Department of the Interior. And both the Trump and Biden White Houses vetted communications related to COVID-19 at various points in the pandemic. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Mitch Zeller, who was director of the FDAs Center for Tobacco Products from 2013 to 2022, says it is not unusual for an incoming administration to issue a temporary pause on publications. They want to get up to speed on stuff that would otherwise be coming out before theyve all even gotten their IDs laminated, Zeller says. It is less standardand more concerningfor the White House to request review of scientific documents, he says. During his tenure with the FDA, White House communications staff were almost never involved in agency announcements unless it was an extremely high-profile, once-in-a-decade kind of announcement, Zeller says. HHS has its own challenging system for getting materials approved, Zeller says. Adding an extra layer of review, he says, could create a bottleneck in agencies communications, which are potentially time-sensitive. Already, the policy has reportedly delayed CDC reports on bird flu, according to the Washington Post. (The memo reviewed by TIME notes that agency personnel can notify HHS executives if they believe a document or communication should be exempt from the policy for reasons including affect[ing] critical health, safety, environmental, financial, or national security functions of the Department.) Further, I dont trust the incoming administration on issues like this, says Zeller, who worked at the FDA during the first Trump Administration. They have come in with an anti-regulatory, anti-science agenda. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the vaccine skeptic who Trump has tapped to lead HHS, has repeatedly said he will spearhead dramatic changes within federal health agencies if he is confirmed. (Kennedy's confirmation hearing is unlikely to happen before February, Bloomberg reports.) These changes potentially include clearing out entire departments at the FDA, limiting the CDCs ability to create and disseminate vaccination guidance, and redirecting NIH research funding to topics related to preventive, alternative, and holistic health. A day before the communications memo was circulated, Trump also signed an executive order withdrawing the U.S. from the World Health Organization, a move that experts say makes the U.S. more susceptible to public-health threats. The White House office that handles pandemic preparedness is also expected to dramatically shrink under the Trump Administration. Lawrence Gostin, director of Georgetown Universitys ONeill Institute for National and Global Health Law, views the communications directive, however short-lived, as another assault on American health. The White House has no expertise in science and health and medicine, Gostin says. Why would I want to know what they think more than I would want to know what a top public-health scientist thinks? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement HHS representatives did not respond to TIMEs requests for comment before press time. However, according to the memo, The Presidents appointees intend to review documents and communications expeditiously and return to a more regular process as soon as possible. Write to Jamie Ducharme at jamie.ducharme@time.com. A New York healthcare executive has been indicted on multiple felony charges after being accused of repeatedly buying child sexual abuse material, authorities said. On Thursday, Jan. 23, Jacob Israel Walden, 38, was arraigned at the federal courthouse in Central Islip on six counts, including sexual exploitation of children, receipt of child pornography, possession of child pornography and access with intent to view child pornography, according to a press release from the U.S. Attorneys Office for the Eastern District of New York. Walden, identified by prosecutors as a healthcare executive and Long Island resident, allegedly was a repeat purchaser of child sexual abuse material (CSAM) from a large-scale production and distribution ring, the release states. Prosecutors said the ring advertised, sold and distributed the CSAM to adult men. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Prosecutors allege Walden used social media and other messaging services to talk with minors and coerce them to send sexually explicit content for money. In some of the conversations, Walden allegedly insisted that he be addressed as daddy and paid them electronically, per the release. A letter from prosecutors to the judge dated Jan. 13 and obtained by PEOPLE, states the investigation began in September 2023. During the investigation, law enforcement also identified at least 11 minor female victims, ages 14 to 17 years old, whom Walden contacted, paid, and enticed or attempted to entice to produce CSAM via social media from at least 2020 to 2024, prosecutors claim in the document. Walden is also accused of buying CSAM from others online and investigators claim they recovered numerous images and videos of the sexually explicit material from his iPhone, according to the release. 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. Walden was arrested on a complaint on July 31, 2024, prosecutors said. A judge on Thursday ordered Walden be detained pending trial. Its unclear if he has entered a plea and his attorney did not immediately return PEOPLEs request for comment. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If convicted, Walden faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in prison and up to 30 years in prison, prosecutors said. 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 Pete Hegseth , President Donald Trump s pick to lead the Pentagon, admitted to paying $50,000 to a woman who accused him of sexual assault in 2017, according to answers provided as part of his confirmation process and obtained by The Associated Press . Hegseth confirmed the payment in his answers to Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren, who had additional questions for him under the vetting process. The revelation came just hours after Hegseth inched closer to securing the Secretary of Defense job, following the Senates advancement of his nomination. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A 22-page police report that surfaced last year detailed a womans allegations that Hegseth sexually assaulted her in a California hotel room in 2017. Hegseth told police at the time that the incident was consensual. He was not charged. Hegseths lawyer Timothy Parlatore previously said his client paid the woman a settlement, but the attorney declined to comment on the $50,000 figure reported by the AP on Thursday. According to the police report on the 2017 encounter, the woman and Hegseth were both at the Hyatt Hotel in Monterey to attend a meeting of the California Federation of Republican Women. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Both of them went to the after-party, where the woman said she called out Hegseth for his inappropriate behavior around women. The woman believed that something had been slipped into her drink because her fuzzy memory made it difficult to recall how she ended up with Hegseth in a hotel room, where the assault allegedly occurred. In Hegseths version of events, he met the woman at a bar and she led him back to his hotel room, where they supposedly had a consensual sexual encounter. Hegseth told police at the time that he asked the woman repeatedly if she was comfortable. He also said he told her they could stop if she did not want to keep going without a condom. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The former Fox News personality has been embroiled in controversy since Trump nominated him as Secretary of Defense. Hegseth has been accused of having an alcohol abuse problem and making his second wife fear for her safety. He was also hammered on his infidelity at his confirmation hearing. Despite the numerous allegations, senators voted 51-49 to advance Hegseth to a final confirmation vote, which is scheduled for Friday. All Democrats voted against the nominee, along with Republican Sens. Lisa Murkowski and Susan Collins, who were the only Republicans to break from Trump. Since Mr. Hegseths nomination last November, I have met with him and carefully reviewed his writings, various reports, and other pertinent materials. I closely followed his hearing before the Senate Armed Services Committee and gathered substantial feedback from organizations, Sen. Lisa Murkowski (@lisamurkowski) January 23, 2025 The leader of the Department of Defense must demonstrate and model the standards of behavior and character we expect of all service members, and Mr. Hegseths nomination to the role poses significant concerns that I cannot overlook, Murkowski said. Left-wing activists have projected a giant image of Elon Musk doing a gesture that has been likened to a Nazi salute alongside the word heil on to Teslas Berlin factory. Germanys Centre for Political Beauty and the UK group Led By Donkeys beamed a photo of Mr Musk with his arm outstretched, which he did at a Trump rally on Monday night, on to the nine-metre-high building on Wednesday night. They also projected the words heil and boycott alongside the large Tesla logo, as if to read heil Tesla or boycott Tesla. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The activists projected a video showing Mr Musks tweets in support of Germanys far-Right Alternative fur Deutschland party. Only the AfD can save Germany https://t.co/Afu0ea1Fvt Elon Musk (@elonmusk) December 20, 2024 Mr Musk has faced criticism both inside Germany and beyond for Monday nights salute, in which he twice slapped his chest before raising his outstretched arm into the air. The Jerusalem Post asked, did Elon Musk Sieg Heil at Trumps inauguration? while Haaretz, another Israeli newspaper, described Mr Musk as having performed a Roman salute, a fascist salute most commonly associated with Nazi Germany. Sawyer Hackett, a Democratic strategist, said: Our new co-president Elon Musk gives a Nazi salute on day one of the Trump presidency. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Olaf Scholz, the German chancellor, said this week: Everyone can say what he wants even if he is a billionaire. What we do not accept is if this is supporting extreme Right positions. Mr Musk has criticised media outlets for reporting that the gesture has been likened to a Nazi salute. Awkward gesture The Anti-Defamation League (ADL), which campaigns against anti-Semitism, put out a statement claiming Mr Musk made an awkward gesture ... not a Nazi salute. A spokesman for the Centre for Political Beauty said the groups had projected the image for around an hour and that police had not intervened since we are still not in Elon Musks dream state. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The group posted a video of the stunt and photos showing the protesters projecting the image, and wrote: Theres more to come, I promise. Local police had initially told German media that the picture appeared to be a fake and that they had had no reports from the plants security but later said they were assessing the images veracity. Led By Donkeys, a Left-wing group that first attracted attention for anti-Brexit posters and mocked-up tweets by political leaders, has also projected images on Teslas European headquarters in Amsterdam showing his support for Mr Trump. The Tesla factory in Germany, one of the biggest foreign investments in German manufacturing in years and the companys only European plant, has frequently been the site of protests. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hundreds of protesters broke through police lines to reach the gates of the factory last year in protest over expansion plans. The factory was also briefly shut by an arson attack in March. The expansion proposals, which involve cutting down half a million trees, were opposed by a referendum of locals but have since been approved. Tesla was 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. At first glance it appears to be a somewhat ordinary black and white photograph of Noel Gallagher. But when the National Portrait Gallery acquired Zoe Laws image of the Oasis star in September 2024 it was announced with great fanfare. Gallagher himself was thrilled and honoured, and even created a six-hour soundscape of Champagne Supernova to be played during the exhibition. Sabina Jaskot-Gill, the senior curator of photographs at the NPG, was absolutely delighted, and Law herself described it as a lasting legacy that all artists dream of. As a former celebrity make-up artist, many of Laws photography subjects are described by her as dear friends. But she also has some other connections which some say may have led to her securing her Legends exhibition, which is currently on view at the NPGs Studio Gallery and Spotlight Space. The Legends exhibition at the National Portrait Gallery - Neil Speakman This week, a controversy erupted at the NPG when it was revealed that Zoe was married to Andrew Law, the chairman and chief executive of Caxton Associates, and that their trust, the Law Family Charitable Foundation (LFCF), was a key donor in the NPGs recent 41.3 million refurbishment. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Although Zoe resigned as a trustee of the Law Family Charitable Foundation in June last year amid her divorce from Andrew, it has still raised allegations of nepotism at the NPG. Law has long had friends in high places. In 2015, she was the chairwoman of the organising committee for the Black and White Ball, the Conservative party fundraiser. Members of the NPGs board include two high-profile figures from the Conservative party: Chris Grayling, the former secretary of state for justice and David Ross, the multimillionaire Tory party donor and friend of Boris Johnson. Nepotism in art has always been there, says David Ellis, a portrait photographer who has shot Liam Gallagher, Amy Winehouse and Nick Cave among others. Photography in particular is often about who you know and fostering those relationships. Look at Brooklyn Beckham getting his own photography exhibition and book and shooting for big fashion brands aged 18. He adds that the fact that Zoes pictures which he describes as entirely unremarkable and bland have their own exhibition in a publicly funded, world-renowned institution like the NPG is infuriating beyond words. Laws black and white photographs feature celebrities, like Noel Gallagher, who she describes as dear friends - Getty The apparent conflict of interest surrounding Zoes exhibition has shone a light on the often murky world of funding for public galleries, and the ethical implications over who institutions accept money from, and how that might affect which artists get shown on their walls. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It is certainly a problematic area, says Melanie Gerlis, editor-at-large of The Art Newspaper. Though with public funding so dismal and private donors increasingly leaving the country, I can see why the boundaries are blurring. Alain Servais, an art collector and arts philanthropist from an investment banking background, agrees. Nobody in the art world likes to talk about money but the truth is that not a single solo exhibition can happen without the support of the artists gallery or a sponsor, he says. There is a dramatic lack of public funding for arts and culture in the UK and across most of the world and when private individuals or companies step in, the risk is that there will be abuse and weaknesses. But Servais says he doesnt think Zoes exhibition is a clear-cut case of nepotism and corruption. The gallery should have been more transparent about the link between the artist and this exhibition and the foundation which has funded it, he says. But in fairness, funding in the art world can sometimes be a very last-minute ad hoc thing. I might get a call two weeks before an exhibition opens saying We need 5,000 to do a catalogue, could you support us? Piergiorgio Pepe, is an art collector and the founder of the consultancy firm Quantum Ethics. He also teaches a course on ethics in the art market at Sciences Po university in Paris. Nepotism and conflicts of interest are frequently tolerated in the arts, whereas in other public-interest sectors like healthcare, energy or transportation they would be frowned upon or even considered illegal, he says. Public institutions have a responsibility to exhibit art that is relevant and important today, not art that simply pleases their donors. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Pepe says that nepotism like the NPG is currently accused of can impact the audiences taste for art. Many exhibitions in public institutions today feature artists represented by powerful commercial galleries that can afford co-funding such large-scale exhibitions, thus manipulating the public perception of artistic significance through financial arrangements, he says. In other words, you no longer see the art that matters but the art that serves the sales interest of commercial galleries. Indeed, a 2015 survey found that nearly one-third of the major solo exhibitions held in US museums featured artists represented by just five galleries. The NPG has been accused of a lack of transparency concerning the link between Zoe Law (pictured above) and the foundation - Zoe Law This isnt the first time that the NPG has had to defend its controversial funding. In 2022, the museum cut ties with oil giant BP after 30 years of sponsorship of its Portrait Award following years of protests by climate activists. The decline in public funding for museums has increased the need for private funding and naturally heightened the risks of taking it, says Stephen Deuchar, a former boss of Tate Britain and former director of the Art Fund. But most museums these days have ethics committees which help them manage these risks carefully, and provided they act responsibly on the basis of all known information at the point of decision about a prospective donation, I dont think there is cause for alarm. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Nicholas Cullinan, who is now the director of the British Museum, was in charge at the NPG when the refurbishment project took place, and sat on the acquisitions group responsible for deciding which works should enter the NPGs collection. Cullinan did not respond to our request for a comment. A spokesperson for the NPG confirmed that Zoe Law: Legends was first discussed back in 2019 and that the Gallerys Ethics Committee were aware of the display. They declined to make public the amount of money the gallery has received from the Law Family Charitable Foundation. They added: Zoe Law: Legends is not an exhibition. It is a display of work across the Gallerys Studio and Spotlight Spaces. The National Portrait Gallery followed our processes as outlined in our Grants and Donations policy, which are designed to ensure due diligence via an appropriately documented process. The Gallerys Ethics Committee were consulted and agreed the donation from The Law Family Charitable Foundation. Zoe Law has not been a Trustee of The Law Family Charitable Foundation since June 2024. A photograph of Sienna Miller is on show at the exhibition - Zoe Law Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But despite ethics committees and rules about bribery, conflict of interest remains common in the art world. In 2006, the Charity Commission ruled that the Tate had broken the law by buying art produced by serving trustees, including a 600,000 work by Chris Ofili. Most major art institutions the NPG included are set up as charities. By law, trustees cannot receive monetary benefit from their charity without express permission. Zoe is believed to have donated her pictures to the NPG and didnt receive a fee. Pepe argues that more education and awareness is needed on ethics in the art sector. Up until now, the focus has been on ethics related to art-making, but not enough on the professional ethics in the sector that address corruption, conflicts of interest, disguised promotion, undue influence and funding, he says. Few educational institutions have proper ethics courses in place for the art sector, with most focusing on law and contracts rather than encouraging critical thinking about the ethical dimensions of projects. Zoe declined our request for an interview, but a friend of hers told The Telegraph: Zoe and Andrew are all too aware of how fortunate they are, and work tirelessly for the causes they care about cancer care, education, the arts... The fact is, several of Britains cultural institutions would be in a sorrier state without them anyone sniping about this exhibition would do well to remember that. Zoe and Andrew Law meeting the then-Duchess of Cornwall during a visit to Maggies cancer care charity in 2020 - Shutterstock Could this controversy just be a storm in a champagne glass? The NPG is just one of many arts institutions funded by the LFCF, including 7.8 million to buy LS Lowrys Going to the Match, for The Lowry arts centre in Salford, and Factory International in Manchester, as well as charities including Speakers For Schools and Place2Be. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The National Portrait Gallerys decision to host Zoe Laws exhibition underscores the ongoing debate about the relationship between funding and programming in the arts, but accepting a substantial donation from a benefactor is not inherently unethical, nor is showcasing their work, says Katrina Aleksa, a co-founder of The Association of Women in the Arts and an advisor who has worked with Sothebys and Christies. Art and photography are subjective mediums, and while critics may call Laws work pedestrian, art is ultimately in the eye of the beholder. Its also worth noting that donors often support institutions with the expectation of visibility or acknowledgement, whether through naming rights, exhibitions, or special events. This symbiosis between donor and institution is a longstanding practice in the cultural sector. Aleksa says that while its reasonable to question cases like Zoe at the NPG, its also important to contextualise them within the financial and operational realities of running a world-class institution. And it may be no bad thing for her career. Art, after all, should provoke dialogue, and this situation certainly achieves that, she says. 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. While many of the wildfires that started burning in Southern California earlier this month have been contained, fire enabling weather has picked back up in the area and new fires have started, including the new Hughes fire which has already burned 10,000 acres. The Santa Ana winds continue to blow through Los Angeles and other nearby counties, challenging firefighting efforts. The National Weather Service still has a red flag warning in place for fire danger in the area. According to Forbes, the National Weather Service warned that Thursday would be an especially dangerous day for fires in both Los Angeles and Ventura counties. This is due to humidity being less than 15% and winds consistently reaching 25 mph or more. The Hughes fire On Wednesday morning, a new fire, the Hughes fire, ignited north of Castaic, off of Lake Hughes Road. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The fire has burned over 10,000 acres and has prompted over 31,000 evacuation orders with 23,000 other under evacuation warning, per The Los Angeles Times. Firefighting crews were able to quickly get a handle on containing the fire, and as of late Wednesday night it was 14% contained. Multiple brush fires break out According to The New York Times, a new 40-acre brush fire started near the Getty Museum and Bel-Air early Thursday morning. Crews initially issues an evacuation warning in the area, but firefighters were able to stop the progress of the fire and were later able to lift the warning. Multiple smaller brush fires broke out in San Diego County on Tuesday and Wednesday. The largest of the blazes was the Lilac fire which reached 85 acres, displaced almost 100 residents and damaged two structures, per USA Today. The Lilac fire has been more than 50% contained and firefighters have halted progress on the other fires. What President Trump said about the LA fires In an interview Wednesday evening with Fox News host Sean Hannity, President Donald Trump spoke about FEMA and efforts to aid those affected by the LA fires. During the interview the president threatened to withhold federal aid from California as the state works to recover from the devastating fires, per The Washington Post. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I dont think we should give California anything until they let water flow down, Trump said. Trump repeated old claims that California Gov. Gavin Newson and other Democratic officials have been holding back water from the northern part of the state. He also criticized FEMA efforts during the interview, saying he wants to have discussions about the agencys future, per Forbes. The European Union's top diplomat Kaja Kallas plans to meet Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Munich next month, in what is likely to be the first formal sit-down between the two sides since a changing of the guard in Brussels. A meeting at the annual Munich Security Conference between February 14 and 16 will mark Kallas' first face-to-face encounter with China's leadership since she became the EU's high representative for foreign affairs and security policy in December, according to people familiar with the plan. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen briefly met Chinese Vice-Premier Ding Xuexiang on Tuesday at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, in what her spokeswoman confirmed was "just a handshake ... when they crossed coming out and into the speaker's room". 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. But there has been no substantive interaction with Beijing since von der Leyen's new commission was established late last year. European Council President Antonio Costa's call with Chinese President Xi Jinping this month remains the sole calendar engagement this year, although he leads a separate institution. Kallas' predecessor, Josep Borrell, met Wang several times at the Munich conference, one of the premier events on the diplomatic calendar, providing ministers with a forum to meet sometimes dozens of their counterparts in a flurry of activity. Working-level talks about an EU-China summit this year are continuing, although no date has been set. It remains to be seen whether the Europeans can convince Xi to come to Brussels. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Von der Leyen and ex-council chair Charles Michel visited Beijing in late 2023 and had a short meeting with Xi, but the Chinese side has been insistent that the bulk of the summit traditionally takes place at Premier Li Qiang's level. Since the election victory of US President Donald Trump in November, EU-China relations have generally been in a holding pattern. Talks on resolving a trade dispute on electric vehicles have paused, while Beijing's expected retaliation for EU tariffs on the EVs has not fully materialised. EU sources said both sides were waiting to see what path the Trump administration took early on before committing to any change in their own bilateral relations. Trump is expected to usher in a new phase in global tensions. He has railed against the United States' respective trade deficits with the EU and China and has threatened tariffs on both. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The European Commission plans to offer to buy more US energy, hi-tech goods and agricultural products as a means of reducing the deficit, but has also lined up retaliatory tariffs to respond to Trump's threat. The commission is also expected to pitch a loose partnership with Trump on tackling some mutual transatlantic grievances with China, including industrial overcapacity, as well as the use of transnational subsidies, which Brussels sees as a strategy from Beijing to circumvent EU duties on Chinese imports. There is some hope in Brussels that the sides can work together on economic security instruments designed to curb China's development of certain hi-tech sectors. Last week, the commission moved forward with plans to screen outbound investments in the artificial intelligence, quantum computing and semiconductor sectors. It instructed the EU's 27 member states to start monitoring and recording private investments in those fields over a 15-month period. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Brussels hopes that it can convince Trump that allowing Russia to defeat Ukraine would send the wrong message to Beijing. "Our adversaries are cooperating and coordinating their actions against us. We must work together against the axis of upheaval," Kallas said in a speech on Wednesday. "The biggest concern for the United States is China. But the fact is that if we do not get Russia right, we will not get China right either. China is closely watching how the transatlantic community responds to Russia's invasion of Ukraine." "We have entered a new era of harsh geostrategic competition," European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen told the European Parliament on Wednesday. Photo: DPA alt="We have entered a new era of harsh geostrategic competition," European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen told the European Parliament on Wednesday. Photo: DPA> Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement At the same time, there are real fears in Europe that the bloc will be squeezed between China and the US. "We have entered a new era of harsh geostrategic competition. We are dealing with continent-sized powers. And they engage with each other based mostly on interests," said von der Leyen in a speech at the European Parliament on Wednesday. "This new dynamic will dominate more the relations between global actors. The rules of engagement are changing. Some in Europe may not like this new reality, but we must deal with it. Our values do not change. But to defend them, some things must change," she added. Earlier in the week, she left the door open for improved ties with Beijing, even as she warned an audience at the World Economic Forum in Davos about "a second China shock ... because of state-sponsored overcapacity". Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "I believe that we must engage constructively with China to find solutions in our mutual interest," von der Leyen said. "2025 marks 50 years of our union's diplomatic relations with China. I see it as an opportunity to engage and deepen our relationship with China, and where possible, even to expand our trade and investment ties." 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. Gas extraction wells help limit the odor emanating from the Bridgeton Landfill. The facility, which is adjacent to the radiologically-contaminated West Lake Landfill, is experiencing a subsurface smoldering event, a chemical reaction that creates heat like a fire but lacks oxygen (Theo Welling/Riverfront Times). Missouri officials are warning the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency of a high likelihood there is radioactive contamination in a smoldering landfill outside St. Louis. In a letter last week, the Missouri Department of Natural Resources asked that the EPA assume oversight of the Bridgeton Landfill, arguing it may contain nuclear waste like the adjacent West Lake Landfill. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The two landfills, situated in the St. Louis suburb of Bridgeton, have received extensive attention from regulators over the years. The Bridgeton Landfill has been experiencing a subsurface smoldering event a chemical reaction that heats and consumes waste like a fire but lacks oxygen for more than 14 years, emitting noxious odors and raising concerns among residents that the fire might reach the radioactive waste in the West Lake Landfill next door. The West Lake Landfill is subject to an EPA oversight and a cleanup to remove thousands of tons of uranium left over from World War II. But, the state argued in its letter, there may be radioactive waste in the Bridgeton portion of the landfill far closer to the subsurface smolder than previously known. Kellen Ashford, a spokesman for the EPA, said in an email that the agency has no new evidence or information to support any claim that radiologically-impacted material is present anywhere else in the Bridgeton Landfill. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ashford said the EPA is seeking more information from the state about its letter. Brian Quinn, a spokesman for the Missouri Department of Natural Resources, said in an emailed statement that the department agreed with the EPAs most recent work and analysis at the site. Quinn did not immediately respond to follow-up questions about the agencys belief that the Bridgeton Landfill may contain radioactive waste. The landfills owner, Republic Services, said in an emailed statement that there is no evidence whatsoever of radiologically impacted material in Bridgeton Landfill. The St. Louis area has struggled for years with a radioactive waste problem. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement During World War II, uranium was refined in downtown St. Louis for use in the Manhattan Project, the name given to the war-era effort to build the worlds first atomic bomb. After the war, the waste was trucked to St. Louis County and dumped at the airport where it leaked into Coldwater Creek, polluting its banks and waters and subjecting generations of families to radiation exposure and an increased risk of certain cancers. The waste was sold and moved to a site in Hazlewood still adjacent to the creek where it continued to expose residents. In 1973, after valuable metals were extracted from the pile, the remaining waste was illegally dumped in the West Lake Landfill, where it remains today. The EPA is nearing the end of a process to plan an excavation of much of the radioactive waste from the landfill. Parts of the landfill with lower levels of contamination will be capped. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is overseeing the cleanup of Coldwater Creek. Last week, the EPA announced it would expand the excavation at the West Lake Landfill because it found additional radioactive contamination. Under the revised plan, another 40 acres of the landfill will be included in the cleanup. Crews will need to dig up another 20,000 cubic yards of contaminated soil and debris, and the price of the cleanup will climb to almost $400 million. For years, the EPA thought the radioactive material was confined to two portions of the landfill, relying on findings from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, which, in the late 1970s, flew a helicopter over the landfill to measure gamma radioactivity. That effort missed contamination in parts of the landfill. The Missouri Department of Natural Resources letter came in response to the EPAs announcement last week that it would expand the cleanup. The state agency said it supported the expanded cleanup and recommended that the EPA considers being the lead agency for all the potentially affected properties. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE An Ohio high school principal is on leave after an investigation found he disregarded students reports about a teacher acting inappropriately. [DOWNLOAD: Free WHIO-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] Perrysburg High School principal Aaron Cookson is on a leave of absence following an investigation that found he did not report multiple claims of inappropriate conduct against teacher John Henline, according to CBS affiliate WTOL. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Superintendent Tom Hosler told WTOL Cookson requested the leave of absence through Jan. 31 and it was approved. Hosler said the district is taking steps for Cookson to not return to Perrysburg schools. TRENDING STORIES: This is a step forward in our commitment to ensuring that the school remains a place where students and staff members feel safe and supported. An announcement regarding the specifics surrounding the Perrysburg High School transition plan will be shared in the days ahead, Hosler shared in a statement. Henline is accused of inappropriately touching multiple students and having a sexual relationship with a student in the late 1990s, WTOL reported. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Complaints against Henline date back as recently as 2023. Henline resigned on Dec. 16 and is on leave through mid-February when he intends to retire at that time, according to the district. The fact that in both recent student incidents, he reached the conclusion that the allegations did not occur, despite student testimony otherwise, demonstrates his conflict and/or bias in favor of Mr. Henline. Mr. Cookson acknowledged that if there was an allegation that Mr. Henline touched a students body he would need to report that to Human Resources, but could not then explain why he did not report the incident involving the student and the lint roller, An investigation conducted by law firm Scott Scriven LLP says. The districts full statement can be read at this link. [SIGN UP: WHIO-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter] SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) A hiker was shot and robbed by suspected cartel members Wednesday while exploring an area along the edge of San Diego and Imperial counties near the U.S.-Mexico border with a group, U.S. Border Patrol El Centro Sector officials said on social media. In a release on Thursday, U.S. Customs and Border Protection said the hiker, who is a U.S. citizen, was with another hiker in the group, a Canadian citizen, when the shooting and robbery took place in the Jacumba Mountains Wilderness, a federally-maintained desert area along the border in inland Southern California. According to CBP, the two hikers were approached by two armed individuals, who commanded them to walk towards them. When they refused, the suspects reportedly opened fire on the hikers, hitting the U.S. citizen in his leg. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The suspects then walked towards the two, stealing their cell phones and backpacks, CBP said. Border Patrol agents were dispatched to rescue the hikers, evaluate them, and neutralize any threats after CBP received a call of assistance from the Imperial County Sheriffs Office around 11 a.m. to respond to the incident. The El Centro Sectors post, which had an accompanying video, appears to show the hiker being airlifted by CBP from where the shooting occurred. The injured hiker was carried to the CBP helicopter by Border Patrol agents after they responded to the scene. According to CBP, he was then transported to a nearby medical aircraft, which flew him to a local hospital for treatment. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Neither suspect were taken into custody by Border Patrol. CBP says both were tracked back to the border, where they crossed into Mexico. It is unclear whether the shooting is being investigated as an act of terrorism, although CBP and Border Patrol has described the suspects as terrorists likely in reference to President Donald Trumps recent executive order designating cartels as foreign terrorist organizations. These cartels think they can bring their war to American soil, the post from the U.S. Border Patrol El Centro Sector read. The American people will not retreat from this kind of terror. FOX 5/KUSI reached out to the Imperial County Sheriffs Department for more information on the shooting, but did not receive 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 FOX 5 San Diego & KUSI News. HONOLULU (KHON2) Situated along Ala Moana Boulevard between the Grand Waikikian and Kalia Tower, the 36-story tower will add 515 rooms to the Hilton Hawaiian Village property. Its expected to incorporate sustainable practices and design. Get Hawaiis latest morning news delivered to your inbox, sign up for News 2 You In a statement, Hilton Hawaiian Village owners said the new tower aims to revitalize the Ewa gateway to Waikiki. In an environmental impact report, the project is said to be needed to be improved and refreshed to meet the evolving expectations of both residents and guests. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement However, a public hearing Wednesday before the Department of Planning and Permitting brought out many Waikiki residents who shared concerns about increased traffic and safety issues. Theyre gonna do what they want to do. And its just, its an unsafe environment, said Ron Fotopoulos, who lives across the street from the proposed tower site. The Hilton said no new guest rooms have been built since 2001, and the new tower will create nearly 500 full time jobs and bring in about $22 million in state taxes annually. Honolulu Ocean Safety to hold first lifeguard recruit tryouts of 2025 But those opposed to the project said the Hilton should focus on improving the buildings they have now. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I think they could do so much with the property that they have. And the grand Islander is not fully sold out, said Fotopoulos. One thing that was agreed upon was the Hiltons plans to showcase local artists and hold monthly cultural festivals and a marketplace on the site. But even that is a hard trade for those who said theyll lose their ocean views. There will be a nice section that we can now see out to the ocean, and thatll disappear, but its, its part of living in Waikiki, and I knew that when I moved in here, said Stan Simpson, who lives in the Wailana. Download the free KHON2 app for iOS or Android to stay informed on the latest news Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If the permits are approved, construction on the new tower could begin as early as the middle of 2026. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. In response to President Trumps latest immigration executive orders, including one rescinding birthright citizenship, the Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC) is demanding their members be allowed input on legislation around the issue, citing the outsized impact such laws have on their communities. In the past, the issue of immigration has been discussed without our presence at the table. We intend to change that. We demand that we are at the table when its being discussed because it impacts our communities disproportionately, Rep. Adriano Espaillat (D-N.Y.), chair of the CHC, said from the Capitol on Thursday. We cannot receive an item of which we have not been part of the discussion, he continued. We demand to be at the table in any and all discussions that involve immigration. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Members of the caucus blasted Trumps order ending birthright citizenship as unconstitutional. Later on Thursday, a Washington judge temporarily blocked the order. I think some people need to just sit down and read the damn Constitution, Rep. Sylvia Garcia (D-Texas), the CHC whip, said. Because, frankly, if you read it, there is just no question. The founders were crystal clear after debates about who can vote and who can be a citizen and they simply said, All persons. Its pretty simple, right? Its easier than any civics exam or government exam or, hell, its probably easier than the citizenship exam that is administered to thousands of immigrants. Since taking office Monday, Trump has signed a multitude of executive orders aimed at shutting down immigration via the southern border and ramping up deportations. Trump has also called for expedited removal, a process that would allow the Trump administration to deport any migrants who have been in the U.S. for less than two years and without a court process. Trumps administration argued the move will allow officials to deport those with criminal records, but members of the CHC pushed back on this notion. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The vast majority of undocumented immigrants are hardworking people who have paid taxes and contributed to American society, some for decades, said Rep. Joaquin Castro (D-Texas), CHC vice chair of diversity and inclusion. He then pointed to Trumps recent pardon of Jan. 6 rioters, arguing that if Trump cared about safety, violent insurrectionists would not be allowed back on the streets. He says hes targeting criminals, but he just removed the restrictions that stopped [Immigration and Customs Enforcement] from conducting raids on schools, on hospitals and in churches, Castro said. I would ask you who he believes among those kids is a criminal sitting in a first-grade class? Who are the criminals that hes going after in the Catholic Church, in the Presbyterian Church, in the nondenominational churches? Who are those criminals? The caucus emphasized that immigrants help the nations economy and culture, and that targeting and deporting immigrants will exacerbate issues, including the filling of jobs in hospitals, agriculture and construction. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Members including Rep. Gabe Vasquez (D-N.M.) have proposed new legislation to address issues at the border, such as drug trafficking. His bill, Stop the Fentanyl at the Border Act, offers up a way he hopes Republicans and Democrats can work together. One of the things that the American public doesnt realize is that 90 percent of the drugs that come into this country are actually trafficked by American citizens through our ports of entry, Vasquez said. I do believe that we have room to work with Republicans on smart investments on the border if they truly want to solve this problem, he added. But with Republicans and Democrats divided on how best to tackle the issue of immigration, the CHC on Thursday repeatedly emphasized that they are united with other members of the Democratic Party and plan to find ways to protect immigrants and their families. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This is a caucus that has members of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, members that are part of the Congressional Black Caucus, CAPAC, Blue Dogs, New Dems, Problem Solvers. We got everybody. This is a big tent caucus, but we stand together, and were going to continue to stand together and take a stronger stand on this issue, said Espaillat. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. ST. LOUIS In North St. Louis, another historic church has been lost to a firethe fifth in just five years. Investigators are still working to determine what caused the fire, but officials say the damage is extensive. Firefighters rushed to the church at 19th Street and Newhouse Avenue before noon on Monday. Heavy smoke poured from the roof to the bell tower, and crews were forced to evacuate shortly after entering the building. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement St. Louis Fire Department Captain Garon Mosby said, These fires dont start by themselves. There was no lighting in the area. The building did not have any utilities. No gas. No electric. So likely some level of human involvement led to the fire. Despite their efforts, the fire burned for nearly seven hours, which destroyed the historic structure and damaged nearby vacant buildings. This is the neighborhood that I grew up in on the fire department. I remember this church 20 plus years ago being an active church so its a loss to the community, Mosby said. Mike Matheny reflects on near-death experience and new life mission Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Residents say theyve seen people inside the church illegally over the years. I saw people in and out of here every night. Homeless people! Like, man, yall gotta get out of my church. I was scaring them, like, get away from church! an anonymous resident said. Preservation advocates are calling for action to protect these historic buildings. The Executive Director of the Landmarks Association of St. Louis said, People breaking into historic buildings, scrapping them for materials and they accidentally burn them down. People just sort of shrug and they shouldnt be upset about it. Its the history of our community, our cultural heritage. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement New legislation aimed at increasing fines for unsecured vacant buildings is set to be discussed Thursday by the citys Public Safety Committee. Investigators are still working to determine the exact cause of 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 FOX 2. KINGSPORT, Tenn. (WJHL) Holston Habitat for Humanity is encouraging people in need, especially those impacted by Hurricane Helene, to apply for aid. Executive Director Laura Kelly said the organization applied for different funding sources after Hurricane Helene hit. We proactively applied for a lot of different funding sources, some of which we got, some of which we didnt, Kelly said. We had just general donors coming to us. We have national organizations coming to us saying this funding will become available. [Its] really after a disaster, theres so many different opportunities that become available for local organizations to respond. Were trying to be as proactive as we can in getting all the resources we can to then send them out into our community. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement RISE Erwin announces $75k in grants for families, businesses In return, Kelly said, within the next two months, Holston Habitat for Humanity expects to have more than $1 million to spend over the next couple of years on Hurricane Helene relief. Thats why weve got a sense of urgency to get the work started and to invite people to apply so that we can help them sooner [rather] than later, Kelly said. Currently, Holston Habitat for Humanity is assisting with home repair projects for Helene victims in Carter, Washington and Unicoi Counties. For more information on how to apply for home repairs and Helene relief, click 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 WJHL | Tri-Cities News & Weather. Photo illustration by Getty Images. One bill to reduce property taxes on homeowners could have earth shattering consequences for others who pay those taxes. One resembles the way Montana has kept residential property taxes from spiking for decades with a simple rate reduction but in a time the state has lost big business and relies more on homeowners. Yet another is designed to be a backstop to be sure people arent priced out of their homes. Its either the best of the bunch for people who arent rich or opens the door to higher levies, according to a range of public testimony and questions. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Property taxes have jumped for Montana homeowners, and this week, legislators took up several bills that aim to reduce the amount for residential payers. One is a pitch from the Governors Office, a couple are key bills from Democrats, and one aims to reduce the tax rate, the last an idea proponents said has kept residential rates from skyrocketing for decades. Rep. Llew Jones, R-Conrad, said its tricky to create a fix that works on both sides of the state, but its important. He said the right policy must apply equitably across counties too on the east and west sides of Montana. Jones, among the lawmakers who presented ideas this week, outlined on Wednesday the way House Bill 231 would work, a proposal supported by Gov. Greg Gianforte and his property tax task force. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Were trying to do this in a manner that ensures equity across the entire state, Jones said. Of course, it drew opponents anyway, including some who liked parts of the bill, but not all, such as the Montana Chamber of Commerce. Jones joked that legislators would hear from one proverbial constituent Grandma shows up a lot in these conversations but he encouraged fellow lawmakers to keep in mind the regular citizens and owners of small flower shops that might not show up at all. Those folks are not able to be here often, right? Jones said. Leveling the tax rate, House Bill 213 Rep. Ed Byrne, R-Bigfork, said he wanted to take a simple approach to help residential payers by setting the tax rate at a level the Department of Revenue calculated would keep bills even for homeowners. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement High increases in market values, he said, meant lowering the rate for residential payers from 1.35% to 0.76% to keep bills consistent, an idea one proponent said has been standard for decades. The bill would help small businesses too. Sen. Mary Ann Dunwell, D-Helena, is sponsoring a similar bill in the Senate, and Byrne said he would encourage an amendment on his proposal to cover agricultural property to combine both bills. Ann Brodsky, a Helena resident who worked in the past for the state, praised the idea to cut the tax rate and said the beauty of the bill is truly in its simplicity. Since the last reappraisal cycle, residential payers are picking up 59% of the entire property tax base in Montana, she said. On the other hand, pipelines, metal mines and other large entities are paying less. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Unless you bring the (residential) tax rates back down so that the taxable value is as it would have been four years ago, were going to have baked into the cake these exorbitant property tax increases like weve never seen before, Brodsky said. Bob Story, though, with the Montana Taxpayers Association, said homes are the largest part of the tax base because there are a lot of homes, and the ones being built are fairly valuable. On the other hand, Montana is losing sawmills, he said. His association represents larger payers, businesses and trade associations. The legislation would mean a significant shift onto other properties, but some of the shift will just come back in your utility bills, when they pass on their tax bills to customers, he said. From the governors task force, House Bill 231 Jones, who serves as chair of the House appropriations committee, said one goal of HB 231 is to make sure people who dont live full-time in Montana are paying their fair share, along with those who own more than one home. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It bumps up the residential rate from 1.35% to 1.9%, but offers a reduction to resident homeowners to 1.1%. Some proposals want people with luxury homes to pay at a higher rate than people with modest homes, but Jones said HB 231 doesnt intend to be a wealth redistribution bill, although it bumps up rates on scenic properties. The bill cuts taxes for small businesses as well, making larger businesses pay more. It accomplishes that by changing the tax rates based on the size of a business compared to median value. The legislation is estimated to lead to an average 17% reduction for 230,000 primary resident homeowners who recently experienced a 21% increase. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Jones said small businesses would see an 18% drop, and long-term rentals usually occupied by seniors, not tourists would see a 19% reduction to the owner. If you cut in one place, though, you have to figure out who is paying on the other side, Jones said. In this case, out-of-staters, or people whose tax bills are mailed to an out-of-state address, are mostly making up the difference. In his bill, Jones said, farmers and ranchers pay roughly the same as they do now, and one farm representative expressed support for the bill despite the slight uptick. Im a farmer, and my taxes are estimated to increase, but its a manageable amount, said Cyndi Johnson, president of the Montana Farm Bureau Federation. It amounts to a couple trips to the grocery store. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Property taxes support local schools, and Jones said the bill aims to protect funding for schools. Supporters include the Coalition of Advocates for Montana Public Schools, the National Federation of Independent Businesses, AARP of Montana, and a Roosevelt County Commissioner. Opponents included Story, with the Montana Taxpayers Association. He said he appreciated that the bill contained the shifts within one class of payer, but larger businesses are still going to pay more. Theyre large companies, sure, Story said. But that doesnt mean they have all kinds of money to pay additional taxes. Todd OHair, with the Montana Chamber of Commerce, agreed, pointing to benefits for small businesses, but increases for larger businesses, including ones that have been under particular duress during the last few years. Linking income taxes with property taxes, House Bill 154 Rep. Jonathan Karlen, D-Missoula, said House Bill 154 intends to help people who may have been living in their home for years, but end up priced out. For example, if a spouse dies, or the person has another change in life circumstances, a homeowner may earn less. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The bill links a persons income with their property tax burden through an income tax credit based on property taxes paid, an idea Rose Bender, with the Montana Budget and Policy Center, said is offered in 29 other states and the District of Columbia. Bender said people with the lowest 20% of income pay 5.2% of their incomes and property taxes, and everyone else pays a much, much lower amount. She said one of the reasons taxes have become imbalanced is because they arent connected to an ability to pay. House Bill 154 is the most effective property tax bill this session for addressing unsustainably high property taxes for Montana families and housing costs, Bender said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Karlen said the bill would offer a credit based at different income thresholds, and it aims to help renters by including rent-equivalent property tax paid, or 15% of gross rent. He gave an example of a senior earning $35,000 with a $3,000 property tax bill; the person would get a $1,700 credit, an amount that adjusts based on income and the property tax bill. The series of thresholds are meant to ensure that our constituents will never face a property tax burden that exceeds an affordable portion of their income, Karlen said. Also in support of the bill were Shelter Whitefish, the AARP of Montana, Forward Montana, which advocates for young people, and the Montana Nonprofit Association. Rep. George Nikolakakos, R-Great Falls, said he worried the bill would be futile because people alleviated from their property taxes, which are capped, might simply be more inclined to vote for a levy thats not under a cap. In response to his question, Bender agreed the shift was a consideration. However, she said the solution is targeting people most affected, and she also said studies dont show an increase in levies at the local level as a result. To even out the burden, House Bill 155 Rep. Mark Thane, D-Missoula, said his proposal, House Bill 155, is designed to even out the tax burden among all 16 classes of property and address the growing burden on residential property. Property taxes for residential payers in the state recently jumped an estimated 21% on average. Those payers also are contributing a greater share compared to other groups, such as commercial payers. Proponents said HB 155 would help seniors on a fixed budget and help people who own properties that arent luxury homes. Opponents, though, said it would strip out a big chunk of taxable value from some smaller counties and push up the burden on farmers and ranchers. A fellow legislator said he appreciated the simplicity of the bill, but he also worried the approach might be too simple to work across all the different counties in Montana. Thane said his bill would do two main things. First, it would provide an actual exemption for a portion of both residential and commercial properties. Secondly, it would offer a graduated tax rate for residential properties, with a lower rate for modest homes and a higher rate for luxury homes. He showed the way his bill would apply to a couple of different properties. A home currently valued at $750,000, with the current rate of 1.35% and, for sake of argument, 500 mills, pays $5,063. Under his plan, however, the bill for the same house would drop to $3,813, he said. Thats because the first $50,000 would be exempt from any tax, the next $450,000 would be under a 1% rate, and the following $250,000 would be taxed at 1.25%. The result is a drop in both taxable value and the actual tax bill, Thane said. His bill offers a similar exemption for commercial property, for the first $200,000, to help Main Street businesses. Montana, Thane said, is the least affordable state in the country when it comes to housing costs relative to income, and small businesses are struggling too. Residential taxpayers and Main Street businesses have been subject to property tax increases that have strained budgets and which are simply not sustainable in the long term, Thane said. Margie MacDonald, with Big Sky 55+, said the plan will bring meaningful and targeted relief to middle class people and retirees living on fixed incomes, and it would help those living in Billings, Bozeman and Missoula, places that saw the most severe impacts. But all around the state, people experienced these almost tidal wave increases, MacDonald said. Sam Momeyer, representing the City of Missoula, also expressed support for the structure of the bill. Momeyer said the bill would target luxury homes and more evenly distribute the responsibility among payers, such as homeowners and industry. The city recognizes how important it is to alleviate pressure on low- and middle-value property owners in Montana, Momeyer said. Story, however, opposed the idea on behalf of the Montana Taxpayers Association. Story said the idea might work as intended in some larger cities, but he showed the way it would affect at least one smaller county, Daniels County. In Daniels County, Story said, 140 businesses are classified as commercial properties. However, with an exemption on the first $200,000, the bill would leave just 21 businesses on the tax rolls. Story said other payers, such as residential ones, will have to make up the difference in places that dont have other types of classes, such as industrial. In those cases, he said, local government will levy more mills, a taxing value, and hit residential payers anyway. This bill takes so much taxable value out of a lot of places, youre gonna have significant mill increases, Story said. Nicole Rolf, with the Montana Farm Bureau Federation, said farmers and ranchers are worried about the tax shift as well. Their homes might get a break, but not their agricultural land. Particularly in counties with a lot of ag land and not a lot of other types of property to shift the burden onto, our members, theyre going to see an increase in their property taxes, Rolf said. Nikolakakos said he appreciated the simplicity of the bill. However, he said it doesnt separate people who have second or third houses, including out-of-state residents who own homes at tremendous values in Madison County. He said the approach didnt appear to employ a scalpel in the way it addressed different types of residential properties, and he called for more modeling to see how it would impact different counties. The residential class is the big gorilla now, he said, so a drop on that side was like a push on one side of a waterbed, possibly earth shattering on the commercial, agricultural and industrial side. The committee did not take action on the bills, and some sponsors already have discussed possible amendments. Tacoma continued to see a decrease in homicides in 2024 after recording its highest tally in decades in 2022. There were 22 homicides in Tacoma last year, which is down from 34 in 2023 and 45 in 2022. Tacoma averages about 18 homicides per year, according to the City of Tacomas website, but that number fluctuates. One thing we are doing differently that may correlate to the drop in homicides is the implementation of the [Violent] Crime Reduction Plan that Chief [Avery] Moore put together with the University of Texas in San Antonio, Tacoma Police Department detective William Muse told The News Tribune. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Violent Crime Reduction Plan launched in July 2022 with the goal of reducing crime in Tacoma such as murder, robbery and aggravated assault. Muse said having police officers visible throughout the city as they conduct operations might correlate with other efforts to reduce violent crimes. Some of those efforts include holding people suspected of crimes accountable and giving people resources they need to make sure they do not resort to criminal activity, he said. Across Pierce County, there were about 55 homicides in 2024, down from 58 in 2023. That also was a decline from 79 in 2022. The 2024 figures include killings in cities and towns such as Lakewood and Fife, as well as unincorporated areas. Of those 55 homicides, six have not been solved, and eight were fatal shootings by police. The police shootings are an increase from four in 2023. The News Tribunes analysis of Pierce County homicides last year shows that 80 percent of the killings were the result of shootings. That is a 3 percent decrease from 2023. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In all, 44 victims were killed from gunshots. Three died from blunt-force trauma, including 68-year-old William Vosler who also was stabbed. Four more people were stabbed. One person died from a pellet-gun wound. The causes of deaths for three victims are pending. The Pierce County Sheriffs Department investigated 19 homicides last year, an increase of one from 2023. The first homicide of 2024 in Tacoma was the Jan. 9 shooting of 61-year-old Rhoda Butler. She was killed following a Tacoma SWAT standoff by police. The year ended with four people found dead inside a South Hill home on Dec. 31, 2024 from an apparent homicide-suicide. Evidence suggests that 33-year-old Shane Vosler and his girlfriend Sue Bin Lee, 34, stabbed his parents, William and 66-year-old Eileen Vosler in the summer. About six months later, Shane Vosler and Bin Lee were found dead from gunshot wounds to the head. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Pierce County Sheriffs Department solved about 68 percent of its homicide cases last year, compared to 73 percent in 2023. Last year we didnt have any homicides until that March 4 case, and weve already had our first homicide five days into January, PCSD spokeswoman deputy Carly Cappetto told The News Tribune on Thursday. Its not a very good sign weve already had our first homicide in 2025. Cappetto said she believes newly elected Sheriff Keith Swank has ideas to help with public safety and has already started. That includes working on getting increased funding for the department so it can put more deputies on the streets. The Tacoma Police Department had a solve rate of about 67 percent for 2024, which is same as 2023. In 2022 the departments solve rate was 71 percent. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Lakewood Police Department investigated four homicides, which have all been solved. The Puyallup Police Department investigated one homicide, which was the killing of 22-year-old Gianna Stone. Three teenagers were arrested and charged in her death. The Fife Police Department had one homicide, which was solved. The News Tribunes analysis also includes the fatal shooting of 45-year-old Michael Morrow on April 7. Milton police investigated the deadly shooting, and 29-year-old William Morris Rowley was charged in Morrows death. The youngest person killed last year was a 2-month old Fernandez Vailoa Fruean on Dec. 18, 2024. His father, Fernandez Fruean, is accused of shaking his child in a fit of rage. He was charged with murder where a plea of not guilty was entered on his behalf. He is being held at the Pierce County Jail on a $2 million bail. The infants cause and manner of death is pending, according to the Pierce County Medical Examiners Office. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The oldest victim last year was 78-year-old William Stack who was found dead in a hospice bed from a homicide-suicide on April 2. Xidong Stack, 49, died from a gunshot wound to the chest from a suicide. The men were thought to be married. 2024 Unsolved Homicides In Tacoma TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WFLA) Floridians from all corners of the state journeyed up north to dive into the winter storm experience. Some people were traveling from right at home in Tampa Bay. Leslie and Michael Fox, along with their three young sons, packed up their snow gear and headed north to experience snow for the very first time. 8-9 inches of snow to break record in Florida The Fox family decided on the trip in honor of their eldest son Mason, who lost his life battling leukemia last February. It was always his dream to one day see snowfall. It was always a dream of his to see snow, to play in snow and go sledding, and we were never able to make it happen for him, Michael Fox said. When we heard that this storm was coming through, we were like, Were taking his three brothers out, packing up and coming up and doing it. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Leslie and Michael said they could truly feel Masons presence right by their side. Last night when the snow started falling, we went outside, and they were giggling and laughing and jumping up with joy and we really felt him with us, Fox said. Masons parents reflected on his character, taking us back down memory lane. Micheal shared stories of when Mason was in the hospital. He knew he wanted to make a difference in the lives of those around him, especially the other kids who were also battling cancer. Mason took it upon himself to gather and buy toys for the other children, going door to door delivering them at the hospital. Historic Deep South snow: The science behind it We started the foundation Smile like Mason Fox Fund, and every year we collect toys for children that are going through cancer treatments, Fox said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Fox family is also planning to head to Washington D.C. for Action Day on the Hill. They recently cut $190 million from the federal budget for childrens cancer research. And so were headed to Action Day on the Hill soon. Its in a couple of months, Fox said. Were going to be going up to D.C. and talk to our local politicians or senators and representatives to try to get that funding back in place so that we can help the kids, try to find a cure and better treatments. Leslie, Michael, their three boys, and the memory of Mason, all found a way to experience this historic winter wonderland together as a family. In memory of Mason, the Fox family is joining forces with the Tampa Bay Lightning and the Hillsborough County Fire Department to support families and children battling cancer with an upcoming event in February. 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. Jan. 22Seeking to head off a state budget deficit in the current year, Gov. Kelly Ayotte ordered a freeze on non-essential hiring throughout state government. "With the current budget environment, it's clear we need to tighten our belts and live within our means," Ayotte said in a statement Wednesday afternoon. "I informed commissioners today that I will be instituting a hiring freeze across state government as we examine every agency and look for ways to do things better. Just like families do each day, we must match what goes out with what comes in." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ayotte released her first executive order as governor, spelling out the process for instituting the budget freeze. Like governors have in past tough times, Ayotte, 56, chose to exempt essential workers from the hiring freeze. The exempted employees include all staff at a state direct care facility such as New Hampshire Hospital and the New Hampshire Veterans Home, those working in the child protective services system and law enforcement, including state troopers and state prison guards. Other agencies that can continue to fill jobs are the state Lottery and liquor operations because both are enterprise funds, which means profits from retail sales cover the cost of operations. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ayotte is also allowing state agencies to fill positions, only for internal applicants, if those jobs are 100% financed through federal grants or restricted revenues, such as insurance premiums that pay for those who work at the Insurance Department. "I look forward to continuing to work with our state's leadership to make our government more efficient and provide further value for taxpayers," Ayotte said. The move comes after Legislative Budget Assistant Michael Kane recently signaled that a potential state budget deficit by this June 30 could be overcome if state agency heads met the target for returning enough unspent money to the state treasury. Hiring freeze could help balance the books Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The unspent money, also known as budget lapses, helped former Gov. Chris Sununu over the past several budgets to create record budget surpluses and balances in the state's Rainy Day Fund to be used for fiscal emergencies. The state missed the lapse target by $20 million in the year that ended last June 30, the first time that happened in many years. Currently, Kane believes the state could miss the lapse target by $80 million, and that's why he recently told House and Senate budget writers the state on the current course could face up to a $21 million deficit. Rich Gulla, president of the State Employees Association that represents the lion's share of state government workers, said Ayotte informed him earlier Wednesday about her plans. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "I think she wants to get a benchmark on where things stand in state government; in that way, it makes sense," Gulla said. He complimented Ayotte for proposing the exemptions along with a process that will allow any department head to ask the governor for a waiver from the freeze to fill a specific job. Ayotte said all waiver requests will be posted on the governor's website so they are transparent to the public. "I look forward to working with the governor in making sure that we continue to provide essential services to the people of New Hampshire," Gulla said. Ray Buckley, chairman of the New Hampshire Democratic Party, said this freeze is an alarming preview of things to come. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "New Hampshire faces a staggering vacancy rate in state departments and agencies that provide essential services like public safety, mental health care, and transportation," Buckley said. "Imposing a hiring freeze on departments that need more staff not less to support Granite Staters is a scary indicator of what else Kelly Ayotte will cut to work around the massive revenue shortfall left by Republicans. One thing is certain: these reckless Republican cuts at the state level will hit families, retirees, property taxpayers, and small businesses at the local level the hardest." During the 2024 campaign, Gulla led his union's decision to alter past practice and to endorse candidates for governor from both political parties. Traditionally, the SEA has backed Democratic hopefuls, endorsing all four Democrats who ran and lost to Sununu since 2016. Last fall the SEA backed Ayotte and Executive Councilor Cinde Warmington, D-Concord, who lost her primary bid to former Manchester Mayor Joyce Craig. klandrigan@unionleader.com EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) A Horizon City man was sentenced to 4 1/2 years (54 months) in federal prison for his involvement in a human smuggling conspiracy, the U.S. Attorneys Office for the Western District of Texas announced on Wednesday, Jan. 22. According to court documents, Isai Orona, aka Panda, 35, was the organizer of a human smuggling scheme. Orona had been identified in WhatsApp communications, which the organization used for coordinating criminal activity, the U.S. Attorneys Office said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In addition, the U.S. Attorneys Office said that when U.S. Border Patrol agents apprehended a co-conspirator who had been transporting nine undocumented migrants in El Paso, the vehicle used was registered to Orona. The U.S. Attorneys Office said Orona was arrested on Nov. 20, 2023, and pleaded guilty the following year on July 12 to one count of conspiracy to transport undocumented migrants and one count of transporting undocumented migrants. Orona admitted to smuggling over 2,500 undocumented migrants within approximately six months in 2023, the U.S. Attorneys Office said. Many carloads of undocumented migrants were transported to Albuquerque and on to other locations, the U.S. Attorneys Office added. Orona also admitted to having a network of drivers to transport the undocumented migrants in at least 12 vehicles, which he obtained or helped others to obtain, the U.S. Attorneys Office said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The U.S. Attorneys Office said that the court entered a $250,000 money judgment against Orona in addition to his prison 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 KTSM 9 News. SOCASTEE, S.C. (WBTW) Believe it or not, Horry County saw the highest snowfall totals in South Carolina from this winter storm, and that means lots of extra work for county crews and government officials. Horry County officials say their road crews started preparing for the large amounts of snow last week, even working through the weekend by laying brine and salt anticipating heavy snowfall. But sleet and snow have created a mess on major roads like Highway 17 Bypass and Highway 501. Officials say teams from the county and the South Carolina Department of Transportation started plowing roads early Wednesday morning with motor graders along main routes to allow more accessible travel. Horry County and the Myrtle Beach area may not have as many snowplows as up north, but motor graders are being used throughout this week to clear roads. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Officials advise staying clear of roads as much as possible, as many are still unsafe. Right now, we need those roads open and accessible for essential travel, Horry County Government spokesperson Mikayla Moskov said. That is, folks who have medical needs. That is responding to public safety matters like a fire or a crime in progress. If you have to travel, officials advise to go slow and clear snow and ice off your car before driving. * * * 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. 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. SHARON, Pa. (WKBN) Two-and-a-half weeks after Sharon Regional Medical Center abruptly closed its doors, were told a deal is now in place for new ownership of the hospital. Sharon Regionals chief of surgery says while the news is positive, there are still more questions than answers. A Mercer County judge approved an agreement between Medical Properties Trust, the hospitals landlord, and the Pennsylvania Attorney General to dismiss claims brought over the sale of the hospital. On Wednesday, we learned the California-based Tenor Health has taken over the property from MPT. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Theres a ton of unanswered questions, especially regarding staffing, and even now, if Tenor does have the official go-ahead, how long is that whole process going to take? said Dr. Valeri Roth, Sharon Regionals chief of surgery. Roth wonders if hospital staff will continue to be paid. In the meantime, theyre officially covered until February 14th and if this whole process takes longer than February 14th, what does that mean to all those employed staff? she said. We received a statement from Sharon City Manager Bob Fiscus, saying officials are encouraged the agreement to reopen the hospital has been reached between MPT and Tenor Health: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The City of Sharon is encouraged at the announcement that Tenor Health and MPT have reached an agreement to reopen SRMC. We are deeply grateful for their tireless efforts in finalizing this deal and eagerly anticipate the return of vital healthcare services to our community. We extend our heartfelt congratulations to Radha Savitala and the entire Tenor Health team on this significant achievement. We look forward to fostering a strong partnership with them in the years to come. We also express our deep appreciation for Senator Michele Brooks tireless efforts on reopening the hospital. Bob Fiscus, Sharon city manager Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WKBN.com. A proposal on a provider tax put hospitals and the Braun administration on opposing sides, though both acknowledge change was needed. (Getty Images) A bill to reform a provider fee put newly minted administration officials on the opposite side of Indiana hospitals, as uncertainty at the federal level threatens to disrupt long-standing norms. Mitch Roob, who leads the states Medicaid efforts, panned a proposal to change the Hospital Assessment Fees structure on Wednesday. HAF is levied against the providers to pay for the states portion of its Medicaid expansion population, otherwise known as the Healthy Indiana Plan (HIP). Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The hospital group has chosen to go down this path. It is a path which the (Gov. Mike) Braun administration will not go down with them, Roob said, citing a handful of issues with the bill. FSSA Secretary Mitch Roob testifies before the House Public Health Committee on Jan 22, 2024. (Screenshot from livestream) House Bill 1586 would also create a provider fee on Managed Care Entities. But the bill elevates the negotiating role of hospitals, Roob said, and would divert some funding from state coffers. Tim Kennedy, the general counsel for the Indiana Hospital Association, said that the entity would continue working with the state to find a better place to land. To be very clear: we need FSSAs help on this. We need their expertise, Kennedy said. we look forward to working with them to make this operational. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hospitals paid an estimated $1.6 billion in HAF in the 2024 fiscal year, an amount used to leverage an estimated $5.5 billion from the federal government, according to a fiscal note. Indiana keeps roughly $300 million, or 28.5%, of HAF funds for administrative fees. Through the complex federal reimbursement process for Medicaid, hospitals get back enough money to cover 57% of costs, according to the Indiana Hospital Association. The proposal put forth by the hospital lobbyists would instead pay that $300 million administration cost through the tax on Managed Care Entities. Hospital officials say redirecting that $300 million would boost the federal reimbursement to hospitals and cover 80% of their service costs. Currently, Managed Care Entities dont have a provider tax in Indiana, unlike 20 other states. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Over three dozen states have a state directed payment program to increase federal reimbursements, according to IHA. However, Roob said that the federal government would be phasing out state directed payments in 2027. Author Rep. Brad Barrett, R-Richmond, asked the committee to advance the bill for more discussion to Ways and Means, which must approve any bills with a fiscal component. Lawmakers passed it unanimously. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE Neetu Arnold, a policy analyst at the Manhattan Institute, gave a presentation to the House Higher Education Committee about the state's public university system. (Photo by Robin Opsahl/Iowa Capital Dispatch) Iowa lawmakers should focus on the bigger picture of higher education and the problems it finds there in order to ensure a better use of taxpayer dollars and return-on-investment for the state, a policy analyst said Wednesday. Members of the House Higher Education Committee listened to a presentation by Manhattan Institute policy analyst Neetu Arnold, who discussed the problems of higher education in Iowa and how the Legislature can take a more active role in overseeing university offerings and operations. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Manhattan Institute is a policy think tank and urban policy magazine publisher described by the Center for Justice & Democracy at New York Law School as extremely conservative and corporate-funded. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Using a phrase committee chair Rep. Taylor Collins, R-Mediapolis, has pulled out before, Arnold said higher education in the U.S. is having a crisis of confidence that the public is becoming increasingly aware of. Arnold cited Gallup data indicating a growing lack of confidence in higher education and its future and said intervention from state lawmakers on the issues theyre experiencing could serve as a model for other states looking to review their higher education systems. The growing distrust of higher education institutions derives from political agendas, mission drift and ever-increasing costs for public universities, Arnold said. When things get out of hand, it falls upon the Legislature to address the fundamental issues. Addressing politics and ideologies in higher education While Arnold didnt touch on diversity, equity and inclusion specifically in her presentation, she spoke frequently about political capture as well as ideologies making their way onto campus. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement She said many universities responses to the 2016 election, the adoption of racial justice initiatives and a lack of condemnation of Hamas after it attacked Israel on Oct. 7 have caused people to have a more negative view of higher education. No examples were given of these actions from Iowas universities. Public universities in Iowa are no exception to pushing students into accepting progressive views and ideas as unquestionable truth, Arnold said. Arnold used the University of Iowas bachelors degree in social justice, which the university has announced it is planning to discontinue, as well a course on building DEI skills at Iowa State University and social justice in childrens books at the University of Northern Iowa as examples of her point. Iowas public universities and community colleges have reviewed their diversity, equity and inclusion practices on campus at the prompting of the Legislature, resulting in few changes in community colleges and major changes for four-year universities. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Not all areas of Iowas universities are equally in the weeds of politics, but those that are, which Arnold said included gender studies, social work and theatre, are more likely to have activist-bent courses. Universities have also lost focus when it comes to their missions and what sort of future they should help students achieve, Arnold said. Another term Arnold shared with Collins was return on investment, which she defined as the additional income you earn from having the degree, net of the cost you pay to get the degree. Most college programs have a positive ROI, which is a good thing, Arnold said, but its bad to have a low ROI and appalling to see a negative one. Each of the universities have various performing arts majors with a negative ROI, according to the data Arnold cited, and religious studies were on the list for ISU and UNI as well as degree programs in various sciences and language and literature. Some of these programs are well known to suffer from ideological capture, Arnold said, using anthropology, gender studies and social work as examples. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While ROI shouldnt be the only metric to determine which academic programs have worth, Arnold said lawmakers should be concerned with those that are negative. By virtue of them being offered, Arnold said the state government is signaling to students and families that these are good programs, when in reality they could leave students in a worse financial situation after they graduate. I recommend that the state target programs with negative ROI, after all, these programs are doing nothing but making students lives financially worse over the long run, Arnold said. What I recommend against is targeting specific courses or banning certain language for faculty. House Minority Leader Jennifer Konfrst, D-Windsor Heights, asked Arnold about what evidence Arnold has seen to prove that some of the majors with a negative ROI are known for their political bias, to which Arnold responded she didnt have the information readily available but would follow up with it. Its a pretty broad statement to say that all of these programs, including dance and English, are well known for their political bias, Konfrst said. Costs and the need for state oversight Arnold also touched on the cost of higher education in her presentation, saying from 1984 to the early 2020s, tuition at Iowas public universities has risen by 190% but household incomes have only increased by 40%, creating a large affordability gap. One response Arnold said she gets to this information is that the state then needs to increase its support for public higher education, but she said that method would work like rearranging deck chairs on the Titanic, as costs will still continue to grow in general. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Universities are also spending more than ever before, Arnold said, so its important for the Legislature to look deeply into where funds are going and figure out where cuts could be made, like in administrative spending. The primary goal of a university is to provide its students with a quality education, Arnold said, and its secondary purpose is to share knowledge, but much of the spending in student services, institutional support in other areas do not support these missions. Rep. Dave Jacoby, D-Coralville, asked whether Arnolds return on investment metrics factor in the percentage of total higher education funding made up by state appropriations, as over the past decades state funding has gone from making up more than 60% of higher education funding to less than one-third. Arnold said she would need to go back over her research and get back to him. If were saying we have oversight, well, oversight means that we should be the primary funder of our state schools, and if were less than 30 percent is our role to control the schools 100 percent, Jacoby said. In order to start tackling the issues the Legislature sees in higher education, Arnold said they should start with audits of university programs to see where money may be being wasted in order to help the Iowa Board of Regents recommend cuts or closures. Florida is a state Iowa could look to for methods of scrutinizing higher education, as Arnold said the state is also conducting an audit of certain programs. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If they feel it is necessary, Arnold said lawmakers could also try and change Iowa code to explicitly allow the Legislature to enact reforms on college campuses by adding or doing away with departments. Currently, the Iowa of Board of Regents holds that authority, with members appointed by the governor. While the state is well-suited to making big picture changes for higher education, Arnold said lawmakers should stay out of the more granular courses and day-to-day activities of universities. Doing this work will be difficult, she said, but it could help bring more trust back to Iowas colleges and universities. When Collins asked Arnold the philosophical question of whether the state is obligated to fund every program at its universities, Arnold said no, if the state believes that it isnt necessary based on educational, intellectual and financial benefits. Public funds equals public accountability, Arnold said. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE The house chamber stands half-empty as Democratic representatives boycott the session on the first day of the 94th legislative session at the Minnesota State Capitol Building in Saint Paul, Minnesota. Photo by Nicole Neri/Minnesota Reformer. The Minnesota Supreme Court will hear oral arguments Thursday to get to the bottom of one question: How many Minnesota House members need to be physically present at the Capitol to legally conduct business? Minnesota House Democrats and Minnesota Secretary of State Steve Simon are suing House Republicans and asking the Supreme Court to find that Republicans arent able to elect a speaker or conduct any other business without 68 members present. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The pair of legal filings, one from House Democrats and the other from Simon, originated from an intense power struggle between Republicans and Democrats over control of the House last week. On the first day of session, Jan. 14, all 66 House Democrats boycotted the session and have stayed away from the Capitol since to prevent Republicans from taking control of the chamber and refusing to seat a Democrat in a contested south metro election. As the presiding officer on the first day of session, Simon called the roll, determined the 67 Republicans present werent enough for a quorum and told GOP members they did not have the constitutional authority to meet. He then gaveled the session closed and took a seat to the left of the podium. House Republicans plowed ahead anyway; Rep. Paul Anderson the oldest member present served as the presiding officer until they unanimously elected Rep. Lisa Demuth, R-Cold Spring, as the House speaker. Democrats and Simon sued, arguing that Republicans never had a quorum to legally take those actions. How and when the Minnesota Supreme Court will rule is unknown, but the justices could give some hints during oral arguments. Heres what you need to know about the cases. Whats a quorum? A quorum a Latin term meaning of whom is the minimum number of members present needed for a legislative chamber to conduct business. The Minnesota Constitution states that the majority of each house constitutes a quorum to transact business. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The problem in this case: It doesnt say specifically what that number is. Democrats and Simon are arguing that a quorum is 68, while Republicans argue its 67. Democrats say that the court should look at the plain language of the Constitution, i.e. the definition of a majority is the number equaling more than half of a total. Because there are 134 House members total, a majority is 68 members, Democrats and Simon argue. Republicans, meanwhile, argue that 67 members constitutes a quorum because one seat is vacant. After the November election, the House was set to be tied 67-67, but a judge ruled Democrat Curtis Johnson didnt meet the residency requirement and was ineligible to hold office. As of right now, there are 133 House members, so Republicans argue that 67 members is a quorum. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement To complicate matters further, the Supreme Court last week ruled that Gov. Tim Walz wrongly called a special election for the Roseville-area District 40B seat that Johnson was forced to surrender. Minnesota Solicitor General Liz Kramer, in a brief submitted Wednesday, wrote that the courts ruling calls into question whether there was a vacancy when Simon presided over the session on the first day. By concluding that statute 204D.19 governs the timing of the writ, the premise appears to be that the representative-elect could not have surrendered his seat before the legislative session and that his election certificate remained valid until the House acted, Kramer wrote The Court appears to have decided that no vacancy existed when the legislative session began on January 14. If there was no vacancy when Simon called the roll, then there were 134 members, requiring 68 for a quorum. Republicans say the contest of Johnsons residency and subsequent court decision against him in December created the vacancy, meaning there were 133 members when Simon gaveled in the House, requiring just 67 for a quorum. This sounds messy. Can the court decide to keep out of it? Yes. Republicans argue that the Supreme Court has no business butting into the dispute because doing so would violate the principle of the separation of powers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement (House Democrats and Simons) contrary theory would turn this court into the permanent referee of the Legislatures internal affairs, and thereby do incalculable damage to our states democracy, Republicans wrote in their response to the House DFL and Simons petition. But the DFL and Simon argue that its entirely proper for the Supreme Court to insert itself in this dispute. Theyre not asking the court to weigh in on the political din, they argue, but merely seeking an answer to a question about how to interpret the states constitution, which is exactly what the court was created to do. While courts are understandably reluctant to wade into matters involving the Legislature, addressing these narrow questions does not intrude on separation of powers, Minnesota Solicitor General Liz Kramer wrote on behalf of Simon. Will everything go back to normal after the court issues its ruling? Not exactly. Both Republicans and Democrats said they will abide by a Supreme Court ruling, and the court is expected to issue an expedited ruling, but even that is unlikely to quell the dispute. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Theres still an empty House seat and Walz hasnt called another special election to fill it yet. House DFL leader Melissa Hortman said she anticipates the special election will take place on March 11. The seat is DFL-leaning, so the special election is expected to bring the chamber back to a tie, 67-67. If the Supreme Court rules in the Democrats favor and says 68 members are needed for a quorum, then Demuth wont be speaker and everything Republicans have done since Jan. 14 would be invalidated. Hortman assuming she can keep her caucus united can then threaten to continue to withhold a quorum unless Demuth agrees to negotiate a power-sharing agreement. A major piece of the puzzle is the election in the south metro won by Rep. Brad Tabke by 14 votes in a contest marred by 20 missing ballots. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hortman has said that she hasnt received confirmation from Republicans that they will refrain from unseating Tabke, a Shakopee Democrat. A judge last week ruled that despite the missing ballots, Tabke would have won anyway and theres no need for a special election. Demuth has previously said that her caucus wont seat Tabke without a do-over. The Minnesota Constitution grants the two legislative chambers the power to seat members and rule on election contests, so House Republicans are empowered to ignore the judiciary. In addition, if the tied House were to bring up a motion to expel Tabke, Tabke himself would be prohibited from voting in the matter, and Republicans could successfully unseat him with a simple majority of votes. Unlike a bill that needs 68 members to pass, Republicans could successfully oust Tabke if they were to remain united with 67 votes. Removing an elected member who won an election recount and a court case has never happened in Minnesota history. PIERRE, S.D. (KELO) The Republicans who dominate the South Dakota House of Representatives are calling for a statewide vote at the 2026 general election on whether a 60% majority should be required for passing future amendments to the South Dakota Constitution. Republican Rep. John Hughes sponsored HJR5003. House members passed it 61-5 on Wednesday. The Senate will consider it next. Republican Sen. Sue Peterson is the lead sponsor there. House panel wants tighter voter registration law Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement South Dakota voters in 1898 amended the state constitution to allow citizen initiatives and referenda, and in 1988, the constitution was further amended to allow citizens to amend the constitution. Hughes said his proposal would ask voters to decide whether the threshold for constitutional amendments should increase to 60% from the current simple majority of 50% plus one. He said the state constitution shouldnt be cluttered with amendments legalizing marijuana or requiring spending for Medicaid. This is all about a safeguard to the constitution, Hughes said. The referendum and initiative thresholds would remain at 50% plus one under the proposal. Hughes said hes received many emails supporting the change to 60% and noted that South Dakota Right to Life supports the change. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement House Democratic leader Erin Healy argued against holding the vote. Under God, the people rule this resolution limits the power of the voters and is blatantly contradictory to the state motto, she said. Healy argued that going to 60% would make it really difficult for citizens to pass a change to the constitution. She said South Dakota voters at times have adopted constitutional amendments as a way to overrule the strong Republican majorities in the Legislature. This resolution doesnt protect democracy, it undermines it, Healy said. Republican Rep. Tim Goodwin said many of the petition carriers who gather signatures from voters have been paid in recent election cycles. By doing this it will scare a lot of them off, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Republican Rep. Bethany Soye said the Legislature passes laws that the people can change through the initiative and referral processes. I dont buy the argument that the people are changing the constitution to put a check on us, she said. Republican Rep. Tony Venhuizen said the constitution should be about rights of the people and the structure of government, but policy such as Medicaid expansion shouldnt be in it. We shouldnt have to go back to the people over and over, he said. Hughes and others portrayed the higher threshold as a way to discourage out-of-state contributions to amendment campaigns. The vote on Hughes proposed ballot measure came one day after House Republicans voted to put a separate measure on the ballot that, if voters approve it, could open the way to repeal the expanded income eligibility for Medicaid benefits that South Dakota voters put in the state constitution in 2022. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Folks we are not a democracy, Hughes said in closing. We have features of democracy built into a republic form of government. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. BOSTON (SHNS) The House budget chief told the Healey administration Wednesday that the branch needs more information before it can act on Healeys family shelter funding and reform plans. House Ways and Means Chairman Aaron Michlewitz asked for answers to more than two pages of questions by Monday, Jan. 27. The questions were included in a letter to Administration and Finance Secretary Matthew Gorzkowicz and Housing Secretary Edward Augustus, a copy of which was obtained by the News Service. The committee has been weighing the $425 million shelter mini-budget (H 51) since Jan. 9. Healey added additional proposals to reform the 1983 Right to Shelter Law into the mix in a Jan. 15 letter to top lawmakers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Gorzkowicz said Wednesday that existing funding for the shelter system is due to run out around Jan. 31, give or take a week. Michlewitz acknowledged the timeline in his letter, noting the time-sensitive nature of the spending portion of the bill to keep the shelters running. Now as the House continues discussing the Governors request it is important for our Members to understand how the [Emergency Assistance] system is currently operating. The Governors request for changes to the Right to Shelter Law, a law that has been in place for 42 years, is significant and would have major implications that we need to better understand. For the House to move forward with H.51 and the Governors request for changes to the EA system, we need more information on the impact of the potential modifications to the EA system and its beneficiaries, Michlewitz wrote to the Cabinet secretaries. The Boston Democrats questions cover impacts on school systems, safety and security of the Emergency Assistance program, citizenship and residency requirements, and general background. Some inquiries try to get a handle on ongoing costs related to the family shelter system. The state has been aiding school districts that have seen influxes of students because of the homelessness crisis. When Healey filed her bill, she said the $425 million pot of money would include continued aid to districts. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Michlewitz asked for more detail this week, writing: Do you anticipate continuing to provide $104 per student per day through the remainder of FY25? If yes, how frequently will you monitor and verify enrollment numbers to ensure districts are receiving the necessary resources? Healeys reform ideas shared on Jan. 15 included strengthening criminal background checks for shelter residents, requiring that all family members in shelters prove lawful U.S. residency, and restricting eviction-based eligibility for shelters to people who were evicted from residences in Massachusetts. Emergency Housing Assistance Program Request for InformationDownload The governors Jan. 15 letter did not include an estimate of how her latest reforms would affect state spending on the system. When she unveiled the initial bill, she said it aimed to cut shelter costs from the current level, around $1 billion this year and last, down to around $400 million. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Michlewitz asked Healeys Cabinet members for the latest numbers: the overall amount by which her Jan. 15 proposal would bring down the costs from fiscal 2025 to fiscal 2026, and a detailed breakdown of each proposed change and the fiscal impact. Healey did not file legislation to implement some of her reforms, leaving the technical wording to lawmakers. Michlewitz asked whether she intended the changes to be temporary, and if so, when they would sunset. President Donald Trump was inaugurated five days after Healeys letter, and the president immediately set about issuing executive orders that affect the right of citizenship. Gorzkowicz and Augustus were asked to explain how Trumps orders would affect the shelters and the Jan. 15 reform proposal. The shelter crisis burst back into the headlines in January following the arrest of 28-year-old Leonardo Andujar Sanchez, a Dominican national living at a Revere family shelter with his girlfriend. Sanchez allegedly had five kilograms of fentanyl and a loaded AR-style rifle in the room. The administration ultimately said it had not been running comprehensive background checks on shelter residents as it had previously claimed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While Healeys reform list would require CORI checks before families are placed in shelters, some lawmakers have raised red flags and said that the CORI (Mass. Criminal Offender Record Information) system would not capture crimes committed in other countries. Rep. Steven Xiarhos, a Barnstable Republican who served 40 years as a police officer, said at a press conference this month that it was not enough to rely on a CORI check, which is just Massachusetts records. We had someone living at Joint Base Cape Cod that was a wanted murderer from another country. How did that happen? There should be what we used to call a universal check, where youre able to check someone with hopefully legitimate identification, what their records are all over the world, Xiarhos said. Michlewitz also quizzed the administration about going beyond a simple CORI check. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Have you considered other types of background checks, he wrote, besides, or in addition to, a CORI as CORIs are unlikely to uncover any criminal or other conduct of migrants? What other types of background checks or other checks have you considered? What other types of background checks are being performed in other states? And Michlewitz sought to drill down on who, exactly, is in the shelters. He asked for the number of shelter residents who are U.S. citizens but are not Massachusetts residents, asked how residency is currently verified, and asked how the state is defining a family unit and what family members are included in shelter eligibility. Both Healey and Michlewitz are top Democrats on Beacon Hill, and the extent of questions in the chairmans letter raises questions about the level of communication occurring between the Legislature and the Executive Branch. The Ways and Means chairman forwarded his letter to fellow House members Thursday morning and told them he looked forward to working with them on the issue in the days and weeks ahead. 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. Legislation to revoke Chinas Permanent Normal Trade Relations was introduced Thursday by a bipartisan pair of House lawmakers, building on a Republican effort last year to repeal Beijings preferential trade status. The bill would solidify efforts by the U.S. across successive presidential administrations to impose more costs on China over what is criticized as Beijings unfair trade practices. President Trump has come into office promising increased tariffs on China, building on measures imposed in his first term, which were maintained and expanded during the Biden administration. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For too long, permanent normal trade relations with China have undermined our manufacturing base, shifted American jobs abroad, and allowed the CCP [Chinese Communist Party] to exploit our markets while betraying the promise of fair competition, said Rep. John Moolenaar (R-Mich.), chair of the House Select Committee on countering the CCP. In response, this legislation will safeguard U.S. national security, enhance supply chain resilience, and bring manufacturing jobs back to America and our allies. Moolenaar introduced the legislation in the House alongside Rep. Tom Suozzi (D-N.Y.). A companion bill was introduced in the Senate by Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) and Jim Banks (R-Ind.). Secretary of State Marco Rubio, the former Florida senator, was an original co-sponsor of the bill when it was introduced in November. The bill, called The Restoring Trade Fairness Act, would end Chinas PNTR status and create a new tariff column for China: imposing a minimum 35 percent ad valorem tariff on non-strategic goods the amount in proportion to the estimated value of the goods or transaction. A minimum 100 percent ad valorem tariff would be imposed on all strategic goods. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The text of the bill offers a list of the goods that would be subject to the increased tariffs and that are based on the Biden administrations Advanced Technology Product List and Chinas Made in China 2025 plan. Tariff revenues would go to U.S. farmers and manufacturers injured by possible Chinese retaliation, and additional revenue would be used to purchase military equipment for the U.S. in the Indo-Pacific, according to the bill. The new tariff column would be phased in over five years with 10 percent of the tariff increase coming in year one; 25 percent in year two; 50 percent in year four and 100 percent of the increase implemented in year five. The bill comes as Trump has threatened China with a 60 percent blanket tariff, and an additional 10 percent tariff related to his criticisms that Beijing has not done enough to crack down on trafficking related to the drug fentanyl. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump is also threatening sweeping tariffs on Russia and countries supporting its war in Ukraine, which could include China. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. 22 (UPI) -- The U.S. House of Representatives will create a Judiciary subcommittee to investigate events before, during and after the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol riot by Trump supporters. Though many have called that day an "insurrection," others on the right continue to view it as a constitutionally allowed demonstration of political fervor. Five people died in the riot. President Donald Trump has called Jan. 6 a day of "love," while a Republican member of the newly announced subcommittee said the day was one of "intelligence, security and leadership failures at multiple levels." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On Wednesday, House Speaker Mike Johnson announced the subcommittee's pending formation and said Rep. Barry Loudermilk, R-Ga., would chair the subcommittee. "House Republicans are proud of our work so far in exposing the false narratives peddled by the politically motivated Jan. 6 Select Committee during the 117th Congress, but there is still more work to be done," Johnson said Wednesday in a press release. The U.S. House of Representatives will create a GOP-led Judiciary subcommittee to investigate the events of Jan. 6, 2021. Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, R-La. (C, earlier this month), said on Wednesday that "House Republicans are proud of our work so far in exposing the false narratives peddled by the politically motivated Jan. 6 Select Committee during the 117th Congress, but there is still more work to be done." Photo by Ken Cedeno/UPI "We are establishing this select subcommittee to continue our efforts to uncover the full truth that is owed to the American people," Johnson said. "The composition and other details regarding the select subcommittee will be announced soon." Loudermilk and other subcommittee members will uncover what the Democratic Party-led Jan. 6 Committee did not and present "all the facts to the American people," House Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "What happened at the Capitol that day was the result of a series of intelligence, security and leadership failures at multiple levels within numerous entities," Loudermilk said. "I am looking forward to working with Chairman Jim Jordan to continue to uncover all the facts and begin the arduous task of making needed reforms to ensure this level of security failure may never happen again," he added. Prior to leaving office, President Joe Biden issued pre-emptive pardons for all members of the former Jan. 6 committee, which conducted publicly televised hearings regarding the Capitol riot and potential involvement by President Donald Trump. Once formed, the GOP-led subcommittee will work to "cast doubt on the findings" made by the prior subcommittee that was appointed by then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., and chaired by Rep. Bennie Thompson, D-Miss., during the 117th Congress, Politico reported. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The committee's report became the basis for federal cases filed in federal courts in Florida and Washington, D.C., against Trump and others. Trump on Monday pardoned more than 1,500 people convicted or accused of crimes related to the Jan. 6 riot. Utility vehicles are seen parked outside the ECHO Village pallet shelter community assembled off Victor Street in Providence on Jan. 21, 2025. The opening of the village has been bogged down with delays. Now House Speaker K. Joseph Shekarchi has introduced a bill in the General Assembly to address red tape faced by such projects. (Photo by Christopher Shea/Rhode Island Current) Its no secret that state officials have been frustrated by repeated delays in getting Rhode Islands first pallet shelter community up and running. Thats why House Speaker K. Joseph Shekarchi is proposing legislation to ensure the regulatory hurdles bogging down ECHO Village in Providence dont get in the way of any future projects meant to temporarily shelter Rhode Islands growing homeless population. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Temporary housing needs a special category, Shekarchi said in an interview Thursday. Just because its hard doesnt mean we shouldnt try. The bill introduced Wednesday creates a new type of emergency shelter under the states building code called Supportive and Versatile Emergency (SAVE) units. Shekarchis bill would apply to housing units that measure a minimum of 70-square feet, the same as the 45 cabins still awaiting occupancy off Route 146 in Providence. Like ECHO Village units, which will have both heat and air conditioning, the emergency housing units defined in Shekarchis bill must also have climate control, fire and carbon monoxide detectors, extinguishers, a locking door, and windows. Shekarchis bill would also allow municipalities to be exempt from the normal fire and building codes for 180 days, so long as a city or town declares an emergency. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement These emergencies are usually local issues and are best decided by local governments, Shekarchi said. Shekarchis bill comes as a response to the slow completion of the 45 one-room cabins and auxiliary buildings that make up ECHO Village. The $3.3 million project faces delays partly due to confusion over how the cabins fit into the states fire and building codes. State Fire Marshal Timothy McLauglin revealed to a legislative panel in December that his office ultimately decided last spring to go with the code used for hotels or dorms, even though the cabins are freestanding structures. Temporary housing needs a special category. Just because its hard doesnt mean we shouldnt try. House Speaker K. Joseph Shekarchi These pallet shelters and type of housing were trying to get at are not hotels they should not be reviewed as such, Shekarchi said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Such delays prompted approximately 62% of lawmakers to call on Gov. Dan McKee to declare a state of emergency to help expedite ECHO Villages opening. McKee has resisted, contending that an emergency declaration would not yield any federal funds toward the issue and could create potential problems should regulations be relaxed. McKees office did not immediately respond to request for comment on Shekarchis bill. ECHO Village will be managed by the Warwick-based community development corporation House of Hope, whose executive director Laura Jaworski recently led McKee on a tour of the site. The governor mentioned stopping by ECHO Village during his Jan. 14 State of the State address, but did not state how long he was there. Turns out he spent 15 minutes on site on Jan. 10, Jaworski confirmed to Rhode Island Current. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement With the focus right now being on construction, it is an appropriate length of time, Jaworski said in a recent interview It doesnt matter if it was 15 minutes or 50, what matters is that he was able to see the site himself. Shekarchis legislation likely wouldnt have an impact on ECHO Village, now scheduled to open by the end of February. But it could be used in the event of extreme weather caused by climate change such as flooding, the speaker said. Unfortunately, weather events are getting more prevalent and more severe, Shekarchi said. We need to take a proactive approach to making sure if we need pallet shelters in the future, we can expedite them. Shekarchis bill will now head to the House Committee on Municipal Government and Housing for consideration, which has yet to be configured for the 2025 legislative session. The speaker said he would like to see his legislation clear the House within the next 60 days. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Rhode Island League of Cities and Towns spokesperson Lauren Green declined to comment on Shekarchis bill, saying that municipal leaders are still reviewing the proposal. No companion legislation has been introduced in the Rhode Island Senate, nor has Shekarchi identified a sponsor. Ive learned long ago never to interfere with the other chambers business, Shekarchi said. I will work with whoever the sponsor of a Senate version is. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX The House passed an amended version of the Laken Riley Act on Wednesday on a vote of 263-156, teeing up major immigration reform at the start of President Donald Trump's second administration. Forty-six Democrats joined Republicans in voting in favor of the bill, breaking with Democratic leadership. The bill, which was expected to pass two weeks after it initially passed the bill, will now go to Trump's desk and symbolically will become the first measure he signs into law of his second administration. The updated measure, which cleared the Senate with some Democratic support on Tuesday, requires Immigration and Customs Enforcement to detain undocumented immigrants for theft-related crimes and includes amendments from Texas Sen. John Cornyn and Iowa Sen. Joni Ernst that expanded the scope of offenses that trigger detention. PHOTO: Supporters of former President and 2024 presidential hopeful Donald Trump hold images of Laken Riley before he speaks at a 'Get Out the Vote' rally in Rome, Ga., March 9, 2024. (Elijah Nouvelage/AFP via Getty Images) The death of Riley, a 22-year-old woman who was murdered by Jose Ibarra, an undocumented immigrant, on Feb. 22, 2024, fueled the immigration debate in the United States and became a lightning rod issue for Trump on the campaign trail. Ibarra had illegally entered the U.S. in 2022 but was allowed to stay in the U.S. while his case was ongoing, and he had been charged with misdemeanor shoplifting while living in Georgia. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The legislation will require immigration officers to detain undocumented immigrants who are suspected of minor criminal offenses, including shoplifting. It also grants power to attorneys general to sue the federal government if they can show their states are being harmed over failure to implement national immigration policies, as well as allows states to sue the Department of Homeland Security for harm caused to citizens allegedly due to illegal immigration. "We're putting the safety and security of Americans first with this commonsense piece of legislation, so it's a big deal," Alabama Sen. Katie Britt said Wednesday. "Whether it's from fentanyl overdoses or whether it is the tragedy that occurred to Laken Riley or Rachel Morin or Jocelyn Nungaray or its countless number of people -- today, we said we hear you to the American people." The bill, a major Republican-driven initiative, originally cleared the House on a vote of 264-159 on Jan. 7, with 48 Democrats joined Republicans in voting in favor of the bill. The amended version then passed the Senate, the first bill to pass in the chamber this session, on Tuesday on a vote of 64-35, with support from 12 Democrats, which resulted in the new bill going back to the House for final approval. "Illegal migrants shouldn't be here in the first place," Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, said on the Senate floor leading up to a vote on the bill. "Everybody knows that it is against the law to enter the United States without our permission. Even so, if they come here violating our law, they hurt and kill an American, the federal government must prioritize their detention and deportation." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Cornyn's amendment, which adds assault of a law enforcement officer to the list of crimes that would mandate detention of an undocumented migrant, passed with substantial Democratic support, 70-25. The bill previously passed the House in the last Congress but was not taken up in the Democratic-controlled Senate. PHOTO: Speaker of the House Mike Johnson responds to a question from the news media during a press conference at the Republican National Committee headquarters on Capitol Hill in Washington, Jan. 22, 2025. (Shawn Thew/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock) "Chuck Schumer made it clear that in a Democrat Senate, they had no desire to stand up for women who were assaulted by people here illegally," House Speaker Mike Johnson said ahead of the vote Wednesday. "Joe Biden would not have signed that bill, but now with John Thune, you have the same House majority, but you now have a willing partner in the Senate that actually wants to confront real problems facing families so that you don't have more Laken Riley, you don't have more murders of innocent people because of an open border." ICE estimated enforcement of the bill will cost close to $27 billion in its first year, according to a document obtained by ABC News, up from a previous estimate of $3.2 billion. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement ICE has said a lack of cooperation from local and state law enforcement officials may make their jobs more difficult and that going after people for property crimes might prevent them from targeting "more egregious offenders." After a recent review of immigrants in their nondetained docket, ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations found about 110,000 people with offenses referenced in the act, the document said. That's up from its original count of over 60,000. To enforce the law, ICE would need to expand detention capacity to 151,500 beds. It is currently only funded to have 41,500 beds. PHOTO: A Border Patrol agent makes his way towards a group of migrants waiting to apply for asylum between two border walls separating Mexico and the United States, Jan. 21, 2025, in San Diego. (Gregory Bull/AP) "Full implementation would be impossible for ICE to execute within existing resources," the document noted. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "This bill comes with an astronomical price tag and will create more problems than it solves," said Connecticut Sen. Chris Murphy, a Democrat. "It will make our immigration system more chaotic and our country less safe. Under this bill, people charged with serious crimes will be released because detention centers will be forced to detain a child who stole a pack of gum from a gas station instead." On Tuesday, 13 Senate Democrats sent a letter to Thune committing to working with Republicans in "good faith" toward providing the necessary 60 votes in the Senate to pass certain immigration and border security measures. "We can solve big challenges when we work together, and there is much work to do to improve border security, protect Dreamers and farmworkers, and fix our immigration system to better reflect the needs of our country and our modern economy," the Democrats wrote. "These issues require bipartisan cooperation and we stand ready to work with you to develop meaningful and long-lasting solutions to these important issues that have gone unaddressed for far too long under both Democratic and Republican-controlled government." Of the 13 who signed the letter, 10 voted in favor of the Laken Riley Act. Those votes were necessary in helping that bill hit the 60-vote threshold in the Senate. ABC News' Arthur Jones II contributed to this report. House passes Laken Riley Act, teeing up immigration crackdown originally appeared on abcnews.go.com Jan. 22Angela Moore will be 65 years old in August. She said she is praying she'll be approved for an apartment at the newly renovated The Harmony Marcus Garvin Apartments. She said she'd consider it an early birthday gift. The northeast Oklahoma City apartments are for seniors ages 65 and older, but Moore heard she could be approved early. She visited the campus recently and took a rental application. She'll pay more for rent than at her apartment on Britton Road and will have to contend with a flight of stairs to a second-floor unit. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Moore said she'd gladly make those sacrifices to live at The Harmony, with its freshly renovated interiors and enormous white-framed picture windows. In-unit washer/dryer sets are luxuries Moore said are worth the extra rent. Marcus Garvey is an old schoolhouse that most recently served as a charter school. Developers redesigned the schoolhouse into 20 apartments and 20 duplexes, designated as affordable senior housing. Oklahoma has many privately owned housing options for seniors, along with public housing and project-based housing complexes. But the over-60 demographic is growing faster than houses are being built in the state. Nearly 900,000 Oklahomans are 60 and older, and another quarter million are approaching 60. During the past four years, the percentage of Oklahomans over 65 has grown by 43%; in 2034, the oldest age demographic will outpace the number of people under 18 for the first time. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As the number of older Oklahomans rises, many are packing up and moving. Retirement Living estimated that one in four seniors feels compelled to move due to rising rents, inability to pay rent, threat of eviction and landlords who won't make necessary repairs. Moving out While Moore may move as a choice, Shanon Van Gordon, 72, was recently forced out of the townhome she rented in central Oklahoma City. She lived in the same complex as her sisters, who are her closest companions. Oklahoma Watch reported in October on the lack of repairs and apparent retaliatory actions Van Gordon and her family experienced. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Securing a rental that met her needs meant Van Gordon had to move 12 miles from the home where she lived for 21 years to a food desert where the nearest grocery store is seven miles away. Plus, she pays $150 more per month for her new duplex. Van Gordon's sisters, also in their 70s, still live in the townhome complex, which is crumbling around them. With the landlord still slow to make necessary repairs, the sisters are saving for move-in deposits and other relocation costs in case they too are forced to move. Senior Housing desperately needed The state lacks affordable rental options for seniors who want to downsize and don't need assisted care. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "About 40% of seniors are relying solely on Social Security for their income," said Sabine Brown, a senior policy analyst at Oklahoma Policy Institute. "And rent has just greatly outpaced Social Security income." According to the Oklahoma 2025 Housing Needs Assessment, Oklahoma rent increased 31% between 2011 and 2021. During the same period, Social Security gave a 17.5% cost of living increase. An estimated 68,000 senior-headed renter households in the state meet income requirements to receive Section 8 housing vouchers, Brown said. Of the approximate 25,000 vouchers used in 2023, only about 6,700, or 27%, were used by older Oklahoma households. Legal Aid Services attorney Emily Dunn said she is seeing more seniors fighting for their homes at eviction court. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Older Oklahomans, she said, sometimes have trouble grasping that Oklahoma laws don't provide them greater protections, particularly in housing concerns. "I find not that they don't understand what is happening as much, but that it can be harder to overcome thinking that there can be more done than can be," Dunn said. "Laws, unfortunately, do not protect tenants in a way that we would like." Van Gordon had been fighting her landlord for years, lobbying him to repair the many problems in her townhome. After finally taking legal action, a judge ruled in her favor. Her landlord was required to pay her $1,000, a fraction of the nearly $4,000 Van Gordon and her son spent in actual moving costs. Outside the system Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Similar factors that force some seniors to change their living arrangements may force others out of their homes altogether. Janet Anders, 67, has been living in her car for the past six months after being displaced when her sister was evicted. Anders receives Social Security payments but said she can't find an apartment that is affordable for her and she is not on the waiting list for Section 8 rental assistance, which closed in the fall. Her boyfriend is in his 60s and the two said they know several other unhoused seniors. People age 50 and older are the fastest growing demographic experiencing homelessness. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Making dents Oklahoma needs tens of thousands of housing units the Housing Needs Assessment shows. To bridge the gap, particularly for older Oklahomans, Brown said state and local policymakers need to rethink zoning restrictions and find ways to encourage builders to accommodate accessibility needs for the fastest-growing age group. Creative use of vacant buildings like The Harmony Marcus Garvey Apartments could represent a way to rejuvenate blighted areas while providing much-needed housing. The Harmony is privately owned and built with a combination of tax increment financing, affordable housing GOLT bonds, HOME funds, and low-income housing tax credits. As such, the complex accepts Section 8 rental assistance, making the $1,007 rent for a two-bedroom unit more palatable for voucher holders. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In 2017, another school was renovated into low-income housing. The building that was Douglass High School from 1934 to 1954, then The Page Woodson School until 1994, is now The Douglass Apartments. Other schools and government buildings renovated into low-income and senior housing are sprinkled across the state. The same types of buildings are popular choices for market-rate apartments such as The Sieber in downtown Oklahoma City. One development team is in the early stages of renovating the old Roosevelt School at 900 N Klein Ave. into The Theodore, a multi-use boutique hotel. Creative use of old structures financed by gap funding sources may make a dent in the local housing landscape for older Oklahomans, but seniors are feeling the crunch, said Stacy Hanson, executive director of the Oklahoma Alliance on Aging. The Alliance takes calls daily from seniors needing help with everything from food to housing assistance. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "We are hearing that there are high numbers of seniors reaching out for legal assistance to help them deal with evictions," Hanson said. "I think people have just been suffering along, you know, paying for rent and food, really doing what they can." Since the Covid-19 pandemic, Hanson said she's seen Oklahoma's senior population struggling with rising rents and stagnating Social Security payments. "It feels like it's been a slow, slow tsunami," Hanson said. She said older Oklahomans should reach out to their lawmakers and push for attention to their needs, like more housing options. Oklahoma Alliance on Aging advocates for senior causes at the annual Senior Day at the Capitol, set for March 3. Jan. 23 (UPI) -- The Iran-backed Yemen-based Houthi militia has released the crew of the Galaxy Leader cargo ship, more than a year after it seized the vessel as part of a maritime blockade in the Middle East during Israel's war in Gaza. The Houthi rebels confirmed the release of the 25-member crew of the Japanese-owned Galaxy Leader cargo ship on Wednesday. "The fate of the Galaxy Leader ship and its crew is in the hands of the Palestinian negotiator," Houthi spokesman Mohammed al-Bukhaiti said in a statement on X. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Its crew was released today in coordination with Hamas and with Omani mediation." The crew consisted of nationals of Bulgaria, Romania, Ukraine and Mexico, including 17 from the Philippines. President Bongbong Marcos of the Philippines announced in a statement that the Filipino crew members were under the care of the Philippines Embassy in Muscat, Oman, and would "very soon" be reunited with their families at home. The release of the crew suggests that the Houthi rebels may be seeking to reduce tensions in the region following the Hamas-Israel cease-fire, which began last week. The Galaxy Leader vessel and its crew were seized by the Yemen rebels in November 2023 as the Houthis began to enforce a military blockade of the important trade route of the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden. The Houthis stated the blockade was in solidarity with the Palestinians in Gaza, where Israel had launched a full-scale war against Hamas, another Iran-proxy militia, a month earlier. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement During the blockade, the Houthis conducted some 160 attacks targeting commercial and U.S. naval ships during the blockade, according to the U.S. Congressional Research Service. The administration of then-U.S. President Joe Biden, focused on preventing the Israel-Hamas war from escalating across the Middle East, responded to the blockade by launching the multinational Operation Prosperity Guardian security initiative. The U.S. military also conducted numerous strikes into Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen to degrade its military capabilities. It also imposed rounds of sanctions against the group and designated it a Specially Designated Global Terrorist in January of last year. The release of the came shortly before newly inaugurated U.S. President Donald Trump moved to re-designate the Houthi rebels as a Foreign Terrorist Organization, a step that could further escalate tensions in the region. Yemeni Minister of Information, Culture and Tourism Moammar al-Eryani issued a statement to emphasize that the Houthis release of the sailors was not a gesture of of goodwill but "a blatant attempt to manipulate the facts and cover-up the truth of what happened -- a fully fledged piracy crime on a commercial ship in international waters." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "The late release of the crew of the Galaxy Leader ... does not eliminate the harm they have suffered or alleviate the suffering they have endured, but rather should reflect the international community's concern about the militia's illegal actions and human rights violations," he said. The internationally recognized Yemeni government does not want international pressure, which has been piling on the Houthis amid their blockade, to diminish now that a cease-fire has been achieved and welcomed Trump's decision to impose harsher sanctions on the militia with the Foreign Terrorist Organization designation. "We are that the continued control of the Houthis militia over parts of the Yemeni coastal strip and the three port of Hodeidah, and its use as a launching pad for piracy operations and threats to commercial ships and oil tankers pose a serious threat to maritime security and negatively affects global trade, which calls for urgent action by the international community," he said, as he called on the European Union and Britain to follow in the United States' steps and designate the Houthis. The Houthis and the Saudi-backed Yemeni government have been locked in a civil war for a decade, creating what the United Nations has said is "one of the largest humanitarian crises of our time" with more than 4.3 million people internally displaced and 21.6 million in dire need of aid. Howard County will have to keep its jail population at or below 292 inmates, allow for regular recreational time, build a new jail and more, according to a provisional private settlement reached with the American Civil Liberties Union of Indiana. The still-to-be-approved settlement is connected to a class-action lawsuit the ACLU of Indiana filed last January, alleging unconstitutional conditions and overcrowding at the countys jail. With the settlement, the county is not admitting any guilt. Most notably, as previously reported by the Tribune, the settlement requires the county to build a new jail. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Late last year, the county approved $2.2 million to purchase nearly 48 acres of land at 2200 W. Markland Ave., just west of the current county jail, as the spot it intends to build the new jail. The new jail will need to have a sufficient number of permanent beds to house the countys current inmates and anticipated jail population to allow for proper security classification and separation and have enough space to allow for inmates to have recreation opportunities outside of their cells. The new jail will also have to be sufficiently staffed to ensure the health and safety of both the inmates and jail staff and to afford inmates for at least five one-hour recreation periods each week. The cost of the new jail is expected to cost over $100 million, with construction potentially beginning spring 2026. Details, such as its size, bed capacity and how it will be financed, have yet to be finalized. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In the meantime, however, the county will be required to meet several conditions at the current jail, per court documents recently filed that outline the details of the settlement. They are: * Keep the inmate population at or below 292. If the jail population exceeds 292 for more than seven consecutive days, the sheriff must notify the local judges, prosecutor, commissioners and president of the County Council and ask the Indiana Department of Correction to immediately accept any sentenced inmates awaiting transfer. * No inmate may sleep directly on the floor without a portable bed, mattress or blanket. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement * The county will have to provide the ACLUs attorney with a weekly report each Monday stating the jail population for the seven-day period prior. * Most inmates will have to be let out of their cells into the day areas for at least 12 hours a day, with others with a higher security level being allowed out of their cell for either for nine hours or one hour a day. * Inmates not in segregation will be offered at least three hours of recreation a week in the jails recreation areas. Those in segregation have to be offered recreation for at least one hour a week. * Jail staff must conduct a visual check of each cell block at least once every hour. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement * The county must hire five additional corrections officers. The County Council approved the additional five employees last August. In addition, the county will have to file progress reports every 90 days to the court summarizing relevant developments regarding the progress of the new jail and staffing and jail population figures. The county has also agreed to pay the ACLU of Indianas attorneys fees and cost of $15,000, which will go toward funding the organizations work. Kenneth Falk, legal director of the ACLU of Indiana, said he was glad the organization and county could reach a settlement agreement. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I appreciate the fact the county acknowledges this facility was dated and needed to be replaced, Falk said. Alan Wilson, county attorney, said the county chose to settle the lawsuit because it was the right thing to do from a legal standpoint. The analysis of the case by our counsel from the outset came with the clear directive that the lawsuit would certainly result in the county being required to build a new jail, he said in a statement to the Tribune. By reaching a settlement agreement, we kept some measure of control over the process, which was vital, and saved thousands in legal expenses. Since the lawsuit is a class-action, it will need to be deemed fair by a federal judge. Before that, the class members, i.e. the inmates at the Howard County Jail, will be given 30 days to comment on the settlement. If the settlement is deemed fair, the lawsuit will be dismissed with prejudice 30 days after the new county jail is occupied. If you managed to evade burnout last year, scientists may be interested in studying your resilience. Burnout in the workplace reached an all-time high in 2024. Around 82% of 1,500 white-collar, desk-based knowledge workers in North America, Asia, and Europe surveyed by DHR Global reported being slightly to extremely burned out. Similarly, 39% of 2,100 global employees surveyed by Skillsoft cited burnout and exhaustion as the top challenge they experienced in 2024. But work probably wasnt their only source of burnout. The term, while traditionally used in reference to occupational stress, can also describe social media or political fatigue. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement People were burned out in 2024, between coming out of Covid, elections, social media, and AI, Lisa Walker, a managing partner at DHR Global, told HR Brew. Burned out and locked in? Despite feeling burned out, workers were also, confoundingly, engaged at work, with 88% of respondents to DHR Globals survey reporting being very or extremely engaged. While only 23% of global respondents to a Gallup survey said they were engaged with their work in 2023 (the most recent year of data collection), that was the highest rate since the firm started tracking the metric in 2012. Why? It isnt necessarily that Im burned out in the Im working 24 hours a day way, but Ive been doing the same general thing for five years, and its just not energizing me anymore, Ciara Harrington, Skillsofts CPO, told HR Brew. People like to be challenged by new things, and if youre stuck in the same role, it can feel like thats not happening, she added. On top of that, workplaces have undergone a seemingly never-ending parade of changes in recent years, from the rise of remote work to the explosion of AI tools. Some have seemingly overwhelmed employees, even if they are optimistic about the related benefits. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Theres a lot of reasons to feel drained, and people react in different ways, Walker said. Some workers may cope with stress by paradoxically throwing themselves even further into work, Walker noted. While 34% of respondents to DHR Globals survey said burnout made them less engaged, another 44% said it made them more engaged. Furthermore, as companies pulled back on hiring in 2024, it became a lot harder for workers to not only find work, but to advance within their organizations, leaving them feeling trapped. Some 67% of respondents to DHR Globals survey said that a tight job market increases their engagement, versus just 9% who said the opposite. Whats the risk? As HR leaders continue to prioritize retention in 2025, Walker said it will be crucial that they avoid putting more pressure on hard workers who may be at their limits. This can create a toxic cycle of overworking employees who are running on fumes, and may force them to leave for greener pastures if given the opportunity this year. You dont want to find the work horse and abuse them, Walker said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For starters, HR leaders should look at whats driving burnout within their own workforce. No company or department is the same, and all have different stressors. A burnt out employee maybe doesnt have as many choices as they would have in a world where the market is more open, Harrington said. As the market opens up, we all have this window to get to those employees in advance of that and really understand: What would it take to get you more engaged? What do you think is causing your burnout? And how can I help you? At the corporate level, Harrington and Walker mentioned the importance of ensuring clarity around company strategy and culture. Define who you want to be and what you want your culture to be. Be very clear about the advantages and disadvantages of that, Walker said. Invest to get better at what youre already good at, so you keep that advantage, and if youre not good at something, invest in that to bring it up to a median level. You dont have to be best at everything. This report was originally published by HR Brew. This story was originally featured on Fortune.com Heil Mary The "Sieg Heil" heard 'round the world has made its way to Deutschland, where activists are using the now-infamous image at Tesla's German Gigafactory to send a bold message. German activist group Zentrum fur Politische Schonheit, or Center for Political Beauty, posted on X-formerly-Twitter a short video of its latest political performance: a projected image of Musk's flat-handed salute, accompanied by the word "Heil" in Tesla's futuristic font that was lined up perfectly with the Tesla factory's own logo. The group said in a subsequent post that it worked with the UK-based campaign group Led by Donkeys to "fight the commercial arm of fascism," a clear reference to the Musk-owned electric carmaker. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Notably, performing a "Sieg Heil" gesture has long been illegal in Germany as part of its postwar denazification efforts. However, it remains unclear whether Musk's gesture specifically would be deemed illegal in Germany because, as legal experts explained to Newsweek, courts there would have to determine that it was Nazi in intent before making any such declaration. Law enforcement has already indicated that an investigation is underway into the activist groups. As Der Spiegel reports, state security services are looking into the groups for "using symbols of unconstitutional organizations." "It's about the distribution and projection of this image, taken out of context, which shows a gesture that looks very similar to the Hitler salute," a spokesperson for the Brandenburg public prosecutor's office told Spiegel. In response to the news, the group claimed a resounding victory, arguing that investigators had proved their point. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "They do see a Hitler salute after all!" the group tweeted, as translated from German. "Hopefully, he'll be put in jail for that," the group wrote in a followup. Tesla Gigafactory, Berlin. Buy a Tesla, support facism! pic.twitter.com/Vv1oXT6VjM Zentrum fur Politische Schonheit (@politicalbeauty) January 23, 2025 Non-Denial Musk himself hasn't denied outright that his bizarre gesture, which he did twice in succession during Donald Trump's inauguration festivities, was a Nazi salute. Instead, he accused those who pointed out the blatant Nazi-ness of the motion of engaging in "dirty tricks" and hyperbolically claimed that his detractors were comparing him to Adolf Hitler. Musk then proceeded to make a slew of gross puns using the names of various Nazi leaders an escalation of his increasingly edgelord behavior that earned him condemnation from Jewish groups including the Anti-Defamation League, which had defended his Nazi salute as an "awkward gesture" days prior. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement During an appearance at Davos, Switzerland following the salute, German chancellor Olaf Scholz appeared to leave the door open to potential blowback for the salute. "We have the freedom of speech in Europe and in Germany," Scholz said at the billionaire convention. "What we do not accept is if this is supporting extreme right positions. And this is what I would like to repeat again." While Germany's leader may be playing demure about the gesture that charmed online Neo-Nazis, its antifascist activists certainly aren't and they're saying so in an outlandish and, dare we say, fabulous fashion. More on Musk's inaugural appearance: Elon Musk Seen Acting Strangely Before Nazi Salute (NewsNation) Governor Gavin Newsom signed legislation directing $2.5 billion in relief to support response and recovery efforts for Los Angeles. Newsom signed the laws after the state Legislature approved them with bipartisan support earlier in the day. The measures include $2.5 billion for the states emergency disaster response efforts such as evacuations, sheltering survivors and removing household hazardous waste. Lawmakers also approved $4 million for local governments to streamline approvals for rebuilding homes, and $1 million to support school districts and help them rebuild facilities. This is about distilling a sense of hopefulness, Newsom said at a news conference in Pasadena, a city recovering from one of the destructive fires that ignited earlier this month. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The aid won approval a day before President Donald Trump is set to visit California for a look at damage from the blazes. Hes suggested any federal wildfire relief should come with conditions, though congressional Republicans who represent the state have pushed back on that idea. Former President Joe Biden already approved some disaster aid for the region earlier this month. Trump signs order to declassify files on JFK, RFK and MLK assassinations Crews responded to two new fires that erupted in San Diego County Thursday afternoon, prompting evacuations. CAL FIRE crews are battling the Border 2 Fire that erupted on Otay Mountain to the southeast of the city of San Diego. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Border 2 Fire has affected about 600 acres near the U.S.-Mexico border. A massive plume of smoke can be seen blowing from the mountain. It was reported after 2:15 p.m. in the area of Otay Mountain Truck Trail in the Otay Wilderness Area. The second fire is the Gilman fire, which was reported in La Jolla, in the area of Gilman Drive and Via Alicante, and has a moderate rate of spread, according to NewsNations local San Diego affiliate KUSI. Evacuation orders were issued for the area bordered by La Jolla Village Drive to the north, La Jolla Parkway to the south, Gilman Drive to the east and Torrey Pines Road to the west. The orders were lifted an hour later once forward progress on the fire was stopped. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement How to protect your home and belongings in case of a fire or emergency More than 50,000 people are also under evacuation orders or warnings because of another fire that broke out late Wednesday morning in Los Angeles County. The Hughes fire started quickly and engulfed 10,176 acres, according to CAL FIRE. It charred miles of trees and brush near Castaic Lake, a popular recreation area. The extremely strong winds were fueling the flames. However, they later died down something firefighters used to their advantage. Los Angeles County Fire Chief Anthony Marrone said that because winds were not as strong as they were two weeks ago, aircraft crews were able to drop fire retardant on the south side of the fire, where the flames were moving. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement However, the National Weather Service in Los Angeles cautioned that winds are expected to increase and expand into Thursday morning. Humidity is already extremely dry, the NWS said. Much of LA and Ventura Counties are at critical Red Flag levels. Any new fire can grow rapidly. County Sheriff officers return to their vehicle after monitoring flames caused by the Hughes Fire along a roadside in Castaic, Calif., Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Ethan Swope) Parts of Interstate 5 near the Hughes fire that had been closed reopened Wednesday evening. Its really terrible to see it happening, Chris Dittes, a member of the Castaic Town Council, said. But this instance here is not one of tragedy. Theres no homes that have been burned as far as I know. Its just been brush that has actually long needed to burn. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Still, any fire, of course, is scary, Dittes added. Another blaze in Ventura County, which local outlets say is being called the Laguna fire, was reported near Camarillo in the hills near California State University Channel Islands. Firefighters responded to Laguna at around 8:35 a.m., the Ventura County Star wrote. Currently, it is at 50 acres and 0% containment. Those on CSUCIs campus were told to evacuate. Evacuation warnings were also in effect Wednesday but later lifted for parts of the Brentwood and Bel Air neighborhoods for the Sepulveda Fire, which started overnight. Firefighters were able to stop forward progress on Sepulveda around 2 a.m. Thursday, NewsNation local affiliate KTLA reported. That blaze torched around 45 acres. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Disaster zone: How to know if your home is underinsured The Los Angeles area had already been devastated by wildfires that began earlier this month and have continued burning. Of these, the Palisades fire is the largest, burning 23,448 acres. It is 72% contained, per CAL FIRE. The second-largest, the Eaton fire, is 14,021 acres and 95% contained. At least 28 people have died, and more than 14,000 structures destroyed, between both the Palisades and Eaton fires. In Riverside County, the Gibbel fire quickly burned 15 acres as fire departments worked to contain the spread, according to reports. It began as a small vegetation fire, according to nonprofit fire tracking app Watch Duty. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Meanwhile, the Clay fire, also in Riverside County, has burned 39 acres and reached 70% containment. Firefighters work to control the spread of the Hughes Fire in Castaic, Calif., Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Ethan Swope) Marrone said residents and officials have been on edge over the last 16 days because of the numerous figures started in January. However, Marrone noted that the situation for the Hughes fire is different. In addition to the state resources that were pre-deployed, we had two strike teams in the Santa Clarita area, he told reporters. We were able to amass a lot of fire resources early on to change what this fire looks like. Dana Dierkes, public affairs officer for the Angeles National Forest, told NewsNation anchor Nichole Berlie that in areas that have burned, there can be challenges with debris flows and mud or rock slides. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It depends also highly upon how severely an area was burned after a fire, she said. Earlier this week, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass signed an executive order to prevent hazardous runoff. This includes preparing for future wet weather by installing reinforced barriers;removing fire debris with heavy-duty equipment, and capturing stormwater and diverting it to the sewer system. Im directing city crews to swiftly install reinforced concrete barriers, lay down sandbags and clear debris to shore up burn areas and stem the flow of toxins, Bass said in a statement. These communities have already endured unimaginable loss we are taking action against further harm. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement California state lawmakers on Thursday overwhelmingly approved a more than $2.5 billion fire relief package for those affected by the fires. It now heads to Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsoms desk for his signature. 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 NewsNation. Tens of thousands of residents remain under evacuation orders and warnings Thursday morning as firefighters continue to battle for containment on the Hughes Fire that erupted near Castaic. The blaze was reported around 11 a.m. Wednesday in the area of Lake Hughes Road near Castaic Lake and used gusty winds to rapidly spread through steep terrain. Thousands of firefighters were called to battle the Hughes Fire, which had scorched 10,176 acres as of 11:36 p.m. Wednesday. Crews had built the containment level to 14%, according to Cal Fire. Firefighters monitor flames caused by the Hughes Fire along a roadside in Castaic, Calif., Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Ethan Swope) A helicopter drops water on the Hughes Fire as firefighters monitor flames in Castaic, Calif., Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2025.(AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez) Firefighters work to control the spread of the Hughes Fire in Castaic, Calif., Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Ethan Swope) Flames caused by the Hughes Fire is seen along Castaic Lake in Castaic, Calif., Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez) Fighter fighters monitor flames caused by the Hughes Fire along Castaic Lake in Castaic, Calif., Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez) A helicopter drops water on the Hughes Fire along Castaic Lake in Castaic, Calif., Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez) A wildfire burns along a ridge from the Hughes Fire in Castaic, Calif., Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Eugene Garcia) An air tanker makes a retardant drop around the Hughes Fire in northern Los Angeles County on Jan. 22, 2025. (KTLA) Sky5 view of the Hughes Fire next to Castaic Lake. Jan. 22, 2025. (KTLA) Sky5 view of the Hughes Fire next to Castaic Lake. Jan. 22, 2025. (KTLA) The Hughes Fire is seen on Jan. 22, 2025. (KTLA) Firefighters continued to make progress overnight putting out flareups and dousing hotspots. Winds were relatively calm early Thursday but are likely to pick up again later in the morning. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement There were no reports of homes or structures lost in the fire but officials told KTLA that roughly 31,000 people, including residents of Castaic, were under evacuation orders. A portion of Ventura County near Lake Piru was also placed in the mandatory evacuation zone. About 23,000 more were under evacuation warnings, including residents of Ventura County south of Lake Piru. An evacuation center was set up for residents at the College of the Canyons located at 26455 Rockwell Canyon Road in Santa Clarita. As a result of the blaze, the 5 Freeway was temporarily closed between the 126 Freeway and Grapevine Road, though the California Highway Patrol reopened the roadway Wednesday evening. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement All schools in the Castaic Union School District are closed Thursday due to the blaze. Additional schools will be closed in the William S. Hart Union High School District and the Saugus Union Elementary School District. A complete list of school closures can be found here. The cause of the fire remains 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. UPDATED 5:30 p.m.: With the Palisades and Eaton fires still not fully contained, a new Southern California blaze sparked up Wednesday north of Santa Clarita, burning more than 9,400 acres in a matter of hours, forcing evacuations by the thousands and shutting down sections of the 5 freeway. The Hughes fire forced 31,000 people to flee their homes just two weeks after the devastation that have ravaged parts of greater Los Angeles. Persistent extreme conditions gave life to the new fire, which started just before 11 a.m. and raced through the areas around Castaic Lake, a popular recreation area. Miraculously, the large-scale blaze had not yet damaged any structures, fire officials said Wednesday evening. L.A. County Fire Chief Anthony Marrone said more than 4,000 firefighters were responding to the fire, which was 0% contained as of 5 p.m. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But the fast-moving fire was bearing down on homes, schools businesses, and the countys Castaic jail complex, forcing deputies to scramble for resources to move inmates to another facility a short distance away. Initial reports put the fire at only 50 acres, but it exploded to more than 5,000 in the first two hours, fanned by the same Santa Ana winds that have plagued the area all month. The Grapevine section of Interestate 5 was closed in both directions, only complicating evacuation efforts. The Los Angeles Sheriffs Department reported that an additional 23,000 people near the Huges fire were issued evacuation warnings. The National Weather Service warned that the critical risk of fire weather would remain for the region through Thursday. Some relief was on the way, as rain was expected to arrive this weekend, but Los Angeles Fire Department spokesperson Margaret Stewart reiterated that there is a Red Flag Alert currently in effect. After being designated as such early Monday morning, a Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone has been established due to a forecast for high winds and dry conditions creating high fire danger citywide. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Elsewhere, the Palisades fire has burned 23,448 acres at 68% containment while the Eaton fire is at 14,021 acres at 91% containment. In total, the various 2025 wildfires have reached 40,462 acres, killing at least 28 people and destroying 15,798 structures since they began on Jan. 7. The post Hughes Fire North of Santa Clarita Burns 9,400 Acres, Forces Thousands to Evacuate appeared first on TheWrap. LOS ANGELES (KTLA) As the more than 10,000-acre Hughes Fire in Castiac continues to burn with 14% containment, several school districts in areas impacted by the blaze will be closed on Thursday. The Hughes Fire erupted around 10:50 a.m. in the area of Lake Hughes Road east of Castaic Lake and, so far, has prompted the evacuation of more than 31,0000 people with thousands more under evacuation warnings. All schools in the Castaic Union School District are closed Jan. 23, with Superintendent Bob Brauneisen saying in a statement that the closure comes due to concerns about poor air quality and the need to assess the safety of our facilities. Sky5 view of the Hughes Fire near Castaic, California on Jan. 22, 2025. (KTLA) Additionally, officials with the William S. Hart Union High School District said the following campuses will be closed tomorrow: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Castaic High School Valencia High School Rio Norte Junior High School Academy of the Canyons In the Saugus Union Elementary School District, officials said the following closures are in place tomorrow: West Creek Academy Tesoro del Valle Elementary Mountainview Elementary As well as the districts offices The Valencia and Canyon Country campuses at College of the Canyons will be closed to students and staff members, though Online and Online Live classes will be held as scheduled, the schools website noted. All schools in the Los Angeles Unified School District will remain open, with officials saying they are closely monitoring the fire activity in the Castaic Lake area. Fire crews will be working through the night to and residents in the area are asked to stay vigilant and evacuate immediately if ordered to do so. 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. Less than two weeks after Winter Storm Cora grounded flights throughout the Gulf Coast, Winter Storm Enzo has caused hundreds of flight cancellations and even more delays. The storm stretched from Texas through North Carolina, covering parts of the coast that rarely get snow. New Orleans received eight inches of snowthe most in over 100 years. Its also brought dangerously cold temperatures. Frostbite and hypothermia will occur if unprotected skin is exposed to these temperatures, the NWS in New Orleans warned. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The winter storm caused disruptions throughout the Southeast. According to flight tracker FlightAware, George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) canceled 218 outgoing and 202 incoming flights on Wednesday. Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport (ATL) canceled 198 outgoing and 232 incoming flights. Airlines at Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport have canceled all departing flights on Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2025, and some may operate some late night arriving flights, the airport wrote on its website. Airlines will continue to evaluate if additional cancellations will occur on Thursday, Jan. 23 based on conditions in the local area as well as on the airfield. Several airlines, including Delta Air Lines, United Airlines, American Airlines, JetBlue, Southwest Airlines, Spirit Airlines, and Frontier Airlines, have issued flight waivers for the Southeast in response to the winter storm. Fortunately, conditions are expected to improve throughout the week. All five runways and all taxiways are operational, ATL airport wrote in a post on X. Security wait times have fallen to acceptable levels. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Currently, Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport (MSY) is the only airport in the region with substantial cancellations on Thursday, January 23, according to FlightAware, with 64 outgoing and 28 incoming flights already canceled. Read the original article on Travel & Leisure Jan. 22 (UPI) -- Hundreds of couples this week are poised to marry in Thailand as its overwhelmingly popular marriage equality law goes into effect, according to multiple reports. "This could be a model for the world because we now have Thailand as a model," stated Kittinun Daramadhaj, a lawyer and president of the Rainbow Sky Association of Thailand. The bill going into effect Thursday was signed into law in September by Thai King Maha Vajiralonghorn after the country's Senate last year in June passed the landmark bill in a 130-4 vote with 18 abstentions. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It laid the groundwork for Thailand to be the first Southeast Asian nation -- and the third in Asia -- to give married same-sex partners equal legal protection. It follows Taiwan in 2019 and Nepal a few years later in 2023. "There is true marriage equality in Thailand," added Daramadhaj, who had been fighting with Thailand's Rainbow Sky Association to pass the law. "This demonstrates that Thailand is ready to embrace diversity and accept love in all its forms," Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra, 38, said last week. A 2023 government survey indicated public support for the law was a staggering 96.6% among the Thai public. Creative common license/UPI History is made. Starting this morning, January 23rd, 2025, same sex marriage becomes legal across Thailand and thousands of same sex couples across the nation are expected to visit district offices and officially register. This is Banglamung district office at sunset last... pic.twitter.com/4cD02U9nH5 The Pattaya News Thailand (@The_PattayaNews) January 22, 2025 The bill used gender-neutral language to replace "men," "women," "wives" and "husbands." It will now further permit equal access to adoption, in vitro fertilization and grants tax, property and inheritance rights in 878 districts throughout Thailand. "This demonstrates that Thailand is ready to embrace diversity and accept love in all its forms," Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra said last week at an event. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A 2023 government survey indicated public support for the law was a staggering 96.6% among the Thai public. "Today shows that our country is open and accepting," the 38-year-old Pheu Thai Party leader said as she hailed the new law and invited LGBTQ+ activists and couples to government offices. Meanwhile, hundreds of couples on Thursday are set to wed in downtown Bangkok -- the Thai capital city -- as same-sex unions become law. At least 200 couples were signed-up for a mass wedding at a popular downtown shopping mall, according to Bangkok Pride, at a rainbow flag-studded "pride carpet" event to see the likes of drag queens, celebrities and scores of newlyweds. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "We are all delighted and excited," Siritata Ninlapruek, an activist in Bangkok, told LGBTQ Nation. "We've been fighting for our rights for over 10 years, and now it's finally happening." Thailand, meanwhile, is home to an estimated 314,000 transgender people of its nearly 72 millions citizens, the Asia Pacific Transgender Network says. "Even now, as a Thai person, they still look down on us, seeing us as a joke," Nina Chetniphat Chuadkhunthod, a transgender person who will wed their partner of 22 years on Thursday, told CNN. "They laugh and smile, nudging each other while looking at us," added Chuadkhunthod. But LGBTQ+ people will be a key target for the Thai tourism industry as the demographic reportedly spend 40% higher on average than other tourists, the Bangkok Post reported. Marketing efforts will roll out next month aimed to capture the global LGBTQ+ population in travel activity as it looks to Thai Pride Events for 2025, according to Thailand's Tourism Authority. For the record: 3:45 p.m. Jan. 23, 2025: A previous version of this article stated that goby populations were lost to the Woolsey and Thomas fires and that a population in Carpinteria Creek was one of them. Many populations were significantly reduced, including the population in Carpinteria Creek. The rescue team donned waders and marched into a murky Malibu lagoon scorched by the Palisades fire. Their mission: Save the lives of northern tidewater gobies, a tiny endangered fish. The destructive wildfire had stripped the slopes of the nearby Santa Monica Mountains and now rain could send a tremendous amount of sediment flowing into Topanga Lagoon, a death trap for fish. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The squad encompassing biologists from several government agencies mobilized late last week to try to capture the swamp-colored, semi-translucent gobies before a storm arrived. But success wasnt guaranteed. Rosi Dagit, principal conservation biologist for the Resource Conservation District of the Santa Monica Mountains, holds a net with federally endangered tidewater gobies that inhabit the Topanga Lagoon in Malibu. It was a seasonal population lowpoint for the species, which hunkers down in winter under rocks and vegetation. And a sandbar that had severed Topanga Lagoon from the Pacific Ocean had been swept away by high tides and an influx of water used for firefighting an unnatural breach that could flush them into the surf. But soon after the scientists of the trained, in-training and citizen variety shimmied large nets that functioned as sieves into the brackish water, gleeful cries began to ring out. They hit the goby jackpot. "The goby gods are working with us," said Rosi Dagit, principal conservation biologist for the Resource Conservation District of the Santa Monica Mountains and ringleader of the rescue. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Then she exclaimed, "Oh, look at that one!" Another goby redeemed. Within a few hours, theyd transferred 760 healthy gobies to plastic coolers, exceeding their goal of about 400. Dray Banfield, with the California Conservation Corps' Watershed Stewards Program in partnership with AmeriCorps, helps rescue gobies that inhabit Topanga Lagoon. While the gobies were spirited away to safety, another fish of top concern remained in danger. The last known population of steelhead trout in the coastal mountain range occupies the same watershed and are set to be rescued Thursday in a more challenging operation. Help may come in the nick of time, with the first rain in months expected this weekend in Los Angeles County. Although saved fish is an immediate win, the burned watersheds could take years to recover. And habitat that is offline translates to fewer places to move fish in an emergency. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Tidewater gobies are a hardy fish fallen on hard luck. The fish can withstand extreme temperature and salinity changes, and can even slurp air from the water surface if the conditions force them to. But their numbers plummeted amid habitat destruction from agricultural and coastal development, prompting their listing under the federal Endangered Species Act. The fish also are threatened by drought and invasive predators. Steelhead trout once found in most streams in the Santa Monica Mountains similarly declined as habitat disappeared, degraded and fragmented. Silvery steelhead migrate to the ocean and return to natal freshwater streams to spawn, a cycle that can be impeded by dams and concrete channels. A distinct Southern California population is listed as endangered at the state and federal level. Topanga Creek, a biodiversity hot spot that drains into the Santa Monica Bay, is the last refuge for the coastal ranges steelhead and supports a population of tidewater gobies recently estimated to be in the tens of thousands. Crew members used nets that functioned as sieves to catch the gobies. All told, 760 gobies were saved during the rescue mission. "It's unusually preserved by mostly native vegetation, which gives rise to native fauna," said Alyssa Morgan, a project manager for the resource conservation district. "Especially when you have less and less of those hot spots, they're really, really important to preserve." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The conservation district offers programs and services focused on watershed management, restoration, research and education throughout the Santa Monica Mountains and surrounding areas. It's not a regulatory agency, but can advise such agencies. Malibu Creek, a nearby watershed, burned in December. Dagit said its the first time that the Malibu and Topanga watersheds are simultaneously gone in her 38 years of monitoring efforts. Typically, theyd "tag team" the creeks, but now no fish can be moved into Malibu. "We can't keep doing these fire drills," Dagit said during the recent goby rescue, calling for a more strategic approach. Numerous partners participated in the rescue, including the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, U.S. Geological Survey, California State Parks and Cal State Channel Islands. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Fires have challenged relocations in other areas. The massive Woolsey fire of 2018 scorched creeks in the Santa Monica Mountains that havent recovered to the point where they can receive fish, according to said Kyle Evans, an environmental program manager for the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. "The amount of suitable habitat has been reduced significantly over the past 100 years due to anthropogenic impacts stemming from land and water use and the frequent wildfires add stress to that already impacted system," Evans, whose agency is leading the steelhead rescue, wrote in an email. Evans said the state agency has carried out fish relocations and rescues since its inception more than a century ago. "In the past this may have been to supplement stocks, plant fish or plan around water diversions or dams," he said, "but in the modern era, rescues and translocations are used as management tools." Rescuing the steelhead trout will be more complex, Dagit said. Unlike the diminutive gobies, steelhead can grow up to 2 feet. Theyll need to be transferred into hatchery trucks outfitted with large tanks. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Dagit said accessing the creek will be difficult, and the road will need to be closed to traffic. "Look at how burned these hillsides are," she said, referencing charred slopes looming above Pacific Coast Highway. "This isn't even as bad as it is in the creek." As the trouts fate hangs in the balance, the rescued gobies are safely tucked away at the Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach and Santa Monicas Heal the Bay Aquarium. Brenton Spies, a lecturer at Cal State Channel Islands with goby expertise, said how long the fish will remain in captivity depends on when rainstorms arrive. One or two rainstorms could flush out debris in the water, potentially making it safe for them to return. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Gobies live only for about a year, so those on the rescue mission were told collecting the largest specimens wasnt ideal they may not have much life left. The rescue came together quickly; time was of the essence. Spies said many goby populations were significantly reduced due to the Woolsey blaze and the monster Thomas fire that preceded it in 2017. We weren't able to get out to them in time, said Spies, who joined the recent rescue effort. Tidewater gobies are hardy fish, able to withstand extreme differences in salinity and temperature. However, habitat loss drove down their numbers. In 1994, they were added to the federal endangered species list. Above, they swim in an orange bucket. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement One population inhabited Carpinteria Creek, he said, which drains into the Santa Barbara Channel. There, telephone poles and tons of vegetation crowded the lagoon for months. "It just kind of suffocated them," he said, noting that the lagoon hadn't breached. Before the freshly liberated gobies were driven to their new digs, their rescuers crooned at them. Dozens of the fish darted here and there in a blue cooler, blissfully unaware of the peril they probably narrowly escaped. "Theyre so cute," said Luke Benson, a field technician biologist with the Santa Monica Mountains resource conservation district. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The little eyes on top really get me, said Jelly Kahler, community engagement manager for the district. Amid the exuberance, the toll of the tragedy wrought by the still-burning fire human, environmental and otherwise simmered. Crew members with the district said mobilizing in a pinch is nothing new to them, but this endeavor hit different given the personal effects many experienced from the blaze. The Palisades fire, 70% contained as of Wednesday, has devastated thousands of homes in Pacific Palisades and Malibu. "There have been fires in the Palisades and Topanga, our trees and our fields have been burned in the past, but to have an entire town burn down in our community and so close to us," Kahler said while driving to the rescue, "it's a rather different feeling from the other tragedies." Dagit, who lives in the Topanga Canyon community of Fernwood, was evacuated during the emergency. On Friday afternoon, after the successful goby rescue, she wrote in an email that she had just found out she would be going home the following day. "Definitely a good day!" she wrote. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WHNT) Authorities say a Huntsville man is set for sentencing after he admitted he laundered money for Nigerian sextortionists. Acting U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan Andrew Birge announced on Wednesday that Dinismore Guyton Robinson, 29, of Huntsville, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit money laundering after he laundered money for Nigerian Sex extortionists. His sentencing before U.S. District Judge Robert J. Jonker is scheduled for April 24. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The indictment states a group of money launderers, including Robinson, used online payment systems to collect sextortion proceeds and send them to Nigerian sextortionists. Other money launderers in the group were: Johnathan Demetrius Green, 32, Stone Mountain, Georgia Jarell Daivon Williams, 31, McDonough, Georgia Kendall Ormond London, Jr., 32, Lithonia, Georgia Brian Keith Coldmon, Jr., 30, Stone Mountain, Georgia. According to the indictment, the sextortionists had boys and young men create nude images. After they received those images, they had the victims send funds to the U.S.-based money launderers through online payment systems like Apple Pay, Cash App and Zelle. The money launderers would keep about 20% of the money, convert the rest to bitcoin and send the bitcoin back to Nigeria. The indictment specifically said one of the money launderers, Green, laundered the funds of Jordan DeMay, a 17-year-old high school student from Marquette, Michigan after he was extorted by the three Nigerian men. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Officials said that the sextortion scheme caused DeMays death. He died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound in March 2022. In November 2022, the U.S. Attorneys Office for the Western District of Michigan charged the three Nigerian nationals in the sextortion scheme that targeted DeMay and more than 100 other victims. Two of the three defendants in that case were extradited to the United States in August 2023, pled guilty in April 2024 and were later sentenced. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) The International Criminal Courts chief prosecutor announced on Thursday he had requested arrest warrants for two top Afghan Taliban officials for the repression of women. Karim Khan said in a statement he asked judges to approve warrants for the groups supreme leader, Hibatullah Akhunzada, and the head of Afghanistan's Supreme Court, Abdul Hakim Haqqani, accusing the men of crimes against humanity for gender-based persecution. These applications recognize that Afghan women and girls as well as the LGBTQI+ community are facing an unprecedented, unconscionable and ongoing persecution by the Taliban, Khan said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Since they took back control of the country in 2021, the Taliban have barred women from jobs, most public spaces and education beyond sixth grade. Last year, Akhundzada banned buildings from having windows looking into places where a woman might sit or stand. Nobody from the Taliban government was immediately available for comment. Human rights groups applauded the ICC move against the Taliban leadership. Their systematic violations of women and girls rights, including education bans, and the suppression of those speaking up for womens rights, have accelerated with complete impunity. With no justice in sight in Afghanistan, the warrant requests offer an essential pathway to a measure of accountability, Liz Evenson, international justice director at Human Rights Watch, said in a statement. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It is the first time in the courts history that attacks on the LGBTQ+ community have been considered a crime against humanity. Judges at the The Hague-based court approved a request in 2022 from the prosecutor to reopen the investigation into Afghanistan. The probe was shelved after Kabul said it could handle the investigation. Khan said he wanted to reopen the inquiry because under the Taliban, there was no longer the prospect of genuine and effective domestic investigations in Afghanistan. However, human rights groups criticized Khan's decision to focus on crimes committed by the Taliban and the Afghan affiliate of the Islamic State group. He said he would deprioritize other aspects of the investigation, such as crimes committed by Americans. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Khans predecessor, Fatou Bensouda, got approval in 2020 to start looking at offenses allegedly committed by Afghan government forces, the Taliban, American troops and U.S. foreign intelligence operatives dating back to 2002. The decision to look into Americans led to the previous Trump administration slapping sanctions on Bensouda, whose term ended in 2021. There is no deadline for judges to rule on a request for a warrant, but a decision typically takes around four months. It took a pre-trial chamber three weeks to issue an arrest warrant for Russian President Vladimir Putin in 2023 but six months in the case of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu last year. The chief prosecutor of the United Nations' International Criminal Court announced Thursday that he was seeking arrest warrants for the two most senior leaders of Afghanistan's ruling Taliban regime for crimes against humanity over the group's treatment of women and girls. Prosecutor Karim Khan said that after a thorough investigation and review of evidence, his office found "reasonable grounds to believe" that Taliban Supreme Leader Haibatullah Akhundzada and the group's Chief Justice Abdul Hakim Haqqani bear "criminal responsibility for the crime against humanity of persecution on gender grounds," under the treaty that founded the ICC, known as the Rome Statute. Khan said his office had concluded that both men are "criminally responsible for persecuting Afghan girls and women, as well as persons whom the Taliban perceived as not conforming with their ideological expectations of gender identity or expression, and persons whom the Taliban perceived as allies of girls and women." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The statement said the alleged crimes were committed between "at least" from the Taliban's retaking of control over Afghanistan in August 2021 "until the present day," all across the country. "This ongoing persecution entails numerous severe deprivations of victims' fundamental rights, contrary to international law, including the right to physical integrity and autonomy, to free movement and free expression, to education, to private and family life, and to free assembly," said Khan. In a statement posted on social media Friday, the Taliban's Foreign Ministry dismissed the request for ICC warrants as a move "devoid of just legal basis, duplicitous in nature and politically motivated.," adding that it was "unfortunate that such baseless allegations are being levelled against the honorable leaders of the Islamic Emirate." The ministry said the ICC, "should end attempts of imposing a specific interpretation of human rights on the entire world while disregarding the religious & national values of peoples of the world." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Since regaining control of Afghanistan, the Taliban has imposed a long list of harsh laws targeting women and girls. The measures have seen women pushed out of public life and drawn condemnation from much of the international community, including allegations of gender-based apartheid. Under the pretext of Islamic Sharia law, the measures have deprived girls and women of formal education from the age of 12, the right to visit public parks or travel alone, or even to meet with a doctor unless accompanied by a male chaperone. Last month, the Taliban imposed a ban on women training to become midwives and nurses another devastating blow in a country that already has one of the highest maternal mortality rates in the world. According to data from the World Bank, 620 women die for every 100,000 live births in Afghanistan due to pregnancy-related complications. Akhundzada recently ordered that windows in homes overlooking spaces used by women, such as kitchens, courtyards or water wells, be covered. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Elizabeth Evenson, International Justice Program Director at the New York-based organization Human Rights Watch, said in a statement Thursday that she hoped the request for ICC warrants against the senior Taliban figures would put the group's "systematic exclusion of women and girls from public life and targeting of LGBT people back on the international community's radar." Evenson said the Taliban's gender-based repression had "accelerated with complete impunity" since the summer of 2021, and that "with no justice in sight in Afghanistan, the warrant requests offer an essential pathway to a measure of accountability." She also called on the ICC prosecutor to revisit his decision "to deprioritize investigation of abuses by the forces of the former Afghan government and U.S. personnel" who were based in the country for two decades. The probe into the actions of U.S. troops was launched by Khan's predecessor. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Khan said the request for international arrest warrants highlights the ICC's commitment to holding those responsible for gender-based crimes accountable, with more arrests and warrant fillings for other senior Taliban members expected to follow as the court's investigation into the situation in Afghanistan continues. "The judges of the International Criminal Court will now determine whether these applications for arrest warrants establish reasonable grounds to believe that the named individuals committed the alleged crimes. If the judges issue the warrants, my Office will work closely with the Registrar in all efforts to arrest the individuals," Khan said, adding that, "as in all situations, I request States Parties to fully cooperate with the Court and help it in enforcing any judicial order." While the ICC has the power to issue arrest warrants and has done so recently for both Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the country's former defense chief and a senior Hamas leader it does not have any means of independently enforcing such warrants. It is down to individual countries that are signatories to the court's founding treaty to decide whether to take wanted individuals into custody on ICC warrants, as and when they enter those country's territories. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The United States is not a signatory to the Rome Statute, and is thus not obligated to detain anyone on an ICC warrant. Even if the ICC does issue warrants for Akhundzada or other Taliban leaders, it is highly unlikely that they would try to visit any country where they could risk arrest. Virtually the entire world has declined to acknowledge the Taliban as Afghanistan's legitimate government in the wake of their reassertion of control over the country. Khan himself has faced accusations that he tried for more than a year to coerce a female aide into a sexual relationship and groped her against her will. He has categorically denied the allegations, saying there was "no truth to suggestions of misconduct." ICC officials have said the claims may have been made as part of an Israeli intelligence smear campaign. Norah O'Donnell's final sign off from "CBS Evening News" Magician Elliot Zimet on wowing audiences with jaw-dropping illusions How to winterize your home to beat the brutal cold THE HAGUE (Reuters) - The International Criminal Court's governing body said on Thursday it regretted any attempts to undermine the ICC's independence following U.S. moves to sanction it in protest at its arrest warrants Israel's prime minister and former defence chief over the Gaza war. The U.S. House of Representatives voted for the sanctions this month after the ICC issued the arrest warrants for Benjamin Netanyahu and his former defence minister, Yoav Gallant, over allegations of war crimes and crimes against humanity in the Gazaconflict. Israel rejects the allegations. On his first day in office this week, U.S. President Donald Trump signed an executive order which reinstated an earlier executive order that could serve as a legal basis for future sanctions against the ICC and its personnel. No specific sanctions have been announced yet. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In a statement, the ICC's governing body said that sanctions against the court and its personnel - and anyone assisting them - could severely hamper ongoing investigations. It said it "regrets any attempts to undermine the courts independence, integrity and impartiality." The ICC is a permanent court that can prosecute individuals for war crimes, crimes against humanity, genocide and the crime of aggression of the territory of member states or by their nationals. The court has said its decision to pursue warrants against the Israeli officials was in line with its approach in all cases, based on an assessment by the prosecutor that there was enough evidence to proceed, and the view that seeking arrest warrants immediately could prevent ongoing crimes. (Reporting by Stephanie van den Berg, Editing by Timothy Heritage) ROCKFORD, Ill. (WTVO) The Department of Homeland Security has released a statement about a presidential executive order that allows immigration agents to make arrests inside so called sensitive areas like churches, hospitals and schools. Criminals will no longer be able to hide in Americas schools and churches to avoid arrest, the statement says. The order does not direct any agency, such as a school district or law enforcement, to work with federal agents in any way. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Trump Administration will not tie the hands of our brave law enforcement, and instead trusts them to use common sense, the department continues. The Biden-Harris Administration abused the humanitarian parole program to indiscriminately allow 1.5 million migrants to enter our country. This was all stopped on day one of the Trump Administration. This action will return the humanitarian parole program to its original purpose of looking at migrants on a case-by-case basis. Officials at Rockford Public Schools released a statement of their own, assuring parents that the district will never ask about a students immigration status and would only share personal information in the event of a court order. The Illinois Education Association also responded to the presidents order. Union officials say allowing arrests to be made inside schools puts families at risk. School buildings should be safe havens, IEA President Al Llorens said. Our students should not have to fear attending school. Their parents should not have to worry that their children might not come home because they were taken into custody by Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Students should not have to worry about being separated from their families. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The White House says immigration agents made nearly 500 arrests on Tuesday and Wednesday across the country. As of this report, a plan to use ICE to take children into custody has not been 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 MyStateline | WTVO News, Weather and Sports. CHICAGO, Ill. (WTVO) Federal immigration agents conducted the first large-scale arrest operation under the Trump administration, resulting in nearly 500 arrests. According to U.S. Customs and Immigration Enforcement (ICE), the agency reported more than 460 arrests in a time period spanning Tuesday to Wednesday in a nationwide effort that included Illinois, Utah, California, Minnesota, New York, Florida, and Maryland. Those arrested had criminal histories, including sexual assault, robbery, drug and weapons charges, and domestic violence, the agency said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement ICE also issued 420 detainer requests, which request that jails notify ICE when undocumented individuals are released from custody. Right out of the gate its public safety threats, those who are in the country illegally that have been convicted, arrested for serious crime, Trumps border czar Tom Homan said to Fox News. But let me be clear. Theres not only public safety threats that will be arrested, because in sanctuary cities, were not allowed to get that public safety threat in the jail, which means we got to go to the neighborhood and find him. On Tuesday, Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker said about 2,000 migrants could be deported from the Chicago area. Theyve not communicated with us, so we dont know when exactly those enforcement actions might take place, Pritzker said at an unrelated event. We have heard they are targeting as many as 2,000 people initially in the city of Chicago alone. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Pritzker has publicly vowed to fight back against Trumps sweeping immigration initiative, saying, Here in Illinois we are going to stand up, we are going to fight back. We are going to follow the law and we are going to make sure they are following the law. However, the governor stressed, If there are violent criminals who have been convicted of crimes who are undocumented, they are supposed to be deported. I dont want them in my state. The Justice Department has directed federal prosecutors to investigate state or local officials who stand in the way of the enforcement of immigration laws. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI Questions of ICE raids, sweeps and enforcement in San Diego is at an all-time high as President Trump makes sweeping border and immigration changes in his first days in office. San Diego County Sheriff Kelly Martinez said she will not be following the San Diego County Board of Supervisors policy, which would prevent the county to use its resources and funding to assist federal immigration agents with deportations. Supervisors voted 3-1 on the policy in December. Supervisor Jim Desmond, who voted against it, called the move as making San Diego County a super sanctuary county. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Dozens in Border Patrol custody after boat runs out of fuel near Oceanside Harbor Immigration is a federal authority not a local authority, Martinez told FOX 5/KUSIs Zara Barker in a one-on-one interview Wednesday. A deputy sheriff will never ask someones immigration status, we will never participate in immigration enforcement, thats not our duty, thats not our function. She explained the process for ICE within San Diego County jails starts with ICEs request to speak with an inmate. If that inmate gives written consent, ICE may speak with the inmate. Martinez said most inmates give consent to speak with ICE. She said this is the same process an attorney would follow to speak with someone behind bars. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Of the policy, she added, The minimal communication that we do have with ICE, that would have been eliminated. As Sheriff, I have sole authority over the jails, the Board of Supervisors doesnt direct operations in our jails and I would honestly feel horrible if I didnt communicate with ICE on a release date of an individual who had a prior murder conviction or child molestation conviction or some other serious crime and they were released into our community because I didnt communicate with ICE, and then they reoffended. Thats not a good policy and Im not going to follow that policy. Organized crime takedown leads to 39 arrests If the inmate has a state-qualifying conviction such as a rape, robbery, murder, domestic violence and others the Sheriffs department will let ICE know their release date if requested. Once the inmate has served their time for the sentence in county jails, ICE can take them into custody. Martinez said, in 2023, during the Biden Administration, only 25 of the 153 inmates that qualified to be taken into ICE custody were taken. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement She said 50,000 inmates are in San Diego County jail custody each year. Were hopeful that theyll notify us prior to doing anything any big sweeps, or anything like that. I think they will. We have a good relationship with ICE, that doesnt mean we can give our communities a heads up, Martinez added. Immigration attorney Andrew Nietor stated, Theres a lot of anxiety within the community right now. He believes San Diego could see raids in workplaces, homes and potential stops on the highways. He said he has already received calls from clients wondering what to do as they go through the process to become a citizen. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its difficult for attorneys and other advocates to provide very specific advice because we dont know whats going to happen, Nietor said. He said if people are concerned with any raids or sweeps, its important to have a back-up plan with your family, on who will take care of your responsibilities, pay bills, pick-up your children from school, etc. Im advising all of my clients that they should have their ID with them, they should have any applications pending with them and, if they have an attorney, they should have their attorneys card with them, he added. The San Diego Police Department also said they do not enforce immigration laws, and nothing will change on their end with the new administration in office. 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. PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) The future of the defunct Crook Point Bascule Bridge is, much like itself, still up in the air. The 117-year-old railroad bridge was abandoned in 1976 due to declining use and was left open to allow boats to pass freely through the Seekonk River. Its been stuck that way ever since. The Rhode Island Department of Transportation (RIDOT) planned on tearing the bridge down nearly six years ago, describing it as a liability and an attractive nuisance. The bridge was spared when the Providence Preservation Society placed it on its list of most endangered properties. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Providence Mayor Brett Smiley announced Wednesday on 12 News at 4 that the capital city is now preparing to take possession of the bridge. The state wants to tear it down, but I dont want to see that happen, Smiley said. Though the city doesnt have plans in the works right now for the bridge, Smiley said the aging infrastructure shows promise and he wants to repurpose it. Were going to do something great with it. Exactly what? Im not sure, Smiley said. But when I think about the best public infrastructure in Providence I think of the pedestrian bridge. That started 20 years ago with a design competition, no plan and no funding. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We kept a piece of basic infrastructure and turned it into a great public space, he continued, adding that he believes the bridge could meet the same fate. The capital city solicited proposals to repurpose the bridge roughly four years ago and selected its favorite. That proposal has yet to move forward, and its unclear whether Smiley will take it into consideration or look elsewhere. We dont have funding lined up right now, but Im confident this could be a destination, Smiley said. Its iconic, its on T-shirts and mugs, and I dont want to lose that part of our history. Kim Kalunian contributed to this report. 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. The committees next report, due Jan. 31 to the Idaho Legislature, is set to focus on maternal deaths cases in 2023. (Getty Images) A panel of Idaho medical experts recommends the Board of Medicine approve a new report on maternal deaths and have it presented to the Legislature. The Idaho Maternal Mortality Review Committee approved the recommendation for the board to approve the committees report on a unanimous vote during a brief meeting Wednesday, Idaho Board of Medicine spokesperson Bob McLaughlin told the Idaho Capital Sun after the meeting. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Idaho Board of Medicine is set to meet at 6:30 a.m. Thursday to review the report. Newly reassembled, the maternal mortality review committee is focused on identifying, reviewing and analyzing maternal deaths in Idaho to determine if the pregnancy was incidental to, or a contributing factor in, the mothers death. The committees next report, due Jan. 31 to the Idaho Legislature, is set to focus on maternal deaths cases in 2023. After that, the committee plans to look into 2022 maternal deaths, the Sun previously reported. The Legislature reassembled the committee through a new law passed in 2024, after lawmakers in 2023 let the committee disband by not renewing it. In summer 2023, Idaho became the only U.S. state without a maternal mortality review committee. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The committees last report, using data from 2021, found Idahos maternal mortality rate nearly doubled in recent years and most of those deaths were preventable. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX The committee had initially planned to vote on final approval for the report on Friday, but canceled the meeting that morning when legal counsel noticed the agenda didnt include an executive session in the event committee members wanted to discuss report details that couldve included confidential patient information, McLaughlin told the Sun in a statement on Tuesday. To avoid violating Idaho Open Meeting law, the meeting was canceled and rescheduled for Wednesday to provide the required advanced public notice of the meeting with the revised agenda, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The 12-member committee is made up of medical professionals and serves as an advisory body to the Idaho State Board of Medicine. The reassembled committee met twice late last year. The committee was previously housed in the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare. But the new law that reinstated it placed the committee under the Idaho Board of Medicine, which licenses doctors. Two doctors who previously served on the committee, and are involved in lawsuits against the state of Idaho or state government agencies related to Idahos abortion bans, applied and were not selected, the Sun previously reported. Board of Medicine officials told the Sun they couldnt say why certain applicants werent selected, citing limits in state law. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE ILLINOIS (WCIA) In 2024, Illinois farmers set a soybean production record, farming more in one year than ever before. According to the Illinois Soybean Association (ISA), data shows that Illinois farmers produced 688 million bushels of soybeans in 2024. This beat the states previous record of 666.75 million bushels, which was set in 2018. From the Farm: Biofuel tax credits The Illinois Soybean Association said, exceptional yields and a record harvested acreage, helped contribute to the record number of soybeans produced. The statewide average yield was 64 bushels per acre. In 2023, the average was 63 bushels per acre. Famers in Illinois harvested 10.75 million acres of soybean in 2024, up from 10.3 million in 2023. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We are proud to once again be the No. 1 soybean-producing state in the U.S., and this years record-breaking harvest reflects the dedication of Illinois high-quality soybean farmers. Despite facing the challenges of low prices and unfavorable weather conditions, Illinois farmers have risen to the occasion, ISA Chairman Ron Kindred said. Checkoff investments in research and production have equipped farmers with the tools to unlock soybean yield potential, while the policy work by Illinois Soybean Growers has provided the framework for the success we enjoy here in Illinois. Together, we continue to set the standard for soybean production. ISA said the record-breaking numbers cement Illinois standing as a leader in soybean farming. Soybeans are important to Illinois agricultural economy. Theyre a key export and driver of innovation in the agricultural industry. Illinois AG files lawsuit against John Deere for only allowing authorized repairs The 2024 soybean harvest is a huge accomplishment for Illinois farmers and a reflection of their hard work and commitment to excellence, Bryan Severs, ISA soybean production committee chairman, said. Illinois continues to lead the way in soybean farming, setting the bar higher year after year. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement To learn more about the ISAs work to support farms, or about Illinois soybean production, visit the Illinois Soybean Association 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 WCIA.com. ILLINOIS (WCIA) On Monday, President Donald Trump signed an executive order that removes some protections for the LGBTQ community. A leader of an Illinois LGBTQ advocacy organization is advising people how to respond. The order sets out to recognize only two sexes: male and female, and define that sex is unchangeable and begins at conception. It also ends people self-selecting an X gender on their government forms like passports and re-examines, a Supreme Court case that ruled employment discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity is illegal nationally. READ MORE: 5 takeaways on Trumps executive actions on gender Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As of today, it will henceforth be the official policy of the United States government that there are only two genders: male and female, Trump said in his inaugural address Monday. In an email sent Tuesday night, Equality Illinois CEO Brian Johnson said to supporters while this executive order has a broad scope and could impact many areas, the orders do not go into effect immediately. This means trans people should continue going to doctor appointments for their health care. Johnson also warned employers and government entities should continue as before the order as could violate the law if they implement the order early. Johnson also told trans individuals and their family members to know their rights that they get from the state. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Illinois law is strong in its protection of trans folks and most of our protections are not implicated by this order, Johnson said. Illinois officials respond to Trumps executive orders cracking down on immigration Additionally, Johnson urges anyone facing any discrimination from employers, schools, medical providers, or owners of public spaces to file a charge with the Illinois Department of Human Rights. Several national groups including the Human Rights Campaign, Lambda Legal and the American Civil Liberties Union all have indicated they will challenge Trumps actions against the LGBTQ community in court. 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. SPRINGFIELD The Illinois State Board of Education is encouraging local school districts to adopt clear policies spelling out how and when their staff should cooperate with federal immigration officials carrying out enforcement actions or seeking information from school officials. The non-regulatory guidance on immigration enforcement actions was issued Wednesday, Jan. 22, two days after President Donald Trump was inaugurated for his second term in the White House. Almost immediately after the inauguration, Trumps new head of the Department of Homeland Security, acting Secretary Benjamine Huffman, rescinded a Biden administration policy that had limited immigration enforcement actions in or near sensitive locations such as schools, playgrounds, child care centers and school bus stops. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement All children in the United States are entitled to equal access to a basic public elementary and secondary education, regardless of their actual or perceived immigration status, or the status of their parents/guardians, State Superintendent of Education Tony Sanders said in his weekly message posted on the ISBE website. Sanders cited a 1982 U.S. Supreme Court case, Plyler v. Doe, which struck down a Texas statute that barred children who were not legally admitted into the United States from enrolling in public schools, saying the law violated the 14th Amendments equal protection clause. In announcing the policy change, however, DHS said the Biden administrations policy had hampered legitimate law enforcement efforts. This action empowers the brave men and women in CBP (Customs and Border Protection) and ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) to enforce our immigration laws and catch criminal aliensincluding murders and rapistswho have illegally come into our country, the agency said. Criminals will no longer be able to hide in Americas schools and churches to avoid arrest. The Trump Administration will not tie the hands of our brave law enforcement, and instead trusts them to use common sense. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement During the 2024 presidential campaign, Trump vowed to crack down on illegal immigration into the United States. That included promises to carry out the largest mass deportation operation in U.S. history. In his message, Sanders reminded school officials that they are not allowed to inquire about a students or parents citizenship status. But he said the guidance was being issued to respond to the numerous requests for information the agency had received from local officials about how to handle enforcement actions that federal agents might carry out on school grounds. The guidance notes that federal law authorizes DHS to deputize state and local law enforcement officers to enforce federal immigration law. But it also reminds school officials that under a 2019 state law known as the Keep Illinois Families Together Act, no Illinois law enforcement agency or official is allowed to take part in such an agreement with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. In addition, the guidance notes, the Illinois TRUST Act restricts the way law enforcement agencies and officials may participate in federal civil immigration matters. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement These pieces of legislation would apply to law enforcement agencies that might otherwise have a relationship or presence on the schools property, the document states. The document advises districts to name a point person or department where federal authorities can be directed should they arrive on campus. It also advises designating a point person to review records requests or subpoenas from immigration agencies and to keep track of requests they receive in case that information is needed for future reference. It also describes the differences between various types of documents that immigration officials might serve on school officials, such as federal court warrants, federal court orders, judicial subpoenas, civil immigration warrants, notices to appear and administrative subpoenas. ISBE strongly encourages school districts to work directly with their legal counsel to create board policies and administrative guidelines so school districts can ensure any potential response to a warrant or subpoena described above is legally compliant and aligns with that school districts policies, the document states. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Leaders of the states two largest teachers unions issued statements criticizing the new Trump administration policy. Illinois Federation of Teachers President Dan Montgomery called it a sad and shameful day when schools, meant to educate and support students, are turned into sites of fear and chaos. Illinois Education Association President Al Llorens issued a statement saying all children should have access to an equitable, high-quality public education. Our educators should not be put in the crosshairs of these political policies, he said. School employees should be allowed to focus on supporting and educating all our students. We will do whatever it takes to protect ALL students, our teachers, our school support staff, our communities. 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. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) President Donald Trumps inauguration-day executive orders and promises of mass deportations of millions and millions of people will hinge on securing money for detention centers. The Trump administration has not publicly said how many immigration detention beds it needs to achieve its goals, or what the cost will be. However, an estimated 11.7 million people are living in the U.S. illegally, and Immigration and Customs Enforcement currently has the budget to detain only about 41,000 people. The government would need additional space to hold people while they are processed and arrangements are made to remove them, sometimes by plane. The Department of Homeland Security estimates the daily cost for a bed for one adult is about $165. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Just one piece of Trump's plan, a bill known as the Laken Riley Act that Congress has passed, would require at least $26.9 billion to ramp up capacity at immigrant detention facilities to add 110,000 beds, according to a recent memo from DHS. That bill named after a Georgia nursing student whose murder by a Venezuelan man last year became a rallying cry for Trumps White House campaign expands requirements for immigration authorities to detain anyone in the country illegally who is accused of theft and violent crimes. Trump also is deploying troops to try and stop all illegal entry at the southern U.S. border. He triggered the Alien Enemies Act to combat cartels. The rarely used 1798 law allows the president to deport anyone who is not a U.S. citizen and is from a country with which there is a declared war or a threatened or attempted invasion or predatory incursion. Detention infrastructure also will be stretched by Trump's ban of a practice known as catch and release that allows some migrants to live in the U.S. while awaiting immigration court proceedings, in favor of detention and deportation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement ICE uses facilities around the U.S. to hold immigrants ICE currently detains immigrants at its processing centers and at privately operated detention facilities, along with local prisons and jails under contracts that can involve state and city governments. It has zero facilities geared toward detention of immigrant families, who account for roughly one-third of arrivals on the southern U.S. border. Theres a limitation on the number of beds available to ICE, said John Sandweg, who was acting director of ICE under President Barack Obama. There are only so many local jails you contract with, private vendors who have available beds. And if the administration wants to make a major uptick in detention capacity, thats going to require the construction of some new facilities. Trumps declaration of a national emergency at the U.S. border with Mexico leverages the U.S. military to shore up mass deportations and provide appropriate detention space. The Pentagon also might provide air transportation support to DHS. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Private investors are betting on a building boom, driving up stock prices at the top two immigration detention providers Florida-based GEO Group and Tennessee-based CoreCivic. A fast-track budgeting maneuver in Congress called reconciliation could provide more detention funding as soon as April. At the same time, the Texas state land commissioner has offered the federal government a parcel of rural ranchland along the U.S.-Mexico border for deportation facilities. Where could ICE add detention space? The American Civil Liberties Union estimates that ICE is considering an expansion of immigrant detention space across at least eight states, in locations ranging from Leavenworth, Kansas, to the outskirts of major immigrant populations in New York City and San Francisco, said Eunice Cho, senior staff attorney for the group and its National Prison Project. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The ACLU sued for access to correspondence from private detention providers after ICE solicited feedback last year on a potential expansion. Related emails from detention providers suggest the possible redeployment of a tent facility at Carrizo Springs, Texas, previously used to detain immigrant children, and the South Texas Family Residential Center in Dilley, Texas one of two major immigrant family detention centers that the Biden administration phased out in 2021. Under the Trump administration, Homeland Security will be working to try to detain everyone that it possibly can and also expand its detention capacity footprint well beyond what is currently available in the United States at this point, Cho said. Cho added that Congress ultimately holds the purse strings for immigrant detention infrastructure and that the Pentagon's involvement under Trump's emergency edict warrants a debate. How does this detract from our own military's readiness?" she said. "Does the military actually have the capacity to provide appropriate facilities for detention of immigrants? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Using the military Advocates for immigrant rights are warning against a hyper-militarized police state that could vastly expand the world's largest detention system for migrants. Immigrant detention facilities overseen by ICE have struggled broadly to comply with some federal standards for care, hindering safety for staff and detainees, a Homeland Security Department inspector general found during 17 unannounced inspections from 2020-2023. During Trumps first administration, he authorized the use of military bases to detain immigrant children -- including Army installations at Fort Bliss, Texas, and Goodfellow Air Force Base. In 2014, Obama temporarily relied on military bases to detain immigrant children while ramping up privately operated family detention centers to hold many of the tens of thousands of Central American families caught crossing the border illegally. U.S. military bases have been used repeatedly since the 1970s to accommodate the resettlement of waves of immigrants fleeing Vietnam, Cuba, Haiti, Kosovo and Afghanistan. ___ Groves reported from Washington. Associated Press writer Rebecca Santana in Washington contributed. SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) Senate Bill 7, an act to prohibit the adoption or implementation of certain policies related to immigration enforcement, was heard and passed by the Senate Judiciary Committee on Thursday. The bill seeks to stop state or political entities from doing two things: First, implement anything which; Limits or prohibits an individual from communicating or cooperating with a federal agency or official to verify or report the immigration status of another individual. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Second, implement anything which; Grants a noncitizen unlawfully present in the United States the right to lawful presence or status within the state or political subdivision. Legislators searching for SDPB funding reprieve Any policy, order or ordinance which would violate these things would be declared void, and no state or political entity could take disciplinary action against an officer based upon the officers refusal to comply with or enforce any policy, order, or ordinance in violation of this section. The bills sponsor, Republican Sen. Michael Crabtree, spoke on the measure. Its a simple, common sense bill that prevents the state of South Dakota and local jurisdictions from adopting sanctuary city policies, Crabtree said. In November, President Trump handily won both the popular vote and the Electoral College. It was a clear mandate from voters to protect the border and tackle illegal immigration and make our communities safer. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Crabtree warned that blue cities and states are announcing defiance to assist federal agencies in removal operations for undocumented immigrants. I believe it is time for the legislature here in South Dakota to make clear that in our state we will assist federal law enforcement to keep our communities safe, said Crabtree. Proponent testimony on the bill focused on arrests already made, and the importance of keeping South Dakota safe. Katie Hruska spoke on behalf of the governors office. The country is that has open borders is a border is a country that has no borders, said Hruska. It makes every state a border state weve all heard this many times. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hruska said South Dakota is greatly impacted by unlawful immigration, but that it is mostly a federal issue. It doesnt mean that our state hasnt done what it can and should continue to do what it can to help the federal government. South Dakota has already supported Operation Lone Star five different times by sending our soldiers to the border, and theyve also served in three federal deployments, she said. No opposition testimony was given on the bill. Moving to committee questions, Republican Sen. Tom Pischke asked Crabtree what prompted him to bring the legislation. I think the way weve been talking about border control, its been all over the news when weve seen the campaigns here lately. But more importantly, we have seen other states taking this action as well, he said. Youve seen other states that maybe arent is as aligned with South Dakota, such as Virginia. Take it on as well. And so youre seeing this happen everywhere because its time to secure our borders, make our community safer. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Following questions from the committee, Pischke moved to pass the bill, which passed on a roll call vote of 6-0 with one Senator excused. Having passed the committee without opposition, the bill is placed on the consent calendar and will be voted upon in the Senate. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. (Photo: Caspar Benson/Getty Images) When former Governor Roy Cooper issued a final round of pardons and criminal sentencing commutations on New Years Eve, his last day in office, I learned that he hadnt commuted the life without parole sentence Ive been serving for nearly 23 years. To comfort me, a friend said Im entitled to feel sad or angry, but I dont. Im actually overjoyed. During his eight years in office, Cooper issued 34 pardons and 43 commutations, including commuting 15 death sentences to life without parole. In contrast, the three previous governors pardoned just 21 people and commuted only six sentences over 16 years. By North Carolinas standards, Cooper was extremely generous with clemency. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its unfortunate that I remain incarcerated, but at least Cooper found promise in those he deemed fit for relief. Some clemencies he issued give me reason to celebrate, even if I cant celebrate for myself. Among the 77 people Cooper helped, he granted clemency to Anthony Willis, Darnell Cherry, Kirstin Angell, Tony King, Joseph Bromfield, and Marquise McKenzie, all men I pulled time with. We ate together, shared laughter, and endured hardships. Now I revel in their second chances as if I had one, too. Only Cooper knows why some deserved clemency while hundreds of others did not. Clemency is his sole discretion. No reason for denial is given. Petitioners apply by listing their accomplishments and how they may have been wronged in court. The governor grants clemency or he does not. My prison record is not much different from those whom Cooper helped. I havent been cited for an infraction in 16 years. I have to complete three classes to finish an associates degree through correspondence courses. I earned an apprenticeship for graphic design in 2015. For three years, I worked as editor of The Nash News, North Carolinas longest running prison publication. I teach creative writing and journalism to other prisoners. In 2020, I co-authored criminal justice reform legislation with another prisoner it was sponsored by state House Representatives in 2021 and 2023. I have not just found a way to live in prison. I have learned to thrive. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But clemency from a life sentence is not an entitlement. It is a mercy. Like most of the people Cooper helped, I was convicted of killing someone. No accomplishment will ever overshadow that fact. His name was Rico Waters. While awaiting trial, I learned that he was a new father, a loving son, a brother, and a friend to many. For his loved ones, Ricos loss must have been immeasurable. If given the chance, Rico had the potential to become a better man than I will ever be. I cant desire love, prosperity, or happiness without realizing how he will never experience those things either. This grief will burden me for the rest of my life, whether I am in prison or not. Regret of my actions as a foolish young man is the reason I strive to be better and why I have accomplished so much. It is also the compass guiding me toward morality in all present and future decisions. I have experienced how my choices affect the lives of others. I imagine many petitioners are upset because they werent granted clemency, for whatever reason, but not me. I view denial as an opportunity to accomplish more while I am in prison. On a larger scale, I applaud Governor Coopers clemency accomplishment. Could he have issued more? Yes. But he could have issued less, too. Because of his compassion, many will reenter society after earning a second chance. I only hope North Carolinas new governor, Josh Stein, follows in Coopers footsteps by extending mercy to those who deserve it. *Attached video: Winter weather safety tips INDEPENDENCE, Ohio (WJW) The Independence Police Department has issued a traffic warning after a water main break Thursday afternoon. According to a post on the police departments Facebook page, the water main break is affecting the intersection of Brecksville and Dalebrook roads. 2 taken to hospital after Cleveland house fire According to police, public works crews are actively working on repairs. Water main break (Credit: Independence Police Department) Water main break (Credit: Independence Police Department) Water main break (Credit: Independence Police Department) Police also ask that drivers consider using alternative routes due to expected delays in the area. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Parma Make Believe Family Fun Center permanently closed Drive with extra caution if you must travel through this section, police said. We will update as the situation changes. Stay safe, Independence! Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. (Reuters) -Uber said it does not set ride prices based on a user's phone model, shortly after an Indian government body alleged that the ride-hailing giant and its domestic rival Ola use differential pricing for Android and Apple phones. India's consumer affairs minister Pralhad Joshi said on X on Thursday that the Central Consumer Protection Agency (CCPA) had sent notices to the companies over the alleged price disparity or "differential pricing". An Uber spokesperson told Reuters, "We do not set prices based on a rider's phone manufacturer. We look forward to working with the Central Consumer Protection Authority to clear up any misunderstanding." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement There have been several reports by local media and user complaints on social media that iPhone users were charged higher prices for the same ride than those using phones that ran on Android operating systems. Joshi said he would direct the CCPA to also look into differential pricing strategies used by other sectors, including food delivery and online ticketing portals. Ola, Google and Apple did not respond to Reuters requests for comment. Uber is locked in a fierce battle with SoftBank-backed Ola, rival Rapido, as well as all-electric ride-hailing app BluSmart in India, one of the company's biggest markets outside the United States and Canada. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Joshi last month termed differential pricing an "unfair trade practice" that is a "blatant disregard" to consumer rights. (Reporting by Nandan Mandayam and Hritam Mukherjee in Bengaluru; Editing by Sonia Cheema, Janane Venkatraman and Devika Syamnath) The former surface coal mine in Roxana in Letcher County where a federal prison has been proposed. (Photo by No New Letcher Prison) An Indigenous group seeking to restore and reclaim Appalachian land recently purchased 63 acres within the boundaries of a proposed federal prison in Letcher County with the support of a coalition of groups opposing the prison project. The Appalachian ReKindling Project (ARP), which describes itself as an Indigenous, women-led community building and land restoration group, purchased the land to provide an alternative to the harms of incarceration by restoring the former strip mine land through Indigenous land rematriation practices according to a release. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement That vision for the land, according to the co-executive director of ARP who grew up in Letcher County, had to be something that was going to invite our community to be a part of the work and have an economically thriving option. As someone from Letcher County, I know that people are desperate for job opportunities, and I felt like it was very important as we drafted our plans to be sensitive to the fact that we cant take something away without putting something in this place, said Tiffany, the co-executive director of ARP, in an interview. She asked only her first name be used for personal reasons. ARP received financial support for the purchase through a coalition of local and national activists, called Building Community Not Prisons, who oppose the construction of a prison in Letcher County. The Institute to End Mass Incarceration, a national legal program a part of that coalition, helped facilitate the land purchase. U.S. Rep. Hal Rogers, R-Someset, has long supported building a federal prison in Letcher County. (Photo by Andrew Harnik/Getty Images) The prospect of a federal prison in Letcher County has long been a goal of Republican U.S. Rep. Hal Rogers and some local officials who see a prison as an economic boon for the county thats lost thousands of coal-mining jobs. The prospect of a prison has also long faced debate and pushback from local and national activists who question the premise of the proposed prisons economic benefits. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Analysts with the progressive think tank Kentucky Center for Economic Policy have pushed back on those economic development arguments, pointing to other Eastern Kentucky counties with prisons that have seen economic and population declines. Rogers, in an emailed statement through a spokesperson, said the land purchase comes as no surprise from a group led by Kentucky outsiders and liberal extremists, who believe violent criminals should run free in America with no consequence. A small contingency of individuals has been against the proposed Letcher County federal prison from day one, Rogers said. This group clearly intends to obstruct the [Federal] Bureau of Prisons construction plans in Letcher County and stop good paying jobs from being created in a rural area where theyre needed the most. Rogers said hes requesting a federal report on the impact of the land purchase on the project and that he looked forward to working with the Trump administration on the proposed prison. He said the land purchase wouldnt stop the construction of another federal prison, whether built in the planned location of Roxana, Kentucky or elsewhere. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Rogers, in his 23rd term in the U.S. House, is on the powerful House Appropriations Committee and leads a subcommittee overseeing funding for the U.S. Department of Justice which includes funding for federal prisons. A different vision for the land Rogers has been working since 2006 to bring a prison to Letcher County and seemed to have succeeded in 2018 when the Federal Bureau of Prisons approved construction of a high-security penitentiary and prison camp on a former surface mine in Roxana, saying it would relieve overcrowding of federal prisons in the Mid-Atlantic region. But the first Trump administration killed the project, pointing to the more than $500 million price tag as wasteful spending along with a decline in the number of prisoners. The proposed prison project resurfaced in 2022 when the Federal Bureau of Prisons (FBOP) launched a process to determine the environmental impacts of a medium-security prison in the county to house 1,152 people adjacent to another federal prison facility. The Federal Bureau of Prisons then issued an environmental impact statement for the renewed prison project as required by federal law. Louisville Public Media previously reported the statement found the building and operation of the prison would require excavation that alters streams and wetlands, changes topography and displaces wildlife including some protected species. The statement, according to the public radio station, also included federal plans to mitigate those impacts, which activists against the prison say they werent consulted on. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In October, the prisons bureau issued a record for decision for the proposed prison site, essentially starting the process of acquiring land for the prison. An FBOP spokesperson in an email said FBOP representatives have not contacted local landowners yet about acquiring land. Joan Steffen (Institute to End Mass Incarceration) Joan Steffen, an attorney for the Institute to End Mass Incarceration, said activists dont know yet how the land purchase will affect the project moving forward or whether the government could use eminent domain to acquire the newly purchased land for the prison. But she said based on local feedback, the Indigenous groups vision for the land was the kind of development that people in the region want and really need. Tiffany with the Appalachian ReKindling Project told the Lantern that vision as contrasted with building a prison that would do great harm to land that has already been harmed includes protecting native species and returning bison to the land. Bison once roamed from Eastern Kentucky to Canada. Tiffany said preservation of the land could lend itself to tourism associated with the bison and selling bison meat to local restaurants. Suitable trees and plants could be planted to fortify the land from mudslides amid future flooding. The fur from bison could be used for fiber arts. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Sellers of the land within the prison site bought into that vision after long, in-depth conversations, she said. There will need to be lots of jobs in the work, in care of the bison, Tiffany said. There are so many different ways that people can have good paying jobs that dont necessarily mean that they have to be inside of a prison all day. Tiffany said the group intends to move forward with their plans for the land, no matter if the land purchase spurs a fight in the months ahead. A release from the groups noted the area that now is Letcher County was previously occupied by the Shawnee, Cherokee and Yuchi Tribes before those peoples were forcibly removed. Beyond land ownership which we have, we paid for it but beyond that, we also have a historical claim to this land that very few people do. And so we intend to make the world aware of that should it be attempted to be taken, Tiffany said. This story was updated with a statement from U.S. Rep. Hal Rogers. Correction: The last name of Joan Steffen was misspelled. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE Paris Wise ICT SANTA FE, N.M Breakfast burritos and boisterous auntie laughs filled a room in the New Mexico State Capitol the morning of the first session on Jan. 21. It was a celebratory gathering with friends and family for the newly sworn in state Rep. Michelle Pauline Abeyta for District 69. Abeyta is a Democrat and Navajo Nation citizen. Her husband, children, nieces, nephews, sisters, aunties and grandma were all in attendance to show their support and it meant a lot to Abeyta. My family and I are very excited to be here today, she said. We're honored for the opportunity to serve New Mexican citizens and to get to work and do what's needed for our people. Abeyta is part of the 57th New Mexico Legislature with one of the largest female majorities in U.S. history and the first ever majority female legislature for the state. Rep. Michelle Pauline Abeyta with her husband Chad Abeyta and two of her children. (Photo by Paris Wise, ICT) Gallery floor at the New Mexico State Capitol Roundhouse. (Photo by Paris Wise, ICT) Her decision to run for the state legislature came in the last year during her public service experience with the Tohajiilee Community School Board of Education. She wanted better for the tribal communities within her district but it wasnt just her decision to make. Her family was with her every step of the way. We had a family meeting, and we discussed what this would entail, and how much work it was going to require, said Chad Abeyta, Rep. Abeytas husband and former President Jonathen Nez running mate. And so it wasn't just me and my wife at the table. It was my kids, it was my parents, it was Pauline's grandparents. And so it was a family (and) a community decision. Abeyta looks forward to serving her district ...because representation matters and having a seat at the table as an Indigenous woman is going to be crucial to making sure that our communities' concerns and voices are heard here at the state. District 69 is located west of Albuquerque, and includes three pueblos, nine Navajo Nation chapters, the city of Grants and other villages. And I look forward to amplifying those voices and finding the resources that are needed and taking them back to our communities, she said. Supporters, family, local organizations, and staff all filled the bustling halls of the Roundhouse. Tribal leaders who came to visit and wish Abeyta well on her first day included New Mexico state Sen. Benny Shendo from District 22 who is Jemez Pueblo, the Taos Tribal Leadership Delegation, the governor and lieutenant governor of Laguna Pueblo, some tribal administrators from Zia Pueblo, and the ToHajiilee Chapter vice president. Former Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland, Laguna Pueblo, also came to show her support. A breakfast gathering of friends and family for Rep. Michelle Pauline Abeyta. (Photo by Paris Wise, ICT) Former Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland (left), Rep. Michelle Pauline Abeyta (middle), Chad Abeyta (right). (Photo by Paris Wise, ICT) Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The House floor of the New Mexico State Capitol. (Photo by Paris Wise, ICT) Open gallery seating on the House and Senate side began to fill for the swearing in and the start of the 60-day legislative session focusing on crime and public safety. On the House side, the ceremony began with a presenting of the colors from the Pueblo of Acoma American Legion Post 116. A few returning New Mexico lawmakers included state Rep. Derrick J. Lente for District 65 from Iselta and Sandia Pueblos, state Sen. Shannon D. Pinto for District 3 from the Navajo Nation, and state Rep. Charlotte Little for District 68 from San Felipe Pueblo. Another new powerhouse is state Sen. Angel Charley of District 30, which overlaps with Abeytas district. For Charleys district it is the first time a woman, a Native woman at that, has overseen the district, she said. Charley is Laguna Pueblo, Zuni Pueblo, and Dine. Sen. Angel Charley on the Senate floor (Photo by Andre Gonzales, New Mexico Senate Majority Office) Senator Angel Charley (right) and her daughter (left) on the Senate floor. (Photo by Paris Wise) I think about what I said on the campaign trail a lot, and it's something that I really believe in is that women bring their communities with them when they rise, Charley said. And I'm excited to work with the female majority in both houses to get good policy done for our families and our communities. For the first legislative session, state legislators brought in special guests which included family, friends, and even constituents. Charleys guests were her husband and her daughter. They were beaming with pride dressed in their beautiful Pueblo dresses, mantas, and moccasins. Well, it's not just my daughter here, my nieces were up in the gallery. And I mean, you have to see it to be it, right? In order for us to have this representation. It was the same for me when I saw Deb (Haaland) run for Congress, Charley said. I hope that what this means for other young Native people out there is that you can do it. We belong in these spaces, and we have the real lived experience to bring meaningful change for our people. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 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. MONSON, Mass. (WWLP) Monson police are notifying residents in the Crest and Brimfield Roads to be aware of their surroundings outdoors and remove any food sources after receiving several reports of an injured coyote. In a social media post by the Monson Police Department, they say that over the past few days, they received calls from residents reporting a coyote with an apparent leg injury. A caller also said they saw the coyote with two pups. VIDEO: Coyote caught on camera with signs of mange Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When police arrived to investigate the reports, the coyote either ran off into the woods or had already left the area. Massachusetts Environmental Police and MassWildlife told Monson police that the coyote should be left alone if it is not acting aggressively. Police are asking residents not to contact dispatch to report sightings unless the coyote exhibits aggressive behavior. Those living in the area of Crest and Brimfield Roads are being advised to be aware of their surroundings when outside and to remove any food sources such as trash receptacles and bird feeders to help discourage human contact. MAP: Crest and Brimfield Roads in Monson In Massachusetts, coyotes breed during February and can become more aggressive during that time. Tips to keep coyotes away Coyote attacks in Massachusetts are rare. According to Mass Audubon, there have been fewer than ten in the past 60 years, but this doesnt mean that they dont happen. Thats why you should always be prepared. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Avoid leaving any kind of pet food or garbage outside your home. Bring your cats inside at night Keep an eye on your dogs when they go out in your yard. According to Mass.gov, coyotes are opportunistic feeders and are extraordinarily adaptable to a wide range of habitats. Coyotes thrive in suburban, urban, and rural areas as well. They will eat any food that is naturally available, such as small animals, birds, insects, and fruits, as well as artificial sources like garbage, pet food, birdseed, and compost. The eastern coyote is well known throughout Massachusetts except on Nantucket and Marthas Vineyard. They are important and valuable natural resources in Massachusetts and they are classified as a furbearer species, for which a management program and regulated hunting and trapping seasons have been established. Never purposely provide food for coyotes to attract them to your property. Coyotes will use areas under porches and sheds for resting and for raising young. Close these areas off to prevent animals such as coyotes from using them. The presence of a coyote alone does not cause concern because coyotes are afraid of people. Keep coyotes wild by scaring or threatening coyotes in your yard with loud noises, bright lights, or water sprayed from a hose. 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. ROCKINGHAM COUNTY, N.C. (WGHP) A man reportedly tried and failed to escape from the Rockingham County Detention Center last week, according to the Rockingham County Sheriffs Office. Bobby Lee Dobbins, 55, of Rocky Mount, Virginia, was charged with possessing tools for escape from jail and attempting to escape from a county confinement facility. He was behind bars on a charge of robbery with a dangerous weapon. Bobby Lee Dobbins (Courtesy of the Rockingham County Sheriffs Office) On Jan. 15, Dobbins reportedly dislodged an assistive handrail from the wall of his cell and used it to try to break through the concrete wall. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The sheriffs office says he was unsuccessful in getting through the wall. After, he was taken to the North Carolina Bureau of Prisons. The Rockingham County Sheriffs Office will serve him with these new charges once he returns to Rockingham County. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. An inmate serving 14 years in state prison for second-degree murder faces new charges of threatening the Palm Beach County judge who signed off on his plea agreement. Roosevelt F. Sifford, 24, pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and burglary in February 2021, in the May 2018 shooting of Carlos Gardel Dacosta, 52, at his home in West Boca, court records show. Sifford was 17 when he was arrested, along with another teen. Judge Daliah Weiss received a letter in September 2024 that Sifford sent from prison threatening her and her family. Sifford wrote in the letter that he was unjustly sentenced and that alot of Blood will Be Shed if u continue to give out harsh sentences. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He wrote he is a member of the Bloods gang and that other gang members would surround and overthrow (her) court room and threatened to beat Weiss to a pulp, among other things, the letter shows. This Is Not a threat its a Promise so to Protect you and your family I advise you to take this advice, Sifford wrote. Detectives interviewed Sifford at the Reception and Medical Center prison in Lake Butler, near Gainesville, in October about the letter. He denied having contacted anyone in Palm Beach County about his murder case and denied having written any letters sent to Palm Beach County, a probable cause affidavit said. He then asked for an attorney. Sifford is facing charges of written threats to kill or harm another, extortion and corruption by threat against a public servant, court records show. The Florida Supreme Court issued an order in November assigning Broward County Judge Michael Usan to the case, after the Palm Beach County judge initially assigned to the case, Judge Sarah Willis, recused herself. In court Wednesday, Sifford was ordered to remain in the Palm Beach County jail with no bond. His arraignment is scheduled for Feb. 4. U.S. Air National Guard Maj. John-Mark Koetitz, a pilot with the 115th Airlift Squadron, pilots a California National Guard MAFFS (Modular Airborne Fire Fighting System) equipped C-130J Super Hercules over the Hughes Fire in Castaic, California, Jan. 22, 2025. All 8 MAFFS C-130s assigned to the aerial firefighting mission were launched in support to CAL FIRE wildland firefighting operations in Southern California. Modular Airborne Firefighting Systems (MAFFS) are the U.S. Forest Services portable fire-retardant delivery systems and can be inserted into military C-130 aircraft without major structural modifications to convert them into airtankers when needed. They can discharge their entire load of up to 3,000 gallons of retardant in less than five seconds, covering an area one-quarter of a mile long by 100 feet wide, or they can make variable drops. A C-130J Super Hercules over the Hughes Fire on Jan. 22, 2025. (California Air National Guard/TMX) A C-130J Super Hercules over the Hughes Fire on Jan. 22, 2025. (California Air National Guard/TMX) Once a load is discharged from a MAFFS-equipped aircraft, and the aircraft lands at a tanker base, it can be refilled in less than 12 minutes. Modular Airborne Firefighting Systems (MAFFS)-equipped aircraft units come from the following wings: the Air Force Reserve Commands 302nd Airlift Wing, Peterson SFB, Colorado; the Air National Guards 153rd Airlift Wing, Cheyenne, Wyoming; the 146th Airlift Wing, Port Hueneme, California; and the 152nd Airlift Wing, Reno, Nevada. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement U.S. Transportation Command activates these aircraft through its Air Mobility Command in support of U.S. Northern Command (USNORTHCOM). U.S. Air National Guard video by Master Sgt. Nieko Carzis. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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 International Criminal Court (ICC) is seeking arrest warrants for Taliban leaders for alleged gender-based crimes, as the group continues to crack down on womens rights in Afghanistan. The news of the ICC action against two top Taliban officials was immediately welcomed by Afghan women and human rights campaigners. It gives us hope that our voices are not forgotten that the world still hears our call for equality and justice, an Afghan activist who provides door-to-door basic literacy classes for girls in rural Afghanistan, under severe restrictions, told CNN. She asked to withhold her name for fear of reprisals. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In a Thursday statement the ICC chief prosecutor said that there are reasonable grounds to believe that the Supreme Leader of the Taliban, Haibatullah Akhundzada, and the Chief Justice of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, Abdul Hakim Haqqani, bear criminal responsibility for the crime against humanity of persecution on gender grounds. My Office has concluded that these two Afghan nationals are criminally responsible for persecuting Afghan girls and women, as well as persons whom the Taliban perceived as not conforming with their ideological expectations of gender identity or expression, and persons whom the Taliban perceived as allies of girls and women, ICC Chief Prosecutor Karim Khan said. Opposition to the Taliban is brutally repressed through the commission of crimes including murder, imprisonment, torture, rape and other forms of sexual violence, enforced disappearance, and other inhumane acts, Khan said in the statement. The applications for arrest warrants sought by the ICC prosecutor still need to be approved by a judge. If warrants are authorized, the Netherlands-based court does not have its own enforcement mechanism and has relied on the support of signatory countries to make arrests. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The prosecutor added that his office will soon seek further warrants for other senior members of the Taliban. Grave abuses against women Since the Taliban seized control of Afghanistan again in August 2021, women and girls have been essentially erased from public life. The Taliban government initially presented itself as more moderate than the version of the group that ruled in the 90s, even saying it would allow women to continue their education. Instead, the hardline Islamist group has done an about-face and banned women from going to university, closed secondary schools and beauty salons, and stopped women from working at NGOs, including at the United Nations. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement One of the latest decrees from the Taliban government says new buildings must not be constructed with windows through which women can be seen. Existing buildings with windows must be walled up or covered. Seeing women working in kitchens, in courtyards or collecting water from wells can lead to obscene acts, said Zabihullah Mujahid, a spokesperson for the government. Human Rights Watch (HRW) welcomed the applications for arrest warrants on Thursday, calling them a reminder that justice can prevail. The Taliban have been systematically denying women and girls of Afghanistan their fundamental rights for the past three and a half years. Its time for them to be held accountable for these violations, Fereshta Abbasi, an Afghanistan researcher for HRW, told CNN. We are also hoping to see the ICC expand its investigation for other grave abuses, including those committed by international military forces and the Islamic State in Afghanistan, she added. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement British-Afghan activist Shabnam Nasimi, who co-founded the Friends of Afghan Women Network, told CNN: Justice mechanisms must not only hold those responsible to account but use that leverage to prioritize the restoration of Afghan womens basic human rights. Without tangible outcomes, including the guaranteed right to education for Afghan girls, international legal action will offer little solace to those living inside Afghanistan, Nasimi said. No country formally recognizes the Taliban as the legitimate rulers of Afghanistan, but some nations, such as Russia, China and Pakistan, have established diplomatic ties with the group. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com Rare trees that were supposed to stay planted in the Amazon for a carbon credit program have ended up in the U.S. and international markets as lumber, according to Mongabay. Worse still, the perpetrator actively engaged in greenwashing to hide his activities. What's happening? Brazilian Federal Police have been engaged in a greenwashing investigation that led them to entrepreneur Ricardo Stoppe. Stoppe purchased wide swathes of the Amazon and spun up a program whereby he would protect land at risk of deforestation in exchange for carbon credit revenue. Companies like GOL Airlines, Nestle, Toshiba, Spotify, Boeing, and PwC all purchased credits through his program. Lo and behold, Stoppe actually shipped exotic wood stolen from Indigenous land in this area. The endangered ipe tree takes up to 100 years to reach maturity and has nearly disappeared from the Amazon. Stoppe sent nearly 750,000 cubic feet of ipe to just one client in Portugal, with other shipments reaching the U.S., Belgium, Spain, and France between 2023 and 2024. The wood is often used for luxury pool decks, furniture, floors, ceilings, and boats. As such, the price for ipe lumber exceeds that of mahogany when it was available to purchase. Do you think America does a good job of protecting its natural beauty? Definitely Only in some areas No way I'm not sure Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. To top it all off, Stoppe used the deforested areas as illegal cattle ranches. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "He set up a scheme to win on all sides," federal deputy Thiago Marrese Scarpellini, chief Operation Greenwashing investigator, told Mongabay. "He took possession of federal land valued at 800 million reais [$133.3 million]. Over it, he started making forest management plans, moving more than a million cubic meters of wood worth 600 million reais [$109 million]. At the same time, he is doing carbon credit projects, where he would have amassed 180 million reais [$30 million]. And now we have the hypothesis that he was using the animal transport documents to launder cattle raised in neighboring deforested areas." Why is Amazon deforestation important? The Amazon sequesters roughly 340 million tonnes of carbon dioxide (374 million tons), which is about the same as the U.K.'s fossil fuel emissions. Sadly, deforestation has made it so that the Amazon is no longer carbon negative. What's being done about Amazon deforestation? Stoppe, his son, and some of his accomplices were arrested in June. Amazonian deforestation is thankfully on the decline, but it's clearly still a challenge that requires ongoing effort. Financing is coming together to power those efforts, and many preservation projects are already bearing fruit. As for the more broad challenge of greenwashing, we have a guide on being able to spot credible efforts. Carbon credit schemes have the potential to finance truly beneficial conservation, but without proper oversight, the model is increasingly being abused. 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. AMES, Iowa Reports have come in from all over the metro and rural Iowa of people spotting coyotes. In some cases, they could be going through back yards or along rivers and greenways. The Ankeny Police Department reported six sightings of coyotes since January 1. Initial interaction, just seeing a coyote, isnt necessarily cause for concern, said Andy Kellner, DNR Wildlife Biologist. Coyotes are active in the rural areas and the urban areas, but what I point out is watching for some its like OK theyre coming up too close now. It gets a little bit trickier this time of year because were actually in their breeding season right now. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Both Urbandale and Clive have their own plans for dealing with coyotes. In Ames residents have seen an influx of foxes running through the streets and backyards of town the past several years. Firefighters battle large fire at Saylorville Marina If coyotes get moved to a certain area the foxes are going to get moved out of that area so sometimes we see the foxes coming in to city limits kind of protection first, said Kellner. It is that way because they can get away from their big cousin whos not very nice to them, Kellner said. People with questions about dealing with wildlife can contact the Iowa Wildlife Center. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If people want to discuss an issue with us, they can call the office or email us, said Marlene Ehresman, Executive Director of the Iowa Wildlife Center. We will be happy to provide one-on-one consultation. Kellner also pointed to a list of resources on the DNR website that people can utilize for wildlife situations. Iowa 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 who13.com. A bill in Iowa would ban artificial food dyes and margarine from food served at schools. (Photo by Cami Koons/Iowa Capital Dispatch) Some Iowa representatives want to ban margarine and certain food dyes from schools with a bill modeled closely after a law passed last year in California. House Study Bill 5 was discussed in an education subcommittee Wednesday. Representatives decided to amend the bill, which as introduced included margarine, Red Dye 40 and Yellow Dye 7, to be more closely conforming to the California School Food Safety Act. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Rep. Jeff Shipley, R-Fairfield, who chaired the subcommittee, proposed a similar bill in 2023 to ban margarine and hydrogenated vegetable oils from schools. The 2023 proposal passed its subcommittee, but did not advance. Rep. Heather Matson, D-Ankeny, opposed the margarine element of the bill, and argued research supports margarine is just as healthy as butter. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX If youre arguing that corn oil and soybean oil is fundamentally unhealthy for our kids, thats also an important part of the conversation to have, because that is kind of what were saying in here, Matson said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Matson said after further research into Californias law and the years of research from the state into associated health effects, she is open to a conversation about restricting the color additives. Matson also questioned why the Iowa bill specified just Red Dye 40 and Yellow Dye 7, the latter of which, according to comment submitted by the International Association of Color Manufacturers, is not used in food or beverages. The California law outlaws the dyes Blue 1, Blue 2, Green 3, Red 40, Yellow 5 and Yellow 6. The law also regulated the percentage of fats, sugars and saturated fats that could comprise a school meal, though these elements were not part of the Iowa representatives discussion. Matson pointed out the California law passed years after the state funded an extensive study in which the California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment found synthetic food dyes can be linked to hyperactivity and neurobehavioral problems in children. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Matson said she was unwilling to sign off on the bill as is, but would be willing to have a conversation on a bill that would be more thoughtfully put together. Rep. Brooke Boden, R-Indianola, said she was extremely glad the issue of food dye additives was before her and that shed be the first to vote in favor of removing the synthetic dyes. I have a child who sees a neurologist, who asked us to remove food dye, and it significantly changed my childs life, Boden said. Boden noted there has been movement on this effort at a federal level as well with the U.S. Food and Drug Administrations recent ban of Red Dye No. 3. Representatives for Rural School Advocates of Iowa, Urban Education Network of Iowa, and Iowa State Education Association, who registered as undecided on the bill, said they felt positively about the direction of the bill, but wanted to know more information about how it would be implemented in Iowa schools and if there would be additional costs. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Shipley moved to amend the bill to more closely resemble the California law, and to keep margarine in the bill for now, noting it might be reasonable to split the issues into separate bills later. I think these are conversations that people of Iowa are wanting to have, and so I think it is incumbent on us to reflect that and make sure we are having as wide ranging a dialog as possible, Shipley said. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE JOHNSON COUNTY, Iowa An Iowa State University student is accused of encouraging social media users to take photos of women without their consent. Authorities arrested Jack Erselius, 18, last week on two counts of solicitation of a felony. According to court records a username later linked to Erselius sent photos of two female University of Iowa students to a group on the messaging app Kik, asking group members to follow them and take creepshots back in October. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement At least 10 houseboats burn in fire at Saylorville Lake Marina Creepshots refer to a sexually suggestive photo taken of somebody in public without their knowledge. Investigators were able to determine Erselius was the owner of the Kik username that solicited the photos to be taken, and he had been tracking the victims locations through Snapchat. The criminal complaints filed in the case say the victims attended high school with Erselius in Montezuma. A no contact order has been granted to the victims. Erselius is free after posting a $20,000 bond. An arraignment date has not yet been set. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. Iowa Workforce Development manages unemployment claims filed on behalf of Iowans. (Photo by Getty Images, logo courtesy the State of Iowa) A city worker who was fired for falsifying water-safety data has been denied unemployment benefits. State records indicate Joseph W. Miller began working for the City of Grand Mounds public works department in January 2023 and was fired in October 2024. Miller subsequently applied for unemployment benefits, which led to a hearing before Administrative Law Judge Carly Smith. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to Smiths findings, Miller was trained by the city to assist with the collection of daily water samples from Grand Mounds water-treatment facility. Test results of those samples are passed on to the Iowa Department of Natural Resources, which has the power to penalize cities for falsified results. Smiths findings indicate that on Oct. 15 and 16, the citys public works supervisor Nick Lange, was out of town attending a class. Lange had instructed Miller to conduct the water tests in his absence. When Lange returned from his trip, he reviewed surveillance-camera video to confirm the tests were made and allegedly saw that Miller had not run the tests as instructed and had instead written down random numbers in the log, falsifying the data. After initially claiming he had run the tests as instructed, Miller allegedly admitted he had not performed the testing, couldnt determine how to do it, and then falsified the data because he did not want to be called dumb by Mr. Lange, Smith stated in her ruling denying Millers request for unemployment benefits. In her ruling, Smith noted that falsifying the water test potentially put the citizens that use the citys water at risk if the manganese levels were, in fact, too high and nothing was done to correct them. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Other Iowans whose unemployment claims recently went before a judge include: Airanisha Overstreet, who worked for the City of Eldridge as a billing clerk from June 2024 through the middle of October 2024 when she was fired. According to testimony given by the city clerk and city administrator at Overstreets Jan. 6 unemployment hearing, during Overstreets employment the city staff grew concerned with her background and competence. They then determined that while Overstreet had claimed in her job application to be in the process of obtaining her credentials in accounting, she had lied on her application and had, in fact, failed her accounting classes and left school two and a half years before being hired as the citys billing clerk. She was recently denied unemployment benefits and ordered to repay the $1,296 in benefits already collected. Robert S. Hoffman, who worked for the Council Bluffs Convention and Visitors Bureau from October 2020 through the first week of November 2024, when he was fired. On Nov. 7, 2024, Hoffman was allegedly called into a meeting with bureaus executive director, Mark Eckman, and the bureaus accountant. At the outset of the meeting, Eckman allegedly told Hoffman he was being fired and provided no specific reason for the decision. Eckman then allowed Hoffman to submit a written resignation in lieu of being fired, then escorted Hoffman to his office to pack up his personal belongings, then escorted him out of the building. After the bureau opted not to participate in Hoffmans unemployment hearing and provided no rationale for its decision, Hoffman was awarded unemployment benefits. When contacted by the Iowa Capital Dispatch on Thursday, Eckman declined to comment on the reason for Hoffmans departure. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Michael R. Hotman, who worked for Polk County as a full-time electrician from July 2023 through November 2024 when he was fired. On Nov. 4, 2024, the county initiated an investigation into a physical altercation that involved Hotman and a coworker, David Crawford. According to testimony provided at Hotmans unemployment hearing, the two men were in a breakroom located near the county jail when they began discussing politics. The conversation quickly led to an exchange of profanities and insults, with Crawford allegedly calling Hotman a number of homophobic slurs, and Hotman calling Crawford a fat a. Crawford allegedly moved toward Hotman and bumped his chest in an aggressive manner, after which Hotman suggested they continue the fight after work. After Hotman sat down at the breakroom table, Crawford allegedly tipped over the table and grabbed Hotman from behind, then punched him on the back of the head and the jaw several times. At that point, staff from the jail intervened and broke up the fight. A few days later, the county fired both workers. In denying Hotmans subsequent request for unemployment benefits, Administrative Law Judge Sean Nelson described the case as a cautionary tale about insulting words and ambiguous threats escalating into physical violence. An employee who stokes the flames of fury does not collect benefits resulting from a discharge caused by that same fight. David Crawford, who worked for Polk County from February 2014 through November 2024 when he was fired for his role in the fight with Michael R. Hotman. According to the testimony given in Crawfords case, Crawford stood up to leave the breakroom at some point and Hotman shoved him to the floor and then blocked his exit. Administrative Law Judge Stephanie Adkisson recently denied Crawfords request for unemployment benefits. She concluded that while Crawford had only touched Mr. Hotman to get away to avoid further violence from Mr. Hotman, he later lied to management in stating the altercation hadnt been physical. Brandon Ford, who worked for the Collegiate Hotel Group as a full-time maintenance technician from July 2022 through the middle of October 2024, when he was fired for workplace harassment. The company alleged that five of Fords co-workers complained that Ford regularly made inappropriate remarks of a sexual nature to female employees, commenting on their bodies and calling them beautiful and sexy. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement One employee reported an incident in which Ford allegedly made a lewd gesture while holding a cucumber, asking a colleague, How would you like to unwrap my cucumber? Ford denied making the comments but acknowledged he could be too friendly with others, according to state records. He was denied unemployment benefits and ordered to repay $3,512 in benefits already collected. Cynthia Young, who worked as a certified nursing assistant for Care Initiatives, a nursing home chain based in West Des Moines, from March 2023 through October 2024, when she was fired. On Oct. 21, 2024, Young was allegedly working in one of the companys care facilities during a 12-hour overnight shift. She clocked out for a break at 3:54 a.m. and then sat in a chair to take a nap during which, residents call-lights were triggered. Young continued to sleep as a coworker took a photo of her with the call-lights going unanswered, according to state records. She was later fired for sleeping on the job. Administrative Law Judge Alexis Rowe awarded Young unemployment benefits, noting that Care Initiatives written policies do not prohibit employees from sleeping during authorized work breaks. By Ahmed Rasheed BAGHDAD (Reuters) - The Iraqi parliament has passed an amnesty law that could lead to the release of thousands of prisoners, including Iraqis convicted of attacks on U.S. soldiers and people who fought for Islamic State, lawmakers said on Thursday. A copy of the law seen by Reuters shows that those found guilty of terrorism leading to murder or disability, manslaughter, vandalising government institutions, and recruiting for or joining terrorist organisations can request a retrial if they allege a confession was extracted under duress. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Judicial sources and lawmakers confirmed that those convicted of attacks against American forces in Iraq could benefit from the law. Sunni blocs in the Iraqi parliament have been pushing for the law as many of those in prison on such charges are Sunni Muslims, with most convicted of membership of Al Qaeda and Islamic State and carrying out attacks against Iraqi forces and civilians, mostly between 2004 and 2018. Sunni lawmakers estimate that at least 30,000 Sunni prisoners will have the chance for a retrial. Judicial sources say around 700 members of Shi'ite militias are also in prison convicted of terrorism, having been arrested by U.S. forces between 2004 and 2008, for attacks on U.S. soldiers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Abul Karim al-Mohammedawi, the Shi'ite head of parliament's security and defence committee, said the top priority of the law should be releasing detainees who fought American forces in Iraq because "they are heroes and should be rewarded for their sacrifices, not left behind bars for the crime of defending their country". Sunni lawmaker Raad al-Dahlaki said: "This law will not lead to the immediate release of prisoners. We, the Sunni bloc in parliament, demanded the retrial and review of all the prisoners investigations, and the courts will decide their fate." The law applies to all convicted Iraqis and those accused of crimes still under investigation or on trial. It also allows for the review of death sentences. Government officials and judicial sources say the new law will alleviate pressure on overcrowded prisons, which currently house around 67,000 prisoners, far exceeding their capacity of 25,000. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Tuesdays session also passed an amendment to the Iraqi personal status law, which was submitted by the majority Shi'ite blocs in parliament, that would allow Iraqi Muslims to choose either Sunni or Shiite sharia laws for personal status matters, instead of one standard regardless of sect or religion. Critics say amendments that allow sect-based jurisprudence to govern personal matters, such as marriage, divorce, and inheritance, could institutionalise legal divisions between Sunni and Shi'ite Iraqis, further entrenching sectarian divides. This amendment could change the social fabric of the country at a time when sectarian tensions run high and stability remains precarious, said Sarah Sanbar, Iraq researcher at Human Rights Watch. The parliament also approved a law, which was pressed by the Kurds, allowing the return of farmlands confiscated before 2003 to their original owners, mainly Kurds. (Reporting by Ahmed Rasheed; Additional reporting by Muayad Hameed; Editing by Timour Azhari and Alison Williams) Micheal Martin became Irelands taoiseach (prime minister) for the second time in his political career on Thursday, a day later than planned. The Irish parliament descended into uproar on Wednesday, its first day back in session after weeks of political horse-trading and coalition-building, following the countrys general election in November. Wednesdays order of business was scheduled to start with the vote to elect a new taoiseach but this formality was delayed repeatedly. It was then ultimately abandoned for the day, as opposition parties took to their feet in loud protest over the granting of extended speaking rights to independent parliamentarians who support the incoming government. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Attempts to resolve the dispute continued into Thursday morning when the government acknowledged that there was ambiguity in speaking rights and an agreement was reached that government-supporting independents cannot for now retain extended speaking rights from the opposition benches. The 64-year-old Martin, leader of the Fianna Fail party, was finally elected taoiseach before 2 p.m. in Dublin, saying it was a profound honor to be nominated to serve as head of the government in a free, democratic and diverse republic. Martin stressed the importance of Irelands relationships with Europe, the United States and the United Kingdom, noting that his nations kinship with the US went back to before the formation of the Irish state and endures because we have continued to renew bonds of respect and cooperation. The Ireland-America relationship is one that benefits us both and will emerge strongly no matter what, Martin told the packed chamber of parliament. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Although Irelands November election bucked the 2024 trend that saw so many countries reject incumbent governments, no political party had a resounding win. The countrys center-right Fianna Fail party won the most seats on November 29 but did not secure enough for a parliamentary majority. It returned to its most recent coalition partnership with the countrys other centrist party, Fine Gael, and spent recent weeks in pursuit of further political backing. Last week it was announced that the two parties had secured the support of a group of regional independent lawmakers and was ready to form a government. Martin becomes Irish taoiseach for the second time. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He first assumed the office when Fine Gael and Fianna Fail entered their coalition government in 2020, joining forces against a surge in support for Sinn Fein, Irelands nationalist party. That groundbreaking partnership between Irelands long-time vying parties saw party leaders Leo Varadkar and Martin swap the roles of prime minister and deputy every two years until Varadkar unexpectedly stepped down last year. He was replaced by Simon Harris, who became Irelands youngest ever leader. Harris, the outgoing taoiseach, assumed the role of deputy prime minister Thursday, and will expect to step back into the role of Irelands leader again in 2027. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com (Bloomberg) -- Micheal Martin, leader of Irelands Fianna Fail party, was voted in as prime minister on Thursday after an election in November that saw the main incumbent coalition partners return to power. Most Read from Bloomberg Martins party gained the most votes in the election and is forming a government with Fine Gael, supported by a number of independent lawmakers. He takes over from Fine Gaels Simon Harris who held the role since April 2024. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Martin will hold the role of Taoiseach until Nov. 16 2027, when it will then transfer to Fine Gael for the rest of the five-year term as part of a rotating leadership deal. The two parties had been in talks since the vote, which ultimately ended in Martin taking the top job first. For this generation of political leaders, the task is to protect Irelands strength at a moment of real threat, while also addressing critical social needs, Martin told parliament after his nomination for the role was approved. His governments first challenge will be the potential impact of Donald Trumps second term in the White House. Trumps presidency poses a disproportionate risk to the small, open economy that relies heavily on corporate tax receipts from US firms like Apple Inc. The country boasts one of Europes only surpluses thanks to that intake. But those receipts which hit a record 39 billion ($40.6 billion) last year are not guaranteed. The receipts are volatile, and cannot be relied on into the future, the finance ministry has warned for several years now. Howard Lutnick, Trumps pick to lead the Commerce Department, has previously singled out Ireland for criticism, saying it ran a surplus at the USs expense. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ireland is an open democracy with an open economy we cannot expect to stand unaffected on the sidelines. We must protect and renew an economic model which delivers high employment and resources for public services, Martin said. Fine Gaels Paschal Donohoe, Eurogroup president and current public expenditure minister, was named as minister for finance this afternoon. Other cabinet appointments include former Taoiseach Simon Harris, who will be minister for foreign affairs and defense, and former minister for finance Jack Chambers who will now be minister for public expenditure. The cabinet appointments were announced this afternoon after Martin visited Irelands president to formally confirm his role. Martin served as prime minister in the previous government, between 2020 and 2022, under the same rotating Taoiseach arrangement. He oversaw some major challenges in the role, including the Covid pandemic and difficult Brexit negotiations with Irelands nearest neighbor, the UK. A political veteran, he also served in the government during the 2008 financial crash that decimated Irelands economy. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement His appointment comes a day later than expected after a row in parliament on Wednesday over speaking rights for the independent lawmakers who are supporting the incoming government. Seven non-aligned members who agreed to prop up the government wanted to form a technical group, allowing them them speaking time from the opposition benches. Main opposition party Sinn Fein disagreed and refused to allow the nomination process to proceed. The issue was resolved for the parliament sitting on Thursday and will be examined before the parliament resumes again on Feb. 5. (Additional details in 3rd, 4th and 5th paragraphs, including quotes from speech, Minister for Finance appointment) Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2025 Bloomberg L.P. DUBLIN (Reuters) - Ireland and Northern Ireland braced for a storm that officials warned could be one of the most dangerous they have faced when it hits early on Friday, forcing the closure of schools, universities and public transport. The Irish and UK weather agencies issued a red wind warning - the highest alert level - for the whole of Ireland, Northern Ireland and parts of Scotland, saying inland winds of up to 130 kilometres (81 miles) per hour from Storm Eowyn could be a danger to life. "Public safety is our core objective for the next 24 hours. The key message remains that people need to shelter in place," Keith Leonard, the chair of Ireland's National Emergency Coordination Group, told a news conference. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "This is among the most dangerous storms that Ireland will have faced... We're going to see huge number of trees down tomorrow and a lot of people are going to be without electricity, broadband, water supplies." Officials said it was the first time the whole of Ireland had been put under a red weather warning since Storm Ophelia in 2017 that killed three people. All schools in Ireland and Northern Ireland will be closed on Friday and public transport will not run in Ireland while the red wind warning is in place, currently scheduled from 0200 GMT to 1000 GMT. The red warning is due to begin in Northern Ireland from 0700 to 1400 and in western and central areas of Scotland from 1000 until 1700, the UK Met Office said. (Reporting by Padraic Halpin in Dublin, Amanda Ferguson in Belfast and Catarina Demony in London; editing by William James) The Israeli military said on Thursday that its forces killed two armed Palestinians in Jenin during the night, as its major campaign in the northern West Bank city enters its third day. It said the men were confronted near Jenin, where they barricaded themselves in a building. They were killed following an exchange of fire, in which an Israeli soldier was also wounded, it reported. The military said the two men were members of the militant group Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) and were wanted for their role in a bus attack that killed three Israelis in the northern West Bank in early January. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement However, the al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of the Palestinian Islamist organization Hamas, announced that the two men were members of Hamas. Since the deaths of the two men, Hamas has claimed responsibility for the bus attack. The Israeli military said it had also detained several other suspects during the operation, accusing them of helping with the bus attack. Jenin is located in the north of the occupied West Bank and is considered a stronghold of militant Palestinians. While violence frequently flares in the city, this is Israel's largest operation there in years. The already tense situation in the West Bank has intensified significantly since the Hamas attack on Israel in October 2023 and the subsequent Gaza war. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Around 830 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli military operations, armed clashes and extremist attacks in the West Bank since then, according to the Health Ministry in Ramallah. There is also increased violence by radical Israeli settlers against Palestinian civilians. Report: Palestinian Authority arrests Al Jazeera reporter The Qatari news channel Al Jazeera reported on Thursday that the Palestinian Authority (PA) has arrested one of its reporters in Jenin. The PA banned the channel and its employees from any activity in the West Bank earlier this month, saying that Al Jazeera had sided with Hamas and other militants in Jenin, where the PA was recently engaged in heavy fighting. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Al Jazeera has been banned in Israel since May 2024. Israeli military kills armed man in Gaza Strip Despite the ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, several violent encounters have also occurred there involving armed or masked Palestinians, an Israeli military spokesman said late on Wednesday. In one such encounter, a man was killed, with the military identifying him as a PIJ fighter. In other cases, soldiers fired warning shots to keep masked suspects at a distance, the spokesman said. The army said it is determined to adhere to the ceasefire agreements while taking all necessary measures to protect its soldiers from potential threats. It has urged Palestinians to stay clear of military personnel. Tel Aviv Testing the bounds of a fragile ceasefire in its fifth day, Israel's military said Thursday that forces had opened fire in the southern Gaza Strip on masked, armed suspects who posed a threat to their safety. The Israel Defense Forces, in a statement, reported incidents east of the southern Gaza city of Rafah, and in the area of the Kerem Shalom border crossing, through which aid trucks have been delivering more food, water and medical supplies since the ceasefire took effect. The IDF said it had killed one militant with the Islamic Jihad group and that while Israel remained "determined to fully maintain the terms of the [ceasefire] agreement in order to return the hostages," it was also "prepared for any scenario and will continue to take all necessary actions to thwart any immediate threat to IDF soldiers." There was no immediate response to the incident from Gaza's Hamas rulers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hours before the IDF confirmed the operation in southern Gaza, newly-sworn-in U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio called Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and told the Israeli leader that "maintaining the United States' steadfast support for Israel is a top priority for President Trump," according to a readout of the call. Rubio made a series of calls to foreign ministers around the world, but Netanyahu was the first head of state he spoke with, according to readouts provided by the State Department. The two men also discussed freeing the remaining 94 Israeli hostages still held in Gaza, of whom seven are Israeli-Americans, and addressing threats from Iran, though the State Department offered no specifics. Gaza's Hamas-run Health Ministry has not reported any new deaths since the ceasefire took hold, but the official toll has continued to rise as rescue and recovery teams, and ordinary citizens, find more bodies and, in some cases, piles of bones, in the rubble of the devastated Palestinian enclave. Displaced Palestinians walk along a road in the Saftawi area of Jabalia, as they leave areas near Gaza City where they had taken refuge and head for northern Gaza, Jan. 19, 2025, shortly after a ceasefire deal in the war between Israel and Hamas was implemented. / Credit: OMAR AL-QATTAA/AFP/Getty The ministry said that, as of Thursday, its tally showed more than 47,200 people had been killed during the war that was sparked by Hamas' Oct. 7, 2023 terrorist attack on Israel, which saw militants kill approximately 1,200 people and kidnap 251 others. In Gaza, the remains of more than 160 people have been recovered since the ceasefire began on Sunday, the ministry said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Thousands more bodies are still believed to be under collapsed buildings in the enclave, which was home to some 2.3 million people before the war. The media office of Gaza's Hamas-run administration said Thursday that about 14,000 people remained missing. Faster recovery efforts, along with the distribution of aid, have been hampered due to a lack of functioning heavy equipment in the strip and its decimated infrastructure, according to rescue workers and aid agencies. As of Wednesday, the U.N. said 808 trucks carrying humanitarian aid, including food, fuel and medical supplies, had entered the strip since the ceasefire took effect. But the ceasefire and hostage release agreement negotiated by the U.S., Qatar and Egypt called for 600 trucks to enter the territory every day. Palestinians walk past aid trucks on the fifth day of a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, in Rafah, southern Gaza, Jan. 23, 2025. / Credit: Hussam Al-Masri/REUTERS Hamas has said it will release four more hostages Israeli women on Saturday. The initial exchange on Sunday saw three captives set free in exchange for about 90 Palestinian prisoners, who were let out of an Israeli prison in the occupied West Bank. Israel is expected to free 200 more Palestinian detainees in the next exchange this weekend. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Meanwhile, a "large-scale" military offensive launched by the IDF in the West Bank earlier this week continued overnight, focused in and around the sprawling Jenin refugee camp in the north of the Palestinian territory. The IDF says it has killed two men in the "Iron Wall" operation who were linked to the Hamas-allied Islamic Jihad group, claiming the men shot and killed three Israelis in a bus attack two weeks ago in the West Bank. Palestinians are seen during an Israeli raid in the Jenin camp, in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, Jan. 23, 2025. / Credit: Raneen Sawafta/REUTERS The Palestinian Health Ministry in the West Bank, which is not controlled by Hamas like Gaza, said Wednesday that 10 Palestinians had been killed amid the IDF's new operation. "Iron Wall" has been a major show of force by the IDF in Jenin, an area of the West Bank long considered by Israel to be a stronghold of Iranian-backed militant groups. Since the ceasefire in Gaza took effect, the IDF has redirected its focus and firepower to the West Bank. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement One of President Trump's many initial moves as he began his second term this week was to withdraw Biden-era sanctions imposed on Israeli settlers deemed a threat to security in the West Bank. Domestically, for Prime Minister Netanyahu, the West Bank offensive may be aimed at least partly at placating a segment of his support base including far-right members of his own cabinet who have been infuriated by the ceasefire deal with Hamas. Israel's former National Security Minister, the right-wing nationalist Itamar Ben-Gvir, resigned in protest over the deal, saying it was giving in to terror. If the country's Finance Minister, Bezalel Smotrich, another far-right cabinet member, were to resign, then Netanyahu's fragile coalition government would fall apart. Early national elections would then have to be called in the country, which could imperil Netanyahu's own long grip on political power. Staying safe in dangerous cold weather 2025 Oscar nominees announced Trump speaks, takes questions at World Economic Forum (This Jan. 23 story has been corrected to say Sunday deadline, not Monday, in paragraph 1 and 2) JERUSALEM/BEIRUT (Reuters) - Israel said on Thursday the terms of a ceasefire with Hezbollah were not being implemented fast enough and there was more work to do, while the Iran-backed group urged pressure to ensure Israeli troops leave south Lebanon by Sunday as set out in the deal. The deal stipulates that Israeli troops withdraw from south Lebanon, Hezbollah remove fighters and weapons from the area and Lebanese troops deploy there - all within a 60-day timeframe which will conclude on Sunday at 4 a.m. (0200 GMT). Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The deal, brokered by the United States and France, ended more than a year of hostilities triggered by the Gaza war. The fighting peaked with a major Israeli offensive that displaced more than 1.2 million people in Lebanon and left Hezbollah severely weakened. "There have been positive movements where the Lebanese army and UNIFIL have taken the place of Hezbollah forces, as stipulated in the agreement," Israeli government spokesmen David Mencer told reporters, referring to UN peacekeepers in Lebanon. "We've also made clear that these movements have not been fast enough, and there is much more work to do," he said, affirming that Israel wanted the agreement to continue. Mencer did not directly respond to questions about whether Israel had requested an extension of the deal or say whether Israeli forces would remain in Lebanon after Monday's deadline. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hezbollah said in a statement that there had been leaks talking about Israel postponing its withdrawal beyond the 60-day period, and that any breach of the agreement would be unacceptable. The statement said that possibility required everyone, especially Lebanese political powers, to pile pressure on the states which sponsored the deal to ensure "the implementation of the full (Israeli) withdrawal and the deployment of the Lebanese army to the last inch of Lebanese territory and the return of the people to their villages quickly". Any delay beyond the 60 days would mark a blatant violation of the deal with which the Lebanese state would have to deal "through all means and methods guaranteed by international charters" to recover Lebanese land "from the occupation's clutches," Hezbollah said. Israel said its campaign against Hezbollah aimed to secure the return home of tens of thousands of people forced to leave their homes in northern Israel by Hezbollah rocket fire. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It inflicted major blows on Hezbollah during the conflict, killing its leader Hassan Nasrallah and thousands of the group's fighters and destroying much of its arsenal. The group was further weakened in December when its Syrian ally, Bashar al-Assad, was toppled, cutting its overland supply route from Iran. French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot, speaking at the World Economic Forum in Davos on Thursday, said Israel had put an end to hostilities and was removing its forces from Lebanon, and that the Lebanese army had gone to locations of Hezbollah ammunition stores and destroyed them. He also indicated there was more to do to shore up the ceasefire. "Are we done? No. We will need more time to achieve results," he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Three diplomats said on Thursday it looked like Israeli forces would still be in some parts of southern Lebanon after the 60-day mark. A senior Lebanese political source said President Joseph Aoun had been in contact with U.S. and French officials to urge Israel to complete the withdrawal within the stipulated timeframe. The Lebanese government has told U.S. mediators that Israel's failure to withdraw on time could complicate the Lebanese army's deployment, and this would be a blow to diplomatic efforts and the optimistic atmosphere in Lebanon since Aoun was elected president on Jan. 9. (Reporting by Alexander Cornwell in Jerusalem and Laila Bassam, Maya Gebeily, Timour Azhari and Tom Perry in Beirut; John Irish in Paris; Writing by Alexander Cornwell and Tom Perry; Editing by Hugh Lawson and Timothy Heritage) Despite the ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, several violent encounters have occurred involving armed or masked Palestinians, an Israeli military spokesman said late on Wednesday. In one such encounter, a man was killed, with the military identifying him as a fighter for the Palestinian Islamic Jihad. In other cases, soldiers fired warning shots to keep masked suspects at a distance, the spokesman said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The army said it is determined to adhere to the ceasefire agreements while taking all necessary measures to protect its soldiers from potential threats. It has urged Palestinians to stay clear of military personnel. In line with the agreed terms, Israeli troops on Wednesday withdrew their vehicles from Jabaliya in the northern Gaza Strip. The military released images showing a convoy of tanks leaving the area along the border fence. By Raphael Satter and Sam Tobin WASHINGTON/LONDON (Reuters) - The lawyer for an Israeli private investigator said for the first time publicly on Wednesday that her client is being prosecuted over allegations that he was hired by an Exxon Mobil lobbyist to hack emails of environmental activists. The disclosure came in a court filing in Westminster Magistrates Court in London, where U.S. authorities are seeking permission to extradite Amit Forlit, who was arrested at Heathrow Airport last year. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Forlits U.K.-based lawyer, Rachel Scott, told the court U.S. authorities have charged Forlit "with a conspiracy to carry out computer hacking against individuals and entities involved in (or directly associated with) environmental activism." That hacking campaign, Scott wrote, "is alleged to have been commissioned by DCI Group, a lobbying firm representing ExxonMobil, one of the world's largest fossil fuel companies." In November Reuters reported Forlit was wanted by the U.S. Department of Justice in connection with an espionage campaign targeting environmentalists seeking to hold Exxon legally accountable for its impact on climate change. It was the latest in a series of cases uncovered by Reuters where hackers are alleged to have played a key role in swaying legal battles, a topic of increased law enforcement concern worldwide. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Justice Department, which has not made its indictment public, declined to comment. Forlit has previously denied being involved in hack-for-hire work. Exxon said the oil company "has not been involved in, nor are we aware of, any hacking activities" and that, if there were hacking involved, "we condemn it in the strongest possible terms." DCI Group said the allegations that it commissioned the hacking operation were false, adding that it directs all of its employees and consultants to comply with the law. Scott did not immediately return a message seeking further details on the extradition case. In the filing, she noted the U.S. indictment uses codenames to represent the various parties. Scott said it was important to identify the companies by name so the U.K. court could understand who was involved and what was at stake. (Reporting by Raphael Satter in Washington and Sam Tobin in London; Editing by Anna Driver, Blake Morrison and Chris Sanders) Ivanka Trump, President Trumps eldest daughter, warned Thursday that a cryptocurrency token bearing her name is fake. It has come to my attention that a fake crypto coin called Ivanka Trump or $IVANKA is being promoted without my consent or approval, she wrote in a post on the social platform X. To be clear: I have no involvement with this coin, Trump continued. This fake coin risks deceiving consumers and defrauding them of their hard-earned money, and the unauthorized use of my name and likeness is a violation of my rights. This promotion is deceptive, exploitative, and unacceptable. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trumps legal team plans to take measures to stop the continued misuse of my name, she added. Her denouncement of the fake coin comes just days after her father and first lady Melania Trump released their own crypto tokens. The president launched $TRUMP, which is currently trading at about $37, on Friday. Two days later, the first lady announced $MELANIA, whose value now sits at just less than $3. The two tokens are regarded as meme coins, cryptocurrencies that are typically based on internet trends, lack any inherent value and tend to be highly volatile. $TRUMP began trading below $10 and jumped to more than $70 in its first 48 hours. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Trump familys meme coins have sparked backlash from some in the crypto world, who have expressed concerns that the tokens could cast a shadow on the presidents efforts to boost crypto. President Trump, who once dismissed crypto as a scam, discovered a newfound appreciation for the industry during his campaign and has vowed to make the U.S. the crypto capital of the planet. Trumps inauguration represented a marked shift for the digital assets industry, which had a tense relationship with the Biden administration and former Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Chair Gary Gensler. The president has tapped several pro-crypto candidates to serve in his administration, including Paul Atkins, who is set to take over as SEC chair, and Howard Lutnick, Trumps nominee to lead the Commerce Department. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Venture capitalist David Sacks, who hosted the first-ever crypto ball last week, is also taking on the newly created role of White House czar for artificial intelligence and crypto. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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 White House is demanding an apology from the Episcopal bishop who dared this week to preach from her pulpit and speak truth to power. President Donald Trump and his choir are lifting their voices in righteous condemnation of her, apparently, scandalous remarks while his heralds in the right-wing media rush out a chorus of hallelujahs and Amens. The Right Rev. Mariann Edgar Budde is, we are told, a radical leftist with a bad haircut a fake bishop who offered a sermon that was disgraceful. Satanic, even. The so-called Bishop who spoke at the National Prayer Service on Tuesday morning was a Radical Left hard line Trump hater ... , President Donald Trump fumed on social media, a few hours after her sermon during Tuesdays inaugural prayer service at Washington National Cathedral. Advertisement Advertisement She was nasty in tone, and not compelling or smart. Trump faithful called bishop 'deranged' Everybody there was shocked and mortified by the disturbing comments from this bishop who chose to weaponize the pulpit, Trumps spokeswoman, Karoline Leavitt, told Fox News, adding that she should apologize to President Trump for the lies that she told. House Speaker Mike Johnson called her comments shameful. Foxs Sean Hannity decried her deranged political beliefs. Podcaster Steven Crowder called her sermon satanic. Daily Wires Matt Walsh thundered that hell exists for people like Mariann and called her exhibit A for why women should not be pastors, priests, or bishops. Advertisement Advertisement If evil had a face and a haircut, this is what it would look like, Walsh wrote. It would look exactly like Mariann Budde, the fake bishop of Washington for the Episcopal church. Georgia Mike Collins called for her to be deported. I'm Episcopalian. That's what we believe Well, goodness. Ive been an Episcopalian all my life, which means Ive sat through fair of number of sermons that were boring and at times uninspiring. But satanic? We believe in the commandments long ago set forth in stone, and we believe in the teachings of Jesus Christ. We pray for our leaders, that they will have the wisdom and strength to know and do Gods will. We pray for courage and justice and peace, and in our baptismal covenant we vow to respect the dignity of every human being. Advertisement Advertisement Its true that I dont always pay attention in church, as Episcopal services tend to run (too) long. But never have I heard a bishop or a priest channel the words of Satan. Not even the ones with bad haircuts (and yeah, there are a few). Was Mariann Budde out of line? You judge So, what, I wondered, did Bishop Budde say to so offend Trump and his fellow travelers as they embark upon what they see as their divinely inspired mission to make America great again? What manner of blasphemy did she speak? What heresy did she thrust upon us? You judge. Bishop Budde ended her Tuesday sermon with words spoken directly to President Trump as he sat there in the front pew. Here is what she said: Advertisement Advertisement Millions have put their trust in you. And as you told the nation yesterday, you felt the providential hand of a loving God. In the name of our God, I ask you to have mercy upon the people in our country who are scared now. There are gay, lesbian and transgender children in Democratic, Republican and independent families, some who fear for their lives. And the people who pick our crops and clean our office buildings, who labor in poultry farms and meatpacking plants, who wash the dishes after we eat in restaurants and work the night shifts in hospitals. They may not be citizens or have the proper documentation, but the vast majority of immigrants are not criminals. They pay taxes and are good neighbors. They are faithful members of our churches and mosques, synagogues, gurdwara and temples. I ask you to have mercy, Mr. President, on those in our communities whose children fear that their parents will be taken away. And that you help those who are fleeing war zones and persecution in their own lands, to find compassion and welcome here. Advertisement Advertisement Our God teaches us that we are to be merciful to the stranger, for we were all once strangers in this land. May God grant us the strength and courage to honor the dignity of every human being, to speak the truth to one another in love and walk humbly with each other and our God for the good of all people., the good of all people in this nation and the world. Amen. Trump 'Christians' pray for mercy, then offer none Oh, the outrage. A call for compassion and mercy at a moment in time when the torches are lit and the pitchforks raised high. Fox anchor Martha MacCallum said Buddes sermon uncharitable. The Daily Wires Michael Knowles called her words heretical. Advertisement Advertisement She was given a great honor today, a chance to unify America around a Christian message at the dawn of a new administration, Turning Point USAs Charlie Kirk fumed. Instead, she disgraced herself with a lecture youd hear on CNN or an episode of The View. What an embarrassment. Opinion: Strip babies of their birthright? That'll backfire Clearly, Bishop Buddes words werent heard by Trump or by the self-styled Christians who surround him. Instead, they tell us that siccing soldiers on decent, God-fearing immigrants whose only crime is that they came here illegally is the moral thing to do. Advertisement Advertisement That condemning the vulnerable who live in fear is the Godly thing to do. Then they go to church and pray for Gods mercy, even as they have none to give. These, after all, are heady days in Donald Trumps America, and no discordant note from some nasty bishop will be tolerated as we march forth. Onward, Christian soldiers. Reach Roberts at laurie.roberts@arizonarepublic.com. Follow her on X (formerly Twitter) at @LaurieRobertsaz, on Threads at @LaurieRobertsaz and on BlueSky at @laurieroberts.bsky.social. Subscribe to azcentral.com today. This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Mariann Budde prayed for Trump's mercy and got MAGA's wrath | Opinion HONOLULU (KHON2) At the John A. Burns School of Medicines annual Scholarship Dinner on Friday, Jan. 17, students had the rare opportunity to meet the donors who make their education possible. That was thanks to scholarships that help alleviate the financial burden of medical school. Get Hawaiis latest morning news delivered to your inbox, sign up for News 2 You One of the students who benefited from this support is Ed Biala who is a recipient of the prestigious JABSOM scholarship. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Biala expressed a deep grateful for the opportunity. Our donors are just one aspect of that community that has helped us not only get to medical school but also get through medical school, and even beyond, he said. Biala emphasized that the support hes received has been invaluable, explaining, Thats what makes JABSOM unique. Theres no other place Id rather be going to school than here. Dr. Benjamin Young, a JABSOM graduate and founder of the schools Imi Hoola Post-Baccalaureate Program, shared his belief in the importance of perpetuating healthy lives for the people of Hawaii. To quote King David Kalakaua, Hooulu Lahui, perpetuate the nation. And thats so true, to perpetuate the healthy lives of all the peoples of Hawaii, Dr. Young said as he reflected on the importance of medical education. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He views his support of students like Biala as not only a personal mission but also a way to contribute to the broader health of the community. Biala echoed Dr. Youngs sentiments when he noted how their relationship had grown over time. Each time I got to sit down and talk with him, there was a new milestone I was working on, he said. Its meaningful to catch up and remember all of those different milestones. I hope one day I can pay it forward, too. Scholarships are crucial for reducing the financial strain of medical school, and JABSOM has seen significant progress in its scholarship program. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In 2024 alone, the school awarded $6.5 million in scholarships. This marked a 58 percent increase in just five years. Dr. Young is proud to be a part of this mission. Its amazing to see the students journeys, to hear how theyre navigating through medical school and achieving their dreams, he added. Kaiser Permanente scholarship recipients Liza Mae Mamaud (JABSOM 2026), Jan Aurelio (JABSOM 2028) and Selena Vanapruks (JABSOM 2026) on Friday, Jan. 17, 2025 in Honolulu, Hawaii. (Photo/JABSOM) Janette Bow-Keola (JABSOM 2027) greets Dr. Benjamin Young, founder of Imi Hoolas Post-Baccaulerate Program, which Bow-Keola on Friday, Jan. 17, 2025 in Honolulu, Hawaii. (Photo/JABSOM) Alumni of the Imi Hoola Post-Baccalaureate Program with program founder Dr. Benjamin Young, DeDe Young and Queens University on Friday, Jan. 17, 2025 in Honolulu, Hawaii. (Photo/JABSOM) JABSOM students with UH Provost Michael Bruno on Friday, Jan. 17, 2025 in Honolulu, Hawaii. (Photo/JABSOM) Hawaii Pacific Health CEO Dr. Leslie Chun with JABSOM students on Friday, Jan. 17, 2025 in Honolulu, Hawaii. (Photo/JABSOM) Tiffany Kurozawa (JABSOM 2025) embraces Dr. Benjamin Young, founder of the Imi Hoola Post-Baccalaureate Program. Kurozawa on Friday, Jan. 17, 2025 in Honolulu, Hawaii. (Photo/JABSOM) At the heart of the evening was a shared sense of gratitude and commitment to making a positive impact on Hawaiis health system. To learn more about medical career training offered by JABSOM, click here. Get news on the go with KHON 2GO, KHONs morning podcast, every morning at 8 Through his contributions, Dr. Young, like many others, continues to pave the way for the next generation of doctors. 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. The identity of a Jeep Grand Cherokee driver who was killed in a crash on Monday has not been released pending notification of family, according to a crash report from the Iowa State Patrol. The crash happened shortly after 7 p.m. Sunday on U. S. Route 64 westbound at Mile Marker 27, the report says. The Jeep was eastbound on Highway 64 when it apparently crossed the center line and struck a Ford F350 truck head-on on the north shoulder and rumble stripes. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Jeep came to rest in the north ditch, and the truck came to rest on the north shoulder. The Jeep driver was pronounced dead at the scene. The driver and passenger of the truck drove themselves to the Jackson County Regional Health Center. The crash remains under investigation, the report says. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WHBF - OurQuadCities.com. LANSING, Mich. (WLNS) The Jackson Police Department wants to remind members of the community about a program that helps find people with disabilities. Since 2020, the Take Me Home Program has been designed to help officers assist people with autism, Alzheimers, dementia, Down Syndrome, or any condition that makes it difficult to communicate. Parents, guardians, or caregivers can click here and fill out important information such as name, address, description, condition, and emergency contact. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The program is free to sign up and the information you provide is confidential. Enrolling in this program will assist our officers in caring for your loved ones during their time of need. We also hope this will give families and caregivers some peace of mind if someone goes missing, Chief Hitt said. Click here to learn more about the Take Me Home 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 WLNS 6 News. After President Donald Trump granted clemency to more than 1,500 accused Jan. 6 rioters as one of his first acts in office on Monday, one of them has just been arrested again on pending gun charges from 2023. Daniel Ball, 39, was indicted in May 2023 on about a dozen charges related to the insurrection, including one charge accusing him of using an explosive device during the attack on the U.S. Capitol. Ball, who is from Florida, was being held in pretrial detention in Washington, D.C., and had been facing 12 years behind bars. He had a prior criminal record and was still in custody during his Wednesday arrest for one count of possessing a firearm as a convicted felon, according to multiple reports. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to the arrest warrant filed Wednesday, Ball had previously been convicted for charges related to domestic violence and violently resisting law enforcement. The pending gun charge came out of Florida in May 2023, but since Ball was arrested on Jan. 6 charges in the countrys capital, he was unable to appear in Florida court. Magistrate Judge Robin Meriweather, the judge in Balls Jan. 6 case, said the former defendant had been charged with some of the most violent and serious offenses of any of the charges being brought against participants in the January 6 events. The explosion allegedly disoriented officers and caused hearing losswhich for some of the officers lasted months, Meriweather added. Defendant also allegedly threw a large piece of wood into the line of officers protecting the Capitol. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While Trumps executive order commuted some sentences, it offers a full, complete and unconditional pardon to all other individuals convicted of offenses related to events that occurred at or near the United States Capitol on January 6, 2021, despite some Republicans hoping that Trumps act of clemency would not be extended to violent offenders. Related... Henry Enrique Tarrio, the recently pardoned leader of the Proud Boys who is now free from prison after being convicted of seditious conspiracy alongside a cadre of the extremist groups chapter leaders and allies, wants those who investigated the attack on the U.S. Capitol to pay for what they did. In an interview this week with right-wing radio host Alex Jones, Tarrio railed against members of the now-defunct House committee that looked into the attack, and against what he perceives as a miscarriage of justice against him and other people who were convicted of crimes connected to Jan. 6, 2021. They didnt care about the evidence. They cared about putting Trump supporters in prison. Well, now its our turn. Now its our turn. Im happy the presidents focusing not on retribution and focusing on success, but I will tell you that Im not gonna play by those rules, Tarrio told Jones. The people who did this, they need to feel the heat. They need to be put behind bars, and they need to be prosecuted. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In this country, our case proves that you could be put in prison for anything, he added. They need to be imprisoned. We need to find and put them behind bars for what they did. They need to pay for what they did. One of Donald Trumps first actions as president was signing an executive order that pardoned anyone who had been convicted of crimes connected to the Jan. 6 attack and commuted the sentences of 14 members of the Proud Boys and Oath Keepers. Tarrios sentence was not commuted, and he was instead granted a full pardon. After a months-long trial and a staggering amount of evidence, Tarrio was found guilty of seditious conspiracy and later sentenced to 22 years in prison. He served just 16 months. Tarrio had asked Trump weeks ago for a pardon. Since then, he has been telling reporters that he doesnt want to be called the former leader of the Proud Boys anymore and has referred to the group as our organization. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Tarrio said he wouldnt condone violence but called for investigations into former Attorney General Merrick Garland and the recently resigned U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia, Matthew Graves. Proud Boys have hosted and normalized violence with frequent street fights, often with members intimidating or attacking people at events such as school board meetings, political gatherings and drag queen story hours. Tarrio isnt the only leader of an extremist group suggesting he is returning to business as usual. Stewart Rhodes, the founder of the Oath Keepers, appeared to accuse police of the violence that occurred on Jan. 6. He claimed he was simply expressing frustration. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In an interview with the BBC posted in a video on Wednesday from the U.S. Capitol, Rhodes appeared to accuse police on Jan. 6 of being responsible for the violence. When confronted with his own words laid out in letters, texts and statements, including his remark that he wanted to hang Nancy Pelosi from a light Post, Rhodes said he was expressing his frustration. I was frustrated that President Trump had not invoked the Insurrection Act, Rhodes said. I wanted him to use his unrestricted and plenary power to declassify any of the secrets held by the CIA, NSA, FBI, etc, of their corruption. Thats how they protect the people in the establishment. This is a refrain Rhodes often invokes: He used it in public letters to Trump ahead of Jan. 6, urging him to raise Oath Keepers to his side and use the militia group as needed to expose what he claimed was widespread voter fraud in the 2020 election. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement There was no such widespread voter fraud. Rhodes was sentenced to 18 years in prison for seditious conspiracy in 2023. My goal will be to be an American Solzhenitsyn, he said, referring to the Nobel Prize-winning Russian author and dissident who, in some ways, has been credited for destroying an empire. Rhodes visited Capitol Hill on Wednesday the same day Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson announced a new committee to investigate false narratives about the Jan. 6 attack. Related... Several prominent judges who oversaw cases related to the Jan. 6 Capitol insurrection publicly tore into President Donald Trump Wednesday for his sweeping pardons of more than 1,500 of the rioters. Included in the group was Judge Tanya Chutkan, who was also slated to preside over Trumps own election subversion case. Chutkan, who sparred with the presidents own lawyers for much of the 2024 campaign cycle, joined her colleagues in writing scathing filings as they were tasked with dismissing the cases still being prosecuted in federal court. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement No pardon can change the tragic truth of what happened on January 6, 2021, Chutkan wrote in an order dismissing the case against John Banuelos , who faced multiple charges including carrying and discharging a deadly weapon on Capitol grounds. The dismissal of this case cannot undo the rampage [that] left multiple people dead, injured more than 140 people, and inflicted millions of dollars in damage. It cannot diminish the heroism of law enforcement officers who struggled, facing serious injury and even death, to control the mob that overwhelmed them, Chutkan wrote, citing findings in other January 6 cases. It cannot whitewash the blood, feces, and terror that the mob left in its wake. And it cannot repair the jagged breach in Americas sacred tradition of peacefully transitioning power. Chutkan oversaw a number of cases related to the Capitol insurrection, and became notorious for her record of harsh punishments against rioters. In 2023, Chutkan had sentenced all 31 Jan. 6 defendants that came before her to prison sentences , frequently handing out more jail time than prosecutors recommended. Before Trump took office on Monday, the Justice Department was still prosecuting cases against 170 defendants who pleaded guilty or were found guilty at trial for crimes related to Jan. 6. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement About 300 more defendants faced federal charges for Capitol riot charges in court, the Justice Department said on the fifth anniversary of the attack , including about 180 defendants facing felony charges for assaulting, resisting, or impeding law enforcement agents or officers or obstructing those officers during a civil disorder. Chutkan eventually dismissed the case against Banuelos without prejudicemeaning prosecutors are free to pursue charges against him again in the future. District Judge Beryl Howell also opted to dismiss the case against Nicholas DeCarlo and Nicholas Ochs without prejudice on Wednesday, DeCarlo and Ochs, a Proud Boys members and the founder of the groups Hawaii chapter, took a plea deal in 2022. According to Howell, both men admitted under oath to throwing smoke bombs at law enforcement, breaching and defacing the Capitol, and stealing equipment from police. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Howell slammed the new governments instructions issued on Trumps first night in office for not providing a reason to dismiss the case against DeCarlo and Ochs. Instead, the order from the White House simply cited a grave national injustice and the beginning of a process of national reconciliation. No national injustice occurred here, just as no outcome-determinative election fraud occurred in the 2020 presidential election, Howell wrote. No process of national reconciliation can begin when poor losers, whose preferred candidate loses an election, are glorified for disrupting a constitutionally mandated proceeding in Congress and doing so with impunity. That merely raises the dangerous specter of future lawless conduct by other poor losers and undermines the rule of law. At least one judge, District Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly, acquiesced and dismissed the case against Dominic Box with prejudice. Box faced charges including civil disorder and entering a restricted building after he was caught on camera inside the Capitol. Kollar-Kotelly, who was appointed to the bench by former President Bill Clinton in 1997, accepted the governments exclusive authority and absolute discretion in determining whether to prosecute a casebut wrote a stark warning condemning the actions of the rioters and praising the law enforcement officials who defended the Capitol. What occurred that day is preserved for the future through thousands of contemporaneous videos, transcripts of trials, jury verdicts, and judicial opinions analyzing and recounting the evidence through a neutral lens, Kollar-Kotelly wrote. Those records are immutable and represent the truth, no matter how the events of January 6 are described by those charged or their allies. JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. (WJHL) Attorneys for the City of Johnson City and for a group of women suing them over alleged police failures in sexual assault cases both say theyre closing in on a settlement and the cases judge has called a phone conference for Tuesday. The parties first mentioned a potential settlement in late December when they asked U.S. District Judge Travis McDonough to delay deadlines on several filings in the suit that centers around victims of alleged serial rapist Sean Williams. Johnson City commissioners were set to vote on a settlement proposal Jan. 2, but a final version wasnt ready by then. Both sides filed a stipulation a day later asking McDonough for a 21-day stay on various pending filing deadlines. Jane Doe/Johnson City lawsuit settlement not dead yet Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement They also pledged an update by Jan. 21. McDonough granted the extension on Jan. 10, but not without setting some boundaries: The parties are hereby on notice that further extensions will not be granted to allow for additional settlement negotiations unless the parties provide good cause for such extension, he wrote. The parties asked for a 10-day extension Tuesday. They wrote that theyd made significant progress in settlement negotiations, overcome significant challenges, and are diligently working in good faith, however, they need additional time to complete that process. McDonough didnt give an immediate yes in his order Thursday setting the phone conference for the afternoon of Jan. 28. The parties should be prepared to discuss the progress of their settlement negotiations and the proposed extensions in their most recent stipulation, he wrote. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Complete WJHL coverage of the Sean Williams Case The lawsuit, which plaintiffs have requested be expanded to a class-action, alleges that police essentially overlooked Sean Williams alleged drugging and raping of women in his downtown apartment between at least 2019 and 2021. The suits claims range from obstructing enforcement of human trafficking statutes and aiding and abetting Williams to violating victims rights to due process and engaging in an unconstitutional pattern and practice of handling the cases of women reporting sexual assault. Lawyers for plaintiffs have claimed in hearings and written in filings that they believe at least two officers received financial benefits as part of an alleged conspiracy to protect what they say amounted to a human trafficking operation. Johnson City and other defendants have denied all claims in the suit, which was filed in June 2023. Former Johnson City Police Chief Karl Turner and officers Toma Sparks and Jeff Legault are currently plaintiffs in addition to the city. The plaintiffs have requested in a third amended complaint that former Capt. Kevin Peters and officer Justin Jenkins both of whom were dismissed from the case in August be added back as defendants. 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. Last Fridays return of the Laurel County grand jury report included several indictments with multiple counts, one of which involves a man charged with rape and sodomy. Martin C. Ellis, 61, of Bill Mays Road in London, was indicted on nine counts involving at least two victims. The first of those counts is first-degree rape, occurring between April 2022 and April 2023. He is also accused of first-degree sodomy during that timeframe. Ellis third, fourth, and fifth charges are intimidating a participant in a legal process shared with 58-year-old Teresa M. Smith-Ellis of London, as the pair is accused of intimidating three witnesses by using or threatening to use physical force. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Martin Ellis goes on to be accused of attempting to use a minor under 16 years old in a sexual performance in which she exposes herself to him. Furthermore, Ellis is again charged with both first-degree rape and sodomy, occurring between Sept. 26, 2018 and Aug. 30, 2023 in these instances. These incidents were against a minor under the age of 12. The ninth and final count is for first-degree sexual abuse during the same dates. In a separate case, Brennan Tate Lancaster, 25, of Green Meadow Road in London, is indicted for distributing such content involving minors. Lancaster is charged on four counts, all of which pertain to possessing and distributing matter portraying a sexual performance by a minor. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The first and second count are listed as occurring on or about July 19, 2024. He is accused of distributing matter portraying a sexual performance by a minor over the age of 12, as well as one who is under the age of 12. The indictment states that the other two counts, occurring on or about November 22, 2024, are for possession of such content. Other indictments involve several wanton endangerment cases, including: Kristen L. Baker and Ricky D. Turner face five counts together, while Turner is also indicted on a sixth count. Baker and Turner are accused of committing wanton endangerment on or about October 13, 2024. The first count regards shooting a gun in the vicinity of Lonnie Napier, thereby creating a danger of death or serious injury to him. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The second count is for shooting a gun in the vicinity of Charles Robinson. The fourth is for shooting one in the vicinity of Cindy Robinson. The Grand Jury also charges the pair with first-degree criminal mischief for damaging a 2022 Jeep Gladiator owned by Charles and Cindy Robinson. They are charged with third-degree criminal mischief as well, as they are accused of damaging a 2001 Chevrolet Suburban owned by Napier. Finally, Turner is charged alone for being a first-degree persistent felony offender. His two prior felonies pertain to possession of a controlled substance. Additionally facing six counts is Peyton Amber Jackson, 30, of Vandora St. in Corbin. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Jackson is first accused of first-degree wanton endangerment by striking the car of Johna Cooter as Cooter was driving the vehicle. The indictment says she did so on or about May 17, 2024, while under the influence of intoxicants. The next two counts, also for wanton endangerment, took place the same day, as Jackson is said to have struck the vehicle with both Jonathan Thornton and Shaelynn Canada as passengers. Jackson also faces the charges of operating a motor vehicle while under the influence, possession of an open alcoholic beverage container in a motor vehicle, and reckless driving. Zachary Shane Morgan, 37, of Rooks Branch Road in Keavy, is indicted on five counts, all of which occurred on or about June 29, 2024. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Counts one and two are first-degree wanton endangerment for operating a vehicle with two passengers while under the influence. Morgans third count is for operating the vehicle while under the influence. It marks his second offense. Furthermore, Morgan is charged with reckless driving and possession of an open alcoholic beverage container in a motor vehicle. An indictment is an accusation only and does not imply guilt or innocence. A person is presumed innocent until proven guilty. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) on Thursday rejected the idea of combining California wildfire aid with a debt ceiling hike, saying Democrats would oppose such a package if Republicans bring it to the floor. Its a nonstarter, Jeffries said during a press briefing in the Capitol. The pushback could complicate the plans of Republican leaders in both chambers, who are reportedly weighing a strategy to craft a massive legislative package combining an extension of government spending which is scheduled to expire March 14 with an increase in the debt limit, aid for wildfire victims and border security funding. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement GOP leaders had initially wanted to include the debt ceiling hike in an even larger package of tax cuts, immigration reforms and changes to energy policy priorities of the new Trump administration that theyre hoping to enact through a procedural gambit, known as reconciliation, that doesnt require Democratic buy-in. But a number of House conservatives have been resistant to the debt ceiling increase, threatening the nascent reconciliation package and forcing Republican leaders to search for alternative ways of preventing a federal default. The proposal to extend government funding is one of those potential alternatives. That legislation was already on a separate track, and its already certain to lean on Democratic support, since its not moving by reconciliation and will therefore require at least 60 votes in the Senate to avoid a filibuster. Additionally, scores of House conservatives are likely to oppose the government funding bill, citing deficit spending concerns, meaning Democratic votes will be needed in the lower chamber, as well. By floating a package combining government funding with the debt limit hike with wildfire aid, GOP leaders are hoping to entice that needed Democratic support. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Jeffriess rejection of that strategy Thursday suggests Republicans will need to tweak their designs for averting both a government shutdown and a federal default. Jeffries said no GOP leaders have reached out to him to discuss any spending deals. Theyve had no communications with us, he said. Its not hard to find me. They know where Im at. They know my number. I havent received a single call about a single one of these issues. The clash is happening while even more fires have sprouted around Los Angeles, where dry conditions and high winds have combined to fuel the worst wildfire disaster in the regions history. Initial estimates have put the cost of the damage at well above $100 billion. Jeffries, along with a long list of Democrats, have warned that they wont support any conditions on wildfire aid, arguing that assistance for natural disasters should not be bogged down in extraneous debates that might delay the help. That sets up a fight with Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) and President Trump, who have both blamed California officials for mismanagement of water and forest resources thats exacerbated the crisis. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump said Wednesday that Washington should not provide any emergency help until California reforms those wildfire policies a stipulation thats infuriated Democrats, and some California Republicans. There will be a time and place to do an after-action analysis as it relates to state preparation for extreme weather events, Jeffries said Thursday. He said that analysis should also examine why the cost of home insurance in Florida a deep red state frequently hit by hurricanes is so high. These are all legitimate questions, Jeffries said. And if the House Republicans want to have this discussion, we will make sure in the United States of America and in the Congress that its a comprehensive 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 The Hill. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) hammered President Trump on Thursday for pardoning those charged in the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol, warning that the liberation of hundreds of incarcerated felons endangers public safety. The release of violent felons who brutally beat police officers and women doesnt make America safer, Jeffries told reporters in the Capitol. It undermines public safety in community after community after community in the United States of America. Trump on Monday issued an executive order pardoning almost all of the more than 1,500 people prosecuted for their actions at the Capitol four years ago, when a mob of his supporters stormed the building in a failed attempt to overturn his election defeat. Trump also commuted the sentences of 14 others who represented the Proud Boys and Oath Keepers, two far-right nationalist groups that have promoted violence to achieve their goals. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Among those released were Enrique Tarrio, former head of the Proud Boys, and Stewart Rhodes, founder of the Oath Keepers, who were both convicted of seditious conspiracy and were serving lengthy prison sentences. Trumps move made good on a campaign pledge to pardon those charged after the riot, a group he has characterized as patriots. But the scope of his order surprised many in Washington including a number of Republicans who had expected the reprieve to be limited to those who were not charged with violent offenses. Instead, Trump offered clemency even to those who had attacked police officers with a variety of makeshift weapons, including fire extinguishers, flagpoles and wasp spray. More than 140 officers were injured in the rampage. The blanket pardons have undermined the GOPs claims to be the party of law and order and personal responsibility, and a number of Republicans have condemned Trumps decision. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its not right, said Sen. Bill Cassidy (La.), who was among the seven Senate Republicans to vote in favor of convicting Trump on the impeachment charge of inciting insurrection on Jan. 6. People who assault police officers if they do the crime, they should do the time. Still, the GOP leaders of both chambers Speaker Mike Johnson (La.) and Senate Majority Leader John Thune (S.C.) have defended Trumps move. Thune said the blitz of pardons issued by former President Biden on his way out the door including those benefiting members of his family set the precedent for Trumps clemency orders. Johnson said Republicans believe in redemption. Those arguments arent sitting well with Democrats, who are accusing Trump and his GOP allies in the Capitol of betraying the same law enforcers who are charged with protecting them. Shame on my House Republican colleagues, Jeffries said during his press briefing. What happened to backing the blue? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On the stage beside Jeffries was a poster featuring Daniel Ball, a Florida man who was arrested last year for his participation in the Jan. 6 attack. He was granted clemency Monday and arrested again on Wednesday on federal gun 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 The Hill. (Bloomberg) -- New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy called on President Donald Trump to help fight New York Citys congestion pricing and revisit the studies used by federal agencies to greenlight the controversial toll. Most Read from Bloomberg Murphy, a Democrat, has issued several pleas in recent days to appeal to the Republican president, who vowed to eliminate congestion pricing during his campaign last year. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I am asking for a fair deal, a fair thorough review of the environmental impact, a fair financial deal for both New Jersey, but more importantly especially for our commuters, Murphy said Wednesday during his Ask Governor Murphy broadcast. Were not done yet. Murphy, who earlier this week sent a letter asking Trump to review the program, said he expects to hear back from the president, citing their working relationship. Under congestion pricing, which began Jan. 5, motorists driving into a zone south of 60th Street in Manhattan pay $9 during peak hours. The toll is part of a plan to bring $15 billion to the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, which runs the citys century-old subway and commuter-rail lines that are desperately in need of upgrades. Transit advocates and environmentalists say the program will ease traffic, cut pollution and boost mass transit ridership. Murphy, who sued the federal government in 2023, says the plan would increase congestion and pollution in his state along routes that avoid the central business district in Manhattan, such as towns near the George Washington Bridge. Earlier this month, a judge denied New Jerseys request for a pause on the plan while the case is litigated. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Republican lawmakers from New York have also been pushing Trump to shelve the program, saying it unfairly punishes commuters who already pay tolls to get into Manhattan. House members Nick LaLota and Nicole Malliotakis, who represent parts of Long Island and Staten Island, say theyve discussed with Trump the possibility of doing so through the Federal Highway Administration, which in June 2023 determined a 4,000-page assessment by the MTA showed the tolling program had no significant impact on the environment. The incoming administration and Republican members from New York and New Jersey are exploring authorities within the Federal Highway Administration that could effectively undo congestion pricing, LaLota said in an interview. President Trump, a native New Yorker, a businessman, understands the negative impact of congestion pricing on New York. And at the meeting, he seemed eager to have it repealed. The FHWA, which is within the US Department of Transportation and analyzes potential environmental consequences of proposed transportation projects, rubber-stamped the whole state congestion pricing plan, Malliotakis said in an interview. I think theres a legal option for the President to reverse that rubber stamping and hold the program. The MTA declined to comment, while a representative for the Transportation Department didnt respond to a request for comment. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement --With assistance from Laura Nahmias and Allyson Versprille. Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2025 Bloomberg L.P. After serving four years and having just started a third term, a city council member announced his resignation Wednesday, Jan. 22. Following the adjournment of a special-called meeting Wednesday afternoon, Councilperson Kip Jervis announced his decision to resign from the council. The decision came following Jervis' bout with a widowmaker heart attack on Dec. 27. According to a Dec. 28 post by his son Elijah, Jervis checked himself into a Corbin hospital after he "started feeling unbearable pain." The post goes on to share Jervis had a clot in his main artery, which was treated with a stent, as well as a couple other minor clots that doctors were able to "suck out." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Jervis stated Wednesday, "After having consulted with my cardiologist extensively yesterday, Dr. Erin Kay Greer, my family and I have made the difficult decision to try to lay some things aside that are causing me stress. So effective today, please accept my resignation as a London City Council member." Jervis disclosed that he will still work with London Mayor Randall Weddle and council attorneys and authorities regarding events that occurred during his tenure. "I'm proud to have served," Jervis stated. "I've done the best I could to do what I felt was right, even in the face of controversy." "Now I'm going to go help some folks make some music; that's what I like to do. I figure that might add a few years," Jervis said in closing. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The council will meet at 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 29, to discuss potential candidates for the now vacant position. During last Wednesday's meeting, council members entered executive session to privately discuss possible litigation regarding the Dec. 23 London Police officer-involved shooting, as well as a potential property acquisition. Coming out of executive session, Council Member Holly Little made the motion to authorize Mayor Weddle to move forward to purchase the property discussed in executive session. Though Jervis seconded and supported Little's motion, council members Anthony Ortega, Justin Young, and Stacy Benge voted against it. Council Member Kelly Greene was not present. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Wow, that's a shame. That's a real shame," Little commented. While the property itself was not discussed in open session, representatives with the former Cook Tire were present. Benge made the motion to table the decision until another meeting. The motion passed, bringing the meeting to close. An Inglewood couple is suing a major U.S. airline after a block of ice came crashing through the roof of their home last year. The incident occurred shortly after 8 p.m. on New Years Day 2024, as Michael Reese and Leah Ferrarini were peacefully in their home on the 2600 block of West 102nd Street, the lawsuit states. The chunk of ice, described in the complaint as the size of a watermelon, allegedly fell from a Jetblue Airways plane as it was en route to Los Angeles International Airport from New York. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The couple says the ice block landed directly over their bed and that they barely escaped serious injury. An investigation by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) found that the plane had a history of potable water issues dating back to July 2023, when the same aircraft was responsible for a similar incident dropping ice on a home in Massachusetts. Prior to January 1, 2024, Defendant failed to investigate and correct the problems, the lawsuit stated. Multiple news outlets have reported the couple is suing the airline for $1 million. The complaint indicated that the defendants need a new place to live because they feel unsafe in their home and suffer from emotional distress including insomnia and fear as each plane passes over. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The home is located less than 5 miles from LAX where planes fly by at a rate of approximately one every five minutes, according to the complaint. JetBlue has denied responsibility and said its conduct complied with industry standards and regulations. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. Police have arrested a Worthington man for setting fire to the Jockey House building in Greenup County. Doyle T. Bonzo III, 32, is facing a first-degree arson charge a Class A felony. He was booked into the Greenup County Detention Center on Tuesday, according to the Flatwoods Police Department. Flatwoods Police, the Kentucky Fire Marshal, Raceland Police and the Greenup County Commonwealth Attorneys Office conducted a three-week-long investigation that led to the arrest of the suspect. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Jockey House burned to the ground in the early morning hours of Thursday, Jan. 2. Greenup County 911 received a call reporting the structure fire near Legion Drive at about 2:39 a.m. on Jan. 2. Multiple fire departments responded. With community assistance, authorities managed to identify a suspect vehicle, according to a news release. Further evidence pointed investigators to their primary suspect, Bonzo. Bonzo, according to the release, was arrested without incident. Detective/Fire Investigator Brett Ritchie thanked the community and the Kentucky Fire Marshals Office for their assistance leading to the arrest. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Jockey House was part of a horse racing facility in Raceland in the 1920s. The track opened in July 24 in Chinnville which became Raceland. It closed in 1928. The Jockey House eventually became apartments, according to Racelands fire chief, but it had not been inhabited since the 1970s. Infamous one-time computer anti-virus tycoon John McAfee returned from the dead Wednesday nightin AI form. Bizarrely, the official X account of the deceased software developerand fugitivemade a post announcing the launch of a new cryptocurrency and his resurrection as an AI chatbot. The coin and bot are fittingly called AIntivirus. I'm back with AIntivirus. An AI version of myself. You didn't think I would miss this cycle did you?https://t.co/thL0LoSZ2l Do not fall for scam tokens. This is the only official AIntivirus CA: BAezfVmia8UYLt4rst6PCU4dvL2i2qHzqn4wGhytpNJW@AIntivirus @theemrsmcafee pic.twitter.com/PPJ12X77aQ John McAfee (@officialmcafee) January 23, 2025 You didnt think I would miss this cycle did you? the post read, linking to a new site where you can interface with McAfees new avatar. It also tagged the account of his widow, Janice McAfee. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While the post cautioned not to fall for scam tokens pretending to be from McAfee, many people on social media assumed thats exactly what the new endeavor was. Theorists suggested that a hacker could have seized control of the official accounts of both McAfee and his wife. McAfees made a fortune by developing an anti-virus software. / Jose GOITIA Jose Goitia / Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images Meanwhile, an X account created for AIntivirus posted, ostensibly from the dead magnates perspective, criticism of those casting doubt on the credibility of the new campaign. You think I got hacked? one post read. I wrote the damn playbook. Every hack youve ever heard of is just someone fumbling through tricks I mastered decades ago while chain-smoking on a yacht. Clarity came on Thursday, when Janice McAfee posted a video of herself explaining the situation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement McAfee assured people that neither her nor her husbands accounts had been hacked and said, My first goal is to only honor Johns legacy and his memory. Good morning everyone I hope this video answers everyone's concerns about whether mine and John's account has been compromised. @AIntivirus @officialmcafee pic.twitter.com/uVOyuxnwGV Janice Elizabeth McAfee (@theemrsmcafee) January 23, 2025 Not everyone was won over, however. Multiple users in the comments below the post called the endeavor a grift and a scam. So her husbands money ran out and shes trying to jump on the rug pull meme chain, nice, wrote one user. Janice McAfee told Cointelegraph Magazine in Nov. 2023 that she had run out of money and was working odd jobs to make ends meet. AIntivirus is the latest high-profile cryptocurrency to capitalize on celebrity status. Donald and Melania Trump each launched their own coins, to significant criticism. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Before his death, McAfee had been a cryptocurrency aficionado, launching multiple crypto tokens. McAfee was known for living out of a yacht for a time. / ADALBERTO ROQUE / AFP via Getty Images Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He was also a controversial figure. He made a fortune by founding the anti-virus software company McAfee in the 1980s, but sold his stake in the company in 1994 and later urged users to remove it from their computers. His later life was marked by outrageous antics: Failed Libertarian presidential bids, pushing conspiracy theories, living on a yacht as a fugitive. He died in a Spanish jail cell in June 2021 while awaiting extradition to the U.S. on tax evasion charges, apparently having ended his own lifealthough some, including his widow, have suggested he was murdered. Even after his death, he continued to be embraced as a figure in far-right communities, including the QAnon conspiracy theory. DESOTO, Parish. (KTAL/KMSS) The Krewe of Demeter is looking for you celebrate with them for their annual Mardi Gras parade, scheduled for Sunday, February 23rd at 3 p.m. The parade route begins at Independence Avenue right by the Desoto Parish Airport. This vibrant event promises an unforgettable experience with dazzling floats, a variety of food and merchandise vendors, and an array of themed beads and cups. This years theme, Demeter Celebrates Timeless Mardi Gras Traditions, highlights the rich customs of the festival, which were recently showcased at their grand ball featuring the crowning of the king and queen and the traditional king cake. Established in 2015 and based in DeSoto Parish, the Krewe of Demeter has grown to include 39 members. Named after the goddess of agriculture and harvest, Demeter symbolizes the vital farm, forestry, and ranching industries of the region. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As a proud member of the Northwest Louisiana Mardi Gras Association, the Krewe of Demeter invites new members to join their ranks each year. If youre interested in becoming part of this exciting tradition, reach out to the Krewe via their Facebook page for more information. Dont miss out on a day of fun, festivities, and community spirit while celebrating with the Krewe of Demeter! Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. JOPLIN, Mo. A Joplin woman will not go to prison for stealing money from the Joplin High School Project Graduation fund. This afternoon, Melanie Patterson, 44, pleaded guilty to one count of stealing. Judge Kevin Selby sentenced Patterson to five years probation that included special conditions. Patterson is not allowed to possess or use alcohol or enter an establishment where alcohol is sold for consumption on the premises. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement PREVIOUS: Joplin woman accused of stealing Project Graduation funds Shes also not allowed to use controlled substances unless theyve been prescribed by a doctor. Patterson was also ordered to pay $1,500 in restitution starting February 25. Two years ago, Patterson was charged with taking $1,400 from the Joplin High School Project Graduation account by using an ATM on 32nd Street. At the time she was the organizations president. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. Journalists have identified a Russian officer and three Russian-appointed officials from occupied Crimea who were responsible for the illegal export of collections from two museums in Kherson in autumn 2022. Source: Kyiv Independent investigation Details: Running from the Ukrainian counter-offensive, the Russians stole more than 33,000 historical artefacts and works of art from Kherson. This museum robbery is called the largest in Europe since World War II. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Official Robbery investigation focuses on Dmitry Lipov, head of the communications centre of the Russian Black Sea Fleet, who served as commandant during the occupation of Kherson; Sergei Patrushev, the Russian-appointed head of the Museum Department of the so-called Ministry of Culture of Crimea; Yelena Morozova and Mikhail Smorodkin, the Russian-appointed directors of the Crimean museums Chersonesos Tavriia and the Sevastopol Defence Museum. In order to identify the organisers of the robbery, journalists had to spend several months talking to Kherson defectors who helped the Russians take the valuables out under the guise of either a Russian TV producer or a Russian investigator. The journalists found that Russian officer Dmitry Lipov was responsible for the security of the collections during their export and personally sealed the lorries with the stolen objects. Sergei Patrushev, the Russian-appointed head of the Museum Department of the Ministry of Culture of Crimea, was responsible for the removal of paintings from the Kherson Art Museum to occupied Crimea. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The directors of the Crimean museums Chersonesos Tavriia and the Sevastopol Defence Museum were involved in selecting items from the local history museum's collection during the robbery. The journalists also found out that the illegal export of collections from Kherson to occupied Crimea was supervised by officers of the Russian Federal Security Service. Support UP or become our patron! A federal district court judge on Thursday temporarily blocked Trumps revocation of birthright citizenship, striking the first blow against the presidents sweeping, aggressive executive orders. Senior U.S. District Judge John C. Coughenour listened to 25 minutes of arguments before rejecting the order, halting the policy from coming into effect for 14 days. There will be an injunction for a permanent block once the initial period is up. Coughenour agreed with Arizona, Illinois, Oregon, and Washingtonthe four states that sued Trumpthat the executive order was a violation of the Fourteenth Amendment. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ive been on the bench for over four decades, Coughenour said, according to NBC. I cant remember another case where the question presented is as clear as this one. This is a blatantly unconstitutional order. Trump signed an executive order ending birthright citizenship on Monday, and has long pledged to end one of the bedrock principles of American identity. The federal government will not recognize automatic birthright citizenship for children of illegal aliens born in the United States, a Trump official announced on Monday. The order would also ban birthright citizenship for children of parents temporarily in the United States, including those on student and work visas. This was only one of six lawsuits filed against the Trump administration by Democratic attorney generals in 22 states and immigrants rights organizations across the country. More legal challenges are likely to come. This story has been updated. A federal judge said Thursday that President Donald Trumps executive order ending birthright citizenship was blatantly unconstitutional and issued a temporary restraining order to block it. Judge John Coughenour, a Ronald Reagan appointee who sits in Seattle, granted the request by Washington Attorney General Nick Brown and three other Democratic-led states for the emergency order halting implementation of the policy for the next 14 days while there are more briefings in the legal challenge. I have been on the bench for over four decades. I cant remember another case where the question presented was as clear, Coughenour said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Where were the lawyers when the decision to sign the executive order was made, the judge asked. He said that it boggled his mind that a member of the bar would claim the order was constitutional. The Democratic-led states are seeking a temporary restraining order, as they argue that Trumps executive order is a blatant violation of the Constitutions 14th Amendment, which guarantees citizenship to all children born on US soil and subject to the jurisdiction thereof. An attorney for the state of Washington, Lane Polozola told the judge that births cannot be paused while the court considers the case. Babies are being born today here, and in the plaintiff states and around the country, with a cloud cast over their citizenship, Polozola said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Children denied citizenship under Trumps order will face longterm substantial negative impacts, he added. Polozola also argued that the Trump administration not only ignored those harms in the filings it has submitted so far in the dispute, but that harm appears to be the purpose of the executive order. Beyond the impact that Trumps order will have on their residents, Washington and the other states are arguing that the end of birthright citizenship will burden their state programs financially and logistically, as those children are shut off from federal benefits that they would be entitled to as citizens. The Trump administration is arguing that that clause subject to the jurisdiction thereof allows the president to exclude the children of undocumented immigrants and even children whose parents are lawfully present but lack permanent legal status. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Justice Department attorney Brett Shumate urged the judge to hold off on issuing an emergency order blocking the policy until there was more briefing on the policy. i understand your concerns, Shumate said, but he urged the court against making a snap judgment on the merits. Shumate noted that the other cases challenging the executive order were moving on a slower timeline and argued that imminent harm is threatening the states. At the White House on Thursday, Trump told reporters the administration will contest the ruling. Other active cases across the country A handful of other lawsuits have been brought this week against the order, including by a separate group of Democratic attorneys general, immigrant rights groups and individual plaintiffs. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement During a status conference held Thursday in one of those cases, a lawyer for the Justice Department told a federal judge in Maryland that he wasnt aware of any federal agencies that have taken steps to begin enforcement of the order next month. That challenge was brought by immigrant rights groups and pregnant women in the state whose babies could be impacted by the order. The executive order was issued three days ago during a time of change of administration. And so its very early for the agencies to develop their policies that would be necessary to implement it, the attorney, Brad Rosenberg, told US District Judge Deborah Boardman. The judge is set to consider a request by the plaintiffs to temporarily block the order during a hearing on February 5. Meanwhile, in a case brought by the American Civil Liberties Union and other civil rights and immigration rights groups in New Hampshire, a federal judge there has set a hearing for February 10 to consider the groups request to block the order from taking effect for now. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This story has been updated with additional developments. CNNs Devan Cole contributed to this report. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan, who oversaw President Trumps federal election subversion case, wrote in court filings that his sweeping pardons for those charged in connection with the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol attack could not change the tragic truth of that day. Chutkan, who also presided over several Capitol riot cases, contended that federal judges in Washington administered justice without fear or favor over the last four years. She insisted that the historical record established by those cases must stand unmoved by political winds, as a testament and as a warning. Trumps pardons cannot whitewash the blood, feces and terror that the mob left in its wake, she said. And it cannot repair the jagged breach in Americas sacred tradition of peacefully transitioning power. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Chutkans remarks came in an order to dismiss rioter John Banuelos case after he was pardoned by Trump alongside more than 1,500 other Jan. 6 defendants. However, the judge declined to dismiss Banuelos case with prejudice, leaving the door open for charges to be filed against him in the future. She previously presided over Trumps federal case accusing him of attempting to subvert the 2020 presidential election results. Those charges were dropped in November following Trumps election victory, since the Justice Department policy bars prosecuting a sitting president. That prohibition is categorical and does not turn on the gravity of the crimes charged, the strength of the Governments proof, or the merits of the prosecution, which the Government stands fully behind, special counsel Jack Smith wrote in his request to dismiss the case. Chutkans comments Wednesday came as other federal judges in Washington similarly refused to dismiss Capitol riot cases with prejudice meaning charges cant be brought again even as Trumps Justice Department asked they be closed in that manner following Trumps proclamation ordering the agency to do so. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement U.S. District Judge Beryl Howell, an Obama appointee, wrote in in court filings for Proud Boys Nicholas Ochs and Nicholas DeCarlo that dismissing their cases with prejudice would let stand the revisionist myth relayed in Trumps clemency action granting pardons to nearly all Jan. 6 defendants. Another judge, Clinton-appointee U.S. District Judge Paul Friedman, dismissed rioter Vitali Gossjankowskis case without prejudice but did not divulge his reasoning. Trump, meanwhile, has defended his decision to bestow broad clemency on those charged in connection with the riot. In addition to pardoning nearly all rioters, he commuted the sentences of 14 Proud Boys and Oath Keepers leaders to time served. The proclamation showed little regard for the wide range of offenses among the defendants and has drawn criticism from even those within his party. These people have served years of jail, and their lives have been ruined, Trump said Tuesday night. Theyve served years in jail, and, if you look at the American public, the American public is tired of it. 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. SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) A South Dakota judge denied an election groups appeal to compel the Charles Mix County Commission to place an election-related initiated ordinance on the ballot to be voted upon by voters in the county. House panel wants tighter voter registration law In a decision released Tuesday, First Circuit Judge Bruce Anderson denied Jeffrey and Jolene Stewarts writ of mandamus regarding a Charles Mix County initiated county ordinance to require all elections in the county to be conducted by paper ballot only. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The petition for the proposed initiated ordinance presents significant legal issues that are duplicative or may be interpreted contrary to existing South Dakota law, Judge Anderson wrote. This creates a situation where the Commissions duty to submit the proposed initiated ordinance to a vote by the electorate is not clear. The full 11-page ruling can be found attached below. MEMORANDUM-DECISION-WRIT-OF-MANDAMUSDownload The lawsuit in Charles Mix County is the second lawsuit regarding the election petitions in county governments in South Dakota. Earlier this month, a fourth judicial circuit judge denied a similar lawsuit from Nichole Braithwait in Lawrence County. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Sara Frankenstein, Rapid City attorney, represented both Charles Mix County and Lawrence County in the respective lawsuits. Frankenstein noted many county commissions rejected various versions of the election petition but only petitioners in Lawrence County and Charles Mix County sued. Frankenstein said theres no constitutional right to initiate a county measure by petition and neither governmental bodies nor the electorate can pass local ordinances that conflict with state or federal law. Andersons ruling Tuesday included a similar conclusion. This Court finds that the South Dakota legislative scheme with regard to elections is sufficiently comprehensive and encompassing that the Legislature left no room in this particular field for local regulation, as a result the proposed ordinance is field preempted, the ruling said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Three counties Gregory, Haakon and Tripp allowed ballot question versions banning tabulator voting machines for the 2024 election. All three county ballot measures failed in the June primary election. There are many legislative proposals regarding voting and election rules in South Dakota that state lawmakers will hear during this years legislative session. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. An analysis from the New Partnership for New Americans estimates that by the end of 2020 Arizona will have gained over 49,000 new eligible voters who are immigrants in the four years since the last presidential election. Photo by Jerod MacDonald-Evoy | Arizona Mirror A federal judge in Seattle on Thursday temporarily blocked President Donald Trumps executive order seeking to end birthright citizenship. U.S. District Court Judge John Coughenours ruling in a case brought by Arizona and three other states is the first in what is sure to be a long legal fight over the orders constitutionality. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Coughenour called the order blatantly unconstitutional. I have difficulty understanding how a member of the bar could state unequivocally that is a constitutional order, the judge told the Trump administrations attorney. It boggles my mind. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Coughenours decision came after 25 minutes of arguments between attorneys for Washington state and the Department of Justice. On Tuesday, Attorney General Kris Mayes, along with the attorneys general of Washington, Oregon and Illinois, sued the Trump administration over the order. Shortly after filing the lawsuit, the states asked Coughenour to grant a temporary restraining order stopping the executive action from taking effect. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Eighteen other states filed a similar lawsuit in federal court in Massachusetts. Those states havent filed for a preliminary injunction. Trump signed the executive order shortly after he was sworn into office on Monday. It would end birthright citizenship for babies born to a mother and father who are not U.S. citizens or lawful permanent residents. Brett Shumate, of the U.S. Department of Justice, argued the rush for an emergency pause is unwarranted because the order doesnt go into effect until Feb. 19. He called the states motion extraordinary. Attorneys for the states acknowledged the temporary restraining order is extraordinary, but warranted. Arizona and the other states would lose federal dollars used to provide services to citizens and officials would be forced to modify those service systems. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The order is causing immediate widespread and severe harm, said Lane Polozola of the Washington attorney generals office. Citizens are being stripped of their most foundational right, which is the right to have rights. The 14th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution codified birthright citizenship in 1868. It begins: All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside. The executive order focuses on the subject to the jurisdiction thereof phrase. The Fourteenth Amendment has never been interpreted to extend citizenship universally to everyone born within the United States, Trumps order reads. The Fourteenth Amendment has always excluded from birthright citizenship persons who were born in the United States but not subject to the jurisdiction thereof. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Polozola called this interpretation absurd and that birthright citizenship is a right that is off limits. Legal precedent has long backed up birthright citizenship. In 1898, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld the concept when justices ruled Wong Kim Ark, a man born in San Francisco to Chinese parents, was a U.S. citizen. Mayes called the nationwide temporary restraining order a win for the rule of law and the U.S. Constitution. (The judges) decision to grant a temporary restraining order against President Trumps blatantly unconstitutional executive order ending birthright citizenship is the first of many wins to come as my office fights instances of executive overreach and any illegal actions the new administration may take, she said in a written statement. No president can change the constitution on a whim and todays decision affirms that. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Coughenour has been a federal judge for decades. Republican President Ronald Reagan nominated him for the bench in 1981. Video and audio recording were not allowed in the courtroom Thursday. Looking forward, the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals would have jurisdiction over the case. Democratic presidents appointed a majority of the circuit courts judges. But appeals could also eventually land the dispute before the U.S. Supreme Court. Washington State Standard 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. ***UPDATED: This story has been updated with a comment from Kris Mayes. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE President Donald Trump signs executive orders in the Oval Office of the White House on Jan. 20, 2025, in Washington, D.C. Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images. A federal judge in Seattle on Thursday temporarily blocked President Donald Trumps executive order seeking to end birthright citizenship. U.S. District Court Judge John Coughenours ruling in a case brought by Arizona and three other states is the first in what is sure to be a long legal fight over the orders constitutionality. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Coughenour called the order blatantly unconstitutional. I have difficulty understanding how a member of the bar could state unequivocally that is a constitutional order, the judge told the Trump administrations attorney. It boggles my mind. Coughenours decision came after 25 minutes of arguments between attorneys for Washington state and the Department of Justice. On Tuesday, Attorney General Kris Mayes, along with the attorneys general of Washington, Oregon and Illinois, sued the Trump administration over the order. Shortly after filing the lawsuit, the states asked Coughenour to grant a temporary restraining order stopping the executive action from taking effect. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Eighteen other states filed a similar lawsuit in federal court in Massachusetts. Those states havent filed for a preliminary injunction. Trump signed the executive order shortly after he was sworn into office on Monday. It would end birthright citizenship for babies born to a mother and father who are not U.S. citizens or lawful permanent residents. Brett Shumate, of the U.S. Department of Justice, argued the rush for an emergency pause is unwarranted because the order doesnt go into effect until Feb. 19. He called the states motion extraordinary. Attorneys for the states acknowledged the temporary restraining order is extraordinary, but warranted. Arizona and the other states would lose federal dollars used to provide services to citizens and officials would be forced to modify those service systems. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The order is causing immediate widespread and severe harm, said Lane Polozola of the Washington attorney generals office. Citizens are being stripped of their most foundational right, which is the right to have rights. The 14th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution codified birthright citizenship in 1868. It begins: All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside. The executive order focuses on the subject to the jurisdiction thereof phrase. The Fourteenth Amendment has never been interpreted to extend citizenship universally to everyone born within the United States, Trumps order reads. The Fourteenth Amendment has always excluded from birthright citizenship persons who were born in the United States but not subject to the jurisdiction thereof. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Polozola called this interpretation absurd and that birthright citizenship is a right that is off limits. Legal precedent has long backed up birthright citizenship. In 1898, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld the concept when justices ruled Wong Kim Ark, a man born in San Francisco to Chinese parents, was a U.S. citizen. Mayes called the nationwide temporary restraining order a win for the rule of law and the U.S. Constitution. (The judges) decision to grant a temporary restraining order against President Trumps blatantly unconstitutional executive order ending birthright citizenship is the first of many wins to come as my office fights instances of executive overreach and any illegal actions the new administration may take, she said in a written statement. No president can change the constitution on a whim and todays decision affirms that. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Coughenour has been a federal judge for decades. Republican President Ronald Reagan nominated him for the bench in 1981. Video and audio recording were not allowed in the courtroom Thursday. Looking forward, the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals would have jurisdiction over the case. Democratic presidents appointed a majority of the circuit courts judges. But appeals could also eventually land the dispute before the U.S. Supreme Court. Like Minnesota Reformer, Washington State Standard 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. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE JACKSON, Miss. (WJTV) A Hinds County Chancery Court judge granted a temporary restraining order against a Jackson lounge on Thursday, January 23. Leaders with the City of Jackson have been tying to shut down Dynamic Lounge & Grill, which has been in operation since April 2024 on J.R. Lynch Street. Councilman Vernon Hartley, Ward 5, said the city sees the lounge as a public nuisance. Chancellor Tiffany Grove granted the order, which was filed by the city, saying that the City of Jackson provided preliminary proof to the court of various dangerous and illegal activities occurring at Dynamic Lounge. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A drive-by shooting occurred outside the lounge on Sunday, January 19. Earlier this month, Jackson police said one person died and another was injured during a shooting outside of the business. Hinds County Sheriffs Office offers new app to connect with residents Hartley said neighbors have brought their concerns to him about the lounge. We had a lot of complaints about people driving down, parking in the streets, blocking driveways, loud music at 2:00 in the morning in a residential area on three or four roads, said Hartley. Management at Dynamic Lounge & Grill said both shooting happened outside of their establishment. They have their own security. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Dynamic is really hurt about the incident that has taken place at Dynamic. We are praying for the families. Dynamic Lounge & Grill Dynamic Lounge temporary restraining orderDownload Grove said Dynamic Lounge will be temporarily closed to the public until a hearing on February 4, 2025, at 9:00 a.m. 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. President Donald Trump holds up an executive order after signing it during an indoor inauguration parade at Capital One Arena on Jan. 20, 2025, in Washington, D.C. (Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images) A federal judge in Seattle on Thursday temporarily blocked President Donald Trumps executive order seeking to end birthright citizenship. U.S. District Court Judge John Coughenours ruling in a case brought by Washington and three other states is the first in what is sure to be a long legal fight over the orders constitutionality. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Coughenour called the order blatantly unconstitutional. I have difficulty understanding how a member of the bar could state unequivocally that this is a constitutional order, the judge told the Trump administrations attorney. It boggles my mind. Coughenours decision came after 25 minutes of arguments between attorneys for Washington state and the Department of Justice. On Tuesday, Attorney General Nick Brown, along with peers in Oregon, Arizona and Illinois, sued the Trump administration over the order. Shortly after filing the lawsuit, the states asked Coughenour to grant a 14-day temporary restraining order stopping the executive action from taking effect nationwide. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Eighteen other states filed a similar lawsuit in federal court in Massachusetts. Those states havent requested a temporary restraining order. Trump signed the executive order shortly after he was sworn into office on Monday. It would end birthright citizenship for babies born to a mother and father who are not U.S. citizens or lawful permanent residents. Brett Shumate, of the Department of Justice, argued the rush for an emergency pause is unwarranted because the order doesnt go into effect until Feb. 19. He called the states motion extraordinary. Attorneys for the state acknowledged the temporary restraining order is extraordinary, but warranted. Washington would lose federal dollars used to provide services to citizens and officials would be forced to modify those service systems. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The order is causing immediate widespread and severe harm, said Lane Polozola, of the Washington attorney generals office. Citizens are being stripped of their most foundational right, which is the right to have rights. Addressing reporters after the hearing, Brown said while the executive order doesnt go into effect for nearly a month, it forces states to start preparing now for the change. The 14th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution codified birthright citizenship in 1868. It begins: All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside. The executive order focuses on the subject to the jurisdiction thereof phrase. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Fourteenth Amendment has never been interpreted to extend citizenship universally to everyone born within the United States, Trumps order reads. The Fourteenth Amendment has always excluded from birthright citizenship persons who were born in the United States but not subject to the jurisdiction thereof. Polozola called this interpretation absurd, saying children without legal immigration status are still subject to U.S. law. He added birthright citizenship is a right that is off limits. Legal precedent has long backed up birthright citizenship. In 1898, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld the concept when justices ruled Wong Kim Ark, a man born in San Francisco to Chinese parents, was a U.S. citizen. In 2022, about 153,000 babies were born to two parents without legal immigration status across the country, including 4,000 in Washington state, according to the lawsuit filed this week. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Coughenour has been a federal judge for decades. Republican President Ronald Reagan nominated him for the bench in 1981. Brown called Thursdays hearing step one. But to hear the judge from the bench say that in his 40 years as a judge, he has never seen something so blatantly unconstitutional sets the tone for the seriousness of this effort, Brown said. Video and audio recording were not allowed in the courtroom Thursday. Looking forward, the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals would have jurisdiction over the case. Democratic presidents appointed a majority of the circuit courts judges. Appeals could eventually land the dispute before the U.S. Supreme Court. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Shumate said the case will almost certainly end up there. But Brown said hes taking it one step at a time. I see no reason why in a court of appeals, or even the United States Supreme Court, would reach a different decision than was reached today, Brown told reporters. A court hearing on a preliminary injunction to pause the executive order while litigation is ongoing is set for Feb. 6. In court filings this week, state officials, academics and nonprofit leaders explained how the order could have detrimental effects on Washington, including losing federal reimbursements for a variety of social programs. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Tom Wong, an assistant professor at University of California, San Diego, retained by the state, wrote the order will create a permanent underclass of people who are excluded from U.S. citizenship and are thus not able to realize their full potential. Congressional Republicans on Thursday introduced legislation to restrict birthright citizenship. The bill would amend federal immigration law to only allow children to be U.S. citizens if one of their parents is a citizen, a green card holder or a legal immigrant serving in the military. This story has been updated. TRO STATE OF WASHINGTON, et al. v. DONALD TRUMP, et al., A copy of the temporary restraining order signed by U.S. District Judge John C. Coughenour, on Jan. 23, 2025. President Donald Trump holds up an executive order after signing it during an indoor inauguration parade at Capital One Arena on Jan. 20, 2025, in Washington, D.C. (Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images) A federal judge in Seattle on Thursday temporarily blocked President Donald Trumps executive order seeking to end birthright citizenship. U.S. District Court Judge John Coughenours ruling in a case brought by Washington and three other states is the first in what is sure to be a long legal fight over the orders constitutionality. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Coughenour called the order blatantly unconstitutional. I have difficulty understanding how a member of the bar could state unequivocally that this is a constitutional order, the judge told the Trump administrations attorney. It boggles my mind. Coughenours decision came after 25 minutes of arguments between attorneys for Washington state and the Department of Justice. On Tuesday, Attorney General Nick Brown, along with peers in Oregon, Arizona and Illinois, sued the Trump administration over the order. Shortly after filing the lawsuit, the states asked Coughenour to grant a 14-day temporary restraining order stopping the executive action from taking effect nationwide. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Eighteen other states filed a similar lawsuit in federal court in Massachusetts. Those states havent requested a temporary restraining order. Trump signed the executive order shortly after he was sworn into office on Monday. It would end birthright citizenship for babies born to a mother and father who are not U.S. citizens or lawful permanent residents. Brett Shumate, of the Department of Justice, argued the rush for an emergency pause is unwarranted because the order doesnt go into effect until Feb. 19. He called the states motion extraordinary. Attorneys for the state acknowledged the temporary restraining order is extraordinary, but warranted. Washington would lose federal dollars used to provide services to citizens and officials would be forced to modify those service systems. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The order is causing immediate widespread and severe harm, said Lane Polozola, of the Washington attorney generals office. Citizens are being stripped of their most foundational right, which is the right to have rights. Addressing reporters after the hearing, Brown said while the executive order doesnt go into effect for nearly a month, it forces states to start preparing now for the change. The 14th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution codified birthright citizenship in 1868. It begins: All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside. The executive order focuses on the subject to the jurisdiction thereof phrase. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Fourteenth Amendment has never been interpreted to extend citizenship universally to everyone born within the United States, Trumps order reads. The Fourteenth Amendment has always excluded from birthright citizenship persons who were born in the United States but not subject to the jurisdiction thereof. Polozola called this interpretation absurd, saying children without legal immigration status are still subject to U.S. law. He added birthright citizenship is a right that is off limits. Legal precedent has long backed up birthright citizenship. In 1898, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld the concept when justices ruled Wong Kim Ark, a man born in San Francisco to Chinese parents, was a U.S. citizen. In 2022, about 153,000 babies were born to two parents without legal immigration status across the country, including 4,000 in Washington state, according to the lawsuit filed this week. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Coughenour has been a federal judge for decades. Republican President Ronald Reagan nominated him for the bench in 1981. Brown called Thursdays hearing step one. But to hear the judge from the bench say that in his 40 years as a judge, he has never seen something so blatantly unconstitutional sets the tone for the seriousness of this effort, Brown said. Video and audio recording were not allowed in the courtroom Thursday. Looking forward, the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals would have jurisdiction over the case. Democratic presidents appointed a majority of the circuit courts judges. Appeals could eventually land the dispute before the U.S. Supreme Court. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Shumate said the case will almost certainly end up there. But Brown said hes taking it one step at a time. I see no reason why in a court of appeals, or even the United States Supreme Court, would reach a different decision than was reached today, he told reporters. In court filings this week, state officials, academics and nonprofit leaders explained how the order could have detrimental effects on Washington, including losing federal reimbursements for a variety of social programs. Tom Wong, an assistant professor at University of California, San Diego, retained by the state, wrote the order will create a permanent underclass of people who are excluded from U.S. citizenship and are thus not able to realize their full potential. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Congressional Republicans on Thursday introduced legislation to restrict birthright citizenship. The bill would amend federal immigration law to only allow children to be U.S. citizens if one of their parents is a citizen, a green card holder or a legal immigrant serving in the military. This story has been updated. A copy of the temporary restraining order signed by U.S. District Judge John C. Coughenour, on Jan. 23, 2025. Washington State Standard 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. A federal judge has temporarily blocked the enforcement of President Donald Trumps executive order ending the 14th Amendment guarantee of citizenship to anyone born in the United States, also known as birthright citizenship. On Thursday, U.S. District Judge John Coughenour sided with a lawsuit brought by Arizona, Illinois, Oregon, and Washington challenging the constitutionality of the order. The request is one of five lawsuits brought by 22 states in the aftermath of the order, and the first to make it before a federal court. The ACLU has also challenged the order in court. Trump signed an executive order on Monday claiming that the Fourteenth Amendment has never been interpreted to extend citizenship universally to everyone born within the United States. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Fourteenth Amendment has always excluded from birthright citizenship persons who were born in the United States but not subject to the jurisdiction thereof, the order continued, commanding federal agencies to deny citizenship documents to the children of parents who are unlawfully present in the United States, or who were in the United States under temporary legal status. If allowed to stand, the policy would go into effect in February. Coughenour, who was appointed by Republican President Ronald Reagan, said on Thursday that the order is blatantly unconstitutional. Ive been on the bench for over four decades, he added. I cant remember another case where the question presented is as clear as this one. There are other times in world history where we look back and people of goodwill can say where were the judges, where were the lawyers? I have difficulty understanding how a member of the Bar could state unequivocally that this is a constitutional order [] It just boggles my mind. Trumps order to torch the 14th Amendment is certainly not his first that will be hit with a barrage of legal challenges. He was not thrilled with Coughenours decision when asked about it later on Thursday. Obviously well appeal it, he said. Theres no surprises with that judge. 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. Milwaukee Public Schools must put police officers in schools by Feb. 17, a judge ruled Thursday. For over a year, a state law known as Act 12 has required MPS to ensure 25 police officers are "present" in the district during regular school hours. The district has been out of compliance with the law since it went into effect on Jan. 1, 2024, prompting an October lawsuit against the MPS school board by the Wisconsin Institute for Law and Liberty on behalf of district parent Charlene Abughrin. The lawsuit asked a judge to force MPS to comply with the requirements of Act 12, arguing school police are necessary for school safety. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On Thursday, Milwaukee County Circuit Court Judge David Borowski denied MPS' request to dismiss the lawsuit and ordered the district to implement a police program. "This is a massive triumph for parents and kids who want to go to school in a safe environment," said Lauren Greuel, a lawyer on behalf of Abughrin. "Without this ruling, MPS would have simply continued to ignore the law and parents like our client would have been left with no options." A follow-up hearing on the case is scheduled for Feb. 17. In response to the judge's ruling, MPS said it is committed to working with the city to "build a sustainable SRO program." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As it has all along, Milwaukee Public Schools (MPS) remains ready to implement a School Resource Officer (SRO) program as soon as officers are made available by the City of Milwaukee," the statement said. "The Courts decision today ordering the City of Milwaukee to participate in the implementation of the SRO program at MPS is a recognition that the City plays an integral role in implementation of the SRO program." Jeff Fleming, the director of communications for the City of Milwaukee, said the city is "interested in resolving the outstanding issue with MPS about how the cost of the police officers is allocated between the two entities." "Right now, that issue is unresolved," Fleming said via email. MPS, city at odds over lack of funding in Act 12 Act 12 requires MPS to implement a 25-officer school police program that is estimated to cost at least $2 million annually. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But the law came with no funding. Instead, it requires the school board and city government to "agree to an apportionment of the costs." For months, the parties have negotiated but have yet to reach an agreement that put the district in compliance with the law. In a legal response to the lawsuit, lawyers for MPS argued it's the city's responsibility to provide funding. "Because MPS (and the Board) cannot not hire, train or employ City police officers directly, the Board is entirely dependent on the City to implement the school resource officer program," lawyers for MPS argued. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement There are no penalties for non-compliance written into Act 12. An analyst at the states nonpartisan Legislative Reference Bureau previously told the Journal Sentinel the most likely penalty would be a lawsuit. More: In Milwaukee, police respond to thousands of calls to MPS: 'Why do we call the police?' MPS previously decided to end school police program Milwaukee Public Schools worked with the Milwaukee Police Department to provide an officer presence in the district in various forms between 2005 and 2020. In June 2020, less than a month after the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis, the MPS school board voted to terminate contracts with the MPD. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The school board resolution said the then-recent deaths of Alvin Cole, Breonna Taylor and George Floyd had "re-ignited longtime fears and resentments about the attitudes of police departments across the United States toward African-Americans and other peoples of color." "Increased exposure of our students to police can have an effect on student performance due to the implications of the police presence," the resolution reads. More: Here's a timeline of police in Milwaukee Public Schools, from 2005 to 2025 (This story was updated to add new information.) Cleo Krejci covers K-12 education and workforce development as a Report For America corps member based at the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Contact her at CKrejci@gannett.com or follow her on Twitter @_CleoKrejci. For more information about Report for America, visit jsonline.com/rfa. This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Judge order police into Milwaukee Public Schools by Feb. 17 A federal judge has rejected a request from Mayor Adams to throw out his corruption case because former Manhattan U.S. Attorney Damian Williams, who brought the charges, recently penned an op-ed about New York City being in a state of deep crisis. Adams request, filed last week by lead attorney Alex Spiro, said the recent op-ed from Williams violated rules against prejudicing the jury pool in the mayors case ahead of his expected April trial. In his filing, Spiro also claimed the ex-prosecutor wrote the op-ed, published in City & State, to bolster his own immediate candidacy for office, potentially including Mayor of New York City, though Williams hasnt announced any plans to seek any elected positions. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Williams resigned as Manhattan U.S. attorney in mid-December after then-incoming President Trump announced he would seek to replace him with corporate lawyer Jay Clayton. In a decision released late Wednesday, Manhattan Federal Court Judge Dale Ho rejected Spiros argument, charging the op-ed does not contain any statements that run afoul of criminal case rules. In fact, the majority of the statements in the op-ed that Mayor Adams claims are problematic concern New York State rather than New York City politics, Ho wrote. Neither Spiro nor Williams immediately returned requests for comment. Spiro has filed other requests for dismissal that were also rejected by Ho. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In his Jan. 16 op-ed, Williams wrote New York City is being led with a broken ethical compass that has compounded the citys problems amid a declining quality of life high housing costs, a too-often-unsafe subway and a general sense of disorder. Spiro had argued in his filing that in using such rhetoric, Williams tried to interfere with a fair trial for Adams. Adams was indicted by Williams office in September on charges alleging he took bribes and illegal campaign cash from Turkish government operatives and others in exchange for political favors, like expedited building safety inspections. Adams has pleaded not guilty to the charges. Adams case is moving forward, and Manhattan federal prosecutors recently wrote in a filing they have as part of their ongoing investigation uncovered additional criminal conduct he allegedly engaged in. With Molly Crane-Newman A federal judge sharply criticized President Donald Trump's sweeping clemency decision as she dismissed the criminal case against an Oklahoman who spent almost 45 minutes inside the U.S. Capitol during the Jan. 6 riot four years ago. "Dismissals of charges, pardons after convictions, and commutations of sentences will not change the truth of what happened on January 6, 2021," U.S. District Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly wrote in her six-page order. "What occurred that day is preserved for the future through thousands of contemporaneous videos, transcripts of trials, jury verdicts, and judicial opinions analyzing and recounting the evidence through a neutral lens," the judge wrote. "Those records are immutable and represent the truth, no matter how the events of January 6 are described by those charged or their allies." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Matthew Titus Allen, 44, pleaded guilty in October to two misdemeanor offenses for his conduct inside the Capitol. His sentencing had been set for Jan. 31 in federal court in Washington, D.C. Prosecutors were seeking 30 days of incarceration, three years of probation, 60 hours of community service and $500 in restitution before the president's order to pardon the Capitol rioters. The U.S. Army veteran and truck mechanic is from Castle, a town in Okfuskee County about 75 miles east of Oklahoma City. The judge dismissed his case Wednesday. Misdemeanor cases were still pending Thursday against two other Oklahomans accused of being inside the Capitol illegally during the riot. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement More: Trump Jan. 6 pardons, dismissal order impacts 13 Oklahomans On his first day back in office, Trump fulfilled a campaign promise and granted clemency to the almost 1,600 people charged over "events" at or near the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. During the campaign, he had called prisoners "hostages." He commuted the sentences of 14 felons and granted "a full, complete and unconditional pardon" to all other individuals convicted of Jan. 6 offenses. In the same proclamation Monday, Trump also directed prosecutors to pursue dismissals of all pending indictments against individuals over their conduct on Jan. 6, 2021. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump has been criticized for his clemency decision, largely because rioters who attacked police officers were among those pardoned. Even fellow Republicans have pushed back. "I think if you attack a police officer thats a very serious issue and they should pay a price for that. Oklahoma's senior U.S. senator, James Lankford, told CNN. I think we need to continue to say we are a party of law and order, Lankford said. And that is incredibly important to be able to protect those folks who are protecting us every single day. Susan Collins, the Republican U.S. senator from Maine, said there is a great difference between nonviolent participants and violent ones. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "I do not support pardons given to people who engaged in violence on January 6, including assaulting police officers, or breaking windows to get into the Capitol, for example," she said Tuesday. Matthew Titus Allen is shown in the yellow box in this image from video taken inside the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. Thousands marched on the Capitol after Trump urged them to "fight like hell" amid false claims that the election had been stolen from him. Rioters overwhelmed Capitol police to breach the building, delaying the formal counting of the Electoral College votes that had Joe Biden winning the 2020 presidential election. Trump had pressured Vice President Mike Pence as president of the Senate to block the certification of the results. Pence refused, describing his role as largely ceremonial. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Allen was one of 13 Oklahomans at the time of the riot to be charged with Jan. 6, 2021, offenses. In her dismissal order, Judge Kollar-Kotelly noted that police officers had instructed Allen shortly after he entered the Capitol at 2:45 p.m. to turn around and not proceed further. "But rather than leave the building, Allen traveled to the Rotunda, where he recorded video and took pictures," she wrote. "At approximately 3:19 p.m., police officers pushed Allen and other rioters out of the Rotunda. Allen exited the Capitol Building approximately ten minutes later." The judge in her order praised police officers for their heroism. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Grossly outnumbered, those law enforcement officers acted valiantly to protect the Members of Congress, their staff, the Vice President and his family, the integrity of the Capitol grounds, and the Capitol Building our symbol of liberty and a symbol of democratic rule around the world," she wrote. "For hours, those officers were aggressively confronted and violently assaulted. More than 140 officers were injured. Others tragically passed away as a result of the events of that day. But law enforcement did not falter. Standing with bear spray streaming down their faces, those officers carried out their duty to protect." Kollar-Kotelly has served on the federal court in Washington, D.C., since 1997. She was nominated by President Bill Clinton and now is on senior status. This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Judge criticizes Trump's pardons in Oklahoman's Jan. 6 riot case DECATUR, Ala. (WHNT) A Morgan County Judge has granted a request for an immunity hearing by the attorneys of a former Decatur police officer charged with murder in the shooting death of Stephen Perkins. On Wednesday, Circuit Judge Charles Elliot set an immunity hearing in the murder case against former officer Mac Marquette. Alabama Department of Public Health, CDC investigating adverse events following injection Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Mac Marquette is charged with murder in the on-duty shooting of Perkins in September of 2023 during a botched vehicle repossession. Marquette is set to go on trial on April 7 and his attorneys asked for an immunity hearing in the case earlier this month. That hearing is now set for March 25. In their original filing Marquettes attorneys argue he saw Perkins and clearly saw him pointing a weapon at the tow-truck driver. This was evidenced by the flashlight illuminating the tow truck driver. The Defendant then reacted to the threat posed by Perkins by yelling and identifying himself as police and giving him a loud verbal command to drop the weapon. Instead of dropping the weapon as instructed, Perkins turned and pointed the gun directly at the Defendant. In fear for his life and the lives of others, the Defendant fired his duty weapon to eliminate the deadly threat to himself, his fellow officers, and the tow-truck driver. The motion argues that other courts throughout the country and the state have used Alabama Code 13A-3-23(a)(1) to grant police officers with a hearing, and ultimately, immunity. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Alabama Code 13A-3-23(a)(1) states that a person is justified in using deadly physical force and is legally presumed to be justified in using deadly physical force in self-defense or the defense of another person, if the person reasonably believes that another person is using or about to use unlawful deadly physical force. Marquette killed 39-year-old Perkins in the early morning hours of September 29th following an incident surrounding a vehicle repossession. The Alabama Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA) said Perkins pointed a weapon toward an officer, and the officer shot at him. Perkins was taken to a nearby medical facility and died. Based on Decatur Police Department policy, Marquette was placed on administrative leave, and ALEA began to investigate the incident. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Decatur Police Chief Todd Pinion issued a statement in November 2023 announcing he found reason to believe that policies were violated in the shooting death of Perkins. The chief said in his opinion discipline was warranted. The Morgan County District Attorney announced that a grand jury indicted Marquette in January 2024, after ALEA concluded its investigation into Perkins death. Marquette turned himself into the Morgan County Jail and was held on a $30,000 bond before bonding out. Get breaking news, traffic and weather alerts directly to your smartphone. Download the News 19 App Marquettes personnel file obtained by News 19 shows he applied for a police officer position with the Decatur Police Department in late March 2020 and was given a conditional hiring offer on September 24, 2020. He was certified by the Police Officers Standards and Training Commission in April 2021. 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 trial date has been set for the man charged with murdering a mother from Pageland. In a special hearing on Tuesday, a judge set Emmanuel Bedfords trial for April 14. Detectives said that in 2021, Deidre Reid took Bedford, her sons father, to a Charlotte bus station. PREVIOUS COVERAGE: New developments in case of missing Pageland mother helps bring closure to family She was then never seen by her family again. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Prosecutors said a few days after her disappearance, her car was found in a pond in South Carolina, and there was blood in the car. Her body was never found. Bedford is facing charges of kidnapping and murder. VIDEO: Pageland moms car found days after disappearance, state says; person of interest denied bond Former President Donald Trump adresses supporters in Warren on Friday, Nov. 1, 2024. | Kyle Davidson A federal judge in Seattle on Thursday temporarily blocked President Donald Trumps executive order seeking to end birthright citizenship. U.S. District Court Judge John Coughenours ruling in a case brought by Washington and three other states is the first in what is sure to be a long legal fight over the orders constitutionality. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Coughenour called the order blatantly unconstitutional. I have difficulty understanding how a member of the bar could state unequivocally that is a constitutional order, the judge told the Trump administrations attorney. It boggles my mind. Coughenours decision came after 25 minutes of arguments between attorneys for Washington state and the Department of Justice. On Tuesday, Attorney General Nick Brown, along with peers in Oregon, Arizona and Illinois, sued the Trump administration over the order. Shortly after filing the lawsuit, the states asked Coughenour to grant a temporary restraining order stopping the executive action from taking effect. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Eighteen other states filed a similar lawsuit in federal court in Massachusetts. Those states havent filed for a preliminary injunction. Trump signed the executive order shortly after he was sworn into office on Monday. It would end birthright citizenship for babies born to a mother and father who are not U.S. citizens or lawful permanent residents. Brett Shumate, of the Department of Justice, argued the rush for an emergency pause is unwarranted because the order doesnt go into effect until Feb. 19. He called the states motion extraordinary. Attorneys for the state acknowledged the temporary restraining order is extraordinary, but warranted. Washington would lose federal dollars used to provide services to citizens and officials would be forced to modify those service systems. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The order is causing immediate widespread and severe harm, said Lane Polozola, of the Washington attorney generals office. Citizens are being stripped of their most foundational right, which is the right to have rights. The 14th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution codified birthright citizenship in 1868. It begins: All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside. The executive order focuses on the subject to the jurisdiction thereof phrase. The Fourteenth Amendment has never been interpreted to extend citizenship universally to everyone born within the United States, Trumps order reads. The Fourteenth Amendment has always excluded from birthright citizenship persons who were born in the United States but not subject to the jurisdiction thereof. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Polozola called this interpretation absurd and that birthright citizenship is a right that is off limits. Legal precedent has long backed up birthright citizenship. In 1898, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld the concept when justices ruled Wong Kim Ark, a man born in San Francisco to Chinese parents, was a U.S. citizen. Coughenour has been a federal judge for decades. Republican President Ronald Reagan nominated him for the bench in 1981. Video and audio recording were not allowed in the courtroom Thursday. Looking forward, the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals would have jurisdiction over the case. Democratic presidents appointed a majority of the circuit courts judges. But appeals could also eventually land the dispute before the U.S. Supreme Court. Washington State Standard 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. President Donald Trump holds up an executive order after signing it during an indoor inauguration parade at Capital One Arena on Jan. 20, 2025, in Washington, D.C. (Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images) A federal judge in Seattle on Thursday temporarily blocked President Donald Trumps executive order seeking to end birthright citizenship. U.S. District Court Judge John Coughenours ruling in a case brought by Washington and three other states is the first in what is sure to be a long legal fight over the orders constitutionality. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Coughenour called the order blatantly unconstitutional. I have difficulty understanding how a member of the bar could state unequivocally that this is a constitutional order, the judge told the Trump administrations attorney. It boggles my mind. Coughenours decision came after 25 minutes of arguments between attorneys for Washington state and the Department of Justice. On Tuesday, Attorney General Nick Brown, along with peers in Oregon, Arizona and Illinois, sued the Trump administration over the order. Shortly after filing the lawsuit, the states asked Coughenour to grant a 14-day temporary restraining order stopping the executive action from taking effect nationwide. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Eighteen other states filed a similar lawsuit in federal court in Massachusetts. Those states havent requested a temporary restraining order. Trump signed the executive order shortly after he was sworn into office on Monday. It would end birthright citizenship for babies born to a mother and father who are not U.S. citizens or lawful permanent residents. Brett Shumate, of the Department of Justice, argued the rush for an emergency pause is unwarranted because the order doesnt go into effect until Feb. 19. He called the states motion extraordinary. Attorneys for the state acknowledged the temporary restraining order is extraordinary, but warranted. Washington would lose federal dollars used to provide services to citizens and officials would be forced to modify those service systems. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The order is causing immediate widespread and severe harm, said Lane Polozola, of the Washington attorney generals office. Citizens are being stripped of their most foundational right, which is the right to have rights. Addressing reporters after the hearing, Brown said while the executive order doesnt go into effect for nearly a month, it forces states to start preparing now for the change. The 14th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution codified birthright citizenship in 1868. It begins: All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside. The executive order focuses on the subject to the jurisdiction thereof phrase. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Fourteenth Amendment has never been interpreted to extend citizenship universally to everyone born within the United States, Trumps order reads. The Fourteenth Amendment has always excluded from birthright citizenship persons who were born in the United States but not subject to the jurisdiction thereof. Polozola called this interpretation absurd, saying children without legal immigration status are still subject to U.S. law. He added birthright citizenship is a right that is off limits. Legal precedent has long backed up birthright citizenship. In 1898, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld the concept when justices ruled Wong Kim Ark, a man born in San Francisco to Chinese parents, was a U.S. citizen. In 2022, about 153,000 babies were born to two parents without legal immigration status across the country, including 4,000 in Washington state, according to the lawsuit filed this week. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Coughenour has been a federal judge for decades. Republican President Ronald Reagan nominated him for the bench in 1981. Brown called Thursdays hearing step one. But to hear the judge from the bench say that in his 40 years as a judge, he has never seen something so blatantly unconstitutional sets the tone for the seriousness of this effort, Brown said. Video and audio recording were not allowed in the courtroom Thursday. Looking forward, the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals would have jurisdiction over the case. Democratic presidents appointed a majority of the circuit courts judges. Appeals could eventually land the dispute before the U.S. Supreme Court. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Shumate said the case will almost certainly end up there. But Brown said hes taking it one step at a time. I see no reason why in a court of appeals, or even the United States Supreme Court, would reach a different decision than was reached today, he told reporters. In court filings this week, state officials, academics and nonprofit leaders explained how the order could have detrimental effects on Washington, including losing federal reimbursements for a variety of social programs. Tom Wong, an assistant professor at University of California, San Diego, retained by the state, wrote the order will create a permanent underclass of people who are excluded from U.S. citizenship and are thus not able to realize their full potential. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Congressional Republicans on Thursday introduced legislation to restrict birthright citizenship. The bill would amend federal immigration law to only allow children to be U.S. citizens if one of their parents is a citizen, a green card holder or a legal immigrant serving in the military. Washington State Standard 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. President Donald Trump holds up an executive order after signing it during an indoor inauguration parade at Capital One Arena on Jan. 20, 2025, in Washington, D.C. (Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images) A federal judge in Seattle on Thursday temporarily blocked President Donald Trumps executive order seeking to end birthright citizenship. U.S. District Court Judge John Coughenours ruling in a case brought by Washington and three other states is the first in what is sure to be a long legal fight over the orders constitutionality. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Coughenour called the order blatantly unconstitutional. I have difficulty understanding how a member of the bar could state unequivocally that this is a constitutional order, the judge told the Trump administrations attorney. It boggles my mind. Coughenours decision came after 25 minutes of arguments between attorneys for Washington state and the Department of Justice. On Tuesday, Attorney General Nick Brown, along with peers in Oregon, Arizona and Illinois, sued the Trump administration over the order. Shortly after filing the lawsuit, the states asked Coughenour to grant a 14-day temporary restraining order stopping the executive action from taking effect nationwide. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Eighteen other states filed a similar lawsuit in federal court in Massachusetts. Those states havent requested a temporary restraining order. I have difficulty understanding how a member of the bar could state unequivocally that this is a constitutional order. U.S. District Court Judge John Coughenour to a Trump administration attorney Trump signed the executive order shortly after he was sworn into office on Monday. It would end birthright citizenship for babies born to a mother and father who are not U.S. citizens or lawful permanent residents. Brett Shumate, of the Department of Justice, argued the rush for an emergency pause is unwarranted because the order doesnt go into effect until Feb. 19. He called the states motion extraordinary. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Attorneys for the state acknowledged the temporary restraining order is extraordinary, but warranted. Washington would lose federal dollars used to provide services to citizens and officials would be forced to modify those service systems. The order is causing immediate widespread and severe harm, said Lane Polozola, of the Washington attorney generals office. Citizens are being stripped of their most foundational right, which is the right to have rights. Addressing reporters after the hearing, Brown said while the executive order doesnt go into effect for nearly a month, it forces states to start preparing now for the change. The 14th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution codified birthright citizenship in 1868. It begins: All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The executive order focuses on the subject to the jurisdiction thereof phrase. The Fourteenth Amendment has never been interpreted to extend citizenship universally to everyone born within the United States, Trumps order reads. The Fourteenth Amendment has always excluded from birthright citizenship persons who were born in the United States but not subject to the jurisdiction thereof. Polozola called this interpretation absurd, saying children without legal immigration status are still subject to U.S. law. He added birthright citizenship is a right that is off limits. Legal precedent has long backed up birthright citizenship. In 1898, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld the concept when justices ruled Wong Kim Ark, a man born in San Francisco to Chinese parents, was a U.S. citizen. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In 2022, about 153,000 babies were born to two parents without legal immigration status across the country, including 4,000 in Washington state, according to the lawsuit filed this week. Coughenour has been a federal judge for decades. Republican President Ronald Reagan nominated him for the bench in 1981. Brown called Thursdays hearing step one. But to hear the judge from the bench say that in his 40 years as a judge, he has never seen something so blatantly unconstitutional sets the tone for the seriousness of this effort, Brown said. Video and audio recording were not allowed in the courtroom Thursday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Looking forward, the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals would have jurisdiction over the case. Democratic presidents appointed a majority of the circuit courts judges. Appeals could eventually land the dispute before the U.S. Supreme Court. Shumate said the case will almost certainly end up there. But Brown said hes taking it one step at a time. I see no reason why in a court of appeals, or even the United States Supreme Court, would reach a different decision than was reached today, he told reporters. In court filings this week, state officials, academics and nonprofit leaders explained how the order could have detrimental effects on Washington, including losing federal reimbursements for a variety of social programs. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Tom Wong, an assistant professor at University of California, San Diego, retained by the state, wrote the order will create a permanent underclass of people who are excluded from U.S. citizenship and are thus not able to realize their full potential. Congressional Republicans on Thursday introduced legislation to restrict birthright citizenship. The bill would amend federal immigration law to only allow children to be U.S. citizens if one of their parents is a citizen, a green card holder or a legal immigrant serving in the military. This story has been updated. TRO-STATE-OF-WASHINGTON-et-al.-v.-DONALD-TRUMP-et-al Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement (Washington State Standard 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.) (Bloomberg) -- A federal judge has temporarily blocked President Donald Trump from restricting who is eligible for automatic US citizenship at birth, in an early legal setback for the new administrations hard-line immigration agenda. Most Read from Bloomberg US District Judge John Coughenour in Seattle called Trumps executive order blatantly unconstitutional and questioned the quality of lawyering within the administration. The order, which Trump signed on his first day in office, denies automatic citizenship to US-born children of immigrants who entered the country illegally or have a temporary legal status. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Coughenour stopped the administration from taking any steps to carry out the order for 14 days and will apply nationwide. The judge, who was appointed under former President Ronald Reagan more than 40 years ago, will next consider whether to sign a longer-term injunction. The judge announced his decision from the bench on Thursday immediately after hearing arguments. It just boggles my mind that a lawyer could argue that the order was constitutional, Coughenour said. The administration is facing at least six lawsuits over Trumps birthright citizenship order. Federal judges in Maryland and New Hampshire have hearings scheduled in the coming weeks to consider whether to also block the order from taking effect. The Justice Department released a statement saying it will vigorously defend Trumps order, which correctly interprets the 14th Amendment of the US Constitution. We look forward to presenting a full merits argument to the Court and to the American people, who are desperate to see our Nations laws enforced. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This is about people, Washington Attorney General Nick Brown, whose office is leading the case before Coughenour, said after the hearing on Thursday. Babies are being born today, tomorrow who need this clarity. Immigration Law The order, which was set to fully take effect Feb. 19, includes fathers and mothers who arent US citizens or lawful permanent residents and includes those who are students or on work or tourist visas. Under the order, the policy is to apply to babies born 30 days after it was signed. But another section directs certain agencies to ensure that their regulations and policies are consistent with the order and to release public guidance within the next 30 days meaning officials were poised to start working on it sooner. Coughenours order came in a case brought by a group of Democratic state officials led by Brown. The states contend that Trumps action violates longstanding US immigration law and the text of the 14th Amendment to the US Constitution. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The 14th amendment, adopted in 1868 after the Civil War to clarify the status of babies born to formerly enslaved people, has long been interpreted by courts as giving citizenship to nearly all babies born on US soil. It states that all persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States. Trumps order turns on what it means to be subject to the jurisdiction thereof. Some conservatives have argued this language should be interpreted to exclude people who illegally enter the country. The more common understanding of the phrase has been that even undocumented people are covered since they can be charged with crimes under federal and state laws and pay taxes, for example. New Underclass The challengers have cited a demographics analysis estimating that at least 150,000 babies born in the US each year would be affected. Lawyers for the state coalition led by Washington argued that allowing it to take effect would place these children into positions of instability and insecurity as part of a new, Presidentially-created underclass in the United States. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A lawyer for Washington argued that notwithstanding the 30-day implementation delay, the order was already harming families whose babies would be affected, as well as state governments. The Justice Department argued that immediate, temporary intervention by a US judge was unnecessary because Trump had already delayed the start date by 30 days from the signing. The government also argued that the states lacked standing to sue on behalf of their citizens and that they failed to identify a direct harm to their interests if the order took effect. The states argued they would have to spend more money to provide health care and other services to noncitizen children since they would no longer be eligible for certain federal programs. The Justice Department said that if states wanted to offer those benefits, that was their choice. Government lawyers cited 19th-century legal texts to support their position that noncitizens werent subject to the jurisdiction of the US because they didnt have formal allegiance to the nation, so their children shouldnt qualify for citizenship. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement (Updated with Justice Department comment in sixth paragraph.) Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2025 Bloomberg L.P. BOISE, Idaho (AP) Attorneys for a man charged with murder in connection with the killings of four University of Idaho students are asking a judge to throw out most of the evidence in the case because they say it all hinges on an unconstitutional genetic investigation process. Bryan Kohberger's defense team also contends that the search warrants in the case were tainted by police misconduct. A two-day hearing on the matter started Thursday, and much of it was closed to the public. If they are successful, it could throw a major wrench in the prosecution's case before trial starts in August. Kohberger is charged with four counts of murder in the deaths of Ethan Chapin, Xana Kernodle, Madison Mogen and Kaylee Goncalves, who were killed in the early morning of Nov. 13, 2022, at a rental home near campus in Moscow, Idaho. When asked to enter a plea last year, Kohberger stood silent, prompting a judge to enter a not-guilty plea on his behalf. Prosecutors have said they will seek the death penalty if Kohberger is convicted. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Kohberger's attorneys say law enforcement violated his constitutional rights when they used a process called Investigative Genetic Genealogy, or IGG, to identify possible suspects. The court should suppress the IGG identification and everything that flows from that, defense attorney Anne Taylor told the judge Thursday, shortly after the hearing was opened to the public. There was no warrant for several phases of the search that led to the IGG work, and we think for every single one of those stages a warrant was required. The IGG process often starts when DNA found at the scene of a crime doesnt yield any results through standard law enforcement databases. When that happens, investigators may look at all the variations, or single nucleotide polymorphisms, that are in the DNA sample. Those SNPs, or snips, are then uploaded to a genealogy database like GEDmatch or FamilyTreeDNA to look for possible relatives of the person whose DNA was found at the scene. In Kohberger's case, investigators said they found touch DNA," or trace DNA, on the sheath of a knife that was found in the home where the students were fatally stabbed. The FBI used the IGG process on that DNA and the information identified Kohberger as a possible suspect. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Taylor said police never sought warrants to analyze the DNA found at the crime scene, nor did they get warrants to analyze the DNA of potential relatives that had been submitted to genealogy databases. Then, she said, the FBI violated its own Investigative Genetic Genealogy interim policy by running the data through a database that wasnt approved under the policy. Deputy Attorney General Jeff Nye, one of the prosecutors, said there is nothing unconstitutional about the use of IGG. Kohberger isn't asserting that he provided his own DNA to a genealogy site and then had it misused, Nye said, and defendants don't have any right to privacy for DNA left at a crime scene. The U.S. Department of Justice policy for IGG doesn't exclude other legal investigative techniques, Nye said. Even if FBI investigators used an online genealogy database that wasn't included in the policy, at most that might be a violation of the terms of service of the online database not a violation of Kohberger's rights. Kohberger has been wishy-washy on the whole subject of DNA, said Nye. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He's trying to say, It's not my DNA and the state can't prove that,' but he's also trying to say he has standing" to argue that the DNA was used in violation of his own privacy rights, said Nye. That's not how the Fourth Amendment works. Taylor also said that once Kohberger was identified as a possible suspect, law enforcement officers purposely lied and omitted crucial information when they asked the court to issue search warrants for his apartment, his parents' house, his car, his cellphone and for his own DNA. She said all of the resulting evidence should be kept out of the trial. One of the witnesses interviewed by law enforcement said she was intoxicated and unsure about her memories about when she heard other people moving around the house the night and morning of the murders, Taylor said. The witness later told investigators that she wasnt sure if the memories were a dream or real, Taylor said. But those details were purposely left out of court affidavits written by police when they were seeking search warrants, she said, to make the case seem stronger than it was. The magistrate who signed the search warrants might not have done so if all the information had been presented, Taylor said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Other details, including which way Kohbergers car was facing when it was picked up by cameras or when his cellphone pinged nearby towers was also not accurately conveyed to the magistrate in warrant applications, she said. Instead, the affidavits were written to make it look like Kohberger was stalking the house or following people and that never happened, she said. The real story is exculpatory to Mr. Kohberger. He was not stationary around that house. He was never at that house, said Taylor. He did go to Moscow, he did drive around, but he was never there. And the phone records absolutely show that. Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Ashley Jennings said law enforcement used the most up-to-date information that they had available when they asked the court for search warrants. Jennings said that's how the process is supposed to work. The defense has failed to back up this claim that law enforcement officers made deliberate, reckless and false claims, Jennings said. That's because they can't. The hearing is expected to continue on Friday, and will be livestreamed from the court's YouTube page. Judge Peter Warshaw will rule whether to toss a 13-count indictment against George Norcross and five others who claim the document states no crime. (Photo by Hal Brown for New Jersey Monitor) A Superior Court judge will rule on an initial motion to toss racketeering charges against Democratic power broker George Norcross and his allies, a case that was the focus of a seven-hour hearing in Trenton Wednesday. Attorneys for Norcross and others accused in the 13-count indictment told Judge Peter Warshaw he must dismiss the case because prosecutors failed to show elements of a crime in the 111-page indictment lodged against the kingmaker and five others last June. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement At root, the defendants argued prosecutors allegations of extortion, which they said formed the basis of the states case and underpinned other charges against what prosecutors called the Norcross enterprise, are in fact predicated on legally permissible threats made in the ordinary course of bargaining between sophisticated businesses. The bottom line is, from the state perspective, its really extortion or bust in this case, said Norcross attorney Yaakov Roth, adding, The New Jersey threat statutes dont say its a crime to make these threats or even to make these threats knowingly. Instead, they use the word unlawfully. You cant unlawfully make these threats. An unlawful threat might include a promise of violence, he said, but hard bargaining between businesses could not rise to that level. Norcross and his co-defendants attorneys Philip Norcross and Bill Tambussi, former Camden Mayor Dana Redd, former Michaels Organization CEO John ODonnell, and NFI CEO Sidney Brown also face charges of financial facilitation of criminal activity, official misconduct, and misconduct by a corporate official. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement They are accused of strongarming Philadelphia-based developer Carl Dranoff into selling a view easement and other development rights in Camden so they could obtain, and then sell, millions of dollars in tax incentives from a state program Philip Norcross helped draft in 2013. They are further accused of forcibly ousting Anthony Perno, then-CEO of the nonprofit Coopers Ferry, after demanding that he partner with Ira Lubert, a Pennsylvania real estate mogul with financial ties to George Norcross, over their preferred investors on redevelopment projects in Camden. Prosecutors argued the defense understates the impact of threats from Norcross, saying his control over Camden government and targeting of Coopers Ferry and Dranoff business interests in which the alleged enterprise had no interest elevated the threats beyond bargaining. They essentially controlled the city of Camden. Whether the defendants exercised pure power or simply lots of influence, the point is the same: When you threaten other people that youll use that official power or influence against them if they dont pay you off, its a crime, said Assistant Attorney General Michael Grillo. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Defendants also argued the alleged actions detailed in the indictment are past the statute of limitations and must be dismissed out of hand. The crimes charged in this indictment are barred by the two statute of limitations at issue the indictment against all of the defendants should be dismissed for that reason also, said Gerald Krovatin, who represents ODonnell. The statute of limitations on charges included in the indictment range between five and seven years, and virtually all of the alleged misconduct had exceeded that time bar by the time Attorney General Matt Platkin announced the indictment last June. Prosecutors argued the statute of limitations had not tolled because members of the alleged criminal enterprise continued to reap the rewards of their misconduct. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Michaels Organization, NFI, and Conner Strong & Buckelew where George Norcross was chair prior to being criminally charged had received at least $29 million in tax credits under the now-defunct Grow NJ tax credit program when prosecutors unveiled their indictment. The Grand Jury properly charged defendants with participating in a RICO conspiracy whose objectives extended into the statute of limitations, most obviously by continuing to apply for and sell the tax credits that were the central goal, said Grillo. Prosecutors allege other benefits like a CEO post at the Rowan University/Rutgers Camden Board of Governors awarded to Redd were rewards from an illicit scheme that also extended the statute of limitations, though the defense contested the assertion. On the states theory, if you extort someone and acquire a pizzeria, essentially steal it from them, the statute of limitations runs forever as long as you sell pizza. That cant be the case, Krovatin said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Warshaw did not say when he might rule on the motion to dismiss but set the cases next return date for Feb. 27. The motion to dismiss before the judge alleges only that the indictment does not state the elements of a crime and must be dismissed. If Warshaw rules the case can continue, defendants are expected to make another motion to dismiss on evidentiary grounds. RALEIGH, N.C. (WNCN) President Donald Trump will visit western North Carolina on Friday, marking his first trip in his second term as President. The President has been laser focused on the state, visiting western North Carolina on the campaign trail, and mentioning it in his inauguration speech. Our country can no longer deliver basic services in times of emergency as recently shown by the wonderful people of North Carolina, been treated so badly, President Trump said. And now the Commander in Chief will make his first presidential visit of his second term to western North Carolina on Friday to see the devastated areas. President Trump during a visit to western North Carolina in October. The Hill photo I think President Trump wants to see that, wants to provide comfort to the folks who are still affected, and really just know that they have a Commander in Chief who cares about him, Matt Mercer with the North Carolina Republican party said. I think it just shows that he cares, he cares about North Carolina, he has a long running relationship with our state. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The visit comes as Democratic Governor Josh Stein has also promised to cut through red tape to help the western side of the state. NC Gov. Josh Stein pledges to rebuild after Helene, work with Republicans We must fast track getting people back into their homes as quickly as possible, we must support small business owners so they can keep powering our economy for decades to come, Governor Stein said in his inauguration speech. With FEMA help already extended but more aid needed, North Carolina Republicans are confident in the Presidents promises to support the state alongside other leaders. Youve seen Senator Budd and Senator Tillis talk about it, youve seen our state legislators talk about it, there needs to be every level of government working together to ensure we make Western North Carolina whole again, Mercer said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Were still waiting for full details on the Presidents plans and any announcements. Weve also reached out to Governor Steins team on whether hell be with the President on Friday. We havent yet heard 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 CBS17.com. A Woodstock state representative is proposing changes to Georgias pet euthanization and impound policies in response to the euthanizations of two animals popular on the internet who were seized and put down in New York state. The bill, introduced by Woodstock Republican Jordan Ridley, is called the Justice for Peanut and Fred Act and is in reference to the October 2024 euthanizations of Peanut the Squirrel and Fred the Raccoon, who were both euthanized by New York officials to be tested for rabies. The goal of the bill is to protect responsible and law-abiding pet owners from unfair and hasty decisions and prevent what happened to Peanut and Fred from happening in our state, Ridley said in a statement. [DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] According to reporting by the Associated Press, after anonymous complaints, officers from the state Department of Environmental Conservation took the squirrel and a raccoon named Fred from Mark Longos home near the Pennsylvania border in rural Pine City. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Associated Press reported Nov. 1, 2024 that the orphaned squirrel that became a social media star called Peanut and raccoon Fred had been the subject of complaints to Chemung County Department of Health and state environmental officials. On Friday, the DEC and Chemung County Department of Health confirmed both animals fate to the Associated Press, saying: On Oct. 30, DEC seized a raccoon and squirrel sharing a residence with humans, creating the potential for human exposure to rabies. In addition, a person involved with the investigation was bitten by the squirrel. To test for rabies, both animals were euthanized, the agencies said in a statement, CBS News in New York reported. The animals are being tested for rabies and anyone who has been in contact with these animals is strongly encouraged to consult their physician. TRENDING STORIES: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Now, Ridley is proposing legislation in Georgia to ensure similar actions can be avoided here. So far, the bill has five cosponsors in the Georgia House of Representatives. According to a statement from the representatives office, Ridleys bill would make it so that domesticated animals that are properly licensed cannot be illegally euthanized or impounded, and would require a judge to oversee the process of taking action, as well as require proper notification so pet owners and their pets are protected from unjust actions by authorities. More specifically, the bills provisions would require government agencies that have the custody of domesticated, impounded animals and pets be subject to up to a $5,000 liability if the animal is injured or dies while in their custody. If an animal is taken into custody by a government agency with a possibility of euthanization, they would be required to notify owners of a veterinarians findings and give deadlines for requesting a hearing. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Additionally, pet or animal owners would have 10 business days to request a hearing after the animals are taken into custody. If a hearing is not requested, the animal may be euthanized, if a judge rules thats the only reasonable course of action, according to Ridleys office. A GoFundMe effort to honor Peanut and Fred at the Pnuts Freedom Farm animal sanctuary founded by Longo is underway. [SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter] HONOLULU (KHON2) The Honolulu Fire Department (HFD) responded to a structure fire in Kalihi early on January 22, 2025, after receiving a 911 call at 12:23 a.m. Get Hawaiis latest morning news delivered to your inbox, sign up for News 2 You Firefighters arrived at 12:28 a.m. to find a two-story single-family home fully engulfed in flames. An aggressive exterior fire attack was initiated by the first unit on the scene. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Additional units focused on controlling the fire to prevent it from spreading to nearby homes and conducted searches to ensure no one was inside any of the exposed structures. The fire was brought under control at 12:42 a.m. and fully extinguished by 12:58 a.m. Honolulu Ocean Safety to hold first lifeguard recruit tryouts of 2025 The American Red Cross is assisting five people who were displaced by the fire. The HFDs Fire Investigator is looking into the cause and origin of the blaze. Fire damage estimates have not yet been released. No injuries were reported. The Honolulu Fire Department reminds residents of the importance of fire safety and offers these life-saving tips: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Sprinklers can significantly reduce the heat, flames, and smoke from a fire, giving people more time to escape A home fire sprinkler system can control or even extinguish a fire using much less water than fire hoses Download the free KHON2 app for iOS or Android to stay informed on the latest news For more fire safety information, residents are encouraged to visit local safety resources. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. Jan. 22A bill that aims to crack down on employers who hire workers in the country illegally goes before the House Business and Labor Committee on Wednesday. Rep. Courtenay Sprunger, R-Kalispell, introduced House Bill 226, otherwise known as the Legal Employment and Government Accountability Law or LEGAL Act, with the support of 30 other Republican lawmakers. The act grants the Montana Department of Labor and Industry the power to audit employers for documents, such as I-9 forms, that are used to verify an employee's legal working status. This power has historically been reserved for federal agencies such as Immigration Customs Enforcements and the Department of Homeland Security. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Sprunger described the act as a low-cost solution to reducing undocumented labor as state inspectors would be expected to incorporate the new review process into their existing workload. Under the proposed law, employers face a fine up to $2,500 for each unverified employee they hire and may have their business license suspended after a third violation. Employers refusing to provide requested documentation would also be subject to a fine. The law does not provide guidance on how the state should address employees found working without verification. Sprunger said she worked with the Department of Labor to write the bill after meeting with local business owners that believed their competitors were using undocumented labor to cut costs. "We're seeing it particularly in the construction trade," said Sprunger, though she was unable to provide documentation for the claim. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Pew Research Center estimated that less than 5,000 unauthorized immigrants worked in Montana in 2022, representing less than 1% of the state's workforce. According to the report, Montana had the lowest percentage of unauthorized immigrants in the workforce of any state. The hearing for the LEGAL Act begins at 8 a.m. on Jan. 22. For more information on how to access and participate in the hearing, visit legmt.gov. Reporter Hailey Smalley can be reached at hsmalley@dailyinterlake.com. The Kansas Department of Commerce shared with the Kansas Senate a map depicting in red the areas of unmet need in terms of high-speed internet as the state unfurls a $660 million program, mostly funded by the federal government, to bring broadband service to more Kansas businesses and residences. (Kansas Reflector screen capture of Department of Commerce map) TOPEKA A major broadband provider and a coalition of smaller developers complained Wednesday about lack of transparency at the Kansas Department of Commerce in awarding millions of dollars in state and federal funding to upgrade internet service in underserved areas of the state. Concerns about the Department of Commerces grant-making process were shared with the Kansas Senates budget committee by a Cox Communications lobbyist and the executive director of Communications Coalition of Kansas, which represents locally owned rural internet companies and cooperatives. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Department of Commerce has held a prominent role in selecting recipients of grants to address gaps where lack of private investment left merchants and residents with slow or nonexistent service. Upgrades to high-speed broadband have been touted as a key to education, economic growth, public safety and quality of life in urban and rural areas. So far, the Department of Commerce said about $660 million has been earmarked for high-speed internet enhancements statewide. Megan Bottenberg, a lobbyist with Cox Communications, said the company extended its services during the past five years from 92 communities to 119 communities largely through private investment. Cox received a grant to bring broadband to 1,300 homes in Shawnee and Jackson counties on the wrong side of the digital divide, but the company was unsuccessful with 67 other grant proposals. With the largest fiber-powered network in the state, Cox has applied for hundreds of millions of dollars, also committing our own dollars to those same projects, but won $6 million, she said. The seemingly imbalanced awarding of some of the grants has us scratching our heads. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Bottenberg said in some cases Cox had a better cost-per-location rate than companies that won the funding. In at least two instances, she said, grants awarded by the Kansas Office of Broadband Development, or KOBD, resulted in creating excess capacity in Wichita where high-speed Cox internet service previously existed. Good-old boy deals? Joseph Le, interim director of the Kelly administrations broadband development office, attended the Senate Ways and Means Committee hearing. He referred questions to the Department of Commerces public relations staff. On Thursday, one day after the Senate hearing, a commerce department spokesman responded to requests for comment. Spokesman Patrick Lowry said the agency was dedicated to transparency while balancing the protection of confidential business information, federal grant requirements and maintaining objectivity. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He said commerce department staff met with Cox Communications executives 10 times in 2024 to respond to questions and concerns. The department provided feedback to Cox and other applicants about requests for funding. We strongly dispute any suggestion of favoritism or a lack of transparency, Lowry said. The previous director of KOBD, Jade Piros de Carvalho, was ousted in June. Piros de Carvalho said she made an unprofessional comment to the wrong person. She previously worked for broadband provider IdeaTek, which is KOBDs private-industry partner on the $42.5 million Middle Mile Broadband program in Kansas. Sen. Virgil Peck, a Havana Republican on the Senate Ways and Means Committee, asked Coxs lobbyist if there was sentiment among broadband companies that the Department of Commerce engaged in good-old boy relationships with broadband developers. He didnt make a direct reference to a specific applicant. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Bottenberg said the only evidence was the public record of grant recipients, because the states decision process was obscured. Nobody knows if that process is objective, she said. A little friction KOBD was created in 2020 by executive order of Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly. The objective was to improve coordination of a surge in state and federal investment in broadband delivery. KOBD has operated out of the Department of Commerce and worked in conjunction with nine programs tied to broadband access in Kansas. Bottenberg said part of Coxs frustration was KOBD declined to provide detailed information about scoring criteria and results relative to grant applications. She said the Department of Commerce said documentation related to KOBDs analysis of applications was for internal purposes only. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement How do you submit an application if you dont know the categories and the point system available? Bottenberg said. That is why Cox has been concerned with KOBDs lack of transparency in their grant programs. Sartorius, executive director of Communications Coalition of Kansas, said during the Senate committees meeting that problems recently developed in terms of coalition members interaction with KOBD. I would reiterate what Megan shared, he said. All relationships have a little friction to them. He said KOBDs willingness to sit down with broadband applicants to discuss shortcomings of grant proposals had waned. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement CCK members and other broadband providers feel there has been a decrease in transparency with respect to grant awards, Sartorius said. Feedback has become much more limited. Delineating with specificity the scoring matrices for grants and sharing where providers applications ranked in scoring would provide confidence that grants are awarded absent biases. Spirit of transparency Sen. Michael Fagg, an El Dorado Republican on the Senate budget panel, said there was no excuse for the Department of Commerce to withhold information about scoring of grant applications. He said it would be acceptable to keep proprietary business information confidential, but not results of the state assessment of grant proposals. In the spirit of transparency, Fagg said, I would think all applications should be available after awards were given. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Rachel Willis, the commerce departments liaison with the Legislature, didnt address the conflict during her briefing of senators on broadband progress since 2022. She said there would be no time when government and private investment in the essential service would be complete due to evolution of technology and growing demand. The states goal has been to bring high-speed service to 100,000 more businesses and residences by 2026, she said. We wouldnt say our work with electricity or our work with roads are complete because we all have access to those. Broadband is the same thing, Willis said. As we invest in our roads and bridges and utilities to connect and sustain our communities, we must prioritize broadband to ensure economic competitiveness, access to education and public safety. If we choose not to invest in it, we risk leaving entire communities behind. WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) The Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE) responded Thursday to a directive from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. President Trumps administration announced the directive on Tuesday that would allow federal immigration agencies Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Customs and Border Protection to make arrests at schools, churches and hospitals. It ends a policy that had been in effect since 2011. Carbon monoxide at Yoder business Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The directive could affect schools across Kansas. On Thursday, they got guidance from the states education leaders. Kansas Department of Education statement: The Kansas State Department of Education is aware of concerns raised because of the recent announcement that certain policies of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security have changed. Specifically, the federal government revoked the directive issued in 2021 that limited conducting immigration enforcement actions in or near protected areas such as schools, hospitals, and places of worship, except in specific limited circumstances. Tuesdays action did not change the law, nor did it increase the U.S. Department of Homeland Securitys authority. To that end, we remind school personnel that their ultimate responsibility is the education and protection of all students. All students have a constitutionally protected right to receive an education. Schools are advised to continue to follow the law and abide by their board-approved policies regarding investigations and/or arrests on school grounds. KSDE wishes to assure school personnel, parents, and the students of Kansas that we will not share any student data without a warrant, subpoena, or other lawfully issued court order. At this time, we believe the best thing schools can provide to their respective communities is an assurance that they will continue to comply with all state and federal laws protecting student information and student safety. We also suggest schools update emergency contact information for all families. Kansas State Department of Education KSDE recommendations: Schools should ensure emergency contact information is updated for all families. Ensure all school personnel follow the districts board-approved policies regarding investigations and/or arrests on school grounds. Schools should issue a reminder that no student information can be shared without parental consent or a warrant, subpoena, or other lawfully issued court order Wichita Public Schools sent KSN News this statement about the directive. Our district has clear policies regarding law enforcement activity on school grounds. We are committed to creating and enhancing safe learning environments where all of our students can thrive, as outlined in our Strategic Plan. Susan Arensman, USD 259 News and Media Relations Manager Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. Wichita Rep. Ford Carr, left, was involved in an argument and fracas with a Wichita City Council member captured on video about handling of testing Wichita residents possibly harmed by a decades-old chemical spill. (Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector) TOPEKA A Kansas House member was shoved to the floor at a Topeka bar during an argument between a Wichita City Council member and a Democratic state representative from Wichita who disagreed about plans to test Wichita residents potentially harmed by a toxic chemical spill in a historically Black neighborhood. Rep. Henry Helgerson, an Eastborough Democrat attending an informal gathering adjacent to the Capitol, was knocked backward while attempting to intervene in the Wednesday night dispute between Democratic Rep. Ford Carr of Wichita and Wichita City Council member Brandon Johnson. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Video of the disturbance showed Helgerson smashing into a table and breaking glassware after shoved by Carr. Helgerson was helped to his feet by two people. Helgerson again tried to restrain Carr, who continued the back-and-forth argument with Johnson at the reception for Wichita-area politicians. Aint nobody scared of your punk a**, Johnson shouted in a two-minute video clip widely shared at the Statehouse. Bring it on, replied Carr, still wearing his identification badge as a state legislator. No. No. No, Helgerson said, while temporarily moving Carr away from Johnson. You dont want to hurt me, do you? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement At one point, Carr threw his suit jacket to the floor in anger. Several people went in and out of view on the video as they attempted to end the spat or stay clear of the primary combatants. Johnson eventually left the bar amid more shouting. In an interview, Johnson said he was at the Celtic Fox, a bar across the street from the Statehouse in Topeka, when Carr confronted him about handling $2.5 million set aside by the 2024 Kansas Legislature and $125,000 allocated by City Hall to begin a testing program to learn more about extent of chemical contamination in a northeast Wichita neighborhood. A chemical spill in the Union Pacific railyard decades ago apparently allowed cancer-causing trichloroethylene, or TCE, to infiltrate groundwater and spread for several miles. Wichita residents in path of the spill werent informed of possible health complications until 2022. Johnson said he was eager to focus on important work of addressing health ramifications of the spill in Wichita. He said he was less interested in debating the bar feud. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement That event will be properly investigated. And the video and those present can speak to the specifics of what happened and by whom, Johnson said. I dont want that incident to in any way distract from the genuine, positive efforts and progress were making for residents to address the vitally needed testing and remediation at the 29th and Grove neighborhoods. When Rep. Henry Helgerson, an Eastborough Democrat, tried to intervene in the altercation, Rep. Ford Carr shoved him to the floor. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector) Carr, who advocated for state funding for testing during last years legislative session, said municipal government officials in Wichita hadnt moved quickly enough to advance the initiative. He said the Wichita City Council and Sedgwick County Commission should have launched testing months ago. The required $1 million local match has yet to be secured, but the city and county appear to have found consensus on how to proceed. Carr said the animated conversation at the bar was inspired by concern the state appropriation could be rescinded if the cash wasnt spent before the fiscal year ended in June. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement They wanted me to give them an attaboy or a pat on the back for having this plan, Carr said in an interview. I told them Im appreciative that they came up with a plan, but Im not going to stand up and rejoice a plan that took eight months to develop. At that point, Brandon Johnson took it personally. Carr said he hadnt consumed an intoxicating beverage, but indicated Johnson appeared to be drinking a dark ale. Im not going to say he was inebriated. Im just going to say thats what he was drinking, Carr said. His voice began to get elevated. And, after his voice elevated, he made a physical gesture, put his finger in my face, and at that point I stood upright, so then he equally stands. Carr said he interpreted Johnsons gesture at the bar as a threat. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement And Ive always been the kind of person that you can start that trouble I know how to finish it, Carr said. He said he didnt realize in the moment that it was Helgerson who attempted to intervene. He said he regretted shoving Helgerson hard enough that he fell to the floor. He referred to Helgerson as a friend. I pushed Henry out of the way. Apparently, in the heat of passion, Im a little stronger than I thought, Carr said. I cant say that I regret moving him out of the way, but I just regret that he lost his balance and fell. It was never intended to be any harm to Rep. Helgerson. Helgerson, who was at the Capitol on Thursday, wasnt available to comment on the incident. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement House Minority Leader Brandon Woodard, a Lenexa Democrat, declined to discuss the bar incident but issued a statement. We are taking this matter seriously and are committed to resolving it, he said. Our focus remains serving the people of Kansas and advancing policies that meet their needs. House Speaker Dan Hawkins broods over Minority Leader Brandon Woodard before a rules debate on Jan. 23, 2025. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector) TOPEKA House Speaker Dan Hawkins for the first time Thursday provided a public explanation for his decision to remove journalists from the House floor except to take photos from the back and side walls of the chamber. Hawkins broke from decades of precedent before the start of the session by banning reporters from a press box area where they could take notes and photos, interact with staff and write their stories. When his aide informed Statehouse reporters of the new press restrictions, she described them as significant changes. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But Hawkins and his staff have downplayed the new restrictions, emphasizing that journalists can still take photos while ignoring the impact the restrictions have on reporting. During debate Thursday over an array of new House rules, Hawkins said he implemented the new restrictions to give his staff a better place to sit. Previously, staff sat on a bench in front of the press box. He gestured to the former press box areas, which was filled with staff after being mostly empty for the first week of the session. He also gestured to two journalists, including the author of this story, who were taking photos from the back of the chamber. Never did I ban the press from the body, Hawkins said. Matter of fact, we got two right back taking pictures of me right now. One right over there, and one right over there. So if theyve been banned from the House floor, what are they doing on the floor? Why are they here? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hawkins said he had replied to inquiries about the rule change with a photo of this author that he took during a session last week. If I banned the press, what is that man doing on my floor? Hawkins said. Rep. Kirk Haskins, a Topeka Democrat, asks lawmakers to restore press access during debate Jan. 23, 2025, over House rules. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector) Hawkins remarks were in response to an amendment proposed by Rep. Kirk Haskins, a Topeka Democrat, that would have restored longstanding press access to the House rules. I got a deal for you, Haskins said. You add nine words, were going to save millions of dollars for the state of Kansas. Haskins referenced the 2023 raid on the Marion County Record newspaper and said it was time to to stop raiding the free press. He argued that reporters can better inform the public with full access to the House floor and urged legislators to embrace transparency. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We cant forget that the state is only as strong as the individuals that we represent, Haskins said. I give you this opportunity to add nine words so we could save millions of dollars in taxpayer dollars when we get sued, because we are violating the First Amendment. This should not be something that we even debate. The First Amendment prohibits the government from making content-based decisions. A legal challenge to the rules would draw a correlation between the new restrictions and Hawkins prolific record of disparaging the press. Republicans defeated the amendment with a thunderous no on a voice vote, and by a recorded 87-35 vote. Republicans also rejected amendments brought by two of their own Hutchinson Republican Rep. Paul Waggoner, who asked that Kansas join 48 other states in recording committee votes, and Paola Republican Rep. Samantha Poetter Parshall, who tried to reinstate a rule that bans the House from debating legislation between midnight and 8 a.m. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement GOP leaders in both the Senate and House typically wait until the final days of the session to pass a torrent of legislation under maximum pressure, often working late into the night as the try to force holdouts to vote in favor of unvetted bundles of bills. The House installed the midnight rule to prohibit late-night debates after former Rep. Bob Bethell, a Republican from Alden, died while driving on his way home in the early morning hours in 2012. In recent years, the House routinely voted to suspend the midnight rule in the final days of the session. The rule was eliminated from this years rule package. Poetter Parshall said she is typically up at midnight working on dishes or laundry because she has children ages 1, 2 and 9. But she said debating bills after midnight is more complicated. I did a little research, Poetter Parshall said. After midnight, people have impaired brain function, increased risk of disease, a weakened immune system, mental health issues, and an increased appetite. And most importantly, no meaningful debate on legislation tends to occur after midnight. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Rep. John Carmichael, a Wichita Democrat, said it was irresponsible to conduct business after midnight. Most constituents would fire legislators if they realized how impaired they are late at night at the end of the session. Carmichael said he angered his wife several years ago when he inadvertently cast the wrong vote after a late-night debate. I attribute it to lack of sleep, fatigue, and get-out-of-here-itis, Carmichael said. The House rejected Poetter Parshalls amendment on an 82-41 vote. The House rejected Waggoners attempt to record committee votes by a 73-49 margin. Clay Barker, general council for the Secretary of States Office, appears at the Federal and State affairs committee meeting on Jan. 22, 2025, to provide context for how mail-in ballots are sent and received. (Grace Hills/ Kansas Reflector) TOPEKA Legislation proposed in the Kansas Senate would end the three-day grace period for mail-in ballots, requiring them to be received by 7 p.m on Election Day to be counted, regardless of postage date. Senate Bill 4 is similar to one Gov. Laura Kelly vetoed in 2023, and introduced last year. The Legislature adopted the three-day grace period for ballots postmarked by Election Day in a near-unanimous vote in 2017 after then-Secretary of State Kris Kobach asked the Legislature to pass the law in response to slow U.S. Postal Service delivery. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Former Rep. Ann Mah, a Topeka Democrat, said the bill is pure partisan politics during a Wednesday hearing before the Senate Federal and State Affairs Committee. Mah pointed to statistics showing that far more Democrats than Republicans use mail-in ballots, and the bills lack of funding for an education program that would inform citizens of the change. She said more Democratic votes would be rejected than Republican votes. If you make this change and do not fund an edition program youre intentionally causing thousands of votes to be thrown out, Mah said. Thats voter suppression. Supporters argue that Kansas would join the national norm, as 32 other states have already enacted a similar law. Jason Snead, the executive director of the Honest Elections Project, a conservative group that lobbies for stricter voting laws, said his organization produced a survey that found 89% of respondents believed ballots should be returned by Election Day. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I see nothing in this bill that would make it harder to vote, Snead said. Davis Hammet, president of the voter advocacy group Loud Light, argues during a Jan. 22, 2025, hearing against legislation that would require mail-in ballots to be in by 7 p.m. on Election Day. (Grace Hills/ Kansas Reflector) Clay Barker, general council for the Secretary of States Office, said Kansas has one of the shorter grace periods. Deadlines for mail-in ballots in other states range from 5 p.m. on Election Day to 14 days after. Barker said that in the states with shorter or no grace periods, ballots are often sent out farther in advance. Kansas sends out mail-in ballots 20 days before an election, meaning recipients would have a shorter turnaround time. SB 4 does not require mail-in ballots to be sent earlier. On Thursday, the Senate Federal and State Affairs Committee approved the bill sending it to the full Senate for consideration. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The bills supporters said the grace period allows more leeway for theoretical voter fraud because, they claim, the U.S. Postal Services postmarks are unreliable. Madeline Malisa, a visiting fellow at Opportunity Solutions Project, says that the bill would ensure that Election Day is Election Day in Kansas. Opportunity Solutions Project is the lobbying arm of the Foundation for Government Accountability and works in statehouses across the country to oppose public assistance programs and restrict voting access. Davis Hammet, president of the voter advocacy group Loud Light, said that is not the case. Really the only question this bill asks is should we count a citizens vote? Hammet said. I hope you dont take that protection away from Kansas citizens for inefficiencies in the federal government. If passed, the law would go into effect in July. Karen Reads legal team is seeking a $12,229.57 reimbursement for fees and travel expenses paid to a defense expert hired to examine the security camera system at the Canton Police Station. New Karen Read Filing: Karen Read's legal team is seeking a $12,229.57 reimbursement for fees and travel expenses paid to a defense expert hired to examine the security camera system at the Canton Police Station. According to a new defense filing, "all original DVR footage from pic.twitter.com/KNsG498SOO Ted Daniel (@TedDanielnews) January 23, 2025 According to a new defense filing, All original DVR footage from the relevant date had been destroyed, at best, due to improper preservation by the Commonwealth and the experts trip was futile. The defense argues original footage is required to verify its authenticity and that the condition of the right rear taillight of the Lexus SUV at the time it entered law enforcement custody is perhaps one of the most critical and highly contested issues in this case. The filing also mentions the inverted video shown at Reads trial, and new surveillance video the prosecution provided after the trial in October, which shows prosecution witness Brian Higgins arriving at the Canton Police Department at 1:26 a.m. and minutes later speaking on the phone at 1:34 a.m. as he left the department, according to the defense. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Boston 25 reached out to Special Prosecutor Hank Brennan and will update if he responds. Read is accused of hitting her Boston police officer boyfriend John OKeefe with her Lexus SUV on Jan. 29, 2022, and leaving him to die after a night of drinking. The defense has sought to portray Read as the victim, saying OKeefe was actually killed inside the Albert family home and then dragged outside and left for dead. Reads lawyers have been fighting to dismiss her second-degree murder and leaving the scene of a deadly crash charge for double jeopardy reasons after multiple jurors told them that the jury agreed to acquit on those counts. Double jeopardy is a legal protection that prohibits anyone from being prosecuted twice for the same crime. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Reads first trial ended with a hung jury this past summer. The retrial of Read has been delayed until April 2025. Read the full filing below: New filing: Karen Read lawyers seek $12K reimbursement by Boston 25 Staff on Scribd 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 Kate Middleton's year is proving to be off to a decent start. Fromsharing she's in remission after her cancer diagnosis last year to receiving new royal titles, 2025 is shaping up to be much better than the last. And now, there seems to be yet another milestone on the horizon. According to The London Times, the Princess of Wales, 43, could soon be adding a pretty prestigious responsibility to her list of duties. Middleton may soon gain the power to grant royal warrantsbasically, the ultimate royal seal of approval. As explained on the Royal Family's official website, A Royal Warrant of Appointment is granted as a mark of recognition to people or companies who have regularly supplied goods or services to the Royal Household. If this happens, it would be a major moment for Middletonand for royal history. Per the outlet, no one holding the title of Princess of Wales has been able to grant royal warrants since Queen Mary, who issued them before her husband, George V, became king in 1910. Not even Princess Diana held this power, despite King Charles being able to grant warrants as far back as the 1980s. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Currently, King Charles is the only member of the royal family with this authority, though its possible hell pass the responsibility to Prince William and Princess Catherine. Previous royals like Queen Elizabeth II, Prince Philip and the Queen Mother also had the power to issue warrants during their lifetimes. And its not just Middleton leveling up this year. Prince William recently announced his new role as royal patron of the College of Paramedics. In a video shared on their joint Instagram, William praised emergency responders for their adaptability, multi-skills, and life-saving work. Congrats to the Prince and Princess of Wales. Want all the latest entertainment news sent right to your inbox? Click here. Kate Middletons Latest Look Is Missing One Key Accessory: Her Engagement Ring Kate Middleton ran a relatable errand after announcing that she is in remission from cancer. The Princess of Wales, 43, was seen shopping at Finlay's store in the Notting Hill neighborhood of London in photos obtained by Deux Moi on Jan. 22. Princess Kate has long been a fan of the British eyewear brand, which sells both eyeglasses and sunglasses at its two hubs in London. A close royal insider tells PEOPLE in this week's exclusive cover story that Princess Kate is focusing on the future in her new chapter in remission. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "She has drawn a line under the last year, and she can move forward," the insider says. "The word 'remission' is such a positive one to use, and it just feels a veil has been lifted on their life of the last year, and that they can move forward with positivity and hope." Princess Kate has had Finlay sunglasses in her royal rotation for years, and is known to reach for their cat-eye Henrietta sunglasses in tortoiseshell. She's not the only one in her family who has worn Finlay shades Prince William and Meghan Markle have as well. It was a rare public shopping trip for the royal, who was out of the spotlight for most of 2024 after announcing in March that she was undergoing treatment for cancer. Princess Kate shared in September that she completed chemotherapy, and shared on Jan. 14 that she is in remission. Chris Jackson/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. Related: Kate Middleton and King Charles' Health Announcements, 1 Year Later: What's Changed and What Lies Ahead Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Princess of Wales announced the news about her health following her surprise stop at The Royal Marsden Hospital in London on Jan. 14. Her unannounced outing came with the confirmation that she received treatment at the Royal Marsden during her cancer journey, and that she and Prince William had become joint patrons of the renowned medical center. "The princess wanted to make the journey to both show her gratitude to the incredible team, but also highlight the world leading care and treatment the Marsden provides," a Kensington Palace spokesman said then about the impetus for Kate's visit. The Princess of Wales met staff working across the hospital during her tour, as well as patients currently undergoing treatment. Katherine Field was a patient who met Princess Kate, and tells PEOPLE that chatting with the royal was like "talking to a friend." Chris Jackson/Getty Kate Middleton and Katherine Field at The Royal Marsden Hospital in London on Jan. 14, 2025. Kate Middleton and Katherine Field at The Royal Marsden Hospital in London on Jan. 14, 2025. Related: Kate Middleton Shares 'Shock' of Cancer Diagnosis and How It Affects the 'Whole Family' (Exclusive) 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," Field tells PEOPLE about her exchange with Kate. The Princess of Wales relayed that she is in remission in a personal statement shared to social media after visiting the medical center, and thanked the hospital team for the care she received. "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," the Princess of Wales wrote on X. "We couldnt have asked for more. The care and advice we have received throughout my time as a patient has been exceptional." Chris Jackson/Getty Peter Burton and Kate Middleton at The Royal Marsden Hospital in London on Jan. 14, 2025. Peter Burton and Kate Middleton at The Royal Marsden Hospital in London on Jan. 14, 2025. Princess Kate expressed a wish to use her new patronage to shine a light on advancements in cancer treatment, and the wellbeing of patients and families. 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 said. 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 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! "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," she continued. "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." Read the original article on People Kate Middleton shared that she faced her cancer treatment "quietly and privately" during a visit to the London hospital where she received care, offering insight into the isolating experience. "Going through the back door unseen while going through the treatment must have been pretty lonely," a close royal insider tells PEOPLE in this week's exclusive cover story. "When you see these other people when theyre having their chemotherapy, they were doing it as a group, with a support mechanism." The Princess of Wales, 43, contrasted her own experience while visiting The Royal Marsden Hospital in London on Jan. 14, which coincided with the confirmation that she previously received treatment there during her cancer journey. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Admitting the difference, Kate said, "I had to do it privately and quietly, but being on a ward like this has to be reassuring in a way." She shared the sentiment while speaking with Katherine Field, who was in the midst of her fourth chemotherapy session for breast cancer during the princesss visit. Chris Jackson/Getty Kate Middleton and Katherine Field at The Royal Marsden Hospital in London on Jan. 14, 2025. Kate Middleton and Katherine Field at The Royal Marsden Hospital in London on Jan. 14, 2025. Related: Kate Middleton Opens Up About Her Private Cancer Journey: 'You Need Loads of Water and Sunlight' For Field, the camaraderie among patients sharing chemotherapy sessions has been a source of comfort. "There is a real sense of community," she tells PEOPLE, drawing a contrast to Princess Kate's private ordeal, but said speaking with Kate was "just like talking to a friend." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For much of 2024, the Princess of Wales slipped through a secluded door at the Royal Marsden Hospital and attended regular chemotherapy sessions away from the public eye. It was a lonely path during the most challenging year of her life. Princess Kate was diagnosed with an undisclosed type of cancer following serious abdominal surgery on Jan. 16, 2024, and kept it confidential for several weeks as she and Prince William worked to process the enormity of the news and explain it to their children, Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis. The Princess of Wales announced to the world last March that she was undergoing treatment for cancer, and relayed in September that she had completed chemotherapy. PEOPLE Magazine, Feb. 3, 2025. Related: A Complete Timeline of Kate Middleton's Abdominal Surgery and Cancer Diagnosis Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement One year after her abdominal surgery, Kate walked confidently through the Royal Marsden's front entrance for the first time. She returned not only as a woman in remission, but also as an advocate for those still in the midst of their fight. Initially scheduled to be there for an hour, the princess extended her visit by 20 minutes as she met with patients and staff, offering hugs and sincere advice. Angela Terry, a lung cancer patient, tells PEOPLE that Kate's "gentle eye contact" and "level of connection" left an impression. The royal also reassured Rebecca Mendlesohn, who is in a trial for metastatic cancer, and wrapped her in an emotional embrace. "It will get better. There is light at the end of the tunnel. Youre in the best hands," she told the patient. Chris Jackson/Getty Kate Middleton and Rebecca Mendelhson at The Royal Marsden Hospital in London on Jan. 14, 2025. Kate Middleton and Rebecca Mendelhson at The Royal Marsden Hospital in London on Jan. 14, 2025. Kate would know. After leaving the hospital, she released a statement expressing her gratitude to the Royal Marsden staff "for looking after me so well during the past year" and shared her "relief to now be in remission." The princess paid tribute to the support she had received, sharing "heartfelt thanks" to "all those who have quietly walked alongside William and me as we have navigated everything." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "It has been a tough journey harder than we perhaps thought," says a source close to the royal household. "She has been through a lot, and it has been a rough road. Serious illness like cancer does change you. She has a young family, and it makes you rethink everything your purpose and what you want to do with your life." Chris Jackson/Getty Peter Burton and Kate Middleton at The Royal Marsden Hospital in London on Jan. 14, 2025. Peter Burton and Kate Middleton at The Royal Marsden Hospital in London on Jan. 14, 2025. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In a meaningful nod to tradition, Prince William and Princess Kate were confirmed as joint patrons of the hospital on the day of her visit. The roles carry forward the legacy of Williams mother, Princess Diana, who became president of the center in 1989. While Kate's hospital stop was a bright spot for those currently receiving care, royal historian and writer Dr. Amanda Foreman believes the visit would have been "beyond draining" for her, both psychologically and physically. "Shes like a gold medal Olympic skater, where they make their moves look so easy, but you forget that it requires incredible skill and self-control and discipline," Foreman tells PEOPLE. 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. 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! Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Princess Kate's yearlong experience and her carefully measured openness, shared only when she was ready, have deepened the publics admiration for her, Foreman observes. "What the treatment has done is remove a filter and create this immediacy between her and the public," she says. "I cant think of a working royal who has ever done that." For more on Princess Kate's new life in remission, pick up PEOPLE's latest issue, on newsstands Friday. Read the original article on People HONOLULU (KHON2) Manager of Communications, Brandy Shimabukuro, shared details on a new art competition for the states keiki. Get Hawaiis latest morning news delivered to your inbox, sign up for News 2 You Mission PAWsible is so much more than just an art contest! Mission PAWsible is the Hawaiian Humane Societys annual competition for Oahu keiki in grades six through twelve that helps to turn creativity into compassion and action for animals in need. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This years theme centers on foster care for animals, which has a lifesaving impact on pets recovering from illnesses, injuries or surgeries, or those that are orphaned and in need of care. This is a fun opportunity for student to express their artistic abilities through four categories: Traditional art like drawing and painting 3D art Creative writing Digital Media Romeo seeks forever home after rocky start Brandy also shared the prizes available, Well select eight grand prize winners one from grades 6-8 and one from grades 9-12 in each category. Winners receive a $100 debit gift card, a Humane Achievement Award, exclusive Hawaiian Humane Society merchandise, and a VIP campus tour for their ohana. Were also surprising our honorable mentions with special prizes. The key is getting those entries in by March 24th we want to see every young creative mind shine! Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Hawaiian Humane Society also brings home and love to animals in need. To enter: Just go to Mission PAWsible 2025 : Hawaiian Humane Society to learn more and enter today. Mission PAWsible is open to all Oahu students in grades 6 through 12 and entries are open until Monday, March 24, 2025. Download the free KHON2 app for iOS or Android to stay informed on the latest news If you are looking for a furry and want to learn more information on the programs the Hawaii Humane Society supports visit their website Hawaiian Humane Society. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. Gov. Andy Beshear and First Lady Britainy Beshear greet attendees before the State of the Commonwealth address at the Capitol in Frankfort, Jan. 8, 2025. (Kentucky Lantern photo by Arden Barnes) On stage at the World Economic Forum, Kentucky Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear spoke about economic issues in the state and abroad including areas that have become heavily politicized, such as diversity policies in the workplace and environmental sustainability. Beshear joined Arkansas Republican Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders in a Thursday panel about economic issues facing their states, the country and the world at large. Journalist Andrew Sorkin moderated the panel. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The World Economic Forum, which is held annually in Davos, Switzerland, brings together leaders from government and business. Beshears office announced in December that he had been invited to speak at the conference. Beshear, who has previously publicly supported diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives, said during the panel that he has always believed that the private sector is private, and if businesses believe having policies for diverse workforces help them, then the state that youre working with should support you. Republicans in Kentucky have previously attempted to curb DEI policies in the states universities, though bills on that failed to pass in the previous legislative session. President Donald Trump, who took office earlier this week, has put federal DEI employees on paid leave and has signaled that private businesses could be investigated over diversity policies. Trump also issued a flurry of executive orders, including actions aimed at environmental policies, like withdrawing the United States from the Paris climate agreement. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Beshear, however, said Thursday that Kentucky employers hes talking with have said sustainability is still one of their goals as customers and parent companies are demanding it. Sustainability is going to be a part of the future. Its going to be demanded by most companies that are going to locate in different places, Beshear said. And I want people to know that Kentucky is not going to get caught up in national debates about it, but if its a need you have as a business, were going to meet it for you. Both governors also gave their thoughts on the new Trump administration. Beshear, who campaigned against Trump for former Vice President Kamala Harris last year, said establishing an America First agenda would depend on how its implemented. If its implemented in a way that ensures that the American people have good jobs, quality health care, strong infrastructure, strong public safety, those are good things, but if it questions our alliances especially our alliances with Europe that are critical to global stability then it could be a concerning thing for the world and the ultimate reliability and consistency that we need to do global business and ultimately live in as safe of a planet as we can, Beshear said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Beshear said Trump won another term in office because the last group of moveable voters had a gut check before the November election, and they believe that President Trump would make it a little easier to pay the bills at the end of the month. Beshear said seeing if Trumps policies raise or lower prices will be what to watch as we move forward. Huckabee Sanders, who stumped for Beshears opponent, former Republican Attorney General Daniel Cameron, in 2023, called Trump the ultimate deal maker and said he would likely rely on that when making connections on the global stage in a second term. Trump later addressed the forum via a live video feed and took questions from business executives. In the room with business Beshear said both he and Huckabee Sanders were at the World Economic Forum because foreign direct investment is critical in the United States. He pointed to Kentucky business investments, like Toyotas Georgetown plant established in the 1980s. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Beshear said hes had ample opportunities to speak directly with business executives as part of the conference. So for us, being here is good business, Beshear said. There can be lots of other reasons to come but the chance in a short period of time to communicate with, to continue the trust with, to find out the different concerns, to hopefully announce some expansions, that is a real value for governors to be in the room with business. Earlier this week, Beshear appeared in a panel about industrial decarbonization. Before the conference, he was also scheduled to meet with company leaders of Acerinox, the parent company of North American Stainless, in Spain, according to his office. North American Stainless has a facility in Carroll County. However, Beshears travel has drawn ire from Republicans back home. Before the current legislative session began, the Republican Party of Kentucky issued a statement criticizing Beshear for flying to Switzerland on the taxpayers dime to discuss the economic accomplishments of Kentucky Republicans and argued his time would be better spent in Frankfort, working with the General Assembly during the short 30-day session to get some help for Kentuckys foster care crisis. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Freshman lawmaker Rep. TJ Roberts, R-Burlington, said in a press release Tuesday that he plans to launch an investigation into costs for Beshears trip and will push for a budget cut that will slash that amount by tenfold from the governors office budget. Roberts also vowed to introduce legislation that would require Beshear to obtain explicit approval from the State Auditor before using any tax dollars for out-of-state travel. While our commonwealth grapples with real issues, Beshear is using Kentucky tax dollars to network with globalist elites who have no concern for our local problems, Roberts said. His presence at the WEF only confirms his priority is himself and his 2028 presidential run rather than the needs of Kentucky. Jan. 22LIMA A Kentucky man was arrested Tuesday after he led officers from the Lima post of the Ohio State Highway Patrol on a high-speed chase at speeds that reached 110 miles per hour. According to a patrol spokesman, Madison Heniger, 30, of Louisville, Kentucky, was traveling at a high rate of speed southbound on Interstate 75 in Hancock County, just north of Bluffton, around 5:30 a.m. when a trooper attempted to initiate a traffic stop. Heniger reportedly accelerated, passing multiple vehicles on the shoulder and turning his headlights on and off in an attempt to elude officers. Stop sticks were successfully deployed near the Bluelick Road exit just north of Lima, but Heniger continued to travel down I-75 at speeds of around 30-35 mph, the patrol spokesman said. He was taken into custody at 5:50 a.m. near the Fourth Street exit of I-75. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Heniger is facing preliminary felony charges of driving under the influence and weapons under disability. The OSHP spokesman said it learned Wednesday that Heniger faces similar charges in Louisville. Featured Local Savings A key figure in the Anthony Patterson case has been arrested in Oklahoma City, according to online jail records. Jandreani Dashimella Bell was booked into the Oklahoma County Jail shortly after 11 a.m. Wednesday. She is being held without bail, according to jail records. Bell has warrants for indecency with a child charges in Texas. Jandreani Bell was booked into the Oklahoma County Jail shortly after 11 a.m. Wednesday. Anyone accused of a crime is presumed innocent unless convicted beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Bell is accused of providing her two underaged female cousins to Patterson, a wealthy former automobile dealer, for sexual purposes. Patterson was convicted in Fort Worth in November on multiple charges related to the 2017 incidents and was sentenced to 33 years in prison. During the leadup to Patterson's trial, there was some discussion in court about her testifying in it, but she did not appear as a witness. Bell failed to show up for a pre-trial hearing in 30th District Court on Dec. 20, and her $20,000 bond was forfeited, according to court documents. More: Crime Stoppers on lookout for woman accused of conspiring in Anthony Patterson's crimes More: The Anthony Patterson case: A timeline This article originally appeared on Wichita Falls Times Record News: Key figure in Anthony Patterson case arrested in Oklahoma WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) Its not every day you get to save a life on or off the job. Of all times, believe it or not, of being 23 years with the Kansas Highway Patrol, Ive never given CPR before, said Trooper Chad Crittenden with the KHP. So, my first time happened to be off duty, and I couldnt be happier to work with and save one of my best friends out here. Trooper Chad was home in November when his neighbor came running to his door. Melanie Penners husband, Ron, had collapsed in the backyard. Melanie heard someone doing landscaping work in the yard yelling for her to get outside. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement And here is where I found Ron collapsed, said Melanie. We called 911. Salina company to close, laying off 98 workers There was no pulse. Ron had suffered a major cardiac event. And the dispatcher right away asked if there was a pulse, and there was not. And she said, do you have a defibrillator? said Melanie. And I said, No, we dont, but our neighbor might.' Trooper Chad and his wife both ran to the Penner home. And Chad came and started his compressions, and he said, Ill take over here,' said Melanie. Ambulance crews used a defibrillator several times on Ron and finally got a pulse. Ron is now home, and Trooper Chad is being recognized for that event and a second where he helped someone in need. He has received the Kansas Highway Patrol lifesaving award for immediate response in providing lifesaving medical aid. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Wichita restaurant is semifinalist for prestigious James Beard Award Yeah, I mean, Im a pretty humble person, but Kansas Highway Patrol has this (award), said Trooper Chad. Trooper Chad says he hopes anybody in the right place at the right time could do the same. Thats why in law enforcement and all first responders, you train and train and train just in case an incident like this would happen so you can respond without having to think, and it can make a big difference, said Trooper Chad. Ron was in intensive care and then rehab. He is home now, continuing rehabilitation. Can I say Ive given thanks to God for him many times, said Ron. Because we pray about that every day. Watch out for our families and our friends. Keep us all safe from accident and harm.' Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Penner family has a strong faith, and they believe things happen for a reason. Melanie also says she is thankful for neighbors like Trooper Chad, who are trained to help. And the troopers are not just people out there on the highway to stop people from speeding or working accidents. They are here in everyday life, said Melanie. Protecting us all whenever the need arises. For more Kansas news, click here. Keep up with the latest breaking news by downloading our mobile app and signing up for our news email alerts. Sign up for our Storm Track 3 Weather app by clicking 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 KSN-TV. Authorities in Kiev said on Thursday they are investigating the alleged killing of six captured Ukrainian soldiers by Russian forces. The public prosecutor's office in Kiev said the killing of the prisoners of war is believed to have occurred when Russian troops captured a Ukrainian position in the eastern Donetsk region. As in previous such cases, the suspicion is based on a video that has been circulating on social media networks. Russian soldiers are said to have filmed the act themselves. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The execution of prisoners of war is a grave violation of the Geneva Convention and a war crime, the prosecutors noted in a statement. It was not said when the killings took place. With the relentless advance of the Russian army in eastern Ukraine, more and more Ukrainian soldiers are being executed, according to Kiev, even though they had surrendered to the Russians. At least 109 prisoners of war had been demonstrably killed in such a manner in 2024, Dmytro Lubinets, the human rights commissioner of the Ukrainian parliament, said shortly before the end of last year. Lubinets commented on Thursday on the new accusation, writing on X: "A video of the alleged execution of Ukrainian POWs by Russians is circulating. The occupiers recorded the shot in the back of 6 Ukrainian POWs. The video cuts off when the 7th soldier lies on the ground, his fate unknown. The POWs are shot in front of their comrades." K9 Quinn from King County Sheriffs Office is being hailed a good boy after helping nab a suspected drug dealer. On January 15, the Special Emphasis Team got probable cause to arrest someone accused of trafficking drugs across Thurston, Snohomish and Pierce Counties. The sheriffs office says the team seized 29.3 pounds of meth, 4.9 pounds of heroin, 1 pound of cocaine an estimated street value of $796,000. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The suspect was booked into jail in violation of the Uniform Controlled Substance Act. Quinn (and the Special Emphasis Team in Precinct 4) does it again. On January 15th, the K9 and his crew were able to get... Posted by King County Sheriff's Office on Wednesday, January 22, 2025 Russian military bloggers, known as milbloggers, have responded in defiant terms to Donald Trumps ultimatum to his Russian counterpart, describing it as "blackmail" from a U.S. president acting more like a "king of the playground." On Jan. 22, Trump called on Russian President Vladimir Putin to "make a deal" to end the war in Ukraine, warning that failure to reach an agreement would lead to increased sanctions, tariffs, and taxes on Russian goods. Trumps statement comes after months of repeated claims he would quickly put an end to Russias war against Ukraine. Though it is still unknown how Trump plans to reach a deal between Russia and Ukraine, members of his team have made it clear that both sides will have to make concessions. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In a typically bombastic post on his social media platform Truth Social, Trump said he was "not looking to hurt Russia" and maintained he has "always had a very good relationship" with Putin. "We can do it the easy way or the hard way and the easy way is always better," Trump wrote. "It's time to make a deal. No more lives should be lost." Read also: Trump says Russias war in Ukraine will end immediately if OPEC lowers oil prices The official Russian response was relatively measured, with Russia's Deputy U.N. Ambassador Dmitry Polyanskiy saying Russia would have to determine what Trump means by "deal" before entering into negotiations. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov on Jan. 23 said Moscow didnt see "any particularly new elements" in what Trump said, but added Russia was ready for an "equal and respectful" dialogue with the U.S. But over on Telegram, a messenger app, Russian milbloggers were far more vocal in their opinions of Trumps ultimatum. Pro-Kremlin military bloggers are highly influential in the Russian media ecosystem, sharing insider war coverage and pro-war analysis of events, usually on Telegram. Highly nationalistic, the most prominent have followings in the hundreds of thousands, with some like Rybar having more than a million. A woman uses her smartphone while walking past a mural depicting members of Russia's Yunarmiya (Young Army) youth patriotic movement in Moscow, Russia, on May 14, 2024. (Natalia Kolesnikova / AFP via Getty Images) German Kulikovsky/Starshe Eddy (Older than the Edda) Trump's ultimatum in the end, good old Donald is a typical American (salesman), not a politician. Nothing but lies in a fiery speech, all to sell an uninformed average person a completely unnecessary and very poor-quality product. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When American astronauts land on Mars, and the Russian army loses a million soldiers killed in the war with "khokhols" (a derogatory word for Ukrainians) then maybe it will be worth considering his proposals. But for now, it's better to just shut the door or hang up the phone to avoid listening to what the salesman says about his junk. Read also: Kyiv Independent identifies high-ranking Russian officer, officials involved in looting of museums in southern Ukraine Alexey Kargapoltsev/Zapiski veterana (A veterans notes) Everyone has already interpreted Trumps ultimatum to Russia however they please, but the meaning is the same either you do as I say, or Ill pressure you even harder with sanctions. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As I wrote earlier, there can be no talk of peace. Russia cannot accept what is being offered to it, and Ukraine will not agree to what Russia demands of it. Ukraine should prepare for the complete destruction of its male population, and Russia for a long and grueling war. Dva Maiora (Two Majors) 'To make a deal' an important and well-established American expression Trump took from business. Before the elections, he called Zelensky ineffective. Thats the first point. Secondly this is a public ultimatum. How poorly Trump has studied the leadership of our country, to whom he is offering that very deal. Nothing will be agreed to under pressure. And thirdly why should Russia believe the Yankees this time, (believe) that they wont cheat us again? Colonel Cassad Trump is threatening Russia with new sanctions and the introduction of additional tariffs on Russian goods supplied to the U.S. if Russia doesnt end the special military operation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Weve already been through this under (former U.S. President Joe) Biden. Attempts to change Russia's position through primitive threats are unlikely to bring Trump the outcome he desires. People walk on the edge of Red Square outside the Kremlin during heavy snowfall in Moscow, Russia, on Feb. 7, 2024. (Natalia Kolesnikova / AFP via Getty Images) Kotsnews (Aleksandr Kots) As we assumed, Trumps plan is an ultimatum and blackmail. Like I said, better to prepare for the worst. Bidens term will soon be remembered with nostalgia as a thaw. Remember this post. In a later post Perhaps Donald Trump is unaware, but Vladimir Putin belongs to the pre-TikTok era of global politics, where serious leaders discuss important issues through dialogue, not electronic notes. To express his vision for ending the war in Ukraine, Trump could, at the very least, pick up the phone. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This (drama) with demands to make a deal or else sanctions, tariffs, and so on, is hardly appropriate. What exactly do we still trade with the U.S. thats critical to our budget? The last significant revenue stream came from uranium sales the U.S. imported a quarter of its nuclear fuel from Russia. But last May, Biden banned the import of our low-enriched uranium, and in November, Moscow responded by restricting enriched uranium exports to the U.S. Now you can freeze your ears off just to spite Uncle Sam. To be fair, Trump hasnt turned on this thug-like political mode exclusively toward Russia. Canada, Denmark, Panama, and Mexico are also taking hits from "Bold Donnie" and his team. Apparently, the heady success with Hamas (which was open to a ceasefire without threats from the American president) gave him a sense of omnipotence. Trump seems determined to come out looking like a winner no matter the situation. But Russia isnt Gaza. Starting a dialogue with ultimatums isnt the most farsighted move for a leader aiming to position himself as a peacemaker. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Moscow will never agree to any deal dictated through blackmail and threats. In short, (its a) fail, Donald Fredovich. Leave and return as a proper statesman representing a great power, not an overconfident king of the playground. Read also: Ukraines Special Forces say they killed 21 North Korean soldiers, show combat footage Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. Jan. 22A Kingston man who crashed his snowmobile Tuesday faces several charges, including operating a snowmobile while under the influence of alcohol, authorities said Wednesday. Carl J Geisler IV, 33, was operating his snowmobile alone when he struck a chain acting as a gate while going at a slow speed, causing non-life-threatening injuries, according to Fish and Game. Geisler made it back home about a half-mile away and called police, who sent an ambulance that took him to Plaistow Emergency Room for treatment. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The crash remains under investigation, but authorities said alcohol appears to be a primary contributing factor, according to Fish and Game. Geisler also was charged with operating an unregistered snowmobile and operating on private property without landowner permission, according to authorities. ANTIOCH, Tenn. (WKRN) The 17-year-old who opened fire inside the cafeteria of Antioch High School Wednesday morning has been identified as Solomon Henderson, who was also a student at the school. According to Chief John Drake of the Metro Nashville Police Department (MNPD), Henderson arrived at the school on a bus and is believed to have gone into the restroom and retrieved a pistol. Details released following deadly shooting at Antioch High School Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Henderson reportedly confronted a female student before he opened fire inside the cafeteria, resulting in the death of 16-year-old Josselin Corea Escalante. The MNPD said Henderson then shot himself in the head and was fatally wounded. Officials said a male student sustained a graze wound to the arm but was treated at Vanderbilt University Medical Center and released. Another male student was reportedly brought to Monroe Carell Jr. Childrens Hospital at Vanderbilt with a facial injury that wasnt from a gunshot. During a Wednesday morning press conference, Drake said there may have been at least one prior incident involving Henderson at the school, but specified he was unsure of the details. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Lawmakers react to Antioch High School shooting One student told News 2 Henderson was a smart person, adding that he was at the top of the class, and was quiet. We were in ROTC together, this year too and he was always top of the class always doing his work, she added. To know that he did stuff about that, and he planned to do it, you just dont know how anyone really is. Shortly after the MNPD revealed his identity, News 2 started digging into his online presence. According to ABC News, a detailed analysis conducted by the consultant firm SITE Intelligence which tracks extremists online, showed the suspected shooter praised mass shooters and showed an affinity for extremist views. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As part of the probe into Wednesdays shooting, analysts compiled a profile of Henderson built from his own comments and online activity, according to ABC News. Solomon Henderson (Courtesy: ABC News) Solomon Henderson (Courtesy: ABC News) Henderson apparently shared a 51-page document prior to the shooting, expressing violent white supremacist beliefs. In the writing, he showed support for neo-Nazi accelerationist, violent incel beliefs and expressed a desire to see genocide committed against racial and religious minorities. He reportedly directed readers to other similar types of posts and belonged to online communities that promote violence and extremism. Others in those groups publicly identified Henderson as the shooter before his ID was confirmed by authorities. In the doc, Henderson also made specific reference to Antioch High School. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He expressed self-hatred as a Black person angry at his own race and wrote of wishing violence on other Black people. He also expressed hatred toward Jews and used antisemitic tropes and conspiracy theories to express his views. Antioch High School Shooting | Continuing Coverage I knew him personally. He was in my class and I didnt think he was anything like that. I just thought he was a sweet quiet person, but he wasnt, one Antioch High School student said. Speculations circulated online about the partial livestream of the attack on the platform KICK. The company addressed the attack in a social media post, stating they have rapidly banned the account and removed the video. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If you see something, say something, we believe theres some materials out there, that maybe they were seen, and if someone said something, maybe more could have been done, said Chief John Drake. The MNPD removed boxes of material from the shooters last known address late Wednesday. Investigators were seen carrying boxes of evidence as authorities continued to try and figure out what led up to this deadly shooting. No additional details about the contents of the boxes were immediately 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 WKRN News 2. An executive order President Donald Trump signed on his first day back in office offers a new federal government definition of the sexes that could have a major impact on transgender people nationwide. The order calls for the federal government to define sex as only male or female and for that to be reflected on official documents such as passports and policies such as federal prison assignments. As for federal spending, it's not clear what his vow to end broader gender classifications will mean on the ground. Many of the provisions are likely to be challenged in court. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Here's a look at the order. Defining male and female based on cells that don't exist at conception The order declares that there are just two sexes, male and female. It rejects that people can transition from one gender to another or be considered something other than male or female such as nonbinary, which describes people who dont identify as strictly men or women, or intersex. The position reflects what many social conservatives have called for and conflicts with what the American Medical Association and other mainstream medical groups say: that extensive scientific research suggests sex and gender are better understood as a spectrum than as an either-or definition. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trumps order says it is intended to protect womens spaces from those who self-identify as women. It defines the sexes in an unconventional way, based on the reproductive cells large cells in females or small ones in males. And it suggests that humans have those cells at conception. Biologists say thats a problem because egg cells develop many weeks later, and sperm cells are produced at puberty, not at conception. At that stage, sexual differentiation has not started to take place, said Carl Bergstrom, a University of Washington evolutionary biologist. I cant see any logically coherent way to interpret the definition in this executive order, given the addition of the phrase at conception. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Bergstrom said a scientific explanation could specify sex chromosomes, but the executive order seems to deliberately avoid that, presumably to sidestep the range of variations that include intersex people, who have physical traits that dont fit typical definitions for male or female categories. What parts of the order are in effect? The order has been signed, but much of it requires more federal action. Nothing is in effect, said Heron Greenesmith, deputy director of policy at the Transgender Law Center. The executive order tells one White House staff member to draft a bill for Congress within 30 days that would codify the definitions into law. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Federal agencies must tell the president within 120 days what they've done to comply with the order. Some parts might require going through the regulatory process or passing new laws. Omar Gonzalez-Pagan, a Lambda Legal lawyer, said on a call with journalists this week that the order does not change current law but rather creates a clear signal and road map of where this administrations policies lie when it comes to transgender people. State laws on participation in sports, bathroom use, gender-affirming care and other issues are not directly affected. What does it mean for federally issued documents? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The order calls for passports, visas and Global Entry cards to reflect the administration's definition of sexes. The State Department, which is responsible for passports, declined to answer questions about the current state of policy. The order suggests getting rid of the X designation that has been available on passports since 2021 after a long legal battle waged by an intersex activist. A department webpage that described how people could change their gender marker was taken offline, and Chase Strangio, an ACLU lawyer, said it's unlikely that any new application to change the gender marker on a passport will be approved. A White House spokesperson told the news outlet NOTUS this week that passports that have not expired will remain valid. But people will have to comply with the new order when they apply for a new passport or renew an old one. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement What about transgender federal prison inmates? The order contains specific details on how it should apply in federal prisons, which house nearly 2,300 transgender inmates about 1.5% of the total population. It calls for housing transgender women there are more than 1,500 in men's prisons, and for halting gender-affirming medical care. At least two transgender inmates have had government-funded gender-affirming surgery in recent years as a result of court orders. A larger number have received other treatment, such as hormones. Sarah Warbelow, legal director at Human Rights Campaign, said court orders that grant inmates access to treatment remain in effect, even if federal policy changes. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The ACLU says it's heard from some defense lawyers that incarcerated transgender women were being moved into isolation or being told they would be transferred to men's prisons. The Bureau of Prisons did not respond to questions about whether inmates are to be moved. Will this stop Medicaid from paying for gender-affirming care? Medicaid, a joint federal-state health insurance program for lower-income people, covers gender-affirming care in some states. Former President Joe Biden's administration adopted a rule to make it do so nationally. But judges put that on hold. So far, it's unclear what might happen to the coverage in states that chose to offer it. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Lindsey Dawson, director of LGBTQ health policy at the health policy research organization KFF, said that eliminating the coverage where it's already in place would likely involve a long process and, like others, would probably face court challenges. ___ The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institutes Science and Educational Media Group and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content. KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WATE) The Knox County District Attorneys Office released on Thursday, Jan. 23 that no charges will be filed and no further investigation conducted after a man died in law enforcement custody. David Batts died in on January 8 after his previous lawyer said he was tased and struck multiple times at the Roger D. Wilson Detention Facility. His family has now retained attorney Ben Crump, who released a statement asking for the footage associated with his death to be released. A statement from DA Charme Allen said the Medical Examiners Office determined his death was not caused by trauma or injury; instead he died from meningitis. Allen added that a urinalysis revealed the presence of fentanyl in Batts system. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Arrest warrant shares new details in fatal Lenoir City shooting The final autopsy report is pending, awaiting the final toxicology results which will determine whether the presence of fentanyl contributed to Mr. Batts death. Because of the expert opinion of the Medical Examiners Office, there is no criminal homicide for the TBI to investigate, wrote Allen. Allen explained that she began speaking with the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation within hours of Batts death, however after reviewing the Medical Examiners preliminary finding, she determined that no further criminal investigation by the TBI is required. While Mr. Batts did suffer injuries in the custody of the Knox County Sheriffs Office, the Medical Examiner has expressed to me that the injuries to Mr. Batts face did not cause or contribute to his death in any way. The conclusion that Mr. Batts was suffering from meningitis provides an explanation for his actions, which officers and witnesses interpreted as assaultive or resistive, wrote Allen. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement She determined that, after reviewing the body camera footage and the Medical Examiners preliminary findings, the officers involved responded to Batts aggressive and resistive behavior with appropriate force given the circumstances. She added that there is no evidence to support criminal prosecution based on Batts injuries. Amber deserved so much more: Family mourns woman found dead in back of car I met with Mr. Batts family and attorneys this morning to express my condolences and to explain how the Medical Examiners findings preclude any criminal prosecution in this matter at this time, wrote Allen. Following the DAs statement, Crump issued the following statement: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The death of David Batts is an example of unchecked brutality within the justice system. His family deserves answers, accountability, and justice for this horrific loss. We demand the immediate release of all footage related to Davids death to ensure transparency and hold those involved responsible for this tragedy. Previously, Lance Baker of the Baker Law Firm, who was initially retained by Batess family, shared that he hoped the autopsy report would answer the familys questions about what happened to Bates. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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 Kremlin was not impressed by US President Donald Trump's threat to impose new sanctions on Russia if it does not agree to enter a peace agreement with Ukraine. Source: Politico, Brussels-based politics and policy news organisation Quote from Dmitry Peskov, Spokesperson for the Russian leader: "We do not see any particular new elements here." Details: Peskov added that Trump "liked sanctions" and used them frequently during his first presidential term. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Quote from Dmitry Peskov: "Russia is ready for an equal and careful dialogue with the United States, which we had during Trump's first term. We are waiting for signals that have not yet been received." More details: On Wednesday, Trump threatened to impose new sanctions and tariffs on Russia if Russian leader Vladimir Putin does not reach a deal to end the war in Ukraine. Russia has been waging a full-scale invasion of Ukraine for nearly three years in a brutal conflict that has killed tens of thousands of people on both sides as Ukrainian forces resist the Kremlin's advance. Quote from Trump: "Settle now, and STOP this ridiculous War! ITS ONLY GOING TO GET WORSE. If we dont make a 'deal,' and soon, I have no other choice but to put high levels of Taxes, Tariffs, and Sanctions on anything being sold by Russia to the United States. We can do it the easy way, or the hard way and the easy way is always better." Background: Donald Trump stated that he would impose high taxes, sanctions, and tariffs on everything Russia sells to the US if Russian leader Putin does not reach a peace agreement with Ukraine. Russia ended 2024 with a record budget deficit of RUB 3.5 trillion (about US$35 million), the highest in recent years. Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin is increasingly concerned about the problems in Russia's war economy, just as Donald Trump is actively calling for an end to the conflict in Ukraine. Support UP or become our patron! Moscow responded calmly on Thursday to threats issued by US President Donald Trump of sanctions in order to end the ongoing war in Ukraine. "We don't see any particularly new elements here," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said of Trump's statement that he would impose high taxes, tariffs and sanctions if Moscow did not end the war on Ukraine. He was referring to Trump's comment on Wednesday, when he posted the message: "Im going to do Russia, whose Economy is failing, and President Putin, a very big FAVOR. Settle now, and STOP this ridiculous War! ITS ONLY GOING TO GET WORSE." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "If we dont make a 'deal,' and soon, I have no other choice but to put high levels of Taxes, Tariffs, and Sanctions on anything being sold by Russia to the United States, and various other participating countries. Lets get this war, which never would have started if I were President, over with!" he wrote in a post on Truth Social, a platform which he co-founded. The Russian economy is developing stably despite some problems, Peskov said. He noted Russia is following the rhetoric in Washington closely, but remained ready for a respectful dialogue. Trump, who took office on Monday, has in the past said he is willing to talk to Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in order to end the conflict. Ukraine is heavily dependent on Western support as it seeks to fend off the invasion, primarily massive arms supplies from Washington. It remains unclear how far Trump plans to maintain the billions in Ukraine aid pledged by his predecessor Joe Biden. Moscow responded calmly on Thursday to threats issued by US President Donald Trump of sanctions in order to end the ongoing war in Ukraine. "We don't see any particularly new elements here," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said of Trump's statement that he would impose high taxes, tariffs and sanctions if Moscow did not end the war on Ukraine. He was referring to Trump's comment on Wednesday, when he posted the message: "Im going to do Russia, whose Economy is failing, and President Putin, a very big FAVOR. Settle now, and STOP this ridiculous War! ITS ONLY GOING TO GET WORSE." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "If we dont make a 'deal,' and soon, I have no other choice but to put high levels of Taxes, Tariffs, and Sanctions on anything being sold by Russia to the United States, and various other participating countries. Lets get this war, which never would have started if I were President, over with!" he wrote in a post on Truth Social, a platform which he co-founded. The Russian economy is developing stably despite some problems, Peskov said. He noted Russia is following the rhetoric in Washington closely, but remained ready for a respectful dialogue. Trump, who took office on Monday, has in the past said he is willing to talk to Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in order to end the conflict. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ukraine is heavily dependent on Western support as it seeks to fend off the invasion, primarily massive arms supplies from Washington. It remains unclear how far Trump plans to maintain the billions in Ukraine aid pledged by his predecessor Joe Biden. Trump also referred to Russian losses in World War II, saying "We must never forget that Russia helped us win the Second World War, losing almost 60,000,000 lives in the process." Peskov rejected the inflated casualty figure, but he emphasized that Russia had not helped, but made the most important contribution to the victory over fascism. It was rather the US that played an auxiliary role, he said, adding Russia would never forget this help. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Historical research estimates 27 million war dead in the Soviet Union. At the same time, Peskov extended an indirect invitation to Trump to join Moscow's annual military parade marking the end of the war. "We hope that the Americans and President Trump will share with us the joy of celebrating the 80th anniversary of Victory Day, he said. Russia celebrates May 9 as Victory Day over Hitler's fascism, staging a military parade on Red Square to mark the occasion. The Kremlin has reacted to US President Donald Trumps threats to impose new sanctions on Russia if no agreement is reached regarding the Russo-Ukrainian war. Source: Meduza, Latvia-based Russian media outlet, as reported by European Pravda Details: Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov made a statement on Thursday, 23 January. He noted that the Kremlin did not find "any particularly new elements" in Trumps remarks. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Peskov stated that Trump "favours sanction-based methods" and that, during his first term, he became "the US president who most frequently resorted" to such tools. Peskov added that Russia remains open to "equal and respectful" dialogue with the United States, which "was in place" during Trumps first term. However, he remarked that Russia is still waiting for signals "that have yet to arrive". Background: On 22 January, US President Donald Trump called on Russia to make a "deal" to end the war in Ukraine, warning of intensified sanctions and tariffs against Moscow if no agreement is reached. On the first day of his presidency, Trump said that Vladimir Putin was destroying Russia by not ending the war. US President Donald Trump has said he will consider additional sanctions against Russia as its war against Ukraine approaches its third anniversary. Support UP or become our patron! The Kremlin sees nothing new in U.S. President Donald Trump's threats to impose sanctions if no deal on the war in Ukraine is reached, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said on Jan. 23 during his press briefing. A day earlier, Trump said that if a "deal" to end the war in Ukraine was not reached soon, he would have no choice but to "put high levels of taxes, tariffs, and sanctions on anything being sold by Russia to the United States and other participating countries." "We don't see any particularly new elements here. You know that Trump, in the first iteration of his presidency, was the American president who most often resorted to sanctions methods," Peskov said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Russia is ready for an "equal and respectful" dialogue with the U.S., as it was during Trump's first term, Peskov added. The Kremlin spokesman also noted that no preparations are currently underway for a meeting between Trump and Putin. During the election campaign, Trump promised to end the war in Ukraine in 24 hours, though his choice for special Ukraine peace envoy, Keith Kellogg, has since revised this to 100 days. The Trump team hopes to quickly begin work on a settlement plan that could be implemented within the first few months of his presidency. A meeting with Putin is part of the plan, according to CNN. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump has often voiced sympathies for the Russian leader while criticizing the level of support the outgoing Biden administration gave to Kyiv. This prompted concerns that the new U.S. leadership might cut a deal unfavorable to Ukraine. Read also: Trump sees peace in Ukraine as a deal but refuses to play his winning hand Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. The Kremlin is unmoved by President Trumps threats to impose sanctions if Russia does not bow out of its conflict with Ukraine. We dont see any particularly new elements here. You know that Trump, in the first iteration of his presidency, was the American president who most often resorted to sanctions methods, Dmitry Peskov, Kremlin spokesperson said during a Thursday press conference. While campaigning, Trump promised to end the war in Ukraine during his first day in office. Special envoy Keith Kellogg extended the deadline to his first 100 days in office. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If we dont make a deal, and soon, I have no other choice but to put high levels of Taxes, Tariffs, and Sanctions on anything being sold by Russia to the United States, and various other participating countries, the president wrote in a Wednesday Truth Social post, noting Russias role in helping to win WWII. Lets get this war, which never would have started if I were President, over with, he added, referencing the bloody battle in Ukraine. Russias President Vladimir Putin has stated he was open to meeting with Trump after the inauguration, although nothing has been scheduled. Ukraines President Volodymyr Zelensky said he thinks Trump has the necessary influence to get Putin to end the war. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I think that President Trump not only has will he has enough power to pressure him, to pressure Putin not into wanting to stop it, Zelensky said. No, he [Putin] will not want to. To pressure him to actually stop it, that is the difference. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. Thursdays Top Stories Thursdays Five Facts [1] Will Couy Griffin accept a pardon for his Jan. 6th conviction? Former Otero County Commissioner Couy Griffin is weighing whether or not to accept the pardon from President Trump for his actions in the Capitol riot. Photos showed Griffin climbing to the Capitol on January 6, 2021. He was federally convicted of misdemeanor trespassing. His disorderly conduct charge was dismissed. He said accepting one of President Trumps sweeping pardons of Capitol rioters does not sit well with him. While it would fully exonerate him, he said pardons are political. [2] Proposed bill would give Cannabis Control Division more authority for regulation House Bill 10 would add law enforcement officers to the New Mexico Cannabis Control Division for the purpose of pursuing charges against people who violate the states Cannabis Regulation Act. Currently, the Cannabis Control Division is limited to issuing civil fines and must refer violations of criminal law to local and state law enforcement. Officials say the change would allow them to act on these offenses without burdening police departments around the state. [3] Colder today but mild & mostly dry weather ahead Big temperatures swings from around 25 degrees to almost 50 degrees will occur with lower afternoon temperatures for almost all locations. Most central-to-southern areas will be very dry as despite the slight cooldown today, temperatures will mostly be on the rise ahead as clouds will pass through. Winter weather will then arrive by the middle of next week. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement [4] Two UNM professors awarded presidential award for their efforts in STEM field Associate Professor Matthew Lakin and Professor Vanessa Svihla were awarded the Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers. The awards were given out by former president Joe Biden. Lakin was recognized for his work on Bio-Medical devices. Svihla was recognized for framing agency in the classroom, allowing students to pose and study open ended questions in the engineering field. The National Science Foundation nominated both Lakin and Svihla. [5] Remains of teenage New Mexico soldier killed during Korean War identified More than 70 years after dying in the Korean War, a young soldier from Los Lunas has been identified. U.S. Army Private First Class Arthur Clifton was only 17 when he joined the army. In 1950 he was reported missing in action after his unit was attacked by Chinese Communist forces near the Chosin Reservoir. His fate was a mystery until last August, when his remains were finally identified through DNA. Clifton will be buried on January 31 at the Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery in San Antonio. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. (Bloomberg) -- The Kurdistan Regional Governments prime minister said he was surprised by changes to an approved plan for oil production costs and the Iraqi parliament not voting on it this week, potentially creating a fresh hurdle in restarting exports that have been halted for almost two years. Most Read from Bloomberg Iraqs cabinet in November had approved a plan to pay $16 a barrel for oil production and transportation from the Kurdistan region. Following two readings, the parliament was scheduled to vote on the budget on Tuesday, but it was deferred after some changes were made unexpectedly, KRG Prime Minister Masrour Barzani said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Aso Fraidoon, a Kurdish lawmaker in the parliaments oil and gas committee, said the vote was pushed back to allow for more political discussions as some lawmakers raised objections on the level of payment. We were all expecting the parliament to vote on a draft that was agreed to by all of us with the federal government, Kurdistan region, and the international oil companies, Barzani said he said in an interview during the World Economic Forum in Davos. I was very surprised that theres a alternative draft without consulting with us, he said. A spokesman for the Iraqi federal government didnt have any immediate comments. The developments in the parliament highlight the saga of cost disputes that have held up full restart of the key pipeline that can carry about half a million barrels a day of oil from Kurdistan to Turkeys Mediterranean port of Ceyhan. Iraqis federal government, the Kurdish regional administration and the oil companies operating in the region have at various times blamed each other for the delays. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The impasse kicked off in March 2023 after Turkey halted the pipeline following an arbitration courts order to pay Iraq $1.5 billion. Ankara, which claimed the pipe was shut because it needed repairs after two massive earthquakes in February that year, later said that it was ready for operations and it was up to Iraq to resume flows. Restarting the pipeline may also pose a dilemma for Baghdad, which is obligated to cut crude output as part of an OPEC+ agreement but has been struggling to adhere to promised cutbacks. Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2025 Bloomberg L.P. Editors note: The story is being updated. Ukraines Foreign Ministry and military intelligence agency secured the release of three Ukrainian crew members of the Galaxy Leader commercial vessel from the Houthi captivity in a "joint operation," the ministry said in the statement on Jan. 23. The news comes as the Yemeni rebel group released the crew of the ship captured in November 2023 as part of attacks on vessels sailing through the Red Sea corridor. The decision is part of de-escalation efforts in the wake of the Gaza ceasefire. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In the statement, the Foreign Ministry said that the three Ukrainian citizens are "in the care of Ukrainian diplomats, are in good condition, and have all the necessary documents." The multinational crew of 25 also included sailors from Romania, Mexico, Bulgaria, and the Philippines. Authorities in the Philippines and Bulgaria have also confirmed the release of their citizens. Ukraine has led talks on the release of its citizens since the vessel was captured, the ministry said. Kyiv has extended thanks to the government of Oman for assistance in facilitating their release. The Houthis claimed they had targeted the Bahamas-flagged vessel over its connection to Israel, as the ship is associated with Tel Aviv businessman Abraham Ungar. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It is unclear how long will the de-escalation efforts in the Red Sea last as new U.S. President Donald Trump recently designated the Iran-backed Houthi movement as a terrorist group. Read also: Russia provided Yemens Houthis with satellite data to attack vessels in Red Sea, WSJ reports Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. The Kyiv Independent identified a Russian military officer and three Russian-appointed officials from occupied Crimea who were responsible for the illegal removal of artworks and artifacts from two Kherson museums in the fall of 2022. Fleeing a Ukrainian counteroffensive, Russian forces collectively stole more than 33,000 historical artifacts and works of art. This museum theft is the largest in Europe since World War II. Those who oversaw the theft are Dmitry Lipov, head of the communications center of the Russian Black Sea Fleet, who served as the city's commandant during the occupation of Kherson, Sergey Patrushev, appointed by the Russian authorities to head the museum department of the so-called Crimean Ministry of Culture, Elena Morozova and Mikhail Smorodkin, appointed by the Russian authorities as directors of the Crimean museums, Tauric Chersonese and the Museum of Defense of Sevastopol. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The findings are the basis for the Kyiv Independent's War Crimes Investigation Unit's documentary "Curated Theft." Read also: Russias looting of history is a theft of who we are To identify those who took part in the government-sanctioned theft, the Kyiv Independent journalist posed as a Russian TV producer and as a Russian investigator to communicate with local collaborators who helped Russian troops loot. The Kyiv Independent found that Russian officer Lipov was responsible for securing the collections during their removal and personally sealed the trucks that carried the stolen items. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Patrushev was responsible for moving paintings from the Kherson Art Museum to occupied Crimea. The directors of the Crimean museums chose items from the Kherson Local History museum's collection during the looting. The Kyiv Independent also found that the illegal removal of collections from Kherson to occupied Crimea was supervised by the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB). Read also: Investigation: How Russia profits from arms exports to Saudi Arabia despite sanctions Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. By Dan Peleschuk KYIV (Reuters) -Kyiv's talks with its allies on a possible foreign troop contingent in Ukraine that would act as a security guarantee are only in their early stages and have not focused on specific numbers, the foreign ministry said on Thursday. Ukraine is seeking security guarantees from its allies as part of any potential peace deal to end the war, nearly three years since Russia's invasion. President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Tuesday those could include at least 200,000 European peacekeepers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In a later interview with Bloomberg, he clarified that number would depend on the size of Ukraine's military, which he has said Kyiv does not want to cut as a part of any deal. The armed forces currently number around 800,000 personnel. "Yes, the discussion is ongoing about... the military contingents of foreign powers, foreign nations that can be potentially deployed to Ukraine," foreign ministry spokesperson Heorhii Tykhyi told reporters at a briefing in Kyiv. "This discussion is in its very early stages." He said it was "too early to talk about exact numbers", and that a foreign troop contingent would only be one part of broader security guarantees. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "We think that durable, reliable security guarantees for Ukraine must include both Europe and the United States. This is how we can ensure that this peace is sustainable and durable," Tykhyi said. Russia on Thursday rejected the idea of NATO countries sending peacekeeping troops to Ukraine in the event of a ceasefire in the war with Russia, saying such a move would threaten to cause an "uncontrollable escalation". Both warring sides sought to improve their positions ahead of U.S. President Donald Trump's return this week to the White House. Russia says it is open to a dialogue with Trump, who has said he intends to bring a swift end to the war. OIL PRICE CAP Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Zelenskiy, in his nightly video address, said a key element in achieving security for Ukraine and bringing Russia to account was reducing European consumption of Russian energy, particularly oil. "Naturally, energy resources, particularly oil, are one of the biggest keys to peace and real security," he said. "And Europe needs to work more closely with America and other international partners, not Russia, on energy resources." The president's chief of staff, Andriy Yermak, said a firm price cap on Russian oil was "the path to global security" and stood by $30 per barrel on Russian oil, as recommended by an international expert group he co-chairs. The cap is now $60. "We fully support U.S. President Donald Trump's aspiration to lower the price on oil," he wrote on Telegram. "The consequence of this would be the collapse of Russia's ability to finance the war." (Reporting by Dan Peleschuk and Ron Popeski; Editing by Tom Balmforth, Ros Russell and Cynthia Osterman) Amara Barroeta is struggling to find a school for her daughter next year following the LA fires. The Eaton Fire burned down the private school she was planning to send her daughter to next year. The fires have also slowed business at her cafe, and Barroeta can no longer afford private school. This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Amara Barroeta, a 41-year-old cafe owner who lives in Pasadena, California, with her husband and her 5-year-old daughter, Barbara. Barroeta's business has been struggling since the LA fires broke out on January 7, and her daughter's school burned down in the Eaton Fire. Several massive wildfires, including the Eaton Fire and the Palisades Fire, devastated parts of Los Angeles and Ventura Counties, destroying over 12,000 structures, likely causing at least 27 reported deaths, and leaving up to $275 billion in damage. The following has been edited for length and clarity: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I came to the US from Venezuela in 2010 to attend business school at UCLA. I'm a chemical engineer by trade, but I had to flee Venezuela with the political situation there. When I came here to study, I was hoping to return, but things got worse. So my Plan B became my Plan A. And in 2012, I decided to open my restaurant, Amara Cafe, in Pasadena. And ever since, that's what I've been doing. Business at Amara's Cafe in Pasadena has slowed down since the LA fires struck the region. Amara Barroeta I always loved our food and the culture of Venezuela. And my restaurant is a way to preserve our cultural heritage it's something that has brought more purpose to my life. This is a place that has so many opportunities, but it can be very frustrating being a small business owner in California. I know I'm not going to be rich out of a little restaurant. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I don't need to spend money on clothing, or shoes, or an expensive car. But one of the few things that I want to afford for my family is a good education for my 5-year-old daughter, Barbara. So I've been sending her to private school at the Oak Knoll Montessori School since she was two years old. They have two campuses a smaller one on Lake Avenue in Pasadena where they have the toddlers and the little children. And then the main Loma Alta campus near the mountain in Altadena holds children from elementary and middle school. Barroeta opened her cafe in 2012 after immigrating from Venezuela. Amara Barroeta This year, my daughter has still been attending the Lake campus, and she was really looking forward to starting at the "big kid" school next year, which is sort of a second home to all the Lake campus kids. And now that possibility is gone. It was chaos as the fires began The week the fires started, Barbara returned to school from the winter break just for one day on Tuesday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement That day, the director of the school sent an email saying they're not going to bring the kids to the campus on Wednesday because there's all these winds and they don't know how it's going to pan out. It was kind of chaos that Wednesday everybody was trying to make sure their friends and family were safe. And so we were evacuating from our home in Pasadena, driving to this friend's home in Marina Del Rey. Oak Knoll Montessori School (Loma Alta School) was burned in the Eaton Fire. Kirby Lee/Getty Images And this person from the school called me and she was telling me, "No, my house is gone." And we're talking on the phone and she's like, "Most likely, the school is not going to be there anymore." And Barbara hears that, and she's not saying anything, but when I hang up the phone, she's like, "Is my school gone? Is my house going to be burned?" Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement So by Wednesday, the school was burned down due to the fires. It was a big shock. The remains of Oak Knoll Montessori School's Loma Alta campus. Kirby Lee/Getty Images Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The campus on Lake didn't burn down, but it's still full of ashes and it had a lot of smoke damage, so they have to do a big cleanup, and they're still waiting for someone to come and inspect the facilities before it can reopen. Anybody who goes through something like this, the first thing that happens through your mind is you're paralyzed because you don't know, like, what should I do now? Thank goodness we didn't lose our home, and we were able to move back into it a few days later, on Saturday. Oak Knoll Montessori School's Loma Alta campus was destroyed in the fire. Kirby Lee/Getty Images Without school last week, my friends came to my house and our kids would keep each other entertained while we worked. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement And this week, the school has provided us with this opportunity to have camp for our children from 8:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. But right now, we still don't know what's going to happen for next week. And for next year, I don't know what the future holds for these schools. I'm still trying to see where I'm going to send my daughter. Barroeta's daughter was looking forward to attending the "big kid school" next year. Amara Barroeta The tuition at Oak Knoll is about $19,000 a year, which is in the lower end for any private school in the area, but that was about as much as I could afford. My business has suffered since the LA fires Since the fires started, my cafe has been seeing about 20% of our normal business, on top of being closed completely for three days. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I don't think there's any way that we can recover from those losses. It feels like COVID all over again. I'm struggling to pay my employees and run my business. And I've supported my crew in difficult times for our business in the past, but this time around, I don't have the same amount of cash in my account to pay for their regular hours. I haven't cut any positions completely, but I'm just trying to give them 60% of the hours or 70% of the hours that they normally have. Amara Barroeta at her cafe in Pasadena. Amara Barroeta So with the business looking as it's looking right now, I have to think that public school is going to be the definite choice for my daughter. I can't really do the economic commitment that I had planned for my daughter's education anymore, so now the plan is going to change. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I've been submitting all the paperwork for the Pasadena Unified School District lottery to see if I can get her into one of the dual-immersion programs, which are bilingual, for the next year. And then, of course, we also have our local school, but we don't know how those are going to be thinking that there are also schools in Altadena and Pasadena that were lost, that got burned and were affected by the fires. What we'll learn from the LA fires I know we're going through a tough moment, but I keep trusting that we will get out of this. When a situation drives you to do something different than you had planned, that is not necessarily bad. It's just different and it will make you work harder. And that's OK I've been through that. When I left my country, I knew that nothing is entitled to you because you're born somewhere, or you're born a certain way, or you have a certain education. What I want my daughter to learn from this is that the only things people can't take away from you is your soul, your values, and your education. After a fire, there's so many things that can happen and can strip you away from your privileges, but that is what remains, and that's what will help you build your future again. Read the original article on Business Insider Got a minute? Share your thoughts in our quick audience survey. Your input helps ICT shape the future of journalism. Sandra Hale Schulman Special to ICT SAN MANUEL BAND RESERVATION With a chorus of loud bleats, herds of goats enthusiastically fawn out over scrubby hills of brush in Highland, California, on the 1,000 acres of tribal reservation land of the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians. Chewing all day, the kids, does and bucks gnaw down the dry flammable brush and save the land, homes and people from the ever-present fire danger. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As the horrific images of the fires that ravaged Los Angeles blasted the world over last week, the longtime use of goats by tribes has emerged as a simple, economical, environmentally friendly, centuries-old proven fire deterrent. Los Angeles is about an hour west of Highland. The fires almost always start in the hills, as dry brush gets ignited by high winds that topple electrical wires, or from lightning strikes, fireworks or careless campfires. Embers can travel for miles, setting new fires ablaze. Ralph Tovar, assistant chief of the San Manuel Fire Department, spoke to ICT about the use of goats on the reservation and nearby properties. Anyone living against the foothills of the San Bernardino Mountains is all too familiar with the threat of wildfires, he said. San Manuel Fire Department uses goats to help eliminate fuels and reduce fire risks while minimizing the impact to the land and its resources. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Other fuel-mitigation methods can destroy archeological materials and cultural and natural resources. Goats prefer food at their eye level and target brush as a food source, which sustains native plants that recover naturally over time. Their ability to navigate terrain makes them an efficient and less disruptive option to reduce fire risks in the mountainous terrain, he said. The brush this year was increased by the past winters record rainfall. The tribes own San Manuel Fire Department uses the herd of 400 to help trim the landscape. They are let loose in the early spring through the fall, then spend the winter at a nearby farm. They are a natural fire-prevention measure. The goats proved themselves during a recent wildfire that stopped spreading once it reached the brushy area chewed down by the goats. The fire department arrived and quickly put out the rest of the flames. The act of stewardship and caring for the land is a sacred duty of the tribe, Chairwoman Lynn Valbuena said in a statement. Stewardship is a responsibility given to our people by the Creator. No matter who owns the land. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Since 2019, this belief has inspired the tribes use of goats for fire prevention. But the tribe also has a well-equipped fire department. The San Manuel Band of Mission Indians Fire Department serves the tribe, which also uses goats for fire prevention. (Photo courtesy of San Manuel Band of Mission Indians) The San Manuel Band of Mission Indians Fire Department was established in 2003 to fight the threat of wildfires on their reservation in the San Bernardino National Forest. The property also holds many family homes, businesses and the award-winning Yaamava Casino Resort. The fire department ranks among the top fire departments not just regionally but in the country. Since 2020, it has operated in the highest tier available for training, equipment readiness, fire prevention and thousands of emergency responses. A class one community hazard mitigation rating means the department is in the top 1 percent of fire departments nationwide. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The fire department has 61 full time employees, two full fire stations, and has handled over 20,000 emergency responses. At a recent ceremony where a new fire truck was dedicated, there were speeches, and tribal members performed traditional Bird Songs wearing ribbon shirts and shaking handmade rattles. The tribe holds Giving Tuesday, and last year the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians gave $1 million in grants to support recovery, conservation and wildfire prevention efforts. The grants help restore and protect vital ecosystems, critical resources to local organizations working on the front lines of recovery, environmental protection, and community safety. Recipients included The Wildlands Conservancy, Mojave Desert Land Trust, San Bernardino Mountains Land Trust and the Center for Biological Diversity. "Giving Tuesday is a day that calls upon us to reflect on the power of collective generosity," said Chairwoman Lynn Valbuena upon giving the grants. "We are honored to support our 2024 grant recipients in their efforts to rehabilitate lands affected by the recent wildfires and invest in the long-term health of our communities and ecosystems. The San Manuel Band of Mission Indians is deeply committed to preservation and stewardship of the cultural and natural resources of the region." Our stories are worth telling. Our stories are worth sharing. Our stories are worth your support. Contribute today to help ICT carry out its critical mission. Sign up for ICTs free newsletter. Keir Starmer is infuriating a group of people whom Lord (previously John) Spellar, a former MP and minister, likes to describe as the MICE: members of the Metropolitan Intellectual Cultural Elite. The Prime Ministers plans to make it harder for protesters to halt important infrastructure projects will, Spellar correctly predicted, infuriate the kind of people who publicly demand a growing economy but who cavil at any prospect of unsightly or less-than-aesthetically-pleasing structures being erected within sight of their favourite vegan restaurant. Curtailing the seemingly endless appeals process that has successfully throttled and delayed so many projects is a welcome step forward by this Government. But Lord Spellar, in his latest daily bulletin of pertinent political newspaper headlines that his office sends out, added an interesting suggestion: Should also look at endless appeals in immigration cases. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Now, theres a thought. That Thames Water, rather than the Home Office, has provided the nation with essential information on the scale of illegal immigration is absurd enough. But not as absurd as the figures themselves: up to one in 12 London residents are thought to be here illegally nearly 600,000 people who require homes, schools and medical treatment. There is what journalists like to call a process story here: why did these figures have to be crow-barred out of Thames Water using a form of Freedom of Information request by The Telegraph, rather than surrendered freely and willingly? What did the water company want with the figures in the first place, and had they discussed them with, or passed them on to, ministers? More importantly, why do the Home Office the department ostensibly responsible for monitoring who arrives in the country not maintain these kinds of statistics? But none of that is as vital as addressing the core findings of this previously hidden report. Successive governments over decades have proved themselves utterly incapable of enforcing the laws they themselves make to maintain border security. It is believed that the vast majority of the half million-plus illegals living in our capital are over-stayers, people who arrived on work, study or visitor visas, and who chose to ignore the terms of those visas when they ran out and it was time to return home. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement And why shouldnt they have? Its not as if there was much of a chance of being forcibly removed. True, a small proportion of illegal residents are packed off to whence they came; this Government likes to boast about record numbers of failed asylum seekers being removed from our shores. But such actions have virtually no impact on the total number of illegals living here, using local services and occupying houses. Even the always dubious argument that immigrants contribute more to the Exchequer than they receive in benefits does not stand up to any scrutiny in this case: if you reckon that even illegal immigrants are paying their way, why not stop one of those electric bikes so beloved of fast food delivery workers and ask if they know when the deadline was for paying their 2023/24 income tax bill? There is more than one scandal here. The obvious one is that so many people are being allowed to cock a snook at the law of the land without fear of the consequences, to continue living in the country of their choice without regard to or respect for Britain or her citizens. These people are not victims; they have chosen to break the criminal law. A few years ago, a restaurant called Byron Burger in London invited its staff to attend an early morning health and safety seminar which turned out to be a sting operation by immigration enforcement officers. Despite the business carrying out all the correct checks prior to hiring, thirty-five people from Albania, Brazil, Egypt and Nepal were arrested. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The outraged response by the usual suspects privileged, middle class student types who today would be mounting protests in support of Hamas Islamists, wearing keffiyehs or gluing themselves to pensioners or something (Baby MICE, as Lord Spellar might describe them) was predictable. In Britain we accept that immigration rules exist, we just dont ever want them enforced. The other scandal is this and all previous governments failure to collect robust data on the scale of illegal immigration. We can all understand why, politically, such an initiative would be (as Sir Humphrey might describe it) courageous. Yes, unhappy voters would simply turn around and blame ministers of the day for failing to control our nations borders. But so what? If youre addicted to being popular, dont go into politics. It is only right that governments are held to account if they signally fail as they all have to prevent people who have no right to be here from staying for as long as they like. If a private water company can collect that data, why cant the Government? And if the interminable cycle of legal appeal after legal appeal, judicial review after judicial review, can be halted in regard to planning applications, why cant the same approach be taken for illegal immigration? As a former MP with a large immigration and asylum caseload, I know only too well that a failed appeal represents only the start of the next one. Keir Starmer has the majority and the authority to make a serious change where previous governments of all stripes have failed. He will never get a better opportunity than now. 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. Lady Kitty Spencer opened up about her cousin Prince William in her first joint magazine cover with her younger sisters, twins Lady Amelia and Lady Eliza. In a new interview with Tatler, Kitty, 34, spoke about Centrepoint, a charity dedicated to help homeless youth that her aunt Princess Diana supported and that was one of Prince Williams first royal patronages. This year will mark 20 years since the Prince of Wales, 42, began working with the organization, carrying on his mothers legacy in the process. Related: Princess Dianas Niece Lady Kitty Spencer Shares Rare Tribute to Cousin Prince William: Inspires Me Deeply Hannah McKay - WPA Pool/Getty Prince William, Prince of Wales visits Centrepoint, a charity which supports homeless youth at Centrepoint Ealing on Jan. 21, 2025 in London, England Prince William, Prince of Wales visits Centrepoint, a charity which supports homeless youth at Centrepoint Ealing on Jan. 21, 2025 in London, England Of Princess Diana, Kitty told Tatler, I think she put the name out there. Centrepoint has been a cherished charity that my family and I have supported for many years. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Im extremely proud of my cousin Prince William for all he does and continues to do to support Centrepoint and the vital work they provide to homeless young people, she continued. Luc Braque Lady Kitty Spencer, Lady Amelia Spencer and Lady Eliza Spencer on the cover of 'Tatler' Lady Kitty Spencer, Lady Amelia Spencer and Lady Eliza Spencer on the cover of 'Tatler' Related: Prince William Channels Princess Diana's Legacy with Charity Visit amid Kate Middleton's Remission News Prince William was at work with Centrepoint just this week, undertaking an engagement on Jan. 21, one week exactly after his wife Kate Middleton announced she was in remission after being diagnosed with cancer last year. Kitty is an ambassador for Centrepoints independent living program, which she said is trying to break that vicious cycle and allow people to get on their feet and work their way up the employment ladder. The thing Ive always loved about Centrepoint is just how practical it is, she added. Its not simply providing a much-needed roof over someones head. Theyll train you, theyll dress you for job interviews. Their goal is to get these people through their system. Theyre just an amazing team and the confidence and the sense of identity that they help give to people who have been stripped of it. Luc Braque Lady Kitty Spencer, Lady Amelia Spencer and Lady Eliza Spencer on the cover of 'Tatler' Lady Kitty Spencer, Lady Amelia Spencer and Lady Eliza Spencer on the cover of 'Tatler' In Kitty, Amelia and Elizas Tatler cover story, the sisters were also open about their mental health a cause both the Prince and Princess of Wales, 43, have long supported. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ive seen a therapist for the last 17 years, Eliza, 32, told the outlet. I think everyone should have someone to speak to thats outside of their inner circle. Its a privilege to be able to have someone to help you and support you and guide you. Kitty also shared rare details about her daughter Athena, 2, calling her a little Taurus who is very outdoorsy and like a little spinning top, Kitty said. Shes very similar to the twins, she continued. Its so funny so cool for her when she has these two aunts that come bursting through the door. I dont think she thinks theres an age gap. I dont think we think theres an age gap, Amelia, 32, added. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement So theres actually a triplet there for them, Kitty said. When the girls are on the phone and she doesnt want them to go, she pulls out her whole repertoire of tricks. Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Lady Amelia Spencer, Lady Kitty Spencer and Lady Eliza Spencer attend the Centrepoint Awards and Gala Dinner at The British Museum on Oct. 16, 2024 in London, England Lady Amelia Spencer, Lady Kitty Spencer and Lady Eliza Spencer attend the Centrepoint Awards and Gala Dinner at The British Museum on Oct. 16, 2024 in London, England Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Kitty also opened up about her wedding to husband Michael Lewis, with whom she tied the knot with in Italy in 2021, wearing five Dolce & Gabbana dresses throughout the course of the celebrations (Kitty is an ambassador for the house). I always knew that I wanted to get married in Italy, she said, calling the country definitely my happiest place in the world. Stefano and Domenico made my dress Domenico said, Just choose the people who are very talented at what they do and then let them do it. A little bit of faith in some creative Italians and you can just relax and enjoy what its about. After becoming a mother, Kitty said, I do a lot less than I did now that Ive got my little girl Im much more selective, because its not really free time anymore. Ive got to really want to do something. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Im happy with the balance, she added. Dave Benett/Getty Lady Eliza Spencer, Lady Kitty Spencer and Lady Amelia Spencer attend the EstAe Lauder Re-Nutriv Dinner with Harrods, hosted by Aerin Lauder, Carolyn Murphy and Bianca Brandolini at The Orangery on Oct. 22, 2024 in London, England Lady Eliza Spencer, Lady Kitty Spencer and Lady Amelia Spencer attend the EstAe Lauder Re-Nutriv Dinner with Harrods, hosted by Aerin Lauder, Carolyn Murphy and Bianca Brandolini at The Orangery on Oct. 22, 2024 in London, England Though the Spencer sisters are British by birth, they moved to South Africa in their youth. Kitty told Tatler she feels totally English, but Eliza said she feels South African because the country holds all my happiest and most special memories. Amelia, for her part, said she cant decide. Amelia married her longtime love Greg Mallett in 2023 in South Africa wearing an Atelier Versace gown, calling her nuptials the wedding of my dreams in Cape Town. It was just literally the happiest day of my life, she said. Eliza and her partner, Channing, have been together for nine years, and she said a wedding is definitely on the cards. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Channing has a 10-year-old son from a previous relationship, and Eliza told Tatler, Its so sweet, because I get to play out all my childhood all the fun activities. Ive skydived, bungee jumped bodyboarding, surfing I love that. Eliza and Amelia discovered last August through a 23andMe genetic test that, contrary to what their parents Earl Charles Spencer and Victoria Lockwood had been told, they are identical: We always knew, they said. (The sisters parents divorced in 1997.) Ken Goff/Getty Earl Spencer (brother of Princess Diana) with his children (L-R) Amelia, Eliza, Kitty and Louis at official opening of Princess of Wales Memorial Playground and Walk in Kensington Gardens Earl Spencer (brother of Princess Diana) with his children (L-R) Amelia, Eliza, Kitty and Louis at official opening of Princess of Wales Memorial Playground and Walk in Kensington Gardens All three sisters are close, Tatler reported, calling each other their safety net. In a game of Sibling Goals played with Tatler, the three were asked Who is the craziest on a night out? and Eliza ultimately took the crown. 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 have to do two, Kitty said, holding up paddles with both Eliza and Amelias faces on them, adding, Because its just definitely not me. Its the two of them together. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Well, Eliza voted for herself, why? Amelia asked, as a smiling Eliza responded, I think well leave it there, guys. Though the trio didnt elaborate on their nights out, they apparently dont involve dancing. The three sisters concluded that none of us are the best dancers, telling the outlet that Theres nothing to see. Read the original article on People The Laguna fire map shows that the flames have spread rapidly over just a few hours. Also named the Camarillo fire due to its proximity to the city, the blaze was first reported in Ventura County on Thursday, January 23, at around 9:45 AM PT. At the time, it had only scorched 15 acres, but that figure has more than tripled since then. Mandatory evacuation orders have been issued in the area, particularly near Camarillo Regional Park and California State University Channel Islands. Here is todays current map for the Laguna fire. What is the Laguna fire map today? [Update] An update at around 2:00 PM PT has downgraded the evacuation orders to evacuation warnings. It still remains at 50 acres burned and 0% containment. [Image Credit: Cal Fire] [Original] The Laguna fire map for Wednesday at 10:35 AM PT reveals that the blaze has burned around 50 acres and is at 0% containment, with evacuation orders given for two zones highlighted in red on the map below. [Image Credit: Cal Fire] So far, authorities have closed Potrero Road and Lewis Road, as the Laguna fire threatens nearby Camarillo and Leesdale. Though no evacuation warnings have been issued for the surrounding area, additional zones could be affected as firefighters attempt to contain the blaze. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A temporary evacuation shelter is located at the Camarillo Community Center at 1605 Bumley Street, Camarillo, CA 93010. #lagunafire; #VCFD is on scene of an approximately 2 acre brush fire off of Laguna Road in the Oxnard plains. Arriving units report fire is in medium brush with a rapid rate of spread. Firefighters are aggressively attacking the fire from the air and ground with additional pic.twitter.com/qYz2nLj8ql VCFD PIO (@VCFD_PIO) January 23, 2025 The Ventura County Fire Department reports that the Laguna fire is a wildfire, though the cause is still under investigation, in an incident update on Cal Fire at 10:14 AM PT. As reported by KTLA 5 in Los Angeles, officials said that the fire was advancing at a rapid rate of speed. About 100 firefighters have responded to the incident by 9:15 AM PT. The National Weather Service (NWS) for Los Angeles stated on social media that the Laguna fire is a dangerous situation, stating that it is being pushed by a 20 to 30 mph winds with gusts from 35 to 45 mph. The low humidity, at around 5%, has also contributed to the wildfires growth. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A spot forecast by the NWS for the area says that a red flag warning will be in effect for the area until Friday, 10 AM PT, with strong winds on Thursday lasting from 10 AM to 6 PM PT. It also notes that extremely dry conditions will persist with minimal overnight recovery, making it tougher for firefighters to contain the Laguna fire. On Wednesday, several new blazes began in California including the Rancho Bernardo fire in San Diego and Hughes fire in Los Angeles County. The post Laguna Fire Map Near Camarillo Reveals How Far The Flames Have Spread [Update] appeared first on Mandatory. (NewsNation) President Donald Trump will soon sign the Laken Riley Act, which will require the detention and deportation of unauthorized migrants arrested for violent crimes, theft, burglary or shoplifting. Laurie Camp, organizer of the Make Athens Safe Again rally, is hopeful the bill makes Athens, Georgia, safer and believes change is on the way. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to NewsNation. The Laken Riley Act is on its way to President Donald Trump's desk as the first bill he will sign into law. Here's what this strict immigration measure means for the undocumented. The immigration detention bill was named after 22-year old nursing student Laken Riley, who was murdered almost one year ago while jogging on the University of Georgia campus by an undocumented migrant from Venezuela. Congress passed the Laken Riley Act with bipartisan support. The House vote was 263-156 and included 46 Democrats with all Republicans in support. The Senate vote went 64-35 with 12 Democrats joining the Republican vote base. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Laken Riley Act did not come without controversy and concern from Democrats over deporting undocumented immigrants who are "accused" and "not yet convicted" of specific crimes. Here's what to know about the Laken Riley act and what it will mean for immigrants. Who was Laken Riley? Laken Hope Riley of Marietta, Georgia was a 22-year-old nursing student at the Augusta University in Athens, Georgia. She had previously attended the University of Georgia as an undergraduate. What happened to Laken Riley? On Feb. 22, 2024, Riley's last contact was with her mother by cellphone at 9:03 a.m. before she went for a morning run at the University of Georgia and a call to 911 at 9:11 a.m. that morning. Her roommate called UGA police at 12:07 p.m. to report her missing after she didn't return from her run. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Riley's body was found by UGA police in Oconee Forest Park behind Lake Herrick at 12:38 p.m. Her death was caused by blunt force trauma and asphyxiation, according to the Athens-Clarke County coroner. Jose Antonio Ibarra, a 26-year-old Venezuelan man was arrested and found guilty in Riley's murder. He faced 10 charges : three charges of felony murder, malice murder, false imprisonment, kidnapping, aggravated assault with intent to rape, obstructing an emergency call, concealing the death of another and peeping Tom. He was sentenced to life in prison without possibility of parole. Ibarra entered the United States illegally in September 2022 across the United States southern border. Prior to Ibarra's arrest for the murder of Riley, he had been reportedly arrested multiple times in numerous jurisdictions for multiple crimes and never detained. Jose Ibarra was indicted Tuesday for the murder of Laken Riley on the UGA campus. What is the Laken Riley Act? The Laken Riley Act, once signed by Trump will require immigration officers to detain undocumented immigrants who are suspected, arrested, charged or admit to committing criminal offenses, including burglary, larceny, theft, shoplifting, assaulting a police officer and any crime that results in death or bodily injury. An undocumented person without authorization to be in the United States could be detained and deported without first being convicted. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It also gives state attorneys general the right to sue the secretary of homeland security or the attorney general to enforce the act's provisions, for example in the case that an immigrant without legal status is paroled into the country and then commits a crime that hurts either the state or its residents physically or financially (if value is more than $100.) This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: What is Laken Riley Act? Congress passes immigrant detention bill The Laken Riley Act is likely to be the first bill President Donald Trump signs into law in his second term in office. A teen fatally shot a female student and wounded another at a Nashville high school. President Trump announced a private sector investment of up to $500 billion to build artificial intelligence infrastructure. I'm Nicole Fallert, Daily Briefing author. If you just turned on your space heater, read this. Bipartisan Laken Riley Act heads to Trump's desk The passage of the Laken Riley Act, a bill targeting crime committed by immigrants, marks a shift for Democrats on immigration after their bruising defeat in the 2024 elections. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement What's the bill? The bill would require U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE, to detain people who are in the United States without legal status who are arrested, charged with or accused of certain crimes including burglary, theft, larceny and shoplifting, or assaulting a law enforcement officer. Democrats were divided . In a passionate debate ahead of the House vote Wednesday, several Democrats argued that the legislation violates civil rights by detaining people who are simply accused of a crime. Emphasis on the word "accused" : "If someone wants to point a finger and accuse someone of shoplifting, they will be rounded up and put into a private detention camp and sent out for deportation without a day in court," said Rep. Alexandria Ocasio Cortez, D-N.Y. "That is what is in this bill, a fundamental suspension of a core American value." But the bill got enough bipartisan support. House Republicans have been pushing the legislation since last year, after Riley, a 22-year-old nursing student, was murdered by an undocumented Venezuelan immigrant in Georgia in February 2024. Armed student opened fire in Nashville high school cafeteria A female student was killed and another student was injured Wednesday in a shooting in a Nashville high school cafeteria. The shooting at Antioch High School jarred the community nearly two years after another school massacre sparked a debate for gun reform in Tennessee. Despite a special legislative session on gun control and mental health held in August 2023, Tennessee lawmakers have not passed any meaningful gun reform. Read more Alexus McGill, of Antioch, hugs her son, Devon Blackledge, 7, during a community prayer vigil at Hamilton United Methodist Church in Antioch, Tenn., Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2025. More news to know now What's the weather today? Check your local forecast here. LA County's Hughes wildfire rages A fast-moving blaze, dubbed the Hughes Fire, is forcing evacuations of neighborhoods, schools and even jails as firefighters battle to fight the brush fire that spread across nearly 9,500 acres of bone-dry Los Angeles County in a region already scorched for weeks. Residents near the Castaic area were ordered to evacuate or warned to be ready to leave quickly ahead of the Hughes Fire. Here's what to know if you're in the affected area. Media members work as smoke and flames rise while firefighters battle the Hughes Fire near Castaic Lake, north of Santa Clarita, California on Jan. 22, 2025. Behemoth data centers are coming Immediately, Stargate will be building the physical and virtual infrastructure to power the next generation of advancements in AI. And this will include the construction of colossal data centers. ~President Trump announcing his new $500 billion AI venture, called Stargate, on Tuesday. The initiative will build data centers and create more than 100,000 jobs in the United States. ChatGPT creator OpenAI, Softbank and Oracle have committed investments for the project, which will build twenty data centers of half a million square feet each. Today's talkers The Oscar nominations are finally here Oscar nominations will be announced Thursday morning during a difficult moment for Hollywood. After ongoing wildfires destroyed homes and lives for those behind the scenes and on screen, the ceremony to announce the nominees for the industry's top accolade was delayed until Thursday. Now the nominations will proceed and we'll finally learn if "The Brutalist" will place in a raft of categories, if "Emilia Perez" truly has taken awards season by storm or if the "Wicked" witches will rule Oz and Hollywood. Here are all our predictions. Photo of the day: What flavor Oreos does Post Malone eat? Limited Edition Post Malone Oreo Cookies feature a first-of-a-kind swirled creme, two different flavored cookies and embossments that represent Malone's music career. Post Malone's Oreo cookies feature a salted caramel and shortbread flavor twisted cream, one chocolate cookie and one golden cookie. Nicole Fallert is a newsletter writer at USA TODAY, sign up for the email here. Want to send Nicole a note? Shoot her an email at NFallert@usatoday.com . This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Laken Riley Act, Trump, immigration, border, migrant, Nashville shooting, Los Angeles wildfire, AI, Oscar nominations: Daily Briefing The United States House of Representatives has passed an amended version of the Laken Riley Act, and it now will go to President Donald Trump to sign into law. The new law will require the Department of Homeland Security to detain immigrants without legal status accused of theft, burglary, and other crimes. The bill also creates a provision for the various attorneys general of the 50 states and the District of Columbia to sue the federal government for decisions or alleged failures to enforce immigration law, according to the legislative text. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The bill was named for the Georgia nursing student who was murdered last year by a Venezuelan man who was in the country illegally. RELATED STORIES Her death became a rallying cry for Trumps White House campaign. Earlier this week, the Senate passed the act by a vote of 64-35. The Laken Riley Act is expected to be the first piece of legislation Trump signs in his second term. CONNECTICUT (WTNH) Gov. Ned Lamont announced on Thursday that he will be introducing a proposal increasing oversight and financial stability of Connecticut health care to ensure that theyre providing quality, affordable care to residents, according to a press release. Lamont unveils climate change proposal Lamont said that the state needs to modernize and update its oversight processes to ensure that the healthcare system remains stable. He said that the states laws overseeing the industry need to keep up with the changes to protect Connecticut residents. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In recent years, weve seen a real change in how the healthcare system is being operated. This includes an increased share of our states healthcare system being owned or managed by out-of-state, for-profit companies, Lamont said. These recent changes have shown that our current statutes contain loopholes allowing important transactions to escape necessary review. I am urging the General Assembly to update our laws to enable the state to have proper oversight of significant health system transactions. The bill that Lamont will present will contain the following items: Strengthen the existing notice of material change statute to make sure the Office of the Attorney General and Office of Health Strategy have insight into transactions that have the potential to negatively impact the healthcare systems quality, access, or affordability not just antitrust laws. Under current law, many transactions escape scrutiny. Establish an Office of the Attorney General/Office of Health Strategy review process to look for red flags in healthcare transactions. Allow the Office of the Attorney General to impose conditions on transactions to prevent harm to the healthcare system or refer the application to the Office of Health Strategy for further evaluation and action. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WTNH.com. Nearly 30 men and women can now legally call America and the Miami Valley home. [DOWNLOAD: Free WHIO-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] TRENDING STORIES: High school students got a front-row seat at the naturalization ceremony. Oakwood students got a chance to leave the classroom and learn what it takes to become an American citizen. Weve been learning about the constitution at play but Ive never actually seen it in action, Many Williams a student at Oakwood High School said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While watching the naturalization ceremony some students realize other countries may not offer what they take for granted. I would ask where they came from and what it was like before. And then talk about how amazing it is for them to be a citizen. I take it for granted a lot, but I know theyll be happy in this country, Williams said. Judges answered students questions before the ceremony, emphasizing the effort some may go through to gain American rights. They come into the ceremony not US citizens and they leave a half hour later and theyre US citizens with the right to vote and all other freedoms that we all enjoy, Mike Newman, U.S. District Judge said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Samuele Babbtoo said he met his American wife when she was working in Italy. After 10 years of marriage, she brought him home. I see as a land of opportunity for everybody. If you have the strength and the desire of doing, you can come here and do, Babtto said. The court hosts several remote naturalization ceremonies outside the courthouses throughout the year to connect with the community it serves. We will continue to follow this story. [SIGN UP: WHIO-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter] LAS VEGAS (KLAS) A judge sentenced a father Tuesday to life in prison after he threw his 2-month-old child from a balcony, killing her. In October, a jury found Clarence Martin Jr., 37, guilty on charges including murder, child abuse and animal cruelty, records said. In October 2020, Martin killed his daughter, London Martin, during what police called a domestic disturbance at an apartment near Eastern Avenue and St. Rose Parkway. Martin then set the apartment on fire, killing the family dog, prosecutors said. He drove off in a car and collided with several vehicle before his arrest near Harry Reid International Airport. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Authorities arrested Martin after he crawled into a restricted area at the airport by going through a baggage conveyor, police said. On Tuesday, Clark County District Court Judge Carli Kierny sentenced Martin to life in prison with the possibly parole after 49 years, records said. Both Martins public defender and prosecutors noted Martins history with mental health. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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 Metro officer accused of pointing a gun at his separated wife and her boyfriend faces charges almost a year after the incident first occurred, documents said. On Feb. 3, 2024, a then-deputy chief received a phone call from another person alleging LVMPD Officer Robert Bell had entered his wifes home and pointed a gun at her and her boyfriend, documents said. Bell and the victim were in the process of getting a divorce, according to an arrest report. Bell has worked for the LVMPD since 1999 and was assigned to the Community Safety Division, Enterprise Area Command. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The victim told police the two lived in separate residences and Bell moved out mid-January 2024. She said the divorce stemmed from Bell having an affair, documents said. The victim began speaking with Bells affair partners husband and the two became close and started dating, the report stated. She told police she went to a concert with her daughter on Feb. 2 and after the concert, the boyfriend met them at the victims house. The daughter hugged him at the front door, which was caught on camera, according to the report. The daughter told police she believed Bell saw the hug on the camera because he still had access, so he went to the victims house. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While the victim and the boyfriend were in her bedroom having sex, Bell unlocked the front door to the home with a security system app, according to the report. Bell then entered the bedroom and pointed his firearm at them, saying Get your hands up why are you in my house? the report stated. Bell then told the victim to get out of the line of fire and when she refused, Bell faked a 911 call and pretended to ask for police. The boyfriend told police he said, So, its ok for you to [expletive] my wife though? Bell told the boyfriend to leave and when the boyfriend asked the victim to leave with him, Bell said, Shes not going anywhere with you, according to the report. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Bell walked the boyfriend out of the house with his gun holstered on his left hip, the report stated. After the boyfriend left, Bell verbally berated the victim and eventually left, saying he would be watching nearby, the report stated. The victim told police she was afraid for her life and no longer felt safe in her home because Bell had access to it. The boyfriend also told police that he believed it was possible he was going to be shot, the report stated. On Feb. 3, 2024, detectives went to Bells work and asked if he would be willing to give a statement. Bell refused to speak to police, the report stated. Officers arrested Bell on Jan. 15, 11 months after the incident. Ge faces the following charges: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Assault with a deadly weapon Coercion with threat of force with a deadly weapon Kidnapping 1st degree with a deadly weapon Bell was held on a $100,000 bail and posted bond. His bail conditions are to have no contact with the victims and comply with child protective services. His next court appearance was scheduled for Feb. 27. For a list of local and state resources for domestic violence and abuse victims, visit this 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 KLAS. President Donald Trump is remaking the traditional boundaries of Washington, asserting unprecedented executive power and daring anyone to stop him. Here's the latest: Trump heads to North Carolina and California on Friday Trump is going to hurricane-battered western North Carolina and wildfire-ravaged Los Angeles on Friday for the first trip of his second term. He has sharply criticized President Joe Bidens administration for its handling of Hurricane Helene in North Carolina, and hes suggested withholding money from California unless it changes water policies. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On Saturday, he will attend a victory rally in Las Vegas. Trump is the first Republican presidential nominee to win Nevada in two decades. Trump criticizes Zelenskyy for talking so brave On the campaign trail, Trump criticized Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy for taking billions of dollars from the United States in military aid but refusing to make a deal to end Russias full-scale invasion. Since his election victory, Trump seemed to soften his criticism of Zelenskyy, but he was notably sharper in a Fox News interview that aired Thursday night. First of all, hes fighting a much bigger entity, OK? Much bigger, Trump said. When he was, you know, talking so brave. And so now two things happened. They were brave, but we gave them billions of dollars. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump went on to suggest it was foolhardy for Ukraine to take on a Russian military that is bigger and better equipped and not find a settlement earlier in the conflict. He shouldnt have done that, Trump said. Because we could have made a deal. It would have been a nothing deal. I could have made that deal so easily. And Zelenskyy decided, I want to fight. Trump says he plans to reach out to North Koreas Kim Jong Un Trump said in an interview that he will reach out to North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, who he described as a smart guy. Trump was being interviewed on Fox News by Sean Hannity, who asked the president if he planned to talk to his North Korean counterpart. Trump said he would. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I got along with him, Trump said of Kim. Hes not a religious zealot. New statement from Hegseths ex-wife continues to raise questions about his alcohol use A new statement by Pete Hegseths ex-wife to the FBI continues to raise questions about the alcohol use of Trumps nominee for defense secretary. That statement by Samantha Hegseth, the nominees second wife, is part of an FBI background investigation that was read to Senate Armed Services Committee leadership Mississippi Republican Roger Wicker and Rhode Island Democrat Jack Reed Jan. 16. It said Pete Hegseth had and continues to have a problem with alcohol abuse, a person familiar with the FBI briefing and its findings told The Associated Press. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Reed has called Hegseths FBI background check substandard. He said in a statement Thursday that he and Wicker received multiple FBI briefings about the defense secretary nominee, something he had not seen in more than 25 years on the Armed Services Committee, and that the recent reports about the contents of the background briefings on Mr. Hegseth are true and accurate. Timothy Parlatore, Hegseths attorney, said Thursday that Reed is knowingly lying because what Samantha Hegseth actually told the FBI is that Pete Hegseth drinks more often than not, but she also acknowledged that she had not spent time with him for about seven years. ___ Associated Press writers Tara Copp and Eric Tucker contributed reporting. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement White House asks California congressional members to hold roundtable during Trump visit The White House has asked California congressional members, including Democrats, to hold a roundtable at an airplane hangar in Santa Monica during Trumps visit to the fire-ravaged region of California on Friday afternoon. Thats according to a person briefed on the plans who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss them. Congressional Democrats have sharply criticized the new presidents threats to withhold federal disaster aid unless Californias leaders change the states approach on its management of water. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement There are currently no plans to visit sites of fire destruction in Altadena, a working class area heavily impacted by the Eaton fire, according to the source familiar, though it was unclear if the president would be visiting other sites. ___ Associated Press writer Stephen Groves contributed reporting. Trump reiterates support for full federal recognition for the Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina Trump signed a memo Thursday directing his administration to help advance full federal recognition for the Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina, a distinction that would unlock access to federal funds. Congress acknowledged the tribe in 1956 but stopped short of giving the now 55,000-member tribe federal recognition, which has been granted to 574 other Native American tribes in the U.S. Along with federal funds, the designation comes with access to resources like health care through the Indian Health Service. It also creates a pathway for a tribe to secure a land base. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trumps memo directs the Department of the Interior, within 90 days, to provide a plan on how to get the Lumbee Tribe federal recognition through legislation or other available mechanisms. Treasury Department deploys extraordinary measures to avoid breaching debt ceiling The Treasury Department says it has deployed extraordinary measures to stop the U.S. from breaching the debt ceiling. Acting Secretary David Lebryk wrote to congressional leaders on Thursday to inform them about the new measures. He says the Treasury Department stopped paying into the G Fund, a retirement fund for government workers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Once the extraordinary measures run out, the government risks defaulting on its debt unless lawmakers and the president agree to lift the limit on the U.S. governments ability to borrow. First batch of new forces being deployed to El Paso and San Diego to secure southern border Active duty military troops will begin arriving in El Paso, Texas, and San Diego on Thursday evening, in what defense officials said is the first batch of the new forces being deployed to secure the southern border. The Pentagon announced on Wednesday that about 1,500 troops were being sent to the border this week, as the department scrambles to put in motion President Donald Trumps executive order demanding an immediate crackdown on immigration. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement U.S. officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity to provide details on troop movements, said they expect additional troops to be ordered to deploy in the next few days as defense and homeland security leaders iron out requests for more support. The officials said its not yet clear how many more service members would get tapped in the near future, but they would include active duty, National Guard and Reserves, and come from land, air and sea forces. Other defense and military officials this week estimated that the additional number deployed could be in the thousands. Trumps demand for lower interest rates isnt that simple Trump has pledged cheaper prices and lower interest rates, but an economy transformed by the pandemic will make those promises difficult to keep. Economic growth is solid, driven by healthy consumer spending. Budget deficits are huge and could get even larger. And if Trump follows through on his promises to impose widespread tariffs on imports and deport millions of immigrants, economists expect inflation could worsen, making it less likely the Federal Reserve will cut its key interest rate much this year. Read more about how Trumps promises for the economy will be tough to keep What to know about Trumps executive order regarding transgender people An executive order that Trump signed on his first day back in office offers a new federal government definition of the sexes that could have a major impact on transgender people. The order calls for the federal government to define sex as only male or female and for that to be reflected on official documents such as passports and policies such as federal prison assignments. As for federal spending, its not clear what his vow to end broader gender classifications will mean on the ground. Read more about Trumps executive order Trump signs order aimed at removing barriers to US leadership in AI Trump has signed an executive order on artificial intelligence that will revoke past government policies his order says act as barriers to American AI innovation. To maintain global leadership in AI technology, we must develop AI systems that are free from ideological bias or engineered social agendas, the order says. The new order doesnt name which existing policies are hindering AI development but calls for the development of an AI action plan within 180 days. The move comes after Trump repealed the Biden administrations guardrails for fast-developing AI technology, a sweeping executive order signed in 2023. Hegseth told senator he paid $50,000 to woman who accused him of 2017 sex assault Hegseth paid $50,000 to the woman who accused him of sexual assault in 2017, according to answers he provided to a senator during his confirmation process that The Associated Press has obtained. The answers were provided to Massachusetts Democratic Sen. Elizabeth Warren in response to additional questions she had for Hegseth as part of the vetting process. Hegseth attorney Timothy Parlatore declined to comment on the dollar figure Thursday. Hegseth told police at the time that the encounter had been consensual and denied any wrongdoing. He told senators during his confirmation hearing last week that he was falsely accused in the 2017 incident and completely cleared. Trump says he is not bothered by Musks criticism of the Stargate project Trump said he is unbothered by the fact that Elon Musk has been critical of the Stargate artificial intelligence infrastructure project he announced this week, telling reporters that Musk is critical because one of the people involved in the deal is one of the people he happens to hate. Trump brushed aside the clash thats been unfurling online between two of his tech business allies, Musk and OpenAI CEO Sam Altman. Musk has questioned the value of the AI investment, of which OpenAI is a partner. People in the deal are very, very smart people. But, Elon, one of the people he happens to hate. But I have certain hatreds of people, too, Trump said. The president did not elaborate. Trump pardons anti-abortion activists who blockaded clinic entrances Trump announced Thursday he would pardon anti-abortion activists convicted of blockading abortion clinic entrances. Trump called it a great honor to sign this. They should not have been prosecuted, he said as he signed pardons for peaceful pro-life protesters. Among the people pardoned were those involved in the October 2020 invasion and blockade of a Washington clinic. In the first week of Trumps presidency, anti-abortion advocates have ramped up calls for Trump to pardon protesters charged with violating the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act, which is designed to protect abortion clinics from obstruction and threats. The 1994 law was passed during a time where clinic protests and blockades were on the rise, as well as violence against abortion providers, such as the murder of Dr. David Gunn in 1993. Trump says no date set yet for new tariffs on China Trump said he hasnt set a date on imposing new tariffs on China, but hes reiterating that he wants a 10% tax on Chinese imports in retaliation for it making the chemicals used in fentanyl. Trump told reporters in the Oval Office Thursday that he still plans to tariff Canada and Mexico at 25% rates starting as soon as Feb. 1. He said he was comfortable charging higher tariffs on those countries because he had already placed higher tariffs on China during his first term. Trump signs order to boost US role in crypto industry Trump has signed an executive order aimed at boosting the U.S.s role in the cryptocurrency industry. Once a skeptic, Trump has embraced crypto and even launched his own meme coin just before taking office. Thursdays executive order establishes a Working Group on Digital Asset Markets made up of senior government leaders who will make recommendations for a new regulatory framework governing crypto. The group will also study the potential creation of a strategic reserve of digital assets. Trumps executive order also repeals executive orders related to crypto signed during the Biden administration and prohibits the U.S. government from creating its own Central Bank Digital Currency. On the campaign trail, Trump promised his administration would be staffed with crypto supporters who would take a light touch in regulating digital currencies. Were going to make a lot of money for the country, Trump said at an Oval Office signing ceremony, where he praised his new Crypto Czar David Sacks. Trump says he expects Fed to listen to him on lowering rates Trump says he expects a chain reaction in which lower oil prices will lead to lower interest rates across the U.S. economy, but he also plans to bring up the issue with Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell. Trump told reporters in the Oval Office that when the energy (prices) comes down it would also knock down overall inflation and automatically bring the interest rates down. Asked if he expects the Fed to listen to him on rates, Trump said: Yeah. Trump says he will talk to Powell about lowering rates at the right time. The Fed controls short-term rates that influence inflation and the supply of money in the economy. Trump has talked to lawmakers about reshaping FEMA Trump is preparing to reshape the Federal Emergency Management Agency, which has been on the frontlines of responding to recent wildfires in California and last years hurricane in North Carolina. He spoke at length about the issue with congressional Republican leaders on Tuesday, discussing whether the agency should continue providing assistance to states in the same way, according to a person familiar with the conversation who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss it. Conservatives have previously suggested reducing the amount that states are reimbursed for preventing and responding to disasters like floods, tornadoes, hurricanes and more. Read more about Trumps plans for FEMA Trump orders declassification of JFK, RFK and MLK Jr. records President Donald Trump has signed an executive order aiming to declassify remaining federal records relating to the assassinations of President John F. Kennedy, Sen. Robert F. Kennedy, and Martin Luther King Jr. Speaking to reporters Thursday, Trump said, Everything will be revealed. The order directs the director of national intelligence and the attorney general to develop a plan within 15 days to declassify the remaining John F. Kennedy records, and within 45 days for the other two cases. It was not clear when the records would actually see the light of day. Trump had ordered the substantial release of the John F. Kennedy assassination records in his first term, but some were redacted or withheld due to concerns raised by the intelligence community. Trump handed the pen used to sign the order to an aide and directed it to be given to RFKs son Robert F. Kennedy Jr., his nominee to be health and human services secretary who has long called for their release. The Department of Justice will vigorously defend Trump's executive order redefining birthright citizenship In a statement after the federal judges ruling Thursday that temporarily blocked the order, the department said the executive order correctly interprets the 14th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. We look forward to presenting a full merits argument to the Court and to the American people, who are desperate to see our Nations laws enforced, the department said. U.S. District Judge John Coughenour in Seattle called the executive order blatantly unconstitutional during the first hearing Thursday in a multi-state effort challenging the order. Trump says hes open to meeting people charged or convicted for the Jan. 6 Capitol attack President Donald Trump says hes open to meeting with the roughly 1,500 people charged or convicted for their roles in the Jan. 6, 2021 Capitol attack whom he pardoned on Monday in his first hours in the White House. Trump said he didnt know if he would meet with those who faced criminal consequences for trying violently in many cases to prevent Congress from certifying his 2020 election defeat, but added, Id be open to it, certainly. Trump expected to give prerecorded address to March for Life President Donald Trump is expected give a prerecorded video address to anti-abortion protesters Friday at the annual March for Life in Washington, D.C. The news come after Trump offered vague, contradictory answers to questions on abortion on the campaign trail and often attempted to distance himself from anti-abortion allies, despite boasting about nominating three Supreme Court justices who helped strike down a federal right to abortion. This pro-life president has gone nowhere, said Marjorie Dannenfelser, president of the national anti-abortion group SBA Pro-Life America, while announcing Trumps appearance during a Thursday press briefing. Abortion rights advocates pointed to his appearance at the event as evidence of what theyve been saying all along -- that Trump cannot be trusted to stay out of abortion rights. No matter what they said on the campaign trail to win an election, this shows their intentions to continue to attack abortion access, said Ryan Stitzlein, vice president of political and government relations for the national abortion rights organization Reproductive Freedom for All. This is just proving us right. Senate advances Pete Hegseth as Trumps defense secretary, despite allegations against him The Senate advanced the nomination of Pete Hegseth as President Donald Trumps defense secretary Thursday on a largely party-line vote, despite grave objections from Democrats and stirring unease among Republicans over his behavior and qualifications to lead the U.S. military. Two Republicans, Sen. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Sen. Susan Collins of Maine, broke ranks with Trump and his allies whove mounted an extensive public campaign to push Hegseth toward confirmation. The former combat veteran and Fox News host faces allegations of excessive drinking and aggressive actions toward women, which hes denied. The vote was 51-49, with a final vote on confirmation expected Friday. Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer implored his colleagues to think seriously, Is this the best man we have to lead the greatest military in the world? Murkowksi, in a lengthy statement, said his behaviors starkly contrast with what is expected of the U.S. military. She also noted his past statements that women should not fill military combat roles. Read more about Pete Hegseths nomination Experts worry Trumps Jan. 6 pardons will legitimize political violence and embolden extremists After President Donald Trump pardoned around 1,500 Jan. 6 Capitol rioters on Monday, far-right activists cheered the move and said it strengthened their loyalty to him. Some also borrowed from the presidents own rhetoric, calling for retribution. Well never forget, well never forgive. You cant get rid of us, a California chapter of the far-right Proud Boys posted on Telegram. Enrique Tarrio, the former national Proud Boys leader whose 22-year sentence on seditious conspiracy charges was pardoned by Trump, went on the podcast of conspiracy theorist Alex Jones after his release. The people who did this, they need to feel the heat, Tarrio said. We need to find and put them behind bars for what they did. The pardons and rhetoric of retribution from some of those released this week are raising deep concern among attorneys, former federal investigators and experts who follow extremism. They worry the indiscriminate release of everyone charged in the riots could embolden extremists and make political violence more common, including around contentious political issues such as border security and elections. This move doesnt just rewrite the narrative of January 6, said Heidi Beirich, co-founder of the Global Project Against Hate and Extremism. It sets a dangerous precedent that political violence is a legitimate tool in American democracy. Read more about the Jan. 6 pardons and extremists The Senate confirms John Ratcliffe to lead the CIA, giving Trump his second Cabinet member The Senate on Thursday confirmed John Ratcliffe as CIA director, giving President Donald Trump the second member of his new Cabinet. Ratcliffe was director of national intelligence during Trumps first term and is the first person to have held that position and the top post at the CIA, the nations premier spy agency. The Texas Republican is a former federal prosecutor who emerged as a fierce Trump defender while serving as a congressman during Trumps first impeachment. The vote was 74-25. At his Senate hearing last week, Ratcliffe said the CIA must do better when it comes to using technology such as artificial intelligence to confront adversaries including Russia and China. He said the United States needed to improve its intelligence capabilities while also ensuring the protection of Americans civil rights. Read more about John Ratcliffes confirmation as CIA director Trumps freeze on health agency communications has also led to the cancellation of scientific meetings The Trump administrations freeze on communications from U.S. health agencies is leading to another disruption: the abrupt cancellation of scientific meetings. The move covers a swath of health conditions, from a Presidential Advisory Council meeting on antibiotic-resistant germs to National Institutes of Health evaluations of grant applications for research into cancer and other diseases. People registering for that antibiotic resistance meeting next week were greeted with a message Thursday that the sudden cancellation comes as the new Administration considers its plan for managing federal policy and public communications. The new policy was a surprise, as some of those NIH grant-evaluation meetings were interrupted Wednesday by officials saying they had to shut down midstream. Unclear is whether it will lift in time for federal researchers to present data at scientific conferences like a major HIV meeting in early March. A statement from the NIH said: HHS has issued a pause on mass communications and public appearances that are not directly related to emergencies or critical to preserving health. This is a short pause to allow the new team to set up a process for review and prioritization. A lengthy delay could have ripple effects as the NIH is the nations largest funder of medical research important not just for drug discoveries but for jobs in universities and other labs. Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar says hes spoken with Secretary of State Marco Rubio Saar said he talked with Rubio to express appreciation for President Donald Trumps recent pro-Israel executive orders. In the phone call Thursday, Saar told Rubio that Israel was grateful for Trumps move against the International Criminal Court, his re-designation of Yemens Houthi rebels as a foreign terrorist organization and his removal of sanctions against Israeli settlers in the West Bank accused of violence against Palestinians. Saar said he invited Rubio, a staunch supporter of Israel, to the country and that they agreed to meet soon. Saar said: We are committed to working hard and closely with President Trump and his administration to deal with our common challenges and to expand our alliances. Some North Carolina officials follow Trumps lead on DEI cuts Two statewide offices in North Carolina, both run by Republicans, announced rollbacks of internal diversity, equity and inclusion policies Thursday in light of recent orders by President Donald Trump to eliminate DEI programs in the federal government. North Carolina Labor Commissioner Luke Farley first said in a statement Thursday morning that his department would no longer use diversity, equity and inclusion metrics in employee evaluations. Instead, he said employees would be hired and assessed on their merit. State Auditor Dave Boliek also announced that his office eliminated internal DEI practices, which he said are divisive and brings little-to-no return on investment of time and resources. Before taking office this year, Boliek served on the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Board of Trustees, where he supported cutting diversity, equity and inclusion spending at the flagship university last year. Trumps official biography makes several boastful claims Among the claims on his official biography on the White House website are that he won a landslide victory last year and he defines the American success story. But it leaves out what might be Trumps most infamous assertion his false insistence that he won the 2020 presidential election. Instead it describes his 2016 victory as his first and his 2024 comeback as his second. He remarkably won the Presidency in his first ever run for any political office, the biography says. He won a second time despite several assassination attempts and the unprecedented weaponization of law fare against him. Trump has refused to acknowledge that he lost in 2020 to Joe Biden, and he faced criminal charges for trying to overturn his defeat. The charges were dropped when he won last years election because longstanding Justice Department policy says presidents cant be prosecuted while in office. The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Sen. Lisa Murkowski to vote against Hegseth, first Republican to oppose a Trump Cabinet pick Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski says shell vote against Pete Hegseth, President Donald Trumps nominee for Secretary of Defense. Shes the first Republican to publicly oppose any of Trumps nominees. In a statement ahead of a procedural vote on Hegseths nomination Thursday, Murkowski said she remains concerned about the message that confirming Mr. Hegseth sends to women currently serving and those aspiring to join. Hegseth has said in the past that he doesnt believe women should serve in combat roles in the military. Murkowski said past behaviors Hegseth has acknowledged, including infidelity on multiple occasions, show a lack of judgement. These behaviors starkly contrast the values and discipline expected of servicemembers, Murkowski wrote. Above all, I believe that character is the defining trait required of the Secretary of Defense, and must be prioritized without compromise, she said. Read more about Pete Hegseths nomination A federal judge temporarily blocks Trumps executive order ending birthright citizenship A federal judge on Thursday temporarily blocked President Donald Trumps executive order ending the constitutional guarantee of birthright citizenship regardless of the parents immigration status. U.S. District Judge John C. Coughenour ruled in the case brought by the states of Washington, Arizona, Illinois and Oregon, which argue the 14th Amendment and Supreme Court case law have cemented birthright citizenship. The case is one of five lawsuits being brought by 22 states and a number of immigrants rights groups across the country. The suits include personal testimonies from attorneys general who are U.S. citizens by birthright, and names pregnant women who are afraid their children wont become U.S. citizens. Read more about birthright citizenship More former Trump officials lose security protections President Donald Trump has revoked government security protection for former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and his top aide Brian Hook. Theyve faced threats from Iran ever since they took hardline stances on the Islamic Republic during Trumps first administration. A congressional staffer and a person familiar with the matter, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss personal security details, confirmed the change. Neither could offer an explanation. They said Pompeo and Hook were told of the loss of protection Wednesday and that it took effect at 11 p.m. that night. It comes a day after Trump revoked Secret Service protection for John Bolton, who was fired as Trumps national security adviser during his first term, as well as his security clearance and those of dozens of former intelligence officials. Matthew Lee Democrats determined not to let congressional Republicans move on from Trumps Jan. 6 pardons Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries told reporters during a Thursday news conference: Shame on my House Republican colleagues. What happened to backing the blue? Trump pardoned, commuted the prison sentences or vowed to dismiss the cases of all of the 1,500-plus people charged with crimes for participating in the Capitol riot on Jan. 6, 2021. Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson told reporters previously that the president made his decision, and I dont second guess those. The release of violent felons who brutally beat police officers and women doesnt make America safer, Jeffries told reporters. ___ The Associated Press has removed an item from US-Trump-The-Latest about an NSA diversity official being laid off. It was based off a social media post that the person said was a joke. LONDON, Ky. (FOX 56) The Laurel County community is coming together Thursday to remember the life of 63-year-old Douglas Harless, who was killed on Dec. 23 by police at his home in Lily. The community is holding a candlelight vigil at 6:30 p.m. on Main Street in London. The events Facebook page said candles will be available as early as 6 p.m. Related: We hope to see everyone there for this peaceful event that will have prayer and a chance to share stories and memories about Doug, reads the Facebook event. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The event highlights that the vigil is not a protest, but a march is being planned for Saturday. Vanzant Road search warrant FOX 56 News previously reported that before midnight on Dec. 23, London police officers responded to 511 Vanzant Road in Lily to execute a search warrant. The London Police Department reported that Harless produced a firearm and pointed it at officers. The officer fired their gun, and Harless was pronounced deceased on the scene. LATEST KENTUCKY NEWS: Kentucky State Police is investigating the shooting, and the officer was placed on administrative leave. A Hart Funeral Home obituary said Harless was a father and a hardworking man. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A hardworking man, Doug was an employee of Winterwood, Inc. He especially enjoyed spending time with his family and friends. Other interests included NASCAR racing and listening to music, it read. Doug was dearly loved by his family and friends and will be deeply missed. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. Rep. Lauren Boeberts (R-Colo.) offer to take the newly pardoned Jan. 6 rioters on a guided tour of the U.S. Capitol felt like a moot point for many critics. Why? Because, commenters pointed out on social media, the people whom President Donald Trump granted clemency to in one of his first acts on returning to the White House this week are pretty familiar with the seat of the U.S. Congress. You know, from when they stormed it in 2021. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement One response to Boeberts offer on X, formerly Twitter, has gone viral with more than 5.3 million views. It simply read, Girl they already know their way around. Meanwhile, Denver TV news anchor Kyle Clark who has reported on Boebert for years, including on that moment at a Beetlejuice musical addressed the congresswomans offer live on 9News when he read feedback from a viewer who asked, Didnt those criminals already get a tour of the Capitol? Clark responded, I suppose they did but its probably tough to really get an appreciation for the architecture and the history when you have to step over the body of the police officer you just assaulted. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Watch that clip here: And see more snark on social media here: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Related... SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) Site work started on Wednesday on the location of the proposed mens prison in Lincoln County. Republican Sen. Kevin Jensen said during the South Dakota Legislatures Joint Committee on Appropriations meeting on Thursday morning that actual site work wasnt authorized when lawmakers passed Senate Bill 49 in 2024. Jensen told the committee Thursday that, during a discussion Wednesday with DOC officials, he received texts about the demolition of a barn, trees and other buildings at the site where the Noem administration plans to build the new mens prison. He said he asked what provided the authority for that site work and was told by DOC officials that it was SB49. Republican Rep. Kevin Jensen testifies at Thursdays joint appropriations committee. Committee member Republican Rep. Tony Venhuizen responded that Jensen was correct in saying SB49 did not authorize site work to start. But, Venhuizen continued, House Bill 1017 passed overwhelmingly in 2023 and did authorize site work to start. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Venhuizen said the site preparation that is going on now was authorized in HB1017. New details emerge in the death of Cassandra Shields Jensen played a recording of Venhuizens House testimony on SB49 during the committee meeting. Had more lawmakers realized what they were voting for, Jensen said, they would not have voted in favor of SB49. I would like to clarify for just a minute. There have been two bills passed on this topic, at least, Venhuizen said in response to Jensens comments. Venhuizen said SB49 transferred money into a construction fund. HB1017 authorized more action, he said. Venhuizen read a section from HB1017 that says Department of Corrections is hereby authorized to contract for the planning and site preparation of a prison facility for offenders committed to the Department of Corrections, including architectural services, engineering services, and other services as may be required to accomplish the project. 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. The Mexican American Legislative Caucus asked the Texas Education Agency in a letter Thursday to issue guidance for school districts on how to respond to a U.S. Homeland Security Department announcement that schools, churches and other "sensitive" spaces would no longer be protected from immigration raids, upending a long-standing policy. The request from the Texas House members comes as school districts and churches around the state and country begin issuing their own local guidance about how staff members should handle federal immigration and other law enforcement officers possibly descending onto campuses. The caucus' letter asks the TEA to issue guidance specifically about the districts obligation to protect student records and information in compliance with privacy laws, on protocols for school staff members' interactions with Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents and on how districts should provide mental health support to students coping with fear of immigration enforcement. A bus transports children to Menchaca Elementary School for the first day of school Tuesday, Aug. 20, 2024. It is imperative that the TEA act swiftly to protect the integrity of our educational institutions and the wellbeing of our students by ensuring that Texas schools are fully informed of their rights and responsibilities when faced with federal immigration enforcement actions, the letter said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The TEA directed the American-Statesmans questions about whether the agency planned to issue guidance to Gov. Greg Abbotts office. A spokesperson for Abbotts office didnt immediately respond to the Statesman's request for comment. The TEA should issue standard guidance so districts of all sizes, regardless of access to legal staff members and resources, have a clear picture of how to handle these situations, said Rep. Ramon Romero Jr., D-Fort Worth, chairman of the legislative caucus. "We know its politics, so shouldn't children be left out of politics?" Romero ssked. "Shouldn't they be left in a safe space without fear?" The U.S. Homeland Security Department's announcement Tuesday rescinded previous decades-old restrictions for immigration enforcement officials to operate in sensitive areas like churches, schools and hospitals. Previous guidance limited enforcement actions at these places to only exigent circumstances. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The official text of the DHS's new directive was still not available Thursday. For more than four decades, immigrant children have been afforded a legal right to attend public schools. In the landmark 1982 Plyler v. Doe case, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that states cant deny children a free public education based on their immigration status. The case was used in 2012 to overturn an Alabama state government attempt to create a statute that would have required schools to report undocumented students in a survey. "If this is really about cracking down on criminal aliens, if this is about somebody that works in the schools, you can wait until they leave the schools," Romero said. "In no way, in my belief, should a school be a place where ICE, or any violent, arrests occur." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Across the nation, school districts have begun updating and clarifying their guidance to staff members about how to address the possible presence of federal immigration officials at schools. School districts in Chicago, Los Angeles and Phoenix, for example, insisted they wouldnt help those officials without a valid legal order or wouldn't voluntarily cooperate. The Texas legislative caucus released the letter on the same day that the Austin school district issued its guidance for teachers, staff members, parents and students on how it would respond to the change. We recognize the emotional toll that recent news cycles may be taking on our students, families and staff, Superintendent Matias Segura said in a statement. For many in our community, these are not just policy discussions, but deeply personal issues that can create uncertainty and fear. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The districts guidance on the new federal directive is rooted in existing policy, which staff members are aware of, spokesman JJ Maldonado said. The guidelines direct staff members who encounter any law enforcement official other than a district officer who wants to come onto a campus to contact campus leadership. A campus' front desk workers should ask officers for documents laying out the reason for their visit and send the paperwork to the districts legal counsel for review, according to the district. This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Lawmakers ask Texas Education Agency for school immigration guidance NEW ORLEANS (AP) Congressional lawmakers demanded answers Wednesday about the FBI's response to the Jan. 1 truck attack in New Orleans that killed 14 people, questioning why the bureau's top official in the city was out of town and raising concerns about its initial, erroneous assertion that the rampage was not a terrorist event. In a series of letters, Sen. Chuck Grassley, chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and Sen. Ron Johnson, chairman of the Senate's Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, also suggested Facebook missed red flags and asked the social media company to provide a timeline of when it became aware of threatening videos Shamsud-Din Jabbar posted before he plowed a pickup truck through a crowd of New Year's revelers. Jabbar, a 42-year-old Texas native and U.S. Army veteran, professed his allegiance to the Islamic State group and an intent to harm others in a series of posts between 1:29 a.m. and 3:02 a.m., according to federal authorities. The Bourbon Street attack began at 3:15 a.m. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Meta Platforms, Facebooks parent company, did not immediately respond to a request for comment from The Associated Press. Police fatally shot Jabbar during an exchange of gunfire at the scene of the deadly crash of the rented pickup truck on Bourbon Street, famous worldwide for its festive vibes in New Orleans historic French Quarter. Federal investigators so far believe Jabbar acted alone, but are continuing to explore his contacts. The additional scrutiny from Congress comes amid multiple investigations launched by the city and state into security lapses and law enforcement response. Grassley, a Republican from Iowa, and Johnson, a Republican from Wisconsin, said Congress intends to conduct objective and independent oversight into the attack. The lawmakers are also drilling into the FBI's preparedness ahead of a major holiday weekend, including the Sugar Bowl, and a bungled initial communications response that bewildered the public and was at odds with the plain reality that the attack was an act of terror. The FBI recovered a black flag of the Islamic State group from the rented pickup used in the attack. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The special agent in charge of the FBIs New Orleans field office, Lyonel Myrthil, had been vacationing in Europe during the attack and took multiple days to return to New Orleans, the lawmakers wrote in a letter to bureau, citing whistleblower disclosures. These are major public events that a SAC should be present for, they wrote, adding the FBI failed to account for Myrthil's absence in any of the joint briefings it provided to Congress." The public deserves complete transparency and the truth regarding the New Orleans terrorist attack," they said. The FBI confirmed to the AP that Myrthil had been en route to a family vacation out of the country but said he immediately worked to arrange his flight back to New Orleans, while joining investigative calls until his return Jan. 2. The bureau added that then-Deputy Director Paul Abbate was not overtly aware" that Myrthil was out of the country but deployed a senior counterterrorism official from FBI headquarters within hours of the incident. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement None of this had any impact on the swiftness of resources and FBI assets that immediately responded and surged to this incident, the bureau said in a statement. The FBI official who described the attack as not a terrorist event, Alethea Duncan, had been speaking in Myrthil's place. Fox News reported last week that Duncan, an assistant special agent in charge in New Orleans, had been temporarily reassigned. The FBI did not respond to a question Wednesday about Duncan's status. Lawmakers also want to know when Meta became aware that Jabbar made recordings using Metas smart glasses to scout the historic French Quarter by bicycle months before the attack. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement They pressed Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg to share if any other posts from Jabbar had ever been flagged or removed by Facebook and whether the attacker used other accounts or pages and if anyone had engaged with his posts. Grassley and Johnson noted other people responsible for mass killings in the U.S. had signaled their intentions on Facebook and other social media platforms. __ Mustian reported from New York and Tucker from Washington. Senate Republicans are ramping up efforts to restrict foreign government investment in U.S. real estate near American military bases, calling it a looming risk for troops safety and national security. On Wednesday, Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, reintroduced the Protecting Military Installations and Ranges Act, which requires a review by federal authorities before entities linked to China, Russia, Iran or North Korea can purchase land within 100 miles of an armed forces installation. Foreign adversaries are exploiting loopholes to acquire land near our military bases and training routes, jeopardizing the safety of our troops and the integrity of our operations, Cruz said, urging quick consideration of the bill. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement China commissions new-generation frigate as competition rises with US The legislation, which stalled in the Democratic-controlled Senate last session, appears to have more momentum in the Republican-majority chamber this year. Among the growing list of co-sponsors is Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., who serves as chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee and could be a key voice in convincing leadership to prioritize the measure. On Wednesday, Cotton said Americas adversaries have no business purchasing land in our country, especially near military bases. The bill would broaden the authority of the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States, or CFIUS, which reviews a host of transactions involving foreign investment on American soil. Its members include representatives from the Departments of Homeland Security, Defense, Treasury and Justice, among others. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The committee currently has authority to review real estate purchases by foreign companies or groups near military bases, but only within a few miles of the sites. Cruzs bill would broaden that dramatically, allowing review of purchases within 100 miles of installations and within 50 miles of training ranges or special operations areas. But the authority would only extend to investments by groups linked to those four countries, with China being a particular focus. Conservative lawmakers have frequently voiced worries regarding potential espionage attempts on U.S. soil and raised concerns about heavy investment in farmland by Chinese companies in recent years. Department of Agriculture officials said firms linked to the Chinese government owned about 278,000 acres of farmland in America at the start of 2024, with many of those sites near military installations. Still, USDA officials noted that all the land linked to China totals less than 1% of all foreign farmland investments across America. CFIUS officials would be charged with determining whether any future investments should be flagged or blocked for potential threats and monitoring for national security risks. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Chinese Communist Party and adversaries around the globe are constantly looking for opportunities to undermine the United States, including making investments here in America, co-sponsor Sen. Katie Britt, R-Ala., said in a statement, adding that the bill will protect our national security assets here at home from our adversaries. Officials from Cruz office have been consulting with CFIUS officials to ensure the legislation does not create backlogs in real estate sales. No timetable has been set for hearings or committee votes on the legislation. Florida homeowners have been mired in an insurance crisis for quite some time, but the state's new lawmakers are gearing up to tackle the issue. What's happening? As explained by the Miami Herald last month, Florida's new legislative leaders who were sworn in in November have made it clear their priority is to address the state's insurance crisis in which companies are hiking their rates or pulling their coverage altogether due to the increased risk of hurricanes and other natural disasters. "I want to make sure that impacted Floridians and insurance companies hear me loudly and clearly we are watching," Senate President Ben Albritton, R-Wauchula, told senators in November, per the Miami Herald. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "[Floridians] don't want our state's insurance laws to be written by insurance companies," House Speaker Danny Perez, R-Miami, added. The Miami Herald noted it's not yet known what proposals would gain traction by the next legislative session in March, but it suggested a few things that lawmakers could be considering, including tax breaks to elevate homes, increased oversight of insurance companies, funding home hardening, and making Citizens Property Insurance available to everyone. Why is this important? The ongoing climate crisis has increased the frequency and intensity of severe weather events like Hurricanes Helene and Milton, which rocked Florida and other southeastern states within a span of just two weeks last fall. As these natural disasters become more common, many Florida residents have been left struggling to find affordable insurance coverage. For example, AAA announced it would discontinue some of its insurance coverage in Florida, joining other companies like Farmers Insurance that have already exited the state. The lack of available providers has caused Floridians to pay much higher rates for home insurance than the national average. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to the Associated Press, the average cost of a homeowners policy in Florida is about $6,000 per year, nearly four times the national average of $1,700. This issue creates financial stress for many residents and forces some to reconsider their living arrangements. Some homeowners avoid the problem completely by going without insurance, risking the possibility of losing their homes in the next major storm. What's being done about this? As the Miami Herald explained, it will take a concerted effort by Florida's new lawmakers to help make it easier for state residents to secure reliable and affordable home insurance coverage. Do you think home heating costs are higher than they should be? Definitely Depends on the season Depends where you live No Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. State-run programs like Citizens Property Insurance need to be made available to a wider range of residents to alleviate the pressure of finding a private insurer with costly premiums. It's also necessary to take the proactive step of protecting your home from future natural disasters. Improvements like elevating the structure, securing the roof, and using storm-proof materials could go a long way toward providing stability in your home, and you could receive some help for your efforts. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Florida's My Safe Florida Home program is an initiative that offers residents up to $10,000 to make their homes more resilient to hurricanes, so it's important to explore every possible avenue to enhance your home's safety, which could thereby reduce your insurance costs. 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. WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR) Concern is growing among Democrats after President Donald Trump reversed some of the former presidents executive orders, including efforts to reduce prescription drug costs for Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries. And within two days, in one of the first executive orders, they pull the rug out from under what we did, Senate Democrat Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) said. Schumer added that Democrats will pressure President Trump to continue negotiations for lower Medicare drug prices. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When you ask Americans what is bugging them, what is really ticking them off? At the very top of the list is the high cost of prescription drugs, Schumer said. Sen. Peter Welch (D-Vt.) also expressed concern. What were seeing is the Trump administration trying to roll that back, Welch said. The previous administrations efforts lowered the prices of 10 costly prescription drugs. Schumer hopes the president will build on that momentum. We have another 10, including Ozempic and Wegovy, Schumer said. When you reduce the cost of those drugs and the ability to buy those drugs, you dramatically reduce the cost of health care. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo) said he is optimistic that Trump will continue efforts to control prices. I would be surprised if you see Medicare prices, drug prices rise under Donald Trump. My expectation would be that he will use every tool at his disposal to get drug prices low, Hawley said. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to DC News Now | Washington, DC. Virginia lawmakers proposed naming the bridge on Interstate 264 over South Rosemont Road in Virginia Beach Captain Matthew Chevy Chiaverotti Memorial Bridge. Chiaverotti, a Virginia Beach firefighter, died in 2023 after being diagnosed with anaplastic thyroid cancer, a metastatic carcinoma. He was among those who responded when a Navy fighter jet crashed into an apartment building on Birdneck Road in 2012. Chiaverotti was a 20-year veteran of the fire department and served as a FEMA search team manager with Virginia Task Force 2. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In Virginia, bridges, highways, and interchanges can be named by the Commonwealth Transportation Board or by action of the General Assembly. Virginia Beach Del. Michael Feggans, whose father was a firefighter, introduced the bill (HB1793) to name the bridge. Five other Virginia Beach delegates, including two Democrats and three Republicans, are copatrons of the bill. This is the Virginia Beach House unified in coming together supporting this bill as a way to memorialize Capt. Chevys service to our community, Feggans, a Democrat, said of the bipartisan support. Related Articles The transportation committee will hold a hearing on the bill next week, Feggans said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Virginia Beach City Council on Tuesday approved a resolution in support of naming the bridge in honor of Chiaverotti. The city has offered to pay roughly $6,000 for the signage. A fiscal impact statement for the bill indicates that placing two signs on the bridge would cost $2,900 each. It meant a lot to him to be a Virginia Beach firefighter, and it showed in everything he did, said Councilman David Hutch Hutcheson, a former city fire chief. Virginia Beach has been ramping up efforts in recent years to address and highlight the risks firefighters face in the workplace. In 2023, the city screened current and retired city firefighters for more than 50 types of cancer which is the leading cause of line-of-duty deaths in departments nationwide. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It was part of a long-term response to the 2012 jet crash, also referred to as the Good Friday Miracle. On April 6, 2012, a Navy F/A-18D Hornet from Oceana Naval Air Station plunged into an apartment complex for older adults shortly after takeoff around noon, exploding into a fireball. Remarkably, no one died in the crash. But some members of the department who worked the scene have developed cancer. Chiaverotti was working that day, and his diagnosis in part led to the citys support of cancer testing for the fire department. According to the Firefighter Cancer Support Network, firefighters have a 9% higher risk of diagnosis and 14% higher risk of death from cancer compared with the general U.S. population due to occupational hazards and exposure. State legislators are also addressing another bill related to firefighters the Emergency Response Exposure Grant Fund and Program (HB2494 and matching SB972). The fund would award grants to localities to support certain emergency responders who were exposed to a qualifying emergency. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It requires funding to be used for annual cancer screenings and health care expenses incurred by eligible emergency responders in the event such emergency responders are diagnosed with cancer from toxic material exposure. Stacy Parker, 757-222-5125, stacy.parker@pilotonline.com Supporters of medical cannabis helped two measures reach the 2024 general election ballot, Initiatives 437 and 438. Some spoke during a public hearing at the University of Nebraska at Omaha on Oct. 25, 2024. (Zach Wendling/Nebraska Examiner) LINCOLN Three similar legislative proposals introduced Wednesday seek to help implement the voter-enacted legalization and regulation of medical cannabis in Nebraska by later this year. The legislation, introduced by State Sens. Danielle Conrad of Lincoln, Ben Hansen of Blair and Terrell McKinney of Omaha, would create registry programs and further stipulate the licensing and regulatory duties of the new Nebraska Medical Cannabis Commission. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement All three would allow Nebraskans, after receiving a written recommendation from a health care practitioner for medical cannabis, to apply for a registry card, identifying them as a qualified patient. The registry would similarly apply to registered caregivers, such as for minors. Nebraskans for Medical Marijuana celebrate turn-in day for 114,000 signatures the group gathered across two petitions to legalize and regulate medical marijuana. July 3, 2024. (Courtesy of Nebraskans for Medical Marijuana) The bills, which are all structurally similar with some key differences, are: Legislative Bill 651 (Conrad), LB 677 (Hansen) and LB 705 (McKinney). The time is long overdue that Nebraskans in need of care have access to that care, Conrad told reporters. I think were in a little bit of a unique position, where a lot of other states have already gone this direction, Hansen said. We have the ability to see what has worked well for others and what hasnt. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Without further state law changes, the Nebraska Medical Cannabis Commission must establish criteria to accept or deny applications for registered cannabis establishments by July 1. Licenses could then be granted as early as Oct. 1. Conrad, Hansen and McKinney would delay the start of licensing slightly, to give commissioners more time to work on the new regulations. Applications could instead be filed beginning Jan. 1, 2026. A fourth proposal A fourth bill, LB 483 from freshman State Sen. Jared Storm of David City, would limit legal medical cannabis to 300 milligrams of delta-9 THC, the compound in the cannabis plant most commonly associated with getting a person high. State Sen.-elect Jared Storm of David City, left, listens to State Sen. Merv Riepe of Ralston at a legislative retreat in Kearney on Dec. 13, 2024. (Zach Wendling/Nebraska Examiner) LB 483 would also limit permissible cannabis to the form of pills or liquid tinctures, which are concentrated herbal extracts. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement With about 28,350 milligrams per ounce, Storms bill would reduce legalization to about 0.21% of what 71% of voters authorized less than three months ago. About 67% of Nebraska voters also supported the second measure, to regulate medical cannabis. Storms legislative district of Butler, Colfax and Saunders Counties approved both measures. Storm declined to comment on his bill. Best interest at heart Conrad said some patients seeking medical cannabis cant take pills because of their conditions. She said she drafted her bill with advocates from the recent medical marijuana campaign for one of the most expansive bills possible to effectuate the will of the people as swiftly as possible. She said she and Hansen are committed to enacting the will of the people. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When and if those negotiations happen, I want to make sure to have their best interest at heart and in the room, Conrad said. State Sen. Ben Hansen of Blair talks with reporters after an Omaha Public Schools school board meeting on July 26, 2024. (Zach Wendling/Nebraska Examiner) Hansen said enacting the will of the people is important to him after multiple years around the issue, including working with former State Sen. Anna Wishart of Lincoln, a former lead member of the medical cannabis efforts. A 2021 bill from Wishart fell two votes short of advancing. Its my kind of somewhat conservative-Libertarian-leaning stance about is it the governments right to deny you a natural or a different form of medication to help with a condition as opposed to pharmaceutical medications, Hansen said. Thats what the people, I think, wanted as well, just the option to use it if they could. The cannabis ballot measures continue to be challenged in court, with one lawsuit being appealed to the Nebraska Supreme Court and another against multiple state officials and the campaign in Lancaster County District Court. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Gov. Jim Pillen and Attorney General Mike Hilgers have questioned the constitutionality of the measures under federal law, which they argue bans marijuana because the drug is classified as a Schedule I drug, defined as having no currently accepted medical use and a high potential for abuse. Conrad, however, said that opposition is a political opinion that is odd when compared with the wide latitude authorized in the U.S. Constitution for states rights. The Nebraskans for Medical Marijuana campaign has made similar arguments, pointing to dozens of other states with medical cannabis programs under the 10th Amendment. Nebraska Medical Cannabis Commission Under the regulatory bills from McKinney, Conrad and Hansen, all three would prohibit a patient, caregiver or other licensed officials under the law from being arrested, prosecuted or penalized for following the Nebraska Medical Cannabis Patient Protection Act or Nebraska Medical Cannabis Regulation Act. State Sen. Danielle Conrad of Lincoln speaks at a news conference on reviewing state rules and regulations. Jan. 16, 2025. (Zach Wendling/Nebraska Examiner) Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Medical cannabis would be legalized for all patients in all three bills, up to 5 ounces. Conrad and McKinney would allow a health care practitioner to write a recommendation for a greater amount, depending on a patients needs. The bills from Conrad and McKinney would set up a confidential patient and caregiver registry in the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services. Hansens bill would put a registry as part of the new Nebraska Medical Cannabis Commission, with an application fee of up to $45. All three regulatory bills would maintain membership on the new commission as the members of the Nebraska Liquor Control Commission and the authority of the governor to appoint up to two more commissioners. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The new commission also would have an executive director, who could be the same person across the liquor and medical cannabis commissions. Under the proposed laws, commissioners could not have conflicts of interest for cannabis sales or licensing, in addition to existing conflict of interest laws governing liquor sales and licensing. The Nebraska Department of Revenue, DHHS, Nebraska Department of Agriculture and the Medical Cannabis Commission would all collaborate to execute the new laws, too. The new bills include language about cultivating and transporting cannabis in Nebraska. Proposed restrictions to use The laws voters passed do not supersede or replace prohibitions on using or possessing cannabis in the following situations: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While undertaking any task that would constitute negligence or professional malpractice because of cannabis use (including driving or while at work). On K-12 postsecondary school grounds, including on school buses or in vans. In any jail, adult or juvenile correctional facility or a youth rehabilitation and treatment center. At any child care facility or home day care. In some circumstances, minor patients or workers could use or access their medical cannabis at schools or in child care, foster care or health care facilities. Those places could impose reasonable restrictions but could not unreasonably limit the patients access to the medicine. However, if allowing cannabis would risk financial penalties or loss of a license under federal law or regulations, cannabis could still be banned. Angie Cornett of Norfolk, Terrell Murphy of West Los Angeles and Kim Bowling-Martin of Lincoln joined at the Wine, Beer and Spirits in Lincoln to finalize signature counts for the 2024 Nebraskans for Medical Marijuana campaign. July 3, 2024. (Zach Wendling/Nebraska Examiner) Smoking cannabis or inhaling cannabis would also remain illegal if it could be inhaled by a nonpatient minor child or is used in a public place, other than with an aerosol inhaler. Employers would not be required to permit or accommodate cannabis possession or use or and could restrict use of the drug under all three bills. Drug-testing and drug-free work policies could still be enforced. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement McKinneys bill would specifically prohibit employers from discriminating against a qualified patient or registered caregiver in hiring, firing or other conditions of employment unless the employee used cannabis during work hours and the usage impaired job performance or safety. Employers would need to provide reasonable accommodations under McKinneys approach. Insurance and Medicaid plans would not be required to cover the costs of cannabis in the versions from Hansen and Conrad. Insurance coverage is not specified in McKinneys bill. Licensing requirements All three bills would establish more specific licensing requirements, similar to alcohol establishments now, with set fees, license types or business tiers. Conrad would create five license types: cultivator, dispensary, products manufacturer, testing facility and vertical (for an integrated medical cannabis business). Hansen would allow one additional type for transporters. Vertical licenses, which would include other licenses for businesses, would be limited across congressional districts. All licenses would also be limited in the number issued, except transporters. Instead of vertical licenses, McKinney would add a patient delivery license and set up three tiers of businesses microbusinesses, small businesses and large-scale operators. Social equity and justice McKinneys bill would stipulate that beginning on Jan. 1 for licensing applications, only social equity applicants could apply. He would reserve more than half of all licenses for people who have lived in areas impacted by state and federal marijuana possession and distribution laws or who were themselves disproportionately harmed by the countrys war on drugs. Such applicants would be eligible for mentorship and financial assistance in new programs proposed through the Nebraska Department of Economic Development. State Sen. Terrell McKinney of Omaha, center, greets Gov. Jim Pillen ahead of the governors annual State of the State Address to the Legislature. Jan. 15, 2025. (Zach Wendling/Nebraska Examiner) Other applicants could apply beginning April 1, 2026. The bill also offers resentencing or the automatic erasure and expungement of criminal wrongdoing for certain marijuana-related offenses. McKinney said his goal in LB 705 is to have a conversation about equity and justice, particularly for people who have been harmed in the past. Its cool to legalize it, but I want to make sure that those that have been negatively affected and disproportionately affected by marijuana laws and cannabis laws have an opportunity to take advantage of the law change, McKinney said. The will of the people Hansen said many factors went into his bill, such as the ballot measure and what voters approved, possible economic benefits and what we can with live with as a Legislature. I dont think we should pass the bill or do this because were going to make money, Hansen said. Its because its what the people wanted, and its right for our state. Sales taxes are not applied to medicines in Nebraska, but McKinney, Conrad and Hansen would redefine medical cannabis to make it subject to state and local sales taxes. Storms bill doesnt include that change, meaning it would not be taxed under LB 483. Stacks of signed petitions sat in Crista Eggers home in Omaha in May 2022, awaiting submission to the State of Nebraska. Eggers is the statewide campaign coordinator for Nebraskans for Medical Marijuana. (Courtesy of Rebecca S. Gratz) McKinney would tax cannabis at the statewide 5.5 cents per $1 purchase, before local taxes. Hansen and Conrad are seeking a 4-cent state sales tax rate per $1 purchase, before local taxes. Revenue from sales taxes would be funneled back into the program under the proposals from McKinney and Conrad. Hansens bill would redirect the cannabis tax revenues toward property tax relief. Because voters enacted the measures at the ballot box, lawmakers would need 33 votes in the 49-member Legislature to amend, narrow or reapl any related legislation under the Nebraska Constitution. Conrad said that means patients and advocates already have a fail-safe plan because if lawmakers dont get 33 votes, the measures are self-enacting and will take effect anyway. Our hope is that were going to work as fast and as hard as possible to make sure that they can get access to the care that they need, Conrad said. But if the Legislature stands in the way of that, the will of the people will prevail. Editors note: This story has been updated to correct how many members of the Nebraska Medical Cannabis Commission would serve under the proposed bills. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX SANTA FE, N.M. (KRQE) The governor along with Democratic and Republican lawmakers all agree its time to revamp New Mexicos Children, Youth and Families Department. Now, KRQE News 13 is getting a better look at how some lawmakers say that should happen. CYFD seems all but sure to face changes this legislative session, but exactly how, is expected to draw a lot of debate. One of the first Democratic proposals calls for changes in how the department leader is picked and more. While its a huge agency, they need our help they need our direction, said Representative Gail Armstrong, Minority Floor Leader (R-Magdalena). Story continues below Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Socorro Republican Gail Armstrong is among those pushing for CYFD reform this session, something the governor also called for in her State of the State address. Those in the care of the Children Youth and Families Department deserve a whole lot more, said Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham. Republicans and Democrats are now working on a lot of ideas. We would like to see the CARA program for substance-exposed newborns. We would like to see that program moved to the health care authority. We believe that that is the right fit for that program, said Representative Meredith Dixon, (D-Albuquerque). The CARA Act lets moms with drug issues take their babies home after theyre born. Some lawmakers claim those rules have led to life-threatening situations. We are sending those babies home with mothers that are addicted and families that have you know issues and so we want to help them as much as we can. We dont want for it to be negative. We want to help them, said l Armstrong. A draft proposal from Democrats also calls for changing how the CYFD secretary could be selected with a commission nominating finalists. My concern about that is, is there a list of qualifications of the people that we appoint first of all? said Armstrong. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement However, Democrats said theyll address those concerns. Ensuring that the folks that are being nominated from the nominating committee have exceptional qualifications in child welfare, thats something that I think were going to ensure happens, said Dixon. House Speaker Javier Martinez agreed that CYFD is in need of change. Theres a lot of reform work that will happen, including potentially changing the way the head of this particular department is selected, said Javier Martinez, speaker of the house (D) Albuquerque. Armstrong and Dixon are planning to work together on that proposal over the coming weeks. Lawmakers said we should also expect to see several other bills filed in relation to CYFD reform this session, along with more funding for CYFD. The governor has specifically called for an outside oversight agency to review the departments performance every six months. Meanwhile, Democrats and Republicans are supporting creating a special Child Advocate office inside of the New Mexico Department of Justice. 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. Utah House Republican leadership unveiled their solution to perceived weaknesses in the states vote-by-mail election system: remove the option to mail in mail-in ballots for most voters. One week before the state legislative session began, Speaker Mike Schultz framed the bill, HB300, which was made public on Wednesday, as a way to solve multiple problems related to depending on the U.S. Postal Service for ballot submission. The bill, titled Amendments to Election Law, would require that after a ballot is mailed to a voter, it is returned to poll workers, in person with voter ID. The bill outlines exceptions to in-person ballot return and mandates a certain number of drop boxes in every municipality depending on the number of active voters. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Bill sponsor Rep. Jefferson Burton told the Deseret News in a statement that the priority of the House Republican Caucus with HB300 is to continuously improve state elections to keep Utahs voting system convenient, accessible and secure. Attendees listen as the Utah House of Representatives hold their first session of the year in their chamber at the Utah State Capitol in Salt Lake City on Tuesday, Jan. 21, 2025. | Isaac Hale, Deseret News We know Utah voters want to receive their ballot in the mail and that will continue, Burton, R-Salem, said. However, the majority of Utahns, and of Americans, support a requirement to show photo ID to vote. Why reform mail-in voting? In a meeting with the combined Deseret News and KSL editorial boards last week, Schultz, R-Hooper, said his determination to reform vote-by-mail is the direct product of multiple legislative audits that have taken place since he helped pass a bill requiring them in 2022. A sign is posted to stop people from dropping their ballots in the mailbox as vehicles line up for the official ballot drop boxes on Election Day outside of the Salt Lake County Government Center in Salt Lake City on Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2024. | Kristin Murphy, Deseret News 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 mail-in voting, according to Schultz, was the extremely close 2nd Congressional District 2024 GOP primary where several hundred ballots were rejected with a late postmark at least in part because of Postal Service delays concerning the Las Vegas distribution center. Were not against the vote by mail overall, we just think theres a better way to do it, Schultz said, pointing to a Pew Research Center poll from January 2024 that found 81% of U.S. adults supported requiring people to show government-issued photo identification to vote. A recent Sutherland Institute poll found that over half, 51%, of Utah voters say that requiring a photo ID when submitting a mail-in ballot would make them either much more or somewhat more confident in Utah elections. Schultz Senate counterparts are less keen to implement major overhauls to the states election system. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On Wednesday, Utah Senate President Stuart Adams, R-Layton, praised the states county clerks for handling the daunting task of verifying mail-in ballot signatures and tabulating votes with an extremely high degree of accuracy. Nikila Venugopal, Salt Lake County Clerks Office chief deputy clerk, stacks ballots to process at the Salt Lake County Government Center in Salt Lake City on Thursday, Oct. 31, 2024. | Kristin Murphy, Deseret News But Adams agreed that legislative audits show there is slight room for improvement. Senate Majority Leader Kirk Cullimore, R-Draper, said GOP lawmakers in the Legislatures upper chamber are taking a cautious approach toward many of the electoral reforms emerging from the House. If were doing a policy just because its reactionary, but its actually undermining the publics confidence in the election then we need to take a harder look at that, Cullimore said. We want to make sure that people are able to vote easily still. We want to make sure its secure. We want to take the subjectivity out of it. And so if those policies support that, and give more confidence in the election, I think thats what the Senate could get behind. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The same Sutherland survey found that 87% of Utah voters were somewhat or very confident that the state counted ballots accurately. How would the bill work? Burtons bill would not change who receives a mail-in ballot. All active voters would still receive a mail-in ballot between seven and 21 days before Election Day. But voters would not be able to mail in these newly named remote ballots under most circumstances. Voters would need to return their remote ballots at a standard polling place on Election Day or during a 14-day early voting period, or at a ballot drop box on Election Day or during a five-business-day window preceding Election Day. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement County election officials would be required to station two poll workers at every drop box between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. during this period to ask for voter name and valid voter identification for all returned remote ballots. Each county clerk would be required to have at least one fully-staffed drop box in every municipality. Katherine Kitterman holds her two-year-old son, Ethan Roberts, as he places her ballot in a drop box outside of the Salt Lake County Government Center in Salt Lake City on Monday, Nov. 4, 2024. Kitterman said that she brought her son with her so that he can see her voting and follow her example as an adult. | Brice Tucker, Deseret News Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If the municipality has more than 10,000 active registered voters, two drop boxes are required, with an additional drop box for every 10,000 active registered voters or as needed to avoid long lines. Aside from those covered by the Uniform Military and Overseas Voters Act, Utah voters would be unable to mail in their remote ballots unless they applied for mail-in voter status by submitting a form to their county clerk with valid voter ID. The bill states that mail-in voter status expires after two years and that ballots submitted via mail must be received by county election officials on or before Election Day to be counted. What other election bills are coming? Republican representatives in the House are eager to redefine Utahs vote-by-mail election system. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In addition to Burtons bill, House lawmakers have introduced more than a dozen bills that would change how Utahns vote and its only two days into the 2025 legislative session. The proposals range from overhauling how candidates qualify for primary elections to transforming mail-in voting into an opt-in-only system. A vocal group of Republican lawmakers, primarily in the state House, say election reform is necessary to shore up voter confidence after an election cycle punctuated by eyebrow-raising audits and uncorroborated allegations of fraud. But Democratic lawmakers in both the House and Senate worry the sessions emphasis on electoral reform is meant to funnel access to the ballot instead of increase fairness in elections. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Too many of these bills look to us like solutions looking for problems, Rep. Doug Owens, D-Millcreek, told reporters on Tuesday. If theres a way to convey increased confidence in the system to people who dont have it ... were open to helping them gain that, but Im not sure reconfiguring the whole way the process operates is going to help them. The Utah State Capitol stands in Salt Lake City on the first day of the legislative session on Tuesday, Jan. 21, 2025. | Isaac Hale, Deseret News Here are other election bills that have been made public: House Bill 241, sponsored by Gilmanton Republican Rep. David Nagel, would require health insurers to cover alternatives to opioids for treating pain. (Getty Images) As the opioid crisis swept across the U.S., New Hampshire was among the hardest hit states. In 2017, the year the public health emergency was officially declared, 424 opioid-related overdose deaths were reported in the state, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse. Thats 34 deaths per 100,000 people, over twice the national average of 14.6, putting the Granite State in the top five most affected states. One of many complex factors driving the crisis, lawmakers wrote in a bill aimed at alleviating the crisis impacts, was the American medical systems reluctance to treat pain with options other than prescription opioids, such as Purdue Pharmas OxyContin. Those opioids were later revealed to be highly addictive and pushing users toward harder, even more dangerous drugs. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement House Bill 241, sponsored by Gilmanton Republican Rep. David Nagel, would require health insurers to cover physical therapy, acupuncture, massage therapy, chiropractic care, and cognitive behavioral therapy as alternative treatments for pain to opioids. The bill, which is aimed at offering alternatives to not just opioids but other mainstream treatment options such as surgery, was discussed during a hearing Thursday in the House Commerce and Consumer Affairs Committee. Nagel himself is a doctor who works closely with pain management and acupuncture and wrote a book on the subject: Needless Suffering: How Society Fails Those with Chronic Pain. We are harming people with our inability to treat pain, he said at the hearing. Nagel said lots of the treatments included in this bill are inaccessible to patients despite their effectiveness. As an example, he said that chiropractic care is the most cost-effective way to treat back pain, while spinal surgery is the least, yet so many patients go to spinal surgeons. Nagel likened his approach to medicinal approaches in Asian cultures that are more circular and seek a wider variety of treatment options. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement During the hearing, Rep. Lisa Post, a Lyndeborough Republican and member of the committee, praised Nagel and explained it was his book and work that helped her get through the impacts of a car crash without major surgery. While he was in favor of promoting these alternative treatments, Rep. John Hunt, a Rindge Republican, took issue with how the bill mandated the insurers pay when its the doctors, he said, who arent referring people to chiropractors or other providers mentioned in the bill. The dilemma, he said, was that he doesnt feel the government should override a doctors expertise. The number one problem is everyone is going to that expensive surgery right off the bat, Hunt said. SAN FRANCISCO (KRON) Corazon Dandan was waiting for a BART train at the Powell Street station in San Francisco when she was pushed to her death in the summer of 2024. Now her family is taking legal action against Bay Area Rapid Transit District demanding that the public transit system improve safety for all riders. On Tuesday, attorneys representing Dandans nephew and six siblings slapped BART with a wrongful death lawsuit in San Francisco Superior Court. The suit claims that the Bay Areas largest public transit system has a long history of violent deaths and assaults on BART platforms and tracks. BART police officers fail to remove mentally unstable criminals from stations, and the agency enables horrific crimes to continue, according to attorneys with the law firm Cotchett, Pitre & McCarthy. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A BART spokesperson declined to comment about the lawsuit on Wednesday. On the night of July 1, 2024, Dandan was working at a hotel in Union Square. After she left work, she went to the Power Street station to catch a train home to Daly City. Corazon Dandan (Photo courtesy Cotchett, Pitre & McCarthy and Pritzker Levine) Dandan, 74, was pushed by Trevor Belmont, aka Hoak Taing, into the path of an oncoming train, according to police and attorneys. Corazons head struck the oncoming train, and she fell backwards onto the platform. She suffered and died, the lawsuit states. Belmont was a repeat fare evader and sexual predator who had previously been ordered by a judge to stay away from BART stations, according to the suit. The 49-year-old homeless man is currently in jail and charged with murder. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its not just him. Theres a lot of people out there who (are) just circling the train station, the victims nephew told reporters on Wednesday. I know because the moment that happened to my aunt, I went to that station myself. Theres about a dozen people in there who I didnt feel safe (around. Attorney Nanci Nishimura said, This lawlessness has to stop. BART has long been on notice about the need for improved safety and protection. A man waits for an arriving train at BART Powell Street station in San Francisco, Calif., on Tuesday, February 11, 2020. (Photo by Scott Strazzante/San Francisco Chronicle via Getty Images) Dandans family characterized her as an independent and driven woman. She worked two jobs for over 25 years. When she was far into retirement age, she continued working at the hotel as a phone operator and commuting into San Francisco. Corazon demonstrated incredible generosity in her life. Corazon helped to finance the education of many of her family members, including her beloved nephew Alvin. She assisted with the tuition and expenses of medical school, which enabled him to become an intensive care doctor, attorneys wrote. Belmonts criminal history on BART Belmont was arrested 27 times in multiple Bay Area counties, attorneys said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In 2018, he was convicted for engaging in lewd conduct when he publicly exposed himself on a BART train near Oaklands Lake Merritt. He allegedly told police officers that he struggled to control his sexual urges, attorneys said. He was arrested again in 2018 after officers saw him swinging his fists at BART riders on the platform of the Dublin/Pleasanton BART station. BART crime sees double digit drop from last year More violence, deaths on BART The Dandan familys attorneys compiled a list of violent incidents that happened at BART stations both before and after Dandans death. According to the lawsuit, some of those incidents include: On November 2, 2024, a man slashed a 54-year-old Asian woman on a BART train rolling into 24th Street station. On November 13, 2024, a man was found stabbed to death outside the Embarcadero BART station and the killer fled into the station. Johnathon Calvin Wright, 36, was later arrested by police. On July 22, 2018, three sisters, Nia, Letifah, and Tashiya Wilson, were attacked at MacArthur station in Oakland. Nia and Letifah were stabbed in the neck by a BART rider, John Lee Cowell. Eighteen-year-old Nia died on the platform. Cowell, who had an extensive history of mental illness, was convicted of murder. Nia Wilson / Facebook In March 2021, a woman was assaulted by a man while commuting on a BART train. At the Bay Fair station, a man followed her off the train, onto the platform, and pushed her towards the tracks. The victim was only three feet from the edge of the platform when she was pushed toward an electrified third rail. The woman was able to keep her balance and remain on the platform. On June 15, 2020, a man was pushed onto the tracks of downtown Berkeleys BART station as a train arrived at the platform. The victim was waiting for the train when he was shoved, unprovoked, onto the trackway five feet below. He avoided being hit by scrambling into a narrow crawl space between the platform and the train. BART-LAWSUITDownload Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The lawsuit accuses BART officials of failing to take actions to make platforms safer in order to prevent people being pushed or falling onto the tracks. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. NEW YORK (AP) New York Yankees legend Mariano Rivera and his wife are accused in a lawsuit of failing to protect a young girl who was sexually abused by an older child during a summer camp trip sponsored by their church. In a lawsuit filed this month, lawyers for the girl allege that the Hall of Fame pitcher and his wife Clara Rivera, a pastor at the Refuge of Hope Church, flew from New York to Florida to investigate after the girl's mother expressed concerns about her daughter's safety during the 2018 trip. But rather than take action, the couple isolated and intimidated the victim into remaining "silent about her negative experiences, including the abuse, the lawsuit says. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Joseph A. Ruta, an attorney for the Riveras, said in a statement that any allegations that they knew about or failed to act on reports of child abuse are completely false. He said the couple only learned of the allegations in 2022 after receiving a letter from an attorney requesting a financial settlement. The Riveras are known throughout New York for their charitable work and especially for their commitment to serving underprivileged children, Ruta said. Its unfortunate they are being targeted by false allegations. The lawsuit doesn't name the accuser, but it says she was born in 2007, which would have made her 10 or 11 years old in 2018. That summer, according to the complaint, Clara Rivera persuaded a congregant to allow her daughter to attend a camp at the Ignite Life Center, a church in Gainesville, Florida. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While staying in an unsupervised dorm room, the girl was repeatedly sexually abused by an older female camper, according to the suit. In a police report filed in 2022, the girl said there were 15 instances of inappropriate touching over a two-week period, both in her bunk and a shower. Though the girl did not report the abuse, her mother grew worried about her safety after the two spoke on the phone call, the complaint states. The mother then outlined her concerns to Clara Rivera, who agreed to investigate, according to the suit. During that trip, the couple received information that should have given them concern," the lawsuit says, but chose instead to remain silent to avoid the potential scandal of child sexual abuse in its programs. The suit doesn't specifically state what the Riveras were told by the girl or her mother. The girl later returned to New York and continued her active participation in the church. But later that summer, during a barbecue for congregants at the Riveras home in Rye, New York, she was again abused by the same person, the complaint states. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement They failed to mitigate the risks, and upon learning that she had been a victim, took no steps to protect her or get criminal justice, the attorney who filed the lawsuit, Adam Horowitz, told The Associated Press by phone. They continued to expose her again to the same risk at her home. In 2021, the girl was again sexually assaulted, this time by a male youth leader at Refuge of Hope, according to the lawsuit. The abuse in that case was discovered by the girls mother, who found months of electronic communications between the two, the lawsuit contends. Afterward, the girl and her mother filed police reports in New York and Florida regarding the abuse in 2018 and 2021. Horowitz said he didn't believe that criminal charges were brought in any of the cases. The lawsuit was filed against the Refuge of Hope church, not against the Riveras themselves. Prosecutors in New York and Florida didn't immediately respond to requests for comment about whether they looked into the allegations. A lawyer for Ignite Life Center did not respond to an inquiry. The church recently settled lawsuits brought by three people also represented by Horowitz who said they were abused as teenagers by a volunteer at Ignite Life Center. Two others affiliated with the church have been charged with lewd and lascivious battery against minors. Around 70 fans of Spanish club Real Sociedad were attacked by Lazio ultras in Rome on Wednesday, a spokesperson with Rome Capital Police told CNN. According to police, the attack by 80 suspected Lazio ultras a hardcore faction of the clubs fanbase took place in a nightclub in the center of the Italian capital, near the Colosseum in the neighborhood of Monti. Lazio and Real Sociedad are scheduled to play each other in the Europa League Thursday night. Police said that nine people were taken to a local hospital, three of whom were stabbed, and the others were beaten with metal chains, hammers and leather straps. Three people remain in hospital, while several people refused treatment, a spokesperson for San Giovanni hospital told CNN. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement City councilor Nathalie Naim posted footage of the violence on Facebook, writing: Scenes of war tonight in the Rione Monti. The roar of violent explosions, the sky turning red, screams, the buildings shaking, the people running away from the various premises. Groups of Spanish and Lazio fans dressed in black, some with helmets and bats, faced each other at the pub in Via Leonina with knives, jacks and hammers where they threw paper bombs Police officers and financial police in riot gear and ambulances intervened. When everything was over after a few hours, the police advised not to circulate in the district. CNN has reached out to Lazio for comment. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The images of the attacks last night in Rome against Spanish fans are shameful and unacceptable, Rome mayor Roberto Gualtieri said on Thursday. Rome strongly rejects these scenes of insane violence that offend the city, its citizens and the spirit of sport. I trust that the investigations of the police will soon shed light on those responsible, because the Capital of Italy does not want and does not deserve to be remembered for such barbarity. Lazio ultras, also known as the Irriducibili, are notorious for their links with the far-right in Italy, as well as engaging in violent and anti-Semitic behavior. In 2019, Lazio fans were filmed making fascist salutes and displaying a banner in support of former Italian fascist dictator Benito Mussolini before an Italian Cup game in Milan. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Two years prior to that, the club was widely condemned after supporters posted stickers around Romes Stadio Olimpico depicting Holocaust victim Anne Frank wearing the shirt of city rival Roma alongside anti-Semitic slogans. Police said that security will be heightened ahead of Thursdays Europa League match. Lazio is currently top of the group having won five and drawn one of its first six matches, while Real Sociedad is 12th and looking to climb into the automatic qualification spots. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com ST. MARY PARISH, La. (KLFY) Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries enforcement agents rescued a hunter in St. Mary Parish on Jan. 21. Agents received information around 2 p.m. about a stranded hunter on the Atchafalaya Delta Wildlife Management Area (WMA). LDWF Agents and St. Mary Parish Sheriffs Office deputies responded to the scene and found the hunter. Duck hunters rescued from snowstorm in Henderson Lake According to the hunter, he was duck hunting and on his way back in when his vessel ran out of gas and he made a call for help. LDWF agents and St. Mary Parish Sheriffs Office deputies in a LDWF patrol vessel were able to transport the hunter back to his truck at the boat launch. The hunter did not require any medical attention. Hunters are reminded to stay home, stay off the roads, and to not access any WMAs at this time due to the hazards presented by the winter storm. LDWF Agents participating in this successful rescue are Sgt. Jeremy Foret and Agent Savannah Lavergne. 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. One of the orchestrators of the January 6 riots has returned to Capitol Hill after being freed by Donald Trumps sweeping grants of clemency. Stewart Rhodes, leader of the Oath Keepers militia, met with House lawmakers on Wednesday afternoon just days after being pardoned by the president. Members of his group were pivotal in the insurrection and could be seen advancing on the Capitol in military stack formation on January 6. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Mr Rhodes was handed an 18-year jail term for seditious conspiracy but walked free this week when Mr Trump pardoned more than 1,500 people charged with federal crimes at the Capitol. Mr Trumps action shutters the largest investigation in US Justice Department history, including more than 300 pending cases. His clemency extended from the people who committed only misdemeanours such as trespassing to groups who planned the assault on democracy. Redemption, but also vindication Rhodes, a former US Army paratrooper and Yale-educated lawyer, was convicted in one of the most serious cases brought by the Justice Department over the riot that left more than 100 police officers injured. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its redemption, but also vindication, Rhodes told reporters outside the Washington DC jail yesterday, where a crowd of Mr Trumps supporters waited for more prisoners to be released. Rhodes, who did not enter the Capitol on January 6, said he did not have any regrets and still believed Mr Trumps claims that the election was stolen. The US president said the pardons will end a grave national injustice that has been perpetrated upon the American people over the last four years and begin a process of national reconciliation. More than 1,200 people across the US have been convicted of crimes at the Capitol, including roughly 200 people who pleaded guilty to assaulting law enforcement. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement More than a dozen defendants were convicted of seditious conspiracy, a rare Civil War-era charge and the most serious one brought in the Jan 6 attack. 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 leaders of Germany's far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) and the left-wing party Bundnis Sahra Wagenknecht (BSW) on Wednesday clashed in a fiery exchange on broadcaster ARD. AfD co-head Alice Weidel and BSW leader Sahra Wagenknecht traded blows, which also became personal, as they touched on Weidel's recent conversation with tech billionaire Elon Musk. They then got heated over a controversial statement regarding the political ideology of Germany's former Nazi dictator Adolf Hitler. Wagenknecht first accused Weidel of failing to engage critically with Musk during a recent live talk on social media platform X. She described the interaction as "somewhat embarrassing," claiming that Weidel appeared to idolize Musk. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Wagenknecht had previously accused Weidel of seeming like a "submissive fangirl" during the interaction. Weidel swiftly countered, dismissing the "fangirl" label and asserting: "It was a dialogue. I am a fangirl of freedom of expression." The exchange took a more serious turn as the two leaders clashed over Weidel's much-debated remark in her conversation with Musk, where she termed Hitler a communist. Weidel defended her statement by explaining there were parallels with communism and socialist systems, claiming Hitler was a "left-winger in spirit." Wagenknecht described this as an outrage against Hitler's victims, noting Hitler had sent thousands of communists and social democrats to concentration camps. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Weidel, in turn, pointed to the "millions of people killed by the communists" and under leaders like Soviet dictator Josef Stalin, accusing Wagenknecht of once supporting such regimes when she was part of The Left, a hard-left descendant of the party that once ruled East Germany. "You were running after these people," Weidel said. She went on to accuse Wagenknecht of having "emulated" Stalin, a claim that Wagenknecht denied. German voters go to the polls on February 23 to elect a new parliament. Weidel's AfD party holds second place with around 20% in the polls, while Wagenknecht's BSW party hopes to surpass the 5% threshold generally needed to secure seats in the Bundestag, or lower house of parliament. By Sarah Marsh and Andreas Rinke BERLIN (Reuters) - German opposition leader Friedrich Merz, tipped to become the next chancellor, said on Thursday he wanted to win back the lost trust of key allies and ensure Berlin is more assertive on the global stage in a speech laying out his foreign policy plans. He also said calls by U.S. President Donald Trump, who returned to power on Jan. 20, for Europe to do more to defend itself presented an opportunity for the continent to strengthen. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Germany's partners have struggled in recent years to strategise with Berlin due to infighting within Chancellor Olaf Scholz's awkward three-way coalition, Merz said in a speech that focused more on Europe than transatlantic relations. That discord ultimately led to the coalition's collapse late last year, prompting a snap election on Feb. 23 that Merz's conservatives are on track to win by a large margin. If elected head of government, Merz said, he would create a national security council anchored in the chancellery to better coordinate all issues that touch on foreign, development and defence policy across the different ministries, so Berlin would speak with one strong voice. "The times when European partners received different answers from Berlin - depending on whether they were in the Chancellery, the Foreign Office or the Ministry of Finance - must be a thing of the past," Merz told the event in Berlin. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The 69-year-old conservative, who was a deputy in the European Parliament from 1989-94, said he would expect all cabinet members to regularly attend EU Council meetings in Brussels to ensure Germany's voice was well represented. He would only appoint ministers and deputy ministers from his party who were able to communicate in English. "The overriding maxim of (my) government will therefore be that Germany can be relied on again, we keep our word, we will make decisions - and once a decision has been made we stick to it," he said. FENCE-MENDING WITHIN EUROPE Key would be fixing relations with top European allies, he said. Germany needed to speak more with Poland and better coordinate stances with France for the European Council, which groups the 27 heads of government in the European Union. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Merz also said Germany would no longer restrict weapons deliveries to Israel, he said, rather send it whatever it needs. "It must become unmistakably clear again: Germany is not caught between two stools, (rather) Germany stands firmly on the side of Israel," he said. Europe also needs to reform its military procurement system to get more bang for its buck, he said. Currently European countries were developing, producing and maintaining 178 weapons systems compared to just 30 for the United States. "These redundancies cost a lot of money and waste potential," he said. "I want 'Made in Europe' to match the quality and quantity of defence equipment of the USA." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Asked about Trump's insistence the United States needed to take control of Greenland from Denmark, he played down the remarks, saying they amounted to a strategy to focus attention on the strategic importance of the vast Arctic island. Denmark acknowledged earlier this month that it had long neglected the defence of Greenland. Merz further urged the United States and the EU to finally agree on a free trade deal rather than fall into a tariff spiral, as many fear with Trump and his "America First" agenda, that would only make everyone poorer. (Reporting by Andreas Rinke and Sarah Marsh; editing by Mark Heinrich) Lebanon County Fire crews were out in force Wednesday, Jan. 22, after being dispatched to a gas station in East Hanover Township and a chimney fire in Cornwall Borough. At 8:43 p.m., various Lebanon County fire crews were dispatched for a 2-alarm blaze at Kreiser Fuel Services located in the 100 block of Racehorse Drive. Residents in the area described seeing billowing smoke clouds coming from the business as crews approached the structure. At 8:43 p.m. Jan. 22, various Lebanon County fire crews were dispatched for a 2-alarm blaze at Kreiser Fuel Services located at the 100 block of Racehorse Drive. No Injuries have been reported as of Thursday, Jan 23. Officials said that the cause of the fire is still under investigation. The Pennsylvania State Police Fire Marshal was called to the scene. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement At 9:18 p.m. that same evening, fire crews including Cornwall Borough and Neversink fire companies, responded to a residential chimney fire in the 100 block of Ironmaster Road. Officials said crews were out for about two hours at the scene before returning. No injuries were reported from the incident, and crews did not report what caused the fire. At 9:18 p.m.. Jan. 22, fire crews including Cornwall Borough and Neversink fire companies responded to a residential chimney fire on the 100 block of Ironmaster Road. Lebanon County fire crews were dispatched to the East Hanover gas station again at 5:27 a.m. Thursday, Jan. 23, after the fire rekindled, according to officials. Please check back with the Lebanon Daily News for updates. Matthew Toth is a reporter for the Lebanon Daily News. Reach him at mtoth@ldnews.com or on X at @DAMattToth. This article originally appeared on Lebanon Daily News: Lebanon fire crews battle 2nd alarm gas station fire, chimney fire Charlie, too weak to survive the sub-zero temperatures, froze to death. A rescue group found the collared, tawny-colored male dog's body in the Detroit snow. "He walked until he couldnt," Detroit Dog Rescue's Executive Director Kristina Millman-Rinaldi posted on social media Wednesday, retracing its last steps by following its tracks. Charlie stumbled, she added, feeble from the cold and "laid down and died." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement People have been finding companionship in pets particularly dogs for thousands of years; but judging by the comments on Millman-Rinaldis post, some Michiganders now are struggling to understand why a pet was left out in the cold. Reports of endangered and neglected dogs have emerged recently as millions of people in the Midwest and East Coast cope with temperatures so low that forecasters have urged residents to stay indoors. GRAPHIC: Oh, sweet boy, Im so sorry. Frozen in his last moments, asleep forever and taken by the cold in #Detroit.... Posted by Detroit Dog Rescue on Wednesday, January 22, 2025 To protect children, many school districts closed for at least a couple of days. As for pets, the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals urged owners to safeguard them by making sure they, too, are out of the cold and not left outside, which in some communities is a crime. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement More: In Michigan's deep freeze, even the dead struggle to find respite The cold weather earlier this week, Millman-Rinaldi said, likely stopped Charlies heart and took his breath and life away. As tragic as the dog's end was, the rescuer speculated it probably was "relief to the pain" the cold caused its body. Protecting a 'best friend' Detroit Dog Rescue, a no-kill shelter, seeks to save animals. Dogs, after all, are "mans best friend," a phrase that dates to the late 1700s. Frederick the Great, the King of Prussia, is said to have referred to one of his Italian Greyhounds as his best friend. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement French philosopher Voltaire concluded nature gave the dog to man for defense and pleasure. Of all animals, he wrote in 1764, the dog is the most faithful, calling it: "le meilleur ami que puisse avoir l'homme." In an 1870 court case in Warrensburg, Missouri, a lawyer, George Vest, representing a farmer whose pet, Old Drum, was killed, made an emotional plea to the jury, explaining a dog is "the one absolutely unselfish friend that a man can have in this selfish world." The farmer, who was seeking damages, won the lawsuit. Old Drum: The Dog Who Defined Loyalty in Court In 1870, a beloved dog named Old Drum was shot by a neighbor in... Posted by Dog Fan on Tuesday, December 3, 2024 Almost a century later, in 1958, a statue of the black and tan hound was cast with the support of contributions from dog lovers everywhere and erected outside the courthouse where the case was tried. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement And in 2007, real estate magnate Leona Helmsley died leaving $12 million to her dog, Trouble, proving that a dog could be a womans best friend, too. Helmsley reportedly also dedicated other assets, worth $5 billion to $8 billion, to the care of more dogs. 'I'm not leaving them' Still, over the years, plenty of other people also have neglected their best friends. Millman-Rinaldi mentioned she also saw dogs at a southwest Detroit residence in the cold. She described how whining, freezing animals held up their padded paws, "trying to get out of the cold." More: In Michigan's deep freeze, even the dead struggle to find respite Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Four dogs recently perished in and around Indianapolis because they lacked shelter and warmth, Newsweek reported. People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals documented that at least three dogs were saved from extreme cold situations. One dog, PETA said, was freed from a vehicle that broke through the ice on a Minnesota lake; a second, was pulled out of an icy Maryland pond, and a third, in Massachusetts, was rescued after getting stuck on a beaver dam. The Humane Society of the United States, based in Washington, D.C., warned that dogs and cats despite the "misconception that the fur on their backs" will protect them suffer from winter cold. The society added that leaving pets outside in extremely cold weather is cruel. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As for Charlie, Millman-Rinaldi said the rescue organization lifted the dogs lifeless body out of the snow, gave it a name, and then, a dignified goodbye. But, the executive director added, the dog deserved better. "Oh, sweet boy, Im so sorry," Millman-Rinaldi said in her post, explaining why, in part, she and others picked up the frozen bodies and put them to rest: "Im not leaving them for kids to see on their snow day." Contact Frank Witsil: 313-222-5022 or fwitsil@freepress.com. This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Dog found frozen, dead in Detroit snow during brutal winter cold On his first day in office, President Donald Trump issued executive orders targeting the nations immigration policies, including one aimed at eliminating birthright citizenship, challenging the 14th Amendment. Reporter Emi Darquea with our sister station Telemundo visited North Carolinas only ICE office, where dozens of people lined up to understand how these changes could affect them. I feel very sad because there are many people who really dont have a way to go back to their countries. I feel bad, Im an immigrant too, said Elizabeth Mendoza, an interpreter for Singletary Law Firm. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement SEE MORE >> As Trump enters office, hundreds try to meet with ICE A Hispanic father expressed his concern about dropping off his kids at school, fearing ICE might detain him, saying, The fear is that they might come to educational centers and take you, and you never see your children again. Mendoza noted an influx of clients at her law firm since Trump took office. A recent mother in line expressed her disappointment about the executive order trying to end birthright citizenship, saying: Disappointed because then my daughter would be left adrift. I came without knowing I was pregnant, so all thats left is to wait. Mecklenburg County Sheriff Garry McFadden mentioned he hasnt heard about any ICE raids in Charlotte yet. (VIDEO: Sheriff Garry McFadden hopes to meet with state lawmakers, ICE) DAYTON, Ohio (WDTN) A Miami Valley woman who made national headlines for her participation in the Jan. 6, 2021, riot at the U.S. Capitol is now free. Jessica Watkins had been in federal custody for more than four years, until President Trump signed an executive order Monday night. She was one of more than 1,500 people impacted by Trumps act. The Champaign County woman was one of 14 people whose sentences were commuted. All others were given a pardon. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump pardons Capitol rioters Watkins posted photos on social media after being released from federal prison in Florida this week. 2 NEWS spoke with legal analyst Steven Clark about what this executive order means for those involved, including several Miami Valley natives. People who have now been pardoned who have already done their time, theres not much for them to do, said Clark. But they will have their convictions set aside, they will no longer be convicted felons. Clark adds that individuals who had not yet been convicted will no longer face charges. Prosecutors characterized Watkins as a key organizer of the Capitol attack, noting that she coordinated the transport of weapons for other members and was among the first to enter the Capitol building in a tactical formation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For Jessica, she received a commuted sentence, which essentially takes away the penalty of the conviction, but not the conviction itself, said Clark. So she could still be on federal probation, she will still have that conviction on her record, which could keep her from owning a firearm. So there are still consequences for the conviction, but not the punishment of the lengthy prison term. Clark also says its important to note that a lot of federal taxpayer dollars went into these prosecutions. What other executive orders did Trump sign on day 1 of presidency? And while some are applauding Trumps pardons, such as U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson (R-WI), who said the convictions were a miscarriage of justice, others are critical of some pardon recipients, particularly those convicted of assaulting police officers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We dont pardon people who assault police officers, said Phil Mendelson, D.C. Council Chairman. A senate investigation found that about 140 officers were hurt as a result of the events on Jan. 6, 2021. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. Retired ICE Supervisory Special Agent Victor Avila joins NewsNations CUOMO to discuss border czar Tom Homan reporting that ICE agents, under President Trumps new directive, arrested 308 migrants classified as serious criminals. The White House announced that approximately 1,500 active-duty military personnel will be deployed to the U.S. border, joining over 2,000 troops already stationed there. The Trump administration says these measures are just the beginning of a broader plan to strengthen border 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 NewsNation. PIERRE, S.D. (KELO) South Dakota Public Broadcasting might not lose as much money as what Gov. Kristi Noem wants taken away. The Legislatures Joint Committee on Appropriations is looking deeper into the governors recommended deep cut in general funds, according to its House leader. Republican Rep. Mike Derby said Wednesday that the 18-seat panel has a working group talking further about the situation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Derby and the committees Senate chair, Republican Ernie Otten, said SDPB will return February 7 for an additional one-hour hearing. The governor recommended in her budget speech last month that lawmakers reduce state general funds to SDPB from the current $5,563,698 to $1,957,250 for the new fiscal year that starts July 1. The $3,606,448 cut would be offset by increasing SDPBs other funds category by approximately the same amount. The governor hasnt publicly indicated however where the money might be found. UPDATE: No explosives found at prison scene SDPB is part of the state Bureau of Information and Telecommunications. Appropriators listened on Wednesday afternoon as BIT Commissioner Madhu Gottumukkala presented SDPBs budget request. Sitting next to him was SDPB executive director Julie Overgaard. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Commissioner Gottumukkala showed a slide to the committee about the potential impacts. The slide said, in part, If SDPB is unable to raise enough to cover current operations, cuts would need to be made proportionally to the shortfall. Services would be adjusted. The slide then listed the possible impacts: Reduced local programming and staffing levels. Reduce grant funding from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. Reduced Friends of Public Broadcasting funding. Reduced ability to implement ADA open captioning. In her December speech, Noem said, I propose reducing funding for South Dakota Public Broadcasting to bring us in line with the national average. Currently, South Dakota has the third highest per-capita funding of public broadcasting of any state in the nation. Weve been paying more than double the national average. Differences between Gov. Noem and SDPB became public during her 2022 re-election campaign, when she declined to face Democratic challenger Jamie Smith at a scheduled SDPB debate. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement SDPB issued a statement on X, formerly known as Twitter. It said, South Dakota Public Broadcasting has a long history of fair and in-depth political coverage. Our longstanding tradition of hosting primetime debates for statewide and congressional offices furthers our public service mission. As the states only public media station, we reach areas of the state that otherwise go unserved by most media outlets, SDPBs statement continued. Our commercial-free format makes the most of each candidates time to address issues that impact all South Dakotans. Wed like to ensure our viewers and listeners we will proceed with our longstanding public service mission. We will still hold fair, in-depth candidate debates and interviews, SDPB added. We respect Governor Noems right to decline to participate. During the televised debates, we will provide an empty chair in the space Kristi Noem would normally occupy. The governors communications director, Ian Fury, responded with a statement. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Last year SDPB brought Marxist prof Ibram X. Kendi on the air to criticize Gov. Noem. Kendis radical teachings reject the basic fabric of American society w/ statements like Capitalism is essentially racist. SDPB didnt press him on these claims, Furys statement said. He added, Gov. Noem has participated in this debate in the past, but SDPBs extreme leftward swing precludes the possibility of a fair debate. She has accepted the invitation to a debate co-hosted by @dakotanews_now and @kotatweets (the largest joint TV audience in the state). During the current fight, the not-for-profit Friends of SDPB fundraising organization has given the appropriators an eight-page presentation that shows SDPB spends more per capita than four of five other states with similar state-owned networks, but more funds are raised per capita in South Dakota than in the five other states. SDPB would see its 76-FTE staff reduced to 26 with the cut, according to the Friends document. 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. If John Gotti could have pardoned himself, he might have been as much of a gangster as former President Joe Biden. Letting Hunter Biden off the hook was beyond the pale. Preemptively pardoning extended family and those with politically aligned perspectives on the day of President Donald Trumps inauguration seared the brand of corruption into Bidens tattered legacy. Naturally, Democrats responded by imagining Elon Musk making a Nazi salute to Americas new Fuhrer. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Faced with the prospect of explaining Bidens rank hypocrisy, many Democrats focused on Musks excited gestures at a Trump inauguration event as a Nazi dog-whistle. Im not talking about weird uncles here. Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Connecticut, went after U.S. Representative Elise Stefanik, R-New York, over the alleged salute at a hearing on her nomination to be the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations. Murphys take is nuttier than a Payday on a peanut farm because hes stirring up controversy where none exists. The senator and those who foment his bizarre view give far more airtime to white supremacists than Musks wild gesticulations ever did. Dont dismiss the pointed critique as the ravings of a Republican Trump acolyte. Since were talking pardons, Trumps sweeping dismissal of the violent criminal conduct of Jan. 6 rioters is a gross misuse of presidential pardons. Defendants charged and convicted of violent crimes deserved their penalties and had appeals at their disposal for any prosecutorial overreach. Biden nixed his public promise not to pardon his son Hunter You know which president the history books will repeatedly cite as ushering in the era of pardoning political friends and punishing political opponents? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Joseph R. Biden, Jr. Thats the way it reads on each pardon signed by the former president. Biden backtracked on his clear commitment not to pardon Hunter Biden and threw his own Department of Justice under the bus as selectively, and unfairly prosecuting his son. Imagine the hubris of railing on Trump for years over weaponizing law enforcement only to conclude that federal law enforcement couldnt give the legally troubled younger Biden a fair shake. Biden didnt care about his son's legal issues. The pardon wasnt focused on sound policy. It wasnt even about fairness. Biden dropped the charade about protecting democracy the minute he realized he was going to be a one-term president. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He outright shattered the narrative about the independence of federal law enforcement by pardoning his extended family for any non-violent federal offenses. Charges like bribery, money laundering, racketeering, tax evasion, perjury and violations of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act went poof with the stroke of a pen. Why would Biden's pardon recipients need 11 years of protection? The Biden family pardons cover the entire duration of Bidens term in office. They cover Trumps entire first term. In fact, they reach all the way back to January 1, 2014, when Barack Obama was president, and Biden just happened to be vice president. Seems a little odd to clear the family so far back in time that Trump was still writing checks to Kamala Harris for her reelection bid as Californias attorney general. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement New York may be the legendary home to the Five Families, but not even mob royalty are able to sign their own get out of jail free cards for members of their respective families. The Biden family is truly in a league of its own. To make matters worse, Biden preemptively pardoned Dr. Anthony Fauci, General Mark Milley, members of the congressional committee that investigated the Jan. 6 riots and countless other Trump critics who could hypothetically find themselves as targets of investigation or prosecution. The move set the table for Trump, or any other future president, to pardon individuals with strategically aligned political perspectives. I continue to believe that the grant of pardons to a committee that undertook such important work to uphold the law was unnecessary, and because of the precedent it establishes, unwise, responded Sen. Adam Schiff, D-California, who worked on the committee. Biden showed he and Trump are more alike than different On his way out the door, Biden did incalculable damage to the American legal system. Claiming that federal prosecutors politically prosecuted his son wasnt enough. The president of the United States cast massive doubt on the American legal systems ability to deliver justice in the face of such political prosecution. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In 2020, CNNs Jake Tapper pointedly asked Biden about concerns that Trump might preemptively pardon his adult children and his attorney Rudy Giuliani on the way out of the White House. Now, in terms of the pardons, you're not going to see, in our administration, that kind of approach to pardons, said Biden. It's just going to be a totally different way in which we approach the justice system. It wasnt. Biden took the exact actions he and so many of his liberal brethren waxed poetic about Trump possibly taking. Biden didnt protect American democracy from Trump; he turned out to be a less-authentic version wearing democratic norms and prosecutorial independence as a cheap suit. Cameron Smith, columnist for The Tennessean and the USA TODAY Network Tennessee He shredded the last ethical fiber of his presidency when the electoral tides turned. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Theres an old proverb that applies perfectly to the closing chapter of Bidens political career: If you cant beat them, join them. USA TODAY Network Tennessee Columnist Cameron Smith is a Memphis-born, Brentwood-raised recovering political attorney who worked for conservative Republicans. He and his wife Justine are raising three boys in Nolensville, Tenn. Direct outrage or agreement to smith.david.cameron@gmail.com or @DCameronSmith on X, formerly known as Twitter. Agree or disagree? Send a letter to the editor to letters@tennessean.com. This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Biden deserves the blame for Trump's Jan. 6 pardons | Opinion Jan. 23Lewis County Sheriff's Office Deputy Jeffrey S. Humphrey pleaded not guilty Wednesday to two counts of first-degree criminal trespassing, domestic violence, in Lewis County District Court. Humphrey, represented by defense attorney Don Blair, had his hearing before Judge R.W. Buzzard on Wednesday, Jan. 22, following a week-long delay due to a recusal from a different judge. All parties agreed Wednesday to allow Humphrey to remain out of custody on his own personal recognizance for the duration of his case. His conditions of release include provisions prohibiting him from consuming drugs or alcohol and from committing any new law violations. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Humphrey is also generally prohibited from having contact with the victim, but Buzzard granted an exception for written communications regarding their ongoing divorce. All communication between the two parties must be preserved until the case is resolved, Buzzard ruled. Humphrey and the victim are also allowed to have in-person contact during mandatory appearances in Family Court. "I know my client will follow all the conditions that are set out by the court," Blair said during Humphrey's hearing on Wednesday. Humphrey's next court appearance is a pretrial hearing scheduled for Feb. 26. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Humphrey, 51, of Chehalis, was charged Jan. 6 after the Mason County Sheriff's Office completed a third-party investigation into allegations that Humphrey broke into his estranged wife's home twice on Nov. 12. Humphrey is currently on paid administrative leave pending an internal investigation into the allegations, according to the Lewis County Sheriff's Office. "No further comments will be made until that investigation is completed," the Lewis County Sheriff's Office stated in a news release on Jan. 10. Humphrey has worked for the Lewis County Sheriff's Office for at least 20 years, according to previous Chronicle reporting. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Blair previously represented Humphrey in a 2013 DUI case. In that case, Humphrey was convicted for driving through a road closure on Labree Road and Interstate 5 in Chehalis with a blood alcohol content between .143 and .159, according to previous Chronicle reporting. Humphrey was off duty at the time of the incident. Humphrey ultimately received a deferred sentence in Lewis County District Court and was put on a two-week, unpaid suspension from the sheriff's office, according to previous Chronicle reporting. MOUNT STERLING, Ky. (FOX 56) Two Lexington men have been arrested after an alleged assault with a knife at a Mt. Sterling gas station. At 8:58 a.m. on Wednesday, Mt. Sterling police said officers were called to Gasoline Alley, where they found a man who had a severe cut on his hand. LATEST KENTUCKY NEWS: The man told the police that he was attacked in a moving car around Apperson Heights, where he was threatened with a knife held to his throat. After a brief struggle, he was able to jump out of the moving car and run to the gas station for help. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement An arrest citation showed that Christopher Harper, 38, and Chase Hall, 28, both of Lexington, had arranged to pick up the man on Locust Street through the GRINDR dating app. Once inside the vehicle, Harper and Hall allegedly cut him multiple times on his hands, and Hall attempted to choke and stab him. Once the man forced his way out of the vehicle, the citation alleged that Harper and Hall fled to a Save-a-Lot in Richmond to clean the blood out of the front of the car. Then Harper and Hall were said to have returned to Harpers home in Lexington. The police claim the attack was in retaliation for a previous incident a few months before. Read more of the latest Kentucky news Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Officials said that Harper and Hall were located in Richmond and again in Lexington with the help of FLOCK cameras. The two were arrested and booked into the Montgomery County Regional Jail. Hall was charged with first-degree assault and first-degree unlawful imprisonment, while Harper was charged with first-degree assault, tampering with physical evidence, and first-degree unlawful imprisonment. The police noted that the investigation was still active and that more charges may be 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 FOX 56 News. SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) Since taking office, President Donald Trump has signed over 20 executive orders with some of those orders directly impacting the LGBTQ+ community There are only two genders, male and female, President Donald Trump said in regard to an executive order he signed Monday stating people will no longer be able to mark X when filling out their sex on federal documents and must choose male or female. Transformation Project community health worker and community outreach manager, Jack Fonder, says this will impact his community more than people might think. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Some people want to say, well, its just a piece of paper Its just the document. Why do you care what it says? Well, because thats your identity. Its how you want to be seen, Fonder said. The president of Sioux Falls Pride, Rachel Polan agrees this order targets the LGBTQ+ community. The direct attack on transgender, nonbinary, gender nonconforming people as a whole is just, on day one. It was devastating, Polan said. Another order states people working in the Diversity Equity and Inclusion departments on the federal level are now on paid leave, as Trump hopes to get rid of it altogether. New details emerge in the death of Cassandra Shields Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Our countrys going to be based on merit again. Can you believe it, Trump said Monday after signing the executive order. We do need diversity and inclusion in the workplace. We dont want everybody to look the same. We dont want everybody to be the same or think the same, Fonder said. Thats not how a good company is run. To have those voices removed and the agencies that make sure those voices are available and therethats going to put a lot of people in a tough spot, Polan said. Since Monday the organizations have received an increase in messages from people looking for support. Fonder says the Prism Community Center in Sioux Falls will continue to be that safe space. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We are still going to exist with or without their permission. Were still going to be here. Were still going to continue to do the work that were doing, Fonder said. Massive step back, but were still here. Were going to be here, Polan said. The Transformation Project is not exclusive to Sioux Falls for those looking for mental health resources. Additional support can be found on both organizations pages. ACLU of South Dakota executive director, Libby Skarin, shared this statement with KELOLAND News on the specific executive orders below. President Trumps executive order declaring a two-gender edict is disappointing and incorrectly declares that transgender people are not who they know themselves to be under all federal laws referencing sex or gender. It wrongly puts the federal government in charge of determining who is a man or a woman, and ignores altogether the existence of intersex and nonbinary people. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This order does not represent any kind of biological truth and the Trump administration cannot change the law by executive fiat. Instead, this order turns back the clock by targeting transgender people for discriminatory treatment, denying them the same opportunities we all deserve. The courts should continue to implement federal statutes protecting all of us from discrimination based on sex, including LGBTQ people. These efforts to redefine sex and prevent transgender people from living as the gender they know themselves to be are connected to a larger strategy to push transgender people out of public and civil life. The politicians and activists who are inundating our political and cultural lives with these attacks are using their belief that the general public is uncomfortable with trans people as an opening to limit legal protection and opportunities not just for transgender people, but for all women, people of color and immigrants. Our country and our communities depend on the freedom of all people to be themselves without fear. While we know President Trump will issue more orders with real, dire consequences for people, many of his declarations do not and cannot change the law but instead are designed to create chaos and confusion. We must remain vigilant but resist echoing and amplifying his cruel rhetoric. The ACLU is better prepared than ever to confront threats to our democracy. In the months ahead, we will forge the nations strongest firewall for freedom to further ensure that South Dakotans civil rights and liberties are protected and strengthened, regardless of who holds the White House. 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. Jan. 22LIMA Lima utilities director Mike Caprella said city workers were busy thawing eight frozen water mains Wednesday morning. Caprella said the city has had worse, but not this many in a long time. "Other than that, this isn't a lot," he said. "Our crews have multiple calls when they go out, so we have nine of them out with multiple locations. Customers don't have to wait too long for us to get out there, and some of them we can thaw out quickly." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When a main freezes up, workers open up the meter setter and use exhaust from their trucks to pump heat through a hose. "It's not a hard process, but you still have to go out," Caprella said. "You have to go down and open up that pit to get everything set up and melt the meter in there." In below-freezing temperatures, that is a tall task. "I call them the unsung heroes," Caprella said. "They're out there doing work all the time, whether it's 10 below or 80 degrees." At Wednesday's Lima Mayor's Press Briefing, Mayor Sharetta Smith said the crews were working diligently and advised drivers to stay safe while traveling alongside them. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Once the water hits the roadways, that may make the roadways unsafe so please be careful if you see orange barrels or city workers out," she said. "Please be careful if you drive." Reach Jacob Espinosa at 567-242-0399. Featured Local Savings ODESSA, Texas (KMID/KPEJ) Over the last week, firefighters have fought some of the largest wildfires in Los Angeles, burning down hundreds of homes and businesses, like one of the largest battery plants in Northern California. ICYMI: How President Trumps new executive orders could affect the Permian Basin The plant housing tens of thousands of lithium batteries for renewable energy similar to ones used for the Texas Power grid Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement ABC Big 2s Chris Talley spoke with experts who said this is a wakeup call for the entire industry. Grid-scale batteries have a strong role to play going forward, said Ric OConnell, Executive Director for GridLab, a nonprofit helping provide expert opinions on clean energies. I [believe] the new standards have been put in place around fire safety are going to really help going forward for new plants, explained OConnell. While experts like OConnell say lithium batteries are a safe technology, he said concerns were present in the way they were stored. These batteries were installed inside a building. They were actually next to the ocean, right? So, they were being cooled by kind of salty, misty air, which isnt [a good thing for batteries] so, I think its very different than the way we install grid scale batteries now [in 2025 standards] which like I said, are normally in containers, separated outside, explained OConnell. Lithium batteries power everyday products from laptops to even helping the power grid in California and Texas. As the power grid has been the focus in recent years, storing this technology safely is something Jon Williams says needs to be a priority across the industry. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We store it in our vehicles. We store it at our property. We store it in pipelines. We store it all the way through the distribution system. So, if a ship on the ocean gets caught in a storm, we have fuel at the pump. We never did that with our electrical system, and if our electrical system is going to replace or significantly supplement our fossil system, we need storage at every one of those points, Explained Williams. Williams is the CEO and Founder of Viridi, specializing in fail-safe energy storage. He told our Chris Talley, added materials to keep lithium batteries safe can prevent fires and prevent wasting valuable energy especially when helping consumers in peak grid conditions. The issue is not that lithium-ion burns. The issue is we havent spent the time and effort to stop it from happening. So, its not a reason not to use the technology. Its a reason to say we want to use the technology, but it has to be safe, explained Williams. Williams Viridi Battery packs have rolled out in parts of New York and California with plans to move in other states over time. Williams has spoken with Governor Abbott about the rollout in Texas. Currently, there is no word yet on any expansion in the Lone Star 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 Yourbasin. JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (WFLA) Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis held a press conference on Thursday at the Jacksonville Sheriffs Office. The Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles Executive Director Dave Kerner, Florida representative Kiyan Michael, and Jacksonville Sheriff T.K. Waters were also present. During the conference, DeSantis addressed immigration and Floridas policies that deter those looking to settle in the state illegally. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Governor referenced sweeping reforms from 2023 that he enacted to discourage illegal immigration across Florida, despite outcry from the media at the time. Here we are in Florida with the chance to help make a difference, and to be a part of the solution once again. said Gov. DeSantis. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. And that's a wrap. Thanks for tuning in. We'll catch y'all again tomorrow. Hello to all our readers, Yahoo Singapore will be bringing you live news updates today. The editorial team will be curating the latest must-know local and international news. Singapore-born Lynn Ban, jewellery designer and star of Netflix's "Bling Empire: New York", has passed away at 51 after undergoing brain surgery for a ski accident. Ban was known for her bold designs and resilient spirit. In her final Instagram post, her son Sebastian paid tribute to her, calling her the "funniest and coolest mum." The news has left the LGBTQ+ and fashion communities in mourning. Read on Singapore-born Lynn Ban's death here. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As Singapore heads into 2025 after a year marked with inflationary concerns and a competitive job market, workers are focused on two main goals: salary growth and career fulfilment. According to job portal Indeeds Future Career Resolution survey, 24 per cent of Singaporeans are determined to boost their earning potential, a sentiment echoed across the region. At the same time, the desire for meaningful work is growing, with 19 per cent seeking higher pay alongside personal fulfilment. More than half (56 per cent) are investing in upskilling, particularly in AI, leadership, and emotional intelligence, signalling a deliberate approach to career development. Better compensation (31 per cent), flexible work (22 per cent), and clear career advancement (21 per cent) remain top priorities for employees looking to enhance their work lives in 2025. Read more in our live blog below, including the latest local and international news and updates. President Trump said Wednesday he plans to speak to Chinese officials about keeping TikTok "alive." "There's a lot of people interested in TikTok, and I think we have a chance of doing something good. And we'll be speaking to China about that also because they're a party to it, obviously," he told reporters on Air Force One. "But it would be great to keep TikTok alive, sell it to somebody that's going to do a great job with it." Trump previously said he had spoken with Chinese President Xi Jinping last month about TikTok. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While signing executive orders on Feb. 3, Trump ordered the U.S. Treasury and Commerce departments to create a sovereign wealth fund that he suggested could buy TikTok. In late January, Trump said he had "spoken to many people about TikTok and there is great interest" in the app. While he did not offer any specific names, Trump said that "numerous people are talking to me, very substantial people, about buying it, and I will make that decision probably over the next 30 days." TikTok has dominated headlines since April, when then-President Joe Biden signed a law passed by Congress requiring the popular app, which is owned by a Chinese company, to be sold or be banned in the United States. In one of the first official acts of his second term in the White House, Trump signed an executive order delaying for 75 days the enforcement of the planned ban on TikTok which had been set to take effect on Jan. 19 and proposed that the U.S. should own 50% of the platform in what he called a joint venture. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Biden administration and lawmakers on both sides of the aisle have argued that TikToks Chinese ownership presents a potential threat to national security, and the Supreme Court agreed, moving to uphold the ban on Jan. 17. TikToks parent company, ByteDance, has said it has no plans to sell TikTok, citing in part the Chinese governments opposition to a sale. However, on Jan. 20, Chinas Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning told reporters that the decision should be independently decided by companies in accordance with market principles. Follow along below for all the latest updates. HIGH POINT New U.S. Rep. Addison McDowell, R-6th District, is supporting a bill in Congress meant to fulfill President Donald Trumps goal of reclaiming the Panama Canal under American control. McDowell, who was endorsed by Trump last year in the Republican 6th District primary, has signed on as a cosponsor of House Resolution 283 that would authorize Trump to enter negotiations to reacquire the canal from Panama. The government of Panama has owned and operated the canal since a treaty between the United States and Panama took effect more than 25 years ago. We are steadfast in building a stronger, more secure America by safeguarding our interests from foreign adversaries, particularly China, McDowell said in a statement to The High Point Enterprise. I believe President Trump is right to explore reacquiring the Panama Canal. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement McDowell is one of 26 cosponsors of the Panama Canal bill and the only House member so far from North Carolina to sign on as of Wednesday. All the cosponsors are Republicans. In his inaugural address this past Monday, Trump said that the canal has foolishly been given to the country of Panama and that American ships have been severely overcharged and not treated fairly. Panamanian President Jose Raul Mulino, responding to Trump earlier this week, said his nation has operated the canal responsibly for world trade, including for U.S. vessels, and that it is and will continue to be Panamanian. Critics of the Panama Canal reacquisition proposal say that it would bring unnecessary expense to the U.S. government. ***Prior coverage in video player above. DAYTON, Ohio (WDTN) The owner of a Dayton area dog training business pleads guilty to cheating his customers out of hundreds of thousands of dollars and mistreating animals. Jason Jones of Dayton Dog Trainer LLC pled guilty on 181 total charges, including theft from the elderly or disabled, cruelty to companion animals, tax evasion, engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity and more. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement UPDATE: Kitten stolen from Butler County shelter found Court documents show claims that Jones charged victims thousands of dollars to train their dogs, plus follow-up training. Instead, the animals returned to their owners untrained and with signs of neglect and maltreatment. Indictments were first issued for Jones and his accomplices last March after a lengthy investigation into the business by Miamisburg PD. During the investigation, officials found over 65 people had reportedly lost a combined $200,000. After the charges were announced, more people came forward with evidence that they were victims as well. Additional charges were filed, bringing the total number of identified victims to 133. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Jones is expected in court for sentencing on March 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 WDTN.com. Jan. 22SCHERTZ Strengthening the impact and success of public schools for our students and educators was the focus for attendees at the Board2Board Workshop held January 16 at the William Malish Administrative Building, hosted by the Schertz-Cibolo-Universal City Independent School District and SCUC ISD Education Foundation. Local education foundations are independent non-profit charitable organizations governed by a volunteer board of directors. The sole purpose of education foundations is to benefit local public-school districts. Multiple education foundations and related organizations were represented at Board2Board, including Celeste Potter, Executive Director of the Education Foundation of Odessa. According to Shawn Callaway, President of Foundation Innovation LLC, and a Board2Board presenter, "K12 Education Foundations have taken great strides as fundraising organizations, building on best practices from university and college development. Board2Board gives K12 education foundations an opportunity to learn from each other and keep current on philanthropic issues." Local education foundations focus on enhancing community support and expanding resources to enrich teaching, inspire learning, and maximize opportunities for students and educators. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Education foundations provide a vehicle for donors to contribute a tax-deductible donation to benefit their local public-school districts. Education foundations also create an opportunity for community engagement and awareness that can help support and enhance the image of a school district and highlight its accomplishments. Celeste Potter, Executive Director of Education Foundation of Odessa said, "Attendance at these workshops is invaluable as it gives myself and other foundation leaders an opportunity to learn from one another. We often share many of the same challenges and opportunities and I always walk away feeling confident and refreshed." This year's workshops are a direct charitable activity of the Texas Education Foundation Network (TEFN), a program of the Texas Pioneer Foundation, created to support local education foundations in Texas by providing networking opportunities, sharing of best practices and providing training & resources needed for foundations to be successful. Board2Board is facilitated by Foundation Innovation, a full-service consulting firm dedicated to guiding education foundations and school districts to success. The Education Foundation of Odessa is a 501(c) (3) nonprofit, tax-exempt, philanthropic organization of citizens who share a vision of enhancing education in ECISD. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Education Foundation of Odessa provides a new and innovative source of funding to support the school district's educational plan. The Foundation does not attempt to replace lost state funding, nor does it attempt to take the place of the district's operating budget. When considering the level of funding required to educate students, the Foundation can expect only to provide funds for those projects and activities that go beyond the normal classroom experience. Such initiatives provide enrichment, research opportunities, teacher training, intervention and prevention strategies and extend the educational effort. Funding for the Grants Program and other Education Foundation supported projects stems from community support through donations. The mission of the Education Foundation is to create opportunities for education in Ector County ISD. Their vision is that every student in ECISD will be school-ready, college-ready, work-ready...WORLD-READY! EAST PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) As the Trump Administration cracks down on immigration policies, federal authorities have made arrests across the country. President Donald Trump is now allowing U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to raid places of worship, schools, and hospitals, rolling back on Biden-era policies. Some faith leaders have condemned the updated Trump policy as federal agents took several into custody in Massachusetts on Wednesday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In Rhode Island, Senator Jessica De La Cruz agreed with the presidents decision. They just conducted a raid in Boston and were not too far from Boston. Id say Mr. Trump stop in Providence, too while youre at it because we have seen stories of criminals here in Providence, said De La Cruz. I mean one as heinous as first-degree sexual molestation of a child. So we should not allow that, theres no reason to keep violent criminals here in our country. East Providence Mayor Bob DaSilva said he hopes that violent criminals in the country illegally would be the only people targeted under Trumps policy. There are people in here that may have overstayed their visa, but they are good people who contribute to our community, who are business owners in many cases, who pay taxes, who have children, who have been born here, said DaSilva. I think it is concerning to a lot of people and, and makes people nervous, it makes them scared, it makes them uneasy. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Smiley: Providence will take Trumps immigration policy one step at a time 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. PLATTSBURGH Two Plattsburgh High School students have pulled together the support of the community in a heartwarming display of help for local veterans. Sadie Walker and Jonathan Frakes, both PHS National Honor Society members, called on their peers at Plattsburgh High and Momot Elementary School to donate items to the cause. WENT ABOVE AND BEYOND They were able to collect toilet paper, pillows, blankets, towels, socks, paper plates and much more. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement They brought us a ton of stuff; its awesome, Sean Carroll, founder of Enlisted For Life, a local veterans group, said. I posted a minute-and-a-half video asking the community for basic needs, like paper towels, toilet paper, tooth brushes, that kind of stuff. These two students went above and beyond. Carroll was met with an overwhelming response from the students. We have a dormitory and the storage room is full. We have at least 800 toothbrushes, 70 sets of sheets. I mean we have so much of everything we need, he said. SUPPORTING VETERANS IN NEED The veterans are supported by Enlisted for Life, which helps veterans back into society by housing, feeding and aiding in job searches. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The unit was formed as a 5013 non-profit organization to bring services directly to the homeless veterans on the streets. They provide duffel bags, called EFL Bags, full of gear, food and items that veterans tell us they need the most. I AM THEM; THEY ARE ME This organization is run by Carroll, 56, a former U.S. Air Force Enlisted and stationed at Plattsburgh Air Force Base from 1990 to 1995. In 2012, he returned home from an 18-month deployment to Afghanistan diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder. I dont have substance abuse issues like some, but it was more combat stuff that messed me up, Carroll said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I am them; they are me when I help them, I am really helping me. Carroll survived the hard way, for about six years. During that time, he had the Veterans Administration to thank for helping him navigate reasons to live. In 2018, while in Manhattan, he bumped into a homeless veteran sleeping on the snowy concrete steps of a church. He told me he was 11-Bravo (infantry soldier), and when youre in service you know what that means. So I sat with him for four hours just talking, and since then I knew what I wanted to do, Carroll said. GOT WHAT HE NEEDED Upon finding out he was a fellow veteran, Carroll sat and shared food, stories and supplies with the veteran to keep him warm. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement After this chance encounter, he found his new purpose in life, no longer needing the VA to guide him. Veterans dont ask for help, Carroll said. On the recent collection, Carroll said he was cautious to request donations of these items in the first place. I was very cautious about posting and asking for things. I did not want to ask for anything that was not needed, he said. I have never not received what I asked for. For more information on Enlisted for Life, visit enlistedforlife.com. TENNESSEE (WJHL) The Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development (TNECD) announced Thursday that $7.4 million in funding will go towards long-term planning for water and sewer systems. Out of the 36 applicants receiving funds, the following are located within News Channel 11s viewing area: South Fork Utility District $285,000 Surgoinsville Utility District $130,000 Town of Bulls Gap $190,000 The funds are part of the IPG program that helps assist utility systems that serve distressed counties and rural communities on the financially distressed utility system referral list, according to TNECD. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Northeast Tennessee PIT Count organizer discusses importance of taking census on homelessness Efficient utility infrastructure is crucial to economic development, Governor Bill Lee said in a news release. I thank the General Assembly for funding this program and commend the 36 grantees for stepping up to help our communities strengthen local infrastructure and plan for the future. Funds can be used for water/sewer system mapping and modeling, analysis, asset management-related activities and rationalization studies. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. ABILENE, Texas (KTAB/KRBC) Since the announcement that Abilene would be the start of a new presidential project, Stargate, residents have expressed their questions and excitement. While the half-trillion-dollar invested project is expected to create more jobs and allow for America to be a trailblazer in tech, What does this mean for Abilene and Taylor County? At Dixie Pig Diner, the talk of the headlines from the night before cannot be missed, and employee Joe Hatcher says Wednesday morning was no different. Everybodys talking about the election, and everybodys talking about all the things that the presidents doing, Hatcher said. [Trump administration] mentioned the name Abilene, and everybody caught that, so people have been talking about the fact that some people didnt even know that that facility was being built in the area. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Lancium campus, which broke ground on Old Anson Road in 2022, will be the focus of Stargates start as a 200-megawatt data center. Taylor County Judge Phil Crowley said that with the new nationwide attention, he expects to see the project ramp up. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It started as a smaller project in 2021, 22, and then it has grown progressively. I think everyone was shocked in a good way to see President Trump mention that, Crowley said. That secrets getting out. That Abilene is one of the best places in the world to live, work, or raise a family. But now the secrets are outright with just the economic miracle thats taking place here. While the details of Abilenes role in Stargate continue to get ironed out, the Mayor of Abilene, Weldon Hurt, said that one thing business owners can expect to see is a growth in customers and residents is growth in the economy. Its a huge construction project. So initially, youll see all kinds of people, you know, needing hotel-related rentals and buying homes, not just for the construction aspect of this when youre talking about multiple billions of dollars in construction. You know, it brings a lot to that part of our economy, our restaurants, everything, Hurt said. Over the years, as the deal with Lancium developed, Hurt said it was a team effort and thought that no matter what, this puts Abilene on the national radar. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It does put Abilene on the national map. Our DCOA has done a tremendous job. Weve had great county relations in bringing this. And weve all worked together. So its a win for Abilene, but its a win for this whole region, Hurt said. Construction on Lanciums building will continue over the next few years, but the company said in October that the first computational workloads could begin in early 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 KTAB - BigCountryHomepage.com. Police officers attempt to push back a pro-Trump mob trying to storm the U.S. Capitol in Washington, DC. (Photo by Samuel Corum/Getty Images) President Donald Trumps indiscriminate release of some 1,600 January 6 insurrection defendants, including those convicted of violent crimes against police, is meeting with mixed reviews from law enforcement, and with silence from Nevada Gov. Joe Lombardo, who served as sheriff of Clark County before his election in 2022 as governor. I back the blue, Trump asserted while honoring police in Florida in 2020, and dozens of times since, a pronouncement that stands in stark contrast to the pardons and commutations bestowed on Jan. 6 rioters who stormed the Capitol, resulting in injuries to some 150 officers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement To those who engaged in the acts of violence and destruction, you do not represent our country, and to those who broke the law, you will pay, Trump said following the insurrection. Asked Tuesday about his professed support for police and the obvious contradiction of pardoning those who attacked law enforcement, Trump responded with a non-sequitur: Murderers today are not even charged. Lombardos identity as a law and order candidate was integral to his campaign so much so that he was fined $20,000 for displaying the trappings of being sheriff in his gubernatorial campaign ads, a violation of ethics laws. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Like Lombardo, Republican Lt. Gov. Stavros Anthony, who is also a former cop, did not respond to requests for comment on Trumps wholesale pardons and acts of clemency. Assaulting or attacking a police officer we take great offense to those charges and those actions by people, and they should be held to standards of the law, Steve Grammas, president of the Las Vegas Police Protective Association, which represents more than 3,000 Metropolitan Police officers Lombardo once led, told the Current during a phone interview Wednesday. Im not the president of the United States, so Trumps the one thats got to make that call. Days before Trumps announcement, his designated vice-president, J.D. Vance, told Fox News that violent offenders should not be let off the hook. I think its very simple, look if you protested peacefully on January 6th, and you had Merrick Garlands Department of Justice treat you like a gang member, you should be pardoned, Vance said in an interview. If you committed violence on that day, obviously you shouldnt be pardoned. And theres a little bit of a gray area there. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Like Vance, Grammas says he would have preferred a more surgical approach in which the president parsed non-violent from violent offenders. I would have looked at the most egregious level of what we had, and worked my way down from there, he said. Do I think someone that made it into the Capitol and sat at a congressmans desk is different than someone that put a taser to a police officers neck? One thousand percent. Asked if hes surprised Lombardo, his former Metro comrade, hasnt spoken out on behalf of police, Grammas said he hasnt given it any thought. I know hes very busy leading into the (legislative) session. Betrayed and outraged Capitol police are smarting from Trumps executive order releasing the Jan. 6 rioters. Some, such as Michael Fanone, are seeking protective orders from the insurrectionists who assaulted him. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I have been betrayed by my country, and Ive been betrayed by those that supported Donald Trump, whether you voted for him because he promised these pardons, or for some other reason, you knew that this was coming. And here we are, Fanone told Anderson Cooper on CNN Monday. Tonight, six individuals who assaulted me, as I did my job on Jan. 6, as did hundreds of other law enforcement officers, will now walk free. Its a miscarriage of justice, a betrayal, a mockery, and a desecration of the men and women that risked their lives defending our democracy, Aquilino A. Gonell, a former Capitol police sergeant, told the New York Times. Friends and relatives who had a hand in turning in some of the defendants are also fearing for their safety. Among those released from prison by Trump is former Nevadan Stewart Rhodes, who founded the Oath Keepers, a far-right anti-government militia group composed in significant part of former members of law enforcement and the military. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Rhodes, sentenced to 18 years for his role in the insurrection, was among the Oath Keepers who took part in the 2014 armed rebellion staged by Nevada rancher Cliven Bundy. Bundy, in 2014, led a standoff against the federal government over the court-ordered seizure of his cattle, which illegally grazed for years on public land while Bundy refused to pay grazing fees to the federal government. Then-Sheriff Doug Gillespie and Lombardo, who was running for sheriff at the time, are credited with bringing the national spectacle to an end without bloodshed. Lombardo later testified against six men who pointed their weapons at law enforcement. Strange bedfellows Despite reciprocal endorsements in their respective campaigns, Lombardo and Trumps alliance remains strained, with Lombardo periodically veering from the presidents standard prescription for utter devotion. In 2022, during a debate with Democratic Gov. Steve Sisolak, Lombardo, a Republican, declined to refer to Trump as a great president. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I wouldnt use that adjective. I wouldnt say great, Lombardo responded. Id say he was a sound president. The same day, Lombardos campaign capitulated in a news release. By all measures, Donald J. Trump was a great president and his accomplishments are some of the most impactful in American history. More recently, Lombardo has wavered on Trumps aspiration to deport millions of immigrants whose only crime is to be in the country illegally. Last summer, Lombardo, via a spokesperson, said he did not support Project 2025, the conservative manifesto that echoes Trumps calls for mass deportation. However, in November, he would not say whether hed mobilize the National Guard to support the effort. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In early December, Lombardo said it was too soon to opine on using the Guard, but days later pledged full support to Trumps effort. Then last week, Lombardo said mass deportations are not what I believe is an appropriate policy and suggested action in that direction will take an exorbitant amount of time. Correction: The original version of this story identified Lombardo as sheriff during the Bundy standoff. He was running for sheriff at the time. LONDON, Ky. (FOX 56) A member of the London City Council announced his resignation on Wednesday during a special city council meeting. Kip Jervis read his resignation letter before the close of Wednesdays noon council meeting. Jervis said his resignation is effective immediately. Read more of the latest Kentucky news Jervis said it was a difficult decision to set aside the things that were causing him stress amid an ongoing battle with his health. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ive given my all to London. Now one must factor effort versus reward, Jervis said. Its come to the point in time when one must be particular about what occupies ones headspace. The announcement of his resignation comes as the city continues to deal with the fallout of the deadly London Police Department shooting of 63-year-old Douglas Harless. According to the city, Jervis was first elected in November 2020 and won reelection in 2024. LATEST KENTUCKY NEWS: Ive seen what politics does to people, and Im good with who I am right now, he said. Jervis said he hopes to play music in his spare time in hopes of adding a few years instead of subtraction. 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. An April trial date has been set for a Laurel County woman accused of attacking her parents in their home. The case of Heather Rachelle Manning, 51, of London, will go to trial April 2 at 9 a.m. Judge Michael O. Caperton scheduled the trial date in Laurel Circuit Court last Wednesday. Manning previously entered a not guilty plea on Oct. 15. Her charges include second-degree assault, fourth-degree assault, two counts of first-degree wanton endangerment and two counts of unlawful imprisonment. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The charges stem from an Aug. 25 incident that occurred around 11:04 p.m. when London Police officers responded to a 911 hangup call from the Heather Way home of attorney Joe T. Roberts and his wife Judy W. Roberts. Upon arrival, LPD reported at the time, officers found Manning lying on the ground outside with a gunshot wound to the arm. They then found Mrs. Roberts lying on the floor inside with injuries due to an apparent assault by Manning. Both women were transported first to Saint Joseph London and later transferred to the University of Kentucky Hospital in Lexington. According to an arrest complaint written by LPD Capt. Ryan Jackson, Manning was intoxicated when she had threatened the couple with a shotgun, tore the landline from the wall, and injured Mr. Roberts right hand as he had attempted to call for help. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Mr. Roberts, who has since passed, ultimately shot his daughter after shed thrown Mrs. Roberts from the couch to the floor because he feared that she was going to kill them, according to police. The complaint indicated that Manning had held the Robertses against their will for about three hours prior to the shooting. Additionally requested Wednesday was an additional pretrial conference date, which Judge Caperton scheduled for Feb. 20 at 9 a.m. Manning remained lodged at press time at the Laurel County Correctional Center in lieu of a $50,000 bond. A commercial poultry farm on Long Island, New York, is being forced to kill thousands of ducks after health officials detected cases of bird flu. The owner of Crescent Duck Farm in Aquebogue -- about 66 miles west of New York City -- reportedly first saw signs that his flock was ill last week, according to the Suffolk County Department of Health. Tests confirmed the detection of bird flu on Jan. 17. The farm, which is the last commercial duck farm on Long Island, was forced to cease operations and begin the process of euthanizing its entire flock of more than 100,000 ducks, according to ABC-owned station WABC. The process will reportedly take a little over a week. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement MORE: What 3rd case of bird flu with unknown source of infection could mean in fight against disease "Unfortunately, when you have a situation like this where you have a flock that's infected, the remedy is to put the entire flock down," Suffolk County Health Commissioner Dr. Gregson Pigott told WABC. As of Friday, no farm workers were reported ill and health officials have begun interviewing potentially exposed workers as well as providing testing and preventive medications to high-risk individuals, according to the release from the health department. Pigott told WABC the medications include Tamiflu and Tamivir. PHOTO: In this undated stock photo, ducks are seen standing in a farm. (STOCK PHOTO/Adobe) The health department said it is also providing education to the farm owner on preventative measures such as proper hand hygiene and the use of appropriate personal protective equipment. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "The risk to public health is minimal as the virus at this point is not transmissible among humans," Pigott said in a statement. "A full investigation is underway because there is some potential for transmission of the H5N1 bird flu from the infected birds to individual farm workers who had high-risk exposures." SCDH did not immediately reply to ABC News' request for comment. ABC News left a message requesting comment with Crescent Duck Farm. Bird flu, or avian influenza, has been causing outbreaks in poultry and dairy cows in the U.S. with recent human cases among poultry and dairy workers. MORE: As 1st bird flu death reported in US, what could happen with virus in 2025? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Human cases have been diagnosed across the country since April 2024, with 67 confirmed in 10 states so far, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. As of Thursday, no human cases have been reported in New York. Most human cases have been mild with patients fully recovering. So far, just one death has been recorded in Louisiana in a patient over age 65 who had underlying medical conditions. The CDC and other public health officials say there is currently no evidence of human-to-human transmission and the risk to the general public is low. Long Island farm forced to euthanize more than 100,000 ducks after bird flu detected originally appeared on abcnews.go.com Longmont will host an open house Jan. 29 concerning the 21st Avenue and Main Street intersection improvements project, according to a city announcement. The community meeting, which will include a 20-minute presentation followed by a question-and-answer session and open house, is scheduled from 5:30 7 p.m. at the Moose Lodge, 2210 Pratt St., in the North Hall. Three design concepts will be shared during the open house and residents are encouraged to offer their feedback. Spanish language interpretation services will be offered. Pizza and childcare will also be provided. PIERRE, S.D. (KELO) Heres a look at some of the events scheduled for Thursday, January 23, the seventh day of the 2025 session of the South Dakota Legislature. Senate Education at 7:45 a.m. CT in room 423 will consider requiring the display and curricular inclusion of the Ten Commandments and other documents in public schools. House Taxation at 7:45 a.m. CT in room 464 will consider three bills including a requirement that the state Department of Revenue provide an annual report to tribal governments regarding tax collections on remote sales. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Senate Judiciary at 8 a.m. CT in room 413 will consider three bills, including SB37 and SB19 that would repeal the expiration date for the 911 emergency surcharge increase. Joint Committee on Appropriations at 8:30 a.m. CT in room 362 will hold a hearing on the state Department of Corrections budget request. House Transportation at 10 a.m. CT in room 413 will consider creation of a share the road license plate. House Local Government at 10 a.m. CT in room 414 will consider two bills, including a proposal to allow fireworks sales year-round. The House and Senate floor sessions start at 2 p.m. CT. One of the bills on the House debate calendar would prohibit misbranding of cell-grown protein used in meat products (HB1022), after Republican Rep. Tina Mulally removed it from the consent calendar Wednesday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Among the bills on the Senate debate calendar are two dealing with campaign finance requirements; SB12 would limit the amount of money that may be loaned to a candidate or political committee, while SB17 would clarify when a political committee must file campaign disclosure reports. QUOTE OF THE DAY: Big day for the pages. House Republican leader Scott Odenbach, regarding the breakfast that Lt. Gov. Larry Rhoden hosted Wednesday for the current group of high school students from across the state who help the Legislature as pages. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KELOLAND.com. By Hannah Lang (Reuters) - As the Los Angeles area begins the formidable task of rebuilding after the most destructive wildfires in its history, the city's artists and art collectors are mourning what could amount to billions of dollars in irreplaceable art that went up in flames. The wildfires have altogether destroyed more than 13,000 structures, with many among those located in the affluent Palisades neighborhood -- home to many priceless art collections -- and the town of Altadena, which was home to a flourishing artist community. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Some of those art collectors likely lost many of their acquisitions as the fires burned out of control for weeks, while local artists have watched as their studios and homes burned, destroying their work and jeopardizing their livelihoods. "There's part of me that's numb or in shock," said Brad Eberhard, an artist who ran Altadena's Alto Beta gallery, which also housed his own studio. Both burned down in the Eaton Fire. "Every half hour I remember another thing gone." Alto Beta, a 550-square-foot (51-sq-meter) space in an Altadena shopping center, hosted exhibits focused on artists who had not had a showing in Los Angeles in the past three years. Eberhard lost between 50 and 70 of his own sculptures as well as about two dozen pieces of art from his friends and colleagues. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When he returned to visit the gallery, "all I recognized was an aluminum door frame," he said. Just days before the gallery burned down, Alto Beta had opened a show called "Quiver" exhibiting paintings from Mary Anna Pomonis, a Los Angeles-based artist. Pomonis described the work in the show as female-centered paintings rooted in devotional imagery. "It felt like it was an appropriately dramatic response to work that I felt dealt on that scale of an epic narrative," she said. Many in the Los Angeles area have heard the fates of their homes but have been unable to return to see what's left, as tens of thousands of Angelenos remain under evacuation orders. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Kim McCarty, a watercolor painter and owner of the Michael's Santa Monica restaurant with her husband, lost her home to the Palisades fire. Like many, she has not been able to return to assess the damage in person. Through their restaurant, which opened in 1979, the McCartys became acquainted with local artists and housed many pieces in their Malibu home from friends such as Roger Herman, a German-born artist who teaches at the University of California, Los Angeles, and Pippa Garner, an American artist who died in Los Angeles in December. "(I'm) sad to lose that all because it's such a loving thing," said McCarty, who added she was not able to salvage any of her own artwork before she was forced to evacuate. Experts have estimated that the LA wildfires could be the most expensive disaster in U.S. history. AccuWeather has estimated at least $250 billion in losses due to the fires, although that figure could still change. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It is too early to estimate much of the losses that are art-related, but there were perhaps "billions" of dollars worth of fine art in properties in affected areas, said Christopher Wise, vice president at Risk Strategies, an insurance broker and risk management consultancy. "If you take a look at the size of the areas that are under threat or have burned, the scale of it really is staggering," he said. Still, Wise cautioned that the amount of losses remains unclear, as many collectors have yet to return to their homes. Despite the uncertainty created by the wildfires, the organizers of Frieze Los Angeles made the decision last week to go ahead with the international art fair, scheduled for late February. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Frieze, which also holds annual fairs in London, New York and Seoul, has presented the Los Angeles edition since 2019, elevating the city's status as an art capital. The fair attracts galleries and collectors from around the world, especially those from the U.S. West Coast. "Since the fair's founding six years ago, Frieze has been proud to support and be part of this vibrant community," said a Frieze spokesperson. "The challenges the city is currently facing only strengthen our commitment to work alongside the community to rebuild and recover together." Frieze Los Angeles, in conjunction with several smaller art fairs, aims to send a message to the local art community by going forward despite the fires, said Marc Selwyn, the owner of Marc Selwyn Fine Art in Los Angeles. "I think it's important that people know that LA is open for business and art is something that can be a boost for people in these kinds of times," the gallery owner said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The world-famous Getty Museum, which survived the fires, led several major art organizations in standing up a $12 million LA Arts Community Fire Relief Fund, which is set to provide emergency relief to artists and others who work in the arts. If there is a silver lining to be found in the disaster it may lie in how the Los Angeles artistic community has pulled together to help one another, said Eberhard. He has already been able to find homes in other galleries for most of the shows that Alto Beta was set to exhibit this year. "I didn't know that the artist community was this caring. I really didn't, because artists are notoriously, and accurately, independent, self-reliant, like little islands," he said. (Reporting by Hannah Lang in New York; Editing by Frank McGurty and Sandra Maler) Special session bill hearings on Wednesday were a rare show of bipartisanship as California lawmakers advanced $2.5 billion to expedite cleanup and recovery of the Los Angeles fires. Gov. Gavin Newsom initially called the special session after the November election in an effort to help the state Department of Justice prepare for anticipated legal battles against the Trump administration. The governor later expanded the session to include the wildfire package after devastating wildfires near Los Angeles burned thousands of homes in just a few days. A Senate committee also approved, by a party-line vote, legislation to beef up resources to challenge policies expected under President Donald Trump. The Assembly is expected to take up the Trump-related bills as soon as next week. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I was very, very encouraged by the tone of the conversation today,Assembly Budget Committee chairman Jesse Gabriel, D-San Fernando Valley, said after the hearing. As we look to help impacted communities recover hopefully in concert with our federal (and) local partners it shouldnt be an issue of partisanship. Gabriel, who said his family was under evacuation order for six days as the Palisades Fire threatened his community, confirmed the Assembly will wait to vote on the funds to fight Trump until at least next week. Both chambers are expected to frontburner the wildfire recovery funding for floor votes Thursday morning. I hope that they will pass with unanimous, bipartisan support and we will send those to the governor, Gabriel said. Hopefully he will act on them very quickly, and we will get those dollars flowing as quickly as possible. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The $2.5 billion in state funds would be used to expedite cleanup and home assessments, provide shelter for displaced residents and pay for other emergency response measures. They do not include funding for fire mitigation projects. Los Angeles-area lawmakers in particular stressed the importance of recovery for communities like Pacific Palisades, which now looks like a war zone, as Assemblymember. Jacqui Irwin, D-Thousand Oaks, said. But some rural lawmakers pointed out that communities like Paradise did not get immediate funding to help cleanup and recovery after the 2018 Camp Fire destroyed the town. I really dont want the message of this special session to be felt, in the north especially, that some homes and some communities are more valued than others just because of where they are in our state, said Assemblymember Heather Hadwick, R-Alturas. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If the bills are approved, the Department of Finance will be required to post monthly reports tracking the spending. The fire aid package didnt just draw bipartisan support: lawmakers of both parties clamored to point out what the state needs to do to prevent more destructive fires, including stronger emphasis on fuels management, greater incentives for home hardening and making Cal Fire firefighters year-round employees. I think we have a very unique time in history right now to make some massive changes on how we deal with these types of incidents, said Assemblymember Heath Flora, R-Lodi. Im encouraged by the conversations, Im encouraged by the bipartisanship. Im encouraged by calling this extraordinary session on this issue. The sheer devastation in the nations most populous county promises to keep the issue top-of-mind for lawmakers long after the flames are extinguished in Los Angeles. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Gabriel said he expects that we will be discussing wildfire issues after midnight on the last night of session. This is going to be an ongoing conversation. The Bees Stephen Hobbs contributed to this story. As Louisiana schools remain stuck in the middle of a legal battle over a new state law requiring every public classroom to display the Ten Commandments, a panel of three judges heard arguments over the controversial mandate on Thursday morning. The law, which has been touted by Republicans including President Donald Trump, went into effect on Jan. 1. However, schools have seemingly been stuck in limbo. At the start of the year, the state issued guidelines for districts to comply with the mandate that requires poster-sized displays of the Ten Commandments in all public K-12 school and state-funded university classrooms. In response, opponents have threatened to sue if any such posters are hung up. I know this needs to be addressed sooner rather than later, and we will do our best to do so, said Catharina Haynes, one of the judges who heard arguments in the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans on Thursday. Haynes did not specify when a ruling would be issued. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The state is appealing an order issued last fall by U.S. District Judge John deGravelles, who declared the mandate unconstitutional and ordered state education officials not to take steps to enforce it and to notify all local school boards in the state of his decision. The state contends that deGravelles order only affects the five school districts that are defendants in a legal challenge. But its unclear whether or how the law would be enforced in the states 67 other districts while the appeal progresses. Days after the new law took effect, Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill the state's top lawyer made clear that she expects school districts to comply. Murrill issued guidance to schools on how to do so, including four samples of the Ten Commandments posters. In addition, each poster must be paired with the four-paragraph context statement describing how the Ten Commandments were a prominent part of American public education for almost three centuries. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Over the past month, the Associated Press has reached out to dozens of school districts, the Attorney General's office and the Department of Education and has not been told of any schools that have begun to hang up such posters. Opponents of the law argue that it is a violation of the separation of church and state, and that the posters would isolate students, especially those who are not Christian. Plaintiffs in the suit include parents of Louisiana public school children with various religious backgrounds, who are represented by attorneys with civil liberties groups, including the American Civil Liberties Union Foundation. Proponents say that the measure is not solely religious, but that it has historical significance to the foundation of U.S. law. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The new legislation in Louisiana, a reliably Republican state that is ensconced in the Bible Belt, was signed into law by Republican Gov. Jeff Landry making Louisiana the only state to require that the Ten Commandments be displayed in public classrooms. The measure was part of a slew of conservative priorities that became law in Louisiana last year. The legislation is one of the latest pushes by conservatives to incorporate religion into classrooms from Florida legislation allowing school districts to have volunteer chaplains to counsel students to Oklahomas top education official ordering public schools to incorporate the Bible into lessons. Despite the ongoing legal battle, ahead of this year's legislative season, lawmakers in other statehouses have begun to propose bills similar to Louisiana's, including in Montana and Tennessee. Additionally, in December, 18 attorney generals in red states including Alabama, Florida and Texas filed a brief supporting Louisianas law. Multiple states have proposed similar bills in recent years, however they never went into effect amid threats of legal battles over the constitutionality of such measures. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In 1980, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that a similar Kentucky law was unconstitutional and violated the establishment clause of the U.S. Constitution, which says Congress can make no law respecting an establishment of religion. The high court found that the law had no secular purpose but rather served a plainly religious purpose. Law experts have long said that they expect the Louisiana case to make its way up to the U.S. Supreme Court. Louisianas Office of Juvenile Justice is transferring incarcerated girls to the Ware Youth Center, with which the leader of the state office has a longstanding personal connection. Gov. John Bel Edwards administration had ended the states contract with Ware in Coushatta in late 2023 to house up to 24 incarcerated girls after the facility requested an additional $600,000 to cover the girls health care expenses. At the time, the Edwards administration said the state couldnt afford to give Ware the additional money. It was already paying the facility $2.9 million per fiscal year to hold and care for the girls. Kenny Loftin, who Gov. Jeff Landry placed in charge of the Office of Juvenile Justice, has reinstated the state contract again and is moving incarcerated girls to Ware. Loftin helped start the facility and personally ran Ware for most of his career in juvenile justice, from 1993 to 2015. The detention center is not a traditional state facility and instead controlled by local officials. Judges and law enforcement officials from six north Louisiana parishes sit on its management board. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Ware is also controversial because it was the subject of a New York Times investigation published in 2022 that alleged girls housed at the detention center had been subjected to rampant abuse and neglect over several years. The alleged abuse would have overlapped with times Loftin was in charge of Ware, but he was never accused of being involved in the alleged misconduct. During his confirmation hearing last year, Loftin also said the news story was full of lies and false statements. Last week, Loftin told legislators that eight girls had already been moved to Ware. An additional 12 incarcerated girls are still living in an old jail in St. Martinville, which serves as an extension for the Acadiana Center for Youth, but will also be eventually sent to Ware as well. Were in the process of transitioning them back to Ware because Ware is just a much better facility, said Loftin at a meeting of the Louisiana Legislatures Select Committee on Women and Children. Loftin said the St. Martinville jail is at capacity and cant hold all 20 girls currently in state custody. All the girls cant be sent to Ware yet because the appropriate staff hasnt been hired at the facility yet. Ware had asked for a significant bump in health care funding in 2023 to make up for money it had erroneously received from the federal government, Curtis Nelson, then director of the Office of Juvenile Justice, said at the time. The facility had been enrolling incarcerated girls in the Medicaid program, even though incarcerated people cant typically qualify for the federally-backed health insurance. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Because of the federal law, we are not able to do that, Loftin said when a legislator asked him last week if incarcerated girls could be enrolled in Medicaid. The Office of Juvenile Justice did not respond to phone calls or an email with questions sent last Thursday about whether it had added funding to Wares contract to cover more health care expenses for the incarcerated girls. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE NEW ORLEANS (WGNO) On Thursday, Jan. 23, Louisiana is remembering 40-year-old Elliot Wilkinson, 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 Brandon Taylor Wilkinson, from Slidell, had four siblings. Elliot Wilkinson In a Sunday news conference, Landry reported the kind words of Wilkinsons brother, who said if you didnt have a shirt on your back, Wilkinson would find one to put on you. Adding, no matter what, he was always looking for a way to care for others. 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 LaTasha Polk 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. NEW ORLEANS, La. (Louisiana First) Louisianas Ten Commandments law is under scrutiny again as the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals hears arguments on whether the law should move forward. The case, Darcy Roake v. Cade Brumley, involves parents from five parishes who are challenging the law, which requires the display of the Ten Commandments in classrooms. The law, set to go into effect on Jan. 1, 2025, has been delayed for schools in those parishes while the legal battle continues. However, schools outside the five parishes have already begun implementing the required displays. In November, the Middle District Court ruled the law unconstitutional. Judge John DeGravelles stated in his ruling that the law had an overtly religious purpose, violating the First Amendment. The state appealed the decision to the Fifth Circuit, a court known for its conservative leanings. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Louisiana Solicitor General Ben Aguinaga argued that the lawsuit is premature because the displays have not yet been put up in classrooms, meaning no harm has been done to students. He also noted that the exact appearance and placement of the displays are still undetermined. The law, House Bill 71, mandates that the Ten Commandments be displayed as a poster or framed document measuring at least 11 by 14 inches, with the text as the central focus in a large, easily readable font. How Louisianas new 2025 laws will affect voting, taxes, and more State attorneys claim the posters will be part of general classroom decor or placed in lecture halls, where students may overlook them. However, plaintiffs argue that requiring the posters to be displayed in every classroom, from kindergarten through high school, for the full 177-day school year, ensures they will be noticed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We explained that, under binding precedent, the federal courts have no jurisdiction to decide this case. But even if they did, there are constitutionally sound ways to implement H.B. 71, which defeats this lawsuit, Attorney General Liz Murrill said. The Constitution does not bar our Legislatures attempt to teach our students what the Supreme Court has repeatedly said: The Ten Commandments have historical significance as a foundation of our legal system. Supporters of the law argue that the Ten Commandments hold historical significance as a foundation for U.S. laws. Plaintiffs counter that the law is inherently religious, coercive, and infringes on parents rights to decide how their children learn about religion. Thursdays hearing focused on the states appeal of the lower courts preliminary injunction rather than the merits of the case. A ruling from the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals is pending. Timeline of Louisianas Ten Commandments Law: June 19, 2024: A bill requiring public schools and universities to display the Ten Commandments in classrooms was passed during the 2024 Regular Legislative Session. June 24, 2024: The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) filed a lawsuit claiming the law violated students First Amendment rights. Some religious leaders and activists also voiced opposition to the law. Aug. 5, 2024: Murrill called for the lawsuit to be dismissed, arguing it was premature and that the plaintiffs could not demonstrate actual harm. July 19, 2024: Louisiana agreed to pause implementation of the law until a hearing could be held, initially scheduled for Nov. 15. Oct. 21, 2024: A hearing debated whether the law should go into effect while its constitutionality is litigated. The preliminary injunction allowed arguments on both sides regarding the posting of the Commandments. Nov. 12, 2024: A federal judge ruled the law unconstitutional, prohibiting the display of the Ten Commandments in schools. Dec. 11, 2024: Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill filed an opening brief to defend Louisianas Ten Commandments law in the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit. Jan. 23, 2025: Oral arguments are held in the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals to address the states appeal of the preliminary injunction. Latest 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 Louisiana First News. Every week a local nonprofit organization is randomly selected to be the recipient of a cash donation from Loving Giving Local. This week, its the Northwest PA Pride Alliance. The Northwest Pennsylvania Pride Alliance is best known for its colorful flamboyant pride parade in downtown Erie every summer. Its one of many activities sponsored by the organization. Its mission is to improve the visibility of the queer LGBTQIA+ community in the greater Erie area. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to the president of the alliance, the various activities serve a purpose. Mostly, it is the activities to foster a sense of community for folks who may not have a lot of family support or even necessarily feel accepted in their day-to-day lives or workplace for instance, they can be tricky. Were giving the folks a chance to come together and know there is a community here for them, said Season Crannell, NWPA Pride Alliance president. NWPA Pride Alliance is this weeks winner of Loving Giving Local The alliance has a winter boot and coat drive coming up in February. It holds a happy hour on the first Wednesday of every month and a picnic every summer. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This weeks Loving Giving Local donation will help fund these events. All of the money we get from every donor goes to making all of our events free or as low cost as impossible to make our events accessible to as much of our community. Whether LGBTQI+ or not, everyones welcome, Crannell added. Well the pride alliance has been in our community for over 10 years and for us to be able to bring Loving Giving Local to them, we know the donation is going to go toward one of their events. Again it is just one of the great things they do in our community. And were really happy for them to be part of Loving Giving Local, said Joe Askins, Auto Express The NWPA Pride Alliance invites your support through financial support of their events or simply by showing up and being part of the fun. 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 WJET/WFXP/YourErie.com. (Bloomberg) -- Claudia Sheinbaums efforts to blunt Donald Trumps relentless targeting of Mexico are winning admirers in Brazil, inspiring one of her allies to consider mimicking her approach to the combative US leader. Most Read from Bloomberg President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silvas advisers have been so impressed with Sheinbaums restrained demeanor toward Trump that they now consider it a model for how their often-pugnacious boss should approach him, according to people close to the veteran leftist. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Mexican leaders strategy was on display Tuesday, when Sheinbaum responded to Trumps day-one renewal of tariff threats and a raft of new immigration orders by saying shed keep a cool head and focus on actual policies over heated rhetoric. It was an example of what the people close to Lula, who requested anonymity to speak about internal matters, described as Sheinbaums ability to avoid the traps Trump regularly sets for other leaders. Lula and Sheinbaum discussed the Trump administration during a Thursday phone call in which they reaffirmed their intention to cultivate productive relations with all countries in the Americas, including the US, according to a statement from Brazils government. The pair also pledged to maintain regular contact and increase coordination, and Lula invited Sheinbaum to visit Brazil. It remains far from certain whether the strategy will work. Trump, after all, has been in office mere days, and his aggression toward Mexico highlights the ways leaders like Sheinbaum ultimately remain subject to his whims. But that she has drawn admiration from the inner circle of a president with far more experience on the global stage is something of a surprise itself. Trumps focus on Mexico over trade, migration and drugs seemed destined to challenge Sheinbaum, a skilled politician who nevertheless lacks the charisma of her predecessor, Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador the loquacious populist who often relished the task of dealing with his northern neighbor. That she is Mexicos first female leader only deepened the questions facing her, given that Trumps harshest ire has often been directed at women like Germanys Angela Merkel and the UKs Theresa May. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Over the last two months, however, Sheinbaum has begun to settle into her own approach. She has reiterated that she wants friendly relations with Washington, saying Mexico will collaborate to reduce migration and drug trafficking and posting a smiling photo of herself talking to Trump on the phone. She has cracked down on cheap Chinese imports in a bid to show that Mexico is also suffering from unfair trade practices, not a source of them. But she has also sought to avoid looking subordinate: After Trump bragged on social media about a wonderful conversation in which Sheinbaum had agreed to moves effectively closing our Southern Border, she countered with her own post saying shed told him that Mexicos stance is not to close borders, but to build bridges among governments and peoples. This week, she answered his plan to designate some drug cartels as terrorist groups with warnings against interventions in Mexican territory. Sheinbaum has given detailed presentations on the harm tariffs could do to both economies, while also cracking jokes at Trumps expense over his desire to rename the Gulf of Mexico. Exactly how Lulas advisers plan for him to imitate that strategy remains unclear. But early on, he appears to favor a similar tack. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On Monday, Lula wished Trump a successful term and highlighted the history of cooperation between their nations. He even softened past criticism of Trump, a close ally of right-wing former Brazil leader Jair Bolsonaro: There are people who say Trumps election could cause problems for global democracy, Lula said, without mentioning that hes been among them. Brazil has not yet drawn much of Trumps attention. But Lula is an ideological adversary who backed Kamala Harris in the election, and Trumps return has fueled hopes among Bolsonaros movement that he will eventually weigh in on domestic political matters on behalf of the former president who is barred from running in next years election. Lula and Trump are likely to butt heads eventually, with Brazils hosting of the annual United Nations Climate Change Conference later this year among the potential sources of contention. But for now, the leftist leader appears to be avoiding confrontation. Should be great, Trump said Monday of relations between the US and Brazil, before adding a trademark barb. They need us much more than we need them. We dont need them. They need us. Everybody needs us. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Asked to respond after an event the next day, Lula shook his head and walked the other way. --With assistance from Maya Averbuch, Alex Vasquez, Josh Wingrove and Marisa Gertz. (Updates with details of Lula-Sheinbaum phone call in fourth paragraph.) Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2025 Bloomberg L.P. Old Saybrook A 26-year-old Lyme man who authorities say was intoxicated while operating a boat that crashed into a break wall last Labor Day, killing three people, was charged Wednesday. State Department of Energy and Environmental Protection police charged Clayton Hackling with three counts each of second-degree manslaughter with a vessel, first-degree reckless operation of a vessel while under the influence of alcohol or drugs, and second-degree reckless operation of a vessel. Police said Hackling was operating the 31-foot boat that crashed into the northernmost point of the eastern break wall Sept. 2 as it headed toward Old Saybrook at the mouth of the Connecticut River. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Three of the boats nine passengers Ryan Britagna, 24, of Waterford; Christopher Hallahan, 34, of Westbrook; and Ian Duchemin, 25, of Oakdale were killed in the crash and six others rescued. The crash led to a massive, dayslong search involving local, state and U.S. Coast Guard assets that ended when the bodies of Britagna and Duchemin were found. Hallahan was found dead in the damaged boat. A warrant for Hacklings arrest was issued Tuesday in New London Superior Court, and he turned himself in to state police before being taken into custody by environmental conservation police. Hackling, who is also charged with operation of a vessel while under the influence of alcohol or drugs and violating vessel lighting and collision laws, was released after posting a $350,000 bond. He is due to be arraigned Tuesday in Middletown Superior Court. A Massachusetts home health aide is sharing her chilling story of survival after she says a client stabbed her more than 30 times. It happened back on Saturday in the early morning hours at an apartment building on Monsignor Albert Jacobbe Road in East Boston. The 69-year-old victim, who spoke exclusively with Boston 25 News, wanted to remain anonymous. She said the client who attacked her is a man in his 70s who shes been looking after for two years. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I have always been nice with him. I always treat him well, she said. She said he routinely got angry but never got violent. That changed last weekend while she was working a double shift. She recalled the man waking up in the middle of the night and asking what time it was before grabbing a knife. He came back with the knife. He started to get me with the knife, she said. I was screaming, help, help! She told Boston 25 News he repeatedly stabbed, slashed, and sliced her from head to toe while she was sitting on a recliner. She remembers kicking and thrashing her body to try to lift herself up. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I got up and I fell down, and thats when he started stabbing me in the back, she said. I said, thats it. I cant anymore. I was tired. Im going to die. The mother and grandmother said she then thought of her family and found a moment of strength. It gave me power. Im going to stand up to him and confront him, she recalled. I pushed him. I ran to the door, and I escaped. According to a Boston Police incident report, the suspect chased after her with a piece of wood. He allegedly tried to hit a security guard with the piece of wood in the hallway. When he was trying to take the piece of wood away from the suspect, the suspect lost balance and fell to the ground, the report states. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The suspect was rushed to the hospital after hitting his head on the ground. The man, who has not yet been identified by authorities, is expected to be arraigned in East Boston District Court on charges of assault and battery by means of a dangerous weapon and assault by means of a dangerous weapon. If hes alive, he has to go to jail. Thats the only thing I want, said the victim. The injured home health aide is now back home after spending two days at Tufts Medical Center. She received blood transfusions and dozens of stitches. The physical and mental anguish of the attack solidifies that she will not be returning to the challenging job shes had for the last decade. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I like to help people. Thats why I did it, she added. They treat you like nothing. This is a hard job. Nobody wants to do this job. 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 Rachel Maddow talks with Bishop Mariann Edgar Budde of the Episcopal Diocese of Washington about speaking from the pulpit directly to Donald Trump about showing mercy for the vulnerable people targeted by his policies, and what has happened since, as well as the role of the church in moral leadership in the United States. Just two days into his new term, Donald Trump appears to be burning through political capital and alienating his allies (and supplicants) with his decision to indiscriminately pardon January 6 rioters, resulting in what can only be described as a debacle. Rachel Maddow reads a portion of Judge Beryl Howell's rebuke. Within hours of his presidential inauguration, Donald Trump issued roughly 1,500 pardons and commuted the sentences of 14 Jan. 6 criminals including violent felons who were in prison for assaulting police officers sparking ample conversation among elected officials, pundits, prosecutors and other law enforcement personnel. But theyre not the only ones with notable perspectives. As The New York Times reported, some members of the judiciary shared some thoughts of their own. No one knows more about the hundreds of criminal cases filed against rioters who took part in the Jan. 6, 2021, storming of the Capitol than the federal judges in Washington who oversaw their trials and guilty pleas, watched thousands of hours of surveillance videos and heard hundreds of witnesses deliver firsthand accounts of the attack. On Wednesday, two days after President Trump granted sweeping reprieves to all of the nearly 1,600 people charged in connection with the Capitol attack, some of the judges started to push back against his moves, declaring that nothing not even a presidential decree could alter the reality of what happened that day. Of particular interest was U.S. District Court Judge Beryl Howell, who was responding to Trumps Justice Department moving to dismiss indictments against two admitted Jan. 6 criminals. In fact, the defendants in the case freely acknowledged that they threw smoke bombs at police officers, breached the U.S. Capitol, defaced the building, and even stole equipment from law enforcement personnel during the riot. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Justice Department invested time and resources into identifying these men, apprehending them, prosecuting them, and ensuring accountability for their egregious crimes. The new American president, however, wants them to simply walk away without any punishment at all. The jurist conceded that the criminal case obviously cant proceed in light of Trumps pardon. The Republican said he was ending a grave national injustice. Howell made clear that she knew better. No national injustice occurred here, just as no outcome-determinative election fraud occurred in the 2020 presidential election, she explained. No process of national reconciliation can begin when poor losers, whose preferred candidate loses an election, are glorified for disrupting a constitutionally mandated proceeding in Congress and doing so with impunity. That merely raises the dangerous specter of future lawless conduct by other poor losers and undermines the rule of law. Yet, this presidential pronouncement of a national injustice is the sole justification provided in the governments motion to dismiss the pending indictment. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Having presided over scores of criminal cases charging defendants for their criminal conduct both outside and inside the U.S. Capitol Building on January 6, 2021, which charges were fully supported by evidence in the form of extensive videotapes and photographs, admissions by defendants in the course of plea hearings and in testimony at trials, and the testimony of law enforcement officers and congressional staff present at the Capitol on that day, this Court cannot let stand the revisionist myth relayed in this presidential pronouncement. The prosecutions in this case and others charging defendants for their criminal conduct at the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021, present no injustice, but instead reflect the diligent work of conscientious public servants, including prosecutors and law enforcement officials, and dedicated defense attorneys, to defend our democracy and rights and preserve our long tradition of peaceful transfers of power which, until January 6, 2021, served as a model to the world all while affording those charged every protection guaranteed by our Constitution and the criminal justice system. As to these two defendants specifically, both admitted their criminal conduct under oath, after consultation with their attorneys, and pursuant to plea agreements to which they agreed. Bluntly put, the assertion offered in the presidential pronouncement for the pending motion to dismiss is flatly wrong. Whats more, Howell wasnt alone. In a separate but related case, U.S. District Court Judge Tanya Chutkan wrote, The dismissal of this case cannot undo the rampage that left multiple people dead, injured more than 140 people, and inflicted millions of dollars in damage. Quoting court filings, she added, It cannot diminish the heroism of law enforcement officers who struggled, facing serious injury and even death, to control the mob that overwhelmed them. It cannot whitewash the blood, feces, and terror that the mob left in its wake. And it cannot repair the jagged breach in Americas sacred tradition of peacefully transitioning power. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement U.S. District Court Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly, in yet another case, wrote, Dismissal of charges, pardons after convictions, and commutations of sentences will not change the truth of what happened on Jan. 6, 2021. What occurred that day is preserved for the future through thousands of contemporaneous videos, transcripts of trials, jury verdicts, and judicial opinions analyzing and recounting the evidence through a neutral lens. ... Those records are immutable and represent the truth, no matter how the events of January 6 are described by those charged or their allies. In recent years, a great many federal jurists U.S. District Judge Royce C. Lamberth, U.S. District Judge Amy Berman Jackson, U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta, U.S. District Judge Reggie Walton, among others have addressed the insurrectionist attack on the Capitol with great eloquence and historical weight. The criminal cases are ending, but that recent tradition continues. This article was originally published on MSNBC.com The language of the Constitutions 14th Amendment does not lend itself to wiggle room. All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside, it reads. In other words, if youre born in the U.S., youre a citizen of the U.S. Donald Trump has spent years condemning whats known as birthright citizenship and vowing to undo it, despite the plain language of the Constitution. To that end, on Inauguration Day, the new Republican president kept one of his uglier campaign promises and issued an executive order that not only rejected the constitutional principle, but also directed federal agencies to refuse to recognize U.S. citizenship for children who do not meet the administrations new standards. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Not surprisingly, the radical order sparked immediate litigation. Also not surprisingly, these legal challenges are already succeeding. NBC News reported: A federal district court judge has temporarily blocked President Donald Trumps executive order aimed at limiting birthright citizenship the first action in what promises to be a protracted legal battle over the new administrations agenda. Senior U.S. District Judge John C. Coughenour heard 25 minutes of arguments and then issued an order from the bench blocking the policy from taking effect for 14 days. There will be a further briefing on a preliminary injunction to permanently block the executive order while litigation proceeds. Ive been on the bench for over four decades, Coughenour said. I cant remember another case where the question presented is as clear as this one. This is a blatantly unconstitutional order. Frankly, he continued, challenging Trump administration lawyers, I have difficulty understanding how a member of the bar would state unequivocally that this is a constitutional order. It just boggles my mind. Coughenour, for the record, is a Ronald Reagan appointee. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The case is one five lawsuits filed by Democratic attorneys general and immigrant rights organizations. Hours after the district court blocked Trumps order, the incumbent president told reporters that his administration would obviously appeal. Many observers have speculated that the White House ultimately expects the matter to end up at the U.S. Supreme Court. This article was originally published on MSNBC.com Pressed for reactions to Donald Trumps pardons for Jan. 6 criminals, including violent felons, many congressional Republicans have at least tried to adopt a forward-thinking posture. For example, Republican Sen. John Thune of South Dakota, his partys new Senate majority leader, said in response to questions about the pardons, Were looking at the future, not the past. Republican Sen. Kevin Cramer of North Dakota, similarly added, Im ready to move forward. This remains a tragically flawed perspective for a variety of reasons not least of which is that the scandal and its consequences are ongoing but that didnt stop House Speaker Mike Johnson from echoing the partys preferred talking point. The presidents made a decision, we move forward, the Louisiana Republican told reporters on the third day of the new Trump era. Johnson added, Were not looking backwards, were looking forward. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Oddly enough, however, at the same Capitol Hill press conference, the House speaker made some related comments that completely contradicted his own misguided and unpersuasive line. NBC News reported: House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., announced Wednesday the creation of a new select subcommittee to investigate events before and after Jan. 6, 2021. House Republicans are proud of our work so far in exposing the false narratives peddled by the politically motivated January 6 Select Committee during the 117th Congress, but there is still more work to be done, Johnson said in a statement. The subcommittees mission is to uncover the full truth that is owed to the American people, Johnson said. The panel will be chaired by Republican Rep. Barry Loudermilk of Georgia, whose name might sound familiar. But memories can be painfully short in the political world, so lets take a brief stroll down memory lane. Around this time two years ago, as the Republican majority in the House got to work, among the earliest priorities for the party was a new, GOP-friendly investigation into the Jan. 6 attack. The endeavor would be led by Loudermilk, who faced some awkward questions about a controversial Capitol tour the day before the riot. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement After launching his own Jan. 6 probe, the Georgia Republicans first step was simple: He exonerated himself. In the months that followed, Loudermilk said he intended to determine what really happened on Jan. 6, indifferent to the fact that we already know what really happened. More than a year after launching the partisan probe, Loudermilk and his GOP colleagues released a report on their findings, which was effectively meaningless and broke no new ground. The document appeared designed to undermine the actual bipartisan Jan. 6 committee, but it failed, and even most Republicans blew it off as irrelevant. Loudermilk and his cohorts set out to discredit the bipartisan Jan. 6 investigation and to expose shocking new details that would alter the publics understanding of the assault on the Capitol. His bombshell was a dud. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In the months that followed, Loudermilk continued to engage in half-hearted efforts he even asked the Justice Department to launch a criminal investigation into former House GOP Conference Chair Liz Cheney for foolish reasons that collapsed under scrutiny but by any fair measure, the entire endeavor was a failure. Congressional Democrats barely bothered to push back against Loudermilks investigation for the most insulting of reasons: They saw it as too boring and pitiful to warrant a full-throated response. Its against this backdrop that the House speaker announced his brilliant new idea: Johnson wants the same congressman who failed in his Jan. 6 investigation in the last Congress to keep going with his failed Jan. 6 investigation in the new Congress while simultaneously telling the American public that congressional Republicans are looking forward and leaving Jan. 6 in the rearview mirror. The last GOP-led House was an embarrassment to itself. The early evidence suggests the current GOP-led House will be no better. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This post updates our related earlier coverage. This article was originally published on MSNBC.com The names of many of Donald Trumps most controversial cabinet nominees are probably familiar to Americans who keep up on current events. People like Pete Hegseth, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Kash Patel and Tulsi Gabbard have earned their reputations as notorious nominees. But while Russell Vought, the presidents choice to lead the Office of Management and Budget an agency that touches on every facet of the government is probably less known to most observers, the Project 2025 co-author almost certainly belongs on the same list. In an opinion piece for The New York Times, Damon Linker explained that the new OMB director, if confirmed, plans nothing less than a full-scale assault on the regulatory and spending powers of the executive branch. The writer added that its Vought and his agenda that could end up having the greatest long-term impact on the shape of American democracy. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement That might sound overdramatic. Its not. Indeed, some of Voughts testimony during his Senate confirmation hearing helped drive the point home. Politico reported: The big news out of Russell Voughts second confirmation hearing Wednesday before the Senate Budget Committee was impoundment. From emergency wildfire dollars to foreign aid and beyond, Democrats repeatedly prodded President Donald Trumps nominee to lead the Office of Management and Budget about a stance he has taken for years: He doesnt believe Congress has the final say on federal spending. I suspect some readers will see the word impoundment, assume the subject is wonky and boring, and click away. But hang in there; Im going somewhere with this. Throughout American history, officials have recognized that the Congress has whats known as the power of the purse: In our constitutional system, its lawmakers who have the sole authority to dictate government spending. When an appropriations bill emerges from Capitol Hill and becomes law, its not a recommendation or a suggestion about possible spending; its a directive to the executive branch. During his presidency, Richard Nixon tested these assumptions and deliberately refused to spend billions of federal programs that he didnt like. His approach failed spectacularly in the courts, and Nixon, weakened by Watergate, ultimately signed the Impoundment Control Act of 1974, which made clear that presidents dont have the legal authority to ignore Congress on federal spending. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Vought, Trumps OMB nominee, not only disagrees with the Impoundment Control Act of 1974, he also believes the law is unconstitutional and should be ignored. When Democratic Sen. Chris Van Hollen of Maryland, for example, asked during Voughts confirmation hearing whether he would comply with existing law, the nominee replied that Trump ran against the Impoundment Control Act during the 2024 campaign. Theres some truth to that though its obviously a stretch to think impoundment was on the minds of many voters when they cast their ballots last fall though Im hard-pressed to explain its relevance. Laws must be honored, even if politicians run on a platform in opposition to those laws. At the same hearing Wednesday, there was a similar exchange between Vought and Sen. Patty Murray. The Washington Democratic asked, point plank, whether the OMB nominee would honor existing law. He again testified, The president ran on the notion that the Impoundment Control Act is unconstitutional [and] I agree with that. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its easy to imagine much of the public shrugging with indifference in response to debates like these, but there are foundational principles of government and constitutional law at stake. Even if youve never seen or heard the word impoundment, youre probably familiar with core American ideas, such as checks and balances and Congress power of the purse. What Vought envisions is a new model in which the peoples representatives allocate funds, Trump smiles politely, and the White House then refuses to spend federal funds in line with Congress wishes. Why should the public care? Because it matters when an authoritarian-minded president and his team seize powers powers to which they are not entitled from a co-equal branch of government. Or as my MSNBC colleague Hayes Brown recently summarized, 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 Complicating matters, some congressional Republicans have grown so supine that theyre prepared to go along with such a plan, freely handing over power to Trump that belongs on Capitol Hill. As my MSNBC colleague Jahan Jones explained in December, more than a dozen House GOP members sponsored a bill in the last Congress that would repeal the Impoundment Control Act entirely, giving Trump unprecedented power to determine which funds are spent. Senate Republicans are all but certain to confirm Vought. Some highly provocative court fights will probably soon follow. This article was originally published on MSNBC.com Todays installment of campaign-related news items from across the country. * While a presidents party traditionally struggles in a second midterm election cycle, Rep. Richard Hudson of North Carolina, the new chair of the National Republican Congressional Committee, raised expectations about the partys 2026 prospects. The math is in our favor, he boasted this week. Were on offense. * In Pennsylvania, a Democratic state representative died earlier this week. As a result, the state House is divided evenly between Republicans and Democrats, 101-101. A special election to fill the vacancy left by the late Rep. Matt Gergelys passing has not been scheduled. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement * During the presidents first post-inaugural television interview, Donald Trump boasted to Fox News Sean Hannity that he won young voters last fall by 36 points. Its a claim he has repeated incessantly in recent weeks, and it remains completely untrue. * There are only 10 weeks remaining before voters in Wisconsin participate in another state Supreme Court election, and Judge Susan Crawford launched a seven-figure ad buy this week in support of her candidacy. * New Jersey is one of two states that will hold gubernatorial elections this year, but an Emerson College Polling/PIX11/The Hill poll found that theres no clear front-runner, and a majority of voters in both parties remain undecided. Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy is term-limited and cannot run for a third term. (Click the link for more information on the polls methodology and margin of error.) * Speaking of 2025 contests, Bolts magazine published overviews on this years races that will help shape criminal justice policy and voting rights policy in a variety of states. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement * And in South Carolina, there was some recent scuttlebutt about Rep. Nancy Mace launching a Republican primary campaign against Sen. Lindsey Graham, but the GOP congresswoman told The Associated Press that shes seriously considering a gubernatorial run in 2026. This article was originally published on MSNBC.com Todays edition of quick hits. * At least it was close: The Senate on Thursday voted to advance Pete Hegseths nomination to be President Donald Trumps defense secretary, putting him on a path to final confirmation at the end of the week. The vote was 51 to 49, with just two Republicans moderate Sens. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, and Susan Collins of Maine voting with all 47 Democrats to try to block Hegseth. He needed a simple majority to advance to a final vote. * It was unfortunate that this vote was not close: John Ratcliffe will lead the Central Intelligence Agency under President Donald Trump after the Senate confirmed him to the position by a 74-25 vote on Thursday. Twenty-four Democrats voted alongside their Republican counterparts to confirm Ratcliffe. Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., did not vote. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement * Rolling back the clock six decades: President Donald Trump this week revoked an executive order aimed at banning discrimination by federal contractors and subcontractors as part of his sweeping effort to crack down on federal diversity programs. * On a related note: The Justice Department has ordered an immediate halt to all new civil rights cases or investigations and signaled that it might back out of Biden-era agreements with police departments that engaged in discrimination or violence, according to two internal memos sent to staff on Wednesday. * Puzders name might sound familiar from Trumps first term: Andrew F. Puzder, the former chief executive of the corporation that owns the Hardees and Carls Jr. fast-food chains, is President Trumps pick to be the next U.S. ambassador to the European Union. Mr. Puzder, a frequent commentator on economic and business issues on networks like Fox Business, would not bring foreign policy experience to what is a prestigious and influential diplomatic position representing the United States to a bloc of some of the wealthiest countries in Europe. * L. Brent Bozell III: President Trump selected a conservative activist and media critic to head the U.S. Agency for Global Media, making a move likely to fuel concerns that his administration will try to politicize a group of federally funded outlets whose mission is to counter authoritarian propaganda with independent news. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement * This should produce some fascinating meetings: Secretary of State Marco Rubio is set to visit Panama the country whose canal President Donald Trump has suggested hed seize as early as next week, according to three U.S. officials briefed on the plan. * A burgeoning effort worth watching: Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick on Sunday said the Legislature should amend the language of the states near-total abortion ban to address confusion over when doctors may terminate pregnancies. * In New Jersey: Former New Jersey Senator Bob Menendez on Wednesday lost a bid for a new trial, after arguing his recent corruption conviction should be thrown out because jurors were allowed to review improper evidence during deliberations. U.S. District Judge Sidney Steins decision paves the way for Menendezs sentencing next Wednesday. The U.S. Attorneys office in Manhattan says the Democratic former chair of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations should spend 15 years in prison. See you tomorrow. This article was originally published on MSNBC.com There was an unintentionally amusing moment during House Speaker Mike Johnsons first post-inaugural press conference. Asked about Donald Trumps pardons for Jan. 6 criminals, including violent felons who assaulted police officers, the Louisiana Republican told reporters, Were not looking backwards, were looking forward. Moments later, at the same press conference, Johnson added that the House GOP majority would, however, take a fresh look at the pardons Joe Biden issued as his presidency neared its end. It was a rather clumsy example of the House speakers malleable principles, but it also served as a timely reminder of a larger truth: The former Democratic president has exited the stage, but his Republican detractors arent quite done with him. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In fact, shortly after Johnsons remarks on Capitol Hill, Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia appeared on Real Americas Voice, a far-right media outlet, and reiterated her belief that Biden and his family really they do belong in prison. As for Bidens successor, the retired president also appears to be on Trumps mind. On Inauguration Day, the Republican signed a highly provocative executive order on Ending the Weaponization of the Federal Government. As Paul Waldman explained in his latest opinion piece for MSNBC, the order serves as a declaration that this administration is looking to punish those Trump perceives as his enemies. ... From the start, the document makes its target clear: Joe Biden and those who worked for him. Two days later, Trump sat down with Fox News Sean Hannity, and over the course of the interview, the new Republican president said four times that Biden failed to pardon himself before exiting the White House. Trump added that he saw that as a mistake on the former presidents part, saying that Biden relied on very bad advisers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As the interview continued, he incumbent president added: I went through four years of hell by this scum that we had to deal with. I went through four years of hell. I spent millions of dollars in legal fees and I won, but I did it the hard way. Its really hard to say that they shouldnt have to go through it also. It is very hard to say that. At that point, Trump quickly added, once again, that Biden didnt pardon himself. The president went on to say, in reference to his immediate predecessor, If you look at it, it all had to do with him. I mean, the money went to him. In context, it wasnt at all clear what it referred to, and despite bizarre conspiracy theories, there was no elicit money going to Biden. But reality notwithstanding, the emerging picture is tough to miss: The new president and his allies arent quite ready to move on from the former president, at least not yet. This article was originally published on MSNBC.com Todays edition of quick hits. * The latest school shooting: A 16-year-old student is dead and another was hospitalized with a gunshot wound following a shooting Wednesday at a Nashville high school cafeteria. The shooter, a 17-year-old student, fatally shot himself after firing multiple shots at Antioch High School just after 11 a.m. CT, police said at a news conference. The shooter was armed with a pistol, authorities said. * Indefensible: Refugees who had been approved to travel to the United States before a deadline next week suspending Americas refugee resettlement program have had their travel plans canceled by the Trump administration. Thousands of refugees who fled war and persecution and had gone through a sometimes yearslong process to start new lives in America are now stranded at various locations worldwide. That includes more than 1,600 Afghans who assisted Americas war effort, as well as relatives of active-duty U.S. military personnel. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement * Given the intensifying bird-flu threat, this seems like a spectacularly bad idea: President Donald Trumps acting secretary for the Department of Health and Human Services, Dr. Dorothy Fink, instructed heads of all federal health agencies in a memo Tuesday to temporarily stop public communications, pending a review. * This will be the first new law of Trump's second term: "The Republican-led House voted Wednesday to give final passage to the Laken Riley Act, a strict immigration detention measure named for a 22-year-old Georgia nursing school student who was murdered last year by an undocumented immigrant. ... The House vote was 263-156, with 46 Democrats joining all Republicans in support of the measure." * Its a 2,000-mile-long border, so this deployment seems more performative than meaningful: The Pentagon will begin deploying as many as 1,500 active duty troops to help secure the southern border in the coming days, the White House confirmed on Wednesday, putting in motion plans President Donald Trump laid out in executive orders shortly after he took office to crack down on immigration. * It seems Trump hates DEI about as much as he hates windmills: The Trump administration is ordering all federal employees in diversity, equity and inclusion roles placed on paid leave by Wednesday evening, according to a new memo from the Office of Personnel Management. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement * An interesting prosecution: A Jan. 6 defendant whose felony assault charges were dismissed a day earlier was arrested Wednesday on federal gun charges that have been pending for nearly two years in Florida. Daniel Ball, one of the hundreds charged with violence on Jan. 6, 2021, aimed at police, was among the members of the mob whose charges were dismissed at the behest of President Donald Trump. * One of Trumps many international incidents: Panama submitted a formal letter to U.N. Secretary General Antonio Guterres and the U.N. Security Council on Monday, rejecting comments that President Trump made about reclaiming the Panama Canal during his inauguration speech. * Democrats were unanimous on this one: Senate Democrats blocked a Republican-written bill on Wednesday that could subject some doctors who perform abortions to criminal penalties, thwarting the G.O.P.s first attempt to restrict reproductive rights since the party has secured its governing trifecta. * Who doesnt love a good metaphor? The Constitution page on President Trumps White House website is showing a 404 error. Page not found, the site reads. See you tomorrow. This article was originally published on MSNBC.com A couple of weeks before starting his tenure as the new White House national security adviser, Mike Waltz made clear that he had ambitious plans. In comments to Breitbart News, a prominent conservative outlet, the Florida Republican suggested that hed oust everyone from the National Security Council who wasnt a political appointee, so that Donald Trump could be assured that everyone on the NSC was 100% aligned with the MAGA agenda. In terms of the detailees, Waltz added, referring to career officials, theyre all going to go back. Evidently, he was quite serious. The Washington Post reported: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement National security adviser Michael Waltz has authorized a full review of dozens of career officials who staff the White House on issues including Iranian and North Korean nuclear proliferation, cyberespionage, and Russias war in Ukraine, according to his spokesman. ... The officials, known as aides or detailees, were told Wednesday in a brief call conducted by Waltzs chief of staff, Brian McCormack, that they were to leave the building immediately. According to the Posts reporting, which has not been independently verified by MSNBC or NBC News, these officials were given instructions to return only if asked by Trump-appointed supervisors. When Waltz first signaled that this was likely to happen, Democratic Rep. Gerry Connolly of Virginia, the ranking member on the House Oversight Committee, warned in a written statement, Replacing the experts on the council with political cronies threatens our national security and our ability to respond quickly and effectively to the ongoing and very real global threats in a dangerous world. Partisan loyalty tests have no place in national security. It appears Team Trump has come to a very different conclusion. An Associated Press report recently added that such an NSC purge could deprive Trumps team of considerable expertise and institutional knowledge at a time when the U.S. is grappling with difficult policy challenges in Ukraine, the Mideast and beyond. Such questioning could also make new policy experts brought in to the NSC less likely to speak up about policy differences and concerns. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As for the motivation for such a move, the Posts report added that these provocative developments reflect Trumps suspicion of career NSC officials ... probably stemming in part from his experience with Alexander Vindman, who was an Army lieutenant colonel detailed to the NSC as director of European affairs. In July 2019, Vindman reported to officials his concern about Trumps phone call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, leading to Trumps impeachment later that year. In other words, an NSC official who heard Trump abuse his power, led to the president being held politically accountable for wrongdoing. Going forward, if the National Security Council is limited to like-minded loyalists, no one will object to Trumps possible wrongdoing over the next four years. This article was originally published on MSNBC.com MADISON COUNTY, Ala. (WHNT) A man has been arrested for attempting to distribute child exploitation materials. On Jan. 22, Madison Police and the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force carried out a search warrant at an apartment on 165 John Thomas Dr. After carrying out the search warrant, police said 39-year-old Dane Modeste was arrested and charged with five counts of possession with intent to disseminate child pornography. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Modeste was placed in the Madison County Jail pending 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 WHNT.com. On his first day in office, President Donald Trump made good on his promise to pardon all of the roughly 1,500 Jan. 6 insurrectionists. But while many MAGA supporters like Jacob Chansley, the self proclaimed QAnon Shaman and the face of the deadly Capitol riot, celebrated their pardons, one MAGA celebrity is singing a different tune. Pamela Hemphill is a 71-year-old Boise, Idaho resident. She was known as the MAGA granny to Trumps supporters, but in May 2022, she was sentenced to two months in jail on a misdemeanor charge in the Capitol attack, according to the Department of Justice. Hemphill pleaded guilty to the charge after she was caught live streaming the insurrection and posting videos on YouTube from inside the Capitol during the attack. More than two years later, Hemphill said she got exactly what was coming to her. We were wrong that day, we broke the law, she told BBC. There should be no pardons. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its been confirmed that five U.S. citizens were killed during the Jan. 6 riot. This includes Capitol police officer Brian Sicknick, who died on Jan. 7 as a result of injuries sustained during the attack, according to U. S. Capitol Police. Rachel Scott, a senior congressional correspondent for ABC News, said she spoke to Sicknicks brother. We now have no rule of law, he reportedly told Scott. The brother even went as far as to call Trump a poor excuse of a man. New: I just spoke with the brother of fallen Capitol Police officer Brian Sicknick by phone. Craig Sicknick tells me President Trump's pardons for January 6thrioters are a "betrayal of decency. "We now have no rule of law, he said & called President Trump "a poor excuse of a Rachel Scott (@rachelvscott) January 21, 2025 Hemphill said accepting the presidents pardon would only insult the Capitol police officers, rule of law and, of course, our nation. She continued to the Idaho Statesman saying, The J6 criminals are trying to rewrite history by saying that it was not a riot; it wasnt an insurrection. I dont want to be a part of their trying to rewrite what happened that day. So with that, shes turning down the pardon offer, going against the president and his MAGA movements wishes, and shes well within her rights to do so. The MAGA granny wouldnt be the first person to reject a presidential pardon. In 1833, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that a pardon recipient can indeed turn down the offer. The ruling was later upheld in 1915, according to the Library of Congress. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hemphill says her attorney plans to file an official letter of rejection of the presidents pardon. For the latest news, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. One of the oldest Capitol rioters has turned down a pardon issued by President Donald Trump to some 1,500 convicts in the Jan. 6 insurrection. Pamela Hemphill, 71, said she no longer wanted to participate in efforts to rewrite history. Accepting the pardon would be an insult to the Capitol Police officers, to the rule of law, to our nation, she told the Idaho Statesman . In a separate interview with The New York Times , Hemphill said accepting a pardon would mean continuing their propaganda, their gaslighting, and all their falsehoods theyre putting out there about Jan. 6. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hemphill was dubbed the MAGA Granny after she joined hundreds of people who stormed the Capitol to stop the certification of former President Joe Bidens election win in 2021. But shes no longer under the spell of the the Trump cult. You dont see it as a cult when youre in it, she told The Daily Beast last year. You dont recognize it. Hemphill, a retired substance abuse counselor from Idaho, has since become an outspoken critic of Trump on social media. I will refuse a pardon from felon Trump! she wrote on X after word began to spread that Trump would pardon Capitol rioters. Im not going to be bullied by MAGA anymore, as those who went as far as calling my Probation Officer trying to get me in trouble backfired on them, thinking I would stop speaking out, just give me more confidence to continue! I will refuse a pardon from felon Trump! https://t.co/WwCAcxduZh Pam Hemphill (@PamHemphill79) January 12, 2025 Hours after he was sworn in as the 47th president, Trump signed an order granting complete and unconditional pardon for about 1,500 insurrectionists. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Five people, including a police officer, died in the violent riot. Another four officers died by suicide in the aftermath. Prominent Republican senators have condemned Trumps sweeping pardons. I do fear the message that is sent to these great men and women that stood by us, Alaska Senator Lisa Murkowski told CNN. On Sunday night, in the basement ballroom of the Salamander Hotel in Washington, D.C., Charlie Kirk was happier than Id ever seen him. I truly believe that this is Gods grace on our country, giving us another chance to fight and to flourish, Kirk, the head of Turning Point USA, a conservative youth-outreach organization, said to cheers from the hundreds of MAGA loyalists who had come out for his pre-inaugural ball. What we are about to experience is a new golden era, an American renaissance. The celebrations have continued now that Donald Trump is back in the White House, as he has signed a flurry of executive orders to make good on his campaign promises. But this might be the best mood that MAGA world will be in for a while. The presidents coalition is split between two distinct but overlapping factions that are destined for infighting. On one side are the far-right nationalists and reactionaries who have stood by Trump since he went down his golden escalator. Among them are Stephen Miller, who is seen as a chief architect of Trumps anti-immigration agenda, and Steve Bannon, Trumps former chief strategist and the former executive chair of Breitbart News. On the other side is the tech right: Elon Musk and other Silicon Valley elites, including Peter Thiel and Marc Andreessen, who have become ardent supporters of the president. Already, these groups are butting heads on key aspects of Trumps immigration crackdown. In Trumps second term, not everyone can win. During the campaign, it was easy for these two groups to be aligned in the goal of electing Trump. Members of the nationalist wing took glee in how Musk boosted their ideology on X, the social platform he owns. With his more than 200 million followers, Musk has helped spread far-right conspiracy theories, such as the false claim that Haitian immigrants in Ohio are eating peoples pets. Meanwhile, the tech right has relished attacks on DEI efforts in the workplaceattacks that have allowed them to more easily walk back hiring practices, against the wishes of their more liberal employees. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But the two groups also want different things. The nationalist right wants an economy that prioritizes and assists American-born families (specifically, traditional nuclear ones), sometimes at the expense of business interests; the tech right wants a deregulated economy that bolsters its bottom line. The nationalist right wants to stop almost all immigration; the tech right wants to bring in immigrant workers as it pleases. The nationalist right wants to return America to a pre-internet era that it perceives as stable and prosperous; the tech right wants to usher in a bold, globally focused new economy. Already, the cracks have started to show. Last month, Trumps pick of the Silicon Valley venture capitalist Sriram Krishnan as an AI adviser led to a bitter and very public spat between the two camps over visas for highly skilled immigrants. (FUCK YOURSELF in the face, Musk at one point told his critics on the right.) At the time, I argued that the MAGA honeymoon is over. The disagreements have only intensified. Last week, after former President Joe Biden used his farewell speech to warn about the influence of Silicon Valley oligarchs and the tech industrial complex, the white-nationalist influencer Nick Fuentes posted on X that Biden is right. Bannon, in particular, has not relented: Earlier this month, he told an Italian newspaper that Musk is a truly evil person and that he would get the billionaire kicked out of Trumps orbit by Inauguration Day. (Considering that Musk is reportedly getting an office in the West Wing, Bannon does not seem to have been successful in that quest.) In an interview with my colleagues Ashley Parker and Michael Scherer, Bannon described the tech titans as nerds whom Trump was humiliating. Seeing them on Inauguration Day was like walking into Teddy Roosevelts lodge and seeing the mounted heads of all the big game he shot, Bannon said. In a sense, he is right. During the inauguration ceremony, tech billionairesincluding Musk, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, the Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, Google CEO Sundar Pichai, and Apple CEO Tim Cooksat directly behind Trumps family on the dais. They are not all as forcefully pro-Trump as Musk, but they have cozied up to the president by dining with him at Mar-a-Lago and making million-dollar donations to his inaugural fund (in some cases from their personal bank accounts, and in others from the corporations they head). In doing so, theyve gotten his ear and can now influence the president in ways that might not line up with the priorities of the nationalist right. On Monday, during his first press conference from the White House this term, Trump defended the H-1B visa program: We want competent people coming into our country, he said. Later, Bannon responded on his podcast, lamenting the techno-feudalists to whom Trump is apparently listening. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Both factions still have overlapping interests. They are both fed up with a country that they see as having grown weak and overly considerate to the needs of the vulnerable, at the expense of the most productive. America lacks a masculine energy, as Zuckerberg recently put it. Some members in both camps seem interested in trying to reconcile their differences, or at least in not driving the wedge further. On the eve of the inauguration, just before Turning Point USAs ball, the right-wing publishing house Passage Publishing held its own ball in D.C.an event intended to be a night when MAGA meets the Tech Right. The head of Passage Publishing, Jonathan Keeperman, has been keen on playing peacemaker. Last month, he went on Kirks podcast and tried to frame the debate over visas as one where his reactionary, nativist wing of the right could find common cause with the tech right. By limiting immigration and developing our own native-born STEM talent, he said, Silicon Valley can win the AI arms race. Kirk couldnt keep his frustration toward the tech elite from seeping out. Big Tech has censored us and smeared us and treated us terribly, he said. Why would we then accommodate their policy wishes? Its easy to imagine Musk asking the same question. He and his peers run some of the most powerful companies in the world. Theyre not going to give that up because a few people, on the very platforms that they own, told them to. Each side is steadfast in what it wants, and wont easily give in. We already can guess how this will end. During his first administration, despite making populist promises on the campaign trail, Trump eventually sided with the wealthy. Bannon, Trumps chief strategist during the start of his first term, pushed for tax hikes on the wealthy. Seven months into his presidency, Trump fired him, and then proceeded to pass tax cuts. In his new administration, the nationalist right will certainly make gainsit is thrilled with Trumps moves around birthright citizenship and his pledge to push forward with mass deportations. But if its ever in conflict with what Trumps rich advisers in the tech world want, good luck. Remember, it was Zuckerberg, Bezos, and Musk who sat on the dais at Trumps inauguration. Bannon, Keeperman, and Kirk were nowhere in sight. Article originally published at The Atlantic SAN FRANCISCO (KRON) A major conference that took place earlier this month is set to return to San Francisco next year, according to SF Mayor Daniel Luries office. The J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference was held in the city between Jan. 13 and 16 and will be back for 2026. Luries office characterized this years conference as a success with tens of thousands of visitors having reportedly attended and reported nearly $100 million in economic impact for the city. What the world and the country needs to know is San Francisco is open for business, said Mayor Lurie, speaking to the San Francisco Chronicle. Its really important that people hear that message We have a lot to look forward to, and I want to make sure that San Francisco is thriving and vibrant again. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Benioff: CEOs of today will be last to manage just humans We are thrilled that the J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference is coming back next year, Lurie said in a statement. While we still have work to do, this is a huge vote of confidence in our city and everything were doing to make San Francisco a safe and welcoming place for residents, businesses, and visitors. Since assuming office earlier this month, Lurie has been faced with continuing business closures including the announcement earlier this week that Bloomingdales, the last remaining anchor store in the San Francisco Centre Mall, would be closing this spring. With downtown SF still littered with vacant storefronts and more closures looming for retailers like Walgreens and Starbucks, the impetus is on the new mayor to find ways to attract businesses, tourists, and conferences back to the city. Speaking to CNBC last week, Lurie said that moving more people off the streets into treatment for addiction and mental illness would help, create the conditions for business leaders to want to come back 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 KRON4. CHICAGO A majority of the citys alders are calling on Mayor Brandon Johnson to order the removal of a piece of art at the Chicago Cultural Center, arguing its antisemitic. The piece in question, called US-Israel War Machine, is a large, two-sided puppet depicting Uncle Sam on one side and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on the other. It includes messages critical of the United States and Israel for Palestinian deaths in the Israel-Hamas conflict. Thats just not the type of thing we should have in the cultural center, something that is perpetuating antisemitic tropes, and clearly should not be there, Ald. Bill Conway (34th Ward) told WGN. This is simply another part of a troubling pattern by the mayors office of not doing an appropriate vetting. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Conway is among 27 alders who have signed a letter sent by Ald. Debra Silverstein (50th Ward), the councils only Jewish member, to the mayor demanding the arts removal. Clinee Hedspeth, the commissioner of the Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events, which operates the center, has resisted calls to remove the puppet. A DCASE spokesperson released a statement, which said the department and city are committed to upholding artistic freedom and expression, which are foundational to a vibrant and inclusive society. We understand the power of art and differing perspectives. The department and City will continue collaborative dialogue with elected officials and community members to reach common ground. Silversteins letter also called for Hedspeth to appear for a city council hearing to explain how the art was approved and outline steps that will be taken to prevent similar incidents in the future. Silversteins letter to Mayor Brandon Johnson: Mayor Brandon Johnson, Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We, the undersigned members of the Chicago City Council, write to express our deep concern and condemnation of the artwork titled US-Israel War Machine, currently displayed at the Chicago Cultural Center. The piece is extremely offensive to the United States and to Israel and crosses into unprotected hate speech. Such representations normalize anti-American sentiment and promote hatred and bigotry against the Jewish community. We appreciate that Commissioner Hedspeth took down the sign, added a warning, and removed the death count total, but the puppets are still offensive. We call for the immediate removal of the piece from the exhibit and request Commissioner Hedspeths attendance at a hearing before the City Council Committee on Special Events, Cultural Affairs and Recreation to explain how this artwork was approved and to outline steps that will be taken to prevent similar incidents in the future. As public officials, we respect freedom of speech and artistic expression, but not when it crosses into the obscene and promotes hate. The Chicago Cultural Center is a public space funded by taxpayer dollars, and displays there should reflect the values of our diverse and vibrant city. Artwork that is this divisive should not use public funds without a clear, transparent vetting process. We look forward to your prompt response and to working together to uphold the values that make Chicago a city that embraces and celebrates diversity while rejecting hate in all its forms. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Sincerely, Ald Silverstein, Ward 50 Ald Sposato, Ward 38 Ald Hopkins, Ward 2 Ald Dowell, Ward 3 Ald Harris, Ward 8 Ald Beale, Ward 9 Ald Chico, Ward 10 Ald Lee, Ward 11 Ald Quinn, Ward 13 Ald Lopez, Ward 15 Ald Coleman, Ward 16 Ald Curtis, Ward 18 Ald OShea, Ward 19 Ald Mosley, Ward 21 Ald Tabares, Ward 23 Ald Scott, Ward 24 Ald Cardona, Ward 31 Ald Waguespack, Ward 32 Ald Conway, Ward 34 Ald Villegas, Ward 36 Ald Mitts, Ward 37 Ald Nugent, Ward 39 Ald Napolitano, Ward 41 Ald Reilly, Ward 42 Ald Knudsen, Ward 43 Ald Lawson, Ward 44 Ald Gardiner, Ward 45 Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. DAYTON, Ohio (WDTN) Only a week after what was to be his final pre-trial hearing for charges related to his fathers death, a Dayton man has now been indicted on additional charges, including murder. The Montgomery County Grand Jury indicted Edgar Keiter Jr., 52, on: Four counts of Aggravated Murder Two counts of Murder Two counts of Aggravated Robbery Two counts of Aggravated Burglary Two counts of Felonious Assault Two counts of Grand Theft Motor Vehicle Two counts of Grand Theft from an Elderly or Disabled Victim Two counts of Theft from an Elderly or Disabled Victim Four counts of Complicity to Commit Grand Theft Three counts of Complicity to Commit Forgery Two counts of Complicity to Commit Theft One count of Misuse of Credit Cards Keiter had faced a Jan. 27 trial on charges of gross abuse of a corpse, tampering with evidence and theft, related to the discovery of the body parts of his father, Edgar Keiter. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trotwood police found the elder Keiters legs in a garbage bag last May. Later, Kettering Police found the rest of his remains and several of his belongings in a storage unit. The grand jury had indicted Keiter Jr. on the original three charges on May 10, 2024. The defendant is currently in custody in the Montgomery County Jail being held on a $500,000 bond. Arraignment for Keiter Jr. on the new charges will be held Jan. 30. He is currently in the Montgomery County Jail on $500,000 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 WDTN.com. CHICAGO A man suspected of shooting a pregnant woman in Portage Park appeared in court for a brief hearing Thursday morning, and was allowed to walk free at least for now. The woman died from her injuries, but doctors were able to save the baby. Chicago police said Robert Pasco, 42, shot and killed Edith Castrejon, 35, in a domestic-related incident last Thursday morning on the 5800 block of West Newport. Edith Castrejon, 35 According to the Chicago Tribune, the two were sleeping in the same room with three small children when prosecutors said Castrejon reached over and grabbed a gun under Pascos pillow, which caused him to wake up and fatally shoot her in the chest. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Doctors were able to save Castrejons baby and at last check, the child was in critical condition. Pasco is a convicted felon, who police say, hid the nine milimeter ghost gun in a closet before police arrived. Woman, 35, shot and killed in Portage Park; person of interest questioned Prosecutors declined to file murder charges in the case and only approved the felony gun charge, but police said the investigation is ongoing. At a first hearing, prosecutors tried unsuccessfully to to persuade the judge he was clear and present danger, but the judge denied the states request to detain him until trial. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Pasco is due back in court in February. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. FLORENCE, Ala. (WHNT) A Kentucky man was indicted on January 17, after he was accused of pretending to be the father of a teenager to check her out of school. Court documents state that 43-year-old Justin Stephens, of Kentucky, was arrested in October 2024, and charged with second-degree rape, traveling to meet a child for sex and enticing a child to enter a vehicle or house. Family found in burning Monrovia home died in murder-suicide, sheriffs office says Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The documents say that Stephens called the girls school claiming to be her father and telling them he needed to check her out of class. Lauderdale County Sheriffs Office Sergeant Casson said Stephens had been messaging with the girl for a while. The schools security cameras showed the girl leaving school around 9 a.m. and getting into a black Dodge truck, according to court records. The documents also show that he took her to an abandoned house in Florence. Security footage showed her returning to the school around 2 p.m. the same day. Following the incident, the Lauderdale County School System released a statement: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Lauderdale County School System is aware of the ongoing investigation and is cooperating fully with law enforcement agencies. Out of respect for the privacy of our students, as well as the ongoing nature of the investigation, we will have no further comments. Lauderdale County School Huntsville man admits to laundering money for Nigerian sextortionists The girls father told investigators that he had found a phone in her room that she was not supposed to have, and that she had never had a phone before. The parents went through the phone and found various messages and photos between the girl and Stephens. Casson said the two used an app called wakie, a chatting platform that allows people to talk to strangers. He said when the girls father saw everything, he called the police. Stephens was arrested at a VA hospital in Ohio and was transported to the Lauderdale County Detention Center on a bond of $365,000. Court records show his arraignment is scheduled for May 23, 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 WHNT.com. A man accused of firing shots at Pittsburgh Police detectives in Penn Hills in October of last year was arrested by U.S. Marshals Thursday morning in Florida. Darrell Barham was taken into custody without incident in Fort Pierce, Florida. He will be taken to an area jail pending extradition back to Allegheny County. On Oct. 17, 2024, Pittsburgh detectives obtained a court order to conduct surveillance on Darrell Barhams vehicle in the 100 block of Newfield Drive. Police said he left the house and noticed the two detectives. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The detectives began to drive away in an unmarked car and noticed Barhams vehicle following them closely. They were traveling on Hulton Road near Iowa Street when they heard multiple shots fired and saw muzzle flashes coming from Barhams car. Authorities said at the time of the incident, Barham was under federal supervision for a prior 2014 federal drug conviction, which resulted in a Federal Supervised Release Violation Warrant being issued. The members of the Western Pennsylvania Fugitive Task Force work tirelessly and diligently to locate Darrell Barham in Fort Pierce, Florida. And as a result of the quick actions of our Marshal Services counterparts in Southern Florida, this extremely dangerous individual is now off the streets and in custody, U.S. Marshal Stephen Eberle said in a release. Download the FREE WPXI News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Channel 11 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch WPXI NOW A Charlotte man is behind bars after being accused of trafficking a 16-year-old girl. Investigators said he found the teen on social media and manipulated her into prostitution. Channel 9s Hannah Goetz spoke exclusively with Lt. Chris Smith from the Cabarrus County Sheriffs Office about the case. Twenty-five-year-old Steven Price has been charged with kidnapping, human trafficking of a child victim, and two counts of promoting prostitution. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to the sheriffs office, the investigation started in October when the agencys Human Trafficking Unit flagged an online prostitution ad of what looked like a young female victim. In an undercover operation, they responded to the ad, and when the victim showed up, they identified her as 16 years old and quickly got her medical attention. She was eventually placed into the care of Child Protective Services. Watch '9 Investigates: The Rescued' Price was taken into custody on Tuesday. He is accused of finding the victim on a popular social media app. He was able to manipulate this victim into doing this type of behavior for his personal gain, financial gain, in those conversations, and that data was used to determine what he was doing, that he obviously had kept her against her will and was forcing her into doing sex acts for money, said Smith. Its very alarming for an adult to be soliciting a child on social media, and its very alarming to think the public is heres an innocent 16-year-old child who is chatting with someone who she thinks is going to be her friend and, in turn, gets forced into sex acts with adults across a couple of counties in a very short period of time. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The investigation was a cooperative effort between the Criminal Investigation Division at Cabarrus County, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department. Smith credits the start of the investigation to their unique Human Trafficking Team dedicated to this type of work. They spend the majority of their time working either doing undercover chat investigations, working online to identify what they would deem or not deem a younger victim, and working to rescue those victims, Smith elaborated. You dont know who youre chatting with behind that screen until youre there. Dont take for granted that its what you see on the screen. It could be a bad guy thats trying to put you into a, in this case, sex trafficking role, where youre forced to do things at an age that thats going to cause you a lot of trauma. At any age. VIDEO: How Pats Place helps victims and communities impacted by human trafficking The man accused of disguising himself in an attempt to enter a Jewish community center in Nashville appeared before a judge for the first time Thursday morning. A front desk employee, security guard and detective all testified at Travis Keith Garland's preliminary hearing before Judge Melissa Blackburn, who found there was probable cause for the charges against him. Now those charges criminal trespassing and assault will be heard by a grand jury, the next step in the criminal court process. Garland, 31, is also facing an additional charge in connection to the case. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Attorneys said during the hearing that a grand jury on Wednesday indicted Garland for a civil rights violation. Blackburn declined to reduce Garland's bond from $250,000, which was set when Davidson County District Attorney Glenn Funk appeared in night court himself after the defendant's arrest, an unusual action, to request a high bond. Guests listen to music during the Stronger Than Hate Seder at the Gordon Jewish Community Center in Nashville, Tenn., Thursday, March 28, 2019. After Garland's arrest, Jesse Feld, the Gordon Jewish Community Center's executive director, said they are "not intimidated by these bad actors." "We are committed to continually providing a safe and secure environment for our vibrant Jewish community to continue to grow," Feld said last week. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Gordon Jewish Community Center is a centralized, interdenominational institution for the Nashville area Jewish community through its many programs camps, religious holiday celebrations and a film festival, among others and its facilities for fitness and educational programs. Though many within Nashvilles Jewish community are spread across five major congregations and other worship spaces to observe Shabbat, it often gathers as one for events at the Gordon JCC. Garland is from Blount County and is identified in court records as being "part of a white supremacist group." Testimony: 'I wasn't going to let him get to his car' When Jonathan Low got a call on his radio from the Gordon Jewish Community Center's front desk employee asking for his help, he ran. When he got there from the back of the campus, he saw the man wearing a disguise and could tell he was "emotionally disturbed," Low testified. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The man eyed his pistol, so Low placed a hand on it. The man started to back away, and Low got the man to exit the building without having to make physical contact with him. In the parking lot, he could hear people on the man's cell phone telling him to "get to the car!" The man turned toward Low and ran. He pulled his pistol from his waist and commanded him to stop, Low testified. I was scared. I wasnt going to let him get to his car," Low said. "I was going to push him out the front gate. He did. Outside the community center's gates, he radioed for the front desk to call 911. He waited with the man until police arrived. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Everything that Mr. Low did that day was proper," Nashville assistant district attorney Will Griffith said during closing arguments Thursday. A Nashville police officer responded to the community center and talked with Garland, who ultimately was allowed to leave and go back home to Maryville. He was arrested two days later. Tennessean reporters Kirsten Fiscus and Liam Adams contributed. Evan Mealins is the justice reporter for The Tennessean. Contact him at emealins@gannett.com. This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Man accused of trying to enter Nashville Jewish Center disguised in court BATON ROUGE, La. (Louisiana First) A Baton Rouge man was arrested after a car crash led to a house fire. According to the fire department, Darnell Augillard, 47, was arrested and booked in the East Baton Rouge Parish Prison on charges of negligent arson. On Jan. 18, firefighters responded to a vehicle fire in the 1400 block of S. Sherwood Forest Drive. A vehicle crashed into a home, which caused a fire that spread to the attic. The driver reportedly fled the scene. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On Jan. 22, investigators interviewed Augillard, who admitted to driving the vehicle. He told investigators he passed out at the wheel due to a medical condition and fled the scene after a ruptured gas line caught on fire, according to a release. A bond amount has not yet been set, according to jail records. 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. (KRON) The San Francisco District Attorneys office announced the charges of Joseph Zachary Negapatan, 25, for knowingly selling stolen bicycles, frames and parts for profit. On Wednesday, he was arraigned and pleaded not guilty. SF police locate stolen stockpile of bicycles listed for sale online According to the San Francisco Police Department, officers responded to a residential burglary in the Richmond District on January 2, 2025. An investigation determined that an unknown suspect had gained entry to the home and stole over $25,000 in bicycles from the victim. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A week and a half later, the victim notified police that they saw what was believed to be their property for sale in an online marketplace. Investigators identified Negapatan as a possible suspect through marketplace listings, serving a search warrant to his property. When SF police officers entered the premises of Negapatans residence, officers discovered the victims stolen bikes along with other suspected stolen bicycles and parts, according to the SF District Attorney. When announcing the charges, District Attorney Brooke Jenkins stated, We must work to shut down the markets that continue to sell stolen goods from our city. During the trial process, the courts ordered Negapatan to stay 150 yards away from the Laney College Flea Market in Oakland. Authorities can search him and his residence, vehicle, or phone without a warrant. Negapatan is charged with one count of receiving stolen 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 KRON4. DODGEVILLE, Wis. (WFRV) A man who entered a southwestern Wisconsin Subway restaurant carrying a blowtorch was arrested for Attempted Armed Robbery on Wednesday afternoon. According to the Dodgeville Police Department, officers responded to the Subway located in the 1400 block of State Highway 23 around 4 p.m. on January 22 after getting reports of a robbery. Scam Alert: Wisconsin deputies debunk door to door serial killer threat on Facebook groups Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The person who reported the robbery stated that a man wearing a hat and mask entered the store and asked if the manager was working. The man then allegedly locked the door, removed a blowtorch from his coat, and approached the worker. Officers say the suspect left the store after removing his mask and saying he was kidding. An officer investigating the incident reportedly recognized the suspect based on a recent traffic stop. Around 4:45 p.m. the suspect was found at a residence near Dodgeville and was taken into custody. The man was booked into the Iowa County Jail on the following charges: Attempted Armed Robbery Bail Jumping False Imprisonment No other details were provided. 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 WFRV Local 5 - Green Bay, Appleton. A man is facing gun and drug charges in connection with a crash that caused significant damage to a nursery school in Boston on Wednesday night, authorities said. Ronnie Qualls, 53, of the citys Dorchester neighborhood is charged with unlawful possession of a firearm, unlawful possession of a loaded firearm, unlawful possession of ammunition, possession of crack cocaine, and possession of cocaine, according to the Boston Police Department. Officers patrolling Washington Street observed a vehicle lodged in the front of the Ashmont Nursery School just after 8:30 p.m. and stopped at the scene to investigate, police said. Police said the driver, later identified as Qualls, dislodged a pipe in the crash, causing water to spray through the interior of the nursery school. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Several people were inside the school at the time of the crash but they escaped injury, according to police. Qualls was said to be acting incoherent and trying to create distance between himself and the vehicle after the crash, prompting officers to search the car. The search of the vehicle yielded a loaded Republic Arms Patriot .45-caliber semi-automatic pistol with six rounds in the magazine and one round in the chamber, according to police. After Qualls was taken into custody, police said officers found him in possession of four bags of crack cocaine and cocaine during the booking process. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Qualls is expected to be called to Dorchester District Court to face the charges. An investigation is ongoing. A GoFundMe has been set up to help rebuild the Ashmont Nursery School. According to the page, the donations will help find and equip a temporary space to care for the children during repairs, replace furniture, toys, supplies, and food destroyed in the crash, and cover additional staff and consultant costs to oversee renovations. Your support means more than repairs it means keeping a lifeline open for our communitys families and ensuring this beloved nursery school can continue shaping young lives for decades to come, the page said. Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW EAU CLAIRE A man charged with his 12th OWI is scheduled for a March preliminary hearing. Mitchell Bundy, 63, Altoona, faces one count in the case, but as a Class E felony its the highest Wisconsin can assess without other factors like causing injuries or death. A 10th OWI or more can carry between 4-15 years in prison, fines of up to $50,000 and license revocation for two to three years plus the length of any prison term. The case was filed in early December, and on Wednesday Bundy was in court for a hearing. He has not yet had his arraignment, and has not entered a plea. Prosecutors sought a $10,000 cash bond during an earlier hearing in December, though the judge set bond at $1,000 cash. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to the criminal complaint, Bundy was spotted driving 58 mph in a 45 mph zone and stopped. He admitted to speeding, saying he was on the way home. But when the officer asked if he was coming from work, Bundy had trouble answering. I work at American Im not sure, he said. The officer asked if Bundy, whose eyes were bloodshot, had been drinking. Bundy said he had a couple drinks, but added a telling detail. If you arrest me for DUI Ill never get out of jail, he said. Bundy failed field sobriety tests, but refused to take a breath test. His blood was drawn at an area hospital, though the results of that test are not yet included in court records. Bundy has prior convictions in Claumet, Eau Claire and Lincoln counties, as well as South Carolina and Oklahoma. The offenses date to March 1992, though the most recent was February 2012. A preliminary hearing is set for March 11. KANSAS CITY, Mo. A 20-year-old Kansas City, Missouri man is facing charges in connection to a damaged gravesite headstone belonging to an unsolved homicide victim. Jackson County Prosecutor Melesa Johnson announced Wednesday that JoSean Lee is charged with first-degree harassment, knowingly disturbing a burial site and first-degree property damage. 2 children, 2 adults killed in massive Independence apartment fire Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to court documents, Kansas City police responded to XII Gates Cemetery off Bannister Road on Jan. 13 on reports of property damage. When officers arrived on scene they found the top portion of a gravesite headstone belong to a victim of a 2023 unsolved Kansas City homicide knocked over and damaged. A detective viewed a video on Instagram showing two people, a juvenile and Lee, standing by the headstone and yelling at the grave. Lee is seen pouring an unknown liquid on it. In the video, Lee is seen armed with a rifle. The video also shows Lee trying to light the liquid he poured on the headstone on fire with a lighter. Download the FOX4 News app on iPhone and Android Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement XII Gates said the damage done to the headstone was so extensive that it needs to be replaced. The cost to replace the headstone and the labor to reinstall would be about $7,500-7,800, according to court documents. Detectives talked with members of the homicide victims family who said they are still mourning the loss of their son and grandson and with the case not yet being solved, they are always looking over their shoulders. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. NORFOLK A man has been charged with murder in a shooting last year. Police responded to the 1500 block of Greenleaf Drive on Nov. 9 for a report of a gunshot. They found a 22-year-old man with a gunshot wound not considered to be life-threatening, according to a release. Officers also found the body of 24-year-old Darius T. Johnson, of Norfolk. Ramon I. Bishop, 31, was arrested Tuesday in Richmond with the assistance of the U.S. Marshal Service. He was charged with second-degree murder, malicious wounding and two counts of use of a firearm, according to a release. He is being held without bond in the Henrico County Jail. Detectives have not released any other information. HARTFORD, Conn. (WTNH) A 26-year-old man faces multiple charges in connection with a boat crash that killed three people in September 2024 at the mouth of the Connecticut River in Old Saybrook. The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) Environmental Conservation (EnCon) Police arrested Clayton Hackling of Lyme on Wednesday. Investigators said he was operating the 31-foot boat at the time of the crash. Bodies of missing Old Saybrook boaters recovered Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The crash happened just before 9 p.m. on Labor Day near the outer breakwall at the mouth of the river with nine people on board. First responders rescued six people from the water, who police said suffered serious injuries. Clayton Hackling A subsequent search over the following days resulted in the recovery of three dead passengers 24-year-old Ryan Britagna, of Waterford, 25-year-old Ian Duchemin, of Oakdale, and 34-year-old Christopher Hallahan, of Westbrook. Longtime Old Saybrook residents pushing for increased water safety after deadly boating accident According to the arrest warrant, The GPS data showed that the vessels speed in the final moments before the collision was 49 mph. The documents also allege Hackling had a blood alcohol level of .17g%, more than twice the legal limit, and a slightly higher one of .19g% was detected when his bloodwork at the hospital was later tested. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Connecticut Superior Court in New London issued an arrest warrant for Hackling on Tuesday, and he turned himself in on Wednesday. Hes charged with three counts of second-degree manslaughter with a vessel, three counts of first-degree reckless operation of a vessel while under the influence of intoxicating liquor or drugs, three counts of second-degree reckless operation of a vessel, operation of a vessel while under the influence of liquor or drugs, required and authorized lights, and rules for preventing collisions. Hackling was released after posing his court-set $350,000 bond. Hes due in court on Jan. 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 WTNH.com. A 24-year-old man was "charred beyond recognition" in a car outside his ex's wedding and his family believes foul play was involved. Anil, a cab driver in the Indian capital of Delhi, died after his vehicle caught fire on Saturday, Jan. 18, local police said, according to the Indian Express, the Deccan Herald and the Deccan Chronicle. Police said they received several calls around 11 p.m. on Saturday about a Maruti Suzuki Wagon R that was engulfed in flames at the entrance of a banquet hall in East Delhi's Gazipur section, per the outlets. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Some bystanders broke the cars windows and pulled him out, Deputy Commissioner of Police Abhishek Dhania said, according to the Indian Express and the Deccan Chronicle. Anils body was charred beyond recognition. Police sources told the Indian Express and Deccan Herald that Anil had previously been in a relationship with the bride. However, the bride's father had reportedly objected to the relationship, an officer told the Indian Express. The victim had not gotten over the relationship. On the night of the wedding, Anil reached the venue in his car, but somehow the vehicle caught fire, the officer, who is not named, told the outlet. 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. Meanwhile, it appears Anil himself was scheduled to get married on Feb. 14. He was out distributing his wedding invitations before arriving at the scene where he would eventually die, the Deccan Herald and The Patriot reported. Authorities have not announced a cause behind the fire. An investigation is ongoing. Read the original article on People NEW HAVEN, Conn. (WTNH) A man involved in a high-profile murder case in Bridgeport is set to be released from prison. Adrian Peeler, 48, was granted clemency by former President Joe Biden. Peeler was convicted of conspiring with his brother to kill Karen Clarke and her 8-year-old son, Leroy BJ Brown, in 1999. Back in the 90s, prosecutors said the young boy witnessed Russell Peeler shoot Clarkes boyfriend. The boy and his mother were scheduled to testify in his trial. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Oswald Clarke, Clarkes brother and Browns uncle, told News 8 over the phone he was devastated and at a loss for words. He said their family is reliving this horrific time all over again. Adrian Peeler served 25 years for conspiracy to commit murder and was supposed to remain in prison until 2033 on federal drug charges. Joseph Corradino, Bridgeports states attorney, said Peeler received the maximum sentence in state court and completed it. Biden commutes the sentences of nearly 2,500 non-violent drug offenders His early release has sparked outrage and confusion. A 25-year sentence is not enough for such a heinous killing, said State Sen. Ryan Fazio, a Republican representing Greenwich. We need a criminal justice system that is going to stand up for victims and protect us as a public here in Connecticut and across the United States. This grant of clemency is a horrible miscarriage of justice. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement State Sen. Gary Winfield, a Democrat representing New Haven, added, I heard from some folks that are concerned about what the president did, given the other crimes. On the crimes for which the president took his action, I think its the kind of action we want to see. U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal, Connecticuts attorney general at the time, released a statement Wednesday. It seems to me that someone dropped the ball here to let his person get released. This was a really vicious murder that changed our laws. It also highlights how we need to take a look at the pardon system to see how it can be improved. Bridgeport Mayor Joe Ganim, who was the citys mayor at the time, shared with News 8: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This miscarriage of justice sends yet another shockwave through the entire Bridgeport community. The brutal murder of an 8-year-old child and his mother in 1999 devastated our community and led to the establishment of Connecticuts witness protection program. I agree with Senator Blumenthals statement that someone dropped the ball with President Biden pardoning this convicted murderer who ruthlessly took the lives of an innocent child and his mother, leaving our community to grapple again with this horrific crime. News 8 reached out to Peelers attorney for comment. We have not yet heard 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 WTNH.com. LAS VEGAS (KLAS) A man was killed after crashing into a stolen bus on a Las Vegas freeway, Nevada State Police said Thursday. On Sunday, Jan. 19, at around 1:30 a.m., Nevada State Police Highway Patrol responded to a crash on the I-11 northbound to northbound 215 flyover ramp. Preliminary investigation showed a passenger bus was disabled and parked on the flyover ramp in the left travel lane. A gray 2008 Honda was driving on the flyover ramp, failed to use due care and hit the back of the bus. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Honda rotated and hit a concrete barrier wall while the bus was pushed forward. Nevada State Police said the driver of the bus was arrested for being in possession of a stolen vehicle as well as suspicion of DUI. NSP did not name the bus driver. Medical personnel pronounced the driver of the Honda, identified as Edy Octavio Hernadez-Roldan, 48, dead at the scene. This is the 6th fatal crash for Nevada State Police Highway Patrol Region One and the 6th fatalities. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. A man died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound at a shooting range in Coon Rapids, which sparked a major police response Wednesday morning. Anoka County deputies and police officers from Blaine and Coon Rapids were sent to the business at 20 Coon Rapids Blvd. NW., the address of The Modern Sportsman public firearm range, at around 11 a.m. after receiving a report of a male suffering a gunshot wound. "Indications show that an adult male arranged to fire a gun at the indoor firearm range when he suffered an apparent intentional self-inflicted gunshot wound at his assigned lane," the Anoka County Sheriff's Office said. Google Streetview The man was pronounced dead at the scene, with police saying there's no further threat to the public, and nobody else was injured. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Modern Sportsman posted around lunchtime that the Coon Rapids location would close for the remainder of the day, and will reopen at 10 a.m. Thursday. The incident remains under investigation by authorities, with the deceased expected to be named in the coming days. If you or someone you know is struggling with thoughts of suicide, call or text 988 to reach the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline or reach the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-TALK (8255). You can also text MN to 741741. A man known as "The Truck Stop Serial Killer" was convicted Wednesday in the 2007 murder of an Indianapolis woman. Bruce Mendenhall has now been found guilty of three murders, and he remains a suspect in several homicides nationwide, the Marion County Prosecutor's Office said on social media. Mendenhall, a former truck driver, is alleged to have carried out what the prosecutor's office described as a "chilling murder spree," finding victims at long-haul truck stops in Tennessee and Indiana. He has also been accused of murder in Birmingham, Alabama. On Wednsday, the 73-year-old Mendenhall, 73, was convicted in the murder of Carma Purpura, an Indianapolis mother of two who met Mendenhall at a truck stop in Marion County in 2007, according to CBS affiliate WTTV. Her body was found in 2011, down a steep ravine off the side of a Kentucky highway, with indications of a fatal bullet wound to the head, WTTV reported. Carma Purpura (left) and Bruce Mendenhall. / Credit: WTTV Mendenhall was found in Nashville the morning after he met Purpura, the station reported. Police were investigating the murder of a woman at a Nashville truck stop the month before and saw that his truck was "blood-spattered," WTTV said. Mendenhall gave police permission to search the truck. An officer testified that he found a .22 rifle, a bag of bloody clothes, and identifications belonging to Purpura. Blood spatters in the truck were later linked to Purpura. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Mendenhall was arrested and charged in the murder of Sara Nicole Hulbert, local media reported. He was convicted and sentenced to life in prison in 2010. In 2018, Mendenhall was convicted in the 2007 killing of Nashville woman Symantha Winters and sentenced to life in prison a second time. Marion County prosecutor Ryan Mears said in a statement that the conviction was made possible "due to a hard-working detective who was dedicated to working across state lines to ensure that justice was achieved for the victims and their families." WTTV reported that Mendenhall showed no emotion as the verdict was read. He will be sentenced on February 17 and faces up to 65 years in an Indiana prison. Purpura's family attended the trial, but had no comment after the verdict. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "It is my hope that today's verdict brings resolution to Carma's family and other who have waited years for answers and accountability after losing their loved ones," Mears said. Strong winds fan new Southern California fires Judge calls Trump's birthright citizenship executive order "blatantly unconstitutional" Judge temporarily blocks Trump's birthright citizenship executive order PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) A man was found dead following an early morning shooting in Southeast Portland, authorities said. According to Portland police, officers responded to a shooting report near Southeast 97th Avenue and Southeast Oak Street and when they arrived they found a man dead in the street. No suspects were found at the scene and no arrests have been made, authorities said. Pedestrian seriously injured after being hit by car in Vancouver Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While investigating, police said that Southeast 97th Avenue will be closed between Stark Street and Pine Street. Anyone with information about the shooting is asked to contact Portland 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 KOIN.com. MEMPHIS, Tenn. A man was found dead Thursday with an apparent gunshot wound to the head, police in Senatobia, Mississippi said. Around 7 Thursday morning, Senatobia Police were dispatched to a gas station in the 1600 block of West Main Street for a welfare check on a person seen lying in the grass. When they got there, they found the man dead with a gunshot wound to the head. Police are investigating. They believe it was an isolated 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 WREG.com. One man was hospitalized Wednesday after two yachts burst into flames and sank in Manhasset Bay off Long Islands Port Washington, authorities said. The fire fully engulfed a 43-foot Marine Trader boat at Manhasset Bay Marina in the wee hours of Wednesday, then spread to a 42-foot Post boat in an adjacent slip, the Port Washington Fire Department said in a statement. A 58-year-old man was aboard the Post boat, authorities said. Responders from several agencies rushed to the scene in single-digit temperatures at around 12:30 a.m. Wednesday in the Village of Manorhaven, the fire department said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Two hoses were extended about a thousand feet to the end of the marina in a two-hour battle to extinguish the flames and protect the surrounding dock and boats. A fire department marine unit was able to secure one of the boats as it drifted out of the marina, the department said. Both boats eventually sank. The boat the fire originated on was empty, but the man from the neighboring boat was taken to a local hospital with smoke inhalation and burns, the department said, noting, There were no other civilian or firefighter injuries. The fire was under control by 2:15 a.m. and everyone had been dismissed by 3 a.m., authorities said, thanking the eight agencies that had responded to the dead-of-night blaze. The Nassau County Fire Marshall, Arson Bomb Squad and Marine Bureau were investigating the incident. The owners of the two yachts were not identified. Editors note: Some of the rejected license plates contain inappropriate and offensive language. PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) Although Oregon allows personalized license plates, state officials still turn down hundreds of clever (read: salacious or provocative) applications every year. Oregon Driver and Motor Vehicle Services permits a variety of custom plates with up to six characters, but the division prohibits any language referring to intimate body parts, illegal acts, alcohol, illicit substances and more. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement FULL LIST: Custom license plates rejected by Oregon DMV in 2024 Objectionable combinations include those that would, by means of foreign or slang words or phrases, by use of phonetic, numeric or reverse spelling, or when viewed as a mirror image, have the effect of alarming, threatening, offending, or misleading a reasonable person, the DMV explained. These rules havent stopped residents from attempting to drive around with words and phrases like HWKTUA, HNNSSY and BUT-MAN donning their vehicles. LIST: These Oregon restaurateurs, eateries named 2025 James Beard Award semifinalists In all, DMV officials rejected 386 custom plate submissions. Of those, 78 were rejected for referring to a sexual act or bodily function, 47 were rejected for referring to illegal acts, or controlled substances, and a whopping 254 plates were rejected for referring to something alarming, threatening, offending, or misleading. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Wondering whats been rejected? Check out the full list 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 KOIN.com. HUNTSVILLE, Ala. (WHNT) A man indicted for killing a Huntsville Police officer has asked to fire his attorneys again, as a hearing regarding his mental competency looms next week. Juan Laws, who is facing a capital murder charge for the shooting death of Huntsville Police Officer Garrett Crumby in March of 2023, wrote a letter to the judge over his case asking for different representation. Alabama Department of Public Health, CDC investigating adverse events following injection Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In a letter dated Jan. 7, 2025, Laws asked Judge Alison Austin for new counsel, stating that his current attorneys have failed to represent him adequately. The letter is not the first bit of drama in the case, as Laws has previously complained about his representation. In May 2024, he asked to waive assistance from his counsel. He later wrote a letter to his attorneys dismissing them, which led to Bruce Gardner, one of Laws attorneys, asking to withdraw from the case. Judge Austin later ruled that Gardner could not withdraw and told Laws to stop writing letters to the court. Man airlifted to hospital in serious condition after dog attack, MCSO investigating Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The newest letter comes as Laws is set to appear in court on Monday for a mental competency hearing. Laws was ordered to undergo a mental competency exam in Sept. 2024. On September 3, Laws pled not guilty to each of those charges. Later that day, attorneys for Laws filed a formal change of plea from Not Guilty to Not Guilty by Reason of Mental Disease or Defect. His attorneys said a mental examination was necessary to determine if Laws was fit to stand trial and to see if he was suffering from a mental disease or defect at the time of the shooting. In December 2024, there was another interesting occurrence in the case when Laws said he wished to change his plea to guilty during a hearing without consulting his attorneys. Ultimately Judge Austin ignored that request and Laws attorneys said they had advised him to wait to make any changes until Mondays competency hearing. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Judge Austin had not responded to Laws latest letter as of 4 p.m. 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 WHNT.com. A man who was injured in an explosion at a Westmoreland County steel plant has died. On Thursday, the Allegheny County Medical Examiner said Daniel R. Vakulick, 20, of Tarentum, died at Allegheny Valley Hospital on Wednesday at 12:48 p.m. PREVIOUS COVERAGE >>> 2 injured after reported furnace explosion at Westmoreland County steel plant He was one of two people hurt in an explosion at Braeburn Alloy Steel. His truck is still parked in the employee parking lot. Loved ones have left flowers and other items there in his memory. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its very hard to get that kind of news, said Mary Jane Zdila, who works at Natrona Bottling across the river from the steel plant. Zdila said she had many relatives and friends work in the steel industry. Im somewhat familiar with the makings of steel, and when you hear these explosions, its rather scary and you hope no ones gotten hurt, but you never know, Zdila said. During the reported furnace explosion, five people were initially checked out for injuries, and Vakulick and another person were rushed to the hospital. Zdila didnt see any smoke or hear an explosion Wednesday, but she said that didnt surprise her. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The furnaces are so well contained that nothing escapes form the furnace, Zdila told Channel 11s Andrew Havranek. There could be interior damage to the furnace, or it spills out, and anybody near it, thats where theyre in danger. Braeburn Alloy has been around for 125 years, and employs fewer than 50 people. The plant processes metal alloys like titanium, stainless steel, and more. Right now, there is no word on what caused the explosion, but Zdila wondered if it could have been related to the extreme cold. Extreme cold can play a part in things that do happen depending on what theyre putting in to create the steel that theyre making, she said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement She said her heart aches for Vakulicks family and friends, and his coworkers at the plant. My heart does go out, she said. You have my deepest sympathy. My thoughts and prayers are with you and I know at this time its extremely difficult. Ive been through my family losses, and I can sympathize and empathize with yinz. In a statement to Channel 11, Joseph Paparone, the President of Braeburn Alloy Steel LLC said, Braeburn Alloy Steel mourns the loss of a valued teammate. Our thoughts and prayers are with everyone impacted by this tragedy. Our teams safety, well being, and continued support remain our highest priority. Our company continues to work with all authorities. OSHA is investigating the incident at the plant. They say they have six months to investigate and release their findings. Download the FREE WPXI News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Channel 11 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch WPXI NOW WASHINGTON (DC News Now) D.C. police are investigating after a man was found shot near a high school in Northeast early Thursday morning. According to the Metropolitan Police Departments (MPD) preliminary investigation, just after 4:30 a.m. on Jan. 23, officers responded to a shooting in the 1200 block of 49th Street. This is located near the Ron Brown High School. Commanders-themed treats being sold in DMV ahead of NFC Championship game Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Once on the scene, officers found a man suffering from a gunshot wound. Police said he was conscious and breathing. Medics with the DC Fire and EMS Department took the man to the hospital for treatment. His condition is currently unknown. MPD encourages anyone with information about the shooting to call 202-727-9099 or text 50411. Texts and calls 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. A Houston man was convicted by a jury in the murder of his 2-year-old baby girl. Authorities say the horrifying scene unfolded within 45 minutes and featured a heartbreaking witness. Back in March of 2023, prosecutors say Deontray Flanagan was chased down by deputies after he refused to pull over for a traffic stop. In the passenger seat was baby Zevaya, who Flanagan had captured from daycare, per the Houston Chronicle. Authorities said the baby wasnt in a car seat nor secured in a seat with a seatbelt. As a result, the child was tossed around the vehicle as he swerved through lanes and hit multiple vehicles on the way. Court records say it might have been a revenge plot because he believed the childs mother, Kairsten Watson, was pursuing a new relationship after their breakup. During the chase, prosecutors say Flanagan was on FaceTime with Watson as she pleaded with him to stop hurting their child. Prosecutors said the baby was beaten and strangled as her mother watched in horror. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hes killed her, hes killing her, the woman said, per prosecutors. Watson wasnt the only witness. Zevayas grandfather told KHOU he tried to reason with Flanagan on the phone as well. However, the pleading did no good. But then he showed me the lifeless corpse of my granddaughter, said Curtis Watson to reporters. I wouldnt wish that on anyone. To have to go through that type of anguish and pain. The 30-mile chase ended in a standoff with the SWAT team where Flanagan was arrested, per the Houston Chronicle. However, the child was airlifted to the hospital where she died. Defense attorneys argued the injuries were a result of her lack of security in the vehicle during the chase, per the report. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement However, a jury didnt buy that and found Flanagan guilty of capital murder. He faces life in prison or possibly the death penalty, according to state law. For the latest news, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) An Alabama man who laundered money for Nigerian sex extortionists in a scheme that resulted in the death of a northern Michigan teen has pleaded guilty, federal attorneys say. Dinsimore Guyton Robinson, 29 of Huntsville, Alabama, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit money laundering, the U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan announced Wednesday. Robinson was one of five Americans charged as money launderers in the scheme. In March of 2022, 17-year-old Jordan DeMay of Marquette, Michigan was found dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. That prompted an investigation by the Marquette County Sheriffs Department and the FBI, which led to three Nigerian nationals being charged and extradited from Nigeria. Two were convicted of a sextortion scheme that targeted DeMay along with more than 100 other victims, federal attorneys say. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Parent alert: Teens dying by suicide amid sextortion scams To carry out the scheme, the sextortionists in Nigeria would pose as women on social media and would have boys and young men create and send nude images to them. Then they would threaten the victims, saying the photos would be sent to others unless the victim sent online payment, according to federal attorneys. The victims payment would be sent to money launderers like Robinson, who would keep about 20% of it, convert the rest to bitcoin, and send the bitcoin to the sextortionists in Nigeria. According to the indictment, DeMay sent $300 through a cash application to Robinson, who kept some and sent the rest to Nigeria. Robinson is scheduled to be sentenced on April 24. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If you or someone you know is targeted with a sextortion scheme, report the predators account on the social media app. Share it with local law enforcement or the FBI at 1.800.CALL.FBI or 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 WOODTV.com. LOS ANGELES (KTLA) A man posing as a childcare worker who lured a teenage girl into his vehicle and sexually assaulted her late last year is in custody, and detectives believe there may be additional victims. In a news release, authorities at the Los Angeles Police Department said the suspect, identified as L.A. resident Derrick Dwayne Thompson, approached a 15-year-old girl waiting at a bus stop on Nov. 30. Thompson reportedly pulled up in a black Chevrolet Suburban equipped with a sign on the door that read CJ Angels Child Care. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The suspect told the victim he worked for Child Services and offered the victim a ride home, police said. Believing the suspect worked for Child Services, the victim entered the vehicle. Investigators did not provide any details on the location of the incident, nor did they say how far Thompson drove the victim before pulling into a parking lot, ordering the teenage girl to get in the backseat and removing the childcare sign from the door of the Suburban. Derrick Dwayne Thompson, a resident of Los Angeles. (LAPD) A sign L.A. police say was attached to the black Chevrolet Suburban driven by the suspect on Nov. 30, 2024. (LAPD) The suspect got into the backseat with the victim, removed her clothing and sexually assaulted her, the release detailed. Thompson, who is being held without bail, was eventually arrested on Jan. 15 and the case was handed over to the L.A. County District Attorneys Office for filing consideration. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Gunfire erupts in Los Angeles neighborhood; 6 injured including suspect The suspect has since been formally charged by the DAs office with forceable rape, sodomy by use of force with a victim 14 or older and sexual penetration by force on a minor victim 14 or older. Detectives believe there may be additional victims and have released a photo of Thompson and the sign he used on the side of the black Suburban in hopes others will come forward. Anyone who may have been a victim or has additional information regarding the investigation is asked to contact LAPDs Juvenile Division at 424-259-7097. 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. 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. The son of an 82-year-old grandfather and widower found dead in his bed at his Altadena, Calif., home amid the wildfires in the Los Angeles area is recalling the last time he spoke with him and some of his final words. Houston resident Eric Nickerson, 54, tells PEOPLE that he had called his father, Rodney Nickerson, on the morning of Tuesday, Jan. 7, before the fires began and they had chatted like normal until his dad mentioned something concerning about the weather. Before we got off the phone, he said, Son, the wind is getting really bad out here. It's getting real bad, real bad. I said, Alright, dad, be careful, be safe. I'll talk to you later, Eric recalled. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He said that his father thought it was just a normal storm. However, this time was different. Later on Jan. 7, the first of a series of raging fires began burning around L.A. By that night, a blaze had consumed parts of Altadena, too. Related: Grandfather Who Didn't Want to Leave His Home of 50 Years amid L.A. Fires Found Dead in His Bed, Daughter Says The next morning was Wednesday, I didn't talk to my dad. I called a couple neighbors that I know that I grew up around. Couldn't get [any] cell phone signal went straight to voicemail, Eric said. And I keep calling and calling and calling, and it goes [to] a voicemail. And I called a couple people that weren't in the area. They said, I haven't heard from him. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Eric eventually got into contact with someone to go check on Rodneys' neighborhood, but the news was not good. 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. He said ... All these homes burned up, Eric said. I couldn't believe it. This is 24 hours after I just talked to my dad, he said. Rodney was one of at least 28 people believed to have died in the still-burning fires, according to state officials. The cause of the fires remains under investigation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Rodney's roots ran deep in L.A., according to his family: He lived in his Altadena home for more than 50 years after purchasing the home for $35,000 in the early 70s, Eric tells PEOPLE. Back then, Eric notes, buying a home in the hills was a sign that you made it after a lot of hard work and that it was time to settle down and have a good life. Related: L.A. Fires Live: Hughes Fire and Sepulveda Fire Erupt as Eaton and Palisades Containment Grows And that's what we had, said Eric. We had a beautiful pool with a view of the Rose Bowl, San Gabriel Valley. And you can see the planes descending. If you look really far, you can see the planes descending on a clear day to LAX." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Eric described his father as someone who loved church and Sunday school and was a provider for their family. He said that Rodney created the perfect household for him and his sister as they grew up. Ill continue on the way my dad raised me to be respectful to others and raise my kids and my family and those that are close to me that love the Lord," Eric said, "to continue to look after them and make sure that they're okay, and let's try and all make it to the finish line." Click here to learn more about how to help the victims of the L.A. fires. Read the original article on People TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP) A man who sailed across the Taiwan Strait from China in a rubber dinghy has been indicted for illegally entering the island, while an unusually large number of Chinese fighter jets flew through the area in an apparent show of force. The Chinese man, identified only by his surname, Wang, made the five-day crossing in the lightweight open boat in September to seek freedom, according to reports. His landing in the northern Linkou district shocked many Taiwanese, who questioned how he had apparently evaded the islands navy and coast guard. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Wang is being held incommunicado, a reflection of the ongoing tensions between Taiwan and China, which claims the island as its own and dispatched 27 warplanes and six vessels near Taiwan overnight. In its indictment earlier this month, the New Taipei District Prosecutors Office said Wang, 32, phoned emergency services after his dinghy ran aground around 6:00 a.m. on Sept. 14, 2024. Wang was equipped with 10 solar charging panels and 10 oil barrels, along with weather information on his phone, the indictment said. China sends warplanes and ships near Taiwan on a daily basis, part of a strategy to intimidate the island's voters and wear down the armed forces equipment and morale. Taiwan responds by scrambling jets, dispatching ships and activating coastal missile defense systems. Despite the Chinese assets crossing the center line of the Taiwan Strait that divides the sides, no incidents have been reported. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The number of assets dispatched varies greatly for reasons mostly unknown, unless they coincide with a Taiwanese diplomatic move to assert its independence. China has also targeted Taiwanese serving and retired military personnel and in the latest case reported, a retired lieutenant general has been charged along with others with receiving around $300,000 or considerably more from China to form an armed group that would act as a type of fifth column in the event of a Chinese attack. There was no word on whether Kao An-kao or any of his alleged co-conspirators had found any recruits, according to a statement issued Wednesday. Taiwan's government has warned that China is massively increasing its "gray area" attacks on Taiwan using social media such as TikTok and personal contacts. HARRISBURG, Pa. (WHTM) A man was stabbed multiple times on the bridge that connects Capitol Park and Strawberry Square in Harrisburg on Wednesday, Jan. 22, according to a spokesperson from Pennsylvania Capitol Police. Police said at 7:20 a.m., officers responded to the food court in Strawberry Square for a reported stabbing. Upon arrival at the scene, police discovered a victim who had been stabbed multiple times. According to court documents, police identified Thomas Bridgeforth as the suspect. Bridgeforth was in possession of a bloody, silver pocket knife. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Livestream Alerts Bridgeforth told police that the victim was a man he had problems with and that he was acting in self-defense. Bridgeforth added that the victim got what he had coming to him. The victim was transported to a local hospital for treatment, per police. Their current condition is unknown at this time. Bridgeforth was taken into custody and has been charged with attempted murder and aggravated assault. Police said this was an isolated incident and an ongoing investigation. This is a developing story. Stay with abc27 News 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. Jan. 22The improper disposal of smoking material caused a fire at an Ellsworth apartment building that seriously burned one man and displaced three other people Wednesday morning, the Office the State Fire Marshal said. The Ellsworth Fire Department responded to 50 Meadow View Lane, a multiunit apartment building, around 8:30 a.m. Wednesday. The man who was burned had life-threatening injuries and was taken to Northern Light Hospital in Ellsworth, then transferred to Maine Medical Center in Portland, where he was in critical condition, said Shannon Moss, a spokesperson for the fire marshal's office. Firefighters quickly put out the fire and asked the fire marshal to investigate the cause. The roof and room where the fire started were significantly damaged, Moss said, but the building is salvageable. Moss could not provide information about where the tenants were relocated. Copy the Story Link A Nevada man was sentenced to life in prison with the possibility of parole for throwing his infant daughter to her death from an apartment balcony. Clarence Martin Jr., 37, was found guilty in October of murder, child abuse and animal cruelty in connection with the October 2020 death of his nearly two-month-old daughter London, KLAS reported. I dont say this lightly this is the worst case Ive ever seen, District Judge Carli Kierny said during sentencing, per the Las Vegas Review-Journal. It boggles my mind. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Police said London plummeted more than 22 feet to the pavement below. She was allegedly thrown from the balcony during an argument with Martin's fiancee London's mother. 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. Officers responded to the scene and immediately "located the infant and her mother, who was performing CPR" on London. London was rushed to a nearby hospital where she succumbed to her injuries. Before leaving the scene, investigators alleged Martin started a fire that damaged the inside of their apartment and left the family's dog dead. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to police, he was taken into custody near Harry Reid International Airport. He was wearing a TSA Security shirt and had made his way onto the tarmac. Martin was diagnosed with schizoaffective disorder, according to court records, per the Review-Journal. Martin's defense attorney told the judge he had "very little memory" of the incident and "thought he was in a movie," the Review-Journal reported. Thats how delusional he was at the time of this crime," said the attorney, Betsy Allen. Read the original article on People Jaelen Green, 21, was killed in a Texas crash on Friday, Jan. 17, which also injured girlfriend Nicole Doggett After his death, friends say that in his final moments, Green did whatever he could to protect his girlfriend from the impact, which they believe may have been what saved her life "Jaelens bravery in those final moments speaks to the incredible person he was always putting others before himself," a loved one shared in a tribute A 21-year-old man who died in a Texas crash is being remembered as a hero by loved ones, who say he spent his final moments doing whatever he could to protect his girlfriend, who survived. In a crash report shared with PEOPLE, the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) confirmed that the crash occurred on Friday, Jan. 17, around 3 p.m. local time on Highway 281 in Erath County. According to a preliminary investigation, a vehicle driven by Karen Huey, 63, was traveling north on 281, while another vehicle, operated by Jaelen Green, 21, was heading in the opposite direction. Police said that Hueys car failed to drive in a single lane and then struck the other vehicle. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Both Huey and Green died at the scene. Related: Father and Son Die in Car Crash Days After Christmas: It Is an Awful Shock, Priest Says Nicole Doggett, 22, a passenger in the vehicle driven by Green, was injured and taken to a hospital, according to police, who say the investigation is ongoing and did not have any additional details to share when contacted by PEOPLE. GoFundMe (L-R) Nicole Doggett and Jaelen Green (L-R) Nicole Doggett and Jaelen Green 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. Aliya Hoover, a friend who created a GoFundMe to help with Greens funeral expenses, says that Doggett "told me that the accident happened very quickly." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "She stated that Jaelen grabbed her leg really hard and then threw himself onto her in [an] effort to shield her," Hoover adds. "Jaelen always told Nicole he would protect her and he did until he couldn't anymore." As Hoover put it in a message on the fundraiser, "Jaelens bravery in those final moments speaks to the incredible person he was always putting others before himself." Related: Former Calif. Mayor Mike Morgan Killed, Wife Severely Injured in Car Crash Ahead of Thanksgiving Kai Ward, a roommate of Doggett, echoed the same sentiments during an interview with Fox affiliate KDFW. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Nicole said the car actually lost so much control, they got hit from the back end of the car, and the driver side took all the impact, Ward told the outlet. "Jae was driving. In his last moments, he tried to shield Nicole, and we think thats probably what saved her." Related: Former University of Georgia Football Player, 21, Dies Following Car Crash: He 'Lived Life to the Fullest' Hoover, who also set up a GoFundMe for Doggetts medical expenses and recovery, tells PEOPLE her friend sustained serious injuries from the crash, including a broken leg, arm, ribs and a collapsed lung. Fortunately, in a positive update, Hoover says that as of Thursday, Jan. 23, Doggett is out of the ICU and "doing much better." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Although the days and months ahead "will be very hard on her," Doggett's loved ones are doing everything they can to be there for her. Hoover adds, "All of her friends are very supportive and love her very much." Read the original article on People WASHINGTON (AP) A man who entered the U.S. Capitol with a handgun in his possession and took a tour of the building faces weapons charges, police said Thursday. The 27-year-old Massachusetts man was arrested Tuesday after Capitol police officers found him leaving the Library of Congress and walking toward his car, police said in a news release. Officers found a handgun concealed in his waistband, police said. Nobody was hurt, and the Capitol police said they found no evidence that the man was coming to harm the Congress. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A police officer who allowed the man into the Capitol after searching him has been suspended pending a department investigation. Security video showed the man entering the Capitol through a security checkpoint. After magnetometers sounded, the officer performed a secondary hand search and then let him into the building, police said. The Capitol police demands the highest standards when it comes to screening visitors, so a full review of this incident has already been ordered, as well as mandatory refresher training on security screening, so this never happens again, the department said. The man was arrested on charges including carrying a pistol without a license, possession of an unregistered firearm, illegal possession of ammunition and resisting arrest. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement House lawmakers whose committee oversees the Capitol police said they are severely disappointed in the security failure and will require the department to conduct a robust review of all visitor screening practices. We must ensure this never happens again," said a joint statement from the House Administration committee's chair, Rep. Bryan Steil, R-Wisconsin, and ranking member, Rep. Joe Morelle, D-New York. A man and woman from Oregon were arrested after the Los Angeles County Sheriffs Department said they attempted to enter the Palisades fire evacuation zone in a decommissioned fire engine, authorities said Sunday. Dustin Nehl, 31, and his wife, Jennifer Nehl, 44, were taken into custody on suspicion of impersonating firefighters and unauthorized entry of an evacuation zone, both misdemeanors, according to the announcement. A spokesperson for the Los Angeles District Attorneys Office told HuffPost that the Nehls have been charged and are expected to be arraigned on Wednesday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to the announcement, L.A. police were driving through the Palisades fire area on Saturday when they noticed an illegitimate fire truck and found the Nehls inside. Authorities said the two were attempting to enter the evacuation zone. A fire engine and firefighter gear allegedly found in the possession of a man and woman attempting to enter the Palisades fire evacuation zone, via the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department. Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department The couple were wearing firefighting gear when the officer approached them, according to the announcement. The two allegedly said they were working with the Roaring River Fire Department in Oregon. However, the Roaring River Fire Department is not a legitimate agency, authorities said in the announcement, and the fire engine that two were inside had been purchased at an auction. Authorities told the Los Angeles Times that the truck had been used by a Northern California fire department but was decommissioned about 30 years ago. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement At the time they were stopped by police, the Nehls both admitted to having been in the evacuation zone the day before, and the two were detained shortly afterward, according to the sheriffs department. Authorities noted that Dustin Nehl has a criminal history in Oregon of criminal mischief and arson. He was sentenced in 2017 to five years in prison after a series of vandalism incidents in Woodburn, Oregon, between 2013 and 2016, the Woodburn Independent reported. Plea documents said that Dustin Nehl caused an explosion on a local property and confessed to possessing an incendiary device, according to the Independent. No information was immediately available about why the Nehls were allegedly attempting to enter the evacuation zone. On social media, Jennifer Nehl describes herself as an Atmospheric & Fire sciences educator and weather ambassador for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A spokesperson for NOAA told HuffPost that Jennifer Nehl is not employed by the agency, but that she attended our Skywarn class to learn about weather safety. However, the program did not offer any type of certification. Nehl was a representative of her former employer as a Weather-Ready Nation ambassador, but she is no longer in that role, the spokesperson said. (Nehl was featured in a 2023 NOAA blog post that identified her by her maiden name, Hastings, and described her as a science teacher who works at an accredited juvenile detention education program in the Portland, Oregon, area.) Related... Jan. 22The Manchester woman at the center of a missing person's case last month is now facing charges of endangering the welfare of a child, police said Wednesday. Nicole Wise, 29, was reported missing on Christmas Eve but was safely located in early January. Wise allegedly left her 4-year-old child alone in the apartment, according to Manchester police. Before she was reported missing, Wise had been seen at her home on Orange Street on Christmas Eve. When her boyfriend returned from work that night, he discovered her missing and their child alone in the apartment. Concerns for Wise's safety arose as she had left her wallet and phone behind, police said, but authorities determined that she had left voluntarily. Wise turned herself in, police said. MANITOWOC, Wis. (WFRV) The City of Manitowoc is doing its part in helping the community eliminate snow and ice while keeping the environment in mind. In a release, the City of Manitowoc says it relies on salt to keep roads and sidewalks safe in winter; however, it can harm the lakes, streams and drinking water. Unity Hospice opens second resale shoppe in De Pere The truth is, it harms species diversity in our lakes and streams and is even making it to our drinking water, the release said. The City of Manitowoc and dozens of Wisconsin municipalities are striving to improve winter maintenance programs to reduce the amount of salt entering our environment. Salt in use on concrete stairs The City of Manitowoc continues its mission by using salt brine, calibrating salt trucks and working with beat juice. The city said it is giving away free Salt Wise cups as part of its goal to educate the community. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Appleton Fire Department mourning the death of retired Captain Michael Woody Woodzicka The free cups contain the necessary salt to clear about 10 sidewalk squares in most conditions. Those who use salt should shovel snow first and be salt wise when spreading. The cups may be picked up at City Hall. For more information on reducing salt usage and how it negatively impacts the environment, visit this 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 WFRV Local 5 - Green Bay, Appleton. The News Just days into his term, US President Donald Trump has waged war on government and private-sector diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts. Trump has ordered federal diversity offices to close and put DEI staff on leave, as well as signaling private corporations could be investigated over their own initiatives. Speaking to business leaders at the World Economic Forum in Davos on Thursday, Trump renewed his attacked on the programs, calling them absolute nonsense. The political pushback to DEI has ramped up pressure inside board rooms and many firms have shifted their stances. Meta and McDonalds, for example, scrapped their DEI programs in recent weeks. Others are standing by diversity efforts in some form, even as they sour on the DEI label. SIGNALS Some major US firms stand by diversity efforts Sources: The New York Times, Corporate Board Member, Squawk Box Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The boards of retail giant Costco and tech company Apple have both pushed back on shareholder proposals from a conservative think tank targeting DEI. Costco investors were set to vote Thursday on the proposal, with the outcome closely watched by other corporate boards. Asked at the World Economic Forum in Davos about anti-DEI activists targeting JPMorgan Chase, CEO Jamie Dimon said: Bring them on. But, he added, I dont like monikers, before detailing the companys commitment to climate efforts, communities of color, and LGBTQ groups. Conservative activist Robby Starbuck similarly acknowledged Wednesday that DEI is not dead, but is cornered and in a position to die. Others move to use a different label Sources: Reuters, S&P Global Opposition to DEI workplace practices spurred some corporate leaders in Davos to modify how they talk about them, Reuters reported. An adviser to Bangladeshs interim government said DEI and ESG environmental, social, and governance initiatives became toxic, adding that Im more interested in what is effective, how do we get to the result as opposed to the label. Bankers at Davos also predicted ESG funding wont fully disappear because of Trumps return. Many companies will still dedicate resources to sustainability and climate, even while some walk back their messaging or tweak their goals, a S&P Global report forecast. Thats partly because regulators and investors will still expect information on factors that will impact the long-term success of a business. Trump orders could still have chilling effect Sources: The New York Times, The Washington Post Trumps directive that private corporations could face investigations over illegal DEI programs sent shockwaves through corporate America: One lawyer who represents large companies told The New York Times he has gotten tons of calls from clients worried about compliance. The head of a New York University diversity-focused research center suggested companies could avoid legal scrutiny by simply changing the name of their programs, because empty terms make easy targets. Regardless, legal experts expect court challenges. Its going to be a really crazy ride, an American University law professor said. WASHINGTON (DC News Now) Thousands are expected to gather in the nations capital for the annual March for Life. The event is set to take place on Friday, Jan. 24, at around 11 a.m. at the Washington Monument. The large crowd will then march down Constitutional Avenue towards the Capitol. Each January, the organization assembles in Washington, D.C. to advocate against abortions and celebrate life. This is the largest anti-abortion demonstration, according to the March for Life website. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump pardons two former DC officers convicted in 2020 murder case For more than 50 years, the March for Life has unified pro-life advocates. The organizations website noted that the goal is to not only change laws at the state and federal level, but to change the culture to ultimately make abortion unthinkable. In June of 2022, the United States Supreme Court overturned the Roe. v. Wade and ended the constitutional right to an abortion. The decision was upheld from the ruling in the Dobbs v. Jackson Womens Health Organization case, leaving abortion rights in the hands of the state. March for Life announced the theme for its 2025 rally is Life: Why We March. Road Closures The following streets will be posted as Emergency No Parking from 6 a.m. to 4 p.m.: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Constitution Avenue from 18 th Street to 3 rd Street, NW Pennsylvania Avenue from 7 th Street to 3 rd Street, NW 17 th Street from New York Avenue, NW to Independence Avenue, SW 15 th Street from Pennsylvania Avenue, NW to Independence Avenue, SW 14 th Street from Pennsylvania Avenue, NW to Independence Avenue, SW 12 th Street from Pennsylvania Avenue to Madison Drive, NW 10 th Street from Pennsylvania Avenue to Constitution Avenue, NW 9 th Street from Pennsylvania Avenue to Constitution Avenue, NW 7 th Street from Pennsylvania Avenue, NW to Independence Avenue, SW 6 th Street from Pennsylvania Avenue to Constitution Avenue, NW 4 th Street from Pennsylvania Avenue, NW to Independence Avenue, SW 3 rd Street from Indiana Avenue, NW to Independence Avenue, SW Madison Drive from 14 th Street to 7 th Street, NW Jefferson Drive from 14th Street to 7th Street, SW Commanders-themed treats being sold in DMV ahead of NFC Championship game The following streets will be closed to all traffic from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.: Constitution Avenue from 18 th Street to 3 rd Street, NE Pennsylvania Avenue from 7 th Street, NW to 3 rd Street, NW 17 th Street from New York Avenue, NW to Independence Avenue, SW 15 th Street from Pennsylvania Avenue, NW to Independence Avenue, SW 14 th Street from Pennsylvania Avenue, NW to Independence Avenue, SW 12 th Street from Pennsylvania Avenue to Madison Drive, NW 12 th Street Tunnel 10 th Street from Pennsylvania Avenue to Constitution Avenue, NW 9 th Street from Pennsylvania Avenue to Constitution Avenue, NW 9 th Street Tunnel 7 th Street from Pennsylvania Avenue, NW to Independence Avenue, SW 6 th Street from Pennsylvania Avenue to Constitution Avenue, NW 4 th Street from Pennsylvania Avenue, NW to Independence Avenue, SW 3 rd Street from Indiana Avenue, NW to Independence Avenue, SW Madison Drive from 14 th Street to 7 th Street, NW Jefferson Drive from 14 th Street to 7 th Street, SW Independence Avenue, SW from 4th Street, SW to 2nd Street, SE For more information about the March for Life, 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 DC News Now | Washington, DC. MLB Hall of Fame pitcher Mariano Rivera and his wife Clara Rivera have denied accusations that they covered up a child sex abuse scandal in order to protect their church. An attorney for the Riveras said in a statement Thursday, Jan. 23 that the New York Yankees legend and his wife deny the claims made in a lawsuit filed last week in the New York Supreme Court. Mariano and Clara Rivera do not tolerate child abuse of any kind and allegations that they knew about or failed to act on reports of child abuse are completely false, the couples attorney, Joseph A. Ruta, told the New York Post. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The very first time they heard about these allegations was nearly four years after the alleged incident, when in 2022 a New York attorney sent a letter requesting a financial settlement, the Riveras attorney continued. This was followed by a second letter in 2023, from a different Florida law firm, again requesting a financial settlement. The lawsuit, which seeks financial damages for the Riveras alleged failure to act on alleged incidents that were never reported to them, is full of inaccurate and misleading statements which we have no doubt will not hold up in a court of law. PEOPLE has reached out to Ruta for comment. In a statement to PEOPLE, an attorney representing the plaintiff said that they intend to take the Riveras to court. "Parents and churchgoers should be grateful, as I am, that this brave child is coming forward to expose wrongdoers," the girl's attorney Adam Horowitz told PEOPLE in a statement. "Reporting sex crimes is always tough, especially when those who conceal them are powerful and popular. We are prepared to litigate this serious matter in Court." AP Photo/Mark Lennihan Clara Rivera and Mariano Rivera Clara Rivera and Mariano Rivera PEOPLE reported Wednesday that Rivera, 55, and his wife were named in the New York lawsuit, which claims the couple ignored the sexual abuse of a young girl who was a member of their Refuge of Hope Church in Westchester County, New York. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The minor, who was born in 2007 and identified in the lawsuit as MG, was allegedly abused by an older girl in the church during a 2018 summer internship program at the Ignite Life Center in Gainesville, Fla., and then again at a barbecue that took place at the Riveras home in Rye, N.Y., the filing alleges. Rather than take sufficient action to end the sexual abuse of Jane Doe, the Riveras each separately isolated and intimidated Jane Doe to remain silent about her abuse by MG to avoid causing trouble for Refuge of Hope and the Ignite Life Summer Internship, court documents read. The complaint also alleges that the young girl was sexually abused by Ruben Tavarez Jr., the son of the Refuge of Hope associate pastor Ruben Tavarez Sr., in August 2021. The filing alleges that the Riveras falsely promoted their activities and premises as being safe, moral, and otherwise free of a risk of harm when it knew or should have known otherwise." The plaintiff is seeking a jury trial. 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 Refuge of Hope church was founded in the Riveras' home in 2009 while he was still a pitcher for the Yankees. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement After he retired in 2013 and began focusing more of his life on religion and philanthropy, Rivera purchased a local, 107-year-old church in New Rochelle, New York, that needed renovations and poured $3 million into rehabbing the building. The couple moved the operations to the newly renovated building in 2014. Clara is the churchs head pastor. 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 Maricopa prosecutors are pursuing the death penalty against a man accused of killing his ex-wife and another man last year. Anna Marie Chavez, 44, and Anthony Tate, 49, were found dead on Jan. 5, 2024, near Encanto Boulevard and 39th Avenue, in west Phoenix. Chavez's ex-husband, Paul Jon Thomas, was arrested in connection with the pair of deaths and faces first-degree murder charges in the killings. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Thomas was previously charged with stalking Chavez in August and September 2023, and documents stated Chavez had a reasonable fear of death. The suspect had been stalking the victim for months before she was killed. Documents show Thomas caused Chavez mental, emotional and physical harm before she died, and police believe the homicide was premeditated. The Maricopa County Attorney's Office filed a notice of intent to seek the death penalty for Thomas on Dec. 24, 2024. His trial is scheduled for July. This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Maricopa County prosecutors seek death penalty against Paul Jon Thomas TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) A MacDill Air Force Base Marine and his wife were charged with involuntary manslaughter while they were stationed in Tampa, the Department of Justice announced on Wednesday. An indictment said on Nov. 27, 2022, while at MacDill Air Force Base, Kodi and Kateri unlawfully killed the victim without malice. A report from Cleveland.com identified the victim as the couples 2-year-old daughter. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Kodi Glenn Simon, 30, of Cleveland, Ohio, and Kateri Ann Simon, 30, from Avon Lake, Ohio, were charged after the return of an indictment. Kateri, Kodi Simon (Mahoning County Jail) Florida woman tells deputies she has marijuana hidden inside her Court martial documents stated the couple was accused of negligently [REDACTED] placing in a portable crib with a foam mattress and a suitcase filled with books on top of the portable crib. The child then died of mechanical asphyxiation resulting in death, according to the military documents. If convicted, Kodi and Kateri could face a maximum penalty of eight years in federal 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 WFLA. Jan. 22FAIRMONT The road out to Hammond or Valley Falls, Route 310, can be beautiful. But when the snow falls, its becomes downright impassible and becoming trapped by blocked roads is easy. It's hard enough for younger, able bodied people to deal with the challenge, but for seniors it can be hazardous. "The cold temperatures can be dangerous for anyone, but the elderly especially," said Ang Romesburg, who manages a Facebook community group for residents living on Route 310 said. "They should stay indoors as much as possible. See these elderly neighbors and community members the way you would your own grandparents. Remember that not all of them have family to check in on them." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Elderly residents face additional challenges when it comes to navigating cold weather, Romesburg said. A day or two before Sunday's snowfall, Romesburg put out an alert to the community group asking residents to check in on their elderly neighbors. He also encouraged elders to make requests for help and make themselves known, so that other residents can put themselves in a position to help. One instance that stood out to Romesburg was an older husband and wife, who have fallen into bad health. The wife spent years volunteering at the community center when she was in better health. The husband needed help getting his car to the top of his driveway and assistance getting groceries into their home. They posted to the group, and within minutes of posting, Romesburg said, multiple people started responding to their query. "Two young men and by young I mean one of them is actually a senior in high school assisted this couple," Romesburg said. "This is just one example but our community has in the most literal sense jumped to help when it's been asked." Leisha Elliott, executive director of Marion County Senior Citizens Center, said frigid weather events are already challenging for everyone to manage, but when one adds age and mobility issues, the difficulty compounds. Snow that an elder can't clear off of a sidewalk or steps that get covered in to ice, which could then lead to a debilitating injury. There's also the danger of not realizing how cold it is outside, which can become dangerous to someone who has dementia. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Elliott recommends community members check on their elderly neighbors and offer to pick up groceries or prescriptions if one is going to be out to run errands anyway. Even if an elder has no plans to go out, shoveling their walkway would still be important in case of an emergency, especially if EMS needs a clear path to get to their house. "I just recommend that people have the necessary equipment that helps," Elliott said. "So make sure you have a broom and snow shovel handy. Some kind of salt so you're able to treat sidewalks. If you have a neighbor with mobility issues, don't even ask, just go ahead and maybe clear off their sidewalks and steps." While meal delivery programs do exist, the service can be hampered by unplowed roads and weather conditions. That's why it's also important to ensure seniors have enough food to get through a storm or cold snap, she said. Marion County Senior Citizens provides both in-center meals, as well as food delivery in Fairmont and Marion County. Meals on Wheels also makes deliveries. Elliott said her organization tries to plan ahead with weather events and send people home with extra meals. She said the FirstEnergy Foundation made a recent donation that allowed the Marion County Senior Citizens to purchase shelf stable meals, which are being distributed across the county. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Making sure a house is habitable is also important. "I would say, make sure their heat is working properly," she said. "I think space heaters can be a benefit in some cases, but can also be dangerous. With colder temperatures, there's always the chance of pipes freezing. Maybe a senior doesn't get through their house easily, so there might be rooms that they don't frequent very often, pipes could bust and they would have no idea that had happened." Romesburg said it was important to be mindful of the things younger people take for granted. Getting to a mailbox in the snow might be annoying but doable for a younger person, for an elder it escalates to a dangerous undertaking. Isolation can be just as harmful. He said where he lives, it took over a week to clear the back and side roads. "Have you ever thought what it may be like for someone who doesn't have as many to reach out to, and no one reaching out to them," he said. "Someone who lost their spouse and only has their weekly grocery run to look forward to. The elderly have struggles many of us easily overlook. Truth be told we probably owe them more of our time but in times like this we absolutely need to we check in on them." Reach Esteban at efernandez@timeswv.com Georgia Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene lashed out at a reporter who asked about Donald Trumps sweeping pardons for January 6 criminals. Im not doing this, the Georgia Republican told Punchbowl News Melanie Zanona after she brought up President Donald Trumps pardons for nearly 1,500 individuals convicted of crimes related to the Capitol attack and asked if Greene would give Capitol tours to them. All of yalls obsession with January 6 is absurd. Everybody outside of here is sick and f***ing tired of it, Greene said in a video she posted to X. The exchange took place in the halls of the Capitol building, the site of the riot four years ago. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Georgia Congresswoman then pivoted the focus to former President Joe Bidens last-minute pardons for dozens of death row inmates, whom she described as disgusting people. Everybody up here has their panties in a wad over the January 6 pardons, she said, seemingly referring to the Washington, D.C., press. A lot of them walked through open doors. Thats it, Greene said of the convicts who stormed the Capitol building four years ago. Georgia Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene lashed out at a reporter who asked about whether she would give tours of the Capitol to pardoned Jan. 6 rioters (@RepMTG / X) Zanona pushed back, underscoring that Greene had been outspoken about getting justice for those convicted of January 6-related crimes. Theyre pardoned and thank God, I hope they go live their lives and reassemble something back together. They have suffered enough, the Georgia firebrand said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The coverage of the pardons is nauseating, Greene added. Ive seen all the Democrat-run networks ad nauseam about January 6. And they just cant get over themselves. But they dont give a s*** about real Americans! After explaining that she took issue with Zanonas question about her potential plans to give a tour to the rioters, Greene said: Im so sick of you people and all this crap. She suggested she do a story about what people care about and said the public hates the media right now. You guys have created a situation where youre not trusted and people are sick of yall. Its sad, the Congresswoman added. Zanona pushed back but Greene refused to answer the question. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Greene even shared video of the exchange on her own social media accounts after the exchange. Greene had been outspoken about getting justice for those convicted of January 6-related crimes (Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.) Trumps decision to grant clemency to the January 6 defendants came a week after his Vice President J.D. Vance vocalized his opposition to potentially pardoning individuals who committed violence on that day. More than 100 police officers were injured during the attack. Speaking with Fox News host Sean Hannity in an interview aired Thursday, Trump defended his decision to pardon hundreds of defendants, including about 170 individuals who pleaded guilty to assaulting police, and downplayed the assaults against law enforcement as minor incidents. The president said: Some of those people with the police true but they were very minor incidents, OK, you know, they get built up by that couple of fake guys that are on CNN all the time. They were very minor incidents and it was time. A married Nassau County health care executive allegedly preyed on nearly a dozen teen girls to produce child porn over a four-year period including two minors he ordered to call him Daddy and paid in exchange for the sickening content. Jacob Walden, 38, was arraigned Wednesday morning in Central Islip Federal Court on a six-count indictment charging him with the sexual exploitation of two teens ages 16 and 17 whom he pressured to create sexually explicit videos and photos, according to the US Attorneys Office for the Eastern District of New York. Feds recovered the disturbing images from Waldens cellphone last April and identified at least 11 girls, as young as 14 years old, whom he contacted, coerced to send inappropriate content and paid, according to court documents. Jacob Walden, 38, was arrested and charged with sexual exploitation of a child, child porn possession and other related charges. The 16- and 17-year-old victims were located and interviewed during an investigation that feds launched in September 2023. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As alleged, the defendant enticed minors to produce sexually explicit photographs and videos of themselves and send them to him via the internet in exchange for payment, United States Attorney John J. Durham said in a statement. Protecting children from predators who sexually exploit them will always be a priority of my Office. Prosecutors said at least 20,500 files of child porn were found in Waldens cloud storage, court docs revealed. jakewlden.co Investigators further found Walden, a father of five, repeatedly purchased at least 500 images and 5,000 videos depicting rape, bestiality and the abuse of toddler-age children from a large-scale production and distribution ring that advertised to adult male buyers in the US and abroad, according to court docs. Law enforcement also recovered an encrypted conversation on Waldens phone arranging the purchase of two child porn packages one of which was advertised to include 4-19, FAMILY, SOLO, RAPE, MIXED content, the documents state. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Prosecutors said at least 20,500 files of child porn were found in Waldens cloud storage, court docs revealed. Walden, the co-owner and managing partner of Emerald Healthcare, a company that manages nursing and assisted living facilities nationwide, remained in contact with his child victims between 2020 and 2024. Walden is the managing partner of Emerald Healthcare, a company that manages nursing and assisted living facilities nationwide. Jacob Walden/Linkedin In his conversations with the two teens referenced in the indictment referred to as Jane Doe # 1 and Jane Doe # 2 Walden reportedly insisted he be addressed as Daddy and provided directions on the sexual acts he wanted the victims to perform. He then paid them electronically after he received the alarming content, according to court documents. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Walden was arrested on July 31, 2024, and was ordered to home confinement at his $2 million Valley Stream residence, with restrictions placed on his electronic devices and his contact with minors. Family and friends supported Walden during his arraignment in Central Islip. Dennis A. Clark Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The accused sicko violated his conditions within a month of his arrest after investigators discovered he made an unauthorized stop at a Verizon store and offered a woman money for sex on WhatsApp, prosecutors said. Walden is being held without bail until his trial at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn, according to law enforcement sources, after prosecutors argued he is a flight risk and a danger to society. He joins high-profile perps Sean Diddy Combs and Luigi Mangione, who are also imprisoned at the Brooklyn facility. For years the defendant has enticed individuals, typically minor females in exchange for payment to produce child pornography for him, US Trial Attorney Leonid Sandlar said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The totality of the defendants voluminous submissions does not rebut the defendants motivation of flight. Or dangerousness. Waldens counsel argued that religious members of the Orthodox community have begged the court for leniency. Dennis A. Clark Waldens counsel, Benjamin Baufman, argued his clients compulsions stem from his own abuse as a child, pressing the court that dozens of religious members of the Orthodox community have begged for leniency and compassion. He has five children and a wife who is present in court, Baufman said. They are supportive even in light of the charges. Judge Gary Brown, who presided over the arraignment, agreed Walden should remain locked up. Walden, on his personal blog, describes himself as an avid volunteer who is deeply committed to giving back to his community and a founding member of a local synagogue who launched his career in 2008 helping at-risk teens. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Walden described himself as a man of diverse interest and hobbies that enrich his life and provide a sense of balance, and said growing up in Monsey played a significant role in shaping his values and character. Walden is being held without bail at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn, according to sources. Jacob Walden/Linkedin Jacob Waldens life story is a powerful reminder that greatness is not defined by fame or acclaim but by the impact one has on the world and the people around them, he wrote on his website. His unwavering commitment to his values, resilience in the face of challenges, and dedication to personal and professional growth make him a true example of what it means to lead an extraordinary life. Walden is charged with two counts of sexual exploitation of a child, receipt of child pornography, possession of child pornography, and two counts of access with intent to view child pornography, according to the indictment. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If convicted, he faces up to 30 years in prison, prosecutors said. He is due back in court on Feb. 24. If you have been sexually assaulted and live in New York, you can call 1-800-942-6906 for free and confidential crisis counseling. If you live outside the state, you can dial the 24/7 National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-4673. PHILADELPHIA, Miss. (WJTV) Marty Stuarts Congress of Country Music and the Ellis Theater announce the launch of a planned annual outdoor music festival. The Congressional Sessions will take place in the heart of Philadelphia, Mississippi. This new event will serve as a cornerstone for fundraising efforts, with proceeds directly contributing to the construction and completion of the Congress of Country Music. Three Christian music acts to perform at Brandon Amphitheater Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Music has the power to bring people together and make a lasting impact, said Marty Stuart, Grammy-winning Country Music Hall of Famer, and founder of the Congress of Country Music. The Congressional Sessions will be a celebration of our shared heritage and an appeal to help complete the spiritual home of country music in Philadelphia. The festival will feature live and simulcast performances from legendary acts and rising stars, with the intent of showcasing the diversity and authenticity of country music. Once complete, the Congress of Country Music will serve as a venue for performances, educational programs, and exhibits. The first phase of the Congress, the Ellis Theater, is fully operational and currently hosts acts ranging from Thacker Mountain Radio Hour to Frank Foster. Close Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 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. BALTIMORE Two employees were injured in an explosion at a cannabis extraction facility in Queen Annes County on Wednesday, according to the Maryland State Fire Marshal. Kent Island Volunteer Fire Department and surrounding departments were called to PharmaCann in Stevensville around 2 p.m. after an explosion took place in an extraction booth where propane and butane were used, according to a Wednesday night news release. Two people were injured, with one of those listed as severe but not life-threatening. The fire marshals office did not provide the state of the other victims condition. Emergency response systems, including alarms, sprinklers and ventilation, functioned as designed, helped minimize further damage and injuries, investigators said Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Anne Arundel and Dorchester counties hazmat teams responded due to the possible presence of hazardous materials. Nearby properties were evacuated and closed as a result of the explosion, which caused an estimated $250,000 in damage. The cause of the blast is being investigated. PharmaCann is described as one of the nations largest vertically integrated cannabis companies, specializing in cannabis extraction processes. The firm has been located in the 300 block of Log Canoe Circle for four years. _____ MARYLAND (DC News Now) On Friday, Jan. 17, the Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) announced that it has increased its efforts to collect dead birds that could be carrying Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza, more commonly known as bird flu. Avian influenza is a highly contagious airborne respiratory virus that often spreads among birds through nasal and eye secretions, as well as manure, according to agriculture officials. However, the risk of transmission between birds and the general public is low, while those who work at dairy farms or with poultry may be more at risk. PREVIOUS COVERAGE | Bird flu detected at poultry farm on Marylands Eastern Shore Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement To combat and prevent the spread of the virus, the department expanded its contract with the USDAs Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service to provide more wildlife technicians in the state to dispose of potentially infected birds, including dead waterfowl and raptors, through September. The expansion comes after officials confirmed findings of the virus in snow geese in two counties on the Eastern Shore earlier this month. Shortly after, agriculture officials detected the virus at a poultry farm in Caroline County, the first time it was detected at a Maryland commercial poultry operation since 2023. Since then, DNR said another poultry farm in Caroline County, within the area of the first positive farm, tested for the virus. According to the Cleveland Clinic, symptoms of bird flu include: Pink eye (conjunctivitis) Fever Fatigue Cough Muscle aches Sore throat Nausea and vomiting Diarrhea Stuffy or runny nose Shortness of breath (dyspnea) DNR noted that it is still safe to hunt wild birds; however, hunters should follow the following guidelines: Never harvest or handle birds that are sick or found dead Wash hands with soap and water or use hand sanitizer immediately after handling game Use disposable gloves when handling game and double-bag offal and feathers Use dedicated clothing, boots and tools that are not used around poultry or pets for cleaning game Cook harvested waterfowl to 165 degrees to kill any viruses or bacteria Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Boil water advisory in place for some Frederick residents due to water main break In addition, officials said those who fill birdfeeders can still do so since songbirds carry a very low risk of getting or spreading bird flu. Anyone who sees sick or dead wild birds should report them to the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service by calling 1-877-463-6497. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. Federal agents arrested several undocumented individuals with criminal histories Wednesday night, including alleged gang members and some wanted for such violent crimes as rape and murder. 2nd largest school district in Mass. will not coordinate with ICE amid Trump immigration crackdown Governor Maura Healey applauded those arrests. Whether youre documented or undocumented, you commit crimes, youre subject to investigation and prosecution and accountability, Healey said. And it looks like that is what happened. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The governor distinguished those arrested last night, however, from the vast majority of undocumented migrants in Massachusetts -- who have committed no crime other than to come here. Still, those arrests set off new concerns that the Trump Administrations immigration enforcement efforts will part with precedent and indeed make, as promised, schools and hospitals targets. Sarang Sekhavat, chief of staff at the Massachusetts Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy Coalition (MIRA) said that distasteful as that might be to some, his group cannot rule out the possibility of such raids happening -- nor innocent students getting arrested. What were concerned about is how theyre defining gang members, he said. A student being accused of being in a gang or associating with gang members, when the truth is theyre just in class with someone who IS a gang member. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On the other hand, Sekhavat said its also possible the Trump Administration is looking for a form of indirect crackdown assistance through the fear of something happening -- rather than the real thing. Youre really talking about scaring people out of their normal, everyday lives, he said. Their intention is to force people to self-deport. They want to make things so uncomfortable for people here in the U.S. that they decide they have no other choice but to leave. Sekhavat said hes seen the fear tactic work before. You would see kids stop going to school for a week, he said. People were canceling their doctors appointments. People were not going to work. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Campbell is expected to issue guidelines for schools on dealing with immigration raids. Already, Superintendents in Fitchburg, Boston, and Worcester have said student safety is paramount. East Boston resident Alan Circeo hadnt heard about the immigration arrests in his community the night before. But he condemned the idea of the same thing happening in schools or hospitals. I think its pretty terrible, he said. And its scary and dangerous. Circeo said even residential raids are risky in East Boston because the housing stock often means citizens living below or above non-citizens -- with neither apartment knowing the status of the other. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Are agents going to be bursting through doors, going through windows -- are they even going to check to make sure, he said. And thats not even to say they should be going after the quote-unquote illegal aliens. Its a recipe for a disaster. Want to know your rights in the event of an ICE enforcement action? visit https://miracoalition.org/news/know-you-rights/ 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 VERONICA G. CARDENAS/Getty Images Donald Trumps presidential election victory in 2016 marked a turning point that shaped Gen Zs political consciousness. During his first term, many high school students began to organize in their communities, pushing back against rising political polarization, state-sanctioned violence, and deportations. Now Trump has returned to the White House for a second term, and many young people are recognizing how his new administration will continue to wreak havoc on the most vulnerable populations in the United States. Let us be clear: Trump being back in the White House and his unprecedented anti-immigrant agenda could be catastrophic for all Americans, but highly vulnerable communities, including undocumented individuals and mixed-status families, face especially significant risks. These are our neighbors, friends, family, and coworkers. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) will likely seek to increase its presence in schools, churches, and hospitals to instill fear in these groups. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Stay up-to-date with the politics team. Sign up for the Teen Vogue Take While Trump has broad support from Republican politicians and his base for policies like mass deportation, the threats to immigrant populations across the nation are also deepening a political resistance movement among immigrant rights groups, community members, and allies. Coalition building across these movements will be critical for fostering collective resistance. Young people, movement leaders, and community advocates are uniquely positioned to resist harmful policies and advocate for immigrant justice. The lessons learned during Trumps first term have provided a foundation for mass mobilization and the pursuit of intergenerational and multiracial organizing. Based on those lessons, we can develop more potent and resilient strategies to fight back under Trump 2.0. Understanding the threat of what were up against Trumps proposals will likely create a rampant increase in raids, surveillance, arrests, and incarceration of immigrants in the US. Organizations like the American Civil Liberties Union warn that we may see more racial profiling and targeting of people based on what they look like, the language they speak, and where they work. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Across the country, ICE uses county jails and private prisons to detain immigrants. The expansion of immigrant detention, which dates back to War on Drugs-era legislation, targets multi-ethnic immigrant communities, further blurring the lines between immigration enforcement and the broader criminal legal system. Through partnerships with local sheriffs and county jails, Democratic and Republican presidential administrations alike have deepened the entanglement of immigration enforcement with communities, creating perverse incentives for mass detention. As the Marshall Project has reported, local governments can earn millions by renting jail beds to government agencies. In 2024, ICE shamefully sought to expand immigration detention facilities in multiple states nationwide. At least 15 states face the threat of ICE detention expansion, including Washington, California, Utah, Arizona, New Mexico, Kansas, Indiana, Wisconsin, Michigan, Kentucky, Texas, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, and New Jersey. This plan will make it easier to round up immigrants. Detention facilitates deportation, and more capacity for detention means more people can be targeted for deportation. Under the new Trump administration, we will probably also see a return to inhumane worksite raids that destabilize and destroy communities. The most extensive statewide enforcement operation in US history took place in Mississippi in 2019, in which ICE worked with local law enforcement to arrest 680 workers in six cities. Additional threats on immigration are moving forward in Congress. Take, for instance, the Laken Riley Act: In its current form this would significantly expand mandatory detention which requires immigrants to remain in detention throughout their deportation proceedings without the chance for a bond hearing to include immigrants who are charged with theft-related crimes. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trumps rhetoric focuses on mass roundups as a spectacle of fear, but the criminal legal system remains the primary tool for carrying out deportations. The new administration has already stated its intention to expand 287(g), agreements that deputize local police as immigration enforcers. Coalition building and fostering shared solidarity Building long-term power in movements for mass liberation requires forging coalitions between immigrant justice and racial justice efforts, aligning strategies to disrupt systems of incarceration, detention, and deportation simultaneously. We need to form alliances and build solidarity. The machinery of immigrant detention is deeply intertwined with the criminal legal system, making collaboration with organizations focused on decarceration and reducing police budgets especially critical. This might look like blocking jail expansions, ending detention contracts, or limiting ICEs collaborations with local law enforcement. Organizing with diverse coalitions to dismantle the structures that underpin mass incarceration and deportation will help immigrants and non-immigrants alike. How young people can take action National coalitions such as Detention Watch Network and United We Dream offer a path forward, showcasing how young people bring new momentum to the fight for immigrant justice. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Whether facilitating know-your-rights trainings, distributing resources online, or educating people about the abolition of prisons and the prison industrial complex, young organizers are engaging in-person and virtually to challenge systems of oppression and abuses of power. By coordinating direct action and community mobilization, young people are not just reacting but actively organizing to reshape the future for the most vulnerable. Here, from the Detention Watch Networks Guide, are some steps to consider: First, its essential to know the people and organizations that are already working for immigrant justice and leading decarceration efforts in your community. After youve identified groups working for migrant and racial justice, connect with them to learn and understand their values, the role of people who are directly impacted, and the work to reject ICE detention locally. If youre starting without the support of an existing organization or volunteer group, build your base by bringing together family, friends, coworkers, neighbors, and people directly impacted who believe in the dignity and rights of immigrants. Host meetings and educational events to learn more about ICE detention and have gatherings to build relationships and trust. Getting involved in collective resistance These examples of resistance to immigrant detention expansion demonstrate the power of collective organizing. ICEs desire to detain more people even in communities that recognize immigrants as integral members of society requires us to adapt and forge new strategies. The new Trump administration will serve as a testament to how urgent and winnable movements for liberation can be when advocates come together to fight for justice and the dignity of all. Originally Appeared on Teen Vogue Want more Teen Vogue immigration coverage? De Novo occupies a suite of offices in an East Cambridge building so old its supported on giant granite blocks. That seems appropriate. The legal services agency, which specializes in assisting asylum seekers, has a lot of weight on its shoulders now that Donald Trump is back in The White House. Monday, Trump signed numerous executive orders addressing immigration after campaigning on a promise to secure the southern U.S. border. Some of those orders, such as altering the 14th Amendment to prevent automatic citizenship for any baby born in the U.S., seem vulnerable to court challenges. But threats to round-up undocumented individuals and ship them back where they came from are very real -- though some would argue unlikely. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement At De Novo, the question thats got everyone on edge has to do with asylum seekers who are on the path to citizenship, but havent yet arrived. Could they be subject to arrest and deportation? Is it possible it could happen to some of our clients... it could, said Attorney Valerie Fisk, immigration supervisor for De Novo. If youre not a citizen you can always be removed from the country. But some immigration attorneys have used the interregnum between Donald Trumps election and inauguration to bolster their clients chances of legally staying in the country. Weve been preparing for the last two months with information for our clients, Fiske said. Now its just a matter of addressing any policy changes that might affect our clients directly. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Many of the clients De Novo deals with have escaped situations of torture and trauma. De Novo Executive Director Mojdeh Rohani said Trumps executive orders have forced some to relive the pain of their prior existence. Theres a lot of fear, anxiety about the unknown, said Rohani. The worst part is the uncertainty, the unknown. Fiske said its important for migrants to know their rights if police should come a-calling. They have the right to not open their door unless the government has the proper documentation to be able to come in and ask them questions, she said. To do that, officers must have a search warrant, which should not be confused with an ICE warrant. Migrants also have the right to remain silent and to bring in an attorney. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Still, the facts are the facts when it comes to immigration. If you dont have permission to be here and you dont have any application you can make to stay, then youre eventually going to have to leave, Fiske said. Thats how it works. Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW Jan. 22A Massachusetts woman was sentenced to up to six years in prison and must pay $20,000 in remaining restitution for her role in targeting elderly victims, prosecutors said. Rachel Chen, 26, of North Andover, Mass., pleaded guilty in Merrimack County Superior Court on Wednesday for her role in perpetrating Tech Support scams, according to the Attorney General's Office. Last March, Allenstown police arrested Chen attempting to pick up $22,000 in cash from an elderly victim, with the initials J.S. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Chen's co-conspirators falsely told J.S. that he had a virus on his computer, his financial accounts were compromised, and he needed to turn over the cash to protect it, according to prosecutors. Following Chen's arrest, an investigation revealed that she and her coconspirators used Tech Support scams to obtain money from two additional elderly victims, E.B. and D.L., totaling $40,000, prosecutors said. Chen pleaded guilty to two counts of conspiracy to commit theft by deception and one count of theft by deception. On one conspiracy count, a judge sentenced her to 2-6 years in the New Hampshire State Prison, prosecutors said. On the other two charges, Chen was sentenced to 7 1/2 to 15 years in the New Hampshire State Prison, with all of the minimum and maximum terms suspended for a period of 10 years following her release from prison. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Chen also must pay $20,000 in remaining restitution after having paid $20,000 prior to sentencing. She also was prohibited from working in any capacity with elderly, disabled, or impaired adults, and serving as a fiduciary for any person. The state agreed to drop another count of attempted theft by deception. A Massachusetts woman will serve time in state prison after pleading guilty on Wednesday to charges that she stole from elderly victims through an online support scam in New Hampshire, the Attorney General said. Rachel Chen, 26, of North Andover, Massachusetts, pleaded guilty in Merrimack County Superior Court to two Class A felony counts of conspiracy to commit theft by deception and one Class A felony count of theft by deception, Attorney General John Formella said in a statement on Wednesday afternoon. On one conspiracy count, the court sentenced Chen to 2 to 6 years in the New Hampshire State Prison, stand committed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On the other conspiracy count and the theft by deception count, Chen was sentenced to 7 to 15 years in the New Hampshire State Prison, with all of the minimum and maximum terms suspended for a period of 10 years following her release from incarceration. The suspended sentences are consecutive to her stand committed prison sentence if imposed, Formella said. Rachel Chen, 25, of North Andover As conditions of her suspended sentence, Chen, among other things, was ordered to pay $20,000 in remaining restitution, after having paid $20,000 prior to sentencing. She is also prohibited from working in any capacity with elderly, disabled, or impaired adults, and serving as a fiduciary for any person. As part of the plea, the state dropped one remaining class A felony count of attempted theft by deception, Formella said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On March 14, 2024, the Allenstown Police Department arrested Chen as she attempted to pick up $22,000 in cash from an elderly victim, J.S. Chens coconspirators falsely told J.S. that he had a virus on his computer, his financial accounts were compromised, and he needed to turn over the cash to protect it, Formella said. After Chens arrest, investigators learned that Chen and her coconspirators used Tech Support scams to obtain money from two additional elderly victims, E.B. and D.L., totaling $40,000, Formella said. The Allenstown and Nashua police departments and the Lamoille County Vermont Sheriffs Department assisted the Attorney Generals Office with the investigation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Anyone who suspects elder abuse or financial exploitation of the elderly is urged to call local police or the Department of Health and Human Services, Bureau of Elderly and Adult Services at 1-800-949-0470. 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 Gov. Maura Healey plans to close a mental health center in Cape Cod, in addition to shuttering a state-run pediatric rehabilitation hospital in Canton. Healey also intends to significantly slash the states mental health case manager workforce, and the closings and staff cuts are drawing a strong backlash from critics who predict severe consequences in health care. As Healey filed her fiscal 2026 budget Wednesday, a string of health care unions lamented the governors plan to shut down Pocasset Mental Health Center -- also known as the Cape Cod & Islands Community Mental Health Center -- that is run by the states Department of Mental Health. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Asked to confirm the closure, a spokesperson for the Executive Office of Health and Human Services told the News Service, We have taken these steps to improve the care and services we are able to offer. We recognize these changes have significant impacts on patients and families, and we are committed to supporting them through the transition of their care, spokesperson Olivia James said. We will also work with employees and our partners in labor to support impacted employees and ensure they are able to transition to new roles. There are 56 employees at Pocasset. Beyond the center, Healeys budget calls for reducing the volume of DMH case managers from 340 to 170, HHS said. DMH staff were notified about the Pocasset action Wednesday afternoon in a commissioner message, which noted the budget includes closing our acute inpatient unit in Pocasset and reducing our case management staff. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I understand that this is very difficult information to receive, but I also want to be honest about the budget realities we are facing as an agency, states the message, which was obtained by the News Service and circulated by Ann Looney, director of labor relations at the Executive Office of Health and Human Services. As the process unfolds in the weeks ahead, we will update you and your union representatives as the budget is debated, and potentially amended, before it is finalized, the message continued. Any changes would take place after the start of the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2025, and we will meet and bargain with the unions before any changes take place. Administration and Finance officials did not explicitly mention the Pocasset closure during a briefing with reporters Wednesday. But they said the closure of Pappas Rehabilitation Hospital in Canton -- which also involves shifting services to a state public health hospital in Westfield -- would save the state $31 million. Healey appeared to allude to the Pocasset facility during a press conference Wednesday afternoon when asked why shes closing the Pappas hospital despite her administrations focus on primary care and mental health. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I think of it as a redirecting of services, of care, Healey said. In one place, we have a low utilization rate, only 16 beds. In another place, we have about 39 individuals housed, and a number of them -- the majority of them -- are over the age of 21, so looking at some other options, other facilities, places, where maybe it makes more sense in terms of consolidation of care or the right kind of care for those individuals. The facility closures dont require legislative approval, state health officials said. The Massachusetts Nurses Association said it is vehemently opposed to the plan to close Pocasset Mental Health Center, which the union described as a 16-bed inpatient acute mental health stabilization unit serving patients ages 19 and older. The center offers short-term treatment for patients, MNA said. PMHC is vital to addressing the greatest crisis facing our mental health system which is the lack of beds to meet the needs for patients with acute mental illness, which is resulting in thousands of patients boarding several hours to several days in our hospitals emergency departments like those at Cape Cod, Falmouth and BI Plymouth Hospitals, where they go without care and too often decompensate, and many times can become violent, the MNA said in a statement to the News Service. PCMHC is vital to help alleviate the problem for hospitals on the Cape, where such programs are limited. The program is often full and has a waiting list for clients. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement SEIU Local 509 and the Massachusetts AFL-CIO also sounded the alarm about the hospital closures and the DMH case manager layoffs. Over 300 union members work between these two facilities, providing essential services to high-needs populations, Massachusetts AFL-CIO President Chrissy Lynch said. The loss of both facilities alongside critical DMH staff will have severe consequences on our overwhelmed health care system, where every day hundreds of behavioral health patients are kept boarding in Emergency Departments. This decision will leave vulnerable children, their families, and behavioral health patients in Massachusetts without proper access to care. 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 (Reuters) -Firefighters stopped the expansion of a new wildfire north of Los Angeles on Thursday after it spread rapidly, as California Governor Gavin Newsom signed a $2.5 billion relief package for the fire-devastated region. The Hughes Fire, about 50 miles (80 km) north of Los Angeles, broke out on Wednesday as emergency services continued to battle two fires on the city's eastern and western flanks that have burned for more than two weeks. The Hughes Fire quickly burned some 10,176 acres (41 square km), but that figure held steady throughout the day as 4,000 firefighters dropped water and retardant from the air and used hand tools and hoses on the ground. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Containment, a measure of the perimeter that is under control, grew to 24%, up from 14% earlier in the day, the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire) said on its website. The Hughes Fire had led to evacuation orders for 31,000 residents and evacuation warnings for a further 16,000 people as it sent plumes of smoke over hilly terrain in the Castaic Lake area near Santa Clarita. Firefighters contended with strong winds and low humidity that were expected to persist throughout Friday. Rain and mountain snow has been forecast for the Los Angeles area from Saturday to Monday, which could bring some relief but also create other risks. "Impacts will likely be minimal, except for the small but non-zero threat of a thunderstorm moving over a burn area," the National Weather Service warned. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The rain could cause mudslides, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass warned during a news conference on Wednesday, saying the city was taking "aggressive action" by installing barriers, removing fire debris and diverting stormwater. In the metropolitan area, Eaton and Palisades fires burned for the 17th consecutive day after incinerating entire neighborhoods, killing 28 people and damaging or destroying nearly 16,000 structures. The Eaton Fire was 95% contained and the Palisades Fire 72% contained, Cal Fire said. A series of smaller fires have also menaced the area including the Sepulveda Fire, which began early Thursday morning and burned along the 405 freeway near the Getty Center museum - home to numerous art treasures. The brush fire, which has blazed through 45 acres and was 60% contained, briefly caused part of the heavily traveled highway to be closed and forced some evacuations. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement California's bipartisan package of state relief was announced by Newsom as President Donald Trump was scheduled to the state on Friday to survey the fire damage. The state aid will pay for ongoing operations, disaster recovery, debris removal and other works. Billions more dollars of federal aid will be needed for a disaster that private forecaster AccuWeather has estimated could cost more than $250 billion damage and economic losses. Trump, speaking in a Fox News interview on Wednesday, threatened to shut off federal funding unless California altered its water management. "I don't think we should give California anything until they let water flow," Trump said during the interview at the White House. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump's criticisms of California water management are completely unrelated to the issues surrounding the potential cause of and response to the fires, Newsom said. For example, Trump said California conservation efforts in the northern part of the state were responsible for fire hydrants running dry around Los Angeles - a misstatement or misunderstanding of what happened when three local reservoirs in the Palisades area ran out of water as firefighters tackled the fire. "The State Water Project has nothing to do with water supply as relates to fire suppression for municipal systems," Newsom told a press conference. "It's very damaging when people believe such misinformation." (Reporting by Daniel Trotta in Carlsbad, California, and Brendan O'Brien in Chicago; Editing by Frank McGurty, Will Dunham, William Maclean and Kate Mayberry) Master Locks world headquarters in Oak Creek is closing, affecting the 100-plus employees who work at the facility. The closure is part of a consolidation of offices by Fortune Brands Innovations, Inc., the parent company of Master Lock, to a new headquarters in Deerfield, Illinois, according to a Jan. 22 news release from Fortune Brands Innovations. The announcement comes less than a year after Master Locks Milwaukee plant closed for good. The company has a 100-plus year history in the Milwaukee area. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We are incredibly grateful for the support of the community, which has played a significant role in the success of Master Lock and Fortune Brands Innovations, as well as for the talented team we have in Oak Creek, a spokesperson for Fortune Brands Innovations told the Journal Sentinel. We are committed to treating them with care as they make the decision that is right for them. The Master Lock world headquarters in Oak Creek is closing later this year in a consolidation move by parent company Fortune Brands Innovations, Inc. Photo from 2017. How many jobs are affected in Oak Creek? The spokesperson said about 120 associates are employed at the Oak Creek headquarters, 6744 S. Howell Ave. They are all being offered the chance to keep their relocated jobs whether that means they move closer to the new headquarters or choose to make the approximate hour-long commute to Deerfield. We would love for all of our highly talented associates to remain with (Fortune Brands Innovations) when their job moves to the new headquarters, the spokesperson said. However, we understand that many will choose to remain in their current city, and for those who elect not to move with their job, we are making sure they are supported with benefits and resources, including severance pay, COBRA and outplacement services. For those employees who choose to stay on, the company spokesperson said Fortune Brands Innovations is offering relocation assistance, and in most cases, an increase in base pay to help with the higher cost of living. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement County Executive David Crowley issued a statement Thursday regarding the news. I am once again deeply disappointed by the owner of Master Lock for their decision to close its Oak Creek office and move over 100 good-paying, family-sustaining jobs out of Milwaukee County, Crowley said in the statement. After shutting down the Milwaukee Master Lock manufacturing plant last year, this latest move by Fortune Brands Innovations essentially signals the end of the iconic Master Lock brands century-long history in our community. Crowley said he knows many of the workers at Master Lock and these hard-working people deserve to be recognized and respected. When is the Oak Creek headquarters shutting down and why? The target time frame for job relocation is July through September 2025. Any employees who choose not to remain with the company will be given a minimum 90-day advanced notice of their last day of work, the spokesperson said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Fortune Brands Innovations Chief Executive Officer Nicholas Fink said in the release that bringing everyone together at a single campus will help us to bring innovations and products to life faster, while also making the organization more efficient and aligned. The company is projecting it will have space for over 1,000 employees at the new Deerfield headquarters by the end of 2027, according to the release. Master Lock, founded in 1921, moved to Oak Creek in 2002. In 2017, they set out to build a world headquarters that would give the company the tools and technology needed to develop padlocks and security products that provide peace of mind for customers, the City of Oak Creek says on its website. Master Lock renovated its 120,000-square-foot world headquarters in Oak Creek to include state-of-the-art industrial design, engineering, and prototyping labs. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Fortune Brands Innovations' portfolio includes Master Lock, Moen, House of Rohl, Aqualisa, SpringWell, Therma-Tru, Larson, Fiberon, SentrySafe, and Yale residential. (This story was updated to add new information.) Contact Erik S. Hanley at erik.hanley@jrn.com. Like his Facebook page, The Redheadliner, and follow him on X @Redheadliner. This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Master Lock world headquarters in Oak Creek closing, 120 jobs affected Joe Biden received bad advice not to pardon himself, Donald Trump has said, as he floated a possible investigation into his predecessor. In his first interview since taking office, Mr Trump criticised Mr Bidens actions in his last few hours in office, and said that Congress would decide if he should be investigated. This guy went around giving everybody pardons, Mr Trump told Fox News host Sean Hannity. And you know, the funny thing, maybe the sad thing, is he didnt give himself a pardon. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Joe Biden has very bad advisers. Somebody advised Joe Biden to give pardons to everybody but him Joe Biden had very bad advice. Mr Biden issued a string of 11th-hour pre-emptive pardons to members of his family and a swathe of Trump critics in an attempt to guard against potential revenge from the new administration. Donald Trump complained about his own run-ins with the justice department during an interview with Fox News host Sean Hannity on Wednesday evening Mr Trump also complained about his own run-ins with the justice department, after it investigated him for attempting to overturn the results of the 2020 election and refusing to return classified documents, among other offences. When asked if Mr Biden should face the same scrutiny, Mr Trump said: I went through four years of hell. I spent millions of dollars of legal fees and I won, he said on Wednesday evening. But I did it the hard way Its really hard to say they shouldnt have to go through it also. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In his final days in office, Mr Biden said that he wouldnt pardon himself because I didnt do anything wrong, and it is not clear what crimes he could be investigated for. Elsewhere in the interview, Mr Trump defended delaying the ban on TikTok, saying it did not matter if China spied on young kids watching crazy videos. The president downplayed national security concerns about the app and said a bigger threat was posed by phones and laptops made in China. Mr Trump signed an executive order delaying a ban on TikTok on Monday, which briefly went dark the day before until the Republican said he would seek to save the platform. Joe Biden applauds as Donald Trump gives a speech during the inauguration ceremony, but the new president has now railed against Mr Bidens actions in his last few hours in office - Chip Somodevilla/AFP TikTok, owned by technology giant ByteDance, which is headquartered in Beijing, now has just over 10 weeks to find a US buyer. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Mr Trump argued that a greater security risk was posed by Chinese-manufactured goods. We have our telephones made in China, for the most part. We have so many things made in China, he said. So why dont they mention that? Youre dealing with a lot of young people. So is it that important for China to be spying on young people, on young kids, watching crazy videos? When Mr Hannity said: I think I dont want China to spy on anybody, the president responded: But they make your telephones, and they make your computers, and they make a lot of other things. Isnt that a bigger threat? Mr Trump sought to ban TikTok during his first term in the White House, but has since reversed course and said he would seek to save it. Open to joint venture Having previously credited the platform with helping him win over younger voters ahead of the 2024 election, he said on Monday that he had changed his stance because I got to use it. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He told reporters this week that he was open to the US taking a 50 per cent stake in TikTok as part of a joint venture, or allowing Elon Musk, the billionaire owner of X, to buy it. Addressing the wildfires in Los Angeles, Mr Trump said he would seek to condition federal aid to the region. He claimed that Gavin Newsom, the California governor, had botched the states response by withholding water from the southern part of the state. I dont think we should give California anything until they let water flow down, he said, repeating claims that LAs fire hydrants ran dry because Mr Newsom, a Democrat, had diverted water to protect an endangered species of fish. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Experts have pushed back on the assertion, arguing that firefighters struggled to respond to the multiple blazes that tore through LA because of constraints in the municipal water supply. Terror threat Mr Trump also said that a terrorist attack on the US could be imminent because of criminals who had infiltrated the country as a result of lax migration policies under Mr Biden. When Mr Hannity said he believed terrorists had entered the country and were planning an attack at a moments notice, Mr Trump answered: I hope youre wrong too and I wont comment and I tend to agree with you. It depends. Addressing how dangerous would-be migrants might be identified, the president said there were people coming in with tattoos all over their face. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Who would ask for open borders, with people pouring in. Some of whom, who ... I wont get into it ... but you can look at them and you can say could be trouble, could be trouble, he said. Their entire face is covered in tattoos, he continued. Typically, you know, hes not gonna be the head of the local bank. Capitol rioters Towards the end of the interview, Mr Hannity pressed the president on issuing mass pardons for Jan 6 rioters who stormed the Capitol four years ago. The president responded by seemingly downplaying the assaults on police officers as very minor incidents inflated by the media. Some of those people with the police they were very minor incidents, he claimed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement You know that they get built up by that couple of fake guys that are on CNN all the time. They were very minor incidents. On Monday, Mr Trump pardoned 1,500 Jan 6 rioters, including Daniel Rodriguez, who was sentenced to 12 years in prison after repeatedly plunging a stun gun into the neck of an officer. 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. North Tonawanda, N.Y. (WIVB) City of North Tonawanda Mayor Austin Tylec apologized at Tuesday nights board meeting for sending two police officers to a business to question an employee about a spoof Facebook page. News 4 Investigates reported Tuesday that two uniformed police offers entered Restful Sleepin to question Jacob Quinn about the social media page that lampoons Tylec. So, I will apologize, though, that they went to your place of work, and Id be happy to call your boss and explain the situation further, Tylec said during the board meeting. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Quinn denied involvement with the Facebook page and accused the mayor of abusing his power and weaponizing the police department for his benefit. He asked city officials to launch a formal investigation. Quinn said Tylec has targeted me for years after circulating a photograph that depicted Tylec as Adolph Hitler. Tylec said the photograph was a fake. It breaks my heart that not even a day after newly elected President Donald Trump promised the American people that this type of abuse of governmental power would no longer happen in this free country, the mayor did just that, Quinn told council members. Tylecs request for police intervention raised eyebrows. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement First Amendment attorney Joseph Finnerty said the parody page has clear disclaimers and obvious signs of being a constitutionally protected activity of free expression. He said using the police to question Quinn and others about the spoof page is an improper reaction to somebodys expression of views about a public official. Thats intimidating, its chilling speech, and theres nothing wrong with the speech here, Finnerty said. Tylec told Quinn he has nothing against him and does not hold grudges. However, the spoof page has pushed false information and posted egregious statements that have riled some residents, Tylec said. In this position, as well as any elected up here, we do not abuse power, or we should not abuse our power to target anyone for any reason whatsoever, Tylec said. A spoof Mayor Austin Tylec page on Facebook was the center of controversy Tuesday He said efforts to get Facebook to remove the page have been unsuccessful. Facebook did not respond to several requests for comment. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its getting to the point where its really become an issue of misinformation to our general public, so I asked the police department, can you look into this and see if you can find out who is perpetrating false information? Tylec said. The council did not commit Tuesday night to launching an investigation and City Attorney Edward A. Zebulske III did not immediately return calls. The controversy could be over: the spoof mayor page has disappeared from Facebook. The spoof Mayor Austin Tylec page disappeared from Facebook overnight. Latest Local News Dan Telvock is an award-winning investigative producer and reporter who has been part of the News 4 team since 2018. See more of his work here and follow him on Twitter. 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. A popular French tourist destination could see a ban on large cruise ships if its mayor gets his way, after he said he is fed up with low-cost tourists docking in the city. The mayor of Nice, Christian Estrosi, has launched a fight against large cruise ships in the French Riviera city that attracts tourists with its warm climate, elegant promenades and cultural interests such as its opera house and museums. I dont want these floating hotels putting down their anchors in Nice, said Mr Estrosi, The Times reports. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement These cruises that pollute [and] that pour out their low-cost customers who do not consume anything and who leave their rubbish behind them, well I say these cruises dont have a place here. The mayor said he has plans to sign a bylaw banning ships more than 190m long and with a capacity of more than 900 passengers docking in Nice and Villefranche-sur-Mer from next summer. Mr Estrosi claimed that this would lead to a 70 per cent drop in the number of passengers arriving on cruises to the city. At the moment, we have [ships] that are real floating towns with more than 5,000 passengers, he said. These [ships] do not correspond in any way to the tourist model that we want to develop. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We have prevented concrete from smothering Nice, we are not going to let overtourism smother it in turn. Doubling down on X, Mr Estrosi also touched on the impact cruises have on pollution: Overtourism and pollution generated by these floating cities are scourges that we want to combat in Nice. The truth is that these are activities that are not very profitable for our territory, that pollute a lot and threaten the health of the people of Nice and Villefranchois, he said. Not to mention the consequences on biodiversity. The mayors comments have sparked debate over the impact that losing cruise ship tourists could have on the local area. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Environmentalists have supported the idea, including Juliette Chesnel-Le Roux, the local head of the Ecologists party who says that the mayors decision is an immense and historic victory. However, local restauranteurs and shopkeepers are worried that a ban could put their businesses in jeopardy. Staff at the Trastevere restaurant in Villefranche-sur-Mer told the local newspaper Nice Matin that its number of diners doubles when cruise ships arrive, adding that they consume a lot. The mayor has taken inspiration from Venices ban on cruise ships that has been in place for six years now after it came into effect in 2019. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Venice has regained its beauty and its landscape by having a mayor who definitively refuses cruises. We intend to go in this direction, too, Estrosi told local French press, Monaco Life reports. If the ban is put in place it will follow the lead of several other European cities and tourist destinations looking to crack down on cruises due to overtourism and environmental reasons. Authorities in Ibizia put new regulations in place in September allowing no more than two cruises to dock at the same time. Amsterdam also banned cruise ships from docking in the city centre in 2023, while Santorini and Mykonos announced last year a 20 (16.90) tourist tax for visitors who arrive on cruise ships. For more travel news and advice, listen to Simon Calders podcast PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) Portland Mayor Keith Wilson shared his vision of addressing homelessness, a main focus of his campaign, with Multnomah County leaders on Wednesday. The first meeting of the Joint Homelessness Response System convened leaders from the City of Gresham, the City of Portland and Multnomah County. Together, they discussed how to improve the state of homelessness in the community. Officials react after anti-Trump protest arrests Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This comes after the State of Oregon saw a 24% increase in the number of sheltered homeless people between Jan. 2023 and Jan. 2024, according to a new Portland State University report on homelessness. However, the study also says housing demands far outweigh the supply, with the state lacking about 100,000 housing units to meet its current needs. Half of those units are needed for people who are currently homeless, the study says. Even with a new Portland mayor and mostly new city councilors, the meeting highlighted major differences between city and county leadership. The city and county have long been at odds over who pays for what and what is needed to help end homelessness. Mayor Wilson shared his plan for what he wants to see this year. At the top of his list is ending the number of people dying on Portland streets. He pitched opening up 24-hour shelters with a limit of a 90-day stay and required engagement with case managers as part of that stay. He also wants overnight shelters opened around the city so no one has to sleep on the streets. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Emergency shelters provide a no wrong door first step for those who are ready to move off the streets and a safeguard for those who slip through the cracks of our complimentary programs, Wilson said of his plan, which has the goal of opening 1,500 emergency overnight shelter beds by Dec. 1, 2025. Multnomah County Chair Jessica Vega Pederson listened to the ideas but added that some things still need to be figured out, such as costs and ensuring there is no duplication of services. Oregon SWAT team arrests naked man Angelita Morillo, Portland City Councilor for District 3, also raised some concerns about the plan. She said the 90-day stay limit for 24-hour shelters could be insufficient for some homeless people. On the other hand, she said the plan also doesnt address those who are homeless due to outside financial circumstances but who dont need addiction treatment. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Eric Zimmerman, a new Portland City Councilor for District 4, agreed with Mayor Wilson that its time for a different approach after the city saw at least 450 people dying on its streets in 2023. Now being into these kinds of numbers is making me very open to aggressively challenging kind of the status quo in how weve gone about this. I think that the mayors proposal is aggressive in challenging some status quo here, said Zimmerman, who previously worked as the Chief of Staff to Multnomah County Commissioner Julia Brim-Edwards. Other aspects of Wilsons plan include night-time only shelters to help the more than 5,000 people sleeping outside in Multnomah County. he wants to use community centers, churches, non-profits and businesses to accomplish this. He also wants to add day centers at each of the citys four districts and enforce safety codes, such as no tent camping and no blocking of doorways. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The cost of Wilsons emergency housing plan would be $28 million this year and $24 million the following year. However, since the City of Portland is already facing a $100 million budget deficit, not all city councilors are convinced the plan is feasible. How do you expect us to be able to afford this for 25-26, to add an additional $75 million, on top of our current budget? asked Loretta Smith, Portland City Councilor for District 1. We cant afford not to do this, Wilson said. The mayor said hes working on securing money from the state, county and federal level to help fund the plan. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. MAMOUDZOU, Mayotte (AP) Students in the French territory of Mayotte are preparing to return to school on Monday, just over six weeks after the worst cyclone to hit the islands off Africa in nearly a century laid waste to entire neighborhoods and villages and left widespread devastation in its wake. Teachers called back into work this week found many of their classrooms were missing a roof, or several windows. It remains unclear how many students will have a table and chair to sit at when they head back to learning. At the Lycee de Petite Terre high school in the town of Pamandzi, locals and firefighters are busy working to consolidate the framework of some of the main buildings, covering the gaping holes in the roofs with clear tarpaulin. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Efforts to repair the archipelago's damaged schools have been underway since Cyclone Chido struck in December, in a race against the clock to make schools safe for students. After the passage of another tropical storm this month, the return of teachers had to be postponed, with some 120,000 students expected to come back gradually next week. Assistant headmistress Peggy Guillerez noted that while the damage at Lycee de Petite Terre, which has some 2,000 students, was less severe than at some other schools, several classrooms remain unusable. We had built an excellent student union building, but it was largely destroyed, she said. Overall, however, only 12 rooms are out of use, which is minimal considering the size of our school. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Many buildings were left without usable furniture, and some facilities remain uninhabitable. Colonel Olivier Bruyere, a firefighter heading a team overseeing the reconstruction effort, said his team had deployed more than 60 people to secure the site. Weve removed anything that could cause injuries and are covering every possible spot with tarpaulins to keep the buildings dry, Bruyere said. We have also removed wet, collapsed ceilings and rebuilt wooden frameworks where possible. Many students and teachers are still struggling with a lack of shelter, electricity and running water, and it is unclear how many will be able to return to school. Around 300 teachers went on strike on Thursday to denounce the conditions under which pupils are returning to school. They also demanded financial help for colleagues who have lost their homes. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Chido was the worst cyclone to hit Mayotte in 90 years, authorities said. While 39 deaths have been confirmed, French Prime Minister Francois Bayrou warned on a visit to the islands that the final death toll could be several hundred. Authorities have faced challenges in recording the deaths and injuries from the storm because many of those affected were undocumented migrants, and also because of the Muslim practice of burying people within 24 hours of them dying. On the fifth floor of a large Bangkok mall, gay newlyweds milled about on a long rainbow carpet, posing for photographs while other couples still waiting to marry lined up to submit the required documents. Today is a milestone for the success of gender equality in Thailand, declared Permsup Saiaung, who had come with her partner of nearly two decades. The pair were among hundreds of couples to wed in a mass ceremony Thursday as Thailand's same-sex marriage law took effect. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Marriage Equality Act, the first law of its kind in Southeast Asia, redefines marriage as a partnership between two individuals of any gender and grants same-sex couples the legal rights of traditional marriage on issues such as inheritance, adoption and medical benefits. LGBTQ+ couples celebrate Thailand's new marriage equality law in Bangkok. (Jirasak Jivawavatanawanit / Associated Press) We are very happy today, because we have fought for marriage equality for so long, said Saiaung, 54, who owns a coffee shop with her new wife, Puangphet Hengkham, 39. The couple had never considered the benefits of marriage until Hengkham was injured in a motorbike accident eight years ago. Saiaung was unable to authorize emergency treatment and instead had to track down Hengkhams elderly mother. Read more: Supreme Court will decide if parents may reject LGBTQ+ lessons for their kids Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In 2019, the couple sued for the right to marry. The provincial and constitutional courts ruled against them. Four years later, a bill to redefine marriage began working its way through the legislature to rewrite the civil code so that marriage is no longer between a "man and a woman" but between a "person and a spouse." The bill was approved by the Senate in June and endorsed by the king in September. A just-married gay couple walks down a rainbow carpet in Bangkok on Thursday, the first day a law took effect granting LGBTQ+ couples the same rights as heterosexual couples. (Sakchai Lalit / Associated Press) Many couples attending the mass wedding said they wanted to be a part of history. For others, it was a necessary formality to ensure the legal rights of their long-term partners. Jiraphat Multakorn, 42, started planning a wedding with Pornthipha Damkaew, 28, more than a year ago in the hope that the marriage equality bill would be voted through. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The two, who have been together for six years, hosted their own ceremony on Jan. 11, and made the marriage official Thursday morning. As a legal spouse, Damkaew will be able to share the welfare benefits that Multakorn receives as a military officer, and they hope it will help them get a loan to buy a home together. Read more: Queer people have shaped America. Why celebrating that fact protects kids My partner has gone through a lot with me, standing with me as my mentor and my best friend, Multakorn said. Its time that she should be my life partner too. Waaddao Chumaporn is a prominent advocate for gender rights and co-founder of Bangkok Pride. (Stephanie Yang / Los Angeles Times) Thailand has long been known as a haven for LGBTQ+ communities, particularly in contrast with other Asian countries where homosexuality is still criminalized. It is only the third place in Asia to legalize same-sex marriage, behind Taiwan in 2019 and Nepal in 2023. Kevin Pehthai Thanomkhet, 31, and Nathnicha Klinthaworn, 39, tie the knot on Thursday. (Stephanie Yang / Los Angeles Times) Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The queer scene in Bangkok is also a significant draw for LGBTQ+ tourists, who are becoming a greater priority for Thai authorities. But activists for marriage equality said they faced opposition from conservative lawmakers. Waaddao Chumaporn, a prominent advocate for gender rights and co-founder of Bangkok Pride, which helped organize Thursdays mass wedding, said she hopes other laws can be amended to be more inclusive, such as using gender-neutral terms to define parents. The state recognizes us as a couple, but it still doesnt recognize us as a family, she said. Many activists also supported a gender recognition bill that would have allowed people to choose their legal names and titles based on gender identity instead of sex at birth. It failed last year in the legislature. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Kevin Pehthai Thanomkhet, a 31-year-old transgender man, said he often runs into issues with banks and government institutions who address him as Ms. Read more: In the 'gay capital' of Asia, Chinese LGBTQ+ emigres look to build a new life Kevin Pehthai Thanomkhet and Nathnicha Klinthaworn show off their wedding rings. They were one of the first couples to wed under Thailand's Marriage Equality Act that legalized same-sex marriage. (Stephanie Yang / Los Angeles Times) The government's refusal to recognize him as male also meant that he could not marry his longtime girlfriend until Thursday. His father who was upset when Thanomkhet came out as a lesbian in high school, and again when he started taking hormones for his transition attended the wedding and said he was proud of his son. Thanomkhet's wife, 39-year-old Nathnicha Klinthaworn, who goes by Maple, said it took a while for her family to come around to accepting her sexuality and her partner. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The movement has been fighting for 20 years," she said. "This is the day." Mayuree and Nitchakan Muangjareun pose for a photo after receiving their marriage registration Thursday. (Stephanie Yang / Los Angeles Times) By the end of the day, at least 1,839 same-sex couples had registered their marriages around the country. The 654 in Bangkok set a new Guinness World Record for the most same-sex marriages in a day in one city, surpassing the old mark of 160 in Rio de Janeiro in 2013. Outside the Bang Rak district office, Nitchakan, 30, explained that she had just adopted the last name of her partner, Mayuree Muangjareun, 28. The two met working in the hospitality industry. "We have been together for a while," Nitchakan said. "I want the law to protect us, because we dont know what will happen in the future." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For other couples, marriage is not an urgent issue. Thirty years ago, when Pakodchakon Wongsupha, 68, started dating Kan Kerdmeemun, 73, there were no terms like LGBTQ+. Read more: Chinas queer influencers thrive despite growing LGBTQ+ censorship Family members questioned their closeness, but the women avoided discrimination by keeping to themselves, and paid little attention to advocacy. Pakodchakon Wongsupha, 68, and Kan Kerdmeemun, 73, have been together for 30 years. They are supportive of Thailand's new marriage equality law, but are in no rush to get married themselves. (Stephanie Yang / Los Angeles Times) But last year, the couple attended their first Pride parade, at the encouragement of some friends. There, they met younger couples fighting for marriage equality and began to join more community events. The world has changed so fast, and we have lived this long to see it, Wongsupha said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Other activists started to call them Grandma and Grandpa, pet names theyve since adopted at home to replace traditional terms of endearment. The couple celebrated with younger generations when the marriage equality bill was passed last year. Kerdmeemun cried when she heard the news. But they are in no rush to get married themselves. "It doesnt matter anymore whether we organize a ceremony or anything," Wongsupha said. "Staying together is enough." Special correspondent Wasu Vipoosanapat in Bangkok 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. Stellantiss Belvidere factory has been mothballed since February 2023 after the carmaker temporarily discontinued production of the Jeep Cherokee crossover. John Elkann additionally committed to build the next-generation Dodge Durango in Detroit as promised, after sacking the CEO who broke that pledge. Signaling support for Donald Trumps Made in America agenda, embattled carmaker Stellantis has had a change of heart and will now move forward with billion-dollar investments to secure the future of two endangered U.S. factories. Under previous CEO Carlos Tavares, the company pulled the plug on a commitment with its UAW union reached in 2023. This deal foresaw building the next generation of the Dodge Durango SUV in its Detroit plant as well as a new, as-yet-unnamed midsize truck destined for its idled Belvidere site in Illinois. In an internal letter to staff, the parent behind popular brands like Jeep and Ram said chairman John Elkann had met last week with Trump to share the companys enthusiasm for the incoming administrations commitment to the U.S. auto industry and blue-collar jobs. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement John told the president that building on our proud, more than 100-year history in the U.S., we plan to continue that legacy by further strengthening our U.S. manufacturing footprint and providing stability for our great American workforce, Jeep brand CEO and Stellantis North America operations chief Antonio Filosa said in an internal letter obtained by Fortune. Elkann, billionaire scion of the Agnelli dynasty, which founded Italys Fiat, recently fired Tavares over mounting problems in the United States. The groups share of the U.S. light-duty vehicle market had shrunk to just 8% from 12% under Tavares. By prioritizing profit margins over volume, he enraged franchise dealers, who rely on scale and service work to earn a living. Tavares planned to offshore production of Jeep and Dodge models Under the revised plan hatched by Tavares, the Durangos production would have to be moved to Stellantiss Windsor facility, across the border in Canada. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trumps announcement of 25% tariffs effective in February on goods imported from the U.S.s neighboring countryas well as Mexico in the southrisks, however, the economic feasibility of this plan. In addition to the next Durango being returned to the Detroit Assembly Complex, where the current generation is already being built, Stellantis said the new midsize pickup truck will be manufactured as planned at its Belvidere plant. Previously the Illinois site was the exclusive home of the Jeep Cherokee crossover. But the factory was completely mothballed in February 2023 after the last of the series was built and the crossover temporarily discontinued. By that point the site had been on life support, operating uneconomically with just one shift instead of the usual two. A new Cherokee is expected to run off the line later this yearonly this time its new home will likely be the Stellantis plant in Toluca, Mexico. UAW boss Shawn Fain celebrates blue-collar victory When management shifts production from one factory to another without allocating a similar replacement, it can be the start of a death spiral for a site as it becomes increasingly less profitable over time. If, however, it relies on just one modellike Belvidere did with the Cherokeeinstead of two or three, then it almost always spells instant doom for that facility. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Stellantis went on to say additional investments would also be made at its Jeep plant in Toledo as well as in Kokomo, Ind. Our plans, focused on increasing market share and growing sales volume, entail a multibillion-dollar investment in our people, great products, and innovative technology, all here in the U.S., wrote Filosa, who will meet with the groups retailers this week at the industrys annual NADA car dealer conference. The UAW, which had campaigned openly to oust Tavares for breaking their contract, said it considered its dispute with Stellantis resolved. This victory is a testament to the power of workers standing together and holding a billion-dollar corporation accountable, said UAW boss Shawn Fain. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While pressure from Fains rank and file no doubt helped, its hard to imagine Trumps inaugurationand his love of import tariffsplayed no role in Elkanns decision. This story was originally featured on Fortune.com President Trumps second term is coming into much sharper focus in its first 72 hours delighting his supporters but ringing loud alarm bells for liberal Americans. Trump has been delivering on the shock and awe approach that his allies promised. The first president since the 19th century to serve nonconsecutive terms, Trump has used his newly regained powers to declare a national emergency at the southern border; designate Mexican drug cartels as terrorist organizations; assail diversity, equity and inclusion programs within the federal government; withdraw from the Paris climate accord and the World Health Organization; and rescind almost 80 policies enacted by his predecessor, former President Biden. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Most controversially of all, Trump pardoned almost all the people convicted of offenses related to the Capitol riot of Jan. 6, 2021, and commuted the sentences of the remainder. The actions cover several people convicted of seditious conspiracy, a larger number convicted of assaulting or obstructing law enforcement officers and a grand total including those still facing charges of more than 1,500 people. About 140 law enforcement officers were injured during the riot, which had been inflamed in large part by Trumps false claims of election fraud. Even many Republicans seemed unenthused by Trumps Jan. 6 pardons, with Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) telling reporters at the Capitol on Wednesday he would not second guess the commander in chief. Were not looking backwards, were looking forwards, Johnson added. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Beyond the pardons, the new presidents first days back at the White House have offered a bracing reminder of the chaotic showmanship in which he revels. Trump has danced with a sword to the Village Peoples Y.M.C.A, given impromptu remarks to reporters about subjects including Russian President Vladimir Putin and verbally attacked the Episcopalian bishop of Washington on social media. As if that was not enough, Trump ally Elon Musk ignited a firestorm of his own when he twice made a gesture that resembled a fascist salute during a rally at Washingtons Capital One Arena on Monday. Others, including the Anti-Defamation League, have argued Musks gesture was awkward but meant to show his heart was with Trump supporters. In total, Trumps actions have elicited a mix of shock and familiarity among the presidents fans and foes alike. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Elected Republicans have welcomed his actions. In two of many examples, Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) wrote on social media, I completely support designating certain Mexican and other foreign drug cartels as foreign terrorist organizations under U.S. law, and Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) enthused that Trumps Cabinet picks are all change agents who are ready to disrupt the deep state. On social media, pro-Trump Americans have posted about promises made, promises kept a reminder that Trumps plans were no secret when the electorate handed the keys to the White House back to him last November. Conservative commentator Megyn Kelly wrote on social media: Its like we went to sleep, woke up and all of our dreams have come true. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For liberals, however, the dream is a nightmare. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) made reference to the Musk gesture in an Instagram post on Tuesday in which she said, If youre cool and want to defend the Sieg Heils and the Nazi salutes whatever you want to do, thats on you. Im on the opposite side of that. Im not with the Nazis. Ocasio-Cortez was among a number of Democrats, including Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), who stayed away from Trumps inauguration. The bishop with whom Trump has clashed, Mariann Budde, urged him during her National Prayer Ceremony sermon to have mercy on people who are scared by his policies and on gay and trans people who fear for their lives. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On ABCs The View on Wednesday, the bishop said she wanted to emphasize respecting the honor and dignity of every human being. For Democrats and liberals, there is much to grapple with in Trumps return to power. They once believed he had been vanquished by Bidens victory in the 2020 election and that his rhetoric leading up to the Capitol riot had put the final nail in his political coffin. Some also believed that one term of Trump had been more than enough for voters to tire of his taste for controversy and verbal combat. None of that proved true, as the former president returned to power with a clear win in November. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Now he sits at the apex of his power, with GOP majorities in the House and Senate, the Republican ranks in both chambers filled with loyalists and all but bereft of dissenters. The Supreme Court has a 6-3 conservative majority, buttressed by the three justices nominated by Trump during his first term. Trumps powers extend into the cultural realm too. At his inauguration, the prominence accorded to tech titans Mark Zuckerberg and Jeff Bezos, as well as Musk, was evidence of the de facto backing Trump now enjoys from a Silicon Valley elite that once regarded him with skepticism if not outright scorn. Given the new presidents political dominance, not all Democrats have opted for a stance of outright opposition. Some have chosen to try to trim down their political vulnerabilities on Trumps strongest issues. The first major legislation taken up by the new Congress was the Laken Riley Act, which mandates the detention of migrants without legal status charged with burglary, theft and shoplifting. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Twelve Senate Democrats joined their Republican colleagues in voting for the measure on Monday. But even if some Democrats are trying to minimize their vulnerabilities on immigration, that issue is only one detail in a much bigger picture. The bottom line is that the opposition party is bracing for four more years like the past three days. For Democrats, its a bleak prospect. 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. LOWER MANHATTAN Three men accused of targeting patrons of gay clubs, fatally drugging them, and then draining their victims accounts of tens of thousands of dollars were on trial on Wednesday. Tears were shed in the courtroom, both on the witness stand, and in the gallery. The emotion came from family members of the two men who died. Julio Ramirez, 25, and John Umberger, 33, passed away in separate incidents in 2022 in which toxicology tests showed fentanyl, lidocaine and other toxic substances in their blood. More Local News Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Neither had a history of using those drugs, and both had apparently been in the company of a small group of men in the last few hours before their deaths. Prosecutors and investigators said that the three men on trial were in the group that targeted the victims. Jacob Barroso, 31, Robert DiMaio, 35, and Jayqwan Hamilton, 36 were seated at the defense table on Wednesday. Victims advocates handed a box of tissues to the mother of victim Julio Ramirez as opening arguments got underway. She wept silently as prosecutors gave their account of what had happened to him in the spring of 2022. They said that after partying at the Ritz, a gay nightclub in Manhattan, Ramirez, a social worker, was drugged by a group of men whod been with him in a taxicab, and then abandoned him in the cab, after taking Ramirezs phone. The cabdriver found Ramriez dead in the back seat and called police, who launched an investigation. They found that $17,000 had been drained from Ramirezs accounts, through his stolen smartphone. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Social workers last selfie before mysterious NYC taxi death A similar fate befell Umberger, 33, in April 2022, about a month after Ramirez was found dead. Umberger, a political consultant, was targeted at another gay club, called The Q, and was drugged, died, and had 22,000 dollars drained from his accounts, according to prosecutors. All three defendants pled not guilty in court on Wednesday to felony murder, robbery, and conspiracy charges. Another family member of a victim was in court on Wednesday, on the witness stand. Thats where Linda Clary, the mother of victim John Umberger, testified. She came to New York from the Atlanta area, where she lives, to take the stand. There, she talked about how shed quickly figured out that her son was in danger when she hadnt heard from him after hed had a night out in the city. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement NYC club goers tell late social workers friend they were drugged, too Clary was one of a variety of witnesses called on Wednesday. The witness list also included another man whod allegedly been targeted by the suspects, drugged, and whod had his two phones stolen, and his accounts drained. He survived the incident. The police officer whod found Umbergers body also testified. Prosecutors said that the cabdriver whod found Ramirez dead in his vehicle is also on the witness list. The trial is scheduled to continue 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 PIX11. SHREVEPORT, La. (KTAL/KMSS) The Junior Achievement (JA) of North Louisiana is looking for mentors for their upcoming lunch. More education news The non-profit aims to inspire and prepare young adults for success. They provide several ways to get involved: Volunteering either in-person or virtually Schools and parents may get involved with activities, guides, thought leadership, and other additional resources that may help support learning Corporations and/or individuals to help fund the programs that are delivered to local students Their upcoming student & mentor lunch is on Thursday, February 20, 2025, from 10:30 a.m. to 1:45 p.m. at the Shreveport Convention Center; they need 140 mentors for this free community event. This high-impact, work-readiness initiative will host 13 high schools with 400 students and is geared to engage in round-table discussions with local industry professionals. This event will help students understand real-world experiences, insights, readiness, and opportunities and empower them to envision their future. It will help bridge the gap and connect their education to how it can apply to them professionally and personally. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement There is no cost to attend. Advance registration is required, and sponsorship opportunities are available. New timekeeping system in Caddo Schools draws privacy, security concerns from staff According to the Junior Achievement (JA) of North Louisiana, the following impact stats were from 2023-2024 on a national basis: 4,630,710 students reached 115,439 classes 174,723 volunteers 19,719 schools reached Get involved with volunteering or donating to the future of North Louisiana. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. A Merrillville dad got a split term Thursday after his 3-year-old son King Penro picked up a loaded gun tossed on the bed and fatally shot himself in the chest. Kyle Penro, 29, pleaded guilty Nov. 15 to neglect of a dependent resulting in serious bodily injury, a Level 3 felony, and neglect of a dependent, a Level 6 felony. He was originally charged with neglect of a dependent resulting in catastrophic injury, a Level 1 felony, and two counts of neglect of a dependent, both Level 6 felonies. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Judge Salvador Vasquez sentenced him to two years in prison and three years probation. Under Indiana law, he will serve 75%, about 18 months behind bars. Penros family filled most of the courtroom. His lawyer Randall Cable said it was a tragic accident. The boys mother Letoyia Morrow said Penro, her partner, was devastated by what happened. She couldnt bring herself to talk with him about it. She knew what happened from newspaper articles. It was so traumatic, she was not prepared to really know. Normally, the gun was kept in a safe nearby, she said, while answering a series of Vasquezs questions. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Merrillville Police responded Dec. 4, 2023, to the 3100 block of W. 79th Place. A medic was carrying the boy out of the house. Kyle Penro came outside completely distraught and crying, telling the officer it was his son. The officer asked where the gun was. Penro told police he picked up the kids after work from their babysitters. He was lying on his bed, playing with his 2-year-old twin girls, when he remembered the loaded gun in his pocket. He took it out and put it on the bed behind him while talking on the phone with the boys mother. He heard a loud bang, turned around and saw the boy bleeding from his chest. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Penro hung up with the woman, called 911, then got towels to apply pressure. He didnt see the boy holding the gun. He was a parent who in a single moment made a mistake, Cable said. The guilt over his sons death is a far greater punishment than you could do to him, Cable said. Deputy Prosecutor Michelle Jatkiewicz said Penro was undoubtedly a good person but the child was dead and there needed to be consequences. He should have protected all three kids from what happened, she said. Any child would be curious with something on the bed, she said. Unfortunately, that curiosity cost him his life, Jatkiewicz said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Penro has one job to keep them safe and failed horribly, she added. Penro spoke briefly in court, saying he never thought anything like that would happen and would have to always live with it. Ill never see my son again, he said. Vasquez noted they saw very similar cases, where a child found a loaded gun in the home with dire consequences. You did neglect your children, he said. You really failed. After the hearing, a couple of dozen of Penros loved ones lingered emotionally in the hallway. A man, who said he was the boys grandfather but did not provide his name, said Penro was raised right and implied he shouldnt have gone to prison. Another man said Penro carried a weapon to protect himself while working. mcolias@post-trib.com German conservative leader Friedrich Merz on Thursday demanded further deportations of foreign criminals, as the long-simmering dispute over the country's migration policy escalated following the fatal stabbing in the southern city of Aschaffenburg. Merz, the favourite to become Germany's next chancellor after elections on February 23, said on Thursday that "the limit has finally been reached" following the latest attack, in which a 2-year-old child and a 41-year-old man were killed. The suspect in the incident is a 28-year-old Afghan asylum seeker with a reported history of mental illness who was due to be deported. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "We are faced with a shambles of an asylum and immigration policy that has been misguided in Germany for 10 years," said Merz in Berlin, alluding to former chancellor Angela Merkel's decision to allow hundreds of thousands of asylum seekers to enter Germany in 2015. Merz, from the centre-right Christian Democrats (CDU), said that attacks committed by migrants in German cities including Mannheim, Solingen and Magdeburg in the past year cannot become the "new normality." If he does become chancellor, Merz pledged to instruct the Interior Ministry to introduce permanent checks on all German borders and turn back all migrants attempting to enter the country, including those who may be entitled to protection. European Union rules on asylum are dysfunctional, he argued. "Germany must therefore make use of its right to prioritize national law," he added. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Deportations and returns must "take place on a daily basis" and the number must be increased, the CDU leader said. Merz asserted that his proposed reforms would be central to any future coalition government. "Compromises are no longer possible on these issues," he argued. His stance was echoed by Bavarian Premier Markus Soder, whose Christian Social Union (CSU) is in alliance with the CDU at the national level. "Our motto must be security first," said Soder, calling for a guiding principle of "zero tolerance, zero compromise" on migration. Germany is a humane country, he said. "But in the end, this cannot be at the expense of our own population." AfD'sWeidel demands end to 'firewall' The leader of the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD), Alice Weidel, also reacted to the Aschaffenburg attack, demanding an immediate parliamentary vote on closing the country's borders. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Weidel, the party's candidate for chancellor in the German election on February 23, said the conservative CDU/CSU bloc must abandon its "firewall" on cooperation with the AfD in order to pass legislation on the "closure of borders and turning back of illegal immigrants." "There must be no more firewall deaths," Weidel said on X on Thursday. Merz has repeatedly ruled out cooperating with the AfD, who are second in the polls. Interior Minister attacks Bavarian authorities Germany last year introduced border checks - despite Schengen Area rules on free movement - following the attack on a festival in the western city of Solingen which left three dead in August. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Interior Minister Nancy Faeser has signalled she intends to extend the checks beyond March 2025. On Thursday, Faeser said Bavarian officials must explain why the Afghan suspect in the attack was still at large at the time of the stabbings, despite having earlier committed several violent offences. "Obviously some things went wrong in Bavaria," she said. Her comments came after Chancellor Olaf Scholz on Wednesday said he was "tired of such acts of violence taking place in [Germany] every few weeks." Investigations must now focus on why the perpetrator was still in Germany and how the local police and justice system had dealt with him, Faeser said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "The rule of law must show toughness. That includes the authorities, police and judiciary," said Faeser. She said the current German government has "massively tightened" laws on the deportation of violent offenders, allowing for more deportations and more security in public spaces through weapons bans and controls. Germany is also the only country in Europe to have deported criminals to Afghanistan since the Taliban's return to power, Faeser said, while revealing that efforts are being made to prepare further flights. If you were surprised to see yourself suddenly following President Donald Trump on Instagram and Facebook this week, its not because Meta forced you to, the social media company says. The apps @POTUS, @FLOTUS and @VP accounts transfer over with each new administration. Subscribe to The Post Most newsletter for the most important and interesting stories from The Washington Post. But online, unfounded claims swirled that Meta had worked with the new Trump administration to promote their accounts. Some even speculated the company had acquired TikTok over the weekend to further consolidate Americans social media options. Some called for a boycott of Meta platforms, which include Instagram, Threads and WhatsApp. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If TikTok is gone, they get all the ad money back, said one video, discussing Metas alleged involvement in the ban. And taking all your data for themselves in the meantime. This is the same procedure we followed during the last presidential transition, Meta spokesman Andy Stone said on Threads on Wednesday. It may take some time for follow and unfollow requests to go through as these accounts change hands. Meta has been the regular subject of controversy for years - protesters organized an early Quit Facebook Day in 2010 over what they said were confusing and limited privacy controls. More than a decade later, the short-lived ban on competing app TikTok, combined with a new president flanked by tech billionaires at his inauguration, set off a new wave of anti-Meta frustration and paranoia this week among users. Many took to the internet to wonder aloud about the perils of mass data collection and alleged government-controlled social media. Some are deleting their accounts in protest. Others are settling in for the ride. Michael Raine, 50, stayed on Facebook and Instagram while the apps weathered other scandals, such as when a whistleblower revealed internal research in 2021 indicating that Instagram harms the mental health of young girls. But when Meta adjusted its content policies this January to stop third-party fact-checking and relaxed its rules around hate speech, Raine reconsidered. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He didnt want to see anti-LGBTQ+ content on his feed, he said. He also didnt want to contribute to the sprawling wealth of Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, who stood behind Trump during his Monday inauguration along with other tech billionaires. I cant imagine that I personally can make any difference in their wealth, power or influence, he said. But I cant be a part of offering them my life and my joy to then turn it back around and make money off of me. Seeing chatter on TikTok about Metas data collection sealed the deal, Raine said. He has been reaching out to a list of about 50 friends he would like to stay in touch with out of his about 9,000 Facebook connections, he said. When he is done, he says he will delete the account. This isnt the first time ire around Meta, which the Federal Trade Commission accused of being a monopoly in 2020, has sparked an exodus. In 2018 the discovery that political consulting firm Cambridge Analytica had harvested data from more than 87 million Facebook users for political advertising led some users - including the business pages for Elon Musks Tesla and SpaceX - to quit. Last year, artists on Instagram organized to leave the app in protest of Metas AI training policies. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The incidents havent stopped Metas money and user base from growing: It reported $40.59 billion in revenue during the third quarter of 2024, a 19 percent increase from the year before according to financial filings. And while the share of U.S. teens who use Facebook plummeted from 71 percent in 2014 to 32 percent in 2024, according to Pew Research, the app saw growth among users ages 18 to 29 last year due to Marketplace and Groups features, Meta has said. But for some young users who were children or teens during PR meltdowns such as Cambridge Analytica, the recent crop of critical claims about Meta may be the first they have entertained. Some videos on TikTok accused Zuckerberg of orchestrating the apps ban - and indeed, Meta paid a consulting firm to malign TikTok. Others asked why Meta hasnt received the same legal treatment as TikTok if it also collects vast amounts of hyper-specific user information. A few poked fun at Zuckerbergs recent statements on the Joe Rogan Experience podcast about culturally neutered workplaces with insufficient masculine energy. Others spread unsupported claims about Metas relationship with the Trump administration after many were startled to see themselves following Trump, Vice President JD Vance and first lady Melania Trump. Meta spokesman Stone said on Threads that the accounts for those positions change with each new administration. Rasheq Zarif, a 43-year-old in San Francisco, said he is seriously considering leaving Facebook in light of Zuckerbergs presence at Trumps inauguration and the companys recent policy changes eliminating fact-checking. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I have done my best to block and unfollow specific content thats being pushed to me, but the amount of content thats irrelevant or trying to skew my opinions is overwhelming, he said. A Silicon Valley veteran, Zarif sees the industrys alignment with the new administration as a sign that Trump will have more influence over the tech industry going forward. Users who dont like it have limited options for pushing back. A Washington Post investigation in 2021 found that Facebook collects data about you even when youre not using the app or dont have an account. As for Zarif, he said leaving social media could give this generation an opportunity to connect with whats important in their lives. Pick up the phone and call a friend. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Related Content With the Super Bowl in sight, D.C. fans get their swagger back Is that hoodie Lululemon or a Costco dupe? No one has to know but you. The intriguing phenomenon helping planes slingshot across the Atlantic at 800 mph (Bloomberg) -- At a packed press conference in the muggy port town of Dos Bocas, Mexicos energy minister unveiled a bold plan to fast-track construction of the countrys largest oil refinery to date, a flagship project under the government of then-President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador. Most Read from Bloomberg Rocio Nahle told the reporters gathered in 2019 that borrowing designs from a previously scrapped refinery venture would save taxpayers a fortune, keep the facility within its $8 billion budget and have it up and running in just three years. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement More than five years later, the Dos Bocas refinery is still unfinished. Its price tag recently surpassed $20 billion, making it one of the costliest projects to emerge during the administration of Lopez Obrador, known as AMLO. The need to get the plant operating is all the more urgent as newly inaugurated US President Donald Trump threatens to slap 25% tariffs on Mexican imports, including crude oil, by Feb. 1. Questions remain about whether Mexico can maintain its strategy of exporting crude to the US while re-importing finished fuels, especially as its refineries continue to operate at limited capacity. The delays at Dos Bocas amplify the challenges awaiting AMLOs successor, Claudia Sheinbaum. Since taking office in October, shes doubled down on his promise to make Mexico energy sovereign by producing and refining all the fuel it consumes. As state oil company Petroleos Mexicanos, or Pemex, struggles to trim its nearly $100-billion debt load and revive flagging output, resolving the snags at Dos Bocas is crucial. Currently, Pemex is encountering problems integrating the plants various subsections, separate projects which have been managed by a number of subcontractors, according to people familiar with the matter. As of Wednesday, Dos Bocas had shut down due to quality issues with the oil it needs to make fuels, a document seen by Bloomberg showed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Were a long way from the rhetoric of Dos Bocas meeting the reality, said Pablo Zarate, an energy analyst at FTI Consulting. Mexico isnt going to stop importing fuel from the US anytime soon. Pemex declined to comment on the reasons for the delays and the latest timeline for Dos Bocas startup. The decision to use old blueprints for the refinery has had far-reaching consequences, said Bernardo Del Castillo, founder and chief executive of Soteria Consulting in Abu Dhabi. Dos Bocas has continued to face problems due to failures in design, and the absolute mistake of skipping the FEED stage, said Del Castillo, referring to front-end engineering design, an approach used to control project expenses before construction begins. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Since many of Dos Bocas plans were borrowed from a refinery planned in a mountainous part of Mexico, the facility doesnt have the equipment to work at a lower, more humid altitude, Del Castillo said. Other factors such as altitude, pressure, humidity are always affecting the refining process. Design flaws are just some of the many stumbling blocks faced by Pemex in recent years as it works to get Dos Bocas up and running and make good on AMLOs vow to quit Mexicos reliance on imported fuel. Sinkholes during the construction of the site, built over a mangrove swamp, led to concerns about flooding and weakened foundations. Fires, infighting among lawmakers, and lawsuits over the refinerys environmental impact have been among the setbacks for Dos Bocas. Even after the plant was inaugurated in 2022, Dos Bocas still wasnt making fuel, and the setbacks continued as the refinery entered the testing phase. The entire facility went offline in September and October because of a minor electrical issue, Pemexs Chief Executive Officer Victor Rodriguez said in November. Dos Bocas antiquated technology means that if one part isnt functioning, the whole plant could go dark, according to John Padilla, managing director of IPD Latin America, an energy consultancy. The facility is also still waiting for key resources, including a major gas pipeline, to be finished so it can ramp up key parts of the refining process, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Pemex didnt deploy the most modern technology in construction of the refinery, Padilla said. Well continue to see these shutdowns. Despite repeated promises that the refinery would be running at full tilt by the end of AMLOs term, slashing fuel imports by the start of this year, the facility has yet to produce commercial quantities of gasoline. To be sure, refineries are large, complex facilities that often have hiccups at the beginning of their operational lives. Completing Dos Bocas, which has over 3,200 kilometers (1,988 miles) of pipe that could stretch from Mexico City to Houston and back, is no easy task. But at least a portion of Dos Bocas startup pains can likely be attributed to Mexicos decision to go it alone in the refinerys construction. AMLO handed the project to Pemex, canceling a tender when bidders including US engineering firm Bechtel Group Inc. and Argentinas Techint Group balked at meeting his ambitious timeline and budget. That led investors to raise concerns. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Mexico is banking on Dos Bocas to rescue its shambolic fuel refining industry. Pemexs six other refineries in Mexico two of which are over 100 years old have been plagued in recent years by fires, explosions and accidents. Excluding the Deer Park refinery in Houston, Pemexs refineries had operated at less than 50% of their total installed capacity for the third month in a row as of the end of 2024. Dos Bocas was processing fuels at 17.5% capacity by the end of December, according to company data compiled by Bloomberg, though much of it has been ultra-low sulfur diesel produced from already-refined diesel stock. While Mexicos imports of diesel and gasoline have fallen in recent years as fuelmaking creeps up, the country is still far from self-sufficiency. AMLO promised repeatedly that Mexico would produce all the fuel it consumes by the end of his term, yet it still imports more than half the gasoline it uses, according to Mexico City-based consultancy EMPRA. Pemexs downstream business also hurts overall profitability. The company, the worlds most indebted oil firm, lost an estimated $34 per barrel of oil refined in the third quarter, according to IPDs Padilla. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Despite its startup woes, Mexico already considers Dos Bocas the crown jewel in its refining portfolio. At full capacity, the facility is equipped to process 340,000 barrels of crude per day into 170,000 barrels of gasoline and 120,000 barrels of diesel. Analysts, investors, and even Pemex employees are skeptical the plant will ever reach that level of production, however. Trump, meanwhile, has said he wants to impose a 25% tariff on all products from Canada and Mexico, including crude oil. If Mexico cant export crude to the US and re-import finished fuels, it will likely have to find other trade partners. Its largest export markets for crude include Taiwan, India, South Korea and Spain. Mexico needs to look for alternatives to shipping crude into the US and re-importing fuel, FTIs Zarate said. That may include increasing trade with the rest of the world, because refining at Dos Bocas isnt going to be available for some time. --With assistance from Lucia Kassai. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2025 Bloomberg L.P. Mexico is building large emergency reception centres near the border with the United States for repatriated citizens in response to US President Donald Trump's mass deportation plans. In the city of Ciudad Juarez, across the border from the Texan city of El Paso, workers have erected metre-high steel structures for temporary centres. Pope Francis celebrated a mass at the same location during a visit to Mexico in 2016. A total of nine temporary centres for thousands of Mexican migrants who may be deported from the US are to be built along the approximately 3,200-kilometre border, the government of President Claudia Sheinbaum announced on Tuesday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Soldiers will operate field kitchens there and authorities will provide the migrants with identification documents. The shelters are part of the "Mexico welcomes you" programme, devised by the Mexican government in case Trump fulfils his electoral promise of mass deportations. The US president said he wants to take action against immigrants who entered the US illegally or who are in the country without papers. The situation in northern Mexico is tense. Numerous migrants from Central and South America who travelled to the border from the south are stuck there. Some of them saw their previously arranged appointments with the US border control agency CBP to legally enter the country cancelled on Monday immediately after Trump took office for a second term. The New Mexico Law Enforcement Academy in Santa Fe on June 14, 2023. (Photo by Austin Fisher / Source NM) The New Mexico state agency tasked with investigating police misconduct was slated to meet today to discuss its autonomy, but the meeting has been scrapped for unknown reasons. The Law Enforcement Certification Board scheduled, and then canceled, a special meeting set to occur at the Santa Fe County Sheriffs Office this afternoon, according to official notices posted to its website. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The notice originally said the meeting was postponed, but when asked whether the meeting has a new date, LECB Operations Officer Laura Escarcida wrote in an email to Source that the meeting has been cancelled and will be rescheduled at a later date. CEO Joshua Calder had called the meeting to discuss his concerns about the boards independence from the Department of Public Safety. In a leaked Jan. 6 email, Calder expressed to the board his interpretation of the need for separation between his office and DPS. Sen. Antonio Moe Maestas (D-Albuquerque) in 2023 carried the law that created the LECB. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On Wednesday, Maestas declined to comment on the board or its internal dynamics, but said he doesnt think DPS has ever before had an agency administratively attached to it. DPS didnt know how to do that, nor did they ask, he said. Youve got to do administrative stuff that apparently DPS didnt do, and it created this confusion. So, Maestas said, he will introduce a bill this session relating to police training, that will further clarify the relationship between LECB and DPS. None of the 10 active board members have responded to voicemails or emails sent today and yesterday seeking comment on the meetings cancellation. ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) The New Mexico Supreme Court on Thursday cleared the way for an antidiscrimination lawsuit to proceed against the states largest school district, ruling that public schools and universities can be sued for discriminatory conduct under the New Mexico Human Rights Act. The ruling stems from a 2018 case in which a high school teacher in Albuquerque was accused of cutting off one Native American girls hair and asking another if she was dressed as a bloody Indian during class on Halloween. That 16-year-old Navajo student was in a costume and had fake blood on her cheek. Outrage over the girls treatment prompted legislation in New Mexico and elsewhere to prohibit discrimination based on hairstyle and religious head garments. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The NMHRAs protections against numerous forms of discrimination must be read against the backdrop of this states unfortunate history of race-based discrimination, including that history transpiring within our public schools," the court wrote. The intent to prohibit discrimination in public schools has been apparent since the inception of statehood. The ruling concluded that public schools are a place of public accommodation under terms of the states antidiscrimination law, affirming a lower court's 2023 decision. The court wrote that public schools do not restrict their services in a way that makes their use private, and it noted that the state constitution mandates that public schools in New Mexico be open to all children. The justices also overturned a 1981 opinion stating public universities were not a public accommodation when it came to the manner and method of administering academic programs. The question about universities was raised in the appeal. The legal wrangling began when the American Civil Liberties Union of New Mexico sued Albuquerque Public Schools and a teacher over allegations of discrimination and fostering a hostile learning environment. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement English teacher Mary Jane Eastin was dressed up for Halloween as what the lawsuit described as a voodoo witch and initiated a game in which she would ask students questions, rewarding those who answered correctly with marshmallows while giving dog food to those who didnt. At some point, Eastin asked a Native American student whether she liked her braids and then cut off about three inches with scissors, sprinkling the hair on her desk, the suit alleges. Eastin also was accused of asking another student, plaintiff McKenzie Johnson, if she was dressed as a bloody Indian. Johnsons mother later told reporters that her daughter was dressed for Halloween as Little Red Riding Hood, with a red paw mark on her face. Johnson said she no longer felt welcome at school. She said in a statement issued Thursday that she feels validated by the ruling. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "No student should endure discrimination or disrespect in the classroom, Johnson said. I hope it serves as a wake-up call for educators to prioritize cultural sensitivity and create inclusive environments where every student feels valued and respected. At the time, the school districts superintendent publicly apologized and told parents that Eastin would not return to Cibola High School. Eastin's attorney did not immediately respond to an email seeking comment on the ruling. The school district said in an email Thursday that what happened at Cibola High School in 2018 was unacceptable but that district officials were disappointed in the ruling since they believe it improperly expands existing law, bypasses the Legislature and overturns the courts own legal precedent. We fear it will have a negative and chilling impact on public school teachers across the state, the district stated. Nevertheless, the court has made its ruling, and we accept it. Just two days after President Donald Trump announced that the U.S. would pull out of the Paris climate agreement, billionaire Michael Bloomberg said he and other climate funders would provide funding to help cover the countrys contribution to the United Nations climate change body. The pledge will cover 22 percent of the nearly $100 million budget previously provided by America. The other funders were not identified. More and more Americans have had their lives torn apart by climate-fueled disasters, like the destructive fires raging in California. At the same time, the United States is experiencing the economic benefits of clean energy, as costs have fallen and jobs have grown in both red and blue states. The American people remain determined to continue the fight against the devastating effects of climate change, the former New York City mayor said in a statement. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change Executive Secretary Simon Stiell said that the contribution is vital in enabling the UN Climate Change secretariat to support countries in fulfilling their commitments under the Paris agreement and a low-emission, resilient, and safer future for everyone. Billionaire Michael Bloomberg speaks at the Global Renewables Summit in New York City last September. Bloomberg pledged to support the body after Trump pulled U.S. funding (Getty Images for Bloomberg Phila) The international treaty was struck in 2015, in an attempt to address future peril and suffering driven by climate change. The commitment was signed by nearly 200 members of the body, including the U.S. under former President Barack Obama, before Trump withdrew during his first term. He had cited an cited an unfair economic burden imposed on the U.S. This marks the second time Bloomberg has stepped in to help uphold funding and reporting commitments under the Paris agreement. In 2017, he pledged up to $15 million to support the body. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Bloomberg ran for mayor of New York City as a member of the Republican Party in 2001, besting challenger Mark Green. His victory marked the first time two Republicans had been elected consecutively to City Hall. In 2007, he announced he was unaffiliated with any political party before winning as a Republican again in 2009. He set his sights on a higher office in 2019, announcing that he was running for president in the 2020 election. But, he suspended his campaign in March of 2020, endorsing Vermonts Democratic Senator Bernie Sanders. Bloomberg and Trump have traded blows in recent years. Bloomberg called Trump a carnival barking clown and Trump blasted him over spending, calling him mini Mike. While the bodys core budget is made up of contributions from governments, other parts can accept contributions from philanthropies and other organizations, according to Reuters. Bloomberg Philanthropies already contributed $4.5 million last year, the news agency said. The bodys main budget lines total around $250 million for 2024-2025, with about half of that expected to be allocated for this year. But, an October analysis found that it is experiencing a severe budget shortfall. Former New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg, President Donald Trump and Vice president J.D. Vance attend the annual 9/11 Commemoration Ceremony in New York City last September. This is the second time Trump has pulled the U.S. out of the Paris climate agreement (Getty Images) We continue to work relentlessly, but our resources are increasingly over-stretched, a spokesperson told Reuters then. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Bloomberg Philanthropies said that the U.S. can slash atmosphere-warming greenhouse gas emission by 54 to 62 percent by 2035 even without federal climate action, citing research from the University of Maryland. This analysis shows how U.S. subnational actors can significantly contribute to and potentially deliver on the U.S. goals under the Paris agreement, the organization wrote. Gina McCarthy, the former White House national climate advisor, said that the Trump administration has failed once again to meet the moment. Just like they did during the last Trump administration, our cities, states, businesses, and local institutions will take the baton of U.S. climate leadership and run with it, she said. Michael Longley, who has died aged 85, was a poet whose graceful and careful work made him one of the most cherished writers of Northern Ireland and, for some, the English-reading world. Longleys instinct was to honour the past, and to celebrate nature. But this came against the backdrop of the Troubles in Northern Ireland his first poems appeared in the early 1970s and along with friends and contemporaries such as Seamus Heaney and Derek Mahon, he wrestled with the problem of how to respond to the violence without appearing to make artistic capital out of it. From the beginning my poet-friends and I resisted the temptation to hitch a ride on yesterdays headlines, to write the poem of the latest atrocity, he said in a lecture. We learnt from each other how complex the situation was, how inadequate the political certainties Green Ireland, Orange Ulster. We knew there was no point in versifying opinion and giving people what they wanted to hear. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Longley approached the horrors in an indirect way. He would sometimes reflect on the changing times, as in his free but learned versions of classical writers including Homer and Tibullus; on other occasions he would link the bereavements of those around him to his own grief at the loss of his father. For example, responding to the time they massacred the 10 linen workers, Longley noted the dentures that were found with the dead, and made an immediate connection with his fathers teeth at his bedside. Later, his poem Ceasefire coincided with the IRAs ceasefire of 1994, and it used an episode at the end of the Iliad to make the need for reconciliation intensely personal: I get down on my knees and do what must be done/ And kiss Achilles hand, the killer of my son. Honours such as the TS Eliot Prize in 2000 for The Weather in Japan enabled readers to see Longley more distinctly from Seamus Heaney There were other times when Longley was able to confront individual deaths with more immediacy. A sequence called Wreaths mourned for those around him; another, called The Ice-Cream Man, linked the list of ice cream flavours Longleys daughter would rhyme off with a litany of the flowers the same daughter put in a bouquet as a tribute to the ice-cream seller when he was murdered. Although poems of the Troubles account for only a small part of Longleys oeuvre, they are revealing about how he wrote. He often relied on his readers ability and willingness to make associations; he drew on a deep immersion in the past and its literature; and his powerful feelings about the natural world led him to name and describe flora and fauna in a way that was rooted in local habitations and names. He and his poetry would often return to Carrigskeewaun in Co Mayo, where he would memorialise The leveret come of age, snipe/ at an angle, then the porpoises/ Demonstration of meaningless smiles. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Longley once helpfully mused that his work could be seen as four long poems a love poem, a nature poem, a poem meditating on war and death and a playful poem on the art of poetry. However true that may be, his collections would wilfully jumble these poems up, again inviting the reader to make the connections between all of them. That self-appraisal also belies the sensuality and humour that run through his work. His cadences are reliably delicate, but this becomes knowingly funny in a poem such as Mr 10, about a fruity Robert Mapplethorpe photograph. The poet imagines the penis and testicles of the picture first as a cucumber and plums, and then ponders the blossom that would have produced them. Part of the excitement in reading Longleys work lay in not knowing what subject he would tackle next, nor how he would treat it: he could use his calm, cultivated public persona to shock and tease as well as to reflect and celebrate. Michael Longley was born in Belfast on July 27 1939. His parents were English, and Longley grew up as a Protestant, although he quickly came to see himself as agnostic, and ultimately atheist. His father was Colonel Richard Longley, who enlisted to fight in the First World War at the age of 19 (Who, following the wrong queue at The Palace, / Joined the London Scottish by mistake), and served again in the Second World War. He showed little interest in Longleys first poetic efforts, and could even be withering about them, but his heroism and public service would have a lasting impact on the poet. He died when Longley was 20. Longley grew up with a twin brother and a sister who was nine years their senior she came to protect the boys from their mothers mood swings. Michael attended the Royal Belfast Academical Institution (known familiarly as Inst), where he learnt his future craft as much by rendering Keats into Latin and Greek as he did by writing his own English poems. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The poet Derek Mahon was in the year below him. They both went on to Trinity College Dublin, where Longley was a classical scholar. He left with what he later called a mediocre degree and, although he wrote less prolifically and precociously than Mahon at the time, he edited Icarus, the colleges creative writing magazine. At this stage his poetry emerged fitfully and impulsively, but he became compelled by the formal discipline of turning spontaneous outpourings into sonnets. As he once observed, his ideas could begin as if they came from Whitman and end up honed into something more like Emily Dickinson. By the time he graduated he was committed to the life of a poet, although for a brief time he was a classics teacher in Dublin and London. The critic Edna Broderick was an early admirer, first of Longleys work, and then of Longley. She reviewed some of his first poetry while she was an undergraduate, also at Trinity. The couple married in 1964, and moved back to Belfast when she accepted a post at Queens University. Gorse Fires: Longley was greatly buoyed by the enthusiastic reviews that greeted its publication in 1991 Looking back on the civil rights movement and the subsequent Troubles, Longley recalled that part of me felt like an appalled outsider, another part anti-Unionist, anti-establishment felt exhilarated. The rest of me wanted to understand what I had hitherto ignored, the darkness and violence in my own community. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement One early response to that violence was to take part, with Seamus Heaney, in a protest march following the events of Bloody Sunday. While negotiating the police and Army roadblocks, the two poets wondered what they would say if asked their religion by paramilitaries. We agreed, Longley said, we would sink or swim by what we were in our eyes not so much Catholic and Protestant as honest and brave. He soon had a chance to prove that he could be both, by taking a job at the Northern Ireland Arts Council, where he organised exhibitions, readings and concerts, as well as running a literary magazine, Causeway. He made it a priority to promote local artists, writers and musicians, and proof that he managed to do so even-handedly between the communities came from the criticism and menaces he received from both sides of the sectarian divide. You cant be an arts administrator in Northern Ireland without having made some foes, he remarked, playfully calling those foes bastards. His first collection, No Continuing City, appeared in 1969. It contains his most formal poetry, and displays the work of someone who would spend sometimes whole nights adapting his thoughts into tight, complex structures. He relied more heavily on rhyme here than he would in later offerings, and the poems of this time still draw comparisons with the Metaphysical poetry of Herbert and Marvell. The collection does contain more personal pieces, however, such as In Memoriam, a tribute to his father. It was with his second volume, An Exploded View (1973), that a more distinctively Northern Irish voice became audible, not least because it began to articulate his own response to the deaths around him. Side by side are the compressed and devastating Kindertotenlieder, about a child killed in his bed, and Wounds, which stitches together scenes from the Somme as Longleys father experienced it and the murder of a bus driver in his own home. Longley in the centre of a group of poets and politicians for an event in the Queens Reading Room at Hillsborough Castle during Queen Camillas official visit to Northern Ireland in March 2024 - PA Images/Alamy Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In 1979 he published The Echo Gate, and then was all but silent for the next 12 years. During this time, he gave his full attention to his work, but was blocked, perhaps by a kind of perfectionism. At least, he could tell when a poem of his lacked Ednas full approval, and he would remark that if it were not for her his output would have been three times the size. This was in part joke, and in part tribute to his wifes wisdom and honesty. When he took early retirement in 1991, his last day at work was also the day Gorse Fires appeared. It is sometimes called his comeback collection, and, although he appeared indifferent at the time, he was greatly buoyed by its overwhelmingly positive reviews. He later confessed to feigning slight difficulty in hearing when someone praised him, really so that he could hear a kind remark again. The outward-looking nature of Gorse Fires and later work may help to explain why critics no longer compared him unfavourably with Philip Larkin, or linked him easily with The Group (poets who were encouraged or, in Longleys case, less encouraged, by Philip Hobsbaum at Queens University in the 1960s). Honours such as the TS Eliot Prize in 2000 for The Weather in Japan also enabled a wider readership to see him more distinctly from Seamus Heaney. Longley made good fun of Heaneys celebrity: once, a woman rushed to him after a reading, delighted to have met the man to whom Heaney had dedicated a poem. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He was awarded the Queens Medal for Poetry in 2001, and when he met the late monarch they discussed how George V had given Longleys father the Military Cross. Longley was appointed CBE in 2010, and was a member of Aosdana, the Irish body of 250 outstanding artists. Last year he was the subject of a BBC documentary, Michael Longley: Where Poems Come From. He is survived by Edna Longley and their two daughters and a son. Michael Longley, born July 27 1939, died January 22 2025 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. Micheal Martin officially became Irelands taoiseach a day late after a chaotic row led to the Irish parliament being suspended. Efforts to formally name Mr Martin were abandoned amid uproar over whether independent members of his new coalition government could be allocated opposition speaking time. The Dail reconvened at 11.40am on Thursday to proceed with the nomination of a taoiseach after extensive negotiations resulted in agreement that parliamentary rules needed to be reviewed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It is the second time the 64-year-old Fianna Fail leader will serve as Irelands premier after parliamentarians voted 95 to 76 to appoint him. It is a profound honour to be nominated to serve as head of the government in a free, democratic and diverse republic, Mr Martin said. I could not be more thankful to all of those who have been at my side and have helped me to achieve the honour of being nominated to serve as taoiseach. He said he would begin operating a new systematic approach to consultation and cooperation with the UK after the strains of the Brexit years and tensions with previous Conservative governments. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The UK would remain a close social, cultural and economic neighbour for us, he said. Ireland would not be naive about the challenges presented by the new Trump presidency, he added. President Trump has threatened the EU with tariffs. He has also pulled the US out of the OECD and threatened countries, like Ireland, that impose its minimum tax rates on US multinationals. Dublin signed up to the OECD tax regime in 2021, raising its corporate tax rate to a new global minimum of 15 per cent from 12.5 per cent. Our relationship of kinship with the United States is older than our state. It has endured because we have continued to renew bonds of respect and cooperation, Mr Martin said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Equally, the Ireland-America relationship is one which benefits us both and it will emerge strongly no matter what, he said. The Fianna Fail leader gives his inaugural address to the Dail - Maxwell's/PA Mr Martin was taoiseach for the first two-and-a-half years of Irelands last government, which was a coalition between his party, traditional rivals Fine Gael and the Greens. That pact pioneered the rotating taoiseach mechanism which saw the top office swapped between the leaders of Fianna Fail and Fine Gael midway through the term, which began in 2020. The arrangement will be repeated, although on a three-to-two-year basis in favour of Fianna Fail in recognition of the partys 10-seat lead over Fine Gael after elections held in November. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Instead of the Greens ensuring the government has a majority, the new coalition has turned to independent MPs. Simon Harris, the outgoing taoiseach, led Fine Gael into those elections after replacing the unpopular Leo Varadkar, who resigned in April with opposition Sinn Fein holding a commanding lead in the polls that had lasted for two years. Mr Harris will take the deputy premier role of tanaiste before the Fianna Fail leader swaps roles with him and he becomes taoiseach for the final two years of the new governments term. Since replacing Mr Varadkar, he had overseen a surge in support for Fine Gael, which beat Sinn Fein in local and European votes before the general election. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He called a general election four months early after outflanking Sinn Fein on immigration and launching a giveaway budget. But as the election campaign entered its final days the Harris hop became the Simon slump. He was forced to apologise after footage of a bad-tempered exchange with a care worker went viral, while Fianna Fail gained support. The second coalition set aside almost a century of animosity between the two centre-Right parties forged from opposing sides of Irelands civil war of the 1920s. 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. Alongside the new House Judiciary Committee Chair Sarah Lightner (R-Springport) and Majority Vice Chair Brian BeGole (Antrim Twp.) House Speaker Matt Hall (R-Richland Twp) lays out House Republican's policy priorities on crime and public safety at a Jan. 22, 2025 press conference. | Kyle Davidson While announcing the new chair of the House Judiciary Committee on Wednesday, Michigan House Speaker Matt Hall (R-Richland Twp.) preemptively quashed conversations on several criminal justice reform bills, pronouncing them dead. Flanked by members of law enforcement from across the state, Hall announced state Rep. Sarah Lightner (R-Springport) as the chair of the House Judiciary Committee, with Rep. Brian BeGole (R-Antrim Twp.) as the majority vice chair, and outlined House Republicans plans to address crime within the state. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The first thing that I want to say to all the crime victims and to all the law enforcement officers in Michigan is the Michigan House Republican majority has your back, and were going to restore your trust in government. Were going to reverse this trend so you feel cared about again, Hall said. Plans to eliminate cash bail and juvenile life without parole are off the table, Hall said, alongside good time and productivity credits, which would allow incarcerated individuals to shorten their sentence through good behavior in prison and participation in programs including vocational and educational programs. Second look policies, which would allow incarcerated individuals to petition for a second look at their sentence after serving 20 years, are also dead, Hall said. Hall also said Republicans would focus on recruiting, retaining and supporting police, pointing to a public safety trust fund as one policy to do that. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Fiscal Year 2025 state budget allocates $75 million for the fund, which is aimed at supporting community violence intervention efforts in Michigan Communities and providing additional resources for police services. While House Democrats introduced policies that would create the fund under state law, lawmakers were unable to finalize bills before the end of the legislative term. House Republicans would also work to restore funding for school resource officers which Hall said have been defunded. Following the passage of the School Aid Budget for Fiscal Year 2025, Republicans slammed Democrats on its funding for school safety and mental health. While the FY 2025 budget included $26.5 million in grants for per-pupil mental health and school safety funding, the FY 2024 budget included $328 million. Detroit Interim Police Chief Todd Bettison discusses the impact community violence Intervention efforts have had on reducing crime in the city during a Jan. 22, 2025 press conference led by Michigan Speaker of the House Matt Hall (R-Richland Twp.). | Kyle Davidson However, the final budget bill noted that $598 million in funding which was used to reimbursed schools for payroll costs for a reduction in payroll taxes was intended to be used to support student mental health, school safety, the educator workforce and academic interventions. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer later approved a $126 million supplemental budget, which she said could be used to hire campus resource officers, upgrade alarm systems, or otherwise spent to address their safety needs. However some Republicans remained unsatisfied, arguing it should have restored funding to the level in the FY 2024 budget. Our youth need to have positive interactions with law enforcement So were going to restore that funding and then dedicate it to school resource officers, Hall said. Additionally, House Republicans will work to make the police a profession people want to enter, Hall said, noting that officers need funding to update aging equipment and arguing that woke prosecutors are not prosecuting criminals, instead prosecuting their political opponents and attempting to prosecute police officers. When asked for an example of one of these prosecutors, Hall pointed to Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel, a Democrat, criticizing her for comments she made about Republican lawmakers and state Rep. Karen Whitsett (D-Detroit) refusal to attend session during the Houses final days in the Capitol last year, calling them literally criminal. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Nessel later told reporters she would not take legal action against them. Nessel, Whitmer and Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson are expected to be the subject of expanded oversight efforts, with House GOP leadership expanding to include six subcommittees including one examining the weaponization of state government. Hall also said Republicans would work hand in hand with President Donald Trumps administration to address undocumented immigration. Michigan Speaker of the House Matt Hall (R-Richland Twp) lays out House Republicans priorities for addressing crime and public safety during a Jan. 22, 2025 press conference. | Kyle Davidson Were going to push back and stop the sanctuary counties and cities, Hall said, referencing cities and counties which limit cooperation with federal authorities in enforcing immigration law. Hall later said he hopes local and state law enforcement should partner with the Trump administration to enforce federal immigration law. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While Trump and his allies have repeatedly sought to tie undocumented immigrants to crime in the United States, many of Trumps claims have been disproven. Additionally, several studies have found noncitizens are less likely to be convicted than those born in the U.S. including a study from the National Bureau of Economic Research which found that immigrants are 60% less likely to have been incarcerated than those born in the U.S. A 2024 analysis from the Marshall Project examined policing data in cities that received a significant number of migrants from Texas since 2022, including New York, Washington, D.C., Chicago and Denver. It found no link between policing data and an influx in migrants, with these cities largely following national trends for large cities. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX The Michigan House of Representatives voted on a pair of bills Thursday to preempt a Michigan Supreme Court ruling ordering an increase to the minimum wage and expanding paid sick leave. Last summer, the court ruled that the GOP-led Legislature acted illegally in 2018 when it adopted a pair of voter initiatives on minimum wage and sick leave and then later amended them in the same legislative session. The court essentially ordered the original minimum wage and sick leave initiatives to go into effect starting Feb. 21. The first bill introduced by Republican lawmakers this session, House Bill 4001, would increase the minimum wage this year to $12.00 an hour instead of $12.48 as ordered by the court. The bill would also preserve a lower minimum wage for restaurant servers and bartenders who receive tips, while the court's order would eventually eliminate the tipped minimum wage by 2030. Currently, under the tip credit system, if customers' tips don't ensure such workers make the minimum wage, their employers pay the difference. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement House Bill 4001 passed 63-41. While most Democrats opposed the bill, six voted in support of it: Democratic state Reps. Carol Glanville of Walker, Peter Herzberg of Westland, Tullio Liberati Jr. of Allen Park, Will Snyder of Muskegon, Karen Whitsett of Detroit and Angela Witwer of Delta Township. State Rep. Brad Paquette, R-Niles, was the lone GOP lawmaker to oppose the bill. Ahead of the vote, several Democrats blasted the legislation as an effort to undermine the court's mandated increase in the minimum wage workers have expected since last summer when the ruling came down. Bill sponsor, state Rep. John Roth, R-Interlochen, said businesses would suffer with the pay increases without intervention. "Our main streets will be transformed into shells of what they once were," he said. Lawmakers also passed House Bill 4002, which would exempt small businesses with fewer than 50 employees from guaranteeing the paid sick leave in the court's order, which requires businesses with 10 or more workers to provide up to at least 72 hours of paid sick leave annually. The House GOP proposal would mean nearly 1.5 million Michigan workers might not have sick leave, Michigan League for Public Policy President and CEO Monique Stanton told lawmakers Jan. 14 during a committee hearing on the legislation. Proponents of the legislation have argued that the forthcoming changes via the court ruling to paid sick leave would place burdensome requirements on businesses. House Bill 4002 passed 67-38, with the support of every GOP lawmaker and nine Democrats: Noah Arbit of West Bloomfield, Tyrone Carter of Detroit, Glanville, Herzberg, Liberati, Amos O'Neal of Saginaw, Snyder, Whitsett and Witwer. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Michigan Legislature: Michigan Senate's Democratic Leader prepares to take legal action against House Shortly after the vote, Michigan AFL-CIO President Ron Bieber expressed dismay with the lawmakers who supported the bills. "Every legislator, regardless of their party, should be held accountable for their vote to cut the pay and benefits for workers most in need. The legislature should respect the Supreme Court ruling and allow the minimum wage to increase and guarantee all workers have the ability to take care of themselves and their families when they are sick," Bieber said in a statement. The Michigan Chamber of Commerce, meanwhile, applauded the votes. Some restaurant servers have rallied for months to preserve the tip credit system in Michigan as part of the "Save MI Tips" campaign tied to the Michigan Restaurant & Lodging Association. "Save MI Tips" spokesperson John Sellek celebrated the passage of House Bill 4001, saying "Michigan is leading the nation by taking action in a bipartisan fashion, placing immense pressure on the Senate to act quickly." One Fair Wage a national organization advocating for the elimination of the tipped minimum wage thanked the Democratic lawmakers who voted against the legislation. "This cruel legislation is a blatant giveaway to corporate interests, and we call on the Michigan Senate to reject it and stand with working families," said One Fair Wage President Saru Jayaraman in a statement Thursday. The group she leads has signaled it may pursue a ballot referendum on any law watering down the court's order. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The bills passed by the House Thursday next head to the Senate for consideration where Democrats in that chamber have introduced their own legislation to amend Michigan's minimum wage and paid sick leave laws. To send changes on those policies to Gov. Gretchen Whitmer for her approval, lawmakers pass the same version of the bills, but the two proposals on the table remain far apart from one another on timeline for changes to the minimum wage and exemptions to paid sick leave for small businesses. This story was updated to add new information. Contact Clara Hendrickson at chendrickson@freepress.com or 313-296-5743. This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Michigan House votes on minimum wage, paid sick leave bills LANSING, Mich. (WLNS) A resolution to allow the Michigan Senate Majority Leader to sue the Speaker of the House for failing to present bills to Governor Whitmer for her approval passed Wednesday. Article IV, Section 33 of the Michigan Constitution requires that every bill passed by the full state legislature must be presented to the governor for approval. However, the resolution says nine bills that were returned to the House for presentation to Governor Whitmer have been deliberately delayed. Despite its constitutional duty, the House of Representatives hs failed to present those bills to the Governor and has advised, through the Speaker of the House, that it will continue holding the bills, reads the resolution. The Constitution does not permit the Houses unilateral decision to delay presenting those bills to the Governor. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As a result, the Senate voted to allow Senate Majority Leader Winnie Brinks to take legal action to force the House to present the nine bills to the Governor. However, Senate Minority Leader Aric Nesbitt (R-Porter Township), is not in support of the resolution, calling it a Dem stunt. It is unfortunate for the people of Michigan that Democrats continue to be divisively partisan instead of working across the aisle with Republicans who are ready to focus on real solutions to the problems facing families across our state, says Nesbitt. Michigan is on the brink of economic disaster next month with 50,000 hospitality industry jobs at stake. While the House is working toward a bipartisan plan to avert this looming catastrophe, Senate Democrats are wasting time on a partisan political stunt. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WLNS 6 News. The ceasefire in Gaza between Israel and Hamas stretched into a fifth day on Thursday. Humanitarian aid groups are working to surge food and supplies to the war-ravaged territory as Palestinians scour through mountains of rubble looking for bodies of those killed by Israeli bombardments during the 15-month war. More than 120 corpses were recovered and brought to hospitals across the Gaza Strip over the past day, the Health Ministry said. It said the overall Palestinian death toll in Gaza exceeds 47,000 people. The ministry doesnt distinguish between combatants and civilians. Israeli tank shelling also killed two Palestinian brothers near their home in southern Gaza, the Health Ministry said. Israel's military said troops fired on armed Palestinians that posed a threat. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In the days since the fragile ceasefire took hold in the Gaza Strip, Israel has launched a major military operation in the occupied West Bank city of Jenin. Israeli soldiers and vehicles were fanned out in the muddy streets Thursday as displaced Palestinian families left the area some carrying suitcases, pets and other belongings. Israel says it's seeking to stamp out militancy in the area. The Palestinian Health Ministry says at least 10 people have been killed in Jenin. ___ Here's the latest: The war in Gaza has taken a devastating toll on kids, says U.N. humanitarian chief UNITED NATIONS The war in Gaza has seen children killed, starved, frozen to death, orphaned and separated from their families, the U.N. humanitarian chief says. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A generation has been traumatized, Tom Fletcher told a U.N. Security Council meeting called by Russia on Thursday about the wars impact on Gazas youngest residents. He said conservative estimates indicate that over 17,000 children are separated from their families. In his video briefing from Stockholm, Fletcher did not give any figures on the number of children killed. But he said, Some died before their first breath perishing with their mothers in childbirth. An estimated 150,000 pregnant women and new mothers are also in desperate need of health services, Fletcher said. He said a million kids in Gaza need mental health and psycho-social support for depression, anxiety and suicidal thoughts, according to the U.N. childrens agency, UNICEF. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement UN says aid is now getting to hard-to-reach areas in Gaza UNITED NATIONS Large volumes of aid are entering Gaza and getting to areas that were hard to reach before the ceasefire, the U.N. humanitarian office reported Thursday. The surge in supplies entering Gaza each day and the return of law and order has allowed aid organizations to significantly scale up the delivery of life-saving assistance and services, the U.N. said. At least 653 aid trucks entered Gaza on Thursday, according to the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, known as OCHA. All of the aid is entering Gaza via crossings from Israel, OCHA said, as the direct Egypt-Gaza crossing remains closed under Israeli forces control. The aid itself is supplied by the U.N., nongovernmental organizations, other countries and the private sector. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Seven trucks of fuel were delivered to northern Gaza by U.N. humanitarian partners for the first time since the ceasefire, OCHA said. The fuel delivered to 20 health facilities in Gaza City would be enough to keep them running for about a week, it said. Since the ceasefire, OCHA said most trucks entering Gaza carried food, but more medicine, shelter materials, water and sanitation supplies are expected in the coming days. Across southern Gaza, the U.N. childrens agency UNICEF is giving out high-energy biscuits and ready-to-use food enough for thousands of infants. Also Wednesday, U.N. partners in southern Gaza distributed medical items and kits for trauma management kits to 14 hospitals. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement US Senate confirms John Ratcliffe to lead the CIA WASHINGTON The U.S. Senate on Thursday confirmed John Ratcliffe as CIA director, giving President Donald Trump the second member of his new Cabinet. The Texas Republican was director of national intelligence during Trumps first term and is the first person to have held that position and the top post at the CIA, the nations premier spy agency. Ratcliffe's predecessor, William Burns, played a key role in brokering the Israel-Hamas ceasefire ceasefire in Gaza. A Hamas militant who died in Israeli prison was tortured, Palestinian officials say JERUSALEM Palestinian officials say that the autopsy of a Hamas militant held by Israel who died in prison last month suggests that he had been tortured. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The alleged abuse likely caused intracranial bleeding, a wound that can result from a serious head injury, the Palestinian Authoritys Commission of Prisoners Affairs said in a statement Thursday. A new autopsy determined that 45-year-old Mohammad al-Aref suffered cuts that pointed to physical assault and excessive use of restraints and blood clots in the left side of his head, limbs, chest and abdomen, according to the commission. Israeli authorities did not respond to a request for comment on the medical report. Al-Aref, from the Nur Shams refugee camp in the northern Israeli-occupied West Bank, spent 20 years in Israeli prison on charges related to national security and was released in 2021. He was arrested again last November. Less than a week later, on Dec. 4, he was transferred to a hospital in northern Israel and pronounced dead. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hamas released a statement condemning his death and claiming him as a member of the militant group. The Palestinian Authority says that Al-Aref is one of dozens of Palestinian prisoners who have died in detention during the war in Gaza. Human rights groups have increasingly raised alarm about the treatment of Palestinian detainees and called for an independent investigation into the deaths of Palestinians in Israeli custody. Israel has announced several investigations into the deaths of detainees. Its Prison Service did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the number of those who had died in Israeli custody since Oct. 7. Israels Netanyahu says Elon Musk is being unfairly criticized over his straight-arm gesture Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement JERUSALEM Israels prime minister says Elon Musk is being unfairly criticized over his straight-arm gesture earlier this week that many social media users said the gesture looked like a Nazi salute. In a post on X, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says Musk has been falsely smeared. He described the worlds richest man as a great friend of Israel. Musk has lashed out at the criticism of his gesture, although right-wing extremists embraced the salute. Israel hints it wants to keep forces in Lebanon past the ceasefire deadline JERUSALEM Israel may seek to delay pulling all of its troops out of southern Lebanon, which would violate the terms of a ceasefire it signed with the militant group Hezbollah. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement An Israeli government spokesperson said Thursday that Israel wants the ceasefire agreement to endure, however he hinted that the Lebanese army wasn't deploying fast enough to secure areas. "There is movement but it is not moving fast enough, said David Mencer. Under the ceasefire deal from November, Hezbollah and Israel are both supposed to withdraw from southern Lebanon by Sunday to allow the Lebanese army and U.N. peacekeepers to provide security. Israel's military also said Thursday it was still finding Hezbollah arms caches in southern Lebanon, including rockets, rifles and ammunition. Israeli tank fire kills 2 brothers in southern Gaza, Palestinian health ministry says DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip Gazas Health Ministry says Israeli tank fire killed two Palestinians near the southern border town of Rafah, days after a ceasefire in the war-battered territory took hold. The Health Ministry said Thursday that Israeli shelling hit the Tel al-Sultan district west of Rafah, killing two brothers near their home. It said the firing apparently targeted a residential building, without elaborating. The Palestinian Civil Defense confirmed it had recovered the two bodies. The Israeli military, which has forces deployed at the nearby border between Gaza and Egypt, said that its troops operated against threats posed to them in the Gaza Strip, in accordance with the terms of the ceasefire agreement. In Rafah, the army said its forces fired on armed Palestinians moving suspiciously near its positions. Troops also fired at an armed individual operating within a structure," it said, while emphasizing Israel was fully committed to the truce deal. Hezbollah says the Lebanese state needs to make sure Israeli forces withdraw by ceasefire deadline BEIRUT The Lebanese militant group Hezbollah said Thursday that any delay in Israeli forces' withdrawal from southern Lebanon would necessitate a firm response from the state. Under the terms of the U.S.-and French-brokered ceasefire, Israeli troops are expected to pull out of Lebanon by Sunday. Israeli media has recently reported that Israel is seeking to postpone the completion of its withdrawal. Hezbollah had warned it could resume rocket and drone fire if Israel failed to withdraw on time. However, in a statement on Thursday addressing these reports, the group called on the Lebanese state to take action in response to potential violations. We call on all parties, especially the Lebanese political authorities, to exert pressure on the countries sponsoring the agreement to ensure the final days of the deadline are monitored effectively, Hezbollah said in a statement. Under the ceasefire deal, Hezbollah and Israel are both supposed to withdraw from southern Lebanon by Sunday to allow the Lebanese army and U.N. peacekeepers to provide security. Lebanese return to a southern town after Israeli forces withdraw NAQOURA, Lebanon Residents returned Thursday to the town of Naqoura near the Lebanon-Israel border, which hosts the headquarters of the U.N. peacekeeping force, after Israeli forces withdrew from the area. Long lines of cars, some waving Hezbollah flags, inched along the coastal road. The Lebanese Army and U.N. peacekeepers had reopened roads, cleared mines and removed unexploded ordnance from residential neighborhoods. Residents of the southern town were among over 1.2 million Lebanese displaced during the Israel-Hezbollah war. Returning residents found their homes and businesses along the main road completely destroyed, some looted. Water and electricity networks lay in ruins. Mosques, health centers and the municipality building were damaged. Rabab Yazbeck, surveyed the collapsed remains of her home. Thank God the most important thing is that were back to our land. The UN migration agency sends its first shelters and sanitation supplies into Gaza AMMAN, Jordan The U.N.s migration agency said Thursday it sent its first convoy of trucks into the Gaza Strip since the ceasefire began, carrying materials for shelters as well as water, sanitation and hygiene supplies to provide relief for approximately 10,000 people. The International Organization for Migration said it sent trucks from Jordan to Gaza carrying 13,000 sleeping mats, 11,000 mattresses, 11,000 blankets, 10,000 pillows with pillowcases, 2,000 plastic sheets, and 1,200 hygiene kits. Around 90% of Gazas population of 2.3 million people has been displaced by the war, and the United Nations estimated last month that 69% of the structures in Gaza have been damaged or destroyed, including over 245,000 homes. 24-year-old Hamas attack survivor will represent Israel at Eurovision TEL AVIV A survivor of the Oct. 7, 2023 Hamas attack will represent Israel at the Eurovision Song Contest to be held in Switzerland in May. Yuval Raphael, 24, won first place in a singing contest on Israeli television that determines Israels entry to Eurovision, a pan-continental pop extravaganza. She won with a performance of the Swedish group ABBAs pop hit Dancing Queen, which she dedicated to the victims of the attack. Raphael survived the Nova music festival in southern Israel as Palestinian militants stormed the event, killing hundreds and taking many hostage during Hamas cross-border raid. She has testified in the Israeli parliament about her experience on Oct. 7. She described hiding from gunmen under piles of dead bodies for eight hours, and said Im going to deal with this thing for the rest of my life. Last years Eurovision was overshadowed by the war in Gaza, with large demonstrations protesting Israels participation. Israels representative, Eden Golan, who ended up taking fifth place in the competition, was kept under tight security. Heavy rain and floods worsen misery for Palestinians displaced in Gaza DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip Although the ceasefire in Gaza has brought an influx of humanitarian aid and a rare respite from Israeli bombardment, it has done little to change the miserable conditions endured by most of the 2 million people displaced by fighting. The winter weather has compounded the hardships of those eking out an existence in tattered tents and makeshift shelters. Heavy rains were flooding tents across the territory, leaving Palestinians shivering in the cold. At one makeshift camp in Deir al-Balah, the downpour Thursday quickly soaked through flimsy tents that seemed to float on pools of muck. Some used sandbags to keep their tents from washing away, while others tried to clear the huge puddles of mud outside their shelters. Barefoot children trod through paths that had become filthy rivers. Residents of the tent camp said they had no choice but to stay put. After the ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas war took effect Sunday, Palestinians returning to their houses said they found only ruins. Israeli forces kill 2 Palestinian militants who carried out West Bank bus attack JERUSALEM Israeli forces have killed two Palestinian militants who carried out a deadly attack on a bus in the West Bank earlier this month. The Israeli military said Thursday that the two men barricaded themselves in a structure in the West Bank village of Burqin and exchanged fire with Israeli troops before they were killed overnight. The army said a soldier was moderately wounded. The military said Mohammed Nazzal and Katiba al-Shalabi were operatives with the Islamic Jihad militant group. The Hamas militant group released a statement claiming the two men were members of its armed wing and praising the bus attack. Hamas and the smaller and more radical Islamic Jihad are allies that sometimes carry out attacks together. Al Jazeera says the Palestinian Authority arrested one of its reporters The Al Jazeera news network says the Palestinian Authority arrested one of its reporters after preventing him from covering an Israeli operation in the occupied West Bank. The Qatar-based news network reported Thursday that its reporter, Mohammed al-Atrash, was arrested from his home. It said Palestinian security forces had earlier prevented him from reporting on a large Israeli military operation in Jenin, an epicenter of Israeli-Palestinian violence in recent years. The Palestinian Authority launched its own crackdown on militants in the city late last year. There was no immediate comment from the Palestinian Authority. Both Israel and the Western-backed Palestinian Authority banned Al Jazeera last year. Israel accuses it of being a mouthpiece of Hamas over its coverage of the war in the Gaza Strip and says some of its reporters are also militants. The pan-Arab broadcaster has rejected the allegations and accused both Israel and the Palestinian Authority of trying to silence critical coverage. Firefighters will set prescribed burns southwest of Flagstaff to offset wildfire risk during extremely dry conditions in the Coconino National Forest. The Arizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management and the Coconino National Forest will burn about 1,700 acres roughly 12 miles southwest of Flagstaff on Wednesday and Thursday. Flagstaff has recorded just 2.8 inches of snow since Oct. 1, creating unusual winter conditions ideal for prescribed fire. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Snow is usually one of our biggest hindrances in the winter to conducting these kinds of projects, so we are taking advantage of the lack of snow by continuing our fall prescribed fire plans," said Randi Shaffer, deputy public affairs officer for the Coconino National Forest. Forest managers tend to light fires in the spring and fall during dry, calm conditions to clear brush and other fuels to prevent out-of-control wildfires. While minimal snow creates ideal conditions for prescribed fire, Arizona could have an active wildfire season due to widespread drought and lack of snowfall across the state. Officials hope to take advantage of dry weather to treat forest areas most at risk. This burn is part of a larger project, the Crater Sinks project, which will protect communities on the wildland-urban interface, or areas where human development meets natural wildlands, according to a news release from the Coconino National Forest. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "The project is located about 8 miles west of Kachina Village, and we are always looking for opportunities to conduct prescribe fire in locations close to our more rural communities," Shaffer said. Wildfires: Arizona wildfires are growing larger and more frequent. What role does climate change play? Those areas are at a higher risk of wildfires than more urban areas in downtown Flagstaff, according to Shaffer. The operations will be broadcast maintenance burns, which move fire across the landscape to maintain an area that has already been treated against wildfire, the release confirmed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Several ground and meteorological conditions must be met to perform operations safely. There must be enough wind to disperse smoke but not too much to spread the flames out of control. Fuel moisture levels need to be dry enough to burn but not too dry to burn uncontrollably. The temperature has to be optimal, not too cold or too hot to allow flames to burn safely. Residents in the area should disregard any smoke and are asked to avoid the fire area but can call the smoke complaint hotline at 928-226-4608 and leave their name and number if they would like to speak to fire leadership regarding smoke impacts and prescribed burn concerns, the release said. "It is really unusual that we're conducting any kind of prescribed fire in January, which might be a little jarring to folks that aren't used to seeing smoke," Shaffer said. "Our website is always a great place to check for prescribed burns if you see smoke in the air." This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Firefighters are setting prescribed burns southwest of Flagstaff Fear and panic grows amongst many migrants who have sought asylum in Western Washington due to President Donald Trumps recent executive orders targeting immigrants and threatening mass deportations. Im scared, Barbara, a migrant from Venezuela, told KIRO7. Barbara came to Western Washington with her daughter and husband. She says they just arrived from the US-Mexico border within the past few days. She says the journey to get to Puget Sound was a long one. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 11 months of being in Mexico and going around on trains and being taken by people and basically other police commanders there, Barbara said. Barbara and her family are staying at the old Quality Inn on Hosmer Street in Tacoma which is now operated by Thrive International, a nonprofit that helps those who have sought asylum find work and care. Currently, 350 migrants from places like Venezuela, Congo, and Angola are staying at the hotel. Director of the property Anna Bondarenko says the fear is really amongst the people they serve. The vibe is uncertainty. The vibe is what is going to happen, Bondarenko said. Bondarenko says when it comes to their response to any of the Trump administrations policies or executive orders, they plan to defend the migrants they serve. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We are committed to a future and hope that our residents and the people that have come to live with us and as our mission stands, we are here to empower and help people from a setting of survival to thriving, Bondarenko said. Work, move forward in life and that my daughter have a better future and live without fear. Mainly to live without fear and be free, Barbara from Venezuela said. Statement from WAGOP Chairman Jim Walsh: Federal immigration law distinguishes between legal and illegal immigrants. Frankly, migrants has become an obscurantist term.If were talking about illegal immigrants that groups are trying to help find work, those groups need to understand that their efforts--while perhaps well intended--violate federal law.There are several programs that illegal immigrants here in Washington can use to try to establish at least temporary legal status. If they dont qualify for any of those programs, they need to go home. LANSING, Mich. (WLNS) The director of MiLEP announced the new Office of Strategic Talent Preparation to help expand access to programs and resources in communities around Michigan. The director of the Michigan Department of Lifelong Education, Advancement, and Potential, Dr. Beverly Walker-Griffea also welcomes Jason Wilson, the new deputy director of the new program. In a news release sent to 6 News, Wilson worked as a licensed clinical therapist for over 20 years and worked with students as vice president of Student Academic Success and chief academic officer at Mott Community College. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The new Office of Strategic Talent Preparation will help our department create meaningful and intentional connections with individuals across the state, enabling us to better address their needs and aspirations, said Director Walker-Griffea. We are pleased to welcome Jason Wilson to our team and excited about how his extensive experience and knowledge will empower us to improve outcomes for all Michiganders from birth through postsecondary to prosperity. I am truly honored to join MiLEAP and contribute to the mission of advancing educational outcomes in Michigan, said Deputy Director Wilson. Providing direct connection with communities is essential to empowering their success and I look forward to engaging with Michiganders from all walks of life to understand their needs and to create more pathways to prosperity. 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. A TV news weather forecaster is out of a job after criticizing Elon Musks infamous salute at the inauguration and calling him a Nazi. CBS 58 Milwaukee employees were informed Wednesday that Sam Kuffel is no longer employed at the station. The day before, Kuffel posted a photo of Musk from the event to her personal Instagram account, saying, Dude Nazi saluted twice. TWICE. During the inauguration. She added, You (fk) with this and this man, I dont (fk) with you. Full stop. She then shared a gif from Its Always Sunny in Philadelphia in which Rob McElhenney says, Screw that old bih. Hes a Nazi. Her account has since been changed to private. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On Tuesday, conservative radio host Dan ODonnell of 1030 WISN protested that Kuffel was spreading the lie that Elon Musk was giving a Nazi salute and called her post vulgar. By Wednesday, Kuffels biography and picture had been removed from Channel 58 site, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported. Meanwhile, the Anti-Defamation League called Musks salute an awkward gesture, but others agreed with Kuffel. Strongman author Ruth Ben-Ghiat tweeted, Historian of fascism here. That was a Nazi salute and a very belligerent one too. The post Milwaukee Weather Reporter Fired After Anti-Elon Musk Instagram Post: Dude Nazi Saluted Twice appeared first on TheWrap. Minnesota Sen. Bill Lieske introduced a bill Wednesday that, if passed, could limit where new data centers can be built. The bill would require data centers spanning more than 800,000 square feet to be constructed under a conditional use permit in an industrial district, a contrast to current zoning laws that allow for the centers to be built in mixed-use commercial industrial areas. By no means is this an anti-data center bill. Its meant to be a guideline for where they can be placed, said Lieske, a Republican representing parts of Dakota County including Farmington. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Lieske, chief author of the bill, said it is a bipartisan effort with co-authors including DFL Sens. Erin K. Maye Quade and Judy Seeberger. The bill defines industrial district as an area of land that allows manufacturing facilities. By restricting data centers to such properties, Lieske said, people will not have to live within 250 feet of a data center. Lieske has already received praise from some Farmington residents who are suing the city over a cluster of data centers to be built near their neighborhoods. The project, called the Farmington Technology Park, could result in up to 12 data center buildings totaling over 2.5 million square feet. Tract, the developer for the project, said at full buildout the project could approach $5 billion. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Eight miles north in Rosemount, Meta, the parent company of Facebook, is constructing an $800 million data center spanning some 700,000 square feet, just under the threshold described in the bill. Related Articles Data centers over 800,000 square feet are considered hyper-scale, Lieske said, as they use significant amounts of water and electricity. In terms of pushback on the bill, Some representatives are concerned with removing the rights of local government bodies, Lieske said Wednesday. We need data centers, its necessary, lets just do it wisely, he said. If passed, the bill notes an effective date of June 20 and applies to enterprise data centers constructed on or after that date. Rep. Drew Roach, a newly-elected Republican representing Farmington, will carry the companion bill in the House, Lieske said. Were not even a month into 2025, and already the theme seems to be misogyny. It seems like every day this year theres another headline about women being talked down to, discriminated against, or losing the rights weve had for decades. From Mark Zuckerberg telling Joe Rogan that companies need more masculine energy to Donald Trumps executive orders stripping diversity and inclusion programs and concerning movements by state lawmakers to push the boundaries of womens rights, its almost too much to process. But we are processingand documenting. Below, 10 moments that exemplified this troubling trend just within the first few weeks of 2025, each of which has been unleashed thanks to the rise of the manosphere and the election of Trump 2.0. But this time around, wallowing is not an option. We should stay engaged but protect our peace, donate to causes we care about, make a difference by showing up for those in our own lives, and call out this behavior when we see it. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Here are the 10 examples, in order of appearance. Jan. 10: Mark Zuckerberg tells Joe Rogan companies need more masculine energy. The founder of Meta apparently took the election of Trump as a cue to morph into a manosphere sycophant. Zuck, who has three daughters if you were wondering, kicked off 2025 with a host of anti-woke initiatives, including radically upending the companys fact-checking systems, rolling back diversity programs, and removing tampons, which had been provided for trans and nonbinary employees, from mens bathrooms. But the cherry on top of Zuckerbergs hard-right pivot is his embrace of full-on misogyny, which he spouted off on what else but Joe Rogans podcast. According to the billionaire, companies are struggling now because they have become culturally neutered. His solution? More masculine energy. I think having a culture that, like, celebrates aggression a bit more has its own merits that are really positive, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The implication is men are strong and women are weak. Masculine energy equals aggression, which equals strength, which equalscorporate success? Even if that were true, we dont think corporate America is suffering from a lack of men. Women only lead 8% of large companies; in fact, until 2023, there were more male CEOs named John than women CEOs, period. Jan. 14: Oklahoma lawmaker proposes offering tax breaks for patriarchal covenant marriages. A conservative senator is taking the right-wing war on divorce to the next level, introducing legislation that would offer couples a tax break for entering into a legal form of marriage that is much more difficult to dissolve. SB 225, authored by Sen. Dusty Deevers, is ostensibly meant to strengthen the institution of marriage and to promote the religious freedom of those who wish to enter into a marital union under religious terms. By entering into a so-called covenant marriage, a couple could only legally divorce if one spouse could prove abandonment of at least one year, adultery, or abuse of themselves or their child. If a couple agrees to this type of marriage, the bill proposes they receive a $2,500 tax break if filing together or $1,250 if filing separately. Essentially, covenant marriage would not allow no-fault divorce, which allows people to split up without proving any wrongdoing. No-fault divorce, which began to be enacted in states in the 1960s, was a huge win for womens rights, as it allowed for women to leave unhappy or controlling situations more easily. While couples in Oklahoma would have the choice whether or not to enter this sort of marriage, critics and advocates say that this type of partnership could be ripe for abuse. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Any barrier to divorce is a really big challenge for survivors, Marium Durrani, vice president of policy at the National Domestic Violence Hotline, told Vox in a 2024 article about no-fault divorce. What it really ends up doing is prolonging their forced entanglement with an abusive partner. Jan. 15: Pete Hegseths denigrating comments on women in combat resurface during his confirmation hearing. Pete Hegseth, former Fox and Friends Weekend cohost, is currently attempting to be confirmed as Trumps secretary of defense. Choosing Hegseth has been a controversial decision for many reasons, but perhaps most horrifying are his long list of allegations of misconduct toward women. Not only was Hegseth accused of rape in 2017, but his brothers ex-wife, Danielle Hegseth, said in a sworn affidavit this week that he had been abusive toward his second wife, Samantha Hegseth. Hegseths views on women were also under scrutiny during his confirmation hearings, where several women senators held the former talking head to account for his previous denigrating comments toward women in the military. These include: telling Ben Shapiro on a podcast women shouldnt serve in combat and are life-givers not life-takers, and writing in his 2025 book The War on Warriors that moms shouldnt serve. Dads push us to take risks, he wrote. Moms put the training wheels on our bikes. We need moms. But not in the military, especially in combat units. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When confronted about these comments, Hegseth demurred, saying he would tell a woman service member who felt concerned about his fitness to lead the military that he would be honored to have the opportunity to serve alongside you. Confirmation Hearing Held For Secretary Of Defense Nominee Pete Hegseth Andrew Harnik/Getty Images Jan. 18: Outgoing president Biden gives toothless endorsement of the Equal Rights Amendment. Maybe this isnt a blatant example of true misogyny at work, but it was rather infuriating nonetheless. In a rather strange move, one of outgoing President Joe Bidens final acts as president was to throw his support behind the Equal Rights Amendment. The amendment, which was passed by Congress in the 1970s, would guarantee men and women equal rights under the law. Great, right? Not so fast. In order to become the 28th Amendment to the Constitution, 38 of the 50 states needed to ratify it. This didnt happen until 2020, nearly 50 years after it was first proposed and meaning it missed deadlines set by Congress to ratify it all those years ago. And some of the states who already ratified it back then, like Nebraska and Idaho, say they want to rescind their support now, complicating an already very complicated matter. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On the last Friday of his presidency, Biden decided to take a stand, saying the Equal Rights Amendment is the law of the land. However, he didnt do anything but state that this was his belief, and he didnt put any legislative and executive powers behind it. This rather toothless endorsement in the last days of his presidency, therefore, is unlikely to make any impact. In fact, the National Archives said the same day that the legal discrepancies around ratification had not changed, according to the AP. Such an important milestone for women being treated in this manner left advocates cold. I wish it was done sooner because its so important, Christian F. Nunes, leader of the National Organization for Women, told the AP. The fact that its getting done now is more important than the fact that it took so long, but we cant continue to delay womens protections and equal rights in this country. January 20: Government website providing reproductive rights information goes offline. Trumps Inauguration Day was a true smorgasbord of misogynistic actions. Heres the first. On the same day the 45th president became our 47th president, the federal website established to help Americans access abortion care and reproductive information stopped working. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The website, which according to CBS News was established by the Department of Health and Human Services in 2022, was intended to help bridge the gap created by the overturning of Roe v. Wade that same year. While Roe v. Wade was overturned, abortion remains legal in many states, and other reproductive health-care services remain protected by law, it read. Thus far, the Trump administration hasnt commented on the websites status. Jan. 20: Trumps executive order establishing two biological sexes also codifies fetal personhood. On the first day of his new administration, Trump also signed a devastatingly cruel executive action that targeted trans Americans. Under the guise of protecting women, the order states that there are two sexes, male and female. The order states that these sexes mean a person belonging, at conception, to the sex that produces the large reproductive cell. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While this action is horrifying enough for what it implies for trans rights, journalist Jessica Valenti noted that the way the order is worded also has a chilling implication. By referring to an embryo as a person at conception, Trump is [using rhetoric](https://newrepublic.com/post/190506/donald-trump-fetal-personhood-executive-order){: target="_blank"} that aligns with the concept of fetal personhood, language used in extreme anti-abortion legislation that gives fetuses the same rights as any other person under the law. Theres also the fact that every embryo at the moment of conception is technically a female. Jan 20: British politician Nigel Farage poses with Conor McGregor at a victory rally for Trump. This portrait of misogyny is an Inauguration Day example that doesnt involve Trump directly. Nigel Farage, the leader of the UKs right-wing populist Reform UK party, traveled to DC for the big day and took the time to pose with MMA fighter Conor McGregor, who lost a civil case in November in Ireland where a woman accused him of a 2018 rape. We are so back, Farage wrote in the caption. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Farages willingness to pose with an alleged rapist immediately drew swift backlash in the UK, with Carla Denyer, the leader of the countrys Green Party, saying she was disgusted but not particularly surprised. Farage has previously praised the misogynist influencer and alleged child trafficker Andrew Tate, and has called for a debate on rolling back abortion rights, she told The Independent. We cant be complacent about the hard-won rights and freedoms we have, and politicians here in the UK have a responsibility to speak out against those who would seek to take them away. Jan. 21: Trump fires head of the US Coast Guard, who was the first woman to lead a branch of the military. Adm. Linda L. Fagan broke a significant barrier in June 2022 when she was appointed the head of the US Coast Guard, the first woman to lead any military branch. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Her tenure lasted until the day after Trumps inauguration, when she was abruptly fired. According to the New York Times, all units of the Coast Guard were informed that Fagan had been terminated the morning after Trump was sworn in. In the message, acting secretary of the Homeland Security Department Benjamine C. Huffman gave no reason as to why Fagan had been let go, saying she served a long and illustrious career. However, the department told the Times Fagan was being relieved because of leadership deficiencies, operational failures and inability to advance the strategic objectives of the U.S. Coast Guard. One of those deficiencies? Failure to secure the southern border with Mexico, the statement said. The department also accused Fagan of having an excessive focus on diversity initiatives and said she had failed to address issues of sexual harassment. While its hard to know for sure exactly what happened here, the fact that Fagan, the first and only woman to hold this position, was let go just a day after Trumps inauguration, and the overtly political reasoning cited, does give pause as to how much of her firing was politically motivated. US-POLITICS-BIDEN-MILITARY-USCG SAUL LOEB/Getty Images Jan. 22: Trumps executive orders roll back decades of initiatives to help protect and support women working in the federal government, along with other marginalized groups. President Lyndon B. Johnson signed an executive order in 1965, which forbade discriminating against marginalized groupsincluding womenin government hiring. Two days after being sworn in as president, Trump signed one that essentially rolled back the decades-old decree. The move on Wednesday was part of a larger anti-DEI push by the new Trump administration, which claims it wants to return the US to a meritocracy. On his first day in office, Trump signed another order that ended diversity, equity, and inclusion programs meant to ensure women, people of color, and other marginalized groups would not face discrimination within the federal government. Theres this clear effort to hinder, if not erode, the political and economic power of people of color and women, Basil Smikle Jr., a political strategist, told Reuters of the move. What it does is opens up the door for more cronyism. Jan. 22: Trump calls Bishop Mariann Edgar Budde nasty after she asked him to have mercy on those whose administration frightens him. Budde, the first woman to lead the Episcopal Diocese of Washington, hosted the president and his family for the inaugural prayer breakfast on Tuesday. But in her sermon, she took the unusual step of asking the president to tone down his political rhetoric against LGBT people and immigrants. I ask you to have mercy upon the people in our country who are scared now, she said, according to the New York Times. There are gay, lesbian, and transgender children in Democratic, Republican, and independent families, some who fear for their lives. She continued: The vast majority of immigrants are not criminals. I ask you to have mercy, Mr. President, on those in our communities whose children fear that their parents will be taken away, and that you help those who are fleeing war zones and persecution in their own lands to find compassion and welcome here. On Wednesday, Trump responded to her message by attacking Budde with one of his familiar insults for women who displease him. He called her nasty as well as not compelling or smart. Apart from her inappropriate statements, the service was a very boring and uninspiring one, he wrote on Truth Social, according to CBS News. She is not very good at her job! She and her church owe the public an apology! In an interview with Time, Budde said she hopes her intent is received despite the attacks. I hope that a message calling for dignity, respecting dignity, honesty, humility, and kindness is resonating with people, she said. Originally Appeared on Glamour SALT LAKE CITY (ABC4) The Utah Dept. of Public Safety issued a Silver Alert early Thursday morning after a 60-year-old woman was reported missing. Theresa Ann Weiss, 60, was reportedly last seen at 620 East Warnock Avenue, Salt Lake City, at around 9 a.m. Wednesday morning, Jan. 22. Authorities said she may go by the last name Pack. Weiss is described as White, 58, 130 pounds, with blue eyes and brown hair with light streaks. She was last seen wearing blue jeans and a tan hoodie. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Utah schools reassure parents amid concerns over new federal immigration policy Courtesy of SLCPD Possibly has early undiagnosed dementia and bi-polar, the Silver Alert states. She reportedly left her last known location on foot. In past has gone to parents house in Murray, the alert states. If you have any information regarding Weiss whereabouts, please reach out to SLCPD at 801-799-3000 or simply dial 9-1-1. No further information is currently 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 ABC4 Utah. Shuefaub Shue Xiong, a Dominos delivery driver, was reported missing after he showed up for work but didn't make his scheduled deliveries on Jan. 14 Authorities previously said his car was found in Wisconsin unoccupied on Jan. 19 and days later confirmed he died by suicide He may have been battling a mental health crisis, and despite all our hopes and efforts, we lost him, said Xiong's family said in a statement after his death Shuefaub Shue Xiong, a Dominos delivery driver who went missing last week, has died by suicide, according to authorities. According to a news release shared with PEOPLE, the St. Paul Police Department in Minnesota said officers responded to a local residence on Tuesday, Jan. 21, following a 911 call for help involving a person experiencing a mental health crisis. The caller said the person in crisis was their brother, who had been reported missing to the Apple Valley Police Department on Jan. 14. The family member also told police that Xiong, 42, had threatened to take his own life and had access to firearms inside the residence. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Upon their arrival, officers instructed Xiongs family members to leave the residence, and police said that they also made efforts to get Xiong to leave so he could get help. As efforts continued, Xiong ran out of the building and around the corner before he died by suicide. "Despite lifesaving efforts, Xiong was pronounced dead at the scene," police said, noting that the circumstances surrounding what happened remain under investigation. Related: Police Searching for Missing Sisters Who Vanished After Night Walk Near River 3 Days Ago In a separate statement Apple Valley police said they "were saddened to learn of Mr. Xiongs suicide in Saint Paul." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "We extend our deepest condolences to the family, friends, and the Hmong community, they continued. "We are grateful to all those who searched for Mr. Xiong and provided information to our department during a very difficult week." Facebook Shuefuab Xiong Shuefuab Xiong In an earlier press release, police said Xiong was reported missing when he did not return home after working at Dominos in Apple Valley adding that he showed up for work on Jan. 14, but did not make his deliveries scheduled for around 6 p.m. local time. At the time, officers checked the areas of Xiongs missed deliveries but were unable to find him and his red Toyota Camry. The Apple Valley Police Department later confirmed on Friday, Jan. 17, that the last known sighting of Xiong occurred at the Richfield Target on Jan. 14, and that he may have been in Golden Valley after leaving his job the same day. 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. Then in a Monday, Jan. 20 update, police said Xiongs vehicle was found unoccupied in Superior, Wis., on Sunday, Jan. 19. A witness in the area where the vehicle was located said they believed they saw Mr. Xiong in his car on Saturday, Jan. 18 at about 4 p.m. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Police also said an acquaintance of Xiong reported that they spoke with him in Roseville, Minn., also on Jan. 18 at approximately 8 p.m.. At the time, authorities said they were unsure how Xiong traveled or if he obtained another vehicle. Investigators now believe that Mr. Xiong might be experiencing a mental health crisis. Given the cold temperatures and uncharacteristic behavior, investigators are continuing to follow up on any leads, as it is critical he is located and provided care, the Apple Valley Police Department said in its Jan. 20 update. Related: Mom Was Supposedly on the Way to Visit Daughter. Then She Got on Train and Disappeared: 'It's Scary' (Exclusive) Police said at the time that Xiong was known to carry a firearm and had a permit, but there was no indication he was a threat to others. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Xiongs family confirmed his death in a GoFundMe initially created in help of the search, describing him as a cherished son, brother, and friend who brought so much love and joy into our lives. He may have been battling a mental health crisis, and despite all our hopes and efforts, we lost him, read a message on the fundraiser. Our hearts are shattered, and the pain is immeasurable. Related: Missing Man Found Dead Miles from Home with Loyal Pit Bull by His Side: 'Comforting Knowing He Wasnt Alone Family and friends meant everything to Shue. He was always the first to offer a helping hand, whether it was moving, fixing something, or assisting with an event," the message continued. "He had a way of checking in on you, making sure you were okay, and pouring love into everything he did. His kindness, thoughtfulness, and dedication to others were unparalleled, and his loss leaves a void that can never be filled. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If you or someone you know is considering suicide, please contact the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline by dialing 988, text "STRENGTH" to the Crisis Text Line at 741741 or go to 988lifeline.org. Read the original article on People COLUMBUS, Ohio (WKBN) The first meeting of the Missing Persons Working Group heard from those at the Columbus Dispatch whose reporting on missing persons cases across the state led to a closer look at the issue, as well as those whose family members disappeared. Ohio Governor Mike DeWine convened the group of experts to take a bigger look at the issue, and they met for the first time on Thursday at the Ohio Department of Public Safety. The Columbus Dispatchs report Vanished looked into missing persons across the state. Reporters spoke with family members who reported that they believed their cases had been widely ignored due to their missing family members mental illnesses or addictions. They also highlighted the case of a 13-year-old girl who was found dead in Akron after running away for a third time. The girl had reportedly been raped by a friend of her family member and had made abuse allegations against a family member before her disappearance. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to the Columbus Dispatchs report, 600,000 Americans a year go missing nationwide, including 22,374 Ohioans in 2023 alone up 17% from 2021. The disappearances reached a 10-year high in 2018 with 25,619 missing persons cases. Their report also found that the Black population, though only 12.5% of the states population, accounted for 43.3% of the missing persons cases through the end of 2023. Fifty-four of missing children in Ohio through the end of 2023 were Black. The report also found that many children who go missing are labeled runaways, though the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children stopped using the clarification on posters in 2011 due to it giving the impression of bad kids and leading to those cases being widely ignored by the public. Just 13 children out of 17,405 reported missing in 2023 received Amber Alerts, according to the Columbus Dispatchs presentation. Part of Thursdays discussion was whether more alerts should be issued for missing children, or whether public notification of those cases should be handled differently. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Thursdays discussion also centered on whether police officers specializing in cases of missing persons should receive additional or more specialized training. One of the challenges mentioned is that many police departments have just a few officers who handle missing children cases as well as other duties each day due to the small size of their departments. Its really hard when the crime rates so high you cant get help from detectives because theyre busy with other stuff and thats exactly how I feel, said Aliya Ward whose sister has been missing since 2013. Ward stressed the importance of communication. She said she hasnt heard from the current investigator on her sisters case in 2 to 3 years. The group also heard from those with their own cases, like Linda Summers, the grandmother of Ashley Summers who has been missing for over 17 years. She talked about some of the challenges the family faced, including that her information was not circulated for months as she was initially classified as a runaway. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement She said during her time, she has spoken to many others whose family members have gone missing, and she has noticed many disparities in how cases are handled based on socioeconomic status, race or family circumstances. She recommended having nonprofit organizations assist police with resources, boosting search efforts through organized events and further using social media and technology to help raise awareness. She praised the Cleveland Family Center for Missing Children and Adults, which she said was a resource that helped their family and could be used as a blueprint for other organizations across the state. The center was co-founded by Gina DeJesus who was abducted in Cleveland in 2004 and later found in 2013 when she, along with Amanda Berry and Michelle Knight, escaped the home of their captor. The center now offers training to law enforcement on how to interact with families of the missing as well as offering a safe place for families to come for support and resources in their search for missing loved ones. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Were part of a family that we never wanted to be a part of, Summers said, crying. The newly formed Missing Persons Working Group includes law enforcement officials, including Major Jeff Allen of the Mahoning County Sheriffs Office, as well as family members of missing persons and those who work with children across the state. Ohio Department of Public Safety Director Andy Wilson Andy Wilson, who is leading the Missing Persons said the group will hold six meetings, which will be about 3 hours long. Brandon Jaces 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. A Democratic Mississippi state senator introduced legislation this week that would make it unlawful for men to masturbate without the intent to fertilize an embryo, with the lawmaker criticizing anti-abortion measures that only focus on the womans role. The bill, dubbed the Contraception Begins at Erection Act, was introduced by state Sen. Bradford Blackmon on Monday. For those convicted of violating the law, financial penalties will be imposed and will gradually increase. The first penalty would be $1,000, the second one would be $5,000, and a fine of $10,000 would be imposed for third or subsequent offenses. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Blackmon, a first-term legislator, included two exceptions, the first being for sperm donations and the other when using contraception that would prevent fertilization. All across the country, especially here in Mississippi, the vast majority of bills relating to contraception and/or abortion focus on the womans role when men are fifty percent of the equation, Blackmon said in a statement to WLBT News. This bill highlights that fact and brings the mans role into the conversation, he added. People can get up in arms and call it absurd but I cant say that bothers me. If the legislation passes the Republican-led state Legislature and gets signed by Gov. Tate Reeves (R), it will take effect July 1. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Mississippi, along with 12 other states, has a total or near-total ban on abortion, according to KFF, a nonprofit focused on health policies. Six other states have banned abortion from six to 12 weeks of gestation. When a bill has been filed that would regulate what a man is able to do with his own body in his own home, it suddenly has people in an uproar, Blackmon told Newsweek. I am trying to figure out when it is OK for the government to dictate what you do in the privacy of your own home. Apparently, it is when the laws regulate men. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. Missouri state law currently does not guarantee compensation for everyone exonerated after a wrongful conviction. A new bill seeks to change that by expanding eligibility and increasing payouts. Missouri State Sen. Steven Roberts (D-St. Louis) has introduced SB 36 for the ongoing legislative session, which aims to offer more financial support for exonerees once they are freed from imprisonment. ICE arrests nationwide spark fear in St. Louis communities Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If approved, exonerees could be eligible for up to $179 per day or up to $65,000 per year as compensation for their time wrongfully spent in prison. Under current Missouri statutes, exonerees are eligible for $100 per day after a wrongful conviction, but only if DNA testing conclusively proves their innocence. The new bill would expand eligibility by removing the DNA limitation and making compensation contingent on a lawsuit and judges ruling. According to the bills language, an exoneree could qualify if He or she was wrongfully convicted of a felony offense and subsequently imprisoned. His or her charges were dismissed after exoneration. He or she was found not guilty after a retrial. He or she was not an accessory in crimes that were the basis of the wrongful conviction. He or she did not fabricate evidence or commit perjury. The bill allows exonerees to seek compensation up to two years after charges are dismissed and they are found not guilty in a retrial or after receiving a pardon. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Exonerees may also be eligible for $25,000 each year served on parole or post-release supervision, as well as assistance with counseling, housing, and compensation for up to 120 credit hours at a public institution, provided a judge rules in their favor. While there have been several high-profile overturned convictions in Missouri in recent years, including Christopher Dunn in St. Louis and Kevin Strickland in Kansas City, financial support is not always easy for exonerees to come by upon release. Advocates of the new bill are hopeful it will provide more resources needed to secure housing, afford healthcare, and find employment after imprisonment. Close Thanks for signing up! Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Daily News However, a similar bill addressing these issues emerged from the Missouri legislature in 2023, only to be vetoed by former governor Mike Parson. At the time, that bill was part of a broader crime package, whereas the current proposal is a standalone measure focused specifically on wrongful convictions. The bill has completed two readings in the Missouri Senate and is now under review from the Senates Judiciary and Civil and Criminal Jurisprudence Committee, according to the Senates online bill tracker. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. The mayor of the City of St. Louis called lawmakers from outside the city disrespectful for filing legislation to put the citys police department back under state control. Republicans sponsoring the bill said crime is devastating St. Louis economy, which is hurting the state. Another GOP member said the legislation he filed is a beacon of hope for the city. On the other side of the issue, the chief of the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department said these lawmakers are belittling the important work his police officers do. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement First, I dont think its the right thing to do to go under state control, but secondly, Im listening to the people on the street, listening to the community, and they want to keep us under local control as well, SLMPD Chief Robert Tracy said. Back in 2012, Missouri voters approved taking away state control and giving the City of St. Louis oversight of its police department. We can no longer continue kicking the can while people are being deprived from life, liberty, and property in our region, Sen. Nick Schroer, R-Defiance, said. Businesses are reluctant to invest, families are moving out, and growth has stagnated. Close Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Daily News Schroer is one of the two sponsors of the legislation that would place the agency under the control of a five-member board appointed by the governor. The other is Sen. Travis Fitzwater, R-Holts Summit. This is what we dont think is the silver bullet but a solution to many of the problems that I think the citizens of St. Louis are concerned about, Fitzwater said. St. Louis Mayor Tishaura Jones is calling out Schroer and Fitzwater for filing the legislation but not living in the city. I think thats disrespectful for people who dont live in the city to try and tell the people in the city whats best for them, Jones said. Until they have walked a mile in any of our officers shoes, they dont have a right to say anything about how our police department should be run. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Unlike years past, this topic has the backing of Missouris new governor, who has said state control is a top priority. Ive been very vocal, especially in St. Louis, that I think state control is appropriate for that police department, Kehoe said in November. Youre not going to have any private business consortium spend money and redevelop any inner city, not just St. Louis, unless they feel like their employees and their customers can be safe. Jones said she spoke with Kehoe just hours after he was elected in November. He asked what my priorities were, and I said, I have two: keeping my police department and my earnings tax,' Jones said. He said, Well, on one of those issues, we disagree.' Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Last week, St. Louis officials announced crime remains on a downward trend in the city, including an 11-year low in homicides. Those same officials said earlier this week that SLMPD officers will see a 7% raise after the department cut 124 officers whose positions remained vacant for some time. On the western side of the state in Kansas City, whose department is controlled by the state, saw record high homicides in 2023. Can you explain to me why Kansas City is still one of the top ten dangerous cities in America? Sen. Barbara Washington, D-Kansas City, asked the bill sponsors. A spokesperson for Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas said: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As Kansas Citians have seen for generations, state control has too often been synonymous with a lack of accountability by police departments under the states control. State control has not led to increased hiring or better staffing, nor has it reduced crime in our community. Mike Matheny reflects on near-death experience and new life mission While the mayor and chief of police are against the takeover, one key group and some residents are in support of it. President of the St. Louis Police Officers Association, Jay Schroeder, insisted the city and department were in better shape under state control before that changed 13 years ago. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Over the last years of local control, the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department, you have seen a once strong police department crumble under local control, he said. Now, city police is in the hands of progressive city politicians who dont support our officers and are considering looking for different alternatives to traditional policing. Some residents have mixed feelings about the proposal. I think in general, I feel pretty safe. Like anyone who grew up in the area, you kind of know which places are a little bit safer maybe than others in the city, Claire Richardson said. Long-time south St. Louis resident Alaric Smith says while he generally feels safe in the city, if a state takeover leads to more officers, hes all for it. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We definitely need more police officers. Thats the problem, he said. Maybe more people would move back to the citypeople are moving away because theres problems in some areas, but the whole city isnt thatthats just a small portion. For the past two years, lawmakers have debated state takeover, but its never made it across the finish line. With Missouris governor behind the idea, it could have the momentum to become law this session. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. STELLA, Mo. A Stella man is accused of sexually assaulting a child. Chase Reed, 39, is being held in the Newton County jail, awaiting an arraignment on two counts of statutory sodomy and one count of statutory rape. Hes accused of sexually assaulting the five-year-old on multiple occasions. Investigators say a forensic interview of the child was conducted at the Childrens Center. Authorities say the child told them Reed touched her bad spots and that he would hurt her when he was doing it. FOUR STATES CRIME Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Court records are graphic and say the young child indicated Reed would use his fingers as well as his genitals when he was touching her and that he would whisper to her. She told officials he would ask if she was awake and if it felt good, according to the probable cause affidavit. Reed denied any wrongdoing. Hes being held without 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 KSNF/KODE | FourStatesHomepage.com. MISSOURI Chaplains offering spiritual care could be hired as employees or volunteers at Missouri schools if this new bill is signed into law. Republican Senator Mike Moon of District 29 sponsored the bill, which states chaplains would provide support, services, or programs for students as assigned by the school board of the school district or the governing body of the charter school. If passed, school boards must vote by March 1, 2026, on whether a chaplain can be hired on staff or volunteer to help students. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The proposal joins a recent trend alongside a dozen other lawmakers across the county working to allow spiritual chaplians in public schools. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. Taylor Santiago LAWRENCE COUNTY, Mo. A Lawrence County woman is in custody today, awaiting murder charges in two different states. Aurora-Marionville Police arrested Taylor Santiago, 31, early Thursday morning when they say she showed up at the police department and told them she had just murdered her estranged husband. AMPD Chief Wes Coatney says officers responded to Santiagos apartment and thats where they say they found the body of Troy Huffman officials say he had been shot. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Coatney said when Santiago gave her statement to police she also admitted she had shot two other people in Arkansas. Santiago reportedly told officers the man she shot in Arkansas was the biological father of one of her children. AMPD says they are working with authorities in Carroll County Arkansas who are investigating the shooting there. The Carroll County sheriff says his deputies responded to a call about an unknown disturbance and discovered a man and a woman had been shot. Emergency medical services says a woman was pronounced dead at the scene. The man was transported to the hospital in serious condition. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Currently, Santiago is charged with first-degree murder, first-degree robbery, unlawful use of a weapon and endangering the welfare of a child. AMPD says they seized the gun they believe was used in both shootings. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. 22A mistrial was declared Wednesday in the trial of a former Youth Development Center employee accused of raping a 14-year-old boy at the center in 1998. The judge in the trial of Stephen Murphy, 55, of Danvers, Mass., declared the mistrial Wednesday afternoon, after jurors reported they were deadlocked. Murphy, who worked as a youth counselor at the youth detention facility, was tried on one count of aggravated felonious sexual assault. Prosecutors say Murphy raped the boy, who was being held down in a staircase of YDC's East Cottage in 1998. Three other workers were involved in the alleged assault. 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. Defense attorney Chuck Keefe said Wednesday he and his client "greatly appreciate the jury's efforts." "Not only for following the evidence, but for their deliberations," Keefe said. "We were fighting for and hoped for a verdict of not guilty, and if the state decides to retry the case we will be ready to pursue a not guilty verdict at that time." A spokesman for the Attorney General's Office said prosecutors are "obviously disappointed that the jury could not reach a unanimous decision in this case." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "However, we respect the legal process and the careful deliberation of the jurors," the spokesman said. "We remain committed to seeking justice for all victims and holding all of the perpetrators accountable." The spokesman said no decision has been made on a retrial in the case. A status hearing for the case will be scheduled by the court at a future date. During his closing argument Tuesday morning, Keefe highlighted what he called inconsistencies in the testimony of the alleged victim, Michael Gilpatrick, saying he changed key details since first being interviewed by State Police in 2020. Gilpatrick has filed a lawsuit against the state for the alleged abuse and has shared openly about his story. Keefe said there were no witnesses to corroborate Gilpatrick's claims and the four employees were not working together when the alleged assault happened. The trial took place in Hillsborough County Superior Court in Manchester over the course of four days. CONCORD, N.H. (AP) A judge declared a mistrial Wednesday after jurors deadlocked on whether a former worker at New Hampshire's youth detention center raped a 14-year-old boy in 1998, but the defendant still faces 15 other charges in separate cases. Jurors were unable to reach a verdict in the trial of Stephen Murphy, 55, of Danvers, Massachusetts, marking the second mistrial connected to abuse allegations at state-run youth facilities. Jurors first indicated they were at an impasse Wednesday morning, their second day of deliberations. We are obviously disappointed that the jury could not reach a unanimous decision in this case, Attorney General John Formellas office said in a statement. However, we respect the legal process and the careful deliberation of the jurors. We remain committed to seeking justice for all victims and holding all of the perpetrators accountable. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement No decision on whether to retry the case has been made, said Michael Garrity, spokesperson for the office. Murphy is scheduled for trial in April, July and October on the additional charges involving three other boys who were at the facility in the 1990s. In the current case, Murphy was charged with aggravated felonious sexual assault and accused of helping to carry a 14-year-old boy to a stairwell at the Youth Development Center in Manchester and then raping him while coworkers restrained the teen. One of the other men, Brad Asbury, was convicted in November of two counts of being an accomplice to aggravated sexual assault and is scheduled to be sentenced Jan. 27. It was the arrest of Murphy and another former youth counselor in 2019 that thrust allegations of widespread abuse at the facility, now called the Sununu Youth Services Center, into public view. During his three-day trial, jurors heard from Michael Gilpatrick, who previously had testified about the allegations at both Asburys criminal trial and at a civil trial involving another former youth center resident. He said he didnt tell anyone what happened to him at the time because dorm leaders were involved in the assault, and he then spent decades trying to bury his memories. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Once I was about to accept the fact that it wasnt my fault and I was able to stop blaming myself, I knew I had to say something, he testified on Jan. 16. In closing arguments Tuesday, defense attorney Charles Keefe emphasized inconsistencies between Gilpatricks trial testimony and what he told police in 2020 and suggested he has made it worse with each telling in hopes of winning money in a separate civil lawsuit. When he changes everything that he says happened before and after and even during the alleged assault, he has forfeited the privilege of having you believe him, Keefe told jurors. Keefe also contrasted the way Murphy calmly answered absolutely not to repeated questions about whether he abused Gilpatrick with the anger Gilpatrick displayed during his testimony. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hes told this story many times since 2020, but he still acted like it was the first time he was telling it, Keefe said. Prosecutors may suggest to you this means he relives it with each telling. Our common experience tells us that the more we talk about something awful that actually happened, the easier it is. Assistant Attorney General Audriana Mekula countered that Gilpatrick came forward not for money that he doesnt need or attention that he doesnt want but because it was the right thing to do, even if it meant hours talking about sexual assault in a courtroom packed with Murphys friends and relatives. Do you think hed willingly do that in front of all these people, these strangers, and feel that raw emotion of the moment, the anger, the sadness and the exhaustion, if this did not really happen? she said. He has not healed from what the defendant did to him, but his behavior in that healing process does not mean hes forfeited his privilege for you to believe him. Murphy and another former employee were arrested in July 2019 and charged with sexually assaulting David Meehan, who later became the first of more than 1,100 former residents who have sued the state alleging physical, sexual or emotional abuse spanning six decades. A jury awarded Meehan $38 million in May, though that verdict remains in dispute as the state seeks to reduce the amount to $475,000. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Concurrent with Murphys arrest, the attorney generals office launched a broad investigation into the facility. A total of 11 men have been arrested, though charges against one were dropped due to a lack of evidence, another was found incompetent to stand trial and a third died awaiting trial. Murphy was the fourth to go to trial. In addition to Asbury, Stanley Watson was convicted Jan. 13 of three counts of aggravated sexual assault against two boys. Another case that ended in a hung jury is expected to be retried later this year. The Associated Press generally does not identify those who say they were victims of sexual assault unless they have come forward publicly, as Meehan and Gilpatrick have done. The youth center, which once housed upward of 100 children but now typically serves fewer than a dozen, is named for former Gov. John H. Sununu. Lawmakers have approved closing the facility, which now only houses those accused or convicted of the most serious violent crimes, and replacing it with a much smaller building in a new location. BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KGET) A Kern County jury deadlocked in the case of a man accused of ignoring deputies commands and refusing to walk to a patrol vehicle when they detained him on suspicion of having a concealed gun. A mistrial was declared after the jury hung Wednesday in the case of Erroll Joe Cayald, who faced up to a year in jail if convicted of resisting arrest, according to a release from the Kern County Public Defenders Office. 1 suffers major injuries in 2-vehicle crash on Olive Dr: CHP Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The next hearing in the case is scheduled Monday. On Nov. 15, 2023, deputies stopped Cayald in the 500 block of Lincoln Avenue, believing he had a concealed gun, the release said. Deputies testified they identified themselves and ordered Cayald to approach their vehicle. He walked away instead, then argued and tensed his arms when they tried to detain him, the deputies said according to the release. No weapon was found, the release said. Never miss a story: Make KGET.com your homepage Cayalds public defender, Elvia Zepeda, presented evidence Cayald was respectful to deputies addressing them as sirs and never fled or threatened them, according to the release. The attorney said deputies approached Cayald in a dark alley with only headlights on and no emergency lights activated. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hesitation isnt a crime, Zepeda said in the release. Taking a moment to process a situation and consider your rights isnt a crime. People should feel safe engaging with law enforcement without the fear that asking a question or taking too much time will lead to punishment. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. Mitsubishi Power announced it has completed construction of a 1.4-GW natural gas-fired combined-cycle power plant in Thailand, with the second unit of the two-unit station now in commercial operation. The company, a subsidiary of Japans Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, said the Hin Kong power plant is a joint venture between the RATCH Group and Gulf Energy Development. It features two advanced M701JAC gas turbines. The power station is located about 60 miles west of Bangkok. The first 700-MW unit came online in March of last year. Mitsubishi Power on Jan. 21 said it will provide long-term maintenance for the turbines under a 25-year service agreement. The project will supply electricity to the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand under a long-term power purchase agreement. Hin Kong is the second major Mitsubishi-equipped gas-fired power plant to come online in Thailand in recent months. Mitsubishi Power in October 2024 completed construction of a 5.3-GW combined-cycle power plant project in the Chonburi and Rayong provinces. That plant has eight units powered by M701JAC gas turbines. That project was built in conjunction with Gulf Energy Development and Mitsui & Co. Natural Gas Leads Generation in Thailand Natural gas accounts for about two-thirds of Thailand's power generation. Including this latest project, Mitsubishi Power has supplied a wide range of equipment, including 22 gas turbines to RATCH and Gulf projects, contributing more than 14 GW of power generation capacity in Thailand. "This project marks the commercial operation of our tenth M701JAC gas turbine in Thailand, a memorable milestone that we are proud to celebrate together with RATCH and GULF," said Takao Tsukui, executive vice president of Mitsubishi Power. "Looking ahead, we remain committed to providing continuous support through the 25 years LTSA, ensuring the stable operation of this power plant over the years to come. Building on the success of the Hin Kong Power project, we are eager to further strengthen our partnership and embark on new challenges together." RATCH CEO Nitus Voraphonpiput in a statement related to the Hin Kong plant said, "We are proud to celebrate the completion of this critical high-efficiency power plant, which furthers our goal to deliver reliable, sustainable, and efficient energy solutions for Thailand. This plant supports the growing energy demands of the country while ensuring we are future-ready as energy needs evolve. We look forward to strengthening collaboration with our partners to drive Thailand's energy progress." "The on-schedule completion and smooth operation of the plant underscores strong synergy between Gulf, RATCH, and Mitsubishi Power," said Gulf Energy executive Chaichawin Tantiyankul. "This project plays a significant role in strengthening Thailand's energy security and supporting economic growth. We are confident that this partnership will continue to drive innovative and efficient energy solutions." Mitsubishi Power on Tuesday said orders for the JAC gas turbine "continue to increase, with cumulative orders recently surpassing 100 units in 2024." The company said the JAC gas turbine "has a combined cycle efficiency greater than 64% and meets stringent standards for reducing carbon emissions. Its operational flexibility, including shorter startup times and superior load-following capability, makes it an essential solution for balancing power demand in grids increasingly reliant on renewable energy sources." Darrell Proctor is a senior editor for POWER. Jan. 22Four individuals and one organization will be honored at Ohio University Southern's annual Legacy Awards ceremony, which celebrates contributions to the community. The ceremony will be 5:30 p.m. Jan. 28 in the Riffe Rotunda and highlights stories of leadership, advocacy and volunteerism. The event is free and open to the public. The program also recognizes middle and high school students who participated in the Writing Contest, which challenges students to respond creatively to quotations from the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial in Washington, D.C. Participants were asked to reflect on how the selected quote applies to their personal experiences or their communities today through poetry or short essays. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In the middle school category, Audrey Ferguson, of Fairland Middle School, earned first place for her piece, "Through Love and Faith We All Live On." Jocelyn Mack, also of Fairland Middle School, received second place for "Fighter," and Emily Crabtree, of Ironton Middle School, placed third with "Love's Dilemma: Finding Light in the Shadows of Discontent." In the high school category, Abbie Deeds, of Dawson-Bryant High School, won first place for "A Stone of Hope." Emma Emnett, from Clay Local Schools, was awarded second place for "In the Right," and Evelyn Mader, of Dawson-Bryant High School, received third place for "Making a Career Out of Humanity." Holly Blevins, president of Ashland Pride since 2019, will receive the "Drum Major" Award for her advocacy for the LGBTQIA+ community. Under her leadership, the Ashland Pride Picnic has become an annual event promoting inclusivity and celebration. Blevins' initiatives include Safe Space training for employers and a community mural project titled "Love Can Build a Bridge." She was honored by the mayor of Ashland in 2021 for her work on inclusion. Cesiah De La Garza Bernal Blanton, born in Monterrey, Mexico, will be honored with the "Beloved Community Service" Award for her advocacy for the Hispanic community and individuals with neurological conditions. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As the organizer of Latin Night in Ashland, she has raised awareness of Hispanic culture and challenges faced by Hispanic families. She is also a board-certified behavioral analyst who promotes sensory-friendly resources and racism awareness programs. James Gordon, a 2006 graduate of Ohio University Southern, will be honored with the "Alumni Humanitarian" Award for his dedication to community service and environmental stewardship. As chairperson of Third & Center, he leads initiatives such as the First Cast Youth Fishing Seminar and the Trash Bash Community Cleanup for Earth Day. His work at the Lawrence County Department of Job and Family Services includes advocacy for marginalized populations, and he serves as vice president of AFSCME Local 3319. Miriam Howard, a senior at Paul G. Blazer High School, will receive the "Dr. Charles Jarrett Emerging Leader" Award for her volunteerism and leadership. With more than 300 service hours through AmeriCorps, she has organized events such as Alzheimer's fundraisers and the United Way's 5K race. Her involvement with organizations like the YMCA and the Senior Citizen Center reflects her commitment to addressing social issues. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ohio University Southern's Social Work Student Association will receive the "Dr. Charles Jarrett Emerging Leader" Award for its efforts to support unhoused populations and promote social justice. The group's activities include distributing warm-weather gear, restocking blessing boxes and organizing events such as Trunk or Treat. The association's commitment to inclusion is evident through its diversity-themed programs and community engagement. The Legacy Awards highlight individuals and groups who prioritize service, advocacy and inclusivity. The event underscores the power of leadership and its impact on building stronger communities. Minnesotas Supreme Court heard arguments Thursday on whether the state House of Representatives can continue to operate with only 67 Republican members present as Democratic-Farmer-Labor representatives continue boycotting the legislative session. With House DFLers absent from the Capitol for 10 days, House Republicans have been moving forward with regular business, including electing GOP Rep. Lisa Demuth as speaker, something DFL House leadership and Secretary of State Steve Simon, a Democrat, argue is unconstitutional. The power dispute could delay any major legislative activity into March. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Simon and the DFL argue that there needs to be at least 68 members for the House to have a quorum a majority of the 134 seats. But Republicans argue they only need 67 members a majority of the 133 current members of the House. The issue today is neither political nor partisan, House DFL attorney David Zoll told the Supreme Court. Its a question of constitutional law. Six of the seven Supreme Court justices heard arguments for about an hour Thursday and questioned both sides about their cases. Justice Karl Procaccini recused himself. The justices didnt give an exact date for when theyd rule, but a decision could come soon as resolving the matter is key to ending the House power struggle. House Republican Attorney Nicholas Nelson said the current impasse is an alleged quorum problem of Democrats making. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Members of the Legislature should come to the Capitol and do the jobs they were elected to do, he said, adding that sitting members have the power to compel attendance of absent members. Jurisdiction Republicans in court filings cited legal cases backing their position that the House only requires 67 members to meet quorum, but on Thursday, Nelson spent much of his time before the justices arguing the Supreme Court didnt have jurisdiction over the Legislature in the first place. At the opening of the hearing, Chief Justice Natalie Hudson told Solicitor General Liz Kramer, who represented Simon, that she found both the GOP and DFL arguments reasonable, though justices were skeptical of Nelsons argument that the court didnt have jurisdiction over Legislative power disputes. Hudson agreed that the judicial branch should exercise caution when reaching into the affairs of another branch of government, but said there have been times when action by the courts is required. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement What we have is a co-equal branch of government that is completely dysfunctional, that is not doing the will and the work of the people of Minnesota, she said. Kramer said the state Supreme Court had ruled in the past that a two-thirds threshold in the House to pass bills is determined by the largest possible number of members. That would be 134 in the House. She also pointed to other states where quorum is determined in a similar way: Delaware, Florida and Kansas. DFL no-show in House The 2025 session got off to a rough start last week when Democrats, upset with Republicans for using what could likely be a temporary one-seat advantage to act as a majority, were a no-show on the first day. Secretary Simon presided over the Houses initial business, but ruled there werent enough members present and adjourned. Republicans then acted on their own to move forward with legislative business, prompting DFL petitions with the state Supreme Court. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In their petition, top House DFLer Melissa Hortman and other leaders called Republicans actions improper, unlawful, and without legal effect, and asked the court to stop the session until a quorum of 68 members returns to the chamber. GOP response In their responses, Republicans disputed DFL quorum claims and said Simon, a member of the executive branch, has no right to tell the legislative branch how to do its business. Theyve argued that Simons role as presiding officer over the House is merely ceremonial. These petitions present a separation-of-powers nightmare. They demand that the presiding officer of Minnesotas House of Representatives be chosen by the courts, GOP attorneys wrote. And they demand that the courts install an executive branch official as presider, overturning the Houses own election. Leading up to this Novembers election resulted in a 67-67 tie between the DFL and Republicans, and a power-sharing agreement was being negotiated. But the DFL is currently one seat down after a winning candidate was disqualified for not living in the district he ran to represent. Rep.-elect Curtis Johnson stepped down in late December after a court found there was enough evidence to show he didnt live in the Roseville-area district where he claimed residency. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Johnson defeated his GOP opponent by 30 points, so the House tie likely will return after a special election to fill that seat is held in March. But Republicans are trying to use this window of opportunity to take control of committees and elect a speaker for the next two years. To prevent that from happening, DFL representatives are currently boycotting the session. Talks on the power-sharing deal fell apart before the Legislature convened on Jan 14. Democrats also are not showing up at the Capitol because Republicans have suggested they might not seat Shakopee DFL Rep. Brad Tabke even after a judge ruled he was eligible to take the District 54A seat despite 20 missing ballots in the race. Related Articles WASHINGTON (DC News Now) Detectives in D.C. are investigating after a mother and her young child were found dead in an apartment on Saturday afternoon. A spokesperson for the Metropolitan Police Department told DC News Now that on Jan. 18, around 12:45 p.m., officers went to the 5400 block of Connecticut Avenue, Northwest to conduct a welfare check. There, officers found a woman and a young girl dead. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Goldendoodle Kodi reunited with family after being stolen in Northeast DC As the investigation developed, the victims were identified as mother and daughter, 38-year-old Ebony Washington and 1-year-old Kemy Washington. They were both from Northwest D.C. Police told DC News Now that their bodies were taken to the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner for the District of Columbia for an autopsy. As of Thursday, their cause of death has not been released. No foul play is suspected and this case remains a death investigation, said police in a statement to DC News 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 DC News Now | Washington, DC. Police arrested a daycare worker in Monroe on Wednesday. Delicia Monay Chambers faces three counts of misdemeanor child abuse. Police say she sprayed the daycare students in the face with water or soap and water. Chambers worked at Childtime Childrens Center, police said. On Jan. 6, state investigators made an unannounced visit to the daycare. The North Carolina Department of Child Development and Early Education documented nearly a dozen violations during the visit after receiving complaints about the facility. The violations included staff and child ratio rules not being followed at times, medical authorizations and emergency contact information inaccessible to staff, and employee personnel files not including staff evaluations and development plans. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement SEE MORE: NC child care funding may end soon Parents went to the police with child abuse allegations on the same day as the surprise inspection. Police say Chambers charges are connected to these complaints. Channel 9s Tina Terry went to Childtime Childrens Center to learn more, but someone from corporate said the facility had no comment. One parent involved in the case said she is happy to hear about the arrest. She told Terry her children will not return to Childtime Childrens Center. State investigators said all three violations have been addressed. Click below to view North Carolinas Department of Child Development and Early Education inspection reports from their two most recent visits. WATCH NOW: They wont have nowhere to go: Day cares close doors to demand funding on Day Without Child Care TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) A former substitute teacher in Polk County was arrested after a high school student alleged they had an inappropriate relationship. Chase Crabb, 23, met the 16-year-old victim while working at Haines City High School, according to the Polk County Sheriffs Office. Judd disagrees with Trump pardons, says cop attackers shouldnt get away with it The pair began talking over email in December 2023, when the victim was 15. Their contact progressed to texts and to TikTok, Instagram and Discord messages. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Crabbs messages became sexually suggestive after the girl told him she broke up with her boyfriend, according to PCSO. He was accused of sending sexually suggestive messages and pictures of his crotch to her, as well as soliciting nude images and trying to convince her to have sex with him. Chase Crabb (Polk County Sheriffs Office) According to PCSO, some of the alleged text messages sent by Crabb to the victim include: 10/02/24 Uhhhhh, I mean is it wrong for me to be sexually attracted to a minor? WHO SAID THAT 10/22/24 Nah cause they wont be interesting [adult females] Its more fun to groom heh 10/23/24 The only time Id cut your [sic] off is if I genuinely felt like if I continued the police would come after me. Sexual exploitation of any child by anyone, in every circumstance is horrific and unacceptable, especially when its a substitute teacher. They are trusted to guide and protect our kids, not take advantage of them, Sheriff Grady Judd said in a statement. When someone in that role crosses the line, its a serious betrayal of trust. Were committed to making sure anyone who harms a child is held accountable and faces the consequences for their actions. Crabb was charged with transmission of harmful material to a minor and unlawful use of a two-way communication device. He last worked as a substitute teacher at Haines City High School in March 2024. He was terminated for inactivity and PCPS said it did not receive reports of inappropriate behavior. Its unacceptable and disgusting for any educator to use their position to have inappropriate contact with a student, Fred Heid, Superintendent of Polk County Public Schools, said in a statement. People who behave this way will be caught, and we fully support the efforts of law enforcement to help protect our students. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Crabb made his first appearance in a Polk County courtroom on Thursday. He was forbidden to have contact with minors or possess electronic devices capable of accessing the internet. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. North Korea is expected to send reinforcements to Russias Kursk region, Kyivs military intelligence chief told The War Zone exclusively. It will mostly be missile and artillery troops who typically operate hundreds of tubed and rocket artillery systems as well as the KN-23 short-range ballistic missiles Pyongyang has already provided Moscow, Lt. Gen. Kyrylo Budanov, head of Ukraines Defense Intelligence Directorate (GUR), told us. The artillery is being used to support both North Korean and Russian operations while the missiles are strictly for Russian objectives, he added, noting that the North Koreans will also train Russians on all of those systems. We dont expect to see many new ground combat troops, he posited. Ukrainian Special Operations Forces posted a video of its troops fighting North Koreans, which you can see in the following video. Watch how Ukraines SOF repel North Korean troops assault in russias Kursk region. The special forces eliminated 17 DPRK soldiers. One North Korean soldier had set an unsuccessful trap for the rangers of the 6th Regiment and blew himself up with a grenade. pic.twitter.com/nObBOMnusI SPECIAL OPERATIONS FORCES OF UKRAINE (@SOF_UKR) January 13, 2025 Budanovs comments add new details to reporting by The New York Times on Wednesday that North Korean reinforcements are expected to arrive in Kursk within the next two months, according to an anonymous senior U.S. defense official. The publication did not say how many troops or what kind. The Ukrainian intelligence chief did not know for sure how many new troops would be coming or when they would arrive. So far, about a third of the 12,000 North Koreans sent to Kursk have been killed, leaving about 8,000 to continue the fight, Budanov claimed. Those figures conform with information provided yesterday by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In contrast, the BBC, citing Western officials, reported that there were 4,000 battle casualties including wounded. About 1,000 were killed, the outlet stated. The War Zone cannot independently verify either tally. A photo shows an alleged North Korean soldier held after being captured by Ukrainian army on Jan. 11, 2025. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said the countrys military had captured two North Korean soldiers in the Kursk region of Russia, adding that they had survived and were communicating with the Security Service of Ukraine. (Photo by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskys Social Media / Handout/Anadolu via Getty Images) Anadolu The new North Korean troops will boost Russias long-range fires in both Kursk and Ukraine, Budanov stated. North Korea has provided about 120 170mm M1989 Koksan self-propelled artillery guns and 120 M-1991 240mm multiple launch rocket systems (MLRS) to Russia in the last three months, and will likely send at least as many more in the future, Budanov told us. They have a lot of these systems, he added. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement North Korea has an immense artillery arsenal it has built up over decades for use primarily along the DMZ should a war between North and South erupt. It has exported millions of artillery rounds to Russia, which was in bad need of shells prior to the relationship between the two countries rapidly changing. More Koksans being shipped to Russia. So far Ive counted around 36 or so guns being photographed which is 2 battalions worth of Koksans. This 1/3rd of what is called a Corps Fire group. A significant addition to the Russian arsenal. https://t.co/HfKJBlGcR9 KPAWeaponsTracker (@KPAWeapons) January 22, 2025 As we noted in our previous coverage, the Koksans feature a 170mm caliber artillery cannon, mounted in an open superstructure rather than a protected turret atop a chassis similar in appearance to that used on Russias 2S7 Pion, a 203mm self-propelled artillery piece. The M1989 version also has onboard storage for 12 rounds of ammunition. The weapons main advantage is its long range, with the big 170mm gun assessed as capable of firing a standard shell to a range of around 25 miles, or a rocket-assisted shell to a range of 37 miles. The M-1991s have 22 tubes aligned in two rows of eight and one row of six, according to the U.S. Army. They have high explosive, smoke, incendiary, and chemical warhead capabilities within 200-pound warheads. These rockets also have a maximum range of about 37 miles. Most of these weapons are either being used against troops in Ukraine or for training in Russia, Budanov noted. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The 170mm weapons have powerful ammunition and good capability, Budanov pointed out. The 240mm MLRS are like any other heavy systems. They make more problems on the front line. M-1991 240mm multiple launch rocket systems (MLRS) like these on parade in Pyongyang, have been sent to Russia, according to Ukrainian intelligence. (KCNA) In addition to the artillery, Pyongyang is expected to send 150 more KN-23 short-range ballistic missiles to Moscow in 2025, said Budanov, adding that there were 148 sent last year. North Korean troops are firing those weapons from both the Kursk and Bryansk regions and will continue to instruct Russians, who are now firing them as well, Budanov stated. Those missiles, as we previously reported, were first launched against Ukraine in January 2024, according to a Biden administration assessment at the time, with questionable results. Russia has obtained the North Korean KN-23 short-range ballistic missile seen here. (North Korean State Media) North Korean troops and weapons are adding to the challenges Ukraine faces both in Kursk and at home. In Kursk, they are being used in so-called meat wave assaults, attacking in large numbers with little armor support, according to The New York Times. Though differences in language and doctrine reduce their effectiveness, the sheer numbers of North Korean troops have forced Ukraine to expend munitions and defend positions they might not have had to otherwise. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On the Ukrainian front, North Koreans use unusual tactics: they move in groups of 40 or more men under heavy fire and across fields littered with mines. They do not stop during attacks. If they capture a position, they leave it to the Russians and prepare for a new assault. The https://t.co/zdcseBRhwg pic.twitter.com/yEtybqlgTr Anton Gerashchenko (@Gerashchenko_en) January 22, 2025 Budanov, however, is not impressed with their capabilities. They are like biological robots, he dismissed. Despite fierce efforts by Russia and its North Korean allies to dislodge them, Ukraine still holds onto its Kursk salient. Meanwhile, Russia continues to slowly chew up ground in the eastern part of Ukraine, especially near the key logistical hub of Pokrovsk. Russian forces recently advanced in Kursk Oblast and near Chasiv Yar, Pokrovsk, and Kurakhove. Ukrainian forces recently regained lost positions near Pokrovsk. Kursk: Russian forces recently advanced in the Ukrainian salient in Kursk Oblast amid continued fighting in the area on https://t.co/428ZPdB0Ps pic.twitter.com/FApdTsqxxl Institute for the Study of War (@TheStudyofWar) January 22, 2025 However, these advances are coming at an extremely high price in terms of personnel and equipment. Since February 2022, Russia has suffered about one million troop deaths while Ukraine lost about 700,000, President Donald Trump said during a White House press conference. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump says nearly 1 million Russian soldiers and 700,000 Ukrainian soldiers have been killed in the war, Russia lost more, but they have more soldiers to lose. You cant run a country like this. pic.twitter.com/aC2hQpNCss Clash Report (@clashreport) January 21, 2025 As the fight slogs on, the new Trump administration has tasked special envoy Keith Kellogg, a retired Army lieutenant general, with wrapping up the fighting in the next 100 days. Thats a questionable timeline especially given both Russian and Ukrainian objections to publicly floated details from a plan co-written by Kellogg and published by the pro-Trump America First Policy Institute. It calls for a delay in Ukraine joining NATO, freezing the front lines where they are, and suggests that the U.S. will boost its aid to Ukraine if Russia does not comply, while it will cut off aid if Ukraine does not. However, despite pledges he could quickly end this conflict, Trump has yet to release his peace plan. Putin signaled that he was in no rush to settle the war in Ukraine, The Wall Street Journal reported on Wednesday. The goal of any coming talks should not be a brief truce, not some kind of respite for the regrouping of forces and rearmament with a view to a subsequent continuation of the conflict, but a long-term peace based on respect for the legitimate interests of all people, all peoples who live in the region, Putin said in a video released by the Kremlin this week, the publication noted. BREAKING: Vladimir Putin just said Russia is open for dialogue with President Trump on reaching peace in the Ukraine conflict. pic.twitter.com/DMyCOnqQOy TV News Now (@TVNewsNow) January 20, 2025 Trump meanwhile, responded by criticizing the all-out invasion, saying Putin is destroying Russia by not making a deal. Responding to a reporters question about whether he would further sanction Russia if Putin refused to negotiate, Trump tersely said sounds likely. He went on to blame his predecessor, former President Joe Biden, for allowing the war to happen. Trump says he considers new sanctions on Russia "likely" if Putin refuses negotiations. "Zelensky told me he wants to make a deal, I dont know if Putin does He might not. I think he should make a deal." pic.twitter.com/z1dQuYkvMV Clash Report (@clashreport) January 22, 2025 Trump expounded on his thoughts about dealing with Russia in a post on his Truth Social social media platform proffering that if Putin doesnt stop the war in Ukraine, he will impose tariffs and sanctions on Russia and various other participating countries a likely nod to Iran, North Korea and China. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump says that if Putin doesnt stop the war in Ukraine, he will impose tariffs and sanctions on Russia and various other participating countries presumably Iran, North Korea and China pic.twitter.com/LO1CzylVob Alex Ward (@alexbward) January 22, 2025 The looming addition of fresh North Korean troops and weapons further complicates any peace negotiations, giving Putin extra resources to continue the war. Contact the author: howard@thewarzone.com Editors note: The Hills Morning Report is our daily newsletter that dives deep into Washingtons agenda. To subscribe, click here or fill out the box below. In todays issue: Trumps border offensive begins Hegseth gains momentum to lead Pentagon Tracking the presidents tariff two-step Trump threatens Putin over Ukraine war President Trump on Wednesday ordered active-duty troops to the southern border to bolster federal, state and local law enforcers who are cracking down on migrants the president describes as invading the United States. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The initial force, according to the administration, is 1,500 troops, deployed as military airlift support for the Department of Homeland Security to deport more than 5,000 immigrants without legal status detained in San Diego, Calif., and El Paso, Texas. That initial troop number could grow to as many as 10,000 active-duty military members in future missions, a defense official told reporters. Trump, during a primetime Fox News interview Wednesday, floated an incorrect statistic to criticize the Biden administrations handling of immigration and defend his blitz at the border. Theres never been a country that allowed 21 million people to come in over a three-year period, he said. His assertion is unsubstantiated. According to detailed information published last year by FactCheck.org, the raw immigration numbers were indeed high under the Biden administration 5 million migrant encounters compared with 1.4 million under Trump during comparable time frames in their respective terms but percentages of migrants removed from the U.S. were similar under each president: 47 percent removed under Trump in his first term and 51 percent under Biden. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Hill: Five takeaways from the presidents Fox News interview Wednesday. CNN: Fact checking the presidents Oval Office interview. The use of troops on domestic soil under what the president ordered as a national security emergency is expected to trigger legal and constitutional challenges and calls for Congress to step in legislatively. Trump and his border security advisers insist theyre moving with speed to reverse President Bidens immigration policies, an aim generally supported by a majority of registered voters last year. But Trumps leap from his first-term border wall focus to raids and roundups, followed by mass deportations and the upcoming fight about removing the Constitutions protection for birthright citizenship have placed him into politically untested territory. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Right now, were going to shut that border down and get a hold of this problem, White House immigration adviser Tom Homan told CNN during a Tuesday interview. The president has been clear on this. Were going to concentrate on public safety threats, but in sanctuary cities where they dont let us take that public safety threat into custody, we have to go find [those migrants]. Trump and allies boast they will locate, apprehend and deport millions of individuals living in the U.S. who do not have legal status, whether or not they have been convicted of crimes. And they vow to find those without legal status in workplaces, their homes, schools and churches. The administration also is intent on blocking asylum-seekers and migrants without legal status who trek to the border to apply for U.S. entry. Meanwhile, the Justice Department and federal prosecutors have been ordered to investigate state or local officials who will not enforce the administrations immigration policies. If federal prosecutors decline to prosecute immigration violations, they must be disclosed to Justice headquarters. And more than 10,400 refugees around the world who were part of a legal travel program to the United States found their flights canceled and the U.S. program shut down by the Trump administration, effective immediately. Trump will tour the California wildfire disaster region near Los Angeles from the air Friday but did not commit to seeing Democratic critic Gov. Gavin Newsom. While the governor seeks federal assistance to help recover from the continuing fires, he and other state leaders have said they oppose Trumps immigration actions. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Hill: Sen. Katie Britt (R-Ala.) used social media to report an administration-provided statistic that on the presidents second day on the job, Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrested 308 migrants lacking legal status. Thats up slightly from the average daily arrests reported by ICE in September, according to the most recent available data. Fox News published photographs provided by ICE of alleged male migrant criminals among 460 individuals ICE said it arrested for crimes in seven states over a 33-hour period beginning Jan. 21. The Hills Niall Stanage in the Memo: Trump 2.0 comes into focus. SMART TAKE with NewsNations BLAKE BURMAN The Pentagon is sending an additional 1,500 troops to the Southern border as President Trump builds out his immigration policies. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I spoke with Alina Habba, counselor to the president, and asked if that number could reach up to 10,000. I wouldnt be surprised if it was that many. Its whatever it takes to undo the damage that happened, Habba said. We have a lot of work to clean up. The president believes fixing the border was the key to his election victory. And on Day 4 of his presidency, whats clear is Trump is just getting started. Burman hosts The Hill weeknights, 6p/5c on NewsNation. The Hill & NewsNation are owned by Nexstar Media Group. 3 THINGS TO KNOW TODAY Firefighters worked into the night to contain a blaze in northern Los Angeles County, prompting renewed fears of death and destruction in a region that already faced devastating wildfires this month. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trumps team on Wednesday ousted National Security Council career staff from the White House, action mirrored across government to try to replace federal civil servants with political allies. Dont call us. Well call you. Hollywood is now ready to work with Trump. Reversing allegiances is par for the course in the industry: They still have to make money. LEADING THE DAY CONGRESS: The House on Wednesday passed the Laken Riley Act, sending the immigration-related bill to Trumps desk in what is poised to be his first legislative victory since returning to the White House. The chamber cleared the bill in a 263-156 vote. Forty-six Democrats voted with all present Republicans in favor of the legislation. Passage in the House came two days after the Senate approved the measure in a bipartisan 64-35 vote. Trump is expected to sign the measure, marking the first bill enacted in his second administration on a topic immigration and the border he and Republicans made a priority on the campaign trail. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Laken Riley Act will now go to President Trumps desk for him to sign into law, Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) wrote on the social platform X after the vote. Criminal illegal aliens must be detained, deported, and NEVER allowed back into our country. The American people demand and deserve safety and security. Congressional huddles: A trio of moderate House Republicans met with Trump at the White House on Wednesday, the latest huddle between the president and different GOP factions as the lower chamber prepares to pass his legislative agenda with its slim majority. Reps. Don Bacon (R-Neb.), Mike Lawler (R-N.Y.) and Brian Fitzpatrick (R-Pa.) all of whom represent districts former Vice President Kamala Harris won in November attended the meeting. Meanwhile, Trump is expected to attend the House Republican retreat at Trump National Doral in Florida on Monday. Trumps visit to the annual House retreat comes at a pivotal time, as Republicans work out their plans for a budget reconciliation bill or bills. The final strategy is still up in the air. The Hill: House Democrats bashing Trump for pardoning violent felons who attacked the U.S. Capitol are now taking those criticisms a step further, calling for Congress to rein in the clemency powers for all presidents in the future. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Hill: House Oversight and Accountability Democrats hoping to highlight potential conflicts of interest under Trump see leverage in a past ethics bill from Chair James Comer (R-Ky.) introduced during his investigation into former President Biden. The Hill: Johnson will establish a new select subcommittee that will probe the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol riot and likely dig into the now-defunct Jan. 6 select committee that was led by Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.) and then-Rep. Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.). In the Senate, Republicans are trying to make sense of Trumps blizzard of executive orders and are already spotting some problems in the broadly ordered directives that will take weeks or months to sort out. For example, Trump has ordered greatly expanded drilling in Alaska, but at the same time he has imposed a hiring freeze on the Bureau of Land Management that will inevitably slow permitting, The Hills Alexander Bolton reports. In addition, Trumps border security orders will be difficult, if not impossible, to implement without major funding increases for ICE and CBP but Trump has opposed the idea of moving a separate border security bill early in the reconciliation to fund those priorities. Trumps proposal to curtail birthright citizenship has GOP senators predicting it will face an uphill battle in the courts. Some of it is not helpful, said a senior Republican aide, who said Trumps team would have been wise to provide more detail about the scope of the orders or could have waited until some of his nominees cleared Senate committees before taking actions that were likely to prompt legislative pushback. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement CABINET PICKS: Senate Republicans are steamrolling ahead on Pete Hegseths nomination to lead the Pentagon, and a new report detailing allegations of abusive behavior by the nominee has seemingly not dissuaded them. The Senate is set to hold an initial procedural vote on the nomination today, The Hills Al Weaver reports, even as Democrats attempt to delay final passage. The affidavit from Danielle Hegseth, who was previously married to Pete Hegseths brother, dropped as the clock continued to wind down on Hegseths nomination. Danielle Hegseth claims that the Pentagon nominee was abusive toward his second wife, Samantha Hegseth, to the point where she hid in a closet at times and developed a plan in case she needed to get away from him. Hegseths attorney refuted the claims. Shortly after news broke of the claims, Democrats also slammed the brakes on Trumps other nominees, including John Ratcliffe, his choice to lead the CIA. But Republicans appear to have the votes to confirm Hegseth and the others. I think its a stretch. I think it looks desperate. I think it probably helps Pete a little bit if the best they can do is not even the sister of the ex-wife, but the ex-wife of a brother, said Sen. Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.), a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, which advanced Hegseth to a floor vote along party lines on Monday. Third party, hearsay all the while its not validated by the actual ex-wife. It looks like everything else up to this point: like a smear campaign. The Hill: Pressure is mounting on Robert F Kennedy Jr. as critics squeeze senators from both sides of the aisle. Bipartisan critics, including liberal advocates and an organization founded by former Vice President Mike Pence, argue the nominee to lead the Department of Health and Human Services isnt fit to serve. Bloomberg Government: The Senate Finance Committee will hold a confirmation hearing for RFK Jr., on Jan. 29. Axios: RFK Jr. earned $326,000 from the anti-vaccine group Childrens Health Defense and a $100,000 licensing fee for use of the Make America Healthy Again brand, according to financial disclosure forms. WHERE AND WHEN The House convenes at 10 a.m. The Senate meets at 10 a.m. The president is expected to address attendees at the Davos World Economic Forum in Switzerland via video. ZOOM IN What is Trumps trade agenda? Much remains rhetorical, which means global trading partners, businesses and industry leaders remain in the dark. The Hills Tobias Burns sorted through five big questions in an effort to sort things out. One additional unknown: Who among Trumps Cabinet leaders and White House economic advisers will influence the administrations trade posture and navigate the presidents convictions that tariffs offer the U.S. big sticks and produce big revenues? Trump released a first-day memo about trade policy, which directs federal agencies to study U.S. trade with China and to reassess the updated North American Free Trade deal among the U.S., Canada and Mexico. But he stopped short of ordering new import taxes. Subsequently, Trump vowed 25 percent tariffs on goods from Canada and Mexico, to begin Feb. 1, and floated a possible 10 percent tariff on goods from China. That would be a sizable reduction from earlier Trump tariff talk that ventured as high as 60 percent and 100 percent. POLITICS: Rep. Nancy Mace (R-S.C.), a House member since 2021, said during a Wednesday interview with The Associated Press that shes considering a run for South Carolina governor and will decide soon. She caused a stir in November by challenging allowable bathroom use in the Capitol by Rep. Sarah McBride (D-Del.), the first openly transgender member of Congress. The Hill: Progressives are focusing their ire on the U.S. oligarchy. The Hill: Democrats are sniping each other over all things Trump. The Hill: A partisan standoff roils the Minnesota State House. COURTS: Judges, in written comments responding to Trumps pardons and dismissals of Justice Department prosecutions against accused defendants in the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection, noted evidence and facts presented to the court that resulted in convictions. Dismissal of charges, pardons after convictions, and commutations of sentences will not change the truth of what happened on Jan. 6, 2021, federal District Court Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly wrote. What occurred that day is preserved for the future through thousands of contemporaneous videos, transcripts of trials, jury verdicts, and judicial opinions analyzing and recounting the evidence through a neutral lens. The Hill: A federal judge on Wednesday denied former Sen. Bob Menendezs (D-N.J.) bid to toss his corruption conviction and receive a new trial. Supreme Court: A routine traffic stop in Texas turned deadly within minutes when an officer shot and killed 24-year-old Ashtian Barnes in 2016. The Supreme Court weighed Monday whether courts should examine everything that happened during the traffic stop. ELSEWHERE RUSSIA AND UKRAINE: Trump is working to turn up the heat on Russian President Vladimir Putin to come to the negotiating table for a deal to end the war in Ukraine, a priority issue that the president said he would resolve in his first days in office. A little more than 48 hours since returning to the White House, Trump has mocked Putin as destroying his country with the nearly three-year war and threatened increased sanctions on Russia and its enablers if a deal is not quickly reached. Lets get this war, which never would have started if I were President, over with! We can do it the easy way, or the hard way and the easy way is always better, Trump wrote on Truth Social. The posts are an opening salvo in Trumps efforts to show that his peace through strength policy can end Europes biggest land war in almost a century. Three years into fighting, Ukrainian public opinion is increasingly open to negotiating an end to the war as soon as possible. And Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has said hes optimistic Trumps decisiveness could shift the dynamics of the war. He can be decisive in this war. He is capable of stopping Putin or, to put it more fairly, help us stop Putin. He is able to do this, Zelensky said. The Washington Post: Ahead of the expected Trump-Putin call, each side stakes out its position. Reuters: Putin has grown increasingly concerned about distortions in Russias wartime economy, just as Trump pushes for an end to the Ukraine conflict. The Wall Street Journal: The global elite, gathered in Davos, Switzerland, for the World Economic Forum, say they are buckled up and ready for Trumps second term. GAZA CEASEFIRE: Steve Witkoff, Trumps Middle East envoy, confirmed on Wednesday he would be part of a team of outside overseers deployed in and along Gaza to ensure safety following a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas militants. Witkoffs comments to Fox News appeared to be the first public confirmation of the planned use of outside inspectors in Gaza including a U.S. presence. Israel and Hamas struck a multi-phase ceasefire and hostage release deal last week after months of mediation by the U.S., Qatar and Egypt. The Associated Press: To secure the Gaza ceasefire, dealmakers had to overcome the enemies deep distrust. CNN: Gaza is a nightmare after 15 months of war. A visual guide to life on the ground. NPR: Rebuilding Gaza will be a massive project. Here are five things to know. WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION: Trump issued an executive order late Monday withdrawing the U.S. from the World Health Organization. Its the second time Trump has tried to pull the country out of the public health organization, having previously done so months before the end of his first term. It appears that the U.S. is more likely to complete its withdrawal this time and become one of the few countries ever to do so in the organizations nearly 80-year history. There has been some debate over whether Trump would need approval from Congress to leave the WHO, however, and it is not yet clear what the decision might mean for the future of the U.S., the WHO and global public health. There is just not a lot of clarity on this, said Ashish Jha, dean of the Brown University School of Public Health and former White House COVID-19 response coordinator. Part of it is because we are in uncharted territory. Nothing like this has happened in recent memory. The Hill: Panamas government formally raised concerns with the United Nations over Trumps threats to retake the Panama Canal, noting any threat of force would violate rules. OPINION Why exactly are tech billionaires kissing Trumps ring? by Matt K. Lewis, opinion contributor, The Hill. America is a nation of immigrants that has not lived up to its promise, by Ana Raquel Minian, guest essayist, The New York Times. THE CLOSER Take Our Morning Report Quiz And finally Its Thursday, which means its time for this weeks Morning Report Quiz! Pondering some recent headlines, were eager for smart guesses about names in the news. Be sure to email your responses to asimendinger@thehill.com and kkarisch@thehill.com please add Quiz to your subject line. Winners who submit correct answers will enjoy some richly deserved newsletter fame on Friday. How do California wildfires get names such as Nuns, Lilac and Friars? State Office of Emergency Services decision Fire official on the scene quickly chooses from a nearby location, such as a road Local TV news outlets invent identifiers that simply stick U.S. National Interagency Fire Center draws from a seasonally prepared list What gargantuan body of water is suddenly teed up for a U.S. name change? Mississippi River Lake Okeechobee Gulf of Mexico Clinton Lake What U.S. corporation recently won a legal battle with an Australian company involving the name of a popular brand? UGG Campbells Company Netflix Jockey A new independent company of cable networks drawn from Comcasts NBCUniversal is now called ______. Spinner Spin Master SPIN SpinCo Stay Engaged We want to hear from you! Email: Alexis Simendinger (asimendinger@thehill.com) and Kristina Karisch (kkarisch@thehill.com). Follow us on social media platform X (@asimendinger and @kristinakarisch) and suggest this newsletter to friends! Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. YOUNG COUNTY (KFDX/KJTL) The mother of an 8-month-old girl who died in Olney in 2023 is headed to prison after prosecutors said she violated her probation sentence that stemmed from the childs death. PREVIOUS STORY: Mother pleads in babys death in Olney Jasmine Alexis Kay Smith, 29, was sentenced to 18 months in state jail for criminally negligent homicide on Tuesday, January 14, 2025, in the 90th District Court in Graham, with Judge Stephen Bristow presiding. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The charge stems from the death of 8-month-old Yana Massingale on March 29, 2023, in Olney. According to previous reports, the Olney Police Department responded to a call for an unresponsive infant at around 5:30 a.m. The child was transported to the hospital and later pronounced deceased. Following an investigation by the Olney Police Department and the Texas Rangers, Smith was indicted for the infants death. According to the indictment, the childs death was caused after Smith put her to sleep in an unsafe bedding. Smith pled guilty to the charge in October 2024, and her sentence was deferred to a community supervision sentence of three years. READ MORE: Mother charged with homicide following Olney infant death Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The following month, prosecutors with the 90th District Attorneys Office filed a motion to proceed to adjudicate, alleging that Smith never reported to the Community Supervision Department for her initial intake. According to the motion, Smith was instructed to report to the community supervision office following her release from the Young County Jail. The motion said Smith was reminded on November 8 to report for intake, but she failed to do so. Smith received 85 days of jail credit for time served in the Young County Jail. In addition to her prison sentence, Smith was ordered to pay a $750 fine and $515 in court costs. This is a developing story. Stick with Texomas Homepage for updates as more information becomes available. All individuals charged with a crime are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. Close Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 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. MEMPHIS, Tenn. A bill that would allow certified bounty hunters to assist in identifying and reporting undocumented immigrants was introduced in the Mississippi House of Representatives Wednesday. House Bill 1484, proposed by the Desoto County District Attorney and authored by state Rep. Justin Keen, would create the Mississippi Illegal Alien Certified Bounty Hunter Program. The program would offer a $1,000 reward to registered bounty hunters for each successful deportation they help facilitate. DeSoto County District Attorney Matthew Barton DeSoto County D.A.s priorities include illegal alien bounty hunter program, social media ban for kids Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to the Desoto County DAs office, the reward would be funded by the General Assembly and administered by the state treasurer and is intended to encourage collaboration between law enforcement and private citizens in identifying individuals unlawfully residing in Mississippi, thereby assisting U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in their removal efforts. This program is a vital step in assisting our law enforcement agencies to better enforce immigration laws and ensure that those in this country unlawfully are sent back to their country of origin, said Desoto County District Attorney Matthew Barton. When President Trump took office this week, he immediately recognized the emergency at our borders, rolling out executive orders to combat illegal immigration and cartels. This legislation builds upon that foundation, empowering local leaders and communities to support federal efforts in protecting our citizens. Mauricia Calvo, CEO of Latino Memphis, is highly concerned about the introduction of a bill in the Mississippi Legislature allowing for certified bounty hunters to round up illegal aliens. Is the immigration system broken? Absolutely it is. Is this the way to fix it? No its not. Its just not a good idea, Calvo said. This reminds me of the slave patrols, where in the 1700s and 1800s, theres a group of militia that was hunting slaves, and I doubt we want to go back to that. The ramifications of that were many that were still suffering today. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Larissa Davis, an immigration attorney with Chhabra, Gibbs & Trehan, PLLC in Jackson, learned about the bill Wednesday at the state capitol. She doesnt know everything thats in House Bill 1484 but believes the bill is dangerous and could lead to racial profiling in the state. I think its horrible that they are asking offering a bounty because one of the main issues with something like this is people are going to be targeted based on appearance and what other people believe, and what they dont understand is a person could actually be here with a pending asylum case or some other petitions or application that is still pending either before an immigration court or USCIS, The U.S. Citizenship Immigration Services, said Davis. DeSoto County DA Barton said over 1,000 illegal aliens were booked into the county detention center during President Joe Bidens time in office, marking an almost 150% increase compared to the period during President Trumps administration. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Barton said the increase underscores the urgent need for a program like this to address illegal immigration, support federal enforcement efforts, and reduce costs for taxpayers. State Rep. Keen said the legislation is about keeping Mississippi communities safe. Weve seen firsthand the danger posed by bad actors and violent criminals who enter this country illegally, like the innocent life of Laken Riley. President Trumps administration has made it clear that deporting illegal immigrants is a priority, and we are proud to do our part here in Mississippi to help support his agenda and protect our citizens, Keen said. Davis said there has to be a better way to deport people who dont have status or already have a removal order in place. 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. GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) A retired Department of Public Works employee in the Upper Peninsula has been accused of stealing thousands of dollars worth of gasoline over more than a decade. While working for the Lake Linden Department of Public Works in Houghton County, the man took a key fob used for fueling the departments vehicles, Michigan State Police said in Wednesday release posted to social media. When he retired in 2012, he kept the key fob, police allege. MSP: Prior to fire, man asked church for gasoline to burn his house down Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The man, now 59, is accused of using the key fob for personal use after his retirement. Police say hes taken more than $28,000 worth of gasoline since 2012. MSP and the Lake Linden Village Police Department began investigating last year. During the investigation, MSP caught the man trying to put gas in his truck using the key fob. The man has been arrested and on Wednesday was charged with three felony charges. Because of the statute of limitations, he has only been charged for the alleged thefts that happened over the last six years. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WOODTV.com. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene has vowed that the U.S. will force other countries to adopt President Donald Trumps new title for the Gulf of Mexico after the United Kingdom indicated it was not on board with the name change. The MAGA congresswoman fired back Thursday at a report in the Telegraph that the U.K. will not call the body of water the Gulf of America on British maps after Trump signed an executive order to rename it in the U.S. We have to force this to happen and we should! We rename post offices all the time this isnt complicated, Greene wrote on X. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Sources told the British newspaper that unless the new name becomes more commonly used by English speakers, the country will not adopt the title change. One source noted that Trumps executive action only applies in the U.S. The gulfs name cannot be universally changed by a single country, and will not apply to UK products, the source told the paper. Greene said the U.K.s refusal to accept the name change is why Congress must pass my bill renaming the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America. The Georgia congresswoman said the bill would fund the renaming of all government maps. Its unclear, however, how the legislation would have any bearing on foreign governments. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Greene introduced the bill to the House of Representatives after Trump first floated the name change, which he called beautiful and appropriate multiple times at a press conference earlier this month. Greenes legislation, which is co-sponsored by 15 Republicans and no Democrats, was then referred to the House Committee on Natural Resources. By Rich McKay and Hannah Lang ATLANTA (Reuters) - The rare deep freeze in the wake of an historic winter storm that swept across the U.S. South this week will linger through Sunday, leaving the region in the grip of extreme cold and ice and creating dangerous driving conditions. The cold stretched from Houston through New Orleans and Florida's Panhandle to the coast of the Carolinas, stranding travelers on closed highways and bringing cities to a near standstill since Tuesday, with snow, sleet and freezing rain. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The winter storm pushed out to sea overnight after leaving record-breaking snow accumulations across the region. In Milton, Florida, on the state's Panhandle, 9 inches (23 cm) of snow fell, while New Orleans was buried under 8 inches, and 9 inches piled up on parts of North Carolina's Outer Banks. Yancy Roberts, a clerk at Freret Hardware store in New Orleans, said he walked 8 blocks to work on Thursday morning through piles of snow, sliding on ice and taking one fall on "black ice" he didn't see. "The city ain't thawed out yet," he said. "Maybe tomorrow it will." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A winter wonderland of images appeared online, showing children making snow angels in Savannah, Georgia, and using kayaks as sleds in Pensacola, Florida. In Charleston, South Carolina, icicles hung from the ubiquitous Spanish moss that drapes over tree limbs throughout the South. Kameron Tanner, a 27-year-old Florida native who works at the Vice Society coffee shop in Tallahassee, said she had never seen a snowstorm of this scale before in the area. A lot of it melted already, but it's still super slippery, she said. Everybody's kind of slipping and sliding around here. Even areas where temperatures crept above freezing on Wednesday remain dangerous for travelers as the snow melt refroze overnight, creating slippery roads for travelers unaccustomed to driving in such conditions, the National Weather Service reported. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Even today, with temperatures in those areas inching toward the 40s, that snow and ice will refreeze as temperatures drop back into the 20s on Friday," said meteorologist Richard Hurley of the NWS's Weather Prediction Center in College Park, Maryland. Records for cold were tied or broken all over the South on Thursday, Hurley said. In Augusta, Georgia, the mercury plunged to 16 degrees F (-8.8 C), tying a record for this day set in 1874. Tallahassee, Florida's capital city, was a frigid 21 degrees F; Mobile, Alabama, was 19 and Gulfport, Mississippi was 23. Temperatures in the 60s or low 70s are more typical in those locations, he said. The subfreezing temperatures should ease by Sunday, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Scores of schools were closed across the Deep South, including Florida State University in Tallahassee. Travel delays were easing but more than 1,200 flights were either canceled or delayed in the U.S. early on Thursday, according to the tracking site Flightaware.com. At least a dozen people died in the weather, officials reported, with five people perishing after a multi-vehicle accident in Zavala County in western Texas on Tuesday, and at least 7 people dying from exposure to the cold in Texas, Alabama and Georgia. (Reporting by Rich McKay in Atlanta and Hannah Lang in New York; Editing by Bill Berkrot) The trial of three men who prosecutors say facilitated a drugging and robbery scheme that terrorized New York Citys gay bars and led to two deaths began Wednesday in a downtown Manhattan courtroom. Jayqwan Hamilton, 36; Robert Demaio, 35; and Jacob Barroso, 30, are accused of working together to drug and rob five men after meeting them outside Manhattan gay bars and nightclubs from March 2021 to June 2022. Prosecutors alleged that the crimes led to the deaths of social worker Julio Ramirez, 25, and political consultant John Umberger, 33, in the spring of 2022. The crimes didnt come into broad public view until May 2022 more than a year after the scheme began when NBC News reported on Ramirezs mysterious death. Hamilton, Demaio and Barroso pleaded not guilty to charges in connection with the scheme that included murder, conspiracy and grand larceny. Attorneys for Hamilton and Demaio declined to comment. An attorney for Barroso did not immediately return a request for comment. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In her opening statement, Assistant District Attorney Emily Ching said the three men along with three others who had previously pleaded guilty to lesser charges lurked outside several Manhattan gay bars, befriended seemingly intoxicated men and then suggested the victims continue the night with them at subsequent locations. Once in private, Ching said, the defendants worked together to drug the victims to the point of incapacitation using a concoction that included fentanyl. Next, she said, the defendants would use the victims unconscious faces to access their bank accounts and payment apps using facial recognition technology. They would then steal thousands of dollars and use the victims payment apps to pay for food, shoes, alcohol and other items, according to Ching. The assistant district attorney also laid out how the same methods were allegedly used to target and rob Ramirez and Umberger, which ultimately led to their deaths. The evidence will make it very clear that it does not matter who handed the drugs to the victims, Ching said. The evidence will establish that each defendant intended to commit the robberies, succeeded together in committing the robberies and, as a result, the victims died. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In their opening statements, attorneys for the three defendants called the deaths tragic but asked jurors to keep an open mind until the end of the case. We ask you to put that aside and decide this case on the evidence, Dean J. Vigliano, an attorney for Demaio, pleaded. The attorneys also said that it was impossible to know which drugs led to the deaths of Ramirez and Umberger. Ching acknowledged that some of the victims, including Ramirez and Umberger, used illicit drugs recreationally on occasion. They cant prove which drugs killed these two individuals, Vigliano said. Youll find if you look at the toxicology reports, any number of these drugs could have killed these individuals. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The New York City medical examiners office ruled the deaths of Ramirez and Umberger as homicides caused by a drug-facilitated theft. The drugs found in their systems included fentanyl, lidocaine and cocaine, according to the medical examiners report One of the surviving victims who testified Wednesday, admitted to using recreational drugs on occasion, such as marijuana and cocaine. He said, however, he did not do so to the point of incapacitation. Ching said video footage from the night of the witness' encounter shows him losing mobility shortly after meeting up with two of the defendants outside his hotel in Manhattans Union Square. She said the two men then wheeled the witness's unconscious body into his hotel room using a luggage cart, where they then robbed him. Other surviving victims and the mother of Umberger, Linda Clary, are expected to testify. This article was originally published on NBCNews.com Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) announced Thursday afternoon she will vote against Pete Hegseth, President Trumps nominee to serve as secretary of Defense, citing his past infidelity and allegations of sexual assault and excessive drinking. Murkowski in a statement posted to the social platform X said she had significant concerns about his nomination. She said managing the Pentagon requires vast experience and expertise and that Hegseths prior career roles do not demonstrate to me that he is prepared for such immense responsibility. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement She also cited the numerous allegations of misconduct against Hegseth. While the allegations of sexual assault and excessive drinking do nothing to quiet my concerns, the past behaviors Mr. Hegseth has admitted to, including infidelity on multiple occasions, demonstrate a lack of judgment that is unbecoming of someone who would lead our armed forces, Murkowski said. These behaviors starkly contrast the values and discipline expected of servicemembers, she added. The Senate is set to vote on cloture for Hegseths nomination Thursday afternoon, setting up a likely final vote on Friday. He advanced out of the Senate Armed Services Committee on a party-line vote. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hegseth has forcefully denied the allegation that he sexually assaulted a woman in 2017 and denied claims that he mismanaged the finances of two veterans groups he led before becoming a Fox News contributor and later a Fox News anchor. He called many of the anonymous allegations against him part of a smear campaign against his nomination. But Murkowski said she cannot in good conscience support his nomination after watching his contentious confirmation hearing last week and getting substantial feedback from organizations, groups and fellow Alaskans. She argued that his job would be to run one of the most complex and powerful organizations in the world and yet his management of two relatively small veterans organizations was marked with accusations of financial mismanagement and problems with the workplace culture he fostered. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hegseth denied the accusations that he mismanaged those organizations when asked about it at his confirmation hearing. This story was updated at 2:38 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. (Bloomberg) -- Elon Musk openly questioned whether companies that joined President Donald Trumps announcement promising hundreds of billions of dollars in artificial intelligence infrastructure could follow through on their promises, exposing an early internal rift within the White House. Most Read from Bloomberg They dont actually have the money, Musk wrote on his social media platform X, hours after the announcement. SoftBank has well under $10B secured. I have that on good authority. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump was joined by SoftBank Group Corp.s Masayoshi Son, OpenAIs Sam Altman and Oracle Corp.s Larry Ellison at the White House to announce the venture, dubbed Stargate, which they said would deploy $100 billion immediately with the goal of eventually spending $500 billion for the construction of data centers and physical campuses. This is to me a very big thing, Trump said. I think its going to be something thats very special. Altman took to X to dispute Musks characterization on Wednesday, calling it wrong and suggesting Musk was upset because the pact could rival the billionaires own AI efforts. The public spat underscored some of the tensions that could dominate Trumps second term in office and echo issues he faced during his last stint at the White House. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trumps penchant for portraying himself as a dealmaker resulted in him repeatedly touting private-sector promises to spend on the US that never actually materialized, or represented preexisting commitments that executives repackaged to curry favor with the president. Some of those promises, like aborted plans for a massive Foxconn manufacturing campus in Wisconsin that Trump dubbed the Eighth Wonder of the World, became fodder for Democrats on the campaign trail. The Stargate announcement prompted immediate skepticism over whether it would come to fruition, or represented new spending by the companies. According to the Information, Altman has told colleagues SoftBank and OpenAI plan to commit $19 billion each to Stargate for a corresponding 40% stake. They may tap capital markets in future, the tech outlet reported. Oracle and Abu Dhabi-backed MGX would contribute about $7 billion apiece, the outlet cited the OpenAI chief as saying. Apart from financing, therere questions also about whether Stargate actually amounts to a dramatic increase from previously devised plans. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Son had already announced plans for a $100 billion US investment in AI during an event with Trump in December at the presidents Mar-a-Lago estate, and Stargate is expected to draw from that pot. SoftBank was also met with immediate questions over where the company would get the capital to fund its initiative. During Trumps last term, Son was raising his $100 billion Vision Fund with money from outside investors and poured the cash into startups such as WeWork, Uber Technologies Inc. and DoorDash Inc. SoftBank doesnt have the cash on hand to deliver on Sons pledge this time. The company had 3.8 trillion yen ($25 billion) in cash and equivalents on its balance sheet at the end of September. Still, the companys finances have recovered with the initial public offering of chip design firm Arm Holdings Plc. SoftBank still owns about 90% of Arm, which now has a market capitalization of about $160 billion. Bloomberg previously reported that SoftBank might tap hyperscalers in a project-financing scheme and leverage tens of billions of dollars into hundreds of billions of dollars. But the effort could lead to calls for higher yields on future SoftBank bond issues. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Son has vowed to increase his investments in artificial intelligence, which he has described as a technology that will change virtually every business. SoftBank invested $500 million in OpenAI in October and is aiming to increase that investment by acquiring up to $1.5 billion in the startups stock through a tender offer for existing shareholders. Musks Influence Musks role in the administration running the newly minted Department of Government Efficiency, a cost-savings effort, has prompted questions about conflicts of interest, self-dealing, and his ability to co-exist with Trump. Musk raised billions of dollars last year for xAI, a startup that seeks to compete with OpenAI. Democrats and government watchdogs have expressed concern that the billionaire could seek to roll back regulations on and investigations into Tesla Inc.s driver-assistance features, and head off investigations into labor practices at his companies. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Tesla chief executives choice of words in his post questioning how much money SoftBank had secured were reminiscent of his run-in with the US Securities and Exchange Commission in 2018. The agency accused Musk of committing securities fraud after he tweeted in August of that year that he had the funding secured to take the carmaker private. He later reached a settlement with the SEC that required him to pay a $20 million penalty and relinquish his role as Tesla chairman. Musks firms have won multibillion-dollar government contracts, and allies have suggested that the incoming administration could seek to award more subsidies and contracts to SpaceX and its Starlink service. Trump also suggested as recently as Tuesday that he would be open to Musk purchasing TikTok, a social video app that rivals his own X platform. The billionaire was an enthusiastic financial backer of Trumps reelection effort, but his off-the-cuff commentary on social media seemed destined to create headaches for the White House. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said Stargate would create a minimum of 100,000 new jobs when asked about Musks comments on Fox News. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The American people should take President Trumps and those CEOs word for it, she said. These investments are coming to our great country, and American jobs are coming along with them. --With assistance from Lynn Doan and Craig Trudell. (Updates with reported details on ownership from the ninth paragraph.) Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2025 Bloomberg L.P. Former Trump adviser Steve Bannon slammed Tesla CEO Elon Musk on Wednesday, calling him out for his criticism of President Trumps newly announced infrastructure project for artificial intelligence (AI). Bannon told Politico Musk brought in his own personal vendetta after the tech billionaire publicly voiced his doubts about the Stargate Project, which will invest up to $500 billion in AI infrastructure over the next four years. Ive never seen action like this in my life, Bannon said, adding White House chief of staff Susie Wiles should sit him down and sort it out immediately, Politico reported. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A day after Trump announced the Stargate project alongside other leading technology companies, Musk claimed on social media that the companies behind the project do not have the money they promised. OpenAI, Oracle and SoftBank are the initial equity investors for the project. Musk claimed SoftBank has well under $10 billion secured, after pledging to give $100 billion to the project. A source familiar with the Stargate project pushed back on this, stating SoftBank is prepared to immediately deploy $100 billion, citing the companys equity from founding partners, co-investors, third-party debt and other sources. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Bannon has repeatedly clashed with Musk in the public eye, often criticizing the Tesla CEO and other leading technology executives who have come closer into Trumps orbit in recent months. Earlier this week, Bannon called the technology leaders at Trumps inauguration oligarchs in Silicon Valley, stating they have a very different view of how people should govern themselves. I call it techno-feudalism. They dont believe in the underlying tenets of self-governance, the right-wing firebrand said. OpenAI co-founder and CEO Sam Altman also fiercely rebuked Musks claims, writing on X, wrong, as you surely know. want to come visit the first site already under way? this is great for the country. i realize what is great for the country isnt always whats optimal for your companies, but in your new role i hope youll mostly put [the U.S.] first. 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. Elon Musk referenced Adolf Hitler and other Nazi leaders in a social media post filled with puns early Thursday taunting those who accused him of doing a Nazi salute at an event after President Trumps inauguration. Dont say Hess to Nazi accusations! Some people will Goebbels anything down! Stop Goring your enemies, Musk wrote on his social platform X. His pronouns wouldve been He/Himmler! Bet you did nazi that coming, he added with a laughing emoji. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Musks post references Hitlers deputy party leader, Rudolf Hess; Nazi propagandist Joseph Goebbels; Gestapo creator Hermann Goring; and Heinrich Himmler, who was in charge of racial extermination efforts throughout the Holocaust. The Tesla CEO has claimed mainstream media has misportrayed a gesture intended to be a symbol of love as an antisemitic salute. Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), however, said Musks action was a signal to neo-Nazi groups across the world assuring supporters that Trump stands with them. Murphy said during a Wednesday appearance on MSNBC that Musk has been constantly trading in antisemitic conspiracy theories on Twitter. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He endorsed the far-right neo-Nazi party in Germany. But you dont have to believe me, Murphy added. Just look at what happened that night on far-right Telegram channels. Neo-Nazi groups and white supremacist groups here in the United States said, Thats our guy. Thats our signal. Donald Trumps with us. Hes with our white supremacy agenda. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) also criticized Musk for the gesture, which she described as a Nazi salute. If youre cool and want to defend the Sieg Heils and the Nazi salutes whatever you want to do, thats on you, she said on Instagram earlier this week. Im on the opposite side of that. Im not with the Nazis. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The New York Democrat said hating Nazis is a foundational, defining part of being American. Trump has not publicly commented on Musks gestures or the controversy they sparked. Musk poured billions into Trumps campaign efforts and has trailed closely behind him in prominent events and meetings. In late December, Democrats jokingly referred to Musk as the president and speculated the tech giant was set to make decisions behind the scenes. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu came to Musks defense on social media, declaring Thursday that he was being falsely smeared. @elonmusk is being falsely smeared. Elon is a great friend of Israel. He visited Israel after the October 7 massacre in which Hamas terrorists committed the worst atrocity against the Jewish people since the Holocaust, Netanyahu wrote in a post on X outlining Musks visit to Israel after deadly Hamas attacks. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He has since repeatedly and forcefully supported Israels right to defend itself against genocidal terrorists and regimes who seek to annihilate the one and only Jewish state. I thank him for this, Netanyahu 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. The Elon Musk vs. Sam Altman knockout rounds continue. After opening the doors to a billionaire fight club earlier Wednesday by questioning the finances of President Donald Trumps new $500 billion AI venture, Musk doubled down on his attacks toward the OpenAI CEO by launching a tirade of attacks on his social media platform X overnight. Musk, clearly peeved at his billionaire opponent, made a series of accusations against the 39-year-old, calling him a liar despite Trumps apparent fondness for him. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Musks vendetta against Altman dates back to his departure from OpenAI, which they co-founded in 2015. Trumps First Buddy is also part of an active lawsuit against OpenAI and Altman, where hes alleged that the company has forgone its mission as a nonprofit by gatekeeping its most advanced AI tech for private customers. Among the late-night posts Wednesday, Musk spotlighted an old tweet of Altmans that was seemingly anti-Trumpand pro-LinkedIn co-founder Reid Hoffman, a Democratic megadonor. Very few people realize just how much @reidhoffman did and spent to stop Trump from getting re-elected, Altman wrote in 2021, which was subsequently posted as a screenshot to Musks X page Wednesday evening. It seems reasonably likely to me that Trump would still be in office without his efforts. Thank you, Reid! A few minutes later, the Tesla mogul agreed with a post from right-wing influencer Mike Cernovich where he also embedded a screenshot of Altmans tweet but added , Epstein island attendee Reid Hoffman funded the lawfare against Trump, said he wanted Trump to have been killed (this was a few days before the assassination attempt), and Sam Altman is a big fan of Reid! Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement True, Musk replied. The Wall Street Journal reported in 2023 that the billionaire venture capitalist had visited Jeffrey Epsteins private island in the Caribbean on one occasion and had planned to stay at his Manhattan townhouse in 2014. Hoffman told the outlet that he met with Epstein to raise funds for the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and expressed his regrets for associating with him. It gnaws at me that, by lending my association, I helped his reputation, and thus delayed justice for his survivors, Mr. Hoffman told WSJ in an email. While I relied on MITs endorsement, ultimately I made the mistake, he added, and I am sorry for my personal misjudgment. In another post, Musk applauded Cernovich for asking a good question after the influencer spotlighted a 2016 post from Altman that read: Back to work tomorrow on a new project to stop Trump. What project was this Sam? https://t.co/6wIWQAyt4f Cernovich (@Cernovich) January 23, 2025 A few minutes later, Musk came back with another Altman attack, pointing to a Reuters article detailing OpenAIs plans to pivot away from its nonprofit status by giving Altman equity. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Altman literally testified to Congress that he wouldnt get OpenAI compensation and now he wants $10 billion, Musk wrote. What a liar. Altman literally testified to Congress that he wouldnt get OpenAI compensation and now he wants $10 billion! What a liar. https://t.co/YpHvcm0WZa Elon Musk (@elonmusk) January 23, 2025 Altman similarly took the opportunity to get some things off his chest. He responded to one user about his relationship with Musk: i dont think hes a nice person or treating us fairly but you have to respect the guy and he pushes all of us to be more ambitious. Shortly afterward, Altman reflected on his feelings toward Trump. Watching @potus more carefully recently has really changed my perspective on him, Altman wrote on X Wednesday night. I wish i had done more of my own thinking and definitely fell in the NPC [a short for non-player character] trap. Im not going to agree with him on everything, but I think he will be incredible for the country in many ways! U.S. President Donald Trump speaks in the Roosevelt Room of the White House while SoftBank CEO Masayoshi Son, Oracle CTO Larry Ellison, and OpenAI CEO Sam Altman look on on January 21, 2025 in Washington, DC. / Andrew Harnik / Andrew Harnik/Getty Images Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On Tuesday, Trump announced the launch of a multibillion dollar AI project called Stargate which promises to grow artificial intelligence infrastructure across the country. The president tapped Altman, as well as SoftBank CEO Masayoshi Son and Oracle Chairman Larry Ellison to helm Stargate, who collectively have promised to invest $100 billion in total to kickstart the projectwith an additional $400 billion in years to come. Earlier, when replying to an OpenAI post announcing Stargate on X, Musk swiftly squashed the AI avengers dreams by claiming: They dont actually have the money. SoftBank has well under $10B secured, he added. I have that on good authority. In response, Altman, seemingly taunting Musk, wrote: I genuinely respect your accomplishments and think you are the most inspiring entrepreneur of our time. i genuinely respect your accomplishments and think you are the most inspiring entrepreneur of our time Sam Altman (@sama) January 22, 2025 He also clapped back at Musks claims on the group not having any money and wrote: Wrong, as you surely know. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Want to come visit the first site already under way? This is great for the country. I realize what is great for the country isnt always whats optimal for your companies, but in your new role I hope youll mostly put [America] first. wrong, as you surely know. want to come visit the first site already under way? this is great for the country. i realize what is great for the country isn't always what's optimal for your companies, but in your new role i hope you'll mostly put first. Sam Altman (@sama) January 22, 2025 Vehement Musk hater and primary vanguard of the December MAGA civil war against him, Steve Bannon, also entered the chat Wednesday by telling reporters that the billionaire is out of control. [Musk] should not reverse what the presidents already talked about, Bannon quipped. Its unacceptable and unsatisfactory. You see how out of control he is. The family of a 13-year-old North Dakota girl has filed a federal lawsuit against the Mayo Clinic and two orthopedic surgeons, alleging they permanently paralyzed the girl after failing to stabilize her spine during surgery. According to the lawsuit filed by Ashley Barton, the girls mother, Mayo Clinic, Dr. Peter Rose and Dr. Mohammed Karim, both physicians at the Rochester, Minn., clinic, owe the family an amount far exceeding $75,000. The family, from Grand Forks, N.D., is accusing the defendants of medical malpractice and negligent nondisclosure. The suit was filed Jan. 6 in U.S. District Court. Mayo did not respond to a request for comment. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The 13-year-old girl walked into Mayo Clinic but rolled out in a wheelchair, paralyzed from the waist down after a three-stage surgery in February 2024, the lawsuit says. During a routine softball health check, the teenager was diagnosed with scoliosis after a tumor that caused her spine to curve was discovered. In October 2023, Rose recommended three procedures to first remove the intraspinal portion of the tumor, then remove the remainder of the tumor, and finally to correct the girls scoliosis. Roses plan put the girl at a high risk for spinal instability because of the nature of her spinal abnormality; however, Rose never documented nor implemented a plan to protect her spinal cord and stabilize her thoracolumbar region, the lawsuit alleges. Because Rose failed to stabilize the girls spine during the first two stages of the surgery, the lawsuit alleges that he breached the standard of care, which required him to recognize the instability of her spine and protect her spinal cord from injury related to instability. The lawsuit also accuses the Mayo doctors, with whom Rose consulted, of violating the standard of care by not recommending that Rose create a plan to stabilize the girls spine. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement After the second stage of the surgery on Feb. 10, 2024, the girl began sitting at the edge of her bed when she felt a pop and collapsed, the lawsuit says. The girl then lost all feeling in her legs. The same day, the girls mother advocated for a CT scan of her spine, which revealed new disc space widening between the T11 and T12 vertebrae and a new disruption in the girls spinal alignment. According to the lawsuit, the CT scans findings were consistent with acute spinal instability. Her neuropathic pain, urinary incontinence, loss of sensation and strength, were consistent with a transient paraparesis directly caused by the post-surgical instability of her spine that Dr. Rose had failed to address, the lawsuit alleges. The following day, Rose charted: She had a difficult day yesterday. She was doing great, but then felt a pop and there was concern about some potential dysesthetic pain arising in her lower extremities in the setting of a normal motor examination. I was unfortunately not in the area, but was in full communication. We got a CT scan that I have had a chance to personally review, and I am not concerned about the findings. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The 13-year-old did not move out of the bed Feb. 11, 2024, due to significant fear, one resident charted. On Feb. 12, 2024, the girl made it to the edge of the bed when everything from her waist down went numb, she had a burning sensation in her lower extremities, and she was unable to move her legs, the lawsuit says. Rose visited the girl that afternoon and charted, this is all very unusual, noting that the procedure generally doesnt impart any gross instability in the spine. Rose left for the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons annual meeting, so Karim agreed to help out, the lawsuit said. Karim ordered an MRI later on Feb. 12, revealing critical abnormalities in the girls spine consistent with significant acute spinal cord injury. At 11 p.m. Feb. 12, Karim proceeded with an emergency surgery. He observed gapping and mobility of part of the spine and a disrupted facet joint capsule. He also noted the teenager was not completely paraplegic at the time of the surgery. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Despite recognizing her unstable spinal condition during surgery, Dr. Karim failed to surgically stabilize (the girls) spine through placement of instrumentation or other surgical immobilization, a critical step that the standard of care required to prevent further neurological deterioration after surgery, the lawsuit says. The lawsuit alleges that the doctors violations of the standard of care caused the girl to suffer complete paralysis in the lower half of her body, which is permanent and without expectation of meaningful recovery in the future. In addition to lifelong financial burdens, the lawsuit alleges, the injury has altered the girls privacy and dignity, stripping her of independence, mobility and dignity. Related Articles Hungry Los Angeles County residents now have a new In-N-Out Burger to visit with the opening of a restaurant in the city of Carson on Thursday. Rachel Coleman, who has been a veteran of In-N-Out for 16 years, will manage the new restaurant, located at 20512 Avalon Boulevard, the popular burger chain stated in a news release Wednesday. The new In-N-Out will have one drive-thru lane and is expected to employ about 70 burger associates with a starting wage of $22 per hour. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Inside the restaurant will be seating for more than 70 guests, with an outdoor area available for an additional 30 customers. All In-N-Out Burger locations are open daily from 10:30 a.m. to 1:00 a.m. and until 1:30 a.m. on Friday and Saturday, the news release stated. In-N-Out was founded in 1948 in Baldwin Park, with locations now throughout California as well as in Nevada, Arizona, Utah, Texas, Oregon, Colorado and Idaho. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. KENNEDY SPACE CENTER It was a cloudy Saturday morning on the Space Coast when 12-year-old Tal Ramon anxiously waited with his family for the return of his father Ilan on Space Shuttle Columbia in 2003. Ilan and his six crewmates flying on STS-107 never made it home. Now 22 years later, Tal was back in Florida, this time under gloomy skies and biting cold Thursday morning having just placed a wreath alongside other family members of fallen astronauts in front of the Space Mirror Memorial at Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It never really gets easier. said Tal, now 34, after the ceremony that was part the NASA Day of Remembrance. Youre always dealing with grief. Its always part of your life. But what you do is you learn to live alongside of it, and to take it with you, and to be proud and to take your memory, your good memories, and make them what carries the rest of your future. His father was the first Israeli in space, but among the seven who died Feb. 1, 2003 aboard Columbia when the orbiter disintegrated upon re-entry during its 28th mission. He died alongside NASA astronauts Rick Husband, Kalpana Chawla, William McCool, David Brown, Laurel Clark and Michael Anderson. The ceremony paid homage to Columbias seven along with the seven who died on Space Shuttle Challenger on Jan. 28, 1986, the three Apollo 1 astronauts that died in a fire on the launch pad during a test Jan. 27, 1967 and eight others who paid the ultimate price in their pursuit of Americas space program. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Show Caption1 of 14 An image of Israeli astronaut Ilan Ramon, who died aboard Space Shuttle Columbia, is projected as Thad Altman, president and CEO of the Astronauts Memorial Foundation, reads through the names of 25 men and women who lost their lives in the pursuit of space during a ceremony marking the NASA Day of Remembrance at Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex on Thursday, Jan. 23, 2025. (Richard Tribou/Orlando Sentinel) Expand All 25 names of the men and women were read aloud accompanied by the ringing of a bell by a member of the ceremonys color guard ahead of the wreath-laying at the memorial. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement That includes the Challengers crew of astronauts Michael J. Smith, Francis R. (Dick) Scobee, Ronald E. McNair, Ellison Onizuka, Gregory Jarvis, Judith Resnick and Christa McAuliffe, who would have been the first teacher. And it includes Apollo Is Virgil I. Gus Grissom, Edward H. White and Roger B. Chaffee, the three astronauts who were set to launch on the first crewed mission of the Apollo lunar landing program. The ceremony, attended by former NASA astronauts, current NASA leaders and surviving family of those being remembered, was one of several events around the nation held at NASA centers as well as Arlington National Ceremony in Washington. The KSC ceremony was organized by the Astronauts Memorial Foundation, which funded construction of the Space Mirror Memorial. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I pray that we never have to add another name to the mirror, but the reality is that spaceflight is uncertain, said former NASA astronaut Eileen Collins, who sits on the board of the foundation. Also speaking during the ceremony, acting KSC Director Kelvin Manning said the mirror is a sobering reminder as he goes to work each day I drive past the Space Mirror Memorial, see the names and have the opportunity to reflect on the impacts of these tragic losses, the importance of the lessons learned and how these moments have defined eras to human spaceflight and have also permanently altered the culture of our agency, Manning said. He touted the progress NASA has seen in the years since Columbias tragedy and the agencys future with plans under Artemis to return humans to the moon and venture onto Mars. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For each of the audacious goals for which we aspire and each of the successes yet before us, we owe a debt of gratitude to the crews of Apollo I, Challenger and Columbia and to all the others who have lost their lives in the advancement of science and exploration. But he said all the successes NASA hopes to achieve will always be tinged with the somber reality of its lowest points. Looking out across the faces today, people I talked to this morning, Im struck that each of us are tethered to the memories of these tragedies, personally, as family, friends, loved ones, professionally, as individuals who experience these mishaps firsthand. Tal Ramon then spoke about his fathers legacy and the efforts of his late mother and Ilans widow, Rona, through the Ramon Foundation she founded after his death. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement To this day, my fathers achievements continue to inspire us to always try to think for the bigger picture, he said. He understood, and he did that himself, and he understood that we are all part of something much greater than ourselves. The foundation worked with NASA to stoke space interest in the countrys youth through educational outreach, but also seeding the foundations of space startups in Israel. When children today hear the story of Israels first astronaut, theyre filled with pride and motivation, and that is proof that their memory isnt just history. Its alive and its in the next generation, he said. And this is also true for these heroes that we lost, all these wonderful heroes. In a strong rebuke to the fractious effect of a tragic school shooting, the full array of Antioch solidarity was on display on Wednesday night. A shooting Wednesday morning at Antioch High School left two students dead, including the shooter, and a third was injured. By the afternoon, Antioch High students dispersed from the grounds with their families and wont return this week. But by the evening, greater Nashville banded together for its neighbors. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It is only when we come together as a community, when we hold hands and pray together, when we join together in different languages and different faiths that we come together and acknowledge we are stronger together, At-large Metro Nashville Council Member Delishia Porterfield, who lives in Antioch, said at a prayer vigil Wednesday evening. Nashville Metro Council member Delishia Porterfield, left, embraces Council Member Zulfat Suara, right, during a community prayer vigil at Hamilton United Methodist Church in Antioch, Tenn., Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2025. The vigil was in response to the shooting at Antioch High School earlier in the day. The vigil at Hamilton United Methodist Church, located just a couple miles away from the site of the days tragic events, featured countless scenes of the areas multicultural and interfaith cohesion. But as evidenced by the response from additional faith leaders, that sense of camaraderie and collective grief extended beyond Hamilton UMCs sanctuary walls. Our children deserve the God-given right to learn without fear. Parents deserve the right to expect their children will be safe in their classrooms, the African American Clergy Collective of Tennessee said in a statement. Each school shooting calls us to grieve with and pray for another bloodstained community, and to relive the senseless tragedies still fresh in our minds. The Black clergy coalitions statement echoed that of the Nashville-based American Muslim Advisory Council, the southeast division for the Anti-Defamation League, which is a Jewish organization, and Bishop J. Mark Spalding of the Catholic Diocese of Nashville. The African American Clergy Collective of Tennessee, a leading faith-based group in Tennessee advocating for gun reform and co-leader of a campaign alongside Tennessee pediatricians to raise awareness about gun violence as a public health crisis, also called on state lawmakers in its statement Wednesday to make 2025 the year its members finally commit to honor the will of the people and protect our children from gun violence. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement There were similar admonishments at the Hamilton UMC vigil. Guests attend a community prayer vigil at Hamilton United Methodist Church in Antioch, Tenn., Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2025. The vigil was in response to the shooting at Antioch High School earlier in the day. We commit ourselves not to betraying our prayers by actions that contradict them. Let us be for truth, no matter who or for is against it, Imam Moaz Roaf with the Islamic Center of Tennessee, a mosque in Antioch, said in a prayer at the vigil. Let us not be deterred by the hatred that has claimed the lives of innocent people and children. In addition to Porterfield and Roaf, other speakers at the vigil included Nashville Mayor Freddie OConnell, Metro Nashville Council members Deonte Harrell and Zulfat Suara, and local clergy Revs. Quentin Dickerson, Mamdouh Ramzy and Rachel Booker. Sarah Shoop Neumann, an advocate for gun reform and parent of students at The Covenant School, the site of Nashvilles last school shooting in March 2023, and Melissa Alvarez, who leads a nonprofit serving Hispanic victims of gun violence called the Tennessee Hispanic Action Network, also spoke. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In yet another gesture of solidarity from the local faith community, a nearby Antioch church that suffered a deadly shooting more than seven years ago showed support for the family and friends of Josselin Corea Escalante, the 16-year-old victim in the Antioch High shooting, in a social media post Wednesday evening. "We also lift up in prayer our community, the students, staff members and everyone affected by this senseless tragedy," Burnette Chapel Church of Christ, located a mile away from Antioch High, said in the statement. A masked gunman's attack on Burnette Chapel in September 2017 killed one woman and injured seven others, including Burnette Chapel senior minister Rev. Joey Spann. At the vigil on Wednesday night, Antioch High teacher Aaron Rodriguez addressed the audience of 100-plus at Hamilton UMC comprised of some Antioch High students and grief counselors who work at the school and moved many to tears. Nashville Mayor Freddie O'Connell speaks during a community prayer vigil at Hamilton United Methodist Church in Antioch, Tenn., Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2025. The vigil was in response to the shooting at Antioch High School earlier in the day. To the parents out there, I want you to know your children are brave. They did everything right, Rodriguez, who teaches history and African American studies, said. Were looking out for them. And I implore all of you to think about all of the ways you can help us so that we can help them make these schools the places they look forward to going to. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Liam Adams covers religion for The Tennessean, part of the USA TODAY Network. Reach him at ladams@tennessean.com or on social media @liamsadams. This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Nashville faith, city leaders offer comfort after Antioch High shooting Antioch High School shooter Solomon Henderson fired 10 shots from a nine-millimeter pistol in a span 17 seconds Wednesday after he entered the cafeteria and fatally shot himself, Metro Nashville Police said in an update Thursday afternoon Josselin Corea Escalante, 16, was killed in the shooting, and a 17-year-old male student sustained a graze wound and was treated and released from Vanderbilt University Medical Center. The shooter's gun, which police said Thursday was originally bought in Arizona in 2022 and never reported stolen, was loaded with nine rounds when it was found by investigators inside the school, according to a news release from the department. A pistol magazine loaded with seven rounds was found on the cafeteria floor, the release noted. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement No firearms or firearm parts were found during a Wednesday search of the shooter's home on Carefree Lane, authorities said. And, although investigators initially reported that the shooter rode the bus to school on Wednesday, they said Thursday that the initial report was incorrect and his mother had taken him. As part of their update, Nashville Police also outlined some of the finer points of their investigation. They said the teen went into a nearby bathroom, where he posted a photo on social media, before he went into the cafeteria and began shooting just after 11 a.m. After the shooting, detectives found two documents believed to have been created by the shooter on a non-traditional website. One was 51 pages long, and the other was 288 pages long. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The documents and evidence taken from the shooter's home is under review by homicide detectives and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, police said. "It is clear that Henderson was significantly influenced by web-based material, especially that found on non-traditional sites that most would find harmful and objectionable. The FBI is working closely with the MNPD in the ideological influences portion of this investigation," police said in their Thursday release. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms is working with Nashville Police to further determine the exact origins of the gun used by the shooter. This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Nashville police: Antioch school shooter fired 10 shots in 17 seconds Donald Trumps inauguration on Monday was marred by a shameful decision that, if it proves representative of what is to come, portends poorly for the United States and the world order it upholds. When Trump attended a service at St Johns Episcopal Church hours before he took the oath of office, TikTok CEO Shou Chew was also there. When Trump was sworn in at the Capitol, Chew was in attendance in the rotunda. Later, Trump would do Chew the favour of a lifetime and sign an executive order granting Chews company a 75-day extension to comply with a federal law that could result in its ban in the United States. Supposedly the delay is designed to permit Tiktoks at least partial sale to a US company. But its difficult to imagine a more inauspicious start for the new President; TikTok is a clear and present national security threat, under the influence of the United States chief geopolitical rival. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The social media platform is owned by ByteDance, a Chinese firm ultimately subject to the whims of the Chinese Communist Party. Somewhere in the neighbourhood of 170 million Americans are on TikTok. The idea that they and their data are protected from the nefarious designs of the CCP in Beijing is laughable. Moreover, there is evidence that TikToks algorithm is being used to promote Chinese interests among the American populace. A study from Rutgers University found that topics typically suppressed by the Chinese government including Beijings genocide against the Uyghurs, or the Tiananmen Square massacre appear to be underrepresented on TikTok compared to Instagram. Anti-Israel and pro-Russia propaganda also abound on the platform. As if that was not reason enough to compel Trump to do his job, what hes done is arguably unlawful. The president is not supposed to be a sovereign, able to treat Congresss actions as mere suggestions, but a faithful executor of its will. When he took the oath of office on Monday, Trump swore to do exactly that. Worse yet is his reasoning for postponing the TikTok ban. Trump had previously advocated a ban on the platform himself. In August 2020, he signed an executive order imposing sanctions on the company and declared that the United States must take aggressive action against the owners of TikTok to protect our national security, while citing fears about the apps espionage and disinformation capabilities the very same concerns that motivated Congress to pass the bill hes chosen to disrupt. As Trump put it just a few years ago, these risks are real. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Now though, Trump has given only a selfish, even illogical, explanation of his change of heart. He recently declared that he has a warm spot for the platform because we did go on TikTok during the 2024 campaign and received a great response. He repeated that explanation on Monday, once again referencing that warm spot. In a Fox News interview last night, he downplayed the threat posed by TikTok. But China is an expansionist power with designs on not only absorbing Taiwan, but on supplanting the United States as hegemon. Its efforts towards that end extend beyond expanding its military capabilities, and backing the free worlds enemies in Iran and Russia. The threat posed by the likes of TikTok cannot be underplayed. These are serious times. And they require decisive leaders ready, willing, and able to do what is necessary to level with the American people about what the CCP is and what must be done to keep it in check. However warm he might feel towards TikTok and however many millions of Gen-Zers might complain about no longer being able to post dance videos on the platform Trump must refocus on this vital task. Isaac Schorr is a staff writer at Mediaite and a Robert Novak fellow 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 prayer for Leonard Peltier is sung to a drumbeat on June 20, 2024, outside the federal courthouse in Fargo, North Dakota. Demonstrators were calling for the release of Peltier, who was convicted at a trial in Fargo in the deaths of FBI agents in South Dakota in 1975. (Jeff Beach/North Dakota Monitor) President Joe Biden on Monday commuted the sentence of Leonard Peltier, a Native American activist convicted of killing two FBI agents nearly 50 years ago in South Dakota. Peltier, 80, is a citizen of the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa in North Dakota. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Bidens order as he leaves office is to take effect Feb. 18. A statement from Biden said Peltier should serve the remainder of his life sentence at home. NDN Collective, an Indigenous rights organization in Rapid City, South Dakota, issued a news release Monday celebrating Peltiers commutation. The release included a quote attributed to Peltier: Its finally over Im going home. I want to show the world Im a good person with a good heart. I want to help the people, just like my grandmother taught me. Peltiers sister, Betty Ann Peltier, welcomed the news. I am going to cook him the biggest meal I can, she said. Fry bread and foods he hasnt eaten for years. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement She said her brother is suffering from the effects of diabetes, has heart trouble and uses a walker. She said there has been a home waiting for him on the Turtle Mountain Reservation but that she hopes he will stay with her in Fargo. She had yet to communicate with her brother as of Monday morning. According to the FBI, in 1975, agents Ron Williams and Jack Coler were attempting to arrest a robbery suspect on the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota. The agents pursued a vehicle, with Peltier among the people inside. A fatal shootout ensued, with the two agents and Joseph Stuntz, a member of the American Indian Movement, killed. Peltier has maintained that he is innocent. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Kevin Sharp with the law firm of Sanford Heisler Sharp McKnight, based in Nashville, Tennessee, represented Mr. Peltier for 5 years, filing Mr. Peltiers original clemency petition in December 2019 and refiling it again in 2021, President Biden took an enormous step toward healing and reconciliation with the Native American people in this country. It took nearly 50 years to acknowledge the injustice of Leonard Peltiers conviction and continued incarceration, but with the Presidents act of mercy Leonard can finally return to his reservation and live out his remaining days, said Sharp, the former Chief Judge of the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Tennessee. South Dakota Attorney General Marty Jackley said in a statement his office strongly opposes any change to Peltiers sentence, calling the deaths of the agents cold-blooded murders. That conviction has been reviewed and upheld by no fewer than 22 federal judges since then, Jackley said Monday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Tracey Wilkie of Fargo grew up on the Turtle Mountain Reservation and said she was raised hearing the story of Leonard Peltier. She called herself a lifetime supporter and organizer for his freedom. She helped lead a rally for Peltier last year when he was up for parole, which was denied. The rally was on the steps of the federal courthouse in Fargo where Peltier was convicted. So many people have been working behind the scenes, Wilkie said. Its going to give a lot of people hope. Peltier has been serving two consecutive life terms in prison, most recently in Florida. According to Bidens statement, tribal Nations, Nobel Peace laureates, former law enforcement officials including the former U.S. Attorney whose office oversaw Peltiers prosecution and appeal and human rights organizations support granting Peltier clemency. They cite Peltiers advanced age, illnesses, his close ties to and leadership in the Native American community, and the substantial length of time he has already spent in prison. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement State Rep. Jayme Davis, D-Rolette, a Turtle Mountain citizen, is among Peltiers supporters. She said her father attended school in Belcourt with Peltier. Its fabulous, Davis said from the North Dakota legislative session in Bismarck after hearing the news. I was in committee when I heard the news and almost screamed out loud. Nick Tilsen, founder and CEO of NDN Collective, credited 50 years of intergenerational resistance, organizing and advocacy for winning the commutation. Leonard Peltiers liberation is our liberation we will honor him by bringing him back to his homelands to live out the rest of his days surrounded by loved ones, healing, and reconnecting with his land and culture, Tilsen said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This story has been updated with reaction. North Dakota Monitor reporter Mary Steurer and South Dakota Searchlight staff contributed to this report. commutation-warrant-1-19-jan-2025 (North Dakota Monitor is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. North Dakota Monitor maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Amy Dalrymple for questions: info@northdakotamonitor.com.) NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte called on the United States to continue supplying weapons to Ukraine, pledging that Europe will shoulder the financial burden, Reuters reported on Jan. 23. "If this new Trump administration is willing to keep on supplying Ukraine, the bill will be paid by the Europeans," Rutte said at the World Economic Forum in Davos. Rutte's remarks come amid the uncertainty of the U.S. support for Ukraine under President Donald Trump, who has repeatedly criticized aid to Kyiv, as well as called on Europe to increase its share. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump has repeatedly lambasted European NATO members for not investing enough in their defense capabilities and instead relying on the U.S. Rutte agreed with Trump's criticism of Europe's low defense spending, saying that "Ukraine is closer to Europe than to the U.S." Earlier on Jan. 22, President Volodymyr Zelensky emphasized the importance of U.S. leadership in ending Russia's war during an interview with Bloomberg. "The end of the war must be a victory for U.S. President Donald Trump, not for Russian President Vladimir Putin," Zelensky said. During his presidential campaign, Trump has repeatedly called for a swift resolution to Russia's war and claimed he would be able to end it quickly. However, he hasn't elaborated on how he plans to achieve that. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On Jan. 22, Trump threatened to impose harsher sanctions on Moscow if a "deal" is not reached soon. Read also: Trump needs to come out on top Zelensky on US presidents role in ending war Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. DAVOS (Reuters) - NATO is not involved in decisions taken by member states, such as the United States, over hiring in the armed forces based around diversity, equality and inclusion (DEI) criteria, said NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte at Davos on Thursday. Earlier this week, the administration of President Donald Trump fired U.S. Coast Guard Commandant Admiral Linda Lee Fagan, the first female uniformed leader of an armed forces branch. Rutte said it was up to individual countries to assess their DEI hiring programmes within their own armed forces. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "This is for the allies to decide. The U.S. can decide this. This is not something NATO is involved in," Rutte said in an interview at the World Economic Forum in Davos. "NATO is involved in collective defence, making sure that collectively the 32 can confront any foe, any enemy, any adversary, and make sure that he or she will never try to capture a square kilometer of NATO territory. That's what NATO is involved in, and all the other stuff is up to individual allies," added Rutte. (Reporting by Leela de Kretser; editing by Philippa Fletcher) (Bloomberg) -- NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte gave his full-throated backing to US President Donald Trumps pressure campaign against Russia aimed at halting its war on Ukraine. Most Read from Bloomberg Speaking in an interview with Bloomberg Editor-in-Chief John Micklethwait at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Rutte said that Trumps post on social media threatening further economic sanctions on Russia was the correct strategy. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Thats the way forward, he said. Trump has in the past tested NATOs limits and shaken allies to the core by threatening to pull out of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization a move that would risk the post-World War II global order unless Europeans stepped up their military outlays. Rutte, though, stressed that the president deserves credit for getting NATO allies to raise their defense spending, and dismissed whining and complaining about Trump. Trump starting that debate is good, he will aways do it in his own way, said Rutte. Trump has said hell bring about a rapid end to the war in Ukraine, but has yet to spell out how. The president is due to address the Davos audience later on Thursday by video link. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While declining to discuss the outlines of any future deal to stop the fighting, saying the best focus was to put Kyiv in as strong a position as possible, the NATO chief made the connection between Putins war and China, portraying Beijing as a part of an axis along with North Korea, Iran and Russia. This is not a conflict between Russia and Ukraine or Russia and Europe. Its a geopolitical issue because of North Korea, China, Iran, and that is why we need to get a good deal, he said. A good deal means you will not have Putin high-fiving with Kim Jong Un and Xi Jinping and the mullahs in Iran. US Heavyweight Ruttes constructive working relationship with Trump in his prior role as Dutch prime minister was considered one of his strong suits as he stepped into the NATO seat in October. He was quick off the mark to reach out to Trump after his election victory, praising his leadership in keeping the alliance strong, then becoming one of the first foreign leaders to make the pilgrimage to Mar-a-Lago. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In reality, he has little other choice than to try to and keep Trump onside: US defense spending equates to about two-thirds of all allies outlays. The US president has floated a desired level of 5% of gross domestic product, a share that neither the US nor any other NATO member meets. Rutte said that allies will have to come up with really much more than were spending now. We cant wait any longer, he said. Collectively we will decide later this year what exactly the new number will be, and it will be much more than 2%. Whereas Trump has said hed encourage Russia to do whatever the hell they want to countries who failed to spend what he regards as enough, hes switched the pressure to Putin, urging Putin to MAKE A DEAL or face further punishing economic sanctions. After almost three years of war, Kyivs allies are calling increasingly openly for an end to the fighting. Even President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has softened his stance and started to discuss details of a settlement he said in a Bloomberg interview that any effective peacekeeping force deployed in Ukraine will need to include US troops. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I say the problem is not Trump, the problem is Europe, said Rutte, singling out the relative lack of military spending among European NATO members. We could pay more of the financial burden. Trump is clear that he feels we are under the US umbrella here and not paying enough. Explainer: Why NATO Is So Unprepared to Defend Europe Without US Support --With assistance from Andra Timu. (Updates with defense spending comment in 11th paragraph.) Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2025 Bloomberg L.P. NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte believes that Russia's demands that Ukraine or any other state not be accepted into NATO are unacceptable. Source: Rutte during a panel discussion at the World Economic Forum in Davos, as European Pravda reported Details: Rutte was asked about Ukraine's future in NATO in the context of potential negotiations to end the Russia-Ukraine war. Quote: "There is a commitment that Ukraine will become a member of NATO. The question now, of course, is how this will exactly play out whenever, hopefully, as soon as possible." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement More details: He emphasised that the primary task for Western partners is to help Ukraine secure the best possible negotiating position and ensure that any potential peace agreement guarantees a truly reliable peace. Quote: "And finally, on this, we have to make clear that Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin, has no veto and has no vote on whoever would join NATO in the future. Only if he wants to join NATO - but I don't think he wants - so, and he has nothing to say about it. We have to be very clear." Background: Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha stated in an interview with European Pravda that Ukraine will not abandon its NATO aspirations or accept substitutes for membership. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy believes that if newly elected US President Donald Trump supports Ukraine's NATO membership, other countries would also back this decision. Support UP or become our patron! NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte has fully supported US President Donald Trump's campaign of pressure on Russia to end the war against Ukraine. Source: Rutte in an interview with Bloomberg on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos, as reported by European Pravda Details: Rutte noted that Trump's threat to impose further economic sanctions against Russia is the right strategy. "Thats the way forward," he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Donald Trump has stated that he will ensure a quick end to the Russian war against Ukraine, but has not yet explained how he would do it. He is scheduled to address the World Economic Forum in Davos via video later on Thursday. While refusing to discuss the details of any future agreement to end the combat actions, Rutte drew a link between Putin's war and China, portraying Beijing as part of an "axis" that includes North Korea, Iran and Russia. "This is not a conflict between Russia and Ukraine or Russia and Europe. Its a geopolitical issue because of North Korea, China, Iran, and that is why we need to get a good deal," Rutte said. "A good deal means you will not have Putin high-fiving with Kim Jong Un and Xi Jinping and the mullahs in Iran." Background: In Davos, Rutte also stressed the need to strengthen support for Ukraine, emphasising that it is vital that Russia does not win. On 22 January, Donald Trump said that if a deal to end the war in Ukraine was not reached soon, he would have no choice but to impose high taxes, tariffs and sanctions on everything Russia sells to the United States and other countries that are concerned. Support UP or become our patron! NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte does not want to make Ukraine's potential membership of the defence alliance dependent on Russia's stance. NATO must make it clear that Russian President Vladimir Putin has no right of veto and no vote on who will join the alliance in the future, said Rutte on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos on Thursday. Ukraine will join NATO one day once there is sustainable peace, Rutte said at an event organized by the Victor Pinchuk Foundation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement To get there NATO must ensure that Putin will never try to conquer parts of Ukraine again and put Ukraine in the best possible position before peace talks begin, he said. Rutte also reiterated his call for higher defence contributions by NATO allies. Spending 2% of gross national product (GDP) on defence was not nearly enough, Rutte said, without giving a figure. If allies do not increase their security expenditure, NATO will no longer be able to defend itself in four or five years' time, he stated. US President Donald Trump recently called for the allies to spend 5% of their economic output on defence in the future. For Germany and many others, this would mean that they would have to more than double their defence spending. BATTLE CREEK, Neb. (KCAU) A northeast Nebraska man was arrested Wednesday after allegedly threatening to burn a house down and lighting fireworks indoors while two children and his girlfriend were inside. According to a release from the Madison County Sheriffs Office, Neal Dittman, 49, of Battle Creek, was charged with two counts of child abuse and three counts of terroristic threats. Winnebago man arrested for assaulting Nebraska State Patrol trooper during traffic stop Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement At about 12:41 p.m. on Jan. 22, officials got a call from the girlfriend for a barricaded subject inside a home. He was allegedly threatening to burn it to the ground while he and the other three were in it. The woman said she was upstairs with her children and was trying to escape the house. She also said that Dittman was highly intoxicated and was lighting fireworks downstairs, per the release. Before officials arrived, the woman and the children had gotten out of the house and away from the area. When officials did arrive, Dittman walked outside and spoke with them. After a short negotiation, he surrendered and was arrested, according to the release. In response to the incident, Battle Creek Public Schools locked down for about 20 minutes. 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. An arena proposed by Rod Yates for a good life district in Gretna. Yates asked to terminate his good life district application and is seeking different legislation to revive his vision for a sports-themed mega destination site. (Courtesy of Hoefer Welker, Nebraska Crossing) LINCOLN Nebraska lawmakers will have at least a few bills to consider this year as they work to fix, replace or even eliminate the Good Life Transformational Projects Act, which the state aimed at creating unique, tourist magnet destinations. One measure, introduced Wednesday by State Sen. Beau Ballard of Lincoln, appears to provide another shot for Rod Yates mega sports-themed vision surrounding his Nebraska Crossing shopping center in Gretna. State Sen. Beau Ballard of Lincoln. July 25, 2024. (Zach Wendling/Nebraska Examiner) Yates this month moved to terminate his good life district application that had been approved by the state early last year. He did so after reaching an impasse with the City of Gretna, which rejected Yates demands as too risky for taxpayers, legally and financially. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ballards Legislative Bill 637, which he named the Destination Nebraska Act, reads much like the original Good Life Act. It does not name Yates, but appears tailored to his ideas. The proposal would give power to an approved district applicant to issue bonds. It would grant the district power and authority similar to an independent village, much like the economic development zones that Walt Disney World uses in central Florida. No more than two such destination districts could be formed under LB 637, and the price tag of each would have to surpass $3 billion, create jobs and build new-to-market venues and retail that would draw at least 10 million visitors a year to a site spanning up to 5,000 acres. Details still evolving Another bill introduced Wednesday, the final day to submit proposed 2025 legislation, is what sponsoring State Sen. Brad von Gillern of Omaha called a shell bill one that lawmakers can use to amend later with a new proposal or pieces of different ones. Legislative Bill 707s details will be firmed up as the session continues. State Sen. Rick Holdcroft of Bellevue. July 31, 2024. (Zach Wendling/Nebraska Examiner) Von Gillern, chair of the Revenue Committee, said aspects of the original good life legislation approved in 2023 and revised in 2024 must be fixed. But he and others are still trying to figure out the best way forward, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Tuesday, State Sen. Rick Holdcroft of Bellevue introduced Legislative Bill 510 as a placeholder to revise aspects of the good life legislation. He said that measure was looking out for the needs of Gretna taxpayers. Holdcroft said much has changed over the past few weeks regarding the Gretna district, and he expects the language of LB 510 to change substantially. Final vote count Official results are in from Gretnas good life district-related Jan. 14 special election, solidifying a narrow approval, 1,044 votes to 1,029. The report Wednesday by the Sarpy County Election Commissioner means Gretna can establish an economic development program to tap into a Legislature-created public incentive derived from halving the state sales tax within the district. The idea was for the difference to help finance buildout of the unique project site. The Gretna districts fate remains unclear, however. Applicant Rod Yates asked to terminate his agreement. The Department of Economic Development, in turn, will decide if the district remains viable. The Legislature, meanwhile, is poised to revise the good life law and incentive. Among its elements, currently, is language prohibiting a city or village from using eminent domain to acquire property within a good life district for the purpose of giving or selling such property to a private individual or corporation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement That was just one of the sticking points between Gretna and Yates, as Gretna representatives said Yates demands would have had them use eminent domain if private property owners did not want to sell, something the city balked at. They said Yates owns just a slice of the approved 2,000-acre district. Pillen budget in play, too Also in play with regard to the good life districts is Gov. Jim Pillens proposed budget, which suggested taking back the annual $5 million in state incentives that the Legislature and governor set aside to help fund development in the good life districts. Holdcroft and von Gillern said they would like to preserve the good life districts in some way. They expect a unified bill to come forward as lawmakers grapple over the issues. Ending the good life incentive at this point, as is suggested by Pillens budget, would put other approved districts in the cities of Grand Island, Omaha and Bellevue in a bind and perhaps open the state to legal problems, Holdroft said. Those cities are farther along in their planning and processes than Gretna. State Sen. Brad von Gillern of Omaha. (Zach Wendling/Nebraska Examiner) The good life legislation, as approved in 2023 and updated the next year, called for the state sales tax within the districts to be cut in half from 5.5% to 2.75%. The idea was for the difference to be recaptured and used to help finance new transformational economic developments within the project sites. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But the incentive, particularly as it applied to Gretna, has been controversial. I think they will continue, Holdcroft said. What we do with the Gretna district is still up in the air. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Parents-to-be from Haiti stand at a gap in the U.S.-Mexico border wall after having traveled from South America to the United States on Dec. 10, 2021, in Yuma, Arizona. (John Moore/Getty Images) Nebraska emerged from the pandemic in 2022 with the worst workforce shortage in the U.S. Businesses and governments statewide had more than 80,000 job openings and only 32 people looking for work for every 100 of those openings, according to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Unfortunately, according to the same dataset, Nebraska and Utah currently have the lowest available worker ratio to job openings in the U.S. Only 56 Nebraskans are looking for work for every 100 job openings, while the national average is 84 people looking for work for every 100 openings. This is not a short-term problem. In 2022, there were 2,000 fewer Nebraska students enrolled in kindergarten than in the 12th grade, according to Nebraska Public Schools data. A possible solution Business and trade association leaders say: Immigrants are the solution! Omaha Together One Community (OTOC) leaders conducted more than 100 meetings over the past three years with Nebraska agricultural, health-care, labor, education, hospitality, philanthropic, faith, construction, immigrant, legal, banking, and community leaders to learn more about our workforce needs. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We learned that an owner of a dairy farm had been awake for almost 48 hours milking his cows because his short-term immigrant staff had to leave Nebraska when their work visas expired. We heard of immigrants with work visas who can come to the U.S. with their families, but their spouses and working-age children are not allowed to work. We learned of Nebraskans who travel 90 miles each way to see an elderly grandmother because their local long-term care facility is closed due to an inability to hire adequate staff. We also heard of community leaders who were concerned that their schools and churches were at risk of closing. They no longer had pharmacies, hardware stores and car repair shops. They were at risk of losing their grocery stores and coffee shops. They said loud and clear: We dont need immigrant workers! We need immigrant families! A new alliance As result of these meetings, a statewide non-partisan alliance has formed. The Nebraska Alliance for Thriving Communities includes leaders from across the state. This 70-member Alliance agrees on a common-sense set of immigration priorities to enrich our communities and address Nebraskas workforce shortage. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to a recent study funded by the Nebraska Chamber of Commerce Foundation, There is universal and widespread business support for immigration reform as a means to address the workforce gap in Nebraska. Participants clearly understood that the demand generated from the states current economic growth trajectory will exceed the states projected workforce supply. Nebraskas decreasing birth rate coupled with a high labor force participation rate will require a talent influx in order to meet the needs of the states strong projected economic growth. There was universal consensus that immigration is critical to the states ability to continue to grow and prosper. Omaha Together One Community agrees! Nebraska needs more immigrants, not less! Kathleen Grant is a leader of Omaha Together One Community Omaha Together One Community, a 30-year-old organization of 30 church congregations and community organizations that trains leaders to work across barriers for the common good. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX POLK COUNTY, Iowa Several puppies were rescued from a burning camper on the east side of Des Moines Thursday morning. The fire started around 8:30 a.m. at 4350 NE Sheridan Avenue, east of Hoyt Middle School, according to Lt. Trevor Barber of the Polk County Sheriffs Office. When emergency crews arrived, they found neighbors had already rescued the puppies from the camper. Barber said there had been four or five puppies and one of them was taken to the Animal Rescue League for treatment. Firefighters respond to camper fire at 4350 NE Sheridan Ave., Des Moines on January 23, 2025. Firefighters respond to camper fire at 4350 NE Sheridan Ave., Des Moines on January 23, 2025. Fire crews from Delaware Township, Bondurant, and Altoona all responded to the scene. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The fire was contained quickly and the cause remains 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 who13.com. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu defended Elon Musk on Thursday, saying the Tesla CEO is being falsely smeared by critics who say he gave a Nazi salute during President Donald Trumps inauguration. Elon Musk is being falsely smeared, Netanyahu posted on X, the platform Musk owns. Elon is a great friend of Israel. He visited Israel after the Oct. 7 massacre in which Hamas terrorists committed the worst atrocity against the Jewish people since the Holocaust. He continued: He has since repeatedly and forcefully supported Israels right to defend itself against genocidal terrorists and regimes who seek to annihilate the one and only Jewish state. I thank him for this. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Netanyahus support comes after Musk has been ripped by many over the past few days. On Monday, Musk, while thanking Trump supporters at a victory rally at Capitol One Arena in Washington, D.C., slapped his chest and extended his right arm upwards. His detractors immediately condemned the gesture as a sieg heil Nazi salute. Late Show host Stephen Colbert was one of those critics who mocked Musk for the salute on his show. Wow, that sure looked like what it was, the host quipped on Tuesday. Now, I dont know if Musk intended to do a Nazi salute. He says he is not a Nazi, but what I do know is people who arent Nazis know how to avoid doing a Nazi salute. Musk has denounced claims hes an anti-Semite previously, telling CNBC in 2023, Im a pro-Semite, if anything. The following year, after visiting the Auschwitz concentration camp with conservative commentator Ben Shapiro, Musk said he was aspirationally Jewish. I have twice as many Jewish friends as non-Jewish friends. Im like Jewish by association, he told Shapiro. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On Thursday morning, Musk joked about the recent salute controversy with an X post that referred to several Nazi leaders. Dont say Hess to Nazi accusations! Some people will Goebbels anything down! Stop Goring your enemies! His pronouns wouldve been He/Himmler! Bet you did nazi that coming Elon Musk (@elonmusk) January 23, 2025 The post Netanyahu Defends Elon Musk Over Salute: Falsely Smeared appeared first on TheWrap. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Thursday that Elon Musk is being "falsely smeared," after the tech billionaire made back-to-back straight-arm gestures reminiscent of the Nazi salute. Netanyahu came to his defence on X, the social media platform owned by Musk, calling him "a great friend of Israel." "He visited Israel after the October 7 massacre in which Hamas terrorists committed the worst atrocity against the Jewish people since the Holocaust," Netanyahu wrote. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "He has since repeatedly and forcefully supported Israel's right to defend itself against genocidal terrorists and regimes who seek to annihilate the one and only Jewish state." Musk's two one-arm gestures, conducted in quick succession, were made on stage during a speech celebrating US President Donald Trump's inauguration on Monday. The action ignited a furore online and in the media, with many likening it to salutes used by Nazis and fascists. Others, however, said that his intent was unclear and too much was being read into it. Netanyahu did not specifically mention the controversy in his X post. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But Netanyahu's post was made in response to a comment from Musk himself on Thursday. "The radical leftists are really upset that they had to take time out of their busy day praising Hamas to call me a Nazi," Musk had written. In an earlier comment on X, Musk dismissed the comparison with Adolf Hitler as "sooo tired." Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu defended Elon Musk after he was accused of doing a Nazi salute at an event following Mondays inauguration. @elonmusk is being falsely smeared, he wrote in a Thursday post on the social platform X. Elon is a great friend of Israel. He visited Israel after the October 7 massacre in which Hamas terrorists committed the worst atrocity against the Jewish people since the Holocaust, he added. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement During Musks visit he went to a kibbutz, an international community in Israel that was raided by Hamas during the Oct. 7, 2023 attack according to Al Jeezera. While there, the Tesla CEO agreed to not provide internet access to Gaza through his satellite company Starlink without Israeli approval as reported by the outlet. Netanyahu said Musks support of the Middle Eastern nation has been staunch ever since. He has since repeatedly and forcefully supported Israels right to defend itself against genocidal terrorists and regimes who seek to annihilate the one and only Jewish state, Netanyahu wrote. I thank him for this. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Musk said claims that he was doing a Nazi salute was spurred by radical leftists. The radical leftists are really upset that they had to take time out of their busy day praising Hamas to call me a Nazi, Musk wrote on Wednesday making subsequent reposts with Hillary Clinton, Kamala Harris and others photographed holding out their hand in a similar stance. A day later, he inserted Nazi generals into a longer post making fun of their claims. Dont say Hess to Nazi accusations! Some people will Goebbels anything down! Stop Goring your enemies, Musk posted on Thursday. His pronouns wouldve been He/Himmler! Bet you did nazi that coming, he added with a laughing emoji. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Lawmakers including Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) said Musks gesture was a signal to neo-Nazis that President Trump stands with them, especially following Musks recent support for the German political Alternative for Germany (AfD). He endorsed the far-right neo-Nazi party in Germany. But you dont have to believe me, Murphy said during a Wednesday appearance on MSNBC. Just look at what happened that night on far-right Telegram channels. Neo-Nazi groups and white supremacist groups here in the United States said, Thats our guy. Thats our signal. Donald Trumps with us. Hes with our white supremacy agenda. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. 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) Locals in Miami are raising their eyebrows at their new neighbor, Sara Netanyahu. The wife of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has been in South Florida for over 50 days my well-placed source said, and is believed to be living with her son Nair, who has been hiding out there the entire war. As I previously reported, Yair Netanyahu, 33, has been living in Miami since April 2023 and is protected by Shin Bet at an estimated annual cost of approximately $688,000. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Presumably, the cost has gone up now that his mother Sara has joined him (he has asked for more security due to his fear of assassination, despite publicly rebuking Shin Bet, the secret Service of Israel). Oscar noms announced: Which film leads the pack? Spies said Sara has visited Mar-a-Lago, the winter White House several times and is now searching for a familial property to buy in the area. A rep for the Netanyahu family didnt return emails. While there are compelling reasons the family wants a foothold in Miami the warm weather, the proximity to U.S. President Donald Trump and more importantly, there is no war being waged in the South Florida metropolis sources say Sara is there for another reason. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement She doesnt want to be indicted or arrested which would likely happen if she goes back to Tel Aviv, one insider said. RAMAT GAN, ISRAEL DECEMBER 02: (ISRAEL OUT) Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (R) stands by his wife Sara before lighting a stylised-menorah during the start of Hanukkah, the Jewish festival of lights on December 2, 2018 in Ramat Gan, Israel. Earlier today, police and Israel Securities Authority recommended indicting Netanyahu and his wife, Sara, for bribery and other corruption charges. (Photo by Lior Mizrahi/Getty Images) JERUSALEM, ISRAEL NOVEMBER 01: Former Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his wife Sara Netanyahu greet supporters at an election-night event on November 1, 2022 in Jerusalem, Israel. Exit polls showed Netanyahu holding a narrow lead late on Election Day, the countrys fifth in four years that will name a new Kesset, the 120-seat parliament. (Photo by Amir Levy/Getty Images) JERUSALEM, ISRAEL NOVEMBER 01: Former Israeli Prime Minister and Likud party leader Benjamin Netanyahu and his wife Sara Netanyahu cast their vote in the Israeli general election on November 1, 2022 in Jerusalem, Israel. Israelis return to the polls on November 1 for a fifth general election in four years to vote for a new Knesset, the 120-seat parliament. (Photo by Amir Levy/Getty Images) RAMAT GAN, ISRAEL DECEMBER 02: (ISRAEL OUT) Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (R) stands by his wife Sara before lighting a stylised-menorah during the start of Hanukkah, the Jewish festival of lights on December 2, 2018 in Ramat Gan, Israel. Earlier today, police and Israel Securities Authority recommended indicting Netanyahu and his wife, Sara, for bribery and other corruption charges. (Photo by Lior Mizrahi/Getty Images) Sara Netanyahu, like her husband, has faced numerous accusations of corruption. Most recently, in December, Israels attorney general ordered police to open an investigation into Sara on suspicion of harassing political opponents and a witness in the Israeli leaders corruption trial, according to the AP. The wire service reports: Netanyahu is charged with fraud, breach of trust and accepting bribes in a series of cases alleging he exchanged favors with powerful media moguls and wealthy associates. Netanyahu denies the charges and says he is the victim of a witch hunt by overzealous prosecutors, police and the media. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Also, according to the AP: The report obtained correspondence between Sara Netanyahu and Hanni Bleiweiss, a former aide to the prime minister who died of cancer last year. The messages indicated that Sara Netanyahu, through Bleiweiss, encouraged police to crack down violently on anti-government protesters and ordered Bleiweiss to organize protests against her husbands critics. Jennifer Lopez, Angelina Jolie will never win an Oscar after 2025: Sources Klein is an aide to billionaire Hollywood mogul Arnon Milchan and has testified in the corruption case about her role in delivering tens of thousands of dollars worth of champagne, cigars and gifts to Netanyahu for her boss. This is not the first time Sara has been in trouble with Israeli law. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In, she was fined $15,000 for misusing state funds, after being accused of spending over $100,000 on lavish meals. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. WASHINGTON, D.C. (KFOR) The United States Supreme Court released a rare ruling Tuesday in favor of Oklahoma death row inmate Brenda Andrew. Her attorney has claimed she did not receive a fair trial in 2004 for the murder of her husband because prosecutors in the case focused on her sex life. It will now be up to the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals to decide what will happen next and it could mean a new trial. The former Sunday school teacher was convicted of killing her estranged husband, Rob. She and her accomplice, James Pavatt, have spent the past two decades on death row. Andrew is the only woman on Oklahomas death row. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The majority of Justices ruled to toss out the federal court of appeals decision from 2023 where they voted 2-1 to uphold Andrews murder conviction. KFOR interviewed former Oklahoma County District Attorney Wes Lane after the 2023 decision. Oklahomans pardoned following Trumps January 6 executive order Not surprised, said Lane. I mean the evidence was overwhelming. The evidence was overwhelming at the preliminary hearing phase. I mean there were so many pieces of evidence. Andrews attorneys claimed she was not given a fair trial because prosecutors sex-shamed her and focused on her sex-life and extra-marital affairs. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In the 29-page opinion, Supreme Court Justices agreed writing, the prosecution elicited testimony about Andrews sexual partners reaching back two decades; about the outfits she wore to dinner or during grocery runs; about the underwear she packed for vacation; and about how often she had sex in her car. Justices also wrote the prosecution called on witnesses to exclusively testify about Andrews provocative clothing and whether or not a good mother would dress or behave the way Andrew did. In its closing statement, the prosecution again invoked these themes, including by displaying Andrews thong underwear to the jury Now the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals will review the Justices ruling and decide how to move 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 KFOR.com Oklahoma City. The next winter storm after Enzo is projected to arrive early next week before the end of January 2025. In fact, early models predict that a pair of winter storms will be arriving before February. The first storm is shaping up to impact the northeastern states in New England, while the second looks to hit the Midwest. If these forecasts hold, they might have enough intensity to be called Winter Storm Freya and Winter Storm Garnett by The Weather Channel. Heres whether there is another winter storm arriving soon. Is there another winter storm coming next week? Two winter storms are expected to hit the United States by next week. The first is looking to arrive around Monday, January 27, coming south from Canada and causing snowfall in the northeastern US. The second system will grow in strength and reach the midwestern states some time between Friday and Sunday. This forecast comes by way of Max Schuster, better known as Max Velocity on YouTube, analyzing future weather patterns from both the American GFS and Canadian models on Tuesday. A low-pressure system from Canada, tentatively named Winter Storm Freya, is projected to head south toward New York close to Monday. It has the potential to bring the usual lake-effect snow in Michigan and impacting Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine, and other states in New England. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement That said, Schuster focuses more on the second system, which could be named Winter Storm Garnett, which has greater potential for snowfall. A trough of low pressure is projected to form on Saturday between California and Nevada, hovering near the Rocky Mountains for several days until around Wednesday. From there, the system looks to gather strength and intensify every day before heading east. This upcoming winter storm has a similar pattern to Winter Storm Blair that brought around a foot of snow in some parts of the Ohio Valley. But given that these predictions are based on models over a week away, its still too soon to be certain about the storms location and intensity. The post When Is The Next Winter Storm Coming After Enzo? Upcoming Snow Forecast appeared first on Mandatory. Niel Barnard, who has died aged 75, was head of South Africas National Intelligence Service (NIS) and right-hand man to President PW Botha during the 1980s; towards the end of the decade, however, he played a crucial role in the negotiations with Nelson Mandela which led to the end of apartheid. Barnard, an Afrikaner and a member of the Broederbond, the quasi-Masonic secret society that was a key influence behind the white supremacist National Party, had a reputation as a cold, sinister man. But by the late 1980s, the student riots of 1976, the township revolt of the mid-1980s, the withdrawal of confidence by international bankers and the fact that whites were a small and shrinking minority had persuaded the regime that apartheid could not be indefinitely sustained. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In 1986 the Broederbond circulated a working document entitled Basic political conditions for the continuing survival of the Afrikaner which asserted that for the Afrikaner to survive, blacks must be admitted to the highest level of government, and the Cabinet must be able to have a black majority. It was an admission that apartheid had failed. For the African National Congress (ANC), the release of Nelson Mandela was a sine qua non of any agreement, and as early as 1985 the regime began secret negotiations with the jailed anti-apartheid leader, first involving Kobie Coetsee, then Minister of Justice, and later Barnard. The first of more than 60 meetings between Barnard and Mandela took place in Pollsmoor prison outside Cape Town in May 1988, and in a 2015 memoir, Secret Revolution, Barnard recalled how he and three colleagues felt the enormity of the moment as the statuesque, imposing figure of the worlds best-known prisoner appeared in the doorway flanked by two warders. Nelson Mandela wore the standard blue overall and boots of the prison service, yet emanated a dignified and firm but friendly presence. With a gallantry that one hardly expected from someone who had been sitting in jail for 24 years, he extended his hand to each of us in turn. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement From early on Mandela insisted on the need for a face-to-face meeting with Botha. It is good to have preliminary discussion with you on the fundamental issues, Barnard remembered him saying, but you will understand that you are not a politician. You dont have the authority and the power I must have a discussion with Mr Botha himself, as quickly as possible. Botha and Mandela at a later meeting in 1995 - WALTER DHLADHLA A year later Botha, encouraged by Barnard to believe in Mandelas bona fides, agreed, and by the time the meeting took place Barnard, like many others, had succumbed to the Mandela charm so completely that thereafter he always spoke of him with affection as the old man. Before the historic first meeting with the South African president on July 5 1989, Barnard arranged for Mandela to be kitted out in a smart suit and tie and advised him not to raise anything substantive, such as the release of Walter Sisulu, Mandelas oldest friend and comrade-in-arms who had been in prison almost as long as he had and was in poor health. Listen, this is an ice-breaker meeting. It is not about fundamental issues, Barnard recalled telling Mandela. Come to learn about the man. Talk about all those easy things in life... dont tackle difficult issues, thats not the reason for the first meeting. But Botha, too, proved susceptible to Mandelas charisma and, as Barnard recalled, when Mandela ignored Barnards instructions and brought up the issue of Sisulus release, strangely enough, Mr Botha listened, and he said, Dr Barnard, you know the problems we have. I take it that youve explained to Mr Mandela, but I think we must help him. I think it must be done. You will give some attention to that. I said, All right, Mr President, not arguing in front of them. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Perhaps the most touching moment of the whole encounter took place when, just before Mandela stepped into Bothas office for the meeting, Barnard stooped before him to retie his laces, something Mandela had forgotten how to do. Within a month of that meeting, however, Botha had been replaced by FW de Klerk, who collected much of the credit when Mandela was released from jail in 1990 and who opened formal talks with the ANC. In 1993 De Klerk and Mandela were jointly awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. secret revolution Barnards memoir, however, seemed to be predicated on a personal dislike of De Klerk and a desire to see justice done with respect to the secret role played by Botha, who had laid the groundwork but found himself reviled as a barrier to progress. Of course the truth is that, while Bothas government was secretly engaging in consultations with the ANC leadership, it was also, more secretly, arming and training Mangosuthu Buthelezis Inkatha Freedom Partys Zulu loyalists as the latest in a string of proxy forces in its bloody conflict with the ANC and South African Communist Party and their proxies. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Lukas Daniel Barnard, known as Niel, was born on June 14 1949 in Otjiwarongo, South West Africa (now Namibia), where his father was a headmaster and chief inspector of education. After military service he took bachelor and master of arts degrees in political science and history at the University of the Orange Free State, followed by a PhD. In 1973 he was appointed lecturer in political science at the university and by 1978 was professor of political studies. In 1979 Botha appointed him to form a new intelligence service to replace the Bureau of State Security (BOSS) whose reputation had been sullied by the so-called 1978 Info Scandal, involving the use of a secret slush fund to fund propaganda projects. Barnard claimed that he did not know why he had been chosen, but it seems that, as a rising star in the Afrikaner firmament, but without a past in the enforcement of apartheid, he was well-placed to reposition the South African security service from one based on kragdadigheid heavy-handed action entrenched largely through fear to a more constitutionally amenable organisation. The NIS came into operation in 1980 and Barnard served as its director until 1992. In 1994 he was appointed to a post in the Department of Constitutional Development and Provincial Affairs in the Government of National Unity, which led to the Convention for a Democratic South Africa (Codesa) that drafted the constitution underpinning the transition to democracy in 1994. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Barnard is survived by his wife, Engela, and by two children. Niel Barnard, born June 14 1949, died January 13 2025 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. FLORHAM PARK, N.J. (PIX11) From studying to serving: that was National Guard veteran Frank Doc Schupps life in the late 2000s. He was called to deploy to Iraq at the end of his last semester of his junior year at Kean University, in the midst of prepping for finals. It can be a pretty stressful time, said Schupp. On top of that thinking, Oh, man, Im getting deployed, having to tell my loved ones, and a huge laundry list of stuff, it just adds to that stress. More Local News Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A bill in Trenton looks to take away at least one hurdle from student service members who come home from deployment by requiring public colleges and universities to readmit them after their service with the same academic status. When you come home from war, that is one less thing you need to worry about, said Michael Boll, a veteran and president of the New Jersey Veterans Network. Boll was a student at Montclair State University when he had to deploy as part of Operation Desert Storm. He said the school worked with him when he returned. When you come home, you need to be treated the same way as anyone else deserves, said Boll. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Boll said many colleges today work with student veterans on this issue, including Fairleigh Dickinson University. We advocate for them on campus and we make sure all the proper paperwork is done and they get readmitted or they pick up where they left off, said Martha Papson Garcia, director of veterans services at FDU. The bill already passed unanimously in the Senate and will be discussed in an Assembly committee Thursday. Assemblywoman Cleopatra Tucker is one of the bills primary sponsors. Whatever we need to do to help our women and men in service, we need to make it possible they continue their education because theyre serving to protect us, said Tucker (D-NJ 28th District). Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Schupp said Kean readmitted him with no issues and he was able to finish his degree. Now hes heading to William Paterson University to study for his masters degree. Just deployment itself comes with so much baggage after you come home, said Schupp, so seeing laws in the midst of being passed in order to help in those situations, that means a lot. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. (NewsNation) Michael Melham, the mayor of Belleville, New Jersey, said the mysterious drones being reported over his area are likely not a matter of national security, but adds that residents still need answers, which he hopes will be provided by President Donald Trump. Melham has been outspoken regarding the issue since significant numbers of drones began appearing over New Jersey last year. The state didnt get any answers under President Biden, but President Trump reiterated his desire to get answers on his first day in office. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I would like to find out what it is and tell the people. In fact, Id like to do that. Could we find out what that was? he told White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles. Trump vows to shine light on New Jersey drone mystery While Melham hopes the mystery will be solved under Trump, he said its likely the new president has gotten the same information as the outgoing one. Our president-elect receives the same exact national intelligence briefing that our president does, so if it was a foreign adversary or something alien or extraterrestrial, Im certain, as president-elect, he would have known, Melham said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The fact that he doesnt seem to have that many details tells me that if hes not briefed on it yet, its probably not a matter of national security, or certainly not an alien invasion or anything crazy like that. Melham said its more than likely the aircraft are our own government or experimental drones that are up in the sky. In any event, Melham said residents continue to be concerned about the lack of answers. I do take the president at his word. I do think that we are gonna get some kind of disclosure, he said, adding that it will come soon. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to NewsNation. New Mexico Attorney General Raul Torrez addresses reporters at a July 16 press conference in Las Cruces. (Photo by Justin Garcia / Las Cruces Bulletin) In response to a Monday night federal order that rescinded limited enforcement by Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Customs and Border Protection in sensitive areas such as churches and schools, New Mexico Attorney General Raul Torrez today issued guidance to community leaders regarding immigration enforcement that reviews the legal backdrop for such actions. A news release from Torrezs office notes that removal of sensitive location protections overlooks the vital role spaces like schools and hospitals play in supporting families and children. Disruptions in these places can jeopardize access to education, healthcare, and essential services, leaving families in crisis without the stability and support they need. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The guidance also responds to reported threats by the U.S. Department of Justice to local authorities who do not enforce the Trump administrations immigration laws. Threatening state and local officials with federal prosecution not only distorts the law but stains the reputation of a once proud institution, Torrez said in a statement. As a former federal prosecutor who handled hundreds of immigration related cases, I know that this not only a distortion of our laws but a shameful departure from the proud traditions of an agency that is supposed to be dedicated to the advancement of justice. The information includes guidance to law enforcement leaders, which notes that under the Tenth Amendment to the United States Constitution, the federal government cannot compel the States to enact or administer a federal regulatory program, or force state employees to enforce federal law. The AG also provided information for leaders in: places of worship; district and magistrate courts; hospitals and other healthcare facilities; primary and secondary educational institutions; and higher education institutions. Each notes that the guidance is not intended as legal advice. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Chief Justice of the New Mexico Supreme Court David Thomson delivers his State of the Judiciary to a join session of the House and Senate, Thursday, January 23, 2025. He was using monitors to display questions and topics. (Photo by Eddie Moore / Albuquerque Journal) As New Mexico lawmakers anchor this years session around complicated topics related to crime and public safety, New Mexico Supreme Court Chief Justice David Thomson offered them practical solutions. At the State of the Judiciary Address on Thursday morning, Thomson asked state lawmakers and Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham to pay court workers a living wage as one part of their shared agenda to reduce the impact of crime on New Mexicans lives. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Before we turn to what we can do in the future, like assisting in behavioral health, we must first ensure resources for our core functions, he said. In front of a joint session of the House of Representatives and Senate, Thomson thanked the Legislature and governor for enacting House Bill 141 last year, which raised pay for Supreme Court justices, Court of Appeals judges and District Court judges. The judiciarys number one priority in this session, he said, is to increase compensation for judicial branch employees, which he said for many years has lagged behind that of their counterparts in the executive branch and local governments. Entry-level workers are paid below the living wage, he said, and half of all the judiciarys workforce likely qualify for government assistance programs. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This is not acceptable, Thomson said. The judiciary is asking for pay bumps on top of any cost-of-living increase to level the playing field with the other branches of government, reduce turnover and reflect integrity and fairness in New Mexicos government, he said. New Mexico Supreme Court Justices Michael Vigil, Shannon Bacon and Julie Vargas watch Chief Justice David Thomson deliver his address to lawmakers on Thursday, Jan. 23, 2025. Justice Briana Zamora was absent. (Danielle Prokop / Source NM) He said judicial branch workers average pay is nearly 18% lower than the executive branch, and in the lowest pay range, they make 25% less than executive workers. The courts $14 million funding request would affect 1,400 workers and exclude judges and anyone making more than $100,000 per year, he said. Thomsons address came less than two months after four retired justices and a retired appeals court judge designated to rule on his and the other sitting justices behalf chose not to intervene in a dispute over how much court workers can be paid for extra, unused leave. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE Basic court operations The judiciary is also asking for more money to cover the cost of juries, court security, new technology and pretrial electronic monitoring of defendants in the four judicial districts that dont have it. Funding to pay jurors has only been given through one-time appropriations, Thomson said, but the courts need $2.2 million every year. Resolving disputes requires the people involved in cases, judges and staff to feel safe, he said, and the courts are asking for a one-time, six-year $25 million request to upgrade court security infrastructure. To help inform lawmakers decisions and ensure litigants can timely file case records, the courts are asking for about $3 million for internet connectivity, email systems and cybersecurity, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Theyre also asking for $40 million to install real-time transcription software in every court in New Mexico, to help resolve cases more quickly and provide judges, public defenders and other court workers with 95% accurate, searchable audio and written transcripts, Thomson said. Pretrial detention The judicial and executive branches have disagreed in the past about efforts to roll back a 2016 constitutional amendment that reformed the states bail system. Thomson said the courts Pretrial Justice Program has completed more than 16,000 background investigations and public safety assessments of defendants before trial in the last fiscal year. In May, the program started doing automatic holds for anyone who gets arrested while on pretrial release, he said, totaling 2,750 holds across the state. The program is active in 16 district courts and 24 magistrate courts, he said, along with 16 jails. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement To expand the program into the remaining four judicial districts that dont have it, he said, the courts are asking for $3.5 million to pay for 24-hour electronic monitoring workers. A pretrial deprivation of liberty must be made on the dangerousness of the individual and likelihood they will appear to answer their charges, not on their wealth, Thomson said. This will allow for a safer community and respect for the guarantees enshrined in our constitution. Behavioral health During the July special session, the only bill lawmakers sent to Lujan Grishams desk included $3 million to the Administrative Office of the Courts, the state agency that runs the court system, to pay for assisted outpatient treatment and competency diversion pilot programs. Thomson is expected to meet with the House Judiciary Committee today at 2 p.m. to give them an update on how these programs are going. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Without adequate funding, these programs cannot be implemented, he said. This session, AOC is asking for more than $1.8 million each year for these programs, on top of a request to make that one-time $3 million an annual budget. Neither of these requests were included in the Legislative Finance Committees budget, he said. Assisted outpatient treatment is not the only answer to the question of what to do about crime, Thomson said. Supreme Court Justice Briana Zamora previously told lawmakers along with a new competency law, they will also need programs to ensure people accused of crimes can actually stand trial. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Over 260 high school students attended the Supreme Court hearing for Johnson v. Board of Education as part of the Rules of Law program on Monday April 29, 2024. (Photo by Jeanette DeDios / KUNM) In a unanimous opinion issued Thursday, the New Mexico Supreme Court ruled the New Mexico Human Rights Act includes public schools and universities as places of public accommodation. The decision means a lawsuit by Native American student McKenzie Johnson, whom an Albuquerque high school teacher allegedly called a bloody Indian in 2018, can proceed. Johnson, 16 years old at the time, had worn a costume for Halloween and had fake blood on her cheek. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to a news release from the Administrative Office of the Courts, the justices decision broadens the HRAs coverage to include public universities and, in so doing, overturns a decades-old precedential decision. The court heard oral arguments in the case in April in Albuquerque as part of the Courts Rule of Law Program. Johnsons alleged interaction occurred after the teacher allegedly cut off part of the braided hair of another Native American student. Johnson sued Albuquerque Public Schools and the teacher, but the case was dismissed by a district court. The Supreme Courts decision upholds the Appeals Court decision to reverse the district court. The holding of this opinion is firmly grounded in the plain language of the NMHRA, the Court wrote in an opinion by Chief Justice David K. Thomson. However, the statutes history and background demonstrate that the Legislature intended for public schools to be public accommodations and therefore in some ways accountable under the NMHRA. WICHITA FALLS (KFDX/KJTL) There are no reported injuries after a residential structure fire caused damage to a home on McLaughlin Street on Wednesday afternoon. The Wichita Falls Fire Department responded to a residential structure fire shortly before 5 p.m. on Jan. 22. Upon arrival at the scene, firefighters reported heavy smoke coming from the home and quickly attacked to contain the flames. One hospitalized after car ends up on train tracks Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement After approximately 25 minutes, the fire was put out, and utilities were removed from the home. Assistant Fire Marshal Eddie Mawson said the structure received estimated damages of more than $16,000 and around $5,000 in damages to the homes contents. The WFFD did not say what caused the fire. Mawson reported that 10 units and 25 firefighters responded. The American Red Cross was called for the three adults who lived at the home, and there were no injuries reported. 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. No charges will be filed by the Hennepin County Attorney's Office against the Minneapolis police officers who fatally shot a 39-year-old man armed with a gun in June. Michael Warren Ristow, of Bloomington, was fatally shot by officers who received a report of a man talking to himself and waving a gun near 34th Street and Hiawatha Avenue on the evening of June 12. A pursuit on foot led to a confrontation, with police saying Ristow "appeared to rack the slide of the firearm and began raising it to point at several officers." Three officers then fired their weapons, causing injuries that would later prove fatal at a hospital. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty said the decision to decline charges in the case "is appropriate" after review by the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension. The loss of any life is a tragic event, Moriarty said. After a thorough review of the BCA investigation, the decision to decline charges in this case is appropriate. Our thoughts are with everyone impacted by this incident. The three MPD officers who fired their weapons are identified as: Enoch Langford, who has four years of law enforcement experience Abdirizaq Mumin, who has nearly two years of law enforcement experience Chaz Wilson, who has five years of law enforcement experience Police Chief Brian O'Hara at the time said he believed the officers' actions were legally justified, saying the officers gave "multiple, clear demands." At first glance, Jessica Allen is among the extremely lucky. Most of the houses on her street in Pacific Palisades came through the fire intact, while everything around their little bubble burned to the ground. Shes relieved her house was spared, as anyone would be, but shes also grieving for friends who lost everything. And shes deeply conflicted about what comes next. Read more: Paradise lost along Pacific Coast Highway Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement By late last week, an insurance adjuster had toured her house and told her not to sign a long-term lease to live anywhere else; she and her family could be back home in three to six months, he said. The news left Allen gasping in disbelief, given the state of the surroundings. Its complete devastation, she said. My best friends house is gone; her husbands car melted into the driveway. Even if the air inside her house can somehow be made safe, she figures shed need a hazmat suit just to walk outside. As they begin to excavate the community, more toxins and more ash will be released, Allen said, talking fast and working through a flood of mixed emotions as she contemplates a daunting future. Thats the predicament facing all of the so-called survivors of the L.A. County fires, people whose houses are still standing, but whose communities look like war zones. Most want back everything they used to have: their friends, their kids schools, the shops where people knew their names. But they worry what will happen as months of ash and rubble stretch into years of red tape and reconstruction. Drone images in the aftermath of the Palisades fire in Malibu. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times) Its hard to imagine what that will be like, or whether it will be worth it. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Dora Millikin doesnt have to imagine. She and her husband own the so-called miracle house of Lahaina on Maui, Hawaii, a red-roofed Craftsman next to the ocean that was one of the few surviving structures after a wind-driven blaze tore through the historic town in August 2023, incinerating almost everything in its path and killing more than 100 people. Watching the L.A. fires on TV from Hawaii was intensely triggering, Millikin said, wrenching her back to the days immediately following the destruction of her town. She remembered how it smelled and the constant feeling of grit in her eyes. She remembered standing in her house a couple of weeks after the blaze and looking out at nothing as far as the eye could see, she said. It was nothing but ash and silence. A year and a half later, much of the cleanup around her house has been completed, but almost nothing has been rebuilt. Out of more than 1,500 damaged and destroyed properties, only 168 have been issued permits to begin reconstruction, according to the Maui Recovers website. Only three structures have been fully restored. It took almost six months just to get the electricity and water flowing to her house again. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Maui County is just very overburdened. They have very few people handling so many requests, Millikin said. Read more: This California city lost thousands of homes to fire. Santa Rosas rebuilding has lessons for L.A. And then there are the constant battles over how to proceed. Because her house is next to the water, shes in a special management area with increased regulation. Theres a running debate about how much, or even whether, to restore properties there given concerns about climate change and sea level rise. It drags things out and turns seemingly simple decisions into long negotiations. Having to please every group and every individual has been difficult, Millikin said with a sigh. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The second stage of recovery when things are cleaned up and the neighborhood turns into an enormous, noisy building site is still somewhere down the road. Instead, gray gravel has been poured onto the ground where homes and businesses used to stand, to keep the potentially hazardous dust tamped down. The once charming and prosperous tourist paradise perched between the lush West Maui Mountains and the Pacific Ocean looks like an abandoned parking lot in recent drone footage. Millikin expects things will move faster in urban Los Angeles, but warns that it will seem like forever to the people trying to live through it. They should be prepared for all of the normal human emotions, the stages of grief, she said. Denial, shock and anger will come in waves. Does she have any advice for the new survivors in L.A? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I just want people to be good to themselves. That sounds kind of weird, but, you know, allow yourself some slack, Millikin said. And if you need help, definitely reach for it. Alexandra Clark and her family have been staying at a hotel in Santa Monica after evacuating their Pacific Palisades house. Their home survived while her neighbor's house burned down. (Myung J. Chun / Los Angeles Times) Alexandra Clark, who has lived most of her life within about a mile of her Palisades Highlands home, has been reaching out for help since the day the fire ripped through her street. It burned two of the houses next door down to their foundations, but left hers only slightly damaged. In an interview last week, Clark sounded strong and confident that the community she loves will stay together. Seventy percent of the people on her survivors" group chat felt the same way, she said. A day later, outside the Santa Monica hotel where shes been holed up with her husband, four kids and pets, she sounded less certain. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Threats of wildfire had forced her family to evacuate before, so they had a plan and packed the car carefully: cellphones, computers, jewelry, the kids clothes and baby books, cherished letters from her parents. They made it safely to a friends house in Westwood and were inside getting hugged and fed while someone outside was breaking into the car and stealing everything theyd packed for safekeeping. Glad I provided such a carefully curated collection for them to take from, Clark said with a weary chuckle. One of the computers had a tracking device, so before long they knew exactly where it was, in an Inglewood laundromat. Activity on stolen credit cards showed an epic online shopping spree underway 10 Chanel bags, three Valentino bags and a pair of socks (oddly) with the loot being sent to an address two blocks from the laundromat. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Amid all the other crises swirling around her, Clark kept calling the Los Angeles Police Department to try to get it to do something about it, to no avail. They had a lot going on, and theyve done an amazing job, but still, she said. As she spoke, on the beach path near the Santa Monica Pier, Clark, 43, looked as fit and capable as any of the runners and cyclists streaming by. But the list of logistical hurdles she had to get back to navigating as soon as our interview ended was daunting. She and her husband were trying to get an extension on their hotel stay, because finding rentals was proving impossible. Landlords had begun to ask for two-year leases, and despite warnings from state officials against price gouging, everything is quadruple the price it was two weeks ago. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Then there was the question of whether the house would be livable while it is being repaired. The damage from the outside didnt look too bad, but had smoke contaminated the interior? And how long before they would have electricity and water? She smiled, tight-lipped, for the camera, but the exhaustion was obvious in her eyes. Thats when the doubt crept in. For the people that are left standing, theres no schools, no market, she said of the place shed spent her whole life. Theres not really a town anymore. For Clark and thousands of other people in her shoes, the waves of exhaustion and optimism are likely to continue for a very long time. But there will be high points. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On Tuesday, she texted triumphantly: They arrested him! 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. Did Donald Trump win the 2024 election by the widest margin of any Republican president in history? According to a recent X post by Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, yes, he did. Making it real clear for House Republicans in here as we discus tax law, just told my colleagues. Trump won the election by the biggest margin of any Republican presidential candidate in history!!! she wrote in a post encouraging her House Republican colleagues to support the presidents tax agenda. Greenes claim is false. Trumps margin of victory in both the popular vote and Electoral College rank relatively low compared to other Republican presidential victors. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In 1860, Abraham Lincoln became the first Republican to win a presidential election in the United States, winning 39.8 percent of the popular vote and defeating the nearest of his three challengers by 10.4 percent. Republican candidates have won 24 of the 41 presidential elections since, stretching from Lincolns second victory in 1864 to Trumps victory in November. In the 2024 election, Trumpwho notably won the 2016 election despite losing the popular votedefeated Kamala Harris by a popular vote margin of 1.5 percent and Electoral College margin of 16 percent. According to the American Presidency Project at the University of California, Santa Barbara, Trumps 1.5 percent popular vote margin is only the 19th highest of any Republican presidential victor in history, and his Electoral College margin of 16 percent is the 20th highest ever won by a Republican. By comparison, Republican Richard Nixon won the 1972 election with a popular vote margin of 23.2 percent and Electoral College margin of 96.7 percent. Ronald Reagan earned similarly high margins in 1984, defeating Democrat Walter Mondale by popular and electoral vote margins of 18.2 and 97.6 percent, respectively. Republicans Theodore Roosevelt, Warren Harding, Calvin Coolidge, and Herbert Hoover also won by overwhelming popular and electoral vote margins in their respective 1904, 1920, 1924, and 1928 elections. Rep. Greenes office did not respond to a request for comment from The Dispatch Fact Check. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If you have a claim you would like to see us fact check, please send us an email at factcheck@thedispatch.com. If you would like to suggest a correction to this piece or any other Dispatch article, please email corrections@thedispatch.com. Read more at The Dispatch 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. PIERRE Health care organizations opposed to Gov. Kristi Noems proposed funding cut for the South Dakota medical residency program say the decision could leave the state bereft of doctors. Noems proposal comes as South Dakota and the rest of the country grapple with a worsening physician shortage, making states compete for medical professionals. The Association of American Medical Colleges projects the countrys doctor shortage will worsen to 86,000 vacancies by 2036. South Dakota ranks 35th in the nation for patient-to-physician ratio, with 763 people for every one primary care physician. Fifty-one of South Dakotas 66 counties are health professional shortage areas, according to the state Department of Health. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Earlier this week, Iowa Republican Gov. Kim Reynolds proposed creating 460 new medical residency slots in the state within the next four years to combat her states growing shortage. Jacob Parsons, director of advocacy and reimbursement for the South Dakota Association of Healthcare Organizations, spoke against South Dakotas proposed cut Tuesday during a meeting of the Legislatures Joint Appropriations Committee. I think the message wed be sending to our potential residents is that, Why not go to Iowa? Theyre going to put funding forward there, Parsons said. A residency, or graduate medical education, is an intensive, on-the-job training period for doctors after the completion of medical school. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The programs are funded by health systems, Medicare and state funds tied to Medicaid. Noems proposal would eliminate the states $1.7 million share from the general fund, as well as the $1.86 million match in federal Medicaid funds. Since the program receives general funds and there arent any laws regarding the residency program funding, there wont be a bill introduced about the funding cut. Lawmakers on the Appropriations Committee will decide whether to keep the money in the budget thats ultimately presented to the full Legislature and the governor. Appropriators heard the testimony after the state Department of Social Services presented its recommended budget on Tuesday. Residency programs in the state range from pediatrics to family medicine to internal medicine. South Dakota does not offer an obstetrics-gynecology residency. Departmental Chief Financial Officer Jason Simmons said the state funding is based on the number of Medicaid patients served by residencies. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement There are 78 residency programs impacted by the state general medical education funding between Sanford, Avera and Monument health systems, department Secretary Matt Althoff said. As of this year, there are 154 residents participating in the programs, Parsons said. State funding for the rural residency program is separate from the general medical education funding. Noem proposed increasing general funds for the rural residency program by $70,821. More than 80% of residents who complete their training in South Dakota stay and practice in the state, Parsons added. Avera Healths Vice President of Public Policy Kim Malsam-Rysdon, who served as state Department of Health secretary from 2015 until 2022, said the health care system is grateful Noem recommended continuing funding for the states rural residency program. But if South Dakota doesnt have the same capacity for residencies as other states, she said, well lose doctors to other states where theyre being trained. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If the state doesnt continue to support the programs with state Medicaid funding, Malsam-Rysdom said, some residency slots will be at risk of being cut altogether. If those funds arent continuously appropriated, Malsam-Rysdom said, well have some hard questions to answer about the ability to continue to support medical students who are training in our space. This article originally appeared on Sioux Falls Argus Leader: Medical residency cut could worsen SD doctor shortage, opponents say 45% of workers surveyed said they'd been subject to a nondisclosure agreement. 39% of workers said they were bound by mandatory arbitration, according to a survey from Penn State. The agreements aren't applied equally: 27% of women said they were subject to a noncompete, versus 17% of men. Nondisclosure agreements and mandatory arbitration have become rampant in the workplace, according to a new survey of job seekers. A second survey found that employees who sue in court get higher payouts than those required to pursue claims through arbitration. The research papers by Mark Gough, an assistant professor of labor and employment relations at Penn State University, expose how widely companies have adopted mechanisms to silence employees and dictate the terms by which allegations of workplace misconduct are resolved. For one study, set to be released later today in advance of the findings being submitted for peer review, Gough conducted a survey of 947 people who sought jobs across a wide range of industries in the US during the summer and fall of 2024, asking respondents whether they were bound in their most recent employment contract by a variety of restrictive agreements, including NDAs, noncompete clauses, and nonsolicitation clauses. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In the study, "Contracts that bind: Untangling the use of NDAs, forced arbitration, and other restrictive covenants in the US labor market," Gough found that nondisclosure agreements have become ubiquitous, with 45% of respondents required to sign them as a condition of employment. Mandatory arbitration has also become common, with 39% of respondents bound by it. Twenty-two percent said they had to sign noncompetes. Gough found that these agreements weren't imposed uniformly. Forty-eight percent of Black respondents, for example, reported being required to sign away their right to participate in a class action suit, compared with 39% of white respondents. While 42% of white respondents said they were bound by NDAs, that ratio jumped to 45% for Black respondents and 53% for Asian respondents. Women reported being bound by noncompetes at a higher rate 27%, compared to 17% for men. Women also reported signing NDAs at a slightly higher rate than men did, 47% versus 43% for men. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Restrictive agreements were imposed more often on college graduates than those without degrees. And several agreements mandatory arbitration, class action waivers, and NDAs were far more common among respondents 50 and older. "There is a lot of silencing going on, and it's felt unequally across the workforce," Gough told Business Insider. "Even in terms that employers care about, these aren't costless. You are turning your potential employees off. Immediately, they think less of your firm. That has consequences, particularly in a competitive labor market." Survey respondents expressed particular concern about being asked to sign noncompetes, mandatory arbitration agreements, and NDAs. Read more on NDAs: The 6 most important things to watch out for when you sign an NDA Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 'A gag order for life': How tech giants use secretive legal contracts for their employees to create a culture of silence in Silicon Valley Read the complete NDAs Insider obtained in its investigation and see how Facebook, Google and Apple enforce silence among employees The woman who went public about Pinterest's workplace problems created a handbook to help tech workers safely become whistleblowers While the widespread use of NDAs in the workplace is no secret, measuring the frequency and scope of the pacts has been difficult given the nature of the agreements. Many employees who previously shared copies of their NDAs with BI said they regretted agreeing to them and didn't fully understand the constraints they were saddled with by signing. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Originally, nondisclosure agreements were designed to protect confidential trade secrets. But over time, the language in these secrecy pacts has expanded to include nondisparagement clauses and limitations on disclosing alleged workplace misconduct. The use of NDAs to silence victims of harassment and discrimination, in particular, has been hotly debated for much of the past decade, with new laws passed at both the state and federal level in the wake of the #MeToo movement that restrict the ability of companies to enforce NDAs in those situations. "These silencing agreements have allowed much of corporate America to remain stain-free," Gretchen Carlson, the former Fox News anchor, told BI. With political consultant Julie Roginsky, Carlson cofounded the nonprofit advocacy organization Lift Our Voices, which advised Gough on his research. The women helped spearhead the effort to pass the most prominent piece of federal legislation to restrict the use of NDAs, the 2022 Speak Out Act, which bars the use of NDAs to gag victims of sexual abuse and harassment. For Gough's second study, "Forced to settle: The unseen costs of arbitration vs. litigation," he surveyed 479 employment law attorneys about their experience pursuing claims in court and through private arbitration. That survey found that employee plaintiffs are much more likely to prevail in disputes that are litigated in court and to receive significantly larger payouts than those who go through arbitration. "These findings raise critical questions about whether arbitration can genuinely serve as an effective alternative to litigation, particularly when it comes to delivering equitable financial compensation," Gough writes. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Roginsky told BI the findings confirm her experience, that harassment and discrimination claims forced into arbitration typically resolve in favor of the company and leave employees with no option to appeal. "The arbitrator knows they can come back for more business with the company; it's in their interest to rule in favor of the company," Roginsky said. When it comes to bringing a claim, she said, "If you have a forced arbitration clause, what's the point?" In 2021, BI published a series of stories examining the deployment of NDAs and nondisparagement agreements at Silicon Valley tech companies, based on a review of records shared by employees. Since then, numerous employees have come forward to break their NDAs and speak out about sexual harassment and discrimination, stirring debates over the misuse of the agreements to silence whistleblowers and prompting executives at Apple to pledge in 2022 to restrict how the company uses NDAs moving forward. Matt Drange is a reporter on Business Insider's investigations desk. He's frequently covered workplace misconduct issues involving NDAs. Have a story tip? Reach out to Matt securely. Read the original article on Business Insider A Georgia animal nonprofit nestled in the mountains is holding a special medical event for one of its exotic residents at the end of January. Project Chimps, located in Blue Ridge, is a 230-acre sanctuary where 95 retired chimpanzees make their homes. According to a spokesman for the sanctuary, a reproductive doctor from Atlanta will be visiting the sanctuary on Jan. 31 to perform intrauterine device procedure on one of the female chimps. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For reference, Project Chimps said it is the same human IUDs that are inserted into uteri to prevent pregnancy. [DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] TRENDING STORIES: The nonprofit said in a statement that the female reproductive systems of chimpanzees are remarkably similar to humans, in part due to the 95% shared genetic information of humans and chimpanzees. As for why the procedures are being undertaken, the organization said it was for living conditions. While males receive a vasectomy, they have a high rate of failure so we also have the females on oral birth control. However, one female chimp has not been cooperative in taking medication on a regular basis and the veterinary team determined it was safest to proceed with an IUD implant. Sanctuaries are not in the business of breeding and any accidental birth would take away the opportunity for another adult chimp who is waiting in the lab to move to the facility, a spokesman said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Project Chimps does not engage in propagating chimpanzees because we dont want to perpetuate chimpanzees living in captivity -- there are 95 current retired research chimps at the 230-acre sanctuary and plans to add 100 more. To prevent births, the females are on birth control and the males have had vasectomies, a spokesman said. Channel 2 Action News has covered Project Chimps in the past, including when 10 of their residents were able to go outside and explore for the first time back in 2018. More recently, the primate nonprofit held a donation drive to help with maintaining resources and care quality for their nearly 100 residents. [SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter] NORFOLK, Neb. (KCAU) This year, the Nebraska Farm Bureau Foundations Nebraska Agriculture in the Classroom Teacher of the Year award went to a Siouxland educator. Callie Asmus, a fourth grade teacher at Christ Lutheran School in Norfolk, received the award during a surprise assembly Wednesday. The award is given to outstanding teachers that incorporate agriculture into their classroom through innovative ideas and lessons, per a release. Iowa DNR provides tips on what to do if you see a coyote Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Incorporating agriculture into core subjects is important to me because many of my students dont understand everything that is part of agriculture, Asmus said. You never know what conversation might spark someones love for agriculture or possibly lead them to a career in agriculture that will have a lasting impact. According to the release, Asmus used free resources provided by the Nebraska Farm Bureau Foundation, such as the Classroom Visits program. Asmus receives $250, a book bundle, and an expense-paid trip to the National Agriculture in the Classroom Conference in June. The event, held in Minneapolis, will allow teachers to discuss and learn ways to further integrate agriculture into many school subjects. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. SAN FRANCISCO (KRON) A cheesesteak restaurant in San Franciscos North Beach neighborhood was forced to close after inspectors found cockroaches and evidence of rodents, according to the inspection report. Busters Cheese Steak, located at 366 Columbus Avenue, had a CLOSED sign on its front door on Wednesday. Victim in deadly 7-car SF crash involving Tesla and Waymo identified The inspector reported seeing dozens of live cockroaches in numerous locations around the restaurant. Rodent droppings were also seen behind the refrigerator and next to the sink. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While the vermin infestation was the primary reason that Busters was forced to close, the inspector noted several other minor violations. The restaurant lacked a food safety certificate, was storing food at non-approved temperatures and had holes in its floors, walls and ceiling. The restaurant must eliminate the pests and pass a re-inspection test in order to reopen. Busters serves cheesesteaks, hot dogs and hamburgers in the heart of North Beach. It is open until 2 a.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 KRON4. Your childs social security number may have been exposed in a nationwide hack. North Carolina leaders laid out new details in the PowerSchool breach on Wednesday. ALSO READ: Senate to vote to restore social security benefits They confirmed more than 900 students and 312,000 teachers, past and present, had their numbers compromised. Those impacted will be notified by the end of the month. PowerSchool is offering free credit monitoring to those involved. VIDEO: Senate to vote to restore social security benefits Josh Askvig, state director of AARP North Dakota, speaks during a committee hearing on digital currency kiosks on Jan. 22, 2025. (Michael Achterling/North Dakota Monitor) A bill debated Wednesday by North Dakota lawmakers aims to protect residents from cryptocurrency scams. House Bill 1447 would add new requirements for crypto kiosks or ATMs for digital currency such as daily withdrawal limits, fraud warning notices and a cap on fees. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Supporters say the proposal aims to counter a rise in scams involving cryptocurrency. The FBI reported $5.6 billion in crypto fraud losses in 2023, according to testimony submitted by Lisa Kruse, commissioner of the North Dakota Department of Financial Institutions. North Dakotans reported 103 digital currency scam complaints to the FBI in 2023, involving about $6.5 million in losses, Kruse said. Lisa Kruse, commissioner of the Department of Financial Institutions, speaks during a committee hearing on digital currency kiosks on Jan. 22, 2025. (Michael Achterling/North Dakota Monitor) She told members of the House Industry, Business and Labor Committee she believes the actual losses are likely higher because people can be reluctant to report they have been scammed. The bill would require crypto kiosks to be licensed by the state. It also would limit the amount that can be deposited or withdrawn at a digital currency kiosk to $1,000 per customer, per day and require disclaimers on the machine alerting users to possible online scams. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The proposal would limit fees to $5 per transaction, or 3% of the transaction amount, whichever is greater. Rep. Steve Swiontek, R-Fargo, retired president and CEO of Gate City Bank, is the prime sponsor of the bill. Cryptocurrency ATMs are still relatively new, and we dont have measures in place to ensure people are using them safely like we do for bank ATMs and more traditional money service businesses, Swiontek, who serves as chair of Gate Citys board of directors, said in a statement. Unfortunately, this has allowed criminals to exploit them for theft. AARP North Dakota is among the bill supporters. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement (The bill) will create important consumer protections to save older North Dakotans from having their hard-earned money, sometimes their life savings, stolen by criminals misusing crypto kiosks, or ATMs, for fraudulent activity, said Josh Askvig, state director of AARP North Dakota. Industry representatives said they support some regulation, but oppose the fee and transaction limits. Virtual currency kiosks operated by the company CoinFlip typically charge a fee of 8% to 20% of the transaction amount, according to Kevin Lolli, CoinFlip assistant general counsel and consumer protection officer. Thats because the kiosks have unique operational requirements, such as device hardware and maintenance, armored car services, rent payments to local businesses and blockchain analytics, he said. The proposed North Dakota fee limits do not take into consideration these unique operational costs and are a de facto ban of virtual currency kiosks in North Dakota, Lolli told lawmakers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement CoinFlip already reports suspicious transactions over $2,000 and any currency transaction over $10,000 to the federal government, Lolli said. He added limiting transaction amounts would prompt customers to use multiple kiosks and would hinder anti-money laundering efforts already in place. Kruse questioned why operators wouldnt report suspicious transactions under $2,000. If they know about fraud, why would they not call on law enforcement, or report it? I think that is not a valid argument and it actually makes me kind of annoyed, she said. Rep. Ben Koppelman, R-West Fargo, speaks during a committee hearing on digital currency kiosks on Jan. 22, 2025. (Michael Achterling/North Dakota Monitor) Jacob Rued, a fraud investigator for First Western Bank and Trust who testified in support of the bill, said he believes the transaction limit is the most important consumer protection. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Rued told lawmakers of a Minnesota man who had withdrawn $50,000 from his bank account and was trying to deposit the money into a digital currency kiosk to transfer to a scammer when he encountered a transaction limit of $2,000, which gave him second thoughts. Without that, he wouldve lost all $50,000, he said. Rep. Ben Koppelman, R-West Fargo, said he anticipates the committee will work on some proposed amendments before taking action on the bill. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX North Korea is set to provide Russia with at least 150 KN-23 short-range ballistic missiles, along with artillery shells and related systems, in 2025. Source: The War Zone, citing Kyrylo Budanov, Head of Defence Intelligence of Ukraine (DIU) Quote: "Artillery is used to support both North Korean and Russian operations, while the missiles are intended exclusively for Russian targets." Details: Over the past three months, North Korea has delivered around 120 M1989 Koksan self-propelled artillery systems (170 mm calibre) and 120 M-1991 multiple-launch rocket systems (240 mm calibre) to Russia, Budanov said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He stated that North Korea is anticipated to contribute at least equal amounts of equipment in the future. Budanov also highlighted the potential of Russia getting KN-23 ballistic missiles from North Korea, which have already been integrated into Putin's army. Quote: "Most of these weapons are either being used against Ukrainian forces or for training purposes in Russia," he explained. Additionally, Budanov mentioned that North Korea could deploy infantry reinforcements to Russia's Kursk Oblast in 2025. Quote: "We don't anticipate seeing a significant influx of new ground forces. Their soldiers are essentially like biological robots," he said. Background: Ukrainian soldiers captured two North Korean soldiers in Kursk Oblast on 11 January. On 20 January, a North Korean soldier captured by Special Operations Forces (SOF) fighters in Kursk Oblast revealed that he had served in an intelligence battalion and claimed he did not know who he would be fighting against. Operatives from Ukraines SOF killed 21 and wounded 40 North Korean soldiers who were advancing on Ukrainian positions in Russias Kursk Oblast. Analysts from the Institute for the Study of War indicated that the new deployment of North Korean troops will sustain the current pace of infantry assaults in Russias Kursk Oblast. However, they are likely to suffer comparable losses, with 30,000 to 45,000 killed and injured per month. Support UP or become our patron! North Korea is expected to send reinforcements to Russias Kursk Oblast, mainly gun and rocket artillery units, Ukraines military intelligence chief Kyrylo Budanov said in an interview with The War Zone magazine published on Jan. 23. Pyongyang is also expected to send 150 short-range KN-23 ballistic missiles to Russia in 2025, in addition to the 148 already supplied in 2024, according to the spy chief. Moscow is further set to receive additional 170 mm M1989 Koksan self-propelled artillery guns and M-1991 240 mm multiple launch rocket systems, Budanov noted, adding that North Korea provided 120 pieces of each of these systems in the past three months. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The North Korean soldiers are expected to train their Russian counterparts on the supplied systems, he said. North Korea has shaped up to be Russias key supporter in its war against Ukraine, providing extensive artillery ammunition, missiles, and a contingent of 12,000 troops who had joined Russia in assaults against the Ukrainian salient in Kursk Oblast. Kyiv has said that North Korean troops have already suffered 4,000 casualties, though the number cannot be independently verified. Budanov did not provide further details on the number of North Korean reinforcements or the timeframe of their arrival. The New York Times reported that according to an undisclosed U.S. official, fresh Pyongyang troops could arrive within two months. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Experts interviewed by the Kyiv Independent connected North Koreas high casualty rates to a lack of experience with modern warfare, the "human wave" tactics employed against entrenched Ukrainian positions, and the resolve of North Korean troops to avoid capture, even at the cost of their own lives. Only two North Korean soldiers are in Ukrainian captivity since Pyongyang deployed its troops in Kursk Oblast last fall. Russia has ramped up its efforts to push Ukrainian forces out of their positions in Kursk Oblast, held since early August 2024. The region is expected to play a key role in any negotiations amid U.S. President Donald Trumps push for peace talks. 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. Analysts from the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) have indicated that the new deployment of North Korean troops will sustain the current pace of infantry assaults in Russias Kursk Oblast. However, they are likely to suffer comparable losses, with 30,000 to 45,000 killed and injured per month. Source: ISW Details: North Korea is expected to send additional military personnel to Russia by mid-March 2025, likely to sustain the current rate and intensity of infantry-focused, attritional assaults in Kursk Oblast. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On 22 January, The New York Times reported that a senior US defence official said additional North Korean forces are set to arrive in Russia "within the next two months" (by approximately mid-March 2025). The NYT, however, did not provide details on the number of troops or clarify whether this marks a rotation of personnel or an expansion of North Korea's overall troop deployment in Russia. On 23 December, the South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff reported that North Korea could be planning to send more forces to Ukraine and military equipment to Russia. This could entail either rotating existing personnel or deploying additional troops. Quote: "ISW recently assessed that the entirety of the North Korean contingent in Russia may be killed or wounded in action by about mid-April 2025 at their current casualty rate, and a new North Korean deployment whether intended to increase the current grouping or rotate out existing forces is likely intended to sustain Russias tempo of operations despite heavy losses of about 30,000 45,000 casualties (combined killed and wounded) per month." Details: North Korean forces are said to have spent at least a month training in Russias east before moving to Kursk Oblast in November 2024 for additional training in rear areas, eventually participating in combat operations from early December 2024. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This timeline aligns with the likelihood that a new group of North Korean forces could begin training and replace the diminishing forces in Kursk Oblast by mid-April 2025. This assumes the next batch of North Korean troops will undergo the same length of training as the previous contingent and are expected to be deployed to Russia in late January or early February 2025. Quote: "These fresh North Korean forces are unlikely to decisively improve Russian operations and will likely face the same high casualty rates and complications operating with Russian forces as the current North Korean contingent, provided the Russian command continues to use North Korean forces the same way as it has thus far." "ISW continues to assess that North Korea's high casualty rate and interoperability difficulties with Russian forces will affect the lessons that the North Korean military command will learn from fighting in Russia's war." Background: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ukrainian soldiers captured two North Korean soldiers in Kursk Oblast on 11 January. Ukraine's Special Operations Forces (SOF) released a video showing their operatives capturing and transporting a North Korean soldier. On 20 January, a North Korean soldier captured by SOF fighters in Kursk Oblast revealed that he had served in an intelligence battalion and claimed he did not know who he would be fighting against. Ukrainian soldiers from the 95th Airborne Assault Brigade shared how they had captured a North Korean soldier in Russia's Kursk Oblast. Attempting to avoid capture, he hit his head on a concrete pole and lost consciousness. Operatives from SOF killed 21 and wounded 40 North Korean soldiers who had been advancing on Ukrainian positions in Russias Kursk Oblast. Support UP or become our patron! NORTH OLMSTED, Ohio (WJW) North Olmsted Mayor Nicole Dailey Jones is still processing the news that Moen, a maker of plumbing fixtures, is leaving the city of North Olmsted and relocating to the Chicago area. This was a surprise, it is devastating, said Dailey Jones. Moens corporate headquarters has long been a fixture along Interstate 480 in North Olmsted. Dailey Jones said the closure is expected to happen mid 2026. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Within the past 24 hours, Ive been in contact with Moen International, their corporate owners Fortune Brands, with our county executive, our federal and state representatives, said Dailey Jones. Severe cold causes water main breaks all over Northeast Ohio Moen is a major employer in Northeast Oho with 350 workers. A company spokesperson for Moen owner Fortune Brands Innovation said many workers are now being asked to relocate to the companys new Chicago-area campus. Are there layoffs? Are they all being asked to transfer? Those are things we are still trying to figure out and come to terms with as well, said Dailey Jones. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Moen has had a presence in North Olmsted for over 30 years. They are the largest private sector employer in the city. Parma Make Believe Family Fun Center permanently closed The news comes as struggling craft retailer Joann Fabrics informed 600 employees at its headquarters in Hudson that they will be let go in March if the company doesnt find a buyer. Meanwhile, Dailey Jones said shes planning on meeting with Moen in the coming days. She is also already having talks about the future of Moens existing building in North Olmsted. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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 ANGELO, Texas (Concho Valley Homepage) A power outage occurred during the nighttime hours of Wednesday, Jan. 22, reportedly causing hundreds of customer outages across parts of San Angelo. Heres why it happened and when its expected to be resolved. According to information found on AEP Texas outage map, the power outage occurred at 11:57 p.m. The outage was caused by a vehicle accident. Multiple San Angelo residents took to social media to discuss the incident that caused the outage. Other users have shared photos of a utility pole that appears to have sustained significant damage, with its uppermost portion suspended in the air by cords connected to it. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The map indicates that the outage is primarily impacting customers in northern San Angelo. AEP Texas reported that 427 customer outages were caused as a result of the power outage. AEP Texas stated in the outages information section on the map that power is expected to be restored by 6 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 23. This is a developing story. Stick with Concho Valley Homepage for updates as more 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 ConchoValleyHomepage.com. Norwich As local fundraising continues and people urge the city to find money to support the new emergency overnight warming center, a Pennsylvania nonprofit on Wednesday donated $10,000 to cover its expenses through this winter. Josh Kelly, executive director of the Thames Valley Council for Community Action, which operates the warming center, said it has been an up-and-down week for the emergency center. By the end of this week, the center will have operated for 12 nights, already reaching the original estimate of the nights it would be open this season with its $25,000 budget. On Wednesday, Kelly said he had received notice that the National Philanthropic Trust, based in Jenkintown, Pa., will donate $10,000 to the warming center through its Andrew and Susan DiLoreto Charitable Gift Fund. The gift, along with other donations, will cover operations for the rest of this winter, Kelly said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Kelly said TVCCA will continue to accept donations for the warming center and will keep the funds in a dedicated account for next winter. The center is in the lower level of the Buckingham Memorial at 307 Main St. It was established in mid-December to be open only when Gov. Ned Lamont declares a cold weather emergency. It opened Sunday night and initially was scheduled to close Friday at noon. But on Wednesday, Lamont extended the cold weather emergency through noon Saturday. The center is open from 9 p.m. to 7 a.m. during cold weather emergencies. The small space at the center has also become a problem. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement TVCCA was informed this week by the city fire marshals office that capacity is limited to 16 overnight guests and the two TVCCA staff members. Previously, the center had allowed up to 25 individuals, with 16 sleeping in cots or on bedrolls and others sitting in a lounge area. When the Norwich center reaches capacity, TVCCA is tapping into the state 211 emergency system to direct any overflow attendees to rooms at the Comfort Suites hotel on Otrobando Avenue. Currently, 11 homeless people are staying in the hotel at state expense, Kelly said. On Sunday night, 10 guests stayed at the warming center. Kelly said 18 came Monday night, with 16 staying and two transported to the New London Homeless Hospitality Center. Another 17 came Tuesday night, with 14 staying and three being transported to the hotel. Kelly said that sometimes, individuals may have disabilities or medical needs that cannot be accommodated at the center. City Manager John Salomone said the city offered use of the Rose City Senior Center as an overflow site, but TVCCA declined due to the additional staffing that would be needed and the costs of transporting people. Kelly said the senior center also would not allow sleeping cots, only sitting space. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Planning for next winter Kelly already is preparing for next year, with a goal to open an overnight center for the whole winter, from Dec. 1 through March 15. Kelly said city officials already have said the Buckingham Memorial will not be used as an overnight center next winter. Anyone wishing to propose a possible location for next years warming center is asked to contact Kelly at josh.kelly@tvcca.org or (860) 912-7624. He said such an operation would require state funding of about $100,000 to $200,000 depending on space and services. State Sen. Cathy Osten said she submitted a bill for $500,000 in state funding for overnight warming centers in Norwich and Willimantic. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hopefully, the state will come through with funding, Kelly said. If we have to do it solely on donations, it could only be on an emergency basis next year. At Tuesdays Norwich City Council meeting, resident Larry Rice, a former city police officer, urged Salomone and the City Council to find money in the city budget to fund the winter overnight center. Please, please find the money and help these people, Rice said. When you go home tonight, just think you have a nice 70-degree home youre going to be going to, and a nice, warm bed to sleep in. These people dont have anything. c.bessette@theday.com BURLINGTON, Vt. (myCV) A New York man was arrested on drug charges after police conducted investigations on North Winooski Avenue and Grant Street Wednesday morning. Jamal Curtis, age 43, of Manhattan, NY, was taken into custody on North Winooski Avenue. He faces multiple drug distribution charges in addition to outstanding warrants in New York City and Bennington, Vermont. Police said that over 10 people were also removed from the Grant Street residence, but all of them were ultimately released from the scene. According to BPD, their Crisis Advocacy, Intervention Program provided struggling individuals with blankets, food, and access to local resources. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement People with information about this incident can call the BPD at (802) 658-2704. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. MANHATTAN, N.Y. (PIX11) Not many years ago there were dozens of Hallmark stores throughout New York City where you could buy your birthday and anniversary cards. They have vanished from the city landscape. Now, one of the last of the card emporiums is about to close. Its scheduled to be replaced by a cannabis shop. For the past two decades, a Hallmark card store at 44th Street and Second Avenue has been a part of the very fabric of the Turtle Bay community on Manhattans East Side. In two weeks it will be gone, having lost its lease. It will be replaced by a cannabis store that has agreed to pay the landlord a higher monthly rent. More Local News Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Kuljot Bhasin and his wife Amrita have operated card shops in the neighborhood for more than 40 years, 22 of them in the current store. This has been home for us, he said, adding, Its tough leaving home. The next two weeks are going to be very tough. They have to be out Jan. 31, and claim the landlord will not extend three extra days over the weekend to allow them to finish cleaning up. They said they are being forced to close because another business, a cannabis shop, reportedly has offered to pay $40,000 a month in rent. The Bhasins said they cant afford to pay anything near that. So many small businesses have gone out of business because rents are so out of whack, Bhasin argued. Small business is essential to New York, he added. Forty years in this neighborhood, the only Hallmark store left in New York City, the only one, he declared. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Bhasin said when his business tanked during the COVID-19 pandemic, he could no longer pay $37,000 a month in rent and later negotiated to pay half. Last year, he worked out a new deal that he said was ultimately rejected by the landlord. Under the new deal we were offering them $24,000 a month, the cannabis store offered them $40,000 a month, he noted. PIX11 News reached out to the landlords leasing director who had no answers to any questions. We dont have a comment, he said. Bhasin questioned why his store was selected for the cannabis shop when there are so many other stores that are now vacant in the neighborhood. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement More than 500 people have signed a book of support, and they are asking to be alerted if another store will be opened. That is heartwarming to the owners. Every day we have people coming in and they tell us they are heartbroken we are leaving, Bhasin said. One customer told PIX 11 News, This store was really an important part of the neighborhood and its very sad to see that they have to leave. Another quipped, Its a sign of the times, unfortunate, sorry to see you go. And yet another heartfelt sentiment from a woman buying items at half price: Its tragic were losing a business like this to greed. It just really is. While the community is upset that its losing a good neighbor, its even more distressed that a pot shop will be moving in. Community Board 6, in a resolution last November, urged the state Office of Cannabis Management to reject the application to open. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Jesus Perez, district manager of Community Board 6, explained, The community is concerned that there are two schools just steps away from here and theres the United Nations. And were unhappy they are chasing away a business thats been in the neighborhood for many, many years. Bhasin is heartbroken that hell not only lose the business hes built but also the relationships hes forged with customers over the years. Ive had people who came to us for three generations. Parents came with their kids and now the kids come with their kids, Bhasin said. Reflecting on the many years hes operated a business in this store, Bhasin said, Its going to be tough to get up in the morning and not have to go off to open the store. Ive done that for 40 years and thatll be tough. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Bhasin said whatever he doesnt sell during the going out of business sale, hell donate to charity. As for the future, he said hell try to find another location and pick up the pieces. PIX11 News reached out to the Office of Cannabis Management in Albany, and it couldnt tell if or when it will vote on the application for the cannabis shop to replace the Hallmark store. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to PIX11. In the latest attempt to address a worsening youth mental health crisis, the New York City Council on Thursday passed a series of bills that would boost support for students in local public schools. The legislative package composed of four separate but interconnected laws aims to create more safe, structured spaces where young people can get the help they need, said Councilwoman Rita Joseph (D-Brooklyn), who chairs the Education Committee. Our kids are carrying more than we can see, Joseph told reporters before the stated Council meeting. Yet, many of them feel like they have nowhere to turn. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement After the COVID pandemic, 38% of local high school students reported feeling so sad or hopeless in 2021 that they gave up their usual activities, according to city data. Josephs bill creates a two-year pilot program to connect mental health providers who are in training and middle and high schools. Through the program, graduate students pursuing a license in social work and other soon-to-be professionals would get involved in student clubs and help facilitate discussions and workshops. Another bill, sponsored by Councilwoman Linda Lee (D-Queens), who chairs the Mental Health Committee, would help middle and high school students start such peer-led clubs. Other legislation would offer mental health literacy training in schools and improve communication between agencies beyond the education system, so that city workers could offer mental health services to those impacted by traumatic incidents. This is allowing them to have that space and giving them the tools they need to lead these conversations themselves, Lee said of her bill. A New York City education panel issued a sharp rebuke to President Trumps recent order allowing federal immigration officials to make arrests at sensitive locations, passing a resolution Wednesday night that affirmed the longstanding practice of barring the authorities from school grounds. The Panel for Educational Policy serves as the citys school board in a public education system controlled by the mayor. The majority of members are appointed by City Hall and abide by its directives. We have a city that has millions of people that are of not permanent status because our federal immigration system is fundamentally broken, said Naveed Hasan, the main sponsor of the resolution. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement So we need to make sure that we as a panel, as a Board of Education, strongly put forth our support for them, make sure that they have all of the resources available to them to know their rights, that we know their rights and follow all of the preexisting guidelines that were in place from prior presidential administrations in terms of protecting kids from non-local law enforcement authorities. The Trump administrations Tuesday announcement that federal immigration agents would not face limits on arrests at or near sensitive locations which alongside schools, also covers hospitals and houses of worship undid over a decade of precedent, including Trumps first four years in office. Local guidelines block Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE, from accessing schools without a warrant, and even then, administrators must consult with senior field counsel first. While Mayor Adams has promised to stand up for all New Yorkers, documented, and undocumented and encouraged immigrant families to continue sending their children to school, it remains to be seen how City Hall responds to the federal governments order. During a Tuesday press conference, Adams, asked about sensitive locations, refrained from weighing in publicly. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The education panels resolution had been in the works since before Trumps order and also called on the school system to maintain a curriculum that reflects the diversity of its student body, prevent administrators from disclosing any student records, and treat all students equitably. It earned the praises of the citys powerful teachers union, which sent two of its top officials and read a statement on behalf of its president. Schools Chancellor Melissa Aviles-Ramos, though not a voting member, typically attends the panel each month, but was not present Wednesday night, citing a conflict. Once children are students in New York City public schools, they are our children. We work hard to protect them from gun violence, from hunger, from COVID, from bullying, from attempts to short-circuit their education and now from any attempts to drag them out of their classrooms to deport them, said Michael Sill, assistant secretary of the UFT, paraphrasing a statement from President Michael Mulgrew. That duty to protect students is eternal. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement There are staff members in our buildings who may be recipients of DACA, added Janella Hinds, vice president for academic high schools at the UFT, who may be under temporary protected status, and who deserve all of the protection afforded to them under the law. Panelist Tom Sheppard praised the resolution, which is nonbinding, as a good first step, but called on the chancellor to put forward a regulation that would be etched in stone a sentiment that was echoed by members not appointed by the mayor. Those include panelists elected by community education councils and appointed by borough presidents. Other panel members shared stories of their own immigrant families or suggested all New Yorkers should care about the issue, regardless of their backgrounds. For those who may feel that some of the things that are happening nationally dont directly affect them, I think theres a poem, said Chairman Gregory Faulkner, likely referencing First They Came by Martin Niemoller, that if you remain silent when they came for others, eventually they come for you. I think we all have to remember that what we see now, though it may not affect us directly, at some point, we may be affected, he continued. And its important for all of us to speak out. NEW YORK A New York City education panel issued a sharp rebuke to President Donald Trumps recent order allowing federal immigration officials to make arrests at sensitive locations, passing a resolution Wednesday night that affirmed the longstanding practice of barring the authorities from school grounds. The Panel for Educational Policy serves as the citys school board in a public education system controlled by the mayor. The majority of members are appointed by City Hall and abide by its directives. We have a city that has millions of people that are of not permanent status because our federal immigration system is fundamentally broken, said Naveed Hasan, the main sponsor of the resolution. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement So we need to make sure that we as a panel, as a Board of Education, strongly put forth our support for them, make sure that they have all of the resources available to them to know their rights, that we know their rights and follow all of the pre-existing guidelines that were in place from prior presidential administrations in terms of protecting kids from non-local law enforcement authorities. The Trump administrations Tuesday announcement that federal immigration agents would not face limits on arrests at or near sensitive locations which alongside schools, also covers hospitals and houses of worship undid over a decade of precedent, including Trumps first four years in office. Local guidelines block Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE, from accessing schools without a warrant, and even then, administrators must consult with senior field counsel first. While Mayor Eric Adams has promised to stand up for all New Yorkers, documented, and undocumented and encouraged immigrant families to continue sending their children to school, it remains to be seen how City Hall responds to the federal governments order. During a Tuesday press conference, Adams, asked about sensitive locations, refrained from weighing in publicly. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The education panels resolution had been in the works since before Trumps order and also called on the school system to maintain a curriculum that reflects the diversity of its student body, prevent administrators from disclosing any student records, and treat all students equitably. It earned the praises of the citys powerful teachers union, which sent two of its top officials and read a statement on behalf of its president. Schools Chancellor Melissa Aviles-Ramos, though not a voting member, typically attends the panel each month, but was not present Wednesday night, citing a conflict. Once children are students in New York City public schools, they are our children. We work hard to protect them from gun violence, from hunger, from COVID, from bullying, from attempts to short-circuit their education and now from any attempts to drag them out of their classrooms to deport them, said Michael Sill, assistant secretary of the UFT, paraphrasing a statement from President Michael Mulgrew. That duty to protect students is eternal. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement There are staff members in our buildings who may be recipients of DACA, added Janella Hinds, vice president for academic high schools at the UFT, who may be under temporary protected status, and who deserve all of the protection afforded to them under the law. Panelist Tom Sheppard praised the resolution, which is nonbinding, as a good first step, but called on the chancellor to put forward a regulation that would be etched in stone a sentiment that was echoed by members not appointed by the mayor. Those include panelists elected by community education councils and appointed by borough presidents. Other panel members shared stories of their own immigrant families or suggested all New Yorkers should care about the issue, regardless of their backgrounds. For those who may feel that some of the things that are happening nationally dont directly affect them, I think theres a poem, said Chair Gregory Faulkner, likely referencing First They Came by Martin Niemoller, that if you remain silent when they came for others, eventually they come for you. I think we all have to remember that what we see now, though it may not affect us directly, at some point, we may be affected, he continued. And its important for all of us to speak out. _____ NEW YORK CITY (PIX11) The old New York City cant come to the phone right now shes dead. Soon, the 347, 718, 917, and 929 area codes will be retired and replaced with one new area code that has not yet been announced. What happens if we run out of phone numbers? On Thursday, the New York State Public Service Commission approved the creation of a new New York City area code, first proposed in September 2024. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Once all remaining 347, 718, 917 and 929 numbers are exhausted, the new area code will start telephone numbers in the Bronx, Brooklyn, Queens, Staten Island and Marble Hill. The North American Numbering Plan Administrator expects the area codes will be exhausted near the end of 2026. There is a clear need for more telephone numbers as a result of economic growth and activity in the New York City metro areas, therefore, an additional area code is required, said Commission Chair Rory Christian. Anyone with the soon-to-be-retired area codes will keep their existing phone numbers. New telephone accounts will have the area code. The North American Numbering Plan Administrator will create and announce the new three-digit code in the coming months. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Emily Rahhal is a digital reporter who has covered New York City since 2023 after reporting in Los Angeles for years. She joined PIX11 in 2024. See more of her work here and follow her on Twitter 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. NEW YORK A Brooklyn judge cut a Texas scammer a break, giving the man 18 months for trying to defraud George Santos and blasted the former congressmans cowardice for not showing up in person Wednesday to give a victim statement. Hector Medina, 37, reached out to Santos in the summer of 2023, describing himself as a fixer who could make his criminal troubles disappear for $900,000. Medina made a similar offer to That 70s Show star Danny Masterson, who was convicted of raping two women and sentenced to 30 years to life in Los Angeles. Medina never got a text back from any of his targets. But Santos reached out to authorities, leading to the El Paso mans arrest on federal wire fraud charges. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Santos, who was in the courtroom in September when Medina entered a guilty plea, was a no-show at the sentencing, though he wrote a one-page letter to Brooklyn Federal Judge Nicholas Garaufis. The disgraced ex-congressman wrote that he took Medinas messages seriously because he thought they could be real based on the disgusting weaponization of our Department of Justice, but punted on whether Medina should get leniency and deferred to the judges vast wisdom. Garaufis sighed and scoffed at the letter after reading it. I find this letter astounding and not entirely helpful to the court, and I dont think I would sentence anyone based on anything Mr. Santos has to say, even if he was the victim, he said. So that takes care of Mr. Santos. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The judge also called the letter ironic given Santos own guilty plea to fraud and aggravated identity theft, and chided the lying former lawmaker for not showing up Wednesday. Its a demonstration of cowardice, its a demonstration of the lack of character, and hes speaking out of both sides of his mouth, Garaufis said. Santos who famously lied about nearly every aspect of his life and resume while running for office in 2022 pleaded guilty in August, three weeks before he was set to go to trial for a string of brazen scams, including repeatedly charging his campaign donors credit cards without their permission and using donor money to buy designer clothes. Hes slated to sentenced in Long Island Federal Court in April. On Wednesday, Medina pleaded for leniency, with his lawyer Joseph Veith arguing that his client returned to his old habits of fraud on 2023 after seven years staying out of trouble because of his gambling addiction and mental illness. Veith also pointed out that his shakedown scheme was never going to be successful, since his targets who also included a musician who was arrested and an athletes relative who was busted had access to money, power and lawyers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Theyre victims, period, but theyre not vulnerable victims. Theyre not individuals that would have been duped, he said. Not one person even bothered to respond to a text message. Medina, who was given probation for theft and fraud-related convictions in Texas in 2016, 2023 and 2024, told the judge hes taken concrete steps to seek help for his gambling addiction and mental health, and pleaded for forgiveness. Hes currently working at the El Paso morgue, and hes a devoted dad to his young daughter and the son of his ex-girlfriend, his lawyer said. Im not the same person that I was when these events occurred, he said, as his mother and sister watched. I never want to find myself in this position again. Medina faced the possibility of 37 to 46 months behind bars based on federal sentencing guidelines. Instead, the judge sentenced him to 18 months, followed by three years of supervised release, with his sentence starting May 29. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Garaufis praised the steps Medina had taken as a positive development, but said he still needed to serve some time to make sure the point is received. I think you understand that there cant be a next time, Garaufis said. A Brooklyn judge cut a Texas scammer a break, giving the man 18 months for trying to defraud George Santos and blasted the former congressmans cowardice for not showing up in person Wednesday to give a victim statement. Hector Medina, 37, reached out to Santos in the summer of 2023, describing himself as a fixer who could make his criminal troubles disappear for $900,000. Medina made a similar offer to That 70s Show star Danny Masterson, who was convicted of raping two women and sentenced to 30 years to life in Los Angeles. Medina never got a text back from any of his targets. But Santos reached out to authorities, leading to the El Paso mans arrest on federal wire fraud charges. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Santos, who was in the courtroom in September when Medina entered a guilty plea, was a no-show at the sentencing, though he wrote a one-page letter to Brooklyn Federal Judge Nicholas Garaufis. The disgraced ex-congressman wrote that he took Medinas messages seriously because he thought they could be real based on the disgusting weaponization of our Department of Justice, but punted on whether Medina should get leniency and deferred to the judges vast wisdom. Garaufis sighed and scoffed at the letter after reading it. I find this letter astounding and not entirely helpful to the court, and I dont think I would sentence anyone based on anything Mr. Santos has to say, even if he was the victim, he said. So that takes care of Mr. Santos. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The judge also called the letter ironic given Santos own guilty plea to fraud and aggravated identity theft, and chided the lying former lawmaker for not showing up Wednesday. Its a demonstration of cowardice, its a demonstration of the lack of character, and hes speaking out of both sides of his mouth, Garaufis said. Santos who famously lied about nearly every aspect of his life and resume while running for office in 2022 pleaded guilty in August, three weeks before he was set to go to trial for a string of brazen scams, including repeatedly charging his campaign donors credit cards without their permission and using donor money to buy designer clothes. Hes slated to sentenced in Long Island Federal Court in April. On Wednesday, Medina pleaded for leniency, with his lawyer Joseph Veith arguing that his client returned to his old habits of fraud on 2023 after seven years staying out of trouble because of his gambling addiction and mental illness. Veith also pointed out that his shakedown scheme was never going to be successful, since his targets who also included a musician who was arrested and an athletes relative who was busted had access to money, power and lawyers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Theyre victims, period, but theyre not vulnerable victims. Theyre not individuals that would have been duped, he said. Not one person even bothered to respond to a text message. View this document on Scribd Medina, who was given probation for theft and fraud-related convictions in Texas in 2016, 2023 and 2024, told the judge hes taken concrete steps to seek help for his gambling addiction and mental health, and pleaded for forgiveness. Hes currently working at the El Paso morgue, and hes a devoted dad to his young daughter and the son of his ex-girlfriend, his lawyer said. Im not the same person that I was when these events occurred, he said, as his mother and sister watched. I never want to find myself in this position again. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Medina faced the possibility of 37 to 46 months behind bars based on federal sentencing guidelines. Instead, the judge sentenced him to 18 months, followed by three years of supervised release, with his sentence starting May 29. Garaufis praised the steps Medina had taken as a positive development, but said he still needed to serve some time to make sure the point is received. I think you understand that there cant be a next time, Garaufis said. Mayor Adams surprise decision to avoid publicly criticizing President Trump is sending shockwaves through New York City, where many residents are looking to local leaders to openly fight back against Trumps controversial plans to end birthright citizenship, deport millions of immigrants, repeal federal protections for transgender youth, pardon hundreds of convicted Jan. 6 rioters and more. Power Malu, a local immigrant advocate who helps provide services for new arrivals, said Wednesday he and his team have been staking out city emergency shelters on the lookout for feds engaged in deportations. His team hasnt come across any raids yet, but Malu said migrants he has spoken with are terrified and unsure of whether to stay in city shelters amid Trumps return to power. The city does not feel safe, does not feel protected, and if you cant criticize the president for things that hes promising to do that directly impact your constituents, then you are not in a position to lead, Malu said of the mayor. Its clear as day the message Adams is sending: Hes afraid hes going to rub this guy the wrong way. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The public deference Adams has said he will show Trump as he begins his second term stands in sharp contrast to the mayors previous rhetoric. Just a few years ago, Adams described Trump as a white supremacist. Donald Trump will never condemn white supremacists, because he is a white supremacist, then-mayoral candidate Adams tweeted in October 2020, a month before Trump lost that years presidential election to Joe Biden. Fast forward to this Tuesday, when Adams announced he has committed to not openly criticize Trump now that hes back in the White House. Adams will instead privately discuss any disagreements directly with Trump, who has offered him an opportunity to do so, the mayor said. Even some of Adams longtime supporters expressed shock about that stance, questioning how he can adopt it after campaigning as an anti-Trump champion in 2021. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its very painful, extremely disappointing and also unprincipled, said Norman Siegel, a veteran civil rights lawyer who has been close with Adams for decades and was a prominent supporter of his 2021 campaign. People supportive of Eric called me yesterday, this morning, and even previously, but yesterday in particular, saying, thats not the Eric we knew,' continued Siegel, who declined to say whether hell endorse Adams for reelection this year. At a time like this, you want the mayor to be out there and be outspoken, because Trump will have an impact on lots of people in New York City, not just immigrants, but lots of people. Everyones rights are in jeopardy right now, and so why is the mayor being silent? Brooklyn Councilman Justin Brannan, who also endorsed Adams 2021 campaign and chairs the Councils Finance Committee, agreed with Siegel. New Yorkers need a guardian at the gate, not rose petals and red carpets, Brannan said of Adams. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement More broadly, Adams approach to Trump has sparked pointed pushback from many Democrats, who say he has been overly cozy with the Republican and question whether hes angling for a pardon from the president for his federal corruption charges. Following a private meeting with Trump in Florida last Friday, Adams headed to Washington, D.C. early Monday to attend his inauguration after getting a last-minute invite that required him to cancel several appearances at Martin Luther King Jr. Day events in New York. Adams spokeswoman Kayla Mamelak didnt say Wednesday whether mayoral staffers are supposed to now not criticize Trump in public, either. Like Adams, several of his top aides including First Deputy Mayor Maria Torres-Springer, Deputy Mayor for Communications Fabien Levy, Deputy Mayor for Intergovernmental Affairs Tiffany Raspberry and Deputy Chief of Staff Menashe Shapiro have spoken and written critically of Trump and his team, according to a News review of social media posts and other records. For instance, Torres-Springer, Adams second-in-command at City Hall, penned an op-ed in The Nation in 2017 with then-Councilman Brad Lander whos now running against Adams in Junes Democratic mayoral primary in which they argued Trumps agenda is full of flaws that leave his supporters sorely disappointed, including by eliminating health care coverage for millions of Americans. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Asked about the aides previous comments about Trump, Mamalek reiterated Adams wants to work with him, not war with him, and will therefore discuss his thoughts on policy privately. The White House didnt respond to questions. Many of Trumps most controversial Day One moves relate to immigration, including an order terminating the ability to claim asylum in the U.S. and a vow to start deporting immigrants regardless of whether they have committed any crimes besides residing in the country without proper documentation. On Tuesday, Trumps administration also rescinded a policy barring the feds from carrying out deportation raids in sensitive locations, including schools and churches. New York Citys home to more than 500,000 undocumented immigrants, a major segment of the local workforce, in addition to the tens of thousands of mostly Latin American nationals who have arrived since spring 2022 in hopes of claiming asylum. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As a mayoral candidate, Adams tweeted that Trumps abusive immigration enforcement tactics had hurt New Yorkers and that the Republican left New York for dead during the pandemic. This week, though, Adams said Trump loves the city and that they have good synergy, including on immigration policy. Another area of concern for New Yorkers is Trumps executive order affirming the U.S. wont recognize the existence of transgender individuals a move he has paired with threats to withhold federal funding from states and municipalities that dont fall in line in areas like college sports. Stonewall Democratic Club of New York City President Gabriel Lewenstein, whose LGBTQ rights group endorsed Adams in the 2021 general mayoral election, slammed the mayor for not publicly defending New Yorks transgender youth in the face of Trumps attacks. Its pretty pathetic. Instead of standing up for New Yorkers, hes groveling at the feet of fascists, Lewenstein said. It feels like a pretty embarrassing last ditch attempt to save himself. Their relationship is developing as Trump has said hes actively considering pardoning Adams, who was indicted in September on criminal charges alleging he took bribes and illegal campaign cash from Turkish government operatives in exchange for political favors. Adams, who hasnt ruled out accepting a pardon, pleaded not guilty and is supposed to stand trial in April. NEW YORK Mayor Eric Adams said in an interview Wednesday night that his heart goes out to music mogul Sean Diddy Combs, who is in federal custody on sex trafficking charges. In an interview with Steven A. Smith on his YouTube show, Adams expressed sympathy about the fallen stars legal woes. Listen, my heart goes out to him as he goes through his legal struggles, the mayor said triggering a question from Smith: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If hes innocent? Exactly, Adams replied. There by the grace of God goes I. Were all going through something, so my heart goes out to him. The Bad Boy Records founder has been charged with sex trafficking and racketeering in Manhattan Federal Court. He is being held at a prison in Brooklyn ahead of his trial scheduled to start in May. In the 14-page indictment, Combs is accused of transporting male sex workers and women across state lines to participate in the hedonistic parties he and his colleagues dubbed Freak Offs. He has pleaded not guilty to the charges. Adams, whos himself under indictment on federal corruption charges, also defended giving Diddy the Key to the City, an action that was ultimately reversed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement People looked at his contribution, what he has done and others that we honored, we knew that we should give him that award, the mayor explained. He later added that he didnt make the call to take back Diddys key. Rather, he said that decision was made by a committee and that Diddys team was cool with that. A New York City skincare specialist was busted Wednesday for injecting clients with phony Botox from China leading one woman to experience double vision and heart palpitations, the feds said. Hells Kitchen aesthetician Joey Grant Luther, 54, allegedly peddled the prescription medicine he knew was counterfeit to clients at his medical spa, JGL Aesthetics, and treated them without the proper New York state license, prosecutors said. One of his alleged victims paid $463 in February 2024 for what she thought was a Botox injection to her eyebrow and arm pit. New York City skincare specialist Joey Grant Luther allegedly injected clients with phony Botox from China, according to federal prosecutors. Getty Images Prosecutors allege Luther knew the Botox he was giving to clients was counterfeit. US DISTRICT COURT SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF NY Three days later, she began experiencing double vision, light headedness, difficulty swallowing and chewing, heart palpitations, and slurring of speech, according to a criminal complaint unsealed in Manhattan federal court. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The victim was later diagnosed with Botulism toxin, prosecutors said. The alleged phony Botox purveyor continued profiting handsomely from selling the illicit treatments for months despite several clients reporting serious medical ailments from the phony products, prosecutor Brandon Thompson said. Luther who rents a penthouse apartment above his medical office on West 45th Street, near Ninth Avenue continued to perform Botox treatments until the day of his arrest when he had a 5:30 p.m. appointment scheduled, Thompson said during the aestheticians first court appearance in the case. Luther was also running his medical spa JGL Aesthetics without a proper New York state license. Instagram / Joey Grant Luther A shipment of counterfeit Botox allegedly sent to Luther from China. US DISTRICT COURT SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF NY Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Court papers show that Luther asked his supplier for more Botox he knew was unsafe and brazenly requested 41 bottles for free because of what his clients were suffering through. He knew about these issues and then said, I want more of this toxic substance to give people and I want it for free,' Thompson said during the court hearing, at which Luther sat at the defense table in a white t-shirt and jeans. Luther was charged with wire fraud, smuggling, and other crimes related to misbranded and counterfeit drugs. Messages from an alleged victim of Luther asking him a bout double vision experienced after an appointment. US DISTRICT COURT SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF NY A message from an alleged victim complaining about eyelids dropping after receiving the phony Botox. US DISTRICT COURT SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF NY He was released Wednesday on $100,000 bail secured by his second home in Miami Beach over the objections of prosecutors, who called him a tremendous risk to the public. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement US Magistrate Judge Sarah L. Cave ordered Luther released on the condition that he surrender his existing aesthetics license which already bars him from doing Botox treatments and put up the Miami Beach home as collateral. Luthers alleged victims were led to believe that the Botox was manufactured by the brand name Allergan, yet federal agents seized several cartons of the counterfeit products from Asia that Luther was intended to receive in his office, the feds said. Luther was allegedly injecting clients with phony Botox up until the day of his arrest. Instagram / JGL AESTHETICS Luther was profiting handsomely from the phony injections, the feds claim. Instagram / Joey Grant Luther Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Luthers disregard for the health of his clients put all of his victims in harms way and, in some cases, caused life-threating injuries, said Danielle Sassoon, the interim US Attorney for the Southern District of New York, in a statement. Luther had no comment when asked about the charges on his way out of court. His next court date was scheduled for early February. He faces up to 20 years in prison if convicted on the top charge he faces. Bronx, N.Y. (PIX11) A Bronx co-op board president is accused of stealing over $120,000 from a 93-year-old woman who could not speak, read, or write English, Bronx District Attorney Darcel D. Clark announced on Wednesday. Majia-Leena Frayer, 74, of Saint Petersburg, Fla., allegedly schemed the victim out of her life savings by forging checks and depositing them into an accomplices account, according to court documents. More Local News Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Frayer was placed on supervised release a program that aims to reduce the number of people held in jail because they cannot afford bail. We must remain vigilant in protecting the elderly who so often become targets for financial fraud, DA Clark said. In this case, a 93-year-old woman who couldnt read or write English trusted the co-op board president to help her write checks for maintenance payments. When she became ill and hospitalized, the defendant allegedly wrote more than $120,000 worth of checks from the victims checkbook, which were cashed. This alleged crime is the definition of depredation. According to court documents, Frayer, acting in cahoots with Rudolf Drauch, 61, stole $120,263 from a tenant at the Varma Cooperative, 828 Gerard Avenue, Bronx. The victim entrusted Frayer with her checkbook to help write monthly maintenance checks for the co-op board. In 2021, Frayer began writing checks from her account while the victim was hospitalized. After the victim moved to a nursing home, Frayer wrote 72 checks ranging from $500 to $3,000, according to court documents. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Court documents stated that Frayer deposited the checks in Drauchs account. Drauch then allegedly cashed the checks and pocketed some of the money. Frayer moved to Florida after co-defendant Rudolf Drauch was indicted for his role in the scheme in 2023. Frayer was arraigned and formally charged on Friday. She faces charges of second-degree grand larceny, second-degree criminal possession of stolen property, and 72 counts of second-degree criminal possession of a forged instrument. Frayer is due back in court on Tuesday, according to court documents. Matthew Euzarraga is a multimedia journalist from El Paso, Texas. He has covered local news and LGBTQIA topics in the New York City Metro area since 2021. He joined the PIX11 Digital team in 2023. You can see more of his work here. 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. NEW YORK (PIX11) The NYPD will not engage in civil immigration enforcement in New York City, according to an internal memo obtained by PIX11 News on Thursday. A spokesperson for the department also confirmed that members of the service are not allowed to assist in any manner with civil immigration enforcement or use any resources in connection with it. More Local News The statement and memo came after President Donald Trump signed an executive order on his first day in office stating that federal immigration authorities can arrest people at sensitive locations. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to the memo, police officers cannot do the following to assist immigration authorities. NYPD officers cannot: Contact immigration authorities to share a persons location Detain an individual to be taken into custody by immigration authorities Facilitate street closures to enable immigration enforcement Allow department facilities to be used in connection with immigration enforcement Additionally, police officers have been directed not to interfere if people try to obstruct enforcement by civil immigration officers. They can only engage if an individual separately poses a threat to public safety. While conducting investigations, NYPD members cannot ask for a persons immigration status unless its relevant to the case. If immigration officers present papers to take someone within NYPD custody, the departments legal bureau must be notified. No one is allowed to be released from the departments custody without authorization from an executive of the operational command and a Legal Bureau executive. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Although NYPD officers have been directed not to assist in immigration enforcement, they also cannot take any action to stop it. Dominique Jack is a digital content producer from Brooklyn with more than five years of experience covering news. She joined PIX11 in 2024. More of her work can be found here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to PIX11. WATERTOWN, N.Y. (WWTI) The New York State Police are asking for the publics help in an alleged larceny case at the Watertown Best Buy at the Salmon Run Mall. According to authorities, the alleged incident occurred around 6:10 p.m. November 14, 2024. Anyone who recognizes the individual in the photo is asked to contact State Police at (315) 366-6000 and reference case #NY2400897759. (Courtesy of New York State 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 WWTI - InformNNY.com. Former Maryland Gov. Martin OMalley is releasing the names of his donors to his Democratic National Committee campaign an effort to pressure his opponents to reveal their own financial backers ahead of the Feb. 1 election. OMalley's list, shared first with POLITICO, shows more than 350 people who had donated to his campaign, totaling about $350,000, and his spokesperson called on the other DNC chair candidates to do the same by Saturday. OMalley an apparent third-place contestant in the race is making a move that appears aimed at Wisconsin Democratic Party Chair Ben Wikler, a prolific fundraiser whose close relationship with top donors, including LinkedIn co-founder Reid Hoffman, has come under attack from his opponents. Hoffman is not popular among some DNC members, after he angered state party chairs by launching a voter data organization in 2018, a prized asset thats primarily managed by state parties. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A spokesperson for Wiklers campaign said their campaign is backed by 1,000 donors, but declined to release a list in its entirety. But they will disclose their donors at midnight on Jan. 31, when they are legally required to file their 527 non-profit and hybrid federal PAC with the Federal Elections Commission. It's no secret that Ben has raised more money for Wisconsin than any state party chair in the country and he's used it to power critical, razor-thin wins in the Senate, Supreme Court and legislative victories in the state, the spokesperson continued in the statement. The DNC needs a chair with a proven record of raising serious funds to fight for working people and Democratic values. As Chair, Ben will also supercharge sustainable grassroots funding, as he has in Wisconsin, and treat donors at all levels like human beings rather than ATMs. A spokesperson for Ken Martin, who leads Minnesotas Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party and the apparent frontrunner in the race, said they would have no problem releasing the names of their donors. Martin also took some veiled shots at Wikler for rub[bing] elbows with billionaires or Hollywood elites last week. When asked at last weeks DNC forum if Wiklers connection to Democratic donors was a bad thing, Martin praised Wiklers fundraising strength but criticized his closeness to Hoffman, though not by name. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement OMalley has lagged behind Wikler and Martin in publicly released whip counts but is committed to this and will lead by establishing trust and transparency at the DNC. It begins with the release of this list, said spokesperson Chris Taylor in a statement. The common theme throughout conversations with DNC Members is a lack of openness and transparency within the party, Taylors statement continued. It must be a leader we can trust at every level whether to set a primary nomination calendar in a fair process, overhaul vendor selection, or open up the DNCs books to its members. DNC chair campaigns are not required to release their donors ahead of the chair election on Feb. 1, when 448 DNC members will vote on their leadership. Instead, campaigns use a variety of fundraising vehicles, including federal campaign accounts and 527 nonprofit groups to raise money for their bids. All of those groups are governed by different disclosure laws, which have different standards. OMalleys campaign confirmed he is raising money through a 527 group, which can raise unlimited funds from donors. Jessica Piper contributed to this report. KEVIN KNODELL / KKNODELL @STARADVERTISER.COM Allen Hoe showed soldiers a tattered old flag Wednesday that he and fellow soldiers carried with them in Vietnam, and that his son, 1st Lt. Nainoa Hoe, carried in Iraq to honor their memory. Nainoa Hoe had the flag on him when he was killed by a sniper in Iraq. 1 /5 KEVIN KNODELL / KKNODELL @STARADVERTISER.COM Allen Hoe showed soldiers a tattered old flag Wednesday that he and fellow soldiers carried with them in Vietnam, and that his son, 1st Lt. Nainoa Hoe, carried in Iraq to honor their memory. Nainoa Hoe had the flag on him when he was killed by a sniper in Iraq. KEVIN KNODELL / KKNODELL @STARADVERTISER.COM Soldiers from the Armys 25th Infantry Division, 21st Infantry Regiment, emerged from the ocean at Bellows Beach on Wednesday as part of an annual competition honoring the legacy of 1st Lt. Nainoa Hoe, an Oahu-born Army officer killed during the 2005 Battle of Mosul in Iraq. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 2 /5 KEVIN KNODELL / KKNODELL @STARADVERTISER.COM Soldiers from the Armys 25th Infantry Division, 21st Infantry Regiment, emerged from the ocean at Bellows Beach on Wednesday as part of an annual competition honoring the legacy of 1st Lt. Nainoa Hoe, an Oahu-born Army officer killed during the 2005 Battle of Mosul in Iraq. KEVIN KNODELL / KNODELL @STARADVERTISER.COM Sgt. Maj. Stephen Siglock, above left, who served in Nainoa Hoes platoon, is shown with Nainoas father, Allen Hoe. 3 /5 KEVIN KNODELL / KNODELL @STARADVERTISER.COM Sgt. Maj. Stephen Siglock, above left, who served in Nainoa Hoes platoon, is shown with Nainoas father, Allen Hoe. KEVIN KNODELL / KNODELL @STARADVERTISER.COM At top, Nainoa Hoes younger brother, 1st Sgt. Nakoa Hoe, right, crawled in the sand at Bellows Beach as part of the competition. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 4 /5 KEVIN KNODELL / KNODELL @STARADVERTISER.COM At top, Nainoa Hoes younger brother, 1st Sgt. Nakoa Hoe, right, crawled in the sand at Bellows Beach as part of the competition. COURTESY PHOTO Nainoa Hoe : An annual competition held Jan. 22 marks the anniversary of his death 5 /5 COURTESY PHOTO Nainoa Hoe : An annual competition held Jan. 22 marks the anniversary of his death KEVIN KNODELL / KKNODELL @STARADVERTISER.COM Allen Hoe showed soldiers a tattered old flag Wednesday that he and fellow soldiers carried with them in Vietnam, and that his son, 1st Lt. Nainoa Hoe, carried in Iraq to honor their memory. Nainoa Hoe had the flag on him when he was killed by a sniper in Iraq. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement KEVIN KNODELL / KKNODELL @STARADVERTISER.COM Soldiers from the Armys 25th Infantry Division, 21st Infantry Regiment, emerged from the ocean at Bellows Beach on Wednesday as part of an annual competition honoring the legacy of 1st Lt. Nainoa Hoe, an Oahu-born Army officer killed during the 2005 Battle of Mosul in Iraq. KEVIN KNODELL / KNODELL @STARADVERTISER.COM Sgt. Maj. Stephen Siglock, above left, who served in Nainoa Hoes platoon, is shown with Nainoas father, Allen Hoe. KEVIN KNODELL / KNODELL @STARADVERTISER.COM At top, Nainoa Hoes younger brother, 1st Sgt. Nakoa Hoe, right, crawled in the sand at Bellows Beach as part of the competition. COURTESY PHOTO Nainoa Hoe : An annual competition held Jan. 22 marks the anniversary of his death Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In the dark hours Wednesday morning as the sun slowly rose over the horizon in Waimanalo, soldiers from the 25th Infantry Divisions 21st Regiment and cadets from University of Hawaiis Reserve Officer Training Corps tested themselves to the limits, training in remembrance of fallen soldiers who had come beforeincluding one born and raised on Oahu. Soldiers ran from the Honolulu Polo Club to Bellows Beach, stopping at stations along the way testing their skills, fitness and ability to work as a team. The annual competition marks the anniversary of the death of 1st Lt. Nainoa Hoe, an officer in the 21st regiment and a UH ROTC graduate who was cut down by a snipers bullet during the 2005 battle for Mosul in Iraq. His brother, 1st Sgt. Nakoa Hoewho serves as a reservist in the 100th Battalion, 442nd Infantry Regimentjoined the soldiers and cadets. Several soldiers who served under Nainoa Hoe were also in attendance to watchincluding one still serving and who just returned to the 25th as a senior enlisted leader. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Sgt. Maj. Stephen Siglock had been a soldier in Hoes platoon. He had served in the Armys elite 75th Ranger Regiment before moving to the 21st Infantry Regiment, but he said that Hoe was still among the best officers he served with. There couldnt have been a better (platoon leader ), and you can do everything right, and stuff can still go wrong, and the only way your unit is going to overcome it is by hard training, he told the the soldiers and cadets after they returned from Bellows to the Polo Club. Things go wrong. You gotta be ready for it, and thats why we train. 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 ! Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 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. Hoes father, Allen Hoe, a prominent Hawaii attorney who himself served in the Army as a Vietnam draftee, addressed the assembled soldiers and asked if any of them were 20 or younger, observing that nowtwo decades after his sons deathsoldiers are serving that werent alive then. Its been 20 years, but it seems like its yesterday, Dan Pfeiffer said. He recalled that the day his comrade died, they werent planning on combat. They had been patrolling for hours on a rainy, miserable and uneventful day in the streets of Mosul and got orders to check on a medical clinic. Jerome Roettgers, who had been one of the platoons radio operators, was next to Nainoa Hoe when he was struck by the bullet and carried him as he and fellow soldiers fought back and worked furiously to get medical attention for their leader. Joined by his wife and children, this was the first year Roettgers attended the commemoration. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its hard to find the right words, he said. Since the 9 /11 terrorist attacks, the U.S. military has deployed troops across the globefrom Iraq and Afghanistan to Syria and Somalia, among other countries to fight long, bloody wars. Today, small numbers of U.S. troops are still deploying to several of those countries as their missions have morphed and evolved. But more two decades later, many of those who fought the fiercest battles in those wars are leaving the service, with fewer and fewer troops having firsthand experience with the brutal and gruesome realities of war. The Pentagon has been gradually trying to shift attention from counter terrorism operations to confronting China in the Pacific. In 2021, the U.S. military ended its two-decade-long war in Afghanistanwhich concluded with a chaotic withdrawal that included the death of 13 American service members and an unknown number of Afghan civilians. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement President Donald Trump, who took office this week, has vowed to bring an end to other conflicts in order to focus on China and potentially launch military operations against Mexican drug cartels and other groups across Latin America. First Sgt. Steven Edgmon, an Afghan War vet who now serves in the 21st Regiment and helped plan the memorial commemorations, told the Honolulu Star-Advertiser, Were getting less and less soldiers coming to us that have deployed. The ones that have experienced that, I think, have to instill that in our training, that intensity to those training events and make sure that our soldiers treat it like its real. Allen Hoe addressed soldiers and showed them a tattered old American flag he and his unit carried with them through the jungles of Vietnam. During a vicious battle, 18 of his fellows soldiersincluding his platoon leaderdied when enemy forces overran their position. He kept the flag to honor his fallen comrades. Dec ades later, his son Nainoa asked him if he could send it to Iraq so that the young officer and his platoon could carry it into battle to continue honoring them. Nainoa Hoe had it on him when he died. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Allen Hoe was among the last generation of American soldiers to be drafted before President Richard Nixon ended the draft amid the increasing unpopularity of the Vietnam War. Ever since, the U.S. military has depended on an all-volunteer force. Hoe said its often struck him that his sons chose to follow in his footsteps. During a ceremony at Schofield Barracks on Wednesday afternoon, veterans and dignitaries gathered to remember Nainoa Hoe and 10 other members of the 21st Infantry Regiment who died in combat during deployments in support of the Global War on Terrorism. It simply breaks my heart when you meet a Gold Star family, and because you will immediately become aware and familiar of the gamut of emotions that have coursed through the families of these 11 young men, from proud, supportive to bitter, angry, said Allen Hoe. And yet, you know, each one of these heroes chose to do what they did for their country, their love of family and their love of their country. But after decades of relying on an all-volunteer force to fight Americas wars, the Pentagon has found it increasingly difficult to find new volunteers. Army rolls fell in 2022 by about 15, 000 soldiersor 25 %short of its 60, 000 recruitment goal. The military has relied on intergenerational military families like the Hoes. A study of recruiting demographics by the conservative-leaning Heritage Foundation found that in 2003, Pacific Islanders, including Native Hawaiians, joined the U.S. Army at a rate 249 % higher than the general U.S. population. The same study also found that wealthier Americans were as a group less likely to choose military service. A 2015 survey by the Harvard Institute of Politics of Americans age 18 to 29 found that while 60 % of people interviewed supported sending U.S. combat troops to fight ISIS militants in Iraq and Syria, 62 % said they themselves would definitely not join the military, and another 23 % said they would probably not sign up. For those that America does send, the cost is very realand heavy. And the memories of them last a lifetime. Siglock said that in his 25 years in the Army, Ive had a lot of my own soldiers underneath me die, but in my life, I can still probably say (that was the ) worst day of my lifeJan. 22, 2005. OAKWOOD, Ohio (WDTN) This coming May, people in Oakwood will find a school bond that aims to address infrastructure concerns on the ballot. Both Harman and Smith elementary schools are almost 100 years old, and Oakwood City Schools says that renovations are needed to make sure they continue to last. Oakwood schools board approves bond issue to May ballot If passed, $40 million will go toward keeping those schools up to date, while also honoring the history of the buildings. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The infrastructure behind those walls, just like our homes in Oakwood, need some rehabilitation, and some care, said Neil Gupta, Oakwood City Schools superintendent. The same thing needs to happen here, so that we would be even to keep it then for even longer. The renovations mainly concern replacing or improving mechanical, electrical and plumbing needs for both buildings. Air conditioning, heat, plumbing, lighting, just to make sure it is a warm, safe and dry environment for our students, said Gupta. Legal expert weighs in on Jan. 6 pardons Infrastructure updates are not the only thing the money will cover. Improvements to educational equipment is also included in the bond issue. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Weve got to make sure that is brought up, so that they are able to use those devices and be able to teach in a way that is going to help them prepare for the future, said Gupta. While some residents told 2 NEWS they would like to know more specifics before they form an opinion, one resident said he doesnt mind a bond issue making an appearance in May. Im always in support for any renovations for the kids, said Greg Schuster, Oakwood resident. It does sound like a lot of money theres quite a bit of residents here and who knows how much it is going to cost each individual person, but you know, again, always happy to support the system. Most of the bond will go toward the elementary schools, with 85 percent of the money allocated to Smith and Harmon. The remaining 15 percent will go towards the high school and middle school for general improvements. 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. Oath Keepers founder Stewart Rhodes went straight back to the scene of his crimes on Wednesday to crow about being freed by Donald Trump. The extremist had his 18-year sentence for seditious conspiracy commuted by President Donald Trump hours after he took officethen headed for the scene of the January 6 insurrection which he led. He said he was there to advocate for the release of Jeremy Brown, a special forces veteran who still faces charges related to the riot, he told reporters in the Longworth House Office Building. Rhodes strutted through the Capitol and was interviewed by CNN's Manu Raju. He lost his eye not in pursuit of his anti-government ideals but when he shot himself in the eye with a .22. / Kayla Bartkowski / Getty Images Rhodeswho was freed from prison after being convicted of seditious conspiracysaid he wasnt invited by members of Congress, but did speak to them in the hopes they might push for a pardon for Brown, who was found guilty on six of 10 counts including possessing classified Defense Department documents, illegally registered guns and explosives. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He did not name which Republicans he had met. In the days before Jan. 6, 2021, the Oath Keepers mounted efforts to stockpile weapons and plan the assault on the Capitol building, according to prosecutors. On Wednesday, however, Rhodes floated a conspiracy theory that the weapons were planted by the FBI while making the case that Brown should be freed. Well, number one, theres a special forces veteran, Jeremy Brown, who is still in prison, hes in D.C. jail, Rhodes said. Hes also facing federal charges in Florida, weapons charges that were basically planted evidence by the FBI. So were advocating, we met members of Congress advocating that hes given the pardon also. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ivan Raiklin, a political operative who accompanied Rhodes on Wednesday, said they met with Rep. Gus Bilirakis (R-FL), who represents the district Brown lived in, to discuss the matter. He added that they have talked with a number of other conservatives. Oath Keepers Founder Stewart Rhodes speaks with reporters on Capitol Hill just hours after being released from prison. / Juliegrace Brufke/The Daily Beast Rhodes maintained that both he and the members of his far-right organization were innocent of the violence that took place during the Capitol insurrection. The Yale Law-educated militia leader also said that he does not regret his actions, asserting that he did not go into the Capitol or tell anyone else to enter the premises. I regret that my guys went in. They blundered in along with everybody else it doesnt make them criminals, it just makes them kind of stupid. I told them that day that was stupid, he added. In one of his first orders of business, Trump issued around 1,500 pardons and commuted the sentences of 14 individuals convicted of crimes related to the breach on the Capitol, when Trump supporters attempted to disrupt the certification of the 2020 election results. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The move has sparked mixed reactions within the GOP, with some senators rebuking the decision and voicing concerns about freeing those charged with violence against law enforcement. Speaker Mike Johnson said it showed belief in redemption. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) said Tuesday that the second term for President Trump is a billionaire feeding frenzy and kiss a race. During The Weekly Show podcast hosted by comedian Jon Stewart, the New York Democrat said of Trump that all of these people that were scared before about like being associated with him from the most common basic level to the most elite level, theyre all like theyre all all-in now, because this is now a billionaire feeding frenzy. It is a kiss a race, she added, in a clip highlighted by Mediaite. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Tech leaders including Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, Apple CEO Tim Cook, Google CEO Sundar Pichai, Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew, and SpaceX and Tesla CEO Elon Musk were at the Capitol rotunda Monday for Trumps inauguration. Musk has been especially close with Trump in the last year, heavily backing his campaign and showing up at some of his rallies. I think the whats really important for people to understand, and like now and every day of this administration, is that youre being ripped off, Ocasio-Cortez said. Earlier this week, Stewart criticized the tech moguls appearance at Trumps inauguration. Yes, taking the place of seats normally reserved for Democratic or Republican governors, sat Zuck, Bezos, Tim Cook, Elon, Tic Tac guy, Google guy, the six guys who control maybe 20 percent of the worlds wealth and 100 percent of your nudes, Stewart said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Shouldnt this gathering be happening in a volcanos lair near Zurich, or are we just open source Illuminati now? he added later. Wheres the conspiracy fun in that? During the presidents first term, having a group of tech moguls so tight with Trump would have been unusual. Nine years ago, many in the group had voiced concerns about Trumps rise in politics. The Hill has reached out to the White House, Apple, Google, Meta, Tesla, TikTok and Amazon 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. Considered one of the first Black female science fiction writers, Octavia Butlers body of work could be described as made-up, dystopian tales of an alternate universe. You know, on some War of the Worlds, Dune, Starship Troopers type of stuff. But if youve ever read her 1993 novel Parable of the Sower, you might think the book is rooted in a lot more fact than fiction and that the Pasadena native, who passed away in 2006, knew something the rest of us didnt. The story is told from the perspective of 15-year-old Lauren Olamina, who lives in a gated community with her family in a 2024 California ravaged by fires and rocked by political unrest due to an authoritarian president who wants to Make America Great Again. Sound familiar? After being displaced from her home, Lauren sets off on a dangerous journey to rebuild her life and establish a new community rooted in faith. Butler didnt live to see the dangerous fires that have destroyed homes and displaced thousands of people in the community she grew up in, and she had no idea that we would elect a President Donald Trump who signed an executive order to remove the United States from an international pact to fight climate change. But when asked by a student if she believed the things she wrote about could really happen, she said the writing was on the wall. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I didnt make up the problems, she said at the time. All I did was look around at the problems were neglecting now and give them about 30 years to grow into full-fledged disasters. A worker sifts through the remains of a home that was destroyed by the Eaton Fire in Altadena, California, US, on Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2025. Southern California faces several more tense days of heightened fire risk before the possible return of long-delayed rain this weekend, as gusty winds buffet a region exhausted by weeks of battling blazes. - Photo: Kyle Grillot/Bloomberg (Getty Images) Butler still has strong ties to the community. She is buried at Mountain View Mortuary and Cemetery in Altadena. And Octavias Bookshelf, a Pasadena bookstore named for the beloved author is doing its part to help those impacted by the Eaton fire. But as the area tries to rebuild after unspeakable tragedy, Marquette University professor Gerry Caravan reminds us that fiction is almost always rooted in the truth. She seems to have seen the real future coming in a way few other writers did, he said in 2020. Its hard not to read the books and think, How did she know? For the latest news, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. QUEENS, N.Y. (PIX11) An off-duty New York City employee was arrested Monday afternoon, according to the NYPD. Maurice Russell, 34, was taken into custody around 3:45 p.m. More Local News Russell is an employee of the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation, police say. He was charged with theft of service, violation of local law, and criminal possession of a controlled substance in the seventh degree. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 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). 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. WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR) Law enforcement officers who defended the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, are speaking out against President Donald Trumps sweeping pardons of those charged with crimes in the U.S. Capitol riot. D.C. police officer Daniel Hodges, who worked President Trumps second inauguration on Monday, became emotional on Wednesday when reacting to the news of the pardons. I was beaten, crushed, kicked, punched, surrounded. Someone reached underneath my visor and tried to gouge out my eye, Hodges said. All these people were just pardoned by Donald Trump, who says that they were the real victims. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement During a press conference with members of Congress on Wednesday night, former Capitol police officer Harry Dunn called out Republican lawmakers and accused them of lacking courage to speak out against President Trump. The Republican party has long claimed to be the party of law and order, back the blue. However, many lawmakers silence and refusal to push back against Donald Trumps actions make it incredibly hard to take that claim serious, Dunn said. On his first day in office, Trump signed an executive order pardoning more than 1,500 people, including those convicted of assaulting police officers. More than 100 police officers were injured in the Jan. 6 attack. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Many officers who were brutally assaulted that day are the same officers who protected Donald Trump on Monday, Dunn said. Democratic lawmakers have been open about their disapproval. Rep. Dan Goldman (D-N.Y.) condemned the pardons and accused Trump of trying to whitewash history. Donald Trumps pardons are a complete abandonment of all of the men and women in law enforcement around this country, Goldman said. Several Republican lawmakers have been silent on the decision, and some have even defended the pardons. On Wednesday, Speaker of the House Mike Johnson (R-La.) announced that he will create a new select subcommittee to reinvestigate Jan. 6. 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. The Senate on Thursday confirmed former QAnon doomscroller John Ratcliffe to serve as Trumps CIA director, 7425. Ratcliffe, who served in Trumps first administration as director of national intelligence, is a hard-line Trump loyalist with a penchant for conspiracy theories. Just four years ago, the Following list on his official Twitter account was rife with alt-right QAnon accounts. He followed often graphic accounts like Hobbit Frog and Political Madness, which to this day continue to advance right-wing conspiracy theories on X. While Ratcliffe has since made a new account on X that no longer follows them, his ideological alignment with them very likely remains unchanged. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ratcliffes nomination didnt get much objection from Republicans or Democrats, perhaps thanks to the long list of unqualified people Trump has picked for his Cabinet. But Ratcliffe leading the CIA is still cause for concern. In 2019, his initial nomination for director of national intelligence was scuttled after he was caught exaggerating his involvement in counterterrorism efforts. After he was finally confirmed the second time he was nominated, he refused to seriously investigate the murder of Saudi journalist and U.S. resident Jamal Khashoggi, impeding the release of a report on Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salmans role in the killing. He also called the FBI investigation into Russias 2016 election interference a deep state, anti-Trump plot. Democrats contested Ratcliffes CIA confirmation much less than they did his 2020 DNI nomination, which passed by just a slim 4944 vote. LEBANON COUNTY, Pa. (WHTM) Officials are searching for snowmobilers who harassed a red fox in a Lebanon County field Monday. The Pennsylvania Game Commission Southeast Region took to Facebook, posting that the red fox was harassed by two snowmobilers for more than a half hour in a field near the intersection of SR 501 and Locust Street in Heidelberg Township. The suspects chased and ran the fox over with their snowmobiles, the post says. A video from the post shows the fox running in the snow as one of the snowmobilers hit the animal. Photo of snowmobilers terrorizing red fox in Lebanon County provided by PA Game Commission Photo of snowmobilers terrorizing red fox in Lebanon County provided by PA Game Commission The fox was not found, so officials say they are unsure if it died from its injuries and was taken by the suspects, or if it escaped the snowmobilers trying to run it down. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The suspect riding a black snowmobile with yellow skis was dressed in black pants, a black and gray jacket, and a silver metallic helmet. The other suspect riding a black and white snowmobile wore fluorescent orange pants, a black jacket, and a black helmet. Both suspects are believed to be locals in the area. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Morning Weather Forecast Anyone with information on the incident is asked to report it to the Pennsylvania Game Commissions Southeast Region at 1-833-PGC-HUNT or the Operation Game Thief Hotline at 1-888-PGC-8001 or 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 ABC27. A 4-year-old child is dead after a shooting in Columbiana County Wednesday afternoon, according to the St. Clair Township Police Department. A police officer was also hit in the gunfire. [DOWNLOAD: Free WHIO-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] It all started when St. Clair Township Police say they received a call about a possible suicidal man. Officers say they found Joseph Como walking down the street and tried to talk to him. Thats when Como opened fire, according to police. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Police officers returned fire and struck him, according to a spokesperson with the St. Clair Township Police Department. A 4-year-old girl at a nearby dentist officer was struck by a bullet during the shootout, according to investigators. Police identified her as Rosalie Carey. The department wrote on Facebook they were praying for her family, calling her death terribly tragic. Investigators are not yet sure who fired the shot that killed the girl, according to WKRC-TV. TRENDING STORIES: A St. Clair police officer was shot in the head during the exchange of gunfire, WOIO-19 reported. The officer was flown to an area hospital in critical condition. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement St Clair Township Police posted on Facebook Thursday the officer is stable and was able to give a thumbs up. Thursday 1/23 8:45 AM St. Clair Township Police Detective Dakota Wetzel remains in stable condition at UPMC... Posted by St Clair Township Police on Thursday, January 23, 2025 Were trying to gather information as fast as we can so we can update the community. Right now, we need the community to pray for our officer and the child who were shot, St. Clair Township Police Chief Brian McKenzie said. Ohio BCI is investigating this shooting, according to WOIO-19. [SIGN UP: WHIO-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter] COLUMBUS, Ohio (WKBN) Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost has launched his campaign for governor. Read next: Lake Erie ice doubles in just two days Yost officially announced Thursday that he is seeking the Republican nomination to fill the position currently held by Mike DeWine who will not be running for reelection due to term limits. Yost said that he gained a national reputation as an America First attorney general, supporting President Trumps agenda at the state level. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This is my heart, my home, Yost said. I work for the people of Ohio, and I love my bosses. From the time I get up in the morning until I go to bed at night, Im thinking about them and our future. While in office, Yost said he has worked to counter COVID-19 vaccine mandates for businesses, was in office for the FirstEnergy corruption scandal, supported policies limiting gender transition surgeries and protecting girls sports, and supports school choice. Yost was elected Ohio Attorney General in 2018 and reelected in 2022 with more votes than any other attorney general in Ohio history, according to a statement for his campaign Dave Yost for Ohio. Two other prominent figures are eyeing the governorship of Ohio. Most recently, Vivek Ramasawamey, who campaigned for President Donald Trump and JD Vance and was the co-chair of Trumps new Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), is mulling a run for governor. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ramaswamy is no longer part DOGE after he signaled that he plans to run for Ohio governor. No official announcement has come from the Ramaswamey camp. Insiders have said that he wanted to wait until Governor DeWine selected a replacement for JD Vance in the U.S. Senate before making a formal announcement. DeWine selected Lt. Gov. Jon Husted last week to fill Vances Senate seat and was sworn in Tuesday. Dr. Amy Acton, who helped lead Ohios early pandemic response, officially announced her candidacy early this month. Acton served as Ohios Health Director in the early months of the pandemic and is a Youngstown native. Acton plans to run as a Democrat. Ohio Treasurer Robert Sprague had indicated that he plans to run for governor. Sprague filed a Designation of Treasurer document last week. Sprague, a Republican, has yet to announce an official gubernatorial run, but the form listed him as a candidate for Governor in 2026. Ohios election for governor will be held Nov. 3, 2026. 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. COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) Lawmakers want to make several changes to public higher education in the state. Many of the proposals are not new they were introduced last general assembly, stalled, and are now reintroduced as Senate Bill 1, sponsored by Ohio Sen. Jerry Cirino (R-Kirtland). Students are now political chess pieces in a game that is bigger than us, Ohio State University junior Brielle Shorter said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement New federal block on SNAP reimbursement program being felt in Ohio I would ask everyone to step back and look at this and see why this is good for Ohio in this, Cirino said. The bill, known as The Advance Ohio Higher Education Act, prohibits college campuses from any diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) practices; those practices include hiring, scholarships and training. In part, the bills sponsor said this is to ensure equity on college campuses and promote a diversity of thought and ideas. I think the entirety of the bill is a threat to public universities all across all across Ohio, Shorter said. For me, the things that stand out the most is just this idea of censorship. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ive talked with a lot of professors and students who are self-censoring, and feel the need, Cirino said. Not just the DEI side of it. For any university that does not eliminate its DEI practices, the legislation allows the state to pull taxpayer funding. How northwest Columbus power outage affected businesses SB1 prohibits universities from endorsing or opposing, as an institution, any controversial belief or policy, except on matters that directly the institutions funding, or mission of discovery, improvement and dissemination of knowledge. The legislation also lays out a faculty-review system for students, and requires that at least one of the questions be, Does the faculty member create a classroom atmosphere free of politics, racial, gender and religious bias? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Some of what were doing is trying to move things more to the center, to a neutral position, Cirino said. If faculty have a political bias, it doesnt manifest in grading or in speech acts as far as we can find, professor of more than 15 years, Christopher McKnight Nichols, said. And so, this is a really flawed logic thats central to this whole bill. One of the more controversial aspects of the bill would prohibit faculty from striking. Cirino said it is the ensure that students best interests are always central. But Nichols said that part of the bill assumes that professors strike for sinister reasons. Theyre striking for things like classrooms that dont leak, air conditioning or heating, Nichols said. Theyre also striking for their salaries and benefits. But its very often things that students are sympathetic to. When you attack collective bargaining and striking, whatever the presumptions are, other unions feel under threat as well. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Use Cash App? You may be entitled to some money There are other actions that that faculty can take, Cirino said. Theres arbitration, theres mediation, theres lots of other methods that are available here. Why potentially disadvantage the students? The bill also proposes a required American civic literacy course. Its described as a three-credit-hour course with a list of seven required readings including the U.S. Constitution, a minimum of five essays from the Federalist papers, the Emancipation Proclamation, and the letter from Birmingham Jail written by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. I think students who graduate, even if youre graduating in architecture, you need to know a little bit about the founding documents of our country, Cirino said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Nichols said, as a history professor, he could get on board with this course, but said the problem is that the curriculum is being prescribed by state law with no input from faculty. Educators, students, alumni, staff are left out, he said. The people to develop this curriculum are practitioners of the field. Some of the architects of this bill have rushed, yet again, too fast to put in their own political prescriptions without realizing the consequences for students, for faculty staff and for the state. As for how the bill would be enforced, Cirino said if it passes, he expects cooperation but said that otherwise, he is the Senates finance committee chairperson and there are other means to make sure that they are following the will of the legislature, alluding the possibility of pulling funding. I fully expect cooperation, though, he said. I know all the presidents. I know many, many of the trustees. I expect cooperation. They may not like some aspects of it, but I expect that they will cooperate. Yes. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Thats a classic political move, Nichols said. Its using the power of the purse to enforce whatever the politicians want. One of the tragedies of that is that Ohio has consistently underfunded and restricted funding to higher ed. The legislation also includes provisions that shorten a trustees term from nine to six years, post-tenure review measures and requires professors to post their syllabi publicly and accessible within three clicks. Both Senate and House higher education committee leaders said hearings will begin on Senate Bill 1 and its identical House bill as soon as next 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 NBC4 WCMH-TV. An Ohio police officer was critically injured and a 4-year-old child is dead after a shooting in Columbiana County Wednesday afternoon, according to our CBS affiliate WOIO-19 TV. [DOWNLOAD: Free WHIO-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] The suspect, who has since been identified by investigators as Joseph Como, 30, has also died. St. Clair Township Police officers responded to reports of a suicidal man around 2 p.m. TRENDING STORIES: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Officers found Como walking down the street and tried to talk to him. Thats when Como reportedly opened fire, WOIO-19 reported. Police officers returned fire and struck him, according to a spokesperson with the St. Clair Township Police Department. A St. Clair police officer was shot in the head during the exchange of gunfire, WOIO-19 reported. The officer was flown to an area hospital in critical condition. A 4-year-old girl at a nearby dentist officer was struck by a bullet during the shootout, WOIO-19 reported. She was flown to a hospital, where they later died. St. Clair Township Police Department said the office is out of surgery and is in stable condition. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Were trying to gather information as fast as we can so we can update the community. Right now, we need the community to pray for our officer and the child who were shot, St. Clair Township Police Chief Brian McKenzie said. Ohio BCI is investigating this shooting, according to WOIO-19. This shooting remains under investigation. [SIGN UP: WHIO-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter] By Sheila Dang and Valerie Volcovici HOUSTON/WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. oil and gas companies are unlikely to expand development in Alaska and the Arctic following President Donald Trump's executive order enabling them to do so, company officials and industry representatives told Reuters, noting a future president could easily reverse Trump's move. U.S. oil production is already at record levels due largely to increased production in more accessible areas like Texas and New Mexico, and companies have limited spending on new projects to focus on returning cash to shareholders. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Analysts said drillers may not be in a hurry to take advantage of Trump's order on Monday titled "Unleashing Alaskas extraordinary resource potential." The executive order would reopen vast areas for drilling and mining, and expedite permits for projects, part of Trump's sweeping plan to maximize oil and gas production while reversing former President Joe Biden's policies encouraging the transition to renewable energy sources to fight climate change. "Many of these areas have been closed for a good long while," said Dustin Meyers, senior vice president of policy at the American Petroleum Institute, a trade organization that represents major oil firms including Exxon Mobil, Chevron Corp, and ConocoPhillips. "There is always the risk that these areas could be reclosed after the next election cycle," he said, adding that is the key issue that could temper interest from oil companies in the short term to pursue new drilling projects there. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Drilling in the Arctic and Alaska is a high-risk endeavor, involving decades of work and billions of dollars of investment. Exxon, Chevron, Conoco, and Occidental Petroleum did not comment. Conoco is among the most active oil companies in Alaskas Arctic, and secured a federal approval from the Biden administration for its $8 billion Willow project there in 2023, angering environmental groups. The U.S. drilling industry trade group AXPC also did not comment. A source at one major U.S. oil company, who asked not to be named discussing the matter, said many companies are unlikely to pursue projects in Alaska based on Trump's executive order alone, seeking long-term certainty like an act of Congress. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Energy consultancy Rystad said Trumps use of the "drill, baby, drill" mantra in his inauguration speech overestimates the industry's willingness to prioritize growth over generating shareholder returns. Drilling in Alaska's pristine Arctic refuge has long been a source of friction between Alaska lawmakers and tribal corporations seeking to open more acres to drilling to spur economic growth, and Democratic presidential administrations that sought to preserve the local ecosystem and wildlife. A 2017 tax law during Trump's first term mandated oil and gas lease sales in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, a 19 million-acre sanctuary for species including polar bears and Porcupine caribou. But interest has been sparse. The Biden Interior Department received no bids from energy companies last year when it offered 400,000 acres of the refuge, the minimum amount required. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement ANWRs wild landscape lacks roads and public facilities, but its 1.6 million-acre coastal area along the Beaufort Sea is estimated to have up to 11.8 billion barrels of recoverable oil, enough to supply the U.S. for more than a year and a half at current rates. Before leaving office this month, Biden banned new offshore oil and gas drilling in federal waters off the East and West coasts, the eastern Gulf of Mexico and portions of the northern Bering Sea in Alaska. The move was considered mostly symbolic since it mainly covered zones that have no important prospects. Trump issued an order seeking to repeal those protections. Still, the energy industry is "cautiously optimistic" that the Trump administration will continue easing regulations that have hampered oil and gas development, said API's Meyers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "The administration deserves a lot of credit for at least doing everything that they can do to send the signal that these areas are going to be open for development," he said. (Reporting by Sheila Dang in Houston and Valerie Volcovici in Washington; Editing by David Gregorio) (Bloomberg) -- Gabons sovereign dollar bonds rallied after the oil-rich nations junta said it will hold presidential elections on April 12, raising the prospect of a return to civilian rule. Most Read from Bloomberg The transition will come almost two years after Brice Oligui Nguema overthrew President Ali Bongo within the timeframe pledged by the military rulers to hold a vote. The OPEC members bonds have handed investors 8.2% total returns over the past month, the third-best showing among emerging-market peers on speculation about the upcoming vote. On Thursday, they extended their gains, with notes due February 2031 and November 2031 figuring among the eight best performers in the Bloomberg EM Sovereign Total Return Index. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The West African nation held a referendum in November allowing presidential terms to be extended to seven years from five. The amendment also cleared the path for Nguema to run in the upcoming election. Anything that could lead to democracy and better governance would be good for Gabon, Sren Mrch, head of emerging-market debt at Danske Bank, said earlier this month. The bonds look very cheap compared to neighboring countries. Nguema ousted Bongo on Aug. 30, 2023, hours after he was declared the winner of a contested presidential vote that would have extended his familys 55-year hold on power. Bongo had governed the oil-rich nation since 2009, succeeding his father, Omar Bongo, who ruled from 1967 until his death in 2009. Sign up here for the twice-weekly Next Africa newsletter. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The government will set up an independent, non-permanent election body to monitor the vote, according to the statement. --With assistance from Srinivasan Sivabalan. Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2025 Bloomberg L.P. Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond sued CVS Caremark Tuesday, alleging that the company is under reimbursing pharmacies for prescription drugs. A CVS store is pictured. (Photo by Lynne Terry/Oregon Capital Chronicle) OKLAHOMA CITY Attorney General Gentner Drummond sued CVS Caremark Tuesday in an Oklahoma administrative court alleging that the company is under reimbursing pharmacies for prescription drugs. The lawsuit alleges CVS Caremark reimbursed Oklahoma pharmacies below the actual cost to acquire the drugs about 200 times between May and October 2024. Drummond said more unreported violations are possible. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The states complaint asks the Oklahoma Office of Administrative Hearings to censure, suspend or revoke the licenses of the CVS Caremark and assess fines between $100 and $10,000 per violation. Drummond, who has been tasked by lawmakers to enforce regulations for pharmacy benefit managers, said the lawsuit has the potential to recover $2 million in fees and restitution for pharmacies and is the first of many expected to be filed in the coming weeks. CVS Caremark is a pharmacy benefit manager, or PBM, that works to negotiate prices between insurance companies, drug manufacturers and pharmacies. CVS Caremark operates under the parent company CVS Health. CVS Caremark delivers value daily to our Oklahoma clients and their members. We are reviewing the allegations in the complaint and will respond to them in due course, said Phillip Blando, a spokesperson for CVS Health, in a statement. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Drummond said during a Senate committee meeting Wednesday that his office has received over 3,100 complaints about multiple pharmacy benefit managers operating in the state. The major areas of complaint include unfair reimbursement, unlawful and burdensome fees and lack of a reasonable appeal mechanism, he said. He said in a statement that pharmacies have lost thousands of dollars to fill the prescriptions and get medication to patients. Oklahoma is seeing a rise of independent pharmacy closures due to PBM practices, leaving vulnerable populations throughout Oklahoma without access to central health care, Drummond said. And this creates both job losses and other negative economic impacts, especially in the rural part of our state. Drummonds office requested a formal hearing before the administrative court. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE Gov. Kevin Stitt speaks during a forum with Jenks High School students at the Jenks Public Schools Math and Science Center on Nov. 13, 2024. (Photo by Nuria Martinez-Keel/Oklahoma Voice) OKLAHOMA CITY The Oklahoma Supreme Court on Wednesday resolved a power dispute between Gov. Kevin Stitt and the Oklahoma attorney general over gaming compacts. The states high court ruled that Attorney General Gentner Drummond could not take control of a lawsuit filed against Stitt by four Oklahoma tribes that challenged the legality of gaming compacts that Stitt had negotiated with four other tribes. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Governor possesses statutory and constitutional authority to represent the interests of the State of Oklahoma in the underlying case, and his participation includes the choice of counsel who will represent the Governors position, the order said. The attorney general is authorized to appear, but may not take control of the defense of the states interests in the present case over the governors objection when the governor has already retained counsel, the opinion said. In 2020, the Cherokee Nation, Chickasaw Nation, Choctaw Nation and Citizen Potawatomi Nation sued Stitt in federal court alleging the compacts he entered into with the Comanche, Otoe-Missouria, United Keetoowah Band of Cherokee Indians and the Kialegee Tribal Town were illegal and violated their rights. Stitt obtained private counsel. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A federal court had asked the Oklahoma Supreme Court to answer a specific question about Oklahoma law. In 2023, Drummond entered the case alleging he was authorized to take control and defend the state. Drummond argued that the compacts were invalid and thattheir client was the state and not Stitt. Stitt argued that he had supreme executive power and Drummonds office could not seize the litigation from him. Although the Attorney General is given extensive authority to represent the State, he does not possess complete dominion over all litigation involving the State or state offices, the opinion said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The attorney general may act independently from the governor and represent the states interest not represented by the governor, the opinion said. Both Stitt and Drummond claimed victory. Unfortunately, AG Drummond wasted a lot of time and taxpayer money trying to take control of litigation that was meant to protect Oklahomans, Stitt said. His power grab was rejected. Attorney General Drummond had argued he has statutory authority to advocate for the interests of the state and we are pleased that the state Supreme Court today affirmed that stance, said Phil Bacharach, a Drummond spokesperson. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE KANSAS CITY, Mo. As President Donald Trump cracks down on illegal immigration in the United States in his first week in office, one school district in the Kansas City metro is addressing the issue with local parents. In many districts, educators have sought to reassure immigrant parents that schools are safe places for their kids, despite the presidents campaign pledge to carry out mass deportations. The Trump administration announced Tuesday it would allow federal immigration agencies to make arrests at schools, churches and hospitals, ending a decades-old policy. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement FOX4 obtained a letter the Olathe School District sent to staff on Wednesday stating, our administration is fully aware of the executive action and is actively reviewing the changes to understand their implications for our district. Teen found guilty of Leavenworth High School shooting threat posted online The school district said it is awaiting further guidance from the Kansas Department of Education, which is expected to come out Thursday. The letter goes on to say, the safety and well-being of our students remain our highest priority. While these changes are being analyzed, our focus will continue to be on protecting and supporting our students and families. We appreciate your patience and understanding as we work through these developments. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Immigrants across the country have been anxious about Trumps pledge to deport millions of people. While fears of raids did not come to pass on the administrations first day, rapid changes on immigration policy have left many confused and uncertain about their future. Several schools said they were fielding calls from worried parents about rumors that immigration agents would try to enter schools, but it was too early to tell whether large numbers of families are keeping their children home. The move Tuesday to clear the way for arrests at schools reverses guidance that restricted two federal agencies Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Customs and Border Protection from carrying out enforcement in sensitive locations. In a statement, the Department of Homeland Security said: Criminals will no longer be able to hide in Americas schools and churches to avoid arrest. Download the FOX4 News app on iPhone and Android Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement An estimated 733,000 school-aged children are in the U.S. illegally, according to the Migration Policy Institute. Many more have U.S. citizenship but have parents who are in the country illegally. 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 FOX 4 Kansas City WDAF-TV | News, Weather, Sports. HORNBY, N.Y. (WETM) One man was confirmed dead after a fire engulfed a home in the Town of Hornby on Wednesday, according to information from the New York State Police. On Wednesday, Jan. 22, troopers responded to a home on Hornby Road for a reported structure fire with an elderly male inside. Fire rips through Tioga County PA home Troopers attempted to find and get the man out of the building, but it was too late as the home was engulfed in flames. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement An investigation showed that the fire started around 7:44 p.m., and the cause is under further investigation. The New York State Police were assisted by the East Campbell Fire Department, Corning Joint Fire Department, Painted Post Fire Department, Steuben County Emergency Services, Beaver Dams Fire Department, AMR Ambulance, Hornby Fire Department, and the Steuben 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 WETM - MyTwinTiers.com. Overnight missile and drone strikes on the front-line city of Zaporizhzhya in south-eastern Ukraine have resulted in at least one fatality, with 25 people injured, local authorities said on Thursday morning. "Among them is a 2-month-old boy," Governor Ivan Fedorov wrote on Telegram. He published images of damaged residential buildings. He also reported that an energy supply facility and a heat and power plant had been hit, adding that 20,000 people are without electricity and 17,000 without heating. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The authorities said that among the injured are personnel from the emergency services and repair crews for energy suppliers, who were attempting to repair the damage from the initial attack when they were caught by a second wave. Fedorov reported that the overnight attack lasted a total of six hours. Zaporizhzhya is located on Ukrainian-controlled territory only about 30 kilometres from the front. Russian troops repeatedly shell the city. The Kremlin, which justifies its nearly three-year war with the protection of the Russian-speaking population in eastern Ukraine, annexed the partially controlled territories of Kherson and Zaporizhzhya alongside Donetsk and Luhansk in the autumn of 2022. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For peace negotiations, Moscow demands the withdrawal of Ukrainian troops from all of Zaporizhzhya. Captured Ukrainian soldiers allegedly killed in Donetsk Authorities in Kiev said on Thursday they are investigating the alleged killing of six captured Ukrainian soldiers by Russian forces. The public prosecutor's office in Kiev said the killing of the prisoners of war is believed to have occurred when Russian troops captured a Ukrainian position in the eastern Donetsk region. As in previous such cases, the suspicion is based on a video that has been circulating on social media networks. Russian soldiers are said to have filmed the act themselves. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The execution of prisoners of war is a grave violation of the Geneva Convention and a war crime, the prosecutors noted in a statement. It was not said when the killings took place. With the relentless advance of the Russian army in eastern Ukraine, more and more Ukrainian soldiers are being executed, according to Kiev, even though they had surrendered to the Russians. At least 109 prisoners of war had been demonstrably killed in such a manner in 2024, Dmytro Lubinets, the human rights commissioner of the Ukrainian parliament, said shortly before the end of last year. Troops in Donetsk in danger of being surrounded Ukrainian troops are under threat of being surrounded by Russian forces on a section of the front in the Donbass region, a military official said on Thursday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The situation near the town of Velyka Novosilka is difficult, an army spokesman said on Ukrainian television on Thursday. "There is a risk of operational encirclement," he said, explaining that Ukrainian troops are using artillery fire in a bid to prevent this. Before the war, Velyka Novosilka was a rural town with a population of around 5,300. It marks the most south-westerly front-line area in Donetsk. The town centre is still being defended by the Ukrainians. Meanwhile authorities in the eastern Ukrainian region of Kharkiv have ordered the forced evacuation of 16 villages. Children and their families are to leave the areas because the Russian side has intensified its shelling. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In its situation report for Thursday afternoon, the Ukrainian General Staff listed 82 Russian attacks on all sections of the front in the east. More than half of all attacks were aimed at the city of Pokrovsk and its surroundings, which has been under fire for months, the military wrote on Facebook. One person died, and two others were injured, Wednesday in a shooting in Milwaukee, police say. According to Milwaukee police, the triple shooting took place at about 6:38 p.m. on the 3900 block of West Cheyenne Avenue. A 22-year-old died at the scene, while two others, ages 56 and 54, were hospitalized with gunshot injuries, police said. A 32-year-old was arrested and charges are pending review by the Milwaukee County District Attorney's Office. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Anyone with any information is asked to contact police at 414-935-7360 or to remain anonymous, contact Crime Stoppers at 414-224-Tips or use the P3 Tips app. This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: One dead, two injured in triple shooting in Milwaukee WILLIAMSON COUNTY, Texas (KXAN) With another freeze expected Wednesday night, a deadly and heartbreaking animal cruelty case out of Williamson County is top-of-mind. On Wednesday, the Williamson County Sheriffs Office Animal Control officer responded to the Bartlett home regarding a reports of animal neglect, WCSO said in a news release. The officer found two dogs in an open kennel without food or water, WCSO said. The temperatures were below freezing, and one of the dogs displayed clear signs of medical distress. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Judge KT Musselman, Williamson County Justice of the Peace in Precinct 1, said he received a call on Tuesday with an animal control officer on the line. There were two dogs outside of Bartlett on a property in a chain link fence with no support. No housing out in the cold with the wind blowing, whipping up the ice and the snow into their pen. Judge KT Musselman, Williamson County Justice of the Peace in Precinct 1 Musselman said none of the bowls in the pen had food or water. Judge Musselman said in these situations, the county attorney can issue a criminal filing for a misdemeanor offense as well. (Photo: KXAN) Judge Musselman said in these situations, the county attorney can issue a criminal filing for a misdemeanor offense as well. (Photo: KXAN) Their snouts had mud and dirt in their teeth indicating that they had started eating the ground and the dirt because they had been in that pen for too long, Musselman said. He said one of the dogs was seizing in the animal control officers hands while she was banging on the homeowners door and asking if anyone was there. Both dogs were secured by the officer, but one of the dogs did not survive, according to WCSO. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A necropsy was conducted, and the findings from that will be part of the ongoing investigation, the agency said. The agency obtained a seizure order, and both dogs were taken to the Williamson County Animal Shelter, according to WCSO. Delay serving the warrant Any justice of the peace or municipal judge within the county can issue a warrant to seize an animal they believe is being treated cruelly, Musselman said. But in this situation, he said they lost about 15 minutes trying to figure out who had the authority to sign that warrant. We were 60 feet away from the county line, and we had a jurisdictional question, Musselman said. We did our best to issue that warrant as quickly as possible. Unfortunately, because of the time, one of those dogs died in the animal control officers arms. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The surviving dog is now at the countys regional hospital and veterinary center, Musselman said. He said a hearing on Jan. 31 will decide if the owners get the dog back. The housing unit has housing owners, but theres also renters that live there, Musselman said. Unfortunately, no one was home, so were in a situation where were without owners until we can discover that to bring them to justice. Bring about some change Musselman said he wants to make sure they dont deal with delays like this again. Ill be working with my fellow justices of the peace that were involved in the situation, as well as our delegation here in Williamson County, to try to bring about some change that could allow for this not to happen in the future, Musselman said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He plans to ask lawmakers to cut down on the time it takes to figure out which judge has the authority to issue a warrant in this kind of emergency situation. That could be as simple as changing the health and safety code to allow any judge in a neighboring county to be able to issue that order, Musselman said. Small change, but could have a huge difference. If someone sees an animal outside in cold temperatures, Musselman said to call law enforcement. Its only because of somebody who called this in, in Bartlett, that one of these dogs was able to make it, Musselman 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. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has issued an order stating U.S. facilities can only fly the American flag outside their buildings, according to a new report. Rubio issued the order Tuesday night soon after he was sworn into office, according to The Free Beacon. The order states only the U.S. can be flown at U.S. facilities domestic and abroad, the outlet reports. The only exceptions are the Prisoner of War/Missing in Action emblem and the Wrongful Detainees Flag. Rubio, formerly a Republican senator from Florida, similarly introduced a bill to last year to place restrictions on the official display of flags, seals, or emblems other than the United States flag. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The former senator was confirmed 99-0 by the Senate Monday, making him the first member of President Donald Trumps cabinet to take office. Rubios hearing centered around his plans for U.S.-China relations. "The 21st century will be defined by what happens between the United States and China," Rubio said. Vice President J.D. Vance pictured swearing in Rubio. The secretary of state issued the order soon after he was sworn in (REUTERS) "They have elements that the Soviet Union never possessed," Rubio added. "They are a technological adversary and competitor, an industrial competitor, an economic competitor, a geopolitical competitor, a scientific competitor now in every realm. It is an extraordinary challenge." Rubios new policy comes after a 2021 order from former president Joe Biden authorizing State Department buildings to fly other flags, including the LGBTQ+ Pride flag and the Black Lives Matter flag. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement During Bidens administration, several embassies took advantage of his policy. For instance, the U.S. Embassy in Nassau flew a Pride flag to celebrate Pride month in 2021 and the U.S. Embassy and Consulates in Brazil flew a Black Lives Matter flag to celebrate Black history month in 2022. The White House also draped Pride flags across the South Lawn to celebrate Pride month in 2023. Bidens policy and the White Houses use of Pride flags incensed Republicans at the time This is a disgrace, Republican Senator Roger Marshall of Kansas posted on X. Not only is it in breach of US Flag Code, but its a glaring example of this White Houses incompetence and insistence on putting their social agenda ahead of patriotism. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Meanwhile, Trump signed executive orders Monday ending DEI programs across the federal government and denying the existence of transgender, nonbinary and intersex people. These orders are expected to face significant legal pushback. Another order, which attempts to end birthright citizenship, has already been the target of a lawsuit filed by 24 Democratic states. The Independent has contacted the State Department for comment. (KRON) This is the second year of Northern California Urban Search & Rescue Training. It has quickly grown to be one of the largest canine search trainings in the nation, according to the HD Search Dog Fund, which organized the event. Bay Area rescue orgs take in displaced dogs from LA wildfires On January 17, teams from across the United States, Canada, and Hungary came together for the weekend to prepare for the unexpected disaster. The search teams that participated responded to notable past events such as the Oklahoma City bombing, 9/11, the Camp Fire, the Lahaina fire, and Hurricane Helene. It is very likely that they will be sent to aid the searches in the Southern California Fires, according to Tim Houweling, founder of the HD Search Dog Fund. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Disaster preparedness training involving search dogs and their handlers took place in several Bay Area cities. NorCal Urban Search & Rescue Training hosted more than 100 K-9 search teams in the Bay Area in order to prepare for any disaster. After the training, teams will be better equipped to respond to natural and man-made disasters across the United States and in California, stated the organizer of 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 KRON4. TOWN OF ALGOMA, Wis. (WFRV) Authorities in Winnebago say one man is dead following a fiery crash Wednesday night involving a pick-up truck and an Amazon delivery van. According to a release from the Winnebago County Sheriffs Office, deputies responded around 6:07 p.m. for reports of a crash on Highway 21 west of Leonard Point Road in the Township of Algoma. Officials say the driver of the pick-up truck, a 30-year-old Berlin man, was heading west on Highway 21 and collided with an eastbound Amazon delivery van driven by a 30-year-old Appleton woman. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Wrong-way driver complaint leads to Wisconsin mans 5th OWI arrest, PBT four times legal limit Following the initial crash, the pick-up truck reportedly became fully engulfed in flames and two uninvolved nearby citizens were able to pull the man out of the vehicle. Lifesaving efforts were immediately made on the pick-up driver but the 30-year-old man was pronounced dead at the scene. At this time, no other details are available, names will not be released until family members of the victim are notified, and an investigation into the incident is ongoing. Local Five will update this story as more details are released. 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 WFRV Local 5 - Green Bay, Appleton. Every building Alonzo Robinson Jr. designed tells a story. Theres Mr. Perkins Family Restaurant. The nondescript building on the corner of Atkinson Drive and North 20th Street has fed presidential candidates, celebrities like actor Danny Glover, and famous athletes including Charles Barkley and Scottie Pippen. The Polish Association of America chose Robinson to design its new headquarters on the city's south side in the 1960s, an era when Blacks were rarely welcomed in that part of the city. The organization found out about Robinson after it provided a mortgage for a Black church he also designed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Robinson designed over 100 buildings over his illustrious four-decade career as Wisconsin's first Black licensed architect. Most notable is the Central City Plaza complex, 600 W. Walnut St. Designed in the New Formalist style, with tall arch entryways, symmetrical window placement and white concrete exterior of its buildings, it marked several firsts when it opened in 1973 the city's first Black shopping mall and the first developed by a Black man. Now, efforts are underway to save a piece of Central City Plaza. The Salvation Army bought a one-story building at the corner of West Walnut and North Sixth streets, with plans to tear it down and build a homeless shelter. But the citys Historic Preservation Commission will decide at its Feb. 3 meeting whether to grant the building permanent historic status, putting demolition plans on hold. Alonzo Robinson Jr. in a 1998 photo. Chris Rute, of the Milwaukee Preservation Alliance, has pushed for the historic designation. Rute said he believes the building can be repurposed to suit the Salvation Armys needs. The buildings cultural significance, the architects legacy and its quirky mid-century modern architectural style should be worth saving for future generations, he said.Everybody understands historic buildings in the late 1800s and early 1900s," Rute said. "One of the challenges for preservationists today is this little genre of mid-century modern, which has just turned 50. We need to consider carefully what we tear down and what we keep. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Robinson, who died in 2000, did more than design buildings for Milwaukees Black community. He created the spaces and places -- beauty salons, day-care centers, churches and restaurants that defined the Black community and contributed to the citys Black business growth. I think this last phase of Alonzos career, especially in his private practice, really is his biggest legacy, said Justin Miller, a University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee architectural historian. "He was committed to this idea of community-building building a sustaining community. Miller is working on a web-based project to document Robinson's life and works. About 120 of Robinsons works remain, of which 80 are from his private practice. Miller believes more of Robinsons works exist. Unfortunately, he said, architects' names aren't always listed on building plans, especially for a Black man during the civil rights era. We didnt expect to find this many complexities in his commissions, Miller said. The buildings have these incredible stories behind them, but you just dont see that by just looking at the buildings. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement More: Omitted for decades, Milwaukee architect Alonzo Robinson Jr.'s name becomes part of Milwaukee Fire Department The Central City Plaza was a defining project not just for Robinson but for the citys Black community. It aimed to recapture the prominence Walnut Street had as an economic hub for the Black community up until the 1960s. Disinvestment and the construction of what's now Interstate 43 destroyed or displaced many Black businesses during that time. Central City Plaza was developed by civil rights leader Felmers O. Chaney. When it opened, 14 Black-owned businesses occupied the plaza. Among them were Central City Drug Store, Darbys Food, Pagos Liquor Store, Masterpiece Supper Club and Masterpiece Motor Lodge. That was a remarkable feat in the 1970s since only 2% of all businesses within the state were Black, Miller said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The feat was short-lived, though. Financial issues shuttered the plaza nearly four years later. Robinson, a World War II veteran, came to Milwaukee to begin his architectural career in the early 1950s after getting his architecture degree from Howard University in 1951. At that time, Robinson was one of 42 Black architectural students in the entire county. He worked for both the city and Milwaukee County governments, but many of his notable works came from his private practice, where he got commissions mostly from the citys Black community. He just arrived in Milwaukee and made a name for himself with these high-profile commissions from the African American community, Miller said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement One of his first commissions was from the then-head of the Milwaukee Urban League, William Kelly, to build a house in Wauwatosa. The home was symbolic in many ways, especially for Kelly, who'd advocated for fair and open housing. Wauwatosa was known to have restrictive covenants prohibiting certain ethnic groups, including Blacks, from owning homes. Kelly's home, constructed in 1957, was a subtle protest at the time. Building this house in this white suburb was kind of (Kellys) last act to show that the suburbs could be integrated, Miller said. This house was a really strong symbol of that. Robinson, Miller said, was not known to have a defining style. Instead, he designed in a variety of styles, including mid-century modern and even post-modernist styles, which were trending in the 1990s. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He was one of those amazing architects who would give his clients what the client wanted without trying to force a style on them, Miller said. But Robinson's approach was different since he designed for clientele who didnt have large construction budgets. He used everyday materials like siding and concrete blocks to add texture to buildings. His designs were simplistic, especially for churches where congregants could construct the building themselves to save on labor costs. More: A $4 million national effort to preserve historically black churches supports Milwaukee church I think that takes real skill as an architect, Miller said, adding that not too many have the ability to get everything possible out of a clients budget to make that budget work within an inch of its life. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Robinson worked for the city for 12 years, but branched out on his own, forming the architectural firm DeQuardo, Robinson & Crouch, the firm behind Central City Plaza. The firm dissolved shortly after the plaza opened, but is noted for designing industrial buildings, churches and apartments. Struggling as an independent architect, Robinson went to work for Milwaukee County in 1975. He spent the rest of his career there until he retired in 1998. There, he did park pavilions, including the Kosciuszko Park Community Center, and the downtown Milwaukee Fire Department headquarters, for which he served as the lead architect. The building was renamed in 2021 in Robinson's honor to correct a slight done to him decades ago. His name had been excluded from the Fire Department's records and at the dedication of the building. Most of Robinsons work for the county is hidden in plain sight. Robinson was responsible for the maintenance and upkeep of all county buildings. He designed bathroom remodels, facade restoration projects and even freezers for the morgue in the county medical examiner's office. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement At the county, he had this really wide range of responsibilities, from brand new buildings all the way down to that kind of maintenance upkeep, Miller said. Robinson's works went beyond his own architecture. He encouraged Black students to consider the profession. He aided in the fight to desegregate Milwaukee Public Schools, with his wife, Theresa, by listing his children as plaintiffs in a civil rights lawsuit brought by attorney Lloyd Barbee. And he even remodeled classrooms at a Freedom School set up for students to attend as part of a boycott of MPS. Said his daughter, Jean Robinson, at the Fire Department ceremony in 2021: "If Dad had not been on a 50-year quest to make his profession more inclusive by shattering glass ceilings and removing all obstacles, we wouldn't be here this morning." This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Alonzo Robinson was Wisconsin's first Black architect. His story lives WARSAW, Poland (AP) A coal miner has died following a fire at a colliery in southern Poland, hospital authorities said Thursday. The victim was among 16 miners hurt at the Knurow-Szczyglowice colliery Wednesday when methane ignited some 850 meters (2,800 feet) below ground level. Nine workers suffered severe burns and were taken to a specialist unit at a hospital in Siemianowice Slaskie. Five others were taken to other hospitals. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Wojciech Smetek, a spokesman for the Siemianowice Slaskie hospital, said one of the miners has died. Investigators were seeking to determine the cause of the blaze. Methane in Polands coal mines has led to occasional fires and deadly explosions. KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WATE) Suicide has increased among Tennessee high school students, according to a recent State of the Child in Tennessee report. The report released by the Tennessee Commission on Children and Youth states nearly 1 in 4 high school students seriously considered attempting suicide last year. As an advisor for the Tennessee Suicide Prevention Network, Anne Burnett Young says societal pressures, social media, bullying, and substance abuse can all lead to poor mental health in teens. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement East TN woman gets mixed messages on whether she owes $12k to Social Security Ill be very frank with you. Most people do not want to die, they want out of the pain, Young said. And so it is really important that we listen to what folks are saying to us, especially high schoolers. According to the report, more than 1 in 4 students reported having poor mental health most or all of the time. It doesnt surprise me that folks are thinking about suicide, said Young. The good news is that we have lots of resources for highschoolers and we know how to work with someone who is thinking about suicide. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Resources like the free Youth Mental Health First Aid Classes at the Metro Drug Coalition. A lot of mental health challenges, sometimes one of the dangers is that, left untreated or unaddressed, can lead to suicidal thought, said Youth Mental Health First Aid Instructor Jill Silvey. Their goal is to teach how to identify, understand, and respond to the signs of mental illness or substance misuse among teens before its too late. Knoxville man discovers a scam after letter claims relative left him $10.8 million Being able to see if they have a change in their behavior. If they are normally chatty and they get really quiet, or if they withdraw from activities that they once loved. What are some of those signs that we can look for even if theyre not talking about it? said Silvey. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement With resources like these trainings, they hope to break down the stigma around suicidal thoughts. Suicide is one of the most preventable deaths there are, said Young. Its up to us to solve that, to help that. I believe that anyone can be saved, can be helped, and the most important thing we do is we talk about it and we continue to decrease the stigma of someone being suicidal. See more top stories on WATE.com The next Youth Mental Health First Aid Class will be held on February 11 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at The Gateway at Metro Drug Coalition. The Tennessee Suicide Prevention Network also holds meetings there every third Thursday at 11:30 a.m. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If you or someone you know is actively considering suicide, you can call or text 988 for connection to the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. TYLER, TEXAS (KETK) A year has passed since Harley Morris disappearance, and despite the tireless efforts of his family and authorities, they are no closer to finding him than they were when he first went missing. I desperately want to find my son. Im terrified of what I am going to find because this is so out of character, Harleys mother, Wendi Attaway Morris, said in the early days of his disappearance. Were not sure if hes hurt, if hes in his right mind, or whats going on. He doesnt do drugs. Harley was last seen on January 21, 2024. Three days later, the Tyler Police Department issued a missing person report. The department followed up with two additional requests for residents and businesses north of Gentry Parkway to North Loop 323 to review cameras or door on the day he went missing for any signs of Harley. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement They also asked the community to check their property for items Harley was known to be wearing at the time of his disappearance: a Prime 102 cap, black shoes, and a black/grey hoodie. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In an effort to aid the investigation, a Facebook group was created where community members pieced together a timeline of Harleys final known hours. Wendi has been grateful for the support of loved ones who have rallied around her and her husband, Bill Morris. A prayer vigil was held in the days following his disappearance, drawing friends, family, and strangers to show solidarity. One of those attendees was FedEx worker Leon Merrill, who had never met the family but was moved to pray for them. He never met me before and said everything that was in my heart that I felt and wanted to say but didnt know how, Wendi said. In February, Tyler Police Departments Public Information Officer Andy Erbaugh provided an update, saying, Our detectives are following every lead that comes in. Just this past weekend, they investigated a tip, but unfortunately, it didnt pan out. He added that game wardens assisted in the search efforts. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Harley was added to the NamUs database by the police department. The database serves as a national resource hub for law enforcement and medical examiners, while also offering public access to help families search for missing loved ones. Previous Coverage: Months have passed without significant new leads, though a supposed sighting of Harley earlier this year proved unfruitful. Now, Wendi continues to implore anyone who may know something to come forward. This year has been one of the hardest things Ive ever lived through, Wendi said. I will never give up looking for him. On Sunday, Harleys family took to the streets of downtown Tyler, distributing posters and ensuring that people would not forget his name. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If all these people know his name, theres got to be somebody out there who knows something, said Harleys brother, Taylor Attaway. Just the hope that we bring my brother home, one way or another, that someone speaks upjust gives us some kind of clue as to where he may be. As the search continues, Wendi has now urged volunteers to bring metal detectors to the search area. At this point, were looking for remains, she said. Harley had a bullet lodged in his hip from a previous incident that couldnt be removed. Anyone with information is asked to contact the Tyler Police Department at 903-531-1000 or Crimestoppers at 903-597-2833. To Harley, Wendi offers this plea: If youre out there and you see this, know that we are never going to stop looking for you. We love you so much. Please, keep faith. If youre alive, please, please come 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 KETK.com | FOX51.com. President Donald Trump has been back in the Oval Office for just a week, but he has already unleashed a flurry of executive actions designed to remake the government and country in his image. Within minutes of signing dozens of consequential executive orders, he drew backlash from Democrats, including those representing Maryland in Congress. Sen. Chris Van Hollen slammed Trump for talking about a new golden age in America during his inauguration, with billionaire tech moguls sitting in the front row. He wants it for THEM not for working people. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Rep. Johnny Olszewski said the Trump administrations removal of reproductiverights.gov escalates an assault on reproductive rights that is unacceptable. But Rep. Andy Harris, the lone Republican in Marylands congressional delegation, cheered Trumps actions on border security, DEI and more. Diversity, equity, and inclusion is a kind of woke discrimination that has no place in healthcare, science, or our government, he said in a statement. It is contrary to the principles held dear in America. What has Trump accomplished in his second term so far? And will his bold moves continue? Heres a closer look at Trumps boldest and most significant actions since his inauguration on Jan. 20. Immigration Illegal immigration has been Trumps signature issue for nearly a decade, and his push to secure the U.S.-Mexico border while ridding the country of dangerous criminals has received extensive coverage this week. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement U.S. Customs and Immigration Enforcement (ICE) began its widespread deportation operations Tuesday, which led to the arrest of hundreds of migrants living in major cities. Trump border czar Tom Homan says the administration is focusing on the most egregious offenders first, such as those with criminal records who have outstanding deportation orders. As for incoming migrants, the restoration of Trumps Remain in Mexico policy will require them to wait for asylum hearings on the Mexican side of the border. Construction of his long-promised border wall will also continue, thanks to an executive order titled Securing Our Borders. Trump also moved to declare the border situation to be a national emergency, which allows him to authorize an increased U.S. military presence in the area. The president also seems poised to act against the Mexican cartels trafficking drugs and people across the border, as a separate executive order formally designated them as foreign terrorist organizations. Finally, and perhaps most controversially, Trump issued an order that could strip U.S. citizenship from the children of some undocumented people. This action has already been challenged in a lawsuit filed by at least 22 Democratic attorneys general, who argue Trump lacks the authority to nullify a right to birthright citizenship under the 14th Amendment. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A federal judge on Thursday blocked the executive order and called it blatantly unconstitutional. Government reform Following through on a campaign promise, Trump issued an executive order to create a new Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). The new executive branch advisory body will be led by worlds richest man Elon Musk, but fellow tech entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy will not participate in DOGE after being expected to co-lead it alongside Musk. Employment in the federal government is undergoing serious changes under Trump, who directed federal agencies to freeze all new hiring. The administration also issued a memo mandating that federal employees return to the office five days per week after working partially or entirely from home for much of the Joe Biden era. Broader Trump orders focus on the restoration of freedom of speech and preventing government censorship and ending the weaponization of government against political adversaries. The latter order mandates a review of law enforcement and intelligence agencies under Biden and authorizes recommendations for appropriate remedial actions. Race and gender By executive order, Trump declared the U.S. will recognize two sexes, male and female. He is also no fan of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives, and issued another order shutting down all DEI programs within the federal government. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump allies say the move will restore merit-based practices without considering a persons demographic information in hiring. But opponents, like Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott, say axing DEI programs amounts to removing long-guaranteed protection for racial minorities. Everyone should be concerned with not just the executive order around birthright citizenship, but the ones that are eliminating particular things that President (Lyndon B.) Johnson set up to make sure that there were protections for folks especially folks that look like you and I, Scott, who is Black, told a Black reporter at a news conference Wednesday. Johnson, who served as president from 1963 to 1969, was instrumental in signing major civil rights initiatives to advance racial equality such as Executive Order 11246 in 1965, which Congress expanded on by passing the Equal Opportunity Employment Act in 1972. Johnsons order, which required federal contractors to take affirmative action in hiring, was reversed by Trump on Wednesday. Foreign policy Trump 2.0 made his first appearance on the global stage Thursday, as he spoke virtually to elites attending the World Economic Forum meeting in Davos, Switzerland. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement My message to every business in the world is very simple: Come make your product in America and we will give you among the lowest taxes of any nation on Earth, Trump said. But if you dont make your product in America, which is your prerogative, then, very simply, you will have to pay a tariff. Trump used the opportunity to express his frustration with high oil prices, calling on the Saudi Arabia-led Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries to lower prices thus undercutting Russian energy and potentially forcing Vladimir Putin to call off Russias ongoing war in Ukraine. Trumps other foreign policy degrees seem to promote a shift toward American isolationism. By two executive orders, he authorized the U.S. withdrawal from the Paris Climate Agreement and World Health Organization. Pardons Trump raised some eyebrows Monday by issuing full pardons for nearly 1,600 of his supporters who were convicted of various offenses related to the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol attack. At least 600 of those pardoned were charged with assaulting or impeding federal law enforcement officers, including members of far-right groups like the Oath Keepers and Proud Boys. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump also announced a full pardon for Ross Ulbricht, whose dark website, Silk Road, allowed for the sale of illegal drugs. A New York narcotics and money laundering sting led to Ulbrichts conviction in 2015, a case that pro-Trump Libertarian Party members called an example of government overreach. Trumps pardons came just hours after outgoing President Joe Biden issued unconditional pardons dating back to 2014 for Dr. Anthony Fauci, General Mark Milley and five members of his own family. _____ Senators Susan Collins and Lisa Murkowski were the only two Republicans who voted against Donald Trumps choice to head the Department of Defense, Pete Hegseth, in a procedural vote Thursday, citing concerns with his ability to lead the U.S. military. In a long post on X after the vote, Collins took note of the many pressures facing the military, including active conflicts in Europe and the Middle East, as well as threats in the Pacific. Hegseth does not have the management experience and background that he will need in order to tackle these difficulties, Collinss statement said. Collins also said that she was concerned about Hegseths past statements questioning women serving in the military, saying that after she and Hegseth had a candid conversation in December about his past statements and apparently evolving views, she is not convinced that his position on women serving in combat roles has changed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Like Collins, Murkowski also announced her decision to oppose Hegseth in an X post. The Alaska senator said she was concerned about Hegseths inexperience, as well as his previous statements against women serving in the military. Murkowski also cited the allegations against Hegseth of sexual assault and excessive drinking in her decision, as well as his repeated marital infidelity. These behaviors starkly contrast the values and discipline expected of servicemembers. Men and women in uniform are held accountable for such actions, and they deserve leaders who uphold these same standards, Murkowskis statement read. In recent days, more allegations against Hegseth have surfaced as his former sister-in-law said in a sworn affidavit that he made his second wife fear for her safety with his volatile and threatening conduct and that he doesnt think women deserve the right to vote. Murkowskis and Collinss votes against Hegseth Thursday led to his nomination only advancing by a 5149 vote, with every Democrat voting against the former Fox News personality. A final vote on Hegseths nomination is expected later this week, and if he loses just one more Republican vote, his confirmation would need Vice President JD Vances tiebreaker. Either way, it would be the narrowest confirmation of Trumps Cabinet nominees so far. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman joined President Donald Trump and leaders of SoftBank and Oracle yesterday to tout Stargate, a $500 billion plan to build data centers in the U.S. to power the expected soaring use of AI in the coming years. Altman called Stargate, which will get an up-front investment of $100 billion from OpenAI, SoftBank, Oracle, and the Emirati AI investor MGX, the most important project of this era. Whether or not you agree with him, Stargate is arguably the tech industrys biggest gamble ever. After all, in addition to the eye-popping price tag and the astronomical energy needs (possibly rivaling the electricity demands of entire cities), the massive investment has zero guarantee of return. Given that todays AI is a generalized technology in its infancy, no one knows how to make money from it at such an enormous scale. And further, while OpenAI may believe that Stargate is critical to developing artificial general intelligence (AGI) that will benefit all of humanity, the truth is there is not even an agreed-upon definition of AGI (the most common definition is AI thats equal to humans at certain critical tasks). And even if there was consensus, Ethan Mollick, a professor of management at the University of Pennsylvanias Wharton School, pointed out on X that there is still no articulated vision of what a world with AGI looks like for most people. For those who believe AGI is coming soon, he wrote, what does daily life look like 5-10 years later? Other high-stakes tech bets over the years have not been as costly, nor as wholly uncertain: The Manhattan Project, for developing an atomic bomb during World War II, changed history. However, it was the government, not private business that backed that project, which also had the advantage of being based on well-understood science. AI innovators, on the other hand, are gambling on an outcome that no one fully understands. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Another example is the tens of billions of dollars that tech companies have spent on cloud computing infrastructure. Unlike AI, the push into cloud had a clear business case and the money was invested over more than a decade. Meanwhile, Metas obsession with the metaverse, or virtual worlds, was a $50 billion flop. But hey, that strategy was just CEO Mark Zuckerbergs brief distraction. And, of course, there was the dot-com boom, which had a mix of success and failures. But it was an industry-wide bet that did not have the concentrated risk of Stargate. Of course, the tech companies making this latest giant gamble on AI can certainly afford it. Their trillion-dollar valuations and what are practically blank checks from investors, not to mention financial incentives and subsidies from state, local, and federal government, make rolling the dice a bit easier. And their business mission, after all, is going after the latest and the greatest in tech. Still, the stakes with Stargate are exceptionally high, as both Altman and Trump frame it not just as a technological leap, but as a national imperative. They present it as a project that will solidify U.S. leadership over China in AI, promising 100,000 new jobs and a major economic boost. Trump has even called it the dawn of a golden age for America, while Oracle executive chairman Larry Ellison claims it could lead to breakthroughs in treating cancer. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But not everyone is buying the hype. Critics like Gary Marcus argue that AIs transformative potential is vastly overstated, warning that the U.S. economy will be left holding the bag after a massive overinvestment. In fact, when Stargate was first announced in April, Marcus said it was the second worst AI investment in historyafter the billions of dollars plowed into self-driving cars over the past decade with little to show for it. Others, like pioneering AI researcher Yoshua Bengio, take an even darker view, believing that far from ushering in prosperity, AI could reshape the world so profoundly that it threatens humanity itself. Avijit Ghosh, a policy researcher at open source AI platform Hugging Face, emphasizes a different anglethe fact that unrestricted funding like that going towards Stargate concentrates power in the hands of the wealthiest, while excluding the public and independent researchers. In addition, all the attention to building infrastructure to boost AGI harms people who are not building AGI, whatever that means, he said. We are pouring resources into this thing that is nebulously defined at best, at the expense of real crises that can be solved with technology at the very present. With those criticisms in mind, Stargate can be seen as a moonshot, make-or-break experiment that will not only have significant impact if it fails, but severe consequences if it actually succeeds. While companies like OpenAI, Google, and Meta can afford to make these power moves, the risks may not be in the publics best interest. Or maybe the risks of Stargate are worth it, if you consider the U.S. rivalry with China. The country with the best AI has an enormous advantage when it comes to economic power and national defense. If China ends up with the most advanced AI systems, the U.S. could be in danger. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Just two days ago, a Chinese startup, DeepSeek, set off alarm bells by releasing a new open-source AI model that has Silicon Valley buzzing. The company claims its new model beats OpenAIs most sophisticated o1 model on several math, coding, and reasoning benchmarks. The release is a real shot across the bow to OpenAI and the rest of the AI industry, said Dion Hinchcliffe, an analyst with the Futurum Group, a consulting firm. Chinas ability to develop a frontier-level model that competes with the best from OpenAI, he said, is concerning. Theres a real international competition, Hinchcliffe explained. Of course, that competition could quickly turn into a high-risk one-up-manship. Stargate + related efforts could help the US stay ahead of China, but China will still have their own superintelligence(s) no more than a year later than the US, absent e.g. a war, wrote former OpenAI policy researcher Miles Brundage on X yesterday. So unless you want (literal) war, you need to have a vision for navigating multipolar AI outcomes. Within hours of taking office on Monday, President Trump dismantled the Biden Administration's efforts to tackle AI regulation, including Bidens 2023 executive order on AI. Trumps plan is to reduce as many barriers as possible to developing AI, thereby speeding up AI innovation in a business-friendly environment. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But its important to at least recognize the high-stakes game at play here. Stargate, combined with reduced regulation, is a gambit that could deliver huge wins for OpenAI, Big Tech, and possibly Trump. It may also be remembered as a necessary play in an era where America's rivals are escalating the stakes. But we should acknowledge that all of usmany of whom both marvel at ChatGPT and fear a Terminator-style futuremay be woefully unprepared for whats about to unfold, critics say. I do worry that a lot of focus is going into building agentic AI, or giving some level of autonomy to AI model-powered systems, said Hugging Faces Ghosh. That brings forth a lot of unknown risks." The public is unprepared for any of those risks. Brundage pointed out on X today that AI companies have little interest in preparing society, at the speed/scale that's needed, since they are busy trying to beat each other and navigate a complex political environment. Journalists, academics, and civil society, he said, need to fill the gap. We can look at Stargate and other massive AI projects as Big Techs biggest gamble, but its a bet that all of us are all-in onwhether we like it or not. Maybe its time to make sure we really understand the stakes. This story was originally featured on Fortune.com Donald Trump made himself a force in U.S. foreign policy before even being sworn in. Hes already claimed a foreign policy victory with an advisor flying to Qatar and successfully negotiating an Israel-Hamas ceasefire, sidelining Biden administration officials. Based on what he has said since the election, here is a list of what might happen in Trumps first month in command of U.S. foreign policy. Aid to Ukraine will continue for some time: Trump promised to end the Russia-Ukraine war on his first day in office, but he recently expanded the timeline for a ceasefire to six months. Despite his misgivings, Trump has also been less critical of Zelensky since being elected. Russia continues to make battlefield gains while Biden has poured more military aid to Ukraine on his way out the door. Fully $4 billion in foreign aid remains unspent. While its unlikely that Trump will allow Ukraine to fire long-range missiles into Russian territory, he might float the earmarked aid to Ukraine in the hopes of securing better ceasefire terms with Russia later in the year. Tariffs levied against U.S. neighbors first: It would be difficult for Trump to reform U.S. trade policy overnight, but there are some changes that he can make from day one. Under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act of 1977, Congress grants the president authority to use tariffs to address unusual and extraordinary peacetime threats. It might be difficult to justify a global tariff system under that mandate but Trump previously invoked the act in 2019 when he threatened to levy tariffs against Mexico for failing to halt illegal immigration to the U.S. Recently, Trump has threatened Mexico and Canada with tariffs unless they enact policies to better police their borders. Trump could put those tariffs into action in his first month in office if hes not pleased with the response from US neighbors. Hurry up and wait on China: Trump wants to appear strong on China, but he also doesnt want to tank opportunities to bring them to the negotiating table. Trump recently invited Chinese President Xi Jinping to his inauguration, a largely unprecedented offer for a rival foreign leader. Xi declined the invite but sent a high-level official in his place (much higher level than would have normally attended.) Expect that if China acts against the U.S., Trump will retaliate quickly. The Trump team is on the lookout for opportunities to alter the balance of power and crises will give them that chance. But China knows that, so expect them to be quiet in these opening months. For them, there is too much opportunity and too much risk. China is the central challenge for Trumps foreign policy and thats unlikely to change. Experts disagree on whether Trump will be able to strike a deal with Chinese leadership, but Chinas economic stagnation in the post-COVID era opens the door to a rethinking of the relationship. The end of sanctions on Syria: With the fall of Bashar Assads regime in Syria, the interim government led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham has made several requests to the Biden administration to end sanctions imposed against Syria, which restrict the import of essential goods like wheat. The Biden administration has been critical of the new governments ongoing war in the northeast with the Kurds, who previously aided the U.S. government in its war against ISIS. Trump has publicly stated that he wants to allow the conflict in Syria to play out. Expect to see sanctions against Syria slow or end within Trumps first month in office. No annexationsyet: Despite Trumps recent prolific social posts on the possibility of U.S. annexation of Canada, Greenland and the Panama Canal, dont expect that anything will happen soon. Negotiations over territory take time, even once earnestly entered and these countries have indicated no interest in coming to the table. Trump might still pursue annexation of one or more of these parts of the world. But those things take longer than 30 days. No North Korea detente: When Trump took office in 2017, he numbered North Korea among his top foreign policy priorities. His relationship with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un was notably close, but dont expect that to be as meaningful during this term in office. North Korea is one of the most isolated countries in the world, and it was at a diplomatic nadir with its sole ally China in the late 2010s. During that era, it made sense to pursue talks with America. Today, North Koreas nuclear missile capabilities have grown and its burgeoning entente with Russia has encouraged it to deploy troops to assist in the invasion of Ukraine. With more partners available to it and a more secure nuclear position, its unlikely that Kim will be eager to return to the table with Trump, which bore little fruit the last time around. During his first term, Trump had little foreign policy experience and was thwarted by his staff. Trump will be far more experienced and far less constrained this time around, so he will be well-positioned to implement many of his priorities. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its unclear which of these issues will remain priorities for the impulsive president-elect. No Nostradamus on Trumps foreign policy has emerged but these are my best predictions for a famously unpredictable president. Ransom Miller is a research associate with the Institute for Global Affairs. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. Senators on Monday confirmed one of their own, Marco Rubio of Florida, to be the next secretary of state and President Donald Trumps first Cabinet member. Based on her performance in her own hearing on Tuesday, Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., may soon follow suit as the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations. When answering questions from the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, there were only glimpses of the MAGA warrior she has molded herself into over the years. Instead, Stefanik was informed about the workings of the United Nations and sounded overall like shed represent some other administration than the one currently taking shape. Her appearance was at times a throwback to the performance that one of her predecessors, Nikki Haley, gave during her own confirmation hearing eight years ago. But unlike some of her fellow nominees, the gantlet of Senate confirmation will likely be the easy part for Stefanik. The job itself will be much harder. At the U.N., Stefanik will have to contend with the rampage that Trump has already begun against anything resembling international constraints on U.S. interests. Among the many executive actions from his first day, Trump signed a pair of orders that fundamentally weaken American foreign leadership and will make it more likely that even allies think twice before signing on to any agreements with the United States. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The first executive order instructs the U.N. ambassador to immediately begin the process of withdrawing from the Paris Agreement on climate change again. Trump pulled out of the treaty in his first administration as well, before Joe Biden reversed his decision upon taking office in 2021. This new executive order also orders America to pull out of any agreements made under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and cuts U.S. funding to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and various climate financing schemes. (Since theres no acting official tapped to head the U.S. mission to the U.N. right now, submitting the necessary paperwork to the relevant bodies will fall on Stefanik once she is confirmed.) Trump also issued an order to facilitate Americas withdrawal from the World Health Organization. Trump likewise began this process previously, submitting his intention to leave the global health body in July 2020 during the height of the Covid-19 pandemic. Under domestic law, the process to leave the WHO requires a one-year notice from the U.S. and that the financial obligations of the United States to the organization shall be met in full for the organizations current fiscal year. Theres ambiguity in the order, though, about whether the Trump administration intends to comply with that law. Its not clear if the White House thinks the original one-year timer kept going despite Bidens order revoking the withdrawal. It also isnt clear whether Trumps director of the Office of Management and Budget will immediately withhold the funding thats due to the WHO despite what the law says. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The phrase strategic ambiguity is often used to describe American policy toward China and Taiwan, where the U.S. never makes entirely clear how far it will go toward defending the island from the mainland. But thats a very specific case of balancing competing interests. What were seeing from Trump is a much more random ambiguity that is bad for international relations. Withholding clarity gives other actors the chance to fill in the blanks in ways that may lead to misunderstandings that can be downright dangerous. The back-and-forth over the Paris Agreement and the WHO and whichever other international bodies come under fire next is detrimental to the U.S. in both the short and long run. In the short term, it is entirely self-defeating to remove Americas diplomats and resources from a pool of resources that are meant to combat truly global threats. Pandemics and climate change dont care about lines drawn on a map, as weve seen over the last five years. In the long term, treaties and other vehicles of international law are meant to be the antithesis of ambiguity. Each word is carefully chosen in high-stakes diplomatic meetings and enforced based on the idea that, absent a specified deadline, they go on in perpetuity. The liberal rules-based order that the United States has overseen since the end of World War II has depended on the idea that these agreements are negotiated in good faith with nations that intend to abide by those words. In the past, with rare exceptions, treaties and other international agreements have mostly held firm under successive administrations. Thats not been the case over the last decade, as changes in U.S. administrations have prompted a global whiplash and uncertainty over just how long any agreement might last. In the absence of long-term guarantees, it is hard to see how states will want to come to the negotiating table with America, absent the exact sort of bullying threats that Trump specializes in issuing but often fails on following through on. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This is the task Stefanik will be charged with undertaking at the United Nations should the Senate confirm her. Her predecessors in the last Trump administration had to convince their fellow diplomats that they could speak on the presidents behalf. This time around, Stefanik will have to convince allies that any new agreement with the U.S. is worth the paper that its printed on. This article was originally published on MSNBC.com We hold certain truths to be self-evident, or at least they ought to be. One of those truths is that we all need people to tell us when were stepping out of line, when were doing something thats not in our best interest. And thats especially true if youre the president of the U.S. If Joe Biden and Donald Trump have people like that around them, they must be on vacation. Biden clearly cares about his legacy. Its why he kept telling us what a great job he did as president. If evidence was needed that he lost more than a few steps in the mental acuity department, his delusional view of his four years in office provides it. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement CBS News reports that, When Americans look back now on Bidens presidency, 37% approve of the job he has done over the last four years. That is just below any approval mark he received while in office. Biden told us repeatedly that he would not pardon his son. Then he did just that. In 2020, he told Jake Tapper on CNN that he would not issue preemptive pardons. Youre not going to see, in our administration, that kind of approach to pardons, is how he put it. Then, in the final minutes of his presidency, he issued five preemptive pardons to members of his immediate family. Even David Axelrod, a loyal Democrat, said on CNN that Bidens decision looked tawdry. History even if its written by otherwise sympathetic liberals will likely note what National Review called his historic abuse of the pardon power. This is how Biden will be remembered. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As for Trump, he often has a long-distance relationship with the truth. But he did tell us that he would pardon the Jan. 6 rioters on Day One of his presidency and (for a change), true to his word, he did just that. Republicans like to think of themselves as the law and order party. They like to portray Democrats as soft on crime. There actually was something to that until Trump signed the order pardoning almost everybody involved in the attack on the Capitol, including rioters who attacked police. With the stroke of his pen, he turned a potent talking point into a laugh line one that Democrats will surely employ the next time a Republican pol talks about how his party is tough on crime. Let me end where I began about how we all need people to keep us in line, allies who will make sure we dont do things that are not in our best interest. Surely there are Republicans in Congress who think Trumps decision to pardon so many criminals was not in his best interest, or the best interest of their party. Polls tell us that while Trump may think the rioters were patriots, most Americans dont. Some in Congress have publicly come out against the pardons, but many have been silent. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Before Trump issued the pardons, even his soon-to-be vice president, JD Vance, said that anyone who committed violence on Jan. 6 obviously should not be pardoned. Its a safe bet thats no longer his position not his public position, anyway. When House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) was asked if he supports pardons for rioters who attacked police, he said, I dont know which cases youre talking about. Its an individual assessment. And Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) said, Were not looking backwards, were looking forward. Trump understands the power of fear. Real power is I dont even want to use the word fear, is what he told Bob Woodward and Robert Costa of the Washington Post in 2016. This helps explain the silence or weak responses from many congressional Republicans. Yes, theyre team players, but a lot of them are just plain afraid of Trump. They fear his wrath and how he can end their careers by finding people more to his liking to run against them if they dont show the loyalty he demands. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump gets a lot of things wrong, but he got one thing right: Fear, in the world of politics, is a powerful weapon. Bernard Goldberg, the author of five books, is an Emmy and an Alfred I. duPont-Columbia University award-winning writer and journalist. He publishes exclusive weekly columns, audio commentaries and Q&As on his Substack page and posts on X. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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 last week that House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) would not reappoint Rep. Mike Turner (R-Ohio) as chair of the House Intelligence Committee sent tremors rippling across Capitol Hill as to what it means for relationships between President Donald Trump and congressional committees and not just those committees charged with overseeing intelligence activities. The Speaker instead tapped the next ranking committee Republican, Rep. Rick Crawford (Ark.), to chair the panel. Crawford, like Trump, has been skeptical about continued U.S. military aid to Ukraine in its war with Russia, whereas Turner, a defense hawk, has vigorously pushed for more American aid to Ukraine. When asked why he made the switch, Johnson said, We just need fresh horses in some of these places. In his press announcement the Speaker still had fulsome praise for Turners leadership and critical work during the 118th Congress. Turner will continue to serve as a member of the House Armed Services and Oversight and Government Reform committees, though the Speakers press release only mentions that Turner will continue in his important position as the Chair of the U.S. Delegation to the NATO Parliamentary Assembly. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It should be emphasized that the Speaker was fully within his powers to make the change. Under House rules, all joint, select, ad hoc, and conference committees are appointed by the Speaker without the need for House approval. The Speaker had not yet named his choices for the current Congress when he announced that Turner would not be re-appointed to the chairmanship for the 119th Congress. Last Thursday, the House Speaker pro tempore read the list to the House of Johnsons 14 Republican designees to serve on what is formally called the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence. On Tuesday, the Speaker inserted in the record the names of the 11 Democratic appointees to the 25-member panel. What is disturbing is the rumored source of the Speakers decision to drop Turner as chair. Turner told CBS News that he was fired over concerns from Mar-a-Lago. While Speaker Johnson and a Trump spokesman both denied that the then-president-elect directly demanded the change, various media reports ascribe the move to either Trump, directly or indirectly, or to a handful of Freedom Caucus members who had met with Trump shortly before Johnsons announcement. The Freedom Caucus members thought the chairman was insufficiently loyal to Trumps plans and too bipartisan. The Senate and House permanent select committees on intelligence were formally established in the mid-1970s in the wake of press reports that the Central Intelligence Agency had spied on Americans opposed to the Vietnam War and had interfered in Chiles elections. The subsequent investigations and findings by House and Senate special investigative committees were so explosive that both houses agreed on the need to establish their own permanent select intelligence committees the Senate in 1975 and the House in 1977. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Under House rules, the Intel committee must contain at least one member from each of the following committees: Appropriations, Armed Services, Foreign Affairs and Judiciary. The committees portfolio extends to the activities of the Office of National Intelligence, the CIA, the Defense Intelligence Agency, the National Security Agency, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the intelligence-related activities of all other departments and agencies of the executive branch some 17 entities in all. The current power play at the House Intelligence Committee has more than symbolic importance given the committees central role in coordinating both oversight and funding levels of the intelligence community. Moreover, the move sent a strong signal to other committees and their chairmen either to get on board the Trump administrations launch, or else. Given President Trumps sometimes unique and changing priorities, especially in the field of foreign policy, it is more imperative than ever that Congress keep a close eye on things and perform the oversight and funding functions necessary to ensure our constitutional system of checks and balances holds. Certainly the president expects full backing for his programs from Republicans on the Hill, and party members, committee chairs and leaders have pledged their complete support for passing the presidents agenda. If Congress does not deliver, one can expect the president will again go around Congress with executive orders (as on his opening day), and seek retribution on those who let him down. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Our constitutional system of separated powers was built into the document to ensure no single branch of government would become so overbearing and dominant that it would reduce the other branches to empty shells. That will be a major challenge facing Congress in the days and months ahead. Don Wolfensberger is a 28-year congressional staff veteran culminating as chief-of-staff of the House Rules Committee in 1995. He is author of, Congress and the People: Deliberative Democracy on Trial (2000), and, Changing Cultures in Congress: From Fair Play to Power Plays (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 The Hill. In the flurry of executive orders Donald Trump issued on his first day back in the White House, one stands out his order outlawing birthright citizenship. Trump is attempting to prevent the federal government from recognizing the U.S. citizenship of anyone born in the U.S. who didnt have at least one parent who was either a U.S. citizen or a legal permanent resident at the time of birth. Trump and MAGA World dont like birthright citizenship because it means that all children born on U.S. soil automatically become U.S. citizens, even if their parents were in the U.S. illegally. Abolition of birthright citizenship isnt a new idea it has been floating around in alt-right circles for years. Trump himself talked about ending it back in 2019. So the order itself did not come as a surprise. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Despite having been around for so long, the legal argument behind this idea isnt very well developed. It ranges between the argument that the Supreme Court case U.S. v Wong Kim Ark, doesnt actually say that all children (with a few minor exceptions) born in the U.S. are automatically citizens, and complaints that birthright citizenship is just a bad idea. However, this is legal nonsense. You can argue that we ought to amend the Constitution to eliminate birthright citizenship, but the legal theory, such as it is, that birthright citizenship hasnt been firmly established by the Supreme Court doesnt pass the snicker test. In short, the argument is about whether the phrase subject to the jurisdiction of the United States means subject the laws of the United States. In U.S. v. Ark, the Supreme Court said it does. The birthies people who dislike birthright citizenship claim it doesnt, and that the only people who qualify for birthright citizenship are people who are not citizens of other countries at birth. There are lots of problems with this, some of them pretty comical. For example, if this argument were correct, many Americans probably tens of millions would discover that they were not actually U.S. citizens, even if their parents were. Thats because many countries automatically grant citizenship based on the original nationality of your parents. For example, you may be an Italian citizen if any of your ancestors was an Italian citizen going right back to the founding of Italy. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This is really bad news for any political aspirations Donald Trump Jr. might have, since he inherited Czech citizenship at birth from his mother, Ivana. In fact, she didnt become a U.S. citizen until 1988, long after Donald Jr., Ivanka and Eric were born. Having a U.S. citizen as a father wouldnt save him since, under current law, only children born abroad can inherit citizenship from a U.S. citizen parent. Trumps executive order doesnt get into the theory, but it does try to give the Supreme Court some wiggle room so that it can uphold the order without actually overturning Ark. Under its terms, legal permanent residents would be able to confer U.S. citizenship upon their children, even if one parent were in the country illegally. But those born to parents in the U.S. on student or work visas would not be citizens, even if their parents were here legally. Yet under current laws, assuming arguendo that birthright citizenship has been abolished, I see no reason why even having a parent who is a permanent resident would qualify anyone for citizenship. And thats the thing. Ending birthright citizenship isnt about legal consistency or logic. Its a foregone conclusion in search of a justification. If Trumps order had been in force when she was born, Kamala Harris would not have been recognized as a U.S. citizen although Trump Jr. would be in the clear. Although she was born in California, her parents were from India and Jamaica and met in California while they were students. Just imagine Barack Obama thought he had it bad with the birthers constantly hassling him about his birth certificate. This effort to end birthright citizenship is just Trump tossing red meat to MAGA. None of it is actually going to happen. Even the order itself recognizes this. Thats why it takes effect in 30 days rather than immediately. Sure enough, the ACLU filed a lawsuit to declare the order unconstitutional within hours of its release. Eighteen states soon followed. Trumps order will inevitably be blocked by the courts and will certainly be appealed to the Supreme Court, which will hopefully refuse to hear the case. The wisest thing would be to let Trumps attempt to unilaterally rewrite 125 years of settled law on American citizenship lapse into obscurity with as little fuss as possible. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But who knows? Wisdom at the court has lately been in short supply. Chris Truax is a charter member of the Society for the Rule of Law and an appellate attorney. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. Like it or not, we are not in Kansas anymore. President Trump is taking the country down a very different geopolitical path. The yet-to-be-determined future of the Land of Oz lies ahead, especially in Ukraine, the Middle East and the Indo-Pacific. One thing is abundantly clear. Globally-speaking, it is Trumps world now. The self-defeating passivity of the Biden Administration is gone, and the 47th president, for better or worse, is forcefully asserting himself on the global stage. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We saw hints of what is likely to come on Trumps first day in office. While signing a series of executive orders in the Oval Office, Trump strikingly put Russian President Vladimir Putin on notice. Essentially, Trump told Putin he is losing in Ukraine. Commenting that he isnt doing so well, he observed that Putin is grinding it out. Trump then twisted the knife, noting that most people thought that war would have been over in about one week and now you are into three years. He continued claiming that we have numbers that almost 1 million Russian soldiers have been killed. Notably gone was any Biden-style White House fear of Putins evergreen nuclear bluffing. In its place is a president supremely confident he already holds the winning hand in Ukraine and he drove that point home mocking Putins wartime leadership by remarking, Thats no way to run a country. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On Wednesday, Trump gave his special envoy to Ukraine and Russia retired Army Lt. Gen. Keith Kellogg a 100-day deadline to end the war in Ukraine. How that shakes out remains a work in progress, but new sanctions, tariffs and the release of precision deep strike weapons for strikes inside of Russia have been discussed. Trump also had a new warning for Putin on Wednesday. Cut a deal or, as he put it in all caps, Its only going to get worse. Bidens permissive environment, first witnessed in his premature and disastrous withdrawal from Afghanistan, has come to an abrupt end. Trumps White House is reestablishing Washington as an aggressive driver of global affairs and not an overly cautious and reactionary player. Indeed, evidence of this was already on display before Trump took office. Hamas decision to enter into a ceasefire with Israel was undoubtedly influenced by Trumps repeated warnings that, all hell [would] break out if Hamas failed to begin releasing Oct. 7 hostages including American citizens by Inauguration Day. The policy known as Maximum Pressure, initially rolled out by the first Trump administration against Iran, is now the new overall U.S. foreign policy doctrinal catchphrase. That applies not just economically, but militarily, diplomatically, and informationally as well in every respect of the instruments of national power. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Iran is likely to feel Trumps wrath first. Tehran is accelerating its nuclear breakout. Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei is doubling down on his military and economic ties with Putin. Last week in Moscow, three days before Trump took office, Putin and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian signed a comprehensive strategic partnership treaty. The broad 20-year bilateral agreement includes military cooperation and is a stark reminder that Trump faces a new Axis of Evil that was not yet fully formed when he left office on January 20, 2021. The nexus drawing Moscow, Beijing, Tehran and Pyongyang together were the exigencies of Putins battlefield losses in Ukraine and notably, Kyivs bold ongoing military incursion into Russia itself in the Kursk Oblast. Given Irans status as one of Putins Arsenals of Evil alongside North Korea, Trump cannot geopolitically allow Khamenei to become a nuclear power. North Korea, effectively, is checked in the Indo-Pacific by China, however a nuclear Iran would become an uncontrollable wildcard in terms of Israeli and U.S. interests across the Middle East. As it is, both Russia and Iran are reeling in that region. Russian-backed Bashar al-Assads regime was toppled in Syria, and the new government in Damascus has terminated a 49-year investment contract with the Russian construction company Stroytransgaz that was signed in 2019. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Israel, ever since Oct. 7., has been running its own kinetic version of Maximum Pressure, severely denuded Khameneis so-called axis of resistance proxies throughout the Mideast. Hamas governing structure was destroyed. Hezbollah was decimated in Lebanon. Various Iranian-backed militias have been eliminated, and Jerusalem has conducted long-range airstrikes against the Houthis operating in western Yemen. All that remains is to eliminate Irans nuclear weapons program and ambitions and Trump has signaled his potential willingness to do just that. According to a December report in the Wall Street Journal, Trump has told Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in recent calls that he is concerned about an Iranian nuclear breakout on his watch. Thus far, it appears economic pressure is Trumps first choice. However, given Irans weakened position at the hand of Israel, now is arguably the time to act. As Mark Dubowitz, the president of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies noted, If you were going to actually do something to neutralize the nuclear-weapons program, this would be it. Ultimately, how Trump confronts both Ukraine and Iran will prove dispositive in the Indo-Pacific especially in Taiwan. Many in Trumps incoming team, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Mike Waltz and John Ratcliffe are China hawks fully cognizant of Beijings malign involvement in Ukraine and in the Middle East. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Chinese President Xi Jinping continues to supply Putin with dual-use technologies for use against Ukraine. And Beijing, according to U.S. intelligence officials, is supplying the Houthis with Chinese-made components to target Red Sea vessels in exchange for immunity for Chinese-flagged ships. Xi is also focused on creating an economic and military footprint in the Western Hemisphere with specific long-range designs on building an Arctic Polar Silk Road, economically controlling the Panama Canal and building a port facility at the southernmost tip of South America to dominate the Strait of Magellan and the Drake Passage. Biden seemingly viewed all of these challenges from a glass-half-empty perspective. Trump, however, is signaling he sees the glass as half full and is intent on filling it to the brim in terms of safeguarding U.S. national security. It will not be easy. Putin is not just going to capitulate in Ukraine. China is hell-bent on militarily asserting itself, and much of the U.S. economy and military is hollowed out and missing essential components. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Can Trump strategically connect the Axis of Evil dots? Time will tell. Putin, Xi, Khamenei and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un are betting he cannot. It is Trumps world now to win or lose. Mark Toth writes on national security and foreign policy. Col. (Ret.) Jonathan Sweet served 30 years as a military intelligence officer. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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 United States is an incredible melting pot of people, languages and cultures a testament to the values our nation was built on. As an educator who has taught all over the country, Ive seen firsthand the rich, yet complex tapestry of American communities. At West Collierville Middle School in Tennessee, our student body reflects the diversity that defines America. We have students from 34 countries who speak 24 languages. Last August, as always, the art teachers, including myself, started the school year with a collaborative project. But this time, we aspired to make a more profound impact by involving as many student artists as possible. Although Americans have opportunities to recognize and celebrate what makes our schools, communities and country so special, division still exists in our nation. Such division was growing more apparent to my colleagues and me in the months leading up to the 2024 presidential election. Get stories like this delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for The 74 Newsletter This, in part, led to our decision to have all of our art students participate in the international Students Rebuild Spark Peace Project. This project invites young people around the globe to use their power and creativity to build a more peaceful world. We wanted our students to take part in something that could help them realize what binds us all together. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We created the United We Stand collage together, consisting of individual 6-inch red, white and blue squares created by over 800 students. When combined, they form a large image of the American flag. But this is no ordinary flag. Inspired by artists Jasper Johns and Norman Rockwell, we encouraged students to express what peace, hope and love mean to them personally. Some students included patriotic symbols, while others drew flags from their countries of origin. One student, shy at first, asked, Can I draw a picture of my home? My answer was a resounding, Yes! This project was about honoring each students unique perspective and life experiences while showcasing the strength and unity of not only our class, but our school, community and nation. The projects collaborative nature allowed students to connect not only with their classmates, but with kids from different grade levels in the school. For some, it was the first time they were given the freedom to express their creativity in a way that felt so meaningful. Before the pandemic, students had dedicated time for art in the classroom, so being able to create together in person again was extremely powerful for them. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement One student artist described drawing a hamburger something quintessentially American. Another captured a memory of family gatherings, intertwining it with the projects red, white and blue theme. This openness to individual expression is vital. By embracing the personal interpretations and representations of each of their peers, students can see and understand one anothers culture and background. This, in turn, allows them to appreciate and value each others uniqueness. Through classroom discussions about the project and the students conversations with one another as they each designed a piece to contribute to the collage, they learned that peace is not just the absence of conflict, but also the active celebration of diversity. The lesson extended far beyond my classroom. Students from different art classes and grade levels who might not have interacted otherwise found similarities, realizing they had more in common than they initially thought. Educators are uniquely positioned to shape how young people engage with one another and the world. In times of change or transition, it is essential to equip students with tools that foster understanding, compassion, kindness and cooperation. Creative projects like the United We Stand collage provide these opportunities. Cooperative projects teach students to work collaboratively and think critically, work together and express themselves authentically skills essential for building healthy relationships and a more peaceful, united future. This message of United We Stand was especially resonant during a divisive election year, and it remains so as Americans prepare for the changes that will likely occur now that President Donald Trump has been inaugurated. Yet, this opportunity allowed our school community time to focus on what brings us together and unites us. Through this art project, the students demonstrated that unity doesnt mean uniformity. In fact, it allowed them to weave their unique stories into a shared narrative that strengthens the fabric of their entire community. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The collage now hangs in the main hallway of our school. It serves as a daily reminder of the power of collective effort and the beauty of diversity. Its a testament to what we, as teachers and students, but also as Americans, can achieve when we focus on connection rather than conflict. Stories like these offer a glimmer of hope, serving as true reminders that the next generation holds the promise of a more compassionate, understanding world. Nurturing potential through education prioritizes and helps to grow empathy, creativity and inclusivity. 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: Former Arkansas governor and ambassador to Israel nominee Mike Huckabee joins tonight to discuss Trumps world. Donald Trump laid out a bold vision for Americas role in the world to the World Economic Forum the Q&A was classic Trump dont miss tonight with Huckabee. Good read : Mark Toth and Jonathan Sweet write in The Hill, One thing is abundantly clear. Globally-speaking, it is Trumps world now. The self-defeating passivity of the Biden Administration is gone, and the 47 th president, for better or worse, is forcefully asserting himself on the global stage. Look ahead: Trump goes to North Carolina and then California to see firsthand the difference in response and aid to the floods from Hurricane Helene and the wildfires in California. Brian Entin joins us from western North Carolina, where victims living in tents for months are finally getting RVs and FEMA housing just days after Trumps inauguration. President Donald Trump in the Roosevelt Room of the White House in Washington, DC, US, on Tuesday, Jan. 21, 2025. (Photographer: Aaron Schwartz/Sipa/Bloomberg via Getty Images) Chasing Their Tail The violence of action by Trumps White House over the past 80 or so hours is nothing short of remarkable and has Democrats chasing their own tail. Response: So far, Democrats have spent two days complaining that Elon Musk gave a Hitler salute. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Fact check: He didnt he was awkwardly dancing around a stage. Conclusion: Democrats are woefully unprepared for Trump 2.0. Shooting inside the tent: Axios headlines, Feud erupts among Senate Dems ahead of surprise meeting. Schumer is juggling two different parts of his caucus. One wants to engage with the GOP on some of its priorities. The other thinks the party should fight back against the MAGA agenda. Bidens pardons send a terrible message, says Pod Save America host Tommy Vietor. 8 Years: Trump 1.0 was a mile wide and an inch deep He had the same ideas but certainly, in the first few years, no idea how to execute them. As my buddy Ross Kaminsky said on the radio today, Trump 2.0 now has the competency to execute these ideas. Trump loves generals : Gen. George Patton once said, A good plan violently executed now is better than a perfect plan executed next week. Watch tonight: Sen. Pete Ricketts, R-Neb., on Republicans plan to exploit the chaos and the Democrats slow-walking of Trumps Cabinet picks. Read this primer on the confirmation process by Sen. Markwayne Mullin, R-Okla., here. Bonus coverage: The great Mark Halperin on the politics of pardons and banking. Trump has flipped the pardon conversation on its head and says he is just getting started. Plus, why did Trump dress down Bank of Americas CEO today? In this handout photo provided by The Academy, (L-R) Bowen Yang and Rachel Sennott present the nominees for Best Picture onstage during the 97th Oscars Nominations Announcement at Samuel Goldwyn Theater on January 23, 2025 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by Richard Harbaugh/The Academy via Getty Images) How Hollywood Lost NPR No industry suffered the biggest self-inflicted wound in the name of DEI than Hollywood. Earlier today, Oscar nominations came out. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Did you know that? No. Neither did I, and there is a reason for that. The most nominated movie this year is Emilia Perez. In case you missed it: The movie depicts a cartel kingpin transition from male to female here is a brief clip. YUCK! Look back: Hollywood helped America overcome the worst of America. As explained by our executive producer and film expert Federico Quadrani: Gentlemans Agreement (1947) took on antisemitism. Highly controversial in its day, it went on to win many Oscars, including best picture. Raisin in the Sun (1961), Guess Whos Coming to Dinner (1967) and In The Heat of the Night (1967) carved new ground in the depiction of race relations during the Civil Rights Movement. The Boys in the Band (1970) did the same for depictions of homosexuality. Now we get North Korean-like DEI propaganda: Wicked The Color Purple Women Talking CODA Promising Young Woman Emilia Perez Impressive feat: Hollywood somehow even lost NPR and The Guardian newspaper. The film industry is so desperate to be woke that they totally lost relevance. A film is not allowed to be nominated for an Academy Award unless the cast and crew meet these diversity quotas: One or more of the lead actors must be from an underrepresented racial or ethnic group. The main storyline of the film is centered on an underrepresented group. At least two of the crew leadership positions must be filled by women, a racial or ethnic group, LGBTQ+ or people with disabilities. At least 30% of the films crew must be from underrepresented groups. The Godfather wouldnt qualify. Check out the full list of diversity quotas here. Hence, this years most nominated film, Emilia Perez, with 13 the same number of nominations as Forrest Gump and Gone with the Wind. Watch tonight: Batya Ungar-Sargon on why Hollywood remains immune to the culture shift in America. Times are changing: Hollywood Is Now Ready to Work With Trump: You Didnt Hear Biden Talking About How to Help Us, headlines Variety. 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. On his way out the door, former President Joe Biden seemed determined to cause as much trouble as he could for the Democrats. Worse than the pardons and kvetching about being forced off the ticket, Biden threatened to stay involved in politics. But thats one thing Democrats dont have to worry about. Biden became utterly irrelevant at noon on Inauguration Day. The only people who want Biden in the spotlight now are Republicans. As painful as it is watching President Trump back in the White House, the reckoning for the Democrats will be worse. The party is facing a toxic stew of angry activists, aging leaders, still potent identity politics and a nasty split among its elites. And they are stuck with Kamala Harris as their de facto leader. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It is difficult to overstate how much damage Biden did in his wheezing final moments. He single-handedly destroyed one of the main talking points for the left about Trump and Republicans that they have no respect for the law. His indiscriminate clemency included a judge who had collected bribes for jailing dozens of children. It also included the perpetrator of the biggest municipal fraud in American history. His encore, a mass pardoning of his own family members for unknown crimes and political VIPs, even drew condemnation from his own party. Democrats are left re-litigating the Jan. 6, 2021 Capitol riot as they air their Trump is a liar talking point and express overall self-righteous revulsion at his moral failings. Unfortunately for them, their own side has proven to engage in its own dishonesty and venality. Since the public does not pass judgment after carefully weighing the various lies, Democrats are stuck in a dead-end with their hypocritical moral crusade. In addition, Democrats are hamstrung by identity politics that are increasingly out of favor. The problem is not so much that they support DEI, but that identity politics will keep disqualifying Democratic candidates who could otherwise win in 2028. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Is it a requirement that the next nominee be a woman or a minority? How many activists will demand someone from their own tribe? With Trump not on the ballot, it may no longer be an option to suck it up to back a winner, even if that winner is a white male, might not be an option. Amid this maelstrom stands Kamala Harris. Unfortunately for the Democrats, Harris is the definition of a mediocre politician. Like a zombie company, she is just decent enough to survive but will never be a success. Its all false hope and non-stop burning through capital. For the next three years, Harris will be propped up by name recognition, identity politics and a dash of sympathy. She can get publicity any time she wants. That means she will be the polling leader for the Democrats until the 2028 primaries start. Unless she passes on the race or decides she would rather run for governor of California (which would be a clear sign of insanity), Harris will be the front-runner and leader of the Democratic Party. Fortunately for the Democratic DEI crowd, two white men who could have been strong contenders have already fumbled their way out of contention. Harriss running mate, Gov. Tim Walz (D) proved inept, to say the least. He was at least no help. In Minnesota, his vote totals continued to drop, from 54 percent when he first was elected governor to 52 percent for re-election to under 51 percent in 2024. Meanwhile, California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) is finished; the Los Angeles wildfires incinerated his future. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro (D) is the current betting favorite (inexplicably tied with Newsom), benefiting particularly from Walzs flop. Plenty of political analysts thought he should have been the VP nominee. But Shapiro faces two tough problems. First, the teachers unions dont like him over school choice (not that Shapiro is for school choice hes just not rabid enough against it for their taste). And secondly, he would test the level of antisemitism in the Democratic Party. The party establishment could recoil at an internal civil war over Israeli-Palestinian relations. The only other nationally known politico in the mix is Pete Buttigieg. In 2020 he surprised in Iowa but did little after. As secretary of Transportation, he didnt show up for work for months and nobody noticed. I firmly believe the Biden White House gave Buttigieg a tryout to replace Harris by putting him front and center in the 2022 midterms, which flopped. He is remarkably unremarkable. After him, there is a nearly endless list of the untested and unready. But politics breeds delusions of grandeur, and the vacuum in Democratic circles invites more delusion than usual. Among those who would work with respect to identity politics, Democrats have done well with governors. That bodes well for Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (D) and potentially Maryland Gov. Wes Moore (D). Sens. Tammy Baldwin (D-Wisc.) and Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.) check multiple identity boxes, too. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Would Hakeem Jeffries use his House leadership platform to launch a run? First midterms are not good for the incumbent party, which makes a Democratic House majority a real possibility and good selling point. Perhaps Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.) will make another run; really any Democratic senator under the age of 70 is in the mix. Three other Democratic governors are on the wrong side of identity politics Kentuckys Andy Beshear, Illinois J.B. Pritzker and Colorados Jared Polis. Beshear has won multiple elections in a conservative state, Pritzker has practically unlimited money and Polis has cut a moderate path. And in a party less focused on identity politics, Sens. Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.) or Tim Kaine (D-Va.) could try to run as winning moderates. Interestingly, Sen. John Fetterman (D-Pa.) is up for re-election in 2028. His iconoclasm, which thrilled progressives in 2022, has become sour to them now, given his unabashed support for Israel and willingness to parley with Trump. Might a progressive primary challenge in Pennsylvania spur him to run for president? The problem for all the wannabes is the zombie candidate, Kamala Harris. If she wants to run, it will be enormously difficult to dislodge her. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Democratic elites and betting markets have zero enthusiasm for her at this point. Harris has the distinct whiff of a minor leaguer playing in a game above her head. But the fact remains, millions of Democrats have voters for her twice. She has very high name recognition. Her approval rating with Democrats is 89 percent. She is terrible off-script and does not seem to have much of a belief system, other than the standard progressive talking points. She didnt have the courage or creativity to separate herself from Biden. And Biden loyalists have treated her like trash since Election Day. But those things can all work to her advantage. A scripted, generic progressive who can plausibly blame the disgraced Biden for losing in 2024 could be just strong enough to hold off a swarm of inexperienced challengers. Back in 2021, I wrote that Democrats were stuck with Harris, like it or not. Its now 2025, and nothing has changed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Keith Naughton is co-founder of Silent Majority Strategies, a public and regulatory affairs consulting firm, and a former Pennsylvania political campaign 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. Nearly 20,000 American doctors are warning that the confirmation of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as Department of Health and Human Services secretary would be hazardous to our nations health. Although Kennedy may try to deny previous controversial statements or claim he is simply calling for more research, Kennedys conspiracy-theorist record speaks for itself. He has actively embraced an agenda that would reverse decades of progress in dramatically reducing disease, thereby putting children at risk and damaging systems that protect our communities. Having previously stated that no vaccine is safe and effective, Kennedy, as he seeks Senate confirmation, is now rebranding his opposition to vaccines as pro-vaccine safety. His seemingly harmless calls for more evidence on vaccine safety and effectiveness are disingenuous. That evidence is clear, robust and has been publicly available for decades. What is of grave concern is that Kennedy appears unwilling to learn from the evidence and research we already have. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Routine childhood immunization is one of public healths greatest success stories, preventing millions of deaths. One recent study estimated that vaccines have saved 154 million lives globally since 1974. That is comparable to a rate of six lives per minute. The overwhelming majority are among children under five years old. Routine vaccinations have prevented 1 million deaths and 32 million hospitalizations among children born in the last three decades alone. That also translates into trillions of dollars in economic savings on hospitalizations, special education programs for children harmed by vaccine-preventable diseases, lost wages due to disability and lost parent wages. Diseases like polio and measles once caused widespread death and permanent disabilities, including brain damage, paralysis, infertility, hearing loss and more. Before the polio vaccine became available in 1955, the disease killed thousands of American children every year. In 1955 alone, almost 14,000 American children were paralyzed by the disease. However, by 1961 more than half the U.S. population was fully vaccinated against polio, and by 1965, only 61 new cases of paralytic polio were diagnosed a 99.6 percent decline in the span of a single decade. Kennedy also willfully ignores the extensive testing required for vaccine licensure in the U.S., which has among the strictest evaluation protocols in the world. Because of the rigorous standards that go into vaccine approval, children are far more likely to die from an infectious disease if left unvaccinated than to experience serious side effects from vaccines. Take, for example, the MMR vaccine. For every 10,000 unvaccinated people who get measles, 10 to 30 children will die, 2,000 people will be hospitalized and more than 1,500 children will experience serious illnesses, including the potential for long-term disability. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In contrast, for every 10,000 people who get the MMR vaccine to protect against measles, fewer than four will experience a fever-related seizure or allergic reaction. To put this risk in perspective, the lifetime risk of being struck by lightning is about four times greater than the risk of experiencing an allergic reaction to the MMR vaccine. Kennedy is again disingenuous when he calls for greater vaccine data transparency and accountability, implying that data affirming vaccine safety is somehow hidden. On the contrary, Americans have had full access to extensive data and research on vaccine safety for decades through the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System. Anyone, including Kennedy, can access the website, which provides step-by-step instructions and helpful videos to make it easy to navigate. Senators should not be fooled by Kennedys posturing and should demand straight answers from him, because our childrens health depends on it. The questions they should ask are clear. There should be no room for platitudes. What specifically does Kennedy find lacking in the vaccine approval process? If he is not satisfied with data from thousands of patients which vaccine approval requires then what kind of evidence is he looking for? What would it take for him to abandon his conspiracy theories and accept that vaccines are safe and effective? If he rolls back vaccine mandates, how is he prepared to handle the outbreaks of infectious disease that would occur among unvaccinated children? These questions apply not only to vaccines, but also to Kennedys other discredited beliefs about the safety of raw milk, fluoride and a host of other issues. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Neither senators nor the American public can afford to be conned by Kennedys insincere pretense of just asking questions. The risks are too great. If hes confirmed to lead the Department of Health and Human Services, it will be our children who pay the price. Jill Rosenthal is the director of public health policy at the Center for American Progress. Steven H. Woolf, M.D., M.P.H., is a senior fellow at the Center for American Progress and professor of family medicine and population health at Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. As victims of several natural disasters are facing homelessness and economic ruin, many are searching for an economic lifeline. The tax code will provide some assistance, but the benefit is haphazard, somewhat random, and mostly helps wealthy individuals. The provision is so complicated that receiving assistance under it is like winning the tax assistance lottery. With recent disasters from forest fires, two hurricanes and several tornadoes, Americans are grappling with life-changing devastation. They are facing both the trauma of the disaster coupled with stress of learning much of the losses from these events will not be covered by insurance. These events have the potential to bankrupt citizens and create severe economic hardships. The tax code provides some relief for a small number who suffered economic loss from natural disasters, but most of that relief will go to the wealthiest taxpayers, those who need the least help. And even for those taxpayers who receive a tax benefit, the fact that they qualify for the tax deduction depends on a multitude of factors that leaves assistance mostly up to chance. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The provision has complicated loss thresholds, income limitations and exclusions. By the time a taxpayer climbs over all these hurdles, there is often nothing left to deduct as a loss. The ones who make it past these hurdles are usually the wealthiest taxpayers with large losses. These are the victims who likely need the least assistance. If we are interested in helping people who have suffered financial calamity due to natural disasters, there needs to be a better way. The current provision is a result of Congresss interest in helping disaster victims. Most personal losses are not deductible at all, but Congress created a specific category for personal casualty losses and provided that those losses are deductible in certain situations. Congress was clearly trying to provide relief to individuals who suffered economic harm from natural disasters. As Congress considers tax reform, it should examine changing the casualty loss deduction to a refundable casualty credit designed to provide basic assistance to victims. When Congress provides a loss deduction, as in the case of casualty losses, individuals with higher tax rates receive higher benefits. This is because the value of the deduction is based on the tax an individual would have paid absent the deduction. Unlike deductions, tax credits provide a credit against the tax owed and are not based on a persons tax rates. Credits are sometimes phased out as income rises, but the benefit people receive is not usually based on their income but instead on the amount of the loss. Congress already has a wealth of examples of tax credits that are phased out as income rises. For example, the Child Tax Credit decreases for married couples as income increases over $400,000. But these tax credits provide direct assistance to individuals. They are independent of the taxpayers tax rate. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If Congress provides a refundable tax credit to disaster victims, all victims will get the same amount. This would deliver tax credits directly to taxpayers and would provide benefits to those who need it the most. Many Americans, who are living paycheck-to-paycheck, cannot handle the devastating economic consequences from the disasters. Assistance needs to come in various ways, but a tax system that rewards the few who meet the complicated criteria and generally have the wealth to weather the storm is a misuse of the limited funds available to help victims. A disaster tax credit would also more align with the goals Congress is trying to achieve by assisting people in need. Almost all victims of natural disasters will have some unreimbursed costs. Some may be struggling to find shelter; others may be struggling for food and clothing. For some, insurance may limit the economic impact of the tragedy, but for almost all victims of natural disasters, the disaster is a physical, emotional and economic tragedy. Large losses from natural disasters seem to be happening more often and the tax code is a poor mechanism for assisting victims. Policymakers should consider other avenues to deal with future calamities. To the extent Congress wants to use the tax system to assist victims, the worst option is to continue a tax break that compensates wealthy victims at a higher rate than average income earners. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A reformed casualty tax credit aimed at people with incomes under $400,000 aligns better with Congresss goal of helping victims of natural disasters and will provide some relief to average Americans who are suffering because of these catastrophes. Donald Tobin, JD, is a tax law professor at the University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law. His research concentrates on tax policy and the way the tax code is often used to drive other policy outcomes. Tobin served as dean of Maryland Carey Law from 2014-2022. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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 TikTok controversy teaches Americans an important lesson as the new Trump administration seeks to crack down on Chinese economic behavior: The U.S. should impose sanctions or other restrictions on China only if there is a clear regulatory path likely to achieve agreed, well-defined goals. The need to look before you leap may seem obvious. But the repeated failure in the TikTok case of American presidents, legislators and regulators to design measures capable of withstanding challenges and achieving their intended purpose resulted in the current regulatory quagmire. This case involves protecting national security by preventing Chinese government access to the personal data of American children, but lessons learned apply to all aspects of U.S.-China relations. The TikTok comedy of errors began in 2019, when the Trump administrations Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States decided to investigate national security implications of TikToks unreported 2017 acquisition of the U.S. company Musical.ly. Upon the committees recommendation, Trump ordered TikToks parent to divest itself of TikTok in August 2020. That order was never implemented while negotiations over possible mitigation strategies have ensued to the present. Lesson learned: Dont launch investigations into problems you cannot resolve. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump also banned TikTok that same month with an executive order based on authority provided in the International Economic Emergency Powers Act. However, the Trump administration overlooked that laws provisions explicitly excluding personal communications or informational materials from the scope of the statute. TikTok took advantage of that oversight to obtain a federal court injunction barring implementation of the executive order, which Biden revoked due to its unenforceability. Lesson learned do your legal homework. Rising concern about TikTok led to various legislative proposals to ban the platform. The state of Montana tried to ban the platform, but a federal judge enjoined enforcement on First Amendment grounds. Lesson learned: Enact legislation that passes Constitutional muster. Rather than ban the platform outright, Congress took a more subtle and constitutionally acceptable approach by banning Chinese ownership of TikTok in a law former President Joe Biden signed last April. The Supreme Court decided last week that that law is constitutional and thus enforceable. Lesson learned: Tailor legislation to respect constitutional rights. Throughout the events recounted above, official stakeholders were mindful and perhaps fearful of TikToks popularity in American society. A summer 2024 Pew poll found that public support for a TikTok ban declined to 32 percent of adults with 28 percent opposing a ban and 39 percent unsure. TikToks extensive and well-financed public relations campaign contributed to that public support. Lesson learned: Dont ignore popular sentiment. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The most important voice in the court of public opinion is Trump, who reversed his public position in early 2024 while running for the presidency and now seeks a solution that will enable TikTok to continue operating. Why Trump changed course and the relationship between his views and large presidential campaign contributions from a major TikTok investor are unclear. Lesson confirmed: Everything is negotiable with Trump. Trumps public statements and his inauguration invitation to the TikTok CEO reflect the presidents favorable disposition toward the company. Ironically, of course, Trump kicked the TikTok can down the road to Biden and Biden returned the favor. The TikTok controversy is thus the first China issue on Trumps second term agenda. Lesson learned: With China, hard problems never just go away. In retrospect, the regulatory fumbling in the TikTok case is regrettable and embarrassing. But those shortcomings must not prevent us from learning and applying lessons learned in future contexts. The Trump administration will crack down on Chinese economic abuses and is drafting various new sanctions and other measures. Broad tariff threats come to mind, but another case in point is the proposed repeal of Chinas Permanent Normal Trade Relations status, a measure that would inject unprecedented chaos into the American economy, not to mention the global trading system. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Overall lesson learned: The U.S. must avoid unintended regulatory complications and quagmires by carefully crafting measures that focus on specific problems and achieve targeted results with the support of the American people. Jeff Moon is a China trade consultant who served previously as Assistant U.S. Trade Representative for China Affairs. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. This article was produced in collaboration with the Food & Environment Reporting Network, an independent, nonprofit news organization. T he U.S. food system is propped up by low-wage immigrant workers from farm to table. From Californias strawberry fields to Floridas orange orchards, at least 70 percent of the agricultural workers who harvest our crops were born outside the U.S. In our meatpacking plants, nearly half of the people who slaughter, cut and package beef, pork and poultry were born elsewhere. And over a quarter of the truck drivers who shuttle cows to slaughterhouses and steaks to supermarkets are foreign-born, too. While many of these workers are undocumented about 40 percent of U.S. farmworkers are undocumented, for instance research suggests that a majority of them are legal immigrants. In 2020, the total number of immigrants with Temporary Protected Status, or TPS, a designation for immigrants from countries with unsafe conditions to reside and work legally in the United States, was just over 406,000. At that time, more than 76,000 of those immigrants nearly 19 percent were employed in the food industry. But the Trump administration has promised to crack down on documented and undocumented immigrants alike. Trumps border czar Tom Homan is considering creating a hotline so residents can report undocumented people. The new administration is expected to try to end TPS protections and has flirted with stripping naturalized citizens of their status. The food industrys immigrant workforce is massive, and the administration has put it squarely in its crosshairs. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If the Trump administration follows through on its most ambitious mass deportation plans, who exactly will replace these essential workers? According to several high-ranking members of Trumps incoming administration, Americans will. In an interview with The New York Times last year, Trumps deputy chief of staff for policy Stephen Miller claimed that the jobs held by deported workers would be filled by U.S. citizens, who will now be offered higher wages with better benefits to fill these jobs. Vice President JD Vance has made similar arguments. The opposite is likely to happen. Labor organizers, public interest attorneys and labor economists we have interviewed believe that rather than improving the quality of food industry jobs to attract more American-born workers, employers will continue hiring low-wage immigrants. And the real development that we expect? The Trump administration will provide food industry employers with low-wage immigrant workers by expanding the existing H-2 visa program. While this would be a boon for employers, this expanded H-2 workforce would likely be more vulnerable to abuse than many of the undocumented workers, asylum recipients and other immigrants it would be replacing. And potentially, this change would also come at American workers expense. The H-2 programs, which were implemented in their current form during the Reagan Administration in the 1980s, provide temporary work visas to seasonal, unskilled workers from other countries. H-2A visas are reserved for agricultural workers specifically, and H-2B visas are used by a wider variety of sectors that claim to be experiencing labor shortages. In the agricultural sector, the number of H-2A workers that farmers brought into the country spiked by over 64 percent between 2017 and 2022 and has continued to grow. In food manufacturing, the number of meatpacking plants that received H-2B workers has also skyrocketedin recent years. States with seasonal tourism, such as Florida and Virginia, employ more than 20,000 H-2B workers in food-related hospitality jobs, such as waiters and dishwashers. (The National Restaurant Association has repeatedly called for immigration reform, saying bluntly: Employers need to be able to recruit and hire a legal workforce.) The H-2 programs many fans appear to include Trump himself, whose businesses have increasingly relied on foreign labor and employed over 1,000 H-2 workers in the past two decades; cooks, bartenders and other food workers were among those hired, some of them on staff at his Mar-a-Lago club. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But while the food industry may like the H-2 program, these visas are notoriously abusive to foreign workers. Thats because they effectively create a captive workforce: In contrast to other immigrant workers in the U.S. including recipients of certain humanitarian programs, like TPS H-2 workers presence in the country is tied to a particular job and employer. H-2 employees are eligible to work for whoever sponsors their visa, and it can be prohibitively difficult for them to switch jobs even if theyre mistreated. If they quit, theyre sent back to their home countries, which would ruin many H-2 workers and their families financially. (Over half of all H-2A farmworkers enter the country in debt to illegal recruiters, who charge fees for connecting workers with job contracts.) Workers can file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL), but theyre unlikely to get a swift result. As of October 2023, the underfunded agency had 750 investigators on staff, and they were tasked with monitoring over 11 million employers. Lets just say theyre a little backlogged. Predictably, some employers take advantage of the power the H-2 program gives them over their employees. The nonprofit Polaris, which runs a U.S. human trafficking hotline, has connected the H-2A visa to rampant human trafficking, as have a number of criminal cases and media investigations. Wage theft is also a pervasive problem. In an interview with Prism media, Mike Rios, a DOL regional agricultural enforcement coordinator, said that wage theft is baked into the H-2A visa, and described the program as the literal purchase of humans. An Economic Policy Institute report, published in 2022, found that migrants with H-2B visas are being employed in industries in which there is extensive wage theft and lawbreaking by employers with the largest share, more than half of all penalties assessed between 2000 and 2021, coming from the food industry. H-2 workers have so little bargaining power that some employers prefer to hire them over U.S. citizens which ends up disenfranchising the American-born workers Trump and Miller say their deportations will benefit. Under federal law, employers must show they were unable to hire American workers before theyre approved to hire H-2 workers, but some employers circumvent that rule and commit visa fraud to avoid hiring Americans at higher rates. The United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) has filed a string of complaints with the DOL, alleging that meatpacking companies have repeatedly requested increased allocations of H-2B workers as a way of undercutting wages. So much for America first. Unsurprisingly, H-2 visas have been fiercely criticized from the left, right and center, and immigration hard-liners in Trumps orbit, who object to increases even in legal immigration, have called for them to be abolished. In Project 2025, author Jonathan Barry notes that H-2A agricultural workers suffer frequent employer abuse, and that the program should be phased out. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But despite this rhetoric from within Trumps camp, we expect Trump to expand the H-2 program. Hes done it before. In Trumps first term, temporary work visa programs steadily grew; by 2019, they were 13 percent larger than they had been under the Obama administration. Then, during the pandemic, his administration issued a series of emergency measures that made H-2A and H-2B visas more flexible and employer-friendly. Workers were allowed to stay in the country for longer periods of time, in part because they had been deemed essential workers, and wages for H-2A workers were effectively frozen. And if Trumps second presidency is faced with a labor shortage of his own making, he might have no other choice but to expand the program again. We dont know how extensive the administrations mass deportations will be, but because the U.S. food system is so dependent on immigrant labor to function, the deportations have the potential to profoundly destabilize the food supply. And while the Stephen Millers of the world might hope these deported food workers will be replaced by Americans, there are some serious barriers to that happening. For one thing, Trump has pledged to launch the largest deportation in the history of our country, and there may not be enough able-bodied American workers to replace the workers he deports. While American workers have a long history of doing many food industry-related jobs, the immigrant workforce of the last four decades was hired explicitly to work at speeds and under conditions that American workers had traditionally rejected. Take agricultural work. Historically, American-born workers have only harvested crops by hand on large-scale farms if they were enslaved, imprisoned, forced into severe debt, displaced by environmental disasters or otherwise oppressed. Theres a reason for that. Agricultural work remains one of the most dangerous jobs in America; at least 20 percent of farmworker families live below the federal poverty line; and at the federal level, agricultural employers are largely exempt from many labor laws, including child labor laws and the right to form a union. If the Trump administration were to replace undocumented farmworkers with Americans, it would likely need to enact regulations that would fundamentally change agricultural work so that American workers would find those jobs appealing. Or it could just replace undocumented farmworkers with an expanded H-2A workforce. One of these solutions would be easier than the other. (Or it would need to find a captive American-born workforce that could be compelled to do this work: Louisiana and other southern states have used prisoners as farm laborers in recent years.) Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Agricultural lobbying groups have met already with Trumps transition team and urged them to expand the H-2A visa program, and farmers are hoping the Trump administration will roll back a Biden-era rule that gave H-2A workers more labor protections. Trump senior adviser Jason Miller has already talked about expanding H-2A as well. Any opportunity to come to this country is going to be temporary and only to do the work that nobody else wants to do, says Kim Cordova, president of UFCW Local 7. Its like human slavery. So what would an expansion of the H-2A and H-2B mean for our food system? For employers, it could be to their advantage, particularly if the Trump administration also embraces additional visa reforms. For instance, H-2A workers are currently temporary and seasonal, but the agricultural industry has been urging the federal government to expand the program so that H-2A workers can work year-round. For workers, it could be a profound loss. Unless the program is significantly changed, American-born workers will continue to be undercut by a captive, lower-wage workforce and foreign-born workers will continue to be mistreated. President Donald Trump has now made it abundantly clear that his desire for the U.S. to acquire Greenland is not simply a passing flight of fancy. American economic and security interests in Greenland are deeply rooted in U.S. history and strategy, going back to the 19th century, and journalists, commentators, foreign diplomats and denizens of the deep state do themselves a disservice by failing to recognize the presidents seriousness of purpose. The time has come to stop debating Trumps intentions and instead focus on how to implement the first major expansion of American territory since the McKinley administration, when Hawaii was annexed. The Trump administration can begin by keeping one important fact in mind: For all the focus thus far on the reaction in Denmark to Trumps comments, the Greenlanders themselves have made clear their desire for independence from Copenhagen. Not only has Greenland gradually attained autonomy from Denmark over the last several decades, but Greenlanders explicitly stated their desire for independence in coming decades in the nations 2024 defense policy documents. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Importantly, Greenland Prime Minister Mute Egede recently made clear that his people do not wish to be Danish and seek independence ultimately. So Trump will be dealing with a Greenlandic populace and leadership on the path to eventual sovereignty, not a recalcitrant Danish colony seeking permanent control by Copenhagen. With this in mind, Trump could convene an immediate trilateral meeting with the prime ministers of Denmark and Greenland and propose several specific paths forward, premised on Greenlands eventual independence from Denmark. As the Greenlanders have intentionally kept their desired timeline for leaving the Kingdom of Denmark vague, Trump would have considerable room to the maneuver in these discussions. First, Trump can propose that, upon Greenlands independence from Copenhagen as determined by the Greenlanders and Danes, America will be prepared to welcome Greenland as an insular area of the U.S. This status currently applies to 14 different entities, including three independent countries in free association with the U.S. and territories like Puerto Rico, Guam and the U.S. Virgin Islands (purchased from Denmark in 1916). These insular areas are generally categorized as either unincorporated organized territories or unincorporated unorganized territories. The former, among which are Puerto Rico and Guam, are governed pursuant to an act of Congress and have considerable local control, as decided by Congress. The latter are generally governed with more direct input from Washington and less local control likely a nonstarter for the Greenlanders. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Should the unincorporated organized territory route appeal to the Greenlanders, Trump could include an additional sweetener taken from a former insular area that eventually attained statehood Alaska. Beyond the normal benefits that accrue to residents of all U.S. insular areas, the Greenlanders could be offered a version of the Alaska Permanent Fund, which distributes portions of the states oil and gas wealth. The Alaska Permanent Fund is an institutional investor for future generations of Alaskans which also pays out the Permanent Fund Dividend a guaranteed income for all residents who meet certain basic requirements. These can serve as a template for harnessing Greenlands vast mineral wealth to the benefit of its citizens, with the understanding that American administration of the island will substantially assist in bringing that underground wealth to fruition. The Trump administration can also easily contrast U.S. environmental and cultural sensitivity with that of the Chinese and Russians, who will be waiting for an independent Greenland in order to exploit the island with little regard for its inhabitants. Second, Trump has a unique tool in his kit to offer the Greenlanders in negotiations. The U.S. has compacts of free association with three Pacific Islands the Marshall Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia and Palau. These islands are independent countries, with independent foreign policies, whose defense and security is guaranteed by the U.S. Additional economic incentives have been offered to each of the three. In Palaus case, that includes a trust fund that has done much to bolster the islands long-term economic well-being. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Such a compact with Greenland could conceivably include independence, U.S. defense and security guarantees (including unrestricted U.S. military access) and the creation of an Alaska or Palau-style fund to responsibly administer and distribute portions of Greenlands mineral wealth. Finally, while Greenlandic independence from Denmark is sorted out, Trump can make immediate requests of Americas ally in Copenhagen. Denmarks defense commitment to Greenland has been woefully inadequate to date, especially as Chinese and Russian adventurism in the Arctic grows. Denmark can pledge to immediately devote additional air, missile and naval assets to Greenland and, with the U.S., petition NATO for additional joint Arctic defense commitments. If NATO is serious about retaining relevancy in the 21st century, the defense of the Alliances Northern Flank must be a priority. The American and European pundit class first dismissed Trumps interest in Greenland as a joke. When that became untenable, it turned to blithely assuring the world that Trump lacked options to effectuate the historic American security interest in Greenland. Nothing could be further from the truth. In the hands of an experienced dealmaker like Trump, the government has strong options to bring Greenland into the U.S. while strengthening our shared economic and security interests. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Alexander B. Gray, a senior fellow at the American Foreign Policy Council, served as deputy assistant to the president and chief of staff of the White House National Security Council from 2019 to 2021. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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 first day in office, President Donald Trump designated drug cartels as terrorist organizations. The executive order fuses the war on drugs with the war on terror, expanding the legal tools that the federal government can use to aggressively pursue and punish drug cartels and people financially connected to them. It also marks a step toward the possibility of U.S. military incursions into Mexico. Trumps claims to being a peacemaker who is focused on problems at home have always warranted skepticism. Now this new designation illustrates how hes kicking off his second term with a policy regime that will likely infuriate the U.S.s friendly neighbor and its biggest trading partner in the world and could act as a forerunner to invasion. The first time Trump left himself open to being called an isolationist, and his view was more insular and withdrawing from the world, Nikhil Singh, a historian at New York University, said in an interview. This time he has re-engaged the fantasy of American expansionism, but its about territorial expansionism in the Western Hemisphere, an old vision of American dominance over its neighbors. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Adding cartels to the U.S.s official list of foreign terrorist organizations has significant policy consequences. It entails framing foreign drug organizations as a national security threat to America assigning them political motives these groups dont really have. The Cartels have engaged in a campaign of violence and terror throughout the Western Hemisphere that has not only destabilized countries with significant importance for our national interests but also flooded the United States with deadly drugs, violent criminals, and vicious gangs, Trumps executive order reads. With that pretext, it gives the U.S. a broader and more aggressive repertoire of tools for confronting drug cartels that send drugs into the country. A terrorist designation would expand the governments ability to prosecute people who supply services, or 'material support,' to the groups, The Washington Post reports. The new listing would also expand the authority to collect 'military action intelligence' on the cartels, according to an analysis by Maria Calderon, from the Mexico Institute of the Wilson Center. More concerning is that the designation raises the question of whether Trump will authorize the use of U.S. military force against cartels in Mexico without Mexicos sign-off. In 2019, the former U.S. ambassador to Mexico Roberta Jacobson told Vox that many in Mexico fear its a first step toward some kind of military intervention, which Trump keeps mentioning when he talks to Mexican presidents. And ultimately the designation marks a public paradigm shift: framing foreign drug cartels as a security threat as opposed to a public health threat lays the groundwork to see their existence as a sufficient basis for acts of war. The idea of using unilateral military force in Mexico has been floating around on the right for years. Top Republicans in the U.S. House and Senate have called for the U.S. use of force against cartels. Mark Esper, defense secretary in Trump's first term, wrote in his memoir that Trump had inquired about the possibility of sending missiles into Mexico to wipe out the cartels and take out drug labs, to which Esper objected. (Trump has refused to comment on the matter.) When asked by a reporter on Monday whether the terror designation meant hed send special operations in Mexico to take them out, Trump replied, Could happen. Stranger things have happened." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Mexico is, unsurprisingly, opposed to all of this. Merely being characterized as a host of terrorist organizations does reputational damage to a country, affecting the way it is perceived by tourists and investors. Moreover, as the Post points out, the laws triggered by the terror designation are broad enough that Mexican businesses who have nothing to do with cartels but are forced to give them money to avoid violence could be targeted by U.S. sanctions. At a press briefing Tuesday, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said Mexico would defend our sovereignty and called for the U.S. and Mexico to continue to cooperate on fighting cartels. We all want to fight the drug cartels, Sheinbaum said. The U.S. in their territory, us in our territory. Trump using unilateral military force in Mexico wouldnt just be destructive for U.S.-Mexican relations, its unlikely to be effective. As the failed U.S. war on drugs revealed, brute force does little to quash the demand for drugs that fuels drug organizations. The idea that the U.S. military would go into Mexico and bomb and raid these labs is quite the wild idea because it is the same militarized approach they did in Colombia with cocaine, Zachary Siegel, a journalist and co-writer of the drug policy newsletter Substance, told me in an interview in 2023. Not only did that not stop cocaine production, it sparked a wave of terror across the country as drug production became a high-stakes war. Trump remains unpredictable, and its unclear what actions he could take as a result of the new designation. But what we do know is that this move telegraphs an interest in extraterritorial militance, and misleadingly frames drug trafficking as something that can be easily solved through military action. That is hardly the way of a peace president. This article was originally published on MSNBC.com Shortly after being sworn in as president, Donald Trump granted clemency to Enrique Tarrio, the Proud Boys former chairman who received the longest sentence of those prosecuted for the Jan. 6 attack 22 years after being convicted of the rare charge of seditious conspiracy for the attack on the U.S. Capitol. Trump also commuted Oath Keepers founder Stewart Rhodes sentence; he had been serving an 18-year-long seditious conspiracy sentence for his actions related to Jan. 6, including bringing armed followers to Washington in preparation for civil war. Trumps pardoning or commuting sentences of more than 1,500 Jan. 6 offenders, including Tarrio and Rhodes and 12 other notable leaders of far-right militant groups, is a dangerous move for our democracy and our national security, on several levels. Across the far-right spectrum, Trumps pardons have been received as a vindication, infusing extremist movements with new energy. Success is going to be retribution, Tarrio shared on Alex Jones Infowars podcast following the news of his release. Rhodes said the news of the pardons marked a good day for America. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Proud Boys are now back, baby, in the words of one Proud Boy marching in Washington on Inauguration Day in gleeful advance celebration of the pardons. The group, brandishing a banner congratulating Trump, was given a heros welcome by other Trump supporters while they marched, chanting, Whose streets? Our streets! The Proud Boys is a mens only, self-described Western chauvinist group. Even prior to the Jan. 6 attacks, its members saw themselves as foot soldiers in Trumps army, called to action when he told them to stand back and stand by at a presidential debate in fall 2020. The Oath Keepers are an anti-government group associated with the militia movement, focused on fighting perceived government tyranny against their interpretation of the Constitution. While the Jan. 6 convictions fractured both groups, they were still showing significant signs of life. Seditious conspiracy is an extraordinary and serious charge that is one step shy of treason. It requires proof that at least two people conspired to levy war or to overthrow, put down, or to destroy by force the U.S. government or to prevent U.S. law from being executed. Prior to the Jan. 6 trials, prosecutors had not tried a seditious conspiracy case in over a decade, and had not won a case in nearly 30 years, since a 1995 trial of Islamist militants who had plotted terror attacks in New York City. More people (14 from the Oath Keepers and Proud Boys combined) were convicted of seditious conspiracy for Jan. 6 than for any other event since the Civil War. Granting clemency for seditious conspiracy related to the U.S. Capitol attack does tremendous damage to trust in our democratic institutions and in the rule of law. It reinforces a narrative that the Capitol attackers did nothing wrong. It insults the scores of Capitol Police officers who defended the institution that day, some paying with their lives, and ensures that there will never be a commonly accepted historical account of what happened that day, despite the criminal convictions. Granting clemency also weakens the already-declining trust that Americans have in the judicial system and the courts, which dropped to a record low of 35% in 2024. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement By valorizing political violence and extremist action, the pardons legitimize the actions of a group that our allies overseas consider terrorists, creating a significant national security risk. In Canada, the Proud Boys is listed as a terrorist entity and a neo-fascist organization, and New Zealand designated it a terrorist organization and made it a crime to support or join the Proud Boys. The pardons send a clear message that some kinds of political violence are not only acceptable, but wont be prosecuted. This will embolden violent actors in ways that put us all at risk. History is a pretty good guide to what can happen when far-right extremists get pardons or acquittals for anti-government crimes. After an Arkansas jury acquitted 14 white supremacist extremists of seditious conspiracy in 1988, the unlawful, anti-government militia movement surged. Just a few years later, 168 people died at the hands of an anti-government, white supremacist extremist who bombed a government building in Oklahoma City. There is little question that anti-government extremists are celebrating the release of violent actors they already deemed heroes, hostages and political prisoners. One of the biggest questions that remains is how quickly that glee turns into entitled violence the kind that comes from feeling that violence is not only an acceptable solution to political problems, but a preferable one. We are all at risk when violence is valorized and criminal acts are vindicated. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement CLARIFICATION (Jan. 23, 2025, 11:08 a.m. E.T.): This piece has been updated to clarify that Enrique Tarrio received a pardon from President Trump for his actions related to the Jan. 6 insurrection. This article was originally published on MSNBC.com Even if you dont want to believe, it is time to prepare for it. Throughout most of human history, those believing in UFOs were considered crackpots and never quite taken seriously. In recent years, though, attitudes have started to change likely due to mounting evidence of unresolved mysteries and credible voices stepping forward to share their experiences and demand answers. With UFO hearings on Capitol Hill and the recent alarm over unexplained drone sightings in the Northeast, something has shifted in American society. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement At the heart of the mainstreaming of UFOs is journalist Ralph Blumenthal, who retired from his 45-year career with the New York Times back in 2009. When journalist Leslie Kean approached him with a lead, he jumped back into the fray to collaborate on a story that would shift the nature of UFO discourse. A Pentagon official named Luis Elizondo was threatening to resign in frustration and go public with information regarding a secretive working group within the Pentagon that had been set up to investigate UFOs. At the time, the Pentagon was not officially in the UFO business, recounts Blumenthal. No one knew that they were studying UFOs, so it was quite a revelation. Blumenthal reached out to New York Times executive editor Dean Baquet about the subject and, to his surprise, got the green light to run with the story. The result was a blockbuster, front-page story published in December 2017, specifically delving into the Pentagons mysterious UFO program. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It was the first time a mainstream publication was really interested in UFOs, and it played a huge role in making it respectable, says Blumenthal. Until then, the subject was considered fringy. We did follow-up stories on pilots who had experience with UFOs, stories on near misses and even touched on the recovery of crashed UFOs and the materials that have been recovered. Eventually, UFOs were renamed UAPs unidentified anomalous phenomena since the sightings werent just airborne but coming from the ocean as well. A blizzard of government working groups boasting an alphabet soup of acronyms like AARO (All-Domain Anomaly Resolution Office) has come to light since then and it is now apparent that, despite decades of denials, the U.S. government has been studying the phenomena for years. Blumenthal points out that all the important information is classified, so there was only so far we could go with our reporting. Despite the seismic shift in attitude, so much remains beyond our understanding. With the government acknowledging that there are crafts in the skies and emerging from the seas that they dont understand and cant credibly attribute to human technology its time for both the public and private sectors to take steps in preparing for scenarios that could potentially disrupt daily life. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Here is where we step in: in the corporate security world, we advise clients on what is referred to as business continuity planning. The idea is simple: help businesses prepare for low-likelihood but high-impact events like terrorist attacks or natural disasters such as hurricanes and earthquakes. We develop plans on how to continue to operate in the face of hugely disruptive events that might otherwise cripple or even destroy operations. Given the stronger evidence suggesting we may not be alone in the universe and could even be visited by extraterrestrials it seems prudent for key sectors of society to consider planning for such possibilities. The recent drone mystery over New Jersey is a good example. So far, there has been no credible explanation for the sightings witnessed over the East Coast. The governments failure to communicate effectively has fueled rumors and speculation to fill the void. Its not hard to envision a scenario where panic reaches a critical, and dangerous, mass. The government should have a clear communication plan in effect in cases of this sort. Police forces should be given accurate information pertaining to the objects seen in the sky: Are they part of regular air traffic or some kind of government test? Stonewalling both the public and essential agencies could create hysteria and panic, leading to a plethora of dangerous repercussions. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Americas well-armed populace should probably be receiving instructions to not fire at objects in the sky (it would be great to avoid an intergalactic war). In light of the possibility of electronic communication breaking down in some sort of anomalous event, police officials should have ways to communicate with the population at large through different means. In short: If the government is taking this seriously enough to carefully study the issue, those responsible for public safety should have some basic plans in place to keep order at least better than what we have seen happen in New Jersey in recent months. Businesses should be planning as well. Sure, the mere thought of an enormous alien craft hovering over a major American city, or even descending and making contact with us, overshadows the needs of businesses but we have no idea how such contact would play out. Chief security officers, many of whom manage private aircraft, report being asked questions about this subject and admit that they have no answers. The aviation community specifically has been at the heart of the matter for years now, with commercial, civilian and military pilots reporting on encounters with unexplainable objects. Yet there has been a history of discouraging the reporting of UAPs, never mind working on actual emergency plans. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Establishing simple protocols related to safety and communications isnt impossible and would make a lot of sense. There is so much that we dont know about UAPs but we also know so much more than we did a decade ago. Why not make use of that information and establish basic plans to keep everyone safe and informed? Jeremy Hurewitz is the author of Sell Like a Spy and the head of Interfor Academy , a speakers and training bureau composed of senior members of the security and intelligence 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 The Hill. PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) After a two-week battle with the deadly wildfires burning in the greater Los Angeles area, Oregons firefighters are returning home. Seventeen of the 21 strike units sent to aid California in its battle against the wildfires are returning to Oregon this week. The Palisades and Eaton Fires have burned more than 37,500 acres after igniting during a Jan. 7 windstorm. The fires have destroyed thousands of homes and killed more than a dozen people, though officials are still calculating the destruction caused by the fires. Verdict reached after man accused of stalking, murder at Hillsboro Intel Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement These strike teams were assigned to the Palisades and Eaton fires near Los Angeles and have spent the last two weeks working the fire lines and supporting the communities impacted by these disasters, the Oregon State Fire Marshals office said in a statement Thursday. Oregon firefighters are packing up their gear and heading home after helping with the deadly wildfires burning in Southern California. (Oregon State Fire Marshal) Oregon State Fire Marshal Mariana Ruiz-Temple sent a total of 370 firefighters and 105 engines to aid in stopping the fires. The response was the largest out-of-state deployment in the agencys 107-year history. I am immensely proud of the work firefighters from the Oregon fire service and the Oregon Department of Forestry have done over the last two weeks in California, Ruiz-Temple said. Their dedication and professionalism have made a meaningful difference for the communities affected by these devastating fires. The willingness of our firefighters to step up and provide critical aid, often in challenging and dangerous conditions, is a testament to the strength and resilience of Oregons fire service. Ronald McDonald House teams up with Pile of Puppies to bring joy to struggling families Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Four firefighting teams sent by the Oregon State Fire Marshal will remain in Southern California to help fight the ongoing wildfires. There is no set date for their return. Oregons strike teams were requested through the Emergency Management Assistance Compact. The compact provides outside aid during governor-declared emergencies or disasters. California will reimburse Oregon for the firefighting expenses. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KOIN.com. Oregon hospital emergency rooms often board patients as they wait for beds to open up elsewhere in the hospital. (Getty Images) Oregon hospitals are operating at a loss or often with thin profit margins, with patients boarding in emergency rooms and rural facilities forced to consider closing maternity wards. The space between net patient revenues and operating costs continues to rise, putting more than half of Oregons hospitals in the red, hospital officials said in a Wednesday press conference. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Medicaid-funded Oregon Health Plan, which insures more than one in three Oregonians, plays a role in the ongoing financial woes, said Becky Hultberg, president and CEO of the Hospital Association of Oregon. Rising operating costs, primarily labor, are also a big driver in hospital expenses exceeding income, she said. The association, which represents 61 hospitals in the state, wants the Legislature to work on adequately funding the states Medicaid program and take other steps, like making it easier for hospitals to discharge patients when they are ready to exit the hospital into other settings, like long-term care. Its becoming clear, unfortunately, that this is our new normal, Hultberg said. And were at an inflection point. Like any organization or household, hospitals cant lose money indefinitely, but we all know that hospitals are essential to community health. The Oregon Health Plan, which covers 1.3 million people, pays 56 cents for every dollar of care provided to patients on Medicaid, Hultberg said. In 2023, that underpayment was $1 billion. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement However, association officials said they realize it would take time to fix the problem but theyd like action on it this session. We are not coming forward to ask for $1 billion this session, but what we are saying is we have to begin to close the gap between what it costs to provide care for Oregon Health Plan members and what hospitals are paid, Hultberg said. This will likely be a multi-session conversation. We want to start the conversation now. The group supports a range of proposals this session that would aid their finances and access to health care. They include items in Gov. Tina Koteks budget proposal. She is calling for an extra $35 million in general funding for hospital maternity rates, a $4 million increase in graduate medical education funding and another $25 million in payments for hospitals with high levels of patients who are uninsured or on Medicaid. The hospitals group also supports legislation recommendations from a state task force that examined the barriers that keep hospitals from discharging patients who are ready to leave and move to another setting, like a residential long-term care facility or nursing home. The task force recommended a variety of changes so people are not stuck in hospital beds, navigating red tape that blocks them from qualifying to enter another facility when they no longer need a hospital bed. Maternity wards The financial problems affects hospitals across the state. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In rural Baker City, Saint Alphonsus Medical Center closed its maternity ward in 2023, citing high costs. Salem Hospital, which is part of Salem Health, is also grappling with maternity costs, said Cheryl Nester Wolfe, a registered nurse and president and CEO of Salem Health. She said the Oregon Health Plan on average reimburses maternity services for about 60% of the costs to the hospital. Salem Health had more than 3,000 newborns in 2024. In the 2023 fiscal year, the difference between what Medicaid paid and the hospitals costs for maternity services was $66 million, Nester Wolfe said. Patients and their access to care is what matters most, Nester Wolfe said. So providers have for years found ways to make up for reimbursement shortfalls, but this patchwork approach is not sustainable. The problem is acute in rural Oregon. Without maternity services, patients are forced to drive even longer distances to deliver babies or in emergencies. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Daniel Grigg, the chief executive officer of Wallowa Memorial Hospital in Enterprise, located in eastern Oregon, said his hospital is committed to keeping its maternity services open. One reason for the high costs is because the number of deliveries is smaller in rural hospitals. Yet those facilities still need on-call staff to offer those services, including doctors, nurses and anesthesia staff, he said. He said he supports the idea of standby pay, which would help rural hospitals cover the cost of on-calls staff. U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Oregon, has a proposal in Congress targeting the problem. Grigg said something similar at the state level would help. Standby pay would significantly help ensure ongoing access to care, he said. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Jan. 22OREGON An attempt by the Oregon Fire Protection District to receive a zoning variance to expand its fire station in the city's River Front Commercial District will not have a recommendation for approval when it goes to the City Council for a final decision. The Oregon Planning Commission voted 4-3 not to recommend approval of the variance after an hourlong public meeting Tuesday. The Planning Commission, composed of volunteers appointed by the City Council, makes recommendations to the City Council, which then decides whether to grant requests. The existing station, located at 100 Washington St., is on the west bank of the Rock River next to the Route 64 bridge on the north side of the state highway. It was built in 1985 and was included in the city's River Front Commercial District when that district was formed in 2016. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "The existing building is grandfathered in, but when there are significant changes planned, such as a major remodeling, a variance is needed," City Manager Darin DeHaan said. Expansion of the fire station would be considered "nonconforming," which prompted the fire district to seek the variance. Fire district trustees announced plans last week for a $4.1 million renovation and expansion of the 40-year-old fire station. Oregon Fire Chief Michael Knoup said Tuesday that the expansion is needed to accommodate larger emergency vehicles, consolidate all fire apparatuses and equipment under one roof, and provide more living quarters for full-time firefighters and paramedics. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The district currently owns two buildings that house vehicles and equipment the fire station and a building on Madison Street that was donated to the district after the Oregon Ambulance Service was dissolved. Knoup said trustees had decided that moving the fire station to a new location and rebuilding from scratch would be too costly for taxpayers. "If we were to consider just starting over and building a new building, to rebuild that same square footage plus the addition, we'd be looking at somewhere between an $8 million and $10 million project. And then on top of it we'd have to find another location [and] delay the start of the project while costs continue to rise. The cost of building is rising every day," Knoup said. "So, looking at the taxpayers money, an addition makes sense for us at the current location." Consolidating all vehicles and apparatuses in one location would increase efficiency and decrease response times, which can make a difference in saving lives and property. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Last year alone we rescued 26 people out of the river. Three to five minutes can make a big difference," Knoup said. Since the existing station was built, the district has transitioned from an all-volunteer force to a combination of paid full-time and volunteer staff, employing nine full-time members working in three shifts, with three members per shift, Knoup said. He noted calls for service increased from 400 in 1985 to 1,200 last year, with 80% of those being ambulance calls. Knoup estimated that the expanded station could serve the community for the next 25 years. But some Planning Commission members and two neighbors living near the fire station said the station should be relocated out of the River Front Commercial District. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "We live in a wonderful small town, and when you bond with your neighbors and your community, you hate to disappoint them, but I don't feel this is best for Oregon's growth to have the fire department stay there," said Kim Krug, a residence and business owner at 103 W. Washington St., across Route 64 from the fire station. "Mistakes were made in the '80s when they put the fire department in that spot, and if you continue with a variance, [it] would be continuing with the same type of bad judgment." Krug said allowing expansion in the existing location would "stall" future riverfront projects or "completely end" development along the riverfront. She said the proposed design also would block views of the river. "The fire department has the No. 1 spot in the river district," she said. "And to grow the city and to help businesses and to help tourism, we are going to need that riverfront project. Every city around us that has done a riverfront project has grown. We need to grow. ... If we don't grow, we're just going to be one dead little city. We really need to think about this." "We can grow and work together and make everyone happy," she added, suggesting a new location for the fire station. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement City Commissioner Tim Krug, Kim's husband, said he was commenting on a more "personal note" and was a proponent of the river district. "I've seen what other cities have done with it. I think it is a fabulous idea for our city," Tim Krug said. "And if you look down in that neighborhood, you are actually starting to see it happen. Nothing happens overnight. It takes time, but we are working on it." Tim Krug said that although he agreed that expanding the station would be needed in the future, the proposed expansion did not meet the criteria for building in the river district and featured an "ultra-modern" use of "glass and steel" that would not reflect the image the city is trying to achieve. "What's there could be retrofitted into something that would be pretty [and] decorative. You could redesign that current building into something that could flow with the river district," he said, adding that more time needs to be taken to explore other alternatives. "Nothing against Mike or any of the boys over there at the firehouse. We need our fire district. But is this the right place to have this addition, and is this addition the right look?" Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Four Planning Commission members voted against recommending the variance: Liz Hiemstra, Mark Herman, Karly Spell and Randy Cropp. Three voted for its approval: Roger Cain, Jeff Hallock and Rick Ryland. Cain said he wished more options were presented to the Planning Commission. "I have real mixed emotions," Cain said. "I feel there should be some other options for this." Ryland said the fire district should be allowed to expand the station, adding that lives had been saved because of the department's close proximity to respond to emergencies on the river. "You are not going to save 26 people if you are not by the river to save the people in the river," Ryland said. "They are keeping us safe. Why can't they add on?" Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement After the meeting, Cropp said he would have liked to have seen the issue tabled so more public input could be gathered regarding other locations for the fire station. "I will go back to my board, and they will have to make a decision on how to proceed," Knoup said after the decision. The City Council's next meeting is at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 28. PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) Oregon saw a 24% increase in the states number of sheltered homeless people between January 2023 and January 2024, Portland State Universitys latest statewide homelessness report shows. The increase in sheltered homeless people is likely Oregons largest on record, according to the states point-in-time count records, which date back to 2007. The annual point-in-time count is a census of sheltered and unsheltered homeless people taken on a single night in January. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Overall, 21 of Oregons 36 counties increased total year-round shelter capacity, with major increases in Multnomah, Washington, Marion, Lane, Lincoln, and Deschutes counties, Portland State University said. Portland police chief, Multnomah County DA speak after anti-Trump protest arrests Roughly 2,455 year-round shelter beds were added in Oregon between 2023 and 2024, an increase of 32%. In January of 2024, Oregon had 10,408 beds available for homeless people year-round. Although the report shows progress in housing the states homeless population, Jacen Greene, the assistant director of PSUs Homelessness Research and Action Collaborative, said theres more work to do. These numbers show a major increase in shelter capacity during 2023, which is an important step forward in providing temporary assistance to people who are unhoused, Greene said. However, we also need to make significant progress in addressing our housing crisis to ensure that we can end homelessness for people who are in emergency shelters and prevent others from being pushed into homelessness. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Portlands air quality similar to wildfire-hit Los Angeles on Wednesday Multnomah County saw the largest increase in shelter beds in the state between 2023 and 2024, adding 671 new beds. Washington County added 368 beds. Marion County added 278 beds. Lane County added 313 beds and Lincoln County added 257 beds. The Walnut Park Shelter in Northeast Portland (Courtesy/Multnomah County) The PSU report suggests that Oregon needs roughly 100,000 more housing units to meet its current housing demand. Half of those units are needed for people who are currently homeless. Governor Tina Kotek said that Oregon is working toward housing every citizen. With substantial state investment and new coordinated systems, we have expanded Oregons shelter capacity and blunted the crisis on our streets, Kotek said. This is just the beginning. We still need an all-hands-on-deck urgency to meet this moment, and I will not be satisfied until every Oregonian knows where they are going to sleep at night. 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. PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) The Deschutes County Sheriffs Office SWAT team raided a remote property in the high desert on Jan. 19 and arrested a man wanted out of Redding, Calif. for assault with a deadly weapon and trespassing charges. Deputies found the suspect, Salvador Edward Juarez, while serving a search warrant at the private property located along Highway 20, east of Bend. The 50-year-old was naked when deputies took him into custody. The location where Juarez was taken into custody. (Deschutes County Sheriffs Office) BUT-MAN, HWKTUA: Oregon DMV rejected these custom license plates in 2024 Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement After a lengthy ground and aerial surveillance operation, confirmation was received that Juarez was indeed present at the property, the Deschutes County Sheriffs Office said. Within minutes of multiple armored rescue vehicles and SWAT and [Central Oregon Emergency Response Team] personnel being on scene. Juarez surrendered unclothed without incident and was taken into custody. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. Organizers of a Montessori charter school concept have applied a third time to open an early childhood center in northeast Oklahoma City. The school boards of both Oklahoma City Public Schools and Millwood Public Schools voted last year to reject applications to establish the charter school. Thats why P3 Urban Montessori is now under consideration by the Statewide Charter School Board. Applicants seeking to found a new charter school must apply first with their local school district and, if rejected, can appeal to the statewide board. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement P3 signifying play, process and progress would serve 90 children from age 3 through kindergarten who live in the 73111 ZIP code, a majority Black and low-income area in northeast Oklahoma City. The school would offer year-round education in the hands-on, student-led Montessori method of learning. The Statewide Charter School Boards executive director, Rebecca Wilkinson, said her staff is reviewing P3s application, and the board would vote in March at the latest on whether to approve the school. Millwood Superintendent Cecilia Robinson-Woods and her sister, Rosalyn Robinson, are two of the leading founders aiming to open P3. Robinson-Woods would be the schools executive director and Rosalyn Robinson would work as the business logistics manager. Robinson-Woods said some of her own children attended Montessori schools in other states, but there are limited options for this type of education in Oklahoma. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We just thought, This is something we know is good for kids, and why isnt it in our area? Robinson-Woods said while presenting to the statewide board. The state has three public Montessori schools, all in Tulsa, and 17 more that are private. A fourth public Montessori school is preparing to open for the 2025-26 academic year in northwest Oklahoma City. Robinson-Woods said only 40% of students in the Millwood district enter elementary school ready to read. Bolstering early childhood schooling in the area could change the trajectory of students education, she said. At Robinson-Woods recommendation, the Millwood school board turned down an application to open P3 in a Jan. 8, 2024, vote. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Millwood Board President Rickey T.L. Hunt Sr. said at the time that Oklahoma law wouldnt prohibit Robinson-Woods from being involved in both the district and the charter school, but the board found it in Millwoods best interest to keep the entities separate. Robinson-Woods said she considered the possibility of creating a Montessori program in Millwood schools but decided against it. Montessori classrooms have a distinctly different educational philosophy that wouldnt fit easily in a traditional school environment, she said Tuesday. We had a lot of conversations about why not put a couple of (Montessori) classrooms over there (in Millwood), she said. It just puts one practice against another, so it just makes sense for it to be isolated. The nonprofit seeking to open P3, Legacy Learning Inc., also applied for authorization through the Oklahoma City district, but the OKCPS school board voted 5-2 against the application. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement OKCPS staff expressed concern over the schools location and potential overlap between Oklahoma Citys and Millwoods district boundaries, as well as with its financial plan. P3 received the weakest evaluation results out of the four charter schools that applied with the Oklahoma City school board in fall 2023. Robinson-Woods said the P3 application has changed quite a bit since then. The new framework has a different location at another northeast Oklahoma City church, she said, and it shares greater detail of start-up funding and purchasing processes. She and the other founders are optimistic their third time applying will be a success. I think the application now looks more like a more developed school and less about a concept, she told Oklahoma Voice after meeting with the statewide board Tuesday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Oklahoma Voice is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Oklahoma Voice maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Janelle Stecklein for questions: info@oklahomavoice.com. Follow Oklahoma Voice on Facebook and Twitter. This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Proposed NE Oklahoma City Montessori school goes before state board In the years since it began a committed effort to diversify and expand its membership, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has weathered strikes, the pandemic shutdown of theaters, and constant hand-wringing about declining TV ratings and potential cultural irrelevance. But one trend has remained consistent for the Academy Awards, the voting bodys annual big event: The Academy has been getting more and more international. This years nominations, announced today (six days later than planned, after a delay in recognition of the horrific Los Angeles fires), confirmed the extent to which Oscar voters tastes have shifted. The French-produced, Spanish-language musical Emilia Perez received the most nominations of the day, accompanied by several other movies that premieredand were big hitsat European film festivals. The Academy nominated 10 films for Best Picture, leaving room for some of the biggest blockbusters of last year. The musical Wicked (10 nominations) and the sci-fi sequel Dune: Part Two (five nominations) were two of 2024s highest-grossing films, racking up hundreds of millions more in box-office grosses than most of the other Oscar contenders. But if you want to gauge the true awards favorites, looking at the Best Director category, where only five hopefuls get picked, is usually more useful. Each of this years directors is a first-time nominee in the category, and four worked on features that mainstream moviegoers might consider unorthodox: Alongside the filmmaker Jacques Audiards Emilia Perez, theres the indie darling Sean Bakers Anora, a raunchy dramedy about a sex worker; the actor turned filmmaker Brady Corbets 215-minute historical drama, The Brutalist; and the relative newcomer Coralie Fargeats The Substance, one of the few horror films in the Academy Awards history to resonate with voters. The writer-director James Mangolds A Complete Unknowna musical biopic thats seen as conventionally attractive Oscar farestands out as the anomaly of the group. That Mangolds film was also the only one to skip the international-festival circuit further suggests a turning tide for the Academys preferences. [Read: A film impossible to have mild feelings about] Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But Emilia Perez, which debuted at the Cannes Film Festival last year, is a unique case among those five front-runnersits a Netflix-branded movie. The streamer has spent years striving for the Best Picture title, only to narrowly miss out again and again. Netflix made what seemed to be likely bets over the past half decade with Roma, The Irishman, Mank, The Power of the Dog, All Quiet on the Western Front, and Maestro, and over and over again, Netflixs most prestigious work has gotten a ton of nominations but walked away without the biggest trophy. (In the cases of Roma and The Power of the Dog, the company at least left with the consolation of Best Director.) That track record is partly because of Netflixs tendency toward backing fairly artsy, auteur-driven movies; the hope apparently has been that a director such as Martin Scorsese and David Fincher would be enough to draw viewers and votes. But the paltry Oscar showing thus far is likely also because, as a streaming-first studio that remains fairly hostile to cinematic releases, Netflix has a more polarizing status in Hollywood than most of its peers. Could Emilia Perez be the contender to break that streak? If so, itll be a slightly confounding win that could spark another thousand think pieces about the Academys continued drift from popular opinion. Its a non-Hollywood film with very little English dialogue, a gonzo musical about a Mexican cartel leader (played by Karla Sofia Gascon) who fakes her death, transitions into a woman, and then tries to build a more authentic life. Emilia Perez won major accolades at Cannes, but its post-festival reception has been more muted; it has weathered waves of backlash from multiple sides since its November debut on Netflix. The company has pushed all of its resources into the movie anyway, clearly seeing the potential for nabbing the big prize in a diffuse field; its already triumphed at the Golden Globes. But Netflix has come close and missed before, so its perhaps too early to be bullish on Emilia Perezs chances. Netflixs biggest challenger appears to be the distributor A24. The independent company acquired The Brutalist after its successful debut at the Venice Film Festival. The movie is a large-scale American epic made on a comparatively small budget, a supersize film (with an intermission) about topics that have resonated with Oscar voters for decades: tortured male geniuses, the long shadow of World War II and the Holocaust, the struggle of art against commerce. Its an excellent film, as well as the kind of big movie that has won Best Picture many times. A24 mounted a slow Christmas rollout as a way to build buzz with not just critics but audiences too, including putting the movie on IMAX screens. The plan has worked thus far, and the breadth of awards-season attention, including Oscar nominations for all three main cast membersAdrien Brody, Felicity Jones, and Guy Pearcemight be enough to take the movie all the way. But simmering backlash to The Brutalists knottier second actand, to a lesser extent, some scuttlebutt regarding the use of AIcould do it in; that the feature peaks about halfway through has become something of a prevailing opinion. [Read: Watchand rewatchthis 215-minute film] Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The other big favorites will probably have to settle for slightly less notable trophies. Anora won the Cannes equivalent of Best Picture and has received a slew of other awards nominations, but after getting passed over at the Golden Globes, it somehow feels like an outside shot in every category (except maybe Original Screenplay for Baker). Wicked was an audience sensation that got warm reviews (if not outright raves), but it seems competitive only for the design trophies. Conclave, a robust grown-up drama about the Vatican choosing a new pope, missed a predicted slot in Best Director, suggesting a broad sense of liked but didnt love among voters. Dune: Part Two will be treated as its predecessor was: a technical achievement, first and foremost. Two smaller-scale nominees that snuck into Best Picture, Im Still Here and Nickel Boys, benefited from passionate reviews and well-run campaigns by their respective distributors, Sony Pictures Classics and Amazon MGM Studios. Another competitor, The Substance, sustained its festival buzz with a solid box-office run; pundits worries that its lurid material might be too polarizing for staid awards voters have now been swept away, and the lead actor, Demi Moorewho won a Golden Globe for her performance earlier this monthlooks like the top candidate for the Best Actress trophy. Meanwhile, two films that debuted and played well at North American film festivalsand which critics assumed were in Best Picture contentionended up just missing out: A Real Pain, which was still nominated for Best Supporting Actor (the recent Golden Globe winner Kieran Culkin is a favorite) and Original Screenplay, and Sing Sing (which got three other nominations, including Best Actor for its star, Colman Domingo). [Read: The 10 best movies of 2024] The one movie that defies many of the trends among this years Oscar cropparticularly its lean toward a more international, film-festival-friendly lineup of nomineesis A Complete Unknown, as old-fashioned an Oscar picture as they come. Its an American-produced biopic from a reliable, well-liked filmmaker (James Mangold) featuring a major star (Timothee Chalamet) playing a national icon (Bob Dylan); its largely traditional but with a slightly arty twist. Critics and theatergoers alike have praised the movie, and Chalamet in particular has enjoyed a great year: Between a buzzy press tour and his starring turn in fellow Best Picture nom Dune: Part Two, he appears to be well positioned to earn Best Actor. But in the end, Chalamet might be too normie for the big trophy. That reading stands in stark contrast to the Oscars of even 10 or so years ago, when the Academy favored movies such as Argo and Spotlight, mature Hollywood dramas that told well-known true stories in effective ways. This years ceremony, to be hosted by Conan OBrien on March 2, will demonstrate just how much that consensus has shifted. *Lead image credit: Illustration by Allison Zaucha / The Atlantic. Sources: Sony Pictures Classics; A24; Page 114 / Why Not Productions / Pathe Films / France 2 Cinema; Bettmann / Getty. Article originally published at The Atlantic By Hyunsu Yim and Hyonhee Shin SEOUL (Reuters) -A former South Korean defence minister charged with insurrection for his role in a short-lived martial law attempt told a court on Thursday that he wanted a broader military deployment but was overruled by President Yoon Suk Yeol. Kim Yong-hyun, who resigned after the Dec. 3 martial law and is now jailed, testified before the nation's Constitutional Court, which is deciding whether to reinstate or fully remove Yoon from power after he was impeached on Dec. 14. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Central to Yoon's defence is that he never intended to impose military rule, using the decree only to break political deadlock. "Yes," said Kim when asked by Yoon's lawyers whether the president had shot down the defence minister's recommendation to mobilise all military units stationed in Seoul. Kim confirmed he had also proposed sending some units to the opposition party headquarters and a left-wing polling firm. The Constitutional Court began its trial on Dec. 27 to review charges that Yoon violated his constitutional duty by imposing martial law without justification. At an earlier hearing, the parliament's legal team presented testimony from military commanders and video footage showing military helicopters landing on parliament grounds with special forces troops breaking into the main building, as well as troops moving in on the National Election Commission. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement An opposition Democratic Party lawmaker had condemned "the Dec. 3 insurrection," saying Yoon and supporters sought chaos by refusing to accept his recent arrest warrant. On Thursday, South Korea's anti-corruption agency transferred its case to prosecutors, recommending they indict Yoon for insurrection and abuse of power. In December, Kwak Jong-geun, commander of the Army Special Warfare Command, told a parliament committee that he received multiple telephone calls from Yoon as events unfolded, including an order to "drag out" lawmakers from parliament. Kwak, who has since been indicted on insurrection charges, said he chose not to execute that order. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When asked about that report by a Constitutional Court justice on Tuesday, Yoon denied giving such a command. TROOP DEPLOYMENTS Other military officers have said that it was Kim who gave the order to extract lawmakers from parliament's chambers. On Thursday, Kim acknowledged that he had proposed declaring martial law to Yoon. He said the president was concerned that the opposition party was obsessed with only three things - protecting the opposition leader from legal liabilities, impeaching government officials and launching special counsel investigations against Yoon. He quoted Yoon as saying that the opposition's "parliamentary dictatorship and violence had gone out of control" and left no alternative. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement About 1,605 soldiers and 3,144 police officers were deployed including to the National Assembly and the National Election Commission, according to indictments against army commanders provided by lawmaker Boo Seung-chan and reviewed by Reuters. Some of those entered the parliament building itself, including by breaking windows, where they faced off with staffers who had used furniture to barricade doors and wielded fire extinguishers. Yoon rescinded the martial law six hours later after parliament defied military and police cordons to vote against the decree. During Thursday's hearing, Yoon disputed suggestions that the martial law had been thwarted, saying he always intended it to be a limited operation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "This wasn't a failed martial law, it ended a little sooner than expected, as the National Assembly quickly demanded the lifting of it, and I also ordered the withdrawal of the military," Yoon said. Kim said he shared names of people who might violate the decree with the defence counterintelligence commander on Dec. 3, but that it was not an arrest list. Yoon could be seen occasionally nodding at Kim during the testimony. (Writing by Josh Smith; Editing by Saad Sayeed and Mark Heinrich) Patricia Montes Barron has advice for her successor at the Defense Department: Whatever you do, even if you have to get a little photo and put it on your desk, dont forget who youre working for. Its those families that count on us to not only do well by them, but to listen to them and change course when we need to. When Barron came on board as head of DODs military community and family policy four years ago, she pledged to bring more military family voices to DOD. That included her own voice, as an Army wife who moved with her now-retired husband 14 times in 30 years. And she incorporated those voices in many ways, from hiring more active-duty spouses to work on the team, to taking action on concerns and questions raised by families. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement An example of her persistence on that front is her focus on one issue raised by an Army wife in early 2021, shortly after Barron was sworn in to her new position. Barron was still working to get that issue resolved when she left the administration earlier this month, she told Military Times in an interview shortly before leaving. Positive change takes time In commentary published in Military Times in 2021, that Army wife, Frances Tilney Burke, made a seemingly simple request: Find a way for military parents to register their child for child care electronically when moving from one installation to another. While DODs MilitaryChildCare.com site allows families to get on child care waitlists before they move, the challenge is that parents still must physically go into the child development center to fill out the registration paperwork. That was an example of a larger issue, Burke wrote. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Will the new [deputy assistant secretary] recognize such eternally frustrating military family roadblocks and seek change, or will she stay complacent ... And languish within an already recalcitrant system? she wrote. Let's hope the Pentagon's new military community and family policy appointee discards the 'Army goggles' Like all feedback from military families Barron has received, I took it to heart. Were listening, she said. But, as she has learned, Its very complicated to get things done in the Pentagon. I didnt know that when I first got here. Electronic registration might have seemed like a simple request, but defense officials must deal with multiple information technology platforms that dont necessarily talk to each other. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Each of the services has their own, and its just not easy. You almost have to create this whole new platform so that it can go from one place to another, Barron explained. Thats one of the things theyve been trying to get after modernizing the way that we talk to each other electronically. But it takes time, she added. While Barron didnt see that solution become reality during her tenure, I will see it sometime in the near future, she said. Even though it might have taken us four-plus years to get there, we are absolutely close to getting there. Thats just one of many issues Barron and her team have worked on over the last four years. The military community and family policy team oversees the policies and programs for military families from cradle to grave to include child care; spouse employment programs; commissaries and exchanges; morale, welfare and recreation programs, such as sports, leisure and cultural activities; family violence prevention and response; exceptional family member programs; non-medical counseling; casualty assistance and mortuary affairs; and a host of other responsibilities. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Barron said she was amazed at the amount of passion and commitment the team has to the mission and the work, and she believes every person on her team was able to move the needle on their specific issue. When you have the kind of support from the very top, as in the secretary of defense focusing on people and taking care of our people, theres an awful lot we can do that maybe before didnt seem possible, she said. Patricia Barron, left, visits Marine Corps Base Hawaii in 2024 to discuss operations, health care, education and the overall well-being of service members on base. (Sgt. Brandon Aultman/Marine Corps) Progress for military parents, spouses With the help Congress, former Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austins taking care of people focus and the spotlight of former First Lady Jill Bidens Joining Forces initiative, Barron and her team have drilled down into some solutions that can make a difference in a number of areas. If theres one thing Barron hopes continues into future administrations, she said, its a strong focus on people. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement One of the offices biggest accomplishments involving child care under Barrons leadership was chipping away at child care shortages, which were exacerbated because of the pandemic. As a result of a variety of efforts, the overall waitlists for child development centers have been reduced by 55%, Barron said. Her office increased pay and other incentives to recruit and retain child care employees and restructure positions to provide more opportunities for advancement. They also helped double the number of military parents who are able to get their child care fees reduced with qualified providers in their civilian communities. Officials did so by discovering that about 20% more civilian child care providers had met the standards for military child care fee assistance subsidies as a result of some states increasing their standards for their child care workforce. In its work for military spouses, the office grew employment opportunities. The spouse unemployment rate, based on DOD surveys of spouses, has held steady for a while at around 20% to 21%. But Barron noted that over the past decade, it has moved from 25% down to 20%. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its not great, but we are making incremental movement, Barron said. The office increased the number of military spouses eligible for the $4,000 scholarships in the My Career Advancement Account program, known as MyCAA. The scholarships allow spouses to pursue a license, certification or associate degree, or pay for testing for college credit and continuing education units. Eligibility was opened to spouses of service members in the ranks of E-7, E-8, E-9,and W-3. Previously, the program was open to spouses of E-1 to E-6, W-1 and W-2, and O-1 to O-3. Family policy appointee will bring more military family voices to DOD, including her own Barrons favorite initiative overall, she said, is the Military Spouse Career Accelerator Pilot, which began in 2023 and through which 900 spouses to date have been placed in 12-week fellowships with private employers. DOD pays each spouses salary during the fellowship, with the understanding there may be a job offer at the end. Over 80% of the spouse fellows get permanent job offers, Barron said, adding that the initial idea required some really hard thinking on the part of her staff. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement At the end of January, another 200 employers are expected to join the Military Spouse Employment Partnership, adding to the more than 850 employers who have committed to hiring military spouses and are vetted by DOD officials. Barrons office has been shoring up their systems to hold these employers accountable, she said, which includes checking in with them quarterly to evaluate whether they are actively looking for, hiring and retaining spouses. Barron encourages military spouses to make sure they complete their profile in the MSEP portal so that employers will reach out. It wasnt easy Barron has worked closely with other offices in the Pentagon on people-centered issues, too, and hopes that type of collaboration will continue. I will tell you that it wasnt easy to come into a building like the Pentagon ... to be a part of the Department of Defense that is so incredibly complicated, and learn what I needed to learn, and hold my own, and advocate and fight for the things that we felt were important, she said. Family advocates who spoke about Barron to Military Times praised her for her work. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Im grateful she always kept families first. She never lost sight of families, and I can imagine how difficult the day-to-day can be, said Shannon Razsadin, CEO of Military Family Advisory Network. She always kept families as her north star. She has in every part of her life. Patricia Barron, center, visits a school on Joint Base San Antonio-Fort Sam Houston in 2022. (Kara Carrier/Air Force) Barron had years of experience as an advocate in nonprofits for military families long before working at the Pentagon. Her resume includes serving as the head of the family readiness directorate at the Association of the United States Army, working as director of outreach for military family projects at Zero to Three and directing youth initiatives at the National Military Family Association, where she oversaw NMFAs Operation Purple Camp program. I think the biggest reason why I was successful, besides the fact that there was an incredible team that was doing all the hard work, is that I was also connected to the military spouses who were currently serving, and those that had served, because of the work that I had done before, Barron said. I made it a point to make sure we didnt lose that connection, that we always reached out to say, How are we doing? Did we get that right? What do you think? If Barron had another year in the job, she would prioritize improving the offices use of data and limiting bureaucratic red tape, she said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Though shes out of time in her post, Barron described it as the number one experience of her life. This has filled my heart like you have no idea, Barron said. Im just a normal, regular military spouse. I followed my soldier for 30 years, got into the advocacy [work]. I never thought Id be sitting in this seat and yet, here I am. I encourage other military spouses to follow suit. The DOGE divorce with Vivek Ramaswamy came about partly due to the fact that the biotech entrepreneurs co-star Elon Musk thought he was too outspoken, according to people familiar with the split who spoke to The Wall Street Journal. The Tesla and SpaceX chief executive, among others in President Donald Trumps inner circle, were reportedly irked by Ramaswamys general tenacity in his views. There were always going to be tensions between two CEOs who have built successful companies, a person familiar with Department of Government Efficiency inner workings told the WSJ. Everyone saw the writing on the wall. Vivek is out the door at DOGE. / Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images And that writing became clearer as Ramaswamys ideals for the DOGE mission came into friction with those of the more senior Musk, so-called because he has Trumps ear. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Whittling away at what he saw as overly restrictive regulations and bureaucracy were Ramaswamys main charge, whereas Musk saw spending cuts as the most important aspect of the new organization. A person familiar with the saga said that Ramaswamy chose to walk away from the cause he championed as the mandate narrowed and shifted. He also thought that the organization needed to act independently of the federal government as an outside entity, but Trumps Day One executive order brought DOGE into the fold officially. Elon was for it, Vivek was against it. I dont think it spoke to the original mission, the vision for DOGE, as articulated by Trump two months ago, the person said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On Monday, Trump said Musk and his team will have office space for 20 or so people. His executive order also states that Musk will report to the White House chief of staff, Ice Maiden Susie Wileswho recently said she doesnt want any stars on the West Wing. Vivek Ramaswamy and Elon Musk, with his son X, depart the Capitol building in Washington, DC on December 05, 2024. / Craig Hudson for The Washington Post via Getty Images One WSJ source said Trumps executive order surprised a lot of people, not least because it is reportedly only a two-week-old idea. It comes as Cincinnati-born Ramaswamy is set to announce a bid for governor in his home state of Ohio by the end of the month. A spokesperson for DOGE all but confirmed this after Ramaswamy threw in the towel. Vivek Ramaswamy played a critical role in helping us create DOGE, Anna Kelly told the Associated Press Monday. He intends to run for elected office soon, which requires him to remain outside of DOGE, based on the structure that we announced today. MEMPHIS, Tenn. An Overton High School student was taken into custody after police say he brought a handgun to school Wednesday. Police say the school officer received a tip that a student had a gun. He made contact with the student in a hallway as students were going to lunch, and asked him if he had a gun. The student took off running. He was detained by the officer, who said he found a handgun in a crossover bag the student was carrying. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Teen fatally shoots a female student and himself at Antioch High School in Nashville, police say The student told police he bought the gun from someone, and brought it to school because he did not want to leave it at home with his siblings. The students mother made the scene, and he was taken to the Shelby County Juvenile 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 WREG.com. Police in Scottsdale, Arizona have arrested two people suspected of defrauding central Florida homeowners out of millions of dollars. This was a case Action 9 first exposed in 2022 and it involved a company called Legacy Pools. Do you have a consumer complaint or need help from Jeff Deal and Action 9? Click the banner below to submit a tip. The Action 9 team received dozens of complaints about this two years ago. A husband and wife involved with Legacy Pools, Charles and Kristin Black, were arrested earlier this week on a Florida warrant out of Brevard County. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Homeowners who paid big deposits for pools turned to Action 9 claiming Legacy Pools left them with holes in the ground and never finished the work. The suspects went before a judge in Maricopa County, Arizona on the charges this week. Theyre each facing two counts of organized scheme to defraud and five counts of filing false documents. The Brevard County Sheriffs Office told Action 9 Consumer Investigator Jeff Deal that Charles Black falsified documents to get his contractors license and the couple took money from customers but didnt complete the jobs. Investigators allege this involves more than 300 victims and around $2,000,000. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Agents from the Brevard County Sheriffs Office Economic Crimes Unit worked with Statewide Prosecutors Office to bring these charges because it involves customers from Brevard, Orange and Osceola counties. The Blacks are fighting extradition and are each being held on a $50,000 cash-only bond. In a Facebook post, Sheriff Wayne Ivey wrote the couple spent around $2,000,000 on traveling, gym memberships, car rentals, parties and other items. Sheriff Ivey added, Nothing makes me more mad than people who take advantage of others for their own benefit!! Action 9 will keep provide an update when the suspects are brought back to Florida to face these charges. Read More: Action 9 investigates Melbourne contractor Read More:Its atrocious: List of angry pool customers grows Pennsylvania is expected to receive over $200 million as part of a national settlement with Purdue Pharma and the Sackler Family. Attorney General Dave Sunday said on Thursday Pennsylvania could receive up to $212 million to be put toward fighting the opioid crisis over the next 15 years. The deal, agreed to by Purdue Pharma, the Sackler family members who own the company and lawyers representing state and local governments and thousands of victims of the opioid crisis, represents an increase of more than $1 billion over a previous settlement deal that was rejected last year by the U.S. Supreme Court. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement RELATED COVERAGE >>> Purdue Pharma, owners to pay $7.4B settlement in OxyContin lawsuits No dollar amount could ever replace what has been lost due to the opioid epidemic, but this settlement will go a long way in bolstering treatment resources and helping Pennsylvanians achieve recovery, Attorney General Sunday said. This epidemic, no doubt, was fueled by Purdue Pharmas manufacturing and deceptive marketing of OxyContin, a highly potent and addictive drug. Dependency on the drug ruined countless lives, while the Sackler family and Purdue made more than $35 billion from its distribution, profiting off of the suffering of others. The money will be delivered to communities directly across the country and be put toward opioid addiction treatment, prevention and recovery programs, Sunday said. The settlement is still pending court approval. Download the FREE WPXI News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Channel 11 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch WPXI NOW (Getty Images) Pennsylvania expects to receive $212 million over 15 years as part of a multi-state settlement with the Sackler family, who controlled Purdue Pharma, Attorney General Dave Sunday announced Thursday. Purdue manufactured the powerful opioid OxyContin, which fueled an epidemic of addiction and overdoses around the country. The family and business engaged in deceptive marketing practices, telling prescribers that the drug was less potent and addictive than in reality. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement No dollar amount could ever replace what has been lost due to the opioid epidemic, but this settlement will go a long way in bolstering treatment resources and helping Pennsylvanians achieve recovery, Sunday said in a statement. This epidemic, no doubt, was fueled by Purdue Pharmas manufacturing and deceptive marketing of OxyContin, a highly potent and addictive drug. Dependency on the drug ruined countless lives, while the Sackler family and Purdue made more than $35 billion from its distribution, profiting off of the suffering of others. The settlement, which was reached with 15 states and other parties, will total $7.4 billion, paid out to various parties over 15 years. The Sackler family itself will pay $6.5 billion, and Purdue Pharma will pay $900 million. That money is intended to support treatment, prevention and recovery programs for opioid addicts. The settlement will also end the Sackler familys control of Purdue Pharma, and they will no longer be allowed to sell opiates in the U.S. A board of trustees selected by parties in affected states, along with creditors, will later determine what happens to the company, according to Sundays press release. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The settlement must still be approved in court. A previous settlement was rejected by the Supreme Court in 2024 and deemed too protective of the Sacklers. Notably, that agreement shielded the family from future litigation related to their role in the opioid epidemic. A large portion of the funds in this settlement, $1.5 billion, would be paid out in the first three years. States, local governments, and others would all receive shares. Other states involved in the lawsuit include California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Illinois, Massachusetts, Oregon, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont, Virginia and West Virginia. EDITORS NOTE: An earlier version of this story misstated the timeframe for which certain recommendations from the school district would be implemented. We regret the error. PACIFICA, Calif. (KRON) The Pacifica School District voted Wednesday to close Ocean Shore Elementary School, sparking a wave of backlash amongst the community. It felt suspicious. It was unusual because normally the administration and the school community has a lot of communication and transparency, but in this case they snuck it in after the new year, said parent Corbie Phillips. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Students from kindergarten to 5th grade attend Ocean Shore. With the closure, 405 students will be relocated to Sunset Ridge School at the start of next year. They may have to use the gym and other non-classroom spaces for learning. Sonoma State discontinuing athletics, eliminating several degree programs Without any modifications, that is ludicrous. There is no planning, we dont know how theyre going to fit us all in, said Karen Kee, co-president of the Ocean Shore Parent-Teacher Organization. In addition, Vallemar Schools middle school program will move to Ingrid B. Lacy Middle School starting at the 2025-26 school year. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Students of color and of lower income live in the north end and they want to make the only K-8 option all the way in the south end. That seems very classist and racist to me, said Vallemar special ed. teacher and parent Angela Diaz. According to a report from the district, enrollment has dropped by 17% over the past decade. School officials believe a merger would help balance the budget. There was an intense rally on Wednesday ahead of the school board meeting. Parents, students and teachers all attended. Despite the boards vote, some families say they will keep fighting to keep Ocean Shore open. 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. Press Release January 23, 2025 Sen. Robin Bill Integrates Bangsamoro History and Culture in Basic Education To ensure our basic education is inclusive and accounts for all Filipinos, Sen. Robinhood "Robin" C. Padilla has filed a bill to integrate Bangsamoro history, culture and identity in the study of Philippine history in basic education. Padilla filed on Jan. 22 Senate Bill 2939, noting the passage of the 2019 Bangsamoro Organic Law seeks to secure the identity and posterity of Muslim Filipinos and allow for meaningful self-governance. "In order to ensure an accurate and faithful instruction of the Bangsamoro history under the auspices of the Integrated History Act, this bill seeks to outline the approach to the formulation and creation of history courses or subjects pertaining to BARMM and provide the impetus for a greater interest among the youth to have deeper understanding of the Muslim-Christian dynamics in the country, and build a culture of mutual respect and desire for national unity," he said in his bill. Under the bill, the Department of Education shall include in the curricula of Philippine history courses or subjects the study and understanding of Bangsamoro history, culture and identity. The key content shall take into account the roots of conflict in Mindanao, Muslim-Christian dynamics, the character of Mindanao, and the contextual background of the Bangsamoro's desire for self-governance. It shall also foster the attitudes and values of respect, sensitivity and empathy in the appreciation of various cultures and ethnic identities "towards building a regime of just and lasting peace, and national unity." Bill ni Sen. Robin, Isasama ang Bangsamoro History and Culture sa Basic Education Para tiyaking inclusive sa lahat na Pilipino ang ating basic education system, naghain ng panukala si Sen. Robinhood "Robin" C. Padilla para ma-integrate ang Bangsamoro history, culture at identity. Ihinain ni Padilla nitong Enero 22 ang Senate Bill 2939, kung saan ang layon ng 2019 Bangsamoro Organic Law ay tiyakin ang "identity and posterity" ng Muslim Filipinos, at ang "meaningful self-governance." "In order to ensure an accurate and faithful instruction of the Bangsamoro history under the auspices of the Integrated History Act, this bill seeks to outline the approach to the formulation and creation of history courses or subjects pertaining to BARMM and provide the impetus for a greater interest among the youth to have deeper understanding of the Muslim-Christian dynamics in the country, and build a culture of mutual respect and desire for national unity," aniya. Sa panukala ni Padilla, isasama ng Department of Education sa curricula ng Philippine history ang kurso ng pag-unawa sa Bangsamoro history, culture at identity. Isasama sa laman nito ang ugat ng tunggalian sa Mindanao, ang Muslim-Christian dynamics, ang karakter ng Mindanao, at ang konteksto ng nais ng Bangsamoro para sa self-governance. Kasama din dito ang paghubog ng "respect, sensitivity and empathy" para sa iba't ibang kultura, at ng ethnic identities "towards building a regime of just and lasting peace, and national unity." UAE telco e& has partnered with IBM to launch an end-to-end GenAI governance solution, announced this week at the World Economic Forum 2025 in Davos. The partners say the collaboration intends to enhance e&'s AI governance framework to promote compliance, oversight, and ethical practices across its growing AI ecosystem. The AI solution, to be implemented by IBM Consulting, will use IBM's watsonx.governance enterprise AI and data governance platform, to address compliance requirements, transparency, and ethical oversight of AI models. IBM watsonx.governance facilitates dynamic monitoring, offering real-time insights into model performance, risk scoring, and compliance metrics. IBM Consulting will work with e& to define workflows and key performance indicators and onboard existing AI models onto the platform to deliver real-time insights into AIs value, impact, and potential risks. "This collaboration will bring IBMs globally recognised toolkit for AI governance to bear on key challenges like maintaining consistent oversight of e&s AI systems, navigating risks such as non-compliance, ethical concerns, and the monitoring of AI performance at scale," e& says in its announcement. "e& is proactively enhancing its AI ecosystem by establishing a robust framework for accountability, mitigating potential biases, and safeguarding data. "Leveraging IBMs technology and consulting expertise, e& is taking a significant step forward in building scalable and transparent AI operations." The new AI governance solution includes features like automated risk management, compliance monitoring, and real-time performance analysis. As AI continues to transform industries, responsible governance is paramount, said Dena Almansoori, Group Chief AI and Data Officer at e&. "At e&, we are committed to leading by example and setting the global benchmark when it comes to establishing robust AI governance practices. By adopting IBM watsonx.governance, were taking a decisive step forward in our AI journey. "This collaboration ensures transparency, explainability and efficiency across our AI operations, raising the bar for AI governance in the industry. The deployment will also use IBM Consulting Advantage, an AI-powered delivery platform, to accelerate the development of the AI governance framework through persona and journey mapping, market research, architecture patterns for AI integration, and knowledge transfer materials. IBM watsonx empowers organisations like e& to navigate the complexities of AI governance. By integrating automation, real-time monitoring, and centralised oversight, we are addressing key governance challenges and reducing risks associated with AI, said Shukri Eid, General Manager, Gulf, Levant & Pakistan at IBM. Strengthening our long-standing partnership with e&, this milestone serves as a catalyst for responsible AI innovation. President Donald Trump addressed the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, on Thursday. BI's Spriha Srivastava was in the room where CEOs and leaders listened to him speak. They laughed but also sat silent as he bashed the EU and indulged in his campaign-trail rhetoric. If you didn't know President Donald Trump had taken the oath of office three days before, you might have thought his speech at Davos' Congress Hall was a campaign event. Trump's virtual address on Thursday afternoon drew a massive crowd at the Swiss event, with people lining up outside the 700-seater hall. As he was introduced, the room erupted in applause. Trump began by congratulating the World Economic Forum on organizing the conference, but he quickly pivoted to his signature "America First" rhetoric. When he discussed limiting "transgender surgeries," a few people around me sighed in disappointment. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A panel of top CEOs from around the world posed questions. When Blackstone CEO Steve Schwarzman asked about Europe, Trump didn't hold back, voicing his frustration with European regulations. His remarks left many European leaders in the audience stone-faced. The room was silent. Frustration over European regulations has been a recurring theme this year perhaps Trump's blunt message made that even clearer. The mood lightened when Trump joked about offering Canada the chance to become the 51st state, with laughter across the room. "He has a way of keeping the crowd engaged," the person next to me said. The line outside the hall to hear Trump's speech. Spriha Srivastava/Business Insider The audience laughed when Trump told the WEF president, Brge Brende, that China's leader, Xi Jinping, had phoned him, not the other way around. But one of the biggest moments came when Ana Botin, the executive chair of Santander, introduced herself by subtly challenging Trump's familiarity with her. "You may not know me as well as the other panelists," she said before adding that Santander's global customer base was larger than that of Bank of America, whose CEO, Brian Moynihan, was onstage with her, or JPMorgan. The audience erupted in laughter, and I heard someone whisper, "Go Europe." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement After the speech, a journalist sitting next to me said it was a "missed opportunity" for Trump. "I don't think he said anything we haven't heard before, but he had a real opportunity to engage with leaders here," he said. One delegate, a woman in a dark-blue suit, said afterward that she'd left the hall at the "transgender surgeries" remark. "I couldn't listen to it," she said. Trump's speech reminded me how different his style is from the measured, diplomatic tone that usually defines Davos. Whether his message landed the way he intended, however, is another question. Read the original article on Business Insider ISLAMABAD (AP) Pakistans lower house of parliament on Thursday passed a controversial bill that will give the government sweeping controls on social media, including sending users to prison for spreading disinformation. The bill was quickly passed after lawmakers from the opposition party of imprisoned former Prime Minister Imran Khan staged a walkout to denounce the law. Critics say the government is seeking to further suppress freedom of speech. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Farhatullah Babar, a leading human rights activist, said the latest changes to cybercrime law were aimed at further stifling the freedom of expression through setting up of multiple authorities under executive control, enlarging the print of unaccountable intelligence agencies. He said the law also "gives sweeping powers to the executive not only over the contents of the message but also the messengers, namely the social media platforms Under the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act, which was introduced in the National Assembly Wednesday, authorities would create an agency with the power to order the immediate blocking of content deemed unlawful and offensive" from social media, such as content critical of judges, the armed forces, parliament or provincial assemblies. Individuals and organizations posting such content may also be blocked from social media. Under the law, social media platforms would be required to register with the new Social Media Protection and Regulatory Authority, and those failing to comply could face temporary or permanent bans. The law also makes spreading disinformation a criminal offense, punishable by three years in prison and a fine of 2 million rupees ($7,150). Unions representing journalists and news editors rejected the bill Thursday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Information Minister Attaullah Tarar defended the law, saying it was only aimed at stopping the spread of disinformation and hate speech. He told reporters in Islamabad that he was still ready to address the concerns of the journalist and that the law was not meant to impose curbs on the electronic media and journalists. The move by the government to pass the bill comes nearly a year after Pakistan blocked the X platform ahead of an election that the opposition party of Khan says was rigged. X is still blocked in the country, although many people use virtual private networks to access it, like in other countries with tight internet controls. Khan has a huge following on social media, especially X, where supporters frequently circulate demands for his release. Khan has been behind bars since 2023, when he was arrested for graft. Khan's party also uses social media to organize demonstrations. The leader of the opposition denounced the proposed legislation, saying it was aimed at further suppressing freedom of speech. Omar Ayub Khan, who is not related to the imprisoned former premier, said the bill could lay a foundation for the suppression of voices advocating for constitutional rights. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On Thursday, the PTI said it was ending talks with the government ahead of a Jan. 28 deadline to meet with Khan. The announcement by Gohar Ali Khan, chairman of the PTI party, came weeks after he began talks with the government to secure the release of the former prime minister and discuss other demands. Pakistani media has faced growing censorship in recent years. Journalists have said they face state pressure to avoid using Imran Khan's name, and most TV stations have begun referring to him only as the founder of the PTI" party. Human rights defenders and journalists' unions have vowed to oppose the law, but with the government holding a majority, its passage is all but assured. Afzal Butt, president of the Federal Union of Journalists, said the law was an attempt to suppress the media, social media and journalists. The government says the law is necessary to limit the spread of disinformation. Thousands of Palestinians are returning home with hope, as the ceasefire and hostage agreement between Israel and Hamas enters its fifth day. But for those in Gaza, the joy of returning is tempered with feelings of being "lost" and "not knowing where to go," some shared with ABC News upon discovering their homes were completely destroyed. According to the United Nations, about 1.9 million of Gaza's 2.2 million residents were displaced during the conflict over the past 15 months, the nongovernmental organization Human Rights Watch reported in November 2024. Hamas launched an unprecedented terrorist attack on Oct. 7, 2023, in southern Israel. More than 1,200 people were killed and another 251 were taken hostage, according to Israeli authorities. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said they have killed more than 15,000 combatants throughout the course of the war. PHOTO: Palestinians sit in a ruined neighbourhood of Gaza's southern city of Rafah, on Jan. 22, 2025, as residents return following a ceasefire deal days earlier between Israel and the Palestinian Hamas group. (Bashar Taleb/AFP via Getty Images) In over a year of war between Israel and Hamas, more than 47,000 people have been killed in Gaza and almost 111,000 injured, according to the Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry. That figure does not distinguish between civilians and combatants. More than 14,000 children and 8,000 women have been killed, according to the health ministry. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "I returned yesterday and stayed next to the rubble of the house, not knowing where to go," 19-year-old Mohamed Abu Ghaly told ABC News on Tuesday. What's next now that Hamas and Israel have agreed to a deal? Mohamed said he remained there overnight, making a fire and spending the night beside the wreckage of what was once his home. An IT student at Al-Aqsa University, Mohamed has been unable to continue his studies due to the destruction of the university during the war. Sixty-nine percent of buildings in north Gaza and 48% in the city of Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip have been either damaged or destroyed as of Jan. 11, according to an analysis of Copernicus Sentinel-1 satellite data conducted by Corey Scher of the CUNY Graduate Center and Jamon Van Den Hoek of Oregon State University. PHOTO: Displaced Palestinians travel in a truck as they return to their house, following a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, in Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip, Jan 22, 2025. (Mohammed Salem/Reuters) The challenges Palestinians now face in returning home range from basic needs -- such as access to water, food, electricity, gas and the internet -- to larger-scale systems such as sanitation, health care and education. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Gaza's infrastructure has suffered "extensive damage," according to a December 2024 World Bank report. An earlier report from April 2024, just six months into the conflict, estimated physical damages would total $18.5 billion by the end of January. How Israel-Hamas agreement came to be amid false starts, recriminations and deaths of key players Aid and commercial trucks began crossing the Rafah border after an eight-month closure. More than 1,500 trucks with humanitarian aid entered the Gaza Strip in the first two days of the ceasefire, according to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. That included more than 630 trucks on Sunday and 915 trucks on Monday, according to OCHA. Of the ones that crossed into Gaza on Sunday, OCHA said at least 300 trucks went to the north, which the U.N. has warned is facing imminent famine. The influx of aid has helped ease skyrocketing food prices, with the price of chicken dropping from $20 to $6 per kilogram, or about 2.2 pounds, on the first day of the ceasefire's implementation, residents said. PHOTO: Men erect tents in Al-Shujiyya neighbourhood in Gaza City, on Jan. 22, 2025, as displaced Palestinians return to the city, on the fourth day of a ceasefire deal in the war between Israel and Hamas in the Palestinian territory. (AFP via Getty Images) Standing beside Mohamed, his brother Alaa Aby Ghaly shared his hopes for the future despite the challenges. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "We plan to get a tent and set it up where our house used to be. Until God provides a solution," he said. Both brothers expressed their preference for living in a tent in their neighborhood, even though it had been reduced to rubble. "For me, Al-Shaboura is still better than anywhere else, in every way," Alaa said. Details of what's in the ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas Their father, Eyad Aby Ghaly, 53, a psychologist, lost his job when the war began. He said he worries about whether the ceasefire and hostage agreement will hold, as the future of his sons and the Palestinian youth hinges on it. Standing with his sons, Eyad explained that neither his family nor their neighbors have been involved with resistance groups. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "None of us belong to the resistance. We dont know why they [the Israelis] targeted the neighborhood. I look at young people and wonder: Where will they go? There's no future for them," he said. "We dont know anything -- whether the truce is still holding or not. Everyone feels anxious and uneasy." ABC News' Samy Zyara, Jordana Miller and Nasser Atta contributed to this story. Palestinians returning home in Gaza torn between joy, loss and uncertainty amid ceasefire originally appeared on abcnews.go.com The Pacific Palisades fire and other blazes within the city limits have cost Los Angeles at least $350 million in damage to public infrastructure, according to a city estimate. The estimate, which does not factor in damage to private homes and businesses, or public infrastructure lost in the nearby Eaton fire in Altadena, was announced Wednesday in a presentation to the L.A. city council. City Administrative Office Matt Szabo said the $350 million figure included $76 million in damage to water and power infrastructure, as well as $48 million in losses on sanitation facilities. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement These are initial estimates, he told the council, The Los Angeles Times reports. They will likely grow. The city is preparing to submit damage estimates to the federal government after the Biden administration pledged to reimburse 100 percent of debris removal and emergency response costs submitted within 180 days of L.A. declaring an emergency. However, some federal aid to Los Angeles may be tied up in the ongoing party changeover in Washington. L.A. fires have caused billions in damages and prompted discussion of sweeping reforms to building codes and fire insurance (AP) Republicans have called for attaching conditions to additional wildfire aid to California, while Donald Trump signed an executive order on Monday directing federal officials to study how to cut off federal funding to local sanctuary jurisdictions that do not assist with federal immigration enforcement operations. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Los Angeles is among those jurisdictions. Regardless of whether the federal aid comes through, the city of Los Angeles and the wider metropolitan area around it face huge rebuilding costs. The Eaton fire, which occurred just outside city limits, destroyed over 9,400 structures and damaged more than 1,000 others, decimating a historically Black enclave where many families managed to buy and own homes despite decades of racially discriminatory housing policies around L.A. We asked at several different stopping points each day if she could just get a piece of gravel, Kimberly Cooper, whose grandmother Dr. Dorothy Ludd-Lloyd bought a home in Altadena in 1972, told CNN. She doesnt want not just her history, but her parents history, to be erased. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Estimates for the cumulative damage from the Eaton and Palisades fires have ranged from $20 billion to $50 billion. The Biden administration promised to reimburse Los Angeles for large parts of its fire response, but wildfire aid may be stopped under Trump (Getty Images) The disaster is considered the worst in state history. As The Independent has reported, the staggering costs of wildfires in California are prompting some insurers to cease offering policies in the state. Theres a lot of vested interest in building, with wood, in areas that shouldnt be built in, Glenn Corbett, a retired fire chief and professor of fire science at New York Citys John Jay College of Criminal Justice, told The Independent. We need to make it incredibly expensive to build in these kinds of environments. Thats all you can do If the insurance industry refuses to sell policies, maybe people wont risk it. Climate experts argue the substantial costs of rebuilding after each fire are further reminders of the importance of taking near-term measures to adapt to the new climate crisis reality of increased natural disasters as well as long-term steps to reduce overall emissions. On the same day President Donald Trump reiterated during his inaugural address that he wants the Panama Canal back under American control, Panamas authorities began an audit of the company that controls two of the waterways adjacent ports. The Panamanian comptrollers office sent a team of auditors to the local offices of the Panama Ports Company, a subsidiary of Hong Kong-based CK Hutchison Holdings, to open the probe. More from Sourcing Journal Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to a Monday post on X, the audit is aimed at ensuring the efficient and transparent use of public resources. Hoy, nuestros auditores llegaron a Panama Ports Company para dar inicio a una exhaustiva auditoria que tiene como objetivo garantizar el uso eficiente y transparente de los recursos publicos.#ContraloriaPanama #CGRPanama pic.twitter.com/Whlfii7dNf Contraloria General de la Republica de Panama (@ContraloriaPma) January 20, 2025 President Trump first unveiled his desires to take back the canal in December, before suggesting earlier this month that he would even consider using military force to gain control of the 51-mile waterway. Panama has owned the canal since Dec. 31, 1999, when the U.S. transferred control under the provisions of a 1977 treaty signed by President Jimmy Carter. In his inaugural address, Trump bemoaned the purpose of our deal and the spirit of our treaty has been totally violated, repeating the claim that China is operating the Panama Canal. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump has not produced any evidence of this claim, and Panamas government and President Jose Raul Mulino have repeatedly denied that there is any Chinese presence at the canal. I fully reject the insinuating words by President Donald Trump at his inaugural address relating to Panama and its canal, Mulino said in a statement Monday. The canal is and will remain Panamanian and its administration will remain under Panamanian control with respect to its permanent neutrality. The presidents concerns probably stem from the fact that Hutchison operates two ports at the canals northern and southern entrancesthe Port of Balboa on the Pacific side of the route while the Port of Cristobal operates on the Atlantic end. New Secretary of State Marco Rubio called Hutchisons China ties a very legitimate concern at his Senate confirmation hearing. While Hutchison is not owned by the Chinese government, the company is still subject to a broadly defined national security law that Beijing imposed on Hong Kong in 2020. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If these companies control both ends of that canal in a time of conflict and the Chinese tell them, Shut it down and dont let the U.S. go through there, weve got a big, big problema big economic problem and a big national security and defense problem, Rubio said at the hearing. However, Seattle-based SSA Marine operates the largest container terminal in Panama at the Cristobal port, the Manzanillo Internal Terminal. Other terminal operators like Taiwans Evergreen Marine and PSA Singapore have long-term leases at the ports. The Panama Canal is one of the most vital trade arteries worldwide, serving as the connector for cargo shipped between both the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. The canal delivers a significant strategic supply chain advantage to the U.S., in that it accounts for 46 percent of the total market share of containers moving from Northeast Asia to the East Coast, according to the U.S. Department of Commerce. One of Trumps other major gripes is the contention that American ships are being severely overcharged and not treated fairly in any way, shape or form. These claims havent been substantiated. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Rates are not a whim, Mulino said in a statement last month. They are and will be established, publicly and in an open audience, considering market conditions, international competition, operating costs and the maintenance and modernization needs of the interoceanic waterway. Panama Canal Authority (ACP) administrator Ricaurte Vasquez Morales also pushed back on Trumps assertion that U.S. ships should get preferential rates. Rules are rules and there are no exceptions, Vasquez told the Wall Street Journal. We cannot discriminate for the Chinese, or the Americans or anyone else. This will violate the neutrality treaty, international law and it will lead to chaos. Rates are set by the size and type of ship, though the canal also runs auctions for slots for time-sensitive cargo. That practice was experimented with during the months-long drought period in 2023 and early 2024, when the ACP limited the number of daily transits allowed through the waterway. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Tolls average roughly $750,000 per passage, but typically range anywhere between $300,000 and $1 million. The United States is the canals biggest user, accounting for 74.7 percent of canal traffic in fiscal year 2024. China comes in a distant second at 21.4 percent. The Panamanian government formally raised concerns with the United Nations over President Trumps threats to retake the canal, noting any threat of force would violate rules. In a letter to U.N. Secretary General Antonio Guterres, Panama highlights U.N. Charter language that directs members to refrain in their international relations from the threat or use of any force against the territorial integrity or independence of another state. BAY COUNTY, Fla. (WMBB) Panama City Beach residents traded building sandcastles for snowmen on Wednesday. Locals didnt want to miss out on a rare snow day at the beach. I honestly feel like a child. I feel like Im five years old. I really have just been jumping around in it, Panama City Beach resident Hannah Mayo said. For some, this is their first snow day ever. SEE: Winter weather covers the Panhandle Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its very exciting. It is my very first time, and the fact that I get to witness history is absolutely wild, Mayo said. And for most, its the first snow day theyve experienced in Florida. Those not originally from Florida tend to travel or move here in order to escape the cold weather. It literally felt like a dream. I kept looking outside, just absolutely surprised by just snow coming out of the sky, Panama City Beach resident Kara Munson said. While some locals only enjoyed the snow for a short time, others say they could play outside all day. I definitely threw some snowballs, built a few snowmen. We had to find Something to go ride on the snow, Munson said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Bay County Sheriff advises drivers to stay off roadways But most residents say theyll cherish this experience for a long time. I love it so much, Mayo added. Remember to be cautious when walking down beach accesses. As many are covered in ice, making it very difficult and dangerous to travel down. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. The Panamanian government formally raised concerns with the United Nations over President Trumps threats to retake the Panama Canal, noting any threat of force would violate rules. In a letter to U.N. Secretary General Antonio Guterres, Panama points to U.N. Charter language that directs members to refrain in their international relations from the threat or use of any force against the territorial integrity or independence of another state. The letter also repeats a declaration from Panamanian President Jose Raul Mulino. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Canal is and will remain Panamas and its administration will remain under Panamanian control with respect to its permanent neutrality, he said on Inauguration Day. The letter responds to a claim from Trump in his inaugural address, saying, Above all, China is operating the Panama Canal, and we didnt give it to China. We gave it to Panama. And were taking it back. Trumps comments on the canal are among his latest territorial fixations, as he has also pushed to obtain Greenland from Denmark. During his address, he made several false claims about the canal, including that 38,000 Americans died building it. Previous fact checks have found the number is closer to 300. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement China has invested heavily in Panama, including in a number of construction deals, and it does manage two of Panamas five main ports. But it plays no role in managing the canal. Beijing has repeatedly rejected Trumps claims. We agree with Panamas President Jose Raul Mulino @joseraulmulino that Panamas sovereignty and independence are not negotiable, and the #PanamaCanal is not under direct or indirect control by any power, Chinas Ministry of Foreign Affairs wrote on X. China does not take part in managing or operating the Canal. Never ever has China interfered. We respect Panamas sovereignty over the Canal and recognize it as a permanently neutral international waterway. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 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. Panamas control of the canal that bears its name should not be returned to the United States despite President Donald Trumps calls of were taking it back, Panamanians say. Although most people thought the matter was closed when Panama officially took control of canal operations from the United States in 1999, the issue reared its head during his campaign when he suggested the engineering marvel that connects the Atlantic and Pacific oceans was being run by China and should return to U.S. control. Trump repeated that claim in his inaugural speech this week, saying, China is operating the Panama Canal, and were taking it back. Secretary of State Marco Rubio will visit Panama during a Latin American and Caribbean tour that starts late next week. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Speaking at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, Panamas President Jose Raul Mulino dismissed the notion as he and other Panamanian leaders tried to gain international support this week for keeping the canal under their nations authority. Among those leaders is Jorge Luis Quijano, a former canal administrator, who insists Panama is running the waterway, not China. He also disputed Trumps complaint that U.S. ships pay more to pass through the canal than other countries. A ship with a Panamanian flag pays as much as an American-flagged ship, Quijano said, adding that rates are based on a vessels size, and large container ships may pay as much as $1.2 million to pass through the 51-mile waterway that cuts through the Isthmus of Panama. Quijano said he started working at the canal in 1975 after graduating as an engineer from Lamar University in Beaumont, Texas, when the United States still controlled it. He said Americans were the supervisors when he started, but Panamanians eventually became the managers and the Americans retired. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I saw the whole movie, Quijano said jokingly about witnessing the transition over the 44 years he worked at the canal, eventually becoming vice president of operations and leading a reconstruction effort that expanded the channels capacity in 2016. Humberto Arcia, 72, who lived two miles from the canal in the Chorrillo neighborhood as a child, said he will never forget the price Panamanians paid for the right to run the canal in their own country. The Hay-Bunau-Varilla treaty signed in 1903 gave the United States the right to build and manage the Panama Canal. Construction began in 1904 after a failed attempt by a French construction team to build the ambitious passage. The massive project took the lives of more than 5,000 construction workers, 350 of them U.S. citizens, by the time it was completed in 1914. Most of the workers were from Caribbean nations. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Panamas relationship with the United States was marked by riots and demonstrations opposing American involvement in the Central American nations affairs and control over the canal. In 1964, anti-American riots broke out in Panama because the Panamanian flag was not allowed to fly next to the U.S. flag at Balboa High School in the U.S.-controlled Canal Zone that was attended by American students, according to the U.S. National Archives. The Canal Zone was a 10-mile concession of the United States where canal employees and their families lived. American students in the U.S.-controlled canal zone stand in the balcony of Balboa High School exhibiting the American flag, on Jan. 9, 1964. A student with a Banner saying Fleming Go Home, on Jan. 9, 1964. The protests escalated and students from multiple high schools outside the Canal Zone marched to its entrance, where at least 20 people were killed in clashes with the U.S. military, National Guard and Canal Zone Police during three days of riots. The protests are commemorated each year on Jan. 9, a national holiday, known as the Day of Martyrs. Arcia, a retired banker and attorney, remembers hearing relatives of the students talk about their loss when he lived near the Canal. Their suffering changed the lives of their families forever, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The riots were a turning point in Panamas history, but it wasnt until 1977 that President Jimmy Carter and the Panamanian military leader Omar Torrijos signed the Torrijos-Carter Treaty that would eventually lead to Panamanian oversight. The Panama Canal Authority assumed full control on Dec. 31, 1999. U.S. historian David McCullough wrote in his book The Path Between the Seas: The fifty miles between the oceans were among the hardest ever won by human effort and ingenuity, and no statistics on tonnage or tolls can begin to convey the grandeur of what was accomplished. Primarily the canal is an expression of that old and noble desire to bridge the divide, to bring people together. It is a work of civilization. The Panama Canal was designated one of the seven wonders of the modern world in 1994. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Today, the canal is one of the United States most important trade routes and the top revenue source for Panama. The canal generates yearly revenues above $5 billion to the countrys coffers, according to the U.S. State Department. The ships that pass through generate income, but the canal also attracts businesses that create jobs in industries such as logistics, insurance and banking, according to the Panama Canal Authority (ACP). Panamanians said the canal is part of their national identity. Panamanian business consultant Marjorie Miller said her great-grandfather, John Miller, moved to Panama from Jamaica to work at the canal. U.S. Census Bureau records show he lived in the American labor camp known as the Red Tank with other canal workers. John Miller, Marjorie Millers great grandfather, stands next to one of the Panama Canal locks, where he worked in the 1940s. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I always knew how important the canal was to our country because of my ancestors, she said. The Panama Canal is Panama. It is our greatest asset. Miller said she is frustrated by comments posted by Panamanians on social media about how the United States could probably do a better job running the canal than Panama. The comments come from ignorance, she said, adding that many younger people in her country lack the historical knowledge to understand the importance of the canal for Panama. Miller also said that Trumps comments about Chinas involvement in the canals operations may have arisen because Panama broke diplomatic relations with Taiwan in 2017 and established ties with China instead. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We were friends one day, and now we are hearing, We want your canal, she said. Thats a big change when the U.S. is our greatest trading partner. Panama Canal worker John Miller poses next to his wife and their four children. A spokesperson for Chinas foreign ministry, Mao Ning, said at a Wednesday news briefing that Trumps comments about China and the canal are baseless. Panamas sovereignty and independence are not negotiable, and the Panama Canal is not under direct or indirect control by any power, Mao said. China does not take part in managing or operating the canal. Never ever has China interfered. We respect Panamas sovereignty over the Canal and recognize it as a permanently neutral international waterway. Quijano, the former vice president of operations, said he doubts the United States could easily run the canal because it takes 12 years of training for an engineer to learn the complicated system of locks and water elevators that route giant ships through the canal. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If he thinks he is going to take it back and then we are going to run it for him, the answer is no, he said. All of us just need to respect the treaties and the sovereignty of nations. Arcia, who grew up near the canal, said Trump needs to change his tone toward Panama: What we always want is a beautiful relationship of equality, not submission. This article was originally published on NBCNews.com GOMA, Congo (AP) Panic spread in eastern Congo's main city on Thursday, with M23 rebels steadily inching closer to Goma and seizing a nearby town as they battle the Congolese army. Bombs were heard going off in the city's distant outskirts and hundreds of wounded civilians were brought in to the main hospital from the area of the fighting. The rebel group has advanced significantly in recent weeks, closing in on Goma, which has around 2 million people and is a regional hub for security and humanitarian efforts. On Thursday, the rebels took Sake, a town only 27 kilometers (16 miles) from Goma and one of the last main routes into the provincial capital still under government control, according to the U.N. chief. M23 is one of about 100 armed groups that have been vying for a foothold in mineral-rich eastern Congo, along the border with Rwanda, in a decadeslong conflict that has created one of the worlds largest humanitarian crises. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement More than 7 million people have been displaced by the fighting. Earlier this month, M23 captured the towns of Minova, Katale and Masisi, west of Goma. The people of Goma have suffered greatly, like other Congolese, an M23 spokesperson, Lawrence Kanyuka, said on X. M23 is on its way to liberate them, and they must prepare to welcome this liberation. M23 seized Goma in 2012 and controlled it for over a week. As news of fighting spread, schools in Goma sent students home on Thursday morning. We are told that the enemy wants to enter the city. Thats why we are told to go home, Hassan Kambale, a 19-year-old high school student, said. We are constantly waiting for the bombs." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Congo, the United States and U.N. experts accuse Rwanda of backing the M23, mainly composed of ethnic Tutsis who broke away from the Congolese army over a decade ago. Rwandas government denies the claim but last year admitted that it has troops and missile systems in eastern Congo to safeguard its security, pointing to a buildup of Congolese forces near the border. U.N. experts estimate there are up to 4,000 Rwandan forces in Congo. On Wednesday, Congos minister of communication, Patrick Muyaya, told French broadcaster France 24 that war with Rwanda is an option to consider. Late Thursday, U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres condemned in the strongest terms, the renewed offensive launched by the 23 March Movement (M23), including the seizure of Sake. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This offensive has a devastating toll on the civilian population and heightened the risk of a broader regional war, Guterres' statement read. He also urged all parties to uphold human rights and international humanitarian law. Earlier in the day, Congolese authorities claimed that the military pushed back an attack from the Rwandan army on Sake. The Associated Press was unable to verify if Rwanda's army took part in the offensive. The population is in panic. The M23 now control large parts of the town, said Leopold Mwisha, the president of civil society of the area of Sake. Guterres said he was deeply troubled" by the most recent reports about the "presence of Rwandan troops on Congolese soil and continued support to the M23. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The U.S. Embassy in Congo's capital, Kinshasa, in a notice warned of "an increase in the severity of armed conflict near Sake and advised U.S. nationals in North Kivu province, which includes Goma, to be on the alert in case they need to leave their homes on short notice. The United Kingdom also issued a travel advisory that said M23 now controls Sake and urged British nationals to leave Goma while roads remain open. Many Sake residents have joined the more than 178,000 people who have fled the M23 advance in the last two weeks. The CBCA Ndosho Hospital in Goma was stretched to the limit, with hundreds of newly wounded on Thursday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Thousands escaped the fighting by boat on Wednesday, making their way north across Lake Kivu and spilling out of packed wooden boats in Goma, some with bundles of their belongings strapped around their foreheads. Neema Matondo said she fled Sake during the night, when the first explosions started to go off. She recounted seeing people around her torn to pieces and killed. We escaped, but unfortunately" others did not, Matondo told the AP. Mariam Nasibu, who fled Sake with her three children, was in tears one of her children lost a leg, blown off in the relentless shelling. As I continued to flee, another bomb fell in front of me, hitting my child," she said, crying. ___ Banchereau reported from Dakar, Senegal. Associated Press writers Monika Pronczuk in Dakar, Senegal; Jean-Yves Kamale and Christina Malkia in Kinshasa, Congo, contributed to this report. A man pardoned after being accused of participating in the Jan. 6, 2021, riots at the U.S. Capitol on Tuesday was rearrested by federal authorities on Wednesday on weapons charges. Daniel Charles Ball was apprehended Wednesday, Jan. 22, on charges related to possession of a firearm as a convicted felon, according to an arrest warrant initially signed in August and reviewed by PEOPLE. Police seized a .22 caliber rifle and ammunition from his home. That makes Ball the first of 1,500 defendants to be rearrested after having charges related to the attempted insurrection at the U.S. Capitol dropped by President Donald Trump. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ball, 39, had been denied bond and was being held pretrial for his alleged conduct on Jan. 6, which a federal judge overseeing the case alleged were "some of the most violent and serious offenses of any of the charges being brought against participants" in the riot. In a 2023 criminal complaint, prosecutors accused Ball of hurling an explosive device at a throng of about two dozen Capitol Police officers in a tunnel opposite the rioters. The device which some officers told investigators they first thought was a grenade produced a loud bang and caused many of the officers' ears to ring for hours, according to the complaint. Ball is also accused of throwing a wooden chair leg and a pole at the officers gathered in the tunnel; he is only alleged to have been in the actual Capitol building for a few minutes. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ball's Jan. 6 case was still proceeding through the Washington D.C. District Court when Trump granted the sweeping pardon to those charged and convicted in connection with Jan. 6, when rioters attempted to disrupt the 2020 electoral college vote count on behalf of Trump, who had lost that race but refused to concede. 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. Judge Rudolph Contreras ordered Ball's Jan. 6 case dismissed on Tuesday, per court records. Just three months after the riot, Ball was arrested and charged in Florida for assaulting five civilians and two law enforcement officers, according to the 2023 complaint; he was sentenced to five years probation. He also had a 2017 conviction on his record for domestic violence via strangulation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Others released by Trump's pardons include two of the nation's most prominent White supremacists, Enrique Tarrio of the Proud Boys and Stewart Rhodes of the Oath Keepers. Both were convicted of seditious conspiracy and were serving lengthy prison sentences for their roles in orchestrating the Capitol riot. A lawyer listed as representing Ball did not immediately return a request for comment. Trump himself had been facing federal charges related to his alleged involvement in the events of Jan. 6, one of four indictments the president was facing. The prosecution of those charges was derailed when the Supreme Court ruled last year that presidents have wide-ranging immunity from criminal prosecution. After Trump was re-elected as president in November, the Special Counsel leading the prosecution, Jack Smith, dropped the charges and resigned from the Justice Department, despite claiming in a January report the evidence obtained was "sufficient" for a conviction. Read the original article on People GUEST RESEARCH: Trustwave , a leading cybersecurity and managed security services provider, has released a series of reports detailing the threats facing the energy and utilities sector, which is increasingly targeted due to its critical role in supporting national and global infrastructures. In its annual research, the Trustwave SpiderLabs team highlights significant trends shaping the industry, including the rise of ransomware, the convergence of operational technology (OT) and information technology (IT), and evolving regulatory pressures. The research also addresses the growing sophistication of threat actors and provides a comprehensive overview of the tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTPs) they employ, categorised by attack stage. Additionally, Trustwave SpiderLabs has produced two complementary in-depth write-ups on one of the most pressing threats in the sector: ransomware. Trustwave SpiderLabs supplemental research delves into ransomware trends as well as in-depth analysis of the major threat groups targeting the industry, including Hunters International and 8Base. Kory Daniels, chief information security officer, Trustwave said Resilience to threats, both nefarious and incidental, is critical for the success of the energy and utilities sector. Any attacks on the energy sectors supply chain of customers and partners can cause significant damage and harm, including to human life. Continuous testing and cyber defence programs are challenged with the growing diversity of physical and digital environments. To achieve effective threat resilience, asset and exposure management, infrastructure and code testing, OT & IT cyber defence, and business continuity and disaster recovery programs, such cybersecurity measures will increasingly require innovative collaboration between public and private sectors. Cybersecurity in the energy and utilities sector is particularly challenging due to the heavy reliance on the integration of physical and infrastructure and digital systems, the increasing regulatory pressure, and aging legacy systems. Coupled with the sectors geopolitical significance and the potential for widespread societal impact, these factors make the energy and utilities industry a prime target for malicious actors. Trustwave SpiderLabs 2025 research series on the energy and utilities vertical includes: Key findings from Trustwave SpiderLabs energy and utilities research series include: 80 per cent increase in ransomware activity Year over Year 47 per cent of ransomware attacks in the United States 19 per cent of ransomware attacks were conducted by Hunters International in H2 2024 84 per cent of attacks originated from phishing 96 per cent of attackers relied on remote services to move laterally 67 per cent of credential access techniques were brute force To access this years research, please click here for the full energy and utilities series. About Trustwave Trustwave is a globally recognized cybersecurity leader that reduces cyber risk and fortifies organisations against disruptive and damaging cyber threats. Trustwaves comprehensive offensive and defensive cybersecurity portfolio detects what others cannot, responds with greater speed and effectiveness, optimises its clients cyber investment, and improves security resilience. Trusted by thousands of organisations worldwide, Trustwave leverages its world-class team of security consultants, threat hunters, and researchers, and its market-leading security operations platform to decrease the likelihood of attacks and minimise potential impact. Trustwave is an analyst-recognised leader in managed detection and response (MDR), managed security services (MSS), cyber advisory, penetration testing, database security, and email security. The elite Trustwave SpiderLabs team provides industry-defining threat research, intelligence, and threat hunting, all of which are infused into Trustwave services and products to fortify cyber resilience in the age of inevitable cyber-attacks. For more information about Trustwave, please visit: https://www.trustwave.com/en-us/. Have you successfully lied or bent the rules to get your children into state school? Email us confidentially: money@telegraph.co.uk. One in four parents are lying to get their children into top state schools as many are forced out of private education by Labours VAT raid. Parents are faking addresses in school catchment areas and even lying about their religion to secure placements for their kids, a survey by property platform Zoopla found. Researchers said the trend is being driven by Labours decision to apply 20pc VAT to school fees from January 1 this year sparking an exodus of students who are forced to compete for state school slots. Zoopla surveyed 1,019 parents who had applied for a school places for their children in the last five years. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Some 27pc admitted to lying or bending rules to get their kids into desirable state schools, up from 24pc in 2022. Of those, 30pc said they had faked their home address, often by co-opting a family members or friends. And a quarter admitted to exaggerating their religious beliefs or attending church to secure a place. Concerning impacts of Labours tax raid In London where school places are especially competitive the number of parents lying rose to 38pc. And more than one in 10 of parents surveyed had gone as far as to rent a second home in desirable school catchment areas to use as their address on entry forms. The survey also found more parents were making donations to the school at an average of 17,800 to swing a spot. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Neil OBrien, shadow education minister, said: Once again we are seeing the concerning impacts of Labours disastrous education tax. Their tax on investing in education will not just hurt those already in the independent sector but those pupils at state schools as the pressure grows and fewer people get their first choice of school. The parents that follow the rules end up paying an average premium of 65,333 for a home in their preferred catchment area. This rises to a staggering 115,750 for families in London. Research by Santander last year found that parents pay a 21,000 house price premium to live near one of the countrys top 500 state schools. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In 2023, 12pc of the 16,684 primary schools across the country were rated outstanding by Ofsted and 15pc of the 3,365 secondary schools also received the top rating. The highest proportion of outstanding schools is in London, followed by the South East, the East, and Yorkshire and the Humber. Daniel Copley, of Zoopla, said: In 2022 we were shocked at the number of parents going to extreme lengths to get their child into their desired school, so it is even more surprising to see that number increase. Its clear that the removal of VAT relief on private school fees is placing even more competition on school places, flouting the rules is even more endemic, no matter where you are in the country. 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. Most parents would do anything for their kids including telling lies. According to a survey conducted by a UK property company, one in four parents are bending the truth to get their kids into top schools. Whether its using a friends postcode for catchment purposes or even playing holier than thou to get into religious schools, many parents seem to have lost faith in the state education system. Some have attributed this increase in fibbing to Labours VAT hike on private school fees, creating a scramble among those looking to relocate their kids because of rising fees. Reportedly some parents are renting second homes to guarantee a place in some of the more competitive schools. Bring out the tiny violins, you might say. Its hard to have sympathy for those wealthy enough to worry about such things. But a rejection of run-of-the-mill state schools is nothing new. Lying particularly to gain entry to faith schools has long been a tactic of parents of all economic backgrounds to try to secure the best thing they can give their children: a good education. Faith schools get a bad rap. Professor Alice Roberts, vice president of Humanists UK, took to X (formerly Twitter) last year to denounce what she called the Church of Englands indoctrination programme. This may sound rather hyperbolic to those of us who have been watching the decline of the Church of England in British culture, but Roberts is of the camp that believes there are more than two sexes, which perhaps explains the break with reality. For years, campaign groups have expressed fears about the dangers of faith schools, suggesting that kids who get a religious education emerge bigoted and indoctrinated. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Why, then, do so many non-believers want their children to go to one? Teaching children about God introduces a respect for authority. You cant learn words like almighty without a sense that you might have to get used to being answerable to a higher order. Contrast this with the approach applied in many state schools, where authority is seen as a dirty word. James Handscombe, headmaster of Harris Westminster Sixth Form academy, caused a stir when he decided to tell pupils to drop Sir and Miss because they were deeply unequal. While Handscombe defended his decision by arguing that Miss was sexist, the move reflected a long-standing cultural change in education, one which believes that the power dynamic of teacher-pupil is damaging. Instead, many teachers working in state schools now believe that the best approach to learning is to become friends with their pupils. Anyone who has worked in education recently knows that this approach is failing. Behavioural issues are unbearable in many schools. Indeed, because of the abandonment of an old-school belief in discipline, increasingly the only avenue for schools to deal with naughty kids is through mental health. Its no wonder lots of little brats are suddenly being diagnosed with ADHD when all they really need is to be straightened out. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Say what you like about faith schools, but there was no way I was going to shout back at my teachers in my Catholic primary, least of all our terrifying nun headmistress. The structure of Angelus prayers, weekly Mass, assemblies with moral tales and hardline Irish dinner ladies whipped us all into shape. As a result, the school took inner-city London children from all kinds of tough backgrounds and turned us into a decent bunch of kids. But theres something deeper and more meaningful that parents are chasing when they scrimp and save to send their kids to private schools or lie to get them into a faith school, and thats a sense of tradition. It doesnt have to be all about God, either. Whether you believe the basis for our sense of morality and social norms come from classical antiquity and the great philosophers or the apostles and saints, what many people agree on is a sense that tradition and history play a big role in how we socialise the next generation. This belief has been trashed in the education system, for which norms and values are approached with suspicion. Whether its teaching kids that there are innumerable genders, or that Socrates was no good because the Ancient Greeks had slaves, or that the whole curriculum is colonised, many kids are now taught that the past is a foreign country, one which they cannot and should not relate to. There are obvious problems with the state system, ones which cant be explained away with legitimate arguments about resources. Once upon a time, people in this country were forced to lie about their religion, to denounce it in order to survive. Now it seems the tables have turned and, whether instrumental or not, a few prayers are parents only hope of a bright future for their children. 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. This story about early intervention was produced by The Hechinger Report, a nonprofit, independent news organization focused on inequality and innovation in education. Sign up for the Hechinger newsletter. JOLIET, Ill. After several challenging and stressful months in the neonatal intensive care unit, Karen Heath couldnt wait to take her triplet sons home. The boys had been born severely premature at 25 weeks, each weighing a bit over a pound. In the early hours, doctors cautioned they would not survive long. The triplets, thankfully, proved the doctors wrong. But for about three months, Heath was not allowed to hold them, satisfying herself with photos, videos and kisses blown. The long-anticipated discharge in the early summer of 2019 was joyful, but also rushed and, as Heath recalls it, somewhat cavalier. An hour before release, a physical therapist showed Heath how to help the babies gain strength by gently stretching their legs out. A nurse gave her a quick tutorial on how to use the oxygen tanks they would need for the next couple of months. And Heath gathered together basic necessities and a few mementos: diapers, pacifiers, blood pressure cuffs and tiny hospital bands. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But no one at the hospital, one of Chicagos largest, told Heath or her husband what she felt would have been the most helpful advice in the long run: The triplets low birth weight alone meant they were automatically eligible for whats known as early intervention services, which can include speech, physical, occupational and other therapies. This should have been a conversation way before the boys were even released, said Heath, who lives in Joliet, a city in the suburbs of Chicago. (She declined to identify the hospital to The Hechinger Report because her children still receive regular treatment there.) Doctors, and science more broadly, have made astounding gains in their capacity to save the lives of extremely premature babies, defined as those born before 28 weeks. In the 1960s, just 5 percent of premature infants with respiratory distress survived; now its about 90 percent. Despite these encouraging gains, theres an abysmal record across the country, exemplified by Chicago, of helping these babies after they exit the NICU, particularly with access to the therapies that most reduce their risk of needing intensive, and expensive, special education services as schoolchildren. Many children who receive early intervention do not require special education services in kindergarten, including slightly less than half of those with developmental delays, according to one 2007 study. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We have so much information on early brain development now, said Alison Liddle, a physical therapist in Chicago who is part of a team that studied access to early intervention in the city. One of the findings was that the system is difficult for parents to navigate. Support systems have to catch up. We have a critical window to help families. Federal law says children with developmental delays, including newborns with significant likelihood of a delay, can get early intervention from birth to age 3. States design their own programs and set their own funding levels, however. They also set some of the criteria for which newborns are automatically eligible, typically relying on qualifying conditions like Down syndrome or cerebral palsy, extreme prematurity or low birthweight. Nationally, far fewer infants and toddlers receive the therapies than should. The stats are particularly abysmal for babies under the age of 1: Just 1 percent of these infants get help. Yet an estimated 13 percent of infants and toddlers likely qualify. Its like people being told at 65 that they are eligible for Social Security and a year later they are not on either Social Security or Medicare, said Dr. Michael Msall, a neurodevelopmental pediatrician who has led efforts on early intervention access at the University of Chicagos hospital system and is on the study team. Wed have riots in the streets. Jaclyn Vasquez credits her daughters strong start in school partly to the comprehensive therapies she received as an infant. (Camilla Forte/The Hechinger Report) The stakes are high for these fragile, rapidly growing babies and their brains. Even a few months of additional therapy can reduce a childs risk of complications and make it less likely that they will struggle with talking, moving and learning down the road. In Chicago and elsewhere, families, advocates and physicians say a lot of the failures boil down to overstretched hospital and early intervention delivery systems that are not always talking with families very effectively, or with each other hardly at all. They really put the onus of helping your child get better outcomes on you, said Jaclyn Vasquez, an early childhood consultant who has had three babies of her own spend time in the NICU. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hospitals use different processes for educating families about early intervention, which often occurs at an overwhelming time for parents. That initial connection with the families is tricky because the families tend to be very busy when they take the baby home, said Dr. Raye-Ann deRegnier, the lead physician on the study and director of the Early Childhood Clinic at Lurie Childrens. At Lurie and Chicagos Prentice Womens Hospital, where deRegnier works, the physical therapists are generally responsible for informing families of early intervention. I wouldnt say that happens in every NICU, she said. Sometimes its discharge nurses, sometimes discharge coordinators, sometimes others. Under the current landscape, its helpful when physical therapists have conversations with families early and often, deRegnier said. But even when that happens, miscommunications can occur. The doctor said she recently made a point to talk to a mother about early intervention, and the woman said she had never heard of it. Yet the physical therapist had previously had a lengthy conversation with the mother about the program. In Illinois three years ago, the states Legislative Black Caucus urged the creation of demonstration projects at neonatal intensive care units in hospitals, intended to model how to better connect families to services. The states General Assembly supported the idea, but no funding was attached to the recommendation, and it has not become a reality. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement However, a coalition of therapists and hospital physicians, including deRegnier, has been working on a pilot study that included a look at barriers that families face after they leave the NICU at several of Chicagos largest hospitals. Their findings, published in late December, show that only 13 percent of the 60 families all of them Medicaid eligible and with infants who automatically qualified for early intervention were receiving those therapies three to four months after discharge. In Illinois, the therapies are overseen by the states Department of Human Services and its Division of Early Childhood. While the specific reasons varied, most of it came down to bureaucracy and bad communication, according to the study team. When you make the system so difficult to navigate, families give up, Liddle said. There were many families just waiting out there for services that they really need. Karen Heath treats her son to a snack after they finish reading time with their grandmother one fall afternoon. (Camilla Forte/The Hechinger Report) By the end of June 2019, Heaths triplets were all at home along with their 1-year-old brother. Although her husband had to return to work, Heaths mother was around to help. The family had little idea of how best to support their growth. Doctors had warned her that the boys might never be able to sit up, walk or communicate like other children. My main focus for so long was on coming home, she said. Once we got home, Im like, Now what? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement About two weeks after the homecoming, a nurse from the county stopped by to check in on the 6-month-olds. Heath cant say for sure, but she believes that the woman must have made a referral to early intervention because several weeks later, in August, the family got a call saying that the triplets might be eligible for therapy. By that time, they were more than 7 months old. Heath leapt at the opportunity, but the process moved slowly after the initial call. In October, when the boys were 9 months, the mother got word that they had been automatically eligible all along because of low birth weight. But it wasnt until early 2020, after the boys celebrated their first birthday, that the therapy was scheduled to start. Then the pandemic hit, so the initial physical and developmental therapy sessions with three near-toddlers were all attempted over Zoom. The boys were uninterested, their mother recalled. Try doing therapy on an iPad with triplets and (a toddler) hanging around. It wasnt until the summer, when the children were 18 months, that they got their first in-person therapy. The hospital should have had something in place so these kids could have gotten the services as soon as they came home, Heath said. I really feel like they dropped the ball. No one can blame the pandemic because they came home way before COVID started. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The families participating in the multi-hospital pilot study had a leg up on Heath: They were at least told about early intervention, with an initial referral made before leaving the NICU. But even that was not enough for most of them to connect successfully with help. A lot of the struggle came down to logistical and technological barriers, said Zareen Kamal, a policy specialist in Illinois for Start Early, which advocates on early childhood issues. Family photos, including from her triplets lengthy stays in the hospital, line the walls of Karen Heaths living room. (Camilla Forte/The Hechinger Report) The early intervention system in Illinois is decentralized, with 25 coordinating offices across the state. Caseloads are supposed to be capped at 45, but due to underfunding and short staffing, average much higher, with some reports of service coordinators juggling over 100 families. Many of the offices rely on fax for communications, with no statewide electronic system in place. Incoming phone calls to families from the coordinators often register as spam. And most of the offices dont staff the phones in the evening or weekends, when working parents are most likely to reach out. All this means that case workers sometimes remove families from their list as uninterested when, in fact, the parents are unaware, or unsure how to take the next step. The state is currently taking steps to ensure equitable access to early intervention, said a spokeswoman for the Department of Human Services in an e-mail. That includes updating the standardized referral form and exploring options for electronic referrals. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We realize that technology needs to be modernized, wrote Rachel Otwell, the spokesperson. That said, phone and fax remain the primary means of communication due to privacy concerns, she said. Otwell said the agency is engaged in ongoing surveys and focus groups with thousands of early childhood community members. The state has made progress with staffing vacancies in early intervention, she added, and remains focused on lowering caseloads to recommended levels. As the early intervention system currently exists in many cities and states, inequities are baked into every step of the process. Lower-income families are less likely to receive timely referrals, get screened and approved expeditiously, and then connect with therapists available for in-person work. Families with private insurance can often bypass the multistep bureaucratic process by having the therapies covered through those benefits. Studies have shown that Black newborns for a host of reasons, including higher poverty rates and weaker early medical care on average, are five times less likely than white ones to receive early intervention services. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For newborns there is pervasive confusion around who is automatically eligible, even among those who work in the early intervention system, Liddle says. Some children are turned away from receiving services despite being autoeligible, because they do not show a delay on a specific assessment tool, she said. Complicating matters, states have different eligibility criteria: In some states, an infant with lead poisoning or a parent with a mental health diagnosis qualifies for the therapies, whereas in others they do not. Theres also a disconnect between the medical and early intervention systems, said Msall, the University of Chicago-based physician. His colleagues in NICUs routinely fax referrals over to early intervention, he said, but the information disappears into the ether, with no follow up or technology in place for the physician to know if the connection was made or what an initial evaluation found. DeRegnier agreed that the follow-up process is complicated, partly because families may need to sign a consent form for information to be shared even with physicians. In a nutshell, families too often have to navigate through the system entirely on their own with only the most knowledgeable and well resourced likely to find their way to a successful outcome. Jaclyn Vasquez plays outdoors with her children on a fall weekend afternoon. She says her background in special education made it easier to help with early therapies they needed. (Camilla Forte/The Hechinger Report) Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Vasquez felt immensely grateful her background as a special education teacher made it easier to supplement the work of overstretched hospital staff when her twin daughters were born at 27 weeks four years ago. The smaller of the two spent over a year so medicated in a Chicago NICU that she was essentially in a medical coma. But as soon as possible, Vasquez and her husband stepped in to help provide some early therapies. Following the advice of hospital therapists, they helped her sit up, roll over, learn to play with toys and regularly gave her full body massages. (She didnt want to name the hospital because she believes any shortcomings were reflective of systemic issues, not specific to that hospital.) Then, when the baby was finally released after 19 months in the NICU, Vasquez knew to call early intervention without delay. The family wasnt more than five minutes into their drive home before she picked up her cellphone and rang them up from the back seat. There was no second to lose, said Vasquez, whose work as an early childhood consultant focuses on equity. Within weeks of arriving home, the baby started upward of a half dozen different therapies, including speech, nutrition and mobility. Partly because of the quick introduction to therapies, formal and informal, Vasquezs daughter is thriving today at the age of 4. The girl had to spend only a few months in a self-contained classroom for children with severe disabilities before teachers said she was ready to join the blended class. Its a milestone that seemed unreachable just a couple of years ago. After six months (in school), they said she is doing awesome, Vasquez said. I was told my child would need a wheelchair by kindergarten. She is running, dancing, chasing siblings, dancing on trampolines all because of the amount of time we poured into therapies at a very young age. Three of Vasquez four children received early intervention services as infants and toddlers. Vazquez also credits their close sibling relationship to their success. (Camilla Forte/The Hechinger Report) Physicians, advocates and families all agree that parents shouldnt have to wait until leaving the NICU to begin lining up services. The coalition of groups working on the study recommend staff embedded at the hospitals who can help families enroll in early intervention before discharge. Each family who is automatically eligible would also leave the hospital with a legal document entitling them to therapy. Our ultimate dream is to have the connection between [early intervention] and families be completed before they go home, and have the therapist assigned before they leave, said deRegnier. Many advocates also believe that for those babies on an extended stay in the hospital, those therapies should be available in the NICU. Early intervention is birth to 3 it shouldnt matter if you are living in the hospital or at home, Liddle said. You are still entitled to those services. In Illinois, advocates say they hope to get funding to pilot a program at a few NICUs that would finally create the demonstration sites the Legislative Black Caucus called for years ago. If successful, the model could be expanded statewide. Even if we are in one or two NICUs and can see how it turns out, that would be helpful, says Illinois state Rep. Joyce Mason, who chairs the House committee focused on early childhood education. In the meantime, too many families still find the crucial therapies to be elusive. Even when Heaths children finally started in-person therapy, it was limited in scope. The physical therapist, who Heath describes as an angel, quickly recognized that they should also be receiving other help as well, including speech and occupational therapy. Yet by the time the family worked through the bureaucratic machinery to get some of those in place, the boys were nearly 3 close to aging out of early intervention. They received a few months of speech, but never got the occupational therapy they were entitled to. If they had gotten the therapies earlier, they would be in a different place at this point, Heath says. The boys, who were diagnosed with cerebral palsy shortly before their fourth birthdays, struggle with speech and reading skills, in particular, with one of them requiring a device in order to express himself. If you dont know them well, its hard to understand what they are saying all the time, Heath says. If they had gotten all the services right off the bat, they wouldnt be as far behind. Yet the triplets have long surpassed doctors early warnings that they might never sit up, walk or reach other developmental milestones. Newly arrived home from school on a clear fall afternoon not long before Halloween, the triplets, now in kindergarten and dressed as Spider-Man for superhero day, played exuberantly in a finished basement space. They cried out gleefully while zooming after each other in miniature bumper cars. Heath is grateful her sons are progressing with the help of school, devoted family and the committed physical therapist, who still works with the boys. But she looks back at their first nine months and laments that, so focused on how to help the babies survive, no one in a vast team of doctors, nurses and social workers thought to discuss how the family could best help them thrive. There was no next step for my family when we left the hospital, she said. It was all on us. The post Parents of premature babies struggle to get help their children are entitled to appeared first on The 19th. News that represents you, in your inbox every weekday. Subscribe to our free, daily newsletter. Democrats and Republicans in the Minnesota House are embroiled in a standoff over who controls the lower chamber just months out from the election, which is already derailing the start of their legislative session. The results of the November election initially brought both parties to a tie of 67-67, with leaders readying for a power-sharing agreement. But after a judge ruled that one Democratic candidate hadnt properly met residency criteria, bringing Republicans to a 67-66 advantage, and missing ballots found in another tight election won by a Democrat threw that race temporarily into flux, the GOP sought to claim the majority and install a Speaker despite Democrats opposition. Democrats are so far boycotting the session unless the GOP negotiates control over the chamber, but Republicans have rejected their conditions putting the parties at a crossroads. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The drama going on in Minnesotas House is a kind of a familiar story about partisanship, said Larry Jacobs, director of the University of Minnesotas Center for the Study of Politics and Governance. Months after the November election, voters still have little clue whos running the Minnesota House. Both parties were initially expecting some sort of power-sharing agreement when the election results delivered an even split in the lower chamber. But things quickly fell apart. For one, a judge in December found that Democratic candidate Curtis Johnson hadnt met residency requirements for his House bid, giving GOP the edge. A separate state House race also garnered attention when state Rep. Brad Tabke (DFL) won his race by 14 votes after officials found 20 missing ballots that had not been included in the tally. A judge ultimately ruled that Tabke had won the election after hearing testimony from enough voters who said they had cast ballots for the Democrat, yet Republicans have been noncommittal about recognizing Tabkes win in the House. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Democrats have demanded that Tabke be seated. House Democrats have made an offer to Republicans, saying theyll give Republican Leader Lisa Demuth temporary Speakership if Republicans return to a power-sharing agreement once a special election for the seat Johnson won takes place. Democrats expect to win that district, which would bring the state House back to an even split. I understand the consideration of using a temporary moment in time like that to really significantly disadvantage the other side, but it ignores the reality that we have to work together to get things done, state House Democratic Leader Melissa Hortman told The Hill. Demuth maintained in an interview with The Hill that Democrats have only been interested in a power-sharing agreement from the start. Theyre really not engaged in good faith as far as doing the jobs they were elected to do. I will be Speaker for two years, Demuth said. I am very willing to consider, if they return back to a tie, some type of modified power-sharing, which would include, potentially some co-chairs, some equal membership on some of the committees, and Ive made that very, very clear to Rep. Hortman. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Democrats, who have boycotted the session to block the quorum needed to do business in the House, sued Republicans, arguing that they need 68 members not 67 to constitute a quorum and conduct business. Republicans say 67 members out of the 133 elected makes a quorum. Republicans have introduced a resolution asking that Gov. Tim Walz (D) direct the Minnesota State Patrol to compel Democrats back to the state House by Thursday afternoon. The Minnesota Supreme Court will hear arguments Thursday regarding the definition of a quorum, with a decision expected soon after. Experts believe, until then, both parties will remain at loggerheads over how to proceed. If the Supreme Court rules in favor of the Democrats, I think well go to the power-sharing agreement, said Abou Amara, who served as a top aide to state Supreme Court Justice Paul Thissen (DFL) when he served as Minnesota House Speaker. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If the Supreme Court stays out of that fight or if they rule in favor of Republicans, then I think the Democrats will have no other choice but to show up and, ultimately, the Republicans will elect their Speaker and do what theyre going to do, he added. Its not the first time Minnesota has seen a divided House. The state House saw a 67-67 split following the 1978 election, which also saw heated conversations over the power structure. Those negotiations ultimately saw Republicans choose their Speaker while Democrats were allowed to chair three top committees in the House. Former Minnesota House Speaker Steve Sviggum (R), who was serving in his first term during the 1979 sessions power split, told The Hill that Republicans got out-negotiated that time. He also had some sharp words for Democrats, saying it was absolutely irresponsible for them not to show up to work, and he said right now Republicans have the majority and should govern as such. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Yet even he agreed the parties should have a power-sharing agreement if Democrats win their special election in the spring, bringing the House back to a split. If they tie the House then I think you need to go back to a parity power-sharing agreement, he said, noting at this point a House tie was a hypothetical. The bitter fight playing out in Minnesota underscores how thin margins can easily stymie any signs of compromise. House Republicans in Congress know that story well albeit for different reasons as theyve seen multiple Speakership fights ensue, prompted by a small group of conservative holdouts. But the struggle between the two parties in the North Star State comes months out from a deadline to pass their two-year government budget. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If lawmakers cant pass the two-year budget by May, when the session ends, theyd likely have to go back in for a special session to address it before a June 30 government funding deadline. Thinking of [a] special election in January its bracing, because you would hope that the next four months there would be possibilities to find an agreement, but I do think its a real possibility because youve got two polarized parties that are locked in on their position, Jacobs 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. The Madeline Island Ferry Line (MIFL) is asking customers to consider leaving behind large vehicles when traveling to Wisconsin's Madeline Island this winter. The ferry line said Wednesday its only able to safely operate its two smallest boats during the ice-breaking season, reducing its capacity compared to the summer months. "We are doing our best to accommodate as many customers as possible; however, oversized vehicles are quickly filling the boats," MIFL shared in a statement on Facebook. Courtesy of Madeline Island Ferry Service | Facebook. "We understand that we are a vital part of the critical infrastructure of Madeline Island, and we are committed to being ready to transport resources, goods, services, and people to and from the Island," the statement continues. "We take this responsibility very seriously." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement To help keep transportation to and from the island moving smoothly and effectively, MILF is asking customers to consider reducing their "footprint". "If possible, please consider taking a smaller vehicle, removing roof racks, carpooling or leaving a work vehicle on the Island," the ferry service wrote. Madeline Island is home to a population over just over 200 people during the winter, ballooning to more than 2,500 during the summer. The ferry can be accessed from the popular tourist town of Bayfield on Lake Superior's South Shore. Superintendents from across the state on Thursday heard Attorney General Andrea Campbell speak about her new STUDY Act bill to ban cellphones from the first bell to last in Massachusetts public schools. Right now a handful of districts already have cellphone bans in place, but Campbell says she wants a standard across all schools. Young people are not distracted on their phones, educators dont have to enforce a cellphone policy, but theres a standard across the entire state to create environments that are free from distractions so that our young people can actually learn and our teachers can actually teach, Campbell said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement There are exceptions for kids with specialized learning or medical needs. But overall the goal is to keep social media and cellphones away from students so that they can socialize and minimize the negative mental health impacts that the AG says social media is having on kids. Despite having a Legislature that hasnt passed many bills, Campbell is optimistic that this one will pass through. One thing I know is true, for both the House side and the Senate side, is that they are passionate about protecting our kids, Campbell said. Holding social media companies accountable and making sure that the very environment in which our kids are learning that they are distraction-free and that they are safe, so this is a priority for the Legislature. As far as the Massachusetts Association of School Superintendents go, they have been consulted on the bill, and plan to continue to assess the practicality of it moving forward. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Does it also have some flexibility for the individuality of districts to implement, M.A.S.S. Executive Director Mary Bourque said. This bill is still a long way from finding its way into schools, it needs to be discussed through the House and Senate with likely changes to be made. Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW The Right Rev. Mariann Edgar Budde, the bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Washington, delivered a powerful sermon during a prayer service on Tuesday marking President Donald Trumps inauguration. And Trump, who was in attendance, was less than pleased. During the service at Washington National Cathedral, Budde made a powerful direct plea for mercy to Trump, who was seated in the front with his family members and Vice President JD Vance. She asked the newly inaugurated president to have mercy upon the people in our country who are scared now. Budde then appeared to reference some of Trumps campaign promises and the flurry of executive orders hed issued on the first day of the second term of his administration, such as his attempt to end birthright citizenship for the children of undocumented immigrants and his executive order rolling back protections for transgender people. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement There are gay, lesbian and transgender children in Democratic, Republican and independent families, some who fear for their lives, Budde said in her sermon. She then talked about the people who work hard at various jobs across the country who may not be citizens or have the proper documentation, but the vast majority of immigrants are not criminals. They pay taxes and are good neighbors. They are faithful members of our churches and mosques, synagogues, gurdwaras and temples, she said. I ask you to have mercy, Mr. President, on those in our communities whose children fear that their parents will be taken away. Our God teaches us that we are to be merciful to the stranger, for we were all once strangers in this land, she said. (Watch her entire sermon here.) Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump has since lashed out at Budde over her remarks, writing on his Truth Social platform that Budde is a so-called Bishop and Radical Left hard line Trump hater. He charged that she brought her church in the World of politics in a very ungracious way. She was nasty in tone, and not compelling or smart, he wrote. The president also demanded an apology, but Budde has declined. I am not going to apologize for asking for mercy for others, she told Time magazine on Wednesday. Budde, who has used her platform to call attention to civil rights issues and to challenge Trump before, receivedwide praise online for addressing Trump directly in her sermon. Supporters of Trump criticized the bishop, accusing her of politicizing the prayer service. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But faith leaders have historically found inspiration for their social justice activism in their religion. And Budde certainly has the Christian faith on her side when it comes to the messages in her sermon, said William Willimon, a bishop in the United Methodist Church, an author and a professor of the practice of Christian ministry at Duke Divinity School. Willimon said that Buddes plea for mercy was particularly moving. Theres no instance in the life, work, teachings of Jesus where mercy ever takes a backseat to anything else, he told HuffPost, adding, Not only is Jesus merciful, he commands his followers to be merciful. Even to those who are our enemies and those who wrong us, he ordered mercy, he added. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Read on to hear more of what Christian leaders have to say about Buddes sermon, their thoughts on faith leaders speaking out about social injustice and the criticism Budde has faced: The messaging behind Buddes sermon was rooted in her faith. Willimon said that he was moved and felt proud of Buddes sermon. He emphasized that she presented the sermon as an issue of mercy. Mercy is a Christian virtue, he said, later adding that government officials are often not known for being merciful. Trump is a president thats shown great mercy for convicted criminals who attacked the government in his name, he said, seemingly referencing Trumps pardons for those convicted in the Jan. 6, 2021, riot at the U.S. Capitol, and yet is so stunningly unmerciful with these vulnerable immigrants and others. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Rev. Paul Brandeis Raushenbush, president and CEO of Interfaith Alliance and an ordained Baptist minister, said that as he watched Budde deliver her sermon, he saw how deeply she was drawing on her spiritual calling to say what she knew the Gospel was inspiring her to say. (Raushenbush was formerly executive editor for HuffPosts Religion section.) I was grateful for her courage to speak gently, but truthfully, to the most powerful man in the world, he told HuffPost. It was important that Budde, a Christian leader, addressed Trump in her sermon. Raushenbush said that Budde was acting as a pastor to Trump in that moment. She was giving spiritual direction to someone in her congregation who happened to be the president of the United States. You could see that Trump was unused to anyone, much less a Christian leader, speaking to him in any way that wasnt simply delivering praise, he said, later adding, In the kindest way, she was offering him a moment to reflect and even repent. The fact that his heart was too hardened to hear it is on him not her. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Willimon said that the Christian faith, particularly in the context of the presidential inaugural events that have taken place this week, has been misrepresented. He pointed to faith leaders who participated in the inauguration, such as the Rev. Franklin Graham, who he believed delivered divisive and political comments. So I thought it was wonderful for [Budde] at this particular time to stand up and say, in effect, By the way, world, Christians see these matters differently, he said. Faith leaders should speak up on issues that affect communities. Religious leaders have a twofold obligation, which is to help congregants cultivate a relationship to the sacred, the Divine or spirituality, as well as to help individuals understand their moral obligations to each other, Raushenbush said. If you are only doing one or the other, you are not fully fulfilling your role as a faith leader. So, of course, we have to talk about how transgender people are being targeted, because they are our neighbors and in my Christian tradition, we have an obligation to love our neighbor as much as we have an obligation to love God, he said. Same with immigrants and others. We cannot sit these questions out and still say that we follow the mandates of Jesus. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Willimon said that although some pastors may choose to not speak up on social justice issues on certain occasions or address certain issues in places beyond the pulpit perhaps in counseling or at small gatherings its still, overall, important to speak up. We should speak up, he said, particularly if you know a lot about a particular subject and feel Jesus put you up to it. Those criticizing Budde for the themes of her sermon are missing the mark. It makes me wonder just how much they know about the Christian faith or the church, Willimon said of Buddes critics. He added, What theyre really saying is not that Christians shouldnt engage in politics, its just Christians shouldnt engage in politics that I dont approve of. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He said that hed ask Buddes detractors to ask themselves whether they thought she accurately spoke up for the Christian faith and whether her message was derived from Scripture. And the answer to that is resoundingly yes, he said. Willimon said that Buddes sermon should be viewed as a model for preachers and that there are other Christian leaders across the country spreading similar messages in their communities. Raushenbush said that people criticizing Budde as being political have clearly not read the Bible. There is a lot in the Bible about welcoming the stranger and the immigrant and the outcast, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Raushenbush said he found it striking that Buddes sermon was deemed controversial or radical, since her words were squarely within the mainstream Christian tradition. He also called out those who spew Christian nationalist rhetoric, spreading hate and violence. For those people, their real objection to Budde is that shes a Christian who put forward another way one of mercy, kindness and unity, he said. Related... Convinced the jungle was harbouring mpox, Dr Leandre Murhula Masirika grabbed his gear and headed towards the vast forests in the Democratic Republic of Congos eastern provinces. His plan was simple: to look for the virus in bushmeat hunters and wild animals, and gauge the threat of a spillover to people in South Kivu. It was September 2023 and, so far, the area had escaped an escalating outbreak more than 1,000 miles away, in the DRCs west and central regions. But Dr Murhula Masirika was curious might mpox be lurking in the provinces squirrels, rodents and monkeys, too? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Then his phone pinged. The message contained the last thing he expected: there, in his WhatsApp inbox, was a photo of the very virus hed been looking for. I had it in my mind that maybe Id find mpox in the jungle, in bushmeat hunters or wildlife. But then suddenly, as I was travelling to do research, a human mpox case appeared in my WhatsApp, he says, slight disbelief still in his voice more than a year later. While the doctors treated patients, Dr Leandre Murhula Masirika launched epidemiological investigations A doctor in Kamituga a crowded gold mining town 170 miles south east of Bukavu, South Kivus capital city had sent him the picture. It showed a man languishing on a bed, covered in sore, bulbous lesions. The healthcare worker wasnt 100 per cent sure what it was mpox had never been reported in the area. But Dr Murhula Masirika had recently returned home to the DRC after studying epidemiology in central Spain and he was sure mpox was the culprit. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement What he didnt know then was that the man, who ran a bar-come-brothel, was patient zero in an outbreak of a new, more dangerous strain of mpox called clade 1b, which would trigger a global health crisis and infect thousands of people including six in Britain. Nor could he know that a year and a half later, epidemiologists would still be scratching their heads about how, and why, the concerning new strain emerged in the remote mining town. He thought what he had was a curse Three days after the WhatsApp message, Dr Murhula Masirika reached Kamituga. After reporting to the South Kivu health department, the 36-year-old epidemiologist had hurtled hundreds of miles across the province to the town, keen to arrive before the rainy season once the deluge sets in, the already dicey roads to town are rendered almost impassable for months and months. When he arrived, the situation was worse than he expected. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Reaching the hospital, I saw horrible things. There were people with no help, no mattress, really suffering from mpox, Dr Murhula Masirika recalls. The first case, he thought what he had was a curse. Patient zero the manager of one of almost 70 drinking establishments in Kamituga had initially gone to a traditional healer, who promised to cure him with cassava leaves. Yet painful blisters were still multiplying across his body by the time he went to hospital on September 29, 2023, his genitals were covered. The lesions were also attacking his eyes and his throat, making it difficult to speak or eat. Three recently recruited sex workers, who he had contact with, also fell ill. So did the healers son. An mpox patient is given intravenous drugs at the Kavumu hospital, 30 km north of Bukavu in eastern DRC - GLODY MURHABAZI/AFP While the doctors treated them, Dr Murhula Masirika launched epidemiological investigations. Very soon, he was convinced something unusual was unfolding. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The lesions were developing differently from the mpox that we knew, [they were] concentrated around peoples genitals, he says. And already, the disease was not transmitted from an animal to human, but human to human. This raised alarm bells, as it didnt fit with descriptions of clade 1. This strain of mpox has been endemic in the DRC since it was first discovered in a child in 1970. Generally, small transmission chains were sparked after the virus jumped from animals to people, but in recent years the pathogen had exploded in the western and central provinces. Yet clade 1 hits children hardest, with lesions mostly on their feet, hands and faces. Thats not what Dr Murhula Masirika and his colleagues were seeing in Kamituga. Painful, large blisters were focused around patients genitals, and mpox was increasingly rampant in the towns bars especially among sex workers and their clients (later, disease mapping published as a preprint would conclude that 88 per cent of 371 cases in hospital between September 2023 and April 2024 were linked to this group of people). Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Some suggested the outbreak might instead be clade 2, a less deadly strain which erupted across the globe in 2022. But this mainly affected gay and bisexual men, causing fairly mild symptoms. The severity of the situation in Kamituga didnt seem to fit, either. From the start, I knew it must be something different, says Dr Murhula Masirika, who moved from his family home to Kamituga, to research the virus and help organise the response. This was heterosexual transmission, between men and women and it was spreading in the bars with a lot of sex workers. Initial sequencing proved him correct: Kamitugas already overstretched hospitals were inundated with patients suffering from a new strain of mpox. We were happy, as local researchers, to have discovered this new strain. But we were also very afraid of what it meant for South Kivu, says Dr Murhula Masirika. The last chance to contain the outbreak His fears would prove well-founded; despite the best efforts of healthcare workers, the early response was limited. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Soon, some 50 people a week were heading to Kamitugas colonial-era hospital but there werent enough beds, enough food, enough blankets, enough soap, or enough drugs. Healthcare workers also fell ill: two lost the sight in one of their eyes, and at least one nurse in a nearby district died. At a certain point the hospitals were overloaded, the number of beds for inpatients was not enough, says Dr Jean Claude Udahemuka, from the school of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Rwanda, who collaborated with Dr Murhula Masirika to sequence the virus. Leandre was temporarily using research funds or his own money to support patients. Some people didnt want to stay in the hospital, they said their ability to buy food depended on them going to work in the bars. And they were scared. So he was supporting them in every way, so at least they could recover and stay in hospital, which would also limit the spread. By January 2024, Dr Udahemuka, Dr Murhula Masirika and the Global Health Network led by the Oxford University professor Trudie Lang had set up research projects in Kamituga to better understand the unfolding crisis, part-funded by the UK Medical Research Council. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But even as the situation spiralled, warnings and calls for help fell on deaf ears. I think when this started, during that rainy season, we had a chance to stop the spread Kamituga is a remote area, so we had that window of opportunity to contain it, said Dr Udahemuka. But at that time, many people were not interested enough to get involved. Instead, the rainy season ended and election season began. By April 2024 when an international consortium, led by the National Institute of Biomedical Research (INRB) in the capital Kinshasa, published a pre-print dubbing the new strain clade 1b and warning of pandemic potential it was too late to halt the spread. Although there had been a trickle of people leaving the mining town, movement had been minimal. But when Kamitugas large migrant population, who travel from across the DRC and its neighbours to work in the mines, started to travel en masse, they took clade 1b with them. A clinician administers an mpox jab at the launch of the vaccination campaign in Goma - AUBIN MUKONI/AFP via Getty Images By August 15, 2o24, when the World Health Organization declared an international public health crisis, the new strain had already been detected in Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda and Uganda. Cases have since been reported as far away as Thailand, China, the UK and the US. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It was in late September 2023 that we were first hearing reports of cases being picked up among sex workers in South Kivu, and we were able to start research very quickly, says Dr Jason Kindrachuk, an associate professor in medical microbiology and infectious diseases at the University of Manitoba in Canada, and part of the team behind the April pre-print. But I think there was also a situation where were all trying to respond to this massive, massive wildfire and we had just a few bottles of water to throw at it. Five months later, the response has accelerated more treatment centres have been established, community awareness campaigns launched, and by the end of December 55,000 people had been given at least one mpox vaccine, according to the latest WHO situation report. But it has not been enough to curtail the epidemic. The arrival of more vaccine has been frustratingly slow, and the number of doses that have arrived has not been enough to even cover the at-risk population. In Kamituga, there were roughly 1,500 new cases last week, says Dr Murhula Masirika the vast majority among children, who are not yet being immunised. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Diagnostics also remain limited in 2024, just 22 per cent of suspected cases were officially confirmed. And 1,200 miles away in the capital Kinshasa, health officials are now battling to contain an outbreak of both clade 1a and clade 1b. There is not much change in Kamituga regarding the mpox situation, Dr Placide Mbala-Kingebeni, head of epidemiology and global health at the University of Kinshasa and an associate professor at INRB, told the Telegraph. And there are more cases even in Kinshasa. Uncovering the secrets of a deadly new strain There are also unanswered questions. Researchers have uncovered many of clade 1bs secrets it is now estimated, for instance, that the mortality rate is fairly low at 0.5 per cent, but that high numbers of pregnant women infected go on to miscarry or have a stillbirth. Yet experts still arent sure whether the virus is spread through direct contact during sex, or through semen and vaginal secretions or both. Nor is it clear why children appear to be most vulnerable, while research is ongoing to determine whether the current vaccines can also be used to protect kids. Dr Muruala Masirika says most of the cases in Kamituga are now among unvaccinated children, who typically infect each other when they play. The virus is also rampant in the displacement camps close to Bukavu and Goma the capital of the neighbouring province North Kivu, where conflict is raging. The cramped, unsanitary conditions are proving fertile ground for mpox to thrive, especially among children living and sleeping in close quarters. But theres another looming question: how did clade 1b emerge and why in Kamituga? This is a mystery we are all wondering about, says Dr Murhula Masirika. Dr Murhula Masirika says most of the cases in Kamituga are now among unvaccinated children There are a few theories. Patient zero, the man dubbed the index case in health ministry reports, had recently returned to Kamituga from Kisangani a city in the more central Tshopo province. There, hed recruited three professional sex workers before travelling home via Bukavu, the South Kivu capital. So he could have been infected in Tshopo, in Bukavu, or in Kamituga, says Dr Murhula Masirika. But when I interviewed him, he said he hadnt been in contact with any wildlife. He had visited a zoo in Tshopo, but he had not touched the animals. This may mean that the bar manager wasnt patient zero after all, but was infected by another person potentially someone with mild symptoms, who never sought medical care. But until we find the virus in an animal, I think it will be difficult to answer this question, says Dr Murhula Masirika. Still, there is evidence that his initial project to seek mpox in South Kivus wildlife could offer answers. Dr Murhula Masirika has largely stayed away from family but made time for his own wedding during the summer before returning to the field In 2015, a paper in the American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene reported on two human cases of mpox in South Kivu. One patient was a farmer who had recently been in a highly forested area; a second man had handled monkeys killed by local hunters, and taken some monkey meat for an upcoming journey. Analysis of the viruses found they may share some genetic traits that differentiate them from the clades widely circulating in the country. We have the same impression that this strain has been there [since] some time ago, says Dr Mbala, referring to the paper. The reality is that this is not something that just, kind of emerged out of thin air, there are all these little events happening in the background, adds Dr Kindrachuk. I think its not so much that the virus suddenly adopted all these mutations that allowed it to move through sexual contact. Its more the fact that it was there, but only recently found its way into a population where it could move efficiently. Still based in Kamituga, Dr Murhula Masirika is determined to help answer these questions, and many more. It is not easy, he says, speaking over the phone. I have spent my own money on food and mattresses and supplies for the patients, and I have stayed away from my family last August I had my wedding, then I came straight back to the field. But I am determined not to abandon the people here. And there are many unknowns still to discover, Dr Murhula Masirika adds. Im not working for myself, Im not working for my family. Im working for the world. Protect yourself and your family by learning more about Global Health Security 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 News Former Rep. Patrick Kennedy said he believes his cousin Robert F. Kennedy Jr. would be open to a bipartisan alliance to overhaul the US governments approach to mental health and addiction. Kennedy, a longtime campaigner who has spoken about his struggles with bipolar disorder and drug addiction, told Semafor in an interview in Davos that since Donald Trumps victory, he has discussed with his cousin the prospect of working together. That was then. This is now. We lost. So I cant go away for four years, and this movement cant go away for four years, he said. Instead, Kennedy said he hoped to build alliances within the Trump administration including with my cousin Bobby that built on its pledge to make America healthy again. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its impossible to treat all the chronic illnesses the administration wants to attack with MAHA if youre not including behavioral health as part of the medical record, and yet thats not subsidized by the federal government, he said. Rethinking mental health and addiction policy could also help Elon Musks new Department of Government Efficiency cut federal healthcare spending, he added. Know More The two members of the Kennedy clan were on opposite sides of the 2024 election, with Patrick Kennedy, who represented Rhode Islands 1st congressional district from 1995 to 2011, publicly endorsing Joe Biden when his cousin was in the middle of a rival run for the presidency. Some other cousins accused Kennedy Jr of betraying their familys values when he later endorsed Trump. Kennedy said he was very anxious about speaking to Kennedy Jr. after the election, because hes brought a lot of this on himself with his skepticism about vaccines. But he rejected the idea that his cousin is anti-science, defending Kennedy Jrs honest positions on issues such as medication-assisted treatment for depression, which the health secretary nominee has been critical of in the past. Were both in recovery together, and so he knows my journey, said Kennedy, saying his cousin had a visceral understanding of mental health issues. Kennedy Jr. has drawn criticism for favoring alternative responses such as 12-step addiction recovery programs, but he is for all roads to recovery. Cybersecurity company BlueVoyant has announced the appointment of Rob Joyce as an independent director on its board. BlueVoyant says Joyce brings a wealth of experience in cybersecurity, having recently served as director of the National Security Agency's (NSA) Cybersecurity Directorate, among other distinguished leadership roles in the United States government. Notes BlueVoyant: In his role at NSA, Joyce was instrumental in safeguarding and eradicating threats to national security systems and critical infrastructure. Prior to directing cybersecurity at the NSA, Joyce was the special U.S. liaison officer in London. In this role, he was the senior NSA cryptologic representative in the United Kingdom and served as the key interlocutor between NSA and GCHQ. In addition, Joyces extensive government experience includes roles as the White House cybersecurity coordinator, and as acting Homeland Security advisor. To best protect critical organisations and enterprises from ever more sophisticated cyber attacks, security operations teams need clear visibility into their digital ecosystems, said Joyce. BlueVoyant is at the forefront of delivering holistic cyber defence and enhancing threat illumination. I am excited to join the BlueVoyant board to help organisations improve their cyber defenses using next generation technologies. Of the appointment of Joyce,, Tom Glocer, executive chairman and co-founder of BlueVoyant, said: On behalf of my fellow directors, we are delighted to have Rob's expertise and deep understanding of the cybersecurity threat landscape on our board. Rob's insights will be crucial in guiding BlueVoyant to better meet organisations security operations needs. BlueVoyant notes: Joyce joins BlueVoyant following a record-breaking 2024, marked by innovations in products and services and heightened customer demand, which fuelled revenue growth. As 2025 begins, BlueVoyant serves more 1,000 customers around the globe. The company has also introduced its award-winning BlueVoyant Cyber Defense Platform, providing advanced security operations for internal, external, and supply chain protection, and was honoured by Microsoft as the 2024 Worldwide Security Partner of the Year. I welcome Rob to our board, and am pleased to have the benefit of his strategic vision as we continue to innovate to enhance our clients cyber defense, said James Rosenthal, CEO and co-founder of BlueVoyant. The BlueVoyant Cyber Defense Platform leverages cutting-edge technology to improve scalability, enhance productivity, and strengthen cyber risk posture, ensuring that we are always moving forward in our mission to stay ahead of emerging threats. About BlueVoyant BlueVoyant delivers a comprehensive cloud-native security operations platform that provides real-time threat monitoring for networks, endpoints, and supply chains, extending to the clear, deep, and dark web. The platform integrates advanced AI technology with expert human insight to offer extensive protection and swift threat mitigation, ensuring enterprise cybersecurity. Trusted by more than 1,000 clients globally, and the 2024 Microsoft Worldwide Partner of the Year, BlueVoyant sets the standard for modern cyber defense solutions. PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) A pedestrian was seriously hurt after being hit by a car in Vancouver on Wednesday evening, authorities said. BUT-MAN, HWKTUA: Oregon DMV rejected these custom license plates in 2024 Around 6:13 p.m., someone made a 911 call saying a pedestrian was hit by a car in the 5200 block of Northeast Minnehaha Street, the Clark County Sheriffs Office said. The sheriffs office, the Vancouver Fire Department and American Medical Response arrived at the scene to find one person in the road with significant injuries. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The victim was transported to the hospital with life-threatening injuries. The driver remained at the scene, was cooperative with investigators and there were no signs of impairment on the part of the driver, the sheriffs office said in a press release. The Clark County Sheriffs Office Traffic Homicide Unit responded to conduct an investigation. The investigation is ongoing and the road will remain closed for several hours, officials 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 KOIN.com. PENNSYLVANIA (WTAJ) A Senator has announced plans to reintroduce a bill that would expand access to Black history in Pennsylvania K-12 schools. The bill, authored by Senator Sharif Street (D-Philadelphia), would allow the Pennsylvania Department of Education to collect or develop relevant curriculum units and materials and place them on the Equity Hub. Currently, Pennsylvania does not mandate teaching Black history in schools. Recently, as a result of the Black Lives Matter movement, we have seen a significant increase in students wanting to know more about Black history and teachers wanting to integrate the history of the Black experience into a variety of courses they teach, Street wrote. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Pennsylvania began desegregating schools in the early 1880s, which took place during a time when racial segregation and discrimination were on the rise nationwide. In 1887, the Pennsylvania legislature passed a state equal-rights bill outlawing segregation in public accommodations. Get the latest news, weather forecasts and sports stories delivered straight to your inbox! Sign up for our newsletters. Street added that a fully integrated curriculum plays an important role in creating a society that is open to people of all races. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WTAJ - www.wtaj.com. The U.S. military is sending around 1,500 active-duty troops to the countrys southern border, the acting secretary of defense said Wednesday. This is just the beginning, Acting Secretary of Defense Robert Salesses wrote in a statement. The troops consist of 1,000 soldiers and 500 Marines, who will work with Customs and Border Protection in El Paso, Texas, and San Diego, California. Their job will be to build temporary barriers, monitor movement across the border and maintain equipment in the area, according to a senior military official, briefing reporters Wednesday on the condition of anonymity. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The deployments include other military equipment, such as drones, helicopters and aircraft to move personnel. A further set of intelligence analysts will support existing work to monitor the border. The surge brings the total number of active-duty troops on the countrys southern border to around 4,000. More may follow, and their duties may expand, but for now, none of them will be used for law enforcement, the official said. This is an initial step, and we are anticipating many further missions, a separate senior defense official said at the Wednesday briefing. The first operations will start within 24-48 hours, officials said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The steps are part of President Donald Trumps early attempt to tighten Americas immigration system a mission for which he plans to use the military far more expansively than his predecessors. Alongside the deployments, the Defense Department will also start conducting deportation flights for 5,000 immigrants already detained in El Paso and San Diego, the officials said. They couldnt yet say where those flights would land. On his first day back in office Monday, President Donald Trump declared a state of emergency on the border with Mexico. The designation will make it easier for the White House to shift around money intended to counter drug trafficking and illegal migration, which Trump has claimed amounts to an invasion. The language may also make it easier to use the U.S. military, which is restricted from law enforcement activities on American soil. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In his first term, Trump sent more than 5,000 active-duty troops to the border in response to a migrant caravan traveling north through Mexico. Earlier this week, Trump ordered Northern Command in charge of the military for the continental United States to submit a plan within 10 days to seal Americas borders. In a further 30 days, NORTHCOM will also need to update its plans to counter unlawful mass migration, narcotics trafficking, human smuggling and trafficking and other criminal activities, the order said. Spokespersons for the Defense Department said NORTHCOM will meet the timelines. Additionally, the White House asked the secretary of defense and head of the Department of Homeland Security to send a report within 90 days on whether the president should invoke the Insurrection Act, a 200-year-old law that would allow the military to deploy on U.S. territory. Trump considered invoking the law during the widespread protests against police violence and racism in the summer of 2020. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The act was last invoked during the 1992 riots in Los Angeles after the police beating of Rodney King. On Monday, Trump also fired Adm. Linda Fagan, head of the U.S. Coast Guard, reportedly due to her record on enforcing border security. Her removal is the first in what the president has promised to be a series of firings targeted at military officers he considers too focused on social issues, such as diversity. On Tuesday, the Coast Guard pledged to surge forces across Americas maritime borders, including around the southeast, southwest and Pacific. Per the Presidents Executive Orders, I have directed my operational commanders to immediately surge assets cutters, aircraft, boats and deployable specialized forces to increase Coast Guard presence and focus, said Adm. Kevin Lunday, the Coast Guards acting commandant. Editors note: This story has been updated to correct a previously misstated number of helicopters sent to the southern border. The Pentagon is sending at least 1,500 active-duty troops to the southern border to enhance security and assist with a major military airlift of undocumented migrants. The deployment, announced by the Defense Department, is the first step in officials plans to act on President Donald Trumps executive order, which uses the military to stem the flow of people illegally crossing the U.S. border. The Pentagons Transportation Command will use military aircraft to send more than 5,000 undocumented immigrants from San Diego and El Paso, Texas, who are detained by Customs and Border Protection, Acting Defense Secretary Robert Salesses said in a statement. The troops also will assist in building new border fences and barriers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The number of active-duty troops at the border will increase from 2,200 to about 4,000, according to a senior U.S. military official granted anonymity to discuss plans. The troops include 1,000 Army personnel and 500 Marines. The Marines, who were on standby to provide support for the California wildfires, have been redirected to go to the border, the official said. The troops began moving there earlier today and should arrive later tonight or early in the morning. This is the initial effort that we can do right away, and we anticipate many additional missions, the official said. This is just the start. About 2,200 troops already operate under Joint Task Force-North, the Northern Commands mission in El Paso, Texas. They work alongside Operation Lonestar, a Texas-led initiative with several thousand Texas Guardsmen and volunteer Guard troops from several other states. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The new forces will do much the same work, providing logistical help, maintenance, drone and helicopter-enabled intelligence and monitoring assistance to the Border Patrol. Active-duty troops are forbidden from conducting law enforcement activities unless the president decides to invoke the Insurrection Act, a 19th-century U.S. law. Salesses, in his statement, said he directed the Pentagon to establish a task force that included the U.S. Northern Command, U.S. Transportation Command, active duty U.S. military, and the National Guard Bureau. While the troops will not carry out law enforcement activities, Trump said he would decide within 90 days whether to invoke the Insurrection Act, which would allow them to do so. Trumps executive order also called on the U.S. Northern Command, the Pentagons military branch in charge of homeland defense, to create a plan in 10 days to address what the White House termed an invasion of undocumented immigrants into the U.S. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Some legal experts, though, are concerned this could set up the military to treat unarmed migrants like armed combatants. [Trump] seems to be treating migration as if it were in the same way he would treat an armed attack from a foreign government, said Elizabeth Goitein, a co-director of the Brennan Center for Justice at New York University School of Law. He is attempting to sort of shoehorn, essentially, immigration and enforcement into that legal framework. The U.S. military will support deportation flights and intelligence collection and help construct barriers when 1,500 active-duty troops deploy to the southern border and begin work in the next two days. In a statement, acting Defense Secretary Robert Salesses said the deployment mission began on Wednesday and involves military airlift support for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to help deport more than 5,000 undocumented immigrants detained in San Diego, California and El Paso. U.S. troops will also assist in constructing both temporary and permanent physical barriers at the border, according to the statement. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This is just the beginning, Salesses said. In short order, the Department will develop and execute additional missions in cooperation with DHS, federal agencies, and state partners to address the full range of threats outlined by the president at our nations borders. A senior defense official said President Trump views the border as a huge priority and that these were just initial steps. This is the initial effort that we can do right away, and we anticipate many additional permissions after this, the official told reporters. This is just the start. The official said up to 10,000 troops could be deployed in future missions but cautioned that the figure was not final. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Earlier Wednesday, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Trump signed an executive order to deploy the 1,500 U.S. troops. This is something President Trump campaigned on, the American people have [been] waiting for such a time as this, for our Department of Defense to actually take homeland security seriously, she said. This is a number one priority of the American people, and the president has already delivered. The troops slated for deployment include 1,000 Army soldiers and 500 Marines. The deployment includes additional helicopter crews and intelligence analysts, along with C-17 and C-130 transport planes. A senior military official said the Marines activated for the mission were on standby for deployment to the California wildfires, but that assignment was recently lifted as the fires have been more contained. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The total number of troops at the border will be 4,000 once the additional forces arrive, according to the military official. While the troops are expected to be armed, none of the forces that were sending there are intended to be used for law enforcement, the military official said. U.S. Northern Command already has an active border defense mission called Joint Task Force North. Most of the troops under the task force are National Guard members, but active-duty service members can be deployed and have been in the past to assist at the border. U.S. troops primarily help with logistics, detection, monitoring, transportation and assisting Customs and Border Protection. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump signed several executive orders on Inauguration Day to assert more control over the border and migration flows. One order deemed the situation at the border a national emergency to allow more troops to deploy, and another directed Northern Command to draft detailed operational plans to assist at the border. Salesses met Tuesday with Joint Chiefs of Staff Chair CQ Brown Jr.; senior policy leaders at the Pentagon, Northern Command and Transportation Command; and the chief of the National Guard Bureau. The Pentagon has set up a task force led by Northern Command to oversee the implementation of the border 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 The Hill. US President Donald Trumps executive order to suspend international aid programmes for 90 days does not impact military support for Ukraine. Source: Voice of America, citing the Pentagon press service, as reported by European Pravda Details: The US Department of Defense clarified that security assistance to Ukraine "is not subject to the recent executive order on foreign aid, as it pertains only to development programmes and not military support". Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As such, Trumps order does not affect contracts for weapons production for Ukraine under the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative (USAI), signed during Joe Biden's administration. Additionally, Voice of America explained that the order does not apply to previously planned and residual weapons deliveries from US stockpiles authorised under the Presidential Drawdown Authority (PDA) and announced by Biden. Background: On his first day as president, Trump signed an order suspending all foreign aid programmes for 90 days to assess whether they align with his policy objectives. Following this, Democratic Senator Chris Coons expressed concerns that Trumps order could jeopardise assistance to Ukraine during the winter months. The Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that it is working to clarify the implications of the order for Kyiv's aid with the US side. Support UP or become our patron! As of this week, we're officially living under a second Trump administration, and the chaos has already commenced with Trump's mass executive order signings that are already impacting marginalized communities. Well, Bishop Mariann Edgar Budde a leader of the Episcopal Church has decided to speak up, and has gone viral for her direct confrontation with Donald Trump during the National Prayer Service. Chip Somodelvilla / Getty Images During the service, the Bishop directly asked Trump to "have mercy" on immigrants and LGBTQ+ individuals who "fear for their lives" as he enters his next administration. Here's the full clip (trust me, it's worth the watch): Bishop Mariann Edgar Budde pleads to President Donald Trump to have mercy amid LGBTQ+ and immigration policies.pic.twitter.com/rNmpjmnd50 Pop Crave (@PopCrave) January 21, 2025 CSPAN / Twitter: @PopCrave Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Let me make one final plea, Mr. President. Millions have put their trust in you. As you told the nation yesterday, you have felt the providential hand of a loving God. In the name of our God, I ask you, to have mercy upon the people in our country who are scared now." "There are gay, lesbian, and transgender children in Democratic, Republican, and independent families," she continued. "Some, who fear for their lives." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "And the people the people who pick our crops and clean our office buildings, who labor in poultry farms and meat packing plants, who wash the dishes...they may not be citizens or have the proper documentation, but a vast majority of immigrants are not criminals." Here's Trump, who appears visibly uncomfortable: And JD Vance who appears visibly annoyed: "I ask you to have mercy, Mr. President, on those in our communities whose children fear that their parents will be taken away... Our God teaches us, that we are to be merciful to the stranger, for we were all once strangers in this land." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement After the service, President Trump was asked by the press about his thoughts. "Not too exciting, was it. I didn't think it was a good service. No... They can do much better." The clip of the Bishop has now gone viral, receiving over 30 million views, and a wide range of reactions, with many people praising the Bishop's statements: @nbcnews via TikTok / Via tiktok.com "Such a profoundly love-centered, bold appeal to his humanity and on behalf of humanity," Bernice King, the daughter of Martin Luther King Jr. wrote. Such a profoundly love-centered, bold appeal to his humanity and on behalf of humanity. https://t.co/M4flrGupIg Be A King (@BerniceKing) January 21, 2025 CSPAN Twitter: @BerniceKing "This woman is braver than the entire Democratic Party and MSM combined," this user agreed. This woman is braver than the entire Democratic Party and MSM combined. https://t.co/tynDIXV0pL Sarah Ironside (@SarahIronside6) January 21, 2025 Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement CSPAN Twitter: @SarahIronside6 Other users pointed out how uncomfortable Trump, JD Vance, and their families looked while the Bishop spoke: "watching all of them squirm in their seats is very satisfying. this was extremely badass and immaculately delivered," another user wrote. watching all of them squirm in their seats is very satisfying. this was extremely badass and immaculately delivered https://t.co/apHC0PaBTs matt (@mattxiv) January 21, 2025 CSPAN Twitter: @mattxiv "they immediately looked uncomfortable because they know deep down what they are doing is wrong and just hateful," this user pointed out. they immediately looked uncomfortable because they know deep down what they are doing is wrong and just hateful Vix (@skinnyforlunch) January 21, 2025 CSPAN Twitter: @skinnyforlunch "Usha Vance appears to be the only one in the camera shot who might agree with her, unfortunately," another user observed. Usha Vance appears to be the only one in the camera shot who might agree with her, unfortunately. https://t.co/kyjqiGkEwj Chris D. Jackson (@ChrisDJackson) January 21, 2025 CSPAN Twitter: @ChrisDJackson Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "This is how you know Trump has only attended churches where they try to co-opt Christianity! He got slapped with some basic teachings of Christianity & didnt know how to take it," Representative Jasmine Crockett wrote. This is how you know Trump has only attended churches where they try to co-opt Christianity! He got slapped with some basic teachings of Christianity & didnt know how to take it. I dont know this servant of God but I know that she has a relationship with the True Word https://t.co/1SVZi0JMdB Jasmine Crockett (@JasmineForUS) January 22, 2025 Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement CSPAN Twitter: @JasmineForUS "I dont know this servant of God but I know that she has a relationship with the True Word which teaches love, compassion, & mercy. Just like he didnt take his oath on the Bible Im doubtful hes ever even bothered to open one of his grifter bibles." Opposingly, many MAGA supporters have condemned the Bishop: "This woman should never step foot in the National Cathedral again in any capacity. The audacity to pull something like this" one Trump supporter wrote. This woman should never step foot in the National Cathedral again in any capacity.The audacity to pull something like this pic.twitter.com/yaDgI52Jng johnny maga (@_johnnymaga) January 21, 2025 CSPAN Twitter: @_johnnymaga GOP lawmaker Mike Collins took it a step further, writing: "The person giving this sermon should be added to the deportation list." The person giving this sermon should be added to the deportation list. pic.twitter.com/d7a2z1CM6s Rep. Mike Collins (@RepMikeCollins) January 21, 2025 CSPAN Twitter: @RepMikeCollins Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Later on, Trump also took to Truth Social, calling the Bishop a "Radical Left hard line Trump hater," "not compelling," or "smart" and demanded her church apologize for her statements. @realDonaldTrump via Truth Social What are your thoughts on the Bishop's statements? Let us know in the comments below. PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) One person was found dead after a fire broke out at a homeless camp in Seaside, authorities said. Just before 1 p.m. on Wednesday, the Seaside Police Department and Seaside Fire and Rescue responded to a 911 call about a reported fire at the camp. Sea cherubs are washing up in OR When first responders arrived at the homeless camp on 855 Avenue S just a few minutes later, they saw smoke coming from it. A resident had also helped contain the fire to one tent before emergency responders arrived. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement One person was found dead at the scene. However, authorities said no details regarding the identity are confirmed. The investigation into the fire and death is ongoing. Detectives from the Seaside Police Department, assisted by area detectives and a medicolegal death investigator, are working to determine the cause of death, the City of Seaside said in a press release. Seaside Fire & Rescue is conducting a thorough investigation to help determine the origin and cause of the fire. Officials said once more information is available, more updates will be released to the public. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. PETA activists held a protest in New York City outside the headquarters of the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals on Thursday. The activists are protesting ASPCA's promotion of "animal welfare certified" labels on meat, eggs and dairy sourced from factory farms. Arrests were made after a truck dumped a load cow dung onto Eighth Avenue. Jan. 23 (UPI) -- PETA supporters in New York City on Thursday protested at the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals headquarters for promoting animal welfare certification labels that PETA claims are a sham. PETA said the labels are affixed to meat, eggs and dairy sourced from factory farms. The animal rights group urged consumers not to trust that the labels actually certify humane animal treatment. "Standards backed by the ASPCA still allow for 'certified' facilities to mutilate piglets without pain relief, cram cows into filthy pens, and force chickens to grow morbidly obese until they can barely walk," said PETA Executive Vice President Tracy Reiman in a statement. "PETA is calling on the ASPCA to cut ties with this shameful 'humane-washing' scheme and for kind consumers everywhere to please go vegan." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement PETA said it investigated Plainville Farms, which had ASPCA "animal welfare certified" labels on its products, and found "that workers kicked, beat, and threw turkeys and left sick and injured birds to suffer without treatment." PETA said former workers at that farm were charged "with six felonies and a total of 141 counts of cruelty to animals." PETA said it's the largest number of charges in any farmed animal case in United States history. A PETA activist helps drop a truck load of cow dung on to 8th Avenue at a PETA protest outside of the ASPCA headquarters protesting factory farm endorsement on Thursday, January 23, 2025 in New York City. At least two arrests were made. Photo by John Angelillo/UPI Another PETA investigation into Sweet Stem farm revealed pigs were allegedly "crammed into severely crowded sheds on concrete floors." PETA also alleged in a statement updated Thursday that the Humane Society of the United States, the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, and Compassion in World Farming promote the factory farming industry. A PETA activist is arrested by NYPD Police Officers when he assists in the process of a truck dumping a load of cow dung on to 8th Avenue at a PETA protest outside of the ASPCA headquarters protesting factory farm endorsement on Thursday, January 23, 2025 in New York City. At least two arrests were made. Photo by John Angelillo/UPI MANILA (Reuters) - The Philippine foreign ministry said on Thursday it takes any indication of espionage operations by foreign nationals seriously, after the arrest this week of a Chinese national on suspicion of espionage. Philippine law enforcers said they recovered in the suspect's possession equipment they believe could be used for spying on military facilities. Investigators said Deng Yuanqing, who is affiliated with the Army Engineering University of PLA (People's Liberation Army), was part of a group that authorities had been tracking, based on intelligence indicating they arrived in the Philippines to conduct surveillance on critical infrastructure, including military installations. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "In accordance with its mandate to help protect national security, the department takes any indication of espionage operations by foreign nationals seriously," the Department of Foreign Affairs said in a statement, adding it is ready to help the investigation. Authorities did not say how Deng had responded to the spying allegations. Two Filipino alleged accomplices were also detained. China's embassy in Manila in a statement on Thursday said it hoped the Philippines would "stop shadow-chasing, stop peddling the so-called 'Chinese spy'." Deng's arrest comes amid growing suspicion in the Philippines of Chinese activities, including the conduct of its coast guard and fishing militia in Manila's exclusive economic zone. (Reporting by Karen Lema; Editing by Martin Petty) A trade official from the Philippines has expressed openness to more cooperation with China even as the two countries appear perpetually at odds over a number of tense geopolitical issues - not least of which a heated sovereignty dispute in the South China Sea. In contrast to some Southeast Asian countries - who are shying away from transit shipments of Chinese goods to the US for fear of tariff retribution from its recently inaugurated president, Donald Trump - the Philippines remains amenable to Chinese investment in fields like electric vehicles (EVs), renewable energy, smart manufacturing, electronics and agriculture, said Glenn Penaranda, commercial counsellor at the Philippine consulate in Shanghai. "The Philippines can be another location or platform for manufacturing for export to major markets such as the US and the EU," he said in an email. "The return of the Trump administration is expected to accelerate the diversification of supply chains and markets." 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. Chinese customs data shows a decline in bilateral trade between China and the Philippines in 2024, with combined exports and imports falling by 0.4 per cent to US$71.6 billion. Although the decline has moderated compared to 2023 - when their trade fell by 16 per cent - the Philippines remains one of only two Southeast Asian countries, along with Myanmar, to see a decline in trade with China last year. Record-breaking export and import figures were reported in 2024 between China and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean), a grouping of 10 countries in the region. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Beijing has long had friction with Manila over conflicting claims to portions of the South China Sea, and has strenuously objected to what it sees as increasing American encroachment in the regional affair. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio reportedly restated his country's commitments to the Philippines under their mutual defence treaty during a phone call with his counterpart in Manila. The Philippines is China's fourth-largest supplier of agricultural products. Bananas are its top export, with about 76 per cent of its outbound shipments of the fruit being sent to China. However, China's banana imports from the Philippines saw a year-on-year drop of nearly one-third in volume in 2024, and a 39 per cent decline in value terms. Simultaneously, Beijing increased its banana imports from Indonesia by almost 64 per cent, year on year, in volume terms for a 23 per cent jump in value. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This trend can be observed in other import fixtures. Shipments of unwrought copper from the Philippines to China dropped by 42 per cent, while imports from Indonesia surged by 230 per cent in value terms last year. Penaranda still saw "positive prospects" for further improvement of bilateral economic ties. "While there are declines in the trade of certain products, we believe these are the effects of global market dynamics and some are cyclical," said Penaranda, adding that the slower overall decline in bilateral trade suggests some improvement. The Philippines remains an untapped market for raw materials for battery manufacturers, with China's nickel imports from the country dropping in 2024 by 10 per cent, year on year. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement EVs - one of China's flagship exports in recent years - also saw a 6.6 per cent year-on-year drop of shipments to the Philippines in unit terms. "There is a robust pipeline of investment interests, particularly in manufacturing including EVs," Penaranda said. "Chinese EV companies are pursuing market opportunities and partnerships for expanding the supply chain." China is eager for new or deepened trade relationships in emerging markets as it deals with headwinds from both the European Union (EU) and the United States. While the EU has already imposed tariffs of up to 45 per cent on Chinese EVs, Trump threatened 10 per cent tariffs - effective February 1 - on all Chinese products earlier this week. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Further diversification of industrial and supply chains is expected over the next four years under Trump - to the benefit of Asean - building on a trend that began during the trade war in the US president's first term. Since that time, the Southeast Asian bloc has surpassed the US and EU as China's largest trading partner. 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. By Karen Lema MANILA (Reuters) - The Philippines will soon decide on an international platform to sue China for alleged damage to the marine environment, its justice minister said, as it pursues a second high-profile legal challenge against Beijing over the South China Sea. The Philippines won a landmark case at the Permanent Court of Arbitration in 2016 that found China's sweeping claim of sovereignty in the South China Sea had no basis under international law. It now wants to hold Beijing accountable for what it says is its harvesting of giant clams and substantial environmental damage to coral reefs in the Philippines' exclusive economic zone. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "We're in discussion and the decision has to come very soon," Justice Secretary Crispin Remulla said, referring to which legal forum to file the case. "The sins are really so obvious," he said. "In the end, this is the best way to attack. There are many ways of solving a problem, but this is one of the most novel ways." China was incensed by the 2016 arbitration case and has refused to recognise it, doubling down on its efforts to assert its sovereignty claim with an armada of coast guard and fishing militia, hundreds of kilometres off its mainland. Beijing, which has built manmade islands on top of reefs, some with missile systems and runways, has denied harming marine ecosystems in the region and has accused the Philippines of the same. Manila rejects that. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A 2023 report by the Center for Strategic and International Studies found China's construction activity buried more than 4,600 acres (1,861 hectares) of reef. The environmental dispute has become another flashpoint in a long-running territorial row between China and U.S. ally the Philippines, which has seen repeated confrontations between vessels over disputed features in Manila's EEZ, including the Scarborough Shoal, the Second Thomas Shoal, and Sabina Shoal. Remulla said the case build-up is backed by "a lot of evidence" from the Philippine coast guard and other agencies on the frontlines of the South China Sea. The Permanent Court of Arbitration and the International Court of Justice are among several possible venues Philippine officials have identified in exploring options for the second case. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Remulla stressed the urgency of the case and said the government was hoping to file it this year, underscoring the need to firm up its legal strategy. "This is a civil case. We look for damages. We want to be awarded damages for that," he said. "This is all due yesterday." The Philippines alleges Chinese activities, including dredging, coral harvesting, and the construction of artificial islands, have caused significant and irreversible damage to coral reefs and marine biodiversity. China has accused the Philippines of causing damage to the Second Thomas Shoal by intentionally grounding a warship there in 1999. (Reporting by Karen Lema; Editing by Martin Petty) Want to stay current with Arthurs writing? Sign up to get an email every time a new column comes out. Anicius Manlius Severinus Boethius was born in Rome around the year 475 C.E. A learned man, he served his nation faithfully as a senator and consul. But the early sixth century was a period of perilous political instability, and Boethius was wrongly accused of treason by Ostrogoth King Theodoric. Imprisoned and sentenced to death, Boethius kept a prison diary chronicling his despair and inability to understand how such an unjust fate could make sense in a well-ordered universe. Then help camein the form, as Boethius tells it, of a mysterious and divine visitor to his cell: Lady Philosophy. A being of superhuman dignity and beauty, she engages Boethius in a series of philosophical discourses that raise his consciousness to a better perception of the true nature of good and the vanity of his misery. So morally elevated by his new understanding of philosophy, he could face his predicamentincluding his ultimate executionwith courage, peace, even joy. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement What Boethius described was no symptom of carceral derangement; the lady was his metaphor for the power of philosophy to breathe life back into a deadened soul. With luck, you are not reading this column from prison; no doubt, however, you still have plenty of problems you would like to solve. Perhaps you need to invite Lady Philosophy into your own life. Heres how. [Arthur C. Brooks: When you cant change the world, change your feelings] We all know that, in general, studying and learning improve quality of life. Indeed, adopting a lifelong learning habit is one of the practices that leads to being happy and healthy in old age. And those who study philosophy enjoy particular benefits. In a large-sample 2024 survey of more than 100,000 individuals over their college years, the scholars Michael Prinzing and Michael Vazquez compared undergraduates of philosophy with peers studying other fields and found that the budding philosophers showed more enhanced habits of mind (curiosity, intellectual rigor, humility) and pluralistic orientation (tolerance, open-mindedness) than the students of other subjects. (In case youre wondering, business majors scored the most poorly in habits of mind, and students of agriculture manifested the least pluralistic orientation.) Neuroscientists have taken an interest in the cognitive benefits of philosophy. One theory offered by Georg Northoff in his book Neuro-Philosophy and the Healthy Mind is that we become more cognitively flexiblefinding it easier to accept and employ alternative ways of thinkingwhen presented with different philosophical frameworks. This, in turn, improves the connection between the default mode network (which is central to self-reflection and pondering lifes meaning) and the brains executive network. In short, wrestling with philosophical questions makes your brain work better. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Engaging with a variety of philosophies is not the same as applying a particular one to your life. If youre going to adopt a specific philosophical approach, some seem clearly more likely to be beneficial than others. For example, its hard to imagine that becoming a full-blown existential nihilistlife is meaningless and then you diewill aid much in your happiness. (You might think that posing as one, with a Gauloise cigarette in hand, might make you look more fascinating, but neither of those things is very good for your well-being.) Evidence suggests that people who strongly embrace hedonism as a philosophy of lifethe classical version of this is known as epicureanismtend to be unhappier than people who dont or do so moderately. In contrast, Stoicismwhich focuses on the concept of a good life based on inner strength in the face of problemsis quite beneficial as a worldview: Researchers reported in 2022 that when two dozen medical students received psychotherapy that used the principles of Stoic philosophy, they became more empathic and resilient. Certain attitudes and experiences predict which philosophy one will find most congenial. For example, researchers have shown that people who use recreational drugs are more likely than others to believe that morality is subjective; people who have had a transcendental experience are most likely to believe in God. Meanwhile, hard determinists (who believe that free will is an illusion and that all events are beyond our individual control) tend to register lower in well-being and higher in mental illness. [From the November 1985 issue: The venerable Will] Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Whether or not you decide to fully adopt a particular philosophy, simply studying different ones is good for both your intellectual prowess and your humility. Such study is also good for society insofar as it can make people less rigid and dogmatic in their beliefs. In my case, I am trained as a behavioral scientist and was educated with very little philosophy. But that changed about five years ago, after I saw evidence in research about philosophical education of its personal and social benefits. So I took to studying the great thinkers myself, from Aristotle to Zenoand contemporary philosophers as well. Here are the rules Ive followed for doing so. 1. Start with a lay of the land. Rather than beginning at a random point, create your own version of an undergraduate survey course. There are many wonderful books that give you a broad sweep of philosophy, such as Nigel Warburtons A Little History of Philosophy. For a classic that is slightly denser and more demanding, try Will Durants 1926 work, The Story of Philosophy. Or buy an introductory textbook and do your own Philosophy 101. 2. Take big ideas in small doses. As you turn to the original texts, youll find that theyre not binge-reading material. You wont get much from the Nicomachean Ethics if you try to read it over a weekend. Like most philosophical texts, Aristotles seminal work requires keen attention and a lot of thought. Set a time aside each day to read for 10 to 15 minutes, taking notes as you go. This will become a treasured habit and get you through a lot of deep thought in a satisfying way as the months pass. 3. Do rely on teachers. If you didnt need secondary sources and annotated versions of the works of philosophy, that would be great. But I do and so, probably, will you. Right now, I am struggling with Ludwig Wittgensteins Tractatus Logico-Philosophicus. All I can say is, thank God others got their doctorates in this stuff and can machete through this intellectual thicket with their commentary. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 4. This really is what YouTube is for. When you decide to scroll videos to pass the time, whether at night in bed or on the treadmill at the gym, do you come away feeling empty and slightly depressed because you just blew an hour of watching utterly vacuous stuff? Dont rely on the junk that the algorithm feeds you; search for videos made by scholars talking about their favorite philosophers. The quality is mixed, but your time will rarely be wasted. 5. Try applying what you learn. If you really want to achieve a bone-deep understanding of a philosophical idea, try living according to its prescription for a few days, or a week, if you can. I remember being profoundly affected by Immanuel Kants claim that By a lie a man throws away and, as it were, annihilates his dignity as a man in his 1797 treatise, The Metaphysics of Morals. Yes! cried my soul. So I tried living with his brand of radical honesty for a week. The experience was valuable, but I learned that I am not a Kantianbecause I actually like being married and employed. [Arthur C. Brooks: Are you a Platonist or an Aristotelian?] My little autodidacts routine for learning some philosophy is no substitute for a formal education, and I realize that I am still hopelessly ignorant and capable of gross errors. I know this because professional philosophers are never shy about pointing out my missteps among the correspondence I receive for these columns. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Still, my visits from Lady Philosophy have made an immense positive difference in the perspective I have on life. This pursuit of the mind is endlessly fascinating andI would say, borrowing from the title of Boethiuss prison diaryeven consoling. In The Consolation of Philosophy, he summarized what the lady had taught him about how to practice the good life as: Withstand vice, practice virtue, lift up your souls to right hopes, offer humble prayers to Heaven. As valuable advice today as it was in 524. Article originally published at The Atlantic A member of the Phoenix Fire Department died, the Fire Department announced on Wednesday evening. Captain Paramedic Anthony Mock died peacefully after battling two rare forms of cancer over the last two years, the Phoenix Fire Department said in a statement. Mock's lifelong dream was to become a Phoenix firefighter. After his cancer diagnosis, Mock advocated early cancer screenings for his fellow firefighters. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Details regarding Mock's service, contributions and a memorial will be announced at a later date. It is with profound sadness that we announce the passing of Captain Paramedic Anthony Mock, a beloved and dedicated member of #PHXFire. Anthony peacefully passed away after he bravely battled two rare forms of cancer for the past two years. @CityofPhoenixAZ pic.twitter.com/SxCsE9h9FT Phoenix Fire Dept. (@PHXFire) January 23, 2025 This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Phoenix Fire Department laments death of Paramedic Anthony Mock Phoenix police arrested a woman suspected of killing her ride-share driver after running him over repeatedly with his own car. Sgt. Philip Krynsky, a department spokesperson, said officers responded to the area of 40th Street and Baseline Road on Tuesday around 5:15 p.m. after receiving reports of a vehicle collision involving a pedestrian. They found 31-year-old Jordan Spalding in the driver's seat of a vehicle stopped near a canal, Krynsky confirmed. Krynsky said officers found a man, later identified as 74-year-old Samuel Webster, nearby with obvious signs of trauma. Phoenix firefighters rushed Webster to a hospital where he ultimately died. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Responding detectives interviewed witnesses and reviewed surveillance footage that suggested Webster was a ride-share driver who was giving Spalding a ride when the two got into an argument. Krynsky said witnesses saw the car stop next to a canal when the two exited the vehicle, and Spalding entered the driver's seat before running Webster over multiple times. Detectives interviewed Spalding before booking her into jail with the charge of second-degree murder. It was not immediately clear when Spalding's next court appearance would be, as of Wednesday evening. This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Woman arrested in Phoenix on suspicion of killing rideshare driver PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) Fire crews put out a two-alarm blaze at a home in Bethany on Wednesday evening but its origin is still under investigation, authorities said. Multiple 911 callers reported seeing heavy black smoke and flames shortly after 5 p.m. coming from a home in an unincorporated area of Washington County, Tualatin Valley Fire and Rescue said. Pedestrian seriously injured after being hit by car Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The incident command also confirmed seeing a black column of smoke coming from the home in the 3600 block of Northwest 163rd Terrace in the Bethany area. Firefighters battle a blaze at a home near Bethany, Oregon. January 22, 2025 (courtesy Tualatin Valley Fire and Rescue). Firefighters battle a blaze at a home near Bethany, Oregon. January 22, 2025 (courtesy Tualatin Valley Fire and Rescue). Firefighters battle a blaze at a home near Bethany, Oregon. January 22, 2025 (courtesy Tualatin Valley Fire and Rescue). Firefighters battle a blaze at a home near Bethany, Oregon. January 22, 2025 (courtesy Tualatin Valley Fire and Rescue). One nearby residence close to the home was evacuated, officials said. The first crew arrived within five minutes and began to search the home to confirm whether any occupants remained inside. The large number of personal belongings inside the residence made access to the interior of the home and search operations challenging, TVF&R said in a press release. While firefighters worked to confirm all occupants were out of the home, fire crews began to attack the fire. The incident commander called for a second alarm to bring additional resources, to further aid initial fire crews facing challenging fire conditions. The Hillsboro Fire and Rescue came to assist. Together with TVF&R, the firefighters got the flames under control and searched the building to confirm no occupants were inside. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Officials said the cause of the fire is still being determined by a fire investigator at the scene. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. As the sun began to set over Castaic Lake on Wednesday, the hills to the north and east were engulfed in flames, casting an eerie orange glow across the valley below. The Hughes fire ignited earlier in the day north of Castaic and by evening had grown to more than 9,000 acres, forcing the evacuation of about 31,000 people. Overhead, a pair of firefighting helicopters circled in constant, hurried laps between the lake and the burning hillsides. It took them only about a minute to fill their water tanks with hoses as they hovered above the surface, then only a couple of more minutes to drop their loads on the flames and return for more. (Wally Skalij/Los Angeles Times) A firefighter watches as the sun illuminates the smoke of the Hughes fire in Castaic. (Gina Ferazzi/Los Angeles Times) Burning embers swirl as hand crews work to contain the wind driven Hughes fire burning in Tapia Canyon. (Gina Ferazzi/Los Angeles Times) A bulldozer operator drives into the flames to set up a containment line off Charlie Canyon Road. (Wally Skalij/Los Angeles Times) Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Firefighters light backfires to control the Hughes fire off of Tapia Canyon Road. (Wally Skalij/Los Angeles Times) Residents at the Castaic Lake RV Park spray down their homes as the Hughes fire burns in the distance. (Gina Ferazzi/Los Angeles Times) A firefighting helicopter makes a water drop on wind driven flames in the Hughes fire off Charlie Canyon Road. (Wally Skalij/Los Angeles Times) Firefighting hand crews work the ground to prevent the spread of the Hughes fire. (Gina Ferazzi/Los Angeles Times) Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Th Hughes fire continues to burn in Tapia Canyon just east of the 5 freeway. 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. Mexico is readying emergency facilities in multiple cities to house the thousands of people Donald Trump is expected to return to the country as part of his planned nationwide campaign of mass deportations. Government officials, including the Mexican navy, have begun erecting the facilities in the cities of Matamoros and Ciudad Juarez, Reuters reports. Its unprecedented, Enrique Licon, a municipal official in Juarez, told the outlet. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In Tijuana, meanwhile, state officials declared a state of emergency last week ahead of Trumps deportation plans and have readied their own facilities in preparation for a surge. There is collective nervousness about the decisions made by President Trumps administration, C Jamie Marin, director of the citys Jardin de las Mariposas shelter, told CNN. Leaders in the busy border crossing point of Matamoros, just across the border from Brownsville, Texas, are worried the raft of planned Trump immigration changes will leave vulnerable people stranded in Mexico. Trump administration has promised massed deportations and largely shut down asylum system, prompting Mexican officials to prepare for wave of returnees (REUTERS) Organized crime gets stronger with these actions. We see it, Father Francisco Gallardo of the Diocese of Reynosa-Matamoros told Texas Public Radio. He also warned that Mexico is not prepared to keep the new influx of migrants. The biggest issue is that smugglers are going to take advantage of this situation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The administration has shut down the Border Patrol CBP One app, which let 1,450 asylum seekers a day make an appointment and legally enter the U.S. at set points of entry while they wait for their asylum cases to resolve. Before the shutdown, an estimated 270,000 migrants were waiting in Mexico for an appointment and are now in limbo. Trump also reinstated his first-term Remain in Mexico directive, forcing non-Mexican asylum seekers to wait in the country before attempting to enter the U.S. Local leaders say leaving thousands of asylum seekers on Mexico side of border will expose them to threats (REUTERS) Complicating matters further, Mexico has said it has not yet agreed to accept non-Mexican migrants sent out of the U.S., setting up a potential clash with the U.S. over the status of these border-crossers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In addition to the changes to the asylum system, Trump has declared a national emergency at the border, justifying further physical barriers and deployment of U.S. military personnel, and has attempted to end the constitutionally protected right of birthright citizenship. Twenty-two states have sued Trump to challenge the birthright citizenship cancellation effort. A U.S. Justice Department memo this week made clear that federal prosecutors should investigate and potentially prosecute local and state officials who interfere with immigration enforcement, a key element of President Donald Trumps new administration. The Tuesday memo to all DOJ employees from acting Deputy Attorney General Emil Bove also directed the departments civil division to partner with a newly established Sanctuary Cities Enforcement Working Group to identify local and state measures and activities inconsistent with Trumps immigration initiatives. Where appropriate, the DOJ is required to take legal action to challenge such laws, according to the memo, which was reported by multiple media outlets. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The memo came as an apparent warning to dozens of jurisdictions across the United States that have enacted some form of protection for immigrants, according to the Associated Press. Washington is one of those jurisdictions. During Trumps first administration in 2019, state lawmakers passed the Keep Washington Working Act, which restricted the extent of local law enforcements cooperation with federal immigration authorities. The Pierce County Sheriff Office will abide by all enforceable US immigration laws and legal mandates, newly elected Sheriff Keith Swank said in a statement Thursday. Law enforcement agencies are obligated to honor applicable federal detainers. I believe there will be more legal guidance in the near future. Messages left for the Tacoma Police Department, in an effort to ascertain whether the DOJs new directives would change how it conducts itself, were not returned. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Some officials in Pierce County were trying to determine what the memo could mean locally but vowed that their jurisdictions would remain committed to safety and inclusion. Tacoma Mayor Victoria Woodards said in a statement Wednesday that the city would be reviewing Trumps executive orders to ensure the city was following legal and constitutional requirements while also upholding the rights of every Tacoman. We will be working closely with our state and federal partners to understand and respond to the federal policies, Woodards said. We will continue to ensure we are fostering a safe, welcoming and inclusive environment for all in our community. Since 2015, the city has declared itself a Welcoming City, pledging support for immigrants and refugees, and later formed a Commission on Immigrant and Refugee Affairs to engage and remove barriers for those communities. The City Council stopped short several years ago of adopting the Sanctuary City label that is generally not only supportive of immigrants but also resistant to cooperation with federal immigration law enforcement. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Democratic Pierce County Council Chair Jani Hitchen said Wednesday that she was currently asking questions about the memos potential local impact. Newly elected county Executive Ryan Mello, a fellow Democrat, told The News Tribune that state leaders would be closely evaluating potential changes in federal policies. What wont change is our commitment to ensuring Pierce County remains a place that is safe, welcoming, and connected for everyone, Mello said in a statement. Some cities outside Pierce County have already pledged to stand by their current policies of not working with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson said Tuesday that the citys police department will not intervene or participate in any way in enforcing immigration law, NPR reported. Thurston County Sheriff Derek Sanders responded similarly when asked by McClatchy this week: Were not federal police officers, so we dont enforce federal law, he said, adding that the county doesnt impede federal law either. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement During an abortion rights rally on Wednesday, Gov. Bob Ferguson said that the state needed to see beyond Trumps threats to what he actually does, suggesting that there likely would be litigation, potentially led by the state, to counter any unlawful actions, McClatchy reported. House Speaker Laurie Jinkins, D-Tacoma, told McClatchy on Wednesday that she wanted the state to protect the Keep Washington Working Act. The act, among other things, prohibits local law enforcement agencies from collecting information about a persons immigration or citizenship status unless its tied to a criminal investigation beyond being in the United States illegally, according to an FAQ on the law from the state Attorney Generals Office. The act also largely prohibits local law enforcement from sharing private personal information with federal immigration authorities in a non-criminal matter, or information about a persons custody-release date and time based on notification requests from federal immigration authorities, the FAQ said. PIKE COUNTY, Ala (WDHN) An overnight flood heavily damaged the Pike County Judicial Complex during a historic winter storm. Pike County Sheriff Russell Thomas tells WDHN the flooding started on the complexs third floor after a pipe on the buildings heating system burst due to the extreme temperature change, causing water to spray out like an irrigation system. Sheriff Thomas said the water started on the third floor, pouring down the elevator shaft and into the floors below, flooding the Pike County District Attorneys Office, the Pike County Sheriffs Office, the offices of at least two judges, and two courtrooms. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Major Dale County highway reopens after crash that left 200 stranded A sheriffs office employee found the Pike County Sheriffs Office flooded at around 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, and discovered the source of the flood on the third floor while investigating. The employee was able to turn the water off with a shut-off valve. The sheriff says if the employee had not entered the office while the complex was closed, no one would have found the flooding until 8:00 a.m. on Thursday when the building was set to reopen after the winter storm. According to Sheriff Thomas, during the same night, a huge walk-in freezer at the county jail failed and almost caused the jail to lose thousands of dollars worth of meat. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Another extreme cold warning issued for the Wiregrass Cooks at the jail discovered the thawing meat in time and brought in a mobile refrigeration truck to house the meat until the freezer can be replaced, the sheriff tells WDHN. Sheriff Thomas says the walk-in freezer had not been installed correctly, possibly allowing moisture from the snow to seep in and damage the fan. Crews from Alabama Restoration are working to vacuum the water from the floors of the Judicial Complex, which was finished in 2023. It is unknown how much the flooding damages will cost to repair, but the sheriff says it is in the hundreds of thousands. 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 WDHN - wdhn.com. Citing a financial shortfall, Planned Parenthood of Illinois announced Wednesday on the 52nd anniversary of Roe v. Wade that it will be closing four clinics across the state, including one on Chicagos South Side. The health center shutdowns come as Illinois is already grappling with a surge in patients traveling here from other states for abortion care after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned the landmark decision Roe v. Wade in June 2022, ending federal abortion rights. The number of abortion seekers coming to Illinois long known as a haven for reproductive health access nationwide has skyrocketed over the past few years. Illinois clinicians provided more abortions for out-of-state patients than any other state in the nation in 2023, the first full year without Roe, according to data from the Guttmacher Institute, a research group that supports abortion rights. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Roughly 37,350 out-of-state patients traveled here for abortion care in 2023, more than triple the nearly 11,150 counted in 2020, according to estimates from the Guttmacher Institute. This was more out-of-state patients than any other state that year, including those with larger populations such as California and New York, the data showed. Many reproductive rights advocates fear abortion restrictions around the country will only intensify following President Donald Trumps inauguration Monday. One of the first notable changes after the new administration assumed control was the dismantling of the government website reproductiverights.gov. The site was no longer accessible as of Monday evening and displayed an error message when users tried to view it. The site was launched by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services in 2022 to provide public information about reproductive health care and abortion access. We expect that the Trump administration, backed by a Republican trifecta and anti-abortion Supreme Court, will do real damage to reproductive rights both in the U.S. and globally, said Candace Gibson, director of state policy at the Guttmacher Institute. One of the first areas of attack were expecting is efforts to limit access to medication abortionpolicies that would impact everyone, regardless of what state they live in. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As for the changes coming in Illinois, one of the Planned Parenthood clinics slated for shutdown is in Englewood on the South Side, a higher-poverty neighborhood in need of health facilities and other resources. The other three clinics are in Ottawa, Bloomington and Decatur, according to a Planned Parenthood of Illinois statement. The clinics provided medication abortions and other health services but did not offer procedure abortions. Appointments at the clinics will end in March, according to Planned Parenthood of Illinois. The agency cited various reasons for the financial shortfall, including rising health care costs for in-person care, increase in patient volume needing financial assistance, uncertain patient care landscape under a new national political administration and the need to create a sustainable future after the overturning of Roe v Wade. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Planned Parenthood of Illinois officials did not immediately answer Tribune questions about the amount of the financial shortfall nor did the agency give any details in their statement. Illinois has seen the highest volume of abortion patients coming from other states, the statement said. Since Roe was overturned in 2022, Planned Parenthood of Illinois has seen a 47% increase in overall abortion care patients and an unprecedented number of out-of-state patients traveling from more than 40 other states, making up nearly a quarter of our overall abortion patients. Before the fall of Roe, out-of-state patients comprised roughly 3% to 5% of the patient population at Planned Parenthood of Illinois, according to the statement. However, that increase in patient volume, coupled with low reimbursement rates from insurers and rising costs of providing care has resulted in Planned Parenthood of Illinois needing to realign its health centers and staffing, the statement added. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The agency will still have 13 other health centers statewide after the clinic closures. Planned Parenthood of Illinois also intends to expand appointments at its clinics in Champaign, Peoria, Springfield, Roseland and Waukegan to meet patient demand as needed, according to the statement. Starting next month, Planned Parenthood of Illinois will also be offering medication abortion through the agencys app; other services such as birth control, emergency contraceptives, at-home sexually transmitted disease testing are already available on the app, according to the statement. Adding medication abortion to the suite of services expands access, reduces wait times at health centers and provides the right care patients need wherever they are, the statement said. Planned Parenthood of Illinois will also be downsizing its administrative staff, according to the statement, though it did not include any numbers or how many staff members would be impacted. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Matt Yonke, communications director for the Chicago-based Pro-Life Action League, said he did not mourn the closing of the clinics. I wonder if this might be an indication of a rocky future ahead for Planned Parenthood. They built their brand on being Abortion Inc. in their standalone, surgical abortion facilities, he said. But in this new world where abortion pills are becoming easier to obtain online all the time, what market is there for a big, bulky building like the ones Planned Parenthood has been building for the last two decades? He added that maybe abortion isnt the cash cow it used to be. Maybe being the nations largest abortion chain is a business model thats run its course, he said. I, for one, wont shed any tears if thats the case. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On Jan. 8, Planned Parenthood of Illinois announced its President and CEO Jennifer Welch stepped down after seven years on the job. Planned Parenthood of Illinois Chief Financial Officer Tonya Tucker was promoted to interim CEO. Patient care is and will always be our number one priority, Tucker said in the statement about the clinic closures. We made plans for the patient surge, however rising care costs and lower reimbursement rates from insurers is jeopardizing Planned Parenthoods sustainability. Unfortunately, this is the reality many other Planned Parenthood affiliates are facing in the rapidly evolving health care environment. We are making the difficult decisions today so we can continue providing care tomorrow and well into the future. The agencys chaotic start to 2025 comes as abortion providers across the state and country are bracing for potential attacks on reproductive health care by the Trump administration. The newly inaugurated president has been a bit vague about his plans for reproductive rights and health care during this term: Although Trump has repeatedly taken credit for appointing several Supreme Court justices who ruled to roll back Roe v. Wade, he had said during the presidential campaign that abortion rights should be left to individual states. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Theres a lot of uncertainty. Its impossible to know exactly when or what will happen, said Megan Jeyifo, executive director of the Chicago Abortion Fund, during a recent interview with the Tribune. But we do anticipate that abortion access and the broader spectrum of access to reproductive and sexual health care and education that leads to better outcomes for health care is going to be under threat for the next four years. Despite the four clinic closures and the unknowns of a new administration, Jeyifo said she believes Illinois is still prepared to support the large influx of abortion seekers traveling here. Ahead of Trumps inauguration, the Chicago Abortion Fund put out a statement last week saying that although federal support for abortion access is under threat amid the second Trump presidency Illinois remains steadfast and is prepared to continue supporting abortion seekers in our state and those traveling from across the South and Midwest. That statement added that the Chicago Abortion Fund and various independent clinics including Family Planning Associates in Chicago and Hope Clinic in Granite City near the Missouri border are prepared to meet increasing demands without delays or barriers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement With the support and partnership of Illinois abortion funds, advocates, elected officials and our fellow providers, we are meeting the needs of patients traveling from throughout the South and Midwest for life-changing health care, said Dr. Allison Cowett, medical director at Family Planning Associates. We will continue to provide abortion services, and we will continue the fight to break down barriers to abortion access today, tomorrow, and always. A wave of new clinics have also opened in Illinois since the fall of Roe to meet the high patient need, including one in Champaign, another in Rockford and several in downstate Carbondale. Some existing clinics have also expanded their hours, facilities and added staff to handle the crush of patients. Melissa Grant, chief operations officer of Carafem, which has a clinic in Skokie, noted that Illinois is a critical access point for abortion care in the United States post-Roe because its within a days drive of nearly a dozen states that all but ban abortion. It will continue to play an essential role in ensuring access to abortion care in this country in the years to come, Grant said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement At its Skokie health center, Carafem provided abortion care to almost 20% more patients in 2023 than in 2020, she added. Many people are now forced to seek care in states with fewer barriers, often amidst fear and financial insecurity, Grant said. While Illinois serves as a safe harbor in many ways, there is still more we can do to ensure equitable, comprehensive care for all. Carafem also began offering abortion pills for future use, known as advance provision, in response to the threat of further abortion restrictions. Various local reproductive health care providers have reported a dramatic spike in requests for abortion pills, emergency contraceptive and sterilization procedures following Trumps presidential win in November. We are heading into an incredibly hard time for sexual and reproductive health care access, Sarah Garza Resnick, CEO of Personal PAC, said in a statement before Trumps inauguration. But in times like this, weve made great progress by coming together, organizing, and fighting back. This is no time to despair, we will fight back. Gov. JB Pritzker commemorated the Roe v. Wade anniversary Wednesday on the social media site X, saying the decision represented a historic step for reproductive freedom. On what would have been the 52nd anniversary, it reminds us that our progress cannot be taken for granted, he added. The fight continues and here in Illinois, we remain ready to help those who need access to care. eleventis@chicagotribune.com Dmytro Pliatsuk, the deputy defence minister of Ukraine under the regime of former pro-Russian President Viktor Yanukovych, and his Nizhyn Repair Plant received almost UAH 2 billion (about US$48 million) from the state for air defence repairs in 2022-2024. Source: investigation by Ukrainska Pravda: How a top official of Yanukovych's defence ministry who destroyed the defence industrial base profits from the war Details: The Nizhyn Repair Plant, which was engaged in the repair of military engineering equipment earthmoving machines, amphibious assault vehicles, and cranes went bankrupt after Yanukovych came to power. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In 2015, Pliatsuk founded the Defence Technologies company, and starting in 2016, he began to buy out the bankrupt Nizhyn Repair Plant in parts. At the time of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, most of the Nizhyn Repair Plant was owned by Pliatsuks company. One of Pliatsuks own companies is called LLC Nizhyn Repair Plant. UP's sources in law enforcement allege that Pliatsuk himself left the country on 23 February 2022, the eve of the full-scale Russian invasion, and returned only six months later, in September 2022. At the same time, UP's sources among border guards say that Pliatsuk is in the process of leaving the country as a man with a reservation from mobilisation with a driver who was also initially going on business trips and later received a second-grade disability. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ukrainska Pravda journalists have also spotted Pliatsuk in the government quarter, which now requires a special pass to access. UP's sources in political circles report that Ihor Kopytin, the secretary of an MP from the Servant of the People faction, ordered such a pass for Pliatsuk. Kopytin is the chairman of the Subcommittee on Defence Industry of the Verkhovna Rada (Ukrainian Parliament) Committee on National Security, Defence and Intelligence. In addition, in 2021, one of Kopytin's assistants even had a power of attorney from Pliatsuks company to represent him and sign documents in negotiations with a Turkish defence company. Quote from UP: "Ukrainska Pravda sources in the defence sector claim that it was during this period [when he was seen in the government quarter ed.] that the decision was made to award another state contract to Pliatsuk's company, the repair of 10 anti-aircraft missile systems. The average cost of repairing one anti-aircraft missile system is about UAH 20 million, or half a million US dollars. At the same time, Pliatsuk received another larger contract from the state in 2024. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Several unrelated sources directly involved in the management of the defence industrial base reported that they were pressured by various officials to cooperate with Dmytro Pliatsuk's company... Ukrainska Pravda sources in law enforcement say that Pliatsuk, using his connections, receives and executes state contracts for the repair of air defence systems without disclosing information about the origin of [his companys] documentation and spare parts." Details: The Ukraines Ministry of Defence, in response to a request from Ukrainska Pravda, said that during 2022-2024, the state signed UAH 1,982,514,509 (about US$47 million) worth of contracts with Pliatsuk's company. Quote from UP: "In general, weve documented a number of Pliatsuks visits to the closed government quarter during 2024. Ukrainska Pravda sources in law enforcement say that Pliatsuk comes to the meetings of the defence committee of the Ukrainian parliament. Pliatsuk is seen at the defence committee meetings regularly and much more often than other representatives of private companies." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Pliatsuk's presence at the Ukrainian parliament committee meetings may indicate that since returning to the country from Vienna six months after the start of the full-scale invasion, he has managed to significantly increase his influence on the Ukrainian defence industrial base and is currently repairing air defence systems in much larger quantities than state-owned companies. Pliatsuk was appointed as deputy minister of defence in 2012, after Yanukovych appointed Dmitry Salamatin, a former Russian citizen, as minister of defence. Support UP or become our patron! (KRON) A Pleasanton home was victim to a burglary last week. The Pleasanton Police Department is now seeking the publics assistance in locating the suspects, the law enforcement agency posted Wednesday morning on social media. Three masked individuals wearing hoods broke into a house through its rear glass door at around 7:30 p.m., according to police. In less than 10 minutes, they managed to steal several valuable items and escape. The suspects were seen getting in a light-colored Land Rover SUV with a stolen license plate, PPD said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement East Bay beer garden expands with opening of Walnut Creek location this week Surveillance captures three suspects wearing hoods outside of the residence. The video can be viewed in the video player above. Pleasanton police did not specify what day the burglary happened. Please stay alert and remember: if you see something, say something, Pleasanton police 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 KRON4. (Updated as of 01/24/2025 @ 2 p.m.) The Nashville community of Antioch High School is in mourning after a student shot and killed Josselin Corea Escalante, 16, before turning the gun on himself. Officials confirmed 17-year-old Solomon Henderson carried out the attack on Jan. 22, 2025, marking the first school shooting of 2025, according to Education Week. As the investigation into what led Henderson to commit the violent act continues, here is everything we know about him. Alleged Inspiration Henderson shockingly named Candace Owens, the controversial and conservative Black pundit, as one of his many inspirations. Candace Owens has influenced me above all each time she spoke, he wrote in his alleged manifesto obtained by TMZ. I was stunned by her insights and her own views helped push me further and further into the belief of violence over the Jewish question, Henderson continued. Additionally, the teen listed Kanye West and others for teaching him about violence and extremism. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The 17-year-olds writings also showed photos of the 28-year-old Covenant School shooter, who killed three children and three staff members in 2023. Other school shooters, Natalie Samantha Rupnow and Colt Gray, were also mentioned as Hendersons inspiration, according to CNN. The gun he used was purchased in Arizona in 2022, according to ABC News, and was not reported stolen. The nashville shooter, solomon henderson was a fucking loser weirdo dude pic.twitter.com/AmAE0VlQKK percy (@ieatu4lunch) January 24, 2025 Incel Forums According to the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), Henderson was part of at least one incel forum. Incels are a community of men who deem themselves unattractive to women. These men gather online and share their experiences and beliefs in this safe space. What happens on the incel forums is that people of color are told the only reason theyre incels is because of their color and so it pushes them toward other extreme ideology that he apparently took on, ADL representative Carla Hill told the New York Post. The ADL believes Henderson began picking up radical beliefs about himself and others while in these forums. Anti-Blackness The teens writings obtained by WTVF showed multiple layouts of the high school, photos of a handgun, and cartridges to reload the weapon. The shooting was partially live streamed by Henderson and posted to the Australian streaming platform, Kick. #BREAKING: The Antioch High School shooter has been identified as 17-year-old Solomon Henderson, who killed one student and injured another #Nashville l #Tennessee Officials have identified the deceased shooter at Antioch High School in Nashville, Tennessee, as 17-year-old pic.twitter.com/jBQf3LkSzO R A W S A L E R T S (@rawsalerts) January 22, 2025 But perhaps the most shocking findings were that of a social media account linked to Henderson. Hill, the senior director of investigative research at ADL, continued to the Post saying Henderson picked up antisemitism, he posted a lot of anti-black content because of that internalized racism. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Nashville police found very concerning online writings and social media posts made by Henderson. The 17-year-old wrote about being ashamed to be Black, according to WTVF. Additionally, Henderson spewed anti-semitic language and even posted a flyer from a neo-Nazi white supremacy group, Goyim Defense League. Henderson also repeatedly said the n-word throughout his writings in addition to sharing his thoughts about Antioch High School. School is a daycare, he wrote. Its just impossible for you to actually think. You say things because other people have said it before then go repeat ad nauseum somewhere else. In school, were taught to wake up early, shut up, sit for long periods of hours do tasks you hate then repeat. Screenshot: TMZ The morning before the fatal shooting, Henderson posted online saying Today seems like a good day to die. In his final post, the teen said he was so miserable. I wanted to kill myself. I just couldnt take anymore. I am a worthless subhuman, a living breathing disgrace. All my irl [in real life] friends outgrew me act like they didnt f*****g know me. Being me was so f*****g humiliating. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Josselin Corea Escalante was killed during the Antioch attack. Another student was grazed by one of Hendersons bullets but expected to survive, according to reports. For the latest news, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Pod Save America host Tommy Vietor and Fox News anchor Jesse Watters traded barbs on everything from gender theory to the Capitol riot in an awkward interview Wednesday night. Watters came out swinging on Jesse Watters Primetime, introducing Vietor to his audience and immediately asking, How many genders are there, Tommy? The former Obama spokesperson let out a chuckle. The honest answer, Jesse? I dont care. You can be who you want to be. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Watters switched gears and asked Vietor whose idea was the coup, seemingly referring to the Democratic partys ousting of former President Joe Biden from the ticket in November. There was no coup that Im aware of, Vietor hit back. January 6th was a long time ago, and that didnt result in Donald Trump staying in power. The dueling commentators then launched into a discussion of presidential pardons, with Vietor blasting Bidens decision to issue preemptive pardons for his family and officials such as Anthony Fauci. Vietor also used the moment to slam Trumps pardons for more than 1,500 Capitol rioters. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The mention of the riots led Watters to repeat the false claim that FBI agents were on the ground on Jan. 6. That claim has been debunked repeatedly, including by a Justice Department report that found there were no undercover FBI employees at the insurrection. Doing kind of a greatest hits of conspiracy theories, Vietor responded. Are we gonna do [the] lab leak now? Where do you wanna go next? The two talked at length about the Democratic partys gaps in the last election as Watters pressed Vietor on what the hell happened. Democrats need to show who theyre for, what theyre fighting for, and then hold Donald Trumps feet to the fire, Vietor concluded. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As the interview came to an end, Watters took one more shot: Whats up with Michelle Obama, by the way? alluding to the former first ladys absences from Jimmy Carters funeral and Trumps inauguration. I dont do her scheduling, Vietor responded. Jan. 23Niagara County Sheriff's deputies were called to the Walmart on S. Transit Road on Jan. 12 for a report of a man giving a Bible containing hundreds of dollars to an employee. The employee told a deputy that about 9 p.m. while she was on a break outside the store, she was approached by a young man she'd never met before wearing a black shirt, white windbreaker, tan pants and black shoes. The man handed her a military Bible, telling her something told him that she could use the Bible and money inside. The man then left in an older model black sedan. Tucked into the Bible's cover was $700 in $50 bills. The Walmart employee turned the Bible over to a manager who called police The deputy secured the Bible and $700 at the sheriff's office. The deputy noted that store staff advised them that per Walmart's policy, they were unable to keep the money. MANSFIELD, Ohio (WJW) FOX 8 News has obtained Mansfield police investigative files that shed new light on how cold case detectives pursued a suspect in the 1981 murder of a young Richland County woman. The suspected killer died in November 2024 during a shootout with police in Stark County, and recordings of police interviews in the files reveal the suspect knew that investigators were closing in on the truth. The story began to unfold on April 29, 1981, when 18-year-old Debra Miller was found beaten to death inside her apartment in Mansfield. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The brutal murder would go unsolved for the next four decades. I-Team: Parents of murdered officer file complaint against Cleveland Police In 2021, DNA testing established a link between evidence gathered at the scene and James Vanest, who at the time of the crime was a 25-year-old neighbor of Debra Miller. Mansfield police detectives showed up at the home of the 65-year-old Vanest in Canton and questioned him about the cold case murder. In recorded copies of that interview, Vanest told investigators that he had been questioned by police right after Millers murder. On the tape, the detective asked, did they just want to know if you saw anything or? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement No, they had me as a suspect, Vanest responded. Why is that? the detective asked. I dont know, Vanest said. In 1981, Vanest denied that he knew Miller, but during the 2021 interview, he told detectives that he met the victim just before the murder after chasing away a man trying to break into her apartment. She answered the door and I told her about the guy and she said she hadnt seen anybody, she didnt know anything about it, but she was appreciative, he said. Vanest told detectives that he came home drunk during the early morning hours of the day Miller was murdered and knocked on her door. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He claimed that she invited him in, and that they were intimate. He said it was consensual and that Miller was fine when he left. During the taped interview, Vanest said, I got sick and I went to my apartment. Did you got sick in her apartment or yours? the detective asked. I got sick in her apartment, Vanest said. Vanest said that when he saw police at the crime scene later day, he decided to deny having any contact with Miller. Just the night before I was with her and I didnt want them pulling me into it, he told detectives in 2021. Detectives concluded that four decades after the murder, Vanest fabricated his self-serving story as a way to explain why his DNA was found at the scene of the crime. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I dont know, you know, why you folks would coming to me after all these years and I didnt have anything to do with that, he told them. I was shocked: Cancer rates rising in young women It was in 2024 that the latest technology revealed that the DNA of Vanest was also found on the murder weapons, which included pots, pans and oven grates. Detectives decided to pay another visit to his home in Canton, but this time, Vanest said he spoke with an attorney and he was not willing to answer their questions. On the recorded interview obtained by FOX 8, the detective said, Im just trying to build a case. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Well, I dont want you building no case against me because I didnt have anything to do with it, Vanest said, Well, I didnt say you did, the detective said. I know, but you wouldnt be here if you didnt think I did, Vanest said. After that visit, Vanest suddenly sold his home and fled to West Virginia, where he was arrested on federal weapons charges. After posting bond, he returned to Northeast Ohio, where his flight to avoid justice would end in a violent confrontation. During a shootout with law enforcement at a hotel in Stark Countys Jackson Township in November 2024, Vanest was shot and killed by SWAT team members. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Investigators believe the 68-year-old Vanest knew that his dark secret had been exposed by modern technology and that they were planning to charge him with the murder of Miller 43 years after the crime. A member of the Canton Regional SWAT Team was wounded during the shootout with Vanest, and he is slowly recovering from his 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 Fox 8 Cleveland WJW. BUDAPEST, Hungary (AP) Police in Hungary said Thursday they were investigating bomb threats that were sent to more than 240 schools across the country, resulting in classes being cancelled at some schools. The threats, which came in the form of emails, were identical in their text and likely sent by a single sender, police said in a statement. Officers were being dispatched to all affected institutions. No explosives or explosive devices were found in the buildings inspected so far, police added. Gergely Gulyas, chief of staff to Prime Minister Viktor Orban, said that education in most schools in the country proceeds smoothly, and that school administrators could decide for themselves whether to send students home. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He said Orban on Thursday had consulted repeatedly with the interior minister and the minister in charge of Hungary's secret services. The emails were sent from numerous email providers "including foreign ones, Gulyas said. Hungarian secret services were in consultation with their counterparts in neighboring Slovakia, where similar bomb threats were made last year, Gulyas said. On Wednesday, numerous schools in around a dozen cities in Bulgaria also received bomb threats, according to Bulgarian public broadcaster BNT. EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) El Paso Police has identified the 19-year-old man who died after a shooting this past Sunday, Jan. 19, in Central El Paso. Police seek info in shooting death of 19-year-old over weekend Police say Anthony Rodriguez, 19, was taken to a local hospital that Sunday morning and later died from his injuries. As we have previously reported, the shooting happened at 1:25 a.m. Sunday in the area of Pershing and Gateway South. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Police said their Crimes Against Persons Unit is investigating the incident and treating it as a possible murder. Anyone with any information is asked to call the police non-emergency line at (915) 832-4400 or to remain anonymous, you can call Crime Stoppers of El Paso at (915) 566-8477. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. FLOYD COUNTY, Va. (WFXR) After almost 22 years of investigating, police finally had a breakthrough in the case of who killed Richard Palmer of Floyd County. Officers did not share any specific information, but they hope to release it as early as next week. According to Eric Branscom, the Floyd County Commonwealths Attorney, the suspect is a male and is already in custody for unrelated crimes. On April 22, 2003, the remains of Palmer and his dog Rufus were found in his pickup truck on 12th 1/2 street southwest, near Perry Park in Roanoke. A preliminary investigation determined he was transported there from his home in Riner. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Officials said it took years of investigation to get them to where they are now. This was a puzzle that had many pieces to it, and the foundation was built in the original investigation and the secondary investigation that took place about 10 years ago or more, senior special agent Douglas R. Hubert with the Virginia State Police said. A lot of those pieces were all put in there. Ex-wife of murder suspect charged with Accessory in Elsie Wiggington case Palmers sister Beth Burbage said while this update does provide the family some closure, it still does not bring her brother back. We dont seek revenge, but we would like to see whoever did this to stay in prison for the rest of their lives, she said. That would be justice for us. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Shannon Zeman is a former sheriff of Floyd County, and the chief deputy at the time of the case, and he got to know Palmers family well. He said he had a feeling someday, this day would come, and is thankful it finally did. It really makes me feel good, Zeman said. Virginia State Police and the Floyd County Sheriffs Office always worked as a team, and theyre continuing to do that for the safety of this community. We will keep you updated when we get specifics on the case, including the suspects name. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. (KNWA/KFTA) The University of Arkansas Police Department is investigating a reported rape from Monday, Jan. 20. The incident occurred at the Maple Hill South residential hall, according to the UAPD crime log. No more details can be released at this time, as this is an ongoing investigation, UAPD Assistant Chief Matt Mills said. This is the first rape reported on the Fayetteville campus since 2023, according to the most recent CLERY report. Campus resources Mills also said that there are two resources he recommends to students who may be affected. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement University of Arkansas students can access Counseling & Psychological Services (CAPS) at the Pat Walker Health Center by walking in during business hours or calling for options. 24/7 emergency mental health services are also available. University of Arkansas parent reacts to students death at off-campus apartment CAPS offers a variety of mental health services, including individual and group counseling, case management and outreach programs, most of which are covered by the Student Health and Wellness Fee. Mills also said he reccomends U of A Cares, which provides referrals, resources and information to help students access campus and community services that support their well-being and academic success. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Concerns can be reported through the online system (available 24/7), by phone, or via email for those in need of assistance. This is a developing story. Stay with KNWA/KFTA for the latest 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 KNWA FOX24. Police are asking for help finding a vehicle believed to be involved in an apparent kidnapping in Hartford. The vehicle being sought by authorities is a 2009 Hyundai Santa Fe with Rhode Island license plates 1YD592, according to Lt. Aaron Boisvert of the Hartford Police Department. Boisvert said the apparent kidnapping involved a woman believed to have been abducted. The Hyundai linked to the kidnapping was last seen in the Glastonbury area and could be heading to Rhode Island, Boisvert said. Police released photos of the vehicle and have asked the public to be on the lookout for it. Anyone with information can call the Hartford Police Department Tip Line at 860-722-TIPS (8477). Check back later for more information. LANCASTER COUNTY, Pa. (WHTM) A man was arrested Tuesday after police say he nearly stabbed a man to death in December during a fight in Lancaster. Bryan Acevedo, 34, of Lancaster, is accused of stabbing the other man in the chest with a knife about four times, causing the victim to undergo emergency surgery to save his life, police said in the charging documents. Police said they responded to the 500 block of New Dauphin Street just before 9 p.m. Dec. 27 for a stabbing and found the victim suffering from stab wounds to his torso. The victim was rushed to Lancaster General Hospital for treatment. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Morning Weather Forecast Acevedo and the victim engaged in a mutual fight outside the residence, and during which, police say Acevedo stabbed the man. A witness to the fight was able to help identify Acevedo to police. Acevedo faces a felony charge of aggravated assault. Acevedo is in Lancaster County Prison with bail set at $125,000 by Magisterial District Judge Jodie Richardson after he was arraigned Tuesday. A preliminary hearing is for Jan. 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 ABC27. A New Hampshire man is facing reckless driving charges for allegedly speeding down the highway at over 100mph before crashing Wednesday morning. Jason Marcoux, 48, of Manchester, is charged with 10 counts of felony reckless conduct with a deadly weapon (car), as well as charges of unauthorized use of a motor vehicle, disobeying an officer, driving after suspension for DUI and reckless driving. According to New Hampshire State Police, a trooper was conducting a commercial vehicle inspection on I-93 northbound in Hooksett around 10 a.m. when the driver of a blue 2013 Dodge Dart, later identified as Marcoux, pulled over, exited the vehicle and began shouting erratically. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The trooper then tried approaching him but Marcoux reportedly ran back to the car and sped off. Shortly thereafter, the Dodge was allegedly seen travelling more than 100mph in the high-speed breakdown lane of I-93 northbound in Bow. A trooper tried pulling him over, but according to police, Marcoux showed no indications of slowing down and continued driving through I-93 in Concord, endangering other vehicles. Officials say Marcoux lost control of the Dodge at a rotary and drove off the road before hitting a snowbank. He was then apprehended by K-9 Ragnar. Marcoux will appear in court at a later date. Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW When Donald Trump pardoned roughly 1,500 rioters who stormed the Capitol to overturn the 2020 election, my first thought turned to what roles in society they will assume after being released. Specifically, I wondered about the many veterans, active-duty military members and police officers who were found to have participated in the deadly pro-Trump riot, who have effectively been given the green light by Trump to return to their careers in the armed services and law enforcement, if they so choose. Its a point George Washington University extremism expert Luke Baumgartner made in recent comments to Military.com. Now that some of these folks and the more prominent leaders within the Oath Keepers and other militias are out and no longer under the jurisdiction of federal law enforcement, I think that it will probably provide them an opportunity to reconstitute, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Several active-duty members who stormed the Capitol have already returned to their military jobs. And others could join them. After all, Pete Hegseth, Trumps defense secretary nominee, has already signaled his disinterest in rooting out political extremism in the military. That could make it far easier for military members with fresh pardons to rejoin the ranks. And pardoned insurrectionists who were working as police officers when they stormed the Capitol could also return to their jobs now that their records have been expunged. Even if they dont want to take official government roles in the military or their local police force, pardoned rioters could just as easily join extremist militias, which have been known to recruit veterans and others with military experience. Last April, I wrote about the disturbing trend of Republican leaders looking to civilian-led militias to help with law enforcement, which I suspect will only ramp up in the months and years ahead. Extremism expert Timothy Snyder warned about this on Mondays episode of "The Rachel Maddow Show." Snyder, who authored the book On Tyranny: Twenty Lessons from the Twentieth Century, said Trumps pardons may lead to some militia groups assuming pseudo-governmental roles to aid some of the Trump administrations policies, like immigration enforcement. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The next step is that youre going to see, Im afraid, these people be deputized for tasks like deportation. Or these people to be regularized normalized as part of the way we get used to violence being deployed in our country, he said. And then were no longer pretending that were a country of law. Were already seeing militia groups prepare for the pseudo-governmental roles Snyder spoke of. In November, Wired reported that militia groups, including some with veterans as members, rushed to the border in anticipation of aiding Trumps mass deportation efforts. These are the kinds of groups that could seek to enlist pardoned Capitol rioters, many of whom bonded together in the so-called patriot wing of the jail in Washington, D.C., where they were held. Watch Snyders warning below: This article was originally published on MSNBC.com If you or someone you know is in crisis, you can call The National Suicide and Crisis Lifeline 24 hours a day, seven days a week at 988. Text messaging and online chat options are also available on the website. AUSTIN (KXAN) An item on the first City Council agenda of 2025 aims to collect, and later analyze, data on mental health calls. The measure asks the City Managers Office to gather information and present recommendations to the Public Safety Committee on the Citys police and non-police responses to mental health-related incidents and to requests for service made through the 911 and 311 systems. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This topic has been thrust into the forefront of city discussions in part due to the recent sentencing of former Austin Police Officer Christopher Taylor. Taylor and another officer shot and killed a man while responding to reports of the man walking around his downtown condo complex with a knife to his throat. His attorneys said he acted in self-defense, and several police officers and experts testified that Taylor acted in accordance with his APD training. The council item asks city staff to gather information on the following: Percentage of mental health calls where callers asked for a mental health officer or states criteria that would need a mental health response Percentage of calls where a caller did not request a mental health officer, but the call was later determined to be mental health-related Percentage of 911 calls diverted to a mental health call center, and how many of those were resolved without a police response Percentage of police interactions involving mental health incidents Police hours devoted to mental health incidents Times when non-police mental health staff responded to incidents Number of calls where additional mental health staff were requested to accompany police, but were unable to Data comparing the outcomes of mental health calls with a police-only response versus calls where a mental health worker accompanied police Detailed information on APD mental health training, and how much training officers have Academy curriculum on mental health training Were not people who diagnose. Were not people who deal with long-term care, were a crisis responder, said Austin Police Association (APA) President Michael Bullock. It is far more appropriate to look at other people to handle these calls. Some things we have to respond to, but the more we can divert things away to things that dont need to be a police response, I think the better were going to be overall. Seven officers shot responding to suicide call in San Antonio This week, a man at the center of a suicide call in San Antonio shot seven officers at an apartment complex. All of the officers are expected to be okay, according to the San Antonio Police Department (SAPD). Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its a significant event and it underscores the dangers of the job, the unpredictability of the job, Bullock said, noting that law enforcement has to respond to cases where a weapon is involved because of the public safety risk at hand. According to SAPD, the call first came in as a suicide in progress, and a subsequent caller said they heard gunshots. The department said at least one of those calls came from a family member of the subject. When police got there, the man walked out of the apartment and opened fire on officers, according to SAPD. He shot one officer in the leg and then proceeded to shoot six more officers as he returned to barricading himself. As he took cover back inside the apartment, police tried to negotiate with him for hours. Once they got to him, he was dead, and it was not immediately clear if he shot himself or was shot by police. It is still under investigation. First and foremost is that theyre an agency that basically just right down 35 from us. So we do know their folks, our thoughts and prayers are immediately with all of the officers, Bullock 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 KXAN Austin. WATERFORD, Conn. (WTNH) Waterford police are searching for a man accused of stealing an estimated $1,116 from Lowes, police said. According to police, on Jan. 18, the suspect entered the Lowes Home Improvement store, grabbed four items, placed them in the car and left. Hartford police investigate apparent kidnapping of woman Police said he made no effort to try and purchase the items. The suspect was driving a Subaru Impreza, police said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Police ask anyone with information to contact Officer Barrows at pbarrows@waterfordct.org or by phone at 860-442-9451 ext. 2267. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. ROCKFORD, Ill. (WTVO) A Rockford man who was found not guilty of killing a 16-year-old girl in 2016 was arrested Tuesday after police said he was carrying 2 pounds of cannabis and chocolate bars containing psychedelic drugs. According to the Rockford Police Department, officers with the Specialized Community Oriented Policing Enforcement (SCOPE) team stopped Eurel Wilford, 28, in the area of Glenwood and Rockton around 5:03 p.m. on Tuesday. The drugs were recovered from the car, police said. Authorities said the chocolate bars contained suspected Psilocybin, the psychoactive ingredient in psychedelic mushrooms. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Wilford was booked into the Winnebago County Jail on charges of Possession of a Controlled Substance and Possession with Intent to Deliver Cannabis. He was due in court on January 30th for another case involving drug charges. Court records show charges of kidnapping, home invasion, and aggravated battery were dismissed as part of a 2020 plea deal, the same year he was found guilty of stealing a car. In 2016, Wilford was found not guilty of First Degree Murder after becoming a suspect in the death of 16-year-old Keyaira Williams, who was found dead in a Rockford alleyway. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. NORFOLK, Va. (WAVY) 31-year-old Ramon Bishop was arrested and accused of murder in the death of a 24-year-old in Norfolk, police said. Previous Coverage: NPD: Man pronounced dead after fatal shooting in Greenleaf Drive Ramon Bishop On Nov. 9, around 8:45 p.m., for the report of a gunshot victim. Officers arrived to find a 22-year-old man hurt, but not in critical condition, and transported him to a hospital. Meanwhile, the second man they found was suffering a life-threatening gunshot wound. 24-year-old Darius Johnson was pronounced dead at the scene. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Following their investigation, homicide detectives have charged Ramon I. Bishop, 31, with second-degree murder, malicious wounding and two counts of use of a firearm. Bishop was arrested in Richmond on Jan. 21 with the assistance of the US Marshal Service. He is currently being held in the Henrico County Jail without 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 WAVY.com. WATERTOWN, Wis. (WFRV) Authorities in Watertown are investigating the death of a woman who was discovered in an alleyway Wednesday morning. The Watertown Police Department responded to a call shortly before 11:45 a.m. about an unresponsive woman lying in an alley near a business in the 100 block of N. Church Street. Five in Wisconsin arrested stemming from shooting incident from February 2024 Upon arrival, officers confirmed that the woman was deceased. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement One dead after fatal single vehicle crash in Wisconsin The Jefferson County Medical Examiners Office is assisting in the investigation to determine the cause of death. No further details have been released 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 WFRV Local 5 - Green Bay, Appleton. MILWAUKEE, Wis. (WFRV) Authorities in Milwaukee say two suspects are now criminally charged in connection to a homicide with police arresting one of the suspects and still searching for the other. According to a release from the Milwaukee Police Department, the Milwaukee County District Attorneys Office issued criminal charges against Quintarez D. Morris and Jeremiah N. Taylor for their connection to a recent homicide. One man dies following fiery crash with Amazon delivery van in Winnebago County Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Officials say the homicide took place at 11:27 a.m. on the 1100 block of South 37th Street with Morris and Taylor both facing a sentence of up to 130 years if convicted of the following charges: First-Degree Reckless Homicide- as a Party to a Crime Use of a Dangerous Weapon Police report that Morris was arrested on Tuesday but the whereabouts of Taylor are unknown at this time. Quintarez D. Morris. Courtesy of the Milwaukee Police Department Jeremiah N. Taylor. Courtesy of the Milwaukee Police Department Anyone who has information on where Taylor may be is asked to contact the Milwaukee Police Department at (414) 935-7360 or remain anonymous by contacting Crime Stoppers at (414) 224-TIPS. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) Providence police have found the woman who investigators believe was kidnapped by her boyfriend in Hartford Thursday morning. Lindsay Lague, a spokesperson for the Providence Police Department, confirmed that the woman was unharmed, but did not reveal exactly where in the capital city she was found. Hartford Police will be meeting [Providence] detectives with the victim to continue their investigation, Lague said in a statement. (Courtesy: Hartford Police Department) Hartford Police Lt. Aaron Boisvert said officers were called to the Dunkin off Maple Avenue to investigate reports of a potential kidnapping. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Boisvert said the woman was assaulted and forced into a vehicle in the parking lot. Investigators were eventually able to connect with the victim and suspect via phone, and the situation was determined to be domestic in nature, according to Boisvert. Boisvert initially said that, though the woman did not appear to be in immediate danger, police could not assume she was safe based on their knowledge of the investigation. Hartford detectives eventually convinced the suspect to drop the woman off in Providence, according to Boisvert. The suspect, who has not yet been identified, remains at large. His whereabouts are unknown at this time, but police believe hes driving a 2008 Hyundai Santa Fe with Rhode Island license plate 1YD582. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Anyone with information is asked to contact the Hartford Police Department by calling 860-722-TIPS (8477). 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. Polish Foreign Minister Radosaw Sikorski has stated that a meeting between Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin and US President Donald Trump would give the Russian leader a misleading sense of importance, and that he must earn it first. Source: Sikorski during the Ukrainian Breakfast in Davos, as quoted by RMF24, as reported by European Pravda Sikorski welcomed the fact that President Trump is demanding that Russian leader Putin change his stance, rather than asking Ukraine to do so. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The minister emphasized that the US president is the leader of the free world, while Putin is an outcast and a war criminal, accused of abducting Ukrainian children. Quote: "I would suggest that Putin has to earn the summit. If he gets it early, it will elevate his status beyond his significance and give him the wrong idea about the trajectory of this," he said. Sikorski also expressed confidence that Ukraine will still be able to continue its fight against Russia in 2025, noting that Russia is in a bad position due to its declining economy. Quote: "President Trump has started well by recognising that it is Putin who has to shift his position, not Ukraine. [] If I can make one suggestion to the new administration, coming from the depth of experience of a country that warned the rest of the West about Putin and was not always listened to, its this: this is not the Putin that President Trump knew in his first term." Background: During the event, Polish President Andrzej Duda emphasised that the goal should be to make Putin "beg Ukraine and its allies to sit down at the negotiating table". On 22 January, US President Donald Trump called on Russia to make a "deal" to end the war in Ukraine, warning of intensified sanctions and tariffs against Moscow if no agreement is reached. Support UP or become our patron! Sam Taub of One Fair Wage speaks against legislation to preserve tipped wage and limit the expansion of paid sick leave in Michigan being presented to the Michigan House Select Committee on Protecting Michigan Employees and Small Businesses on Jan. 14, 2025. (Photo: Anna Liz Nichols) A majority of Michiganders, including Republicans, support changes to the states minimum wage and paid sick leave laws set to take effect next month, per a 2024 state Supreme Court ruling. Thats according to poll results released Thursday by Progress Michigan asking more than 500 Michigan voters their opinion about the changes which would increase the minimum wage, phase out the tipped wage for service workers and guarantee at least 72 hours of paid sick leave. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Once again, Michiganders have made it clear that they support strong, pro-worker laws like the minimum wage and sick time rules set to take effect in February, said Sam Inglot, executive director of Progress Michigan. Regardless of what tales corporate lobbyists are spinning, the majority of Michiganders want to see these laws go into effect as intended. The changes are set to take effect on Feb. 21 per a Michigan Supreme Court ruling last year that found the GOP-controlled Legislature subverted the rights of citizens in 2018 when it took up a pair of ballot initiatives on the issues and then amended them in the same session. However, the Republican-led House on Thursday passed legislation that 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 would also 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. According to the poll, an overwhelming majority of Democrats (80%) and African-American voters (83%) are in support of the minimum wage changes, which would gradually phase out the sub-minimum wage currently paid to tipped workers while increasing the minimum wage for all workers to $15 by 2028. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Similarly, when asked about the changes to the states paid sick leave law that would offer workers at businesses with over 10 employees up to 72 hours of earned paid sick leave annually, while small businesses with less than 10 workers would have to offer up to 40 hours of paid sick leave annually, overwhelming majorities of Democrats (83%) and African-American voters (78%) are in support. However, the poll indicates support for both policy changes is even broader. A majority of women (62%) also expressed support for the minimum wage reform. A survey last June by the National Womens Law Center found that women comprise almost three-quarters of tipped workers in Michigan. Female support was even higher (71%) for the paid sick leave change Even a slim majority of Republicans showed support in the survey for both the changes to minimum wage (51%) and paid sick leave (59%). Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Higher wages and better benefits help workers, families and communities. The right thing to do may not always be the most popular, but in this case the right thing and the popular thing are the same: Our lawmakers must stand up to the corporate agenda and save these basic wage and benefit improvements for working people, said Inglot. The results stand in contrast to efforts by the small business and hospitality industry, who have warned that the changes would have a negative impact on both workers and business owners. The Progress Michigan poll, which had a margin of error of 4.3%, was conducted in concert with Public Policy Polling, which interviewed 513 Michigan voters from Jan. 16 to 17 by phone and text. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE METUCHEN - After four years in business, a beloved Main Street gift shop has closed its doors partly due to lack of foot traffic, although it will begin selling merchandise online. Papillon & Company at 418 Main St. was a home decor and gift shop that offered items like soaps, diffusers, scarfs, jewelry, art, pottery, mugs, totes, greeting cards and clothing like a popular Metuchen sweatshirt. An upstairs meeting space was used to host events like yoga classes and film screenings. Owner Edna Epelu said Metuchen is a wonderful town that supports community events, but it doesn't have the kind of traffic that can sustain multiple retail stores. Plus, she faced increasing competition from online retailers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Customers can continue shopping with Papillon & Company online at papillonnova.com. Ugandan-born Edna Epelu pictured inside Papillon & Company, a home decor and gift store in Metuchen. More: An upscale steakhouse is opening in downtown Metuchen Epelu hasn't ruled out reopening Papillon & Company in a smaller space in Metuchen or in another town. Papillon & Company had 2,500 square feet of retail space in Metuchen, which is large for the borough's shopping scene. The space may already have a new renter as Main Street locations, the heart of the borough's downtown, have short vacancy stints. In 2023, Metuchen was recognized as a Great American Main Street of the Year, and the borough was also recently recognized by financial publication Money as one of the best places to live. Inside Papillon & Company, a home decor and gift store in Metuchen. A forum on the Forum: Metuchen seeks input on theatre's future Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "It was a great business for the community," Epelu said. Epelu, a native of Uganda, opened Papillon & Company in 2020. When I was looking for a place to open a shop, this was one of the towns on my list," she said in a 2023 MyCentralJersey.com story. "It ended up having a perfect location when I was looking. I love small little towns. Metuchen is lovely." "We're extraordinarily proud of Edna and all that she contributed to our Metuchen community over the years and we wish her well," Mayor Jonathan Busch said. Papillon & Company, a gift and home decor store, in downtown Metuchen. Epelu has a bachelors degree in mass communication from Makerere University in Uganda, an MBA and Master of Science from separate universities in Scotland, and a master's degree in communication management from Simmons University in Boston. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In 2023, she was honored by State Sen. Patrick Diegnan, D-18th District, as part of a state Senate dual celebration of Black History Month and National Entrepreneurship Week. What I always want when somebody comes into the shop, is for them to feel that time has stopped for a little while, in a way like they are experiencing that feeling of being in a museum with beautiful paintings," Epelu previously said in a 2023 MyCentralJersey.com story. Email: srussell@gannettnj.com Suzanne Russell is a breaking news reporter for MyCentralJersey.com covering crime, courts and other mayhem. To get unlimited access, please subscribe or activate your digital account today. This article originally appeared on MyCentralJersey.com: Metuchen gift shop Papillon & Company closes The Port of Astoria is nearing the finish line in the first phase of a project aimed at treating wastewater from local seafood processors. For the past several months, the Port has discussed the potential for a byproduct recovery center at Pier 2 in response to statewide concerns over new Oregon Department of Environmental Quality wastewater permit requirements. Seafood processors and industry advocates have argued the standards are impossible to meet. A byproduct recovery center could ease the burden by allowing processors to consolidate wastewater to a single treatment facility managed by the Port. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In May, the Port Commission approved an application for a feasibility study for the project through Business Oregon, the states economic development agency. At the same time, theyve been working with Aqua-Terra Consultants on a study to determine whether its possible to treat wastewater from four major processing plants in the county using an innovative patented technology developed by Alan Ismond. As the study nears its conclusion, the results appear promising. Separate waste streams can be treated. The question was, what if we consolidate all of them, is that treatable? Ismond, a chemical engineer with Aqua-Terra Consultants, told commissioners on Tuesday. The answer is yes. Ismond said Aqua-Terra Consultants spent four months over the summer testing combinations of wastewater from various fish and shellfish. Once the company finishes testing crab wastewater samples next month, the work should be complete. From there, phase two would involve a pilot study to test the technology on a larger scale. The end goal is to use byproducts from the wastewater to create compost. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ismond said he believes a byproduct recovery center would increase efficiency by creating an economy of scale. Having the Port take care of this, you have one consolidated facility, itll be done more professionally, he said. Youre better able to leverage good personnel when you have one large facility, versus having four small treatment plants. Matt McGrath, the Ports deputy director, echoed similar sentiments. Last week, the Center for Sustainable Infrastructure hosted a session in Astoria with the Port and other regional partners focused on industrial symbiosis a concept centered on collaboration between industries to exchange resources and create value from waste. McGrath sees the byproduct recovery center as a prime example of efforts to make that concept a reality on a local level. When we really came away from this, one of our takeaways was that, instead of each industry trying to tackle the regulatory issues on their own, we need to come together as industry, period, and address this, he said. So not just the seafood processors, not brewers, not agriculture, but everybody coming to DEQ with a different language about what it means to be symbiotic. Over the past several years, a medication called mifepristone has been at the center of intense moral and legal fights in the United States. The pill is the only drug approved by the FDA specifically for ending pregnancies; combined with misoprostol, it makes up the countrys most common regimen for medication abortions, which accounted for more than 60 percent of terminations in the U.S. in 2023, according to the Guttmacher Institute, a research group that supports abortion rights. And yet, mifepristone is difficult or impossible to acquire legally in about half of states. Since Roe v. Wade was overturned in 2022, multiple federal lawsuits have threatened access to the pill at the national level. Now a preliminary study suggests that using another drug in place of mifepristone may be just as effective for terminating an early pregnancy. The drug, called ulipristal acetate and sold as a 30-milligram pill under the brand name Ella, was approved by the FDA in 2010 as prescription-only emergency contraception. In a paper published today in the journal NEJM Evidence, researchers from the reproductive-rights nonprofit Gynuity Health Projects, along with partners in Mexico, reported the results of a trial in Mexico City that included more than 100 women with pregnancies up to nine weeks gestation. They found that medication abortion using 60 milligrams of ulipristal acetate (the equivalent of two doses of Ella) followed by misoprostol ended 97 percent of patients pregnancies without any additional follow-up care. (The FDA-approved regimen of mifepristone followed by misoprostol is about 95 percent effective, but because the new study did not directly compare the ulipristal acetatemisoprostol regimen to any other, researchers cant yet say whether its superior or inferior to the standard regimen of mifepristone and misoprostol or misoprostol alone.) The new study is small and did not include a control group. But the findings raise the provocative possibility that a drug already marketed as a contraceptive could also serve, at a higher dose, as a medication for abortiona potential substitute for mifepristone, subject to fewer restrictions, wherever the latter is banned or difficult to get. The American abortion landscape, already fragmented, just got even more complicated. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ulipristal acetate is a chemical relative of mifepristone and the most effective emergency-contraceptive pill available in the United States. When taken within five days of unprotected sex, it delays ovulation, which in turn prevents fertilization of an egg. Studies show that Ella works better than morning-after pills containing levonorgestrel, such as Plan B One-Step, and is more effective for a longer period of time after sex. Ella may also be more effective than other morning-after pills in people with a BMI above 26, which includes most American women over the age of 20. Although Ellas 30-milligram dose is enough to prevent pregnancy, previous studies have suggested that the amount is highly unlikely to help end pregnancy as mifepristone does, by blocking a fertilized egg from implanting in the womb or disrupting the uterine lining. Some experts have long suspected that a higher dose of ulipristal acetate could yield a different result. But the field has been generally reluctant to pursue research on the drug as a possible abortifacient out of concern for its role as an emergency contraceptive. Studies have repeatedly shown that a lower dose of mifepristone can act as an effective emergency contraceptive when taken soon after unprotected sex, with few side effects. Its sold that way in a handful of countries where abortion is legal and widely availablebut in the U.S., it was never approved for emergency contraception, and reproductive-rights advocates have not pushed for it. Our idea, when we developed ulipristal acetate, was precisely to get away from abortion, says Andre Ulmann, the founder and former chair of HRA Pharma, the drugs original manufacturer. He and his colleagues worried, he told me, that any association with abortion would endanger their ability to market the drug for emergency contraception. [Read: The other abortion pill] The new study may very well validate Ulmanns old fears. If further research confirms its findings, Americans seeking abortions may soon have a safe and effective workaround in places where mifepristone is restrictedand American abortion opponents will have a big new target. In an NEJM Evidence editorial accompanying the Gynuity study, Daniel Grossman, a professor of obstetrics, gynecology, and reproductive sciences at UC San Francisco, argued as much, writing, There is a risk that the findings of this study could be misapplied and used by politicians to try to restrict ulipristal for emergency contraception. Beverly Winikoff, the president and founder of Gynuity Health Projects and a co-author of the study, told me that she knew the stakes when she and her colleagues began their research. But part of Gynuitys mission is to safeguard abortion care. In Winikoffs view, another potential option for medication abortion in the U.S. was too important to ignore. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In 2022, a coalition of groups that oppose abortion sued the FDA in an effort to pull mifepristone off the market. In June, the Supreme Court unanimously struck down the challenge, ruling that the anti-abortion groups lacked standing. But in October, three states filed an updated version of the same suit in federal court; last week, a federal judge ruled that the case can proceed. Currently, 14 states have a near-total ban on medication abortion, and more than a dozen others limit how the drugs can be distributed, with requirements such as an in-person visit, an ultrasound examination, and a 24-hour waiting period. More restrictions may be on the way: Project 2025, the conservative-policy plan developed by the Heritage Foundation for an incoming GOP administration, calls for the FDA to entirely withdraw the drugs approval. President Donald Trump, however, has been inconsistent, saying that he doesnt plan to block access to the abortion pills while simultaneously refusing to rule out the possibility. In light of the new study, its hard to imagine that anti-abortion groups wont seek similar restrictions on Ella, threatening its availability as an emergency contraceptive. Anti-abortion activists and Republican lawmakers have repeatedly sought to blur the line between abortion and contraception by reasoning that pregnancy begins not, as federal law states, after a fertilized egg has implanted in the uterus, but at the moment when egg and sperm meet. Students for Life of America claims, for example, that all forms of hormonal birth control are abortifacients. Abortion advocates have long denied Ellas potential to end an embryos life, but this study contradicts that narrative, Donna Harrison, the director of research for the American Association of Pro-Life Obstetricians and Gynecologistswhich was a plaintiff in last years Supreme Court casetold me in a statement. Women deserve to be fully informed about how this drug works, as well as its risks. (Until now, no evidence had indicated the drugs abortifacient potential; at the dose approved for emergency contraception, there is still no evidence that Ella can disrupt an established pregnancy.) [Read: Abortion pills have changed the post-Roe calculus] The Gynuity study points to a possible role for ulipristal acetate as part of an abortion regimen, Kelly Cleland, the executive director of the American Society for Emergency Contraception, told me. But it doesnt change what we know about its use for emergency contraception. For now, Ella remains on the market as just that. Article originally published at The Atlantic You can read the full text of this article if you: Select an option Log In Buy Article Content & Permissions Access through Ovid MEMPHIS, Tenn. -The Hardeman County Sheriffs Office says it took over 12 pounds of marijuana and 8,000 grams of liquid THC off the streets Tuesday. The sheriffs office released pictures of the seizure, which included $4,500 in cash on Facebook. Drug seizure. Courtesy: Hardeman County Sheriffs Office The sheriff said deputies worked with the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, successfully executing a search warrant and making the bust, and thanked narcotics investigators for their hard work. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The sheriffs office did not say where they found the drugs or if they made any arrests in 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 WREG.com. Monica and her husband arrived in the United States from Venezuela six years ago. Theyve been building a life and trying to do everything to make their home here while in the process of seeking asylum. Working, paying taxes we were able to buy a home, she said. We had reached a point of stability in this country and wanted to have a child. She is now 12 weeks pregnant. I should be worried about the health of my child, I should be thinking about that, she said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Instead, she is stressed, anxious and depressed, facing a reality that my child might not be able to become a U.S. citizen. President Donald Trumps executive order aims to unilaterally redefine the Constitution and federal law by denying citizenship to children born in the United States if their parents are unlawfully present or have lawful but temporary status in the country. Monica is one of 16 pregnant plaintiffs in a federal lawsuit from CASA and the Asylum Seeker Advocacy Project aimed at overturning the order, joining at least five lawsuits from pregnant women, civil rights groups and officials from across the country that were filed hours after Trump signed the order on January 20. The executive order caused a lot of confusion for families like mine, Monica told reporters in Spanish on Wednesday. Its left us with more uncertainty than ever before Will my child be a U.S. ciitizen? Will he be nothing? We dont know what to do. Donald Trump signed an executive order on January 20 to redefine the 14th Amendments clause supporting birthright citizenship (AP) Under the sweeping terms of Trumps order, children born in the United States after February 17 can be denied citizenship when that persons mother was unlawfully present or lawful but temporary, and if the father was not a United States citizen or lawful permanent resident at the time of said persons birth. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The 14th Amendments citizenship clause plainly states that all persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the state wherein they reside. A lot of people like me are very sad and very anxious, Monica said. Our children should belong in the country where they were born, in this country, in the United States. Adelina, another plaintiff in the lawsuit, has been living in the United States for seven years and is currently six months pregnant. She has one other 5-year-old child, who was born in the United States and is a citizen. It pains her to think that one of her children will have more benefits than the other, even though they were both born here, according to the complaint. She is concerned that if her unborn child is not considered a United States citizen, they will experience significant hardship and not have the same opportunity as their sibling. Faith leaders and civil rights groups rally in support of immigrant communities in San Jose, California, on January 21 (EPA) Families fear not just the abrupt revocation of their childs constitutional rights but the possibility of their future children entering a stateless limbo, leaving families to navigate complex legal and humanitarian issues in an already-byzantine immigration system. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advocacy groups are also closely watching how hospitals and social services in Republican states will try to implement Trumps order. The number of places where chaos will reign is actually quite high, according to Rupa Bhattacharyya, legal director with the Institute for Constitutional Advocacy and Protection. The 14th Amendment was specifically enshrined to ensure that no one not even the President could deny children born in America their rightful place as citizens, according to a separate lawsuit from a coalition of civil rights groups representing immigrant mothers. If Trumps order is allowed to go into effect, people born in the United States could be denied passports and Social Security numbers, jeopardizing their ability to travel and work within the country and receive government benefits and protections afforded to citizens. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Maribel, another plaintiff in the case, is an undocumented immigrant from El Salvador who was born in Guatamala. She has lived in the United States for 18 years. She is expected to give birth to her third child in July. Her two daughters, age 14 and 10, are U.S. citizens. She fears her unborn child will not have the same rights to citizenship as the future childs older sisters, and could even be subject to deportation, separating the family, according to the lawsuit. She is afraid that her child wont have access to healthcare because they wont be eligible for federal benefits. She feels it is deeply wrong to subject an innocent newborn to such cruelty. Bostons Lawyers for Civil Rights are among several immigrant advocacy groups suing to block Donald Trumps executive order redefining birthright citizenship (REUTERS) The Naturalization Act of 1790 applied to only free white persons, and the Supreme Courts reviled decision in Dred Scott v Sandford in 1857 affirmed that citizenship could not be granted to Black people of African descent. That decision was later rectified with the ratification of the 14th Amendment that ended slavery in America and established citizenship for freed Black Americans, as well as all people born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Supreme Court upheld that principle in 1898, when it determined that Wong Kim Ark who was born in San Francisco but denied entry into the United States because he was of Chinese descent was a U.S. citizen. In recent years, right-wing legal groups have elevated a once-fringe argument against the concept, which was featured in Project 2025s guide for Trumps immigration policy. Groups like the Heritage Foundation and Claremont Institute have sought to argue that the word jurisdiction in the 14th Amendment means only a persons political allegiance to the United States, and that the allegiance of children born to immigrant parents is to their parents home countries. Trumps order is flatly inconsistent with the 14th Amendment, Bhattacharyya said. President Trump has no authority to amend either the constitution or the federal law by the stroke of his pen on an executive order, she said. A wind farm in Power County, Idaho. (Courtesy of the U.S. Department of Energy) President Donald Trump on Monday issued an executive order halting the development of the Lava Ridge Wind Project in Idaho. Permitting for the Lava Ridge Wind Project began in 2019, and it has since become one of Idahos most debated topics among politicians, ranchers, environmentalists and the Japanese-American community. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Bureau of Land Management issued a record of decision for the project in December, giving company Magic Valley Energy the greenlight to move forward with its construction. The project would have spanned 104,000 acres northeast of Twin Falls and included more than 200 turbines with a maximum height of 660 feet. Trumps executive order says the project is contrary to the public interest and suffers from legal deficiencies, and it revokes the rights of Magic Valley Energy to proceed with the project. It also instructs the U.S. secretary of the Interior to review the record of decision and conduct a new analysis of the different impacts of the Lava Ridge Wind Project. The Bureau of Land Management declined to offer comment. Magic Valley Energy could not be reached for comment. On Wednesday, Idaho Gov. Brad Little signed his own executive order to direct all state agencies to cooperate with the review process initiated by Trumps order, by providing necessary information and support to ensure a thorough assessment of the Lava Ridge Wind Projects impacts. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Littles order directs state agencies to participate in public forums to gather input from Idaho residents to include in the review. The Biden Administrations unsound energy agenda rammed through the Lava Ridge Wind Project to give California electricity from Idaho despite overwhelming opposition from Idahoans, Little said in a press release announcing his executive order. On day one, President Trump reversed the federal governments overreach. My executive order ensures the State of Idahos actions complement President Trumps executive order and that local input is actually considered during a new analysis. Idaho officials celebrate executive order Members of Idahos congressional delegation applauded the move, including U.S. Sen. Jim Risch, R-Idaho, who worked closely with the incoming Trump administration to craft the executive order. I made a promise to Idahoans that I would not rest until the Lava Ridge Wind Project was terminated, Risch said in a press release. On day one, President Donald Trump took action to keep that promise. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The project received significant opposition from groups concerned about its impact on Idaho recreation, ranching, wildlife and the preservation of Minidoka National Historic Site a site of a former incarceration camp for Japanese Americans during World War II. At long last, the calls from Idahoans to reject Lava Ridge have been answered, Risch said. Finally, our nation has a leader who recognizes that people on the ground should have a say in how our natural resources are managed. U.S. Rep. Mike Simspon, R-Idaho, similarly opposed the project. In a press release, Simpson said the wind project was out-of-touch from the needs of Idahoans. The Lava Ridge Wind Project is unwelcome and has zero place in our state, Simpson said. I stand fully behind President Trumps decision to end it once and for all. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Idaho Lt. Gov. Scott Bedke, R-Oakley, also applauded the executive order. In a press release, Bedke said he is committed to working with the federal government to address the countrys domestic energy needs while preserving the Gem States economy, culture and landscape. The BLMs approval of it threatened to undermine the local communities clear opposition, remove the multi-use access to our public lands, harm the Minidoka National Historic Site, and wreak havoc on the Magic Valleys heritage, Bedke said in the release. Stopping this massive project is a clear victory for Idahoans who do not support using our backyard, complete with all the negative impacts to our farmers, ranchers, infrastructure, and resources, to fulfill Californias energy agenda. Idaho Attorney General Raul Labrador in an emailed statement said Trumps executive order was a victory for the people of Idaho. It acknowledges the legitimate concerns raised by our communities regarding the preservation of our states heritage and the protection of our natural resources, Labrador said in the statement. This pause allows for a thorough review of the project to ensure Idahos values and interests are protected. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On Tuesday, the statement said, the attorney general filed the opening brief in a challenge to a Federal Aviation Administration determination that wind turbines dont pose a hazard to aviation. The FAA decision was a critical part of the Bureau of Land Managements Record of Decision approving the Lava Ridge project, the statement continued. If the FAA determination is successfully invalidated, the project cannot move forward, Labrador said. Opposing all renewable projects is not a solution, environmental organization says The Idaho Conservation League, an environmental organization, said developing renewable energy sources is still necessary, despite Trumps executive order. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While the Lava Ridge Project wasnt perfect, we desperately need to develop new sources of renewable energy in order to meet the growing demand for electricity and replace carbon-emitting coal and gas power plants, the league said in a statement. There are no wind or solar projects on public lands in Idaho, and a significant amount of Idahos energy comes from out-of-state, the league said in the statement. According to Idahos Office of Energy and Mineral Resources Energy Landscape 2024 Report, Idaho imports 40% of its energy, which is about the same amount of energy it generates from resources in Idaho, the Idaho Capital Sun previously reported. If the Lava Ridge Project is not a suitable location, then we need to work together to find locations that are suitable for the development of wind and solar in Idaho. Opposing all wind and solar projects is not a viable solution, the leagues statement said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The league said developing new sources of renewable energy is in the best interests of ratepayers because it is less expensive to provide energy from solar and wind energy than coal and gas. At the end of the day, if we fail to develop wind and solar projects, then we will be on the hook for higher electric bills and longer, hotter, drier, and smokier summers, the organization said in the statement. eo-2025-01 Editors note: This story was updated at 4:52 p.m. Jan. 22, 2025, to include comments from Idaho Gov. Brad Little and Attorney General Raul Labrador. Idaho Capital Sun editor-in-chief Christina Lords contributed to this story. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR) President Donald Trump and the Republican-controlled Congress are focused on measures they say will crack down on illegal immigration. The Pentagon is sending troops to the southern border and Congress is sending the president his first bill to sign, dealing with illegal immigration. The White House says President Trump is following through on plans to curb illegal immigration. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Defense Department is now sending 1500 troops to the southern border. This is something President Trump campaigned on. The American people have been waiting for such a time as this, said White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt. Republicans in Congress praised the president. Hes using his executive authority because desperate times call for desperate measures, said House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.). House Speaker Mike Johnson says Congress and the White House are on the same page. What hes doing is kickstarting what will ultimately be our legislative agenda, said Johnson. Part of that agenda Republicans say is already in motion. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Laken Riley Act requires federal officials to detain illegal immigrants accused of theft. 46 House Democrats voted for it but those against it, like Texas Democrat Greg Casar, say many Republican measures to crack down on illegal immigration, Dont do anything to make people safer or to fix our immigration system. Some of the immigration policies are already facing lawsuits. The ACLU is suing over the presidents push for expedited deportations and 22 states are suing to stop the presidents move to end birthright citizenship. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR) President Donald Trump said he wants to abolish the Department of Education, and Republican lawmakers say, for the most part, they agree. The department has a $241 billion budget and more than 4,000 employees. Let the state run education, President Trump said at a rally on Sunday. Republican lawmakers fought the last Secretary of Education, Miguel Cardona, over masks in school and diversity policies. The Department of Education also expanded the definition of Title IX to protect LGBTQ+ students, a judge later blocked that rule. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement President Trump said states are better suited to handle education funding. If you do a great job, you will put yourself out of a job because youre going to be sending it back to the states, President Trump told his nominee for Secretary of Education, Linda McMahon. Abolishing the Department of Education would require an act of Congress. Republicans and Democrats on the Capitol Hill dont think theyll have the votes to get it done. At the very least, were going to de-power the Department of Education in any area we can, said Rep. Tim Walberg (R-Mich.) the Chairman of the House Committee on Education and Workforce. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Walberg said that includes moving authority to other agencies, or the states. Why are you doing this? Rep. Melanie Stansbury (D-N.M.) asked. Its not about actually improving education. Its not about making America strong. Its actually about taking away fundamental rights. Rep. Stansbury said abolishing the Department of Education would hurt vulnerable students. The Department of Education enforces laws protecting students with disabilities. Federal statistics show that includes about 7.5 million students, 1 in 7 in public schools. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. President Donald Trump threatened to withhold federal disaster aid for wildfire-ravaged Los Angeles unless California leaders change the states approach on its management of water. In a Fox News Channel interview on Wednesday, Trump repeated false claims that the states fish conservation efforts in the northern part of the state are responsible for fire hydrants running dry in urban areas. He says the blame for Los Angeles struggles to tame some of the deadly fires lies with Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom, a political foe who has called for partnership and mutual respect as the state fights the blazes. PREVIOUS COVERAGE >>> Aerial attack helps firefighters maintain the upper hand on a huge fire north of Los Angeles Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I dont think we should give California anything until they let the water run down, Trump said in an interview with Foxs Sean Hannity. The president leveled the threat as he prepares for the first presidential trip of his second term. On Friday, he will visit Southern California in addition to western North Carolina, which is recovering after Hurricane Helene pummeled the area more than three months ago. PREVIOUS COVERAGE >>> Los Angeles fires have scorched largest urban area in California in at least 40 years Trump in the interview also called for reform of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, claiming it is getting in the way of everything. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Id rather see the states take care of their own problems, he said. He did not elaborate on his proposed reforms, only saying that the agency is going to be a whole big discussion very shortly. PREVIOUS COVERAGE >>> Fires scorched campuses across Los Angeles. Many schools are seeking places to hold classes In other developments for the new administration, Trump met Wednesday with a small contingent of the most politically endangered House Republicans as the party struggles to agree on a strategy for implementing the tax cuts and other priorities that it promised voters. PREVIOUS COVERAGE >>> Cracks emerge in House GOP after speakers threat to saddle California wildfire aid with conditions Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The meeting happened as Trump tried to advance other priorities during the first week of his second term. Roughly 160 aides at the National Security Council were sent home while it is determined whether they align with Trumps agenda. The Pentagon has begun deploying 1,500 active-duty troops to support border security efforts. The American people have been waiting for such a time as this, said Karoline Leavitt, the White House press secretary. Stephen Miller, a top Trump adviser, met with Senate Republicans to update them on plans for deportations and reinstating Title 42, a policy that was put in place during the coronavirus pandemic to stop border crossings. Although Republicans control the White House and both chambers of Congress, they have only thin majorities on Capitol Hill, and there are disagreements on how to move forward with so many issues on the table. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trumps meeting unfolded amid a series of private listening sessions with House Speaker Mike Johnson, whose ability to unite his conference will be sorely tested in the weeks and months ahead. Trump has held his own dinners with Republican lawmakers at Mar-a-Lago, and hes preparing to address them next week at their private retreat in Doral, Florida, where the president owns a resort. Were working very closely in close coordination with the White House because this is an America First agenda that takes both of those branches of government to work in tandem, Johnson said Wednesday at a news conference. Trump on Wednesday also announced his picks for U.S. Secret Service director and European Union ambassador. Hes nominating former fast food executive Andrew Puzder to serve as his EU envoy and Secret Service veteran Sean Curran as his pick to head the U.S. Secret Service. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Puzder, a former chief executive of CKE Restaurants, the parent company of Carls Jr. and Hardees restaurants, was nominated by Trump to serve as labor secretary early in his first term, but abruptly withdrew his nomination after Senate Republicans balked at supporting him, in part over taxes he belatedly paid on a former housekeeper not authorized to work in the U.S. Puzder didnt pay taxes on the housekeeper until after Trump nominated him to the Cabinet post and five years after he had fired the worker. Curran was among the agents who rushed to Trumps aid after he was shot in the ear in a failed assassination attempt at a July campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. He served as the assistant special agent in charge of the presidential protective division during Trumps first term. In a posting on Truth Social, Trump praised Curran for his fearless courage during the Pennsylvania assassination attempt. Sean has distinguished himself as a brilliant leader, who is capable of directing and leading operational security plans for some of the most complex Special Security Events in the History of our Country, and the World, Trump said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump in the Fox News interview also suggested he would like to see investigations into former President Joe Biden. Trump is the first president to be convicted of a felony in a case relating to business records of hush money payments and had faced criminal charges over his role in trying to overturn the 2020 presidential election. Its really hard to say that they shouldnt have to go through it also, he says. Download the FREE WPXI News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Channel 11 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch WPXI NOW OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) President Donald Trump wasted no time on his first day back in office, signing a series of immigration-related executive orders. We have very good grounds. People have wanted to do this for decades, said President Trump. LOCAL NEWS: Oklahomans pardoned following Trumps January 6 executive order The orders include declaring a national emergency to deploy military personnel to the border, suspending refugee resettlement and ending birthright citizenship in some circumstances. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The actions are raising some concerns. A lot of this is a lot of show Everybody knows its unconstitutional, said David Castillo, the President of the Greater Oklahoma City Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. Its very scary, if youre undocumented and your kids are in school If you get deported, what happens to your kids? Castillo said he estimates the undocumented population is less than two percent in Oklahoma. However, he said Trumps immigration crackdown could still be impactful. Were hearing of raids that may be going on in parts of the country. We havent seen anything in Oklahoma yet, said Castillo. Hopefully we wont, but if we do, then I guess we have to address it at that time. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On Wednesday, Oklahoma Senator Markwayne Mullin weighed in on the backlash, posting on X, Liberals seem pretty upset our 47th President isenforcing existing law with respect to border security. Take a lesson from Nov 5th, or dont. LOCAL NEWS: Trump signs order delaying TikTok ban: What happens now? Meanwhile, Latitude Legal Alliance, a nonprofit that provides legal services for immigrants, recommends they memorize peoples phone numbers, update their childs emergency contacts at school and maintain a valid ID issued by their home country. Weve been receiving lots of calls from people who are in fear, people who are panicking, said Tara Jordan de Lara, the executive director of Latitude Legal Alliance. If you have uncertainties about your legal situation, you should be seeking the advice of a licensed immigration attorney to get some certainty about whats going on and someone that can help you and your family plan for what may come next. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Latino Legislative Caucus organized a legal and consular resources day on Saturday. It will be at the Cantera Event Center from 8 a.m. to 3 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 KFOR.com Oklahoma City. Nearly 120 refugees were scheduled to arrive in February at Exodus Refugee Immigration offices in Indianapolis and Bloomington for the nonprofit agencys resettlement programs. That likely wont happen now, Exodus Refugee CEO Cole Varga says. Its unclear if those individuals will ever be able to come here, after an executive order President Donald Trump signed on Monday suspended the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program. It's one of at least seven executive orders Trump signed earlier this week impacting immigration to the U.S., from one declaring an emergency at the countrys southern border to another calling immigration an invasion. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Immigration lawyers and advocacy organizations who spoke with IndyStar said Trumps orders could not only affect the statuses of people who came to the U.S. and are living in Indiana, but they also could contribute to misinformation and fear in communities who may not know what their rights are The full scope of how each of Trump's orders will impact people in the Hoosier State just days into Trumps new administration is unclear at this point. Already civil rights groups and 22 Democratic-led states have filed lawsuits against the Trump administration over one of the executive orders that attempts to roll back birthright citizenship. It is too early to say what exactly will come of all of the orders once their constitutionality is litigated," said Angelin Fisher, Director of Immigrant Services at the Neighborhood Christian Legal Clinic in Indianapolis. "However, these orders are spreading fear and chaos, which may cause immigrants not to seek benefits for which they are lawfully eligible." Varga said Exodus Refugee Immigration has been preparing for potential actions on immigration with a new administration for the last year. The group has ramped up its legal department over the last four years and now has five attorneys, a part-time volunteer attorney and legal assistants. But Trumps orders, like the one on the refugee program, still have serious effects on Exodus and the people it helps settle in the U.S. after fleeing sometimes dangerous conditions in their home countries, Varga said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement That one strikes right through our heart, because that is the core of what we do, Varga said of the Trump order on suspending the refugee program. During his Inauguration Day speech, Trump emphasized that his executive orders, including those regarding immigration, are all about "common sense." "As commander in chief, I have no higher responsibility than to defend our country from threats and invasions, and that is exactly what I am going to do," Trump said. "We will do it at a level that nobody has ever seen before." Immigration by the numbers: Here's how many undocumented immigrants are estimated to live in Indiana and other immigration stats Could ICE raids happen in Indiana? Trump's "border czar" Tom Homan has been vocal about his desire to immediately conduct large-scale raids, specifically in large cities that have declared sanctuary city status for immigrants. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "On Tuesday, ICE is finally going to go out and do their job. We're going to take the handcuffs off ICE and let them go arrest criminal aliens," he said during an interview with Fox News ahead of Trump's inauguration. Its not clear where ICE may focus its efforts around the country, or if that would include Indiana. Many local leaders have been attempting to dispel the rumor that Indianapolis has been targeted by ICE since Trump's inauguration. Indiana law does not allow communities to label themselves as sanctuary cities. ICE did not respond to questions from IndyStar before the deadline for this story about how it plans for an immigration raid or what communities agents would visit. Historically, ICE agents have visited homes of individuals who lack permanent legal status and might be facing a serious criminal issue, said Sarah Burrow, an immigration lawyer at Lewis Kappes in Indianapolis. They also visit businesses where agents may receive reports of employers hiring groups of people who don't have legal status, she explained. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In 2018, agents from the U.S. Immigration and Customs conducted raids on three Mexican restaurants in Hendricks County that led to the arrest and detainment of over a dozen people. This is on top of the hundreds of migrants living in the Midwest who were arrested during Trump's first term. More: KKK flyers, heated public meetings: How Logansport, Indiana, became the next Springfield, Ohio But that could look different under a new presidential administration. Actions by ICE agents could impact businesses and major industries in Indiana, said Arturo Rodriguez, an immigration lawyer based out of Lafayette. We have a lot of businesses that would be affected if they were hit by raids, Rodriguez said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Rodriguez highlighted how a large portion of Indiana's revenue is built on the back of its agricultural industry, which hires immigrants as a portion of its labor force. If the federal government were to take a hard stance and start conducting immigration raids on many of these agricultural businesses, Rodriguez believes it would have a detrimental effect on the state's economy. Although Rodriguez believes it unlikely to happen to farmers in Indiana, he noted that it wasn't out of the realm of possibility that future ICE raids on businesses and agriculture site could led to some places closing down due to a lack of migrant workers. Actions at the southern border The more immediate impact of Trumps orders may come from actions happening at the southern border, said Burrow, the Lewis Kappes immigration lawyer. Even though the border is hundreds of miles away, people across Indiana may have family members who can no longer enter the country, she said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For example, following Trumps inauguration on Monday, people who had scheduled immigration appointments at the southern border through CBP One, a Customs and Border Patrol mobile app, had their appointments canceled. The app itself no longer exists, deleted by one of Trumps Day One orders that increased expectations for the federal government to secure the southern border. No matter where you are, there's going to be someone in your orbit who probably knows someone or who is related to someone who is in one of those shelters right now, waiting who had a CBP One appointment that's now canceled, said Burrow, who is also the chair of the Indiana Chapter of the American Immigration Lawyers Association. Leticia Hernandez Suarez, a migrant Cuban, and her two children stand at the Paso del Norte International Bridge concerned after not being allowed to enter the U.S. The migrant family's appointment was for 1 p.m. on Jan. 20, 2025. Concerned they would not be allowed to enter the U.S. they attempted to enter with a 6 a.m. group and were turned away by U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers. Southern border: Migrants left stranded at the border after President Donald Trump shuts down CBP One app That's not just the case on the southern border, though. Varga, with Exodus Refugee Immigration, said his agency's resettlement programs typically involve family reunifications or connecting people fleeing other countries with their ties to the U.S. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Not only are they not coming and getting out of these ridiculous conditions in some of these (refugee) camps and getting a second chance of building a life," Varga said, "But also their families, who they've been separated from, are sitting here not knowing if they'll ever see them again." Trumps order on southern border security also includes further constructing the border wall, ending parole programs and requiring the mandatory detention of people who are not legally in the country. Mandatory detention, specifically, could challenge government resources, Burrow said. Without any additional resources this is just not a reality, because we don't have the bed numbers, Burrow said. Detention capacity is limited, so the implementation of this is completely impractical. Furthermore, the government pays quite a bit of money to house someone in detention, and most of the people in immigration detention centers are not criminals. Fear and misinformation Trump's second term has brought an immediate shift to U.S. immigration policy, which has caused significant confusion for people who might be affected by the executive orders. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advocates across social media platforms are trying to disseminate as much information as possible in hopes of informing residents of their rights as migrants in the U.S. as well as trying to dispel any false information. U.S. Rep. Andre Carson, a Democrat who represents the majority of Indianapolis, posted a graphic on X Wednesday afternoon with details about immigrants' rights. Lawyers like Rodriguez have to navigate uncertainty about what executive orders, or parts of them, will eventually become long-term rules in the legal system. We just dont know what is going to happen yet, Rodriguez said. Were only two days in. Since Trumps 2024 election win, Rodriguez and other immigration lawyers have seen an uptick of people reaching out to law firms about what rights they have in the U.S. as a migrant. Rodriguez tries to combat that fear by educating. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For example, the American Immigration Lawyers Association says individuals do not have to open the door to let an officer in their home, unless they have a valid search warrant, which is not the same as an ICE deportation warrant. People also have the right to speak to a lawyer and the right to remain silent, the association says. (But individuals who choose to remain silent should make sure to state that to authorities.) Understanding the process and what happens if ICE goes to their home or their employer, knowing what a person can and cannot do is important, Rodriguez said. "We dont know whats going to happen because theres so much uncertainty. But by understanding ones rights in different situations, that can go a lot further too. For individuals or migrants looking for information and resources in Indiana, they can visit the Immigrant Welcome Center website at immigrantwelcomecenter.org. The center provides educational, legal, language and community resources. Contact IndyStar state government and politics reporter Brittany Carloni at brittany.carloni@indystar.com or 317-779-4468. Follow her on Twitter/X@CarloniBrittany. Contact IndyStar reporter Noe Padilla at npadilla@indystar.com or follow him on X @1NoePadilla. This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: How President Trump's immigration orders are already impacting Indiana Non-tuberculous mycobacterial (NTM) infections generally present as subacute or chronic cervicofacial lymphadenitis in immunocompetent children under age 5 years. Classically, they present as a painless lymphadenopathy.1 The reported incidence of this relatively rare condition ranges from 0.8 to 3.5 per 100,000 children.2 Because of the potential for cutaneous fistula formation, these lesions should be considered in the differential diagnosis for a child with painless lymphadenitis in the head and neck region.3,4 Frontline clinicians play a crucial role in recognizing the condition and initiating appropriate treatment. This article addresses the clinical presentation, diagnostic considerations, and various therapeutic approaches to pediatric cervicofacial NTM infection. AN OPPORTUNISTIC INFECTION Non-tuberculous mycobacteria, also called atypical mycobacteria, constitute more than 150 species, many with the pathogenic ability to cause human illness.5 NTMs include all mycobacteria that do not belong to Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex or M. leprae. NTM species are readily found in water, soil, milk, and other food sources. NTM are opportunistic bacteria with the potential to infect immunocompromised and immunocompetent patients. The most common clinical presentation involves pulmonary disease.6 Other clinical syndromes have been associated with NTM infections, including skin and soft tissue disease, disseminated disease (generally in immunocompromised patients), and cervical or cervicofacial lymphadenitis (in healthy children).5,6 In an unstructured literature review of NTM infections in children spanning 2014 to 2019, Meoli and colleagues found that M. avium complex (MAC), M. malmoense, M. scrofulaceum, and M. haemophilum are the most commonly identified species in pediatric cervical lymphadenitis.3 In North America, the incidence of NTM pulmonary infections is higher than the incidence of tuberculosis (TB). The prevalence of NTM pulmonary infections in the United States more than doubled from 1997 to 2007 (20 to 47 per 100,000) and doubled again from 2010 to 2014.7 The incidence of NTM infections also is increasing in other areas around the world (such as Australia, Canada, Germany, and the United Kingdom), which has been attributed to improved diagnostic methods and the use of immunosuppressive drugs.3 How environmental exposures interact with the host's airway mucociliary clearance and immune system is thought to contribute to NTM pathogenesis.8,9 Transmission is suspected to occur through exposure to contaminated aerosols, dust particles, or water.10 Living in regions with higher wind speeds may slightly increase a child's risk of developing NTM cervicofacial lymphadenitis, because this likely increases a child's exposure to NTM in soil and increases the contamination of water with NTM.2 In children, the pathogen can find its entry point through oral mucosal breaks from teething, pharyngeal trauma, or mouthing of contaminated objects.11 Person-to-person transmission has not been documented.3 CLINICAL PRESENTATION In healthy children, the most common clinical manifestation of NTM infection is cervical lymphadenitis, with a peak incidence between ages 1 and 5 years.3 This manifestation typically presents as a solid, nontender, and slowly enlarging mass in the cervicofacial region, situated in the superior anterior cervical or submandibular lymph nodes. Other areas, such as the preauricular, postcervical, and axillary lymph nodes may be affected. The oropharyngeal mucosa serves as the primary entry site for NTM in children because they bring contaminated water, food, or objects into their mouths; secondarily, infection may begin through skin lesions.12 In most cases, children exhibit unilateral and progressive lymphadenopathy without constitutional symptoms.1 During the initial stage, the lymph node is characteristically painless, firm, and nonerythematous (Figure 1). Over the subsequent weeks to months, the node enlarges, becomes fluctuant, and the surrounding skin eventually develops a violaceous discoloration. Spontaneous drainage may eventually occur, persisting for months until resolution (Figures 2 and 3). In a 2003 treatment outcomes study of healthy children with NTM cervical lymphadenitis, spontaneous resolution occurred on average 20 months after infection onset, with a range of 5 to 34 months.13 FIGURE 1.: Early submental NTM lesion. The mass was firm and nontender with slight erythema in the overlying skin. The patient had no systemic symptoms. FIGURE 2.: Typical NTM lesion anterior to the ear, overlying the parotid gland. Note the violaceous flare. The lesion had multiple draining areas. Cultures were positive for NTM. This lesion was not painful and the patient did not have systemic symptoms. Healing occurred over several months. FIGURE 3.: Right cervical NTM lesion that is open and chronically draining. A chronically draining wound may occur following no treatment, antibiotic treatment, needle aspiration, or open incisional biopsy. This lesion healed over 6 months. Initially, a staphylococcal or streptococcal abscess may be included in the differential diagnosis. This can result in inappropriate antibiotic therapy or incision and drainage that can contribute to fistulization. Misdiagnosis also can delay appropriate treatment, because the healthcare team may not consider an NTM infection until antibiotic therapy or watchful waiting fails to resolve symptoms. Cases predominantly occur in the late winter to spring, similar to the observed seasonal pattern seen in TB cases. This may be caused by seasonal variation in sun exposure, which increases systemic vitamin D levels and prompts an improved immune response.14 Although NTM lymphadenitis typically presents in children between ages 1 and 5 years, it also can occur in patients as old as age 12 years.15 Additionally, the relatively weaker immunity to Mycobacteria in children between ages 1 and 5 years may contribute to their susceptibility. After age 12 years, mycobacterial infections are predominantly caused by M. tuberculosis. DIFFERENTIAL DIAGNOSIS The differential diagnosis for neck masses in children is broad and includes congenital masses (thyroglossal duct cysts, branchial cleft cysts, dermoid cysts, and hemangiomas), benign neoplastic lesions (lipomas, fibromas, neurofibromas, and salivary gland tumors), and inflammatory reactions (lymphadenopathy, viral lymphadenitis, bacterial abscesses, and Kawasaki disease).16 Although rare, malignant lesions such as lymphomas and thyroid carcinoma also should be included.16 Cervical NTM infections can occur in otherwise healthy children. Presentation typically does not include fever, fatigue, difficulty breathing, congestion, or weight loss.16 If these symptoms are present, consider alternative diagnoses such as TB, lymphoma, infection, or malignancy.16 Symptoms such as tenderness, swelling, and warmth at the site may indicate a non-NTM infectious cause. Antiseizure medications and chemotherapy drugs can cause cervical lymphadenopathy, emphasizing the importance of an extensive history during the initial assessment.16 Recent respiratory infections, viral illnesses, international travel, tick bites, animal exposures, or contact with TB-positive persons also may suggest specific diagnoses and help narrow the differential diagnosis.16 APPROACH In 2024, the International Pediatric Otolaryngology Group (IPOG) released a consensus statement on the diagnosis and management of NTM cervicofacial lymphadenitis in children.17 Although there are various approaches to the diagnosis and management of pediatric NTM lymphadenitis, the recommendations in the 2024 IPOG consensus statement outline a rational approach for clinicians treating children with NTM lymphadenitis (Figure 4). FIGURE 4.: IPOG's proposed diagnostic algorithm for NTM lesionsReproduced with permission from Roy CF, Balakrishnan K, Boudewyns A, et al. International Pediatric Otolaryngology Group: consensus guidelines on the diagnosis and management of non-tuberculous mycobacterial cervicofacial lymphadenitis. Int J Pediatr Otorhinolaryngol. 2023;166:111469. DIAGNOSTICS Clinicians must maintain a high index of clinical suspicion to accurately identify NTM infection. Patients may present without symptoms or with nonspecific signs and symptoms, making it critical to pay careful attention to the patient's history and physical examination.17 Risk factors that predispose children to NTM disease include immunocompromise from conditions such as severe combined immunodeficiency or chronic granulomatous disease, iatrogenic immunosuppression from corticosteroids or tumor necrosis factor-alpha inhibitors, genetic polymorphisms or mutations reducing interferon-gamma production, and vitamin D deficiency or vitamin D receptor polymorphisms.3 Additional risk factors are a disrupted skin barrier from skin laser surgery or catheters; alterations to corneal integrity from laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis (LASIK) surgery; and lung diseases such as cystic fibrosis, bronchiectasis, and asthma.3 After clinical suspicion for NTM lymphadenitis is established from the patient's history and physical examination findings, laboratory, imaging, microbiology, and virology tests can be done with the goal of differentiating definite from probable NTM lymphadenitis.17 Definite NTM lymphadenitis involves a positive mycobacterial culture or polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test of the purulent discharge or aspirate.17 Probable NTM lymphadenitis relies on findings from the patient history, physical examination, and concordant investigations.17 A variety of imaging modalities can be ordered to characterize the features of the neck mass. Neck ultrasound commonly is ordered to look for hypoechogenicity with intranodal liquefactive or cystic necrosis, nodal matting, and adjacent soft tissue edema.17 Other modalities may be useful in specific scenarios. Cross-sectional imaging with CT may be ordered to help rule out other diagnoses, establish the extent of disease, and assess whether surgery is indicated.17 MRI offers better soft-tissue definition and does not require ionizing radiation, but may not be readily available in certain clinical settings and may require sedation or general anesthesia in young children.17 Chest radiography can help with assessing intrathoracic involvement and ruling out pulmonary TB or malignancy.17 If there is suppuration of the skin, obtain a mycobacterial culture, PCR test, acid-fast bacilli stains, and cytology of the purulent discharge or aspirate.17 If a draining cutaneous tract is not present, a fine-needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) may be considered as a way to obtain cytopathologic and microbiologic information that can narrow the differential diagnosis.17,18 However, FNAC generally is not recommended in patients with suspected cervicofacial NTM infection because of the risk of fistula formation and the slow growth rate of NTM species on culture, which would undermine timely diagnosis and treatment. FNAC should be reserved for cases where the cause remains unclear after all routine testing and imaging are done.17,18 Tuberculin skin test (TST) and interferon-gamma release assay (IGRA) can be done in select cases.17 The TST cross-reacts to M. tuberculosis and NTM; IGRA is specific to TB. After considering the patient's local epidemiology, Bacille Calmette-Guerin (BCG) vaccination status, and TB risk factors, results can be accurately interpreted.17 For example, a positive TST and a negative IGRA in an immunocompetent patient who has not received the BCG vaccine are suggestive of NTM infection. TREATMENT Children can present with symptoms suspicious for a cervicofacial NTM infection in a variety of settings, including the primary care office or other outpatient settings without immediate access to an otolaryngologist. After the initial workup is done, if the clinician desires confirmatory excision biopsy or wants to discuss treatment options in detail, a referral to an otolaryngologist may be beneficial. The treatment strategy that offers the most efficient and effective clinical resolution is complete surgical excision of the affected node.17,19 Compared with patients who are treated with antimycobacterial agents or are just observed, patients who undergo surgery have a higher cure rate and the lowest rate of secondary surgery.4,17 The largest study investigating NTM lymphadenitis recurrence after surgery reported a recurrence of 1 out of 151 patients within a 10-year follow-up.4 The risk of facial nerve injury must be considered before surgical intervention by accounting for the anatomic location of the NTM lymphadenitis and its proximity to the facial nerve and its branches. Nonsurgical management may be favorable for preauricular or intraparotid nodes near the facial nerve (Figure 2).18 Preoperative screening also requires taking into account other risks such as potential adverse reactions to general anesthesia and temporary postoperative facial nerve weakness that can occur despite intraoperative facial nerve monitoring.18 Nodal inflammation and dermal necrosis also should be considered, because these conditions can complicate the dissection of facial nerve branches that are intraparotid or near the inferior edge of the mandible.18 Following surgery, postoperative antibiotics can be prescribed, although opinions differ on whether these should be routinely prescribed or should be reserved for patients with incomplete excision.17 Medical management with antimycobacterial therapy has not been shown to cure NTM lymphadenitis more effectively than a watchful waiting approach. According to Zimmermann's 2015 systematic review and meta-analysis, medical management does not accelerate the time to clinical resolution, but it may reduce the risk of fistula formation.20 Before initiating an antimycobacterial regimen, consider ordering additional laboratory or diagnostic testing that monitors for adverse reactions related to the specific antimicrobial regimen. This can include a baseline complete blood cell (CBC) count; hepatic function tests if isoniazid is prescribed; ECG if macrolide is prescribed; audiogram and renal function tests if amikacin and streptomycin are prescribed; and visual acuity testing if ethambutol is prescribed.17 Consulting an infectious disease specialist may be beneficial when designing the specific antibiotic regimen. Medication regimens may involve a macrolide or a macrolide plus one or two antimycobacterial agents such as rifampin or ethambutol.17 Because of the high degree of resistance in mycobacterium, a multidrug regimen may be prescribed.17 Experts have attempted to specify antimycobacterial dosing, but optimal regimens for NTM infections have yet to be definitively established.21 Treatment duration is at least 3 months regardless of the chosen regimen.17 The patient should be reevaluated on a monthly basis to assess clinical response and to monitor for adverse reactions, which may include transient tooth discoloration, fever, fatigue, gastrointestinal disturbance, QT prolongation, ototoxicity, nephrotoxicity, hepatotoxicity, optic neuropathy, or cytopenia.17,19 Shared decision-making plays a critical role when establishing a treatment plan, because of the variety of strategies that can be employed. Regardless of the chosen treatment plan, the care team should follow patients recovering from an NTM infection until complete resolution. During shared decision-making, priorities include limiting treatment-related morbidity and complications; preventing sinus tract formation; expediting clinical resolution where appropriate; mitigating any associated stigma that comes with a draining neck mass in social settings; and optimizing the size, location, and appearance of a scar.17 CONCLUSION Frontline clinicians can play a critical role in identifying children with NTM lymphadenitis. Following an evidence-based, expert consensus-informed approach such as the one detailed in this article, clinicians can diagnose NTM disease during the early stages of the disease, deliver timely and effective treatment, and reduce risk for complications such as fistula formation. Clinicians also can play a role in facilitating compassionate and well-informed shared decision-making if full surgical excision is not pursued. Regular follow-up will likely be warranted in order to monitor for recurrence. A bill criminalizing group attacks and honoring 16-year-old Preston Lord, who was fatally beaten in a gang attack, has been introduced in the Arizona Legislature. Rep. Matt Gress, R-Phoenix, and Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell were expected to announce "Preston's Law" on Thursday with members of Lord's family, according to a news release. Mitchell in September pitched the law in response to the "Gilbert Goons," a gang of teenagers whose attacks on teens took place mostly in Gilbert. A December 2023 investigation by The Arizona Republic first tied the Goons to the October 2023 fatal beating of Lord at a Halloween party in Queen Creek. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement House Bill 2611 would characterize an assault as an aggravated assault if the assailant was "aided by two or more accomplices" who were present for the attack. Assaults of this type would be a Class 4 felony. Many of the people charged in Goons beatings faced Class 6 felonies, which is the least serious type in Arizona and can be turned into a misdemeanor. Class 4 felonies cannot be converted into misdemeanors. Gress and four other Republican House members sponsored the bill. The bill also proposes other expansions to the definition of aggravated assault. Attacks on law enforcement agency employees, public transit employees, airport employees and railway workers would be classified as aggravated assault if the bill were to become law. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Seven people were charged with first-degree murder in Lord's killing. All have pleaded not guilty. 'Preferential' treatment: Deputies who gave court escort to 'Goons' murder suspect's parents reprimanded This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Arizona bill to criminalize 'Goons'-style attacks introduced In Los Angeles high-end rental market, its long been common to find homes advertised for $10,000 a month or more. But in the wake of this months devastating wildfires in Pacific Palisades and Altadena, new listings above that amount are in effect barred by state law, just as a crush of wealthy, displaced families are looking for places to go. The price limit is keeping off the market homes that prospective landlords would otherwise offer to displaced families, say local real estate agents and brokers, tightening even further the vise people are facing in their search for housing. More than 11,000 homes have been confirmed destroyed in the fires and reports of widespread price gouging and bidding wars have followed as the little available rental inventory gets snapped up quickly. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Palisades residents looking for rental homes elsewhere in the Los Angeles area comparable to the ones theyve lost would have been squeezed for options below the limit even before the fires. Last year, two dozen four-bedroom homes in an oceanfront Manhattan Beach neighborhood rented for a median price of $16,000 a month, according to data from the Multiple Listing Service. These people are used to a certain quality of life, said Tyler Morant, a Manhattan Beach real estate agent. Theyre going to markets that have that quality of life. But these laws are working to prevent a lot of this supply from coming online. At issue is Californias price-gouging law, which limits rent increases after natural disasters. For properties that had been leased or listed in the previous year, landlords are barred from hiking rents by more than 10%. The law includes a separate restriction for properties that havent been on the market previously. Potential landlords cannot charge more than a certain percentage above a federal rent payment standard . Although the amount varies by neighborhood and a units number of bedrooms, the maximum allowable price in Los Angeles County for any newly listed property is $9,554 a month, according to a Times calculation of the federal data . Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Read more: Fire victims seek answers about rebuilding, cleanup timeline Nearly 1,400 homes and apartments in the county were listed on Zillow for rent Wednesday above that amount. If the units had been on the market within the last year and hadnt raised prices by more than 10%, theyre likely allowed at that price under the law. If theyre new offerings, they may not be. Thats the case even if the prices are higher for previously listed properties. In Tarzana, a landlord is asking $17,500 a month to rent a 3,000-square-foot home with a pool and a view of the Santa Monica Mountains, a 9.4% increase from the price at which it was offered in December, according to Zillow. Eleven miles away in Chatsworth, a 3,350-square-foot English Tudor-style house is on the market for the first time on Zillow for $11,900 a month. Violators of the price-gouging law could face criminal penalties that include up to a year in county jail and civil fines of up to $2,500 per incident. California Atty. Gen. Rob Bonta announced Wednesday the first price-gouging charges related to the fires, accusing a La Canada Flintridge real estate agent of raising the list price on a rental home by 38%. Amid bidding wars, the attorney general has warned landlords that accepting unsolicited offers to pay more than 10% over the asking price would qualify as price gouging . Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Several clients and acquaintances of Morant, including empty nesters with other places to stay and property owners with empty vacation homes, told him in the last couple of weeks that they were considering putting their homes on the rental market. But hes advising them against doing so because of the financial and legal risks. Were telling them its not worth it, Morant said. Before 2018, there were no price limitations in state law for homes that hadnt been on the rental market prior to a natural disaster. After the Tubbs fire destroyed 5,000 homes in Sonoma County, the district attorney fielded complaints that she couldnt do anything to reign in new rentals advertising sky-high prices . Lawmakers wanted to tackle the issue. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Interest groups involved in negotiating a price standard for new listings settled on 170% of the rent designated by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development for a particular unit size and neighborhood, said Deb Carlton, an executive vice president with the California Apartment Assn., who was part of the discussions. The HUD figure, which is based on census data for typical apartment rents in an area, is used to ensure that landlords cannot overcharge low-income residents with housing choice vouchers. The revision to the law, which also tightened pricing restrictions for properties already on the market, passed both houses of the Legislature with only a handful of votes against it. Nobody ever anticipated wed have extremely wealthy people in need of large homes, Carlton said. When natural disasters occur and a surge in demand follows, the government should encourage the offering of housing previously used as vacation homes or Airbnbs or left vacant as long-term rentals, said Shane Phillips, manager of the Randall Lewis Housing Initiative at the UCLA Lewis Center for Regional Policy Studies. He estimated that potential landlords could be holding back in the high hundreds to the low thousands of homes due to the price limitations on new listings. That amount is too small to affect L.A.s overall rental market but does make it harder for displaced people to find houses, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Every home does count, Phillips said. It does matter. And no matter how fancy it is, someone from the Palisades can afford it. A spokesperson for Bonta said the attorney generals office will continue to enforce the price-gouging law and deferred questions about policy implications to Gov. Gavin Newsom and state lawmakers. Broadly speaking, we continue to believe that, especially during a state of emergency, we should be doing everything in our power to house our fellow Californians, the spokesperson 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. LONDON (AP) Prince Harry 's mission to tame the British media has produced results in court but the jury is still out on whether it will have a broader impact or be just another chapter or headline in the long history of tabloids behaving badly. Harry received an unprecedented apology from Rupert Murdochs flagship U.K. tabloid on Wednesday, and previously won in a court judgment that condemned the publishers of the Daily Mirror for widespread and habitual phone hacking. In settling his case against the publisher of The Sun on the eve of a trial at the High Court, the Duke of Sussex claimed a monumental victory that included an acknowledgement of wrongdoing, a substantial payment and an apology for intruding on his life and that of his late mother, Princess Diana. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But it didnt provide the public reckoning he had sought over allegations that Murdochs top lieutenants, including his son, James Murdoch, and Will Lewis, now CEO at The Washington Post, were part of a cover-up that included purging 30 million emails. Harry's supporters see hope ahead While News Group continues to vigorously dispute those claims, the settlement has buoyed advocates seeking accountability from the media. With News Group Newspaper's acknowledgement of wrongdoing at The Sun, which it had never admitted, they are pushing for probes such as a sequel to the government's 2011 Leveson Inquiry into phone hacking or police investigations into allegations that news executives committed perjury by lying under oath about the scandal during the inquiry. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement You cannot have public confidence in a public inquiry if people dont tell the truth under oath and theres no consequence, said Dr. Evan Harris, a former Liberal Democrat member of Parliament who was a consultant to Harrys legal team. The admission that there was unlawful information gathering at The Sun, which Harry extracted through his brave stand, saying he will not bend to offers of cash only, is a huge step on the way to getting sunlight in that area and getting the accountability that he and we all want," Harris said. A public inquiry is seen as unlikely Some media observers see the victories as significant for Harry, but unlikely to bring wider change. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Despite the overwhelming victories Prince Harry has achieved to date, it appears unlikely the government will engage in a Leveson mark 2 inquiry into the British press, said media lawyer Kishan Pattni, who was not involved in the case. The national priorities are elsewhere and the feeling may be that these matters are historical and do not represent the current practices of media in 2025. The left-of-center Labour government that took power last year has previously thrown cold water on the idea of reviving a second phase to Leveson, which was dropped by the Conservatives when they were in power. Harry's litigation revolves around voicemail interception by journalists that blew up into a full-blown scandal in 2011 and forced Murdoch to shutter News of the World after it was discovered that its reporters hacked the phone of Milly Dowler, a murdered 13-year-old schoolgirl, while police were searching for her in 2002. It later emerged that reporters were going beyond using unsophisticated techniques to eavesdrop on voicemail messages for scoops and hiring private investigators to tail subjects, tap phones, bug cars and use deception to obtain medical and financial records. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement What is Harry's beef with the British press? Harrys aim to reform the media is much more personal and deeper than the headlines that dogged him through his youth as papers documented everything, from his broken thumb to his broken heart. He blames the media for the death of his mother, who was killed in a car crash in 1997 while being chased by paparazzi in Paris. He also blames them for the persistent attacks on his wife, Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, that led them to leave royal life and move to the United States in 2020. Patience Wheatcroft, the former editor of the Sunday Telegraph and Europe edition of the Wall Street Journal, said that she didn't think Harry's litigation would change the culture in journalism, because it has already changed dramatically in the years since the phone hacking came to light. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Police could review new evidence Wheatcroft said that another inquiry isn't needed, but police should be investigating to see if anyone committed perjury or other crimes. Its quite clear that criminal acts were being committed, Wheatcroft told the BBC. And I think the police certainly have accepted that their investigations in the first instance may have left quite a lot to be desired, which is why people like Prince Harry have had to resort to bringing their own legal actions. Police previously investigated phone hacking at News of the World, leading to prison time for the papers royal editor Clive Goodman and a private eye in 2007, and former editor Andy Coulson in 2013. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But in 2015, prosecutors said that there would be no more criminal cases against Murdochs U.K. company or its employees, or against 10 people under investigation from the rival Mirror Group Newspapers, including former Daily Mirror editor Piers Morgan. Harrys co-claimant in the litigation, Tom Watson, a former Labour member of Parliament who received an apology for News of the World journalists snooping on him when he was investigating phone hacking, said that they would deliver a dossier of evidence to the Metropolitan Police in London. The police force said that it would respond to any correspondence it received, but had no current investigations underway on the matter, a spokesperson said. Harry has not had his final day in court Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Pattni, the media lawyer, said that attitudes about publicly reexamining the media's past bad acts could change if Harrys remaining case against the publisher of the Daily Mail goes to trial as scheduled next year and exposes other misconduct. But with the Mirror win and The Sun settlement, it remains to be seen if those allegations will be tested in court. The Daily Mail ... must be quaking in their boots, because its not clear how they will change the tide of these runs of success, Harris said. Prince Harrys court case against News Group Newspapers was scheduled to take 10 weeks at trial and see multiple witnesses called over allegations of unlawful activities. However, it never even got going after the Princes lawyers this morning announced a surprise settlement, reading out a statement from NGN in Londons High Court. NGN offers a full and unequivocal apology to the Duke of Sussex for the serious intrusion by The Sun between 1996 and 2011 into his private life, including incidents of unlawful activities carried out by private investigators working for The Sun, Harrys lawyer David Sherborne said. NGN also offers a full and unequivocal apology to the Duke of Sussex for the phone hacking, surveillance and misuse of private information by journalists and private investigators instructed by them at the News of the World. The statement went on to apologize for extensive coverage and serious intrusion into his private life as well as the private life of Diana, Princess of Wales, his late mother, in particular during his younger years. We acknowledge and apologise for the distress caused to the Duke, and the damage inflicted on relationships, friendships and family, and have agreed to pay him substantial damages. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The amount of damages was not disclosed, however it was reported by some outlets, including Reuters , that it was an eight-figure sum. There may be surprise that the Prince has settled as he had previously made it clear that he wanted to go all the way to court, telling DealBook last month that he was one of the last people who could afford to see the case through. However, it was clear from what his lawyer David Sherborne said outside the court that he was happy with the settlement and saw the outcome as a big win. Sherborne stood before media and said that the outcome was a monumental victory for the Prince and the one other claimant, politician Lord Tom Watson. In a monumental victory today, News UK have admitted that The Sun, the flagship title for Rupert Murdochs UK media empire, has indeed engaged in illegal practices, he began. Later, he added, Todays result has been achieved only through the transparent resilience of Prince Harry and Lord Watson, whose willingness to take NGN to trial has led directly to this historic admission of unlawfulness at The Sun. "It has only been by taking NGN - not just to the steps of court but inside the court room itself - that these Claimants have finally managed to extract this historic admission of guilt. Sherborne also said that the Prince was now calling for police and Parliament to investigate. Todays case was a civil case, not a criminal one. He did not answer a question by one journalist about the fact that there was no admission of liability by senior managers within NGN in the apology read out in court. The Prince had accused the newspaper group in earlier hearings of a cover-up by executives. NGN had previously said in a statement that the case would be fully defended. You Might Also Like 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) Theres a sigh of relief in Montecito. Word that Rupert Murdochs News Group Newspapers (NGN) settled at the last minute with Prince Harry rocked the media world this week when Harry scored a major victory as the Sun newspaper not only admitted to hacking the Prince but apologized to him for his torments and gave him, what I hear, was a whopping $12.3 million for his troubles. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement After the case was settled on Wednesday, News Group Newspapers agreed to pay substantial damages for what it described as the serious intrusion by two of its flagship titles, the Sun and the News of the World. Tabloids apologize to Prince Harry, admit intruding on Princess Diana His lawyer, David Sherbrooke said: In a monumental victory today, News UK admitted that the Sun, the flagship title for Rupert Murdochs U.K. media empire, has indeed engaged in illegal practices. Prince Harry, Meghan Markle needed the money from settlement: Insider Prince Harry and Meghan Markle attend a reception for young people at the Palace of Holyroodhouse on February 13, 2018 in Edinburgh, Scotland. (Photo by Andrew Milligan WPA Pool/Getty Images) CALI, COLOMBIA AUGUST 18: Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex seen at the Unidad Recreativa El Vallado on August 18, 2024 in Cali, Colombia. (Photo by Eric Charbonneau/Archewell Foundation via Getty Images) BOGOTA, COLOMBIA AUGUST 15: Meghan, Duchess of Sussex and Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex pose for a photo at Centro Nacional de las Artes Delia Zapata during a visit to Colombia on August 15, 2024 in Bogota, Colombia. (Photo by Diego Cuevas/Getty Images) CALI, COLOMBIA AUGUST 18: Meghan, Duchess of Sussex and Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex attend the Afro-Descendant Women and Power: Voice of Equity at the Teatro Municipal on August 18, 2024 in Cali, Colombia. (Photo by Eric Charbonneau/Archewell Foundation via Getty Images) DUSSELDORF, GERMANY SEPTEMBER 16: Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex are seen during the closing ceremony of the Invictus Games Dusseldorf 2023 at Merkur Spiel-Arena on September 16, 2023 in Duesseldorf, Germany. (Photo by Joshua Sammer/Getty Images) Prince Harry and Meghan Markle leave St Georges Chapel in Windsor Castle after their wedding. (Photo by Jane Barlow/PA Images via Getty Images) FILE Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, Duke and Duchess of Sussex leave after a service of thanksgiving for the reign of Queen Elizabeth II at St Pauls Cathedral in London, Friday, June 3, 2022. The Duke of Sussex is scheduled to testify in the High Court after his lawyer presents opening statements Monday, June 5, 2023 in his case alleging phone hacking. Its the first of Harrys several legal cases against the media to go to trial and one of three alleging tabloid publishers unlawfully snooped on him. (AP Photo/Matt Dunham, Pool, File) FILE Prince Harry and his wife Meghan speak during the Global Citizen festival, on Sept. 25, 2021 in New York. (AP Photo/Stefan Jeremiah, File) This image released by Netflix shows Prince Harry and Meghan, Duke and Duchess of Sussex, in a scene from the upcoming documentary Harry & Meghan, directed by Liz Garbus. (Netflix via AP) But theres more to the settlement than meets the eye. They needed the money, my insider said. The way (Harry and Meghan) live, and the rate they spend, they would run out of cash sooner rather than later and its not like anyone is running to hire them or give them more contracts. As theyve proven time and time again, the only time they make money for people is when theyve sold out his family and that cow has been milked. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement And Im hearing its an insane amount of money $12.3 million dollars (10 million GBP), which not only covers Harrys legal fees, it also puts a chunk of change in his personal bank account. An insider added: If he had been able to file in the United States the damages would have been a lot more, but since the crimes happened in the UK he couldnt file here and the UK rarely gives out massive amounts of money for damages. (A rep for NGN declined to comment on the settlement amount). Meghan Markle and Prince Harrys Montecito home The cash is important as Harry and his wife, Meghan Markle, live an expensive life. Their Montecito house was bought for $14.65 million and costs at least $500,000 to maintain a year (insurance, maintenance, taxes, etc). They also have a nearly $1 million annual security bill and both like expensive things like polo horses and private jets. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Royal family pays tribute to Prince William, Harrys nanny who lost stepson in New Orleans attack While they were rumored to have scored a $100 million deal from Netflix, only their docuseries Harry & Meghan scored any eyeballs. The other shows they created Heart of Invictus, Live to Lead and Harrys Polo bombed and theres little hope that Meghans cookery show With Love, Meghan will do well. Meghan Markle cooking on Netflix is insane: Insider Its completely contrived and so very 2004, an insider said about Meghans upcoming show that was set to debut mid-January but was pushed back until March due to the LA wildfires. She wants people to have a look inside her life but she didnt even film inside her own home. And no one knows who these pretty people are shes cooking for. Its insane. The price of eggs is skyrocketing and shes showing us how to put edible flowers in ice cubes like that hasnt been done before. FILE In this Monday, March 9, 2020 file photo, Britains Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex leaves after attending the annual Commonwealth Day service at Westminster Abbey in London. A lawyer for the publisher of the Daily Mail newspaper said Wednesday Jan. 20, 2021, that the Duchess of Sussex had no reasonable expectation of privacy for a letter she sent her estranged father. The former Meghan Markle is suing publisher Associated Newspapers for invasion of privacy and copyright infringement over five February 2019 articles in the Mail on Sunday and on the MailOnline website that published portions of a handwritten letter to her father, Thomas Markle, after her marriage to Britains Prince Harry in 2018. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth, File) FILE Meghan Markle, Duchess of Sussex, arrives at the Invictus Games venue in The Hague, Netherlands, Friday, April 15, 2022. Meghan will be in New York Tuesday, May 16, 2023, along with Black Voters Matter co-founder LaTosha Brown, to receive the Ms. Foundations Women of Vision Award, as the nations oldest womens foundation marks its 50th anniversary. (AP Photo/Peter Dejong, File) Meghan Markle, Duchess of Sussex, arrives at Varietys Power of Women on Thursday, Nov. 16, 2023, at Mother Wolf in Los Angeles. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP) BOGOTA, COLOMBIA AUGUST 15: Britains Meghan, Duchess of Sussex attends the Responsible Digital Future forum at EAN University in Bogota, Colombia on August 15, 2024. Prince Harry and Meghan Markle land in Colombia to join Marquez in discussions with women and youth on combating discrimination and cyberbullying. (Photo by Juancho Torres/Anadolu via Getty Images) Meghan Markle arrives at the Paley Honors Fall Gala on Wednesday, Dec. 4, 2024, at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel in Beverly Hills, Calif. (Photo by Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP) Meanwhile, there are no more book offers (unless Harry does a sequel to his runaway hit Spare which, again, sold out his family), and while the numbers quoted about the Sussexs projects were huge ($100 million for Netflix, $40 million for a series of books, $20 million for a Spotify deal) those numbers are the CAP own what they would have made had all their projects been successful. Likely, the pair were given production support and marketing but would have only garnered big bucks if theyd met sales targets. Which they did not. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The couples publishing deal has gone by the wayside and the Spotify deal was canceled after just one year, with Spotify exec Bill Simmons calling the pair grifters. Duchess Meghan Netflix series set for January premiere While Harry was worth an estimated $25 million when he married Meghan (who was worth $4 million at the time), the lifestyle they lead needs a constant cash infusion. So it was good timing this week when he settled with NGN. Tabloid apology to Prince Harry includes Princess Diana TETBURY, UNITED KINGDOM JULY 18: Princess Diana Carries Prince Henry (harry) On Her Shoulders At Highgrove. (Photo by Tim Graham Photo Library via Getty Images) LONDON SEPTEMBER 16: Diana Princess of Wales and Prince Charles with new born Prince Harry, leave St.Marys Hospital on September 16, 1984 in Paddington, London. Diana wore an outfit designed by Jan Van Velden. (Photo by David Levenson/Getty Images) LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM AUGUST 19: The Princess Of Wales & Prince Harry (henry) Attend Vj Day Commemorative Events (Photo by Tim Graham Photo Library via Getty Images) The Princess of Wales greets her sons Prince William and Prince Harry on the deck of the yacht Britannia in Toronto, when they joined their parents on an official visit to Canada, 23rd October 1991. The Princess is wearing a Moschino suit. (Photo by Jayne Fincher/Princess Diana Archive/Getty Images) UNITED KINGDOM OCTOBER 04: Diana, Princess of Wales with her sons, Prince William and Prince Harry, at the piano in Kensington Palace (Photo by Tim Graham Photo Library via Getty Images) LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM JUNE 11: Prince Harry Sticking His Tongue Out Much To The Suprise Of His Mother, Princess Diana At Trooping The Colour With Prince William, Lady Gabriella Windsor And Lady Rose Windsor Watching From The Balcony Of Buckingham Palace (Photo by Tim Graham Photo Library via Getty Images) LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM JANUARY 01: Prince Harry leaves Wetherby School with his mother Princess Diana on 1987 circa in London. (Photo by Georges De Keerle/Getty Images) Charles, Prince of Wales, and Diana, Princess of Wales, with their sons William and Harry in Venice, Italy, 5th May 1985. (Photo by John Shelley Collection/Avalon/Getty Images) Picture From File:Diana Princess Of Wales, Prince William & Prince Harry Visit The Thorpe Park Amusement Park. . (Photo by Julian Parker/UK Press via Getty Images) A spokesperson for NGN said unlawful activities were carried out by private investigators working for the Sun but denied any wrongdoing by its journalists and said phone hacking had not taken place at the title. The company also apologized for phone hacking, surveillance and misuse of private information by journalists at the News of the World. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement There are strong controls and processes in place at all our titles today to ensure this cannot happen now, the spokesperson told the Wall Street Journal (also owned by Murdoch). Prince Harry likes a firm hand and he found Meghan: Ex-classmate The company also apologized for making intrusions into his life and that of his mother, the late Princess Diana, who died when he was 12 years old. We acknowledge and apologise for the distress caused to the Duke, and the damage inflicted on relationships, friendships and family, and have agreed to pay him substantial damages, the company said in the apology read out in the court. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A representative for Harry and Meghan declined to comment on the settlement. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. Royal wedding bells will ring in Greece, because Prince Nikolaos is getting married. On Jan. 22, Hello! reported that Prince Nikolaos, 55, has proposed to Chrysi Vardinogianni, citing confirmation from Hello! Greece. The update comes nine months after the Greek royal family announced that Prince Nikolaos and his wife, Princess Tatiana, were divorcing after 13 years of marriage. PEOPLE has contacted the office of the former royal family of Greece for further comment. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Prince Nikolaos is the son of Queen Anne-Marie and the late King Constantine, the last King of Greece. The office of the former royal family of Greece announced in April 2024 that Nikolaos and Tatiana (nee Blatnik) were divorcing "amicably," and the prince is set to get married again. Nikolaos and Chrysi, the daughter of ship owner Giorgos Vardinogiannis, reportedly plan to wed "in a very private ceremony" attended by only "close friends and family," Hello! Greece said. On Jan. 17, Proto Thema published footage of the pair walking together down the street. The Greek newspaper said that the Chrysi accompanied Prince Nikolaos to the memorial service marking the second anniversary of his father King Constantine's death at Tatoi, the Greek royal family's former summer palace, and the luncheon after. ARIS OIKONOMOU/AFP via Getty Prince Philippos and Prince Nikolaos arrive for the funeral of Prince Michael of Greece and Denmark in Athens, Greece on Aug. 1, 2024. Prince Philippos and Prince Nikolaos arrive for the funeral of Prince Michael of Greece and Denmark in Athens, Greece on Aug. 1, 2024. Related: Meet the Greek Royals: All About the Modern Princes and Princesses of the Former Monarchy Chrysi reportedly split from actor Konstantinos Markoulakis in December 2023 after five years together, and allegedly attended the wedding of Prince Nikolaos' sister, Princess Theodora, in September 2024. Chrysi and Nikolaos were not publicly photographed together at the celebration in Athens, where Princess Theodora tied the knot at the same church where her parents wed in 1964. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Prince Nikolaos is moving on less than a year after his divorce from Princess Tatiana, 44, was announced. "We wish to inform you of a significant and heartfelt decision made by TRH Prince Nikolaos and Princess Tatiana. After 14 years of marriage, they have chosen to amicably dissolve their union," the Greek royal family's office said in a statement on April 19. "This decision was reached with great care and mutual respect, reflecting the depth of their appreciation for one another and the moments they have shared. Their future interactions will continue to be guided by these same principles of respect and understanding, as they transition into a relationship rooted in a strong friendship. They will continue to live and build their lives in Greece, a place they both call home," it continued. "The Family will always support them." Gisela Schober/Getty Princess Tatiana and Prince Nikolaos in Munich, Germany on June 20, 2016. Princess Tatiana and Prince Nikolaos in Munich, Germany on June 20, 2016. Related: Royal Couple Announces Surprise Divorce After 13 Years of Marriage Weeks After Joint Appearance Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Nikolaos and Tatiana, who was born in Venezuela, married at the Cathedral of Ayios Nikolaos on the island of Spetses in August 2010. The former couple, who had no children, pursued private careers Nikolaos in photography, and Tatiana in social impact after getting married, and most recently lived in Athens. The former royal couple's most recent appearance together was at the thanksgiving service honoring King Constantine at St. Georges Chapel at Windsor Castle in February 2024. Members of both the Greek and British royal families came out in full force for the service, including Queen Camilla, Princess Anne, Prince Andrew, Princess Beatrice and more. (Prince William abruptly dropped out of attending at the last minute, which was a surprise as he was due to deliver a reading at the ceremony honoring his late godfather. It later emerged that he was absent in light of his wife Kate Middleton's cancer diagnosis, which she announced to the world that March.) Chris Jackson/POOL/AFP/Getty Princess Tatiana and Prince Nikolaos at the thanksgiving service honoring the life of King Constantine at St. George's Chapel at Windsor Castle on Feb. 27, 2024. Princess Tatiana and Prince Nikolaos at the thanksgiving service honoring the life of King Constantine at St. George's Chapel at Windsor Castle on Feb. 27, 2024. Princess Tatiana (who is keeping her royal title following the divorce) kicked off 2025 with a social media post about "looking towards the light" as the new year began. "As the New Year begins, I wish for us all to welcome more light into our lives. To live purposefully, peacefully, and passionately understanding that even in the darkest moments, we can be the light for others, just as others have been for us," Tatiana wrote on Instagram on Jan. 6. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Last year was a year of transformation for me, filled with changes that challenged me to grow, to learn and to rebuild a life that truly reflects who I am. There were times I felt caught between identities, navigating a limbo of self-discovery. Yet, in those moments, I found clarity. By embracing my true self, I uncovered a new strength," she said. Danny Martindale/WireImage Princess Tatiana at the wedding of Princess Madeleine to Christopher O'Neill in Stockholm, Sweden on June 8, 2013. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 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! The mental health advocate and Breathe Hellas founder voiced her gratitude to "the people who stood by me when the path felt uncertain" and said she looked forward to meaningful work in the year ahead. Princess Tatiana previously described 2024 as a "difficult year" for her family as her stepbrother, Attilio Brillembourg, was reported missing Malibu, California in May. Read the original article on People This morning, Prince Harry reached a surprise settlement with News Group Newspapers (NGN)including a reported eight-figure sum and a public apology over allegations of unlawful activities. NGN offers a full and unequivocal apology to the Duke of Sussex for the serious intrusion by The Sun between 1996 and 2011 into his private life, including incidents of unlawful activities carried out by private investigators working for The Sun, the Duke of Sussex's lawyer David Sherborne said. NGN also offers a full and unequivocal apology to the Duke of Sussex for the phone hacking, surveillance and misuse of private information by journalists and private investigators instructed by them at the News of the World. Per a statement read in court, NGN also apologized for extensive coverage and serious intrusion into his private life as well as the private life of Diana, Princess of Wales, his late mother, in particular during his younger years. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It continued: We acknowledge and apologise for the distress caused to the Duke, and the damage inflicted on relationships, friendships and family, and have agreed to pay him substantial damages. Shortly after the news broke, Princess Diana's brother, Charles Spencer, shared his reaction. It takes an enormous amount of guts to take on opponents like News Group Newspapers, and great tenacity to win, he posted on X today. And its just wonderful that Harry fought for - and gained - an apology to his mother. She would be incredibly touched at that, & rightly proud. It's not the first time Charles has spoken about his nephew's court actions. In 2023, during Harry's phone hacking trial against the Mirror Group Newspapers, Charles defended Harry online. Harry appears to have remained close with his Spencer uncle and aunts since moving to California; on a recent trip to the UK, he stayed at Althorp, Diana's childhood home, which is now Charles's main residence. In addition, last spring, Charles and Lady Jane Fellowes supported Harry at the 10th anniversary of the Invictus Games ceremony in London, and in March 2023, Diana's sisters were reportedly in attendance at Princess Lilibet's christening in California. You Might Also Like South Dakota Department of Corrections Secretary Kellie Wasko presents to the Joint Appropriations Committee on Jan. 23, 2025 (Makenzie Huber/South Dakota Searchlight) PIERRE The South Dakota Department of Corrections is searching to fill 63 vacant medical staff positions, department officials told lawmakers Thursday at the Capitol. Thats a vacancy rate of 53% among licensed practice nurses and 40% among registered nurses. Both rates are greater than the 27% average among security staff in 2022, which garnered headlines at the time. Three years later, the prison systems security staff vacancy rate averages 10%, department Secretary Kellie Wasko said. She attributes the stabilization to wage raises and policy changes. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Part of the departments nursing shortage is due to nurses feeling unsafe at work, Wasko told lawmakers. Its also becoming more difficult to compete with the private sector, since there is a nationwide nursing shortage. Prison clinical staff are responsible for providing inmate medical care, which includes medical assessments and providing medications. Wasko, who started in the corrections industry as a registered nurse, said she did sutures, treated stab wounds, changed dressings and did post-operative care in her decade of prison nursing experience. No one wants to go somewhere they dont feel safe, Wasko said. And this goes for the correctional staff as well. Nobody wants to be verbally demeaned or have feces and urine thrown on them. Our current environment creates that. A chart shows security staff vacancies and average vacancy rate per fiscal year. (Courtesy of the South Dakota Department of Corrections) Wasko said the unsafe environment is due largely to the antiquated nature of the penitentiary in Sioux Falls, one of the states eight prison facilities. Parts of the penitentiary date back to 1881. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement She also updated lawmakers on plans to replace the penitentiary with a new prison 15 miles south of Sioux Falls. She told lawmakers the new Lincoln County mens prison is needed to replace the penitentiary, ensure safe working environments and better provide programming for inmates. Wasko pulled back on benefits when she first started with the department due to fiscal responsibility concerns. I think I made the wrong decision in pulling those back from staff, Wasko said. The department is working to reimplement those benefits and make other changes to improve conditions for medical staff within the prison system. The department offers a loan repayment and scholarship program and $10,000 sign-on bonus for prison nurses. It also offers a $5 wage increase for overnight nursing shifts. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A registered nurse salary in the department ranges from $28 to $40 an hour, depending on experience and the security level within the prison, according to department job postings. To fill vacant positions, the department has contracted travel nurses. Anticipated travel nurse expenses for this fiscal year, which runs through June, stand at $4.6 million, said department Finance Director Brittni Skipper. Thats a 48% increase from $3.1 million spent in fiscal year 2024. The state Department of Health managed prison clinical services and staffing before the Department of Corrections took it over in fiscal year 2024. The department is requesting a clinical services budget, which includes care inside prison facilities and specialized care at typical health care facilities, of $38.2 million for fiscal year 2026 an increase of $954,731. Wasko said that increase is driven by anticipated prison populations. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Inmates visited system health care clinics an average of 6,283 times a month in fiscal year 2024, according to the departments statistical report. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Angie Wilson, director of the Reno-Sparks Tribal Health Center, led an effort in collaboration with Nevada Health Link, the state's health insurance marketplace, to create a tribal sponsorship program that allows tribes to purchase health plans for community members. (Jazmin Orozco Rodriguez/KFF Health News) A few years before the covid-19 pandemic, Dale Rice lost a toe to infection. But because he was uninsured at the time, the surgery at a Reno, Nevada, hospital led to years of anguish. He said he owes the hospital more than $20,000 for the procedure and still gets calls from collection agencies. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It can cause a lot of anxiety, Rice said. I cant give you what I dont have. Rice, 62, was born and has spent his life in Nevada. He said he fell through a gap in the tribal health care system because he lives 1,500 miles from the Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation home area in eastern Kansas, where hes an enrolled member. He receives primary care at the Reno-Sparks Indian Colony tribal health clinic in Nevada, but structural barriers in the federal Indian Health Service left him without coverage for specialty care outside of the clinic. Rice might have been eligible for specialty services referred by his tribes health system in Kansas, but he lives too far from the tribes delivery area to utilize the tribal health program that helps pay for services outside of the IHS. I shouldnt need to move to Kansas City to be fully covered, Rice said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A new tribal sponsorship program rolled out last year in Nevada is aimed at getting tribal citizens like Rice covered and protecting them from incurring debt for uninsured care. It allows tribes to buy health insurance through the states Affordable Care Act marketplace for people living in their service area, including Native Americans from other tribes. Tribal leaders and Nevada officials say the sponsorship model increases access to coverage and care for tribal citizens and their families by allowing them to seek medical care outside the tribal health care system. A few dozen tribes have moved to set up the insurance programs since the ACA authorized them more than a decade ago. Its not widespread, said Yvonne Myers, an ACA and Medicaid consultant for Citizen Potawatomi Nation Health Services in Oklahoma. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Native American adults are enrolled in Medicaid at higher rates than their white counterparts and have long faced worse health outcomes, higher incidences of chronic disease, and shorter life expectancy. Many rely on the IHS, a division within the Department of Health and Human Services responsible for providing care to Native Americans, but the agency is chronically underfunded. In Nevada, tribes can sponsor their community members health coverage through aggregated billing, a method for paying the premiums for multiple individuals in a single monthly payment to the insurer. Another part of the program includes collaboration between Nevada Health Link, the state health insurance marketplace, and tribes to certify staffers at tribal health clinics so they can enroll community members in health plans. Program officials also said they are committed to providing further education to tribes about the accommodations available to them under the ACA. Health agencies in Washington state and Nevada have helped set up tribal sponsorship programs. Independently, tribes in Alaska, Wisconsin, Idaho, Michigan, Montana, and South Dakota have rolled out individual programs, as well. Its already making a difference for Native American patients in Nevada, said Angie Wilson, tribal health director for the Reno-Sparks Indian Colony and an enrolled member of the Pit River Tribe in California. Wilson said patients have shown up at her office in tears because they couldnt afford services they needed outside of the tribal clinic and were not eligible for those services to be covered by the IHS Purchased/Referred Care program. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Reno-Sparks Indian Colony, with more than 1,330 members in 2023, is one of two tribes that participate in Nevadas tribal sponsorship program and aggregated billing. Russell Cook, executive director of Nevada Health Link, said he expects more tribes to come aboard as the agency works to build community trust in tribes often wary of government and corporate entities. The Fort McDermitt Paiute and Shoshone Tribe, with a reservation that spans Nevadas northwestern border, was the first tribe to pilot the program. There are about 125 households on the reservation. As of December, 30 tribal members had been enrolled into qualified health plans through Nevada Health Link as part of the tribal sponsorship program, according to state officials, and more than 700 of those enrolled through the state marketplace self-reported American Indian and/or Alaska Native status for last year. Through sponsorship, tribes may use their federal health care funding to pay the premium costs for each participating person. That, combined with cost-sharing protections in the ACA for American Indian and Alaska Natives enrolled in marketplace health plans, means beneficiaries face very low to no costs to receive care outside of tribal clinics. The American Rescue Plan also expanded eligibility for premium tax credits, making purchasing a health plan more affordable. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Because sponsorship in some tribes isnt limited to enrolled tribal citizens, it can help the whole community, said Jim Roberts, senior executive liaison for intergovernmental affairs with the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium and an enrolled member of the Hopi Tribe in Arizona. Since Alaska first allowed sponsorship in 2013, Roberts said, it has not only increased the access to care for Native Americans but also significantly lowered the costs of care, which is equally as important, if not for some tribes more important. In Washington state, where sponsorship in ACA plans began in 2014, 12 of 29 tribes participate. Cook said the state exchange is seeing interest in the part of the sponsorship program that trains staff at tribal clinics to become certified exchange representatives, a role similar to that of a navigator who helps inform people about health coverage options. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He said the agency is working on a marketing campaign to spread awareness among Native Americans in the state about the sponsorship program. It will include translating resource guides and other materials from the agency into Native languages spoken in the state, such as Northern and Southern Paiute, Washoe, and Western Shoshone. Cook said hes surprised more states havent taken the initiative to create sponsorship programs in collaboration with tribes. Nevada Health Link patterned its approach by looking at Washington states program, Cook said. Since launching its own program, the Nevada agency has been approached by officials in California who are exploring the option. But leaders like Wilson are concerned that under the Trump administration the enhanced tax credits for ACA marketplace enrollees implemented during the pandemic will end. The credits are set to expire at the end of this year if Congress doesnt act to extend them. Without the credits, nearly all people enrolled through the marketplace will see steep increases in their premium payments next year. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If tribal citizens or other community members become ineligible for the premium tax credits, that could jeopardize the tribes financial ability to continue sponsoring health plans, Roberts said. Whatever side of the fence people fall on, it does not take away that theres a federal trust responsibility by the United States of America to its First Nations people, Wilson said. Wilson, who has been an advocate for sponsorship since the ACA was approved in 2010 and led the effort to establish the program in Nevada, said she is happy with the tribal sponsorship program but wishes it would have happened sooner. Weve lost so much in Indian Country over time, she said. How many more Indian people could have gotten access to care? How much more of a difference could that have made in sustaining health care for tribes? KFF Health News is a national newsroom that produces in-depth journalism about health issues and is one of the core operating programs at KFF the independent source for health policy research, polling, and journalism. Progressives are focusing their messaging on being anti-oligarchy, training their sights not just on Republicans but also on Democrats they argue are too beholden to corporate interests. Following Inauguration Day, Democrats on the left have been taking steps to call out the surge of incoming wealth in Washington, critiquing the GOP president whose front row was dotted with some of Americas richest leaders. But they arent just looking at Trump. Liberals are also forcing a conversation about their own partys money-in-politics problem, hoping to redirect the focus ahead of the midterms. Justice Democrats is now recruiting dozens of new candidates, while Sen. Bernie Sanderss (I-Vt.) former 2020 campaign manager is now running to chair the Democratic National Committee. Meanwhile, strategists are working to protect members of the Squad from defeats. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Novembers election is a mandate for the Democratic Party to clean up shop, said Usamah Andrabi, communications director of Justice Democrats, the most prominent group in charge of nurturing new progressive candidates for the House and Senate. Strategists like Andrabi say progressives are responding to an explicit call from voters demanding that their party rid itself of the same consultants, donors, advisers, and career politicians that ushered in a Republican trifecta and second Trump administration. Incremental change up and down the ballot, they believe, is not nearly enough to tackle the supercharging of money pouring in under Trump 2.0. For many on the left, the re-brand is long overdue. For nearly a decade, ever since Sanders angered establishment figures in Hillary Clintons inner circle with a primary bid, moderate Democrats have relied on similar corporate influences as Republicans to various degrees. Many operatives still havent fully denounced corporate money funding elections, with many watching the donor-first approach work effectively for the GOP. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trumps recent success has amplified that. By surrounding himself with the top 1 percent of the 1 percent, progressives say the president has created a prime backdrop for Democrats to create a contrast on campaign finance, their agreed-upon top issue for their party this year. Voters made overwhelmingly clear, Andrabi said, that they want a new era led by a new generation of leaders unafraid to take on billionaires and corporations to deliver an agenda for working-class communities. Flooding the party with fresh candidates from each state, organizers believe, will help the party reject wealth concentration by default. That includes more primary challengers to sitting Democratic officeholders when necessary. The approach is what brought Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) into power, but also pushed Jamaal Bowman (D-N.Y.) and Cori Bush (D-Mo.) out over a mix of special interest spending and a conservative public sentiment. Some progressive Democrats in the House, including Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.), have already come out publicly in support of more primary campaigns, while activists have expressed a stronger desire to break the centrist stronghold after their November defeat. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Democratic Party is in crisis, Alan Minsky, who serves as executive director of Progressive Democrats of America, told The Hill. As progressives, we must redouble our efforts within the Democratic Party structure. Progressives are forming into different camps as they look to drain the party of donations from corporations and high net-worth individuals. Some believe they can make more impact on the outside, while others are hoping to start working from within. Faiz Shakir, a former senior Sanders adviser, wants to drastically alter one of the most antiquated structures, the Democratic National Committee, as its new figurehead. He got into the chairmanship race after seeing few differences between candidates who he believes dont actually address the significant issues plaguing the party. Like others on the left, he wants the DNC to do more than just engage in small-level state party disputes. The clearest example of where Shakir differs from his handful of opponents came when Ken Martin, the state chair of the Minnesota Democratic Party who is considered center-left and a frontrunner in the race, said that the party should not be opposed to collecting good billionaires money, but draws the line at donations from bad billionaires. That sentiment runs counter to what Sanders campaigned on, and what even President Biden referred to as the ascendent oligarchy class in a surprising turn toward populism at the end of his only term in office. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When I started talking about oligarchy, many people didnt understand what I meant, Sanders wrote in a social media post across several platforms on Jan. 20, referencing Trump and his associates. Well, thats changed. When the 3 wealthiest men in America sit behind Trump at his inauguration, everyone understands that the billionaire class now controls our government, he wrote. We must fight back. Other elected leaders are trying to get the coalition to coalesce around reform in other ways. Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) is out with a new book, titled, It Takes Chutzpah: How to Fight Fearlessly for Progressive Change, in which he proposes talking about larger-scale economic issues, while other progressives like Khanna and Sanders believe framing the latest tech debates, like the recent TikTok ban and subsequent reversal, as another way to win the fractured Democratic coalition. Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), who appears to be angling to become a new voice for the left, took issue with Bidens broad pardon of his family members minutes before leaving office. While most Democrats were silent on the matter, Murphy said to reporters that its probably time for us to take a look at the way the pardon system is being used, introducing another critique of how his party operates. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While theres a strong progressive desire to start over from the ground up, theres still a rawness among those who saw their fears of an ultra-wealthy government actualized in real-time by Trumps actions. Trumps second inauguration came the week that the landmark Supreme Court Citizens United decision marked its 15th anniversary. Some leftists privately expressed feeling disillusioned by the pomp and circumstance, uncertain of what is likely to make a dent in the problem. Im watching in horror as we see our country being stripped away right before our eyes, said one progressive leader who oversees a political organization in charge of left-wing candidate recruitment and retention. Billionaires flaunting their newly found power to match their exorbitant wealth not just in front of the country but the world to see and take notice. Im trying to stay focused and provide leadership for our staff [and] supporters, the source added, but Ill be honest, Im at a loss of words. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. Aaron Henry's words in Why Black men are dying to be successful, published in the February 2024 issue of Journal of the American Academy of Physician Associates, resonated deeply with me as a fellow Black male physician associate/assistant (PA).1 The weight of expectations urges us Black men to excel in environments where our presence may be scarce and our voices sometimes drowned out.1,2 We, as Black men, find ourselves in a perpetual dance of proving our worth in environments that are not always welcoming or understanding. This commentary continues the conversation by navigating the intersection of race and profession in healthcare. It builds upon and extends the insights offered by Henry's exploration of the John Henryism phenomenon, which refers to the psychologic and physiologic strains experienced by Black Americans who must cope with chronic stress and discrimination through hard work and determination.3,4 It also introduces a new intersection reflective of my journey: neurodiversity. Neurodiversity, which encompasses neurodivergence, refers to the natural variations in human brain function and behavior; neurodivergence specifically describes persons whose neurologic development and functioning differ from what is considered typical or neurotypical.5 As a late-diagnosed autistic Black man, my experience with John Henryism is coupled with the additional stressors of masking or camouflaging, which involves the conscious or unconscious suppression of natural autistic behaviors in favor of neurotypical ones to fit into neurotypical environments.6 Hudson and colleagues found that among Black Americans, higher education levels were associated with increased reports of racial discrimination and positively related to depression, and greater levels of John Henryism were associated with increased odds of depression.7 In addition, Evans and colleagues' study revealed that higher levels of autistic masking are associated with increased symptoms of anxiety, depression, and posttraumatic stress syndrome, which can lead to burnout.8 Therefore, the intersection of race, neurodiversity, and identity creates a unique set of challenges in the workplace, and the compounding effects of intersectional identities, as neurodiverse persons from diverse backgrounds face multiple layers of discrimination and pressure to conform, exacerbate the effect on their mental health. The studies above underscore the urgent need for healthcare organizations to create inclusive environments that embrace neurodiversity and address the unique challenges faced by clinicians with intersectional identities. My journey as a late-diagnosed autistic Black man is a silent struggle of conforming to a world that often fails to recognize vulnerabilities. The pressure to mask my autistic traits and conform to neurotypical expectations, coupled with the challenges faced by Black men, creates a unique set of obstacles that I must navigate daily.9,10 My journey also represents a broader issue in healthcare and other fields, where persons with intersecting identities must navigate complex landscapes that fail to accommodate their unique perspectives and experiences. To enact meaningful change, clinicians must be willing to address the uncomfortable realities that arise from intersecting identities.11 Holman and colleagues' study on using intersectionality to understand and tackle healthcare inequalities offers a framework for this approach.12 The study highlights how an intersectional perspective can reveal the complex interplay of various social positions (such as race, class, gender, and disability) and how these interactions contribute to healthcare outcomes.12 By adopting an intersectional approach to patient care, clinicians can better understand and support the diverse needs of our patients, affirming that their happiness and well-being are invaluable, regardless of societal expectations of success. Clinicians must advocate for systemic change in healthcare education, policy, and practice to create a more inclusive and equitable system. To achieve systemic change, clinicians must integrate comprehensive equity and inclusion training, adopt policies that support neurodiverse and diverse persons, and create healthcare settings that are genuinely inclusive for all patients and clinicians.5,13 By acknowledging the complexities of intersecting identities and actively working to dismantle systemic barriers, clinicians can create a healthcare system that allows everyone to unmask, serve, and support each other, regardless of their background or identity. Project Pats son, Patrick Houston Jr., has passed away after being the victim of a shooting in his hometown of Memphis. According to FOX 13 Memphis, Houston Jr., 21, was gunned down earlier this month, on Friday (Jan. 10) while at a park in Memphis Imogene Height neighborhood. The shooting occurred just after 1 p.m. local time, with officers discovering Houston Jr.s body while responding to a report of shots fired at Ketchum Road and Long Street near Charjean Park. Police tape hangs across the street in front of the house that Dennis Rader lives in February 26, 2005 in Park City, Kansas. Rader is the suspect whom police have arrested on suspicion of first-degree murder in connection with the 10 deaths now tied to the serial killer known as BTK. No further details regarding the shooting have been released and no suspects have been arrested at this time. Anyone with information regarding the death of Houston Jr. are urged to call CrimeStoppers at 901-528-CASH. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Houston Jr.s father, Project Pat, also a Memphis native, is one of the most successful and renowned rappers to emerge from the city over the past three decades. The brother of Three 6 Mafia member Juicy J, Project Pat joined Juicys Hypnotize Minds label during the late 90s after serving several years in prison on a robbery conviction. Releasing his debut album, Ghetty Green, in 1999, his popularity skyrocketed with the release of his sophomore album, Mista Dont Play: Everythangs Workin. Powered by the hit singles Chickenhead and Dont Save Her, the album peaked at No. 4 on the Billboard 200, and was certified Gold by the RIAA. The 51-year-old has since released several additional solo albums, including Layin da Smack Down (2002), Crook by da Book: The Fed Story, Walkin Bank Roll, Real Recognize Real, Loud Pack, Mista Dont Play 2: Everythangs Money, and, most recently, M.O.B. VIBES sends our condolences to Project Pat and the Houston family. Project Pat attends the BET Hip Hop Awards 2022 on September 30, 2022 in Atlanta, Georgia. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement More from VIBE.com Sign up for Vibe's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Union supporters protest proposed right-to-work legislation outside of the New Hampshire Legislative Office Building in Concord on Jan. 22, 2025. (Photo by William Skipworth/New Hampshire Bulletin) John Murphy, a telecommunications worker with the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, is tired of having to show up to protests every year to oppose right-to-work legislation in New Hampshire. Every year we come out, and its the same, he said. Its the same legislation you backtrack into. Its some out-of-state national right-to-work (organization) that keeps trying to introduce it into New Hampshire, and its voted down, Republican side, Democratic side. Its bipartisan. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Still, Murphy comes out every time because he believes right-to-work is bad policy for New Hampshire and he believes in unions. Thats what he was doing on Wednesday when he gathered alongside more than 100 others outside the Legislative Office Building near the State House to protest House Bill 238, the latest bill seeking to bring right-to-work policies to New Hampshire. Murphy said the bill seems like a waste of our legislators time given how many times its failed before. Right-to-work which refers to policies that prohibit collective bargaining agreements from requiring employees to join or contribute to a union has been a perennial debate among New Hampshire lawmakers, but for decades has continually failed to become law. Most recently, House Bill 1377 and Senate Bill 516 in 2024 sought to institute right-to-work policies in New Hampshire, but neither the House nor Senate approved the legislation. However, after Novembers election saw Republican Gov. Kelly Ayotte win the governors race and a slate of new lawmakers earn spots in the Legislature, some on each side of the issue feel this year could be different. Indeed, in an interview with The New Hampshire Union-Leader last week, Ayotte said shed sign a right-to-work bill if the Legislature sent it to her desk. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If right-to-work were to become law in New Hampshire, it would be the only New England state and one of 27 states across the U.S. with such a policy. Pro-right-to-work advocates argue the policy would attract employers to the state and drive economic growth. Andrew Cline, president of the Josiah Bartlett Center for Public Policy, a New Hampshire-based conservative think tank, argued in a recent report that a right-to-work law would be a way for the state to improve the states manufacturing sector without spending a dime of taxpayer money. He cites a 2021 Harvard University study that examined the economies of counties on the borders of right-to-work and non-right-to-work states and found that right-to-work regions have 1.6% higher employment and 1.4% higher labor force participation. Unionized workers and union representatives argued Wednesday that right-to-work legislation harms workers leverage to negotiate higher wages through their union, empowers people who dont pay into the union to reap the benefits of said union, and interferes with legal agreements made between workers and employers. Data shows workers in right-to-work states make 3.2% less on average than their counterparts in similar positions in non-right-to-work states $1,670 per year for a full-time worker according to the Washington, D.C.-based Economic Policy Institute. On job growth, the Economic Policy Institute draws a different conclusion from the Harvard study cited by Cline, saying there are no measurable employment advantages between RTW and non-RTW states. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement John Perry, a staff representative for United Steelworkers in Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont who attended the protest Wednesday, called HB 238 an attack on labor. Scott Gove, a 36-year UPS driver represented by the Teamsters was another who braved the below-freezing weather to protest. The benefits and the pay that the Teamsters have negotiated on my behalf as a worker in the state of New Hampshire, Gove said. Thats what motivated me to be here today. Keith Judge, a former Teamsters member working for Associated Grocers of New England who now serves as a business agent for the union, noted that right-to-work states have lower wages and benefits and called the policy just a ploy to take bargaining power away from the people. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Judge, and others, also testified during a House Labor, Industrial, and Rehabilitative Services Committee hearing on the bill that took place immediately following the protest. He told the story of how he was diagnosed with cancer years ago and was able to get the best treatment possible because of the health care benefits his union negotiated. If it were not for my union and the benefits negotiated by Local 633 when I was a rank-and-file member, I physically would not be here, he told lawmakers. Members from several unions, including the Teamsters Union, International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, National Education Association, Student Worker Collective at Dartmouth, and United Steelworkers, came to demonstrate and testify Wednesday morning against HB 238. However, some proponents of the bill also spoke. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Greg Moore, the state director for the conservative advocacy group Americans for Prosperity, testified that the issue with the way unionization works today is that if 50% plus one member of a bargaining committee decide to join a union, the minority lose all their rights. As Moore spoke, some members of the committee, several of whom have backgrounds working within unions, pushed back sharply. What you just described sounds like democracy, Rep. Michael Cahill, a Democrat from Newmarket, said. Are you opposed to democracy? Moore also said he knows of businesses that explicitly told him theyd move to New Hampshire if it became a right-to-work state. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Rep. Brian Sullivan, a Grantham Democrat, asked Moore for names of specific businesses that said theyd come. However, Moore declined to specify, claiming the businesses were not willing to be publicly identified until right-to-work actually becomes law. John Kalb, vice president of the National Right to Work Committee, and John Reynolds, state director for the National Federation of Independent Businesses, both testified about what they saw as the economic benefits of right-to-work, specifically, that it would attract employers and that 80% of New Hampshire small-business owners support right-to-work. It got a little tense when advocates for the unhoused tried to deliver a letter to Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens on Thursday. The letter listed demands the group wanted after a city bulldozer ran over a tent and killed an unhoused man inside. But the advocates and family of 49-year-old Cornelius Taylor never got inside the mayors office. This shouldnt be happening, someone said as police prevented them from going into Dickens office. [DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] Tim Franzen with the group told Channel 2s Tom Jones he wasnt happy about being denied an opportunity to meet with the mayor. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement They wouldnt let us in, he said. When asked why, he said: They said its closed to us. Taylor was killed when a city bulldozer ran over his tent during a sweep of a homeless encampment near Ebenezer Baptist Church on Jan. 16. Some advocates believe the city was trying to clean up the area in advance of MLK festivities planned the next week. You got four minutes to get your stuff. Thats what they said. 4 minutes, Gus Hendricks, a friend of Taylors who says he was at the encampment. He says city workers didnt check any tents before they started clearing the area. Cornelius Taylor died because of failure of city policy, community activist Derrick Boazman said to protesters gathered on the steps of City Hall. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement People who spoke at the rally and march said the city needs to make policy changes to prevent something like this from happening again. Stop the sweeps. Stop the sweeps, they chanted. They want a moratorium on the sweeps. TRENDING STORIES: Taylors family said they dont want this to happen to anyone else. There wont be a next one if we stop the sweeps, Darlene Chaney said. The protesters then marched to city hall. Thats where Jones spoke to Taylors mother. She said she needs justice. Yeah. For real. Justice is the main thing, Lois Taylor said. A spokesman for the mayor says he had a scheduled meeting with the advocates for 9:30am Thursday morning, and they canceled. He said the mayor wasnt at city hall when the advocates stopped by. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Mayor Dickens has said he is saddened by what happened. And he said the city is reviewing its procedures to make sure this doesnt happen again. [SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter] PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) Former Providence Mayor Joseph Paolino Jr. is planning on giving the capital city a facelift. Paolino unveiled a comprehensive beautification and greenery plan Tuesday aimed at transforming the Providences downtown streetscape, which was inspired by his visit to Chicago for the Democratic National Convention last year. (Courtesy: Traverse Landscape Architects) I was absolutely blown away by Chicagos downtown atmosphere, Paolino explained. I immediately recognized how transformative a similar approach to urban beautification could be for our city. It isnt just about aesthetics its about creating an environment that attracts businesses, residents and visitors to our downtown core. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Paolino commissioned Traverse Landscape Architects to develop the plan, which identifies spots in the capital city that could use enhancements. The plan offers street-by-street recommendations such as sidewalk improvements, lighting upgrades and the installation of street trees. The plan weve developed is potentially transformative for downtown Providence, Traverse Landscape Architects Ashley Iannuccilli Cullion said. Increasing our urban canopy and making our streets more beautiful and pedestrian-friendly can be vital catalysts for economic development and business attraction. The plan specifically addresses the citys key corridors, including Friendship Street, Dorrance Street, Pine Street and Fulton Street. The goal of the plan is to aesthetically improve downtown Providences streetscapes and also make them safer for everyone who lives, works and visits the city, according to Paolino. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A picture is worth a thousand words, and throughout my career, Ive learned that showing people a concrete vision is often the first step, he said. This plan gives all stakeholders something tangible to react to and refine together. Rendering of enhancements to Friendship Street (Courtesy: Traverse Landscape Architects) Rendering of enhancements to Dorrance Street (Courtesy: Traverse Landscape Architects) Rendering of enhancements to Pine Street (Courtesy: Traverse Landscape Architects) Rendering of enhancements to Garrahy Judicial Complex (Courtesy: Traverse Landscape Architects) Rendering of enhancements to Fulton Street (Courtesy: Traverse Landscape Architects) Paolino presented his proposal to Providence Mayor Brett Smiley first, who he said seemed thrilled about its potential impact on the city. He then shared his vision with the Providence Foundation earlier this month. I think it will be good for the economy and it will be good for the environment, Smiley said on 12 News at 4 Wednesday afternoon. I think greening up downtown will have a lot of benefits. David Salvatore, executive director of the Providence Foundation, described the plan as being an exciting starting point. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While executing a plan of this magnitude requires bringing many parties to the table, [Paolino] has presented a compelling vision for making downtown Providence better, Salvatore said. Paolino said the plan is just the beginning and stressed the importance of building financial support and partnerships. Now we need to roll up our sleeves and do the hard work of bringing resources together, Paolino said. This is a transformative moment for Providence, and it will take all of us private businesses, city leadership, and our incredible philanthropic community working in unison to make it happen. Paolino does not have a cost estimate for the plan just yet, but said hes in the process of crunching the numbers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Check out the full Downtown Beautification Plan in the PDF below: Attachment_Providence-Improvements-PlanDownload 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. Jan. 22The West Virginia Public Service Commission on Wednesday asked garbage haulers in the state to offer "alternative assistance to customers." "If harsh conditions and ice prevent the companies from safely making garbage pickups in certain difficult to reach or hilly areas, the commission is asking haulers to park a truck with a driver at a spot near the missed garbage pickup routes, " the PSC wrote in a press release. The PSC said haulers should notify customers of the availability of this service by calls, texts, email or Facebook and the trucks should start being made available by the end of the week. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The request is coming as the commission hears from customers who've been without garbage service for more than one week and in light of the potential for continued difficult weather conditions. "The truck should be available for an ample amount of time to allow customers of that route to come to the location, and with proof of being a customer in good standing, dispose of trash that normally would be picked up by the hauler, " the PSC stated. Republic Services told The Dominion Post it will adhere to the PSC's guidelines while working to restore service across all routes. "We are identifying alternative drop points and establishing temporary rural locations to accommodate our most impacted customers, " a Republic spokesperson said. "As we navigate these obstacles, we appreciate our customers' patience and understanding. We will maintain direct communication with our customers throughout the week, providing timely updates as the situation evolves." The public sector has hired an extra 600,000 staff since the pandemic but productivity has plunged, leaving taxpayers paying more for less. The size of the public sector has swelled to 6.1m employees since the start of 2019, numbers from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) show. Public service productivity has slumped by 9.9pc over the same period. Economists warned that the figures painted a worrying picture for public finances and taxpayers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Paul Mortimer Lee, from the National Institute of Economic and Social Research, said: We are paying more money to get less. No wonder the people are bitter and taxes are so high. Mr Lee said falling public sector productivity was the real black hole [Chancellor Rachel] Reeves should be concerned about. Public borrowing surged to 17.8bn in December, above expectations. 10bn of that was to fund day-to-day public services. The number of staff in the public sector is now at the highest level since early 2012. It includes a record-high 2m NHS employees and the largest pool of civil servants since 2006, at 548,000. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The public sector hiring spree reflects government attempts to tackle pandemic backlogs. Extra NHS staff have been hired to try and clear long waiting lists, for example. However, Thomas Pope, from the Institute for Government, a think tank, said the increased hiring had not translated into the increasing activity you would have wanted. He said: Its the worst of all worlds to be putting more money in and not getting more activity out. In a simple model of how much the Government needs to spend to achieve a certain performance in services, 5pc of productivity is the same as 5pc of increasing spending. Falling productivity in the expanding public sector means taxpayers are paying more without noticeable improvements. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Mr Pope said: It means those services are not performing as well as if productivity had remained at the same level. It takes people longer to get treated for elective care, theyre getting less good treatment on average and so on - and doing all of that while extra money has gone in. Staff still working from home Productivity has worsened as parts of the public sector are still engulfed in rows with staff over working from home, even as many big private employers force workers back into the office. More than 300 staff at the Metropolitan Police will go on strike for two weeks in February over a back-to-the-office request, while hundreds of ONS staff voted to walk out in October. Lord Rose, the former boss of Asda, this week said remote working was creating a generation who are not doing proper work and setting back productivity. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ms Reeves has vowed to wage a war on waste in the public sector amid mounting concern about the Governments spending plans. Departments have been asked to identify 5pc efficiency savings. The Chancellor is under pressure to cut costs as rising borrowing costs and disappointing growth put her at risk of breaching her fiscal rules. Lord Wolfson, the chief executive of retailer Next, has called on the Government to reign in public spending. He told the BBC last week: Over the last five years the Government has employed 100,000 more civil servants. We cant go on spending over 40pc of GDP on the public sector. It has to become more efficient and if the Government can commit to doing that and deliver it then I think that will do more for business confidence than anything else. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Government is poised to spend 453.4bn on day-to-day departmental spending this financial year, a rise of 4.8pc from the previous 12 months. Negative spillovers Britain has struggled with poor productivity across the economy since the financial crisis. While the efficiency of the public sector is difficult to measure exactly, official data show that it has been particularly poor. Mr Lee said this was having negative spillovers across the economy. He said: Theres a contamination. If the public sector has low productivity, it means that the people they deal with get poor service and slow responses. People who work in the public sector, if they go out and get a private sector job, they have become used to being in a low productivity sector. So it sets a bad example. It has negative spillovers throughout the economy. It affects societal attitudes. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ms Reevess decision to hand public sector workers big pay rises last summer despite poor productivity was a huge mistake, Mr Lee warned. He said: It set a really bad example. It said were happy with the way youre performing, which implicitly means including your productivity, and we think you deserve more money. Here it is without conditions. Thats not how you get better services and keep taxes down. Its just not. 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. PULASKI COUNTY, Ark. Detectives with the Pulaski County Sheriffs Office said multiple arrests have been made tied to a homicide case from 2019. According to PCSO officials, 25-year-old Zachary McMillan and 24-year-old Valerie Ferry were arrested on Wednesday in connection with the death of 18-year-old Steven McClendon. Update: Pulaski County Sheriffs Office identifies homicide victim PCSO officials said a third suspect, Joshua Dyer, is also in custody in San Diego, California, and is awaiting extradition to Arkansas. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On Aug. 22, 2019, deputies responded to a home on Wilkerson Drive to find McClendon dead from an apparent gunshot wound. We are pleased to make these arrests and take another step toward justice for Steven McClendon and his family, Sheriff Eric Higgins said. While weve made significant progress, our work continues, and we will ensure the third suspect is brought back to Arkansas to face the charges against them. Fire chief shot, killed after stopping to help driver who struck a deer in Alabama Authorities said McMillan and Ferry are being held at the Pulaski County Regional Detention Facility. Deputies said they are facing capital murder charges. 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. A puppy has found a new home after his former owner abandoned him in a freezing porta-potty inside a Michigan park. Puppy left abandoned for days inside porta potty at Creasey Bicentennial Park. Suspect arrested for animal cruelty, the Grand Blanc Township Police Department said via Facebook on Jan. 19. The department thanked a Good Samaritan named Jacob, who found the canine and cared for the pup. The person was a Creasey Bicentennial Park employee who found the animal while servicing the bathrooms, reports FOX 2 Detroit. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Since finding a new home, the puppy has now been named Hank. His original owner told authorities she left the dog in the porta potty because her apartment buildings landlord told her she could not have a pit bull, Police Chief William Renye explained in the video that accompanied the Jan. 19 Facebook post. Related: Malnourished Puppy Abandoned in a Portable Toilet Acts Like a 'Wiggly Angel' After His Rescue Although Hanks former owner was arrested, he was unable to share the 25-year-olds identity because she has not been arraigned on charges, Renye said. PEOPLE reached out to the Grand Blanc Township Police Department on Wednesday, Jan. 22 for an update, but did not immediately receive a response. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to the police chief, Jacob found Hank freezing cold [with] dog feces spread throughout the porta potty and pet urine. Getty port-a-potty in winter stock photo port-a-potty in winter stock photo He added that the pit bull puppy had no water, and was left with only a small bowl of food. Renye asked pet owners to be "responsible," adding "Remember, you chose the animal, the animal did not choose you. He vowed to be the voice for animals who suffer from cruelty. Related: Big Dog Makes Incredible Recovery with a Little Help and an Impressive Makeover Renye went on to remind the community that cold weather was headed to Grand Blanc Township, and urged pet owners to take their pets inside or provide a warm outdoor shelter noting that individuals could be charged with a felony if their pets died due to neglect. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hank is still living with his new family, and is well taken care of. 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. Earlier in the clip, Renye stated it had been a few weeks since Hank was found. Prior to the Facebook video being shared, the community found out about the pup and stepped up to help. Renye gave a big thanks to all who helped, including Grand Blanc Veterinary Hospital for providing the first year of shots to the pup, along with Petsmart and Pets Supplies Plus of Grand Blanc for the puppy food. Read the original article on People HARTFORD, Conn. (WTNH) Members of the family who own OxyContin maker Purdue Pharma and the company itself agreed to pay up to $7.4 billion in a new settlement to lawsuits over the toll of the powerful prescription painkiller, Connecticut Attorney General William Tong announced Thursday. The deal, agreed to by Purdue Pharma, the Sackler family members who own the company and lawyers representing state and local governments and thousands of victims of the opioid crisis, represents an increase of more than $1 billion over a previous settlement deal that was rejected last year by the U.S. Supreme Court. The Sacklers agreed to pay up to $6.5 billion, and Purdue to pay $900 million, for a total of $7.4 billion. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The deal still needs court approval, and some of the details are yet to be ironed out. An arm of the federal Department of Justice opposed the previous settlement, even after every state got on board, and took the battle to the U.S. Supreme Court. But under President Donald Trump, the federal government is not expected to oppose the new deal. Purdue Pharma and owners to pay $7.4 billion in settlement to lawsuits over the toll of OxyContin I have said since day one that this fight has been about justice and accountability for the hundreds of thousands of victims and families wrecked by the opioid epidemic, Tong said. There will never be enough justice or dollars to restore those families or right this terrible wrong. I will continue to insist that Connecticuts settlement funds be used to save lives through opioid treatment and prevention, including direct relief to victims and their families. We are extremely pleased that a new agreement has been reached that will deliver billions of dollars to compensate victims, abate the opioid crisis, and deliver treatment and overdose rescue medicines that will save lives, Stamford, Connecticut-based Purdue said in a statement. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Under the new proposal, members of the Sackler family who own Purdue would contribute up to $7.4 billion over 15 years and give up ownership of Purdue, which would become a new entity with its board appointed by states and others who sued the company. A portion of the money is also to go to victims of the opioid crisis or their survivors. The familys contribution will be higher than the $6 billion agreed to under the previous version. The Supreme Court blocked the agreement last year because it protected members of the wealthy family from civil lawsuits over OxyContin even though the family members themselves were not in bankruptcy. The new agreement protects family members from lawsuits only from entities that agree to the settlement. Theres been mediation seeking a new deal since the courts ruling was delivered. If one is not reached, it could open the floodgates to lawsuits against Sackler family members. The new settlement could bring to a close a chapter in a long legal saga over the toll of an opioid crisis that some experts assert began after the blockbuster painkiller OxyContin hit the market in 1996. Since then, opioids have been linked to hundreds of thousands of deaths in the U.S. The deadliest stretch has been since 2020, when illicit fentanyl has been found as a factor in more than 70,000 deaths annually. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Connecticut, along with New York, California, Colorado, Delaware, Florida, Illinois, Massachusetts, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont, Virginia, and West Virginia, led the bipartisan negotiating team announcing todays settlement in principle. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. Purdue Pharma and the members of the Sackler family who own the company agreed in principle to pay a $7.4 billion settlement to resolve thousands of lawsuits over their alleged role in the opioid crisis, state attorneys general announced Thursday. The settlement in principle adds $1.4 billion more than the prior settlement, which was invalidated by the Supreme Court last June due to a provision in the deal immunizing some members of the wealthy Sackler family from civil lawsuits in exchange for $6 billion. That provision garnered objection because, although Purdue filed for bankruptcy protections, the Sacklers themselves did not. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement New York Attorney General Letitia James (D) said the overall settlement was worth up to $7.4 billion, which would include nearly $900 million from Purdue. The deal, negotiated by a bipartisan team, is subject to court approval, and attorneys said more details need to be finalized in the coming weeks. It would take effect toward the end of the year. The settlement doesnt give the Sacklers broad immunity but only from entities that agree to the settlement. The settlement ends the Sacklers control of Purdue and ability to sell opioids in the United States. It will deliver funding directly to communities across the country over the next 15 years to support opioid addiction treatment, prevention and recovery programs. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If approved, the settlement would be the largest to date with individuals responsible for contributing to the deadly opioid epidemic. Local, state, Native American tribal governments and others have filed thousands of lawsuits seeking to hold manufacturers, distributors and pharmacies responsible. The settlement will deliver funds to the participating states, local governments, affected individuals and other parties who have previously sued the Sacklers or Purdue. A significant amount of the settlement funds will be distributed in the first three years, with $1.5 billion paid out in the first payment, followed by $500 million after one year, an additional $500 million after two years, and $400 million after three years, James said. In addition, the Sacklers will no longer control Purdue. A board of trustees selected by participating states in consultation with the other creditors will determine the future of the company. Purdue will continue to be overseen by a monitor and will be prevented from lobbying or marketing opioids under the settlement. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Purdue is the company that made and marketed OxyContin, a powerful prescription painkiller that was abused and fueled addiction in people across the country. The company was accused of illegally marketing OxyContin, deliberately downplaying its risks while overstating its benefits, and enticing physicians to overprescribe. We are extremely pleased that a new agreement has been reached that will deliver billions of dollars to compensate victims, abate the opioid crisis, and deliver treatment and overdose rescue medicines that will save lives, Purdue said in a statement. We have worked intensely with our creditors for months in mediation, and we are now focused on finalizing the details of a new Plan of Reorganization, which we look forward to presenting to the bankruptcy court. The deal has not been accepted by all the creditors. New York and 14 other states involved in talks signed on, including Florida, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Tennessee, California and West Virginia. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. Press Release January 23, 2025 Statement of Senator Joel Villanueva on the Release of 17 Filipino Seafarers Held in Yemen We express our sincere gratitude to the government of Oman and His Majesty Haitham bin Tarik for tirelessly mediating for peace in the Middle East and for the release of our 17 kababayans who were held hostage by Yemen's Houthi rebels since November 2023. This is a testament of the unwavering diplomatic efforts of President Bongbong Marcos through the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) and Department of Migrant Workers (DMW). Back in 2023, we called on our government agencies to secure the safety and freedom of these brave Filipino seafarers, and today, we are grateful to see those efforts come to fruition. The establishment of the DMW, which we principally sponsored and authored in the Senate, has proven to be instrumental in ensuring faster and more efficient services to our OFWs in crisis situations. Sa atin pong mga OFW at kanilang mga pamilya, hangad po namin ang inyong patuloy na kaligtasan at proteksyon. Asahan po ninyo na ipagpapatuloy natin ang ating serbisyo para sa inyong kapakanan. Polish President Andrzej Duda said on Thursday, 23 January, that Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin must be made "to beg Ukraine, to beg allies of Ukraine to sit at the table and to talk". Source: Polish broadcaster RMF24, as reported by European Pravda Details: During the Ukrainian Breakfast discussion in Davos, Duda emphasised that not every peaceful resolution to the war aligns with the interests of Ukraine, Poland, or Eastern Europe and the EU. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He noted that this pertains to countries that have been behind the Iron Curtain for years and were considered to be under the Russian sphere of influence. Duda believes it is necessary to adopt a plan that would guarantee peace for Ukraine, its sovereignty and Russia's respect for international law. Duda argued that it would be a mistake to focus on how to encourage Putin to negotiate and seek peace. Quote from Duda: "I want Vladimir Putin to beg us, to beg Ukraine, to beg allies of Ukraine to sit at the table and to talk." Details: Duda also emphasised that the Russo-Ukrainian war "is not a local conflict, this is a global conflict, so it requires a global solution". Background: On 22 January, US President Donald Trump called on Russia to make a "deal" to end the war in Ukraine, warning of intensified sanctions and tariffs against Moscow if no agreement is reached. On 23 January, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte stressed the need to strengthen support for Ukraine, emphasising that it is vital that Russia does not win. Support UP or become our patron! Russia is not impressed by Donald Trumps threat of sanctions. The Kremlin told Russian media Thursday that Trumps demands to immediately end the war in Ukraine did not move the needle in Moscowdespite the president warning he will further cripple Russias economy. We do not see any particular new elements here, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told reporters. Peskov noted that Trump liked sanctions and used them during his first term, suggesting Vladimir Putin and Russia had already anticipated he might issue more when he returned to office. Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump were close allies during the latters first term in office. / Anadolu / Getty Images Russia is ready for an equal and careful dialogue with the United States, which we had during Trumps first term, Peskov said, according to Meduza. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Peskov claimed Trump and his team are yet to reach out to Putin since he retook the White House, saying we are waiting for signals that have not yet been received. The Kremlins comments come a day after Trump threatened to further cripple Russias already failing economy. Trump wrote on Truth Social: Settle now, and STOP this ridiculous War! ITS ONLY GOING TO GET WORSE. If we dont make a deal, and soon, I have no other choice but to put high levels of Taxes, Tariffs, and Sanctions on anything being sold by Russia to the United States, and various other participating countries. Donald Trumps post to Truth Social on Wednesday that threatened Vladimir Putin to end Russias war in Ukraine. / Truth Social Trump further warned we can do it the easy way, or the hard wayand the easy way is always better. Its time to MAKE A DEAL. NO MORE LIVES SHOULD BE LOST!!! Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Despite being in office less than a week, Trump is already behind schedule on his campaign promise to end the war in Ukraine on day one of his presidencyif not sooner. That is a war thats dying to be settled, Trump said during his September debate against Kamala Harris. I will get it settled before I even become president. WATCH: Former President Donald Trump promises to "settle" the war in Ukraine if reelected in November. That is a war that's dying to be settled. I will get it settled before I even become president," the Republican said during his debate with Vice President Kamala Harris. pic.twitter.com/JDb7dtQ1q8 PBS News (@NewsHour) September 11, 2024 Trump backed off that assurance after he won the election. He told reporters at Mar-a-Lago it would not be inappropriate to meet with Putin before his inauguration and thus a deal would have to wait until Jan. 20. Come inauguration day, however, a deal still was not reach. As he signed executive orders of all sortslike the renaming of natural featureson Monday, Trump brushed off a reporter who questioned him about his promise to end the war on day one. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Well, theres only half a day, he said, suggesting a peace agreement might still be reached by midnight. I have another half a day left. Well see. We want to get it done. Trump: Zelenskyy wants to make a deal, I don't know if Putin does. He might not. J: You promised to end the war in one day? Trump: Well, there's only half a day. I have another half a day left. We'll see. 1/ pic.twitter.com/bBZUUrERuy Tymofiy Mylovanov (@Mylovanov) January 21, 2025 Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump, of course, did not get it done by the days end. The war between Russia and Ukraine is now nearing its third year. Casualty counts have been disputed, but Ukraines president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, gave a rare update in December that claimed 43,000 Ukrainian soldiers had been killed and 370,000 wounded. Russia, meanwhile, has reported a combined 600,000 wounded or killed. There have been reports suggesting Russia may wind down the war soon because of the strain it has put on its economy. Reuters reported Thursday, citing sources, that Putin has grown increasingly concerned about distortions in Russias wartime economy and some of the countrys elite feel a peace deal may be the answer. (Bloomberg) -- Qatars success in helping to broker the long-awaited Gaza ceasefire has enhanced its reputation as an international mediator, with officials now considering which other conflicts they could help resolve. Most Read from Bloomberg The gas-rich Gulf nation hosted the late-stage indirect talks between Israel and Hamas that culminated in the truce that started Sunday, with Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani working round the clock to get the deal over the line. The agreement capped more than a year of often frustrating negotiations, with officials from both former US President Joe Bidens administration and successor Donald Trumps team involved in the final push. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Israeli and Hamas officials never came face to face in a highly choreographed set of final meetings in the Qatari capital, underlining the complex nature of the high-stakes engagement. And the task is far from complete: Qatar is working on the second phase of the ceasefire agreement for when the initial truce ends in less than six weeks. Dohas lines into Hamas will again be of paramount importance in what will be another highly sensitive negotiation, with a number of questions still to be answered including who will eventually run the war-ravaged territory and oversee rebuilding. The Israel-Hamas breakthrough was the product of more than a decade of Qatari efforts to position itself as the Middle Easts indispensable go-between, weathering criticism from its neighbors and beyond for the US-coordinated housing of leaders of Hamas designated a terrorist organization by the US and others while maintaining channels to Israel, even though the two countries dont formally recognize each other. Qatar was isolated by Arab states including Saudi Arabia for almost four years through 2021, though relations are now cordial. Ongoing and careful handling of relations with even adversarial parties will be critical to maintaining its key role. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Qatar was pivotal throughout the negotiation process, and not just because of its relationship with Hamas, said Anna Jacobs, a non-resident fellow at the Arab Gulf States Institute in Washington. Its very close relationship with the US, engagement with senior Israeli officials, and its much improved relations with Gulf neighbors Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates are what made Doha the integral regional actor. In a soft-power play backed by Qatars $510 billion sovereign wealth fund, the country is involved as a mediator in more than 10 other ongoing cases of various natures, according to one Qatari official, who asked not to be identified discussing sensitive matters. The nation is on the look out for other places it can be of service, said a diplomat briefed on the Gaza talks, also speaking on condition of anonymity. For example, Qatar sees the potential to work on Afghanistan, where it wants to help improve the humanitarian situation as well as curb Islamic States attempts to gain ground there, the diplomat said. Doha hosted talks between the US and the Taliban in 2020, working with the first Trump administration, and went on to accept evacuees fleeing Afghanistan after the Taliban regained power the following year. Qatar this week facilitated a swap deal that saw two American citizens detained in Afghanistan released, the foreign ministry said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Qatar also has constructive ties with Iran with which it shares the worlds biggest gas field. A goal is to leverage that to help ease tensions between Tehran and Washington, the diplomat said. Those reached a zenith during Trumps first term in office, with the new US president overseeing a strategy dubbed maximum pressure, walking away from a deal on the Islamic Republics atomic activities and imposing heavy economic sanctions. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, elected last year on a reformist agenda, has indicated a wish to pursue re-engagement with the West over both nuclear development and sanctions. That creates potential for talks to take place, the diplomat said. Qatar has in the past helped free American prisoners from Iran, and aided negotiations for the release of Ukrainian children taken by Russia following its invasion in 2022. Theres a high probability Ukraine-Russian mediation will start in earnest this year, and countries experienced in the field have the potential to take part as mediators. In the Arab world, Qatar and Kuwait were the only Gulf states that refused to normalize relations with former Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad, who was overthrown late year. Doha is now looking to help rebuild war-ravaged Syria, coordinating with Turkey and Saudi Arabia to ensure it doesnt become a failed state and theres a smooth transition to a formal government. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Qatar is providing technical support to revive infrastructure in Syria, including its electricity sector, the diplomat said, and will likely invest in reconstruction projects. Qatars success as a mediator stems from its neutral positioning, lack of historical baggage with many parties, and willingness to engage with groups like Hamas, the Taliban and Western powers simultaneously, said Abdulaziz Al-Anjari, founder and head of Kuwait-based Reconnaissance Research. The more they do it, the more unique they become, and the more difficult others could be seen as reliable mediators, Al-Anjari said. Blood on Hands Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Qatar had never put such a high-level negotiator as Al Thani at the heart of mediation talks before Gaza, the Qatari official said. The Prime Minister even told the US that for every day there was no deal, he felt he had peoples blood on his hands. The turning point came late last year, after a frustrated Doha announced it would step back from mediating. Trumps Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff, at the newly-elected presidents behest, flew to the Qatari capital in November to ask why. Momentum then started to build, according to the diplomat briefed on the talks. Witkoff proceeded to work with Bidens main Middle East envoy, Brett McGurk, to push the Israelis while the Qataris pressured Hamas, ultimately paving the way for a long-delayed agreement announced on Jan. 15. How the US approached the task as a team, before the new administration had come into office, was invaluable in helping close the gaps, according to the Qatari official. While Qatars effectiveness as a mediator has earned it credibility even among adversarial parties, it will need to continue navigating shrewdly, according to Reconnaissance Research CEO Al-Anjari. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its ability to maintain its role will depend on how it manages its relationships with rival powers, adapts to shifting geopolitical dynamics, and avoids overreach in a highly volatile region, he said. --With assistance from Thomas Hall. (Updates with ceasefire challenges in fourth paragraph.) Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2025 Bloomberg L.P. The Quad Cities River Bandits made a $50,000 donation to childrens charities. River Bandits owner Dave Heller presented the MercyOne Genesis Foundation with the donation January 22. According to a press release, the funds benefit the Family Connects Program, MercyOne Genesis Neonatal Intensive Care Unit and Camp Hope (formerly Camp Genesis). The strength of our great community is, in many ways, measured by the health of its wonderful people, Heller said. We at the River Bandits continue to do all we can to make the Quad Cities stronger and healthier. Thats why were so proud to work with MercyOne Genesis and Gildas Club to help give the newborn babies in our community a healthy start and to help children dealing with cancer in their lives. We love being a part of this great community, and were happy to give back to strengthen this great community! Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement About the organizations: Family Connects Program is an evidence-based program that provides free in-home nurse visits to impoverished new moms and babies within the first three weeks after leaving the hospital. It is an entirely charitably funded program. Camp Hope (formerly Camp Genesis) is a free overnight camp for children in grades 4 9 whose families have been affected by cancer. The MercyOne Genesis Cancer Center partners with Cancer Support Community Iowa and NW Illinois at Gildas Club (formerly Gildas Club Quad Cities) to host this annual camp, which the MercyOne Genesis Foundation funds. Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) funds provide donor breast milk for NICU babies, purchase specialty supplies and equipment, help nurses with advanced education and support families. MercyOne Genesis Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WHBF - OurQuadCities.com. Jan. 22A quantum computing company is expanding into New Mexico. Quantinuum, based in Colorado, announced the buildout of a research and development facility in the Land of Enchantment in a news release this week. The site will "support ongoing collaborative efforts to advance" the company's photonics technologies, which are the science and technology behind the generation, control and detection of light. "As the established leader in quantum computing, Quantinuum has found an ideal partner in New Mexico," the company's president and CEO, Rajeeb Hazra, said in a statement. "The state's dynamic technology ecosystem and highly skilled workforce align perfectly with our strategic goals." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The company did not mention the amount of money it intends to invest in the local expansion or the amount of workers it would employ at the center. But it did say it plans to open the facility later this year. The announcement follows a big bet on New Mexico's quantum capabilities. New Mexico and Colorado were chosen together last year as one of a dozen tech hubs to receive more than $500 million in federal grant funding. The New Mexico-Colorado project, known as the Elevate Quantum Tech Hub, is expected to receive $41 million to focus on quantum information technology. Quantinuum formed in 2021 following the merger of Cambridge Quantum and Honeywell Quantum Solutions. The company has offices spread across the U.S., United Kingdom, Germany and Japan. Quantinuum has established relationships with higher education institutions and federal entities, like Sandia National Laboratories, Los Alamos National Laboratory and the University of New Mexico, where it has showcased the performance of its trapped ion quantum computing hardware. In October, the company and Sandia released a paper measuring error rates of mid-circuit measurements, a critical component in quantum computing. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The company's New Mexico expansion has garnered the support of Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham, who in her State of the State Address on Tuesday announced the news. "As new industries like quantum technology emerge on the horizon, we're making sure they call New Mexico home," Lujan Grisham said. "Achievements like these are a reminder that here in New Mexico, we don't just embrace the future; we build it. We've always been at the forefront of national challenges, showing up with our trademark innovation and ingenuity." Rachel Maddow dug into the continued blowback from President Donald Trumps full pardoning of all Jan. 6 rioters, including those who violently attacked police and ransacked the Capitol in 2021, on MSNBC Wednesday, applauding the federal judges who have taken a stand against Trumps directive to dismiss the charges with prejudice. This is a debacle, Maddow said. I mean, its morally, its obviously a debacle, strategically, in terms of our country holding itself together, its a debacle. But its a political debacle. Maddow began the segment, watchable below, by highlighting federal Judge Beryl Howells condemnation of Trumps controversial pardons. The judge wrote at length on the reasons why the pardoning of those who attacked Capitol police is a misguided effort, even calling those charged poor losers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement No process of national reconciliation can begin when poor losers, whose preferred candidate loses an election, are glorified for disrupting a constitutionally mandated proceeding in Congress and doing so with impunity, Maddow said, reading directly from Howells Wednesday dissent. That merely raises the dangerous specter of future lawless conduct by other poor losers and undermines rule of law. Howells remarks were in response to Trump pardoning more than 1,500 people who were involved in the Jan. 6, 2021, riots, and commuting sentences for 14 others on his first back in the Oval Office. At the time, the group attempted to overturn the results of the 2020 election, and in doing so invaded the Capitol building and brutalizing police officers. Now, Howell and other federal judges in Washington, D.C. who presided over the cases are calling Trump out, saying his pardons promote a revisionist myth about the attacks. This is one of the three rulings by a federal judge today absolutely rebuking Donald Trump and his new justice department for trying to make these Jan. 6 cases disappear, to try to make it like Jan. 6 didnt happen, Maddow explained. The decision to spring these guys from prison and to stop the ongoing trials of people convicted or charged with physically attacking police officers this is a debacle. I mean, its morally, its obviously a debacle, strategically, in terms of our country holding itself together, its a debacle. But its a political debacle. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But its not only the judges who have who taken issue with Trumps mass pardon, even his campaign supporters are speaking out, Maddow explained. The public doesnt like it, the police dont like it, not even the Trumpy police like it. Even the Fraternal Order of Police, which endorsed Trump and initially appeared flummoxed by this pardons decision, theyve now come out and denounced it as well. The violent felons who Trump ordered freed yesterday are already today starting to be arrested for other violent crimes. Among those pardoned are high-level members of the far-right groups The Proud Boys and Oath Keepers. The family of Capitol police officer Brian Sicknick, who died the day after rioters attacked him, called Trump a poor excuse of a man and his pardons a betrayal of decency. It is our hope that the truth of what happened that tragic day will survive, irrespective of partisan political objectives, the family said in a statement Tuesdasy. The post Rachel Maddow Applauds Judges for Refusing Trump Order to Dismiss Violent Jan. 6 Charges: Not Even the Trumpy Police Like It | Video appeared first on TheWrap. On Monday, when MSNBCs cameras cut back to the studio directly after Donald Trumps second inaugural speech, our first glimpse was of an exhausted-looking Rachel Maddow. Its hard to recall what she said, but her face was unforgettable she wore the countenance of someone ready to go full Rip Van Winkle and check out for a century. (Stars: they're just like us!) Maddow, the host of The Rachel Maddow Show is in the same boat as everyone else in the United States, maybe in a worse position depending on how far the Leader decides to take his vengeance threats. On CNN, as media analyst Oliver Darcy noted in his Status newsletter, an extremely muted version of Jake Tapper described the ceremonial proceedings without mentioning that the current president is a twice-impeached convicted felon. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement To be fair to Tapper, he was not alone, Darcy pointed out, describing the lack of firepower across all TV news coverage. It was like the invasion of the body snatchers familiar faces delivering the news, yet devoid of the passion and conviction that once defined them, as if their former selves had been hollowed out, Darcy concluded. And Maddow? In those moments after Trump shuffled off the dais, she was the spiritual mirror for everyone else who watched an inaugural address that her MSNBC colleague Jen Psaki, the former White House press secretary to Former President Joe Biden, described as not like those in normal times. Typically a president is not discussing themselves, even though they won. The country elected them. They are discussing the country theyre about to govern, Psaki said. This one was more of a campaign speech than a message communicating a vision. Psaki has lived in the Beltway beasts raging belly and withstood its acid. Maddow isnt that far removed from it, but still, we understand her concern. Following a leisurely period of once-a-week broadcasts, she's pledged to cover the first 100 days of . . . this. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A few hours later, presumably after a short nap and perhaps a long talk with her maker, The Rachel Maddow Show returned with its host's standard strong coffee blend of history, sermonizing and pep talk. Maddow opened with a tale of former Vice President Andrew Johnsons extreme inebriation on the day Abraham Lincoln was sworn in for a second term, and listed the commonalities between Johnson and Trump. Both were impeached, and both refused to attend their successors swearing-in. Trump did not kiss the Bible, a la drunk Andrew Johnson in 1865, but neither did he put his hand on the Bible as he was sworn in. We get one of these guys every 160 years or so, whether we need it or not, she said, except now . . . we've had this one twice. And why do we deserve that? Maddow has resurrected her old fire except, perhaps, with more awareness her show might be one of the few remaining cable news places where a liberal pundit and her interview subjects (NBC News justice department reporter Ryan Reilly and Yale historian Timothy Snyder joined her on Monday) can lay out the stakes without mincing words. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump's transition into his second term in office has not been covered in the media broadly as a debacle, but I think objectively speaking, it has been a debacle, Maddow said. I mean, just describing what has happened in this transition, it's like no other transition we have seen other than the other bad Trump transitions in modern times. It's been error and humiliation upon error and humiliation. In Mondays 25-minute intro, Maddow briskly ran through the parade of nepotism, cash-grabbing, grifting, and down payments on favors from foreign leaders happening in plain sight. In the main, she focused on the crass displays of fealty from billionaires followed by Trumps blanket pardoning of more than 1,500 Jan. 6 defendants, commuting the sentences of those convicted of sedition, including the leaders of the Proud Boys and the Oath Keepers. Maddow referred to Musk's Roman salute thusly which is both accurate and gets around any gripes about the worlds richest man being compared to a certain guy who led a beer hall putsch just over a century ago. The Roman salute is a thing, she intoned, in case viewers werent picking up what she was putting down. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On night 2, Maddow was energized as she recalled the 2023 train derailment in East Palestine, OH., drilling down on a fake charity called The Ohio Clean Water fund. That was her gateway into calling attention to Ohio congressman Michael Rulli (R-OH) hiring Mike Peppel, one of the scam charity's co-founders, as his communications director. What is Congressman Michael Rulli of Ohio thinking? Maddow asked incredulously. I mean, its possible hes not thinking anything about this at all, I dont know how he thinks. Then she mentioned the other headline Rulli is best known for in his district: firing his gun at a teenager who he claimed was bow hunting on his property. Maddows main purpose was to praise Ohios local news extensive coverage of Rulli and Peppel's wrongdoing as an example of journalisms ability to expose politicians shamelessness, expressing the hope these men will be pushed to the point of acknowledging their shame again. As is true in Ohio, so it might be on Capitol Hill, Maddow proposes, where reporters pressed senators on their view of Trumps pardoning violent insurrectionists and received no real or morally defensible answers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement What they are effectively going along with here by not raising objections . . . is something that they cannot justify, Maddow concluded following a litany of footage featuring senators refusing to dissent with Trumps blanket pardon of the Jan. 6 rioters. She presumes, possibly incorrectly, that these senators felt stomach-churning self-loathing at going along with Trumps decree. That feeling of being unable to say anything rational or true that justifies Trump throwing open the prison doors for 211 actively incarcerated people, many of whom were there for violently assaulting police officers . . . that sickening feeling, maybe that maybe that is what will save the country, she said Tuesday, adding, or at least, slow its descent. Since forgetting recent history appears to be the American condition, heres a reminder that The Rachel Maddow Show earned MSNBC its highest ratings during the first Trump administration, thanks to its hosts knack for deftly placing each days lunacy into historical context. After Biden took office, Maddow reduced her regular on-air presence to once a week and led live coverage of political events. As of Monday, shes back to her old weeknight slot, with her colleague Alex Wagner ceding her Tuesday through Friday berth through April 30. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Theoretically. Who knows what TV news will look like in 100 days? From Nielsens year-end numbers for 2024. Fox News competitors have much to worry about. It has drawn 72% of the primetime cable news audience since the election, while MSNBC was down 57% since Trump was re-elected, with CNN down 49%. But the TV news industry aside from Fox, which has regained most favored nation status with Trump by offering nonstop worshipful coverage while trumpeting disinformation has a lot more to worry about than plummeting ratings. As MSNBC noted to Deadline, its viewership also took a nosedive after the 2016 election, only to enjoy four of its most-watched years in its history. Maddow led that charge. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This time, however, MSNBCs and CNNs anchors and journalists find themselves in a much direr news environment. On Wednesday, Darcy reported that layoffs were expected to hit CNN and NBC News on Thursday. ABC News staffers are also expecting cuts. Reportedly Maddow herself was not immune to her network's austerity measures; according to a November report by The Ankler, she took a $5 million pay cut in her recently renegotiated five-year contract. Six days before Trump was inaugurated, MSNBC president Rashida Jones stepped down, and senior vice president for content strategy Rebecca Kutler stepped into her duties in the interim. CNNs reporters, though, were directly muzzled by network chief Mark Thompson, who insiders told Darcy called a meeting on Sunday and advised the staff to refrain from pre-judging Trump and cautioned against expressing any outrage of their own, Darcy wrote. As a further reminder, before he was elected, Trump threatened to direct the Federal Communications Commission to revoke NBCs and ABCs broadcast licenses. ABCs parent company Disney settled a defamation lawsuit Trump filed against the broadcast networks news division that experts agree it could have easily won. Furthermore, the company made a $15 million donation to his future presidential museum. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement That may inform NBC's decision to describe Elon Musk's gesture on its website's video as "forcefully [touching] his heart, before raising his hand and saluting supporters" even though everyone who saw it understood it to mean something, ahem, we couldn't not see. Want a daily wrap-up of all the news and commentary Salon has to offer? Subscribe to our morning newsletter, Crash Course. Maddow didnt mention any of that prologue on Monday because there was more than enough to cover by the time her show started. Likening Trumps actions to authoritarian leaders in Hungary, Turkey, Zimbabwe, Chile and Peru, Maddow explains that while this is novel in American history, it is also knowable in world history. As Americans, she said, weve dealt with corruption and political violence before, citing the Civil War. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But before each of those things has been treated as a calamity and a scandal. This time its a platform, Maddow said. This is textbook authoritarian takeover 101 tactics, which means today and literally over the next few days, they're going to see what they can get away with, and how much they can cow people into not opposing what they're doing and not speaking out about what's wrong with it. More than ever, she continued, this is not a time to pretend this isnt happening. Youre going to want to have a good answer when you get asked what you did for your country when your country started to take a turn this radical." This is where one might say its good to have Maddow back on weeknights to make sense of this 100-day plunge, except none of us want to be here not even Maddow, probably. But, we are here. It's happening in our lifetimes. Well, we are citizens responsible for the fate of our country, she said Monday, concluding her monologue with, All hands on deck. Left unsaid was, "And good luck to us all." "The Rachel Maddow Show" airs weeknights at 9 p.m. ET on MSNBC. CORRECTION: An earlier version of this story reported that the teen was trespassing and has been corrected to reflect that was Rulli's claim, not what documents show. Law enforcement officials in Kentucky are now looking into disturbing Ku Klux Klan flyers instructing immigrants to leave now and avoid deportation. They were discovered in Fort Wright, Ludlow and Fort Mitchell, The Hill reported. The image depicted is a cartoon of Uncle Sam kicking a family of five, which includes two young children and a baby. Uncle Sam is also holding a proclamation referring to Mass Deportation on Jan. 20 when Trumps inauguration took place. The proclamation demands that citizens Monitor & Track all Immigrants REPORT THEM ALL, according to images shared by local Kentucky news outlet WKRC. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In a Facebook post, the Ludlow Police Department shared their disapproval of the images. We are aware and have already taken one report for this disturbing and disgusting KKK propaganda that is being passed around our community. This hateful garbage has been turning up in other cities as well, the Department wrote in the Tuesday message. We do not support or condone this type of behavior and if you feel that you are being harassed or threatened DO NOT HESITATE in calling and filing a police report, the post continued. The flyers state they were made by the KKK based in Maysville, Ky. They also encourage people to join the racist hate group and offer applications to sign up for a a dollar. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Fort Wright Mayor Dave Hatter condoned the stunt in a statement posted on X. This despicable flyer is designed to intimidate immigrants and encourages membership in the KKK, he said. While other communities have also been targeted with this type of material in the past, to our knowledge, this is the first time our community has had this type of disgusting material distributed. Council, Staff, and I are outraged and dismayed that this has occurred in our community. Hatter also explained that the Fort Wright Police Department is currently investigating the matter and that it is not afraid to prosecute offenders to the fullest extent of the law. For the latest news, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. The Rancho Bernardo fire map shows the spread of the wildfire so far in San Diego County. Reports of the blaze, originally called the Center fire, were given before 9 AM PT on Wednesday, January 22, according to 10News. The California brush fire began near Bernardo Center Drive and Camino del Norte, and while it is relatively small now, officials from the San Diego Fire Department posted on X that it has the potential to spread over 100 acres. Evacuation orders and warnings have been issued in the area. Heres the latest update on the Bernardo fire in San Diego today. What is the Bernardo fire map in San Diego now? [Update] The Bernardo fire map has shrunk according to a status update at 12:23 PM PT. The forward progress of the blaze has been stopped and evacuation orders have been lifted. [Image Credit: Cal Fire] [Original] As of Wednesday at 10:43 AM PT, the Bernardo fire has burned approximately 4 acres according to Cal Fire. But it is growing quickly, with San Diego Fire-Rescue Assistant Chief Dan Eddy saying that it has burned over 7 acres at 10:52 AM PT. [Image Credit: Cal Fire] Three zones are under mandatory evacuation orders, while another three are under an evacuation warning. Plumes of black smoke can be seen in videos posted by the SDFD as helicopters attempt to slow the spread of the fire by deploying retardant via air drop in the area. A temporary evacuation point has been established at 12080 Carmel Mountain Road at Carmel Mountain Plaza. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Several major roads have been closed due to the fire with San Diego Police shutting down the I-15 at Camino del Norte, Paseo Montanoso at Avenida De Los Lobos and Camino del Norte, and Bernardo Center Drive at Camino del Norte. Staff and children at Rolling Hills Elementary School and Rancho Bernardo KinderCare have been evacuated. According to CBS8 local news, one person with burn injuries from the fire has been transferred to a hospital. Another red flag warning has been issued by the National Weather Service in San Diego that will be in effect until 8 PM PST on Thursday. It warns that winds moving northeast from 30 to 40 mph with gusts up to 65 mph will be moving through the mountains, valleys, inland Orange County, and the San Gorgonio pass. On Tuesday, San Diego firefighters were battling the Lilac fire, which has burned 85 acres but is at 90% containment. While the Palisades and Eaton fires are still burning in Los Angeles, they have also been mostly contained, The post Rancho Bernardo Fire Map in San Diego Reveals How Much the Wildfire Has Grown [Update] appeared first on Mandatory. As political division and mistrust surfaced again this inauguration week for Americans, some suburbs and Illinois towns are looking to put into action a system that proponents hope can boost fairness and increase trust in the election process: ranked choice voting. Evanston, Skokie, Oak Park, Naperville, Berwyn and downstate Peoria have favored or are exploring the concept, with voters in Evanston and Oak Park overwhelmingly approving it at the polls. While proponents hope voters in Evanston and Oak Park, or possibly other locales, will walk into voting booths as early as 2026 or 2027 and choose their candidates from a ranked choice voting ballot, their enthusiasm is facing headwinds. The Cook County clerks office, which runs elections in the countys suburbs, has thrown a wrench into Evanstons plans, leading to a court battle that is still pending. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Meanwhile, a state task force commissioned by Gov. JB Pritzker to explore ranked choice voting is lagging months behind in mapping out a potential transition to how ranked choice voting would work in the next presidential primary. Evanston has been eager to initiate ranked choice voting, but the Cook County clerks office says the state must first pass a law enabling it. Because of Cook Countys hesitation, its possible Naperville, which straddles DuPage and Will counties, could be the first in Illinois to start ranked choice voting elections, though no one yet knows when. Though its untried in Illinois, ranked choice voting exists elsewhere in the country and it works by voters ranking candidates in the order they prefer. If one candidate is the first choice of more than 50% of voters in the first round of counting, that person is the winner. But if no candidate surpasses 50%, the candidate with the fewest votes is eliminated and voters who chose that candidate as their top pick have their votes redistributed to their next choice. This process continues, with the candidate who gets the fewest votes being eliminated until someone emerges with a majority. Ranked choice adopted in pockets across nation Boosters say ranked choice voting increases the electorates choices, tamps down on negative campaigning, promotes coalition building among like-minded candidates and potentially saves money by eliminating the need for runoff elections. It also cuts down on so-called wasted votes when voters cast ballots for candidates who later drop out, a reason why ranked choice is in place for certain military and overseas voters. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While still relatively rare across the country, ranked choice has been adopted by cities in more conservative-leaning states such as Utah and Alaska as well as liberal states and cities such as Maine, New York City and Portland, Oregon. Efforts to implement it nationally have been met with mixed results. But it gained enough steam in Illinois that Pritzker in August 2023 created the task force. Its job was to explore ranked choices viability for the states presidential primary elections, potentially as soon as 2028. The task forces report, which might be released this month, wont advocate for or against ranked choice voting. Instead, it will report on how to implement such a system for the 2028 presidential primary, said task force co-chair state Sen. Laura Murphy, a Democrat from Des Plaines. The group was tasked with assessing what would need to change in the states election code, the kind of election software or machines that would be needed and whether county officials could accommodate the switch. But Murphy said the report wont directly help cities or towns execute ranked choice voting in their municipal elections. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Critics of ranked choice voting have said it can be confusing and deter voters from participating. Also, vote counting can take longer, which could fuel skepticism of the electoral process and not help it, the critics have said. Party politics also plays a role. Partisans have fought it because theyve mastered how to campaign effectively in a traditional election. A switch to ranked choice would upend most processes that traditional political machines have mastered from slating to ad-making to the way candidates sell themselves to the public. While ranked choice has gained interest nationally, party pushback Republican and Democrat alike has followed. Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom vetoed a bill that would have expanded ranked choice in local elections in California in 2019. Former Gov. Sarah Palin, a Republican, lost in a three-way race for one of Alaskas congressional seats, prompting President Donald Trump to describe ranked choice as a total rigged deal. Ranked choice narrowly survived an attempt in Alaska for its repeal, but five other states shot down ranked choice efforts in Novembers elections. Evanston efforts hit Cook County wall Illinois proponents have been pushing hard to realize ranked choice voting here. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Reform for Illinois, an advocacy group, led a successful campaign to adopt ranked choice voting in Evanston: 82% of voters in the November 2022 election voted yes on a referendum question on the issue. But since then, preliminary discussions between Evanston city leaders, Reform for Illinois, and the Cook County clerk have stalled. After the death of Clerk Karen Yarbrough last year, David Melton, Reform for Illinois board president, said talks with her interim replacement, Cedric Giles, got nowhere and the organizations patience ran out. This past June, the Evanston City Council passed an ordinance establishing ranked choice as the voting method for local elections. The next month, Reform for Illinois sued to force the county clerk to implement it. Mike Kasper, who had worked for years as an attorney for the states Democratic Party and dozens of Democratic elected officials on election-related challenges, represented the county. He argued several steps were needed before ranked choice voting could launch locally, and that the county clerk could not initiate any of them. State lawmakers must first authorize ranked choice and establish parameters for its use, he said. Then the Illinois State Board of Elections must create standards based on those parameters, followed by the states election vendor, Dominion Voting Systems, submitting its equipment and software to the board for approval. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Judge Maureen Ward Kirby sided with the county in November. Newly elected Cook County Clerk Monica Gordon declined to be interviewed, but a spokeswoman suggested Gordon would stay the course in court. Asked whether Gordon would advocate for the state to allow ranked choice voting, Sally Daly, a spokeswoman for Gordon, said in an email: Ranked choice voting is not currently provided for under the Illinois Election Code and is not legally allowed. Implementation would require legislation to be drafted and signed into law. Reform for Illinois is appealing the ruling. The groups attorney, Ed Mullen, said the organization had confidence in its case, in part because former state Attorney General Lisa Madigan issued a memo in 2005 saying municipalities with home rule jurisdiction could implement ranked voting. Evanston, Oak Park and Naperville are home rule communities. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Evanston organizers originally intended for ranked choice voting to be in force at polling places for this springs elections a primary Feb. 25 and a general election April 1 but now there is no hope to have implementation in time to allow that, Mullen said last month. Oak Park watching Evanston, aims for 2027 With a watchful eye on how that legal fight plays out, other municipalities are moving ahead with their ranked choice campaigns. In Novembers general election, voters in Oak Park overwhelmingly supported, through a binding referendum, converting the villages local elections to ranked choice. The approved measure backed by more than 79% of voters prescribed that Oak Park would make the switch in time for its April 2027 consolidated election. Those behind Oak Parks ranked choice campaign are still intent on seeing that timeline reached despite the legal battle blocking Evanstons efforts. Its frustrating, but it is not a deterrent for us, said Rebecca Williams, a statewide organizer for FairVote Illinois, an electoral reform organization that drove campaign efforts alongside Oak Park-based civic organization VOICE, the League of Women Voters Oak Park and River Forest. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Organizers are keeping an eye on what happens in Evanston before we figure out what, if any, next moves are necessary, Williams said. There is time to see how the appeal plays out without impeding implementation by 2027 in Oak Park, she said. Still, organizers are cognizant Oak Park, like Evanston, could and likely will face pushback from the county clerk. FairVote is prepared to continue its efforts. If we get shot down (and) the court keeps shooting it down, were still going to keep fighting it, said Abigail Drumm, a policy lead for FairVote. If it ends up that legislative changes are needed to move the needle, then were gonna fight to get the law changed, Drumm said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Alternatively, FairVote is also focused on rallying as much support for ranked choice as it can in the hopes it can pressure elected officials into acting. Bruce Lehman, a longtime Oak Park resident and member of VOICE, said, We just think that its important to demonstrate how much interest there is and how much support there is in ranked choice voting. Referendum on the horizon in Naperville While Oak Park awaits next steps, a campaign to bring ranked choice to the ballot in Naperville is ongoing though at a slower pace than organizers had hoped. FairVote began pushing for electoral reform in Naperville during the March 2024 primary. Organizers had planned to get a referendum on the ballot for Napervilles 2025 municipal election but theyve since decided they need more time to educate voters and drum up support. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Proponents are now aiming to bring a ranked choice referendum to the citys ballot by 2026. Should ranked choice ever get the go-ahead from Naperville voters, county officials would implement the change, they say. Because Napervilles city boundaries stretch into DuPage and Will counties, implementing a new electoral process would take work from both county clerks offices, according to Naperville City Clerk Dawn Portner. Asked whether her office would work with Naperville to implement ranked choice voting in the city if voters approve it, Will County Clerk Annette Parker said, Of course we would, though Parker said her office is not actively preparing for that possibility. We would do what we needed to do to make it happen, for sure, we would not deny anybody if thats what they wanted to do, she said. The DuPage County clerks office, meanwhile, is ready if and when the time comes, Clerk Jean Kaczmarek said. Her office does not have a position on ranked choice, she said, noting the matter is up to individual municipalities. The policy decisions are out of our hands, Deputy Clerk Adam Johnson added. We (arent) advising on the underlying question. Were just trying to prepare for whatever we have to implement depending on how things play out. On whether they share the concerns with implementing ranked choice that have driven the Cook County Clerks Office to court, Kaczmarek said, While we definitely can empathize with Cook County on that, it is something that is brand new, and I think that we would be OK. Thats not to say that implementation would be easy, she said. It would require significant county staff time and effort to see through. But as far as capability, we could do it, Kaczmarek said. aquig@chicagotribune.com rrequena@chicagotribune.com tkenny@chicagotribune.com RANDOLPH COUNTY Randolph Community College officials reflected on the colleges accomplishments and discussed plans for its future at its recent annual spring convocation. Shah Ardalan, RCC president and CEO, delivered a comprehensive presentation on the colleges 2024-2030 strategic plan. His remarks emphasized the importance of four core imperatives, represented by ACES Access, Connection, Experience and Success and the colleges transition to RCC 2.0, focusing on being more Relevant, Career-centered and Committed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement You have heard me talk about the why of what we do why we are here, why we start initiatives and why we strive for excellence, Ardalan said. The world is changing, and RCC is leading the way, building on six decades of a strong legacy while focusing on key priorities to serve our students and community better. Our strategic plan is not just a vision for the future; it is a roadmap, guided by data and rooted in our mission to make education accessible, innovative and impactful. Access is where we begin, and success is our ultimate goal. Ardalan highlighted several initiatives, including strategic enrollment planning, efforts to improve community connections and the development of innovative programs that align with workforce needs. He also celebrated RCCs progress in serving more than 8,100 students and emphasized the colleges ongoing commitment to expanding opportunities and addressing challenges collaboratively. Board Chair Reynolds Lisk also addressed attendees, sharing his gratitude for RCCs hardworking faculty and staff and his optimism for the colleges future. Randolph Community College is more than an educational institution; its a cornerstone of opportunity and growth in our region, said Lisk. The dedication and vision of our faculty and staff are what make RCC an exceptional place to learn and grow. Together, we are not just preparing students for careers we are preparing them to be leaders and changemakers in our community and beyond. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Student Government Association President Lera Foust gave an enthusiastic welcome message. A highlight of the convocation was the recognition of RCC faculty and staff for their years of service, ranging from 5-25 years. These awards celebrated their dedication, contributions and commitment to the colleges mission. SIOUX CITY, Iowa (KCAU) Siouxlanders planning to fly this year will need to make sure they are compliant with a law finally going into effect. To find out, check your drivers license or government ID for a small star in the upper right-hand corner. That little star means youre compliant with the Real ID law, which allows you to fly domestically and enter certain federal buildings without additional paperwork. Caitlin Clark Foundation to distribute 22,000 childrens books as part of literacy program Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The law was passed 20 years ago, but the enforcement was delayed several times. Now, Americans will need to be compliant by May 7, 2025. In September, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) reported that only about 56 percent of all US IDs were compliant. However, the Iowa Department of Transportation says the state is on pace to meet the deadline. Approximately eight out of 10 Iowa travelers are currently Real ID compliant, so we got a great percentage, said Toni Smith, Program Manager for Identity Management at the Iowa DOT. The DOT just passed us stats today, so it was between 84 and 85 percent between June and October of last year. For Iowans and other Siouxlanders needing to update their license, youll need certain documents. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement So just remember one-one-two, Smith said. One document to verify your date of birth, one document to verify your Social Security Number, and then two documents to verify your residency in Iowa. $650K granted to Estherville area trail project Those documents can be current passports, pay stubs, and even recent mail. The Iowa DOT has a checklist to help people gather the documents before heading to their local DMV. Residents of South Dakota can find information at the Department of Public Safetys website, and Nebraskans can find guidance on the states Department of Motor Vehicles website. Smith also recommends scheduling an appointment at your local drivers license location. 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. Winds circling a gas giant more than 500 light years from Earth have been detected flowing at supersonic speeds approaching 33,000 kilometers (20,000 miles) per hour, making them the fastest air currents on any known planet by a wide margin. Researchers from Europe cleaned and analyzed the spectrum of light reflected from the planet WASP-127b, uncovering two contrasting peaks in water and carbon dioxide signals suggestive of supersonic flows disturbing the planet's cloud tops. "Part of the atmosphere of this planet is moving towards us at a high velocity while another part is moving away from us at the same speed," says the study's lead author Lisa Nortmann, an astrophysicist at the University of Gottingen in Germany. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "This signal shows us that there is a very fast, supersonic, jet wind around the planet's equator." Fast is an understatement. At an incredible 7.5 to 7.9 kilometers per second, they outstrip any hurricane or jetstream known to science. Here on Earth, the fastest puff of wind on record was a blustery 407 kilometers (253 miles) per hour, measured on Australia's Barrow Island in 1996. Neptune has the highest wind speeds in our Solar System, but even its 1,770 kilometer-per-hour high-altitude currents feel more like a mild breeze by comparison. WASP-127b is a wispy puffball of a world, slightly larger than Jupiter yet with just 16 percent of Jupiter's mass. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It's also believed to be tidally locked, rotating in step with every 4.2-Earth-day lap around its star, so one side is perpetually baked to temperatures exceeding 1,000 degrees Celsius (1832 degrees Fahrenheit), and the other never turns from the cold night sky. Discovered in 2016, the world has been the focus of intense investigation, resulting in some of the most precise measurements of an exoplanet's atmosphere to date. Nortmann and her team used an instrument called a cryogenic high-resolution infrared echelle spectrograph on the European Space Agency's Very Large Telescope located in Chile's Atacama Desert to measure the composition of WASP-127b's gases. A closer inspection of the signals revealed two clear peaks one indicating the material was approaching the observers quickly, the other moving away just as fast. Variations in the strength of the signals between the planet's poles may indicate extreme temperature variations of potentially hundreds of degrees Celsius between dusk and dawn, making WASP-127b a world of hellish extremes and yet not entirely unfamiliar. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "This shows that the planet has complex weather patterns just like Earth and other planets of our own system," says author Fei Yan, an astronomer with the University of Science and Technology of China. Cast adrift in this flow, a space tourist would circle the giant planet in hours, basking in the radiation of a Sun-like star that fills its sky. In addition to the surprise discovery of WASP-127b's incredible winds, the team detected expected levels of carbon monoxide where none had been seen before, canceling any need for exotic theories of planetary formation. This hot cotton ball is far from alone as far as low-density planets go, representing a strange category of gas giants that could contribute to our knowledge of how planetary systems emerge from their swirling nebulae. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Having a clear measure of the air currents churning up material on extreme worlds such as this can inform models describing how planets form, grow, and evolve, potentially helping us better understand the history and fate of planets within our own Solar System. This research was published in Astronomy & Astrophysics. Related News North Florida thaws out Thursday after record snowfall and ice shut down roads and schools. (Photo by Jackie Llanos/Florida Phoenix) Florida snowfall records shattered this week, with Pensacola receiving 8.9 inches, per the National Weather Service, easily topping the four inches that fell in 1954. As North Florida defrosts, schools, roads, and airports were reopening for service. The weather forced closure of Interstate 10 for about 200 miles, from the Alabama border to Gadsden County. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A section of I-10 reopened Thursday afternoon between the state line and mile marker 70, although crews continued to clear ice and slippery conditions the rest of the stretch to Gadsden County, which remained closed. The National Weather Service reported snowfall totals, including seven inches in Caryville in Washington County, 5.5 inches in Freeport in Walton County, 2.1 inches in Tallahassee, 6.4 inches in Graceville in Jackson County, eight inches in Bonifay in Holmes County, and six inches in Juniper in Gadsden County, Cedar Grove in Bay County, and Blountstown in Calhoun County. Everyone should still visit Florida, Gov. Ron DeSantis said Thursday during a roundtable in Jacksonville regarding immigration policy. This is totally unusual, I thought global warming had stopped this, yet here we are. Freezing temperatures Wednesday night into Thursday morning caused accumulated precipitation to refreeze. With Thursdays sunshine, much of ice and snow was expected to melt, with stretches topped by canopy roads and other shaded areas thawing slower than others. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Northeast and Northern Florida will again go under a National Weather Service-issued freeze warning and cold weather advisory Thursday night into Friday morning, maintaining risk that accumulations could freeze again. In the warning areas, people can expect temperatures as low as 19 degrees F and windchills as low as 15 degrees F. For the third night in a row, the service advised people to keep themselves, their pets, and their pipes safe from the cold temperatures. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Travel The most up-to-date road conditions are posted to Florida 511. FDOT snowplows are clearing the remaining snow and ice from the travel lanes and shoulders of I-10 in NW Florida. Thank you to our crews for their non-stop work over the past 48 hours to open this vital corridor. pic.twitter.com/x4WA6VxpQl FDOT District 3 (@MyFDOT_NWFL) January 23, 2025 The Leon County Sheriffs Office and Tallahassee Police Department have closed several roads throughout the city. A long stretch of Interstate 10 closed after snowfall blanketed North Florida. A livestream shows empty lanes on the major road in Okaloosa County near Holt. (Screenshot via Florida 511) Commercial flights were mostly back up and running by noon Thursday, with airports in Tallahassee, Jacksonville, Panama City, Pensacola, and Destin-Fort Walton sending off and accepting most flights. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement State offices in Calhoun, Escambia, Holmes, Liberty, Okaloosa, Santa Rosa, Walton, and Washington counties will be closed Friday. Schools Twenty counties closed schools Thursday. Nine Calhoun, Escambia, Holmes, Jackson, Leon, Liberty, Okaloosa, Santa Rosa, and Walton canceled classes for Friday. Florida State University, Florida A&M University, and University of West Florida will not hold classes Friday. Northwest Florida State College, Tallahassee State College, and Pensacola State College canceled classes for Friday. Wildlife The Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission encouraged people to report distressed, injured, or dead sea turtles to the commissions hotline, 888-404-3922. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The agency reported 30 sea turtles rescued in Gulf County. An act of dedication- Two of our officers were undeterred during this historic weather event in FL. They braved the freezing water in #GulfCounty to rescue 30 sea turtles! pic.twitter.com/x3CSwloEug MyFWC (@MyFWC) January 23, 2025 SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE Pauly Denetclaw ICT WASHINGTON I wish I could explain in depth what it felt like to be an Indigenous political correspondent during the Biden administration, but you just had to have been there to witness the juxtaposition of a young government and the millennia stitched into our regalia, representing nations more vibrant than people outside our communities will ever understand. At every event I covered, our Indigenous leaders who work for state, federal and tribal governments made it clear that this place was meant for me too. Their presence alone made me feel more confident and comfortable in sterile buildings where others often stared at me because I was dressed in my traditional clothes. My moccasins landed on cold, smooth marble as I searched for hearing rooms in the Longworth or Rayburn buildings. My three tiered Navajo skirt flared out while I tried to get people for interviews before they left to catch their planes back home. Our leaders, especially those from my own nation, made every federal hearing room, the Department of the Interior, Hubert H. Humphreys Building, the East Wing of the White House, the courtyard of the Pentagon, Capitol Hill and Treasury feel like home. I never felt like an outsider here, and I certainly never felt alone. As Elizabeth Rule wrote in her book, Washington, DC, exists as the political capital of Indian Country. Ive been blessed to connect with Native people just walking around this city. The first week I got here a woman from Kickapoo said hi to me and Jourdan as we crossed the street near the White House. On another day, a group of people from Jemez Pueblo in New Mexico stopped me on the street in front of the Capitol to ask me where I was from. After interviewing Chris James, executive director for the National Center for American Indian Enterprise Development, a couple weeks earlier, I met him in-person on the corner outside my office building on I and 18th Street NW. I couldnt believe it. Holly Cook Macarro, Red Lake Nation, first came to Washington, D.C., as an intern for the White House in the 90s. She told me that I was lucky to have been here at a time when so many people I reported on looked like me. She told me about how it wasnt always, or really ever like this. I didnt truly understand how lucky I was until I thought of Richard LaCourse, Mark Trahant and Jourdan Bennett-Begaye who reported from the District during times that the federal government didnt center or even include Indigenous people. I had an experience as a political correspondent in Washington, D.C., like no one else before me. Former President Joe Biden, made it possible for me to meet and interview the first Indigenous cabinet member and first Indigenous U.S. Treasurer. Nothing can prepare you for the feeling of seeing Indigenous women in such powerful roles. The pull of awe and respect was heavy in my chest, the feelings eventually pooled in my eyes, and spilled over with tears of joy when I got to witness their leadership. I get emotional just thinking about it now. Former Interior Sec. Deb Haaland, Laguna Pueblo, and former U.S. Treasurer Chief Lynn Malerba, Mohegan, meant so much to me personally. Like the rest of Indian Country, I got to see myself reflected in them and their accomplishments. They are proof to me that anything is possible. The DC Native community is small but thriving. Again, I was lucky to have three friends all from back home here in DC, and was able to make two more Dine friends while I was here. Yes, all my friends are Dine and from the southwest. (I can confirm, Navajos are everywhere, naye.) Im so grateful that for the almost three years I was able to call this place home. Like so many other Indigenous people before me, I came here because I wanted to make a difference, and I wanted to be of service to my nation and others. Im just another person carrying on this legacy in the hopes that someone decides to pick up where I left off and carry it further. Hopefully, further than I ever dreamed possible. To the next Indigenous political correspondent based in Washindoon, youre not alone, nothing is more important than eating, and were all so proud of you. Youre going to do great! I believe in you. This was a long-winded ndn way of saying, I will no longer be the political correspondent for ICT and next week will step into my new role as a climate correspondent. I will be based in Missoula, Montana. Big Sky gained one new Indigenous journalist. Skoden! 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. Stewart Rhodes, the founder of the Oath Keepers who was convicted of seditious conspiracy in relation to the Jan. 6, 2021, riot, was in the Capitol complex on Wednesday to meet with GOP lawmakers shortly after getting out of prison because President Trump commuted his sentence. Rhodes was spotted in the Dunkin Donuts inside Longworth House Office Building, which is accessible to the public, with a group of people. He said he did not go into the actual Capitol building. Rhodes said he was advocating for the release of Jeremy Brown, another Oath Keeper who is in prison on federal weapons charges stemming from an investigation into his alleged involvement in the riot. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Rhodes said Brown was not included in Trumps sweeping pardon of nearly 1,600 people arrested in connection to the rampage and that he went to the Capitol with Browns family members. He said that no members of Congress invited him to the Capitol specifically. Were advocating members of Congress, advocating that he be given a pardon also, Rhodes told reporters. Also accompanying Rhodes was Ivan Raiklin, a retired Green Beret who created a memo that outlined a theory about how then-Vice President Mike Pence could disqualify electoral votes for former President Biden, which Trump reposted on social media. Rhodes and Raiklin said they met with Rep. Gus Bilirakis (R-Fla.), who represents Brown, about advocating for his release. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A spokesperson for Bilirakis confirmed the meeting, saying: Congressman Bilirakis met with Jeremy Browns mother and girlfriend. Mr. Rhodes joined them. Raiklin also said that they briefly talked to Rep. Keith Self (R-Texas) on Tuesday, but the interaction was a quick hallway run-in. It was a very short conversation, believe me. It was not a meeting, Self told The Hill. As for the Brown case, Self said he did not know enough about the case to decide whether he would advocate for Browns release. Rhodes, who had been sentenced to 18 years in prison, said he did not regret the actions that led to his conviction. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I didnt go into the Capitol. I didnt tell anybody else to go inside. Were here to do security for two permitted events on Capitol grounds, Rhodes said. I regret that my guys went in. They blundered in along with everybody else. It doesnt make them criminals. It just makes me kind of stupid. In the days after the Capitol attack, Rhodes said that My only regret is they should have brought rifles, and that he would hang [fing] Pelosi from the lamppost. Rhodes said he regretted that comment when asked about it Wednesday. I do regret that. I was drunk and pissed off, Rhodes said. But he noted it was after the fact and Im not proposing anything, Im just being pissed off. He is still hoping for a full pardon for himself and the 13 other Jan. 6 commutations from Trump, but he said he has not talked to anyone from the Trump administration. He also said he did not receive a Capitol tour from anyone and had not been inside the Capitol since 1999. Rhodess presence at the Capitol sent shock waves through staff in the complex. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement At one point, a woman who said she was a staffer but declined to identify herself went up to Rhodes as he was speaking to reporters and said he should not be here. You shouldnt be here, the woman said. You are welcome [to] First Amendment free speech, but it is disrespectful please tell your story elsewhere. Rhodes told reporters that the woman believed certain people, in her mind, dont deserve free speech and should be wiped off the face of the planet when it comes to their free speech. Rep. Pete Aguilar (D-Calif.), who was on the Jan. 6 select committee that investigated the riot, also had a quip about Stewart Rhodes being in the Capitol building. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I think its new and interesting that theyre using the front door this time, Aguilar said, according to The Associated Press. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. I am not a Brexiteer. I believe that the whole project was a massive waste of time and political energy. If I could travel back to 2015, and somehow dissuade David Cameron from ever holding that referendum, I would do it. That being said: I also believe that the Liberal Democrats new proposal for a joint UK-EU customs union is a terrible idea, and that Brexit-sceptics should not support it. For the benefit of those readers who have made the wise choice of moving on from Brexit, and who no longer remember the specifics of the Brexit debate, lets do a quick recap of what a customs union is. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A customs union is an entity with a common trade policy vis-a-vis the rest of the world. If countries X and Y form a customs union, that means that country Z could no longer sign a trade deal with X or Y in isolation. They can only sign a deal with the union as a whole. Customs unions are not per se good or bad. They have one major upside and one major downside. Their upside is that they remove the need for customs checks and similar procedures between its members, enabling frictionless trade internally. Their downside is that members of a customs union can no longer pursue an independent trade policy. They now have to agree with each other on trade-related matters. So whether a customs union is good or bad depends on which of these factors outweighs the other. Suppose country X trades mostly with country Y, and country Y trades mostly with country X, so removing frictions between them is a priority for both. Lets also suppose that X and Y have similar policy preferences regarding their trade relations with the outside world, and find it easy to agree with each other, so the loss of an independent trade policy is not a problem for them. In that case, it makes sense for X and Y to form a customs union. The benefits are large, the costs are small. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Now lets suppose that trade between X and Y is less important, and that X and Y have major disagreements regarding trade with the outside world. Say, X wants a trade deal with Z, but Y does not. In that scenario, a customs union between X and Y would be unwise. If X is the UK and Y is the EU, then we are somewhere in between those two scenarios, but closer to the second. Trade is an area where the UK really is quite different from continental Europe. Just before Brexit, the UK was the only EU member state which traded slightly more goods with non-EU members than with EU members, or more formally, extra-EU trade in goods slightly exceeded intra-EU trade. (Ironically, the ratio was 52% vs 48% those cursed numbers again.) The fact that the UKs post-Brexit trade policy already deviates noticeably from the EUs trade deals with Australia and New Zealand, joining the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) suggests that the UK and the EU are not that similar in their approaches to trade. The LibDems could have made a much stronger case for closer alignment with or even rejoining the European single market rather than the customs union. To recap: a single market is a very advanced form of a free trade area, where trade is not just tariff-free, but where you also have converging regulatory standards. Single markets are not per se good or bad either. They have, again, one major upside and one major downside. The upside is that they enable a very deep level of economic integration. The downside is that members of a single market can no longer pursue an independent regulatory policy. If countries X and Y have similar preferences for regulatory policy, forming a single market may be a good idea; if they want to go in very different directions, it is not. The fact that there has been so little regulatory divergence between the UK and the EU since Brexit suggests that we are closer to the former scenario. Leaving the single market was largely pointless. If we are not going to use that increased regulatory autonomy anyway, we might as well just rejoin the single market. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But it is the single market and very much not the customs union which is the economically valuable part of the EU. Rejoining the customs union in isolation would give us the worst of all worlds. Dr Kristian Niemietz is the Editorial Director of the Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA) 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. HONOLULU (KHON2) Joseph Fujioka and Samantha Chun remain missing and havent been seen since Friday, their last known location was Ke Iki beach on Oahus north shore. Get Hawaiis latest morning news delivered to your inbox, sign up for News 2 You The couples belongings, including their phones and personal items, were found on a blanket at Ke Iki beach. Fujiokas car was found locked and secured. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A multi-agency search was conducted of the area, including in the ocean. The USCG suspended their search on Tuesday, at sunset. Search for missing teens on Oahus North Shore suspended What were thought to be remains were found on the shoreline of Ehukai Beach on Wednesday evening and were examined by the medical examiners office. Police records on Thursday morning revealed, The Medical Examiners Officer examined the possible remains and determined that it is not of human origin. HPDs investigation into the missing pair 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 KHON2. LAS VEGAS (KLAS) Remains discovered in a shallow grave more than 20 years ago belong to a missing mother of four, the 8 News Now Investigators have learned now police need help finding her killer. On Jan. 10, 2001, a person found a human skull in the area of Pabco and Sunset roads in the southeast valley, police said. Detectives later discovered several bones in the area, leading them to believe the person was buried there. In 2021, Las Vegas Metro police sent a bone to Othram, a forensic laboratory outside Houston, Texas, that uses DNA and genealogy to identify victims of violent crime. In November, Othram identified Virgia Mae Jackson as the murder victim. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Cold case detectives believe someone killed Jackson and buried her in the late-1990s. She would have been in her late 40s at the time of her death. In November 2024, Othram identified Virgia Mae Jackson as the murder victim. (LVMPD/KLAS) The past has a voice and using technology, those voices are getting louder, LVMPD cold case investigator Terri Miller said. Records show Jackson came to Las Vegas from the San Antonio, Texas, area in the mid-1990s, police said. She was known to have lived near Harmon Avenue and Mountain Vista Street in the southeast valley about six miles from where police located her remains. Jackson struggled financially and placed three of four children into temporary care. No one ever reported her missing, police said, adding her family believed she disappeared. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement They recalled that their mother would come and see them on a regular basis, until one day she never showed up, Miller said. Police located Virgia Mae Jacksons remains in this desert area near Pabco and Sunset roads in 2001. (LVMPD) What do you say to the person whos going to watch this story who killed Ms. Jackson? 8 News Now Investigator David Charns asked Miller. Its really difficult to know if they have remorse or not because I dont know what happened, Miller said about the circumstances of Jacksons death. I dont know if it was someone who was just malice that they harm a mother of four children and bury her out in the desert. I mean thats heinous. Police hope to find a person named Ava or Eva who was friends with Jackson before her death. Her children, who are now adults, relayed the possible name to detectives. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Michael Vogen, director of case management at Othram, celebrated their partnership with LVMPD. Its kind of our everything, he said about providing information to families. We do it because we want to help bring resolution to cases that have waited a very long time. The Clark County coroners office, the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NAMUS) and the Texas Rangers assisted in identifying Jacksons remains, police said. Anyone with information about Jackson or Ava or Eva can contact homicide detectives at 702-828-3521. Tips can also be submitted anonymously through Crime Stoppers by calling 702-385-5555 or at crimestoppersofnv.com/report-a-crime. Information can also be sent via text by sending CRIMENV and then your message to CRIMES (274637). Crime Stoppers offers a reward for information that leads to an arrest. Las Vegas Unsolved: Joseph Bettles: Police hope video leads to suspect in unsolved Las Vegas Strip homicide Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Shawna Maynard: Family suspects teenager found dead denied killers romantic advances Linda Anderson: Daughter learns mother is unidentified murder victim 30 years later Gwenn Story: Strip murder victim identified 44 years later as Ohio 19-year-old James Wagner: Grandfather killed on Mothers Day Daniel Montes-Rodriguez: 29-year-old murdered on way to work; video could lead to suspect Renick Lambey: Driver hits, kills grandfather crossing street in wheelchair Alfonso Turner: Videos show men casing apartment complex, shooting father of 4 as he left work Brittney Briggs: 3-year-old at home as killer strangles mother to death Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement David McMillan: Fathers family offers reward in holiday murder Eugene Bell: Family pleads for answers after man celebrating birthday is found murdered in car John Norris: Pizza deliveryman murdered while dropping off order Steven Colburn: Veteran, grandfather likely saved friends life; his killer remains on the run Celia Luna-Delgado: Men who killed grandmother left something behind at crime scene Raheem Rice: Student murdered was not intended target; suspected shooter living in valley Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. LOS LUNAS, N.M. (KRQE) More than 70 years after dying in the Korean War, a young soldier from Los Lunas has been identified, bringing closure to his family who have been waiting for answers. He joined the army as soon as he turned 17. He quit school and my grandma had to sign for him to join. So, he was only 17 when he went missing, said U.S. Army Private First Class Arthur Aaron Cliftons nephew Wade Holland. Pfc. Clifton from Los Lunas was still just 17 when he was killed in Korea in the winter of 1950. He was reported missing in action on December 11, 1950, in North Korea after his unit was attacked by Chinese Communist forces near the Chosin Reservoir. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement His brother joined the Marines to go to Korea thinking that he could find his brother, said Holland. What became of him remained a mystery. That is, until August 2024, when his remains were finally identified. Holland said his mom, Cliftons sister Lydia Holland, remembers him as a protector. She is his only living sibling. Holland added, We started this process around 2000 and at one point my mom said the only thing she really wanted to do was live long enough to get him home. The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) has been working for years to identify fallen veterans from past wars. DPAA said their Korean War project has been one of their largest. So far, theyve identified the remains of 700 veterans, with 7,500 left to identify from the Korean War. They said Cliftons case is special because of the help from his family who provided DNA. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We were able to get DNA on quite a number of samples that we submitted which is not always the case, said Special Project Manager in the DPAA Laboratory Jennie Jin. DPAA said their team is dedicated to giving families answers. It just makes us feel great to be able to use what we have learned in school to do something very meaningful and contribute to this nation, said Jin. The funeral for Pfc. Clifton is on January 31 at 1:30 p.m. at the Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery in San Antonio, Texas. He will be buried near his family. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. With a new administration in place that is already instituting more protectionist measures across global trade, the U.S. could soon see priorities shift to reestablish worldwide maritime dominance. But such a shipping renaissance might be felt in the pockets of U.S. importers and exporters. In December, the bipartisan Shipbuilding and Harbor Infrastructure for Prosperity and Security (SHIPS) for America Act was proposed in Congress as a matter of addressing the growing gap between the U.S. and China in shipbuilding. More from Sourcing Journal Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The bill, if passed, would have significant consequences on American supply chains. But the legislation itself is primarily rooted in national security, and is aimed at establishing national oversight and consistent funding for U.S. maritime policy. The legislation has been largely praised in maritime circles, particularly due to the lofty goal of building 250 ships within 10 years. The current U.S.-flagged fleet stands fewer than 200 vessels, 80 of which are trade in international commercea paltry sum compared with 5,500 vessels controlled by China. Additionally, the bill would establish both a maritime security advisor within the White House and create a Maritime Security Trust Fund to reinvest $250 million in collected duties annually into U.S. shipyards. The weight of such an endeavor comes with costs, warned Lars Jensen, CEO of container shipping consultancy Vespucci Maritime, when the Act was introduced in December. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In short, if this is applied as proposed it will increase shipping costs for U.S. importers and exportersexcept those exporters who are slated for government subsidies, Jensen said in a LinkedIn post. Likely the biggest impact of the bill for supply chain operators, if passed, would be the establishment of commercial cargo preference. This would require that within 15 years, 10 percent of all cargo imported into the U.S. from China must be imported on U.S.-flagged vessels that are also and built in the U.S. and staffed by American crews. Any individual shippers that dont comply with the requirements would be subject to a fine, which may not be as easy to maneuver in practice depending on the agreements they have in place with ocean carriers, and their point of origin. It will create significant supply chain headaches for individual U.S. shippers needing to clearly measure the share of cargo moved on U.S. shipsespecially if much of their cargo is from origins not necessarily served by such U.S. vessels, Jensen said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Sal Mercogliano, an associate professor of maritime history at Campbell University and former merchant mariner who is a major proponent of the SHIPS for America Act, prefers that shippers be financially incentivized to hit that kind of quota, rather than penalized if they dont. I was hoping to see a tax incentive to ship on American ships, Mercogliano said in his YouTube series, Whats Going on with Shipping? on Dec. 19. I think that would be a great way to encourage the use of American vessels. In a post a X on Tuesday, Mercogliano again floated the idea of incentives, particularly in an era where President Donald Trump has been open to slapping more tariffs on goods coming out of China, Russia and the E.U. The idea that goods shipped on U.S-flagged ships would be exempt from tariffs could be a huge incentive for some carriers to reflag ships into the U.S. registry, Mercogliano said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Currently, only Matson and the U.S. subsidiaries of Maersk and CMA CGM would be able to fit the description of container shipping firms that can help companies reach the 10 percent goal. A possible wild card in the years ahead could be the creation of a new container shipping line in the U.S. dedicated to serving American businesses. A recent report from supply chain publication The Loadstar indicates that such a project is strongly rumored to have the support of a major logistics integrator, which is a genuine household name and would presumably present the new carrier with its base cargo volumes. Such a report follows the Department of Defenses recent designation of the worlds fourth largest ocean carrier, Cosco Shipping, as a Chinese military asset. While there are no specific penalties for the ocean carrier for being added to the list, it further adds to the escalation of trade tensions brewing between the two nations. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Two of Chinas top shipbuilders were also blacklisted. With a recent U.S. Trade Representative investigation determining that Chinas maritime, logistics and shipbuilding practices severely disadvantage U.S. companies, workers and the countrys economy at large, support for the SHIPS for America Act is likely to gain more traction in Washington. The bill is not perfect by any means, but it is the most substantial change proposed since the Merchant Marine Act of 1970, Mercogliano said. Rep. Ami Bera, D-Calif., joins NewsNations CUOMO to weigh in on the latest border developments. On Monday, border czar Tom Homan announced that ICE agents arrested 308 migrants labeled as serious criminals on the first day of President Trumps new directive. The Trump administration calls these actions the starting point of a larger effort to bolster border 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 NewsNation. Brendan O'Hara This week the US House of Representatives geared up for the beginning of the second Trump administration and voted on key pieces of legislation. But Colorado Representative Brittany Pettersen did not get to weigh in. Why? Shes about to give birth to her second child. Pettersen, a Democrat serving Colorados third Congressional District, has been unable to cast her vote since January 13, the last day she was cleared by her doctor to fly in her final trimester of pregnancy. Pettersen is delivering in her home state, and because House rules dont allow members to vote remotely, shes been prevented from doing her job. Members of Congress from both sides of the aisle, including GOP Representative Anna Paulina Luna, have joined Pettersen in a simple request: Allow new parents in this scenario to vote by proxy. Despite this bipartisan support, the issue has not been brought to the House floor. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Below, Representative Brittany Pettersen explains what is stopping the governing body from fixing this simple yet crucial issue and how far our government still needs to go to adjust to having women serve. This story has been lightly edited and condensed for readability. I was highly unlikely to become a member of Congress. I was a high-risk youth. I grew up in Jefferson County, which I currently represent, and faced a lot of obstacles at home. My mom hurt her back when I was six and was prescribed opioids like so many people in the 80s. She became wildly addicted, and it completely turned our childhood upside down. I never paid attention to politics. My parents never talked about voting. I dont even think they voted. The thing that saved me and changed what was possible in my life was my access to great schools and teachers who believed in me. It was my life experience that gave me a passion for wanting to level the playing field for regular people. I never thought Id run for office myself. I started off working for President Obamas campaign in 2008 as an organizer, and he really inspired me to believe in what was possible when we come together to affect change. Thats where I was trained on how to successfully organize a community, and I brought that with me working for candidates and issues. I never really thought about how Id juggle my personal life and running for office. What I thought about was how hard it was to come from my background, to not be wealthy and retired, to not have a law practice, while youre getting paid not a living wage to do this work. I wasnt sure if I wanted kids and really was torn on whether or not I wanted to be a mom. But its been the greatest gift of my life. This second little guy was a surprise, and hes going to contribute so much deeper meaning in the work that I do and the life that I live. But of course, its going to be a lot more difficult to navigate. It was already tough with one child and being a mom in Congress. Now I have two. Its a very complicated life Ive chosen. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement My son, Davis, who just turned five, reminds me every day whats at stake in the urgency of this moment. Now Im going to have another son whos going to continue to do the same. Im fighting for their future and also fighting to make sure that were modernizing the places of power where we need regular people represented, people who understand the current struggles that families are facing. Its really important to me for my kids to grow up in Colorado. Its the place that Ive lived my entire life. But its really hard going back and forth from DC. Im one of just a handful of women in Congress that has a toddler, and its not a coincidence. Its because these jobs are not set up for us. We were not part of the design. I know that I often get judged much differently than my male colleagues on the questions that Im asked. I would say being a mom in Congress makes you feel guilty a lot. I know all parents do, but mom guilt is very real. Im not [in Congress] because I want the title. Im there to get things done. Im not taking time away from my family because I think its cool to be in Congress. Im there because of the moment that were in. Far too often I see people who are happy keeping the seat warm, and it can be frustrating to watch. Im one of just a handful of women in Congress that has a toddler, and its not a coincidence. Its because these jobs are not set up for us. We were not part of the design. In Congress, you have to actually be present to vote. This is the way that weve done it since the beginning. Keep in mind that people used to travel over to DC in their wagons. Times have changed a lot since then. Our ability to actually modernize Congress needs to be a priority. I have a bipartisan resolution to give people in a rare circumstance the option to vote remotely. So if youre welcoming a new child, you have the time necessary to care for your newborn and still have your votes represented. This is a very easy approach on addressing a real issue for members of Congress that people face. Im the only the 14th woman to give birth in Congress, so its not like this happens all the time, but its incredibly unfair that we could have an option for me to have my vote counted and that leadership refuses to even bring the resolution to the floor even though we have the votes in the bipartisan support to pass it. Thats what were facing right now. Congresswoman Brittany Pettersen Through this process, Ive heard stories from dads too. Some who had their newborns in the NICU and were unable to be there. They were in Washington for votes and didnt have that time with their family. [Republican] Representative Mike Lawler, who is one of our co-leads on this, had a baby right before the election and then had to immediately start coming back to Washington. He was unable to be there in the ways that he wanted when he was welcoming his new baby. What gives me hope about the work we do is when we get to know each other as people, and we listen to each other and understand where were coming from. We get to know each other as individuals, so were much more willing to come to the table and work on things together and find common ground. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement An unlikely ally on this is [Republican Representative] Anna Paulina Luna. Shes a very different political stripe than me, and were working together on this issue. Im hopeful that we might actually get it done if we can find common ground. Theres so much more that brings us together. Its just unnecessary how toxic things have become at the federal level. What we have is a resolution to change the House rules. Its what governs our body, and its not a privileged resolution, so it doesnt come up for a floor vote unless its brought up for a floor vote by leadership. This isnt going through the process of a bill that has to pass the House and the Senate and be signed by a president. We just have to pass it in the House. We just need leadership to support it, and we have overwhelming support in the body. We know that in the House we have the votes to pass this, but unfortunately we are not getting the support from Republican leadership right now. An avenue that we have to force a vote is called a discharge petition. If we get 218 signatures, which is a majority of the House, it can force a vote on the floor. This is highly unlikely for anything to pass, because youre kind of challenging your own leadership. Its why people are hesitant to ever sign on even if they agree. But weve found many people who want to sign on to this because they believe that its common sense and the right thing to do. So weve continued to beat the drum by sending bipartisan letters to the House speaker and asking him to include it in the rules package so that we dont have to go through this. Then we brought the resolution, and then we have the opportunity to bring the discharge petition in 30 legislative days. Thats the lever that were going to pull if the speaker ultimately does not let us vote on the House floor. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The speaker [Mike Johnson] continues to say that proxy voting is unconstitutional, but every court challenge for it has been upheld. We also used proxy voting during COVID. He could still vote no, but let us vote on the floor. Thats all were asking. Its outdated rules, and its outdated mindsets. Its the people who so often say, This is how weve always done things and this is how were going to continue to do them. Sometimes it takes young members like myself and my bipartisan coalition of younger members who are parents to shake things up. A few months into my pregnancy I was at an appointment when my doctor talked to me about when its not going to be safe to travel anymore. She reminded me to look at what the airline restrictions are. My heart sank, because it was just another challenge that I was going to have to figure out. How I was going to do this and give birth and be a member of Congress? Thank goodness I was able to make it back to Colorado [after my last vote], but now I cannot board a plane because it is unsafe to fly back to DC. So while these votes are happening, my voice and my constituents voices arent represented. Its unfair. Its unreasonable. We have a very simple fix to make sure that people like me still have their vote counted. Sometimes it takes young members like myself and my bipartisan coalition of younger members who are parents to shake things up. Im hoping by speaking out that we actually get it done. That we show the American people that we can evolve in Congress; we can work together, even if its not an issue that isnt as big as some of the challenges that were facing as a country. We can make Congress more accessible for families and regular people. Its the first step in modernizing Congress and making sure that people from all walks of life can serve there. Originally Appeared on Glamour Senator Lisa Murkowski has become the first Republican to confirm that she wont support Pete Hegseths bid to head the Department of Defense. The Alaska senator released a statement saying she couldnt in good conscience support Donald Trumps pick. After thorough evaluation, I must conclude that I cannot in good conscience support his nomination for Secretary of Defense. I did not make this decision lightly; I take my constitutional responsibility to provide advice and consent with the utmost seriousness, Murkowski posted to X. Republican Senator Lisa Murkowski announced Thursday that she will vote against Pete Hegseths confirmation for secretary of defense because hes inexperienced and undisciplined. Murkowskis decision about Hegseths nomination comes just days after his former sister-in-law accused him of making his second wife fear for her safety with his volatile and threatening conduct. The Alaska Republican announced her decision in a post on X, in which she cited her significant concerns. After thorough evaluation, I must conclude that I cannot in good conscience support his nomination for Secretary of Defense, Murkowski wrote. I did not make this decision lightly; I take my constitutional responsibility to provide advice and consent with the utmost seriousness. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Managing the Department of Defense requires vast experience and expertise as the department is one of the most complex and powerful organizations in the world, and Mr. Hegseths prior roles in his career do not demonstrate to me that he is prepared for such immense responsibility, Murkowski wrote, adding that Hegseth was facing allegations of financial mismanagement and problems with the workplace culture he fostered. Hegseth has been accused of regularly abusing alcohol, according to some of his colleagues at Fox News and his family members. Murkowski wrote that she was concerned what message it would send to women in the armed services, or those hoping to join, if Hegseth was appointed, considering his past statements about how women were not fit for combat. The senator also addressed the allegations of sexual misconduct against Hegseth, including those in a shocking 2017 police report accusing him of raping an attendee at a Republican womens conference in Monterey, California. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While he has vehemently denied these allegations, Hegseth has admitted to several other scandals, including five affairs that he had during his first marriage. It seems that his apparent lack of character became just too much for Murkowski to support. While the allegations of sexual assault and excessive drinking do nothing to quiet my concerns, the past behaviors Mr. Hegseth has admitted to, including infidelity on multiple occasions, demonstrate a lack of judgment that is unbecoming of someone who would lead our armed forces, Murkowski wrote. These behaviors starkly contrast the values and discipline expected of servicemembers. Men and women in uniform are held accountable for such actions, and they deserve leaders who uphold these same standards. President Donald Trumps lofty agenda to tackle immigration, cut taxes across the board and reduce federal spending means Congress will need to find creative ways to fund his agenda while scaling back costs, and some of those ideas could cost American taxpayers. Taxing people who use the gym at work, adding requirements to welfare beneficiaries and revoking tax deductions from students are just some of the ideas pitched in a 50-page list of ideas that the House Budget Committee circulated, according to Punchbowl News. The ideas are part of a plan to supplement government spending to pay for Trumps ideas such as removing taxes on tips and overtime which they estimate could cost roughly $856 billion or lowering the corporate tax rate to 15 percent which could cost $522 billion. Trump has met with lawmakers on the Hill to discuss funding his agenda while also cutting federal spending (Getty Images) The presidents desire to tackle immigration is also a point of contention given it will require billions more in spending to build immigration detention centers, the border wall, deploy more immigration agents and more. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Here are some of the ideas Republicans have suggested and how they could impact Americans. Make certain work benefits and education expenses taxable Students, a population that typically does not have large incomes, would pay more in taxes to attend higher education institutes should some of the ideas be enacted. The suggestion would see typically tax-deductible education expenses like student loan interest, and scholarship and fellowship income, made taxable. By making employer-provided meals, lodging, transportation benefits and work gyms taxable, Republicans estimate they could save $157 billion over 10 years. However, it would mean taxes for average working Americans who receive any of those perks will go up. Remove tax credits for students and caretakers Tax credits that typically benefit Americans with economic disadvantages like those caring for dependents, immigrants or students would be removed under some of the suggestions. Trump after signing the $1.5 trillion tax overhaul plan in 2017 he has often called for the tax plan to become permanent (REUTERS) Republicans estimate that by removing tax credits for child and dependent care expenses, they can save more than $50 billion. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement They also suggest requiring both a child and parent to have a Social Security number in order to receive a child tax credit a policy with similarities to Trumps attempts to remove naturalization rights from children of immigrants. Other ideas include removing the American Opportunity Tax Credit which benefits students in the first year of a four-year higher education degree. Tariffs Economists have warned that tariffs would most likely hurt U.S. consumers because companies will likely raise prices to supplement the increased tax. Trump has suggested a 25 percent tariff on Mexico and Canada, the U.S.s two largest trading partners and an additional 10 percent tariff on China. Hes also threatened to tariff European and Indian imports. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The list of ideas says a broad 10 percent tariff across all imports could save the U.S. $1.9 trillion over 10 years. On the campaign trail, Trump bolstered the prospect of tariffs, claiming it was the most beautiful word (Getty Images) Reduce federal spending on welfare and add conditions for benefits People who receive benefits from certain welfare programs could stop obtaining those benefits if the government adopts some of the suggestions that make them harder to access. That includes requiring children with disabilities to meet a certain school attendance for Supplemental Security Income benefits, revoking SSI benefits from an individual who is the subject of an arrest warrant, adding work requirements for adult recipients of Temporary Assistance for Needy Families and work requirements for some Medicaid recipients. Other suggestions include capping benefits and adding work requirements to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, formerly known as food stamps. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement They estimate this would save the U.S. more than $650 billion over 10 years. But these policies specifically target millions of people who require more assistance. Make cuts to Medicaid or Medicare People who receive Medicaid or Medicare benefits could be forced to pay more for healthcare including prescription drugs. Part of a longtime conservative goal to scale back the government programs for older adults and lower-income Americans, the list of ideas suggests a slew of health-related changes that could save the government billions. It suggests discouraging price settings for certain prescription drugs that treat rare patient populations yet encouraging employer-sponsored health insurance to cover these. Many conservatives have long dreamed of scaling back government programs like Medicaid and Medicare (Getty Images) Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Impose fees and taxes on electric vehicle drivers Those who opt to drive electric vehicles would no longer benefit from a tax credit or be exempt from paying a Highway Trust Fund Fee under the suggestions. Repeal student loan forgiveness As expected, Republicans suggest repealing President Joe Bidens student loan forgiveness plan aimed at helping people with crushing student debt but also reforming federal grants like the Pell program. They claim this will save the government more than $127 billion. The rampant, vile horniness of Republican lawmakers may stop them from getting a key witness on the stand in their sham reinvestigation of the January 6 insurrection. One of House Speaker Mike Johnsons aides warned Republicans not to subpoena former White House aide Cassidy Hutchinson because doing so would likely reveal all of the sexually explicit text messages Republicans have been sending Hutchinson since 2018, according to The Washington Post. Hutchinson is known for delivering an explosive testimony about the events of January 6, 2021, exposing President Trump as the power-crazed man he is. She told Congress that Trump grabbed the wheel of a moving limousine, jumped at a Secret Service agent, and threw a plate of food at the wall in the days leading up to January 6. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The idea to subpoena Hutchinson was first raised by Representative Barry Loudermilk, who led the first Republican-only investigation into January 6. He was seeking testimony and electronic messages from Hutchinson in regard to her communications with former Representative Liz Cheney, the Republican leader of the House select committee investigating January 6. But Loudermilk was dissuaded from this by the Johnson aide, who stated that such a subpoena could add sexual texts from members who were trying to engage in sexual favors to public record and potentially reveal embarrassing information. One can only speculate the horrors Hutchinson was sent by our own public officials. House Republicans announced Wednesday that they will form a subcommittee to reinvestigate the January 6 insurrection, following Donald Trumps sweeping pardons for the rioters. The new select subcommittee will basically just be a way to continue to undermine the legitimate findings of the previous investigation into January 6, which Trump and MAGA Republicans have continued to claim are fraudulent. House Speaker Mike Johnson said he hoped the committee would expose false narratives peddled by the politically motivated January 6 committee. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The select subcommittee will be chaired by Representative Barry Loudermilk, who also leads the House Administration Subcommittee on Oversight and last month released a 128-page interim report by House Republicans on the January 6 committee. In his report, Loudermilk demonstrated that House Republicans are in lockstep with Trump over investigating the presidents political enemies, and called for Liz Cheney, the former January 6 committee vice chair, to be criminally investigated. Loudermilk accused her of witness tampering and colluding with former Trump White House aide Cassidy Hutchinson, who testified about Trumps erratic behavior on the day of the deadly riot. Just hours before Wednesdays announcement, Senate Majority Leader John Thune had been downplaying Trumps decision to pardon some 1,500 January 6 riots, insisting that people should not think about the insurrection anymore. Were not looking backwards, were looking forward, he said, according to CNNs Manu Raju. Thune said that the pardons were given on a case-by-case basis, and that former President Joe Biden had opened the door because he had engaged in the most massive use of the pardon power that weve ever seen in history. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement House Speaker Mike Johnson did the same. The presidents made his decision; I dont second-guess those, Johnson said. We move forward; there are better days ahead of us, thats what were excited about. Were not looking backwards, were looking forwards. But of course, rushing them all through on his first day was anything but case-by-case, and Republicans arent the slightest bit interested in looking forward. As Loudermilk told reporters Wednesday: Youve got to look backwards to look forward. RAMALLAH (Reuters) -Hundreds of Jenin residents left their homes on Thursday, prompted by messages from drones fitted with loudspeakers, witnesses said, as the military demolished a number of houses on the third day of a major operation in the West Bank city. The operation, involving large columns of vehicles backed by helicopters and drones, was launched in the first week of a ceasefire in Gaza that saw the first exchange of Israeli hostages for Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli jails since a brief truce in November 2023. Israeli officials said the Jenin operation was aimed at what the military said were Iranian-backed militant groups in the refugee camp adjacent to the city, a major hub for armed Palestinian groups for years. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "We need to be prepared to continue in the Jenin camp that will bring it to a different place," Lieutenant General Herzi Halevi, the head of the Israeli military, said in a statement. Armoured bulldozers have dug up roads, making movement in the city difficult, but hundreds of people left their homes in the camp, dragging suitcases or carrying plastic bags of their belongings after they said they heard messages to evacuate. "Yesterday, we did not want to leave, we were at home," said 16-year-old Hussam Saadi. "Today, they sent down a drone to our neighbourhood, telling us to leave the camp and that they will blow it up." The Israeli military denied that it had told residents to leave their homes. It said it was "enabling any resident who chooses to exit from the area to do so via secure and organised routes with the protection of Israeli security forces." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As the operation continued, the sound of gunfire and the constant buzz of drones flying overhead could be heard over the refugee camp. In the city, there was little movement on the streets. Footage released by the Israeli military showed troops detonating what appeared to be roadside explosives. Overnight on Wednesday, Israeli troops killed two armed men barricaded inside a building in Burqin, outside Jenin, after a gunfight. The two were suspected of carrying out an attack near the Palestinian village of al-Funduq earlier this month, in which three Israelis were killed. Both were claimed by the armed wing of Hamas, which has a strong presence in the refugee camp, a crowded township for descendants of Palestinians who fled, or were forced, from their homes in the 1948 Middle East war. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Overall since the start of the operation, 12 Palestinians have been killed and 40 more wounded, Palestinian health officials said. The raid, the third major operation by the Israeli military in Jenin in under two years, drew warnings from France and Jordan against an escalation in the West Bank, which has seen a surge in violence since the start of the war in Gaza. (Reporting by Ali Sawafta and James Mackenzie in Jerusalem; Editing by Sharon Singleton) LITTLE ROCK, Ark. President Donald Trump signed an executive order to rename the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America and a resolution in Arkansas aims to fall in line with that. Rep. Aaron Pilkington (R-Knoxville) says the resolution has been filed to align federally. I just thought this was a good bill to show that were willing to get President Trumps agenda done on the state level as well as our federal delegation gets it done on the federal level, Pilkington said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Mexicos President Sheinbaum offers sarcastic response to Trumps Gulf of America comment Cole Foster and Jayna Hickman are wondering why Trump signed the order in the first place. I think its wrong for us to take something thats been so established like that and change it for no real reason, Foster said. Pilkington said the resolution says this is not the biggest issue out there to tackle but felt that Arkansas needed to align federally. He has filed other bills regarding maternal health, healthcare and more. Just getting us to match whats going on with the feds, is the main point, Pilkington said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Democratic Party of Arkansas commented on this and said in part, Arkansas ranks 47th in healthcare and 49th in crime. Arkansas is fifth poorest state and the worse state to start a family in. These are the issues that our legislature should be concerned with resolving. Trump plans to rename Gulf of Mexico, Denali but can he? This resolution has been filed, but it hasnt gone through committee or been voted on. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KARK. A child holds a sign shaped like a butterfly that says, "Here to stay," at a rally organized by the Colorado Immigrant Rights Coalition on March 11, 2023, at the Colorado Capitol. (Robert Davis for Colorado Newsline) Various advocacy organizations are offering resources to help immigrant families in Colorado as fears of mass deportations grow under the new Trump administration. President Donald Trump was sworn into office for his second term Monday, promising during his inaugural speech to deport undocumented people at a level nobody has ever seen before. His first hours in office included a host of executive actions aimed at restricting border crossings, shutting down asylum applications, ousting the leadership of the federal immigration court system and more. Officials in the new administration outlined plans for an aggressive immigration crackdown in the days, weeks and months to come. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While on the campaign trail in October, Trump came to Aurora and repeated sensational falsehoods that the city had been invaded and conquered by the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua, or TdA. He pledged that if reelected he would use law enforcement to hunt down, arrest and deport undocumented immigrants connected to gangs, calling the plan Operation Aurora. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Keilly Leon, north regional organizer with the Colorado Immigrant Rights Coalition, is a Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals recipient who has lived in Colorado since she was 8 months old. Ive seen firsthand how our community has risen above anti-immigrant rhetoric to build a state that values and protects its immigrant families, Leon said in a statement. The policies weve fought for like access to drivers licenses, in-state tuition, and protections against police collaboration with ICE are a testament to the power of resilience and collective action. Now, more than ever, we must carry that legacy forward to ensure every immigrant in Colorado feels safe, valued, and at home. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Colorado has several laws that provide additional protections for immigrants. Under a 2023 law, local law enforcement cannot enter contracts with federal agencies like ICE or private entities that operate detention centers to detain people for civil immigration violations . A 2019 law prohibits local law enforcement from arresting or detaining someone based solely on their immigration status or an ICE request. Its also illegal, under a 2021 law, to threaten to report someone based on their immigration status to coerce them to perform an act or refrain from performing a lawful act. Under a 2020 Colorado law, civil arrests cannot be made in or around courthouses or if someone is on their way to or from court. Probation officers as well as state agencies in Colorado are prohibited from sharing information with ICE without a warrant. If an immigrant is in jail, they must be informed of their right to refuse an interview with ICE. Know your rights Colorados Office of New Americans, established in 2021, acts as a central point of contact for immigrant services. Undocumented immigrants can obtain a drivers license or identification card in Colorado. CIRC offers a series of Know Your Rights trainings for community members around the state and has recorded videos of prior trainings, which are available on its website. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The National Immigration Law Center advises immigrants to print out a Know Your Rights card they can use to communicate to an immigration official if they want to exercise their constitutional rights. CIRC highlighted rights anyone in the country has under the U.S. Constitution regardless of their legal status, including the 4th Amendment protections against unlawful searches, the 5th Amendment right to remain silent, and the 6th Amendment right to seek legal advice and a trial. A resource guide from the National Partnership for New Americans offers additional information on rights to be aware of in various languages, as well as family preparedness guides to help with child care, power of attorney, housing and finances in case of an emergency. The nonprofit Village Exchange Center supports refugees and immigrants in Aurora. It serves about 3,000 people a week, about 80% of whom are from Venezuela. The organization is hosting a free legal clinic from 5-7 p.m., Feb. 13 to help immigrants interested in determining legal guardianship for their children and power of attorney for their assets. Interested attendees must fill out a registration form. 211 Colorado has a map of various immigration resources around the state, including clothing, food and housing resources as well as legal clinics. The Colorado Rapid Response Network has a hotline anyone can reach out to at 844-864-8341 for support or to report ICE activity in their area. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE HONOLULU (KHON2) Opening statements began the start of the second trial for Eric Thompson, who stands accused of fatally shooting Waipahu acupuncturist Jon Tokuhara in January 2022. Get Hawaiis latest morning news delivered to your inbox, sign up for News 2 You In opening remarks, the prosecution painted Eric Thompson as a man driven by anger and betrayal. Youll see that throughout this trial, Eric Thompson planned this murder and executed the murder nearly flawlessly, said Ben Rose, Deputy Prosecuting Attorney. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Prosecutors allege that upon discovering an affair between his wife, Joyce Thompson, and Jon Tokuhara, Eric Thompson meticulously planned Tokuharas murder. They said Thompson shot Tokuhara four times in the face in his Waipahu clinic on January 12, 2022 because he was angry he had lost his perfect image. And thats how he wants to show the world, that everything was perfect in his life, Rose told the jury. DNA testing identifies suspect of Dawn Momohara cold case The defense, however, urged the jury to remain skeptical of the prosecutors narrative. They highlighted the lack of direct evidence linking Thompson to the crime scene and suggested there was shoddy police investigation and tunnel vision in the investigation that prematurely linked Thompson as the suspect. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement There was no threats or anger directed at Jon Tokuhara. No evidence that Eric was ever in Waipahu, said Nelson Goo, Thompsons attorney. The prosecution emphasized the emotional toll on Tokuharas family with Jon Tokuharas mother taking the stand. She had difficulty remembering many details about the case, but the pain of finding her son shot dead remained. He was in a prone position, his head down, and his head was in the entry, testified Lilly Tokuhara as she broke down into tears. Legal analysts suggested that both sides have likely refined their strategies since the first trial ended in a hung jury. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Now they know, so they can be able to take advantage and even them and ask some more pointed questions to really make their defense even stronger. Conversely, for the prosecutor, theyve now heard Eric Thompson testified, and Mr. Thompson is locked into his prior statement. He cant change it. He said it under oath, said legal analyst Doug Chin. Download the free KHON2 app for iOS or Android to stay informed on the latest news The trial is expected to take four to five weeks. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. Civil rights activist Rev. Al Sharpton has criticized the potential jury pool for rapper A$AP Rockys upcoming gun trial, saying that from what he has been told, it was short on diversity. In an Instagram post on Wednesday (Jan. 22) Sharpton wrote, It has been brought to my attention, by the National Action Network Los Angeles office, that out of one hundred and six (106) people called to potentially sit as jurors in A$AP Rockys trial in Los Angeles, there are only 4 black people. Rocky (born Rakim Mayers), 36, is facing 24 years in prison if convicted of all charges in the trial in which he is accused of firing a weapon at former affiliate A$AP Relli (born Terrell Ephron) at a Hollywood hotel in November 2021. More from Billboard Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Rocky has pleaded not guilty to two felony counts of assault with a semiautomatic firearm and earlier this week the Harlem native rejected a plea deal offered by prosecutors that would have had him plead guilty to one felony count of assault with a semiautomatic firearm in exchange for a six-month jail stint along with three years of probation and a seven-year suspended sentence. I respectfully decline, thank you, Rocky reportedly told the court in turning down the deal. At press time spokespeople for Rocky and the Los Angeles Superior Court had not returned Billboards request for comment on Sharptons claims. In his note, Sharpton said that although he is not privy to the particulars of the case, hes been in close contact with Rockys friends. I do know he deserves to be judged fairly by his peers, as is his Constitutional right, Sharpton wrote. It is absolutely ridiculous that the jury will be not fair and representative, so as to deprive A$AP Rocky of a fair trial. When we have four (4) black people in the city of Los Angeles, out of one hundred and six (106) and exactly zero (0) within in the first thirty (30) possible candidates for the jury something appears to be very wrong with the system. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, L.A. county has a population just north of 9.6 million, which is comprised of 69.6% white citizens and 9% Black residents. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement At press time Billboard could not confirm the figures in Sharptons post. Sharpton said he will monitor the trial and challenged the L.A. district attorney to ensure that fair and representative justice is afforded to the rapper. The A$AP Mob leader was arrested in April 2022 at LAX and posted a $550,000 bond shortly after; he entered his not guilty plea to all charges in August 2022. Relli testified that the bullets grazed his knuckles as the feud reached a boiling point with his childhood friend. This week, Rockys lawyer appeared to preview his strategy for the trial when he revealed a defense argument that his client was holding a prop stater pistol, which he said can clearly be seen on security camera footage from that night. Assuming jury selection wraps up soon, the trial could begin by weeks end. Best of Billboard Sign up for Billboard's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. (The Hill) Bishop Mariann Edgar Budde called on President Trump to have mercy on transgender children and immigrant families at a National Cathedral prayer service for the inauguration Tuesday, which went viral and prompted the president to call her nasty in tone and not compelling or smart. I ask you to have mercy upon the people in our country who are scared. There are gay, lesbian, transgender children, Democratic, Republican, independent families some who fear for their lives, Budde said. She went on to ask for Trumps mercy toward immigrants and their families, saying the vast majority of them are not criminals but rather good neighbors. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump and Vice President JD Vance mostly stared ahead as Budde spoke, but after the ceremony, Trump told reporters he didnt think it was a good service and Wednesday morning he went after the bishop in a Truth Social post. The so-called Bishop who spoke at the National Prayer Service on Tuesday morning was a Radical Left hard line Trump hater. She brought her church into the World of politics in a very ungracious way. She was nasty in tone, and not compelling or smart, Trump wrote about Budde. Budde currently serves as the spiritual leader of the Episcopal Diocese of Washington, the first woman to hold this position. She has led the diocese since 2011. Before her election to the diocese, she was the rector of St. Johns Episcopal Church in Minneapolis, where she spent 18 years. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Buddle, 65, holds a masters in Divinity and Doctor of Ministry from Virginia Theological Seminary. According to Episcopal Diocese of Washingtons website, Budde is an advocate and organizer in support of justice concerns, including racial equity, gun violence prevention, immigration reform, the full inclusion of LGBTQ+ persons, and the care of creation. This is not the first time the bishop has been critical of Trump. In 2020, she wrote an opinion piece in The New York Times criticizing the use of tear gas against protesters for racial justice in Lafayette Square. She said she was outraged and horrified that Trump used the Bible, which he held outside St. Johns Church following the violence at the protest against Goerge Floyds killing. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement She accused Trump of using sacred symbols while espousing positions antithetical to the Bible. Trump has denied that tear gas was used against the protestors. Scripture is clear: Justice, which is the societal expression of love, matters most to God. Justice is also what is most important to those who are exercising their right to peaceful protest, Budde wrote in the 2020 op-ed. Explaining why she was speaking out, Budde wrote, There are times when taking a side, and a stand, is precisely whats needed from people of faith. Budde told CNNs Erin Burnett Tuesday that she wanted her plea to remind Trump and her audience that frightened transgender people and immigrants are our fellow human beings Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I wanted to counter, as gently as I could, with a reminder of their humanity and their place in our wider community, she said. I was speaking to the president because I felt that he has this moment now where he feels charged and empowered to do what he feels called to do. And I wanted to say there is room for mercy. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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 Trump administration is already parading its corruption in all of our faces. Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has disclosed that even if hes confirmed as health secretary, he will continue to collect payment from the law firm suing the pharmaceutical company Merck over its HPV vaccinewhich Kennedy incorrectly believes is a dangerous and defective vaccine that causes cancer in children. This means that Kennedy would be making money off an anti-vaccine lawsuit while having direct control of the nations vaccine policy. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Pursuant to the referral agreement, I am entitled to receive 10% of fees awarded in contingency fee cases referred to the firm, wrote Kennedy in a signed ethics agreement. I am not trying these cases, I am not an attorney of record for the cases, and I will not provide representational services in connection with the cases during my appointment to the position of Secretary. Senator Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts called RFK Jr.s fee collections outrageous conflicts of interest that endanger public health. This disclosure shows that R.F.K. Jr. made millions off of peddling dangerous anti-vaccine conspiracies, Warren said. Even worse, if he is confirmed, his finances will still be tied to the outcomes of anti-vaccine lawsuitseven as hed be tasked with regulating them as health secretary. The HPV vaccine protects against most cases of cervical cancer. * * This article has been updated to note the efficacy of the HPV vaccine. Robert F Kennedy Jr built a following online by questioning the scientific consensus and casting doubt on the use of vaccines in the U.S., but under his new boss President Donald Trump the failed presidential candidate is suddenly shifting his stance. Kennedy is Trump's pick to head the Department of Health and Human Services. Ahead of his new potential role in the Trump White House, he's reportedly been assuring the Republican senators who have to vote him in that he's "all for" polio vaccines, and that he isn't going to ban any vaccines, according to a report by Politico. According to lawmakers who spoke to Politico, Kennedy has been telling them that he just wants to make safety and efficacy data easier to access. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This lighter touch is a change from Kennedy's previous commentary on vaccines. He previously suggested that the measles vaccine causes autism and that the polio vaccines may have killed "many, many, many, many, many more people than polio ever did." Neither of those claims represent the scientific consensus. Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump greets Robert F. Kennedy Jr., at a Turning Point Action campaign rally last October in Duluth, Georgia (AP) He is perhaps best known for his comments on the Covid-19 vaccines, which he called the "deadliest" ever created. At one point he even suggested that somehow the virus had been engineered not to affect Ashkenazi Jewish and Chinese people. He told me he is not anti-vaccine. He is pro-vaccine safety, which strikes me as a rational position to take, Senator John Cornyn told Politico. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When asked about Kennedy's history of vaccine skepticism, Alabama Republican Senator Tommy Tuberville replied that he doesn't "keep up with all that." He went on to tell Politico that he had spoken with Kennedy and believes the nominee supports vaccines, so long as they're safe. Alaska Senator Lisa Murkowski, considered a moderate Republican, said she felt better about Kennedy leading HHS after having a long conversation with him. Murkowski did not confirm that she would vote in support of him, but said she would use her time during his confirmation hearing to question him further and decide then. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Despite what Kennedy is apparently telling Republican lawmakers now, his actions have so far suggested he is skeptical of vaccines, and has made moneypublicly championing that cause. His Children's Health Defense advocacy group has earned more than $1 million, and continues to suggest that vaccines are connected to asthma, autism, and developmental issues in children, contrary to scientific studies. Two weeks ago, Democratic Senator Christ Murphy made his feelings on RFKs vaccine ideas very clear in a post on X. We dont have to treat conspiracy theorists like RFK Jr. with kid gloves. Its simple. Hes spent his career fighting school vaccine programs. If they atrophy, kids will get killed, Murphy wrote on the social media platform. [E]ven if RFK Jr. doesnt legally weaken school vaccine requirements (and he might!), his elevation to HHS Secretary will amplify his conspiracy views. When vaccine rates drop because of RFK Jr.s conspiracy spreading - kids get killed. The Independent has requested comment from Kennedy. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement One of the most direct responses to Kennedy's vaccine skepticism came from Kentucky Republican Senator Mitch McConnell, whose legs were weakened in his childhood due to complications from polio. He issued a defense of the polio vaccine last month that was viewed as a direct response to Kennedy's views, saying that efforts to undermine public confidence in proven cures are not just uninformed theyre dangerous. Kennedys confirmation hearing is scheduled for January 29. A photo illustration shows the front and back of the envelopes used in Rhode Islands new Blue Envelope program. (Collage of photos courtesy of Rhode Island Division of Motor Vehicles) An initiative aimed at supporting drivers with autism is now officially available statewide, the Rhode Island Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV) reminded motorists in a news release Tuesday. Drivers on the autism spectrum can now sign up for the Blue Envelope program, an extra form of identification intended to smooth interactions with police. The statewide program went into effect Jan. 1, following legislation introduced early in last years session and signed last June by Gov. Dan McKee. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We welcome all opportunities to make Rhode Island roads safer, Walter Craddock, DMV administrator, said in a statement. The Blue Envelope program will ease communication between neurodivergent drivers and law enforcement. We encourage any affected Rhode Islander to get the envelope during their next appointment with us. Program participants will receive a blue envelope from the DMV that can hold their drivers license, registration, and insurance and emergency contact information. Instructions printed on the envelope help guide drivers in their interactions with police officers during traffic stops. The envelope can be handed to officers, who have been trained in best practices for engaging with neurodivergent individuals during traffic stops, according to the DMV press release. Theres not yet any data on the number of people who have signed up, said Paul Grimaldi, a spokesperson for the DMVs parent agency, the Department of Revenue, in an email Wednesday. Grimaldi also stressed that residents can ask for the envelope during any scheduled license or registration appointment, and dont need to sign up in advance. The DMV collaborated with the Rhode Island Police Chiefs Association and the Governors Commission on Disabilities to create the program. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Sen. Victoria Gu, a Westerly Democrat who sponsored the legislation on the Senate side, said in a statement Tuesday, Traffic stops are stressful for a lot of people and people on the autism spectrum may not respond to a police officer the way that officer might expect. This Blue Envelope program builds on those in use in Connecticut and New Jersey. Before the statewide legislation, Central Falls Police were the first law enforcement officers in Rhode Island to introduce such a program, in March 2024. Cranston introduced the blue envelopes in June 2024, and Narragansett did in November 2024. In the Rhode Island House of Representatives, Rep. Samuel Azzinaro, also a Westerly Democrat, was lead sponsor on the bipartisan bill. The legislation included one Republican, Cranston Rep. Barabra Ann Fenton-Fung. That makes it one of the last pieces of successful legislation Fenton-Fung co-sponsored before leaving her House seat for Cranstons mayoral race last year. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX The Providence Journal and United Way of Rhode Island have partnered to highlight the state's nonprofits. Each week, a nonprofit identified by United Way will be spotlighted in the Providence Sunday Journal, and the United Way will share how they support that organization. This week, we feature the Economic Progress Institute, which is dedicated to improving the economic well-being of all Rhode Islanders. We asked executive director Weayonnoh Nelson-Davies to tell us more about the organization. What is your vision and mission? EPI envisions and fights for a Rhode Island where meaningful, consistent investments are made in people from the bottom up and middle out providing a robust foundation for all Rhode Islanders to thrive. We are working for a fair and equitable tax structure, worker justice and a well-funded public sector that delivers essential services effectively so that every Rhode Islander has the means and the freedom to take care of our families, pursue our dreams, and have a good life with no exceptions. We fight for racial and economic justice, but what does this mean? It means a state where we all have health care when we're sick, access to opportunity regardless of race, a safe place to live, child care that doesnt break the bank and nutritious food to eat. And we don't think that's asking too much! Economic Progress Institute staff at a conference in Washington, D.C., during the first week of December. How do you measure success? By focusing relentlessly on living our mission, vision and values. We summarize them in three words: inform, advocate, transform. We produce detailed and objective research, we hold policy briefings, and we provide community members and partners with knowledge and resources to build collective power. These are ways that we inform. Advocate: advocacy is our bread and butter. We have a team of talented policy analysts who spend hours and hours in the State House every day that the General Assembly is in session advocating for economic justice, for racial justice, for equity. And last, transform. Rhode Islanders are ready for real solutions that address the root causes of poverty and inequality, build power for lasting change, and make a better tomorrow for everyone. Rhode Island can and must do better. EPI wants to be part of the movement that transforms it. What are your biggest challenges currently? We know that there are many concerns regarding a second Trump administration and its impact on communities across Rhode Island, but we would like to highlight some of our own local challenges. We know that going into the fiscal 2026 budget cycle, there will be a deficit to be closed. It's not going to be as bad as OMB projected several weeks ago, but there will be a substantial deficit to close. EPI is very concerned about the governor and the General Assembly adopting an austerity mindset in which cutting health and human services programs is viewed as the first option for balancing, without strongly considering some kind of revenue raising. Focusing on just one program: Medicaid. Cutting Medicaid could affect around 350,000 people. That's one out of every three Rhode Islanders. It's the largest source of health coverage for Rhode Islanders, with people who rely on it living in every city and town. For every state dollar we cut from Medicaid, we could lose $3 in federal matching funds. We want budget makers to know that medical debt is the number-one cause of personal bankruptcy, and if you cut Medicaid, there will be an increase in personal bankruptcies throughout our state, among many other harms. How can volunteers or donors get involved? Sometimes, everyday people might think that their voice doesn't matter, but EPI is here to tell you that you count, and your voice does matter! Timely emails and calls get legislators attention. We are always trying to recruit people who care about building a better, more equitable Rhode Island to join us. We lead or co-lead several coalitions that are organized around policy topics such as paid family leave, child care, cash assistance, payday lending reform, protecting health care, and others. Think of an issue that you care about and join a coalition. Maybe you'd like to learn how to write a persuasive letter or testify before a legislative committee? We can train you to do that! Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Please reach us at info@economicprogressri.org or tag us on any of our social media channels via economicprogressri.org. And, of course, as a 501(c)(3) organization, we rely on the generosity of donors to power our advocacy. We would be honored if you would support our work by making a tax-deductible gift via economicprogressri.org/take-action/donate. What are some recent accomplishments or projects you're proud of? In November, we had a public benefits training that drew 150 community health and social workers and several state officials and nonprofit leaders to discuss how to simplify the process of applying for benefits for people who need them. The 2024 legislative session and fiscal 2025 budget saw many wins for working families that EPI and our partners all are proud of. Here are a few: The Rhode Island Paid Family Leave Coalition advocated for an expansion of the Temporary Caregiver Insurance program and the General Assembly responded by increasing the benefit over the next two years from six to eight weeks of paid family leave. Through the Coalition for a Multilingual Rhode Island and the Workforce Alliance, we persuaded the legislature to increase funding for multilingual learners, a group that now makes up 12.5% of the overall student population. Through the advocacy of the Raising RI Coalition that is co-led by our close partner Rhode Island KIDS COUNT, the budget raised the monthly cash assistance payments for our most vulnerable families and children by 20%. EPI believes there is enough wealth and resources to ensure that all Rhode Islanders can meet their basic needs and have an opportunity to thrive, especially when we make strategic investments in people and generate revenue. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement To contact EPI, email info@economicprogressri.org or tag them on any of their social media channels via economicprogressri.org. This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: Economic Progress Institute builds foundation for RIers to thrive PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) Rhode Islanders who use the states online portal for benefits and health insurance will soon be able to access their accounts, officials announced Thursday. Gov. Dan McKee and members of his cabinet held a news conference to give users a heads up about what to expect as they prepare to relaunch the HealthyRhode customer portal. The website and app were taken offline late last year after RIBridges, the system that manages many of the states social services and benefits programs, was hacked by cybercriminals. The personal data of more than 650,000 Rhode Islanders may have been compromised as a result. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement RELATED: RI offers 5 years of credit monitoring to those affected by data breach Now, after weeks of extensive testing by Deloitte the company that manages RI Bridges and a third-party assessor, the system has been given a clean bill of health and deemed safe to use, McKee said. The state will start gradually letting users back in starting as early as Friday, according to McKee. A few thousand users will receive an email from notice@uhip.ri.gov with instructions on how to reset their passwords for the online portal. To make sure the system doesnt get overloaded, the state will be monitoring the amount of activity before sending out the next batch of emails, until eventually every user is back online. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement McKee urged HealthyRhode users to keep a close eye on their emails, warning them to be on the lookout for phishing attempts. He said the emails from the state will not ask recipients to click any links, open any attachments or provide any personal information. Brian Tardiff, the states chief digital officer, said users shouldnt forward that email to others, since the log-in directions are tied to specific accounts. Anyone who hasnt received an email from the state wont be able to access their account yet. New customers wont be able to create an account at this time, McKee noted. Anyone who needs to apply for benefits can do so in person, by phone or by mail through the R.I. Department of Human Services. McKee also said the HealthyRhode mobile app is not yet available. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement How to protect your personal data after RI cyberattack Earlier this month, the state sent out letters to hundreds of thousands of Rhode Islanders who may have been affected by the data breach. It includes anyone whos used the RIBridges system over the past eight years. State officials continue to encourage people to take steps to prevent identity theft, such as strengthening their passwords and freezing and monitoring their credit. Anyone who needs help or wants more information can visit cyberalert.ri.gov or contact the states call center at (833) 918-6603. Close Thanks for signing up! Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Watch Now: Livestreaming Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. ANDERSON, Mo. The McDonald County School District celebrates the completion of a storm shelter at Anderson Elementary. A ribbon cutting ceremony marked the occasion. Its the culmination of a $21.5 million school bond issue passed by McDonald County voters in April 2022. That bond issue funded the construction of state-of-the-art storm shelters at every school location in the district. The Missouri Commissioner of Education, Dr. Karla Eslinger, was the guest of honor at Wednesdays (1/22) ribbon cutting ceremony. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Along with members of the community, the event also brought out the McDonald County High School Marching Band, Cheerleaders, and students of Anderson Elementary. Its an extremely special day. Its a day that gives us something to celebrate, but also gives us a sense of security that we may not have had before, said Anderson Elementary Principal, Paulette Pattengill. Its important for the community as a whole, because can you imagine if we had to have an incident like that and we had one building that did not have this secure of a place for those children to be, how could we ever say, Im sorry, said Dr. Eslinger. This is the sixth and final storm shelter to be built in the McDonald County School District. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The shelter will open to the community after school hours during severe weather 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 KSNF/KODE | FourStatesHomepage.com. Anna Wilson fills jars and bottles from Wayside Spring in the Forest Hill neighborhood during a citywide water outage in Richmond, on Jan. 9, 2025. (Photo by Parker Michels-Boyce for the Virginia Mercury) Richmonds recent water crisis left residents scrambling for drinkable water for days after a winter storm knocked out power at the water treatment plant, triggering a backup system failure and major flooding. But for some, fresh water was just a stroll to the park away. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I had no idea beforehand that there was a natural spring like a half a mile away, said James Jones, a Westover Hills resident referencing Wayside Spring, one of several natural springs dotted throughout the city. Its about a five minute walk from the park. Its really right in the middle of a purely residential area. In previous decades, there were natural springs in Carter Jones Park (formerly known as Fonticello Park), Chimborazo Park, Byrd Park, and Powhatan Hill Community Center and Park. There was even one that ran underneath the Byrd Theatre. Back then, the city was testing them on a regular basis, said Randall Morrissette, an engineer who started in what is now the Virginia Department of Healths Office of Drinking Water in 1978. In the 1980s they started seeing the coliform bacteria, and thats when they shut down the springs. Wayside Spring is the only one that is still accessible, Morrissette said. Its a free flowing pipe, not something you have to turn on and off. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Drinking water contaminated with coliform bacteria and other substances can make humans and animals sick. Still, the immediate need for water pushed some Richmonders to take a chance, and several of them, like Jones, filled up their own containers with Waysides spring water last week. Risky water? Jones first learned of Wayside months ago, finding it while walking his two dogs. I Googled it later when I got home because I was just curious about it, he said. I had read that some people go there under normal circumstances to get their drinking water. And they just prefer it. When the water crisis unfolded, he turned to Wayside Spring to get water for him, his wife and the dogs. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Rather than boil a bunch of water or go get in line at the supermarket or line up to any of the distribution centers, we just kind of collected all the water bottles in the house and went over there and filled them up at the spring, Jones said. We are perhaps being a little risky. Were just drinking it straight from the spring. Residents like Jones are indeed drinking the springs water at their own risk. The springs have been closed for years and are not being tested or treated by the city. I think the only one that is accessible is at Fonticello and that is at a trickle, if at all, said Tamara Jenkins, Public Information Manager for the citys Department of Parks and Recreation. The rest have been capped off. Unless local wells or springs are routinely tested and treated, they could contain harmful contaminants. Some contaminants found in untreated water are microorganisms like Cryptosporidium, which comes from human and animal fecal waste and can cause diarrhea, vomiting, and cramps. Legionella bacteria can also multiply in water sources; it can cause Legionnaires Disease, which is a type of pneumonia, according to Environmental Protection Agency. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Though Richmonds springs have been officially closed to the public for a while, a 2018 Richmond Times-Dispatch article reports that the city used to regularly test the water. The newspaper would publish an analysis of the water quality, starting as far back as 1921. Jenkins said that as of Jan. 13, she is unaware of any plans to uncap the springs for public use. A new push to reopen the springs To Laney Sullivan, the water crisis made it clear that having access to fresh, natural spring water should be a no-brainer. Laney Sullivan stands next to the locked spring house at Fonticello Park in Richmond, Jan. 9, 2025. (Photo by Parker Michels-Boyce for the Virginia Mercury) Its just frustrating to be in a water crisis and know that there is a water source thats just flowing into the sewer right across the street that not more than 15 years ago was accessible to the public and part of peoples everyday lives, said Sullivan, who lives near Carter Jones Park, formerly Fonticello Park. But this spring has been closed ever since Ive lived here. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The capped natural springs spurred Sullivan to start an online petition calling on Richmond leaders to reopen them citywide. We started a private Facebook called the Richmond Springs Collective, Sullivan said. The group now has almost 300 members. Through that private Facebook work group, we put together a petition, addressing it to the mayor. As of Monday, that Change.org petition had racked up almost 1,300 verified signatures in support of the effort to reopen the springs while honoring Richmonds heritage. A letter writing campaign to Mayor Danny Avula and city council are the next steps, Sullivan said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement So many people who were using the springs when they were children are my age now, she said. A lot of people who are older than me remember going to the springs. Sullivan acknowledged that should the springs be made publicly accessible again, the city would need to prioritize putting testing in place to protect peoples health. Woodland Heights resident Kyle Levesque also understands the importance of testing the water. For 18 years hes worked in alternative and renewable energy, and in conservation. He grew up on the French-Canadian border. Kyle Levesque takes water samples from Wayside Spring in the Forest Hill neighborhood to be tested during a citywide water outage in Richmond, Jan. 9, 2025. (Photo by Parker Michels-Boyce for the Virginia Mercury) Where I come from, its very common that springs are used as a source for drinking, some towns just have them flowing, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When Levesque moved to Richmond, his friends told him about Wayside Springs, which he found while out on a bike ride. I put my hand in the water; it was summertime at this point. I was like, Oh, its much colder than ambient, which is usually a good indication that its more artesian than a surface well, he said. Not science, but a good indication. When he started asking around about it, Levesque learned that there were multiple people he knew who were pulling drinking water from the spring, using it as their main source. Later, one neighbor started testing the spring water, hoping to use it to brew beer. He tested his tap water for home brewing, and he tested the well water, and the well water came back better than his tap water, said Levesque. It had less metals and he was boiling it. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But Levesque said the home brewer didnt complete the contaminants tests. He didnt do a test for E. Coli and for Coliforms, he said. This prompted him to ask his neighbors if they should start testing the water. Why dont we all band together and just pay for the bacterial tests? Lets do it. And I got no response six months ago. At that time, no one saw value in having a backup, he said. And fast forward to the beginning of (last) week, I was talking to a few friends, and they were like, Oh, yeah, were just going to Wayside Spring. The tests typically range from as low as $6.50 on up to $184, depending on what results youre looking for. Lower priced kits dont scan for bacteria like E. Coli, but the higher end testers do. Kits are available at hardware stores, Walmart, Target and online by doing a quick search for Bacterial Water Test Kits. Sometimes, after major storms like the most recent storms that caused flooding in Southwest Virginia, the Virginia Department of Health will give out free test kits but those were for private wells impacted by the flooding. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Because the Wayside Springs water hadnt been recently tested, Levesque was a bit uneasy about using it before drinking it. He began doing some tests on his own to search for E. Coli and higher counts of coliform bacteria. In the middle of this months water crisis, Levesque sent a test to a lab called Enthalpy, which is accredited with locations nationwide and in Richmond. They test for metals and mercury, among other elements. They did a rush order, paid about $160 for the rush, Levesque said. The biggest thing is its kind of like chasing after something you dont know is there. The results came back over the weekend and the lab found less than one million parts per milliliter, which is under the detectable amount, said Levesque. He said to get more accurate results, testing would have to be done over a period of months. My intent was just to try to understand the data, Levesque said, because until weve actually gotten a snapshot and a place in time, we dont know what the condition is. And thats where were at, he said. Though hes not an engineer or water expert, Levesque said his goal is to make sure the data is available for everybody. I cant tell people that its safe water. Thats not my space. But I want to make sure that the information is available. Next, Levesque hopes to put up signs with the latest results. Not to say, you know, red light, green light. Just heres the latest tests for this location. The water crisis prompted some outside of the Forest Hill neighborhood to seek out Wayside Springs. Sullivan said uncapping all natural springs in the city would provide basic community resilience resources that are already available to citizens should the water plant fail again, because clean water access is one of our basic rights. Its just a matter of time before Richmond has a historic flood that destroys or compromises the water treatment facility. The event that happened to take it out was very small compared to a climate event, Sullivan said. She added that if city officials say they dont have the capacity to test the water or maintain the springs, residents could step up. We already have Friends of Parks groups, which are community groups that help maintain parks and dog parks, she said. And I think that Friends of Parks groups could take over maintenance of these springs if the city needed extra support. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE AUSTIN (KXAN) As wildfires continue to force tens of thousands of evacuations in Los Angeles, and as the Austin Firefighters Association (AFA) has warned Austin needs to prepare for the chance of catastrophic fires itself, the city of Austin is turning an eye toward vegetation management and wildfire mitigation. Weve gotten a bunch of questions from folks about what is the city doing or what can a homeowner do to help protect their property, Austin City Council Member Paige Ellis said. We definitely want to make sure that we are working in concert with our surrounding communities and sharing the resources, a lot of them already exist, to be able to get the information to folks that they need. On next weeks Austin City Council agenda, the council has several items aimed at wildfire mitigation, including a $7.5 million contract to be divided among contractors to do vegetation management at natural areas managed by the Parks and Recreation Department (PARD). According to the city, PARD manages more than 12,500 acres of land, including greenbelts, parks and nature preserves. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Inside Austins Agenda: What to expect from city council in 2025 One of the contracts that we have coming to us is about vegetation management, trimming trees, making sure that underbrush is appropriately maintained. Those are some of the issues that we know are first and foremost for a lot of neighbors that live adjacent to city-owned land, Ellis said. The risk is real, luckily we have a lot of great programs already in existence. Next weeks agenda item points urgently to the PARD Land Management Plan: the ecological condition of most PARD natural areas has been classified as moderate to very poor due to issues such as invasive species, loss of biodiversity, and hazardous wildfire fuel conditions. Poor ecological condition contributes to elevated likelihood of tree mortality and intense wildfire. Austin City Council is also scheduled to vote on an agreement with the federal government to study wildfire risk at certain properties managed by the Balcones Canyonlands Preserve. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Austin metro ranks among highest wildfire risk in U.S., analysis shows Significant change has occurred in this landscape since the Baylor Study was completed, including three severe droughts and two major winter storms. Updated information is needed to accurately capture the condition of wildland fire fuels and inform possible management strategies, the agenda item says. Is Austin truly at risk? AFA President Bob Nicks has a stark warning for you on that front: What youre seeing play out in Los Angeles, is not out of the question for our city. I think that they [Austinites] should internalize that what we see in LAcould happen to a large degree here in Austin, in the right conditions, and most conditions exist today, Nicks told KXAN. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Nicks pointed to Austins topography, specifically in northwest and west Austin where fuel loads are high. He also pointed to Austins often intensely dry conditions. When we have the winds, we have the exact same conditions we are seeing in LA, Nicks said. And thats why Austin is considered one of the five highest risk in the nation, the only one outside of California, by the way, nationally, to have the chance of catastrophic fires. Need to do something now: President of AFA warns Austin could experience fires similar to LA The lone factor LA is seeing right now that Austin is not, Nicks explained, is high winds. In fact, gusts were predicted to reach near hurricane-force in some areas in California earlier this month. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We dont have strong winds. But when strong winds exist and thats why we had the big Bastrop fires, we had a prevalence of strong winds going one direction for a while and it does happen occasionally, all the conditions come togetheritll be a condition similar to what were seeing in LA, Nicks 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. ODESSA, Texas (KMID/KPEJ)- The City of Odessa has announced a road closure that will impact travel to and from the University of Texas Permian Basin and STEM Academy next week. According to the City, beginning January 27, UTPBs Main Road will be closed to through traffic at the E University intersection. The closure in necessary to complete utility service work and expected to last the entire week. Drivers have been asked to follow all traffic control devices, use alternate routes, and expect delays. For questions or concerns, contact the City of Odessas Utilities Department at (432) 335-4627. 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. DAYTON, Ohio (WDTN) Get out your sweet tea! A fan-favorite family is returning back to national television for a brand new show. Duck Dynasty: The Revival, a revival of the original series Duck Dynasty, will premiere on A&E in the summer. The new show will display what happens to Duck Commander, the family business, in the future, as well as following their familys daily lives. Willie and Korie Robertson, Miss Kay, Uncle Si and more familiar favorites are expected to return in the new series. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Elaine Frontain Bryant, executive vice president and head of programming at A&E and Lifetime, said since they were already on the network in Duck Dynasty and were relatable to many, their return will be a good fit. The Robertsons earned a seat in homes across the country with their unique brand of downhome practicality, southern charm and relatable humor, said Bryant. Duck Dynasty played a huge part of the success of A&E for many years, and we look forward to reuniting with the Robertsons on the revival. Upon release, A&E says the show will be available to watch on A&E, the A&E app, On Demand and eventually, a major streaming 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 WDTN.com. Wisconsinites will soon have a chance to weigh in on the states voter ID law. The April 1 ballot will include a referendum question asking if the voter ID requirement should be enshrined in the state constitution. At a Jan. 8, 2025 news conference announcing the referendum, Republicans argued the majority of the public including in Wisconsin supports requiring voters to show their ID before getting a ballot. Assembly Speaker Robin Vos said the referendum will allow voters an opportunity to give us their final say on something that is supported, if you look at any poll, by 70 to 80 percent of the public. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If the referendum fails, Wisconsins voter ID law would still remain in place. If passed, it would elevate the law to the state constitution, making it harder for the state Supreme Court to overturn it or future lawmakers to repeal it. The left has chosen one of the most extreme liberals to run for the state Supreme Court, Vos added, referring to Susan Crawford, who as an attorney represented plaintiffs challenging the voter ID law. When 80 percent of the public in Wisconsin is in favor of an idea, I dont know who would be afraid of that, except the person whos with the 20 percent and is on the ballot, he said. So, Republicans are also saying this level of support exists in Wisconsin, not just nationwide. Lets look at the most recent polling available. Nationwide surveys from 2024 found support even above 80 percent When PolitiFact Wisconsin reached out to Vos office, his chief of staff Jenny Toftness pointed us to two polls, including a nationwide one released by Gallup in October 2024. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement That poll found 84 percent of the public supports requiring voters to provide photo identification at their polling place, with 15 percent opposed. That support breaks down into 98 percent of Republicans who favor voter ID, compared to 84 percent of independents and 67 percent of Democrats, Gallup found. The poll randomly sampled more than 1,000 adults living in all 50 states and the District of Columbia, according to its methodology section. PolitiFact Wisconsin also looked at a similar poll conducted by the Pew Research Center, which Republican state Rep. Scott Krug cited at the news conference. That poll was released in February 2024. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement That poll showed 81 percent support requiring government-issued photo identification to vote, with 18 percent opposed. That includes 95 percent of Republicans and 69 percent of Democrats. Marquette last polled Wisconsinites on voter ID in 2021, found 74 percent support Vos office also referenced the Marquette University Law School poll, considered one of the highest-quality polls in the country. Marquette asked the following question across multiple polls in 2012, 2014 and 2021: Do you favor or oppose requiring a government-issued photo ID to vote? In a poll of Wisconsin registered voters released Aug. 11, 2021, 74 percent favored voter ID, and 21 percent opposed it. Five percent didnt know, and one percent refused to answer. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When broken down by party, support was at 92 percent among Republicans, 71 percent among independents and 55 percent among Democrats. Interestingly, 74 percent is a higher measure of support than when the Marquette poll asked the same question multiple times in 2012 and 2014. Support hovered around 60 percent for most of that period, dropping as low as 58 percent in a October 2014 poll, and reaching as high as 66 percent in January 2012, the first time the question was asked. The voter ID law was signed by former Gov. Scott Walker in 2011, but didnt take effect until the 2016 presidential election cycle due to court challenges. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While that data is more than three years old, Republicans are still referencing the most up-to-date polling in Wisconsin, because Marquette hasnt asked the question since 2021. True Our ruling Vos said 70 to 80 percent of the public in Wisconsin and the country supports requiring photo identification to vote. National polling from Pew and Gallup released in 2024 shows more than 80 percent of the public supports voter ID, including majorities of Democrats. The Marquette poll last asked about voter ID in 2021 and found support was at 74 percent, a jump from 2012 and 2014. Vos at one point said 80 percent of Wisconsinites support voter ID. Thats rounding up quite a bit, but he said 70 to 80 percent earlier in the press conference. And 74 percent is in the middle of that range. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We rate his claim True. Sources Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Assembly sends voter ID constitutional amendment question to Wisconsin voters, Jan. 15, 2025. WisconsinEye, News Conference: Assembly Republicans Announcement on Voter ID Constitutional Amendment, Jan. 8, 2025. Wisconsin Circuit Court Access, League of Women Voters of Wisconsin Education Network Inc et al vs. Scott Walker et al, 2011. Email exchange, Jenny Toftness, chief of staff for Assembly Speaker Robin Vos, Jan. 15, 2025. Gallup, Americans Endorse Both Early Voting and Voter Verification, Oct. 24, 2024. Pew Research Center, Bipartisan Support for Early In-Person Voting, Voter ID, Election Day National Holiday, February 7, 2024. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Marquette University, Marquette Law School Poll rated nations third best poll, also most transparent, Jan. 29, 2024. Marquette Law School Poll, Interactive Toplines, variable h7. Marquette Law School Poll, Aug. 11, 2021. This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Is Vos right that 80 percent of Wisconsin voters support photo ID law? ROCHESTER, N.Y. (WROC) Officials from the City of Rochester told News 8 Wednesday there were no changes to the citys designated sanctuary city status as sweeping federal immigration changes begin to roll out. Rochester has had a major role in assisting individuals seeking asylum over the past few years, as a result of the crisis downstate. The City of Rochester has maintained sanctuary city status since 1986 with amendments to those policies enacted in 2017 when then-Governor Andrew Cuomo also gave the status to the state. Its more of an umbrella phrase, compared to a binding law, meaning there are protections in place but also supports and resources for those who are not yet a documented citizen. 2017-City-of-Rochester-legislationDownload Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement House passes immigrant detention bill that would be Trumps first law to sign On Wednesday, President Donald Trumps new leadership at the Justice Department issued a memo directing employees step up immigration enforcement, including directives to investigate state and/or local officials who might try to obstruct new policies. News 8 learned of letters sent to more than 100 political leaders across hundreds of designated sanctuary cities across the country from a group called American First Legal indicating potential criminal charges for those who hinder mass deportations. Under Rochesters amendments to the 2017 sanctuary cities designation status, it states the policies must abide by federal, state and local laws and constitutions while also preserving the right of Rochester to control the use of its funds and personnel and protection of residents. It also states the police department shall not engage in certain activities solely for the purpose of enforcing immigration. Mercedes Vazquez Simmons is a county legislator in the 22nd district and also the Executive Director of the Latino Youth and Development Center on North Clinton Avenue in Rochester. It is a purely volunteer organization for youth in the Rochester area and receives no federal funding. Vazquez Simmons tells News 8 its been known immigration changes were coming among those within not only the asylum-seeking community, but those regardless of immigration status, and there is immediate concern. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Were seeing some of the changes taking impact in our communities. Weve received quite a bit of calls, several calls from families that have been approached by law enforcement and what were telling individuals is to make sure that you have your paperwork with you, she said. Yes, its been within the last 48 hours the amount of calls that weve received and its a simple, it could be a traffic stop, it could be them walking and theyre approached by law enforcement to ask for ID. So, were asking families if youre going to be out and about in our communities make sure that you have your paperwork with you, but you also have rights, Vazquez Simmons added. There are ongoing efforts to educate folks still navigating the documentation process or those who have not yet taken steps to do so and need assistance. Independent of your status you do have rights, but you know the laws are the laws and we follow the laws otherwise wed have the wild west, she said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Fire Recovery Efforts: Ovid restaurant among several picking up the pieces, we knew it was over Interestingly enough what were finding is many of these calls are coming from Puerto Ricans and Puerto Ricans are American citizens, so it becomes very confusing and very disruptive to our community. Individuals dont know what your nationalities are so were making folks aware that this may happen, and it can happen at any time and any place, Vazquez Simmons said. In the meantime, a federal judge is already scheduled this week to hear one of several challenges, including from New York, pertaining to President Trumps executive action against birthright citizenship, citing it is unconstitutional. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. Jan. 22OREGON A Rochelle man pleaded not guilty Wednesday to possessing a large amount of ecstasy and cocaine, which police said he intended to sell. Christopher L. Reed, 30, entered the not guilty plea when he appeared with his attorney, Assistant Ogle County Public Defender Michael O'Brien, for a preliminary hearing in front of Ogle County Judge Anthony Peska. Reed is charged with two Class X felonies the most serious felonies in Illinois for possessing between 200 and 600 ecstasy pills, also called MDMA, and 15 to 100 grams of cocaine after being stopped for a traffic violation Jan. 8 in Rochelle. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to the Drug Enforcement Administration, ecstasy/MDMA, commonly called "molly," is both a stimulant and hallucinogen, "producing an energizing effect, distortions in time and perception, and enhanced enjoyment of tactile experiences. Known as a party drug, ecstasy comes in pill or powder form; the pill has a variety of logos and colors." During Wednesday's hearing, Assistant State's Attorney Matthew Leisten said Rochelle police officer Trevor Owen discovered the pills and cocaine in a backpack that was on the floor in front of Reed, who was a passenger in a car pulled over for a traffic offense about 7:20 p.m. on Lincoln Avenue. Owen said his K-9 partner Odie, a trained narcotics detection dog, alerted to the drugs when he was walked around the vehicle. During a search of the vehicle, Owen said he found a "significant amount of cash" $450 and a white substance in one of the front pockets of the backpack. He said the substance was field tested and determined to be 1.2 grams of cocaine. Two orange pills were determined to be ecstasy. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Owen said he found two more bags of cocaine inside the backpack that weighed 35.5 grams and 206 pills of ecstasy. He said a scale with powder residue and plastic bags also were found during the search. "I believe the defendant was selling the narcotics," Owen testified. Under cross-examination by O'Brien, Owen said he had received "confidential" tips from an informant that Reed was "selling drugs." "You immediately called for assistance when you made the traffic stop," O'Brien said. "Yes," Owen replied. O'Brien questioned the purpose of pulling over the vehicle and the subsequent search, but Leisten objected, saying those questions were outside the parameters of a preliminary hearing, wherein a judge determines whether probable cause exists to continue with the charges. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Motions to suppress are relevant to the question of a traffic stop and search," O'Brien said. But Peska agreed with Leisten and sustained the objection. O'Brien then asked the court to reconsider a decision made to keep Reed in custody. Detention hearings are part of the relatively new pretrial release directive in which judges decide whether a defendant should be held in custody rather than setting a bond for release. Criteria used by judges to make that decision include the nature of the alleged offenses, whether the defendant's release would present a "clear and present danger" to the community or individuals, and whether the defendant is considered to be a "flight risk" and likely not appear again for scheduled court cases. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Leisten argued that Reed should not be released, citing his criminal history and that Reed was currently on probation for another offense in another county when this alleged offense occurred. O'Brien argued that Reed could be released and electronically monitored. "These are detainable offenses," Peska said. "And they certainly are serious. These substances cause significant harm. And because the alleged offense happened while the defendant was on probation is pretty telling. I don't believe GPS monitoring removes the danger here." Peska set Reed's next hearing at 1 p.m. Jan. 29 and remanded him to the Ogle County Jail. Class X felonies carry a maximum sentence of six to 30 years in the Illinois Department of Corrections, and enhancements to those offenses, if found guilty, can be nine to 40 years. ROCKFORD, Ill. (WTVO) Rockford Police arrested Korey Foote, 50, for allegedly smothering a woman with a pillow and attacking her on two different occasions over two days. On Jan. 4, around 3:30 p.m., officers responded to the 1500 block of 13th Street for a domestic incident. The woman told authorities the night before, around 9 p.m., was when the suspect confronted her and started calling her derogatory names. When she returned home from taking her friend back to her residence, Foote was inside her apartment, according to court records. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The victim told officials he slapped, kicked and punched her multiple times before smothering her with a pillow. Around 7 a.m. the next day, the victim found Foote hiding in her shower, according to court documents. The woman told officers she attempted to run away but the suspect grabbed her ankle while on the stairs, dragging her down them. The victim eventually got away from the suspect and left her residence, according to court documents. Foote is charged with domestic battery causing bodily harm, domestic battery causing physical contact and two counts of aggravated domestic battery causing strangulation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If you are a survivor of domestic or sexual violence, visit our Stateline Strong page for resources. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. Reproductive rights supporters marched in Phoenix to mark Roe v. Wades anniversary in January 2024. Arizona voters approved an amendment restoring abortion access up to fetal viability in the fall. (Photo by Gloria Rebecca Gomez/Arizona Mirror) Erika Christensen decided to become a patient advocate for abortion later in pregnancy after she had to travel from New York to Colorado to get a third-trimester abortion. Christensen found out her wanted pregnancy wasnt viable around 30 weeks. At that time in 2016, New York banned abortion after 24 weeks of pregnancy, and only allowed abortions after that limit to save a patients life. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement She and her husband were able to borrow thousands of dollars from her mother and put last-minute travel funds on a credit card to access abortion care across the country, Christensen told States Newsroom. At every stage, I realized how many pieces had to be in the perfect place for me to be able to do that, to be able to get this urgent health care that I desperately needed, she said. When she and her husband returned home to New York, a lawyer at the state American Civil Liberties Union affiliate reached out and asked if they wanted to be advocates. They led a grassroots effort to get legislation passed in 2019 that protected abortions after 24 weeks for fetal abnormalities and to preserve a patients health. The Reproductive Health Act also decriminalized abortion later in pregnancy and allowed health care providers besides physicians to perform abortions. Former Democratic Gov. Andrew Cuomo signed the bill into law on Jan. 22, 2019, the anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Courts Roe v. Wade ruling that protected the right to an abortion nationally. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This year would have marked the 52nd anniversary of Roe, which ensured abortion rights until fetal viability, when a fetus can survive outside the womb generally thought to be around 24 weeks. Only about 1% of all abortions in the United States happen after that point, typically for medical reasons, research shows. But a conservative-majority bench overturned Roe nearly three years ago, upending abortion access across the nation with the Dobbs v. Jackson Womens Health Organization decision. States rolled out a patchwork of varied health care restrictions. Twelve states ban most abortions today, while voters in 10 approved ballot measures enshrining the right into state constitutions. Most of the states with constitutional protections have fetal viability limits. Advocates, activists and folks in the movement have different opinions about how we reach the ideal policy on reproductive rights and justice, and initiatives and laws may vary from state to state depending on the political realities that we see, said Ashley All, president of Kansas Coalition for Common Sense, who has worked on several successful abortion-rights initiatives. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Some within the reproductive rights movement argue that gestational bans on abortion later in pregnancy cause patients harm, and say that the protections of Roe the 1973 Supreme Court said abortion is a privacy right based on the due process clause of the 14th Amendment are insufficient. Renee Bracey Sherman is the founder of the nonprofit WeTestify, a nonprofit devoted to evaluating and shifting the narrative around abortion. Allowing the public to vote on personal medical decisions is wrong and completely ridiculous, she said. But somehow its acceptable with abortion, and then doubly acceptable when it comes to later abortion. We have a population that does not understand how anatomy works, how pregnancy works, how abortions happen, and why people need later abortions. In pregnancy, viability isnt straightforward and can be used in more than one way. The word can reference whether a pregnancy is expected to develop normally or if it could lead to a miscarriage, according to the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology. And fetal viability is the point in pregnancy when a fetus is able to survive outside of the womb. Premature babies have a 42% to 59% chance of survival at 24 weeks, according to ACOG and the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Many states only allow abortion after 24 weeks in cases of fetal anomalies or if the patients life or health is at risk. Alaska, Colorado, New Jersey, New Mexico, Oregon, Vermont and Washington, D.C., have no fetal viability limits on abortion. ACOG, the national OB-GYN organization, strongly opposes policy makers defining viability or using viability as a basis to limit access to evidence-based care and said the decision to terminate a pregnancy should be between patients and medical providers. Viability language in policymaking stemmed from the Roe decision in 1973, according to Adrienne Ramcharan, assistant director of state policy at Physicians for Reproductive Health and MiQuel Davies, the former public policy director at the organization. While this framing was built into the law, researchers and medical providers who care for pregnant people recognize that viability is not a set point in time, Ramcharan and Davies wrote in August 2024. Instead, it occurs along a continuum shaped by an individuals medical history, access to medical care, and demographic characteristics among other things. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Later abortion care is criminalized and stigmatized, Christensen said, causing the cost of care to go up. Plus, abortion providers willing to offer the procedure later in pregnancy are scarce. I have the benefit of having directly experienced a viability ban and knowing in my core how unjust it was, how my humanity was erased, my dignity was erased, Christensen said. She is the co-author of a memo published last year titled Abortion Justice Now. The authors wrote that they reject efforts to restore Roe-era limits into abortion policy. Gestational and viability limits will disproportionately impact the most marginalized among us, either denying them critical care or pulling families toward financial instability, they wrote. These limits will result in an inequitable ability to exercise rights, allow for criminalization in pregnancy, and ultimately reinforce the dangerous assertion that the government has any role in regulating a pregnant persons body. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Abortion opponents, including doctors, sometimes hinge their argument on the concept of fetal viability. I think, certainly, beyond the point where a child can survive outside of his or her mother, there would never be a reason you would need to intentionally end that childs life, Dr. Christina Francis, chief executive officer at the American Association of Pro-Life Obstetricians and Gynecologists, told lawmakers on a U.S. Senate committee in June, States Newsroom reported. You would simply deliver that baby, Francis said. Youd take care of mom and youd take care of baby in an appropriate way. Patients may seek abortion after fetal viability for several reasons: They receive a fetal fatal diagnosis later in pregnancy, giving birth could risk their life or health, they couldnt access or afford an abortion earlier, or they didnt know they were pregnant, according to ACOG. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Polling shows that Americans support abortion in most cases, but not necessarily after fetal viability. A June 2023 poll from Gallup found that 69% of respondents said abortion should be legal in the first three months of pregnancy, while 37% said it should be legal in the second trimester and 22% in the third. But the nonpartisan public opinion research firm PerryUndem found last year that most public polling on abortion later in pregnancy lacks context. Of those who heard stories about women with complications later in pregnancy who needed to travel out-of-state for abortions, 69% said abortion should be legal in all cases. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Transmission lines just west of Anchorage connect the city to a power plant and other infrastructure at the Beluga River gas field. (Photo by Nathaniel Herz/Northern Journal) Two urban Alaska utilities and the states consumer protection attorneys are warning about the risk of rolling blackouts amid an intensifying shortage of natural gas the fuel used to generate the majority of the regions electricity. Such blackouts arent imminent, officials said, and likely would only develop in a cold snap or other scenarios that test urban Alaskas grid. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But the risk appears to be rising, stemming from diminishing supplies of natural gas. That fuel, in 2022, generated nearly two-thirds of the electricity used on the Railbelt, the area of urban Alaska stretching from the Kenai Peninsula through Anchorage and north to Fairbanks and the Interior. Three years ago, the regions leading gas producer, Hilcorp, warned that it would not renew binding supply contracts with utilities when they expired and now, with the first of those expiration dates arriving, the grid is starting to show signs of stress. For the next year, the 25,000 members of Homer Electric Association, which is based on the Kenai Peninsula, will be depending on whats known as an interruptible gas supply meaning that the seller isnt contractually obligated to provide it in the event of a shortage. A natural gas-fired power plant in Anchorage. (Photo by Nathaniel Herz/Northern Journal) Executives at another Railbelt utility, fearful that Homer Electric may turn to them for backup power, are warning that they can only do so much to help. And they say that rolling service interruptions could be a reality for Homers customers in the future. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The other utility, Palmer-based Matanuska Electric Association, has a dual-fuel power plant that can run on diesel in the event of a gas shortage. Its leaders say they could use it to provide backup power, but only up to a point, in part because of air pollution restrictions. It is not MEAs obligation to serve HEAs members, but the decision to build (the plant) as a dual-fuel facility was purposeful, Matanuska Electrics chief executive, Tony Izzo, wrote in a Friday comment letter to regulators. If necessary and to the extent possible, MEA intends to utilize (the plant) to ensure the lights stay on for HEAs members. Meanwhile, another expiring gas supply agreement is contributing to an increased risk of outages in Alaskas Interior. Fairbanks-based Golden Valley Electric Association last week warned its 36,000 members that a worst-case scenario could result in short-lived rolling blackouts. GVEA is not alone in this situation. The other Railbelt electric utilities are facing similar challenges with natural gas, requiring everyone to consider their resource adequacy and alternatives, GVEAs chief executive, Travis Million, said in the message to members. This is about transparency and preparation, not alarm. It matters to me that members know what is happening, and importantly, what could happen. The situation is not good The recent warnings about power interruptions underscore the increasing urgency of the Railbelts gas crunch. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For decades, the regions big electric utilities which also include Anchorage-based Chugach Electric Association have depended largely on locally produced gas from Cook Inlet, an aging and increasingly depleted basin that lies offshore and beneath the Kenai Peninsula. Experts say theres still ample gas that exists in Cook Inlet. But its become more difficult and costly to produce for an urban Alaska market that, relative to other states, is small. Aging oil and gas production platforms sit in Cook Inlet. (Photo by Nathaniel Herz/Northern Journal) After Hilcorps 2022 announcement about expiring contracts, the electric utilities, along with natural gas utility Enstar, began studying the potential to import liquefied supplies of the fuel from outside Alaska to fill the expected gaps. That work is still underway, with Enstar officials recently confirming that theyre advancing plans for a Kenai Peninsula import terminal. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But utility executives and others have acknowledged that theyre facing a tight timeline to begin construction if they want the facility to be ready by the time a bigger supply shortage arrives. Regulators, advocates warn of utility inaction as Alaska gas shortfall looms The two largest Railbelt utilities, Matanuska Electric and Chugach Electric, still have contracts with Hilcorp that run for three more years. But when Homer Electric was looking for fuel to meet its needs for the next year, we could not find any gas suppliers that would sign binding contracts, said Larry Jorgensen, the utilitys chief power production officer. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The situation is not good, and its not what any of us desire, Jorgensen said in an interview. But we are tasked with trying to do the very best we can given the situation at hand. If anybody has alternatives that are viable, then were willing to listen. Because right now, nobodys offering us anything. Jorgensen said Homer Electric has been working aggressively to reduce its natural gas demand by installing more efficient equipment at its power plants, and by developing a solar farm. But, he added: It takes time. None of this stuff can be done overnight. Asked about the likelihood that Homer Electrics interruptible gas supply could result in inadequate power or rolling blackouts for its members, Jorgensen said the question was incredibly speculative. But Izzo, the Matanuska Electric chief executive, explicitly warned of that risk in his comments filed with regulators last week. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its entirely possible, Izzo said, that Homer Electric may not receive enough gas to meet its demand over the next year. Hilcorps Tyonek platform in Cook Inlet still operates and is a major gas producer. (Photo by Nathaniel Herz/Northern Journal) The comments are addressed to the Regulatory Commission of Alaska, which has not yet approved Homer Electrics interruptible supply agreement. Izzo told the commission that the Railbelt utilities should develop a letter of agreement framework that would guide how backup power could be sold from one to another in the event of shortages. While its common for utilities to save money by sharing and selling power from the cheapest plants available, it is unusual for one to provide guaranteed power to another utility thats unable to meet its own demand, Izzo said. For Golden Valley Electric, the situation is slightly different. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Fairbanks utility owns an array of power plants that use non-gas fuels, including coal, diesel and naphtha. Supplies of those fuels arent as limited. But Golden Valley also often relies on cheaper, gas-fired power generated on its behalf by and purchased from Chugach Electric and it uses hydroelectric power from a dam on the Kenai Peninsula thats transmitted toward Fairbanks. But Golden Valleys contract for the gas thats fueled Chugach Electrics generators expires this week. And there was really no opportunity to secure any more, said Million, Golden Valley Electrics chief executive. Any gas we would secure would just take away from the Anchorage Bowl, he said in an interview. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Making matters worse, construction this winter is temporarily interrupting a transmission line that ships Golden Valley Electrics hydroelectric power from the Kenai Peninsula toward the Interior. Between the lost access to that electricity along with the gas-fired power, Golden Valley Electric is less likely to have a fallback if there are outages at its own plants. In a worst-case scenario, like multiple power plants malfunctioning at once, power demand could outstrip supply and require a controlled load shed program, the utility said in its recent message to members. This program, if ever needed, would consist of relatively short power disruptions that rotate throughout the communities we serve to reduce demand to match supply and maintain grid reliability, the message said. Disruptions would be between 30 minutes and one hour in duration. The program would be implemented carefully to prioritize safety and minimize inconvenience, and it is important to note that critical services, such as 911 and the hospital will not be impacted. Public protections for blackouts Consumer protection attorneys from the Alaska Department of Law say theyre increasingly worried about the potential for such rolling blackouts. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement And they recently filed a petition with the Regulatory Commission of Alaska, which oversees utilities, to set standards for how such blackouts would be handled. The standards, the department said in its petition, could address advanced notice of blackouts, utility communication plans, and how homes, hospitals, infrastructure and public safety customers would be prioritized. The public needs to have information, somewhere, where they can go and say, Whats going to happen to me? said Jeff Waller, who leads the departments Regulatory Affairs and Public Advocacy section, in an interview last week. The utilities have some information. Often, they want a lot of flexibility, and I understand their point theyve got a utility to run. But in a situation with such potential to disrupt daily life, he said, The public needs to know how theyre protected, and what their risks are. Regulatory Commission of Alaska members John Espindola, left, and Bob Pickett, right, at a meeting last year. Nolan Oliver, a state administrative law judge coordinating the hearing, is at center. (Photo by Nathaniel Herz/Northern Journal) At a meeting last week, the regulatory commissioners rejected the consumer-protection petition. But they did vote unanimously to open an informational proceeding to collect information from electric and gas utilities on their contingency plans. And they suggested that they could revisit the rulemaking proposal later. Theyve indicated they might still do it, Waller said. But he noted that the timeline for developing standards like the ones his office is requesting can run as long as two years, which, he added, is too late. My concern is the average person, the public if theres going to be curtailments, do you need to take you and your loved ones and your dog and cat and live with someone else for a while? Is it going to be a few hours? Is it going to be a few days? Dont know, he said. That level of uncertainty isnt a good thing here. Nathaniel Herz welcomes tips at natherz@gmail.com or (907) 793-0312. This article was originally published in Northern Journal, a newsletter from Herz. Subscribe at this link. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX The United Kingdom has confirmed that one of its Royal Navy nuclear-powered submarines surfaced close to the Yantar, a notorious Russian spy ship late last year, to make it clear it was being observed. The revelation came as the Royal Navy was once again closely tracking the Russian ship after it returned to British waters. According to the U.K. defense secretary, the Yantar has, in recent months, been mapping the U.K.s critical underwater infrastructure, at a time when NATO, in general, is increasingly concerned about apparent sabotage to undersea cables. The Yantar was sailing in British waters in November last year, during which time U.K. Defense Secretary John Healey said it had been detected loitering over U.K. critical undersea infrastructure. The Yantar transits through the English Channel during an earlier visit to these waters, in 2018. Crown Copyright LPhot Dan Rosenbaum Interestingly, Healey disclosed that a Royal Navy submarine was among the assets tasked with shadowing the Yantar when it was in British waters back in November. The defense secretary said that warships and patrol aircraft were also involved in tracking the Russian vessel. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement At one point, the submarine surfaced close to the Yantar to make clear that we had been covertly monitoring its every move, he said. The submarine wasnt named but will have been one of the five currently active Astute class attack submarines. A Royal Navy Astute class nuclear-powered attack submarine. Crown Copyright www.twz.com The Russian vessel then moved into Irish waters east of Dublin, sparking worries that it might be conducting espionage on critical energy and internet submarine pipelines and cables running between the United Kingdom and Ireland. The spy ship was later escorted out of the Irish Sea. Its rare for the U.K. government to release any kind of information about the activities of its nuclear-powered submarine fleet, especially regarding such sensitive surveillance missions. In this case, the information was likely made public to dissuade Russia from further espionage directed against critical underwater infrastructure. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The tactic may have been effective anyway, with Healey saying that, during its latest venture into British waters, this week, the Yantar didnt remain on station for any longer period and was closely escorted throughout its journey by the Type 23 frigate HMS Somerset and the River class offshore patrol vessel HMS Tyne. A library image shows three River class patrol vessels, led by HMS Tyne (foreground) exercising off the coast of Cornwall, England. Crown Copyright LA(Phot) Al Macleod According to the Royal Navy, Somerset covertly launched her Merlin helicopter, which used its powerful sensors to locate the Russian ship as it made its way north towards the English Channel. The Type 23 frigate then closed in on the Yantars location and intercepted it at the entrance to the Channel, off the French coast. Somerset used her cutting-edge radars and sensors to report on every move during the operation, as she maintained a close distance to Yantar through the Channel and the Strait of Dover, the Navy added. HMS Somerset (foreground) tracks the movements of a Russian spy ship Yantar this week, in waters close to the United Kingdom. Crown Copyright Crown Copyright Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Tracking the Yantar is not necessarily a difficult job, since its position is typically broadcast at regular intervals using the automatic identification system (AIS), an automatic tracking system that uses transceivers on ships. This data is then also published by online ship tracking services. Russian 'research' vessel Yantar was interdicted and warned by a UK submarine as she was loitering over subsea infrastructure, today. Also shadowed by surface units.Her last AIS-position is from 23h ago, see map. (Erroneously called 'UK waters' by FT, it is Belgian EEZ, international waters.) auonsson (@auonsson.bsky.social) 2025-01-22T20:52:46.816Z U.K. Defense Secretary John Healey told the British parliament yesterday that the Yantar entered U.K. waters on Monday and was then monitored by the Royal Navy. HMS Somerset shadows the Russian spy ship Yantar in the English Channel this week. Crown Copyright Royal Navy Healey went on to accuse Russia of threatening European security by targeting undersea infrastructure carrying oil, gas, electricity, and the internet. We see you. We know what youre doing, he told members of parliament. Healey added that the Yantar was first picked up on Monday when it was 45 miles off the British coast, inside the U.K.s exclusive economic zone (EEZ). Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Watching every move#RoyalNavy warships @HMSSomerset and @HMSTyne are currently monitoring suspected Russian spy ship Yantar as it sails close to the UK. It comes after a recent operation in which a #814NAS Merlin and @RFATidesurge tracked a Russian submarine and frigate. Royal Navy (@RoyalNavy) January 22, 2025 Let me be clear, this is a Russian spy ship, Healey said. Officially, the Yantar is a Project 22010 oceanographic research vessel, but it has specialized equipment that can reportedly tap or cut submarine cables and investigate and retrieve objects from depths of up to 18,000 feet. It is part of the Russian Defense Ministry fleet, being operated by the Main Directorate Deep-Sea Research, which works on behalf of the Russian Navy, and other agencies. The Yantar was involved in a high-profile operation in 2017 when it sailed off the coast of Syria to recover the wreckage of two fighter jets, a Su-33, and a MiG-29KR, that crashed into the Mediterranean Sea during operations from Russias aircraft carrier Admiral Kuznetsov. The following year, 2018, the U.K. Royal Navy again escorted the Yantar through the English Channel as it headed into the North Sea. At this time, it was carrying a Saab SeaEye Tiger deep-sea robot on its deck. Russia acquired this underwater drone after the Kursk submarine disaster. It can reach depths of 3,280 feet. On this occasion, the U.K. Royal Navy sent the Type 45 destroyer HMS Diamond plus a Wildcat helicopter to follow the Russian ship. HMS Diamond (foreground) shadows the Russian spy ship as it passes through the English Channel in 2018. Crown Copyright More recently, the Yantar was reported in the Mediterranean, where it was assumed to be involved in searching and potentially salvaging the wreck of the Russian cargo vessel MV Ursa Major, which sank after an apparent explosion in its engine room in late December. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Overview in the Alboran Sea on 16 January: the Russian research vessel Yantar with the American DDGH Paul Ignatius, then the Ignatius with the Spanish PSO Tornado. With #NATO forces in the Mediterranean, the Yantar passing Gibraltar illustrates that the pic.twitter.com/h6fC64rKkB Russian Forces Spotter (@TiaFarris10) January 20, 2025 The scale of the presumed threat to underwater infrastructure posed by Russian and Russian-inspired actors cannot be understated. In the Baltic Sea alone, cables have been damaged on three occasions, with all of them carrying at least some of the hallmarks of sabotage. In the most prominent event, on Dec. 25, an oil tanker dragging its anchor, damaging a power cable running between Finland and Estonia. This led to NATO launching Baltic Sentry, a mission intended to ensure the security of critical undersea infrastructure in the region. As you can read about here, the mission now also involves Dutch F-35A stealth fighters and it will soon add at least 20 uncrewed surface vessels (USVs) in the coming weeks. This is in addition to surface vessels and maritime patrol aircraft. Royal Netherlands Air Force (RNLAF) F-35s flying over the Dutch frigate HNLMS Tromp during the Baltic Sentry mission earlier this week. Dutch Ministry of Defense The vessel responsible for the incident in the Baltic in December was the Eagle S, registered in the Cook Islands, but connected with Russia. The oil tanker was also revealed to be brimming with spy equipment after it was seized by authorities. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The suggestion that this incident was connected somehow to the Kremlin was also raised by Healey, who noted that many analysts believe this was caused by a vessel in Russias shadow fleet. The potential risk to undersea infrastructure has long been understood, especially bearing in mind how hard it can be to defend it against nefarious action and the degree to which nations rely on it to fulfill many of their critical needs. We are now seeing Russian underwater activity in the vicinity of undersea cables that I dont believe we have ever seen, U.S. Navy Rear Adm. Andrew Lennon, then serving as NATOs top submarine officer, told The Washington Post back in December 2017. Russia is clearly taking an interest in NATO and NATO nations undersea infrastructure. Meanwhile, there is now a wide acknowledgment that the Russian war in Ukraine and the heightened East-West tensions as a result are driving up the scale of this risk. With that in mind, spy ships like the Yantar are sure to be closely tracked by NATO assets whenever they are found operating in their waters. Contact the author: thomas@thewarzone.com King Charles' team reportedly refreshed the royal family's website after a digital glitch. On Jan. 22, the royal family's Royal.UK website featured what was apparently an accidental heading on the main landing page. According to a fan blog, the word "hospice" was spotted on the top of the site, though the mistake was soon erased. "Opps... For some bizarre reason the header on the @RoyalFamily website now says 'hospice' ... Why?" fan blog Gert's Royal wondered on X, sharing a screenshot of the surprise typo. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Two hours later, the blog reported that the heading had disappeared. As of Jan. 23, the page was back to normal, with click into Royal.UK showing the royal family's biographies, log of latest engagements, Court Circular, Royal Diary and more. Royal.UK The Royal.UK website on Jan. 23, 2025. The Royal.UK website on Jan. 23, 2025. Related: Queen Camilla Makes Personal Revelation in Impromptu Speech at Hospital The error could have been due to a formatting issue, connected to an outing Queen Camilla recently made. Royal.UK is written and maintained by the Royal Household at Buckingham Palace as the authoritative source of information about the monarchy, and is frequently updated with new entries about official engagements that working royals make. It's notable that the Queen, 77, visited a hospice on Jan. 21, which was recapped in an entry on the royal family's website. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Queen Camilla toured Prospect Hospice in Wiltshire on Tuesday, making the stop to help the charity commemorate its 45th anniversary in her post as president. Though typos related to royal communications are rare, they happen! In October 2024, Buckingham Palace shared the happy news that Princess Beatrice is pregnant and expecting her second child with her husband, Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi. However, there was a hiccup in the initial announcement regarding Princess Beatrice's royal title. Royal.UK The Royal.UK website on Jan. 23, 2025. The Royal.UK website on Jan. 23, 2025. Related: Royal Slip-Up! Buckingham Palace Makes Mistake with Princess Beatrice's Pregnancy Announcement According to Hello!, the palace deleted its initial post on X on Oct. 1 because of a minor typo. Screenshots obtained by the outlet then showed that King Charles' niece was initially referenced as "Her Royal Highes," a misspelling of her Her Royal Highness (HRH) title. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The corrected statement said, "Her Royal Highness Princess Beatrice and Mr Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi are very pleased to announce that they are expecting their second child together early in the new year; a sibling for Wolfie and Sienna." "His Majesty The King has been informed and both families are delighted with the news," it continued. Her Royal Highness Princess Beatrice and Mr Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi are very pleased to announce that they are expecting their second child together early in the new year; a sibling for Wolfie and Sienna. His Majesty The King has been informed and both families are pic.twitter.com/wa5XddwMsJ The Royal Family (@RoyalFamily) October 1, 2024 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! The royal family will expand when Princess Beatrice's baby is born this year, and the child will likely inherit a title from Italy! Though Princess Beatrice and Edo's new baby is expected to enter the line of succession to the throne (11th), their kids don't have British royal titles from King Charles because they are not his grandchildren. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement However, because Edo descends from Italian aristocracy, his father previously told the Daily Mail that any of his children would be counts or nobile donna. Princess Beatrice, 36, and Edo, 40, are parents to daughter Sienna, 3, and Christopher Woolf, 8, his son from a previous relationship. Read the original article on People ROCKFORD, Ill. (WTVO) Rockford Public Schools (RPS) District 205 reassured migrant parents that students information is private and will not be given to anyone no matter where their family comes from or their immigration status on Wednesday. Here is what RPS 205 said parents need to know in a statement: We cant ask about a students immigration status. Your childs personal information, like enrollment, attendance, or class schedules, is private. We cannot and will not share this unless required by a court order specific to your child, or other very limited circumstances such as health or safety emergencies. Were here to support your childs learning, growth, and safety. You can count on us to protect access to education in a safe and caring environment. If you have questions or just need reassurance, please reach out to us via Lets Talk. Migrant advocates in Rockford issued warnings that the area will likely see greater activity from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) with the incoming Trump administration on January 17th. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We certainly know better what to expect with this incoming administration, and unfortunately, I think what were going to see is a lot of increased ICE activity in the Chicago area and, likely, the Rockford area, immigration lawyer Sara Dady said. Certainly, that puts people in a panic. Trump has promised to begin mass deportations on day one of his administration, beginning with migrants with criminal records. Tom Homan will be the federal governments border czar, who said his operation will reinstitute the Remain in Mexico policy, which forces people applying for asylum to wait in Mexico until its approved. Homan told Bradley the administration will detain and deport parents, even if their children are U.S. citizens. Homan has also indicated the Trump administration could bring back workplace raids, looking for people here illegally. 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. Secretary of State Marco Rubio will travel to Central America for his first trip as the top US diplomat. Rubio is expected to depart late next week for Panama, Guatemala, El Salvador, Costa Rica and the Dominican Republic, State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce said. The trip comes as President Donald Trump has made stemming migration to the United States a top priority and has enacted a slew of directives meant to crack down, including ordering thousands more troops to the US southern border. Trump has also expressed interest in the US taking back control of the Panama Canal. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Bruce said it was important to Rubio that Central America be his inaugural trip as secretary of state, one that should send a signal to the US and the world of the administrations priorities. The issue of migration, Bruce said, is an imperative one that is also connected to every other issue that were facing, and that every other country faces, which is safety, economic prosperity. You want people to be able to live in their own country and be safe there, and not have to flee to another one, she said, noting the need to work together to solve some issues. If were going to be safe and prosperous and in good shape, we have to have an interest in our neighbors and in todays world, its certainly, its South and Central America, Bruce added. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Tens of thousands of migrants from the three Northern Triangle countries that Rubio plans to visit Guatemala, El Salvador, and Honduras attempt to travel into the US each year. However, according to Customs and Border Protection data, the number of border encounters with people from these three countries dropped in 2024. Rubio is likely to discuss the Darien Gap in his meetings in Panama. The treacherous route between Central and South America has seen an uptick of migrants and has become a barometer of expected migration to the US. Last year, the US and Panamanian governments signed an agreement aiming to curb the passage of undocumented migrants on this route. Rubio also is expected to discuss economic and supply chain issues as another top priority of the trip. It is unclear whether he plans to raise the matter of control of the Panama Canal. On Wednesday, Panamas president Jose Raul Mulino said that everything that Trump has said about the Panama Canal is false. The Panama Canal is of Panamas country, he said. It is not a gift. CNNs Priscilla Alvarez contributed to this report. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com Secretary of State Marco Rubio is set to visit Panama the country whose canal President Donald Trump has suggested hed seize as early as next week, according to three U.S. officials briefed on the plan. The Rubio trip scheduled to run from late January to early February also includes Guatemala, El Salvador, Costa Rica and the Dominican Republic, the officials said. The trip is expected to be Rubios first foreign travel as secretary of State, said one former official who was also briefed on the plan. All were granted anonymity as they werent authorized to discuss travel plans publicly. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement All of the individuals also stressed that the travel plans are tentative. Late Wednesday, State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce confirmed the overall travel plan and said Rubio was choosing to prioritize the Western Hemisphere because "it's where we live." "We wont continue to ignore the region as other administrations have," Bruce said. "Engaging with our neighbors is a vital element in addressing migration, supply chains and economic growth, which are key to Secretary Rubios pursuit of foreign policy focused on making America strong, prosperous, and safe." Rubio is expected to use the travel to cover at least two issues at the top of MAGA foreign policy agenda: curtailing illegal migration and Trumps push to reclaim the Panama Canal, according to one of the current officials and the former official. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Panamanian officials have bristled at Trumps comments on the strategically important waterway. The Panama Canal belongs to Panama and will continue to belong to Panama, Panamas president, Jose Raul Mulino, said at the World Economic Forum in Davos this week. The Panama Canal is not a concession or a gift from the United States. Other countries Rubio plans to visit, including Guatemala and El Salvador, have also served as major waypoints for migrants trying to reach the U.S. southern border. In one of his first memos to State Department employees, Rubio called mass migration among the most consequential issues of our time and said that under his watch, the department would work with countries in the Western Hemisphere to curtail illegal immigration and negotiate the repatriation of illegal immigrants. Secretary of State Marco Rubio is traveling to Panama late next week in his first official diplomatic trip late, amid heightened tensions over President Trumps threats to retake the Panama Canal. Panama President Jose Raul Mulino has rejected Trumps accusations that the key trade route is being operated by China and lodged complaints with the United Nations over Trumps promises to retake the canal, which was handed over to the country in 1977. Trump has said he would not rule out force to take control of the strategic waterway and complained of unfair pricing for transiting American ships, both commercial and the military. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce told reporters Thursday that Rubios travel to Panama will be the start of a broader trip through Central America and the Caribbean. This includes Guatemala, El Salvador, Costa Rica and the Dominican Republic. While Rubios trip is likely to focus on curbing illegal immigration to the U.S. from these countries, the trip to Panama is a sign of the Trump administrations focus on expanding U.S. control beyond its borders. There is a reason why this is the first trip. It signals how serious he takes it, what its going to mean when it comes to his programs, and how it relates to his commitment to this nation, to address those issues that matter to him, and certainly the issues of the Trump agenda, Bruce told reporters, Reuters reported. Its about making sure that if were going to be safe and prosperous and in good shape, we have to have an interest in our neighbors and in todays world, its certainly its South and Central America. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Rubio, during his confirmation hearing last week, said theres a very legitimate issue with the Panama Canal, echoing criticism from Trump over Chinas influence, and said there could be a legal basis for arguing Panama had violated the terms of the 1977 treaty that established its control over the waterway. 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. China has invested heavily in Panama and manages two of five ports in the country. But China and Molino have pushed back on Trumps claims that any other country is in charge of the canal. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Canal has no control, direct or indirect, neither from China, nor from the European Community, nor from the United States or any other power. As a Panamanian, I strongly reject any manifestation that distorts this reality, Molino said in a statement last month. China does not take part in managing or operating the Canal. Never ever has China interfered. We respect Panamas sovereignty over the Canal and recognize it as a permanently neutral international waterway, Chinas Foreign Ministry wrote in a post on the social platform X. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. Secretary of State Marco Rubio will depart on his first foreign trip next week to visit countries in Central America and the Caribbean whose cooperation may be vital for carrying out the Trump administration's mass deportation plans, the State Department said on Thursday. Rubio is expected to journey to Panama, Guatemala, El Salvador, Costa Rica and the Dominican Republic, according to the department. PHOTO: U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio looks on as he meets with Indian External Affairs Minister Dr. Jaishankar, Australian Foreign Minister Wong, and Japanese Foreign Minister Takeshi at the State Department in Washington, Jan. 21, 2025. (Elizabeth Frantz/Reuters) MORE: Marco Rubio sworn in as secretary of state, pledges decisions to make America 'safer' and 'more prosperous' Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Trump administration's immigration crackdown is expected to be a major part of Rubio's agenda during the diplomatic mission. In a statement from the Pentagon released on Wednesday announcing that active-duty troops would be deployed to the southern border, acting Defense Secretary Robert Salesses said the State Department will be in charge of obtaining "the requisite diplomatic clearances and provide host-nation notification" for deportation flights. To accomplish that, Rubio is expected to encourage foreign governments to accept more of their deported nationals and, in some cases, take in deportees from other countries. Rubio has already said addressing irregular immigration will be a central focus of the State Department during the second Trump administration. In a statement issued Wednesday, Rubio said, "Our diplomatic relations with other countries, particularly in the Western Hemisphere, will prioritize securing America's borders, stopping illegal and destabilizing migration, and negotiating the repatriation of illegal immigrants." He also said the department will "no longer undertake any activities that facilitate or encourage mass migration." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In Panama, Rubio's engagements are likely to focus on the country's strategic waterway: the Panama Canal. President Donald Trump has voiced concerns about the canal's operations numerous times in recent weeks, claiming during his inaugural address that the Panamanian government has broken promises it made to maintain the waterway's neutrality when the United States agreed to turn over control of the canal in 1977. PHOTO: A general view shows cargo container ships transiting through Agua Clara Locks at the Panama Canal, on the outskirts of Panama City, Panama, April 11, 2024. (Aris Martinez/Reuters) PHOTO: A cargo ship sails underneath the Bridge of the Americas, which spans the entrance to the Panama Canal in Panama City, Panama, Jan. 22, 2025. (Aris Martinez/Reuters) MORE: Trump threatens land grabs of Panama Canal, Greenland, even by force. Can he?: ANALYSIS "The purpose of our deal and the spirit of our treaty has been totally violated. American ships are being severely overcharged and not treated fairly in any way," Trump said. "And above all, China is operating the Panama Canal." Trump has repeatedly said the U.S. should take back control of the canal, refusing to rule out using the U.S. military to do so. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While China does not actually operate the canal, Chinese-owned companies do operate the canals on either side of the waterway, and Beijing's strategic positioning has stoked bipartisan concern in the past. "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 during his confirmation hearing before the Senate earlier this month. PHOTO: A cargo ship traverses the Agua Clara Locks of the Panama Canal in Colon, Panama, Sept. 2, 2024. (Matias Delacroix/AP) Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "This is a legitimate issue that needs to be confronted," Rubio said, adding that he wasn't yet prepared to say whether Beijing has the ability to take effective control of the waterway. "It's something we're going to have to study very carefully," he said. "This is not a joke. The Panama Canal issue is a very serious one." Rubio has also voiced concerns about lax oversight allowing smuggled goods to be moved through the canal, and in 2022, he led a bipartisan group of senators in urging the government of Panama to investigate tankers accused of smuggling Iranian oil through the canal. During his confirmation hearing, Rubio also shared a positive review of Panamanian leaders. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "The Panamanian government, particularly its current officeholders, are very friendly to the United States and very cooperative," he said. "And we want that to continue." Rubio to visit Central America on 1st trip as top US diplomat originally appeared on abcnews.go.com WASHINGTON (AP) Secretary of State Marco Rubio will make his first official trip abroad next week to Central America, including a stop in Panama, which President Donald Trump has riled with talk of trying to reclaim the Panama Canal. Rubio, a former Florida senator who is the son of Cuban immigrants, will also visit El Salvador, Guatemala, Costa Rica and the Dominican Republic, department spokeswoman Tammy Bruce said Thursday. She said the destinations reflected his interest in the region and the importance of elevating ties with neighboring countries, particularly on combating illegal migration. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This is a serious approach by the secretary to deal with the issues that directly affect our ability to get this nation back on her feet and to deal with why there is such high migration," Bruce said. She said the trip signals something to those countries, it should signal something to Americans and to those who also said that America First was an isolationist argument. It is the opposite. While migration will be at the top of Rubio's agenda, the stop in Panama probably will draw the most attention because of Trump's repeated calls for the United States to retake control of the Panama Canal. Trump has accused Panama of reneging on commitments for the operation of the canal made to then-President Jimmy Carter when the U.S. ceded control of the vital waterway. Trump has often complained that China has take over canal operations, charges denied by Panamanian officials. Rubio is expected to depart late next week and return to Washington toward the end of the first week in February. A new rule from the Georgia Public Service Commission, who regulates the states utility companies like Georgia Power, will make it so data centers are charged a different rate than other customers. The rule was approved unanimously during a Thursday PSC meeting, making it so Georgia Power can protect ratepayers from cost shifting by charging the data centers separately. The docket in question was part of an interim Integrated Resource Plan from the power company that passed unanimously in April 2024, also adding extra capacity to the state power grid. [DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] According to the new rule approved by commissioners, any customers using more than 100 megawatts of energy can be billed beyond the standards of other customers in a bid to address risks associated with these large-load users. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The amount of energy these new industries consume is staggering, PSC Chairman Jason Shaw said in a statement. By approving this new rule, the PSC is helping ensure that existing Georgia Power customers will be spared additional costs associated with adding these large-load customers to the grid. PSC said in a statement that on top of site-specific costs, data centers would also have to pay for costs of upstream generation, transmission and distribution to large-load power users as data center construction moves forward. TRENDING STORIES: Our Commissions action today protects residential and small business customers from data center load financial impacts, PSC Vice Chairman Tim Echols said. We want to keep Georgia the best place to do business, but data centers will need to bear the cost of their electricity acquisition. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The commission said that the new rule was also just one of several actions they plan to take to protect Georgia ratepayers regarding data center energy needs. Currently, data solutions company LandGate said that several factors for how the state is powered contribute to the environment. Georgias power is primarily managed by Georgia Power, which ensures efficient, low cost, and renewable energy options through its provisions to balance costs and work towards sustainability, LandGate said in a recent publication. With projections showing an estimated tripling of energy demand by the end of this decade, strategic infrastructural upgrades are essential to ensure that demand is being met. Channel 2 Action News has covered plans for other data centers to be built in Henry, Fayette, Douglas, Coweta and Butts counties. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement LandGate said there are nearly 90 data centers in Georgia and at least 18 new ones on the way with another 10 planning expansions. According to LandGates data center analysis, Atlanta is a major hub for active, planned, and planned for expansion data centers in Georgia and part of that development was thanks to significant investments from industry giants like Microsoft, Meta, Amazon Web Services, and Google. Those locations include spots like Atlanta, Lithia Springs, Douglasville, Alpharetta and Suwanee, all spread out in various metro Atlanta area counties. The company also said within the metro area, 54% of data centers were in Fulton County, as far as which areas were top data center markets. [SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter] The Palisades Nuclear Plant sits on the shore of Lake Michigan, in Covert Township. (Courtesy: U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission) This coverage is made possible through a partnership between IPR and Grist, a nonprofit environmental media organization. The historic restart of a shuttered nuclear power plant is planned for later this year on the shores of Lake Michigan, and a northern Michigan energy cooperative is playing a major role. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Last fall, the former Biden administration finalized $1.3 billion in grants to two rural power cooperatives, as part of efforts to reopen the Palisades Nuclear Plant in southwest Michigans Covert Township. Of that, Wolverine Power Cooperative in Cadillac will receive about $650 million and Indiana-based Hoosier Energy will get $675 million as part of the U.S. Department of Agricultures Empowering Rural America program, which aims to help rural electric cooperatives transition to clean energy. The state of Michigan is also chipping in, allocating $300 million for the restart, which is expected to bring back 800 megawatts of power enough for some 800,000 homes. Wolverines agreement with the plants owner, Holtec International, means it will buy over half of that power. Nuclear history Palisades first opened in 1971 and shut down in May 2022, citing financial reasons. The revival of the plant, which had begun decommissioning, would be a first in United States history. Now Holtec, which bought the plant with plans to decommission it, wants to reopen it later this year. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The plant provided decades of work for those nearby, and the planned restart has garnered support from some, including local officials who say it will help the economy. But there are ongoing concerns from activists and people who live in the region about the environmental and health risks it could pose. Nuclear power also divides environmental groups and policymakers, though perhaps not presidential administrations. The Biden administration threw its weight behind nuclear and President Donald Trumps choice for energy secretary signaled support for nuclear in his confirmation hearings. Nominee Chris Wright, the executive of an oil and gas company, has a background in nuclear energy and has said he supports expanding it, along with geothermal energy and liquefied natural gas, though there may be resistance from others on Trumps team. Up North impact Covert Township, where Palisades is located, is hours south of northern Michigan. But Wolverine Power Cooperative officials in Cadillac say when they heard about the possibility of the plant reopening, they acted quickly. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We made a cold call to the owner of the power plant to say, Were here in Michigan. We have rural customers that need long term, stable, affordable, reliable [power], and want decarbonized power, Wolverine Chief Operating Officer Zach Anderson said during an interview with IPR in October. Wolverine is a generation cooperative, so it buys or creates electricity and then transmits that to members like northern Michigans Cherryland Electric Cooperative, to sell to customers. Anderson said the plants reopening could allow electric cooperatives to reach the states climate goals a decade ahead of time while maintaining steady prices. Nuclear power is considered clean energy under the states 2023 climate legislation, which requires a 100% clean energy standard by 2040. That doesnt prohibit utilities from operating fossil fuel power sources, but the power they sell to customers must be carbon free. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Palisades will allow us to meet that target sooner, Anderson said, helping the co-op provide all clean energy to its members by 2030. While the cooperative is obligated to help its member utilities meet state requirements, Anderson said Wolverine itself isnt required to do so, since its regulated by the feds, not the state. It also plans to continue operating seven natural gas plants and selling that energy back to the regional grid. Anderson said Palisades is a perfect fit for Wolverine, as a current nuclear contract with a different provider expires in 2028 and more fossil fuels are phased out. And it has substantial support. Democratic Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmers administration has backed the plant for years, and state officials wrote a letter to the Biden administration in support of funding the co-ops push for nuclear power. (Courtesy: Wolverine Energy Cooperative.) Push for nuclear Renewed interest in nuclear power comes amid increased demand for electricity from things like data centers and solar facilities and efforts to lower greenhouse gas emissions. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A common argument in its favor is that nuclear is necessary to supplement less reliable renewable energy coming from the sun and wind. Matthew Memmott, a professor of chemical engineering at Brigham Young University who studies nuclear energy, said states like Michigan need to have whats called baseload power plants which are always on and nuclear power is one way to meet that need and provide carbon-free energy. And the future of nuclear power could involve smaller reactors. According to the Department of Energy, small modular reactors, or SMRs, are central to developing more nuclear power; they have smaller footprints and can be built in more diverse locations. Holtec wants to build two in Michigan by 2031, adding another 600 megawatts of power. Pat OBrien, Holtecs director of government affairs and communications, said the company has begun preparations for the SMRs, including test borings and some land clearing. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We feel 2030 is realistic, provided funding is obtained, he wrote in an email to IPR. Allison Macfarlane is a professor at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver who directs its public policy school and chaired the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission from 2012 to 2014. She said the possibility of smaller reactors has generated much excitement. But ambitious timelines for SMR development seem unrealistic to her. For one, none are currently operating in the United States. And Macfarlane said taking them from design to production is a long and costly process. All of this takes time, and so I would imagine to really get anywhere with some of these reactors, certainly to the commercial level, youre looking at over a decade, probably two decades, she said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Still, the potential for such advancements has caught the attention of energy co-ops across the country, according to Memmott with Brigham Young University, because they could provide another option to buy power produced locally or regionally. The advantages to that are now you have distributed electricity generation, Memmott said. You dont have to overbuy these massive plants. You dont have to figure out how to shift electricity all around, which is kind of a complicated process. Divisive debate There are few energy issues more galvanizing than nuclear power. Palisades faced various problems when it was running. Federal regulators identified safety violations over the years. And it also dealt with shut downs, like in 2013, when it went offline for several weeks after leaking dozens of gallons of diluted radioactive water into Lake Michigan. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Kevin Kamps, a Kalamazoo-based radioactive waste specialist with the group Beyond Nuclear, doesnt agree with state laws or scientists calling nuclear power clean, and thinks the restart is ill advised. This is unprecedented risk taking that theyre talking about now. Theyve never done this before. Its not needed, he said. Renewables are really the way to go, not resurrecting very problematic nuclear power plants. Kamps said concerns around reliability can be addressed through investments in energy storage and energy efficiency, yet were going to waste vast amounts of public money on this Palisades restart scheme. He pointed to other researchers who have argued that nuclear power is a dangerous use of money and time, and that its possible for the world to run solely on sun, wind and water. Beyond Nuclear has been an outspoken critic of Holtec, and was part of a coalition that signed a letter to former U.S. Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm opposing the Palisades restart. Among longstanding concerns are radioactive contamination and nuclear waste storage. (At the Palisades site its currently stored in steel and concrete casks.) Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Along with worries over the plants infrastructure, Kamps said accidents at other sites show the risks of running nuclear plants, like the partial meltdown of Fermi I in Monroe County in 1966. Financial struggles contributed to shutdowns of nuclear plants in the U.S. in recent years, as things like natural gas production and wind expanded. Critics say nuclear is far too expensive to continue investing in. Others, like the public policy nonprofit the Mackinac Center have argued that costs associated with nuclear power are misunderstood and exacerbated by policy decisions. Some environmental groups, including representatives with Groundwork Center for Resilient Communities in Traverse City and Sierra Club Michigan, hold that the government should focus on things like expanding renewables and developing energy storage instead. Still, nuclear power made up a quarter of Michigans electric generation as of October, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, while renewable energy made up over 13%. Supporters of the restart say the Palisades plant will provide a steady source of carbon-free energy to supplement things like wind and solar. Macfarlane, the University of British Columbia professor, thinks nuclear will play a major role in the coming decades. Its really important. I mean, its a fifth of the of the nations electricity supply. I do understand some of the concerns, she said, but I think climate change just poses the bigger threat by far. We need to get off of fossil [fuels]. DTE Fermi 2 Power Plant | Susan J. Demas Whats next Before reopening Palisades, Holtec has to get approval from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, which must assess the facility, including its safety and infrastructure. As Michigan Public reported, regulators have called Holtecs timeline very, very demanding. For instance, inspectors are looking at issues with the plants steam generators, which might affect the timeline for the restart. We did tube inspections on those to ensure that theyre in good working condition for restart. We found some degradation in some of those tubes more than we anticipated, said Holtecs OBrien. So what we had to do there was come up with a repair plan, which they talked about at a recent public meeting. If Palisades didnt restart, Wolverine Cooperative wouldnt lose any money, but it would take longer to reach the 100% clean energy standard, said Anderson, the COO. We have a good head start on what we need to meet those long term objectives toward the members obligations, toward that 2040 goal, he said. Still, itll take a lot more solar to replace something like Palisades. Beyond Nuclear, meanwhile, has intervened in the NRCs licensing process for the restart. Kamps said if necessary, they will take the matter to federal court. Well fight it as long as we can, till the last opportunity, Kamps said. We feel that strongly about it. What happens under the Trump administration remains to be seen. But last year saw bipartisan support for legislation supporting nuclear power, according to Barry Rabe, a professor emeritus of environmental policy at the University of Michigan. Michigan has a long history of nuclear power, Rabe said, and the state government has become much more receptive in the last few years to sustain or expand nuclear, in large part because it is a non-carbon form of energy, even though it raises other environmental issues and concerns. More plants could reopen amid a resurgence of interest. And Rabe said this is one issue where the state could have substantial latitude and support from the federal government, possibly without major changes from the Biden years to the Trump years. By Michelle Nichols UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - Russia on Thursday reprimanded the head of the U.N. children's agency UNICEF for not providing a "weighty argument for her refusal" to brief the Security Council on children in Gaza - a meeting requested by Russia. Russia's U.N. Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia said UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell, an American, had briefed the 15-member council on children in Ukraine "at the drop of a hat" in December, during the U.S. presidency of the council. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "So it would appear that for UNICEF children in Gaza are less important than children in Ukraine," Nebenzia said. Russia invaded neighboring Ukraine in February 2022 and has been at war since then. The war in the Gaza Strip between Israel and Palestinian militants Hamas began in October 2023 and a ceasefire took effect on Sunday. "The refusal of UNICEF's head to brief the Security Council about the horrific tragedy linked to the death of tens of thousands of children in Gaza is a flagrant step, which deserves our most serious censure," Nebenzia told the council. Russell is at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland with a focus on addressing humanitarian crises and was unable to adjust her schedule to brief the Security Council, said a UNICEF spokesperson. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Ms. Russell had offered the Director of Emergencies to deliver her statement on her behalf," the UNICEF spokesperson said. "The UNICEF Executive Director has briefed the Security Council several times on the situation of children in Gaza and appreciates the council's focus on children impacted by war." The Security Council has met dozens of times to discuss the war in Gaza. Israel's armed and security forces, Hamas and Islamic Jihad militants, and Russia's armed forces are all on the U.N. global list of offenders for killing and maiming children. Nebenzia also accused Washington on Thursday of some responsibility for the deaths of children in Gaza after the U.S. used its council veto to shield Israel during the war. He also said the U.S. ignored Russian calls for a meeting on Gazan children in December. Acting U.S. Ambassador Dorothy Shea rejected Nebenzia's accusations. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "The idea that the United States is responsible for the terrible suffering there is just unacceptable to us and we reject it in its totality," she told the council. U.N. aid chief Tom Fletcher briefed the Security Council meeting on Thursday via video from Stockholm. He bluntly assessed the past 15 months of war in Gaza: "Children have been killed, starved, and frozen to death." "They have been maimed, orphaned, separated from their family. Conservative estimates indicate that over 17,000 children are without their families in Gaza," he said. "A generation has been traumatized." Under the ceasefire, the United Nations and others are carrying out a surge of humanitarian aid into Gaza. (Reporting by Michelle Nichols; Editing by Nia Williams) Russian forces launched a large-scale attack on Ukraine on the night of 22-23 January, using 92 attack drones, of which 57 were shot down by Ukrainian air defence. In addition, 27 decoy drones disappeared from radar, and 3 remained in the air. Source: Air Force on social media Details: Starting at 19:00 on 22 January, the Russians attacked Ukraine with 92 Shahed-type attack drones and various types of decoy drones from five directions: Millerovo, Oryol, Kursk, Bryansk and Primorsko-Akhtarsk (Russia). In addition, the Russians launched four Iskander-M/KN-23 ballistic missiles from Russias Voronezh Oblast and targeted the city of Zaporizhzhia. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The air attack was repelled by anti-aircraft missile troops, electronic warfare units, and mobile fire groups of the Ukrainian Air Force and defence forces. As of 09:30, the Air Force confirmed the downing of 57 Shahed and other attack drones in Poltava, Sumy, Kharkiv, Chernihiv, Mykolaiv, Kherson, Zaporizhzhia and Dnipropetrovsk oblasts. 27 decoy drones disappeared from radar (without any negative aftermath). Three drones remain in the air. Quote: "Unfortunately, the city of Zaporizhzhia was attacked by enemy ballistic missiles, leaving one person dead and several more wounded. Companies, institutions, apartment blocks, and homes were all damaged or destroyed. Special services are dealing with the consequences and providing assistance to the people. Kharkiv Oblast was also affected by the fall of downed enemy drones." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Background: On the morning of 23 January, the Russians attacked Zaporizhzhia, with at least four explosions reported. One man was killed in the attack, while 24 people were injured, including a two-month-old baby. Support UP or become our patron! The Russians attacked Zaporizhzhia again at dawn on 23 January, with at least four explosions reported. One man was killed in the attack, while 45 people were injured, including a two-month-old baby. Source: Suspilne Zaporizhzhia; Ivan Fedorov, Head of Zaporizhzhia Oblast Military Administration Details: Suspilne reported explosions in Zaporizhzhia at 04:00, followed by repeated blasts at 04:09. Fedorov later wrote on Telegram about the explosions in Zaporizhzhia Oblast. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Prior to that, he reported the threat of ballistic missile attacks on the region. Quote from Fedorov: "The enemy is striking the city again. At least four explosions took place in Zaporizhzhia. There are reports of casualties. Reports indicate that there are people under the rubble." Update: Later, Fedorov reported that four employees of the State Emergency Service were among the injured and had been taken to hospital. Fedorov said that 10 people had been injured in another Russian attack on Zaporizhzhia. In addition, the strike damaged residential buildings in the city. The blast wave smashed windows and damaged the roof. The aftermath of the Russian attack on Zaporizhzhia on the morning of 23 January. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Photo: Zaporizhzhia Oblast Military Administration After 05:00, Fedorov said that the number of people affected by the attack had increased to 16. Fedorov reported that five of the injured are in a serious condition. Doctors have assessed the condition of five more people to be moderate, including two State Emergency Service staff. Fedorov also said that a two-month-old baby was among those hurt in the Russian strike. The aftermath of the Russian attack on Zaporizhzhia on the morning of 23 January. Photo: Zaporizhzhia Oblast Military Administration The aftermath of the Russian attack on Zaporizhzhia on the morning of 23 January. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Photo: Zaporizhzhia Oblast Military Administration Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The aftermath of the Russian attack on Zaporizhzhia on the morning of 23 January. Photo: Zaporizhzhia Oblast Military Administration After 06:00, Fedorov reported that the Russian missile attack on Zaporizhzhia had claimed one life, killing a 47-year-old man. Updated: At 07:30, Fedorov reported that the number of injured had increased to 24 people. At 11:30, it was reported that at least 45 residents were affected by the attack. "People continue to seek medical care after the enemys overnight attack" Fedorov stated. Background: On the evening of 22 January, the Russian military attacked Zaporizhzhia, causing a fire. Support UP or become our patron! European Union leaders are warning that Russia could test the bloc's readiness to defend itself within the next three to five years, calling for an increase in defense budgets and deepen military cooperation among member states. Speaking at a European Defense Agency meeting on Jan. 22, EU's chief diplomat Kaja Kallas stressed that the bloc must act decisively to counter Russia's growing militarization, with President Vladimir Putin allocating over one-third of his national budget to military spending three times what it was before the invasion of Ukraine. "This is a heavily militarized country that presents an existential threat to us all," Kallas warned, citing intelligence reports suggesting that Russia is preparing for further provocations. "We are running out of time. The Ukrainians are fighting for their freedom and ours. They are buying us time." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius echoes Kallas' concerns. Speaking with journalists in Lithuania, he has cautioned that Russia could be capable of attacking NATO territory within the next five to six years due to its rapid military industrialization. "By 2029 or 2030, Putin could strengthen his army to the point where Russia would be capable of striking NATO," Pistorius said, according to Delfi. The minister also highlighted that Russia now produces more weapons and ammunition in months than the entire EU manufactures in a year. The EU is expected to manufacture around two million artillery shells in 2025, commissioner for defense and space told Ukrainian journalists in late 2024, adding that Europe is unlikely to ramp up weapons and ammunition production for Ukraine in the coming years. The EU has already committed over 130 billion euros in support to Ukraine, including nearly 50 billion euros in military aid. Member states have also trained 75,000 Ukrainian soldiers and imposed extensive sanctions on Russia. However, EU's chief diplomat is adamant that more needs to be done. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Russia is spending 9% of its GDP on defense, while EU member states collectively average only 1.9%. This sends a dangerous signal to the aggressor. Weakness invites them in," EU's top diplomat noted. To address these challenges, the EU is drafting a Preparedness Strategy that emphasizes stronger defense integration without forming a single European army. Instead, the plan focuses on enabling 27 capable national armies to work cohesively. "We need investment from member states, the private sector, and the common EU budget. We must relay a message that we are serious about our commitment to European defense," Kallas said, highlighting the urgency of increasing production capabilities for weapons and military equipment. "Ukraine is Europes front line for defense," Kallas said, adding that Russias military aggression has already been accompanied by hybrid warfare tactics, including cyberattacks, election interference, and sabotage across Europe. "We need more, faster, and stronger support for Ukraine because the only language the Kremlin understands is the language of strength." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While Russias limited territorial gains in Ukraine have come at a high cost to its military and economy, EU leaders must remain cautious. "Russia is not invincible, but neither is time on our side. We must prepare for the worst while striving for peace through strength." Read also: In photos: Grinding war in Donetsk Oblast through the lens of photojournalist-turned-soldier Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier has warned that Ukraine's cultural heritage is being destroyed by Russia's war. "Russia's bloody war of aggression is also a war against Ukrainian culture," Steinmeier said Thursday at the opening of an exhibition of Ukrainian art at the Gemaldegalerie museum in Berlin. The exhibition makes this clear, he said. "In countless Ukrainian cities, historical monuments have been and continue to be damaged, cultural institutions destroyed and works of art stolen in this war," Steinmeier added. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Attacks on museums, theatres, operas and libraries are aimed at erasing Ukraine's "cultural memory," he charged in the speech. Almost three years after Russia launched its full-scale invasion, works from the Odessa Museum of Western and Eastern Art that were saved are on show in Berlin. The exhibition "From Odessa to Berlin" features 60 paintings from the southern Ukrainian port city from the 16th to 19th century. The exhibition is set up so the Ukrainian art engages in a dialogue with works from Berlin collections. The works from Odessa came to Berlin in September 2023 and were restored. The exhibition is sponsored by the office of Claudia Roth, the Federal Government Commissioner for Culture and the Media, and will run until June before moving on to Kurpfalzisches Museum in Heidelberg. By Andrey Sychev BERLIN (Reuters) - Fact-checking firm Newsguard and German investigative outlet Correctiv said on Thursday they had identified a cluster of Russia-linked websites that were spreading false stories in an apparent bid to sway Germany's national election in February. A joint analysis by the two organisations added they had identified links between the 102 websites and John Mark Dougan, a former U.S. police officer now living in exile in Russia. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Describing the sites as "Dougan's network", the report said the sites, some bearing names of famous defunct German media brands, were filled with AI-generated content. NewsGuard said it had evidence that Dougan was part of an influence operation involving Russia's GRU military intelligence. Reached by Reuters for comment, Dougan denied any link to the websites. Dougan, who has been accused of carrying out similar disinformation campaigns against the U.S. in the past, told Reuters he had nothing to do with Russian intelligence and took no money from it. He accused NewsGuard of trying to blame him for spreading false information on behalf of Russia. The analysis quoted Dougan as telling NewsGuard he found the Russian government to be useless bureaucrats "who never get anything done. So, I dont know why everyone thinks I work for them: I dont. And I wouldnt have that kind of patience. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Russian embassy in Germany did not immediately respond for a request to comment sent outside of business hours. Russia has consistently denied involvement in disinformation campaigns against the West. The sites, all similar-looking and cheaply designed, published articles containing false information about German politicians who hold pro-NATO and pro-Ukraine stances, in particular the Greens, a party known for its staunch support of Ukraine and support for the green transition. The sites also spread content favourable to politicians and parties taking more nationalist and Russia-friendly stands, like the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD). The German Foreign Ministry and domestic intelligence agency told NewsGuard they were monitoring the campaign, which they said had the potential to weaken trust in state institutions. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The U.S. authorities in July disclosed a similar Russian disinformation campaign involving hundreds of AI-enhanced fake social media accounts used to influence voters before the elections. (Reporting by Andrey Sychev, editing by Thomas Escritt, William Maclean) I first visited the looted museums of Kherson, a city in southern Ukraine, in May 2024. At the time, my team at the Kyiv Independents War Crimes Investigations Unit and I were beginning an investigation into the illegal export of artifacts from Kherson to occupied Crimea by Russian forces amid the full-scale war. Over 33,000 works of art and historical artifacts had been stolen from local museums in the fall of 2022, just before the city was liberated from Russian occupation by the Ukrainian military. I went to Kherson thinking that I had already seen so much horror, human tragedy, and pain during two years of the full-scale invasion that I could hardly be affected by the sight of looted museum halls. But when I entered the local history museum, for a few minutes, everything inside me went numb. The large exhibition halls were completely empty, and the display cases that once housed artifacts from the Scythians, Goths, Romans, and Greeks were shattered. The museum director led me to a hall that had been especially significant to the staff and guests. This separate room had displayed gold jewelry from the Scythians and Sarmatians, peoples who inhabited Ukrainian lands thousands of years ago. All that remained of these treasures were the text descriptions on the display cases. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ive known about the Scythians since childhood. I was born and raised in Ukraines Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, home to the most famous Scythian burial mounds. These ancient graves of a nomadic people have yielded unique gold jewelry and household items through centuries of excavation. In the 20th century, one of these mounds revealed the legendary Golden Pectoral, an ornate decoration belonging to a Scythian aristocrat, which became one of Ukraines most renowned treasures. I learned about their culture and history in local history lessons at school. After Khersons liberation, a guard at the local history museum told reporters that Russian forces hadnt just taken valuables they had stolen the Ukrainian soul. The moment I first saw the looted halls, I understood exactly what he meant. I felt as though they had taken part of my Ukrainian identity too. "After Khersons liberation, a guard at the local history museum told reporters that Russian forces hadnt just taken valuables they had stolen the Ukrainian soul." Systematic attacks on Ukrainian culture have been part of Russian state policy since czarist times. In the early 20th century, this practice was adopted by the Bolsheviks, and in the 21st century, it continues with modern Russia. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For instance, journalists from Ukrainian outlet Texty analyzed electronic catalogs of two major Russian museums the Hermitage and the State Historical Museum and found over 110,000 items in their collections that originated from modern Ukraine. Many artifacts lack detailed information about their origins, such as the archaeological site or place of discovery. To confirm these items ties to Ukraine, journalists conducted additional research. These artifacts were appropriated during both the Russian Empire and Soviet times. Russia hasnt just looted Ukrainian cultural artifacts; it has also physically eliminated Ukrainian intelligentsia. In the 1920s and 1930s, Soviet dictator Joseph Stalins regime destroyed an entire generation of Ukrainian artists painters, writers, and directors later called the Executed Renaissance. I have no doubt these actions aim to erase Ukrainian identity. And I know from personal experience how this works. I am a Ukrainian who grew up in a Russified region. Both my grandmothers were born in Ukrainian-speaking families, but my first words were in Russian. As a child, I received New Years gifts from Father Frost, a character invented by Soviet propaganda, instead of Saint Nicholas, as my ancestors had. I went to school in independent Ukraine, but in music lessons, we sang Soviet songs, like those about Mykola Shchors, a Bolshevik military commander. At the same time, I knew nothing about Mykola Leontovych, the Ukrainian composer who wrote the world-famous Carol of the Bells. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I became interested in Ukrainian literature during my student years. That interest expanded to Ukrainian art, especially cinema. I began attending exhibitions of Ukrainian artists and performances by Ukrainian theater directors. Eventually, I abandoned the Russian language entirely. Now, my family and I are reviving Ukrainian traditions. This year, for the first time, I replaced the traditional Christmas tree with a didukh, a Ukrainian Christmas decoration made of wheat. Still, I am on a journey to rediscover my culture and history like millions of other Ukrainians. The more we return to our roots, the harder Russia hits. It loots museums, destroys architectural monuments, and Russifies Ukrainian children in Russian-occupied territories. Its goal is clear: to erase everything Ukrainian and turn the Ukrainian state into a colony once again. Editors Note: The opinions expressed in the op-ed section are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Kyiv Independent. Submit an Opinion Read also: Ukraine is failing the mobilization test Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. MOSCOW (Reuters) - The Kremlin said on Thursday it saw nothing particularly new in a threat by U.S. President Donald Trump to hit Russia with new sanctions and tariffs if it did not agree to end the war in Ukraine. Referring to Russia and the war, Trump said on Wednesday: "If we don't make a 'deal,' and soon, I have no other choice but to put high levels of Taxes, Tariffs, and Sanctions on anything being sold by Russia to the United States, and various other participating countries." Trump said he would be doing a very big favour to Russia and Putin by getting them to bring an end to what he called "this ridiculous war". Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Asked about Trump's comments, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Trump had often applied sanctions against Russia in his first term as president. "We do not see any particularly new elements here," Peskov told reporters. "He likes these methods, at least he liked them during his first presidency." Moscow was closely monitoring all Trump's statements, said Peskov. "We carefully record all the nuances. We remain ready for dialogue, President Putin has repeatedly spoken about this - for equal dialogue, for mutually respectful dialogue." Trump, who earlier this week said the Ukraine conflict was "destroying" Russia, has said he plans to speak to Putin soon. Peskov said Moscow was still waiting for "signals" from the U.S. side. (Reporting by Dmitry Antonov; Writing by Anastasia Teterevleva and Mark Trevelyan; Editing by Andrew Osborn) Russia is "very closely monitoring all the rhetoric" from Washington, a Kremlin spokesperson said, after President Donald Trump threatened to impose new sanctions unless Russia ends its war against Ukraine. "We don't see any new elements here," Dimitry Peskov, the spokesperson, said on Thursday. He added, "You know that in his first iteration of the presidency, Trump was the president of America who most often resorted to sanctions methods. He likes these methods. At least he liked them during his first presidency." PHOTO: In this pool photograph distributed by the Russian state agency Sputnik, Russia's President Vladimir Putin chairs a videoconference meeting on economic issues at the Novo-Ogaryovo residence, outside Moscow, on Jan. 22, 2025. (Gavriil Grigorov/POOL/AFP via Getty Images) MORE: Trump demands Putin 'make a deal' now to end war in Ukraine Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The comments came the morning after Trump's social media message to Russian President Vladimir Putin, calling on him to make a deal to "settle" Russia's war in Ukraine. "It's time to 'MAKE A DEAL.' NO MORE LIVES SHOULD BE LOST!!!" Trump wrote in a new social media post. PHOTO: The Kremlin and the Moscow River are seen before dawn in Moscow, Russia, Tuesday, Jan. 21, 2025. (Alexander Zemlianichenko/AP) MORE: After charm offensive, Ukraine braces for Trump's return Peskov on Thursday said financial actions against Russian assets held in the West would not go unanswered. "We are very closely monitoring all the rhetoric, all the statements, we carefully record all the nuances," he said. ABC News' Joe Simonetti contributed to this report. Russia 'very closely' monitoring Trump's sanctions threats, Kremlin says originally appeared on abcnews.go.com Russian attacks across Ukraine killed at least two people and injured at least 46 over the past day, including an infant, regional authorities reported on Jan. 23. Moscows forces launched 92 Shahed-type attack drones and decoy drones against Ukraine overnight, as well as four Iskander-M or North Korean KN-23 ballistic missiles fired against Zaporizhzhia, according to the Air Force. Ukrainian air defenses shot down 57 drones, while 27 were lost in the airspace without inflicting damage, the Air Force said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Russia launched drones and missiles against the city of Zaporizhzhia overnight, killing a 47-year-old man and injuring at least 31 people, Governor Ivan Fedorov reported. Twenty-two of the injured are hospitalized and are in a condition of medium severity. Among them is a two-month old baby, Fedorov said. The injured victims also included members of the State Emergency Service. One apartment building was destroyed and 30 were damaged in the city, in addition to damaged houses and non-residential buildings. A Russian airstrike against the city of Kostiantynivka in Donetsk Oblast killed one civilian and injured eight, Governor Vadym Filashkin reported. Fourteen houses, eight apartment buildings, and dozens of other buildings, infrastructure facilities, and cars were damaged. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In Kherson Oblast, seven people were injured in Russian attacks, according to Governor Oleksandr Prokudin. Twelve houses were damaged in the strikes. Read also: Ukraine war latest: Ukraines Special Forces say they killed 21 North Korean soldiers, show combat footage Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. A Russian cargo ship supposed to evacuate Russian military equipment from Russia's Tartus naval base in Syria has finally docked after spending weeks drifting in the Mediterranean, MarineTraffic data showed on Jan. 22. The Sparta II, a Russian cargo ship under U.S. sanctions, had been drifting near Tartus since Jan. 5 after leaving Baltiysk in Kaliningrad Oblast on Dec. 11. Following the December overthrow of Russian-backed dictator Bashar al-Assad by rebel forces, the new Syrian authorities refused to grant entry to the ship. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Reports indicate that Russian forces have dismantled air defense radars and moved over 100 trucks of equipment to the port, but without access for Russian ships, personnel and equipment had been left stranded. The Insider reported on Jan. 21 that Syrian authorities had finally granted permission for the ship to dock, and MarineTraffic data shows it moored at Tartus as of Jan. 23. A circle marks the postion of the Sparta II on Jan. 23 as shown on MarineTraffic.com (MarineTraffic) But while Russia may now be able to evacuate some of its personnel and equipment, the Kremlin's long term presence at the Mediterranean port was thrown into doubt earlier this week when Syria canceled Russia's 49-year operating lease for Tartus. The contract, signed in 2019, had committed Moscow to invest at least $500 million in modernizing the port. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement With the agreement now void, all revenues from the port's operations will go directly to the Syrian state, and its management will revert to local authorities. Ukraine's Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha addressed Russias military presence in Syria during a Dec. 30 diplomatic visit to Damascus. According to Ukrainian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Heorhii Tykhyi, Ukraine and the new Syrian leadership share similar views on the matter, though specific details were not disclosed. Read also: Prigozhins Wagner Group accused of plotting attacks on Chevron, cooperating with Al Qaeda, leaked emails show Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. (Bloomberg) -- A chunk of Russias oil tanker fleet is being forced to change the flag they sail under as US and UK sanctions heap pressure on Moscows shipping network. Most Read from Bloomberg The Barbados ship registry said that by the end of the month it will have asked a total of 46 ships to remove the countrys flag as a result of UK sanctions. Fourteen of these are also sanctioned by the US. Separately, Panamas ship registry said earlier this month that it had begun to de-list 68 vessels that were sanctioned by the US. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Though all of the ships will likely find new flags, many vessels that serve Moscows interest have repeatedly had to switch to unusual service providers since the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Thats a sign of the disruptive impact sanctions can have on the sprawling logistics operation that helps keep Russias oil flowing and war machine running. The latest moves follow the most sweeping sanctions on Russias exports to date earlier this month. Sailing under the flag of Barbados had been a coup for Russian shipping as its one of the worlds more reputable vessel-registration nations. Flag states play a key role in ensuring maritime safety standards, and Russia has often had to turn to less well-known nations in the industry when it has lost access to blue-chip services. Still, Giovanni Ciniglio, the chief executive officer of the London-based Barbados Maritime Ship Registry, said the country has no sanctions against Russia but follows UK rules due to the good relationship between the two nations. As a result, Barbados wont remove vessels sailing under its flag that were sanctioned by the US unless they are also sanctioned by the UK. Some of the Barbados ships have already been re-registered with other nations including Tanzania and Sao Tome and Principe, according to the Equasis marine database. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For its part, Panama said it had begun to cancel the 68 vessels after it passed a rule late last year that aligned the country with US, European Union, UK and United Nations sanctions. Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2025 Bloomberg L.P. Part of Russia's oil tanker fleet has been forced to change the flag under which they fly, as US and UK sanctions exert pressure on Moscow's shipping network. Source: Bloomberg Details: The Barbados Ship Registry announced that by the end of the month, it will request 46 vessels to remove the country's flag due to UK sanctions, with 14 of these vessels also being subject to US sanctions. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Additionally, earlier this month, Panama's ship registry revealed that it had begun delisting 68 vessels under US sanctions. Although all ships are expected to find new flags, many vessels serving Moscows interests have been repeatedly forced to switch to unconventional service providers since 2022. This highlights the disruptive impact of sanctions on Russia's extensive logistics system, which supports its oil flows and military operations. These latest actions follow the most extensive sanctions imposed on Russian exports earlier this month. Flying under the Barbados flag had been a significant achievement for Russian shipping, as Barbados is one of the most reputable countries for ship registration globally. Background: Russian oil companies have faced new challenges in the Indian market, which had significantly increased purchases of Russian barrels after the start of the full-scale war, becoming Russia's second-largest oil importer after China. Meanwhile, transportation costs for Russias ESPO crude oil to China have skyrocketed, reaching nearly a fivefold increase compared to pre-sanctions levels following the latest US sanctions on Russia. Support UP or become our patron! The Bureau of Economic Security has sent to court an indictment against sanctioned Russian oligarch Mikhail Shelkov, who, together with his accomplices, secretly supplied almost UAH 90 million (about US$2.1 million) worth of Ukrainian titanium products to Russia. Source: Economic Security Bureau of Ukraine Details: The titanium concentrates were supplied to a company registered in Austria, although they were actually transported immediately to Russian companies. Moreover, the products were exported at reduced prices. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement These companies are involved in the manufacture of weapons for the needs of the Russian forces and in the creation of strategic reserves. The Ukrainian plant from which the products were sold to Russia is owned by the state. Background: Russian oligarch Shelkov has owned the mining and processing plant since 2012. The company is one of the world's largest titanium producers and was part of the Russian state corporation Rostec. In July 2024, the Economic Security Bureau of Ukraine found that Shelkov had created a criminal organised group. The group included the former director of Demurinskyi Mining and Processing Plant, a beneficiary and director of an Austrian company. Shelkov and one of the plant's top managers were notified of suspicion. In the autumn of 2024, the High Anti-Corruption Court of Ukraine partially upheld the Ministry of Justice's claim to impose sanctions on Shelkov, seizing some of his assets. Support UP or become our patron! The News British warships confronted a Russian spy ship, raising concerns of attacks on undersea cables and of growing escalation in UK waters. The British defense minister said the Yantar had been mapping the UKs critical underwater infrastructure and that two surface ships and a submarine had warned it away. Chinese- and Russian-linked ships have been accused of attacks on data cables and pipelines in the Baltic Sea and off Taiwan in recent months, and improved mapping of those cables would make such attacks easier. The minister said that Britain had changed its rules of naval engagement, allowing warships closer to suspicious vessels: NATO has also stepped up surveillance of marine infrastructure to protect against sabotage. The British navy said Wednesday that it is ramping up measures to protect its waters from secret Russian operations after identifying a Russian spy vessel in UK waters for the second time in weeks. The Russian spy ship, called Yantar, sailed through the English Channel this week, according to the Ministry of Defence (MoD). As it sailed through the Channel, it was flanked by HMS Somerset, the ministry said. The Yantar had first entered British waters in November and loitered over critical undersea infrastructure, it said, adding that after receiving a warning from a British submarine, it left the UK for the Mediterranean but has since returned. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Concerns of Russian sabotage in international waters are growing, amid Russias war in Ukraine and a string of other incidents in the Baltic Sea. British Defence Secretary John Healey said the UK was strengthening its protection of cables and other offshore infrastructure in the Baltic Sea, providing maritime patrol and surveillance aircraft to aid NATOs efforts. My message to (Russian) President (Vladimir) Putin is clear. We know what you are doing, and we will not shy away from robust action to protect Britain, Healey said Wednesday. It will deploy an advanced AI system, known as Nordic Warden, for the same purpose, Healey said. This was announced by the British government following damage to the Estlink2 undersea cable between Estonia and Finland in December. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Alongside our Joint Expeditionary Force and NATO allies, we are strengthening our response to ensure that Russian ships and aircraft cannot operate in secrecy near UK or NATO territory. We will continue to call out the malign activity that Putin directs, cracking down on the Russian shadow fleet to prevent funding for his illegal invasion of Ukraine. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov declined to comment on the UKs statement during a briefing with journalists on Thursday. Asked about the claim that Yantar sailed through the English Channel this week, Peskov said he was not really familiar with the subject without elaborating further. CNNs Rob Picheta and Anna Chernova contributed to this report. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com The DeepState analytical project reports that the defensive operation in the settlement of Novovasylivka, Donetsk Oblast, has ended, as the village has been occupied by the Russians. Source: DeepState on social media Details: The project indicates that after occupying Novovasylivka, Russian forces continued their assaults on the nearby village of Uspenivka. map: DeepState DeepState noted that the 59th Separate Motorised Infantry Brigade endured over a month of severe conditions, with the last two weeks spent entirely encircled, holding back nearly an entire Russian division near Novovasylivka. To reinforce their offensive, Russia deployed an additional special forces battalion and groups from a GRU (Russian Main Intelligence Directorate) brigade. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Quote: "The staffing level of each enemy unit was at 92%. For reference, one of the regiments underwent replenishment in Avdiivka and restored all losses within ten days." More details: The authors of the project pointed out that the defence forces managed to hold off the Russians in Novovasylivka, buying valuable time. Unfortunately, Ukraine's defence forces have also suffered significant fatalities, but the Russian losses are much higher. Support UP or become our patron! Russian forces in Donetsk Oblast have executed six Ukrainian servicemen who had been taken prisoner. Law enforcement has initiated an investigation. Source: Ukrainian Prosecutor General's Office on Telegram Quote: "Early reports indicate that during an assault on Ukrainian military positions in Donetsk Oblast, Russian forces captured six Ukrainian defence forces servicemen and later executed them. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The execution of prisoners of war is a serious violation of the Geneva Convention and constitutes a grave international crime. Investigations are ongoing to establish the full details of the crime and identify those responsible." Details: Law enforcement has launched a pre-trial investigation into the war crime that led to the deaths of individuals (Article 438.2 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine). Background: The Ukrainian Prosecutor General's Office states that the number of executions of Ukrainian prisoners of war is increasing every month. In October and November 2024, 13 criminal cases were registered concerning the execution of 54 Ukrainian prisoners of war, which is a third of all such proceedings in 2024. In November 2024, Russians stripped and shot Ukrainian prisoners of war on the Pokrovsk front in Donetsk Oblast. Russian forces executed five Ukrainian prisoners of war near the village of Novodarivka in the Polohy district of Zaporizhzhia Oblast. Criminal proceedings were launched to investigate the incident. Russian forces captured and executed six Ukrainian military servicemen during the week beginning 23 October 2024. Support UP or become our patron! The Russians probably set fire to a collector pipe near Chasiv Yar that held about 100 of their dead soldiers in order to conceal their heavy casualties from a recent attack by Ukraine's defence forces and to prevent the bodies from being recovered. Source: Dmytro Zaporozhets, spokesperson for Operational Tactical Unit (OTU) Luhansk, in an interview with Ukrainska Pravda Details: He said that Ukraines defence forces recorded Russian activity near the pipes of the Siverskyi Donets canal from 4 to 8 January. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Quote from Zaporozhets: "The enemy took advantage of the weather circumstances, which included dense fog and poor vision, to sneak through the pipes to a trench near Kalynivka, close to Chasiv Yar. Over the course of four days, the movement of over 100 occupiers was recorded. According to available information, they established themselves in the collector for future assaults on Chasiv Yar." Details: He added that an airstrike was carried out on the location where the Russians were gathered on 9 January. , . "" pic.twitter.com/6V8Q34npku (@ukrpravda_news) January 23, 2025 Quote: "As a result, the enemy possibly lost up to 100 soldiers. For two days following the strike, there was no movement near the pipes or the collector. On 21 January, the occupiers set fire to the collector, likely to conceal the loss of so many troops and prevent evacuation operations. The flames and smoke lasted over five hours," Zaporozhets said. Support UP or become our patron! Purdue Pharma, the makers and marketers of the highly addictive opioid OxyContin, and the family that owned the company, the Sackler family, have agreed to pay $7.4 billion to individuals, states, local governments and other claimants who suffered as a result of the drug, for their instrumental role in creating the opioid crisis. The new settlement was announced on Thursday by 15 state attorney generals, including New York Attorney General Letitia James, just seven months after the U.S. Supreme Court struck down a previous settlement deal. If approved, Purdue Pharma will contribute $900 million upfront while the Sackler family pays $6.5 billion over the next 15 years a $500 million increase from the previous settlement. OxyContin, the highly addictive prescription opioid, was marketed and manufactured by Purdue Pharma in the mid to late 1990s (REUTERS) Unlike the prior settlement, the new deal will not include a provision that protects the Sackler family from civil litigation a point of contention that the Supreme Court said violated bankruptcy law. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement However, they will be permitted to set aside up to $800 million in a separate account that can only be used to fight legal cases, the New York Times reported. The Sackler family relentlessly pursued profit at the expense of vulnerable patients, and played a critical role in starting and fueling the opioid epidemic, James said in a press release. While no amount of money will ever fully repair the damage they caused, this massive influx of funds will bring resources to communities in need so that we can heal, she added. If approved, the settlement will end the Sacklers control of Purdue Pharma and prevent them from selling opioids in the U.S. Funding will directly support opioid addiction treatment, prevention and recovery programs across the country for the next 15 years. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We are extremely pleased that a new agreement has been reached that will deliver billions of dollars to compensate victims, abate the opioid crisis, and deliver treatment and overdose rescue medicines that will save lives, Purdue Pharma said in a statement to The Independent. We have worked intensely with our creditors for months in mediation, and we are now focused on finalizing the details of a new Plan of Reorganization, which we look forward to presenting to the bankruptcy court. The Supreme Court overturned the settlement and bankruptcy deal the Sackler family had struck with Purdue Pharma last year (Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.) Millions of people in the U.S. have been impacted by the opioid epidemic. Between 1999 and 2021, more than 280,000 people died of overdoses involving prescription opioids, according to the CDC. In 2021 alone, the number of deaths involving prescription opioids was five times the number it was in 1999. Purdue Pharma introduced 10mg prescriptions of OxyContin in 1996 and marketed it as a nonaddictive drug to treat daily pain. In 2000, the company introduced a 160mg tablet now discontinued. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Deaths related to prescription opioids began to rise in the late 1990s into the 2000s. By the 2010s they had skyrocketed with increasing overdoses related to cheaper opioid alternatives like heroin. In 2007, Purdue pled guilty to felony charges of misbranding the drug including its risk for addiction and agreed to pay $600m in fines. Over the next few years, lawsuits seeking damages began flooding Purdue Pharma and the Sacklers from victims, states, local governments, Native American tribes and more. (FOX40.COM) A Sacramento man was arrested on Wednesday as a suspect in the death of his 3-month-old son in August, according to the Sacramento County Sheriffs Office. On Aug. 29, 2024, the 23-year-old man called 911 to report that his son had died while he was rocking him to sleep. Deputies with the Sacramento County Sheriffs Office and fire personnel responded to the home and provided medical care. The baby was taken to the hospital but died shortly after arriving. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Child abuse investigators interviewed the family, including the father, who were all cooperating with law enforcement. The sheriffs office said, nothing initially seemed out of the ordinary or suspicious. Man convicted in killings, attempted killings of Sacramentos unhoused sentenced An autopsy of the baby by the Sacramento County Coroners Office found that the baby showed signs of significant head trauma and traumatic brain injury. The babys death was ruled a homicide and further investigation into witness testimony and evidence led law enforcement to secure an arrest warrant for the 23-year-old father. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On Wednesday, the man was arrested and booked into the Sacramento County Jail where he is facing charges of murder and assault of a child under eight, resulting in death. He is being held without the possibility of bail and will appear in court on Friday. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. SAG-AFTRA has tentatively reached a new four-year deal with Telemundo Television Studios covering Spanish-language TV performers. Though negotiations didnt begin on a new contract until early December, if approved, this agreement will cover the contract period from October 1, 2024 to September 30, 2028, the guild announced Thursday. More from Deadline Details of the agreement are not yet available, though SAG-AFTRA says it plans to reveal more following a review by the unions National Board. Deadline will update this post when those details are available. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The deal must also be ratified by members. This was a crucial and productive negotiation, and Im grateful to my fellow negotiating committee members and our staff for their dedicated work in securing this deal, SAG-AFTRA Negotiating Committee Chair Carmen Olivares said in a statement. Its an honor to serve my fellow Spanish-language television performers, and Im proud to be able to secure these new terms on their behalf. Telemundo is the largest employer of Spanish-language talent in the United States. The networks performers moved to unionize with SAG-AFTRA in 2017, reaching their first deal after 15 month of negotiations in July 2018. In a statement of his own, SAG-AFTRA National Executive Director and Chief Negotiator Duncan Crabtree-Ireland said: My deepest thanks to Negotiating Committee Chair Carmen Olivares and all of the members of the negotiating committee, alongside our extraordinary negotiating staff, for your dedication to bringing your colleagues a groundbreaking contract that addresses their needs and ensures the terms and compensation performers deserve. I look forward to presenting this agreement to the National Board. Best of Deadline Sign up for Deadline's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Last year was the busiest year on record for Salt Lake City International Airport, shattering all records set the year before. Over 28.3 million passengers either boarded flights out of or arrived at Utah's largest airport in 2024, a 5.2% increase from the previous record of nearly 27 million passengers in 2023. Domestic travel accounted for about 95% of all airline traffic last year. Bill Wyatt, airport executive director, attributed some volume growth to additions that have opened in the past year. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Thirteen new gates were opened in October 2023 with the completion of the Concourse A-East project, while nine other gates opened earlier in the year. The airport added five new gates through its first of a few Concourse B expansions that opened in October 2024. The expansion has attracted more airlines and flights, while travelers were eager to hit the skies last year. "Utah's dynamic economy, including the growth in visitors and skiers, played a significant role in the increase in passengers last year," Wyatt added in a statement Wednesday. "The addition of new nonstop destinations thanks to our hub carrier Delta Air Lines boosted passenger numbers, as did our added gate capacity, which attracted new airlines to Salt Lake City." Last year's volumes were also 1.5 million above totals counted in 2019 under the last full year of the old Salt Lake City International Airport complex. That was the airport's busiest year until 2023 as the new facility created to expand options essentially capped by the old building surpassed the old for the first time. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement More growth is coming to the new airport, too. A few more gates are scheduled to open later this year as Concourse B is finished. Its full build-out is on track to be complete by the end of 2026, adding nearly a dozen more gates. The full layout is designed to handle 34 million passengers. Airport officials have said multiple times that the airport is expected to reach that figure by the early 2030s, which is about the time expansion plans like a third concourse and a tram connecting them all would be triggered. However, pointing to the disruptions in airline travel during the COVID-19 pandemic, Wyatt cautions that trends can also change. Recessions, pandemics or any other imaginable economic disruptions can alter the airport's success and any possible expansion timelines. Passenger volume is really nothing more than a product of economic activity. Thats what drives people to travel, he said, during a tour of the future tram space next to the airports new river tunnel in April 2024. If we have a big slowdown ... that would drive you down and then youd start building back up again. Following the Trump administrations reversal on prior U.S. policy against carrying out immigration action at schools, Salt Lake City school officials are scrambling to determine the repercussions to the districts safe school resolution. The Salt Lake City School Districts legal adviser is working to figure out what exactly the new guidance means to us and what the implications may be, said Yandary Chatwin, the district spokeswoman. Ogden School District officials just last week reaffirmed their own safe school resolution, meant as a reassurance to immigrant students and families given fears of the potential for immigration raids. Whatever the case, officials from both districts are offering assurances that immigrant students are welcome at their schools and children in the country illegally have the right to attend public schools. Your child and every child, regardless of immigration status is welcome and safe in our schools. Undocumented children and young adults have the same right to attend public primary and secondary schools as U.S. citizens and permanent residents, reads a message sent Wednesday to Ogden School District students and families, similar to a message sent by the Salt Lake City School District. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Prior policy dating to President Barack Obamas administration aimed to ensure that U.S. immigration raids and enforcement actions werent focused on sensitive locations such as schools and churches except in certain dire circumstances. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE, oversees the enforcement of U.S. immigration law. A 2011 policy document states that exceptions include instances when there is an imminent risk of death, violence or physical harm and when national security is at risk. Under the new policy one of several changes by President Donald Trump meant to crack down on illegal immigration the prior guidelines are rescinded and action is allowed at schools and churches. As characterized in Tuesdays announcement of the change, however, the focus of any raids or other enforcement action would be criminals. Common sense would guide actions. This action empowers the brave men and women in (the U.S. Customs and Border Protection agency) and ICE to enforce our immigration laws and catch criminal aliens including (murderers) and rapists who have illegally come into our country. Criminals will no longer be able to hide in Americas schools and churches to avoid arrest, the announcement reads. The Trump administration will not tie the hands of our brave law enforcement, and instead trusts them to use common sense. Chatwin, like Ogden school officials, said Salt Lake City schools are still open to all students regardless of their migratory status, notwithstanding the policy shift implemented Monday, the first day of Trumps second term. Both districts have sizable populations of Hispanic and English-language learners. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Theres always concern with the unknown, Chatwin said. What we do know has not changed is that our schools remain welcoming spaces, and every student, no matter their immigration status, is entitled to receive their education in our schools. So we are committed to that. Despite the assurances, letters sent to family and students in both districts acknowledged that the new Department of Homeland Security policy may cause unease. The messages also noted that officials in each district dont collect information about the immigration status of students or their parents. We know this is a concern for many in our community and want you to know we are aware of this policy change, reads the letter from the Salt Lake City school system. Both the Ogden and Salt Lake City school systems implemented safe school resolutions in 2017, during Trumps first term, amid jitters about possible immigration enforcement actions against students in the country illegally. Salt Lake City school officials reaffirmed their resolution last December following Trumps victory in the presidential race and his talk of bolstering deportations. Ogden school officials reaffirmed their resolution just last week, on Jan. 16. We want to make sure that our community knows that we keep safety at the forefront for all our students, and we wanted to share that with our families and students, said Arlene Anderson, vice president of the Ogden school board. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The resolutions emphasize that both districts are welcoming places to kids, regardless of their migratory status. The Ogden resolution asks that ICE officials give seven days' notice of any visit to school grounds, among other things. The Salt Lake City resolution says the district wont allow access to students unless required by law and will take steps to protect students' rights. As Ogden officials debated their resolution last week, one Ogden school board member questioned how much impact it would potentially have. I just think were stating things in the document that arent legally binding. So are you giving false assurance? said Jennifer Zundel. MOREHEAD CITY, N.C. (WNCT) Morehead City offices will be closed Wednesday and Thursday as a result of the snowfall in the area. The snow stopped Wednesday, but there has been no improvement for road conditions as they remain rough around Arendell Street. The Carteret County Salvation Armys Lieutenant Susan Garland decided to open the doors Wednesday and Thursday for anyone who needed to come by. I made it to the building safely this morning and we have hot coffee, hot chocolate, and I will serve a hot meal if people need it, Garland said. I also have sleeping bags if people need it, or if you need a dry set of clothes, come and see me because I have access to those as well. Because we are created in Gods image, we should give back because he loved us and so us loving others is what we are all about here at the Salvation Army of Carteret County. 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. OpenAI chief Sam Altman has said he thinks Donald Trump will be "incredible" for the U.S. in many ways, amid a spat with "first buddy" Elon Musk. OpenAI chief Sam Altman says he's changed his perspective on Donald Trump amid an online spat with the new U.S. president's "first buddy," Elon Musk. In a post on X, Altman said: "Watching @potus more carefully recently has really changed my perspective on him. I wish I had done more of my own thinking and definitely fell in the npc [non-playable character] trap. I'm not going to agree with him on everything, but I think he will be incredible for the country in many ways!" The comments came amid a flurry of online exchanges between Musk, Altman, and Microsoft over the $500 billion Stargate Project announced by Trump on Tuesday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Musk kicked off the debate by accusing OpenAI and SoftBank of not having the money for the ambitious AI infrastructure project. The billionaire said in a post on X he had it on "good authority" that SoftBank "has well under $10B secured." OpenAI has said the joint venture will invest an initial $100 billion of private capital to fund the U.S. AI infrastructure, with a further $400 billion expected over the next four years, but Musk isn't the only one to question the project's eye-watering finances. Some have pointed to SoftBank's most recent public finances as a potential problem. Earlier this year, SoftBank Group only had $30 billion in casha far cry from the $100 billion promised. Masayoshi Son's firm has also taken a reputational hit from a few bad bets, most notably its backing of bankrupt co-working firm WeWork. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Altman and Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella have attempted to silence some of the questions surrounding the project's funding. The OpenAI chief responded to Musk's comment, saying he was "wrong as you surely know." "This is great for the country," Altman continued. "I realize what is great for the country isn't always what's optimal for your companies, but in your new role I hope you'll mostly put [the U.S.] first." In response to a later post, Altman upped the ante, saying that while he respected Musk's ambition, he didn't think the Tesla CEO was a nice person or treating OpenAI fairly. Musk lobbed a series of posts back at the OpenAI chief, bringing up old anti-Trump tweets, slamming him for his connection with Democrat donor Reid Hoffman, reigniting an ongoing feud over OpenAI's profit structurein which he called Altman a "liar"and criticizing OpenAI's partnership with media outlet Axios. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Microsoft's Nadella also waded into the debate over the Stargate Project's funding, telling CNBC he was "good" for his $80 billion contribution. The Microsoft CEO also replied to a post from Musk on X, saying: "And all this money is not about hyping AI, but about building useful things for the real world!" Musk and Altman are old rivals It's not the first time Altman and Musk have publicly sparred with each other online. The pair have a history that goes back to OpenAI's early days. Altman and Musk, along with nine others, were cofounders of the AI lab and worked together at the company until Musk stepped down from the board of directors in early 2018. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Altman and other OpenAI executives claim Musk had been trying to merge OpenAI with Tesla, but when this was unsuccessful, he chose to leave to build an AGI competitor within Tesla. In response, Musk has railed against OpenAI's corporate structure, accusing the company of abandoning its nonprofit roots for the sake of its multibillion-dollar partnership with Microsoft. Representatives for Musk and Altman did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Fortune. This story was originally featured on Fortune.com SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) Emergency preparedness is top of mind for many in the wake of devastating wildfires in Los Angeles and recent fires here in San Diego County. On Wednesday, the San Diego Fire-Rescue Department gave an update to the city councils Public Safety Committee on where things stand heading into the 2025 fire season. The presentation highlighted that when it comes to having the resources in place to fight fires, local fire crews are ready and well equipped. However, there are some challenges when it comes to brush mitigation, particularly on public land, which the city is looking to address. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement San Diego Unified reacts to deportation plans Stephen Whitburn, a councilmen representing District 3, stressed urgency to fill additional fire department staffing needs. He said, I will communicate and I will state for the record that I would like to see those positions filled immediately. While all 52 of the citys fire stations are currently operating with full staff, five roles related to brush management on city-owned land remain unfilled. According to Deputy Chief Fire Marshal Tony Tosca, the department is still working to fill the roles and working to fulfill recommendations outlined in a 2023 audit. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Weve whittled down working with our city partners, parks and rec, and other responsible partners to cut that 3,203 acres in half, said Tosca. So weve recognized its not as much but we still need some regulations that says the fire department can tell another department that you must do this. Vice chair and District 7 councilmember Raul Campillo says hes heard concerns from residents he represents. He stated, If you look at our emails at city council, our constituents are telling us they see a lot of brush particularly in our canyons and our open spaces. While drought conditions are a major concern, San Diego Fire-Rescue can turn to regional partners for support. Assistant Fire Chief Dan Eddy says theres also other routine check ups conducted to ensure communities are well positioned. He commented, We consistently check the fire hydrants ourselves on the fire department to ensure there is water coming out of the hydrants. We flow test them. As you know, there are over 1,000 hydrants cross the city. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On top of that, the fire department works to educate residents on clearing brush from their properties and having that defensible space. But still, the city is aware of the work it must put in to help keep communities safe. We need to address that staffing by getting those contracts out, making them emergency contracts if we have to pass a special resolution to declare them emergency contracts we need to do those sorts of things, Campillo continued. County Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer shared a post on social media, noting that she and Supervisor Joel Anderson have invited the sheriff and fire chief to present on San Diego Countys emergency response efforts at the next board meeting which is scheduled for next Tuesday. 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. SAN ANGELO, Texas (Concho Valley Homepage) San Jacinto Elementary will close in July. The San Angelo school board made a tough decision to close a school thats been open for over 100 years. During the school board meeting on Tuesday, before they voted the board members heard pleas from parents of the children that this will directly affect. The school board also is changing attendance boundaries for Raegan Elementary School so the students in the San Jacinto area will be allowed to go to Raegan. The San Jacinto students are currently at Raegan due to San Jacinto being damaged. 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 ConchoValleyHomepage.com. SANTA FE, N.M. (KRQE) One of the states most prominent religious leaders is calling for a nuanced approach to solving the countrys immigration problem. Santa Fe Archbishop John Wester issued a statement on the issue Wednesday after President Donald Trump signed several executive orders cracking down on illegal immigration like ending birthright citizenship, suspending asylum, and deploying troops to the border. Story continues below Archbishop Wester said while immigration is broken and needs to be reformed, an overly simplistic approach on their side of the issue is not the answer. He said reform should be comprehensive, insightful and effective and the plight many immigrants face should not be ignored. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Here is Archbishop John Westers full statement: As we usher in a new administration in our country, let us pray for a future grounded in the common good, a nation united in solidarity, and a deep respect for the sanctity of each individual and the dignity of every worker. In light of recent news, I feel a profound obligation to speak on behalf of immigrants. The United States owes much to immigrants since they first came to our shores as they beheld the Statue of Liberty. Addressing our broken immigration system is a complex and formidable challenge that has perplexed our nation for decades. Unfortunately, many leaders propose overly simplistic solutions: either tending toward open borders or sealing them shut. Neither approach is viable. We need comprehensive, insightful, and effective immigration reform. The heart of this complex issue lies in the fact that it concerns human beings, each created in the image of God with inherent dignity. We must not treat them as mere pawns in a game of chess nor politicize them. Instead, we must place their needs and concerns at the forefront of our debates, considering both the citizens of our nation and those seeking refuge at our borders. Our Christian faith urges us to care for the resident and the stranger. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We cannot ignore the plight of immigrants facing dire situations in their home countries. Not long ago, Bishop Mark Seitz of El Paso and I visited Tegucigalpa, where we visited with a family whose home was riddled with bullets because their son would not join a gang. Their story is emblematic of the dire situation so many immigrants find themselves in as they are victimized by criminal cartels, drug traffickers, human traffickers, and the intolerable conditions brought about by economic and political injustice. At the same time, we must consider the concerns of our fellow citizens while not succumbing to false narratives. The truth is that immigrants are a benefit to our country. They help the economy by increasing the labor force, creating jobs, and boosting productivity. It is a fact that immigrants are often among the most law-abiding, religious, hardworking, and community-minded individuals in our country. They have a lower incarceration rate than the native-born population, and research shows that as the immigration population grows, the crime rate declines. Let us remember that Jesus, Mary, and Joseph were once forced immigrants in Egypt, fleeing from Herod. Immigrants have already played a crucial role in making America great. Now, it is our responsibility to sustain that greatness by coming together in a bipartisan effort to enact immigration reform that honors both citizens and immigrants, addressing the intricate issues at hand. Mass deportation is not the answer. Thoughtful, bipartisan and prudent comprehensive immigration reform is what our country deserves and what our immigrant brothers and sisters need. As Catholics, we firmly believe that all human beings are children of God, brothers and sisters created in Gods image. It is imperative that we reassess how we treat our fellow humans, both within our borders and beyond. Please join me in praying that our country responds to the current immigration crisis in a manner that reflects Gospel values by managing our borders wisely and, at the same time, providing for those who are looking for a home where they can find life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. 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. Nuclear reactor assemblies pictured Sept. 12, 2024, in storage at VC Summer nuclear site near Fairfield. (Provided by S.C. Nuclear Advisory Council) COLUMBIA South Carolinas state-owned utility is putting a pair of partially built nuclear reactors on the market. Santee Cooper announced Wednesday that it would solicit proposals from potential buyers of the two units, located at the V.C. Summer Nuclear Station, that were mothballed more than seven years ago as part of a failed nuclear power expansion project. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The power companys decision to test the waters comes amid a national nuclear resurgence and growing calls from state political leaders to revisit the project in an effort to meet South Carolinas growing power needs. We are seeing renewed interest in nuclear energy, fueled by advanced manufacturing investments, AI-driven data center demand, and the tech industrys zero-carbon targets, CEO Jimmy Staton said in a statement. Considering the long timelines required to bring new nuclear units online, Santee Cooper has a unique opportunity to explore options for Summer Units 2 and 3 and their related assets that could allow someone to generate reliable, carbon emissions-free electricity on a meaningfully shortened timeline, he continued. The utility is marketing the project as the only site in the U.S. that could deliver 2,200 (megawatts) of nuclear capacity on an accelerated timeline. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A single megawatt is enough to power between 400 and 900 homes in a year, according to federal estimates. But major data centers, which are popping up around the Palmetto State, have needs of about 200 megawatts each. And Dominion Energy executives expect about 700 megawatts worth of future demand from manufacturers in the state. Santee Coopers announcement touts the site as coming with access to ample land, water and transmission infrastructure upgrades to accommodate the units. The state-owned utility and now defunct South Carolina Electric & Gas were partners on the V.C. Summer expansion, which was a first-of-its-kind design. It marked the first new nuclear construction in the country in 40 years. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But with costs way over budget and completion years behind schedule, the companies abandoned the effort in July 2017 after jointly spending $9 billion. It left South Carolina customers of Dominion, which bought out SCANA in the aftermath, on the hook for more than $2 billion for reactors that never generated power. Santee Coopers share of the debt was $3.6 billion. Both Santee Cooper and Dominion executives have long said they have no desire to build, own or operate the units. But the only way to determine if theres outside interest in taking on the project is to put it up for grabs. Santee Cooper and the former lead contractor on the project, Westinghouse, hold joint ownership of all nuclear-related parts on the site. The two have jointly marketed the parts and will share any proceeds from a sale. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Meanwhile, Santee Cooper shares ownership of the land with Dominion, meaning any potential buyer would have to make the deal with multiple entities. Those interested have until May 5 to submit a proposal. Growing interest Members of the governors Nuclear Advisory Council floated the idea of reviving the project at a meeting in October 2024 after two of them made a trip the month before to see the abandoned reactors and parts left on site in rural Fairfield County. It could be the answer, Chairman Rick Lee said at the time, to South Carolinas possible power shortage as the states population balloons, industries expand, and federal environmental regulations mandate the closure of coal-fired power. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Sen. Tom Davis, R-Beaufort, filed legislation ahead of the regular session calling for Santee Cooper to open the potential project up for bids. A bipartisan group of 26 other Senators signed on to the bill. And U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham told reporters Tuesday the United States cannot give up on nuclear. South Carolina Public Radio reported Graham was mostly interested in a still-developing nuclear technology, known as small modular reactors, but he was not willing to write off the V.C. Summer site. It was a disaster trying to build these two new nuclear power plants, said the South Carolina Republican. But, yes, I would be open to trying to revitalize that. Trust me, South Carolina needs as much power as we can get. Many also have pointed to previously shuttered nuclear plants being revitalized across the country. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Watts Bar in Tennessee was fired back up more than 25 years after the project was ceased. And the remaining unit at Pennsylvanias Three Mile Island, where a second unit suffered its notorious partial meltdown in 1979, is under consideration for a restart to power a Microsoft data center. And the four-unit Vogtle power plant in Georgia, which was built with the same design and started construction in unison with V.C. Summer, is now operational. However, it came online seven years late at a cost of $35 billion more than double the initial $14 billion estimate. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Let us know what you think... If you or someone you know is in crisis, you can call The National Suicide and Crisis Lifeline 24 hours a day, seven days a week at 988. Text messaging and online chat options are also available on the website. AUSTIN (KXAN) Seven San Antonio police officers were injured in a shooting after they responded to a suicide call Wednesday night. San Antonio Police Chief Bill McManus initially said on social media that four officers were injured, but he said in an update overnight that there were a total of seven. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On Thursday, the San Antonio Police Department said six of those seven officers were released from the hospital, while one is still in the hospital for treatment but is expected to fully recover. SAPD responded to the call of a suicide in progress near the area of Stone Oak Parkway and Loop 1604 shortly after 9 p.m., according to posts on McManuss X account. McManus provided more details in an update overnight, saying that SWAT had responded to the scene, and the suspect, who police described as a man in his 40s, barricaded himself inside the apartment for several hours. The man was later found dead. McManus said its unclear if he died by a self-inflicted wound or if he was shot by officers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement McManus said the suspect had been arrested earlier this month on charges of assault and DWI and was out on bond at the time of the shooting. In a statement Friday, the Combined Law Enforcement Associations of Texas (CLEAT) said the seven officers involved were all CLEAT members, so its staff attorneys responded to the scene to assist. According to CLEAT, despite the two charges and extensive criminal history, the man was able to get out on bond. A judge set an extremely low bond, and the assailant was released the following day, allowing him to commit this heinous ambush against law enforcement, CLEAT said. It was also determined that he had an outstanding warrant in a neighboring county at the time of the shooting for Violation of Bond, Protective Order. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement CLEAT said it would work with the Texas legislature to address 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 KXAN Austin. DUBAI (Reuters) - Saudi Arabia will continue supporting Lebanon and is optimistic about the country's future after a ceasefire brought an end to a war between Israel and the militant Iran-aligned Hezbollah group, the kingdom's foreign minister said from Beirut. Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al-Saud told reporters he stressed the importance of reforms in his meeting with Lebanon's newly elected President Joseph Aoun, in the first trip to Beirut by Riyadh's top diplomat in 15 years. "I expressed to him that we believe in the importance of the reforms he presented so that Lebanon can overcome its crises," Prince Faisal said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The visit reflects seismic political shifts in Lebanon since Israel pummelled Hezbollah in last year's war, and since Hezbollah's Syrian ally Bashar al-Assad was toppled by rebels in December. "The kingdom is looking at Lebanon's future with optimism under the reformist approach that came in the president's speech after his inauguration." "These reforms will boost the confidence of Lebanon's partners and open space for the country to regain its rightful place in the Arab and international spheres," he added. Aoun said he will work to ensure the state has the exclusive right to carry arms, comments that were seen partly as a reference to Hezbollah's arsenal, as well as establishing better relations with Arab countries. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Saudi Arabia once spent billions in Lebanon, depositing funds in the central bank, helping to rebuild the south after a 2006 war between Israel and Hezbollah. (Reporting by Nayera Abdallah; Editing by Alex Richardson, William Maclean) Turkey Blocks Christian Genocide Resolution in Australia Ottoman military forces march Armenian men from Kharput to an execution site outside the city. Kharput, Ottoman Empire, March 1915-June 1915. ( Armin T. Wegner, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons) Today, Turkey's Christians (Greeks, Armenians, and Assyrians) comprise only around 0.1% of the population despite being indigenous peoples of the land. A significant reason for this population collapse is the Christian genocide committed by the Ottoman government and the Turkish nationalist movement from 1913 to 1923. Over a hundred years later, Turkish government officials are not only aggressively denying this genocide and threatening to prosecute Turkish citizens who publicly address it--they are also trying to prevent other governments from officially recognizing the genocide. The most recent example of such obstruction occurred in the Australian State of Victoria. A motion to recognize the genocide of Greeks, Armenians, and Assyrians was expected to be introduced in the Victorian Parliament on October 29th by Greens leader Samantha Ratnam but was dropped. The news website Neos Kosmos reported that the Victorian government rejected the genocide motion, citing social division amidst the "conflict in the Middle East" [i.e., the war between Israel and Hamas/Hezbollah], fearing backlash from Muslim communities. On October 24, the Victorian premier's office, run by the Victorian Labor Party, confirmed in a statement to the media that they would not support the motion when it is presented. This author learnt from contacts in Victoria that Turkish diplomats at the Turkish Embassy in Canberra, its Grey Wolf associates in Melbourne, and other Turkish lobbyists are together preventing the Victorian government from recognizing the genocide. The Grey Wolves is the informal name of a Turkish nationalist movement called Idealist Hearths. The movements main ideologue was Nihal Atsz (1905--1975), a Nazi sympathizer. The group serves as the militant wing of the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), a current ally of Turkeys ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP). The Grey Wolves have a long history of terrorism going back to the 1970s. They have been blamed for bomb attacks in Paris and Bangkok and are responsible for the 1981 attempt on the life of Pope John Paul II. Members of the organization have killed many of Turkey's minority citizens, such as Alevis and Kurds. In November 2020, French Interior Minister Gerard Darmanin announced the group's banning. The announcement came after a 1915 Armenian genocide memorial outside the city of Lyon was defaced with yellow graffiti and pro-Turkish slogans. Peter Stefanidis, Chairman of the Australian Hellenic Council, told europeanconservative.com: The motion that was withdrawn at the last minute under interventional pressure from the Premier of Victoria was an initiative we have been working on for years. The Turkish lobby here in Victoria has conflated the recognition of the Genocide as an attack on all Muslims and this has certain politicians. But our initiative has generated momentum for the cause, and we are being encouraged by the wider Armenian, Assyrian, and Greek communities to continue the struggle for justice. Michael Kolokossian, the Executive Director of the Armenian National Committee of Australia (ANCA), told this publication: Natalie Suleyman, an MP who is ethnically Turkish, acts as a mouthpiece for the Turkish embassy and their denialism policies. Together, their efforts blocked the proposed Armenian, Assyrian, and Greek Genocide Motion from being tabled this year. However, a majority of Victorian MPs have signaled their willingness to support such a motion. The Turkish Embassy will run out of tactics to stop this motion from being supported. It is not a matter of it, it is a matter of when, and the peak public affairs bodies of the Armenian, Assyrian, and Greek communities will not stop their advocacy until Victoria joins other states in Australia in formally recognizing the Armenian, Assyrian, and Greek Genocides. Recognition is important to provide closure to the thousands of descendants of genocide survivors in Victoria, who have been silenced from accurately speaking about their history and family's pain. The genocide began in the region of Eastern Thrace of Turkey by targeting Greeks and Armenians. It then continued in Anatolia, the Armenian Highlands, Pontos, Urmia, and the southern Caucasus, among other regions across Ottoman Turkey. Some 3 million Armenian, Greek, and Assyrian Christians were killed during the genocide. The goal of Turkish authorities was to use jihad to create a Turkey for the Turks. In the late nineteenth century, Christians comprised 20% of the population, but by 1924, they had been reduced to just 2%. Serious genocide scholars and historians agree on the reality of this genocide. The International Association of Genocide Scholars (IAGS) issued a 2007 statement declaring that the Ottoman campaign against Christian minorities of the Empire constituted a genocide against Armenians, Assyrians, and Greeks. Dr Panayiotis Diamantis, professor of history and a director of the Australian Institute for Holocaust and Genocide Studies (AIHGS), told europeanconservative.com: The genocides of the Hellenes, Armenians, and Assyrians, of the indigenous peoples of Thrace, Anatolia, and Mesopotamia, is a part of the historical record of many countries around the world. In our context, Australian soldiers, sailors, and airmen witnessed the aftermath of the genocides, documenting their experiences and sharing them with governments and media back home. Armed with this knowledge, for over a decade, Australians sent food, clothing, money, and supplies to the survivors of the Genocides, part of the worlds first international humanitarian relief effort. By recognizing the genocides, parliaments around the world acknowledge the place of these genocides within their own national stories. Only through such education may society make the crime of genocide a matter of history and no longer current affairs. Further, Australia has witnessed Turkish attacks against the remembrance of genocide victims. In 2015, a monument to the victims of the Assyrian genocide in Sydney was defaced with Nazi imagery and abuse towards Jews, Armenians, and Assyrians. Australian media reported that it was the third time the memorial has been vandalized since it was erected in 2010. Hermiz Shahen, the President of the Assyrian National Council-Australia, told europeanconservative.com: The primary influence blocking this motion appears to come from within the Turkish community and lobby groups in Victoria. Turkey's involvement is well-documented, as they have been particularly active in lobbying against genocide recognition globally. In this case, it seems that the Premier of Victoria and members of the Labor Party have concerns that passing such a motion could strain ties with Turkey. While lobby groups don't directly control legislation, their persistent influence and the potential diplomatic fallout seem to have swayed the government to refrain from taking a formal stance on genocide recognition. Their excuse is that the recognition will divide the Victorian community. Recognition of the Assyrian, Armenian, and Greek Genocide, however, is essential to acknowledge the historical injustices suffered by these communities, particularly the Assyrians, who not only lost countless lives but also their ancestral homeland and identity as a sovereign nation. Government recognition serves as a foundation for justice, helping to address historical trauma and affirming the dignity of those affected by these atrocities. It also sets a powerful precedent against denial and impunity, emphasizing a global commitment to prevent future genocides by fostering understanding, healing, and accountability. The denial of past crimes facilitates similar crimes to be subsequently committed. As Turkeys government has avoided responsibility for massacring approximately three million Christians during a period of ten years from 1913 to 1923, it continues its aggression against Armenia, Cyprus, Kurds, Yazidis, and others. (Reuters) -Saudi Arabian Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman told President Donald Trump that the kingdom wants to put $600 billion into expanded investment and trade with the United States over the next four years, the Saudi State news agency said early on Thursday. In a phone call between the two leaders, the crown prince said the Trump administration's expected reforms could create "unprecedented economic prosperity", the state news agency reported. The report said Saudi Arabia wants its investments to capitalize on these conditions. It did not detail the source of the $600 billion, whether it would be public or private spending nor how the money would be deployed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The investment "could increase further if additional opportunities arise", the agency quoted Bin Salman as telling Trump. Trump fostered close ties with Gulf states including Saudi Arabia during his first term. The country invested $2 billion in a firm formed by Jared Kushner, Trump's son-in-law and former aide, after Trump left office. Trump said following his inauguration on Monday that he would consider making Saudi Arabia his first destination for a foreign visit if Riyadh agreed to buy $500 billion worth of American products, similar to what he did in his first term. "I did it with Saudi Arabia last time because they agreed to buy $450 billion worth of our product. I said I'll do it but you have to buy American product, and they agreed to do that," Trump said, referring to his 2017 visit to the Gulf kingdom. (Reporting by Hatem Maher; Editing by Leslie Adler and Cynthia Osterman) BEIRUT, Lebanon, Jan. 23 (UPI) -- Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan said Thursday that the oil-rich kingdom stands by Lebanon, but stressed that the war-ravaged, crisis-ridden country needs to adopt necessary reforms and adhere to the cease-fire agreement that ended the war between Hezbollah and Israel. Bin Farhan, the first Saudi top diplomat to visit Lebanon in 15 years, said his country "looks with optimism" to the future of Lebanon, which still is suffering from the 2019 financial crisis and is emerging from a destructive, 14-month Hezbollah-Israel war. He stressed after a meeting with Lebanese President Joseph Aoun "the importance of adhering" to the cease-fire agreement that the United States and France brokered Nov. 27 to end the military confrontation between Hezbollah and Israel. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "This includes the complete withdrawal of the Israeli forces from Lebanese territories," bin Farhan said, emphasizing the importance of implementing U.N. Security Council Resolution 1701 and all related international resolutions. His remarks came three days before the 60-day deadline provided in the cease-fire agreement expires Sunday. Under the accord, Hezbollah must end its military presence and withdraw to south of the Litani River, while Israeli forces should pull out completely to pave the way for the Lebanese Army to deploy and take control of the area within 60 days. The 10,251-member United Nations peacekeeping forces, UNIFIL, was to assist the Lebanese Army in restoring stability to the southern region. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Resolution.1701, which was adopted in 2006 to stop a then 33-day war between Hezbollah and Israel, calls for a full cessation of hostilities. Israel and Hezbollah have been exchanging accusations of violating the terms of the Nov. 27 cease-fire deal and warning that the truce could collapse. Israel, which is facing strong U.S. pressure to pull out, has requested a 30-day extension for its withdrawal from south Lebanon, arguing that the Lebanese Army has been slow in redeploying, while Hezbollah still maintains its weapons infrastructure and forces in areas prohibited by the agreement, according to Israeli media. Hezbollah, on its part, called on exerting pressures on Israel to ensure its complete pullout by Sunday, saying any delay would be "a flagrant violation" of the cease-fire agreement and "an infringement" of Lebanon's sovereignty. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement During the 60-day deadline, Israel kept bombarding targets in southern and eastern Lebanon, as well as demolishing houses and bulldozing border towns, while preventing residents from returning to their villages. The war, which killed or wounded more than 20,000 people in Lebanon and displaced some 1.2 million, resulted in widespread destruction of villages, property, hospitals and schools in Beirut's southern suburbs and in southern and eastern Lebanon. Lebanon is in dire need of Arab and foreign funding to start reconstructing the war-ravaged areas and revive its economy. Contributions from Saudi Arabia and other rich Gulf countries are essential. Bin Farhan said his country continues to stand by Lebanon, but emphasized the "importance of reforms" pledged by Aoun, who was elected on Jan, 9 after the presidential post remained vacant for 26 months. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Aoun, who has served as Army commander since 2017, vowed during his acceptance speech to rebuild the state, adopt a policy of "positive neutrality, implement international resolutions and fight corruption and terrorism. He also emphasized the right of the Lebanese state in "monopolizing weapons" in a direct allusion to the heavily armed Hezbollah. The Lebanese president described bin Farhan's visit as "a message of hope" that would allow the strengthening of bilateral relations, recalling the "historical ties" between the two countries. Aoun's election and the nomination of Nawaf Salam, a diplomat and president of the International Court of Justice, as the new Prime Minister, revived new hopes for crises-ridden and corruption-plagued Lebanon. Both new leaders are known for their integrity, clean hands and trusted personalities -- with successful records. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Implementing these reforms is to consolidate the confidence of Lebanon's partners," said bin Farhan, calling on the Lebanese leaders to "seize the opportunity and work in a serious way to strengthen Lebanon's security and sovereignty and preserve its institutions." The visiting Saudi top diplomat also met with House Speaker Nabih Berri, caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati and Prime Minister designate Nawaf Salam during his short visit to Beirut. Salam vowed to proceed with "the required political, judicial, administrative and financial reforms" and expressed his commitment to "returning Lebanon to its natural Arab environment and restoring its role alongside its Arab brothers." Saudi Arabia has long supported Lebanon, providing it with billions of U.S. dollars to boost its economy and reconstruct after the 1975-90 civil war and the 2006 Hezbollah-Israel war. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement However, relations between the two countries have become strained over the past years because of Hezbollah's growing control of Lebanon. The Iran-backed militant group had harshly criticized and insulted Saudi rulers who had mounting concerns over Lebanon drifting away from its Arab arena and adopting Hezbollah positions, as well as over smuggling of drugs from Lebanon to Saudi Arabia and other Gulf countries. BEIRUT (AP) Saudi Arabia's top diplomat visited Lebanon on Thursday for the first time in a decade following years of strained relations between the oil-rich kingdom and the small Mediterranean country. Prince Faisal bin Farhan's visit comes almost two months after a ceasefire went into effect that halted Israel and the Hezbollah group's war that battered southern Lebanon and destroyed much of the group's military capabilities. It also comes following a lightening insurgency in Syria in December that ousted Bashar Assad and ended decades of his family's rule. Lebanon this month elected its first president in over two years and appointed a new prime minister. The ascension of both army chief General Joseph Aoun as president, as well as diplomat and former head of the International Criminal Court Nawaf Salam as prime minister-elect, are both seen as major blows to the Hezbollah group. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "We have great confidence in His Excellency the president, and the prime minister designate's ability to work on the necessary reforms to build safety, stability and a united Lebanon, the prince said after his meeting with Aoun. The Saudi foreign minister also reiterated Riyadh's support for the U.S.-brokered ceasefire agreement that ended the war between Israel and Hezbollah, calling for the complete withdrawal of the Israeli occupation forces from Lebanese territory." He is also scheduled to meet parliamentary Speaker Nabih Berri, and outgoing caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati. Saudi Arabia and other Gulf countries have been concerned about Iran-backed Hezbollah and its allies' rising influence in the government, and the situation eventually led to a diplomatic crisis in 2021. Riyadh had been critical of Lebanese authorities' failure to combat drug smuggling from Lebanon into Saudi Arabia, and eventually imposed punitive measures following televised remarks of Lebanon's information minister where he criticized Riyadh's war in Yemen against the Houthis. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Saudi Arabia banned imports coming from Lebanese, which compounded economic pain for Lebanese farmers and industrialists as the country was in the throes of an economic crisis that crippled its banks and pulled many in poverty. Lebanese authorities have since unsuccessfully tried to convince Saudi Arabia to reverse the ban. Lebanon for years has aspired to rekindle ties with Saudi Arabia and other Gulf countries, which for years have been key trade partners and whose nationals came to Lebanon boosting its tourism economy. It's a critical time for the country, which is mired in an economic crisis, but needs billions to rebuild dozens of towns and villages battered by war. (Bloomberg) -- Saudi Arabias Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman told President Donald Trump hes willing to expand investments and trade with the US in the coming four years by $600 billion, according to the kingdoms state-run news agency SPA. Most Read from Bloomberg The crown prince, known as MBS, spoke to the American president in a congratulatory phone call on Wednesday, SPA said. During the call, Prince Mohammed said the kingdom was eager to seize partnership and investment opportunities created by the new administrations anticipated reforms, which could achieve unprecedented economic prosperity. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement SPA did not provide further details or say what reforms the crown prince was talking about. The commitment is large, even by the standards of oil-rich Saudi Arabia. It amounts to around 55% of the countrys gross domestic product. The announcement comes at a time when the kingdom is posting fiscal deficits, in large part due to huge spending on Vision 2030, the crown princes plan to diversify the economy. In addition, oil prices have dropped since 2022 and, at around $80 a barrel, are roughly $10 a barrel below whats needed for the government to balance its budget, according to the International Monetary Fund. To bolster Vision 2030 under which the government wants to invest hundreds of billions of dollars in everything from artificial intelligence to electric vehicles and tourism resorts the Saudi sovereign wealth fund has outlined a plan to spend a greater portion of its money domestically. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Public Investment Fund has said it will ramp up local spending to $70 billion annually from 2026. Whether it comes to fruition or not, the crown princes announcement could help strengthen his ties with Trump. The two leaders were close during Trumps first term, when the presidents first overseas trip was to Saudi Arabia. Earlier this week, Trump said that was because the kingdom had agreed to a substantial investment in US goods, including weaponry. Trump, hours after his inauguration on Monday, told reporters hed be happy to visit Saudi Arabia again if it wanted to buy another $450 billion or $500 billion worth of US products. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The White House did not publish its own readout of the call between Trump and the crown prince. And it did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Bloomberg. According to the Saudi report, the two leaders also discussed cooperation between Saudi Arabia and the US to promote peace and stability in the Middle East, and to fight terrorism. The report did not mention Israel, with whom Saudi Arabia was close to normalizing diplomatic ties before Hamas attack in October 2023 triggered the war in Gaza. Trump has said he wants to ensure the two countries reach a deal at some stage. The phone call comes amid rapid geopolitical shifts in the Middle East. Iran, Saudi Arabias rival in the region, has been weakened by the military degradation of Hamas and Hezbollah two of its key proxy groups at the hands of Israel. President Bashar al-Assad of Syria, a crucial ally, was overthrown in December. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trumps secretary of state, Marco Rubio, also spoke to the crown prince overnight. Rubio said he looked forward to advancing shared interests in Syria, Lebanon, Gaza, and beyond. --With assistance from Derek Wallbank. (Adds context on funding starting in fourth paragraph.) Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2025 Bloomberg L.P. The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) conducted 157 special operations from Jan. 18-20, the agency said on Jan. 22. The SBU issued the announcement after reporting a wave of investigations, arrests, and charges in recent days. Suspects were accused of various crimes, including aiding Russia's war effort. The agency carried out 157 special operations from Jan. 18-20 in order to "counter crimes that pose a threat to state security, territorial integrity and defense capabilities of our country," the SBU said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The actions resulted in 222 charges and 85 detentions, the agency said. The SBU also carried out 287 searches during the operations. According to the SBU, the three-day crackdown targeted 19 agents suspected to have carried out intelligence and sabotage activities on behalf of Russian special services. It also netted 24 individuals who allegedly harmed "the economic interests" of Ukraine. The SBU charged 63 people with participating in draft evasion schemes and 39 individuals with crimes related to the military, including embezzling from the state defense budget. Another seven were charged with illegal weapons trafficking, and seven others allegedly spread propaganda or otherwise posed threats to Ukraine's cybersecurity, the agency reported. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement President Volodymyr Zelensky on Jan. 18, the first day of the recent crackdown, praised Ukrainian law enforcement agencies for their investigations. "Traitors and various schemes that weakened our state and our Ukrainian society are being countered," the president said. "And anyone who stands against Ukraine or defies the laws of Ukraine must remember, that they will face a response." The SBU has announced high-profile arrests in recent days, including the detention of a well-known Dnipro lawyer who allegedly helped Russia carry out missile strikes and that of Ukraine's chief military psychaitrist, who is suspected of illicit enrichment activities. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Read also: Well-known Dnipro lawyer detained for allegedly aiding Russian missile strikes Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. Jake Gadsden, the governor's nominee to lead the state's probation agency, speaks to reporters at the Statehouse on Thursday, Jan. 23, 2025. (Skylar Laird/SC Daily Gazette) COLUMBIA A deputy director for South Carolinas prisons agency is the governors pick to lead the department tasked with supervising people completing their sentences outside the razor wire. Gov. Henry McMaster on Thursday nominated Jake Gadsden, a former state prison warden, to oversee the Department of Probation, Parole and Pardon Services. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If confirmed by the Senate, Gadsden will oversee 740 employees in an agency that monitors more than 20,000 people sentenced to probation instead of prison time. The department is also in charge of helping more than 1,300 former inmates released on parole find housing and jobs to reenter society, according to the agency. Its parole board determines whether inmates can be released before the end of their sentence. McMaster said putting Gadsden in charge will better connect the two agencies charged with overseeing incarcerated and formerly incarcerated people. We all are trying to do the same thing, to help these individuals build their lives and let their families have a better life, Gadsden said. The position opened up when the agencys former director, Jerry Adger, retired in 2023. Over the last 19 months, three acting directors have run the department. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement McMaster turned his search to the Department of Corrections in the hopes of finding someone who knew the state prison system well. His hope is that improved communication and collaboration between the agencies will better help former inmates reintegrate with society, he said. The agencies are dealing with the same people at different stages of their lives, McMaster said. Their purposes and goals overlapped. As deputy director for programs, reentry and rehabilitative services at the Department of Corrections, 65-year-old Gadsden has spent the past several years overseeing inmates education and transitional services. The goal has been to help them develop the skills they need to reintegrate with society upon release, he said. That made him the ideal candidate, said Corrections Director Bryan Stirling. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Jake now understands the start of that process and the end of that process, Stirling said. Gadsden intends to get peoples families more involved in their rehabilitation, he said. It takes a village to help somebody whos been down on their luck for a while, to give them a second chance and also give them support, he said. Originally from North Charleston, Gadsden got his bachelors degree from the University of South Carolina before completing a management training program at Harvard. He oversaw prisons in Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Virginia before returning to South Carolina in 2019, according to his resume. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Gadsden worked as warden of the medium-security Tyger River Correctional Institution before becoming a regional director of operations, overseeing six prisons. He was promoted to deputy director in 2021. His current salary is $169,095, according to the Department of Administration. With over 30 years of experience working in corrections, hes seen it from every direction in different places, McMaster said. He is uniquely experienced, uniquely situated and has exactly the right South Carolina temperament for this terrific job, the governor said. The northside of the Statehouse with the silhouette of the statue of Gen. Wade Hampton in the foreground. Behind the statue is the Wade Hampton Building, which houses the offices of the state treasurer and comptroller general. (File/Mary Ann Chastain/Special to the SC Daily Gazette) COLUMBIA Two of South Carolinas financial officers have now resigned in the wake of multibillion-dollar accounting blunders that prompted a federal securities investigation. State Auditor George Kennedy submitted his resignation Thursday in a letter to the states five-member fiscal oversight panel. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It has been both an honor and a privilege to serve the State of South Carolina during the past nine years, Kennedy wrote. However, I believe it is in the best interest of the Office of the State Auditor that I resign from my position as State Auditor effective today. He made no reference to the accounting errors in his letter and gave no further explanation. The errors did not involve any actual missing or found taxpayer dollars. Rather, they represented years of miscounting in reports sent to Wall Street. Kennedy, who earns a salary of $187,200, offered his assistance in finding a replacement. I also welcome the opportunity to provide my thoughts on how the Office of the State Auditor can be strengthened for the future, he wrote in closing. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Kennedys resignation, which Gov. Henry McMaster accepted Thursday, follows that of former Comptroller General Richard Eckstrom in 2023. Eckstrom, who had been the states top accountant for 20 years, resigned as legislators prepared to force him out following the discovery that his office was reporting $3.5 billion more than actually existed. More errors came to light last year as the Statehouse investigation continued. Ultimately, the $1.8 billion that appeared on the states books without explanation also turned out to be accounting errors. All but about $200 million of the massive sum on paper never actually existed. And the $200 million that was real isnt excess that can be spent, according to the report released last week by the forensics accounting firm AlixPartners (which the state paid $3 million to find out what happened). Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Still, none of the accounting errors put the states coffers in the red because state budget writers rely on a separate agency for revenue projections. But the erroneous reports may have misled Wall Street credit agencies that rate the financial health of state and local governments which is why theres a federal investigation. The origin of the issue, financial officials have testified, was a chaotic, decade-long transition from the states old accounting system to a new one, which took place between 2007 and 2017. As state auditor, Kennedys bosses included the two elected offices involved in the mess comptroller general and state treasurer. Of the three, only Treasurer Curtis Loftis is left. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to the findings of AlixPartners, neither Kennedy, Eckstrom, nor Loftis attempted to get to the bottom of what caused the discrepancies. Nor did they alert legislators or regulators to the mounting, yearslong errors. Instead, the problem surfaced after a staffer in Eckstroms office noticed in late 2022 that the numbers were way off. Loftis, who has said he wont seek a fifth term in 2026, has brushed off calls for his own resignation. The people of South Carolina deserve a State Treasurer who puts their interests first someone who is not afraid to face challenges head-on and advocate for reforms that benefit everyone, Loftis wrote in a letter shared with the SC Daily Gazette this week. I stand by my record and will continue to serve with integrity and accountability. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX As part of President Trump's crackdown on illegal immigration, the Department of Justice will be empowered to investigate and even criminally prosecute government officials who do not comply with restrictive orders on immigration. The move, outlined in an internal memo reported by multiple news outlets Wednesday, effectively puts a target on the backs of many state and local California officials, who have vociferously defended measures designed to make it possible for undocumented immigrants to work and get an education in the state. The memo from acting U.S. Deputy Atty. Gen. Emil Bove instructs state and local officials to comply with federal immigration directives and echoes lines Trump hammered on the campaign trail about the threat of undocumented immigrants in the country such as gangs, drugs and crime. Studies have found that immigrants commit crimes at lower rates than American citizens. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Federal law prohibits state and local actors from resisting, obstructing, and otherwise failing to comply with lawful immigration-related commands," the memo reads, adding that the U.S. Attorney's office and Department of Justice will investigate wrongdoers. The statement also mentions a newly established "Sanctuary Cities Enforcement Working Group" to challenge state and local sanctuary cities laws. Read more: What did Trump's team learn from past legal battles? Immigrant advocates prepare to find out As news of the internal memo spread Wednesday, agencies and officials began to assess how they would respond to its threat of investigations and possible prosecution. This is a scare tactic, plain and simple. The president is attempting to intimidate and bully state and local law enforcement into carrying out his mass deportation agenda for him," California Atty. Gen. Rob Bonta said in a statement. "My team is reviewing the U.S. Department of Justices memo, and well be prepared to take legal action if the Trump Administrations vague threats turn to illegal action." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Bonta pointed to Californias sanctuary law approved in 2017 and known as Senate Bill 54 which bars local law enforcement agencies from using public money to play a direct role in immigration enforcement and prohibits police from transferring people to immigration authorities except in certain cases, such as when people have been convicted of certain violent felonies and misdemeanors. In 2019, a federal court rejected a lawsuit to stop SB54 from the previous Trump administration, ruling that the state laws could continue to be enforced. The city of Huntington Beach sued California this month over the constitutionality of the law. Gov. Gavin Newsoms office declined to comment. Los Angeles City Councilmember Bob Blumenfield, who represents a district in the San Fernando Valley that includes many immigrant groups, hadnt read the memo but said that L.A.s sanctuary city policy doesnt stop the federal government from deporting people. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The question is whether we use our federal resources as a city to aid and abet that deportation, Blumenfield said. Legally, I think that theyre not able to force us to do that. You always have to be concerned; Trump doesnt play by the rules, he added. Asked about Trump's order, Tony Thurmond, the state superintendent of public instruction who has taken a stand against helping ICE, said, "I dont feel threatened. Im happy to talk to the president right now. People dont need to get threats." Since taking office Monday, Trump has signed a slew of executive orders aimed at reining in illegal immigration among them, cutting off federal funding for sanctuary cities, ending birthright citizenship for children of parents in the country illegally and shutting down an app used by asylum seekers to apply for entry into the United States. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement At the UC Board of Regents meeting Wednesday in San Francisco, leaders acknowledged the "fear and uncertainty" among undocumented students who are estimated to number 86,800 in California, according to the Higher Ed Immigration Portal. "We don't know yet all that lies ahead, but we remain steadfast in our values, our mission and our commitment to caring for and supporting our entire UC community," President Michael V. Drake said. Read more: 'Freaked out': Fear, uncertainty grip California's immigrant community as Trump rolls out crackdown plan Stephen Miller, the president's deputy chief of staff for policy and homeland security advisor, foreshadowed the memo when his nonprofit, America First Legal, sent letters to 249 elected and law enforcement officials across the country last month, warning of the consequences for interfering with or impeding illegal immigration enforcement. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The letters state that it is a crime to conceal, harbor or shield people in the country illegally. Among the California officials to receive the letters were Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, Los Angeles Police Department Chief Jim McDonnell and Bonta. As Attorney General, on December 4, 2024, you stated that the State of California will not enforce federal immigration laws, encouraging defiance by all California jurisdictions, the letter to Bonta reads, concluding, "The fact of the matter is that you and the other officials who support or enforce sanctuary laws, policies, and regulations have a very personal stake in the matter you each could face criminal prosecution and civil liability for your illegal acts." The Los Angeles County Sheriffs Department said it would discuss the Trump directive "with our public safety partners, County Counsel, and other key stakeholders." "The Los Angeles County Sheriffs Department complies with state law (SB54) and does not honor ICE requests/detainers or transfer individuals into the custody of ICE, unless there is a federal judicial warrant signed by a judge," said a department statement Wednesday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Last year, Sheriff Robert Luna said in a television interview that he did not anticipate changing the departments practices after Trump took office, stressing that immigration enforcement isnt the job of sheriffs deputies. There's a lot of rhetoric out there," he told ABC7. "I don't want people to be afraid to call the Sheriff's Department if they need something. If they're a witness to a crime, if they're a victim to a crime, they need to call us. We don't and will not start asking people about their immigration status." But, he added, We are not going to help in any sweeps or deportation of just normal working folk that are here. The Sheriffs Department has a complicated and inconsistent track record on interacting with federal immigration officials. Two sheriffs ago, under the tenure of Jim McDonnell now police chief the department allowed ICE agents to use an office inside the downtown Inmate Reception Center. From there, immigration officials could freely approach and interview inmates at any time, the department previously told The Times. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When Alex Villanueva took office in 2018, he kicked ICE out of the jails and limited the criteria that allow inmates to be transferred to federal custody for detention or deportation. The latest version of the Sheriffs Department policy manual posted online notes that ICE agents are not allowed in any jails, station jails or court lockups for the purposes of immigration enforcement. Art Acevedo a former police chief in Houston and Miami, and a candidate at one time to lead the LAPD said that local agencies should be able to focus on combating violent and property crime, especially as retaining law enforcement officers has become a challenge for many agencies. He stressed that in some situations, local police and deputies should work with federal partners to get violent criminals off the streets. But he questioned how much effect the new directive would have. Its not really focusing on public policy its more about focusing on good political theater, he told The Times on Wednesday. Well see how much of it is rhetoric, and how much of it is actual action taken against state and local officials. Time will tell. Pinho reported from Washington, with Blakinger and Vives reporting from Los Angeles. Times staff writers Dakota Smith, Teresa Watanabe, Taryn Luna and Howard Blume 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. COURTESY CSPAN U.S. Sen. Brian Schatz speaks on the Senate floor today to oppose the nomination of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to become the next U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services. COURTESY CSPAN U.S. Sen. Brian Schatz speaks on the Senate floor today to oppose the nomination of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to become the next U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services. U.S. Sen. Brian Schatz took to the Senate floor this morning to the nomination of Robert F. Kennedy Jr., for Secretary of Health and Human Services. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Schatz said Kennedy, President Donald Trumps nominee, is unqualified for the position and that hes literally made a career out of lying about the safety of basic vaccines. Youd think the person nominated to lead our nations top health department an agency with a budget of over two trillion dollars and responsible for running everything from Medicare to vaccine trialsyoud think that person would at least be interested, if not experienced, in curing diseases and promoting public health, said Schatz, a Democrat. That theyd follow science and work to build the publics trust in it. Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is none of those things. Kennedy has denied spreading misinformation about vaccines. Schatz recounted how Kennedy traveled to Samoa in 2019 to discourage people from taking the measles vaccine, which the senator said deepened hesitancy that was already building. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Vaccination rates for eligible 1-year-olds fell to lower than 33 %, Schatz said, and five months later, Samoa was in the middle of a measles outbreak. More than 5, 000 people became infected, he said, and 83 of themmostly childrendied. 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. This man, in his views and his actions, is as dangerous as they come, said Schatz. You wouldnt put him in charge of a local clinic, let alone our countrys entire health system. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Schatz said Kennedy has also regularly spouted deranged conspiracy theories, vowed to fire hundreds of federal health scientists, and to stop all research into infectious diseases and vaccine development. Yes, this is a question of character and competence, said Schatz. But it is also a question of life or death and who we want in charge, making decisions, when lives are on the line. And its our job, here in the Senate, to make damn sure that person isnt RFK Jr. Kennedy, who dropped out of the presidential race and, has touted his Make America Healthy Again campaign to tackle chronic diseases by addressing ultra-processed foods and big pharma. Hawaii Gov. Josh Green, a medical doctor, has also spoken out publicly against Kennedys nomination, and earlier this month to Washington, D.C. to dissuade U.S. senators from confirming him. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 11 Comments By participating in online discussions you acknowledge that you have agreed to the. An insightful discussion of ideas and viewpoints is encouraged, but comments must be civil and in good taste, with no personal attacks. If your comments are inappropriate, you may be banned from posting. Report comments if you believe they do not follow our. Having trouble with comments ? . Sen. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) said President Trump showed a disregard for police officers after granting roughly 1,500 Capitol insurrectionists pardons on Monday. One thing is abundantly clear. He doesnt give a rats a about law enforcement. That much is clear, Schiff said during a Wednesday appearance on MSNBCs The Last Word. Schiff echoed the rhetoric of lawmakers from across the country in condemning one of Trumps first acts while in office and questioning his motives. Members of law enforcement have also said they feel betrayed by the move. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In giving these violent offenders these pardons, he is essentially telling people who would commit violence on his behalf that he has their back, that he will pardon them if they commit violence in the service of Donald Trump, Schiff told anchor Lawrence ODonnell. And you would be hard-pressed to find a country that has gone from a democracy to a dictatorship without finding this step of essentially pardoning people who commit violence on behalf of the would-be dictator. However, Schiff warned he does not think the country is completely going to bend to a government leader with absolute power. It doesnt mean that were going to become a dictatorship. But it does mean that we have taken one tragic step in that direction, he stated. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement His fellow party members say they are evaluating the limits on presidential pardons following Trumps mass clemency move, as well as former President Bidens final acts of clemency. Theres got to be some criteria, Rep. Mark DeSaulnier (D-Calif.) told The Hill. I say that particularly for [Trump]. Theres not an equivalence, even remotely, between him and President Biden. But still, its a very archaic law. And it needs to be looked at. And there should be some criteria, and some role for Congress. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. KANSAS (KSNT) Kansas Congressman Derek Schmidt has introduced legislation to set standards for dog and cat food labels. The Pet Food Uniform Regulatory Reform Act of 2025 (PURR) was introduced alongside Congressman Steve Womack (AR-03) and Josh Harder (CA-09). According to a press release from Schmidts office, the pet food industry plays a large role in Kansas economy and represents 61% of all pet food sold in the USA. Outdated, overbearing, and unnecessarily complicated regulations have stifled production and ingenuity across all American industries, including pet food, said Congressman Schmidt. The archaic regulations currently in place have meant pet food producers in Kansas and across the country spend more time worrying about meeting mismatched guidelines and less time innovating new products; fortunately, the PURR Act provides a solution. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Federal agencies in Kansas evaluating DEI executive orders The bill would establish the FDA as the primary authority on the regulation of pet food ingredients and labels. Congressman Womack said the new legislation would cut red tape and streamline the system. By removing the current state-by-state regulatory patchwork and modernizing the system, pet food makers can provide nutritious food for our beloved pets, Womack said. 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 Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. BERLIN (AP) Germany's opposition leader vowed Thursday to bar people from entering the country without proper papers and to step up deportations if he is elected chancellor next month, as a knife attack by a rejected asylum-seeker spilled over into an election campaign in which he is the front-runner. Two people, including a 2-year-old boy, were killed and three others wounded Wednesday in the Bavarian city of Aschaffenburg. The suspect, arrested shortly afterward, is a 28-year-old Afghan with a history of psychiatric problems and violence who said over a month ago that he would leave Germany voluntarily. His asylum application was rejected in 2023 and authorities failed to send him back to Bulgaria, where he first arrived in the European Union, according to Bavarian officials, who pointed the finger at the federal migration office. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Chancellor Olaf Scholz, whose center-left party trails in polls before Germany's Feb. 23 election, met with the heads of the country's security services Wednesday evening and said they will draw the necessary consequences. Now. On Thursday, he pointed the finger back at opposition-run Bavaria, declaring that there were shortcomings in the states enforcement of rules that his federal government has tightened. Scholz said it will continue the course of reducing irregular migration and increasing deportations. His main election challenger, Friedrich Merz, whose center-right Union bloc leads polls, stepped up his party's vows to toughen migration policy. He said that Germany has had a misguided asylum and immigration policy for a decade since Angela Merkel, a chancellor from his own party and a former Merz rival, allowed large numbers of migrants into the country. Merz said that if he becomes chancellor, he would order the Interior Ministry on his first day in office to control all of Germany's borders permanently and turn back all attempts at illegal entry without exception." He argued that EU rules are recognizably dysfunctional" and Germany must exert a right to the primacy of national law. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Merz added that people who are supposed to leave the country must no longer be let go if they are picked up by police, and should be taken into custody and deported as quickly as possible, helped by an increase in detention capacity. Merz, who may well have to form a coalition with center-left parties to become chancellor, insisted that compromises are no longer possible on these issues. The outgoing government already instituted temporary controls on all of Germany's borders. Interior Minister Nancy Faeser said the government has massively tightened laws, for instance to ease deportations, and pointed to a yet-to-be-implemented agreement on revamped EU migration rules. Faeser questioned whether Merz's vow to bar all irregular entry is possible under EU law I would say no. She said that one shouldn't use such a serious crime for electioneering, and added: What is he promising people? If this is not fulfilled, that also destroys trust. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Aschaffenburg attack followed knife attacks in Mannheim and in Solingen last year in which the suspects were immigrants from Afghanistan and Syria, respectively in the latter case, also a rejected asylum-seeker who was supposed to have been sent to Bulgaria. In last months Christmas market car ramming attack in Magdeburg, the suspect is a Saudi doctor who had come to various regional authorities attention in the past. Mainstream parties are feeling pressure from the strong poll ratings of the far-right Alternative for Germany, or AfD, with which all say they won't work after the election. Discontent about migration is a mainstay of its support, which recent surveys show at about 20%, putting it in second place. Alice Weidel, the AfD's candidate for chancellor, posted on X that the outgoing parliament should vote next week on closing Germany's borders and turning back irregular migrants. Faeser said that we have reduced irregular migration strongly. Authorities say 229,751 people applied for asylum in Germany last year, a 30% decrease from the previous year. There were 18,384 deportations in the year's first 11 months, compared with 16,430 in all of 2023. Opposition politicians complained Thursday that there have been no further deportations to Afghanistan since a first flight in August. Faeser said that we are working intensively on deporting more criminals to Afghanistan. President Donald Trump signs executive orders in the Oval Office of the White House on Jan. 20, 2025, in Washington, D.C. (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images) Community leaders have some soul searching to do. President Donald Trump, a perpetual litmus test for right and wrong, a test our nation has failed for a decade, is now giving civic leaders another opportunity to act morally in the face of cruelty and cowardice. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump issued a directive to federal immigration officials that removes protections from arrests in schools, hospitals and places of worship. While Trump and his supporters will revel in the inhumanity of such a directive, the rest of us need to decide in advance about the moral response. Will ministers watch from the pulpit as people are dragged from the sight of God? Will doctors and nurses violate the Hippocratic oath? Will school boards, superintendents and principals stand idly by as U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents raid school buildings? Will our neighbors and their children be terrorized as they worship, seek care, pursue knowledge? These are questions to consider in advance. The shock and indecision in the presence of such abject cruelty and extreme overreach of power will be overwhelming when it comes, and any course of action must be planned beforehand so that reactions are both measured and moral. While there are differences between hospitals, churches and schools, the people within those buildings patients, parishioners and pupils are in the care of doctors, clergy and teachers. They have a moral responsibility to protect bodies, souls and minds. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This means a wide range of community leaders should be prepared to follow our countrys rich history of civil disobedience. Henry David Thoreau writes: Most legislators, politicians, lawyers, ministers, and office-holders serve the state chiefly with their heads; and, as they rarely make any moral distinctions, they are as likely to serve the Devil, without intending it, as God. A very few as heroes, patriots, martyrs, reformers in the great sense, and men serve the state with their consciences also, and so necessarily resist it for the most part; and they are commonly treated as enemies by it. To oppose ICE arrests at hospitals, churches and schools is a moral imperative. It also puts the doctor, minister and teacher in direct opposition with the government. It may make them enemies of the state, but it does not make them wrong. A person of conscience in these environments has no other choice but to oppose state violence enacted on the powerless. Such a reaction must be resolute and nonviolent. Community leaders do not owe ICE agents space in their workplaces. They do not owe them information. They do not owe them the movement of their bodies or the speech from their mouths. If identifying a person under our care would cause them physical, spiritual or mental harm, they are obligated to remain silent. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This includes security personnel such as school resource officers. It includes administrators, office staff and fellow parishioners. They must ask themselves: Is our obligation to the enforcers of injustice, or is it to the communities we have sworn to heal, teach and protect? To our consciences? To our gods? Community leaders should decide now whether the personal costs of noncompliance including bodily harm or official prosecution is worth a clear conscience. This is a president and regime that would, to borrow from Thoreau, deport Christ, excommunicate Luther and Copernicus, and poison Socrates. Their ignorance is matched only by their cruelty. It takes intelligence, conscience and compassion to oppose both. Thoreau reminds us that under a government which imprisons any unjustly, the true place for a just man is also a prison. If injustice comes to my school, I hope to be counted among those who would rather be reprimanded or detained than watch a child be arrested for simply existing. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I hope to be on the side of righteousness. I hope that you are, too. Aaron Schwartz is a writer and teacher in the Kansas City area. Through its opinion section, the 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. (Bloomberg) -- The most coveted seat in Davos on Thursday will be in the plenary when US President Donald Trump delivers a remote address to attendees that will be piped into the main hall via a remote link. Most Read from Bloomberg Hes set to give a much anticipated speech followed by questions from World Economic Forum President Borge Brende and select chief executives. Among those handed the microphone will be Blackstone Inc. Chief Executive Officer Inc. Stephen Schwarzman, Bank of America Corp. CEO Brian Moynihan, TotalEnergies SE CEO Patrick Pouyanne and Banco Santander SA Chair Ana Botin. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The session at 5 p.m. local time is scheduled to run for 45 minutes. Sworn in for a second term just three days ago, Trump wasted no time implementing many of his campaign pledges, signing a flurry of executive orders including on immigration, energy, and diversity and renewing threats of tariffs. Finance executives working the rooms in Davos have been greeting his return to the White House with varying amounts of enthusiasm, while preparing for what might come next. Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2025 Bloomberg L.P. HONOLULU (KHON2) Brothers Ian and Shawn Schweitzer filed a federal lawsuit Wednesday, naming staff in the Hawaii County Police Department, including the police chief and deputy police chief, an investigator in the prosecutors office as well as the County of Hawaii, alleging malicious prosecution, violations of due process, infliction of emotional distress and conspiracy. Get Hawaiis latest morning news delivered to your inbox, sign up for News 2 You The suit stems from the arrest and prosecution of the brothers in the death of Dana Ireland in 1991. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Attorneys for Albert Ian and Shawn Schweitzer say this federal lawsuit is about one thing accountability for those who they say framed them for the murder of Dana Ireland. Who put them through pain and torment that no one should have to go through, and that their family and that their community endured as a result of being branded a rapist and murderers for something that they didnt do, said David B. Owens, Schweitzers attorney. Ireland, originally from Virginia, was found on a rural road on the Big Island on Dec. 24. She had been sexually assaulted and died on Christmas. Ian and Shawn were arrested, convicted and imprisoned. Both convictions were thrown out in 2023. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Shawn and Ian Schweitzer were just 16 and 20 years old when they were persecuted for a horrific crime they had nothing to do with, attorney Steve Art of the civil rights law firm of Loevy + Loevy stated in a news release. Under pressure to close a high-profile case, the defendants fabricated a case against these two innocent men. In so doing, they let the real killer and rapist run free. Today, we are demanding accountability from Hawaii County. The suit alleges that investigators suppressed favorable evidence that would have shown the brothers innocence, which led to Ian serving 23 years in prison and Shawn taking a plea deal. But the police, they cheated and they cut the corners and decided not to follow an honest investigation, said Owens. And they did so by manipulating witnesses to say things that werent true and that we alleged they knew werent true. If the jury believes that, then theyve made their case, because there couldnt be more anything that would be more intentional than police officers telling informants what to say in order to frame innocent people, said Alexander Silvert, legal analyst. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its expected to take years before actually going to trial. Legal analyst Alexander Silvert says one advantage for plaintiffs in a civil trial the burden of proof is much lower than in a criminal case. And if the defendants are found guilty. damages could be in the millions of dollars. My family and the Ireland family are all victims of this terrible injustice Ian Schweitzer stated in a news release. My brother and I have been clear since day one that we had nothing to do with this terrible crime. For all of our sakes, the real perpetrator should have been arrested, the Ireland family should have gotten justice, and me and my family should have been left to live our lives in peace. In 2024, DNA consultants who assisted the Innocence Project said there was no doubt that the brothers were not involved in Irelands murder. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It had been clear to us for many years that none of the DNA evidence that was ever obtained in connection with this case, none of that had anything to do with the Schweitzers that were convicted of the crime, Dr. David Haymer told KHON2. Dr. David Haymer is a professor at the UH medical schools Cell and Molecular Biology Department. He is also a DNA consultant for the Innocence Project. He had been working on the Ireland case for about 15 years. DNA showed that 57-year-old Albert Lauro, Jr. was the perpetrator. They failed the people of Hawaii, by letting a killer and rapist go free for 33 years. They failed Dana Ireland and her family, by denying them justice, and by failing to apprehend the real killer, who has now ended his life. These failures were egregious and tragic, attorney David B. Owens of Loevy + Loevy stated in a news release. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We would love our day in court, said Owens. We are prepared to have a day in court and our clients want to tell their stories and, and look forward to that. The family of Dana Ireland really needs to know what happened, said Silvert. And part of what this lawsuit will do if theres a trial is determine the facts and determine whos responsible for the cover up if there was one, and for what really happened to her. A spokesperson for the Hawaii Police Department said they had not yet been served with the lawsuit but intended to cooperate with the court and defend themselves against the allegations. Schweitzers attorneys say this federal lawsuit is not related to the current legal proceedings the brothers have against Hawaii county. A state law says anyone wrongfully convicted can get 50-thousand dollars for every year of time served. For Ian Schweitzer, that would be $1.15 million. 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. European native oysters are beyond critically endangered, and their continued existence is on the brink. Based on ecological and historical data assessments, they are now considered a "collapsed" species. What's happening? As Phys.org reported, the international conservation charity ZSL and the University of Edinburgh led a study on European native oyster ecosystems. The researchers found that oyster populations are nothing like the over 1.7 million hectares they once covered in European seas. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Researchers attribute the decline of oysters to poor water quality, disease, and human overexploitation throughout history. Aside from a few remaining habitats around Sweden and Norway, oyster reef habitats in European waterways are extremely scattered and degraded. Why are oyster populations important? Oysters are vital to the marine ecosystem of European seas. They filter seawater and remove nutrients to support the natural food chain. Massive oyster declines also affect the lives of aquatic animals that once lived and preyed on them for survival. Unfortunately, human activity has contributed significantly to the declining oyster population. People are only now realizing how essential oysters are when it's nearly too late in the region. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Oysters have many human benefits, including job creation that improves local economies, more business in the tourism and recreation industries, and more security in coastal livelihoods through fish and shellfish stocks. What's being done about the decline of oysters? According to Marcos Valderrabano from the International Union for Conservation of Nature, "This assessment serves as a wake-up call to protect and restore ecosystems that are not only vital to biodiversity but also provide invaluable services to people and the planet." Assessments like this help prioritize restoration efforts in the region. In the U.K. and Ireland, 18 native oyster restoration projects are currently underway, per Phys.org. The assessments also increase public awareness about oyster habitat loss and help conservationists take a more holistic approach to marine revitalization projects. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Fortunately, organizations such as the Coalition to Restore Coastal Louisiana are working to help oysters make a comeback in their native habitats. Meanwhile, an innovative effort called the Shellevator is helping repopulate and recreate oyster reefs so the mollusks can clean waterways as nature intended. As an individual, you can spread the news about the importance of oysters and their ecosystems. Another idea is to look for volunteering opportunities with local conservation groups focused on protecting marine life. 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. Acoustic Version The mystery of two "super-continent"-sized structures buried deep in the Earth's mantle has produced a new twist after scientists got a closer look at their composition, suggesting they might be even older than once thought. Or maybe a closer listen may be more accurate. "When there is a big earthquake, the whole Earth will expand and contract like a bell," Arwen Deuss, a seismologist at Utrecht University in the Netherlands and coauthor of a new paper published in the journal Nature, told New Scientist. "Earth becomes a musical instrument." And like an instrument, you can tell a lot about its quality by listening to the tones it produces. The powerful sound waves that resonate through the Earth's interior have long revealed the presence of two low-shear velocity provinces (LLSVPs), or superplumes, over a thousand miles underground, so named because they slow down the sound waves that travel through them. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For some reason, though, they don't appear to make the sound waves any less powerful. Now, Deuss and his team believe they have an explanation for why this is though the implications could be even more mind-boggling. Wet Blanket Today, the two LLSVPs sit beneath Africa and the Pacific Ocean. For how long, however, is difficult to say. "Nobody knew what they are, and whether they are only a temporary phenomenon, or if they have been sitting there for millions or perhaps even billions of years," Deuss said in a statement about the work. "These two large islands are surrounded by a graveyard of tectonic plates which have been transported there by a process called 'subduction,'" she added, "where one tectonic plate dives below another plate and sinks all the way from the Earth's surface down to a depth of almost three thousand kilometers," or about 1,900 miles. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Because the LLSVPs are hot, sound waves that are emitted by the Earth's moving interior slow down when they travel across them. This should also "dampen" the sound waves, or make them lose energy, but observations by Deuss and her team showed that this isn't the case. Pain and Grain So if the temperature alone isn't responsible for the lack of damping, what is? The working theory is grain size, or the size of the crystals believed to comprise the LLSVPS. The researchers suggest that the structures are made up of larger, but less numerous grains. Because there are fewer grains, that means there are also fewer so-called boundaries between them, Deuss explained. It's these boundaries that cause the loss of energy every time they're traveled across. By contrast, the surrounding "slab graveyard" exhibits much smaller grains so more dampening. Because grains take ages to grow to such a size, that means the LLSVPs are considerably older than the subducted slabs that encase them perhaps nearly as old as the Earth itself, Deuss told New Scientist. More on geology: Scientists Say They've Figured Out What Turned the Sun Blue Despite common assumptions, the disk of our Solar System is warped, and the planets travel around the Sun in slightly eccentric (or oblong) orbits. Scientists now think that a mysterious object massive enough to have gravitational interactions with the Solar Systems disk and planets flew by billions of years ago and permanently altered their orbital patterns. The chance that this hypothetical object is what warped our Solar System is actually very highand it might even come around again. When you first learned about the Solar System, you probably saw diagrams that made it look orderly, with planets arranged in circular orbits around the Sun on a flat disk. But in reality, our Solar Systems disk is far from flat. The whole system is actually warped. If those intro depictions were more accurate, the orbits of the planets would be more eccentricthink slightly more oblong than circularand the entire disk would be tilted. And for a long time, scientists have been uncertain how exactly it came to be that way. But recently, physicists Garett Brown and Hanno Rein from the University of Toronto and planetary scientist Renu Malhotra of the University of Arizona, have hypothesized that a trespassing object may have been the culpritgetting in the way of our systems formation. The scenario of a close encounter with a substellar object offers a plausible explanation for the origin of the moderate eccentricities and inclinations of the [] planets, the researchers said in a study recently posted to the preprint server arXiv. The hypothetical object might not have necessarily been a planet, but would have needed to be heavy enough to cause a gravitational disturbance that had lasting effects on the Solar Systems disk and planetary orbits. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Our s is thought to have emerged from a nebulaa gargantuan cloud of dust and gasabout 4.6 billion years ago. The Sun most likely began forming when this nebula collapsed in the wake of the shockwave blasted out by a supernova that exploded in close proximity. A protoplanetary disk would have then formed out of the particles of dust and gas left over from that nebula, which in turn eventually condensed into planets that were pulled into their orbits by the gravity of the Sun. Brown, Rein and Malhotra think that sometime during the Solar Systems formation, an uninvited guest anywhere between 2 and 50 times the mass of Jupiter barged in fast enough to both shift the disks tilt and elongate the planets orbits before making a quick escape. Using numerical simulations, the researchers figured out that a flyby like this would have about a 1 in 100 chance at reshaping our Solar System into what it is today, and that the interloping objects closest approach to the Sun must have been less than 20 AU (1 AU is the distance between the Earth and the Sun). If there really was such an intruder, what exactly the object was and where it went are questions still hanging in space. Was this a rogue planet that escaped into the void, or an object with an orbit so eccentric that it travels to the furthest reaches of the Solar System and takes billions of years to complete its orbit? The second possibility had the researchers thinking there could be a chance that the mystery object will someday return to the inner Solar System. More simulations showed that there is a slight chance that a second gravitational interaction with this object could be pretty chaoticit could kick one of our planets out of our system entirely, or warp both the disc of the Solar System and the orbits of the planets even more. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But dont start doomsday prepping just yet. There is really only between a 1 in 1,000 and a 1 in 10,000 chance of another flyby happening. And even if it does, we wont have to worry about it for 20 million years. Phew. You Might Also Like President Donald Trump has chosen Sean Curran to be the next director of the Secret Service. Trump took to Truth Social on Wednesday night to say that Curran has protected my family over the past few years, and that is why I trust him to lead the Brave Men and Women of the United States Secret Service. The president noted Currans more than two decades of law enforcement experience, having joined the Secret Service in September of 2001. Trump went on to laud Currans experience as a Special Agent in the Newark Field Office where he conducted protection, intelligence, investigations, recruitment, and logistics support for the district. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement During my First Term, Sean served as the Assistant Special Agent in Charge of the Presidential Protective Division, with direct oversight and responsibility of multiple protectees, and enhanced security plans for my residences, he added. Calling Curran a brilliant leader, Trump argued that hes capable of taking charge of operational security plans for the most complex of events. Donald Trump pumps his fist as he is rushed offstage during a rally on July 13, 2024 in Butler, Pennsylvania. Sean Curran, to the right, will be the next director of the Secret Service (Getty Images) He proved his fearless courage when he risked his own life to help save mine from an assassins bullet in Butler, Pennsylvania, said Trump. Curran was the special agent in charge of Trumps security detail for four years and was one of the agents who jumped on stage during the rally on July 13 in Butler. Curran, riight, was in charge of 85 people as he led the protective team for Trump. (AFP via Getty Images) He was in charge of 85 people as he led the protective team for Trump in his capacity as a former president. He was promoted to deputy special agent in charge of the Presidential Protective Detail on December 29. That team has hundreds of agents and protects the current president as well as the first family. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trumps choice goes against the recommendation of two bipartisan commissions, which suggested both in 2015 and more recently that the next president select someone from outside the agency. Becoming the director of the Secret Service doesnt require Senate approval. Curran replaces Ron Rowe, the acting director since July (Getty Images) Curran is set to replace Ron Rowe, the acting director of the agency since July following the departure of former Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle, who left her post after facing severe criticism for the failure to prevent the would-be assassin in Bulter from taking aim at Trump. Two rally-goers were injured, and one, Corey Comperatore, 50, was killed. The director role will be Currans first posting at the headquarters of the agency as hes not currently a member of the Senior Executive Service, which is made up of the highest-ranking officials at the agency. I have complete and total confidence in Sean to make the United States Secret Service stronger than ever before, said Trump. FORTY FORT, LUZERNE COUNTY (WBRE/WYOU) Police are searching for a man reported missing in Forty Fort. The Forty Fort Police Department is asking for information on the whereabouts of 25-year-old Luke Mountjoy. Police describe Mountjoy as 511, and 180 lbs. Explosive confrontation destroys duplex in Pottsville Anyone with information is asked to call Forty Fort Police at 570-287-8586 or call 911. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to PAhomepage.com. HONOLULU (KHON2) The search for two teens missing on Oahus North Shore has officially been suspended. Get Hawaiis latest morning news delivered to your inbox, sign up for News 2 You 17-year-old Samantha Chun and 18-year-old Joey Fujioka were last seen Friday night and were reported missing after they failed to return home by Saturday. On Saturday afternoon, the Honolulu Fire Department reported finding human remains about 200 yards off Ke Iki Beach. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement However, officials have not yet identified the remains, and the investigation into their connection to the missing teens is ongoing. Honolulu Ocean Safety to hold first lifeguard recruit tryouts of 2025 While the official search has been called off, family and friends of the missing teens are not giving up hope. The Honolulu Police Department (HPD) has also classified the case as an active missing persons investigation, continuing their efforts to gather more information. Authorities have not released further details, but they are urging anyone with information to come forward. Download the free KHON2 app for iOS or Android to stay informed on the latest news Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The case remains under investigation, and updates will be provided as new developments occur. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. CHICAGO Family members of a man who went missing while walking his dog on Thursday say he has safely returned 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 WGN-TV. Dozens of residents attended a Seaside School Board meeting Tuesday to address the controversy surrounding a young adult novel assigned to high school students. Superintendent Susan Penrod said she had received complaints about teachers assigning The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, a book by Sherman Alexie that details the struggles of a 14-year-old Native American boy adjusting to life outside of a reservation. We do have school board policies, if anyone would like to challenge any of our instructional materials, Penrod told attendees before presenting an official form to challenge assigned books. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement She also cited a policy that school board members would not respond to assertions at public comment, but that it was instead a time to listen to attendees viewpoints. Many opponents of the book voiced concerns that it contained sexually explicit material, referencing a passage in which the main character talks about sexual self-gratification. Hilary Stock said her daughter, who was assigned the book, had brought the issue to her attention. Im asking for age-appropriate reading material that advances independent thought and critical thinking, Stock said. I am not naive to the fact that students are dealing with self-awareness, sexual curiosity and hard life experiences. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement However, we shouldnt need our educators assigning reading material to glorify pornography, self-pleasure ... my two high schoolers as of next year will be homeschooled, as my faith in the school system has left me disappointed. The city is no stranger to controversy surrounding reading material. In January 2024, two childrens books in the Seaside Public Library faced requests for removal. The library board reviewed the books and opted to keep them in the library. In July 2024, a Seaside city councilor, Steve Dillard, was recalled after calling for age restrictions on materials in the public library. While many spoke in opposition to The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, others voiced their support. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Seamus McVey, a Seaside city councilor whose grandson attends a Seaside school, said he trusted teachers to understand the material they assign. Another book that was mentioned as an alternative tonight, was, I believe, Of Mice and Men, he said. Thats a book thats been banned repeatedly, but when it covers topics like poverty, murder ... Is that a better alternative than a couple of sentences? I have to wonder if the context of the book itself, having been reviewed by the professionals that we as a community pay to do this job, might actually be better. Others warned about the dangers of widespread book challenges throughout the nation the American Library Association has documented record numbers of book challenges over the last few years. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian has been the target of almost yearly challenges across the country since its publication in 2007, earning a spot on the American Library Associations top-10 challenged books list multiple times. I understand some of the points on both sides, said John Edwards, who said he had been involved with the school district as a parent and volunteer for almost 40 years. I think its great that some of the parents whose students were concerned have a level of trust with their parents, that theyre willing to bring something sensitive like this to them. I also think its a slippery slope to start taking literature out of childrens hands because there are parts of it that may be deemed inappropriate for some ... the way that you get around the challenging parts of that is by reading the whole book, not by reading an excerpt and pretending its the end of the world. At the end of the public comment period, school board member Chris Corder thanked attendees and said that he and the rest of the board appreciated the time they took to show up and share their opinions. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We feel like we work hard to, you know, be your elected official at the school board and that we want to be as transparent as possible, he said. So were doing our best. According to the school districts policy, any formal challenges to instructional material require action. Upon receipt of a written challenge, the superintendent will designate a review committee within 10 school days and allow that committee to review the material for another 10 school days. The committee will then submit its report and recommendation on whether the material should be withdrawn from the curriculum to school board members, who will then announce their decision at the subsequent board meeting. A suburban Seattle police officer was sentenced Thursday to over 16 years in prison for the 2019 shooting death of a homeless man he was trying to arrest for disorderly conduct, marking the first conviction under a Washington state law that made it easier to prosecute officers for on-duty killings. A jury found Auburn police Officer Jeffrey Nelson guilty June 27 of second-degree murder and first-degree assault in the death of Jesse Sarey. King County Superior Court Judge Nicole Gaines Phelps sentenced Nelson to just over 16 1/2 years for the murder conviction and 6 1/2 years for assault, to be served concurrently. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Before sentencing Nelson at the high end of the standard range, Phelps chastised the 46-year-old officer for his violent behavior in uniform. "Respect for the law, here, goes more beyond you, Officer Nelson," Phelps said. This is the first case in which a police officer was charged and it in some ways serves as a telescope for others to view police conduct and for police to remember to abide by their training when engaging in situations so that they do not become lethal to them or to others they are sworn to protect and serve. Nelson, seated in a packed courtroom in a red short-sleeve jail uniform, his arms covered in tattoos and his hair cut short, showed no emotion as the judge spoke. His wife and other Auburn police officers sat behind him in his support, while Sarey's friends and family filled the other side of the courtroom. Prosecutors had said at trial in June that Nelson punched Sarey several times before shooting him in the abdomen. Seconds later, Nelson shot Sarey in the forehead. Nelson had claimed Sarey tried to grab his gun and a knife, so he shot him in self-defense, but video showed Sarey was on his back with his head positioned away from Nelson after the first shot. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement King County Special Prosecutor Patty Eakes, citing Nelsons long history of violence and disregard for his training, asked the judge to sentence him at the higher end of the standard range: 18 years for murder and 10 for the assault conviction. "What was Jesse Sarey doing? Sitting outside of a grocery store drinking from discarded cups, Eakes said. He had other tools other than pulling out his gun and shooting an unarmed person in the stomach. Sareys family, including two brothers and a former foster sister, told the judge that his violent death by a police officer crushed their family, and theyre happy to see Nelson held accountable. Six years in the making to see justice not only for Jesse but for all impacted families in Washington state! Elaine Simmons, Sareys foster mother, said after sentencing. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement King County Prosecuting Attorney Leesa Manion hailed the sentence as showing Nelson's actions were not above the law. The sentence reflects the very serious nature of Jeffrey Nelsons crimes," her statement said, noting it was the first time an officer has been tried, convicted and sentenced under the Washington state law that made it easier to prosecutor officers for killings while on duty. Nelson lawyer Emma Scanlan said the defense will appeal. Our deepest sympathies go to his family, she said in an email. However, this trial was marred by unprecedented and significant legal errors that deprived Officer Nelson of his constitutional rights. When police officers are charged with crimes they deserve to be treated fairly just like everyone else. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It was the second case tried since Washington voters in 2018 removed a standard that required prosecutors to prove an officer acted with malice a standard no other state had. Now they must show the level of force was unreasonable or unnecessary. In December, jurors acquitted three Tacoma police officers in the 2020 death of Manuel Ellis. Nelsons lawyers had recommended the lowest possible range - 6 1/2 years arguing he had served his community on countless occasions, placed the lives of strangers above his own. Nelson's wife, Natalie Mounts, told the judge he was kind to others and his family needed him. He has a heart of service and a need to take care of people," Mounts said. Jeff and I are very sorry for the loss suffered by the Sarey family." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement An Auburn police assistant chief and commander also spoke of Nelson's generosity and work ethic, but Phelps rebuked them for failing to acknowledge trial evidence showing Nelson's propensity toward violence and lying to cover it up. That tells me that the Auburn Police Department will stand by anyone and everyone as long as they have a badge," she said. If you want to test a man's character, she said, give him power. In this situation, I would add give him power, a badge and a gun," she said. "Character is who you are when no one is looking. When Officer Nelson thought that no one was looking ... he took the opportunity to harm others. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Sarey was the third person Nelson killed while on duty. Nelson killed Isaiah Obet in 2017. Obet was acting erratically and Nelson ordered his police dog to attack. He shot Obet in the torso and then the head after he fell to the ground. The police said Nelsons life was in danger because Obet was high on drugs and had a knife. The city settled with Obet's family for $1.25 million. In 2011, Nelson fatally shot Brian Scaman, a Vietnam War veteran with mental issues and a history of felonies who pulled out a knife and refused to drop it after Nelson stopped him for a burned-out headlight. Nelson shot him in the head. An inquest jury cleared Nelson of wrongdoing. The City of Auburn settled with Sareys family for $4 million and has paid nearly $2 million more to settle other litigation over Nelsons actions as an officer. Nelson remains on unpaid leave. Before sentencing, Nelsons lawyer Kristen Murray asked the judge to throw out the assault charge as constituting double jeopardy. But the judge let both counts stand, saying jurors recognized that two shots fired seconds apart after Nelson's gun jammed and he cleared it as separate actions. Donald Trump and Elon Musk's DOGE lost a second key staffer, William McGinley, this week. McGinley, a Republican lawyer, was DOGE's legal counsel and served in Trump's first term. Vivek Ramaswamy, who was set to lead the agency with Musk, is also leaving. President Donald Trump's Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE, lost a second high-profile staffer during his first week back in the White House. William McGinley, a Republican lawyer who Trump appointed to be DOGE's legal counsel in December, told The Wall Street Journal he was leaving the agency and looking for opportunities in the private sector. "I support President Trump, Vice President Vance, and the great teams in the White House and across the administration 100%," he told the outlet. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement McGinley and the White House did not respond to requests for comment from Business Insider. McGinley served in the first Trump administration as the White House Cabinet secretary. He also previously served as counsel to the Republican National Committee and the National Republican Senatorial Committee. McGinley's departure comes as DOGE faces lawsuits that started pouring in moments after Trump was sworn in. Three lawsuits argue that DOGE, which is led by Elon Musk, violates the transparency requirements of a 1972 law. It also comes after the highly hyped group lost one of its co-leaders earlier this week. Vivek Ramaswamy, who was set to lead DOGE alongside Musk, said he was stepping down just over two months after the department was announced. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "It was my honor to help support the creation of DOGE," Ramaswamy said on X on Monday. "I'm confident that Elon & team will succeed in streamlining government." Ramaswamy also reiterated his support for Trump in his departure announcement. Several media outlets have reported that Ramaswamy is expected to announce a run for governor of Ohio. Read the original article on Business Insider Inside a lavish clubhouse on Dohas waterfront, tensions strained by months of fruitless back-and-forth weighed on negotiators as the hour neared 3 a.m. On the first floor, a Hamas delegation combed through the details of yet another proposal to halt the war in Gaza. On the second floor, advisers to Israels chief negotiator did the same. With Qatari, U.S. and Egyptian mediators pushing for resolution, did the sides such bitter enemies that they refused to speak directly to one another at last have a deal to pause the fighting and bring dozens of Israeli hostages home? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Both parties were looking at each word in the deal as a trap, said an Egyptian official involved in the negotiations who spoke on condition of anonymity. The talks that night a week ago dragged on over disagreements about where Israel would begin withdrawing troops and its demand that Hamas provide a list of living hostages, he said. By the time Qatars prime minister, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, announced a ceasefire last Wednesday evening, mediators had scrambled again to defuse objections by both sides. But as the fighting in Gaza paused this week, three young Israeli women were released from captivity and dozens of Palestinian prisoners were freed by Israel, the agreement, however tenuous, has held. The agreement was the product of a singular political moment, with one U.S. president preparing to hand power to another. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Both were pushing for a deal to free some 100 Israeli hostages and bring an end to a conflict that began with Hamas' attack that killed about 1,200 in Israel. More than 47,000 have been killed in Gaza, according to Palestinian health officials, who do not distinguish between civilians and militants but say more than half of those killed were women and children. The circumstances partnered Sheikh Mohammed with improbable allies. Then-President Joe Biden sent Brett McGurk, a veteran Middle East hand in both Republican and Democratic administrations. Donald Trump dispatched Steve Witkoff, a real estate billionaire with little if any diplomatic experience, but a longtime friendship with the then-president-elect. The deal they brought together calls for continued negotiations that could be even more fraught, but with the potential to release the remaining hostages and end a war that has destroyed much of Gaza and roiled the entire region. In late May, Biden laid out a proposed deal that would move the sides toward a sustainable calm. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But talks had stalled even before the detonation of a bomb, attributed to Israel, in late July killed Ismail Haniyeh, the head of Hamas political bureau. And efforts by mediators to restart them were derailed in August when Israeli forces found the bodies of six hostages in a Gaza tunnel. Pressure on Hamas increased after Israeli forces killed leader Yahya Sinwar an architect of the Oct. 7 attack and launched a devastating offensive against Lebanons Hezbollah, the groups longtime ally. But Qatari officials announced they were suspending mediation until both sides demonstrated willingness to negotiate. Weeks later, Trump dispatched Witkoff, whose most notable prior link to the Middle East was his $623 million sale of New Yorks Park Lane Hotel to Qatars sovereign wealth fund. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Talks restarted soon after. Witkoff and McGurk were pushing the Israelis. Qatar was pushing Hamas, said an official briefed on the talks who spoke on condition of anonymity. The Egyptian official recounted the frustration of successfully pushing Hamas to agree to changes last summer, only to find Netanyahu imposing new conditions. An Israeli official who spoke on condition of anonymity last week because the negotiations were ongoing, said Sinwars death and Irans weakening influence in the region forced Hamas hand, leading to real give-and-take. He and others close to the process said Trumps rhetoric and dispatch of an envoy had injected new momentum. The Egyptian official pointed to a statement by Trump that there would be hell to pay if the hostages were not released, saying it had pressured both Hamas and Israeli officials. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Mediators said the willingness of Witkoff and McGurk to partner up was critical. In early January, there was a breakthrough in the talks when Hamas agreed to provide a list of hostages it would release in the first phase of a deal, an official briefed on the talks said. On January 11, Witkoff flew to Israel, securing a meeting with Netanyahu. McGurk called in from Doha. Netanyahu agreed to send the heads of Israeli intelligence and internal security back to Doha for negotiations, which mostly took place in the Qatari prime ministers private office. At points, mediators shuttled back and forth between adversaries on different floors. At others, the chief negotiators for the two sides cycled separately into the prime ministers office. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But the Hamas and Israeli delegations never crossed paths, said the official briefed on the talks. After lead negotiators for each side left Sheikh Mohammeds office late Tuesday, the work shifted to the waterfront club owned by the government. Until late the first hours of Wednesday we were working tirelessly to resolve last-minute disputes, said the Egyptian official involved in the negotiations. After extended discussions focused on the buffer zone Israel is to maintain in Gaza and the names of prisoners to be released, the long night ended with an agreement seemingly at hand, said the official briefed on the talks. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But a last-minute hiccup, last-minute requests from both sides forced a delay, the official said. Israel accused Hamas of trying to make changes to already agreed upon arrangements along Gazas border with Egypt. Hamas called the claims nonsense. A senior U.S. official involved in the talks said Hamas negotiators made several last-minute demands, but we held very firm. After calling the Hamas negotiators into his office, Sheikh Mohammed met separately with the Israelis and U.S. envoys. Three hours behind schedule, he stepped to a lectern to announce the parties had reached an agreement. Israel and Hamas are set to resume talks just over a week from now, to work out the second phase. That is supposed to include the release of all remaining hostages, living and dead, and a permanent ceasefire. But getting there, observers say, will likely be even tougher. - Magdy reported from Cairo, Geller from New York, and Madhani from Washington. Associated Press reporter Josef Federman in Jerusalem contributed to this story. A Massachusetts man was found to be carrying a gun after attending a tour of the U.S. Capitol as he left the nearby Library of Congress on Tuesday, police officials told ABC News on Thursday. Authorities in Washington were alerted by police in Carlisle, Massachusetts, on Monday that a man with a gun who had expressed suicidal ideations on social media was headed to Washington. The U.S. Secret Service and Washington, D.C. Metropolitan Police found the man in a Washington hotel early Tuesday morning and interviewed him, sources said. They searched for a gun and found no weapon and no further action was taken at that time, they said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Later that day, the man went through a Capitol Police magnetometer screening and entered the Capitol Visitor Center. The magnetometer sounded an alarm and "an officer performed a secondary hand search, and the man was let into the building," according to a statement from U.S. Capitol Police. PHOTO: The US Capitol in Washington, DC, Dec. 10, 2024. (Al Drago/Bloomberg via Getty Images, FILE) After getting past security, Capitol Police were alerted to his presence and issued a bulletin to be on the lookout for the man. They located him after he had completed the full tour of Congress outside the Library of Congress a short time later and found that he had a 9mm handgun in his waistband, law enforcement sources said. Authorities said the suspect was arrested for "Unlawful Activities, Carrying a Pistol Without a License, Possession of an Unregistered Firearm, Unlawful Possession of Ammunition, and Resisting Arrest." The case is currently with the U.S. Attorney's Office, the Capitol Police statement said. The officer who performed the screening at the magnetometer at the Capitol Visitor Center "is suspended while the USCP's Office of Professional Responsibility is conducting an administrative investigation into the officer's performance of that search." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement There is no indication he intended to cause any harm to harm the Congress, according to Capitol police. But sources told ABC News that a man who was possibly suicidal was able to take a full tour of Congress with a gun with members of the public and Congress nearby. "A full review of this incident has already been ordered, as well as mandatory refresher training on security screening, so this never happens again," Capitol Police said in their statement. Members of Congress were briefed on the situation on Thursday. Security breach at US Capitol: ABC News exclusive originally appeared on abcnews.go.com WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) Rising property taxes are an ongoing source of financial stress for homeowners in Kansas. The Sedgwick County Commission discussed the issue again Wednesday, weighing ways to use fewer dollars collected through the tax. Commissioners proposed two options, but the issue was tabled. The first proposal from Commissioner Jim Howell would require the county to spend property tax money only on essential services. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Quality of life projects like the Sedgwick County Zoo, parks and museums would be paid for with half of Sedgwick Countys sales tax funding and nothing more. Salina company to close, laying off 98 workers An alternative proposal from Commissioner Pete Meitzner would still shift sales tax money to pay for quality-of-life services, but the commission could vote each year to change the amount theyre willing to spend. That would still shift property tax revenue to pay for those essential services. Howell argues that if county leaders can tell the state that they are only spending property tax on essential services, it will make it easier to talk about property tax relief measures at the state level. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The two resolutions were not approved, but that doesnt mean the issue is dead. Newly elected commissioner Jeff Blubaugh asked to go through a budget cycle on the commission before voting on any change. The commission tabled the issue until Oct. 1. For more Kansas news, click here. Keep up with the latest breaking news by downloading our mobile app and signing up for our news email alerts. Sign up for our Storm Track 3 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 KSN-TV. Several of the highest-profile figures in the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection were charged with, and convicted of, the crime of seditious conspiracy, which is defined as the act of getting together with other people to overthrow the government. They were among the roughly 1,500 people involved in the insurrection who were pardoned or had their prison sentences commuted by Donald Trump on his first day in office. Seditious conspiracy is a serious crime of conspiring to overthrow the government or stop its normal functioning. Historically, seditious conspiracy has been difficult to successfully prosecute. In 2009, for example, a state judge ruled that prosecutors had failed to provide sufficient evidence for members of the Michigan Hutaree militia to go to trial on that charge. Certain militia members had been accused of plotting violence against police officers. While some members faced other charges for their actions, the judge determined that a plot against law enforcement was not sufficient to support charges of attempting to overthrow the government. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In contrast, the U.S. Department of Justice charged 18 people associated with the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol with that crime, asserting that they had intended to oppose by force the lawful transfer of presidential power or had committed other actions that would undermine the entire system of government. Of those 18, four pleaded guilty, and 10 were found guilty at trial. The remaining four were found not guilty of seditious conspiracy but were convicted of other crimes that were related to the insurrection. Capitol entry not required Oath Keepers militia leader Stewart Rhodes seditious conspiracy conviction was especially significant because, unlike some other defendants, Rhodes did not physically enter the Capitol building. He was instead in the restricted area of Capitol grounds, according to a Justice Department statement. His conviction was based in part on his communications, including text messages, both before Jan. 6 and on the day itself. Prosecutors successfully argued that these communications were part of a broader conspiracy to disrupt the election certification by organizing and encouraging others to participate in more direct action. Proud Boys members Joseph Biggs, left, and Ethan Nordean, right with megaphone, walk toward the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., on Jan. 6, 2021. AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster Militias respond to convictions and clemency Many observers believed successful prosecutions for these charges sent a strong message that violence against a democratically elected government was not acceptable. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Scholars of militia activity like me saw a period of relative quiet through much of Joe Bidens presidency, which was, in part, likely due to the consequences the Jan. 6 defendants faced. Some groups, however, continued social media discussions of their beliefs that the 2020 election had been stolen, as Trump continues to falsely claim, and which was used as justification by militia members for their attack. Trump himself said publicly he thought the defendants were unjustly persecuted and promised to pardon them if and when he returned to power. The full effect that the pardons will have on militia actors and related groups in coming years is uncertain: Will the pardons send the message to all Americans that political violence is acceptable, or at least that it can be overlooked or forgiven if the right political figures are in power? 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: Amy Cooter, Middlebury Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Read more: Amy Cooter 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. The Sedona City Council has passed a resolution declaring a housing shortage emergency while urging state lawmakers to pass a law allowing local governments to regulate the number and location of short-term rental units. "Every community is different when it comes to what works and what doesn't, the resolution that was passed in December 2024 states. What may work in one community could potentially be a complete disaster in another community, necessitating a return of local control over the regulation of (short-term rentals). The resolution said the number of short-term rentals tripled from 400 units at the beginning of 2020 to approximately 1,203 units in October 2024. Advertisement Advertisement The emergency declaration came as a tipping point in the citys struggle to address its affordable housing crisis. The city introduced a program in 2023 allowing homeowners to put a deed restriction on their property voluntarily with the restriction being in place for 40 years and renewing whenever the house changes ownership. It also began offering an incentive of up to $10,000 for homeowners to rent to local workers or displaced long-term residents on a 1-year lease and has spent millions to develop unused land for affordable housing. In 2024, the City Council approved a program that provided a safe place for workers who were living out of their cars to park. Is that a neighborhood? During a phone interview with The Arizona Republic, Sedona Mayor Scott Jablow said city leaders have urged state lawmakers to give back the authority to stem the rise in short-term rentals and make homes more affordable. Advertisement Advertisement The prices are so astronomically high and artificially inflated because owners of short-term rentals are coming from corporations, and theyre buying up houses for cash, Jablow said. Jablow added that buying houses for the sole purpose of accommodating tourists can erase the community environment one might seek when choosing a place to live. In my neighborhood, I have three or four short-term rentals next to each other, Jablow said. I dont have neighbors. Theres some blocks where one owner is the only person who actually lives (there) on the whole block. Is that a neighborhood? Jablow said part of the issue stems from Senate Bill 1350, which Gov. Doug Ducey signed into law in 2016 that barred local and county governments from prohibiting vacation rentals or short-term rentals except under specific circumstances such as violations of health and safety codes. Advertisement Advertisement Jablow said the law was introduced with the billing that seniors could rent out a room of a home they still lived in so they could afford to keep living in the house not as a money-making scheme for outside entities that have little to no stake in the community. Short-term rentals would be grandfathered in If Arizona municipalities were to regain regulatory authority over short-term rentals, Jablow assured that owners of such properties wouldnt be forced to sell the homes or alter their status as short-term rentals to whatever cap city leaders sought. Were looking to do it fairly, Jablow said. Were not looking to hurt anybody. The plan instead would be to have the roughly 18% of Sedonas housing units that are short-term rentals to eventually be sold when the owner decides to, with the understanding that the house would no longer be a short-term rental but rather someones actual home. Advertisement Advertisement Jablow said that process would continue until the share of short-term rentals reached the desired cap Jablow suggested 5%. Legislation on short-term rentals could be seen in 2025 Although efforts to allow cities to limit short-term limits have failed in the past, theres a chance Jablow could see his wish reach fruition this year. Rep. Selina Bliss, a Prescott Republican, has introduced House Bills 2308 and 2309, which would give cities the ability to set a maximum of vacation or short-term rentals within its boundaries or limit such rentals based on the total number of residentially zoned buildings in that municipality. Neither bill appears to have made much progress beyond their respective introductions as of Wednesday evening. Advertisement Advertisement Gov. Katie Hobbs shared her own desire to reign in the number of short-term rentals during her State of the State address on Jan. 13. Second, lets address the proliferation of vacation rentals owned by out-of-state corporations looking for a quick buck, Hobbs said. These housing speculators are buying up properties and turning family homes into party houses, making housing less affordable in the process. Party houses are causing chaos in our communities. We must end the top-down government mandate that denies our neighborhoods a voice. Arizonans want family homes, not party houses. This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Sedona short-term rentals may be causing 'housing shortage emergency' BALDWIN COUNTY, Ala. (WKRG) While many along the Gulf Coast reported power outages, others may be seeing blinking lights following Tuesdays historic winter weather event. Officials with Riviera Utilities shared on Facebook about the phenomenon of blinking lights. Yesterdays record-breaking snowfall had us all questioning realityand some of your lights and appliances were blinking like they couldnt believe it either, the post said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Gulf Coast Freeze: School closings, schedule changes According to officials, blinking lights may be due to tree limbs contacting power lines. As snow and ice accumulate on tree limbs, they can lean into or fall onto power lines, the post explained. When foreign objects come in contact with power lines, it can cause brief power interruptions There were 475 outages in Baldwin County as of this morning, News 5 reported. Riviera Utilities said that offices are closed following Tuesdays weather but noted that those experiencing outages can text OUT to 251-943-4999. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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 Seminole county judge will be public ally reprimanded next month. Channel 9 told you in November 2024 that an investigative panel of the Florida Qualifications Commission recommended discipline for Seminole County Judge Wayne Culver in 2022. We told you about the judge back in 2022. Now, he will have to face that suspension and reprimand on Feb. 5. Sarcastic, undignified, and unprofessional, that is how the Judicial Qualifications Commission described a Seminole County judge after a video surfaced showing Judge Wayne Curver swearing at a defendant who was also acting out. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement READ: Remorseful Seminole County Judge Faces Suspension He also unlawfully sentenced a man to a year and a half in jail for contempt weeks earlier. Culver was elected in 2020, taking the bench in January of 2021, and faced a 60-day suspension for two incidents of misconduct in court not too long after. According to paperwork, the first incident happened when a litigant in his court interrupted the court proceedings. Culver told him that if he didnt stop, he would send him to jail for so long that the jail would be named after him. READ: Central Florida judge facing suspension for being threatening, using profanity Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Culver said he was just trying to get his attention, but the commission wrote that sarcasm and mockery was inappropriate. In the second incident, the judge is accused of not only using profanity, but also being threatening. The JQC said he should be suspended and publicly apologize, and the court agreed. The ruling said, Judges are required To conduct themselves with integrity; to be patient, dignified, and courteous toward others in official settings, but the ruling pointed to the commissions finding that culver is genuinely contrite, has learned from this experience, and continues to be effective as a judge. READ: Deputies: Victim stabbed 20-70 times in Seminole County homicide investigation Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The court said culver has cooperated fully, accepted full responsibility and acknowledged that such conduct should have never occurred. Culver was dealing with intense personal pressure and loss while caring for his dying father at the time. His suspension will also soon be in effect. Click here to download our free news, weather and smart TV apps. And click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live. President Donald Trump launched his plan to reshape America on Monday by signing executive actions to reverse Joe Biden-era policies and deliver on key campaign promises. He signed the first batch in front of a large crowd at Capital One Arena before going to the Oval Office to sign more. On his first full day in office, Trump ordered the closure of all executive branch diversity, equity, and inclusion offices and placed their employees on leave. PHOTO: Sen. John Fetterman arrives before the 60th Presidential Inauguration in the Rotunda of the Capitol in Washington, DC, Jan. 20, 2025. (Julia Demaree Nikhinson/AP) ABC News spoke with Pennsylvania Sen. John Fetterman, a Democrat, on Tuesday to discuss Jan. 6 pardons, the Laken Riley Act, and his meeting with Trump at Mar-a-Lago. [The senator, to better hear the conversation, used his phone to caption the questions he was asked.] ABC NEWS: In these divided times in Washington, we wanted to hear from a senator who has pledged to work across the aisle. Democratic Senator John Fetterman of Pennsylvania was the first sitting Democrat to head to Mar-a-Lago to meet with Trump. What was that meeting like? And what are his thoughts on the flurry of early actions? Busy day, first day for President Trump. Id like to start with the pardons for the Jan. 6 rioters. Of course, he's had sweeping pardons for roughly 1,500 of them, including some who committed violent acts against police officers. Your reaction to those pardons as far as the message that it might send? SEN. FETTERMAN: Yeah, there were a lot of those pardons that day that I don't agree with any more than some of the pardons that President Biden dropped that I didn't agree with those as well, too. I actually agreed on a lot of the pardons that I've signed on as lieutenant governor. I believe in second chances. Some people are very deserving of a second chance and get a pardon. And there's some that I don't agree that do that. So I don't agree with, I don't agree with them. Many of those that I didn't agree with the president as well, too. ABC NEWS: Yeah. What is your response? Because I know at one point you had suggested that you thought that it would be a good idea for President Biden to pardon President-elect Trump with regard to the hush money case. Now, we know FETTERMAN: What, what I'm saying, though, that, that, pardons I can agree with, some that I don't. And I think that's really what it comes down to. ABC NEWS: You obviously co-sponsored the Laken Riley Act, which was passed late yesterday. Some Democrats have said that they're unhappy with it, including Senator Kaine who said that it's bad policy. What's your reaction to that? FETTERMAN: I mean, they're entitled to their opinions and their views. And I believe as someone that's very, very pro-immigration, as I have been consistently, that we can be very pro-immigration and we should need a secure border. And if those people that have a criminal record or people that are actively engaging in criminal behavior, I don't know why it's controversial that those people should, should, they need to go. ABC NEWS: As you know, President Trump declared an emergency at the southern border. Your thoughts on that? Good idea? Bad idea? FETTERMAN: Well, I think if 300,000 people were showing up on the border, as they were during a month, not that long ago, I think it's important that we create a secure border. And that's really pretty much where we are. ABC NEWS: As you know, initially President Trump at one point had called you a raging lunatic, but then you went down. You're only the first sitting Democratic senator to actually go down to Mar-a-Lago. Days later, he said he thought that you were impressive. Can you take us to that moment and give us a sense of how that meeting went with you and President Trump at Mar-a-Lago? FETTERMAN: I just, I was invited to have a conversation with the president and that I did. And that's what happened. ABC NEWS: Do you share a lot of his ideals? FETTERMAN: Do I, a lot of his ideals? ABC NEWS: Yes. FETTERMAN: I'm a Democrat. It's a strange question. ABC NEWS: Well, I guess I'm wondering what made him go FETTERMAN: I mean, there's many things that I won't agree with and there might be some that I do agree on that. But I am a Democrat and I'm going to remain a Democrat. So there's many of his ideals that I don't agree with. But that's pretty much how it works here. Some Democrats aren't going to agree with a lot of the things. ABC NEWS: Right. But I guess I'm just trying to get a sense of, at one point, he's saying you're a raging lunatic. And then he describes you as impressive. Was there any kind of extension of an olive branch, a meeting of the minds at Mar-a-Lago that caused him to have at least such a shift? FETTERMAN: You know, I think if we all refuse to engage and talk to people that may have said things in the past that you might not appreciate, then we wouldn't be having conversations with a lot of people amongst ourselves. ABC NEWS: I know that you've denied rumors that you would switch parties. Would you ever consider becoming an Independent? FETTERMAN: No, that was never, that was never part of any conversation. And if you want to choose to respond to some weird things that you might read online, that's your, that's up to you. But that's not any part of any conversation I've ever considered. ABC NEWS: The advice that you've given to some of your Democratic colleagues who are concerned about a second term with Trump is you've got to chill out. And I'm wondering if there was any action or any words that he said on his first day that gave you pause? FETTERMAN: Well, a lot of things. A lot of things. But he claimed that that's what's coming and that's where we are on that. And we all have a choice to respond to every last thing or whatever. But I'm going to kind of continue to find a lot of consistent wins for Pennsylvania. ABC NEWS: Obviously, as we mentioned before, you were able to have the, the bipartisan bill with Laken Riley. Any other primary goals that you feel like you'd like to work, reach across the aisle with Republicans on, on upcoming legislation? FETTERMAN: You know, as they emerge and continue to find and have those ongoing conversations with members of my colleagues here in the Senate. And remember, the Republicans are going to drive the agenda and I'm going to find a way to work together along on all of those kinds of priorities. ABC NEWS: All right, Sen. Fetterman, thank you so much for your time. Really appreciate it. Sen. John Fetterman on Trump's executive actions, visiting Mar-a-Lago originally appeared on abcnews.go.com The next Tennessee gubernatorial election is not until 2026, but politicians and pundits already are already throwing out names of potential candidates. Gov. Bill Lee, in his second term in office, cannot run again so many ambitious politicians will be vying to succeed him. Recently, Knox County Mayor Glenn Jacobs, a potential contender, said he would endorse U.S. Sen. Marsha Blackburn if she ran for governor. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Both are Republicans and as Tennessee politics for most of the state save for Nashville-Davidson County and Memphis-Shelby County have moved further right, the GOP is positioned to keep the seat. This is unusual in Tennessee politics. Since 1970 when Republican Winfield Dunn won election after a decades-long stretch of Democrats, the parties have traded off control of the Tennessee Residence. Ray Blanton (D) followed Dunn who was then succeeded by Lamar Alexander (R), Ned McWherter (D), Don Sundquist (R), Phil Bredesen (D) and Bill Haslam (R). Then, Republican Bill Lee's election marked an end to alternating political control. At least for now. Opinion: How do you feel about Trumps return as president? Tell us here. Take our survey below to tell us if Blackburn should run and which Democrats and Republicans you prefer. You can also add comments, which The Tennessean may publish. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The names below reflect politicians mentioned in stories or high-profile current and former elected officials. Send any feedback or comments to Opinion and Engagement Director David Plazas at dplazas@tennessean.com. This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Marsha Blackburn may run for Tennessee governor. Should she? | Opinion The Senate voted largely along party lines Thursday to advance Pete Hegseth, President Trumps nominee to serve as secretary of Defense, brushing aside a litany of misconduct allegations and the objections of Democrats who argued he is unqualified for the job. The 51-49 vote to end debate on Hegseths nomination sets the stage for a final confirmation vote Friday, when he is expected to secure the majority support he needs to join Trumps Cabinet. Republican Sens. Lisa Murkowski (Alaska) and Susan Collins (Maine) voted against Hegseth. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump has touted Hegseth as someone who would bring a fresh perspective to the leadership of the Pentagon, move past the political agendas of the Biden administration and help build the most powerful military in the world. Sen. Roger Wicker (R-Miss.), the Senate Armed Services Committee chair who strongly supported Hegseth throughout the confirmation process, argued that the American people gave Trump a clear mandate to reform Washington. He called Hegseth a good choice who would be open to new ideas and not beholden to the status quo. Democrats, however, panned Hegseth as completely unqualified and unfit to lead the nations armed forces given his lack of managerial experience and multiple allegations of misbehavior. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (N.Y.) on Thursday called Hegseth, a former Fox News host who retired from the Army with the rank of major, utterly unqualified and among Trumps very worst nominees. Pete Hegseth has shown himself not only incapable of running a large organization, he often shows himself incapable of showing up or showing up in a way where he could get anything done, Schumer said. Sen. Jack Reed (D-R.I.), the ranking member of the Armed Services panel, said Hegseth repeatedly dodged and deferred allegations of disregarding the laws of war, financial mismanagement, racist and sexist remarks about men and women in uniform, alcohol abuse, sexual assault, sexual harassment and other troubling issues. Democrats highlighted throughout the contentious confirmation process his infidelities to multiple spouses and allegations that he got drunk at work events. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement That was enough to help sway Murkowski, who announced shortly before the vote that she would vote against Hegseth, citing significant concerns with his nomination. She said managing the department of Defense requires vast experience and expertise and that Hegseths prior career experience does not demonstrate to me that he is prepared for such immense responsibility. His leadership of two veteran organizations was marked with accusations of financial mismanagement and problems with the workplace culture he fostered, she said. Hegseth admitted during his confirmation hearing that he was not a perfect person but he vigorously denied the allegation that he sexually assaulted a woman in 2017 or that he mismanaged the finances of two veterans groups he ran before joining Fox News as a contributor in 2014. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But the nominee admitted to having a consensual sexual encounter with the woman who accused him of assault in 2017 while he was still married to his second wife and shortly after he fathered a child with another woman who would become his third wife. Murkowski cited this behavior as raising serious concerns about the nominees judgment. While the allegations of sexual assault and excessive drinking do nothing to quiet my concerns, the past behaviors Mr. Hegseth has admitted to, including infidelity on multiple occasions, demonstrate a lack of judgment that is unbecoming of someone who would lead our armed forces, she said. The closely decided vote by the full Senate to advance Hegseth marks a remarkable turnaround for the nominee. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He appeared to be in deep trouble in early December after allegations of sexual misconduct, financial mismanagement and public drunkenness surfaced in several media outlets. Sen. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) said she hadnt gotten to yes on Hegseth when asked about her position during a Fox News interview in early December, and Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) initially called the allegations disturbing. Trump even floated Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis as a possible plan B option to head the Pentagon before changing his mind and deciding to fully back his embattled nominee. The presidents advisers warned, however, that if he let Hegseths nomination go down in flames, it could embolden Democrats and produce a domino-like chain reaction of other Cabinet picks failing to advance. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trumps decision to double down in his support of Hegseth was backed by a strong push by the presidents allies on social media, who piled immense pressure on wavering Senate Republicans, including Ernst and Graham, to support the nominee. Ernst and Graham announced their support after Hegseth survived a bruising confirmation hearing at which Democrats repeatedly grilled him about his drinking, his infidelity, his management of Veterans for Freedom and Concerned Veterans for America, and his view of women in combat roles. Ernst said after the hearing that Democrats were there just to score political points, adding I think they failed. Graham said Hegseth showed his mettle during several hours of withering criticism. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Democratic attacks were overly personal and fell flat. It was clear Pete was more prepared for the hearing than my Democratic colleagues, he said. Wicker held a vote Monday to report Hegseths nomination out of the Senate Armed Services Committee over the angry objections of Democrats on the panel, who argued that Republicans should respect the tradition of waiting at least seven days after a hearing to report a nominee to the floor. The Armed Services panel voted along party lines, 14-13, to waive the seven-day rule and advance the nominee. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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 Senate Education Committee voted to advance a bill Thursday that would require the display and curricular inclusion of the Ten Commandments in every public school classroom. First-term Republican Sen. John Carley of Piedmont, who sponsored SB 51, said he brought the bill because it brings a traditional, historical foundation document back to schools, reintroduces the idea that America is unique and brings back some of the original American identity, and, because America has turned a corner recently. Carley read a statement of support for SB 51 from South Dakota Attorney General Marty Jackley, who he said wrote in a letter that this is a state issue, and the Ten Commandments were influential in the creation of our country and the development of our legal system. Jackley also wrote that he would defend the law if it was challenged, Carley said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement More: SD Attorney General Marty Jackley signals support for Ten Commandments displays in schools Though there was support from Jackley, several out-of-state constitutional attorneys, a Rapid City teacher and a current South Dakota State University student, the bill was opposed by multiple education lobbyists, two religious leaders in the state, and the states ACLU chapter. Four committee members voted in favor of the bill Sens. Curt Voight, R-Rapid City, Sam Marty, R-Prairie City, Lauren Nelson, R-Yankton, and Sue Peterson, R-Sioux Falls while three opposed it Sens. Kyle Schoenfish, R-Scotland, Stephanie Sauder, R-Bryant, and Jamie Smith, D-Sioux Falls. SB 51 will move to the Senate for a full vote in the coming days. The Senate Education Committee voted to advance a bill Thursday that would require the display and curricular inclusion of the Ten Commandments in every public school classroom. Whats in the bill? SB 51 lists the Ten Commandments as follows: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I AM the LORD your God, thou shalt have no other gods before me. Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image. Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain. Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Honor thy father and mother. Thou shalt not murder. Thou shalt not commit adultery. Thou shalt not steal. Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor. Thou shalt not covet. The bill says school boards shall display the Ten Commandments in each classroom in each school in the district on a poster or document thats at least 8 by 14 inches, and the Ten Commandments must be the focus of the poster or document and printed in large, easily readable font. Three statements about the Ten Commandments history in education must also be displayed near that poster or document. School boards also may display the Mayflower Compact, Magna Carta, Declaration of Independence and other documents foundational to the legal and governmental systems of the U.S. and South Dakota along with the Ten Commandments. The South Dakota Board of Education Standards shall publish a list of those other documents that can be displayed. School boards can accept donated displays to meet the bills requirements, or may accept donations to purchase displays meeting the requirements. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement SB 51 also states each public school must include instruction on the U.S. and South Dakota governments, and the philosophical principles articulated by them, in the schools history and civics curriculum. Instruction must cover the U.S. and state constitution, Declaration of Independence, Bill of Rights, Ten Commandments and other documents as determined by the SDBOES. Each student must receive such instruction at least once from grades 1-4, 5-8 and 9-12. The DOE shall develop and provide materials to support this instruction. A fiscal note attached to the bill notes the cost of a poster is minimal, ranging from $0.03 to $4, but the cost for developing or implementing a curriculum for the DOE and school districts would have an opportunity cost, meaning staff would have to spend time developing curriculum for SB 51 instead of developing another curriculum. The cost to buy curriculum, if necessary, depends on what each district already has and does as part of its current operations. Legal arguments pause similar legislation in other states Bills similar to SB 51 have popped up in North Dakota, Oklahoma, Texas and Louisiana. Louisiana in particular has a new law requiring schools to post the Ten Commandments, but thats been stopped by a lower court. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its held up by the Supreme Courts 1980 decision in Stone v. Graham that such displays were plainly religious and not related to any educational mission, therefore unconstitutional. Jackley recently joined 17 other attorneys general in signing an amicus brief to support Louisianas law. The Ten Commandments already are displayed in the U.S. Supreme Court and other public buildings, Jackley said in an earlier news release. The Ten Commandments have influenced the creation of our nation and our rule of law. The establishment clause prohibits the government from establishing an official religion, but South Dakota has toed that line many times including starting each day in the Legislature with a prayer, saying the Pledge of Allegiance in schools, which refers to the nation being one under God, and a 2019 requirement for schools to display the national motto In God We Trust. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ten Commandments displays that look like theyre promoting religion might violate the establishment clause, as theyre usually seen as religious unless theres a clear non-religious reason for it, but if theyre shown as part of a larger display about the history of the law, such displays might be OK, according to the Freedom Forum, a nonpartisan organization promoting First Amendment freedoms. Displays of the Ten Commandments in public school classrooms are usually not allowed, the Freedom Forum reported, which noted public school teachers can teach about religions, but cant promote a certain religion. They can also teach about the Ten Commandments in the context of history or literature. Ten Commandments serve as reminder of simple morals, proponents say Proponents of SB 51 included four people from South Dakota: Carley, seventh grade science teacher Amber Robbins from Rapid City, SDSU student Grace Sargent, and South Dakota Parents Involved in Education and South Dakota Citizens for Liberty lobbyist Florence Thompson. Robbins said she supported the Ten Commandments being posted in classrooms and said it would be helpful for students to see the history and tradition of the document, and how its helped the foundation of the law and the history of America. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement She added it would be helpful to students and show them our American heritage. Sargent, an agricultural communications major and an alumna of Stanley County High School in Fort Pierre, said while shes conscious of the separation of church and state, she views the Ten Commandments as a historical document and wouldve appreciated them being taught in her history and civics classes. As a former public school student, I see no issue with the Ten Commandments being displayed, and I know my peers would agree with me, she said. I see the Ten Commandments as being a moral framework for laws we have today, and see their display and teaching to be nothing but a reminder of simple morals that are nothing but beneficial for humans to remember. There were also three proponents from out-of-state: Matt Krause with the First Liberty Institute in Texas, Ray Hacke with the Pacific Justice Institute in Oregon, and Elijah ONeal with the American Journey Experience Museum in Texas. They spoke largely about case law that would apply to this bill if challenged in court, and the historical context of the Ten Commandments inclusion in history and education. Education lobbyists say bill throws a whole new wrinkle in education Opponents of SB 51 included lobbyists for School Administrators of South Dakota, the Large School Group, Sioux Falls School District, Associated School Boards of South Dakota, South Dakota United School Association, and the state ACLU chapter. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement More: How much will school choice bill cost South Dakota? Committee delays vote to find out They largely argued the bill creates an unfunded mandate for the postage of the Ten Commandments and inclusion of curriculum on them, encroaches on the separation of church and state, and goes against the local control of schools. SASD director Rob Monson questioned what problem legislators are trying to solve with SB 51 and said the role of the Legislature is to solve the states problems. Folks, God is in our schools every day. We dont need some words on a wall to remind us of that, Monson said. Hes with the students praying at the flagpole. Hes in there with the students praying before the test. Hes there as teachers are finding food, clothing, supplies and whatever else our students need. We dont need words on a wall. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Dianna Miller with the Large School Group said the state shouldnt tempt a lawsuit on this issue. She also noted the South Dakota Board of Education Standards is the one to set standards, like the inclusion of the Ten Commandments in schools, and SB 51 throws a whole new wrinkle in that process. She also criticized SB 51s lack of an enforcement mechanism for schools, and noted it will have to become part of the school accreditation process. Sam Nelson, representing the Sioux Falls School District, said schools have much more important work to do to prepare our students for life in the 21st Century than display and teach on the Ten Commandments. Samantha Chapman with the ACLU of South Dakota said the exclusionary message of a state-sanctioned religious text would be divisive and constitutionally impermissible, and leaves public schools vulnerable to costly litigation. Religious leaders dont want religion forced down the throats of our students in schools Rev. Lauren Stanley, assistant to the Episcopal Bishop of South Dakota, and Rev. Christine Hallenbeck Ask, an ordained pastor in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, also spoke against the bill. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Stanley said teaching the Ten Commandments as a historical legal precedent upon which the U.S. is founded would make the founding fathers roll in their graves. She said they arent legal precedent but moral guidelines given to the people of God to establish a right relationship with God and each other. She also said teaching the Ten Commandments would violate the right to religious freedom, as many students in public schools arent Jewish or Christian. Putting these laws up and forcing teachers to claim that there is historic legal precedent is immoral in and of itself, she said. We should not be forcing religion down the throats of our students. Ask said as a representative of one of the largest Christian denominations in the state, her rationale for opposing the bill is both constitutional and theological, and her concerns are both pastoral and parental. Presenting the Ten Commandments as a historical legal document in schools cheapens their significance and disregards their context, Ask said. I am a Christian parent myself, and I do not want public school teachers to provide religious instruction to my children, she said. I urge you to consider that voting no on this bill can be faithful to both the Constitution, and to the Christian faith. This article originally appeared on Sioux Falls Argus Leader: Could the Ten Commandments be displayed at all South Dakota classrooms? John Ratcliffe will lead the Central Intelligence Agency under President Donald Trump after the Senate confirmed him to the position by a 74-25 vote Thursday. Twenty Democrats voted alongside their Republican counterparts to confirm Ratcliffe. Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., did not vote. Ratcliffe, a former U.S. congressman from Texas, served as director of national intelligence during the last year of Trumps first term. As CIA director, Ratcliffe will lead an agency that has long been vilified by Trump, and he could face pressure from the White House to wield intelligence against the presidents opponents. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement His hearing before the Senate Intelligence Committee in January was far less rancorous than those of several other Trump Cabinet picks. Ratcliffe said he intends to focus on countering the threat from the Chinese government and committed to reinvestigating Havana syndrome, a mysterious, potentially psychogenic illness that has been reported among intelligence officers and diplomats. Ratcliffe also sought to reassure senators that he would remain apolitical in his role as CIA director. He vowed not to impose political litmus tests for agency employees and said that although he enjoyed serving in Congress, he would relish the opportunity to be apolitical. But as DNI, Ratcliffe had a history of politicizing intelligence matters. Months before the 2020 election, he declassified and released CIA documents on unverified Russian intelligence that accused Hillary Clinton of improperly trying to smear Trump during the 2016 race. At the time, former CIA Director John Brennan, whose notes were released, accused Ratcliffe of selectively declassifying information to advance the political interests of Donald Trump and Republicans who are aligned with him. CORRECTION (Jan. 23, 2025, 6:03 p.m. ET): An earlier version of this article misstated the number of Democrats who voted to confirm Ratcliffe. The number of Democrats was 20, not 24. This article was originally published on MSNBC.com Jan. 23 (UPI) -- Former Congressman John Ratcliffe is the nation's new CIA director after the Senate voted 74-25 in favor of his confirmation on Thursday. Ratcliffe was a Republican representative for Texas from 2015 until President Donald Trump made him the director of the Department of National Intelligence in May 2020. He was in that role until the end of Trump's first term. All Senate Republicans and 21 members of the Senate Democratic Caucus voted to confirm Ratcliffe's nomination. Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., did not vote. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., earlier this week said Ratcliffe would "bring valuable knowledge and experience" to the CIA post. "Mr. Ratcliffe brings the right experience and the right approach to the CIA," Thune said. "I look forward to working with him in this new position." Vice President JD Vance swears in John Ratcliffe, with his wife, Michele (R), as director of the Central Intelligence Agency during a ceremony in the Vice President's ceremonial office in Washington, D.C., on Thursday. Photo by Shawn Thew/UPI The Senate Intelligence Committee voted 14-3 to advance Ratcliffe's nomination as CIA director following his confirmation hearing on Jan. 15. Unlike Secretary of State Marco Rubio, whose Senate confirmation was fast-tracked by a 99-0 vote on Monday, opposition from some Senate Democrats slowed Ratcliffe's confirmation. The Senate on Thursday confirmed John Ratcliffe as director of the Central Intelligence Agency, making him the second high-level addition to President Donald Trump's cabinet. Photo by Ken Cedeno/UPI Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., prevented Ratcliffe's nomination from being fast-tracked, too. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Murphy said many of his colleagues in the Senate Democratic Caucus have serious concerns that Ratcliffe did not separate his post from Trump's personal interests while National Intelligence director in 2020. Michele Radcliffe, wife of John Ratcliffe, listens as her husband testifies during a Senate Intelligence Committee hearing earlier this month. Photo by Ken Cedeno/UPI Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., opposed Ratcliffe's confirmation on Thursday, saying he didn't trust Ratcliffe's ability to "stand up to people like Donald Trump and Tulsi Gabbard, who are known to falsify intelligence," NBC News reported. "As CIA director, Mr. Ratcliffe will have to make decisions based on intelligence and fact," Schumer said. Vice President JD Vance swears in John Ratcliffe, with his wife, Michele (R), as director of the Central Intelligence Agency during a ceremony in the Vice President's ceremonial office in Washington, D.C., on Thursday. Photo by Shawn Thew/UPI Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement During his confirmation hearing, Ratcliffe told Senate Intelligence Committee members he intends to support the adoption of technology to assist the CIA in collecting and analyzing intelligence. He also cited China as the United State's top global adversary and the Chinese Communist Party as the nation's top security threat. Ratcliffe's confirmation makes him the second high-level Cabinet member confirmed by the Senate, with Rubio being the first on Monday. The Senate confirmation hearings and votes might continue into the weekend. Thune has said he will continue the Senate session into the weekend if Senate Democrats continue to slow the confirmation process for Trump's Cabinet nominees. Confirmations yet to be made include Pete Hegseth for secretary of Defense, Kristi Noem for secretary of Homeland Security, Scott Bessent for Treasury secretary and Gabbard as the director of national intelligence. The current U.S. medical education and health care systems undeniably benefit from the immigration of talented international medical graduates (IMGs). Many of my favorite teachers, residents, and colleagues have been IMGs. However, the longstanding U.S. reliance on immigrant physicians raises questions about what policies best support both domestic and international priorities moving forward. Beyond medicine, the immigration of talented scientists and engineers has also sparked recent public debate. Elon Musk recently declared that bringing in via legal immigration the top 0.1 percent of engineering talent is essential for America to keep winning. In fact, over half of doctorate degrees awarded in the U.S. go to foreign students, many of whom eventually gain permanent resident status. In health care, IMGs constitute about 25 percent of practicing physicians in the U.S., playing a critical role in maintaining the systems functionality. Yet, this raises the primary question: Why is the U.S.of all countriesunable to train enough physicians to meet its needs, especially when there are plenty of medical school applicants, and ironically, countries with fewer resources than us appear to be producing an excess of doctors for our consumption? This isnt a new problem, so why cant we fix it? In short, the U.S. Congressmaybe. The Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2023still sitting on Capitol Hillproposed expanding Medicare-funded US residency positions by 2,000 annually over seven years (a total of 14,000 new positions by 2031). This bill would not obviously be a total solution to our thirst for IMGs since about one-quarter of U.S. residency spots are already being filled by IMGs. Thus, we also need more U.S. medical school graduates. In any case, I will set aside the IMG issue in order to focus this discussion on the broader (philosophical) implications of the continuous extraction of global talent for the benefit of the U.S. That is, although adopting Musks patriotic-sounding keep winning philosophy may help the U.S. maintain its economic and military dominance, it must come at a substantial cost to the countries that are consistently losing their brightest minds. It raises a fundamental question: Is global economic growth a zero-sum game? Must other nations lose in order for us to keep winning? Are we acting out a global version of social Darwinism in which global wealth inequality is a justified (or necessary) consequence of the pure pursuit of excellence? Beyond that, how fair is it for the U.S. to judge other nations for poor economic growth and political instability when we extend open arms to their most promising leaders in science, engineering, and medicine? Countries struggling with political and economic instability face a vicious cycle. To retain experts, they need stability and infrastructure, but achieving these goals requires the very experts who are leaving. This brain drain also contributes to broader instability, likely increasing rates of immigration to the U.S. and other developed countries. In this respect, are we partially responsible for the immigration challenges we lament? Would a more supportive global perspective allow other countries to win as well, or is that an unacceptable threat to U.S. dominance? During the COVID-19 pandemic, some IMG physicians that I know organized fundraising efforts to support their home countries. While commendable, the effort also highlighted a critical question: How might these countries have responded differently to the pandemic if thousands of their best doctors hadnt been lured away by the attractive lifestyle promised by the U.S.? The investments these nations make in training professionals are lost when those individuals emigrate, leading to weakened leadership, diminished research capacity, and perhaps most importantly, fewer role models for the next generation. To be fair, not all foreign professionals who study and train in the U.S. remain in the U.S. Many return home with advanced knowledge (gifted from usso to speak) for the benefit of their countries of origin. Perhaps denying these learning opportunities to the worlds best and brightest would, in fact, inflict more harm globally than welcoming them. That is hard to judge. I think the question still remains: Can we move toward a mindset where prosperity is not a zero-sum game? A decrease in global wealth inequality would certainly require a selfless, collective effort, but could certainly soften immigration pressures and improve living conditions in many countries. As we consider the policies and priorities shaping immigration, its worth reflecting on whether our current approach aligns with a vision of mutual global success or simply reinforces inequality (and instability) for the sake of maintaining dominance. In health care, at least, the U.S. Congress can start by making it a budget priority to train enough of our own doctors, thus reducing our dependence on IMGs while allowing other countries to flourish under the leadership of their best and brightest in medicine. David M. Mitchell is a hospitalist. The Senate on Thursday confirmed John Ratcliffe as CIA director, giving President Donald Trump the second member of his new Cabinet. Ratcliffe was director of national intelligence during Trumps first term and is the first person to have held that position and the top post at the CIA, the nations premier spy agency. The Texas Republican is a former federal prosecutor who emerged as a fierce Trump defender while serving as a congressman during Trumps first impeachment. The vote was 74-25. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement At his Senate hearing last week, Ratcliffe said the CIA must do better when it comes to using technology such as artificial intelligence to confront adversaries including Russia and China. He said the United States needed to improve its intelligence capabilities while also ensuring the protection of Americans civil rights. Ratcliffe said that if confirmed, he would push the CIA to do more to harness technologies such as AI and quantum computing while expanding use of human intelligence collection. Were not where were supposed to be, Ratcliffe told members of the Senate Intelligence Committee. Democrats raised questions about Ratcliffes objectivity and whether his loyalty to Trump would prompt him to politicize his position and blind him to the duties of the job. Concerns from Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., forced the Senates Republican leaders to postpone Ratcliffes confirmation vote, which originally was scheduled for Tuesday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Former Florida Sen. Marco Rubio was confirmed earlier this week as secretary of state, the first member of Trumps Cabinet. Ratcliffe has said he views China as Americas greatest geopolitical rival, and that Russia, Iran, North Korea and drug cartels, hacking gangs and terrorist organizations also pose challenges to national security. He supports the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, a government spying program that allows authorities to collect without warrant the communications of non-Americans outside the country. If those people are communicating with Americans, those conversations can be swept up, too, which has led to questions about violations of personal rights. Trump and other Republicans have criticized the work of the CIA and other spy agencies, saying they have focused too much on climate change, workforce diversity and other issues. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The calls for a broad overhaul have worried some current and former intelligence officials who say the changes could make the country less safe. Like other Trump nominees, Ratcliffe is a Trump loyalist. Aside from his work to defend Trump during his first impeachment proceedings, Ratcliffe also forcefully questioned former special counsel Robert Mueller when he testified before lawmakers about his investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election. As director of national intelligence, Ratcliffe oversaw and coordinated the work of more than a dozen spy agencies. Among other duties, the office directs efforts to detect and counter foreign efforts to influence U.S. politics. Trump picked Ratcliffe to serve in that position in 2019, but he quickly withdrew from consideration after lawmakers raised questions about his qualifications. He was ultimately confirmed by a sharply divided Senate after Trump resubmitted the nomination. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In that job, Ratcliffe was accused by Democrats of politicizing intelligence when he declassified Russian intelligence that purported to reveal information about Democrats during the 2016 election even as he acknowledged the information might not be accurate. Trumps second-term nominee for director of national intelligence, Tulsi Gabbard, faces a tougher road to confirmation. Gabbard, a former Democratic congresswoman from Hawaii, has faced bipartisan criticism over past comments supportive of Russia and 2017 meetings with then-Syrian President Bashar Assad. Download the FREE WPXI News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Channel 11 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch WPXI NOW The Senate on Thursday confirmed John Ratcliffe to lead the Central Intelligence Agency in overwhelming bipartisan fashion, making him the second member of President Trumps national security team to be approved by the upper chamber. Senators confirmed Ratcliffe in a 74-25 vote. Twenty-one members who caucus with Democrats voted with every present Republican. Sen. John Fetterman (D-Pa.) did not vote. He will bring valuable knowledge and experience to his new post, Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) said on the floor earlier this week, pointing to Ratcliffes tenure as director of national intelligence (DNI) and on the House Intelligence Committee. Mr. Ratcliffe brings the right experience and the right approach to the CIA, and I look forward to working with him in his new position. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ratcliffes nomination cleared the Senate Intelligence Committee by a vote of 14 to 3. Sen. Mark Warner (D-Va.), the panels vice chair, was among Ratcliffes backers. Republicans, however, were unable to process him as quickly as they had hoped. Thune hoped to confirm him by Tuesday night or Wednesday, but Democrats threw up a last-minute roadblock in order to further delay Pete Hegseths confirmation to run the Pentagon. Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) blocked his speedy passage, pointing to serious concerns some of his Democratic colleagues had about Ratcliffe and questions about his willingness to distance himself from the presidents political interests while serving as DNI in 2020. I dont think its too much to ask to make sure that we have a full, real debate that lasts two days on the Senate floor, he said Tuesday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Despite Murphys delay, Ratcliffe was largely able to assuage a number of Democrats on a multiple fronts, with members voting aye viewing him as a serious nominee due to his stint as DNI and his national security background. During his confirmation hearing, he specifically told Democrats that he would keep the CIA apolitical and would not fire any agency employees on the basis of political leanings or opposition to the president. Hes also received bipartisan high marks for his stance on China, having been a longtime proponent of combating the Chinese Communist Party a topic that came up during his confirmation hearing last week. Understand that the nation who wins the race of emerging technologies of today will dominate the world of tomorrow, Ratcliffe said at the time. 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. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ratcliffe has warned that China poses the greatest threat to the U.S. of any nation since World War II and has called for aggressive spying on the world power. The vote comes after the chamber unanimously confirmed Secretary of State Marco Rubio and officially establishes half of Trumps initial national security team, with Senate Republicans planning on moving on the other half in the coming days, according to Thune. Thune is expected to move in quick order to confirm South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem (R) and Pete Hegseth to lead the Department of Homeland Security and the Pentagon, respectively. Noem is expected to be an easier lift than Hegseth, who will have to rely on Republican votes to get through due to Democratic opposition. The Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee advanced Noems nomination in a 13-2 vote on Monday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Despite early troubles that consumed Hegseths nomination last year, he has righted the ship with Republicans and is widely expected to eventually win confirmation despite Democratic attempts to delay a vote. If every one of President Trumps nominees were as qualified and experienced as Sen. Rubio, theyd sail through the Senate with bipartisan support. But sadly, too many of the presidents nominees do not match Sen. Rubios caliber, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) said on the floor. Too many have troubling backgrounds. Too many seem unprepared for the job, and proved so during testimony, Schumer said, though he did not name-check any nominee individually. Ratcliffe has a number of issues on his plate now following confirmation, some of which were previewed during last weeks hearing. He talked up wanting to strengthen the agencys intelligence gathering ability and his support for Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, which allows for the warrantless surveillance of foreign targets. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The former Texas congressman also indicated plans to drill down on the causes of anomalous health incidents (AHIs) also known as Havana syndrome after a pair of U.S. intelligence agencies signaled they were possibly caused by foreign adversaries. The AHIs have affected hundreds of U.S. spies, diplomats and other personnel, and the intelligence community as a whole has not found any links between them and a foreign power. The CIA in particular has faced criticism for their response to employees who have reported AHI symptoms. A recent Senate Intelligence Committee report faulted the agencys handling of the matter, saying the agency complicated employees abilities to get medical care and compensation. 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, Ratcliffe told Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine). 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 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. WASHINGTON The Senate voted Thursday to confirm John Ratcliffe as the next CIA director, approving the second high-level appointment for the new Trump administration. The vote was 74-25 in favor of Ratcliffe, a former congressman from Texas who was Trumps director of national intelligence for the last eight months of his first term. Twenty-one Democrats joined their Republican colleagues in supporting the nomination. Ratcliffe was sworn in by Vice President JD Vance following the confirmation vote, the CIA said in a statement released Thursday evening. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Republican leaders failed to achieve unanimous support to fast-track Ratcliffe's nomination to the floor this week and had to jump through some procedural hoops. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said he opposed Ratcliffe not because of our political difference, which of course exists but because I am deeply worried that Mr. Ratcliffe will be unable to stand up to people like Donald Trump and Tulsi Gabbard, who are known to falsify intelligence. As CIA director, Mr. Ratcliffe will have to make decisions based on intelligence and fact. Gabbard, a former Democratic congresswoman from Hawaii, is Trump's nominee for director of national intelligence. During his confirmation hearing, Ratcliffe promised to keep politics out of decisions involving intelligence and said he wouldn't use loyalty tests as a basis for hiring or firing CIA personnel. John Ratcliffe on Capitol Hill on Jan. 15. In May 2020, Ratcliffe was confirmed to be Trump's national intelligence director by a narrow vote in the Senate of 49-44, facing sweeping Democratic opposition due to concerns about his qualifications and concerns that he exaggerated national security credentials on his resume. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Senate voted unanimously Monday to fast-track and confirm Marco Rubio as secretary of state hours after Trump was inaugurated. Other Trump nominees might have even harder times than Ratcliffe in getting swift votes, as any one senator can prevent it. Any nominee who faces an objection could take several days to get a confirmation vote in the Senate. But all nominees require 51 votes to be confirmed or 50, with Vice President JD Vances tiebreaking vote. Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., has teed up votes next on Trump's nominees for secretary of defense, Pete Hegseth, and homeland security, Kristi Noem. Trump's pick to lead the Treasury Department, Scott Bessent, is expected to come up next. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Thune has threatened to keep the Senate in session over the weekend if Democrats don't relent and allow speedy votes, accusing them of "stalling President Trump's nominees." If Democrats want to spend their nights and weekends taking votes on uncontroversial nominees, we can do it that way," he said in a floor speech Thursday. "But one way or the other, these nominees will be confirmed." This article was originally published on NBCNews.com WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR) Republicans on the Senate Finance Committee praised President Donald Trumps pick, Russell Vought, to lead the Office of Management and Budget. I think youre qualified for the job. I know why he picked you, said Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.). Sen. Graham and Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) say Vought is the right man for the job. I do not know a single person who knows more about the federal budget than you do, said Kennedy. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The role isnt new for Vought who served as OMB director for two years during President Trumps first term. While the Office of Management and Budget may not be a household term, the agencys work profoundly impacts their lives, said Vought. Republicans questioned him about what would happen if Congress didnt extend President Trumps tax cuts. That would lead to a lot of less innovation, a lot less productive productivity, and we would have a worsening economy, Vought said. Democrats on the committee called Voughts proposals for the federal budget extreme and called him out for being a contributor to the controversial Project 2025. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement You proposed deep cuts to Medicaid for millions of low-income families. Why is that woke and weaponized? asked Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.). Sen. Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) accused Vought of slow-walking disaster aid during his first tenure at OMB, and hes concerned it will happen again as his state recovers from the wildfires. The president has always been a firm distributor of federal resources to areas that need disaster money. And I dont expect that to change, Vought said. The president plans to visit Los Angeles Friday. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. Senate Republicans are steamrolling ahead on Pete Hegseths nomination to lead the Pentagon, and a new report detailing allegations of abusive behavior by the nominee have seemingly not dissuaded them. The Senate is set to hold an initial procedural vote on the nomination Thursday, even as Democrats attempt to delay final passage. Shortly after news broke of the claims, which were included in a sworn affidavit from Hegseths ex-sister-in-law, Democrats also slammed the brakes on President Trumps other nominees, including John Ratcliffe, his choice to lead the CIA. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But Republicans appear to have the votes to confirm Hegseth and the others. I think its a stretch. I think it looks desperate. I think it probably helps Pete a little bit if the best they can do is not even the sister of the ex-wife, but the ex-wife of a brother, said Sen. Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.), a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, which advanced Hegseth to a floor vote along party lines on Monday. Third party, hearsay all the while its not validated by the actual ex-wife. It looks like everything else up to this point: like a smear campaign, Cramer continued, adding he was a little bit surprised by how Sen. Jack Reed (R.I.), the top Democrat on the panel, handled the affidavit. The affidavit from Danielle Hegseth, who was previously married to Pete Hegseths brother, dropped as the clock continues to wind down on Hegseths nomination, which has been a roller coaster ever since he was tapped for the job more than two months ago. After appearing in deep trouble in early December, Hegseth righted the ship and appears to be on a glide path to confirmation even with the new accusations. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Danielle Hegseth claims that the Pentagon nominee was abusive toward his second wife, Samantha Hegseth, to the point where she hid in a closet at times and developed a plan in case she needed to get away from him. Samantha Hegseth denied the claims in an email to NBC News, saying I do not believe your information to be accurate. Pete Hegseth seemingly has at least the 50 votes he needs to get across the finish line. Two potential swing votes in the GOP conference Sens. Todd Young (R-Ind.) and John Curtis (R-Utah) both announced last week they will vote for him, culling the potential no crowd. Young told The Hill on Wednesday that he planned to read the unredacted affidavit but declined any further comment on the situation until he did so. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Sens. Susan Collins (R-Maine), Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) and Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), meanwhile, have all stayed mum on whether they will back Hegseth on the floor, with the news making their paths to supporting Hegseth tougher. Collins told reporters that she was trying to get more information on the situation, adding that it was troubling that the affidavits claims were not included in Hegseths FBI background check. Murkowski said she is troubled by Hegseths nomination and indicated Danielle Hegseths claims will play a role in her decision. I factor all that I have received, whether in person or in follow-on conversations, Murkowski said. I factor all that into my calculus when I make these decisions. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement McConnell told CNN that he didnt have any announcements to make when asked about Hegseth. Even if all three of them oppose the nomination, Hegseth can still get confirmed. Top Senate Republicans have made clear since November that their plan is to move as quickly as possible to put Trumps Cabinet in place, starting with his national security team. The chamber approved Marco Rubio to lead the State Department hours after Trumps inauguration, and Republicans were hopeful to move on Ratcliffe a day later. Those plans were scuttled in part because of the Hegseth affidavit, and Democrats objected to a time agreement. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This led to warnings from Senate Republicans, including from a visibly frustrated Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.), who told his colleagues not to make any weekend plans as votes on Hegseth and South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem (R), Trumps nominee to run the Department of Homeland Security, are planned. Do we want to vote on these folks on Tuesday or vote on them on Friday, Saturday and Sunday? Because thats what were going to do. This can be easy or this can be hard, Thune said. Everything were doing right now is just stalling, and I dont know what that accomplishes for you. A vote to confirm Ratcliffe is set for Thursday. The first tally on Hegseth is expected immediately after. In the meantime, Republicans are coming to Hegseths defense. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A complete fabrication, said Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.), an Armed Services Committee member, after reading the unredacted affidavit, calling the allegations shocking. Everybody in their family are saying she was very vindictive toward Pete, he continued. At the end of the day, its a Hail Mary at the end, and theyre not going to stop this. Republicans throughout the Hegseth battle have decried anonymous reports that have emerged, including a 2017 allegation of sexual assault that was unknown to President Trumps transition team when he was nominated. Hegseth has denied wrongdoing. But as Democrats are quick to note, the latest allegations are directly from his ex-sister-in-law and were made under the penalty of perjury. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I dont understand how any Republican in the Senate can stand behind the Hegseth nomination, said Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), an Armed Services member. The Republicans have to face that they have a candidate who could never get a promotion in the military, and yet theyre looking at putting him in charge of the whole operation. Nevertheless, GOP members dismissed the claims and echoed a statement from Hegseths lawyer that portrayed Danielle Hegseth as an ex-family member with an axe to grind. Its such a loose source. Its such a disconnected source, Cramer said of Danielle Hegseth. It doesnt have much credibility. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. Pete Hegseth, President Donald Trump's pick to lead the Pentagon, cleared a key procedural hurdle in the Senate on Thursday to advance his nomination. The vote on ending debate came down to the wire, though Hegseth ultimately secured 51 Republican votes to move forward. A final confirmation vote on Hegseth could now occur as soon as Friday or early Saturday. Two GOP senators voted against him: Sens. Lisa Murkowski and Susan Collins. PHOTO: 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, Jan. 14, 2025. (Jacquelyn Martin/AP) Murkowski announced her opposition moments before the showdown. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "After thorough evaluation, I must conclude that I cannot in good conscience support his nomination for Secretary of Defense," Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski said in a post on X. "I did not make this decision lightly; I take my constitutional responsibility to provide advice and consent with the utmost seriousness." Murkowski said she was not confident Hegseth was sufficiently prepared to lead the Pentagon, which is the largest government agency, and took issue with his past statements concerning women in the military. The Alaska Republican also referenced allegations of sexual misconduct and excessive drinking. Hegseth has largely denied the accusations against him, and told lawmakers he's a "changed man." "The past behaviors Mr. Hegseth has admitted to, including infidelity on multiple occasions, demonstrate a lack of judgment that is unbecoming of someone who would lead our armed forces," she said. "These behaviors starkly contrast the values and discipline expected of servicemembers." PHOTO: Sen. Lisa Murkowski heads to the Senate Chamber to vote on the Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act, Jan. 22, 2025 in Washington. (Kayla Bartkowski/Getty Images) Collins, in her own statement, also expressed concerns about Hegseth's view on women in the military. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "After careful consideration, I have decided to vote against Pete Hegseths nomination for Secretary of Defense," she said. "While I appreciate his courageous military service and his ongoing commitment to our servicemembers and their families, I am concerned that he does not have the experience and perspective necessary to succeed in the job." In a floor speech on Thursday, Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Roger Wicker gave an endorsement of Hegseth, calling him the "right man for the job." The committee earlier this week narrowly advanced Hegseth's nomination in a 14-13 vote along party lines. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, however, slammed Hegseth's nomination in a floor speech ahead of the vote. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Schumer, pointing to the allegations against Hegseth, asked his colleagues if he's "the guy you want at the other end of the phone at 2 a.m. in a crisis." "Is this the best man we have to lead the greatest military in the world?" the Democrat said. The vote on ending debate on Hegseth occurred after lawmakers voted 74-25 to approve the nomination of John Ratcliffe for CIA director. Ratcliffe is Trump's second confirmed Cabinet official. Pete Hegseth, Trump's Pentagon pick, clears Senate test vote originally appeared on abcnews.go.com The Senate Veterans Affairs Committee on Thursday easily advanced former Georgia GOP Rep. Doug Collinss nomination to be the secretary of Veterans Affairs, setting him up for a full Senate vote likely to be uncontentious. The panel voted 18-1, with the lone no vote coming from Sen. Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), who said Collinss plans for the VA were not in line with what she believed was right for veterans across the country. Among her concerns was the potential for Collins to overturn a Biden administration rule that allows the VA to provide abortions to veterans for a pregnancy resulting from rape or incest, or when the life of a pregnant woman is at risk even in states where it has been largely outlawed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Collins, a Navy veteran, Air Force Reserve chaplain and former pastor, during his confirmation hearing did not commit to upholding the two-year-old rule after being questioned by Hirono. It is something that has been looked at here as what the law actually says, and the original law from 1992 says the VA does not do abortions. Two years ago, that was a decision that was looked at and decided. I will tell you this: We will be looking at that issue when I get in there to confirm that the VA is actually following the law, Collins said at the time. But Collins received support from the panels ranking member, Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), who said he was impressed by many of his answers and commitments to veterans during his nomination hearing, particularly around the expansion of the Pact Act which expands VA health care and benefits for veterans exposed to burn pits and other toxic substances as well as upgrading the VA facilities and preventing veterans homelessness and suicide. Im hopeful hell be the kind of advocate that we really are going to need in this era when the challenges will be greater than ever before fiscally, and the pressure to scale back to cut costs, to pursue harmful policies that may negatively affect our veterans will also be greater, Blumenthal said ahead of the vote. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement One of the federal governments largest agencies, with more than 400,000 employees, the VA has been struggling with expanding its health care delivery system. Major costs and long wait times for care for former service members has been at the forefront of its struggles, which Collins pledged to tackle should he be confirmed. At the end of the day, the veteran is getting taken care of. VA care is going to happen [but] theres different expressions of how we make it better. We dont do the same things 40 years ago that we still do today, Collins said. Our newer veterans deserve every access to finding care where they can. Collinss nomination is set to be easily passed by the full Senate, with a vote expected to come next 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 The Hill. The Senate Intelligence Committee has scheduled a hearing to review the nomination of Tulsi Gabbard to serve as director of national intelligence. The Jan. 30 hearing comes after Democrats resisted the scheduling of an earlier hearing, saying they still didnt have the full slate of background checks, ethics disclosures and paperwork on a candidate whose overall qualifications have sparked their concern. If confirmed, Gabbard, a former Democratic lawmaker, would lead the agency responsible for overseeing all 18 U.S. intelligence agencies. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Gabbard is one of President Trumps most contentious nominees, with lawmakers pointing to her lack of experience in the intelligence field, and perhaps more significantly, her relationships with U.S. adversaries. She met in 2017 with Syria leader Bashar Assad, who was recently overthrown. The meeting came after allegations Assad used chemical weapons against his own people. She has also been a high-profile defender of national security leaker Edward Snowden and has echoed Russian President Vladimir Putins rhetoric about the Ukraine war. But she had made headway with some lawmakers in recent weeks by reversing her opinion on Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, now supporting the tool that allows the U.S. to spy on foreigners located abroad without a warrant. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If confirmed as DNI, I will uphold Americans Fourth Amendment rights while maintaining vital national security tools like Section 702 to ensure the safety and freedom of the American people, Gabbard said earlier this month. That pivot earned support from Chair Tom Cotton (R-Ark.). Tulsi Gabbard has assured me in our conversations that she supports Section 702 as recently amended and that she will follow the law and support its reauthorization as DNI, Cotton said. She has also been seeking to explain her past support of Snowden, saying she didnt feel the intelligence community had sufficient channels for raising concerns. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement That explanation has not rested well with all Intelligence Committee lawmakers, however, who have called the National Security Agency leaker a traitor. A source close to Gabbard said her latest comments to lawmakers reflect a shift in whistleblower protections since Snowden leaked documents in 2013. And while Snowden revealed documents on a different program, Gabbard has been reassured by reforms to how Section 702 can be used, they said. Lt. Col. Gabbard made these statements almost 10 years ago and there have been changes and updates to both whistleblower protection for contractors- which was a concern of hers so if a member of the [intelligence community] needs to raise these concerns there are many avenues to choose from and not break the law, the source said. That explanation was criticized on the other side of the Capitol. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Shes full of s, said Rep. Jim Himes (D-Conn.), the top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee. Look, shes doing everything that she can to try to get the next glittery job and demonstrating her complete lack of consistent principle, he added, saying the shift on the foreign spying program shows her principles are negotiable, to say the least. Updated at 2:53 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. WASHINGTON (AP) The Senate advanced the nomination of Pete Hegseth as President Donald Trump's defense secretary Thursday on a largely party-line vote, despite grave objections from Democrats and stirring unease among Republicans over his behavior and qualifications to lead the U.S. military. Two Republicans, Sen. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Sen. Susan Collins of Maine, broke ranks with Trump and his allies who have mounted an extensive public campaign to push Hegseth toward confirmation. The former combat veteran and Fox News host faces allegations of excessive drinking and aggressive actions toward women, which he has denied. The vote was 51-49, with a final vote on confirmation expected Friday. Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer implored his colleagues to think seriously, Is this the best man we have to lead the greatest military in the world? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Murkowksi, in a lengthy statement, said that his behaviors starkly contrast with what is expected of the military. I remain concerned about the message that confirming Mr. Hegseth sends to women currently serving and those aspiring to join, Murkowski wrote on social media. Both Murkowski and Collins noted Hegseth's past statements that women should not fill military combat roles. He sought to temper those statements during the confirmation process. Collins said that after a lengthy discussion with Hegseth, I am not convinced that his position on women serving in combat roles has changed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Collins said that while she appreciates Hegseths courageous military service and his ongoing commitment to our service members and their families, I am concerned that he does not have the experience and perspective necessary to succeed in the job. Rarely has a Cabinet choice encountered such swirling allegations of wrongdoing. The outcome provides a measure of Trump's power and a test for the Senate as it considers the president's other outsider Cabinet picks, including Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., for Health and Human Services, Kash Patel at the FBI and Tulsi Gabbard for Director of the Office of National Intelligence. Republican senators, and some Democrats, appear ready to give the president his team. Only Matt Gaetz, the former congressman who was Trump's initial choice for attorney general, was met with enough resistance that his nomination was withdrawn. The chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee has dismissed the claims against Hegseth as factually inaccurate. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It will take a simple majority of senators to confirm Hegseths nomination. Most Republicans, who hold a 53-seat majority in the chamber, have signaled they will back the nominee, though Vice President JD Vance could be called in to break a tie vote. I am ironclad in my assessment that the nominee, Mr. Hegseth, is prepared to be the next secretary of defense, the chairman, Sen. Roger Wicker, R-Miss., said in a statement on the eve of voting. "The Senate needs to confirm this nominee as fast as possible. A new president's national security nominees are often the first to be lined up for confirmation, to ensure U.S. safety at home and abroad. Already the Senate has overwhelmingly confirmed Marco Rubio as secretary of state in a unanimous vote, and confirmed John Ratcliffe as CIA director Thursday. But Hegseth stands in a category of his own amid allegations that he sexually assaulted a woman at a Republican conference in California, which he has denied as a consensual encounter, and of heavy drinking at events when he led a veterans organization. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement AP reported Thursday Hegseth paid $50,000 to the woman who accused him of sexual assault in 2017, according to answers he provided to a senator during his confirmation process. Separately, a new claim emerged this week in an affidavit from a former sister-in-law who claimed Hegseth was abusive to his second wife to the point that she feared for her safety. Hegseth has denied the allegation. In divorce proceedings, neither Hegseth nor the woman claimed to be a victim of domestic abuse. Schumer said Thursday that Hegseth is unqualified for the job. One of the kindest words that might be used to describe Mr. Hegseth is erratic, and thats a term you dont want at DOD, Schumer said. He has a clear problem of judgment. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A Princeton and Harvard-educated former combat veteran, Hegseth went on to make a career at Fox News, where he hosted a weekend show. Trump tapped him as the defense secretary to lead an organization with nearly 2.1 million service members, about 780,000 civilians and a budget of $850 billion. During a fiery confirmation hearing, Hegseth swatted away allegations of wrongdoing one by one dismissing them as smears as he displayed his military credentials and vowed to bring warrior culture" to the top Pentagon post. Hegseth has promised not to drink on the job if confirmed. Wicker said he had been briefed a third time on the FBI background investigation into Hegseth. He said "the allegations unfairly impugning his character do not pass scrutiny. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But senators have remained doubtful of his experience and abilities and the alleged behavior that could lead to reprimand or firing for military personnel he would now be expected to lead. Still, Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, herself a combat veteran and sexual assault survivor, has signaled her backing. UPDATED: Former Fox News host Pete Hegseths Defense Secretary nomination cleared a Senate procedural hurdle, pointing to a likely confirmation for one of Donald Trumps most controversial picks. The vote was 51-49. Two Republicans, Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) and Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), joined with all Democrats in opposing the confirmation. More from Deadline Murkowski said in a statement that she cannot in good conscience support his nomination for Secretary of Defense. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Managing the Department of Defense requires vast experience and expertise as the department is one of the most complex and powerful organizations in the world, and Mr. Hegseths prior roles in his career do not demonstrate to me that he is prepared for such immense responsibility, she said. His leadership of two veteran organizations was marked with accusations of financial mismanagement and problems with the workplace culture he fostered. Collins expressed similar concerns, which also included previous statements Hegseth has made opposing women serving in combat roles. Hegseth was a co-host of Fox & Friends Weekend before quitting that job as Trump nominated him for the high level cabinet position. But his nomination teetered for a bit as revelations emerged over a confidential settlement that Hegseth reached with a woman who accused him of sexual assault during an encounter in 2017. According to the the AP, Hegseth revealed to Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) that the settlement amount was $50,000. A police report was filed but Hegseth was not charged. His attorney told The Washington Post that he had been drinking and the sex was consensual. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In her statement, Murkowski said, While the allegations of sexual assault and excessive drinking do nothing to quiet my concerns, the past behaviors Mr. Hegseth has admitted to, including infidelity on multiple occasions, demonstrate a lack of judgment that is unbecoming of someone who would lead our armed forces. These behaviors starkly contrast the values and discipline expected of servicemembers. But Sen. Roger Wicker (R-MS), chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, said. Admittedly, this nomination is unconventional, but he compared Hegseths choice to that of Trump running for president starting in 2015. Hegseth is not beholden to the status quo, and hes open to new ideas. Hes intent on lethality and readiness, and shouldnt we all be? His experience in the line of fire and service member advocacy make one thing clear: Pete Hegseth will put the men and women of our military first. A final vote on the nomination could come on Friday. Best of Deadline Sign up for Deadline's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Senators spent three hours wrestling with some familiar health care topics on Wednesday, including prior authorization and PBMs. (Whitney Downard/Indiana Capital Chronicle) In a three-hour committee meeting on Wednesday, senators on the Health and Provider Services Committee revived some long-standing health care debates and tackled issues related to pricing and burdens on physicians. Legislators voted to move five of the six bills forward in the legislative process, with most heading to the Senate for further consideration including bills banning non-compete agreements for physicians and placing limits on prior authorization. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement One bill would explicitly prohibit doctors from getting any sort of incentive for referring patients to another physician employed by the same health care network. In late 2023, Indianapolis-based Community Health Network paid $345 million to settle decade-old allegations related to such referrals. Co-authored by Republican Sen. Justin Busch, of Fort Wayne, Senate Bill 147 would also create a public dashboard displaying the average negotiated charge between health care providers and insurers. Sen. Justin Busch, R-Fort Wayne, talks with staff on Organization Day 2024. (Leslie Bonilla Muniz/Indiana Capital Chronicle) The second portion was a sticking point for some of Buschs colleagues, though the bill advanced on a 11-1 vote. Busch vowed to continue work on the dashboard. Sen. Liz Brown, who voted to move the bill over her reservations, pointed to the recently launched All Payers Claims Database, which has similar but not identical health payment information. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It took the state about four years to get that up and running to the tune of tens of millions of dollars. And same for the systems that are forced to comply with that now. (Its) millions of dollars to get that data into the database, said the Fort Wayne Republican. And so you want to create a new database that the state also will have to participate in yet, we havent been able to actually use the All Payers Claims Database information. Sens. Tyler Johnson, of Leo, and Ed Charbonneau, of Valparaiso, co-authored the proposal with Busch. Easing burdens on physicians The trio of Republicans also led a measure that would ban non-compete agreements for all physicians, an expansion from the current law blocking non-compete agreements for primary care physicians. Busch, who authored the bill banning non-compete agreements for primary care physicians, painted Senate Bill 475 as one answer to the states physician shortage. However, several health care providers cautioned that the bills effectiveness would be limited if it didnt include all practitioners, including nurses with advanced degrees and physician assistants. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement One senator even wondered why the bill couldnt be expanded to eliminate non-compete agreements across all industries since there is a labor shortage in many sectors. Non-competes are, by their term, anti-competitive, and we need more competition, said Gloria Sachdev, Secretary of Health and Family Services. In order for folks to have choice, we need more competition. Sachdev spoke on behalf of Gov. Mike Brauns administration, which supports the bill a change from the previous administration, which rarely voiced its opinion on pending litigation. However, the bill only applies to new contracts. Hospitals and the Indiana Chamber of Commerce continued to caution against government interference into private contract negotiations between employers and employees. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In an ideal world, more time would be given to the current ban on non-competes regarding primary care to see how that plays out. Its only been on the book a little bit, said Tim Kennedy, the general counsel for the Indiana Hospital Association. But, having said that, many hospitals large and small, even some in rural areas have opted to find a different approach other than a non-compete. The bill received just two no votes from Republican committee members and now moves to the full Senate chamber. Johnson also reintroduced legislation restricting the use of prior authorization by insurers. Insurance providers argue that prior authorization keeps overall costs down by ensuring doctors prescribe only necessary tests and care, but physicians say the check is burdensome and takes away from time with patients. Sen. Tyler Johnson, R-Leo, introduces a bill to limit prior authorizations on Jan. 11, 2024. (Whitney Downard/Indiana Capital Chronicle) Senate Bill 480, which had bipartisan support, would outright ban prior authorization on drugs under $100, cap all prior authorization rates at 1% and prohibit the use of step therapy protocols for certain drugs. Under step therapy, or fail-first policies, insurers and pharmacy benefit managers may refuse to cover a specific drug for a patient until they try a cheaper alternative even if it goes against a doctors orders. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement What I would prefer, is to get rid of all prior (authorizations), said Johnson, an emergency care doctor. I have yet to hear somebody justify prior authorization and the delay and the denial of treatment for patients. Johnson called the 1% cap aggressive, saying it was necessary to disrupt the process. Testimony estimated that roughly 10% of claims are denied in the first round, when insurers screened submissions for other mistakes like incomplete information. Elizabeth Wright, a physician in Hendricks County, said the process had become a game of numbers with ever-changing criteria and barriers to patient care that left doctors guessing at what treatment will be approved. This game jeopardizes our patients well-being and sometimes their lives, Wright said, testifying on behalf of the Indiana Hospital Association. When a physician and a patient decide on a treatment plan and provide a path forward, it alleviates that initial stress that a patient feels when they present to the office. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But when a prior authorization is being required, it brings that stress right back for the patient and interferes with the trust that the patient has built with that physician. Joey Fox, a lobbyist speaking on behalf of the Indiana Association of Health Plans, said insurance providers use prior authorization to ensure that patients are getting the safest, most effective care in the right place, the right time and at the lowest cost. Patients in high deductible plans might benefit the most from prior authorization checks, he said. Additionally, savings occurred when doctors learned to check themselves for prescribed treatments that might trigger a denial. Then theres what we call the sentinel effect, which is the idea of if you know there are cops on the highway that are going to be using the radar gun and checking your speed, youre less likely to speed, Fox said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Additionally, the bill requires a physician within the same specialty to issue a denial, rather than an algorithm or a doctor with a different background though, because of federal regulations, it wont impact the majority of Hoosier health plans. The latter was a concern for some business associations that opposed the bill. Senators voted unanimously to send the bill to the Appropriations Committee because the fiscal note identified concerns about potential increases to state employee health plans. Pharmacy benefit managers Lastly, senators considered two bills related to pharmacy benefit managers, or PBMs, which have long been a concern for health care costs at both the state and national level. The first bill, Senate Bill 140, focused on data collection related to the entities, which coordinate costs across manufacturers, insurers and pharmacies. However, a few of the nations largest PBMs are also owned by either pharmacies or insurers, setting up conflicts of interest. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The proposal includes provisions related to steering patients and disproportionate reimbursements from a PBM to its related pharmacy items that got support from independent pharmacists. An amendment from Johnson to introduce a firewall between the insurer and PBM was accepted by his peers and incorporated into the final version, which advanced to the Senate floor on a 10-1 vote. Need to get in touch? Have a news tip? CONTACT US Fort Wayne Sen. Liz Brown voted against the bill, citing concerns about price setting and subsidizing select pharmacies. The committee didnt vote on the final bill in order to file amendments. Author Sen. Andy Zay, R-Huntington, said he drafted the bill in order to foster competition and in response to an audit from the Office of the Attorney General. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In particular, it would require the attorney generals office to have a pharmacy benefit compliance officer and push the state toward a private-public partnership where Indiana would own a PBM to act on behalf of the state employee health plan and Medicaid. The problem we had is you cant get beyond that private relationship so the only way to have full transparency was to put ourselves at the table, Zay said. I think its a difficult thing to wrap our head around because its a paradigm shift; its a new way of doing business. Zay said he would be working with the governors office for the updated version. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR) Senators from across the agricultural heartland pressed President Donald Trumps nominee for agriculture secretary, Brooke Rollins, on Thursday, seeking firm commitments to support struggling farmers and ranchers over the next four years. Rollins, a Texas attorney, acknowledged the challenges facing American agriculture and pledged to advocate for those in the industry if confirmed. Im stepping into the role at one of the most challenging times in American agriculture history, Rollins told lawmakers during her confirmation hearing. I will do everything in my ability to ensure farmers and ranchers in our community thrive. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Republicans and Democrats alike raised concerns about trade, federal aid, and immigration, issues that have shaped the agricultural economy in recent years. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) emphasized the need to boost U.S. exports, citing global competition that has made it harder for farmers and manufacturers to sell their products abroad. Give us some hope we can maybe get back in the trade business, McConnell said. Rollins said she supports the presidents ongoing efforts to renegotiate trade deals with Canada, Mexico and China and assured lawmakers she would advocate for policies that protect farmers from tariffs. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Democrats, meanwhile, focused on labor shortages, with Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) pressing Rollins on the role of immigrant workers in the agricultural sector. We need immigrant workers for dairy farmers in Illinois, Durbin said, asking whether farmers should brace for stepped-up immigration enforcement. Rollins declined to comment on potential enforcement actions, saying, Sir, I have not been involved in that in the presidents current plan. Despite partisan divisions, Rollins is expected to be confirmed with bipartisan support. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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 federal judges in Washington, DC, who handled hundreds of cases from January 6, 2021, are pushing back against President Donald Trumps mass clemency for convicted rioters, rebuking the newly pardoned as poor losers and memorializing the blood, feces, and terror from the US Capitol attack. The orders from the judges serve as a reminder of the judiciarys work and factual findings bringing to justice guilty pleas, trials and sentencings for more than 1,000 rioters, both those who walked into the building then left as well as far more violent participants who fought police and other law enforcement officers. Tanya Chutkan, the judge who oversaw Trumps 2020 election federal criminal case, wrote some of the most graphic descriptions as she dismissed one of the pending rioter cases before her on Wednesday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Dismissing the case, Chutkan wrote, cannot whitewash the blood, feces, and terror that the mob left in its wake. And it cannot repair the jagged breach in Americas sacred tradition of peacefully transitioning power. Their language also serves as a political statement following Trumps sweeping pardons, standing in stark contrast to the president and other Republicans who are making celebrities of former prisoners. Trump, in his executive order late Monday, said he was ending a grave national injustice that has been perpetrated upon the American people over the last four years to begin a process of national reconciliation. That language simply doesnt hold true, said Judge Beryl Howell, who was the chief of the DC District Court at the time of the riot. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement No process of national reconciliation can begin when poor losers, whose preferred candidate loses an election, are glorified for disrupting a constitutionally mandated proceeding in Congress and doing so with impunity, Howell wrote on Wednesday. No national injustice occurred here, just as no outcome-determinative election fraud occurred in the 2020 presidential election. That merely raises the dangerous specter of future lawless conduct by other poor losers and undermines the rule of law, Howell added. Howell, like several of the other judges in DCs federal court this week, agreed to dismiss pending Capitol riot cases because Trumps Justice Department no longer wants to prosecute them. But Chutkan and Howell refused to grant the Justice Department its request for dismissal with prejudice for three Capitol riot defendants, including one who was a Proud Boys extremist group chapter leader. Instead, the two judges simply dismissed three rioters cases, leaving open the possiblity charges could be brought again later. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In hundreds of cases like this one over the past four years, judges in this district have administered justice without fear or favor, Chutkan also wrote. The historical record established by those proceedings must stand, unmoved by political winds, as a testament and as a warning. Next steps in court Its also possible some judges on the DC federal bench choose to delay or effectively hold up the ending of some of the 300 pending rioters cases. The judges case dismissals have trickled in gradually since prosecutors began asking for them after Trump signed his clemency order, and not all of the pending Capitol riot cases have been dismissed yet. While the presidential clemency is powerful and led to convicted January 6 rioters release from federal prisons quickly this week, the president doesnt have the sole authority to wipe away cases where alleged rioters still await trial or sentencing. Senior Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly noted that a federal court has the authority to tell prosecutors to provide a statement of reasons and facts before a judge dismisses a case, though neither she nor other judges have taken that step themselves. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Kollar-Kotelly also recorded her sharpest thoughts on the Capitol riot cases, for posterity. Dismissal of charges, pardons after convictions, and commutations of sentences will not change the truth of what happened on January 6, 2021, Kollar-Kotelly wrote, noting the events have been preserved through thousands of contemporaneous videos, transcripts of trials, jury verdicts, and judicial opinions analyzing and recounting the evidence through a neutral lens. Those records are immutable and represent the truth, no matter how the events of January 6 are described by those charged or their allies, the judge wrote. What role law enforcement played that day and the heroism of each officer who responded also cannot be altered or ignored. Standing with bear spray streaming down their faces, those officers carried out their duty to protect, Kollar-Kotelly wrote, noting five different police forces that tried to protect the Capitol and congressional members and had officers who were injured by the violent mob. Celebrated by congressional Republicans On Capitol Hill, many Republicans continued to either celebrate, defend, or downplay the pardons. House Speaker Mike Johnson who said before Trumps inauguration that violent criminals should not get pardons said Wednesday that hed defer to Trump. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement There was a weaponization of the events, the following prosecutions that happened after January 6, Johnson told reporters. It was a terrible time and a terrible chapter in Americas history. The president made his decision. I dont second guess those. Its kind of my ethos, my worldview. We believe in redemption. We believe in second chances. He also announced a new select subcommittee for Republicans to continue their counter-investigation into January 6, which they began in 2023 after retaking the House. CNN reported Wednesday that Trump administration officials discussed inviting some January 6 convicts to the White House. Some Republican lawmakers have visited the DC jail to meet the January 6 support groups and spoke of organizing Capitol tours. I would certainly be willing to give them a guided tour, Colorado Rep. Lauren Boebert told CNN. DOJ notifies victims of inmate releases At the same time, the Justice Department is notifying some of the police officers who testified in court that January 6 defendants are being released. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its routine for prosecutors to notify trial witnesses, or victims who speak at a defendants sentencing hearing, when the people they helped lock up are released from prison, but especially striking given the number of rioters prosecuted and sentenced here. Former US Capitol Police Staff Sgt. Aquilino Gonell posted screenshots to social media on Wednesday of phone calls and emails he said he got from the Justice Department this week. Gonell suffered repeated assaults at the hands of the rioters on January 6, including in one of the most brutal hourslong battles in a tunnel leading into the Capitol. Each email and call log is a different violent rioter who assaulted me in the tunnel, Gonell wrote in an X post. If you are defending these people who brutally assaulted the police, maybe you ARE NOT a supporter of the police and the rule of law to begin with. One screenshot showed an email from the Justice Department about a convicted rioter whose upcoming sentencing hearing was cancelled. It said, We are so sorry that the victims of the crime never got a chance to tell your story in your own words in court. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Gonell was among the police officers who testified to the House January 6 committee in July 2021, offering gripping firsthand accounts of the violence. Former President Joe Biden, in one of his final acts in office, granted preemptive pardons to those officers, to protect them from baseless and politically motivated investigations under Trump. A Trump critic who campaigned against him in 2024, Gonell told CNN in an interview that he didnt ask for a pardon from Biden. I cant believe I need a pardon for doing the right thing, while the person who set January 6 in motion is inaugurated, he said. Speaking with reporters on Wednesday, two police officers who were at the Capitol on January 6 and received preemptive pardons from Biden expressed their frustration over Trumps clemency for the rioters. I was beaten, crushed, kicked, punched, surrounded someone reached underneath my visor, tried to gouge my eye and all these people were just pardoned by Donald Trump, who says that they were the real victims, that they were the patriots. I dont understand how anyone can believe that, an emotional officer Daniel Hodges said. Convicted rioter rejects Trumps pardon The overwhelming majority of January 6 defendants responded to Trumps clemency with jubilation and a sense of vindication. But at least one convicted rioter, who has disavowed Trump, told CNN she would reject the pardon. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Pam Hemphill of Boise, Idaho, pleaded guilty in 2022 to a misdemeanor for unlawfully protesting on restricted Capitol grounds and served two months in prison. I dont want this pardon, Hemphill said in an interview. Im not going to be part of their propaganda I couldnt live with myself. This is my amends for being there that day. Its my amends to the Capitol Police. Knowing that I was a part of this terrible day, its the least I can do. She is the first of the roughly 1,250 pardoned January 6 convicts to publicly turn it down. Accepting the pardon would be a part of them trying to rewrite history, Hemphill said. That would be saying, What I did on January 6 was OK. No, it wasnt. I broke the law. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement CNNs Nicky Robertson contributed to this report. CORRECTION: This story has been updated to identify Daniel Hodges as the police officer who recounted his experiences on January 6, 2021, to reporters on Wednesday. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com A California man convicted in the 1986 killing of two best friends who went missing from a birthday party showed no remorse during his sentencing this week, prosecutors said, merrily singing before eventually being yanked out of a courtroom. David Misch was sentenced Tuesday to 50 years-to-life for the 1986 murders of Jennifer Duey and Michelle Xavier, but he appeared to make light of the proceedings as he sang multiple verses of 99 Bottles of Beer on the Wall while witnesses read their impact statements, and continued whistling even from a nearby holding cell according to several reports. KTVU, KRON, and The Mercury News reported that Misch, 63, was eventually kicked out of the courtroom for his antics. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Misch is already serving a life sentence for the 1989 killing of Margaret Ball, according to KTVU. He was in court Tuesday to be sentenced for the murders of Duey and Xavier, two best friends who were 20 and 18 when they were killed. "David Mischs behavior in court was not only reprehensible but a blatant display of no remorse for taking the lives of Jennifer Duey and Michelle Xavier," Chief Assistant District Attorney Royl Roberts told reporters afterwards, according to the outlet. "The families of these two young women have been waiting nearly 40 years to receive justice for their tragic and senseless murders." Hayward Police Department via AP David Misch David Misch Duey and Xavier were found naked on the side of a road hours after they went missing from a birthday party dinner in February 1986, according to KRON. The outlet reports that Misch got away with their murders for years until DNA found under Dueys fingernails matched Mischs, leading to his arrest. 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 Fremont Police Department said in a press release that Mischs arrest stemmed from a 2016 cold case program which reexamined the 1986 case. Misch was convicted on two counts of first-degree murder in December, according to the department. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Mercury News reports that Misch is also the primary suspect in the 1988 murder of 9-year-old Michaela Garecht. Prosecutors allege Misch abducted and later killed the 9-year-old girl outside of a local corner store before discarding her body, according to the outlet. Garechts body still hasnt been found, the Mercury News reports, but Misch's fingerprints were discovered on her scooter, according to KTVU. Read the original article on People A multistate agreement regarding ongoing legal action against members of the Sackler family and their former company, Purdue Pharma, which made OxyContin, is nearing fruition. The agreement, announced Thursday, would require the Sackler family to pay $6.5 billion over the next 15 years and an additional nearly $900 million from Purdue Pharma following its emergence from bankruptcy protection. Purdue Pharmas lobbying and marketing efforts will also be limited and monitored as part of the settlement. Likewise, The Sacklers control of Purdue Pharma will end, and they are restricted from selling opioids in the United States, the press release highlighted. If Utah were to enter into the agreement, the state is set to receive $57 million, which would be allocated to both state and local efforts aimed at reducing the effects of the opioid crisis on Utah residents. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The proposed agreement would progress in healing communities marred by drug addiction and settle lawsuits across the country accusing both Richard Sackler and his former company of being detrimental to the increase in opioid harm in Utah and across the nation. Too many Utahns have been harmed by the Sackler family and Purdue Pharmas disregard for human life. My office has traveled across the country on behalf of Utah families to ensure that these families receive justice, and we have collaborated with other state attorneys general to make this settlement possible. After I have reviewed the final written settlement, I anticipate Utah will join it, thereby ensuring that Utah families see the justice they deserve, and will encourage other states to do so as well, said Attorney General Derek Brown in the press release. So far, the attorneys general of Utah, New York, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Illinois, Massachusetts, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont, Virginia, and West Virginia, along with other states, have collaborated to move the agreement forward, per the release. The opioid epidemic has ravaged families and communities across Utah, leaving a trail of heartbreak and loss. Too many lives have been stolen, and too many families have been shattered, said Utah Gov. Spencer Cox said, per the press release. This settlement will not bring back those weve lost, but it will provide critical resources to help those struggling with addiction and prevent future tragedies. We are committed to using these funds to support treatment, prevention, and education efforts and to build a brighter, healthier future for all Utahns. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A report by the Utah Department of Health and Human Services published this month found that drug overdose deaths in the state remain at an alarmingly high rate. Though death rates peaked in 2015, the last 10 years have not seen much change, with 2023 seeing the highest number of drug-related deaths than ever before. Fentanyl has become the most common drug involved in overdose deaths, accounting for 47.9% of deaths in 2023, per DHHS. As of 2022, the Utah Office of the Medical Examiner reported drug overdose and poisoning as the leading cause of death in Utah from 2017 to 2022, 1,848 deaths were drug-related. Last August, the Utah Division of Consumer Protection announced continued litigation against the Sackler family and its defendants for marketing OxyContin in Utah as less prone to abuse and addiction than other painkillers, contributing to the public health crisis, the Deseret News previously reported. The company and Richard Sackler are also accused of providing $200,000 in gifts and payments to Utah prescribers between 2013 and 2017, employing 186 sales representatives in Utah, and making direct marketing visits to 5,000 prescribers in their medical offices. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Four months later, former Utah Attorney General Sean Reyes filed a complaint for the State of Utah and Utah Department of Commerces Division of Consumer Protection, suing UnitedHealth Group and Express Scripts and its subdivisions for catalyzing the opioid epidemic through powerful positions as intermediaries between manufacturers, pharmacies, insurance companies, payers and patients. Utah Department of Commerce Executive Director Margaret Woolley Busse said in Thursdays press release, Purdue Pharma and the Sackler family caused immense harm and innumerable lives lost through their deceptive marketing and greed. The Utah Department of Commerce, through the Division of Consumer Protection, never stopped its work to hold Purdue and the Sacklers accountable for what they have done and the devastation they have caused. MAPLE HEIGHTS, Ohio (WJW) Cold temperatures with wind chills in the negative teens have caused water main breaks all over Northeast Ohio in the last week, many of them falling within the service area for the city of Clevelands Division of Water. One such example is on Cato Street in Maple Heights. Resident Yasmin Ransom-Taber told FOX 8 that the issue started late Tuesday night. Water is shooting out of the ground in multiple spots on both sides of the road, sending a strong flow of water that spans about 10 houses to the nearest sewer drains. In between those water currents, there is a very thick layer of ice over the road. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It feels like every car that comes down is kind of playing Titanic, hoping theyre not the one that sinks. The snowplows that go by are an unholy racket, and were really worried theyre going to break something or get in an accident here, Ransom-Taber said. Brunswick schools worker keeps job after pleading to felony wiretapping charge She added that its causing a major obstacle for kids getting on and off school buses and also impacting water pressure in their homes. Ransom-Taber told FOX 8 her calls to the city of Maple Heights werent yielding the response she would have liked. FOX 8 reached out to the city and spoke with Nick Koudela. He explained that they currently have 14 active water main leaks in Maple Heights, including one that has forced them close a portion of a high-traffic road, Broadway Avenue. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Koudela said when water mains are reported, they do their best to make sure the water flows to the nearest catch basin and that the street is passable. Past that, they have to wait on Cleveland Water to come make repairs. He said he understands the frustration from residents. The city is with you. I have water main breaks around my house. We live in the city. We work in the city, Koudela said. Were doing our best. Cleveland Water is doing their best. Its just living in Ohio with the infrastructure that we have, we do our best to try to make sure it inconveniences [residents] the least amount. The Cleveland Division of Waters manager of communications, Danielle Miklos, did not grant FOX 8 an interview. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement She did send a statement via email: Due to the extremely cold temperatures, our service area is experiencing a number of water main breaks. Our repair crews, as well as contractors, are working hard to address the breaks as quickly as possible. We prioritize breaks based on several factors, including the severity of the break, number of customers affected, and overall system integrity. If a customer sees a water main break, please report it by calling our 24/7 emergency line at 216-664-2060. FDA sets risk level for popular beauty cream recall Koudela said that its understandable that its hard to prioritize with the amount of breaks. He added that the reality of the situation with their infrastructure is that a lot of cities best option is to rely on Cleveland Water. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ransom-Taber still feels like not enough effort is being made for her neighborhood. Were hoping that they put the money into the infrastructure that we pay in our taxes, 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 Fox 8 Cleveland WJW. The president of a Pittsburgh-based firm that designs sewage treatment systems will head to trial on six charges related to allegedly falsified documents submitted to the northwest regional office of the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) in Meadville. John Baptist Delacio, 67, of Gibsonia, waived his preliminary hearing Tuesday before Magisterial District Judge Samuel Pendolino. The Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General filed charges in the case last month in response to planning documents for residential sewage treatment systems that were submitted to DEP between October 2021 and February 2023. The charges allege that Delacio, as president of Advanced Treatment Inc., falsified the required professional engineers seal and signature on the 15 permit applications and eight other planning documents without submitting the documents for review by an engineer. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The six misdemeanor charges against Delacio consist of three counts of violating the clean streams law and one count each of false swearing, unsworn falsification and tampering with public records. Delacio was released on his own recognizance. A trial will be scheduled for the May term of Crawford County Court of Common Pleas. A former Berks County man who went to prison a decade ago for statutory sexual assaults when he was 21 is back in the county jail after a woman reported she was also sexually abused by him when she was 13. Jesse A. Hartman, 31, of Harrisburg was taken into custody Jan. 17 by authorities in Dauphin County. He was transported to Berks and jailed in lieu of $200,000 bail following arraignment before District Judge Sandra L. Fegley in Reading Central Court to await a hearing. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hartman faces charges of rape, involuntary deviate sexual intercourse with a person less than 16 years of age, statutory sexual assault and related counts. According to investigators: Detectives with the Berks County district attorneys office began an investigation in November after the woman, now 23, reported that she had been sexually abused by Hartman throughout the summer of 2014. The victim reported the sexual contact began while she and some of her friends were hanging out in a tent for an evening sleepover in the backyard of the home of one of the girls in Exeter Township. Hartman, 21 at the time, went to the tent while the girls were playing a game of truth or dare. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hartman began kissing and groping her. She agreed to go with him into the basement, where he sexually assaulted her. The girl told investigators that she put her clothes back on after the assault and returned to the tent where the others were sleeping. Detectives said the victim disclosed that she continued to meet with Hartman several times throughout the summer. They engaged in sexual acts along a walking trail in the township. Several witnesses corroborated the victims accounts. Hartman has been in and out of prison since his initial arrest for repeatedly sexually abusing a 13-year-old girl in Birdsboro beginning in January 2013, when he was 19, and continuing through September 2014. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hartman pleaded guilty in 2015 to statutory sexual assault and was sentenced to six to 23 months in the county prison followed by five years of probation. In 2023, according to court records, Hartman was resentenced by Judge Thomas G. Parisi, who ordered him incarcerated for one to three years followed by five years of probation. The resentencing was for unspecified probation or parole violations. Hartman is listed on Pennsylvanias Megans Law sexual offender registry as a Tier 1 offender, requiring him to register annually with state police for 15 years. Jan. 23A Springfield man was sentenced to 22 years to life in prison for attacking a woman on the Simon Kenton bike trail in May last year. The sentence came Tuesday after Adam Humphreys, 19, was classified as a sexually violent predator, and a Tier III sex offender for life. A jury in December found Humphreys guilty of the first-degree felony attempted rape, second-degree felony strangulation and third-degree felony kidnapping. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to court records, police responded to a report of an assault where the Simon Kenton bike trail meets Mitchell Boulevard, just north of Buck Creek in northeast Springfield. The female, whose identity and age are not listed in the report, showed the officers bruises, scrapes and marks she suffered from the attack. She said the man chased her, knocking her to the ground, according to the report. The attacker punched, scratched and strangled her and the victim fought back, freeing herself and calling 911. According to the report, the attacker fled, and evidence collected led to Humphreys his DNA being on file due to him being a registered sex offender. The victim also identified Humphreys in a lineup, the report said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Humphreys would only be eligible for post-release control for the strangulation conviction, but according to court records, "it would essentially be usurped by the life sentence imposed for the attempted rape and kidnapping convictions." Humphreys was convicted of rape in Shelby County Juvenile Court at age 15 in 2021. He has been ordered conveyed to the Orient Correctional Facility in Orient, Ohio. SHENANDOAH The boroughs new secretary/treasurer said that Shenandoah is in a very difficult financial situation due to funding mishaps over the past two years. At the monthly borough council meeting Monday, Mike Cadau, who was appointed Jan. 2, outlined some financial issues he said are concerning for the borough. Cadau reported that the borough entered 2024 with a minus budget of $661,445, meaning it was operating at a significant deficit. He questioned how the shortfall occurred and why officials failed to address it earlier. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Cadau said that L. Samuel Deegan CPA will conduct an audit Feb. 3 to look into the 2025 budget, predicting it is not gonna be good. Im going to try to put together some kind of budget for certain areas, Cadau said. Thats gonna be pretty hard to do that right now. Safer streets, or whatever it is purchasing signs. We talked about a whole bunch of stuff. I have no idea where were going to get the money to do that unless we tap into some of the (funds from the sale of the Municipal Authority of the Borough of Shenandoah). Were in a very difficult time without a budget, he continued. Without a budget, without having money and being in a hole like that, theres a lot of work that has to be done. The borough council had previously adopted the budget at its December meeting, keeping the tax rate steady at 27 mills the same as it has been since 2016. A $60,000 shortfall was balanced using interest from specific funds. In light of that deficit, council members proposed a $39-per-parcel annual fee to create a dedicated demolition fund. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The budget was passed in December, but it can be amended in future meetings. Cadau also revealed that the borough recently paid $103,030 in electric bills using its Liquid Fuels account, which is typically reserved for road repairs and weather events. He told the Republican Herald that was an example of what he believes to be misappropriation of money into different buckets. This office has got to be more accountable to the taxpayers, he said. Cadau prefaced his statement Monday by thanking the council for the opportunity. He told the public that he is very transparent and will work in a regimented way. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Cadau also said he will dedicate time to helping the borough define the roles and responsibilities of its officials and employees. He called for the borough to adopt a more streamlined approach to its work, including setting up a new email system for officials. Cadau, a Shenandoah native and U.S. Air Force and Army veteran, was appointed secretary/treasurer at the boroughs recent reorganization meeting, succeeding borough manager Tony Sajone in that role. The council set Cadaus salary at $70,000 and named him interim borough manager. He will officially assume the title after finalizing a contract and resolution. Police, streets issues Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In his report, Mayor Andrew Szczyglak discussed challenges to the boroughs police force, noting that it is very short-handed. Council members approved advertising for a police officer position. I have to give (Capt. Travis Bowman) credit, Szczyglak said. Hes trying to keep things together over there, but its getting hard because we dont have the manpower. Code Enforcement Officer James Flail said the borough has put up new trail cameras around town, monitoring illegal dumping and other activities. He said residents have been cited recently for burning garbage cans. Council members also appointed a new member to the zoning hearing board, Jacob Alinsky. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Alinsky replaces Flail, who was appointed to the board Jan. 2 but stepped down from the post Monday. Flail said he would like to continue assisting the zoning board in his current capacity. Addiyionally, Councilman Joe Gawrylik announced plans to install no-parking signs in all designated areas. He said that people have been cited recently for parking in such areas that lack the proper signage. We cannot keep on giving out tickets because we dont have these signs, Gawrylik said. We are getting the signs. We promise there will be signs. Gawrylik also said a meeting will be held in February to discuss paving projects. In light of the boroughs recent repaving of five streets, Gawrylik proposed seven additional streets be worked on. Were going to try our best to get seven streets, he said. BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) A lake freighter ship that was stuck in the ice in the Lake Erie shoreline in the Buffalo River since Wednesday was freed Saturday afternoon, the U.S. Coast Guard announced. After the Manitoulins breakthrough, it traveled through about 20 miles of ice from Buffalo into Lake Erie, being escorted by the Neah Bay and Bristol Bay tugboats along with the Canadian Coast Guard Ship Samuel Risley, according to the Coast Guard. At 3 p.m. Saturday, the boat was traveling at seven knots, which is equivalent to roughly eight miles per hour. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Manitoulin is expected to meet with the Mackinaw, a 240-foot icebreaker, which left from Michigan on Jan. 24. The ship began to move Thursday afternoon. It first got stuck around 11:40 a.m. Wednesday and had been stuck since then, surrounded by a foot of ice. The Manitoulin, which was returning to Michigan after completing a routine delivery of wheat, became immobilized by thick ice, which the U.S. Coast Guard said is commonplace this time of year amidst frigid temperatures. The situation that we are facing here on Lake Erie is that we have greater ice thickness than usual so local ice breakers and local Coast Guard vessels dont have the capability to break ice with that level of thickness, said U.S. Coast Guard Lt. j.g. Bridgette Baldwin. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Neah Bay, a 140-foot ice-breaking tugboat from Ohio, arrived on the scene at 9 a.m. Saturday to help free the ship along with Samuel Risley from Ontario, the Coast Guard said. The Risley worked with the Bristol Bay another ice-breaking tugboat to free the Manitoulin. The U.S. Coast Guard and Canadian Coast Guard are working closely to deploy all necessary assets to assist the Manitoulin, said U.S. Coast Guard Capt. Armstrong, Commander, Sector Detroit. Safety of life on our waterways remains paramount and both Coast Guards will continue to monitor the situation and render assistance as necessary. The Bristol Bay arrived on Thursday to assist. It will be kind of rocking itself up and down, and kind of crushing the ice in that way, said Baldwin. So, when we think about traditional ice breaking, people think that ice breakers just plow through the ice. This one will be lifting itself up and down and kind of crushing the ice to pave the way. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Closer vessels, including vessels in Buffalo such as the Edward M. Cotter fireboat, dont have the icebreaking capabilities that the vessel coming from Erie does. A helicopter from U.S. Coast Guard Air Station Detroit was flying over the ship as of Saturday to help monitor the situation, the Coast Guard said. The Coast Guard said Saturday that there were no concerns regarding the safety of the crew. The ship was previously said to have enough fuel, provisions and electricity to stay in good condition. All crew members on the ship are reported to be OK. 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. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Katie Skoog joined the News 4 team in April 2024. She is a graduate from the University at Buffalo. You can view more of her work here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. Tyron Ervin Jr.s mother looked directly at Mario Ramirez-Duarte in court on Thursday as Duartes murder charge was dropped in part of a plea deal. Now you get a plea? Did my son get a plea that day? Ervins mother said through tears. Channel 9s Hunter Saenz was in court as Ramirez-Duarte was sentenced to at least three years in prison on Thursday. Ramirez-Duarte pleaded guilty to shooting into an occupied property and other charges. He was originally charged with murder, along with another man. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It stems back to December of 2018, when police say Ervin was found dead at an apartment complex off Fishers Pond Drive. Police said Ervin was shot 16 times. PREVIOUS COVERAGE >> Victim ID'd in in deadly shooting at south Charlotte apartment complex Thursday, Ramirez-Duartes murder charge was dropped as part of the plea. Its not the first time hes faced a murder charge. He was once accused of killing 20-year-old Shandiin Sanchez, who police say was shot in the head at a Charlotte apartment complex in 2018. She had the gusto for life! said Kamil Taiman. Taiman is Sanchezs mother, and she remembered the day charges were dropped against Ramirez-Duarte in her daughters case. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I was shocked and stunned when they told me that his charges were going to be dismissed for my daughter, but at the same time, I was determined, Taiman told Saenz. RELATED >> Man wanted for cutting off ankle monitor charged with friend's murder Thats why she was in court for Ervins case on Thursday. But she told Saenz the plea deal makes her feel like Ramirez-Duarte is escaping accountability all over again. Now, shes warning the public about him. Everyone should know who he is, what he looks like, Taiman said. Saenz was in court when Judge Craig Collins asked Ervins mother what she would like him to do: accept the plea deal or reject it. She said to accept it because she wanted this to finally be over. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ramirez-Duarte was sentenced to a range of 36 to 65 months in prison, but with time served, hes already in that range. (VIDEO: 16-year-old charged with attempted murder after police chase across two counties) UPDATE 5:15 p.m.: The bridge is now open to drivers. UPDATE 3:10 p.m. 1/24: The Georgia Department of Transportation says there is about 4 feet of cable at the top - where the cable ties into the tower - that still has ice on it. It is melting away and chunks of it were falling on the deck while GDOT personnel were inspecting, so the closure will continue until its all gone. ORIGINAL: The Glynn County Board of Commissioners announced Thursday that the Sidney Lanier Bridge, which connects Highway 17 to Brunswick, will be closed until further notice. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The closure went into effect at 3 p.m. Officials said falling ice and other road hazards were present on the bridge, despite the warming daytime temperatures. >>> STREAM ACTION NEWS JAX LIVE <<< [DOWNLOAD: Free Action News Jax app for alerts as news breaks] According to the Georgia Department of Transportation, the closure will remain in place until the ice has thawed and is no longer a threat to drivers. Anyone looking to cross over the Turtle River into or out of Brunswick should plan to take an alternate route. As of now, the Joseph Mercer Bridge and the Fancy Bluff Creek Bridge are still open. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This is a developing story. Check back for updates on bridge and road closures. Read: Winter storm: Here are the Northeast Florida, Southeast Georgia schools that are open, closed Friday Read: It hit us hard,: thousands of power outages in Glynn County during winter storm [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. WETHERSFIELD, Conn. (WTNH) Registration is now open for the 3rd annual Superhero Sunday, a family-friendly event at Cove Park in Wethersfield. Connecticut Childrens Foundation, in partnership with Ball 4 a Cure, will host the 5K Run, Walk & Roll, Kids Mile and Community Bash on Sunday, April 27. Superhero Sunday is scheduled for 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Costumes are encouraged! Click here to register or donate to celebrate the real superheroes Connecticut Childrens patients, families and staff. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement News 8 is the proud media partner of 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 WTNH.com. Silk Road founder Ross Ulbricht is free after spending over a decade behind bars on drug and cybercrime charges and he's taking his little prison plant with him. After newly-minted president Donald Trump pardoned Ulbricht from the life sentence he'd been serving, the former darknet kingpin was seen in a photo posted by his advocates in which he was shown leaving prison wearing a grey sweatsuit and a smile. In that same photo the 40-year-old who'd been known as "Dread Pirate Roberts" on the dark web marketplace he founded was also seen holding his effects in a netted bag and a small potted plant a human touch to Ulbricht's larger-than-life story that transcends left-right politics. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Speaking of that plant, it seems that Ulbricht made references to a green thumb a few times during the time he served on his double life sentences, with an additional 40 years tacked on to boot. After starting a Twitter account in 2018 that involved him dictating tweets to outsiders via phone call, Ulbricht would periodically relay missives from his imprisoned life to his dedicated followers. In one such communique from 2022, he shared an animation he'd made that featured a small houseplant that resembles the one he was seen leaving prison with. As he explained in the post, Ulbricht would not end up being able to see the animation which he ended up selling for a whopping 11.6 Bitcoin, which was worth roughly $1.2 million at the time of its sale himself. On more than one occasion in 2018 and 2019, the Silk Road mastermind also made reference on his Twitter account to an apple plant he grew in wet tissue from leftover seeds. He named the plant "SHUbert" after the "Special Housing Unit" where he claimed to have served over 100 days in solitary confinement though unfortunately, that plant didn't make it out with him. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Because this is a crypto-infused story, it wouldn't be complete without someone making a meme coin for the plant called, fittingly, $ROSSPLANT. More on the Trump crypto sphere: Gullible Trump Supporters Lose Millions on Fake $BARRON Meme Coin Singapores ruling Peoples Action Party has long been famous for never losing an election, winning every vote since the city-state became independent in 1965. To be sure, in the past the PAP won by tilting the playing field in its favor before Election Day, and to some extent it still does so today. But rather than using obvious and outright authoritarian tactics to win votes, the PAP has shifted toward using subtler means. For instance, it has shaped the electoral system to greatly benefit itself, particularly with the introduction of multi-member representative constituencies, which mostly replaced single-member districts in 1988. Theoretically intended to guarantee minority representation for ethnic Malays and Indians in parliament, the winner-takes-all system ends up rewarding the dominant PAP. It also requires parties to recruit and run more candidates in any given election, which demands a larger party infrastructure and requires spending more money. For most of Singapores modern history, opposition parties rarely had the resources necessary to fully contest the seats, while the PAP did. And if the government has moved away from directly restricting political discourse through the detention of opposition leaders and critics in recent years, it has found indirect ways of doing so. When opposition figures have criticized the governments actions, for instance, PAP members have sued for libel in Singapores compliant courts, often resulting in fines that bankrupted the critics while creating a chilling effect for others. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement At the same time, the PAP had become synonymous with good governance over its time in power, bolstering its electoral credibility and popularity. Singapore has experienced remarkable economic growth for decades, including a rising standard of living and the emergence of regionally powerful Singaporean companies. The city-state also developed a reputation for clean governmenthighly uncommon in Southeast Asiaand has wielded strategic influence well beyond its tiny size and population. Combined with its efforts to shift the electoral landscape in its favor, the PAPs achievements lent it real legitimacy and popularity with Singaporeans. The party won every parliamentary seat in the 1968, 1972, 1976 and 1980 elections. And from 1984 to 2006, there were never more than four opposition MPs in the legislature at any one time. To get more in-depth news and expert analysis on global affairs from WPR, sign up for our free Daily Review newsletter. Yet as Singapore prepares for an election that will take place in November, the PAP faces a far more competitive landscape and by far its biggest electoral challenge yet. Already in the 2020 election, the PAPs share of the popular vote fell to 61 percent, one of its lowest proportions in decades, with opposition candidates securing a record 10 seats out of 93 in parliament. In a tacit acknowledgment of the PAPs weakening support, the government designated the Workers Party leader, Pritam Singh, as the official leader of the opposition, a first for Singapores parliament. Since 2020, the opposition has been further boosted by a series of scandals that have tarnished the PAP leaderships reputation for clean government. The first was the arrest of then-Transport Minister S Iswaran on major corruption charges last year, the first big corruption scandal within the PAP in decades. The charges were even more explosive because they involved S Iswaran taking money from a powerful Malaysian tycoon, tapping into a deep-seated fear among Singaporeans that their larger neighbor would somehow influence or control their politics. S Iswaran eventually pled guilty late last year. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Meanwhile, other top PAP members were also facing ethics allegations. Around the time of S Iswarans arrest, Law and Home Affairs Minister K Shanmugam and Foreign Affairs Minister Vivian Balakrishnan also faced public scrutiny for real estate transactions, although they were ultimately cleared of wrongdoing. And at roughly the same time, the speaker of parliament, Tan Chuan-Jin, was revealed to be having an affair with another PAP member of parliament, leading both to resign. Even if the PAP still wins a majority in the upcoming elections and continues to control the government, major opposition gains over the 2020 results would change the political landscape in Singapore dramatically. Amid these political scandals, the descendants of Singapores founding father Lee Kuan Yew, including former Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, have been engaged in a public family feud. Ostensibly, the dispute centers on the fate of Lee Kuan Yews former house. However, the argument has increasingly evolved into whether the PAP should loosen its grip on Singapores politics to allow it to become a truly free and fair arena. Lee Kuan Yews youngest son, Lee Hsien Yang, has accused the government of persecuting him for his views and claimed he was granted political asylum in Britain over fears for his safety if he returns to Singapore. Yang recently told the New York Times that there are now fundamental problems in the way Singapore is governed and run. The PAP government denies Yangs claims. Other issues that have also hurt the PAP include the rising cost of living. The Economist Intelligence Units Worldwide Cost of Living index routinely ranks Singapore as the most expensive city in the world, driving voter frustration. Housing in particular is increasingly out of reach, with property prices rising by over 30 percent in recent years, along with a similar spike in prices for the government-provided apartments that make up the majority of housing. This sharp rise has made property ownership, long a key element of the Singaporean dream, unrealistic for many working-class and younger Singaporeans. The government is trying to build more public housing, but the pace of new construction has not been enough to keep up with rising property costs. Shifting demographics are another challenge to the PAPs dominance. Younger voters often do not hold the party in the same esteem that their parents and grandparents once did. They have no memory of Lee Kuan Yew as the founder of a stable and prosperous Singapore in a tumultuous and often war-torn region. By contrast, many young Singaporeans have spent time abroad and engaged with the outside world through social media, prompting many of them to call for more democratic politics in the new publications and online media that have sprung up in recent years. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Meanwhile, the opposition, led by the Workers Party, is also becoming increasingly organized in the wake of its 2020 gains. In the 2025 election it will likely attract enough political talent to contest many more multi-member constituencies than it ever has before, giving it a better chance of taking more seats away from the PAP. And while Singapores growing civil society operates under significant constraints, it has become more skillful in working around them. As it organizes, it is increasingly addressing many of the issues young people care about, including greater freedom for public advocacy on climate change and other topics. Many of these groups prefer to avoid the limelight, making it hard to pinpoint the extent of civil societys political influence. But it has undoubtedly been a boon for the political opposition, both in providing people who will work for the Workers Partys campaigns and broadening the scope of political discourse. For all its challenges, the PAP will of course vigorously contest the election, which must be called by later this year. It is unlikely to lose its majority in parliament, and despite its recent internal problems, it still has a bench of talented politicians. Investors continue to plow money into Singapores economy, and its annual growth rate remains reasonably high for a developed country. The fact that Singh, the charismatic leader of the Workers Party, is facing trial for allegedly lying in parliament could help as well. Yet, even if the PAP still wins a majority in the upcoming elections and continues to control the government, major opposition gains over the 2020 results would change the political landscape in Singapore dramatically. For the first time in Singapores history, the PAP would probably have to seriously consult with the opposition on key domestic issues and possibly even foreign policy, rather than just giving the Workers Party a cursory look at legislation as it is pushed through. The Workers Party has based its appeal on calls for addressing social inequality, and if it makes major gains, it might force Singapore away from its relatively laissez-faire domestic social welfare policies into becoming a more comprehensive social welfare state. The party also wants to possibly limit the number of foreign workers allowed into Singapore, which could hurt the city-states image as a welcoming destination for foreign workers but also firms. How this could affect Singapores budget and its ability to attract investors remains unclear. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement By contrast, the foreign policy preferences of the Workers Party are not entirely clear. In the past, Singh has seemed unsure whether Singapore should tilt toward the U.S. or China, for instance. Siding with China might not be surprising for a left-leaning party like the Workers Party. But it would be a departure from the approach of the PAP, which strongly coordinates defense policy with the Pentagon while generally serving as a close partner of the U.S. and its allies, even as it seeks to balance economic ties between Washington and Beijing. At other times, however, Singh has basically echoed the PAPs strategic posture in his public speeches, making it impossible to know for certain what he and other party leaders really believe about how Singapore should approach strategic competition between the U.S. and China. A more divided Singaporean parliament, then, would be a major potential step forward for Singaporean politics. But it might further muddle the city-states regional economic and strategic approaches, at a time when the tiny island faces enormous pressure from both regional giants. Joshua Kurlantzick is senior fellow for South and Southeast Asia at the Council on Foreign Relations. Abigail McGowan is research associate for Southeast Asia and U.S. Foreign Policy at the Council on Foreign Relations. More Asia Coverage: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Read all of our the Asia-Pacific region coverage here. The post Singapores Next Elections Could Remake Its Political Landscape appeared first on World Politics Review. Two sisters visited the same bridge in Scotland where they were last seen about 12 hours before they disappeared, according to police. In an updated appeal for information released by police last week, authorities said they are continuing the search for 32-year-old siblings Eliza and Henrietta Huszti, who were last seen on CCTV footage on Market Street at the Victoria Bridge near the River Dee in Aberdeen at around 2:12 a.m. local time on Tuesday, Jan. 7. As investigators looked into their disappearance, police said that they "have now confirmed both women were seen at the same bridge" around 2: 50 p.m. local time the previous day. Police Scotland Eliza and Henrietta Huszti were last seen on CCTV in the early hours of the morning on Jan. 7 Eliza and Henrietta Huszti were last seen on CCTV in the early hours of the morning on Jan. 7 Footage showed the sisters spent about five minutes at the location before heading back to their apartment in Aberdeen. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Although the sisters didn't engage with anyone else at this time, the area would have been busy and we are keen to speak to anyone who may have seen them, police superintendent David Howieson said in a statement. Police went on to share that "there is nothing to indicate" that the sisters left their flat again "until shortly before they were last seen at the River Dee in the early hours." Andrew Milligan/PA Images via Getty Police officers walk next to River Dee in Aberdeen during the ongoing search for missing sisters, Eliza and Henrietta Huszti, on Jan. 14 Police officers walk next to River Dee in Aberdeen during the ongoing search for missing sisters, Eliza and Henrietta Huszti, on Jan. 14 PEOPLE previously reported that officers confirmed a text message was sent "from Henrietta's mobile phone to their landlady at 2:12 a.m." around the same time they disappeared. The eerie message indicated "they would not be returning" to the apartment, officials said in the release, noting that the phone was then disconnected and "has not been active since." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The following day, after their personal belongings were found inside, the landlady contacted police with her concerns. Police Scotland Missing 32-year-old sisters Eliza and Henrietta Huszti Missing 32-year-old sisters Eliza and Henrietta Huszti Police have been focusing the search on the River Dee so far, given that "there is nothing to suggest that Eliza or Henrietta left the immediate area" after they were seen on Jan. 7. The missing sisters, from Hungary, are part of a set of triplets, with the other triplet being their sister Edit Huszti, according to the BBC. 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. "We have carried out a significant trawl of public and private CCTV footage as we try to establish the sisters movements," Howieson said in a statement of the ongoing search, noting that so far "there is nothing to suggest any suspicious circumstances or criminality." PEOPLE reached out to Police Scotland for additional information. Read the original article on People Six people were struck by gunfire and three are in critical condition Wednesday following a gang-related shooting in MacArthur Park, according to the Los Angeles Police Department. The shooting was reported to police shortly before 1 a.m. in the 600 block of South Alvarado Street, where officers found multiple gunshot victims in the area, police said. Officers have arrested a male suspect. One victim, who appeared to have been struck by a stray bullet, was located near the intersection of Wilshire Boulevard and Alvarado Street, according to LAPD Det. Meghan Aguilar. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Initially, police believed all six of the injured were victims. They later said one was an assailant, who is in critical but stable condition, according to police. It was not clear who shot the alleged attacker. Read more: Shooting near a Westlake taco stand injures four; two people detained Today the mayor and I are surging resources to this area to enforce a Zero Tolerance policy on crime if you break the law you will be arrested, LAPD Chief Jim McDonnell said in a statement. Please know that my top priority is keeping you safe, and I will continue to hold anyone who threatens your sense of security accountable. The victims were described as four adult males and one adult female. All were transported to local hospitals. Three victims are in stable condition. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The apprehended male suspect walked up to a group of people and opened fire with a handgun, police said. The suspect then ran southbound on Alvarado Street to an unknown location. Aguilar said investigators at the scene recovered bullet casings from two weapons, indicating that two additional shooters were involved in the attacks. Law enforcement sources said the shooting stemmed from a confrontation between rival gang members who opened fired at each other. The victims, police sources said, were bystanders. Read more: 'Why are you messing with me for smoking fentanyl?' The tough task of policing MacArthur Park Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Video taken by ANG News showed a trail of blood on the sidewalk leading to a man lying in a pool of blood while paramedics tended to his wounds. Another video showed a man with a bloody lip that was nearly torn off. The shooting is the latest among the crime problems that have beset MacArthur Park. The area is known for gang violence and drug use , much of it by the homeless people living in and around the park. The owner of nearby Langer's Deli has threatened to close if the city doesnt clean up the area. City, police and community leaders have spent months fretting over how best to handle the intertwined crises at the park. A proposed cleanup operation that involved hundreds of police officers has been delayed twice, most recently because police resources were needed to respond to the ongoing wildfires. The shootings also bring another dose of stress for the neighborhood's immigrant community that is already on edge amid fears of mass deportations that the Trump administration has promised to carry out. 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. SALT LAKE CITY (ABC4) An alleged illegal gambling operation in the Ballpark neighborhood of Salt Lake City is now defunct after an SLCPD bust seized $56,000 in cash, several guns, gambling machines, and narcotics. One man, identified as Ryan Delahuerta, 42, was taken into custody. Salt Lake City Police said Delahuerta was booked into the Salt Lake Couty Metro Jail where he faces illegal gambling-related charges. The Ballpark community has been dealing with the negative impacts of this alleged criminal operation for weeks, said SLCPD Chief Mike Brown. I hope there is an immediate impact following this search warrant that will help return a sense of community and safety to the Ballpark neighborhood. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement SLCPD officials said two search warrants were executed at two businesses owned by Delahuerta. The first was a business known as My Podzzz located at 1480 South and State Street in Salt Lake City. The second was a pawn shop called Urban Pawn located at 4791 South State Street in Murray. Evidence including drugs, cash, ammunition, and firearms displayed during the evidence booking process following a search warrant in the Ballpark neighborhood (SLCPD photo January 21, 2025). Salt Lake City Police seized more than $56,000 as part of a criminal investigation into illegal gambling that occurred in Salt Lake City and Murray (SLCPD photo January 22, 2025). Based on a preliminary investigation, detectives believe that illegal gambling was taking place at My Podzzz with proceeds allegedly being funneled directly to Urban Pawn. Authorities seized nearly $8,000 in cash, two handguns, three gambling machines, and several drugs including fentanyl pills, methamphetamine, and marijuana from My Podzzz. Another $48,000 was collected from Urban Pawn. Police said a 38-year-old employee of My Podzzz was also detained but no charges have been screened at this time. Another 28 people inside the store were detained as part of the investigation and all but one were released. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Salt Lake City Police Department said the area around My Podzz has been a hotspot for crime over the last six months. Recent incidents include aggravated assaults, robberies, burglaries, as well as threats, stalking and larceny. The uptick in criminal activity prompted a greater investigation by SLCPD detectives. Alleged illegal gambling operations like this dont just violate the law, they create environments where other criminal activity can thrive, said Chief Brown. This investigation is the result of a tremendous team effort of our Special Investigations Unit, and I want to recognize the hard work of our detectives, collateral officers, SWAT officers, and patrol officers. Brown said the gambling ring bust should send a clear message to those in the community who believe they can operate criminal activities under the guise of a legitimate business. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. KALAMAZOO, Mich. (WOOD) Two construction workers who used sledgehammers to fatally beat a homeless man are heading to prison for what was described as a prolonged, brutal assault peppered with pleas for mercy. Lashaun Keith begged for his life as the two, after a night of drinking, pounded away with sledgehammers to teach him a lesson, court records show. Keith, 33, was living beneath a bridge undergoing repair work near Kalamazoos Wings Event Center in 2022. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 2 face murder charges in 2022 death of man That is where his assailants, Zachary S. Trainor and Bryan C. Wimbley, first encountered him, court records show. The attack began on Halloween, 2022 and continued into the early morning hours of Nov. 1. A few days later, hunters found Keiths body in a Van Buren County field. Evidence and statements eventually led police to Trainor and Wimbley. They were arrested last year, admitting to the attack, records show. The pair appeared for sentencing Tuesday in Kalamazoo County Circuit Court after entering guilty pleas to second-degree murder. Trainor, 23, and Wimbley, 30, each were sentenced to between 15 and 30 years in prison. They await transfer to the Michigan Department of Corrections. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Kalamazoo County Prosecutor Jeffrey Getting said he is happy that justice has been served. The actions of defendants Trainor and Wimbley are deserving of the sentence imposed by the judge, Getting said in a statement. There is no excuse for assaulting another person, and when you do it in a way that creates a substantial likelihood that someone could die, there will be severe consequences for your crimes. Details of the case, spelled out in court documents, highlight a brutal attack that left the victim with multiple broken ribs and a broken thigh bone. He was whimpering, like begging, like Please dont touch me anymore like Dont hurt me anymore, like Please, just stop,' Trainor told detectives in an April 2024 interview. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Keiths body was found a few days later near Kal-Haven Trail in Van Buren Countys Geneva Township. A man whose DNA was recovered from gloves found near the body admitted that he helped dispose of the body in exchange for cash, records show. Police eventually zeroed in on Trainor and Wimbley with evidence that included work records placing them at the scene of the beating. Keith was known to frequent an area where a bridge crossed railroad tracks at I-94 and Sprinkle Road and was homeless, records show. A construction company rebuilding bridges in the area provided records that showed Trainor and Wimbley were working at that specific construction site at the time the victims body was found in Van Buren County. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In an April 2024 interview with police, Wimbley confessed to taking part in the attack and subsequent killing of the victim, court records show. Wimbley said it took place at the bridge construction site and he and Trainor were working. Wimbley said the victim had been antagonistic towards himself and other construction workers. After a night of drinking, Wimbley and Trainor went back to the job site to locate the victim and teach him a lesson by assaulting him with hammers, records show. He (Wimbley) said they had to wake the victim up from sleeping to begin the assault, records say. Trainor admitted striking the victim in the ribs with a hand sledgehammer and to hearing ribs break, court records show. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trainor also told detectives he broke his right hand punching the victim in the face. Trainor recalled the victim screaming somebody help me, before they left, 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 WOODTV.com. By Jan Lopatka and Jason Hovet (Reuters) -Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico's administration plans measures to prevent long-running public protests from escalating into attempts at overthrowing the government, citing intelligence showing opponents seeking to gain power. Protest organisers and opposition parties have firmly rejected Fico's accusations, and say Fico is abusing security agencies and seeking to silence opponents in order to distract from policy problems faced by his fragile ruling coalition. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Fico returned as prime minister for a fourth time in 2023, and protests have built amid worries over his leftist-nationalist government weakening democratic values and shifting foreign policy away from EU and NATO allies and closer to Russia. Fico has also stepped up attacks against the liberal and conservative opposition since he survived an assassination attempt last year. He said this week that opposition groups planned to escalate their protests and create chaos, including through the occupation of government buildings. Citing information from intelligence services, Fico reiterated accusations, without showing evidence, that there was a group of unidentified experts in Slovakia that had helped in protests in Ukraine in 2014 and Georgia last year. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "We see a structure that wants to abuse these (protest) meetings mainly for a potential clash with the state security apparatus to further escalate tension, further foster aggression," Fico told a televised briefing. He said it was part of plans to block roads, public spaces, take over government buildings and "disrupt" the government. "This is an attempt to organise a normal coup in Slovakia," he said, adding the political opposition was connected. The main opposition party Progressive Slovakia has called the accusations delusions. "It is unacceptable for leading representatives to spread panic and fear," its leader Michal Simecka said. "There is no threat of a coup ... and all know it. It all serves for Fico to deflect attention from his failures." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement PROTESTS PLANNED Civic group Mier Ukrajine (Peace to Ukraine), the main organiser of protests including one scheduled on Friday evening, questioned Fico's accusations in a statement earlier on Thursday and said its protests have always been peaceful. Around 15,000 people attended the last protest in Bratislava on Jan. 10 in a rebuke to Fico for flying to Moscow in December to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin, a rare encounter for an EU leader since Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022. Fico's government has revamped the public broadcaster, fought with media, softened prosecution of economic crimes, and ended state military support to Kyiv. Fico has threatened to cut aid to Ukraine after it halted Russian gas transit through its territory on Jan. 1. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The 60-year leader became increasingly anti-liberal after protests forced him to resign in 2018 following the murder of an investigative journalist. In May last year, a lone gunman shot and wounded him, protesting against his policies. (Reporting by Jan Lopatka and Jason Hovet in Prague; Editing by Alex Richardson, William Maclean) Slovakian Prime Minister Robert Fico said on Thursday that security protections at key government buildings will be strengthened in light of alleged coup plans by his opponents. Fico, who survived an assassination attempt last May, made the announcement after a meeting of his security council. Security will be boosted at sites like the parliament building and seat of government, the Summer Archbishop's Palace, but he did not outline further protective measures. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The left-wing nationalist promised there would there not be any restrictions on the constitutionally guaranteed right of assembly and the right to organize protests. The opposition parties accused Fico of trying to stoke panic to distract from the failure of his government's policies and improve his standing. Slovakian President Peter Pellegrini, on the other hand, said that he agreed with Fico that the situation was "very serious," citing a recent report by the SIS domestic intelligence service. Fico said the agency has uncovered "structures with links to foreign countries and to the Slovak opposition," whom he said want to provoke riots and see government buildings occupied. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Fico said this is intended to force a police crackdown, which can then be portrayed as violence against peaceful demonstrators and undermine the government. Fico accused conservative opposition parties of spreading falsehoods about an alleged change in Slovak foreign policy in order to discredit the government internationally. "This government will never take any steps that could cast doubt on our membership in the European Union and NATO," he said. Fico's critics accuse him of pursuing a pro-Russian course, comparing him to Prime Minister Viktor Orban in neighbouring Hungary. Their anger intensified in late December, when he made a surprise visit to see Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow. SMITH COUNTY, Texas (KETK) The Smith County Commissioners Court announced on Wednesday that a Smith County Historical Commission has been formed to help preserve the countys historic and cultural resources. Hawkins city council votes to retain police department despite mayors opposition Smith County is rich with history and the action taken by Commissioners Court in establishing a Smith County Historic Commission is a huge step towards recognizing and protecting our history for future generations, Smith County Judge Neal Franklin said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The new commission will preserve the countys historic cultural resources including buildings, cemeteries and archeology. Seven residents were appointed on Tuesday: Conor Herterich, of Tyler, who serves as Northeast Texas Program Officer and Endagered Properties Manager for Preservation Texas Mark Thacker, preservation architect from Lindale Todd McMakin, a longtime professional archeologist from Tyler Charles Turner, a retired Tyler ISD teacher and local historian from Bullard Zach Sabota, who recently completed serving eight years on the City of Tyler Historic Preservation Board Jud Bailiff, a history buff from Lindale whose paternal ancestors arrived in Smith County by covered wagons in 1869 Larry Wade, a historian from Tyler and recent president of the Smith County Historical Society As of now, Smith County has not budgeted any funding for the commission and potential projects would have to go through the commissioners court for approval. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. They are one of the deadliest winter hazards Michigan can experience: snow squalls, intense bursts of heavy snow that lead to blinding whiteout conditions for short periods. Until the past few years, there was no warning system for these storms. That's no longer the case, but the new system still may not detect quick-hitting snow squalls, leaving white-knuckled motorists still at risk of large, deadly pileups. Snow squalls are a potential danger in many parts of the U.S., and in recent years have proven deadly in Michigan: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A Jan. 9, 2015, snow squall led to a 193-vehicle pileup on Interstate 94 freeway near Climax and the Calhoun-Kalamazoo county line, leaving a quarter-mile of wreckage that kept the freeway closed for two days. One person was killed and about two dozen hospitalized. Whiteout conditions led to a more than 40-vehicle pileup in Detroit on southbound I-75 near the Springwells exit on Jan. 31, 2013. A man and two children, ages 7 and 9, were killed and dozens injured. Ryan Gillespie and his wife, Laura, were headed from Lansing on Monday to their home in Clarkston on I-69 when they drove into a snow squall. "At one point, all of a sudden we see a bunch of brake lights," Ryan Gillespie said. "There are a ton of cars off to the side in the ditch; there are wreckers, police everywhere. There were at least 20 cars in that mile, mile-and-a-half stretch along the freeway, just everywhere."At times drivers couldn't see more than about five car lengths in front of them, he said. "I saw one guy drive into the ditch to not hit a vehicle when he was trying to pull off onto the curb," Gillespie said. "It was a pretty tight grip on the steering wheel for me, and I'm pretty sure my wife left claw marks on the dash." More: Most birds adapted to spending winter in Michigan can handle below-zero cold When cold and warm collide Snow squalls are defined as intense periods of heavy snow up to 2 inches in 30 minutes strong winds of 30 mph or more, and whiteout conditions with visibility of a quarter-mile or less. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Snow squalls are more likely to form whenever we have a strong cold front coming up against air that's warm and moist," said Martin Baxter, a professor of meteorology at Central Michigan University. Lake-effect snow events and blizzards are longer-lasting and easier to forecast than snow squalls, which are analogous to summer thunderstorms that can pop up and be very intense in a very localized area for only a short time, he said. The National Weather Service began issuing snow squall warnings in 2018. In the winter of 2023-24, the agency modified the alert system so that only those considered extreme risks would set off notifications. "We haven't seen one of these in Michigan yet, but the snow squall warning has the potential that it could be issued over the WEA, which is the system that everyone's phone goes off," Baxter said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But the system won't always be able to alert a sudden squall, said Steve Freitag, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in White Lake. "The biggest issue is, these are so abrupt and sudden," he said. "This is just an attempt to prevent the massive car pileups. Unfortunately, I don't know how effective (the warnings) are going to be." No safe place on a highway during a squall There is no safe place on a highway during a snow squall, weather officials emphasize. The best move is to slow down, turn on four-way hazard flashers and headlights for increased visibility to other motorists headlights may require a manual turn-on out of automatic mode during the day and exiting the highway from an offramp at the first safe opportunity to wait out the short-burst storm. Dozens of drivers were ticketed after the 2015 Climax pileup for driving too fast for conditions. "Unfortunately we have drivers here in Michigan who don't slow down as they enter a wall of white," Freitag said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As human-driven climate change increases global temperatures, makes winters milder and leads to more extreme weather events, could it have an impact on the frequency of snow squalls as well? Baxter said he's yet to see particular research on the topic, but the potential stands to reason. "It's very interesting that we had this very warm fall, with the lakes staying the warmest they have ever been, and then we had multiple snow squalls in Southeast Michigan in December," he said. "It has the potential to create these more frequent snow squall warnings because winter is going to come, right? Whether it is warm in November or December or not, winter is going to come; that cold air will build up over the pole and come down toward us. So if it increasingly meets up with air that's warmer and more moist, then, yes, we could see more of these snow squall events." Contact Keith Matheny: kmatheny@freepress.com. This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Snow squalls a sudden winter danger in Michigan To the people of Park City, lock up your snowboard. A suspect was arrested in Park City, Utah on January 17, 2025 and charged with stealing several pairs of skis and snowboards, and trying to sell them online. The thefts occurred just a day earlier, according to Town Lift, and happened outside the Sundial Resort at Park City Mountain Canyons Village. The suspect was caught on video surveillance making several trips back and forth to the ski racks. Shortly after, the gear was found on Facebook Marketplace. Skyler Talbot, the public relations liaison for Summit County Sheriffs Office, told the Town Lift that detectives prompted an undercover sting. A sale was set up in Park City, and undercover officers met up with the seller. The suspect was then arrested by officers in uniform after the sale, and booked on felony theft charges. Even more stolen items were found, and returned to their owners. Three boards an Arbor, a Salomon, and a Rossignol were recovered in the operation. The Orange Bubble Express at Park City Mountain Resort, Utah. Photo: starlyw/Shutterstock There have been several reports of stolen boards this season across the country. In Colorados Summit County, sheriff Jaime FitzSimons says that board swipers are looking for the easiest opportunity. He compared it to stealing someones horse in the old West, and reported that a little more than a month, there were eight reported cases of snowboard and ski theft. The gear was stolen from Breckenridge Ski Resort, Copper Mountain, and Arapahoe Basin Ski Area. Its serious, and often a felony, and those responsible should be held accountable, Summit County, Colorado Sheriff Jaime FitzSimons said in a statement. Ski theft is a crime of opportunity, so take precautions and dont be a victim. If you are a victim, work with law enforcement. Lock up your board. Photo: Josh Sullivan Having a board stolen can truly ruin your day. I should know, I had a board stolen from me back in 2021. Lucky for me, Boston-area detectives were able to recover it. Here are some tips to ensure your gear isnt taken: 1. Lock your gear up I dont frequently lock my snowboard up, but Dakine does make a micro lock that they sell for just $15 at most local shops, REI, Backcountry, and other retailers. Its not a foolproof lock any thief with a sharp knife, lighter, or a decent amount of time can certainly outsmart this device, but for $15, it provides enough of a deterrence to encourage the offender to move on to the next untethered board. 2. Make your board distinguishable. Stickers are a great way to express some individuality out on the slopes, and an even better way to show some love to your local shop and favorite brands. Theyre also a great way to distinguish your Capita Mercury from your friends Capita Mercury and a complete strangers Capita Mercury. Its also one more step that a thief needs to take if theyre going to try to turn around and sell the snowboard. 3. Keep your gear close Of course, most ski areas discourage bringing your boards inside, but if youre headed inside for lunch, a beer, or a bathroom break, try to keep it visible from the inside area. That means find a rack near a window. 4. Protech DNA The Summit County Sheriffs Office offers an adhesive gel with microscopic dots that contain a PIN or serial number. This will help in the recovery of stolen boards. 5. Take a ton of photos Photos of your gear can be extra helpful when police are trying to recover it. The detective assigned to my case said he came across dozens of stolen snowboards in his recovery efforts. He was able to determine which ones werent mine because I had provided a recent photo. Related: Chloe Kim and Maddie Mastro Make History in Switzerland CAMDEN, NY (WUTR/WFXV/WPNY) A snowmobile crash Wednesday night in the town of Camden has left one person dead, according to Oneida County Sheriffs. Sheriffs reported to trail C4 in Camden at approximately 9:45 last night. Further investigation found that a snowmobiledriven by 24-year-old Dylan Dailey of Kunkletown, Pennsylvaniawas riding on trail C4 when he failed to negotiate a sharp curve in the trail. As Dailey lost control of his snowmobile, it struck several trees. Sheriffs say Dailey was ejected from the snowmobile. At this time, sheriffs say that speed was a factor in the crash, but the investigation remains ongoing. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Dailey was pronounced dead at the scene. Sheriffs say another person was on their own snowmobile with Dailey and was involved in the crash. At this time, their condition is unknown. The crash is still being investigated by members of the Oneida County Sheriffs Criminal Investigations Unit. Sheriffs were also assisted at the scene by members of the offices Recreation Unit as well as the Forensics Unit. Oneida County Sheriffs were assisted on the scene by members of the New York State Police, Taberg Fire Department, Kirks Towing of Lee Center, The Shop Collision of Camden, and the Onondaga County Medical Examiners Office. This is an ongoing investigation. We will provide more information as it becomes available to us. 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 WUTR/WFXV - CNYhomepage.com. A young Brooklyn man has pleaded guilty to the unprovoked killing of social justice advocate Ryan Carson in a caught-on-video stabbing that took place as Carson and his girlfriend walked home from a wedding. Brian Dowling, 20, pleaded guilty to second-degree murder Wednesday, accepting a plea offer from Brooklyn Supreme Court Judge Danny Chun. His sentencing, where he is expected to get 20 years to life, is slated for Feb. 19. Dowling, who was 18 at the time of the killing, sobbed as he was led from a Brooklyn NYPD station house in shackles and handcuffs after his October 2023 arrest. Neighbors described him at the time as a nice kid who got along with others in the neighborhood. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Like an average, normal teenager, close family friend Eric Riddick, 58, told The News. Just like any other teenager, finding his way, coming up as an adult. He was working in construction. We talked a few weeks ago on the block, and he seemed fine. He was a great kid. Carson, 32, and his girlfriend were sitting on a bench at a bus stop near Malcolm X Blvd. near Lafayette Ave. in Bedford-Stuyvesant on Oct. 2, 2023, when a man, later identified as Dowling, passed by them. Carson and his girlfriend stood up and started walking in the same direction when Dowling started kicking and knocking over parked scooters on the corner. The fk are you looking at, Dowling yelled twice. Imma kill you right now! Carson repeatedly asked Dowling to chill, but he lunged instead,backing the victim and his girlfriend toward the bench they were sitting on. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But the attacker instead lunged at the 6-foot-4 victim, backing him and his girlfriend up toward the bench they were sitting on. He punched Carson, then knifed him several times as Carsons girlfriend begged, Please stop! Please stop! Many of us still shudder when recalling the horrific video showing this defendant viciously attacking Ryan Carson and stabbing him to death for no reason at all, Brooklyn D.A. Eric Gonzalez said. Such an unconscionable crime requires the separation of this defendant from our society for a very long time, which is ensured by the promised sentence hes now facing. Carson was described as one of the rising stars in our organization by the executive director of the nonprofit New York Public Interest Research Group, where he worked as a senior solid waste campaign director. He was working on a project with groups representing bottle and can collectors pushing for legislation that would expand the types of bottles and cans that can be redeemed for tax refunds, as well as increase the 5-cent deposit fee. NEW YORK A young Brooklyn man has pleaded guilty to the unprovoked killing of social justice advocate Ryan Carson in a caught-on-video stabbing that took place as Carson and his girlfriend as he walked down a Brooklyn street with his girlfriend on their way home from a wedding. Brian Dowling, 20, pleaded guilty to second-degree murder Wednesday, accepting a plea offer from Brooklyn Supreme Court Judge Danny Chun. His sentencing, where he is expected to get 20 years to life, is slated for Feb. 19. Dowling 18 at the time of the killing, sobbed as he was led from a Brooklyn NYPD station house in shackles and handcuffs after his October 2023 arrest. Neighbors described him at the time as a nice kid who got along woth others in the neighborhood. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Like an average, normal teenager, close family friend Eric Riddick, 58, told The News. Just like any other teenager, finding his way, coming up as an adult. He was working in construction. We talked a few weeks ago on the block, and he seemed fine. He was a great kid. Carson, 32, and his girlfriend were sitting on a bench at a bus stop near Malcolm X Blvd. near Lafayette Ave. in Bedford-Stuyvesant on Oct. 2, 2023, when a man, later identified as Dowling, passed by them. Carson and his girlfriend stood up and started walking in the same direction when Dowling started kicking and knocking over parked scooters on the corner. The fk are you looking at, Dowling yelled twice. Imma kill you right now! Carson repeatedly asked Dowling to chill, but he lunged instead, backing the victim and his girlfriend toward the bench they were sitting on with the man to chill. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But the attacker instead lunged at the 6-foot-4 victim, backing him and his girlfriend up toward the bench they were sitting on. He punched Carson, then knifed him several times as Carsons girlfriend begged, Please stop! Please stop! Many of us still shudder when recalling the horrific video showing this defendant viciously attacking Ryan Carson and stabbing him to death for no reason at all, Brooklyn D.A. Eric Gonzalez said. Such an unconscionable crime requires the separation of this defendant from our society for a very long time, which is ensured by the promised sentence hes now facing. Carson was described as one of the rising stars in our organization by the executive director of the nonprofit New York Public Interest Research Group, where he worked as a senior solid waste campaign director. He was working on a project with groups representing bottle and can collectors pushing for legislation that would expand the types of bottles and cans that can be redeemed for tax refunds, as well as increase the 5-cent deposit fee. LOS ANGELES (KTLA) A man from Wisconsin pleaded guilty on Thursday to reporting false emergencies to police in places like West Covina and Oxnard, then taunting officers using residences Ring cameras. Racine resident Kya Christian Nelson, 23, admitted to one count of conspiracy and two counts of unauthorized access to a protected computer to obtain information, the U.S. Department of Justice said in a news release. From Nov. 7 to 13, 2020, Nelson went on a swatting spree where hed falsely report dangerous situations at residences across the country, then livestream the ensuing police raids on social media, sometimes while taunting responding police officers in communities such as West Covina and Oxnard, the DOJ said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Those officers had often just cleared a homes residents at gunpoint, as the reports they received often indicated that children were in danger from adults armed with guns. The defendants malicious actions traumatized his victims and put their lives and the lives of responding officers at risk, said Akil Davis, assistant director in charge of the FBI Los Angeles Field Office, in the DOJ release. Swatting hoaxes drain crucial law enforcement resources at the expense of taxpayers and diverts police officers from responding to actual crisis situations. This case is a good reminder for security doorbell users that its important to practice strict cyber hygiene by using difficult passwords and by employing two-factor authentication. Nelson, who has been in Kentucky state prison since August after a conviction on an unrelated case, faces up to five years in federal prison for each count when hes sentenced on May 1. One of Nelsons co-conspirators, Arizona resident James Thomas Andrew McCarty, 22, was sentenced in June to seven years in federal prison. 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. Sen. Mike Bohacek, R-Michiana Shores, talks to Sen Greg Walker, R-Columbus, on the Senate floor on Jan. 23, 2025. (Whitney Downard/Indiana Capital Chronicle) A bill prohibiting some Hoosier minors from using social media without their parents permission got bipartisan support in the Senate Thursday and now moves to the House for further consideration. Sen. Mike Bohacek, R-Michiana Shores, said the bill doesnt try to regulate or define one specific app but broadly applies the prohibition to any social media site. Under the proposal, anyone under the age of 16 would need to secure permission from their guardians before accessing apps like Facebook, Instagram or TikTok. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Five senators voted against Senate Bill 11, which advanced on a 42-7 vote: Sen. Vaneta Becker, R-Evansville Sen. Andrea Hunley, D-Indianapolis Sen. La Keisha Jackson, D-Indianapolis Sen. Jean Leising, R-Oldenburg Sen. Rodney Pol, D-Chesterton It is up to the individual social media site to choose a mechanism to prove parental permission. Were telling (the social media sites) what we want. How they do it is up to them, said Bohacek, who authored the bill requiring age verification for pornographic sites last year. A provision that allowed parents to sue companies for violating the measure was amended out in committee. My goal of the bill is not to just fill the court with lawsuits. The goal is to take care of our children and to give our children the best tools, Bohacek said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Office of the Attorney General has the power to issue a civil investigative demand to determine whether a social media site has violated the law, with civil penalties capped at $250,000. I dont think the penalty to multi-billion dollar companies will be the fix. I think the fix will be the embarrassment of not doing the right thing, Bohacek added. He pointed to mental health concerns for youth online, as well as targeted advertising practices, as reasons why the bill is needed. However, it wasnt unanimously adopted, with five lawmakers three Democrats and two Republicans voting against the proposal. Sen. Rodney Pol, D-Chesterton, testifies on a social media bill in the Senate on Jan. 23, 2025. (Whitney Downard/Indiana Capital Chronicle) Sen. Rodney Pol, D-Chesterton, wondered whether it would compel social media companies to authenticate all users, not just youth, though he emphasized his support for the underlying bill. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Theyre essentially going to say we have to have people authenticate because theres no algorithm thats going to be perfect, Pol said. Bohacek maintained that social media companies have the industry tools needed to meet the bills requirement. Senators also voted to kickstart the constitutional process for changing the name of the auditors office to comptroller. A previous office holder said the term comptroller better described her duties because the office distributes funds and doesnt audit spending. The name change has already been placed in statute but the Indiana Constitution is a longer process. It must pass two separately-elected legislative sessions and then be placed on a general election ballot for voter approval. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement An accompanying bill, though, would forge ahead and change the name of the office to comptroller for the 2026 election cycle. The legislative body also advanced a bill to continue cutting Indianas income tax rate so long as revenues grow. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX A so-called relationship therapist quoted everywhere from Newsweek to The Independent appears, per a new investigation, to be completely made up. As writer Ashley Abramson reports in a captivating investigation for Allure, a purported therapist named Sophie Cress set off alarm bells almost as soon as she pitched the Abramson using the now-defunct Help A Reporter Out (HARO), a service that connected journalists with potential sources. Though Cress set off alarm bells for Abramson not least because her email address was associated with the sex toy review site SexualAlpha.com the journalist eventually decided to respond to the would-be therapist's second pitch. When Abramson insisted that she could only conduct interviews over phone or video call, however, Cress ghosted. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement After digging into Cress' background and alleged qualifications Abramson discovered why: Sophie Cress strongly appears not to exist, a fabrication made up by the Latvia-based owner of Sexual Alpha to drive traffic and search ranking to his site. That owner, Dainis Graveris, never responded to any of Abramson's requests for comment, so she had to rely on her own sleuthing to get to the bottom of the Cress story. She not only looked into whether anyone by the name "Sophie Cress" or any similar monikers was licensed to practice family and relationship therapy in Cress' professed state of North Carolina, but also into whether someone using that name actually held the degrees she claimed to have or was certified for Prepare/Enrich and Gottman Therapist specialties, which her onetime website claimed she held. The North Carolina Marriage and Family Therapy Licensure Board was unable to find any such therapist, and representatives from Prepare/Enrich and Gottman couldn't confirm that anyone with Cress' name was certified with either organization. Because there was such limited information on the "therapist," Abramson was also unable to confirm whether either her bachelor's or master's degrees were legit. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Another nail in the coffin was even more mundane: Abramson traced Cress' headshot back to a stock photo website, where the woman in the picture doesn't share her name. When Abramson reached out to the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy to ask if it had ever heard of a case of a brand concocting a fake therapist to pitch to journalists, its executives said no but not because it wouldn't be possible. "The barrier [to do that] is very low," James Punelli, the association's director of ethics and legal affairs, told her. Needless to say, most journalists contacted by Cress didn't do all that homework; her operators appear to have duped everybody from Mashable to the Daily Mail to the New Zealand Herald. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Though HARO is no more it was eventually acquired, rebranded and shut down by the tech outfit Cision it has a sludgy history of being used to dupe journalists, including a prankster who used it in the early 2010s to get himself featured as an expert on obscure topics in publications ranging from the New York Times to CBS to ABC. And Cress just might still be at it: while HARO is no more, Futurism found that Cress still has a profile on the imitator site Qwoted that links back to Sexual Alpha, suggesting that what's left of her mostly-scrubbed online persona is still churning out traffic for the sex toy site. More on scammers: Phone Provider Deploys "State-of-the-Art AI Granny" to Waste Scammers' Time COLUMBIA, S.C. (WSPA) George Kennedy, South Carolinas State Auditor, resigned from office Thursday. Kennedy, who has served in the position since October 2015, sent a letter of resignation to Governor Henry McMaster and the State Fiscal Accountability Authority. In the letter, Kennedy said that it was an honor and a privilege to serve the State of South Carolina during the past nine years. However, I believe that it is in the best interest of the Office of the State Auditor that I resign from my position as State Auditor effective today, the letter continued. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement McMaster accepted the resignation in a letter Thursday afternoon. Kennedy, along with State Treasurer Curtis Loftis and former Comptroller General Richard Eckstrom, came under scrutiny following accounting errors which led to a mystery $1.8 billion which was reported to be found in a state account. After months of investigations and testimony, a financial consulting firm report concluded that the $1.8 billion never existed. Eckstrom resigned from his position as Comptroller General in March 2023. I would like to thank George Kennedy for his nearly 10 years of public service to the State of South Carolina and wish him well, said Loftis, in a statement. We will continue to support the State Auditors Office during this time of transition. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Several lawmakers have also called on Loftis to resign. My initial thought was good. Good job taking responsibility. Treasurer Loftis should have some humility and do that right thing and resign, said State Rep. Heather Bauer (D-Richland). We are spending hundreds of thousands of dollars protecting ourselves from him. To spare taxpayers, [Loftis] should do the right thing, Bauer continued. The longer hes in office the more money he is wasting. For the good of our state, I hope that Treasurer Loftis will see the handwriting on the wall and follow the examples of Richard Eckstrom and George Kennedy and resign, said State Sen. Larry Grooms (R-Berkeley). Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement See Kennedys full resignation letter below: Resignation letter for State Auditor George Kennedy Read the full state treasury forensic accounting report: AlixPartners-Final-Report-011525Download Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. CHARLOTTE (QUEEN CITY NEWS) A water main break is forcing a south Charlotte intersection to close, according to Charlotte Mecklenburg Police. A lane is still closed on Providence Road where Fairview Road turns into Sardis Road due to the break. The public is asked to avoid the area. Charlotte Water officials said Thursday night that crews are continuing to work on the repair. The outage will continue until repairs are complete. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement At 3 p.m., the repair was expected to take four to six hours. This is a Developing Story . 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 Queen City News. A dystopian-like mist that has cocooned South Florida this week is expected to begin clearing late Thursday into Friday as Arctic air oozes down the Peninsula. The National Weather Service in Miami said a lingering boundary of clouds and drizzle along the Atlantic coast will make it tough for the approaching cold front to completely scrub the skies clear of moisture, but the official forecast calls for partly to mostly sunny skies on Friday and Saturday, but with temperatures in West Palm Beach warming only to near 60 degrees on Friday. Overnight Friday into Saturday is forecast to be the coolest period of this cold snap, and NWS Miami Meteorologist in Charge Robert Molleda said cold weather advisories may be issued for the overnight hours on Friday. Advisories are issued when you have a wind-chill or "feels like" temperature of 35 degrees or lower for at least three hours. Cold front sweeps through Palm Beach County "Even if temperatures don't reach freezing early Saturday morning, frost is becoming increasingly likely across inland southwest Florida, around Lake Okeechobee and in far western Palm Beach County," Molleda said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Temperatures in the low 40s along Palm Beach County's coast and mid-30s west of Lake Okeechobee are expected in the pre-dawn hours on Saturday. Temperatures then warm during the day to highs near 70 degrees in West Palm Beach, and only slightly cooler in the western reaches of the county. The normal high temperature for late January at Palm Beach International Airport is 75 degrees, with a normal overnight low of 58 degrees. "It looks like it could be the coldest air this season," said Anthony Reynes, an NWS meteorologist in Miami. "It's part of that big system that brought the snow and all the cold dry air that comes with it." The cold pushed the City of West Palm Beach to cancel the popular downtown Clematis by Night event with temperatures dropping to 54 degrees by 9 p.m. with a 20% chance or rain. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Areas of the Florida Panhandle were still under a cover of white early Thursday with schools remaining closed in 22 counties. Some counties, including far western Escambia, Santa Rosa and Walton, are also closed Friday. Brrrr....South Florida gets it's version of cold in the upcoming days! A look at the forecast minimum temperatures in the days ahead....temperatures dropping into the mid to upper 30s across portions of the interior. For the latest: https://t.co/z3umbbAW5K #flwx pic.twitter.com/o17UJo3EgK NWS Miami (@NWSMiami) January 22, 2025 More: How cold does it need to be in Palm Beach County to 'freeze' iguanas? Florida's snowfall record toppled this week with up to 9 inches of snow measured in Milton, which is northeast of Pensacola. That more than doubled the state record of 4 inches measured in 1954, according to the governor's office. State officials warned that melted snow could freeze overnight in areas of North Florida, making for slick roadways that Floridians may not be accustomed to driving on. Record low daytime high temperatures are possible in some areas of South Florida on Jan. 24, 2025 following a potent cold front. While temperatures could plunge up to 15 degrees below normal in Palm Beach County, they are unlikely to break any cold records. Friday and Saturday's record low temperature is 28 degrees measured in 1989. The coldest daytime high temperature on Friday is 42 degrees, also set in 1989. Saturday's coldest daytime high temperature is 47 degrees set in 2022. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Molleda said the forecast for cold weather isn't unusual. "This occurs most winters at least once or maybe even a few times," he said. "It's colder than normal certainly, but not unprecedented at all." By Sunday, high temperatures are expected to warm to a mostly sunny 73 degrees. Through Wednesday, this month's average temperature is 64.4 degrees, which is 2 degrees colder than normal. The coldest day was Jan. 9 when the high temperature reached just 65 degrees with a low of 44 degrees. Read more on rare Florida snow: Kimberly Miller is a journalist for The Palm Beach Post, part of the USA Today Network of Florida. She covers real estate, weather, and the environment. Subscribe to The Dirt for a weekly real estate roundup. If you have news tips, please send them to kmiller@pbpost.com. Help support our local journalism, subscribe today. This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Weather forecast: Cold front in South Florida with artic-like temps (Bloomberg) -- South Korean anti-corruption agency asked prosecutors to indict impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol on insurrection charges after wrapping up a preliminary investigation into his ill-fated martial law declaration. Most Read from Bloomberg The Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials said they have decided to send Yoons case to the Seoul Central District Prosecutors Office on Thursday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The announcement comes after Yoon had been stonewalling the probe teams efforts to secure answers about his role in imposing the martial law, despite his arrest last week. That raised questions over the agencys ability to follow through on the investigation into a sitting president. Yoon has questioned the validity of the probe launched by the CIO, and said the martial law declaration was within his constitutional powers. We thought itd be more efficient for the prosecutors office, which has to decide whether to indict him, to comprehensively look into the materials gathered so far and conduct additional investigation as needed to reveal the truth behind this case, Lee Jae-seung, the deputy head of the agency, told reporters. It was not immediately clear if Yoon would change tack and agree to sit down with prosecutors for questioning after the transfer of the case. Before becoming president, Yoon was a star prosecutor who investigated a number of high-profile cases, including one into former President Park Geun-hye who was removed from office in 2017 and later imprisoned. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Yoon shocked the nation with his abrupt martial law declaration on Dec. 3, a move that sent the won plunging and has been partly blamed for South Koreas weaker economy growth forecasts for this year. The short-lived decree ultimately led to his impeachment and the first-ever arrest of a sitting president in South Korea. Prosecutors are expected to indict Yoon in early February before the detention period granted by a district court expires, South Koreas Yonhap News said. If indicted by then, Yoon will stay in detention while a trial that is likely to continue for months takes place. Speaking at his impeachment trial on Thursday, Yoon said the martial law ended faster than he had expected, but he didnt see it as a failure. This is not a failed martial law, Yoon said at the Constitutional Court. I also thought it would end quickly but it just ended faster than Id expected. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement At the trial, Yoons former Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun appeared as a witness and admitted drafting the martial law decree that banned political activities. Kim also said he ordered his subordinate to keep an eye on key politicians, but denied ordering their arrest. Kim himself was arrested and indicted last month for his involvement in the martial law declaration. Yoons martial law decree has left the country in a leadership vacuum at a crucial time when Donald Trump was sworn in as the 47th president of the US. Businesses and policymakers are concerned about the possibility of Trump imposing trade tariffs while the ongoing political turbulence is weighing heavily on consumer confidence. The Constitutional Court has six months to decide whether to permanently remove Yoon from office. If the court upholds Yoons impeachment, it would trigger a presidential election within 60 days. (Updates with Yoons comments in paragraph 9-10, ex-defense ministers testimony in 11) Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2025 Bloomberg L.P. JUBA (Reuters) -South Sudanese authorities have suspended access to social media platforms for a minimum of 30 days after videos depicting the alleged killings of South Sudanese nationals in Sudan's El Gezira state triggered riots and deadly revenge attacks. The block was to be implemented at midnight on Wednesday, Napoleon Adok, director general of the National Communications Authority, wrote in a letter dated Wednesday to internet service providers. "This is culminating from the recent upheaval in Sudan, that has exposed the South Sudanese population to unprecedented levels of extreme violence through social media posts," Adok wrote in the letter seen by Reuters. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Customers of mobile operators MTN South Sudan and Zain would not be able to access Facebook, TikTok and other platforms for a maximum period of 90 days, the companies said in statements issued on Wednesday. A Reuters reporter in Juba was unable to access Facebook or TikTok. At least 16 Sudanese nationals were killed last week when riots erupted in South Sudan's capital Juba and elsewhere in the country. Youths in several cities looted and vandalised shops owned by Sudanese nationals and burned several homes, police said, in retaliation for what they believed was the involvement of Sudan's military and allied groups in the killings in El Gezira. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Sudanese army has condemned what it called "individual violations" in El Gezira. "The effect is a bit huge because as an artist, I depend so much on social media," said Isaac Anthony Lumori, also known as Mc Lumoex, a popular South Sudanese musician and founder of a comedy show. "My message to the government is to seek an amicable way of solving this issue, especially engaging the government of Sudan to make sure that (their) army does not misbehave to the extent of taking human life," he told Reuters. (Writing by Hereward Holland; Editing by Raju Gopalakrishnan, Tannur Anders and William Maclean) A Southern California woman was arrested in connection with a series of vehicle burglaries across the Inland Empire. The suspect was identified as Krystal Gonzalez, a 34-year-old from Loma Linda, according to the San Bernardino County Sheriffs Department. Authorities were investigating a string of vehicle burglaries at distribution warehouses throughout San Bernardino and Riverside counties between December 2024 and January 2025. Over 100 stolen items were found at the suspects home in connection with a series of vehicle burglaries across Riverside and San Bernardino counties. (San Bernardino County Sheriffs Department) A woman wanted in connection with a series of destructive vehicle burglaries across the Inland Empire was arrested on Jan. 22, 2025. (San Bernardino County Sheriffs Department) A woman wanted in connection with a series of destructive vehicle burglaries across the Inland Empire was arrested on Jan. 22, 2025. (San Bernardino County Sheriffs Department) Gonzalez would allegedly pose as a warehouse employee to gain access to the parking lot. Once there, she would break into cars and steal any valuables she could find, deputies said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Authorities believe she is responsible for at least 10 vehicle burglaries and possibly more that have yet to be reported. On Jan. 22, Gonzalez was arrested and a search warrant was served at her home where investigators found over 100 items of stolen property including wallets, purses, cell phones, sunglasses, license plates and more. Gonzalez was also on parole at the time of her arrest. She was taken into custody and is being held without bail. Anyone with additional information on the case can call the San Bernardino County Sheriffs Department at 909-884-0156. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTLA. A 63-year-old Brattleboro man died in his cell at Southern State Correctional Facility on Thursday, the Department of Corrections said. Staff at the prison attempted life-saving measure on William J. Barrett shortly after he was found unresponsive around 8:30 a.m. He died at at about 9:05 a.m., corrections officials said. Vermont State Police will investigate the death, which is not considered suspicious and may have been the result of a medical event. An autopsy will be performed at the Vermont Chief Medical Examiners Office in Burlington. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Barrett had been incarcerated at the Springfield prison 2024 on charges of sexual assault of a victim under the age of 16, promoting a sexual recording, furnishing alcohol to a minor, disseminating indecent material to a minor, and sexual assault without consent. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. Axel Rudakubana, the Southport killer, avoided a whole life sentence because he was nine days too young, a judge said, prompting calls for a change in the law. Rudakubana repeatedly disrupted his sentencing hearing at Liverpool Crown Court on Thursday and refused to enter the dock to face the families of his victims and hear his fate. After listening to harrowing testimony from the families of the children Rudakubana murdered at the Taylor Swift dance class last July and from some of the surviving victims, the judge, Mr Justice Goose, jailed the killer for at least 52 years and said he would almost certainly spend the rest of his life in prison. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement However, the judge expressed frustration that the law prevented him from passing a sentence guaranteeing the killer would die in jail, as some of the victims had asked for, because Rudakubana had been nine days short of his 18th birthday when he committed the massacre. Following the hearing, politicians including Kemi Badenoch, the Tory leader, called for a change in the law to give judges more discretion when sentencing young people convicted of the most serious crimes. The Attorney Generals Office confirmed it would look at the sentence again after receiving a request to refer the matter to the unduly lenient sentences scheme. Rudakubana was handed 13 life sentences for three murders and 10 attempted murders and told he would not be eligible to apply for parole for 52 years, by which time he will be 70. However, Mr Justice Goose said: He was only nine days short of his 18th birthday, which has a particular significance. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Had he been 18, I make it clear that I would have been compelled to impose on him life imprisonment without a minimum term, otherwise known as a whole life term, meaning that he would never be released. However, the law does not permit such a sentence for those offenders who are under 18 when they offend. Mrs Badenoch said her party would now pursue a change in the law. She said: There is a strong case here for amending the law to give clear judicial discretion to award whole life sentences to under 18s, which Conservatives will start to explore. Patrick Hurley, the MP for Southport, also questioned the logic that had allowed Rudakubana to avoid a life sentence without the possibility of parole. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He said: There appears to be no reason, no rationale, that I can accept that he would not be treated as an adult for the purposes of sentencing here, and if thats not going to be the case, then I would like to see the law changed to make it the case. He later confirmed he had asked for the sentence to be reviewed by the Attorney Generals Office. The court had heard a statement from the mother of murdered Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven, who pleaded with the judge to jail Rudakubana for the rest of his life. Alice Dasilva Aguiar, nine, Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven and Bebe King, six, who were killed in the Southport attack She wrote: He took our daughter, her life, her future and everything she could have been. There is no greater loss and no greater pain. His actions have left us with a lifetime of grief and it is only right he faces the same. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The parents of Alice da Silva Aguiar, nine, who was also murdered, said: Our life went with her. He took us too. Six months of continuous pain and a lifetime sentence of it. The parents of two sisters who were injured by Rudakubana said their girls live in fear of him being able to walk the streets again. This is something they constantly speak about and it petrifies them, they said. The 52-year minimum term is the longest determinate sentence handed down since Hashem Abedi was given 55 years for helping to organise the Manchester Arena terrorist attack in which 22 people were murdered. In that case, the terrorist avoided a whole life sentence because he was under 21 at the time of the atrocity, prompting a change in the legislation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It is thought that any further change in the law to allow whole life terms to be handed to those below the age of 18 could breach the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, which bars giving children either a death sentence or imprisonment without the possibility of parole. The Prime Minister and the Attorney General have indicated that they are unwilling to break international law over separate issues, such as denying compensation to Gerry Adams, the former Sinn Fein president. Ahead of the sentencing on Thursday, Downing Street declined to comment on calls for whole-life sentences to be extended to cover offenders under the age of 18. The court heard how Rudakubana had systematically worked his way through the yoga and dance class in Southport, stabbing everyone in his path. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The extent of the horrific injuries suffered by the little girls, some as young as six, was laid bare before the packed but silent courtroom. During the day-long sentencing hearing, victims and their families delivered heartbreaking testimony, outlining how their lives had been destroyed by Rudakubanas actions. Leanne Lucas, 36, the yoga teacher who had organised the Taylor Swift-themed workshop, entered the witness box to read her statement in person. She asked: How can I live knowing I survived when children died? Her statement added: I constantly see his face; new memories have appeared and this will continue to happen for the rest of my life. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement She continued: He targeted us because we were women and girls, vulnerable and easy prey. People gathered outside Liverpool Crown Court for the sentencing - Peter Byrne/PA Wire In an extraordinary moment, one of the victims who survived the attack read out her own statement to the court. The 14-year-old, who was stabbed multiple times, addressed Rudakubana directly when she said: Give me a reason for what you did. Arming yourself with a weapon and stabbing children. I hope you spend the rest of your life knowing that we think you are a coward. She added: Some of us are physically getting better but we will all have to live with the mental pain from that day forever. I want you to know that you changed mine and my sisters lives forever but whilst you live behind bars alone I will make sure that my sister and I, and our family will do our best to move forward with our lives. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Rudakubana had been due to stand trial this week but on Monday suddenly admitted all offences. Deanna Heer KC, prosecuting, told the court that the teenager had carried out the carefully planned and premeditated massacre after stockpiling weapons and becoming fixated with extreme violence. She said he had gleaned instructions on how to kill from an al-Qaeda training manual, had manufactured ricin and had also viewed a video of an Islamist stabbing just minutes before he embarked on his killing spree. But she said it did not fall under the definition of a terrorist attack because there was no clear evidence that the defendants actions were made for the purpose of advancing a political, religious, racial or ideological cause. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement However, the police officer who led the investigation said he had wanted it to be declared a terrorist incident. Det Chief Insp Jason Pye said if it had been, officers would have been granted longer to question Rudakubana before he was charged. Mr Justice Goose agreed that it could not be classed as an act of terror under the definition set out by legislation, but said it was clear his actions were equivalent in seriousness. He went on: I am sure Rudakubana had the settled determination to carry out these offences and had he been able to, he would have killed each and every child all 26 of them. There were audible gasps from some of the family members of the victims in court when the sentence was handed down. Mr Justice Goose said: I consider at this time that it is likely that he will never be released and that he will be in custody for all his life. His words were echoed by Sir Keir Starmer, the Prime Minister, who said afterwards that the vile offender will likely never be released. Responding to the sentence, Yvette Cooper, the Home Secretary, said: The whole country has been horrified beyond words by these truly horrendous, cowardly and evil crimes. We will always remember Bebe, Elsie and Alice, and the happiness they brought to their families in their short lives. And we will remember too the strength and bravery shown by the survivors of this horrific attack, and the astounding courage of those who rushed towards danger and undoubtedly saved many more lives. The police and emergency services who responded that day deserve our eternal gratitude, and we thank, too, the investigators and prosecutors who have worked so hard for justice, and Mr Justice Goose for presiding over these hugely difficult proceedings. We have vowed to get the answers the country deserves about how this horror was allowed to happen and to ensure that lessons are learned. I will set out further details of the independent public inquiry soon, but for today, all our thoughts are with the families enduring this unimaginable pain, and the example of strength and courage they have provided to us all. 06:05 PM GMT Thats it for today Thank you for joining for our coverage at Liverpool Crown Court. 05:57 PM GMT Reform MPs: Debate on death penalty needed in wake of Southport killer sentencing Richard Tice, the deputy leader of Reform UK, said there should be a national debate on whether to reintroduce the death penalty for exceptional cases of murder. He said the UK should not be afraid to debate such an issue after fellow Reform MP Rupert Lowe said on X/Twitter that now is the time for a national debate on the use of the death penalty in exceptional circumstances. Asked on LBC about Mr Lowes tweet, he said: Well, I dont think we should be afraid of having a national debate on important big issues like this. I think that many people in the country would like at least a debate. People come to obviously very personal matters of conscience as to which way they would go. Clearly this is probably the most exceptional that anybody can recall that I can think of. Lets hope there isnt a more exceptional. And lets hope we never live through anything as horrific as this, frankly. 05:30 PM GMT Southport attack one of the most harrowing moments in our countrys history, says PM Prime Minister Keir Starmer said: The thoughts of the entire nation are with the families and everyone affected by the unimaginable horrors that unfolded in Southport. No words will ever be able to capture the depth of their pain. I want to say directly to the survivors, families and community of Southport you are not alone. We stand with you in your grief. What happened in Southport was an atrocity and as the judge has stated, this vile offender will likely never be released. After one of the most harrowing moments in our countrys history we owe it to these innocent young girls and all those affected to deliver the change that they deserve. 05:22 PM GMT Southport killers sentence to be reviewed as possibly unduly lenient Within minutes of Axel Rudakubana being jailed, the law officers announced they had received a request to consider whether the 52-year minimum term was too short. The Attorney Generals office said the case was referred under the unduly lenient sentence scheme - just one request is needed for it to be considered. The law officers - Attorney General Lord Hermer and Solicitor General Lucy Rigby - have 28 days to decide whether to refer the sentence to the Court of Appeal. There is a high threshold for a successful reference under the scheme - the sentence must be deemed to be not just lenient but unduly so, for example if the judge has made an error or imposed a sentence outside the usual range associated with the circumstances of an offence. Even then, the Court of Appeal may decide to refuse to review the case or uphold the existing sentence 05:17 PM GMT Former Justice Secretary backs calls for whole-life sentence review Sir Robert Buckland - the Justice Secretary who extended the powers of judges to hand whole life orders to 18 to 21 years old murderers - said he also believed that courts should have exceptional discretion to issue them to under 18s. He suggested that 17-year-olds who killed a month before their 18th birthday or were sentenced after they turned 18 should be eligible for whole life orders. You could go further and give the judge an exceptional discretion in those cases, he said. I would not use this case for a wholesale change and treat the children the same as adults. The change lowering the age limit to 18 was introduced in the Sentencing Act 2020, which Labour, in opposition, opposed at second reading. Sir Robert also increased the starting point for sentencing under 18s for murder from 12 years to 27 years in jail. Any move to change the law could face international challenge as it would breach the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child which bars giving children either a death sentence or imprisonment without the possibility of parole. 05:05 PM GMT Sentence is unduly lenient, says Southport MP Patrick Hurley, the MP for Southport, has asked the Attorney General to review Axel Rudakubanas sentence as unduly lenient and said it is not severe enough. In a post on social media, Mr Hurley said: The sentence handed down today is not severe enough, it is not long enough for the crimes committed, we need a sentence that represents the severity of this crime that has terrorised the victims and their families. I have submitted a review to the Attorney General to review the sentence, the undue leniency does not reflect the crimes committed and a review is required to uphold public confidence in our justice system. 05:01 PM GMT Southport killers sentence is one of highest on record The minimum term Axel Rudakubana must serve in custody for the Southport attack is one of the highest on record and is thought to be the longest punishment handed to a killer of his age. Mr Justice Goose detained the 18-year-old for life with a minimum term of 52 years. Taking into account the 175 days he has already served on remand, Liverpool Crown Court heard this meant he will be required to serve 51 years and 190 days before he can be considered for release by the Parole Board. Manchester Arena bomber Hashem Abedi, 23, was handed a record-breaking 55-year minimum term in 2020 for 22 murders and attempted killings. The terrorist orchestrated the 2017 atrocity when he was 20. Prior to that, the longest minimum term imposed on a terrorist in Britain is believed to have been 50 years in the case of David Copeland. The 22-year-old was given six life sentences for targeting Brick Lane, Soho and Brixton in 1999 in a 13-day nail bombing campaign that left three people dead and 139 injured. 04:57 PM GMT Badenoch calls for change in law on whole-life sentences Kemi Badenoch has called for a law change to enable judges to give whole life sentences to teenage killers like Axel Rudukabana. The Tory leader said that the 18-year-old Southport triple killer should never be released from jail after he was handed a life sentence to serve a minimum of 52 years in prison, writes Charles Hymas. However, she said the fact that he committed the crime when he was 17 meant he could not be given a whole life sentence, meaning he would never be eligible for parole. She added: There is a strong case here for amending the law to give clear judicial discretion to award whole life sentences to under 18s which Conservatives will start to explore. 04:56 PM GMT Rudakubana jailed for atrocities Serena Kennedy, Chief Constable of Merseyside Police, said: Today Axel Rudakubana has been sentenced for his cowardly and vicious attack on the young girls who had gathered at Hart Space on July 29, 2024, to have some fun in their school holidays. They had come together for a Taylor Swift-themed morning to enjoy dancing, singing and making friendship bracelets in honour of their idol. Those girls - who range in age from six to 13 - were the polar opposite of a calculating teenager who carried out the harrowing and atrocious, pre-meditated attack. The victims were enjoying a day of youthful innocence untainted by twisted and unhealthy fascination with violence that drove Axel Rudakubana to carry out the atrocities hed planned in the days leading up to July 29. His terrifying attack resulted in the deaths of Bebe, Elsie and Alice. Since his arrest he has shown no remorse for his actions. 04:47 PM GMT Watch: Masked killer enters dance class before attack Credit: Merseyside Police Read the full story here. 04:45 PM GMT Judge says he will likely never be released Mr Justice Goose said: I consider it is likely he will never be released and he will be in custody for all his life. 04:37 PM GMT Murders must be viewed as the most extreme level of crime, says judge Sentencing him in his absence, the judge said: The prosecution have made it clear this does not meet the definition of an act of terrorism within the meaning of the legislation, as there is no evidence the purpose was to advance a particular political or ideological cause. I must accept that conclusion. However, his culpability is equivalent in its seriousness to terrorist murders, whatever his purpose. What he did on July 29 last year has caused such shock and revulsion to the whole nation it must be viewed as the most extreme level of crime. 04:26 PM GMT Rudakubana sentenced to minimum of 52 years in prison Mr Justice Goose said: He will serve almost the whole of his life in custody. I consider it likely he will never be released and he will be in custody for all of his life. 04:24 PM GMT Law does not permit whole life term Mr Justice Goose said that had Rudakubana been 18, he would have been impelled to impose a whole life term meaning he would never be released. However, the law does not permit such a sentence for those under 18 at the time that they committed the offence, he said. 04:18 PM GMT Judge: Who could dispute the acts as evil? Describing the events of the 29th July, the judge said: Rudakuban knew there was to be a Taylor Swift themed yoga and dance workshop where very young girls were to enjoy an organised party safely in an upstairs room where the organisers were to look after them. There were 26 children at the party, all of them happy and enjoying themselves. He targeted those children for the horrific, extreme violence he was intent upon. He continued: He arrived and walked straight into the building, up the stairs to where he could hear the sound of happy children. In his mind was the intention to murder as many of them as he could. He wanted to carry out the murder of happy, innocent young girls. Over about 15 minutes he tried to kill three of them and attempted to kill eight more. It was extreme violence that is difficult to comprehend why it was done. Im sure Rudakubana had a settled and determined intention to kill and would have killed all 26 children. Many who have heard the evidence and have seen the CCTV recordings might describe what he did as evil. Who could dispute it? On any view it was at least the most extreme, shocking and exceptionally serious crime. The judge didnt disagree with those who labelled the killings as evil 04:14 PM GMT Families will never recover, says judge The judge said he had read all the victim impact statements and that they were all deeply moving. The harm that Rudakubana has caused to each family, each child and the community has been profound and permanent, he said. He added the families of the three girls who had been killed would never recover. 04:06 PM GMT Judge begins sentencing remarks Sentencing Rudakubana in his absence on Thursday, Mr Justice Goose said: During the sentence hearing, Axel Rudakubana was determined to disrupt the proceedings so he would not have to face the victims of his crimes and face justice. 04:04 PM GMT Defence limited for such wickedness, says killers barrister Stan Reiz KC, defending, told the court: For offences of such wickedness, the mitigation that I can meaningfully advance on behalf of the defendant is limited. Mr Reiz said: There is no psychiatric evidence before the court that could suggest that a mental disorder contributed to the defendants actions. However, he did make a transition from a normal, well-disciplined child to someone who was capable of committing acts of such shocking and senseless violence. Something changed in him when he reached the age of 13. 04:01 PM GMT Not possible to identify any terrorist cause, say prosecutors Ms Heer KC told the court it was not possible to identify any particular terrorist cause. The way we put the case, the evidence of the defendants purpose was mass murder as an end, she said. 03:56 PM GMT Teacher saved my girl, says mother of survivor In a statement read to the court, she said: ...It quickly became apparent she was still in the building with the knifeman. Following the arrival of the emergency services, I ran into the building after them to be with my daughter who I already believed was seriously injured or dead. The police told me I couldnt go in the room. To my relief I turned around .. and saw her standing there with the other event leader, Heidi. Heidi saved my girl that day by following her to the toilet after she headed there instead of down the stairs and out the door with the other children. 03:51 PM GMT Victim asked mum when she was going to die One youngster, who survived the attack and cannot be named for legal reasons, thought it was a prank when Rudakubana first approached her. In a statement from her mother, read to the court by Ms Heer KC, she said: She told him she didnt want one- she didnt want to play. - But he attacked her. The court heard she was so badly injured daddy didnt recognise her. She continued: In hospital she asked me repeatedly when she was going to die. I had to tell her she was going to be okay, over and over. She told the court that her daughter sometimes asks her questions about the man who attacked her. She asks if he has a family, if they are angry with him, she continued, if they forgive him. She asks me if I feel sad for him, or sad about what he has done. I struggle to comprehend how she is able to ask such mature questions. She has survived this horror but now lives every moment of her life affected by it. Questioning why. Why did this happen to her? She said that while every day is hard the family could never be prouder of what she has achieved over the last six months. [He] has completely failed to destroy her spirit, her amazing sense of humour, her fierceness and her pure beautiful heart. We are honoured to be her parents. 03:32 PM GMT Only right killer faces life imprisonment, says victims mother Jenny Stancombe, mother of seven-year-old Elsie Dot Stancombe, said the family had lost their best friend through an act of pure evil. In her statement, which was read by Ms Heer KC, she said: We are not going to stand here and list everything you have taken away from us, because we refuse to give you the satisfaction of hearing it. The nature of your actions is beyond contempt. You deliberately chose that place, fully aware that there would be no parents present, fully aware that those girls were vulnerable and unable to protect themselves. This was not an act of impulse, it was premeditated. You chose that place, that time and those circumstances, knowing that when we arrived all we would see was the aftermath of the devastation caused. We were robbed of the opportunity to protect our girls. If we had been there, this would never have happened and the outcome would have been vastly different. What you did was not only cruel and pure evil; it was the act of a coward. Though you have stolen our daughter from us, you will not take away our determination to honour her memory, we will carry her love, positivity and her legacy forward, no matter how much pain you have caused. In her statement, she addressed the judge, explaining how Rudakubana had taken her future and everything she could have been. There is no greater loss and no greater pain, she added. His actions have left us with a lifetime of grief and it is only right that he faces the same. We hope he uses his time in prison to reflect on the gravity of what he has done, though if we go from his actions and behaviour during this process we have little faith that he will ever feel the remorse he should. There is nothing that can undo the damage he has caused but knowing that he will never be free to cause any harm to vulnerable children again would give us a small measure of justice. Perhaps he will have the opportunity to contemplate the fear and terror he inflicted upon those girls, and we sincerely want the consequences to reflect the irreparable damage he has inflicted. 03:25 PM GMT Class instructor says she felt helpless Ms Liddle, one of the classs instructors, said in a statement she felt completely helpless after the attack because she didnt know how many children were hurt or where they were. Her words were read out by Miss Heer KC in court. She said: I felt isolated from everyone as I felt like I couldnt leave my home. I was in tears constantly and didnt feel safe in my own home. The only time I left the house in the coming weeks was to go and see Leanne and the girls at hospital or to attend the funerals of the three girls, which was heartbreaking, she went on to say. I replayed the incident over and over in my mind, changing the sequence of events so that myself and the little girl I was with in the toilet, were stabbed and killed. I struggled with everyday things, like letting the dogs out, doing any activity that involved me being hunched over, such as hoovering, drying my hair and putting my daughter to bed in her cot, as I envisioned him coming behind me and stabbing me in the back. 03:13 PM GMT Alices mother hopes life is shortened so they can be together again A statement on behalf of Alice Da Silva Aguiars family has been read out. Her parents said they kept their hopes up every second during Alices 14-hour fight but once she had lost her fight, we lost our lives. They said that the simple joys of life can no longer be enjoyed because it feels like theres no point. The court heard that Alices mother often thinks about going to meet her or hopes that life is shortened so they can be together again. They said that cooking brings out fear sometimes. Especially when [Alices mother] is holding a knife and the thought seems so tempting. We were used to cook for three but now only cook for two and it doesnt seem right. Our only child. She was everything for us. Her mother is unable to go to the toilet at night without her husband there as she finds the dark so terrifying. They continued: Grief has taken away any sense of meaning we once had and replaced by constant numbness. Its hard to feel happy, to enjoy the music and to see the good in life when the centre of our universe has been taken. Going out doesnt feel as safe and any attempts to lighten up, a smile and a laugh are quickly met by regret and guilt. How can we ever smile if Alice is not here? 03:01 PM GMT Heres how you have been reacting Heres how you have been reacting. Join the discussion in the comments section below. 03:00 PM GMT Teen victim asks killer for a reason for what you did A 14-year-old girl, who was a victim of the attack and cannot be named for legal reasons, has read out a statement via video-link. Ms Heer KC said that despite her young age she is determined to speak because she feels it is important for her to do so. The girl, who attended the class with her sister, said: I was dropped off by our dad and I remember it being sunny and warm. That day turned into a living nightmare. The dance club was full of laughter and excitement all morning with the girls full of life. The beginning of my nightmare started when I saw you. I thought you were playing a joke. I saw you in your green hoody and face mask. The thing I remember most about you is your eyes. You looked possessed and you didnt look human, you looked possessed. She said she was running for my life and would never forget that blind panic before finding her sister who was safe. Describing the aftermath of the attack, the girl became emotional as she said: Physically Ive healed but my scars remain as a reminder of what you did to me, to us all.. No sane person could do that. Its sickening what you did, going in there knowing youre going into a room full of defenceless children. Give me a reason for what you did. Arming yourself with a weapon and stabbing children. I hope you spend the rest of your like knowing we think youre a coward. 02:52 PM GMT Teacher constantly sees the face of the killer The court is now hearing from Rudakubanas victims. Leanne Lucas, the teacher, read out her own statement and said she still constantly sees the face of the killer. She said: As a 36 year old woman, I cannot walk down the street without holding my breath as I bypass a person and then glance back to see if theyve attempted to stab me. As a 36 year old woman, I cannot enter a public place without considering how I will get out in the event of an emergency. As a 36 year old woman I cannot give myself compassion or accept praise, as how can I live knowing I survived when children died. She said she had worked with teenagers throughout her life and would never have considered that they would hurt me or hurt younger children. She told the court that Rudakubana targeted us because we were women and girls, vulnerable and easy prey. To discover that he had always set out to hurt the vulnerable is beyond comprehensible. 02:41 PM GMT What should I do if I want to kill somebody?, killer asked Childline The court has heard details of Rudakubanas lengthy involvement with social services and police. The defendant was born in Cardiff and moved to Southport to live with his family in 2013. In 2017 he became a pupil at The Range High School, Formby. Ms Heer KC said he rang Childline in October 2019 and asked What should I do if I want to kill somebody? The court heard in the days that followed, he told the charity he hated someone at school who bullied him. He said he had taken a knife to school but would only use it if the person really annoyed him. As a result, a referral was made to the police, who visited the defendant, who confirmed he had taken the knife to school. The school was told and when he admitted taking a knife to school on about 10 previous occasions, his exclusion was made permanent. 02:30 PM GMT Killer said good thing those children are dead Rudakubana did not speak when he was arrested on suspicion of murder just after 12pm on 29 July. He was taken to Copy Lane custody suite where he was assessed by psychiatrists, who found him fit to be detained and interviewed. In the interview, he remained silent throughout. However, while in custody he made a number of comments which were recorded on CCTV footage or noted down by officers. Some of the remarks he made included: Im glad those kids are dead, it makes me happy and Its a good thing those children are dead. He later commented that it was Literally, such a good thing those kids are dead, 6 years old and Im so glad the children are dead, so glad, and So happy, 6 years old. Its a good thing they are dead, yeah. 02:27 PM GMT Search of killers bedroom paused after ricin discovery After he was arrested police began a search of Rudakubanas house in Banks, Lancashire, however it soon had to be halted after they found an unknown substance in a Tupperware container under his bed. Two days later this was confirmed by government scientists at Proton Down to be ricin, the court heard. Ricin is a naturally occurring toxin found in the seeds of the castor oil plant. It is toxic by ingestion, injection and inhalation, Ms Heer said. There is no antidote to ricin and as little as 0.42mg can be lethal. Exposure to ricin can lead to multi-organ failure and acute respiratory distress. Police also discovered a machete in a scabbard, a set of arrows and a black holdall. In the living room, where it appeared the teenager had been sleeping, officers found a kitchen knife identical to the one used in the attack at Hart Space and which, it later transpired, had been purchased from Amazon on the same day as the other blade. 02:22 PM GMT Rudakubana removed from dock again Axel Rudakubana has again been removed from the dock by the judge after interrupting the prosecutor and shouting that he needed to be seen by a paramedic. The court had heard he was seen over the lunch break by experts, who deemed him fit enough to return to court. However, as he started shouting the judge ordered for him to be taken out. 02:15 PM GMT Court hearing back underway with Rudakubana in the dock Rudakubana has re-entered the courtroom after the lunch break. Medical staff found he was fit and physically able to do so. Mr Justice Goose warned that if he disrupted proceedings again he would be removed. 02:11 PM GMT Change law around whole-life sentences, says Southport MP Patrick Hurley, the MP for Southport, has said he would like to see a change in the law which could allow for whole-life sentences in cases like that of Axel Rudakubana. The 18-year-old is not expected to receive a whole-life order as he was under 18 when he carried out the attack last summer. But Mr Hurley told BBC Radio 4s World at One: There appears to be no reason, no rationale, that I can accept that he would not be treated as an adult for the purposes of sentencing here, and if thats not going to be the case, then I would like to see the law changed to make it the case. Mr Hurley had earlier told the BBC the news coming out of the court was absolutely appalling and said Rudakubana had shown utter disrespect to the families of victims because of his behaviour in court. 02:07 PM GMT Killer stabbed 13 people The court heard that 13 people suffered stab injuries, three of whom were killed. A child who was seen on CCTV being dragged back inside the building by Rudakubana having almost escaped later re-emerged and collapsed. She had suffered 32 wounds across her whole body. Leanne Lucas, the teacher, was taken to Aintree University Hospital in a life threatening condition where she was given an urgent transfusion of blood before undergoing surgery. 01:59 PM GMT Pictured: Protesters gather outside court Police speak to people as they take part in a protest outside Liverpool Crown Court - Ryan Jenkinson Axel Rudakubanas setencing has sparked a demonstration outside the court - Ryan Jenkinson 01:24 PM GMT Motionless bodies of girls found Before the break, Ms Heer KC told the court two window cleaners, Marcin Tyjon and Joel Verite, who were driving nearby saw a group of children running with Ms Lucas, who was covered in blood. She was screaming that someone was stabbing the kids, she said. Businessman Jonathan Hayes heard screaming and came out of his nearby office when he saw the motionless body of a child in the car park. Rudakubana then approached him and took a swipe at him with the knife and stabbed him in the leg. The court heard his colleague chased the defendant out of the office and closed the door. Ms Heer KC told the court: Mr Verite, who had followed the police into the building, picked up Bebe King and carried her out of the building, screaming as he did so. In the studio itself, police found the body of Elsie Dot Stancombe, lying on her back on the floor. It was obvious that she was dead. 01:04 PM GMT Court breaks for lunch The court has broken for lunch and the sentencing will resume at 2pm. 01:00 PM GMT Those hiding in toilet heard children begging killer to stop Those hiding in toilet heard children begging killer to stop: Heidi Liddle, a teacher at the studio, was sitting on the floor helping the children to make bracelets when she saw Rudakubana lunging, however it was only when he stabbed Ms Lucas she began to register what was happening. Ms Heer KC said after ushering children out, Ms Liddle followed a girl into the toilet after seeing her run onto the landing at the top of the stairs. Heidi Liddle followed her inside, locked the door and braced her foot against it, she said. She told (the girl) to remain very quiet, not to make a sound. Outside, they could hear children screaming, and then the door rattled. When she heard voices outside the door crying for the defendant to stop she realised that not all of the children had managed to escape. 12:43 PM GMT Rudakubana moved quickly and silently through room The court heard the studio door opened and when Rudakubana enetered, it was assumed he was there to pick up one of the children. Without saying a word, he grabbed the child nearest to him from behind and put his arm around her, Ms Heer KC said. This was (one of the children) who was at a table making a bracelet. At first, Leanne Lucas thought he was there to collect her, but he then moved on to a second child and then a third, Alice Da Silva Aguiar. He moved quickly through the room without saying anything. It was only when he reached her and she felt a knife go into her back, that Leanne Lucas realised he was armed and stabbing the children. She cannot now recall whether she shouted for everyone to run or not, but they all ran towards the door and out into the corridor. 12:41 PM GMT Killer found crouched over victim Body worn footage from the first police officers at the scene shows them running into the building and up blood covered stairs. Amid a flurry of loud shouting and screaming they found Rudakubana, crouched over the body of Bebe King, who had visible and severe stab injuries. He was holding a large, bloodied, kitchen knife, which he dropped when told to do so. One man who had followed the police into the building, picked up Bebe and carried her out of the building, screaming in horror as he did so. In the studio itself, police found the body of Elsie Dot Stancombe, lying on her back on the floor. It was obvious that she was dead. Soon afterwards, Heidi Liddle and another chid were found hiding in the toilet. Hysterically crying with fear and relief, they were escorted from the building. 12:37 PM GMT Footage shown of fleeing children Harrowing footage has been played in court showing the moment the children first ran screaming in terror from the building. In one clip, a young girl is seen attempting to flee the building before being grabbed by Rudakubana and dragged back inside. She emerges moments later, stumbles a few steps, and then collapses. As the footage was played in court there were audible gasps and sobs from the public gallery. 12:34 PM GMT Screams heard as the killer entered building Ms Heer KC said within 30 seconds of his arrival at the venue, screams can be heard coming from within, followed by children fleeing. At the time the defendant entered the building, all the children were in the first floor studio, together with Leanne Lucas and Heidi Liddle, where they were gathered around the tables making bracelets and singing along to Taylor Swift songs, she said. Ms Heer KC said a woman was waiting to collect her daughter when she heard screaming and saw people running from the building. She managed to grab her daughter and get her into the car. Three other children also got into her vehicle, one of whom... had a bleeding injury to her chest. One of the girls who died, Alice Da Silva Aguiar, collapsed by the side of the vehicle, badly injured. 12:27 PM GMT Family members in tears as events described Some family members were in tears as the events of July 29 were described to the court. Relatives had their heads in their hands and wiped their eyes with tissues. Sobs could be heard from the public gallery. 12:21 PM GMT Killer arrived in green hoody and mask despite summer heat Ms Heer said that on July 7 last year, Leanne Lucas posted an advert for a Taylor Swift Yoga and Dance Workshop on Instagram. It announced that the event was intended for children aged 6 11 and would take place at The Hart Space on July 29 between 10am and 12pm. In all 26 children attended, all of whom were in danger at the time of the attack. Leanne Lucas was also present, together with Heidi Liddle who was helping to supervise the children, she said. The defendant, Axel Rudakubana, lived at 10 Old School Close, Banks about 5 miles away from The Hart Space, with his parents. At about 11.10 he left his address on foot. Despite the weather, he was dressed in a green hooded sweatshirt, with the hood pulled over his head. His face was covered with a surgical mask. 12:15 PM GMT Judge orders Rudakubana to leave the dock Mr Justice Goose has ordered Rudakubana to leave the dock after he repeatedly interrupted the prosecutor. The 18-year-old shouted that he needed to speak to a paramedic because he felt ill. When the judge ordered for proceedings to continue, he started shouting again. As she tried to outline the facts, Rudakubana repeatedly interrupted proceedings and shouted out in court that he is not fine he feels ill. He shouted out I need a paramedic. Stanley Reiz KC, for the defence, told the court that Rudakubana had not eaten for a number of days. He has drunk very little over that period of time. He said that before the hearing questions had been raised over his ability to be in a high pressure situation. When the judge Mr Justice Goose said he wanted the hearing to proceed, Rudakubana shouted out Im not going to be quiet I need a paramedic. He shouted in an increasingly loud voice I need a paramedic. I need a paramedic before being told to leave. A man in the public gallery was heard to call him a coward as he left. 12:05 PM GMT Killer said Im glad theyre dead Delivering her sentencing note, prosecutor Deanna Heer KC, said Rudakubana had carried out a pre-meditated, planned knife attack upon multiple victims, principally young girls, intending to kill them. She said he had a longstanding obsession with violence, killing and genocide. The court heard after the attack, while in custody, he said: Its a good thing those children are dead, Im so glad, Im so happy. 11:52 AM GMT Rudakubana arrives in the dock Axel Rudakubana has arrived in the dock. He is sat with his head down and again did not respond to the clerk when asked to confirm his identity. The sentencing is now underway. 11:49 AM GMT Southport attacker receives treatment before sentencing Axel Rudakubana required medical attention this morning, the Telegraph understands. His condition was not considered serious enough to delay todays sentencing. The reason for receiving medical assistance is not known. 11:42 AM GMT Southport killer should spend life in prison, says Sir David Amess daughter The public should have a guarantee that killers such as Axel Rudakubana will spend the rest of their lives in prison, the daughter of murdered MP Sir David Amess has said. Speaking to ITVs Good Morning Britain on Thursday, Katie Amess - whose fathers murderer Ali Harbi Ali did receive a whole-life sentence - said: There shouldnt be a likeliness of the man spending the rest of his life in prison, there should be a guarantee that he should never, ever walk free because we cant have people like that being released. And what kind of message does it send to anybody else that might be thinking of doing something and then not have to spend the rest of their lives in prison. 11:40 AM GMT What sentence could Southport killer face? According to the Sentencing Council, guidance followed by the courts states that the starting point for determining the minimum sentence where the offender is under 18 years of age is 12 years, as opposed to 15 years for those over the age of 18. After sentencing, regardless of how many years are imposed, Rudakubana will still be held in custody for a minimum term and will be subject to a review by the Parole Board before he could ever be considered for release. Even if he were released, he would still remain under supervision on licence for the rest of his life - as do all murderers. 11:38 AM GMT Hearing about to begin The courtroom is now full with family members, legal teams from both the prosecution and the defence and members of the press. It is thought to be the first time the victims families have been in the same room as Rudakubana since the attack last summer because they were not in attendance on Monday when he dramatically changed his pleas. 11:28 AM GMT Farage calls for Rayner to apologise after claiming he spread fake news The Reform UK leader, Nigel Farage, has called for Angela Rayner to apologise, after she suggested the Southport attacks were not terror related. The Deputy Prime Minister had claimed Mr Farage was spreading fake news when he asked whether the killings had links to terrorism last summer. Mr Farage is now demanding Ms Rayner says sorry after it emerged Axel Rudakubana, the 18-year-old killer, was referred to the Governments Prevent anti-extremism scheme three times. You can read the full story here. 11:11 AM GMT Prison van arrives carrying Rudakubana A prison van carrying Axel Rudakubana has arrived at Liverpool Crown Court, escorted by police. The 18-year-old was due to be sentenced at 11am although this has been slightly delayed. A prison van believed to contain Axel Rudakubana arriving at Liverpool Crown Court today - Peter Byrne 11:01 AM GMT Killer dragged fleeing child back inside Details of the horrifying attack revealed how Rudakubana systematically knifed as many children as he could. At the time, the children were in a first-floor studio, making bracelets and singing along to music. Because it was a warm day, Ms Lucas opened a window and saw Rudakubana lurking outside, but thought nothing of it. Moments later, the door of the studio opened and Rudakubana, without saying a word, grabbed the child nearest to him and began stabbing them. He then moved through the room systematically stabbing as many as he could before they could escape. In total, in just a few minutes, he stabbed 11 of the children. Three, fatally. The injuries six-year-old Bebe King and seven-year-old Elsie Dot Stancombe suffered were so severe they stood no chance of survival and died inside the building. Nine-year-old Alice da Silva Aguiar was also stabbed a number of times. She managed to escape and ran outside before collapsing against a vehicle. She died in hospital the next day. As they fled, he chased them, stabbing a number of them in the back as they tried to escape. CCTV footage shows one terrified child being grabbed by Rudakubana and dragged back inside the building. Read the full story here. 10:57 AM GMT Public inquiry announced following attack Home Secretary Yvette Cooper announced an inquiry into the murder of the three girls, including how Axel Rudakubana came to be so dangerous. It will also look at why Prevent failed to identify the terrible risk he posed to others, she said. In a Commons statement earlier this week, she said it would aim to get to the truth about what happened and what needed to change in wake of the truly horrendous, barbaric and cowardly attack. 10:40 AM GMT Killings sparked protests but Prime Minister denies cover-up In the wake of the killings last summer, violent disorder erupted across the country as misinformation circulated online which claimed the suspect was an asylum seeker who had arrived in the UK on a small boat. Mosques and hotels used for asylum seekers were among the locations targeted. More than 1,000 arrests linked to disorder across the country have been made since the attack, and hundreds have been charged and jailed. This week, Reform UK leader, Nigel Farage, accused the Prime Minister of a cover-up and suggested the riots may not have happened if the British public knew about Rudakubana and the charges he faced. However, while Sir Keir Starmer admitted he knew of the killers terror links in the immediate aftermath, he said he could not make the information public because it would have prejudiced the trial and denied justice to the families of the three girls. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has denied a cover-up in sharing information about the Southport killer - James Speakman/PA Wire 10:26 AM GMT In pictures: Tributes to those killed in attack Floral tributes were laid at the time after three young girls were killed at the Taylor Swift themed event in Southport - PAUL COOPER A vigil was held for the victims the day after the stabbings - Temilade Adelaja 10:21 AM GMT Police were gagged by CPS over Southport killer Merseyside detectives were warned to hold back from releasing information about Axel Rudakubana, according to sources. Police had wanted to release details about the killers background, including his religion and crimes, but were warned not to do so by the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS). The lack of transparency has been blamed for fuelling the riots which swept across the country following the Southport killings. But in a speech from Downing Street on Tuesday, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, who used to be head of the CPS, insisted information had to be kept secret to prevent any future trial collapsing. You can read the full story here. Police in riot gear after protests erupted in Southport after the killings - Peter Powell 10:09 AM GMT Loners, misfits, and young men in their bedrooms are Britains next threat, says PM Since Rudakubana pleaded guilty it has emerged that he was referred to the governments counter-extremism programme, Prevent, on three occasions. But the referrals - the first of which came in 2019 - were not escalated, as it was decided that Rudakubana did not hold a terrorist ideology. This was the same reasoning used by police to justify the failure to charge him with terrorism offences. Following Rudakubanas pleas, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said the killer was part of a new wave of terrorism threatening the country. He said that extreme violence was being carried out by loners, misfits and young men in their bedrooms. 09:54 AM GMT Rudakubanas only purpose was to kill, police say Rudakubana also pleaded guilty to possessing a 20cm long knife on the date of the killings - which he bought off Amazon - and production of a biological toxin, ricin. Additionally, he admitted a terrorism offence in relation to a PDF file entitled Military Studies In The Jihad Against The Tyrants, The Al Qaeda Training Manual, which he is said to have downloaded on two occasions in 2021. The ricin, a deadly poison, and the document were found during searches of the home in Old School Close which he shared with his parents, who are originally from Rwanda. Documents about Nazi Germany, the Rwandan genocide, the torture of slaves and car bombs were found on Rudakubanas devices during police searches of his home. Police sources said the material showed an obsession with extreme violence but there was no evidence he subscribed to any political or religious ideology or was fighting for a cause. One senior officer said: His only purpose was to kill. He targeted the youngest and most vulnerable to spread the greatest level of fear and outrage. 09:45 AM GMT Pictured: The three girls killed in knife attack Bebe King, the youngest of the three girls killed, Elsie Dot Stancombe and Alice da Silva Aguiar - Merseyside Police 09:41 AM GMT Killer should rot in jail, say victims family Rudakubana is not expected to receive a whole life order because he was 17 at the time of the attack. The sentence can normally only be imposed on criminals aged 21 or over. Although it can be considered for those aged 18 to 20 in exceptional circumstances. However, a parent of one of the children who survived the attack said an exception should be made in this case. The man, who cannot be named because his child has been granted anonymity by the court, told the Sun: Axel should rot in jail. He was only a few days off his 18th birthday when he committed these most horrendous offences. Why should he be spared a whole-life tariff when he hasnt spared a thought for any of the victims families? Life should mean life. Even if he gets 40 years, its not enough. He could be out to enjoy the latter part of his life. The three little girls he murdered cant do that. If that means the law needs changing, so be it. Hes an adult and should be tried like one. His crimes are so horrific, an exception should be made by the judge. 09:35 AM GMT Welcome to the blog Good morning and welcome to our coverage of the sentencing of Axel Rudakubana which is due to begin at 11am at Liverpool Crown Court 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. 23 (UPI) -- Briton Axel Rudakubana, 18, was scheduled to be sentenced Thursday morning at Liverpool Crown Court for the murders of three young girls and attempted murders of eight other children and two adults in an attack on a Taylor Swift-themed dance class in Southport last summer. Rudakubana switched his plea to guilty at the last minute on Monday as his trial was due to get underway after previously denying fatally stabbing Bebe King, 6; Elsie Dot Stancombe, 7; and Alice da Silva Aguiar, 9, and seriously injuring 10 other victims on July 29 with an eight-inch kitchen knife purchased from Amazon. The teen also admitted to producing the biological poison, ricin, and a single count of possession of terrorist material -- an Al Qaeda military training manual. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement High Court judge, Justice Julian Goose, is expected to sentence Rudakubana to life in prison after telling him on Monday the only appropriate punishment was likely to be "a life sentence equivalent." A life sentence is a minimum specified term before a prisoner becomes eligible to apply for parole. Axel Rudakubana, 18, switched his plea to guilty at the last minute on Monday as his trial was due to get underway. Photo courtesy Merseyside Police Perpetrators of crimes of this seriousness who are over the age of 21 would normally receive a Whole Life Sentence in which they are never released and will die in prison. Legal expert Joshua Rozenberg said the mandatory minimum 30-year term for cases involving two or more murders committed by someone aged 18-21 would be reduced to 27 years because Rudakubana was 17 at the time of the attack -- but aggravating factors, including premeditation and that he targeted vulnerable members of society and attempted to kill 10 others, would push it back up. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Merseyside Deputy Chief Crown Prosecutor Ursula Doyle has called the attack an unspeakable and "meticulously planned rampage" for which Rudakubana had expressed no remorse. His guilty plea on the morning of the start of the trial will earn him a maximum discount of one-tenth off of whatever sentence he is ultimately given. The rules sparked anger among the families of victims with a parent of one child who survived the attack saying the book should be thrown at Rudakubana. "Why should he be spared a whole-life tariff when he hasn't spared a thought for any of the victims' families? Life should mean life," the unnamed parent told The Independent. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "His crimes are so horrific, an exception should be made by the judge. He's an adult and should be tried like one." Protesters also gathered outside the court, some holding placards condemning violence against children. The government announced a public inquiry Monday into whether the tragedy could have been averted after it was revealed numerous opportunities to stop Rudakubana's "meticulously planned rampage" were missed by the police, courts, social services and mental health professionals after he first came to the attention of authorities at the age of 13. He was also referred to the government's anti-radicalization program, Prevent, but all the agencies "failed to identify the terrible risk and danger to others that he posed," said Home Secretary Yvette Cooper. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement However, the government defended a decision not to go public about the failings until Monday, claiming doing so could have caused the case to collapse. The Crown Prosecution Service said in a statement ahead of Thursday's hearing that the government had withheld the information on the CPS' advice and that it would lay out in full its reasons in court. "Public reporting of significant information before the conclusion of the trial, including about the actions of Axel Rudakubana on the day and some elements of his past history would have posed a serious risk to the integrity of the trial and risked undermining justice for the victims and their families," said Director of Public Prosecutions Stephen Parkinson. "Delivering justice for the victims and their families was and remains our absolute priority and we could not and would not have been prepared to agree to anything to put that at risk. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "The CPS will present the full case to the court on Thursday. The independence of the judge must be respected. Only he can determine the facts which may inform the sentence handed down," Parkinson added. "I understand there is frustration at the lack of full and immediate information about such serious crimes, but I hope it will now be understood why that had to be the case." SOUTHWICK, Mass. (WWLP) The Southwick Fire Department is alerting residents to a telephone scheme targeting community members by falsely soliciting donations on behalf of the department. Man charged in Old Saybrook boat crash that killed 3 people In a statement posted to social media, Fire Chief Stefanowicz confirmed that the department does not make phone calls requesting donations. However, the department recently distributed its annual Firefighters Association Calendar to every residence in town as part of a legitimate fundraising effort. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Residents who received the calendar may have noticed an envelope included with the delivery. This envelope is intended for those who wish to donate to support the Southwick Firefighters Association. The department is urging residents to stay vigilant and report any suspicious calls. Those who wish to contribute to the Firefighters Association should only use the envelope provided with the calendar or contact the fire station directly for guidance. For questions or concerns, residents can call the Southwick Fire Department at 413-569-6363. 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. DAVOS, Switzerland (AP) Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez is launching a crusade against what he sees as the downsides of social media. The Socialist leader wants the European Union, which already leads the world in internet regulation, to put additional checks on Elon Musks X, trendsetting video app TikTok, and Metas Facebook and Instagram for having, in his words, put participatory democracy and the mental health of users at risk. I believe social media are now a common resource for humanity, like the oceans, and they should be protected and managed accordingly, Sanchez said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While attending the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, the prime minister on Wednesday laid out his vision for how the EU might "make social media great again. Here is what you need to know about his three-point plan: Step 1: End user anonymity Sanchez he would propose legislation aimed at ending anonymity for social media users when the EU's leaders meet in Brussels on March 20-21. His idea is for each username to be a pseudonym that must be registered under a real identity with European authorities, using a European digital identity wallet. This way citizens could use nicknames if they want, but in the case of a crime, public authorities would be able to connect those nicknames to real people and hold them responsible, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Sanchez argued that no one can send packages without showing an I.D. or buy a hunting weapon without giving their name, and yet we are allowing people to roam freely on social networks without linking their profiles to a real identity. This paves the way for misinformation, hate speech and cyber harassment because it is facilitating the use of bots and it is allowing people to act without being held accountable for their actions. The proposal, however, clashes with longstanding demands of digital rights groups, which say that protection of online anonymity is important to protect freedom of speech and removing it could have a chilling effect. Such groups say anonymity is a cornerstone of online communications and a critical tool to challenge authority and express controversial opinions. Step 2: More transparency for algorithms Sanchez will urge European officials to apply the 27-nation blocs Digital Services Act to force open the black box of social media algorithms." The EU adopted the law in 2023 with the stated goal of keeping internet users safe online. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Spanish leader says the EU also needs to reinforce the European Centre for Algorithm Transparency so it can inspect the functioning of social networks without any limitations. Tech companies might resist attempts by authorities to peek under their programming hoods, citing a desire to protect their intellectual property. But authorities on both sides of the Atlantic have made moves to investigate algorithms. EU officials said last week that they ordered X to turn over more information as part of a Digital Services Act investigation into the social media platform, including on the algorithms used by its recommendationr system. Meanwhile, Missouri's attorney-general unveiled plans for new rules on algorithm transparency, including giving internet users a choice of the algorithms their social media platforms use. Step 3: Hold tech CEOs responsible Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The third plank of Sanchezs plan is for the EU to go right up to the top of the social media companies for any social ills produced by their platforms. Sanchez said he recommends that social media CEOs (be) held personally accountable for non-compliance with laws and norms in their platforms, describing such accountability as no different than what most business owners have for their products. Britain has taken a similar step. Under online safety rules, senior managers at tech companies face criminal liability in certain situations, mainly for the relatively minor issue of failing to respond properly to information requests. Why is Sanchez taking aim at social media? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Spain has joined governments around the world that are concerned with the impact of social media on children and teenagers. Spain has limited the use of mobile phones in schools, while Sanchez has decried what he calls an epidemic of online pornography that increasingly is reaching young children. At Davos, the prime minister challenged the involvement of social media platform owners like Musk in politics. After helping to bankroll Donald Trumps candidacy to reclaim the U.S. presidency, the world's richest man has ventured into European politics. Mark Zuckerberg, Meta's CEO and the founder of Facebook, also has sought Trump's approval. Meta has rolled back its content moderation, a move that critics say will let misinformation and online abuse spread unchecked. (The) owners of the big social media consoles, a small group of techno billionaires ... are no longer satisfied with holding nearly total economic power, Sanchez said. Now they also want political power in a way that is undermining our democratic institutions. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Sanchez's office said Thursday that it did not have details to share beyond the ones he outlined a day earlier. Argentine President Javier Milei, who also was attending the Davos meeting and on Thursday gave a speech railing against what he described as the evils of woke progressive policies, panned Sanchez's proposal. I am not surprised that a Socialist like Sanchez wants to silence those who think differently, Milei told reporters after his speech. ___ Wilson reported from Barcelona, Spain. AP Technology Writer Kelvin Chan contributed from London. Nearly three months after severe storms and floods in eastern and southern Spain claimed more than 230 lives, Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez returned on Thursday to the hard-hit region of Valencia. After meeting with the mayors of 28 communities still grappling with the aftermath, Sanchez admitted that much work remains to be done. "We have only taken the first steps so far," Sanchez said in Valencia, reflecting on the immense destruction caused by the floodwaters in October, which damaged homes, schools and key infrastructure, resulting in 224 deaths in the region. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The prime minister assured that Spain would continues to support the Valencians and has so far provided 16 billion ($16.6 billion) in reconstruction aid and compensation. A visit to the worst-hit areas, such as Paiporta, where 45 people died, was not part of the programme this time. In early November, during an event he attended with King Felipe VI, Queen Letizia and Valencia Premier Carlos Mazon, the group faced verbal abuse from angry residents and was even pelted with mud. Many are upset about what they perceive as the late weather warning from the regional government and the delayed arrival of rescue workers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to the Spanish government's delegate in Valencia, Pilar Bernabe, about 4,000 soldiers from the military emergency unit and other armed forces remain deployed in the region. Many businesses as well as schools and even police stations are still closed in some areas due to water damage. An aide to House Speaker Mike Johnson stepped in to advise Republicans against issuing a subpoena to former White House aide Cassidy Hutchinson for fear that it might expose sexual texts lawmakers sent her, according to The Washington Post. Hutchinson, a former Trump loyalist who worked for his chief of staff, gave sensational evidence to the congressional committee on the January 6 riot. She testified that Trump wanted to join his supporters marching on the Capitol, and she claimed that he believed but did not care that some of them were armed. Now Republicans are trying to establish their own counter-narrative about the riot with a new investigation. Cassidy Hutchinson, a former Trump loyalist, gave sensational evidence to a congressional committee investigating the January 6 riot (POOL/AFP via Getty Images) They had discussed calling Hutchinson to testify again but, according to The Post, were advised not to by an aide to the Speaker. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Republican Rep. Barry Loudermilk had suggested in public that a subpoena be issued for Hutchinson. However, an aide to Johnson warned Loudermilks staff that several colleagues had shared concerns that sexual texts from members who were trying to engage in sexual favors with Hutchinson could be shared publicly, correspondence from the time reveals, according to the paper. It was not immediately clear who those lawmakers supposedly are or what was in the alleged text messages. The paper did not review the reportedly sexual texts and didnt identify the senders or whether Hutchinson responded. Johnson aides also told Loudermilk and his staff that subpoenaing Hutchinson and asking her to testify under oath could possibly embarrass the Trump White House as it would hand her an opportunity to tell her story once again, two people at the meeting told The Post. Hutchinson had not commented publicly on the latest claims at the time of writing. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Johnson brought the Republicans investigation back to life this week as President Donald Trump and his allies in Congress seek revenge against perceived political enemies, such as those who investigated the attack on the Capitol. Trump speaking to his supporters before they rioted at the Capitol. Hutchinson testified that he had reason to believe some of them were armed but that he didnt care (AFP/Getty) Hutchinson testified in a 2022 hearing that Trump wanted to go to the Congressional complex himself alongside thousands of supporters he had riled up in a speech from the Ellipse, outside the White House, in which he falsely claimed he had been cheated out of victory in the November 2020 election. The former aide to then-Trump Chief of Staff Mark Meadows testified that Trumps personal lawyer Rudy Giuliani said on 2 January 2021 that Trump and his associates had plans for January 6. When she told Meadows, she said he didnt look up from his phone and said something to the effect of ... things might get real, real bad. Hutchinson testified that Trump wanted security checkpoints downgraded despite knowing that some in the crowd were armed, including with assault-style rifles. She said she heard Trump say something to the effect of I dont f***ing care that they have weapons. Theyre not here to hurt me. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When White House counsel Pat Cipollone urged Meadows to get Trump to take action as the crowd grew louder, including calls for the hanging of Vice President Mike Pence, Hutchinson said Meadows noted that Trump thought Pence deserves it and that the president doesnt think theyre doing anything wrong. She said that Trump wanted to go to the Capitol after his speech but that Secret Service agent Robert Engel said it wouldnt be safe. Hutchinson said that Deputy Chief of Staff Tony Ornato said that Trump grew irate, insisting he go to the Capitol, even going so far as to lunge for the wheel of the presidential vehicle and to try to grab Engel by the throat. Loudermilk led a Republican investigation into the January 6 attack in the last Congress, including the probe of the attack headed by Democratic Mississippi Rep. Bennie Thompson and then-Wyoming Republican Rep. Liz Cheney. Bennie Thompson and Liz Cheney led the investigation into the January 6 riot, attracting Trumps wrath (AP) Earlier this month, Loudermilk told CNN that Johnson had given the green light to the investigation from the previous Congress being brought back as a new panel. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement House Republicans are proud of our work exposing the false narratives peddled by the politically motivated Jan. 6 Select Committee, but theres more to be done, the speaker wrote on X on 22 January. Were establishing a Select Subcommittee chaired by @RepLoudermilk to continue our efforts to uncover the full truth. Loudermilk was reportedly considering handing Hutchinson a subpoena for testimony and electronic communications because he thought she could provide new information, two people involved in the investigation told The Post. The information he sought was about Cheney, who had organized Hutchinsons testimony. Critics have attacked the Republican investigation as an attempt by Trump and his allies to rewrite the history of what happened during the Capitol attack and to seek revenge against those who blamed the president for inciting the violence from his supporters on that day. Hutchinsons attorney, Bill Jordan, told The Post that she cooperated voluntarily with the investigation, criticizing the interim report issued by Loudermilk in December, which stated that Cheney had been secretly communicating with Hutchinson without Hutchinsons attorneys knowledge. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ms. Hutchinson has testified truthfully and stands behind every word despite the efforts of men in powerful positions to attack her, Jordan told The Post. Barry Loudermilk is leading the Republicans new hearing into the riot. Critics say the GOP is trying to rewrite history to free Trump from blame (AP) Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Last month, Cheney said in a statement that Loudermilks report was a malicious and cowardly assault on the truth. Loudermilk told reporters on Monday that Trump has asked him to continue the investigation and continue to expose the truth. I know President Trump is 100 percent behind it, he added. In one of his final acts in office, former President Joe Biden issued preemptive pardons for Cheney, the other members of the original January 6 committee, and some staff to protect them from reprisals from the incoming Trump administration. Hutchinson didnt receive a pardon. LANSING, Mich. (WLNS) Matt Hall, Michigans new Speaker of the House, discussed ways to support police and deputies across the state and the pardoning of Jan. 6 insurrectionists when he met with local law enforcement Wednesday afternoon. Hall says the GOP wants to focus on funding police departments by ensuring officers are safer, as well as protecting victims of crime. Under the new Republican leadership, Hall says they plan to make changes like eliminating Good Time Credits a policy that would shorten sentences of criminals just for not committing more crimes during their time in prison. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He also says they want to crack down on illegal immigration. Its not what the people of Michigan want. People of Michigan want and crime victims want assurance that people that commit violent crimes and serious crimes are behind bars for the time theyre sentenced, said Hall. At the event, 6 News asked speaker Hall about what he thought about the pardoning of the people who attacked police officers at the Capitol on Jan. 6. Nobody has signed as many executive orders as Trump. I mean, you wanna talk about the most transparent President? said Hall. He said he was gonna do it and he did it, and it wasnt like Biden where Biden said Im not going to pardon my family and then he pardons his whole family on the last day. He said he was gonna do it. He did it. The American people wanted that, and voted on it. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Speaker Hall says that he is impressed with many of the things President Trump has done so far. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) on Wednesday said he will establish a new select subcommittee that will probe the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol riot and likely dig into the now-defunct Jan. 6 select committee that was led by Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.) and then-Rep. Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.). Rep. Barry Loudermilk (R-Ga.) will chair the upcoming select subcommittee, which will be housed within the House Judiciary Committee. Loudermilk pursued his own Jan. 6 investigation within the House Administration Committee, and had long been asking Johnson to break out the probe into its own entity. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Being classified as a select subcommittee means Johnson will have the sole official power to decide which members sit on the panel. The move comes as many Republicans, including Johnson, have defended or brushed aside President Trumps pardons this week of nearly all rioters involved in the Jan. 6 attack, including those who assaulted police officers. House Republicans are proud of our work so far in exposing the false narratives peddled by the politically motivated January 6 Select Committee during the 117th Congress, but there is still more work to be done, Johnson said in a statement. We are establishing this Select Subcommittee to continue our efforts to uncover the full truth that is owed to the American people. Loudermilk in a statement said he hoped to uncover all the facts and begin the arduous task of making needed reforms to ensure this level of security failure may never happen again. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But beyond security concerns, Republicans have been eager to continue investigating the original Jan. 6 select committee, with which Republican leadership refused to participate or cooperate. Loudermilk in December released a report evaluating the failures and politicization of the Jan. 6 committee and recommending a criminal investigation into Cheney, accusing her of witness tampering by being in touch with star witness Cassidy Hutchinson, a former White House aide. In a statement at the time, Cheney said Loudermilks report intentionally disregards the truth and the Select Committees tremendous weight of evidence, and instead fabricates lies and defamatory allegations in an attempt to cover up what Donald Trump did. The desire for prosecution may have played into former President Bidens move, just hours before the end of his presidency, to preemptively pardon the members of the Jan. 6 select committee and its staff. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Those and other last-minute pardons have prompted suggestions that Republicans compel testimony or depositions from those who received pardons, since it removes a reason to refuse to answer questions by invoking a Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination. Loudermilk earlier this week indicated that Congress could call Jan. 6 select committee members in for questioning in light of the Biden pardons. Asked if there is now an incentive to bring in the Jan. 6 select committee members for questioning, Loudermilk told The Hill: I think definitely, this is a situation that we still got to dig a little deeper. Its also interesting, I think, to look at those he didnt pardon, Loudermilk added, mentioning Hutchinson. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Jan. 6 select committee had subpoenaed a number of GOP lawmakers in its probe including Reps. Scott Perry (Pa.), Jim Jordan (Ohio) and Andy Biggs (Ariz.), who did not comply. It had also asked Loudermilk to appear voluntarily to explain a tour he gave in the Capitol complex on Jan. 5, 2021, a request Loudermilk said was meant to push a false narrative. In a joint statement Monday, Thompson and Cheney said they had faced specific threats of criminal prosecution and imprisonment by members of the incoming administration, simply for doing our jobs and upholding our oaths of office. Jordan, chair of the House Judiciary Committee, praised the new panel. Rep. Loudermilk has been the leader in getting to the bottom of what the Democrat-led January 6 Committee failed to uncover, and we look forward to helping him bring all the facts to the American people, Jordan said in a statement. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.), the top Democrat on the panel, criticized Loudermilk for using his past work to attack Cheney but didnt dismiss the idea of another committee. Look, the Jan. 6 violent attack on the Capitol, like every other historical event, can always be investigated further. Theres nothing to be afraid of there, he said. While Republicans largely boycotted the initial Jan. 6 Select Committee, Raskin stopped short of committing to assign any Democratic members to the new subcommittee, calling questions about the process an inside the Beltway inquiry. I dont know, because, again, I havent seen what the terms of this are or what their plans are, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Updated at 6:01 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. Speaker Mike Johnson said Wednesday that Congress will look into Joe Biden pardoning his familybut said Donald Trumps clemency for Jan. 6 rioters was about redemption. The top House Republican also announced another select committee on January 6, this time GOP-led, claiming that the previous one, made up of Democrats and anti-Trump Republicans, had peddled falsehoods. His announcement came less than 24 hours after the newly sworn-in Trump ranted about Liz Cheney, one of two Republicans on the previous committee, being a crying lunatic. But it was his announcement at a press conference in the Capitol that he would have his members look into the Biden pardons that is likely to raise most eyebrows. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In one of his final acts as president, Biden pardoned members of the House committee that investigated the Jan. 6 Capitol riots, GOP bogeyman Anthony Fauci and retired Gen. Mark Milley, the former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff who called Trump a total fascist. Biden also pardoned his family members, which Johnson called disgusting. To us, it probably proves the point. The suspicion that, you know, they call it the Biden crime family. If they werent the crime family, why do they need pardons? Right? Johnson also said. House Republicans are proud of our work so far in exposing the false narratives peddled by the politically motivated January 6 Select Committee during the 117th Congress, but there is still more work to be done, Johnson said in a statement. We are establishing this Select Subcommittee to continue our efforts to uncover the full truth that is owed to the American people. The composition and other details regarding the Select Subcommittee will be announced soon. Speaker Mike Johnson announced Republicans will conduct their own investigation of what happened on Jan. 6, 2021. / Tom Williams / CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Imag Rep. Barry Loudermilk of Georgia, who previously led a counter investigation to the Jan. 6 select committee led by Reps. Bennie Thompson and former Rep. Cheney, will chair the new panel. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Loudermilk alleged the preemptive pardons for members, staff and witnesses of the original Jan. 6 panel under Democratic controlwhich Trump allies in Congress have largely looked to paint as politically motivatedsignaled wrongdoing. And some Republicans want to see the members who received pardons from Biden testify. Implication is that they needed the pardons So, lets call them all before Congress and demand the truth, Rep. Chip Roy posted on X. Implication is that they needed the pardons So, lets call them all before Congress and demand the truth. If they refuse or lie - lets test the constitutional reach of these pardons with regard to their future actions. https://t.co/Cu12JRTFhg Chip Roy (@chiproytx) January 20, 2025 In one of his first acts as president on Sunday, Trump freed the Jan. 6 convicts, who he called hostages. I think what was made clear all along is that peaceful protests and people who engage in that should never be punished. There was a weaponization of the Justice Departmentthere was a weaponization of the events that happened after Jan. 6, Johnson said of Trumps pardons. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It was a terrible time and a terrible chapter in Americas history. The president has made his decision and I dont second guess those. And yes, it is kind of my ethos and my world view. We believe in redemption, he added. Johnsons move to investigate Bidens pardons is not unprecedented. In 2001, Congress investigated former President Bill Clintons pardon of the (now late) fugitive billionaire Marc Richspecifically whether the eleventh-hour decree was linked to Richs ex-wifes donations to Democratic campaigns, including Hillary Rodham Clintons Senate bid. Johnsons comments demonstrate a sharp contrast from his statement released shortly after the attack on the Capitol, in which he said he unambiguously condemned in the strongest possible terms any and all forms of violent protest. Any individual who committed violence today should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law, he said on that deadly day on Jan. 6, 2021, after Trump supporters stormed the Capitol, beat and pepper sprayed police officers and threatened to hang Mike Pence. While Johnson is standing by Trumps decision, a number of prominent GOP lawmakers, including former Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and Sen. Susan Collins of Maine, condemned the release of rioters who attacked police officers, marking one of the first significant rebukes since Trump took office on Monday. GUILFORD COUNTY, N.C. (WGHP) The team at the Guilford Association of SCUBA Personnel has an urgent message out to the community: stay off the ice. Ive been in this water rescue thing for 38 years I do not recall, in all my experience this, many of them in one season, GASP Board President David Albright said. The past few weeks have been deadly on frozen ponds since ice can be so unpredictable. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A backyard or neighborhood pond can be tempting for anyone to walk or play on, but the fun can turn to fear in a second. The best advice is dont go out there. But, if someone does fall through, grab a rope or something else to throw them. If there is a boat nearby row out, but the last thing you ever want to do is go in yourself and cause a more serious issue. To show us how dangerous ice can be, GASP Chief Michael Tasman walked out on the ice connected to a rope that was held by other rescuers on shore. During his first time out on the ice, the rope held pretty well, and it took a few jumps before a breakthrough. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This area here is probably about an inch and a half thick, but it was already cracking, Tasman said. The next time, he walked in a different direction, and it was a completely different result, which proves that ice is unpredictable. When I was able to get myself out, there is still spiderweb cracks going even into the thicker ice. If somebody was to come out to get me, there is a good chance they are going to end up going through the ice, Tasman said. Leave the ice rescues to the professionals. For 40 years, GASP has responded to water rescue calls across the Triad. We want to send out our sympathies for the folks that lost family members recently in these ice breakthroughs, Albright said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Each lake, river and pond is different and so is the ice on top. Four inches is considered safe to walk on, but there are so many factors. Whether the water is spring fed or from runoff or if it has been freezing, thawing and refreezing, the best plan is to stay off of it, Albright said. Do not play, walk, sled or do anything else on the ice. Just because it has been really cold for a couple days doesnt mean in another three to four days when it gets warmer out, the ice is not going to crack, Tasman said. GASP is run by volunteers and funded through donations. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WWLP) A man from Springfield was arrested on Wednesday after almost 60 grams of cocaine was seized after a months long investigation. Springfield Union Station sees sizable increase in ridership during Fiscal Year 2024 The Springfield Police Department states that members of the FBI Western Massachusetts Gang Task Force and Chicopee Police Narcotics Unit have been conducting a months long drug investigation that was connected to a home on Atherton Street. A search warrant was applied and granted for the home and a vehicle that was registered to 28-year-old Johnadier Santiago of Springfield. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On Wednesday, detectives were surveilling the home and observed Santiago getting into a vehicle and driving away from Atherton Street. A traffic stop was conducted near the intersection of Carew Street and Decker Place. The search warrant was executed and two firearms and more than $1,000 were found inside the home. Over 45 grams of powder and crack-cocaine were found inside the garage, and more than $1,700 in cash, approximately 4.5 grams of cocaine, 17 bags of heroin/fentanyl and 24 individually packaged bags of crack-cocaine were found inside his vehicle. Santiago was arrested and the total weight of the cocaine recovered was 44.2 grams, and 15.5 grams of crack-cocaine, for a total of 59.7 grams. A total of $2,728 was also seized. Springfield Police Department Johnadier Santiago of Springfield is charged with: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Cocaine Trafficking 36-100 Grams Possession of a Firearm during the Commission of a Felony (Two Counts) Improper Storage of a Rifle/Shotgun near a Minor (Two Counts) Improper Storage of a Firearm (Two Counts) Possession with the Intent to Distribute a Class A Drug 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. SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WWLP) Cold temperatures across western Massachusetts can pose threats to the unhoused population. Temperatures across western Massachusetts have been reaching well below freezing, making it dangerous and potentially deadly to be outside for long periods of time. However, there are many organizations across the region working to help those who may not have a home. Dangerous cold temperatures delay schools in western Massachusetts Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The City of Springfield Department of Health and Human Services has a Cold Weather Task Force team combining agencies and organizations who are helping unhoused individuals along with police, fire and hospitals to help them get the resources they need in the cold. When temperatures reach below 20 degrees, their outreach team goes into the community to help. We also have blankets, gloves, hats and scarves to give to individuals that are out in the cold weather, said Helen Caulton-Harris, Commissioner of the Department of Health and Human Services. And we are grateful to the community for volunteering to donate those items. The Outreach Team is not only working to help unhoused individuals in the cold. They also secured hotel room placements for elderly or vulnerable individuals. The department also has the ability to place individuals in local hotels to ensure they keep warm. For food, the Springfield Rescue Mission continues to provide meals both at their location and on the go through their mobile van program called Operation Sunshine. Sabra Ramsdell, the Chief of Staff at the Springfield Rescue Mission, said that everyone tries to pull together during these cold days. Its a food van that goes out three days a week and serves food, Ramsdell said. And we give out articles of clothing and warm things to the general public, and that drives around and is a mobile feeding program. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Friends of the Homeless has expanded their shelter beds to account for those getting out of the cold. The organization said it is important to note that they are working hard to accommodate all unhoused individuals, especially in these cold temperatures. 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. ST. LOUIS The St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department (SLMPD) is set to relaunch the Citizens Academy program, a program that offers residents an inside look into the day-to-day operations of an SLMPD officer. The relaunch of the Citizens Academy is an effort to strengthen the bond between the department and the community. The free 12-week program will offer participants classroom instructions, a tour of the 911 center, a visit with the departments canines, a chance to use driving and shooting simulators, and more. Classes will be held each Thursday from 6 to 9 p.m. for twelve weeks, beginning April 17. The last session culminates in a graduation ceremony. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Mike Matheny reflects on near-death experience and new life mission This is a fascinating and unique opportunity, Mitch McCoy, SLMPD Director of Public Affairs, said. Members of our community will be able to visit with our police K-9s; they get to interact with our departments bomb and arson robots; they can tour the 911 center; they get to see the makeup and structure of our department; and they work with our gang intelligence detectives, and they get a really fascinating, inside look at what our officers do every day. If your interested in participating in the Citizens Academy, you can visit slmpd.org to learn more about the program and to fill out an application. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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 St. Paul couple was charged Thursday in the fentanyl overdose death of their 1-year-old son on Christmas. Jeffrey Joseph Weidell, 38, and Jasmine Nicole Ryan, 32, each face one count of second-degree manslaughter for the death of Jackson Joseph Weidell, who was found unconscious and not breathing Dec. 25. He was pronounced dead at Regions Hospital. The Ramsey County Medical Examiners Officer on Jan. 16 returned a final autopsy on Jackson that showed he died of fentanyl toxicity, the charges say. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The couples other two young children are in the care of Ramsey County Child Protection, the Ramsey County Attorneys Office said Thursday. Ryan made a first court appearance on the charge Thursday. Her bail was set at $1 million, and she remains jailed. Weidell is out on bond in an active theft case, and a warrant has been issued for his arrest, the attorneys office said. According to the criminal complaint: Officers and medics were sent to the couples home in the 1000 block of East Fifth Street about 1:30 p.m. Dec. 25 on a call of a child who was not breathing and had been exposed to fentanyl. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Weidell, who was sitting on a couch with the couples 4-year-old daughter, said he went to sleep on a living room chair earlier that morning and woke up when Jackson crawled up and lay down next to him. He said he fell back asleep, woke up and discovered Jacksons lips were blue and the boy wasnt breathing. Officers saw pieces of crumpled tinfoil with fentanyl residue on a couch next to Weidell and his 4-year-old daughter. When officers asked Weidell how much fentanyl Jackson had consumed, he said he didnt know and told them to ask Ryan because he didnt use the drug. Mother tried to revive boy Officers found Ryan in the kitchen performing CPR on Jackson. When asked if Jackson had ingested or choked on anything, Ryan replied, Fentanyl, the complaint says. Ryan said she had administered Narcan to the boy. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ryan told police that Jackson had probably ingested less than a quarter gram of fentanyl that had been melted on a piece of tinfoil. Officers had everyone leave the house to prevent further fentanyl exposure. They found a knife and several pieces of crumpled tinfoil in Weidells pockets before he was taken to a squad. When an officer picked up the 4-year-old from a chair where Weidell said he and Jackson had slept, a large piece of tinfoil with fentanyl residue was found on the chair. An officer picked up another child, a 1-month-old boy, from a crib. The infant had a white substance on his forehead and a soiled diaper. An officer changed the babys diaper and brought him outside. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Officers found a line of white powder on a shelf with a credit card next to it in the bathroom on the main floor. The bathroom was right off the kitchen where Jackson was receiving medical attention. Related Articles The infant and 4-year-old were taken to the hospital for medical evaluation and placed in the care of child protection. Ryan told police that she came downstairs after a shower and found Jackson lying on Weidells chest in the living room. She went into the kitchen for a bowl of cereal, returned to the living room and found the boy facedown on the couch and Weidell standing and looking at the boy. She said Weidell told her that Jackson had blue lips, and she told him to call 911. She believed they gave the infant two doses of Narcan. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ryan said she had smoked fentanyl between 5 and 6 p.m. on Christmas Eve near Maryland and Payne avenues. When asked about the tinfoil in the upstairs bathroom, Ryan said Weidell sometimes smoked in the bathroom. Child protection involved Ryan, while sitting in the back of a squad car, seemed out of it and under the influence of something she did not cry, she showed very little emotion, and she did not ask how (Jackson) was, the complaint says. She said shes struggled with addiction for about four years, and that Weidell introduced her to heroin, and then they began using fentanyl, which they smoke from tinfoil squares. She said she met Weidell in jail when she got her second drunken driving charge and both of them have older children living in other homes. She said child protection has been involved with their family because the newborn tested positive for fentanyl when he was born in November. She said she has been lying to child protection by claiming Weidell wasnt using drugs and saying everything was good with him, the complaint states. Related Articles Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Officers obtained and executed a search warrant at the home and recovered burned tinfoil with residue on it and a straw beneath a body pillow on the living room couch. Straws and burned tinfoil and Weidells wallet, which contained a bag of methamphetamine, were found on top of an ottoman in the living room. Burned tinfoil and a plate with a line of fentanyl were found in the upper-level bathroom. Burned tinfoil and a baggie with methamphetamine were found in the main-level bathroom. Officers recovered pipes and straws from Ryans purse. Later, in a second interview with police, Weidell immediately asked how Jackson was doing and cried on the floor when told the boy had died. The city of St. Paul was awarded nearly $1 million and Rosemount over $37,000 on Tuesday to clean up sites contaminated with petroleum. Nearly $7 million in Contamination Cleanup grants are going to 11 communities looking to redevelop contaminated sites, the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development announced Tuesday. DEED recognizes the importance of being able to clean up land that might otherwise be deemed inoperative, said Matt Varilek, DEED Commissioner, in the news release. The Contamination Cleanup and Investigation grant program allows Minnesota cities to further pursue economic growth in locations where that once might have not been possible. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The grants are expected to create 481 new jobs, collectively increase local tax bases by $4.7 million and leverage more than $395 million in private investment, according to DEED. In addition to St. Paul and Rosemount, grants were awarded to projects in Alexandria, Bemidji, Duluth, Ely, Mankato, Medina, St. Cloud, Rochester and Waconia. Since its 1993 inception, the Contamination Cleanup and Investigation grant program has awarded over $212 million, helping assess and clean over 4,200 acres of land. Local cleanup efforts The first St. Paul grant, worth $354,839, will go to the 3.3 acre site at 42 Water St., which is planned to be redeveloped into a 35,000-square-foot recreational facility, creating 43 new jobs and increasing the tax base by $191,838, per the release. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The site was historically occupied by a foundry, a railroad freight depot, a petroleum-chemical business and a pharmaceutical manufacturer. Another $619,821 was awarded to the city of St. Paul to address petroleum contamination at the 1.6-acre Western Graphics site at 530 N. Wheeler St. The former printing business site, which has recently been used by Y of the North as a youth program activity area, will be redeveloped into a 25,000-square-foot wellbeing center operated by the YMCA, according to the release. The project is expected to create 19 new jobs and retain 23 jobs. The city of Rosemount was awarded $37,480 in investigation funding for the 60-acre Minnesota Aerospace Complex located within UMore Park. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Historically used in the production of smokeless gun powder, and most recently for agricultural purposes, the site is planned to be redeveloped into several buildings to support a private industrial campus, according to DEED. Located directly south of the Meta data center, the project is expected to create 16 jobs and increase the local tax base by $130,747. Related Articles Months after a construction crane fell during Hurricane Milton, pulverizing an office building in downtown St. Petersburg, Tampa Bay lawmakers are proposing a change to how officials regulate cranes during storms. Sen. Darryl Rouson and Rep. Lindsay Cross, both St. Petersburg Democrats, say they have filed bills that would strike a preemption blocking cities and counties from crafting local safety rules around cranes. Copies of the bills were not available on the Florida Senate and House websites Thursday, but Rousons office provided draft text to the Tampa Bay Times. In early October, a massive chunk of a tower crane fell several hundred feet from The Residences at 400 Central project, slicing through an office building on First Avenue S. It plummeted in the night, as Hurricane Milton lashed Tampa Bay with winds of roughly 100 mph. The damaged office building home to the Tampa Bay Times, a law office and a juice shop, among other businesses remains severely damaged. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement After the crane collapsed, a Times investigation revealed significant gaps in oversight for such heavy equipment. Florida lawmakers more than a decade ago passed a law that prevented local governments from writing regulations for cranes, including measures regarding hurricane preparedness or public safety. It provided a real clear path to how we could right this wrong, Cross said Thursday of the Times' coverage after the storm. Its a simple repeal of a statute that was really geared towards protecting private interests over public safety. On Wednesday, the Miami Dade County Commission passed a resolution asking lawmakers to pull back the preemption. Commissioners there had made a similar request in 2017, after multiple cranes collapsed during Hurricane Irma. Without state or local oversight, crane regulations fall to the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration. The agency mainly manages work-related risks, not threats to public safety. Days after Milton passed, an OSHA spokesperson told the Times that the federal regulator was not investigating the crane collapse. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its not a Republican or Democrat issue; its a human safety and property damage issue, said Rouson, whose office is near the site of the collapse. I realized we almost lost lives, he said. St. Petersburg City Council members were outraged, fearing that the falling crane could have killed people living downtown, including some outside mandatory evacuation zones. Several large apartment buildings sit near the construction site, but no one was hurt. Council members plan to hold a discussion Feb. 13 to explore their options for improving crane safety in the fast-growing city. A stabbing attack at a park in the southern German town of Aschaffenburg on Wednesday left a two-year-old child and a 41-year-old man dead, and two others, including a second child, seriously injured, police said. A 28-year-old man taken into custody shortly afterwards is the suspect in the attack, a police spokesman told dpa. According to the interior minister for the southern German state of Bavaria, Joachim Herrmann, the man attacked the victims with a kitchen knife. The spokesman said on Wednesday afternoon that there was no ongoing danger to the public. The man arrested is believed to be the only suspect, and the alleged murder weapon has been seized by police. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Schontal Park, where the incident occurred, is located in the town centre and is subject to regular police foot patrols, the spokesman said. The police presence may be one of the reasons why the suspect was caught quickly, he added. Attack not motivated by Islamism, minister says According to dpa information, the suspect is an Afghan citizen who was living in asylum accommodation in the area and had a history of psychological problems. A police spokesman said investigations into the motive were under way and urged the public to avoid speculation until further facts can be gathered. Later on Wednesday, Herrmann said investigators have found no evidence that the suspect had Islamist motives. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "At the moment, the speculation is very much in the direction of his obvious mental illness," he said. The man was found to be taking medication at his accommodation centre. According to Herrmann, the suspect entered Germany in November 2022 and later applied for asylum, but his case was closed after he told the authorities in December 2024 that he planned to obtain the necessary paperwork to leave the country again. The suspect had been arrested three times in the past for acts of violence, Herrmann said, and was admitted to psychiatric institutions after each incident. German politicians express sympathy for victims German Chancellor Olaf Scholz expressed his sympathy for the victims of the "act of terror." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He also called for lessons to be drawn from the incident, adding that "talking is not enough." "I am tired of such acts of violence taking place in our country every few weeks," Scholz said in a statement, referencing "perpetrators who actually came to us for protection." On Wednesday evening, Scholz summoned the heads of the Office for the Protection of the Constitution, the Federal Criminal Police Office and the Federal Police to the Chancellery. German Interior Minister Nancy Faeser was also due to join the meeting, according to government sources. Bavarian Premier Markus Soder spoke of an "appalling day." He said: "The terrible news from Aschaffenburg has deeply affected us. We mourn the victims of a cowardly and vile act." California Gov. Gavin Newsom and President Trump shared a surprisingly symbiotic relationship during the Republican's first term in the White House, with their public sparring and ability to work together in times of crisis elevating both politicians. Whether the two men can overcome an ugly 2024 election cycle and resume a respectful rapport for the benefit of Californians should become clearer when Trump surveys wildfire damage in Los Angeles County, possibly as soon as Friday. The visit gives the president an opportunity to show that during a disaster, he can rise above partisanship and name-calling to provide aid to Americans in need, regardless of whom they voted for in November. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The stakes are considerable for Newsom, who finds himself in a precarious position with his state on fire. The Democratic governor could end the day with a presidential example of acting like a level-headed leader capable of putting politics and personal feelings aside to help his state. Or, Newsom could walk away more vulnerable to criticism that his political gamesmanship and thirst for the national spotlight compromised his ability to deliver for Californians. We're going to learn with this week's visit whether Donald Trump and Gavin Newsom will treat each other as the president of the United States and the governor of California, or two individuals with completely opposite ideologies who have been sparring continuously, said Thad Kousser, a professor of political science at UC San Diego. Trump said over the weekend that he was planning to visit Southern California on Friday, but has not released any details about his trip. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Regardless of when the president visits, Kousser said, a disaster provides an easy political script for both leaders to notch a win. History shows theyve acted as statesmen in times of crisis and temporarily paused their jousts on social media and in the courts. During Trumps first term, the governor often commended Trump for taking his calls and delivering everything he requested to support California, particularly during the COVID-19 emergency. Still today, Newsom asserts that his relationship with Trump was as good as any other governor's during the initial term. Read more: Trump wants to upend California water policy. State officials say it could do harm Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement At the same time, their battles over the environment, immigration and other areas where their liberal and right-wing politics collided gave Newsom an opportunity to define himself as a fighter for Democratic values to a national audience. Newsom and California similarly gave Trump a chance to decry Democratic rule and cast himself as a more sensible alternative. Bob Salladay, the governors top communications advisor, said it's a more complex relationship "than the simple friend or foe" narrative. "If the past repeats itself as it often does, the governor and President Trump could easily have the same type of relationship that began six years ago, Salladay said. That is, we will protect California by fighting against misinformation and, yes, fighting in court to protect our values while working cooperatively on important issues as we did during the pandemic. You can do both things." But the relationship between the two leaders also appears more complicated this time around. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement After the president lost his reelection bid in 2020, Newsom continued to run against Trumpism in his successful effort to beat a recall campaign the following year and win reelection in 2022. The governor traveled the country during the 2024 presidential election cycle in support of then-President Biden and then-Vice President Kamala Harris, expanding his list of supporters across the nation. Newsom has said that after the November election Trump did not respond to his effort to congratulate him for defeating Harris. Two days after the election, the governor reignited the California vs. Trump narrative when he announced a special session to increase funding for the state Department of Justice to fight the incoming administration in court. Trump responded by denouncing Newsoms insane policy decisions that he claimed were forcing people to leave his state. Rob Stutzman, a Republican political consultant, said leaning into the resistance narrative again so quickly after an election Democrats lost was a miscalculation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He went streaking in the quad thinking everyone was behind him, and no one was behind him, Stutzman said of Newsom. Theres no resistance to lead this time around. At a time when other prominent Democrats seem to be backing away from the national culture wars, Newsom has been slower to relinquish his high-profile role on the front lines. He's also refused to follow the path of corporate leaders and bend the knee to Trump. Newsom tried to tone down his message, trading his posture of resistance for a narrative about defending the states values, while he talked about affordability in the weeks after the election. But the change hasnt protected him, or his fellow California Democrats, from criticism. Democratic state legislators were set to resume special session hearings over the increase in legal funding Newsom requested to fight the Trump administration when the fires broke out in L.A. County, giving the GOP an avenue to question their priorities as Los Angeles burned. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement After initially saying the special session was imperative to ensure lawmakers approved the extra legal money to fight Trump before the inauguration this week, that bill has been delayed. Instead, Newsom expanded the special session to include another bill to provide $2.5 billion in wildfire recovery support for affected communities. Restraining himself from fighting every battle with Trump is a challenge at a time when the president is blaming Newsom for the wildfires. Trump has repeatedly claimed that the governor is at fault for fire hydrants that ran dry in the Palisades fire. Experts have debunked his claims about a lack of water in Southern California, but that hasn't stopped the accusations from being repeated. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Newsom launched a website as part of a campaign to correct misinformation about the fire shared by Trump and others. The site counters claims from Fox News that California cut its firefighting budget during the governors tenure and allegations in social media posts about the state mismanaging forest lands. The governor's assault on misinformation, which Newsom discussed in national television appearances, comes as a familiar cast of California Republicans say they're mounting another effort to recall him after more than a half-dozen attempts failed. Mike Madrid, a Republican political consultant and Trump critic, said the presidents claims and the deluge of misinformation that spread on Elon Musks X platform after the fires broke out have become harder to disrupt since Trump's first term. Read more: California revamps its website for L.A. County fire recovery Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trumps infrastructure to share his message is stronger than Newsoms, particularly as facts get drowned out on social media. The announcement that Facebook will no longer try to combat incorrect information in posts will also put Newsom at a disadvantage, Madrid said. "The reason why that's so damaging and so destructive is the misinformation comes and it's hitting, not just with right-wing trolls on Twitter, and it's still reinforcing the narrative that California is not a functional government," Madrid said. Newsoms political aides say the governor is providing an example for other Democrats about the best way to counteract Trumps misinformation in his second term. They disagree with criticism about his special session, arguing that Trump would have targeted California regardless. The governor, through his personal account, has offered retorts to a host of claims about his governance from popular and little-known Republicans. Despite his near-constant presence in Los Angeles since the fires broke out, his effort to swat down misinformation has drawn jabs about his focus. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Instead of making highly produced clap-back videos with social media influencers, you should get to work helping Californians, House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) said on X. Youre the leader of a state in crisis, and you should finally start acting like it. In his rebuttal, Newsom urged Johnson to do the right thing and help people in need instead of playing partisan games. He made a similar case in his letter imploring the president to visit the state and survey the wildfire damage. In the spirit of this great country, we must not politicize human tragedy or spread disinformation from the sidelines, Newsom wrote. Hundreds of thousands of Americans displaced from their homes and fearful for the future deserve to see all of us working in their best interests to ensure a fast recovery and rebuild. Trump has not responded to the letter, or invited the governor to join him on his visit to Los Angeles. 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. ST. FRANCOIS COUNTY, Mo. Four men from the Chicago area are in custody for trying to break into a home in a small fishing community in rural Missouri and then fleeing from law enforcement. According to the Missouri State Highway Patrol and St. Francois County Sheriffs Department, the crime happened just after 7:20 p.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 21, in Iron Mountain Lake. St. Francis County dispatchers were notified by a homeowner that multiple people were attempting to break into his residence. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Sheriffs deputies and a state trooper arrived just after 7:40 p.m. and saw two vehiclesa black BMW X2 and a silver BMW X2fleeing the area without their headlights or taillights activated. The trooper attempted to conduct a traffic stop, but the drivers refused to pull over. The chase continued onto eastbound Highway 32 when law enforcement deployed stop sticks and disabled the silver BMW X2. The driver and passenger were arrested without further incident. Mike Matheny reflects on near-death experience and new life mission The sheriffs department said the black BMW X2 continued into Leadington, Missouri, but became disabled near a convenience store. The driver and passenger ran off and hid. Leadington police located one of the men, while the other occupant was chased across both lanes of Highway 67 and last seen near the entrance of the Mineral Area College Campus. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The campus was placed on a temporary lockdown as authorities searched for the suspect. Law enforcement deployed drones and K9 units to assist in the search. The suspect was found hiding in an unlocked van just after 10 p.m. and arrested. The St. Francois County Prosecuting Attorneys Office charged Anthony C.D. Needham with one count of resisting arrest and Justin S. Pearce and Ryan E. Peart with one count of aggravated fleeing. All three men are jailed on a $150,000 bond apiece. Theyre scheduled to appear in court on Jan. 30. As of this writing, charges against the fourth man have not appeared in online court records. 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. A vehicle swept into the yard of a Unicoi County house by floodwaters generated by Hurricane Helene in September. (Photo: Brandon Hull/Office of the Governor) Lawmakers will consider providing $5 million in grants to East Tennesseans who sustained property damage from Hurricane Helene to ensure they can pay their county taxes plus 30% more. With a Feb. 28 deadline for property taxes, land owners will be able to use the money to pay taxes on damaged property for 2024, said Rep. Jeremy Faison, a Cosby Republican. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Faison and Republican Sen. Rusty Crowe of Johnson City are sponsoring the bill as a special session of the legislature convenes Jan. 27. It is expected to be one of several flood relief initiatives, since the governor proposed spending $450 million to provide relief to the region. Under their plan, someone with a $1,000 local property tax bill would receive $1,300, Faison said, though he wasnt certain how the extra money would affect their federal income taxes. They still have a tax bill due even if they dont have a house anymore, said Faison, chairman of the House Republican Caucus. Faison said he worked with the governor, comptroller and attorney general to come up with a legal and constitutional plan to bolster people who had total devastation on their homes. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Eleven counties were declared disaster areas in late September 2024 after Hurricane Helene, and five of those suffered devastating losses and deaths as rain from the hurricane caused historic flooding. Property assessors in affected counties worked with the Tennessee Comptrollers Office to identify every house affected by the storm, enabling the state to determine who would be eligible for grants. Unprecedented disasters call for unprecedented actions, said state Comptroller Jason Mumpower. (Photo: John Partipilo) Comptroller Jason Mumpower said upper East Tennessee lawmakers contacted him immediately after the flood to find a way to bolster property owners who suffered losses. Unprecedented disasters call for unprecedented actions, Mumpower said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Those whove already paid their property taxes can use the money for other expenses, he said, adding no strings are attached to the grants. Mumpower said the plan is designed to make property owners and county governments whole as they continue to recover. Otherwise, local governments might be forced to raise property taxes to cover operations while getting through the emergency situation. Gov. Bill Lee pulled $100 million from the states TennCare program to provide loans to counties until they receive federal relief money. Some lawmakers say the governor should have called a special session last fall to help damaged counties, and they contend that lumping flood relief with private-school vouchers and strict immigration measures during the coming special session puts pressure on East Tennessee lawmakers to support the governors education plan. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In addition to the property tax relief bill sponsored by Faison and Crowe, the special session is expected to increase grants to school districts in heavy tourism areas, deal with further expenses related to recovery and pay for construction of a public high school in Carter County where Hampton High School sustained serious damage. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE ALTOONA, Pa. (WTAJ) Two men from out of state were arrested Wednesday, accused of smuggling drugs into Altoona and Blair County. Malik Mohammed Abdul Williams, 32 (Blair County Prison) Malik Mohammed Abdul Williams, 32, of Melrose Park, Illinois, and Oshae Jawon Hamilton, 31, of Livonia, Michigan, were arrested Jan. 22 after numerous agencies set up a controlled buy for cocaine. After the purchase of one ounce of cocaine for $1,300 was made, officers and troopers arrested the duo without incident. Altoona police noted that they were coming from Johnstown to Altoona to make the sale. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement K9 Officer Fox of Altoona police deployed K9 Blue who hit on the vehicle the duo was driving. A search of the vehicle found: Photo provided by Altoona Police Department Malik Mohammed Abdul Williams, 32 (Altoona Police Department) Oshae Jawon Hamilton, 31 (Altoona Police Department) Oshae Jawon Hamilton, 31 (Blair County Prison) $1,600 US currency 1.8 ounces cocaine Valued at $3,600 6 grams of loose fentanyl Valued at $2,400 51 white wax packets of heroin Valued at $765 Scales, packaging material and other paraphernalia Hamilton and Williams were both arraigned on numerous possession with intent to deliver drug charges and placed in Blair County Prison with bail set at $150,000 straight cash for each. Members of the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General, Blair County Drug Task Force, Altoona Police Department and Pennsylvania State Police were involved in the investigation and subsequent bust. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WTAJ - www.wtaj.com. As Icy roads continue to be a major problem for parts of metro Atlanta following Tuesdays snowfall. The Georgia Department of Transportation and the Georgia Department of Emergency Management and Homeland Security told Channel 2s Richard Elliot that they are concentrating much of their attention on the hardest hit areas south of Interstate 20 and they are advising people to stay off the roads. Elliot went to Clayton County on Wednesday where he spotted a tow truck helping a jackknifed tractor-trailer get off a sheet of ice along Anvil Block Road. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Not far away, Keisha Dean inspected the car she had to abandon Tuesday night after she slid off the road. Conditions are not going to change a lot from what you see now, GDOT Commissioner Russell McMurry said. RELATED STORIES: McMurray said GDOT is turning their focus on the hardest-hit areas south of Atlanta, especially around Savannah and Macon. Theyre worried that the roads will refreeze Wednesday night, so theyre asking drivers to stay home for their own safety and so GDOT crews have more room to treat and scrape the roads. Please stay home, stay out of our way and give us some time and were going to get this taken care of, McMurry said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Elliot also spoke exclusively with GEMA Director Chris Stallings. Stallings and McMurry both credited Gov. Brian Kemps quick emergency declaration with helping them move much-needed equipment into the hard-hit areas. Stallings said theyre still trying to rescue drivers stranded on roads all over Georgia. Anybody whos stranded, of course, weve got blankets, water, MREs, snacks, things like that. Were trying to get out there until we can get the roads cleared, Stalling said. As a reminder, GDOT prioritizes how it reacts to roads. Interstates get treated first, state routes second. Smaller roads that arent state routes, those are up to the local cities or counties to take care of. CHARLOTTE (QUEEN CITY NEWS) Federal agencies in the Shanquella Robinson case filed a motion to dismiss the wrongful death lawsuit due to lack of jurisdiction over the claims made against the defendants. In October 2022, 25-year-old Shanquella Robinson and six others, known now as the Cabo Six, took a vacation in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. Shortly after the Cabo Six arrived, Shanquella was pronounced dead by medical personnel on October 29. The autopsy report done in Mexico showed the cause of death was a severe spinal cord injury and neck trauma. However, when her body was returned home, a second autopsy by the FBI contradicted the report. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In November 2022, the FBI informed Shanquellas mother, Sallamondra Robinson that it opened an investigation into the murder of Shanquella Robinson, but in April 2023 told Sallamondra, her family and the public that the agency was no longer pursuing federal prosecution of the Cabo Six. The allegations in the wrongful death lawsuit, filed in October 2024, alleging that the FBI and Department of State of negligence, claiming they didnt take the case seriously and a delay between autopsies led to different results. The lawsuit also accuses the Cabo Six of lying about Shanquellas death and trying to cover it up. Mexican authorities issued an arrest warrant for one of the Cabo Six, but the State Department never forwarded the request to the International Affairs office so they were never extradited. The lawsuit also alleges the FBI took a few months to close their investigation into this case but has failed to produce documents requested in a Freedom Of Information Act request. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The defendants argue the plaintiffs dont have jurisdiction over their claims against the federal agencies, stating the FBI is barred from any claims based on an injury sustained in a foreign country as well as saying Robinson had not exhausted their administrative remedies before presenting their claims against the State Department. Additionally, the federal agencies say: A. The Court Lacks Jurisdiction Over Plaintiffs Putative Tort Claim Against the FBI due to the Discretionary Function Exception to the FTCA. B. The Court Lacks Jurisdiction Over Plaintiffs Putative Tort Claims Against Federal Defendants Because There exists no Private Party Analogue. This is a Developing Story . Check back for updates MORE FROM QCNEWS.COM Mystery in Mexico Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. Democrats watch Rep. Zach Nunn's victory speech at the Iowa Democratic Party's election night event in Des Moines. (Photo by Cami Koons/Iowa Capital Dispatch) I did an interview recently about President Jimmy Carter and his impact on Iowa. I answered the question and then turned to something the host had not anticipated. I said that one of the things that impressed me was the national reporters, who visited Iowa to cover Carters 1976 caucus campaign. They came to Iowa expecting to see bib overalls, seed corn caps, and rubber boots. Instead, when they heard these individuals, they were surprised by the depth of their questions. The national press marveled at Iowans knowledge, the number of students we had graduating from high school, and our top-of-the-nation ACT scores. Then, I added, but that was when we were proud of ourselves. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Today, Iowa is in the top 10 for the rate of college graduates fleeing the state. We had the worst drop in real personal income in the nation in 2022-23. Our population growth has ranked below the national average for decades. The resolution to the debate over renaming the Gulf of Mexico can be solved naming it the Gulf of Iowa, since much of our topsoil and chemical run-off resides there. The future of our state under GOP control does not look positive. The hard right agenda of transferring the funding for what functions of state government remain to the middle class will continue and we will watch the further deterioration of public schools and universities continue unabated. How did we get to this situation where opt out of a federal program to feed kids in the summertime because it costs just over $2 million out of this years proposed budget of $9.4 billion. Where other than by lowering standards, we wont address the lack of affordable child care or even acknowledge there is a crisis of treatment of our most vulnerable in nursing homes. I blame the Iowa Democratic Party. We knew what Republicans were: good people, fiscal conservatives, having laissez-faire ideology. The problem is their extremists took over the state and we didnt stop them. The people who worship the donkey got so tied up in identity politics, in peripheral issues, and developed an outstanding inability to communicate a persuasive political message. So, forgive them, they forgot that the purpose of the party was to elect Democratic office holders. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For example, there are now 19 or 20 (nobody knows for sure) caucuses within the IDP alone. Good causes like Black, Asian, LGBTQ+, and a host of various interest groups, but advocating only for their cause. Death might be a better alternative than serving with that assembly today. The party contains rule freaks who want to ensure that before the chairperson writes a letter, the full central committee must make sure the constitution empowers her to do so. This situation is not the fault of Rita Hart, chair of the Iowa Democratic Party. She inherited a party already in disarray and, frankly, deadass broke. She traveled through the state, gave countless speeches, held hundreds of meetings, and at the very least, kept the office open and the staff retained and paid. In the short run, while unwise, forgoing the first in the nation caucuses at least brought money in the door. As we sit here today, there still is the Iowa Democratic Party, and it can rise again. Jack Hatch, former state senator and a former nominee for governor, has reached out to older party leaders, and some young ones, to attempt dialogue. Unfortunately, these activists, young and old, feel that the door for dialogue has been slammed shut on them. Of equal concern to those who study party structure is the fact that some counties across Iowa are forming their own mini parties to try and marshal and build a base absent either communication or cooperation with the IDP. With the development of uncoordinated, non-integrated, efforts, 2026 is beginning to look like a disaster. Yes, there is anger out there and there should be. But the anger is a signal that many party members, including the current leadership, assert that losing elections is not acceptable. The fact that there is anger is a positive response because, with the chairpersons leadership, there is an opportunity to restore an election competitive political party. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Some now advocate that rather than dismiss those with concerns about the status and health of the IDP, bring them into the fold. The observation will tell you that there are three major problems that this organization faces: fundraising, communication with the public, and candidate recruitment. It would be wise to seek ad hoc committees of volunteers and members of the central committee to take a fresh and positive look at the possibility of enhancement in party ability in those three areas. Good people built the party into a successful political force in forming and implementing public policy. Individuals like Cliff Larson, Tom Whitney, Clark Rasmussen, and Ed and Bonnie Campbell broke the stigma that if the Democrats in the Legislature met, they could do so in a phone booth. I even suspect that more than a few good, moderate Republican legislators might welcome the hand of more moderate Democrats. (Photo by Getty Images) Lawyers for the State of Iowa are asking a judge to dismiss a public-records lawsuit by arguing the Iowa Supreme Courts Attorney Disciplinary Board is not a public body thats subject to the Open Records Law. The lawsuit was filed in Polk County District Court last year by Robert Teig, who spent 32 years with the U.S. Attorneys Office in the Northern District of Iowa before his retirement in April 2011. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Named as defendants are the Iowa Judicial Branch, the states Attorney Disciplinary Board, the Iowa Office of Professional Regulation, and several individuals responsible for administering those entities. In his lawsuit, Teig alleges that at some point prior to February 2023, he filed an ethics complaint with the Attorney Disciplinary Board asking that it look into the actions of three prosecutors who work in the U.S. Attorneys Office in the Northern District of Iowa. In February 2023, the board wrote to Teig saying it had dismissed the complaint after reviewing it and unspecified responses to the complaint that it had collected. According to the lawsuit, the board also alleged that many, if not all, of these concerns have been reviewed by judges in the Northern District of Iowa, Executive Office for United States Attorneys, and Office of Professional Responsibility for the U.S. Department of Justice. The lawsuit alleges that the boards claims lack merit because Teig had asked the Executive Office for United States Attorneys and the Office of Professional Responsibility to review the matters, and they refused. No judge looked at the ethics issues, Teig states in his lawsuit. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The lawsuit alleges that earlier this year, Teig asked the Attorney Disciplinary Board and Office of Professional Regulation for the complaint responses referenced by the board. After the request was denied, Teig sought all records that discuss, deal with, respond to, or refer to his previous requests for information and was denied some of the information on the grounds that they were covered by attorney-client privilege or were attorney work product. Teigs lawsuit seeks damages for alleged Open Records Law violations and an injunction ordering the defendants to provide the requested records. Earlier this month, the Iowa attorney generals office filed a motion seeking dismissal of the case, citing state law that gives the Iowa Supreme Court the power to establish attorney disciplinary rules. One of the rules approved by the court states that the Iowa Attorney Disciplinary Board must keep all files confidential, unless the board chair or the chairs designee otherwise provides or directs in writing for disciplinary purposes or pursuant to a specific Supreme Court rule. In its motion to dismiss, the attorney generals office noted that this rule is similar to those of other state licensing boards that also consider their disciplinary files specifically, complaints and investigative material to be confidential. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In his response to that motion, Teig argued the attorney general is addressing only his request for the complaint responses generated by the three attorneys and not the records he subsequently requested under Iowas Open Records Law. In his response, Teig notes that agency-approved policies and rules on confidentiality are not trumped by the disclosure requirements of Iowa law. On Tuesday, the attorney generals office filed a response to Teigs arguments, asserting that the states Office of Professional Responsibility and the Iowa Supreme Courts Attorney Disciplinary Board are not governmental bodies, and so the requested records, which are owned by them, are arguably not public records. A hearing on the states motion to dismiss is scheduled for Feb. 18. DENVER (KDVR) Immigrants and other community members living in Colorado gathered at the state capitol to share their personal stories and concerns in light of new executive orders signed by President Donald Trump. In the middle of that happening, lawmakers learned of a new battle to challenge state immigration law. Colorado immigrant rights group reacts to President Trumps executive actions Most of the efforts seen have called for changes to immigration law have come from the national level. Three of Colorados Republican congressional members are asking Governor Jared Polis to make a change at the state level. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Colorado has been and will always be an advocate and a leader in driving policies that create safer, stronger communities, state Senator Julie Gonzales of Denver said before a cheering audience. Immigrants and allies from Black and Latino communities in Colorado joined state lawmakers in sharing their personal stories of immigration. Following President Trumps new executive orders surrounding immigration, lawmakers said they are looking into how the state can respond. We knew that our immigrant communities were at risk. So we are looking through all of our policies to see how we can strengthen Colorados laws to create more safety and better wellbeing for our immigrant communities to make sure they remain intact, said state Representative Naquetta Ricks of Aurora. Gov. Polis welcomes federal agents help deporting undocumented criminals Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Were in the process of reviewing those executive orders currently and let us be clear: weve already ensured that local law enforcement should be following state law and not doing ICEs job for them, Gonzales said. Congressman Gabe Evans, Congresswoman Lauren Boebert and Congressman Jeff Crank sent a letter asking Governor Polis to repeal three of Colorados state immigration laws, HB19-1124, SB21-131, and HB23-1100, that limit how local law enforcement agencies interact with federal immigration authorities. Colorado does have a panel of sanctuary state laws that make it illegal for state and local law enforcement to work with federal authorities as a local police officer, I saw the impact they had on a day-to-day basis; prohibiting me at times from being able to actually work with federal authorities to get these folks out of our community who were there illegally and causing other problems, Congressman Gabe Evans of Colorados eighth congressional district told reporters with Nexstars DC Bureau on Capitol Hill. Governor Polis office said they are reviewing the letter. State lawmakers at the event said they had not seen the letter beforehand, but they hope the governor will help protect community members. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Judge dismisses lawsuit arguing Colorado immigration laws violate state, federal rules Immigration law is federal law, right? We will do what we can to protect our communities, that is what we do. And thats the mandate that weve been giving from the people of our community. We will look at those federal laws and we will find ways to protect our communities and thats what we will do, said state Representative Junie Joseph of Boulder. State lawmakers said in addition to reviewing their policies, they are working with immigrant rights organizations to safeguard communities that may be targeted by policy changes. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. Senate Finance Chair Sen. Pamela Beidle (D-Anne Arundel). (Photo by Bryan P. Sears/Maryland Matters) Moore administration officials are vowing to find a way to fund the states register of wills offices, after an oversight led to the accidental elimination of their funding with the plan to do away with the states inheritance tax next year. Eliminating that tax was one of the changes proposed by Gov. Wes Moore (D) when he unveiled his fiscal 2026 budget proposal last week. Administration officials said Maryland is the only state with both an estate tax and an inheritance tax, and it could afford to lose the latter. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But one of the details overlooked in the attempt to close a projected $3 billion shortfall in the $67.3 billion budget was the fact that the states 24 Register of Wills offices that collect the inheritance tax rely on it for their funding. We understand that the inheritance tax would disappear under this budget, but we also understand that our county register of wills are funded by that inheritance tax, Senate Finance Chair Pamela Beidle (D-Anne Arundel) said during an hourlong fiscal briefing Wednesday. So whats in the budget to help fund those county register of wills? It was an oversight in the budget, said David Romans, a budget analyst with the Department of Legislative Services. When they were repealing the inheritance tax, I dont think that occurred to people that that meant the registers of wills, that get a share of the inheritance tax, were going to lose their funding. Romans said the Moore administration is aware of the concerns and will be coming forward with some sort of solution to that problem. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But the issue has created an air of uncertainty among staff at county offices, said Howard County Register of Wills Byron E. Macfarlane. I hope that if there is an alternative funding source found, that it is found quickly and we are able to give that kind of reinsurance to roughly 300 very dedicated public servants who do very important work all over the state, Macfarlane said Wednesday. Our staff are worried about whether they are still going to have health insurance and whether theyre going to have a roof over their head, he said. And these are people who go to work every day and care about what the people we serve are going through. A Moore spokesperson said in a statement Wednesday that registers of wills perform essential services for Maryland residents and the Governor supports them in that work. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Their offices are funded as a part of the Comptrollers budget, and the administrations intent is to continue to fund them commensurate with current levels, the spokeperson, Carter Elliott IV, said in the statement. Voters in every county and the city of Baltimore elect a register of wills, who serves a four-year term. The offices oversee a broad range of public services regarding the estate and wills of people who have died, as well as offering assistance to people working through those processes. One of their tasks is to collect an inheritance tax on certain possessions or properties passed on when someone dies. Because of exemptions for most close relatives, including spouse, child, grandchild, great-grandchild, stepchild, parent, or grandparent, the inheritance tax is only collected from about 5,000 people a year, Macfarlane said. He said collections totaled about $95 million in fiscal 2024, a portion of which goes to the offices operating costs. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We use that revenue to fund everything from payroll to health insurance benefits to office supplies, our IT support, retiree benefits, the maintenance of our website a system that allows the public to obtain copies of records online, Macfarlane said. That combined expense is about $35 million a year, and everything above that is given over to the general fund for use. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE Macfarlane said that it came to the register of wills as quite a surprise when the budget came down with the inheritance tax eliminated. The uncertainty over our continued funding has caused the registers to spend quite a bit of time with our staff trying to counsel them that theyre going to be OK, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Macfarlane said he appreciated that the administration recognizes the work of the registers of wills offices do to help people in Maryland everyday through the hardest time of their lives, but that he hopes a solution to the funding issue comes soon to ease the workers concerns. Its really unfortunate that in addition to that kind of hard work, that over the past week and until we have any certainty, they will be put in the place of wondering what the future is going to look like, he said. They [the administration] would have to find about $35 million of funding somewhere else in the budget just to keep our lights on. Beidle said after the fiscal briefing that the work of the registers of sills is crucial, especially on a customer service standpoint to help people during challenging times. Its at a time when people are often distraught they had just lost a loved one and now face all this overwhelming paperwork, and so I just know that its really important I certainly dont want to see them cut, she said. So we have to find some way to backfill that. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement She also noted that it is still early in the session, and she believes the state can find ways to fund the registers offices, even as the lawmakers wrestle the $3 billion budget deficit. This is the beginning of the budget process, she said. This will go on until almost the last day of session where we look at the budget and try to reconcile everything. And theres going to be more than one thing that needs to be reconciled, but I think this is an important one. YORK COUNTY, Pa. (WHTM) Pennsylvania State Police in York County are searching for a suspect who allegedly stole $17,000 in purple casino chips from Hollywood Casino in late November. According to police, on Nov. 24, 2024, a suspect allegedly entered Hollywood York Casino at 2899 Whiteford Road in Springettsbury Township and stole approximately $17,000 worth of purple chips. Close Thanks for signing up! Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Severe Weather Alerts Police said the suspect was allegedly driving a 2017 Ford Explorer. The investigation is ongoing. Anyone with information regarding the incident is encouraged to contact PSP York. This is a developing story. Stay with abc27 News as more 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 ABC27. (WHTM) Governor Shapiro will give his third budget address on February 4. He has enjoyed record spending in his first two budgets, especially on public schools. Republicans in the legislature have signed off in the past but they may be tougher to convince this year. The Independent Fiscal Office has said the states several-billion dollar surplus will be gone at the end of this fiscal year as federal covid dollars dry up. Treasurer Stacy Garrity is also raising the alarm. Close Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now This Week in Pennsylvania We absolutely have a structural deficit, said Garrity. Theyre going to start eating into the rainy day fund this upcoming budget cycle, which is not good, so I think you have to balance your checkbook in your household that our legislators should also balance their spending versus revenue. Bringing in more tax dollars would help. Our political team expects the governor to once again call on taxing games of skill and legalizing and taxing recreational marijuana. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. California is advising health care providers not to write down patients immigration status on bills and medical records and telling them they dont have to assist federal agents in arrests. Some Massachusetts hospitals and clinics are posting privacy rights in emergency and waiting rooms in Spanish and other languages. Meanwhile, Florida and Texas are requiring health care facilities to ask the immigration status of patients and tally the cost to taxpayers of providing care to immigrants living in the U.S. without authorization. Donald Trump returned to the White House declaring a national emergency at the U.S.-Mexico border, suspending refugee admissions, and challenging birthright citizenship, or the policy of giving U.S. citizenship to anyone born in the U.S. As he begins carrying out the largest deportation operation in the nations history, states have offered starkly different guidelines to hospitals, community clinics, and other health facilities for immigrant patients. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump has also rescinded a long-standing policy not to arrest people without legal status at or near sensitive locations, including schools, churches, and hospitals. A proposal to formalize such protections died in Congress in 2023. But no matter the guidelines that states issue, hospitals around the U.S. say patients wont be turned away for care because of their immigration status. None of this changes the care patients receive, said Carrie Williams, a spokesperson for the Texas Hospital Association, which represents hospitals and health care systems in the state. We dont want people to avoid care and worsen because they are concerned about immigration questions. During Trumps first term, immigration agents arrested people receiving emergency care in hospitals and a child during an ambulance transfer. Immigration officers in Texas arrested a woman awaiting brain surgery in a hospital in Fort Worth. In Portland, Oregon, officers arrested a young man leaving a hospital, and in San Bernardino, California, a woman drove herself to the hospital to give birth after her husband was arrested at a gas station. An estimated 11 million immigrants live in the United States without authorization, with the largest numbers in California, Texas, Florida, New York, New Jersey, and Illinois, according to Pew Research Center. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Half of immigrant adults likely without authorization are uninsured, compared with fewer than 1 in 10 citizens, according to the 2023 KFF-Los Angeles Times Survey of Immigrants, the largest nongovernmental survey of immigrants in the U.S. to date. While some states are highlighting health care expenses incurred by immigrants, a KFF brief noted that immigrants contribute more to the system through health insurance premiums and taxes than they use. Immigrants also have lower health care costs than citizens. Some health care providers fear Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents will disrupt their work at health facilities and cause patients, particularly children, to skip medical care. On Trumps first day, the Republican president issued an executive order aimed at ending birthright citizenship for children born to a parent without legal authorization or on a visa, which could leave them ineligible for federal health and social programs. The order was immediately challenged by states and a civil rights group. You are instilling fear into folks who may defer care, who may go without care, whose children may not get the vaccines they need, who may not be able to get treatment for an ear infection or surgery, said Minal Giri, a pediatrician and the chair of the Refugee/Immigrant Child Health Initiative at the Illinois chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics. A recent survey conducted by the Im/migrant Well-Being Research Center at the University of South Florida found that 66% of noncitizens reported increased hesitation in seeking care after Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a law in 2023 requiring hospitals that accept Medicaid to ask about a patients legal status. Thats compared with just 27% for citizens. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement That really was alarming to me to see how this law made people hesitant to go to the doctor, even in an emergency, said Liz Ventura Molina, a co-author of the survey and report. In signing the law, DeSantis touted it as the most ambitious anti-illegal immigration legislation in the nation. This month, the Republican governor called for a special session of the state legislature to help support Trumps immigration agenda. Jackson Health System, a public safety net provider in Miami, said in a statement that quarterly reports to the state dont contain individual patient information. We do adhere to all required cooperation with law enforcement agencies, including ICE, as part of any criminal investigations, understanding that privacy laws mandate we only release private patient information through a court-ordered warrant. In August, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, a Republican, issued an executive order similar to Floridas law to record health care costs incurred by immigrants without legal authorization. All hospitals that receive funding from Medicaid or the Childrens Health Insurance Program are expected to begin reporting the data to Texas Health and Human Services in March. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Even cities controlled by Democrats are walking a fine line. New York City Mayor Eric Adams met in December with Trumps incoming border czar, Tom Homan, and pledged to remove immigrants who have been convicted of a major felony and lack legal status to remain in the country. At the same time, Adams proposed an awareness campaign to let immigrants and asylum-seekers know they are safe to use the citys hospital systems. Some states are going further by advising health facilities to do all they can to protect immigrant patients. In December, California Attorney General Rob Bonta released a 42-page document recommending providers avoid including patients immigration status in bills and medical records. The guidance also emphasized that while providers should not physically obstruct immigration agents, they are under no obligation to assist with an arrest. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to the document, health care facilities should post information about patients right to remain silent and are encouraged to provide patients with contact information for legal-aid groups in the event that a parent is taken into immigration custody. If feasible, it says, the facility should designate an immigrant-affairs liaison to help train staff and provide nonlegal advice to families. We cannot let the Trump deportation machine create a culture of fear and mistrust that prevents immigrants from accessing vital public services, said Bonta, a Democrat. On Tuesday, the Trump administration directed the Department of Justice to investigate state and local officials who dont cooperate with immigration enforcement. During Trumps first term, California limited cooperation with federal authorities, citing public safety and community trust concerns. The department, then under Jeff Sessions, sued to block the law but the state won in federal court, arguing that states have the authority to decide whether local resources are used to enforce federal law. The Trump administration appealed, but the Supreme Court turned down the petition. Under California law, state-run health care facilities are required to adopt policies to limit their participation in immigration enforcement, and private entities are encouraged to follow similar protocols. David Simon, a spokesperson for the California Hospital Association, which represents more than 400 hospitals, said members have incorporated such policies, ensuring patient privacy. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hospitals dont call ICE about patients, Simon said. California is bracing for a new round of clashes with Trump. Gov. Gavin Newsom and fellow Democratic state leaders have agreed to set aside $50 million for litigation and grants to nonprofit immigrant groups. Lawmakers in New Jersey are considering legislation to limit health care facilities from asking about a patients immigration status. The bill would also require the state attorney general to establish policies for hospitals and health care facilities for ensuring patient access. In New York City, hospital administrators are directing staff to seek guidance from an immigration liaison if immigration authorities show up, and to take photos and videos of any enforcement actions if they cant reach them first. They are also discouraging staff from actively helping a person hide from ICE. In Massachusetts, some clinics and hospitals are training staff on how to read ICE warrants and plan to require ICE agents to identify themselves and present a warrant if they want to enter a private area. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement You cant be scrambling in the moment, said Altaf Saadi, a neurologist who co-directs a clinic for asylum-seekers at the Massachusetts General Hospital. We have to prepare for these worst-case scenarios, and we hope that they dont happen, but we do need to be prepared. This article was produced by KFF Health News, a national newsroom that produces in-depth journalism about health issues and is one of the core operating programs at KFF the independent source for health policy research, polling, and journalism. KFF Health News is the publisher of California Healthline, an editorially independent service of the California Health Care Foundation. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com Rape victims will be able to track their evidence kits through the chain of custody from collection to results under a new law Gov. Phil Murphy signed on Jan. 23, 2025. (Dana DiFilippo | New Jersey Monitor) Sexual assault victims in New Jersey should be able to track their rape kits through the criminal justice system by late summer under a new law Gov. Phil Murphy signed Thursday thats meant to reduce a backlog of untested evidence and provide more transparency to victims. The measure, which passed unanimously in both the Senate and Assembly, requires the state attorney general to create an online system where victims, law enforcement, and health care and laboratory workers can track the kits through the chain of custody, from collection to results. The kits contain biological evidence like semen, saliva, and hair taken from assault victims that help investigators identify assailants. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Survivors of sexual assault who show strength and resilience in coming forward deserve recognition and support, Murphy said in a statement. Most other states already have such tracking systems in place. The new law here gives the Attorney Generals Office until Aug. 1 to get the system up and running. Theyve already been working on it for a year, after getting $2 million in federal funding in 2023 to establish a tracking system. The size of New Jerseys rape kit backlog is unclear, although the problem appears to lie with law enforcement agencies rather than state forensic laboratories. The state auditor found in a 2019 report that labs had no backlog while law enforcement agencies had over 2,800 kits in their possession that they hadnt submitted for testing for various reasons, including investigators who had no suspects, believed the sexual act was consensual, or discounted victims who had a history of mental illness or had filed a complaint against their spouse or partner. In a separate report, a nonprofit found New Jersey law enforcement agencies had more than 1,200 untested rape kits between 2018 and 2020. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In March 2023, Attorney General Matt Platkin ordered a series of changes intended to limit New Jersey law enforcements ability to leave rape kits untested. He quadrupled the time agencies must store untested rape kits (from five to 20 years) and limited the circumstances under which agencies can opt not to have evidence tested. The new law Murphy signed Thursday is a critical step forward in ensuring justice and restoring trust in the criminal justice system, said bill sponsor Sen. Renee Burgess (D-Essex). By establishing a rape kit tracking system, we are providing survivors with the transparency they deserve and holding the system accountable for its role in securing justice, Burgess said in a statement. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX ONEIDA, N.Y. (WSYR-TV) Oneida Health Hospital nurses held a speak-out Wednesday morning to rally community support before they went back to the negotiating table. The nurses want a wage increase that will attract and keep new nurses at their hospitals. We have to stay competitive with wages, said Donna Maccarone, the Local Bargaining Unit President for Oneida Health Hospital. A lot of nurses will get their base skillset and then move onto bigger hospitals that pay a lot higher wages. Latest local news Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The political director for United Healthcare Workers East showed his support. This place wont work unless the nurses do, said Mark Spadafore. You made this place work and what thanks do you get? One percent? You are worth more than one percent. Even though theyve been working without a new contract for more than three weeks, the nurses say they show up every day, so their patients arent left behind. We became nurses to care for our patients and its something we want to continue with, said Kimberly Stark, a registered nurse at Oneida Health. Thats what we love to do. Were nurses. Were taking care of people and we dont work-stop like other facilities do, Maccarone said. So we keep going with the old but are working for the new. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Oneida Health Hospital shared a statement with NewsChannel 9 saying: We are in a negotiation session with the nurses union and a federal mediator. We value our nurses and look forward to finalizing a fair contract. Oneida Health 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 WSYR. Wisconsin temperatures dropped to levels so low this week that if someone compared us to Antarctica, they weren't exagerrating. But whereas the southern tip of the globe has the appeal of being one of those you'll-never-guess-where-I've-been destinations, the rest of us are just, well, home. And what we've been facing can deliver a one-two wallop on our mental health in the form of isolation and sedentariness. Dr. Ben Weston, Milwaukee County's chief health policy advisor, said that combination may dampen moods, disturb sleep and appetite, affect concentration, and exacerbate mental health conditions like depression and anxiety. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Part of the reason is not getting adequate sunlight and time outdoors, which boost serotonin, a neurotransmitter that affects our mood, memory, and learning. Another part is that intensely cold air itself can ramp up existing mental health conditions in ways that go beyond just being uncomfortable setting foot outside. Here's what to know. Do I have seasonal affective disorder or am I just stuck indoors? Seasonal affective disorder, known aptly by its acronym SAD, impacts about 5% of adults in the United States and can last 40% of the year. Its symptoms share commonalities with major depression, including a loss of interest and pleasure in activities once found enjoyable, feeling sad and hopeless, fatigue regardless of sleeping more, nervous energy (pacing, handwringing, inability to sit still) and overeating. But you don't need to be diagnosed with seasonal affective disorder to feel the drag of winter blues, Weston said. It's easy to cancel plans with friends when the easier option is a Netflix binge away. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But staying inside alone comes with a price. "One in three Americans feels isolated at least once per week, and so you take a statistic like that, and then you add in other elements like frigid weather that make us feel more isolated," Weston said. In 2023, U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy released a report saying that prolonged isolation and loneliness harmed the body in ways akin to smoking 15 cigarettes per day, increasing the risk of cardiovascular disease, dementia, stroke, depression, anxiety and premature death. Not only does extreme cold weather contribute to isolation, there's evidence that the combination of colder weather and less sunlight also increases alcohol consumption and alcoholic cirrhosis. Don't decline opportunities to socialize If the pandemic gave us anything good, it's the power of connecting over video with friends and family. Weston suggested planning time to gather for a Zoom call if the weather is too bitter cold to venture out. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Braving the weather and meeting up with friends and family for social interactions can do us a lot of good, Weston said. Even if you're unable to plan an event with friends, Weston said going into public environments like libraries, community centers and malls also can give us a healthy dose of social interaction. Simply being around other people can be beneficial. Weston also encourages movement and exercise. If you belong to a gym or workout studio, that can push you out in the world with other people and allows you to work out your body. Consistent exercise can go a long way to enhance mood and general outlook. "But even if you have to do it inside, in your home, just that exercise alone can certainly boost your endorphins, boost your serotonin levels, and help with those depressive symptoms," Weston said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If you can afford it, throw in some light therapy, Weston said. Light boxes or sun lamps mimic natural sunlight, which can help regulate moods. When should I seek professional help? If nothing seems to make a difference in your mood, it may be time to seek professional help. Milwaukee County has a number of resources available, and anyone can call or text 9-8-8 to be connected to a lifeline counselor. Access Clinics are designed to help connect uninsured Milwaukee County residents who are facing a behavioral health or co-occurring crisis with culturally competent treatment in the community, regardless of a person's ability to pay. Services include mental health and substance use assessment, therapeutic check-ins, peer support services, medication evaluation, and connecting patients to long-term behavioral health and community resources. There are three locations in Milwaukee County, on the north, south and east sides. Mental Health Emergency Center, or MHEC offers 24/7/365 emergency mental health services for adults, adolescents and children as well as assessment, stabilization and treatment of mental health emergencies. It's located at 1525 N. 12th St. in Milwaukee. Milwaukee Mobile Crisis provides non-police mobile responses to mental health crisis and intervention in people of all ages in the Milwaukee County community. Call 414-257-7222 for a mental health crisis, a mental health assessment, assistance with stabilization, or connections to ongoing resources. Natalie Eilbert covers mental health issues for the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. She welcomes story tips and feedback. You can reach her at neilbert@gannett.com or view her X (Twitter) profile at @natalie_eilbert. This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Staying in due to the cold can leave you isolated, lonely. What to do? NEW YORK Steve Bannon convinced a Manhattan judge Wednesday to let a more aggressive attorney defend him against charges similar to those President Trump pardoned him for and won a weeklong delay of his upcoming trial. At a brief hearing, Manhattan Supreme Court Judge April Newbauer granted a request from Bannon to retain attorney Arthur Aidala in the We Build the Wall fraud case after summoning the right-wing political strategist to court to expla i n himself. The reason was Ive been smeared by a political prosecution, persecution for years, Bannon said. I need people that are more aggressive and will use every tool in the toolbox to fight this. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Rescheduling the trial by a week to March 4, the judge told Bannon, Every tool in the toolbox does not include delaying the trial. She agreed to the brief delay so Aidala could catch up. At the hearing, Aidala rejected accusations by the prosecution that hed disingenuously sought to delay the proceedings when he asked them to agree to a delay so he could first represent Harvey Weinstein in his unrelated rape and sexual assault matter. A trial date has not yet been set in that case. The switchup marks Bannons second, with his first set of lawyers asking to withdraw from the case in January 2023 when they said hed become impossible to represent. Aidala said Bannon first approached his firm in December a nd that he turned him down. The lawyer changed his mind in early January, a couple of days after learning Trump wasnt picking him to be the new U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of New York, for which he was rumored to be under consideration. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Bannon, 71, has pleaded not guilty to two counts of money laundering, three counts of conspiracy and one count of scheme to defraud in the case filed in September 2022, in which the We Build the Wall Florida-based entity was also charged. Last year, he served four months in federal prison for an unrelated conviction for defying a congressional subpoena related to the House Committees probe of the Jan. 6 insurrection. In Manhattan, hes accused of serving as the architect of a multimillion-dollar scheme to defraud Trump supporters who donated money toward the We Build the Wall crowdfunding effort to construct a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border, including hundreds of Manhat t an residents. While Bannon and others involved promised to devote every penny raised to the walls construction, prosecutors say they used it to enrich themselves. Bannon was federally charged for the scheme in 2020 alongside three other men who have all been convicted. He received a pardon from Trump in the eleventh hour of his first term in office. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Brian Kolfage, a Purple Heart veteran, pleaded guilty to the federal charges in April 2022 and was later sentenced to more than four years in prison. Andrew Badolato, another conspirator, also pleaded guilty and received a three-year prison term. A jury found the fourth man, Colorado businessman Timothy Shea, guilty in October 2022 after his first trial ended in a mistrial with a juror holdout alleging a government witch hunt. Shea was sentenced to more than five years in prison. As the charges now facing Bannon in Manhattan are on the state level, Trump cannot intervene. He faces up to 15 years if convicted of the top count. On his way out of court, Bannon had no comment on the case. Instead, the former top Trump strategist criticized one of the presidents new top advisers, Elon Musk, as out of control. _____ OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt and Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond are each claiming victory over the other after the Oklahoma Supreme Court issued a ruling in an ongoing dispute over which elected official has the right to decide who will represent the state in legal disputes. Stitt and Drummonds offices issued dueling press releases within an hour of each other Wednesday afternoon after the Oklahoma State Supreme Court issued its ruling to settle the dispute between the two. Both Stitt and Drummonds press offices issued press releases claiming they were glad to see the court ruled in their favor. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Legal experts say the court didnt fully side with either Stitt or Drummond. The dispute the State Supreme Court settled between Stitt and Drummond stems from an ongoing battle between Stitt and four Native American tribes regarding tribal gaming compacts. Attorney Ed Blau says the state supreme court previously ruled Stitt lacked legislative authority to enter the state into compacts on his own. Stitt exec. order allowing schools to directly pay NIL to players This issue involving the gaming compacts has gone back several years, Blau said. There have been two separate Supreme Court opinions, both of which went against the governor. [Despite that] Governor Stitt sent in what his version of the compacts were to the federal government for approval. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Blau says that since courts previously ruled Stitt did not have the authority to submit the compacts to the federal government, four different tribes filed a lawsuit against the State of Oklahoma in response to Stitts decision to do so anyway. [And] Governor Stitt hired his own legal counsel to fight the lawsuits, Blau said. And thats where attorney general Drummond comes in. In the lawsuit, Attorney General Drummond wanted to take over for those law firms Stitt hired, Blau said. Blau said Drummond didnt feel like this was a lawsuit the state should keep fighting against. The governor in his official capacity has taken a position with respect to these gaming compacts with the tribesthat position is diametrically opposite of what the tribes want, Blau said. And in this particular case, Attorney General Drummond feels that Governor Stitts position is incorrect. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Drummond argued he, as the states elected attorney general, has the authority to represent the state on legal issues, including this one. Stitt argued he, as the states elected governor, has authority to decide who represents the state, whether it be the attorney generals office or another law firm. They took it to the state supreme court to settle the issue. The court released its decision Wednesday. The court ruled that Stitt, as the governor, does have the ultimate authority to decide who represents the state on legal matters. Okla. AG Drummond reacts to passing of Laken Riley Act However, they also ruled the attorney generals office can still be involved in this case and even make arguments for the other side if Attorney General Drummond feels the states official position through the law firm Stitt chose is wrong. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This ruling was basically a split decision for the two parties, Blau said. It gave both Governor Stitt and Attorney General Drummond some of what each of them wanted. Long story short, in the end, the litigation can continue with each one of them advocating for their own position. With that said, the court did leave in one caveat for Stitt. There were several statements made by the justices that indicated they felt that there was a decent likelihood that the governor would not be successful in his quest to have these compacts approved by the federal government, Blau said. In response to the courts ruling, Drummonds spokesperson issued the following statement Wednesday: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Attorney General Drummond had argued he has statutory authority to advocate for the interests of the state, and we are pleased that the state Supreme Court today affirmed that stance. This lawsuit, which has squandered state resources over four-plus years, is the result of unlawful gaming compacts orchestrated by the Governor. Also in response to the ruling, Stitt issued the following statement Wednesday: Im pleased with the Courts common sense ruling which gives the Governor clear authority to defend Oklahomas interests in court. Im also optimistic that this ruling signals the Courts return to constitutional principles. Unfortunately, AG Drummond wasted a lot of time and taxpayer money trying to take control of litigation that was meant to protect Oklahomans. His power grab was rejected. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. CALLAWAY COUNTY, Mo. After pursuing more than 150 leads, the Mid-Missouri Major Case Squad is asking for the publics help in solving the investigation into the fatal shooting of a Fulton, Missouri, teenager. According to the Callaway County Sheriffs Office, the shooting happened on the evening of Jan. 19. Fulton police responded to a reported disabled vehicle at South Business 54 and Commons Drive just after 11:50 p.m. Police found the victim, Mason Sheets, shot to death inside the vehicle. Sheets was 17. A female juvenile who was at the scene was taken into custody. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Mike Matheny reflects on near-death experience and new life mission Police and county authorities then activated the Mid-Missouri Major Case Squad. Over the following days, investigators determined a separate vehicle associated with Sheets killing had been reported stolen on Jan. 13. Authorities obtained pictures of the vehicle from the owner to both help the investigation and get their car back. Courtesy: Mid-Missouri Major Case Squad Courtesy: Mid-Missouri Major Case Squad Courtesy: Mid-Missouri Major Case Squad The vehicle is a maroon Jeep 44 Sport with Missouri license plates ZHOS7H. Anyone with information on the shooting or the vehicles whereabouts is asked to contact Callaway County CrimeStoppers online or by phone at 573-592-2474. 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. Editors Note The story has been updated to reflect some of the figures related to funding of Interstate 66 accurately and to offer some clarifiying language. ARLINGTON, Va. (DC News Now)- Revenue from the I-66 toll system continues to climb year after year, as rising toll pricesdriven by congestion and high demandpush millions of dollars into Virginias transportation coffers. The Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) began tolling on I-66 inside of the Beltway during rush hour in 2018. The dynamic tolling system updates prices in six-minute intervals, factoring in timing, distance and demand, meaning tolls can vary greatly during rush hour as traffic congestion increases. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Rush hours are from 5:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. on eastbound lanes, and from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. on westbound lanes out of the district. In 2022, the tolls generated more than $22 million in revenue. In 2023, that rose to $34,391,000. By 2024, total yearly revenue rose to roughly $40 million. While daily trips have increased during those years, the growth is largely driven by increased daily revenue. In December 2021, the average daily revenue was about $59,568, and by November 2024, it had risen to $180,623. Mom, 1-year-old daughter found dead in DC apartment; police investigating Still, drivers tell DC News Now they avoid the roadway during tollable hours. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The traffic is so hectic on 95, 66. Im getting away from it. Its just not worth the money, one Northern Virginia driver told DC News Now. Its not worth spending 40, 50 dollars to, you know, drive 70 miles an hour and not have any traffic. Arlington driver Selma Hassan said that avoiding tolls is a factor for where she chooses to live. Thats crazy, she said of the toll prices. I wonder if its worth missing out on traffic. I dont know how much it could be worth for doing that every single day. In less than 30 minutes, tolls vary wildly. DC News Now analyzed 2024 toll fluctuations throughout rush hours. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For example, on October 17, the toll at the Fairfax Dr. entry was $19 at 8:34. Just 18 minutes later, it was $5.75. The average toll during the commute was less than $6. Though 8 a.m. to 9 a.m. is predictably the priciest time to travel in the eastbound lanes, drivers cant predict such a spike in pricing. A small fraction of tolls exceed $40, doing so for the first time in 2023, accounting for .04% of all trips. A portion of the funds are used for regional transit projects. In 2024, VDOT directed $10.8 million to Northern Virginia Commuter Choice and $10.8 million to the Virginia Passenger Rail Authority. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Since 2017, Commuter Choice has doled out $88 million to 66 transit projects, including bus and rail service improvements and improvements to park & ride lots. For some travelers, carpooling is the answer. Commuter Connections, which is a program offered by Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments, facilitates ride matching and brings together passengers and drivers with similar destinations. Workers who carpool through the program also may access the Guaranteed Ride Home program, which provides up to six free trips home per year, in the cases of emergency, personal illness, or required overtime hours. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Non-HOV Revenue_1221-1124Download Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) For the third day in a row this week, some schools are canceling classes due to strong winds and power outages. The following school districts will close on Thursday, Jan. 23: Mountain Empire Unified School District Warner Unified School District The safety of students and school staff is of the utmost importance to San Diego County school districts, SDCOE said. Fire crews respond to brush fire in Rancho Bernardo; evacuations lifted A Red Flag Warning that went into effect Monday for San Diego County mountains and valleys has been extended until 8 p.m. Thursday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On Wednesday, a fire broke out in the Rancho Bernardo area, causing evacuations that were eventually lifted. In northern Los Angeles County, a fire exploded to over 9,400 acres near Castaic, forcing tens of thousands of evacuations and impacting traffic on Interstate 5. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. FREDERICK, Md. (DC News Now) A 17-year-old high school student was arrested for stabbing another student at Tuscarora High School on Wednesday. Deputies with the Frederick County Sheriffs Office (FCSO) responded to the school around 1:15 p.m. School resource officers and staff had intervened in a fight between two students that broke out in the hallway. FCSO said that originally officials believed it was just an assault, and school administrators sent the suspect home. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Later on, officials learned that the suspect had slashed and stabbed the other student several times with a sharp object. 17-year-old student seriously injured in stabbing at Meade High School, police say The other student, a 16-year-old, was taken to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. FCSO deputies took the suspect into custody without incident at his home. He is facing charges of first-degree assault, second-degree assault, reckless endangerment, dangerous weapon on school property, disturbing school operations and fighting in a public space. He is being charged as an adult. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. FREDERICK COUNTY, Md. (DC News Now) A student was taken to the hospital after being assaulted at a Frederick County high school Wednesday afternoon, the sheriffs office said. The Frederick County Sheriffs Office (FCSO) said at about 1:15 p.m., a student was assaulted by a fellow student with a knife in the hallway at Tuscarora High School. Police identify 2 killed after truck drove off Arlington Memorial Bridge, into river Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement FCSO said they were still looking for the suspect, who fled after the altercation. The student hurt was taken to a hospital with 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 DC News Now | Washington, DC. Chaos unfolded at Antioch High School at 11:09 a.m. Wednesday as a 17-year-old male student armed with a pistol opened fire in the cafeteria, fatally wounding a 16-year-old girl and leaving another male student with a graze wound. The student then fatally shot himself, according to the Metro Nashville Police Department. The victim was identified by police as 16-year-old Josselin Corea Escalante. The suspect, 17-year-old Solomon Henderson, was an active student at the school and was found dead at the scene from a self-inflicted gunshot wound, according to MNPD. MNPD Chief John Drake said it was not clear if the shooting was targeted, or if there was a motive behind it. He said an investigation is underway into the shooting, including a variety of leads. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A fourth student was also transported to the hospital for minor facial injuries from a fall. Worried parents rushed to the school as news spread, jamming the exit near the school off Interstate 24 and running along Murfreesboro Pike as they desperately tried to navigate police blockades. By 1 p.m., more than 100 had gathered at the reunification site about a half mile from the school as buses full of students arrived. Metro Nashville Public Schools Director Adrienne Battle called it a "heartbreaking day" for Antioch High, MNPS and the greater Nashville community. "My heart goes out to these families as they face unimaginable loss," she said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Chante Frye said her daughter, a ninth grader, was in a classroom when she heard the gunshots. She texted her mom that the school was on lockdown. "It was terrifying," Frye said, as she stood across from the Ascension Saint Thomas Antioch hospital where reunification with students was about to occur. "But it's almost not surprising because it's getting worse with the fights and the violence at school." Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee said he had been briefed on the situation and expressed his gratitude for law enforcement, first responders and investigators. "As we await more information, I join Tennesseans in praying for the victims, their families and the school community," Lee said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Nashville Mayor Freddie O'Connell also spoke in the wake of the shooting. "The level of first response highlight once again how important our community collaboration is," he said during an afternoon news briefing. "We will continue to be focused on victims and their needs." Student: 'I didn't know what to do' Tinashae Smiths body trembled on the bus ride away from Antioch High School. Students talk to family members at the reunification center after a shooting at Antioch High School in Antioch, Tenn., Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2025. Hours earlier, Smith, a ninth-grade student at the school was in class when she saw people running down the halls. She told her teacher, who tried to call school administration, but Tinashae said no one answered. When another student checked their phone and said there was a shooting, she didn't want to believe it. But then her sister, a 2021 graduate of the school, texted her and said the same thing. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement After an intercom announcement, Tinashae's class quickly hid under their desks and blocked the door with tables, desks and chairs. "I was confused," she said. "I didn't know what to do. I was scared. Everything was just so bad." At about 2 p.m. she met her sister at the reunification site. "I would never want to experience this ever again in my lifetime, Tinashae said. Dasia Pleitez wipes away tears as she waits to reunite with her daughter after the shooting at Antioch High School in Antioch, Tenn., Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2025. Sophomore Sophia Avendano was in the cafeteria when the shooting happened. She tried to call her mother, but the screaming around her was so loud they were forced to hang up and text instead. Outside, her brother David was running laps as part of his Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement At some point, Sophia ran out of the cafeteria into the chaos, making phone calls to her parents with updates when she could. Battle, the MNPS director, said multiple safety measures are in place at Antioch High, including school resource officers, a secured vestibule at the entrance and cameras with weapon-detection software. She thanked the school staff who responded quickly in the aftermath of the shooting. "Their actions were heroic on a dark day for our school community," she said. Echoes of shootings at Covenant, Waffle House, Burnette Chapel The shooting jarred the Nashville community on a cold, clear morning nearly two years after three 9-year-old students and three adult staff members were killed in a shooting at The Covenant School in Nashville. The shooter was later killed by police. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It's not the first time a shooting has rocked this particular cross-section of Antioch. Four people were killed and several were wounded by in a mass shooting at a Waffle House along Murfreesboro Pike in 2018. In 2017, one person was killed and six were injured in a mass shooting at Burnette Chapel Church of Christ along Pin Hook Road. Both locations are roughly one mile from Antioch High. Voices for a Safer Tennessee, a nonprofit formed in the fallout of the Covenant School shooting, has advocated for gun reform in Tennessee. Despite a special legislative session on gun control and mental health held in August 2023, Tennessee lawmakers have not passed any meaningful gun reform. "Voices for a Safer Tennessee is devastated to learn about the shooting inside the Antioch High School cafeteria today," part of a statement by the organization released Thursday read. "Our hearts break for the students, families and staff impacted by this tragedy. Schools should be safe spaces where children can learn and grow without fear of violence. We also stand alongside the families of victims and survivors of mass shootings who are continually retraumatized when news of yet another shooting breaks." This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Antioch High School shooting: Nashville students describe chaos MADISON, Miss. (WJTV) A Sumner man pled guilty to one count of trafficking stolen firearms in Madison County. Madison and Rankin Counties District Attorney Bubba Bramlett said Kyler Seamster, 29, was sentenced to serve 15 years in the custody of the Mississippi Department of Corrections (MDOC). According to Bramlett, Seamster is a non-violent habitual offender which requires him to serve the 15 years day for day without the possibility of parole. Three Natchez men charged after chase in Louisiana Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On April 13, 2024, Gluckstadt police stopped a car for improper equipment. During the traffic stop, officers discovered that the car was also involved in recent auto burglaries in the Bear Creek subdivision. Police said they saw marijuana roaches in the ashtray and smelled marijuana coming from Seamster and the car. They searched the vehicle and discovered three firearms, which had been reported as stolen. Police said they also found the clothing and a backpack that could bee seen on neighborhood surveillance tapes. Kyler Seamster (Courtesy: Madison Co. District Attorneys Office) Bramlett said Seamster had previously been convicted of house burglary and grand larceny, which made him a habitual offender and ineligible for parole. Close Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 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. On Tuesday, the sun rose in Utqiagvik, Alaska, for the first time since Novemberbut only for a whopping 48 minutes before it set again. The sun appeared around 1:15 p.m. and disappeared just after 2 p.m. However, the days will gradually get longer as we move through the coming months, with full daylight returning on May 11, 2025. This marks the beginning of the polar day, a period when the sun never sets. In Utqiagvik, the polar day lasts about 84 days, during which time the sun remains above the horizon 24 hours a day. (For even more granular weather data tracking in your area, view your 15-minute details forecast in our Premium Pro experience.) Polar Days vs. Polar Nights Polar days and polar nights occur in locations within the Arctic and Antarctic Circles. A polar day is when the sun does not set and stays above the horizon for an extended period, while a polar night is when the sun never rises above the horizon. These phenomena are a result of Earth's tilt on its axis. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When the North Pole tilts away from the sun, the region experiences a polar night, and when the North Pole tilts toward the sun, it experiences a polar day. The duration of the polar night varies based on how close the location is to the North Polethe farther north, the longer the duration. For example, northern Norway and extreme northern Canada experienced total darkness for nearly three months. Utqiagvik experiences a twilight period during the polar night (meaning there is enough light to see), where the sun is just below the horizon. It's like having a sunrise and sunset that lasts several hours, which can be incredibly beautiful and peaceful. During the polar day, the sun doesn't remain directly overhead throughout the day. The brightness fluctuates depending on the sun's angle, but it never fully sets during the entire polar day period. Despite its small population of under 5,000 residents, Utqiagvik celebrates the return of the sun in a big way. The towns schoolchildren and college students mark the occasion with a traditional Welcome Back the Sun dance, a centuries-old celebration of the return of daylight. Jennifer Gray is a weather and climate writer for weather.com. She has been covering some of the world's biggest weather and climate stories for the last two decades. The Supreme Court on Thursday agreed to reinstate a federal anti-money laundering law at the federal governments request as a legal challenge proceeds in a lower court. The courts emergency stay halts, for now, a federal judges injunction that blocked the Corporate Transparency Act (CTA), which would require millions of business entities to disclose personal information about their owners. Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson dissented. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Biden-era Justice Department asked the high court late last month to intervene, and the court issued its ruling just three days after President Trumps inauguration. Trumps Justice Department did not withdraw the application, but during his first White House term, Trump had opposed the new law. Passed as part of the annual defense bill in early 2021, the CTA would require millions of small business owners to turn over personal information, like dates of birth and addresses, to the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network, which seeks to combat money laundering and other crimes. The dispute has attracted significant attention from business and anti-regulatory interests, which have looked to stave off the impending deadline. The case will now return to the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, which will weigh the Justice Departments defense of the law as a valid exercise of Congresss constitutional authority over interstate commerce. In the meantime, the justices order paves the way for officials to implement the disclosure requirement, which had been set to go into effect this month. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Jackson, former President Bidens sole appointee to the court, was the only justice to publicly dissent, saying the government hadnt shown sufficient exigency and noting the 5th Circuit was hearing the governments appeal on an expedited schedule. The Government deferred implementation on its own accordsetting an enforcement date of nearly four years after Congress enacted the lawdespite the fact that the harms it now says warrant our involvement were likely to occur during that period, Jackson wrote. The Government has provided no indication that injury of a more serious or significant nature would result if the Acts implementation is further delayed while the litigation proceeds in the lower courts. I would therefore deny the application and permit the appellate process to run its course, she continued. The Justice Department insisted that putting the deadline on ice would cause irreparable harm. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It prevents the government from executing a duly enacted Act of Congress, impedes efforts to prevent financial crime and protect national security, undermines the United States ability to press other countries to improve their own anti-money laundering regimes, and severely disrupts the ongoing implementation of the Act, former Solicitor General Elizabeth Prelogar wrote in the governments Supreme Court application. The Supreme Court declined an alternative suggestion from Prelogar to convert the case to the justices normal docket to weigh in more broadly on federal district judges authority to block laws nationwide. Universal injunctions have emerged as an increasingly common trend to erode laws and regulations implemented by both Democratic and Republican presidents, and taking up the issue wouldve posed major implications for legal challenges to future administrations. Justice Neil Gorsuch, Trumps first appointee who has previously cast concern about such injunctions, said he wouldve entertained the issue. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I agree with the Court that the government is entitled to a stay of the district courts universal injunction. I would, however, go a step further and, as the government suggests, take this case now to resolve definitively the question whether a district court may issue universal injunctive relief, Gorsuch wrote in a brief, written concurrence. The case at hand arose when a firearms dealer, a dairy farm, an information technology company, one of its owners, the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) and the Libertarian Party of Mississippi, challenged the Corporate Transparency Act as exceeding Congresss authority. The governments emergency request came after a series of whiplash rulings at the conservative-leaning 5th Circuit, which eventually kept in place a federal district judges ruling blocking the new law until the governments full appeal is resolved. In their filings with the Supreme Court, the plaintiffs emphasized the political backdrop of Trump taking office. During his final days in the White House, Trump vetoed the defense bill containing the new corporate disclosure requirement, spurring the only time Congress overrode one of his vetoes. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A more likely explanation for its newfound urgency is that the incoming administration might delay the deadline, which would be feasible only if it hasnt yet passed. Thus, the charge to bring the mandate into force, the plaintiffs attorneys wrote. Once existing companies have been forced to disclose their beneficial owners, the bell cannot be unrung. The Biden administrations emergency application also received significant outside opposition from business groups like the National Small Business Association, the National Association of Wholesaler-Distributors and the National Retail Federation. More than a dozen Republican members of Congress similarly mounted opposition, as did Advancing American Freedom, a conservative political advocacy group founded by former Vice President Mike Pence. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Make no mistake: this stay application constitutes an aggressive play for vast power over American small businesses (and others), 25 Republican state attorneys general wrote in a friend-of-the-court brief. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. Earlier this week, yet another surfer in Western Australia had a brush with a shark. This time, it was at Cheynes Beach, about 245 clicks away from Margaret River, and the shark involved was a three-meter (9.8-foot) bronze whaler. Dale Kittow, 37, was the surfer and hes lucky to be alive. Following the encounter, attack, brawl, what-have-you, Kittow spoke with 9News: Kittow paddled over a wave, then he saw the shark. It started circling him, then charged. From there, heres how Kittow explained what went down: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I jumped off the back of my board and put it in between me and the shark. The shark bit into the board, we got tangled in my leg rope, went under and got dragged for a bit. I hit it a few times. Kittow added: "I'm just lucky, mate. I was pretty rattled at the time but all good now." Others have not been so lucky at Cheynes Beach in the past. Back in 2014, 17-year-old Jay Muscat was attacked by what was believed to be a great white shark while spearfishing at the Western Australia spot. The shark got him on the leg, and the injuries turned out to be fatal. Related: Search for Missing Surfer: Lances Bodys Inside the Shark And more recently, over in South Australia, 28-year-old Lance Appleby died while surfing from a tragic great white shark attack. Rescue crews searched for Applebys body, but he was never found. After the search, family and friend honored Appleby as, forever young, forever surfing, forever loved. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Over on the east coast of Australia, shark deterrence specifically shark nets have recently been criticized and removed. In their place, other programs have been championed such as drone surveillance to monitor sharks, alert officials when one is spotted, and get people out of the water. While an eye in the sky cant be everything everywhere all at once, these technologies are continuing to be the preferred mode of shark deterrence worldwide. Expect to see more of em in the future. Related: Shark Nets Completely Ineffective in Preventing Attacks A survivor of the Hamas-led attack on the Nova music festival on October 7, 2023, is to represent Israel at this year's Eurovision Song Contest. The 24-year-old Yuval Raphael beat other candidates in the final of the television show "The Next Star" on Wednesday evening, securing her spot in the international contest. Israeli media reported that Raphael survived the October 7 attack by hiding in a shelter for hours under bodies. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement She said she expects to be booed at during her appearance at the song competition in the Swiss city of Basel in May but she still wants to tell her story. In 2024, critics called for Israel to be excluded from the Eurovision Song Contest because of the military's actions in the Gaza war. The organizers allowed Israel to compete, but the country's contestant, Eden Golan, was met with fierce hostility and booing during her performance in the Swedish city of Malmo. Despite this, Golan finished in fifth place, and in second place in the audience vote. According to Israeli media reports, Raphael is new to the music industry. Her song for the contest is to be selected next month. BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WIAT) Damien McDaniel, the 22-year-old man allegedly responsible for up to 11 of Birminghams homicides, including two mass shooting over the summer, has pleaded not guilty to the charges against him. Jefferson County Deputy District Attorney Shawn Allen says McDaniel pleaded not guilty to four capital murder charges and one intentional murder charge he is facing. Montevallo man arrested on manslaughter charges Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement McDaniel has also been charged with three attempted murders and 27 assault charges. His appointed attorney, John Robbins, entered an arraignment waiver on those charges. Allen says Robbins asked for a status hearing Wednesday morning, which will be the next time McDaniel appears in court. A date for that hearing has not yet been set. According to Allen, McDaniel will have multiple court appearances before a trial date is set. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. A suspect has been arrested for slashing a woman with a machete inside a New Jersey apartment building, officials announced. Josue Corea is facing counts of attempted murder, aggravated assault, weapons offenses and resisting arrest in connection with the attack in Bergen County, the Bergen County Prosecutors Office said in a press release late Wednesday. The violence unfolded Tuesday morning at an apartment building on Day Ave. in Fairview. When officers arrived on the scene around 10:10 a.m., they discovered a 49-year-old woman suffering from a large gash to the head. She was transported to Hackensack University Medical Center, where she remained hospitalized in stable condition as of Thursday morning. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Detectives with the Bergen County Prosecutors Office Major Crimes Unit were alerted to the attack and a joint investigation was subsequently launched with the Fairview Police Department. It revealed that Corea, a resident in the apartment building, approached the woman near a common area stairwell and then struck her in the head with a machete. Corea then attempted to strike the victim several more times before ultimately fleeing the scene, according the prosecutors office. Some 45 minutes later, the suspect was spotted traveling along River Road in Edgewater. He was then taken into custody by the Cliffside Park Police Department, prosecutors said. Corea was being held at the Bergen County Jail pending his initial court appearance. Authorities did not say whether he knew the victim and his motive is still unknown. ABILENE, Texas (KTAB/KRBC) A suspect accused of shooting and killing a man at a homeless encampment in Abilene who says he was acting in self-defense has been indicted. Jaylen Shafer was indicted on one count of Murder by a Taylor County Grand Jury Thursday in connection to the death of David Anthony Vasquez, who was shot and killed in October 2024. Court documents state Shafer claims he shot Vasquez in a culvert area overnight outside a convenience store on the 4800 block of S 14th Street because Vasquez was behaving aggressively. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Documents: Suspect says he killed man at homeless camp in Abilene out of self defense The documents reveal Shafer says Vasquez had come to a homeless encampment in that area looking for drugs then allegedly began talking about being a gang member and telling Shafer that he had a knife and that he was going to kill him and break his knees. Shafer says he pulled out one gun and fired twice when Vasquez came at him in a threatening manner, according to the documents, which state Shafer also reported he shot with a second gun because Vasquez was still being aggressive. The first gun was recovered behind the gas station where Shafer was arrested, and the second gun was recovered from a friends house, and the documents state this friend told police that Shafer says he shot a man because the man wanted his campsite and was being aggressive and would not back up. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Shafer remains held in the Taylor County Jail 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 KTAB - BigCountryHomepage.com. SALT LAKE CITY (ABC4) The suspected gunman in a 2020 shooting at the Missionary Training Center (MTC) in Provo, Utah, has been identified and is facing charges after more than four years, according to court documents. Dallin William Litster, 26, is being charged with attempted murder, a first-degree felony; aggravated assault, a third-degree felony; and criminal mischief, a class A misdemeanor, according to an indictment filed on Tuesday, Jan. 22. Man arrested at Utah nursing home decades after Hawaii murder Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The shooting occurred around 2:30 a.m. on or about Aug. 3, 2020. A guard was sitting in a security booth at the MTC when documents say a light colored car pulled up. A man got out of the vehicle and fired nine rounds into the security booth, with several bullets hitting the desk where the guard was sitting. The security guard in the booth had to jump to the ground to keep from getting shot and was injured by broken glass. The bullets broke the windows, damaged the blinds of the booth, and caused more than $1,400 in damage. Statements from several relatives of Litster said he drove a light colored or off-white car while living in Provo. Officials with the Provo Police Department later found a vehicle with Idaho license plates that was registered to Litsters father from September 2016 until September 2023. Officers reviewed surveillance footage from the incident and determined the vehicle appeared to have Idaho license plates and matched the description of Litsters vehicle. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Documents said there were no suspects in the case until the end of May 2024 when Litster spontaneously told an officer about the incident while being taken to jail. Litster was being transported by the Twin Falls County Sheriffs Office when he told the officer he had shot up a booth near the Missionary Training Center in Provo, Utah, during covid, according to documents. Litster said the booth was empty when he shot it, and it was just vandalism. Officials determined Litster was enrolled at Utah Valley University in the neighboring city of Orem, Utah, at the time of the incident. Several of Litsters roommates told police the suspect had issues with missionaries and the [LDS] church before he moved out in August 2020. Litster left Utah and moved to Georgia and then Idaho, which officials said tolled the statute of limitations. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Officials are seeking a no bail arrest warrant from the court. Litster is currently being held in jail in Idaho, according to documents filed on Jan. 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 ABC4 Utah. (FOX40.COM) A body suspected to be the victim of two serial killers has been identified after it was first discovered nearly forty years ago, the Calaveras County Sheriffs Office said. According to the sheriffs office, DNA evidence linked a body discovered in June of 1985 belonged to Reginald Reggie Frisby. Frisby was born in 1956 in New York and had lived in San Francisco, the sheriffs office said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Frisbys body was at a crime scene associated with what came to be known as the Wilseyville Serial Killings, committed by Leonard Lake and Charles Ng. In 2022 Calaveras Cold Case Task Force reexamined the remains and turned a portion of them over to the California Department of Justice which was able to produce a DNA profile. Calaveras County officials seek help during National Cold Case Month However, that profile turned up no matches when compared against a DNA database maintained by the FBI. In 2024, the remains were turned over to a private laboratory in Utah, Intermountain Forensics, which was able to produce a DNA profile that could compared to public genealogy databases, which resulted in a match with a potential relative. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Investigators interviewed family members and learned they had not been in contact with Frisby since 1984. San Francisco law enforcement was able to place Frisby in the city that same year. He had not been reported as missing, the sheriffs office said. According to the sheriffs office, a comparison of the DNA profile obtained from the remains against a sample from Frisbys mother combined with the facts discovered by investigators confirmed the body to be Frisby. The sheriffs office said that while the circumstances around his death are still under investigation, it believes Frisby was the victim of homicide. 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 FOX40 News. A death investigation is underway in northwest Georgia after a man was found dead. [DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] Around 8:15 a.m. on Thursday, Whitfield County deputies were called to 3089 N Dug Gap Rd. The address appears to be the Dalton location for Gerber Collision and Glass. Deputies said they found a man dead behind the building. The victim was identified as Lamar Frazier. TRENDING STORIES: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Whitfield County officials said, there is no indication there is a danger to the public. The incident is currently being investigated as a suspicious death. The investigation is ongoing. [SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter] Sweden is urging Britain to club together with Northern European neighbours to purchase a fleet of mini-nuclear power plants. Ebba Busch, the Swedish deputy prime minister, said her country wanted to band together with allies to jointly order at least 10 to 15 small modular reactors (SMRs) in a bid to cut costs and share expertise. Speaking at the World Economic Forum in Davos, she told The Telegraph she had invited British representatives to join the effort at a conference in Paris last September. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The bulk order would aim to reduce the cost per reactor by sharing supply chains, standards and skills across the group of nations, with workers gaining efficiencies through repeat builds. Ms Busch said: This is something that Im pitching because I think Western countries need to play together if we are to compete with China, which is going super fast [on nuclear] with a completely different set of rules compared to Europe. Im trawling and Im trying to see where there might be interest, and the UK would be a great partner. They have heard my pitch ... and I look forward to visiting the UK, hopefully this year, and talking more about it. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On Wednesday, a spokesman for the Government refused to say whether the UK was open to the idea but said: We have regular conversations with key European partners about how we best work together to support nuclear deployment. SMRs are seen as a potential breakthrough in nuclear power because they would be made predominantly in factories and then assembled on site, cutting building times from around a decade to a few years. Costs would also be markedly reduced. However, the nascent technology remains commercially unproven, with a string of European countries and the US all currently pursuing their own individual competitions to fund the first examples of the technology. The UKs design competition is in its final stages, with Rolls-Royce, Holtec International, GE-Hitachi and Westinghouse battling to secure funding to build demonstrator reactors. Holtecs designs for an SMR are just one of four sets of plans the Government has to choose from Following a string of delays, Great British Nuclear the quango in charge of the SMR programme is expected to confirm the winners around the same time that the Government completes its latest spending review. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Some industry insiders fear that tight public finances could lead to the programmes scope being cut down. Cooperating with other European countries could help reduce the cost to the UK. In Davos, Ms Busch told a panel event: In a perfect world, I would go hand in hand with my friends around the Baltic Sea and we would buy 10 to 15 SMRs together at the same time. Then we would roll out a full programme on how to collaborate with universities, make sure we have the skills, the people, build the first one and then accumulate that knowledge so we can build the next one and so forth. She predicted that many European countries would soon follow the example of Sweden, which was until recently phasing out nuclear plants but has enthusiastically backed them since the Ukraine war prompted a rethink of continental energy supplies. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Wind and solar farms alone were not enough to provide energy security, Ms Busch told the panel. She said: We have, in Sweden, the most installed renewables of all countries in Europe apart from Denmark. I love wind power, but its intermittent. It comes and goes. Its asynchronous power production, which operates completely differently in the system. And there is no political willpower in the world, no matter how good I am at giving grand speeches, that can override the basic rules of physics. A lot of the money globally has gone into supporting intermittent power production, which means business cases where you have electricity production that operates completely differently in the system. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I think this is also a reason why we will see money return to baseload [power], no matter whether that is nuclear or hydro or something else. A UK government spokesman said: New nuclear power stations, including small modular reactors, will play an important role in helping the UK achieve energy security and clean power while securing thousands of good, skilled jobs. Thanks to decisive action, there are four companies shortlisted in Great British Nuclears SMR competition, and as confirmed in the Budget, contract negotiations are under way. 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. Police in Syracuse, New York, handcuffed an 11-year-old girl for 7 minutes earlier this month after they mistook her for the suspect in a car theft. Video of the incident, which shows the girl sobbing on a snow-covered street, caused considerable public outcry and led the Onondaga County Sheriff's Office to announce changes to their policy around detaining minors. The girl, who has not been publicly identified, was walking home from school with a group of friends when she was approached by police, according to Syracuse.com. A car theft had been reported nearby, and the girl was wearing a very similar outfit to the suspecta pink coat and camouflage pants. "Girl, you're going to tell me this ain't you?" one officer said to the girl in footage of the incident taken by another child. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "I don't even have the same shoes or nothing," the girl said before pointing out that the suspect had a lighter skin tone than her. A brief back-and-forth followed, with the officers insisting that the handcuffed 11-year-old was the culprit, and the girl and her friends pointing out clear physical differences between the two. After one of the officers appeared to speak with someone over the phone, he admitted that the girl wasn't the suspect, and she was unhandcuffed and released. Soon after the footage was released, the sheriff's office announced that it would change how it handles future incidents involving minors. "The Sheriff agrees that moving forward, it will be OCSO policy to notify a parent or guardian of any juvenile who is detained for criminal investigative purposes, no matter how brief the encounter is." However, the sheriff's office stood by the officer's decision to detain the girl. "In reviewing the incident, the detainment of the juvenile was lawful and reasonable, given the juvenile's proximity and clothing description." While the girl in this case did quite closely match the suspect's initial written description, the department's apparent philosophyhandcuff minors and ask questions laterleads to unsettling footage like this. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Still, the office defended its practice of immediately detaining suspects, no matter how young they appear to be. "Detainees are usually handcuffed initially. Detainees may become uncooperative, may decide to flee, or may decide to fight," reads the press release. "Handcuffing from the start usually prevents a controlled situation from devolving into an uncontrolled situation; ultimately preventing altercations, force, and potential for injury." The girl's mother disagrees that handcuffing children like her daughter was appropriate. "She no longer wants to walk to and from school anymore. That was the only freedom she had, and it's now gone," the girl's mother told a CBS6 Albany. "I can't make sense of it. I couldn't even finish watching the video. 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 post Syracuse Police Handcuffed an 11-Year-Old After Wrongly Accusing Her of Stealing a Car appeared first on Reason.com. The local rebel commander hands over a thin plastic shopping bag so full of live grenades it seems likely to split under the weight. On the table in front of him lie two pistols, one with tape wrapped around the handgrip, while on the windowsill, arranged alongside walkie-talkies and a Koran, stands an array of exploding bullets. Omar Swaid, 30, shrugs and lights a cigarette, as if such a sight is too commonplace these days to merit much conversation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement These are deposed president Bashar al-Assads weapons, remnants of the old regime that Omar and his fellow Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) rebels have collected in recent days. Security commander Omar Swaid at a checkpoint with some of his men - Heathcliff O'Malley for the Telegraph When Assad fell, some of his people held on to them, but many others abandoned them in the streets for others to pick up, he says. But it is not just the weapons for which Omar and his people are looking. Assads henchmen are also targets as young rebels purge the country of its recent past. Those on the wanted list are by and large removed from their homes or taken off the streets and thrown in jail. Others are less fortunate, like the man who was tied to a tree near Damascus earlier this month and shot in the head in front of a jeering crowd by fighters reportedly linked to HTS. A member of HTS security in the home of a former regime colonel - Heathcliff O'Malley for the Telegraph In recent days, The Telegraph has visited the aftermaths of several of these sweeps in an effort to understand who HTS really are, and to gauge their efforts to bring security to the country and some form of justice for victims of the regime. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement One particular challenge has been tackling the Qudsaya part of Damascus, given that it comprises the Presidential Guards Neighbourhood, a hilltop area of relatively affluent accommodation given out to senior military figures. In the heart of the neighbourhood, The Telegraph witnessed a colonel in Assads 30th division ashen-faced as two HTS fighters evicted him from the grace-and-favour property he has lived in with his wife and two children for five years. HTS security in the small town of Al Zabadani, which was besieged during the Syrian civil war - Heathcliff O'Malley for the Telegraph An Alawite, the same minority Shia sect as Assad, he stands out by the newness and quality of his designer jeans and trainers, the smart laptop case in his hand. I think its unfair, he said, trying his best to keep his voice from the two armed men watching nearby. I was born under a president called Assad and I went to military university and joined the army. But as far as I was concerned it was Syrias army, not Bashar al-Assads. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Although evidently scared, and soon to be homeless, the colonel is arguably lucky. Any more senior and he would likely be among the estimated 9,000 former military and regime figures arrested since HTSs rise to power, some of whom are now being released on various conditions. HTS is conducting sweep searches for weapons and providing some form of security in Al Zabadani - Heathcliff O'Malley for the Telegraph Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Outside the apartment block, the panicked end of a 53-year dynasty are obvious from the items of military clothing, including a three-star generals epaulette, surrounding the scorch marks of a hasty bonfire. Also evident in the form of a smashed up bronze statue of Hafez al-Assad, Bashirs father, is the jubilation of the liberated people of the main town, for whom venturing up the hill into this elite neighbourhood could have previously amounted to a death sentence. However, it is a measure of how serious HTS appears to be in its desire to move the country forward that figures like the colonel have not been shot out of hand. After all, Swaid has every motivation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement My brother was a lawyer but he was arrested by the regime, he said. He went into prison a man and came out half a man. They killed my uncle, too. Omar Swaid, local commander of security, with confiscated ammunition and weapons - Heathcliff O'Malley for the Telegraph In Madaya, a famous smuggling town in the mountains near the Lebanese border, residents described a well-organised recent security sweep, where HTS seemed to know what they were looking for. They came with many pick-up trucks and many men and cordoned off the area, said Tarek Dabool in the local shoe shop. They already knew which people had guns, so they didnt have to knock on every door. Just the houses that were suspicious. Mohammed Ezaldeen, who owns a nearby handbag shop, agreed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Most people gave their weapons up straight away, he said. They were polite, but if someone resisted it could be harsher. It was respectful. Certainly the HTS fighters interviewed by The Telegraph Swaid, plus several others who preferred not to be named did not give the impression of being power-happy, but rather imbued with a sense of mission and responsibility to the local community. Indeed, many stationed at checkpoints in the past week said they had grown up nearby. This perhaps explains why the group appears to have such good local intelligence, enabling less heavy-handed searches. Were responsible for helping people stopping robberies and keeping people safe, said the leader of a small mobile checkpoint in the nearby former prosperous town of Zabadani, which was almost totally destroyed in a brutal siege by Assads forces. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Sporting a large-handled knife in his tactical vest to complement his Kalashnikov, he adds: The bad people have run away. If they were here, we would have arrested them. Security here is good. Despite the evident goodwill for the countrys new interim rulers among much of the population particularly, it must be acknowledged, in Sunni-majority areas these remain violent times. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a London-based humanitarian NGO, reports a daily stream of murders. These appear to be a mixture of reprisals against regime figures or its supporters, sectarian killings, and opportunistic local crimes made possible by the relative security vacuum and the ready availability of guns. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Among the murders are those carried out by gunmen who appear linked to HTS, such as in the case of Mazen Kneneh, the regime super-loyalist who was tied to a tree near Damascus last week and shot in the head. Officially, however, HTS backs reconciliation with all but those regime commanders with obvious blood on their hands. There is evident goodwill for the countrys new interim rulers among much of the population - Heathcliff O'Malley for the Telegraph In major towns across the country, long queues are visible comprising former regime security members waiting to hand in their papers in return for amnesty. Syrias west, the coastal region from which Assad and so many of his Alawite supporters hailed, presents a dual challenge for HTS. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement First, they must secure the area, ridding it of weapons to prevent attacks by recalcitrant regime members a task much easier said than done. But they must also show they are serious about protecting Alawite civilians from sectarian attack. While the groups security force did recently cordon off a protest in Al-Salibiya and arrest some participants who were jeering sectarian slogans at the Alawite community, several videos have emerged appearing to show Alawites being humiliated and mistreated. Madaya is a famous smuggling town in the mountains near the Lebanese border - Heathcliff O'Malley for the Telegraph Meanwhile, a prominent Alawite cleric, Sheikh Saleh Mansour, was reported missing after he criticised the presence of foreign fighters, such as Chechens and Uzbeks, in the region, and indeed called upon international bodies to protect his community from sectarian attack. Ironically, he had only just been credited with negotiating the release of several HTS members who had been kidnapped by armed men during a security operation in the Jabaleh countryside. Adding to the groups challenges appears to be the early signs of malign intent by Islamic State, which still exists in some force in the southern and eastern desert. HTSs security force claimed that it had foiled a huge car bomb attack by the group on the sensitive Shia shrine of Sayeda Zeinab, near Damascus, an attempt, some commentators said, to spark the kind of sectarian bloodshed seen during the Iraq insurgency. They are also facing a persistent online war of misinformation from Iran and Russia, designed to inflame tensions, willing the former insurgent group who humiliated them out of a clear blue sky to fail. 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. Syrias interim Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani said Wednesday the new government will continue to work for the inclusion of all population groups. "No one should be punished because of their origin, social or religious background, or affiliation with certain groups," Al-Shaibani said a discussion with former British prime minister Tony Blair at the World Economic Forum in Davos. The foreign minister called for economic sanctions on Syria to be removed and stressed that this "is key for the stability of Syria." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The sanctions were imposed for the benefit of Syrians, but are now "against the Syrian people," al-Shaibani asserted. Syria's de facto leader, Ahmed al-Sharaa, spearheaded the surprise rebel advance that toppled Bashar al-Assad's regime in December 2024, prompting the former president to flee to Moscow after more than two decades in power. The foreign minister emphasized that Syria and its people are now free. Speaking on the role of women, Al-Shaibani noted that women are a decisive factor in building the new Syria. He stressed that Syrian women should be part of the countrys future. Leadership roles in the transitional government have already been filled by women, including the appointment of Maisaa Sabrine as the Director of the Central Bank. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He added that they inherited a collapsed state from the al-Assad regime, and there was no economic system in the country. "The economy in the future will be open," he added. The 55th World Economic Forum, which is taking place this week in the Swiss Alpine resort of Davos, brings together a large number of world leaders, chief executives of major companies and powerful non-governmental organizations. DAMASCUS (Reuters) - Syria's central bank has ordered commercial banks to freeze all accounts tied to people and companies linked to the ousted regime of former President Bashar al-Assad, according to a document seen by Reuters and people familiar with the decision. The circular, issued on Thursday, calls on banks to "freeze all bank accounts of companies and individuals linked to the defunct regime," and to inform the central bank of the details of all accounts frozen within three working days. It specifically calls on banks to freeze accounts belonging to the Katerji Group, known for its involvement in the Syrian oil trade. The group was run by brothers Baraa and Hussam Katerji. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Baraa Katerji was killed in a suspected Israeli strike in Syria near the Lebanese border in July. Israel did not comment on the strike. Hussam Katerji and his businesses are under U.S. sanctions, including for "facilitating petroleum shipments and financing to the Syrian Regime," according to the U.S. Treasury website. Reuters could not reach Hussam Katerji for comment. The Katerjis were part of a small circle of businessmen close to the Assad family who rose to prominence during the Syrian civil war, which began in 2011 after Assad's government cracked down on popular protests. Assad was ousted by Islamist rebels on Dec. 8. They have since put in place an interim government and are making efforts to trace financial flows linked to his regime. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement One banker, who spoke on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the matter, said the central bank circular could not easily be implemented given that many regime-linked businessmen set up accounts in the names of other people, or used front companies. The new Syrian administration had already implemented a general freeze on bank accounts after taking power but individuals were able to challenge the decisions and withdraw or transfer some funds. The new measures are intended to be more stringent and targeted and help authorities gather information on regime-linked finances, said a Syrian official familiar with the matter. (Reporting by Riham Alkoussa and Timour Azhari Editing by Rod Nickel) By Amina Ismail and Khalil Ashawi DAMASCUS (Reuters) - Syria's new authorities are using Islamic teachings to train a fledgling police force, a move officers say aims to instil a sense of morality as they race to fill a security vacuum after dismantling ousted president Bashar al-Assad's notoriously corrupt and brutal security forces. Police they brought into Damascus from their former rebel enclave in the northwestern region of Idlib are asking applicants about their beliefs and focusing on Islamic sharia law in the brief training they offer recruits, according to five senior officers and application forms seen by Reuters. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ensuring stability and winning the trust of people across Syria will be crucial for the Sunni Muslim Islamists to cement their rule. But the move to put religion at the centre of policing risks seeding new rifts in a diverse country awash with guns after 13 years of civil war and alienating foreign governments they have been trying to woo, regional analysts warn. "There are many Syrians who will find this concerning," said Aron Lund, a fellow at Century International, a Middle East-focused think tank, when asked about Reuters' findings. "Not just minorities - Christians, Alawites, Druze - but also quite a lot of Sunni Muslims in places like Damascus and Aleppo, where you have a fairly large secular, cosmopolitan population that's not interested in religious law." The religious foundations of the police training are also making Western governments wonder how big a role Islam might play in Syria's constitution, which the former rebel faction now in power plans to revise, said one diplomat, who was not authorized to speak publicly on the matter. "It's not a good sign, but it also depends on how strictly it will be implemented," the diplomat told Reuters. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Syria's de facto leader, Ahmed al-Sharaa, has sought to reassure Western officials and Middle Eastern governments worried about their own Islamist movements that his faction has renounced its former ties to al Qaeda and will rule with moderation, including protecting minorities. The group, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), has a track record of pragmatism, backing away from enforcing some strict interpretations of Islamic law in areas it controlled during the war. Syria's Interior Ministry, which oversees police, and Information Ministry did not respond to questions about the focus on religion in police recruitment and training, or whether there are plans to incorporate Islamic law into the legal code. The senior police officers interviewed by Reuters said the intention was not to impose it on the general population but rather to teach recruits ethical behaviour. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hamza Abu Abdel Rahman, who helped set up the group's police academy in Idlib before transferring to Damascus, said an understanding of religious matters, "what is permissible and what is not", is crucial for recruits to "act justly". POLICE DISBANDED Assad's myriad security forces were widely feared for tyrannical and predatory behaviour, ranging from arrests of dissidents who ended up tortured or killed to demanding bribes to resolve minor infractions. The extent of public anger against them was evident in the days after Assad was toppled on Dec. 8. Most of the capital's police stations were ransacked by looters, with equipment and records pillaged or destroyed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Police said half of the roughly 20 stations have since reopened, but they are each staffed by around 10 officers, mostly brought in from Idlib, instead of their previous complement of 100-150 officers. At three stations visited by Reuters in late December, a handful of exhausted officers was trying to deal with a welter of issues, from complaints of rampant crime to a garbage collector who brought in two bags of hand grenades he found on the street. When the rebels seized power, they announced they were disbanding Assad's Interior Ministry and security forces, including the police. More than 200,000 people have registered to join a new police service they are establishing, said Hesham Hilal, who is leading courses for recruits at a police academy in Damascus. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Police who defected to the rebel side before Assad's fall are welcome to apply for the new force, the senior officers told Reuters. Those who did not have been asked to complete a "reconciliation" process, including signing a document accepting the change of regime and handing in their gun. It is not yet clear whether any will be allowed to join the new force. Seven officers who manage police stations or are involved in recruitment said they needed more members and welcomed applications from people of any faith. But the focus on sharia has been a deterrent to some. A 45-year-old Christian, who worked in Assad's traffic police, said he wouldn't apply for the new force even if he could. Speaking on condition of anonymity for safety reasons, he said he was worried that even people in lowly roles like his would be seen as part of Assad's regime, and that the focus on Islamic law meant there would be discrimination against those of other faiths. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hundreds of residents took part in a demonstration in the capital, Damascus, in December to call for secular governance and equal rights for women. "No one is against Islam, but we are certainly against a religious rule based on specific texts and hadiths" - sayings and actions attributed to Islam's Prophet Mohammad - one participant, Ali al-Aqabani, said when asked about using sharia in policing. Aqabani, 50, is Muslim himself but said Damascus is "diverse in its sects and doctrines." At the same time, Syria's new authorities need to train police quickly, because Assad's forces "evaporated completely, and stability is a major, major issue," said Lund, of Century International. "Going with what they know and have always done may be the easiest way of doing that." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In Idlib, which HTS has dominated since 2017, the group initially carried out patrols to enforce strict Islamist views on public behaviour, said Aaron Zelin, a senior fellow at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy. Women were detained for travelling without a male family member or immodest attire, a U.N. commission of inquiry said in a 2021 report. But morality patrols were later scaled back because residents did not like them, Zelin said. Sharaa, HTS' leader, has spoken out against a rigid approach to public behaviour, but the coalition he leads includes members regarded as more extreme, adding to the fears of minorities. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement THE NEW FORCE The scale of the crisis confronting the new force was starkly apparent at the police stations Reuters visited in December. At the Damascus police directorate, and at Marja and Kafr Sousa stations, rooms were strewn with paperwork, broken glass, abandoned uniforms, ammunition and smashed furniture. Officers had cleared a few rooms to work from, but the computers and telephones had been stolen. Outside Marja and Kafr Sousa, there were green and white police cars with broken windows and flat tires. At the Damascus directorate, the new police chief, Basel Faoury, and operations head Abu Ahmed al-Sukkar said they had barely slept since arriving from Idlib. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Sukkar had a mattress propped up against a cupboard because he was sleeping in his office. At least 20 people entered with requests, problems or complaints in the two hours Reuters was there. A businessman wanted approval to hire a private security company to protect his restaurants and shopping malls from thieves. Others wanted permission to organise neighbourhood protection groups. Police said they mostly welcomed this for now but would not allow such groups to bear arms. All the senior officers Reuters interviewed said they expected staffing levels to improve and more stations to reopen as recruitment and training expand this year. On Jan. 14, the Damascus academy celebrated the graduation of around 500 police cadets who paraded before their trainers in new black uniforms. When Reuters visited in December, a dozen men were lined up at the academy's gates to interview for the force. One of them, 19-year-old Zakaria al-Hiji from the eastern city of Deir al-Zor, said he had disliked Assad's rule but liked what he had seen so far of the new authorities. He said his cousins, who already worked for HTS, had told him the police would offer good salaries. Application forms seen by Reuters contain a section on "beliefs, orientations and opinions" in which recruits are asked to provide their "referential authority," an expression often used for Muslim religious leaders who are considered authoritative by different sects. Although religion has long been listed on identity documents in Syria, it was not usual under Assad to specify the school of thought. Three HTS officials, speaking on condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to address media, said the question is intended to help identify applicants who will need closer scrutiny, especially Alawites, who come from the same sect as Assad and may have had ties to his regime. Houmaida Antara al-Matar, who was interviewing police defectors who want their old jobs back at the Damascus academy, said it was "merely a routine question" and was not intended to discriminate against any faith or sect, including Alawites. New recruits are receiving just 10 days of instruction, mostly in weapons handling and Islamic law, trainers and recent graduates told Reuters. When security improves, the aim is to increase the training to nine months, using a system introduced by the rebels in Idlib, said Ahmed Latouf, who headed the police academy in the former rebel enclave before he was appointed police chief in Aleppo. The religious instruction offered recruits includes principles of Islamic jurisprudence, the biography of Prophet Mohammad and rules of conduct, Latouf said by phone from Aleppo. The head of Marja police station in Damascus, Ayman Abu Taleb, said he was worried that many Syrians would see HTS as extremists and would not accept their rule. But he said he did not understand why their reliance on Islam would be a concern. "The religion that respects human rights the most is Islam," he said. (Amina Ismail and Khalil Ashawi reported from Damascus; Additional reporting by Maya Gebeily in Beirut and Angus McDowall in London; Writing by Angus McDowall; Editing by Alexandra Zavis) Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi said on Jan. 23 that the French-trained 155th "Anne of Kyiv" Brigade is "gradually acquiring certain combat capabilities" after reports of poor command and training. The unit became a center of controversy after the Censor.net outlet uncovered rampant cases of mismanagement that led to high rates of losses and desertions. The brigade was deployed at the Pokrovsk sector, the most critical section of the front in Donetsk Oblast, in November 2024. "All negative aspects and difficulties that arose during... (the brigades) deployment in Ukraine have been analyzed, and the conclusions will be taken into account during the further training of service members," Syrskyi said after discussion with officers during his visit to the Pokrovsk sector. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Censor.net's chief editor, Yurii Butusov, laid the blame for the brigade's poor performance on the Ukrainian military and political leadership, saying that France provided all the necessary support . Similarly, Syrskyi thanked France for being "the first country to respond to the request to create a mechanized brigade and fulfilled all its obligations regarding the training and equipment." The scandal cast doubt on Ukraine's initiative to build fresh new brigades that would be trained and supplied with the support of Western partners. The 155th Brigade was to be the flagship unit of this project. Ukrainian authorities have launched an investigation into the brigade's mismanagement, with its former commander being reportedly detained earlier this week. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Read also: Negative lesson Ground Forces chief acknowledges desertions, mismanagement in French-trained brigade Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. TAIPEI (Reuters) - Taiwan Premier Cho Jung-tai on Thursday decried what he said were "suicidal" budget cuts passed by the opposition-dominated parliament this week, saying that he may ask lawmakers to review and vote again on the slashed spending that includes defence. Although Lai Ching-te won the presidential election last year, his Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) lost its majority in parliament, giving the opposition legislative control that includes spending proposals. The government said the cuts the opposition passed in parliament on Tuesday total T$207.6 billion ($6.35 billion), or 6.6% of the proposed total budget, for central government spending this year. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The opposition had also frozen T$160.7 billion, around 5.1% of the proposed total and 10 times more than the past average, according to Taiwan's government. "In the face of such indiscriminate attacks, we can't make suicidal cuts," Cho told reporters, adding some agencies would need to trim or terminate services because their water and electricity spending were cut. Cho would not directly say whether he would send the budget back to lawmakers for them to reconsider, saying only that he will seek "administrative remedies" allowed by the constitution. The KMT said the cuts were aimed at waste and parts could be unfrozen if ministers presented reports to parliament detailing why the money should be released. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Cho said nearly T$90 billion of the defence budget was frozen, adding that this could hurt things like sending personnel abroad for training and fuel for fighter jets. "When can they be unfrozen, when Chinese planes are coming or when the parliament reassembles? This is hurting our country endlessly," he said. The KMT on Thursday published a series of social media posts accusing the DPP of spreading rumours and overseeing wasteful spending, and disputed government numbers about the budget. "As the people's hard-earned taxpayers' money has fallen into the pockets of fat cats, the opposition party naturally cannot just sit back and watch, and it must strictly monitor the situation," it said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Taiwan's tech-oriented economy has been booming thanks to demand for chips used in artificial intelligence applications, and is expected to have expanded more than 4% last year. Given that growth, tax receipts also grew. "Spending must also increase in the service of people, to foster industry, and strengthen national defence," Cho said. ($1 = 32.7170 Taiwan dollars) (Reporting by Yimou Lee and Ben Blanchard; Editing by Sonali Paul) (Bloomberg) -- Taiwans ruling party is asking the highest court to pause and potentially throw out legislation that may limit the judiciarys ability to function, a move that could give President Lai Ching-te a big win in his battles with the opposition over issues including the budget and defense spending to deter China. Most Read from Bloomberg Democratic Progressive Party caucus whip Ker Chien-ming said at a press briefing Thursday that a request for the Constitutional Court to grant a temporary injunction and review the law would be filed shortly. A spokesman for the court confirmed that it got the request. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The revamp sought by the opposition led by the Kuomintang, which favors better ties with China, could effectively paralyze the apex court. Thats because it requires at least 10 justices to be seated to hand down rulings, and the body now has only eight due to retirements. The opposition has blocked Lais nominations for new justices. If the high court grants the DPPs wishes, the Constitutional Court can continue to serve as a critical check on legislative actions that could undercut Lais leadership of Taiwan, a focal point in tensions between China and the US. In October, it rejected a change that would have granted lawmakers greater power to scrutinize the executive branch. The risk for the Constitutional Court is that its credibility could be dented if it rejects changes sought by lawmakers who won a majority in parliament a year ago. The KMT has said the revamp is needed so more views are considered when major decisions are made. The DPP argues the opposition is trying to undermine Lais government. It has made similar comments about the opposition cutting the 2025 budget and about other amendments the opposition has passed, such as one that would give local governments a greater share of tax revenue at the expense of the central level. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2025 Bloomberg L.P. TEL AVIV On lampposts, in shop windows and on smartphone screens across Israel, the posters show a smiling, red-headed baby boy clutching a pink elephant. And now the country is bracing to learn Kfir Bibas fate. The youngest hostage still in captivity in Gaza, Kfir was just shy of 9 months old when he was kidnapped during the Hamas-led terrorist attack Oct.7, 2023. On Saturday, he turned 2, having never known a birthday outside captivity. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Along with his 5-year-old brother, Ariel, and his parents, Yarden and Shiri Bibas, Kfir is among the 33 hostages expected to be freed during the first phase of the ceasefire deal, according to the Israeli government. But it is unclear if the toddler is still alive. Kfir Bibas, who was taken hostage at 9 months old from Nir-Oz kibbutz. Not knowing is so hard that sometimes I just want to scream, Ofri Bibas-Levy, Kfirs aunt, told NBC News earlier this week. Just tell me, even if its the worst thing, Clutching her two sons, as fighters bark orders, Shiri Bibas looked terrified in a video taken near their home in kibbutz Nir Oz in southern Israel on the day of the Hamas attacks. Footage of the trio being herded by gunmen through Gazas southern city of Khan Younis later that day would prove to be the last known sighting of them. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While all other child hostages were released in exchange for Palestinian prisoners during a one-week ceasefire in November 2023, the Bibas family never emerged from Gaza. On one of the final days of the brief pause in fighting, Hamas released a statement claiming that Shiri Bibas and the children had been killed in an Israeli airstrike. It said Yarden Bibas was still alive and in captivity. At the time, Israels military said the claim could not be confirmed, but in February 2024 it acknowledged its fears for the family. Video shows the kidnapping of Shiri Silberman-Bibas and her children. Based on the information available to us, we are very concerned and worried about the condition and well-being of Shiri and the children, Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari, the Israel Defense Forces' chief spokesperson, told a news conference. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Now, the Bibas family is daring to believe that more than a year of agonizing uncertainty may soon be coming to an end one way or another. We know will bring us some kind of certainty, but we are very scared as well, Ofri Bibas-Levy said of the ceasefire deal. It could be a good certainty or a bad one. The 38-year-old occupational therapist said she was still holding out hope that Shiri Bibas and her two sons might be alive, but we know the condition the hostages are being kept in. So for a toddler and a baby, its difficult even if they survived the attack that Hamas said they were killed in, she added. Were very worried, very, very worried. Kfirs father, Yarden Bibas, was kidnapped separately from his wife and children and held in a different part of Gaza, according to hostages who were with him in captivity and since freed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Nili Margalit, a neighbor in Nir Oz, said she last saw Yarden Bibas on Nov. 30, 2023, just before she was released in the first ceasefire. A Hamas guard ordered her to tell Yarden Bibas that his wife and children were dead, but I refused to do that, she said. Instead she told her captor that if he wanted to say such a horrible sentence to Yarden, then he is the one that has to look him in the eyes and tell him. Hamas did inform Yarden Bibas and the next day released a video of the distraught father. Ofri Bibas-Levy said: I thought: Im losing Yarden now because I couldnt think that he could bear and survive this thing they told him. Yarden, Ariel, Shiri and Kfir Bibas. Yarden Bibas is also slated for release in the first phase of the ceasefire deal, which came into effect Sunday after almost 15 months of Israel's military campaign in the Gaza Strip. Health officials in the Palestinian enclave says more than 47,000 people have been killed since the start of the war, which began after Hamas launched multipronged attacks on Israel, killing 1,200 and taking around 250 people hostage, according to official tallies. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Bibas-Levy said she thinks constantly of her younger brother, every second of every day; I dont know if hes dead or alive, if he ate today, if he showered, if somebodys torturing him, if hes sick, if hes well. I dont know anything. She was speaking at the edge of the so-called Hostage Square, the plaza in central Tel Aviv where families of those held in Hamas captivity have rallied for 15 months demanding their release. Many in the crowd alongside her were carrying stuffed animals in honor of Kfirs second birthday, an echo of the pink elephant he is holding in his hostage poster. The family had searched the wreckage of Nir Oz many times in the hope of finding Kfirs elephant but without success. And then, just days before the most recent ceasefire was signed, it turned up in the corner of a nursery. It was really very emotional, Bibas-Levy said. And hopefully a good sign, maybe. This article was originally published on NBCNews.com Credit: Florida Department of Corrections As she has done virtually every year since being elected to the Florida House in 2018, Tampa Democratic Rep. Dianne Hart has filed legislation designed to incentivize good behavior by the incarcerated and potentially save hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars at the same time. Dianne Hart via Florida House Her proposal (HB 183) would reduce the minimum sentence that a defendant must serve in Florida prisons from 85% of its original length to 72%. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The legislation says that the Florida Department of Corrections (FDC) is authorized to grant deductions from sentences in the form of outstanding deed gain-time, good behavior time, and rehabilitation credits in order to encourage satisfactory prisoner behavior, to provide incentive for prisoners to participate in productive activities, and to reward prisoners who perform outstanding deeds or services. Gain-time is a tool the FDC uses to encourage good behavior and motivate program and work participation. Most states have parole release in which judges impose a sentencing range or maximum sentence, and parole boards have some degree of discretion in determining release dates. The state of Florida eliminated parole for most inmates in 1983, becoming one of 16 states that do not allow certain offenders to serve the remainder of their court-imposed sentences in the community under supervision. In previous bills, Hart has proposed reducing the minimum reduction in gain-time from 85% to 65%. The Florida Office of Economic and Demographic Research, which evaluates policy for the Legislature conducted a study of Harts 2019 legislation. The office determined that after five years the bill would result in a reduction of 7,266 inmate beds and save $441 million. UPDATE (1/23/25): Officials announced Thursday morning that the 17-year-old girl who was the subject of an Endangered Child Alert out of Hohenwald has been found safe. HOHENWALD, Tenn. (WKRN) The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI) issued an Endangered Child Alert out of Hohenwald Wednesday night. Have breaking news come to you: Subscribe to News 2 email alerts The TBI said Alyssa Varney, 17, has a medical condition that could impair her ability to return safely without assistance. As of publication, there was no clothing or more specific location information to share. (Courtesy: TBI) (Courtesy: TBI) Varney was described as 52 and 100 pounds. She has blonde hair and brown eyes and was last seen Wednesday. Read todays top stories on wkrn.com If you see Varney, call 1-800-TBI-FIND. 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. CLEVELAND, Ohio (WJW) The Fox 8 I-Team has uncovered a chilling complaint filed by the parents of Cleveland Police Officer Jamieson Ritter, who was murdered on the job. Police officer critically wounded in local shooting; 4-year-old also hit by gunfire Karen and Jon Ritter filed the complaint with the Office of Professional Standards. They say the way they were notified about the death of their son was shocking, and it violated the Cleveland Police policy. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The parents say they were notified of their sons death by a phone call. The I-Team requested the Cleveland Police procedures for line of duty deaths. The policy outlines what to do if parents live out of town, and it says Cleveland Police should notify the law enforcement agency in that area for a personal death notification. The complaint from the Ritters says that never happened. My wife and I would like to report misconduct by the Cleveland Division of Police regarding the events that occurred in the early morning hours of 07/04/24 after our son, Off. Jamieson Ritter was murdered in the line of duty, the complaint states. Our son was shot at about 0100 hrs. on 07/04/24. His injuries, even to a layperson, would be deemed a life-threatening injury. We were never contacted about his injury from the time it occurred until he was pronounced dead at 0214 hrs. To our knowledge, no notification process was started from 0100 hrs. to 0214 hrs. The notification procedure should have begun as soon as they realized Jamieson was shot on scene. The complaint further notes a Cleveland police sergeant started calling Karen Ritters cell phone around 2:17 a.m., about three minutes after Jamieson was pronounced deceased. I-Team: Cleveland police commander reassigned in midst of internal investigation Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Karen received nine calls within 30 minutes after the pronouncement, the complaint states. We were sleeping and her phone was on vibrate. At 0244 Karen answered the call. According to the complaint, once the call was answered, a woman identified herself as a sergeant, and she handed the phone to a doctor. Then, the doctor told the family Jamieson had been shot in the chest and killed. I was partially awake at this point due to my wife becoming distraught, and in shock and immediately began screaming, the complaint states. My wife advised me what she had just been told, and I honestly didnt believe it. As a retired police officer of 25 years, I am well-versed in death notifications, and they are never handled over the phone. No one asked my wife if she was with someone or if she needed any assistance to prevent any further tragedies after hearing such news. I grabbed the phone from my wife and advised the person that this was not the proper way to notify next of kin and I hung up because I did not believe her. The complaint further notes that Karen Ritter was overcome with the news and was screaming and crying. Their daughter passed out, and she, also, was overcome with grief when she found out. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I was also in denial at this time because this is not the proper procedure to make a death notification, the complaint states. I contacted our local 911 center to inquire if they had any knowledge or requests for notifications for this incident from the Cleveland Police Department and our 911 Center said there were no calls or reports of any requests to contact Jamiesons family. I then had our 911 center assist me with finding a direct number to Cleveland so I could call someone in Cleveland to confirm this incident had occurred and that the news was true. The misconduct and violation of the GPO are shocking to us as it relates to a lack of discipline, training, and knowledge of the proper death notification procedures. I dont think there is a single police officer in the world who does not know or is not aware of the proper notification procedures. We reached out to the Ritters to discuss the complaint, but they are not commenting for this story. Man killed in I-77 crash in Green was local coach Officials with the Office of Professional Standards (OPS) confirmed to the I-Team that they received the complaint, and they are investigating. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We reached out to Cleveland Police for comment, and a spokesman emailed the following statement: The Division was not aware of this complaint, respectfully refer you to OPS for comment. The complaint calls for someone to be disciplined. Its not clear how long any OPS investigation may take, but OPS has the authority to recommend discipline. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. On Tuesday, President Donald Trump announced a major $500 billion private-sector initiative named "Stargate," aimed at building an artificial intelligence infrastructure in the United States though a partnership between tech giants OpenAI, SoftBank, and Oracle. Trump pledged to kickstart the initiative through an executive action that would utilize emergency declarations to fast-track production and simplify regulatory hurdles for participating companies. "I'm going to help a lot through emergency declarations, because we have an emergency, we have to get this stuff built," Trump said on Tuesday. "So they have to produce a lot of electricity. And we'll make it possible for them to get this production done easily, at their own plants if they want." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement MORE: Trump set to dismantle DEI within federal government in first day executive action Trump's announcement came just hours after he signed an executive order titled "Restoring Merit-Based Opportunity," which aimed to end diversity, equity, and inclusion programs within federal agencies -- while warning of future initiatives to curtail similar efforts in the private sector. The order directs federal agencies to end DEI-related mandates, policies and programs, calling such initiatives "discriminatory and illegal," and it requires agencies to enforce civil-rights laws to combat private-sector DEI preferences. Despite the Trump administration's sweeping actions against DEI, all three of the companies Trump announced as part of the Stargate initiative have touted DEI programs and remain publicly committed to DEI principles, according to company websites. OpenAI, the company behind ChatGPT, has a webpage titled "Commitment to diversity, equity & inclusion," where the company touts its DEI programs and its commitment to mitigate harmful biases in AI systems. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Our investment in diversity, equity, and inclusion is ongoing, executed through a wide range of initiatives, owned by everyone across the company, and championed and supported by leadership," the website states. "We take this work seriously and are committed to continuously improving our work in creating a diverse, equitable, and inclusive organization." PHOTO: President Donald Trump, from left, speaks as Masayoshi Son, SoftBank Group CEO, Larry Ellison, chairman of Oracle Corporation and chief technology officer, and Sam Altman, OpenAI CEO listen at the White House, on Jan. 21, 2025, in Washington, D.C. (Julia Demaree Nikhinson/AP) SoftBank President and CEO Junichi Miyagawa has also touted DEI initiatives, saying in a 2021 post on the company's website, "It is extremely important that we ensure diversity within the core personnel involved in management." In a 2024 post, the company said that "Promotion of diversity, equity and inclusion is an important management issue, and we strive to foster a dynamic and vibrant organization that enables diverse members of our workforce to fully exercise their talents, regardless of age, gender, nationality or disabilities." Larry Ellison's Oracle also promotes initiatives related to diversity and inclusion, with a page on the company's website titled "Culture and Inclusion Empowers Diversity." "If you ever find yourself wondering why diversity and inclusion matters, remember: It makes our teams stronger and our ideas better," the page reads. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Representatives from OpenAI, SoftBank and Oracle did not respond to ABC News' requests for comment. A White House spokesperson also did not respond. In the meantime, the Stargate deal has faced skepticism regarding its $500 billion price tag -- including from Trump's own adviser, billionaire Elon Musk. In an overnight post on his social media platform X, Musk questioned OpenAI's financial backing, and later shared a post that called the $500 billion price tag "ridiculous" and said that "no one should take it seriously." MORE: Meta, McDonald's: These companies are rolling back some DEI policies Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement OpenAI CEO Sam Altman responded to Musk's comments on X, rejecting his claim that OpenAI lacks the funds for its investment in the Stargate project. Altman called the assertion "wrong" and described the deal as "great for the country." Altman also appeared to take a slight jab at Musk, who now heads the Trump administration's Department of Government Efficiency, stating, "I realize what is great for the country isn't always what's optimal for your companies." "But in your new role, I hope you'll mostly put us first," he added, using an American flag emoji. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Stargate deal comes as other tech companies have pulled back their DEI initiatives ahead of the Trump administration's actions. MORE: Trump's record-breaking Day 1 executive actions prompt legal challenges Earlier this month, Mark Zuckerberg's Meta announced it was terminating its major DEI programs effective immediately, including as they relate to hiring, training and picking suppliers. "The legal and policy landscape surrounding diversity, equity and inclusion efforts in the United States is changing," Meta's vice president of human resources, Janelle Gale, wrote in a memo obtained by ABC News. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "The Supreme Court of the United States has recently made decisions signaling 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." Meanwhile, on Tuesday, the Office of Personnel Management directed all federal agencies to place DEI office staffers on paid leave by 5 p.m. Wednesday, and to take down all public DEI-focused webpages by the same deadline. Musk has long criticized DEI programs, writing in a post on X that "DEI is just another word for racism." "Shame on anyone who uses it," Musk wrote. Tech firms in Trump's AI Stargate venture have touted DEI programs, clashing with new executive order originally appeared on abcnews.go.com A prison van carrying Axel Rudakubana arriving at Liverpool Crown Court for his sentencing after he admitted to the murders of three girls at a dance class in Southport - Credit: Peter Byrne/PA Images/Getty Images Axel Rudakubana, the 18-year-old who murdered three girls at a Taylor Swift-themed dance class, has been sentenced to serve a minimum of 52 years in prison. The time includes concurrent sentences for murder and attempted murder. Earlier this week, Rudakubana pleaded guilty to three counts of murder and 10 counts of attempted murder months. He pleaded guilty to possessing terrorist material and producing ricin. More from Rolling Stone Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Rudakubana was 17 at the time of the attacks, which occurred in Southport, England. He killed Bebe King, 6, Elsie Dot Stancombe, 7, and Alice Aguiar, 9, in a stabbing attack at Southport Heartspace Dance School on July 30, 2024. Eight other children and two adults suffered serious injuries. Others were left in critical condition. According to BBC, Judge Julian Goose stated Rudakubanas intentions as having been to murder as many as he could, adding: It was such extreme violence of the upmost and exceptionally high seriousness that is difficult to comprehend why it was done. Investigations into the attack revealed that Rudakubana accessed a PDF file entitled Military Studies in the Jihad Against the Tyrants: The Al-Qaeda Training Manual, according to The Independent. Police Chief Constable Serena Kennedy added that additional uncovered documents suggested long-standing obsession with violence, killing and genocide. Goose maintained that while there wasnt sufficient evidence to suggest the teen intended to commit an act of terrorism, he considers the attack equivalent to terrorist matters. Rudakubana will likely never be released, he added. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement [The girls] had come together for a Taylor Swift-themed morning to enjoy dancing, singing and making friendship bracelets in honour of their idol, Kennedy said. Those girls who range in age from six to 13 were the polar opposite of the calculating teenager who carried out the harrowing and atrocious, pre-meditated attack. Southport Member of Parliament Patrick Hurley has requested the Attorney General to review the sentence on grounds that the sentence handed down today is not severe enough, it is not long enough for the crimes committed, we need a sentence that represents the severity of this crime that has terrorized the victims and their families. Best of Rolling Stone Sign up for RollingStone's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. DENVER (KDVR) A Denver judge Wednesday sentenced the teenager who pleaded guilty to attempted murder after she shot five people outside a lower Downtown Denver bar in 2023. Keanna Rosenburgh pleaded guilty to one count of attempted murder in the shooting which happened Sept. 16, 2023, outside a bar at 19th and Market Street. She was sentenced to seven years in the Department of Corrections. Previous coverage: Teen pleads guilty to shooting 5 outside Denver bar in 2023 Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement FOX31s Alliyah Sims was at the courthouse Wednesday afternoon when the judge handed down the sentence. She listened as Rosenburgh said she made a mistake that she regrets every day, and apologized to the victims. The judge asked her what her mistake was, which she said was firing into a crowd. However, the judge disagreed and said she took a gun downtown and then felt slighted, which is not a mistake. One victim shared with Sims how she thought Rosenburgh should have answered the judges question. I think today was the first day that she actually apologized to the victims and I think it was a long time to actually get there, Desarae Gomez told Sims. I wish it was a little bit more authentic and I do wish she did have a little bit more personal growth that came with it and more accountability. According to Denver police at the time, Rosenburgh, a juvenile whose exact age was not released, tried to get into a bar, but security guards denied her entry because they thought Rosenburgh wasnt using her own ID. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Rosenburgh got out of line, went back to speak to security and then fired shots toward the club as she walked away. I think its devastating, Gomez said about the sentencing. I do think today was an opportunity to set an example of why the youth need to take those extra precautions and think we do have a huge issue right now with mass shootings. Its unfortunate. We have a huge problem in our country. And they are going to continue to happen unless something is done about it. Gomez was one of the five people shot that night. She said she has permanent nerve damage in both legs on her inner right leg and her left leg from the knee down and is looking at another surgery to help the issues. Former CBI forensic scientist, Yvonne Missy Woods, facing 102 felony charges Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I still have a broken bone on my right side as well that never healed a well as bullet fragments, Gomez told Sims. Gomez said she was frustrated that Rosenburgh was tried as a juvenile, not an adult. Gomez said the minimum sentence for adults in Colorado for one count of attempted murder should be eight years up to 21 per count. The victim said a seven-year sentence is not enough. She did receive eight counts of attempted murder and we are actually getting a reduced sentence from that as well as her not going to an actual prison she is doing (Youth Offender System), Gomez told Sims. Its still a different program where shes going to have a whole lot more opportunities and yeah not really what we anticipated. After the shooting, police released surveillance video in an effort to find Rosenburgh, and law enforcement in Barstow, Calif. took her into custody in October 2023. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement After Rosenburgh pleaded guilty in September, the Denver District Attorneys office said she faced up to seven years in the Colorado Youthful Offender System and a 21-year suspended sentence in the Colorado Department of Corrections. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX31 Denver. A trio of three teen skiers were rescued in the backcountry Monday night, January 20, 2025 near Stowe Mountain Resort, Vermont, according to an update shared by Stowe Mountain Rescue. The three teenage boys ventured into the backcountry off Spruce Peak as the day ended. They became trapped above a cliff, and in the cold weather, started to suffer, Stowe Mountain Rescue wrote. When Stowe Mountain Rescue reached the trapped skiers, one team member climbed to the icy cliff band, lowering them one by one. Afterward, the rescuers transported the boys out of the backcountry using a mixture of rope belays and some words of encouragement, Stowe Mountain Rescue writes. The nighttime odyssey concluded with a chilly ATV trip to Barnes Camp, where the teenager's parents were waiting. No injuries were reported. Rescuers transported the teenagers to Barnes Camp using an ATV. Photo: Stowe Mountain Rescue/Facebook According to Stowe Mountain Rescue, the boys werent equipped with adequate cold weather gear, one had a dead cell phone, and the other didnt bring a cell phoneone of the teens volunteered this information during their rescue. That spirit of honest reflection will serve him well in lifeand those around him, Stowe Mountain Rescue wrote. Lets hope these boys share their story at school so that others can benefit from their lessons learned. Below Stowe Mountain Rescues update on Facebook, one of the boysGavin Putzierthanked his rescuers. Thank you guys so much! Me and my friends would have never been able to make it out without you guys! he wrote. We were impressed at how you all held it together. You stayed so calm. Hope your hands and feet thawed out ok! Stowe Mountain Rescue replied. Mt. Mansfield with Stowe Resort's ski trails in view. Photo: capecodphoto/Getty Images Founded in 1980, Stowe Mountain Rescue offers technical rescue services to the town of Stowe, Vermont. The team responds to between 45 and 55 calls each year, most of which occur in the Stowe backcountry vicinity. Stowe Mountain Rescue is funded by Stowe tax dollars and some voluntary contributionsit doesnt charge for its rescue services. Earlier this winter, the Stowe Mountain Rescue team used ATVs to retrieve a father and son who were stuck in the Ranch Valley trail system after dark. In October, the team worked with Stowe EMS to rescue a man who fell into Bingham Falls, suffering a leg injury and hypothermia. Related: How To Watch X Games Aspen 2025 Be the first to read breaking ski news with POWDER. Subscribe to our newsletter and stay connected with the latest happenings in the world of skiing. From ski resort news to profiles of the worlds best skiers, we are committed to keeping you informed. TAUNTON, Mass. (WWLP) The victim of a deadly crash in Taunton has been identified as a 14-year-old boy. Multiple dead birds discovered, tested for bird flu in Taunton NBC Boston states the boy was riding a dirt bike and was hit by a car at the intersection of Somerset Avenue and Silverwood Drive. He was rushed to a nearby hospital with serious injuries, but died that night. Wednesday would have been his 15th birthday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Police have not said whether the driver will face any charges or the identity of the boy. The crash is being investigated at this time. 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. LUMBERTON, N.C. (WBTW) A Robeson County teenager wanted for murder after a deadly shooting at Lumberton Walmart in December was arrested Tuesday night in Chicago, Illinois, Lumberton police said. Ezekiel Burden, 17, is being held in Illinois awaiting extradition to North Carolina to face charges in the Dec. 20 shooting that killed 42-year-old Brandy Nicole Olson, who suffered multiple gunshot wounds. Another suspect, Brian Campbell, 18, turned himself in to authorities three days after the incident and is being held on a $1 million bond at the Robeson County Detention Center. Brian Campbell / Photo: Lumberton Police Department Lumberton police said Burden was taken in custody at about 10:30 p.m. Tuesday but did not provide any other details about the arrest. Its unclear when it could be returned to North Carolina. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Authorities charged Burden with first-degree murder, discharging a firearm within an enclosure to incite fear and going armed to the terror of the people. Campbell is charged with being an accessory after the fact. Authorities said the suspects were targeting two people they knew who were inside the Woodforest Bank branch. The U.S. Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives agency offered a $5,000 reward during the search for Burden. Lumberton police, the Robeson County Sheriffs Office, the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation, the ATF, the U.S. Marshal Service and Chicago police worked together to arrest Burden. 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. The full press conference can be viewed in the video player above. (TELLER COUNTY, Colo.) On Friday, Jan. 24 at 10 a.m., Teller County Sheriff Jason Mikesell held a press conference about the recent arrests of illegal immigrants engaged in criminal activity in the Teller County area. Courtesy: FOX21 News Photojournalist Christopher Hernandez The conference also addressed Senate Bill 25-047, a bill for the 2025 Colorado General Assembly that was researched, drafted, and compiled by Sheriff Mikesell with the help of Senator Mark Baisley. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to the Teller County Sheriffs Office (TCSO), the bill concerns the reversal of certain actions by the general assembly related to measures intended to limit the enforcement of federal immigration law. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. Just before New Years, on the Feast of the Holy Family, the Kentucky and Tennessee Catholic bishops issued an important pastoral letter of support for our migrant brothers and sisters. It begins: As we reflect upon the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph and recall during this time their flight into a foreign land as migrants, the ongoing heightened discussion surrounding our migrant community has engendered fear and uncertainty The Catholic Bishops of Kentucky and Tennessee, together as the Metropolitan Province of Louisville, wish to first and foremost express our prayerful support and solidarity to our immigrant sisters and brothers. We pledge that the Catholic Church in Kentucky and Tennessee will continue to accompany and serve migrants with every possible resource. We will continue to advocate for your just treatment and dignity as our Catholic Social Teaching instructs in every way that we are able to do so. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement With Gov. Bill Lees calling for a special session of the General Assembly, beginning Jan. 27, to include public safety measures regarding illegal immigration, as the new Trump Administration has called on states to prepare for policy implementation, its time for the three Tennessee Catholic bishops to give substance to their words. Catholic bishops have a roadmap on addressing immigration policy Given the breadth of the governor's official call creating a "centralized immigration enforcement entity" and revising "certain forms of identification" Tennessees Catholic bishops should educate the governor and lawmakers on what principles should guide their deliberations. Archbishop Shelton Fabre, right, smiles and fist pumps while exiting the ordination mass for Bishop Mark Beckman held at the Knoxville Convention Center on Friday, July 26, 2024. In fact, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) has provided the Tennessee Catholic bishops with a road map. Recently, the USCCB issued guidelines for governmental action regarding migrants. These are the six points the USCCB said should guide government officials. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Enforcement efforts should be targeted, proportional, and humane Humanitarian protections and due process should be ensured Long-time residents should have an earned pathway to citizenship Family unity should remain a cornerstone of the U.S. system Legal pathways should be expanded, reliable, and efficient The root causes of forced migration should be addressed Opinion: Trump can secure border and support legal immigration too. Elon Musk was right. Lead interfaith service to inform the minds and wills of lawmakers The Tennessee Catholic bishops should send a letter articulating these principles promptly to the governor, the lieutenant governor, the House speaker and all the members of the Tennessee General Assembly. In addition, on the morning of Jan. 27 one day before the feast day of the great doctor of the Catholic church, St. Thomas Aquinas the three Catholic bishops should hold a prayer service at the Cathedral of the Incarnation and then lead a Eucharistic procession down West End to the state Capitol. And they should invite other Tennessee faith leaders to join them. Former Tennessean reporter Jim O'Hara Friday Jan. 4, 2019, in Nashville, Tenn. At the Capitol they should lead another prayer service, asking that the spirit of St. Thomas Aquinas, and charity and justice inform the minds and wills of the states lawmakers and governor as they deliberate any measures affecting our migrant brothers and sisters. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Jim OHara was a political reporter for The Tennessean covering the General Assembly in the 1980s, and from 2000 until his retirement in 2018 he managed and participated in a number of public health advocacy campaigns at the local, state and national levels. This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Trump immigration policy requires that Catholic bishops act | Opinion We shouldn't be surprised. Or outraged. Sure, two Antioch students are dead and two wounded. And many more are now traumatized. Two Antioch families have lost their children. And thousands of our neighbors have been reminded again that when they send their kids off to school there's no guarantee they'll come home safely. But this could happen again next week. And it's inevitable that similar tragedies will happen in the future. At schools. At parks and playgrounds. Gas stations and store parking lots. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When guns find their way into the hands of troubled teenagers bad things will happen. And all the Tennessee Republican thoughts and prayers in the world can't prevent it. Nor can the moans and tears of our local politicians or law enforcement and school officials. And while I won't criticize postmortem counseling, anti-violence education efforts, and community vigils and healing events, we need to be honest: they are insufficient in affecting future outcomes. It's the guns, folks. The guns. We need to know how a minor got a gun and took it to school There were two school resource officers at Antioch High that equals one for each thousand students. Attendees pray during a community prayer vigil at Hamilton United Methodist Church in Antioch, Tenn., Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2025. The vigil was in response to the shooting at Antioch High School earlier in the day. According to news reports neither one of them was anywhere close to the busy cafeteria where many students were gathered when the shooting took place. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Fortunately, the shooter chose to take his own life instead of electing to shoot more of his classmates or that count would have certainly been higher. We'll probably learn soon how the 17 year-old got the gun. Maybe from an older friend who could have bought and carried it legally here in the Second Amendment State. Or perhaps it belonged to a family member who felt no compulsion to keep track of its whereabouts. Or the shooter may have stolen the gun out of a parked car or bought it for cheap from another youth who did so. Hundreds of guns change hands in Nashville annually and insufficient police patrols in Antioch make breaking into vehicles a profitable hobby with almost no chance of any legal consequences. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Opinion: The Antioch High shooting is awful. Why can't we find the root of this violence? (And let's give a shout-out to the responsible gun owners who leave their weapons in their cars and the Nashville Metro Council members who seem to believe that more bike lanes and near-empty buses are a higher priority than an adequately staffed and equipped police force that can insure public safety!). We screen people at airports and concert venues, why not schools? Once a teen has the gun it's just a matter of time until some perceived slight or personal crisis tempts him or her into using it for protection, to extract revenge, or simply to prove something to the world. Police Chief John Drake speaks during a press conference after a shooting at Antioch High School in Antioch, Tenn., Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2025. Carrying it into school is easy, just tuck it into a jacket pocket or bookbag. There are no metal detectors at Antioch High School. They are expensive, time-consuming logistical headaches for school administrators. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement And random searches of suspect students would be viewed as profiling and a civil rights violation, God forbid! It does seem strange, though, that I can't enter a heavily policed concert venue or board a plane with 300 passengers without being scanned or patted down, but a daily gathering of 2,000 teenagers features no such requirement. Fresh from their recent nationwide 49% landslide election victory I guarantee that the Republican super majority in Tennessee will give no more than lip service to any serious gun legislation. In fact, as quick as Rep. John Ray Clemmons and the other Democrats introduce such legislation they'll kill the bills in committee to spare themselves even having to vote against them. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Plus they'll seek to prevent any demonstrations by, or even having any confrontations with, citizens or legislators pleading for action. Jerry O'Connor No, I'm afraid we're on our own. And here in Antioch the largest and fastest growing part of Nashville we are already getting far less than our fair share of city resources so it will be an uphill battle to see any constructive changes. Eleven years ago we were promised a new police precinct on Murfreesboro Pike just a few short miles from the reunification center where Antioch parents waited for their surviving children on Wednesday afternoon. It still hasn't been opened and staffed. One last note: As Nashville Dems and educators try to rally against Gov. Bill Lee's ill-conceived school voucher initiative, I guarantee they are about to lose the support of many Antioch parents who believe that the safety of their children is paramount. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Jerry O'Connor is a semi-retired marketing and communications exec who has supported - and criticized - politicians in both political parties. He resides in Antioch, Tennessee. This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Antioch High School shooting should spur action, but no dice | Opinion (Bloomberg) -- Texas wants its money back. Most Read from Bloomberg Governor Greg Abbott sent letters to US congressional leaders Thursday requesting the federal government reimburse his state for the more than $11 billion it has spent on border security operations since 2021. Texas officials said they were forced to send state assets to guard the border because the Biden administration was neglecting its responsibilities. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement President Bidens policies left Texas and the rest of America defenseless against an unprecedented infiltration of violent criminals, known terrorists, and other hostile foreign actors, Abbott said in a statement. Accordingly, I am formally requesting that the federal government reimburse Texas for these costs in full. Its unclear what reception Abbotts request will receive on Capitol Hill, but it comes amid a flurry of attempts to crack down on illegal immigration in the early days of President Donald Trumps second term in office. Abbott and Trump have been presenting themselves as allies, with the president spending part of a speech on his first day in office praising Abbott for his efforts at securing the border. Hes doing a great job, a phenomenal job, said Trump, singling out Abbott in an address to supporters after his inauguration speech. But now, hes going to have a partner to work with him. Before, not only did he not have a partner, he had people selling you out. In March 2021, Abbott launched Operation Lone Star, sending over 10,000 Texas National Guard soldiers to the border and beefing up physical barriers with river buoys, walls and razor wire. Texas shares more than 1,200 miles of border with Mexico, the largest stretch of any US state. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In its latest state budget proposal, the Texas legislature outlined $6.5 billion in spending on border security, up from $5.1 billion in the previous session. Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2025 Bloomberg L.P. The Texas House on Thursday voted to ban members of the minority party from leading committees, achieving a major goal for conservative Republicans and upending a tradition of power sharing that had been in place since the 1970s. The push to ban Democrats from leading House committees was a rallying cry for conservative activists who saw power sharing with the minority party as a betrayal of Republican voters. They said continuing to give leadership positions to Democrats stalled conservative legislation that they and the Republican Party of Texas supported. Now, neither chamber of the Texas Legislature will have members of the minority party leading a committee for the first time since 1969, according to the Legislative Reference Library. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This represents a sea change from where this Legislature has been, said Rep. Harold Dutton, a Houston Democrat who is the third longest-serving lawmaker in the chamber, first elected in 1984. Allowing Democrats to continue leading legislative committees was a major sticking point in the race for House speaker. Democrats sided with Speaker Dustin Burrows, a Lubbock Republican, because the other candidate in the race, Mansfield Republican David Cook, had pledged to block them out of leadership positions. Burrows had not weighed in on the question saying he would leave the decision to the chambers 150 members a sign Democrats saw as an openness to continuing the Houses long-standing tradition of power-sharing. The vote for the rules change was approved by a vote of 116-23 with 61 Republicans and 55 Democrats voting in favor. In a major twist, some of the chambers most conservative lawmakers opposed taking up debate on the rules change. Rep. Tony Tinderholt, a Republican hardliner from Arlington, said the move appeared to cram rules through without room for discussion and gave Democrats more power. Tinderholt unsuccessfully asked his colleagues to postpone debate on the rules until Monday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In a news conference after the vote, Democrats seemed resigned to the fact that they would lose their ability to chair committees but said they had maintained a seat at the table in the House. Rep. Gene Wu, a Houston lawmaker who leads the House Democratic Caucus, mocked hardliners, like Tinderholt, who voted against the change. "The people who were yelling the most about banning Democrat chairs voted against banning Democrat chairs," he said. "What I think you saw here today is the House united and working on on a set of rules that while it has hurt Democrats and reduced our power, but at least gives us some ability to interact in the process and have our constituents' needs met." Under the new rules, House committees will be led by a member of the majority party and the vice chairs will be members of the minority party. That would strip Democrats of key leadership positions but give them a modicum of power-sharing in the chamber. Conservative activists and politicians said that left the door open for Democrats to continue to pull the strings under new subcommittees created under this years rules. Unlike in past years, where the leaders of committees appointed subcommittees, this years rules allow the speaker to appoint the leaders and members of the standing subcommittees. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Key committees like public health, where abortion legislation could be discussed, and Ways and Means, where property taxes will be taken up, will have subcommittees. The House will have fewer permanent committees than last session, with lawmakers abolishing and condensing its previous 34 standing committees to 30. Lawmakers created an entirely new committee on Delivery of Government Efficiency, or DOGE, in a nod to the new federal group run by tech billionaire Elon Musk. That committee will focus on eliminating inefficiencies in state services as well as overseeing open government matters and the regulation of the burgeoning field of artificial intelligence. Legislators did away with eight committees: Business and Industry, County Affairs, Defense And Veterans Affairs, Homeland Security and Public Safety, International Relations and Economic Development, Juvenile Justice and Family Issues, Resolutions Calendars and Urban Affairs. But they rolled many of the duties of those committees into three new committees named Homeland Security, Public Safety and Veterans Affairs; Intergovernmental Affairs; and Trade, Workforce and Economic Development. Five of the eight abolished committees were previously run by Democrats and two were run by Republicans: J.M. Lozano of Kingsville and Ryan Guillen of Rio Grande City, who voted against Burrows in the speakers race. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Burrows is expected to appoint committee chairs in the next few weeks. Under state law, the Legislature cannot approve any bills within the sessions first 60 days unless they are designated as emergency items by the governor. But Thursday's vote may be the start of a more contentious session. Republicans who opposed the resolution to change the rules had planned to offer amendments that would address some of their concerns. But after about an hour of debate, Rep. Jared Patterson, a Frisco Republican who is a Burrows lieutenant, gathered 67 signatures from fellow lawmakers to end debate and call for a vote on the resolution. Only 25 signatures are needed to call such a motion. Rep. Mike Schofield, a Katy Republican who wanted to continue the debate, spoke heatedly against Patterson's motion and warned that he and his allies would employ similar tactics later in the session. "I know how to get 25 votes, too, and I promise you if you do this to us, we will do it to you," he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement More than 100 members from both parties voted to end the debate. After the vote on the House rules, Schofield told The Texas Tribune: "The way we keep this place functioning and keep it from exploding is letting everybody have their say. What we decided today is we dont do that anymore, that were going to cram things down, and no one has the opportunity to say anything about it or represent their constituents." Renzo Downey and Sneha Dey contributed to this report. AUSTIN, Texas (TEXAS TRIBUNE) The Texas Ethics Commission has dismissed a complaint against the state Republican Party Chair alleging that he illegally threatened and intimidated lawmakers over their support for a House speaker candidate, according to the state House Member who filed the complaint. Rep. Cody Harris, R-Palestine, told The Texas Tribune on Tuesday that the commission dismissed the complaint against Texas GOP Chair Abraham George because they did not believe they had the jurisdiction to give an opinion. Trump administration cancels travel for refugees already cleared to come to America Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The complaint highlights an intense and ongoing civil war between the Texas GOPs far-right wing and its more establishment, but still deeply conservative, flank. That acrimony exploded late last year after a majority of House Republicans voted to support Mansfield Republican Rep. David Cooks bid for House speaker. The same day, Rep. Dustin Burrows, R-Lubbock, announced that he had enough bipartisan support in the 150-member chamber to win a majority. He was elected speaker last week. Burrows defiance immediately prompted a pressure campaign from the Texas GOP. In the lead-up to the official House vote last week, the party and George vowed to send negative mailers about Burrows supporters into their districts and to censure any Republican who does not vote for Cook a move that, under recently adopted party rules, would bar those lawmakers from appearing on a primary ballot for two years. In the complaint, Harris alleged that George violated ethics rules by threatening to spend money on mail pieces in Harriss district attacking him if he didnt cast his vote for Cook. Harris argued that such a mailer amounted to an economic benefit for a primary candidate against Harris and thus constituted a bribe. I think they chose the politically expedient way out, Harris said of the commissions decision. The Texas GOP did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The commission declined to comment. Ethics complaints that are dismissed are confidential under state law. Typically, when the commission receives an ethics complaint, it has five days to determine whether the alleged violation comes under its jurisdiction. When the commission declares it does not have jurisdiction, the complainant can request a review by the commission. Harris said he hasnt decided yet if he wants to request a review. Pentagon is sending 1,500 active duty troops to help secure the US-Mexico border A mandatory review of the ethics boards by the Texas Sunset Advisory Commission, which evaluates agencies and issues recommendations, is already underway. Some Republicans have sought to use the review period as an opportunity to weaken the ethics commissions oversight powers. That includes political operatives and groups funded by Tim Dunn and Farris Wilks, two West Texas oil billionaires who have spent tens of millions of dollars pushing Texas to the far right. Wilks and Dunn are longtime foes of the Ethics Commission; one of their chief operatives has been engaged in an unsuccessful, 10-year legal attempt to strip the agency of its regulatory powers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In the days after Harris allegations were made public, groups and figures funded by the billionaires again mobilized against the ethics commission. The complaint, they argued, proved that the commission had become a political weapon, wielded by powerful people to silence everyday citizens by conducting intense and time-consuming investigations into even the most baseless allegations or mundane violations. 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 KETK.com | FOX51.com. (This story has been updated to include more information.) Texas and 14 other states have secured a $7.4 billion settlement from the Sackler family and their company, Purdue Pharma, for their roles in creating the opioid crisis. Purdue Pharma was the manufacturer of OxyContin. From 1999 to 2022, almost 727,000 people in the United States died from an opioid overdose, according to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The settlement still needs to be approved by the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York, which is handling the reorganization of Purdue Pharma. For years, I have aggressively worked to hold Purdue Pharma and other corporations accountable for their roles in creating and exacerbating the deadly opioid crisis that harmed so many Americans, Texas Attorney General Paxton said. While nothing can restore the damage done, this settlement will provide Texans valuable resources to help prevent more opioid abuse." How will Purdue Pharma settlement funds be used? The money will pay for opioid addiction treatment, prevention and recovery programs in communities across the United States during the next 15 years, Paxton said. It is not clear how the money will be distributed, including how much Central Texas communities will receive. Central Health, Austin-Travis County's hospital district that provides health care to anyone in the community making less than 200% of federal poverty level, plans to use $4.9 million in prior opioid settlement funds this fiscal year. These funds will provide medication assisted treatment, offering more detox and residential treatment, and addiction and therapy services through partnerships with Integral Care, CommUnity Care, the Sobering Center and others working in this space. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Travis County has received $1.76 million from a previous opioid settlement in the past two years, County Judge Andy Brown said. That money has gone to opioid use reduction programs and provided more peer support specialists in the community. The county will ask to be included in this settlement and will work with groups like the Texas Harm Reduction Alliance on how to use the money. One of the county's goals has been to get Narcan, which reverses the effects of opioids, in as many places as possible, Brown said, as well as to train people how to use it. It also wants to increase access to methadone and similar medications to reduce the sickness from opioid withdrawal. The county has seen some progress, with the number of deaths from drug use falling to 255 in the first six months of 2024, a slight reduction from 314 during the same time in 2023, but "overdose is still the No. 1 cause of accidental death in Travis County," Brown said. "That wouldn't be the case if not for what they did," he said referring to Perdue Pharma and the Sackler family. This is the largest opioid crisis settlement to date and effectively ends the Sacklers' control of Purdue and bars them from selling opioids in the U.S., according to a news release by California Attorney General Rob Bonta. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Texas negotiated the settlement along with the attorneys general of California, New York, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Illinois, Massachusetts, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Vermont, Virginia and West Virginia. A "significant amount" of the money will be distributed during the first three years, Bonta said. The Sacklers will pay $1.5 billion and Purdue almost $900 million as soon as the bankruptcy plan is approved. Purdue will pay $500 million the following year and the year after that, then $400 million in the fourth year, according to the California attorney general. A board of trustees selected by the participating states as well as other creditors will oversee the future of the company. Purdue will be prevented from marketing or lobbying around opioids as part of the settlement. Once approved, more than 30 million documents will be released related to Purdue and the Sacklers' opioid business. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The settlement has been a long time coming. The state attorneys general reached an initial settlement in 2007. In 2021, the bankruptcy court approved a plan that would require the family and Purdue to pay billions but be released from liability. Then in June 2024, the U.S. Supreme Court struck down that plan because it said the bankruptcy code does not shield companies from nonconsensual liability. The new settlement includes consensual releases of liability in exchange for the payments the Sacklers will be making. The Sackler family includes the current family members, their children and their heirs. This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Texas reaches $7.4 billion opioid settlement against Purdue Pharma TERRELL COUNTY, Texas (KMID/KPEJ)- On Monday, January 20, recently inaugurated President Donald Trump signed multiple executive orders, proclamations, and memorandums; several of which pertained to the Southern Border. Terrell County Sheriff Thaddeus Cleveland, a retired U.S. Border Patrol Agent and a Veteran of the U.S. Air Force who has worked at securing the Southern Border, shared how he believes Trumps Presidency will impact local authorities efforts along the border and how Trumps mass deportation plans will transpire. Near the Big Bend area and bordered on the south by Mexico, Terrell County, a remote area of roughly 2,400 miles of rough terrain, has been impacted by illegal border crossings. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Extortion and danger, local sheriff talks perils of illegal entry During the last four years, we saw activity in this area really explode to the highest levels wed ever seen before. We have some of the roughest, most remote terrain across the entire southwest border, Terrell County Sheriff Thaddeus Cleveland said. Landowners have had their homes broken into, weve had landownersthey have found deceased illegal aliens on their property Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Watch the video below to hear Sheriff Cleveland talk more about life for locals along the border, and how authorities have been working to help make it more secure: Sheriff Cleveland said that now that Trump has signed executive orders and is making changes to immigration and border security, he believes the Southern Border will be more safe and secure, while giving U.S Border Patrol agents the support they need. President Trumps orders include the following: Executive order to secure the border Declaring a national emergency at the border Enhance vetting and screening to the maximum degree Clarifying the militarys role in border security Ending Catch and Release and reinstating Remain in Mexico Designating criminal cartels as terrorists Suspending the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program Ending birthright citizenship Watch the video below to hear Sheriff Cleveland go over how he believes certain orders from Trump will impact U.S Border Patrol efforts in Terrell County: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement All the orders signed Monday by President Trump follow campaign promises to issue mass deportations immediately after taking office. Illegal entry will immediately be halted, and we will begin the process of returning millions and millions of criminal aliens back to the places from which they came, Trump said during his inaugural address. According to Sheriff Cleveland, these mass deportation plans will target criminal aliens that have entered into the United States illegally or those that have committed crimes here in the United States. How President Trumps executive orders could affect West Texas Watch the video below to hear more about the mass deportation plans, and how they will unfold according to Sheriff Cleveland: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Mexico setting up tents for migrants deported by Trump According to Cleveland, it is unknown when these mass deportations will occur, and while the Trump administration has not said where and when they will take place, other efforts are being made after President Donald Trumps executive orders to secure the border. Overall, Cleveland said the orders are going to make an impact in the region he works in. The Big Bend region is really that last area along the entire U.S.-Mexico border that hasnt seen any infrastructure, technology, or manpower. So what we really are going to see is what weve projected for years is that at some point, Big Bend sector will be that next focused area where people will try to make their illegal entry into the United States, Cleveland said. And since hes been, you know, administered the oath, hes in office and signed those executive orders, those executive orders will have an impact on the U.S.-Mexico border and even the portion of the border right here in the Big Bend region. To visit Sheriff Thaddeus Clevelands Facebook page, 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 Yourbasin. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has won by default in a State Bar lawsuit over his attempt to overturn the 2020 presidential election results in four swing states, continuing the Republican top lawyer's winning streak in clearing his long-running legal troubles. The State Bar of Texas' Ethics Commission sued Paxton in 2022, accusing him of making dishonest claims of election fraud in a 2020 petition to the U.S. Supreme Court. The bar's lawyers dropped the lawsuit Wednesday, citing the Texas Supreme Court's decision late last month to clear Paxton's deputy attorney general in a similar case. In the 7-2 high court's December ruling, the justices reasoned that allowing the state bar to discipline members of the attorney general's office would open the possibility of political retaliation. They also wrote that it would violate the separation of powers in the Texas Constitution. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The bar's 2022 complaint against Paxton argued that he should be reprimanded for violating state ethical standards that prohibit lawyers from acting with dishonesty, fraud, deceit or misrepresentation, and it noted he cited unsupported claims as well as allegations of voting fraud that had already been dismissed or rejected by other courts. Previously, a divided 5th Court of Appeals in Dallas allowed the commission's case against Paxton to continue, ruling that every attorney licensed to practice in Texas including the attorney general is subject to the rules of conduct that the State Bar enforces. Paxton had asked the Texas Supreme Court in June to toss the state appeals court's decision, calling the ethics panel's case against him "politically motivated lawfare." His office did not respond to the American-Statesman's request for comment on Thursday's suit dismissal. Once approved, the State Bar's motion to dismiss will free Paxton from fighting the case. In the past two years, the attorney general was acquitted of corruption charges after a bitterly fought impeachment and resolved a nearly decade-old felony securities fraud case against him with a roughly $270,000 settlement. A yearslong U.S. Justice Department inquiry into Paxton might also evaporate soon after his ally, President Donald Trump, was sworn into office on Monday, ProPublica and The Texas Tribune reported. A representative for the State Bar of Texas declined to comment. This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Texas AG defeats State Bar lawsuit over 2020 election challenge By Napat Wesshasartar and Chayut Setboonsarng BANGKOK (Reuters) - Thailand on Thursday became the first country in Southeast Asia to hold legal same-sex weddings, with LGBT groups aiming to mark the occasion with more than 1,000 marriage registrations in a single day. After decades of campaigning by activists, Thailand is the third territory in Asia to legalise same-sex marriages after Taiwan and Nepal, with a new marriage equality law coming into effect on Thursday Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Thailand's parliament flew rainbow flags on Thursday and shopping complexes planned big pride events to celebrate the implementation of the new law. At a mass wedding at a luxury Bangkok retail mall, more than 200 couples lined up to make their vows, some in white dresses, others in traditional Thai outfits, western suits and ceremonial police uniforms. "It has been 17 years, we met in school and encountered many things ... we hope to see more equality in the future," said Ploynaplus Chirasukon, 33, posing for photographs after receiving a marriage license with her wife Kwanporn Kongpetch. LGBT groups hope to reach 1,448 wedding registrations on day one, a symbolic number that refers to the section of the Thai civil code where a key amendment changed the words husband and wife to "spouse". Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The organisers, along with related agencies, plan to compile figures from ceremonies nationwide and submit a request to Guinness World Records to recognise Thailand as holder of the world's largest number of same-sex marriage registrations in a single day. "One-four-four-eight symbolises the fight for marriage rights for all genders. It represents the dream and hope of building an inclusive society that accepts and celebrates love in all its forms," LGBT group Bangkok Pride said. 'JUST THE FIRST STEP' District offices nationwide and Thai embassies overseas were also open for marriage registration, according to the government. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Equal marriage has truly become possible with the power of all," said former Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, who was premier when the landmark legislation passed last year. He marked the day as one "close to the hearts of many Thais." According to legal analysts, the new same-sex marriage law will create more momentum for greater inclusion of LGBTQ people in Thailand, which has long had a reputation for its carnival-like pride events and tolerance towards the community. However, other regulations like building a legally recognised a family remain a challenge for some couples. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The definition of family - a father being a man and a mother a woman - remain in the Thai legal code. Bangkok Pride organiser Adcharaporn Thongchalaem said Thursday's rush to register marriages was about recognition, not records. "This event shows that many LGBT couples want this (marriage) certificate. Its a symbol that Thailand is ready for change towards equality. Same-sex marriage is just the first step," Adcharaporn said. (Reporting by Chayut Setboonsarng, Arton Pookasook, and Napat Wesshasartar; Editing by Martin Petty) THOMASVILLE The Thomasville High School Class of 1970 recently delivered 90 blankets to Asheville for use by Hurricane Helene victims who are suffering from the cold and is challenging others to do the same. The blanket drive was led by Steve Cranford, Wanda Cranford and Penny Long Overby, and the blankets were delivered to Haywood Street United Methodist Church in Asheville, which will distribute them. Class of 1970 members living as far away as Anacortes, Washington, donated blankets. Steve Noblitt, who graduated from Thomasville High in 1969 and now works at Haywood Street UMC, was the drives community liaison. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Vicki Connolly, class spokesperson, notes that the River Arts District in Asheville was all but obliterated by the flooding. Many folks lost their homes as well as their very livelihoods. We saw firsthand how devastating this flood actually was, which was so bad you could not believe what you were seeing. We learned that Asheville has 600 homeless folks living in the city, and that number is way up since Helene. In the flood-ravaged zones, rebuilding is not even possible. The people located there will have to start completely over from the ground up. We just started thinking about families living out in the cold, particularly those with children. So then we realized, How could we not do something? she said. Due to the huge homeless population there, Asheville could use six times the number of blankets that the Class of 1970 delivered, Connolly said. This is one challenge that we would gladly lose, she said. For more information, contact Connolly at 336-561-3501. A man identifying himself as a member of the far-right "Proud Boys" holding a sign is hugged by a supporter of President Donald Trump as demonstrators gather outside the DC Central Detention Facility, in Washington, DC, on Jan. 21, 2025. Credit - Roberto SchmidtAFP/Getty Images The quality of mercy is tough to measure, but the quantity of mercy has not been strained in Washington recently. It has been dropping like torrential rain from the heavens. Outgoing President Joe Biden pardoned his son, then commuted the sentences of thousands of individuals who have served more time for nonviolent drug offenses than would be warranted under current guidelines, and thenright as his lease on the White House was uppreemptively pardoned his relatives and political allies for crimes of which they had not yet even been (officially) accused. Not to be outdone, incoming President Trump pardoned or commuted the sentences of more than 1,500 rioters who had definitely been accused and convicted of crimes, including bringing guns to the Capitol to disrupt the peaceful transfer of power, a disruption which led to the death of at least one police officer and the injury of approximately 140 more. And then he pardoned Ross Ulbricht, convicted in 2015 of founding and running the online trading marketplace Silk Road, which facilitated trade in illegal drugs and money laundering. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement All told, the last two months has seen a reduction in punishment for more than 5,500 people by Presidents. Forgiveness is good. Mercy is noble. So why does this recent Pardonapalooza feel so dirty? Part of it is, of course, that most of these acts are naked politicking. Intelligent people can disagree on whether Ulbricht really deserved two full life sentences plus 40 years for running a website on which illegal transactions were made. But in announcing the news, President Trump noted that he had offered the pardon in honor of Ulbrichts mother and the Libertarian Movement, which supported me so strongly. Trump, the first U.S. president convicted of a felony, went on to insult the scum who convicted Ulbricht in 2015 as the same people who came after him. The act seemed to be as much about score-settling as justice. Politically motivated pardons are nothing new. But the type and scale of these pardons feel unprecedented. How can Biden pardon people from future prosecution? What does that mean? Is that stretching the power of the pardon too far? How could Trump pardon more than 1,500 people on his first day in office, rather than upon departure? It seemed hasty. Were none of those people guilty as charged, even though theres footage of them attacking police officers and one of them has already been rearrested on federal gun charges? The most unsettling part of these pardons, however, is that they are giving mercy a bad name. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The purpose of the pardon is to allow for a fudge when the legal system has misfired or overshot the mark. A pardon is an instance of mercy, of not giving the person the full extent of justice, but giving them less than society has said that they deserve, says Everett Worthington, a psychologist and professor who has written five books on forgiveness. If a person has committed a crime, but the punishment has been too severe, or they have turned their lives around, or the situation is clearly unfair, a supreme authority can wave a magic wand and balance out the scales of justice a bit. Since pardoning is not unlike an act of Godabsolving folks for something they did to othersvery few people have the authority to do it. And when they twist the power to do good by settling political scores or building a bulwark against potential attack, it not only makes people lose (more) faith in government, but in the benefits of forgiveness. It is violating a way that we would like to see pardons thought about, says Worthington, which is as an act of generosity, an act of kindness, an act of mercy. Theres a growing body of research about forgiveness, which suggestsas if this needed provingthat its an important part of all human gathering and interaction. It allows people, when they do wrong, to not have to be pariahs forever. It allows the aggrieved to be released from the life-sucking need for revenge. But usually there are preconditions for gaining forgiveness: admitting guilt, expressing remorse, making amends. It flies in the face of our instinct for justice that people can be let off the hook when none of these have been offered. It makes it harder to forgive them. We can already see the tide turning against mercy. During a sermon at the Washington Cathedral on Inauguration day, Episcopal Bishop Mariann Edgar Budde asked President Trump to have mercy upon the people in our country who are scared now, specifically mentioning the children of undocumented immigrants and those who are LGBTQ. For this, she was publicly excoriated, by the president and his supporters. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement There's something sacred and noble about forgiving and mercy, says Brandon Warmke, an associate professor of philosophy at Bowling Green State University and co-editor of the book Forgiveness and Its Moral Dimensions. And the problem is so many of these acts that are in the cognate family of forgiveness or mercy are now purely political or transactional. It wasnt always this way. Pardons can promote unity. In 1977, President Jimmy Carter, in the interest of fairness, commuted the sentence of a person with politics opposite to his, G. Gordon Liddy, who had been sentenced to much more time than the other Watergate conspirators. Robert Enright, a professor at the University of Madison Wisconsin, who organized the first National Conference on Forgiveness and has done work in countries such as Rwanda and South Africa that are recovering from deep civil strife, says that pardons are in fact most powerful when offered to an erstwhile enemy, to promote peace. But it wasn't as if President Trump is forgiving Democrats who are on Biden's side, says Enright. And it's not that Biden is legally pardoning those who are Trump's relatives. Granted, pardons are not even in the top 20 ways a U.S. president can wield power. And arguably, they dont directly hurt anyone, at least at first. When pardons are given easily, or bizarrely, or en masse, or to own the libs or the MAGA, rather than to rebalance the scales of justice, it warps them, further infuriates the nation, and makes empathy even more unlikely. In that climate, acts of compassion and humanity become suspicious, even unwelcome. Its just another cinderblock in the wall of mistrust that is being assembled across America. The clearest act of nobility among the crop of pardons that have been handed out came not from a leader but a 71-year-old retired drug and alcohol counselor from Boise, Idaho. Pamela Hemphill, who spent two months in prison for entering the Capitol on Jan. 6, asked her lawyer to reject her pardon, because she was guilty, and because it was an insult to the police officers who helped her after the day turned violent. The pardon is a slap in their face, Hemphill told the Idaho Statesman. Its like the country let them down. Contact us at letters@time.com. Evacuation orders and warnings were issued to more than 31,000 people in the vicinity of two new wildfires north of Los Angeles on Wednesday. The Hughes Fire near Castaic Lake in northern Los Angeles County began Wednesday morning and now covers more than 10,000 acres or 15 square miles. It was 24% contained at 2 p.m. local time Thursday (8 p.m. ET), according to Cal Fire. The Hughes Fire was being fed by high winds and dry conditions, Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna told reporters, but according to an update from the interagency fire information center it had not destroyed any structures. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A new brush fire began late Wednesday in Sepulveda Pass, growing to 40 acres near the densely populated Sherman Oaks neighborhood and UCLA, but its progress was stopped. Los Angeles Fire Department issued an evacuation warning for residents in the area at 11:46 p.m. (2:46 a.m. ET Thursday) but later ended the alert at 2 a.m. In addition to the approximately 31,000 people under mandatory evacuation orders, another around 23,000 were under evacuation warnings, meaning they should be prepared to leave if told to do so. "The fire remains a difficult fire to contain, although we are getting the upper hand," Los Angeles County Fire Chief Anthony Marrone said at a news briefing for the Hughes Fire earlier Wednesday. Firefighters tackle the Hughes Fire in Castaic, Calif., Wednesday. The Hughes Fire ignited weeks after two nearby blazes left at least 27 people dead and engulfed thousands of homes in the Los Angeles area earlier this month, in what the city's fire chief has called one of the worst disasters in the history of Los Angeles. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Wednesday's winds were not as strong as those that fueled the Eaton and Palisades fires Jan. 7, when authorities were unable to use aircraft to drop flame retardant, Marrone said. On Wednesday, firefighters were able to drop tens of thousands of gallons of retardant to help halt the spread of the fire, he said. "Had you been here a few hours ago, the situation looked much different and much more threatening," Marrone said. A section of Interstate 5 that stretches through a mountain pass north of Castaic Lake that was closed Wednesday later reopened in both directions, the California Highway Patrol said on X. The agency added that off ramps to Parker Road and Lake Hughes Road, both on I-5 north, remain closed. A lawyer for the American Civil Liberties Union of Southern California called for the immediate evacuation of 4,700 jail inmates in four facilities around the lake that are under a warning to flee the area. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A spokesperson for the sheriff's department, which operates the jails, said that 476 people in one of the facilities were being moved to another jail. The cause of the fire was under investigation. The fire broke out after a return of winds and dry conditions created a critical fire risk. The area remained under "red flag" warnings through 10 a.m. Friday, the National Weather Service said, adding that wind gusts of up to 65 mph could be expected in the mountains. Experts have pointed to the link between climate change and the conditions that make fires like those that have roared across Los Angeles in recent weeks more likely. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Images broadcast by NBC Los Angeles showed massive plumes of smoke soaring above the region and giant flames scorching what appeared to be a ridge line. Video from the station showed residents who had refused evacuation orders hosing down their homes and sealing exterior events to block embers. The Hughes Fire burns behind the skyline of Six Flags Magic Mountain, in Valencia, Calif., on Thursday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In an interview with the station, Los Angeles County Supervisor Kathryn Barger pleaded with people to heed the orders. She said she was concerned officials may have to ground firefighting aircraft if winds pick up. Im knocking on wood we contain this and it doesnt affect any homes, she said. Barger described the area as home to many first responders and their families. The nearby Eaton Fire, which ignited Jan. 7 and devastated the community of Altadena, was 95% contained Wednesday after burning more than 14,000 acres, fire officials said. More than 9,400 structures, including homes, have been destroyed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Palisades Fire was sparked hours earlier in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood. The blaze had scorched more than 23,400 acres and was 72% contained, according to Cal Fire. The cause of both fires remained under investigation, according to the agency. This article was originally published on NBCNews.com Thousands of wind turbines are to be switched off during Storm Eowyn because the power generated by its 100mph gusts would overwhelm the UKs electricity grid. The extreme weather will generate an unusably large amount of energy when Eowyn hits wind farms in Scotland and the North Sea on Friday, forcing operators to disconnect their machines. The idle turbines are none the less expected to deliver millions of pounds of profits for wind farm operators, who will be able to claim so-called constraint payments for disconnecting them. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Tom Smout, a senior analyst with the energy consultancy Aurora, said: Its typical for Great Britains grid infrastructure to be unable to handle the power generated during periods of strong wind. We expect many of Scotlands wind farms to be disconnected from the grid during the coming strong winds, even though the wind will be blowing strongly. However, the operators will still be getting paid because they have made their assets available. He added that the system in Britain means that the National Energy System Operator (Neso) pays turbine owners to stop them from generating. This money ultimately comes from bill payers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Storm Eowyn is predicted to generate winds of up to 100mph and has triggered a red warning from the Met Office in Northern Ireland and parts of Scotland, meaning there is a risk of damage to property and injury to people. This winters previous storms have already shown wind turbines to be money-spinners for the mainly foreign firms operating UK wind farms. Storms Ashley in October and Bert in November led to payments of 26.3m for energy companies, according to calculations by the Renewable Energy Foundation (REF), an environmental charity. Most of that sum is related to Scotland, which has 4,839 onshore wind turbines and 378 much larger offshore machines with a total capacity of about 14 gigawatts (GW) theoretically enough for more than 10m homes. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement However, much of that potential power goes unused because the expansion of the UKs transmission system has not kept pace with the growth in wind farms. It means that Neso has to pay for the farms to stop generating, while also paying gas power stations in England closer to large cities to fire up instead. Last year, about 500m was paid out in constraints to all power generators. Around 350m of this went to wind farm operators, mostly in Scotland. The system, known as the balancing mechanism, adds about 4pc to electricity bills about 48 a year for the average consumer, according to a recent Neso report. Lee Moroney, an energy analyst with REF, said: Consumers face a triple hit in constraint costs at times of high winds. Not only do they pay for electricity that wind farms predicted they would generate but were instructed not to because of grid congestion, but they also have to pay a bonus to the wind farms for the trouble of reducing output. And they must also pay for the costs of turning up conventional generation [such as gas-fired power stations] to make up the shortfall. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Constraint payments are used by Neso because developers are building wind farms around the UK much faster than the construction of new transmission lines to take their power to the cities that need it. However, researchers expect the system to continue. Neso has calculated that the cost of paying constraint payments at times of high power output is cheaper than building all the transmission lines needed to take that power to cities. Neso said that it made constraint payments when it was most cost-effective to temporarily reduce generation output in a specific area, but that this is kept under review. A spokesman said: As a prudent system operator we are working closely with Transmission Owners and Distribution Network Operators to prepare for Storm Eowyn. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Renewable UK, which represents the wind industry, as well as major operators including Equinor and Scottish Power, did not respond to requests for comment. Storm Eowyn is likely to result in some wind farms being switched off for safety reasons, too. This is because turbines are designed to work best within normal wind ranges. Extreme winds and increased rotation speeds risk damaging turbine blades, bearings and other components. A spokesman for rsted, a Danish company that has become one of the UKs leading wind farm operators, said: We have 12 operational offshore wind farms in UK waters. Extreme weather conditions, such as Storm Eowyn, are well-forecasted, which allows for very accurate forward-planning. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The design of our turbines means that they are able to automatically put themselves into a safe mode during sustained periods of extreme weather. When the wind speed averages over 25m/s (approximately 50mph) for more than 10-minutes, the turbines will automatically soft stop, make themselves safe, and wait until the wind speed drops to below 25m/s, where they will automatically restart in a safe manner. We also have strict processes and weather monitoring to ensure our people are not exposed to extreme conditions. 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. By Sonia Rolley (Reuters) - Laden with just the possessions they can carry, thousands of displaced people have reached the outskirts of the city of Goma in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, fleeing a rapid M23 rebel advance that has taken more territory than ever before. The advance marks a turning point for the M23 since it launched a fresh insurgency into Congo's mineral-rich east in March 2022, analysts say. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement They never managed to gain this much ground during previous offensives in 2012 and 2013 and the more territory they take, the more opportunity there is for them to generate more mining revenue to fund their campaign, analysts say. The M23 is the latest in a series of groups of ethnic Tutsi-led insurgents to rise up against Congolese forces. The group, named after the March 23 date of a 2009 accord that ended a previous Tutsi-led revolt, accuses the government of not living up to the peace deal to fully integrate Congolese Tutsis into the army and administration. There are more than 8,000 M23 fighters, of which around 5,500 have been recruited since September, according to a U.N. experts' report published this month. Congo, Western powers and the United Nations accuse neighbouring Rwanda of backing the group with its own troops and weapons. Rwanda denies this. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement After seizing the town of Minova on Tuesday, M23 fighters have continued their offensive, moving into the town of Sake, around 20 km (12 miles) from Goma. A local administrator and the head of a civil society group said there were clashes with the army on Thursday morning. "We used to hear about the war from very far away," said Alice Maombi Tulinado, 28, a mother of four from Kalehe territory, who arrived on a river boat in Nzulo, around 15 km (9 miles) from Goma, the lake-facing capital of North Kivu province. "We did not see the war coming upon us. Now it is in our homes," she said as she joined thousands of others already living in a makeshift camp there. Minova is around 40 km (25 miles) from Goma, a city of 2 million people including over a million displaced. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "The capture of Minova isolates Goma a little more and opens the way to the capture of other localities ... important trade flows and mines," said Fred Bauma, head of a Congolese research group. Congo's army, which has been locked in fighting against the M23 for almost three years, has so far only said that "the enemy has broken through" in Minova. The national army spokesman did not respond to requests for comment about the situation in Sake on Thursday. MINING REVENUE The M23 has been in control of the coltan-mining region of Rubaya - a mineral vital for manufacturing electronics - for over a year. This has allowed them to generate an estimated $800,000 per month through a production tax, according to the U.N. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The group has spread into new territories in recent weeks where there is scope to generate more mining revenue, analysts say. Numbi, an eastern mining area rich in gold, tourmaline, and tin, tantalum and tungsten - so-called 3T minerals used in computers and mobile phones - is also under threat. The M23 briefly managed to take over Goma in 2012, prompting international donors to cut aid to Rwanda. Even then the rebels did not hold as much ground as they do now. However, Jason Stearns, a U.S.-based university professor and former U.N. expert, said Rwanda was probably not willing to risk a stronger international backlash and more aid cuts if the M23 tried to take Goma again and push further south into Bukavu, the capital of the adjacent South Kivu province. But he said efforts by Angola to mediate a lasting ceasefire and de-escalate tensions between Congo and Rwanda were at an impasse. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "The next move has to be on the battlefield, which is why we have seen this escalation in recent weeks and the dramatic expansion of M23 territory," Stearns said. On Tuesday, Congo's army lined up heavy weapons on a stretch of land a few hundred metres from the Nzulo camp. The provincial governor has since temporarily banned all small boats from crossing Lake Kivu, which separates Minova and Goma. Faced with lack of food and fearing more fighting, several families have packed up once again and walked towards Goma. "I am too hungry. The situation in Nzulo is not good either," said Minova resident Athanase Zihalirwa Muderwa, balancing a sleepy child on his shoulders. "I don't know where I am going." (Reporting by Sonia Rolley; Writing by Sofia Christensen; Editing by Alison Williams) Three initiatives in Johnson County have been awarded grants from Texas Health Resources to provide services. The Community Impact grants which have been distributed since 2019 are part of THRs continued commitment to improve the health of those in the communities it serves. This round of grants totaled $5 million, with $33,333 each designated for three Johnson County groups. The recipients are organizations that work collaboratively to creatively tackle the health disparities and socioeconomic hardships impacting North Texans. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We have witnessed the tremendous impact that can be achieved when we work with community organizations to tackle the unique challenges that residents in underserved communities face, said David Tesmer, chief community and public policy officer for Texas Health. From providing families free access to nutritious food and transportation to connecting residents to vital resources and support for their mental and physical health, these investments are not only meeting immediate needs but creating ripples of change for generations to come. THR has awarded more than $23 million in Texas Health Community Impact grants. The grants are just one part of the outreach that Texas Health is doing in and on behalf of our communities through an initiative known collectively as Texas Health Community Hope. The Texas Health Community Impact grants target the unique needs of residents living in 32 ZIP codes identified as disproportionately experiencing health challenges in Texas Healths Community Health Needs Assessment, an in-depth analysis done every three years. With this assessment, were identifying the pressing needs and health issues in underserved and under resourced communities across North Texas so we can focus our efforts on where its needed most, said Barclay Berdan, FACHE, Texas Health Resources CEO. We then team up with organizations already rooted in these communities to implement innovative programs to address these health disparities and socioeconomic conditions that impact health and well-being. Together, we are building bridges to better health. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The grants awarded this cycle include the following Johnson County programs: Johnson County Wellness Initiative Harvesting in Mansfield Food Bank was awarded $33,333 for their Nourishing Communities Together initiative. Collaborators include Rio Vista Cares and Keene Church. By June 1, the food bank will develop an innovative plan to address mental health and the social drivers of health for a target population in Cleburne, Keene and Rio Vista. Virtual Senior Center Meals on Wheels of North Central Texas was awarded $33,333 for a virtual senior center. Collaborators include Cleburne Parks and Recreation Department and Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service Johnson County. By June 1, MOW will develop an innovative plan to address mental health and the social drivers of health for a target population in Cleburne, Keene and Rio Vista. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Together We Grow REACH Council was awarded $33,333 for Together We Grow. Collaborators include CASA of Johnson County, East Cleburne Community Center, Johnson County Juvenile Services and Southwestern Adventist University. By June 1, REACH will develop an innovative plan to address mental health and the social drivers of health for a target population in Cleburne, Keene and Rio Vista (76031, 76033, 76059 and 76093). In addition, a $95,000 grant has been allocated for Elite Research, LLC, to assess the quality of the Johnson and Erath community collaboratives. Post planning grants, an additional $500,000 in grants will be awarded in the Southern Region. The remaining funding will be allocated at the beginning of 2026. NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) In the wake of the deadly shooting at Antioch High School Wednesday, threats against schools across Middle Tennessee are circulating online. Threats against multiple Metro Nashville Public Schools were spotted, including Jere Baxter Middle School, Cane Ridge High School, Hillsboro High School, McGavock High School and Glencliff High School. What we know so far about the Antioch school shooter Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A spokesperson for the district told News 2 the threats are unfounded. The MNPD investigated this situation overnight. The threat was unsubstantiated, and they do not believe there is any connection between the shooter and these schools. They will have additional police presence at those schools out of an abundance of caution. Sean Braisted, Chief of Communications and Technology Antioch High School Shooting | Continuing Coverage Joelton Elementary School was placed on a preventative lockout Wednesday, due to parent concerns over threats and rumors circulating online and in the media about other schools, according to Braisted. Threats and false reports of active shooters have been pouring into schools and colleges across the country for years, raising concerns among law enforcement and elected leaders, but threats can skyrocket in a community following a school shooting. At U.S. schools and colleges, at least 175 people have been killed in mass shootings that resulted in the deaths of four or more people, not including the perpetrator since 1999s Columbine High School massacre. 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. (WJET/WFXP) Pennsylvania State Police are investigating after three reportedly broke into a Peach Street dealership and stole three luxury cars over the weekend. According to PSP Erie, the three suspects pried the garage door open to New Motors BMW around 3:30 Sunday morning and made off with three 2024 BMWs. Erie man sentenced over six years in prison for trafficking meth The thieves made off with a gray 2024 BMW X5, a white 2024 BMW 760i, and a white 2024 BMW i7. Though all three vehicles were later found in Buffalo, NY, police believe the theft is linked to two other car thefts, one from August 2024 and another in Millcreek Township on Jan. 19. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Police raid finds over 13 oz. of meth, cash in Chautauqua Co. During all three break-ins, police said the thieves pried open the garage door before making their way to the service desk for the key fobs. No suspects or arrests have been announced at this time and anyone with information is asked to call PSP Erie at 814-898-1641 or leave an anonymous tip online 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 WJET/WFXP/YourErie.com. TOWN OF PAMELIA, N.Y. (WWTI) Three people were injured in a Thursday morning crash in Jefferson County where a vehicle left Interstate 81 and crashed into an overpass. New York State Police said that a preliminary investigation said 55-year-old Dustin Reitz from Theresa was operating a black 2015 Dodge. He was traveling north on Interstate 81 when he went off the roadway striking the County Route 16 overpass bridge. Updated weather alerts as snow set to return to NNY Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Reitz and two children, a 13-year-old and a 12-year-old, from Theresa were transported to Samaritan Medical Center for treatment of non-life threating injuries. State Police were assisted on scene by Evans Mills Ambulance, Pamelia Fire Department, North Pole Fire Department, and Van Tassel Towing & Recovery. The investigation is currently continuing. (Courtesy of New York State 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 WWTI - InformNNY.com. Jan. 22Three local men are among the hundreds pardoned Monday by President Donald Trump on his first day in office for convictions related to the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol riot. Trump commuted the sentences of 14 defendants and pardoned all of the other defendants about 1,500 who had been convicted of offenses related to the Capitol riot. Lonnie Leroy Coffman, 75, of the Lacon Mountain area near Falkville, pleaded guilty in November 2021 to possession of an unregistered destructive device and carrying a pistol without a license. He was sentenced to three years and 10 months in prison, with credit for time served in jail, followed by probation. He was released from prison in October 2023 after receiving mental health counseling, according to court records. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Coffman, a Vietnam War veteran who served in the U.S. Army, was carrying a loaded handgun and revolver without a license as he walked in Washington, D.C., on Jan. 6, 2021, according to prosecutors. He wasn't accused of entering the Capitol or joining the riot that day. When Coffman parked his truck a few blocks from the Capitol on the morning of Jan. 6, it contained a handgun, a rifle, a shotgun, hundreds of rounds of ammunition, a crossbow, machetes, a stun gun and a cooler containing 11 Mason jars with holes punched in the lids, according to prosecutors. Each jar contained a mixture of gasoline and Styrofoam, which are components of the homemade incendiary devices called Molotov cocktails, prosecutors said. Handwritten notes found inside the vehicle included a quote attributed to Abraham Lincoln that said, "We The People Are The Rightful Masters Of Both The Congress And The Courts, Not To Overthrow The Constitution But To Overthrow The Men Who Pervert The Constitution." The notes included a list of "good guys" and "bad guys," with a federal judge named in the latter category, and contact information for a member of a Texas militia group known as the "American Patriots," prosecutors said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "The handwritten notes also included an address for a reported gathering place in Texas called 'Camp Lonestar,' where militia groups had reportedly sought to patrol the border looking for illegal aliens," prosecutors wrote. Investigators had previously identified Coffman as an armed participant at Camp Lonestar, according to prosecutors. Coffman, a retired machine operator, didn't have a criminal record before this case, and as of Monday's pardon he still doesn't. "At my age, one of the most precious (things) we possess is time, and I have wasted almost a whole precious year," he wrote in a letter to the judge. Bobby Russell Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Bobby Wayne Russell, 50, of Falkville, entered a guilty plea to one felony count each of assaulting, resisting, or impeding certain officers, and aiding and abetting, according to court records. He was sentenced to one year and one day in prison followed by two years of supervised probation. He completed his prison sentence in September. In the plea agreement, Russell acknowledges assaulting Michelle Turner, an officer with the Washington, D.C., Metropolitan Police Department. A body camera showed him, with his Alabama sweatshirt, pressing his back against a bicycle-rack barricade and clinging to it as officers tried to remove him and as Turner sprayed him with pepper spray, according to the plea agreement. "Due to the involvement of other rioters, the barricade broke apart. The defendant grabbed the jacket of MPD Officer Michelle Turner, pulling her down with him as he fell headlong down a short flight of stairs. They both ended up on the ground," according to the plea agreement, and Turner said he tried to grab the pepper spray canister from her. These events took place at about noon on Jan. 6, 2021, a statement of offense appended to the plea agreement said. At about 3:25 p.m., bodycam video shows Russell on the Upper West Terrace of the Capitol, outside the doors to the Senate wing. Russell was recorded telling one officer, "I'm not scared of you, and I'm not weak," and then joining in a chant of, "Whose house? Our house." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Five minutes later, according to the plea agreement, Russell said to officers, "Did y'all think it was gonna come to this? I knew it was gonna come to this." At 4:20 p.m., according to the plea agreement, officers guarding the Senate wing area formed a line and walked toward the rioters, shouting for them to move back. Russell resisted, pushing his back and buttocks into the riot shield of an officer. "There's more of us than you guys; you're gonna lose," Russell told the officer, and then continued to resist law enforcement, the plea agreement says. Donnie Wren A jury found Donnie Duane Wren, 46, of Athens, guilty of civil disorder and assaulting, impeding or resisting officers, both felonies, and a single misdemeanor of entering and remaining in a restricted building or grounds. He was sentenced to one year and one day in prison, followed by two years of probation. He was released from prison in September, according to prison records. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Wren and his cousin, Thomas Harlen Smith, 46, of Mathiston, Mississippi, were both sentenced by U.S. District Judge Reggie Walton. A jury convicted Smith, who also was pardoned Monday, of 11 charges, including nine felonies and two misdemeanors. Smith was sentenced to 108 months in prison and 36 months of probation. Smith was in prison when pardoned, with a release date set for April 2031, according to prison records. According to the U.S. District Attorney's Office for the District of Columbia, the evidence at trial showed that Smith picked up Wren in Athens on his way to Washington, D.C., on Jan. 5, 2021, to attend the rally being held the next day by President Donald Trump. After attending the rally, Smith climbed a column near the African American History Museum with an outdated Mississippi state flag containing a Confederate battle flag symbol. Wren and Smith then entered the restricted Capitol grounds and climbed onto the stage that had been set up for the inauguration of then-President-elect Joe Biden. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Smith pushed toward the front of a group of rioters and used a flagpole like a spear to try to break a window next to the Lower West Terrace doors (of the Capitol building)," according to the prosecutors. "Smith thrust his flagpole at the window five times. He then surged through the doorway, where he and a mass of other rioters pushed into a line of Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) officers attempting to hold the door shut." Wren and Smith then climbed a railing to the Upper West Terrace of the Capitol where they pushed against the shields of officers seeking to clear the area, according to prosecutors. "Wren's push against the riot shield was an early assault on the Terrace that instigated the fight between rioters and police who were attempting to clear the Terrace," according to an Oct. 10 sentencing memorandum by U.S. Attorney Matthew Graves. While this was happening, Smith kicked an MPD officer in the back, sending the officer to the ground. He then picked up a metal pole-like object and threw it toward the line of police, striking two MPD officers in the head, according to evidence at trial. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Later in the day, Smith described on Facebook the assault on the Capitol: "Patriots stood together and battled the tyrannical cops throughout the entire afternoon." eric@decaturdaily.com or 256-340-2435 VIDALIA, La. (WJTV) Authorities said three Natchez men, who were accused of stealing items from a Louisiana Walmart, were arrested after a chase. The incident occurred just before 1:00 p.m. on Friday, January 17 at the Walmart in Vidalia, Louisiana. Police said one man stole more than $600 worth of food from the store, and a second man stole at least two battery jump boxes worth more than $300. Hinds County Sheriffs Office offers new app to connect with residents Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A third suspect was the driver of the getaway vehicle, police said. An officer spotted the vehicle exiting Walmart onto Carter Street and heading towards Natchez. Investigators said the officer tried to initiate a traffic stop, but the driver refused to stop. Other officers joined the pursuit, which continued until the vehicle was blocked by officers in the drive-thru of Tensas State Bank. The three suspects were arrested and transported to the Vidalia Police Department. Jarvis Washington, 49, was charged with theft, aggravated flight from an officer, no proof of insurance and no drivers license. Tyandra Batteaste, 47, and Derrick Bingham, 40, were both charged with theft. Close Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 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. DANVILLE, Ill. (WCIA) Two people are facing gun charges in Vermilion County after Danville Police said they were caught overnight with guns they werent allowed to have. A third person was also arrested, but the status of that case is pending a review by the States Attorneys Office following the discovery of new information. The arrests happened during two separate traffic stops. The first happened around 4:45 p.m. in the area of Main Street and Bowman Avenue. State Police respond to hit-and-run crash on I-74 E in Champaign Co. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Deputy Chief Terry McCord said a car was pulled over for an equipment violation. The cars driver was identified as Deonte J. Anderson, 22 of Rock Island, and McCord said his drivers license was revoked. He was arrested for this offense and further investigation revealed illegal marijuana and a firearm with an illegally loaded magazine. Anderson is a convicted felon, McCord said, and he was booked into the Vermilion County Public Safety Building on charges of unlawful possession of a weapon by a convicted felon and driving with a revoked license. McCord added that Andersons passenger was also arrested and booked because he was believed to be a convicted felon as well. However, further investigation revealed he is not considered a felon due to a plea agreement he made in a previous case involving him. It will be up to the States Attorney whether the charges against Andersons passenger are adjusted or dropped altogether. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Man arrested for Urbana crash that killed 2 women The second traffic stop happened at 9 p.m. on Interstate 74. McCord said that car was pulled over for a traffic violation and officers discovered that the driver, 25-year-old Curtis Compton of Kingman, Ind., was wanted in his home state for drug charges. His license was also suspended. Further investigation found a loaded gun on Comptons person. McCord said he does not have the necessary license to possess and carry a gun in the State of Illinois. Compton was booked on the Indiana warrant along with new charges of driving with a suspended license and aggravated unlawful use of a weapon. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Danville Police Department reminded that all arrestees are considered innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. ROME (Reuters) -Nine Real Sociedad fans were injured, including one left in a critical state, during clashes with Lazio supporters on the eve of Thursday's Europa League match between the two teams, Rome police said. About 70 Spanish fans were attacked by around 80 Lazio supporters in the central Via Leonina, near the Colosseum, at about 11 p.m. (2200 GMT) on Wednesday, a police spokesperson said. Six of the nine people injured were taken to hospital and four were discharged overnight. Of the two still in hospital, one was in a critical, but not life-threatening, condition, police said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In a statement, Lazio said it condemned "all forms of violence." The club offered to cooperate with authorities and said it would take harsh measures if any of the fans' involvement was proven by investigations. Police said attackers used blunt objects and knives and they released a picture of weapons presumed to have been used in the assault, including a hammer, sticks and batons, wrenches and a chain. The attackers fled as the police arrived, the spokesperson said. (Reporting by Alvise Armellini; Editing by Alison Williams, Emelia Sithole-Matarise and Ken Ferris) The key word with our temperature trend is warmer. Its important to add the -er at the end because while we are warmer than what weve been recently temperatures are still colder than normal. Todays arctic front squashed hopes of a warming trend with temperatures stuck below the freezing mark throughout the day. Download our KOLR 10 weather app Arctic air settling into the Ozarks along with clear and calm conditions will result in a very cold start to the day Friday. So, dont put the heavy coat away just yet. We resume our warm-up schedule after a frigid Friday morning. Sunshine and southwest winds will send the arctic air packing with afternoon highs well above freezing. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The warming trend will extend to the weekend. A bit of a race will be underway with an incoming cold front and increasing clouds trying to fight off the warming trend. That said, temperatures will be the warmest weve enjoyed in a week with highs in the upper 40s north to low 50s south. Chillier weather will settle in Sunday with skies remaining partly sunny. The overall pattern across the nation and continent will be undergoing important changes as we end the month and head into February. Cold air has been bottled up over Canada and the Lower 48 thanks to a blocking ridge over Greenland. That roadblock will finally be removed as we end the month. This will allow cold air to flow less impeded into the Atlantic with warmer Pacific air moving in from the west. This should mark a shift to a warmer mode of winter weather and well notice this next week as temperatures climb into the 50s with 60 within striking distance by Wednesday. A stalled storm in the Southwest will deliver our next chance for rain as it finally heads east 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 KOLR - OzarksFirst.com. PORTSMOUTH, Va. (WAVY) As slick roads, and icy conditions persist through Thursday morning. 10 On Your Side had team coverage to help you stay prepared. With snow still on the ground in Virginia Beach, many drivers were outside scraping the snow off their cars. John Atkinson, a Virginia Beach resident, said hes bundled up for the cold weather outside. Health experts said that the extreme cold temperatures can cause life-threatening conditions. Hypothermia and frostbite can be a result of staying outside for too long, unprotected. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Residents told 10 On Your Sides Deja Parker exactly how they were feeling. Be happy when its gone. I really dont care for it that much, said Atkinson. I dont like having to do this. Atkinson recommended to fellow neighbors to take precaution, bracing for the cold. Just give yourself a little extra time, bundle up, make sure your vehicles in good working order, windows clear, tires properly inflated things like that, said Atkinson. North Carolina is facing similar struggles. 10 On Your Side Keagan Hughes was in Elizabeth City this morning and noticed Highway 17 was clear for drivers. One of the main problems for drivers on Thursday after the winter blast, will be their own roads in the neighborhoods. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This morning has been better than yesterday morning, but we still have some serious conditions on the side roads here this morning. Just check in pipes to see if anything froze overnight, said Mike Arbogast who lives in Elizabeth City. More than 2,000 employees and contractors with NCDOT have spread 953,000 gallons of brine solution and 15,000 tons of salt. Many residential roads were found covered in ice. Once cars and trucks drive over it, it really packs it down and then it really gets slick, said Arbogast. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. Tiger Kings Joe Exotic is knocking President Trump and former President Biden for not issuing him a pardon, saying hed have a better chance of a commuted sentence if he broke in the [Capitol] or was related to the Bidens. You forgot meagain, Exotic, whose real name is Joseph Maldonado, said via an image directed to Trump and posted on his Instagram account on Tuesday. If I was a crack dealer, maybe if I broke in the capital [sic] or even have been related to the Bidens. I might have gotten some relief on being in prison innocent, the ex-zoo owner said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In the last minutes of his presidency on Monday, Biden granted blanket pardons to some members of his family. Left: AP Photo/Evan Vucci | Middle: AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki | Right: AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough Later on Monday, in one of his first moves as commander in chief, Trump pardoned roughly 1,500 rioters charged in connection with the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol. Hell the guy who killed 2 FBI Agents even hot [sic] a pardon today, Exotic said, apparently a reference to Biden commuting the life sentence of Native American activist Leonard Peltier on Monday. I cant even get a new trial based on admitted perjury testimony, he added. Exotic has long been attempting to obtain a pardon from Biden and Trump, dating back to the 47th presidents first term in office. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In 2020, Trump said he would take a look at the case, in response to a question from a journalist. The 61-year-old Tiger King star has been serving a 22-year federal prison sentence since 2020 for his role in a murder-for-hire plot against Carole Baskin, who also appeared in the Netflix documentary series. In 2022, a federal judge resentenced Exotic to 21 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 The Hill. Chinese FM holds phone talk with special advisor to Brazilian president on ties Xinhua) 08:33, January 23, 2025 BEIJING, Jan. 22 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Wednesday held a phone talk with Celso Amorim, special advisor to the president of Brazil. During the phone call, Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, said that last November, Chinese President Xi Jinping paid a successful state visit to Brazil, during which the two heads of state held a historic meeting that achieved a series of landmark outcomes, drawing a grand blueprint for the development of bilateral relations in the next stage. Both sides should fully implement the important consensus reached by the two heads of state and advance key areas of cooperation under the framework of aligning their development strategies, and continuously enrich the contemporary significance and strategic connotation of the China-Brazil community with a shared future, Wang said. As the BRICS family continues to expand, China supports Brazil in assuming the BRICS presidency this year and pushing for new achievements in greater BRICS cooperation, Wang said. China supports Brazil in hosting the UN climate change conference, he added. This year marks the 10th anniversary of the launch of the China-Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC) Forum, and China is ready to work with Brazil and other countries to build a China-Latin America community with a shared future, Wang said. Noting that the Ukraine crisis has been going on for nearly three years, Wang said that the "six-point consensus" jointly issued by China and Brazil on the political settlement of the Ukraine crisis and the establishment of the "Friends of Peace" platform on the Ukraine crisis are to gather consensus from the Global South and create an atmosphere and accumulate conditions for the realization of peace talks. For his part, Amorim said that President Xi's state visit to Brazil last year was very successful, and that the important consensus reached by the two heads of state set a clear direction for the comprehensive strategic cooperation between the two countries. Amorim expressed his hope that the two sides will step up the implementation of the results of the visit and work together to build a Brazil-China community with a shared future for a more just world and a more sustainable planet. Brazil attaches great importance to the China-CELAC Forum and is willing to strengthen coordination with China to successfully run this year's forum, said Amorim. Noting that the "six-point consensus" reached by Brazil and China on the Ukraine crisis is of great significance, Amorim said that the two sides should seize the opportunity to further leverage the role of the "Friends of Peace" platform. (Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun) Potential TikTok buyers are lining up as President Trump and the Chinese government show heightened interest in striking a deal to sell the popular video-sharing platform in the face of a U.S. ban. YouTube star MrBeast is the latest to join the ranks of prospective buyers, following a joint bid from former Los Angeles Dodgers owner Frank McCourt and Shark Tank star and investor Kevin OLeary. The Chinese government has also reportedly considered Elon Musk as a buyer, while Trump threw Oracle founder Larry Ellisons name into the mix Tuesday night. Theres a 75-day clock, Wedbush Securities analyst Dan Ives told The Hill, adding, The White House knows they have 75 days to get this deal done, and TikTok is a chip on the poker table in broader U.S. negotiations. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A law banning TikTok technically went into effect Sunday after its China-based parent company ByteDance failed to divest from the app. However, the Biden administration declined to enforce the ban in its final days, and Trump signed an executive order Monday halting enforcement for 75 days. With a new clock running and the law now upheld by the Supreme Court there seems to be greater openness to negotiations on all sides. I think now the environment on both sides is to get a deal done, Ives added. The idea of selling TikTok was virtually dead in the water during the Biden administration. TikTok and its parent company, ByteDance, repeatedly maintained any sort of divestment was not a feasible option. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Chinese government also previously poured cold water on the idea, saying it would firmly oppose any forced sale of the platform. China, however, appeared to have a change of heart earlier this week when a spokesperson for the Chinese Foreign Ministry suggested private companies can independently decide whether to sell their entities. When asked if China is open to a deal with Trump and how this might look, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said, When it comes to actions such as the operation and acquisition of business, we believe they should be independently decided by companies in accordance with market principles. If it involves Chinese companies, Chinas laws and regulations should be observed, Mao added. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The remarks may underscore the Chinese governments larger sentiment about ByteDance, observers suggested. I dont think that the existence of TikTok in the United States is a particularly high priority for the Chinese government, said Kurt Tong, a partner at The Asia Group and former U.S. ambassador for Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation. If TikTok were just completely shuttered in the United States, it doesnt really hurt China that much, but it does hurt the tone of the relationship because it reinforces the idea that you cant have U.S.-China commerce in the digital space, Tong added. Trump also appears particularly keen to strike a deal, repeatedly arguing that he can negotiate a resolution to keep the app available. In recent days, he has proposed a joint venture in which the U.S. has a 50 percent stake. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement With both Trump and China seemingly primed to strike a deal, new bidders are entering the fray. A group of investors led by Jesse Tinsley, founder and CEO of employer.com, announced an offer to buy TikTok on Sunday. Among these investors is Jimmy Donaldson, the popular YouTuber better known as MrBeast. Our offer represents a win-win solution that preserves this vital platform, while addressing legitimate national security concerns, Tinsley said in a statement. Were prepared to move quickly and have assembled a team with deep experience in technology, content moderation, and platform governance. The investors behind Donaldson and Tinsleys bid have retained a team of lawyers from prominent law firm Paul Hastings, including Brad Bondi, the brother of Trump attorney general nominee Pam Bondi. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump also floated Ellison as a potential buyer Tuesday while the Oracle founder stood behind him for the announcement of a new project for artificial intelligence infrastructure. Id like Larry to buy it too, I have the right to make a deal, Trump said, turning to Ellison. What Im thinking of saying to somebody is buy it and give half to the United States of America and well give you the permit, Trump said. And theyll have a great partner the United States and theyll have something thats actually more valuable because they have the ultimate partner and the United States will make it very worthwhile for them in terms of permits and everything else. After Trump laid out the details, Ellison quipped, Sounds like a good deal to me, Mr. President. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Oracle was a central part of a 2020 deal to fend off an earlier effort to ban TikTok. As part of the deal approved by Trump during his first term, Oracle became the apps cloud provider and took a 12.5 percent stake in the company. Trump signaled Tuesday he also would be open to Musk buying the platform if he wanted it. Reports circulated earlier this month suggesting Chinese officials were considering selling TikToks U.S. operations to Musk, the worlds richest person and a fierce ally of Trump. In addition to Tesla and SpaceX, Musk also owns the social platform X, which he bought for about $44 billion in 2022. The tech billionaire has become a particularly close personal ally of Trump in recent months, since pouring a quarter of a billion dollars into his campaign. TikTok denied the reports last week before Trump was sworn into office, calling them pure fiction. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Musk, for his part, has not made clear whether he would be interested in the purchase, but he reiterated last weekend he has been against a ban of TikTok because it goes against freedom of speech. That said, the current situation where TikTok is allowed to operate in America, but X is not allowed to operate in China is unbalanced, he added. Something needs to change. McCourt and OLeary were the first to submit a formal offer to ByteDance to purchase TikTok earlier this month. McCourt has maintained the bid, led by his nonprofit Project Liberty, is the only solution on the table that complies with the law. However, OLeary cast doubt on Trumps proposed 50 percent joint venture Tuesday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement That 50/50 deal, I would love to work with Trump on, so would every other potential buyer, he told CNBC, adding, But the problem with some of these ideas is they are inconsistent with the ruling of the Supreme Court. OLeary is reportedly in Washington meeting with lawmakers about a potential deal, according to CNBC. House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-La.) said he had a great meeting with the Shark Tank investor at the White House on Tuesday. Trump has not expanded on whether he intends for the U.S. government or a private buyer to be a partner in the deal and the White House did not immediately respond to The Hills request for comment. Rob Lalka, a professor of practice in management at Tulane University, noted any deal on the table would not actually be split 50/50, but usually at 51 to 49 percent or some other nearby ratio for logistical purposes. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Legal experts have also questioned whether Trumps proposal might fall short of the requirements for a qualified divestiture under the TikTok divest-or-ban law. Wedbush Securities analysts said in a research note Wednesday that they expect ByteDance to sell TikToks U.S. operations without the algorithm for between $40 billion and $50 billion. They pointed to Musk and Ellison as early front-runners. Elon Musk continues to be front and center as a potential bidder for TikTok which likely includes some tech partners/outside investors to get a deal done, they wrote. Musk would be hand picked by Beijing and his iron clad relationship with Trump would make this a very logical choice in our view. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR) In an effort to save TikTok, President Donald Trump, who has gained 15 million followers on the app since last year, is pressuring China to sell half the company to the United States. After signing an executive order Monday extending TikToks sale deadline by 75 days, Trump called his offer a joint venture. He says the deal on the table would give the U.S. 50% ownership of TikTok and allow him to find an American buyer. So far, China has signaled openness to a deal with the Trump administration, which is threatening to impose tariffs if they decline. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On Monday, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said business operations and acquisitions, should be independently decided by companies in accordance with market principles. Sounds like a good deal to me, Trump said. The United States will make it very worthwhile for them. The president says he would be open to selling the massive platform to tech billionaire Elon Musk or others. On Wednesday, Rep. Pete Aguilar (D-Calif.) said he was unclear on what Trump meant by joint venture. Im not aware of what the specifics are that the administration is talking about. I dont think any Republicans are, Aguilar said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Aguilar says that, bottom line, the law requires TikToks Chinese parent company to divest or be banned in the U.S. Last week, the Supreme Court unanimously upheld the law, citing Congress concerns over national security. Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) said he would not object to Musk buying TikTok but insisted the app must cut ties with Beijing. That is the sole criteria, and that is the only criteria in the law, Hawley said. Because of U.S. antitrust laws, Hawley said he doubts Google or Meta would be eligible to purchase TikTok, which has roughly 170 million American users. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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 Chinese equivalent of TikTok is less harmful to young users than TikTok, Jonathan Haidt said. The author of "The Anxious Generation" spoke to Business Insider at the World Economic Forum in Davos. He compared letting TikTok operate in the US to letting the Soviet Union own US media during the Cold War. The Chinese equivalent of TikTok is less harmful to young people than TikTok, a leading social-media expert said. "TikTok is severely damaging children in the Western world, whereas the version in China is very different and is much more pro-social and is not damaging their generation," said Jonathan Haidt, a professor at NYU Stern School of Business and the author of "The Anxious Generation." He made the comments in an interview with Business Insider at the World Economic Forum in Davos on Tuesday. Jonathan Haidt and BI's Spriha Srivastava at the World Economic Forum in Davos. BI TikTok does not operate in China, where consumers can use the Douyin app. Douyin is subject to different regulations, including the Chinese Communist Party's censorship rules. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement TikTok and Douyin are both owned by ByteDance but operate independently, with TikTok's CEO based in Singapore. Douyin's users are generally older than TikTok's and it has introduced measures to curb online addiction. Douyin has a "youth mode," which limits users under 14 to just 40 minutes a day and locks them out between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. daily. A less restrictive version of youth mode limits the content that users between 14 and 18 can view through the search function. Douyin has said it pushes "enriching" content related to general knowledge and educational material to users in youth mode, BI previously reported. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The changes were introduced in 2021 when the Chinese government was imposing a series of measures to limit the time children spent online. In the US, TikTok has said it has "robust safeguards" and removes suspected underage users. "We have voluntarily launched safety features such as default screentime limits, family pairing, and privacy by default for minors under 16," a TikTok spokesperson previously told BI. The app defaults to limiting users who are under 18 to 60 minutes a day. Attorneys general from 14 US states are suing TikTok for exploiting and harming children's mental health. Documents from the ongoing investigation revealed that officials at TikTok knew the algorithm was highly addictive and could harm children's mental health. A TikTok spokesperson said: "This lawsuit ignores the number of proactive measures that TikTok has voluntarily implemented to support community safety and well-being. Instead, the complaint cherry-picks misleading quotes and outdated documents and presents them out of context, which distorts our commitment to the safety of our community." TikTok affects the attention span of young people, says Jonathan Haidt. TikTok Haidt's book explores the effects of social media and smartphones. He argues that apps like TikTok affect young people's attention spans, which in turn blocks opportunities for growth and creativity. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "We know that TikTok has a damaging impact on the development of young people" and China "is able to influence what happens on TikTok," he said. "So I think TikTok is a major national security threat for the United States and other Western countries." A US appeals court last year found that the US government had offered no evidence to show China was manipulating content on TikTok in the US, but there was evidence that China has compelled TikTok to manipulate content elsewhere. TikTok is facing an uncertain future in the US. A divest-or-ban law passed by the Senate in April mandated that TikTok had to stop operating in the US on January 19 unless it was sold by ByteDance. The Senate voted 79 to 18 in favor of the bill. Some lawmakers have called for the intelligence briefings related to the case to be declassified so the government can "better inform the American people about the significant risks the social media platform's Chinese ownership poses to our national security." Other senators have said the "ban lacks evidence." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The platform briefly went dark for US users on Saturday but resumed on Sunday after Donald Trump said he would sign an executive order delaying the ban. After his inauguration on Monday, Trump paused the ban for 75 days. The company said it will work with the president on a "long-term solution that keeps TikTok in the United States." Haidt compared allowing TikTok to continue operating in the US to allowing the Soviet Union to run The New York Times and other leading media sources during the Cold War. "The Soviet Union invested a lot of money in trying to change American public opinion and trying to divide us and trying to make us hate each other. From the 1950s through the end of the Soviet Union, they had a culture change program, and of course, China has one," he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "It is just inconceivable to me that the Soviet government could have owned The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal and PBS." Read the original article on Business Insider Jan. 23TIPP CITY A single-user or unisex restroom concept currently proposed for Tipp City's new preschool through eighth-grade building drew some angry comments from residents at this week's school board meeting. Some residents said they felt deceived by the proposal after voters supported a bond issue for the building last year. District leaders are collaborating with consultants from Garman Miller Architects on design of a more than $81 million project to provide classrooms in one structure on current school property along North Hyatt Street. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Proposed plans have been the focus of a number of community meetings led by Superintendent Aaron Moran. He and board of education members emphasized at Tuesday night's meeting that the plan still is a proposal that continues to change. Moran said last month he anticipated a final proposed plan would go before the board in February. The focus of most comments at the Jan. 21 meeting was the proposal for the single-user restrooms. "We are exploring various restroom options designed with student privacy and safety in mind for all grade levels. This includes single-user restrooms that offer full privacy. Our goal is to ensure that every student can use the facilities comfortably, regardless of age or specific needs," Moran said last week after concerns were posted on social media. He failed to provide a more specific definition when asked for one last week and again following the Jan. 21 meeting. Board member Kyle Thompson called for more work on the plans, particularly the restroom design. The current concept, he said, "falls short of addressing some legitimate concerns ... I ask people to remain civil as we discuss." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement District resident Karen Webber urged the board to "have a conventional as opposed to unconventional mindset" when it comes to restrooms in the new school. For decades, most school buildings had a relatively small number of multi-person bathrooms, segregated by gender. The more recent debate over shared bathroom access for transgender students has led to arguments across the nation and lawsuits, including in Tipp City, at the neighboring Bethel school district. The Bethel case was pending before an appeals court in November, when Ohio's legislature and governor approved a law banning transgender students from using restrooms that align with their gender identity. Those building new schools are weighing traditional bathroom set-ups versus an increased number of single-user bathrooms spread around the building (or a mix of both). Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement District resident Tyler Staas told the board he conducted an informal poll on Facebook and had 281 responses. Of those people, he said 235 did not support communal restrooms. Former Tipp City schools board member Anne Zakkour said she questioned the many changes in the district's building plans, to include three stories and unisex restrooms, among others. She said the lack of adherence to basic plans outlined to voters before the bond issue election raises issues of trust. Another former board member, Corine Doll, said she is concerned that the public feedback provided by community members during input meetings is not being reflected in the proposed plans. "What we really, really want is a safe building for our students," she said. Contact this contributing writer at nancykburr@aol.com U.S. Rep. Rashida Tlaib, D-Detroit, on Wednesday slammed legislation supported by members of both parties that requires undocumented immigrants accused of even minor crimes to be detained, saying it promotes racial profiling and will spread fear in immigrant communities. "It will separate families. It would lead again to continued discrimination," said Tlaib, her voice rising as she argued against legislation named for Laken Riley, a nursing student in Georgia who was killed last year by a Venezuelan man in the U.S. illegally and who had been previously charged with shoplifting. "Its shameful that my colleagues are giving in to racist fearmongering at the first opportunity to pass legislation to scapegoat our immigrant neighbors and fuel hate in our communities." The legislation, which would require the Department of Homeland Security to detain anyone arrested for or charged with burglary, theft, larceny or shoplifting, as well as for any crimes causing death or serious bodily injury, or assaulting law enforcement personnel even if they have not been convicted, passed the House Wednesday on a bipartisan vote of 263-156, with 46 Democrats joining Republicans in supporting the bill. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Among Michigan's congressional delegation, all seven Republican members supported the bill as did two Democratic members, U.S. Reps. Kristen McDonald Rivet of Bay City and Hillary Scholten of Grand Rapids. Tlaib and U.S. Rep. Haley Steven, D-Birmingham, opposed the bill; Democratic U.S. Reps. Debbie Dingell of Ann Arbor and Shri Thanedar of Detroit did not vote. The legislation now goes to President Donald Trump, who made illegal immigration and concerns about immigrant crime a focus of his campaign last year, for his signature. The U.S. Senate passed the legislation last week with a bipartisan majority as well, with Michigan's Democratic senators Gary Peters and Elissa Slotkin supporting it. Critics of the bill, including Tlaib who is the first Palestinian American woman to serve in Congress and has long defended immigrant rights argue that the legislation scapegoats immigrants and denies them due process of the law by detaining and potentially deporting them without their first being convicted of any crimes. The legislation also provides states the authority to sue the federal government to take certain actions to curtail immigration or release noncitizens from custody, though those parts of the legislation could come under constitutional scrutiny. While Trump claimed throughout the campaign that crime was up and that immigrants were to blame, data has shown that violent crime has declined, and studies have indicated immigrants commit crimes at a lower rate than native-born Americans. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Attitudes toward immigration have changed, however, in recent years as the number of people entering the country without documentation across the southern border surged. In his first days in office this week, Trump has signed executive orders declaring an emergency at the border and has plans to begin mass deportations and limit entry into the country, as well as reportedly sending more military units to the border. Republicans cheered the bill's passage, with U.S. Rep. Tim Walberg, R-Tipton, noting on social media platform X it would be the first major bill Trump signed in his second term. "@HouseGOP continues to advance solutions to protect our communities from heinous crimes committed by illegal immigrants," he wrote. "@HouseGOP is making America safer," U.S. Rep. Lisa McClain, R-Bruce Township, posted on X. Tlaib called passage of the bill "shameful," in her speech on the House floor Wednesday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Youre making this up so you can literally allow people to be profiled and discriminated against. Blame them for the cost of eggs? Is that what were doing here? ...People cant afford housing, you think its because of our immigrant neighbors?" she said. "Enough is enough." "I know whats going to happen," she continued. "It wont just be undocumented, it will be people like my mother who will get stopped and profiled. (Does) She have to carry her U.S. passport around? Are we asking people now to have documentation?" Contact Todd Spangler: tspangler@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter@tsspangler. This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Tlaib slams bill to detain immigrants accused of minor crimes MEMPHIS, Tenn. Many are asking what comes next for the school district now that Superintendent Marie Feagins has been fired, and will the state move in to take over the district? It now seems a possible state takeover will be explored by the Tennessee General Assembly, as promised by House Speaker Cameron Sexton. State Rep. Mark White (R-Memphis) will file several bills calling for the so-called nuclear option for MSCS, meaning a state intervention. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I dont see the board being able to work together very effectively, going forward, because of the contention between between the board members, White said. Weve been talking about this for for years. And I think now were going to get serious and really try to implement something that will intervene in our school system. Nuclear option: State leaders consider takeover of Memphis schools over Feagins issue Rep. White is exploring several options. One bill would allow for broad takeover and intervention with the school district. Another bill would be similar to legislation in Texas that allowed the takeover of the Houston Independent School District and headed by the education commissioner, but with local input. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It would be state intervention with local appointments to intervene for a while. Nothing is permanent, White said. It would be for a certain amount of time to right size things, and get the right people in place and and make some objective moves that where we can move our school system to better. White says if his second bill is filed it would create an advisory board consisting of seven to nine state-appointed members, separate from the elected MSCS board members. It would have the power to intervene in the district. Related: What led to Feagins being fired by MSCS school board? Related: Who is MSCS Interim Superintendent Roderick Richmond? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In Tuesdays tumultuous and contentious school board meeting where Dr. Marie Feagins was fired as superintendent, many speakers supporting the embattled school leader warn of a possible state takeover of the Memphis-Shelby County School District if she was let go. When you operate in this way, it leads to other people in other positions of power, like state legislators, to do things to strip away the power of our community, Rep. Justin J. Pearson (D-Memphis) warned. After concern that Feagins could be fired, Tennessee Rep. G.A. Hardaway (D-Memphis) recently filed House Bill 92, which would allow elected leaders such as school board members to be recalled from office. But Hardaway does not support a state takeover. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I think the state, especially the career educators, realize the folly of the A.S.D. (Achievement School District). The state has already come into Memphis and Shelby County and taken over schools and did a poor job, he said. Anytime you set off a nuclear option, there is fallout. There is radio activity that destroys for years. So, a nuclear option for me is not an option. Shelby County Mayor Lee Harris said he supported Dr. Feagins, but was not surprised by the outcome of the vote. In the meantime, with 100,000 students in MSCS schools and two new school projects on the line, he said the county needed to move forward. He hopes it wont involve the state. Ill be reaching out very soon to Mark White. I think well be able to find a way forward and hopefully eliminate the need for additional state intervention, Harris said. Maybe theres some reforms around the edges, but I plan on talking to Mark White about how we all can pull back and look forward. I know the feelings are raw in this community, but were going to have to move forward, and theres too much at stake. We cant reminisce about what may have been. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While the wheels are already in motion for a possible state takeover, at least one county official is hoping to talk lawmakers down. Shelby County Commissioner Mick Wright served on the transition team that helped Memphis Shelby County Superintendent Dr. Marie Feagins acclimate to her new job. If we worked together, we could do great things, Wright said. Hes disappointed the school board fired her and says he wont be supporting any of their requests for funds. Absolutely, from this day forward, any funding from Memphis Shelby County Schools, I dont trust them, Wright said. This wouldnt be the states first attempt to take over schools, if it moves forward. They took over low-performing schools mostly in the Memphis area and created the Achievement School District. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Their plans for a mass turnaround failed and in 2026, that district could be phased out. Last year, the governor stepped in to takeover the states only publically funded HBCU, Tennesse State University in Nashville. He replaced the board of trustees with new members, mostly from the 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 WREG.com. MEMPHIS, Tenn. A 17-year-old was captured by the U.S. Marshals Service on Tuesday after being accused of shooting at a FedEx delivery truck driver during a road rage incident in Jackson, Tennessee last month. The 17-year-old is facing attempted first-degree murder, possession of a firearm during a dangerous felony, felony reckless endangerment, and felony evading arrest charges. His father, 44-year-old Ricky Maness, was also arrested as an accessory during the fugitive investigation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Arrest made in fight that led to shootout in Frayser The Jackson Police Department says they responded to a road rage incident on South Highland Avenue in Jackson on December 15, 2024, around 5:20 p.m. A FedEx driver told police that a male driving a pick-up truck almost caused a wreck and started following him. The male is then accused of driving up beside the FedEx driver and firing a shot into the side of the delivery truck behind the drivers head. That is when the victim says they followed the male suspect while calling the police to give them a description of the vehicle. Officers say they found the suspects car at North Highland Avenue near Ridgecrest Road and initiated a traffic stop. The driver refused to stop and escaped going over 100 miles per hour eastbound on Interstate 40, according to police. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement $200K bond for 19-year-old woman charged in carjacking, shooting Investigators say the 17-year-old was developed as a suspect and a juvenile petition was then issued for his arrest. USMS was also requested in Jackson to help assist with the teens arrest. On January 22, Deputy marshals alongside task force officers say they went to the teens house located in Lexington, Tennessee. They say his father gave them false information regarding the teens whereabouts. The teen was found in the home hiding under a bed. He was taken into custody at that time and later to the Madison County Juvenile Detention Center. His father was booked into the Henderson County Detention Center. 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. Heres a look back at what happened in the Chicago area on Jan. 23, according to the Tribunes archives. Is an important event missing from this date? Email us. Weather records (from the National Weather Service, Chicago) High temperature: 65 degrees (1909) Low temperature: Minus 18 degrees (1963) Precipitation: 0.89 inches (1999) Snowfall: 4.4 inches (1939) 1975: The State-of-the-Art Car (SOAC), produced by the U.S. Department of Transportations Urban Mass Transportation Administration and Boeing Veritol, arrived in Chicago for a two-week demonstration. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The stainless steel two-car system (one designed for 200 passengers and the other for 300) featured a plush interior design, carpeting and air conditioning (which probably wasnt an impressive feature given it was here during the winter). The system, however, was too wide and too long to run on most Chicago Transit Authority lines, so it could only operate on the Skokie Swift (todays Yellow Line). Engineers designed a retracting platform and other modifications to showcase SOACs capabilities. Though the mock-up was comfortable, it never took off. Despite demonstrations in New York, Boston, Cleveland, Philadelphia and Chicago, SOAC was never adopted. The two demonstration vehicles now are housed at the Seashore Trolley Museum in Kennebunkport, Maine. Want more vintage Chicago? Subscribe to the free Vintage Chicago Tribune newsletter, join our Chicagoland history Facebook group, stay current with Today in Chicago History and follow us on Instagram for more from Chicagos past. Have an idea for Vintage Chicago Tribune? Share it with Kori Rumore and Marianne Mather at krumore@chicagotribune.com and mmather@chicagotribune.com CHICOPEE, Mass. (WWLP) Thursday is National Pie Day, which celebrates one of the Nations favorite desserts. Tower Square Hot Table hosts Polar Vortex Challenge to benefit Springfield Rescue Mission The National Day Calendar states that the first pie appeared around 9500 BC in the Egyptian Neolithic period or New Stone Age. The American Pie Council created National Pie Day back in 1986 to celebrate Criscos 75th anniversary of serving foods to families everywhere. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If you take away ice cream as a dessert choice, most people would choose to either have pie or cake, or, people would choose to have cake or pie with their ice cream. There are multiple different kinds of pie, and most of them dont even include fruit, such as chicken pot pie. To celebrate, go grab yourself a slice of pie at one of these best places to get a pie in western Massachusetts, according to Yelp: 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. PARIS (AP) The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) sided Thursday with a French woman who had stopped having sex with her husband, saying she should not have been considered at fault on those grounds in their divorce. The ruling concerned a fault-based case in which the blame was attributed solely to the applicant. Back in 2019, a French court of appeal ruled that her refusal to have sex was a breach of a marital duty and granted the couple a divorce to her detriment. But the ECHR ruled that the French court was wrong, condemning France for a violation of the womans right to respect for private and family life. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Court considered that the reaffirmation of the principle of marital duties and the fact that the divorce had been granted on the grounds that the applicant had ceased all sexual relations with her husband amounted to interferences with her right to respect for private life, her sexual freedom and her right to bodily autonomy, the court said in a news release. The applicant, identified as H.W., is a French national who was born in 1955. She had started divorce proceedings against her husband on the grounds of fault, alleging that he had prioritized his career over family life and that he had been bad-tempered, violent and abusive. They had four children together. The husband counterattacked, arguing that the divorce should be granted on the grounds of fault of the applicant alone. He claimed that she had failed to fulfil her marital duties for several years and that she had breached the duty of mutual respect between spouses by making defamatory allegations. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement After the Court of Appeal of Versailles granted the divorce and attributed fault solely on her, the plaintiff referred the case to the ECHR in 2021. In the Courts view, consent to marriage could not imply consent to future sexual relations, the Strasbourg-based court insisted. Such an interpretation would be tantamount to denying that marital rape was reprehensible in nature. On the contrary, consent had to reflect a free willingness to engage in sexual relations at a given moment and in the specific circumstances. The ruling came a month after 51 men were convicted in France in a drugging-and-rape trial that riveted France and spurred debates on adding the notion of consent to French rape laws. WOODFORD COUNTY, Ill. (WMBD) A semi crash Wednesday on Interstate 74 near Congerville has closed part of that highway, the state police said. The rollover crash occurred at approximately 2:20 p.m. near mile marker 115, said Trooper Shafer McKune with the Illinois State Police. Local News One person sent to the hospital after crash One person was transported to a local hospital with injuries. The westbound lane at the location of the crash was closed. Westbound traffic was being rerouted at U.S. Route 150. The road was reopened at 5:40 p.m. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The crash remains under investigation. This story will be updated when more 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 CIProud.com. On Wednesday, at least two transatlantic flights reached top ground speeds above 800 mph. They were still technically subsonic because they were propelled by a faster-than-usual jet stream. Recent cold weather strengthened the jet stream, and the climate crisis is set to exacerbate this. Some transatlantic flights traveled faster than the speed of sound relative to the ground this week. It isn't the return of Concorde instead, regular wide-body jets were flying through an accelerated jet stream. According to data from Flightradar24, Qatar Airways Flight 704 reached a top ground speed of 833 mph as it crossed the Atlantic on Wednesday. The Boeing 777 flying from New York to Doha landed about 50 minutes ahead of schedule. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Also briefly traveling above the speed of sound was British Airways Flight 274, which hit a top ground speed of 814 mph during a trip to London from Las Vegas, per Flightradar24 data. The Airbus A350 landed 45 minutes ahead of schedule. While both flights' top speeds were above Mach 1.2 when taking their cruising altitudes into account, there would not have been a sonic boom. The planes were traveling at their usual cruising speeds typically about 600 mph but were propelled by the North Atlantic jet stream flowing much faster than usual. So, while the planes traveled above the speed of sound relative to the ground, they were still subsonic relative to the air around them. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The jet stream has been made more powerful than usual by the recent cold spell in the US. This was also set to bring high winds to the UK and Ireland as part of Storm Eowyn. Red warnings meaning there is a danger to life were in place for all of Ireland and parts of Scotland for Friday, with wind gusts expected to be as high as 100 mph. While Wednesday's flights were rare in going over 800 mph, it isn't clear that any records were broken. The fastest subsonic transatlantic commercial flight recorded by Guinness World Records took place in 2020, when a British Airways Boeing 747 flew from New York to London in 4 hours and 56 minutes. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Relative to the ground below, it flew through the jet stream at 825 mph. But its top speeds were sustained for longer than Wednesday's flights, given that the flight was over two hours quicker than usual. It may not be long before records are broken again, though. Most flights between the US and Europe travel through the North Atlantic jet stream, and its tailwinds are the reason it's faster to fly to Europe from the US rather than vice versa. The climate crisis means that the jet streams are becoming stronger and, therefore, faster. It is causing an increasing difference in energy between two layers of the atmosphere, which imparts more energy into the jet streams. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This also enlarges Rossby waves meanders in the jet stream which creates more friction in the air and increases the risk of turbulence on the edges of the jet stream. If you want to see a true supersonic commercial flight, you'll have to wait a few more years. Boom Supersonic, a US startup, is developing an airliner planned to travel at Mach 1.7, with plans to enter service before the end of the decade. Correction: January 23, 2025 An earlier version of this story overstated how many flights travel through the North Atlantic jet stream. Most flights, specifically between Europe and the US, do so, but other transatlantic flights often do not. Read the original article on Business Insider Rep. Josh Gottheimer, who is running for governor this year, discusses his tax cut plan in Park Ridge on Jan. 22, 2025. (Photo by Danielle Richards for New Jersey Monitor) Rep. Josh Gottheimer, one of six Democrats hoping to win their partys nomination for governor in June, visited the Park Ridge headquarters of a snack maker Wednesday to pitch his plan to lower taxes for New Jerseyans. Gottheimer (D-05) proposed temporary tax cuts for people who move here from states where property taxes are lower, annual rebates for renters, and income tax credits for New Jersey seniors. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Im hoping that will help people who are here to stay here and afford to not go to places like North Carolina or Florida or, God forbid, New York, by bringing in new residents and keeping our older ones here, he said. Gottheimer launched his gubernatorial bid in November pledging to lower taxes. The plan he released Wednesday offered a few more details on how. He said he would target government inefficiency, claiming he could find $2.4 billion that would help offset property tax cuts. He pledged to lower everyones property tax bills by 14%. Gottheimer said he would award a $500 annual credit to the states roughly 1.2 million renters to offset their housing costs. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He also pitched making New Jersey a property tax-neutral state. He said for homeowners who move here from another state, New Jersey would match the property taxes they paid in that state (that tax cut would phase out over five years). So if youre paying .91% to live in Florida, your property taxes, were going to match it, Gottheimer said. For the average American moving here from a lower-tax state, that is a lot of money. And thats a lot of other states, by the way, that have lower rates. Other features of Gottheimers tax plan include cutting red tape to make it easier for developers to build more housing, a family tax credit for every New Jersey family with dependents, and a $5,000 tax credit for every new job created by a business that moves to New Jersey. He also plans to create a new role in Trenton the clawback czar focused solely on bringing more federal dollars to New Jersey. Gottheimer has long griped that New Jersey receives too little back from the federal government (he says its about 75 cents for every dollar sent to D.C.). Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Fighting for whats ours will save us at least $200 million a year, if not more, he said. Gottheimer is part of a crowded Democratic primary field for governor that includes Newark Mayor Ras Baraka, Jersey City Mayor Steve Fulop, Rep. Mikie Sherrill, former state Sen. Steve Sweeney, and teachers union leader Sean Spiller. The Republican field includes state Sen. Jon Bramnick, ex-Assemblyman Jack Ciattarelli, former state Sen. Ed Durr, and radio host Bill Spadea. Gov. Phil Murphy is barred from seeking a third term in November. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX The largest proportion of visitors to the Anne Frank House in Amsterdam more than a quarter comes from the United States. But next week, the 300,000 American pilgrims will no longer need to voyage to the Netherlands to see the attic from which the worlds most famous diary emerged. It is coming to them. The Dutch museum is launching the first-of-its-kind, full-scale recreation of the Annex in New York, in the form of a 7,500 sq ft replica that, if successful, could itself be copied and taken around the globe. It is the latest in a long line of Anne Frank-inspired creations designed to share the message of one of Time magazines 20 heroes and icons of the 20th century the German-born Jewish girl who, aged 15, was betrayed after two years in hiding. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The 2023 Disney+ drama series A Small Light told the story from the perspective of Annes rescuer, Miep Gies. The 2019 picturebook The Cat Who Lived with Anne Frank relayed it from the point of view of a feline. Meanwhile, the Nathan Englander play What We Talk About When We Talk About Anne Frank reopened at the Marylebone Theatre in London this month owing to unprecedented demand despite the publicity boasting that, in fact, Anne is not in this play at all. Many enterprises associated with the teenager have proved controversial and some may worry that any Anne Frank exhibit risks becoming a kind of trauma tourism. The unedifying Dark-Tourism.com website already lists the Amsterdam house as a major dark tourism destination and gives it a darkometer rating of four stars. Others might wonder about the future limits to how European Holocaust-related sites could be recreated for export worldwide. Pages from history: one of Anne Franks poetry albums - Anne Frank House/Ray van der Bas Ronald Leopold, executive director of the Anne Frank House, says that the museum has been thinking for a long time about how to cater to people keen to visit but who cant owing to distance or disability, or because the tickets simply sell out so fast. Of course, we have a beautiful virtual tour, he says, referring to the 3D navigation guided by a multilingual AI avatar of British TV presenter Rachel Riley. But the special part of experiencing the life of Anne Frank is really to be in situ here at the museum. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Those who buy tickets to the immersive show in New York will actually see more than those who travel to the original. Annes father, Otto, was adamant that he wanted the Amsterdam house to remain empty as it was left after the family was deported and the Nazis ransacked the annex. In an interview in 1962, he said: They asked me if I wanted to have the rooms refurnished. But I said, No. They took everything out during the war, and I want to keep it that way. The American exhibit, however, will be furnished as it would have been when Anne and her family were forced into hiding. Leopold said we pondered on it for a very long time, but eventually concluded that Americans, in a different place, would need a helping hand to bring them close to history. One month before opening, 30,000 tickets had already been bought. The House hopes to sell 400,000 during the year, if the run is extended beyond April in addition to the 1.2 million visitors who go to the Prinsengracht. The new exhibition at the Center for Jewish History in New York - REUTERS/Eduardo Munoz London-based Rabbi David Soetendorp, who was conceived in hiding in Holland, grew up knowing Annes father as Uncle Otto and a member of the family. His own father, Rabbi Jacob Soetendorp, was one of the first people to see Annes diary after Gies had handed it over to Otto in 1945. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Rabbi David co-founded the Anne Frank Trust UK, having brought an exhibition to Bournemouth in 1988, which went on to tour the UK. A later version would feature a replica of Annes bedroom. He says he thinks the new display is a good idea, as he supports any educational project that takes her message out into the world, and believes Otto would have wanted the story to have maximum reach. Bart Wallet, professor of early modern and modern Jewish history at the University of Amsterdam, sees it as part of a trend triggered by the realisation that we have fewer and fewer people who actually experienced the Holocaust themselves. So instead of the witnesses, it becomes the spaces that basically have to become the anchors of the story. Because its temporary and in this educational setting, I can see the use of it. However, he predicts that as the number of survivors continues to dwindle, we will see even more reinterpretation of The Diary of a Young Girl, not less. One of the problematic aspects is that the whole story of the Holocaust is basically reduced to the story of Anne Frank, so she is not just the icon of the Holocaust, but her story also becomes the Holocaust story, par excellence. The whole diversity of the Holocaust experience is at risk of being lost if the story of Anne Frank will be the only one taught. Those who buy tickets to the New York show will see more than those who visit the original - Ray van der Bas Of the commercial exploitation of her words and image which have been used, unauthorised, to sell everything from Halloween costumes to luxury homes as well as recent pictures of Anne donning a Palestinian keffiyeh, he adds: She has become very much like Che Guevara some sort of hero for teenagers. Im pretty sure that we havent seen the end of the commercialisation and misuse of her for all kinds of political agendas. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Meanwhile, historian Simon Schama last week criticised digital simulations of Anne Frank on the SchoolAI.com website. Responding to an online post citing the chatbots answers to questions including How did you die? (I was deported to a concentration camp, where I sadly passed away), Schama said: Jew-free as usual. Absolutely appalling. SchoolAI responded by saying they immediately review[ed] the prompting for anything that would lead to Holocaust denialism or minimisation and added new prompting and safeguards. One educator, who asked to remain anonymous, has worked for years to disseminate the message of Annes diary and said he fears that the American exhibit may become Disney World in a Jewish museum. Its really the opposite of what Otto Frank wanted because he always said, I dont want to have a mausoleum. How would people react if you would rebuild the prison of Nelson Mandela in New York? It is a little bit difficult to understand. Anne Frank wrote the diary, which was hundreds of pages of content. Why should one need to see the hiding place? In America, the level of [Holocaust] education is very low, so its important to discuss: what do you represent? Anne Frank wrote the diary, which was hundreds of pages of content. Why should one need to see the hiding place? - Harold Strak Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In 1997, novelist Cynthia Ozick wrote in The New Yorker that the story of Anne had for 50 years, despite good intentions, been bowdlerised, distorted, transmuted, traduced, reduced; it has been infantilised, Americanised, homogenised, sentimentalised; falsified, kitschified. She complained that the diary which stops before Anne can report on the horrors of Auschwitz and Bergen-Belsen, where she died allows readers to stew in an implausible and ugly innocence. Those who focus on some kind of optimistic message of redemption may fail to realise that the Dutch Holocaust story was even less redemptive than most; a higher proportion of Jews were killed in the Netherlands than anywhere else in western Europe. I ask Leopold what he would say to someone who feels uncomfortable about a place so sacred being replicated and turned into a tourist attraction. I usually say, Im not interested in why they come, he replies. Im only interested in how they leave this place. And the same is true for this exhibition in New York. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Against a backdrop of record levels of anti-Jewish racism in the US, he says: We still are convinced that education is one of the best instruments in fighting these forms of anti-Semitism and of group hatred in general. Reflecting on her life, it reminds us that its not just about the past its also very much a call to action for the present. I feel that this exhibition, in that sense, is also in a way a response to the responsibility that we feel has never been greater. Anne Frank: The Exhibition opens at the Center for Jewish History in New York on Monday. Tickets are available at AnneFrankExhibit.org 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. By Jorge Vega and Alexander Villegas SANTIAGO (Reuters) - Chilean authorities conducted large-scale raids throughout Santiago this week that authorities say led to the arrest of more than a dozen gang members linked to the murder of a Venezuelan dissident. Attorney General Angel Valencia said the raids that started Wednesday morning led to the arrest of 23 people linked to a cell belonging to the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua, 16 of which were linked to the murder of Ronald Ojeda, a former Venezuelan lieutenant accused of plotting treason against the Venezuelan government. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The local cell of the gang, which U.S. President Donald Trump labeled a terrorist organization earlier this week, had committed extortion, kidnapping and murder among other crimes, Valencia added. Chile had previously said the murder was political and interior minister Carolina Toha said on Thursday there was "substantial evidence" that the murder was ordered by Venezuelan authorities. "This morning, the attorney general has confirmed that there is substantial evidence that indicate a link between the horrible murder of former lieutenant Ojeda and instructions or order from Venezuelan authorities," Toha said in a post on X on Thursday. Toha noted that the investigation was still ongoing, but Chile would recur to the International Criminal Court if needed. Venezuela's ministry of information did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Chile has been struggling with rising crime and a surge of organized criminal groups which have dominated voter concerns as the country heads into an election year. Speaking to reporters after the raid, Toha said that the raids were evidence that Chile "is capable of facing groups like this". "The Chilean state is going to go after them, it's going to find them and it's going to make them face justice," Toha said. (Reporting by Jorge Vega and Alexander Villegas; Additional reporting by Vivian Sequera; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama) FREEPORT, Ill. (WTVO) The trial of a man suspected in a 2022 Freeport killing is set to begin Monday in Stephenson County. Christopher Scott, 22, of Monroe, Wisconsin, was arrested in May 2022 by members of the U.S. Marshals Great Lakes Regional Fugitive Task Force and Freeport Police officers. He was wanted for the February 10th, 2022 shooting death of Montrell Scott, 24, of Freeport. Montrell Scott was killed near Galena Avenue and Dexter Street. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Christopher Scott has been charged with two counts of First Degree Murder, one count of Aggravated Discharge of a Firearm, and one count of Aggravated Discharge of a Machine Gun. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. A man dubbed the Truck Stop Serial Killer has been convicted of a third murder. On Wednesday, Jan. 22, Bruce Mendenhall, 73 who is already serving two life sentences for the murder of two women in Tennessee, according to NBC News was convicted of a third murder in Indiana, according to a release by the Marion County Prosecutor's Office. Mendenhall has been convicted of Murder for the 2007 murder of Carma Purpura, the release stated. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Mendenhall, a former truck driver, has now been convicted of three murders following allegations of a chilling murder spree involving victims at long-haul truck stops in Tennessee and Indiana, the statement added. Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Sign up for PEOPLE's free True Crime newsletter for breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases. Larry McCormack/USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images Trucks parked in Nashville Trucks parked in Nashville Related: 'My Ex the Serial Killer': A Woman Left Her Abusive Husband. Then She Learned Disturbing Extent of What He'd Done (Exclusive) According to NBC affiliate WTHR, 31-year-old Purpura was last seen at an Indianapolis truck stop. Mendenhall was arrested the following day in Nashville, Tenn. after police investigating another murder stopped his truck and found her bloody clothes, phone and ATM card in a plastic bag in his cab. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It wasn't until four years later that her body was found along a highway in Kentucky, the outlet added. On Wednesday, the Prosecutor's Office said that Mendenhall is also accused of murder in Birmingham, Alabama and a suspect in several homicides across the country. It is my hope, that todays verdict brings resolution to Carmas family and others who have waited years for answers and accountability after losing their loved ones, prosecutor Ryan Mears said in a statement. This case broke due to a hardworking detective who was dedicated to working across state lines to ensure that justice was achieved for the victims and their families, he added. Hampton Gentry Funeral Home Carma J. Purpura Carma J. Purpura Related: 18-Year-Old Was Murdered in Florida on Spring Break in 1980. A Serial Killer Has Confessed to Killing Her Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement NBC News reported that Mendenhalls arrest in 2007 was for the murder of Sara Nicole Hulbert after she was found fatally shot at a truck stop in Nashville. He was later convicted of her first-degree murder in Tennessee in 2010 and sentenced to life. In 2018, Mendenhall went on to be convicted of the murder of Symantha Winters, whose body was found inside a trash can at a truck stop in Lebanon, Tennessee, on June 6, 2007. The case resulted in him being sentenced to a second life sentence. Mendenhalls sentencing for Purpuras murder will reportedly take place on Feb. 13. Read the original article on People WARREN, Ohio (WKBN) The Trumbull County Sanitary Engineers Office says it would like commissioners to consider increasing water rates. Controller Bob Maiorano says the last water rate increase took effect 10 years ago. The countys water districts were combined into a single fund in 2023, but the districts currently have varying rates. Last year, the combined water fund lost $1.5 million. The estimated loss is $1.75 million for 2025. Maiorano says its a direct result of a $1 million year-over-year increase in bulk water costs from the municipalities that supply the water. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The reality is we cannot afford to keep, we need to pass on our bulk water increases at this point. We can probably go two more months before were out of money, Maiorano said. Maiorano proposes to make the rate per thousand gallons of water $12.50 across all the districts with a $5 replacement improvement fee per account each month. Youre telling us that you need a rate increase immediately, why didnt you guys come to the other board when they had the money and say look we need a rate increase? said Commissioner Tony Bernard. I dont like this. You know you guys wait 10 years and then you come in and then you hit us with an emergency. Our bulk water costs are what is driving the problem. 60 percent of our expense is to other municipalities to buy water, said Maiorano. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Commissioner Hernandez said they will have to make a decision. I just dont know what the answer is but we dont have the money in the general, that kind of money, in the general to fund that, he said. Maiorano says ideally the sanitary engineers office would like the rate increases to take effect by March 1 to keep it out of fiscal emergency. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. The Trump administration canceled a Justice Department recruiting program for young lawyers at prestigious colleges and revoked recent job offers, according to a report. President Donald Trump scrapped the Attorney Generals Honors Program that had been in place since 1953, sources familiar with the cancellation told the Washington Post. The departments website describes the program as the nations premier entry-level federal attorney recruitment program, attracting candidates from top law schools across the country. The reason for tossing out the program wasnt immediately clear. But emails obtained by the newspaper reveal that the administration cited the executive order Trump signed Monday that froze the hiring of federal employees. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Pursuant to the hiring freeze announced Jan. 20, 2025, your job offer has been revoked, the emails said, The Washington Post reported. The messages were sent from the Justice Departments Office of Attorney Recruitment & Management. President Donald Trump sits in the Oval Office after signing executive orders. Young lawyers were informed that their offers for the Attorney Generals Honors Program was revoked due to a federal hiring freeze, according to a report (EPA) The Independent has reached out to the White House for more information. Its not immediately clear how many people were hired only to have their job offers revoked, but more than 100 often receive an offer each year, according to the Post. The lawyers were interviewed for the positions toward the end of the Biden administration and accepted their positions after Trumps election victory, according to the Post. This is consistent with the Justice Departments FAQ, which states that most offers will be made from late November through December, but the process often extends into January and beyond. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The program hires recent law school graduates and young lawyers who entered judicial clerkships, graduate law programs, or qualifying legal fellowships within nine months of law school graduation. The lawyers in the program typically are hired for two years before being offered permanent jobs, the outlet reported. Young lawyers accepted into the program would have been placed in the antitrust, civil, civil rights and criminal divisions, according to the department website. In the first hours of his second term, President Trump signed executive orders re-withdrawing the United States from the Paris climate agreement, rolling back incentives for electric vehicles, pausing approvals for wind farms in federal waters, and declaring a national energy emergency to expedite drilling and open up more land and sea for drilling. He also withdrew the U.S. from the World Health Organization, signed an unconstitutional order trying to end birthright citizenship, attempted to set a national two-gender policy, ordered federal workers back to the office while making it easier to fire them, rescinded a Biden order lowering prescription drug costs, and pardoned those who stormed the Capitol on January 6, 2021. You may remember this pattern from 2016the throw everything at them, plus a kitchen sink and ferret, ideally at 3 a.m. on Twitter approach to politics. Trumps first term was characterized by multiple news bombshells per day, a bewildering number of unrelated proclamations, crises, and scandals per week, and each Friday closing with politicians, media workers, and news readers struggling to remember what had happened just a few days prior. Its no wonder a book urging digital detox and bird-watching as a form of radical political action became a breakout hit. This time around, people have announced theyre tuning out; essayists (including at TNR) have mused what ethical retreat and rest might look like during Trump 2.0; and leftists on Bluesky are urging fellow activists to find your lane and focus on that, rather than trying to track every last move the administration makes on the environment, reproductive autonomy, trans rights, immigration, etc. The downside of choosing a lane, though, is that it makes it harder to see the themes emerging in Trumps second presidency. And there are already some through lines on the climate front that arent perceptible in the catalog of his executive orders alone. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The three richest men in the world watched from prominent seatsin front of Cabinet nomineesas Trump was sworn in on Monday. As the president bragged about the countrys oil and gas reserves, promising to export American energy all over the world, applause broke out not just in the Capitol Rotunda, The New York Times reported, but at the Hay-Adams hotel in downtown Washington, where some of the countrys leading oil and gas executives popped champagne and ate mini Pop-Tart pastries with Mr. Trumps image, hosted by fracking magnate Harold Hamm, who personally donated $4.3 million to pro-Trump PACs. Since April 2024, when Trump promised fossil fuel execs at Mar-a-Lago favorable policies in exchange for campaign donations, top fossil fuel billionaires wealth has grown by $40.2 billion, the Climate Accountability Research Project recently reported. I remember a time when I didnt really get the Green New Deal: A lot of the policies associated with it, like affordable housing and single-payer health care, seemed like good ideas but sort of orthogonal to the primary goal of lowering emissions. But its a political strategy as much as an ideological statement, and the political strategy rests on two core insights: first, that not only is it hard to disentangle inequality and the climate crisis, but the unchecked power of the wealthy is in fact driving rampant emissions and obstructing the progress of policies to curtail them. Second, climate policies and the politicians supporting them will not succeed without the ability to demonstrate material benefits in peoples everyday lives. In other words: For long-term success, climate policies cant just be about lowering emissions. They need to show people that low-carbon life can be fun. They need to be defanging the culture war. If the spectacle of ring-kissing billionaires at Trumps second inauguration doesnt show once and for all that Green New Deal supporters have a point, Im not sure what will. Because these executive orders arent coming from the electorate: Outside the pro-petroleum Pop-Tart crowd at the Hay-Adams, these policies just arent that popular. Wind power is still backed by 72 percent of the population, per a Pew poll last year, while only a minority support further offshore drilling and even fewer back fracking. Thats hardly a ringing endorsement for the platform Trump announced at a Sunday rallythat were going to drill, baby, drill and do all of the things that we wanted to but arent going to do the wind thing. The policies political currency comes instead from their culture-war status, i.e., their ability to motivate a core group of voters and a lot of money. Culture wars, as several writers at TNR have pointed out in recent years, are a deft bit of political theater that more often than not turn out to serve corporate interests. Per Green New Deal thinking, the way to combat thataside from taxing billionaires out of a few of their zerosis to enact policies that provide people with a more material benefit on a regular Tuesday than the fossil fuel industrial complex does. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Who knows whether this theory will ultimately be proven correct? (This week, Liza Featherstone wrote for TNR about one intriguing but vulnerable policy currently testing it: New York Citys congestion pricing.) But as Trumps inaugural spectacle shows, were way past the point where his opponents can afford to ridicule this progressive strategy as the green dream or whateveras Pelosi did during Trumps first term. Socialists shouldnt be the only ones noting the reactionary role capital has played in this election and inauguration. And theres a message here for ordinary news consumers too: Whatever approach you take in processing the incoming onslaught, keep an eye on the oligarchy of it all. If youre staying in your lane, remember that these lanes are often connectedand what connects them is often money. Good News/Bad News Not all of Trumps attempts to scrap pro-environment policies will hold up in court or have the effect hes promised supporters that they will have. Meanwhile, Americas second withdrawal from the Paris climate agreement has so far mostly drawn criticism and pledges from other countries to stay the course. Things arent looking good for the endangered right whale. After much hemming and hawing, the Biden administration in its final days ultimately dropped a proposal to tighten speed limits to prevent deadly ship strikes. Stat of the Week 1/3 of the Arctic Thats the portion of the once-great carbon sink that, as the ground thaws, is now adding emissions to the atmosphere rather than subtracting them, according to a new study. What Im Reading What happens when the California fires go out? More gentrification. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Climate disasters dont level the playing field, this piece suggests: They just clear it for bigger buildings, mortgages, and rental bills. This could be what happens in Los Angeles in the wake of recent fires: When a natural disaster strikes a community, housing prices almost always rise. In the short term, the reason is obvious: Apartments and houses have been damaged or destroyed, so there are fewer of them, and that decline in supply causes rents to spike. But as rebuilding efforts drag on, many middle- and low-income people never return to their neighborhoods because they cant afford to. One of the reasons gentrification happens is that everything just becomes more expensive, said Jennifer Gray Thompson, founder and CEO of After the Fire, a nonprofit that helps communities prepare for and recover from wildfires. One reason is the high cost of building, but there are others, including landlords taking advantage of high demand to raise rents and real estate investors buying up properties to try to profit off of them later. Read Abdallah Fayyads full report at Vox. This article first appeared in Life in a Warming World, a weekly TNR newsletter authored by deputy editor Heather Souvaine Horn. Sign up here. US President Donald Trump lashed out at the European Union during his first major speech to a global audience since starting his second term in the White House. In a nearly hour-long address to business and political leaders gathered at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, Trump said the United States is treated "very unfairly" and "very badly" by the 27-nation bloc owing to its trade and business rules. Trump said he would not tolerate the US trade deficit with the EU. He also accused the EU of refusing to buy agricultural products and cars from the US. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "I'm trying to be constructive, because I love Europe," he said by video link from Washington. During his election campaign, Trump mentioned plans to introduce new tariffs of 10% to 20% on imports from the EU, saying they would boost domestic industries and address the trade deficit. There was a fierce trade row between the US and the EU during Trump's first term in office. In 2018, Trump introduced tariffs on steel and aluminium imports, prompting the EU to respond with tariffs on US products such as bourbon, Harley-Davidson motorcycles and jeans. Updated, Jan. 27 When a broad group of parents, educators and activists met in late October at a government office building in Arlington, Virginia, they gathered around a shared goal: Make Americas schools safer. There, three parents whose children were killed in mass school shootings sought to bolster student mental health and crisis intervention services. Some advocates favored increased school policing and physical security while others sought to limit how those hardening measures can harm childrens civil rights. Each was there as a check on recommendations being made by the federal government. Get stories like this delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for The 74 Newsletter But membership on the 26-person committee, which was created through the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act of 2022 passed in the wake of mass shootings at a Uvalde, Texas, elementary school and a Buffalo, New York, supermarket was short-lived. On Monday, the first day of President Donald Trumps second term, all members were terminated. For members of the Federal School Safety Clearinghouse External Advisory Board, the October gathering was the groups first time meeting and also its last. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A letter signed by Acting Homeland Security Secretary Benjamine Huffman and obtained by The 74 said the decision was part of a wider effort to ensure the agencys activities prioritize our national security. Future committee activities will be focused on advancing our critical mission to protect the homeland and support DHSs strategic priorities, Huffman wrote in the letter. To outgoing advisory board members, you are welcome to reapply, thank you for your service. Related 10 Charts That Explain How Schools Have Grown Less Violent Since COVID In an email to The 74, a senior official with the Department of Homeland Security said the agency will no longer tolerate any advisory committee which push[es] agendas that attempt to undermine its national security mission, the Presidents agenda or Constitutional rights of Americans. The official did not elaborate on how the committees may be undermining the new administrations mission. But Trump and South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem, the presidents pick for homeland security secretary, have made clear their priorities for DHS are focused squarely on immigration enforcement and have proposed cuts to the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, which steers the school safety clearinghouse. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In fact, DHS fired all members of its various committees this week to eliminate what it deemed as the misuse of resources, including those focused on emergency preparedness and cybersecurity. The move comes as schools and education technology providers nationwide face an onslaught of cyberattacks. Related PowerSchool Got Hacked. Now What? But school safety committee members who spoke with The 74 said the group included experts from diverse perspectives all focused on ensuring the effectiveness of a federal school safety initiative created during Trumps first term. While the advisory board was created by the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, a sweeping $1.4 billion law that includes stricter gun control measures and violence prevention programs, its purpose was to provide expertise and best practices to the Federal School Safety Clearinghouse. The clearinghouse is an interagency effort the Trump administration launched in 2020 to improve national school safety efforts. It includes the creation of SchoolSafety.gov, a one-stop shop of resources for school leaders looking to foster safer campuses. New York Democratic Sen. Chuck Schumer, the Senate minority leader, accused the Trump administration of violating the law, stating during a Jan. 26 news conference that the president should not bow down to the NRA. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In a press release the following day, Sen. Chris Murphy, a Democrat from Connecticut, similarly criticized the move. President Trump doesnt care about keeping our kids safe from gun violence, Murphy said. President Trump should reinstate these members immediately and stop playing politics with our childrens safety. Tony Montalto stands next to a photo of his daughter, Gina, at his home in Parkland, Florida. Gina was shot to death as she worked on a project in the hallway at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School on Feb. 14, 2018. (John McCall/South Florida Sun Sentinel/Tribune News Service/Getty Images) Among those who advocated for the committees creation and were ultimately dismissed from it last week are airline pilot Tony Montalto, whose 14-year-old daughter Gina was killed in 2018 during the mass school shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida. Montalto is now president of the nonprofit Stand With Parkland, which was created by the parents of the Florida shooting to advance bipartisan campus security efforts. In an interview with The 74 on Wednesday, Montalto said he is disappointed that the members have been dismissed, and hopes to serve again on the board, which is congressionally mandated. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Too often the government gets involved in government speak, and we wanted to bring this external advisory board to life so that real people from outside of government could come together and have input into the process of keeping students and teachers safe at school, Montalto said. He said the board members, which were appointed during the Biden administration, represented a broad cross-section of experts and opinions with a shared interest in student and teacher safety. School shootings in the U.S. have surged to record highs in the last several years, including an attack at a Tennessee high school Wednesday that led to the deaths of two students, including the alleged gunman. The video streaming platform Kick acknowledged Wednesday evening the shooter had livestreamed part of the attack. Related They Lost Their Kids at Sandy Hook 10 Years Ago. Their Fight is For Life Chad Marlow, a senior policy counsel at the American Civil Liberties Union who served on the advisory board until this week, said the varied and wide-ranging viewpoints among members stood out most during their first meeting in October. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement There was really an effort to get as many perspectives as possible into the room, and I dont think there was any preconceived notion on where we were going, Marlow said. We were not given any instructions, like We would like to see you do X. During the day-long session, he said, committee members were divided into three groups to discuss improvements to federal school safety grants and to analyze various security interventions like school-based policing. Marlow said its possible that the Trump administration could appoint new board members who are not in lockstep but fears the shakeup could eliminate experts whose viewpoints dont align with those of the Trump administration and handcuff the quality of the groups work. I hope its not the latter because, at the end of the day, we should be focused on doing the best for keeping our kids safe or, in the language theyre using, protecting the homeland, Marlow said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Still, Marlow said he plans to reapply for his seat. So, too, does Montalto, who said the Clearinghouse first created by Trump is actually one of the most efficient programs in the government with four agencies coming together to provide resources designed to keep students safe. Important, too, are the voices of parents whove experienced tragedy firsthand. Anybody who has suffered that loss can drive home the point of how important school safety is, Montalto said. Its a nonpartisan issue, we just need to come together as an American family and try to make a difference. (Bloomberg) -- US President Donald Trump signed an order on Wednesday that would once again categorize the Houthi militant group in Yemen as a terrorist organization nearly four years after the Biden administration revoked the designation. Most Read from Bloomberg Since then, the Houthis, who are aligned with Iran, have engaged in a lengthy campaign of missile and drone attacks on cargo ships and other vessels sailing in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden. Theyve also fired upon Israel several times. The attacks started after the Hamas assault on Israel in October 2023, which triggered the war in Gaza. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The assaults have disrupted maritime commerce in the Middle East and continued despite repeated strikes on Houthi targets by the US, UK and Israel. As a result of the Biden administrations weak policy, the Houthis have fired at US Navy warships dozens of times, launched numerous attacks on civilian infrastructure in partner nations, and attacked commercial vessels, the White House said in a fact sheet on Wednesday evening. The Houthis said this week that they would stop attacking US and UK vessels in the Red Sea in response to the Israel-Hamas ceasefire agreement. They also announced that they had released the crew of a commercial vessel that they hijacked more than a year ago. Still, Western shipping firms are largely saying theyll continue to avoid the area for now. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trumps executive order directs the secretary of State to recommend the re-designation of the Houthis within 30 days. It also calls for the State Department and the US Agency for International Development to look into the work of organizations and contractors operating in Yemen and end its relationship with entities that have made payments to the Houthis, or which have opposed international efforts to counter the Houthis. The terrorist designation was first applied at the end of Trumps first term. President Joe Biden revoked it in 2021, citing the risk of famine in Yemen, a country that has been engulfed by civil war since 2014. In January 2024, the Biden administration relisted the Houthis as a specially designated global terrorist group as opposed to the stricter foreign terrorist organization classification in order to leave some room for the group to engage in the United Nations-sponsored peace talks in Yemen. That move was accompanied by the start of airstrikes against the group in retaliation for its decision to start maritime assaults. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Houthis, who were from Yemens north, rebelled against the UN-recognized government and seized the capital, Sanaa, in 2014. A Saudi Arabia-led coalition then intervened on the side of the government. --With assistance from Sam Dagher. (Updates with context on Biden administrations moves regarding the Houthis in third-last paragraph.) Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2025 Bloomberg L.P. (Bloomberg) -- President Donald Trumps nominee to oversee American farming was once head of a group that was among the loudest opponents of a favorite US agriculture product: biofuels. Most Read from Bloomberg But Brooke Rollins, a Texas native whos Trumps choice for US secretary of agriculture, vowed in her confirmation hearing Thursday to elevate and honor all sources of fuel. She said she looks forward to continuing Trumps current energy dominance plan, of which biofuels is an important piece. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Rollins spent 15 years as head of the Texas Public Policy Institute, before moving on in 2018. The conservative think tank backed fossil fuels and vocally opposed US corn-based ethanol. At the time, traditional fuelmakers found themselves at odds with biofuels, with a federal blending mandate dividing the two traditionally right-leaning sectors of energy and agriculture. Even Trump sometimes found himself walking a tightrope between the constituencies during his first term. Since then, the rivalry between the sectors has faded. More fossil fuel companies have started pumping out products made from corn and soybeans, Americas two biggest crops. Trumps administration is considering steps to boost sales of biofuel. Shes working for a president thats pro-ethanol, so shes obviously going to have to follow the presidents lead, and Im sure she will, Republican Senator Chuck Grassley of Iowa, the largest US corn grower, said in an interview before the hearing. Coming from Texas, I was a massive defender of fossil fuels and the importance of fossil fuels in the energy independence and energy dominance narrative, Rollins said during the hearing. Clearly, Ive spoken with so many of you on both sides of the aisle on this issue. I will be a secretary for all agriculture. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Rollins extensive qualifications and dedication to Americas farmers would be on display during the hearing, White House Deputy Press Secretary Anna Kelly said in a statement to Bloomberg. During Trumps first term, he was still working to broker a compromise between oil and biofuel interests. In the years since, oil majors have invested in renewable fuels to capture financial government incentives and as a way to gain an environmental sheen and fend off the threat from electric vehicles. The two industries have become increasingly aligned, which could present more opportunities for expanding biofuel use, said Monte Shaw, the executive director of the Iowa Renewable Fuels Association. EV Threat Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement More than a third of the annual US corn harvest goes into making biofuel, with most of the gasoline sold nationwide containing 10% ethanol a blend known as E10. Rather than opposition from oil, the biggest threat to ethanol now comes from the risk of plummeting fuel demand amid the rise of EVs. This week, Trump invoked emergency powers in a bid to boost domestic energy production and undo Biden administration policies designed to fight climate change. As part of that action, the administration said it would consider issuing waivers to allow year-round sales of E15, which as the name suggests, contains 15% ethanol. Separately, he also ordered his administration to consider eliminating subsidies and other policies that favor EVs. Trump has talked about American energy dominance, well, thats not just oil. I know he said Drill, baby, drill, but we need to Distill, baby, distill, Shaw said, referring to biofuel production. During Rollins confirmation hearing, biofuel advocates will be looking to get more clarity and get an update on her stance, said Geoff Cooper, the head of the pro-ethanol Renewable Fuels Association, whose group was among those urging senators to quickly confirm Rollins. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Green Jet Fuel It still remains to be seen how the Trump administration will handle a Biden-era push to significantly ramp up US production of sustainable aviation fuel by 2030 in a bid to slash climate harming greenhouse gases. Expanding the use of biofuels, including in aviation, is really a obvious opportunity for the Trump administration, said Mike Johanns, a former Nebraska governor and senator who also served as US secretary of agriculture. Rollins, who was a top domestic aide during Trumps first term, is in the best position to be an advocate, he said in an interview. She has that direct policy experience working with Trump, said Johanns, who is currently chairman of agriculture at Alliant Group. That is going to be hugely important to have the presidents trust and to have the presidents ear. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement --With assistance from Isis Almeida and Skylar Woodhouse. (Updates with comments from confirmation hearing from second paragraph.) Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2025 Bloomberg L.P. The Golden Age of America begins right now, Donald Trump opened his second inaugural address on Monday. The cadence of his introductory sentence recalled a line from his first inaugural address in 2017, but the message was far more optimistic than the defiant tenor of that earlier speech, in which he said: The American carnage stops right here, right now. Speaking at a slower and much more deliberate pace than in his sometimes bombastic campaign rallies, Trumps 30-minute inaugural speech was nearly twice as long as his first address and struck a sunnier note. America will soon be greater, stronger, and far more exceptional than ever before, he continued, I return to the presidency confident and optimistic that we are at the start of a thrilling new era of national success. It was only a matter of seconds before Trumps supporters began to congratulate each other with texts heralding the new dawn of the Golden Age. Is Trump 2.0 more moderate in style than its predecessor? That was clearly the case at the inaugural festivities that dominated Washington, DC, over the celebratory weekend, which this year coincided with the national holiday celebrating the birth of the martyred civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement To the departing Joe Biden, on whom he called at the White House just before both presidents shared a chauffeured car to the Capitol for the official transition of power, he was gracious and civil. To a pre-inaugural rally held in Washingtons major sport stadium, he humbly congratulated the hardworking patriots in attendance whose ballots saved our country in the finest traditions of their pioneer forbears who built it. To an elite private dinner for supporters who donated at least $250,000 to his official inaugural fund, he credited the attendees for the victory. To a post-inaugural lunch with members of Congress, he thanked the Democratic leaders, all of whom twice voted for his impeachment and many of whom have called him a fascist threat to democracy. Trumps intended legacy, the returning president said in the inaugural address, is to be a peacemaker and unifier. Trumps sense of purpose has been in evidence for some weeks now, as he has approached the staffing of his new administration. After his 2016 victory, which even many of his closest supporters did not expect, the process was haphazard, with many posts still unfulfilled months after he assumed the presidency and many others going to Washington establishment types who hated and undermined him. This time it is all business, with over 1,000 posts filled before the inauguration in vetting processes that have sized up nominees for their loyalty to the Presidents vision and to the conservative nationalist America First principles he has loudly espoused, but who were also chosen for their experience and skill. Almost all of his cabinet nominees are uncontroversial. The first to be confirmed by the Senate Secretary of State Marco Rubio was confirmed unanimously amid effulgent praise from his former Democratic colleagues in that body. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement With few exceptions, Trumps public demeanour has been calm and principled, not lacking in humour, but largely eschewing the personal attacks, mixed messages, and outsized statements that attracted criticism early in his first administration. Anchored, unlike last time, in a firm popular vote victory, and following on four years of chaos under Joe Biden, whose own promise to bring unity proved as false as it was fleeting, the overall impression is of a confident new administration taking the reins of government with a strong level of professionalism. The nearest comparison might be to Ronald Reagans second inauguration in 1985, which, like this one, was also relocated indoors to the Capitol rotunda due to uncommonly cold weather and followed by stately inaugural balls where the returning president led his wife in a formal, yet unaffected, slow dance flanked by his children and their spouses. Trump named his re-election political action committee Save America for the straightforward reason that this was what he and his supporters believed to be their essential mission as the country went to the dogs under Biden. Echoed by the religious leaders who offered solemn Judeo-Christian prayers throughout the inauguration ceremonies, Trump has said that surviving two assassination attempts resulted from divine intervention, a now-widely believed mantra that God saved him from death so that he could go on to save America. Emerging from a prayer service at National Cathedral on Tuesday, where a Leftist Episcopalian bishop presumed to scold him about his administrations policies on gender and migration, all he responded to media questions about it was I didnt think it was a good service, no. Thank you They can do much better. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Later he took to social media to ask for an apology to the public. 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. President Donald Trump suggested Wednesday that states should take care of their own problems rather than rely on the Federal Emergency Management Agency to help them recover after natural disasters. Trump spoke to Fox News host Sean Hannity on Wednesday in a wide-ranging interview following his inauguration and slate of executive actions to reshape the federal government. The president spoke about the wildfires in Los Angeles that have destroyed thousands of homes, saying the devastation and calls for federal support demonstrated issues with FEMA while musing about unspecified changes to the agency. I will say that Los Angeles has changed everything because a lot of money is going to be necessary for Los Angeles and a lot of people on the other side want that to happen, Trump said. FEMA has not done their job for the last four years. You know, I had FEMA working really well. We had hurricanes in Florida, we had Alabama, tornadoes. But unless you have certain types of leadership it gets in the way. Trump: "FEMA is gonna be a whole big discussion very shortly, because I'd rather see the states takes care of their own problems." pic.twitter.com/wiwRCeqSMc Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) January 23, 2025 And FEMA is gonna be a whole big discussion very shortly because Id rather see the states take care of their own problems, the president went on. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Some top Republicans, Trump included, have said federal aid to California should come with strings attached, unleashing broadsides against local Democrats and the states governor, Gavin Newsom (D). Its unclear, however, whether those plans would gain steam among the broader GOP, which holds just a thin majority in Congress. Trumps comments came while yet another massive wildfire was threatening homes in Los Angeles County. The fast-moving Hughes fire broke out on Wednesday morning, quickly growing to more than 9,000 acres. About 50,000 people were under evacuation orders or warnings due to the blaze. Trump said he doesnt believe California should get anything until local officials let water flow from the states northern regions to help fight the blazes. The remark is based on false claims, as Los Angeles does not rely on water from Northern California. Trump: I don't think we should give California anything until they let water flow down. They talk about the delta smelt.. how is it endangered.. no wonder its endangered, its not getting any water. If you have a fish and youre stopping the water, isnt that going to hurt the pic.twitter.com/vuhvdYLPRd Acyn (@Acyn) January 23, 2025 Trump is set to visit the state in the coming days to survey the wildfire damage. Related... Amid a flood of executive orders signed Monday, President Trump revoked an executive order signed by former President Biden that set ethics and lobbying rules for appointees. The Biden-era executive order banned gifts from lobbyists and expanded the requisite cooling off period for appointees who leave federal service to join lobbying firms. The order also implemented a one-year ban on shadow lobbying, a common practice in Washington in which former officials advise those lobbying government officials rather than directly lobbying themselves. Its a very big deal, said Craig Holman, a lobbyist at the progressive watchdog Public Citizen who works on issues related to ethics, lobbying and campaign finance. It really is dramatically rolling back the ethics requirements for people in the Trump administration. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement There are some guardrails on officials looking to cash in on their government experience, including a one-year lobbying ban for certain senior officials and on foreign lobbying and a two-year lobbying ban for very senior officials such as the vice president. Former President Obama issued his own ethics executive order shortly after he took office in 2009, building upon that foundation. Trump, who has appointed or nominated five former lobbyists to his Cabinet, issued during his first term his own sweeping restrictions on appointees. Trumps ethics order included a lobbyist gift ban, a five-year ban on lobbying their former agencies and lifetime ban on foreign lobbying that would require them to register under the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA). But, Holman said, it lacked the teeth to enforce it. It was, you know, sort of like an empty gesture to his constituents that hes doing something to drain the swamp. But then he had no one to enforce it, and no one did enforce it, said Holman. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On the last day of his first term, Trump revoked the ethics requirements and released current and former officials from their commitment as of Jan. 20, 2021. A White House spokesperson did not respond to questions from The Hill about his decision to revoke Bidens executive order and if Trump planned to issue another ethics order. Donald Sherman, executive director and chief counsel at Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW), which sued Trump in 2017 for violating the emoluments clause of the Constitution, said it was no surprise that Trump decided to roll back the Biden-era ethics order. I struggle to comprehend how President Trump weakening the ethical obligations of his staff will benefit everyday Americans concerned about the price of groceries and public safety, but its no surprise that a president who spent his first term in the White House accepting payments from corporate lobbyists and foreign agents at his hotel would roll back measures to prevent his administration from accepting gifts from special interests seeking to win influence, said Sherman. 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 newly-minted Trump administration is wasting no time in imposing its vision across the United States government, and NASA is no exception. As Ars Technica reports, the space agency's acting head is threatening employees with "adverse consequences" if they fail to snitch on any coworkers involved with diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEIA) programs. "We are taking steps to close all agency DEIA offices and end all DEIA-related contracts in accordance with President Trumps executive orders titled Ending Radical and Wasteful Government DEI Programs and Preferencing and Initial Rescissions of Harmful Executive Orders and Actions," NASA's acting administrator Janet Petro wrote in the email. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "These programs divided Americans by race, wasted taxpayer dollars, and resulted in shameful discrimination," she wrote, without providing any evidence. A Tuesday memo to federal agencies by the Office of Personnel Management directed them to remove "outward facing media" regarding DEIA efforts by Wednesday evening and to place all employees involved with those programs on leave, with the aim of soon permanently laying them off. As such, NASA's website dedicated to diversity and inclusion now been taken down. It remains to be seen how specifically NASA will be affected by the incursion. But the massive culling could send ripples across federal agencies, including the space agency. "Given the broad brush that they have painted, it's potentially very large numbers of people," the head of the Office of Personnel Management under former President Joe Biden Rob Shriver told NPR. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Do you know anything about the purge at NASA? Send us an email: tips@futurism.com. We can keep you anonymous. Petro's email also insinuated that DEIA programs were being hidden from the Trump administration, requesting that employees inform on each other. "We are aware of efforts by some in government to disguise these programs by using coded or imprecise language," the email reads. "If you are aware of a change in any contract description or personnel position description since November 5, 2024 to obscure the connection between the contract and DEIA or similar ideologies, please report all facts and circumstances." The phrasing "DEIA or similar ideologies" should raise alarm bells. The vague language invites all sorts of discriminatory and problematic interpretations, even beyond diversity and inclusion efforts. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As SpaceNews points out, it's a major ideological reversal for Petro. She has previously praised diversity initiatives, telling Engineering News-Record in late 2021 that the agency's "commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility has been paramount to mission success." "The entire NASA leadership team stands behind this commitment," she added at the time. It's unclear whether Petro personally supports the dismantlement of DEIA programs and the mass firing of related hires, or whether she was acting under pressure. But the whole thing is a sign that the Trump administration is willing to treat federal employees with disdain, threatening them and setting them against each other in its pursuit of a more homogenous workforce. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Penalizing career civil servants for faithfully doing their jobs during a prior administration is wrong," Partnership for Public Service CEO Max Stier wrote in a statement. "The affected employees are everyday people who have to support themselves and their families, and the abrupt and rushed approach chosen here will have a traumatizing impact on not just them but their colleagues who remain in their roles serving the public, as well." More on NASA: Elon Musk Trying to Scrap NASA's Moon Program President Donald Trump signs a series of executive orders at the White House on January 20, 2025, in Washington, DC. Credit - Jabin BotsfordThe Washington Post/Getty Images For most Americans, the past few days have felt like a whirlwind; for intersex Americans like myself, the past week has been one of unimaginable whiplash. On Jan. 16, then President Bidens department of Health and Human Services (HHS) released a groundbreaking report on the health inequities our community suffersbelieved to be the first ever federal policy acknowledging the existence of, let alone challenges faced by, intersex individuals in the United States. Flash forward to Jan. 20, and President Trump signed an executive order that attempts to negate our very existence. Trumps executive order on Gender Ideology Extremism and Restoring Biological Truth to the Federal Government, intended as an attack on transgender Americans and disingenuously disguised as defending women, erases the biological reality of intersex people like me. I was born with physical traitsexternal sex anatomy, internal reproductive organs, hormones, and chromosomesthat dont fit neatly into the binary male or female options on a birth certificate, and Im not alone. As the extensively data-driven HHS report references, more than 5 million intersex Americans were born with differences or variations in their sex characteristics or reproductive anatomy, roughly the same number as those born with naturally red hair. Trumps executive order, however, states that it is the policy of the United States to recognize two sexesmale and femaleand dictates that sexes are not changeable, rather grounded in fundamental and incontrovertible reality. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Unfortunately for Trump, the reality of intersex Americans like myself is increasingly visible. However, the fact that you may have just learned the word intersex yourself is likely due to the fact that we often undergo nonconsensual sex normalizing surgeries that attempt to obscure our god-given traits from a society that is more comfortable with binary boxes, such as the only options available on most birth certificates. This is evidenced in the United Nations groundbreaking Intersex Rights Resolution which was announced in April of last year, and reaffirms that medically unnecessary surgeries performed without consent violate our rightsas multiple U.S. Surgeons General and the World Health Organization (WHO) have long corroborated. The same day Trump issued his gender-binary executive order, he also mandated that the U.S. withdraw from the WHO. Despite intersex invisibility in broader society, our incontrovertible existence demonstrates that Trumps order is neither based in reality nor biology. Countering current medical doctrine and millennia-old literary references, the new executive order makes numerous false assertions that contribute to our erasure, one of which directly pertains to my own lived experience. Female means a person belonging, at conception, to the sex that produces the large reproductive cell, reads Trump's executive order. I was born with internal testicles and an external vagina. I have XY chromosomes and my birth certificate has always said Female. I never produced the "large reproductive cell" and only produced the "small reproductive cell" until I was sterilized without my consent as an infant, in order to fit my body into this scientifically unsound sex binary the executive order seeks to falsify into law. A subsequent clause also prescribes a tax-funded effort to update our personal documentation to force fit this invalid rubric. So my question for the President is this: when you tell me to adopt documentation that "accurately reflects the holder's sex," what should it say on mine? Trumps executive order flags specific resources not to teach tooamong them, a 2021 Department of Education document titled Supporting Intersex Students: A Resource for Students, Families, and Educators. The administrations dogged insistence that intersex people should not be discussed suggests that the confusion generated by Trumps mandate is intentionalunsurprising, because we disprove some of the major tenets of the ideology that keeps him in power. Indeed, the Presidents executive order institutionalizes a right-wing Christian nationalist view of gender rooted in a fictitious biology that intersex people debunk. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Intersex bodies have often been used to justify the transgender experience: If some people have physical traits that dont fit squarely into male or female categories on a form, perhaps other humans can't be so neatly sorted either. Intersex and transgender changemakers such as Delia Sosa, incoming director of the Medical Student Pride Alliance, and AC Goldberg, assistant professor at Northeastern University, show how these identities arent always mutually exclusive. Many intersex individuals are also transgenderwhether because they were surgically coerced into the wrong type of body in their youth, by misguided medical practitioners, or simply because many humans are born that way. Intersex people are also impacted by anti-trans legislation, but too often we are the unmentioned casualties. We are constantly caught in the crossfire of culture wars or used as the gotcha moment in arguments to uplift others humanity, even as the painful discrimination our community facesand the authentic beauty of our presenceremains hidden in plain sight. Long a vital element in the case for someone elses truth, we are also tasked with defending our own. Intersex people are human beings too and deserve dignified lives beyond just proving bigotry wrong. We dont exist to prove a point; we exist because we do. It took decades for the powers that govern our country to acknowledge us as the citizens we are and the rights we should be afforded. But less than a week after one President finally published a roadmap to help us access those rights, a new President now claims we are not real. The clearest path forward is for our community to share our stories in our own voices and to have the public commit to witnessing and believing them. While Trumps order attempts to shield the public from acknowledging our existence, intersex people are used to dispelling the shadows weve been relegated to with the undeniable light of our truth, biological or otherwise. Contact us at letters@time.com. A federal judge has temporarily blocked Donald Trumps sweeping executive order seeking to unilaterally redefine the 14th Amendment and federal law by denying citizenship to certain American-born children of immigrants. District Judge John Coughenour, presiding over a lawsuit brought by several states seeking to overturn Trumps order, delivered a blistering criticism of the presidents blatantly unconstitutional action from the bench in a Seattle courtroom on Thursday. Ive been on the bench for over four decades. I cant remember another case where the question presented is as clear as this one is. This is a blatantly unconstitutional order, said the Ronald Reagan appointee, according to The Seattle Times. Donald Trump issued an executive order seeking to redefine the 14th Amendments birthright citizenship clause (POOL/AFP via Getty Images) There are other times in world history where we look back and people of goodwill can say where were the judges, where were the lawyers? he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Frankly I have difficulty understanding how a member of the Bar could state unequivocally that this is a constitutional order, Coughenour continued. It just boggles my mind. The judge granted a temporary restraining order that blocks Trumps order from taking effect nationally while the case brought by Arizona, Illinois, Oregon and Washington plays out in court. This unconstitutional and un-American executive order will hopefully never take effect thanks to the actions states are taking on behalf of their residents, Washington Attorney General Nick Brown said in a statement. Birthright citizenship makes clear that citizenship cannot be conditioned on ones race, ethnicity or where their parents came from, he added. Its the law of our nation, recognized by generations of jurists, lawmakers, and presidents, until President Trumps illegal action. Thats why weve stepped in to protect Washingtonians from harm. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The lawsuit is one of at least five legal challenges playing out in federal courts across the country. Eighteen state attorneys general and officials in Washington, D.C. and San Francisco are also suing the Trump administration to block what they have called the flagrantly unlawful attempt to strip hundreds of thousands American-born children of their citizenship based on their parentage. Several pregnant women and immigrant advocacy groups representing families and expecting mothers have also launched lawsuits to overturn the order. Washington Attorney General Nick Brown is leading four states in a lawsuit against Donald Trumps birthright citizenship order, among at least five federal complaints seeking to overturn the presidents action. (AP) Under the sweeping terms of Trumps order, children born in the United States after February 17 can be denied citizenship when that persons mother was unlawfully present or lawful but temporary, and if the father was not a United States citizen or lawful permanent resident at the time of said persons birth. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The 14th Amendments citizenship clause plainly states that all persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the state wherein they reside. In the Trump administrations first court filing responding to the case in Seattle, Justice Department lawyers called the executive order an integral part of President Trumps recent actions, pursuant to his significant authority in the immigration field, to address this nations broken immigration. Trump administration lawyers said the rush to the courthouse for extraordinary relief is fundamentally flawed. These lawsuits are nothing more than an extension of the Lefts resistance and the Trump Administration is ready to face them in court, White House principal deputy press secretary Harrison Fields said in a statement to The Independent. Trump's birthright citizenship EO is halted for now. Today a judge granted our temporary restraining order nationwide, saying he had not seen an order this blatantly unconstitutional in 40 years on the bench. We'll continue fighting for Washingtonians' freedoms. pic.twitter.com/ovl0jKmJGO Attorney General Nick Brown (@AGOWA) January 23, 2025 In a federal complaint filed on Tuesday, attorneys general for the four states argued that Trumps order would unlawfully strip more than 12,000 newborn children each month of U.S. citizenship that is entitled to them under federal law and the 14th Amendment. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Children denied citizenship will be rendered undocumented, subject to removal or detention, and many will be stateless that is, citizens of no country at all, they wrote. They will lose eligibility for myriad federal benefits programs. They will lose their right to travel freely and re-enter the United States. They will lose their ability to obtain a Social Security number ... and work lawfully, the plaintiffs continued. They will lose their right to vote, serve on juries, and run for certain offices, they added. And they will be placed into lifelong positions of instability and insecurity as part of a new underclass in the United States. Without the Constitutions guarantee of their citizenship, thousands of children will lose their ability to fully and fairly be a part of American society as a citizen with all its benefits and privileges, they wrote. This aerial view shows a door along the US-Mexico border in El Paso, Texas, on January 22, 2025. U.S. President Donald Trump ordered more military personnel to the border with Mexico as part of a flurry of steps to tackle immigration, his spokeswoman said on January 22. Credit - Cecilia SanchezAFP/Getty Images In one of his first acts as president, Donald Trump issued a proclamation declaring a national emergency at the southern border. The proclamation authorizes the Secretary of Defense to move money within the department to fund construction of the border wall. It further authorizes the Secretary to call up reservists to assist the Department of Homeland Security in its border activities. Six years ago, with illegal border crossings hovering near a 40-year low, Trump also declared an emergency to secure funding for the border wall and to call up reservists. So it should come as no surprise that he did the same in his second term, with illegal border crossings at higher levels (although still steadily decreasing from the record highs seen in late 2023 and early 2024). Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But the increased traffic at the border does not justify what is still a misuse of emergency powers. By using these authorities to address a longstanding policy problem, Trump is usurping the role that the Constitution assigns to Congress. Moreover, the actions he has laid out likely exceed the authority provided by the specific powers he has invoked. The 1976 National Emergencies Act gives the president broad discretion to declare a national emergency. That declaration serves as a trigger to unlock powers contained in 150 different provisions of law, including some that carry alarming potential for abuse. For instance, there are provisions allowing the president to take over or shut down communications facilities and to freeze Americans assets without judicial process. It is not hard to see how a president could wield these powers to erode both individual liberties and democracy itself. Read More: Trump Launches New Immigration Measures, Prompting Abrupt Shift in U.S. Border Policy In the proclamation he issued Monday, Trump invoked a provision that allows the Secretary of Defense to reallocate department funds to pay for military construction projects that Congress has not authorized. He used this provision in 2019 to secure funding for the border wall after a split Congress refused to allocate the amounts he requested. Reprogramming these funds meant terminating ongoing projects to build weapons maintenance shops, fire rescue stations, and cyberoperations facilities. He has now invoked the same provision for the same purpose, without waiting to see if the new Republican-controlled Congress would provide funding. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump also invoked a power that allows the Secretary of Defense to call up reservists, including National Guard forces, in a national emergency. These troops will supplement National Guard forces currently deployed at the border to support the Department of Homeland Security. The military has been deployed in this role for years, and President Biden relied on the same emergency authority to augment their numbers. (Because the troops are providing logistical support rather than apprehending or detaining migrants, they are not violating the Posse Comitatus Acts general prohibition on military participation in law enforcement.) Leaving aside the merits of these policies, accomplishing them through emergency powers is an abuse of presidential authority. Emergency powers play a particular role in our constitutional system. They give the president extraordinary flexibility to address sudden, unexpected crisesthe very definition of emergencythat Congress could not have foreseen and cannot act quickly or flexibly enough to address after-the-fact. If a problem is longstanding and Congress has had time to grapple with it, it is not a valid target of emergency powers, however serious it may be. There is nothing sudden or unexpected about unlawful immigration at the southern border. Moreover, Congress can and should address the problem by passing comprehensive immigration reform and allocating sufficient resources to handle the backlog of people seeking to immigrate through lawful means. So far, though, Trump hasnt shown much interest in a long-term solution. Indeed, when Congress was on the verge of passing a bipartisan border security bill in 2024, he reportedly pressured Republican lawmakers to kill it so he could continue to campaign on border chaos. Unfortunately, even though Congress clearly intended for national emergencies to be declared sparingly, there is no definition of national emergency in the law. Absent such a definition, courts historically have been quite deferential to a presidents determination that an emergency exists. But they have been much more willing to examine whether a presidents actions comport with the specific emergency powers the president has invoked. And on this count, Trump will likely run into trouble. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In particular, some courts struck down Trumps previous use of the military construction provision to build the border wall. Under the provision, the purpose of the construction project must be to support a deployment of the armed forces. For instance, a temporary base may be built to support troops deployed to a remote overseas location. The border wall turns this condition on its head: Instead of the construction supporting a military deployment, the military is being deployed to support the construction. The courts decisions were stayed on appeal, and the Supreme Court vacated them in 2021 after Biden terminated Trumps emergency declaration. But the same arguments will be raised nowand if courts faithfully interpret and apply the law, they should prevail. Trumps invocation of the power to call up reservists could fail for a different reason. Under a separate law, the armed forces may not provide support to law enforcement agencies (such as the Department of Homeland Security) if the provision of such support will adversely affect the military preparedness of the United States. U.S. military personnel are already stationed in over 160 countries throughout the world, and the National Guard is stretched thin. Moreover, lengthy border deployments have proven bad for morale at a time when the military is experiencing unprecedented recruitment and retention challenges. Under these circumstances, any substantial call-up of reservists would likely be detrimental to military preparedness. Without question, there are serious problems at the southern border. The numbers of people attempting to flee persecution, drug or gang-related violence, and economic hardship are creating a humanitarian crisis. Moreover, the level of unlawful migration in recent years speaks to a broken immigration system that must be fixed. But misusing emergency powers will not solve the problem; instead, it will open the door to further such abusesby this president or a future one. And the next time, those abuses could involve even more potent emergency powers, with even greater potential to undermine liberties and democracy. Until Congress reforms the National Emergencies Act to help prevent presidential overreach, it will be up to the courts to keep us off that slippery slope. Contact us at letters@time.com. President Donald Trump called the Jan. 6, 2021, assault of police officers by rioters minor incidents when speaking to Sean Hannity on Wednesday. During his first interview with the Fox News host since he was inaugurated, Trump was asked why he pardoned people who were violent with police during the insurrection at the Capitol. Number one, they were in there for three-and-a-half years, a long time, and many in solitary confinement, treated like nobodys ever been treated, replied Trump. They were treated like the worst criminals in history, and you know what they were there for? They were protesting the vote because they knew the election was rigged and they were protesting the vote, and they should be allowed to protest the vote. You should be allowed to. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When Hannity pointed out that you shouldnt be able to invade the Capitol, Trump argued, Most of the people were absolutely innocent. The president continued, But forgetting all about that, these people have served horribly, a long time. It would be very, very cumbersome to go and Look, you know how many people were talking about? 1,500 people. Hours after delivering his inaugural address on Monday, Trump issued a blanket pardon and widespread clemency to 1,500 individuals who participated in the attack on the Capitol. Large swaths of those defendants were convicted of assaulting police and law enforcement officers, planned violence against lawmakers, and defacing the Capitol in their attempt to overturn the 2020 election, which Trump had lost to former President Biden. The president told Hannity, Some of those people with the police, true, but they were very minor incidents. You know that they get built up by that couple of fake guys that are on CNN all the time. They were very minor incidents. And it was time. 140 police officers were assaulted during the Capitol riot. Among the violent Jan. 6 criminals Trump pardoned include David Dempsey, who was sentenced to 20 years and according to prosecutors viciously assaulted and injured police officers with an array of weapons, and Daniel Joseph DJ Rodriguez, who tasered Police Officer Michael Fanone multiple times in the neck, causing Fanone to suffer a heart attack, a concussion, and traumatic brain injury. Fanone was later diagnosed with PTSD. 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. Donald Trumps nominee to head the Office of Management and Budget, Russell Vought, appeared before the Senate Wednesday and was grilled over what he considers a target in his anti-woke chopping block. Democratic Senator Tim Kaine went after Vought during his confirmation hearing for what he wrote as president of the Center for Renewing America, specifically a budget proposal titled A Commitment to End Woke and Weaponized Government. In that proposal, Kaine said, Vought proposed deep cuts to the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, also known as food stamps. Is providing nutrition assistance to low-income kids woke and weaponized? Kaine asked Vought, who refused to answer, replying that he wasnt here to talk about the budget that center put out. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Kaine pressed further, but Vought claimed he was only there on behalf of the president. The Virginia senator then pointed out that in the same document, Vought proposed deep cuts to Medicaid for low-income families, tenant-based rental assistance, and low-income housing energy assistance. This was all in your document about ending woke and weaponized government. OK, lets see, we want to traumatize federal employees and then we want to take all of these programs that help everyday people who are struggling and cut them because theyre woke and weaponized. Those are your words, not mine, Kaine concluded. From the fullness of the heart, the mouth speaks. Vought clearly did not want to address or defend his old recommendations in a Senate hearing, and its clear why, as the cuts he proposed would be unpopular with most Americans. In front of what he thought was a more friendly audience in August, though, Vought bragged to two undercover journalists about his love of Christian nation-ism. He also touted his organizations efforts to draft executive orders and policy memos for Trump to use on day one of his presidency. Vought also co-authored the conservative manifesto Project 2025. But in his hearing Wednesday, he refused to answer questions from senators about his role in drafting Trumps new executive orders, just as he did last week over whether he would uphold the law if confirmed. Kaines questioning of Vought exposed what the right-wing ideologues plans will be in the new Trump administration, and they seem to be straight from the Project 2025 and Christian nationalism playbook. Thanks to Republican control of the Senate, those plans wont hurt his likely confirmation one bit. (Bloomberg) -- Republican senators are scrambling to get President Donald Trumps cabinet appointees confirmed, promising to vote through the weekend if necessary. Most Read from Bloomberg Its been slow going in the procedure-heavy Senate since Mondays inauguration, with only two of Trumps top picks Secretary of State Marco Rubio and CIA Director John Ratcliffe confirmed by Thursday afternoon. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But there are a slew of controversial hearings and votes expected over the coming days, with acute intrigue around the confirmation prospects of Trumps embattled pick to run the Pentagon, Pete Hegseth. Republicans have a 53-seat majority in the Senate, which means it would take four GOP defections for a nominee to fail if all Democrats vote against them. Heres whats on tap: Defense Hegseth cleared a key procedural hurdle on Thursday, teeing up his confirmation vote for Friday around 9pm Washington time. His nomination has been mired in allegations over sexual misconduct, alcohol abuse and the mismanagement of veterans organizations all of which hes denied but so far hes only drawn opposition from two Republicans, Lisa Murkowski and Susan Collins. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The former Fox News host and Army veteran came under renewed fire after revelations that his former sister-in-law alleged in a sworn affidavit that Hegseth was emotionally abusive to an ex-wife, one time causing her to hide in a closet for her safety, and had a history of drunken and aggressive behavior. Hegseth has also denied those allegations. Treasury If the Senate sticks around this weekend, theyre expected to vote to confirm Scott Bessent as Treasury secretary. The founder of macro hedge fund Key Square Group would work closely with congressional Republicans on Trumps promise to renew and expand the expiring 2017 tax cuts. Health and Human Services Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Robert F. Kennedy Jr. will testify before Senate committees on Jan. 29 and 30. His criticisms of vaccines are likely to take center stage at his hearing, as are his financial disclosures including referral fees from lawsuits filed against the agency hes been chosen to lead. National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbards nomination hearing is slated for Jan. 30, according to reports. She is expected to be grilled on a 2017 meeting with former President Bashar al-Assad in Syria and sympathetic comments toward Russias Vladimir Putin. Federal Bureau of Investigation Kash Patel is slated for a hearing on Jan. 30, the Senate Judiciary Committee said. Patel, who has vowed to go after the media and the so-called Deep State, is among the most controversial of Trumps picks. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Homeland Security South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem cleared the Senate Homeland Security committee with Democratic support and is also positioned for a potential vote this weekend. As secretary, Noem would be responsible for enforcing Trumps immigration crackdown, including his pledge to carry out mass deportations of undocumented migrants. Interior Doug Burgum advanced through a Senate panel after his hearing and his confirmation vote could happen next week. Along with the Department of Interior, Burgum would lead a newly minted National Energy Council, influencing domestic oil and gas production strategy in the new administration. The former North Dakota governor ran for president during the 2024 election and later endorsed Trump. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Energy Chris Wright will likely have a confirmation vote in coming weeks after passing through the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee. Wright, a vocal proponent of oil and gas, runs an oil and natural gas fracking services company that is based in Colorado. The threat of global warming, he has said, is exaggerated. Office of Management and Budget Russell Vought testified in front of a committee on Jan. 22, and he has since been under fire from Democrats who allege he will advance the Heritage Foundations ultra-conservative Project 2025 plan. Attorney General The Senate Judiciary Committee will meet on Jan. 29 to vote on whether nominee Pam Bondi will proceed to a confirmation vote. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A fierce defender of Trump, Bondi would oversee everything from defending controversial government policies in court to doling out billions of dollars in federal grants. Trumps first pick, former Florida Representative Matt Gaetz, bowed out of contention after intense scrutiny over allegations that he engaged in sexual misconduct. Commerce Howard Lutnick, CEO of Cantor Fitzgerald, will testify before the Senate Commerce committee on Wednesday, Jan. 29. The billionaire is a long-time Trump loyalist who co-chaired the transition team. His confirmation hearing will likely focus heavily on Trumps promise of tariffs and his plans to leverage them for foreign policy. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Transportation Sean Duffys nomination has advanced through committee. Majority Leader John Thune said Thursday he intends to move the nomination quickly, though its unclear exactly when a vote could take place. Housing and Urban Development The Senate Banking Committee voted to proceed with Scott Turners nomination, setting him up for a confirmation vote likely next week. Veterans Affairs A Senate panel advanced Trumps pick Doug Collins, clearing procedural hurdles for a confirmation vote. Collins is an Air Force Reserve chaplain and a former Georgia congressman. Hes been a staunch supporter of Trump and, as the top Republican on the Judiciary Committee during the former presidents first administration, criticized the Justice Departments investigation of Russian interference in the 2016 election. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Agriculture Brooke Rollins, who was acting director of the White House Domestic Policy Council during Trumps first term and later served as president and CEO of the Trump-aligned America First Policy Institute, testified Thursday in her confirmation hearing with the Senate Agriculture Committee. To Be Scheduled A few nominees are still awaiting hearing dates. They include: Lori Chavez-DeRemer, Labor secretary Linda McMahon, Education secretary --With assistance from Billy House. (Updates with timing of Hegseths confirmation vote Friday and Patels hearing set for Jan. 30) Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2025 Bloomberg L.P. In recent years, tradition holds for newly inaugurated U.S. presidents to attend an interfaith prayer service hosted at the Episcopal Church's Washington National Cathedral. The second inauguration of President Donald Trump was no exception. On Jan. 21, 2025, Trump and Vice President JD Vance attended the service with their families. After Bishop Mariann Edgar Budde's sermon, multiple news outlets reported that Trump had asked for an apology from the bishop and the Episcopal Church for the comments she delivered. Snopes readers wrote in asking if that was true. In short, it was. In a post on his social media platform Truth Social, written after the service, Trump called Budde a "Radical Left hard line Trump hater" who was "nasty in tone, and not compelling or smart." He called the service "boring and uninspiring" and concluded by saying that the Episcopal Church and Budde "owe the public an apology!" (Truth Social user @realDonaldTrump) Other Republicans also criticized Budde, such as U.S. Rep. Mike Collins of Georgia (archived), who called for the bishop to be "added to the deportation list," referring to mass deportations for undocumented immigrants Trump promised during his campaign and began implementing on his first day in office. The person giving this sermon should be added to the deportation list. pic.twitter.com/d7a2z1CM6s Rep. Mike Collins (@RepMikeCollins) January 21, 2025 In the conclusion of her sermon, Budde addressed the president directly. On his first day in office, Trump signed executive orders targeting transgender individuals and immigration. The bishop responded to those acts by asking Trump to "have mercy" for members of the LGBTQ+ community and for immigrants. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Here are her comments directed to the president: Let me make one final plea, Mr. President. Millions have put their trust in you and, as you told the nation yesterday, you have felt the providential hand of a loving God. In the name of our God, I ask you to have mercy upon the people in our country who are scared now. There are gay, lesbian and transgender children in Democratic, Republican and Independent families, some who fear for their lives. And the people, the people who pick our crops and clean our office buildings; who labor in poultry farms and meat packing plants; who wash the dishes after we eat in restaurants and work the night shifts in hospitals. They, they may not be citizens or have the proper documentation. But the vast majority of immigrants are not criminals. They pay taxes and are good neighbors. They are faithful members of our churches and mosques, synagogues, gurdwaras and temples. I ask you to have mercy, Mr. President, on those in our communities whose children fear that their parents will be taken away. And that you help those who are fleeing war zones and persecution in their own lands to find compassion and welcome here. Our God teaches us that we are to be merciful to the stranger, for we were all once strangers in this land. May God grant us the strength and courage to honor the dignity of every human being, to speak the truth to one another in love and walk humbly with each other and our God for the good of all people. Good of all people in this nation and the world. Amen. Sources: "Bishop at Inaugural Prayer Service Urges Trump to 'have Mercy' on LGBTQ Children, Immigrants." NBC News, 22 Jan. 2025, https://www.nbcnews.com/nbc-out/out-politics-and-policy/bishop-trump-inaugural-prayer-service-lgbtq-immigration-policie-rcna188590. "Bishop Mariann Edgar Budde." Episcopal Diocese of Washington, https://edow.org/about/bishop-mariann/. Accessed 22 Jan. 2025. 'Defending Women From Gender Ideology Extremism And Restoring Biological Truth To The Federal Government'. The White House, 21 Jan. 2025, https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/01/defending-women-from-gender-ideology-extremism-and-restoring-biological-truth-to-the-federal-government/. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement DeRose, Jason. "Bishop Mariann Edgar Budde Confronts Trump in Sermon." NPR, 21 Jan. 2025. NPR, https://www.npr.org/2025/01/21/nx-s1-5270031/bishop-mariann-edgar-budde-confronts-trump-in-sermon. "First Look: A Service of Prayer for the Nation." Washington National Cathedral, https://cathedral.org/blog/first-look-a-service-of-prayer-for-the-nation/. Accessed 22 Jan. 2025. Gangitano, Alex. "Trump Demands Apology, Criticizes Bishop's Prayer Service Remarks." The Hill, 22 Jan. 2025, https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/5099730-donald-trump-criticizes-bishop-transgender-migrants/. Hackman, Michelle, et al. "Trump to Begin Large-Scale Deportations Tuesday." Wall Street Journal, 17 Jan. 2025, https://www.wsj.com/politics/policy/trump-to-begin-large-scale-deportations-tuesday-e1bd89bd. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hesson, Ted, et al. 'Trump Launches Sweeping Border Crackdown, Mass Deportation Push'. Reuters, 21 Jan. 2025. www.reuters.com, https://www.reuters.com/world/us/trump-declare-national-emergency-border-trump-official-says-2025-01-20/. 'Protecting The American People Against Invasion'. The White House, 21 Jan. 2025, https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/01/protecting-the-american-people-against-invasion/. Ray, Siladitya. "What Did The Bishop Say To Trump During The Inaugural Prayer Service? Here's The Full Transcript." Forbes, https://www.forbes.com/sites/siladityaray/2025/01/22/what-did-the-bishop-say-to-trump-during-prayer-service-heres-the-full-transcript/. Accessed 22 Jan. 2025. "Trump Demands an Apology from Bishop Who Asked Him to 'Have Mercy' on LGBTQ+ People and Migrants." AP News, 21 Jan. 2025, https://apnews.com/article/trump-inaugural-prayer-service-washington-national-cathedral-interfaith-a95b36f962be93c8647cc5144266da11. President Donald Trump has demanded an apology from a bishop after she advocated for empathy and "mercy" for immigrants and LGBTQ individuals after his return to the White House. The Right Rev. Mariann Edgar Budde, who spent 18 years as a rector in Minneapolis at St. John's Episcopal Church, delivered the sermon during a national prayer service at Washington National Cathedral on Tuesday. President Trump was seated in the first row with Vice President V.D. Vance. "Millions have put their trust in you, and as you told the nation [during Monday's inauguration], you have felt the providential hand of a loving God," Budde said. "In the name of our God, I ask you to have mercy upon the people in our country who are scared now. There are gay, lesbian, and transgender children in Democratic, Republican, and Independent families, some who fear for their lives." President Donald TrumpCredit: Gage Skidmore via Flickr She continued, "And the people who pick our crops and clean our office buildings, who labor in poultry farms and meatpacking plants, who wash the dishes after we eat in restaurants, and work the night shifts in hospitals. They may not be citizens or have the proper documentation, but the vast majority of immigrants are not criminals. They pay taxes and are good neighbors." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The bishop even directly addressed President Trump during her remarks. "I ask you to have mercy, Mr. President, on those in our communities whose children fear that their parents will be taken away," she said. Trump struck back at the bishop on his social media platform, Truth Social, calling her "nasty" and "not compelling or smart," as he demanded an apology. "She brought her church into the World of politics in a very ungracious way," he wrote. "Apart from her inappropriate statements, the service was a very boring and uninspiring one. She is not very good at her job!" Other Republicans joined Trump in rebuking her call for unity, including Georgia Rep. Mike Collins, who wrote on X that Budde "should be added to the deportation list." Budde is an American citizen who cannot be deported. Related: Minnesota joins suit to block Trump executive order to end birthright citizenship Budde is a spiritual leader for 86 Episcopal congregations and 10 Episcopal schools in the District of Columbia and four Maryland counties, per the Episcopal Diocese of Washington. She was consecrated as the ninth bishop of Washington in November 2011 and is the first woman to be elected as the chair of the Protestant Episcopal Cathedral Foundation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Budde is also the author of three books, including, most recently, How We Learn to Be Brave: Decisive Moments in Life and Faith. "I am not going to apologize for asking for mercy for others," Budde told Time on Wednesday as she refuted the President's claims that she is a "Radical Left hard line Trump hater." "I hope that a message calling for dignity, respecting dignity, honesty, humility, and kindness is resonating with people. I'm grateful for that," Budde said. "I'm saddened by the level of vitriol that it has evoked in others, and the intensity of it has been disheartening." Many have understood her words as a direct response to Trump's flurry of executive orders signed during his first hours in office. Those orders included pardons for Jan. 6 insurrectionists, rolling back federal protections for transgender citizens, ordering increased deportations, withdrawing from the Paris climate agreement, withdrawing from the World Health Organization, attempting to end birthright citizenship, expanding the use of the death penalty, and ending environmental protections in the Alaskan wilderness to open it for drilling, among many others. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Many of Trump's executive orders are already facing legal challenges, including multiple that have been filed against his birthright citizenship order, which opponents say violates the constitution. The post-inauguration prayer service is a long-standing tradition that dates back nearly 100 years. This was the 10th time it was hosted at Washington National Cathedral. Related: President Trump pardons Minnesotas accused Jan. 6 insurrectionists, including one who beat police A White House meeting may be in the cards for some of the nearly 1,600 people charged in the Jan. 6 assault on the Capitol who received clemency from President Donald Trump. Trump told reporters Thursday that he would certainly be open to meeting with some of the people who stormed the Capitol to overturn Joe Bidens victory in the 2020 election. The president, who pardoned most of those charged in the attack and commuted the sentences of 14 others, said he believes some of the people would like to meet with him. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I haven't spoken to any of them yet, but I know they're very happy, Trump said as he took questions in the Oval Office. I gave them their life back. Their life was taken away from them unnecessarily and unfairly. Trump on Monday granted full, complete and unconditional pardons to about 1,500 people, including some who assaulted police, carried weapons and destroyed property or were awaiting trial in an attack widely viewed as a dark chapter in American history. He commuted the sentences of 14 members of two far-right groups, the Proud Boys and Oathkeepers, who were convicted of charges that included seditious conspiracy. His act of clemency upon taking office fulfilled one of Trumps campaign promises, though he was never explicit about his plans for such a sweeping action. (Bloomberg) -- The Senate overwhelmingly confirmed John Ratcliffe as director of the Central Intelligence Agency, installing another core member of President Donald Trumps national security team. Most Read from Bloomberg Ratcliffe, 59, a fierce Trump loyalist who was national intelligence director in the presidents first administration, stressed in confirmation hearings the need to counter threats from China and other US adversaries. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He was confirmed Thursday in a 74-25 vote, the second Trump nominee to be approved by the Senate after Secretary of State Marco Rubios confirmation on Monday. Ratcliffe won support from leaders of the Senate Intelligence Committee, including top committee Democrat Mark Warner of Virginia after he assured Warner the agency under his leadership would produce objective analysis and protect CIA employees from political interference. He promised to speak truth to power and protect Americans civil liberties. Thats a marked departure from 2020, when the former Republican congressman and prosecutor from Texas faced unified Democratic opposition when he was confirmed as Trumps national intelligence director. Ratcliffe, who earlier withdrew himself from consideration for that post amid accusations that he exaggerated his qualifications, eventually won Republican support for the nomination following his staunch defense of Trump during the former presidents first impeachment. At the time, Democrats expressed concern Ratcliffe would take political orders from Trump or misrepresent intelligence. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Senate Majority Leader John Thune praised Ratcliffes experience and said he would provide objective intelligence analysis without bias. Other Trump second-term nominees, including Defense pick Pete Hegseth and Tulsi Gabbard, the former congresswoman Trump picked for Ratcliffes prior job as director of national intelligence, face stronger opposition. Hegseths combative confirmation hearing failed to quell Democrats concerns about allegations of sexual misconduct, excessive drinking and financial mismanagement at two nonprofits Hegseth ran. Democrats also have cast doubt on his ability to lead the $850 billion departments complex budget and bureaucracy. --With assistance from Natalia Drozdiak. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2025 Bloomberg L.P. The News The US Senate voted to approve former Texas Congressman John Ratcliffe as the countrys new CIA director, making him the second high-level member to be confirmed in President Donald Trumps new administration. All Republicans and 21 Democrats voted in favor of Ratcliffe, who previously served as Trumps director of national intelligence in the final stretch of his first term. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer had voiced concerns that Ratcliffe may not be able to stand up to Trump or his nominee for Ratcliffes old job, Tulsi Gabbard, who, Schumer said, are known to falsify intelligence. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Some Republican lawmakers are also worried about Gabbards past associations with US adversaries like Russia and Syria; Semafors Burgess Everett and Shelby Talcott reported that her nomination remains on shaky grounds. Know More Ratcliffes confirmation came just after Republican Sens. Lisa Murkowski and Susan Collins came out publicly to oppose Trumps defense secretary nominee and former Fox News host Pete Hegseth. Murkowski said on social media Thursday that Hegseth had engaged in behaviors starkly contrast the values and discipline expected of service members. Hegseths confirmation hearings saw Democrats air multiple allegations of sexual abuse, financial misconduct, and alcoholism, with some lawmakers also drawing attention to his apparent lack of experience for the job. The Senate will hold a final vote on his prospects on Friday. On 22 January Brazilian supreme court (STF) justiceordered the federal government and ten state governments in the Amazon and Pantanal biomes to submit forest fire management plans within the next 30 business days. End of preview - This article contains approximately 401 words. Subscribers: Log in now to read the full article Not a Subscriber? Choose from one of the following options Pete Hegseth, President Donald Trumps choice to lead the Pentagon, edged closer Thursday to winning Senate confirmation in spite of a slew of allegations that he has abused women and alcohol. All but two GOP senatorsLisa Murkowski and Susan Collinsvoted Thursday to advance the former Fox News host, despite allegations that painted him as an alcoholic and serial abuser, including in a new sworn affidavit form his former sister-in-law. Murkowski of Alaska was the first voice of opposition in defiance of the newly elected president. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The leader of the Department of Defense must demonstrate and model the standards of behavior and character we expect of all service members, and Mr. Hegseths nomination to the role poses significant concerns that I cannot overlook, she said. Given the global security environment were operating in, it is critical that we confirm a Secretary of Defense, however, I regret that I am unable to support Mr. Hegseth. Since Mr. Hegseths nomination last November, I have met with him and carefully reviewed his writings, various reports, and other pertinent materials. I closely followed his hearing before the Senate Armed Services Committee and gathered substantial feedback from organizations, Sen. Lisa Murkowski (@lisamurkowski) January 23, 2025 Sen. Susan Collins of Maine then joined Murkowski as a voice of dissent, and voted against advancing Hegseths nomination. The Secretary is going to be facing a number of incredibly complex problems that are going to require highly skilled management ability, Collins said. I am concerned that Mr. Hegseth does not have the the management experience and background that he will need in order to tackle these difficulties. Collins also condemned Hegseths past comments disparaging women serving in the military. After careful consideration, I have decided to vote against Pete Hegseths nomination for Secretary of Defense. While I appreciate his courageous military service and his ongoing commitment to our servicemembers and their families, I am concerned that he does not have the Sen. Susan Collins (@SenatorCollins) January 23, 2025 Trumps nominee ultimately garnered the support needed on a crucial procedural vote to set the stage for a final Senate confirmation vote, which is expected to take place late Friday. The vote Thursday was 51-49, with all Democrats voting against promoting Hegseth. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hegseth skeptics have raised concerns about not having access to a full FBI background check into allegations of sexual misconduct, abusive behavior and signs of alcohol abuse. They included charges of drunken behavior at a strip club while wearing his military uniform and that he smelled of alcohol on the job at Fox News. Ive heard from others that pertinent information has not been included, and that is troubling. When youre making a decision about a nominee, you want to have as complete a picture as possible, Collins said on Wednesday. The procedural vote came after Pete Hegseth s former sister-in-law told senators in a sworn affidavit that his ex-wife, Samantha Hegseth, feared for her safety and used a safe word in the event she was in danger. I believe Hegseth has an alcohol abuse problem and was abusive to his ex-wife Samantha, as I understand those terms as a lay person, Danielle Hegseth said in her affidavit. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The former Fox News host has vehemently denied wrongdoing. And Hegseths allies have pointed to his former sister-in-law stating she did not personally witness the abuse and Samantha Hegseth denying the accusations to NBC News. She told the network: I do not believe your information to be accurate, and I have ccd my lawyer. Several GOP senators who voiced early reservations about his nomination, including Sen. Joni Ernst (R-IA), were ultimately swayed to support him following grassroots pressure and one-on-one meetings with the nominee. Hegseth can only lose three GOP votes, which would allow Vice President JD Vance to break a tie unless Democrats opt to break party lines and back the nominee. Democrats have largely railed against his nomination. Sen. Jack Reed, the highest ranking Democrat on the Senate Armed Services Committee, said on the Senate floor Thursday that testimony from Hegseths former sister-in-law was not adequately included in the Trump transition teams background documents. Which begs the question, he said, what else is missing from the FBI report? Much of Big Tech may have aligned itself with President Donald Trump, but U.S. tech firms large and small could soon find themselves ruing his actions. According to a Wednesday New York Times report, the president has ordered three Democrat-picked members of the independent Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board (PCLOB) to resign by the end of Thursday. That would leave just one Republic-picked member on a board that is supposed to have five members (one seat is already vacant) and needs at least three to function. Paralyzing the agency, which was established as U.S. intelligence activities surged in the wake of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, could have serious domestic implications. Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR) said Trump would be kneecapping one of the only independent watchdogs over government surveillance who could alert Congress and the public about surveillance abuses by his administration. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But the move also threatens to sink a U.S.-EU data-sharing agreement that is a lifeline for American companies that handle the personal data of European customers. Without it, they would have no legal basis for operating in the EU, and would likely have to withdraw from the market. The agreement, known as the Data Protection Framework (DPF), is the latest in a line of three. The first two were struck down by the EUs top court, in cases initiated by the Austrian lawyer and privacy campaigner Max Schrems the first version, Safe Harbor, was cancelled in 2015, while its replacement, Privacy Shield, bit the dust in 2020. Where the first Trump waves hit [the DPF], it may soon dissolveand bring many EU businesses into a legal limbo, Schrems warned Thursday, in the wake of the Times report. Deal after deal To understand the urgency of the situation, it is worth looking back at what the stricken deals and their replacement were intended to achieve. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement EU data-protection law says that Europeans personal data can only be sent to an outside country that provides an adequate level of protection for that information its privacy laws dont need to be exactly the same, but they should be roughly equivalent. The U.S. has no federal privacy laws outside the realms of health-care and childrens data, but it is also the country where most of European consumers and businesses favorite services are based. So to square this circle, the European Commission repeatedly struck agreements with the U.S. Department of Commerce, based on U.S. assurances. The deals established registers that American companies could sign up to, to promise that they would provide EU-grade protection for Europeans personal data, even if their countrys laws did not. This allowed the Commission to bestow adequacy status on the U.S. and make transatlantic data transfers fairly painless. The Commission is a political body that needs to play nice with the U.S., but the EU courts are not. The Court of Justice of the European Union struck down Safe Harbor and then Privacy Shield because those U.S. assurances didnt actually protect Europeans data when it went across to American data centers U.S. intelligence agencies could still access that information with near impunity, the companies had little way to push back, and Europeans had no useful way of complaining. After Privacy Shields demise, the situation headed into a full-blown crisis for Big Tech. When the Court of Justice cancelled that deal, it also blew a hole in the other legal mechanisms that large tech companies particularly Meta, the company at the center of the ruling had been using to send Europeans data to the U.S. In May 2023, the Irish regulator announced an October ban on Metas transatlantic data transfers, despite the companys warnings that it would have to pull Facebook and Instagram out of Europe. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement So when the DPF was finally approved by the Europeans in July 2023, it was a last-minute reprieve for Meta, its peers, and countless smaller U.S. tech firms. This time, the U.S. assurances came in the form of a 2022 executive order from President Joe Biden, extending safeguards on U.S. intelligence collection and, crucially, establishing a Data Protection Review Court that could handle Europeans complaints about the treatment of their data in the U.S. The new court has to be re-certified each year by the Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board, which is supposed to make sure that the U.S. intelligence community is keeping its privacy promises. So if PCLOB is paralyzed, a central pillar of the U.S.-EU data-sharing deal collapses. Fraying bonds Schrems, the lawyer whose activism led us to this point, has been warning since the DPF was approved that it would meet the same fate as its predecessors. Now he sees that outcome drawing closer, particularly if Trump rescinds the executive order that allowed the deal to take place. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I can hardly see that a Biden executive order that was forced upon the U.S. by the EU and regulates U.S. espionage abroad would survive in Trump's logic, Schrems said in a statement. There were long discussions as to the functioning and independence of these oversight mechanisms. Unfortunately, it seems that they may not even stand the test of just the first days of a Trump presidency. This is the difference between solid legal protections and wishful thinking the European Commission has solely relied on wishful thinking. A Commission spokesman said Thursday that the EU executive body had seen the media reports but would "not speculate at this point." However, he stressed that the terms of the DPF apply regardless of PCLOB's membership. The U.S. Commerce Department did not reply to a request for comment, while Meta declined to comment. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Although this could be the return of a recurring regulatory nightmare for U.S. Big Tech and its European users, it comes at a time of unprecedented antagonism between the sector and the European authorities. Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg earlier this month weakened Facebook and Instagrams anti-hate-speech policies, potentially setting up a clash with new EU content rules that are already being used to crack down on Elon Musks X. At the same time, he urged President Trump to force the EU not to penalize U.S. tech firms for antitrust and other violations a move that would amount to telling the EU it cannot apply its own laws on its own territory. It remains to be seen how the Trump Administration and the European Commission will handle these and other issues, at a time when other factors like tariffs and China policies will surely come into play. But the implications will be significant, and PCLOB may turn out to have been just the first domino to fall. This story was originally featured on Fortune.com As many as 10,000 troops could eventually be stationed at the U.S.-Mexico border as part of Donald Trumps sweeping campaign to carry out mass deportations and declare a national emergency at the international boundary line. Though the operation will initially involve about 1,500 additional troops joining the roughly 2,500 already at the border, the total force could swell to 10,000 people, the Pentagon told reporters on Wednesday. This is just the beginning, acting defense secretary Robert Salesses said in a statement. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The troops will not carry out direct immigration and border enforcement like making arrests and seizing drugs, but will reportedly serve other roles including transporting migrants to processing facilities and using military planes to assist the Department of Homeland Security in deporting migrants who are already detained. At the same time as troops head to the southern border, the Border Patrol is expanding its detention capabilities, adding four new 10,000-bed facilities, according to a briefing document obtained by The Washington Post. On Monday, President Trump signed an executive order declaring a national emergency at the border, expanding powers to send the National Guard and military to the border. Trump has declared a national emergency at the border and directed more federal troops to the border, while expanding Border Patrol detention capacities (POOL/AFP via Getty Images) He has also asked the Secretaries of Defense and Homeland Security to provide a recommendation on whether he can invoke the Insurrection Act of 1807 to deploy U.S. troops on American soil to aid in federal law enforcement. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As part of his sweeping deportation plans, Trump has also sought to turn up the pressure on so-called sanctuary jurisdictions that limit cooperation between local officials and federal immigration enforcement. The Justice Department has directed federal prosecutors to investigate and potentially bring charges against local officials who refuse or impede immigration directives or requests. Officials in such jurisdictions have pushed back on the order. Mexican officials have prepared emergency shelters in multiple cities ahead of an expected flood in deported nationals (REUTERS) This is a scare tactic, plain and simple. The President is attempting to intimidate and bully state and local law enforcement into carrying out his mass deportation agenda for him, California Attorney General Rob Bonta wrote in a statement. Well be prepared to take legal action if the Trump Administrations vague threats turn to illegal action. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Officials on the Mexican side of the border are also building up infrastructure to prepare for the ramp-up in deportations. Border cities including Matamoros, Ciudad Juarez, and Tijuana have bulked up shelter capacity in recent days ahead of an expected flood of returnees. During his first term in office, President Donald Trump oversaw the renegotiation of a continent-wide trade deal that he hailed as "the fairest, most balanced, and beneficial trade agreement we have ever signed into law. It's the best agreement we've ever made." As part of that deal, the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), the three countries agreed that they would not "increase any existing customs duty, or adopt any new customs duty" beyond the tariffs and duties outlined in the agreement. Five years after he signed it, however, Trump seems to have little regard for that provision of the USMCA. He's now threatening to slap a general tariff on all imports from America's two neighbors and two largest trading partners. During an impromptu press conference in the Oval Office on Monday, Trump said those tariffs could be in place as soon as February 1. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Calling this an unprecedented maneuver is an understatement. Trump is threatening to start a trade war with two American allies, in direct violation of a trade deal that he signed just five years ago. If it's not a bluff, these tariffs would be economically damaging to all three North American economies. If it is, then it is an unnecessary bit of saber-rattling that serves only to undermine a deal that, again, Trump had signed and praised. If he decides to follow through on the threat, however, Trump almost certainly has the power to do so. Here's how. First, the USMCA itself is not a serious impediment. Any trade deal is ultimately only as good as all the signatories' willingness to abide by itand the hypocrisy of tearing up his own agreement is apparently not enough to stop Trump. Additionally, the deal included a clause, Article 32.2, guaranteeing each country the right to apply new tariffs for "the protection of its own essential security interests." If Trump sets up his tariffs as a national security issue, the U.S. could claim the USMCA allows it. That's convenient for Trump, because he'd likely also have to invoke a national emergency on the domestic side of things. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The most straightforward way for a chief executive to impose new tariffs without congressional approval or a lengthy review processwhich would be required if Trump used Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974, as he did in his first term to impose tariffs on Chinawould be to invoke the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA). That law, passed by Congress in 1977, gives the president broad and virtually unchecked power to regulate international trade while confronting "any unusual and extraordinary threat" to American "national security, foreign policy, or economy." Since its passage, the IEEPA has been invoked 84 times, and 42 of those national emergencies are still activemostly involving sanctions on various countries that are decidedly not U.S. allies. The IEEPA has never been used to impose tariffs. (However, President Richard Nixon used a precursor to the IEEPA to set 10 percent universal tariffs in 1971.) Even though it's never been used that way before, even critics of Trump's tariff plans admit the IEEPA could be used to invoke them. "Aside from minor reporting and consultations with Congress, moreover, the only serious check on IEEPA authority is the requirement that the president declare an emergency pursuant to the NEA, which can be done at any time," the Cato Institute's Scott Lincicome and Clark Packard wrote in October. But, wait, does such an emergency exist? Canada's and Mexico's status as close U.S. allies and trading partners (and signatories to a trade deal that includes the U.S.) would seem to preclude the notion that either could be appropriately labeled a national security or economic threat, much less an "unusual and extraordinary" one, right? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement That probably doesn't matter. The open-ended nature of the IEEPA gives presidents "wide discretion in defining both the threat and the actions that the President finds necessary to deal with the circumstances of the emergency," explained Thomas Beline and James Ransdell, a pair of attorneys at a trade-focused law firm in Washington, D.C., in a September blog post. Could Congress intervene to block an emergency declaration or to prevent Trump from using the IEEPA to impose tariffs? Probably not. Once the IEEPA has been invoked, the law requires only that presidents "consult" with Congress about the steps to be taken. Congress does have the power to override national emergencies with a joint resolution, but getting a veto-proof majority in both chambers seems unlikely. No national emergency has been terminated without the president going along, and some recent attempts at undoing long-running "emergencies" have attracted little support in Congress. The Trump administration would likely have to defend this use of the IEEPA in court, but the law has fair prospects of surviving a legal challenge. Beline and Ransdell argue that "any legal challenge might ultimately be deemed by a reviewing court to be a political question and one that the judiciary would not second-guess." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Recent history seems to confirm that. Judges were reluctant to get involved when Trump levied new tariffs on steel and aluminum imports during his first term, even though the "national security" rationale underpinning those actions was virtually nonexistent. Asking the Supreme Court to block a national security declaration or Trump's use of that declaration to impose tariffs would be a Hail Mary play. We may be nearing the end point of a decadeslong trend that saw Congress offload its constitutional authority over trade policy to the chief executive, while simultaneously handing over virtually unchecked and vaguely defined emergency powers. Given the accumulation of those powers within the executive branch, it may have been inevitable that a president would eventually put the two together. Some will argue that Trump's tariff threats against Mexico and Canada should not be taken too seriously, and that they are merely a starting point for the next round of negotiations over the USMCA. Under the terms of the deal, officials from all three countries are supposed to review it (and potentially make changes) in 2026. There are a few problems with that logic. First, Trump has explicitly denied that's what he's trying to do. Perhaps more importantly: By setting a precedent of ignoring the plainly stated terms of the existing deal, Trump seems likely to undermine the long-term stability of the USMCA, even if he's able to negotiate productive changes next year. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement After all, why should Canada and Mexico believe him the next time he proclaims a deal to be the "best agreement" ever? The post How Trump Could Unilaterally Place Tariffs on Mexico and Canada appeared first on Reason.com. Alina Habba, counselor to President Donald Trump, joins The Hill on NewsNation to discuss the Pentagon sending up to 1,500 troops to help secure the southern border. Habba also talked about the response to the Los Angeles area fires, the drones in New Jersey and the potential for a strategic bitcoin reserve. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. President Donald Trump hosted an event Tuesday with wealthy tech CEOs to tout what he portrayed as one of the biggest accomplishments of his presidency thus far: a $500 billion investment in artificial intelligence infrastructure. But it didnt take long for his biggest benefactor, Elon Musk, to throw dirt all over it. Trumps press event with Sam Altman of OpenAI, Larry Ellison of Oracle and Masayoshi Son of Softbank was to announce what Trump said could be something that could be the biggest of all (specifically, data centers to power A.I. tools). Trump held a similar press conference with Son in 2016 to announce large investments in the U.S., and the results of those investments were pretty mixed. Its unclear whether Trump was announcing a wholly novel investment or just providing new details on a plan that was already in place. Last March, the tech news platform The Information reported on a $100 billion, multiyear data center project involving OpenAI and Microsoft. Nonetheless, Tuesdays event was clearly meant to deliver an early win of sorts to Trump. The CEOs repeatedly credited Trump for the multibillion-dollar deal. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But Musk wasnt having it. They dont actually have the money, he claimed in a post on X in response to OpenAIs announcement of the so-called Stargate Project. Musk followed that up with a claim that SoftBank has well under $10B secured. I have that on good authority. SoftBank has well under $10B secured. I have that on good authority. Elon Musk (@elonmusk) January 22, 2025 Musk provided no evidence for this assertion, and given his own ambitions of developing AI tools and ongoing legal feud with OpenAI, theres plenty of reasons to be skeptical. A source familiar with the project also told CNBC that theres no doubt that Musks grudge against Altman inspired the posts. (Neither OpenAI nor Oracle immediately responded to CNBC requests for comment, and Softbank declined to comment.) Altman, for his part, later responded to Musk by defending the projects merits, posting: this is great for the country. i realize what is great for the country isnt always whats optimal for your companies, but in your new role i hope youll mostly put [America] first." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The OpenAI CEO topped off his remarks with some rather effusive praise, posting, I genuinely respect your accomplishments and think you are the most inspiring entrepreneur of our time. Trump has yet to weigh in on Musks allegation, but it seems likely that having his best-known, attention-hungry supporter undercut the details behind the deal would take the shine off the announcement. This article was originally published on MSNBC.com Donald Trump has suggested Joe Biden should have pardoned himself before leaving office. Trump has long complained his predecessor used the justice department to unleash political retribution against him, including a pair of federal indictments in Florida and Washington. Now it appears Biden may soon be the target of retribution himself. This guy went around giving everybody pardons, Trump said of Biden, referencing 11th-hour preemptive pardons he announced Monday morning. And you know, the funny thing, maybe the sad thing, is he didnt give himself a pardon. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump made the cryptic remark to Fox News Sean Hannity in an Oval Office interview that is scheduled to air Wednesday at 9 p.m. EST. Fox shared a minute-long teaser earlier in the afternoon, however. Trumps comment came after Hannity began a question by saying, Joe Biden ran and said he would never do preemptive pardons. It was an issue that came up when you were leaving the first time The president saw where the question was going and cut Hannity off. Trump said he never considered giving himself or his close allies a preemptive pardon because he knew they had done nothing illegal. We had people that suffered, Trump said of his allies. Theyre incredible patriots... You had [Steve] Bannon put in jail. You had Peter Navarro put in jail. You had people that suffered andfar worse than thattheyve lost their fortunes. Theyve lost their whatever, their nest egg, paying it to lawyers and those people. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump claimed Bannon and Navarro, who each spent four months in the clink on a contempt of Congress charge, likely would not have accepted a pardon if he offered it in his presidencys final days. Biden said in a statement Monday he pardoned his siblings and their spouses because he fears political attacks against his family will continue after he left office. He snuck the pardons in less than an hour before Trump was sworn in, when all eyes were on the Capitol Rotunda and its arriving guests. News of the pardons were initially buried among a busy inauguration day that included an audio snafu, questionable first lady style, notable no-shows, a rash of executive orders, Elon Musks now-infamous rally gesture, and much more. Trump has since made clear he will not stay silent about Bidens final presidential act, howeverespecially after it was Biden who warned against blanket, preemptive pardons back in 2020. Bidens pardons are even controversial within his own party. Sen. Adam Schiff, of California, told ABC News last month that he did not want a pardon from Biden for his work on the Jan. 6 Committee. He told the network that preemptive blanket pardons on the way out of an administration is a precedent we dont want to set. A federal judge in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday dismissed a case against a Jan. 6 defendant from the Chicago area, but refused to do so with prejudice in an angrily worded order days after President Donald Trumps clemency decision. In hundreds of cases like this one over the past four years, judges in this district have administered justice without fear or favor, U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan wrote. The historical record established by those proceedings must stand, unmoved by political winds, as a testament and as a warning. Though the refusal to drop the matter with prejudice is mostly symbolic in the face of a pardon, such an order normally would leave a theoretical door open for prosecutors to again bring charges against John Banuelos, of Summit, one of more than 50 Illinois residents charged in the insurrection. Federal prosecutors previously accused Banuelos of civil disorder and discharging a weapon in or on Capitol grounds. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Chutkan noted that the governments only reasoning for dropping the case was an exercise of power from the president. The Court does not discernand neither party has identifiedany defect in either the legal merits of, or the factual basis for, the Governments case, she wrote. Prosecutors alleged Banuelos fired a gun twice during the riot at the Capitol. If convicted, Banuelos, who was arrested in Summit, could have faced up to a decade in prison. As with other cases charged in connection with the Capitol attack, his case had been moved to Washington. The dismissal of this case cannot undo the rampage (that) left multiple people dead, injured more than 140 people, and inflicted millions of dollars in damage,' Chutkan wrote in the order, adding, It cannot diminish the heroism of law enforcement officers who struggled, facing serious injury and even death, to control the mob that overwhelmed them. It cannot whitewash the blood, feces, and terror that the mob left in its wake. And it cannot repair the jagged breach in Americas sacred tradition of peacefully transitioning power. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement NBC News in 2022 identified Banuelos as a man arrested in a fatal stabbing of a 19-year-old in a park in Salt Lake City in July of 2021. When questioned by Salt Lake City police, NBC reported, Banuelos indicated he knew the FBI may be looking for him in connection with the riots. I was in the D.C. riots. You can look me up, OK? Banuelos told police, according to NBC. The status of the Utah case was not immediately available. An attorney for him, Carmen Hernandez, said she was attempting to get Banuelos released from federal custody in Washington Wednesday afternoon. Chicago Tribunes Jason Meisner contributed to this report. A federal judge in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday dismissed a case against a January 6 defendant from the Chicago area, but refused to do so with prejudice in an angrily worded order days after President Donald Trumps clemency decision. In hundreds of cases like this one over the past four years, judges in this district haveadministered justice without fear or favor, U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan wrote. The historical record established by those proceedings must stand, unmoved by political winds, as a testament and as a warning. Though the refusal to drop the matter without prejudice is mostly symbolic in the face of a pardon, such an order normally would leave a theoretical door open for prosecutors to again bring charges against John Banuelos, of Summit, one of more than 50 Illinois residents charged in the insurrection. Federal prosecutors previously accused Banuelos of civil disorder and discharging a weapon in or on Capitol grounds. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Chutkan noted that the governments only reasoning for dropping the case was an exercise of power from the president. The Court does not discernand neither party has identifiedany defect in either thelegal merits of, or the factual basis for, the Governments case, she wrote. Prosecutors alleged Banuelos fired a gun twice during the riot at the Capitol. If convicted, Banuelos, who was arrested in Summit, could have faced up to a decade in prison. As with other cases charged in connection with the Capitol attack, his case had been moved to Washington. The dismissal of this case cannot undo the rampage [that] left multiple people dead, injured more than 140 people, and inflicted millions of dollars in damage,' Chutkan wrote in the order, adding, It cannot diminish the heroism of law enforcement officers who struggled, facing serious injury and even death, to control the mob that overwhelmed them. It cannot whitewash the blood, feces, and terror that the mob left in its wake. And it cannot repair the jagged breach in Americas sacred tradition of peacefully transitioning power. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement NBC News in 2022 identified Banuelos as a man arrested in a fatal stabbing of a 19-year-old in a park in Salt Lake City in July of 2021. When questioned by Salt Lake City police, NBC reported, Banuelos indicated he knew the FBI may be looking for him in connection with the riots. I was in the D.C. riots. You can look me up, OK? he told police, according to NBC. The status of the Utah case was not immediately available. ____ US President Donald Trump has signed an executive order declassifying documents relating to the assassinations of the 35th US President John F. Kennedy, Senator Robert Kennedy, and civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. Source: Bloomberg and the executive order published on the White House website Details: Trump had promised to release the documents during his first term as president but ultimately yielded to a request from the Central Intelligence Agency to keep most of the materials classified. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement During his most recent campaign, Trump renewed his pledge to declassify the records. In the order, Trump stated that releasing the information serves the public interest. Quote: "More than 50 years after the assassinations of President John F. Kennedy, Senator Robert F. Kennedy, and the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., the Federal Government has not released to the public all of its records related to those events. Their families and the American people deserve transparency and truth." Details: Within the next 15 days, the Director of National Intelligence and the Attorney General must present Trump with a plan for the full release of records related to the assassination of President John F. Kennedy. Within 45 days, a similar plan must be submitted for the records related to the assassinations of Senator Robert Kennedy and Martin Luther King Jr. Background Information: The assassination of John F. Kennedy, the 35th US President, occurred on 22 November 1963 in Dallas, Texas. Kennedy was fatally shot with a rifle as he rode in a motorcade with his wife Jacqueline along Elm Street. A special commission which investigated the case for ten months concluded that the crime was committed by lone gunman Lee Harvey Oswald. Subsequent official investigations confirmed Oswald's involvement but suggested that he was not acting alone. Robert Kennedy died on 6 June 1968 from a gunshot wound sustained on 5 June after he delivered a victory speech following the California primary elections. The identity of the shooter remains unclear, as Sirhan Sirhan, officially recognised as the killer, fired from the front, whereas the fatal shot was delivered from behind at close range. Prominent civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr was assassinated on 4 April 1968 in Memphis, Tennessee. He was shot on the balcony of the Lorraine Motel, where he was staying while campaigning in support of striking sanitation workers. A sniper's bullet struck his head and he died in hospital. James Earl Ray was officially identified as the assassin, pleading guilty initially but later claiming he was framed. King's assassination triggered widespread protests and unrest across the United States. Support UP or become our patron! On 22 January Colombias Presidentmet, the president of Haitis transitional presidential council (TPC) in Jacmel, the capital of Haitis Sud-Est department. End of preview - This article contains approximately 413 words. Subscribers: Log in now to read the full article Not a Subscriber? Choose from one of the following options President Donald Trump defended his decision to revoke the security detail of some of his former top advisers including former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo despite concern of ongoing threats against them from Iran. John Bolton, who was Trumps national security adviser during his first term, said earlier this week that Trump had revoked his security detail, and The New York Times reported Thursday that the president has also taken away details for both Pompeo and Brian Hook, a senior aide to Pompeo. When you have protection you can't have it for the rest of your life, do you want to have a large detail of people guarding people for the rest of their lives? Trump told reporters in a press conference at the Oval Office on Thursday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Two people familiar with the decision granted anonymity to discuss sensitive decisions confirmed to POLITICO that Pompeos security detail has been pulled back. A Pompeo spokesperson declined to comment, and Hook did not respond to a request for comment. POLITICO has not independently confirmed Hooks security arrangements, but the president did not dispute that he had pulled it Thursday. Trump had previously signed an executive order during his first day in office revoking the clearances of 49 former intelligence officials while also singling out Bolton. Bolton said he had his security detail pulled on Tuesday, after hed been under Secret Service protection for fear of retaliation over his hawkish views on Iran. Both Pompeo and Hook have also been under protection for their hard-line, maximum pressure approach on Iran during Trumps first term. During that term, the U.S. launched an airstrike that killed the leader of Irans paramilitary forces, Qassem Soleimani. The Biden administration had continued to grant security protections to the two former Trump officials because of the ongoing threat. Federal prosecutors also alleged late last year that the Iranian government had ordered an operative to assassinate Trump before the 2024 election. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But Trump backed his decision, stating, Theres risks to everything. Trump has been vocal about Pompeo not having a place in his administration. Hook had been set to work with Trumps transition, POLITICO previously reported, but stopped being involved after the election, and Trump publicly fired him from his presidential appointment at the Wilson International Center for Scholars, a Washington think tank. President Donald Trump pardoned roughly 1,500 people involved in the January 6 Capitol riot. The pardons were issued shortly after Trump was sworn in on Monday. "They were very minor incidents, and it was time," Trump told Fox News host Sean Hannity. President Donald Trump defended the pardons he issued to January 6 participants in his first interview since returning to the presidency. "They were very minor incidents, and it was time," Trump told Fox News host Sean Hannity in an interview held at the Oval Office. Shortly after being sworn in on Monday, Trump signed an executive order that pardoned roughly 1,500 people who were involved in the January 6 Capitol riot. The order also commuted the sentences of 14 other individuals, which included members of two far-right extremist groups, the Oath Keepers and the Proud Boys. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "They were treated like the worst criminals in history. And you know what they were there for? They were protesting the vote, because they knew the election was rigged and they were protesting the vote," Trump told Hannity. The January 6 Capitol riots left five dead, including a Capitol Police officer. Some of the pro-Trump rioters were armed with wooden sticks and metal pipes when they descended on the Capitol. Trump has maintained his claim that the 2020 presidential election was "rigged" although no evidence has been found to justify it. The White House did not respond to a request for comment from Business Insider. During the pre-taped interview that aired Wednesday evening, Trump repeated many of the talking points he shared in his inaugural address and throughout his campaign, criticizing former President Joe Biden for his handling of the southern border, crime, and the war in Ukraine. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "They are all solvable. With time, effort, money, unfortunately. But they are all solvable," Trump said. "Probably we can get our country back, but if we didn't win this race, I really believe our country would have been lost forever." When asked about the preemptive pardons issued by President Joe Biden, including for some Biden family members, Trump said it set an "amazing" precedent. "This guy went around giving everybody pardons. And you know, the funny thing, maybe the sad thing is he didn't give himself a pardon," Trump said of Biden. Trump also said in the interview that he planned to visit North Carolina, which was hit by Hurricane Helene last year, on Friday and then California, which was hit by several wildfires earlier this month. He also criticized California's response to the fires as well as the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "FEMA is going to be a whole big discussion very shortly because I'd rather see the states take care of their own problems," Trump said. More of the interview is set to air on Fox News on Thursday evening. Read the original article on Business Insider In his first oval office interview of his new term, President Trump continued to defend his pardons for all of the January 6 rioters. WASHINGTON President Donald Trump Wednesday demanded an apology from the Episcopal bishop who criticized his hardline policies on immigration and LGBTQ rights at the National Prayer Service on his first full day back in the White House. A day after Trump was forced to grimly endure the tough-talking service by Bishop Mariann Budde, the president derided her as aso-called bishop and worse. (Bishop Budde) is a radical Left hard line Trump hater. She brought her church into the World of politics in a very ungracious way. She was nasty in tone, and not compelling or smart, Trump wrote on his social media site. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump called on Budde and the church to apologize for embarrassing him by allowing Budde to deliver a rare rebuke to his face. She is not very good at her job! Trump wrote. She and her church owe the public an apology! There was no immediate response from Budde or the National Cathedral. Budde declined to address Trumps demand for an apology in an appearance Wednesday on The View. But she did say she would be happy to meet the president one-on-one if he asked for a meeting. I was trying to speak a truth in a way that was as respectful and kind as I could and to bring in other voices, Budde said on the show. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The new president grimaced in the front row of the pews Tuesday morning as Budde called on him to have mercy on undocumented immigrants and the transgender community who were targeted by his hard-line Day One blizzard of executive orders. In the name of our God, I ask you to have mercy upon the people in our country who are scared now, said Budde, the Episcopal bishop of Washington. Budde rattled off a laundry list of crucial jobs that undocumented immigrants play in American society, including agricultural, restaurant and service workers, and said they should not be considered criminals. Trumps MAGA allies denounced Budde on social media as a woke bishop who should be punished for daring to criticize Trumps policies to his face. Some progressives countered by hailing Budde as a hero for having the courage of her convictions to stand up to Trumps anti-trans and anti-immigrant policies. President Trump doubled down on his threats to withhold aid from California, where wildfires are raging, without a change in the management of water from leaders in the Golden State. Trump told Fox Newss Sean Hannity in an interview Wednesday that California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) could release water, after he has repeatedly gone after the governor over water shortages. He repeated his claims that California could better combat its fires in Los Angeles if it directed water from the northern part of the state to the southern part of the state. I dont think we should give California anything until they let water flow down into their system, Trump told Hannity. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Newsom has pushed back on those claims, saying Trumps references to a water restoration declaration are pure fiction. Former President Biden said apparent water shortages during firefighting efforts were caused by utility companies shutting off power to avoid igniting additional fires, which, in turn, cut the ability to pump water to hydrants. Trump signed an executive order Monday directing departments to route more water from Northern California to Southern California. The president is set to travel to the Los Angeles area Friday. He will also travel to North Carolina and Nevada to bookend the California trip. Trump has criticized the Biden administrations response to Hurricane Helene in the Tar Heel State. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hannity asked Trump if he will meet with Newsom in California, and the president replied that he hadnt thought about it. Look, Gavins got one thing he can do: He can release the water that comes from the north. There is massive amounts of water, rainwater and mountain water that comes due with the snow, comes down when it as it melts. Theres so much water, Trump said. Theyre releasing it into the Pacific Ocean. And I told him for its a political thing for the Democrats. I dont know. Congress will likely have to consider disaster aid for California in the wake of wildfires ahead of the fast-approaching March 14 government funding deadline. Trump on Tuesday argued the wildfire relief will make conversations over disaster aid simpler. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its been in some ways made simpler by Los Angeles, because theyre going to need a lot of money. Generally speaking, I think youll find a lot of Democrats are going to be asking for help, so I think maybe that makes it more one-sided, he said. Were going to take care of 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 The Hill. Donald Trump has defended delaying the ban on TikTok, saying it does not matter if China spies on young kids watching crazy videos. The US President, in his first interview since taking office this week, downplayed national security concerns about the app and said a bigger threat was posed by phones and laptops made in China. Mr Trump signed an executive order delaying a ban on TikTok on Monday, which briefly went dark the day before until the Republican said he would seek to save the platform. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement TikTok, owned by technology giant Bytedance, which is headquartered in Beijing, now has just over 10 weeks to find a US buyer. Questioned by Sean Hannity on what the Fox News host called a spy app, Mr Trump argued that a greater security risk was posed by Chinese-manufactured goods. We have our telephones made in China, for the most part. We have so many things made in China, he said on Wednesday evening. So why dont they mention that? He continued: Youre dealing with a lot of young people. So is it that important for China to be spying on young people, on young kids, watching crazy videos? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When Hannity said: I think I dont want China to spy on anybody, the US President responded: But they make your telephones, and they make your computers, and they make a lot of other things. Isnt that a bigger threat? Fox News personality Sean Hannity speaks at the Commander-in-Chief Ball on the day of Mr Trumps inauguration - Andrew Harnik Mr Trump sought to ban TikTok during his first term in the White House, but has since reversed course and said he would seek to save it. Having previously credited the platform with helping him win over younger voters ahead of the 2024 election, he said on Monday that he had changed his stance because I got to use it. He told reporters this week that he was open to the US taking a 50 per cent stake in TikTok as part of a joint venture, or allowing Elon Musk, the billionaire owner of X, to buy it. Elsewhere in the interview, Mr Trump said he would seek to condition federal aid to Los Angeles over the wildfires tearing through the region. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Republican claimed that Gavin Newsom, the California governor, had botched the states response by withholding water from the southern part of the state. I dont think we should give California anything until they let water flow down, he said, repeating claims that LAs fire hydrants ran dry because Mr Newsom had diverted water to protect an endangered species of fish. Experts have pushed back on the assertion, arguing that firefighters struggled to respond to the multiple blazes that tore through LA because of constraints in the municipal water supply. Mr Trump also said that a terrorist attack on the US could be imminent because of criminals who had infiltrated the country as a result of lax migration policies under his predecessor, Joe Biden. President Trump slams former President Biden's border policies, calling them "a gross miscarriage of common sense," during his first White House interview with @seanhannity since returning to the Oval Office. pic.twitter.com/a0LTt7rZWJ Fox News (@FoxNews) January 23, 2025 When Hannity said he believed terrorists had entered the country and were planning an attack at a moments notice, Mr Trump answered: I hope youre wrong too and I wont comment and I tend to agree with you. It depends. Towards the end of the interview, Hannity pressed the US President on issuing mass pardons for Jan 6 rioters who stormed the Capitol four years ago. The US President responded by seemingly downplaying the assaults on police officers as very minor incidents inflated by the liberal media. Some of those people with the police they were very minor incidents, he claimed. You know that they get built up by that couple of fake guys that are on CNN all the time. They were very minor incidents. On Monday, Mr Trump pardoned 1,500 Jan 6 rioters, including Daniel Rodriguez, who was sentenced to 12 years in prison after repeatedly plunging a stun gun into the neck of an officer. 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. (Bloomberg) -- President Donald Trump downplayed the national security risk posed by TikTok in an interview with Fox News on Wednesday, days after offering the social video app a reprieve from legislation that would have forced it to shut down. Most Read from Bloomberg Is it that important for China to be spying on young people, on young kids, watching crazy videos? Trump said. The US leader suggested all electronic products manufactured in China could carry a spying risk, adding that TikToks was not the most serious of them. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement They make your telephones and they make your computers and they make a lot of other things, Trump said. Isnt that a bigger threat? During Trumps first term, he signed an executive order demanding that Chinas ByteDance Ltd. divest from US operations of TikTok because of national security concerns. That executive action was ultimately blocked by federal courts, but a bipartisan group of lawmakers codified it into law in 2024. TikTok has denied that it spies on its users or that it turns over user data to authorities in Beijing. When asked for a comment on the latest developments around the company in the US, the Ministry of Commerce in Beijing said it opposes practices that violate the basic market principles and jeopardize the legitimate interests of enterprises. We hope the US side will listen more to the voices of companies and the public, provide a fair and just business environment for the development of companies from all countries, including Chinese companies, and do more to benefit trade ties between China and US and the well-being of the people of the two countries, the ministrys spokesman, He Yadong, said Thursday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Officials in former President Joe Bidens administration said that the app collects names, addresses, credit card and purchase information, device and network information, location and GPS location data, biometric identifiers, keystroke patterns, and behavioral data and could be forced to turn that information over at any time. Digital World Trumps comments revive a debate over what data is considered a national security risk in a world where nearly everything is transmitting digital information, from refrigerators to drones to electric vehicles. During his first term, the Trump administration pressured countries to avoid equipment from Huawei Technologies Co. in building 5G infrastructure while pushing clean networks to ensure that the Communist Party couldnt access the data of Americans, a push that also extended to cloud services and undersea cables. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Biden administration adopted a more pragmatic approach even as it tightened export controls on advanced chips used in AI and other applications, with former Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo saying the majority of US-China trade has nothing to with national security. In recent weeks, Trump has credited TikTok for improving his political standing among young voters, citing that as part of the reason he decided to give ByteDance more time to secure a sale. Under an executive order signed during his first day in office, the president delayed the ban an additional 75 days. Earlier in the week, Trump responded to a reporters question about whether he had TikTok on his phone by saying that he would be open to downloading the app. The White House banned TikTok from being installed on government devices over security concerns during Bidens presidency. --With assistance from Akayla Gardner, Skylar Woodhouse, James Mayger and Jing Li. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement (Updates with Chinas Ministry of Commerce comment starting in sixth paragraph.) Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2025 Bloomberg L.P. Judges in Washington, D.C., who have spent the last four years wading through hundreds of criminal cases surrounding January 6 are now being asked by Donald Trumps Department of Justice to dismiss hundreds of open cases in front of them. In court filings responding to requests to toss charges for the remaining defendants, judges are barely hiding their contempt for Trumps sweeping pardons for virtually every member of the mob and warning against attempts to rewrite the history of the Capitol attack and downplay the staggering display of violence. District Judge Tanya Chutkan, who presided over Trumps federal election interference case brought by special counsel Jack Smith, wrote that Trumps pardons cannot whitewash the blood, feces, and terror that the mob left in its wake. Donald Trump issued pardons for virtually all Capitol riot defendants and commuted the sentences of rioters who were found guilty of seditious conspiracy (REUTERS) His pardons cannot change the tragic truth of what happened on January 6, 2021 nor repair the jagged breach in Americas sacred tradition of peacefully transitioning power, she wrote. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In hundreds of cases like this one over the past four years, judges in this district have administered justice without fear or favor, she added. The historical record established by those proceedings must stand, unmoved by political winds, as a testament and as a warning. District Judge Beryl Howell who presided over Rudy Giulianis defamation trial and served as the chief District Court judge at the time of the attack wrote that no process of national reconciliation can begin when poor losers, whose preferred candidate loses an election, are glorified for disrupting a constitutionally mandated proceeding in Congress and doing so with impunity. That merely raises the dangerous specter of future lawless conduct by other poor losers and undermines the rule of law, she added. Yet, this presidential pronouncement of a national injustice is the sole justification provided in the governments motion to dismiss the pending indictment, Howell continued. This Court cannot let stand the revisionist myth relayed in this presidential pronouncement. Oath Keepers founder Stewart Rhodes visit congressional buildings on January 22 after he was released from prison following Trumps clemency order (Getty Images) District Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly said that lengthy court filings including thousands of contemporaneous videos, transcripts of trials, jury verdicts, and judicial opinions will preserve the history of what happened that day, regardless of the public narrative from Trumps clemencies. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Dismissal of charges, pardons after convictions, and commutations of sentences will not change the truth of what happened, she wrote. Those records are immutable and represent the truth, no matter how the events of January 6 are described by those charged or their allies. Judge Amy Berman Jackson said dismissing one rioters case without the possibility of filing charges in the future would dishonor the patriots who defended the Capitol. Andy Kim, then a U.S. congressman and now a U.S. senator, helps ATF officers clean up the damage done in the Capitol on January 6, 2021 (Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved) Patriotism is loyalty to country and loyalty to the Constitution not loyalty to a single head of state, she wrote. When others in the public eye are not willing to risk their own power or popularity by calling out lies when they hear them, the record of the proceedings in this courthouse will be available to those who seek the truth, she added. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As one of his first official acts inside the Oval Office on January 20, the president issued unconditional pardons to more than 1,500 rioters, including hundreds of defendants who were found guilty of assaulting law enforcement officers. He also commuted the sentences of 14 defendants mostly members of the Oath Keepers and Proud Boys who were convicted of seditious conspiracy to time served. More than 200 defendants who remained in federal custody were released by Tuesday morning. Proud Boys leader Enrique Tarrio received Trumps full pardon after he was sentenced to 22 years in prison for his role in the Capitol attack (Getty Images) Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trumps Justice Department is now in the process of filing motions to dismiss charges against hundreds of other defendants whose cases are still active. Nearly 1,600 people were criminally charged in connection with a mobs assault on the Capitol, fuelled by Trumps bogus narrative that the 2020 presidential election was rigged and stolen from him. Trump has repeatedly defended his actions while downplaying the events of January 6 and lying about the outcome of the election he lost. They were treated like the worst criminals in history. And you know what they were there for? They were protesting the vote, because they knew the election was rigged, and they were protesting the vote, and thats should be allowed to protest the vote, he told Fox News host Sean Hannity on January 22. Most of the people were absolutely innocent, Trump said. These people have served horribly a long time. It would be very, very cumbersome to, look, you know how many people were talking about? 1,500 people, almost all of them this should not have happened. The principles of diversity, equity and inclusion in the workplace are a longtime target of President Donald Trump and the MAGA movement. Three new executive orders eliminate DEI from the federal government's hiring practices and encourage the private sector to follow suit. On Monday, hours after he was sworn into office, Trump signed an order that rescinds DEI hiring practices enacted by President Joe Biden. Trump's order eliminates the roles of chief diversity officer and others overseeing anti-discrimination measures across the federal government. It instructs agencies to put the employees on paid leave, create plans to lay them off by the end of the month and remove DEI-related content from websites. On Tuesday, Trump issued an order that directed the Federal Aviation Administration to stop DEI hiring practices and encouraged the private sector to "end illegal DEI discrimination and preferences and comply with all federal civil-rights laws." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement And on Wednesday, he revoked a 60-year-old executive order banning discrimination in federal hiring practices that was signed by President Lyndon B. Johnson. Trump's order ends references to DEI in federal contracting and spending, requires contractors to follow its interpretation of civil rights laws and directs the government to focus on "speed and efficiency" instead of DEI, The New York Times reported. The Trump administration threatened federal employees with "adverse consequences" if they fail to report co-workers attempting to defy the orders, The Times reported. The measures illustrate Trump's pledge to gut a "government policy of trying to socially engineer race and gender into every aspect of public and private life," as he stated in his inaugural speech. "We will forge a society that is color blind and merit-based," he said. Are private companies next? Scholars and data suggest the private sector is far from color blind, and have raised concerns about the orders' implications beyond the federal workplace. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "There's no such thing as a meritocracy this is a capitalist society," said Yasmin Dunn, a former vice president for diversity at Paramount who has worked on DEI issues. "I can be the best and brightest, but if I don't have the money and the connections to get into the rooms I need to be in, I'm not going anywhere." Major corporations began scaling back DEI programs after a 2023 Supreme Court ruling that outlawed affirmative action in college admissions. Walmart, John Deere, Harley-Davidson and others rolled back their DEI initiatives the following year. Amazon, Meta and McDonald's did the same after Trump's reelection. Right-leaning activist groups have been pressuring Goldman Sachs and JPMorgan Chase to abandon or reduce their DEI efforts, the Wall Street Journal reported Wednesday. DEI opponents scored another win in December. A conservative-majority appeals court narrowly ruled that publicly traded companies don't have to comply with Nadaqs diversity rule that says they must have women and minority directors on their boards or explain why they don't. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Beyond his executive orders, Trump's administration may launch investigations and sue over corporate DEI initiatives they suspect of violating anti-discrimination laws, USA Today reported. The orders will likely produce a myriad of legal issues, said June Carbone, a law professor and author of "Fair Shake," a book that examines structural obstacles holding women back. What most people object to when it comes to DEI is an insistence that hiring produces a minimum number of diverse employees," Carbone said. But if employers hire "friends, children's in-laws, people who give you money and people from your businesses all of whom happen to be like you you have created the opposite of merit-based selection and potentially a prima case of discrimination," she said. The rise and fall of DEI DEI came into focus after the 2020 murder of George Floyd, when corporations announced they would enact policies to diversify their leadership, boards and offices. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Dunn said some of these initiatives were politically motivated and not well thought out, prompting an eventual backlash. "DEI is not just a Band-Aid," Dunn said. "You've got to be very thoughtful and intentional about what you're doing, because what we're saying is we want to really hire people through this lens of diversity, equity and inclusion. In order to do that, we have to take a hard look at what we have been doing previously, and we have to be ready to interrogate the structures of our hiring process, of our company culture, and then we can begin to address some of the disparities." Some notable companies haven't followed Trumps direction. Apple and Microsoft are standing by their DEI initiatives, and Costco recently recommended that shareholders reject anti-DEI proposals. On Monday, Pinterest CEO Wanji Walcott wrote on LinkedIn that the company's "investments in a diverse and inclusive workforce with equitable opportunities" create "Immense value for users and advertisers alike." "I see a fair amount of companies and institutions keeping their commitment to DEI because they understand that diversity is good for workers and good for business," Dunn said. "There are plenty of leaders who will continue to reap the benefits of diversity and they will stand out as we move forward the next four years." FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. (KNWA/KFTA) President Donald Trumps executive order indefinitely suspending the United States Refugee Admissions Program on Jan 22 directly impacts refugee resettlement organizations across the country, including Canopy NWA in Fayetteville. Joanna Krause, executive director of Canopy NWA, announced that travel cancellations have been received for 11 families, totaling 36 people, who were scheduled to arrive in February and March. Rogers nonprofit targeted by thieves Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement One family has been waiting for 25 years in a refugee camp after being certified by the United Nations as refugees in 2000, according to Krause. This family, who had completed the U.S. governments extensive vetting process, was expected to be reunited with relatives in Arkansas, but their travel has now been delayed indefinitely due to the executive order. Calling someone to let them know their family member is no longer coming is devastating, Krause said in a statement. This is not just a loss for the families involved, but for our entire community. Springdale cafe to combine books and local flavor The executive order calls for a 90-day federal review of the refugee admissions program. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We aim to clearly show how refugee resettlement is an asset to our community and our country and advocate for the programs resumption. Krause said. We promise to keep you informed in the days and weeks ahead. Since 2016, Canopy has resettled 952 refugees and plans to welcome 200 more in 2025. Krause said Canopy NWA will support refugees in Northwest Arkansas through its Long Welcome program, offering career, youth, health and immigration services to the more than 750 refugees in the area living here for less than five years. Canopy NWA will also continue providing volunteer and internship opportunities, job referrals, and events to celebrate refugee and immigrant contributions. To read the full statement from Krause, 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 KNWA FOX24. An aerial view of flood damage wrought by Hurricane Helene along the Swannanoa River on Oct. 4, 2024 in Asheville. Environmental advocates are worried that President Donald Trump's recent executive orders on the environment will exacerbate the growing problem posed by climate change-driven natural disasters like Helene. (Photo by Mario Tama/Getty Images) North Carolina environmental advocates are worried about the flurry of executive orders that President Donald Trump signed within hours of returning to the White House this week. The mandates include removing the U.S. from the Paris Climate Agreement a move that reprises an action from Trumps first term and declaring a national energy emergency. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The initial U.S. withdrawal from the Paris Climate Agreement a landmark international pact that aims to limit global warming to below 2 degrees Celsius lasted only four months. Although Trump declared his intentions in 2017, the formalities didnt occur until late 2020. The U.S. reentered the accord during the Biden administration in 2021. During that brief period, however, the withdrawal harmed international climate diplomacy and tarred the U.S.s reputation on the world stage, TIME reported. Advocates voiced concerns about the latest action and its consequences for North Carolina and the U.S., as well as the global implications. North Carolina League of Conservation Voters Director of Governmental Relations Dan Crawford (Photo: nclcv.org) That puts us up there with countries like Libya and Iran, that have not joined the Paris Accords, and thats usually a list that we dont want to be part of, North Carolina League of Conservation Voters governmental relations director Dan Crawford said. The United States has led by example, and thats not going to happen anymore. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Some environmental advocates are questioning the legality of Trumps actions whether hes able to take such drastic measures on the environmental front. Even so, theres worry over the impacts. Though the legal ground he stands upon is shaky, the damage this administration could do to our environment and our childrens future over the next four years is unspeakable, Erin Carey, the North Carolina Sierra Clubs state conservation policy director, said in a statement. For those of us who value clean air, clean water, and a livable planet for future generations, Monday, Jan. 20, was a dark and frightening moment. Trumps other environment-oriented executive orders target, among other things, deemphasizing the development of electric vehicles and encouraging fossil fuel drilling, freezing environmental protections rules, and seeking to prohibit offshore wind projects. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hes also reversed a series of orders adopted by the Biden administration that incorporated environmental justice into federal policymaking measures that were lauded by advocates in the environmental community. Erin Carey (Courtesy photo) Trumps executive orders read like an industry fever dream: no protections, no limits, no rules, Carey said. Climate issues are taking center stage in North Carolina after Hurricane Helene wreaked catastrophic damage in western North Carolina at the end of last September. Recovery efforts are still underway, with natural disaster aid and oversight as top priorities for the state legislatures 2025 session. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Extreme weather events associated with climate change and their destructive impacts have occurred in other portions of the country in recent weeks including drought- and wind-driven fires in Southern California and the ongoing record cold in parts of the southern U.S. We need to be the leaders on clean energy. We need to be the leaders facing climate change, Crawford said. Scientists have warned and warned and warned us that we need to do something. Trump is scheduled to visit the hurricane-damaged western portion of the state on Friday. Specific details around the trip have not been released as of Thursday midday, but Buncombe County officials warned of significant traffic impacts to the Asheville area, according to the Asheville Citizen Times. Jen Duggan, executive director of the Environmental Integrity Project, said the executive orders will expose Americans to more dangerous air and water pollution and fuel climate catastrophes. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement From an economic standpoint, the mandates benefit large corporations while hurting individuals, she added. While these orders do nothing to address voter concerns about cost-of-living affordability, they will increase already astronomical profits for fossil fuel companies at the expense of everyday Americans, Duggan said. (Bloomberg) -- Brazils role as host of the climate summit COP30 was already set to be tricky, with the planet reaching 1.5C of warming the lower target set by the Paris Agreement for the first time last year. President Donald Trumps decision to pull the US out of the Paris accord makes it more so, and Brazil wont underestimate the challenge, said Andre Correa do Lago, the president of COP30. Most Read from Bloomberg Were going to have to see how the countries react to this huge change in the US governments policy on everything to do with climate change, Correa do Lago told a group of journalists on Thursday. Theres no doubt that this could have a big influence on the discussions. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Correa do Lago, an experienced diplomat and environmental negotiator, was recently appointed head of the United Nations climate conference by Brazils President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva. COP30 will be held in Belem, a city in the Amazon, in November. Despite concerns about Trumps decision, Lago says developing countries are united in their desire to make rich countries bear more of the cost of climate change. At last years COP29 in Azerbaijan, poor countries wanted wealthy ones to commit $1.3 trillion a year in climate finance, but the agreement reached was for only a fraction of that $300 billion. Correa do Lago said developed nations reluctance to pay more is profoundly wrong from any point of view. Negotiators in Belem will try to reach a more satisfying resolution, although that task just became harder. If it was difficult to get $300 billion with the US negotiating and committed to having policies to combat climate change and favoring the strengthening of climate treatment in multilateral development banks it will certainly be more difficult now, Correa do Lago said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In the runup to November, he added, Brazil will discuss climate change at the BRICS summit in July to try to reach a consensus with nations including India, China, Russia and South Africa. China gives critical support to developing countries to cut their emissions with low-cost solar panels and electric cars, Correa do Lago said. A concern ahead of COP30 is the ability of Belem to host the event, which typically draws tens of thousands of people. The city doesnt have a track record of hosting major conferences and hotel capacity is limited. COP will take place in Belem and it will be different from [past COPs], in the sense that Brazil has decided to bring the world together in the Amazon, said Correa do Lago. Brazil believes that the symbolism of bringing the world together in the Amazon outweighs any challenges that may arise. Trump ordered the US to withdraw from the 2015 Paris Agreement hours after his inauguration. The change isnt immediate, taking effect one year after formal notice is given to the UN. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Listen on Zero: How Brazil Is Looking to Supercharge Climate Action at COP30 Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2025 Bloomberg L.P. AUSTIN (NEXSTAR) Only minutes after being sworn in as the 47th President of the United States, President Donald Trump praised Texas Gov. Greg Abbotts border security policies and promised Texas would have support from Washington now that he was in office. He was a very popular governor and now hes an unbeatable governor because of [his] border policies, Trump said of Abbott in remarks at the Capitol following his inauguration. To back this up, the president signed 10 immigration-related executive orders on Monday, some of which were very similar to policies already in place in Texas due to Abbotts $11 billion border security plan Operation Lone Star. This initiative deploys the National Guard to South Texas and funds a state-constructed border wall among other measures. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The president declared a national emergency on the southern border promising to send troops to the area to prevent an invasion of illegal immigrants. He also said he would designate foreign gangs as terrorist organizations and resume construction of the border wall that had been halted during the Biden Administration. These orders resemble Abbotts policies, which are already in place in Texas. But Trump doesnt stop there. He also ended parole programs put in place by former President Joe Biden and resurrected his remain in Mexico policy that requires asylum seekers to remain in Mexico while awaiting their case decisions. Its a new day in America, Texas Republican Congressman August Pfluger said in an interview one day after the inauguration. Pfluger represents District 11 which covers Midland-Odessa and parts of the Hill Country. He says he is optimistic about the future with President Trump. Its great to know that somebody is taking up for us, securing the border, unleashing American energy, and getting us back to the prosperity we deserve, Pfluger said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Texas Land Commissioner Dawn Buckingham said that Trump has already started to back up the states efforts. One of the first things that President Trump did was to give state and local law enforcement some enforcement ability with regard to immigration. So thats going to be very helpful, Buckingham said in an interview with NewsNation Reporter Ali Bradley. Texas, of course, has been passing several laws already that kind of helped us get hands on these violent criminals and detain them longer, Buckingham added. So now well have even more tools at our disposal. Buckingham said the state plans to utilize any means necessary to boost its partnership with the federal government and curb the illegal immigration crisis. She noted that the states General Land Office already offered the Trump Administration about 1400 acres of land to help with mass deportations. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Once the confirmation hearings for Department of Homeland Security nominee Kristi Noem are complete, Buckingham said she will work together with Noem and Trumps border czar Tom Homan on additional plans. I have 13 million acres across the state. So we have land almost everywhere. Weve identified pieces that we think are more helpful out of the gate. But, of course, whatever it is they need, she said. Buckingham also noted that the state is willing to help the federal government acquire property if necessary. Well do whatever it takes. Were here to be a good partner again, just getting these violent criminals whove been hurting our sons and daughters off of our soil, she said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In the meantime, efforts in the state are underway to make that happen. State Senate President Pro Tempore Brandon Creighton has filed a bill to allow Texas to use eminent domain authority to build a wall along the southern border. All of these efforts come at a cost to Texas taxpayers which the state hopes the federal government can help cover. Texas would like some reimbursement, especially for our efforts building the wall. Of course, a lot of our expenditures were based on increased law enforcement presence down there, but we do think its fair to be reimbursed, Buckingham said. Regardless, Buckingham said Texas wont stop working to protect its borders and is looking forward to sharing the fight with the federal government. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We do look forward to passing a baton to our happy federal partner, hopefully, Texas will have to spend a lot less in the future as these policies change, these lures that bring people here. And so we are excited. We think President Trump is off to an incredibly strong start, Buckingham said. Despite this, the 2026 and 2027 tentative budget outlines for the Texas House of Representatives and Texas Senate still include $6.5 billion for border security efforts. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. States may end up bearing the brunt of natural disaster management instead of benefitting from the resources of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), President Donald Trump suggested Wednesday. All it does is complicate everything, Trump said of the agency during a Fox News interview conducted by Sean Hannity in the Oval Office. The topic was raised during a segment on the Los Angeles wildfires, with Trump baselessly claiming that Democrats want federal funds appropriated there but that they dont care about North Carolina in the wake of Hurricane Helene last September. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump, who lied about FEMAs response in that state when he claimed that the agency took money for relief and instead spent it on migrants, went down a similar path again Wednesday. What they have done with FEMA is so bad, he groused to Hannity. FEMA is another discussion, because all it does is complicate everything. FEMA has not done their job for the last four years, he continued. You know, I had them working really well. We had hurricanes in Florida, we had Alabama tornadoes, but unless you have certain types of leadership its reallyit gets in the way. Earlier Wednesday, Trump reportedly named Cameron Hamilton as temporary FEMA administrator, a former Navy SEAL who, as The New York Times notes, apparently has no work history of coordinating responses to natural disasters. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement FEMA is going to be a whole big discussion very shortly because I would rather see the states take care of their own problems, Trump continued, suggesting big changes were imminent. As an example of a state where residents wouldnt have FEMAs resources in a natural disaster, Trump selected deep-red Oklahoma. Whats known as Tornado Alley commonly includes that state, as well as Texas, Kansas, Nebraska, South Dakota and Iowaall of which (besides Nebraskas second congressional district) backed Trump in each election since 2016. Oklahoma is very competent...If they get hit with a tornado or something, let Oklahoma fix it. You dont needand then the federal government can help them out with the money. FEMA is getting in the way of everything and the Democrats actually used FEMA not to help North Carolina, Trump said. It wasnt immediately clear if Trump was suggesting that FEMA offer loans to state governments or fund rebuilding efforts outright, which it already does. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt and White House Communications Director Steven Cheung did not respond to a request for comment from the Daily Beast. Trump is scheduled to be in North Carolina on Friday to assess post-Helene recovery efforts. As Trump was criticizing FEMA in the weeks following the hurricane, agency workers were forced to evacuate certain locations in the state after an armed man was arrested for allegedly threatening them. Trump, though, didnt seem to have much of a problem with that. Donald Trumps first phone call with a foreign leader on Wednesday was with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who made a hefty and incredibly unlikely pledge of investment. MBS told Trump on the call that the country hopes to expand trade and investments with the United States by $600 billion, reports Bloomberg, citing Saudi state media. MBS reportedly said that his country was eager to take advantage of investment opportunities the Trump administration is creating, saying that they could result in unprecedented economic prosperity. But MBSs investment pledge is a stratospheric amount, representing close to 55 percent of Saudi Arabias gross domestic product, and the country is currently posting fiscal deficits, due to its multiyear Vision 2030 plan, which seeks to diversify the countrys economy. Plus, the oil-rich nation has been hurt by falling oil prices. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Journalist Gregg Carlstrom pointed out that $600 billion over four years is more than what Saudi Arabias Public Investment Fund has invested in the entire world to date. Not so coincidentally, Trump on Monday floated the idea of making Saudi Arabia his foreign visit as president this term, but only if the country was willing to buy $450 to $500 billion of American products. Trump made Saudi Arabia his first foreign visit in 2017 as well, reportedly also after an investment pledge from MBS at the time. MBSs $600 billion pledge was almost certainly tabulated to please the new president and entice him into visiting. Its another example of how Trump is making policy transactional. When it comes to Saudi Arabia, Trumps business operation has already cut a deal to build a Trump Tower in Jeddah, and unlike in his first term, the Trump Organization will not be shying away from business deals with foreign companies this time around. It looks like Trumps business relationship with Saudi Arabia is already overlapping with the new foreign policy of his presidency. Shortly after taking the oath of office, President Donald Trump signed an executive order revoking the security clearances of about four dozen former national-security officials. Their offense was that in 2020, they had signed an open letter suggesting that the publication of emails found on a laptop purportedly belonging to Joe Bidens son Hunter might be the result of a Russian-government operation designed to influence how Americans vote in this election. You may remember the letter, but if not, you should reacquaint yourself with this episode, which remains a fixation of the president and many of his supporters. The Hunter Biden laptop letter inspired the executive order that is Trumps first shot in a war he has long promised against the deep statethat collection of CIA officers, FBI agents, and other career bureaucrats who he believes have conspired against him for nearly a decade. The order accuses 51 former officials, by name, of election interference, potentially a serious crime. Heres why this is so disturbing: If those people can be targeted simply for exercising their free-speech rights, then conceivably so can you if you stake a political sign in your front yard, slap a bumper sticker on your car, or try to persuade people on social media to vote for your candidate of choice. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The emails first came to public attention in an article published in the New York Post in October 2020, a few weeks before the presidential election. The story implicated Joe Biden in his sons business dealings in Ukraine, a subject of intense interest among Trumps allies, including the presidents personal lawyer, former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani. The ex-mayor gave the Post a copy of a laptop hard drive that he had obtained through a repair-shop owner, the newspaper reported, and that purportedly contained Hunter Bidens emails. [Read: Trumps secretary of retribution] In response, the 51 former officials signed a letter asserting that the arrival on the US political scene of emails purportedly belonging to Vice President Bidens son Hunter has all the classic earmarks of a Russian information operation. Mind you, the signatories offered no evidence of a hidden Russian hand in all of this. They supplied no digital trails leading to Russian spies, no confidential sources claiming a connection. And they were up-front about this: We want to emphasize that we do not know if the emails are genuine or not and that we do not have evidence of Russian involvementjust that our experience makes us deeply suspicious that the Russian government played a significant role in this case. Thats it. They were suspicious. Maybe with good reason. At the time, current officials, with access to classified information, believed that Russian intelligence operatives were trying to feed misinformation about the Bidens to Giuliani, as my colleagues at The Washington Post and I reported at the time. The signatories argued that, based on their long experience doing battle with Russia in the arena of international espionage, people should take their suspicions seriously. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If this all sounds like what op-ed writers or self-professed experts on social media or talking heads on TV routinely do, thats because it is. Indeed, several of the signatories were regular Never Trump commentators on cable talk shows, political podcasts, and Twitter. The letter contains no classified information; the CIA made sure of that when it reviewed the text, as the agency routinely does when former officials write books or articles or make speeches. The letter represented nothing more or less than the collective opinion of people with more knowledge about Russia than the average person, alerting the public to what they considered a legitimate cause for concern. But they were wrong. Embarrassingly wrong. The emails really did turn out to belong to Hunter Biden, and they raised legitimate concerns that he was trying to profit from his fathers political position. No evidence ever surfaced that Russia had played a role in bringing the emails to light. Intelligence experts sometimes make bad calls. This was one of those times. Trumps order, which uses turns of phrase he deployed on the campaign trail, says that the signatories tried to suppress information essential to the American people, in what he called an egregious breach of trust reminiscent of a third world country. Although the signatories clearly wanted to counter the claims that Trumps allies were making about Biden and his son, no evidence suggests that they were trying to suppress anything. They appear to have sincerely believed that Russia might be behind the story. Some of the signatories still defend their work by noting, correctly, that they said the emails might be part of some Russian trick, not that they definitely were. That too-cute defense does not absolve them of bad judgment. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But the Constitution protects their right to be wrong. The signatories are free to advertise themselves as experts, and when their analysis turns out to be off base, they have to suffer the reputational consequences. TV producers might not ask them to appear on their shows. The public might not take them seriously the next time they yell Russia! But they should not expect to end up called out in a presidential order accusing them of potentially criminal acts. It would be contrary to decades of national security norms to suspend the security clearances of individuals who did nothing other than, as private citizens, exercise their protected First Amendment rights, Mark S. Zaid, a lawyer representing some of the signatories, told me in a written statement. It is also quite ironic that at the same time this Executive Order is issued, the White House claims it supports the restoration of freedom of speech and seeks to end federal censorship. [Read: Trumps deep state revenge] This is where I have to disclose some pertinent facts. I read this letter before it was published, because the people involved in writing it offered it to me exclusively in the course of my reporting on Russian intelligence activities for The Washington Post. I later learned, thanks to a congressional investigation, that the Biden campaign had wanted me to have this letter before any other journalist, for reasons that I still dont completely understand but probably have to do with my long history of reporting on intelligence matters. I decided not to write about the letter, because I didnt find it newsworthy. The authors had no evidence to back up their claims. It was merely their opinion that Russia might be up to some shenanigans. And in 2020, that opinion was not exactly novel. The people coordinating the letter ultimately found another publication that wanted to write about it. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I also know many of the signatories. I have quoted several of them in news articles over my two-decade career. But I never saw the letter before these people signed it, and none of them asked me to write about it or pressured me to do so. Some of them would prefer that I forget the whole episode and not renew attention to it. The punitive measure Trump has directed isnt trivial. An active security clearance is a requisite for employment in some companies or organizations, and rescinding it could materially affect some of the signatories livelihoods. The order also damages their reputations, beyond any hit they may have taken after they released the letter. And it imperils their safety. Since Trump issued the order on Tuesday, one of the signatories told me that he has received online threats. And a retired Green Beret who bills himself as Trumps secretary of retribution, posted on X calling for Live-Streamed Swatting Raids against the signatories, referring to the illegal practice of falsely reporting an emergency in order to summon armed law enforcement to someones home. You dont have to feel sorry for these people to appreciate the broader implications of Trumps order and what he might inspire his followers to do. Maybe you could chalk up all of this to bare-knuckle politics. Trumps order is a predictable form of payback. The claim that the former officials coordinated with the Biden campaign to write the letter, in order to discredit the New York Posts reporting, has some truth to it. The congressional investigation into the letter established, based on emails, text messages, and interviews with the people who orchestrated its writing and release, that the idea got rolling after Antony Blinken, then a Biden campaign adviser, asked Michael Morell, a former senior CIA official who was on the shortlist to run the spy agency in a Biden administration, about the Post report. Morell testified to congressional investigators that the letter was intended to give Biden a talking point if Trump tried to use the laptop story to attack the vice president. The signatories certainly knew that, or should have, because this was spelled out in emails asking them to put their names on the document. But how is that election interference? The executive order doesnt say. You can argue that former intelligence officials should stay out of politics, because they spent their careers in a profession that prides itself on being apolitical. But nothing about writing a letter is illegal, or even all that inappropriate. And being motivated by a desire to help ones preferred candidate win doesnt preclude a genuine suspicion that a hostile government might be trying to stop him. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement [Nicholas Florko: There really is a deep state] Well before Trump issued his order, some of the signatories privately told me that they wished theyd never participated in the first place. They stand by what the document narrowly says, but they recognize that it has done more harm than good and handed Trump an easy cudgel to use against opponents, real or imagined. The order doesnt just target the signers. It instructs the director of national intelligence, in consultation with the director of the CIA, to report to the president any additional inappropriate activity that occurred within the Intelligence Community, by anyone contracted by the Intelligence Community or by anyone who held a security clearance in the writing and publication of the letter. Thats potentially a lot more people, and a longer story. But for now, just know that Trump remembers who dared to speak out, even mildly, against him. Article originally published at The Atlantic (Bloomberg) -- President Donald Trump proposed turning disaster assistance over to individual states to distribute rather than having the Federal Emergency Management Agency respond, ahead of a trip to survey flood damage in North Carolina and wildfires in California. Most Read from Bloomberg All it does is complicate everything, Trump said in an interview with Fox News on Wednesday night. FEMA has not done their job for the last four years. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump added that he would rather see the states take care of their own problems and that the federal government can help them out with the money. Any such change would represent a dramatic overhaul to disaster assistance, which currently includes both grants to state governments and direct payments to disaster survivors. FEMA also deploys staff and infrastructure for immediate and longer-term, on-the-ground response. Moving the financial burden for disaster recovery to state and local governments is a recommendation in the Heritage Foundations Project 2025, which Trump disavowed on the campaign trail. The agency became a flashpoint during the 2024 presidential campaign, with Trump claiming that emergency funding has been diverted to assist undocumented migrants. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While FEMA did provide funding for temporary shelters for those released by the Border Patrol while asylum claims were being adjudicated, the shelter program did not pull funds away from appropriations made for natural disaster victims. Earlier: Instigators Tied to Russia, China Spread Storm Disinformation The president also said he wanted assistance for California to be conditioned on changing the states water flows. Trump has long bemoaned environmental regulations designed to help fish species; while the rules have little effect on water availability in Los Angeles, they rankle Republican-voting farmers in Californias Central Valley. I dont think we should give California anything until they let water flow down into there, just from the north to the south, Trump said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump is expected to visit both Asheville, North Carolina and Los Angeles on Friday. --With assistance from Akayla Gardner. Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2025 Bloomberg L.P. Donald Trump has revoked the security detail for Mike Pompeo, despite the fact that the former secretary of state is reportedly facing threats for actions he took under the presidents direction. Pompeo and former aide Brian Hook both lost their security details Tuesday, The New York Times reported, despite warnings from the Biden administration that both men had received threats from Iran. Pompeo and Hook had been involved in Americas aggressive stance toward Iran during the first Trump administration, and Pompeo was reportedly a driving force behind convincing Trump to have Gen. Qasem Soleimani, the leader of the Revolutionary Guard Corps Quds Force, killed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This change, which the Times reported Thursday, came one day after Trump decided to revoke the security detail of John Bolton, Trumps former national security adviser. Bolton has been an outspoken critic of the president. When Boltons security detail was removed, it seemed like a petty jab at someone on Trumps list of political enemies (its really Kash Patels list), which could potentially have dangerous consequences. Bolton has also received death threats from Iran and was the target of a murder plot by a member of the Revolutionary Guards Corps in 2022. Pompeo has done a few small things that could have incurred Trumps wrath. During his first administration, Pompeo once undermined Trumps claim that Iran wasnt funding terrorist groups while Trump was president. In 2023, Pompeo warned that the GOP should shift away from celebrity leaders with fragile egos. He also was honest about the administrations financial failures, saying that the Trump administration spent $6 trillion more than it took in, adding to the deficit, a truth Trump would rather ignore as he begins his second term. Trump previously said that Pompeo would not have a place in his forthcoming administration, and said he doesnt want anyone who worked under Pompeo to join his administration either. Biden administration officials had stressed to members of the Trump administration the need for security details for all three men, someone with knowledge of the matter told the Times. DAVOS, Switzerland (AP) U.S. President Donald Trump drew pockets of laughter and a few moans with his blunt comments to an international audience while appearing by video link Thursday at the World Economic Forum meeting in Davos, Switzerland. Trump's address and answers to a handful of questions were the highlight of the fourth day of the annual gathering of political and business leaders. His return to the White House this week also shaped other sessions, from a panel on tariffs to a fiery speech by Javier Milei, the brash president of Argentina. Here's a look at some of the main events Thursday in Davos: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump makes a big impression on screen Trump is no stranger to the Davos meeting, where CEOs, startup visionaries, government leaders, world-class academics and other elites gather in the snowy Swiss town of Davos each January. He came twice during his first term. The executive orders Trump signed upon starting second term on Monday fed the chatter in the Davos Congress Center corridors all week. They included withdrawing the U.S. from the Paris climate accords, ordering the Gulf of Mexico to be renamed the Gulf of America, and suspending the admission of refugees to the U.S. Addressing the Davos audience on Thursday, Trump stressed that his administration favored more U.S. drilling for oil and the use of what he called good clean coal than former President Joe Biden. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The United States has the largest amount of oil and gas of any country on Earth, and were going to use it," Trump said. The president's statements about coal reverberated with Arunabha Ghosh, CEO of the Council on Energy, Environment and Water (CEEW), a policy research institution in India. I think we have to focus on energy security. And energy security has to be about the fuels of the future, Ghosh said after leaving the hall where Trump was beamed in. Renewables, including with storage, with grid stability, (are) cheaper than coal in many parts of the world. Trump also warned the European leaders and executives in attendance that NATO allies should not expect to be immune from U.S. tariffs. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Im trying to be constructive because I love Europe. I love the countries of Europe," he said. "But the processes are very cumbersome. One. And they do treat the United States of America very, very unfairly with the bad taxes and all of the other taxes they impose. Talking tariffs ... and warning of the risks Two of the world's top economic officials expressed concern about the impact of new U.S. tariffs Trump said he would impose, warning about the potential economic harm of trade wars. We have seen this movie before, in the 1930s, World Trade Organization Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala said. She noted that countries backed off from using import taxes to manage trade after the experience of the Great Depression, when tariffs deepened the global downturn. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If the U.S. leader's talk of tariffs "is a negotiating tool, lets take a deep breath and wait until that happens, Okonjo-Iweala said. European Union Trade Commissioner Valdis Dombrovskis said the 27-nation EU would approach the Trump administration with a spirit of cooperation given that the bloc and the United States are strategic allies that together amount to 42% of the world economy. We will be seeking engagement and dialogue with the Trump administration and find a constructive way forward, Dombrovskis said. Argentina's Milei rails against wokeism Milei launched a diatribe against what he called the ills of wokeism" and described a global struggle between libertarians like him and left-wing progressives. He slammed social welfare, feminism, identity politics and the fight against climate change. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I have come here to tell you that while our battle is not won, there is now hope that our moral duty has been reborn as well as our historic responsibility to dismantle the ideological structure of this sick wokeism, Milei said. Trump and Musk are among leaders forming an alliance of all the nations that want to be free, he said. The common denominator for the countries that are failing is the mental virus of woke ideology, he said. It is the great pandemic of our time that needs to be cured. It is the cancer that must be cut out. Pope Francis envoy evokes fraternity In a message read by his envoy to Davos, Pope Francis praised technological advancements but warned about the dangers AI could pose to human dignity and fraternity. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When used correctly, AI assists the human person in fulfilling his or her vocation in freedom and responsibility," Cardinal Peter Turkson of Ghana said, reading the message. "AI must be ordered to the human person and become part of efforts to achieve greater justice, more extensive fraternity, and a more humane order of social relations, which are more valuable than advances in the technical field, he added. The pontiff also expressed concerns about AI's effect "on the growing crisis of truth in the public forum, Turkson said. NATO's Rutte urges more support for Ukraine Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Anxiety in Europe has grown that Trump might seek to quickly end Russia's war in Ukraine through talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin on terms that might be unfavorable to Kyiv. NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte, speaking at a breakfast on the sidelines of the forum hosted by Ukrainian tycoon Victor Pinchuk, urged Ukraines Western backers to keep up their support nearly three years into the war. If we got a bad deal, it would only mean that we will see the president of Russia high-fiving with the leaders from North Korea, Iran and China and we cannot accept that, Rutte said. That would be geopolitically a big, big mistake. Richard Grenell, Trump's nominee as envoy for special missions, said by video from Los Angeles that Trump faced a terrible mess and not a lot of great choices in efforts to end the Russia-Ukraine war. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement President Trump is somebody who has a credible threat and has already made clear that hes going to pressure both sides to end this. Hes focused on trying to stop the killing," the envoy-designate said. Putting more pressure on Putin economic or military remained a legitimate option for Trump, Grenell said. "I would say just give President Trump a little time, he said. ___ Associated Press writer Lorne Cook in Brussels, Trisha Thompson in Rome, David McHugh in Frankfurt, Germany, and Joseph Wilson in Barcelona, Spain, contributed to this report. US President Donald Trump has repeated his wish to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin to discuss an end to the war Moscow launched against Ukraine nearly three years ago. "I really would like to meet with President Putin soon and get that war ended," he said in remarks by video link to the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland on Thursday. Just a few hours after his inauguration to a second term on Monday, he said that he intended to talk to Putin "very soon." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When asked whether there would be a peace agreement between Russia and Ukraine by the 2026 World Economic Forum in Davos, Trump gave an evasive answer on Thursday. "Well you're gonna have to ask Russia," said Trump, adding that "Ukraine is ready to make a deal." During the election campaign, Trump promised that he could end the war in Ukraine within 24 hours of returning to the White House, in large part because of his good relationship with Putin. President Donald Trump's administration has moved to end diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility mandates throughout federal government. A memorandum from the U.S. Office of Personnel Management, now headed by Trump's appointee, ordered all federal government offices and programs on diversity to close by the end of the business day Wednesday, as confirmed by White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt. Here's what we know so far about the DEI programs and how Arizonans will be impacted. What is DEI? DEI policies are organizational frameworks that seek to promote fair treatment of all people, particularly groups that have historically been underrepresented or subject to discrimination because of their identity or disability. They typically include a mix of training programs, resource networks and recruiting practices. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement DEI policies have been around since the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which outlawed employment discrimination based on race, religion, sex, color or national origin. It also banned segregation in public places, such as schools and libraries. DEI initiatives aim to create an environment where individuals, regardless of their background, feel valued, respected and have equal access to opportunities, while affirmative action also focuses on remedying historical injustices through preferential treatment mandated by law. DEI program supporters say they help correct past injustices, while opponents argue that hiring should be based entirely on merit. DEI faced significant pushback when affirmative action was banned at America's higher education institutions by a 2023 Supreme Court decision. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump's administration described DEI as "illegal and immoral discrimination programs" in an executive order signed Monday. A White House official told reporters on Monday that it also would move to end environmental justice programs, and that the president was likely to sign additional orders targeting DEI programs among private businesses. "Federal employment practices, including Federal employee performance reviews, shall reward individual initiative, skills, performance, and hard work and shall not under any circumstances consider DEI or DEIA factors, goals, policies, mandates, or requirements," the order says. Trump, a Republican, highlighted the anti-DEI push during his inaugural address. We will forge a society that is color-blind and merit-based, Trump said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Tuesday's order from the Office of Personnel Management puts DEI programs and their employees on paid leave. Trump's consequential first days: Experts explain what it means for Arizona How many federal employees work in Arizona? In March 2024, about 34,000 civilian federal workers were employed in Arizona, according to the Congressional Research Service. About 3 million federal workers are employed through the rest of the nation, but that number doesn't include more than 1 million military personnel, per Pew Research. How many employees worked in DEI positions in Arizona? It wasn't immediately clear what portion of the more than 30,000 federal employees in Arizona have DEI-related positions. How are federal agencies affected by the order? The mandate ordered federal government agencies to put employees within their DEI offices on paid administrative leave. It was not immediately clear if their jobs would be terminated. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The acting director of the Office of Personnel Management asked employees who remained on the job to report any efforts to circumvent the new DEI ban. Federal DEI programs started to disappear as early as Wednesday. A DEI page on the Internal Revenue Service website, for example, was removed from the internet. The U.S. Treasury website faced a similar fate on Wednesday, with a DEI-related page removed from its website, CNN reported. This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Federal DEI employees on leave: What to know in Arizona US President Donald Trump lashed out at the European Union during his first major speech to a global audience since starting his second term in the White House. In a nearly hour-long address to business and political leaders gathered at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, Trump said the United States is treated "very unfairly" and "very badly" by the 27-nation bloc owing to its trade and business rules. Trump said he would not tolerate the US trade deficit with the EU. He also baselessly accused the EU of refusing to buy agricultural products and cars from the US. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "I'm trying to be constructive, because I love Europe," he said by video link from Washington. During his election campaign, Trump mentioned plans to introduce new tariffs of 10% to 20% on imports from the EU, saying they would boost domestic industries and address the trade deficit. There was a fierce trade row between the US and the EU during Trump's first term in office. In 2018, Trump introduced tariffs on steel and aluminium imports, prompting the EU to respond with tariffs on US products such as bourbon, Harley-Davidson motorcycles and jeans. In her speech to Davos on Tuesday, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said she feared about the impact of economic conflict with the US. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Our first priority will be to engage early, discuss common interests and be ready to negotiate," she said. American aeroplanes and medicines are made with European materials and tools, the EU imports many digital services and large quantities of liquefied natural gas (LNG) from the US, the commission president said. "A lot is at stake for both sides," she said. US President Donald Trump addresses a plenary session via videoconference as part of the World Economic Forum (WEF) annual meeting. Pascal Bitz/World Economic Forum/dpa Photo: CHIP SOMODEVILLA (Getty Images) Black folks: Trump has wasted no time going after diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives at the federal level. According to a memo from the Office of Personnel Management, his administration is ordering all federal employees in DEI roles to be put on paid leave by Wednesday night. Candace McDuffie Read More Photo: Anna Moneymaker (Getty Images) President Donald J. Trump has been quite busy since his second inauguration on Jan. 20. He wasted absolutely no time in the Oval Office, signing dozens of executive orders on day one which represent the new Trump-era of America. Phenix S Halley Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Read More Photo: Anna Moneymaker (Getty Images) With President Donald J. Trump back in the White House, he got straight to business cranking out 26 executive orders, 12 memoranda, and 4 proclamations on his first day. Phenix S Halley Read More Photo: Paras Griffin (Getty Images) Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Fans are not letting the rappers who performed for President Trump at his inauguration hear the end of it. Artists such as Nelly, Snoop Dogg, Rick Ross, and Soulja Boy have faced a barrage of criticism from the internet, but Stephen A. Smith is here to defend them. Noah A. McGee Read More Photo: Andrew Harnik (Getty Images) Welp... its official. President Donald J. Trump celebrated his second term doing exactly what he promised he would do. Among a series of executive orders signed by the president, Trump most notably either pardoned, commuted the prison sentences, or vowed to dismiss the cases of all roughly 1,500 people charged with crimes connected to the infamous Jan. 6 Capitol insurrection, according to the White House. Phenix S Halley Read More Photo: Kent Nishimura/Bloomberg (Getty Images) Its official: Donald Trump is the new President of the United States and is already busy signing dozens of executive orders that will change the countrys fabric. While Trump was suppose to be the main on Monday, Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk stole the show during his speech at the Presidential inauguration. While nothing he said seemed to stick, his hand gesture that looked similar to a Nazi salute went viral on social media, leading to some frustrated and disheartened reactions from both Black and White people online. Noah A. McGee Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Read More For the latest news, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. President Trump listed a number of reasons for pardoning violent Jan. 6 rioters during an interview that aired Wednesday night with Fox Newss Sean Hannity. The only criticism or pushback Ive seen is about people that were convicted or involved in incidents where they were violent with police. Why did they get a pardon? Hannity asked Trump. Number of reasons, Trump responded, No. 1, they were in there for 3 1/2 years, a long time, and in many, solitary confinement. Treated like nobodys ever been treated so badly. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement They were treated like the worst criminals in history. And you know what they were there for? They were protesting the vote, because they knew the election was rigged, and they were protesting the vote, and thats should be allowed to protest the vote, he added. But you shouldnt be able to invade the Capitol, Hannity cut in. No, ready? Most of the people were absolutely innocent, Trump said. OK, but forgetting all about that. These people have served horribly a long time. It would be very, very cumbersome to, look, you know how many people were talking about? 1,500 people, almost all of them this should not have happened. And the other thing is this. Some of those people with the police, true. But they were very minor incidents, he added. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On Trumps first day back in office, he issued a mass pardon of almost all Jan. 6 defendants. About 1,500 full, complete and unconditional pardons were given to rioters, Trump said Monday night. What theyve done to these people is outrageous, Trump said while in the Oval Office. The Jan. 6 pardons rattled Republican lawmakers who had front-row seats to the chaos on Capitol Hill four years ago. A number of GOP senators expressed unease about the breadth of the pardons. It is wrong to pardon individuals convicted of violent crime, especially when many of the victims of their violence were law enforcement officers, said Sen. Jerry Moran (R-Kan.). Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement However, the reaction was more muted among Republicans in the House, who mostly defended the president and blamed President Biden for setting a precedent of abusing the presidential pardon power. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) said in a Tuesday post on Threads that Republican members of the lower chamber are celebrating pardons issued to a bloodthirsty mob that violently assaulted police officers on January 6, 2021. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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) -- President Donald Trump sought to dial up pressure on President Vladimir Putin to negotiate a deal to end Russias war on Ukraine by indicating hes seeking to partner with China to try to reach a settlement. Most Read from Bloomberg Hopefully China can help us stop the war, Trump said during a video address at the World Economic Forum in Davos on Thursday. They have a great deal of power over that situation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He discussed the issue with Chinese President Xi Jinping during a recent phone call and hopefully we could work together and get that stopped, Trump said. The Chinese readout from that discussion stated the two exchanged views on the Ukraine crisis, without providing any further detail. Asked if the war can be ended within the next year, Trump replied: Youre going to have to ask Russia, Ukraine is ready to make a deal. Trumps decision to focus attention on Putin, rather than Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, is likely to raise anxiety within the Kremlin about its ability to influence the new US administration to secure a favorable outcome to the war. The attempt to join forces with China will also spark unease because Putin has relied heavily on a strategic partnership with Xi to dilute the impact of Western sanctions on Russias economy. Zelenskiy made similar comments on Chinas potential role in achieving peace, in his interview with Bloomberg News on Wednesday. Xi can push Putin for peace, Zelenskiy said. President Trump is the strongest and Xi Jinping. I think theres no other ally who can really do it. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said her nation was happy to see all parties play a constructive role and build conditions for deescalation and political settlement of the crisis. China will continue to promote peace talks and maintain communication with other parties, Mao said at a regular press briefing in Beijing on Friday. Hours before Trumps inauguration on Monday, Putin had complimented the US leader and said Russia was open to mutually respectful talks with him about the war. Since then, Trump has taken to social media to urge Putin to make a deal or face further sanctions on Russia, and suggested the US may team up with Russias closest partner to push for a settlement to the war. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Xi and Putin held a call a day after Trumps inauguration where they talked up the China-Russia relationship. Russian media reported that the Chinese leader briefed Moscow on his call with Trump, and that both China and Russia were open to dialogue with the US president on Ukraine if appropriate signals come from Washington. The two leaders declared a no-limits friendship just weeks before Putin launched his 2022 invasion of Ukraine. Though Beijing has stepped up efforts to position itself as a peacemaker that could help end the conflict, a peace plan it put forward in 2023 faced criticism by those who saw it as favoring Moscow. --With assistance from Lucille Liu and Philip Glamann. (Updates with comment from Chinas Foreign Ministry.) Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2025 Bloomberg L.P. This excerpt originally appeared in the Business Insider Today newsletter. You can sign up for Business Insider's daily newsletter here. President Donald Trump appears to have shaken up the federal workforce in his first 48 hours. On Monday, Trump was in his office making sure federal workers returned to theirs: Just hours into his new administration, he signed a return-to-office order for federal employees. But he doesn't want to see everyone back in the office. No, some employees might not be returning to their desks at all. A hiring freeze was established for some new workers joining federal agencies, and departments were asked to draft up lists of workers they could easily fire (with more than 2 million Americans employed by the federal government, Business Insider broke down where most people are working and what they make ). Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On Tuesday, Trump placed all workers focused on DEI initiatives on leave by no later than 5 p.m. ET Wednesday while their programs are dismantled . It seems "efficiency" is the watchword in the White House. Perhaps Trump has taken a leaf out of Big Tech's playbook . David McNew/Getty Images How are all these changes being received? Union leaders have moved to shield their workers, saying that Trump's RTO mandate won't make the government more efficient. They also warned of some unintended consequences , including creating challenges when recruiting and retaining talent. "They're trying to score political points by insinuating that people on telework aren't coming to work when nothing could be further from the truth," union boss Randy Erwin told BI . Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Some workers told BI the RTO mandate will be a major strain on commutes and family life. Others, meanwhile, see value in the order, with one worker pointing toward quicker decision-making, enhanced collaboration, and clearer "boundaries between work and home life." Read everything the workers told us here . Government contractors those who work with the US government but aren't directly employed by it also gave BI a look into how Trump's new administration is impacting them . Many of them said they see it as an opportunity, even if it comes with uncertainties and challenges, such as potentially lower contract amounts or more ambitious deadlines. Whatever their position, those who work for and with the government are bracing for change. The Insider Today team: Dan DeFrancesco, deputy editor and anchor, in New York. Grace Lett, editor, in Chicago. Ella Hopkins, associate editor, in London. Hallam Bullock, senior editor, in London. Amanda Yen, associate editor, in New York. Elizabeth Casolo, fellow, in Chicago. Lisa Ryan, executive editor, in New York. Read the original article on Business Insider (Bloomberg) -- President Donald Trump spent the first days of his return to the White House sharing the spoils of victory with his most loyal followers and offering up red meat culture war wins with the stroke of his pen. Most Read from Bloomberg But even as the new president celebrated the moment in the friendly confines of an Oval Office interview with Fox News host Sean Hannity on Wednesday, immense political and economic challenges loomed large. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Theyre all solvable, Trump said in the interview. With time, effort, money, unfortunately; but theyre all solvable problems. For Trump, the hard work starts in earnest on Thursday. In the morning, hell appear virtually at the World Economic Forum in Davos, where a cadre of corporate executives are expected to quiz him on his energy policies and tariff plans hes threatened but so far held off on actually implementing. Trump will almost certainly be warmly received by much of the Davos set some of the richest and most powerful executives across corporate America, including former critics, have spent recent weeks cozying up to him and his new administration. Still, markets are watching closely to see how serious Trump is about both deregulation and his threatened tariff regime. Wall Streets favorite fear gauge has remained subdued since Monday, a sign investors are in wait-and-see rather than fight-or-flight mode. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The first few days of Trumps second administration have given hopes for a more structured approach to tariffs than what was feared, said Charu Chanana, chief investment strategist at Saxo Markets. One needs to remember that Trump can prove to be a tough negotiator and US exceptionalism just gives him more room to get what he wants, which is unlikely to be a positive theme for the affected trade partners, she said, adding that it may be better to be on the sidelines for now and careful about adding more risk unless clarity emerges. Trump has already seen how his broad network of corporate allies might not be as unified as he wants. On Tuesday, billionaire Elon Musk who was granted a key administration position to root out government waste after spending millions to help Trumps electoral bid tweeted a broadside against rival tech executives who had appeared at the White House at Trumps invitation to promote a new artificial intelligence infrastructure initiative. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, one of those in attendance and who Trump hailed as by far the leading expert on AI, denied Musks suggestions that the pledged spending would not materialize. Altman fired back, suggested Musk was struggling to separate his corporate interests from the nations. But the infighting amid tech executives pales in comparison to the brewing battles on Capitol Hill. Later this week, Trump is planning a series of events to bracket the coming battles over government funding, disaster relief and the extension and expansion of his signature tax cuts. Each carries their own unique challenges in a bitterly divided Washington, and Republicans lack unity on the best path forward. The president is expected to visit Asheville, North Carolina and Los Angeles on Friday to survey flood and wildfire damage as lawmakers weigh emergency aid for what is likely to be the most expensive fire damage in US history. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Already, lawmakers are split on whether they should tie conditions to the emergency aid. To further complicate matters, Trump on Wednesday suggested bypassing the Federal Emergency Management Agency altogether, undercutting a system built over decades of bipartisan cooperation to put state and local governments in charge of emergency responses. Trump also said he wanted assistance to California to be conditioned on changing the states water flows. Trump has long bemoaned environmental regulations designed to help fish species. While those rules have little impact on water availability in Los Angeles, they rankle Republican-voting farmers in Californias Central Valley. I dont think we should give California anything until they let water flow down into their system, Trump said during the Fox News interview. That demand differs from one pushed by some House Republicans, who have instead floated the idea of tying the aid to another Trump priority: extending the debt ceiling. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement That effort could come into play Saturday when the president is expected to travel to Nevada, where he said he would thank the state for the vote because we won Nevada overwhelmingly. Divided Majority Trump was able to curry favor with the state and particularly hospitality workers with his promises to remove taxes on tipped wages. But doing so could to add billions to the deficit, and risks becoming a sticking point in already tenuous discussions to extend his signature tax credits. Trump has already held meetings with congressional Republicans at the White House this week about a possible legislative strategy, but lawmakers in the Senate and House remain divided on whether to pursue a single sweeping legislative package or multiple bills to further Trumps agenda. House Republicans, whove pushed for a single bill, are slated to travel to Trumps Doral resort in Miami next week to further consult on a path forward. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump told Hannity he likes the concept of putting his tax plan, energy, immigration and other policy priorities into one big, beautiful bill, however hes open to other ideas, including splitting the agenda into two parts as the Senate wants. I dont care as long as we get to the final answer, Trump said. --With assistance from Abhishek Vishnoi. Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2025 Bloomberg L.P. US President Donald Trump has confirmed plans to meet with Russian leader Vladimir Putin to end Russias full-scale war against Ukraine. Source: Trump during a discussion at the World Economic Forum in Davos on 23 January, as reported by European Pravda Details: Speaking about international contacts, Trump highlighted a "very important" matter: "I really would like to be able to meet with President Putin soon and get that war ended". [NB: Ukrainska Pravda does not recognise Vladimir Putin as a president - ed.] Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "And this isnt from the standpoint of the economy or anything else its from the standpoint of millions of lives being wasted. Beautiful young people are being shot in the battlefield," he added, describing the events in Ukraine as a "carnage" and a "horrible war." The US president did not specify how he plans to end the war or what exactly he would discuss with Putin. Background: According to media reports, Trump has instructed preparations for a phone call with Vladimir Putin aimed at arranging a meeting. Earlier, the US president demanded that Russia "make a deal" to end the war in Ukraine, warning of tougher sanctions and tariffs against Moscow if it refuses. He also announced plans to push for lower oil prices as a means to bring an end to the war. Support UP or become our patron! U.S. President Donald Trump is often described as unpredictable, but his administrations early moves regarding the United Nations this week were easy to guess in advance. On his first day in office, Trump announced that the U.S. would withdraw from the U.N.-brokered Paris climate change agreement, as he did in 2017. He also pledged to pull out of the World Health Organization, which he initially threatened to quit in 2020, alleging that it had covered up Chinas purported role in the spread of COVID-19. Officials and diplomats at the United Nations were saddened but not surprised by these maneuvers. They are still wondering how much further the U.S. will go in disengaging from the U.N. and other multilateral bodies. The administration has ordered a 90-day review of foreign development aid spending and will almost certainly cut aid to U.N. agencies, especially those that it believes promote abortion or that it deems are biased against Israel. Nonetheless, the administration has also signaled that it will not zero out support for the U.N. across the board, as some inside the organization had feared. At her confirmation hearing before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on Tuesday, Trumps nominee for ambassador to the U.N., Rep. Elise Stefanik, repeatedly pledged to ensure that U.S. taxpayers dollars are not misused by U.N. entities. But she also singled out some, including the World Food Programme and childrens agency UNICEF, for praise. This is squarely in line with traditional Republican thinking about the value of these aid agencies, which are traditionally led by U.S. appointees and primarily rely on voluntary funding from Washington and its allies to support their operations. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Stefanik did promise a full review of U.S. spending at the U.N., which she branded as antisemitic over its treatment of Israel. But she implicitly distanced herself from her previous stance as a member of Congress that the U.S. should defund the world organization altogether. It seems likely that the Trump administration will take a selective but stringent approach to working with U.N. agencies, sustaining those that it finds useful but discarding those it mistrusts. To get more in-depth news and expert analysis on global affairs from WPR, sign up for our free Daily Review newsletter. Stefaniks hearing points to some of the upcoming sources of diplomatic strife. She was dismissive of the U.N. Relief and Works Agency, or UNRWA, which provides essential services to Palestinians, but which Israel intends to freeze out of the West Bank and Gaza in the coming weeks over its alleged complicity with Hamas. This is likely to put the U.S. at odds with even close alliessuch as the U.K., which Stefanik namechecked as a key U.S. partner at the hearingwho have warned that UNRWAs closure will lead to a worse humanitarian crisis in Gaza. Stefanik also confirmed that the U.S. will look to reimpose U.N. sanctions on Iran that were suspended as part of the 2015 nuclear deal, teeing up a fight with China and Russia in the Security Council. She will also have set many foreign diplomats nerves on edge by agreeing with one senators argument that Israel has a biblical right to the West Bank. U.N. officials, including Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, have warned that Israel could declare a formal annexation of parts of the Palestinian territories, and they worry the Trump administration will support this claim. It seems likely that the Trump administration will take a selective but stringent approach to working with U.N. agencies, sustaining those that it finds useful but discarding those it mistrusts. Stefanik and her senatorial inquisitors had much less to say about the U.N.s role beyond the Middle East. There was little reference to Africathe continent where the organization has the greatest security presenceother than a brief discussion of the war in Sudan. Democratic senators raised the collapse of law and order in Haiti, which was a top focus in New York for the administration of former President Joe Biden, but Stefanik offered no specifics on how she would tackle the issue. She did make an intriguing reference to reaching out to countries from the Global South through the U.N., but did not go into details about what sorts of initiatives she envisions. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement One country that did get a lot of attention during the hearing was China. A series of senators asked Stefanik about how she will try to limit Beijings influence in the U.N. system, which is a bipartisan source of alarm in Washington. While echoing these concerns, Stefanik emphasized that the best way to counter Chinese influence was to build coalitions with other states. She also suggested that the U.S. should respond to Beijings efforts to place more Chinese nationals in U.N. jobs by aiming to increase the number of U.S. appointees at the organization. It would be a nice irony if the Trump administration ended up pushing for more U.S. citizens to work for multilateral bodies. Overall Stefaniks hearing implied that, while steeling for fights over the Middle East, she does not want to be seen solely as a disruptor at the United Nations. As I have argued elsewhere, many other U.N. membersespecially those that make significant financial contributions to the organizationmay actually welcome her emphasis on reviewing and rationalizing costs. But whatever her plans, Stefanik is liable to find that her tenure in New York is shaped by unanticipated crises. Nikki Haley, Trumps first ambassador to the U.N. during his first term, aimed to focus on the Middle East but spent a good part of her first year in office working with China to tamp down the 2017 North Korean nuclear crisis. Similarly, Trump spent little if any of his first term thinking about the WHO until COVID-19 struck, though his threats to pull out of the organization at the time were mainly meant to score political points against Beijing. If Trumps first swipes at the U.N. and WHO this week were predictable, it is harder to foresee what international shocks will affect his administrations stance toward the U.N. from now on. 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 Trump Might Find Ways to Work With the U.N. After All appeared first on World Politics Review. On Wednesday, Donald Trump pardoned two Washington, D.C., police officers convicted of the 2020 killing of 20-year-old Karon Hylton-Brown, a young Black man. Officers Terrence Sutton and Andrew Zabavsky were sentenced last September to 66 and 48 months in prison, respectively, for an unauthorized police pursuit. The two cops pursued Hylton-Brown after spotting him driving a moped without a helmet, and pursued him for 10 blocks, including going the wrong way down a one-way alley, until another vehicle hit and killed him. Trumps pardon came after Sutton and Zabavsky were unanimously found guilty by a federal grand jury in 2022 of conspiracy to obstruct and obstruction of justice over the incident, as well as second-degree murder in Suttons case. The D.C. Police Union asked for a pardon for the pair. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On Monday, Trump pardoned more than 1,500 of his supporters involved in the January 6, 2021 Capitol insurrection, including violent criminals and people accused of attacking police officers. That drew a (delayed) condemnation Tuesday from the Fraternal Order of Police and the International Association of Chiefs of Police, two police unions that endorsed Trump in the 2020 election. The pardons to Sutton and Zabavsky indicate that the Trump administration is reviving its full-throated support of law enforcement, even when crimes are committed, with the lone exception for anything that goes against the right-wing culture war. Crimes committed by MAGA will also not be considered crimes, so long as they serve President Trump. Sign up for the Slatest to get the most insightful analysis, criticism, and advice out there, delivered to your inbox daily. At a time when many commentators think that the death penalty is waning in the United States, President Donald Trump issued an ambitious executive order on his first day in office laying out his vision for the use of capital punishment in this country. It describes capital punishment as an essential tool for deterring and punishing those who would commit the most heinous crimes and acts of lethal violence against American citizens. The presidents embrace of the death penalty is no surprise given his longtime support for that punishment and his use of it during his first term in office. What is surprising is how sweeping his executive order was and how much of it was designed to revive capital punishment and facilitate executions, not just at the federal level but in death penalty states where they are flagging. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Reviving the death penalty across the country, though, will be a heavy lift even for a politician as skilled as the president. Recently, the death penalty fundamentals have changed in serious and significant ways. The playing field is now tilted in favor of its opponents. Moreover, first-day executive orders often turn out to be more important as symbolic gestures than as surefire policy guides. That will likely be the case with the presidents death penalty order. Some of what he wants to accomplish seems to be of dubious legality. Some of it will raise the specter of gratuitous cruelty. One thing is certain: The presidents order is a shockingly broad attack on abolition that will generate a lot of litigation. Whatever its ultimate effect, it is a reminder that Americans live in two different worlds regarding the governments use of the ultimate punishment. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In most of the country, the death penalty has been abolished or is seldom used. Still, as I explained in 2021, it remains a force in a dwindling number of outlier jurisdictions to continue to pursue death sentences and executions. Last year, new death sentences were handed out in just 10 states. Many of them, including Alabama, Florida, Mississippi, and Texas, are longtime death penalty hot spots. Executions, the Death Penalty Information Center reported, also are geographically concentrated in the South, with 19 of this years executions (76%) carried out in southern states. The center noted that Alabama carried out the most executions in 2024, with six, followed by Texas with five, and Oklahoma and Missouri with four each. President Trump carried each of those states by large margins in the November election. The death belt is Trump country. There, his executive order on capital punishment will play well with his most fervent supporters. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In addition, it is an area in which the president can potentially undo the legacy of the Biden administration, which imposed a moratorium on federal executions and commuted the sentences of 37 of the 40 people who were on federal death row. In his executive order, Trump described the inmates to whom Biden showed mercy as vile and sadistic rapists, child molesters, and murderers on Federal death row: remorseless criminals who brutalized young children, strangled and drowned their victims, and hunted strangers for sport. He previously criticized the commutations, calling them a mockery of justice that insult the victims of these horrible crimes. That is why it is unsurprising that two parts of Mondays executive order target Bidens clemency. First, the presidents order directs the attorney general to evaluate whether the 37 people whose federal death sentences were commuted under Biden can be charged with state capital crimes. This is possible, professor Josh Blackman writes, because there is no statute of limitation for murder, and states remain free to punish defendants who had their federal sentences commuted. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But, Blackman observes, Even in the states that still allow death sentences, it would be difficult to re-prosecute decades-old cases. However, he points to the case of John Hanson, who is serving a life sentence in federal prison in Louisiana, as one in which Trump could take advantage of a states death penalty system. Hanson was also sentenced to death in Oklahoma for two murders but [under Biden] the Federal Bureau of Prisons refused to transfer him to the custody of the state. The Trump Justice Department could now turn him over to Oklahoma authorities so his execution can be carried out. The presidents second response to Bidens death penalty clemencies was to direct the attorney general to evaluate the places of imprisonment and conditions of confinement for each of the 37 murderers whose Federal death sentences were commuted by President Biden. He wants to ensure that these offenders are imprisoned in conditions consistent with the monstrosity of their crimes and the threats they pose. Inmates removed from death row generally remain incarcerated in very restrictive conditions. But if the president cannot get them executed under state law, he may be signaling that he wants the people whose death sentences Biden commuted to spend the rest of their lives in the federal governments supermax prison in Florence, Colorado. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Prisoners in these facilities, Human Rights Watch notes, typically spend their waking and sleeping hours locked in small, sometimes windowless, cells sealed with solid steel doors. Prisoners have almost no access to educational or recreational activities or other sources of mental stimulation. The presidents order also seeks to ramp up federal death penalty prosecutions quickly. It directs the Justice Department to pursue the death penalty for all crimes of a severity demanding its use. It singles out for special attention the murder of a law-enforcement officer or capital crimes committed by undocumented immigrants. Moreover, the president wants to turn the federal government into a cheerleader for capital punishment everywhere. As he put it, The Attorney General shall encourage State attorneys general and district attorneys to bring State capital charges for all capital crimes. Recognizing that drug shortages have prevented many death penalty states from carrying out executions, Mondays executive order seeks to enlist the federal government in helping to ensure that each state that allows capital punishment has a sufficient supply of drugs needed to carry out lethal injection. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It is, of course, not clear that the federal government will have any greater success than the states in securing such drugs, But the president can again direct the Food and Drug Administration to stop regulating death penalty drugs as he did during his first term. Finally, the presidents order seeks ways of expanding the reach and applicability of capital punishment. That is why it directs the attorney general to challenge Supreme Court precedents that hinder capital punishment and limit the authority of State and Federal governments to impose capital punishment. One likely target would be the courts 2008 Kennedy v. Louisiana decision, holding that the death penalty for child sexual assault is unconstitutional. Such a case is already teed up by the laws recently enacted in Florida and Tennessee that authorize the death penalty in such cases. For opponents of capital punishment, the presidents executive order is a reminder that the road to abolition will not be smooth. For death penalty supporters, Trumps executive order is about as good as it gets. It is comprehensive, bold, and imaginative. But, at the end of the day, it is unlikely to make much of a dent in the progress that abolitionists have made in changing the national conversation about capital punishment and in putting this country on the path to ending capital punishment. President Donald Trumps inauguration-day executive orders and promises of mass deportations of millions and millions of people will hinge on securing money for detention centers. The Trump administration has not publicly said how many immigration detention beds it needs to achieve its goals, or what the cost will be. However, an estimated 11.7 million people are living in the U.S. illegally, and Immigration and Customs Enforcement currently has the budget to detain only about 41,000 people. The government would need additional space to hold people while they are processed and arrangements are made to remove them, sometimes by plane. The Department of Homeland Security estimates the daily cost for a bed for one adult is about $165. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Just one piece of Trump's plan, a bill known as the Laken Riley Act that Congress has passed, would require at least $26.9 billion to ramp up capacity at immigrant detention facilities to add 110,000 beds, according to a recent memo from DHS. That bill named after a Georgia nursing student whose murder by a Venezuelan man last year became a rallying cry for Trumps White House campaign expands requirements for immigration authorities to detain anyone in the country illegally who is accused of theft and violent crimes. Trump also is deploying troops to try and stop all illegal entry at the southern U.S. border. He triggered the Alien Enemies Act to combat cartels. The rarely used 1798 law allows the president to deport anyone who is not a U.S. citizen and is from a country with which there is a declared war or a threatened or attempted invasion or predatory incursion. Detention infrastructure also will be stretched by Trump's ban of a practice known as catch and release that allows some migrants to live in the U.S. while awaiting immigration court proceedings, in favor of detention and deportation. ICE uses facilities around the U.S. to hold immigrants ICE currently detains immigrants at its processing centers and at privately operated detention facilities, along with local prisons and jails under contracts that can involve state and city governments. It has zero facilities geared toward detention of immigrant families, who account for roughly one-third of arrivals on the southern U.S. border. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Theres a limitation on the number of beds available to ICE, said John Sandweg, who was acting director of ICE under President Barack Obama. There are only so many local jails you contract with, private vendors who have available beds. And if the administration wants to make a major uptick in detention capacity, thats going to require the construction of some new facilities. Trumps declaration of a national emergency at the U.S. border with Mexico leverages the U.S. military to shore up mass deportations and provide appropriate detention space. The Pentagon also might provide air transportation support to DHS. Private investors are betting on a building boom, driving up stock prices at the top two immigration detention providers Florida-based GEO Group and Tennessee-based CoreCivic. A fast-track budgeting maneuver in Congress called reconciliation could provide more detention funding as soon as April. At the same time, the Texas state land commissioner has offered the federal government a parcel of rural ranchland along the U.S.-Mexico border for deportation facilities. Where could ICE add detention space? The American Civil Liberties Union estimates that ICE is considering an expansion of immigrant detention space across at least eight states, in locations ranging from Leavenworth, Kansas, to the outskirts of major immigrant populations in New York City and San Francisco, said Eunice Cho, senior staff attorney for the group and its National Prison Project. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The ACLU sued for access to correspondence from private detention providers after ICE solicited feedback last year on a potential expansion. Related emails from detention providers suggest the possible redeployment of a tent facility at Carrizo Springs, Texas, previously used to detain immigrant children, and the South Texas Family Residential Center in Dilley, Texas one of two major immigrant family detention centers that the Biden administration phased out in 2021. Under the Trump administration, Homeland Security will be working to try to detain everyone that it possibly can and also expand its detention capacity footprint well beyond what is currently available in the United States at this point, Cho said. Cho added that Congress ultimately holds the purse strings for immigrant detention infrastructure and that the Pentagon's involvement under Trump's emergency edict warrants a debate. How does this detract from our own military's readiness?" she said. "Does the military actually have the capacity to provide appropriate facilities for detention of immigrants? Using the military Advocates for immigrant rights are warning against a hyper-militarized police state that could vastly expand the world's largest detention system for migrants. Immigrant detention facilities overseen by ICE have struggled broadly to comply with some federal standards for care, hindering safety for staff and detainees, a Homeland Security Department inspector general found during 17 unannounced inspections from 2020-2023. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement During Trumps first administration, he authorized the use of military bases to detain immigrant children -- including Army installations at Fort Bliss, Texas, and Goodfellow Air Force Base. In 2014, Obama temporarily relied on military bases to detain immigrant children while ramping up privately operated family detention centers to hold many of the tens of thousands of Central American families caught crossing the border illegally. U.S. military bases have been used repeatedly since the 1970s to accommodate the resettlement of waves of immigrants fleeing Vietnam, Cuba, Haiti, Kosovo and Afghanistan. This story was originally featured on Fortune.com President Donald Trump issued an executive order initiating a process to redesignate the Iranian-backed Houthi rebels as a foreign terrorist organization on Wednesday, returning the group to the same status it held at the end of his first administration. "This order sets in motion a process by which Ansar Allah, also known as the Houthis, shall be considered for designation as a Foreign Terrorist Organization," the executive order said, noting that the group has "fired at U.S. Navy warships dozens of times since 2023, endangering American men and women in uniform," and attacked more than 100 commercial ships, killing four civilian sailors. The order goes on to direct Secretary of State Marco Rubio to submit a report to the president on designating the Houthis as a FTO within 30 days and then "take all appropriate action" with regard to the designation within 15 days after that. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If the Houthis are designated as an FTO at that point, the order instructs the U.S. Agency for International Development to work with the United Nations, nongovernmental organizations and contractors to identify partners in Yemen who have made payments to Houthi rebels or entities they control, criticized efforts to counter the Houthis or failed to document abuses committed by the group. "The Administrator of USAID shall take all appropriate action to terminate the projects, grants, or contracts identified," the order said. PHOTO: President Donald Trump signs executive orders, including pardons for defendants from the January 6th riots and a delay on the TikTok ban, on the first day of his presidency in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, Jan. 20, 2025. (Jim Lo Scalzo, Pool/EPA via Shutterstock) MORE: Marco Rubio sworn in as secretary of state, pledges decisions to make America 'safer' and 'more prosperous' Rubio has previously voiced support for labeling the Houthis as a FTO and is expected to move forward with the designation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement During the waning weeks of his first term, Trump's State Department designated the Houthis, who control large swaths of Yemen, as a FTO and a "Specially Designated Global Terrorist" group. The Biden administration quickly undid both measures out of concern that the penalties they carry would limit the ability to supply Yemeni civilians with aid amid the country's grueling civil war. However, after the Houthis began launching attacks on vessels transiting vital Middle Eastern shipping lanes following the onset of the Israeli-Hamas war, Biden officials moved to reimpose the Specially Designated Global Terrorist label in January 2024. They opted against reinstating the more severe FTO designation out of concern it would adversely affect humanitarian support. "A foreign terrorist organization designation ran the risk of having a deterrent effect on some of those aid groups continuing to provide aid -- worrying that they might be charged as providing material support to a terrorist organization," then-State Department spokesman Matthew Miller explained at the time. Although FTO and SDGT designations are often used by the U.S. government in tandem, the FTO designation is considered to be a harsher punishment because it criminalizes providing any material support to the organization, automatically bars members of the group who are not American citizens from entering the United States and allows victims of the group's attacks and their survivors to sue for compensation. PHOTO: Houthi supporters shout slogans while holding their weapons and pictures of Houthi leader Abdul-Malik al-Houthi during a pro-Palestinian rally following the Israel-Hamas ceasefire deal, in Sana'a, Yemen, Jan. 17, 2025. (Yahya Arhab/EPA via Shutterstock) In recent days, Houthi leaders have signaled that the group intends to scale down attacks on maritime traffic in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, indicating militants will only target Israeli vessels. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On Wednesday, the Houthis also released the crew of a seized cargo ship, the Galaxy Leader, which it seized in November 2023. The vice president of the government of Yemen has credited Trump's return to the White House for motivating the Houthis to stand down, citing the president's leadership and willingness to employ the strength of the U.S. military. The Houthis have said the change in posture is a response to a fragile ceasefire agreement taking hold in Gaza. But the group's promises to limit attacks have done little to quell the concerns of global shipping companies, as the Houthis have often targeted ships with no connection to the conflict during its 15-month campaign -- even striking vessels destined for Iran, its chief financial and military backer. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement MORE: Who are the Houthis and why did the US attack them? While humanitarian groups remain concerned that Trump's renewed FTO designation could disrupt the flow of food, medicine and other key aid that two-thirds of Yemen's population relies on, Yemeni officials, Republican lawmakers and even some Democrats have argued in favor of reimposing the designation against the Houthis. Moammar al Eryani, Yemen's minister of information and culture, decried the Biden administration's decision to stop at the SDGT designation, arguing it "gave Houthis more space to receive Iranian support and continue its destructive scheme and reinforced its sense that crimes against humanity could be overlooked under political pretexts." By contrast, Eryani argued that the FTO label would "enable the international community to take decisive measures to deter them, dry up their sources of funding, and force them to surrender their weapons." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ahead of Trump's executive order, a group of 15 Republican senators proposed legislation that would redesignate the Houthis as an FTO, and in November 2024, a bipartisan group of lawmakers wrote a letter to then-Secretary of State Antony Blinken asking him to reapply the label. Trump moves to brand Houthis as a foreign terrorist organization again originally appeared on abcnews.go.com The end of the war must be a victory for U.S. President Donald Trump, not for Russian President Vladimir Putin, President Volodymyr Zelensky said in an interview for Bloomberg TV on Jan. 22. Zelensky's statement comes amid Trump's calls for an end to the Russia-Ukraine war and recent threats to impose sanctions on Moscow if a "deal" is not reached soon. "I think the issue of ending the war in Ukraine must be a victory for Trump, not for Putin. Putin is nobody for him. America is much stronger, Europe is much stronger, China is stronger than Russia. They are all players," Zelensky told Bloomberg TV. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Zelensky added that the war showed Russia's inability to fully occupy Ukraine. "They (Russia) are big, they have a lot of weapons, and they don't spare people," he said. "We are specifically defending Europe, NATO countries. And Putin will go there." "That's why Trump needs to come out on top. And he is capable of doing so." According to Zelensky, Trump must conclude such an agreement that will prevent Putin from resuming the aggression further down the line. The Ukrainian president also noted that "everyone should have a plan" before they start communicating directly with Putin. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump has signaled his intent to meet Putin "very quickly" after taking office. While the Kremlin welcomed the remarks, it noted that no preparations for the meeting are currently underway. Trump's team is reportedly working on arranging a call with Putin shortly after the inauguration, with the goal of initiating a settlement plan for the war in Ukraine within the first months of his presidency. The U.S. presidents team Trump aims to preserve Ukraine's independence, though U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said that both Kyiv and Moscow would have to make concessions to achieve a peace deal. Read also: We want to bring stability State Secretary Rubios position on Russias war against Ukraine Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. Chinas relations are starting to improve with Japan, India and other countries that former U.S. President Joe Biden courted, just as Donald Trump brings his more unilateralist approach back to the White House. The change of leadership in Washington this week could be an opportunity for China, which has long railed against Bidens strategy of building partnerships with like-minded countries aimed at countering its growing influence. Biden reinvigorated a grouping known as the Quad the United States, India, Japan and Australia. Chinas relations with all three of those U.S. partners are improving, as are its ties with Britain. The durability of Bidens legacy is now in question. During his first term, Trump didnt hesitate to challenge traditional U.S. partners. It is possible that Trump may drift away from U.S. allies, making them pay more attention to Chinas role and in fact it has provided a chance for Chinas diplomacy, said Wu Xinbo, dean of the Institute of International Studies at Fudan University in Shanghai. I think we should grasp the chance. But U.S. National Security Council spokesperson Brian Hughes said that Trump has a record of rallying the world toward a more competitive stance with China. Trump agreed to a Free and Open Indo-Pacific strategy that Japan introduced during his first term and backed excluding Chinese companies from telecom networks in the U.S. and many of its partners. And yesterday, Secretary of State Marco Rubio hours after he was sworn in met with the foreign ministers of Australia, India and Japan in Washington, a move that suggested engaging the Quad countries and countering Chinas influence will remain a priority for Trump. Chinas fence-mending has limits Beijings rapprochement with the U.K. and Japan is in its early stages, and major differences remain that limit and could derail it. India turned the page with China on a bitter border dispute last October, but protested when Beijing created two new counties in an area claimed by both nations. Still, new leaders in Australia, the U.K. and Japan have shown a desire to warm relations with China, the worlds largest manufacturer and a source of strategic minerals. The government in Beijing has reciprocated in part because it wants foreign investment to help revive its economy, which could be set back if Trump follows through on a threat to impose higher tariffs. Chinese President Xi Jinping told European Council President Antonio Costa in a phone conversation last week that both sides could bring more stability and certainty to the turbulent global situation. China and Britain restarted economic and financial talks after a six-year hiatus when the U.K. Treasury chief visited Beijing this month. From Chinas point of view, improving relations with American allies and increasing economic cooperation will offset the shock to China-U.S. economic relations, Wu said. Trumps statements agitate U.S. allies In Washington, theres a strong bipartisan consensus that the U.S. must prevail in its economic and tech rivalry with China to maintain its global leadership. During his confirmation hearing, Rubio called China the most potent and dangerous near-peer adversary this nation has ever confronted. Biden kept the tariffs Trump levied on China and imposed more on Chinese electric cars and solar cells. But unlike Biden, Trump has irked U.S. allies and partners with his recent remarks on possibly annexing Greenland, an autonomous territory of NATO ally Denmark, and making Canada the 51st American state. Hal Brands, senior fellow at the Washington-based think tank American Enterprise Institute, said he believes some top strategists in Beijing are salivating at the damage they think Trump is going to do to U.S. alliances and the opportunities this creates for Beijing to resurrect some of its relationships with other advanced democracies Japan and Europe that had moved in a very sharply anti-China direction since COVID. Trumps rhetoric, and attempts by his adviser Elon Musk to interfere in British and German politics, are certain to have a ripple effect, said Sun Yun, director of the China program at the Stimson Center in Washington. Countries want to at the minimum keep their options open, she said. China is unlikely to be a better choice than the U.S., even under Trump, but it is important to find some counterbalance. The Philippines isnt mending fences Chinas relations arent improving with every U.S. partner. Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has aggressively resisted Chinas increasingly assertive stance in their territorial disputes in the South China Sea. The Philippines complained recently about what it called a monster Chinese coast guard ship in nearby waters, and the foreign ministers of Japan and the Philippines said last week they would convey to Trump the urgent need for the U.S. to remain engaged in the region. Uncertainty about Trumps policies is prompting both China and Japan to seek a stable relationship, said Taizo Miyagi, an expert on Japanese diplomacy at Chuo University in Tokyo. A Japanese foreign minister visited Beijing last month for the first time in seven years, and Chinese military officials visited Tokyo last week to resume defense exchanges after a five-year hiatus. In a way it is a Trump effect, Miyagi said. Many other countries are likely thinking the same and this could invigorate their diplomatic activities. Britain steers a new course with China British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has sought to rebuild ties with Beijing since his Labour Partys election victory last summer. Its a marked shift from predecessor Rishi Sunak, who in 2022 declared an end to his countrys golden era of friendship with China. In Britains case, Trumps return may not be driving the rapprochement. Many European leaders may not welcome Trumps America-first agenda, but the idea that as a result they will all kowtow to Beijing for more trade is fanciful thinking on the part of some of our Chinese friends, said Steve Tsang, director of the SOAS China Institute at the University of London. Most would prefer to remain partners with Washington. French President Emmanuel Macron, outlining his vision for global diplomacy in a New Years speech, declared that his country was a solid ally of Trump. He and others hope that Trump will respond positively to their outreach. Much will depend on what path the returning U.S. president takes, and how the rest of the world reacts. MDT/AP From federal agencies to stakeholders who get federal dollars for special training, many are trying to process how President Donald Trumps sweeping executive order putting a stop to diversity, equity and inclusion programs across the U.S. government will upend their work. DEI laws and programs have been under attack for years by Republicans who contend that the measures threaten merit-based hiring, promotion and educational opportunities of white people, specifically white men. Criticism comes from other sectors, as well: Some Asian Americans argue it unfairly limits opportunities for high-achieving students and workers, and some in the Black community believe it undermines years of progress. However, DEI supporters say the programs are necessary to ensure that institutions meet the needs of increasingly diverse populations and the impact of the loss of these measures goes beyond people of color. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On Wednesday, Trump put the federal governments weight behind the push to end such programs by signing an executive order that would effectively dismantle them from all aspects of the federal government. To the people who oppose us, the ones who attack DEI, they have tried to bastardize that acronym, Virginia Kase Solomon, president and CEO of Common Cause, said Wednesday during a call-to-action panel after Trumps anti-DEI executive order. Instead, they want to diminish and exterminate and incapacitate progress towards a multiracial democracy to maintain white supremacy and concentration of wealth. How did it happen? Republican lawmakers who oppose DEI programs created to address systemic inequities faced by certain groups say they are discriminatory and promote left-wing ideology. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement During his campaign for president, Trump vowed to end wokeness and leftist indoctrination in education. He pledged to dismantle diversity programs that he says amount to discrimination and to impose fines on colleges up to the entire amount of their endowment. In 2023, conservatives notched a long-sought win when the U.S. Supreme Court struck down affirmative action programs in higher education, finding that race-conscious admissions violate the Constitution. That ruling drew increased legal challenges to DEI initiatives, with some American companies citing the decision in scaling back their diversity policies. What does Trump's order call for? The executive action calls for the termination of DEI programs, mandates, policies, preferences and activities in the federal government along with the review and revision of existing federal employment practices, union contracts and training policies or programs. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Agency, department and commission heads have 60 days to terminate to the maximum extent allowed by law all DEI, DEIA and environmental justice offices and positions, action plans, equity-related grants or contracts as well as end all DEI or DEIA performance requirements. It also targets federal contractors who have provided DEI training or materials, and grantees who received federal funding to provide or advance DEI programs, services or activities since former President Joe Biden took office in 2021. Paolo Gaudiano provides DEI consulting services to a government contractor and a federal academy via his company, Aleria, which helps organizations measure inclusion, and ARC, a nonprofit focused on DEI research. He has not heard from any agencies he works with about his contract status since Trumps executive order. What he is hearing is that employees are terrified because the orders meaning is unclear. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Does it mean closing the office but giving them a different position? Gaudiano said. It is a mess, a complete mess. Many federal employees would not speak with reporters out of concern about the punitive environment within the White House. "Its possible that I will reach out to them and find out that theyve all been terminated," Gaudiano said. Even with a rollback, Gaudiano is sure employees and contractors will still pursue some form of DEI programs, especially if it helps productivity. Although anti-DEI groups often focus on racial identity, underrepresented populations can mean women, the LGBTQ community, people with disabilities or veterans. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement What is happening is that youre focusing on structural organizational problems, which often impacts minority groups or underrepresented groups more than majority groups, Gaudiano said. When youre fixing the problems, you fix the problems for everybody. And it just happens to benefit underrepresented groups as well as minority groups. What effect did the anti-DEI movement have before the executive order? Dozens of diversity, equity and inclusion programs have already closed in Alabama, Florida, Kentucky, North Carolina, Iowa, Nebraska, Texas and other states. Almost 200 diversity, equity and inclusion staff positions were either cut or reassigned across North Carolinas public university system. The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Board of Trustees in May approved diverting $2.3 million of state funds for advancing diversity to public safety and policing. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Texas 2023 law led to the University of Texas cutting 300 full- and part-time positions and eliminating more than 600 programs related to diversity, equity and inclusion training. In 2023, Oklahoma Republican Gov. Kevin Stitt signed an anti-DEI order that led to last years termination of the national womens leadership program at the University of Oklahoma. Universities of Wisconsin regents reached a deal with Republican lawmakers in 2023 to limit DEI positions at the systems two dozen campuses in exchange for funds for staff raises and construction projects. The deal imposed a hiring freeze on diversity positions through 2026 and shifted more than 40 diversity-related positions to focus on student success. How will the executive order be carried out? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Office of Personnel Management in a Tuesday memo directed agencies to place DEI office staffers on paid leave by 5 p.m. Wednesday and take down all public DEI-focused webpages by the same deadline. Agencies must also cancel any DEI-related training and end any related contracts, and federal workers are being asked to report to Trumps Office of Personnel Management if they suspect any DEI-related program has been renamed to obfuscate its purpose within 10 days or face adverse consequences. By Thursday, federal agencies are directed to compile a list of federal DEI offices and workers as of Election Day. By next Friday, they are expected to develop a plan to execute a reduction-in-force action against those federal workers. It may be easy for Trump to sign such an order but more difficult to carry out, said Frederick Gooding Jr., African American studies professor at Texas Christian University and author of American Dream Deferred: Black Federal Workers in Washington, D.C., 1941-1981. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Its not going to be as easy to execute. Its going to be more of a fantasy. There are no quick fixes for these issues that took years, if not centuries, to develop, Gooding said Wednesday. The National Urban League and the National Fair Housing Alliance, as government contractors, and the NAACP Legal Defense Fund filed a lawsuit against a similar executive order issued during Trumps first administration, arguing it trampled on freedom of speech rights. A California federal court suspended that order in response to a similar lawsuit filed by Lambda Legal, an organization that advocates for the rights of LGBTQ people. "This will test us, National Urban League President Marc Moriel said Wednesday during a call-to-action roundtable that the group hosted. These orders are unlawful; they are unconstitutional. ___ Figueroa reported from Austin, Texas. Alexander reported from Washington. Williams reported from Detroit. Associated Press reporter Alexandra Olson in New York City contributed to this report. (NewsNation) President Donald Trump has ordered a blackout for federal health agencies, banning them from publishing external communication. Agencies such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Food and Drug Administration, the National Institute for Health and the Department of Health and Human Services will not be allowed to publish scientific reports, issue health advisories or update their websites. The blackout, first reported by the Washington Post, comes at a time when experts are raising the alarm about public health concerns. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When will Trumps mass deportations begin? During a change in administration, its not uncommon for agencies to pause external communications. However, the blackout comes at a time of concern over public health issues and as Robert F. Kennedy Jr., nominated for Health and Human Services secretary, faces a potentially lengthy confirmation. CNN reported that a follow-up memo specified the blackout is set to last through Feb. 1, and includes public speaking engagements and communications with lawmakers. Communications deemed urgent, such as recall notices or that are required by law, are exempt but higher-ups must be notified. Another issue of concern is the increased spread of bird flu. The virus has been rapidly spreading among birds, wreaking havoc on the poultry industry, and a strain has been circulating among livestock, as well. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement There have also been cases of bird flu reported in humans. The majority of cases have been reported in farm workers, though there have also been cases in which its less clear how it was contracted. While continuing to stress that the risk to the public is low and there is no evidence of human-to-human transmission, the CDC recently advised hospitals to speed up testing for bird flu in admitted patients, urging subtype tests for those positive for influenza A be done within hours of admission. A blackout would cut off such advisories and recommendations, leaving the public and health care professionals in the dark about new developments. Trump cuts DEI regulations across federal government Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Senate has yet to set a confirmation hearing date for Kennedy, even as it hurries to push through other Trump nominees. Its not clear whether this would impact the length of the blackout. Kennedys nomination has been controversial even among Republicans, with Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., a polio survivor, criticizing efforts by a lawyer working for Kennedy to revoke approval of the polio vaccine. A group associated with former Vice President Mike Pence has also begun running a series of ads urging Republican senators to oppose Kennedys nomination. Other Republican senators, however, including Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wis., and Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, have expressed support for Kennedy. Some of Kennedys critics have also supported aspects of his platform, including efforts to reduce some of the ingredients used in processed food. 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. DALLAS (AP) President Donald Trump has ordered the release of thousands of classified governmental documents about the 1963 assassination of President John F. Kennedy, which has fueled conspiracy theories for decades. The executive order Trump signed Thursday also aims to declassify the remaining federal records relating to the assassinations of Sen. Robert F. Kennedy and the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. The order is among a flurry of executive actions Trump has quickly taken the first week of his second term. Speaking to reporters, Trump said, everything will be revealed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump had promised during his reelection campaign to make public the last batches of still-classified documents surrounding President Kennedy's assassination in Dallas, which has transfixed people for decades. Trump made a similar pledge during his first term, but ultimately bent to appeals from the CIA and FBI to withhold some documents. Trump has nominated Kennedys nephew, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., to be the health secretary in his new administration. Kennedys father, Robert F. Kennedy, was assassinated in 1968 as he sought the Democratic presidential nomination. The younger Kennedy has said he isnt convinced that a lone gunman was solely responsible for the assassination of his uncle, President Kennedy, in 1963. The order directs the director of national intelligence and the attorney general to develop a plan within 15 days to release the remaining John F. Kennedy records, and within 45 days for the other two cases. It was not clear when the records would actually be released. Trump handed the pen used to sign the order to an aide and directed it to be given to Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Only a few thousand of the millions of governmental records related to the assassination of President Kennedy have yet to be fully declassified. And while many who have studied what's been released so far say the public shouldnt anticipate any earth-shattering revelations, there is still an intense interest in details related to the assassination and the events surrounding it. Theres always the possibility that something would slip through that would be the tiny tip of a much larger iceberg that would be revealing," said Larry J. Sabato, director of the University of Virginia Center for Politics and author of The Kennedy Half-Century. Thats what researchers look for. Now, odds are you wont find that but it is possible that its there. Kennedy was fatally shot in downtown Dallas on Nov. 22, 1963, as his motorcade passed in front of the Texas School Book Depository building, where 24-year-old assassin Lee Harvey Oswald had positioned himself from a snipers perch on the sixth floor. Two days after Kennedy was killed, nightclub owner Jack Ruby fatally shot Oswald during a jail transfer. In the early 1990s, the federal government mandated that all assassination-related documents be housed in a single collection in the National Archives and Records Administration. The collection of over 5 million records was required to be opened by 2017, barring any exemptions designated by the president. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The order notes that although no congressional act directs the release of information on the assassinations of Robert F. Kennedy or King, those governmental records being made public is also in the public interest. During his first term, Trump boasted that hed allow the release of all of the remaining records on the president's assassination but ended up holding some back because of what he called the potential harm to national security. And while files have continued to be released under President Joe Biden, some still remain unseen. Sabato, who trains student researchers to comb through the documents, said that most researchers agree that roughly 3,000 records have not yet been released, either in whole or in part, and many of those originated with the CIA. The documents released over the last several years offer details on the way intelligence services operated at the time, and include CIA cables and memos discussing visits by Oswald to the Soviet and Cuban embassies during a trip to Mexico City just weeks before the assassination. The former Marine had previously defected to the Soviet Union before returning home to Texas. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement King and Robert F. Kennedy were assassinated within two months of each other in 1968. King was outside a motel in Memphis, Tennessee, on April 4, 1968, when shots rang out. The civil rights leader, who had been in town to support striking sanitation workers, was set to lead marches and other nonviolent protests there. He died at a hospital less than an hour later. James Earl Ray pleaded guilty to assassinating King. He later though renounced that plea and maintained his innocence up until his death. FBI documents released over the years show how the bureau wiretapped King's telephone lines, bugged his hotel rooms and used informants to get information against him. The agencys conduct was the subject of the recent documentary film, MLK/FBI." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Robert F. Kennedy, then a New York senator, was fatally shot on June 5, 1968, at the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles moments after giving his victory speech for winning Californias Democratic presidential primary. His assassin, Sirhan Sirhan, was convicted of first-degree murder and is serving life in prison. There are still some documents in the JFK collection though that researchers dont believe the president will be able to release. Around 500 documents, including tax returns, werent subject to the 2017 disclosure requirement. And, researchers note, documents have also been destroyed over the decades. ___ Associated Press writer Terry Tang contributed to this report from Phoenix. President Donald Trump has ordered the release of thousands of classified governmental documents about the 1963 assassination of President John F. Kennedy, which has fueled conspiracy theories for decades. The executive order Trump signed Thursday also aims to declassify the remaining federal records relating to the assassinations of Sen. Robert F. Kennedy and the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. The order is among a flurry of executive actions Trump has quickly taken the first week of his second term. Speaking to reporters, Trump said, everything will be revealed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump had promised during his reelection campaign to make public the last batches of still-classified documents surrounding President Kennedys assassination in Dallas, which has transfixed people for decades. He made a similar pledge during his first term, but ultimately bended to appeals from the CIA and FBI to keep some documents withheld. Trump has nominated Kennedys nephew, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., to be the health secretary in his new administration. Kennedy, whose father, Robert F. Kennedy, was assassinated in 1968 while running for president and has said he isnt convinced that a lone gunman was solely responsible for the assassination of his uncle, President Kennedy, in 1963. The order directs the director of national intelligence and the attorney general to develop a plan within 15 days to declassify the remaining John F. Kennedy records, and within 45 days for the other two cases. It was not clear when the records would actually be released. Trump handed the pen used to sign the order to an aide and directed it to be given to Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Only a few thousand of the millions of governmental records related to the assassination of President Kennedy have yet to be fully declassified. And while many who have studied whats been released so far say the public shouldnt anticipate any earth-shattering revelations, there is still an intense interest in details related to the assassination and the events surrounding it. Theres always the possibility that something would slip through that would be the tiny tip of a much larger iceberg that would be revealing, said Larry J. Sabato, director of the University of Virginia Center for Politics and author of The Kennedy Half-Century. Thats what researchers look for. Now, odds are you wont find that but it is possible that its there. Kennedy was fatally shot in downtown Dallas on Nov. 22, 1963, as his motorcade passed in front of the Texas School Book Depository building, where 24-year-old assassin Lee Harvey Oswald had positioned himself from a snipers perch on the sixth floor. Two days after Kennedy was killed, nightclub owner Jack Ruby fatally shot Oswald during a jail transfer. In the early 1990s, the federal government mandated that all assassination-related documents be housed in a single collection in the National Archives and Records Administration. The collection of over 5 million records was required to be opened by 2017, barring any exemptions designated by the president. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement During his first term, Trump boasted that hed allow the release of all of the remaining records on the presidents assassination but ended up holding some back because of what he called the potential harm to national security. And while files have continued to be released under President Joe Biden, some still remain unseen. Sabato, who trains student researchers to comb through the documents, said that most researchers agree that roughly 3,000 records have not yet been released, either in whole or in part, and many of those originated with the CIA. The documents released over the last several years offer details on the way intelligence services operated at the time, and include CIA cables and memos discussing visits by Oswald to the Soviet and Cuban embassies during a trip to Mexico City just weeks before the assassination. The former Marine had previously defected to the Soviet Union before returning home to Texas. There are still some documents in the collection though that researchers dont believe the president would be able to release. Around 500 documents, including tax returns, werent subject to the 2017 disclosure requirement. And, researchers note, documents have also been destroyed over the decades. Download the FREE WPXI News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Channel 11 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch WPXI NOW Just two days after pardoning more than 1,500 criminals responsible for the Jan. 6, 2021 Capitol riot, President Donald Trump approved two more pardons for white officers connected to the killing of Karon Hylton-Brown in Washington, D.C. Trump announced his plans to pardon Officer Terence Sutton and Lt. Andrew Zabavsky earlier this week, and on Wednesday Jan. 22, 2025, he made good on his promise. They were arrested, put in jail for five years, because they went after an illegal, Trump falsely claimed right before the announcement. I am the friend of police more than any president that has ever been, he continued. When Hylton-Browns mother, Karen Hylton, got news of the pardon announcement, she told CNN she was shocked and started crying. Do not pardon these murderers, Hylton begged. The mother revealed she sent Trump a formal letter. Im asking him, do not pardon them. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Sutton and Zabavsky were convicted of conspiracy to obstruct justice and obstruction of justice, according to Politico. Sutton was also found guilty of second degree murder in Hylton-Browns death. In September 2024, both officers were sentenced to a combined nine and a half years behind bars for attempting to cover up Hylton-Browns killing, according to Fox DC. The 20-year-old victim was killed in November 2020 after a police pursuit led to him crashing his moped into an SUV, according to CNN. At the time of the fatal crash, Hylton-Brown was not wearing a helmet, reports say. It was then that Sutton and Zabavsky turned off their body cameras, tampered with the crime scene and lied to their commanding officers about details of the incident, according to court documents. Despite their convictions, both men remained free on appeal four years after the killing. Following their sentencing, US Attorney Matthew Graves said in a statement, Public safety requires public trust. He continued, Crimes like this erode that trust and are a disservice to the community and the thousands of officers who work incredibly hard, within the bounds of the Constitution, to keep us safe. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Now, the former officers have been officially cleared of any wrongdoing. Zabavskys attorney, Christopher Zampogna, thanked the president after the announcement. Were very grateful to [Trump] for doing it, Zampogna said according to CNN. Sutton told CNN with a clean slate, he has plans to get his job back. I want to go back to the police department and finish my career, Sutton said, although he admits he doesnt know if it would be possible. For the latest news, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. President Trump has pardoned two police officers convicted in the death of Karon Hylton-Brown during a pursuit. Hylton-Brown, a 20-year-old Black man, died in October 2020 as he was being chased by police officer Terence Sutton Jr. Hylton-Brown was riding a moped that was hit by a motorist uninvolved in the chasebut a jury found that Sutton caused his death by driving a police vehicle in conscious disregard for an extreme risk of death or serious bodily injury, according to a statement from the U.S. Attorneys Office for the District of Columbia. Sutton was found guilty of second-degree murder, conspiracy to obstruct and obstruction of justice by a federal jury in September 2024, receiving a 66-month prison term. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement His supervisor, Andrew Zabavsky, was also sentenced to 48 months in prison by the same jury after he was found guilty of conspiracy to obstruct and obstruction of justice. The court found that the pair conspired to hide the circumstances of the crash from officials. As Mr. Hylton-Brown lay unconscious in the street in a pool of his own blood, Sutton and Zabavsky agreed to cover up what Sutton had done to prevent any further investigation of the incident, according to prosecutors. The incidentwhich happened amid mass protests over the killing of George Floyd five months earlierled to civil unrest in Washington, D.C., beginning outside the 4th District police station where Sutton and Zabavsky worked. Protesters broke windows in the station and damaged police cars parked outside, and police fired pepper pellets and threw stun grenades. Four officers were were injured in the clashes, authorities said. Officers push back demonstrators outside of the 4th District police station in Washington, D.C. on October 28, 2020. / AP Photo Trump repeatedly made references to potential pardons for the officers following his inauguration this week. On Tuesday, he appeared to allude to the case when asked if his decision to grant clemency to those convicted of violent crimes in the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol signalled that it was acceptable to assault officers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement No, the opposite. In fact, Im going to be letting two officers from Washington police, D.C.I believe theyre from D.C.but I just approved it, Trump said, without disclosing what had been approved. They were arrested, put in jail for five years, because they went after an illegal, and I guess something happened where something went wrong and they arrested the two officers and put them in jail for going after a criminal. A rough criminal, by the way. Court records do not show any adult felony cases against Hylton-Brown, according to The Washington Post, and police said he was a U.S. citizen. Pictured, Karon Hylton-Brown / Charles Brown David L. Shurtz, a lawyer for Amaala Jones-Beythe mother of Hylton-Browns childtold the Post that Hylton-Brown was a 100 percent American-born young Black man and slammed the pardons as outrageous, especially with Sutton, given his murder conviction. By their actions afterward, the cover-up, its implicit that they knew they were guilty, Shurtz added. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Karen Hylton, Hylton-Browns mother, told CNN that she cried when she learned of the potential pardons and wrote a letter to Trump on Tuesday asking him not to do it. Sutton and Zabavskys attorneys both thanked Trump for their pardons. The D.C. Police Union also welcomed the move, writing in a statement on X that Suttons pardon rights an incredible wrong. Officer Sutton was wrongly charged by corrupt prosecutors for doing his job. This action rights an incredible wrong that not only harmed Officer Sutton, but also crippled the ability for the department to function. DC Police Union (@DCPoliceUnion) January 22, 2025 The same union on Monday expressed dismay at Trumps decision to include rioters who assaulted officers in his sweeping clemency for about 1,500 of his supporters who stormed the Capital on Jan 6. 2020. The Fraternal Order of Police, the largest U.S. police unionwhich endorsed Trump in the electionand the International Association of Chiefs of Police, also released a joint statement saying they were deeply discouraged by Trumps pardon of Jan 6. rioters. The IACP and FOP firmly believe that those convicted of such crimes should serve their full sentences, it read. WASHINGTON, D.C. A Miami, Oklahoma man, once facing a federal prison term for assaulting a police officer at the 2021 U.S. Capitol riot was scheduled to be sentenced on Wednesday. Instead, U.S. Army veteran, Benjamen Scott Burlew, 45, received a full, complete, and unconditional pardon. President Donald Trump issued an Executive Order on Monday granting pardons and commutation of sentences for offenses related to Jan. 6, 2021. According to his plea agreement, Burlew faced up to 37 months, or two years and three months, in federal prison. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Burlew was captured in two videos engaging in a physical assault against an Associated Press photographer, according to a Department of Justice prepared statement. Burlew allegedly lunged toward the photographer and grabbed his upper chest and leg, and forcefully threw and pushed the photographer over the wall, falling several feet where he landed on his back, the release states. 94Download Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. Editors Note This story has been updated with new information from the White House. WASHINGTON (DC News Now) President Donald Trump announced a full and unconditional pardon Wednesday for former Metropolitan Police Department Officer Terrance Sutton and Lieutenant Andrew Zabavksy, who had been convicted for their involvement in a mans death and covering up the details of the fatal incident. The two had been convicted for their involvement in an unauthorized chase that ended in a fatal crash and subsequent cover-up back in 2020. 20-year-old Karon Hylton-Brown died from the injuries he sustained in the crash. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Though they were sentenced back in September, Sutton and Zabavsky had been free pending an appeal in the case. During a press conference this week, Trump said he approved pardons for the two officers. Official grants of clemency for both Sutton and Zabavsky were issued on Wednesday evening. DC Police Union expresses dismay over Trump pardons of Jan. 6 rioters In fact, Im going to be letting two officers from Washington, I believe theyre from from D.C., but I just approved it. They were arrested and put in jail for five years because they went after an illegal and I guess something happened where something went wrong. They arrested the two officers to put them in jail for going after a criminal, said Trump on Tuesday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Sutton was convicted and sentenced in September to 66 months in prison in the murder of Hylton-Brown. On Oct. 23, 2020, Sutton drove an undercover police car and tried to pull over Hylton-Brown, who was driving a moped on a sidewalk without a helmet on. Hylton-Brown didnt stop and Sutton pursued him for several blocks through Northwest D.C. At the time, however, MPD policy did not allow officers to pursue individuals for traffic offenses. During the pursuit, 20-year-old Hylton-Brown was hit by another uninvolved car and died from his injuries two days later. Prosecutors say Sutton and Zabavsky agreed to cover up what he had done to prevent any further investigation into the crash and pursuit. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement PREVIOUS COVERAGE: 2 former MPD officers found guilty in fatal 2020 pursuit Zabavsky was sentenced to 48 months behind bars for conspiracy and obstruction of justice. Following his pardon, Suttons attorney stated, in part: Today, President Trump corrected a grave injustice. Officer Sutton was charged with murder because he followed a suspect who fled a lawful police stop and was struck by a third party vehicle. Sutton was acting on reporting from a fellow officer that the suspect had gotten into an altercation with another suspected gang member earlier that day and appeared to be driving around looking for someone. Yet, at trial, Sutton was not allowed to even argue that his actions were authorized and justified by his duty to enforce the law. While we are confident that the D.C. Circuit would have reversed this conviction, we are thrilled that President Trump ended this prosecution once and for all, the attorneys statement concluded. In a statement sent to DC News Now, Zabavskys attorney said his client extends thanks to President Trump for his decision to grant him a pardon. PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Family, friends gather for Karon Hylton-Browns funeral Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ward 4 Councilmember Janeese Lewis George criticized the move. In a post on her social media, she stated the following: Im devastated for the family and friends of Karon Hylton-Brown and everyone in our community who is still mourning his loss. Im devastated for the community members who united and fought valiantly for justice. I am devastated that after four years of fighting for accountability, justice may be taken away. The officers convicted in this case were found guilty of second-degree murder, conspiracy, and obstruction of justice by a unanimous jury of their peers. The decision to potentially pardon their crimes puts political agenda above the integrity of our justice system and deepens the wounds of our community. Decisions like this make our communities less safe and send a dangerous message that justice can be undermined. Janeese Lewis George, D.C. Councilmember The DC Police Union said Trumps pardon rights an incredible wrong and that Sutton was wrongly charged by corrupt prosecutors for doing his job. MPD acknowledged and thanked Trumps executive action. The prosecutions of Officer Terence Sutton and Lieutenant Andrew Zabavsky were literally unprecedented. Never before, in any other jurisdiction in the country, has a police officer been charged with second-degree murder for pursuing a suspect, MPD stated, in part. DC News Now made multiple efforts to reach out to Hylton-Browns family for comment. We were not able to reach them. 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. President Donald Trump has pardoned two D.C. police officers who were convicted for their roles in the death of a Black man during a pursuit in the tense period of unrest that followed the killing of George Floyd in 2020. Trumps pardon of Officer Terence Sutton and Lt. Andrew Zabavsky on Wednesday came two days after he pardoned nearly everyone convicted in the Jan. 6, 2021, assault on the Capitol, including people who assaulted D.C. and Capitol police officers. The president had said earlier in the week that he planned to issue the pardons for the two officers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement They arrested the two officers to put them in jail for going after a criminal, a rough criminal, by the way, the president told reporters Tuesday. I am the friend of police more than any president that has ever been. The DC Police Union had been lobbying Trump to pardon the officers and condemned the conviction of Sutton in particular in a post on X. Officer Sutton was wrongly charged by corrupt prosecutors for doing his job, it said. This action rights an incredible wrong that not only harmed Officer Sutton, but also crippled the ability for the department to function. Sutton and Zabavsky were in pursuit in two separate cars of Karon Hylton-Brown, who was riding a rental moped without a helmet at the time, in October 2020 in Northwest D.C. when the 20-year-old crashed into an SUV and was killed. Prosecutors said the pursuit was reckless and the officers, both white, covered up what had happened at a time when the city was still tense following civil justice protests that erupted over the killing by police of Floyd in Minneapolis. The two officers were convicted of conspiracy to obstruct justice and obstruction of justice. Sutton was additionally convicted of second-degree murder in Hylton-Browns death. Sutton was sentenced to 5 years in prison and Zabavsky received four years but both remained free on appeal. The US president, Richard Nixon, has appeared on national television to announce peace with honour in Vietnam. Statements issued simultaneously in Washington and Hanoi confirmed the peace deal was signed in Paris at 1230 local time, bringing to an end Americas longest war. The ceasefire will begin at midnight Hanoi time on Saturday, 27 January, monitored by an international force made up of troops from Canada, Poland, Hungary and Indonesia. President Nixons speech from the Oval office at the White House was broadcast on national radio and television. He said: Throughout the years of negotiations, we have insisted on peace with honour, I set forth the goals that we considered essential for peace with honour. In the settlement that has now been agreed to, all the conditions that I laid down then have been met. The conditions include the release of prisoners of war within 60 days and all American forces to be withdrawn within the same time period. An international conference will be held within 30 days, probably in Vienna, to guarantee the peace. American forces have been involved in the conflict in Vietnam for more than a decade. In 1967, there were 500,000 American troops deployed in Vietnam. For the people of South Vietnam, the president had this message: By your courage, by your sacrifice, you have won the precious right to determine your own future and you have developed the strength to defend that right. We look forward to working with you in future, friends in peace as we have been allies in war. To the leaders of North Vietnam, the president said: As we have ended the war through negotiations, let us now build a peace of reconciliation. For our part, we are prepared to make a major effort to help achieve that goal, but just as reciprocity was needed to end the war, so, too, will it be needed to build and strengthen the peace. Courtesy BBC News In context The last American troops left Vietnam on 29 March 1973. The following year there were frequent violations of the peace treaty. In 1975, fullscale warfare resumed between North and South Vietnam without American intervention. In 1976 the first elections were held to a National Assembly, finally reuniting North and South. As for Nixon, he had been re-elected with a landslide majority and sworn in for a second time three days before announcing the 1973 peace deal. But his honeymoon period did not last. Before Nixons re-election, it was known there had been a break-in at the Democratic offices in the Watergate building. By the end of January, it was being linked to his re-election campaign and an inquiry was ordered. The scandal grew and on 9 August 1974, facing impeachment, he resigned. (Bloomberg) -- President Donald Trumps withdrawal of the US from the landmark Paris Agreement opens room to drive billions of dollars in investment to other economies including Brazil, according to its energy minister. Most Read from Bloomberg The US presidents denialism is fertile ground for Brazil to receive this investment and strengthen its position as a leader in the global energy transition, Brazils Mines and Energy Minister, Alexandre Silveira, said in an interview in Davos Thursday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Silveira said Latin Americas biggest economy remains committed to its efforts to consolidate the green economy, relying on multilateralism. The country aims to move forward and not backward on the environmental agenda during COP30, in the city of Belem, adding the US exit from the Paris Deal may just be a political response from Trump to his electoral base. Brazils efforts in the global shift away from fossil fuels wont stop the country from exploring its oil reserves. Silveira argued that investing in fossil-fuel expansion is compatible with the environmental agenda, as the world will still need oil for a long time and Brazils crude has lower emissions compared with the worlds average. A deadlock over a drilling license for Brazils state-controlled oil producer Petrobras to explore a potentially oil-rich basin off the countrys northern coast illustrates the internal conflict over fossil fuels within President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silvas administration. Were not ashamed to be a country that knows that oil will last for many years to come. The proof of that is President Trumps position, Silveira said, referring to Trumps drill, baby, drill policy. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Brazils oil and gas economy will come into sharp focus later this year when the nation hosts the COP climate talks. The previous two COP meetings were hold in oil- and gas-producing countries, raising concerns that fossil fuel deals are being made at the talks. Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2025 Bloomberg L.P. President Donald Trump picked Andrew Puzder, who withdrew from a Cabinet nomination in Trumps first term after spousal abuse allegations surfaced, as his ambassador to the European Union. Trump nominated Puzder, the former chief executive of CKE Restaurants, the parent company of Carls Jr. and Hardees, to be the secretary of labor in 2017. He called him a successful attorney, businessman, economic commentator, and author, when announcing the nomination Wednesday on Truth Social. Puzder is the latest second-term Trump nominee who has faced allegations of sexual misconduct, harassment or gender-based violence. The position of U.S. ambassador to the European Union is subject to Senate approval. The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Shortly after his nomination, news outlets resurfaced a 2004 lawsuit that accused Puzder of sexually discriminating against, harassing and wrongfully terminating Caroline Leakan, a former CKE vice president of investor relations. The lawsuit appears to have been settled out of court, Capital & Main reported at the time, with the company and Leakan citing a confidentiality agreement in not discussing the case. Separately, in the late 1980s, Puzders ex-wife Lisa Henning, now Lisa Fierstein, filed documents alleging physical abuse, including beatings around the neck and body, as part of her 1987 divorce from Pudzer. She dropped the charges as part of a child custody agreement in 1990 and signed a legal document saying: All allegations of abuse of any kind were made in the context of divorce proceedings. I fully withdraw these allegations. In 2017, Politico reported that Fierstein spoke about her claims of abuse in a 1990 episode of The Oprah Winfrey Show, entitled: High-Class Battered Women. Fierstein, appearing in disguise and under a pseudonym, did not discuss her previous allegations of physical abuse but spoke about how Pudzer vowed revenge and told her: I will see you in the gutter. This will never be over. You will pay for this. In a statement to Politico at the time, a spokesperson for Puzder and Fierstein said the two are close friends today and often spend time together, but none of that context seems to matter to Andys critics, said the spokesperson, George Thompson. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Perpetuating these retracted 30-year-old allegations and an impulsive decision to appear on a talk show is nothing more than a desperate attempt to tarnish Andy Puzder at the expense of Lisa and their family, Thompson added. In a 2017 letter to the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP), Fierstein said she was caught up in the notion of a free trip to Chicago and being a champion of women and womens issues. I regret my decision to appear on that show, she wrote, per Politico. I never told Andy about it. Puzder withdrew his nomination for the role of labor secretary one day before he was set to appear at a congressional confirmation hearing. In an interview on Fox Business, Puzder said: There was never any substance to the abuse. I always denied it. She admitted very shortly after the divorce that they werent true. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Mariel Padilla contributed reporting. The post Trumps pick for EU ambassador is another man with a controversial past appeared first on The 19th. News that represents you, in your inbox every weekday. Subscribe to our free, daily newsletter. By Leah Douglas (Reuters) -President Donald Trump's pick to lead the U.S. Department of Agriculture said on Thursday she would consider direct payments to farmers to offset losses from proposed tariffs, modeled after the approach taken in Trump's first term. If confirmed, Brooke Rollins would lead the $200 billion agency and its nearly 100,000 employees whose broad remit includes nutrition and commodity programs, farm loans, forestry, and trade. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump's tariffs on Chinese imports in his first term resulted in retaliatory tariffs on soybeans. The administration then paid billions to farmers to offset losses. Trump has threatened to impose tariffs on China as well as Mexico and Canada. Rollins said during her Thursday nomination hearing before the Senate Agriculture Committee that she has spoken with Sonny Perdue, Trump's farm secretary in his first term, about how the agency managed the trade war. "We are prepared to execute something similar, if approved, if confirmed," she said, later adding, "we can't reinvent the wheel." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Some senators on the committee challenged the approach. "What we've heard from our farmers and ranchers over and over again is they want to be able to do the work. They want to be able to export. They don't want to solve this problem by getting aid," said Michael Bennet, a Democrat from Colorado. Rollins, who led the White House Domestic Policy Council under Trump's first term, said she would prioritize expanding access to trade markets and reducing the country's $42 billion agricultural trade deficit. Rollins was also questioned about her record on ethanol. Reuters reported on Wednesday that a Texas policy group helmed by Rollins repeatedly criticized the politically important biofuel for raising prices and receiving undue government support. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Rollins said the organization put out hundreds of papers and comments every year and that she did not author any that were critical of ethanol. She said she would support all energy sources. Asked whether the USDA would protect immigrant farmworkers from Trump's mass deportation effort, Rollins said she would listen to the labor needs of farm businesses but that she had not been involved in conversations about the deportation plan and could not answer whether farms would be targeted. Rollins also said that the country's H2A visa program for seasonal farm labor needed to be reformed, but did not provide details. Farmworkers, about half of whom are undocumented, have been concerned about potential raids and farm industry groups have urged the administration not to carry out raids at farm and food businesses. (Reporting by Leah Douglas; Editing by Sharon Singleton and Bill Berkrot) President Donald Trump has chosen Andrew Puzder to serve as ambassador to the European Union a comeback for someone whose previous nomination to lead the Labor Department in 2017 was derailed by allegations of spousal abuse. Trump praised Puzder as a "successful attorney, businessman, economic commentator, and author, in announcing the nomination Wednesday in a Truth Social post. Puzder was CEO of CKE Restaurants, Inc., parent of international restaurant chains Carls Jr and Hardees. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "During his 17 year tenure as CEO, Andy led the company out of serious financial difficulty, allowing it to survive, become financially secure, and grow. Andy will do an excellent job representing our Nations interests in this important region. Congratulations Andy! Puzder was Trumps first choice to lead the Labor Department nearly eight years ago. However he withdrew from consideration in February of that year after POLITICO surfaced a 1990 taping of The Oprah Winfrey Show in which Puzders ex-wife appeared in disguise as part of an episode on High Class Battered Women. Puzder has consistently denied those allegations, and the woman Lisa Fierstein subsequently disavowed those claims as part of a child custody agreement and said they were a tactic pushed by her attorney during divorce negotiations with Puzder. Still, the revelation, along with Puzders admission that he illegally employed an undocumented immigrant as a housekeeper for several years, alienated a number of Senate Republicans behind the scenes and doomed his chances at the time. His nomination to represent the administration at the EU will likely rehash many of these issues, though the GOP to date has been more receptive of letting Trump stock his team with his preferred people. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump subsequently landed on Alexander Acosta to replace Puzder. Acosta's tenure also ended in controversy due to renewed focus on his kid-glove treatment as a federal prosecutor of Jeffrey Epstein. Nevertheless, Puzder stayed in the periphery of Trumps orbit during his first administration and joined the America First Policy Institute, which is stocked with MAGA acolytes and has played an influential role in the transition process, as a senior fellow. Puzder has been a prominent Trump supporter and has penned a number of supportive op-eds in conservative publications throughout the 2024 campaign. In the past, Trumps immigration hawks like Stephen Miller Trumps the deputy chief of staff for policy viewed Puzder skeptically due to his prior support for business-friendly immigration reforms, though that evidently did not stand in his way to being part of the presidents team this time around. Puzders appointment is sure to outrage progressive groups, which previously criticized his selection for Labor secretary over a history of pay and safety violations at CKE-owned restaurants and franchisees, as well as Puzders opposition to raising the federal minimum wage. President Trump has selected Andrew Puzder, a former fast-food chain CEO who he attempted to install in his first White House Cabinet, as his pick for ambassador to the European Union. Trump praised Puzder, the former chief of CKE restaurants, as steering fast-food chains like Carls Jr. and Hardees out of serious financial difficulty and said in a post on social media that he will do an excellent job as ambassador to the EU. Puzder welcomed the announcement in a post on the social media site X late Wednesday, saying It will be an honor to help implement the Trump administrations policies internationally. Together, we will protect Americas interests in the EU. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It is the second time that Trump has tapped Puzder for a top administration role, after the former restaurant chain executive withdrew as nominee for Labor secretary during Trumps first term in the face of Republican opposition. Puzder withdrew his nomination to lead the Labor Department in 2017 before having a confirmation hearing, with multiple GOP senators at the time appearing set to oppose him amid allegations of past spousal abuse and his employment of an undocumented immigrant as a housekeeper. He denied the resurfaced allegations and his former wife had retracted the claims. As nominee for ambassador to the EU, Puzder will have to appear before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, which will handle an initial vote on his nomination. The nomination comes as Trump has put the EU in his economic crosshairs for his second term, criticizing the 27-nation bloc as being very, very bad to the U.S. and threatening tariffs to get fairness. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump has honed in on a trade deficit with the bloc and called for the EU to buy more U.S. oil and gas. While some of the tariff threats could trigger a trade war with the bloc, some European officials are hoping Trump can pressure Kremlin-friendly countries in the bloc to wean off of Russian energy resources in exchange for U.S. energy. This includes Hungary, its Prime Minister Viktor Orban, a close ally to Trump; and Slovakias Prime Minister Robert Fico. Another area where Trump is likely to press the EU is over support for Ukraine. On the campaign trail, Trump consistently criticized European countries as failing to take a leading role in supporting Kyiv in its defensive war against Russia. While the U.S. outpaces Europe in military contributions to Ukraine, Europe as a whole has provided more total assistance, according to the Ukraine Support Tracker. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Europe has contributed almost $130 billion in assistance to Ukraine compared to about $92 billion since February 2022, the start of Russias full-scale invasion, according to the tracker. Another major area of U.S. and EU relations is how the bloc deals with China, with the U.S. concerned over trade and business deals with Beijing that either harm American businesses or pose national security threats over sharing of critical technologies and telecommunication services, among 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 The Hill. (Bloomberg) -- New supplies of liquefied natural gas take time to develop, and significant new capacity will only start kicking in over the coming years, a senior Exxon Mobil Corp. executive said. Most Read from Bloomberg Demand for LNG is rising as Europe turns to the fuel to help plug gaps after losing the supply of Russian gas piped through Ukraine. Exxon has four LNG projects under development and expects to start commissioning the production units in the US and Qatar first, by the end of this year. Other US export projects will also start ramping up production but the bulk of new supply wont arrive until 2027. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The problem is you dont find gas from one day to the next, ExxonMobil Europe president Philippe Ducom, told Bloomberg at the site of the Handelsblatt energy conference in Berlin, Significant new LNG capacity is only coming on stream in 2026-2027. US President Donald Trump, whose country is the worlds biggest LNG exporter, has threatened Europeans with tariffs if they dont buy more oil and gas. As soon as he took office this month, Trump also lifted a freeze on new LNG export permits that his predecessor Joe Biden had introduced, but these projects are not expected to go online before 2031. Ducom said that Europe had been reluctant to commit to long-term contracts and bring supply security in the equation, which investors need to take the huge financial decisions to start new LNG projects. Thats clearly having an impact on the cost of energy for Europe because gas impacts power, he said. We will need gas for decades to come and in 2050, we will still need gas. But there has been this reluctance to commit and to try to bring supply security in the equation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ducom also said that the European chemical sector, a key industrial user of gas as a feedstock, was in a crisis because demand on the continent isnt growing and due to high energy and operating costs compared to other regions. There is a lot of new capacity coming. Supply capacity is higher than demand. Chemical margins are really thin. Europe is probably the least competitive region in terms of chemical production right now. Many European industrial companies have had to slash output, close factories or relocate their production facilities outside Europe since the energy crisis of 2022 pushed up regional energy prices. (Corrects story originally published on Jan. 23 to remove references suggesting Ducom was commenting on a Trump policy.) Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 2025 Bloomberg L.P. Donald Trump is to send 10,000 troops to the USs southern border to help repel an invasion of migrants attempting to cross from Mexico, according to a report. The troops will assist immigration officers under new orders to seal the border and close off access to asylum, a US Customs and Border Protection (CPS) guidance document obtained by The Washington Post read. The document was delivered to senior border officials on Tuesday as the new administration launches a light speed immigration crackdown it says will include finishing the construction of a southern border wall and deporting all 11 million people estimated to be living illegally in the United States. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A national emergency was declared on Monday instructing the Pentagon to send soldiers and drones to the US-Mexico border to help stop criminals and unvetted military-age males from entering America. The Department of Defense said on Wednesday it would send an initial wave of 1,500 troops to the border by Friday, bolstering about 2,500 troops already there. Helicopters and intelligence analysts will also be sent to help detect migrants as they attempt to cross the border illegally, the department added. This is just the beginning, said Robert Salesses, who is serving as acting defence secretary until Pete Hegseth, Mr Trumps initial pick for the role, is confirmed by the Senate. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement President Trump directed action from the Department of Defense on securing our nations borders and made clear he expects immediate results. That is exactly what our military is doing under his leadership, Mr Salesses added. The crackdown includes finishing the construction of the southern border wall - Andres Leighton/AP In response to the deployment, which will include 500 troops from the United States Marine Corps, one senior military official told CNN: Dont be surprised if you see Marines being dropped off by helicopters. It is understood troops will conduct an array of tasks, with early missions being the construction of barriers such as razor wire along the US border. The CPS document stipulates non-Mexican migrants are to be held for deportation via air, rather than being returned to Mexico. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement To prepare for this, four new 10,000-capacity detention sites are to be opened, as well as 14 smaller facilities with space for 700 to 1,000 people. Military bases may also be used as holding facilities and Canada will be asked to accept migrants that have crossed into the US illegally, the document states. Four US military transport aircraft will be used to deport an initial 5,400 migrants, officials said, although it remains unclear where they will be deported to. Footage posted on social media by Greg Abbott, the governor of Texas, this week showed buoys designed to deter migrants being placed in the Rio Grande river, which forms part of the US-Mexico border. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We will continue working closely with President Trump to secure the border, Mr Abbot said. AMERICA IS BACK! The president also suggested he could cut off funding from sanctuary cities that try to impede his broader immigration clampdown. There are more than 170 sanctuary jurisdictions across the US. including California, that limit cooperation with federal agencies to deport undocumented migrants, according to the Centre for Immigration Studies. Were trying to end them, and a lot of the people in those communities dont want them, Mr Trump told Fox News. When asked if he would stop sending money to the cities, he said: I might have to do that. 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 THE FIRST THREE DAYS OF HIS SECOND TERM, President Donald J. Trump has signed a tsunami of executive orders and proclamations revoking Biden-era policies and forging frighteningly aggressive new ones. They span a range of issues that the Constitution largely puts in the hands of Congressenergy and the climate, immigration, affirmative action, LGBTQ+ rights, police brutality, private prisons, civil servants, terrorism, health, and domestic military deploymentnot to mention a reprieve for TikTok, security clearances granted with no vetting, and pardons and commutations for the January 6th convicts and defendants. It will take weeks to work through the legal and policy implications of all these executive actions. The Trump teams obvious strategy is to so overwhelm litigants, the media, the public, Congress, and the courts that nobody really has a handle on the entirety of whats hitting us. One thing is already clear, though: Trump is blatantly violating established federal law, knowing that theres nothing anyone can do about it. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump is the law now. Share If that sounds hyperbolic, lets take a close look at just two examples. First, Trumps executive order Protecting the Meaning and Value of American Citizenship, which directs that no department or agency of the United States government shall issue documents recognizing United States citizenship, or accept documents issued by State, local, or other governments or authorities purporting to recognize United States citizenship to children born in the United States without at least one parent who is a citizen. Trumps order directly undermines the concept of birthright citizenship, which takes the text of the Fourteenth Amendment to mean that almost anyone born on U.S. soil, even to parents who are not themselves citizens, is a citizen.1 The relevant part of the amendment reads: All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside. So as long the parents of a child born in the United States are not subject to the jurisdiction of some other country, as for instance foreign diplomats would be, the child is a U.S. citizen. As Philip Jaffa pointed out in The Bulwark yesterday, a prominent intellectual force behind Trumps opposition to birthright citizenship is John Eastman, the former Trump lawyer and coup memos author who is under indictment in Arizona for allegedly participating in a conspiracy to overturn the 2020 election. For the last two decades, Eastman has argued that the view that mere birth on U.S. soil is sufficient to obtain citizenship is mistaken. This is because, according to Eastman, the Constitution requires that those born or naturalized in the United States must in addition be subject to the jurisdiction of the United States, and the original meaning of that provision meant complete or sole jurisdiction. Trumps executive order posits that kids whose parents were not lawfully in the United States to begin with, or who were here lawfully but only temporarily, are not subject to the jurisdiction of the United States so they are not citizens under the Fourteenth Amendment. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement So far, twenty-two states have sued the administration challenging this policy, and the ACLU is reportedly preparing a suit as well. People are understandably wondering what the 63 Trump-friendly Supreme Court majority might do if it gets the case. Were out here fighting for democracy, and we could use your helpsign up for a free or paid Bulwark subscription today: But heres the thing: The Supreme Court already ruled on this question in 1898 and rejected Eastmans argument. United States v. Wong Kim Ark involved a man born in San Francisco whose Chinese parents never obtained United States citizenship. Following a trip to China in 1895, he was denied permission to re-enter the United States because Congress had enacted the Chinese Exclusion Acts, which prohibited Chinese people who were not U.S. citizens from entering the country. The Supreme Court found Wong Kim Ark was a native-born citizen of the United States whose citizenship was derived from the Fourteenth Amendment, and because of that the Chinese Exclusion Acts did not apply to him. Moreover, his parents were not employed in any diplomatic or official capacity under the Emperor of China, so the Fourteenth Amendments language on subject to the jurisdiction thereof did not apply. Eastman believes that the Supreme Court decided Wong Kim Ark erroneously. (He repeated this claim as recently as yesterday.) And while there is nothing wrong with believing a judicial precedent is mistaken, such beliefs have to be argued out. To act as if the precedents dont exist is to ignore the rule of law. And thats what Trump did: On his first day back in office, he signed an executive order directing employees of the U.S. government to act in plain violation of the Constitution and established Supreme Court precedent. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Thanks to a feckless Congress and an enabling Supreme Court majority, theres no one and nothing to stop him now. Whats a lower court to do? Issue an order stating, Theres no legal question for me to actually decide here because it has been settled for over a hundred years, Mr. President, but please, sir, will you respect and abide by the highest law of the land? The implications for the people this will affect are grimespecially the babies born with uncertain citizenship statusand the implications for our constitutional system are troubling in the extreme. Share The Bulwark NEXT CONSIDER TRUMPS ORDER entitled Application of Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications to TikTok. Just six days ago, the U.S. Supreme Court unanimously held that the legislation referenced in this orderthe Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Actis constitutional. Meaning it is the binding law of the land. Due to national security concerns, the statute required TikTok to divest of its ownership by a Chinese-owned parent company, ByteDance, before January 19, 2025. Platforms that host the TikTok app after that date are subject to hefty fines. The statute gives the president the authority to grant a one-time extension beyond that date if, as the Court explained, he makes certain certifications to Congress regarding progress toward a qualified divestiture. In Trumps order, he makes none of the certifications Congress laid out for purposes of triggering the narrow exception to the law. Instead, he simply directs his attorney general not to enforce the statute because its timing interferes with my ability to assess the national security and foreign policy implications of the Acts prohibitions before they take effect. This timing also interferes with my ability to negotiate a resolution to avoid an abrupt shutdown of the TikTok platform while addressing national security concerns. He goes on to order the attorney general to issue a letter to each provider stating that there has been no violation of the statute and that there is no liability for any conduct for 75 days to allow him to determine the appropriate course of action. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This is breathtaking. Not only does Trump direct his attorney general to ignore federal law upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court, thereby overriding the prerogative of Congress to enact legislation that says what the law is under Article I of the Constitution, but he simultaneously acts as a judge in a hypothetical legal challenge against app providers (such as Google) who host the TikTok app despite the lack of divestiture, declaring that they have not violated any law. Join now In more normal times, Trump might have directed his attorney general to decline to execute the law. That arguably would fall within the presidents prerogative; although a blanket refusal to enforce a statute might meet a federal judges ire, there is at least a coherent argument to be made that a decision not to execute the law is constitutional. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This time, Trump came out of the gate declaring himself above Congress and the Supreme Court. Its clear from this and his other executive orders that he and his team feel sure there are zero remaining guardrails or levers of accountability anywhere within our system of government. By the time any holdouts for the rule of law catch up to him, it will be way too late. As the saying goes, when people show you who they are, believe them. Send this article to a concerned friend or family member, or post it on social media: Share 1 The principle of birthright citizenship also holds that a child born outside the United States to at least one American parent is considered a U.S. citizen in most cases. (NewsNation) President Donald Trump used an address Thursday to the World Economic Forum to promise global elites lower taxes if they bring manufacturing to the U.S. and threatened to impose tariffs if they dont. Speaking by video from the White House to the annual summit in Davos, Switzerland, on his third full day in office, Trump ran through his flurry of executive actions since his swearing-in and claimed that he had a massive mandate from the American people to bring change. He laid out a carrot-and-stick approach for private investment in the U.S. As buses of migrants deported, Mexican officials open shelters Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Come make your product in America, and we will give you among the lowest taxes as any nation on earth, Trump said. But if you dont make your product in America, which is your prerogative, then very simply, you will have to pay a tariff differing amounts but a tariff, which will direct hundreds of billions of dollars and even trillions of dollars into our treasury to strengthen our economy and pay down debt under the Trump administration. Trump, who spoke Wednesday to Saudi Arabias crown prince, also said Thursday that the kingdom wants to invest $600 billion in the U.S. but that he would ask Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to increase it to $1 trillion. The remark drew some laughter from the crowd in the hall in Davos. On Thursday, the White House also announced that Secretary of State Marco Rubio would make his first official trip abroad next week to Central America, including a stop in Panama amid Trumps desire to reclaim the Panama Canal. The Associated Press 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 NewsNation. MGM, Melco, and SJM joined the previous announcements of Sands and Galaxy announcing their salary increments for their workers. As expected, the three local gaming operators followed their counterparties previous announcements and increased the salaries of their eligible staff members by 2.5%. Those earning wages less than MOP16,000 will receive a standard salary increment of MOP600. MGM announced that salary increments will take effect on March 24, 2025, for MGM and April 1, 2025, for SJM. The measure at Melco took effect on the same date. Galaxy and Sands have previously presented salary increments under the same rules. The only difference is that Sandss increments take effect on March 1, 2025, one month before the other four concessionaires. For now, Wynn is the only gaming concessionaire that has not announced salary increments for this year, although this is also expected to happen soon. The six gaming companies, which are among Macaus largest employers, and the government recently announced that they will distribute a pecuniary bonus equivalent to one months salary to their workers. Despite many calls from lawmakers and others in civil society, the new government led by Sam Hou Fai has not yet revealed its intention to increase the salary of civil servants this year. When questioned about the matter, the previous Chief Executive, Ho Iat Seng, noted that Sams government should evaluate and address it during his first Policy Address, expected to occur in March or April this year. President Trump pulled security protection for former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, a source familiar with the matter confirmed to The Hill on Thursday. The protection was also revoked for his top aide, Brian Hook, as both men have faced threats from Iran amid their hardline positions toward the country, multiple outlets reported Thursday. The security details for both Pompeo and Hook, which were provided by the State Department, were pulled Tuesday, a day after Trump was formally inaugurated, The New York Times reported, citing one source familiar with the matter. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Both men were notified that the security details were revoked Wednesday, The Associated Press reported, citing a congressional staffer and another person familiar with the matter. When you have protection, you cant have it for the rest of your life, Trump told reporters Thursday in the Oval Office while signing executive orders. Do you want to have a large detail of people guarding people for the rest of their lives? Theres risks to everything. Trump announced in November last year that Pompeo would not be joining the administration despite the former CIA director expressing openness to serving in a post. Just months earlier, in August, Pompeo along with Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp (R) co-headlined a fundraiser for Trumps 2024 presidential campaign. This week, Trump also ended Secret Service protection for his former national security adviser John Bolton, who has also faced assassination threats from Iran due to his hawkish stance toward the countrys leadership. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I am disappointed but not surprised that President Trump has decided to terminate the protection previously provided by the United States Secret Service, Bolton, now a vocal Trump critic, told The Hill on Tuesday. The president outlined later Tuesday why he decided to revoke Boltons security detail. I think there was enough time. We take a job, you take a job, you want to do a job, were not going to have security on people for the rest of their lives, Trump told reporters. Why should we? Trump said Tuesday that he fired Hook from the Wilson Center, along with three other high-profile presidential appointees. Hook served during Trumps first White House term and is an Iran hawk who backed sanctions the administration put on Iran. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Biden administration had given and renewed protection for both Pompeo and Hook since early 2021, granting them the last authorization on Oct. 21, the AP reported. The Hill has reached out to the White House and State Department for comment. Updated at 4:44 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 Department of Justice has instructed the civil rights division to freeze all new cases or investigations and indicated it would re-evaluate Biden administration policies in a memo sent on Wednesday the latest shake-up in President Donald Trumps takeover. The letter, sent by the chief of staff to the attorney general, instructs the temporary head of the department to ensure civil rights attorneys do not file any new complaints, motions to intervene, agreed-upon remands, amicus briefs, or statements of interest, according to a screenshot viewed by The New York Times. The freeze was requested so Trump appointees can decide if they want to initiate any new cases and ensure the government speaks with one voice in its view of the law. The civil rights division of the Justice Department is being directed to freeze and new cases or settlements so the Trump nominees can determine what they want to do (AP) A second memo was sent ordering the department to freeze activity involving consent decrees and notify the chief of staff of any finalized within the last 90 days. Those consent decrees are agreements between local governments and the DoJ to address police reform. Cities such as Minneapolis, Louisville and Memphis are part of it. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The new administration may wish to reconsider settlements and consent decrees negotiated and approved during the prior administration, the chief of staff wrote, according to the New York Times. That could interfere with agreements reached with Louisville after the police killing of Breonna Taylor or in Minneapolis after the murder of George Floyd. Neither agreement has received final approval from a federal judge. The Independent has asked the Department of Justice for comment. The civil rights division of the DoJ often sees the most dramatic change in priorities between Republican and Democrat administrations. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Stacey Young, a trial attorney for the civil rights division told Politico in November that many federal employees are terrified that they will be replaced with Trump loyalists. Pam Bondi is the former Florida attorney general who Trump has tapped to lead the Justice Department (AP) We know that our democracy and country depend on a government supported by a merit-based, apolitical civil service, Young said. Trump has tapped Harmeet Dhillon, a conservative lawyer from California to lead the civil rights division. Dhillon has filed a series of lawsuits against gender-affirming healthcare and policies intended to protect LGBT+ people. Dhillon is awaiting Senate confirmation. Damon Hewitt, the president and executive director of the Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights Under Law called the memos beyond unusual to The Washington Post. This should make Americans both angry and deeply worried, Hewitt said. This is more than just a changing course of philosophy this is exactly what most people feared: a Justice Department that was created to protect civil rights literally abdicating its duty and responsibility to protect Americans from all forms of discrimination. President Donald Trump on Wednesday downplayed the potential threat that TikTok poses to U.S. national security, questioning whether it's "that important for China to be spying on young people, on young kids watching crazy videos." The answer, according to numerous former aides, congressional allies, appointees to the Supreme Court, and even incoming members of his own administration, is a resounding yes. National security experts have long characterized the Chinese-owned social media app's espionage value in stark terms, framing it as a mechanism for the Chinese government to both spread propaganda and mine users' data -- claims the company has forcefully denied. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement MORE: TikTok's future uncertain after Trump's executive order, experts say Trump's apparent ambivalence toward TikTok puts him squarely at odds with numerous leaders who, on nearly every other matter, align themselves with him. Elise Stefanik, Trump's incoming ambassador to the United Nations, once blasted the app as "Communist Chinese malware that is poisoning the minds of our next generation." William Evanina, Trump's former Director of the National Counterterrorism Center, recently called it "one of the most successful influence and intelligence collection operations ever." The president's commentary about TikTok "demonstrates that he's still clueless about the intelligence gathering capabilities of Tik Tok and China's ability to mine the data acquired by Tik Tok," Charles Kupperman, a former deputy national security adviser in Trump's first administration, told ABC News. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Lawmakers across the political spectrum voted overwhelming last year to ban the app in the U.S. if couldn't be sold to another company, citing the risk it poses to U.S. national security. TikTok has repeatedly and forcefully denied that it operates on behalf of Beijing, and sued the U.S. after the law was passed. PHOTO: A notification apprearing in the TikTok app as it returns online in the U.S., Jan. 19, 2025. (ABC News) When the law passed, Brendan Carr, the current chair of the FCC, said, "TikTok's own conduct makes clear that it is beholden to the CCP and presents an unacceptable threat to U.S. national security." When that lawsuit came before the Supreme Court earlier this month, justices typically aligned with Trump denounced TikTok as a foreign-based surveillance tool. Justice Brett Kavanaugh, a Trump appointee, said concerns about foreign data collection on Americans were "very strong" and that there are legitimate fears the information could be used to "turn spies or blackmail people" in the future. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Matt Pottinger, another former deputy national security under Trump, signed onto an amicus brief encouraging the justices to uphold the ban. Trump's own views on the app have evolved in recent years. After signaling during his first term that he would work to remove the app, Trump embraced it during his 2024 White House bid, and in December said he had a "warm spot" in his heart for the platform. One former senior Trump aide, who asked not to be named, speculated that Trump's pivot on TikTok could reflect TikTok's recent flattery of his deal-making abilities. When the app returned to service after temporarily going dark last weekend, a message to users praised Trump as the app's potential savior. The next day, Shou Chew, TikTok's chief executive, attended Trump's inauguration. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On his first day in office, Trump signed an executive order to postpone the ban on TikTok for 75 days. ABC News' Steven Portnoy contributed to this report. Trump questions whether concerns over TikTok are 'that important.' Some current and former aides say they are originally appeared on abcnews.go.com New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez blasted President Donald Trumps second term as a billionaire feeding frenzy days after Trumps star-studded inauguration. The Democratic Congresswoman chatted with Jon Stewart on his podcast The Weekly Show in an episode that aired Thursday about Trumps second inauguration and the dangers of his second presidency. Trumps inauguration was attended by a cadre of the extraordinarily wealthy, including the presidents First Buddy and worlds richest person Elon Musk, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg and Amazon founder Jeff Bezos. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Unlike Trumps first term, prominent figures and companies now arent afraid to be in the presidents orbit, Ocasio-Cortez warned. What makes this go-around with Trump so much more dangerous than the first time aroundis that hes much more normalized, she said. Even the norms are embracing him, the Democrat noted, pointing to designer brand Oscar de la Renta dressing his family members for his inauguration. During his first administration, people were scared of being associated with him, but now theyre all all-in now, Ocasio-Cortez said. AOC calls Donald Trumps second administration a billionaire feeding frenzy as she and Jon Stewart discuss his inauguration ceremony (The Weekly Show) She suggested some are sucking up to him: This is now a billionaire feeding frenzy. This is a kiss ass race. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Democrat continued: It is: How can I show how much fealty can I show to Trump in order to get my digs? She said she hopes people understand: Youre being ripped offEveryone is being ripped off. Later she added, He goes up there and he says what he wants to say, but hes just the quintessential New York conman. The fiery New York Democrat didnt attend Mondays events. In a video posted Sunday, she revealed why she didnt go to his second inauguration. Let me make myself clear: I dont celebrate rapists. So, no. Im not going to the inauguration, she said. In 2023, a jury found the president liable for sexual abuse of former Elle columnist E. Jean Carroll. He was not found guilty of rape despite AOCs assertion. Tech moguls Mark Zuckerberg, Jeff Bezos, Sundar Pichai and Elon Musk, at Trumps inauguration (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson, Pool) Stewart and Ocasio-Cortez also discussed one particular hitch in the days proceedings, which she admitted to watching from afar. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The comedian said he sympathized with Carrie Underwood, who sang America the Beautiful a capella after a technical hiccup with the background music. Stewart quipped: I felt so bad for her. She was just standing there and theyre like Were going to be the administration of competence. Were going to make everything work again except the PA. Ocasio-Cortez said sarcastically: Yeah, we are off to a great start today! President Trump on Wednesday directed his administration to relist the Houthis in Yemen as a foreign terrorist organization (FTO) in an effort to crack down on the Iranian-backed militant group. Trump signed an executive order that starts the process to relist the group as an FTO in the coming weeks. The White House cited Houthi rebels attacks on U.S. Navy ships, commercial vessels and civilian infrastructure in the Middle East. The move puts back in place the designation that Trump imposed on the Houthis, officially known as Ansar Allah, during his first term. The action was reversed by the Biden administration over concerns that blacklisting the militant group would prevent aid from getting into Yemen. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The designation is intended to disrupt financial support to such a group, giving the Treasury Department more latitude to issue sanctions and signal to other foreign governments, people or businesses that they could lose access to the U.S. financial system if they engage with the sanctioned group. Wednesdays order also directed the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and the secretary of State to review any United Nations affiliates, contractors and nongovernmental organizations operating in Yemen. The White House said Trump would direct USAID to end its relationship with any groups that make payments to the Houthis following that review. Trumps designation of the Houthis as an FTO during his first term drew rare pushback from Republicans in Congress, largely over humanitarian concerns. The Biden White House last week in one of its final foreign policy actions designated the Houthis as a specially designated global terrorist group. The move was not set to take effect for 30 days, but it was touted as a way to restrict the Houthis funding and access to financial markets. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Houthis have said their attacks are in support of Hamas in the Gaza Strip. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. By Echo Wang, Marwa Rashad and Trevor Hunnicutt DAVOS, Switzerland (Reuters) -U.S. President Donald Trump demanded OPEC lower oil prices and the world drop interest rates in a speech to global business and political leaders and warned them they will face tariffs if they make their products anywhere but the U.S. "I'll demand that interest rates drop immediately. And likewise, they should be dropping all over the world," Trump said via video to the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, on Thursday. "I'm also going to ask Saudi Arabia and OPEC to bring down the cost of oil." The remarks, Trump's first to global leaders in his four-day-old presidency, bolster the message that his second term will eschew free market norms inside the U.S. and out. Despite robust comments on the tariffs he wants to put in place, he did not provide specifics at a time when markets are on edge over his plans. Oil prices turned negative as Trump spoke, while the euro dipped and the U.S. dollar swung between gains and losses against a basket of foreign currencies. The S&P 500 benchmark of U.S. stocks rose to a near all-time high. COMPLIMENTS AND CRITICISM Trump spoke to about 3,000 Davos attendees, who cheered as Trump's face appeared on the big screen. The president, a businessman whose first elected office was the White House, listed the rapid-fire changes he had made since his swearing-in on Monday that have upended U.S. government policies on diversity, climate change and immigration. In a subsequent conversation with conference attendees including Bank of America CEO Brian Moynihan and Blackstone Group CEO Stephen Schwarzman, the U.S. president's remarks veered between compliments and criticism. At one point, Trump chided Moynihan and JPMorgan Chase for not providing banking services to conservatives, without offering evidence or specifics of any wrongdoing. The banks were quick to issue statements saying that was untrue. Moynihan ignored the accusation, instead complimenting Trump on the United States hosting the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Trump's address was an unusual moment, affording a handful of business executives an opportunity to publicly question the U.S. president on issues that affect their businesses, or in some cases their specific investments, projects and interests. Some of his harshest criticism was reserved for traditional U.S. allies Canada and the European Union, who he threatened again with new tariffs, while berating them for allowing trade surpluses with the United States. "One thing we're going to be demanding is we're going to be demanding respect from other nations. Canada. We have a tremendous deficit with Canada. We're not going to have that anymore," he said. President Donald Trump this week rescinded a nearly 60-year-old executive order that prohibited government contractors from discriminating in their hiring, firing, promotion or pay practices. Replacing it is a new requirement that those employers certify that they do not have what he termed illegal diversity, equity, and inclusion programs. He also ordered each federal agency to identify up to nine targets for federal investigations into their DEI practices to see if they should be judged illegal. That includes publicly-traded private corporations, large non-profit corporations or associations and major foundations. The order that Trump rescinded, originally signed by President Lyndon Johnson, applied to virtually every major business and many small companies that together employ about a quarter of workers in the United States. It had remained in force through both Democratic and Republican administrations, including Trumps own first term. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement And his action has sparked concern that even businesses that see a value in having a diverse work force and leadership will be nervous about reaching out to women, minorities and other protected classes, and that theyll drop those efforts rather than risk running afoul of the new administration. The actions make clear that Trump is seeking to do more than rid the federal government itself of controversial DEI programs. It seeks to put an end to many efforts by a wide range of employers that had been taking steps to have a more diverse work force. The little-known 60-year-old order allowed investigations into the contractors employment practices and often found instances of discrimination even the affected employees didnt know about. And the threat of those investigations, and the requirements under the rules, was a powerful driver of diversity efforts across the economy. Critics of the move are concerned that many employers will see Trumps action as a signal that no longer have to worry about facing penalties from discriminating in their employment practices. Those who have been more reticent and reluctant (to do outreach) will get the message that all bets are off, and you can do whatever you want, said Jocelyn Frye, president of National Partnership for Women & Families, a public interest group. Rescinded order did not allow quotas Trump portrayed the effort as insuring merit-based employment. He said his actions will insure hiring, promotions, and performance reviews will reward individual initiative, skills, performance, and hard work and not, under any circumstances, DEI-related factors, goals, policies, mandates, or requirements. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But the executive order that he rescinded, known as EO 11246, did not permit quotas, preferences, or set asides. They are strictly forbidden, according to the Department of Labors stated rules. It did require businesses that have government contracts to file annual data on their employment practices, and those reports could lead to a finding of discrimination that required employers to compensate workers who were found to have been discriminated against. President Donald Trump signs documents as he issues executive orders and pardons for January 6 defendants in the Oval Office at the White House on Inauguration Day in Washington, DC, on January 20. Since then one of the orders he signed rescinded a 1965 order banning employment discrimination by government contractors. - Carlos Barria/Reuters About one quarter of those who were found to have been discriminated against, and who received compensation, were white males, said Craig Leen, head of the Labor Department office that oversaw the order during most of Trumps first term. Leen said rescinding the order does not give a green light to contractors to start discriminating. He said they must still comply with Title VII of the 1964 Civil Rights act that prohibits discrimination. I think theyre going to continue to enforce the non-discrimination, said Leen, who is now a private sector attorney. He said Trumps move is due to conservative suspicion that companies are hiring based on race or gender-based demographics. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement There has been a concern on the Republican side for a long time, that sometimes (contractors) do have preferences and quotas, he said. But Leen defends employer efforts to have a more diverse work force. He said those who arent seeking out under-represented groups during the hiring process before making a hiring or promotion decision arent just hurting themselves, theyre hurting American economy overall. You cant have everyone hired by word-of-mouth and they all happen to be (white) men. That violates Title VII, whether 11246 is here or not, he said. So if you really want to do merit-based hiring, which is what (Trumps executive order) talks about means that you have to audit yourself every year. You need to make sure youre giving women the same opportunity to be promoted as men. Less enforcement without rescinded order But Title VII does not require companies to provide information on their employment practices. Without Executive Order 11246, it will be harder for people to confirm that theyre being discriminated against, and far fewer checks on employers who do practice discrimination, either consciously or unconsciously. Most people who dont get a job dont know anything about the decision making process. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement You have to know about it to file a complaint about it, said Frye of the National Partnership for Women & Families. Under the rescinded order 11246 the Labor Department could go on site and see if employers are living up to their obligation. This erodes their ability to do that. Even some employers who believe they benefit from a diverse workforce might back away from outreach and other programs for fear or being targeted under the new policies. They have to certify they do not have an illegal DEI program. That has not been defined within the four corners of the executive order, said David Fortney, an attorney who worked in the Labor Department under the George W. Bushs administration. Ive got clients starting to ask that question. The answer is we dont know for sure. Pardon the pun, I dont know if theres a black and white answer on that. My experience is most clients do firmly believe that having a diverse workforce in a broad sense does yield better results, he said. I think that potentially will have some level of chilling effects. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com Donald Trumps mass pardon of 1,500 January 6 participants, including the leaders of the Oath Keepers and the Proud Boys, has reinvigorated a weakened U.S. militia movement and empowered white supremacists, experts have warned. Dr. Heidi Beirich, the co-founder of the Global Project Against Hate and Extremism, said Trump brought back two organizations that have extremely long track records of violence and likened the current moment to the reemergence of the Ku Klux Klan in the 1920s. By letting violent white supremacists and militia types who engaged in this activity out of prison he has emboldened those movements, made them more powerful, and given them the sanction of the highest office, she told The Independent. The Proud Boys assemble to march the cold streets of D.C. to celebrate Trumps inauguration (Getty Images) And Trumps pardoning of those charged in the Capitol attack, including 169 people whod pled guilty to assaulting police, helps create a loyal group of armed followers eager to do his bidding over the next four years. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If Trump wanted to mobilize them, he could, Beirich said. They are now very much allied with Trump because he fulfilled his promise, and they think their vision of society is coming to be. After initially condemning the violence at the Capitol, Trump reversed course in the years that followed and now refers to it as a day of love. In announcing his pardons, he called the jailed rioters hostages. Oath Keepers founder Stewart Rhodes, a graduate of Yale, was sentenced to 18 years for directing his fellow militia members to stop the certification of the 2020 election. Proud Boys leader Henry Enrique Tarrio received a 22-year sentence for orchestrating the January 6 attack. Both far-Right leaders are now free. On social media and private Telegram channels, Proud Boys members are already plotting to support Trumps agenda with armed militia action, according to new research from the Global Project Against Hate and Extremism. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement One chapter in Portland expressed hope that they would be deputized as ICE under Trumps second term to help in Trumps mass deportation plan. In New York, one member claimed to have a network set up to send information about illegal immigrants to ICE, and in a Nevada group, Proud Boys shared an image encouraging followers to report illegal aliens to ICE along with a picture of a swastika rising like a sun over a landscape, captioned A new day is about to dawn in America its going to be glorious. We need to find and put them behind bars for what they did. They need to pay for what they did Enrique Tarrio The Global Project Against Hate and Extremism said the posts reveal dangerous plans: assisting in mass deportation efforts, targeting LGBTQ+ communities, and even issuing violent threats against political figures. The rhetoric underscores the growing alignment between extremist groups and government policies under Trumps administration, it added. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The joy felt by those released after facing lengthy sentences was palpable at a reunion outside of a Washington D.C. jail on Tuesday evening, where many of the pardoned rioters gathered. Rhodes was seen shaking hands with members of the Proud Boys, who described themselves as J6 vets. We worked together a lot in the streets, Rhodes said of the white supremacist Proud Boys in an interview outside the jail. Were yin and yang. The MAGA movement is stronger than ever. And Im fearless now. Im not afraid of going to jail, he added, while thanking President Trump. U.S. Representative Lauren Boebert (R-CO) speaks to the media as people gather outside of the DC Central Detention Facility, after Trump made a sweeping pardon of nearly everyone charged in the January 6, 2021 attack. (REUTERS) Amy Cooter, director of research at the Center on Terrorism, Extremism, and Counterterrorism, believes Rhodes stands to gain the most from Trumps commutation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He has the potential to sort of regain a legitimized leadership and potentially get along a big following behind him, she told The Independent. On Wednesday, he was spotted at Capitol Hill, telling reporters he was there to meet with House Republicans. I think that it very well could be the case that some of these folks will be invited to the White House and perhaps made, officially or unofficially, part of the administration, in a way that further legitimizes them, Cooter said. Theyre going to have a lot of loyalty to Trump, not only because thats what brought them to January 6 in the first place, but now hes effectively positioned himself as their Savior, she added. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement That is far cry from where the groups stood in the aftermath of January 6, with leadership jailed, activities limited and the organizations mainly at a standstill. The Oath Keepers were decimated by the January 6 prosecutions. Theyve essentially been doing nothing, Beirich said. Rioters at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, in Washington. (Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.) The Proud Boys had remained active locally, mostly by harassing pride events across the country, but the group had no central leadership, she added. Now with Tarrio released, along with other leaders Joe Biggs and Ethan Nordean, a new era has begun. I would expect them to be quite emboldened and start rebuilding their ranks and use Trumps sanctioning of January 6 as a way to recruit members, Beirich said. In other words, I think the Proud Boys are going to be back. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trumps first public acknowledgment of the Proud Boys came during a presidential debate with Joe Biden in 2020, when he told its members to stand back and stand by when asked to condemn extremist groups who backed him. When asked by a reporter on Tuesday if there is now a place for them in the political conversation, Trump replied: Well, we have to see. People hold placards as they gather outside the DC Central Detention Facility, commonly known as the DC Jail, in anticipation of a potential pardon by U.S. President Donald Trump for individuals convicted in connection with the January 6, 2021 attack on the United States Capitol, in Washington, DC, USA, 20 January 2025. (EPA) Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Meanwhile, both Rhodes and Tarrio have expressed a desire to go after the prosecutors and witnesses who played a role in securing their convictions. Im happy that the presidents focusing not on retribution and focusing on success, but I will tell you that Im not gonna play by those rules, Tarrio said during an interview with Alex Jones, hours after his release. The people who did this, they need to feel the heat. They need to be put behind bars, and they need to be prosecuted. Speaking outside the D.C. jail waiting for January 6 prisoners to be released, Rhodes said: I wanna see the prosecutors prosecuted [] all the cops that lied on the stand investigated, all the cops who used excessive force investigated. On Wednesday, audio of Rhodes claiming that protesters inside the Capitol did not commit any crimes was played to Michael Fanone, a former Capitol police officer who suffered a heart attack and brain injuries after being assaulted by rioters. This is what I would say to Stewart Rhodes: Go f*** yourself. Youre a liar, Fanone said live on CNN. WASHINGTON (AP) President Donald Trump has revoked government security protection for former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and his top aide, Brian Hook, who have faced threats from Iran since they took hard-line stances on the Islamic Republic during Trump's first administration. A congressional staffer and a person familiar with the matter, speaking on the condition of anonymity to discuss personal security details, confirmed the change, but neither could offer an explanation. They said that Pompeo and Hook were told of the loss of protection on Wednesday and that it took effect at 11 p.m. that night. It's another sign of steps Trump is taking just days into his return to the White House to target those he has perceived as adversaries. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A day earlier, Trump, a Republican, revoked the security clearance and Secret Service protection from John Bolton, who was fired as Trumps national security adviser during his first term. Bolton later wrote a book whose publication the White House unsuccessfully sought to block on grounds that it disclosed national security information. Bolton, who has been targeted for assassination by Iran, said in a statement that he was disappointed but not surprised by the decision. Trump also revoked security clearances for dozens of former intelligence officials who signed a 2020 letter saying the Hunter Biden laptop saga bore the hallmarks of a Russian information operation. Trump had soured on Pompeo some months ago, saying publicly that he would play no role in his new administration. In a social media post this week, he fired Hook from his presidentially appointed position on the board of the Wilson Center, a think tank. Asked about the decision to end Pompeo and Hooks security, Trump replied to reporters: Do you want to have a large detail of people guarding people for the rest of their lives? I mean, theres risks to everything. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement That language was similar to the explanation he gave when asked about Bolton's security detail. A representative for Pompeo did not immediately reply to a request for comment, and Hook has not responded to multiple voice and text messages from the AP since Bolton was stripped of his protection on Tuesday. The New York Times first reported on the loss of protections. The Biden administrations State Department had provided and then systematically renewed round-the-clock protection by the Diplomatic Security Service for Pompeo and Hook since Jan. 21, 2021, when they left office along with Trump. The last such authorization was on Oct. 21. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Pompeo and Hook were the public faces of the U.S. maximum pressure campaign against Iran after Trump withdrew from the Iran nuclear deal in 2018, which offered relief on sanctions in exchange for drastically limiting its nuclear program. And Iran has blamed both for the killing of Iran Revolutionary Guard commander Qassem Soleimani on Jan. 3, 2020. According to a March 2022 report to Congress, the State Department said it was paying more than $2 million per month to provide 24-hour security to Pompeo and Hook. But later determinations did not give a dollar amount. In those notifications, the State Department told lawmakers that threats against Pompeo and Hook remain serious and credible and continue to warrant government-provided security details. Biden administration officials briefed Trump officials earlier this month about the ongoing threat posed by Iran to Pompeo, Hook, Bolton and others and why the administration had extended the security details for them, according to a former senior Biden administration official familiar with the matter. The official, who requested anonymity to discuss the private briefing, said Trump administration officials are well aware of the active threats against the former government officials and called the move highly irresponsible. (Bloomberg) -- President Donald Trump revoked security details for former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and two other former top aides, reversing a Biden administration move to protect them from threats that stemmed from policies they enacted during Trumps first term. Most Read from Bloomberg Pompeo and Brian Hook, Trumps Iran envoy, were told Wednesday that their security details had been revoked, according to two people familiar with the matter who asked not to be identified discussing private deliberations. Former National Security Adviser John Bolton said on Tuesday that Trump had pulled his detail. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Notwithstanding my criticisms of President Bidens national-security policies, he nonetheless made the decision to extend that protection to me in 2021, Bolton wrote in a post on X. The American people can judge for themselves which President made the right call. A spokesperson for Pompeo declined to comment on Thursday. Hook also declined to comment. The New York Times reported earlier that the former aides security had been revoked. President Joe Biden gave security details to Pompeo, Hook and Bolton over credible threats against them over their roles in earlier Trump policies including the maximum pressure campaign against Tehran and the assassination of a top Iranian general. In 2023, the Biden administration imposed sanctions on Iranian officials it said were part of a plot to kill Bolton. At the time, the Associated Press reported that their security cost the government $2 million a month. Asked by a reporter about removing Boltons security clearance, Trump on Tuesday said, because I think there was enough time. Its we take a job, you take a job, you want to do a job, were not going to have security on people for the rest of their lives. Why should we? I thought he was I thought he was a very dumb person. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While Bolton had become a vocal critic of Trump, the decision against Pompeo and Hook was more surprising given that both had continued to support him. Hook advised the Trump transition team on potential nominees, while Pompeo was briefly in the running to be Trumps pick for defense secretary, and offered him congratulations when his election victory was made officials on Jan. 6. The American people are ready for your leadership to restore our strength and prosperity, Pompeo wrote on X. But some advisers close to Trump including former Fox News host Tucker Carlson had made little secret of their animosity for Pompeo in particular. Trump announced after his victory that Pompeo wouldnt get a role in the new administration. Earlier this week, Trump fired Hook from the board of trustees at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars. Trump said he was removing over a thousand presidential appointees from the previous administration who are not aligned with our vision to Make America Great Again. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump appointed Hook to the board December 2020. Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2025 Bloomberg L.P. Chief Executive (CE) Sam Hou Fai emphasized the significant role of Portuguese and English-language media in Macau, describing them as a crucial bridge for international communication and key to enhancing the citys global influence and appeal. Sam made these remarks during his speech at a Lunar New Year dinner with Portuguese and English media organizations yesterday. He expressed hope that the media would continue to leverage its language, culture, and international connections to showcase Macaus unique blend of Eastern and Western influences to the world. He also encouraged local Portuguese- and English-language outlets to grow and, in collaboration with the government, support Macaus internationalization and global presence. Sam urged the media to promote Macau experiences and Chinese wisdom globally, fostering stronger exchanges between Chinese and Western civilizations. Referring to President Xi Jinpings speeches during his recent visit to Macau, Sam said that they fully demonstrated his deep affection and profound care for Macau, providing strong encouragement and confidence for the citys future development. As he did in a similar meeting with Chinese-language media, Sam praised the Portuguese and English-language press in Macau for their professional integrity, commitment to social welfare, and active oversight of government affairs. He acknowledged their vital role in gauging public sentiment and expressed gratitude for their contributions. The CE emphasized that the government will continue to support the press in performing its duties, facilitating access to information, and ensuring press freedom as guaranteed by Macaus Basic Law and the Press Law. Victoria Chan Saudi Arabia will invest $600 billion in the United States in the coming years, President Donald Trump said on Thursday - before quickly adding that he wanted to see an even higher sum. "But I'll be asking the crown prince, who's a fantastic guy, to round it out to around 1 trillion. I think they'll do that because we've been very good to them," Trump said on Thursday in remarks via video link to the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. Shortly after his inauguration on Monday, Trump had a phone call with the Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who is considered the de facto ruler of the Gulf kingdom. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The White House said it was the first phone call Trump held with a foreign leader in his second term. Trump's newly confirmed secretary of state, Marco Rubio, also spoke with the crown prince right at the start of taking up the post. First foreign trip in return for billions in investments? Trump was asked on his first day in office which country could be the destination of his first overseas trip. The president noted that in his first term, he travelled to Saudi Arabia first because the country had announced investments of $450 billion at the time. When asked whether he would go there first again, he said it was possible - if they were willing to invest the same amount or higher. Trump also told Davos he would put pressure on Saudi Arabia to bring down global oil prices. Saudi Arabia will invest $600 billion in the United States in the coming years, President Donald Trump said on Thursday - before quickly adding that he wanted to see an even higher sum. "But I'll be asking the crown prince, who's a fantastic guy, to round it out to around 1 trillion. I think they'll do that because we've been very good to them," Trump said on Thursday in remarks via video link to the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. Trump had a phone call earlier this week with the Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who is considered the de facto ruler of the Gulf kingdom. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The White House said it was the first phone call Trump held with a foreign leader in his second term. Trump's newly confirmed secretary of state, Marco Rubio, also spoke with the crown prince right at the start of taking up the post. First foreign trip in return for billions in investments? Trump was asked on his first day in office which country could be the destination of his first overseas trip. The president noted that in his first term, he travelled to Saudi Arabia first because the country had announced investments of $450 billion at the time. When asked whether he would go there first again, he said it was possible - if they were willing to invest the same amount or higher. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump also told Davos he would put pressure on Saudi Arabia to bring down global oil prices. Saudi Arabia's state news agency reported earlier on Thursday that the crown prince had notified Trump of the kingdom's "intention to broaden its investments and trade with the United States over the next four years, in the amount of $600 billion, and potentially beyond that." The news agency added that Saudi Arabia expected Trump "to create unprecedented economic prosperity." A White House readout of the phone call that took place on Wednesday said Trump and the crown pince "discussed efforts to bring stability to the Middle East, bolster regional security and combat terrorism." A quarter-century after the U.S. handed control of the Panama Canal to Panama, President Donald Trump wants to take it back. Early this month, Trump suggested he would consider using military force to regain control of the canal from Panama, one of the U.S.'s closest allies in Latin America, describing it as vital for national security. But his gripe is more with U.S. rival China, which he says is operating a critical waterway that serves as a transit point for almost 5% of the world's maritime trade. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We didnt give it to China, Trump said Monday during his inaugural address. We gave it to Panama, and were taking it back. Panama strongly rebuked Trumps comments, with President Jose Raul Mulino saying the canal is and will continue to be Panamas. Mulino also rejected Trumps claim that China controls the canal. There is no presence of any nation in the world that interferes with our administration, he said Monday in a statement in Spanish. China said it agreed with the Panamanian president, saying the canal is not under the direct or indirect control of any power.China does not participate in the management or operation of the canal and has never interfered in matters related to it, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said at a regular briefing in Beijing on Wednesday. We have always respected Panamas sovereignty over the canal and recognized it as a permanently neutral international waterway. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The neutrality of the nearly 50-mile canal, through which nearly 15,000 ships transit each year, is enshrined in Panamas Constitution and is enforced by the autonomous Panama Canal Authority. Thats what has made the Panama Canal so successful, and why its still one of the main commercial arteries of the world because of this neutrality, said Beatriz Garcia Nice, a Latin America program associate at the Wilson Center, a nonpartisan research organization in Washington. The United States began building the canal in 1904, the year after Panama gained independence from Colombia with U.S. support. The project was completed in 1914 as part of efforts to cut the transit time for U.S. commercial and military ships that previously had to go all the way to the tip of South America just to get from one U.S. coast to the other. By the mid-20th century, control of the canal had become a source of tension between the U.S. and Panama, erupting into anti-American riots in 1964 that resulted in the deaths of four U.S. soldiers and more than 20 Panamanians. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On Dec. 31, 1999, the U.S. relinquished control of the canal to Panama under a treaty negotiated by President Jimmy Carter and ratified by the Senate in 1978 in what Trump has called a terrible mistake. The U.S. retained the permanent right to defend the canal against any threat to its neutrality. President Jimmy Carter and Panama's leader, Gen. Omar Torrijos, after they signed the Panama Canal Treaty in Washington in 1977. Several international companies that now manage ports along the canal, including the Seattle-based SSA Marine, which operates a cargo terminal on the Atlantic side, won their rights in bidding processes that were described as fair and nondiscriminatory by U.S. officials at the time. In 1997, Hutchison Ports, a private company based in the Chinese territory of Hong Kong that manages 53 ports around the world, won the rights to manage two ports Balboa on the Pacific side and Cristobal on the Atlantic side. The Trump administration argues that China could use those ports to turn the Panama Canal into a choke point against the U.S. If these companies control both ends of that canal in a time of conflict, and the Chinese tell them, Shut it down and dont let the U.S. go through there, weve got a big, big problem, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said last week during his Senate confirmation hearing, a big economic problem and a big national security and defense problem. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Though at opposite ends of the canal, the ports are not gateways to the waterway ships do not have to pass through them to enter the canal. Instead, the ports mostly serve as places to handle cargo. It would take an act of war, effectively, for the Chinese to shut it down, said Christopher Sabatini, a senior research fellow for Latin America at Chatham House, a London-based think tank. You cant ask a port company to shut down a canal. Shipping containers stacked at the Port of Balboa in Panama City in 2023. Trump also claimed that the U.S. has been overcharged for its ships to sail through the canal, saying that Panama was in violation of the treaty.American ships are being severely overcharged and not treated fairly in any way, shape or form. And that includes the United States Navy, he said in the inaugural address. Because the waterway, which is fed by a freshwater lake, is seeing its water levels decrease because of a warming climate, the Panama Canal Authority has limited the number of ships that can pass through daily and raised fees for all ships regardless of the country they belong to. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The fees have been raised across the board in a professional, transparent manner, nothing less, nothing more, Sabatini said. It is simply like any different toll that is managed professionally and independently. Sabatini and Nice say the growing accusations could hurt U.S. relations with Panama, where China has been making inroads. What this is doing is questioning even further if the United States is a reliable partner, especially in face of the Chinese influence that is already in the region, Nice said. As for Trumps threat to use military force to retake the canal, Sabatini said such a drastic action would require Senate approval. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its an international treaty, it was approved by the U.S. Senate, he said. This is not something that the executive can unilaterally decide to revoke. Still, the Panama Canal Authority has launched an audit of Hutchison Ports, which Nice said was an attempt to placate Washington. They are trying to not confront one of your biggest allies and are saying, If this is going to help and sort of bring down the temperature, then we will do it, she said. Hutchison Ports said it was fully cooperating with the audit and remained committed to excellence and ethics in each of our operations, Bloomberg News reported, citing a statement. The company did not respond to an NBC News request for comment. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump also vastly overstated the number of Americans killed during construction of the canal, saying 38,000 lives were lost. About 5,600 out of 56,000 workers are believed to have died from injury or disease during the U.S. phase of construction, according to the Panama Canal Authority, most of whom were from the Caribbean. For many Panamanians, the canals independence is a matter of pride. The Canal was not a concession from anyone. It was the result of generational struggles that culminated in 1999, President Mulino said. Since then until now, for 25 years, without interruption, we have managed and expanded it responsibly to serve the world and its commerce, including the United States. This article was originally published on NBCNews.com President Donald Trump sat down with Fox News for his first interview since returning to the Oval Office on Wednesday, discussing everything from TikTok to pardons including former President Joe Biden not giving himself one. The funny thing maybe the sad thing is he didnt give himself a pardon, he told Sean Hannity. He didnt give himself a pardon and he didnt give some other people a pardon that needed it. Trump further alleged that he heard [Adam] Schiff went to him and begged him for a pardon and accused the California Senator of being crooked. The President further accused Gov. Gavin Newsom of failing the state amid the Los Angeles wildfires, noting that it looks like a nuclear weapon went off in L.A. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Elsewhere in their conversation, Trump explained his rationale behind pardoning roughly 1,500 people involved in the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection, including those who were violent with law enforcement. They were in there for three-and-a-half years, a long time. Many in solitary confinement, treated like nobodys ever been treated, treated so badly. They were treated like the worst criminals in history, he said. And you know what they were there for? They were protesting the vote because they knew the election was rigged and they were protesting the vote. You should be allowed to protest a vote. Furthermore, Trump also hinted that his temporary blocking of the TikTok ban may not be necessary in the long run as people want to buy it. He also downplayed the Biden administrations concerns that China could be using the social media app as potential spy software. You can say that about everything made in China. Look, we have our telephones made in China, for the most part. We have so many things made in China, so why dont they mention that? Trump questioned. The interesting thing with TikTok, though, is youre dealing with a lot of young people. Is it that important for China to be spying on young people, on your kids watching crazy videos? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Watch the Hannity segment from Fox News in the video, above. The post Trump Says Its Funny Biden Didnt Pardon Himself in First Interview Since Returning to the White House | Video appeared first on TheWrap. One day after he spoke to Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, President Donald Trump pushed the kingdom Thursday to increase its U.S. investment, saying he would ask the Saudis to round out their promised $600 billion to around $1 trillion. I think theyll do that because weve been very good to them, Trump said in virtual remarks to business and foreign leaders at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. During Wednesday's call, Trump's first with a foreign leader since his inauguration Monday, the crown prince, the kingdom's de facto head, told Trump he would invest at least $600 billion in the United States over the next four years, according to a readout provided by the Saudi government. Trump, addressing the crowd at Davos on Thursday, also said he would push Saudi Arabia and OPEC to bring down the price of oil. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement You got to bring it down, which, frankly, Im surprised they didnt do before the election, he said. That didnt show a lot of love by them not doing it. I was a little surprised by that. Crude oil prices fell after Trump's remarks, while U.S. stocks jumped. In a rollicking address, Trump ticked through the sweep of actions he has taken to yank back much of Joe Bidens presidency and launch his own agenda, covering everything from Middle East peace to a new official policy charging that there are only two genders, male and female. Weve accomplished more in four days we have really been working four days than other administrations have accomplished in four years, Trump said. And were just getting started. Were looking to hear from federal government workers. If youre willing to talk with us, please email us at tips@nbcuni.com or contact us through one of these methods. And he didnt shy away from pressing his interlocutors directly. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement After a question from Bank of America CEO Brian Moynihan, Trump charged that financial institutions, including Bank of America, had refused banking services to conservatives. He also warned the business and foreign leaders before him that if you dont make your product in America, which is your prerogative, then, very simply, you will have to pay a tariff. Bank of America pushed back against Trump's claims in a statement, saying, We welcome conservatives and have no political litmus test. JPMorgan Chase said, We have never and would never close an account for political reasons, full stop. Trump has littered his return to Washington with promises to drive a multibillion-dollar surge of investments in the U.S. economy, shore up American industry and level new tariffs in trade negotiations. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He has threatened steep tariffs on other countries, including Canada and Mexico, which he said could start as early as Feb. 1, and also threatened the European Union. And he has moved to quickly expand domestic energy production, kick off an immigration crackdown and pull the United States from the Paris climate agreement and the World Health Organization. The virtual address and subsequent question session marked Trumps first major speech to foreign and business leaders since he assumed office. Trumps allies have long derided the global elites at Davos as working to undermine Trumps agenda, but he was given a warm welcome from the organizers and executives onstage, despite a rollout of policies in his first days in office that captured his nationalist tendencies. Later, Trump explained how he sees the U.S.-China relationship and said he wants Chinese President Xi Jinping to help him end the war in Ukraine, where, he said, too many millions of soldiers have died on a killing field. He said Kyiv is ready to make a deal and suggested Russian President Vladimir Putin remains a holdout. You are going to have to ask Russia, Trump said when he was asked whether a peace agreement could come together by this time next year. Trump said in September that if he were re-elected, he would end the nearly three-year-long war in Ukraine on Day One of his presidency or possibly before. But a peace deal seemed far off this week, and Trump threatened Wednesday to impose sanctions and tariffs on Russia and its allies if the war doesn't end soon. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "We can do it the easy way, or the hard way and the easy way is always better," he said on Truth Social. "Its time to 'MAKE A DEAL.'" Asked at Davos about a call he held with Xi last week, Trump clarified that it wasnt him reaching out. Xi called me, Trump said, nodding to how he views a key relationship that has been complicated by trade talks and the Covid pandemic, which originated in China. This article was originally published on NBCNews.com President Trump said Thursday he would like to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin soon to push for the end of the war in Ukraine. I really would like to meet with President Putin soon and get that war ended, he said in virtual remarks to the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. We really should get that stopped. Likewise in the Middle East, I think weve made a lot of process in the Middle East, and I think thats going to come along pretty well. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When asked by the panel at Davos if there would be a peace deal by this time next year, the president said, Youre going to have to ask Russia. Ukraine is ready to make a deal. He has called for a ceasefire in Ukraine for months, urging both sides to negotiate. Trump also said he doesnt think the war needs to end from an economic standpoint, but instead because of the ongoing casualties caused by Russias invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Both sides have sustained heavy losses. Trump on Wednesday threatened to impose tariffs and sanctions on Russia if there is no deal to stop the fighting in Ukraine soon. He warned that without a ceasefire in the region, he would have no other choice but to impose tariffs, taxes and sanctions on anything being sold by Russia to the United States, and various other participating countries. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The president told the panel that he hopes China can help end the war in Ukraine, saying the country has a great deal of power over that situation. He repeated claims shared throughout the 2024 campaign that he doesnt think the war would have started if he had been president. When I was out, bad things happened, bad things were said, Trump 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. By Trevor Hunnicutt WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump said on Thursday he was not sure the United States should be spending anything on NATO, telling reporters the U.S. was protecting NATO members, but they were "not protecting us." Trump repeated demands that other members of the transatlantic alliance spend 5% of their gross domestic product (GDP) on defense a huge increase from the current 2% goal and a level that no NATO country, including the United States, currently reaches. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "I'm not sure we should be spending anything, but we should certainly be helping them," Trump told reporters after signing an executive order in the Oval Office. "We're protecting them. They're not protecting us." "They should up their 2% to 5%," he said, repeating his remarks earlier to the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. Washington finances 15.8% of the 32-member military alliance's yearly expenditure of around $3.5 billion. That is the joint-largest share, alongside Germany's, according to a NATO breakdown for 2024. Indirect U.S. financial contributions to the alliance - which is made up of the U.S., Canada and more than two dozen European countries - include military forces but do not form part of the organization's annual budget. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The overall U.S. defense budget outstrips those of other NATO members and totaled $816.7 billion in 2023, more than half of the total expenditure of the alliance as a whole. Trump's new secretary of state, Marco Rubio, spoke to NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte on Wednesday and reinforced the U.S. commitment to the alliance, while the two also "discussed the importance of having capable defense Allies and real burden sharing," the State Department said on Thursday. Officials from NATO countries and analysts say NATO won't heed Trump's proposal for such a massive hike in defense spending but will likely agree to go beyond its current target. Analysts say a 5% figure would be politically and economically impossible for almost all members. However, a new target is likely to be agreed at a NATO summit in The Hague in June, spurred by fears that Russia may attack a NATO country after Ukraine and by Trump's exhortations, officials said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Some expect agreement on a target of around 3% of GDP. But even that would be a stretch for many, who barely meet or fall short of the 2% goal now, a decade after it was set. Eight NATO members do not meet the current target. (Reporting by Trevor Hunnicutt, additional reporting by David Brunnstrom, writing by Andrea Shalal and David Brunnstrom; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama and Rosalba O'Brien) President Donald Trump took to Truth Social on Wednesday to tell Russian President Vladimir Putin the war in Ukraine has to end or else hell levy taxes, tariffs, and sanctions. On Thursday, he spoke on the Russia-Ukraine war (among other topics) virtually at the World Economic Forum at Davos, saying oil prices played a factor in the conflict dragging on. President Donald Trump on Thursday appeared virtually at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, where the corporate elite gather once a year. His speech echoed his remarks on Inauguration Day and listed all the executive orders he has signed so far. However, he did touch on the war in Ukraine that will soon reach its three-year mark. Trump started talking about the war after mentioning Saudi Arabia, OPEC, and oil prices. If the price came down, the Russia-Ukraine war would end immediately, Trump said. Right now, the price is high enough that that war will continue. You got to bring down the oil price. You could end that war. Later, he said that theyre very responsible, actually, to a certain extent, for whats taking place, millions of lives are being lost. Trump said his administration is working to secure a peace deal between Ukraine and Russia, one that is hopefully underway. That is an absolute killing field, he said. Millions of soldiers are being killed. Nobodys seen anything like it since World War II. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Later when he was accepting questions, Trump said he wanted to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin to put an end to the war. He again referenced the mass deaths and carnage he had seen in photosdismissing the notion that his concern was purely economic in nature. But just one day earlier, his tone was different. Trump posted the following on Truth Social: Im going to do Russia, whose Economy is failing, and President Putin, a very big FAVOR. Settle now, and STOP this ridiculous War! ITS ONLY GOING TO GET WORSE. If we dont make a deal, and soon, I have no other choice but to put high levels of Taxes, Tariffs, and Sanctions on anything being sold by Russia to the United States, and various other participating countries. Lets get this war, which never would have started if I were President, over with! We can do it the easy way, or the hard way - and the easy way is always better. Its time to MAKE A DEAL. NO MORE LIVES SHOULD BE LOST!!! It isnt a surprise to hear Trump threaten Russia with tariffs; he signaled he would on the campaign trail, and has since his victory. Nevertheless, NATOs Secretary General Mark Rutte was satisfied with Trumps stance. I was very, very happy with the position of Trump to put more sanctions on Russia. We know that the Russian economy is doing terribly bad[ly], and the sanctions will help, he told CNBC at Davos before the presidents appearance. On Thursday, also before Trump took Davos, Reuters reported that Putin is increasingly concerned about Russias economy as the war drags on, citing five people familiar with the matter. This story was originally featured on Fortune.com The House of Representatives passed the Laken Riley Act 263-156, giving President Donald Trump his first major legislative powers to enact his immigration policies. All House Republicans and 46 Democrats in the House of Representatives voted for the legislation as Democrats continue to grapple with how to change their messaging on immigration after voters largely opposed it. The legislation is named for Laken Riley, a student at the University of Georgia who was killed last year by Jose Ibarra, who migrated to the United States illegally from Venezuela. The horrific murder of Laken Riley brought the issue of immigration to the forefront during the presidential election campaign (Facebook/Laken Riley) The legislation would require the Department of Homeland Security to detain undocumented immigrants who have been arrested for burglarly, theft, larceny or shoplifting before they are tried. The legislation would also allow for state attorneys general to bring legal action the US State Department to stop issuing visas from certain countries. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Obviously, President Trump has been diligently working to put a vision in front of the American people, and it's one that they overwhelmingly agree with, and securing the border has been at the center of that, Sen. Katie Britt of Alabama, the main sponsor of the legislation, told The Independent. Despite Britts rhetoric about the legislation focusing on the border, the legislation does not focus on giving additional security provisions at the southern border, but rather focuses on migrants already in the United States. The bill also does not provide additional money to the Department of Homeland Security to pay for detaining migrants. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York criticized the bill for avoiding due process under the U.S. Constitution. This is not just about being, tough on immigration, she told The Independent. This is about, what are we, a place of courts and where people can have their day in court? Are we just going to be able to deport people based by on finger pointing and an accusation, or are people going to have their day in court. Senator Katie Britt was the main sponsor of the legislation (AFP via Getty Images) The legislation received bipartisan support, with 12 Democratic Senators voting for the bill. Almost all the of Democratic senators hailed from swing states, including Georgias Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff, which Donald Trump won in the 2024 presidential election. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I am thrilled. And thats what the American people deserve, they deserve for us to check our partisanship at the door, and where we show our common goal, try to find a pathway forward, Britt said. Many Democrats have feared that the influx of migrants at the U.S.-Mexico border during the Biden administration became a political liability in the 2024 presidential election. Republicans rejected Democratic amendments to protect so-called Dreamers, or people brought to the United States as children by their parents. But civil rights groups argue that the legislation would assist Trumps promise to conduct mass deportations. Rep. Delia Ramirez of Illinois, whose husband was undocumented, said she feared Democrats were not offering a muscular defense. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement And I do worry that we're not actually establishing what the red lines are when it comes to immigrants, what are the things that are non-negotiable, Ramirez told The Independent. What are we unwilling to vote yes on, because the reality is that in this moment, it feels like immigrants are the most vulnerable, she said. On his first day in office, Trump announced a slew of executive orders related to immigration, including declaring a national emergency at the border, reinstating a Remain in Mexico policy that requires immigrants to stay in Mexico as immigration authorities process their asylum claims. Trump also signed an executive order to freeze asylum claims, despite asylum being guaranteed under U.S. and international law. Perhaps most tenuously, Trump signed an executive order attempting to end birthright citizenship, which is guaranteed in the 14th amendment of the US Constitution. President Trump on Thursday said he was unbothered by ally Elon Musk publicly criticizing an investment Trump touted for a new artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure project. Musk has in recent days clashed with one of the projects investors, Sam Altman, the CEO of OpenAI. No it doesnt. He hates one of the people in the deal, Trump told reporters in the Oval Office when asked if Musks criticism bothered him. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ive spoken to Elon. Ive spoken to all of them, actually. The people in the deal are very, very smart people, Trump continued. But Elon, one of the people in the deal he happens to hate, but I have certain hatreds of people too. Trump announced the Stargate AI project at a press conference Tuesday alongside Altman, Oracle founder Larry Ellison and SoftBank CEO Masayoshi Son. But Musk quickly clashed with Altman on social media and questioned the funding for the project. Musk, an adviser to Trump, on Wednesday claimed they dont actually have the money and later said, SoftBank has well under $10B secured. Altman initially responded with praise for Musk, who co-founded OpenAI with him in 2015 but left the company in 2018 over concerns about the future of the AI firm. But Altman was more direct later. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Wrong, as you surely know. want to come visit the first site already under way? this is great for the country, he posted on the social platform X, which Musk owns. i realize what is great for the country isnt always whats optimal for your companies, but in your new role i hope youll mostly put [the U.S.] first. Later Wednesday, Musk fired off or reposted at least 10 posts slamming OpenAIs plans to restructure into a for-profit business. The Stargate project will focus on building the infrastructure needed to support AI development and meet the high energy demands of the technology. Trump on Thursday signed an executive order aimed at bolstering American investments in artificial intelligence and to make the U.S. the world capital for the technology. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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 Donald Trump signed an executive order Thursday to release files related to the assassinations of John F. Kennedy, Robert F. Kennedy and Martin Luther King Jr. Thats a big one. Lot of people are waiting for this a long, for years, for decades, Trump said signing the executive order in the Oval Office. Give that to RFK Jr., he said, indiciating that the pen he used to sign the order should be given to his pick to lead the Department of Health and Human Services, who is the son of the former attorney general and nephew of the late president. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement All will be revealed, Trump added. Many of the files related to the JFK assassination have already been disclosed, including a tranche of 13,000 documents released during the Biden administration. Many of the documents have been redacted, however. Their families and the American people deserve transparency and truth. It is in the national interest to finally release all records related to these assassinations without delay, reads the order from the White House. The records will not be released immediately. Within 15 days of the date of this order, the Director of National Intelligence and the Attorney General shall, in coordination with the Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs and the Counsel to the President, present a plan to the President for the full and complete release of records relating to the assassination of President John F. Kennedy, the order reads. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The timeline is within 45 days for RFK and MLK files. In 2023, the National Archives concluded its review of the classified documents related to the 1963 assassination of JFK, with 99% of the records having been made publicly available, as CNN reported. President Joe Biden then released a memo certifying that the archivist had completed the review and affirmed the remaining documents authorized to be declassified had been released to the public meeting a previously set deadline. Despite previous pledges from presidents, including Trump, to release those records, the CIA, Pentagon and State Department still have documents theyve refused to release. The justification for those documents remaining classified largely stems from efforts to protect the identities of confidential sources who are still alive, or might be alive, and protecting methods. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When Trump was president, he agreed at the time not to release the full tranche of records related to Kennedys assassination at the request of national security agencies. But Trump on the 2024 campaign trail said he would release the remaining documents. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com US President Donald Trump on Wednesday signed an executive order to re-classify Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi rebels as a "foreign terrorist organization." "The Houthis have fired at U.S. Navy warships dozens of times, launched numerous attacks on civilian infrastructure in partner nations, and attacked commercial vessels transiting Bab al-Mandeb more than 100 times," Trump's Office of Communications said. Signing the order puts the process for reclassifying the militia in motion. Designation as a foreign terrorist organization is accompanied by tough sanctions. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Shortly before the end of Trump's first term as president in 2021, his then-secretary of state Mike Pompeo initiated the categorization of the Houthis as a terrorist organization. Pompeo's successor, Antony Blinken, cancelled this shortly afterwards in order to facilitate the delivery of humanitarian aid to Yemen. Since the start of the conflict in the Gaza Strip, the Houthi militia has repeatedly attacked Israel and international merchant ships in support of Palestinian militant organization Hamas. In response, Israel, the US and Britain have repeatedly attacked Houthi targets in Yemen. In its terror designations, the US differentiates between "Specially Designated Global Terrorists" and "Foreign Terrorist Organizations." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The distinction plays a role in the sanctions associated with the designation. With Trump's order, the militia will soon be back on both lists. A civil war has been raging in Yemen since 2014 and the majority of the population lives in areas controlled by the Houthis. WASHINGTON (Reuters) -U.S. President Donald Trump signed pardons for 23 anti-abortion protesters on Thursday, the White House said, including a set of people convicted of blockading a clinic entrance. The people had been tried for conspiring in 2020 to overrun a Washington reproductive health clinic and setting up a blockade to intimidate patients and staff. Officials said they discovered five fetuses in the home of one of the demonstrators, Lauren Handy, after her indictment. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "They should not have been prosecuted," said Trump, citing the age of some of those convicted. "This is a great honor to sign this. They'll be very happy." The pardons came a day before anti-abortion protesters were due to descend on Washington for the annual "March for Life." Abortion rights featured prominently in the 2024 presidential campaign after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned the landmark 1973 Roe v. Wade decision in 2022 and ended a nearly 50-year federal right to the procedure. (Reporting by Trevor Hunnicutt and Ryan Patrick Jones; Editing by Cynthia Osterman and Diane Craft) President Donald Trumps national security adviser on Wednesday sidelined about 160 National Security Council aides, sending them home while the administration reviews staffing and tries to align it with Trumps agenda. The career government employees, commonly referred to as detailees, were summoned Wednesday for an all-staff call and told they will be expected to be available to the council's senior directors but would not need to report to the White House. The council provides national security and foreign policy advice to the president. Brian McCormack, chief of staff to national security adviser Mike Waltz, delivered the news in a two-minute phone call, telling the detailees they are directed to be on call and report to the office only if contacted by the NSC leadership. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As anyone who has had the privilege of working here in the White House knows, its a tremendous honor to support the executive office of the president and the presidency itself, said McCormack, according to a recording of the call obtained by The Associated Press. We also know that every president is entitled to have a staff and the advisers that they need to implement the goals that the American people elected him to pursue. Trump, a Republican, is sidelining these nonpolitical experts on topics that range from counterterrorism to global climate policy at a time when the United States is dealing with a disparate set of complicated foreign policy matters, including conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East. Such structuring could make new policy experts brought in to the NSC less likely to speak up about policy differences and concerns. Waltz had signaled before Inauguration Day that he would look to return holdover civil servants who worked in the council during President Joe Biden's administration to their home agencies. That was meant to ensure the council is staffed by those who support Trump's goals. By the end of the review, Waltz will look to have a more efficient, flatter NSC, one official said. The officials declined to comment on the ultimate number of personnel nonpolitical detailees as well as political appointees whom Trump and Waltz would like to see as part of the council once the review is completed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Officials said they have already begun bringing detailees from agencies with expertise that the new administration values, including some who had served during the first Trump administration. Some directors have made decisions to inform detailees they will be sent back to their home agencies. For example, multiple holdover detailees assigned to the counterterrorism directorate were told on Tuesday that their assignments were being cut short, according to two people familiar with the move who were not authorized to comment publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity. At least some holdover detailees sent home Wednesday had their White House emails turned off soon after the call ended, but were told to remain reachable on their personal cellphones. It is unlikely they will be assigned any substantive work during the review. Waltz "promised and authorized a full review of NSC personnel, council spokesperson Brian Hughes said in a statement. It is entirely appropriate for Mr. Waltz to ensure NSC personnel are committed to implementing President Trumps America First agenda to protect our national security and wisely use the tax dollars of Americas working men and women. Since 12:01 pm on Monday personnel reviews and decisions based on the evaluations are being made. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The dozens of staff members affected by the decision are largely subject matter experts from the State Department, the FBI and the CIA on temporary duty that typically lasts one year to two years. Incoming senior Trump administration officials this month also had questioned some career civil servants about which 2024 candidate they voted for, their political contributions and whether they have made social media posts that could be considered incriminating by Trumps team, a person familiar with the matter told the AP. That person spoke on the condition of the anonymity to discuss the sensitive personnel matter. Waltz in a recent interview with Breitbart News said that he wanted the NSC to be staffed by personnel who are 100% aligned with the presidents agenda. The NSC was launched as an arm of the White House during the Truman administration. It was tasked with advising and assisting the president on national security and foreign policy and coordinating among various government agencies. It is common for experts detailed to the NSC to carry over from one administration to the next, even when the White House changes parties. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Bidens national security adviser, Jake Sullivan, made a case for the incoming Trump administration to hold over career government employees assigned to the NSC, at least through the early going. He called the career appointees patriots who have served without fear or favor for both Democratic and Republican administrations. Trump, during his first term, was scarred when two career military officers detailed to the NSC became whistleblowers, raising their concerns about Trumps 2019 call to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in which Trump sought an investigation of Biden and his son Hunter. That episode led to Trumps first impeachment. Alexander Vindman was listening to the call in his role as an NSC official when he became alarmed at what he heard. He approached his twin brother, Eugene, who at the time was serving as an ethics lawyer at the NSC. Both Vindmans reported their concerns to superiors. This story was originally featured on Fortune.com President Trump on Wednesday repeatedly suggested it was a mistake that former President Biden did not preemptively pardon himself before leaving office. Trump, in a sit-down interview with Fox News host Sean Hannity, also danced around questions on whether Biden should be investigated. But on multiple occasions, Trump signaled Biden should have taken advantage of the pardon power to protect himself. This guy went around giving everybody pardons, he said. And you know, the funny thing, maybe the sad thing, is he didnt give himself a pardon. And if you look at it, it all had to do with him. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump later said Biden got very bad advice. Joe Biden has very bad advisers. Somebody advised Joe Biden to give pardons to everybody but him, Trump said. Trump told Hannity he would defer to Congress as to whether lawmakers should investigate Biden and his decision to preemptively pardon family members and Trump critics like retired Gen. Mark Milley, former Rep. Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.) and members of the House panel that investigated the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol. In announcing those pardons, Biden said he was concerned those individuals would be subject to politically motivated investigations. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The president also suggested Biden and other critics should have to endure the same legal battles that he faced the last two years after he was indicted in New York, Georgia, Florida and Washington, D.C. I went through four years of hell by this scum that we had to deal with. I went through four years of hell, Trump said of his legal battles. I spent millions of dollars in legal fees, and I won. But I did it the hard way. Its really hard to say that they shouldnt have to go through it also. It is very hard to say it. Trump also revealed to Hannity that he was given the option on his way out of the White House in his first term to pardon himself, but declined. I was given the option. They said sir, would you like to pardon everybody, including yourself? I said, Im not going to pardon anybody. We didnt do anything wrong, Trump 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 The Hill. President Trump is turning up the heat on Russian President Vladimir Putin in his first days in power, seeking to pressure Russias leader to come to the negotiating table for a deal to end the war in Ukraine. A little more than 48 hours since returning to the White House, Trump said Putin is destroying his country with the nearly three-year war against Kyiv and threatened increased sanctions on Russia and its enablers if a deal is not quickly reached. He has qualified his threats with flattery, saying that he loves the Russian people and has always had a very good relationship with President Putin. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Im not looking to hurt Russia, Trump posted on his social media site Truth Social on Wednesday. Im going to do Russia, whose Economy is failing, and President Putin, a very big FAVOR. Settle now, and STOP this ridiculous War! ITS ONLY GOING TO GET WORSE. The posts are an opening salvo in Trumps efforts to show that his peace through strength policy can end Europes biggest land war in almost a century. The president has seen some early diplomatic successes in the Middle East. He dispatched his special envoy for the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, to pressure Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to accept a ceasefire and hostage release deal with Hamas in the last week of the Biden administration. But the president has said that resolving Russias war in Ukraine is a harder challenge compared to the Middle East. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Former President Bidens team did a lot of heavy lifting over a year of negotiations to the final ceasefire text between Israel and Hamas. When Trump stepped in, he deployed political capital built up during his first term with Israel and regional partners. But Russias war in Ukraine is a different beast. Russias full-scale invasion against Ukraine in February 2022 marked a shocking violation of the post-World War II order, with Moscow seeking to change the borders of a sovereign country by force. Ukraine succeeded in preserving its country repelling Russian forces surrounding Kyiv in those first few, fraught days but has failed to expel Russia from about 20 percent of Ukrainian territory in the east of the country. This is on top of territory Russia invaded and annexed in 2014, the administrative regions of Luhansk, Donetsk and the Crimean peninsula. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Three years into the war, Ukrainian forces are struggling to replenish their troops, and the population is suffering under almost daily attacks on civilian areas and energy infrastructure an attempt to freeze the country during the winter. And Russian forces are allegedly carrying out targeted drone attacks against civilians in front-line cities. Ukrainian public opinion is increasingly open to negotiating an end to the war as soon as possible. And Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has said hes optimistic Trumps decisiveness could shift the dynamics of the war. He can be decisive in this war. He is capable of stopping Putin or, to put it more fairly, help us stop Putin. He is able to do this, Zelensky said. Trump, in remarks from the Oval Office on Monday, said he viewed Zelensky as wanting to make a deal. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I dont know if Putin does, he might not, I dont know. He should make a deal, Trump said. But Russia and Ukraine are not the only players. International coalitions are entrenched on either side of the fray, with a number of countries straddling the line. If Trump wants to exercise leverage on Russia, hell need unity with Europe, said Sam Greene, director for democratic resilience at the Center for European Policy Analysis, a think tank based in Washington, D.C. That could prove difficult if he fulfills his promise to impose hefty tariffs on the continent. I think the reality is that Trump does not have the U.S. in general does not have tremendous leverage over either of the parties in this conflict, Greene said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its not beyond the realm of possibility where Trump, Waltz and Rubio and whoever is going to be important when it comes to foreign policy sit down and map out all of the overlapping and interlocking interests and start to prioritize, he added, referring to national security adviser Mike Waltz and Secretary of State Marco Rubio. Were not there yet. Until we get there, I think its foolish that the Russians are going to feel like theyre under much pressure from Washington. Zelensky chastised Europe during a speech at the World Economic Forum on Tuesday as failing to harness its power. Will President Trump listen to Europe or will he negotiate with Russia and China without Europe? he asked in a blunt warning. Europe needs to learn how to fully take care of itself so that the world cant afford to ignore it. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Putin may be bruised by the war, but he is not beaten down. The Russian leader has used domestic military production to buoy the economy and relied on a network of countries to circumvent international sanctions from global powers like China and India to international pariahs like Iran and North Korea. Chinese President Xi Jinping is Putins most important ally in the war, with the two declaring a no limit partnership in February 2022, shortly before Moscows invasion of Ukraine, and a new era to their partnership in May. Both Putin and Xi view the U.S. and democracies as a threat to the survival of their authoritarian regimes. In a call between Putin and Xi on Monday, the two discussed deepening bilateral ties, while Putin said he was ready for dialogue with the U.S. related to Ukraine. Greene said Putin can likely sell a deal to Russias public but would still find it hard to agree to halt the war. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Putin can find a way to raise the mission accomplished banner even if he doesnt control all of Ukraine or all of the territory that the Russian government has claimed. But what Russia will struggle to do is to pivot away from conflict and confrontation with the West, Greene 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. President Trump has selected conservative activist and media executive L. Brent Bozell III to serve as the next CEO of the United States Agency for Global Media (USAGM). Bozell is the Founder and President of right-wing media watchdog The Media Research Center and has been a vocal supporter of Trumps in recent years. USAGM oversees government-funded media including Voice of America, Radio Free Asia and Radio Free Europe. Few understand the Global Media landscape in print, television, and online better than Brent, Trump wrote in a Truth Social post late Wednesday. He and his family have fought for the American principles of Liberty, Freedom, Equality, and Justice for generations, and he will ensure that message is heard by Freedom-loving people around the World. Brent will bring some much needed change to the U.S. Agency for Global Media. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The USAGM CEO is a Senate-confirmed position that works in conjunction with a bipartisan group called the International Broadcasting Advisory Board to oversee major U.S. taxpayer-funded broadcasters, which mostly cater to audiences in countries with restrictive media environments. There is lots of work to be done, Bozell wrote in a social media post on Wednesday thanking Trump. I look forward to meeting with Senators ahead of my confirmation hearing to explore how best to ensure the priorities of the President are met. Trump named former GOP Senate candidate and conservative firebrand Kari Lake to lead Voice of America last month, a move that has sparked concerns about the outlets independence during the presidents second term. Last summer, Bozells son was sentenced to nearly four years in prison for what prosecutors said was his relentless assault on the U.S. Capitol, where he smashed a window, chased a police officer and invaded the Senate floor. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Leo Brent Bozell IV, 44, was among the hundreds of Jan. 6 rioters pardoned by Trump earlier this week. The Associated Press 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. (Bloomberg) -- The Trump administration is considering hedge fund veteran and China hawk Kyle Bass for a post at either the Treasury or Defense Department, according to people familiar with the matter. Most Read from Bloomberg Bass has been in talks with President Donald Trumps team since December about joining the administration, and multiple White House officials are impressed with his background and views, the people said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Bass has ties with the incoming administration, having known Scott Bessent who is awaiting confirmation to become Treasury secretary for many years, he said on Bloomberg TV in November. Bass also appeared on air to publicly support Bessents candidacy to run the Treasury when a fight over the job spilled into public view. While Bass has the kind of background, as a long-time investor with markets expertise, thats often desired for roles in the Treasurys domestic finance unit, hed more likely be placed in the international affairs office if he heads to that department rather than Defense, people familiar with the matter said. The Trump team has yet to announce an undersecretary to oversee the Treasurys international unit, which is in charge of currency policy and international finance, along with being the home of Committee on Foreign Investment in the US. Known as CFIUS, the multi-agency panel reviews foreign investments for national security risk. A White House spokesperson didnt reply to a request for comment. Bass declined to comment. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Fools Errand Since Trumps November presidential victory, Bass has been a vocal proponent of Trumps choice of officials with strong anti-China views, like Secretary of State Marco Rubio and National Security Adviser Mike Waltz. A Dallas-based investor, Bass started Hayman Capital in 2005 with $33 million and made his name by betting against subprime mortgages before the US housing collapse over a decade ago. He has a history of holding a bearish view on Chinas markets and economy, and says China poses an enormous threat to American security. Xi Jinping has been telling you what hes going to do since 2017 in every public speech, every public appearance hes made, Bass said on Bloomberg TV after Trumps election. Investing in China is a fools errand and a horrible idea going forward. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement --With assistance from Skylar Woodhouse. Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2025 Bloomberg L.P. Donald Trump unleashed a tirade against former aide John Bolton on Wednesday as he increasingly signals that he will back away from Washingtons center-right foreign policy establishment. The president was asked about his day-one decision to strip a federal protective detail from Bolton, who served as his national security adviser early on in his first term in the White House. Bolton, long one of the most outspoken supporters of direct military action to combat Iran and its proxies in the Middle East, was allegedly targeted for assassination by the Iranian regime in 2022 in retaliation for the Trump administrations killing of Qassem Soleimani, a top commander in the Iranian Revolutionary Guard (IRGC). Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump went on an extended rant about Bolton, whom he claimed blew up the Middle East with his support of the invasions of Iraq and Afghanistan during the second Bush administration. I thought he was a very dumb person, but I used him well because every time people saw me come into a meeting with John Bolton standing behind me, they thought that he'd attack them because he was a warmonger, the president told a reporter who asked about the decision to strip Boltons security detail. He's the one that got us involved ... convinced Bush, which was a terrible decision, to blow up the Middle East. We blew up the Middle East, and we left. Trump added: We got nothing out of it except a lot of death. We killed a lot of people, and John Bolton was one of those guys, a stupid guy." As for Boltons protection, Trump said: I think there was enough time. We take a job, you take a job, you want to do a job, were not going to have security on people for the rest of their lives. Why should we? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Bolton has been a harsh critic of the president in recent years, complaining just months ago that in Trumps mind, the truth is whatever he wants it to be. A spokeswoman for the former ambassador declined to comment on Wednesday when contacted by The Independent. Bolton served as UN ambassador for the U.S. between 2005-2006. Bolton a day earlier released a statement prior to the presidents remarks Wednesday stating that he was disappointed in Trumps decision to terminate his security detail. I am disappointed but not surprised that President Trump has decided to terminate the protection previously provided by the United States Secret Service. Notwithstanding my criticisms of President Biden's national-security policies, he nonetheless made the decision to extend that protection to me in 2021, wrote Bolton on X. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Justice Department filed criminal charges against an Iranian Revolutionary Guard official in 2022 for attempting to hire a hit man to target me. That threat remains today, as also demonstrated by the recent arrest of someone trying to arrange for President Trump's own assassination, he noted. Bolton added: The American people can judge for themselves which President made the right call. This is the second move in as many days that could be taken as direct rebukes of the hawkish wing of Republican Party foreign policy thinkers long one of Trumps favorite punching bags, but one he nevertheless continues to flirt with (even making one, Marco Rubio, his secretary of State). On Monday, Trump singled out four people whom he identified in a Truth Social post as presidential appointees for a verbal flogging and firing. Three were clear political enemies of his: celebrity chef and liberal darling Jose Andres, former Atlanta mayor (and Democrat) Keisha Lance Bottoms, and Mark Milley, the former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff who accused his commander-in-chief of being facist to the core in a book authored by Bob Woodward. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The fourth was Brian Hook, appointed to the Wilson Center for Scholars, a U.S. government-funded think tank by former President Joe Biden. What Trump failed to acknowledge in his Truth Social post was that Hook was no Biden loyalist, and was actually part of the nebulous Trump transition team, helping the effort staff up its diplomatic corps at the State Department. Hook is no stranger to a Trump State Department, either. He was the current president special envoy to Iran, a key player in the so-called maximum pressure campaign pursued by the first Trump administration to prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons while stifling its economy and challenging its efforts to support militant groups across the entire region. Donald Trump stripped his former advisers security detail away with one of his first acts as president (AP) It was that maximum pressure campaign which may have been his downfall. The American Conservative reported that while Trump made no mention of his connection to Hook in his note publicly axing the former top diplomat, there had indeed been a reason for it: the presidents team was reportedly unhappy with Hooks assertion during an interview that maximum pressure would be the new Trump administrations posture, even as Irans government is making diplomatic overtures to Washington, D.C. and the West. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its safe to assume that such a posture is at least still on the table, however. One Trump transition team source told the Financial Times as much in November: "He's determined to reinstitute a maximum pressure strategy to bankrupt Iran as soon as possible. Given the makeup of Congress, Trump will have no shortage of allies if he goes that route. Senators and members of the House from both parties are supportive of tightening sanctions enforcement against Iran. But even Hook, before his departure, acknowledged that Trump was not considering regime change, either directly or otherwise. In that fateful CNN interview in November, he said he had no reason to doubt that Trump would reinstate the maximum pressure campaign, but added: President Trump has no interest in regime change. The future of Iran will be determined by the Iranian people. The Land and Urban Construction Bureau (DSSCU) initiated 838 cases of illegal construction in 2024, marking an 85% increase in enforcement actions compared to previous years. The crackdown led to 238 demolitions, and 39 cases were fined, totaling approximately MOP1.5 million. Since the implementation of Law No. 14/2021, also known as the Urban Construction Law, the government has stepped up its efforts to combat illegal construction. The revised legislation increased fines for offenders and introduced new penalties for those who fail to comply with demolition orders. Additionally, the law now includes sanctions such as interrupting water and power supplies for violators. In 2024, the DSSCU issued 39 fines for illegal construction. Eight cases remained unpaid after the deadline, prompting the administration to initiate enforcement proceedings. To encourage compliance, the DSSCU has introduced measures that offer fine reductions and exemptions for voluntary demolition of illegal structures. If an offender voluntarily demolishes an illegal structure during the hearing period and submits a request to the DSSCU, they may be fully exempt from fines. Alternatively, if they request voluntary demolition following a final decision and demolition order, their fine will be halved. However, these benefits apply only once, and repeat offenders within five years will face a 25% penalty increase. The DSSCU reiterated its commitment to combating illegal construction and ensuring the safety of buildings and the living environment. It urged citizens to refrain from engaging in illegal construction activities and to cooperate with the administration in addressing detected violations. Victoria Chan US President Donald Trump threatened business leaders with tariffs and grumbled about high oil prices in his first major speech to a global audience since returning to the the White House. "America is back and open for business," Trump told the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, speaking via live video link from Washington. He began the address with familiar boasts about his election win, before blasting his predecessor Joe Biden's "ruinous" economic policies and promising a massive deregulation drive. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump said there will be "no better place" to do business than in the United States. "My message to every business in the world is very simple: come make your product in America, and we will give you among the lowest taxes of any nation on Earth," he said. He then warned: "But if you don't make your product in America, which is your prerogative, then, very simply, you will have to pay a tariff, differing amounts, but a tariff." Trump said he would promote the fossil fuel industry and roll back climate rules put in place by the Biden administration. He said he would put pressure on the Saudi-led OPEC oil cartel to bring down prices. "I'm also going to ask Saudi Arabia and OPEC to bring down the cost of oil. You got to bring it down, which frankly, I'm surprised they didn't do before the election," he said. President Donald Trump told Fox Newss Sean Hannity its sad that former president Joe Biden didnt pardon himself at the end of his administration. Trump made the remark to Hannity as he was asked about his predecessors decision to pardon members of his own family and others he said he would be targeted by Republicans, in Trumps first interview from the White House Wednesday. The interview was being aired in full Wednesday at 9 p.m. Eastern time. Biden issued several pardons in the final hours of his presidency Monday after Trump declared he would seek retribution against his perceived enemies by using his powers as president while on the campaign trail. Stewart Rhodes was among the January 6 criminals who had his sentence commuted by Trump (REUTERS) This guy is running around giving everyone pardons, Trump told Hannity. The funny thing, maybe the sad thing, is he didnt give himself a pardon. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement And if you look at it, it all had to do with him, Trump added. The 46th president granted unconditional pardons to multiple members of his family, including his brother James Biden and sister-in-law Sara Biden, his brother Frank Biden, his sister Valerie Biden Owens, and her husband John Owens. Biden said his family has been subjected to unrelenting attacks and threats, motivated solely by a desire to hurt methe worst kind of partisan politics. He added he had no reason to believe these attacks will end. He also issued pre-emptive pardons for Dr. Anthony Fauci, General Mark Milley and lawmakers who served on the House committee that investigated the January 6, 2021 Capitol riots in anticipation of their political persecution by Trump. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump slammed Biden for the pardons, claiming he didnt do the same because we didnt do anything wrong. I was given the option, Trump said of pre-emptive pardons. They said, Sir, would you like to pardon everybody, including yourself? I said, Im not going to pardon anybody. We didnt do anything wrong, he added. And we had people that suffered, theyre incredible patriots. We had people that suffered. You had [Steve] Bannon put in jail. You had Peter Navarro put in jail. You had people that suffered and and far worse than that, theyve lost their fortunes. Theyve lost their nest egg, paying it to lawyers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump has, however, pardoned members of his extended family before. In 2020 he issued a pardon to Charles Kushner, father of Trumps son-in-law, Jared Kushner. The older Kushner committed what sometime Trump ally Chris Christie called one of the most loathsome, disgusting crimes he had ever prosecuted, hiring a prostitute to lure his own brother to an assignation which would then be filmed and sent to his wife. Trump pardoned Charles Kushner, his son-in-law Jareds father, in 2020 (AP) He was convicted of illegal campaign contributions, tax evasion, and witness tampering and sentenced to two years in prison. Trump has now nominated Charles Kushner to be US ambassador to France. Meanwhile, Trump on his first day back in office issued pardons for some 1,500 people convicted of crimes related to the January 6, 2021 Capitol riots in the first hours of his presidency. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hannity recorded the interview in the Oval Office on Wednesday. He told reporters the discussion went amazing. "He is focused and hes happy and he has a big agenda, Hannity said of Trump. Hes dialed in. US President Donald Trump has threatened to withhold federal aid for California, as fires continue to burn across large areas of the western US state. In his first interview since taking office, aired on Wednesday, Trump told the Fox News broadcaster: "I don't think we should give California anything until they let water flow down." After wildfires swept across Los Angeles in early January, killing at least 28 people so far and destroying more than 15,000 buildings, according to estimates, reports circulated of dry hydrants hampering fire-fighting efforts. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In the interview, Trump, a Republican, praised California's firefighters, but railed against the state's Democratic governor, Gavin Newsom. US media reported that Trump falsely claimed that Newsom had refused to allow water from northern California to flow into the Los Angeles area in an attempt to protect fish stocks. However, the intensity of the fires was not caused by a lack of water from northern California, the Washington Post newspaper reported. It added, citing experts, that Los Angeles does not receive its water from the northern part of the state. The president's criticism of California's water management is not new. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump is expected in California on Friday, where he plans to visit areas affected by the fires, US media reported. It was initially unclear whether the president would meet Newsom during his visit. In the event of natural disasters in the United States, conditions are not typically attached to federal aid, the Washington Post emphasized. Former president Joe Biden approved such aid after hurricanes during his term, primarily for Republican-led states. While the largest fires in the area are now mostly under control, a new fire broke out north of Los Angeles on Wednesday. President Donald Trump is expected to visit western North Carolina Friday four days after he was sworn into office. Stein signs 5 Helene recovery executive orders in first action as governor Channel 9s Dave Faherty was in Black Mountain and Swannanoa Thursday talking with people still recovering from the Helene During Trumps inaugural address, Trump spoke about North Carolina after Helene devastated several towns across the western part of the state and killed more than 100 people. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Faherty saw some of the damage along the Swannanoa River where homes were gone and folks were living in campers. He also visited a comfort station set up by the county so people could shower and have a place to wash their clothes. President Donald Trump is expected to visit western North Carolina Friday four days after he was sworn into office. Supporters and people who do not support the president told Faherty the same thing, which was that they were glad Trump will be in western North Carolina. Destiny Clark showed Fahety the bruising on her hand months after she said her home was swept away by flooding and she was pinned by a tree. She wants Trump to know this: We still need a lot of help here in Swannanoa. Were far from being OK. Theres a lot of people that didnt get the help that they deserved. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Michelle Clark lives in a camper now with her two dogs after high waters destroyed her home. She is thankful to the strangers who donated it and knows what she would tell the president. President Donald Trump is expected to visit western North Carolina Friday four days after he was sworn into office. He needs to help others that are less fortunate than I am, Clark said. There are people out there who still dont have a place to be, and I do feel sorry for those and theyre in my prayers. Larry Burnette is the first to admit he is not a fan of Trump. Hes using the comfort station set up by the county. Just help the people in the area, he said. Theres still a lot of people hurting needing assistance. Trump spoke about western North Carolina during his inauguration. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Veteran Sarge Stewart is looking forward to his visit. President Donald Trump is expected to visit western North Carolina Friday four days after he was sworn into office. Stewart is back in his home after volunteers rebuilt it. His Trump banner hangs out front. Fly around, ride around, and look at the place, Stewart said. I feel bad for a lot of the people. President Donald Trump is expected to visit western North Carolina Friday four days after he was sworn into office. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Buncombe County officials said people should expect possible traffic issues between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. Trump visited the Asheville area twice during the 2024 presidential campaign, including a visit to Swannanoa in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene. The president is also expected to head to California after visiting North Carolina. The White House has not yet released any details about Trumps visit. VIDEO: US Forest Service reopens trails in western North Carolina President Donald Trump plans to visit Western North Carolina on Friday in one of the first trips of his second term. The western part of the state is still grappling with the devastation of Helene, which left 104 people in North Carolina dead and was a point of criticism against Democrats for Trump as he campaigned for reelection. Gov. Josh Stein, a Democrat, confirmed Trump planned to visit the state during an unrelated news conference Tuesday afternoon about snowstorm preparations. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I think that is very good news for the people of Western North Carolina that this issue is front of mind for the new administration, Stein said. Stein added he had just learned about the trip and did not yet know his plans for Friday, but hoped to be able to meet with Trump. Trump addressed the devastation in Western North Carolina during his inaugural address in the Capitol Rotunda just after noon Monday. Our country can no longer deliver basic services in times of emergency, as recently shown by the wonderful people of North Carolina who have been treated so badly and other states who are still suffering from a hurricane that took place many months ago, Trump said, before pivoting to the fires in California. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Congress recessed early, in late September, as reports that Hurricane Helene would make landfall in the southeastern United States jeopardized its members ability to get home for their October recess, where they planned to spend the next month campaigning for reelection. That left their constituents fending for themselves as the hurricane tore up the East Coast causing widespread flooding and washed entire communities off the map. President Joe Biden, a Democrat, and Sens. Thom Tillis and Ted Budd, Republicans from North Carolina, called for Congress to return early to deal with the storms ramifications. But House Speaker Mike Johnson declined their requests. Instead, North Carolina had to wait for an 11th-hour funding vote in December, which was almost compromised by Republican infighting. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement State lawmakers first passed two bills in the weeks after the storm that allocated more than $877 million for disaster relief. Their third effort, in November, barely dealt with the devastation in Western North Carolina. Instead, that bill stripped from Stein who took office in January, the ability to make appointments to the Board of Elections and Utilities Commission and limited his ability to replace the commander of the N.C. Highway Patrol. Then-Gov. Roy Cooper vetoed the bill, but Republicans in the state House and Senate were able to overturn it. Its not clear what Trump intends to do in Western North Carolina, or exactly where he plans to visit. It will be the second visit Trump has made since Helene. Visitors to Talkeetna take in a view of Denali. (Photo by Yereth Rosen/Alaska Beacon) President Donald Trump announced the name of Alaskas highest peak and North Americas tallest at over 20,000 feet Denali, would be changed back to Mount McKinley. Trump was sworn in as the 47th president on Monday, and made the announcement in his inaugural address, also promising to change the name of the Gulf of Mexico. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A short time from now, we are going to be changing the name of the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America, Trump said. And we will restore the name of a great president, William McKinley, to Mount McKinley, where it should be and where it belongs. William McKinley was the 25th president, serving from 1897 until his assassination in 1901. Trump has praised his tariff policies, known as the McKinley tariffs, which raised taxes on some imported goods. President McKinley made our country very rich through tariffs and through talent he was a natural businessman and gave Teddy Roosevelt the money for many of the great things he did, including the Panama Canal, which has foolishly been given to the country of Panama, he said. Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski has opposed the name change. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I strongly disagree with the Presidents decision on Denali, Murkowski said in a statement on Monday. Our nations tallest mountain, which has been called Denali for thousands of years, must continue to be known by the rightful name bestowed by Alaska Koyukon Athabascans, who have stewarded the land since time immemorial. Alaska Sen. Dan Sullivan has also publicly opposed the change, but did not immediately respond to requests for comment on Monday. In December, Sen. Sullivan repeated his support for the name Denali, via spokesperson Amanda Coyne, who said: Senator Sullivan, like many Alaskans prefers the name that the very tough, very strong, very patriotic Athabascan people gave the mountain thousands of years ago Denali. In the language of Interior Alaskas Koyukon people, Denali means the High One. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The naming of the mountain prompted debate and national controversy for decades. The name change effort from Mount McKinley to Denali began in 1975, when the Alaska Legislature asked the federal government to change the name. It was formally recognized by the Obama administration in 2015. It was seen as a victory in a larger movement to restore traditional indigenous place names, and acknowledge the history and heritage of Alaska Native peoples. McKinley never visited Alaska, nor had any significant historical ties to the mountain or the state, according to the resolution renaming it. A local prospector named the mountain after the then-presidential nominee McKinley in 1896. Reverting the name back to Mount McKinley is expected by executive order by Trump, directing the change to the secretary of the Interior. Doug Burgum, the Republican governor of North Dakota, is expected to be confirmed to that role. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its unclear whether the 6-million acre Denali National Park and Preserve will also be renamed. It was renamed in 1980, 35 years before the mountains name change. Requests for comment to the Alaska Federation of Natives and the Tanana Chiefs Conference were not immediately returned on Monday. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Alaska Beacon, 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. Alaska Beacon maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Andrew Kitchenman for questions: info@alaskabeacon.com. President Trump while addressing the World Economic Forum in Davos on Thursday said that he wants to hold talks with Russia and China about reducing nuclear weapon stockpiles. Trump during his first term failed to bring China into negotiations to extend a nuclear arms treaty with Russia, called New START, which places key limits on deployed nuclear weapons and expires February 2026. U.S. and Russian participation in the treaty effectively froze during the Biden administration, as Russian President Vladimir Putin sought to impose costs on Washington for supporting Ukraine militarily. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Putin has also threatened the use of nuclear weapons against Ukraine to try to deter U.S. and European military support for Kyiv. Addressing the global forum, Trump recounted talks with Putin ahead of the 2020 U.S. election about denuclearization talks and how China would have come along. We want to see if we can denuclearize, and I think thats very possible, Trump said. And I can tell you that President Putin wanted to do it, he and I wanted to do it. We had a good conversation with China, they would have been involved, and that would have been an unbelievable thing for the planet. Trump spoke with Chinese President Xi Jinping in a phone call on Jan. 17, before he was sworn into office, but its not clear if the two men discussed nuclear arms reduction. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement China is estimated to have about 500 nuclear warheads, according to an analysis by the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists and Federation of American Scientists. But the Pentagon estimates China is working to expand its arsenal to 1,000 warheads by 2030. The U.S. has slightly more nuclear warheads than Russia: 1,770 deployed nuclear warheads compared with Moscows 1,710. China and Russia have only strengthened their ties since Putin launched his war on Ukraine three years ago. Beijing is a major financial backer of Russias war, and the two leaders have met on various occasions, promising a new era of relations. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Xi and Putin held a video call on Tuesday and discussed ways to deepen strategic coordination, firmly support each other, and defend their legitimate interests. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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 one of the first acts of his second term, President Trump is seeking to put his stamp on California water policy by directing the federal government to put people over fish and send more water from Northern California to the Central Valleys farms and Southern California cities. Trump issued a memorandum Monday ordering federal agencies to restart work to route more water from the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta to other parts of the state for use by the people there who desperately need a reliable water supply. Trump directed his Interior and Commerce secretaries to report back on their efforts to implement the new policy by April 20. His order left unclear precisely how his administration will seek to carry out that objective. President Trump speaks in the Roosevelt Room of the White House on Tuesday. (Julia Demaree Nikhinson / Associated Press) Karla Nemeth, director of the California Department of Water Resources, said the approach outlined by the president could do substantial harm by putting water supplies at risk as well as protections for vulnerable fish species. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Nemeth said Trumps order, on its own, does not change anything and that the current rules for operating Californias water delivery systems in the Central Valley which were supported by the state and adopted by the Biden administration in December remain in effect. Presumably, the president is directing the agencies to again start the lengthy process of revising the framework that governs how the two main water delivery systems, the State Water Project and the federal Central Valley Project, are operated. The process just completed in December 2024 took over three years, using the best available science to ensure the projects are operating in concert to balance the needs of tens of millions of Californians, businesses and agriculture while protecting the environment, Nemeth said. To abandon these new frameworks would harm California water users and the protection of native fish species. Read more: Durable solution or flawed fix? New California water delivery plan stirs debate Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump similarly tried to alter California water regulations and policies during his first term. But when his administration adopted water rules that weakened environmental protections in the Delta, the state and conservation groups successfully challenged the changes in court. That cleared the way for the Biden administration, working together with Gov. Gavin Newsom's administration, to develop the current plan and the supporting biological opinions, which determine how much water can be pumped and how river flows are managed in the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta. The rules govern the operations of dams, aqueducts and pumping plants in the Central Valley Project and the State Water Project, two of the worlds largest water systems, which deliver supplies to millions of acres of farmland and about 30 million people. Pumping to supply farms and cities has contributed to the ecological degradation of the Delta, where the fish species that are listed as threatened or endangered include steelhead trout, two types of Chinook salmon, longfin smelt, Delta smelt and green sturgeon. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump said in his memorandum that his administrations plan in his first term would have delivered enormous amounts of water but that because the state lawsuit led to a catastrophic halt, the additional water flows wastefully into the Pacific Ocean. Trump has repeatedly claimed that the ongoing wildfires in Southern California underscore why the state should be delivering more water south from the Delta. In an interview with Fox News this week , Trump threatened to tie federal aid for wildfire recovery to whether California accepts changes in water policy. I dont think we should give California anything until they let water flow down, he said. In a press briefing Tuesday, Trump said his administration will take care of Los Angeles, and he criticized the state for what he described as a lack of water flow. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Los Angeles has massive amounts of water available to it. All they have to do is turn on the valve, Trump said during a press briefing Tuesday. They created an inferno. But water managers and experts have said Southern Californias cities are not currently short of water, pointing out that the regions reservoirs are at record high levels following plentiful deliveries of supplies in 2023 and 2024. Newsom has said a change in water management in Northern California would not have affected the fire response. The governors office said on social media that California pumps as much water now as it could under prior Trump-era policies, and that there is no shortage of water in Southern California. Read more: Inside L.A.'s desperate battle for water as the Palisades fire exploded Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Even with ample supplies in reservoirs, local water systems were pushed to their limits in places as the fires rapidly spread, driven by strong winds. When the L.A. water system lost pressure in parts of Pacific Palisades, some fire hydrants ran dry in high-elevation areas , hindering the firefighting effort. Newsom last week ordered an investigation into the loss of water pressure to hydrants, and the lack of water available from a reservoir in Pacific Palisades that was out of commission for repairs . While water supplies from local fire hydrants are not designed to extinguish wildfires over large areas, losing supplies from fire hydrants likely impaired the effort to protect some homes and evacuation corridors, Newsom said. We need answers to how that happened. State officials have stressed that what Trump is proposing would do nothing to improve current water supplies in the Los Angeles Basin. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But Nemeth said if the Trump administration rejects the current water delivery rules and reverts to the earlier 2019 framework, that has the potential to harm Central Valley farms and Southern California communities that depend upon water delivered from the Delta. The current rules and biological opinions provide additional flexibility that allows operators of the pumping facilities to the Delta to respond more nimbly to real-time conditions, Nemeth said. Farms and cities have the potential to gain additional water supply, while endangered species are protected. Trump has indicated he intends to try to weaken environmental protection measures, and has questioned why the state should keep certain flows in rivers to help species such as the Delta smelt, a little tiny fish. Federally endangered Delta smelt that were hatched at the UC Davis Fish Conservation & Culture Lab swim around a holding tank after being transferred from the lab to the Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach in 2019. (Allen Schaben / Los Angeles Times) Its a fish thats doing poorly anyway, Trump said this week. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Peter Gleick, a leading water and climate scientist, said Trumps order on California water policy is what you get when you mix bluster, ignorance, and disinformation. There are no enormous amounts of water that can be redirected legally, economically, or environmentally to different users in California, but perhaps this executive order will make some of Trump's supporters feel like he's doing something, said Gleick, co-founder and senior fellow of the Pacific Institute, a water think tank in Oakland. He doesn't really have a clue how California water systems work, Gleick said. If he cared about California water, which he doesn't really, he would pay attention to climate change. Recent scientific research has shown that global warming, driven by fossil fuel burning and rising levels of greenhouse gases, has become a dominant driver of worsening droughts in the western U.S. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Examining the mix of factors behind the devastating wildfires, UCLA scientists said in an analysis last week that higher temperatures linked to climate change have contributed to the extreme dryness of vegetation in Southern California, one of the ingredients that is making the fires so intense. Gleick said more than what the president says in badly written executive orders, people should watch what his appointees do and how those actions affect efforts to improve water management. It remains to be seen just how disruptive Trump's environmental appointments will be, Gleick said. The biggest risk is that it's just going to delay or derail efforts underway to solve these problems. Trumps call for delivering more supplies to farming areas and cities adds a layer of complication to arguments over water management in the Delta that have long pitted agricultural water districts against environmental groups, fishing advocates and Native tribes. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In recent years, fish populations have suffered major declines in the Delta and San Francisco Bay. The numbers of spring-run Chinook salmon have plummeted . And with fall-run salmon populations struggling, officials shut down the commercial and recreational fishing seasons the last two years. The longfin smelt, a species that once was abundant, was listed as endangered last year under the federal Endangered Species Act. Read more: Another California fish is added to the federal endangered species list Environmental and fishing groups strongly criticized Trumps water order. Scott Artis, executive director of the Golden State Salmon Assn. , said the previous rewriting of the rules during Trumps first administration amounted to a salmon extinction plan because it deprived fish of critical flows they need to survive. The closure of the salmon fishing season the last two years has already led to the loss of tens of thousands of fishing jobs, Artis said, and another weakening of protections could further devastate fishing businesses, families, and communities. The group Save California Salmon said Trumps directive continues a pattern of prioritizing the agriculture industry above the needs of other water users and the health of waterways and fish. The group also objected to the title of Trumps memorandum, Putting People over Fish: Stopping Radical Environmentalism to Provide Water to Southern California. Protecting water quality, Delta smelt, salmon, and other species is not radical environmentalism, said Josa Talley, a spokesperson for Save California Salmon. It is a matter of protecting water supplies and economies. Rivers must have enough water to sustain businesses, prevent toxic algae blooms, and ensure clean water for downstream communities, Talley said. Salmon survival is tied to our health and the health of our rivers. Times staff writer Colleen Shalby contributed to this report. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. White House national security adviser Mike Waltz has ordered a full review of personnel at the National Security Council (NSC), starting a process to weed out detailees at the agency who are not aligned with President Trumps agenda. An NSC spokesperson said personnel reviews and evaluations of staffers began at 12:01 p.m. on Monday. It is entirely appropriate for Mr. Waltz to ensure NSC personnel are committed to implementing President Trumps America First agenda to protect our national security and wisely use the tax dollars of Americas working men and women, spokesperson Brian Hughes said in a statement. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Some detailees have already concluded their service. Others are expected to be removed, while new ones are onboarded. The Associated Press first reported that Waltzs team told roughly 160 NSC staffers to work from home while the personnel review takes place. The move essentially sidelined those officials while Trump gets his team in place. There are dozens of staffers at the NSC who are detailed to various government agencies in each administration. Those officials work at the FBI, the State Department, the CIA, the Energy Department and elsewhere. Some Trump allies had raised concerns that Waltz did not plan on cleaning house of Biden administration detailees upon taking office. Waltz sought to dispel those fears in a social media post and an interview with Breitbart News earlier this month. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ive been out there number one in terms of appearances in the news swinging for the president, Waltz told Breitbart. If anybody out there thinks Im somehow now going to have a platoon full of Never Trumpers theyre full of it. Its ridiculous. Waltzs predecessor, Jake Sullivan, told reporters at a Jan. 13 press briefing that the national security staffers detailed across the government were patriots who have served without fear or favor for both Democratic and Republican administrations. But Trump has long railed against the so-called deep state, officials he and some allies argue are working in the government to oppose or hinder his agenda. Those concerns were inflamed by an anonymous op-ed published in The New York Times in 2018 from a staffer who wrote about officials trying to thwart Trumps agenda. The official was later revealed to be former Homeland Security staffer Miles Taylor. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In 2019, then-National Security Council staffer Alexander Vindman testified as a whistleblower about Trumps call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, which served as the basis for Trumps first impeachment. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. Hong Kong-based budget carrier Greater Bay Airlines announced the cancellation of 128 flights, equivalent to 64 round trips, for February and March. The cancellations, affecting approximately 5,500 passengers, were due to delays in new aircraft deliveries and routine inspections of its current fleet. The airline, which operates an all-Boeing fleet of eight 737-800s, confirmed the disruptions after local media reported over 200 flight suspensions between January and March. Although the airline did not specify the exact routes impacted, reports suggested that flights to destinations including Japan, South Korea, and Thailand were among those affected. The airline stated that an internal review revealed negligence in its flight scheduling process and announced measures to tighten approval procedures. Greater Bay Airlines reassured passengers that flights during the Lunar New Year holiday would remain unaffected. Meanwhile, Hong Kongs Secretary for Transport and Logistics, Mable Chan, confirmed that authorities had met with the airlines management and requested a detailed report within a week. Additionally, the airline revealed it would suspend its Hong Kong-Seoul route due to weak demand, following a similar pattern of route cuts, including previous suspensions of services to Singapore and Vietnam. Greater Bay Airlines, founded in 2020 by mainland Chinese tycoon Bill Wong, started operations in 2022. LV Springfield, Ohio. (Getty Images.) This story was originally published by The 19th News. SPRINGFIELD, OHIO Several minutes into President Donald Trumps inauguration speech on Monday, as he began talking about immigration, Yvena Jean Francois dug through a desk drawer for a notebook and pen. We now have a government that cannot manage even a simple crisis at home it fails to protect our magnificent law-abiding American citizens but provides sanctuary and protection for dangerous criminals, many from prisons and mental institutions that have illegally entered our country from all over the world, Trump said, repeating a frequent 2024 campaign claim for which he has not offered evidence. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Jean Francois jotted down a thought in the notebook on her lap, the words FUN STUFF printed on its colorful cover. Trump carried on: I will declare a national emergency at our southern border. All illegal entry will immediately be halted and we will begin the process of returning millions and millions of criminal aliens back to the places from which they came. Jean Francois wrote some more. Once Trump finished speaking, Jean Francois went over the main takeaways she planned to share on an upcoming episode of the podcast she hosts out of her home studio in Springfield, Ohio, a city of roughly 60,000 residents that became a household name during the 2024 presidential campaign as misinformation and lies spread about its Haitian residents. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The illegal people will be first to go in mass deportations, she said. The exact words Trump used were important to Jean Francois, who is also a member of Springfields Haitian community. She heard dangerous criminals, entering illegally, prisons and mental institutions and criminal aliens and she started to relax. The president said the first people theyre going to put out are the criminal people who already have deportation papers, she noted. And that, she said, does not describe her or most other Haitians she knows in this southwestern Ohio city between Dayton and Columbus. Like Jean Francois, Springfields Haitian migrants were drawn here by the potential for good-paying jobs in a place that had more jobs than workers who were able to do them. Many of these migrants have whats called Temporary Protected Status, or TPS, which gives them the right to live and work in the United States legally and shields them from deportation for a set period of time. They arrived in Springfield as the country emerged from the worst of the COVID-19 pandemic, from states like Florida and New York, which are home to the largest communities of Haitian Americans in the United States. Yvena Jean Francois sits at her desk in her podcasting studio on Inauguration Day, January 20, 2024, in Springfield, Ohio. (Photo by Amanda Becker for The 19th) Established in 1990, TPS is a temporary status available to immigrants who come from countries facing exceptional circumstances, like environmental disasters, armed conflict and civil war. TPS was approved for Haitians in 2010 after a major earthquake decimated a large swath of the country. The Biden administration extended it last year until February 2026 amid an ongoing gang war that has cut off access to basic necessities like food and clean water for much of the island. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Haitians are also eligible to ask for humanitarian parole, another temporary legal status available to citizens from certain countries and approved on a case-by-case basis. Some apply for asylum, which, when granted, allows them to remain in the United States indefinitely, become permanent legal residents and, sometimes, citizens. Unlike asylum, neither TPS nor humanitarian parole offers a path to citizenship, so Haitians and other immigrants living in the country under these designations cannot vote. The 2020 Census put the population of Springfield at 68 percent White, 18 percent Black and 5 percent Latinx, but by some estimates, Haitians now make up as much as a quarter of the citys population. Many, like Jean Francois, have arrived since the census, lured by opportunity. While her twin brother moved to Chicago, she came to Springfield. A photographer and broadcast journalist in Haiti, she found work at an Amazon warehouse and saved up to open her in-home studio; shell soon move it to a new, professional space, she said. Jean Francois sees herself as an important part of a revival in this post-industrial, quintessentially American city, where recent Haitian arrivals have opened at least 10 new businesses restaurants, groceries and a food truck. The creators of The Simpsons set the show in a fictional Springfield because there are at least 34 states with a Springfield, each of them in some way representative of Anywhere, USA. In Springfield, Ohio, the population dwindled for decades as auto and farm equipment manufacturers closed and jobs evaporated. Between 1999 and 2014, the citys median income dropped 27 percent more than any other metropolitan area in the country, according to analysis by the nonpartisan Pew Research Center. In 2012, the polling firm Gallup reported that Springfield was the countrys unhappiest city. Just over a decade ago, city officials and business leaders launched a campaign to recruit employers in the manufacturing, insurance and health care sectors, to inject new life into a sputtering economy. Soon, they started to see results. Between February 2020 and March 2024, Springfield tied Cincinnati for the second-highest employment growth rate in Ohio, behind only the much larger Columbus, according to the Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland. The rapid influx of Haitians, though a boon for employers who needed workers, also brought its own set of problems. Rental homes became harder to find and more expensive, classrooms got crowded and wait times for a doctor or an appointment at the motor vehicles office became longer. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Then in July, with the 2024 elections underway, JD Vance, then a Republican senator for Ohio vying to be Donald Trumps running mate, asked Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell in a banking panel hearing, What role do you see illegal immigration driving up housing costs? Vance continued: In my conversations with folks in Springfield its not just housing. Springfield Mayor Rob Rue and City Manager Bryan Heck, both fellow Republicans, fanned the flames when they went on the television program Fox & Friends to discuss Biden administration immigration policies. Its setting communities like Springfield up to fail, Heck said, asking for additional federal support. As he spoke, footage played of a chaotic scene from a place thousands of miles away: the U.S.-Mexico border. Several days later, Trump picked Vance to join him on the GOP ticket, thrusting Springfield and its Haitian community squarely into the glare of an increasingly contentious presidential race and a national debate about who deserves to stay in the country. Trump, whose punitive and restrictive immigration stances have fueled his political rise, spread misinformation from social media accounts that said Haitian migrants were eating peoples pets in Springfield. In a high-profile presidential debate, he repeated the claims. Vance did, too, despite city officials saying there was no evidence to back them up. Trump promised to deport Haitian migrants with legal status. During a September news conference, he said, Theyve destroyed the place. Neo-Nazis and white supremacist groups amplified the lies about pet-eating and descended on Springfield. There were bomb threats. Employers of Haitian workers were harassed. The woman who initially spread the rumor recanted, horrified by what she had wrought. Still, the Trump-Vance ticket kept leaning on the Springfield fable to bolster their immigration stances. If I have to create stories so that the American media actually pays attention to the suffering of the American people, then thats what Im going to do, Vance told CNN. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Republican local and state elected officials like Rue and Heck tried to quell the chaos. Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine, who was born in Springfield, implored: Everybody needs to lower the rhetoric. Meanwhile, the community rallied behind Haitian businesses and local law enforcement talked about Haitians as more likely to be victims than perpetrators of crime. A previously informal Haitian Community Alliance cemented its status as a legal nonprofit. Trump went on to win Clark County, where Springfield is the county seat, with more than 64 percent of the vote. In the two months since Trumps victory, some Haitians have left Springfield, according to interviews with residents and community organizations there. Theyve returned to New York or Florida or moved to larger cities in Ohio like nearby Dayton or Columbus, where they might be less conspicuous but where they lack the community they created in Springfield. Jean Francois knows some who tested the waters elsewhere only to return. Jean Francois sees little reason to leave; the same Trump administration immigration policies would apply anywhere else in the country, she said, because, Florida, New York youre still in America. Her goal is to continue using her podcast to urge fellow Haitians to stay calm, stay in Springfield and do the best things for this city. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I know Springfield, I love Springfield. Stay, stay here with me, she told The 19th from her home studio. Like the president said, Make America Great Again. Make Springfield great. Hours later, Trump terminated the humanitarian parole program that Biden launched, one that allowed more than half a million migrants from four countries to remain legally in the United States for a two-year period. One of the countries was Haiti. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Dirty Money President Donald Trump's $500 billion AI infrastructure project, dubbed Stargate, is receiving a ton of funding from an Abu Dhabi-based investment company called MGX which is led by the United Arab Emirates' president's brother, Sheikh Tahnoun bin Zayed Al Nahyan. According to The Information, the firm is contributing roughly $7 billion to the project, which is hoping to raise $100 billion to build out AI infrastructure in the United States before expanding that figure to a half trillion in several years' time. Tahnoun is in charge of a $1.5 trillion empire, reflecting of the UAE's vast crude oil wealth. He also has a strong interest AI, quickly emerging as one of the biggest investors in the industry. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On the flip side, the national security advisor is also a member of the country's royal family, which has an abysmal track record when it comes to human rights abuses, from detaining prisoners of conscience to the torturing of immigrant workers. The family's members also have a well-documented reputation for dodging taxes and laundering money abroad using offshore companies, earning the UAE a spot on the European Union's "black list" of countries that are failing to keep illicit money flows at bay. In short, Trump's massive AI infrastructure project is receiving a ton of dubiously-sourced cash an ethical miasma that will haunt the program from its earliest days. Green New Datacenter By relying on oil money, Stargate also highlights a greater turn away from investments in renewable sources of energy, with progressing AI becoming a far more commonly and easily agreed-upon goal uniting the ultra-wealthy. None of that seems to have put off multi-hyphenate billionaire and former environmental champion Elon Musk, who met with Tahnoun in September to discuss the "latest developments in advanced technology and AI." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Tahnoun also met with AI chipmaker Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang and Alphabet president Ruth Porat since then, as Bloomberg reports. In October, MGX was also one of the biggest investors in OpenAI's round of funding. But whether the multibillion gambit will pay off in the long run remains to be seen. While Trump made a big deal out of his announcement of the Starget project earlier this week, he remained noticeably vague on details. Besides, as several publications have since pointed out, the numbers aren't quite adding up. While $500 billion in a matter of years seems like a massive stretch, even conjuring up $100 billion might prove extremely difficult. Musk voiced those concerns in a tweet just hours after the project was announced, arguing that OpenAI doesn't "actually have the money" and that SoftBank has "well under $10B secured." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The accusations drew the ire of Altman, though, who accused Musk of being "wrong, as you surely know." More on Stargate: Sam Altman Blasts Elon Musk for Defying Donald Trump's AI Deal On Monday, President Donald Trump signed an executive order claiming that the U.S. government will only recognize two sexes, male and female. The directive claimed that ideologues across the country are denying the biological reality of sex which has allowed men who identify as women to gain access to intimate single-sex spaces and activities designed for women. In other words, the executive order was positioned as a move to defend women from gender ideology extremism. Amid the chaos, many reproductive rights advocates were quick to point out the proposed definitions of male and female in the order and the use of the word conception. Female means a person belonging, at conception, to the sex that produces the large reproductive cell, the executive order stated. Male means a person belonging, at conception, to the sex that produces the small reproductive cell. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement By referring to the moment of conception, some on social said this could be the start of a move to codify fetal personhood in federal law. Notably, its scientifically inaccurate to say sex can be determined at conception, to say nothing of the limitations of defining a person solely by gamete size. Chromosomal sex is determined at the moment of fertilization a term often conflated with conception the specific moment when a sperm and egg join together. But early embryos of both sexes begin with the same basic structures, that can later develop into either male or female organs. By default, the majority of embryos are female for the first five to six weeks, unless specific factors actively trigger male development. However, if federal lawmakers gave fetuses or embryos, the legal rights of a person, that would lead to a national abortion ban, in addition to other wide-range consequences. As legal experts previously told Salon, the Republican Party released its 16-page Make America Great Again policy platform ahead of the national convention last year stating that it supported states establishing fetal personhood through the constitutions 14th Amendment; language, they said, that was hidden in plain sight. Could something come out of this executive order that could result in fetal personhood, or was it merely a signal of what to to expect? Its the least of my concerns, David S. Cohen, a professor of law at Drexel Kline's School of Law, told Salon. The Supreme Court and any other institutions are not going to find fetal personhood because of this one clause in this executive order. If there's going to be fetal personhood found as a national requirement, it's going to have nothing to do with this executive order. In the wake of the presidential election news, the Guttmacher Institute outlined 10 ways the Trump presidency could restrict access to reproductive rights. When it comes to blocking abortion access, it likely wouldnt happen through an explicit nationwide abortion ban. Instead, the Trump-Vance administration could leverage the Comstock Act, an 1873 anti-vice law that bans obscene articles being used for abortion from being mailed. As explained by KFF, a literal interpretation of this could mean that material to produce all abortions would be prohibited from being mailed. This could affect other medical care, like miscarriage management, and stop medication abortion from being mailed as well. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement However, Seema Mohapatra, a law professor at the SMU Dedman School of Law, told Salon when she first read the executive order, what stood out to her the most was the use of the word conception. Want more health and science stories in your inbox? Subscribe to Salon's weekly newsletter Lab Notes. Sex is not determined at conception until weeks into the process when the sexual cells differentiate and this is a much later stage of development so this is just scientifically wrong, she said. Then I think about why they put that language in, and that seems to be a part of a broader effort to insert fetal personhood into official records even when it's unrelated to abortion. Mohapatra said they have seen this in court opinions previously. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We've seen this attempted in different states in statutes and now we're seeing it in executive orders, Mohapatra added. One cannot separate rights for trans people from a broader set of reproductive rights and justice. This kind of language flies under the radar, she said, but is something to pay attention to now and in the future. People may not realize that this anti-trans executive order also implicates fetal personhood, she said. And I think we're gonna see this more and more in completely unrelated areas. Cohen told Salon its absolutely concerning that this executive order was one of the first things Trump signed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He is going after vulnerable people and trying to say they're not who they are, threatening their documents that are necessary for travel, that are necessary for healthcare, Cohen said. Its certainly very upsetting that this is one of the first things he did. Cohen added its notable that none of the executive orders were directly related to abortion but that could change any minute. The story is yet to be written, as soon as we hang up the phone, there could be an executive order related to abortion, he said. We just dont know. By Andrea Shalal and Matt Spetalnick WASHINGTON (Reuters) -U.S. agencies under President Donald Trump pushed ahead on Thursday on his orders to reshape the federal bureaucracy, scrapping diversity programs, rescinding job offers and sidelining more than 150 national security and foreign policy officials. The Republican president has made little secret of his disdain for the sprawling 2.2 million-strong federal workforce and in particular for diversity, equity and inclusion programs, which promote opportunities for women, ethnic minorities, LGBTQ+ people and other traditionally underrepresented groups. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In a speech delivered via video on Thursday to the World Economic Forum's annual meeting in Davos, Switzerland, Trump said his orders ending DEI programs would make America a "merit-based country" once again. "These are policies that were absolute nonsense, throughout the government and the private sector," he said. The Federal Reserve scrubbed a "Diversity and Inclusion" section from its website, with previous links to data on the racial, ethnic and gender makeup of its economists and researchers now defaulting to the homepage. The CIA has dissolved its diversity and inclusion office along with all related programs, a spokesperson said in a statement. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Stephanie La Rue, a senior government official who oversaw diversity policies for all 18 U.S. intelligence agencies, likewise appeared to be sent home and references to her had been removed from the Office of the Director of National Intelligence. A spokesperson for that office declined to comment. The Department of Agriculture removed all information from its website on efforts to promote racial and gender diversity - including recommendations from its equity commission, formed during the Biden administration, on how the agency could improve its relationship with minority farmers, more fairly distribute farm loans and other efforts. Democratic Senator Raphael Warnock asked Agriculture Secretary nominee Brooke Rollins at her confirmation hearing on Thursday if she would still consider the recommendations. Rollins said she would consider "anything on the table" but added, "President Trump won on the concept of removing the diversity, equity and inclusion, making sure that we're basing our decisions on merit, and I obviously support that 100% as well." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Department of Education said that it would no longer make diversity-related training materials and other documents available to the public and that it would shift to "prioritizing meaningful learning ahead of divisive ideology in our schools." The department does not play a direct role in education, which is largely the domain of local governments, but it is responsible for enforcing civil rights laws in U.S. schools. Civil rights advocates say the DEI programs are needed to overcome inequality stemming from the United States' history of racism, but Trump and his supporters say the efforts end up unfairly discriminating against other Americans. Median Black household income was about 63% of white, non-Hispanic household income in 2023, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, up from 53% in 1963, before major civil-rights laws took effect, suggesting limited economic advancement for Black households in 60 years. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement BROADER CAMPAIGN TARGETING WORKFORCE A memo distributed to thousands of federal workers across the government on Wednesday commanded employees to turn in co-workers who sought to "disguise" DEI efforts by using "coded language," warning that a failure to report relevant information would trigger "adverse consequences." Officials overseeing DEI programs in numerous agencies and departments were put on leave on Wednesday, and their offices were set for permanent closure by month's end. The steps against diversity were part of Trump's broader campaign targeting the federal bureaucracy, which he has sometimes disparaged as the "deep state" secretly working against his agenda. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Wednesday canceled a call with state veterinarians that would normally discuss H5N1 bird flu, sources said. It was one of several U.S. health agencies that canceled meetings, suspended some publications and told employees to freeze travel after directives from leadership. About 160 staff members at the National Security Council, which draws from the State Department, the Pentagon and other parts of the U.S. government, were told during a brief call on Wednesday to turn in their devices and badges and head home, three former NSC officials told Reuters. NSC spokesperson Brian Hughes said Trump's national security adviser, Mike Waltz, had authorized a full staff review. "It is entirely appropriate for Mr. Waltz to ensure NSC personnel are committed to implementing President Trump's America," Hughes said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The news came as a surprise to the staffers, who had been expecting new assignments or perhaps a pep talk, according to one of the former officials who spoke with colleagues who were on the call. 'GLEEFUL HATRED OF THE FEDERAL WORKFORCE' Trump has frozen virtually all federal hiring and signed an executive order on his first day in office on Monday that would allow his administration to fire at will tens of thousands of career civil servants, who historically have enjoyed job protections that insulate them from political partisanship. The order, known as Schedule F, would permit Trump to fill those positions with hand-picked loyalists. The National Treasury Employees Union, which represents about 150,000 workers in three dozen agencies, filed a lawsuit challenging the move. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "This gleeful hatred of the federal workforce will lead to nothing good," Democratic Senator Tim Kaine, who represents 140,000 federal workers in Virginia, told reporters. The Department of Justice this week revoked an unspecified number of entry-level job offers to law students who had been accepted to its prestigious Honors Program, citing the federal hiring freeze. (Reporting by Andrea Shalal and Matt Spetalnick; Additional reporting by Jonathan Landay, Jody Godoy, Bo Erickson, Leah Douglas, Humeyra Pamuk, Daniel Trotta, Bianca Flowers, Heather Timmons and David Ljunggren; Writing by Joseph Ax and Andy Sullivan; Editing by Scott Malone and Howard Goller) On his first day back in office on Monday, President Trump issued an executive order declaring that the U.S. government would only recognize a person's sex assigned at birth, limit the definition of a "male" or "female" to their reproductive cells and potentially withhold federal funding from programs that acknowledge transgender people or "gender ideology." Medical and legal experts say the executive order rejects the reality of sexual and gender diversity, and are concerned about the implications it will have for intersex, nonbinary and transgender Americans. Anti-transgender themes were central to the Trump campaign. In the months leading up to the 2024 election, the campaign and Republican groups spent millions on anti-trans television ads. Trump also promised to restrict access to gender-affirming care and transgender participation in sports. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump's executive order declares sex as "an individual's immutable biological classification as either male or female" and states that "gender identity" cannot be included in the definition of "sex," and that "sex" and "gender" cannot be used interchangeably. The executive order declares there are only "two sexes, male and female" and defines a "female" as "a person belonging, at conception, to the sex that produces the large reproductive cell." The order defines "male" as "a person belonging, at conception, to the sex that produces the small reproductive cell." "This one is shockingly out of step with what we know from science," Kellan E. Baker, executive director of the Institute for Health Research & Policy at health services network Whitman-Walker, told ABC News in an interview. Baker noted that we're accustomed to thinking of sex "as a fairly simple, binary, immutable thing," but said science tells us it's not that simple. PHOTO: President Donald Trump signs documents as he issues executive orders and pardons for Jan. 6 defendants in the Oval Office at the White House on Inauguration Day in Washington, Jan. 20, 2025. (Carlos Barria/Reuters) "Sex is not a singular, binary, immutable trait," he said. "It is, in fact, a complex cluster of multiple traits, some of which align with each other and sometimes some of which do not align with each other." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention defines sex as "an individual's biological status as male, female, or something else. Sex is assigned at birth and associated with physical attributes, such as anatomy and chromosomes." MORE: Transgender youth care misconceptions lead physicians, researchers to set the record straight Intersex populations are not noted in the executive order. Intersex people are those with variations in their sex traits such as genitals, chromosomes, hormones or reproductive organs, and differ from expectations of male and female anatomy. The term intersex may also be categorized as "differences of sex development." Not all conditions are noticeable at birth, according to MedlinePlus, a resource from the National Library of Medicine and therefore, may not be known until later in life. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "There are multiple different sex traits that make up this concept that we think of as sex," Baker said. "They include, for example, chromosomes. They also include external genitalia, gonads, hormones." Baker also notes that sexual differentiation via reproductive cells doesn't take place until about six weeks after conception, contrary to the definition stated by the executive order. The order states that the definitions of sex are a response to "efforts to eradicate the biological reality of sex." "Invalidating the true and biological category of 'woman' improperly transforms laws and policies designed to protect sex-based opportunities into laws and policies that undermine them, replacing longstanding, cherished legal rights and values with an identity-based, inchoate social concept," the order reads. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Jenny Pizer, chief legal officer at LGBTQ civil rights group Lambda Legal, told ABC News her organization is preparing for legal action against the executive order. She argues the order could force agencies to no longer recognize transgender or intersex people by restricting funding that promote "gender ideology." The order states that gender ideology "is internally inconsistent, in that it diminishes sex as an identifiable or useful category but nevertheless maintains that it is possible for a person to be born in the wrong sexed body." It goes further to state, "Agency forms that require an individual's sex shall list male or female, and shall not request gender identity." PHOTO: Transgender rights supporters and opponent rally outside of the U.S. Supreme Court as the high court hears arguments in a case on transgender health rights on Dec. 04, 2024 in Washington, D.C. (Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images, FILE) MORE: Holidays are hard for some LGBTQ people as politics stoke division Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "The current structure of our society is that there is federal funding throughout many of our essential systems, and so we don't know, but it is certainly possible that the Trump administration is going to attempt to exclude or mistreat members of our community in many, many of these settings," Pizer said. The executive order also revokes a 2022 Biden administration rule in which the U.S. Department of State made it possible for people applying for American passports to select "X" to mark their gender. The rule announced by then-Secretary of State Antony Blinken marked the Transgender Day of Visibility and was designed to accommodate nonbinary, intersex and gender-nonconforming individuals. Lambda Legal was behind the effort to implement an "X" gender marker for passports. Their client at the time, Dana Zzyym, had been denied a passport because they were intersex and could not accurately pick between male or female on the application form, according to the organization. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "We'll continue to stand with Dana and all intersex, nonbinary, and transgender people to defend their right to identity documents that accurately identify who they are, and their equal protection rights against targeting and exclusion by their own government," it said in a statement posted to its website on Monday. Trump also implemented policies or took positions that adversely affected the LGBTQ community in his first term. He banned some transgender people from serving in the military, repealed Obama-era non-discrimination health care policy and advocated against employment protection for LGBTQ workers before the Supreme Court. Trump's definition of 'male,' 'female' criticized by medical and legal experts originally appeared on abcnews.go.com Lee Zeldin, President Donald Trumps nominee to lead the Environmental Protection Agency, received consulting payments from a Qatari investor involved in the felony corruption case against former Sen. Bob Menendez (D-N.J.), Zeldins financial disclosure records showed. Zeldin was paid at least $5,000 since January 2023 for his work with Heritage Advisors, a London-based venture capital fund run by Qatari royal family member Sheikh Sultan bin Jassim Al Thani, according to documents filed with the Senates environment panel. The ethics filing does not describe what type of work Zeldin did for Heritage Advisors or precisely how much he was paid. Zeldin, a Republican lawyer and former House member from New York, runs a crisis management and public relations firm. The newest disclosure raises potential questions that could complicate his effort to join Trumps Cabinet, where he would help lead the new administrations efforts to promote fossil fuels and roll back the EPAs Biden-era pollution regulations. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Zeldin faces a Thursday confirmation vote in the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee. Heritage Advisors was not accused of wrongdoing at the trial that led to Menendezs 2024 conviction for taking bribes to benefit the government of Qatar, among other accusations. Federal prosecutors said Menendez, once a leader of the Foreign Relations Committee, praised Qatar to help a developer friend who was bribing him and was trying to do a major deal with Heritage Advisors. Zeldin, in contrast, has publicly criticized the Qatari governments efforts to influence U.S. policy. Still, an ethics expert said the financial arrangements between the firm and Zeldin raised questions about any influence the Qatari government might have over the EPA nominee and the Senate should resolve them before approving him for a high-ranking federal role. Given the role that Heritage Advisors played in the Menendez matter, the American people deserve greater transparency about the nature of Mr. Zeldin's relationship with that entity, Norman Eisen, a former Obama administration ethics adviser who served as Democratic counsel for the 2019 House impeachment of Trump and is now chair of the center-left Brookings Institutions Anti-Corruption, Democracy, and Security project, wrote in an email. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement That includes the nature and duration of his consulting arrangement and exactly how much money he earned from that entity, he said. We need to know how heavily invested the Qatari royal family is in connection with Mr. Zeldin before he takes office in the Trump Administration. Prosecutors at Menendezs trial said the Democratic senator had spoken kindly of Qatar to help real estate developer Fred Daibes who was convicted last year of bribing Menendez among other charges secure Heritage Advisors as an investor after a China-based backer pulled out of the project, a series of waterfront high rises across the river from Manhattan. In answers to questions submitted to the Environment and Public Works Committee that were obtained by POLITICO, Zeldin said his consulting work for Heritage Advisors spanned April 2023 through December 2023. Zeldin did not describe the nature of his work. But the former congressman said his services for Heritage Advisors did not require registering as a foreign government agent. In his written responses, Zeldin said he did not contact a U.S. government agency, Congress or U.S.-incorporated news network, social media platform or other information provider on behalf of Heritage Advisors or Al Thani. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Daniel Gall, a spokesperson for Zeldin, did not answer questions about Zeldins relationship or work with Heritage Advisors or Al Thani. Gall shared a statement on Friday from Brian Hughes, a spokesperson for the then-Trump transition. The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment. "All nominees and appointees will comply with the ethical obligations of their respective agencies, Hughes said. Richard Painter, a University of Minnesota Law School professor who was an ethics lawyer in former President George W. Bushs White House and ran for a U.S. House seat as a Democrat, said Zeldins link to Heritage Advisors should generate some scrutiny from the Senate, but he did not anticipate it would derail his confirmation when weighed against the ethical and legal charges that Trump has also faced and overcome. The bar is not what it used to be, Painter wrote in an email. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Republicans on the Environment and Public Works Committee did not directly address Zeldins connection with Heritage Advisors but said he has complied with all necessary requirements. Former-Rep. Zeldin has disclosed all required financial information, completed his ethics agreement, and will honorably serve our country as he has before in the U.S. Military and House of Representatives as the next EPA Administrator once confirmed, Republican committee spokesperson Brent Scott said in a statement. Heritage Advisors describes itself as Al Thanis independent firm. He is a member of the royal family who previously managed the familys business interests, according to his company biography. Another principal at Heritage Advisors is Ali Al Thawadi, who also advises Qatar on investments, according to court records from the Menendez case. A federal judge denied Menendez a new trial on Wednesday. He faces sentencing on Jan. 29 prosecutors are seeking a 15-year prison term, while Menendezs attorneys want between 21 and 27 months. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Neither Heritage Advisors nor Al Thani responded to requests for comment. Heritage Advisors has invested in a New Jersey project initially led by Daibes. That property, which came up repeatedly during the Menendez trial, is located on the Quanta Superfund site along the Hudson River in Edgewater, New Jersey. A New Jersey state department discovered that fumes from the soil there posed short-term health risks despite Trump administration claims it was safe, according to reporting by the news site NorthJersey.com. Zeldin, if confirmed as EPA administrator, would oversee the nations Superfund program, which remediates polluted sites and can require the offenders to pay for the cleanup. Zeldin has long been critical of Qatari government influence. He accused Qatar and other nations in a Feb. 1, 2023, opinion piece of influencing U.S. government officials through funding think tanks, arguing that the strategy intentionally circumvents laws requiring lobbyists acting on behalf of governments to register as foreign agents. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Think tanks wield an outsized influence with legislators, who often adopt their positions wholesale, presenting foreign governments a chance to covertly shape U.S. policy, Zeldin wrote in that Newsweek piece. But what happens when the experts filling these roles are effectively paid agents of foreign governments like China, Russia, Iran, and Qatar? That opinion piece ran before Zeldin consulted for Heritage Advisors, which has also pumped $50 million into pro-Trump news network Newsmax. Ry Rivard contributed to this report. In a direct challenge to Moscow, Trump threatened "high levels of taxes, tariffs and sanctions" on Russian imports unless Putin agrees to end the Ukraine war, while maintaining he has "always had a very good relationship with President Putin." Official statistics from the Statistics and Census Service (DSEC) noted that last year, there were 2,423,093 international visitors to Macau. As the Times previously reported, the vast majority of these visitors arrived from Southeast Asian markets, led by those from the Philippines (493,399), Indonesia (183,062), and Malaysia (181,941). Compared to the previous year, these market sources grew by 57.1%, 28.1%, and 82.2%, respectively. Visitors from Thailand (134,658) and Singapore (119,201) also increased significantly, rising by 31.8% and 29.8%, respectively. In other Asian markets, visitors from India (103,817) grew by 76.5% year over year, and those from the Republic of Korea (492,184) and Japan (126,424) increased by 140.6% and 68.2%, respectively. The highlight of the long-haul markets was the USA, which contributed 147,941 visitors last year, an increase of 57.7% compared to 2023. As previously reported, the Macao Government Tourism Office had set the goal of attracting at least 2 million international visitors in 2024, a target that was surpassed by 21.2%. Also growing was the number of visitors from mainland China, which increased by 28.6% year-over-year to 24,491,424. Of these, those traveling under the Individual Visit Scheme (12,281,055) grew by 15.5%, while those traveling under the tourist group multi-entry measure totaled 17,078. Visitors from the nine Greater Bay Area (GBA) cities increased by 28.8% to 11,985,383. Visitors from Taiwan (834,411) surged by 64.1% year-over-year. Among the regular market sources of visitors to Macau, only those from the neighboring region of Hong Kong registered a downturn. In 2024, Hong Kong visitors to Macau totaled 7,179,722, decreasing slightly by 0.2%. Analyzed by checkpoint, the number of visitor arrivals by land (27,769,490) represented 79.5% of the total, marking a year-over-year increase of 24.1%, while those arriving by sea (4,094,585) accounted for an 11.7% share and grew by 10.7%. Those arriving by air totaled 3,064,575, representing 8.8% of the total, and recorded the most significant year-over-year increase, growing by 43.9%. Despite the positive results in total numbers and year-over-year growth, visitors average length of stay was 1.2 days, shortening by 0.1 days year-over-year in 2024. The average length of stay for overnight visitors remained unchanged at 2.3 days. Same-day visitors represented 54.1%, while overnight visitors accounted for 45.9%. This further highlights an imbalance between the two types: Same-day visitors grew by 35%, while overnight visitors grew less (12.8%) year-over-year. U.S. National Security Advisor Mike Waltz has launched a full vetting of the National Security Council (NSC) staff, including those working with Ukraine, in line with Donald Trump's America First agenda, the Washington Post (WP) reported on Jan. 23. Since returning to the White House, Trump has implemented significant changes in the new administration's staff. Trumps picks included candidates who have made controversial statements about Ukraine's support and ending the war. The "full review" aims to ensure that the NSC staff "are committed to implementing President Trump's America First agenda to protect our national security and wisely use the tax dollars of America's working men and women," National Security Council spokesperson Brian Hughes said in a statement. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement During a telephone call on Jan. 22, conducted by Waltz's chief of staff, Brian McCormack, NSC employees were told that they were to leave the office immediately. They were instructed that they could return only at the request of their supervisors, senior directors appointed by the Trump administration, the WP reported. According to the outlet, about 150 employees remained from the Biden administration, and the departure of such a large number of employees could complicate the administration's work during the transition period. Dozens of officials sent home on Jan. 22 had been assigned to the NSC from other government agencies, including the Central Intelligence Agency, National Security Agency, the State Department, and the Pentagon. Those interested in staying with the NSC under Trump were asked to contact the human resources department and told that the new team would review those requests, according to three officials familiar with the matter. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump has yet to present a detailed plan for peace in Ukraine, despite campaigning on promises to put a swift end to the conflict. While he frequently references his good relationship with Russian President Vladimir Putin, his comments on Moscow in recent days have taken a somewhat harder line. When asked on Jan. 21 if he would impose additional sanctions if Putin refuses to negotiate, Trump replied: "Sounds likely." President Volodymyr Zelensky announced on Jan. 21 Ukraine is actively working to arrange a meeting between him and Trump. "We are your partner. We know all the sore spots; we have lost our people," Zelensky said, noting Trump's pledge to end the war in 2025. "We want to end the war this year. But not just quickly, but fairly and, above all, reliably for us." Read also: What are Trumps options on Russias war against Ukraine? Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. Trump's order may end remote work for many federal employees. Yet, collective bargaining agreements and other factors may affect the return-to-office timeline. With only 15% of federal jobs in DC, workers nationwide will be impacted. If you're a federal employee who works remotely even part of the time, your daily life could soon change. President Donald Trump's return-to-office order means that the roughly half of federal workers who can sometimes log on from outside the office could spend more time commuting. Yet how quickly that might play out is unclear, despite Trump's mandate. Which federal workers will have to go back to the office? Which federal workers are required back in the office may depend on factors like whether they're covered by a collective bargaining agreement a contract between an employer and workers or whether they're eligible for an accommodation to maintain a remote setup. In short, the particulars make the situation difficult to parse for many workers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "It's a mess," Kristin Alden, an employment attorney in Washington, DC, who often works with federal employees, told Business Insider. The order also states that it will comply with applicable law. Vanessa Matsis-McCready, an employment attorney at Engage PEO, which provides HR services, told BI that the wording over applicable law could be an acknowledgment of possible conflicts with collective bargaining agreements. RTO orders that appear to run counter to those could result in workers filing grievances, she said. Alden said it's unlikely that Trump's order would supersede the collective bargaining agreement for federal workers whose roles are covered by that agreement. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Randy Erwin, president of the National Federation of Federal Employees, a labor union, told BI that a little over half of federal employees are covered by such agreements. How will the process work? For RTO mandates to unfold, she said, agency and department heads will most likely issue an order for workers to come back within a certain period. After that, workers who don't comply will be warned that they're in violation of the policy. They'd then be given time to respond at least 30 days before they'd be fired, she said. It's possible that leaders will show some discretion in how and how quickly they enforce the RTO rules, Alden said. In the meantime, workers are left wondering what their timeline looks like. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The White House and its supporters could make a big push to propel the RTO effort. In a November op-ed in The Wall Street Journal, Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy wrote that making workers return to the office five days a week "would result in a wave of voluntary terminations that we welcome." That effort is part of the Department of Government Efficiency advisory group aimed at slashing federal spending and regulations. RTO orders won't just affect those in the nation's capital. Only about 15% of all federal jobs are in the Washington, DC, area, according to USAJobs, the government job board. White House Deputy Press Secretary Anna Kelly said in a statement to BI that Trump signed the order to make the federal government more efficient. "Study after study shows that employees are more productive, more focused, and more collaborative when working in the office rather than at home," she wrote. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement DOGE didn't respond to BI's request for comment. When will federal workers have to return to office? Only about half of the 2.28 million civilian federal workers can do their jobs from home. Others, including those providing healthcare to veterans, who staff national parks, or who inspect food supplies, can't work remotely, the government's Office of Management and Budget said in an August report. Federal workers who can do their jobs remotely and who have an office to report to already spend about 61% of their time working there. According to OMB, 10% of federal employees are fully remote. Because the wording of Trump's executive order walking back remote work includes the phrase "as soon as practicable," there appears to be some wiggle room for how long it might take for agencies to implement those orders, Matsis-McCready said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "It signals that we know that there's going to be obstacles that will have to be addressed with this directive," she said. The mandate requires federal employees in the executive branch, including employees for agencies like the Departments of Defense, Justice, and Labor, to return to the office. Will there be any accommodations? Erwin from the National Federation of Federal Employees said that telework is one of the most important concerns for many federal workers outside pay and benefits. Matsis-McCready said telework, either part time or full-time, can be one allowance granted to a worker who's disabled. There's a process, she said, for how workers can seek these types of adjustments. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump's executive order contains the phrase, "agency heads shall make exemptions they deem necessary." That's another signal there could be some discretion, she said. Charles Ezell, acting director of the Office of Personnel Management, wrote in a memo Wednesday that all agency leaders should revise their telework policy by 5 p.m. on Friday to require workers to be at their "duty stations" unless they have a disability, qualifying medical condition, or "other compelling reason certified by the agency head and the employee's supervisor." One group of federal workers who could be in particular peril, Alden, the DC attorney, said, are those who have had an informal OK though not an official accommodation from higher-ups to work remotely because of, say, a medical need. "Those are the people that I'm most concerned about," she said. Federal workers should expect some confusion Donald Kettl, a professor emeritus and former dean of the School of Public Policy at the University of Maryland, told BI that for a share of those workers who spend part of the time working from home, the change could be enormous. That's especially true, he said, if they joined the government when remote or hybrid setups were commonplace. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Pew Research reports that slightly more than half of the federal government's civilian workforce has been on the job for less than a decade. Kettl said younger government officials who might have school-age children, for example, could see their lives disrupted. "For many people, it's going to be very, very, very messy," he said. Kettl said even things like commutes could get harder as more workers use the roads and rails. Do you have something to share about your RTO experience? Business Insider would like to hear from you. Email our workplace team from a nonwork device at thegrind@businessinsider.com with your story, or to ask for one of our reporter's Signal numbers. Read the original article on Business Insider President Donald Trump issued an order requiring federal workers to be in the office full time. Some workers told BI it would create a major strain on commutes and family life. Others said they were willing to return to the office full time and saw value in the mandate. President Donald Trump has officially ordered federal workers to come into the office full time. It has some employees rethinking their careers, while others see value in the new mandate. The return-to-office requirement was one of Trump's first moves upon taking office, and it could reshape the federal workforce. In late November, Elon Musk the head of Trump's new Department of Government Efficiency and the former DOGE co-leader Vivek Ramaswamy framed an RTO mandate as a cost-cutting measure. They argued it would effectively weed out employees who didn't want to go back. Now that federal RTO is set to become reality, Business Insider spoke with a collection of federal workers who offered split perspectives on the order. Employees were granted anonymity to allow them to speak freely about their work situations. Their identities have been verified. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Detailed below are some of the main issues highlighted by frustrated federal workers, as well as the reasoning behind those in support of RTO. More demanding commutes One employee at the Department of Justice told Business Insider that one reason they took the job was the flexibility offered by telework. Now that they're facing a five-days-a-week requirement, their time spent commuting each week could increase to 15 hours, up from six. "You work for the government, it's supposed to be the best place to work, and suddenly you're seeing that you're not getting the same flexibilities that you've been living with and adjusting your life for, for the last couple years," the employee said. An employee who works in the Health Resources and Services Administration said the flexibility of remote work had allowed her to work out regularly after her shift. She now faces a 90-minute commute each way into Washington, DC, something that could cut into her training to become a Pilates instructor. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "A lot of people live a little bit further away," she said. "It's just a lot to consider and change abruptly." Another federal worker said having to work in the office every day would mean "at least 10 stressful hours a week wasted in traffic," in addition to the time spent making lunch and other elements associated with getting ready for work. "It will cost more money in gas, car wear and tear, parking fees, and business attire," they told BI. Family-life complications A veteran and four-year federal employee is trying to figure out how to restructure their family's life within the RTO mandate. They told BI that they had been teleworking since they started their job, which allowed flexibility for childcare. They haven't received any formal guidance yet from their agency, but they're starting to look at other career opportunities outside the federal government. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Everybody's trying to figure it out, and we're trying to do it with limited time and on the fly," the worker said. A clinical psychologist for a federal entity said they wouldn't be able to work their job unless it's remote. As a military spouse, the employee is required to move around often, making it impossible to commute five days a week to a single location far from where they're stationed. "It honestly makes me consider just leaving entirely in the first place," they said. "I can't be working for anyone where there's this much uncertainty when I have to support my family and when I have small children." Those who support RTO But not everyone is opposed to the RTO mandate. One federal employee said that while they were required to work in the office only two days a week, they would be willing to expand that. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "You need us to come in five days, we'll come in five days," the employee said. "We're adapting as we go along." The employee added that they expected to see some workers retire earlier than planned because of the mandate. While they recognize the challenges it could bring, they're grateful for the employment and willing to work with it. "There's a majority of Americans who probably would kill to have that opportunity, and they probably don't want to hear somebody complaining about, 'Well, I got to return to the office,'" the employee said. Another worker in the Department of Homeland Security, who has already been going to work in person most of the time, told BI being in the office "really enhances collaboration," adding that "decisions often happen more quickly." They also said working in the office could create clearer "boundaries between work and home life." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "I think it's overall a positive change in our work environment," the employee said. Depleted morale and 'brain drain' A Social Security Administration employee who works from home twice a week said the new RTO mandate would hurt organizational culture by deepening existing worker dissatisfaction. "Morale is so low right now in this agency," they said, adding, "We'll have even more people wanting to leave." In addition, one Treasury employee said the RTO order would lead to losing staff, including pushing some people into retirement. They predicted the possibility of a "brain drain of senior, knowledgeable employees." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement January 24, 2025: This story was updated to remove the name of one of the federal workers at the worker's request. Read the original article on Business Insider President Donald Trump has floated 25 percent tariffs on Mexican and Canadian imports, set to take effect on February 1. If implemented, these tariffs wouldn't just hurt the Canadian and Mexican economies, but also make American consumers poorer and domestic manufacturers less competitive. From January 2024 through September 2024, total trade between the U.S. and Mexico surpassed $700 billion, while trade with the U.S. and Canada came just short of that figure. Canada and Mexico are also America's two largest export markets: $325 billion and $275 billion worth of goods and services were sold to Canada and Mexico, respectively, over the first three quarters of 2024. U.S.-levied tariffs would hurt all countries involved. Research conducted by the Peterson Institute for International Economics predicts that 25 percent tariffs on Canada and Mexico would decrease American gross domestic product (GDP) by $200 billion, Canadian GDP by $100 billion, and Mexican GDP growth by 2 percent. These tariffs would also diminish American manufacturing. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement TD Economics finds that "most Canadian exports are inputs used by American businesses in their own production." Similarly, Mexico's third-largest export to the U.S. is intermediate goods for vehicles, according to the Observatory of Economic Complexity, a data visualization tool for international trade. Erecting tariffs on Canada and Mexico would not only increase the cost of goods enjoyed by American consumers but also increase the price of Canadian and Mexican inputs for American manufacturers, reducing the competitiveness of our exports internationally. Trump's proposed tariffs have triggered responses from Mexican and Canadian officials. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau promised that his country would "respond to unfair tariffs in a number of ways." He has also cautioned the president, saying "Canada provides many of the necessary inputs the American economy is going to need in order to grow and boom," such as $170 billion worth of oil, natural gas, and power. Ontario Premier Doug Ford went further, directing the Liquor Control Board of Ontario to prohibit the sale of all American alcohol in the event that Trump follows through with his tariffs on February 1. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has avoided threatening the U.S. with retaliatory tariffs. However, Kenneth Smith Ramos, Mexico's chief negotiator in the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement, warned that the American economy "relies on hundreds of billions of dollars in Mexican imports that boost the competitiveness of its manufacturing sector." Trump would be well advised to heed warnings from America's neighbors and pursue a policy of bilateral free trade with them instead of a policy of mutual antagonism. Tariffs make American consumers poorer and American industry less competitive; there's no reason to adopt such an economically indefensible policy. The post Trump's Tariffs Will Make Americans, Mexicans, and Canadians Poorer appeared first on Reason.com. LGBTQ+ advocates expect President Donald Trumps executive order declaring there are only two sexes, male and female, to have sweeping effects across federal agencies and on the lives of transgender people. Within hours of taking office, Trump signed a broad order urging federal agencies to revoke policies issued under Joe Biden that made it easier for trans people to update the gender marker on passports and other federal documents. It directs the State Department and Department of Homeland Security to require government-issued identification documents, including passports, visas, and Global Entry cards, accurately reflect the holders sex. The Trump administration defines sex by the reproductive cells a person will produce upon reaching adulthood. This narrow definition, which ignores how biology experts understand sex, mirrors definitions used in state-level legislation that has barred transgender people from updating drivers licenses, birth certificates, and state IDs. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told NOTUS on Tuesday that the order will not impact passports that were issued prior to Trump taking office. But Leavitt said passports issued in the future, including those being renewed, will show the gender marker that reflects a persons sex assigned at birth. They just have to use their God-given sex, which was decided at birth, Leavitt said. Thanks to President Trump, it is now the official policy of the federal government that there are only two sexes male and female. Its too early to tell how the order will impact applications from people currently seeking to update their gender marker on federal documents. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I dont think we know the answer to what will happen with pending applications, or how safe it is to travel. I think that a document that the United States government issued that was valid at the time of issuance is still valid, Chase Strangio, a senior attorney at the ACLU, told reporters at a press briefing on Tuesday. If they try to suggest otherwise, that raises questions and we are looking out for that. The State Department did not immediately respond to HuffPosts request for comment. The executive order requires Trumps assistant for legislative affairs to hand him a bill to codify these definitions within 30 days, though LGBTQ+ advocates are unsure whether or how this will happen. Still, the order has already caused widespread panic and confusion within trans communities. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Los Angeles-based artist Page Greene was set to travel to Mexico next week to perform at a queer music and art festival. But when Trump announced his executive order, Greene began to reconsider her trip. She has updated her photo and gender marker on her passport, but the document still reflects her deadname, as shes still waiting for her legal name change to go through next month. Greene is concerned that traveling as a trans woman in light of this executive order may cause her trouble with customs. A lawyer, who was not identified, told NBC News that trans people, especially those with an X gender marker on their passports, should be cautious while traveling, as they could be detained by border agents. Im not trying to be detained, Greene said. And I cant afford to potentially lose work. Greene said she reached out to the State Department to ask if she would be allowed back into the country with her passport and didnt receive a reassuring answer. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ive been calling the State Department every day and they said, We have no information for you, but we cannot guarantee that you will be admitted back into the country. LGBTQ+ advocates at the ACLU and Lambda Legal urge trans people to bring any issues they have with currently valid passports to their attention. Beyond passports, the order takes broad and vague aim at various policies regarding trans people, including calling for trans women to be housed with men in federal prisons and ending any gender-affirming care for incarcerated trans people. The order also calls to cut federal funds from promoting gender ideology, which it defines essentially as the belief in the existence of transgender people and identity. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Omar Gonzalez-Pagan, senior counsel and health care strategist at Lambda Legal, said the order signals an abandonment by this administration with regards to enforcement of civil rights protections for transgender people. While this order is not necessarily immediately effective, it creates an indication of where this administration is headed and a preview of where its priorities lie, he added. Related... Turkey on Thursday revised the death toll in the devastating fire at a ski hotel in the country's north-west to 78 from 79. The Turkish Ministry of Justice corrected the figure to 78 from the 79 announced the previous day, state news agency Anadolu reported. All of the deceased have now been identified, Anadolu quoted the government as saying. Among them was a foreign national, whose identity was not immediately disclosed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The fire broke out early Tuesday at the Grand Kartal Hotel with 238 guests in the province of Bolu. Many were unable to escape the flames. While anger over the disaster grew on social media, the government and the municipality of Bolu blamed each other for responsibility. Local news agency Anka reported that the Bolu fire department had carried out an inspection at the hotel about a month before the fire. The probe found fire protection measures in the building were inadequate, the report said. So far, 11 people have been arrested in connection with the investigation, including the hotel owner, the deputy mayor of Bolu and the fire department chief. The cause of the fire remains unclear. Turkey's national flag carrier resumed flights to the Syrian capital Damascus on Thursday after a break of nearly 13 years, state news agency Anadolu reported. A plane with 349 passengers took off from Istanbul International Airport for Damascus on Thursday morning in first such flight since April 2012, Anadolu reported. Turkey has taken in the most refugees from Syria in the world at around 3 million, according to official figures. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Many Syrians are returning to their home country for the first time since the fall of long-time ruler Bashar al-Assad in early December, Anadolu reported. Pictures showed travellers boarding the plane with the Syrian flag slung around their shoulders. "I feel like I'm in a dream," Anadolu quoted passenger Ahmet Kiraz as saying. Living in Turkey since 2012, he had lost hope that he would ever be able to return to Syria, Kiraz added. Turkish Airlines had suspended direct flights to the neighbouring country in the wake of the civil war that began in 2011. The airline had previously announced that it was planning three flights a week to Damascus. Details would be announced later in the day, a company spokesman said. EDITORS NOTE: This story has been updated to correct the name of the small modular reactor. KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WATE) The Tennessee Valley Authority and its partners have announced that planning for the initial construction and design of a potential small modular reactor (SMR) for the TVAs Clinch River Nuclear site will soon begin. The TVA, Bechtel, Sargent & Lundy and GE Hitachi made the announcement on Thursday. This planning and design step will be working to bring a BWRX-300 SMR to the Clinch River site in Oak Ridge. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement TVA peak power demand record broken amid cold temperatures Contractors will be working with GE Hitachi and the TVA as a highly integrated project team, which will be planning, designing, and potentially procuring, constructing and commissioning Clinch River Unit 1. The phase beginning is the validation phase, the TVA said. It is anticipated to be complete within one to two years. During this phase, the TVA will be collaborating with Bechtel, Sargent & Lundy and GE-Hitachi to develop the potential Clinch River SMRs cost estimate and schedule. This is also the time when a future, multi-party agreement can be considered that could include incentives and arrangements being negotiated to help ensure the estimates are achieved. The integrated project delivery model is the preferred method that will make our project a true team effort, said Bob Deacy, TVA Clinch River Project, Senior Vice President. We will actively work together toward a target budget and schedule creating a significant advantage to drive nuclear innovation, share risks and reduce costs. This collaboration will provide our region affordable, reliable and increasingly clean power and improve Americas energy security. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Next-generation salt-cooled nuclear plant coming to Oak Ridge after construction approved The TVA has been working with GE Hitachi, Ontario Power Generation and Synthos Green Energy since 2023 to develop the standard design for the BWRX-300. Now, the TVA will be continuing to prepare for the potential SMR at the Clinch River site, while Sargent & Lundy lead the detailed design for the site-specific implementation of the reactor. This partnership marks a major step forward for the future of clean, carbon-free nuclear energy in the United States, said Sargent & Lundy Chairman, President and CEO Victor Suchodolski. Were eager to bring our decades of nuclear expertise to the team, continuing our 40-year relationship with TVA. Bechtels expertise will provide insights from its breadth of experience in constructing nuclear facilities. Notably, the company has been working together with the TVA on nuclear projects over the years, most recently in completing the construction of the Watts Bar Unit 2 in 2016. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement At this time, the TVAs board has not voted to approve an SMR at the Clinch River Nuclear site, however, the site is part of TVAs Nuclear Program, that the TVA board of directors provided $200 million for. The TVA added that the approach it is taking aligns closely with the TVAs structured planning process that carefully advances the Clinch River Project in phases, at which the TVA board will evaluate and consider approving any next steps. Thousands of jobs, billions for the economy: Advanced energy in Tennessee In Tennessee, the advanced energy industry accounts for more than 400,000 jobs and is growing faster than the states overall economy, one report from 2024 states. The report added that in 2022, advanced energy added $56 billion to Tennessees GDP during 2022. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. PLAINS TWP., LUZERNE COUNTY (WBRE/WYOU) Two men are facing charges after police say they tried to steal a vehicle in the parking lot of Mohegan Pennsylvania casino. According to the Plains Township Police Department, on January 21, around 2:20 a.m., officers were called to Mohegan Pennsylvania for a report of a car theft in progress. Security officers told police two men, Henry Pena-Acosta, 27, of Scranton, and Jose Rodriguez, 23, of New York, were traveling around the casino parking lot when they stopped and tried to steal a parked car, damaging the lock, according to court records. LCCF: Henry Pena-Acosta One of the men got spooked by a shuttle bus and the two left the area. The two then fled in a vehicle reported stolen out of New York City and were spotted speeding towards Dillon Street, police stated. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Man arrested after hit-and-run sent woman to hospital Officers said they quickly followed the car into Wilkes-Barre until they hit a dead end where the pair exited the vehicle and fled on foot. Pena-Acosta and Rodriguez were eventually caught and arrested. Investigators stated inside the stolen Honda, they found six key fobs, a magnetic pen, and a ratchet. Pena-Acosta was charged with receiving stolen property, criminal conspiracy to commit theft, evading arrest, and driving without a license. Rodriguez was charged with criminal conspiracy to commit theft, and evading arrest. Pena-Acosta and Rodriguez remain in the Luzerne County Correctional Facility on a $25,000 bail, each. 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 PAhomepage.com. Vasco Rocha Vieira, the last Portuguese governor of Macau, has passed away at the age of 85. A retired lieutenant general, Rocha Vieira is remembered for his significant role in the transfer of Macaus sovereignty from Portugal to China in 1999. Before his tenure as governor, he served as Chief of Staff of the Portuguese Army from 1976 to 1978 and as Minister of the Republic for the Azores from 1986 to 1991. His time as Macaus governor from 1991 to 1999 was marked by his efforts to ensure the regions autonomy, preserve its identity, protect Portuguese interests, and champion religious freedom. Rocha Vieira was also vocal about his views on the Portuguese governments handling of the transition. As cited in a Lusa report, in an interview with Ponto Final, he remarked, It was a chapter that closed. There were some things where I think Portugal didnt correspond as I thought it should, but Im not the one who defines the national interest. Despite the successful handover of power, his tenure was marred by controversy over the irregular funding of the Jorge Alvares Foundation, an institution established toward the end of Portuguese rule. In 2015, Rocha Vieira was awarded the Military Order of the Tower and Sword by President Cavaco Silva for his valor, loyalty, and merit. Portugals President, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, has expressed his deepest sorrow at the passing of Rocha Vieira, whom he described as one of the most illustrious officers of the Portuguese Army during the transition to democracy and the early years of its consolidation. The statement, posted on the official website of the president, reflects on Rocha Vieiras significant role in the handover of Macaus sovereignty to China in 1999, calling it a defining moment in the history of the Portuguese state. The symbolism of the moment when the Portuguese administration was transferred to the Chinese will remain in the memory of many Portuguese as an example of a sense of state, service to the public cause, and patriotism, the statement reads. Rebelo de Sousa also conveyed his personal condolences to Vieiras family, particularly his widow and children, acknowledging their loss with much-missed friendship and expressing Portugals gratitude for Rocha Vieiras legacy. The Lisbon City Council also mourned his death, praising the late general as a man of courage who played a pivotal role in consolidating democracy and was a key figure in the events of November 25, 1975, a critical moment in Portugals political history. His funeral ceremonies will be held today and tomorrow. Staff Reporter Two juveniles were arrested Wednesday for allegedly stealing a car in Stratford with a toddler inside before leading police on a pursuit that ended in a crash off of Route 8. Authorities learned of the car theft at 2:52 p.m. when a father called 911 and said someone had just stolen his 2022 Hyundai from a gas station at Barnum Avenue and Boston Avenue with his 3-year-old daughter inside, according to the Stratford Police Department. Authorities immediately put out a Be on the Lookout alert to surrounding agencies about the situation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Shortly thereafter, dispatchers were notified that the toddler was dropped off by one of the suspects at Fire Station 10, at 950 Boston Ave., according to police. Police said both suspects fled the area of the fire station in the stolen vehicle. The child was found to be in good health and was later reunited with her parents, police said. The stolen vehicle was tracked down to Route 8 by Stratford detectives as well as officers with the Bridgeport Police Department and its task force. The car was spotted by detectives, task force members, the Stratford Narcotics and Vice Unit as well as Connecticut State Police. Police said the driver led authorities on a pursuit that ended when the vehicle crashed as it was using Exit 25. Two suspects, including the 17-year-old driver and a 13-year-old passenger, then got out and took off on foot. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Police said one of the suspects was immediately apprehended following a brief foot pursuit. The other was later taken into custody in the Bridgeport area. The Bridgeport teens were each charged with larceny of a motor vehicle (third offense), second-degree kidnapping and two counts of risk of injury to a minor. The 17-year-old was also charged with engaging police in pursuit, reckless driving, operating without a license and first-degree reckless endangerment. It was not immediately clear if they were released from police custody. Jan. 23 (UPI) -- A 28-year-old Afghan man is in police custody after attacking a group of kindergarteners in the German city of Aschaffenburg, killing two people, including a 2-year-old. The attack occurred before noon local time Wednesday in Schontal Park, Bavaria. Local police said in a statement that the man attacked the 2-year-old, who was part of a kindergarten group, with a kitchen knife, causing fatal injuries. A 41-year-old man, who was in the vicinity of the attack when it began, attempted to intervene, suffering serious injuries and died at the scene, police said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Police said the deceased man was from Germany and the child was of Moroccan descent. Three others were injured in the attack: a 2-year-old Syrian girl, a 72-year-old German man and a 59-year-old woman who was a teacher accompanying the kindergarten group. Police described their injuries as serious, but they were taken to local hospitals and were expected to live. The suspect fled the scene on foot, but was arrested a short time later and taken to a nearby police station. The knife used in the attack was recovered, police said. Authorities said the suspect had a history of mental health issues and "had come to the attention of the police multiple times in the past." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "The execution of a court-ordered search warrant at the 28-year-old's residence provided further insights into this mental illness," police said in the statement. "However, there is currently no evidence of any radical ideology associated with the suspect." A motive for the attack remains under investigation. Chancellor Ola Scholz of Germany described the attack as "an unbelievable act of terror." "I am tired of such acts of violence occurring here every few weeks -- committed by perpetrators who originally came to us seeking protection," he said on X. "The authorities must urgently investigate why the attacker was still in Germany at all. Immediate consequences must be drawn from the findings -- it is not enough to just talk." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Scholz said he met with the heads of security authorities Wednesday evening. "Today is a terrible day for all of Bavaria," Bavarian Minister-President Markus Soder said on X. "The circumstances of this unbelievable act must be fully clarified. Not now is the time to pause. It hurts. We pray for the victims and their families. We hope for a quick and fully recover for all those injured. "Bavaria stands together in these difficult hours." The incident comes amid a series of violent attacks in the country where there has been growing concerns over immigration, which has fueled a surge in support for the far-right Alternative for Germany political party ahead of next month's federal election. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "While the police in CSU-government Bavaria promote the slogan 'Diversity -- but safely!' an Afghan man stabs a man and a 2-year-old to death. When will this madness finally end? Only remigration and border protection can put an end to these conditions!" the AfD said on X. Remigration is a term used by those of the far-right, meaning forced repatriation of immigrants, mostly from Muslim-majority countries. In December, a 50-year-old Saudi man who has lived in Germany since 2006 drove his car into a group of people at a Christmas market in Magdeburg, killing five people and injuring 200 others. The suspect was reportedly a critic of Islam and German authorities who were not doing enough to stop the "Islamism of Europe." ROCKFORD, Ill. (WTVO) Nyreek Williams, 19, and Franquon Wright, 20, have been sentenced to 20 years each for attempted murder related to a shooting in the Auburn High School parking lot in January 2022. On January 4th, 2022, Rockford Police responded to the high school, located at 5110 Auburn Street for a shooting. Winnebago County States Attorney J. Hanley said surveillance video shows that, around 1 p.m., two Auburn students, a 17-year-old girl and a 17-year-old boy, were sitting in a car in the parking lot when a tan Buick Lacrosse, with Wisconsin plates and occupied by three teens, circled them twice. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On the second pass, two of the suspects, Williams and Wright, got out of the Buick, ran to the parked car, and opened fire, before getting back in the Buick and speeding away. The girl, who was shot in the leg, ran from the car while the boy, also shot, stayed within. She then returned to the car and called 911 at 1:10 p.m., Hanley said. Five spent 9mm shell casings were found at the scene. Williams and Wright were developed as suspects in the shooting, police said. Ten minutes later, an officer reportedly observed the suspect vehicle speeding eastbound in the 1200 block of Harrison Avenue. Officers followed the suspect vehicle until it crashed into a guard rail at a dead end on Wills Street. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The occupants fled on foot, and one was taken into custody in the 2900 block of Hanson Street while Williams and Wright were taken into custody in the area of 2900 Lapey Street. Both Williams and Wright attempted to flee, but a police K-9 was able to find them hiding in a garage in the 2900 block of Lapey Street. Police said two handguns were recovered in the investigation, one in the car and one in a garage in which two of the teens were found hiding from police. Both men pleaded guilty to Attempted First Degree Murder in court this week and were sentenced to 20 years apiece in the Illinois Department of Corrections. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In 2022, Winnebago County States Attorney J. Hanely said the third suspect, then 15, may be charged in adult court, depending on his review of the case. In response, Auburn High School instituted stricter security policies on Wednesday, including closing campus to keep students from entering leaving the building during school 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 MyStateline | WTVO News, Weather and Sports. Two people were shot at a farm in Brookfield on Wednesday. Police received reports of the shooting just before 7:15 p.m. at the Happy Landings Farm, located at 55 Whisconier Road, where officers responded in connection with a disturbance involving gunshots in the parking lot, according to the Brookfield Police Department. While investigating, officers learned that two people arrived at Danbury Hospital and were treated for non-life-threatening gunshot wounds, police said. Both victims were believed to have been shot at the farm. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Police described the incident as isolated and said there was no danger to the public. The Connecticut State Police Western District Major Crime Squad is assisting in the investigation, which is ongoing. Anyone with information has been asked to contact Brookfield Detective Sgt. Michael OBrien at 203-740-4121 or mobrien@brookfieldct.gov. Two teenage students are dead and one is injured following a Wednesday shooting at Antioch High School in South Nashville, Metro Nashville police confirmed. The shooter, who was identified as Solomon Henderson, 17, shot two students in the cafeteria at 11:09 a.m. before killing himself, according to police. Josselin Corea Escalante, 16, was taken to Vanderbilt University Medical Center, where she was pronounced dead. The other, a male, suffered a grazing wound. Metro Nashville Public Schools Director Adrienne Battle released a statement Wednesday evening saying: This is a heartbreaking day for the entire Antioch High School community and all of us in Nashville Public Schools. My heart goes out to the families of our students as they face unimaginable loss. I want to thank the school staff who quickly and heroically followed emergency protocols, potentially preventing further harm, as well as the Metro Nashville Police Department and Nashville Fire Department for their swift and urgent response. Get stories like this delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for The 74 Newsletter While we have been focused on addressing the immediate situation, we are committed to understanding how and why this happened and what more we can do to prevent such tragedies in the future. Its important to remember that our schools have historically been safe places for learning, friendship, and growth. We cannot allow this tragedy to overshadow the positive experiences of our 80,000 students. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Antioch High School will be closed for the rest of the week to give students time to grieve, Battle said, and grief counseling will be provided there and at other schools, which will remain open. We are committed to supporting Antioch High Schools students, staff, and families in the days and weeks ahead. I am grateful for the support of our Nashville community as we navigate this difficult time together, she said. The shooting comes almost two years after three 9-year-old students and three staff members were shot to death at The Covenant School in Nashville before police intervened and killed the shooter. It also comes just three months after a shooting on Nashvilles historic Jefferson Street killed a 24-year-old man, and injured six adults and three teenagers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Wednesdays shooting drew renewed grief from lawmakers, along with some pleas for common sense gun safety solutions. As a mother and a representative of this community, I grieve with the families, students, and staff who are enduring this unimaginable tragedy, said Sen. Charlane Oliver, a Nashville Democrat who represents the Antioch area in the state legislature, in a statement. My heart goes out to the victims who were shot, their loved ones, and everyone impacted by this horrific act of violence. No child should ever feel unsafe in their school, and no family should face the anguish of such a senseless loss. Other elected officials took to social media following the shooting. Gov. Bill Lee said he was praying for the victims, their families and the school community. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement State Sen. Jeff Yarbro, a Nashville Democrat, called for the legislature to start doing the work needed to keep kids safe. High school kids really ought to be able to go to the cafeteria without fear of being shot, Yarbro said. Nashville State Rep. John Ray Clemmons, the state House Democratic Caucus chair, echoed Yarbros sentiments. We will continue to fight for common sense gun safety solutions that protect our children and communities from gun violence, Clemmons wrote. Antioch High School serves about 2,200 students speaking 41 languages, and offers STEM programs and an international baccalaureate curriculum. School buses have taken students to be reunified with parents at Ascension St. Thomas Hospital, 3754 Murfreesboro Rd. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This is a breaking news story and will be updated. (Cassandra Stephenson and Adam Friedman contributed to this story.) Tennessee Lookout is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Tennessee Lookout maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Holly McCall for questions: info@tennesseelookout.com. ST. LOUIS COUNTY, Mo. Vandals recently targeted two historic trolleys at the National Museum of Transportation, causing tens of thousands in damages. Officials report that the vandalism happened around 6 a.m. on Jan. 10. Two trolleys that are used to provide rides for guests during the museums operating season were defaced. Those two trolleys have been preserved for several decades: The 1914 St. Louis Waterworks Railway #10 and the 1947 Southern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority #2740 Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We are heartbroken by this careless, selfish, and senseless act, stated Terri McEachern, Executive Director for the museum. Our volunteers work extremely hard to restore these priceless artifacts and return them to operating conditions for our guests to enjoy. Museum officials are working closely with St. Louis County police to investigate the vandalism. Authorities have received surveillance photos from the incident. Photo provided by: National Museum of Transportation Photo provided by: National Museum of Transportation Photo provided by: National Museum of Transportation Photo provided by: National Museum of Transportation Photo provided by: National Museum of Transportation Photo provided by: National Museum of Transportation Nearly two weeks later, no arrests have been made in connection with the case. Anyone with relevant information should contact St. Louis County Detective Calvin McClain at 314-615-0716. We take vandalism to our artifacts seriously and will prosecute those who damage our collection to the fullest extent of the law, said Dr. Darryl Ross, President of the Museums Board of Directors. Not only did they damage our artifacts, they spray painted our security cameras. Fortunately, the photos we needed were already captured. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Since the museum is a nonprofit, it doesnt receive government funding and relies on community donations. For anyone interested in donating or learning more about the museum, click here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 2. As flames engulfed swaths of Los Angeles County this month and U.S. fire authorities scrambled to coordinate help from overseas, one longtime firefighting partner was left off their list: Australia . Mexico and Canada both sent personnel and equipment to the front lines, and the Australian government publicly offered to help as part of a long-standing agreement with the United States. But U.S. officials never requested it. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement They knew that Australia, heading into its own fire season, was already dealing with a recent fire in Victoria state that burned more than 187,800 acres and took 21 days to contain. Requests for international assistance are typically sent first to the countries experiencing the least wildfire activity as they are more likely to be able to send firefighters and equipment, said Erin McDuff, a spokesperson for the U.S. Department of the Interiors Office of Wildland Fire. Australia, in particular, has recently experienced numerous severe wildfires that have taxed their available firefighting resources. Read more: Hellish fires, low pay, trauma: California's Forest Service firefighters face a morale crisis Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Yet the absence of Australian help amid two of the most destructive fires in Californias history speaks to the increasing fragility of such international agreements in the age of climate change. For more than 20 years, the agreement between the U.S. and Australia has operated on a simple principle: Located in opposite hemispheres, the two countries fire seasons have historically been asynchronous, allowing the side with less fire activity to send firefighting personnel or equipment to the other. But climate change is extending fire seasons across the world, spreading existing resources thin. Many now fear that the system of cooperation is beginning to crack. Resource-sharing agreements are becoming absolutely vital as countries are affected by prolonged outbreaks of extreme wildfires, said Rick McRae, a wildfire management expert at the University of New South Wales Canberra. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But if you look at California alone, theres just been a continuous run of bad events, he said. The usual concept of fire seasons has had to be abandoned. : : Would more help from Australia have made a difference? Some experts have said the sheer intensity and speed of the fires rendered it pointless to simply throw more people and equipment into the mix. Even with more than 10,000 firefighters battling the flames, ground crews in L.A. have said they were overwhelmed, and planes that spray fire retardant were often hamstrung by the winds. If we had 100 air tankers there, would it have done any good? I dont know. Maybe not, said Joel Kerley, the chief executive of 10 Tanker, an Albuquerque-based aerial firefighting company contracted by the U.S. Forest Service to combat the L.A.-area fires. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But Im at a point right where you gotta try. We are getting our butts kicked by these fires, and something has to change. Hector Cerna, 39, of Palmdale works to put out hot spots in Alpine National Park, in Australia's Victoria state, on Jan. 18, 2020. The U.S. sent firefighters to help combat fires in Australia as part of a mutual aid agreement between the two countries. (Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times) Kerley knows the difference that international assistance can make. A former aviation manager at the Interior Departments Bureau of Indian Affairs, he was one of the 200 federal firefighters the U.S. sent to help Australia five years ago during a catastrophic series of bushfires known as Black Summer. It was the traditional low season for wildfires in the western U.S., and the crews were returning a favor from two years earlier, when Australia and New Zealand sent over 138 people to help fight fires in Northern California in August. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Black Summer fires burned through 60 million acres, destroying over 2,700 homes and killing at least 34 people. Kerley had arrived at the peak in December 2020 to find his Australian counterparts, most of whom were volunteers, barely hanging on. None of them had days off, he said. They were exhausted, and we just provided relief for them to get some rest. Read more: Staff shortage at U.S. Forest Service hampers Southland wildfire response, locals say It was a textbook example of the U.S.-Australia arrangement working as intended. But the L.A. fires have upended this model of seasonal exchange, with detrimental implications for other countries too. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The majority of Kerleys DC-10s normally undergo maintenance during the winter, with one or two made available to respond to requests from South America. This week, he has calls with Argentina and Ecuador , which are battling intense wildfires, but he already knows he has to turn them down. The international competition for resources that's going on right now that's a real problem that needs to be addressed, he said. Theres just simply not enough to go around. : : In Australia, this realization has already set in. In October 2020, a royal commission launched in the wake of Black Summer recommended that the country build up its own fleet of firefighting planes. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The severity of the 2019-2020 bushfires highlighted the difficulties in obtaining additional aircraft from overseas at short notice, the report said, noting that nearly every large air tanker used in those fires had been contracted from overseas. The use of northern hemisphere-based firefighting aircraft is becoming problematic as the bushfire season is extending in both hemispheres, making it difficult to call on additional resources from overseas. Read more: Fire lessons from the Australian capital, where a 2003 inferno changed everything Many now say it is time for the U.S. to stop relying on foreign help and thinking of firefighting as seasonal work. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The U.S. wildland fire workforce was largely built on the foundation of seasonal workers, said Robin Wills, who recently retired as chief of fire and aviation at the National Park Services Pacific West Region. Many key firefighting resources, like federal hand crews and aviation assets, are unstaffed in the winter. He said that as fire seasons get longer with a warming climate, it is clear that this system has become outdated. Fire staff today commonly work 1,000 hours of overtime by September, he said. My crews have been away from home for 90 to 100 days. These firefighters are in need of rest and recovery and will likely be unavailable for large fires in January. A contingent of American firefighters gather for a briefing before heading out on assignment on Jan. 18, 2020. They have joined Australian counterparts in battling flames at Alpine National Park. (Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times) These problems are compounded by the drain of staff at federal agencies such as the Forest Service and Department of the Interior, which together hire most of the countrys firefighters. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The U.S. Forest Service recently lost 45% of its permanent employees over a three year-period, ProPublica reported last year, attributing the decline to low pay and difficult working conditions. Despite efforts from federal agencies to transition to a more permanent, year-round workforce, some are leaving for better-paying jobs in the private firefighting industry . The situation in California is especially dire: Fire chiefs in the state have said that many Forest Service stations there are sitting empty because there is nobody available to oversee them, The Times reported last year. : : Even as firefighters make progress in L.A., Kerley, of 10 Tanker, said that the response there has not been a sustainable one. It puts pilots in an unsafe position, he said. After three months without flying, his pilots were suddenly sent to what he called the Super Bowl of aerial firefighting, battling 40-mph crosswinds at a time when they would normally be heading into training for yearly recertification. He said some told him that it was some of the most difficult flying that they've ever done in their careers. Firefighting needs to be a year-round job and a professional organization just like the U.S. military, Kerley said. We want 365-day coverage. So what does that look like? What is that going to cost? How do we do that? That is the first question to ask. Could the L.A. fires be Americas Black Summer the wake-up call he says the U.S. desperately needs? Kerley hopes so. If this isn't the Pearl Harbor moment of wildland firefighting, I don't know what is, he said. Times staff writer Kim reported from Seoul and special correspondent Petrakis from Melbourne. 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. DAKAR (Reuters) - The U.S. plan to withdraw from the World Health Organization will squeeze Africa's health initiatives, the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention said on Thursday, calling on African countries to find alternative sources of financing. U.S. President Donald Trump signed an executive order on the WHO exit on Monday, shortly after his inauguration to a second term. The concerns raised by Africa's leading public health officials are a sign of the potential impact of the U.S. decision on the U.N. agency's ability to fight diseases and respond to emergencies round the globe without its biggest funder. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Africa CDC senior official Ngashi Ngongo said many countries had been relying on U.S. investment via the WHO to fund public health drives. "We know the role that the WHO has played on the continent... to really improve the delivery of health programmes," Ngongo told a media briefing. "The reduction or the cutting of (U.S.) funding is definitely going to affect the response. "It is time for some of the African member states to rethink the financing of public health." Zimbabwe's finance minister on Wednesday expressed concern that the U.S. withdrawal could signal cuts in health aid to countries such as his that are most affected by HIV/AIDS. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ngongo said once Africa CDC takes stock of the situation, it might explore funding opportunities with other non-African countries to compensate for the expected fall in WHO support. While Ngongo does not expect Trump's order to have a big impact on Africa CDC, he expressed concern a joint action plan the health body had been developing with the U.S. government over the past year could also now be at risk. (Reporting by Anait Miridzhanian; Editing by Jennifer Rigby and Andrew Cawthorne) The Macao Government Tourism Office (MGTO) is engaging with mainland tourism authorities to prepare for the Lunar New Year Golden Week, which runs from January 28 to February 4. MGTO has sent letters to assist mainland visitors and tour operators by providing essential information about Macaus tourism offerings. This includes real-time updates on border crossings, hotel accommodations, and group tour arrangements. The initiative seeks to ensure a smooth travel experience for guests during the holiday. Additionally, MGTO is collaborating with local tourism operators to optimize services and enhance visitor satisfaction throughout the festive period. Related Axel Rudakubana, an 18-year-old man who pleaded guilty to killing three girls at a Taylor Swift-themed dance class in the U.K. over the summer, has been sentenced to a minimum of 52 years in jail. In July, Rudakubana carried out a knife attack at a dance and yoga studio in Southport, England, killing 7-year-old Elsie Dot Stancombe, 9-year-old Alice da Silva Aguiar and 6-year-old Bebe King, and injuring 10 others. As the BBC reports, Rudakubana was 17 years old at the time of the attack, meaning that he could not be given a life sentence without a minimum term. However, Mr Justice Goose, who presided over the sentencing at Liverpool Crown Court on Thursday, said it is not likely Rudakubana will ever be released. More from Variety Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Though he originally pleaded not guilty, Rudakubana changed his plea to guilty this week ahead of his planned trial start date. The charges against Rudakubana include three counts of murder, 10 counts of attempted murder and two terror-related offenses. At the sentencing, during which Rudakubana was removed twice for yelling that he felt ill, the court learned that the attack was premeditated and that he told police afterwards he was glad the children had died, according to the BBC. The court also heard more about the terror-related charges Rudakubana pleaded guilty to, which included the discovery of ricin a naturally occurring toxin that can be deadly at his home as well as possession of an Al-Qaeda training manual. Information about past incidents was also presented, including that Rudakubana who was born in Cardiff and moved to Southport with his family in 2013 had previously brought a knife to school, contacted a helpline to ask What should I do if I want to kill somebody? and had been referred three times to the anti-extremism program Prevent. Families of the victims and survivors also gave emotional statements in court. The BBC reported that Leanne Lucas, the 36-year-old dance instructor of the class who survived multiple stab wounds, said: The impact this has had on me can be summed up by one word: trauma. He targeted us because we were women and girls, vulnerable and easy prey. To discover that he had always set out to hurt the vulnerable is beyond comprehensible. For Alice, Elsie, Bebe, Heidi and the surviving girls, Im surviving for you. Following news of the attack in July, Swift issued a statement, writing that she was completely in shock. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The loss of life and innocence, and the horrendous trauma inflicted on everyone who was there, the families and first responders. These were just little kids at a dance class, she wrote. I am at a complete loss for how to ever convey my sympathies to these families. Swift later met with survivors and their families ahead of her August shows at Londons Wembley Stadium. Best of Variety Sign up for Variety's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. The mobile launcher, carried by the crawler-transporter 2, rolls out from its park site location to Launch Pad 39B at NASAs Kennedy Space Center in Florida in August 2023 for testing ahead of the agencys Artemis II mission. (Photo by Ben Smegelsky/NASA) Pinellas County Republican U.S. Rep. Anna Paulina Luna has written a letter urging President Donald Trump to consider moving NASAs headquarters from Washington, D.C., to Floridas Space Coast. Luna argues the move would offer significant strategic, economic, and logistical advantages to NASA and the United States. Pinellas County U.S. Rep. Anna Paulina Luna speaking in Clearwater on Nov. 4, 2024. (Photo by Mitch Perry/Florida Phoenix) The representative, an ally of the president who sat in his V.I.P. box during parts of the Republican National Convention last summer, writes that the Space Coast is not only home to government facilities such as the Kennedy Space Center, but now also houses private space industry companies like SpaceX, Blue Origin, and Boeing. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Additionally, the presence of the U.S. Space Force in Florida presents a unique opportunity for NASA to collaborate more closely with military space operations, she writes. Such proximity would enhance coordination on key projects like satellite technology, national space initiatives, and advanced space exploration missions. By co-locating NASA with the Space Force, the two agencies could share resources, streamline operations, and increase efficiency in both military and civilian space programs. Lunas proposal follows a similar call by Gov. Ron DeSantis earlier this month when making an appearance at the Kennedy Space Center. There is an interest in moving the headquarters of NASA to right here to Kennedy Space Center, and Im supportive of that, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement They have this massive building in Washington, D.C., and like nobody goes to it, so why not just shutter it and move everybody down here. I think theyre planning on spending like half-a-billion to build a new building up in D.C. that nobody will ever go to either, so hopefully with the new administration coming in theyll see a great opportunity to just headquarter NASA here on the Space Coast of Florida. I think thatd be very, very fitting. While campaigning for president, DeSantis promoted the idea of moving some federal agencies outside of the nations capital. Decentralization The existing NASA headquarters lease expires in August 2028, and the agency already has evaluated multiple options including leasing or purchasing within the District of Columbia, according to the agencys website. President Trump called for moving as many as 100,000 government jobs to new locations outside the Washington swamp during the campaign. During his first term in office, he shifted the Bureau of Land Managements headquarters from Washington to Grand Junction, Colorado, in August 2020. A total of 176 employees working in the BLM headquarters were told to move; 135 declined, with many leaving the agency to take positions elsewhere in the federal bureaucracy, according to the Government Accountability Office. In 2021, the Biden administration announced that it was moving the Bureau of Land Managements headquarters back to Washington. URBANA, Ill. (WCIA) The University of Illinois is sorting through a record number of first-year applications. Admissions officials said applications from people living in Illinois, those out of state and international all went up for the coming fall. The growing number of potential students raises questions about housing, however. This school years record-breaking freshman class made it difficult for every student to have a room when people arrived on campus this past fall. University Housing Official Chris Axtman-Barker said this years 9,008 first-year students and the number of upperclassmen who requested to live in on-campus housing is what caused problems. Now, hes trying to get ahead of the curve before new students step onto campus this fall. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Boneyard Arts Festival looking for signature artist This year, weve taken a few steps knowing that the class size is going to be increased, Axtman-Barker said. So those steps include setting a cap for returning residents, so only a certain number of returning residents have been allowed to reserve space for the upcoming year. Students returning to university housing for a second year had to let the university know in October. On-campus housing has a capacity of about 10,000 students, but Axtman-Barker said there are plans for that to increase as the university continues to grow. Students will start getting their admission status at the end of this month. Admissions said they wont release the number of first-year students until the 10th day of classes this fall. 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. A growing portion of Russia's oil tanker fleet is being forced to reflag as U.S. and U.K. sanctions intensify pressure on Moscow's shipping network, Bloomberg reported on Jan. 23. The removal of these flags disrupts Russia's oil export logistics, forcing tankers to re-register in less reputable jurisdictions and change ownership to avoid detection. The pressure follows sweeping sanctions introduced on Jan. 10, targeting nearly 200 vessels in Russia's so-called "shadow fleet." These ships are used to bypass sanctions on Russian oil exports. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Barbados Ship Registry, which operates under U.K. regulations, will reportedly revoke the flags of 46 vessels under U.K. sanctions by the end of January. Read also: Trump says Russias war in Ukraine will end immediately if OPEC lowers oil prices Though Barbados does not impose sanctions on Russia, its compliance reflects its strong ties with the U.K. Ships sanctioned by the U.S. but not by the U.K. will retain their Barbadian flags. Panama's Maritime Authority has similarly begun deregistering 68 vessels, aligning with U.S., EU, U.K., and UN sanctions under rules adopted in late 2024. Compounding the impact of maritime sanctions, Indian banks have reportedly blocked payments for Russian oil imports due to the latest round of U.S. sanctions, according to Energy Intelligence. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The tightening measures have already caused a sharp decline in Russian seaborne crude exports, with Bloomberg reporting dozens of tankers dropping anchor and suspending operations since the Jan. 10 sanctions. Read also: Russian cargo ship Sparta II docks in Syria after weeks drifting at sea, tracking data shows Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. LONDON (Reuters) - London's Metropolitan Police force has improved its performance and no longer needs special monitoring, England's police watchdog said on Thursday, more than two years after a string of failures triggered additional scrutiny. In June 2022 Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services announced the force would be subject to an enhanced level of monitoring following concerns about its performance. The force's reputation was at that time damaged by the 2021 abduction, rape and murder of a woman by a Met officer and a long string of revelations of a culture of bullying, racial discrimination and misogyny. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On Thursday, the watchdog highlighted improvement in a number of areas including crime involving exploited children, the identification of victim-blaming language and overall professional standards. "I am pleased with the good progress that the Metropolitan Police Service has made so far," His Majesty's Inspector of Constabulary Lee Freeman said in a statement. "Whilst there is still a significant amount of work to do, I have recommended removing the service from our enhanced level of monitoring, known as Engage, and return it to routine monitoring." (Reporting by William James, Editing by Paul Sandle) Any attempt to get Ukraine into Nato will run into a buzz saw in Washington unless Europe pays for it, a top diplomat for Donald Trump has said. Richard Grenell, a US special presidential envoy, suggested that US taxpayers would not be prepared to fund Ukrainian membership of the Western alliance. However, he appeared to leave the door open to expansion in future if European countries were prepared to shoulder more of the financial burden for defending the Continent. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement His comments came just minutes after Mark Rutte, Natos secretary general and the former prime minister of the Netherlands, warned that Russian president Vladimir Putin should not be allowed to veto Ukraine joining the military alliance. Mr Grenell said: I think youre going to run into a big buzz saw in America if we have the Nato secretary general talking about adding Ukraine to Nato. The American people are the ones that are paying for the defence. You cannot ask the American people to expand the umbrella of Nato when the current members arent paying their fair share and that includes the Dutch, who need to step up. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement So when, when we have leaders who are going to talk about more war, we need to make sure that those leaders are spending the right amount of money. We need to be able to avoid war, and that means a credible threat from Nato. Nato members are supposed to spend 2pc of their GDP on defence but only 23 of the 32 countries currently do so, including the UK. Mr Trump who returned to the White House on Monday has accused Europe of failing to pay its way and is reportedly set to call for a new target of between 3pc and 5pc. Ukraine formally applied for Nato membership in September 2022 but under Joe Biden, the US argued the country was not ready and said there was a lack of unanimous support among the alliances members. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The clash on Thursday came as Mr Trump sought to force Putin to the negotiating table, warning him to stop this ridiculous war or face more sanctions. Trump has warned Vladimir Putin to stop this ridiculous war or face more sanctions - Evgenia Novozhenina/REUTERS Appearing via video link at the World Economic Forum, in Davos, Mr Grenell said: I think theres a big frustration from Americans that weve had a lot of talk over the last several years about just more military spending and more war. Vladimir Putin and Joe Biden have not spoken in more than three and a half years. Now, we think thats outrageous. The American people think thats outrageous. Youre not going to be able to solve problems peacefully unless you actually have conversations. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Mr Grenell was speaking at a Ukrainian-organised event, where Mr Rutte had just warned against giving Mr Putin too much leverage in advance of any forthcoming peace talks. Mr Rutte said: There is a commitment that Ukraine will become a member of Nato. The question now, of course, is how this will exactly play out hopefully, as soon as possible. The risk here is that we start to negotiate with Putin without Putin at the table and that Putin sits in his reclining chair in Moscow, just ticking boxes yes or no to Nato, yes or no to keeping some of the territory I have captured in the past. I would say our focus has to be to bring Ukraine in the best possible position, and peace talks will start. And when they end, we have to make sure that the peace we have collectively fostered is sustainable and will never, ever be challenged again. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement And yes, obviously, full Nato membership is then the easiest outcome. But whatever exactly the outcome is, it has to be clear that it is sustainable. Finally, we have to make clear that Vladimir Putin has no veto and has no vote on whoever would join Nato in future. He has nothing to say about this we have to be very clear. In recent months, Mr Trump has vowed to bring the war in Ukraine to a swift conclusion. Retired US army lieutenant general Keith Kellogg was recently appointed special envoy for Ukraine - Carlos Barria/Reuters He has appointed Keith Kellogg, a retired US army lieutenant general, as his special envoy for Ukraine. Mr Grenell, a close ally of Mr Trump who was considered for the role of secretary of state, is the special presidential envoy for special missions including to North Korea and Venezuela. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Mr Putin has repeatedly claimed that Natos expansion towards its borders was the key reason for his decision to attack, arguing that the country falls within Moscows sphere of influence. Volodymyr Zelensky, Ukraines president, has publicly backed Mr Trumps efforts to broker a ceasefire, but Putin has yet to signal his willingness to entertain peace talks. Asked whether the US would seek to apply more pressure on the Russian dictator, Mr Grennell said on Thursday: After three years, weve watched this war drift even further into chaos. So now that President Trump is in office, I think hes been handed a terrible mess. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement There are not a lot of great choices. But President Trump is somebody who has a credible threat and has already made clear that hes going to pressure both sides to end this. Hes focused on trying to stop the killing. 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. By Brad Haynes, Max Schwarz and Marta Fiorin DAVOS, Switzerland (Reuters) - As Ukraine's president discussed peacekeeping forces needed to enforce any ceasefire and U.S. President Donald Trump urged an end to three years of war, Ukrainian officials were courting private investors this week to help rebuild the country. Oleksiy Sobolev, first deputy economy minister, described a $500 billion reconstruction effort that would pay both strategic and financial dividends to Western investors, as Kyiv steps up privatisation plans to attract foreign capital. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "It's the private sector that's going to be doing these investments," Sobolev said on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum's annual meeting, describing recent success with smaller privatisations. "We're looking at privatising more. It's the right time right now to open the bigger companies," he added. U.S. President Donald Trump told WEF attendees on Thursday that he wants to end the war in Ukraine. "Our efforts to secure a peace settlement between Russia and Ukraine are now, hopefully underway. It's so important to get that done," Trump said in an address from Washington. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump's fledgling second administration has led some to recast the bilateral relationship between the U.S. and Ukraine in terms of narrow economic interest. "Your country first. Win with us," suggested the sign greeting visitors to the Ukraine House in Davos. "The discussion about Ukraine is always about ... how do we help Ukraine?" said Kurt Volker, a former U.S. ambassador to NATO, adding: "We need to look at Ukraine as part of the solution for so many of the problems that we need to deal with." He highlighted Ukraine's potential as a producer of cleaner and more secure energy for Europe, and as a supplier of battle-tested weaponry on a continent where defence spending is on the rise. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement President Volodymyr Zelenskiy told leaders on Tuesday that domestic assembly lines already produced 40% of the weaponry Ukrainian forces are using on the front lines. His special adviser Oleksandr Kamyshyn told Reuters that this share has risen due in part to the "dozens" of domestic joint ventures with defence firms from Western nations already investing in Ukrainian facilities. "That's not only a local office (or) local factory, that's also R&D," Kamyshyn said in an interview. He declined to name partners, but said more than 10 are German, adding: "They are quite heavy ... big names from the U.S. side." Russian attacks on Ukraine's power sector, including strikes on coal-fired plants dating back to the 1960s and 1970s, have also created an opening for the country to pivot towards cleaner and less centralized power generation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Danish wind turbine maker Vestas announced a $470 million deal at Davos with DTEK, Ukraine's largest private energy firm, to expand a wind farm near the Black Sea coast. Vestas CEO Henrik Andersen said it had been a struggle to line up funding for a project in a place that many lenders consider a war zone, dragging out a process that ordinarily takes weeks into talks that took "several quarters". Andersen said public funding was crucial to get the ball rolling on what would be a gargantuan reconstruction effort. "The recovery starts before a peace deal," he said. (Writing by Brad Haynes; Editing by Alexander Smith) Key developments on Jan. 23: Russian forces suspected of killing 6 Ukrainian POWs in Donetsk Oblast Ukrainian soldiers near Velyka Novosilka at risk of encirclement, spokesperson says Zelensky clarifies comment on 200,000 peacekeepers, says figure depends on Ukrainian army size NATO chief urges US to keep arming Ukraine, pledges European funding Trump says Russia's war in Ukraine 'will end immediately' if OPEC lowers oil prices Ukrainian prosecutors are investigating a case of Russian troops summarily executing six Ukrainian captives in the embattled Donetsk Oblast, the Prosecutor Generals Office said on Jan. 23. The statement came in reaction to a video circulating on social media, recorded by Russian soldiers, that apparently shows the execution of the six prisoners of war (POW). The footage also shows a seventh Ukrainian soldier lying on the ground, whose fate is unknown. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "According to preliminary information, during an assault against Ukrainian positions in Donetsk Oblast, Russian soldiers took six Ukrainian soldiers captive and subsequently shot them," the Prosecutor Generals Office said in a statement. Executing prisoners of war is a serious violation of the Geneva Conventions and a war crime. Ukraines Ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets said he had reached out to the U.N. and the International Committee of the Red Cross regarding the case. Throughout the full-scale war, Ukraine has documented widespread violations of the Geneva Conventions by Russian forces, including the execution of over 100 POWs in 2024 alone, according to Lubinets. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Reports of torture, murder, and abuse of Ukrainian captives particularly in Donetsk Oblast have surged in recent months. Visual evidence of these atrocities continues to emerge, underscoring Russia's disregard for international law. Read also: How Ukraine lost faith in the Red Cross and UN Ukrainian soldiers near Velyka Novosilka at risk of encirclement, spokesperson says Ukrainian troops positioned near the village of Velyka Novosilka in Donetsk Oblast are at risk of encirclement by Russian forces, military spokesperson Viktor Trehubov said on Jan. 23. Russian forces are attempting to take control of access routes to the village through heavy fire, according to Trehubov, a spokesperson for Ukraine's Khortytsia group of forces. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Velyka Novosilka is currently in a rather difficult situation. Ukrainian soldiers are doing everything to prevent further advances of the enemy," Trehubov said. However, the geographical layout of the area, including a river that cuts through the village, complicates defensive maneuvers, according to Trehubov. A screenshot of the map by the DeepState monitoring group as of Jan. 23, 2025, showing the front-line village of Velyka Novosilka, Donetsk Oblast. (DeepState/OpenStreetMaps) According to Trehubov, Russia's numerical advantage in manpower in the area poses significant challenges. "They are constantly conducting rotations, adding personnel, and replenishing their deployed forces. They still have this resource," Trehubov added. He said that preventing encirclement and maintaining access to Velyka Novosilka remains a priority for Ukrainian troops. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi previously described the ongoing Russian offensive in the east as "one of the most powerful" since the start of the full-scale invasion in February 2022. Throughout the fall of 2024, Russian forces made operational gains in southern Donetsk Oblast, including areas near Toretsk and Chasiv Yar, while advancing near Kupiansk and on Russian soil in Kursk Oblast. Read also: 57% of Ukrainians believe peace without full territorial integrity will fail, poll shows Zelensky clarifies comment on 200,000 peacekeepers, says figure depends on Ukrainian army size President Volodymyr Zelensky on Jan. 22 clarified his earlier comments on the number of European peacekeepers needed to maintain peace in Ukraine, saying the required numbers would depend on the size of Ukraines own military. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The statement comes after Zelensky told a journalist at the World Economic Forum in Davos that at least 200,000 European soldiers would be needed for a stable peace deal. "By the way, I didnt say we need 200,000 (peacekeepers)... A journalist asked me, I said, 'maybe more, maybe less,'" Zelensky said when asked about the statement in an interview with Bloomberg TV. Zelensky spoke in comparably stronger terms in Davos, saying: "From all the Europeans? 200,000, its a minimum. Its a minimum, otherwise its nothing." The president explained in the interview that the size of the needed contingent will depend on the strength of the Ukrainian military. As Kyiv would struggle to maintain a million-strong army needed to repel future Russian aggression, fielding such a force would depend on U.S. and European support, he explained. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If the U.S. and Europe prove unwilling to help maintain such an army and Ukraine reduces it "by 200,000, 300,000 or 500,000, it means that other troops have to replace them in those numbers," Zelensky added. The presidents conclusion was that in the face of such options, Ukraines accession to NATO is the cheapest way toward stable peace both for Ukraine and the West. At the same time, Zelensky admitted that some members namely the U.S., Germany, Slovakia, and Hungary remain reluctant to allow Ukraine into the alliance. Zelensky has been in contact with a number of European leaders about the prospects of a peacekeeping mission an initiative that French President Emmanuel Macron has spearheaded. During a visit to Kyiv on Jan. 16, U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer said that his country will play its "full part" in supporting efforts to maintain an enduring peace in Ukraine. The idea has also found support from U.S. President Donald Trump, who has called upon Europe to take up greater responsibility for Ukraines security and pledged to bring a swift end to the war. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Read also: Ahead of Trumps inauguration, Ukraines European partners cant afford to watch and wait for Washingtons next move NATO chief urges US to keep arming Ukraine, pledges European funding NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte called on the United States to continue supplying weapons to Ukraine, pledging that Europe will shoulder the financial burden, Reuters reported on Jan. 23. "If this new Trump administration is willing to keep on supplying Ukraine, the bill will be paid by the Europeans," Rutte said at the World Economic Forum in Davos. Rutte's remarks come amid the uncertainty of the U.S. support for Ukraine under President Donald Trump, who has repeatedly criticized aid to Kyiv, as well as called on Europe to increase its share. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump has repeatedly lambasted European NATO members for not investing enough in their defense capabilities and instead relying on the U.S. Rutte agreed with Trump's criticism of Europe's low defense spending, saying that "Ukraine is closer to Europe than to the U.S." Earlier on Jan. 22, President Volodymyr Zelensky emphasized the importance of U.S. leadership in ending Russia's war during an interview with Bloomberg. "The end of the war must be a victory for U.S. President Donald Trump, not for Russian President Vladimir Putin," Zelensky said. During his presidential campaign, Trump has repeatedly called for a swift resolution to Russia's war and claimed he would be able to end it quickly. However, he hasn't elaborated on how he plans to achieve that. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On Jan. 22, Trump threatened to impose harsher sanctions on Moscow if a "deal" is not reached soon. Read also: Trump needs to come out on top Zelensky on US presidents role in ending war Trump says Russia's war in Ukraine 'will end immediately' if OPEC lowers oil prices President Donald Trump said on Jan. 23 that he would ask the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) to lower the price of oil, claiming it would end Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine "immediately." "If the price came down, the Russia-Ukraine war would end immediately," he said via videolink at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. "Right now, the price is high enough that that war will continue, you gotta bring down the oil price and end that war," he added. OPEC consists of 12 countries including Iraq, Iran, Kuwait, and Saudi Arabia, which collectively account for around 30% of the global oil supply. By agreeing to lower or raise the amount of oil they all produce, OPEC can dramatically affect global oil prices. Lower global oil prices would deplete Russia's main source of revenue that it uses to fund its war in Ukraine, though a recent analysis in Foreign Policy suggested any effects would likely take months to significantly hamper the Kremlin's war machine. Another Trump policy declaring open season on drilling for U.S. oil and gas could also potentially push down prices and box out Russian oil. Trump was also asked if there would be a peace agreement between Ukraine and Russia by the time of next year's World Economic Forum. "Well, you'll have to ask Russia. Ukraine is ready to make a deal," he said. Speaking of China, he said they "have a great deal of power over that situation," and that he hoped the U.S. could work with Beijing to end the full-scale invasion of Ukraine. A day earlier, Trump said that if a "deal" to end the war in Ukraine was not reached soon, he would have no choice but to "put high levels of taxes, tariffs, and sanctions on anything being sold by Russia to the United States and other participating countries." In response, the Kremlin said it sees nothing new in Trump's threats to impose sanctions if no deal on the war in Ukraine is reached, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said on Jan. 23. "We don't see any particularly new elements here. You know that Trump, in the first iteration of his presidency, was the American president who most often resorted to sanctions methods," Peskov said. Russia is ready for an "equal and respectful" dialogue with the U.S., as it was during Trump's first term, Peskov added. The Kremlin spokesman also noted that no preparations are currently underway for a meeting between Trump and Putin. President Volodymyr Zelensky led a Ukrainian delegation at the World Economic Forum that sought to highlight the country's economic potential and investment appeal, framing the country as a "prize, not a burden." Events held at the Ukraine House, the country's pavilion at the forum, have focused on Ukraine's vast natural resources, and defense and agricultural sectors. The delegation's website says Ukraine holds $26 trillion in mineral wealth, including one-third of Europe's lithium reserves and significant gas reserves. Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. Oleksandr Syrskyi, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, has noted that the situation in the French-trained 155th Separate Mechanised Brigade named after Anna of Kyiv, which has faced issues with desertion, is gradually improving, and the negative aspects that have arisen will be taken into account in the future. Source: Syrskyi on Facebook Quote: "I devoted the day to work on the Pokrovsk front, where the enemy is concentrating its main efforts and conducting active offensive actions. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While working at the command posts, I listened to the brigade commanders about the peculiarities of combat operations, problematic issues and took all measures to resolve them. I paid special attention to the 155th Brigade. It is worth noting that the brigade is gradually acquiring certain combat capabilities. All the negative aspects and difficulties that arose during its deployment in Ukraine have been analysed and conclusions drawn, which will be taken into account in the further training of the servicemen." Details: Syrskyi noted that he has listened to the issues and requests regarding the brigades current needs. He stressed that he worked with a separate UAV regiment to further scale it into a new type of brigade. He got acquainted with new technological developments that are being improved to meet the challenges of war and are immediately applied on the battlefield. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Syrskyi added that he had made the necessary decisions to reinforce the units with reserves and resources to perform their tasks more effectively. Background: Journalist Yurii Butusov reported facts of improper formation and equipping of the newly created 155th Mechanised Brigade, and the State Bureau of Investigation announced an investigation into the issues of desertion and abuse of power within the brigade. Syrskyi stated that he was paying attention to the building the capacity of the unmanned systems unit of the 155th Mechanised Brigade, as well as to the "problematic issues that need to be addressed". Representatives of the French army confirmed cases of desertion among Ukrainian soldiers undergoing training in the country. On 7 January, the Ukrainian General Staff stated that the 155th Brigade was performing combat missions near Pokrovsk in full strength, reinforced with drones and provided with additional equipment. On 20 January, the State Bureau of Investigation and the Security Service of Ukraine detained Dmytro Riumshyn, the former commander of the 155th Brigade. Support UP or become our patron! Secretary of State Marco Rubio met yesterday [Macau time] with his counterparts from Australia, India and Japan as the Trump administration kicked off its formal foreign policy engagements in discussions with the Indo-Pacific Quad. The ministers reaffirmed their countries commitment to the format and its goals and indicated their leaders would meet in the coming months. The grouping of the four countries has been seen by many as an initiative to counter or at least slow Chinas increasing assertiveness and aggressiveness in the region, something over which President Donald Trump and his predecessors, including former President Joe Biden, have all expressed deep concern. The timing of Tuesdays meeting on Trumps first full day in office and just hours after Rubio was sworn in as Americas top diplomat suggests it will remain a priority for Trump. And, in a joint statement released after the meeting, the ministers suggested a new Quad summit would be held this year in India, continuing an upgrade of the relationship from foreign ministers to leaders initiated by the Biden administration. Our four nations maintain our conviction that international law, economic opportunity, peace, stability, and security in all domains including the maritime domain underpin the development and prosperity of the peoples of the Indo-Pacific, they said. We also strongly oppose any unilateral actions that seek to change the status quo by force or coercion, they said in a not-so-subtle reference to China. The two-paragraph joint statement was the only indication of how the meeting unfolded as none of the ministers Rubio, Australian Penny Wong, Indian S. Jaishankar or Japanese Iwaya Takeshi spoke as they opened their meeting at the State Department. Instead they stood silent and expressionless in front of their respective flags before journalists were ushered out. And, none of them spoke at photo opportunities before individual meetings that Rubio hosted afterward. The Quad was established in 2007 to bring together countries that had worked together in response to the devastating 2004 earthquake and tsunami in the Indian Ocean. Its members stress its diplomatic nature and broad focus on regional issues, including infrastructure, humanitarian aid, disaster relief, climate change and maritime security. Even though security is only part of the mix, the Quad is a major component of the American strategy to counter Chinas growing assertiveness and vast territorial claims in the region, including to virtually all of the strategically important South China Sea and Taiwan. The strategic element to the Quad has prompted China to accuse the four countries of attempting to form an Asian NATO, though it is a very different construction and has no mutual-defense pact, a key component to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization alliance. During his time in the Senate, Rubio was a China hawk and he has been sanctioned by the Chinese government for outspoken remarks about the countrys human rights record, On Tuesday, Rubio made his first appearance at the State Department as secretary of state and called on U.S. diplomats to forcefully defend and execute Trumps America First policies. The voters decide the course of our nation, both domestically and abroad, and they have elected Donald J. Trump as our president when it comes to foreign policy on a very clear mission, Rubio told them. And that mission is to ensure that our foreign policy is centered on one thing, and that is the advancement of our national interest, which (was) clearly defined through his campaign as anything that makes us stronger or safer or more prosperous. And that will be our mission, that will be our job. Trump has been publicly skeptical of the value of the State Department since his first term in office and, as he has done with other agencies, accused some in the diplomatic corps of working to blunt or derail his policy priorities. Rubio paid tribute to the men and women of the State Department, calling them the greatest, the most effective, the most talented, the most experienced diplomatic corps in the history of the world. But, his arrival came amid a wave of resignations demanded by Trumps team of career diplomats from senior positions in the State Department bureaucracy and U.S. embassies around the world. The full extent of the resignations sought by the incoming administration remained unclear yesterday but began in earnest on Friday when a large number of career diplomats holding politically appointed posts, such as undersecretaries and assistant secretaries of state, were told to resign. On Monday, the demand for resignations grew to include career diplomats serving as ambassadors as well as lower-ranking staffers. MATTHEW LEE, WASHINGTON,MDT/AP Oleksandr Syrskyi, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, has explained that there are never "enough" personnel or resources in war, necessitating rational use of the troops and weaponry available. Source: Syrskyi in an interview with Bayraktar Radio on 23 January Details: Syrskyi had been asked about the allocation of assets and personnel, and specifically how many troops, equipment and weapons the Armed Forces of Ukraine are lacking. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Quote: "I cant recall a single war where there was enough of everything. I hope our enemies are even more short on resources than we are. So we fight with what we have. And we just have to make rational use of what we do have." Background: Syrskyi has previously stated that mobilisation efforts cannot fully meet the need for personnel on the front line, resulting in some soldiers who had previously been involved in logistics and support being reassigned to infantry roles. Support UP or become our patron! General Oleksandr Syrskyi, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, who commanded the defence of Kyiv at the beginning of Russia's full-scale invasion, considers the battle for the village of Moshchun in the Bucha district to be the most critical moment of that campaign. Source: Syrskyi in an interview with Radio Bayraktar published on 23 January Quote: "There were many [critical moments], but in my opinion, the most critical moment was during the battle for Moshchun. It happened at night when the enemy was preparing to deploy at least a battalion. This was evident from the large amount of equipment and the construction of five pontoon bridges across the Irpin River. The enemy was getting ready to cross the river and launch large-scale combat operations in Moshchun. At that time, they already had several dozen marines and around 15 to 20 airborne fighting vehicles on our (right) bank." Read more: Davyd Petrovych vs. Goliath: The gradual revival of the devastated village of Moshchun, a year on from the Russian invasion Perhaps this was the most critical moment when the vehicles started moving (I saw it on the monitor; the footage was from a drone), and we could see it through the thermal imaging camera. This happened around 22:00. When the vehicles began moving, we fired with everything we had: artillery was firing... The main objective was to destroy the crossings. And when the first enemy vehicle turned right and moved along the combat formations of armoured vehicles towards Hostomel, I couldnt even believe it was possible because we had been preparing for the worst-case scenario." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Details: According to Syrskyi, the Ukrainian military managed to destroy two Russian crossings, with three remaining, but the Russians abandoned their intentions. In the following days, the situation began to improve, and eventually, the Russians abandoned their equipment and fled Moshchun. Support UP or become our patron! Oleksandr Syrskyi, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, believes some censorship is necessary in wartime, but not in the extreme form it takes in North Korea. Source: Syrskyi in an interview with Bayraktar Radio Details: Syrskyi explained that censorship is undoubtedly required in wartime, but emphasised that he would not want to see a dictatorship, as in North Korea. He noted that even the legislation on martial law currently in effect in Ukraine includes many relevant restrictions. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Syrskyi believes censorship is particularly important in the modern world, where people have easy access to information. As an example, Syrskyi mentioned the need to keep operational details secret during the Ukrainian Armed Forces operations in Kharkiv and Kursk oblasts. The media silence at the time led the Russians to believe that the Ukrainian army was no longer capable of conducting active combat operations. Syrskyi stressed that "there is sensitive information that cannot be shared", but overall it is essential to keep the public informed about the war "so that people understand the war is here, right next to us". Support UP or become our patron! There is a risk of operational encirclement of Ukrainian troops on the Novopavlivka front near the village of Velyka Novosilka, Donetsk Oblast. Source: Viktor Trehubov, spokesperson for the Khortytsia Operational Strategic Group, on the national joint 24/7 newscast Quote: "The village of Velyka Novosilka is currently in a rather difficult situation. The Ukrainian troops are doing everything to prevent further advances of the enemy... Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement There is no complete encirclement there. There is a risk of an operational encirclement, but efforts are being made to prevent it and to not allow the Russians to block the approaches to the village, although they are trying to take them under fire control." Details: Trehubov explained that the geographical location of the village of Velyka Novosilka poses particular challenges, namely that the river that crosses the village limits manoeuvres. At the same time, the Ukrainian defence forces are developing scenarios to counteract this. Trehubov added that the main problem is that the Russian troops have a large quantitative advantage in this area, as in many others. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Quote: "They [the Russian troops ed.] are constantly conducting rotation, adding personnel, replenishing the forces already deployed there. They still have this resource. It is not as abundant as it used to be, they have started to save it in a certain way, perhaps for the first time during the war, especially on the Pokrovsk front, but this does not mean that they are facing difficulties in this regard. It just means that they don't have an excess of resources right now." Support UP or become our patron! The Ukrainian sailors of the Galaxy Leader cargo vessel, who were captured by Yemeni Houthis on 19 November 2023 in the Red Sea, were evacuated on 22 January 2025 by Ukrainian intelligence officers with the support of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine. Source: Defence Intelligence of Ukraine Quote: "On the instructions of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Defence Intelligence of Ukraine jointly with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine successfully evacuated three Ukrainian sailors, crew members of the cargo ship Galaxy Leader, who were captured by the Yemeni Houthis." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Details: Defence Intelligence of Ukraine clarified that the operation was carried out with the "full support and assistance of the Royal Office of the Sultanate of Oman". The intelligence officers noted that the sailors are returning to their families and will undergo rehabilitation. It is reported that the operation to free the Ukrainians lasted more than a year, and informal negotiations were held with the Yemeni Houthis and parties involved in the situation around the detained cargo ship. According to the intelligence officers, they first established contact with the captured sailors on 3 April 2024. Background: In the autumn of 2023, it was reported that the Iranian-backed Yemeni Houthis had seized the cargo ship Galaxy Leader with an international civilian crew, including Ukrainians, in the Red Sea. In January 2024, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that Ukrainian sailors were being held captive by the Houthis and that Ukraine would work to bring them back. On 22 January, reports indicated that the Houthis had released the cargo ship Galaxy Leader with an international civilian crew. Support UP or become our patron! Ukrainian pilots are using skills that Western pilots have let atrophy, a former F-16 pilot said. The West might need to use these skills again in a great-power war, he said. Ukraine's fight against Russia's invasion is giving the West a slew of lessons. Ukrainian pilots fighting against Russia's invasion are using flying techniques the West has not really used since the Cold War but might need to revive, a former US F-16 pilot told Business Insider. Ukraine's fight has offered the West a wide variety of lessons that it might need to apply in a great-power conflict. Retired US Air Force Col. John Venable, a former F-16 pilot and a defense expert at the Mitchell Institute, told BI that one of those lessons is that old techniques specifically low-altitude flying might need to be brought back. In Europe during the Cold War, "we flew low altitude all of the time," Venable said, adding the US was "practicing against high-threat situations where you have surface-to-air missiles that can take you down." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Venable retired in 2007 after a 25-year career in the US Air Force, where he flew the F-16 in the US, Europe, the Pacific, and the Middle East. He had more than more than 300 hours of combat time in Kuwait, Iraq, and Afghanistan. He said low-altitude flying to evade surface-to-air threats could be particularly challenging. "Your ability to actually fly really low until you actually need to expose yourself in order to deliver ordinance or shoot another aircraft down, that skillset is no small thing to grab ahold of," he said. "It takes awhile to do that. And in the process, you lose a lot of aircraft; you lose a lot of pilots because of collision with the ground." The Ukrainians are having to fly this way because of the prolific threats to anything in the air. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ukrainian pilots "come in really, really low, and then they pop up" to either hit an air or ground target, he said, "and then after they're done dropping their munitions or shooting their missiles, then they have to get right back down into the low-altitude environment." But "that skillset is no longer a part of the Western way of doing business," he said. He said the US Air Force "continued to practice low-altitude tactics all the way up to Desert Storm" in 1991. Several US aircraft were lost in the early days, so the US Air Force moved to employ medium-altitude tactics. "That was when the service began to move away low-level tactics," Venable said. The Ukrainian air force's F-16 fighter jets over a Patriot air- and missile-defense system in Ukraine. AP Photo/Efrem Lukatsky The West hasn't had to fly its fourth-generation fighter jets into contested airspace in decades, and stealth platforms like the F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter allow pilots to fly at higher altitudes without worrying as much about surface-to-air missiles. But that capability could be eroded. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "There will come a point in the not-too-distant future where even stealth platforms have to incorporate some of these tactics into their engagements," he said, referring to low-altitude flying. "That is something that the United States could actually lean into and start understanding a bit better." The West hasn't phased out all of its older airframes. In a high-end conflict, those older aircraft would likely need to employ tactics similar to those Ukraine's air force is employing now with its Soviet-era fighter jets and its US-made F-16s. This alone could justify bringing the tactics back with greater emphasis, but these could be brought back for the stealth platforms, too, Venable said: "Eventually, even our stealth fighters will likely need to go low, at least for portions of their sorties, because of advancements in surface-to-air-missile threats." That point isn't one being missed in the West. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A US Air Force fact sheet says: "In a world of increasingly sophisticated air defenses, the United States needs to maintain a first-class air force. In combat, many aircraft will operate at altitudes as low as 100 feet and at high airspeeds to defeat ground missile radars and avoid sophisticated surface-to-air missiles, anti-aircraft artillery, and enemy fighters." It says realistic training is a key priority, but low-altitude flying isn't as common as it was. The West is learning from Ukraine The Ukraine war has heavily featured air defense and missiles, which have prevented both sides from freely flying their aircraft. Warfare experts say the West needs to boost its own stocks of air defenses in case of a war with Russia, a possibility for which Western leaders say NATO needs to be prepared given Russia's repeated threats. This conflict resembles one that the West has not faced in a long time. It's a grinding, brutal, and artillery-heavy war with huge losses of troops and equipment and new components the West doesn't appear entirely ready for, like drones. US F-35 Lightning IIs. U.S. Air Force photo/Master Sgt. Ben Mota Russia, despite failures, is a far more formidable opponent in the air, on land, and at sea than the adversaries that most Western countries have faced over recent decades. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A US veteran who has fought in Ukraine previously told BI that some Western fighters who joined the war were killed because they assumed the fight would be easy, as they were used to fighting at an advantage and did not adjust to the realities in Ukraine. The West is looking toward Ukraine for lessons about how to face Russia if necessary, including what it needs in the air and how much more military equipment is needed. Ukrainian soldiers who are getting training from Western militaries are also feeding back information to those militaries about Russian tactics and what works well against them and what doesn't. Even though it's not a one-for-one comparison, Venable said that "we could learn a lot" from Ukraine about fighting Russia in the air. It would be valuable, he said, to "pick these pilot's brains and get an idea of what they're facing and how they're going about countering the threats that they're facing." Read the original article on Business Insider Ukraine is looking forward to contact with US President Donald Trumps new administration to discuss the parameters and vision for ending Russias full-scale invasion. Source: Heorhii Tykhyi, spokesman for Ukraines Foreign Ministry, at a briefing on Thursday, 23 January, as reported by European Pravda Details: Tykhyi had been asked to comment on remarks made by the newly appointed US Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, who said that concessions will have to be made by Ukraine as well as Russia to end the war. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Refusing to comment directly on the statement, Tykhyi advised waiting for official contact between Ukrainian and US representatives, when "it will be possible to discuss all the parameters, approaches and key details [of a peace deal ed.]". Quote: "Ukraine, Ukrainian officials and the new administration of Donald Trump share one common goal to achieve a just peace in Ukraine as soon as possible. Ukraine has a greater interest than anyone else in restoring peace. How to achieve this goal methods, steps and specific parameters will be discussed at the talks." The spokesperson said he hoped the upcoming meeting between the presidents of Ukraine and the United States will "dot the i's and cross the t's". Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Background: On 20 January, the US Senate unanimously confirmed Marco Rubio as President Trump's Secretary of State. Rubio said afterwards that he could not give a specific timeframe for ending the war between Russia and Ukraine, but told reporters that each side would have to give up something. Support UP or become our patron! The ex-commander of the 155th Mechanized Brigade has been arrested, with bail set at $2.1 million. Col. Dmytro Ryumshin led the "Anne of Kyiv" brigade until stepping down abruptly in December. The unit was hyped as French-trained but has faced reports of mass desertion before deploying. A court in Kyiv has set bail for Col. Dmytro Ryumshin, the recently replaced commander of Ukraine's 155th Mechanized Brigade, at $2.1 million. His lawyer, Bohdan Zabara, told the Ukrainian broadcaster Suspilne of the court's decision on Wednesday. Ukraine is probing a series of scandals that have marred the combat debut of the 155th a new brigade partially trained in France and equipped with modern French weaponry. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Nicknamed "Anne of Kyiv" after an 11th-century Kyiv princess who became a French queen, it was touted as a way for Europe to directly strengthen troop-starved Ukraine. But the brigade's reputation soured at home as local journalists reported that it was suffering from mass desertion and being picked apart to reinforce other units. One reporter, Yuriy Butusov, estimated that 1,700 men had gone AWOL before the 155th was sent into battle, including about 50 men who deserted in France. Ryumshin oversaw the 155th as it prepared to deploy on the front lines but suddenly announced his resignation in early December. His lawyer, Zabara, told Business Insider the colonel had been ordered to leave his post. Federal investigators arrested him on Monday, accusing him of the "systematic concealment" of desertion among his troops. The State Bureau of Investigation said Ryumshin received both verbal and written reports of discipline issues but had neither notified higher authorities nor acted upon this information. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Due to the commander's actions, law enforcement officers were unable to initiate the legal procedure to search for and return servicemen to their military unit and reserve battalions, or in some cases, ensure that they served their sentences for the crimes they committed," the investigators said. Zabara told Suspilne that the colonel would contest the bail amount set by Kyiv authorities. If Ryumshin fails to meet bail, he must serve 60 days in detention. Zabara also told BI that prosecutors were charging the colonel based on whether he reported the desertion to the State Bureau of Investigation and not over whether he failed to respond to his men going AWOL. But Zabara said the law obligated Ryumshin to report only corruption cases to the bureau, not matters of desertion. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "The bail amount is absolutely unjustified," Zabara said, calling Ryumshin's trial a "politically motivated case." "For him, the most important thing is the recognition of his activities as a military man," Zabara said of Ryumshin. "For the entire time of military service since 2014, which is confirmed by the support of military personnel from various military units and direct support from the military during court hearings." Suspilne reported that Ryumshin had made similar statements during his hearing, with the colonel saying he'd told enforcement officers of the desertion. The 155th's social-media accounts meanwhile show that its men are now fighting around Pokrovsk, where Russia has been pushing slowly but relentlessly to capture the key strategic city. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The brigade is equipped with 18 AMX-10 armored vehicles, 18 truck-mounted Caesar howitzers, and 128 armored troop carriers. It enjoyed a relatively high profile while training in France, with French President Emmanuel Macron meeting its troops during an October visit. And it looks like Europe isn't done with these joint training programs. The European Union has allocated $425 million to training more Ukrainian soldiers until the end of 2026, including 15,000 by the end of this winter. But at home, the 155th's reputation is still shaky. Some fighters and analysts in Ukraine believe it was a mistake for Kyiv to make brand-new brigades such as the 155th instead of replenishing older, more-experienced units that were already fighting. Serhii Sternenko, a well-known Ukrainian lawyer who provides crowdfunded drones to military units, said his organization was assisting the 155th because the brigade lacked officially provided drones and jammers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Why create a new brigade when existing brigades are critically understaffed, only to later divide it and transfer personnel to the old brigades? What's the point?" he wrote in early January on his Telegram channel. As the 155th geared up to enter the fray, its men were also often siphoned off by other brigades in desperate need, leaving the French-trained force to haphazardly reassign its troops to positions they didn't train for. Sergey Filimonov, the commander of Ukraine's 108th Battalion, wrote on January 10 that he knew of about "10 such brigades operating under these conditions." He added that Western training methods, while provided by NATO troops, "often fail to align with the realities of modern warfare" in Ukraine. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "The realities of modern warfare show that foreign training, unless adapted to Ukrainian conditions and integrated with unit practices, is not only ineffective but dangerous," he wrote in an opinion piece published by Ukrainska Pravda. Ukrainian leaders appear to be listening. Butusov, the journalist who broke the news about desertion in the 155th, reported on January 12 that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy had ordered for all freshly mobilized troops to be sent to existing brigades instead of being assigned to newly formed units. The Ukrainian and French defense ministries didn't respond to comment requests sent outside regular business hours by BI. January 23, 2025: This story was updated to reflect a response from Ryumshin's lawyer. Read the original article on Business Insider A total of 119 combat clashes have occurred on the battlefield since the beginning of 23 January, with the Russians intensifying their assaults on the Pokrovsk front. Source: General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine on Facebook, information as of 22:00 on 23 January Quote: "The enemy launched two missile strikes and 55 airstrikes, employing five missiles and 86 guided aerial bombs. They used 863 kamikaze drones and fired over 4,400 times on our troops positions and settlements, using various types of weapons." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Details: On the Kharkiv front, there was one combat clash with Russian forces near the settlement of Lyptsi. On the Kupiansk front, Russian forces attempted nine times to push Ukrainian units out of their positions near the settlements of Dvorichna, Zahryzove and Petropavlivka. A combat clash is still ongoing. On the Lyman front, the Russians conducted seven assaults, trying to advance near the settlements of Yampilivka, Novoiehorivka, Zelenyi Hai and Kopanky. On the Siversk front, Ukrainian defenders repelled two Russian assaults near the settlements of Ivano-Dariivka and Bilohorivka. On the Kramatorsk front, the Russians carried out two assaults on Ukrainian positions, with activity observed near the settlement of Chasiv Yar. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In the areas of Diliivka, Krymske, Shcherbynivka and Toretsk on the Toretsk front, Russian troops attempted to penetrate Ukrainian defence positions 12 times. On the Pokrovsk front, the Russians are intensifying their attacks on Ukrainian defenders. Throughout the day, Russian forces carried out 63 offensive actions. The highest activity of Russian forces was recorded near the settlements of Vodiane Druhe, Myroliubivka, Myrnohrad, Promin, Lysivka, Vidrodzhennia, Uspenivka, Andriivka, Shevchenko, Dachne, Ulakly and Yantarne. On the Novopavlivka front, Ukrainian defenders repelled seven Russian assaults, with attacks recorded near the settlements of Novodarivka, Kostiantynopil and Velyka Novosilka. On the Prydniprovske front, the Russians carried out two assaults, which were successfully repelled by Ukrainian forces. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In the operational zone in Russias Kursk Oblast, Ukrainian defenders repelled 12 Russian attacks. Additionally, the Russians launched 24 airstrikes, dropping 38 guided aerial bombs, and conducted 358 attacks on Ukrainian troops positions and civilian infrastructure on the Russian territory. Support UP or become our patron! Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said that Ukraine welcomes the strong statements made by US President Donald Trump regarding the need to end Russia's war against Ukraine. Source; Sybiha at the Ukraine: The Road Ahead on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos, as reported by Interfax-Ukraine Details: On 22 January, Donald Trump said that if a deal to end the war in Ukraine was not reached soon, he would have no choice but to impose high taxes, tariffs and sanctions on everything Russia sells to the United States and other countries that are concerned. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Quote from Sybiha: "It was a really strong message and a strong signal. We need to increase the pressure on Russia and force Russia to negotiate. We need US leadership. We need more engagement from the USA. Thats one point." More details: Sybiha also stressed the need to raise the price for Russia's further aggression. In particular, he noted that Russia needs to be weakened, for example, through a strong sanctions policy. The third point, as Sybiha said, is the need to strengthen Ukraine. The foreign minister emphasised that "we need this deterrence package to stabilise the situation firstly on the battlefield, to strengthen our military and defence capacities". "We really welcome such strong messages from President Trump. And we believe that he will be the winner. And we believe that we have an additional chance to improve the dynamic in the diplomatic efforts to end this war and achieve a long-lasting, just and comprehensive peace," Sybiha said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Background: On the first day of his second presidency term, Trump said that Vladimir Putin was destroying Russia by not ending the war. Later, the US president announced that he was ready to consider tougher sanctions against Russia if it did not agree to negotiate an end to the war in Ukraine. Support UP or become our patron! Chief Executive Sam Hou Fai met with Seng Ioi Man, the chairman of the Electoral Affairs Committee for the Legislative Assembly Elections (CAEL), and five other committee members. During the meeting, Sam expressed gratitude for their commitment to overseeing the upcoming elections for the eigth Legislative Assembly. He urged the committee to ensure the electoral process adheres to the principles of impartiality, fairness, transparency, and integrity. Seng provided a briefing on the committees progress and planning, emphasizing the governments full support in facilitating their efforts. Related Heorhii Tykhyi, spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, believes that Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico is attempting to consolidate his electorate with claims about an alleged "coup" being prepared in the country. Source: Tykhyi during a briefing on Thursday, 23 January, as reported by European Pravda Details: Tykhyi indicated that Ukraine views Fico's statements about a "coup" as "an attempt to intimidate Slovak society and consolidate his electorate nothing more, nothing less". Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Quote from Tykhyi: "But I think the prime minister of Slovakia should focus on his own actions, which are stirring discontent among people in his country, and analyse why this is happening. In doing so, he will find the answers." More details: The Foreign Ministry spokesperson recalled that during Ukraine's Revolution of Dignity, similar fake narratives were spread about paid protesters and "trained militants". Quote from Tykhyi: "It wasnt funny then, and now it seems that the Slovak Prime Minister has pulled something out of the closet that has long since expired and is no longer appropriate to use publicly." Background: On 22 January, Robert Fico claimed that a "group of experts" was allegedly preparing a "Maidan" in Slovakia and announced preventive measures against protests. Slovak President Peter Pellegrini supported the prime ministers claims of an alleged coup being prepared in the country, stating that "the situation is serious". Support UP or become our patron! Ukrainian troops positioned near the village of Velyka Novosilka in Donetsk Oblast are at risk of encirclement by Russian forces, military spokesperson Viktor Trehubov said on Jan. 23. Russian forces are attempting to take control of access routes to the village through heavy fire, according to Trehubov, a spokesperson for Ukraine's Khortytsia group of forces. "Velyka Novosilka is currently in a rather difficult situation. Ukrainian soldiers are doing everything to prevent further advances of the enemy," Trehubov said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement However, the geographical layout of the area, including a river that cuts through the village, complicates defensive maneuvers, according to Trehubov. A screenshot of the map by the DeepState monitoring group as of Jan. 23, 2025, showing the front-line village of Velyka Novosilka, Donetsk Oblast. (DeepState/OpenStreetMaps) According to Trehubov, Russia's numerical advantage in manpower in the area poses significant challenges. "They are constantly conducting rotations, adding personnel, and replenishing their deployed forces. They still have this resource," Trehubov added. He said that preventing encirclement and maintaining access to Velyka Novosilka remains a priority for Ukrainian troops. Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi previously described the ongoing Russian offensive in the east as "one of the most powerful" since the start of the full-scale invasion in February 2022. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Throughout the fall of 2024, Russian forces made operational gains in southern Donetsk Oblast, including areas near Toretsk and Chasiv Yar, while advancing near Kupiansk and on Russian soil in Kursk Oblast. Read also: Syrskyi sees gradual improvement in scandal-hit French-trained brigades capabilities Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. Ukrainians are mostly positive about Donald Trump's comeback as US president. Source: a poll conducted by the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology (KIIS), as reported by European Pravda Details: Asked whether Trump's return to the White House is good or bad for Ukraine, a total of 54% of respondents said they viewed it as a positive rather than a negative. The largest group (37.3%) perceived Trump's victory as "rather good than bad". 11.3% of respondents answered "mostly good" and 5.5% "very good". Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 14.7% believe that Trump's victory is mostly bad, 3.2% believe its bad and 2.9% consider it very bad. 23.2% said they were not sure, and 2% declined to answer. Respondents under 29 are mostly likely to be optimistic about Trump's victory: 64% of them answered "mostly good" and "very good". Updated: Figures in the following section have been revised according to the updated tables provided by the IBiF, Identity and Borders in Flux: The Case of Ukraine. When it comes to regional variation, the highest level of optimism about Trump's presidency is in the west of Ukraine, where 60% of answers range from "mostly good" to "very good", in central regions of Ukraine reaching 48%, with 55% in the east and 57% in the south of the country. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The share of those who have not decided is 21% in the west of Ukraine, 25% in the central regions, and 24% in the south and east of the country. Respondents in eastern Ukraine are the least optimistic. Only 55% believe that Trump's victory is good for Ukraine, and 42.8% of people living in the region were not sure what Trump's presidency would mean for the country. Background: On 22 January, US President Donald Trump called on Russia to make a "deal" to end the war in Ukraine, warning of intensified sanctions and tariffs against Moscow if no agreement is reached. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said that Ukraine welcomes the strong statements made by US President Donald Trump regarding the need to end Russia's war against Ukraine. The Kremlin was not impressed by Trump's threat to impose new sanctions on Russia if it does not agree to enter a peace agreement with Ukraine. Support UP or become our patron! BOSTON, Mass. (SHNS)The House budget chief told the Healey administration Wednesday that the branch needs more information before it can act on Healeys family shelter funding and reform plans. House Ways and Means Chairman Aaron Michlewitz asked for answers to more than two pages of questions by Monday, Jan. 27. The questions were included in a letter to Administration and Finance Secretary Matthew Gorzkowicz and Housing Secretary Edward Augustus, a copy of which was obtained by the News Service. Healey expands scope of Massachusetts shelter law shakeup Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The committee has been weighing the $425 million shelter mini-budget (H 51) since Jan. 9. Healey added additional proposals to reform the 1983 Right to Shelter Law into the mix in a Jan. 15 letter to top lawmakers. Gorzkowicz said Wednesday that existing funding for the shelter system is due to run out around Jan. 31, give or take a week. Michlewitz acknowledged the timeline in his letter, noting the time-sensitive nature of the spending portion of the bill to keep the shelters running. Now as the House continues discussing the Governors request it is important for our Members to understand how the [Emergency Assistance] system is currently operating. The Governors request for changes to the Right to Shelter Law, a law that has been in place for 42 years, is significant and would have major implications that we need to better understand. For the House to move forward with H.51 and the Governors request for changes to the EA system, we need more information on the impact of the potential modifications to the EA system and its beneficiaries, Michlewitz wrote to the Cabinet secretaries. The Boston Democrats questions cover impacts on school systems, safety and security of the Emergency Assistance program, citizenship and residency requirements, and general background. Some inquiries try to get a handle on ongoing costs related to the family shelter system. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The state has been aiding school districts that have seen influxes of students because of the homelessness crisis. When Healey filed her bill, she said the $425 million pot of money would include continued aid to districts. Michlewitz asked for more detail this week, writing: Do you anticipate continuing to provide $104 per student per day through the remainder of FY25? If yes, how frequently will you monitor and verify enrollment numbers to ensure districts are receiving the necessary resources? Healeys reform ideas shared on Jan. 15 included strengthening criminal background checks for shelter residents, requiring that all family members in shelters prove lawful U.S. residency, and restricting eviction-based eligibility for shelters to people who were evicted from residences in Massachusetts. The governors Jan. 15 letter did not include an estimate of how her latest reforms would affect state spending on the system. When she unveiled the initial bill, she said it aimed to cut shelter costs from the current level, around $1 billion this year and last, down to around $400 million. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Michlewitz asked Healeys Cabinet members for the latest numbers: the overall amount by which her Jan. 15 proposal would bring down the costs from fiscal 2025 to fiscal 2026, and a detailed breakdown of each proposed change and the fiscal impact. Healey did not file legislation to implement some of her reforms, leaving the technical wording to lawmakers. Michlewitz asked whether she intended the changes to be temporary, and if so, when they would sunset. President Donald Trump was inaugurated five days after Healeys letter, and the president immediately set about issuing executive orders that affect the right of citizenship. Gorzkowicz and Augustus were asked to explain how Trumps orders would affect the shelters and the Jan. 15 reform proposal. The shelter crisis burst back into the headlines in January following the arrest of 28-year-old Leonardo Andujar Sanchez, a Dominican national living at a Revere family shelter with his girlfriend. Sanchez allegedly had five kilograms of fentanyl and a loaded AR-style rifle in the room. The administration ultimately said it had not been running comprehensive background checks on shelter residents as it had previously claimed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While Healeys reform list would require CORI checks before families are placed in shelters, some lawmakers have raised red flags and said that the CORI (Mass. Criminal Offender Record Information) system would not capture crimes committed in other countries. Rep. Steven Xiarhos, a Barnstable Republican who served 40 years as a police officer, said at a press conference this month that it was not enough to rely on a CORI check, which is just Massachusetts records. We had someone living at Joint Base Cape Cod that was a wanted murderer from another country. How did that happen? There should be what we used to call a universal check, where youre able to check someone with hopefully legitimate identification, what their records are all over the world, Xiarhos said. Michlewitz also quizzed the administration about going beyond a simple CORI check. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Have you considered other types of background checks, he wrote, besides, or in addition to, a CORI as CORIs are unlikely to uncover any criminal or other conduct of migrants? What other types of background checks or other checks have you considered? What other types of background checks are being performed in other states? And Michlewitz sought to drill down on who, exactly, is in the shelters. He asked for the number of shelter residents who are U.S. citizens but are not Massachusetts residents, asked how residency is currently verified, and asked how the state is defining a family unit and what family members are included in shelter eligibility. Both Healey and Michlewitz are top Democrats on Beacon Hill, and the extent of questions in the chairmans letter raises questions about the level of communication occurring between the Legislature and the Executive Branch. The Ways and Means chairman forwarded his letter to fellow House members Thursday morning and told them he looked forward to working with them on the issue in the days and weeks ahead. 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. Meetings and panels across federal science and health agencies were abruptly cancelled Wednesday, prompting fresh concern over how a potential remaking of the agencies by President Donald Trump's administration could interrupt important research and official responses to disease outbreaks, including a surge of H5N1 bird flu in dairy cows and poultry. According to Stat News, a scientific publication, the cancelled meetings include several gatherings of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) study sections, which review applications for fellowships and grants; a Jan. 28-29 meeting of the Presidential Advisory Council for Combating Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria; and a Feb. 20-21 meeting of the National Vaccine Advisory Committee, which advises the Department of Health and Human Services on vaccine policy and development. Some of the meetings were not rescheduled. It's unclear whether the cancellations were related to the Trump administration's freeze on most federal health agencies' travel and external communications until Feb. 1. Because of that freeze, spokespeople from affected agencies were unable to answer questions to reporters about the meetings, but one told Stat News: this is a short pause to allow the new team to set up a process for review and prioritization. There are exceptions for announcements that HHS divisions believe are mission critical, but they will be made on a case-by-case basis. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Trump administration is expected to impose pauses for other agencies as it gets its own appointees in place. While a communications pause is not unusual at the start of a presidential term, the uncertainty over how long this one will last, the addition of a travel ban and cancelled meetings, is likely to cause significant disruptions across the whole system, experts said. This kind of disruption could have long ripple effects, says Jane Liebschutz, an opioid addiction researcher at the University of Pittsburgh, told Science.org. Even short delays will put the United States behind in research. She said that she and her colleagues are feeling a lot of uncertainty, fear and panic." The uncertainty of how long the cancellations will take effect could cause immense stress, said Rebecca Pompano, a chemist and biomedical engineer at the University of Virginia whose study session was canceled 20 minutes before it was supposed to start. It would also "delay grants being distributed, which affects the ability of labs to pay their students and postdocs and staff ... in some cases, if there was a gap in funding, it could result in someone either not being hired at all or having to be laid off." Compounding the stress, she added, was the specter of Secretary of Health and Human Services nominee Robert F. Kennedy, a vaccine denier who has said that he would subject federal health agencies to extensive overhaul and personnel purges. The communications freeze could also delay information sharing over unfolding health events three new reports on the H5N1 outbreaks set to be published this week have been held back, according to a CDC official who spoke to Stat News anonymously, and it's unclear when they'll be released. MINNEAPOLIS UnitedHealth Group on Thursday announced that a longtime employee in the company has been named the new leader of its health insurance arm, nearly two months after the killing of former CEO Brian Thompson. Tim Noel, who joined UHG in 2007 and most recently served as UnitedHealthcare Medicare & Retirement's chief executive officer, will become UnitedHealthcare's CEO. "He brings unparalleled experience to this role with a proven track record and strong commitment to improving how health care works for consumers, physicians, employers, governments and our other partners," UHG said in a statement. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Thompson, 50, was headed to a UnitedHealth Group investors conference at the Hilton Midtown in early December when the gunman fatally shot him, using a handgun modified with a silencer. Thompson most recently resided in Maple Grove, Minnesota. Following a five-day manhunt, Luigi Mangione, 26, was arrested in a McDonald's in Altoona, Pennsylvania after an employee called police. He was later charged with several counts of murder in New York. The New York Police Department told CBS News that there are no indications that Mangione was a UnitedHealthcare customer. Officials believe Mangione may have targeted the company because of its status as the largest health insurer in the United States. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump reacts to Republicans who won't vote for Hegseth Norah O'Donnell's final sign off from "CBS Evening News" CBS News Confirmed examines Gov. Newsom's "fact checks" on California fires Jan. 23ROCHESTER United Way of Southeast Minnesota has announced a new chapter in its 100-year history. Formerly known as United Way of Olmsted County, the new name of United Way of Southeast Minnesota reflects its expanded service area and continued commitment to Dodge, Fillmore, Olmsted and Winona counties. As United Way celebrates its centennial, it remains dedicated to responding to the greatest needs in our region by inspiring people to get involved, give back, and take action. United Way envisions a resilient region defined by care and collective action where residents are healthy, households are financially secure, and young people succeed in school and life. This new identity is a milestone in United Way's journey to serve Southeast Minnesota comprehensively and collaboratively. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Over the past century, our region and world have grown increasingly interconnected, and this change reflects our commitment to meeting these evolving needs. By uniting the unique strengths and addressing the distinct needs of Dodge, Fillmore, Olmsted, and Winona counties, we are building a resilient future where every individual has the opportunity to thrive. Together with our partners, donors, and volunteers, we will continue to tackle the most pressing challenges and ensure that hope and opportunity are within reach for all," shared Jerome Ferson, President at United Way of Southeast Minnesota, in a press release. Community members are encouraged to visit United Way of Southeast Minnesota's new website, www.uwsemn.org, to learn more about its services and how they are shaping the future of our region. Pete Hegseths former sister-in-law told senators in a sworn affidavit that he made his ex-wife fear for her safety, grabbed her and was dragged out of multiple nightlife venues for unruly drunken behavior. Danielle Hegseth, who was married to Pete Hegseths brother, Nathaniel between 2011 and 2019, has come forward to describe family life at the time. NBC News reports that an unredacted version of her affidavit contains a new claim: that he once grabbed her by the groin. She said Hegseths second wife once sought refuge in a closet after he threatened her and had shared a code word she would text her sister-in-law when Hegseth left her feeling threatened, adding that she sent the code word in 2015 or 2016. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As I told the FBI, Samantha once told me that Hegseth grabbed her groin without consent at their home. Samantha told me about this sometime during the years between 2014-2016, Danielle says in the affidavit. I believe what Samantha told me because what she told me is consistent with what I personally observed of Hegseths erratic and aggressive behavior over many years. I believe Hegseth has an alcohol abuse problem and was abusive to his ex-wife Samantha, as I understand those terms as a lay person. She first made the allegations to the FBI and then shared them with the Senate Armed Services Committee because, the affidavit says, she does not believe he is qualified to be the U.S. secretary of defense. While she accused Hegseth of being abusive towards his ex-wife, she said she did not witness any abuse firsthand. Her accounts relate to events that happened roughly a decade ago. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The affidavit was obtained by multiple media outlets including NBC News, CNN, and Fox News. It was submitted in response to a request for information by Sen. Jack Reed (D-RI), the ranking Democrat on the committee. Hegseths lawyer Tim Parlatore told CNN, in a statement, that his ex-sister-in-law is a lifelong Democrat and suggested her allegations, which he said are false, are motivated by partisan politics. She hates Pete and there is no truth to any of this, Parlatore, who did not immediately reply to a request for comment from the Daily Beast, said. Most of what she is saying are things she didnt in fact witnesses, she is accusing his ex-wife of lying in her divorce proceeding and lying to the FBI. She shared this info during his background check and FBI followed up and was unable to find corroboration. Minnesota court records show Pete Hegseth and Samantha Hegseth signed a document in 2021 as part of their divorce proceedings that stated neither parent was a victim of domestic abuse. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement NBC News reported that it spoke to two sources who were aware of Samanthas safe word, which Danielles affidavit says was part of a plan she put in place with family and friends in case she felt she needed to get away from Hegseth. There was no physical abuse in my marriage, Samantha told NBC News. This is the only further statement I will make to you, I have let you know that I am not speaking and will not speak on my marriage to Pete. Please respect this decision. Samantha also told the broadcaster, when asked about some of the allegations in the affidavit, that she did not believe your information to be accurate. She did not immediately reply to a request for comment from the Daily Beast. In addition to the issues she raised about his former marriage, Danielle also noted several incidents of concern related to Hegseths alleged alcohol consumption. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement At one Christmas event, she said, she witnessed him pass out after vomiting. At a Minneapolis bar in 2013, she said Hegseth was allegedly dragged out after he broke glassesand she said he made remarks implicitly condoning non-consensual sex on the way home. Years earlier, in 2009, she said he was dragged out of a Minneapolis strip club after showing up in his military uniform and becoming intoxicated. Danielle also claimed her ex-brother-in-law made disparaging remarks about Hispanic people and implied Christians needed to increase their birth rate to fend off an ascendant Muslim population. Hegseth, an army veteran and former Fox News host, has faced questions about his drinking and womanizing since he was tapped by President Donald Trump as his defense secretary nominee. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A woman filed a sexual assault report against him in 2017, claiming he blocked her from leaving a California hotel room before sexually assaulting her. Hegseth says the encounter was consensual and no charges were brought. Former employees at two veterans groups he led, as well as ex-colleagues at Fox News, have alleged in media reports that he drank at work and was intoxicated at work-related events. Hegseth has also denied these claims. Im not a perfect person, he told the Senate Armed Services Committee at a confirmation hearing last week, during which he was grilled about his multiple marriages and the drinking allegations. The committee voted 14-13 in favor of Hegseths nomination Monday on party lines. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The full Senate is expected to vote to advance his nomination on Thursday, which would set up a final vote on Friday or Saturday. His chance of confirmation hinges on maintaining the support of the Republican caucus. One GOP stalwart, Maine Senator Susan Collins, said Wednesday that she was concerned Trumps transition team did not initially disclose to lawmakers the allegations in Danielles affidavit. Ive heard from others that pertinent information has not been included, and that is troubling, Collins told NBC News. Because when youre making a decision on a nominee, you want to have as complete a picture as possible. * New level unlocked International visitors rose by 66% y-o-y in 2024, surpassing the two million target by 21% * Vasco Rocha Vieira | Last Portuguese governor of Macau passes away at 85 * Governance | CE highlights importance of English media for internationalism * Greater Bay Airlines announced the cancellation of 128 flights for February and March, affecting approximately 5,500 passengers * Authorities expect 670,000 daily border movements during CNY * Analysis: China and US are moving closer as Trump returns to the White House DOWNLOAD PDF Thursday, January 23, 2025 edition no. 4648 Sign up for the Slatest to get the most insightful analysis, criticism, and advice out there, delivered to your inbox daily. In his (second) first day in office, President Donald Trump issued a full, complete and unconditional pardon to nearly everyone convicted of offenses related to events that occurred at or near the United States Capitol on January 6, 2021roughly 1,500 people. The sentences of 14 others were commuted to time served, and the Justice Department was instructed to dismiss with prejudice all other pending indictments. Trump offered no argument for why this jailbreak of hundreds of violent offenders was warranted, other than to begin a process of national reconciliation and to end a grave national injustice that has been perpetrated upon the American people. Thats because there isnt oneor, at least, not one that he can admit. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The move presented a doozy of an inaugural round of what do you think about President Trump doing ____? for Capitol Hill Republicans on Tuesday. While some GOP members spoke out against it, leadership on both sides of the Capitol made clear it wouldnt engage. Were not looking backwards, were looking forwards, Speaker Mike Johnson and Senate Majority Leader John Thune have both said in response to questions about the Jan. 6 pardons. Johnson also added something about how they believe in redemption, though nothing in the pardon text indicated that feeling bad about what you did was a prerequisite to clemency. Johnson and Thune had and have no affirmative case to defend these pardons for people who proudly beat the shit out of police officers to interrupt a constitutional proceeding, based on conspiracy theories originating from the president of the United States. They did, however, have a couple of talking points to buy them 30 seconds of lip movement, until reporters could ask a separate question. The best available response Republicans have isnt an argument, but a diversion: Well, what about former President Joe Bidens final pardons? Why arent you asking about those? A lot of people are asking about Bidens sweeping preemptive pardons of Liz Cheney, Mark Milley, the Jan. 6 committee, and his family, and Democrats are giving answers. Theyre not happy, nor should they be. Bidens preemptive pardons were a fitting end to his calamitous political legacy, his myopia yet again gashing the Democratic brand and blunting its response to the coming onslaught from the Trump administration. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Biden made everyone he pardoned look guilty of something, and his pardons seal the narrative of the Biden Crime Family. But Frank and Jimmy Biden are adults who can take care of themselves. Liz Cheney is a grown-up and would not have lacked a legal defense fund. Biden set the precedent for preemptive pardons, which Trumpand every president who succeeds him, until this abused constitutional power is reined inwill bestow on everyone in his family and administration, for whatever it is they have cooking. It was shortsightedness in a way we may not fully appreciate for years. Within a day, Bidens pardons provided Republicans not only a useful diversionary shield to argue that both sides do it, but a new Biden scandal to pore through. Mike Johnson, despite his professed desire to look forward instead of backward, said Tuesday that his committees intended to look backward, to Bidens pardons and the Jan. 6 investigations. But there is no argument of whose pardons were worse on the merits. As unwise as Bidens pardons were, at least he could offer an argument for them. The lifeblood of the Trump campaign was retribution against his enemies. Hes already begun to make good on that, immediately canceling the security clearancesor security, periodof people whove been mean to him in books or on cable news. Biden had reasonable groundsTrumps own mouthto believe that Trump would use the federal government to persecute Liz Cheney or Mark Milley or Bennie Thompson or Biden family members, even those against whom there was no case. That doesnt mean Biden selected the right remedy, when he could have allowed would-be Trump persecution efforts to collapse in court and public opinion if they were as meritless as he presumed. But he sure had his reasons. Trump has no argument. Hes partially rewarding extremists within his coalition, and partially attempting to rewrite the history of Jan. 6 as a noble endeavor. (Plus, after Vice President J.D. Vance said on Fox News last week that if you committed violence on that day, obviously you shouldnt be pardoned, it was imperative to Trump that Vance be humiliated. Welcome to 1 Observatory Circle, J.D.) The president could argue that some convicted of nonviolent Jan. 6 offensesthose following the crowd without realizing the dire nature of what was happening, of whom there were plentywere overprosecuted and oversentenced. Id thought that as he approached the office and trade-offs were considered, he might have landed on a wave of pardons like thatsimilarly to how he backed down from his rhetoric about the imposition of Day 1 tariffs. Instead, the remorseless cop beaters all made the cut because, as Trump said in a press conference Wednesday, These were people that actually love our country. No, they love Trump. And thats good enough. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement There is one honest argument available to Trump. He will never make it, because it would have to come with a confession of guilt. But it would be substantive, and it would make a significant down payment on the process of national reconciliation. Trump could say that since he got away with it, those who were acting on his behalf should as well. It was Trump who could not accept or voice the truth that he lost the 2020 election. It was Trump, from the presidential bully pulpit, who platformed every ludicrous or defamatory theory about illegal votes or secret ballot dumps or Venezuelan influence or voting machine rigging. It was Trump who applied pressure on public officials from county canvassing boards to state legislators to judges to Congress to the vice president to overturn the election results. Those prosecuted for violence on Jan. 6 were prosecuted because of Trumps behavior after losing the 2020 election. He would release them, and shoulder the blame as atonement. While Trump would never say this and does not necessarily think about it in quite those terms, the dynamic may have figured into his action. Had Trump cleared his own rap sheet by retaking the White House and not granted a blanket pardon, his core base would have been unsatisfied. They may have started asking these dangerous questions about why those trying to stop the steal for him were still in jail, while Trump never spent a night in it. A partial pardon of the friendly MAGA grannies swept up in the action wouldnt have been good enough. He had to choose his moment of maximum political capitalInauguration Dayto put an end to the issue. And he never had to say he was sorry. DOTHAN, Ala (WDHN) Roads across the Wiregrass are thawing, allowing more drivers to travel safely on the roads. The Alabama Law Enforcement said Thursday night that snow and ice are melting on state highways, and while some roads have patches of ice and snow, troopers are no longer deeming them impassable. Troopers advise drivers to use caution while driving. Houston County: Houston County Chairman Brandon Shoupe says most county roads have thawed and are considered passable. Coffee County: Sheriff Scott Byrd tells WDHN the roads in Coffee County are passable, although there are ice spots scattered throughout the county. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Sheriff Byrd still advises drivers to be careful when out on the roads and to especially watch for ice on county roads 606 and 471. Video below: Icy roads between Hartford and Slocomb (Courtesy of Slocomb Fire and Rescue) Henry County: In Henry County, Sheriff Eric Blankenship says there are still a few spots of ice on county roads, but the roads are still passable. Sheriff Blankenship advises drivers to use caution when traveling. Dale County: Sheriff Mason Bynum says roads are improving, with only a few ice spots scattered around county roads. Sheriff Bynum says that despite roads thawing, drivers should still use caution. 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 WDHN - wdhn.com. URBANA, Ill. (WCIA) The Urbana Police Department posted on Facebook this week about the TRUST Act and got a lot of questions about it. The post now has over 500 comments and 2,000 shares and left some in the community angry and confused. One Urbana Police officer clarified what the TRUST Act means for Illinois law enforcement. Last week, the public safety group, along with the Welcoming Plan Committee, had a town hall to talk about the TRUST Act, said Urbana Police Lieutenant Zachery Mikalik. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The TRUST Act was passed in 2017, and it says that all local law enforcement in Illinois do not detain people based on immigration status or inquire about it and prioritize public safety and trust. UPDATE: Missing Champaign woman found When it comes to immigration, we handle the criminal side of matters, Mikalik said. We do not handle civil immigration matters. Mikalik said the department has been doing this since he joined 17 years ago. But the town hall shows theyre not alone. Champaign County sheriff was there, Mikalik said. We had chiefs from Urbana, Champaign and the University of Illinois Police Department all affirm that this is a long-standing practice for all of these departments. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Urbana Police recently posted information about the TRUST Act and received pushback. The post was merely an intention of saying this is what the trust says, Mikalik said. This is what Illinois state law says. He also explained how this plays out in real world interactions. Firefighter injured in Rantoul house fire For example, if you get pulled over in Urbana, and regardless of what your citizenship status is, at no point would an Urbana officer ever question you about that Mikalik said. However, he also said that doesnt mean they dont enforce the law. We still uphold the law, whether youre here legally or illegally, if you break the law, police will take action, Mikalik said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Theres one principle the department holds above all others. If theres any kind of legal matter, a crime, a warrant or anything like that, then the police department has the authority to, and will, take action on that because safety is our number one priority, Mikalik said. He also said the local law enforcements are just staying in their lane. They handle crimes outside of immigration in their area and leave that to federal departments. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. WASHINGTON (AP) Active duty military troops will begin arriving in El Paso, Texas, and San Diego on Thursday evening, in what defense officials said is the first batch of the new forces being deployed to secure the southern border. The Pentagon announced on Wednesday that about 1,500 troops were being sent to the border this week, as the department scrambles to put in motion President Donald Trumps executive order demanding an immediate crackdown on immigration. U.S. officials said they expect additional troops to be ordered to deploy in the next few days as defense and homeland security leaders iron out requests for more support. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The officials said its not yet clear how many more service members would get tapped in the near future, but they would include active duty, National Guard and Reserves, and come from land, air and sea forces. Other defense and military officials this week estimated that the additional number deployed could be in the thousands. The troops announced Wednesday include about 1,000 Army soldiers from a variety of units and 500 Marines from Camp Pendleton in California. Officials said Thursday that they expect the bulk of them to be in El Paso including Fort Bliss or in San Diego by Friday, where they will get their mission assignments and prepare to spread out along the border. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity to provide details on troop movements. There were already about 2,500 Guard and Reserve forces deployed to the border, and the new 1,500 would add to that total. But officials noted that given the length of the nearly 2,000-mile border with Mexico, it will take additional forces to help put large rolls of concertina wire barriers in place and provide needed transportation, intelligence and other support to the Border Patrol. As of Thursday there were still no requests for the use of military bases to house migrants or for troops to be used for law enforcement duties. NICOSIA, Cyprus Experts from the U.S. Air Force are looking at ways to upgrade Cyprus premier air base for use as a humanitarian staging post in future operations in the Middle East, a Cypriot official told The Associated Press Thursday. Cyprus, which is only 114 miles from the Lebanese capital, Beirut, has acted as a transit point for the repatriation of foreign nationals fleeing conflict in the Middle East and beyond on numerous occasions in the past. It has also served as a transit point for humanitarian aid to Gaza. Experts from the 435th Contingency Response Group based out of Ramstein, Germany will spend the next few days at Andreas Papandreou Air Force Base to assess the upgrade needed to accommodate a wide array of U.S. air assets and other forces. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A key priority is to ensure air traffic safety in and around the base, which abuts the islands second-largest civilian airport, the official said. The bases location makes it easy to transfer evacuees onto civilian aircraft at the adjacent airport for their trip home. The official spoke to the Associated Press on condition of anonymity because hes not authorized to speak publicly about the details of the experts visit. Air traffic safety would need to be enhanced through new high-tech installations, including state-of-the-art radar, to ensure the independent operation of civilian and military aircraft at safe distances. The Americans are very specific on safety issues and want to make some upgrades to further improve the bases safety, the official said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Other essential upgrades include expanding both the base itself and the runway to accommodate more transport and fighter aircraft. Hardened shelters to protect those air assets are also envisioned. The Cyprus government agreed to the air base upgrade assessment following the recent deployment of a U.S. Marine contingent at the base. The Marines, who were equipped with V-22 Osprey tiltrotor military transport and cargo aircraft, were on standby in the event of a swift evacuation of U.S. citizens from nearby Lebanon during Israels strikes against Hezbollah targets late last year. Deputy government spokesman Yannis Antoniou told the state broadcaster Thursday that any use of the base by the forces of the U.S. or other nations would require prior Cyprus government approval. He insisted the air base would not act as a forward base for military strike operations against targets in the region. Weve shown interest in working with [U.S. forces] because we consider this to serve the vital interests of the Cyprus Republic, Antoniou said, adding that in their report, the USAF experts will offer an estimate of the upgrade costs and which percentage of those the U.S. government would be willing to cover. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Bilateral relations between European Union member Cyprus and the U.S., especially in terms of military cooperation, have grown significantly over the last few years following a pledge by Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides to affirm the ethnically divided countrys clear Western orientation. A manifestation of those ties was last weeks directive by former President Joe Biden that allows Cyprus to buy arms from the U.S. government and get surplus American military equipment. The Cypriot government noted the development as a tangible acknowledgment of Cyprus reliability as a U.S. partner in the region. NICOSIA, Cyprus (AP) Experts from the U.S. Air Force are looking at ways to upgrade Cyprus premier air base for use as a humanitarian staging post in future operations in the Middle East, a Cypriot official told The Associated Press Thursday. Cyprus, which is only 184 kilometers (114 miles) from the Lebanese capital, Beirut, has acted as a transit point for the r epatriation of foreign nationals fleeing conflict in the Middle East and beyond on numerous occasions in the past. It has also served as a transit point for humanitarian aid to Gaza. Experts from the 435th Contingency Response Group based out of Ramstein, Germany, will spend the next few days at Andreas Papandreou Air Force Base to assess the upgrade needed to accommodate a wide array of U.S. air assets and other forces. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A key priority is to ensure air traffic safety in and around the base, which abuts the island's second-largest civilian airport, the official said. The base's location makes it easy to transfer evacuees onto civilian aircraft at the adjacent airport for their trip home. The official spoke to the Associated Press on condition of anonymity because hes not authorized to speak publicly about the details of the experts visit. Air traffic safety would need to be enhanced through new high-tech installations, including state-of-the-art radar, to ensure the independent operation of civilian and military aircraft at safe distances. The Americans are very specific on safety issues and want to make some upgrades to further improve the bases safety, the official said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Other essential upgrades include expanding both the base itself and the runway to accommodate more transport and fighter aircraft. Hardened shelters to protect those air assets are also envisioned. The Cyprus government agreed to the air base upgrade assessment following the recent deployment of a U.S. Marine contingent at the base. The Marines, who were equipped with V-22 Osprey tiltrotor military transport and cargo aircraft, were on stand-by in the event of a swift evacuation of US citizens from nearby Lebanon during Israels strikes against Hezbollah targets late last year. Deputy government spokesman Yannis Antoniou told the state broadcaster Thursday that any use of the base by the forces of the U.S. or other nations would require prior Cyprus government approval. He insisted the air base would not act as a forward base for military strike operations against targets in the region. Weve shown interest in working with (US. Forces) because we consider this to serve the vital interests of the Cyprus Republic, Antoniou said, adding that in their report, the USAF experts will offer an estimate of the upgrade costs and which percentage of those the US government would be willing to cover. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Bilateral relations between European Union member Cyprus and the U.S., especially in terms of military cooperation, have grown significantly over the last few years following a pledge by Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides to affirm the ethnically divided countrys clear Western orientation. A manifestation of those ties was last weeks directive by former President Joe Biden that allows Cyprus to buy arms from the U.S. government and get surplus American military equipment. The Cypriot government noted the development as a tangible acknowledgment of Cyprus reliability as a U.S. partner in the region. By Richard Cowan and Gabriella Borter WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Congress on Wednesday delivered Republican President Donald Trump legislation requiring the detention of immigrants living in the U.S. illegally who are accused of theft, with a significant number of Democrats voting in favor. The Republican-majority House of Representatives, by a vote of 263-156, passed and sent to Trump for signing into law the Laken Riley Act. It is expected to be the first of several steps by Republicans this year to tighten border security and further slow the flow of migrants into the United States. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The House passed the bill with 46 Democrats joining 217 Republicans. The Senate earlier this week did so with the help of 12 out of 47 Democrats and independents who caucus with them. Without those one-dozen votes the measure would have died in Congress for now. The bill is named after a college student murdered in the state of Georgia by a man from Venezuela who was living in the U.S. illegally and who had a prior record of shoplifting. He is now serving a life sentence in prison. The bill would require the detention of immigrants suspected of theft or other crimes such as shoplifting even if they have not been charged with any crimes. Trump won November's presidential election after making immigration a top issue during his campaign, emboldening Republicans to pursue his get-tough-on-immigrants agenda. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Democrats who supported the bill said they were reflecting their constituents' concerns about immigration. "The American people want us to do something about the border and I think wed be hard-pressed to not say that we have to deport criminals," Representative Tom Suozzi, a moderate Democrat who voted for the bill, told Reuters. Some more-liberal Democrats have accused the party of going soft on immigration in the wake of the 2024 election, when Republicans took majority control of the Senate and maintain a very slim House majority. Democratic Representative Ilhan Omar, one of the caucus's most liberal members, on Wednesday called it "disheartening" that so many Democrats supported the bill. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement House Democratic Caucus head Pete Aguilar said there has been no backsliding on his party's support for immigration reforms, noting it was Republicans who have repeatedly killed legislation that was strong on border security and aimed to modernize U.S. immigration law. "Democrats have not changed on this issue," Aguilar said in response to a question by Reuters. "We will continue to talk about Dreamers and farm workers" and those immigrants who have a legal status in the United States, he added. Dreamers refers to immigrants brought illegally into the United States as children. Nearly a year ago, a similar bill passed the House with the support of 37 Democrats, but went nowhere in the Democratic-controlled Senate. (Reporting by Gabriella Borter and Richard Cowan; Editing by Scott Malone and Deepa Babington) The News US authorities moved to tighten immigration controls in the early days of President Donald Trumps term. The Pentagon deployed 1,500 troops to the US-Mexico border, in addition to the 2,500 already stationed there. Lawmakers passed a bill requiring the detention of undocumented immigrants charged with crimes, while the White House expanded officials deportation powers and stopped the arrival of refugees who were already approved to enter the country, among other measures. Though attention has focused on the crackdown in the US, others in the West are similarly taking a hard line on immigration: North African countries, which receive money from the European Union to tackle migration across the Mediterranean, have begun expelling sub-Saharan Africans in growing numbers. President Donald Trump yesterday [Macau time] talked up a joint venture investing up to $500 billion for infrastructure tied to artificial intelligence by a new partnership formed by OpenAI, Oracle and SoftBank. The new entity, Stargate, will start building out data centers and the electricity generation needed for the further development of the fast-evolving AI in Texas, according to the White House. The initial investment is expected to be $100 billion and could reach five times that sum. Its big money and high quality people, said Trump, adding that its a resounding declaration of confidence in Americas potential under his new administration. Joining Trump fresh off his inauguration at the White House were Masayoshi Son of SoftBank, Sam Altman of OpenAI and Larry Ellison of Oracle. All three credited Trump for helping to make the project possible, even though building has already started and the project goes back to 2024. This will be the most important project of this era, said Altman, CEO of OpenAI. Ellison noted that the data centers are already under construction with 10 being built so far. The chairman of Oracle suggested that the project was also tied to digital health records and would make it easier to treat diseases such as cancer by possibly developing a customized vaccine. This is the beginning of golden age, said Son, referencing Trumps statement that the U.S. would be in a golden age with him back in the White House. Son, a billionaire based in Japan, already committed in December to invest $100 billion in U.S. projects over the next four years. He previously committed to $50 billion in new investments ahead of Trumps first term, which included a large stake in the troubled office-sharing company WeWork. While Trump has seized on similar announcements to show that his presidency is boosting the economy, there were already expectations of a massive buildout in data centers and electricity plants needed for the development of AI, which holds the promise of increasing productivity by automating work but also the risk of displacing jobs if poorly implemented. The initial plans for Stargate go back to the Biden administration. Tech news outlet The Information first reported on the project in March 2024. OpenAI has long relied on Microsoft data centers to build its AI systems, but it has increasingly signaled an interest in building its own data centers. OpenAI wrote in a letter to the Biden administrations Commerce Department last fall that planning and permitting for such projects can be lengthy and complex, particularly for energy infrastructure. Other partners in the project include Microsoft, investor MGX and the chipmakers Arm and NVIDIA, according to separate statements by Oracle and OpenAI. The push to build data centers predates Trumps presidency. Last October, the financial company Blackstone estimated that the U.S. would see $1 trillion invested in data centers over five years, with another $1 trillion being committed internationally. Those estimates for investments suggest that much of the new capital will go through Stargate as OpenAI has established itself as a sector leader with the 2022 launch of its ChatGPT, a chatbot that captivated the public imagination with its ability to answer complex questions and perform basic business tasks. The White House has put an emphasis on making it easier to build out new electricity generation in anticipation of AIs expansion, knowing that the United States is in a competitive race against China to develop a technology increasingly being adopted by businesses. Still, the regulatory outlook for AI remains somewhat uncertain as Trump on Monday overturned the 2023 order signed by then-President Joe Biden to create safety standards and watermarking of AI-generated content, among other goals, in hopes of putting guardrails on the technologys possible risks to national security and economic well-being. CBS News first reported that Trump would be announcing the AI investment. Trump supporter Elon Musk, worth more than $400 billion, was an early investor in OpenAI but has since challenged its move to for-profit status and has started his own AI company, xAI. Musk is also in charge of the Department of Government Efficiency created formally on Monday by Trump with the goal of reducing government spending. Trump previously in January announced a $20 billion investment by DAMAC Properties in the United Arab Emirates to build data centers tied to AI. JOSH BOAK & ZEKE MILLER, WASHINGTON, MDT/AP By Dan Catchpole and Nate Raymond SEATTLE (Reuters) -A federal judge blocked Donald Trump's administration on Thursday from implementing the Republican president's executive order curtailing the right to automatic birthright citizenship in the United States, calling it "blatantly unconstitutional." Seattle-based U.S. District Judge John Coughenour issued a temporary restraining order at the urging of four Democratic-led states - Washington, Arizona, Illinois and Oregon - preventing the administration from enforcing the order. Trump had signed the order on Monday, his first day back in office. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The judge, an appointee of Republican former President Ronald Reagan, dealt the first legal setback to the hardline policies on immigration that are a centerpiece of Trump's second term as president. "Obviously we'll appeal," Trump said of Coughenour's ruling. Trump's executive order had directed U.S. agencies to refuse to recognize the citizenship of children born in the United States if neither their mother nor father is a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident. "I am having trouble understanding how a member of the bar could state unequivocally that this order is constitutional," the judge told a U.S. Justice Department lawyer defending Trump's order. "It just boggles my mind." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The states argued that Trump's order violated the right enshrined in the citizenship clause of the U.S. Constitution's 14th Amendment that provides that anyone born in the United States is a citizen. "I've been on the bench for over four decades. I can't remember another case where the question presented is as clear as this one. This is a blatantly unconstitutional order," Coughenour said of Trump's policy. Coughenour's order, announced following a short hearing in a packed courtroom with other judges watching, prevents Trump's policy from being enforced nationwide for 14 days while the judge considers whether to issue a long-lasting preliminary injunction. He will hear arguments over whether to do so on Feb. 6. Under Trump's order, any children born in the United States after Feb. 19 whose mother and father are not American citizens or lawful permanent residents would be subject to deportation and would be prevented from obtaining Social Security numbers, various government benefits and the ability as they get older to work lawfully. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Under this order, babies being born today don't count as U.S. citizens," Washington state Assistant Attorney General Lane Polozola, referring to Trump's policy, told the judge during the hearing. Justice Department lawyer Brett Shumate argued that Trump's action was constitutional and called any judicial order blocking it "wildly inappropriate." But before Shumate had even finished responding to Polozola's argument, Coughenour said he had signed the temporary restraining order. 'VIGOROUSLY DEFEND' The Justice Department plans to file papers next week to urge the judge not to issue a longer injunction, Shumate said. A Justice Department spokesperson said it plans to continue to "vigorously defend" Trump's order. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "We look forward to presenting a full merits argument to the court and to the American people, who are desperate to see our nation's laws enforced," the spokesperson said. Washington Attorney General Nick Brown, a Democrat, said he sees no reason to expect that the Justice Department would succeed in overturning Coughenour's ruling on appeal, even if the matter goes to the U.S. Supreme Court, whose 6-3 conservative majority includes three justices appointed by Trump. "You are an American citizen if you were born on American soil - period," Brown said. "Nothing that the president can do will change that." More than 150,000 newborn children would be denied citizenship annually if Trump's order is allowed to stand, according to the Democratic-led states. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Since Trump signed the order, at least six lawsuits have been filed challenging it, most of them by civil rights groups and Democratic attorneys general from 22 states. Democratic state attorneys general have said that the understanding of the Constitution's citizenship clause was cemented 127 years ago when the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that children born in the United States to non-citizen parents are entitled to American citizenship. The 14th Amendment, adopted in 1868 following the U.S. Civil War, overturned the Supreme Court's notorious 1857 Dred Scott decision that had declared that the Constitution's protections did not apply to enslaved Black people. In a brief filed late on Wednesday, the Justice Department called the order an "integral part" of Trump's efforts "to address this nation's broken immigration system and the ongoing crisis at the southern border." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Thirty-six of Trump's Republican allies in the U.S. House of Representatives on Tuesday separately introduced legislation to restrict automatic citizenship to only children born to American citizens or lawful permanent residents. (Reporting by Nate Raymond in Boston and Dan Catchpole in Seattle; Additional reporting by Sarah N. Lynch and Trevor Hunnicutt in Washington; Editing by Alexia Garamfalvi, Cynthia Osterman, Hugh Lawson and Will Dunham) President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Jan. 22 that any effective peacekeeping force in Ukraine must include U.S. troops, emphasizing the critical role of the United States in deterring Russian aggression. Speaking with Bloomberg's Editor-in-Chief John Micklethwait at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Zelensky dismissed the idea that European allies could provide sufficient military support independently. "It cant be without the United States," he said. "Even if some European friends think it can be, no it cant be. Nobody will risk without the United States." As Donald Trump assumes office with plans to engage directly with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Zelensky seeks to secure long-term U.S. support while urging China to leverage its influence on Russia. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Frustrated by limited communication with Chinese President Xi Jinping, he said: "He can push Putin for peace, Im sure. President Trump is the strongest and Xi Jinping. I think theres no other ally who can really do it. His economy, Putin, depends very much on China." Zelensky stressed the importance of Ukraines involvement in any negotiations about its future, warning against deals made without Kyivs input, as he believes happened during the Minsk talks in 2015. "We do not want this to happen behind the backs of Ukraine," he said. "I very much believe that the U.S. wont do that, although Im not sure that earlier this did not happen. Here Im speaking not just about America, but some European partners." With Trump pledging a swift end to the war and planning talks with Putin, Zelensky is working to frame the negotiations as an opportunity for the U.S. to demonstrate strength. "Ending the war should be a victory for Trump, not for Putin," he told Bloomberg, adding that without strong and irreversible security guarantees from the U.S. and Europe, a ceasefire could allow Russia to rearm and renew its offensive. "The only question is what security guarantees and honestly I want to have understanding before the talks," he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Zelensky has also faced challenges regarding domestic mobilization efforts, resisting pressure to expand conscription in Ukraine. Western allies, including the U.S., have urged lowering the age of conscription to bolster manpower. However, Zelensky argued that the focus should be on supplying weapons rather than drafting more soldiers. "Why mobilize even younger people," he said. "So that there are even more people without weapons?" Read also: We can do it the easy way or the hard way, Trump says to Russia on ending the war in Ukraine Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. U.S. podcaster Lex Friedman plans to visit Russia to interview Russian President Vladimir Putin, Fridman said on Jan. 22 at Joe Rogan's podcast. The podcaster previously interviewed President Volodymyr Zelensky in Kyiv. Following the interview, Fridman criticized the Ukrainian president on X, saying that Zelensky had spoken "crude words" towards Putin and that this would not facilitate negotiations. "There's probably a lot to say about this war. I should say that I interviewed Volodymyr Zelensky, and I will be traveling to Russia to interview Vladimir Putin, and I'm aware of the risks; I accept the risks, and the goal of the mission is just to push for peace," Fridman said on the podcast The Joe Rogan Experience. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Fridman did not specify when he would visit Russia or whether he had already agreed to an interview with the Russian authorities. The Kremlin has not commented on Fridman's statement. The podcaster also added that he believes that U.S. President Donald Trump is capable of bringing peace closer. "I think that both Zelensky and Putin fear Donald Trump. And that's a great person to then make peace. All of them believe, both Putin and Zelensky, that Trump would do some crazy shit," he said. With nearly five million subscribers on his YouTube channel, Fridman, born in Tajikistan and raised in Moscow, organized an interview with Zelensky that was published on Jan. 5 as part of what he described as his "small part in pushing for peace." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Fridman's show has previously hosted controversial figures, including Trump, entrepreneur Elon Musk, political commentator Vivek Ramaswamy, and former Fox News host Tucker Carlson, some of whom have advanced narratives portraying Ukraine as a corrupt nation bent on escalating war with Russia. In a three-hour interview, Fridman tried to persuade Zelensky that Putin is "a serious person who loves his country." Read also: Zelensky takes on Putin apologists, US skeptics on 3-hour Lex Fridman podcast Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. China is leveraging unfair trade practices to dominate the global ocean shipping and shipbuilding markets, a U.S. investigation has found. The investigation under Section 301 of the Trade Act of unfair practices determined that China for decades has taken aim at specific industries by undercutting competition in order to command dominant market share. The results of the probe initiated in April 2024 were summarized in a report by the office of the United States trade representative (USTR). Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For nearly three decades, China has targeted the maritime, logistics, and shipbuilding sectors for dominance and has employed increasingly aggressive and specific targets in pursuing dominance of the maritime, logistics, and shipbuilding sectors, the report stated. China has largely achieved its dominance goals, severely disadvantaging U.S. companies, workers, and the U.S. economy generally through lessened competition and commercial opportunities and through the creation of economic security risks from dependencies and vulnerabilities. The report described a top-down, centrally controlled strategy by Beijing that not only puts the U.S. and other countries in a weak competitive position, but also threatens national security. Chinas share of the global shipbuilding market rose from less than 5% in 1999 to more than 50% in 2023, while pushing its ownership of the commercial world fleet to over 19% as of January 2024. China controls 95% of global shipping container production, according to the report, and 86% percent of the worlds supply of intermodal chassis. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The report said the targeting was enabled by government policies that unfairly depress costs or provide advantages. The shipbuilding supply chain benefits from Chinas lack of effective labor rights and the use of forced or compulsory labor. Excess, nonmarket capacity in materials such as steel also give Chinese companies an advantage. The report described Chinas long-term goals for the scale and structure of industry, and increasingly aggressive global market share targets at the expense of foreign companies for shipbuilding, marine equipment, maritime engineering equipment, high-technology ships and shipping. As an example, for high-technology ships, China initially set a target of 20% of global market share by 2011 but now aims to achieve a 50% share by 2025. In maritime engineering equipment, an initial target of 10% by 2011 has risen to 40% by 2025. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The cumulative effect of these targets is to push aside foreign competition while increasing risk and reducing supply chain resilience for potential customers that are forced to rely on China. Chinas control over economic actors enables it to direct and influence their commercial behavior in pursuit of its targeted dominance, in ways that run counter to fair competition and market-oriented principles, the report stated. The report identified a matrix of mechanisms China deploys, including subsidies, forced technology transfer and intellectual property theft, to blunt competition. Dominance in the maritime, logistics and shipbuilding sectors also serves to help make China a world-class military power, with national security implications for the U.S. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Chinas opaque business ecosystem offers limited transparency into the flow of capital within its shipbuilding industry, but available evidence indicates that profits from foreign orders likely lower the costs of upgrading Chinas navy, the report stated. The results of the investigation provide a basis for finding that responsive action is appropriate. Find more articles by Stuart Chirls here. Related coverage: Sola to head Federal Maritime Commission Asia-US container rates decline in slack season Ocean rates could fall as Houthis say they will end Red Sea attacks The post US says China pressed unfair advantages to dominate shipping, shipbuilding appeared first on FreightWaves. By David Shepardson and Lananh Nguyen WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Senate Commerce Committee said on Wednesday it would hold a Jan. 29 hearing on President Donald Trump's nominee to lead the Commerce Department, the agency that has become a key U.S. tool in its efforts to constrain China's tech sector. Trump tapped Wall Street CEO Howard Lutnick to lead the department and his trade and tariff strategy. The head of brokerage firm Cantor Fitzgerald, Lutnick will also have "additional direct responsibility" for the U.S. Trade Representative's office, Trump said last year. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Lutnick also runs brokerage BGC Group and is chairman of Newmark Group, a commercial real estate services firm, and FMX, a platform owned by some of Wall Street's biggest banks and traders. In a document seen by Reuters, Lutnick said that if confirmed he would resign from his positions at Cantor, BGC and Newmark and divest assets including his interests in those entities. Lutnick, who is worth $1.5 billion, according to Forbes, also filed an extensive financial disclosure form that details his holdings. The Commerce Department oversees a sprawling array of functions with nearly 47,000 employees, from the U.S. Census Bureau to weather forecasting, ocean navigation and investment promotion. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Commerce authority over export controls on sensitive U.S. technologies have put it at the center of trade conflicts with China, as well as investigating anti-dumping and anti-subsidy cases that often result in punitive tariffs to protect domestic industries. Fearing Beijing could weaponize American technology to strengthen its military, both the Trump and Biden administrations have used Commerce Department authorities aggressively to impose regulations to halt the flow of U.S. and foreign technology to China - with a special emphasis on semiconductors and the equipment used to make them. Over the past two years, the U.S. has issued sweeping export controls on advanced chips and chipmaking equipment to China, which has limited its access to cutting-edge chips for artificial intelligence and equipment needed to produce the next generation of semiconductors. In Biden's final days in office, Commerce further restricted AI chip and technology exports, finalized rules effectively bar nearly all Chinese cars and trucks from the U.S. market and said Trump should consider banning all Chinese drones. Trump this week rescinded an executive order on AI safety that Biden signed in 2023. (Reporting by David Shepardson; Editing by Sandra Maler and Gerry Doyle) US senators narrowly supported the appointment of Pete Hegseth as Defense Secretary in a procedural vote on Thursday, 23 January. Source: European Pravda, citing Axios Details: Hegseth received the backing of 51 senators, with 49 voting against. The Democrats, who unanimously opposed Trumps nominee, were joined by two moderate Republican senators, Lisa Murkowski and Susan Collins. Senators may still change their stance during the final roll-call vote on Hegseths confirmation, scheduled for Friday, 24 January. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In contrast, another nominee in Trumps administration, Secretary of State Marco Rubio formerly a senator from Florida received unanimous support from his Senate colleagues. Background: Pete Hegseth, a veteran of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars and Fox News host, has been surrounded by controversy from the outset. Hegseth has faced allegations of sexual harassment, excessive alcohol use and financial misconduct. He has denied these accusations, while Trump has publicly defended him. During prior Senate hearings, Hegseth stated that the incoming administration understands the nature of the full-scale war in Ukraine and supports its swift resolution. Support UP or become our patron! By Nate Raymond (Reuters) -The U.S. Supreme Court on Thursday declined to block enforcement of an anti-money laundering law that forces millions of business entities to disclose the identities of their real beneficial owners to the Treasury Department, though it still will remain on hold and its fate could be decided by President Donald Trump. The justices put on hold a nationwide injunction issued on Dec. 3 by Texas-based U.S. District Judge Amos Mazzant who, at the behest of small businesses, had concluded that Congress overstepped its powers under the U.S. Constitution in passing the Corporate Transparency Act in 2021. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The law's enforcement remains blocked and companies still are not required to report information as a result of a separate order issued on Jan. 7 in another case by Texas-based U.S. District Judge Jeremy Kernodle. Lawyers at the conservative Center for Individual Rights, representing the small businesses in the Supreme Court case, cited the other ruling in saying it was now up to the new Republican president's administration to decide what to do. Trump returned to the presidency on Monday. "We remain confident that the law's invasive reporting requirements and draconian penalties will be ruled unconstitutional," Todd Gaziano, the center's president, said in a statement. The justices acted after the New Orleans-based 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals allowed the injunction to take effect ahead of a Jan. 13 deadline that most companies had faced to submit their initial reports to the Treasury Department's Financial Crimes Enforcement Network, known as FinCEN. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Democratic former President Joe Biden's administration had asked the Supreme Court to stay the injunction. It said millions of entities had already complied with the reporting requirement before Mazzant's ruling that blocked the law's enforcement nationally even though the small businesses did not ask for that result. Conservative Justice Neil Gorsuch agreed that the injunction should be put on hold but said he would go a step further and take up the case now to decide if an individual judge in one state may issue such a nationwide injunction. Liberal Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson dissented, saying she saw no indication why a further delay in implementing the law would harm the government, which she said had itself delayed enforcement for nearly four years after its enactment. The injunction was obtained by the National Federation of Independent Business, which along with several small businesses challenged the law through the Center for Individual Rights. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A beneficial owner is defined as an individual who directly or indirectly owns or controls a company. This law required corporations and limited liability companies, or LLCs, to report information concerning their beneficial owners to FinCEN, which collects and analyzes information about financial transactions to combat money laundering and other crimes. The measure's supporters have said it was designed to address the growing popularity of the United States as a venue for criminals to launder illicit funds by setting up entities like LLCs under state laws without disclosing their involvement. "The act's reporting requirements are important to the government in preventing, detecting and prosecuting crimes such as money laundering, tax fraud and the financing of terrorism," the Biden administration's Solicitor General Elizabeth Prelogar wrote in a brief to the Supreme Court. Mazzant ruled that Congress has no authority under its powers to regulate commerce, taxes and foreign affairs to adopt the "quasi-Orwellian statute" and that it likely violated the rights of states under the Constitution's 10th Amendment. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Prelogar, in her brief to the Supreme Court, argued that the judge's ruling was too sweeping and wrong, citing the authority of Congress under the Constitution's so-called Commerce Clause to regulate economic activities that affect interstate commerce. (Reporting by Nate Raymond in Boston; additional reporting by Andrew Chung in New York; Editing by Will Dunham) Youd be forgiven if, during the madcap weeks leading to Donald Trumps inauguration, youd lost track of what was happening with the Houthi rebels in Yemen. As one of Irans last remaining close friends in the Middle East, they have managed to survive limited airstrikes from the United States, United Kingdom and Israel, in part because of the latters focus on Hamas and Hezbollah closer to home. If asked what key foreign policy challenges await the 47th President, most foreign affairs analysts would cite Russias war against a democratic Ukraine, Chinas increasing aggression towards Taiwan, and Israels campaign against Hamas and other allies of Iran. Instead, we find ourselves somewhat bewildered as the Panama Canal, Canada and Greenland have found places of prominence in Mr Trumps mind. Sure, we can debate whether Panamanian policy towards global shipping is what it ought to be, but is this really the most pressing topic for the first week of a new presidency? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Welcome news, then, that President Trump appears to have refocused on the real issues. This week, he redesignated the Houthis as a terrorist organisation. Since the start of the war in Gaza 15 months ago, Houthi thugs have launched over 100 attacks in the Red Sea, killing four people, sinking two vessels and disrupting a key global trade route. While they have temporarily ceased their strikes in the wake of the Israel/Hamas ceasefire, they remain a danger to the region and the global economy. Trumps designation, though, only matters if it is backed up by concrete action, and he showed significant hesitation about using US forces during his first presidency, especially in the Middle East. For all his sabre-rattling, his first term was marked by only two high profile uses of the military in the region: finishing the war on ISIS that was already well under way when he took office; and an airstrike that killed Iranian Quds General Qasem Soleimani on a visit to Iraq. In fact, his opposition to having the US military serve in conflict zones abroad led to his decision to abandon Americas Kurdish allies in Syria at the end of 2018. His then Secretary of Defense former Marine four star general Jim Mattis resigned in protest. Trump has also opposed US aid to Ukraine even when it meant supplying others to fight a war critical to US interests. His proposed solution to driving peace there now seems reliant on sanctions and tariffs, about which Russian President Vladimir Putin couldnt care less. His posture towards Chinese aggression is the same: economic threats to counter military belligerence. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Even if economic measures were impactful against nation states, and they often are not, they are hardly noticeable to non-state actors. The Houthis dont care about economic incentives, nor will they cave to potential financial threats. Trump made his career in business. He is comfortable in a world where financial pressures bend even the strongest adversaries, where deals are struck over dollars and cents. But the President of the United States is also the Commander in Chief of the armed forces, and not all enemies of the West can be bought off. Is he ready to face that part of the job? The rest of the world is waiting to see if the US will lead the charge. If it doesnt show up, it will be left to Israel, the UK and their allies to clean up the Middle East. Charley Cooper is a former senior advisor at the US Departments of Justice and Defence 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. By Kanishka Singh WASHINGTON (Reuters) -U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday to reiterate Washington's support for its ally, and the two also discussed Iran and Israeli hostages in Gaza, the State Department said. The call was Rubio's first with Israel since the administration of Republican President Donald Trump took office on Monday. Trump and his predecessor, Democratic former President Joe Biden, have both been supporters of Israel during its wars in Gaza and Lebanon. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Rubio underscored that "maintaining the United States' steadfast support for Israel is a top priority for Trump," the State Department said in a statement. Rubio also held calls on Wednesday with Saudi Arabia crown prince Mohammed bin Salman and United Arab Emirates Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed, the State Department said, adding the topics discussed included Gaza, Syria and Lebanon, among others. Rubio told Netanyahu that Washington will continue to work "tirelessly" to help free the remaining hostages in Gaza, the State Department added. The latest bloodshed in the decades-old Israeli-Palestinian conflict was triggered on Oct. 7, 2023, when Palestinian Hamas militants attacked Israel, killing 1,200 and taking about 250 hostages, according to Israeli tallies. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Israel's subsequent military assault on Gaza has killed more than 47,000 Palestinians, the Gaza health ministry says, while also leading to accusations of genocide and war crimes that Israel denies. The assault displaced nearly the entire population of Gaza and caused a hunger crisis. A ceasefire went into effect on Sunday and has led to the release of some Israeli hostages in Gaza and Palestinian prisoners held by Israel. Rights groups have criticized the mounting humanitarian crisis from Israel's military assault. Washington has maintained its support, saying it is helping its ally in its defense against Iran-backed militant groups including Hamas in Gaza, Hezbollah in Lebanon and the Houthi rebels in Yemen. "The Secretary also conveyed (to Netanyahu) that he looks forward to addressing the threats posed by Iran and pursuing opportunities for peace," the State Department said. (Reporting by Kanishka Singh in Washington; Editing by Matthew Lewis and Kate Mayberry) MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Md. (DC News Now) A member of the violent transnational criminal street gang known as 18th Street was sentenced Wednesday to 40 years in prison after a triple shooting that happened in Rockville in 2021, officials announced. In a news release, the U.S. Attorneys Office (USAO) of D.C. said that 21-year-old Cesar De La O Rodriguez, an El Salvadorian citizen, first pleaded guilty to conspiring to participate in a racketeer-influenced and corrupt organization and conspiracy to commit violent crime in aid of racketeering-murder on Feb. 9, 2024. The USAO said that on Dec. 19, 2021, Rodriguez and other co-defendants followed 22-year-old Danis Alcidees Salgado Mata to his home in Rockville at the command of a senior 18th Street member. Officials said that Mata was believed to be a member of a rival international gang. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Woman exonerated after being wrongfully convicted for Safeway robbery in Arlington After Mata got to his home, Rodriguez and another gang member fired multiple times, striking Mata in the torso and also hitting Matas mother and stepfather. The two gang members escaped to the District. Matas mother and stepfather survived, but he died due to his injuries. At the time of the shooting, Rodriguez was a low-ranking member of the 18th Street gang and was ultimately promoted to a full-fledged member or homeboy,' the USAO said. The USAO said that Rodriguez killed Mata to improve his standing with the 18th Street gang. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Shortly after he pleaded guilty, Rodriguez participated in the jail house stabbing of a fellow inmate at the prison where he was held. He is facing additional charges related to that incident. Rodriguez will also face deportation hearings at the end of his 40-year 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 DC News Now | Washington, DC. SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WWLP) Well below-average temperatures could increase your risk for carbon monoxide poisoning. It may be your instinct during this time of year to crank the heat or use your fireplace. However, these are only a couple of ways that you could risk releasing carbon monoxide into your home. Dangerous cold temperatures delay schools in western Massachusetts Carbon monoxide poisoning is particularly dangerous because its odorless and colorless. This makes the toxic gas impossible to detect without proper equipment. Springfield Fire Department Captain Drew Piemonte told 22News how to properly set up carbon monoxide detectors. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Detectors will go off out of a small amount of CO, sometimes they could be in the wrong location, Piemonte said. So we suggest that people follow manufacturers instructions on where to install them, how to install them. The CDC reports that more than 400 people die every year from carbon monoxide poisoning. Common appliances to check on are your stove, oven, and gas generators. Its important that you contact a professional to fix any repairs on these items. If you suspect that your home has a gas leak, call your local gas company and emergency services. 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. House Speaker Mike Schultz, R-Hooper, stands at the dais after being sworn in as speaker at the Capitol in Salt Lake City on the first day of the legislative session, Tuesday, Jan. 21, 2025. (Photo by Spenser Heaps for Utah News Dispatch) The Utah Houses top Republican leader has thrown his support behind a newly-unveiled bill that would vastly limit Utahs universal vote-by-mail system and implement new ID requirements. House Speaker Mike Schultz, R-Hooper, told reporters Thursday hes backing HB300, a bill that would require most voters to drop off their mailed ballots in-person at a polling place or at a drop box manned by at least two poll workers and show a valid form of identification, like a driver license, to submit their ballot. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The bill is being sponsored by Rep. Jefferson Burton, R-Salem, who also chairs the House Government Operations Committee a committee that will be the first to hear many of election-related bills that lawmakers have so far proposed for the 2025 legislative session, which so far amount to more than a dozen. As currently written, HB300 would still allow Utah voters to receive their ballots in the mail but unless they receive permission, they wont be able to mail them back to their county clerks. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX The bill does lay out a process for a voter to apply for designation as a voter who may return a remote ballot by mail if they fill out a form and submit it in person at their county clerks office while showing a valid form of identification at least 45 days before the election. If they get approval, that designation would only last two years, according to the bill. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement During a media availability Thursday, Schultz told reporters he doesnt think HB300 would effectively defeat the purpose and convenience of voting by mail, but that its meant to increase voter confidence and election security. He added Utahns will still be able to receive their ballot in the mail, take their time to decide how to vote, and return it on their own time. I dont think its that big of a step, Schultz said. You take that ballot that you receive in the mail and you drop it off at a polling location, and the biggest thing is you show your ID. Changing Utahs election system was a top priority Schultz outlined headed into the 2025 session that started Tuesday. The House speaker raised questions about the security of Utahs vote-by-mail system, after a pair of audits flagged some errors on Utahs voter rolls and signature verification but they did not identify sweeping problems or widespread fraud. Last month, a legislative audit found no significant fraud in Utahs election system. However, it did find some errors, including 1,400 likely deceased voters that hadnt been removed from voter rolls. Of those, 700 were marked as active voters, and in 2023 two ballots were cast in the names of voters classified as deceased. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Out of 2 million registered voters, those are small numbers but still too many for Schultz, who characterized Utahs voter rolls as a mess. He also argued Utah should not be one of the only red states that does not require ID when voting. Utah does already require two forms of ID and proof of residence to register to vote, but does not necessarily require an ID when casting a vote. Today, the vast majority of Utahns use by-mail ballots to vote, which election workers verify by matching signatures county clerks have on file for each voter. Schultz argued legislative audits have shown problems with relying on signature verification. We now have two audits that show signatures dont really work, and that theyre not really secure, he said. However, thats not what legislative auditors wrote in their report on the states signature verification process for candidate petitions. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Adjustments can be made to the signature verification process to improve controls and transparency, but the verification process is accurate between 97.6% and 98.7% of the time for correctly validating signatures and between 93.6% and 99.1% of the time for correctly invalidating signatures, auditors wrote. But those error rates arent good enough for House Republicans. Thats problematic to us, Schultz said. Though clerks and Democrats have urged lawmakers to focus on fixing maintenance issues with the voter rolls rather than restricting voting by mail, Schultz said he believes those audits make the case for sweeping changes, including heavier ID requirements. Thats the key component to this, he said. We think its a good combination and strikes the right balance. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Pressed on whether the bill will eliminate the convenience of voting by mail, the House speaker said you have to balance conveniency with security. He also argued it wouldnt totally eliminate voting by mail because voters can opt in by applying for a remote voter designation with their county clerks. For those who dont, theyll have to drop off their ballot at a polling place or a drop box thats manned by at least two poll workers to check ID. The vast majority of people are going to be passing these polling locations at some point in time (before the election), he said. And for those that arent, if they still want to continue to do vote by mail, they can sign up and continue to do vote by mail. Schultz pointed to a national Pew Research Center survey conducted last January that showed 81% of Americans support requiring all voters to show government-issued photo identification to vote. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He also indicated that he doesnt like the company Utah is keeping when it comes to which states allow all elections to be conducted entirely by mail. Utah is the only red state in the nation to do universal vote by mail. We are in the same category as Washington, California, Oregon, Nevada, Colorado, Hawaii and Vermont, he said. As a conservative state that is not a list I am proud to be part of. While Schultz said some Utah Republicans would rather the state go back to in-person voting on Election Day, we think this is a good balance. We understand and realize that people like (to) vote by mail, but we also understand that the vast majority of people would have more confidence in the system if you required voter ID, Schultz said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Recent poll results released by the Sutherland Institute, a conservative think tank, showed Utahns continue to be overwhelmingly confident in their elections, with 83% of Utah voters saying they were very or somewhat confident. Despite this, Utah lawmakers are proposing changes in the wake of a contentious election that focused more scrutiny on voting in Utah than ever. Though President Donald Trump won handily in the red state, a bitter gubernatorial race between Gov. Spencer Cox and his unsuccessful challenger, Rep. Phil Lyman, divided the Utah Republican Party and sowed discord and distrust over signature gathering, voting by mail and other issues. The Sutherland Institute poll, conducted by Y2 Analytics, also surveyed Utahns on what proposals would increase confidence. Requiring photo identification (as opposed to just a signature) when voting by mail would create the biggest boost in net voter confidence, according to the poll. About 51% said that would increase their confidence while 20% said that would hurt their confidence. That same poll also found that eliminating voting by mail and ballot drop boxes while requiring all voters to cast ballots in person would result in a net decrease in confidence, with 51% saying it would hurt their confidence while 33% said it would help. Senate leaders say they may have alternative ideas Though the House speaker is bullish on restricting voting by mail and requiring ID to vote, HB300 still has a long way to go before becoming law and it has to survive the Senate. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Senate Republican leaders told reporters Thursday theyre likely to propose changes, though it remains to be seen what that could entail. While theyre generally supportive of increasing confidence and security in Utahs elections, they also dont want to make it too hard to vote. Senate Majority Assistant Whip Mike McKell, R-Spanish Fork, said Senate Republicans have taken a stance that we want as many people to vote as possible without cheating. Senate Majority Assistant Whip Mike McKell, R-Spanish Fork, talks with reporters during a press conference with Senate leadership at the Capitol in Salt Lake City on the first day of the legislative session, Tuesday, Jan. 21, 2025. (Photo by Spenser Heaps for Utah News Dispatch) So were going to review the logistics of that bill, he said. Its on the radar now. Its time to start looking at it. McKell said its likely the Senate majority will have an alternative to Burtons bill, but its not yet clear what that could look like. He also noted theres strong support for voting by mail. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The public wants vote by mail, he said. So what we want to do is make sure the verification process is clean, easy, doesnt deter voters, but still keeps those principles of vote by mail. However, as he has said before, Senate President Stuart Adams, R-Layton, said hes supportive of re-evaluating the role signatures play in voting, saying using that for verification puts clerks in a subjective position. Making them judge whether a signature is accurate or not, we put them in kind of a weird position where its actually a judgment call, Adams said. Weve given them a real challenge. The Senate president said thats one of the things Id like to eliminate. If we can make the process more accurate rather than making our clerks be a determinative factor. So thats one of the things Id like to try to fix in the voting process, Adams added. Well get it. Well work on it. However, Senate Minority Leader Luz Escamilla, D-Salt Lake City, argued Utah legislators need to keep in mind the problems uncovered by the legislative audits were very small percentage wise, so lets put things into perspective. She argued lawmakers should focus on fine tuning Utahs current election system rather than resorting to drastic changes especially changes that could make it more difficult to vote and hurt Utahs strong voter participation rates. Im really concerned with anything that would just deter people from participating in our democracy, she said, adding Democrats will be watching to see where this bill ends up. We have concerns. We dont want to make it more difficult for people to participate. We should make it easier. Adams said, thats our task. Were going to go at it, he said, and find a way to make sure that you cant cheat and voting is easy. Contributing: Vanessa Hudson, Kyle Dunphey SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE Rep. Stephanie Gricius, R-Eagle Mountain (left) and Utah County Clerk Aaron Davidson sit before the House Government Operations Committee on Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2025. (Screenshot of state livestream) The first of many election bills that the 2025 Utah Legislature is expected to consider has already cleared its first legislative hurdle. The House Government Operations Committee on Wednesday the second day of the Legislatures 45-day session unanimously voted to approve HB69, a bill sponsored by Rep. Stephanie Gricius, R-Eagle Mountain, that would in some circumstances criminalize accessing and disclosing information about how or when an individual voter returns their ballot. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The legislation comes after some elected officials including Sen. Mike McKell, R-Spanish Fork, who was recently elected to the Senates new Republican leadership team as majority assistant whip have expressed concerns about Utah County Clerk Aaron Davidson tracking information on how at least two politicians returned their ballots, and publicly criticizing McKell for not paying postage. Davidson and McKell have clashed over Davidsons earlier decision that Utah County would no longer automatically pay return postage for by-mail ballots, and Davidson instead encouraged voters to pay the $0.73 for their stamps. If they didnt, the U.S. Postal Service would still deliver the ballot, but charge the county. An earlier version of the bill was already endorsed in November by the Government Operations Interim Committee, when Gricius said the intention of the bill is to make clear to clerks you cannot do a looky-loo at someones information for fun. Gricius did not specifically name Davidson while explaining her bill to the committee Wednesday, but she did say it was meant to address a situation with county clerks accessing information, using them kind of for political purposes with the media. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Davidson sat behind her in the committees audience, his arms folded and occasionally smiling as Gricius spoke. A few times during the meeting, he shook his head as lawmakers talked. We didnt have time at that point to really get the bill right in November, Gricius added, but after workshopping the bill, she said we think weve got it figured out in a way that will protect the information thats public, let that stay public, protect individual records and prevent that type of situation again. So Gricius on Wednesday brought a new version of it to the House committee. The new version would make clear voting history records including the method by which a voter returned a mailed ballot or whether the voter paid postage on a ballot returned by mail is classified as a private record that in most cases should not be disclosed. The bill also states a government officer who has access to government information may not access, use, copy, or release the information unless its related to their professional duties. It would specify that releasing the information shouldnt be done for a primarily personal purpose, including a political purpose. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement An intentional violation of the bill would be a class B misdemeanor. If the full Utah Legislature approves it, it would take effect on May 7. Essentially, it kind of adds a code of conduct for county clerks to follow, Gricius said. You cannot use someones voting information for political purposes or access their information without a reason that is directly related to the course of your duties. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Davidson, during the committees public comment period, continued to double down on his previous claim that Gricius bill was simply in response to a feud between him and McKell. Hes the one that was politicizing it, not me, Davidson said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He also defended his actions of tracking certain elected officials voting methods, saying he was simply trying to encourage Utah County voters to use what he deemed the most safe and secure voting method, which was dropping their ballots off at a drop box rather than mailing them. I was only looking at those people that were advocating to use the U.S. Postal Service to return their ballots, Davidson said. Rep. Cory Maloy, R-Lehi, then interjected. You dont see an issue with that? he pressed Davidson. Specifically pulling individuals because of something that youre concerned about? Davidson then called McKell out by name and again criticized him for publicly advocating for voting by mail, and he said he didnt think he did anything wrong. It wasnt illegal when I did it. Obviously it wasnt illegal because youre now having this meeting. It is a public record. Maloy spoke in favor of the bill, saying regardless of Davidsons stance on voting by mail, the matter at hand was whether lawmakers should make clear what is and isnt proper conduct for a county clerk or other government official. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I really have an issue with looking at specific ballots to see how they were returned, especially as it relates to elected officials, Maloy said. Weve had testimony here that It was all the senators fault. He was the one that was politicizing. But to specifically look at any group of people for whatever reason to see how they returned their ballot is going back to the code of conduct. Its not good conduct, in my opinion. The House committee voted unanimously to endorse the bill. It now goes to the full House for consideration. Correction: An earlier version of this story incorrectly stated Utah County Clerk Aaron Davidson criticized more than one elected official for not paying postage on their by-mail ballots. His public criticisms were focused on Sen. Mike McKell. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE A Sevier County Republican lawmaker wants to make sure that Utah electricity ratepayers are not bearing the burden of paying of projects that make no dent in what they are pulling out of their pocket to pay their monthly utility bill. HB72, Electricity Rate Amendments, sponsored by Rep. Carl Albrecht, R-Richfield, provides that before the Utah Public Service Commission, the regulating entity over Rocky Mountain Power, approves an allocation of costs to Utah ratepayers, it must make sure the recovery of those costs are not from projects that benefit energy needs of other states. Albrecht, speaking Wednesday before the House Public Utility and Energy Committee, mentioned a wind transmission project in Wyoming that crosses Utah and goes down into Nevada and ultimately provides energy to California ratepayers. The bill prohibits Utah ratepayers from subsidizing costs incurred by other states. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Under the proposal, the bill would also prohibit rate hikes from Utah ratepayers to pay the costs associated with events or conditions in other states that may drive up costs. [The energy future in Utah and the West] The allocation provisions in this bill should help the Public Service Commission ensure that our ratepayers are not paying for other states policies, fire policy for one, as we wait for the PacifiCorp study. And even though the Public Service Commissions obligations might already require this sort of evaluation, itll make it explicit in code that they should focus the Public Service Commission attention on these type of questions. GOP lawmakers have expressed frustration and angst as they have sought to untangle Utah, Idaho and Wyoming from the renewable energy ambitions of other state partners that make up its parent company PacifiCorp. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement [Top Utah GOP leaders want Rocky Mountain Power to divorce PacifiCorp] Albrechts bill would also eliminate Rocky Mountain Powers energy balancing account, which he said operates will little ability to audit and be made accountable. When it was first adopted by the Public Service Commission 13 years ago, a 70/30 split was built in to share the risks between ratepayers and the company. But by 2016, that cost sharing was eliminated by the state Legislature, meaning ratepayers bear the full cost of differences between the base rates and new costs. So I would say, are the shareholders of Rocky Mountain Power behaving prudently? I would also submit that theres millions of dollars in the EBA account. And I would also submit that just before they had the settlement on the fire cases in Oregon, they refunded over $600 million to their repairs or to the stockholders. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Albrecht added: The big key issue for Rocky Mountain Power or any other utility in the state is to protect the the daily rate customers, residential, small, commercial, and still serve those data centers or whatever under a different rate schedule so that were not subsidizing them. James Owen, vice president of Rocky Mountain Power and PacifiCorp, said eliminating the energy balancing account would hamstring the utility company and its ability to respond to specific circumstances. Because of the complexity of the system, it is impossible to always have those costs exactly right during a rate case or during the time when youre providing those estimates. So a true up mechanism is not uncommon, and it allows us the ability to take those costs, especially when circumstances occur that are outside of our control, and then were able to true up the differences between our our estimates and the actual costs with complete risk of lack of recovery. In essence, it is a tool to adjust costs should market volatility occur in energy prices. He added that the energy balancing account undergoes strict scrutiny by the Public Service Commission and if the costs are not justified, they are not approved. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But Albrecht and others on the committee were not convinced, giving the measure a unanimous measure to move it forward, with Albrecht noting the account had costs for 2020 of $1.1 billion. Are we getting a fair shake on that here in Utah? Albrecht said. Its very difficult, and so Im just saying, you know, the energy balancing account seems to be a catch-all for them, and its good for them and good for their stockholders, but its not very good for the ratepayers. EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) The University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) officials and Sundt Construction held a topping out ceremony on Wednesday, Jan. 22, to celebrate a major construction milestone for Texas Western Hall, the newest learning complex on campus. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its exciting to see Texas Western Hall progress day-by-day, said UTEP President Heather Wilson. Generations of UTEP students will get a great education in this space, thanks to the hard work of many who are helping us get this done. Topping out ceremonies are traditionally celebrated when the last beam in a structure is hoisted on top of a building in progress, UTEP said in a news release. UTEP said this event honored the efforts of Sundt construction workers, engineers and architects from Ayers Saint Gross whose work has contributed to Texas Western Hall. Around 170 Sundt construction workers were on hand to celebrate the milestone, along with students, faculty and staff from UTEPs College of Liberal Arts. Guests were invited to sign the beam as part of the event. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Working together, the UTEP, Ayers Saint Gross and Sundt teams have created a beautiful building that reflects both the tradition of Bhutanese architecture at UTEP and the need for a 21st-century learning environment, said Joseph Riccillo, vice president and El Paso regional director at Sundt. Im thankful to celebrate this milestone with our partners and everyone who has worked on Texas Western Hall and I look forward to the day very soon when we can officially open it for use. UTEP said construction on the $110 million complex began with a groundbreaking ceremony in late 2023. The 124,725-square-foot space will include 27 classrooms, including several large auditoriums, and 23 collaboration spaces with state-of-the-art technology, a cafe and a rooftop terrace with a view of Centennial Plaza, UTEP said. UTEP said the building, which was funded with the support of the Texas legislature and permanent university funds from The University of Texas System Board of Regents, is expected to open in the spring of 2026. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Once completed, the Liberal Arts building in front of Texas Western Hall will be demolished and the arroyo it sits on will be restored, UTEP 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 KTSM 9 News. President Trump will address the annual March for Life event on the National Mall via video message Friday, while Vice President Vance will speak to the crowd in person. The president is scheduled to visit North Carolina and California on Friday, so he will instead address the crowd via video message, organizers said. Vance will deliver remarks in person, marking his first public appearance since taking office on Monday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement President Trump governed as a pro-life president during his first term, which resulted in a long list of accomplishments, March for Life leaders Jeanne Mancini and Jennie Bradley said in a statement. We look forward to working with him and Vice President Vance as they dismantle the Biden Administrations aggressive and unpopular abortion agenda and once again put wins on the board for vulnerable unborn children and their mothers, they added. Trump in 2020 became the first sitting president to speak in person at the March for Life. The annual event brings together lawmakers and anti-abortion activists. Others scheduled to address the March for Life crowd in person include Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.), Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R). Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump has repeatedly argued the issue of abortion law should be determined by individual states, criticizing certain restrictive laws as too harsh. At the same time, he has taken credit for nominating three Supreme Court justices who voted to overturn Roe v. Wade. None of Trumps initial spate of executive orders signed in his first three days in office were targeted at restricting abortion access. Advocates expect Trump to reinstate the so-called Mexico City Policy, which blocks nongovernmental organizations that provide abortions from receiving federal funding. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. 22A Vandalia man who pleaded guilty to having child sexual abuse material on his Google cloud has been sentenced to prison. Connor T. McDowell, 27, was sentenced by Montgomery County Common Pleas Judge Timothy O'Connell to a total of two to three years in prison, after he pleaded guilty to five felony charges in a plea agreement filed in December 2024. McDowell was indicted in October on three counts of pandering sexually oriented material involving a minor and eight counts of pandering obscenity involving a minor, according to a grand jury report. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Vandalia Police Division began investigating McDowell following a referral from the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force that he had child sexual abuse material on his cloud, according to the Montgomery County Prosecutor's Office. Police served a search warrant and found multiple images and videos of minors, none of whom are believed to be local children, the prosecutor's office said. McDowell also was designated a Tier II sexual offender, which will require him to register his address every 180 days for 25 years with his local sheriff's office, once he is released. VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (WAVY) As promised, President Donald Trump, on day one of his second term in office, pardoned some 1,500 people charged in the deadly attack on the nations capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. ONLY ON 10: Video taken of Jan. 6 riot by one of the arrestees Jake Hiles, a Virginia Beach man who was arrested on misdemeanor charges, told 10 On Your Side he would like to see something in writing, but he assumes his name is on the pardon list. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trumps executive order issuing the pardons mentions 14 names, but states that he grants a full, complete and unconditional pardon to all other individuals convicted of offenses related to events that occurred at or near the United States Capitol on January 6, 2021. Virginia Beach man sentenced to 2 years probation after pleading guilty to U.S. Capitol attack involvement Hiles, a charter fishing boat captain, captured on video what he said is proof some police officers contributed to the deadly chaos. I have several videos from Jan. 6 I have over an hour of video that I shot on Jan. 6, he said. It shows all sorts of things. I have videos that show Capitol Police inciting inciting riots by shooting. They were walking through the crowds with a super soaker-style water gun that was full of bear spray. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I have [on video] a man who who had been sprayed by a Capitol Police officer, he said. Im standing right beside him and he walks up to the Capitol Police officer and says, Hey, why did you spray me with with pepper spray? The guy said he was a Vietnam veteran and hes never done anything but serves the country. Twice before, Hiles shared his story with 10 On Your Side, but for the first time, hes sharing his video. In an interview outside his Virginia Beach home, Hiles said he withheld the video after an interview with a special agent that, at times, was tense. His attorney believes that interview with the special agent was recorded. It was what I was told in August of 2021, Hiles said. And in a Zoom meeting with Brandon Merriman, who is the special agent in charge of Jan. 6, and hes the guy you saw do the interview about 60 Minutes about Jan. 6. And in a Zoom meeting with Brandon Merriman in August of 2021, he told me that if I go to the media and start talking about Jan. 6, if my videos find the media or the Internet, that I would, quote, spend the rest of my life in prison. I asked for what [and] he said. Ill find something.' 10 On Your Side reached out to the national press office for the FBI. A spokesperson wrote: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement There have not been any FBI agents who have participated in interviews on 60 Minutes about Jan. 6. We dont have any further comment. Hiles pleaded guilty to parading, demonstrating or picketing in a Capitol building in a case that he says cost him six figures. Democratic Sen. Mark Warner said the pardons could cost the nation the rule of law. Some of these rioters attacked policemen and now they are getting a full commutation, Warner said. I dont know what this says about the rule of law. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. BELVIDERE, Ill. (WTVO) Stellantis announced plans Wednesday to reopen the Belvidere Assembly Plant in 2027 with plans to build a new vehicle. The plant has sat idle since 2023, and discussions between the United Auto Workers (UAW) union and the automaker have gone on for almost as long. Today, Stellantis confirmed it would re-open the idled plant with the production of a new, midsize pickup truck, bringing back 1,500 jobs. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement UAW Local 1268 President Matt Frantzen said the announcement was a step in the right direction and created excitement about the future, but added that there is far more work to be done. Theyre going to put the truck in Belvidere. Lets lets get moving, Frantzen said. In the fall of 2023, Stellantis announced it would invest nearly $5 billion in the factory, an investment that would include an electric vehicle battery plant and a parts distribution hub. Im excited, but were were back to square one again, Frantzen said. You know, back in October 23, the contract listed out three items that were given. Now weve got the agreement that were getting a truck. That was the original deal. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Last November, union workers voted to authorize a strike against Stellantis, alleging the automaker had failed to honor its original commitments. Frantzen said the strike, along with the resignation of Stellantis CEO Carlos Tavares in December, moved discussions in the right direction Its sparked that conversation. Before, the company, the international union, us down here, there was no discussion. There was no communication. Now theyre having that communication and things are starting to get done, he said. Weve been here before, he continued. And until we see things moving, I dont think anybodys going to be at ease. We dont truly become at ease until were back in that plant or weve got more people in that plant than we got out, starting to get ready for launch and pilots and stuff like that. So right now, well wait and see what details come out and you know what that looks like. 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. LANSING, Mich. (WLNS) The Michigan Attorney General has charged 52-year-old Kirk Lanam, who is accused of inflating his military service while running a Livingston County veterans service dog nonprofit, with embezzlement from a vulnerable adult. He pleaded not guilty. Lanam, of Hartland, was arrested in Oakland County Wednesday and arraigned in Rochester Hills Thursday. He was charged with five felonies for allegedly financially exploiting an 87-year-old man by fraudulently obtaining legal power of attorney in March of 2024, knowing the man was a vulnerable or incapacitated adult with a court-appointed guardian. Kirk Lanams booking photo from Oakland County. He is accused of diverting more than $400,000 from the victims funds to himself and the non-profit he ranthe Howell-based Veterans Service Dog Organization Veteran Service Dogs Organization. Lanam was at the center of a 6 News stolen valor investigation in 2024. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Exploiting unsuspecting victims or those who rely on others for support for personal gain is unacceptable, Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel says. My Department takes reports of elder abuse very seriously. We will thoroughly investigate allegations of wrongdoing against our vulnerable adult population and prosecute those who prey on them. The Oakland County investigation reveals Lanam took over the financial affairs of an elderly Korean War veteran. Former supporters and volunteers for VSDO have told 6 News that when he took over that financial burden, the nonprofit was struggling to pay its bills. At the time Lanam took over the veterans finances, veterans told 6 News he began showing up with expensive items, such as lawn moving equipment, security camerasand even a new Hyundai Palisades. The 6 News Investigates Team can show more than $250,000 in spending from this elderly veterans account that appears to have benefited VSDO generally and Lanam specifically. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Lanam is charged with four counts of embezzling $100,000 or more from a vulnerable adult, each a 20-year felony, and one count of fraudulently obtaining a signature, a 10-year felony. Lanams pre-exam conference is set for Feb. 3, and a preliminary examination is set for Feb. 10. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. Veteran Salute: Shocking the next generation of Navy Sailors HORTON (KSNT) Growing up in a small Kansas town, Jamie Hanrahan would travel from sea to shining sea through a nearly three-decade-long career with the Navy. Originally from Muscotah, Kansas, a town with a population of 155 as of the 2020 census, Hanrahan was looking for opportunities outside of his hometown. The Navy recruiter came and said hey you can get to travel, well send you to school and all these things, learn skills for when you get out of the Navy, Hanrahan said. I thought great, thats what I want to do. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Set for a path in aviation; electrician work quickly resonated with him. As an Electricians Mate, one thing we did was work on the lighting systems, the indicator systems, autopilot those kind of things, Hanrahan said. Being frontline working on the aircraft right there, what they call organization level, it had to be quick. If the airplane said hey, were going to launch it at 8 oclock and youre not there at 5 till 8 and something breaks, your team has got to get together and get that thing fixed and get it launched right, to meet the mission. Managing timing effectively was everything for Hanrahan and his unit. Once the launch was complete then theyd have what they call recovery, all the planes landed, he said. Right after recovery then you said hey that plane now has to be fueled and has to be fixed, anything that might have been broken, then get ready for the next launch. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Veteran Salute: Literally paving the way forward in Vietnam That intense turnaround didnt bother Hanrahan in the slightest. Sticking with the Navy for 26 years, he would alternate between the electrician role and serving as an instructor. You got to teach the next generation, these young Sailors not only teach them how to fix a plane, but how to be a Sailor, Hanrahan said. This is what its going to be like for their career, and leave an impact on them so that they would understand the Military. Even with that sense of accomplishment through educating the next generation, traveling all around the globe, and being promoted to Chief in his final years theres one moment from his service that especially stands out to him all these decades later. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If someone ever asked me whats the best thing the Navy did for me, I would say they gave me the opportunity to meet my wife, he said. Thats the best thing of all of it. Well hear more about how Jamie and Lori, a fellow Northeast Kansan and Navy Veteran, met through their military service on next weeks Vet Salute. For more Veteran Salute, 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. Tommy Vietor, a former Obama administration spokesperson, said Wednesday former President Bidens decision to pardon members of his family sent a terrible message to the world. I also think it sends a terrible message to pardon people who beat the crap out of police officers on live TV, Vietor, who co-hosts Pod Save America, told Fox Newss Jesse Watters. President Biden pardoned members of his family minutes before the end of his presidency Monday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Those granted the pardon include Bidens brother, James Biden; his sister-in-law, Sara Jones Biden; his sister, Valerie Biden Owens; his brother-in-law, John T. Owens; and his youngest brother, Francis Biden. My family has been subjected to unrelenting attacks and threats, motivated solely by a desire to hurt me the worst kind of partisan politics, he said in a statement, adding he had no reason to believe the attacks would end. On the campaign trail, Trump had suggested he would use the Justice Department to go after members of the Biden family. Biden said that the decision is not an admission of guilt or acknowledgment of any wrongdoing by his family members. The pardons cover any nonviolent offense from Jan. 1, 2024, to Jan. 19, 2025, which was Bidens last full day as president. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The former president drew criticism from many members of the media over the last-second decision. The View co-host Alyssa Farah Griffin also criticized Bidens decision, saying it would hurt his legacy. I was floored that Joe Biden pardoned his whole family and let me tell you why. The most charitable interpretation is the Titanic is sinking, Ive got a life raft for my family, but anyone else who challenged Trump, you better swim, or youre drowning, she said on her show Tuesday. Reacting to his predecessors last-minute decision, President Trump said Wednesday it makes Biden look very guilty. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Now, maybe every president that leaves office, theyre gonna pardon every person they ever met, he said. I think it makes you look very guilty, he told Fox News host Sean Hannity. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. 23The Village of Lewiston plans on removing the wooden staircase that leads down to the Niagara River shore Mayor Anne Welch said the village did not get a state Local Waterfront Revitalization Program grant, which a portion would have gone toward replacing the staircase near the Griffon restaurant. That grant of up to $600,000 would have also helped stabilize the riverbank and build a pavilion by the Whirlpool Jet Boats. The village also plans on replacing the current wooden fence along Lewiston Landing Park with a new iron one, thanks to a $30,000 donation from village residents. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "You have three ways of getting down there," Welch said, noting that the stairway is rarely used since people can use the other staircase and walk down the roadways by the Silo and Griffon restaurants. "Instead of waiting and hopefully getting a grant, which we were denied again this time to get one, I said (to DPW Superintendent Anthony Mang), 'let's just take it out.'" Mang said it would not be until late summer until work on those stairs can start, due to other infrastructure projects the DPW will be working on. The other staircase closer to the Silo Restaurant is being replaced thanks to a previous LWRP grant the village received worth $390,000. The village approved a $425,300 bid to Sicoli Construction Services for that work. UPDATE (1/21, 5:44P): The Shreveport Police have increased the reward for the Walgreens homicide case to $5,000. We hope that the community will come forward with any information that can help law enforcement end this violence, said Terry McNaight, Executive Director of Crime Stoppers. SHREVEPORT, La. (KTAL/KMSS) Following Wednesdays Walgreens shooting in the South Highlands Neighborhood, the City Council express their concern for the victims friends and family. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The shooting occurred at the Walgreens located on Line Avenue and Kings Highway. The Shreveport Police said the victim was a pharmaceutical representative and was shot multiple times while bringing in a delivery. He was taken to Ochsner Health Hospital. The Caddo Coroners Office said Billy Jamison, 67 of Shreveport succumbed to his wounds at 10:47 a.m. death marked the second homicide in Shreveport and Caddo Parish in 2025. This type of violence has no place in Shreveport, especially in our neighborhoods where families live, work, and send their children to school, said Councilman Brooks. My thoughts are with the family of Mr. Billy Ray Jamison during this difficult time. I also want to thank the Shreveport Police Department for their swift response to this incident and their continued efforts to locate the perpetrator of this tragedy. Council Chairwoman Tabatha Taylor extended her deepest condolences and reaffirmed the Councils support for law enforcement efforts. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As Mr. Jamison was a resident of District A, I want to extend my sincerest condolences to the family. My heart grieves each time there is a loss of life that is senseless, said Chairwoman Taylor. We fully support the Shreveport Police Department in their pursuit of apprehending the suspect or suspects involved in this tragic event. We encourage anyone with information to come forward to assist law enforcement in their investigation. The Shreveport City Council stands in solidarity with the residents of District B and the entire community, reaffirming its commitment to ensuring the safety and well-being of all citizens. The council encourage anyone with information about this incident to contact the Shreveport Police Department or submit an anonymous tip via Crime Stoppers at 318-673-7373. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. WHITESBORO, NY (WUTR/WFXV/WPNY) A fugitive from Virginia was apprehended on Tuesday in the Village of Whitesboro, according to Oneida County Sheriffs. Sheriffs were notified of the presence of 41-year-old Hasimba Brown within the village of Whitesboro by US Marshals on Tuesday, January 21. Brown is currently on Parole in the state of Virginia for a manslaughter conviction in the state of New York. Chesterfield County (VA) Sheriffs say he was wanted on the following charges, all felonies: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon, Abduction by Force, Malicious Assault, Burglary, Burglary with Intent to Commit Murder, Robbery with Serious Bodily Injury, and Conspiracy to commit Robbery with Serious Bodily Injury. Following an investigation, members of the New York/New Jersey Regional Fugitive Task Force were able to locate Brown on Tuesday, January 21. He was taken into custody without incident and transported to the Oneida County Jail in Oriskany. On Wednesday, January 22, Brown was arraigned in Oneida County Court where he waived his extradition back to Virginia. Following his arraignment, Brown was remanded to the Oneida County Jail on a no-bail status pending his return to Virginia. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. RICHMOND Among the three constitutional amendments the Virginia Senate advanced this week was one that would automatically restore the right to vote to people who have completed their felony sentence. But lawmakers have also taken up several other bills that would makes changes to elections or how people vote. Experts say thats in line with an intense focus on voting and election laws in state legislatures across the country. Theyve been extremely active in ways they werent before, said Andrew Garber, voting rights counsel at the Brennan Center for Justice, a progressive law and public policy institute. This isnt a slight uptick; its a huge wave, a tsunami. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Between 2021 and 2024, states passed 79 restrictive voting laws, compared with 27 and 17 in the previous four-year periods, Garber said. But, expansive voting laws have outpaced restrictive ones between 2021 and 24, at least 42 states and Washington enacted 172 expansive laws. One local effort to expand voting access is a bill proposed by Del. Chad Green, R-Seaford, that would allow for Virginians to automatically register to vote when applying for any hunting or fishing license or concealed handgun permit. That bill, currently before the House Election Administration subcommittee, is part of a broader trend of similar efforts in other states, Garber said. To register someone to vote, you need to know where they live, what their address is, a precinct to put them in, that theyre 18 years old, Garber said. When you just registered for a hunting license, and you gave them all the information they would need to register you to vote, if they are automatically doing that, without you having to fill out a form or go to a separate location that can be a big boon for a lot of people. Meanwhile, the Senate Privileges and Elections Committee took up a slate of other voting legislation Tuesday. Senators voted, along party lines, to pass out of committee legislation that would require the Department of Elections to complete its systemic removal of people from the voter rolls 90 days before any election. Democrats were in favor of the bill, and Republicans opposed it. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement They also passed out of committee legislation that would allow localities to conduct their local school board and mayoral elections by ranked choice. The bills patron, Sen. Saddam Azlan Salim, D-Fairfax, said the measure is a minor adjustment to an existing pilot program that allows localities to adopt ranked choice for city council and board of supervisors. Supporters of the bill who spoke at the public comment period cited crowded local elections, including in Norfolk and Newport News, leading to a low percentage of votes for any one candidate. Opponents described difficulty of tabulating votes by precinct after the first round of voting, as well as lower turnout and delays in the election process. Republican lawmakers, such as Sen. Mark Peake of Lynchburg, proposed legislation that would have required more intensive voter identification. Peakes bills that would have required voters to present a photo ID and have their social security numbers verified died in the committee with an 8-7 vote along party lines. Lawmakers also voted down Peakes legislation that would have limited the in-person absentee voting period to 14 days before the election, as opposed to the current standard 45 days. Peake cited concerns about poor turnout before the last two weeks of in-person voting. The expense is outrageous, he said. Nobody shows up for half of these small primaries and they have to be open for 45 days. Its costing our localities a fortune. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Sen. Schuyler VanValkenburg, D-Henrico, was not convinced. I love the registrars, we gave them a pay raise a little while ago, he said. We should do things to help them, but we shouldnt do it at the expense of people being able to have access to the vote. The constitutional amendment that would automatically restore voting rights to people convicted of a felony after their sentence was served has now passed both chambers. The House passed the resolution, 55-44, last week. The Senate passed its version 21-18 on Tuesday. However, this is the first step in the constitutional amendment process. Once both chambers agree on a version of the resolution, the General Assembly will need to pass it again next year before it goes to the ballot for public referendum in November 2026. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Currently, people who have completed their felony sentence must appeal to the governor to have their rights restored. To date, Gov. Glenn Youngkin has restored the voting rights of 8,400 individuals, according to his press secretary Christian Martinez. In 2023, Youngkin rolled back a policy that automatically restored voting rights to people who had completed their felony sentences. Kate Seltzer, kate.seltzer@virginiamedia.com Behind the counter of Walnut Hill Pharmacy, an independent business located in Petersburg. (Photo by Meghan McIntyre/Virginia Mercury) A bipartisan proposal to centralize Virginias Medicaid pharmacy benefits under a single state-contracted pharmacy benefits manager (PBM) is gaining momentum. On Thursday, a Senate bill spearheaded by Sen. Aaron Rouse, D-Virginia Beach, and co-sponsored by Sen. Travis Hackworth, R-Tazewell, cleared the Senate Education and Health Committee. Pharmacy benefits managers act as intermediaries between health plans, drug manufacturers and pharmacies, but their lack of transparency has raised concerns. PBMs retain rebates and discounts from contracts, leaving consumers and pharmacies unsure how much savings are being passed on. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This opacity has taken a toll on local pharmacies, which often receive reimbursement rates lower than the cost of medications. I know what its like to spend $10 to make $5 dollars back from Medicaid, said Hackworth, a former pharmacy owner. Rouses bill, mirrored by a similar proposal by Del. Katrina Callsen, D-Charlottesville, in the House of Delegates, seeks to eliminate health-plan-run PBMs in Medicaid. Lawmakers argue the change would improve transparency, support independent pharmacies and create a more accountable and cost-effective system. If enacted, the legislation would require the Department of Medical Assistance Services to evaluate drug pricing, rebates and administrative costs to ensure cost efficiency and provide greater oversight. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The new state-contracted PBMs would also be responsible for safeguarding pharmacy access in underserved areas. Kim Wright, a pharmacist from Cumberland, voiced her support of the bill during a recent subcommittee meeting, emphasizing the vital role independent pharmacies play in rural communities. Local independent pharmacies are deeply rooted in their communities, Wright said, highlighting how closures of such pharmacies would force patients in rural areas to travel even farther for healthcare services. Urban areas face similar challenges, according to Norfolk-based Anna Peoples. She explained how transportation cost can make accessing prescriptions difficult, even when major chains like Walmart are present. Many of my customers dont have two dimes they can rub together, Peoples said. The bus fare to get there could make affording their prescriptions impossible, she said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In defending his bill, Rouse emphasized the critical impact of pharmacy deserts on vulnerable communities. Pharmacy deserts are not just an inconvenience, theyre a direct threat to the health and well-being of our citizens, Rouse said. The proposal has garnered support from the National Association of Chain Drug Stores, with a representative noting that several pharmacy chains have shuttered in Virginia over the past year. Pharmacist Tim Robertson, who works for a Henrico-based Publix, reinforced this point by sharing his experience following the closures of a local CVS and Walgreens where new customers have flocked to his location. He recently spent an hour and a half on the phone navigating medication access for a patient. Thats just unacceptable, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement However, Gov. Glenn Youngkins administration expressed reservations. DMAS Chief Deputy Jeff Lunardi warned that some provisions in the bill could place the state at a competitive disadvantage when going out for a single PBM and flagged concerns about the timeframe required to establish such a contract. In response to these concerns, Rouse amended his bill by Thursday morning, removing language that would have prohibited current PBMs from applying to be selected. Currently, five managed care organizations in Virginia serve Medicaid enrollees, each contracting with their own PBM. Heidi Dix, representing the Virginia Association of Health Plans, raised concerns over potential costs associated with transitioning to a single PBM. Citing a study by the association, Dix noted the reform could result in approximately $17 million in administrative costs to implement the change. Supporters of the bill, including Rouse, argue that those costs are outweighed by the potential savings. The bill could save Virginia about $39 million annually, Rouse said, pointing to successes in other states. Kentucky reported saving $56.6 million in state funds within a year of passaging a similar law in 2021, while West Virginia saw $54.4 million in savings after establishing a sole PBM in 2017. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Having cleared the Senates health committee, the bill now moves to the Senate Finance Committee for review. With bipartisan support and Democrats controlling the legislature, the measure is expected to reach Youngkins desk by the end of the session. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE Courtesy of Vivian Jenna Wilson; Getty Images Sign up for The Agenda Thems news and politics newsletter, delivered to your inbox every Thursday. Vivian Jenna Wilson, Elon Musks emphatically estranged trans daughter, has a message for anyone who claims Musk didnt make proudly fascist gestures this week: Get real. During a rally shortly after Donald Trumps inauguration on January 20, the right-wing billionaire CEO slapped his chest and extended his raised arm stiffly twice in a row, mirroring the fascist salute used by Benito Mussolini and Adolf Hitler, and receiving cheers from the audience for performing the gesture. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I'm just gonna say let's call a spade a fucking spade, Wilson wrote in her reaction to the moment, posted Tuesday on Threads and Bluesky. Especially if there were two spades done in succession based on the reaction of the first spade. Many self-identified white nationalist leaders had no trouble identifying a heil Hitler salute as such, posting triumphant slogans like were so back on the Musk-owned social media platform X, formerly Twitter. Progressive politicians around the world reacted to the rally with shock, and accused Musk of openly embracing fascism. Manon Aubry, a leftist member of the French Parliament, deemed what he called the Nazi salute of Elon Musk to be a threat to the whole of the European Union in remarks on Tuesday, per Politico; Michel Friedman, former deputy chair of the Central Council of Jews in Germany, called it a dangerous point for the entire free world. During an Instagram Live stream, New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez emphasized that she was not rocking with anyone sympathetic to Nazis, and I will do that until I am six feet in the ground [...] If youre cool with the sieg Heils and the Nazi salutes, whatever you want to do, thats on you, Im on the opposite side of that. Im not with the Nazis. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But others rushed to defend Musk, either by calling his gesture a Roman salute (a term describing the same action, which Mussolini adopted to invoke a return to empire) or insisting that because Musk is autistic, he did not intend to emulate the fascist salute. The Anti-Defamation League a watchdog group that has faced ongoing criticism for conflating antisemitism with support for Palestinian human rights wrote in a post on X that Musk had made an awkward gesture in a moment of enthusiasm, not a Nazi salute, calling for all sides [to] give one another a bit of grace amid the new beginning of a second Trump presidency. Green Day Changed a Lyric in American Idiot to Call Out Elon Musk Frontman Billie Joe Armstrong made the pointed lyric swap at the bands first South African concert. Musk himself made X posts deriding the backlash, calling the criticism legacy media propaganda and writing that the everyone is Hitler attack is sooo tired (likely a reference to the Everyone I Dont Like Is Hitler meme, itself nearly ten years old). Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In her posts on Threads and Bluesky on Tuesday, Wilson who severed her connection with Musk when changing her name in 2022, later alleging that her biological father had fabricated details about her life in media interviews dismissed any notion that Musk made the gesture unintentionally or accidentally. In a follow-up post to her lets call a spade a fucking spade comment, she continued, I'm clearly only talking about card suits. I mean I have ADHD and this was CLEARLY just an accident that people happened to interpret to mean something other than just card suits [...] For those who can read between the lines, do y'all understand how fucking easy this is to do? Plausible deniability honey. Wilsons words themselves led to some pushback from others on social media, who criticized her use of the idiom to call a spade a spade and another follow-up post reading fuck spades. In U.S. vernacular, the word spade has also been used to refer to a Black person since the 1920s, often as an epithet; while the original phrases etymology isnt connected to more recent racial connotations, some linguists have argued the expression should be culturally retired to avoid inadvertent confusion or offense. When reached via email for comment, Wilson told Them that she later apologized, saying "I have since made an apology over using the word spade because I was unaware of its other connotation." This story has been updated to include a comment from Wilson. Get the best of whats queer. Sign up for Thems weekly newsletter here. Originally Appeared on them. Burlington, VT (myCV) Local refugee and migrant assistance groups are calling on President Trump to change his executive order that suspends the entry of refugees into the U.S. Specifically, the Vermont Afghan Alliance is calling the order cruel and a betrayal to Afghans who supported the U.S. military during the war. One Afghan already feeling the impacts of Trumps executive order is Samimah Naiemi, an immigrant living in Vermont whos finishing her final year at Middlebury College. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement After coming to the U.S. by herself a few years ago, leaving behind her family in the Afghan province of Laghman, Naiemi is now just months away from getting her degree in political science, and beginning work on a law degree. What sounds like a bright future for her is one she says is actually now filled with unknowns, after a stroke of a pen from Trump disconnected her from her family back in Afghanistan. Democratic AGs sue Trump over birthright citizenship executive order Being an immigrant is not easy, especially if youre alone, Naiemi said. The first thing that came to my mind was fear. It added to the uncertainties I already had about my future. I dont know what will happen next Its hard to put all my focus together on myself while I have an entire half of me and my life back in Afghanistan, and in danger. One of the 200+ executive orders signed by the new president Monday puts a 90-day freeze on all refugees entering the U.S. starting next week, including those who have been cleared to do so. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Within the order, Trump explained its intentions, writing in part: The United States lacks the ability to absorb large numbers of migrants, and in particular, refugees, into its communities in a manner that does not compromise the availability of resources for Americans, that protects their safety and security, and that ensures the appropriate assimilation of refugees. It is the policy of the United States to ensure that public safety and national security are paramount considerations. Still, the order has left Naiemi and hundreds of other Afghans in Vermont who are connected to the nonprofit VT Afghan Alliance feeling betrayed. Immigrants and refugees We should understand that they are already struggling a lot, Naiemi said. We should not add to their struggles and sufferance more. It is cruel beyond measure, said Molly Gray, a former Vermont Lieutenant Governor and current Executive Director of VT Afghan Alliance. It truly is a broken promise to those who served alongside U.S. military and diplomatic members of the U.S. Government. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Gray says Trumps order should, at the very least, be re-worked to include an exception for Afghan refugees, especially ones currently in Pakistan who are going through the process to come to the U.S., but will be deported back to Afghanistan if the order is kept as is. She also notes any Afghans who helped the U.S. during the 21-year war face a great risk of being killed by the Taliban if they are forced back into their home country. Gray added many refugees who were evacuated to the U.S. three-and-a-half years ago when the war ended are still waiting for their families to be cleared to come here too, and many who recently got clearance and were set to depart soon found out Wednesday that their flights have been canceled due to the impending executive order. Theyre stuck, Gray said. We dont know if theyll get on a plane, we dont know when theyll get on a plane, we dont know whether it will be four years from now Weve continued to tell them, Dont worry, it will happen, we help them with their family reunification petitions. But what we now know is that it is unclear. We dont know if family reunification will ever happen. As Naiemi continues juggling a job, internship and college studies, she wonders when she will get to see her family back home in Afghanistan again, and hopes the Trump administration will change course. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I just want people to understand that nobody would leave their home and their family and people, culture, country, everything behind, just for fun, Naiemi noted. Unless they are really desperate and forced 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 ABC22 & FOX44. (HT Ganzo/Getty Images) Like everything else, Washingtons court system was upended by COVID-19. Court proceedings paused or moved online. Cases piled up. Justice was delayed. But the pandemic, in some ways, also helped the states courts, state Supreme Court Justice Debra Stephens told a joint session of the state Legislature on Wednesday. Stephens said the disruptions underscored the urgent need for systemic improvements to deliver timely and equitable justice. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Lasting changes she noted include continued remote court hearings, the expansion of interpreter services and a doubling across the state of therapeutic court programs, which provide an alternative to sentencing for people with mental health and substance use disorders. The chief justice said Washington is leading the nation in its transition from punitive measures to restorative justice. Courts of the future must be aware of the historic inequities of the past, Stephens said in her 20-minute State of the Judiciary address delivered in the state Senate chamber. Our judicial branch initiatives reflect an unwavering commitment to tearing down barriers, fostering inclusion and building a justice system that truly serves all Washingtonians. One way to do this is through addressing juror pay, she said. Most Washington jurors are paid $10 per day. This hasnt changed since 1959, creating a barrier to a true jury of ones peers in local courts. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A statewide survey in 2023 found people of color and low-income Washingtonians are underrepresented on juries. And the average juror has a higher household income and more education than the median resident of their county. In October, Pierce County launched a pilot program paying jurors $100 a day plus mileage reimbursement. The pilot is set to last through May. The goal is to assess whether higher pay improves jury diversity. The state earmarked $1.6 million to pay for the extra $90 going to jurors. A report on the outcomes of the increased juror pay is due to the Legislature in 2026. Jury service is the bellwether of our justice system, Stephens said. It enriches civic engagement for those who serve, and removing economic barriers to service is essential to fulfilling the constitutional promise of a jury of ones peers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Stephens also highlighted the courts Blake decision. In the landmark ruling in 2021, the state Supreme Court struck down Washingtons law criminalizing drug possession. As a result, convictions under the law could be vacated and legal fees could be refunded. As of this month, the states Blake Refund Bureau had issued over $4 million in refunds in about 3,300 cases, Stephens said. Another $21 million is pending for nearly 63,000 additional cases. And over 55,000 convictions have been vacated. She also touched on a recent outage of the state court computer systems. This lasted more than two weeks and disrupted firearm background checks and court record databases. Stephens said the courts are investing in more cybersecurity safeguards. And the chief justice applauded the Legislature for funding statewide IT infrastructure and more secure rural courts. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement She said she looked forward to working with lawmakers on providing money essential to meeting the judiciarys promise to deliver equal justice under the law. Stephens, who has been on the Supreme Court since 2008, took over as chief justice last week. She previously served as chief justice beginning in 2020. ANKARA, Turkey (AP) A waitress who was in serious condition after jumping out of a burning hotel at a popular ski resort has succumbed to her injuries, officials and reports said Thursday, becoming the latest victim of a tragedy that has shocked the nation and revived concerns over lax safety regulations in the country. Turkish officials early on Thursday revised the number of deaths from Tuesdays blaze at the 12-story Grand Kartal hotel in Kartalkaya, in northwestern Bolu province, from 79 to 78, including Sevval Sahin. The 25-year-old waitress died in the intensive care unit of a hospital late Wednesday. Dozens of others were injured in the blaze. The government has appointed six prosecutors to lead an investigation into the cause of the fire, which came at the start of a two-week winter break for schools, when hotels in the area are filled to capacity. Authorities have detained 11 people for questioning, including the hotels owner, Bolus deputy mayor and the acting fire department chief. No charges have been brought yet. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The government of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has traded accusations of blame with the Bolu municipality, which is controlled by Turkeys main opposition party. The blaze appeared to have started at the restaurant section on the fourth floor of the wooden-clad hotel and spread quickly through to the upper floors. Guests and staff jumped out of windows to escape smoke and flame-filled rooms or dangled sheets out of windows to lower themselves out. Culture and Tourism Minister Mehmet Nuri Ersoy has stated that the hotel had been inspected in 2021 and 2014, and had a fire safety certificate. Bolu Mayor Tanju Ozcan has claimed that hotels in Kartalkaya are outside his municipalitys jurisdiction and that the hotels last fire department certificate dated back to 2007. Survivor accounts indicate that the hotels fire detection system didn't function, that there were no sprinklers and that guests weren't able to locate the buildings two fire escapes in the smoke-filled corridors. HaberTurk television and other media reports have suggested that the design of the fire escapes ended up spreading the blaze to other floors. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Witnesses have also reported that the firefighters arrived 45 minutes after the fire was first reported. If there was a fire escape, theres no way wed be able to find it, Hulya Karadag, a vacationer who survived the fire along with her daughter and two grandsons, told the IHA news agency. There was (no fire alarm). That is the worst thing. If there was a fire alarm and we had been notified in advance, people would have acted more cautiously, said Karadag, whose room was on the lower section of the hotel and was able to escape out of a window by jumping on the roof of an extension. Describing the chaos in the corridors, Karadag said: We couldnt go two rooms forward, we were out of breath. On top of that, people were bumping into each other. We dont know who we bumped into. There were children, people were screaming as they collided into each other. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Meanwhile, the country continued holding funerals for the deceased. In Ankara, classmates and teachers gathered to bid farewell to 12-year-old Ayse Maya Dogan and her parents, Aysemin Elif Dogan and Mehmet Cem Dogan, leaving a note on her coffin that read: Our dear girl. We love you very much. We will never forget you. You will always be sitting in our classroom. Esra Nazik, a 25-year-old cook who was Sahins roommate, was buried in her hometown of Konya in central Turkey. Like Sahin, Nazik also died after jumping out of the building, the Sabah newspaper reported. Sahin, who had started working at the hotel just over a month ago, called her father from the 12th-floor window, asking him for advice on what to do before she leapt out of the building, local media reports said. The T24 news website quoted Sahins cousin, Murat Bakir, as saying her father told her not to jump. The waitress nevertheless threw herself out of the building, no longer able to withstand the smoke and flames, the website reported. Construction equipment is seen near the partially-demolished Washington Bridge on Oct. 11, 2024. (Photo by Christopher Shea/Rhode Island Current) The state of Rhode Islands lawsuit against 13 companies accused of doing negligent work on westbound Washington Bridge finally reached the courtroom Tuesday morning where defense attorneys are pushing for a swift dismissal. Superior Court Judge Brian Sterns ruling on whether to dismiss the case will not come until February, Jonathan Bissonnette, a spokesperson for the Rhode Island Judiciary, told Rhode Island Current in an email Tuesday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Roger Williams University School of Law Professor Michael Yelnosky said he wasnt surprised to see Stern take his time to weigh his decision. Even though we think a lot of time has passed, this is the earliest point you can get a case dismissed, Yelnosky said in an interview Wednesday. If he decides these in February that would be a pretty brisk pace there are certainly motions to dismiss that languish much longer. The westbound Washington bridge has been closed since December 2023 after contracted engineers discovered broken anchor rods that put the highway at risk of collapse. At the time of its closure, that section of Interstate195 carried roughly 96,000 vehicles each day over the Seekonk River, Gov. Dan McKee last April hired an outside legal team to pursue litigation against contractors that may have been responsible for the bridges failure. The lawsuit was filed Aug. 16 by Attorney General Peter Neronha and alleges a sweeping set of contract breaches and negligence on the part of contractors the state claimed for decades failed to detect or report structural problems. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In its complaint, the state brings claims of breach of contract, fiduciary duty, and negligence against the following: AECOM Technical Services Inc. Aetna Bridge Company; Aries Support Services Inc. Aries Support Services Inc. Barletta Heavy Division Inc. Barletta/Aetna I-195 Washington Bridge North Phase 2 JV Collins Engineers Inc. Commonwealth Engineers Consultants, Inc. Jacobs Engineering Group, Inc. Michael Baker International Inc. Prime AE Group Inc. Steere Engineering Inc. Transystems Corporation Vanasse Hangen Brustlin (VHB) Inc. Lawyers for the contractors began to make their case in the fall in filings to dismiss the suit, arguing the states case is strictly political and without legal basis, calling it legally absurd in one motion. The AGs office argues their complaint was indeed sufficiently pled. These problems did not occur overnight, the states legal team wrote in its response filed Jan. 7. They were ignored over the years by the numerous entities that purported to inspect the bridge to ensure it was in adequate condition and safe for use, and by the firms who purported to design plans for the effective and complete rehabilitation of the bridge. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Contractors, including Barletta and Aetna, have also argued that the lawsuit is too vague in its allegations. But such a defense is unlikely to hold up, Yelnosky said. Complaints are just about putting people on notice as to why theyve been sued, Yelnosky said. If the judge decides a complaint is sufficiently vague, the response to that is generally not dismissal, but an order to the plaintiff to be more specific. Where firms could see a potential dismissal, Yelnosky said, is under the economic loss doctrine, a theory that contractors cant be found responsible for damages or negligence outside the terms of a contract. Attorneys for Barletta and Aetna have leaned heavily on that argument, claiming the state contractually assumed the risk of any failed remediation efforts of the Washington Bridge. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its often easier to make these kinds of decisions when you have a full understanding of what exactly the claim is, Yelnosky said. This is what happens in lawsuits, you typically dont know everything the moment that you file them. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX (Getty Images) The Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission is under scrutiny after a report last month found the organizations structure was dysfunctional and needed reforms. The report by the William D. Ruckelshaus Center at Washington State University and the University of Washington is sparking conversation among lawmakers about the effectiveness of the commissions structure and what can be done to improve it including potentially dissolving the citizen-led panel altogether. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I dont think that weve settled on a path, House Majority Leader Joe Fitzgibbon, D-Seattle, said. I dont think its necessary that this be the year that we reform the governance structure of Fish and Wildlife, but I do think it is something our members are thinking about. Based on interviews with more than 100 people who have knowledge and experience with the commission, the report assessed the Department of Fish and Wildlifes structure, funding, transparency, communication with the public, and ability to deal with climate change and biodiversity loss. The Fish and Wildlife Commission oversees the Department of Fish and Wildlife and helps establish policy for wildlife management. The commission consists of nine citizen members appointed by the governor to six-year terms. The members must include three west of the Cascades, three east of the Cascades, and three who can be from anywhere in the state. The report found that there was significant confusion around the scope of the departments work, its finances and how it communicates with tribes and the public. It also said theres murkiness surrounding the departments legal mandate. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When it came to the commission, many described it as dysfunctional, politically polarized and caught up in conflict, according to the report. The biggest concerns included the governor-led appointment process, the commissions makeup, limited accountability, and a lack of clarity over the commissions relationship with tribes. Lawmakers taking a look Many of the proposed fixes to the department would require legislative action. One recommendation from the report is to keep the commission but overhaul it extensively. This would require buy-in from lawmakers and the governor, according to the report, and without it, would not be a viable choice. One example of a reform would be to add more support staff for the commission. Currently, the commission uses the same staff as the agency and its director. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Fitzgibbon said adding staff to the commission has been discussed before, but doing so would create new costs and is unlikely with this years tight budget outlook. Another option would be to give the state Senate a more engaged role in appointing commission members and possibly creating a bipartisan panel to fill seats if they are left open longer than a certain length of time. The next, more drastic alternative, would be to dissolve the commission and turn the department into a cabinet agency, which would answer directly to the governor. If the Legislature wants to improve the governing structure without all the reforms to the Commission, then the optimum choice, even considering potential tradeoffs, would be to establish WDFW as a cabinet agency, the report read. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Fitzgibbon said there would likely be a bill this session to make the commission a cabinet agency but the odds of it passing arent clear yet. Although some people interviewed for the report recommended making the department a cabinet agency, many acknowledged that the commission structure has benefits, including greater stability during leadership changes in the governors office, minimizing partisan politics, and having independence to come up with budget requests. There was substantial interest in having a commission, but overwhelmingly interviewees stated that there were significant issues with the structure, if it were to continue, Phyllis Shulman, senior facilitator of the report and assistant professor at the Washington State University Extension, told a House agriculture committee earlier this week. Sen. Shelly Short, R-Addy, said shes received hundreds of comments from people across the state urging lawmakers to keep the commission separate from the executive branch. She said she is considering what changes could be made to the appointment process and commission structure instead of dissolving it completely. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Were taking comments and seeing what other ideas are out there, she said. Im not sure whether or not there will be something this session. House Minority Leader Drew Stokesbary, R-Auburn, said he doesnt know the right answer at this point but something needs to change. Im surprised it took a report for people to realize theres dysfunction at the DFW commission, Stokesbary said. For folks who want to interact with the environment, its been a disaster. A check on ourselves While lawmakers debate what can be done, members of the Fish and Wildlife Commission are trying to figure out their next moves. I think it behooves us to step back and take a look at it, Vice Chair Tim Ragen told commissioners at a Jan. 10 meeting. It is an opportunity to do a check on ourselves and I think nothing more. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Many said the report highlighted issues and concerns that they knew about, though they didnt agree with everything in it. Commissioner Melanie Rowland rejected the allegations of dysfunction. What might appear as dysfunction, she said, is actually members grappling with how to make decisions that are consistent with whats been done in the past but reflect a desire to modernize the states approach to wildlife management. We do need to make significant changes to adapt to the world in which we are now living in, Rowland said. Commissioner Steve Parker said there have been times when abolishing the commission has had some appeal to him, but he said he does not believe that is in the best interest of the state. The commission set aside time at a February meeting to talk more about the findings in the report and likely draft a letter to the Legislature outlining what they will do to address concerns. Hamas has been involved in a prolonged firefight with bandits trying to loot aid trucks, as the terror organisation struggles to assert control over Gaza. The incident, which took place near Rafah, began after a large aid vehicle broke down and was set upon by armed robbers. Another stopped nearby, and graphic footage shows the bandits then turning their weapons on a force of Hamas fighters, who style themselves as police, as they approached. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The terror group faces the challenge of providing basic security and services to the people of Gaza, following large withdrawals of Israeli troops after Sundays ceasefire. An armed Palestinian guards a truck laden with humanitarian aid, interference by gangsters who target such lorries has become an increasing problem in recent months - Ahmad Salem/Bloomberg In the video, armed figures apparently from a bandit group can be seen running away from the two stationary lorries as a series of white SUVs and other vehicles approach under the crackle of heavy gunfire. However, the subsequent gunfight continued for nearly 10 minutes, signalling their determination or desperation not to lose control of the truck and its contents. One of the robbers could be seen with a rocket-propelled grenade. Palestinian boys attempt to grab humanitarian aid from trucks arriving from Egypt via the Kerem Shalom crossing - Ahmad Salem/Bloomberg The theft of humanitarian aid by gangsters has become an increasing problem in recent months, as the plight of the civilian population in the enclave worsens. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Previously it has been reported that the groups operated with such impunity that they did so within sight of IDF personnel near the restricted border zone. After 100 lorries were robbed on Nov 16, Hamas reportedly reactivated a special security force to combat the problem, which is said to be substantially driven by a notorious Gazan criminal family. This weeks incident took place against lorries that came from the Kerem Shalom crossing at the south of the Gaza strip. Trucks carrying humanitarian aid have resumed travelling into Gaza following the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas - Anadolu Ahmed Harb, a Palestinian from Rafah, witnessed the gunfight. Suddenly we heard gunfire, he said. We could see the young thieves roaming the area and we saw a broken-down truck parked in the street. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement There was a heavy exchange of gunfire I was afraid of being hit. This area is still dangerous. Hamas has reportedly reactivated a special security force to combat the problem of aid lorries being attacked by bandits - Anadolu Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hamas officials issued a statement following the shootings, saying: We will continue to carry out our duties with all our strength, despite the loss of officers, personnel and capabilities, and in the coming days we will witness more measures that guarantee the security and stability of citizens. We call on citizens to fully co-operate with the competent authorities and adhere to the instructions issued by them for the sake of their safety and the public 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. Israeli soldiers have been filmed firing out of their vehicles at apparent improvised explosive devices as part of a security sweep in the West Bank. The footage of the raid in Jenin, in the north of the territory, also shows troops filtering through narrow alleyways in the dead of night ahead of storming a building containing alleged terrorists. The Israel Defence Forces said they were hunting individuals responsible for shooting dead Israeli citizens in an attack on a bus earlier this month. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement They said two barricaded themselves into a building and were killed following a firefight. The activity forms part of Operation Iron Wall, launched on Jan 21, which comes amid continuous tension and violence in the occupied territories, and the fragile ceasefire with Hamas in Gaza, which is unaffected by the operation. It follows a weeks-long operation by Palestinian security forces in the West Bank to reassert control in an adjacent refugee camp, a major centre of armed militant groups including Hamas and Islamic Jihad. Earlier this week, Donald Trump announced he was lifting sanctions on ultranationalist Israeli settlers who have attacked Palestinian villages. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A video released on Wednesday shows multiple soldiers firing their rifles from the window of their armoured vehicles, while another shows a raiding party preparing to jump out. The troops fire their rifles at objects a relatively short distance away in the street which subsequently explode, suggesting they were improvised explosive devices or other munitions put there to harm the advancing soldiers. Israeli troops were filmed firing out of their vehicles at apparent explosive devices in Jenin - IDF One can later be seen holding a large bullet-proof shield. Meanwhile, explosions are seen going off in Jenins narrow streets. Overnight [Wednesday], during an intelligence-based Israel security forces counterterrorism operation in the area of Jenin, the forces arrived at a structure in Buqin in which two armed terrorists barricaded themselves, an IDF spokesman said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The terrorists were wanted for the murder of three Israelis. After an exchange of fire, they were eliminated by the forces. The IDF said the dead men were Mohamad Nazzal and Katiba Shalabi and that they were affiliated with the Islamic Jihad organisation. Other pictures show several individuals wearing prison-style boiler suits, with their hands bound behind their backs and apparently blindfolded, being loaded into an Israeli military vehicle. The three Israelis killed in the Jan 6 bus attack near the West Bank village of al-Funduq were two women in their 70s and a 35-year-old police officer. The driver of the bus was also seriously wounded. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On Thursday, the Norwegian Refugee Council, an NGO consistently critical of Israeli policy, put out a statement describing recent actions in the West Bank as unnecessary, indiscriminate and disproportionate. 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. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis came to the Jacksonville Sheriffs Office headquarters Thursday afternoon to hold a roundtable with Jacksonville Sheriff T.K. Waters and other public officials. You can watch the roundtable by watching the video player below. FLORIDA GOV. RON DESANTIS IN JACKSONVILLE Jacksonville Sheriff T.K. Waters attends roundtable on immigration with Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis Posted by Action News Jax on Thursday, January 23, 2025 [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. The Senate is expected to debate Pete Hegseths nomination to serve as President Trumps Defense secretary Wednesday afternoon following a procedural vote to advance his nomination. Republicans are moving ahead on Hegseths nomination to lead the Pentagon, with a new report detailing allegations of abusive behavior by the nominee seemingly not dissuading them. Ahead of the procedural vote Thursday, moderate Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) said she would vote against Hegseth. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Follow the debate live 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 The Hill. MEMPHIS, Tenn. Members of the Memphis Shelby County Schools board addressed concerns from the community on Thursday following the decision to terminate superintendent Dr. Marie Feagins, as the new interim says he hopes to land the permanent job. The press conference comes a little more than a day after voting 6-3 to fire Dr. Feagins and appoint interim Superintendent Dr. Roderick Richmond. Protestors could be seen outside the 901 Cafe at the MSCS Central Office where the press conference was held. Photo by WREG Photo by WREG Commissioner Towanna Murphy noted the list of allegations that led to Dr. Feagins termination, including the ex-superintendents alleged mismanagement of contracts, lack of a plan when terminating district employees, and her part in a high turnover rate in the central office. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement At some point our duty requires us to step in and do what we need to do, she said. For nearly nine months we exercised patience, we have given grace, we have allowed time for adjustments, progress, and course of correction. But our responsibility as board members is not to sit back while our district suffers. It was time for us to act. Richmond said that he is both humbled and excited to have accepted the position as interim superintendent. He noted that he would like the job permanently. Yes, I do. I would not be truthful if I stood here and said that I didnt want the permanent job, he said. Before his appointment, Dr. Richmond served as the Transformation Officer for MSCS, supporting low-performing schools. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For over 30 years of service my roles have changed, but my focus and vision have not. My focus and vision have always been about the students in this great district and community, said Dr. Richmond. As he works to develop a first 100-day plan, the interim superintendent says he and his team plan to focus on three things: continuity and stability, streamline process for materials and resources, meet and have key conversations with elected officials. I believe I am the right person, at the right time to do this most important work for our school district and our community, said Dr. Richmond. I ask the community to trust me, trust our board members, trust our leadership teams trust that we can get this right, and we will do it right. He says he was nominated for interim superintendent in 2013 and has continued to work for more than a decade, explaining why many speculated about his nomination before Tuesdays meeting. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Richmond has applied for the superintendents job in the past and was a candidate in the first round before Dr. Feagins was selected. When asked about his feelings toward his appointment by the board after not being chosen in the search for a new superintendent, he explained that based on law, the district has to have a superintendent. He said his name was floating around before Tuesdays meeting because of his experience and role as a senior leader, but Richmond says he was unaware beforehand. The reason I accepted was because of my loyalty, and commitment to this district and our children. What would have happened if no one had accepted this task? he questioned. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The interim superintendent also apologized for his behavior during the board meeting after a tense exchange between him and the audience was captured on camera. Be careful! Be careful! Be careful! Dont play with me! Dont play with me! he said at the meeting. First of all, I want to apologize. Thats not who I am and thatll never wont happen again, said Dr. Richmond. District 8 board member Amber Huett-Garcia said in her remarks, Each say we spend not focused on children is a mistake. No matter who is sitting in the seat of superintendent, the board needs to hold them accountable and govern. Huett-Garcia was seen at Tuesdays meeting holding a sign saying, This was not the plan. 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. WATERTOWN, N.Y. (WWTI) An 18-year-old Georgia man has been charged with allegedly abducting a teenage girl from Watertown for sexual purposes. Watertown Police accused Keller Singleton of Rome, Ga. of a felony charge of first-degree kidnapping. Experts worry that Trumps Jan. 6 pardons will legitimize political violence, embolden extremists Authorities said that a 13-year-old girl was reported missing from Watertown on Monday, January 13. During an investigation by Watertown Police, it was determined that Singleton used social media to assist the girl in running away. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The investigation also allegedly found that Singleton was planning to take the girl to his Georgia home for sexual purposes. The female was located in Marion, Va. where Singleton left her. Singleton was located by Virginia State Police in nearby Chilhowie, Va. and taken into custody. According to court documents, Singleton allegedly picked up the girl just before noon Monday, January 6 at the State Street Burger King in Watertown. He was extradited back to Watertown and is being held in the Jefferson County Jail. Singleton could face more charges pending grand jury action. Watertown Police were assisted by the Jefferson County Emergency Management Dispatch Center, New York State Police, North Country Crime Analysis Center, Virginia State Police, New York State Missing Persons Clearinghouse and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Watertown PD also reminded parents to to monitor their childrens online activity and social media usage to prevent harm cause by people on the internet with bad intentions. (Courtesy of Watertown 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 WWTI - InformNNY.com. WEBSTER GROVES, Mo. The Webster Groves City Council unanimously approved conditional use permits for a new childrens behavioral health hospital in a north Webster neighborhood. Michael Garcia and his neighbors have fought against the proposal for months, but he says he is not surprised by this decision. It became pretty obvious early on in this process that the decision had already been made, Garcia said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The new plans presented by KVC Missouri and St. Louis Childrens Hospital are for a 64,000-square-foot hospital with enough room for 77 patient beds and 196 staff members. The plan will also increase enrollment at the already existing day school on the property and add outpatient care. There are going to be kids and teenagers that are getting help, and I think that is important. I think the cost of it in our neighborhood is something to still be considered, Garcia said. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Daily News Currently, KVC Missouri operates a school at this location and throughout the propertys history, it has been used for various behavioral healthcare needs. Neighbors have stories of kids escaping. Last year, a nurse died after an accidental collision with a client. Its history and potential for extra traffic have raised questions about safety in the neighborhood. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Councilwoman Emily Hixson Shepherd says she has helped relay concerns to the hospital. I talked to a number of people who shared their concerns with me about visual buffers or traffic or the intake process to make sure that was safe and secure, she said. Hixson says the new permits granted Tuesday come with some amendments. Any changes to the plan would need to come back for additional review, so those protections were taken into account, she said. And she says residents should continue to communicate moving forward. Several of the councilmembers have been pretty open to feedback; the mayor, very open to feedback. Now, whether they take that feedback, thats another question, Garcia said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement St. Louis Childrens declined to interview but sent a statement saying, We will continue to encourage and engage in conversations and discussions with neighbors to share more about the project and how we can be the best partners to the 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 FOX 2. WEST DES MOINES, Iowa A Windsor Heights woman has been accused of using someone elses kids in order to raise money on GoFundMe. According to court documents, in November a mother found photographs of her three children, aged 11, 9, and 7, on a womans Facebook page who she didnt know. The account belonged to 48-year-old Sara Rachael Shaw, and court records state that the photos included herself and the three kids at a Can Play event at an elementary school, as well as at a McDonalds getting ice cream. The mother told West Des Moines Police that she had never given Shaw permission to take her children to any events or to McDonalds. Neighbors rescue puppies from burning camper in Des Moines Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As the investigation unfolded, police learned that Shaw wasnt a volunteer at the Can Play events and event organizers said they were told by Shaw that she had the children because their mother didnt have a car, court documents state. Police later learned that Shaw was actually a school crossing guard for a company that services West Des Moines and in her role had repeated contact with the children when they walked to school, court documents state. The childrens mother also found a GoFundMe on Facebook with a photograph of her kids that she never approved of, a criminal complaint states. It was discovered that the fundraiser was started by Shaw and was called Hep Support Saras Efforts to Keep Kids Warm. The complaint states the fundraiser contained misleading and false statements about the mother and children, and had raised about $460. Shaw was arrested on Wednesday and charged with fourth-degree theft, identity theft under $1,500, and stalking person under 18 years of age. Shaw remains in the Polk County Jail on a $25,000 cash-only bond. A preliminary hearing has been scheduled for February 3. 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. West Palm Beach has been formulating and re-formulating plans for more than a decade to revive Currie Park, a neglected waterfront gem of a property a mile and a half north of downtown. Because neighbors and the city as a whole have endured the park's decay for so long, it's understandable when a $35.5 million dream plan finally makes its way to the city commission for contract approval, (nearly) all are eager to move forward. But should city leaders be too eager to consider that staff's preferred contractor's CEO and three others are under indictment for a multimillion-dollar federal contracting fraud scheme? In too much of a hurry to consider whether it's a good idea to hand millions of taxpayers dollars to a firm from which the federal government's trying to claw back $4.8 million? The city commission's answer this month was yes. That's a disgrace. The panel should reverse itself at the first opportunity. West Palm Beach approves contract with West Construction of Lantana whose CEO was indicted At a Jan. 6 meeting, four out of the five commissioners voted to approve the contract with West Construction of Lantana. CEO Matthew West, son of firm founder Don West, was indicted in October 2023 in Tampa, along with three others, for "conspiracy to commit wire fraud and substantive counts of wire fraud and major fraud against the United States for the conspirators' alleged roles in fraudulently obtaining a multimillion-dollar construction contract." They face decades in prison, as reported by The Palm Beach Post's Wayne Washington. Christy Fox City Commissioner Christy Fox, who said West Palm Beach city staff only informed her of the indictments the day before the vote, was the only commissioner to buck Mayor Keith James' urgings to approve the contract, nearly half of which is being paid with a federal grant. Thank you, Commissioner Fox, for showing there's still an ounce of common sense and integrity on the dais. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I think when our city attorney mentions that we need convincing reasons to vote against something, I would say that a federal indictment is convincing reason enough for me," she told her colleagues. "A charge is not a conviction but there are too many questions, having just found out this information in the last day, that I cannot support putting $35 million of our taxpayers' dollars towards a company that I dont even know is going to be in business to finish this project." Currie Park news: Why did West Palm pick a firm whose CEO is under fraud indictment to rebuild Currie Park? While others worried about the costs and delays that reconsideration could bring, it could cost the city millions "if we start the project, something happens, we don't finish it, we're left hanging," she argued. It would make more sense to postpone the vote to gather more information, she concluded. "The city, the neighbors, deserve to have the park that they have been promised. They've waited a long time and I hate to delay it in any way but I also think that moving forward with this contractor is not a guarantee that we are going to be finished on time, either." Amen. City Hall rushes to defend Palm Beach County company Mayor James, sounding like the company's defense lawyer, countered that it was West, an individual, who was indicted, not West the company, which has worked successfully with the city for 20 years. City Manager Faye Johnson noted that the company has supplied the city with names of other officials of the company who could oversee the project in Matthew West's absence. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement More on Currie Park: West Palm's plan on how to spend $17 million in grant money for Currie Park upgrades Commissioner Joe Peduzzi expressed concern about the indictments but said he'd gone to high school with one of the replacements and considered him an honest guy. Yes, high school. For those considering Commissioner Christina Lambert's recently announced early candidacy for mayor, which came with termed-out Mayor James' endorsement, she fell in line with the mayor and his staff, saying only that it had been her understanding that the federal grant required accepting the lowest bidder, West Construction. When it comes to selecting private sector partners for major undertakings, City Hall has stumbled before. There was the James tirade against developer Michael McCloskey in 2015 because the developer supported James' and then-Mayor Jeri Muoio's opponents; a $7.9 million security contract initially awarded without bidding in 2019; and the ongoing contract dispute keeping the historic Sunset Lounge from reopening, years after its $20 million renovation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The latest wait-and-hurry-up contract vote has the same stench. This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: West Palm OKs firm with indicted CEO Matthew West. Why? | Editorial CHARLESTON, WV (WVNS) A man from Kanawha County was arrested on sex trafficking charges. According to a press release, 48-year-old Tiwan Robert Bailey, also known as Quick, of Charleston, was arrested on federal charges related to the sex trafficking of multiple victims, including a minor victim, and his efforts to obstruct the investigation and prosecution of those crimes. Woman arrested after man shot in head in Greenbrier County Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This is, once again, a great example of what happens when agencies work together. This was a high priority of all the law enforcement involved and a result of the time, energy and resources they have committed to this case. Will Thompson | United States Attorney Bailey, who was a fugitive since July 30, 2024 after members of law enforcement tried to carry out an arrest warrant that was issued on July 23, 2024 after he was charged with three felony counts, was arrested in Lexington, Kentucky on January 17, 2025. A six-count superseding indictment was handed up by a federal grand jury on October 16, 2024, against Bailey, as well as 51-year-old Carrie Roy, also known as Carrie Ash, of Charleston, and 68-year-old David Lee White, of Charleston, who was a former lawyer whose law license was annulled in 2018 by the Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia. Both were Baileys co-defendants. Two people arrested in connection to gas station burglary in Greenbrier County After Bailey was arrested, the superseding indictment was unsealed. The press release stated that the superseding indictment reportedly stated that both Bailey and Roy aided and abetted each other to recruit, entice, harbor, provide, obtain, maintain, patronize, and solicit a minor victim to participate in a situation that they knew would cause the minor victim to engage in a commercial sex act at or near Charleston and Rand in December 2023. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to the press release, the charges alleged that Roy and Bailey worked with other people in the sex trafficking of the minor victim. The press release also stated that according to the superseding indictment, Bailey reportedly recruited, enticed, harbored, provided, obtained, maintained, patronized, and solicited three other victims to engage in commercial sex through force and coercion in and around November 2023 through approximately January 2024 at or near Charleston and Rand. Bailey was also allegedly, aided and abetted by White, obstructed, tried to obstruct, and interfered with the investigation and prosecution from around May 20, 2024, through approximately October 15, 2024, at or near Rand and elsewhere. Reward offered in vandalism case at the New River Gorge National Park and Preserve Bailey faces at least 15 years to life in prison if he is found guilty. The superseding indictment is only an allegation, and those involved are believed to be innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The announcement was made by United States Attorney Will Thompson, who thanked the the United States Marshals Service, U.S. Department of Homeland Security-Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), and the Kanawha County Sheriffs Office for their work on the investigation. Thompson also thanked the West Virginia Fusion Center and the Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team (MDENT) for their help in the investigation. Members of the Foundation for Rape Information and Services say that convicting people under these crimes is difficult, but this trial is the first step in the right direction. Those vulnerabilities can lead to trafficking situations, so we can address those and understand those better than I think we can address human trafficking as a whole better. Adrianne Nichols, Director of 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 WVNS. BECKLEY, WV (WVNS) Day five of the Natalie Cochran trial featured the testimony of a West Virginia State Trooper. This state trooper was Lieutenant Timothy Bledsoe, who was one of the investigators in this case. In his testimony, he talked about text messages that revealed Natalie Cochran admitting she had not shared details of the business with her husband. This business, of course, refers to the Ponzi scheme Natalie was running. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Natalie Cochran murder trial officially begins The trooper went on to say he never found any evidence that Natalie had cancer, regardless of what she had told friends and investigators. Lieutenant Bledsoe claimed that Natalie told him Michael Cochran injected insulin as part of his bodybuilding. Stick with 59News as we bring you more updates from this 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 WVNS. Jan. 23Joseph Nicholas, Jr., age 48, formerly of Westville, pleaded guilty to two felony charges in a matter presided over by Judge Karen E. Wall. Nicholas recently. Nicholas, pleaded guilty to Unlawful Possession of a Weapon by a Felon, a class 2 felony, and was sentenced to seven years in the Illinois Department of Corrections. Additionally, Nicholas pleaded guilty to Driving While Driver's License Revoked, a class 4 felony, receiving a concurrent sentence of three years in the Illinois Department of Corrections. He will serve a term of six months mandatory supervised release following his term of imprisonment This page requires Javascript. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement kAmyF586 (2== 962C5 6G:56?46 E92E @? pF8] 'a[ a_aa[ 2? @77:46C H:E9 E96 (6DEG:==6 !@=:46 s6A2CE>6?E @3D6CG65 2 >@E@C4J4=6 5C:G:?8 2E 2 9:89 C2E6 @7 DA665 @? t2DE ~2$EC66E :? (6DEG:==6] %96 @77:46C 2EE6>AE65 E@ DE@A E96 >@E@C4J4=6 3FE E96 DFDA64E 7=65[ 2?5 27E6C >F=E:A=6 G:@=2E:@?D @7 E96 x==:?@:D '69:4=6 r@56 H6C6 @3D6CG65 3J A@=:46 5FC:?8 E96 AFCDF:E[ E96 DFDA64E 4C2D965 E96 >@E@C4J4=6] %96 5C:G6C H2D :56?E:7:65 2D }:49@=2D]k^Am kAm&A@? D62C49 @7 }:49@=2D[ A@=:46 D2J E96J =@42E65 2 w:!@:?E ]bg_ 42=:36C 7:C62C> H:E9 >F=E:A=6 C@F?5D @7 2>>F?:E:@?[ :?4=F5:?8 @?6 :? E96 492>36C] %96 7:C62C> H2D =@42E65 :? 2 9@=DE6C :?D:56 }:49@=2D' 4@2E A@46?E @7 r@CC64E:@?D[ 2D H6== 2D 2 H2CC2?E @FE @7 '6C>:=:@? r@F?EJ]k^Am kAmw6 H2D EC2?DA@CE65 E@ ~$u w@DA:E2= 7@C EC62E>6?E 5F6 E@ :?;FC:6D 7C@> E96 4C2D9 AC:@C E@ 36:?8 EC2?DA@CE65 E@ E96 '6C>:=:@? r@F?EJ !F3=:4 $276EJ qF:=5:?8]k^Am kAm$E2E6'D pEE@C?6J y24BF6=:?6 {24J E92?6?E 7@C E96:C BF:4C6DA@?D6 E@ AC@E64E E96 AF3=:4] {24J 25565[ "%96 D6?E6?4:?8 :? E9:D 42D6 C67=64ED E96 D6G6C:EJ @7 E96 @776?D6D] xE :D >J 9@A6 E92E E9:D D6?E6?46 H:== 56E6C C6A62E @776?56CD 7C@> 4@?E:?F:?8 E@ 5:D@36J E96 =2H]"k^Am WICHITA FALLS (KFDX/KJTL) Wichita Falls police officers and firefighters joined forces Wednesday during an active shooter drill at the former Wichita Falls High School. Sergeant Brett Keith with the Wichita Falls Police Department said that for the next couple of months, officers will receive hands-on training to help them better understand the correct tactics and respond should they encounter an actual active shooter situation. Kirby, Sam Houston for sale as taxpayers to save millions Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Wednesdays training included locating the threat inside the school, eliminating that threat and assessing the wounded throughout the facility while working hand-in-hand with the Wichita Falls Fire Department on how to treat and transport the injured. Among other things that have to take place after. So triage, medical transport, things like tha; and to help us with that, the fire departments here as well, Keith explained. Because in the event of an active shooter, being that they are medical professionals, those are the ones that we want to have inside the building with us and want to make sure that our relationship is good and working well. Sergeant Keith said not only does this training put newer officers in real life scenarios, it also gives them the opportunity to come up with new tactics for certain situations. It also allows everyone in the department to be on the same page should they find themselves in an actual active shooter situation. To learn more about the WFPDs recruitment, community involvement and benefits, visit its website. 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. DONALD TRUMP ON HIS FIRST DAY BACK in office issued an executive order purporting to end birthright citizenship, the principle, grounded in the Fourteenth Amendment, that anyone born in the United States, regardless of parentage, is an American citizen. Back in 2023, when he announced his plans to do this on Day One, Trump claimed that many scholars have shown that birthright citizenship is based on a historical myth and a willful misinterpretation of the Fourteenth Amendment, and he declared that he could undo it simply through a correct interpretation of the amendment. And so the executive order he issued hours after being sworn instructs that no department or agency . . . shall issue documents recognizing United States citizenship for babies born in the United States without at least one parent who is a citizen. Trumps executive order is going to be hotly contested in the courts. Twenty-two states (as of this writing) have sued to stop the order, and the ACLU is preparing a lawsuit as well. There is a strong argument that the presidents action is unconstitutional. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Lets set aside for a moment the questions of the legality and constitutionality of Trumps action and ask instead: Where did he get this idea? How did eliminating birthright citizenship become a right-wing desideratum? There is no mystery as to where this is coming from. The idea that birthright citizenship is a false interpretation or recent innovation that warps the intended meaning of the Fourteenth Amendment has been pushed into mainstream Republican circles by the tireless work of John Eastman and the Claremont Institute. See, for instance, this 2011 debate between Eastman and Ediberto Roman in the Florida International University Law Review. Or this 2008 article by Eastman in the University of Richmond Law Review. The Claremont Institute, where Eastman has long been a leading figure, and which has continued to employ him even after the scandal arising from his authorship of the notorious coup memos in 2020, has for years now been pushing the idea that the Fourteenth Amendment was never intended to provide citizenship to the children of illegal immigrants. Other luminaries at the MAGA-adoring academic think tank have also sounded off about birthright citizenship, such as Michael Antonnow an official in Trumps State Departmentin essays like this bizarre 2018 rewrite of American history. Today, Eastman published an article on a Claremont Institute website crowing about Trumps action: Birthright Citizenship: Game On! He lists several of the Claremont scholars who have written on birthright citizenship, and says he hopes the Claremont Institutes long-standing view of the issue will soon be vindicated by the Supreme Court. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Share JUST ONE PROBLEM: All the claims from MAGA and the Trumpians that the Fourteenth Amendment was not intended to extend citizenship to the children of illegal immigrants falter when confronted with the obvious truth that the Fourteenth Amendment, upon its adoption, did extend citizenship to a very large number of children of illegal immigrants. Lets take a step back. The Constitution as originally ratified put the authority to ban the slave trade under the authority to regulate immigrationnot the authority to regulate property. Heres Article I, Section 9: The Migration or Importation of such Persons as any of the States now existing shall think proper to admit, shall not be prohibited by the Congress prior to the Year one thousand eight hundred and eight. In other words, slaves who were brought in to the country contrary to federal law were to be considered illegal immigrants, not illegal property. Congress banned the slave trade in 1808but that ban was far from perfect. Thousands of slaves were smuggled into the United States between 1808 and 1860. Its impossible to know the exact numberW.E.B. Du Bois pegged it at 250,000, although contemporary scholarship suggests it was lowerbut whatever the figure, we have interviews with quite a few of these individuals children, like James Cape, Ben Simpson, and Josephine Howard, and they talk about where their families came from and how they became American. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Cape, Simpson, and Howard were among the thousands of children of illegal immigrants who were granted citizenship by the Fourteenth Amendment. Share The Bulwark EASTMAN AND HIS COMRADES at the Claremont Institute base their theory upon an interpretation of a particular phrase in the Fourteenth Amendment: All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside. The claim is that the word jurisdiction really means allegiance; children born to illegal aliens here in the United States owe their allegiance to whatever country their parents are from. But America has never recognized the doctrine of enforced allegiance. We actually went to war with Great Britain over this. In the 1790s, British warships began boarding American vessels and impressing Americans into the Royal Navy. Britain did not recognize American naturalization. Once an Englishman, always an Englishman. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement America rejected Britains claim. Dealing with politics means dealing with history and with facts. Thats what we do here at The Bulwark. To support us and join our community, become a Bulwark+ member. Perhaps the clearest and most famous statement of American policy on this issue is to be found in the Burlingame-Seward Treaty, ratified by the Senate on July 28, 1868by coincidence the exact same day Secretary of State William Seward announced the ratification of the Fourteenth Amendment. Heres the relevant passage from the treaty: The United States of America and the Emperor of China cordially recognize the inherent and inalienable right of man to change his home and allegiance, and also the mutual advantage of the free migration and emigration of their citizens and subjects, respectively, from the one country to the other, for the purposes of curiosity, of trade, or as permanent residents. [Emphasis added.] There is no such thing in American jurisprudence as enforced allegiance. Allegiance must be voluntary. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If the Claremont Institutes theory were correctif it were true that children born in the United States owe their allegiance to their parents country of originthen children born to Americans overseas would automatically owe their allegiance to the United States. They would never be asked to swear allegiance to something that was already required of them. But there was a time when they were required to swear allegiance. Heres a passage from the 1907 Expatriation Act: Sec 6. That all children born outside the limits of the United States who are citizens thereof in accordance with the provisions of section nineteen hundred and ninety-three of the Revised Statutes of the United States and who continue to reside outside the United States shall, in order to receive the protection of this Government, be required upon reaching 18 years to record at an American consulate their intention to become residents and remain citizens of the United States, and shall be further required to take the oath of allegiance to the United States upon attaining their majority.1 Donald Trump and the revisionists at Claremont are clearly wrong. The phrase subject to the jurisdiction thereof does not mean children born on U.S. soil to illegal immigrants owe their allegiance to a foreign government. No one owes their allegiance to anyone. Share FINALLY, ITS WORTH NOTING that birthright citizenship is hardly an innovation of recent years; it has a provenance that goes back to the early days of the republic, in the sense that it was written into the Fourteenth Amendment to counter long-simmering proposals for the mass deportation of blacks. Jefferson, Madison, and many other Southerners wished to combine emancipation of slaves with mandatory deportation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Here is an anonymous letter of protest (under the pen name A Freeman) in the Maryland Gazette, dated December 30, 1790: We have no just right to export [or] banish any man, unless he previously violates some law, which inflicts transportation as a just punishment for his crime.A different sentiment cannot correspond with the idea, that all men are born equally free, and in point of human rights to liberty, stand on equal ground. But where would you export them to? They are as much Americans now as we, and we as much European as they are AfricansNothing but a mind influenced by prejudice or partiality can countenance or contemn this idea or argument. [Emphases in original.] But of course the United States did have a mass deportation authorized by Congressthe Indian Removal Act of 1830, with its infamous Trail of Tears. In August 1825, an essay in the Georgia Journal under the pen name Socrates lays out the Southern argument: If they [the federal government] make a citizen of an Indian, what hinders them from making a citizen of a free negro, and if they can make a citizen of a free negro, what hinders them from naturalizing slave negroes? (emphases in original). The deportation of non-citizens was the answer in Georgiaespecially since Native Americans (who then numbered around ten thousand) possessed one-quarter of the present-day state. Mass deportation of nonwhites was still very much on the table after the Civil War. A week after surrendering to Ulysses S. Grant at Appomattox Court House on April 14, 1865, Robert E. Lee (who was to become the most visible symbol of Southern resistance) sat down with a reporter from the New York Herald: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The best men of the South have long been anxious to do away with this institution, and [are] quite willing to-day to see it abolished. They consider slavery forever dead. But with them, in relation to this subject, the question has ever been, What will you do with the freed people? That is the serious question to-day, and one that cannot be winked at. It must be met practically and treated intelligently. The negroes must be disposed of. Almost a year later, on February 17, 1866, Lee once again expressed his support for the deportation of blacks. During congressional hearings on Reconstruction, Rep. Henry Taylor Blow (R-Mo.) asked Lee: Do you not think that Virginia would be better off if the colored population were to go to Alabama, Louisiana, and the other southern States? Lee responded: I think it would be better for Virginia if she could get rid of them. That is no new opinion with me. I have always thought so, and have always been in favor of emancipationgradual emancipation. Emancipation plus deportation. This was the preferred Southern plan. And had been from the very beginning. This is why the Fourteenth Amendment was written the way it was writtenwhy birthright citizenship was the intention. Not that the adoption of the Fourteenth Amendment extinguished the racist impulse to deport. A version of the back to Africa plan was endorsed by the most die-hard America Firstersthe ones who stuck to their racism and isolationism even after Pearl Harbor. Here is an excerpt from the America First party platform, August 1944: Noting that 20,000 part-Negroes become recognized as whites annually. And noting also that it will be harder to solve the problem of 40,000,000 Negroes in our midst in the future than of 13,000,000 today, and believing that it is unfair to both races to have to live together, we advocate a return to the solution long ago proposed by Thomas Jefferson and successively advocated by many other Presidents . . . namely, implementing the Negroes right to return to the homeland and environment in which nature first nurtured them. The Fourteenth Amendment establishes birthright citizenship. Its purpose is clear. It is meant to prevent Congress or the president from deporting people who are born on American soilincluding those accused of poisoning the blood of this country. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Share 1 Today, children in such cases are no longer required to swear an oath of allegiance. One practice still around today that drives home the point that America is not a land of enforced allegiance: the Pledge of Allegiance, familiar to schoolchildren everywhere. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt condemned the sermon delivered at President Donald Trumps inauguration and demanded an apology from the bishop. During her sermon at the Washington National Cathedral following Trumps inauguration on Monday, Bishop Mariann Edgar Budde begged that the president have mercy on undocumented immigrants and LGBTQ people who may be targeted by Trumps policies and are scared about his return to office. Everybody there was shocked and mortified by the disturbing comments from this bishop who chose to weaponize the pulpit, Leavitt told Fox News. So the comments by that bishop yesterday were egregious, and she should apologize to President Trump for the lies that she told. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump also demanded an apology from the bishop. On Tuesday night, he went on a Truth Social rant about the nasty sermon, calling the bishop a Radical Left hard line Trump hater. She brought her church into the World of politics in a very ungracious way, Trump wrote on Truth Social. She was nasty in tone and not compelling or smart. She failed to mention the large number of illegal migrants that came into our Country and killed people. Many were deposited from jails and mental institutions. It is a giant crime wave that is taking place in the USA, he continued. The sermon this week came after Trump signed a slate of executive orders, including to end birthright citizenship and declare that there are only two sexes, that raised alarm for immigrant and LGBTQ people in the country. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This week, both the Senate and the House of Representatives passed a bill that would require the detainment of migrants accused of theft and violent crimes. The bill, which would also allow states to challenge federal immigration policies, is headed to Trumps desk and could be the first legislation signed into law under Trumps second presidency. Related... The Whitehall Borough Police Department issued a warning about a fake estate sale scam circulating on social media. Police said officers have taken several reports this week regarding the scam on Facebook. The scam says there is an estate sale and lists multiple items. It says if you pay a deposit for an item, it will not be available for sale for anyone else. Whitehall police said to protect yourself from scams, keep the following in mind: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ask yourself- are the items listed for sale priced too good to be true? If you know the person, call or text them to confirm the post is legitimate. Have the comments been turned off for the post? Look for spelling and grammatical errors in the post listing. Download the FREE WPXI News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Channel 11 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch WPXI NOW Attorney General Dana Nessel speaks during a Lansing press conference on bills to strengthen hate crime laws, April 26, 2023 | Laina G. Stebbins Nineteen bills that would, among other things, update Michigans hate crime law, criminalize sextortion, and promote school safety, were signed into law Wednesday by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer. Michiganders should feel safe whether theyre watching a movie at home or heading into the classroom, said Whitmer, a Democrat. Thats why Im proud to sign these 19 commonsense bills that will keep Michigan families and neighborhoods safe from gun violence and other violent crimes. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The legislation that perhaps had the hardest path to passage were House Bills 5400 and 5401, sponsored by state Reps. Noah Arbit (D-West Bloomfield) and Kristian Grant (D-Grand Rapids), respectively, which expand the definition of, and amend the sentencing guidelines for, hate crimes. Arbits bill updates Michigans 1988 ethnic intimidation statute to add sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, disability or age as characteristics that would be considered a hate crime if they were the basis of violent or threatening behavior. It was the second attempt by Arbit to expand the law, after a previous version of the legislation was attacked by opponents as trying to criminalize misgendering someone, which he said was a ridiculous lie, noting the word misgender isnt even in the text of the law. Even the version that passed the House in November was the focus of criticism by Republicans, all except one of whom voted against it. Rep. Noah Arbit (D-West Bloomfield) testifies in the House Criminal Justice Committee in Lansing on Dec. 3, 2024. (Photo: Anna Liz Nichols) Regardless, Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel, a Democrat, welcomed the bills finally becoming law. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Over the past decade, we have seen not just an uptick in hate crimes, but a normalization of racist, antisemitic and bigoted language, symbolism and actions including a close adviser to the President giving the Nazi salute during an inaugural rally just this week, posted Nessel. Its incumbent upon those of us with the authority to unilaterally denounce such sentiments; otherwise, theres no stopping this behavior. I applaud the Governor for signing these long overdue changes to the states statutes. Several of the bills Whitmer signed were focused on addressing firearm and school safety, starting with House Bills 5450 and 5451, sponsored by state Reps. Sharon MacDonell (D-Troy) and Julie Brixie (D-Meridian Twp.), respectively. The bills require information on the safe storage of firearms to be distributed to parents of students. Specifically, the information would outline the requirements of legislation passed by the then-Democratic-controlled Legislature in 2023, and then signed by Whitmer, requiring individuals to keep firearms unloaded and locked with a locking device or stored in a locked box or container if it is reasonably known that a minor is or is likely to be present on the premises. According to a release by Whitmers office, an estimated 150,000 Michigan children currently live in homes that have an unsecured firearm, while more than 70% of school shootings nationally involve a firearm that is owned by a parent or close family member and taken by the shooter. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement That was the case in the 2021 Oxford High School shooting, in which a 15-year-old student used a handgun purchased by his parents to murder four fellow students. The teen was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole while his parents were also found criminally responsible and sentenced to prison terms for making a firearm readily available despite warning signs that he was planning the shooting. Michigan has seen far too many school shootings. Last term, Democrats passed a number of monumental laws that help curb gun violence throughout the state. Our kids, teachers and families deserve safety and security at home and in their classrooms, said MacDonell. With this bill becoming law, Michigan schools will now provide helpful resources on Michigans new firearm safety measures which continue efforts to keep our children and communities safe from reckless firearms use. Chandra Madafferi, president and CEO of the Michigan Education Association, said that students and educators need to feel safe in the states schools, and the bills were an important step to making that a reality. By making sure families are aware of the best ways to keep guns stored safely, schools can be part of the solution in preventing firearms from falling into the wrong hands, she said. The March with Oxford in Centennial Park on June 17, 2023 included remembrances of those lost to the 2021 Oxford High School shooting and calls for gun reform. | Lily Guiney Other school safety bills signed Wednesday include House Bills 4095 and 4096, sponsored by state Reprs.Stephanie A. Young (D-Detroit) and Ranjeev Puri (D-Canton), respectively, which require standardized terminology used by schools in response to emergency situations. House Bills 5659 and 5660, sponsored by state Reps. Luke Meerman (R-Coopersville) and Nancy DeBoer (R-Holland), respectively, create the new School Safety and Mental Health Commission in the Department of State Police. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The new commission will focus on improving mental health outcomes for school-aged children, adolescents, and their families, as well as reducing youth suicide rates in Michigan. In conjunction with those bills, Whitmer also issued Executive Order 2025-1 which delineates the makeup of the commission to include at least one member who is a prosecutor., as well the director of the Department of Lifelong Education, Advancement and Potential (MiLEAP), or their designee. Additionally, the executive order gives the ex officio members of the board (the directors of MSP, DHHS, MiLEAP and the superintendent of public instruction) voting rights on the commission and adds the duties of the former School Safety Commission to the new commission. House Bill 5549, sponsored by state Rep. Kelly Breen (D-Novi), creates a behavior threat assessment and management team to monitor concerning student behavior and devise supportive measures to mitigate potential threats. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement House Bills 6144, 6145, and 6146, sponsored by state former Rep. Felicia Brabec (D-Pittsfield Twp.) and Rep. Natalie Price (D-Berkley), respectively, require the Michigan State Police (MSP) to destroy all firearms turned over to it that were purchased under a gun buyback program. This legislation ensures when we destroy a firearm, our current practice of destroying all parts of the firearm will remain the standard now and for the future, said Col. James F. Grady II, director of the MSP. Meanwhile, House Bills 5887 and 5888, sponsored by state Reps. John Fitzgerald (D-Wyoming) and Kara Hope (D-Holt) respectively, create specific criminal penalties for sextortion, in which an individual blackmails others, threatening to distribute sexually explicit photographs or videos of another person. More than 13,000 reports of online financial sextortion of minors were received by the FBI and Homeland Security Investigations between October 2021 to March 2023. At least 20 suicides occurred in these reports with the FBI saying this year that reports of sextortion of minors are on the rise. Photo of Jordan DeMay provided by John DeMay Jordan DeMay, 17, took his life in 2022 after international criminals tricked him into sending explicit photos for the purpose of sexually extorting him. His father, John DeMay, lobbied hard for the legislation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The law enforcement community is calling this an epidemic, and it really is, because the detectives are getting bombarded with this stuff. Its just every day on their desk, and theres a lot of it goes unreported, DeMay told the Michigan Advance when the bills passed the House in December. The bills also define sentencing guidelines for the crimes. House Bill 4485, sponsored by state Rep. Reggie Miller (D-Van Buren Twp.), extends the time for filing an indictment of criminal sexual conduct (CSC) charges in the second or third degree. Under the bill, an indictment for CSC in the second or third degree could be found and filed by the victims 42nd birthday, regardless of when the offense occurred. Supporters say the legislation will also reduce the danger of sexual violence against children by holding sex offenders accountable under an increased statute of limitations. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement House Bill 6046, sponsored by state Rep. Christine Morse (D-Texas Twp.), ensures eligible providers working to offer community violence intervention services can utilize Medicaid to cover the cost. The bill also establishes a certification pathway and training requirements for violence prevention professionals. House Bill 4173 and 4384, sponsored by state Reps. Abraham Aiyash (D-Hamtramck) and Luke Meerman (R-Coopersville), respectively, create the Michigan Sentencing Commission, which will support criminal justice reform in Michigan by recommending sentencing updates that reflect prevailing opinions towards reform and rehabilitation. House Bill 5695, sponsored by state Rep. Mike McFall (D-Hazel Park), will increase the financial support available to local municipalities that provide ground ambulance services to individuals relying on Medicaid. The bill authorizes a supplemental federal reimbursement program to enhance the financial stability of public ambulance service providers. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX LARKSPUR, Colo. (KDVR) A plan for an open space in Douglas County is causing some concern among residents whose properties border the land. Sandstone Ranch Open Space was purchased by Douglas County in January 2018. The 2,038-acre property is home to multiple historical buildings, native grasses and shrubs and an abundance of wildlife. It is also open to hikers, mountain bikers and equestrians, and cross-country skiers in the winter. Colorados wolves could be east of the Continental Divide for the first time Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In early January, the plan for the open space took a slight shift when residents bordering the open space learned about a proposal to add five to ten minimalist campsites in Sandstone Ranch. They sent out 107 postcard invitations to an open house meeting, January the seventh, said Gary Wood, who lives in the Perry Park area, on the northwest side of Larkspur. Many of the other 800 households began hearing from friends and neighbors about this new proposal, which they said should have come directly from the county. My initial response was, Why dont I know about that?' said Gary Dunning, who lives a few doors down from Wood. And as we started kind of checking around, a lot of people hadnt heard about it. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement FOX31 reached out to Douglas County, which responded with a statement. We are thankful for the neighbors who attended our very first open house on Jan. 7 to discuss the idea of camping at Sandstone Ranch. This neighborhood meeting, focused on those immediately next to Sandstone Ranch, was our very first step in a public process on this topic. There is still plenty of room and time for public input and refinement of this idea. Douglas County Douglas County also highlighted that these would be minimalist campsites. A minimalist campsite is: Undeveloped, designated and dispersed sites No plumbing, running water or utilities Pack in and pack out all belongings and waste They would be limited to tents, meaning no RVs or trailers would be permitted. The sites would also follow the 7 principles of Leave No Trace. This would also allow others from different parts of the state or out of the state more opportunities to appreciate all that the Sandstone Ranch Open Space has to offer, Douglas County said. DA: Officers justified in shooting death of assault, hostage suspect in Commerce City However, along with the news of the proposal, worries about what this could mean also began circulating. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement There are other concerns, but the primary one is fire, Wood said. The Sandstone Ranch Open Space and the area surrounding it is known for its winds and fire risk. We had a fire last spring at the Wiens ranch which burned for one day, said Joe Brickweg, chair of the Firewise Committee. They thought they put it out and I think it was a week or two weeks later, it started back up. Many people living in the area also remember the 2002 Hayman Fire, the second-largest fire in Colorados history which burned more than 138,000 acres. We were actually in Las Vegas, said Carol Manlove. She, her husband, Gary, and their children were on a work trip when they got a call from a neighbor. He said, Hey, did you guys hear that the neighborhood is being evacuated?' Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Carol and her daughter took the first plane home and they had the all-clear to return to their homes. But, that night, the neighborhood was evacuated again. Former CBI forensic scientist, Yvonne Missy Woods, facing 102 felony charges We were eating dinner and we got a Reverse911 call and they said, The fires moving your way again and you guys have to get out, Carol said. With a history of fires, the community is now asking why the county would add an additional risk. Weve spent millions of dollars trying to protect ourselves, we dont need an outside force to come in, Brickweg said. Even if the county put up signs telling folks not to have campfires, the community said that has never stopped people before. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Thats part of camping. The camping experience is having a fire. And it can be just a small little, teeny innocent thing, but it just takes one, Dunning said. Residents also expressed worries about the Colorado Renaissance Festival which comes to their community once a year for six weeks in the summer. Were so impacted here in the summer months with traffic, said Brenda Shirely, who lives in the Bear Dance community in Larkspur. You have to leave your home before 8:30 in the morning at latest and you cant get back in until after one. We already have that now add some camping in there. Its the same road in, its the same road out. FOX31 Newsletters: Sign up to get breaking news sent to your inbox Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On top of that, the community said festival goers could also seek out the campsites for a close and convenient place to stay, further boosting the fire risk. It would be the noncommunity guests that would show up there that we worry about, Wood said. Douglas County said the pilot program is still in its early stages and there is still time for people to submit public feedback, which you can do so by clicking this 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 FOX31 Denver. With President Donald Trump back in office, activists and lawmakers are pressing for federal action that would further weaken access to abortion. But abortion has been notably absent from the executive actions in the first days of the new administration. In his last term, Trump pushed anti-abortion policies: He nominated judges who opposed reproductive rights, eliminated federal funding for organizations that refer patients for abortion, and promised to overturn Roe v. Wade. He was the first sitting president to attend the March for Life, the nations biggest anti-abortion gathering. And in his failed 2020 presidential campaign, he pledged to pursue more restrictions on abortion if sent back to the White House. With federal abortion protections eliminated, Trump has backed away from publicly supporting anti-abortion policies, even while some state lawmakers have pressed for more restrictions after his victory. Polling shows that abortion bans are broadly unpopular, including among voters who lean Republican. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Im not as convinced as some people seem to be that Trumps going to do everything he can, said Greer Donley, a law professor at the University of Pittsburgh who tracks abortion policy. Its hard to feel confident about anything when it comes to what their strategy is. Since taking office Monday, the Trump administration has taken down a government website that informed readers of legal avenues to access abortion. But despite issuing a deluge of executive orders, Trump has not yet issued any new abortion policies. The delay is noteworthy given Trumps hesitation to clearly endorse some anti-abortion goals including enacting a new national ban on the procedure or reviving an 1873 law known as the Comstock Act to cut off access to abortion pills during the recent presidential campaign. Hes done so much in such a short amount of time that its still striking he isnt doing anything about this, said Mary Ziegler, an abortion law historian at the University of California, Davis. The longer it takes, the more people wonder how much hes going to do at all. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement There is still plenty of time for Trump to pursue abortion restrictions, and enacting them later in his term could be an effective way to minimize attention on policies that most voters dont support. But Republicans and some abortion opponents are urging him to get started. I dont feel like its too late, said Kristi Hamrick, vice president of media and policy at Students for Life, an anti-abortion group. But I certainly do hope Friday to see something, she said, referencing the annual March for Life, which Trump will address over video. Vice President JD Vance will speak at the event, organizers announced Thursday. On Wednesday, 144 Republican members of Congress, including 35 senators, signed a letter saying they look forward to the reinstatement of anti-abortion policies instituted during Trumps previous term. They specifically cited changing the federal Title X program, which supports family planning providers for low-income people, to bar health providers who refer patients for abortion from being eligible for its support, which Trump did in his first term. President Donald Trump speaks at the 2019 March For Life rally on the National Mall in Washington, DC. (Mark Wilson/Getty Images) Also on Wednesday, a group of anti-abortion groups led by Americans United for Life including Students for Life, Heartbeat International and National Right to Life sent a letter to Acting Attorney General James McHenry, urging the Department of Justice to enforce the Comstock Act to outlaw mailing abortion medications, which are used in the vast majority of abortions. Such a step could cut off access to the procedure for people in states where it is legal, and create new roadblocks for a network of health providers who prescribe and mail the pills to patients in states with bans. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Reviving Comstock, which has not been enforced in decades but was never repealed, is a top priority for many abortion opponents, who view it as a vehicle to enact national restrictions on the procedure. In August, Trump said he would not enforce the law if elected, though others in his orbit including contributors to the conservative policy blueprint Project 2025 have endorsed doing so. The White House did not respond to multiple requests for comment about Trumps lack of abortion-related policy or executive orders this week. Even with full control of the legislative branch, some congressional Republicans appear to be following Trumps lead, and steering their energies away from 15-week or near-total abortion bans and instead focusing on what they call late-term abortions a term with no medical meaning and defunding Planned Parenthood. Senate Majority Leader John Thune, who has previously supported a national 15-week abortion ban, this week backed a bill blocked by Senate Democrats that would have penalized health care providers who do not exercise the proper degree of care in the case of a child who survives an abortion. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The legislation, which proponents call a born-alive bill, targeted a subset of abortions performed after fetal viability, typically around 23 to 25 weeks, even though they are incredibly rare in 2021, less than 1 percent of all abortions were performed after 21 weeks of pregnancy, per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Typically, these are the result of a late miscarriage or an abortion that was performed because of dangerous medical complications that have emerged late in pregnancy. Very few result in live births. Critics of this type of bill say it targets a problem that does not exist and could in some cases force physicians to give care to infants with complex fetal anomalies that would prolong their lives but not save them, and that it could make them deny newborns palliative care instead. The bill received support from influential anti-abortion groups including SBA Pro-Life America and Students for Life. But its still a step back from the more sweeping restrictions those groups have previously championed, such as national restrictions or reviving Comstock. Hamrick suggested her organization would not be pushing for a national abortion ban. While she and other members of Students for Life met congressional lawmakers in Washington this week, they did not get a meeting with the president. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Instead of a national ban, she said, in this current movement, the pro-life movement legislators will meet President Trump to address what he has identified. Her organization will also continue to press for revival of the Comstock Act, she said. Thunes office did not respond to multiple requests for comment, including whether his office would still prioritize a 15-week ban on abortion, as he has in the past. A spokesperson for Sen. James Lankford, an Oklahoma Republican and the sponsor of the born-alive bill, would not directly answer whether a 15- or 20-week ban would also be on the table, simply calling his current legislation a major priority. Lankford has in the past backed proposals for a 20-week abortion ban and has reportedly supported a national six-week ban. Republicans have also pushed for revamping federal family planning programs so that they no longer support groups like Planned Parenthood including legislation from Missouri Sen. Josh Hawley that would bar public dollars from supporting organizations that perform, provide referrals for, or provide funding for, abortions. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hawleys bill would codify an approach Republican presidents have typically adopted when in office issuing regulations that bar funding from the Title X program to any organization that refers patients to abortion providers. Planned Parenthood is the largest individual health care provider to participate in the program. Trump has not yet directed his government to take this approach, though he did during his previous term resulting in service reductions that affected 1.6 million patients, and more than 400 Planned Parenthood clinics and more than 600 other health centers losing federal funding. Defunding Planned Parenthood is a long-held GOP policy position, and one that could undercut access to health care services including contraception, HIV testing and care, and screening for sexually transmitted infections. Still, its a far less ambitious goal than the 15-week national ban that Hawley has previously supported. When asked if Hawley still supported that policy, a spokesperson directed The 19th to a series of statements including one suggesting that he would back reasonable federal restrictions. The change in scope is telling, Ziegler said. Things could change and they could feel differently in six months or a year, but there doesnt appear to be a big appetite at the moment for sweeping abortion restrictions, Ziegler said. Theres a fear that its a political loser. The post Why hasnt Trump done anything about abortion yet? appeared first on The 19th. News that represents you, in your inbox every weekday. Subscribe to our free, daily newsletter. MADRID (AP) While Europes military heavyweights have already said that meeting President Donald Trumps potential challenge to spend up to 5% of their economic output on security won't be easy, it would be an especially tall order for Spain. The eurozones fourth-largest economy, Spain ranked last in the 32-nation military alliance last year for the share of its GDP that it contributed to the military, estimated to be 1.28%. Thats after NATO members pledged in 2014 to spend at least 2% of GDP on defense a target that 23 countries were belatedly expected to meet last year amid concerns about the war in Ukraine. When pressed, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez and others in his government have emphasized Spains commitment to European security and to NATO. Since 2018, Spain has increased its defense spending by about 50% from 8.5 billion euros ($8.9 billion) to 12.8 billion euros ($13.3 billion) in 2023. Following years of underinvestment, the Sanchez government says the spending increase is proof of the commitment Spain made to hit NATOs 2% target by 2029. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But for Spain to spend even more and faster would be tough, defense analysts and former officials say, largely because of the unpopular politics of militarism in the Southern European nation. The countrys history of dictatorship and its distance from Europes eastern flank also play a role. The truth is defense spending is not popular in European countries, whether its Spain or another European country, said Nicolas Pascual de la Parte, a former Spanish ambassador to NATO who is currently a member of European Parliament from Spains conservative Popular Party. We grew accustomed after the Second World War to delegate our ultimate defense to the United States of America through its military umbrella, and specifically its nuclear umbrella." It's true that we need to spend more, Pascual de la Parte said of Spain. The politics of military spending Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Spain joined NATO in 1982, a year after the young, isolated democracy survived a coup attempt by its armed forces and seven years after the end of the 40-year military dictatorship led by Gen. Francisco Franco. Under a 1986 referendum, a narrow majority of Spaniards voted to stay in the alliance, but it wasnt until 1999 that the country that is now Europes fourth-largest by population joined NATOs military structure. In that sense, we are a very young member of NATO, said Carlota Encina, a defense and security analyst at the Elcano Royal Institute think tank in Madrid. Opinion polls generally show military engagement as unpopular among Spanish voters. An overwhelming majority of Spaniards were opposed to their countrys involvement in the 2003 Iraq war, polls showed at the time, but support for NATO in recent years has grown. About 70% of Spaniards were in favor of NATO sending military equipment, weapons and ammunition to Ukraine soon after Russia began its full-scale invasion of the country, according to a March 2022 poll conducted by the state-owned Centre for Sociological Studies, or CIS. But only about half were in favor of Spain increasing its own defense budget, according to another survey CIS conducted that month. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Across the spectrum, political analysts and former Spanish politicians say militarism just isnt great politics. Madrid is nearly 3,000 kilometers (roughly 1,800 miles) west of Kiev, unlike the capitals of Poland, Estonia or Latvia, which are closer and have exceeded the alliance's 2% target based on last years estimates. Ignasi Guardans, a Spanish former member of the European Unions parliament, said many Spaniards value their army for humanitarian efforts and aid work, like the help thousands of soldiers provided after the destructive Valencia flash floods last year. Now the army has returned to have some respect, Guardans said, but thats not NATO. Encina said Spanish politicians generally feel much more pressure to spend publicly on other issues. This is something that politicians here always feel and fear, she said. The thinking goes, why do we need to invest in defense and not in social issues? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement International missions Spains leaders point out that while they have yet to meet NATOs budget floor, its unfair to only consider the countrys NATO contributions as a percentage of GDP to measure of its commitments to Europe and its own security. Officials often point to the countrys various EU and U.N. missions and deployments, arguing that through them, the country contributes in good form. Spain, as a member of NATO, is a serious, trustworthy, responsible and committed ally, Defense Minister Margarita Robles told reporters this week following comments made by Trump to a journalist who asked the U.S. president about NATOs low spenders. And at this moment, we have more than 3,800 men and women in peace missions, many of them with NATO, Robles said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Spains armed forces are deployed in 16 overseas missions, according to the defense ministry, with ground forces taking part in NATO missions in Latvia, Slovakia and Romania and close to 700 soldiers in Lebanon as part of the countrys largest U.N. mission. Spain also shares the Moron and Rota naval bases in the south of the country with the U.S. Navy, which stations six AEGIS destroyers at the Rota base in Cadiz. Slippery metrics Analysts also point to the fact that Spains government routinely spends more on defense than what is budgeted, through extraordinary contributions that can exceed the official budget during some years by 20% to 30%. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The reality is, the whole thing is not very transparent, Guardans said. Pascual de la Parte, who was Spains NATO ambassador from 2017 to 2018, said the 2% metric shouldnt be the only measure since not every NATO member accounts for their defense budgets in the same way. There is no agreement between allies in choosing which criteria decide the real spending effort, he said, adding that, for example, while some countries include things like soldiers pensions in their accounting, others dont. Ultimately, they can involve very disparate realities. JERUSALEM (AP) Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu should be flying high. Israels enemies across the region have been badly weakened during 15 months of war. Israeli hostages have begun to come home from captivity in Gaza, and Netanyahus good friend, Donald Trump, is back in the White House. But Netanyahu may have little time to enjoy his improving fortunes. His hard-line coalition partners have threatened to topple the government if he does not resume Israels war in Gaza when a six-week ceasefire with Hamas expires. That could leave Netanyahu torn between his erstwhile allies at home and a U.S. president who says he wants to end the regions wars. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Heres a closer look at Netanyahus conundrum, and how Trump could determine his fate. War gains After the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas attack that triggered the war, Netanyahus popularity plunged. Israels security and intelligence services had failed to prevent the deadliest attack in its 75-year history and the worst attack on Jews since the Holocaust. Hamas was holding scores of hostages in Gaza and the nation was grieving. But Netanyahu regained his footing and now boasts of military successes across the region. Israeli forces inflicted heavy losses on Hamas in a 15-month offensive that also has killed tens of thousands of people, including entire families, caused widespread damage and displaced 90% of the population. It will take Gaza years to recover. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement At the same time, Israel responded to rocket fire from Hezbollah militants with an air and ground offensive that badly weakened the Lebanese group. The tough blow to Hezbollah, which included a complex operation to explode pagers and walkie-talkies, appears to have contributed to the downfall of President Bashar Assad in neighboring Syria one of Hezbollahs closest allies and its main conduit for arms. Iran, the main patron of Hezbollah and Assad, has watched its regional sphere of influence weaken, while Israeli airstrikes have reportedly taken out the countrys air defenses and other sensitive targets. Trumps return to the White House brings the likelihood of even tougher pressure on Iran, along with renewed efforts to deliver a historic normalization agreement with Saudi Arabia, a rival of Iran and the Arab worlds richest and most powerful country. As a result, many Israelis, including Netanyahu, consider the country to be in a much stronger strategic position than at the outset of the war, albeit at a heavy price. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "We have made it clear to our enemies and to the entire world, that when the people of Israel stand together, there is no force that can break us, Netanyahu said on the eve of the ceasefire this week. The political battlefield Just as Netanyahu could be benefiting from Israels battlefield gains, he finds himself fighting for political survival. Throughout the war, Netanyahu promised a total victory against Hamas destroying the groups governing and military capabilities and bringing home all of the hostages remaining in Gaza. The ceasefire falls short of these goals. Over six weeks, Israel is set to bring home just one-third of the more than 90 remaining hostages. The fate of the others remains unclear. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The first hostage release illustrated how elusive total victory will be. Moments after the ceasefire took effect, armed Hamas men came out of hiding and were back in the streets. Masked militants escorted the Red Cross vehicles carrying three released hostages, and the Hamas-run government says it is protecting the delivery of international humanitarian aid. Israel also agreed to release hundreds of Palestinian prisoners, including dozens involved in deadly attacks on Israelis, angering Netanyahu's hard-line base. The terms of the deal led one hard-line politician, Itamar Ben-Gvir, to pull his party out of Netanyahus coalition, leaving the prime minister with a narrow majority in parliament. On Monday, a second hard-liner, Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, vowed to follow suit if Netanyahu doesnt resume the war when the 42-day truce expires in early March. Smotrichs departure from the government would rob Netanyahu of his parliamentary majority, almost certainly triggering new elections. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If, God forbid, the war is not resumed, I will bring the government down, Smotrich told reporters. Caught between hard-liners and hostages Netanyahu has vowed to renew the war if Hamas doesnt meet his demands in negotiations over the second phase of the ceasefire, which aims to end the war. Talks are set to begin in less than two weeks. If we need to go back to the fighting, we will do so in new ways and with great force, Netanyahu said. But doing so may not be so easy. The emotional scenes of the three young women freed by Hamas reuniting with their families has captured the nations attention. Halting this process without the full return of hostages would be difficult in a country where their families have widespread sympathy. The public and the army are tired after 15 months of fighting and a steady stream of soldiers dying in action. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The battlefield in Gaza also is changing. The first phase of the ceasefire allows Gazas nearly 2 million displaced people to leave crowded tent camps and return to what remains of their homes. This will allow Hamas to regroup in the midst of masses of civilians. Israel, and Netanyahu himself, already are accused of war crimes and crimes against humanity at the worlds top courts over the civilian toll in Gaza, making resuming a military offensive especially challenging. The Trump effect With the clock ticking on Netanyahu's fate, Trump could be a deciding factor. Even before taking office, Trump pressed Netanyahu to reach the ceasefire deal, and the involvement of his new Mideast envoy, Steve Witkoff, appears to have been critical in wrapping up the agreement. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On the first day of Trump's second administration, he gave mixed signals of what may lie ahead. In his inaugural speech, he described himself as a peacemaker and a unifier. But later he said he was not confident the ceasefire will hold. Thats not our war. Its their war, he said. After angering Trump four years ago by congratulating Joe Biden on his 2020 election victory, Netanyahu is working hard to line up Trump's support. He was among the first world leaders to congratulate Trump after his swearing-in. In an effusive message, he thanked Trump for his help in freeing hostages and said he looked forward to working together to destroy Hamas. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I am sure, Mr. President, that under your leadership, the best days of our alliance are yet to come, he said. But their visions may not be the same. Speaking to Fox News this week, Witkoff said that Trump wants the first phase of the ceasefire to succeed for the sides to continue to phase 2 talks. That is his directive, and that's what we're going to do, he said. Last fall, an extraordinary legal drama played out in Texas that shook the foundations of the death penalty in a state that still stands for hang-'em-high justice. Hours before he was scheduled to become the first person in the country to be executed based on evidence of what used to be called "shaken baby syndrome," Texas death row inmate Robert Roberson was granted an unprecedented reprieve when a state House committee subpoenaed him to testify before it. Roberson did not testify because the committee and the Texas Department of Corrections couldn't agree on the logistics. In November, the Texas Supreme Court ruled that a legislative subpoena couldn't halt the execution. When this issue went to press, a new execution date had not been set for Roberson. But the unusual legislative intervention and the high-stakes fight among the branches of Texas' government showed major, bipartisan doubts about the integrity of the death penalty. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Roberson was convicted and sentenced to death in 2003 for murdering his 2-year-old daughter. A jury convicted him based largely on expert findings of shaken baby syndrome, which is now called abusive head trauma (AHT). Roberson claimed his daughter, who had been in and out of the emergency room in recent days because of illness, had fallen out of bed. Doctors and prosecutors said Roberson's daughter died of brain trauma caused by whiplash. The scientific consensus surrounding AHT has shifted considerably in the decades since Roberson's conviction. The classic trio of symptoms used to identify AHT at the time of Roberson's trial are now known to be caused by other possible conditions besides trauma. Roberson's attorneys argue that the forensic testimony at his original trial has been discredited both by advances in science and by previously unreleased autopsy records showing Roberson's daughter died of severe pneumonia. Prosecutors and pediatric abuse specialists say there's broad scientific consensus around AHT, but innocence groups have convinced several state courts otherwise. According to the National Registry of Exonerations, at least 34 parents and caregivers in 18 states convicted based on AHT evidence have been exonerated. In 2022, a New Jersey trial court judge barred AHT evidence from a trial, writing that it's "an assumption packaged as a medical diagnosis, unsupported by any medical or scientific testing." A state appeals court upheld the ruling, writing that "the very basis of the theory has never been proven." Texas prosecutors and Republican Gov. Greg Abbott argue that Roberson was convicted based on evidence of AHT and multiple blunt impacts. Roberson's supporters counter that Abbott and the state's narrative misrepresents the trial recordthere were findings of only one impact site, consistent with Roberson's story that his daughter fell out of bedand understates how essential the expert witness testimony on shaken baby syndrome was to his conviction. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Everything that was presented to us was all about shaken baby syndrome," Terre Compton, one of the jurors who convicted and sentenced Roberson, testified before the Texas Legislature on October 21. "That was what our decision was based on. Nothing else was ever mentioned or presented to us to consider." Texas lawmakers are interested in Roberson's case not just because of his innocence claims, but because they passed a law in 2013 that was supposed to give defendants who were convicted based on discredited forensic science an avenue for relief. To date, not one capital defendant has successfully used this so-called junk science writ to overturn a conviction. Texas lawmakers and legal experts say state courts are misinterpreting the law and applying higher standards to review than they ought to. This summer the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals (CCA), the state's highest criminal court, dismissed Roberson's last-ditch round of petitions without considering them on the merits, even as it overturned a conviction in another AHT case that featured testimony from one of the same expert witnesses who appeared in Roberson's trial. Part of the reason Abbott and the CCA are fighting so hard to see Roberson executed is that Texas is one of the states that imposes the death penalty the most. If moral and legal certainty in the death penalty can't survive in Texas, it won't survive much longer anywhere else. And for some state officials, that is a more worrying thought than the possibility of an innocent man being executed. The post Why Texas Lawmakers Tried To Stop America's First 'Shaken Baby Syndrome' Execution appeared first on Reason.com. Updated at 1:45 p.m. ET on January 24, 2025 On Monday, in one of his first acts as president, Donald Trump defrocked 50 high priests of U.S. national security. Now deprived of their clearances, if they want to know whats happening in the world, they are reduced, like the rest of us, to reading the newspaper, and waiting for the president to blurt out nuclear codes over brunch at Mar-a-Lago. Once out of government, these former officials usually keep their clearances so they can return to government, or to civilian contracting work that involves government secrets, without friction, and so they can learn secrets and give advice informally. Removing these clearances is petty and personal. But it is Trumps decision to make, and in a week of wacky and unexpected executive orders, it is one of the easier to defend. The order singled out former Trump National Security Adviser John Bolton for special dishonor. Trump accused Bolton of making money by publishing a memoir for monetary gain before the intelligence community could scrub his text of classified material. In a separate and remarkably spiteful action, Trump called off government security details for Bolton, former Trump State department official Brian Hook, and former Secretary of State and CIA director, Michael Pompeo. The FBI has accused Iran of trying to kill all three men. Trump often expresses his distaste for those who tried to give direction and discipline to his first term. It is nonetheless shocking to see him come to power and, as one of his first acts, ensure that if Iranian assassins wish to take out his former advisers, theyll soon have a cleaner shot. Americans who work in national security assume that the government will protect them against vengeance from terrorists, no matter what. They now have reason to believe that this protection is a conditional perk, like a nice parking space, that can be taken away for talking smack on CNN. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Bolton bemoans the removal of his protection detail. Because he is not a dummy or a hypocrite, however, he has not questioned Trumps ability to take away his clearance. A clearance, unlike the ability to live without fear of assassination, really is the presidents to grant or withdraw at will. The first conversation I ever had with Bolton (whom I profiled for this magazine in 2019) was 18 years ago, about the awesome power of the president to classify, declassify, and determine who can read classified material. This power is almost without limit, Bolton said. (The president cannot declassify certain information about nuclear weapons. Other than that, the power is his.) The president then was George W. Bush, and Bolton, fresh from service as Bushs ambassador to the United Nations, vigorously defended the expansiveness of his old bosss powers. [Read: John Bolton will hold this grudge] Trump is miffed at Bolton for going on cable news to call Trump an idiot. The suggestion that Boltons memoir is, as Trump claims, rife with sensitive information is both hypocritical, given Trumps own irresponsible information-security practices, and hard to believe, given the fact that in the four years since it was published, no one has suggested that any specific revelations have compromised national security. The real victim was Trumps ego. Bolton did, however, publish before getting permission to do so, and anyone who has had a security clearance knows that dodging the review is a violation not just of the letter of ones clearance conditions but also of the norms and instincts inculcated by the culture of national security. If Bolton expected to keep his clearance after that, then maybe he is a dummy after all. The other 49 laicized national-security officials had signed an open letter (always a bad idea) that declared in 2020, right before the presidential election, that the now mostly confirmed story of Hunter Bidens laptop had all the classic earmarks of a Russian information operation. A computer technician in Delaware said that Hunter had dropped off the laptop for repair at his computer shop in 2019. Hunter never retrieved it. It contained images of him in states of undress, apparently doped up, and in acts of sexual congress. The contents were so sleazy that even if the laptop were a Russian hoax, which it was not, the hard drives should have been power-washed, submerged in isopropyl alcohol, and thrown into an active volcano purely as a sanitary measure. The former presidents son also appeared in emails to be seeking to profit off his fathers office. The evidence for corruption never amounted to enough for a charge to stick. But because no one could figure out any other reason a Ukrainian oil company would want Hunter on their board, the suggestion of influence peddling seemed plausible. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The intelligence professionals who signed the letter (which was drafted by former CIA Acting Director Michael Morell) warned readers that they did not know whether the laptops contents were genuine or not, and said they had no evidence of Russian involvement, only suspicions. The signatories included former directors of the NSA, CIA, and the Office of National Intelligence, and many others with long and distinguished service to the United States. These figures provided intelligence and analysis to presidents, generals, congressmen, and others. The core of their jobthe reason anyone listens to themis devotion to an almost priestly ethos of analytical rigor. They speak only after marshaling all available resources to find all the facts that can be known; they deliver briefings based on everything they knownot just the facts they likeand without political tilt or opinion. The public never gets classified briefings. Those who have clearance to get them are meant to be confident that when the briefers speak, they speak with authority, clarity, and dispassion. The experience should be like listening to a great trial lawyer. You should wonder why anyone would bother disagreeing. [Read: Why Hunter Bidens laptop will never go away] Why these titans of intelligence were willing to risk their hard-won credibility on the possibility that Hunter Biden might not be a slimeball is deeply mysterious. Even considering their caveats, somehow they signed and published their letter without due diligence and without the slightest consideration that Hunter was, in fact, prone to shady behavior. No doubt they felt that the laptop story was urgent, because it could affect the election in a few weeks. But their job was to seek facts and judge them with restraint. In this case, minimal fact-seeking would entail asking the Bidens if the sordid laptop was real, and restraint would entail not venturing wild accusations. The letter does not suggest that the authors asked the Bidensalthough they certainly could have, since (according to a 2023 House Intelligence report) the letter originated with a call to them from Antony Blinken, then a Biden-campaign official and later secretary of state. Did the Biden team lie about the laptop, or claim Hunter had no memory of it? Or did the authors never even bother to inquire if it belonged to Hunter? In either case, the letter exhibited extremely shoddy analytic craftsmanship. Some signers of the letter had access to classified briefings, and could have asked their old colleagues in the intelligence community whether the laptop was a Russian hoax. In 2023, House investigators asked James Clapper, the former director of national intelligence and one of the drafters of the letter, why he did not ask for a briefing. Because I didnt want to be tainted by access to classified information, he told them. That wont be a problem anymore. Because they were excessively generous to one candidate over the other, the letter signers left the impression that they were on the Democratic teamand, moreover, that they would lower their standards in order to influence an American election. Connoisseurs of irony will note that the CIA has, historically, had few scruples about influencing foreign elections, and will ask why they would hesitate to influence an American one. But to influence even a foreign election takes approval from the White House, and to influence a domestic one is flagrantly illegal. Like Bolton, these signers should have known that they were violating a deeply ingrained taboo. If they did not know that Trump, a man too petty and unrestrained to realize that vindictiveness is a sign of weakness, would punish them as soon as he could, then they, too, are not as intelligent as I thought. This article originally stated that Trump had removed Secret Service protection for three former government officials. In fact, two of them had been receiving protection from the State Department. Article originally published at The Atlantic Donald Trump spent a noteworthy chunk of the transition period provoking controversyand insulting NATO allieswith his proposals for expanding the U.S. Maybe most prominently, he has repeatedly discussed buying Greenland from Denmark, a stance he robustly reaffirmed on his first day in office, earlier this week. While American expansion hasnt been discussed much in recent times, the proposal to buy Greenland makes more sense if one understands the history of the Arctic. Buying the island would aim to counter Russian and Chinese ambitions to dominate a region critical to Washington. And it would only be the latest chapter in a long history of the U.S.and during its existence, the Soviet Unionpurchasing land across the Arctic in moments of heightened tensions. Todays renewed interest signals that great powers are once again seeking to control vital sea routes, oceans, islands, and resources at the top of the world. Its a stark warning of rising tensions and increased competition. Yet, just as his counterparts did in the past, Trump may find that "buying the Arctic" is not as straightforward as he thinks. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In 1865, in the wake of the Civil War, the U.S. began looking to expand its influence on the world stage. This happened at precisely the moment when Russia, having just lost the Crimean War, was seeking to counterbalance British power in the Pacific. This proved to be the perfect recipe for American expansion in the Arctic. In 1867, Russia sold Alaska to the U.S. for $7.2 million, with the territory soon placed under the control of the U.S. Army. Both countries shared hostility towards Britain, so the sale was a shrewd and calculated deal for both parties. Although it ended Russias footprint in North America, it expanded Washington's access to the Pacific and helped counter British activity in the strategically important and economically prosperous region. This was just the start of Americas foray into the Arctic. The move was part of President Andrew Johnsons naked and vast geopolitical ambition. Having successfully purchased Alaska, Johnsons Secretary of State William Seward floated the prospect of buying the islands of Greenland and Iceland, this time from the Danes. Denmark had been weakened by its defeat during the Second Schleswig War of 1864, and at this moment of Danish weakness, Seward had already discussed the purchase of Danish islands in the Caribbean to establish a naval base. Negotiations took place, but failed to win Republican support in Congress. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This setback, however, failed to dash American desires to buy the strategic Danish territory. In 1910, the administration of President William Howard Taft again explored the possibility of buying Greenland. The move came at a moment when there was growing interest in Arctic resources, such as minerals for the growing armaments industry, not to mention increased attention on Greenlands strategic location between the U.S. and Europe. The two sides discussed proposals to purchase the island outright or to swap it for U.S. territory in the Philippines, but with World War I looming, attention soon turned to more pressing matters. The U.S. was not the only country looking to the Arctic to shore up its interests in this period. After World War I and the Bolshevik Revolution, the newly formed Soviet Union looked to bolster its presence in the Arctic by purchasing mining rights on the archipelago of Svalbard (Spitsbergen to the Russians). With its close proximity to the Russian mainland (400 miles), its abundance of natural resources, and its strategic location at the gateway to the North Atlantic, the set of Islands were critical to Moscows economic and defense interests. With the embers of war still burning, the Soviets sought to buy their stake, not take it by force. In 1927, the Soviets struck when the Dutch company that owned the Barentsberg coal mine on Svalbard found it difficult to sustain its operations due to the harsh and unforgiving Arctic climate. Then, five years later, in 1932, the USSR repeated the process when the Swedish coal mine in Pyramiden was put up for sale. On both occasions, the Soviet Union willfully purchased the sites, providing coal to the northern communities of the USSR and ultimately establishing their much-desired presence on the strategic islands. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As the Soviets foresaw, this region would only grow in importance as World War II emerged on the horizon. After Germany occupied Norway in 1940 and Adolf Hitlers troops invaded the Soviet Union in 1941, Svalbard became a key point of military contestation. Arctic Convoys from the U.S. were critical for supplying Soviet forces and they passed by this crucial territory. In an effort to intercept and hamper these missions, the Nazis occupied Svalbard and set up intelligence stations that could gather weather data to help aid in attacks on Allied ships. To safeguard the convoys, Allied forces responded by attacking these stations, which marked the start of the "Weather War," a battle for control of critical intelligence information that would ultimately spread to Greenland. This war over weather intelligence helped reignite U.S. interest in Greenland. Germany occupied Denmark, enabling it to receive data from Danish weather stations on the island. Although this access was quickly cut off by the British, it did not stop German ambitions in the region. Greenland was also home to an abundant source of cryolite, a rare earth mineral important for the production of military aircraft in Canada and the U.S. With this in mind, Germany began to increase their naval activity around Greenland while launching multiple covert attempts to establish their own weather stations on the island. In responseeven before the U.S. even officially joined the warPresident Franklin D. Roosevelt made the bold decision to extend the U.S. neutrality zone to include Greenland and the Azores. This declaration allowed the U.S. Navy to patrol the western Atlantic, broadcast the location of German ships to the British, and effectively placed the U.S. in an "undeclared war" against the Axis powers. Roosevelts Secretary of State, Cordell Hull, marked the one-year anniversary of the German occupation of Denmark by signing an agreement with the Danish Ambassador to Washington, Henrik Kauffmann, in which the U.S. promised to defend Greenland and build a wide range of military bases and infrastructure on the island. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Kauffman acted without the approval of the occupied Danish government, who attempted to recall him for his actions. Yet, though he became known as the Good Traitor, the ambassador understood how strategically vital Greenland was to winning the war, working tirelessly with the Roosevelt government to defeat their common enemy. It helped that Roosevelt did not envision the agreement as a precursor to buying Greenland. Instead, it affirmed Danish sovereignty albeit with the significant caveat that the U.S. could maintain its military presence until both sides agreed the dangers to American peace and security had passed. Known as "Article X," this provision effectively gave the U.S. the right to a military presence in Greenland for as long as was deemed necessary. It became newly relevant after the war as Cold War tensions between the U.S. and USSR escalated. The U.S. identified the Arctic as a likely route for any Soviet nuclear attack and Denmark became a crucial American ally, as part of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. In 1951, defense concerns prompted the U.S. and Denmark to reaffirm and expand the 1941 agreement permitting the U.S. to maintain military, intelligence, and coastguard operations on Greenland. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement That agreement has been periodically reaffirmed over the ensuing 75 years, most recently in 2004, ensuring the U.S. can maintain early warning radar, utilize the two-mile-long airstrip on the island, and harness the port at Pituffick, the northernmost deep-water port in the world. This history shows that buying territory in the Arctic has been a longstanding practice for geopolitical rivals struggling to gain an upper hand and ensure their own defense. When the domestic politics of both owner and potential buyer align, such sales have been easy. In some cases, when they havent, the superior military power invaded and occupied land, as the Germans did during World War II. But this history presents a problem for President Trump. He seems well on his way to getting domestic support for buying Greenland thanks to his dominance of the GOP and the legitimate security concerns posed by Moscow and Beijing. Yet, unlike in previous cases, the Danes have no interest in accommodating him. A combination of Danish pride and the inclusion of the Indigenous community of Greenland in decision-making, after decades of neglect, make this different from 1867 with Alaska, or even the World War II moves by the U.S. to gain a defense foothold in Greenland. Instead, strong alliances and mutual agreementssomething that Trump is no fan ofare likely going to be the key to countering the very real threat to the U.S. and its NATO allies. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement James Patton Rogers is a historian of technology and war and the executive director of the Brooks Tech Policy Institute at Cornell University (US). Caroline Kennedy Pipe is an expert in Arctic security and professor of war studies at Loughborough University (UK). Made by History takes readers beyond the headlines with articles written and edited by professional historians. Learn more about Made by History at TIME here. Opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect the views of TIME editors. Write to Made by History at madebyhistory@time.com. Navy researchers are testing a fully autonomous satellite designed to detect and characterize objects in space. The system, called Autosat, is designed to task, calibrate its signals and send and receive information on its own without the need for a human operator. Steven Meier, director of space technology at the Naval Research Laboratory, said his team has demonstrated the capability in the lab. Weve done a demo of this and proven out the principles and are looking for the next step, he said during a panel at the Potomac Officers Clubs Research and Development Summit in McLean, Virginia. We want to get funding to actually build a system along these lines and launch it. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Autosat features an imaging payload that the lab has trained with a database of images, including airports, runways, roads and buildings. The more information the payload receives, the smarter it becomes about recognizing patterns and spotting objects. Satellites that can detect and track objects and send intelligence to military users are in high demand from defense agencies like the Space Force and U.S. Space Command. But Meier said the true potential of Autosat is in its autonomy, allowing it to navigate without GPS, communications and ground control. Ultimately, Meier said, the lab envisions a network of Autosat-like systems. Space Force interest The Space Force is also exploring artificial intelligence and autonomy for a number of applications from reducing the burden on operators to giving decision-makers a better understanding of threats in space on faster timelines. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Speaking in August at a National Defense Industrial Association event, the Space Forces former top acquisition official Frank Calvelli said he expects satellites to be significantly more autonomous within the next 10 to 15 years. Future spacecraft, he said, will be less reliant on the antennas and ground stations that are typically early and easy targets of cyber attacks during a conflict. Last November, the service awarded a contract to Colorado-based Advanced Space to conduct a feasibility study on using AI and machine learning algorithms to guide satellites and help them maneuver around space threats. The Space Development Agency, which is building a constellation of hundreds of small satellites, views automation as fundamental to its future space architecture. The Space Rapid Capabilities Office is working with a slew of commercial firms to incorporate AI into a more modern ground system called Rapid Resilient Command and Control. Kelly Hammett, the organizations director, told reporters in December one of the systems key capabilities is automated mission planning, which will allow operators to schedule contacts and maneuvers. You can run a variety of cases and situations, decide the one you want and then press the button and itll upload a mission profile, he said at the Space Force Associations Spacepower Conference in Orlando, Florida. In November 2021, with her husband visiting family in San Francisco, Los Angeles-based model Christy Giles was looking forward to a girls' night out with her friend, interior designer and architect Hilda Cabrales-Arzola. On Nov. 12, 2021, Giles, 24, and Cabrales-Arzola, 26, started out at Soho House in West Hollywood before moving on at 1 a.m. to an all-night dance party at an East L.A. warehouse where their favorite DJ was playing. Upbeat and fun-loving, Giles knew how to live in the moment, her husband, Jan Cilliers, 44, a visual-effects supervisor, told PEOPLE previously. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Just before 5 a.m. the women headed to the Olympic Boulevard apartment of two men they met at the warehouse, presumably to keep the party going. But something seemed amiss when they got there. Christy and Hilda tried to leave, Cilliers said. They called an Uber. And whatever happened in the following 12 hours left them dead. Frederick M Brown/AP/Shutterstock David Pearce in court Related: 2 Men Indicted by Grand Jury for 2021 Deaths of Model and Architect Dumped Outside Hospitals After Party Exactly what transpired at the afterparty is the key question being asked at the trial of the two men they met: aspiring Hollywood producer David Pearce, 42, and his roommate, actor Brandt Osborn, 45. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement During opening arguments in an L.A. courtroom on Jan. 9, prosecutors claimed Pearce gave the women a lethal mix of drugs, including cocaine and fentanyl and, in Giless case, the date-rape drug GHB, before dropping the women off, barely alive, with Osborn at separate L.A. hospitals. For more about the overdose deaths of the two women during a girls' night out in L.A., subscribe now to PEOPLE or pick up this week's issue, on newsstands Friday. Giles was pronounced dead of an overdose at the hospital. Cabrales-Arzola clung to life for more than a week, dying of multiple organ failure the day before her 27th birthday. Pearce is charged with murder and Osborn is charged with being an accessory to the crime after the fact for helping to clandestinely transport the victims to the hospitals. Both have pleaded not guilty. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Related: Cause of Deaths for Model and Architect, Dumped Outside at Hospitals by Masked Men, Confirmed Pearce is also being tried for seven counts of sexual assault from 2007 to 2021. While prosecutors told jurors the women died because of drugs Pearce gave them, Pearces defense attorney Jeff Voll argued that the women were responsible for their own deaths. Hilda Marcela Cabrales-Arzola with David Pearce The evidence will show that these young ladies unfortunately ingested fentanyl, and they died, he told jurors on Jan. 9. But not at the hands of Mr. Osborn or Mr. Pearce. Uneasy texts exchanged between the women shed light on their last moments, prosecutors say. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement At 5:30 a.m., 20 minutes after arriving at Pearce and Osborns apartment, Giles texted Cabrales-Arzola, Lets go, with a wide-eyed emoji. At 5:31 a.m. she responded, Yes. Ill call an Uber. 10 min away. Related: New Details Revealed About Model Christy Giles and Hilda Marcela Cabrales-Arzola's Final Hours Doorbell video shows the Uber leaving empty when nobody came to claim it, L.A. Deputy District Attorney Catherine Mariano said in her opening arguments. Photographer Michael Ansbach was at the apartment that morning and alleges that Pearce gave him and the two women alcoholic drinks and cocaine laced with fentanyl, Mariano alleged in her opening statement. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Even though the women had consumed alcohol and drugs before getting there, Mariano alleged, the drugs Pearce gave them at the apartment are what ultimately killed them. Related: Husband of Christy Giles Speaks Out After 3 Arrests Made in Her Case: 'Just the Beginning of the Battle' In court, Mariano claimed the men did not immediately seek help because, as Pearce allegedly told his roommate, Dead girls dont talk. Coleman-Rayner David Pearce's apartment David Pearce's apartment Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement At 5 p.m. on Nov. 13, 2021, nearly 12 hours after the women got to the apartment, Pearce and Osborn dropped Giles off at the hospital, saying they were Good Samaritans who found her unconscious on a curb, according to a search warrant affidavit obtained by PEOPLE. Two hours later, Cabrales-Arzola was left at a Mid City hospital by the same two men. In his opening statement, Voll told jurors about recently uncovered evidence: a locket with a small spoon worn by Giles on the day of her death that tested positive for fentanyltheir own fentanyl." Still grieving the loss of his wife, Cilliers said he is ready to fight for her. This is just the beginning of the battle, he said. Even though no amount of justice is ever going to bring her back, hopefully it stops these guys from doing anything else to any other woman. Read the original article on People Thousands of Southern California residents on Wednesday were told to evacuate their homes as a new wildfire was spreading rapidly north of Los Angeles. The Hughes fire started about 70 kilometres north of Los Angeles on Wednesday. According to the fire department, the flames spread over an area of more than 38 square kilometres within a few hours. As of Wednesday afternoon it was 0% contained, said LA County Fire Chief Anthony Marrone. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement More than 31,000 people were told to evacuate while a further 20,000 were in areas affected by evacuation warnings, said LA County Sheriff Robert Luna. According to authorities, there were no initial reports of properties destroyed by the new fire. Thick smoke hung over the region. Television pictures showed burning hills and huge clouds of smoke. A section of Highway 5, an important California transport artery, was closed temporarily. Authorities pointed to continuing winds that would contribute to increased fire danger. In the past few days, thousands of firefighters had made progress in fighting two other wildfires in the Los Angeles area. The Eaton fire near Pasadena was 91% contained as of Wednesday, while the Palisades fire, which burned across a wide area on the western edge of Los Angeles, was nearly 70% under control. According to estimates, more than 15,000 buildings have been destroyed or damaged in the area affected by the Eaton and Palisades blazes. The number of confirmed deaths rose to 28. MANHATTAN (KSNT) Kansas wildlife officials are due to meet in the Little Apple towards the end of January to discuss topics related to waterfowl seasons, big game regulations and more. 27 News checked the agenda for the upcoming Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks (KDWP) commission meeting at noon on Jan. 30. Commissioners are due to hear a department report during this meeting on various regulations which are now law, including the following: 115-2-3: camping fees. 115-8-26: nonresident waterfowl hunting. 115-2-1: trout fee and senior license fees. 115-4-4: nonlead muzzleloader shot. 115-1-1; 7-1; 7-2; 7-4; 7-10; and 18-8: sport/nonsport fish distinction and snagging of invasive carp. 115-25-14: creel limits, size limits and possession limits. 115-15-1; 15-2: threatened and endangered species downlisting. Lifetime hunting and fishing licenses could see some changes in Kansas, what to know Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement People attending the meeting can also expect to hear commissioners discuss some other topics related to the outdoors and hunting. These agenda items are split between being designated as informational, general discussion or as part of a workshop sessions. Informational items. Commission big game permit drawing. Quail worm-eye research. Review of prohibition of trail cameras on public lands. Night vision coyote hunting season. General discussion. 2025-2026 waterfowl season dates, bag and possession limits. Workshop session. K.A.R. 115-25-9a 2025 deer seasons on military units. K.A.R. 115-25-9 big game regulations. The KDWP will hold the meeting at the K-State Alumni Centers Tadtman Boardroom located at 1720 Anderson Avenue. You can register to participate using Zoom by clicking here and can watch the meeting live by clicking here. For more Kansas Outdoors, 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 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 KSNT 27 News. Jan. 22WILKES-BARRE Members of the Wilkes University community gathered in the Jean and Paul Adams Commons on Tuesday, Jan. 21, to celebrate Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. The theme of this year's celebration was "It Takes a Village." Erica Acosta, director of diversity initiatives at Wilkes, said the program's theme was a nod to an African proverb encouraging people to come together to care for each other and help a community thrive. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Wilkes University President Dr. Greg Cant welcomed the crowd, and the native of Australia noted that his first exposure to Dr. King was through the activist's famous words. In the spirit of King's work, Cant inspired guests to keep marching forward and stay the course, even during challenging times. Kas Williams, associate vice president for mission integration and institutional diversity at Misericordia University and president of the Northeastern PA Diversity Education Consortium, delivered the keynote address. Prior to joining Misericordia in 2021, Williams served as the chief diversity officer at South Dakota State University. She offered a story about giving a room full of people the same medicine when most have a cold, but one has a broken leg to illustrate the difference between equal and equitable. Williams encouraged attendees to stay passionate and committed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "There's gonna be tough times, but that's when the real work comes into play," Williams said. Students also took the stage, with Kobina Otoo, president of the Wilkes African Cultural Association, offering the invocation. Edweana Alexis, co-president of the speech and debate, performed slam poetry, sharing, "It takes a village, and I have one of the best." Zach Paraway, vice president of the Multicultural Student Coalition, sang the National Anthem and Jazmin High, president of Psi Chi, sang "Lift Every Voice and Sing," the Black National Anthem. Joshua Ermeus, member of the Multicultural Student Coalition, closed the program with "Amazing Grace." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Before guests enjoyed lunch, courtesy of Wilkes University's Office of Diversity Initiatives and the Multicultural Student Coalition, Acosta invited everyone to become involved in community affairs. "Become an active participant in our village," Acosta said. "We are stronger together." Reach Bill O'Boyle at 570-991-6118 or on Twitter @TLBillOBoyle. WILLIAMSBURG, Ky. (FOX 56) A Whitley County attorney has been charged with public intoxication after appearing to fall asleep in court while drunk. James Wren, 69, was acting in his capacity as an attorney Thursday morning in a court case when officials had to wake him up from an apparent sleep, according to an arrest citation. As proceedings continued, other attorneys noted that Wren smelled strongly of alcohol. LATEST KENTUCKY NEWS: In an elevator outside of the courtroom, an attorney claimed that Wrens eyes were also bloodshot, court documents allege. After being confronted, Wren claimed he was not drunk but had been drinking the night before and only had a glass of wine this morning. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In the citation, the Whitley County Sheriffs Department noted that Wrens blood alcohol level was 0.120, 1.5 times the legal limit. Read more of the latest Kentucky news He was arrested at 10:19 a.m. and booked into the Whitley County Detention Center. Court records show that, in May 2023, Wren was convicted of driving a vehicle while drunk on his way to court. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. SOUTH SIOUX CITY, Neb. (KCAU) A Winnebago man has been arrested after allegedly assaulting a Nebraska State Patrol (NSP) trooper during a traffic stop. According to a release from the NSP, a trooper pulled over a Chevrolet Traverse on Highway 77 just south of South Sioux City at around 10:45 p.m. on Tuesday due to defective lighting. During the traffic stop, the trooper evaluated that the driver had been impaired while driving. Sioux City man pardoned for Jan. 6 involvement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While the trooper attempted to take the man identified as Troy Reynolds, 31 into custody, the trooper reported that Reynolds headbutted him in the face. Reynolds was taken to the Dakota County Jail and charged with assault on an officer, driving under the influence, resisting arrest, and driving with a revoked license, among other charges. The release said that the trooper suffered from minor injuries and was treated before the suspect was taken to jail. Deputies from the Dakota County Sheriffs Office assisted in the arrest. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to SiouxlandProud | Sioux City, IA | News, Weather, and Sports. A winter storm blankets Zachary, Louisiana, and the southern region of the state with heavy snowfall on Jan. 21, 2025. (Photo credit: Wes Muller/Louisiana Illuminator) Freezing conditions across South Louisiana continue to hinder water access Thursday after an historic winter storm. Overnight temperatures in the Lafayette region on Wednesday averaged 19 degrees, with some spots falling to 4 degrees, according to data from the National Weather Service. The deep freeze set in after about 9 inches of snow fell Tuesday across Interstate 10 and 12 corridors. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Water delivery systems in Louisiana are not prepared for 4 degree temperatures. Theyre not built that way, said William Theriot, CEO of Milton Water System, one of six private wholesale customers that buys water from Lafayette Utilities System. Low pressure in the LUS network north of I-10 has prompted a under a boil water advisory affecting more than 122,000 customers, according to the Louisiana Department of Health. Milton and Youngsville, communities near Lafayette that purchase water from Lafayette Utilities System, are also under boil advisories, affecting an additional 28,749 people. The LUS system is at its limit, the utility said in a statement sent early Thursday morning to its six wholesale customers. Our reservoir towers/tanks are empty/depleting with no opportunity to refill them due to the current demand/pressures. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Once temperatures fall into the mid-20s, customers with exposed plumbing are advised to run a tiny trickle of water from the faucet farthest from their propertys water intake in order to prevent pipes from freezing and breaking. That increased use has depleted the LUS water supply. Our pumps could not keep up, Theriot said. When Miltons plant went down, he contacted Lafayette Utilities System for permission to draw on its water resources. He said Lafayette Utilities System gave him the go ahead to draw on additional water to fill Miltons holding tank, and Milton has since stopped using extra water. With higher than normal demand because of the winter storm, according to spokeswoman Heidi Tweedel, Lafayette Utilities System experienced similar pressure drops, boil advisories and outages for customers across the system throughout the frigid conditions The system hopes to get some sort of water service to its customers direct and wholesale within the next day while also maintaining proper water pressure to keep the system functional, according to the update it provided Thursday morning. Fully functional, business-as-usual operations arent expected to resume for about seven days, the statement said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Youngsville Mayor Ken Ritter used Facebook Live late Wednesday afternoon to update his community on the ongoing water problems The city trucked in tanks of potable water to distribute to Lafayette Parish residents with their own containers, he said. They are required to have an ID that confirms their address. More water tankers are on hand in case of fire as Youngsville isnt able to rely on fire hydrants during the system-wide shortage, said Ritter. Ritter said that while he was just as frustrated as many without water, the freezing weather proved to be an unprecedented situation that underscored the need for Youngsville to become less reliant on Lafayette to provide its water. Youngsville is currently expanding its water infrastructure, with new wells and a water treatment facility set to go online toward the end of 2025, Ritter said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Lafayette Utilities System said it has brought in all water production, treatment and distribution workers for an extended shift Thursday as they try to balance sending water to wholesale customers while keeping enough for critical facilities such as hospitals in Lafayette. Tweedel said the LUS is treating its water distribution network as a whole rather than prioritizing Lafayette customers over its wholesale agreements. HARLEM, Manhattan (PIX11) The woman accused of fatally stabbing a postal worker inside a Harlem deli is expected to appear in court on Thursday. Jaia Cruz, 24, is scheduled to be arraigned in Lower Manhattan. She allegedly stabbed 36-year-old Ray Hodge after the two argued over who was first at the deli counter on Jan. 2. Its scary: Postal worker killed after fight about deli line, police say Hodge, who worked for USPS, was later pronounced dead at a hospital. His friends and family described him as a family man raising two boys. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Cruz was charged with second-degree murder in connection with the stabbing, according to authorities. Erin Pflaumer is a digital content producer from Long Island who has covered both local and national news since 2018. She joined PIX11 in 2023. See more of her work here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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 Denver woman has been accused of stealing from two companies based in Boone, according to the Lincoln County Sheriffs Office. Cynthia Howell is accused of writing and depositing $400,000 worth of fraudulent checks into bank accounts not associated with the business. ALSO READ: Be more vigilant: Residents say their checks are being stolen in York County Howell has been charged with two counts of felony embezzlement. She is scheduled to face a judge in February. VIDEO: Be more vigilant: Residents say their checks are being stolen in York County A woman has been arrested after authorities discovered 27 dead horses across multiple properties, police said. On Wednesday, deputies from the San Joaquin County Sheriffs Office, along with support from Animal Services officers, executed a search warrant in Clements, California, regarding an ongoing animal neglect investigation, according to a statement from the San Joaquin County Sheriffs Office. MORE: 4 cops shot one after the other while responding to call for help from apartment Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement During the operation, several malnourished horses were discovered on the premises with limited access to any food or water and approximately 27 deceased horses were located, police said. Multiple properties were searched during the investigation and animal service officers, along with veterinarians who were at the scene, immediately began to triage and evaluate the condition of the horses. MORE: Police officer shot inside home they were responding to for help PHOTO: A woman has been arrested after authorities discovered 27 dead horses across multiple properties, police said. (Facebook / San Joaquin County Sheriffs Office) MORE: Fire chief shot and killed after stopping to help driver who hit deer with their car After thorough assessments, 16 horses were rescued and are now in the care of professionals at the Oakdale Equine Rescue who will ensure they receive proper nutrition, medical attention, and rehabilitation, authorities said. Unfortunately, 4 horses and 1 Bull had to be euthanized due to their extreme neglect. Animal services officers and veterinarians are still currently evaluating additional horses and animals due to the size of the property. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Jan Johnson of Clements was arrested and charged with cruelty to an animal, threatening a public official, criminal threats and possession of a short-barrel shotgun before she was booked into the San Joaquin County jail. MORE: Woman poisoned 1-year-old girl for months to exploit her for online donations: Police PHOTO: A woman has been arrested after authorities discovered 27 dead horses across multiple properties, police said. (Facebook / San Joaquin County Sheriffs Office) MORE: 2 dead, 2 injured after man attacks group of people with a stick We are committed to protecting the welfare of all animals in our community and will continue to investigate this matter, police said. Thank you to our Deputies and Animal Services team for their dedication and swift action in addressing this situation. We would also like to thank Oakdale Equine Rescue for their incredible support in assisting us with this rescue. Woman arrested after 27 dead horses found across multiple properties originally appeared on abcnews.go.com Last year, the seven largest economies in the world spent over $1.2 trillion on their militaries. With the horrors of war escalating around the globe, imperialist powers are pumping a never-before-seen amount of cash directly into the deep pockets of the arms manufacturers. Thats a lot of money for bombs at a time when the vast majority are struggling to get by! If only there was something better the ruling class could be spending this money on perhaps we can make some suggestions. The US military budget for 2024 alone stood at a whopping $824.3 billion. With just a fraction of that money a trifling $31.7 billion according to Oxfam humanity could eradicate world hunger in all its forms! $31.7 billion is less than four percent of the money the US ruling class alone gave to the weapons industry last year. Yet rather than feeding the hungry, these rotten imperialists would rather spend it supporting precisely the conflicts that have caused the horrors that they could so easily fix. The money needed to end world hunger is a drop in the ocean compared to the military spending of the major imperialist powers. And yet, according to the World Health Organisation, no progress has been made towards solving world hunger in over 15 years. Hunger is not the only problem that could be resolved by quickly dipping into the military budget. The UNs World Institute for Development Economics Research found in June that its most conservative estimate for the amount of money needed to end world poverty is $325 billion per year until 2030. That would be hardly 15 percent of the $2.4 trillion spent by the worlds top 40 military budgets in 2023. If the money available were put to good use, the research found that a sum of a mere $425 billion could in principle end world poverty imminently with funds to spare. To reiterate: this is barely half of what the US spent on its military in 2024 alone. Consider what a freeing of human potential ending poverty worldwide would mean. And for less than the US military spends each year, that country could completely decarbonise its power grid for somewhere in the range of $330 billion to $740 billion. Whereas dropping 2,000-pound bombs on innocent Gazans produces nothing but destruction, money thus spent on decarbonising the economy would have all kinds of salubrious effects. One of the externalities of fossil fuel consumption by the power sector so called because these effects are external to the energy companies balance sheets are the 350,000 American lives lost each year due to fossil fuel-related pollution. Indeed, the annual cost to healthcare of fossil fuel is estimated at $886 billion, itself more than the US military budget! In other words, this would pay for itself soon enough, and so one year of the US military budget would be enough to decarbonise the US energy grid and end world poverty. Healthcare not warfare! The barbarity of arms spending becomes more tangible if we look past the broader budgets and consider the price of individual tools of destruction. The much-vaunted Storm Shadow missiles which the UK has supplied to Ukraine with the hope of striking long-range targets in Russia cost $1 million each. For that price, you could pay all the monthly bills of the average UK household food, rent, transport, utilities etc. for 24 years! For the price of one Storm Shadow missile, you could pay all the monthly bills of the average UK household for 24 years / Image: , Wikimedia Commons While the exact number of Storm Shadows that have been sent has been kept a closely guarded secret, the UK government has so far admitted to sending 13 billion to fund the bloodshed in Ukraine. This money was of course readily available for the British ruling class to prove themselves a subservient participant in NATOs proxy war, yet was conspicuously absent when it was revealed that it would take just 11.6 billion to completely fix all the crumbling infrastructure of the National Health Service. So British government spending on the slaughter in Ukraine alone would be enough to revamp every hospital in the country with 1.4 billion left over. That, in turn, would be almost enough to retrain the 23,000 doctors estimated to have left the NHS prematurely in 2023. Last year the US sent 31 M1 Abrams tanks to slowly drown in the mud on the Ukrainian frontlines. At time of writing, an M1 Abrams can be yours for just $10 million, which is enough to pay the average Americans healthcare bills for over 740 years. But rather than paying for a years healthcare for almost 23,000 Americans, the US ruling class sent 31 tanks for a brief and ineffectual stint in Ukraine, before being deemed useless and retired after just seven months service. In total, the US has sent over $61 billion to Ukraine since the start of the conflict, as well as a further $22.76 billion which has been sent to Israel over the last 12 months. That makes a little over $83 billion. According to the World Health Organisation, this is over double the $30.7 billion that would be needed to significantly reduce the possibility of future pandemics originating in tropical areas, such as COVID-19, swine flu, etc. COVID-19 took 7 million lives and, according to some estimates, will have cost the world economy $20 trillion. Yet it could cost little more than the sum the US has poured into the IDFs murder-machine to prevent a rerun of this catastrophe. With that little detail resolved, the remaining $50 billion could, for example, be used to completely eliminate the threat of malaria for over two billion people in the Asia-Pacific conservative estimates put the cost at $36 billion. The remaining $14 billion would then be enough to lift 165 million people out of poverty, according to the UN Development Programme, should we lower our ambition from the wholly realisable target of eliminating poverty entirely. Books not bombs! UNESCO estimates that the cost of completely ending illiteracy in the 20 countries with literacy rates under 50 percent would be just $14 billion. This is the amount that the G7 countries spent on their military budgets in the first four days of last year. In Gaza, 45,000 children have been unable to start their first year of school due to Israels genocidal war / Image: WAFA, Wikimedia Commons During the COVID-19 pandemic, UNICEF published an estimation of what it would cost for every child in the world to have access to an online education from their home. This includes the costs of universal access to electricity infrastructure, good quality and affordable internet connections, etc. The total price was $1.4 trillion to guarantee universal online education from 2021-2030. One again: this is just half what the worlds 40 largest militaries spent in 2023 alone. The unparalleled human potential that could be achieved by giving all the worlds children access to both the internet and to an education is almost unimaginable. We could create millions of new scientists, doctors, artists and engineers. But rather than furthering the enlightenment of humanity, the imperialists are intent on bombing us back into the Stone Age. In Gaza, 45,000 children have been unable to start their first year of school due to Israels genocidal war. This is on top of the 625,000 children that have already missed an entire year of their education due to the invasion. Rather than bringing education to all, the imperialist warmongers have guaranteed the closure of every school in Gaza for the foreseeable future. Make the warmongers pay! These are the real costs of war. It is not just the uncountable innocents killed in the ruling class wars, or the permanent destruction of the homes and livelihoods of those that survive. Military spending also means that 26 percent of the worlds population is forced to live in poverty; it means that 250 million children have no access to education; it means that preventable disease is responsible for 74 percent of all premature deaths. The money to alleviate or even completely solve these problems is there for the taking. But it will have to be taken, because the imperialists have proven themselves unable and unwilling to use the worlds immense resources for what is needed. Instead, our enlightened rulers are intent on further escalations, greater sums wasted on military spending and one inter-imperialist conflict after another. The masses can trust no one but themselves to end this. We must seize imperialisms tools of death and destruction from their grasp. With the enormous wealth that they turn to purposes of destruction, we could create a life worth living for all of humanity. We already have everything we need to unleash civilisations immense potential, but as long as capitalism continues to exist, the imperialists will relentlessly continue to push mankind down the path to barbarism. BUNCOMBE COUNTY, N.C. (WSPA) A woman is facing multiple charges after stealing from residents of a retirement community, according to the Buncombe County Sheriffs Office. On December 12, 2024, Detectives began investigating the area after complaints from residents regarding alleged burglary from their homes at Appalachian Boulevard in Arden. The suspect was identified as 23-year-old Dayna Finnigan. Finnigan was allegedly employed by a third party while working at the community. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Detectives said that Finnigan reportedly stole more than 100 pieces of jewelry, totaling at approximately $100,000, and sold them at a pawn shop. Finnigan was arrested on January 7 and was charged with obtaining property under false pretense, exploitation of an elder, and felony larceny. Finnegan is currently awaiting bond at the Buncombe 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 WSPA 7NEWS. AVON, Conn. (WTNH) A 73-year-old woman was found dead inside an apartment after a fire broke out Wednesday afternoon in Avon, according to police. The Avon Police Department says they received a general fire alarm activation at 3:45 p.m. from an apartment building on Avonwood Road. When officers arrived, smoke was seen coming from a unit on the first floor. They entered the apartment building and assisted in evacuating residents from the building. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hartford police: 12-year-old boy shot after snowball hit car The Avon Volunteer Fire Department responded and put the fire out. According to police, Mary Jenson was found dead where officials believe the fire might have started. The cause of the fire remains under investigation by the state police fire and explosives unit and the Avon fire marshalls office. Most residents have been allowed back into their apartment units, though some will be displaced for several hours. The management company is working to find accommodations for those residents. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. [Watch in the player above: The difference between homicide, murder and manslaughter] AKRON, Ohio (WJW) A 24-year-old woman found guilty of murder by a Summit County jury has been sentenced to life in prison. According to a press release from the officer of Summit County Prosecutor Elliot Kolkovich, Gladys Ingersoll was sentenced to life in prison for the 2022 murder of Chyna Shepard inside the womens bathroom of the Oasis Surf and Turf bar in Akron. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ohio Attorney General announces bid for governor According to a previous press release from Kolkovich, Ingersoll started a fight with 21-year-old Chyna Shepard before following her to the bathroom. Gladys Ingersoll shot and killed Chyna Shepard at point-blank range, and I am grateful for the jurys decision to hold Ingersoll accountable, Kolkovich is quoted in the release. Ingersoll then fled the scene and police officers later chased her on foot. Witness testimony and ballistics evidence connected Ingersoll to the crimes. Couple wins $1M on locally sold scratch-off ticket I continue to offer my sympathies to Chyna Shepards family, and I hope this sentence brings them some peace as they continue to grapple with the loss of their loved one, Kolkovich said in the Thursday press release. Gun violence hurts our entire community, and I want to thank the Akron Police Department and my assistant prosecutors for working to hold this offender accountable. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ingersoll will be eligible for parole consideration after serving 21 years. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Fox 8 Cleveland WJW. Ginger Faith jumped right in when she discovered her friend Nitti Kaur lost her Altadena home in the California wildfires, rallying her San Francisco Bay Area communities to donate goods That response resulted in an overwhelming amount of donations, which led the Livermore real estate broker to search for donation sites Now, Faith and Kaur have started a Facebook group matching donors with specific families in need Ginger Faith was ready to hop in her car from her home near San Francisco for a pre-planned visit to her friend in Altadena when she heard about the raging wildfires swooping towards Nitti Kaurs neighborhood. I said that doesnt sound good, so I called my friend, Faith tells PEOPLE, adding that she quickly learned her friend had lost her home. Obviously you don't know what to do. You don't even know what to say," she says. But true to her name, the Livermore real estate broker took a leap of faith, rounded up donations to help both her friend and others devastated by the wildfires then prepared to leave for Los Angeles as soon as possible. However, finding a place that could accept everything was difficult and it wasn't long before she decided to take another approach entirely: getting involved with LA Fires Adopt a Family. Courtesy of Ginger Faith Some of the donations from the Livermore-Pleasanton communities for fire victims Some of the donations from the Livermore-Pleasanton communities for fire victims Faith says she learned a lot after whipping up support to help Kaur after she saw the text Kaur sent from her backyard showing the fire's approach. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Kaur's partner, Mac Perry, who turns 50 this month, was born and raised in their Pasadena home and not only was he used to wildfires, but he felt safe in the knowledge that none had ever come close enough to damage the house. Being in California, especially SoCal, we are prone to fires, Kaur says. We never thought it could go this crazy wild. Never think it won't happen to you." As the fire approached, they hosed down their home, shut off gas lines and asked neighbors to do the same. Then, with the fire continuing to creep nearer, they drove to Harbor Freight to get a fire hose and a pump to get water from their pool to put on the fire. By the time they returned, they were about 30 minutes too late to save their home. Related: Fire Captain and Wife Detail Battle to Save Their Own Home from the L.A. Fires: 'Memories Are All We Have Left' Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The home had been in her husband's family for 65 years, and Kaur could do nothing but helplessly watch as each room burned to the ground while fire engines raced past. I was trying to flag them down, begging them to save my home, but they just kept going, Kaur says. They ended up losing everything inside. Luckily, the couple had a vacant rental home they could move into, but had no furniture, household goods or clothing. Faith said she could take care of the furniture, and went on the local Livermore and Pleasanton social media community sites asking for donations. She also contacted a friend who did home staging. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement What happened very quickly was there was an overwhelming response from everybody with their hearts open, Faith says. Courtesy of Ginger Faith Santa Anita Racetrack distribution center Santa Anita Racetrack distribution center The local U-Haul donated trucks and the owner of the True Value Hardware store in downtown Pleasanton allowed people to drop off donations. It was at that drop-off site Faith spoke to a woman who told her why it meant so much for her to donate to the fire victims. She came with dog and cat food, telling Faith that when she was younger she was asleep in her home when it caught fire. Her cat woke her up, allowing her and her kitty to escape with their lives. Her cat saved her life, Faith says. She said I want to donate animal supplies in honor of the animals that hopefully have survived. That was such a sweet story. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Related: She Lost Everything in L.A. Fires. Reality Sank in as She Shopped for New Clothes: 'I Broke Down Hysterical' (Exclusive) Faith brought the donations to her home in Livermore the weekend after the fires started and gathered a group of volunteers to start loading the two 26-ft. trucks. And while she was gathering and loading, she got calls from people asking her if she really wanted to take all the donations down to Los Angeles because of reports that the distribution centers were overwhelmed with donations. I was a little nervous but I thought well figure something out," she says. "I dont know what it is at the moment, but Im not going to stop just because I dont know all the answers. 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. Faith's crew including Jay Warren, his son Jay Jay, Samy Rahmen and Michael Bates arrived in Altadena on Jan. 13, and Kaur took what she needed. But there was still a mountain of donated goods left over. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement So the next day I started making a lot of phone calls to churches, local Rotary, Rotary District. Nothing was jiving right away, but you keep going, keep going, Faith says. And this woman, Cheryl Hunter, who's a friend, found out the Santa Anita Racetrack was still accepting donations. So Faith and her crew drove to Santa Anita and discovered an extremely organized operation with areas marked for water, pet supplies, first aid, furniture, toys, and, everything you could name that people would need, from books to a prayer tent. About 20 volunteers showed up at our truck and started unloading, Faith says, adding that they told her they could take everything except clothing because they had too much of it. Related: Palisades Familys Side-by-Side Homes Destroyed by L.A. Fires: 'It's Devastating' (Exclusive) Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The organizer eventually relented and took even the large clothing donation so they could go back home with empty trucks. It was an unbelievable blessing, Faith says. But one she says shes not eager to repeat. After her adventure, Faith and Kaur are opting for a more targeted relief plan with a new Facebook page LA Fires Adopt a Family. They are also being helped by Eric Lofholm, who initiated an Adopt a Family method to distribute goods after the historic Paradise, Calif., fire through matching donors and families in need. Faith says her new Facebook group is a perfect transition for what we did to marshal the resources of our community and give people an outlet so they were able to contribute in a meaningful way. As for Kaur, she knows shes in for a long difficult journey to recovery. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement My heart is overflowing with emotions. There are very dark and sad emotions of losing everything, but there's also a lot of hope, she says. We're called City of Angels. There are so many angels around us. I have no words to express my gratitude. Click here to learn more about how to help the victims of the L.A. fires. Read the original article on People (NewsNation) A woman who committed arson with a bag of Takis tortilla chips has been sentenced to 12 years in prison. Patricia Faye Williams initially pleaded not guilty to first-degree arson in 2023, but in a Tuesday court appearance, changed her plea to guilty. The 43-year-old Missouri woman set fire to a home in Greene County, Missouri, using an unusual method. A statement from the fire marshal said a woman called 911 to report Williams had set fire to a home. A police officer was sent to investigate and found three people, including one in a wheelchair, waiting outside. One of the witnesses accused Williams of setting the fire. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Fire chief shot, killed after stopping to help driver who struck a deer in Alabama When she was detained, officers noted soot on Williams face and said she was complaining of smoke inhalation. She was taken to a hospital for treatment and was arrested after police found she already had several warrants. The witnesses reported seeing Williams pour gasoline from a soda bottle onto clothes and the floor in the laundry room and igniting a bag of Taki tortilla chips on fire, tossing it into the room. Officials conducted a field test to see if Taki chips would burn and found they could. Williams stated she used Taki chips because she knew the grease content would help them burn. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement No one was harmed in the fire, and its not clear what relationship Williams had to 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 NewsNation. ST. LOUIS COUNTY, Mo. A co-conspirator accused of setting up the target of a high-dollar theft at a Clayton hotel last summer has been charged. According to the Clayton Police Departments probable cause statement, the theft took place on Aug. 11, 2024, at Ritz-Carlton in the Carondelet Plaza. Police said the victim reported his hotel room had been ransacked and that $315,000 in cash had been stolen from his suitcase. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The victim told investigators he met Reanna Gallamore for dinner at the hotel before they went to a casino. The victim gave Gallamore a key to his hotel room. Mike Matheny reflects on near-death experience and new life mission During dinner, Gallamore complained of being sick multiple times and left the table. Gallamore eventually returned and they went to the casino. Once at the casino, the victim told police she left for the evening. After the victim and Gallamore left for the casino, police said Kristian J. Sanders entered the Ritz-Carlton and made his way to the victims room. Sanders used the key given to Gallamore to access the victims room. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Police reviewed hotel surveillance video and other information and determined Sanders concealed the stolen cash in a red backpack with white stars on it. Sometime after the theft, Gallamore involved had purchased a 2022 Chevrolet Trailblazer and used $13,000 in cash for the down payment, police said. Investigators also discovered that Sanders bought a Dodge Charger for $24,000 and paid in cash. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Breaking News Police learned Sanders and Gallamore were in a relationship and shared a residence in Marion, Illinois. Law enforcement went to the residence and located more than $95,000 in cash, along with receipts for clothing, electronics, jewelry, and other items. These purchases were all made after the theft. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to police, Gallamore admitted giving the hotel room key to Sanders and also confessed to using the stolen cash to buy multiple items and make the down payment on the Trailblazer. The St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorneys Office charged Gallamore with stealing $25,000 or more. Sanders was charged earlier this month. A judge issued Gallamore a criminal summons to appear in court on Feb. 25, the same day as Sanders. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) A woman who authorities said was in distress and stranded in a snowy wooded area off the freeway in Linn County was rescued on Wednesday. The Oregon State Police in partnership with the Linn County Sheriffs Office pulled off the rescue, officials said. Man dies after driving into Tigard home It began when an Oregon State Police Fish and Wildlife Trooper noticed an unoccupied car on the shoulder of Highway 20 near milepost 68 and quickly determined the person associated with the vehicle was lost and in distress. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The 30-year-old female had left her vehicle for unknown reasons and walked up a nearby U.S. Forest Service road, the Oregon State Police and Linn County Sheriffs Office said in a joint press release. Oregon State Police and the Linn County Sheriffs Office rescued a woman stranded in the snow in a wooded area. January 22, 2025 (courtesy Oregon State Police). Oregon State Police and the Linn County Sheriffs Office rescued a woman stranded in the snow in a wooded area. January 22, 2025 (courtesy Oregon State Police). The woman was located about a mile from the car by an OSP K-9 Scout which had been searching alongside Linn County Search and Rescue. Troopers stayed with her, built a fire, gave her food, and covered her in emergency blankets until transportation could be arranged to bring her back to the highway via a snowcat off-road vehicle. After that, the woman was transported by the Sweet Home Fire Department to a local hospital for medical evaluation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement PPS outlines potential cuts for $40M budget gap During the rescue, the sheriffs office received two more calls from drivers stranded in the snow on forested roads. Linn County Sheriff Michelle Duncan highlighted the importance of emergency preparedness during travel or recreation during rapidly changing winter conditions. Always let a friend or family member know your destination and carry a cell phone or rescue beacon. Its always a good idea to keep your car winter ready with safety items such as extra blankets or warm clothing, extra food and water, a first aid kit, and other survival items, Duncan said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Winter weather can be unpredictable and conditions can change quickly. This rescue was a great team effort and we are grateful this individual was quickly located and transported to safety, added OSP Captain Kyle Kennedy. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. TYLER, Texas (KETK) Womens Fund of Smith County (WFSC) awarded four grants to local nonprofits on Tuesday. During their 2025 grants announcement event held at Willow Brook Country Club, four grants totaling $278,334 were awarded to four local nonprofits: Tyler Gives raises nearly $290,000 for local nonprofits ETCC was awarded a grant of $79,640 to help establish their first transitional housing program for survivors of domestic violence in Smith County. The Transitional Housing Program (THP) includes rental assistance and services to support women and children fleeing domestic violence. THP will give access to affordable housing and the needed services required to rebuild lives and sustain a violence free future. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement East Texas Crisis Center says its mission is to provide safety, shelter and education to victims of family violence, sexual assault, dating violence and other violent crimes. Their goal is to restore dignity and purpose in their lives while promoting public compassion and awareness to reduce violence in the community. The nonprofit was awarded a grant of $68,640 to provide funding to enable Hope Haven to expand its child placing agency and improve office space so that the agency can better care for foster and adoptive families. Hope Haven says they will use these funds to create a multi-purpose meeting and training space to license families, and a dedicated room to provide counseling services. Hope Haven of East Texas demonstrates Christs love to forgotten children and teens in the foster care system by providing home, healing and hope because every child deserves to be safe and equipped for the future, Hope Haven said. Mosaic was awarded a grant of $100,000 to expand its youth and family services to meet the growing demand for child mental health care in Smith County. Mosaic says the funding will be used to hire a full-time licensed provider to serve more youth and family clients, enable contracts with new insurance providers, add a staff member to the client services team to support new clients, manage billing and provide resources for dedicated therapy spaces. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Mosaic Counseling Centers of East Texas exist to build a healthier community by uniting mind, body and spirit through counseling, connection and community, honoring individual beliefs and practices, Mosaic said. This nonprofit was awarded a grant of $30,000 to help the agency expand its 24/7 crisis response and case management services for commercially sexually exploited youth of Smith County. Unbound Now says they work to end human trafficking in every community and aim to fight for the protection of the vulnerable, identify the exploited and advocate for survivors on their path to restoration. About Womens Fund of Smith County: WFSC was created in 2007 as collective giving circle where they have awarded $3,572,468 to over 30 Smith County nonprofits. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As members of the Womens Fund, we are committed to working together in order to transform our community by supporting programs that enrich the lives of women and children in Smith County, President of the WFSC Zoe Lawhorn said. During our annual Grant Awards Announcement event, we celebrate the heart of our mission and the power of a simple idea that together, our individual gifts can make a big, collective impact. WFSC says that membership is open to any woman with a giving heart. For more information, individuals can visit 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 KETK.com | FOX51.com. Ed Miliband has refused to resign if the Government publicly backs a third runway at Heathrow, just days after he said the rise of net zero was unstoppable. The Energy Secretary, who has previously argued that environmental principles must be backed up with actions, said the idea of him quitting the Cabinet over the expansion of Europes busiest airport was ridiculous. Mr Miliband moved to clarify his position amid speculation that the Chancellor will formalise the Governments backing for a new runway in a speech next week, at which she is also expected to endorse applications for expanding Gatwick and Luton. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He said: The whole of the Government is focused, and Im focused, on delivering our clean energy mission as part of what we need to do as a country, as part of the Prime Ministers mission and as part of meeting our economic growth mission our number one priority. His comments sparked an immediate backlash from green campaigners, who accused him of hypocrisy. Mr Miliband opposed a new runway in a Commons vote in 2018, when he said: We owe it to future generations not just to have good environmental principles but to act on them. That is why I will be voting against the third runway at Heathrow. Foolish but not surprising Paul Beckford, from campaign group Hacan, which has opposed Heathrows expansion since the 1970s, said: You could accuse him of hypocrisy here. I understand why he doesnt want to resign, but given the opportunity to say its a bad idea youd like to think that hed do so. Its disappointing. We know that they have this collective position on growth but hes trying to have his cake and eat it. Gail Bradbrook, a founder of Extinction Rebellion, said: For Ed Miliband to back growth and the political ideology of the government over the environment is extremely foolish, but not really surprising. In contrast to Mr Miliband, Sir Sadiq Khan, Londons Mayor, hit back at Rachel Reeves over the importance of reaching net zero warning that a third runway at Heathrow was incompatible with carbon-reduction goals. Sir Sadiq Khan is poised to lead a Labour rebellion against Rachel Reeves over her backing for a third runway at Heathrow Airport - Hollie Adams/Reuters Sir Sadiq told the London Assembly: Im quite clear. My views on the expansion of Heathrow by a new runway havent changed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement What Londoners know and the Government knows is that the aviation sector is important for growth, jobs and prosperity, but we face a climate crisis and a climate emergency. The Mayor of London said he would consider the merits of the situation if the airport expansions go ahead. However, he cited the Climate Change Committee (CCC) as indicating that the only time expansion of aviation should be considered is if it abides with our climate change commitments. The CCC has said no expansion should be permitted until the establishment of a mechanism for assessing aircraft emissions and limiting flights if required. Even then, it should only be allowed if aviation is cutting emissions fast enough for more flights to be accommodated. Sir Sadiq said: The three big concerns that would need to be addressed if, in the hypothetical case, the speculation was to become a reality, are could a new runway be built that abides with carbon targets; concerns around noise pollution; and concerns around air pollution. Reeves: Growth is my number one mission It comes after Ms Reeves told delegates at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, that carbon emissions had too often been used as an excuse not to invest and that Britains insane planning system had weighed on infrastructure spending to the extent that it was now holding back the economy. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement She said: Growth is the number one mission of this government, because growth underpins everything else, whether that is improving our schools and our hospitals or indeed being able to get to net zero. Ms Reeves said the Government was committed in statute to getting to net zero by 2050, but added there were lots of things that contribute to carbon emissions. The aviation industry plans for reaching net zero emissions are currently based almost entirely around substituting jet fuel for so-called sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) derived from waste oils, animal fats and ethanol from corn. SAF volumes remain tiny, however, and would need to be scaled up 80 or 100 times even to reach 10pc SAF by 2030, in line with Government targets. A mechanism to stabilise prices wont be introduced in the UK until 2026, delaying significant production. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Seven Cabinet members including Sir Keir Starmer, Mr Miliband and Steve Reed, the Environment Secretary, opposed Heathrows runway plans in the last Commons vote in 2018. However, Ms Reeves stressed that there would be collective Cabinet agreement on any decision, with the Prime Minister having the ultimate sign-off. Sir Sadiq declined to say if he would pursue a judicial review in order to block a runway. He said: Heathrow havent published any plans for a new runway, theres been no review of the airport national policy statement, theres no national framework and the government has made no announcement. 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. CHICAGO A worker at the Barack Obama Presidential Center was rescued Wednesday after falling several stories down a ventilation duct, a fire department source told WGN. It was not immediately clear what the worker was doing or from where he fell, but the source said the man fell down a shaft that was angled back-and-forth in a zig-zag pattern, aiding his fall. The worker was conscious and alert when he was rescued from the duct about 45 minutes after falling. He was taken to University of Chicago Medical Center. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We are aware of an incident on site this afternoon, and will share more information as it becomes available, a spokesperson with Lakeside Alliance, the centers builder, said in a statement to WGN. The Barack Obama Presidential Center is located at 6001 S. Stony Island Avenue. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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 worlds largest and oldest iceberg is on a collision course with a British island in the South Atlantic, raising fears that colonies of penguins and seals could be wiped out. The mega-iceberg, known as A23a, is twice the size of Greater London and broke off the Filchner Ice Shelf in Antarctica in 1986 before running aground for 30 years. It became dislodged from the seafloor in 2020 and began drifting northwards until it was trapped in a swirling ocean vortex last year and then sling-shotted in the direction of the island of South Georgia in January. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It is now just 173 miles (280km) away from the British overseas territory and is expected to make contact in two to four weeks, depending on the currents. Icebergs are inherently dangerous. I would be extraordinarily happy if it just completely missed us, sea captain Simon Wallace told the BBC, speaking from the South Georgia government vessel Pharos. We have searchlights on all night to try to see ice, it can come from nowhere. In the past, penguin chicks and seal pups on South Georgia have died after giant icebergs blocked access to their feeding grounds. A23as vast cliffs tower higher than Londons Shard at 1,312ft and cover 3,500 sq km, roughly the size of Cornwall, though the warmer northern waters are melting the iceberg and could break it up. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Should it disintegrate, the segments could float around South Georgia uncontrollably for years, putting the territorys king penguins as well as elephant and fur seals in danger. In 2004, an iceberg called A38 grounded on the continental shelf to the north-east of South Georgia, devastating the penguin and seal populations by preventing them from using their foraging routes. South Georgia sits in iceberg alley so impacts are to be expected for both fisheries and wildlife, and both have a great capacity to adapt, Mark Belchier, a marine ecologist who advises the South Georgia government, told the BBC. A team with the British Antarctic Survey aboard the Sir David Attenborough research vessel investigated A23a in 2023, sailing into a crack and collecting water samples. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Dr Andrew Meijers, chief scientist on the vessel, said: It is amazing to see this huge berg in person it stretches as far as the eye can see. The island of South Georgia is home to king penguin colonies and millions of fur and elephant seals - LPhot Lee Blease/Cover Images Laura Taylor, a biogeochemist who also took part in the mission, said in December 2024: We know that these giant icebergs can provide nutrients to the waters they pass through, creating thriving ecosystems in otherwise less-productive areas. She added: We took samples of ocean surface waters behind, immediately adjacent to and ahead of the icebergs route. They should help us determine what life could form around A23a. South Georgia has been under UK administration since 1908. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In March 1982, Argentine labourers occupied the island, taking 22 Royal Marines prisoner as well as British Antarctic Survey personnel, working at a scientific station. The move was a precursor to Argentine forces invading the British overseas territory of the Falklands Islands on April 2, 1982 and South Georgia the following day, sparking a 74-day 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. This past Monday, the world marked two noteworthy beginnings: the second inauguration of U.S. President Donald Trump and the start of the 55th Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. The new Trump administration was bound to be a hot topic of discussion among the nearly 3,000 elites from business, politics, and civil society attending this years Davos. Everything from Trumps impending tariffs to his desire to pull the United States out of NATO to his aspiration to annex Greenland will be on the agenda, but probably not as much as the unique threat that Trump poses to the global democratic order. If, over the course of their many lectures and panel discussions, the Davos attendees need an answer as to the best path forward to protect democracies from Trump and other leaders with authoritarian leanings, here it is, and its pretty simple: tax wealthy people like me. Billionaires president Former President Barack Obama once described Trump as a symptom, not the cause of Americas political divisiveness and social unrest. So what, you may ask, is the cause? Its certainly complex, but theres no question that a major driver is the toxic brew of rising precariousness for the majority and the growing concentration of wealth and power in the hands of a tiny slice of ultra-wealthy people. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement By my own calculations, at the end of 2024, America had 813 billionaires worth a combined $6.7 trillion. To put this into perspective, this is more than the GDP of any country outside of the U.S. and China. In the 2024 presidential election, billionaires were eager to spend their fortunes to propel their preferred candidate to office, which, judging by the numbers, was Donald Trump for most. According to a Financial Times analysis, 144 billionaires donated $695 million in the presidential contest. They comprised 6% of the funds raised by former Vice President Kamala Harris and an eye-popping third of the funds raised by President Trump. Billionaires continued their largesse to Trump after the election by giving in record-breaking numbers to his transition effort and inauguration. Billionaires made no secret that they funded Trumps second ticket to the White House to protect and expand their financial interests, whether through tariffs, deregulation, or individual or corporate tax cuts. And while they will likely get their way with Republicans having control of the White House and Congress, it may come at a hefty price: the demise of whats left of American democracy. Trump hasnt been shy about his intentions to fire civil servants and replace them with loyalists, encourage the Justice Department to go after his political enemies, and target and sue journalists he dislikesand Republicans wont get in his way of doing so. The ultra-wealthy pose a threat to other facets of our lives besides our democratic institutions. With their extravagant, jet-setting lifestyles, they are disproportionately responsible for fanning the flames of climate change, which contributed to the disaster in Los Angeles. They control what we read, see, and think by owning and purchasing traditional media outlets, social media platforms, and think tanks and academic institutions. And some even manage to single-handedly change the course of history in one fell swoop, as Elon Musk did in September 2022 when he deliberately deactivated his Starlink satellite internet service near the coast of Crimea to thwart a Ukrainian drone attack on a Russian naval fleet. If extreme wealth is left unchecked, these sorts of problems will only worsen as billionaires age and pass on wealth to future generations. Billionaires around the world are expected to transfer $6.3 trillion over the next 15 years, according to UBS. In the U.S. specifically, over the next 25 years, the top 1.5% of households are poised to inherit no less than $30 trillion. In fact, the Great Wealth Transfer is already here, as 36% of billionaire wealth is now inherited, according to Oxfam. Extreme-wealth threat As the great-grandson of meatpacker Oscar Mayer, I have had a front row seat observing wealthy families like mine preoccupy themselves with utilizing every avenue to preserve and grow their fortunes over generationsas opposed to using their unique positions of privilege to do good and bring about lasting and equitable change for the whole of society. If something isnt done to stop them, I genuinely fear that the U.S. will begin to look more like an hereditary aristocracy than a democratic republic, with a lot more Donald Trumpsthe poster child of the dangers of inherited wealth, if there ever was onethan we have now. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This is what inspired me to join over 370 of my wealthy peers in signing an open letter calling on the world leaders at Davos to find the political will to tax people like us. As we said in the letter, We do not want or need any more access or power. Instead, we want those we elect to build a better future with just democracies, strong economies that serve everyone, a flourishing planet, and societies where we all can thrive. We have to draw the line and call time on extreme wealth. And you have to deliver that for all of us. The letter comes on the heels of the publication of a poll of over 2,900 millionaires in G20 countries that assessed their attitudes towards extreme wealth. Incredibly, among other things, the poll found that over half of G20 millionaires think extreme wealth is a threat to democracy; over 70% believe the super rich buy political influence and disproportionately influence public opinion through control of media and social media; and nearly two-thirds think that the influence of the super rich on the Trump presidency is a threat to global stability. Lastly, nearly 70% agree with me and my fellow letter signers that raising taxes on the super rich is the answer to reducing inequality. I want to do my part as a wealthy person to help pull our planet and democratic society as we know it from the brink of total collapse. That part must, by definition, involve paying more taxes. I implore the world leaders at Davos to honor my request and the request of hundreds of millionaires and billionaires from around the world before its too late. Chuck Collins is a founding board member of Patriotic Millionaires and a researcher at the Institute for Policy Studies, where he co-edits www.inequality.org. He is the author of multiple books including Born on Third Base, and, with Bill Gates Sr., Wealth and Our Commonwealth. His forthcoming book is Burned by Billionaires: How Concentrated Wealth and Power are Ruining Our Lives and Planet. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 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. Read more: This story was originally featured on Fortune.com When Elon Musk makes a claim, it's often wise to mentally add a little note on the end: citation needed. After volunteer editors updated Musk's Wikipedia page to reflect his alleged Nazi salute at Trump's inauguration, the worlds richest person demanded an immediate boycott of the non-profit foundation. Musk has been skirmishing with Wikipedia for awhile in October 2024 he offered a $1 billion donation to change the site's name to "Dickipedia" but this latest attack fits into a long and worrying pattern of Musk trying to control what people see and hear about him and his businesses. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He is the worlds leading free speech hypocrite, Seth Stern, director of advocacy at the Freedom of the Press Foundation, tells The Independent. And his actions with respect to Wikipedia are further evidence of that. Musk tolerates free speech as long as he likes the viewpoint or agrees with the political perspective, notes Stern. Defund Wikipedia until balance is restored! https://t.co/CIszNP5Pvc Elon Musk (@elonmusk) January 21, 2025 "When that's the case, he is highly tolerant of inaccuracy, misinformation, criticism, even hate, he says. But when the subject of the speech is himself, or his agenda, his objectives, and his companies, it's quite the opposite. And Musk responds viscerally. "Any misstatement, any detail that he doesn't find to be entirely precise sometimes details that that are entirely precise, but that he would prefer not be expressed is the basis for a lawsuit, an account removal [on X], or another form of censorship, Stern says. Feuding with his critics In 2016, Musk's electric car company Tesla took an unusual step in corporate PR: singling out a critical journalist by name and accusing him of "fabricating" a story. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This soon become a common pattern for journalists covering Tesla. Someone would write something that Musk didn't like. Musk would blast them publicly, and then his faithful would swarm them. A Tesla Cybertruck is parked outside of a dealership on November 14, 2024 in Austin, Texas (Getty Images) Inside the company, Tesla employees were allegedly fired for reporting racist harassment, raising safety concerns, reviewing company products in their personal time, and disagreeing with Musk. At one point Musk reportedly even called up a venture capitalist who had written a critical blog about Tesla and personally cancelled his pre-order for a new car. In China, the company has reportedly asked the government to use its censorship powers to block critical social media posts, as well as filing or threatening defamation lawsuits against citizens and online influencers who raised safety concerns. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Yet it was Musk's $44 billion buyout of Twitter, later renamed X, that really set off a spree of speech suppression. "I hope that even my worst critics remain on Twitter, because that is what free speech means," declared Musk in April 2022. Wokipedia has a possibly terminal case of the woke mind virus. Reddit too. https://t.co/yjfzE6lEyw Elon Musk (@elonmusk) October 26, 2024 Within weeks of his takeover, around two dozen Twitter employees were reportedly fired for criticizing Musk. Since then, X has briefly or permanenently suspended the accounts of journalists, activists, public records database administrators, and a student who tracked his private jet based on publicly available flight records. X has also frequently blocked or restricted links to stories about Musk's companies and also to rival services such as Substack and Mastodon. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Musk, Tesla, and X have been asked for comment for this article but did not respond before deadline. 'He made an example of us' Musk soon began a series of legal attacks against non-profit groups who had provoked his ire. First, in July 2023, his company sued the Center for Countering Digital Hate (CCDH), which had published reports claiming that hate speech was rising on X, which the platform disputed. Then it filed a "thermonuclear" lawsuit against Media Matters for America (MMfA), a left-wing campaign group that had caught the social network showing corporate advertisements alongside antisemitic posts. In 2024, X also sued a little-known non-profit called the Global Alliance for Responsible Media (GARM), which had been set up by the advertising industry to help companies avoid their ads being seen next to illegal or harmful content. Within days, the group forced to shut down. Hate speech on Twitter is rising under Elon Musks ownership, online safety campaigners have said, despite the billionaires claims that it has been declining (PA Wire) Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement To CCDH's CEO Imran Khan, these suits betrayed "a toddler-like conception of free speech" on the part of the mercurial multi-centi-billionaire. "Musk sees accountability as a hostile act," Ahmed tells The Independent. "There's no such thing as a critical friend to Elon Musk. The CCDH lawsuit was ultimately thrown out by a California court in March 2024. Ahmed says the lawsuit did not intimidate CCDH, and actually helped it attract more donors, which helped it recoup the nearly $1 million spent in legal fees. Others have not been so fortunate. MMfA was sued not in California but in conservative north Texas. Republican politicians followed up by launching state investigations of MMfA, with some even claiming it should be probed for "criminal" acts or that its staff should be imprisoned. Im ready to serve. And Im adding @MMFAs @ehananoki to my 6 lists. He can share a cell with @MattGertz. (Dont worry. Well put them in the womens cell block. So they dont get beat up as often.) https://t.co/WAZ5t4KqJr pic.twitter.com/TBz3qPR9M8 Mike Davis (@mrddmia) November 10, 2023 In a post on Bluesky this week, MMfA's director Angelo Carusone suggested that the saga had deterred other non-profits from criticizing Musk's salute. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "He has made an example of Media Matters. Were still standing, but oof," Carusone said. "The word got out. People see and theyre afraid. No excuse. But his strategy of making an example of us to chill speech critical of him worked." According to Stern, such lawsuits by a man with neverending funds are intended to "bleed his opponents dry", and their purpose is "not to win but to harass and discourage." "You can't have free speech if speakers who exercise that right are subject to enormously expensive litigation," Stern says. 'Authoritarians go after truth' Today Musk is a government official in waiting, with the ear of the president. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Donald Trump himself has his own history of suing and threatening media outlets over critical stories sometimes even calling for them to be shut down. Some of his allies have also suggested criminal prosecution. Then president-elect Donald Trump and Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk watch a fight together at Madison Square Garden on November 16, 2024 (AFP via Getty Images) Ahmed believes that Musk's government position will make it more difficult, not less, to go after his critics, because the First Amendment forbids the government from interfering with free speech. Yet Stern fears he may find ways nevertheless. Its difficult to predict how Musk might wield that power, he says. I dont want to speculate, because I dont want to give the guy any ideas. But its fair to say hes got various weapons in his arsenal. I think Elon is unhappy that Wikipedia is not for sale. I hope his campaign to defund us results in lots of donations from people who care about the truth. If Elon wanted to help, he'd be encouraging kind and thoughtful intellectual people he agrees with to engage. https://t.co/qZ8TJ08V3L Jimmy Wales (@jimmy_wales) January 21, 2025 For others, there may be something broader at stake. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Wikipedia has plenty of problems: as a crowd-sourced encyclopedia it is subject to vandalism, activist campaigns, scheming or warring editors, and inaccuracy. Some recent research suggests it has a left-wing bias when covering U.S. politics. Nevertheless, compared to big social networks such as Facebook, it proved resilient against Covid-19 misinformation and tends to score respectably in studies of its accuracy. As it is run by its users and maintained by a non-profit, an individual billionaire would struggle to swoop in and take control although they could try. "Wikipedia has been one of the very last corners of the internet that has a commitment to fact-checking and truth," says Nora Benavidez, director of digital justice and civil rights at the non-profit Free Press. "I worry that a Musk acquisition could derail that." Indeed, Benavidez thinks that may be the point. She sees Musk as part of a "rapid and consolidating broligarchy" that has fallen into place around Trump the wealthy tech barons who sat in the front row at his inauguration, and who between them already control X, Facebook, Instagram, Google, YouTube, Amazon, Amazon Prime Video, and the Washington Post. "One of the earliest red flags of authoritarianism is going after truth, going after reality, making it hard for people to identify what's real or fact-based," says Benavidez. "And that's what we're seeing play out here in real time." AUSTIN (KXAN) Transgender Texans tell KXAN they are shocked but not surprised by President Donald Trumps executive order that declared the government will only recognize binary sexes as unchangeable characteristics decided at a persons conception. As of today, it will henceforth be the official policy of the United States government that there are only two genders: male and female, said Trump in his inaugural address. The order, titled Defending Women From Gender Ideology Extremism and Restoring Biological Truth to the Federal Government, doesnt immediately change federal law or policies, but does start the lengthy rule-making process for federal agencies. Whats in the order? The changes include the removal of non-binary gender markers on new passports and government-issued IDs; previously, Americans could submit a judges court order to have the field changed. The White House confirmed this week the order will not revert issued documents. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Those new rules, if adopted, will also prevent transgender women from being housed in womens prisons as well as using womens sexual assault shelters and womens restrooms. In 2018, NBC reported on UCLA research that found no link between trans-inclusive restroom policies and bathroom safety. However, a 2019 Harvard study found that restricting restrooms increases the risk of sexual assault against transgender children by 17.6-26.5%. A 2011 U.S. Bureau of Justice Statistics survey found that 16% of incarcerated trans women experienced sexual assault and harassment (compared to 3% of U.S. prisoners). According to the U.S. Sentencing Commission, more than 90% of sexual assault sentences in the country were handed down to men. Each agency must update the White House about their compliance within 120 days from Jan. 20. Mentions about LGBTQ+ Americans and issues have already been removed from federal websites, according to advocacy group GLAAD. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Lambda Legal chief legal officer Jennifer Pizer told KXAN Wednesday that the executive order is vague and will create legal problems. She also said that the nonprofit civil rights organization has already prepared to take the Trump administration to court over his policy proposals. Texas Supreme Court upholds law banning transition-related care for transgender minors The language in this gender orthodoxy executive order has not been used by the government, and flies in the face of federal statutes and Supreme Court precedent, she said. It would be an unprecedented type of aggressive use of federal power to try to mandate discrimination in contexts where there are existing non-discrimination protections in federal law and in the law of many, many states. Pizer said that shes not certain of what changes might come over the next four years, but said she can confidently predict a lot of litigation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The order also states that sex is defined at conception, giving the order Christian undertones shared by some anti-abortion laws, Pizer said. (d) Female means a person belonging, at conception, to the sex that produces the large reproductive cell. (e) Male means a person belonging, at conception, to the sex that produces the small reproductive cell. Trumps executive order Conception is a religious term. The biological term is fertilization, she said. The use of religious language in this context makes unmistakable the connection between this gender orthodoxy order and what weve seen for years from the religious right in efforts to curtail access to various types of reproductive health care. Transgender Texans speak out on Trump sex order KXAN reached out to transgender Texans for their thoughts on the order. Some have asked us to withhold their names due to concerns about their safety. A world without trans people has never existed and never will Landon Richie, Transgender Education Network of Texas policy coordinator Transgender Education Network of Texas policy coordinator Landon Richie said the organization has also prepared for the new administration. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Nothing was really a surprise, especially if youve been watching whats been happening across the country, but especially in Texas, he said. I know a lot of community members have been bracing for what eventually ended up being the executive order we saw on Monday. While the order doesnt immediately change the situation for transgender Americans, it did sow fear, Richie notes. That, he said, was the point. This worry and this fear is the intended immediate effect of of this order, right? he said. We know that implementation isnt going to happen overnight but the worry still stands, and now we know for sure where this administration is planning to go in regards to policy making and attacks on trans people across the country. Transgender and non-binary adults made up 1.6% of the U.S. population in 2022, according to the Pew Research Center. UCLAs Williams Institute also reported in 2022 that there were just over 100,000 transgender adults and children in Texas. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We have been in the crosshairs for years dominated the campaign platforms of the President, many state and other national candidates, even though our existence is such a small part of the population, not a concern for a majority of Americans, and certainly not an actionable, serious concern for anybody, Richie said. A large part of this is optics, of wanting to keep trans issues at the forefront of peoples mind, while not doing anything to improve peoples lives. But for a long-time trans organizer in Texas, this fight isnt new for Richie. Our ancestors, and our elders in this movement [we] still learn from, its not new for our community, he said. A world without trans people has never existed and never will, and that doesnt change with an executive order. While this is uncharted for a lot of us in this modern time, its not something that our community hasnt faced before, and not something that our community hasnt risen above and survived in the face of. I cant live in a place where I am not given the right to exist Sara, transgender woman in Austin While I wasnt surprised that the new President would do this, I was severely anxious, upset and scared, said Sara, a 41-year-old trans woman living in the Austin area. She started transitioning eight years ago. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement She said the potential changes to federal and state government ID has her worried about disruptions to her drivers license and passport, which would prevent her from traveling or driving for work. Ive lived in Texas almost the entirety of my life, she said. Im now having to consider leaving not only my home, but my whole country. I cant live in a place where I am not given the right to exist and my safety is put at risk. I feel some comfort in knowing the trans community will survive Transgender man in Austin Another Austin resident, a 24-year-old trans man, said hes annoyed and angered by powerful people who twist facts however they like. He started transitioning nine years ago. I feel some comfort in knowing we (the trans community) will survive, especially by turning to and relying on each other, he said. But I feel dread for the most vulnerable people of color, immigrants, severely disabled people, etc. We will all be hurt, but Im worried those groups will be displaced, deported or killed in disproportionate numbers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A 2024 study published in the journal PLoS One cited CDC data that Black Americans, American Indians and Hispanic people are far more likely to be homicide victims than white people. A 2021 study published in the American Journal of Public Health found that transgender people are four times as likely to be the victim of a violent crime. When empowered cis people arent being hurtful, Im genuinely surprised Transgender woman in Round Rock A 35-year-old trans woman from Dallas, now living in Round Rock, told KXAN she isnt surprised by the order. She came out to herself in 1994 and to her parents in 1997. Same old, same old. The U.S. government has hated us from the beginning, she said. Why stop now? No one tries to stop them. Anyone surprised by this is an idiot and enabling any loss of life to come from it. Her plan during the presidential term is the same as it has been for the last two. She said that shes only surprised when empowered cisgender people arent being hurtful and that she doesnt expect Democrats to stand up for her rights. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its always been hard for the transgender population to live peacefully, she said. Personally, I just always prepare for everything to be at my throat, since thats what the government has wanted since I was a young girl. I still have to go to work and pretend like everythings OK Non-binary Transgender Woman in Austin A non-binary trans woman (they/she) living in Austin told KXAN that she was expecting something like this to happen, but that shes struggling with the uncertainty. They are also carrying the weight of seeing their community struggle with the news. I still have to go to work and pretend like everythings OK, and still be there for people, she said. Now we have to do all that with this added constant threat of increased policing and not knowing how bad things are going to get. Its very difficult to exist under this kind of pressure. She said shes not optimistic about Democrats providing political opposition to protect transgender people. However, she warns that anti-transgender policies could affect cisgender Americans, too. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A lot of cis people are going to find themselves being accused of being trans, they said. Thats more likely to affect cis people of color, especially cis women of color, because of how femininity is attached to whiteness in this country their femininity is often stripped from them. I dont think cis people are prepared for it. Ultimately, their concerns speak to what Americans could lose if the government decides what is and isnt acceptable expression. If this gets ignored, if the government gets the ability to say how were allowed to dress, how were allowed to present? If we allow the government to to police gender expression, its going to affect everyone. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. ELK MOUND, Wis. (WFRV) A man from western Wisconsin was arrested for his 5th OWI after his preliminary breath test yielded a result four times the legal limit shortly after driving the wrong way on Highway 29. According to the Dunn County Sheriffs Office, deputies got a complaint of a wrong-way driver heading west in the eastbound lane on HWY 29 in Elk Mound around 7:30 p.m. on January 20. A deputy headed eastbound on HWY 29 from the I-94 52 interchange and spotted the driver going the wrong way just east of the State Highway 40 interchange. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Five in Wisconsin arrested stemming from shooting incident from February 2024 The driver, later identified as rural Elk Mound resident 56-year-old Mark R. Prieve, allegedly kept driving through the deputies lights and sirens. Authorities say Prieve continued before turning south on 850th Street, eventually pulling into a parking lot. Prieve reportedly refused Field Sobriety Exercises but submitted to a Preliminary Breath Test with a result of .329, four times the legal limit. Prieve was arrested for OWI 5th Offense and cited for Operating after Revocation, Fleeing an Officer, Driving Wrong Way on Divided Highway, and Failure to Have an Interlock Ignition Device Installed. Prieve was on probation from a previous Felony OWI. He is currently being held on a probation hold and a $25,000 cash bond. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement No additional information was 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. MORGANTOWN, W.Va. (WBOY) Looking to learn a new musical skill? The West Virginia School of Music is now accepting registrations for the Spring 2025 Community Music Program, allowing those interested to learn new instruments and improve their skills. This year, people will have several programs to choose from, including Childrens Choir, Youth Strings, Piano for Tiny Musicians, Piano for Fun for Adults, Jazz Style and Improvisation. Private lessons will be offered as well. The School of Music is also launching new ensembles this semester, including the Community Steel Drum Band, Community African Ensemble, Brass Ensemble, String Chamber Music Ensemble, and Community Percussion Ensemble, along with the Morgantown Community Band, a wind band ensemble. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Classes begin for Bridgeport Citizens Police Academy Andrew Simonette, Interim Coordinator and Professional Instructor for the WVU Community Music Program, is looking forward to working with participants. I believe that community engagement is vital to the mission of any higher education institution, Simonette said in a press release. I am a firm believer that our doors should be open to all because there is a wealth of knowledge within our college that should be shared. Everyone deserves the opportunity to seek education at any point in their life. Most of the offered programs begin the first week of February and prices vary depending on program. You can learn more and register 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 WBOY.com. WYOMING COUNTY, WV (WVNS) A Wyoming County man pleaded guilty to failure to register as a sex offender. According to a press release, on Wednesday, January 22, 2025, 28-year-old Sidney Paul Allen, of Pineville, pleaded guilty to failure to register as a sex offender. Man sentenced for felony drug crime in Fayette County This is a great example of the State Police working hand in hand with citizens to keep our county safe. The State Police have the statutory duty to ensure all sex offenders comply with the sex offender registration requirements, and I encourage all citizens to report violations of the Sex Offender Act, in particular, and all crimes, in general. Gregory Bishop | Wyoming County Prosecutor The press release stated that a member of the West Virginia State Police was informed by an anonymous person that Allen, who was a registered sex offender, could be violating the requirements of his sex offender registration. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement West Virginia sex trafficking fugitive arrested in Kentucky The member of the West Virginia State Police investigated and discovered that Allen stated he was moving to Virginia in August 2023 and reported his address to the state police, which is necessary due to the Sex Offender Act. According to the press release, it was discovered that Allen was in violation of the law due to living at an address in West Virginia as of March 2024. Allens sentencing is scheduled for March 2025, and the offense of failure to register as a sex offender is punishable by one 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 WVNS. UPDATE 1/24 12:42 P.M. WYTHE COUNTY, Va. (WFXR) The Wythe County Sheriff has released the identity of the woman shot to death during an incident that occurred on West Ridge Road on January 23. The sheriff said that 45-year-old Victoria Rose Howell was found at a home deceased with a gunshot wound around 1 a.m. on Thursday. 49-year-old Chad Nelson Hawks of Wytheville is currently being held at the New River Regional Jail in connection to the shooting. He is charged with Second-Degree Murder, Use of a Firearm in the Commission of a Felony, Reckless Handling of a Firearm, and Discharging a Firearm inside an Occupied Dwelling. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It is currently believed that Hawks and Howell were both residents of the home and in a romantic relationship with one another. Check back with WFXR News for more updates soon. WYTHE COUNTY, Va. (WFXR) The Wythe County Sheriffs Office has announced the arrest of a Wytheville man in connection to the shooting death of a woman that occurred on January 23. The sheriff said law enforcement with the WCSO, and the Wythe Police Department responded to a home on West Ridge Road around 1 a.m. on Thursday after reports of a shooting. At the scene, a woman was found dead with a gunshot wound. Police say it has new information on Richard Palmer cold case Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Through investigation, the sheriffs office has charged 49-year-old Chad Nelson Hawks of Wytheville with Second-Degree Murder, Use of a Firearm in the Commission of a Felony, Reckless Handling of a Firearm, and Discharging a Firearm inside an Occupied Dwelling. Hawks was taken into custody at the scene and is currently being held at the New River Regional Jail, according to the sheriff. The investigation is still ongoing; however, no further details are available at this time. The Wythe County Sheriffs Office would like to thank the Wytheville Police Department and the Virginia State Police for their 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 WFXRtv. The famed architect believes the homes shes designed for climate disaster areas can be realized without outside funding. I went to Pakistan to see what the reality of this "dreamworld" looks like. Bamboo homes in Pono are decorated with colorful paint made from local rocks. Yasmeen Lari reclines on the couch of her home office in Karachi and, after her assistant finagles with a television monitor, flips through a series of slides that propose a path to lift millions out of poverty without spending a penny. The onetime starchitect turned humanitarian and preservation worker announced in 2022 she was seeking funding to build a million bamboo homes for around $100 apiece, after Pakistan suffered its worst-ever floods. Last year, shes shifted her plan, deciding shed still aim for that, but with a new price tag to outside funders: $0. "I really believe that everyone wants to have a better life. But they dont see how they can achieve it," Lari says. "We put faith in them. We said, Look, youve got to do it yourself." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Lari, now 83, pivoted in the 2000s from designing hulking concrete landmarks for business magnates and oil companies to building low-cost, zero-carbon relief homes in disaster zones. She began using bamboo after stumbling upon it at a refugee camp in the northwestern Swat Valley and quickly discovered its remarkable resilience to earthquakes and floods. Since the 2022 floods, Lari and the Heritage Foundation of Pakistan, which she founded with her husband to preserve historic structures, have built 50,000 shelters in flood-affected communities. Now, she believes she can replace the need for outside funding by essentially designing a model for communities to do it themselves. If enough people gain the knowledge to build affordable, sustainable housing and infrastructure, while also creating financial opportunities through selling vegetables or terra-cotta tiles, she posits they can make a living teaching others to do the same. She has crafted a plan for villages to first achieve food security, then progress to access to clean water and education, flood-proof bamboo homes, and finally, a fully humming microeconomy. Ponos bamboo homes were built to withstand flooding and were unharmed by heavy rainfall in 2023. I first met Lari when she was a guest lecturer at the University of Cambridge in 2023. Last November, I visited her in Karachi, the metropolis shes called home for most of her professional life, before traveling to Pono, a village in the floodplains of Sindhs Indus River which her foundation has rehabilitated after the 2022 floods. Wherever she goes, Laris plans are usually met with disbelief; admiration expressed through raised eyebrows and befuddled gazes. As she waited for a meeting at Karachis exclusive colonial-era Sind Club, the wife of a pharmaceutical executive approached Lari to express her admiration and asked what shes working on now. Lari launched into it: food, shelter, education, and clean water for a million households, all with no money raised. The admirer turned to me almost incredulously, as if she had misheard. Lari laughed, gesturing in my direction. "Hes about to see it for himself." A sweeping bamboo pavilion in the center of Pono greets visitors, who gather under the shade on hot days. In the days before I visited Laris bamboo villages, she recalled what led her here. The devastation of Pakistans floods$15 billion in economic losses, millions pushed below the poverty line, rapidly spreading waterborne diseases and skin infections, and more than 230,000 children still out of school, according to UNICEFwas most vicious in parts of the country already facing an ongoing social catastrophe. Wealth inequality in Pakistan is extreme, and nowhere more so than in the floodplains of the southeastern Sindh province, where peasant communities live as feudal subjects to powerful landowners whose land they till. Many tell stories of how, when the floods hit, water was diverted from profitable farmland and into the poorest communities. People gathered for weeks on roadsides, the only places that werent flooded. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Suddenly, everything was washed away," Lari says. "Theres just nothing left, no fields, no greenery, no nothing. These people never had anything much in their lives, but whatever it was, it was all gone." Bamboo homes, made from prefabricated panels such as these, can be constructed in just a few hours. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement See the full story on Dwell.com: Are Yasmeen Laris "Zero Carbon, Zero Waste, Zero Donor" Bamboo Villages Working? Related stories: An increase in hostilities between M23 rebels and the Congolese military near Goma has pushed many internally displaced people to flee from Nzulo Camp in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. Already driven from their homes at least once in one of the worlds most protracted crises, they are now abandoning the camp after hearing that M23 insurgents have seized nearby territory, including the strategic Ngwiro hill. Many families hastily pack their limited belongings onto motorbikes or into crowded vehicles, uncertain of where they will find safety. Residents such as David Kasereka cite the constant threat of stray bullets and shelling as their primary reason for leaving. Others, like mother-of-six Nadege Bauma, explain they have no alternative but to relocate again to avoid an advancing frontline. Government officials in Kinshasa say that M23 forces have taken control of Minova, a vital supply route for Goma only 40 kilometers away, as well as multiple mining hubs in the mineral-rich region. The United Nations reports that more than 237,000 people have been displaced this year alone, compounding a humanitarian crisis where over seven million Congolese are already uprooted due to violence. Human rights organizations, including Amnesty International, are urging all parties to refrain from using explosive weapons in densely populated areas, warning of civilian casualties and further displacements. Despite years of regional diplomacy and agreements, M23 remains just one among around 100 armed groups vying for control of resource-rich territories. The government continues to allege that Rwanda supports M23, although Kigali denies involvement. Attempts to forge a lasting peace have so far faltered, leaving civilians caught in an unending cycle of conflict. While YouTube star MrBeast, also known as Jimmy Donaldson, seems keen on buying TikTok, on Wednesday he claimed he has yet to join a formal bid to acquire the U.S. operations of the popular social media platform. Several buyers are holding ongoing discussions with Jimmy, his spokesperson Matthew Hiltzik told The Associated Press. He has no exclusive agreements with any of them. In response to a post referencing his purported plans to make an offer to TikTok, Donaldson said big things are on the way. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The leading groups who are all credible bidding on Tik Tok have reached out for us to help them, Im excited to partner/make this a reality, he wrote on X, formerly Twitter. The leading groups who are all credible bidding on Tik Tok have reached out for us to help them, Im excited to partner/make this a reality. Big things cooking MrBeast (@MrBeast) January 22, 2025 This comes as law firm Paul Hastings LLP on Tuesday said it was advising a group of investors led by Jesse Tinsley, the chief executive of Recruiter.com, in an all-cash offer to acquire TikToks U.S. operations and various assets from ByteDance Ltd. The statement reads, The investor group comprises institutional investors and high-net-worth individuals, including media/internet personality Mr. Beast. Donaldson has kept his followers updated on his plans. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Im on a private jet right now, about to put in my official offer for this platform. I might become your guys new CEO, he said in a video posted on his TikTok account on Tuesday. Im super excited. He also previously indicated that many billionaires approached him once he first declared his interest in the platform. TikToks future in the U.S., though, remains uncertain. After the U.S. Supreme Court upheld a law requiring the platform to divest its Chinese ownership to avoid getting banned from app stores in the U.S., TikTok chose to temporarily go dark in the country. The platform restored access to U.S. users on Sunday once Trump made clear he would sign an executive order giving the company more time to comply with the legislation. Trump followed through on his pledge Monday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While U.S. users who previously downloaded the app can still access it, the platform appears to be unavailable on U.S. app stores, at least for now. In an interview with Fox News Sean Hannity broadcast on Wednesday evening, Trump appeared to downplay the national security concerns around the app over its ties to China. Trump asked, Is it that important for China to be spying on young people, on young kids watching crazy videos? Trump: Is it that important for China to be spying on young people watching crazy videos? Hannity: I don't want China spying on anybody. Trump: But they make your telephones and they make your computers. Isnt that a bigger threat? pic.twitter.com/BeNn00YQIT Acyn (@Acyn) January 23, 2025 Earlier this week, Trump said he wouldnt be opposed to the prospect of Elon Musk or Oracle chief technology officer Larry Ellison buying TikTok. Trump added that hes met with the owners of TikTok, noting that the company, which has a user base of 170 million Americans, would be worthless if it lost access to the U.S. market. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement What Im thinking about saying to somebody is buy it and give half to the United States of America, half and well give you the permit, he said. Billionaire Frank McCourt, who is leading a formal bid to acquire the platform, said he wouldnt mind splitting ownership of TikTok with the U.S. government. He told CNBC, Im okay with whatever is legal and the U.S. government is OK with. Related... President Volodymyr Zelensky on Jan. 22 clarified his earlier comments on the number of European peacekeepers needed to maintain peace in Ukraine, saying the required numbers would depend on the size of Ukraines own military. The statement comes after Zelensky told a journalist at the World Economic Forum in Davos that at least 200,000 European soldiers would be needed for a stable peace deal. "By the way, I didnt say we need 200,000 (peacekeepers)... A journalist asked me, I said, 'maybe more, maybe less,'" Zelensky said when asked about the statement in an interview with Bloomberg TV. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Zelensky spoke in comparably stronger terms in Davos, saying: "From all the Europeans? 200,000, its a minimum. Its a minimum, otherwise its nothing." The president explained in the interview that the size of the needed contingent will depend on the strength of the Ukrainian military. As Kyiv would struggle to maintain a million-strong army needed to repel a future Russian aggression, fielding such a force would depend on U.S. and European support, he explained. If the U.S. and Europe prove unwilling to help maintain such an army and Ukraine reduces it "by 200,000, 300,000 or 500,000, it means that other troops have to replace them in those numbers," Zelensky added. The presidents conclusion was that in the face of such options, Ukraines accession to NATO is the cheapest way toward stable peace both for Ukraine and the West. At the same time, Zelensky admitted that some members namely the U.S., Germany, Slovakia, and Hungary remain reluctant to allow Ukraine into the alliance. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Zelensky has been in contact with a number of European leaders about the prospects of a peacekeeping mission an initiative that French President Emmanuel Macron has spearheaded. During a visit to Kyiv on Jan. 16, U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer said that his country will play its "full part" in supporting efforts to maintain an enduring peace in Ukraine. The idea has also found support from U.S. President Donald Trump, who has called upon Europe to take up greater responsibility for Ukraines security and pledged to bring a swift end to the war. 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. President Volodymyr Zelensky held separate meetings with Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic and Argentine President Javier Milei on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos on Jan. 22. Zelensky is leading a Ukrainian delegation at the forum, which takes place Jan. 20-24. His agenda includes bilateral talks with world leaders and meetings with top business officials. The meeting with Vucic centered on security guarantees and the two countries' path to membership in the European Union, the Presidential Office said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Vucic has previously called Ukraine a "friendly country" and affirmed that Crimea and Donbas are sovereign Ukrainian territories, despite Serbia's historically warm relationship with Russia. During the meeting, Zelensky stressed to Vucic that "sustainable peace must be supported by strong security guarantees." The leaders' meeting comes a week after Vucic offered to host a potential meeting between U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin in Belgrade. Zelensky's meeting with Milei touched on matters of economic cooperation, recent global events, and cooperation with the U.S. following Trump's inauguration. Zelensky also issued a warm invitation for Milei to visit Ukraine. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "You are a much-awaited guest in Ukraine," the president said. "I invite you to get to know the Ukrainian people, they love you very much. I want you to see with your own eyes how Ukrainians are fighting and what they are going through during this war. And I really want Ukrainians to feel how much you respect them." The leaders agreed to maintain high-level contacts between Ukraine and Argentina and discussed possibilities for developing trade and expanding economic cooperation. Milei has repeatedly expressed firm support for Ukrainian sovereignty in the face of Russia's full-scale invasion. Zelensky visited Argentina in December 2023 to attend Milei's inauguration, and the two leaders held talks in Buenos Aires. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Argentina in 2024 joined the Ukraine Defense Contact Group, which meets regularly at the Ramstein Airbase in Germany to coordinate military aid for Ukraine, and international coalition for the return of Ukrainian children abducted by Russia. One of Zelensky's stated aims heading into the Davos forum was to meet with leaders from Latin America. Earlier in the day, Zelensky met with German opposition leader Friedrich Merz and Israeli President Isaac Herzog. Read also: How Ukraine lost faith in the Red Cross and UN Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. Volodymyr Zelenskys administration considered making a deal that would have lined Melania Trumps pockets in order to curry favor with the new president, according to a report. As part of a desperate scramble to make inroads with Donald Trump, the Ukrainian presidents aides floated brokering the purchase of the Ukrainian language rights to the first ladys memoir, unnamed Ukrainian officials told The New York Times. The idea reportedly never made it beyond the brainstorming stage, however. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Melania Trumps memoir, which was published in October, detailed where her personal beliefs differed from her husbands rhetoricin particular her support of abortion rights. Trump was inaugurated on Monday. / Joe Raedle / Getty Images Trump has been an outspoken critic of the scale of American aid to Ukraines war effort and had vowed to end the conflict, which has raged for nearly two years, within 24 hours of becoming president. Zelenskys effort to win over Trump has included more typical approaches to diplomacy as well. The Ukrainian president was among the first world leaders to congratulate Trump on his victory in November. The two had an apparently pleasant phone call at the time that included a surprise appearance from Elon Musk. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I had an excellent call with President @realDonaldTrump and congratulated him on his historic landslide victoryhis tremendous campaign made this result possible. I praised his family and team for their great work, Zelensky wrote on X afterward. In December, the Ukrainian leader joined French President Emmanuel Macron for a conversation with Trump in Paris. Melanias memoir was released last October. / KEVIN LAMARQUE / POOL/AFP via Getty Images Since being sworn into office on Monday, Trump has pushed hard to make good on his promise to end the war in Ukraine. On Wednesday, that included issuing an ultimatum to Russian President Vladimir Putinwhose relationship with Trump has long drawn scrutiny. Settle now, and STOP this ridiculous War! ITS ONLY GOING TO GET WORSE, Trump wrote on Truth Social. If we dont make a deal, and soon, I have no other choice but to put high levels of Taxes, Tariffs, and Sanctions on anything being sold by Russia to the United States, and various other participating countries. The Kremlin brushed that threat aside. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy emphasises that ending the war in Ukraine should be a victory for the US President, not Russian leader Vladimir Putin. Source: Zelenskyy in an interview with Bloomberg TV in Davos; European Pravda reports Details: A journalist asked Zelenskyy about Trumps potential role in ending the war, describing him as one of Ukraines most influential assets. Trump's reluctance to be perceived as a loser was emphasised by the journalist, who also asked whether this may influence him to negotiate a deal with Putin that would be presented as a victory for the Russian leader. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Quote: "The issue of ending the war in Ukraine must be, I believe, a victory for Trump, not for Putin. Putin is nobody for him. America is way stronger, and Europe is way stronger. China is way stronger than Russia. They are all players." Details: The President stressed the importance of forming a joint action plan before starting negotiations with Russia on the end of the war. Quote: "I think that all of us who truly want to end the war, who want to end it fast, if that is possible, for all of us it is desirable to have a plan until we have communication with Putin. I believe that this is in the interests of the United States, the European Union, Europe as a whole. It is in the interests of Ukraine and our people." Background: On 22 January, Donald Trump said that if a "deal" to end the war in Ukraine is not concluded soon, he will have no choice but to "impose high taxes, tariffs and sanctions on everything Russia sells to the United States and other countries concerned". On the first day of his presidency, Trump said that Vladimir Putin was destroying Russia by not ending the war. Later, Trump indicated he was prepared to consider stronger sanctions against Russia if it refused to negotiate an end to the war in Ukraine. Support UP or become our patron! President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said that the flow of aid from the United States to Ukraine remains unchanged for the time being. Source: Zelenskyy during a visit to an exhibition at Ukraine House in Davos on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum, as reported by Interfax-Ukraine Details: Asked whether he expected a reduction in US aid, Zelenskyy replied: "So far, everything is going as it is." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He also talked about plans for a meeting with US President Donald Trump. Zelenskyy emphasised that the two presidents' meeting will be preceded by a series of gatherings of their teams. "The teams will be working on meetings, there will be several meetings, different ones, team meetings first of all. And then we will work on the upcoming meeting with the president," Zelenskyy informed the journalists. Background: Meanwhile, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz believes that Donald Trump will not cut all aid to Ukraine after taking office. Lloyd Austin and Antony Blinken, the previous heads of the Pentagon and the US State Department, explained in a joint column for The New York Times the dangers of reducing military aid to Ukraine and a premature ceasefire. The administration of former US President Joe Biden declassified new data on its assistance to Ukraine. Support UP or become our patron! If the size of the Ukrainian army is reduced, other troops will be needed to replace it in the same number. Source: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in an interview with Bloomberg Quote from Zelenskyy: "By the way, I did not say that we need 200,000 [peacekeepers ed.]... A journalist had asked me. I said, maybe more, maybe less." Details: Zelenskyy stressed that an army of millions is needed to stop the Russians. However, if Europe and America declare that it is impossible to maintain such a large number of Ukrainian military and the Armed Forces have to be reduced, their contingent should be replaced by other troops. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Quote: "If we reduce them [Ukrainian forces ed.] by 200,000, 300,000 or 500,000 people, it means that we will need other troops to replace their numbers." Details: Zelenskyy added that Ukraine is ready to deploy a peacekeeping contingent and stressed that such troops can effectively help if other countries have "good will". Background: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy emphasised the necessity of deploying at least 200,000 European peacekeepers to prevent further Russian aggression against Ukraine following a ceasefire agreement. Zelenskyy stated that any effective peacekeeping forces deployed in Ukraine must include US troops. On 23 January, Zelenskyy said that the end of Russia's war against Ukraine should be a victory for US President Donald Trump, not for Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin. Support UP or become our patron! PCMag editors select and review products independently. If you buy through affiliate links, we may earn commissions, which help support our testing. Chinese hackers hijacked a VPN provider's website to spread malware to users in Asia, according to antivirus company ESET. In May 2024, ESETs antivirus software flagged malware infections on Windows computers that were traced to the website of South Korean VPN company IPany. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Upon further analysis, we discovered that the installer was deploying both the legitimate software and the backdoor that weve named SlowStepper," ESET said in a Wednesday blog post. "We contacted the VPN software developer to inform them of the compromise, and the malicious installer was removed from their website." Its unclear how the hackers tampered with IPanys website. The company didn't immediately respond to a request for comment. ESET warns that the compromised website contained no code to circulate the malicious installer to specific users based upon their geographic region or IP address. "Therefore, we believe that anyone using the IPany VPN might have been a valid target," ESET says. ESET traced the attack to a Chinese hacking group called PlushDemon, which has been around since 2019 conducting cyberespionage in China, Taiwan, South Korea, and the US. PlushDemons SlowStepper backdoor will secretly communicate with the hackers command and control server. The backdoor can carry out numerous instructions, including downloading and executing additional malware, collecting a computers specs, and deleting specific files. ESET adds that PlushDemons attack may have helped the group spy on high-value targets. Via ESET telemetry, we found that several users attempted to install the trojanized software in the network of a semiconductor company and an unidentified software development company in South Korea, the company says. The two oldest cases registered in our telemetry were a victim from Japan in November 2023 and a victim from China in December 2023. The incident is also a supply chain attack, where a hacker compromises a widely used third-party software, giving it a way to infiltrate numerous users. In 2023, suspected North Korean hackers also pulled off a similar scheme by compromising the 3CX voice-calling app to circulate a malicious software version to unsuspecting users. In a closely watched contest, veteran Tanzanian politician Tundu Lissu has unseated longtime chair Freeman Mbowe to become leader of the main opposition party, Chadema. Lissu campaigned on a platform calling for leadership changes, accusing Mbowewho chaired the party for more than 20 yearsof becoming too conciliatory toward the ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM). According to Lissu, this perceived shift had eroded public confidence in Chadema. Voting results at the partys assembly saw Lissu secure 513 votes (51.5%), narrowly beating Mbowe, who garnered 482 votes (48.3%). Mbowe conceded the outcome, publicly acknowledging the party assemblys decision and extending his congratulations to Lissu via his social media account. Observers view the leadership transition as a potential milestone for Chadema ahead of the countrys presidential elections scheduled for October. Lissu is known for his fiery brand of politics, which has led to spirited disagreements with rivals, particularly from the ruling party. In 2017, he survived an assassination attempt during the late President John Magufulis administration and spent years undergoing multiple surgeries abroad. Although he briefly returned in 2020 to challenge Magufuli for the presidency, Lissu eventually went into exile until 2023, when he returned under President Samia Suluhu Hassans administration. Since his homecoming, Lissu has accused President Samia of maintaining a repressive climate for dissenting voices. He has also loudly protested recent abductions, disappearances, and the arrest of opposition figures. His victory at Chademas helm is viewed by many analysts as a signal of the partys intent to provide robust opposition as Tanzania heads toward the upcoming elections. The House Civil Rights & Judiciary Committee considered several gun control measures at the Capitol in Olympia on Tuesday. (Nick Wagner / The Seattle Times) Exports of Tunisian olive oil reached 42,000 tons in the first two months of the 2024-2025 marketing year, valued at 683.9 million dinars (MD), representing a 7.4% increase in volume, according to data released on Wednesday January 22 by the National Observatory for Agriculture (ONAGRI). However, the value of exports saw a significant decline of 30.6% compared to the same period in the 2023-2024 marketing year. This resulted in a 35.4% drop in the average price, falling from 25.19 dinars per kilogram at the end of December 2023 to 16.27 dinars per kilogram. In December 2024, Italy was the leading destination for Tunisian olive oil, importing 32.4% of the exported quantities, followed by Spain with 27.3% and the United States with 13.3%. Despite the price reduction, the overall volume of olive oil exports has shown positive growth. Hamed Dali, the CEO of the National Oil Board (ONH), stated that exports of olive oil are expected to increase by 50% compared to the previous season, which saw a total export volume of 195,368 tonnes, including 28,600 tonnes of packaged olive oil. 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 University of Minnesota Medical School research team has examined the financial burden of different medical servicesincluding outpatient care, inpatient care, prescription drugs and physical therapyon cancer survivors. Of all these medical services, the research team found medical equipment results in the highest percentage of out-of-pocket costs, including wheelchairs, canes, hearing aids and oxygen equipment, among other items. The findings are published in the journal JAMA Network Open. The economic challenges faced by patients with cancer due to health care costs are well-documented, but most prior work has focused on high drug costs. This study, however, examines the patterns of use and costs of medical equipment among cancer survivors in the U.S., underscoring the prevalence of equipment use and the significant out-of-pocket expenses associated with it. "As the number of cancer survivors continues to rise, so do their unmet needs for medical equipment. This research highlights critical gaps in access and affordability, which must be addressed to improve cancer survivorship care," said Arjun Gupta, MBBS, assistant professor at the U of M Medical School, gastrointestinal oncologist with M Health Fairview, and member of the Masonic Cancer Center. Key findings include: The absolute number of cancer survivors using medical equipment increased 2.5-fold between 1999 and 2018, with prevalence rising from 6.6% to 8.6%. The out-of-pocket cost-sharing responsibilitythe proportion of total cost paid for by the patientfor medical equipment (39%) is the highest among medical services, exceeding that for prescription drugs (9%), outpatient care (4%) and hospitalizations (1%). The financial strain associated with medical equipment presents cancer survivors with a serious barrier. According to the research team, accessing affordable medical equipment is challenging due to limited insurance coverage and onerous administrative burdens. Streamlining payer coverage and authorization processes, reducing cost-sharing responsibility and addressing affordability are key policy priorities to ensure equitable access to essential medical equipment. More information: Faraz I. Jafri et al, Use and Spending on Medical Equipment Among US Cancer Survivors, JAMA Network Open (2025). DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2024.55941 Journal information: JAMA Network Open 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 Researchers at University of California San Diego analyzed cannabis smoking practices in San Diego County to assess whether in-home smoking was associated with cannabis detection in children. The study, published on Jan. 23, 2025 in the journal JAMA Network Open, found that in-home cannabis smoking increased the odds of child exposure to cannabis smoke. Smoking is the most common method of cannabis use and is known to generate emissions that are harmful to those exposed. Cannabis is often smoked indoors, putting non-smokers such as children at risk for exposure. "While the long-term health consequences of cannabis smoke are not yet well known, cannabis smoke contains carcinogens, respiratory irritants, and other harmful chemicals," said John Bellettiere, Ph.D., M.P.H., assistant professor in the Herbert Wertheim School of Public Health and Human Longevity Science at UC San Diego. "In our analysis, the odds of detectable cannabis in children were five times higher in households with reported in-home cannabis smoking. This exposure to toxic chemicals, including known carcinogens, could have long-term health effects in these children." The research team analyzed in-home cannabis smoking practices in San Diego County to quantify the relationship between in-home cannabis smoking and cannabis biomarker detection in resident children's urine. The youngest child in each of the 275 households enrolled in the study was tested, at a median age of three years. Investigators found that among households reporting in-home cannabis smoking, 69% had a child with detectable cannabis biomarker levels compared to 24% in households not reporting in-home cannabis smoking. Because a large percentage of participants were recruited from low-income households enrolled in the Women, Infants, and Children Supplemental Nutrition Program from 2012 through 2015, findings of the study are not necessarily generalizable to the broader U.S. population, cautioned Bellettiere. "As young children spend most of their time at home, reducing in-home cannabis smoking could substantially reduce their exposure to the toxic and carcinogenic chemicals found in cannabis smoke," said Osika Tripathi, Ph.D., M.P.H., a recent graduate of the UC San DiegoSan Diego State University Joint Doctoral Program in Public Health. "As evidence regarding the health effects of cannabis grows, adopting strategies from the tobacco control playbook, such as comprehensive smoke-free laws and policies, could safeguard children's health," continued Bellettiere. "Determining the long-term health risks of second-hand cannabis smoke exposure is the absolutely essential next step." Today Windy. A steady light rain this morning with showers continuing this afternoon. High 64F. Winds WSW at 25 to 35 mph. Chance of rain 80%. Winds could occasionally gust over 40 mph. Tonight Clear to partly cloudy. Gusty winds during the evening. Low 48F. Winds W at 20 to 30 mph. Winds could occasionally gust over 40 mph. Tomorrow Cloudy skies. High 64F. Winds SW at 10 to 15 mph. Hungary is drifting and lagging behind, and 2025 is shaping up to be a "terrible year, not a fantastic one", Ferenc Gyurcsany, the leader of the opposition Democratic Coalition (DK), told a press conference on Wednesday. Gyurcsany has been reelected as party leader by party members in an online vote held between Jan 10 and 20. At the press conference, Gyurcsany said he expected growth to lag behind expectations and inflation to be higher than the target, while problems plaguing health care and public education would go unsolved. He welcomed DK's proposal to parliament to discuss dissolving parliament and calling early elections. Gyurcsany said DK was preparing for an "intense political year", adding that a stronger European Union, "a United States of Europe" was needed. The world under the influence of US President Donald Trump "will be a terrible world", he said. "It will be a good time for the strong, powerful and privileged, those who don't like restrictions for the sake of public good ... but it will be a difficult time for those who want a calm, everyday, prosperous life." While Trump, American billionaire Elon Musk and Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban "are on the side of the powerful, strong and privileged", DK will continue to work for those who want less influence in their hands and more opportunities for those "who just want to live their calm, everyday lives", he said. "Year 2025 would see conflict after conflict," Gyurcsany said. "Donald Trump wants Greenland and Panama, the Chinese president wants Taiwan increasingly openly" and Putin "is marching in Ukraine, he said. "Hungary must stay at a safe distance from those conflicts; currently, the greatest obstacle to that is the Hungarian prime minister." DK is holding its annual congress on February 2, when they will elect its leadership, and Gyurcsany is set to give a speech evaluating 202 before parliament's opening session, he said. Asked about the opposition Tisza Party, Gyurcsany said the most important meeting point was that both parties thought the incumbent government was harming the country. "We both think that it is our duty as well as responsibility ... to send them packing." DK is fielding its candidates continuously for next year's general elections, and will start cooperation talks with all candidates named, "but those wanting to cooperate will have to be ready for some kind of compromise." DK was confident they would clear the parliamentary threshold, he said. Meanwhile, Democratic Coalition reelects Gyurcsany chair The opposition Democratic Coalition (DK) has reelected Ferenc Gyurcsany as its leader, the party said. DK is "the only party in which the chairman is not elected by a small circle of delegates but by all members with voting rights," the statement said, adding that fully 97 percent of the membership had supported Gyurcsany in the vote conducted online between January 10 and 20. Vice-chairpersons and other officials of the party will be elected by a DK congress to be held on February 2, the statement said. Gyurcsany: Hungary 'drifting, lagging behind' Hungary is drifting and lagging behind, and 2025 is shaping up to be a "terrible year, not a fantastic one", Ferenc Gyurcsany, the leader of the opposition Democratic Coalition (DK), told a press conference. Gyurcsany has been reelected as party leader by party members in an online vote held between Jan 10 and 20. At the press conference, Gyurcsany said he expected growth to lag behind expectations and inflation to be higher than the target, while problems plaguing health care and public education would go unsolved. He welcomed DK's proposal to parliament to discuss dissolving parliament and calling early elections. Gyurcsany said DK was preparing for an "intense political year", adding that a stronger European Union, "a United States of Europe" was needed. The world under the influence of US President Donald Trump "will be a terrible world", he said. "It will be a good time for the strong, powerful and privileged, those who don't like restrictions for the sake of public good ... but it will be a difficult time for those who want a calm, everyday, prosperous life." While Trump, American billionaire Elon Musk and Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban "are on the side of the powerful, strong and privileged", DK will continue to work for those who want less influence in their hands and more opportunities for those "who just want to live their calm, everyday lives", he said. "Year 2025 would see conflict after conflict," Gyurcsany said. "Donald Trump wants Greenland and Panama, the Chinese president wants Taiwan increasingly openly" and Putin "is marching in Ukraine, he said. "Hungary must stay at a safe distance from those conflicts; currently, the greatest obstacle to that is the Hungarian prime minister." DK is holding its annual congress on February 2, when they will elect its leadership, and Gyurcsany is set to give a speech evaluating 202 before parliament's opening session, he said. Asked about the opposition Tisza Party, Gyurcsany said the most important meeting point was that both parties thought the incumbent government was harming the country. "We both think that it is our duty as well as responsibility ... to send them packing." DK is fielding its candidates continuously for next year's general elections, and will start cooperation talks with all candidates named, "but those wanting to cooperate will have to be ready for some kind of compromise." DK was confident they would clear the parliamentary threshold, he said. 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. Prime Minister Viktor Orban on Thursday morning said he is in contact with the interior minister over bomb threats received by multiple schools across Hungary. "We will bolster the security of the schools in question and investigate the bomb threats," Orban said on Facebook. Later on Thursday, state secretary Bence Retvari said that according to data gathered at 11.30, 268 schools received bomb threats, 245 of them in Budapest and 23 outside the capital. All Budapest school districts have received threats, he said. Police spokesman Kristof Gal said no explosives were found in the schools searched so far. "This supports [the theory] that the email, sent to hundreds of addresses with the same content, probably lacks all foundation," Gal said. Gulyas: Govt to ensure security at schools The government "is capable of ensuring security at schools", the head of the Prime Minister's Office told a regular press briefing on Thursday, adding that an investigation had started concerning multiple bomb threats at schools earlier in the day. Gulyas said Prime Minister Viktor Orban had been in contact with the interior minister and the minister in charge of the secret services since the first threatening emails arrived in the early hours of the morning. The emails seem to have come from the same sender, and contain the same text, he said. According to Gulyas, lessons were not suspended centrally, although principals had the right to decide otherwise. The police are in the process of ascertaining if the threats have any foundation, he said. Hungary's secret services have contacted their Slovak counterparts in view of Slovak schools having received similar threats last year, he said. Government spokeswoman Eszter Vitalyos said bomb threats have been sent to 121 institutions so far. Letter schools got: Tisza: Security for children, school staff 'of paramount importance' The security of children and staff at schools is of paramount importance at all times, Peter Magyar, the leader of the opposition Tisza party, said on Thursday, after a number of schools received bomb threats across the country, and condemned "the coordinated act of intimidation". Magyar said the government should ensure adequate information to parents as to "what is happening to their children, where they are and when the parents can fetch them." According to Magyar, the government must inform the public "whether they had previous information on the threats, and if they did, why they didn't inform the public and take preventive measures." He laid the blame at the door of the minister responsible for the secret services and the interior minister "if they had no knowledge of such a coordinated attack". Magyar also suggested a link between the bomb threats and Hungary's releasing people smugglers from prison, and said that "public security is jeopardised by the government's interfering with the Middle East conflict." He called for Hungarian soldiers to be called home from countries stricken with civil war, and for a review of "the decision of the Orban government to sell the largest developmental area in Budapest to Arab investors way below the market price." 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 Mayor Gergely Karacsony is "completely misleading people" through his remarks about a recent ruling concerning the city's obligation to pay a solidarity tax to the central budget, Botond Sara, the city's government commissioner, said in a video broadcast on Facebook. "The ruling is just the opposite of what the mayor said," Sara said, insisting that the court had not contested the lawfulness or the magnitude of the tax, nor did it rule that the state should reimburse the tax collected from metropolitan accounts. On Tuesday, a Budapest court issued a binding ruling in favour of the city's administration in its lawsuit against the state treasury over the solidarity tax, declaring the previous tax collection orders unlawful. The Budapest metropolitan council filed its lawsuit in 2023 arguing that the 28 billion forints (EUR 67.9m) in solidarity tax it had paid to the state treasury was unlawful because it exceeded the funding it received from the government. 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. 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 A national survey undertaken by University of South Australia researchers paints a concerning picture: Medicine shortages are increasing patient stress as well as pharmacists' workloads, with 89.5% of pharmacists being forced to source medicines from non-regular wholesalers at least weekly. The survey, published in the Journal of Pharmacy Practice and Research, was undertaken in late 2023 but medicine shortages remain an ongoing issue, according to UniSA lecturer in pharmacy, Dr. Jack Janetzki. "Medicine shortages not only place an operational strain on pharmacists, but also create ethical dilemmas," Dr. Janetzki says. "Pharmacists must navigate between ensuring equitable access and maintaining regulatory compliance, often with limited resources." Because more than 90% of medicines are imported into Australia, logistical supply issues during the COVID-19 pandemic severely affected pharmaceutical stocks. While this has eased, social media posts have created a significant demand for weight-loss drugs such as Ozempic, where supplies remain low. The recent increase in diagnosis of Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD) has also contributed to shortages of medicines used to treat ADHD. Raw materials to make medications are also in short supply, exacerbated by manufacturing and transportation issues. Data from the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) showed that in November 2023, 444 medicines were in short supply in Australia, 47% of which had been difficult to obtain since the beginning of 2022. Although some of these shortages have been resolved in the past 12 months, 419 medicines are currently on this list, with supplies for 61 of them expected to be impacted in the next few months and years. When facing restrictions, pharmacists have limited options, Dr. Janetzki says. "They can contact the doctor asking them to prescribe an alternative medicine, approach different wholesalers other than their regular suppliers, or refer the patient to a different pharmacy, hoping they can help them. It's not an ideal situation." A different dosage or medicine strength can only be substituted by contacting the doctor or if it is listed on the TGA's Serious Scarcity Substitution Instrument (SSI) list. Dr. Janetzki says manufacturing medicines locally is not an easy option to improve supplies because of the high costs of medicine production in Australia, although most pharmacists source raw materials for compound prescriptions tailored to individual patients. During COVID and in the years since, pharmacists' responsibilities have also increased. They are now authorized to provide vaccinations and prescribe some medications. "There are processes that could be trialed to address these medicine shortages," Dr. Janetzki says. "Maintaining an inventory of medicines across all pharmacies would minimize impacts on customers because staff could quickly identify where medicines are available rather than having to call neighboring pharmacies to determine whether they have medicines on hand. "The TGA currently requires drug companies to notify them of expected medicine shortages six months in advance, but it would also help if there was anticipatory approval of overseas medicines for critical medicines. This would minimize the time people need to wait to access their medicines during a shortage of medicines registered in Australia." More information: Jack Luke Janetzki et al, Impact of medicine shortages on Australian pharmacists' professional practice and patient care: a nationwide survey, Journal of Pharmacy Practice and Research (2024). DOI: 10.1002/jppr.1949 New Delhi: Bharat Mobility Global Expo 2025 concluded on Wednesday after witnessing around 200 product unveils across automotive, components and technology, with the government planning to seek industry views to make it an annual affair. As per the organisers, the second edition of the event saw participation from over 1,500 exhibitors and footfalls of over 8 lakh people, making it one of the largest mobility events globally. "We saw over 200 product unveils over a period of five days which is a record in itself," Department of Commerce Additional Secretary Rajesh Agrawal told reporters here. Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the Expo at Bharat Mandapam on January 17 in the presence of Union ministers Nitin Gadkari, H D Kumaraswamy, Jitan Ram Manjhi, Manohar Lal, Piyush Goyal and Hardeep Singh Puri, and leaders of the automobile sectors. Electric vehicles hogged the limelight during the Auto Expo at Bharat Mandapam with passenger vehicle market leaders Maruti Suzuki and Hyundai Motor India announcing their intent for a bigger play in the new energy vehicle segment. Maruti Suzuki India unveiled its first battery electric vehicle e VITARA, which will be exported to over 100 countries, while Hyundai Motor India launched Creta Electric. Besides, Vietnam's VinFast and China's BYD also showcased their offerings in the passenger vehicles segment. The second edition of Bharat Mobility Global Expo, 2025 brought the entire value chain of the mobility ecosystem -- from automobile manufacturers to components, electronics parts, tyre and energy storage makers, and automotive software firms and material recyclers -- under a single umbrella. With a theme "Beyond Boundaries: Co-creating Future Automotive Value Chain", the event focussed on fostering collaboration and innovation across the automotive and mobility sector with an emphasis on sustainable and technological advancements. The event was held across three venues -- Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi, Yashobhoomi at Dwarka in Delhi and India Expo Centre & Mart at Greater Noida. SIAM Director General Rajesh Menon said the Auto Expo saw the largest-ever participation from automobile OEMs with a focus on sustainable mobility. The event showcased the industry's focus on sustainable mobility, he added. Agrawal said suggestions would be taken from the auto industry and other stakeholders if the Bharat Mobility Global Expo should be an annual or a biennial event. "We would love to have it happening (annually), but we will be open to suggestions, and discussions from all because we would like to create bigger value propositions," he said. He was replying to a query about whether the event would be held annually or once in two years. There needs to be a clear value proposition as a lot of energy and money goes into the event, Agrawal stated. "So I am not committing to say that it is going to be annual or once in two years," he noted. He added that consultations will be held with all stakeholders in this regard. Agrawal noted that the government is pushing to have more global events in the country. "We need to leverage the MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions) infrastructure, the MICE opportunity this country offers and that's why we have embarked upon a series of Bharat events where we are trying to bring in value chain in sector after sector," he stated. KCET 2025: The Karnataka Examinations Authority (KEA) will start the registration for KCET 2025 on Thursday, January 23, 2025. Eligible candidates can apply for the Karnataka Common Entrance Test (KCET) through KEA's official website at kea.kar.nic.in. The last date to apply for KCET 2025 is February 21, 2025. KCET 2025 will take place over three days: April 16, 17, and 18, 2025. Physics and Chemistry exams will be held on April 16, Mathematics and Biology on April 17, and the Kannada exam on April 18. Earlier, Karnataka's Minister of Higher Education, Dr. MC Sudhakar, announced the KCET 2025 registration and exam dates on X (formerly known as Twitter). In his post, he mentioned, The Karnataka Examination Authority (KEA) has announced the schedule for the CET exam. For the first time, information has been provided at once about the entrance exams for all professional courses to be held during the year. For the convenience of students, software has been developed to conduct document verification in the respective colleges. KCET 2025: Steps to apply here Go to the official website at kea.kar.nic.in. On the homepage, click on the KCET 2025 link. Register yourself by entering your credentials on the new page. Log in to your account and complete the application form. Pay the application fee and submit the form. Download the confirmation page and take a printout for future reference Candidates need to upload scanned images of their photograph, signature, and left thumb impression while submitting the documents. It is important to ensure that all documents are uploaded as per the specifications mentioned in the form. The application fee is Rs 500 for candidates belonging to the General Merit, 2A, 2B, 3A, and 3B categories, while SC/ST candidates need to pay Rs 250. Applicants from outside Karnataka are required to pay Rs 750, and foreign candidates must pay Rs 5000. Bhopal: The fate of properties worth Rs 15,000 crore, owned by the former rulers of Bhopal and inherited by actor Saif Ali Khan and his family, remains uncertain. This is due to doubts about whether an appeal has been filed against an order by the Office of the Custodian of Enemy Property, according to lawyers. If the Nawab of Bhopal's successors do not challenge the order, the properties could come under the control of the central government. It is unclear if an appeal has been filed with the Mumbai-based Office of the Custodian of Enemy Property, which operates under the Union Home Ministry, following a December 13, 2024, decision by the Madhya Pradesh High Court. Saif Ali Khan's mother, actress Sharmila Tagore, and others had earlier challenged a 2015 order by the Custodian of Enemy Property, which labeled the Nawab's properties as "Enemy Property." The Office of the Custodian of Enemy Property, under the Home Ministry, ruled that the properties of Nawab Muhammad Hamidullah Khan should be classified as "Enemy Property." This decision was based on the fact that his eldest daughter, Abida Sultan Begum, moved to Pakistan after Partition. As a result, the properties she was supposed to inherit were deemed to belong to the Custodian of Enemy Property for India. However, senior advocate Jagdish Chhavani, an expert on the Nawab's property matters, referred to a government order from January 10, 1962. This order stated that after Nawab Hamidullah Khan's death in 1960, the Government of India recognized Sajida Sultan Begum as his sole successor. The order confirmed that Sajida Sultan Begum inherited all of Nawab Hamidullah Khan's private properties, both movable and immovable, and that the Government of India had no objection to transferring the properties to her. Sajida Sultan Begum, the second daughter of Nawab Hamidullah Khan, became the owner of his properties after her elder sister, Abida Sultan Begum, moved to Pakistan. Sajidas son, Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi (Tiger Pataudi), later inherited the properties, and after his passing, Saif Ali Khan became their rightful owner. These properties are estimated to be worth nearly 15,000 crore. However, the Custodian of Enemy Property's ruling classified the properties as "Enemy Property," creating a dispute over ownership. This decision was challenged in 2015 by Sharmila Tagore (Saif Ali Khan's mother and Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi's wife) in the Madhya Pradesh High Court. During a hearing on December 13, 2024, the government lawyer stated that the Enemy Property Act, 1968, had been repealed in 2017, effective retrospectively. A new appellate authority was set up to resolve disputes regarding enemy property. Justice Vivek Agrawal, in his December 13 order, advised the involved parties to use the statutory remedy of filing a representation with the appellate authority. However, he noted that the issue of time limitations might arise due to the delay in pursuing this remedy. "Therefore, it is directed that if representation is filed within thirty days from today (December 13), then the appellate authority shall not advert to the aspect of limitation and shall deal with the appeal on its own merits," the order said. "In above terms, the petitions stand disposed of," it added. However, Bhopal Collector Kaushlendra Vikram Singh said he has not seen the high court order and will comment only after getting all relevant details. Advocate Chhavani said in case Saif Ali Khan's family has not yet filed an appeal during the stipulated period of 30 days from the date of order, they (Khan family) can still approach the authorities and request for an extension citing various exigencies, including the recent one (attack on the actor at his Mumbai residence). He said till this confusion prevails, the fate of lakhs of people occupying these properties as owners and tenants will remain in limbo. The properties inherited by Saif Ali Khan and his family include Noor-Us-Sabah Palace, Dar-Us-Salam, Bungalow of Habibi, Ahmedabad Palace and Flag Staff House. The Enemy Property Act was passed in Parliament in the aftermath of the India-Pakistan war (1965) to regulate properties left behind in India by those who emigrated to Pakistan. (With inputs from PTI) Delhi Weather: The residents in the national capital woke up to light rain amid 'poor' air quality on Thursday morning with an overall Air Quality Index (AQI) of 262 recorded at 6 a.m., according to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). Foggy conditions continued to engulf the national capital on Thursday morning causing disruptions in flight schedules resulting in delay of several flights at Indira Gandhi International Airport. According to the India Meteorological Department, Delhi recorded a temperature of 12. 6 degrees Celsius at 5.30 am this morning. According to the CPCB, the Air Quality Index (AQI) was logged at 262 at 8 am this morning. An AQI between zero and 50 is considered 'good', 51 and 100 'satisfactory,' 101 and 200 'moderate,' 201 and 300 'poor,' 301 and 400 'very poor,' and 401 and 500 'severe.' Homeless people remained in night shelters to keep safe from the harsh winter. The Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board (DUSIB) set up 235 pagoda tents in several areas. The IMD has predicted more light rain throughout the day, with maximum and minimum temperatures expected to hover around 22 degrees Celcius and 12 degrees Celcius, respectively. Additionally, the foggy conditions caused by low temperatures have further compounded the situation, disrupting visibility in the early morning hours. Several flights at the Indira Gandhi International Airport were delayed due to the dense fog blanketing the city. Despite the precipitation, the AQI levels across various parts of Delhi remain concerning. Key areas recorded the following AQI readings: Anand Vihar (320), Jahangirpuri (317), Vivek Vihar (305), Wazirpur (289), Okhla Phase-2 (269), Rohini (298), Ashok Vihar (291), Patparganj (287), Pusa (268), ITO (263), Najafgarh (234), R K Puram (249), and Shadipur (203). Anand Vihar and Jahangirpuri topped the charts with very poor air quality, while most other regions stayed in the higher range of the poor category. The rain offered a brief respite from the citys pollution, as experts noted that light showers could help settle dust particles and marginally improve air quality but temporarily. While the IMD has assured that the light rain may provide temporary relief from pollution and slightly improve air quality, they also highlighted that the improvement might not last long without sustained precipitation or stronger winds to disperse pollutants. Residents are advised to take necessary precautions, especially those with respiratory or cardiovascular conditions, as the current AQI levels remain harmful to vulnerable groups. The weather department in its Thursday morning bulletin predicted that foggy conditions are set to remain during the next seven days with minimum temperature hovering around 8 to 10 degrees Celsius. Saif Ali Khan Stabbing Incident: Maharashtra Minister Nitesh Rane has sparked a fresh controversy after he made objectionable remarks pertaining to the attack on Bollywood actor Saif Ali Khan. In a fresh statement, the BJP leader raised questions on the attack on Saif Ali Khan asking if the attack on the actor was real or if Khan was just acting. These remarks from Rane came while addressing a public gathering in Maharashtra's Pune. "I doubted whether he had been stabbed or he was acting," he asked. "Look at what Bangladeshis are doing in Mumbai. They entered Saif Ali Khan's house. Earlier they used to stand at the crossings of the roads, now they have started entering houses. Maybe he came to take him (Saif) away. It is good, garbage should be taken away. I saw when he came out of the hospital, I doubted whether he had been stabbed or he was acting. He was dancing while walking," Rane said. #WATCH | Pune: Maharashtra Minister Nitesh Rane says, "Look at what Bangladeshis are doing in Mumbai. They entered Saif Ali Khan's house. Earlier they used to stand at the crossings of the roads, now they have started entering houses. Maybe he came to take him (Saif) away. It is pic.twitter.com/XUBwpwQ6RQ ANI (@ANI) January 23, 2025 Moreover, Rane also took potshots at NCP (SP) leaders Supriya Sule and Jitendra Awhad saying that these leaders are only worried about Saif Ali Khan, Shah Rukh Khan's son and Nawab Malik and do not come forward when a Hindu actor is tortured. "Whenever any Khan like Shahrukh Khan or Saif Ali Khan gets hurt, everyone starts talking about it. When a Hindu actor like Sushant Singh Rajput is tortured, no one comes forward to say anything... That Mumbra's Jeetuddin (Jitendra Awhad) and Baramati's Tai (Supriya Sule) did not come forward to say anything... They are only worried about Saif Ali Khan, Shah Rukh Khan's son and Nawab Malik... Have you ever seen them worrying about any Hindu artist...? You guys should pay attention to all these things," Nitesh Rane stated. Earlier, Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Nirupam had questioned the nature of the attack and said that Saif's family must come up and disclose details of the attack. "The family should come forward and disclose this because, after this incident, such an atmosphere was created in Mumbai that the law and order of Mumbai has collapsed, the Home Ministry has failed, the Maharashtra government has been ruined, and every citizen in Mumbai is unsafe. The way Saif came out (of the hospital), it seems as if nothing happened four days ago... I want to ask the doctors, can a person whose operation lasted for six hours come out in such good shape within four days?," Nirupam said. Reacting to Ranes remarks on the attack on Saif Ali Khan, Maharashtra Deputy CM Ajit Pawar dismissed these remarks claiming that these were just individual opinions and the police had revealed the truth in the case. "I have no idea about what Nitesh Rane said. when I meet him I will ask him about it. look you people are also journalists if someone has a different opinion about something. That's his own choice .... If he has something in his mind he should tell the police. I will also ask the police department if there is any doubts. but in reality accused has already been arrested he came to Mumbai and wanted to back to Bangladesh for that he needed 50000 rupees. But he sought 1 cr from Saif ..all these things already police have told to media," he said. Saif Ali Khan was attacked last week by an intruder, later identified as Mohd Shariful Islam Shehzad, who entered his home with the intent to commit theft. After a violent confrontation with the accused, Saif Ali Khan sustained stab wounds to his thoracic spine and other body parts. He was rushed to Lilavati Hospital for immediate treatment following the attack. A chilling case of alleged murder has emerged from Hyderabad, Telangana, where a retired Army jawan is accused of killing his wife, dismembering her body, and boiling her remains. Gurumurthy, the suspect, confessed to police that he killed his 35-year-old wife, Puttavenkata Madhavi, during a heated argument. He then proceeded to chop up her body in the bathroom, boiled the parts in a pressure cooker, and crushed the bones with a pestle before boiling them again. Disposing of Evidence After three days of gruesome acts, Gurumurthy allegedly packed the remains in a bag and dumped them in a nearby lake. Police are currently searching the lake for the victim's remains using clues teams and a dog squad. Missing Person Complaint Madhavi was reported missing on January 18th by her mother, Subamma. Gurumurthy, who works as a security guard, was taken into custody by police during the investigation. He initially claimed that his wife had left the house after an argument. Investigation Underway While Gurumurthy has confessed to the crime, police are continuing their investigation to gather further evidence. "As of now, we are not finalizing the death. We have to find out the truth, the investigation is ongoing," stated the LB Nagar DCP. Madhavi and Gurumurthy had been married for 13 years and lived with their two children in Venkateswara Colony for the past five years. On the day of the alleged murder, their children were visiting Gurumurthy's sister. The Meerpet SHO, K Nagaraju, stated that the case is currently being treated as a "missing person case" as no concrete evidence of the murder has been found yet. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar addressed the status of Indias trade relations with Pakistan, saying that New Delhi didn't cease trade; rather, the Islamabad administration decided to halt trading in 2019. "We did not stop trading. Their administration made the decision in 2019 to not continue trading with us," EAM Jaishankar said in a press conference in Washington DC on Wednesday (local time). While addressing reporters, the EAM also reiterated India's longstanding concern regarding the Most Favoured Nation (MFN) status, which India had extended to Pakistan but which Pakistan didn't reciprocate. "Our concern about this issue was from the beginning that we should get MFN status. We used to give this status to Pakistan but they did not give it to us," the EAM said. Noting that there have been no recent discussions or initiatives on trade from either side, he added, "So, neither such talks have taken place with Pakistan regarding trade from our side, nor did they take any initiative from their side." Highlighting India-US ties, Jaishankar said both nations have a "very strong degree" of trust and convergence. "We have a very strong degree of trust today between India and the United States, a very high level of convergence of our interests," he said. He also noted that the two nations share a sense of global good and are committed to serving their national interests while building their bilateral partnership. "A sense that while we serve our national interest, while we build our bilateral partnership, definitely on regional issues and global issues, there is a lot of good that we can do. So that sense of global good was also very evident conceptually in what we discussed," the EAM said. "In terms of the bilateral ties, this was the first day of the administration, so we had sort of essentially a broad brush conversation, didn't get too deep into details, but there was an agreement, a consensus between us that we need to be bolder, bigger and more ambitious," he added. Notably, Jaishankar represented India at US President Donald Trump's inaugural function. He also carried a letter from Prime Minister Narendra Modi for President Trump. Donald Trump took oath as the 47th US President on January 20. EAM Jaishankar In US: Expressing concern over the attack on the Indian consulate in San Francisco, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar dubbed it a very serious matter. He said that India expects accountability for the incident and those responsible to be held accountable. While speaking at a press conference in Washington DC on Wednesday (local time), the EAM said, "The arson attack on our consulate in San Francisco is a very, very serious matter, and it is something for which we expect accountability. We would like to see that people who did it are held responsible". Futher, Jaishankar also stated that "he had a brief discussion on Bangladesh" with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, but didn't share any further details at the presser. "We had a brief discussion on Bangladesh...I don't think it's appropriate. I get into more details," he said. Notably, the Consulate General of India in San Francisco was attacked on March 19, 2023, by a group of assailants who committed criminal trespass, damaged public property, and attacked officials of the Consulate. Before this attack, on the same day, some attackers attempted to set the Consulate building on fire by sprinkling inflammable substances early in the morning. A video surfaced on social media in which suspected pro-Khalistani protestors were seen gathering outside the Indian consulate in San Francisco, shouting slogans and heckling staff as they abandoned the diplomatic mission. Shortly after three months in July, a group of Khalistan extremists again tried to set the Indian consulate in San Francisco on fire. The local San Francisco police department, special diplomatic security personnel, and state and federal authorities were notified and they launched a probe into the July incident thereafter. The incident was strongly condemned by the US, which called it a "criminal offence". On Monday, Donald Trump was sworn in as the 47th President of the United States at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., with Chief Justice John Roberts administering the oath. Before Trump's swearing-in, JD Vance was sworn in as the 50th Vice President of the United States. Jaishankar was among the attendees of the grand ceremony which also saw the presence of global leaders and top bureaucrats. After attending the swearing-in of Donald Trump, the EAM said it was a "great honour" to represent India at the inauguration ceremony. (With ANI Inputs) Jalgaon Train Accident: The death toll in the train accident in Maharashtras Jalgaon district on Wednesday spiked to 13. Passengers of the Mumbai-bound Pushpak Express train jumped in panic following a false fire alarm. They were tragically run over by another train on the adjacent tracks, officials said. #UPDATE | Death toll in Jalgaon train accident rises to 13: Ayush Prasad, Collector Jalgaon Yesterday, passengers of Pushpak Express were hit by Karnataka Express in Pachora of Jalgaon district. January 23, 2025 The tragedy unfolded when passengers onboard the 12533 Lucknow-Mumbai Pushpak Express, fearing a blaze, hastily jumped onto the adjacent tracks and were run over by the oncoming Karnataka Express heading from Bengaluru to Delhi, they said. Latest Visuals From Incident Site #WATCH | Jalgaon train accident | Morning visuals from the incident spot 12 people died and several others were injured after the passengers of Pushpak Express were hit by Karnataka Express in Pachora of Jalgaon district. pic.twitter.com/2jtxE7ftuw ANI (@ANI) January 23, 2025 As many as 15 other passengers were injured in the accident, which took place between Maheji and Pardhade stations near Pachora town in North Maharashtra's Jalgaon district when Pushpak Express halted after someone pulled the chain around 4.45 pm, Central Railway officials said. The Railway Ministry has announced ex-gratia of Rs 1.5 lakh each for the kins of the deceased in the accident. "Ex gratia of Rs 1.5 lakh each has been announced for the kins of the deceased in the Jalgaon train accident, Rs 50,000 to the people who are seriously injured and Rs 5,000 to the people who have sustained minor injuries," the Office of Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said in a statement. Following the tragic incident, the injured were admitted to the hospital and are receiving treatment. Jalgaon District Magistrate (DM) Ayush Prasad told ANI, "We received the info of the accident after which the administration immediately came into action and sent the ambulance and other help to the site. The hospitals were activated. The injured have been admitted to the hospital and are under treatment. Post-mortem of the deceased is being done. All the investigation is being done." Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday expressed his condolences over the tragic train accident in Jalgaon, Maharashtra, which resulted in multiple deaths and injuries. "Anguished by the tragic accident on the railway tracks in Jalgaon, Maharashtra. I extend my heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families and pray for the speedy recovery of all the injured. Authorities are providing all possible assistance to those affected," the Prime Minister's Office stated in a post on X. Kerala Lottery Results Thursday 23-01-2025 LIVE: The Kerala Lottery Department, on behalf of the Keralan government, announces the "Karunya KN-557" Lucky Draw Result today Karunya KN-557, January 23, 2025. The draw will be held at Gorky Bhavan near Bakery Junction in Thiruvananthapuram. The Kerala Lottery Result 2025 for "Karunya KN-557" 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-557 results right here to see if youre the first-place winner of 80 Lakhs. 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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.) 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: Jing Li, Youguo Chen, Mian He, Xiaoxiang Chen, Hao Wen, Yu Kang, Kaijiang Liu, Ge Lou, Xipeng Wang, Qinglian Wen, Li Wang, Zhongqiu Lin Ovarian cancer has seen a significant shift in its treatment paradigm with the introduction of poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) inhibitors, which are now standard in the maintenance setting following first-line chemotherapy. A retrospective cohort study investigated the real-world effectiveness and safety of olaparib, a PARP inhibitor, in patients with newly diagnosed advanced-stage, high-grade serous ovarian cancer who are HRD positive but BRCA wild-type, a demographic less extensively explored in previous research. The primary goal was to assess the one-year progression-free survival (PFS) rate of olaparib maintenance therapy in this specific patient group, offering insights into its potential as a therapeutic option. The research is published in the journal Frontiers of Medicine. Conducted across 11 high-volume tertiary care centers in China, the study included patients who received olaparib as frontline maintenance therapy after achieving a complete or partial response to platinum-based chemotherapy. The analysis focused on the one-year PFS rate, median PFS, time to first subsequent therapy or death, and treatment-related adverse events. The one-year PFS rate was 75.2%, with a median PFS of 21.0 months, aligning with previous trials and highlighting olaparib's efficacy in maintaining remission in patients with HRD-positive, BRCA wild-type ovarian cancer. The safety profile of olaparib was consistent with known adverse events, primarily anemia and nausea, with most patients continuing treatment without discontinuation due to these events. The findings from this study are significant as they provide the first evidence supporting the use of olaparib in patients with newly diagnosed HRD-positive/BRCA wild-type ovarian cancer, a population that has been less studied in the context of PARP inhibitor efficacy. This fills a gap in the research and provides new therapeutic options for clinical treatment. Despite the study's limitations, including its retrospective design, short follow-up period, and small sample size, the results are still enlightening and require further validation through the ongoing phase III MONO-OLA1 study. Overall, this study underscores the importance of PARP inhibitors in the treatment of newly diagnosed ovarian cancer and offers a potential effective treatment option for HRD-positive/BRCA wild-type patients. More information: Jing Li et al, First evidence of olaparib maintenance therapy in patients with newly diagnosed homologous recombination deficient positive/BRCA wild-type ovarian cancer: real-world multicenter study, Frontiers of Medicine (2024). DOI: 10.1007/s11684-024-1083-5 Provided by Higher Education Press BJP National President JP Nadda launched a scathing attack on former Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and his party, AAP, accusing them of widespread corruption and failures in governance. Speaking at a campaign for the Delhi Assembly Election in Uttam Nagar, Nadda highlighted various alleged scams, including a Rs 28,000 crore fraud in the Delhi Jal Board and a Rs 2,800 crore liquor scam, criticizing AAP for worsening the situation in Delhi. Nadda criticized the AAP-led Delhi government for neglecting the city's development, stating, "If there is a national-level competition for lying, Kejriwal will come first. But the people of Delhi have now woken up. There are heaps of garbage everywhere, what picture are they painting of Delhi?" He also referred to Kejriwal's promises to clean the Yamuna, claiming that the project had been marred by corruption. "He (Kejriwal) said he will clean the Yamuna, a scam of Rs 7,000-8,000 crore has been done... Prime Minister Modi sent 300 new buses, electric buses, and by December 2025, 2026 new electric buses will be given," Nadda said. Nadda continued, criticising Kejriwal for abandoning key issues like education while engaging in corrupt activities. "In the last ten years, AAP has put Delhi in problems. They have broken all the records of corruption. I haven't seen such a corrupt party like theirs," Nadda remarked. He accused Kejriwal's government of failing to deliver on promises, such as free water, clean classrooms, and better infrastructure. "They spoke about education but got busy in a liquor scam. And it was not a small scam, it was a scam worth 2800 cr. Similarly, they announced free water, is it there and is it clean? My friends, they committed a scam worth 28000 cr in Delhi Jal Board, and did not even audit it. Delhi has been given to the hands of the tanker mafia." As the Health Minister, Nadda alleged that AAP was involved in a massive scam related to Mohalla Clinics. "As the Health Minister, I am saying that they committed a scam of Rs 65,000 crore in the name of fake tests in Mohalla Clinics," Nadda claimed. He also pointed to the failures in setting up CCTV cameras as promised by Kejriwal, adding, "He said that I will set up CCTVs everywhere but have they been set up and? In this he committed a scam of 571 crores." Nadda further accused the Delhi government of neglecting even the Waqf Board, claiming that AAP had orchestrated a Rs 100 crore scam there as well. "He didn't even spare Waqf board. He did a scam of 100 cr," Nadda said. The BJP President continued his critique, stating that Kejriwal had constantly tried to block the central government's initiatives. "PM sent 300 new electric buses. Kejriwal has always been trying to stop the implementation of our schemes." Nadda contrasted the state of Delhi under AAP with the work being done by the BJP-led central government. "The roads are not developed at all and this is such a big problem for our poor brothers and sisters. In the last ten years, the metro route has doubled. It is only the central govt that has worked under the leadership of Modi ji. Rapid rail has been started from Delhi to Meerut. Now you can reach Meerut within 45 minutes. 3600 cr have been spent on the expressway from Alipur to Mahipalpur. The Eastern Peripheral Expressway has been made with 11000 cr that is 135 Km long," he said. Nadda in a call to action, asserted that the people of Delhi were ready to reject AAP's leadership. "Seeing the enthusiasm of you all I am sure that you all have decided that BJP will win this time in Delhi. You have also decided that AAPda will be thrown out this time," he said, accusing Kejriwal's government of leaving Delhi in a state of chaos. Tension prevailed in Bihar's Mokama town following an incident of indiscriminate firing on former MLA Anant Singh. The police were on the lookout for the Sonu-Monu gang, which is the prime accused in the case, said officials on Thursday. The firing incident happened on Wednesday in Nauranga Jalalpur village. The district police have intensified their presence in the area, with Barh DSP camping in the village. Nauranga village has effectively been turned into a police cantonment as security measures have been ramped up. After the incident, all members of the Sonu-Monu gang fled the scene, raising questions about who Sonu and Monu are and how they operate in the Mokama area. Sonu Singh and Monu Singh are brothers from Jalalpur village. They have long been rivals of former MLA Anant Singh. The conflict between the two parties stems from Sonu and Monu's association with a group that opposes Anant Singh. However, after Anant Singh's release from jail, the strained relationship between the brothers and the former MLA had reportedly improved. However, the situation took a turn on Wednesday, with an incident of indiscriminate firing escalating tensions. The latest clash is believed to be connected to disputes over local supremacy. Sonu and Monu, residents of Jalalpur village under Panchmahala OP (Marachi police station), entered the world of crime about 15 years ago after engaging in robbery in trains. Over time, they became notorious figures in the region, closely linked to Uttar Pradesh's strongman Mukhtar Ansari. Both brothers have been working to establish their criminal group, akin to the infamous Lawrence Bishnoi gang. Sonu and Monu were once an integral part of Mukhtar Ansari's network. In 2017, Monu Singh was allegedly given a Rs 50 lakh contract to eliminate former MLA Anant Singh. To consolidate their influence, the brothers began holding darbars (informal courts) in their village. These sessions attracted people whose grievances were not resolved by local officials, enhancing the brothers' reputation as problem solvers. By forming connections with influential figures, or "white-collar" individuals, Sonu and Monu expanded their reach. Their influence became so pervasive that officials and employees in the Mokama block and zonal offices reportedly complied with their demands immediately. While presenting themselves as social workers, their true intentions were sinister. Behind the scenes, they were deeply involved in criminal activities, including robbery, murder and loot, turning illegal operations into a second profession. Over time, they gained a "heroic" reputation among the locals, but their growing criminal empire remained concealed. Recognizing the value of political power, Sonu and Monu ventured into local politics. They succeeded in getting their sister elected as the Mukhiya of Nauranga Jalalpur Panchayat. However, her tenure was short-lived as she was disqualified following a complaint about errors in her affidavit. When a panchayat-level leader Guddu Singh sought to field a family member in the Mukhiya (village head) by-election, the Sonu-Monu gangs conspired to eliminate him. They hired notorious Manoj Singh of Naubatpur to carry out the plan during Guddu Singhs court appearance from Barh jail. Guddu Singh was serving a jail term in a criminal case when he was attacked by the Sonu-Monu gang during a court appearance. After this case, Sonu, Monu, their father, and their sister were named in the murder case. Multiple cases are registered against the brothers in the Mokama GRP, all related to robberies in trains. Monu has served several months in Beur jail following an arms recovery case in the Agamkuan police station area of Patna. Both brothers have over a dozen serious cases registered against them, spanning multiple police station areas from Jharkhand to Lakhisarai. Their criminal operations are so meticulously planned that law enforcement agencies often struggle to gather evidence or trace their activities. Sonu and Monus notoriety has turned them into figures of fear and influence in the Mokama region. However, their criminal empire is under scrutiny following the recent incident involving former MLA Anant Singh. The brothers remain on the run as police intensify efforts to track them down. UP School Holiday: Amid a severe cold wave, the District Magistrate of Gorakhpur, Krishna Karunesh, has ordered the closure of all schools for classes 1 to 8 on January 22 and 23, 2025, to protect students from the harsh winter. Schools for classes 9 to 12 will remain open but will operate with revised timings from 10 am to 3 pm. Similarly, the District Magistrate of Ayodhya, Chandra Vijay Singh, has directed the closure of all government and private schools for students up to class 5 until January 25, 2025, prioritizing the health and well-being of children. Earlier, the Indian Meteorological Department issued an alert for stormy rain and dense fog on January 22 and 23, predicting colder days. Meanwhile, schools in Mirzapur are set to reopen on January 22, 2025. The District Magistrate had ordered the closure of schools from nursery to class 8 until January 21, 2025. However, teachers and staff were required to attend schools between 10:00 AM and 3:00 PM to handle administrative tasks like DBT and U-DISE. Patna schools closed till Jan 25 In Patna, District Magistrate Dr. Chandra Shekhar Singh issued an order under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), 2023, prohibiting academic activities in all private and government schools, including Aanganwadi centers and preschools, before 9:00 AM and after 3:30 PM. The order applies to the entire Patna district from January 20 to January 25, 2025. Classes up to the 8th standard will remain closed and will resume on January 25, 2025. More showers are predicted in national capital The IMD has forecasted more light rain throughout the day, with maximum and minimum temperatures expected to be around 22 degrees celsius and 12 degrees celsius, respectively. In its Thursday morning update, the weather department also predicted that foggy conditions will persist for the next seven days, with the minimum temperature ranging between 8 degrees celsius and 10 degrees celcius. Mumbai: The Indian Banks Association (IBA) is set to host its highly anticipated 20th Annual Banking Technology Conference, a marquee event spotlighting the evolution and modernization of Indias financial sector. Scheduled to take place at the iconic Trident Nariman Point in Mumbai, this years theme, Future-Ready Banking for Viksit Bharat, embodies the vision of a digitally empowered and self-reliant India. For over two decades, the IBA conference has been a vital platform, fostering growth, driving innovation, and addressing the challenges confronting the banking sector. This years gathering will bring together over 350 distinguished minds, including bankers, regulatory officials, and fintech experts, to explore how emerging technologies are reshaping the industry. Wegofin: A Visionary Sponsor Shaping the Future of Fintech Among the key sponsors for this years conference is Wegofin, a fintech innovator poised to redefine banking with its cutting-edge solutions powered by Generative AI. Wegofins sponsorship underscores its commitment to advancing the financial landscape, leveraging AI-driven technologies to transform banking processes and drive economic growth. Wegofins solutions are designed to address the evolving needs of banks, merchants, and customers by utilizing years of industry expertise and real-world data. The companys focus on Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning (AI-ML) has placed it at the forefront of digital banking innovation. Key features of Wegofins offerings include: Enhanced account management and compliance tools. Advanced tax consultation and actionable insights. Industry-leading analytics and reporting capabilities. AI-driven operational efficiency tailored to market demands. At the heart of Wegofins technology suite is its AI-Risk Engine, an unparalleled tool that minimizes dispute ratios and ensures robust security for merchants and banks alike. Every product is meticulously engineered to provide exceptional reliability, scalability, and trust. Panel Discussion: Wegofin CEO to Illuminate the Role of Generative AI A key highlight of the event will be a panel discussion featuring Wegofins CEO, Mr. Prabhu Kumar, alongside other prominent industry leaders. The discussion will delve into the transformative impact of Generative AI on critical areas such as payments technology, decision-making, security frameworks, and user experience enhancement. Mr. Kumar is expected to share insights into how AI is reshaping the banking landscape by reducing transaction friction, enhancing operational efficiencies, and driving financial inclusion. His expertise is anticipated to resonate deeply with stakeholders, inspiring collaboration and innovation across the industry. Driving Indias Vision of Viksit Bharat As India charts its course toward becoming a digitally empowered economy, events like the IBA conference serve as catalysts for change. Wegofins AI-powered solutions are central to this transformation, helping banks and merchants embrace future-ready, trust-driven models that optimize operations and unlock growth potential. By harnessing the power of Generative AI, Wegofin is not merely evolving alongside the banking sectorit is redefining its future, one innovation at a time. About Wegofin Wegofin is a leading fintech innovator dedicated to revolutionizing digital banking and merchant acquisition through AI-powered solutions. The companys mission is to enable financial institutions and merchants to achieve operational excellence and secure long-term growth. For more information, visit www.wegofin.com. Disclaimer- (This article is part of IndiaDotCom Pvt Lts consumer connect initiative, 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.) Delhi Assembly Polls: Aam Aadmi Party National Convenor Arvind Kejriwal slammed Union Home Minister Amit Shah over alleged 'harassment' of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) workers by the police. He said that while Shah might have done "hooliganism" in Gujarat, Delhi will not accept such behaviour. In a post on X, Kejriwal trained his guns on Shah and said, "Amit Shah ji has completely lost his temper. Amit ji, you may have committed hooliganism in Gujarat, but Delhi will not tolerate your hooliganism." Throwing his weight behind Kejriwal, senior AAP leader Sanjay Singh also alleged that the BJP, "fearing defeat", is harassing AAP workers in the national capital using police. "The BJP is losing the elections badly. The police, scared of defeat, are harassing our workers. Delhi Police is raiding the house of AAP worker Bunty Shekhawat in BR Camp of the New Delhi Legislative Assembly, flouting the rules and laws. @ECISVEEP @CPDelhi, take cognizance of the incident," Singh said in a post on X. Speaking to ANI, Sanjay Singh alleged that their party workers were detained by the police based on "false complaints." "BJP is going to lose in the New Delhi constituency. When Parvesh Verma distributes money and other things, no action is taken even after we file complaints about it. On the other hand, a false complaint was made against our party workers, and based on that, they were detained. How can we campaign in such a situation?" the senior AAP leader said. Delhi is set to go to polls in a single phase on February 5, and the counting of votes will take place on February 8. A total of 699 candidates are competing for the 70 assembly seats in Delhi. 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 seats. In contrast, the AAP dominated the 2015 and 2020 assembly elections by winning 67 and 62 seats, respectively, out of a total of 70 seats, while the BJP got only three and eight seats in these elections. Parakram Diwas 2025: On January 23, 2025, which is a Thursday, India will celebrate the 128th birth anniversary of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose. This special day is commonly referred to as Subhas Chandra Bose Jayanti or Parakram Diwas, meaning Day of Valour. It honors one of Indias most respected freedom fighters. This day pays tribute to his incredible contributions and leadership during the fight for Indias independence, highlighting his unyielding spirit and bravery during key moments in the nations history. Subhas Chandra Bose Jayanti 2025: Date and History Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose was born on January 23, 1897, in Cuttack, Odisha. He was a nationalist leader who became involved in the Indian independence movement, initially working with Mahatma Gandhi and the Indian National Congress starting in 1921. After his return from England, he took on the presidency of the Congress in 1938. His tireless efforts to free India led him to make several attempts to regain the country's independence. In 2021, the Indian government named January 23 as Parakram Diwas to remember Netajis heroic efforts in the freedom struggle. This year, as we observe Parakram Diwas 2025, we will celebrate his 128th birth anniversary. Subhas Chandra Bose Jayanti 2025: Significance and Celebrations Celebrating Netaji Jayanti encourages a sense of patriotism among people, particularly the youth, reminding them of his sacrifices and inspiring them through his courage and strength during tough times. In several states like West Bengal, Tripura, Jharkhand, Assam, and Odisha, this day is an official holiday. Across the country, various activities such as parades, gatherings, and special events are organized to honor Netajis significant role in Indias independence movement. Mumbai: Actress Amy Jackson has once again captivated the internet with her fearless and artistic approach to announcing major life events. The actress took to Instagram to share a breathtaking almost nude photo from the Wilderness Reserve, showcasing her fully grown baby bump against a serene natural backdrop. Captioning the post, Cant really call it skinny dipping at this point, Amy added her signature charm and humour while she emrbraces her second pregnancy. Amys pregnancy marks a new milestone in her personal journey. This will be her second child, as she is already a proud mother to a five-year-old son, Andreas, whom she shares with her ex-partner, George Panayiotou. Known for her ability to balance her career, personal life, and motherhood, Amy continues to inspire fans with her candid and fearless personality. The comments section of Amys post has been flooded with congratulatory messages and words of admiration. Fans have hailed her for redefining how motherhood is celebrated, showcasing strength, beauty, and individuality. A fan commented, This is not just a post; its a statement about celebrating life! In the same post, Amy also shared glimpses of her visit to Anfield Stadium, Liverpool, showcasing her adventurous side during this exciting phase of her life. The actress has always been known for her vibrant personality, and this post highlights her ability to live life to the fullest. The actress got engaged to Gossip Girl star Ed Westwick in January and tied the knot in August 2024. In the month of October 2024, Amy shared her pregnancy news dropping cosy picture with Ed and calling themsleves Mom and Dad. New Delhi: Actor Varun Kulkarni, who appeared alongside Vicky Kaushal and Shah Rukh Khan in Dunki, is currently battling 'severe kidney issues'. The actor has been dealing with severe kidney issues and requires constant medical care, including dialysis 2-3 times a week. As his medical expenses continue to rise, his close friend and theatre co-artist, Roshan Shetty, has appealed for financial assistance from the public to help cover these mounting costs. Taking to Instagram, Shetty shared a note detailing Varuns struggle, which read "My dear friend and theatre co-artist, Varun Kulkarni, is currently battling severe kidney issues. Despite our previous efforts to raise funds, the expenses for his treatment continue to mount. He requires dialysis 23 times a week, along with regular medical care and emergency hospital visits." Shetty also shared that just two days ago, Varun was rushed to the hospital for an emergency dialysis session, highlighting the urgency and severity of the situation. "Varun is not only a brilliant artist but also a kind and selfless human being. He lost both his parents at a very young age and has been a self-made individual ever since, pursuing his passion for theatre against all odds," Shetty continued. However, Shetty pointed out that the life of an artist often comes with financial instability, and this is a particularly difficult time for Varun, urging people to help in whatever way they can. Take A Look At The Post: Shetty urged those who know Varun or his partner, Rhea, to contribute directly to them. For others, a Ketto link has been set up to facilitate donations. "Your supportno matter the amountcan make a huge difference. Even sharing this message can help reach more people who might lend a hand," Shetty concluded. In addition to his role in Dunki, Varun has also featured in popular OTT shows such as Scam 1992 and The Family Man. Mumbai: A court here has sentenced filmmaker Ram Gopal Varma to three months imprisonment in a cheque bounce case and issued a non-bailable arrest warrant against him. Judicial Magistrate (First Class) in Andheri, Y P Pujari, on Tuesday convicted Varma for the offence punishable under the provisions of the Negotiable Instruments Act. The court has also directed the filmmaker to pay a compensation of Rs 3,72,219 to the complainant within three months from the date of the order. The detailed order was not available yet. Since Varma was not present before the court when the order was passed, it issued a standing non-bailable warrant against him for his arrest for execution of the sentence as per the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC). The complaint of cheque bounce was registered against Varma's firm in 2018 by a company. The court had granted bail to Varma in April 2022 on a cash security of Rs 5,000. Mumbai: The feud between Bigg Boss 18 winner Karanveer Mehra and Rajat Dalal has escalated to new heights, with tensions spilling over to social media. Following Karanveers victory, he took to Instagram to call out Rajat Dalals fans for their abusive behaviour towards him and his loved ones. In a fiery post on his Instagram stories, Karanveer addressed the trolling, hate, and personal attacks he has faced since his win. He labelled Rajat Dalals fans as a faceless and baseless army and accused them of crossing all boundaries of decency. Karanveer wrote, To all the trollers, haters, age and body shamers, chappris sitting on tappris, THE FACELESS BASELESS DALAL JHUNDwho call themselves ARMY! You have crossed all boundaries of humanity and disgraced me and my family for merely giving my opinion (when asked). He further criticised them for bombarding his social media posts with hate and accused them of misusing democracy in the name of free speech. Karanveer didnt hold back, adding, You are not fans; you are goons. Khareede hue paaltu ho (you are bought and tame) with no social standing. Trophy toh le udaa janta ka laal (the peoples favourite took the trophy). The post ended with hashtags like #thokotaali and #dabbangdhawan, highlighting his triumph over the backlash. Rajat Dalal, who was among the finalists and a favourite among certain fan groups, didnt stay silent. In response to Karanveers accusations, Rajat shared a video addressing the issue and issued a veiled warning. Referring to Karanveers public remarks, he said, Dikkat ho sakti hai. Khyaal rakho apna (There could be trouble. Take care of yourself). While Rajat didnt explicitly clarify what he meant, the statement was perceived as a threat by many, further fueling the controversy. The animosity between the fanbases of Karanveer and Rajat has been intense since the Bigg Boss 18 finale. While Karanveers supporters celebrated his win, Rajats fans flooded social media with abusive comments, leading to a toxic environment. Karanveers Instagram post was a direct response to this trolling. 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: SHVETS production from Pexels A new study published in The BMJ suggests that prehabilitation (also called prehab) may be able to reduce complications and length of hospitalization after surgery, while also improving quality of life and physical recovery. The systematic review and meta-analysis, which is the largest of its kind, examined data from more than 15,000 patients who participated in 186 randomized controlled clinical trials around the world. The researchers looked at various kinds of prehab, including exercise, nutritional enhancement, psychological support, cognitive training and various combinations of these. They found that exercise was the most promising component, followed by nutritional enhancement. "If you are going to be having surgery, it is always a good idea to ask about prehabilitation," said lead author Dr. Daniel McIsaac, anesthesiologist and senior scientist at The Ottawa Hospital and Clinical Research Chair in Perioperative Innovation at the University of Ottawa. "If you are willing and able to regularly increase your activity levels and protein intake for a few weeks before surgery, you are likely to experience a noticeably shorter recovery time after surgery." The researchers note, however, that many of the prehabilitation trials were conducted in single hospitals, and therefore it is unclear how well the results would translate to other hospitals or outside of tightly controlled research settings. "Prehabilitation is very promising, but we still don't know how best to implement it across hospitals and health systems," said Dr. McIsaac. "We're pretty sure that if patients can do the work of prehabilitation, they are likely to benefit. The big question is how do we deliver prehabilitation that works for all surgical patients at a system-level? Ongoing multi-center trials should provide more rigorous evidence to support broader implementation." Fitness impacts recovery The term "prehabilitation" dates back to World War II, when the British Army used it to refer to approaches for improving the general health and fitness of military recruits. The term was later adopted by the medical community, and prehab has become a major area of research in the last 30 years. "We know that people who are more physically fit tend to recover faster from surgery and suffer fewer complications," said Dr. McIsaac. "While many patients, with encouragement from their doctors, want to improve their fitness before surgery, patients often aren't sure where or how to start. The goal of our research program is to develop a simple and effective approach to prehabilitation that can benefit the largest number of patients in meaningfully improving their surgical recovery and help patients get home faster after surgery." More than 300 million surgeries are performed around the world each year. Unfortunately, more than 20% of major surgery patients suffer from post-operative complications, which can increase the length of hospitalization and delay recovery. Large prehab trials underway, guided by patients Although most of the prehab clinical trials reported so far have taken place at single hospitals with a small number of patients, The Ottawa Hospital's Aging Innovation In Perioperative Medicine & Surgery (AIMS) Research Group is currently conducting two large multi-center prehab trials. The first trial has finished enrolling patients and results are expected to be published in March of 2025. The second trial, which is focused on virtual home-based prehab, is currently enrolling patients across Canada who have a planned surgery that requires at least one night in hospital. Clinicians, scientists and patient partners across Canada are contributing to these trials though the Canadian Prehabilitation Knowledge Network and the Canadian Perioperative Anesthesia Clinical Trials (PACT) Group. Patient engagement is being prioritized at all stages to ensure that results will be relevant to patients and the health-care system. Gurlie Kidd, a retired social worker who has gone through a major surgery, has been a patient partner on the team since 2020. Her feedback has helped to ensure that the patient voice is central to all prehab trials at The Ottawa Hospital. "It is very empowering to know that there's something you can do to prepare for surgery that will help your recovery. Patients are hungry for this," said Kidd. "I hope that one day, prehab will be the standard of care before all major surgeries." More information: Relative efficacy of prehabilitation interventions and their components: systematic review with network and component network meta-analyses of randomised controlled trials., The BMJ (2025). DOI: 10.1136/bmj-2024-081164 Journal information: British Medical Journal (BMJ) Mumbai: The shocking incident of Saif Ali Khan being stabbed at his Mumbai residence has brought attention not only to the actors resilience but also to his 8-year-old son, Taimur Ali Khan. The young boy displayed extraordinary courage, accompanying his father to the hospital after the attack. The act has left many, including Taimurs nanny, Lalita, deeply moved and astonished. In an interview with India Today, Lalita shared her shock over Taimurs brave actions. Both of them were alone. It really shocked me that little Taimur took his father to the hospital. At his age, the childs mindset is so strong, thats unimaginable, she said, marveling at the young boys composure during such a traumatic event. Lalita also expressed confusion about how the intruder managed to enter the house unnoticed. I have no idea where he came from and how he entered. It is really a surprise. How will anybody know that he is entering or that hes going to do such things? There are many officers coming and going for work. Youve seen the building outside. I dont know how he could have entered, she added, raising concerns about security lapses. The nanny also praised Saif Ali Khans strength and resilience, comparing him to a lion. He is like a lion. He is a Nawab, after all Blue blood. I really respect Saif sir what a strong personality inside and outside, she said. Lalita noted that Taimur seems to have inherited his fathers strong personality and courage. Taimur also has a strong personality; he will be strong like his Abba. His parents are very strong-minded. Kareena madam is also a very strong-headed lady; she is so disciplined and strong, she added, acknowledging the familys shared grit and determination. Saif Ali Khan was attacked in the early hours of January 16 by an intruder who stabbed him six times. Despite the severity of the injuries, Saif managed to get to the hospital with the help of his son Taimur. The actor underwent surgery and returned home on January 21, astonishing many with his quick recovery. Taimurs actions have drawn widespread admiration, with many praising his courage and maturity at such a young age. The incident has also sparked discussions about security measures for high-profile individuals and their families. San Jose: Heralding a new AI era, Samsung on Wednesday unveiled its latest Galaxy S series smartphones, featuring more advanced on-device artificial intelligence (AI) with multimodal capabilities and personalised assistance functions. Three models of the Galaxy S25 the Galaxy S25, Galaxy S25 Plus and Galaxy S25 Ultra -- were showcased during the Unpacked event at the SAP Center here. Roh Tae-moon, head of the mobile business division at Samsung Electronics, highlighted the new series' focus on integrating AI into the operating system to redefine how users interact with technology. "Galaxy S25 series opens the door to an AI-integrated OS that fundamentally shifts how we use technology and how we live our lives," he said during the event. All three models are powered by the Snapdragon 8 Elite Mobile Platform for Galaxy chipset, a customised version co-developed by Qualcomm Inc. and Samsung. The company said it is the most powerful processor ever in a Galaxy S series, offering up to 40 per cent improved performance in display image scaling quality and power efficiency compared to its previous generation. The Galaxy S25 series runs on One UI 7, Samsung's AI-driven user interface, which enhances multitasking by reducing the need for using multiple apps and enabling seamless interactions across applications. The Galaxy AI agents, equipped with multimodal capabilities, allow the devices to interpret text, speech, images and videos, delivering a more natural user experience. The Galaxy S25 also features enhanced natural language understanding, enabling users to locate specific photos, adjust display font sizes or perform other tasks with verbal commands. Its communication services include, in addition, live translation and interpretation features that support 20 languages, along with new call transcription and summarisation functions. The Galaxy S25 series incorporates new tools developed through Samsung's partnership with Google. A dedicated side button activates Google's Gemini assistant, facilitating stable interactions between Samsung and Google apps. Google's upgraded Circle to Search feature, first introduced in previous Galaxy models, can recognise phone numbers, emails and web addresses directly on the screen, enabling quick actions with a single tap. The Galaxy S25 Ultra boasts a 50 million-pixel ultrawide camera, an upgrade from its predecessor's 12 million pixels. The ProVisual Engine, powered by AI, ensures ultra-detailed shots in various lighting conditions. Galaxy AI's Audio Eraser technology helps the user remove unwanted noise in videos or control audio tones for voices, music or environmental sounds. The new Galaxy S25 series will be officially launched on Feb. 7 worldwide, the company said. Samsung Electronics has frozen the prices for the S25 series at the same level as its predecessor. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has come to the defense of billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk, following criticism regarding a gesture he made during Donald Trumps inauguration, which some commentators linked to a Nazi salute. Netanyahu dismissed the allegations as a "false smear," emphasizing Musks strong support for Israel. Netanyahu Stands By Musk In a statement posted on X (formerly Twitter), a platform owned by Musk, Netanyahu expressed his unwavering support for the tech mogul. Elon is a great friend of Israel, Netanyahu wrote, reiterating Musk's significant contributions in defending Israels right to protect itself from terrorist threats. The Israeli leader underscored Musks past actions, including his vocal support for the nation during times of crisis. Netanyahu also mentioned Musks visit to Israel following the October 7, 2023, attack by Hamas, calling the trip a testament to Musks dedication to Israels security. Musk had previously joined Netanyahu in visiting a kibbutz that had been attacked by Hamas militants, further solidifying his stance against terrorism. This is not the first time Musk has faced backlash for his comments and actions concerning anti-Semitism. In the past, Musk was criticized for endorsing a post that accused Jewish people of hatred against whites a statement he later apologized for. Additionally, his acquisition of X has sparked concerns about the platform's role in promoting hate speech and racism. However, Netanyahu highlighted that Musks actions, including his apology and his public support for Israel, have shown that he is committed to fighting anti-Semitism. Israeli President Isaac Herzog also acknowledged Musks potential to make a difference in the ongoing battle against hatred. Musk Responds to Gesture Criticism Musk, who has repeatedly dismissed claims about his controversial gesture at Trumps inauguration, took to X to downplay the significance of the accusations. "Frankly, they need better dirty tricks. The everyone is Hitler attack is sooo tired, Musk remarked, brushing off the criticisms as stale and unfounded. Indians make up one of the largest communities in the United States of America. The US ranks high among the most sought-after destinations when it comes to Indians. While lakhs of Indians have been living in America legally, thousands have landed there through illegal means like Dunky routes while some overstayed after their visa expired. Indians often look to get citizenship in America and with the Green Card waitlist exceeding century, Indians mostly rely on birthright citizenship to the US citizenship for their kids. However, the re-election of Donald Trump as the US President has fomented trouble for those seeking citizenship in America. While Trump signed an executive order restricting the issuance of birthright citizenship to non-Americans, the move triggered a flurry of unexpected moves from those being affected by the new law. Now, pregnant women who are due by March or April are seeking premature delivery before February 20. Sounds bizarre? While women often route for normal delivery across the world, Indian women in America are deliberately opting for C-sections just to ensure that their kids get US citizenship as Trump's executive order against birthright citizenship will come into force from Feb 20, reported the Times of India. The rush to beat the birthright citizenship deadline is reportedly widespread, as babies born on or after February 20 to non-permanent residents will no longer automatically qualify for citizenship. The policy change carries even more significant consequences for undocumented immigrants, as they will now face deportation to their home countries. Birthright citizenship is a legal principle that grants citizenship to children based on their place of birth, regardless of their parents' nationality or immigration status. In Chinese culture, the snake seems to have an intricate relationship with the dragon, a symbolic emblem of the nation. Sometimes they could not be differentiated from each other, in other times snakes were widely believed to be a major prototype of dragons. Similar to the dragon, the snake was an important motif throughout the Chinese history, but different from dragons, snakes had fluctuating symbolic meanings. Snakes were not unfamiliar to ancient Chinese people. In Shuowen Jiezi ("an explanation of Chinese characters"), a basic reference book on Chinese characters written in the second century, author Xu Shen mentioned how people feared snakes and greeted each other by asking if they had encountered any recently, indicating the frequent presence of such creatures in their lives. As a matter of fact, the ancient Chinese had detailed observations of snakes, gaining profound insights into their biological characteristics. This led to the gradual development of diverse and complicated sentiments toward these creatures, as evidenced by the numerous cultural artifacts and myths they left behind. The earliest known cultural relics related to snakes can be traced back to nearly 8,000 years ago in northeastern China, where Chahai Site in Fuxin, Liaoning province, has unveiled a cylindrical pottery jar embossed with the pattern of a snake biting a frog. "The pattern probably came from people's observation of the biological features of the animal, without a religious symbolism," says Han Ding, an associate professor of archaeology at Henan University. He adds that snake patterns continued to exist during the Neolithic period, from this vessel to the Yangshao Culture in the middle reaches of the Yellow River dating back 5,000 to 7,000 years and then to Liangzhu Culture in the lower reaches of the Yangtze River from 5,300 to 4,000 years ago. These snake images occasionally adorned ritual vessels, possibly reflecting concepts related to beliefs, but their sacredness fell far short of the later motifs. Divinity of snakes A major upgrade happened at the end of the Neolithic era, when the status of snakes rose rapidly elevating them to a divine symbol. Archaeologists have found in the Erlitou Culture, a Bronze Age culture in the middle reaches of the Yellow River that existed from the 18th to 16th centuries BC and believed to be associated with the Xia Dynasty (c. 21stcentury-16th century BC), snakes emerged as a particularly crucial motif, prominently featured on exceptional artifacts. For example, a longstrip animal made of more than 2,000 turquoise pieces has been found positioned atop the body of a tomb owner from Erlitou Site in Luoyang, Henan province. Scholars mostly believe it is a dragon, but Han points out it can also be seen as a snake, as in the Erlitou Culture, distinguishing between snakes and dragons was challenging, with the snake often regarded as a primary inspiration for the iconic dragon imagery. "Each of the turquoise piece was designed carefully in its positioning to make this shape. The snake or dragon was put on some organic materials like a wooden plate which was held by the person in one arm, and beside it was a bronze bell, one of the earliest bronze artifacts discovered in East Asia, tied to his hand with a jade bell clapper within. Imagine the man holding the turquoise snake or dragon and ringing the bell, producing maybe the earliest sounds of bronze colliding with jade that East Asian people ever heard. What a divine scene!" says Han. The symbolic turquoise inlaid bronze plaques unearthed from Erlitou Site, often as funerary objects of people of high social status, possibly wizards, have patterns probably evolved from snakes as well, Han adds."We can say since the Erlitou Culture, the status of snakes was raised significantly, influencing the formation of the dragon image, which later became a symbolic emblem of the Chinese nation," he says. During the Shang Dynasty (c. 16th century-11th century BC) and Western Zhou Dynasty (c. 11th century-771 BC), snakes kept their divine status, appeared frequently on bronze ritual vessels and began to show different features from dragons, which started to have antlers and claws based on a snake's body. When the image of dragon was enriched continuously, the snake was paid less attention to with its divinity robbed by the dragon as well. But the snake continued to have an important symbolic meaning. In a Han Dynasty (206 BC-AD 220) myth, Emperor Liu Bang, founder of the dynasty, killed a snake when he was still a grassroots official of the Qin Dynasty (221-206 BC) and later he overthrew the Qin regime. "Here the snake seems to symbolize the political ruler, by defeating the earlier ruler of the Qin Dynasty, Liu could inherit their power and became a new ruler," says Lian Chunhai, a researcher at the Chinese National Academy of Arts. Cultural connotations In the mythic geography book Shan Hai Jing (Classic of Mountains and Seas), many gods hold snakes or hang snakes around their ears, or have a snakes body, as a mark of their extraordinary abilities, says Lian. According to Han, as snakes dwell in underground caves, they are often believed to be related to the dead, who are also buried underground. From pottery pieces unearthed from an early Shang Dynasty capital in what is now Zhengzhou, Henan province, depictions of a human head within the mouths of snakes have been identified. Han says ancient people realized the lethal nature of snake bites. By placing a human head within snakes jaws, individuals experienced a ceremonial death, facilitating communication with their ancestors in the afterlife. These individuals were often shamans, and snakes were commonly used in sacrificial rituals to aid in communication with the dead. Starting from the Shang Dynasty at the latest, people believed the universe was hierarchical, with gods in the heaven, humans on the earth, and the underworld being the realm of the dead. Seeking to transcend these divisions and offer homage to their ancestors, they believed snakes just had the ability they required when they observed them burrowing from the earth into the underworld. Consequently, they viewed these mystical creatures as intermediaries between the living, the deceased, and the divine. The images of people with snakes symbolize their wish for gaining this special ability to transcend the boundaries of life and death, says Han. Going further, they created images with human heads and snake bodies. By possessing part of a snakes body, they probably wanted to own its ability of traversing the threshold between life and death as well, says Han. Patterns of Nyuwa, the mother goddess in Chinese mythology, and Fuxi, the legendary ancestor of the Chinese nation, embracing and looking at each other with their lower bodies twisting into snake tails, coiled in a spiral structure, have been discovered in many places of China since the Han Dynasty, often seen on stone components of tombs or silk paintings. The patterns were probably influenced by the Shang Dynasty images with human heads and snake bodies, he adds. Han says snakes were also associated with rebirth due to their ability to shed skin and hibernate. In ancient peoples eyes, the snakes seemed to have died, but then they cast off skin and rejuvenated. This phenomenon mirrored the concept of revival after death. Within cultural artifacts from the Shang Dynasty, snake motifs are often depicted alongside images of cicadas, known for their molting, and deer antlers, which shed and regrow annually. These symbols all represent themes of rebirth and regeneration, says Han. Besides the Central Plains,in the culture of ancient Shu, a state in southwestern China that lasted for more than a millennium before its fall in the fourth century BC, people had a similar understanding of the snakes role as a messenger linking humans and the gods. For example, a bronze snake has been pieced together with its three parts through sunmao (mortise-and-tenon) joints discovered in 1986 from a sacrificial pit of the Sanxingdui Site in Guanghan, Sichuan province, believed to be a capital of the ancient Shu state from more than 4,000 years ago. The snake raises its head and has its tail curling upward and coiling inward, seemingly ready to initiate an attack. Since it was from a sacrificial pit, this snake is believed to be a significant prop used during sacrificial rituals in the ancient Shu, says Wang Fang, deputy director of the Jinsha Site Museum in Chengdu, Sichuan. Wang adds that the Jinsha Site, widely believed to be another capital of Shu after the decline of Sanxingdui, also yielded a dozen vivid stone snakes. In ancient Shu, as people ventured into and struggled to survive in the wilderness, they were often threatened by fierce snakes,says Wang. Their wizards, capitalizing on peoples reverence and fear of snakes, tamed and played with the snakes, thus becoming heroes in the eyes of the people. The snake, in turn, became a helper of the gods, playing the role of a spirit animal in sacrificial activities, she adds. Qin and Han snakes Since the Warring States Period (475-221 BC), snakes were sometimes perceived as evil creatures which might disrupt the dead. Consequently, tomb artifacts frequently depicted guardian beasts chewing or trampling snakes to ward off their proximity to the tombs. Cultural relics about snakes found in northern and southern China during the Qin and Han dynasties exhibit distinct characteristics. The artifacts from northern China, especially Chinas Central Plains, often seemed elegant and solemn. Snakes were often portrayed as intricate patterns alongside other designs. But many artifacts from southern China took the form of snakes, capturing a lifelike essence, says Lian. He believes these stylistic disparities reflect the varying prevalence of snakes in the daily lives of people during that era. Evidence such as the lifelike snake patterns on pottery vessels from the Yangshao Culture indicates the frequent encounters with snakes in northern China during that period. However, as the climate shifted to become cold and arid in northern China a habitat unfavorable to snakes they gradually vanished from the region, thriving instead in the more hospitable southern regions, he says. As a result, during the Qin and Han periods, people from northern China only had a vague impression of this animal. But people in southern China often saw the animal, prompting the creation of vivid snake artifacts, Lian adds. Snakes played an important role in the culture of the ancient Dian kingdom in the middle and eastern part of present-day Southwest Chinas Yunnan province from the Warring States Period to the Han Dynasty. Fan Haitao, deputy director of the Yunnan Provincial Museum, says the religious sacrifice, social life and artistic creations of Dian people were imbued with the presence of snakes. For example, there is a bronze sword from the state with its handle in the shape of a snakes head which opens its mouth from the Western Han Dynasty (206 BC-AD 24). The snakes head is made vividly so that peoplecan feel frightened. The snake on the weapon may serve as a symbol of peoples wish of a lethal strike with the sword by mimicking the venom of a real snake, says Fan. In the Han Dynasty, snakes also appeared often on patterns of xuanwu, a Chinese mythical creature thats depicted as a snake and a tortoise. In the following dynasties, snake appeared less in cultural relics but was still seen as one of the 12 animals in Chinese zodiac and appeared in artifacts themed on it. Living on the earth for more than 100 million years, the snake has never been away from Chinese peoples culture and life. Evolving from the Neolithic era, they were revered as divine motifs, served as intermediaries between humans and gods, and eventually became a zodiac symbol for the common folk. The cultural significance associated with snakes has grown increasingly rich, persisting into the modern times, says Wang. 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 According to new research from the University of Missouri School of Medicine, the number of mechanical thrombectomies performed at hospitals is not an accurate indicator of patient outcomes. The research is published in the journal Interventional Neuroradiology. A mechanical thrombectomy (MT) is a procedure that removes blood clots from the artery or vein and is often used to treat ischemic strokes, where the clot blocks blood flow to the brain. Using data from nearly 1,000 hospitals, researchers found that patients undergoing MTs at smaller, rural hospitals did not have less favorable outcomes than patients at large health care systems. For stroke survivors, a good or favorable outcome means they have high functional independence, which refers to their ability to complete everyday tasks without assistance. These small hospitals conduct fewer than 15 MT procedures per year, which is less than what is required for certain stroke center certifications. Considering this new data, study author Dr. Adnan Qureshi said it's important to reevaluate the relationship between the number of procedures and patient outcomes. "There is an increasing recognition that a large number of patients who could benefit from a thrombectomy are not receiving it," Qureshi said. "Increasing the role of smaller hospitals and centers may be the key to increasing availability." By expanding access, stroke victims who live hours away from comprehensive stroke care can still receive an MT at their local hospital, and any other care they need. "One way we could increase the role of smaller hospitals is to provide traveling physicians who know how to perform a thrombectomy," Qureshi said. "Other ways include updating their infrastructure and resources." Researchers also found that larger hospitals with a higher volume of MT procedures saw more adverse outcomeslike death or permanent disabilityin stroke patients than smaller hospitals. "There are several potential explanations for this," Qureshi said. "Hospitals that perform more thrombectomies also tend to see patients with a higher stroke severity, or those who are at higher risk because of another illness or condition. Smaller hospitals may not have the resources to treat these patients." Qureshi said this also may be because larger hospitals are more likely to see more complex patients, so the chance of adverse outcomes or permanent disability occurring is higher. Still, the data suggests the number of MT procedures is not an accurate indicator of quality of care, and other factors such as illness severity should be considered in certification processes. Dr. Adnan Qureshi is a neurologist at MU Health Care and a professor of neurology at the MU School of Medicine. He is also the program director of the Endovascular Surgical Neuroradiology Fellowship. More information: Adnan I Qureshi et al, High mechanical thrombectomy procedural volume is not a reliable predictor of improved thrombectomy outcomes in patients with acute ischemic stroke in the United States, Interventional Neuroradiology (2024). DOI: 10.1177/15910199241288611 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 How can we learn effectively? It is important to retrieve the material we learn from memory at certain intervals, but that is not all. For even better results, it is best to do it in different ways, scientists argue in a paper published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Human memory is complex and depends on many factors, which is why the results of individual scientific studies are not always easy to translate into practical tips for effective learning. Nevertheless, previous studies suggest that learning is most effective when we retrieve the material from memory instead of simply re-reading it, and when learning sessions are spread over timeand not, for example, accumulated during one evening before an exam. Is it possible to learn even more effectively? Ewa Butowska-Buczynska from the Faculty of Psychology in Warsaw at SWPS University, Maciej Hanczakowski and Katarzyna Zawadzka from the Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznan, and Paulina Klis, a USWPS graduate, decided to find out whether the process of memorizing could be additionally supported. It turns out that it is possible. This requires so-called variable learning, which involves introducing variety into the way we memorize. This means learning about a given phenomenon from different perspectives, in different contexts and in many ways. In addition, the process of retrieval should also be varied, that is, it should take place in response to differentnot identicalcues leading to the correct answer. In the paper titled "The role of variable retrieval in effective learning," the authors describe a series of experiments in which they asked the participants to learn foreign (Finnish) words. The words were embedded in sentences presented in participants' native language, e.g., "Dad is sweeping the lattia" (Finnish: floor). During the study, each foreign word was presented multiple times, either in the same sentence ("Dad is sweeping the lattia" provided five times) or in different sentences (e.g., "Dad is sweeping the lattia", "A dog is lying on the lattia", "A child is playing on the lattia", "There's a carpet on the lattia", "A cat is sliding on the lattia."). Better memory performance for translations of foreign words was achieved when during learning, participants were presented with different sentences rather than the same sentence over and over again. The benefits of this method of acquiring knowledge were observed both immediately after the study phase and after 24 hours. Interestingly, the participants were convinced that it was easier for them to memorize foreign words when they learned them always using the same sentences, which was inconsistent with their actual test results. This is called a metacognitive illusiona false belief in the effectiveness of certain learning conditions, which may ultimately lead to choosing less effective ways of learning. Memory welcomes a challenge The idea of learning different facets of information in each learning session is not new; it is considered crucial for long-term memory. It can be compared to creating multiple paths to memorize information, which can then be used to retrieve the information from memory. The more such paths we create while learning, the greater the chance of effectively retrieving the information we are looking for, when, for example, during an exam we are asked a question that only fits one of the possible paths. "Such a diverse way of learning, where we are not limited to a single aspect of the to-be-learned information, is a challenge for our memory. It therefore requires more effort than learning in a constant and repetitive way, but this effort helps with acquiring knowledge. Therefore, we can say that some difficulty in the learning process is desirable. "If we want our knowledge to be useful, i.e., accessible in different circumstances and in response to different cues or questions on a test, we should enrich our study sessions with the following difficulties: retrieving previously learned information (instead of reading it multiple times), spreading learning over a period of time (instead of accumulating it in a single learning session), and retrieving information from memory in different ways (and not in response to the same cue)," explains study co-author Butowska-Buczynska. The authors of the paper suggest that the results of their research can be used to develop guidelines for effective learning. They emphasize, however, that the research to date is limited to specific experimental conditions and further work is needed to promote this way of learning on a larger scale. More information: Ewa Butowska-Buczynska et al, The role of variable retrieval in effective learning, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (2024). DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2413511121 Journal information: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences Provided by SWPS University 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 study by researchers from the CUNY Institute for Implementation Science in Population Health (CUNY ISPH) at CUNY SPH suggests that transmasculine individuals in the U.S. continue to face challenges in accessing and paying for gender-affirming care, despite improvements in insurance coverage and legal protections in recent years. The research, led by CUNY SPH doctoral candidate Alexa D'Angelo, along with MPH alum Michelle Dearolf, Associate Professor Emma Tsui, Distinguished Professor Christian Grov, and former Assistant Professor Naomi Zewde, involved interviews with 28 transmasculine individuals across the U.S. about their experiences with gender-affirming care, focusing specifically on insurance, payment, and policy-related barriers. Participants reported numerous challenges including insurance denials, complex prior-authorization requirements, restrictive letter requirements, and formulary list limitations. The findings are published in the journal Social Science & Medicine. "We found that many individuals develop adaptive strategies to navigate these challenges, such as utilizing community resources, receiving support from family and friends, and developing technical skills to manage insurance-related hurdles," says D'Angelo. "These strategies seek to fill a payment gap, but ultimately more policy work is needed to ensure reliable coverage for gender-affirming carea real challenge in the context of rising political antagonism aimed at trans individuals." Notably, the research highlights that transmasculine individuals may face unique barriers due to specific regulations on testosterone, which is classified as a schedule-III controlled substance in the United States. This designation creates additional complexities that don't apply to other gender-affirming hormones like estrogen and progesterone. The study's findings contribute to the growing body of literature on transgender health care access and may inform future policy and clinical interventions aimed at addressing persistent challenges in accessing gender-affirming care. More information: Alexa B. D'Angelo et al, Navigating payment and policy barriers to gender-affirming care for transmasculine individuals: A qualitative study and policy assessment, Social Science & Medicine (2024). DOI: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2024.117666 Journal information: Social Science & Medicine On Jan 18, the "Nile Dragon Boat Festival" Spring Festival themed event was held at the Giza Yacht Club in Cairo. More than 300 people, including Zhang Yi, minister-counselor of the Chinese Embassy in Egypt and director of the China Cultural Center in Cairo, diplomats from countries such as Hungary, Portugal, Singapore and various sectors of Egyptian society, participated in the event. Over 40 Egyptian dragon boat enthusiasts formed teams for competitive races. Coming from various professions including banking, accounting, and private business ownership, many of them engage in regular dragon boat training every month. The event featured lion dance performances, food tastings, tourism consultations, calligraphy exhibitions, and interactive experiences. More than 30 international school teachers and students, as well as Chinese residents in Egypt, enjoyed fun activities such as dragon boat tug-of-war, lion dances, martial arts performances, chopstick noodle-picking games, and sampling Chinese delicacies like spring rolls and stir-fried noodles. In the China tourism consultation area, families were eager to know if they could see giant pandas. Books introducing Chinese tourism and culture were in high demand at the book donation zone. In the calligraphy exhibition area, Egyptian visitors lined up to get personalized Chinese name cards and Spring Festival blessings. The event was organized by the China Cultural Center in Cairo, the China-Egypt Friendship Promotion Association, and the Hong Kong Arab Association for Foreign Friendly Exchanges, with the Giza Yacht Club and the African Dragon Boat Alliance as co-organizers. Boonie Bears, an enduring animated franchise featuring the titular sibling creatures, will make a comeback on the domestic silver screen with its 11th installment, Future Reborn. The new film, which will open on the first day of Spring Festival, Jan 29, also serves as the finale of the franchise's subseries, which includes five titles, all revolving around sci-fi themes. Interweaving various sci-fi elements like time travel and a dystopian world, the new story centers on a baldheaded man named Qiang (meaning "strong"), who works as a tourist guide leading a group on a mountain hiking expedition. Unexpectedly, a teenager from the future world emerges and clashes with two other futuristic warriors, which leads to Qiang and the two anthropomorphic bears being transported to a future world a century later. Together, they must join forces to expose a villain that threatens the safety of Earth. Shang Linlin, the chief producer of the movie, said that despite its sci-fi setting, the film also drew inspiration from the contemporary world, with its aim to resonate with today's audiences and provide them with a sense of warmth and empowering strength. At the Beijing premiere of the film on Wednesday, director Lin Yongchang expressed that his creative team has strived to ensure that the new film serves not only as a source of joy for children but also resonates with adults, forging an emotional connection for communication. Deng Guanghui, vice-chairman of the China Film Association, noted that the franchise has maintained a stable level of popularity over the years. Rao Shuguang, president of the China Film Critics Association, commented that the upcoming film conveys positive messages such as environmental protection and selfless heroism while also delving into in-depth explorations of sci-fi topics like artificial intelligence. The franchise, launched in 2012, has created a diverse range of projects in various art forms, including a total of 19 animated series spanning around 2,000 episodes, along with two stage plays. Kenya has waived Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) requirements for African nationals visiting the country, aiming to promote regional integration and enhance tourism. The Cabinet approved the policy during a meeting in Kakamega County on Tuesday, citing the need to ease travel across the continent. However, Somalia and Libya remain excluded from the exemption due to security concerns. This initiative simplifies travel and fosters regional integration, the Cabinet stated. Under the new guidelines, African visitors can stay in Kenya for up to two months, while East African Community (EAC) nationals retain their six-month stay under the EAC free movement protocols. To further streamline travel, the government introduced a fast-track ETA processing option, allowing approvals within 72 hours, subject to operational capacity. Additionally, Kenya is enhancing security and efficiency at entry points by implementing an Advanced Passenger Information/Passenger Name Record system. This new technology will improve prescreening, strengthen border security, and speed up passenger processing. Travelers requiring an ETA must provide a valid passport (with six months of validity and one blank page), a selfie or passport-style photo, contact information, a travel itinerary, accommodation proof, and a valid payment method, such as a credit card, debit card, or Apple Pay. The Ministry of Interior, in a November 2023 gazette notice, announced that ETA fees are set at $30 (approximately Ksh. 3,879), effective January 2024. The Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development, through the State Department of Livestock, is launching a new livestock identification and traceability system aimed at helping Kenyans track their animals more effectively. Under the new system, livestock owners will soon be required to provide identification before selling animals at slaughterhouses. Principal Secretary Jonathan Mueke explained that the ministry has been developing the system for the past 20 years but faced challenges in implementing it. He stressed that the global market increasingly demands transparency regarding the origins of food products, including both human food and animal feed. We are creating Anitrack, a system that will register animals, track their breed, productivity (such as milk or egg production), and geographical origins, Mueke said. This will ensure the traceability of livestock products from the farm all the way to the market. Livestock Tracking to Boost Farmers Financial Access Mueke also pointed out that the system will provide financial advantages for farmers. Thanks to the identification and traceability system, farmers will be able to access loans by using their livestock as collateral, he said. He added that the system would give banks and insurance companies access to vital data about each animal, including vaccination history, breed, and age. With digital identification, animals will become valuable assets. GPS-enabled air tag Each animal will also feature a GPS-enabled air tag. Christopher Wanga, the Director of Livestock Policy, Research, and Regulations, noted that the new system will significantly reduce cattle theft. Stolen livestock will be easily identifiable, making them less attractive to thieves, Wanga explained. The system will link animals directly to their owners, and when selling an animal, ownership will be transferred electronically. Wanga emphasized that while participation in the system will not be mandatory, it offers considerable benefits to farmers. Its not compulsory, but its a smart practice for anyone raising livestock as a business, Wanga stated. The ministry plans to engage in public participation and expand animal registration to ensure broader benefits for farmers. On Tuesday, January 21, 2025, President William Ruto chaired the first cabinet meeting of the year, but one key figure was notably absentPublic Service Cabinet Secretary Justin Muturi. Muturis absence follows his recent claims that President Ruto and his government were involved in the alleged abduction of his son, Leslie Muturi. Since revealing the details of his sons disappearance, Muturi has faced mounting criticism from government supporters who have called for his resignation. Among the critics is Dagoretti North MP Beatrice Elachi, who urged Muturi to step down if his relationship with President Ruto is beyond repair. Elachi, recognizing Muturis experience in politics, advised him to resign to preserve his dignity and avoid further negative media attention. Just resign and leave; you have kept your dignity. Dont let your name be dragged, Elachi stated. Suna East MP Junet Mohamed also joined the calls for Muturis resignation, criticizing him for opposing the states position on abductions. Dont bring commotion; dont bring unnecessary fires in government. Be man enough and say, this is enough now; I dont think what is happening now is what I came to do; for that reason, I want to leave, Junet said on January 16, 2025. However, Mbeere North MP Geoffrey Ruku believes that the ongoing differences between President Ruto and Muturi can only be resolved between the two principals of the Kenya Kwanza government. These are two principals who may be having some differences, and those differences can only be solved at their level, Ruku said, adding that Muturi is too seasoned a leader to make decisions without careful consideration. Muturi is a high-ranking CS and at his age, there are issues he cannot be dragged into. This is not just a gentleman who can wake up and say anything for the sake of saying it. The government is committed to restoring Kenya Broadcasting Corporation (KBC) as the nations leading broadcaster, ICT and Digital Economy Cabinet Secretary William Kabogo has affirmed. During his inaugural visit to KBC studios after his swearing-in last week, Kabogo emphasized the importance of efficiency and collaboration in revitalizing the state-owned broadcaster. Kabogo toured several departments, including vernacular radio stations and Channel One television studios. He acknowledged the challenges facing KBC, such as limited nationwide coverage. I want to understand how KBC operates and look at issues facing the corporation as they are not on air in many places in the country; issues that the MD and the staff have discussed with me. Im hoping we can get them back on air, he stated. The CS also expressed his commitment to leveraging KBCs infrastructure and improving its content. Im looking at efficiency and effectiveness. I want to make KBC the broadcasting station in Kenya, number 1 and its possible. Over the years KBC has had good infrastructure, its just about to improve that infrastructure and their content, Kabogo added. Addressing social media usage, Kabogo urged Kenyans to exercise their freedom of speech responsibly. Let us be responsible when using social media, we dont want to think about switching off people because the capacity is there. Instead of putting me in a coffin and displaying me out there, why dont you just tell me what you want? he said. Kabogo warned that individuals using social platforms to spread hate or abuse others would face legal consequences. The Ministry of Health has confirmed five new Mpox cases in the past week, raising the total number of infections to 36 across 12 counties. Health Principal Secretary (PS) Mary Muthoni disclosed the updates during a press briefing on Thursday. She revealed that Kericho and Taita Taveta each recorded one case, while Busia and Kilifi reported two new cases on January 21. Nakuru County has the most reported Mpox cases, with 10, followed by Mombasa with eight and Busia with three. Other counties with confirmed cases include Nairobi, Kajiado, Bungoma, Taita Taveta, Kericho, and Kilifi, each with two cases, and Makueni, Kiambu, and Uasin Gishu, each reporting one case. PS Muthoni assured the public that the Ministry of Health has implemented a robust surveillance system to identify potential cases swiftly. This includes close monitoring of travelers, especially those coming from countries experiencing active outbreaks, and providing timely information to healthcare providers and the public across the country, she explained. The Ministry has also strengthened its collaboration with stakeholders such as the World Health Organization (WHO), UNICEF, and other partners to enhance the nations capacity to respond effectively. Key measures include bolstering the healthcare system, training health workers, providing personal protective equipment (PPE), and ensuring diagnostic tools are readily available in laboratories. In addition, the Ministry is planning an Mpox vaccination drive targeting high-risk populations and implementing measures to protect children in schools. PS Muthoni encouraged Kenyans to adopt preventive practices, such as proper hand hygiene and improved sanitation in the hospitality sector, to curb the spread of Mpox. We have also launched public awareness campaigns through community engagement, social and mass media, and the distribution of Information, Education, and Communication (IEC) materials to educate the public on how to protect themselves from the disease, she added. Prominent lawyer Danstan Omari has officially announced his candidacy for the Nairobi County Senate seat in the 2027 general elections. Speaking during an interview on Wednesday, January 22, Omari emphasized the need for strong and effective leadership to represent Nairobi in the Senate. Omari praised the current senator, Edwin Sifuna, as a capable and firm leader but predicted that Sifuna would likely contest the Nairobi gubernatorial race in 2027. Nairobi needs a solid person to be its senator. Sifuna is a solid leader, but it will be his time to vie for governor. Therefore, I will join the race to succeed him, Omari stated. The lawyer outlined his long-term political ambitions, revealing that securing the Senate seat would serve as a stepping stone for his own bid to become Nairobi governor in 2032. As lawyers, we set precedents. By becoming senator in 2027, I will be well-positioned to run for Nairobi governor in 2032, he explained. Omari has not yet disclosed which political party he will use for his Senate bid but emphasized that his campaign would focus on his track record as a lawyer who has consistently defended Nairobis residents. My brother Sifuna came in on the wave of ODM. He never came in as Sifuna. I want to come in as Omari, who has been in court defending hawkers, touts, boda boda operators, and engaging with the business community, he stated. He also pledged to advocate for inclusive representation in the Senate, highlighting the need to address the challenges faced by both small-scale and large-scale businesses. The business community is not just multi-billionaires. It starts from small-scale enterprises worth Ksh5 to large-scale businesses. That is the voice missing in the Senate, Omari remarked. While hinting at the possibility of running as an independent candidate, Omari noted that his focus would remain on presenting clear policies and actionable plans for Nairobi residents. Omaris campaign aims to position him as a champion of grassroots representation and inclusive leadership for the capital city. Outstanding local industries, brands and cultural tourism projects from across China are being showcased at a promotional event in Beijing that kicked off on Monday and runs through Jan. 25. Performers showcase the whip dance from Huangyang village, Zhongning, Ningxia Hui autonomous region, at a promotional event in Beijing, Jan. 20, 2025. [Photo courtesy of Blue Diamond Culture Media] The National Premium Industries Promotion Conference, part of the "Qianmen Plus" 2025 Spring Festival Carnival Series, aims to promote cultural tourism and enhance brand visibility while assisting businesses in selling their products at a special Spring Festival market. Event organizers said they aim to create a collaborative platform for outstanding cultural tourism projects and industries from across the country. The initiative also emphasizes forming partnerships between leading national brands and Beijing's historic Qianmen Street, leveraging their collective strengths for a greater impact. More than 20 unique industries and cultural tourism projects from various provinces and municipalities are participating in exchanges and promotions. Highlights on the opening day included demonstrations of national-level intangible cultural heritage projects from Zhongning in Ningxia Hui autonomous region, such as the 500-year-old folk whip dance from the Huangyang village and the 300-year-old wolfberry fruit Haozi noodles. The large-scale immersive cultural tourism show "Zhouzhuang, One and Only" from Zhouzhuang Water Town in Suzhou, Jiangsu province, known as "China's No.1 Water Town," was also prominently featured, accompanied by a dance performance. The first day also featured over 20 government bodies and enterprises, including representatives from Tianjin, Shanghai and Guizhou province, promoting products related to cultural tourism, creativity, technological innovation and consumption. Executives and officials took the stage to share their successful experiences in technology, culture and specialty industries, highlighting the significance of Qianmen Street as a vital intersection of culture, economy and industry. "Protecting cultural roots requires joint efforts to generate brilliance," said Yu Hao, chairman of Beijing Qianmen Culture and Tourism Co., Ltd. "Effectively telling China's stories, establishing Chinese brands, and expanding both domestic and international markets will enable quality products to gain visibility and usage. "Together, we can build a broad platform for cultural exchange and industrial cooperation, promote the development of new quality productive forces, and create more internationally influential 'Made in China' brands," Yu added. Dancers from "Zhouzhuang, One and Only" perform at a promotional event in Beijing, Jan. 20, 2025. [Photo courtesy of Blue Diamond Culture Media] Co-organized by Beijing Eastern Culture Investment Management Co., Ltd. and Beijing Qianmen Culture and Tourism Co., Ltd., the event will run through Jan. 25. Various exchange activities are running throughout the week involving experts, scholars and business representatives nationwide, focusing on trends and opportunities in technology, culture and industry development. Organizers said they hope to promote cooperation and communication among enterprises from different regions, injecting new vitality and momentum into the cultural tourism industry of the Qianmen area. President William Ruto reassured Kenyans that his government is fully committed to fulfilling every promise made during his campaign. Speaking at the launch of the Last Mile Connectivity project in Shinyalu, Kakamega County, Ruto emphasized that his administration would not rest until all pledges are delivered. My transformation agenda must succeed, Ruto declared, reiterating his determination to bring lasting change to Kenya through key initiatives aimed at improving the lives of its citizens. The Last Mile Connectivity project is part of a broader national electrification program designed to expand electricity access across Kenya. Thousands of households have already benefited from this initiative, which continues to provide power to rural communities and stimulate local development. These projects are the same ones I promised you during the last General Election, Ruto said, reinforcing his commitment to the promises made during his campaign. Ruto announced that Kakamega County has received KSh2.9 billion to connect over 35,000 households to electricity. Specifically, Shinyalu will benefit from KSh243 million to bring power to 2,500 homes. Every household will be connected to electricity. Whether you live in a mud house or a permanent structure, you will receive electricity for free. All you need to do is pay your monthly bill, which is much cheaper than using kerosene, Ruto explained. Ruto Pledges Infrastructure Development In addition to the electrification initiative, President Ruto addressed infrastructure concerns in the region, assuring residents that funds have been secured to tarmac the Airport-Shinyalu-Chepsonoi road. This road project, which has long been a local priority, will significantly improve transportation and access in the area. I know this road has been a major concern for you and your leaders. I am pleased to announce that the tendering process will be completed soon, Ruto stated, drawing cheers from the crowd. Rutos comments further reaffirmed his administrations focus on improving infrastructure and enhancing the quality of life for all Kenyans, particularly in rural areas where such developments are critical for economic growth. Meanwhile, Deputy President Kithure Kindiki urged Kenyans to support President Rutos efforts and unite behind the governments development agenda. Kindiki emphasized that national unity is vital for the countrys progress and that working together is the most effective way to achieve shared goals, including expanding electricity access, improving healthcare, and boosting the economy. We must all support President William Ruto in his effort to unite all Kenyans. We must walk together as one nation. This is the most effective way to bring development to our people, Kindiki said. President Ruto was joined by Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi, National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetangula, Cabinet Secretaries Wycliffe Oparanya (Cooperatives) and Opiyo Wandayi (Energy), Kakamega Governor Fernandes Barasa, and several Members of Parliament and other elected leaders. President William Ruto launched a scathing attack on his former deputy, Rigathi Gachagua, accusing him of tribalism, incompetence, and corruption. Speaking during the launch of a modern market in Luanda, Vihiga County, on Wednesday, January 22, Ruto blamed Gachaguas alleged failures for his removal from office. Ruto claimed that Gachaguas leadership style, characterized by dishonesty and divisive politics, led to the collapse of his plans. We entrusted certain individuals with responsibilities, but due to their incompetence, not understanding anything, theft, conmanship, corruption, and hatred, their plans and work failed, Ruto remarked. He warned Gachagua and his allies that their divisive tactics would not succeed. Kenya has no room for corrupt individuals, tribalists, or those who cannot work. We have no time for leaders focused on dividing our nation along ethnic and personal lines, Ruto stated. Emphasizing unity, the president assured Kenyans that the country would progress as a united and indivisible nation. We are united as a people, and Kenya will move forward together, he added. Rutos remarks came days after Gachagua accused him of orchestrating the controversial shareholding narrative frequently mentioned in public speeches. Gachagua alleged that Ruto often instructed him on what to say during public events, which eventually led to their fallout. When you hear MPs talking, its because Ruto has sent them. I complied for a while but later stopped listening to him, Gachagua claimed. He added that Ruto would micromanage speeches, even providing directives on specific talking points. He sits there with a pen instructing leaders on what to say. It reached a point when he would instruct me on what to say, but Id get to the podium and speak about other things. Chinese Vice Premier Ding Xuexiang, also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, attends the World Economic Forum (WEF) Annual Meeting 2025, and delivers a speech entitled "Keeping to the Right Path of Multilateralism and Promoting Open and Inclusive Development" in Davos, Switzerland, Jan. 21, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua] Chinese Vice Premier Ding Xuexiang has called for advancing artificial intelligence (AI) and other technological innovations to benefit humanity. Ding, also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, made the remarks during a session at the World Economic Forum (WEF) Annual Meeting 2025 in Davos on Tuesday. He was responding to questions from WEF founder Klaus Schwab after delivering his address. AI and other emerging technologies bring about revolutionary transformations rather than incremental progress, Ding noted. He emphasized that China, guided by the conception that "science knows no border and should benefit all humanity," has promoted international cooperation in innovation and ensured the fruits of scientific and technological progress are shared by all. The vice premier highlighted that China has established science and technology cooperation with over 160 countries and regions. Special efforts have been made to share scientific achievements with Global South countries to close the technological gap. Ding acknowledged that while AI and other technologies can drive development, they also carry risks. "China attaches great importance to striking the right balance between development and security, follows the approach of seeking progress while ensuring stability, and strives to keep innovation from going astray," he said. He explained that China is developing AI to accelerate economic transformation, achieve Chinese modernization, and enhance the quality of life for its population of more than 1.4 billion. The country has implemented robust regulatory frameworks and mechanisms to ensure the responsible use and management of AI technologies, he added. Ding described AI governance as a global challenge, warning that disorderly competition among nations could lead to a "gray rhino" scenario. He called on countries to support the United Nations in taking a central role and to develop effective rules through joint participation. Such efforts, he said, would ensure that AI and other technologies become a source of shared prosperity -- an "Ali Baba's treasure cave" -- rather than a "Pandora's box." Chinese financial authorities have unveiled a plan to detail measures for encouraging medium- and long-term funds into the capital market to further stabilize stock performance, the country's top securities regulator said Wednesday. The document, jointly released by the office of the Central Financial Work Commission, as well as five government departments, stressed attracting funds from commercial insurance, national social security and basic pension funds. Annuity funds, public funds, and other medium- to long-term capital funds are also expected to increase their stock market investments, it said. Toward that end, the plan aims to increase the proportion and stability of A-share investment in the portfolios of commercial insurance companies, and improve the investment management mechanism of the national social security fund and the basic pension insurance fund. The performance of state-owned insurance companies will be assessed over a cycle of more than three years. For the national social security and basic pension funds, the evaluation periods will be over five years and over three years, respectively. The investment of annuity funds should be more market-oriented, and both the scale and the proportion of equity funds should be expanded in public offering funds, said the document. The plan also underscored efforts to optimize the capital market's investment ecosystem, pledging to encourage listed companies to increase stock buybacks and distribute dividends several times per year. Public funds, commercial insurance, basic pension, annuity funds and wealth management funds will be able to participate in listed companies' private placements as strategic investors, and the scale of the Securities, Funds and Insurance companies Swap Facility operation will be expanded, it said. At the end of August 2024, institutional investors, including public equity, insurance and various pension funds, collectively held 14.5 trillion yuan (about $2.02 trillion) of circulating A-shares. Their proportion of the total market value increased from 17 percent at the beginning of 2019 to 22.2 percent by last August. Rockefeller Brothers Fund president to discuss geopolitics at SIUs Paul Simon Institute event CARBONDALE, Ill. Stephen Heintz, president and CEO of the Rockefeller Brothers Fund, will join Southern Illinois University Carbondales Paul Simon Public Policy Institute for a virtual conversation on Wednesday, Jan. 29, to discuss the rapidly changing global landscape and the role of philanthropy in fostering a more just and sustainable world. During the event, Heintz will speak with John Shaw, institute director, about his recent essay, A Logic for the Future: International Relations in the Age of Turbulence, and reflect on the work and impact of the Rockefeller Brothers Fund. The discussion, via Zoom at noon, is free and open to the public, but registration to view the conversation is required. The discussion is part of the institutes Understanding Our New World discussion series. Visit paulsimoninstitute.org/events to register. Heintz has held numerous leadership roles throughout his career, which began in Connecticut. Before joining the Rockefeller Brothers Fund in 2001, Heintz co-founded and served as president of Demos, a public policy organization focused on reducing economic and political inequality and fostering citizen engagement in the United States. He also co-chaired the American Academy of Arts and Sciences National Commission on the Practice of Democratic Citizenship in the 21st Century, contributing to the influential report Our Common Purpose: Reinventing American Democracy in the 21st Century. In the 1990s, Heintz served as executive vice president and chief operating officer of the EastWest Institute. He currently chairs the board of the Quincy Institute and serves on the board of the International Crisis Group. The Rockefeller Brothers Fund, established in 1940 by the sons of John D. Rockefeller and Abby Aldrich Rockefeller, now has an endowment of over $1 billion. The fund supports initiatives in civic participation, democracy, international engagement, conservation and environmental sustainability. Stephen Heintz is a deeply impressive thought leader and a highly respected figure in philanthropy, Shaw said. His career in public service is admirable and inspiring. His essay on The Age of Turbulence is essential reading. The Rockefeller Brothers Fund has made significant contributions to the United States and the world for more than 80 years. Attendees are encouraged to submit questions for Heintz on the registration form or email questions to paulsimoninstitute@siu.edu. More information, a list of the institutes upcoming events and past speakers and events are available. The American sanctions on Russia and threats of further punitive actions by the new Trump administration will have "limited effect" on India, said Indian Oil Chairman Arvinder Singh Sahney. He backed his argument stating that India has multiple sources to meet its energy needs. "It is not a very difficult thing to handle because it has a very limited effect. Whatever sanctions are there, we are abiding by them," Sahney told ANI from Davos, two days after the new US administration was inaugurated. "And going forward we have a very different kind of alliances and different kind of sources that are already available in the market," Sahney added. "We have OPEC, we have OPEC+, we have other than OPEC, and we have Gulf." Soon after assuming office, President Donald Trump called for an immediate resolution to the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine and warned of potential economic consequences for Russia, including "taxes, tariffs, and sanctions." The previous Biden administration had already imposed heavy sanctions on various entities in Russia since the Ukraine conflict began in February of 2022. "Other than OPEC, we have Guyana, Brazil, the US itself now that our government is also willing to go ahead with that and increase our exposure to US crude also, so we have enough options available, so there is no issue as far as supplies of crude to India as such is concerned," IOC Chairman asserted. Asked about international crude prices and how he sees it going ahead, Sahney said he expects them to remain range bound between USD 75 to USD 80 per barrel with a bias towards USD 75. "It has already gone up and I have, although I have an interest in seeing them on the lower side, but still, as per my assessment and as for the assessment of my company, whatever we have done in detail, we see that it will remain range bound from 75 to 80 and more so towards 75," he said. At present, international crude prices are trading at about USD 75.5 per barrel. IOC Chairman was asked about plans for city gas distribution network expansion, to which he said that their hands were full. "We already have around 47 GAs (geographical areas) as standalone Indian Oil and with a couple of our JV partners, which is out of around 295-300 odd numbers," he noted. "We have our hands full. We have a very good chunk of CGD (city gas distribution) business that we are doing and we are trying to develop infrastructure to the extent possible, and we are trying to give more and more connections to the people," he said. On whether Indian Oil is looking at any fresh acquisition plans, he said, "No. As of now, we don't have any active acquisition plan." On the green hydrogen space, he said that the state-owned company's Panipat plant will be commissioned within 2 years. "Hydrogen plant is now alive. We have got very good bids for it, and now the tenders are under evaluation and within a within a month or so we will be able to award the job and within 2 years that green hydrogen plant of 10,000 tonnes per annum capacity at Panipat will be commissioned," Sahney said. India meets a sizable portion of its energy needs through fossil fuels, and various renewable energy sources, including green hydrogen, are seen as an avenue to reduce the dependence on conventional sources of power. Green energy for climate mitigation is not just a focus area for India but has gained momentum globally. India launched its National Green Hydrogen Mission in January 2023 with an overall outlay of Rs 19,744 crores. India has set an ambitious target to achieve a green hydrogen production capacity of 5 million tonnes by the end of the year 2030. (ANI) Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu praised India's growing global recognition and economic strength under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership. In an exclusive conversation with ANI at the World Economic Forum (WEF) Annual Meeting 2025, Naidu emphasized that India's global brand has been significantly reinforced, earning the trust and respect of global investors and the international community. "The brand of India has been reinforced under Prime Minister's leadership. India is very strong, well-recognized by global community, global investors and all countries," he stated. Highlighting India's evolving economic dynamics, the Chief Minister noted a significant shift in investment patterns. While India traditionally sought foreign investments, there is now a notable trend of Indian entrepreneurs investing abroad. "Originally, we are asking investment for India. Now Indians are investing in different countries. This is a very good development. This is going to happen. In every country Indians are becoming entrepreneurs," he said. Naidu highlighted the importance of execution in realizing India's growth potential. "This Davos is giving some ideas for the global community. All ideas already we are implementing. So we have to reinforce our execution," he added. He also stressed the competitive and collaborative spirit in the country, which is driving economic progress and attracting investments. According to Naidu, India is not just a preferred destination for foreign investors but also a country producing successful entrepreneurs who are expanding globally. He remarked, "In every country, Indians are becoming entrepreneurs. This is going to happen." The WEF Annual Meeting in Davos has become a key platform for showcasing India's economic growth and potential. India's growing influence in the global economic landscape signals a new era of opportunities for both domestic and international stakeholders. Earlier cutting across party lines, all Union ministers, Chief Ministers, and other state ministers spoke in one voice to promote India's growth story at Davos. Even when they otherwise compete with each other for investments and other resources, the leaders spoke in unison putting aside the competitive mindset. (ANI) In a significant step towards sustainability, Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) is set to commission its green hydrogen plant in Panipat, Haryana, within two years. Arvinder Singh Sahney, Chairman of IOC, during an exclusive conversation with ANI at the World Economic Forum 2025 in Davos, Switzerland stated that the plant, with a production capacity of 10,000 tons per annum, has made substantial progress. "Green hydrogen plant is now alive. We have got very good bids for it. And now the tenders are under evaluation. And within a month or so, we will be able to award the job, and within two years, that green hydrogen, the 10,000 tons per annum plant at Panipat (Haryana) will be commissioned" he said. The plant aims to bolster India's green energy mission, contributing to a sustainable and carbon-neutral future. Highlighting IOC's efforts in the city gas distribution (CGD) sector, Sahney shared that the corporation is making rapid strides in expanding infrastructure. "We have a very good chunk of CGD business that we are doing and we are trying to develop infrastructure to the extent possible and we are trying to give more and more connections to the people. We are trying to put up more CNG stations and also the pipe natural gas," he explained. IOC is focusing on providing more connections to households and increasing the number of compressed natural gas (CNG) stations while also boosting the supply of piped natural gas (PNG). When asked about future acquisitions, Sahney clarified that IOC currently has no active plans for acquisitions but remains committed to enhancing its existing operations. With this green hydrogen initiative and a robust CGD business, Indian Oil continues to play an important role in India's transition to a cleaner and greener energy landscape. He also added that the American sanctions on Russia and threats of further punitive actions by the new Trump administration will have "limited effect" on India. "It is not a very difficult thing to handle because it has a very limited effect. Whatever sanctions are there, we are abiding by them," Sahney told ANI from Davos, two days after the new US administration was inaugurated. The IOC Chairman backed his argument stating that India has multiple sources to meet its energy needs. (ANI) Private investment in India is set to reach its highest level in eight years as a percentage of GDP in FY24, according to a report by the State Bank of India (SBI). The report highlighted a strong revival in private corporate investments, projecting private investment to GDP to approach 12.5 per cent in FY24. It said, "Private corporation investment as percentage of GDP touched 11.9 per cent -- the highest since FY16...FY24 data to be released on end-Feb is likely to show private investment closer to 12.5 per cent of GDP in FY24 itself." The report further noted that in FY23, private corporate investment as a share of GDP was 11.9 per cent, the highest since FY16. Government investments also reached a significant milestone, touching 4.1 per cent of GDP in FY23, the highest since FY12. A notable surge in investment announcements by Indian companies has been observed in the first nine months of FY25 (April to December 2024). India Inc. announced investments worth over Rs 32 lakh crore during this period, a 39 per cent increase compared to Rs 23 lakh crore in the same period last year. Additionally, the share of private sector participation in these announcements has risen to approximately 70 per cent. The report also highlighted the growth in the gross block of Indian companies. Around 4,500 listed entities collectively increased their gross block to Rs 106.5 lakh crore as of March 2024, compared to Rs 73.94 lakh crore in March 2020. This reflects an addition of more than Rs 8 lakh crore annually over the last five years. Furthermore, a robust pipeline of capital work in progress, amounting to Rs 13.63 lakh crore as of March 2024, indicates sustained investment momentum in the coming years. The data highlights the growing confidence of private corporations in India's economic prospects, fueled by supportive government policies and infrastructure development initiatives. These developments are expected to bolster economic growth and job creation, laying a strong foundation for the future. (ANI) PNN Ahmedabad (Gujarat) [India], January 23: Kaka Industries Limited, a leading manufacturer and supplier of PVC-based products, proudly announces the full commissioning of its advanced manufacturing facility in Village Lasundra, Tehsil Kathlal, District Kheda, Gujarat. This milestone comes after successfully resolving a persistent power supply issue that had limited the plant's operational capacity for the past six months. The facility spans an impressive total land area of approximately 8,00,000 square feet, with 4,00,000 remarkable capacity utilization of 40,000 metric tons per annum (MTPA), the plant's output will exceed the current capacity utilization of 18,000 MTPA by more than 120% over the next 2 to 3 years. Power Supply Issue Resolved The plant faced significant challenges due to inconsistent power supply over the last six months. However, with effect from 2nd Jan 2025, Kaka Industries Limited has started using uninterrupted power supply from Madhya Gujarat Vij Company Limited (MGVCL). Additionally, the power line infrastructure has been completed. With this issue resolved, the plant is poised to operate at full capacity, marking a new era of productivity and efficiency for the company. CA Chintan Bodar, CFO at Kaka Industries Limited, stated, "We are thrilled to announce the full commissioning of operations at our state-of-the-art manufacturing plant in Gujarat and we expect the turnover of company to double by the End of FY 2027. The lack of uninterrupted power supply was impacting our operations, which have now been resolved with immediate effect. All the equipment from other ancillary plant (old units) have now been shifted to this new facility, which will allow us to go full steam ahead and reach utilisation levels of 40,000 MTPA eventually versus 18,000 MTPA at present. This will allow us to double our revenue over the next 2 years with potential to reach 120% utilisation levels in the next 2-3 years. This state-of-the-art facility will improve economies of scale and will also reduce the operational cost, and thereby will also improve margins of the company." The enhanced capacity of the plant will strengthen Kaka Industries Limited's ability to meet growing market demand while further consolidating its position as a leader in the polymer industry. The company also stands to benefit from its robust branding, marketing, and sales efforts, supported by a strong dealer and customer network About Kaka Industries Limited Kaka Industries Limited is a leading player in the polymer industry, known for its commitment to quality, innovation, and sustainability. With a diverse range of polymer products, the company serves various industries and aims to provide cutting-edge solutions to meet evolving market demands. For more information, please visit www.kakaprofile.com. (ADVERTORIAL DISCLAIMER: The above press release has been provided by PNN. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of the same) The India-Africa Trade Council (IATC) successfully organized the India-Sierra Leone Trade Conference in Kochi, bringing together prominent stakeholders from the South Indian business community and a diplomatic delegation from Sierra Leone. The event served as a platform to strengthen bilateral trade relations and explore economic opportunities between the two nations. Dr Asif Iqbal, President of the Indian Economic Trade Organization (IETO), extended a warm welcome to Rashid Sesay, High Commissioner of Sierra Leone to India, and his delegation, which included the Information Attache from the Embassy of Sierra Leone in Abu Dhabi. Addressing the attendees, High Commissioner Sesay highlighted Sierra Leone's potential as a key trade partner, focusing on pharmaceuticals, IT development, and industrial growth. He acknowledged the enduring friendship between India and Sierra Leone, expressing gratitude for India's continued support in the West African nation's development journey. "This trade conference is a significant step in realizing the untapped potential of economic collaboration between India and Sierra Leone. We believe this partnership will lead to new opportunities for businesses in both countries," remarked Dr Iqbal, emphasizing the shared economic benefits of the partnership. A key highlight of the event was the appointment of C Krishna Shankar, Chairman and Managing Director of Finovest Group, as the Trade Commissioner for Sierra Leone to India. In his acceptance speech, Shankar outlined a roadmap for strengthening trade ties, announcing a business delegation from Kerala and Chennai set to visit Sierra Leone in May 2025. Shankar said, "Strengthening the trade ties between India and Sierra Leone would be the primary focus. Our upcoming business delegation from Kerala and Chennai in May 2025 will focus on exploring key sectors like mining, tourism, poultry, pharmaceuticals, and infrastructure development." "This visit is a pivotal opportunity to unlock new investment avenues, foster partnerships in agriculture and healthcare, and pave the way for deeper economic engagement between our two regions," he added. India has been a significant contributor to Sierra Leone's economic growth, with bilateral trade reaching USD 139.86 million in FY 2019-20, marking a 12.80 per cent increase. Key Indian exports to Sierra Leone include pharmaceuticals, plastics, non-basmati rice, and industrial machinery. On the other hand, imports from Sierra Leone, such as ferrous waste, wood pulp, and titanium ores, grew by 108.86 per cent during the same period. The conference also highlighted India's development cooperation with Sierra Leone. India has extended USD 45 million in funding for irrigation and potable water projects and an additional USD 32 million Line of Credit (LOC) for establishing the University of Science & Technology in Kono District. Several Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) were signed at the conference, facilitating investments in education, infrastructure, and the pharmaceutical sector. Bency George, Director of Corporate Relations at IETO, also graced the occasion, underscoring India's commitment to fostering partnerships that contribute to Sierra Leone's development. The India-Sierra Leone Trade Conference reaffirmed the shared vision of deepening economic cooperation, opening avenues for businesses, and strengthening the bond between the two nations. (ANI) China moves to attract long-term funds to capital market Xinhua) 08:40, January 23, 2025 BEIJING, Jan. 22 (Xinhua) -- Chinese financial authorities have unveiled a plan to detail measures for encouraging medium- and long-term funds into the capital market to further stabilize stock performance, the country's top securities regulator said Wednesday. The document, jointly released by the office of the Central Financial Work Commission, as well as five government departments, stressed attracting funds from commercial insurance, national social security and basic pension funds. Annuity funds, public funds, and other medium- to long-term capital funds are also expected to increase their stock market investments, it said. Toward that end, the plan aims to increase the proportion and stability of A-share investment in the portfolios of commercial insurance companies, and improve the investment management mechanism of the national social security fund and the basic pension insurance fund. The performance of state-owned insurance companies will be assessed over a cycle of more than three years. For the national social security and basic pension funds, the evaluation periods will be over five years and over three years, respectively. The investment of annuity funds should be more market-oriented, and both the scale and the proportion of equity funds should be expanded in public offering funds, said the document. The plan also underscored efforts to optimize the capital market's investment ecosystem, pledging to encourage listed companies to increase stock buybacks and distribute dividends several times per year. Public funds, commercial insurance, basic pension, annuity funds and wealth management funds will be able to participate in listed companies' private placements as strategic investors, and the scale of the Securities, Funds and Insurance companies Swap Facility operation will be expanded, it said. At the end of August 2024, institutional investors, including public equity, insurance and various pension funds, collectively held 14.5 trillion yuan (about 2.02 trillion U.S. dollars) of circulating A-shares. Their proportion of the total market value increased from 17 percent at the beginning of 2019 to 22.2 percent by last August. (Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun) You are here: Business Employees work on an assembly line of electric bicycles in Tianjin, on Dec. 6, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua] China's Ministry of Commerce and four other departments on Thursday announced new policies for the electric bicycle trade-in program for 2025. Individuals who trade in their old electric bicycles and purchase eligible new models will qualify for subsidies, according to the ministry. During the trade-in process, old electric bicycles will be recycled at the local scrap market price and dismantled. The ministry said this move aims to phase out obsolete electric bicycles that pose safety risks. Given the higher safety performance and broader applications of lead-acid battery electric bicycles, China will increase subsidies for consumers who trade in their old lithium battery bicycles and purchase new lead-acid battery models, according to the ministry. Local governments across the country are encouraged to accelerate the approval process for consumers to receive subsidies, or apply subsidies directly during the transaction. In 2024, the trade-in program saw over 1.38 million electric bicycles exchanged, with subsidy funds exceeding 600 million yuan (about $83.67 million), driving sales of around 3.74 billion yuan, according to the ministry. SMPL New Delhi [India], January 23: La Foret Education is marking a remarkable milestone this financial year with significant growth in sales and student enrollments, underscoring its commitment to empowering global learners. The company's specialized language training programs and study-abroad guidance have positioned it as a trusted name in the education sector, catering to students and professionals looking to expand their horizons. Driven by popularity for its French proficiency courses like DELF, TEF-TCF, and English language training programs like IELTS, TOEFL, PTE, and CELPIP. La Foret Education has become a trusted name in the education sector, particularly for students aiming to study, work, or settle abroad. The company's innovative, student-centric approach has contributed to a remarkable 30% increase in enrollments compared to the previous year. This success has set the stage for their future plans, which promise even greater opportunities for students worldwide. La Foret Education intends to keep up its progress by creating impactful student experiences through interactive workshops and in-house events. Looking ahead to FY 2025-26, La Foret Education is focused on addressing the unique challenges faced by students through a combination of workshops, courses, and personalized guidance. These initiatives are designed to bridge knowledge gaps students face regarding international education systems, visa processes, and exam preparation. The goal of the workshops is to provide students the confidence and practical skills they need to successfully manage their international travels. These initiatives align with the institution's objective to make global education accessible and possible for all. Recent events showcase the company's dedication to delivering value-driven learning experiences. On January 11, La Foret Education hosted an engaging online workshop in collaboration with RCIC-IRB-certified lawyers. This session focused on guiding students applying under the Francophone category for Canadian Permanent Residency--a niche yet increasingly popular pathway for international aspirants. The workshop featured interactive discussions, Q&A sessions, and tailored guidance from legal experts familiar with Canada's immigration requirements. Student feedback was overwhelmingly positive, highlighting the actionable insights gained from the workshop, particularly regarding the legal intricacies of PR applications under this category. This event highlights La Foret Education's dedication to addressing student concerns through online and offline education. Furthering this commitment, La Foret Education is set to host an exclusive in-house workshop on February 2, focused on preparing students for IELTS success. Scheduled from 10:00 AM to 11:30 AM, the workshop will provide an in-depth overview of the IELTS exam and its importance for studying, working, or immigrating abroad. The session will cover key aspects of the IELTS exam, including its structure and format, the importance of vocabulary, practical strategies for achieving high scores, and tips to enhance communication skills. Students can expect: - A clear understanding of IELTS requirements. - Confidence-building strategies to tackle the exam. - Access to high-quality study resources, personalized plans, and vocabulary tools. Students will benefit from the interactive nature of the event, where they can engage with experts, address their queries, and gain valuable insights. This workshop is yet another step in La Foret's aim of providing students with the tools they need for global success. La Foret Education's impressive growth and forward-thinking initiatives highlight its role as a trusted partner for students aiming to achieve their global dreams. By focusing on innovative, student-focused solutions, the company is shaping the next generation of global learners and professionals. With an optimistic outlook for 2025, La Foret Education is set to redefine what it means to prepare students for the world stage. (ADVERTORIAL DISCLAIMER: The above press release has been provided by SMPL. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of the same) Parijat Industries New Delhi [India], January 23: Parijat Industries, a leading name in the agrochemical sector, has been honoured with 3 prestigious awards at the 2025 Pesticides Manufacturers and Formulators Association of India (PMFAI) Awards held in Dubai on January 21. The PMFAI Awards are a benchmark of excellence in the agrochemical sector, honouring those who exhibit exceptional innovation, sustainability, and community impact. The selection criteria included sustained business performance, adoption of cutting-edge technologies, and contributions to advancing India's global presence in the sector. This award places Parijat alongside previous recipients who have significantly influenced the industry's evolution. Parijat was conferred with the Global Indian Company of the Year (Large Scale) award. This accolade acknowledges its remarkable growth trajectory, innovation, and operational excellence in the global agrochemical industry. In addition, the company received the Social Responsibility Excellence Award for its outstanding commitment to sustainability and community welfare. Parijat's flagship initiatives, conducted under the Parijat Urja Chakra (PUC) program, focus on critical areas such as education, environmental conservation, healthcare, and rural development. Notable efforts include the Falwan tree-planting campaign in partnership with Plantology and projects aimed at enhancing sanitation and healthcare facilities in underserved communities. The evening also celebrated Shivraj Anand, CEO - International Business, who was named the Emerging Leader of the Year. His leadership has been pivotal in steering Parijat's growth across international markets. The recognition highlights his strategic acumen, innovative vision, and ability to navigate complex global market landscapes. Shivraj Anand, CEO - International Business stated, "We are deeply honoured to receive these prestigious awards form the PMFAI. These recognitions are a testament to the dedication, hard work, and unwavering commitment of our entire team. We will continue to strive for excellence and remain at the forefront of innovation in the agrochemical sector." Private Limited, is dedicated to advancing agricultural practices through innovation, research, and community support. With a focus on sustainable development and farmer welfare, Parijat Industries continues to lead initiatives that enhance agricultural productivity and safety. It is a fully integrated technical to final branded formulations manufacturing agrochemical company with an advanced R&D-based integrated crop protection company manufacturing active ingredients and formulations and selling under its propriety brands in India and in the international market. (ADVERTORIAL DISCLAIMER: The above press release has been provided by Parijat Industries. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of the same) Organised by Hero Motors Company (HMC), in collaboration with the Confederation of Indian Industries (CII) hosted an exclusive roundtable discussion titled "Urban Mobility: Trends, Innovations, and Opportunities, 2030 and Beyond." Key discussion points included trends in consumer behaviour, advancements in automotive technology, urban planning innovations, and the importance of sustainable practices. The participants highlighted that financial institutions and automotive technology organizations will play a crucial role to address the critical challenges and opportunities in shaping the future of urban mobility. The session focused on re-engineering mobility solutions to align with evolving consumer behaviors, addressing infrastructural and technological challenges, and integrating innovations into the urban landscape. Collaborative efforts and partnerships took center stage as participants explored ways to define new paradigms of mobility--solutions that are faster, more sustainable, and innovative, ultimately contributing to the creation of 15-minute cities across the globe. HMC, a global leader in engineering and mobility solutions, demonstrated its commitment to reshaping urban mobility. The roundtable served as a platform for global leaders to strategise and collaborate, with participation from marquee organizations such as BMW, ZF Foxconn, Club Car, Hyundai Motor, Volvo Group, Invest Corp, Gulf International Bank, KKR, and others. T The Chief Minister of Telangana, Revanth Reddy, delivered the final address, where he shared his vision for urban development, infrastructure planning, and inviting more of the automotive industry to his state. The session concluded with actionable takeaways to foster meaningful collaborations, integrate technological advancements, and develop effective policies for the future of urban mobility. "The session at WEF was an exceptional convergence of technology leaders, government officials, academia, service providers, distribution companies, and investors. The atmosphere was charged with candid discussions that brought forth insights and perspectives that would have been difficult to achieve otherwise," said Pankaj M Munjal, Chairman and Managing Director, Hero Motors Company. He further added, "This open dialogue fostered a deeper understanding of the challenges and opportunities, especially in the field of last-mile mobility, paving the way for innovation, collaborations, and solutions." (ANI) Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu, on the sidelines of World Economic Forum (WEF) 2025, stated that the government wants to build 50 more airports, highlighting that the intention is to make Delhi a major international aviation hub. Speaking exclusively to ANI, Aviation Minister said, "We want to build 50 more airports in the coming 5 years, so we are trying to look at international partnership so that new technologies, new ways of Passenger services can all be brought into our country also." He further added, "We are trying to speak to the aircraft operator and also kind of facilitate for more transit network in the airport itself and we have a plan that within 2 years we want to establish Delhi as a major international aviation hub." He outlined plans to establish Delhi as a key aviation hub within two years, stating, "We are speaking to the airlines, speaking to other countries, how we can support this kind of aviation hub, and there has been a lot of interest in that area also." India's aviation industry has emerged as the fastest-growing sector over the past decade, achieving an annual growth rate of over 10 per cent, the Minister said. Naidu remarked, "We have become the 3rd largest domestic aviation network. Now the whole world is looking at India on how to improve their own aviation networks." He added that the country is focused on expanding its aviation ecosystem by adding more airports, increasing the passenger fleet, and addressing the rising demand for air travel. "There was a lot of interest, a lot of enthusiasm, and there are some international players who want to come and invest in India, especially in aviation, because it's such a growing sector," he added. Going further the Union Minister shared India's roadmap for sustainable aviation fuel (SAF). "The sustainable aviation fuel has been the topic of discussion, and we have said on behalf of India also we are committed in that plan," he stated. India plans to achieve "1 per cent blending in international flights by 2027," rising to "5 per cent by 2030." The goal includes producing "5 million tonnes of SAF in the coming years, the Minister said. "Sustainable aviation fuel has been the topic of discussion, and we have said on behalf of India also we are committed in that plan. We have our own strategy of one person blending in international flights by 27. And 28 per cent and by 2030 we have 5 per cent and we want to produce 5 million tonnes of SAF in the coming years up to 2030. So we are trying to build up that infrastructure and create an ecosystem which we want to showcase it to the world that SAF is definitely possible," the Minister said. He added that India's strategic location makes it an ideal candidate to become a major international aviation hub. "India is located at a position where it can cater for the East and the West of the world," Naidu emphasised. He added that the government is also working on improving the hub-and-spoke model by engaging with domestic and international stakeholders. "We are talking with the airlines also so that more connections come into that place. More domestically, the whole transition of hub and spoke model gets established. So from the aviation ministry and the government also we are taking proactive steps. We are speaking with the other concerned ministries like the Ministry of Home Affairs also we are taking in all the suggestions and necessary steps that need to be taken. We are taking it one by one and within 2 years we want to establish the hub in Delhi.," Naidu added. The minister noted the enthusiasm and interest of global leaders and investors in India's aviation growth story. "There was a lot of interest, a lot of enthusiasm," he said. (ANI) Spices firm Suhana Masala along with the Ecofactory Foundation have announced they will set up a Centre of Excellence (CoE) for spices production in Telangana. The initiative, which will be located adjacent to Suhana's existing facility in Sangareddy, aims to revolutionize spice farming by training and equipping farmers to produce farm goods that meet global standards, a statement from CMO said Thursday. The announcement came after meeting of Suhana Director Anand Chordia with the IT and Industries Minister D Sridhar Babu on the margins of World Economic Forum Annual Meeting in Davos. Over the next 2-3 years, the Centre of Excellence will train 25,000-30,000 farmers, enhancing their skills and knowledge to improve spice quality and farming techniques. The training will ensure that farmers meet international standards for the production of spices, improving market access and income generation. The centre will work with various industry partners to bring cutting-edge technologies, research, and best practices to the farming community. By enhancing the livelihoods of farmers and improving the quality of produce, this initiative will contribute significantly to the economic growth of Telangana. The facility in Sangareddy, one of the largest chili processing units in the country, will serve as a key hub for this transformative project, further boosting Suhana's commitment to innovation in the spice industry. "We are excited on this groundbreaking initiative. Our goal is not just to improve the quality of spices but to uplift the lives of farmers, empowering them with the knowledge and tools they need to succeed. By combining innovation with sustainability, we are committed to ensuring that Telangana becomes a global leader in high-quality spice production," said Suhana Masala's CEO. The Annual Meeting 2025 of The World Economic Forum is taking place at Davos-Klosters from 20th to 24th January 2025. India Pavilion at the 55th World Economic Forum (WEF) annual conference 2025 in Davos, Switzerland, features eight states, each seeking investment opportunities from executives of companies worldwide. Kerala, Telangana, Uttar Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, and West Bengal are the states which have established their presence at WEF, 2025. India has sent its largest-ever delegation to the World Economic Forum's (WEF) Annual Meeting in Davos, comprising five union ministers and three state chief ministers. Nearly 100 CEOs and leaders from government, civil society, and the arts are also in attendance at the event. (ANI) Bollywood actor and entrepreneur Vivek Oberoi, currently attending the World Economic Forum (WEF) 2025 in Davos, has expressed immense pride in India's growing influence at the international platform. Speaking with ANI, Oberoi shared his excitement about being at the prestigious event, where he is engaging with several key figures, including chief ministers and national ministers. "It is fantastic to be here...feeling like a great sense of pride as India is everywhere and I am glad that I am here interacting with multiple chief ministers and national ministers for all the business that they are doing in Bharat to create value," said Oberoi. He also highlighted the drone technology sector, mentioning that one of the companies he is involved in focuses on drone tech and security. He mentioned his involvement with Indrajaal, a company focused on drone technology and security and said, "We are here signing an MOU of 150 million dollars with the Telangana state government and we should be wrapping that up by tomorrow morning." In addition to his involvement in drone technology, Oberoi also talked about several foundations and organizations making significant strides in the tech and infrastructure sectors. "Through the Motwani Jadeja Foundation, we are supporting brilliant Indian tech companies making waves globally, from Skyroot, which is building Indian rockets, to Digantara, which is sending satellites into space," he said. Oberoi also spoke about his involvement with Pentacle, a consultancy firm focused on infrastructure and sustainability, which is exploring partnerships with Maharashtra states. The actor also shared his excitement about meeting with Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, who is focused on developing Amravati as a global tech hub. "I had dinner yesterday with CM Chandra Babu Naidu, who is looking at building a global hub to bring young tech from all over the world into Amravati. It was exciting to meet with him and discuss a partnership," Oberoi said. He further discussed his meetings with Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu and other Indian leaders, mentioning that the agreements being explored at WEF 2025 are still in their early stages. "The timeline for MoUs is not specific at any stage now, but the idea is to take the first step in and get started," he said in an interview with ANI. The World Economic Forum's Annual Meeting 2025, taking place from January 20th to 24th in Davos-Klosters, has seen a remarkable presence from India. India's participation is marked by its largest-ever delegation to date, including five union ministers and three state chief ministers. Additionally, the India Pavilion at the event showcases the states of Kerala, Telangana, Uttar Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, and West Bengal, all seeking investment opportunities from global business leaders. The pavilion aims to showcase India's potential as a growing hub for innovation, trade, and technology. Meanwhile, actor Bhumi Pednekar, who is also attending the WEF, shared her thoughts on gender equality and her aspirations in the film industry, on Wednesday, while speaking to ANI. Recognized as a Young Global Leader (YGL) by the World Economic Forum last year, Pednekar emphasized the need for greater gender equality in society. Reflecting on her career, she shared her interest in exploring Hollywood opportunities while also stressing her desire to be a role model for young girls who watch her films. "We all are here just to have positive conversations about how can we make the world better, and honestly, I'm full of gratitude that I was given this opportunity," said Pednekar, adding, "Right from the start of my career with my work on-screen and off-screen, I've truly tried to make a difference. I've truly tried to get a positive change in every way possible." (ANI) An Akhand Path was held in memory of legendary tabla maestro Ustad Zakir Hussain at Amritsar's Golden Temple on Thursday morning. The ceremony was organized by the late tabla maestro's younger brother, Fazal Qureshi, who expressed deep gratitude for the opportunity to honour his brother at such a sacred site. Speaking to ANI, Fazal Qureshi shared, "Today, I feel incredibly grateful that an Akhand Path has been performed at the Golden Temple. It has been a long-held wish of mine to arrange for this tribute in Zakir Bhai's name, and I am deeply thankful for the chance to do so here." He added, "We are also from Punjab, and our Gharana is rooted here, which makes this occasion even more special. I have also been given the hukumnama, which I will take to my institute and keep it there, where anyone can come and seek blessings." The Akhand Path, a continuous recitation of the Guru Granth Sahib, was held behind the Shri Akal Takht Sahib, where kirtan was performed to honour the memory of Zakir Hussain. Bhai Gurdev Singh from the Golden Temple also spoke about the occasion. "Today, we remember Ustad Zakir Hussain, a name that became synonymous with the tabla. His contribution to music and the people is immeasurable. Though he is no longer with us, his legacy lives on," he said. Singh noted the deep reverence shown by Hussain's family despite their different religious backgrounds, emphasizing the universal nature of love and respect. "Fazal Qureshi, who comes from a Muslim background, has shown tremendous love for the Guru Granth Sahib. His respect for Sikhism and his participation in this ceremony demonstrates the unity of faiths and the power of love," he said. The world lost the iconic tabla player on December 15, 2024, when Zakir Hussain passed away in San Francisco at the age of 73 due to complications from idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, a rare and debilitating lung disease. His passing marked the end of an era in Indian classical music, but his musical legacy continues to inspire fans globally. Born into a musical family, Zakir Hussain was the son of the legendary tabla virtuoso Alla Rakha. He seamlessly blended traditional Indian rhythms with global influences, creating timeless masterpieces that resonated across cultures. His final rites were held in San Francisco, where family, friends, and fellow musicians gathered to bid farewell to a man whose music transcended borders and languages. Zakir Hussain's family confirmed that he succumbed to idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, a condition that leads to the progressive scarring of the lungs, making breathing increasingly difficult. (ANI) Actor Veer Pahariya, who is set to make his Bollywood debut alongside Akshay Kumar in the upcoming movie 'Skyforce', visited the Mahakaleshwar Temple in Ujjain on Thursday to seek Lord Shiva's blessings before the release of his film. Pahariya, who plays a pivotal role in the film, arrived at the temple early in the morning, offering prashad and flower garlands at the Shivling. After his visit, he spoke to ANI about his spiritual experience and the significance of his visit. "It was joyful (visiting Mahakaleshwar Temple)... Yesterday, around 3:30 in the night, I felt as if Baba was calling me. So I came to the temple today. What can be bigger than getting his blessings before my biggest day (the release of my debut film Skyforce)," the actor shared. 'Skyforce' is set to release on January 24, and it marks Veer Pahariya's Bollywood debut. The film, directed by Abhishek Anil Kapur and Sandeep Kewlani, is based on the true events of the 1965 Indo-Pakistani War, focusing on India's retaliatory strike on Pakistan's Sargodha airbase. Pahariya plays Squadron Leader Ajjamada Boppayya Devayya, a hero of the war, alongside an ensemble cast including Akshay Kumar, Nimrat Kaur, and Sara Ali Khan. On Tuesday, ahead of the film's release, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh attended a special screening of 'Skyforce' alongside Akshay Kumar, Veer Pahariya, and Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan, who also watched the film. In a recent interview, Veer expressed his hopes for the impact 'Skyforce' will have on the next generation, much like the 2003 Hrithik Roshan-starrer 'Lakshya'. "Working on my first film, 'Skyforce', was rather overwhelming. It is a huge opportunity and a responsibility for me to play a real-life hero, Squadron Leader Ajjamada Boppayya Devayya, who was one of the heroes of the 1965 India-Pakistan war," Pahariya said, adding, "This story needs to be told for the future generations to get inspired by what our heroes have done for our freedom." Pahariya continued, emphasizing the values embedded in the film and said, "It is about family, brotherhood, friendship, and loyalty. This is a very serious character, and my only wish is that it works like Lakshya film... when that movie came, it inspired people for 20 years to join the force and serve the country. Skyforce will also be a film through which the next 20-30 years, young people of our country will be inspired and know what our forefathers have done for our freedom." (ANI) Amazon MGM Studios unveiled the first look at 'The Accountant 2', bringing Affleck back in the lead role alongside Jon Bernthal. https://www.instagram.com/p/DFI_3xMPN3e/ The sequel is set to continue the high-stakes, action-packed journey of Christian Wolff, a highly skilled and estranged figure with a complex past, as per People magazine. In 'The Accountant 2,' Christian Wolff (played by Affleck) is pulled out of hiding after someone close to him is killed by mysterious assassins. To uncover the truth and solve the murder, Wolff enlists the help of his estranged, but lethal, brother Brax (played by Bernthal). The movie will see the return of JK Simmons as Ray King, the director of the Treasury Department's financial crimes bureau, who also appeared in the original film. The film's synopsis teases an intense and emotional storyline, "Christian Wolff is brought out of hiding by Treasury Agent Marybeth Medina (Cynthia Addai-Robinson) after someone close to them is killed by unknown assassins. To solve the murder, Wolff must recruit the help of his estranged but highly lethal brother Brax," as per People magazine. 'The Accountant 2' will premiere at the SXSW Film Festival on March 8 before hitting theaters on April 25. However, not all characters from the first film will be returning, with Anna Kendrick, Jeffrey Tambor, Jean Smart, and John Lithgow not reprising their roles. Directed again by Gavin O'Connor and written by Bill Dubuque, the sequel maintains the original's gritty action and emotional depth. Affleck is also producing the film alongside longtime collaborator Matt Damon through their production company Artists Equity. Their production company has previously worked on projects like 2023's 'Air' and the Jennifer Lopez documentary 'The Greatest Love Story Never Told'. Filming for 'The Accountant 2' took place in the spring of 2024, during which Affleck's marriage to actress Jennifer Lopez ended in divorce in August 2024. The divorce was finalized in January 2025. (ANI) Actor Priyanka Chopra has expressed happiness as her film 'Anuja' found a name in the Oscars 2025 nomination list. Directed by Adam J. Graves, 'Anuja' has secured a nomination in the Best Live Action Short Film category. Reacting to the nomination, Priyanka in a press note said, "Anuja being nominated for an Oscar in the Best Live Action Short Film category is such an incredible moment. This film is a beautiful reminder of the power of storytelling--how it can shine a light on love, family, and resilience in the most authentic way. I'm so proud of Adam J. Graves for his vision and deeply moved by the brilliant performances of Sajda Pathan and Ananya Shanbhag, who have poured their hearts into bringing these characters to life. It's an honour for me to be part of this journey alongside our amazing partners--Suchitra Mattai Studio, Mindy Kaling, Guneet Monga Kapoor, and Shine Global. Telling meaningful stories that resonate with audiences is what drives us, and I'm beyond thrilled to see 'Anuja' receive this well-deserved recognition." Producer Guneet Monga also expressed her emotions. "Incredibly honoured for this nomination at the 97th Oscars. It is a privilege to share the story of Anuja, representing the work of Salaam Baalak Trust India - the voice of countless youth who bravely face formidable circumstances every day. Even through unimaginable odds, they show us there is reason to smile. Director Adam J. Graves and Producer Suchitra Mattai have poured all of their hearts into this. This nomination is a testament to how we can cross borders, collaborate, and bring honest stories to life, alongside the support of some of the most powerful global icons like Mindy Kaling and Priyanka Chopra Jonas. Thank you for helping bring Anuja's message to the global stage. Can't wait for the world to experience the joy of watching Anuja on Netflix," she said. The film will soon also be out on Netflix. On the film bagging nomination at Oscars 2025, Monika Shergill, VP - of Content, Netflix India, said, "It is an honor to bring a beautiful, homegrown film like Anuja to audiences around the world. We hope this powerful story of resilience and redemption resonates with hearts everywhere, and brings India another Oscar after The Elephant Whisperers. Congratulations to the incredible team behind this heartening tale of sisterhood--Suchitra Mattai, Adam J. Graves, Guneet Monga Kapoor, Mindy Kaling, and Priyanka Chopra Jonas." (ANI) Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavishas hailed the collaboration between Mumbai's Lilavati Hospital and the renowned Mayo Clinic of the US, for a nursing training program, saying that it will not only open up a new journey in the healthcare sector but also pave the way towards the path of 'seva' (service) to mankind. CM Fadnavis in his virtual message at the 'Lilavati Initiative' program, said, "Lilavati Hospital and Research Center, Mumbai and the world-renowned Mayo Clinic USA are collaborating for nursing training program. This will not only open up a new journey in the healthcare sector but also towards the path of 'seva' to mankind." He added that the nursing training program will revolutionise nursing education and set unparalleled standards of patient care. "Due to the World Economic Forum at Davos, I am unable to be a part of this momentous occasion but my best wishes are always with you. I am sure that the launch of the nursing-training program which is the first of its kind in our country will revolutionise nursing education and set unparalleled standards of patient care. It is indeed a proud moment for all of us that this program is being hosted here in Mumbai, a city that has always been at the forefront of progress and innovation," Fadnavis added. Chief Minister Fadnavis was unable to attend the 'Lilavati Initiative' program in person as he is currently in Davos to attend the World Economic Forum 2025. Meanwhile, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, who attended the programme, praised Lilavati Hospital for their dedication towards serving the patient. "Lilavati Hospital became operational in 1978. It's a 330-bed hospital. This was also the favourite hospital of Hindu Hridya Samrat Balasaheb Thackeray. He received treatment here till the end. Recently, you treated actor Saif Ali Khan, and I congratulate you for that. This is the special quality of your hospital - every patient gets well. Your doctors, nurses, and staff are dedicated and serve patients like family, with the sole aim of ensuring their recovery and good health," Shinde said. (ANI) Aam Aadmi Party National Convenor Arvind Kejriwal lashed out at Union Home Minister Amit Shah over alleged 'harassment' of AAP workers by the police, and said that while he might have been done "hooliganism" in Gujarat, Delhi will not accept such behaviour. In a post on X, Kejriwal said, "Amit Shah ji has completely lost his temper. Amit ji, you may have committed hooliganism in Gujarat, but Delhi will not tolerate your hooliganism." https://x.com/ArvindKejriwal/status/1882108038649409585 Senior AAP leader Sanjay Singh also alleged that the BJP, "fearing defeat", is harassing AAP workers in Delhi using police. In a post on X, Singh said, "The BJP is losing the elections badly. The police, scared of defeat, are harassing our workers. Delhi Police is raiding the house of AAP worker Bunty Shekhawat in BR Camp of the New Delhi Legislative Assembly, flouting the rules and laws. @ECISVEEP @CPDelhi, take cognizance of the incident." Speaking to ANI, AAP MP Sanjay Singh alleged that their party workers were detained by the police on the basis of "false complaints." "BJP is going to lose in the New Delhi constituency. When Parvesh Verma distributes money and other things, no action is taken even after we file complaints about it. On the other hand, a false complaint was made against our party workers, and based on that, they were detained. How can we campaign in such a situation?" Singh said. The Delhi Assembly elections will take place in a single phase on February 5, and the counting of votes is set for February 8. A total of 699 candidates are competing for the 70 assembly seats in Delhi. 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 seats. In contrast, the AAP dominated the 2015 and 2020 assembly elections by winning 67 and 62 seats, respectively, out of a total of 70 seats, while the BJP got only three and eight seats in these elections. (ANI) In a historic moment, three Baiga families from the Pandaria development block in Kabirdham district, Chhattisgarh, have received a special invitation from the President of India, Droupadi Murmu to attend the Republic Day celebrations in Delhi on January 26, 2025. The three families, including Jagatin Bai Baiga and her husband Phool Singh Baiga from the Patapri village under the Kadawani Gram Panchayat, were selected for the prestigious invitation. Their excitement is palpable as they prepare to travel to Delhi, a place they have never visited before, to attend the Republic Day celebrations and meet the President of India. The Baiga tribe, classified as a Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group (PVTG), has faced numerous challenges, including lack of access to basic amenities and infrastructure. Even after independence, many of these tribal villages have remained undeveloped, with their residents often living in isolated conditions. However, the recent attention and initiatives have made significant strides toward improving their quality of life. The Baiga families' visit to Delhi will be a once-in-a-lifetime experience, where they will meet the President, dine with her, and visit iconic landmarks like the Prime Minister's residence, Parliament House, and the President's House. This invitation has not only brought joy to the Baiga families but has also made the entire district proud. Jagatin Bai, a member of the Baiga tribe, explained her feelings on being invited by the President. "We have received electricity. We are very happy. We used to live in darkness, and there was always fear of insects," she said. Her words reflect the immense changes that have occurred in the village, largely due to the government's efforts to improve their living conditions. Jagatin Bai further shared, "The Collector visited our village and asked what facilities we have received. We told him that our village never had electricity, but now our village and homes are illuminated." This shift to modernity is due to the installation of solar-powered lights in all 25 homes in Patapri village, a major step in ending the isolation the Baiga community once faced. Jagatin Bai expressed her gratitude: "I will go to Delhi and present the Biron Mala to the President as a gesture of respect, as these schemes have improved our standard of living." The Baiga families' invitation is a proud moment not only for them but also for the entire Kabirdham district. Phool Singh, Jagatin Bai's husband, added, "The President and Prime Minister have invited us. We are very happy that our home now has electricity." His words reflect the profound impact these improvements have had on their lives, allowing them to live with dignity and hope for the future. For years, Patapri village remained dark, isolated, and disconnected from the modern world. Villagers lived without electricity, relying on firewood for cooking and fearing the dangers posed by wild animals and the darkness. Phool Singh recalled, "Earlier, we had a small solar panel that cost 7-8 rupees. Sometimes, we could use it to cook, but often we had to cook in the dark. Now, thanks to the government's scheme, the entire village is illuminated 24 hours with solar power." This breakthrough came when, in October 2024, Collector Gopal Verma held a Jan Chaupal (public meeting) in Patapri village and directed the CREDA department to implement solar energy systems. As a result, 300-watt solar home lighting systems were installed in every house. With this, the village, which had long been deprived of proper infrastructure, was transformed, and the Baiga families were now able to live with modern amenities, no longer living in fear or darkness. "Now, with electricity, we can visit each other's houses freely," Phool Singh said. "Before Diwali, we didn't have enough light. Cooking with firewood was the norm. We lived in fear due to the darkness in the village surrounded by forests. Now that there is light, our fear has diminished." Jagatin Bai echoed his sentiments, saying, "With electricity, we now have fans. We don't feel the heat, and the children are happy." The lighting systems have brought a sense of security to the community. "The children play, study, and live with ease," Phool Singh noted, highlighting the transformative effect of solar power on the younger generation, who now have the opportunity to study and play freely without the limitations of darkness. This invitation has provided an unprecedented opportunity for the Baiga families. Jagatin Bai, who had never traveled more than 10 kilometers from her village, expressed her excitement about the upcoming trip to Delhi. "When asked how it would feel to travel by train, she said it would be nice. It would be an experience to travel in a train-like vehicle that I have never seen before," said Jagatin Bai. Her excitement reflects the vast change this invitation represents for her and her family. Later, with a smile, she even expressed her desire to travel by plane someday, something she had never imagined before. "I would love to travel by plane. It would be an experience of a lifetime," she said. This shows how far-reaching this invitation is in not just acknowledging their progress but also opening up new possibilities for these families. The families' visit will be a once-in-a-lifetime experience. While in Delhi, they will have the honor of meeting the President and dining with her. Additionally, they will have the chance to visit important landmarks like the Prime Minister's residence, Parliament House, and the President's House. The invitation has not only brought joy to the Baiga families but has also made the entire district proud. District Collector Gopal Verma expressed his pride, stating, "It is a matter of great pride for Kabirdham district that six Baiga tribal families have been invited for the Republic Day celebrations. Under the Janman scheme, these Baiga families have received homes, and through CREDA's solar energy scheme, their homes are illuminated." Verma highlighted that this invitation is a significant achievement for the Baiga community. "On January 22, they will stay in the nation's capital. They will have dinner with the President and meet the Prime Minister. The entire Baiga community is overjoyed by the invitation, which is a proud moment for the district," he said. Pandaria MLA Bhavna Bohra also expressed her pride and happiness about the invitation. "It is a matter of great honor not only for our tribal brothers and sisters but also for me personally. It is a proud moment for the Pandaria and Chhattisgarh region," she said. She added that the invitation to meet the President was an immense joy for the entire community. "The President is the highest authority in the country, and the opportunity to have dinner with her during the Republic Day celebrations is a moment of immense joy." The invitation is a significant recognition of the Baiga community's progress and the government's efforts to empower them. (ANI) Habibullah Prang, a 38-year-old native of Tamer Zurmat District, Pakita Province, Afghanistan, was found guilty of using forged documents to live in Wadala, Mumbai, since 2007. The court sentenced Prang to 11 months imprisonment, imposed a fine of Rs 8,000 on him and ordered his deportation to Afghanistan. The Crime Branch, Mumbai, Unit-5, had registered a case against Prang under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), Passport Act, Foreigners Order, and Foreigners Act. The accused was charged with forgery, using forged documents, and violating foreigner registration rules. Acting on confidential information, the Crime Branch conducted a raid and discovered that Prang had been living in Mumbai under the assumed name "Zaheer Ali Khan." He had obtained a PAN card and driving license under this false identity. (ANI) On firing incident on former Mokama MLA Anant Singh, Patna Rural SP Vikram Sihag said that police have received information that an incident of firing took place between two gangs in Nauranga village in Mokama area under the jurisdiction of Pachmala Police Station limits on Wednesday evening. Reportedly, one of the gangs involved in the clash is affliated to former MLA Anant Singh. SP Vikram Sihag said, "The police received a call that an incident of firing took place between two gangs in Nauranga village in Mokama area under the jurisdiction of Pachmala Police Station limits in the evening. A team immediately reached the spot...The gangs flew away. No one has been injured...FSL team is present at the spot and investigating..." "During the initial investigation, it came to now that both gangs clashed over putting a lock on a house in a nearby village. For now, no injuries have been reported. A case is being registered." Till now, the local villagers have told us that about fifteen rounds were fired, but in the inspection of the incident spot, we have found only three round cartridges...Further investigation is underway..." Earlier, Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP), Rakesh Kumar said that the police have recovered three shell casings from the spot. "We received information that firing was taking place in Nauranga village. After that, the station head and all personnel reached the location. We have recovered three shell casings from here. We are identifying those involved, and based on that, further action will be taken. It is being reported that the former MLA had come here with his supporters. As per the people in the village, the former MLA (Anant Kumar Singh) and his supporters were involved in the firing. We are currently identifying those who fired the shots," ASP Kumar said while speaking to the media. Anant Singh, popularly known as 'Chhote Sarkar', secured victory in the 2020 assembly election on an RJD ticket. The Mokama seat is currently being represented by Singh's wife Neelam Devi, who won the seat on the RJD ticket. Anant Singh is serving a 10-year prison sentence in an Arms case, after an AK-47 rifle was recovered from his residence in August 2019. The MP-MLA court had sentenced him to 10 years of imprisonment. (ANI) Union Minister Jitendra Singh on Wednesday provided an update on the mysterious illness in Rajouri, stating that initial tests conducted by a toxicology laboratory in Lucknow under CSIR indicated the absence of any infection, virus, or bacteria. During the inauguration of the newly constructed bridge at Basantpur, Singh revealed that preliminary findings indicate the presence of a toxin, which is currently undergoing further analysis. "I think the discussion has started but the first test was conducted by a toxicology laboratory in Lucknow, CSIR. The discussion was that there was no infection, no virus, no bacteria, it was just a toxin. Now the toxin is being tested. So there is a long series of toxins that are being tested...and if there is any mischief or any other mischief, then we will know about it," he said. The disease that remains unidentified has claimed 17 lives and affected 38 people since early December 2024. However, health department teams say there is no need to declare a public health emergency. On Tuesday, JK Chief Minister Omar Abdullah visited Rajouri's Badhal and assured citizens affected by the disease. CM Abdullah told reporters, "The day when we got the information, the health department along with other departments have been working to understand the causes behind such incidents... Tests were done, and we concluded that there were no bacteria or viruses that caused those deaths." "Later, we found that all those deaths happened in three families," he added. He said that the authorities are yet to ascertain the cause behind these deaths. "But, we are yet to find the reason behind 17 deaths... Since it's not a disease, police are also involved in it and they have formed a team to investigate the matter. Central govt team is also there and we together will look into the incidents to find the reason behind all these deaths...," CM Omar Abdullah added. Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Saturday ordered the constitution of an inter-ministerial team led by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) to investigate the causes of unexplained deaths in three incidents reported over the past six weeks. Meanwhile, Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh dedicated newly constructed Nora Bridge at Basantpur to the public, saying the era of development has begun under PM Modi's leadership to connect hilly areas with road and bridge links. The bridge, constructed at an estimated cost of Rs 17 crores, will connect Billawar with Kathua, benefiting residents of Billawar, Basohli and Bani. Dr Singh also announced a Rs 30,000 crore project for the construction of the Chattergala tunnel, providing an alternative route to the Kathua district, set to boost tourism and change the destiny of the region. The project aims to shorten travel times while enhancing connection. Residents would no longer have to endure hassle when commuting to Basohli. The construction of the bridge, an alternate route of the Lakhanpur-Thein road, was forced by the submergence of a stretch of Nora Nallah in Panchayat Thein, district Kathua. The inauguration ceremony was attended by MLA Basholi Darshan Singh, MLA Rajiv Jasrotia, MLA Vijay Sharma, MLA Dr Bharat Bhushan and Deputy Commissioner Kathua Dr Rakesh Minhas. (ANI) Recalling his "unparalleled contribution to India's history," Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma paid tribute to Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose on his 128th birth anniversary today at the Indian Embassy in Tokyo, Japan. CM Sarma, who is in Japan, took to X and stated that Japan had a "special relation" with Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose. "Japan had a special relation with Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose Today, I began my day in Tokyo by paying floral tributes to Netaji at the Indian Embassy. I recollected his visits to Japan and the arduous efforts he undertook to secure Japan's support in fighting colonial rule. We remain deeply influenced by Netaji's thoughts and his unparalleled contribution to India's history," CM Sarma posted on X. https://x.com/himantabiswa/status/1882266377077014653 January 23 is also celebrated as Parakram Diwas to commemorate the birth anniversary of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose. The Central government had declared January 23 as Parakram Diwas in 2021. Subhash Chandra Bose was an Indian freedom fighter who was born in Cuttack, Odisha on 23 January 1897. His birth anniversary is celebrated every year as Subhash Chandra Bose Jayanti. Born to advocate Janakinath Bose in Odisha's Cuttack on January 23, 1897, Netaji went on to play a key role in the freedom movement. Subhash Chandra Bose is also known for establishing the Azad Hind Fauj. There are many famous inspirational quotes given by Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose. Some of them were "Give me blood, and I shall give you freedom!", "Life loses half its interest if there is no struggle -- if there are no risks to be taken", "Freedom is not given, it is taken" and "No real change in history has ever been achieved by discussions." While there is a controversy over Bose's death in a plane crash in Taipei on August 18, 1945, the Central government had in an RTI (Right to Information) in 2017 confirmed that he had died in the incident. Meanwhile, on the occasion of Parakram Diwas 2025, a grand celebration is set to unfold from January 23 to 25, 2025 at Barabati Fort in the historic city of Cuttack, the birthplace of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, according to an official release from the Ministry of Culture. The multifaceted celebration will honour the legacy of Netaji on his 128th birth anniversary. The three-day event, scheduled for 23rd-25th January, will be inaugurated by Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi today. Following the government's decision to commemorate Netaji's birth anniversary as 'Parakram Diwas', the first Parakram Diwas was held that year at Victoria Memorial in Kolkata. The year 2022 saw the unveiling of a hologram statue of Netaji at India Gate, New Delhi; and in 2023, 21 unnamed islands in the Andaman and Nicobar archipelago were named after the 21 Param Vir Chakra Awardees. In 2024, the Prime Minister had inaugurated the event at the historic Red Fort in Delhi, the site of the INA trials. Continuing the tradition, this year the Parakram Diwas celebration is being organised by the Ministry of Culture at Cuttack, Netaji's birthplace and the city that shaped his early sensibilities. The three-day-long event will start with the Odisha Chief Minister and other dignitaries paying homage to Netaji and hoisting the National Flag at the house where Netaji was born, which has now been converted to a Museum dedicated to him. Subsequently, the Parakram Diwas celebration at Barabati fort will begin with a video message by the Prime Minister and will feature a Book, Photo and Archival exhibition focused on Netaji's life, showcasing rare photographs, letters and documents as well as an AR/VR display chronicling his remarkable journey. A Sculpture workshop and a painting competition-cum-workshop are also being planned on the occasion. The event will also feature cultural performances honouring Netaji's legacy and highlighting the rich cultural tradition of Odisha. Besides, films on Netaji's life will also be screened during the event. (ANI) Amid the ongoing fierce election battle between BJP, AAP & Congress for the Delhi Assembly election, the AAP took a dig at the opposition, claiming that Delhi's freebies would continue as long as AAP is in power. https://x.com/AamAadmiParty/status/1882277075807072673 "As long as Kejriwal is there, no one can touch the free facilities of Delhiites," the AAP posted on X https://x.com/AamAadmiParty/status/1882269526013727161 In another social media post on platform X, AAP shared an AI-generated short video that portrayed Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, BJP National president JP Nadda, Parvesh Verma and Ramesh Bidhuri as judges, contestants on a fictional show. The post read, "Shark Tank : Bjp Version" https://x.com/BJP4Delhi/status/1882274958711324947 Meanwhile, the BJP has also launched a series of video advertisments targeting the AAp. In a series of posts the BJP said, " Everywhere in Delhi people are protesting against Mahathug and AAP-Da." The post showed purported videos of people criticising the AAP Govt. https://x.com/BJP4Delhi/status/1882264341204087030 While in another post the BJP accused Kejriwal of being agaisnt Purvanchali voters "Arvind Kejriwal, how dare you say this - that "the poor Purvanchal society is responsible for the pollution of Yamuna." Rohingya and Bangladeshi infiltrators are friends of AAP but why so much hatred for Purvanchal society?," the party posted on X The sharp satirical twist to the ongoing political discourse added intense competition between parties. Meanwhile, a total of 719 candidates will contest elections on the 70 seats of the Delhi Assembly for the upcoming polls scheduled to be held on February 5, according to the Election Commission of India. According to the data of the ECI, the total number of candidates after scrutiny is 719. The nominations were filed by 981 candidates. A total of 1,040 nominations have been accepted during scrutiny of the nominations filed by several candidates for the assembly elections for the 70 seats of the Delhi Assembly. As per the ECI, a total of 477 nominations have been rejected out of the total nominations filed. The highest number of candidates is in the New Delhi assembly constituency--23, while the lowest number of candidates is in Patel Nagar and Kasturba Nagar--5. The maximum number of nomination papers was also filed in the New Delhi Assembly Constituency and a total of 29 candidates had filed 40 nomination papers for this seat. Former Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal is contesting elections from the New Delhi seat against the sons of two former Delhi CMs, i.e., BJP's Parvesh Verma (son of Sahib Singh Verma) and Congress' Sandeep Dikshit (son of Sheila Dikshit). Delhi will go to the polls on February 5 and the counting of votes will take place on February 8. A three-way contest is on the cards in Delhi between the ruling AAP, BJP, and Congress. 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. AAP dominated the 2020 assembly elections by winning 62 out of 70 seats while the BJP got eight seats. (ANI) The Prime Minister said that Balasaheb Thackeray is widely respected and remembered for his commitment to public welfare and Maharashtra's development. "I pay homage to Balasaheb Thackeray Ji on his birth anniversary. He is widely respected and remembered for his commitment to public welfare and Maharashtra's development. He was uncompromising when it came to his core beliefs and always contributed towards enhancing the pride of Indian culture," PM Modi said in a post on X. https://x.com/narendramodi/status/1882262540186730987 Union Home Minister Amit Shah also paid respect to Balasaheb Thackeray, highlighting his lifelong dedication to the ideals of Sanatan culture and nationalism. Shah stated that Balasaheb's principles and his ideological firmness will continue to inspire us forever. "The revered Balasaheb Thackeray, who was lifelong dedicated to the ideals of Sanatan culture and nationalism, always placed the nation's welfare above all else. Even in adverse circumstances, Balasaheb never compromised on his principles, and his ideological firmness will continue to inspire us forever," he said in a post on X. "On the birth anniversary of the strong nationalist Balasaheb Thackeray, we bow to him with deep respect," he added. The Union Home Minister said that Thackeray was dedicated to the ideals of Sanatan culture and nationalism throughout his life and always prioritized love for the nation through his work. https://x.com/AmitShah/status/1882253980685992306 Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister and Shiv Sena Chief Eknath Shinde also paid his tribute to Balasaheb Thackeray. "Humble tributes to the venerable Hindu heart emperor, Shiv Sena chief Balasaheb Thackeray, on his birth anniversary, in his sacred memory," Shinde said in a post on X. Aditya Thackeray also paid tribute on X, "Hindu Hriday Samrat, there will never be another like him. On his birth anniversary, a humble tribute!" Aditya's post read. Balasaheb Thackeray was the founder of the Shiv Sena party and was vocal about the issues of Maratha people and Hindus. (ANI) Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Thursday paid floral tributes to freedom fighter Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose's statue here on his 128th birth anniversary. The Chief Minister pointed out that Netaji's slogan "Give me blood, and I will give you freedom," was a mantra for the youth during the freedom struggle. "Netaji is a respectable figure for every Indian when it comes to freedom struggle. In 2021, PM Modi took the decision to celebrate 23 January as 'Parakaram Diwas'," Yogi said at a public event to mark the 'Parakaram Diwas'. "During the freedom struggle, the call of 'Tum mujhe khoon do, mein tumhe azadi dunga' given by Netaji became a mantra for the people of the country especially the youth at the time," he added. Prime Minister Narendra Modi also paid homage to Netaji. "Today, on Parakram Diwas, I pay homage to Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose. His contribution to India's freedom movement is unparalleled," PM Modi said in a post on X. "He epitomised courage and grit. His vision continues to motivate us as we work towards building the India he envisioned," he added. LoP in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi paid his tributes, "Heartfelt tribute to the great revolutionary, founder of Azad Hind Fauj, Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose on his birth anniversary. Netaji's leadership, courage, his struggle for social justice, his contribution towards tolerance and inclusion continue to inspire every Indian even today. My respectful salute to the immortal son of Mother India, Jai Hind!" In 2021, the Central government officially designated January 23 as Parakram Diwas to mark the birth anniversary of Subhas Chandra Bose. On the occasion of Parakram Diwas 2025, a grand celebration is scheduled to unfold from 23rd January to 25th January 2025 at Barabati Fort in the historic city of Cuttack, the birthplace of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose. The multifaceted celebration will honour the legacy of Netaji on his 128th birth anniversary. The three-day event, scheduled for 23rd-25th January 2025, will be inaugurated by Mohan Charan Majhi, the Chief Minister of Odisha, on 23.01.2025.Following the government's decision to commemorate Netaji's birth anniversary as 'Parakram Diwas' in 2021, the first Parakram Diwas was held that year at Victoria Memorial in Kolkata. The year 2022 saw the unveiling of a hologram statue of Netaji at India Gate, New Delhi; and in 2023, 21 unnamed islands in the Andaman and Nicobar archipelago were named after the 21 Param Vir Chakra Awardees. In 2024, the Prime Minister inaugurated the event at the historic Red Fort in Delhi, the site of the INA trials. Continuing the tradition, this year the Parakram Diwas celebration is being organised by the Ministry of Culture at Cuttack, Netaji's birthplace and the city that shaped his early sensibilities. The three-day-long event will start with the Chief Minister, Odisha and other dignitaries paying homage to Netaji and hoisting the National Flag at the house where Netaji was born, which has now been converted into a Museum dedicated to him. Subsequently, the Parakram Diwas celebration at Barabati Fort will begin with a video message by the Prime Minister and will feature a Book, Photo and Archival exhibition focused on Netaji's life, showcasing rare photographs, letters and documents as well as an AR/VR display chronicling his remarkable journey. A Sculpture workshop and a painting competition-cum-workshop are also being planned for the occasion. The event will also feature cultural performances honouring Netaji's legacy and highlighting the rich cultural tradition of Odisha. Besides, films on Netaji's life will also be screened during the event. (ANI) Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, visits the villagers who have moved into their new houses and inquires about the quality of the reconstructed homes and whether their daily living conditions are adequate, in Zhujiagou Village, Suizhong County of Huludao City, northeast China's Liaoning Province, Jan. 22, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua] Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, on Wednesday braved the cold to visit people affected by floods in a village in northeast China's Liaoning Province. Xi made the trip to the village of Zhujiagou, under the administration of Suizhong County, Huludao City, ahead of the Spring Festival, the most important festival for the Chinese people, which falls on Jan. 29 this year. Huludao was one of the hardest-hit cities by summer floods in 2024. Xi inspected the progress in post-disaster restoration and reconstruction. Visiting the villagers who had moved into their new houses just before this winter, Xi inquired about the quality of the reconstructed homes and whether their daily living conditions were adequate. Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, visits the villagers who have moved into their new houses and inquires about the quality of the reconstructed homes and whether their daily living conditions are adequate, in Zhujiagou Village, Suizhong County of Huludao City, northeast China's Liaoning Province, Jan. 22, 2025. Xi braved the cold to visit people affected by floods in the village in northeast China's Liaoning Province. [Photo/Xinhua] Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, talks with villagers in Zhujiagou Village, Suizhong County of Huludao City, northeast China's Liaoning Province, Jan. 22, 2025. Xi braved the cold to visit people affected by floods in the village in northeast China's Liaoning Province. [Photo/Xinhua] Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, talks with villagers in Zhujiagou Village, Suizhong County of Huludao City, northeast China's Liaoning Province, Jan. 22, 2025. Xi braved the cold to visit people affected by floods in the village in northeast China's Liaoning Province. [Photo/Xinhua] Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, talks with villagers in Zhujiagou Village, Suizhong County of Huludao City, northeast China's Liaoning Province, Jan. 22, 2025. Xi braved the cold to visit people affected by floods in the village in northeast China's Liaoning Province. [Photo/Xinhua] Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, talks with villagers in Zhujiagou Village, Suizhong County of Huludao City, northeast China's Liaoning Province, Jan. 22, 2025. Xi braved the cold to visit people affected by floods in the village in northeast China's Liaoning Province. [Photo/Xinhua] Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav is set to inaugurate a new flyover, constructed that cost Rs 154 crore, in the state's capital on Thursday. This flyover will improve traffic management in the city. The flyover constructed on Maida Mill Marg in Bhopal extends 2,900 metres in length and 15 metres in width, connecting Gayatri Mandir to DB Mall Square, Board Office Square, Pragati Square, and Ganesh Temple via Mansarovar Complex. The flyover also links Maida Mill Marg to key residential and commercial areas which include Vidya Nagar, Shakti Nagar, Kasturba Nagar, Saket Nagar, Danish Nagar, Ashima Mall, and AIIMS. Additionally, it facilitates smoother travel for commuters heading towards Obedullaganj, Narmadapuram, Betul, Khandwa, and Jabalpur. The flyover will significantly reduce traffic congestion in some busy areas such as DB Mall, Board Office, Pragati Petrol Pump, and Mansarovar Square. Initial assessments indicate that 60 per cent of the traffic will utilise the flyover, while the remaining 40 per cent will continue to use the existing routes, ensuring smoother and more efficient traffic flow in the region. A branch of the flyover extends from DB Mall crossing towards Bhopal Haat (Mantralaya Marg), offering significant relief to employees working in offices at Vallabh Bhawan and Arera Hills by reducing traffic congestion during peak hours. The improved traffic flow will save time for commuters and reduce vehiclar pollution, contributing to a better quality of life for the residents of Bhopal. Earlier on Wednesday, CM Yadav participated in the "Interactive Session on Investment Opportunities in Madhya Pradesh" organised in Pune and held a meeting with investors and industrialists, aiming to attract them to establish industries in the state. Before leaving for Pune, CM Yadav interacted with reporters in Bhopal and highlighted that his government is continuously working towards the industrialisation of the state. "I am happy that the Madhya Pradesh government is continuously working for the industrialisation of the state through all its departments. The way Regional Industry Concalves are held in the state so far, we have received encouraging investment proposals at all the conclaves. Investment proposals worth around Rs 4.5 lakh crore received and around three lakh people would get employment opportunities," CM Yadav said. He further stressed that for the Global Investor Summit, which will be held on February 24 in the state, it is his responsibility to invite major industry houses to the event. He emphasised that he was visiting Pune for this very purpose. (ANI) People in different parts of Uttarakhand have lined up outside polling booths on Thursday as voting for the Uttarakhand local body elections is underway. Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami appealed to the people of Uttarakhand to help make all the BJP candidates win in the state's civic body polls. Referring to the BJP government at the centre and state, he asked voters to help form a triple-engine government. "I appeal to all the people of Uttarakhand; You have always stood by the BJP and formed a double-engine government. You made PM Modi the Prime Minister again. I appeal to all of you to please make all the BJP candidates win in the state municipal corporation election and help form a triple-engine government," CM Pushkar Singh Dhami told ANI. Dhami stated that the BJP has fulfilled all its promises, adding that the government is working continuously to make Uttarakhand the best state in India. "We have fulfilled all the promises and are taking forward our vision. We are working continuously to make Uttarakhand the best state in India, under the leadership of PM Modi," Dhami added. Saurabh Thapliyal, BJP's mayor candidate from Dehradun, said, "I want to appeal to all citizens of Dehradun to cast their votes. This is a festival of democracy. No matter whom they vote for, everyone should vote." Meanwhile, visuals showed long queues outside polling booths in Haridwar and Dehradun. These elections will be held for 11 municipal corporations, 43 municipal councils, and 46 Nagar Panchayats across the state. Earlier, Chief Minister Dhami on Monday appealed to the people to vote in favour of BJP's Dehradun Municipal Corporation mayor candidate Saurabh Thapliyal and all BJP councillor candidates in the upcoming civic polls. Addressing a gathering at an OBC conference in Dehradun, Dhami highlighted the BJP government's commitment to the upliftment of the exploited, deprived, and backward classes. He emphasised that the benefits of various public welfare schemes launched by the BJP government are reaching every section of society. (ANI) Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut on Thursday demanded that Balasaheb Thackeray be conferred with the Bharat Ratna, the highest civilian honour in the country, on his birth anniversary. "Balasaheb Thackeray should be conferred with the Bharat Ratna award. He established Shiv Sena and struggled for the rights of Marathi people," Sanjay Raut said. He further took a dig at Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah after they paid homage to Balasaheb on X. Raut argued that conferring the Bharat Ratna to the Shiv Sena founder would be the actual respect for him. "PM Modi and Amit Shah tried to break the party and now they are tweeting to wish him on his birthday. If people like Eknath Shinde and Devendra Fadnavis pay tribute to Balasaheb Thackeray on Twitter (X), then it is the biggest hypocrisy. Shiv Sena is the life of Balasaheb Thackeray, and they attacked it," the Sena-UBT leader said. Praising Balasaheb Thackeray, he said, "Leaders like Balasaheb Thackeray will not be born again in this country. He made common people like us leaders. He never held any position. What did the BJP do? they broke the party for their interest." "Conferring the Bharat Ratna will be better than paying homage on Twitter (X)," he added. Balasaheb Thackeray was the founder of the Shiv Sena party and was vocal about the issues of the Maratha people and Hindus. Earlier in the day, PM Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, and Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister paid homage to Balasaheb on his birth anniversary. "I pay homage to Balasaheb Thackeray Ji on his birth anniversary. He is widely respected and remembered for his commitment to public welfare and Maharashtra's development. He was uncompromising when it came to his core beliefs and always contributed towards enhancing the pride of Indian culture," PM Modi said in a post on X. (ANI) BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla on Thursday slammed the Samajwadi Party leaders for criticising the Yogi Adityanath government for holding a Cabinet meeting at Mahakumbh in Prayagraj. Taking a swipe at SP leaders, Poonawalla said that those who organized 'naach-gana' in Saifai ask why a Cabinet meeting was held at Mahakumbh. "We saw a Cabinet meeting was held at Mahakumbh and many big decisions were taken. But those who organize 'naach-gana' in Saifai ask why a Cabinet meeting was held at Mahakumbh. This is their dual character," Poonawalla told ANI. The SP chief Akhilesh Yadav had attacked the Yogi government over the Cabinet meeting, saying, "Kumbh or Prayagraj is not the place where politics or political decisions should be taken. Organising cabinet meetings at Kumbh is political. Many of us (Samajwadi party leaders) must have gone to take a holy dip but didn't post a picture or tell you (media)." CM Yogi on Wednesday chaired a cabinet meeting at the Mahakumbh and approved significant schemes for the state. Deputy CM Brajesh Pathak said that a discussion was also held regarding Ardha Kumbh which will be held in 2031. He added that the bridges, roads, hospitals and other development works will be done in Prayagraj. "During the cabinet meeting, we had discussions regarding the Ardha Kumbh in 2031. Bridges, roads, hospitals and other development works will be done in Prayagraj..." said the Dy CM. Deputy CM K P Maurya also spoke of the preparations for Ardh Kumbh, "A meeting of the cabinet was held here in Prayagraj Mahakumbh. Big decisions have been taken here. Preparations for 2031 Ardha Kumbh have also started here in Mahakumbh 2025. I cannot express the feeling after taking a holy dip here." Slamming Samajwadi chief Akhilesh Yadav, Brajesh Pathak said, "Akhilesh Yadav is suffering from a mental disease. He should be treated soon. I pray to Maa Ganga to bless him so that he gets rid of this kind of mentality." Notably, all 54 ministers of the Uttar Pradesh cabinet were invited to this meeting. Following the meeting, CM Yogi Adityanath, along with the entire cabinet, took the holy dip in the sacred waters of the Triveni Sangam. Maha Kumbh is one of the largest and most significant religious congregations in the world. The key 'snan' dates left are: January 29 (Mauni Amavasya - Second Shahi Snan), February 3 (Basant Panchami - Third Shahi Snan), February 12 (Maghi Purnima), and February 26 (Maha Shivaratri). Uttar Pradesh police deployed over 10,000 personnel, including local police and paramilitary forces for the event's security. The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) has deployed a "water ambulance" stationed at Sangam to ensure the safety of devotees. The Maha Kumbh began on January 13 and will continue until February 26. (ANI) Two green corridors have been prepared at Super Specialty Hospital, located on the premises of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose Medical College in Madhya Pradesh's Jabalpur district for the transportation of human organs to Bhopal and Indore on Thursday. One green corridor is prepared from hospital to Jabalpur airport to transport 'Liver' to Choithram Hospital Indore while another green corridor is prepared from hospital to a helipad made at Tilwara road to transport 'Heart' to AIIMS Bhopal, Chief Medical and Health Officer (CMHO) said. A man identified as Baliram undergoing treatment at Super Specialty Hospital was declared brain dead on Wednesday afternoon and his family decided to donate useful organs. Following which the arrangement was made to transport the organs on Thursday morning, he added. Jabalpur CMHO, Dr Sanjay Mishra told ANI, "A man, identified as Baliram, got injured in a road accident in Sagar and he was shifted to Super Speciality Hospital on Tuesday, January 21. The doctors made all possible efforts, but there was a very serious brain injury, so it was difficult to save him and doctors declared him brain dead on Wednesday afternoon." His family members made a good decision that they wanted to donate whatever organs could be useful to someone else. So after completing all the formalities, it is enquired where these organs are needed with the help network of organ transplantation. Thereafter, it is found that one patient is admitted in AIIMS Bhopal whose heart is to be transplanted and another patient is in Choithram Hospital Indore whose liver is to be transplanted. So teams of doctors arrived to operate these two organs, one from Indore, one from Bhopal, the CMHO said. "The state government has arranged an AIR ambulance aircraft and a helicopter for this purpose. The aircraft is at the Jabalpur airport which will carry the Liver to Indore. While a helipad is prepared at Tiwara road in Jabalpur, it will carry the Heart to Bhopal. The entire police department has prepared Green Corridors, the arrangement is quite good and I myself inspect it. It is our first experience and all collectors and police departments are fully alert and cooperating together," he said. The team of doctors begin the operation to transport the organs and the helicopter and AIR ambulance have arrived. All the arrangements are in place, 108 Ambulance is ready here and the team of doctors is engaged in its work, he added. Meanwhile, City Superintendent of Police (CSP) Devendra Pratap Singh emphasised that around 125 police personnels were deployed for the preparation and smooth operation of the green corridor. "Two green corridors are being built here to transport organs to Bhopal and Indore. The patient's heart is to be transported to AIIMS Bhopal so one corridor is being prepared from medical college premises to a helipad built near Tilwara police station. Similarly, another organ liver is to be transported to Indore so the second green corridor is prepared from Medical College to Dumna Airport and then it will be transported to Indore by plane. Around 125 police personnel, including traffic police, have been deployed for the preparation of the green corridor here," CSP Singh told ANI. The officer further expressed confidence that they would perform the task very quickly and deliver the human organs to the designated place without any delay. (ANI) In view of the 'unidentified illness' in Rajouri's Badhal village, the village has been declared a containment zone, and the affected families' homes sealed; a few patients brought to Government Medical College (GMC) in Rajouri on Thursday. Principal GMC Rajouri. Amarjeet Singh Bhatia assured government efforts to stop the rising death toll, citing no evidence of viral infection as healthcare workers remain unaffected after 1.5 months. "The steps that we are taking which include containment, people being shifted to medical college, this shows that our govt, administration, MLA are sincerely putting efforts to stop the Death toll from rising further...there is no proof to say that this a virus as health care workers are staying there for 1.5 months but no one has fallen ill...evidence suggests that we don't have to be scared but since we are fighting an invisible enemy, we need to take all the steps...this is not a quarantine, we are just shifting patients to a different place..," he said. The Jammu and Kashmir government has launched an investigation into the unexplained deaths, with the assistance of health institutions across the country. The Rapid Response Teams have been deployed and also water sources have been tested. Meanwhile, on Wednesday, Union Minister Jitendra Singh also stated that initial tests conducted by a toxicology laboratory in Lucknow under CSIR indicated the absence of any infection, virus, or bacteria. Earlier, JK Chief Minister Omar Abdullah visited Rajouri's Badhal and assured citizens affected by the disease. CM Abdullah told reporters, "The day when we got the information, the health department along with other departments have been working to understand the causes behind such incidents... Tests were done, and we concluded that there were no bacteria or viruses that caused those deaths." "Later, we found that all those deaths happened in three families," he added. He said that the authorities are yet to ascertain the cause behind these deaths. "But, we are yet to find the reason behind 17 deaths... Since it's not a disease, police are also involved in it and they have formed a team to investigate the matter. Central govt team is also there and we together will look into the incidents to find the reason behind all these deaths...." CM Omar Abdullah added. Union Home Minister Amit Shah had also ordered the constitution of an inter-ministerial team led by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) to investigate the causes of unexplained deaths in three incidents reported over the past six weeks. (ANI) Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav paid tribute to Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose on the occasion of his birth anniversary by garlanding his statue in the state capital Bhopal on Thursday. Praising Netaji's contribution in the freedom of the nation, CM Yadav highlighted that he was a hero of the country who always showed an example of patriotism in every step of his life till he was alive. "Neta Ji Subhash Chandra bose is one such hero of the country who always showed an example of patriotism in every step of his life. He passed the ICS exam in 1923 but he refused to get a job of Britishers. This was a big example of patriotism. He later became the national president of the Congress but the Congresspeople disliked him. He not only established Azad Hind Fauj on its own strength, but also made an independent government and gave a big challenge to the British at that time. The different aspects of his life should be brought before the society," CM Yadav told reporters. He further stressed that Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose had made the biggest contribution in the freedom of the nation and hoped that the upcoming generation would acknowledge the work of Netaji in the future. "I am happy that Bharat Ratna Late Atal Bihari Vajpayee's government and Prime Minister Modi Narendra Modi's government give respect to such great leaders irrespective of which party they belonged to. Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose had made the biggest contribution in the freedom of the nation. Today, I remember him on the occasion of his birth anniversary and I hope that coming generations will acknowledge his work properly in the future," he added. Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) state chief VD Sharma accompanied CM Yadav on the occasion and said they all paid tribute to Netaji highlighting that it was a historic day for the youth of the nation. "Today is the birth anniversary of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, and CM Yadav and all of us have paid tribute to him. It is a historic day for the youth of India and the world. Greetings to everyone on the birth anniversary of such an ideal leader who spent every moment of his lives for the freedom of the nation. Under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, we are trying to convey the message among the youth that Netaji gave for the youth of the country," Sharma told reporters. In 2021, the Central government officially designated January 23 as Parakram Diwas to mark the birth anniversary of Subhas Chandra Bose. On the occasion of Parakram Diwas 2025, a grand celebration is scheduled to unfold from 23rd January to 25th January 2025 at Barabati Fort in the historic city of Cuttack, the birthplace of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose. (ANI) The Delhi High Court on Thursday granted permission to Sameer Mahendru, an accused in the Delhi Excise policy case to travel to UAE for business purposes from January 28 to 31. Currently, Mahendru is enlarged on regular bail. Justice Vikas Mahajan granted permission to Sameer Mahendru after hearing the submissions by the counsels for the petitioner and Enforcement Directorate (ED). Advocate Dhruv Gupta appeared for Sameer Mahendru. An application seeking permission to the Petitioner to travel abroad from 28.01.2025 to 31.01.2025 and to obtain his passport from the custody of the Learned Trial Court and further direct the authorities to suspend/withdraw/cancel the Look Out Circular, if any. It was submitted that the petitioner was granted regular bail in September 2024. He was granted permission earlier also on 07.01.2025 to travel abroad to Dubai, UAE from 09.01.2025 to 16.01.2025, to meet his old-aged NRI father-in-law, whose health was not in the best condition. Earlier, Mahendru had filed a petition seeking permission to travel with his family to Dubai to visit his elderly and ailing father-in-law. While Mahendru had been granted bail on September 9, 2024, one of the conditions of his bail was that he could not leave the country without prior court approval. In his petition, Mahendru emphasized that he had complied with all court orders, regularly attended hearings, and had not abused the liberty granted to him. He also pointed out that another co-accused, Gautam Malhotra, had been allowed to travel abroad during his trial, with the Look Out Circular (LoC) against him suspended during that time. (ANI) Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, along with state assembly speaker Surama Padhy, on Thursday paid floral tributes to Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose on his 128th birth anniversary and observed 'Parakram Diwas' at the Odisha Assembly premises in Bhubaneswar. Odisha Deputy Chief Minister Pravati Parida and State Minister of Revenue Department Suresh Pujari were also present and paid tribute to Netaji. On the occasion of Parakram Diwas 2025, a grand celebration is set to unfold from January 23 to January 25, 2025, at Barabati Fort in Odisha's Cuttack, the birthplace of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose. The multifaceted celebration will honour the legacy of Netaji on his 128th birth anniversary. The three-day event, scheduled for January 23 to 25, 2025, will be inaugurated by Mohan Charan Majhi, the Chief Minister of Odisha. Following the government's decision to commemorate Netaji's birth anniversary as 'Parakram Diwas' in 2021, the first Parakram Diwas was held that year at Victoria Memorial in Kolkata. In 2022, a hologram statue of Netaji was unveiled at India Gate, New Delhi, and in 2023, 21 unnamed islands in the Andaman and Nicobar archipelago were named after the 21 Param Vir Chakra awardees. In 2024, the Prime Minister inaugurated the event at the historic Red Fort in Delhi, the site of the INA trials. Continuing the tradition, this year the Parakram Diwas celebration is being organized by the Ministry of Culture in Cuttack, Netaji's birthplace, and the city that shaped his early sensibilities. The three-day-long event will start with the Chief Minister of Odisha and other dignitaries paying homage to Netaji and hoisting the national flag at the house where Netaji was born, which has now been converted into a museum dedicated to him. Subsequently, the Parakram Diwas celebration at Barabati Fort will begin with a video message from the Prime Minister and will feature a book, photo, and archival exhibition focused on Netaji's life, showcasing rare photographs, letters, and documents, as well as an AR and VR display chronicling his remarkable journey. A sculpture workshop and a painting competition-cum-workshop are also planned for the occasion. The event will also feature cultural performances honoring Netaji's legacy and highlighting the rich cultural tradition of Odisha. Additionally, films on Netaji's life will be screened during the event. (ANI) President Droupadi Murmu paid floral tributes to Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose on his 128th birth anniversary at Rashtrapati Bhavan on Thursday. President of India's official account on X shared a photograph of President Murmu offering floral tributes and wrote, "President Droupadi Murmu paid floral tributes to Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose at Rashtrapati Bhavan on his birth anniversary observed as Parakram Diwas." Union Home Minister Amit Shah also paid tributes to Netaji and called him the reflection of indomitable courage and determination. "On the birth anniversary of the great leader of the freedom struggle, Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose, I remember him and pay my tribute to him and wish all the countrymen a happy 'Parakram Diwas'," said Amit Shah in a post on X. "Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose was a reflection of indomitable courage, determination and fearlessness. Netaji, who shook the foundations of the British Empire by forming the Azad Hind Fauj and fighting an armed struggle, became an ideal for freedom fighters. His life will always be remembered as an indelible symbol of patriotism, sacrifice and inspiration," he added in the post. In 2021, the central government officially designated January 23 as Parakram Diwas to mark the birth anniversary of Subhas Chandra Bose. On the occasion of Parakram Diwas 2025, a grand celebration is scheduled to unfold from 23rd January to 25th January 2025 at Barabati Fort in the historic city of Cuttack, the birthplace of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose. The multifaceted celebration will honour the legacy of Netaji on his 128th birth anniversary. The three-day event, scheduled for 23rd-25th January 2025, will be inaugurated by Mohan Charan Majhi, the Chief Minister of Odisha, on 23.01.2025. The year 2022 saw the unveiling of a hologram statue of Netaji at India Gate, New Delhi, and in 2023, 21 unnamed islands in the Andaman and Nicobar archipelago were named after the 21 Param Vir Chakra Awardees. In 2024, the Prime Minister inaugurated the event at the historic Red Fort in Delhi, the site of the INA trials. Continuing the tradition, this year the Parakram Diwas celebration is being organised by the Ministry of Culture at Cuttack, Netaji's birthplace and the city that shaped his early sensibilities. The three-day-long event will start with the Chief Minister of Odisha and other dignitaries paying homage to Netaji and hoisting the national flag at the house where Netaji was born, which has now been converted into a museum dedicated to him. Subsequently, the Parakram Diwas celebration at Barabati Fort will begin with a video message by the Prime Minister and will feature a book, Photo and archival exhibition focused on Netaji's life, showcasing rare photographs, letters and documents as well as an AR/VR display chronicling his remarkable journey. A sculpture workshop and a painting competition-cum-workshop are also being planned for the occasion. The event will also feature cultural performances honouring Netaji's legacy and highlighting the rich cultural tradition of Odisha. Besides, films on Netaji's life will also be screened during the event. (ANI) This photo taken on March 6, 2023 shows the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant seen from Futabacho, Futabagun, Fukushima Prefecture, Japan.[Photo/Xinhua] China's research institutions have recently completed the testing and analysis of seawater samples collected near the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant and no abnormalities were detected in the concentration of hazardous elements such as tritium, cesium-137 and strontium-90, according to the China Atomic Energy Authority. The specific data will be compiled and published by the International Atomic Energy Agency, the authority told Global Times on Wednesday. The tested samples, which arrived in China around December, were independently collected by Chinese experts who traveled to waters near the ocean discharge outlet of Fukushima nuclear-contaminated water in mid-October. It was the first time that China independently collected the samples since the Japanese government unilaterally started discharging nuclear-contaminated water from the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station into the ocean on Aug 24, 2023, disregarding serious doubts and strong opposition from the international community. The collection came after Japan agreed in September to fully cooperate in the establishment of an independent and effective long-term international monitoring arrangement in which stakeholders can participate substantively, and to accept independent sampling and monitoring by China. The Global Times report cited experts saying that the independent sampling of stakeholders will help the international community to obtain authentic and effective data and be informed in a timely manner of any impact of the discharge. The data, which can be compared and verified with the results of independent monitoring conducted by the IAEA and Japan, is an important part of the international monitoring arrangement, they said. They also said that based on various monitoring data that had been collected so far, there is no evidence yet indicating that the ocean discharge has had an impact on marine life in the relevant area. The experts noted that given that the ocean discharge of Fukushima nuclear-contaminated water has no precedent and Japan's unilateral decision to proceed with the ocean discharge lacks legitimacy and legality, it is necessary to remain cautious on this issue from the scientific perspective. Noting that the results of a single test are limited, China and other stakeholders will continue to participate in the long-term international monitoring arrangement under the IAEA framework and carry out sampling and monitoring independently. Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Sanjay Singh on Thursday, slammed Delhi police, BJP and alleged raids on AAP workers' homes without notice or FIR, supporting the Delhi CM Atishi's allegations against the BJP. "These are not just allegations... The police are raiding the houses of our workers at 10 pm. On what basis, are they saying that suspicious people are campaigning... Does the police have the right to raid and investigate someone's house at night without notice, summon or an FIR?...," he said. He further questioned the Election Commission's inaction on this issue. "All this is happening under the nose of the Election Commission. We asked for time from the Election Commission. It has been 3 days but we have not been given time yet. If someone complains, no action is being taken on it. Initially, action was taken on a few complaints. But now, there is nothing... How are these elections fair?..," he added. Earlier today, Delhi Chief Minister and AAP leader Atishi wrote a letter to the Election Officer of Delhi, alleging that Delhi Police is attempting to close the complaint against BJP workers who allegedly intimidated AAP volunteers on January 21 and 22. In the letter, CM Atishi also sought the transfer of the accused police officials, accusing them of pressuring AAP workers to sign false statements claiming no violence or intimidation took place. "I made a complaint regarding the intimidation of AAP volunteers by BJP workers yesterday (21.01.2025) and today (22.012025). Both complaints are enclosed. On 21.012025. I received a notice u/s 94 BNSS from SHO Govindpuri regarding the complaint made on 21.012025 (enclosed)," "However instead of Investigating the complaints, I have come to know that our volunteers who had received threats from the BJP workers are now getting calls from the Police on the pretext of taking statements. The area SHO Dharamveer, Inspector Sushi! Sharma and Constable Jai Bhagwan are approaching our volunteers. They are trying to convince our volunteers to file false statements and are persuading them to close the case," read the letter further. "The Investigating Officer -- Sh Jai Bhagwan and Sh. Sushil Shama met Vijeta, Rekha Bassi, and Deepa Deol --who are volunteers of the Aam Aadmi Party and dictated statements to them where it was stated that no violence or intimidation took place. They then pressurized the aforementioned persons to sign those statements," mentioned the letter. Atishi further alleged that police were forcing her volunteers to sign false statements, and when they objected, the statements were torn. She's requesting the transfer of SHO Dharamveer, Inspector Sushi Sharma, and Constable Jai Bhagwan due to suspected collusion. (ANI) Union Minister and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Sukanta Majumdar on Thursday launched an attack on Rahul Gandhi after he purportedly claimed that Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose died on August 18, 1945, as stated in his recent social media posts. Majumdar also demanded that Rahul Gandhi apologise within the next 24 hours for showing disrespect to Netaji. "I strongly protest the claim that Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose died on August 18, 1945, as stated in social media posts by Rahul Gandhi. I also demand that Rahul Gandhi apologise within the next 24 hours for showing disrespect to Netaji, who was the first Prime Minister of India," he said in a post on X. Appealing to all of Netaji's followers to raise their voices, he added, "I appeal to all of Netaji's followers to raise your voices by sharing this demand." https://x.com/DrSukantaBJP/status/1882320547138433068 Speaking to ANI, the BJP leader said, "Today, Rahul Gandhi posted a photo on social media on Netaji's birth anniversary, where he declared the date of death. There is no authentic data on this. After holding a constitutional position, if he does this kind of irresponsible thing, then he should apologise to all of Netaji's followers." This comes after Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition (LOP) Rahul Gandhi shared pictures on social media to commemorate Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose's 128th birth anniversary. However, the post sparked controversy as it purportedly mentioned the date of Netaji's death as August 18, 1945, a claim that has been strongly disputed by his supporters and followers. Earlier in the day, Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi, his sister and Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Thursday paid homage to legendary freedom fighter Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose on his 128th birth anniversary. In a post on X Rahul said, "Heartfelt tribute to the great revolutionary, founder of Azad Hind Fauj, Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose on his birth anniversary. Netaji's leadership, courage, his struggle for social justice, his contribution towards tolerance and inclusion continue to inspire every Indian even today. My respectful salute to the immortal son of Mother India, Jai Hind!" (ANI) BJP candidate from the New Delhi assembly constituency, Parvesh Verma on Thursday reiterated his allegations the Punjab unit of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has been distributing alcohol, money and getting CCTV cameras of fake Chinese companies installed to influence the voters here. Alleging further, Verma said that thousands of vehicles have come to Delhi from Punjab in just one week. Speaking to ANI, Parvesh Verma said, "So many vehicles have come from Punjab in just one week, thousands of vehicles. The Chief Minister, MLAs, councillors, the entire party is coming here and giving alcohol to people, giving them money, getting CCTV cameras of fake Chinese companies installed, influencing the voters here. So yesterday Delhi Police also asked for an answer as to who all have been given security, who all have come here." Verma stated that workers can come and work in the elections, but they cannot distribute alcohol and money. He further slammed the AAP government and questioned what they have done in the last 11 years. "Workers can come and work in the elections, but alcohol and money cannot be distributed. They (AAP) do not have any issues. They have done nothing in the last 11 years... They have made fun of Delhi's residents... What they did for 11 years? Which collage, university, hospital and flyovers they made?..." Verma stated. Earlier on Wednesday, Parvesh Verma said he had complained to the Election Commission that Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and his cabinet colleagues distributed cash and alcohol to voters in the constituency to influence them in the upcoming Delhi Assembly election. "I have filed a complaint to the Election Commission and also filed a written complaint to the Delhi Police, that in last one week, thousands of cars of Punjab are roaming around in the New Delhi assembly constituency. Punjab CM, ministers, their MLAs and their party workers are roaming in their private cars that have 'Government of Punjab' stickers pasted on them. They are distributing alcohol, CCTVs and money here," Verma told ANI. He said that the AAP leaders were making false allegations against him for fear of loss in the New Delhi constituency where Kejriwal is AAP's candidate. "They know that they are losing the elections hence they are making false statements against me. I have filed a Rs.100 crore defamation case against Arvind Kejriwal and Bhagwant Mann. I will use the money for the people of New Delhi assembly," he said. The AAP hit back at Verma and accused him of "insulting" Punjabis. Arvind Kejriwal on Wednesday morning said that Delhi was home to lakhs of Punjabis whose ancestors made countless sacrifices for the country. "There are lakhs of Punjabis living in Delhi whose families and ancestors have made countless sacrifices for the country. Lakhs of Punjabi refugees also live in Delhi who left everything behind during the difficult times of partition and settled in Delhi. Their families have also suffered numerous hardships," Kejriwal posted on X. Demanding an apology from the BJP, he said that the statement made by the BJP leaders was an insult to the martyrdom and sacrifices of the Punjabi people. Delhi has been nurtured by Punjabi and calling them a threat to the country was an insult to lakhs who live here, Kejriwal added. Delhi will go to the polls on February 5 and the counting of votes will take place on February 8. A three-way contest is on the cards in Delhi between the ruling AAP, BJP, and Congress. (ANI) Tamil Nadu BJP State President Annamalai has condemned Indian Union Muslim League leader and Ramanathapuram MP Navas Kani for gathering a group and consuming non-vegetarian food on the Thirupparankundram Subramanya Swamy hill in Madurai, which is considered sacred by Hindus. "It is very unfortunate that a sitting MP, who has taken an oath to follow the secular values of India's Constitution, has chosen to go to a place, that has been sacred for thousands of years for the Hindu community, and eat non-veg food there, trying to provoke outrage," Annamalai told reporters. "This is the state of Tamil Nadu politics. Appeasement politics has taken hold of what is happening in the state. This MP should be dismissed because he has violated his oath," he added. In a statement, Annamalai said that the sanctity of religious places must be preserved. "The recent developments at the Thirupparankundram Subramanya Swamy Temple, the first of the six abodes of Lord Murugan, are undesirable," he said. "In particular, the actions of Nawaz Kani, a Member of Parliament, are highly condemnable. His act of gathering a group and consuming non-vegetarian food on the Thirupparankundram Subramanya Swamy hill, which is considered sacred by Hindus, not only constitutes a grave mistake but also has the potential to incite communal tension," he added. On 22 January 2025, the IUML MP visited the Sikandar Malai Dargah at the Thiruparankundram hill in Tamil Nadu. The Thiruparankundram hill is also home to the Subramaniya Swamy Temple, a revered holy site for the Hindu community in Tamil Nadu. As per information by the Police that there is no ban on carrying cooked food, but a possible ban on transporting sheep and poultry on the hill, NavasKani and his group carried and consumed cooked non-vegetarian food on the hill. However, about six months ago, a man from Rajapalayam, along with his family, visited the Sikandar Dargah and offered a goat as a sacrifice before worshipping at the shrine. At that time, the police intervened, stating that since the Murugan temple is located on the hill, such sacrificial practices should not be carried out, and they were asked to limit their activities to prayers only. This sparked a controversy, and for the past week, Islamic organizations have been protesting, demanding that they be allowed to cook and serve non-vegetarian food as part of family feasts at the Dargah. As part of the protest, yesterday, Nawaz Kani, decided to visit the Sikandar Dargah. When officials tried to stop them, they argued that there was no restriction on bringing and consuming non-vegetarian food. Consequently, non-vegetarian food was brought and consumed at the Dargah, which is located along the pathway leading to the Murugan temple. This incident has sparked opposition from Hindu organizations, and there are accusations that the Ramanathapuram MP is attempting to incite communal tension. (ANI) Prime Minister Narendra Modi delivered his address on the occasion of jayanti of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, commemorated as Parakram Diwas via video message on Thursday. Greeting the people on the occasion, he said that the entire nation is remembering Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, respectfully, on his birth anniversary today. Paying his respects to Netaji Subhas Bose, PM Modi said that this year's grand celebrations of Parakram Diwas were being held in his birthplace in Odisha. He congratulated the people and the Government of Odisha on the occasion. The Prime Minister said that there was a huge exhibition, based on the legacy of Netaji's life, held at Cuttack, Odisha. He further added that several artists have depicted the events related to Netaji's life on canvas. He said that there were also many books based on Netaji collected. He expressed confidence that all these legacies of Netaji's life journey will give new energy to Meri Yuva Bharat or MY Bharat. "Today when we are engaged in achieving the resolution of Developed India (Viksit Bharat), the legacy of life of Netaji Subhas will constantly inspire us", remarked the Prime Minister. He added that the foremost and important goal of Netaji Subhas Bose was Azad Hind. PM Modi said that to achieve this resolve, he stood steadfast with his decision on one single criterion - Azad Hind. He added that Netaji was born in a prosperous family and having cleared the Civil Services Examination, he could have been a senior officer in the British Government and led a comfortable life. However, PM Modi remarked that Netaji chose the path of difficulties and challenges in the quest for Independence along with wandering in India and other countries. "Netaji Subhas was not bound by the comforts of the comfort zone", he added. The Prime Minister urged "Today, we all need to step out of our comfort zones to build a Viksit Bharat". He emphasized the importance of becoming globally the best, choosing excellence, and focusing on efficiency. Remarking that Netaji formed the Azad Hind Fauj for the country's independence, including brave men and women from every region and class, the Prime Minister highlighted that despite having different languages, their common sentiment was the country's freedom. He emphasized that this unity is a significant lesson for a Viksit Bharat today. He noted that just as unity was essential for Swaraj then, it is now crucial for a Viksit Bharat. The Prime Minister highlighted the favourable environment for India's progress globally and mentioned that the world is watching how India makes the 21st century its own. He stressed the importance of drawing inspiration from Netaji Subhas and focusing on India's unity. The Prime Minister also warned to stay vigilant against those who seek to weaken the country and disrupt its unity. PM Modi remarked that Netaji Subhas was very proud of India's heritage and often spoke about India's rich democratic history, encouraging people to draw inspiration from it. He highlighted that today, India is emerging from a colonial mindset and developing with pride in its heritage. Prime Minister expressed his honor in hoisting the tricolor at the Red Fort on the 75th anniversary of the Azad Hind Government, an unforgettable historic occasion. He added that inspired by Netaji's legacy, the Government established a museum dedicated to Netaji Subhas at the Red Fort in Delhi in 2019, along with the initiation of the Subhas Chandra Bose Disaster Management Awards in the same year. "In 2021, the government decided to celebrate Netaji's birth anniversary as Parakram Diwas", said PM Modi and added that the installation of Netaji's grand statue near India Gate, naming the island in Andaman after Netaji, and saluting INA soldiers in the Republic Day parade symbolize the Government's commitment to honoring his legacy. "In the last 10 years, the country has demonstrated that rapid development makes the life of the common man easier and also increases military strength", underscored PM Modi. He highlighted that in the last decade, 25 crore Indians were lifted out of poverty, which is a huge success. Prime Minister noted that modern infrastructure was being built everywhere, be it village or city. He emphasized the unprecedented increase in the strength of the Indian Army and India's growing role on the world stage. Prime Minister expressed confidence that the day is not far when India will become the third largest economic power in the world. He urged everyone to keep working continuously for Viksit Bharat with one goal, one objective, inspired by Netaji Subhas, and stated that this will be the true tribute to Netaji. The Prime Minister extended his best wishes to all. (ANI) Amritpal Singh, the Member of Parliament (MP) from Khadoor Sahib in Punjab, currently imprisoned in Assam's Dibrugarh jail under the National Security Act (NSA), has filed a petition in the Punjab and Haryana High Court. He has sought permission to attend the Parliament session and participate in the Republic Day celebrations on January 26. In his petition, Amritpal Singh argued that his prolonged absence is preventing his 19 lakh voters from having their voice heard in Parliament. He claimed his detention is politically motivated and intended to curb his rising popularity. The detention order, issued by the Deputy Magistrate of Amritsar in March 2023, has been extended multiple times. A fresh detention order was issued in March 2024, citing reasons like social media posts and allegedly unauthorised items found in the jail. Amritpal Singh has described these reasons as weak and unconstitutional. The Khadoor Sahib MP further contends that his detention violates not only his constitutional rights but also the rights of the voters in his constituency. In his petition, he has sought interim release from the court and a prompt decision on the pending matter. On January 9, Tarsem Singh, father of Independent MP and 'Waris Punjab De' Chief Amritpal Singh criticised the imposition of the Unlawful Activities and Prevention Act (UAPA) on his son, calling it a 'conspiracy' to stop the jailed MP's family from launching a political party. Speaking to ANI about the UAPA charge, the father said, "Now when the imposition of NSA on him comes to an end, they already imposed UAPA. Now when we are planning to launch a political party, it is a conspiracy to stop us. Bhagwant Mann's anti-Sikh mindset is being exposed. Without any proof or investigation, such things are being done to defame Amritpal. Faridkot Police Superintendent confirmed that UAPA had been invoked against the jailed MP. (ANI) Seers from Russia and Ukraine gathered at the Maha Kumbh in Prayagraj on Thursday morning to perform 'kirtan' and prayers, symbolising spiritual unity. The seers chanted devotional songs and engaged in traditional rituals at the Maha Kumbh, which offers a platform for cultural exchange and universal values. Speaking to ANI, Mahant Sanat Kumar said, "The Guru Parampara Puja of Lord Dattatreya was organised, followed by Aarti and Bhajan of Lord Shiva and Lord Ganesha. Some guests also participated, singing bhajans dedicated to Lord Shiva and Lord Rama. This is a symbol of unity, which shows that Indian and Western cultures can work together." "It is a message that all people can live together, and it shows that this is what Sanatan Dharma means - unity and cooperation," he said. The Mahant underscored the importance of the occasion in spreading a message of global peace. "From the holy land of this Kumbh, I pray for peace in all wars, particularly the ongoing conflicts between Ukraine and Russia. As a saint, I emphasise the need for world welfare and appeal to all people to maintain peace," he said. Earlier in the day, BJP leader Nitin Patel arrived in Prayagraj to attend Mahakumbh 2025 and said that the festivities are a "once-in-a-lifetime opportunity." "This Mahakumbh is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for those who follow Sanata Dharma and all Indians. Crores of people are attending this Mahakumbh. Today, I along with my family will take a holy dip here. Mahakumbh will benefit the state economically. No one should see this from a political angle," Patel told ANI. In just 11 days of the Mahakumbh, more than 97.3 million devotees, Kalpavasis and revered seers have taken a holy dip at the Triveni Sangam. With this unprecedented turnout of devotees, the total number of participants is expected to touch the 100 million mark by the end of today the 11th day of the festival. As per the data of the Uttar Pradesh government, on Thursday as of now over 16.98 lakh people took dip in the sacred confluence of Ganga, Yamuna and mystical Saraswati. The Uttar Pradesh government estimates that more than 45 crore people will attend the Maha Kumbh this time, according to an official statement. Among the sea of visitors, various 'babas' stand out, especially those who carry their distinct identities. Earlier on Wednesday, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath took the holy dip in Triveni Sangam during the Maha Kumbh in Prayagraj. Deputy CMs Keshav Prasad Maurya, Brajesh Pathak and other cabinet ministers were with the CM. The UP CM was seen offering thanks to God as he and his ministers took part in this spiritual moment. Meanwhile, authorities have been focusing on preparations for the upcoming Mauni Amavasya on January 29, anticipating large crowds of devotees. (ANI) Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren on Thursday paid floral tributes to Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose on his birth anniversary. After offering his tributes, CM Soren emphasized that it is a matter of pride for them that such a great personality was born among them. "Today is the birth anniversary of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose. Like every year, we pay tribute to him on this day and he has had a huge influence, especially in Jharkhand, Bihar, Bengal, Odisha... It is a proud moment for us that such a great personality was born among us," he said while talking to the media. Earlier today, President Droupadi Murmu also paid floral tributes to Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose. Union Home Minister Amit Shah also paid tributes to Netaji and called him the reflection of indomitable courage and determination. "On the birth anniversary of the great leader of the freedom struggle, Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose, I remember him and pay my tribute to him and wish all the countrymen a happy 'Parakram Diwas'," said Amit Shah in a post on X. In 2021, the central government officially designated January 23 as Parakram Diwas to mark the birth anniversary of Subhas Chandra Bose. The year 2022 saw the unveiling of a hologram statue of Netaji at India Gate, New Delhi, and in 2023, 21 unnamed islands in the Andaman and Nicobar archipelago were named after the 21 Param Vir Chakra Awardees. In 2024, the Prime Minister inaugurated the event at the historic Red Fort in Delhi, the site of the INA trials. Continuing the tradition, this year the Parakram Diwas celebration is being organised by the Ministry of Culture at Cuttack, Netaji's birthplace and the city that shaped his early sensibilities. The three-day-long event will start with the Chief Minister of Odisha and other dignitaries paying homage to Netaji and hoisting the national flag at the house where Netaji was born, which has now been converted into a museum dedicated to him. Subsequently, the Parakram Diwas celebration at Barabati Fort will begin with a video message by the Prime Minister and will feature a book, Photo and archival exhibition focused on Netaji's life, showcasing rare photographs, letters and documents as well as an AR/VR display chronicling his remarkable journey. A sculpture workshop and a painting competition-cum-workshop are also being planned for the occasion. The event will also feature cultural performances honouring Netaji's legacy and highlighting the rich cultural tradition of Odisha. Besides, films on Netaji's life will also be screened during the event. (ANI) Congress candidate Alka Lamba, contesting from Kalkaji in the upcoming Delhi Assembly polls, slammed BJP's Ramesh Bidhuri for allegedly using "derogatory" language and asserted that people would not tolerate "violence" or offensive remarks during the election campaign. Responding to Delhi Chief Minister Atishi's allegations against the BJP, Lamba said, "I do not know what the matter is between them (AAP and the BJP). There is only one aim: to divert attention from the public's issues. As far as I am concerned, I am always present in every street of Kalkaji, among the people. The response from the people is very good." The Congress candidate also criticised Ramesh Bidhuri over his recent "derogatory" remarks against CM Atishi. "People do not support any kind of violence, statements, or derogatory language, as used by Ramesh Bidhuri," she added. On Wednesday, Delhi Chief Minister Atishi accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of creating an atmosphere of "terror" in the Kalkaji assembly constituency. She levelled serious allegations of "hooliganism" and the use of "profanity" by Ramesh Bidhuri and his associates against Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) workers. "Ramesh Bidhuri and his workers are not contesting elections, they are doing hooliganism. We demand from the Election Commission that action should be taken in this matter," Atishi told reporters Atishi claimed, "Ever since Ramesh Bidhuri is contesting elections from Kalkaji, BJP has created an atmosphere of terror in the Kalkaji Vidhan Sabha region. In every area, BJP workers, and some people who claim to be the 'bhatijas (nephews)' of Ramesh Bidhuri, are threatening AAP workers, grabbing their collars. They are snatching and burning the campaign materials." Bidhuri had been in the news for his recent remarks against CM Atishi and Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi. Ramesh Bidhuri made comments about CM Atishi's surname and family, saying, "Atishi, who was Marlena, is now Singh. She has even changed her father." Later, Bidhuri expressed "regret" over his remarks. "Such statements have been made before. I have said that in the context of what Lalu Yadav had said. Congress remained silent on that even when he (Lalu Yadav) was a minister in their govt. If anyone is hurt by my remark, I express regret over it and I take my words back," the BJP leader had said. The Delhi Assembly elections will take place in a single phase on February 5, with the counting of votes scheduled for February 8. A total of 699 candidates are contesting 70 assembly seats in Delhi. The Congress, which ruled Delhi for 15 consecutive years, has suffered setbacks in the last two assembly elections, failing to win any seats. In contrast, the AAP dominated the 2015 and 2020 assembly elections, winning 67 and 62 seats respectively out of a total of 70 seats, while the BJP managed to secure only three and eight seats in these elections. (ANI) The Madhya Pradesh government has decided to hold its next cabinet meeting under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Mohan Yadav in Maheshwar, a city in Khargone district, which is popularly known as the city of Lokmata Devi Ahilya Bai, on Friday. CM Yadav and the state ministers will also plant saplings in memory of Ahilya Bai on the occasion. The Chief Minister said the 'Destination Cabinet' meeting would be dedicated to the 300th birth anniversary year of Devi Ahilyabai. "The state government has taken the historic initiative of 'Destination Cabinet' for the state's overall development. The initiative is also aligned with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of boosting tourism. On Friday, 24 January, the state government is going to hold a Cabinet meeting in Maheshwar, the city of Lokmata Devi Ahilyabai, which will be dedicated to her 300th birth anniversary year. Lokmata Devi Ahilyabai's entire life has been dedicated to public welfare and good governance," CM Yadav said. The Madhya Pradesh government is committed to achieving holistic development by following the principles of Lokmata Devi Ahilyabai, particularly in the areas of women empowerment, farmer welfare, and good governance. Her ideals will be integrated into the state's policies and vision for building an ideal state. Inspired by her life, the government has implemented effective measures to promote women's leadership and empowerment, he added. According to an official release, CM Yadav will perform puja-archana of Maa Narmada at Maheshwar Ghat and will offer floral tribute to the statue of Lokmata Devi Ahilyabai. Additionally, saplings will be planted in the memory of Lokmata Devi Ahilyabai and the ghats of Maa Narmada and the Maheshwar city will be decorated. Furthermore, CM Yadav will interact with women weavers preparing Maheshwari sarees and members of the Cabinet will visit the palace of Lokmata Devi Ahilyabai on the occasion. (ANI) On the occasion of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose's 128th birth anniversary, his grandnephew Chittapriyo Bose recalled when he and his family had approached Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2014, seeking an inquiry into Netaji's mysterious disappearance, which eventually led to PM's announcement to start the declassification process of Netaji's files. Chittapriyo said,"...My elder brother along with two cousins and an aunt, met PM Modi at Kolkata Raj Bhavan in 2014, after he was appointed PM. The purpose of our visit was to request him to start an inquiry about his disappearance, especially after 18th August 1945. "After hearing us, PM Modi said that he wanted to meet more members of my family, and he would invite us to Delhi... a few months later, we did not get an invitation from PMO so we formed a 50-member delegation and went to 7, Race Course Road...finally we said that we would like the PM to start the declassification process and he made an official announcement that declassification process will start...Later PM Modi decided to name his birth anniversary because of his valour, sacrifice and dedication to the nation...," Netaji's grandnephew added. Earlier today, PM Modi delivered his address on the occasion of Jayanti of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, commemorated as Parakram Diwas via video message. Greeting the people on the occasion, he said that the entire nation is remembering Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, respectfully, on his birth anniversary today. Paying his respects to Netaji Subhas Bose, PM Modi said that this year's grand celebrations of Parakram Diwas were being held in his birthplace in Odisha. President Droupadi Murmu also marked the occasion by paying floral tributes to Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose at Rashtrapati Bhavan on his 128th birth anniversary. In 2021, the Central government officially designated January 23 as Parakram Diwas to mark the birth anniversary of Subhas Chandra Bose. On the occasion of Parakram Diwas 2025, a grand celebration is scheduled to unfold from 23rd January to 25th January 2025 at Barabati Fort in the historic city of Cuttack, the birthplace of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose. The multifaceted celebration will honour the legacy of Netaji on his 128th birth anniversary. The three-day event, scheduled for 23rd-25th January 2025, will be inaugurated by Mohan Charan Majhi, the Chief Minister of Odisha, on January 23. Following the government's decision to commemorate Netaji's birth anniversary as 'Parakram Diwas' in 2021, the first Parakram Diwas was held that year at Victoria Memorial in Kolkata. The year 2022 saw the unveiling of a hologram statue of Netaji at India Gate, New Delhi; and in 2023, 21 unnamed islands in the Andaman and Nicobar archipelago were named after the 21 Param Vir Chakra Awardees. In 2024, the Prime Minister inaugurated the event at the historic Red Fort in Delhi, the site of the INA trials. (ANI) The grandnephew of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, Sugata Bose, on Thursday highlighted his granduncle's unwavering commitment to India's freedom struggle, urging the nation to celebrate not only his life but also the sacrifices he made for the country's independence. Speaking to ANI, former Lok Sabha MP Bose urged the people to honour both Netaji's life and his martyrdom. "Today is Netaji's birthday and we are focused on his life and work. At the Netaji Bhavan, we have been celebrating Netaji's ideas of equality and unity...We should be very clear that Netaji sacrificed his life fighting for his country's freedom...Let us honour his life as well as martyrdom," he said. Union Minister Sukanta Majumdar also mentioned that Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose's life journey has been a guiding force for the countrymen. "Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose was a personality who inspired the youth and taught patriotism. His sacrifice and life journey guide all of us," he said. Earlier today, Prime Minister Narendra Modi delivered his address on the occasion of Jayanti of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, commemorated as Parakram Diwas via video message. Greeting the people on the occasion, he said that the entire nation is remembering Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, respectfully, on his birth anniversary today. Paying his respects to Netaji Subhas Bose, PM Modi said that this year's grand celebrations of Parakram Diwas were being held in his birthplace in Odisha. He congratulated the people and the Government of Odisha on the occasion. The Prime Minister said that there was a huge exhibition, based on the legacy of Netaji's life, held at Cuttack, Odisha. In 2021, the central government officially designated January 23 as Parakram Diwas to mark the birth anniversary of Subhas Chandra Bose. The year 2022 saw the unveiling of a hologram statue of Netaji at India Gate, New Delhi, and in 2023, 21 unnamed islands in the Andaman and Nicobar archipelago were named after the 21 Param Vir Chakra Awardees. In 2024, the Prime Minister inaugurated the event at the historic Red Fort in Delhi, the site of the INA trials. Continuing the tradition, this year the Parakram Diwas celebration is being organised by the Ministry of Culture at Cuttack, Netaji's birthplace and the city that shaped his early sensibilities. (ANI) Former Chhattisgarh Chief Minister and Congress leader Bhupesh Baghel on Thursday accused the BJP of attempting to stifle opposition voices in the state. Baghel highlighted the case of senior Congress leader Kawasi Lakhma, who was reportedly targeted by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) following his vocal criticism of corruption. Speaking to ANI, Baghel said, "BJP wants to silence the voice of the opposition. Kawasi Lakhma (former Chhattisgarh minister) is a senior leader, he is a six-time MLA. He is the voice of Bastar. He has been repeatedly raising his voice against corruption and raised issues in Vidhan Sabha...He raised a question in Vidhan Sabha and ED reached his home eight days later...There are municipal elections and Panchayati Raj elections in Chhattisgarh. That's why he has been sent to jail." "The same thing happened with Devendra Yadav (Bhilai Nagar MLA in Chhattisgarh). The efforts to silence the choice of opposition in the democracy show the dictatorship," the Congress leader added. Earlier on January 16, a day after ED arrested former Chhattisgarh Excise Minister and Congress leader Kawasi Lakhma in an alleged liquor scam, Bhupesh Baghel stated that the probe agency could not even recover even a penny from the latter's house. He also claimed that Lakhma exposed corruption in a project which was approved without the sanction of the particular department. Lakhma is accused of allegedly receiving a substantial amount in cash on a monthly basis out of proceeds of crime generated from the alleged liquor scam. He is the sixth person arrested in this case. As per the agency, Lakhma was allegedy the main recipient of proceeds of crime in cash during his regime as excise minister. ED investigation into the liquor scam, which ran between 2019 to 2022, revealed that proceeds of crime were generated as illegal commission which was generated in multiple ways. The agency has claimed that bribe was collected from the distillers per 'case' of liquor procured from them by the Chhattisgarh State Marketing Corporation Limited (CSMCL), a state body for the purchase and sale of liquor. (ANI) Union Minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Thursday paid floral tributes to Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose on his birth anniversary. After offering his tributes, Union Minister Khattar emphasized that Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose is widely credited for the freedom movement, having formed the Azad Hind Fauj. "Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose is the person to whom we give a lot of credit for the freedom movement. He had formed the Azad Hind Fauj. He played an important role in the freedom movement. On this day, I salute Netaji, future generations will take inspiration from his life..." he said while talking to the media. Jharkhand CM Hemant Sorean Hemant Soren also paid floral tributes to Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose on his birth anniversary. After offering his tributes, CM Soren emphasized that it is a matter of pride for them that such a great personality was born among them. "Today is the birth anniversary of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose. Like every year, we pay tribute to him on this day and he has had a huge influence, especially in Jharkhand, Bihar, Bengal, Odisha... It is a proud moment for us that such a great personality was born among us," he said while talking to the media. Earlier today, President Droupadi Murmu also paid floral tributes to Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose. Union Home Minister Amit Shah also paid tributes to Netaji and called him the reflection of indomitable courage and determination." On the birth anniversary of the great leader of the freedom struggle, Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose, I remember him and pay my tribute to him and wish all the countrymen a happy 'Parakram Diwas'," said Amit Shah in a post on X. In 2021, the central government officially designated January 23 as Parakram Diwas to mark the birth anniversary of Subhas Chandra Bose. The year 2022 saw the unveiling of a hologram statue of Netaji at India Gate, New Delhi, and in 2023, 21 unnamed islands in the Andaman and Nicobar archipelago were named after the 21 Param Vir Chakra Awardees. In 2024, the Prime Minister inaugurated the event at the historic Red Fort in Delhi, the site of the INA trials. Continuing the tradition, this year the Parakram Diwas celebration is being organised by the Ministry of Culture at Cuttack, Netaji's birthplace and the city that shaped his early sensibilities. The three-day-long event will start with the Chief Minister of Odisha and other dignitaries paying homage to Netaji and hoisting the national flag at the house where Netaji was born, which has now been converted into a museum dedicated to him. Subsequently, the Parakram Diwas celebration at Barabati Fort will begin with a video message by the Prime Minister and will feature a book, Photo and archival exhibition focused on Netaji's life, showcasing rare photographs, letters and documents as well as an AR/VR display chronicling his remarkable journey. A sculpture workshop and a painting competition-cum-workshop are also being planned for the occasion. The event will also feature cultural performances honouring Netaji's legacy and highlighting the rich cultural tradition of Odisha. Besides, films on Netaji's life will also be screened during the event. (ANI) Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath launched a scathing attack on Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convener Arvind Kejriwal, accusing him of enabling the provision of Aadhaar cards to Bangladeshi infiltrators through machines in the homes of AAP leaders. The Uttar Pradesh CM said,"Bangladeshi infiltrators are being provided with Aadhaar cards through Aadhaar-making machines in the houses of AAP leaders." The top BJP leader also claimed that piles of garbage were visible on every street in Delhi. He drew a parallel between the roads of Noida and Delhi. Addressing a public rally here, CM Yogi said, "These people have turned Delhi into a garbage dump. These days Arvind Kejriwal is repeatedly talking about Uttar Pradesh, but he should not forget that now people are looking at Uttar Pradesh as a model...They settled Bangladeshi infiltrators, and Rohingyas here. These Bangladeshi infiltrators are being given Aadhaar cards through Aadhaar-making machines in the houses of Aam Aadmi Party leaders... Today, go and see the roads of Delhi and Noida, you will see the difference." CM Yogi also referred to the 2020 riots in Delhi. "You must have seen how riots were carried out in Delhi in 2020 and the involvement of Aam Aadmi Party councillors and their MLAs in this entire conspiracy came to the fore. They are constantly playing with national security." Referring to Arvind Kejriwal, he said, "The person who can betray his guru Anna Hazare will be an expert in betraying the public as well. They are betraying the country as well as the people...". Meanwhile, AAP national convenor Arvind Kejriwal said on Thursday that his priority would be to provide employment to the youth, assuring them that unemployment would be eliminated in Delhi. "In the next 5 years, my priority will be to provide as much employment as possible. Our team is already working on the planning, and I hope that within 5 years, we will eliminate unemployment in Delhi," Kejriwal said. He said that in the last 10 years, his government has made every effort to resolve the problems faced by common people in their lives. "We have worked extensively in areas such as education, healthcare, electricity, water, roads, etc. However, it saddens me that our children, despite being educated, are sitting at home looking for jobs. Often, these children fall into bad company and get involved in crime, from which it becomes difficult to bring them back," he stated. The Delhi Assembly elections will take place in a single phase on February 5, and the counting of votes is set for February 8. A total of 699 candidates are competing for the 70 assembly seats in Delhi. 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 seats. In contrast, AAP dominated the 2015 and 2020 assembly elections, winning 67 and 62 seats, respectively, out of a total of 70 seats, while the BJP secured only three and eight seats in these elections. (ANI) Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu announced the construction of an International Convention Centre near Tapovan, with an investment of Rs 150 crore, in the Dharamshala Assembly constituency of Kangra district. Chief Minister Sukhu stated that this convention centre would host seminars for major companies, boost tourism, and create employment opportunities for local youth. The Chief Minister also announced the operationalisation of PHC Yol Cantt, funding for the construction of a bridge in the IT Park, allocation of adequate funds to complete the OBC Bhawan and road construction projects, including a road from the school in Jhiyol to Anjani Mata, Parol to Ghiyana Khurd Bara Khaula, Kufri to Chamunda Temple, Alkhani to Jayul Kand Kardiyana, Kaned to Jhakhrehad, Cheliyan to Pasu, Tika to Bani, and Lunta-Bagotu-Khabrot-Tillu. He said that the present Congress-led State Government would not compromise on corruption and added that the gap between the rich and poor was widened and government jobs were allegedly sold during the previous BJP government. Sukhu highlighted the police recruitment scam and said that the Congress-led state government was working with transparency and initiated vigilance inquiries into irregularities in the Jal Shakti Department's Theog division and taking strict action against corrupt practices. He further said that the BJP government misused the State Treasury for political benefits, while his government has been making earnest efforts to benefit the common people. CM Sukhu said that the Congress government fulfilled its election promise by reinstating the Old Pension Scheme (OPS) to 1.36 lakh government employees and asserted that OPS will continue as long as Congress is in power in the State. He said that the Central Government has reduced the state's loan limit by Rs 1,600 crore and imposed additional restrictions for reinstating the OPS. He said that nearly Rs 9,000 crore under NPS was still held up with the central government and the Union Government was pressurising the State to implement the Unified Pension Scheme (UPS). Sukhu said that the Central Government has not released Post Disaster Need Assessment (PDNA) funds for disaster-affected areas in Himachal Pradesh and that the demand for a special relief package has also been rejected. He accused BJP leaders in the State of politicising the disaster instead of standing with affected families during this critical period. He said that subsidies for water and electricity would continue for the needy, along with support for house construction. However, well-off families were being encouraged to voluntarily surrender subsidies, with 1,500 people already giving up electricity subsidies. The Chief Minister said that the Congress government does not make decisions for political gain but ensures public welfare. He criticized the local MLA from the Dharamshala assembly segment for betraying the party and the people. He added that despite setbacks in the Dharamshala by-election, the Congress party has regained strength with 40 MLAs in the assembly. Agriculture Minister Chander Kumar highlighted the State Government's focus on agriculture, encouraging people to return to farming to increase their income. He emphasised the importance of integrating natural farming with livestock management and said that measures for fencing and water availability at departmental farms, where seeds would be prepared and provided to farmers. Vice Chairman of the State Planning Board Bhawani Singh Pathania, Deputy Chief Whip Kewal Singh Pathania, MLAs Sudarshan Bablu and others were present on the occasion. (ANI) BJP National President JP Nadda launched a scathing attack on former Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and his party, AAP, accusing them of widespread corruption and failures in governance. Speaking at a campaign for the Delhi Assembly Election in Uttam Nagar, Nadda highlighted various alleged scams, including a Rs 28,000 crore fraud in the Delhi Jal Board and a Rs 2,800 crore liquor scam, criticizing AAP for worsening the situation in Delhi. Nadda criticized the AAP-led Delhi government for neglecting the city's development, stating, "If there is a national-level competition for lying, Kejriwal will come first. But the people of Delhi have now woken up. There are heaps of garbage everywhere, what picture are they painting of Delhi?" He also referred to Kejriwal's promises to clean the Yamuna, claiming that the project had been marred by corruption. "He (Kejriwal) said he will clean the Yamuna, a scam of Rs 7,000-8,000 crore has been done... Prime Minister Modi sent 300 new buses, electric buses, and by December 2025, 2026 new electric buses will be given," Nadda said. Nadda continued, criticising Kejriwal for abandoning key issues like education while engaging in corrupt activities. "In the last ten years, AAP has put Delhi in problems. They have broken all the records of corruption. I haven't seen such a corrupt party like theirs," Nadda remarked. He accused Kejriwal's government of failing to deliver on promises, such as free water, clean classrooms, and better infrastructure. "They spoke about education but got busy in a liquor scam. And it was not a small scam, it was a scam worth 2800 cr. Similarly, they announced free water, is it there and is it clean? My friends, they committed a scam worth 28000 cr in Delhi Jal Board, and did not even audit it. Delhi has been given to the hands of the tanker mafia." As the Health Minister, Nadda alleged that AAP was involved in a massive scam related to Mohalla Clinics. "As the Health Minister, I am saying that they committed a scam of Rs 65,000 crore in the name of fake tests in Mohalla Clinics," Nadda claimed. He also pointed to the failures in setting up CCTV cameras as promised by Kejriwal, adding, "He said that I will set up CCTVs everywhere but have they been set up and? In this he committed a scam of 571 crores." Nadda further accused the Delhi government of neglecting even the Waqf Board, claiming that AAP had orchestrated a Rs 100 crore scam there as well. "He didn't even spare Waqf board. He did a scam of 100 cr," Nadda said. The BJP President continued his critique, stating that Kejriwal had constantly tried to block the central government's initiatives. "PM sent 300 new electric buses. Kejriwal has always been trying to stop the implementation of our schemes." Nadda contrasted the state of Delhi under AAP with the work being done by the BJP-led central government. "The roads are not developed at all and this is such a big problem for our poor brothers and sisters. In the last ten years, the metro route has doubled. It is only the central govt that has worked under the leadership of Modi ji. Rapid rail has been started from Delhi to Meerut. Now you can reach Meerut within 45 minutes. 3600 cr have been spent on the expressway from Alipur to Mahipalpur. The Eastern Peripheral Expressway has been made with 11000 cr that is 135 Km long," he said. Nadda in a call to action, asserted that the people of Delhi were ready to reject AAP's leadership. "Seeing the enthusiasm of you all I am sure that you all have decided that BJP will win this time in Delhi. You have also decided that AAPda will be thrown out this time," he said, accusing Kejriwal's government of leaving Delhi in a state of chaos. (ANI) The Border Security Force (BSF) has launched a 10-day "OPS Alert" exercise along the India-Bangladesh border to ensure heightened security amid Republic Day celebrations in the country. According to an official release, this step has been taken ahead of the 76th Republic Day, considering the changed scenario in Bangladesh. "Ops Alert commenced across all its field formations along the 4,096- km India-Bangladesh border to ensure heightened security and strengthened border outposts. During the period of the "Ops Alert" exercise, patrolling and other domination duties along the Indo-Bangladesh border will be intensified," the release stated. "In this regard, ADG (EC) and all officers reviewed the day and might domination in the area of Eastern Command. Ravi Gandhi, Additional Director General (ADG) is also visiting the border areas in the South Bengal Frontier to oversee the operational preparedness and strategic deployment of BSF. ADG has directed all field formations to enhance vigil and stay alert, especially along the riverine borders and unfenced gaps," the release said. It also mentioned that during the 'OPS Alert' exercise, the troops will conduct various security drills in-depth and forward areas on the border. "Furthermore, the validity of various operational procedures to address the eventualities on borders as well as reconciliation programs with the border population will also be conducted. This "Ops Alert" exercise is being conducted from January 22 to 31 2025," the release said. The Republic Day Parade 2025 is all set to be a spectacular celebration of India's cultural diversity and military prowess, with a special focus on 75 years of the enactment of the Indian Constitution and Jan Bhagidari. This year's parade will be graced by the presence of Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto, as the chief guest. On 26th January 2025, the Republic Day Parade will start in the morning with Prime Minister Narendra Modi laying a wreath at the National War Memorial. The President will arrive at Kartavya Path in a ceremonial buggy and take the salute during a ceremonial march past, which will include units from the Armed Forces, Para Military Forces, Auxiliary Civil Forces, NCC, and NSS. The parade will begin with a unique cultural performance, where 300 cultural artists will play musical instruments from different parts of the country. This will be followed by the march past the contingents of the Indian Armed Forces and the Indonesian contingent. (ANI) The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Thursday arrested three advocates in connection with a money laundering case related to the Patna Railway Claims Tribunal scam, the agency said. The arrests followed search operations conducted on January 22 at four locations linked to Judge RK Mittal and other involved advocates in Patna, Nalanda, and Mangalore. According to the ED, the arrested advocates--Bidyanand Singh, Parmanand Sinha, and Vijay Kumar--are accused of money laundering in connection with the scam under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002. The accused were produced before a special PMLA court, where they were sent to judicial custody. The ED initiated the investigation based on First Information Reports (FIRs) filed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) regarding widespread irregularities and criminal activities in death claim cases filed, processed, and decided at the Railway Claims Tribunal, Patna (RCT). The cases were filed against unknown public servants of the Railway, along with Bidyanand Singh, Parmanand Sinha, Vijay Kumar, and others under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), 1860, and the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988. According to the FIRs, in the case of accidental death claims, only a portion of the decreed amount, actually awarded to the claimants, was received by the claimants, while a major chunk was siphoned off by the conspirators. The ED's investigation revealed that advocate Bidyanand Singh and his team of advocates, including Parmanand Sinha and Vijay Kumar, dealt with around 900 cases in which decrees and execution orders were issued by Judge RK Mittal. In these cases, approximately Rs 50 crore in compensation was awarded to the claimants. The investigation further revealed that advocate Bidyanand Singh and his team opened and operated bank accounts in the names of the claimants without their knowledge. Using the claimants' signatures and thumb impressions, they transferred the claim amounts received from the railways into their own accounts or withdrew the funds in cash. Subsequently, they disbursed only a portion of the compensation to the claimants, as per their discretion. The searches conducted led to the identification of assets acquired by the advocates and the judge in their names. Physical and digital records, including signed blank bank cheques and signed blank papers from the claimants, were also recovered, the agency added. (ANI) A team of talented artists from Jharkhand has been selected to participate in the upcoming Republic Day parade in New Delhi on January 26. This team, comprising young musicians from East Singhbhum district, will showcase the state's rich cultural heritage through their performance. In a proud moment for Jharkhand, a team from the East Singhbhum district has been selected to participate in the prestigious Republic Day Parade in New Delhi. When asked about their experience, a team member expressed excitement and gratitude. "We learned to play the band from our sir, and it's an incredible honour to be selected for the Republic Day Parade," she said. "We're feeling great, and it's a wonderful opportunity to showcase our talent on a national platform," she told ANI. Another proud artist of Jharkhand to perform at the Republic Day Parade said, "I have learned to play the band from my sir. We will play the song of the band at the Republic Day Parade and the whole country will listen to that band's tune." Minister of State for Defence, Sanjay Seth, also expressed pride in the team's achievement. "It's a matter of pride for the people of Jharkhand, and we're felicitating them," Seth said, highlighting the enthusiasm of the young participants, aged 13 and 14, who will perform during the grand event. Seth emphasized the significance of the occasion, adding, "We are taking forward the resolve that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has envisioned for India." Referring to the theme of 2047, Seth mentioned that it symbolizes the nation's goal of becoming a developed country, coinciding with the 100th year of independence. The Minister also noted that the team, comprising NCC cadets, NSS volunteers, and artists, will proudly represent Jharkhand's rich cultural heritage in the parade. Seth commended the hard work and dedication of the participants and extended his best wishes for their performance. (ANI) You are here: Travel Flash A tourist group listens to a tour guide introduce the Temple of Heaven in Beijing on Jan. 16, 2025. [Photo by Yang Chuanli/China.org.cn] To enhance the visitor experience for international travelers, Trip.com Group launched the "Beijing Express" free layover tour service in December 2024. This program offers free half-day tours to popular cultural landmarks, coinciding with the recent expansion of China's visa-free transit policy. This policy, which now allows eligible foreign travelers to stay in China for up to 10 days, has significantly boosted inbound tourism. "This program aims to provide tourists with a taste of Beijing's charm and inspire them to explore China further," said Xiao Fenfei, director of China Inbound Project Management, Trip.com Group. Two groups of international tourists explored Beijing's Badaling Great Wall, Temple of Heaven, Qianmen Street and Tiananmen Square on Jan. 16, 2025. The Delhi High Court on Thursday rejected the appeal moved by Nagar Palika Nokha against an order of a commercial court in an application related to an arbitrariness suit. This matter is related to the execution of the amount of the Arbitration award passed in favour of a company M/s Enviro Infra Engineers Pvt. Ltd. The trial court had issued a warrant of attachment of Bikaner House. A division bench headed by Chief Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyay on the ground of delay after noting that the challenge was passed in January 2024. An Appeal under Section 13(1A) of the Commercial Courts Act read with Section 37(1)(c) of the Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996 against the order dated 24.01.2024 passed by Court of Ld. District Judge Commercial Court Patiala House Courts, New Delhi in OMP (Comm) whereby the Trial Court had dismissed the section 34 Application filed by the Appellant on the ground of limitation. The present case is related to a tender awarded by the Appellant Nagar Palika Nokha to Enviro Infra Private Limited for the design, construction, and maintenance of Sewage Treatment Plants (STPs). The plea stated that the dispute pertains to non-payment of dues allegedly owed tothe Respondent, which led to proceedings under the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Development Act (MSMED), 2006 culminating in an arbitral award against the Appellant Palika. The Nagar Palika sought to challenge the order on various grounds, that the arbitration proceedings were conducted without jurisdiction since the Agreement of 22.11.2011signed between the parties contained no arbitration clause, in violation of the agreement between the parties; that mandatory conciliation under Section 18 of the MSMED Act was vitiated due to improper notices. It was also stated that the arbitral award was passed in violation of principles of natural justice, as the Appellant was not afforded proper opportunity for a hearing. During the hearing, before the trial court, the court had asked the Nagar Palika Nokha to place on record if they get any stay order from the High Court. The Nagar Palika had deposited the amount of Rs 92 Lakh with the court as per the direction. It was informed that the appellant was approaching the Higher court against the order. The court said that the said amount will be released in the favour of Enviro Infra if the appellant Palika fails to get any stay order from the High Court. The matter is listed for February 1 before the commercial court. Earlier the commercial court had issued a warrant for attachment of Bikaner House. However, it was stated subject to payment of Arbitration award to the company. (ANI) The Patiala House Court has declined to order the registration of an FIR in response to a petition claiming that two paintings by the late artist and Padma awardee MF Husain offended religious sentiments. The court stated that no further investigation was necessary in the matter. The court, in its ruling, noted that the complainant was already aware of all the facts and circumstances surrounding the case. Additionally, the CCTV footage from the Delhi Art Gallery and the disputed paintings had already been seized. The judge further stated that, in its considered view, no additional investigation or evidence gathering was needed at this stage, as all pertinent evidence was already in the complainant's possession and on record. The court further added that In the present case, all the facts and circumstances of the case are within the knowledge of the complainant. CCTV footage of Delhi Art Gallery, NVR and the paintings in question have already been seized. In the considered opinion of this court, no further investigation and collection of evidence is required on the part of the investigating agency at this stage, as all the evidence is in the possession of the complainant as well as on record, and if the same is required at later stage, then Section 225 BNSS can be resorted to. In the present facts and circumstances, the application u/s 175(3) of CrPC stands dismissed The Court on Wednesday reserved its decision on whether an FIR should be registered against the Delhi Art Gallery (DAG) and its Owner and director over the display of controversial paintings by renowned artist MF Husain. The complaint stated that artwork, which depicted Hindu deities Hanuman and Ganesha holding nude female figures, sparked outrage after a formal complaint was filed by advocate Amita Sachdeva, who deemed the paintings "offensive." The controversy began when Complainant Amita Sachdeva, a practising Advocate visited the DAG in Connaught Place on December 4, 2024, and took photographs of the disputed pieces. Following this, she filed a complaint with the Parliament Street Police Station on December 9, 2024, after researching past FIRs lodged against Husain for similar works. However, during a subsequent visit on December 10, 2024, with the investigating officer, the paintings were mysteriously removed and gallery officials claimed that they had never been on display. In response to Sachdeva's petition, Judicial Magistrate (First Class) Sahil Monga reviewed the Action Taken Report (ATR) from the police, which included CCTV footage and a list of artworks provided by the gallery. The court noted that the report confirmed that the disputed paintings were listed under Serial Nos. 6 and 10 in the gallery's inventory. Judge Monga then issued an order for the paintings to be seized, directing the investigating officer to file a report on the seizure by January 22, 2025. (ANI) Chief Minister's Secretary and Garhwal Commissioner Vinay Shankar Pandey cast his vote for the municipal elections on Thursday at Sanatan Dharma Inter College, Race Course in Dehradun. Election Commission Secretary Rahul Kumar Goyal said that till 4 pm polling percentage recorded was 56.81 percent overall. He said, "Almora 56.01 percent, Bageshwar 57.71 percent. Chamoli 58.92 percent, Champawat 56.76 percent, Dehradun 51.56 percent, Haridwar 60.85 percent, Nainital 55.03 percent, Pauri Garhwal 52.1 percent, Pithoragarh 55.34 percent, Rudraprayag 62.72 percent, Tehri Garhwal 53.63 percent, Udham Singh Nagar 59.80 percent, Uttarkashi 58.17percent, thus the average is 56.81 percent." Voting began for Uttarakhand civic body polls in 13 districts on Thursday at 8 am. People in different parts of the state lined up outside polling booths. Earlier in the day, Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami appealed to the people of Uttarakhand to help make all the BJP candidates win in the state's civic body polls. Referring to the BJP government at the centre and state, he asked voters to help form a triple-engine government. "I appeal to all the people of Uttarakhand. You have always stood by the BJP and formed a double-engine government. You made PM Modi the Prime Minister again. I appeal to all of you to please make all the BJP candidates win in the state municipal corporation election and help form a triple-engine government," CM Pushkar Singh Dhami told ANI. Dhami stated that the BJP has fulfilled all its promises, adding that the government is working continuously to make Uttarakhand the best state in India. "We have fulfilled all the promises and are taking forward our vision. We are working continuously to make Uttarakhand the best state in India, under the leadership of PM Modi," Dhami added. Saurabh Thapliyal, BJP's mayoral candidate from Dehradun, said, "I want to appeal to all citizens of Dehradun to cast their votes. This is a festival of democracy. No matter whom they vote for, everyone should vote." (ANI) Delhi Police have seized drugs worth over Rs 20 crores and made arrests ahead of the upcoming Delhi Assembly elections, as part of a series of measures to enforce the Model Code of Conduct (MCC), confirmed Delhi police . According to an official statement, authorities registered 504 cases for MCC violations between January 7 and January 22, with 17,879 people arrested. Additionally, large quantities of illicit liquor, unlicensed arms, and cash have been seized, underscoring the intensified security and law enforcement efforts ahead of the February 5 elections. Delhi Police also informed that 270 unlicensed arms and 372 cartridges were seized, and 44,256 litres of liquor valued at more than Rs 1.3 crores has been seized so far since the implementation of MCC in Delhi. Cash seizures have reached Rs 4,56,03,745 to date, police added. On January 19, Delhi Police nabbed a liquor supplier for smuggling and transporting illicit liquor across the Haryana-Delhi border ahead of Republic Day on January 26. and the upcoming Delhi Assembly elections. The incident occurred at around 7.15 am on January 19. The Delhi Assembly elections will take place in a single phase on February 5, and the counting of votes is set for February 8. A total of 699 candidates are competing for the 70 assembly seats in Delhi. 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 seats. In contrast, the AAP dominated the 2015 and 2020 assembly elections by winning 67 and 62 seats, respectively, out of a total of 70 seats, while the BJP got only three and eight seats in these elections. The BJP is leaving no stone unturned to wrest back power from the AAP, which is eyeing a third term in the state assembly polls.(ANI) A thorough checking campaign has also been conducted to improve safety measures. Speaking to ANI, Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Kulbir Singh said, "Strict security arrangements have been made. A large number of security forces have been deployed, and CRPF and Jammu and Kashmir Police have jointly coordinated the security arrangements." SSP Singh further stated, "Apart from the national highway, we have also deployed additional forces for the railways. All security forces are on high alert till January 26-27, and adequate arrangements have been made to ensure a peaceful celebration." Similarly, in Doda, security measures have been significantly heightened ahead of the 76th Republic Day. Speaking to ANI on Wednesday, Doda SSP Sandeep Mehta explained, "We have implemented a three-tier security arrangement for Republic Day. Surveillance and security have been tightened, especially at locations where major functions are scheduled to take place." Referring to the recent developments in Kishtwar, SSP Mehta remarked, "A few days back, Kishtwar police announced a reward of Rs5 lakh each for credible information on four wanted individuals from the district. These individuals are part of a group that impacts the Doda region as well. Doda Police will match this reward for informers who assist the Jammu and Kashmir Police. The identity of all informers will be kept confidential." On January 18, Jammu and Kashmir Police released posters of the four active terrorists, offering a reward of Rs5 lakh for each. The suspects have been identified as Saifullah, Farman, Adil, and an unknown individual, possibly named Basha. https://x.com/SSPKishtwar/status/1880616277229883769 The district police kishtwar posted on x: "J-K police district Kishtwar release poster of 4 active terrorists with Rs 5 lakh reward each; general public urged to share information--informer's identity will be kept secret."(ANI) The Gwalior Municipal Corporation has issued an order regarding the construction of a drinking water plant on Ramua Dam after a request from Union Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia. The Municipal Corporation has issued an order to the Assistant Minister (Water Supply & Conservation, Sub-division, Morar) to initiate the inspection of the proposed site for the plant as soon as possible and inform about the entire process. The Union Minister had written to the then Urban Development and Housing Minister Bhupendra Singh in 2022, citing the request from the former MLA Munnalal Goyal for the Plant to resolve the drinking water issue in the area. The order from the Gwalior Municipal Corporation mentioned, "The above topic mentions that Munnalal Goyal, the former MLA of Gwalior East constituency, has written to the Commissioner of Gwalior Municipal Corporation regarding the supply of drinking water to about two lakh people in the Morar, Thatipur, and Cantonment areas from the Ramaua Dam. Action needs to be taken on the received letter, and a photocopy of the letter is being sent to you." "Therefore, you are directed to personally conduct a site inspection regarding the matter, propose the necessary actions, and ensure that a compliance report is submitted to this office. Kindly inform the former MLA about the actions taken so that the Commissioner can be informed about the progress made in this regard during the upcoming meeting," the order stated. (ANI) An application was filed before the special NIA court by the lawyers of former BJP MP Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur, accused in the Malegaon 2008 blasts case, requesting a delay in her court appearance due to a sudden adverse medical condition. The court had earlier issued a bailable warrant against her for non-appearance. However, in light of her medical condition, the court decided to keep the warrant in abeyance. Thakur has been given time to appear before the court on or before January 30. Her lawyers informed the court that Thakur's health condition prevented her from attending the hearing, and the court accepted this as the reason for her absence. Previously, in November, a special National Investigation Agency (NIA) court issued a bailable warrant against BJP MP Pragya Singh Thakur in connection with the 2008 Malegaon blast case. Thakur, an accused in the case, failed to appear for court proceedings, prompting the court to demand her presence. The warrant was "returnable" by November 13, meaning Thakur was required to appear before the court by that date to have the warrant cancelled. Her continued absence could further complicate the legal proceedings and delay the trial. In earlier court sessions, Thakur's lawyer had applied for an exemption from her appearance, citing medical reasons, specifically her struggle with cervical spondylitis and migraines. The court had granted exemptions based on her medical reports, though it raised concerns that her absences were "hampering" proceedings and "delaying" the trial's progress. Meanwhile, in August, the Supreme Court declined the plea filed by Sameer Kulkarni,one of the accused in the 2008 Malegaon bomb blast case, challenging the sanction for his prosecution under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act. Kulkarni, along with six others, including BJP MP Pragya Singh Thakur and Lieutenant Colonel Prasad Purohit, is facing trial for the Malegaon blast. On September 29, 2008, six people were killed and several others injured when an explosive device strapped to a motorcycle detonated near a mosque in Malegaon city, Nashik. The case was initially investigated by the Maharashtra ATS before being transferred to the NIA in 2011. (ANI) Central Railway, Mumbai has planned a six-hour mega block on its all six lines on the intervening night of January 25th and 26th. This block will be taken to felicitate the ongoing work of reconstruction of Carnac Bridge near CSMT station, Central Railway CPRO said. This block will start at 11:30 pm on January 25 and will continue till 5:30 am on the morning of January 26. This block will affect both lines of central railway, harbour line and main line Local trains. Also, some long-distance trains will be affected which are scheduled to arrive or depart during this period. Central Railway CRPO Swapnil Dhanraj Nila said, "BMC had made a demand for a block for reconstruction of the second span of ROB (Road Over Bridge). Due to that demand, we have taken processing from the Railway Board and the Board has permitted block. The first block will be on the night of 25th January and the morning of 26th January. The duration of the block will be for 6 hours from 11.30 pm to 5.30 am. Six lines from Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus, two lines of Harbour Line, local lines and main express lines will remain closed for 6 hours." "Two mail Express trains will depart from Dadar, which includes Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus to Amritsar and Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus to BSB Banaras on the intervening night of 25th and 26th at 23.38 hours and the second at 00.30 hours on 26th from Dadar. Suburban services would be shut during this period," he said. "The last local from CSMT to Titwala will depart at 10.50 pm, In the down-through-line local, train going to Kasara will leave CSMT at 10.45 pm in the night and arrive at Kasara at 1.12 am. Last local from Kalyan to CSTM will depart at 9.16 pm and last local will depart at 10.02 pm in the night. Local on the Harbour line from CSTM to Panvel 22.58 hours and from Panvel to CSTM the last local will run at 21.40 hours," he added. CR CPRO said that a total of 14 long-distance trains will be affected during this block. 11 trains arriving in Mumbai CSMT will be short-terminated at Dadar station. Two trains which are scheduled to depart from CSMT will depart from Dadar station and one train will be regulated with a longer halt at Ambarnath Station. All local trains, departing or arriving at CSMT during these six hours will remain cancelled for those 6 hours. (ANI) In response to Maharashtra Minister Nitesh Rane's recent comments, NCP-SCP leader Rohit Pawar underlined the need for stronger border security measures. Rane had raised doubts about the attack on Bollywood actor Saif Ali Khan, questioning whether it was a genuine attack or if Khan was simply acting. Pawar, taking a more constructive approach, suggested that instead of making media statements, Rane should meet with Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and request increased recruitment in the Border Security Force (BSF) and the Army. Pawar stated, "We need to give more strength to the Border Security Force, recruit more people in the Army, and make our border security stronger. My request to him is that instead of just speaking in front of the media, he should meet Rajnath Singh ji and request him to recruit people in defence, in the Border Security Force, and make our border security more strong." He added, "See, if they want to end this, they need to focus on the border. We also advocate 'Indians First', whether it is a job or scheme." Pawar's remarked. Earlier, Rane while addressing a public gathering in Maharashtra's Pune, raised questions on attack on Saif saying - "I doubted whether he had been stabbed or he was acting." He questioned the actions of Bangladeshis in Mumbai, referring to the attack on Bollywood Actor, Said Ali Khan. "They entered Saif Ali Khan's house. Earlier they used to stand at the crossings of the roads, now they have started entering houses. Maybe he came to take him (Saif) away. It is good, garbage should be taken away. I saw when he came out of the hospital, I doubted whether he had been stabbed or he was acting. He was dancing while walking," Rane said. Moreover, Rane also targeted the NCP (SP) leaders Supriya Sule and Jitendra Awhad saying that these leaders are only worried about Saif Ali Khan, Shah Rukh Khan's son and Nawab Malik and do not come forward when a Hindu actor is tortured. (ANI) Security has been heightened in Kulgam as the nation prepares to celebrate its 76th Republic Day, following which security forces carried out vehicle checks on Thursday. Security has been beefed up along the National Highway in Qazigund, located in the Kulgam district. Nakas and mobile vehicle checkpoints (MVCPs) have been set up at intersections on the National Highway as well as its entry and exit points. Police and CRPF personnel have been deployed along NH-44 near Qazigund, according to Kulgam district police. Multi-tier security arrangements have been implemented in Srinagar and other parts of Jammu and Kashmir to ensure a smooth celebration. On security arrangements for Republic Day, Inspector General of Police (IGP) Kashmir Zone, VK Birdi, told ANI, "The function on 26th January holds great importance, especially in Kashmir valley and for this, Jammu and Kashmir police have done security-related work in its various districts so that the entire security force remains on alert." "In the Srinagar district also, there is a big function on 26th January in which there is a parade and the general public participates in it," he mentioned. The IGP further stated that security has been tightened in areas surrounding Srinagar. "In this regard, multi-tier security arrangements have been made here as well and the security arrangements in the city of Srinagar and the surrounding areas have been made more robust and tight...," the officer added. Meanwhile, the Republic Day Parade 2025 is all set to be a spectacular celebration of India's cultural diversity and military prowess, with a special focus on 75 years of the enactment of the Indian Constitution and Jan Bhagidari. On 26th January 2025, the Republic Day Parade will start in the morning with Prime Minister Narendra Modi laying a wreath at the National War Memorial. The President will arrive at Kartavya Path in a ceremonial buggy and take the salute during a ceremonial march past, which will include units from the Armed Forces, Para Military Forces, Auxiliary Civil Forces, NCC, and NSS. The parade will begin with a unique cultural performance, where 300 cultural artists will play musical instruments from different parts of the country. This will be followed by the march past the contingents of the Indian Armed Forces and the Indonesian contingent. (ANI) Flash French President Emmanuel Macron and visiting German Chancellor Olaf Scholz have stressed the need for a stronger and more united Europe to address emerging global challenges, including Donald Trump's return to the U.S. presidency. "It's up to the Europeans, and to our two countries, to consolidate a united, strong and sovereign Europe," Macron said during a joint press conference on Wednesday following their meeting. Macron highlighted the importance of a Europe that maintains its transatlantic relations while asserting its own interests and defending its values through European mechanisms. Facing the emerging challenges and concerns, the Franco-German partnership remains solid, he said, urging Europe to respond with greater unity, ambition, boldness, and independence. German Chancellor Scholz described Trump's new presidency as a "challenge" for Europe, stating that the continent must remain a constructive and reliable partner while refusing to give in or hide. Europe needs the Franco-German partnership in this difficult time, Scholz said. "We both agree that Europe must grow stronger and more resilient in this changing world." With Germany set to hold legislative elections in February, Scholz's trip to France is seen as a farewell visit to its closest European partner. Union Home and Cooperation Minister Amit Shah inaugurated the Hindu Adhyatmik ane Seva Melo on Thursday, to promote social and religious unity within the Hindu community, in the presence of Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel. The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, (RSS) a sister institution of the Hindu Adhyatmik Ane Seva Sansthan has organized this grand fair in Ahmedabad from January 23 to 26 to convey the message of unity. Addressing the public gathering at the event, the Union Minister stated that "The RSS has undertaken the task of presenting the vast service efforts of the Hindu community to the public through the organization of the Hindu Adhyatmik ane Seva Melo." He further emphasized that this fair has brought to life the vision of Swami Dayanand Saraswati. "The protection and promotion of the values, traditions, and culture of Hinduism have been accomplished collectively by the Rashtriya Sangh and other institutions and under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, India has resolved its long-pending problems such as Articles 370, the reconstruction of the Ram Mandir, the Uniform Civil Code, the Triple Talaq issue, the Citizenship Law, over the past ten years", Shah asserted. While referring to the stalls showcasing the life and work of Rani Ahilyabai Holkar at the fair, he added, "In the darkest times of oppression and destruction, Ahilyabai Holkar was a beacon of creation and preservation. She undertook the monumental task of reconstructing over 200 destroyed temples. Additionally, she was responsible for the restoration of Shaiva, Vaishnava, and Shakta religious sites". Explaining the significance of the ongoing Maha Kumbh Mela in Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh, the Union Minister appreciated the arrangements made for the comfort of all. He further mentioned that the arrangements made by the government are akin to the "contribution of a squirrel in the construction of the Ram Setu". "Despite the Mughal, and British rule, and adverse political conditions in India, the tradition of the Kumbh Mela has remained alive for thousands of years and has become an opportunity to awaken spiritual consciousness for all," he added. On this occasion, Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel stated that "Indian culture has evolved on the foundation of spirituality, devotion and service-oriented harmony. "Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam" (the world is one family) is the essence of this culture." CM Patel praised the "Initiative for Moral and Cultural Training" program at the fair and expressed the importance of character-building alongside education. He stated that "For centuries in India, Surya Dev (Sun God) has been revered as a source of energy and through this solar energy that the PM has shown the path to energy security with the mantra of "One Earth, One Sun, One Grid" for the entire world." Chief Minister expressed confidence that through this fair, as more and more people join the efforts of cultural, service, and spiritual revitalization, Viksit Bharat's vision can be realised by 2047. CM also considered the Hindu Adhyatmik ane Seva Melo organized in Ahmedabad, coinciding with the completion of one year of the Praan Pratishtha of Ram Mandir and the ongoing Maha Kumbh in Prayagraj, as the third significant occasion. Bhayyaji Joshi of RSS emphasized the importance of Hindu values, saying, "Hinduism is based on thought, lifestyle, and life values. The core of Hinduism revolves around humanity, duty, cooperation, truth, and justice." He further mentioned that the essence of "Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam" is the identity of India. Swami Paramatmanandji Saraswati Maharaj while offering his blessings, added, "Religion is the dedication to duty, which involves fulfilling responsibilities toward society, family, the nation, and the world." The fair was attended by Union Minister Jagdish Vishwakarma, National Coordinator Gunwant Sinha Kothari, Swami Lalit Kishordas Maharaj, Pujya Madhavpriyadasji Maharaj, Bhagyesh Jha, as well as officials, workers, saints, ascetics, citizens, and women from the Hindu Spiritual and Service Organization. Additionally, ISRO and NCC institutions contributed special attractions to the fair. (ANI) The Pune Police presented its annual performance report on Thursday, highlighting a significant decline in crime rates, including a 17 percent drop in murders and a 33 percent reduction in attempts to murder. Police Commissioner Amitesh Kumar attributed this achievement to strict professional measures and assured residents of further improvements in law and order by December 2025. Speaking to ANI, CP Kumar said, "We have tried to place before the members of the public through the press the annual performance report of the Pune City Police. All statistics in terms of crime, administration, law & order and all other matters relating to the Police have been given in a compiled manner to the members of the press." "We are totally on firm ground as far as crime is confirmed. Crime has shown a declining trend, figures clearly show that in murder there is a significant decline of approximately 17percent and approximately 33 per cent in attempts to murder. This significant decline cannot be incidental," Kumar told ANI. Kumar further added, "It is due to very strict professional measures which have been taken in the last year by Pune City Police. I would also say that though it is very encouraging to see that the trend is declining, we are not satisfied and we are further intensifying action I can assure Punekars that by December 2025, you will see a much better position, though the trend is very encouraging..." He continued by stating, "Last year we deported a record number of 53 illegal immigrants staying in the country. A drive has been initiated to identify all such overstaying foreign nationals and initiate legal action to deport them forthwith. As far as Bangladeshis are concerned, all Police Stations have been directed to activate their Intelligence machinery and take out all-out efforts to identify such illegal immigrants so that we can proceed against them forthwith. "A special drive has also been initiated against certain people based on confidential inputs who are indulging in creation of fake documents like Aadhar cards, passports etc," he told ANI. Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya hit back at Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav after the latter questioned Yogi government's cabinet meeting at Mahakumbh in Prayagraj. Keshav Maurya said that Yadav cannot tolerate that 50 lakh to 1 crore people are taking a dip at Mahakumbh every day. Speaking to ANI, Maurya said, "Mahakumbh 2025 is moving towards success in a very grand, divine way. The cabinet members of the alliance government sat at the Maha Kumbh area. This was a golden opportunity that every one of us took a holy dip and took important decisions. I don't know what has happened to Akhilesh Yadav he cannot see the good management and cleanliness of Mahakumbh, he cannot tolerate that 50 lakhs to 1 crore people are taking a dip there every day. He should not make such comments." "If he feels that the cabinet members took holy dip and conducted meeting there then he too can conduct his party meeting," he added. Akhilesh Yadav slammed the Yogi government on Wednesday for holding a cabinet meeting at Mahakumbh in Prayagraj and said, "Kumbh or Prayagraj is not the place where politics or political decisions should be taken." "Kumbh or Prayagraj is not the place where politics or political decisions should be taken. Organising cabinet meeting at Kumbh is political. Many of us (Samajwadi party people) must have gone to take a holy dip but didn't post a picture or told you (media)," Yadav said. All 54 ministers of the Uttar Pradesh cabinet were invited to this meeting. Following the meeting, CM Yogi Adityanath, along with the entire cabinet, took a holy dip in the sacred waters of the Triveni Sangam. This isn't the first time CM Yogi has led his cabinet to the Sangam. In 2019, during the Kumbh Mela, he took a ceremonial dip along with his ministers, Akhada Parishad President Narendra Giri, and other saints. Maha Kumbh is one of the largest and most significant religious congregations in the world. The key 'snan' dates left are: January 29 (Mauni Amavasya - Second Shahi Snan), February 3 (Basant Panchami - Third Shahi Snan), February 12 (Maghi Purnima), and February 26 (Maha Shivaratri). Uttar Pradesh police deployed over 10,000 personnel, including local police and paramilitary forces for the event's security. The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) has deployed a "water ambulance" stationed at Sangam to ensure the safety of devotees. The Maha Kumbh began on January 13 and will continue until February 26. (ANI) The National Investigation Agency (NIA) Special Court, Guwahati (Assam), has sentenced two accused to imprisonment in the ABT (Ansarullah Bangla Team) case. In the sentence pronounced on Wednesday, the accused, both hailing from district Barpeta of Assam, have been punished under various sections of the IPC and UA(P) Act in the case RC- 02/2022/NIA/GUW, according to the press release. Accused Mamunur Rashid has been sentenced to 3 years of rigorous imprisonment (RI) and a fine of Rs. 1000 in default. Simple imprisonment of one-month u/s 19 of UA (P) Act and RI for the period already undergone (2 years 10 months 13 days) under sections 20/38/39 of UA (P) Act. He has also been sentenced to simple imprisonment of 3 months for u/s 120(B) IPC. Another accused, Mukibul Hussain, has been sentenced to simple imprisonment of 6 months and a fine of Rs 500, as well as simple imprisonment of 14 days' u/s 120(B) IPC. Like his co-accused Mamunur, he has also been sentenced to RI for the period already undergone (2 years 8 months 13 days) under sections 20/38/39 UA (P) Act. The case which was registered in March 2022, relates to a module of ABT with affiliation to the prescribed international terror organisation Al Qaeda in the Indian Sub-Continent (AQIS). The module, led by Bangladeshi national Saiful Islam alias Haroon Rashid, was active in the Barpeta district of Assam. NIA had filed a chargesheet in the case against eight accused in August 2022, followed by a supplementary chargesheet against two others in August 2023. Further investigation and trial in the case continues. (ANI) Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami expressed confidence that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) would register a historic victory in the upcoming Delhi elections. He held a road show on Thursday in the Delhi Cantt Assembly constituency ahead of the assembly elections in the national capital. He was campaigning for BJP's Delhi Cantt candidate, Bhuvan Tanwar. CM Dhami said, "I can see the enthusiasm among people. This time, people are going to make him (BJP's Delhi Cantt candidate, Bhuvan Tanwar) win by a huge margin of votes. They are going to give him his blessings. They (AAP) made empty promises to the people of Delhi for 10 years. This time, a double-engine government is going to be formed here. BJP will register a historic victory in Delhi." "AAP said that they would make hospitals. They betrayed people in the name of the Mohalla clinic. They went to jail for liquor scam. They focussed on Sheesh Mahal whereas people are not getting clean drinking water. Under PM Awas Yojana more than 4 crore people have got homes but Delhi CM did not allow to implement these schemes. CM Dhami also held a roadshow in Palam. Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convenor Arvind Kejriwal alleged that the Bharatiya Janata Party is planning to stop free education in government schools if they are voted to power after the conclusion of the Delhi assembly polls. Adressing a public rally here on Thursday, Kejriwal said," Three days ago, the BJP announced that they will stop the free education in the government schools if they are voted to power. They announced ahead of the polls. I was also saying it. If you vote for them, they will close the government schools," he alleged, referring to the BJP. "So you see, If (you push) a wrong button, the government schools of your children will be shut down," he asked. The Delhi Assembly elections will take place in a single phase on February 5, and the counting of votes is set for February 8. A total of 699 candidates are competing for the 70 assembly seats in Delhi. 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 seats. In contrast, the AAP dominated the 2015 and 2020 assembly elections by winning 67 and 62 seats, respectively, out of a total of 70 seats, while the BJP got only three and eight seats in these elections. (ANI) Bharatiya Janata Party National President JP Nadda strongly criticized Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and his government during rallies in Uttam Nagar and Shakur Basti, accusing them of corruption and failing to deliver on their promises. Addressing the crowd, Nadda declared, "The people of Delhi are awake now and on the 5th, they will distinguish between truth and falsehood." He continued, attacking the AAP government for its failure to address key issues while claiming the city would be placed on the world map. "They claimed they would put Delhi on the world map, but today, Delhi has garbage mountains," Nadda said. He pointed out the irony of AAP leaders previously visiting garbage piles during elections, but now, "today they are not even going near them." Nadda further accused the AAP government of embezzling funds intended for cleaning the Yamuna. "Those who repeatedly talked about cleaning the Yamuna didn't clean it but embezzled 700-800 crore rupees under the pretext of Yamuna cleaning," he stated. Highlighting the contrasts between AAP's failures and BJP's achievements, Nadda said, "In the last 10 years, no new buses were bought. But Prime Minister Narendra Modi provided hundreds of new electronic buses to Delhi." He added that by 2026, 2,026 new buses will be delivered to the capital. He spoke about major infrastructure projects initiated under the Modi government, such as the expansion of Delhi's metro network and the creation of new expressways. "In the last 10 years, there was a 190 km metro route, and now there is a 400 km metro route. 135 new metro stations have been built, and the metro service from Janakpuri to Krishna Park has already started. Work has also begun on the Rithala-Narela-Kondli Corridor," he said. Nadda also highlighted the Delhi-Meerut Rapid Rail project, which he described as a 30,000 crore rupee investment connecting Delhi to Meerut. "A 30,000 crore rupees Rapid Rail project, 82.5 kilometers long, connecting Delhi to Meerut, has begun. The Delhi-Meerut Expressway, costing 8000 crore rupees, will enable travel from Delhi to Meerut in just 45 minutes," Nadda elaborated. He also drew attention to the Modi government's work in building critical infrastructure, including roads and expressways. "3600 crore rupees have been spent on the Urban Extension Road connecting Alipur to Mahipalpur, and 7500 crore rupees on the Dwarka Expressway," Nadda stated. He added that the Eastern-Western Peripheral Expressway, which cost Rs 11,000 crore and spans 135 km, has helped alleviate traffic congestion and pollution in Delhi. "The Eastern-Western Peripheral Expressway, a 135 km road, has cost 11,000 crore rupees. This expressway has freed Delhi from truck jams and pollution, thanks to the Modi government. 9000 crore rupees have been spent on building roads from Kondli to Manesar and Palwal," he said. Nadda also pointed out the success of the Modi government in lifting millions out of poverty, stating, "25 crore people have risen above the poverty line in the country, according to NITI Aayog, not BJP. The Modi government has provided free ration to 72 lakh people in Delhi and 80 crore people across the country." He criticized Kejriwal for spending public funds on lavish personal projects, mentioning the construction of a "Sheesh Mahal" for the Delhi CM, and contrasting it with the BJP's welfare programs. "On one hand, Arvind Kejriwal is building palaces, while Modi Ji has helped 4 crore people with permanent homes," Nadda said, adding that more than 3,000 homes have been built in Delhi for the underprivileged. He emphasized the importance of the Ayushman Bharat scheme, which aims to provide health coverage to millions. "As a Health Minister, I would like to highlight that in Delhi, there were 15,152 cases of diarrhoea in 2022-23 and over 20,000 in 2023-24, all due to contaminated water," Nadda noted. He assured that, under BJP, each household would receive Rs 10 lakh in health coverage, with Rs 5 lakh coming from both the central and Delhi governments. Nadda also reiterated the BJP's commitment to welfare programs, including financial support for women, education, and food security. "We will provide a sum of Rs. 2,500 for women, subsidized gas cylinders for Rs. 500, and free cylinders for Holi and Diwali under BJP's governance," Nadda promised. He also mentioned the BJP's support for women across India, referencing the party's initiatives in states like Odisha, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, and Rajasthan. "We will ensure the same for women in Delhi," Nadda declared. He further pledged free meals at Atal Canteens in every slum, as well as free education from KG to PG. "In every slum, we will run Atal Canteens and provide full meals. We will offer free education from KG to PG and give an annual stipend of Rs. 15,000 to students preparing for competitive exams, and Rs. 1,000 to ITI and skill center students," he added. In his speech, Nadda expressed his confidence in the BJP's victory, stating, "In the last 10 years, the AAP government engaged in rampant corruption and caused untold difficulties for Delhi. Let's make a resolution to vote for the lotus and bring change. Delhi's future is tied to the development vision of the BJP, not to corruption and inefficiency." Nadda urged the people of Delhi to vote for BJP on February 5 and bring about the much-needed change for the city's growth and prosperity. (ANI) Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister and Shiv Sena chief Eknath Shinde called upon party workers 'Shiv Sainiks' to work towards achieving a landslide victory in the upcoming local self-government elections and emphasised the importance of securing a win from the municipal corporation to the gram sabha level. "We have to capture everything from the municipal corporation to the gram sabha. We have to win big in all local self-government bodies," Shinde said, exuding confidence in the party's victory. Shinde expressed optimism that the party would secure a two hundred per cent victory and urged his party workers to tap into their inner strength. "For a Shiv Sainik, nothing is impossible. We have twelve elephants in our wrist, and we can achieve anything," Shinde said, instilling a sense of determination and resolve among the party workers. Shinde called for unprecedented dedication and efforts from all party members, promising to work tirelessly for the people of Maharashtra. Addressing a gathering, Eknath Shinde said, "No party has won such a victory in history so far. Therefore, the responsibility on us has increased." He highlighted the importance of this milestone, urging his party members to ramp up their efforts. "From now on, we will have to work twice as fast, even four times. For this, we are ready to work day and night," he assured. Shinde echoed a strong message of unity and determination, stating, "With the support of all of us, the saffron of Shiv Sena will continue to fly high." On the 99th birth anniversary of Balasaheb Thackeray, Eknath Shinde, the Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra and Shiv Sena chief, sharply criticised Uddhav Thackeray, accusing him of abandoning the founding leader's principles for personal gain in politics. "You left the thoughts of Balasaheb Thackeray in 2019 only for a CM chair. You trampled on Balasaheb's thoughts, so you have no moral right to talk about the Balasaheb Thackeray memorial," said Eknath Shinde. Eknath Shinde was speaking at the 'Shivoutsav' function organised by Shiv Sena at Bandra Kurla Complex on Thursday evening to mark the 99th birth anniversary of Balasaheb Thackeray. Eknath Shinde, said, "I received the opportunity to serve the people of Maharashtra wholeheartedly for two and a half years. At the same time, the recognition I received as a beloved brother of 2.4 crore sisters in the state is greater than all positions." He further asserted, "Self-respect is more important to us than any chair." Highlighting the influence of Balasaheb Thackeray, Shinde stated, "This self-respect has been taught by Balsaheb." He went on to criticise Uddhav Thackeray and said, "However, those who trampled on Balasaheb's thoughts have no moral right to talk about the memorial." Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde emphasised the achievements of the current government while calling for a renewed commitment to the Shiv Sena party. Shinde highlighted significant milestones including the removal of Article 370 in Kashmir and the construction of the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya, attributing these accomplishments to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah. He urged party members to extend their reach to every household in Maharashtra as the state prepares to commemorate Balasaheb Thackeray's birth centenary next year. Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde stated, "Balasaheb's dream was fulfilled by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah." He highlighted the recent investment agreement signed in Davos, valued at Rs 15 lakh crore, as evidence of the government's commitment to economic growth in Maharashtra. Shinde urged party members to engage with the community, declaring, "This year, Shiv Sena should reach every household and the hearts of the people." He laid out a clear mission: "Our mission is Shiv Sena in every village and Shiv Sainik in every house." Reflecting on recent electoral victories, Shinde noted that Shiv Sena UBT won 20 seats out of 97 contests while Shiv Sena secured 60 seats out of 80. He reinforced the importance of these results by stating, "The people of Maharashtra have confirmed whose Shiv Sena is the real one." The atmosphere was charged with enthusiasm as Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, along with party stalwarts Gajanan Kirtikar, Ramdas Kadam, Anandrao Adsul, Dr Neelam Gorhe, and Meenatai Kambli, took centre stage to felicitate the recently elected Members of Parliament and Members of the Legislative Assembly. The festivities were not limited to speeches and accolades. The event featured a captivating musical interlude with live performances by popular artists Avadhoot Gupte and Sonu Nigam, who electrified the crowd with their lively songs. As the evening drew to a close, the message was clear: the newly elected representatives are determined to embark on a journey of service, guided by the voices of their constituents and supported by the thriving spirit of their party. (ANI) As many as two people including a toddler were killed and three others sustained injuries in a brutal knife attack in a park in Aschaffenburg, southern Germany, The Washington Post reported. The two deceased include a 2-year-old boy of Moroccan origin and a 41-year-old German man. Three others, including a 72-year-old German man, a 59-year-old German woman, and a 2-year-old Syrian girl, were also injured, police confirmed in a statement Wednesday. According to authorities, the suspect, a 28-year-old Afghan man, was arrested shortly after the attack. The motive behind the stabbing remains unclear, and police are working closely with the public prosecutor's office to identify a motive. While visiting Aschaffenburg late Wednesday afternoon, Bavaria's interior minister, Joachim Herrmann, said the suspect had "suddenly and deliberately" targeted a child in a day-care group. According to The Washington Post, the slain man was a passerby who apparently intervened to protect the children. The 59-year-old injured woman is a caregiver with the group, police said in the statement. Further, Hermann added that "at the moment, the suspicion is very strongly that he obviously has mental illnesses," adding that the search of the suspect's living quarters found no evidence of an Islamist motive. The suspect was known to police for violent crimes, and had been given psychiatric treatment and released each time, Hermann told reporters. He sought asylum after entering Germany in mid-November 2022 but announced his voluntary departure in writing last month. His asylum procedure was then discontinued and he was asked to leave the country. He is still receiving psychiatric care. Notably, the attack comes at a time when Germany is already on high alert following a deadly incident at a Christmas market in Magdeburg last month. Six people were killed and nearly 300 injured when a driver rammed his car into a crowd. The suspect, a 50-year-old doctor from Saudi Arabia, was arrested and found to have extreme anti-Islamic views. Ahead of Germany's election on February 23, that attack prompted a more severe tone on migration policy, which 37 per cent of German voters identify in polls as the most important issue that politicians must address, according to The Washington Post. (ANI) Flash Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Wednesday held a phone talk with Celso Amorim, special advisor to the president of Brazil. During the phone call, Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, said that last November, Chinese President Xi Jinping paid a successful state visit to Brazil, during which the two heads of state held a historic meeting that achieved a series of landmark outcomes, drawing a grand blueprint for the development of bilateral relations in the next stage. Both sides should fully implement the important consensus reached by the two heads of state and advance key areas of cooperation under the framework of aligning their development strategies, and continuously enrich the contemporary significance and strategic connotation of the China-Brazil community with a shared future, Wang said. As the BRICS family continues to expand, China supports Brazil in assuming the BRICS presidency this year and pushing for new achievements in greater BRICS cooperation, Wang said. China supports Brazil in hosting the UN climate change conference, he added. This year marks the 10th anniversary of the launch of the China-Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC) Forum, and China is ready to work with Brazil and other countries to build a China-Latin America community with a shared future, Wang said. Noting that the Ukraine crisis has been going on for nearly three years, Wang said that the "six-point consensus" jointly issued by China and Brazil on the political settlement of the Ukraine crisis and the establishment of the "Friends of Peace" platform on the Ukraine crisis are to gather consensus from the Global South and create an atmosphere and accumulate conditions for the realization of peace talks. For his part, Amorim said that President Xi's state visit to Brazil last year was very successful, and that the important consensus reached by the two heads of state set a clear direction for the comprehensive strategic cooperation between the two countries. Amorim expressed his hope that the two sides will step up the implementation of the results of the visit and work together to build a Brazil-China community with a shared future for a more just world and a more sustainable planet. Brazil attaches great importance to the China-CELAC Forum and is willing to strengthen coordination with China to successfully run this year's forum, said Amorim. Noting that the "six-point consensus" reached by Brazil and China on the Ukraine crisis is of great significance, Amorim said that the two sides should seize the opportunity to further leverage the role of the "Friends of Peace" platform. "Trump's second term is a unique opportunity to strengthen Jewish communities, especially in Judea and Samaria," said Mayor Guy Yifrach. "We trust Trump and believe that he will promote construction in the region in the coming month." The 4,000-acre zone -- formerly known as E1 or Mevaseret Adumim -- lies within the municipal boundaries of Maale Adumim and is part of Area C, where Israel has administrative and security jurisdiction. Plans on the drawing board for more than 3,000 homes to alleviate housing shortages have been bogged down by international opposition, including from the Biden administration. Mayor Yifrach described T-1 as "a strategic asset," and called on Israeli leaders to establish territorial continuity between Ma'ale Adumim and Jerusalem. Under Israeli-Palestinian agreements, Israel retains full administrative and security control over the area, classified as Area C. Trump also has a Golan community named after him. After Trump recognized Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights in 2019, Israel honored the President by naming a new community -- Ramat Trump -- after him. Israeli leaders praised executive orders reversing Biden administration sanctions placed on Judea and Samaria residents accused of violence against Palestinians, cutting off funds to the embattled United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), and re-imposing sanctions on officials of the International Criminal Court. (ANI/TPS) Tel Aviv [Israel], January 23 (ANI/TPS): The IDF (Israel Defense Forces) reported that during the last day, its forces acted to defend themselves after they came under threats posed to them in the Gaza Strip, despite the terms of the ceasefire agreement that entered into force on Sunday. In the south of the Gaza Strip, the IDF forces acting in accordance with the terms of the ceasefire agreement, identified a number of armed suspects who posed a threat to them. They acted to remove the threat and in doing so killed the terrorist Akram Ataf Farhan Zenon, a member of the Islamic Jihad terrorist organization. In addition, in a number of areas in the Gaza Strip, many masked suspects were identified moving towards the forces who fired at the terrorists from a distance. The IDF is again calling on the Palestinian residents to obey its instructions and not to approach the Israeli forces deployed in the area. (ANI/TPS) Tel Aviv [Israel], January 23 (ANI/TPS): Israeli troops in Gaza identified several armed terrorists who posed a threat despite the ceasefire in several incidents, the Israel Defense Forces said on Wednesday night. In one incident, in southern Gaza, soldiers killed a terrorist who was identified as Akram Atef Farhan Zanon of Palestinian Islamic Jihad. In several other instances, masked suspects were spotted approaching soldiers. Troops fired warning shots in the air to distance them. "The IDF is determined to fully maintain the terms of the agreement in order to return the hostages. The IDF is prepared for any scenario and will continue to take all necessary actions to thwart any immediate threat to IDF soldiers," the army said. The first phase of the ceasefire will see 30 more Israeli hostages freed over several weeks in exchange for hundreds of Palestinian terrorists imprisoned in Israel. The exact number will depend on how many of the hostages are alive. 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. 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 94 remaining hostages, more than 30 have been declared dead. (ANI/TPS) Taiwan's Ministry of National Defence (MND) has detected 35 Chinese aircraft and 6 naval vessels around the island as of 6 am (UTC+8) on Thursday Among them, 27 aircraft crossed the median line and entered Taiwan's northern, southwestern and eastern Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ). https://x.com/MoNDefense/status/1882231781379715138 Sharing a post on X, MND wrote, "35 PLA aircraft and 6 PLAN vessels operating around Taiwan were detected up until 6 a.m. (UTC+8) today. 27 of the aircraft crossed the median line and entered Taiwan's northern, southwestern and eastern ADIZ. We have monitored the situation and responded accordingly." https://x.com/MoNDefense/status/1881869388879429697 On Wednesday, Taiwan MND detected 14 Chinese aircraft and 5 vessels around its territory around the island. 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 the mass production of floating bridge docks to assist the unloading of ships during beach landings. Both types 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) A shooting occurred at Antioch High School in Nashville on Wednesday morning, leaving one female student dead and another student injured, CNN reported citing police. According to Metro Nashville Police, the shooting took place in the school cafeteria at 11:09 am (local time). The suspect, identified as 17-year-old Solomon Henderson, armed with a pistol fired multiple shots in a school cafeteria Further, the police revealed that the shooter killed himself after shooting his schoolmates, as reported by CNN. A male student victim sustained a 'graze wound' to the arm and was released after treatment, police said. Another male student sustained a facial injury but was not shot. Police did not name those victims. Earlier in Nashville, the police SWAT team had cleared the building, police spokesman Don Aaron said at a news conference. Metro Nashville Public Schools announced it was making counsellors available to students. "Antioch families, MNPS social workers and guidance counsellors will be available to support you and your student," the school district said. Antioch High School is home to approximately 2,000 students in grades 9 through 12, according to its website. The school is located in Nashville's Antioch neighbourhood, about 10 miles southeast of downtown, as reported by CNN. Two student resource officers, known as SROs, were in the school at the time of the shooting, but the incident was over by the time they got to the scene, Aaron said. "They were not in the immediate vicinity of the cafeteria ... By the time the SROs got down there, the shooting had stopped, and the shooter had shot himself," he said. The Nashville Fire Department, Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, Tennessee Highway Patrol, Tennessee Homeland Security and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives also responded. Democratic Tennessee State Rep. Justin Jones, whose district includes parts of Nashville and was a vocal proponent of new gun control laws following the shooting deaths of three students and three adults at The Covenant School in Nashville in March 2023, said Wednesday no child should be scared "because of the omnipresent threat of gun violence." "The fear reverberating around the Antioch and Nashville communities today is a chilling reminder of the human cost of political inaction and the senseless tragedy of gun violence perpetuated by leaders who have prioritized firearms and the profits of the gun industry over the lives of our students," Jones said. Jones, was one of two Black lawmakers expelled then swiftly reinstated after calling for gun control reform on the House floor in 2023. (ANI) Noting that the Trump administration was keen to have India present at the inaugural itself and is prioritising the bilateral relationship, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said on Wednesday that the ties are being built further on the strong foundation that has been laid. Interacting with the media here, Jaishankar said the Trump administration is keen to take Quad further and intensify its activities. "If I were to share my overall impressions, I would say one, it was very keen. It was very clear that the Trump administration was keen to have India present at the inaugural itself. They're clearly prioritising the bilateral relationship. Secondly, in the meetings, it was also evident that they would like to build on the foundation of the relationship, a foundation which the first Trump administration also contributed a lot to building," Jaishankar said. "President Trump and Prime Minister Modi at that time took a number of initiatives, and we have seen that mature in many ways. And the third impression was, with regard to the Quad, a very strong sense that the current administration would reciprocate our desire as well to take the Quad further, to intensify its activities," he added. Jaishankar represented Prime Minister Narendra Modi as his special envoy at the inaugural function of President Donald Trump in Washington DC, today. He carried a letter from the Prime Minister for President Trump. Donald Trump took the oath as the 47th US President on January 20. Secretary of State Marco Rubio met Jaishankar in Washington DC, reaffirming the shared commitment to strengthening the US-India partnership. Secretary Rubio and External Affairs Minister Jaishankar affirmed a shared commitment to continuing to strengthen the partnership between the United States and India. They discussed a wide range of topics, including regional issues and opportunities to further deepen the U.S.-India relationship. Secretary Rubio also emphasised the Trump Administration's desire to work with India to advance economic ties and address concerns related to irregular migration. This meeting marked Secretary Rubio's first bilateral engagement since assuming office. Both leaders emphasised collaboration in areas such as critical and emerging technologies, defence, energy, and the advancement of a free and open Indo-Pacific region. Jaishankar expressed optimism about the bilateral relationship. "Delighted to meet Secretary Marco Rubio for his first bilateral meeting after assumption of office as Secretary of State. Reviewed our extensive bilateral partnership, of which Secretary Marco Rubio has been a strong advocate. Also exchanged views on a wide range of regional and global issues. Look forward to closely working with him to advance our strategic cooperation," he said on X. The US-India relationship has seen substantial growth in recent years, with a focus on defence collaboration, trade, and shared strategic goals in the Indo-Pacific region. Secretary Rubio emphasised the importance of critical and emerging technologies as a key area for partnership, reflecting both nations' interests in fostering innovation and enhancing security frameworks. The Indian American community, numbering approximately 4.4 million, plays a pivotal role in strengthening ties between India and the United States. With 3.18 million persons of Indian origin constituting the third-largest Asian ethnic group in the US, this community excels across diverse fields, including politics. Their contributions have been instrumental in fostering closer bilateral relations. Notably, five individuals of Indian origin currently serve in the US Congress, further highlighting their influence and integration into American society. (ANI) Global leaders have called for action on artificial intelligence, regional reforms, and environmental initiatives at the World Economic Forum (WEF) Annual Meeting 2025, discussing key issues such as social media reform in Europe, closer regional integration in Asia, the creation of the world's largest tropical forest reserve in Africa and opportunities for progress in the Middle East. President of the Democratic Republic of Congo, Felix-Antoine Tshisekedi Tshilombo, on Wednesday at the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2025 announced the creation of the world's largest tropical forest reserve, according to a press release. The Kivu to Kinshasa Green Corridor Reserve will protect over 550,000 square kilometres of forest throughout the Congo River Basin. "This historic, unprecedented initiative will transform not only our natural landscapes but also the livelihoods of millions of our citizens," he said, adding that the initiative goes far beyond environmental preservation and includes economic development. As he prepares to assume the ASEAN chairmanship, Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim expressed optimism about the 10-nation union's future and Malaysia's role in it. "The spirit of collaboration and esprit de corps between [ASEAN] leaders is unique," Anwar said, pointing to the contributions that closer regional integration in green energy has made to Malaysia's emergence as a high-tech manufacturing powerhouse. Anwar noted that while the US remained the largest single investor in Malaysia, the nation's "closeness, investment and trade with China" are growing. Stressing the importance of dialogue over conflict, he remarked, "We don't go to war or threaten--we discuss, get a little angry, but focus on economic fundamentals and move on." In a special address, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez called for a reform of social media governance across the European Union to curb misinformation and cyber harassment. He urged for stronger enforcement of the Digital Services Act and expanded powers for the European Centre for Algorithmic Transparency. He emphasised that "the values of the European Union are not for sale" and called for increased funding for research into social media algorithms to ensure Europe's brightest minds address this critical challenge. United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres also issued a stark warning about two escalating global threats: the unchecked expansion of artificial intelligence and the climate crisis. These challenges, he warned, pose unprecedented risks to humanity and demand immediate, unified action from governments and the private sector. On artificial intelligence, Guterres acknowledged its immense potential but cautioned against the risks of leaving AI ungoverned. He emphasised the need for international collaboration, pointing to the Global Digital Compact adopted at the United Nations as a roadmap for harnessing digital technology responsibly. "We must collaborate so that all countries and people benefit from AI's promise and potential to support development and social and economic progress for all," he said. He also called on the private sector not to backtrack on their climate commitments and for governments to "keep their promise to produce new, economy-wide national climate action plans this year." Palestinian Authority Foreign Affairs Minister Varsen Aghabekian expressed cautious optimism following the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas. "Optimism is not a choice; it is a must," adding that she hopes the ceasefire brings something more sustainable in the future. Addressing the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, Aghabekian underscored the need for immediate relief efforts and long-term planning. "We have to ensure that the aid is reaching the people," she said. Weeks after the sudden collapse of the Bashar al-Assad regime, Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad Hasan Al Shaibani outlined the new government's plans. "We will not look to the past. We will look to the future. And we promise to our people that this misery will not be repeated," adding that the government will respect the rights of women and reject the sectarian division that has long plagued the country. He also urged the removal of remaining sanctions, assuring the world Syria would no longer be a source of threats. "Thousands are returning to Syria and they need to help rebuild the country. Now we open a new page...We need Syria to be a country of peace." In a conversation with CNN's Fareed Zakaria, Iranian Vice President for Strategic Affairs Javad Zarif expressed hope that a second Trump presidency would reconsider his withdrawal from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JPOA, or the Iran nuclear deal) in 2018, during his first administration, and would be "more serious, more focused, and more realistic" about the cost of his withdrawal from the agreement. "In terms of being able to dissuade Iran, [the withdrawal from JCPOA] has failed," he said. "It has imposed heavy economic costs on the Iranian people. Of course, the Iranian government is suffering, but the Iranian people and the most vulnerable groups in Iran are suffering the most," Zarif said. The World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2025, taking place in Davos-Klosters from 20 to 24 January, convenes global leaders under the theme Collaboration for the Intelligent Age. The meeting will foster new partnerships and insights to shape a more sustainable, inclusive future in an era of rapidly advancing technology, focusing on five key areas: reimagining growth, industries in the intelligent age, investing in people, safeguarding the planet, and rebuilding trust. (ANI) The Pakistani government has introduced amendments to the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA) aimed at combating fake news and unlawful online content, The Express Tribune reported on Wednesday. According to The Express Tribune, the proposed Electronic Crimes Prevention (Amendment) Act 2025 outlines strict penalties, including up to three years in prison and fines of PKR 2 million for individuals spreading disinformation. Additionally, the amendments call for the creation of a Digital Rights Protection Authority (DRPA), which would be granted broad powers to regulate social media and online platforms, as per The Express Tribune. This authority would have the ability to block or remove illegal content and ensure that platforms comply with regulatory guidelines. The amendments also expand the definition of "social media platforms" to include websites, apps, and other tools facilitating digital communication. This broadened scope would cover individuals and organisations operating such platforms within Pakistan. Furthermore, the DRPA will be made up of a chairperson and six members, including officials from Pakistan's Ministry of IT, Ministry of Information, and Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA), the Express Tribune reported. The body will be empowered to investigate complaints, issue directives for content removal, and propose measures to ensure digital ethics. Regarding content regulation, the authority will oversee a wide range of illegal material, including blasphemy, hate speech, incitement to violence, obscenity, defamation, and content that threatens the security or defence of Pakistan. A list of 16 prohibited content categories has been included in the amendments, the Express Tribune reported. Social media platforms will also be required to register with the government, set up local offices, and appoint representatives in Pakistan. They will be given deadlines to remove flagged content or face penalties. According to the Express Tribune, while the Pakistani government argues that these changes are necessary to address the growing issue of fake news and hate speech, critics worry that the law could lead to excessive censorship or be misused by authorities. The government has assured that the amendments will be enforced transparently, with adequate safeguards to protect citizens' rights. The draft legislation is expected to be presented in Parliament soon. (ANI) At least 22 people, including police officers and security personnel, were injured in clashes between two factions of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) in Bangladesh's Shyamnagar upazila in Satkhira District on Wednesday, despite Section 144 being imposed by authorities, as reported by the Dhaka Tribune. According to the Dhaka Tribune, the conflict occurred in the Ismailpur area of Shyamnagar after tensions escalated between the two groups. The clash followed the organisation of a rally by the leaders of the newly formed Shyamnagar BNP committee, which prompted members of the dissolved committee to take measures to prevent the event. Fearing further violence, the Upazila administration imposed Section 144 in the area. However, when the procession led by Solaiman Kabir, former acting general secretary of the Upazila BNP, was heading toward Shyamnagar town, a stick was thrown, sparking a clash between the two factions, as reported by Dhaka Tribune. Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Roni Khatun and Assistant Commissioner (Land) Abdullah Al Rifat attempted to intervene with the help of police and security personnel, but the violence continued, resulting in 22 injuries. According to the Dhaka Tribune, the injured included Shyamnagar police station's officer in charge, Humayun Kabir; security personnel, Saiful Islam; and several BNP activists. Solaiman Kabir claimed that his supporters had been attacked on January 19 and 20, which led to their protest march. He accused leaders of the dissolved committee, along with Awami League activists, of attacking his group, causing multiple injuries. Kabir also accused Abdul Alim, district BNP member secretary, of inciting the violence and declared him "undesirable" in the upazila, as reported by the Dhaka Tribune. Meanwhile, according to Dhaka Tribune, Ashik-e-Elahi Munna, the joint general secretary of the dissolved committee, alleged that Solaiman and his supporters were trying to disrupt a 31-point meeting organised by the Chhatra Dal (Student Wing) of BNP in Shyamnagar. Munna claimed that under the direction of district BNP convener Iftikhar Ali, Solaiman and his group attacked his house with the help of Awami League supporters. Abdul Wahed, president of the dissolved Upazila BNP committee, called for an investigation into the clashes and demanded justice. (ANI) The Pakistan People's Party (PPP) has expressed frustration with the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) government for excluding them from key decisions, as reported by ARY News on Wednesday, citing sources. The PPP had raised concerns over being sidelined, especially with their lawmakers in Punjab and at the federal level, with the recent canal issue further intensifying tensions between the two parties, ARY News reported. The disruption of the Pakistan National Assembly's quorum was seen as a deliberate move by the PPP to signal its discontent. Party insiders claim PPP leaders are frustrated with the lack of consultation on important national matters, as reported by ARY News. A key point of disagreement is the proposal to draw a link canal from the Indus River, which has sparked concerns within PPP. The party is reportedly prepared to oppose the project by any means necessary, ARY News reported, citing sources. PPP leaders have indicated their intent to meet with Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to discuss these issues, with reports suggesting PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto may hold crucial meetings in Islamabad later this week, as reported by ARY News. Earlier, it was revealed that PPP and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) had collaborated to disrupt the National Assembly quorum during the ongoing session. The two parties had worked together with PTI halting its protest on PPP's instructions before pointing out the quorum issue, leading to a collective walkout, as reported by ARY News, citing sources. Meanwhile, Pakistan government negotiation committee spokesperson Irfan Siddiqui has announced that government has not yet taken any decision regarding the establishment of a judicial commission to probe the events of May 9 and November 26, The Express Tribune reported. Siddiqui made the remarks while speaking to reporters after the first round of discussions held to discuss demands raised by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf's (PTI). Pakistan National Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq chaired the meeting in his chamber. Several lawmakers, including Pakistan's Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar, Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar, Aleem Khan, Salik Hussain, Senator Irfan Siddiqui, Rana Sanaullah, Farooq Sattar, Ejaz ul Haq, and Khalid Magsi attended the meeting. (ANI) Flash Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that his country would need at least 200,000 European peacekeeping troops as part of potential security guarantees, the Interfax-Ukraine news agency reported Wednesday. Speaking at the World Economic Forum (WEF) Annual Meeting 2025 in Davos, Switzerland, Zelensky said he supports the idea of an international peacekeeping force in Ukraine to prevent any future Russian attack after a possible ceasefire. "If they (the Russian Federation) have an army of 1.5 million personnel, and if we have only half of that number, we need contingents with a significant number of soldiers," Zelensky said. Last week, local media reported that Britain and France are considering deploying their peacekeeping troops to Ukraine after a possible ceasefire deal between Kiev and Moscow. The Pakistani government has expressed disappointment over Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf's (PTI) refusal to attend the fourth round of talks unless a judicial commission is formed, calling the opposition party's stance "rigid," as reported by Geo News on Wednesday. Pakistani Prime Minister's political affairs aide, Rana Sanaullah, emphasised that negotiations were the only way forward in a democratic system and assured that no harm would come to PTI if they participated in the talks, Geo News reported. "We would not snatch anything from the PTI if they attend [the fourth round of talks]...negotiations are not a decree." Sanaullah said as quoted by Geo News. PTI's senior leader Omar Ayub announced the party's decision to boycott the upcoming round, claiming the talks would be meaningless without the establishment of a judicial commission. "The constitution of the judicial commission is necessary before the fourth round of talks," he said as quoted by Geo News. The PTI had previously presented demands for a judicial probe into the events of May 9, 2023, and November 26, 2024, as well as the release of political prisoners, during the third round of negotiations on January 16. The party also warned it would not continue talks if the government failed to form two separate commissions to investigate these events. Meanwhile, Sanaullah pointed out that the government had already formed a sub-committee to address PTI's demands and that a written response would be provided within a couple of days, Geo News reported. He added that further discussions could lead to a consensus on common issues. National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq, speaking to Geo News, also regretted the "rigidity" in the negotiation process, highlighting that talks require flexibility from both sides to make progress. Regarding the formation of a judicial commission, PML-N Senator Irfan Siddiqui, a government negotiation team spokesperson, said the ruling coalition had not yet decided on the matter. He confirmed that the fourth round of talks would take place on January 28, with the government's response to PTI's demands to be presented then. The subcommittee was in the process of finalising the government's written response to PTI's demands, which would be discussed in the next round of negotiations, Geo News reported, citing sources. (ANI) Local sources claimed that armed personnel stormed a residence in the Gomazi area, detaining Fahad, the son of Rasheed. Eyewitnesses alleged that the raid involved the use of violence against women and children present at the scene. Fahad, the victim, was taken into custody, and his current whereabouts remain unknown, the Balochistan Post reported. Enforced disappearances have become a frequent occurrence in Balochistan, with numerous human rights organisations accusing Pakistan's military and intelligence agencies of being complicit. These allegations are typically denied or ignored by Pakistani authorities, further exacerbating concerns about the state's involvement in such practices. Despite mounting criticism, the situation continues to unfold with little accountability. The ongoing issue of enforced disappearances in Balochistan continues to raise serious human rights concerns, particularly with the involvement of Pakistani security forces. The recent abduction of Fahad highlights the growing pattern of such incidents, where victims' families often face intimidation or indifference from authorities. Despite repeated accusations from rights groups, Pakistan's military and intelligence agencies have denied any wrongdoing, contributing to a climate of fear and impunity. As international pressure mounts, the lack of accountability and transparency leaves many questioning the government's commitment to addressing these grave violations. The situation remains critical and unresolved. Recently, Paank, the human rights department, highlighted that two Baloch people, Jawad Baloch and Zubair Ahmed, were abducted by the Pakistan security forces. Paank has called for the immediate and unconditional release of Zubair Ahmed, Jawad Baloch, and all others who have been forcibly disappeared. The organisation demands an independent investigation into these cases to identify and hold the perpetrators accountable. Pakistani authorities are urged to uphold the rule of law by protecting the fundamental rights of all citizens and putting an end to the practice of enforced disappearances. (ANI) US President Donald Trump on Tuesday announced that the first phase of US tariffs on Chinese imports could be implemented as soon as next week, as reported by Radio Free Asia. According to Radio Free Asia, Trump had initially threatened to impose a 10 per cent tariff on Chinese imports on his first day in office, following his campaign pledge the previous year that tariffs on Chinese goods could potentially exceed 60 per cent. The tariffs were not included in the series of executive orders the new president signed on his first day back in the White House on Monday. However, on Tuesday, Trump indicated that February 1 could mark the day the tariffs are imposed, emphasising that they are necessary to strengthen domestic industry, the Radio Free Asia reported. "We're talking about a tariff of 10 per cent on China based on the fact that they're sending fentanyl to Mexico and Canada," Trump said, following the announcement of an USD 500 billion AI infrastructure investment by Oracle, OpenAI, and SoftBank. According to Radio Free Asia, Trump mentioned that he had discussed the issue with Chinese President Xi Jinping during a phone call on Friday, prior to his return to power. "I told him, we don't want that crap in our country," Trump recalled. Efforts to curb the flow of fentanyl precursors from China were a key focus of former US President Joe Biden's diplomatic efforts with Beijing. One of the main outcomes of the 2023 summit between Biden and Xi in San Francisco was Xi's pledge to crack down on precursor exports. In the months following that meeting, Biden administration officials largely acknowledged that China had made progress on its commitments. However, Trump argued that insufficient action had been taken, RFA reported. Fentanyl is an extremely potent synthetic opioid that US authorities hold responsible for the deaths of tens of thousands of Americans annually. The drug's precursors are manufactured in China and then converted into fentanyl by Mexican transnational drug trafficking organisations, who smuggle it into the United States. (ANI) Kazakhstan presented a national pavilion at one of the world's largest international education exhibitions--the Bett Show--for the first time that started on January 22 will continue until January 24 in London. The Bett Show (British Education Training and Technology Show) is a leading global event in the field of education. It brings together representatives from educational institutions, EdTech companies, universities, schools, and developers of educational solutions. Each year, the event attracts approximately 30,000 attendees from 130 countries, offering a platform to share experiences, present innovations, and discuss global educational trends. The central theme of Kazakhstan's pavilion is to showcase the country's development as a regional academic hub. Kazakhstan's evolving educational ecosystem has sparked growing interest in its learning opportunities, with around 30,000 international students currently studying in the country. In collaboration with leading foreign universities, Kazakhstan has introduced doctoral programmes and conducted extensive research initiatives. Large corporations are also supporting the introduction of artificial intelligence programmes to enhance digital competencies. The Kazak Minister of Science and Higher Education, Sayasat Nurbek, will present the 'Study in Kazakhstan' project, aimed at reinforcing the country's position as a regional academic hub. The establishment of campuses by leading British universities, such as Coventry University Kazakhstan, is expanding academic opportunities, enhancing the quality of education, and promoting the internationalisation of higher education institutions. "This is the first time Kazakhstan is participating in one of the world's largest educational exhibitions, the Bett Show, with a national pavilion. It provides an excellent opportunity to showcase our country's development as a regional academic hub. Today, about 30,000 foreign students study in Kazakhstan, and new educational programs are being implemented in collaboration with leading international universities. These achievements demonstrate the international recognition of Kazakhstan's education system and its openness to the world," said Sayasat Nurbek in his speech. The National Pavilion will feature six leading universities from Kazakhstan, along with branches of Coventry University Kazakhstan and Heriot-Watt University. The participants include LN Gumilev Eurasian National University, Al-Farabi Kazakh National University, Nazarbayev University, East Kazakhstan Technical University, Kazakh National Research Technical University and Atyrau Oil and Gas University. Additionally, Coventry University Kazakhstan, Heriot-Watt University in Kazakhstan, and JSC 'Centre for International Programs' will participate, highlighting Kazakhstan's active engagement in international educational dialogue. A primary objective of Kazakhstan's participation is to sign agreements with leading UK universities. These agreements will create new opportunities for academic and scientific cooperation, the adoption of modern digital tools, and the development of educational content. (ANI) A large group of government employees staged a protest in Pakistan-occupied Gilgit Baltistan (PoGB)'s Gilgit, demanding the reversal of recent pension cuts imposed by the provincial government, as reported by the Pamir Times. The rally, which began at Ittihad Chowk, saw participants marching towards the Chief Secretary's office, chanting slogans against the decision. According to the Pamir Times, the protesters, representing various government departments, voiced their frustration over the pension reductions, which they claim will severely affect their livelihood after retirement. They carried banners and placards calling for an immediate rollback of the cuts. Speaking to reporters, a representative of the Line Department Association emphasized the gravity of the situation, saying, "We have submitted a charter of demands to the government, and we will continue to protest until these are addressed. If our demands are not met, we will escalate the protest, and it will continue until at least June," as reported by the Pamir Times. Pamir Times reported that as the protesters advanced towards the Chief Secretary's office, law enforcement authorities set up barricades along Khazana Road to prevent the rally from reaching its destination. The police presence remained strong, and the situation was closely monitored to ensure no untoward incidents occurred. The protesters, however, remained firm in their resolve, reiterating that they would not relent until the government reversed its decision. Many expressed concerns that the pension cuts would disproportionately affect those who have dedicated years of service to the government, Pamir Times reported. While no confrontations were reported during the protest, the standoff with the police continued for several hours. The demonstrators vowed to intensify their efforts, signaling that the unrest may continue for an extended period if their demands are not met. The government has yet to issue a formal response to the protesters' demands, and it remains to be seen how the situation will unfold in the coming weeks. (ANI) Government employees in Pakistan, under the banner of the All Government Employees Grand Alliance (AGEGA), staged a protest outside the Pakistan Secretariat on Wednesday, demanding better salaries and the reversal of recent pension reforms, as reported by the Dawn. The protest, which involved over 100 unions and associations from various government departments, was part of a wider demonstration that took place in Islamabad and provincial headquarters nationwide. According to Dawn, AGEGA members called for a 200 per cent increase in house rent, medical, and conveyance allowances, a demand that mirrors recommendations made by the Pay and Pension Committee in 2020. The protestors are also pushing for the reinstatement of allowances in line with these guidelines, citing disparities in pay and benefits between judges, parliamentarians, and other government employees. Dawn further highlighted that Rehman Ali Bajwa, the Chief Coordinator of AGEGA, addressed the crowd, expressing frustration over the unequal salary hikes for different government sectors. He pointed out that while some government officials received substantial pay increases, ordinary civil servants were overlooked. Bajwa also criticised the government's approach to privatising state-owned institutions, calling for better management and restructuring instead. In addition to salary concerns, protesters are demanding the regularisation of contract employees and daily wage workers, the reinstatement of employees dismissed under the government's rightsizing initiative, and the withdrawal of recent tax hikes on salaries. Rahima Rehman, former president of the Federal Government College Teachers Association, also joined the protest, calling for the rollback of recent reforms related to leave encashment and pensions that she argued negatively affected teachers and government employees, the Dawn reported. According to the Dawn, AGEGA has issued a warning that if their demands are not met by February 10, they plan to stage an indefinite sit-in outside the Parliament building until their issues are addressed. (ANI) Sikyong Penpa Tsering, the head of the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA), has commenced the second phase of his official visits to Tibetan settlements in Northeast India, aimed at understanding the challenges faced by the Tibetan community in exile. During his visit to Dimapur, Sikyong underlined the critical importance of preserving the Tibetan language, culture, and Buddhism, which hold significance not only for Tibet but also for the Himalayan region and the global Buddhist community. He stressed the urgent need for Tibetans to learn their native language and understand their history, particularly in light of the Chinese Communist Party's (CCP) continued efforts to erase Tibetan identity, the CTA reported. Sikyong crticised the Chinese government's increasing control over Tibetans, comparing it to George Orwell's dystopian world. He highlighted the CCP's oppressive policies, including mass surveillance and the indoctrination of young Tibetans, aimed at eradicating Tibetan culture and autonomy. "The Chinese Communist Party is creating a society reminiscent of Orwell's 1984," Sikyong remarked, pointing to the regime's attempts to suppress Tibetan religion, language, and freedoms, CTA reported. Upon his arrival in Dimapur, the CTA stated that Sikyong was warmly welcomed by the local Tibetan community and state officials. During a community gathering, he addressed the audience on the progress and ongoing struggles of the Tibetan cause on the international stage. The CTA further noted that Sikyong spoke about the challenges faced by Tibetan settlements in exile, emphasizing the importance of sustaining these communities amidst demographic changes and maintaining strong ties between the Central Tibetan Administration and the Tibetan people. In his address, Sikyong reaffirmed the importance of the Middle Way Approach in resolving the Tibet-China conflict, urging unity among Tibetans regardless of their political views. He stressed that a united Tibetan front is essential for the success of their pursuit of justice and freedom, both in Tibet and in exile. (ANI) The Border Security Force (BSF) and Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) held a sector commander-level coordination meeting on Wednesday at the Sonamasjid border outpost in Bangladesh. The meeting aimed to ensure peace and cooperation along the Indo-Bangladesh border, according to the BSF South Bengal Frontier. The meeting was led by Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of the BSF Malda Sector, Tarun Kumar Gautam, and Commander of the BGB Rajshahi Sector, Colonel Mohammad Imran Ibne Rouf. Battalion commanders and staff officers from both forces also participated. According to the BSF South Bengal Frontier, the meeting focused on key issues related to border management, including enhancing cooperation, addressing illegal activities, and preventing unauthorised movement near the border. Both sides agreed on the importance of resolving border-related issues through dialogue and consensus and expressed concern about the spreading of rumours and exaggeration of border disputes in some sections of the media and committed to addressing these matters. Additionally, the meeting addressed recent concerns, such as the incident at the Sukdevpur border in West Bengal's Malda district on January 18, 2025, where reportedly a clash took place between the Indian and Bangladeshi citizens, which saw an increase after former Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina was ousted from the country. The BSF further reaffirmed its commitment to collaborating with the BGB to maintain security and peace along the border. The meeting concluded with both forces emphasising their dedication to bilateral cooperation and the security of the international border. Following the meeting, BSF South Bengal Frontier Public Relations Officer NK Pandey stated that such high-level meetings demonstrate the partnership between India and Bangladesh and reaffirmed BSF's commitment to maintaining peace and security at the border and strengthening relations with neighbouring countries. "These high-level meetings symbolise the strong partnership between India and Bangladesh. Both forces reiterated their commitment towards maintaining security of the international border and resolving common issues through mutual dialogue and cooperation. He further stressed that BSF is fully dedicated to its objective of ensuring peace and security of its borders, and having cordial relationships with its neighbouring countries is high on its priority," he said. (ANI) Hundreds of same-sex couples are tying the knot in Thailand on Thursday, as the country becomes the first in Southeast Asia to legalize marriage equality, according to a report by CNN. According to Bangkok Pride, which partnered with local authorities to organize the event, over 200 couples registered to marry at the Siam Paragon shopping center. This bill marks a major victory for the LGBTQ+ community, which has spent more than a decade advocating for equal marriage rights. The law, approved by Thailand's parliament and endorsed by the king in 2024, grants same-sex couples the ability to legally register their marriages, offering them full legal, financial, and medical rights, as well as adoption and inheritance rights. "This marriage equality law marks the beginning of Thai society's greater awareness of gender diversity, and our embrace of everyone regardless of sexual orientation, race, or religion -- our affirmation that everyone is entitled to equal rights and dignity," Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra said in a recorded message played at a mass wedding in the capital Bangkok on Thursday, according to CNN. Shinawatra hailed the legalization of same-sex marriage as a historic milestone for equality and inclusion. She celebrated the LGBTQIA+ community's decades-long struggle for marriage equality, calling it a "collective achievement from everyone's efforts." Sharing a post on X, she wrote, "23 January 2025 - the day of Love Triumphant! More than two decades of fighting to pass the #MarriageEquality law, and two decades of confronting prejudices and societal values, have finally brought us to this day. This victory is a collective achievement from everyone's efforts, especially the LGBTQIA+ community, who led the movement to bring marriage equality into effect. Today, the rainbow flag is proudly flying over Thailand." "This marriage equality law marks the beginning of Thai society's greater awareness of gender diversity, and our embrace of everyone regardless of sexual orientation, race, or religion-- our affirmation that everyone is entitled to equal rights and dignity," the post added. https://x.com/ingshin/status/1882282463357276660 Notably, Thailand's landmark marriage equality bill was officially written into law on September 24, 2024, allowing same-sex couples to legally wed. The law was published in the Royal Gazette after endorsement by King Maha Vajiralongkorn, CNN reported. (ANI) US nominee for Ambassador to the UN, Elise Stefanik, currently a member of the House of Representatives, has pledged to work toward Taiwan's maximum meaningful participation in international organisations, the Taipei Times reported. "I am committed to making sure that Taiwan has the most maximum meaningful participation within the UN system, as it should in all international organizations," Taipei Times quoted Stefanik who made the remarks during a Senate confirmation hearing in Washington on Tuesday. Stefanik made the statement in response to questions about how, if confirmed as Ambassador, she would address China's growing influence within the world body and its efforts to block Taiwan's participation in the UN system. Elise Stefanik has been a Republican representative since 2015 and has been highly critical of China. She is an ally of US President Donald Trump. Currently, she serves as a senior member of the House Committee on Armed Services and is also a member of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, according to the Taipei Times. In her remarks, Stefanik also underscored her support for Taiwan, specifically mentioning her votes in Congress in favor of defense aid to strengthen Taiwan's deterrence capabilities. While discussing the need to counter China, Stefanik stressed the importance of working closely with US allies and partners to ensure "we're running candidates, either American or allied nations, in the elections process for key leadership posts within the UN system." She further added, "We have to be vigilant both in the long-term and the short-term to make sure that China is not able to make significant inroads ... in international organizations". According to the Taipei Times, the envoy-designate also stated that the US should keep a close eye on all documents and statements released in Chinese by the UN, arguing that Beijing has attempted to insert "specific language [in those documents] that is counter to our values." (ANI) Flash Syria's interim Foreign Minister Asaad Hassan al-Shibani told the World Economic Forum in Davos on Wednesday that his country offered "tremendous investment opportunities" despite the devastation of over a decade of war, while a UN envoy in Damascus called for sanctions relief. Speaking in a public discussion with former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, al-Shibani said Syria's priorities included rebuilding infrastructure such as telecommunications, roads, ports, education, healthcare, and energy, according to Syria's state news agency SANA. "We don't want to rely solely on humanitarian aid. We aim to rebuild Syria with our own hands," al-Shibani said, citing partnerships with Gulf nations to revitalize the electrical grid. He also highlighted the potential contribution of Syrian expatriates. Al-Shibani urged the international community to lift sanctions, describing them as "the main obstacle" for ordinary Syrians. He said Syria had a "diverse economy" and a "strategically important geography" and was eager for foreign investment "on fair and transparent terms." Separately, in Damascus, UN Special Envoy Geir Pedersen stressed the urgency of addressing Syria's economic crisis and advocated for sanctions relief as part of a broader stabilization process. Pedersen outlined seven key challenges facing Syria: unifying armed factions, addressing issues in the northeast, ensuring citizen protection, advancing a political transition, delivering transitional justice, promoting economic recovery and reconstruction, and addressing Israel's presence in the Golan Heights. He reiterated that any credible political solution must be "Syrian-led and Syrian-owned," calling for an inclusive transition, including a new constitution and free elections. Al-Shibani told the Davos forum that Syria was "ready to open its doors" to global investors, citing development models like Singapore and Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030. While acknowledging the challenges posed by sanctions, the need for international partnerships and ongoing security risks, particularly in the northeast, al-Shibani emphasized that "Syria will not be divided" and that a united and stable nation was essential for attracting investment and meeting citizens' needs. The water crisis in Karachi has worsened as a recently repaired pipeline at the Dhabeji pumping station has sprung another leak, as reported by the Express Tribune. According to the Express tribune, the situation has been exacerbated by reduced water supply at government hydrants and a halt in operations at several regional pumping stations. Citizens are now forced to purchase water from tankers at inflated prices. A spokesperson for the Water Corporation explained that two pipeline lines were affected due to a power breakdown, causing a significant shortfall of 100 million gallons per day (MGD) of water, or 300 million gallons over the past three days. Though repair work on line number 5 began on Wednesday, a leak was discovered, and efforts to fix it are still ongoing. Meanwhile, repairs on line number 01 have not yet started, Express Tribune reported. The city's water supply system relies on 24 pumps, but currently, only 14 are operational, further compounding the crisis. As a result, numerous areas across the city are experiencing severe water shortages, affecting residents and businesses alike. The ongoing repairs and limited pump availability continue to disrupt the daily water supply, leaving citizens in urgent need of alternative solutions, as reported by Express Tribune. Earlier on Monday, Karachi experienced a water shortfall of 100 million gallons per day following an unexpected power outage at the Dhabeji Pumping Station, disrupting the city's water supply, the Dawn reported. The breakdown caused a complete halt to all operations at the pumping station. The Dhabeji Pumping Station, operated by the Karachi Water and Sewerage Corporation (KWSC), plays a crucial role in supplying water to Karachi. However, over the past ten years, it has experienced ongoing maintenance and technical problems, causing frequent disruptions in the city's water supply. These issues have made it difficult to ensure a reliable and consistent flow of water to Karachi's residents. (ANI) South Korea's anti-corruption agency has handed over its investigation into President Yoon Suk Yeol's alleged attempt to impose martial law to the prosecution, urging that he be charged with insurrection and abuse of power, according to a report by Yonhap News Agency. The Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (CIO) announced on Thursday that it transferred all related investigation materials, totaling over 30,000 pages compiled into 69 volumes. The CIO does not have indictment powers against a president. "The suspect continues to be uncooperative and defy the procedures under the criminal justice system despite facing nationally serious charges of being a leader of an insurrection," Lee Jae-seung, the CIO deputy chief, said during a press briefing. "In these circumstances, we decided that rather than continually trying to question him, it would be more effective for determining the truth behind the incident for the prosecution, which has to decide on the indictment, to combine the investigation thus far and look further into whatever is needed," he added, according to Yonhap. Yoon is currently detained at the Seoul Detention Center in Uiwang. Meanwhile, the Constitutional Court is conducting a trial to determine whether his impeachment by the National Assembly will be upheld or overturned. If the impeachment is confirmed, Yoon will be removed from office, triggering a presidential election within 60 days. If it is overturned, he will regain his position. The prosecution is expected to file for an extension of Yoon's arrest and indict him following further questioning around February 5, according to Yonhap. Earlier on January 19, Seoul Western District Court in Seoul issued a detention warrant for Yoon, citing concerns over potential evidence tampering and allowing authorities to hold him for an extended period over his controversial martial law declaration in December 2024. South Korean investigators had arrested Yoon on January 15 over accusations of prompting an uprising against the government. On December 14, Yoon was impeached by the National Assembly over his attempt to impose martial law in the country. The members of the unicameral National Assembly had voted 204 to 85 to impeach South Korea's President. (ANI) Pakistani authorities have imposed an internet blackout in Dalbandin, raising serious concerns among human rights groups and activists about the looming threat of violence in Balochistan, according to a post shared on X by Mahrang Baloch on Thursday. The internet blackout comes days before Baloch Genocide Remembrance Day, scheduled for January 25, when the people of Balochistan will come together to protest the ongoing atrocities. The post noted that the digital crackdown is reminiscent of an unsettling trend. Similar internet restrictions were imposed during the Baloch National Gathering in Gwadar in July last year, where organizers and attendees of the event were brutally suppressed afterward. Serious concerns are being raised due to this history of repression, with fears that the government may use violence to suppress peaceful opposition in Dalbandin once again. The internet blackout heightens concerns among Baloch Youth Conference (BYC) organizers about a possible crackdown on the event. The shutdown severely limits the Baloch people's ability to record and share their experiences of human rights violations, as communication routes are cut off. Mahrang Baloch, in her post, claimed that the digital siege not only infringes on basic human rights but also threatens the rights to free expression and peaceful assembly. It fosters a climate of intimidation and terror in which the government can act without consequence. The post by Mahran Baloch on X stated, "Call to Action Against Internet Shutdown and Potential Crackdown in Dalbandin. The shutdown of internet services across the region, including Dalbandin, ahead of the peaceful Baloch national gathering represents a deliberate attempt to silence voices and violates fundamental human rights". The post reported that human rights organisations have a critical role to play in this situation. They must strongly denounce the internet outage and demand that the Pakistani government promptly restore internet access in Dalbandin. They must also monitor the situation closely and take action to prevent any possible violence against the organizers and attendees of Baloch Genocide Remembrance Day. (ANI) The UAE-India CEPA Council (UICC), in collaboration with the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry Ladies Organisation (FICCI-FLO Mumbai Chapter), hosted a business roundtable with over 40 Indian women business owners and entrepreneurs to explore opportunities to leverage the benefits of the UAE-India Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA), according to a statement. The UAE delegation included the Ambassador of the UAE to India, Abdulnasser Alshaali; Ahmed Aljneibi, Director of the UICC; and Kawthar Alkharoossi, Investment Support and Inducements Senior Specialist at the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Senior FICCI-FLO representatives such as Joyshree Das Verma, FLO National President; Aarmeen Mogul Dordi, Chairperson of the FLO Mumbai Chapter; Kiran Gera, past FLO National President and Founder Chairperson of the FLO Mumbai Chapter; and Samina Khorakiwala also participated in the event, as per the statement. "The UAE-India CEPA has redefined opportunities for women entrepreneurs. FICCI-FLO is proud to collaborate with the UAE-India CEPA Council in convening this platform for our members to better understand the benefits of the CEPA, and the role the UAE can play in ensuring their businesses thrive on a truly global scale." Chairperson FICCI FLO Mumbai Chapter Aarmeen Mogul Dordi said. In his remarks, Ambassador Alshaali noted that "Empowering women entrepreneurs is central to the goals of the UAE-India CEPA. By fostering inclusive growth, we can unlock the full potential of the CEPA, driving sustainable development and creating a range of new opportunities for women in both countries." Further as per the statement, during the event, Alkharoossi from the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs delivered an in-depth presentation on investment opportunities in the UAE tailored for Indian women entrepreneurs. Ahmed Aljneibi, Director of the UICC, outlined the significant benefits the UAE-India CEPA has brought to women-led businesses, including greater market access, reduced trade barriers, and enhanced bilateral collaboration. The UAE-India CEPA offers transformative opportunities for women entrepreneurs in India by facilitating greater market access, lowering tariffs, and simplifying trade processes. It has significantly benefited Indian industries like textiles, jewellery, and handicrafts, where women entrepreneurs hold a particularly strong presence, the statement observed. The CEPA transcends traditional trade agreements by providing a range of unique features to address challenges tradionally faced by women entrepreneurs. By streamlining regulatory compliance, simplifying logistics processes, and fostering transparent trade practices, the CEPA ensures that women-led businesses can thrive. Notably, the CEPA has contributed to the strengthening of economic ties between the UAE and India. Trade between the two countries surged from USD 72.9 billion in the 2021-2022 to USD 83.64 billion in the 2023-2024 fiscal year, an expansion of almost 15 per cent. These figures have reinfoced the UAE's position as India's second-largest export market, third-largest trading partner, and fourth-largest investor. The UICC, established in early 2024, has played a pivotal role in harnessing the opportunities created by the signing of the CEPA. The UICC is dedicated to fostering open dialogue, facilitating tangible cooperation, and accelerating trade ties between UAE and Indian businesses to cultivate mutual growth and prosperity, the statement observed. (ANI) Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri will visit Beijing on January 26 and 27 for a meeting of the Foreign Secretary-Vice Minister mechanism between India and China. Ministry of External Affairs said in a release that the resumption of this bilateral mechanism flows from the agreement at the leadership level to discuss the next steps for India-China relations, including in the political, economic, and people-to-people domains. India and China had reached an agreement in October on patrolling arrangements in the Depsang Plains and Demchok, two friction points along the Line of Actual Control (LAC). The understanding was reached after earlier disengagement in other friction points in eastern Ladakh following meetings at diplomatic and military levels. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said in his remarks in Parliament in December last year that the conclusion of disengagement has set the bilateral ties "in the direction of some improvement". Prime Minister Narendra Modi had met Chinese President Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the 16th BRICS Summit at Kazan on October 23, 2024. PM Modi had welcomed the agreement for complete disengagement and resolution of issues that arose in 2020 in the India-China border areas and underscored the importance of properly handling differences and disputes and not allowing them to disturb peace and tranquillity. The two leaders agreed that the Special Representatives on the India-China boundary question will meet at an early date to oversee the management of peace and tranquillity in border areas and to explore a fair, reasonable and mutually acceptable solution to the boundary question. The two leaders had also affirmed that stable, predictable, and amicable bilateral relations between India and China, as two neighbours and the two largest nations on earth, will have a positive impact on regional and global peace and prosperity. The two leaders had underlined the need to progress bilateral relations from a strategic and long-term perspective, enhance strategic communication and explore cooperation to address developmental challenges. Special Representatives (SRs) of India and China NSA Ajit Doval and Wang Yi, Member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and Minister of Foreign Affairs, met in Beijing on December 18 last year. (ANI) Sharjah [UAE], January 23 (ANI/WAM): The inaugural edition of the Sharjah Literature Festival concluded, marking a distinguished cultural event that illuminated the emirate's literary landscape with the theme 'Emirati Tales Inspire the Future'. Over the course of five days, Sharjah transformed into a vibrant hub of words and ideas, where writers, intellectuals, publishers, and audiences gathered in a shared space to celebrate the richness of Emirati literature and the nation's deep rooted cultural heritage. Organised by Sharjah Book Authority and the Emirates Publishers Association, under the generous patronage of His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, and guided by Sheikha Bodour bint Sultan Al Qasimi, Chairperson of the Sharjah Book Authority and Honorary President of the Emirates Publishers Association, the festival opened a new window into the world of Emirati literature, highlighting the remarkable achievements of Emirati authors and publishers, while strengthening the UAE's position as a prominent centre for literature and culture. Through its diverse range of activities, the festival provided a unique experience that captured the essence of Emirati cultural identity. The inaugural edition of the Sharjah Literature Festival brought together 29 esteemed guests and 12 moderators, representing some of the UAE's most prominent figures in literature, thought, art, and media. The square opposite the University City Hall in Sharjah was transformed into a dynamic stage for 20 inspiring sessions and panel discussions, which highlighted Emirati literary creativity, both past and present, explored its future directions, and examined the role of literature in instilling national and creative values. In addition, the festival featured 9 interactive workshops for children and adults, covering themes such as space exploration, Arabic calligraphy design, scented candle and musk making, storytelling, and the arts. The event enriched visitors experiences with the book exhibition showcasing the latest publications from 41 Emirati publishers. Visitors were also treated to 25 captivating musical performances, including a piano recital by Iman Al Hashimi, the first Emirati female composer. The festival also offered unique shopping experiences from five participating stores and delightful culinary offerings from 10 diverse restaurants. Commenting on the success of the event, Rashid Al Kous, Executive Director of the Emirates Publishers Association, expressed his pride in the festival, "The first edition of the Sharjah Literature Festival exceeded all expectations, reflecting the local community's passion for literature and culture while also celebrating Emirati cultural identity and the literary richness that has distinguished Emirati writers across generations. We are proud that Sharjah has become the launching pad for this pioneering cultural event, and we aspire to transform it into a global literary platform in the future." Al Kous also extended his gratitude to the Sharjah Book Authority, acknowledging its vital role in solidifying Sharjah's reputation as a capital of culture and literature. He further commended the University City of Sharjah--the event's strategic partner--for its unwavering support and dedicated efforts, which were instrumental in the success of the festival's first edition. As the first chapter of the Sharjah Literature Festival's journey comes to an end, it marks a promising launch for a new platform dedicated to celebrating the power of words and ideas. The festival's activities wove a rich tapestry of cultural dialogue and human connection, showcasing the vibrant spirit of Emirati literature. With the conclusion of the first edition, the festival stands as a testament to how great beginnings pave the way for a brighter future as anticipation builds for future editions that promise to deliver even more creativity, excellence, and cultural enrichment. (ANI/WAM) Muhammad Nazal and Katiba Shelbi were killed during a four-hour exchange of gunfire after barricading themselves inside a building. Nazal and Shelbi were involved in a Jan. 6 shooting attack near Kedumim in which a police officer and two retired teachers were killed. Hamas initially claimed responsibility for that attack. The IDF said additional suspects who linked to the shooting spree were also detained for questioning. During the operation, one soldier was moderately injured and taken to a hospital for treatment. Meanwhile, a major counterterror operation in the Jenin refugee camp entered its third day. The raid came on the heels of the Palestinian Authority's failed crackdown in the Jenin refugee camp. (ANI/TPS) Jerusalem [Israel], January 23 (ANI/TPS): As a Sunday deadline approaches for withdrawing Israeli military forces from Lebanon, experts and residents of the north told The Press Service of Israel that Hezbollah violations of the ceasefire leave them skeptical. "Hezbollah wants the ceasefire to continue to allow them to rearm and rebuild. It's in their interest, and they are actively working on it," Sarit Zehavi, head of the Alma Research and Education Center told TPS-IL. "Every day there are ceasefire violations, and every day we hear explosions near the border. Hezbollah is advancing civilian reconstruction, enabling the renewal of its military capabilities under the guise of repairing damaged civilian infrastructure." "They have already signed contracts with construction companies, opened operations centers to map damages, and are investing significant resources, including direct involvement from Iran," Zehavi noted. According to her, this phenomenon mirrors the patterns observed after the Second Lebanon War, when Hezbollah concealed its military activity behind a civilian facade. Israel's Security Cabinet was due to convene on Thursday night to discuss potentially extending the deadline and the possibility of maintaining five outposts in Lebanese territory. Multiple sources revealed to TPS-IL that the ceasefire has been marred by dozens of Hezbollah violations, such as transferring weapons and returning to southern Lebanon. Israeli air and ground attacks in response have eliminated more than 50 Hezbollah terrorists since the ceasefire took effect on November 27. Under the terms of a two-month ceasefire that went into effect on November 27, Hezbollah is supposed to withdraw its armed presence from areas of southern Lebanon south of the Litani River. Israeli forces are also supposed to complete their withdrawal by Sunday. The Lebanese Armed Forces and monitors from the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon were supposed deploy throughout southern Lebanon and along the 120 km border with Israel. However, Israeli officials are dissatisfied Beirut's inability to enforce the ceasefire in south Lebanese areas vacated by the Israel Defense Forces. David Mencer, Spokesman for the National Public Diplomacy Directorate in the Office of the Prime Minister said on Thursday called the Lebanese army's deployment "slow and insufficient." IDF Northern Command Chief, Major General Ori Gordin reportedly told members of the Knesset's Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee in early January that Lebanese Army commanders who are Shi'ite are collaborating with Hezbollah. Israeli residents along the northern border feel the daily pressure. "The State of Israel cannot afford to sleep with the enemy again," Kiryat Shmona resident Rafael Salab told TPS-IL. Salab is one of the leaders of "Fighting for the North," a civil movement. "There must be a clear buffer zone between the border communities and Lebanese villages. The return of residents to fence-adjacent villages represents Hezbollah's realignment in our backyard, right in communities like Metula and Manara," he said. However, some residents held cautious hope. Vicki, a resident of Moshav Kfar Yuval and mother of four, has been evacuated from her home for most of the last year. "We've been home for a month and a half now. We're working on repairing, organizing," she shared with TPS-IL. "There's nothing like being home. Living at home, without feeling degraded is simply amazing." Regarding Hezbollah being marginalized by Lebanon's new government, Zahavi said Hezbollah would likely try to join it. "If Hezbollah joins the Lebanese government, it will be a historic missed opportunity," Zehavi warned. "Such a move would legitimize Hezbollah's presence as both a political and military entity, further embedding it within the Lebanese state structure. This will severely hinder the enforcement of UN resolutions requiring Hezbollah's disarmament and limit international efforts to isolate its military operations. Instead of dismantling its arsenal, Hezbollah will gain leverage to manipulate government resources for its own agenda, strengthening its grip on the border region and threatening Israel's security." In the meantime, all the parties are avoiding significant escalation. "Hezbollah will think ten times before opening fire," Zehavi said. "Both Israel and the international community are not interested in this escalation right now. However, it's crucial to keep a vigilant eye and avoid repeating past mistakes." (ANI/TPS) Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto will be on a four-day visit to India during which he will meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi and attend the Republic Day Parade as Chief Guest. Apart from a comprehensive review of bilateral ties, discussions during the visit are also expected to include regional and global issues of mutual interest. Several MoUs are expected to be signed and discussions are expected to cover areas such as food security, energy security and health care, sources told ANI. They said Indonesia's need for doctors and nurses and potential for collaboration in digital mapping for agriculture and renewable energy are likely to be part of discussions. The sources said discussions are also expected to include ways to strengthen ties through cultural exchanges such as movie productions, educational initiatives, student exchanges and research collaborations besides trade, exploring better flight connectivity including the Delhi-Jakarta route and greater people-to-people connections. This will be the first visit of President Prabowo to India as Head of State. Sukarno, the first President of Indonesia, was the Chief Guest at India's first Republic Day in 1950. A 352-member marching and band contingent from Indonesia will participate in the Parade on the Kartvya Path in the national capital. This will be the first time that an Indonesian marching and band contingent will participate in a national day parade abroad. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar will call on President Prabowo on Friday. On Saturday, the visiting leader will be later accorded a ceremonial welcome at the Rashtrapati Bhavan. Before talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi at Hyderabad House, the visiting leader will lay a wreath at Rajghat. India is now part of BRICS group and had expressed its appreciation for India's support towards its membership of the forum of emerging economies. Sources said Indonesia is interested in learning from India and other countries to strengthen its defence system and is keen on technology transfer. They said a defence deal is unlikely to be finalised during this visit and that India and Indonesia also have robust defence cooperation with Defence Cooperation Agreement signed in 2018. The two countries are close maritime neighbours with cultural and trade ties spanning over a millennia. The annual Bali Yatra festival, which commemorates the historic voyages by Indian seafarers who would set sail to Bali, is one such example of these cultural linkages. Indonesia is one of India's largest trading partners in the ASEAN region. Bilateral trade in 2023-24 reached US$ 29.40 billion. Indian investments in Indonesia amount to USD 1.56 billion in infrastructure, power, textiles, steel, automotive, mining, banking and consumer goods sectors. President Prabowo will be the fourth Indonesian President to attend India's Republic Day celebrations. PM Modi Modi paid an official visit to Indonesia in 2018. During the visit, India-Indonesia bilateral ties were elevated to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership and a shared vision of India-Indonesia Maritime Cooperation in the Indo-Pacific was also adopted. PM Modi met President Prabowo on the sidelines of the G20 Summit in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil in November last year. This was the first meeting between the two leaders. (ANI) US President Donald Trump, speaking at the World Economic Forum in Davos on Thursday, called for NATO nations to increase their defense spending to 5 percent of GDP, emphasizing that the United States has been shouldering an unfair burden in global defense spending, particularly in the Ukraine war. Trump also highlighted the disparity in financial contributions, noting that the US has spent USD 200 billion more than NATO on the conflict. Speaking about the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), Trump said, "As we restore common sense in America, we're moving quickly to bring back strength, peace, and stability abroad. I'm also going to ask all NATO nations to increase defense spending to 5 percent of GDP, which is what it should have been years ago." "It was only at 2 percent, and most nations didn't pay until I came along. I insisted they pay, and they did, because the United States was really paying the difference at that time, and it was unfair to the United States," he added. Trump reiterated his previous remarks, made during a signing ceremony at the Oval Office, underscoring NATO's financial contributions. "NATO has to pay 5 percent. We are in the Ukraine war with USD 200 billion more than NATO. It's ridiculous because it affects them a lot more. We have an ocean in between. And we've spent USD 200 billion more on Ukraine than NATO has spent. They've got to equalize," he said. US President Donald Trump also spoke about the ceasefire negotiations in the West Asia. President Trump also underlined the immediate changes he has implemented in American domestic and international policies since assuming his second term as President of the United States. During his address, President Trump stated that he would urge NATO countries to increase their defense spending. Trump also addressed various international issues. He called on Saudi Arabia and OPEC countries to lower oil prices, discussed the Russia-Ukraine conflict, and highlighted several American policies, including the deployment of troops along the US southern border to curb illegal immigration. The US President also spoke about ceasefire negotiations in West Asia, noting the efforts made by his administration. He said, "Before even taking office, my team negotiated the ceasefire agreement in the Middle East, which wouldn't have happened without us." "Earlier this week, the hostages began to return to their families, and it's a beautiful sight. More and more will be coming home," Trump added. The US President delivered these remarks at the summit in Davos, Switzerland, held from January 20 to 24. The forum serves as a platform to deliberate on pressing global challenges, economic transformations, and sustainability goals. (ANI) Sri Lanka reaps dividends from China's growth 08:46, January 23, 2025 By Zhao Jia ( China Daily An expert from the Chinese Academy of Tropical Agricultural Sciences demonstrates fruit bagging technology in Makandura, Sri Lanka, on Dec 23, 2024. (Photo/Xinhua) Beneath the sun's golden rays at the Sustainable Agriculture Research and Development Center in Makandura, Sri Lanka, Chinese agricultural expert Sun Dequan was surrounded by local farmers and agricultural technicians while demonstrating, step-by-step, the advanced techniques for banana planting and field management. Sri Lanka, a land blessed with over 100 varieties of edible fruit crops, has long faced challenges in realizing its agricultural potential, due to outdated farming methods and an underdeveloped fruit industry. "By applying Chinese techniques, bananas are showing remarkable growth," said Sun, 53, head of a team of Chinese experts who came to the island nation in April 2023 under a South-South cooperation program. The program was jointly launched by China, Sri Lanka, and the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization. "We've introduced 12 key agricultural technologies and established three high-standard demonstration farms for bananas, pineapples, and mangoes," Sun said, adding that 31 training sessions have been held, attracting over 1,900 participants. These accomplishments were hard-earned. Sun reflected on the challenges his team's members faced upon their arrival, as language barriers, tropical diseases, and unyielding heat tested their resilience. Yet he was also profoundly touched by the eagerness of local residents to embrace new knowledge. "This is why we came to Sri Lanka," Sun said. "No matter how tough it gets, seeing the impact of our efforts makes it all worthwhile. "Through collaboration and shared growth, we are not just improving agriculture we are strengthening the friendship between our nations," he added. The project is only part of the broader efforts by China to help Sri Lanka, one of the nation's traditional partners in South Asia, to explore a development path suited to its national conditions. Beijing reaffirmed its commitment to sharing the dividends from its own development during the state visit to China last week by Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake. President Xi Jinping told Dissanayake, the first head of state to visit China in the new year, that China's efforts to further deepen reform comprehensively to advance Chinese modernization will bring new opportunities for Sri Lanka's development. China will actively support Sri Lanka in focusing on economic development, advancing high-quality cooperation under the Belt and Road Initiative, and enhancing collaboration in areas such as modern agriculture and the digital and marine economies, Xi said. They also witnessed the signing of 15 cooperation agreements. "Together, we're paving the way for a new era of Sri Lanka-China cooperation," Dissanayake wrote in a post on X after the meeting. He also said he was "grateful for China's strong support for Sri Lanka's vision of 'A Thriving Nation A Beautiful Life' &efforts to build a corruption-free nation". By the end of 2022, China had become Sri Lanka's second-largest trading partner, as well as a major foreign investment source and a key provider of development aid. China is also the fourth-largest source of tourists for the South Asian nation. Robust exchanges and cooperation across the board have propelled bilateral ties into the fast lane of development, Chinese Ambassador to Sri Lanka Qi Zhenhong said, citing a series of landmark projects, such as Port City Colombo and Hambantota International Port. According to a joint statement issued last week, the two countries have agreed to advance all major signature projects, fully utilize such platforms as the Silk Road Workshop, and carry out more livelihood programs in Sri Lanka. Dewaneththi Ruvini Chamika Silva, 27, an employee with a subsidiary of China Harbour Engineering Co, the primary developer of Port City Colombo, said the job was a "fantastic learning curve" for him. "I've gained valuable insights into professional workflows, enhanced my ability to meet expectations, and developed critical teamwork and problem-solving skills," he said. 'Trusted friend' "For the people of Sri Lanka, China is not just an economic driver, but also a trusted friend that shares a vision of growth and prosperity," he added, calling the results of this collaboration, as seen in projects like Port City Colombo, "tangible examples of how this partnership benefits both nations". "The project has created numerous job opportunities, enabling locals to engage in an international work environment, which has been an empowering experience for many. Additionally, the project's infrastructure developments have revitalized Colombo, contributing to urban growth, economic activity and the city's future as a regional hub," he added. Xiong Hongfeng, a manager at China Harbour Engineering Co, said that the project, once completed, is expected to attract nearly $15 billion in foreign direct investment, increase the Sri Lankan government's fiscal revenue by $5 billion, and create over 400,000 high-quality local jobs. Greater prospects Analysts said bilateral cooperation holds even greater prospects for higher-level, more resilient, and sustainable win-win development under the framework of the BRI. Wang Yiwei, a professor at Renmin University of China's School of International Relations, said that apart from major projects, China has also initiated "small and beautiful" livelihood projects with relatively low costs and quick results, and these align with people's immediate and basic needs and help foster friendship and mutual trust between the two nations. "Beijing has helped Colombo in enhancing its capability building, and Sri Lanka has increasingly recognized that China's development model and experience can bring about growth and prosperity," he added. Earlier this month, the China Foundation for Rural Development donated 5,000 care packages to the Sri Lankan government to improve the basic learning conditions for students in impoverished areas. In December, China announced that it will assist in the construction of 1,996 units of affordable housing for low-income groups in five locations in Colombo. (Web editor: Tian Yi, Liang Jun) Flash People gather around a truck loaded with humanitarian aid in the southern Gaza Strip City of Rafah, on Jan. 19, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua] UN humanitarians and their partners are seizing every opportunity presented by the ceasefire to increase aid deliveries and services for Gazans, including damage assessments for those returning to home sites only to find rubble. The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said on Wednesday they are stepping up support for people across the Gaza Strip, increasing the flow of incoming supplies and deliveries, and scaling up storage capacity, repair work, life-saving services and needs. They are distributing food parcels and flour and working to reopen bakeries. Farhan Haq, deputy spokesman for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, told reporters at a regular briefing about the UN system's efforts to help those in the devastated Gaza Strip. "One of the things the United Nations does in conflict zones and in post-conflict situations is deal with the questions of rubble removal, demining, and the clearance of unexploded ordnance and rebuilding," Haq said. "Those are handled by various different groups, including the Mine Action Service, the UN Office for Project Services, and the UN Development Programme." Haq added that it would take time. "We're in the early days yet, and so we're just in the first phase, which is one really of assessment." The UN relief agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) reported nearly 1,000 trucks entered Gaza on the second day of the ceasefire. Some 118 aid trucks delivered more than 53,000 food parcels to communities in Khan Younis and to UNRWA shelters in Deir al Balah alone. The UN Population Fund (UNFPA) reported that 20 trucks delivered critical supplies, including for safe births, emergency obstetric care, postpartum kits, contraceptives and winter items to Deir al Balah on Tuesday, and 20 more trucks carrying UNFPA assistance entered northern Gaza on Wednesday. The UN Office for Project Services distributed fuel to ensure critical services such as healthcare and water pumping, and desalination can run on backup generators in the absence of electricity. OCHA said the world body and its partners are also supporting infrastructure repairs, including to water wells and desalination plants. "Humanitarian partners are carrying out rapid assessments in newly accessible areas to identify people's most urgent needs, including water, hygiene, sanitation and healthcare," OCHA said. "They are also stepping up disease surveillance efforts." The office said humanitarians are setting up trauma stabilization points to handle emergency cases and mobilizing specialized care teams. The amount of aid entering Gaza since the ceasefire is in stark contrast to the scarcity of provisions allowed in before the ceasefire, especially into the northern governorates. The scale of devastation has rendered neighborhoods unrecognizable. In the West Bank, OCHA warned that ongoing Israeli forces' operation in Jenin is putting people's safety and welfare at risk while destroying infrastructure as essential as roads, electricity and water pipes. Ten people have reportedly been killed, with dozens more injured. The military operation, which began on Tuesday, involved air strikes and other lethal war-like tactics that OCHA said seem to exceed law enforcement standards. The office said it received reports of more people being forced out of Jenin camp, citing the ongoing Israeli operation and lack of water. OCHA said the Jenin Government Hospital was disconnected from water and electricity networks. It relies on dwindling water reserves from emergency tanks that were installed just weeks ago in preparation for emergencies through an allocation by the OCHA-managed Occupied Palestinian Territory Humanitarian Fund. The office said humanitarian partners plan to refill water and full reserves at the hospital as soon as security allows. Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto will be on a four-day visit to India on Thursday during which he will meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi and attend the Republic Day Parade as Chief Guest. Apart from a comprehensive review of bilateral ties, discussions during the visit are also expected to include regional and global issues of mutual interest. Several MoUs are expected to be signed and discussions are expected to cover areas such as food security, energy security and health care, sources told ANI. They said Indonesia's need for doctors and nurses and potential for collaboration in digital mapping for agriculture and renewable energy are likely to be part of discussions. The sources said discussions are also expected to include ways to strengthen ties through cultural exchanges such as movie productions, educational initiatives, student exchanges and research collaborations besides trade, exploring better flight connectivity including the Delhi-Jakarta route and greater people-to-people connections. This will be the first visit of President Prabowo to India as Head of State. Sukarno, the first President of Indonesia, was the Chief Guest at India's first Republic Day in 1950. A 352-member marching and band contingent from Indonesia will participate in the Parade on the Kartvya Path in the national capital. This will be the first time that an Indonesian marching and band contingent will participate in a national day parade abroad. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar will call on President Prabowo on Friday. On Saturday, the visiting leader will be later accorded a ceremonial welcome at the Rashtrapati Bhavan. Before talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi at Hyderabad House, the visiting leader will lay a wreath at Rajghat. Indonesia is now part of the BRICS group and had expressed its appreciation for India's support towards its membership of the forum of emerging economies. Sources said Indonesia is interested in learning from India and other countries to strengthen its defence system and is keen on technology transfer. They said a defence deal is unlikely to be finalised during this visit and that India and Indonesia also have robust defence cooperation with the Defence Cooperation Agreement signed in 2018. The two countries are close maritime neighbours with cultural and trade ties spanning over a millennia. The annual Bali Yatra festival, which commemorates the historic voyages by Indian seafarers who would set sail to Bali, is one such example of these cultural linkages. Indonesia is one of India's largest trading partners in the ASEAN region. Bilateral trade in 2023-24 reached US$ 29.40 billion. Indian investments in Indonesia amount to USD 1.56 billion in infrastructure, power, textiles, steel, automotive, mining, banking and consumer goods sectors. President Prabowo will be the fourth Indonesian President to attend India's Republic Day celebrations. PM Modi paid an official visit to Indonesia in 2018. During the visit, India-Indonesia bilateral ties were elevated to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership and a shared vision of India-Indonesia Maritime Cooperation in the Indo-Pacific was also adopted. PM Modi met President Prabowo on the sidelines of the G20 Summit in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil in November last year. This was the first meeting between the two leaders. (ANI) Members of Indonesia's military contingent, which will take part in this year's Republic Day, are excited over their visit to India and their participation in the parade at the Kartvaya Path. Deputy Commander of the Indonesian Military Academy, Brigadier Kristomei, who is leading the Indonesian Contingent, told ANI a 352-member marching and band contingent from Indonesia will be participating in the Republic Day Parade. "We are very excited and would like to convey our sincere gratitude and appreciation to the Indian government for inviting us to this event... For most of us, this is our first time in India. We are looking forward to presenting ourselves in front of the Indian government, the Indian people and our President," he said. Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto will be the chief guest at this year's Republic Day. This will be the first time that an Indonesian marching and band contingent will participate in a national day parade abroad. Second Sergeant Major Cadet Tasya Putri, said, "I am participating in this event as a leader of the marching bands. I am excited. This is my first time in India. I hope our presence here will enhance the cooperation between India and Indonesia." President Prabowo Subianto arrived in India on a four-day during which he will meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi and attend the Republic Day Parade as Chief Guest. Apart from a comprehensive review of bilateral ties, discussions during the visit are also expected to include regional and global issues of mutual interest. Several MoUs are expected to be signed and discussions are expected to cover areas such as food security, energy security and health care, sources told ANI. They said Indonesia's need for doctors and nurses, potential for collaboration in digital mapping for agriculture and renewable energy are likely to be part of discussions. The sources said there will also be discussions to strengthen ties through cultural exchanges such as movie productions, educational initiatives, student exchanges and research collaborations besides trade, exploring better flight connectivity including Delhi-Jakarta route and greater people-to-people connections. This will be the first visit of President Prabowo to India as Head of State. Sukarno, the first President of Indonesia, was the Chief Guest at India's first Republic Day in 1950. A 352-member marching and band contingent from Indonesia will participate in the Parade on the Kartvya Path in the national capital. This will be the first time that an Indonesian marching and band contingent will participate in a national day parade abroad. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar will call on President Prabowo on Friday. On Saturday, the visiting leader will be later accorded a ceremonial welcome at the Rashtrapati Bhavan. Before talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi at Hyderabad House, the visiting leader will lay a wreath at Rajghat. (ANI) Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto arrived in the national capital on Friday night, on his first state visit to India. He was received by the Minister of State for External Affairs, Pabitra Margherita at the airport in New Delhi. President Prabowo, who is in India from January 23-26, will also be the Chief Guest for India's 76th Republic Day celebrations. The Ministry of External Affairs said that the visit will further strengthen the India-Indonesia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. "A warm welcome to President Prabowo Subianto @prabowo of Indonesia as he arrives in New Delhi on his first State Visit to India. Received by MoS @PmargheritaBJP at the airport. President @prabowo will be the Chief Guest for India's 76th Republic Day celebrations. This visit will further strengthen the India-Indonesia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership," MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal stated in a post on X. https://x.com/MEAIndia/status/1882481944283463820 Before departing, President Prabowo shared the details of his visit on X, and said the visit is aimed to strengthen strategic cooperation in areas such as security, maritime, and digital technology development. He also informed that he will depart for Malaysia after his Indonesia visit. "Today, I depart for New Delhi, India, to attend the 76th Republic Day celebrations of India. During my visit, I will meet with the President and Prime Minister of India to strengthen strategic cooperation in areas such as security, maritime, and digital technology development," the Indonesian President stated. "After completing my agenda in India, I will continue my trip to Malaysia at the invitation of Yang di-Pertuan Agong Sultan Ibrahim and Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim. Close cooperation with friendly countries has always been our priority to build a stronger and more prosperous region together," he added. https://x.com/prabowo/status/1882436266148659661 During his visit, President Subianto is set to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, President Droupadi Murmu and Vice President Jagdeep Dhankar, the MEA stated. On Friday, he will meet External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar at the Taj Mahal Hotel at 4:00 pm. On January 25, President Prabowo will participate in a ceremonial reception at Rashtrapati Bhavan at 10:00 am, followed by a wreath-laying ceremony at Rajghat. He will later hold a meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi at Hyderabad House at 12:00 pm, which will include the exchange of Memorandums of Understanding (MOUs) and press statements. In the evening, he will meet with India's Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar at the Taj Mahal Hotel at 4:00 pm. At 7:00 pm, he will meet President Droupadi Murmu at Rashtrapati Bhavan. On January 26, President Prabowo will attend the Republic Day Parade as the Chief Guest. Later in the afternoon, he will attend the "At Home" Reception hosted by President Murmu at Rashtrapati Bhavan. At 5:30 pm, he will depart for Indonesia. Notably, with President Subianto as Chief Guest at this year's Republic Day, a 352-member marching and band contingent from the country will be participating in the Parade on the Kartvya Path in the national capital. This will be the first time that an Indonesian marching and band contingent will participate in a national day parade abroad. Several MoUs and announcements are likely to be concluded and the third CEO Forum will be held on the sidelines. President Prabowo will be the fourth Indonesian President to attend India's Republic Day celebrations. PM Modi paid an official visit to Indonesia in 2018. During the visit, India-Indonesia bilateral ties were elevated to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership and a shared vision of India-Indonesia Maritime Cooperation in the Indo-Pacific was also adopted. PM Modi also met President Prabowo on the sidelines of the G20 Summit in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil in November last year. This was the first meeting between the two leaders. (ANI) US President Donald Trump, called on companies globally to manufacture their products in the United States, while also issuing a stern warning to those doing otherwise that they will have to pay tariffs worth 'billions and trillions' of dollars. Virtually addressing the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, Switzerland on Thursday, Trump promised substantial tax cuts to businesses that choose to produce in the US. "My message to every business in the world is very simple. Come make your product in America, and we will give you among the lowest taxes of any nation on Earth. We're bringing them down very substantially, even from the original Trump tax cuts," he said. For businesses choosing not to manufacture in the US, Trump warned, "But if you don't make your product in America, which is your prerogative, then very simply, you will have to pay a tariff differing amounts, but a tariff which will direct hundreds of billions of dollars and even trillions of dollars into our treasury to strengthen our economy and pay down debt." He further asserted that there is "no better place" than the "good old USA" to create jobs, build factories under the Trump administration. "Under the Trump administration, there will be no better place on earth to create jobs, build factories, or grow a company than right here in the good old USA," he added. Referring to the relations with Canada, the US President, he noted that the US has been at a deficit of approximately USD 200 billion or USD 250 billion with Canada, which he argued was unfair. He again reiterated his point to make Canada the 51st US state, adding that in that case, there would be no need to impose a tariff on it. "Canada, we have a tremendous deficit with Canada. We're not going to have that anymore. We can't do it. It's, I don't know if it's good for them. As you probably know, I say you can always become a state. Then if you're a state, we won't have a deficit. We won't have to tariff you," he said. "But Canada has been very tough to deal with over the years, and it's not fair that we should have a 200 billion or 250 billion deficit," he added. Trump also highlighted that the US no longer relies on Canada for products like cars, lumber, and oil. "We don't need them to make our cars and they make a lot of them. We don't need their lumber because we have our own forests... We don't need their oil and gas. We have more than anybody," he stated. Recently, Trump announced that his administration is planning to impose 25 per cent tariffs on imports from Mexico and Canada. The US President, for some time, has been saying that Canada should be made the 51st US State to avoid facing these tariffs. He even referred to outgoing Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau as "Governor of state of Canada". (ANI) A federal judge ruled Thursday that President Donald Trump's executive order to end birthright citizenship is "blatantly unconstitutional" and issued a temporary restraining order to block the policy from taking effect, CNN reported. Judge John Coughenour, a Ronald Reagan appointee based in Seattle, granted an emergency request from Washington State Attorney General Nick Brown and three other Democratic-led states to halt the executive order for the next 14 days while the legal challenge continues. "I have been on the bench for over four decades. I can't remember another case whether the question presented was as clear," Coughenour said. "Where were the lawyers" when the decision to sign the executive order was made, the judge asked. He said that it "boggled" his mind that a member of the bar would claim the order was constitutional. Notably, the Democratic-led states are seeking a temporary restraining order, as they argue that Trump's executive order is a blatant violation of the Constitution's 14th Amendment, which guarantees citizenship to all children born on US soil and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, as reported by CNN. Lane Polozola, an attorney representing the state of Washington, told the judge that "births cannot be paused" while the court reviews the case. "Babies are being born today here, and in the plaintiff states and around the country, with a cloud cast over their citizenship," Polozola said. He warned that children who are denied citizenship under Trump's executive order would face "long-term substantial negative impacts." Polozola further argued that the Trump administration had not only ignored these potential harms in its filings but that the harm "appears to be the purpose" of the order itself. In addition to the impact on individuals, Washington and other states argue that ending birthright citizenship would place a financial and logistical burden on state programs, as these children would no longer be eligible for federal benefits that they would typically receive as US citizens, as reported by CNN. In defence, the Trump administration argues that the clause "subject to the jurisdiction thereof" allows the president to exclude children of undocumented immigrants, as well as children of parents who are legally present but lack permanent status. Justice Department attorney Brett Shumate urged the judge to hold off on issuing an emergency order blocking the policy until there was more briefing on the policy. "I understand your concerns," Shumate said, but he urged the court against making "a snap judgment on the merits." Shumate noted that the other cases challenging the executive order were moving on a slower timeline and argued that "imminent harm" was threatening the states. (ANI) It will soon be that time of the year when cicadas emerge from the underground and Kentucky is one of their destinations. But when can people expect them? This years group, Brood XIV, will emerge in numbers in the lower billions this spring, said Gene Kritsky, founder of Cicada Safari, a group that studies cicadas and gathers data as community members upload photographs of cicadas to an app. Here's what to know about this year's cicadas: Are cicadas from Brood XIV coming to Kentucky? Yes, they are. Advertisement Advertisement This year, cicadas from Brood XIV will emerge in 13 states, including Kentucky, Georgia, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia, Kritsky told USA TODAY Tuesday. What are the cicadas from Brood XIV? Brood XIV is made up of periodical cicadas that emerge every 17 years, said Kritsky, who is also a professor in the biology department at Mount Saint Joseph University in Cincinnati, Ohio. Prior to emerging, they spend years underground feeding on roots, according to Kritsky. These particular cicadas emerge every 17 years, so the last time they were seen was 2008, he said. When will Brood XIV cicadas emerge? Brood XIV will start to emerge in northern Georgia around the middle or end of April in areas where soil temperatures are about 64 degrees Fahrenheit, Kritsky said. Advertisement Advertisement In states such as Ohio and Pennsylvania, theyll likely emerge around the second week of May. Theyll likely stay until the end of June. John Cooley is an associate professor in residence in the Ecology and Evolutionary Biology department at the University of Connecticut. He said to find out where cicadas will emerge, he and other researchers look to past records. The area with the most cicadas this year will likely be Kentucky and Tennessee. There will also be large numbers in Georgia, the Carolinas and Pennsylvania, he said. More on cicadas and Brood XIV Cicadas are insects that belong to the hemiptera order, which includes stink bugs, bed bugs, aphids and cicada families, Kritsky said. Advertisement Advertisement The oldest historical record of Brood XIV cicadas is from 1634, when Pilgrims at Plymouth Colony recorded them, said Kritsky. However, Native Americans knew of them for centuries prior to European contact, he wrote on his website. Periodical cicadas only occur in the eastern half of the U.S., he said. There are three different species of 17-year periodical cicadas, he added: Magicicada septendecim, magicicada cassini and magicicada septendecula. There are some differences among the three species, such as their calls and colors. Whats the life cycle of a cicada? Cicadas spend years underground, emerging every 13 or 17 years, and sometimes randomly if theyve lost count, Kritsky said on his website. Advertisement Advertisement Only male cicadas sing or make that buzzing noise theyre known for. To do so, they use sound-producing structures called tymbals, located on the side of their abdomens, Kritsky wrote on the Cicada Safari website. About five days after they start to emerge, youll start to hear some calls. Every day, more and more are coming out It takes them a full six week period for all of them to come out. They typically make the most noise during the day and their calls or songs are quite loud, Kritsky said, noting that he has measured their calls and recorded them at decibel readings of 102 louder than jets flying into an airport. The males sing three different types of songs, engage in duets with the females and then mate, said Cooley from the University of Connecticut. They try not to mate with different species, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Female cicadas die after mating once. The males mate until they cant anymore, then die off, leaving a lot more males than females, he said. After mating, female cicadas lay eggs in branches on trees. About 6 to 10 weeks later, the eggs hatch and the young cicadas, measuring about two milliliters, then drop to the ground, according to Kritsky. The juvenile cicadas quickly get underneath the soil and feed on grass roots. According to Cooley, by July, community members won't see much evidence that cicadas have been in the area except for the holes in the ground and the eggs up in the trees. What do cicadas do for the environment? According to Kritsky, cicadas help the ecology of the eastern U.S. because the tunnels that form when they come out of in the ground make way for natural aeration of soil. The adult cicadas that die after mating also provide food for predators. Advertisement Advertisement Even the eggs of female cicadas help by allowing the natural pruning of trees that can lead to more flowers and fruit the following year, Kritsky said on his website. And after cicadas die and their bodies decay, nitrogen and other nutrients are added to the soil. Some people even eat cicadas, he said, noting that Native Americans have been known to eat them. He said the insects are best consumed when still white. They taste like cold canned asparagus, Kritsky wrote. Like all insects, cicadas have a good balance of vitamins, are low in fat, and, especially the females, are high in protein. Clearing up misconceptions about cicadas Kritsky said there are some factors people should keep in mind when thinking about cicadas. Advertisement Advertisement One thing is they shouldn't be afraid of them, he said. They don't spread disease. They don't bite. They don't sting. They're not going to carry away your pets. Cooley said they are often mistaken for locusts as well. The biblically-minded Puritans who came to Massachusetts in the 1600s encountered this brood, Cooley said. Because they were keyed into Old Testament kind of stuff, they thought that this massive appearance of insects was some sort of biblical plague because somebody had been misbehaving. Once it happened again 17 years later, they figured the insects emerge on a regular basis, Cooley said. Advertisement Advertisement They're not a plague, he said. They're not locusts. None of the above. He also said the presence of cicadas are an indication that forests are healthy. If the cicadas suddenly disappear, that's when I start worrying, he told USA TODAY. One of the things that we're really going to be keeping an eye on this time around is what the populations on Long Island look like because they've had pretty severe droughts out there. Cicada populations on Long Island have been declining for at least the past 34 years, he said. How to log cicada sightings Kritsky, whose program collects data from the public on cicadas, said those who want to send in photos can download the Cicada Safari app via the Apple store or Google Play. Advertisement Advertisement Calling contributors Scouts, he said community members have sent over 600,000 photographs of cicadas that have been reviewed and approved. The program is always looking for contributions, he said. If we dont have a lot of crowd support, we dont get our data, Kritsky said. This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Cicadas: What to know about Brood XIV, if they will come to Kentucky A new, relatively cheap precision-guided air-launched stand-off munition the U.S. Air Force is working on could be employed against ships with the help of seeker technology from the services Quicksink program. The Extended Range Attack Munition (ERAM), under development primarily for Ukraine, is otherwise shaping up to be a highly modular design, variants of which could be optimized for use against other target types. The Stand-In Strike Division of the Air Force Life Cycle Management Centers Armament Directorate, based at Eglin Air Force Base in Florida, provided new details about ERAM, including plans to leverage work done under Quicksink, in a recent contracting notice. Plans for ERAM first emerged in January 2024. In addition to Ukraine, NATO allies Denmark and the Netherlands are also known to be involved in the program. Artwork the US Air Force has put out in the past depicting a general notional missile design. The service has not yet offered a look at the baseline ERAM design. USAF Artwork the US Air Force has put out in the past depicting a general notional missile design. USAF The Air Force is seeking support to procure ERAM hardware capability (GPS receivers, seekers, navigation units, radio solutions, datalink, or other capabilities to add operational capabilities to the weapon). The ERAM program is currently executing an Other Transaction Authority (OTA), the contracting notice explains. The OTA will conclude with a Phase 2 development option, a full rate production OTA, and potential future development for additional capabilities. This request will support these future opportunities for the USAF to procure ERAM baseline configuration. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement OTA is a Pentagon contracting mechanism intended to support rapid prototyping and other research development work without having to go through more traditional and often more drawn-out contracting processes. Future ERAM phases will incorporate various seekers, payloads, and capabilities to enhance performance in GPS-denied areas and or to produce ERAM variants to achieve disruptive effects when launched, the notice adds. Equipment, interfaces, prototypes, engineering support, digital model integration support, and support documentation will be necessary to integrate these capabilities. In line with this, the Air Force is now looking to get potential pricing and schedule for 10 BAE prototypes of the QuickSink seeker in a form factor to support ERAM integration and engineering efforts. As TWZ has previously reported, the Quicksink seeker that has been developed and tested already on a modified 2,000-pound-class GBU-31/B Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM) precision-guided bomb is a dual-mode design. It features a radar seeker and an imaging infrared (IIR) camera. The Quicksink JDAM uses its existing GPS-assisted inertial navigation system (INS) guidance package to get to a designated target area first. Once there, the weapon switches over to the seeker, which uses its two components to find and categorize the target by checking its length against a detailed internal reference database. The seeker also provides a velocity vector for the target and course corrects the munitions flight path so that it hits the water right next to it before exploding below the waterline for maximum damage. The combination of radar and IIR offers valuable targeting flexibility in all weather conditions. IIR cameras are also immune to radiofrequency electronic warfare jamming and provides enhanced target descrimination. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Quicksink seeker itself was designed with a high degree of modularity leveraging plug-and-play architecture to allow for the relatively rapid integration of new and improved functionality in the future, as well as to help keep costs down. The Air Force has said in the past that the initial examples of the seeker cost around $200,000 each, but that it was hoping to drive that unit down to at least $50,000. A model of the Quicksink seeker. Joseph Trevithick TWZ has noted in the past how the Quicksink seeker, or elements thereof, might be adaptable to other munitions, offering a relatively low-effort pathway for add-on anti-ship capability. What changes might be needed to integrate the seeker onto ERAM are unknown. The recent contracting notice also names three other subsystems for potential inclusion on ERAM Marshall Deck of Cards (Marshall DoC), Shepherd, and FALCO more specific details do not appear to be readily available. As with the Quicksink Seeker, mention is made of BAE in relation to these other systems, which looks to be a reference to defense contractor BAE Systems. The Marshall DoC system is also described as the top priority for integration with the ERAM weapon and appears to be particularly operationally sensitive with an explicit additional demand for a potential anti-tamper solution to establish root of trust and protect [its] software from exploitation and or battlefield loss. TWZ has reached out to the Air Force and BAE for more information. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Details about the baseline ERAM configuration are still limited. In a previous contracting notice, the Air Force laid out requirements for a 500-pound-class precision munition with a range of up to 250 miles while flying at a speed of at least Mach 0.6. The weapon also has to use an INS-based guidance package capable of operating in a GPS degraded environment and that offers terminal Accuracy of CEP 50 w/in 10m (the ability to impact within 10 meters, or around 33 feet, of a specified point at least 50 percent of the time) in both in non-EMI (Electromagnetic Interference) and high EMI environments (includes GPS degraded). Regardless, pairing ERAM with the Quicksink seeker technology makes good sense, both for Ukraine and any other future users of the munition. The Air Force initiated Quicksink as a means to rapidly and cheaply increase its ability to launch aerial anti-ship attacks, to begin with. ERAM offers a way to then also extend the reach of that capability, helping keep launch platforms just that much further away from air defense threats. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For Ukraine, ERAMs configured to strike targets at sea or on land would just offer a valuable new source of lower-cost air-launched precision-guided munitions. Its not hard to foresee additional interest in a munition of this kind for the same reason coming from the armed forces of other countries, including the U.S. military, either. In January 2024, the U.S. Navy put forward its own requirements for a Multi-Mission Affordable Capacity Effector (MACE), a lower-cost anti-ship missile that would also be small enough to fit inside the internal weapon bays on at least some variants of the stealthy F-35 Joint Strike Fighter. ERAM and MACE are just some of a number of known U.S. military projects currently exploring options for new longer-ranged precision-guided munitions that are also relatively low-cost and easy to produce at scale. Interest in types with anti-ship capability is particularly acute given the pricey slate of available air-launched options available to Americas armed forces, including variants and derivatives of the AGM-84 Harpoon (including the Standoff Land Attack Missile Expanded Response, or SLAM-ER), the Joint Strike Missile (JSM), and the AGM-158C Long Range Anti-Ship Missile (LRASM). The unit price of the main LRASM variant currently in production, the AGM-158C-1, is around $3 million. A munition like ERAM would be shorter-ranged and have less advanced capabilities than LRASM, but a large stockpile of them could also help commanders keep more capable weapons in reserve for more heavily defended and otherwise challenging targets. Work now on projects like ERAM follows years of similar efforts and is being driven heavily by the expected demands of a future high-end fight. Especially in the opening phases of a potential major conflict in the Pacific with China, American forces would be called upon to prosecute tens of thousands of targets across a broad and highly-contested battlespace. There would then be a need to conduct sustained strike operations afterward, which would demand a steady pipeline of additional munitions. Many of Americas allies and partners are planning around similar operational requirements. For the U.S. military, lessons learned from the conflict in Ukraine, as well as ongoing operations around the Middle East, have highlighted concerns about existing stockpiles of key munitions and the ability to replenish them. Much remains to be learned just about ERAMs baseline design, but we now know the Air Force at least plans to explore an anti-ship configuration taking advantage of the seeker from the Quicksink program. Contact the author: joe@twz.com U.S. Department of Homeland Security agents recently arrested a Corpus Christi police officer on charges of sex crimes with a 15-year-old girl living in Tulsa. DHS agents notified Corpus Christi police that they arrested the officer, Daniel Verduzco, 31, on Sunday in Nueces County. An investigation in Oklahoma found text and video messages on Snapchat indicating that Verduzco had coerced the girl to have sex with him. On Jan. 8, Tulsa Police Department officers responded to a call from a concerned parent, who told them that she thought her daughter was involved in a relationship with a Corpus Christi police officer due to messages that she found in the girls Snapchat account between her and another Snapchat user, according to the DHS investigation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The girls mother said that her daughter was in the hospital after attempting suicide by taking a large amount of Tylenol. While in the hospital, the mother looked at her daughters Snapchat account and found photo messages between her daughter and a Snapchat user known as Danny inside of a police cruiser with a computer mount and laptop that revealed sensitive information about police calls and notes about the police calls. She told police that she lived in Corpus Christi with her children in 2023 and moved to Oklahoma in the spring of 2024, and that while in Corpus Christi, her daughter befriended a man named Danny. The teenager's mother said that at the time, she believed Danny to be the same age as her daughter. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement However, her daughters confirmed that Danny was a police officer, she said. The case notes do not indicate whether Verduzco knew that the girl with whom he had been communicating on Snapchat is a child. After the family moved to Oklahoma, the girl would complain about wanting to move back to Corpus Christi because she missed her boyfriend, the girls mother said. After obtaining consent to search the devices, Tulsa police conducted a forensics examination of the girls cellphone on Jan. 10. They found that the girl and the Snapchat user had exchanged more than 3,700 messages. In addition, the profile for the Snapchat user appeared to belong to a police officer, with police car emojis displayed next to his username. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Several photographs accompanied the profile, displaying a Corpus Christi police car and an adult male in a police officer uniform wearing the nameplate D. Verduzco. According to the investigation, police also believed they found photos of the girls breasts and videos of her in sexually suggestive poses, underwear and outfits. DHS contacted Homeland Security Investigations in Oklahoma and HSI Corpus Christi special agents to identify the suspect. Agents reviewed additional Snapchat messages sent between May 26, 2024, and Jan. 7, 2025, finding that the officer and the 15-year-old girl had sex. On Jan. 18, U.S. Magistrate Judge Jason B. Libby filed a criminal complaint against Verduzco in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The officer faces charges of coercion and enticement. During a preliminary detention hearing held on Wednesday, the judge set a $50,000 bond. The Corpus Christi Police Department is fully cooperating with the investigation, which is being led by DHS, according to a news release written by Corpus Christi police senior officer Travis Pace. The Police Department has placed Verduzco on administrative leave as it awaits the outcome of the internal investigation that may lead to disciplinary action up to and including his termination, Pace said. Corpus Christi police did not provide additional comment on the investigation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement DHS could not be reached for comment. This is a developing story. More information will be provided when it is available. More: Two individuals charged in crimes involving sex trafficking, solicitation of minors More: 'As if it were my own child missing': DPS Special Agent receives Lifesaving Award This article originally appeared on Corpus Christi Caller Times: Corpus Christi police officer faces charges of sex crimes NATOs Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE) has confirmed to TWZ that four Dutch F-35A stealth fighters are now also participating in Baltic Sentry, a mission intended to ensure the security of critical undersea infrastructure in the region. The jets were already in the region as part of the alliances Baltic Air Policing mission. Earlier this week, the Dutch Ministry of Defense released photos showing Royal Netherlands Air Force (RNLAF) F-35s flying over the two Dutch warships involved in Baltic Sentry, the De Zeven Provincien class frigate HNLMS Tromp and the hydrographic survey vessel HNLMS Luymes. However, it hadnt previously been confirmed that the combat jets were also directly contributing to this mission. A pair of Dutch F-35A stealth fighters over the Baltic. Dutch Ministry of Defense SHAPE provided TWZ with the following details about the involvement of Dutch F-35s in Baltic Sentry: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Understanding the environment so we can prevent, mitigate, or respond to an identified threat, including damage to critical undersea infrastructure, is what an activity like NATOs Baltic Sentry is all about. F-35s, along with other maritime patrol aircraft, assist in that regard. By operating in a multitude of domains, including the air domain, we increase our understanding, which the multirole F-35 can do very expediently. Since the beginning of December, the RNLAF currently has had four F-35s deployed at Amari Air Base in Estonia. They are there for the Baltic Air Policing mission, under which NATO air forces take turns deploying to air bases in Lithuania and Estonia, on a four-month rotational basis since the three Baltic states dont have combat aircraft able to provide air policing over their own territories. Baltic Air Policing involves frequent interceptions of Russian Armed Forces aircraft moving between the heavily militarized Russian exclave of Kaliningrad and mainland Russia. These aircraft often fly close to NATO airspace without using transponders, communicating with air traffic control, or having filed a flight plan. This requires visual identification by NATO fighters on quick reaction alert. A map of the Baltic region. Google Earth Now, on top of these duties, the Dutch F-35s are flying at least some sorties for Baltic Sentry, a NATO mission that was launched earlier this week. Its also part of a growing Dutch military presence on NATOs eastern flank, which also includes ground troops as part of the alliances enhanced Forward Presence (eFP) posture in Lithuania. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As you can read here, Baltic Sentry was established in response to possible sabotage actions on the Baltic seabed between Finland and Estonia. Most notably, in late December, the Estlink 2 undersea power cable and four telecommunications were damaged here, with suspicion falling upon the Russian-linked Eagle S oil tanker. The ship, found to be brimming with spy equipment, was seized by Finnish authorities for further investigation. The Swedish Navy ship HMS Belos found the anchor of the Eagle S, a Russian-linked oil tanker suspected of severing Estlink 2 and other undersea cables. Finnish Navy A video of the Eagle S after it was seized by Finnish authorities: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Before this incident, in November, Germany said damage to two communication cables running under the Baltic Sea was most likely the result of sabotage. One of the cables in question runs between the Swedish island of Gotland and Lithuania, and the other between Finland and Germany. A Chinese cargo vessel, the Yi Peng 3, is at the center of allegations surrounding that damage, having been identified as operating near the cables when the incidents occurred. Subsequently, the Swedish Minister of Defense announced that the Norbalt undersea power cable linking Sweden with Lithuania was likely also purposely damaged by the Yi Peng 3. Officials suspect the Yi Peng 3 of severing cables running underneath the Baltic Sea. Photo by Mikkel Berg Pedersen / Ritzau Scanpix / AFP) / Denmark Baltic Sentry is primarily a vigilance mission, to ensure the security of critical submarine infrastructure, such as energy and data cables. For this purpose, it is mainly involving surface ships and maritime patrol aircraft, although, as we have recently discussed, at least 20 uncrewed surface vessels (USVs) will join the NATO effort in the coming weeks. In the context of the Dutch contribution, the survey vessel HNLMS Luymes is also currently the flagship of Standing NATO Mine Countermeasures Group 1, while the frigate HNLMS Tromp is also currently deployed as the flagship of the maritime mission. These two vessels are due to be joined next week by the Alkmaar class minehunters HNLMS Schiedam. The Dutch Ministry of Defense plans for these vessels to continue their Baltic Sentry mission at least until the end of February. From left to right: the survey vessel HNLMS Luymes, the frigate HNLMS Tromp, and a German Navy mine warfare vessel. Dutch Ministry of Defense Other vessels are also set to join the mission. NATO Maritime Command announced today on X the addition of a Finnish ship, the Hamina class missile boat Pori, and yesterday the addition of a Swedish ship, the corvette Visby, to Baltic Sentry. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement With this contribution, we are demonstrating our determination to step up our efforts, said Vice Adm. Rene Tas, commander of the Royal Netherlands Navy. We are making our presence and vigilance known and thus securing our submarine infrastructure. It is essential for the alliance to prevent destabilizing activities by deterrence on the one hand and by taking action if deterrence proves ineffective on the other. As for the F-35s, these provide an entirely different set of surveillance capabilities to the Baltic Sentry mission. Previously, NATO had only mentioned that an unspecified number of crewed maritime patrol aircraft had been committed to Baltic Sentry, but not that fighter jets would also become involved. A video published earlier this month shows Dutch F-35s operating from Estonia for the Baltic Air Policing mission: However, the jets are able to rapidly cover the Baltic Sea area, most importantly being able to very rapidly respond to suspect activities on the surface of the water. As well as providing visual reconnaissance and shows of force if required for example, flying low over a vessel suspected of suspicious activity the F-35 is also well equipped with organic electronic intelligence-gathering capabilities. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As we have written about in the past, the F-35 is highly proficient at sucking up electronic signals, quickly classifying and geolocating them, and displaying them for the aircrafts pilot. In an air combat context, this would typically include electronic emissions from hostile radars and air defense nodes, but its passive antennas can collect radio-frequency emissions of other kinds, also relevant in a maritime environment. A Royal Netherlands Air Force F-35A and a U.S. Air Force B-2A Spirit bomber conduct aerial operations in support of Bomber Task Force Europe 20-2 over the North Sea on March 18, 2020. U.S. Air Force photo/ Master Sgt. Matthew Plew Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement More generally, NATO surveillance is also drawing upon artificial intelligence capabilities, specifically under the U.K.-led Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF). This system was set up to protect critical undersea infrastructure and harnesses AI to assess data from a range of sources, including the Automatic Identification System (AIS) ships use to broadcast their position, to calculate the risk posed by each vessel entering areas of interest, according to the British Ministry of Defense. You can read more about it here. In September of last year, the RNLAF announced that the F-35 had attained full operational capability, meaning that the stealth fighter was now responsible for the full spectrum of missions previously handled by the F-16, including the nuclear strike role. The last Dutch F-16s were formally retired in the same month, after 45 years of service, as you can read about here. Nevertheless, with only four Dutch F-35s in the Baltic, the level of availability that they can offer to the Baltic Sentry mission, on top of the more regular Baltic Air Policing, remains questionable. Should Baltic Sentry require additional combat jets for patrols and surveillance, then it would have to call upon other air forces in the region or rely on RNLAF jets flying from their home bases in the Netherlands. TWZ has reached out to the RNLAF for more details about how the F-35s will be used in the new mission. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In the meantime, the contribution of Dutch F-35s to Baltic Sentry is certainly an interesting one. As the alliance seeks to better protect critical undersea infrastructure in the region, the stealth fighters provide a very visible reminder of NATOs maritime presence, as well as a considerable boost to situational awareness. Contact the author: thomas@thewarzone.com Within the first hours of his presidency, President Donald Trump signed an executive order that would begin the process of removing the U.S. from the World Health Organization. The decision sparked concern from health experts with many questioning why the president would sign off on this monumental order. The text within the executive order cites the reasoning for the withdrawal being "due to the organizations mishandling of the COVID-19 pandemic that arose out of Wuhan, China, and other global health crises, its failure to adopt urgently needed reforms, and its inability to demonstrate independence from the inappropriate political influence of WHO member states." The executive order also cited that the U.S. made "unfairly onerous payments" in regards to the funding of the organization. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It would take a year for the withdrawal to become official, according to a joint resolution made by Congress in 1948 which stated the U.S. can withdraw from the WHO with one year's notice. U.S. previous withdrawal from the WHO Trump attempted to withdraw from the WHO during his first presidency. He began the process of removing the U.S. from the World Health Organization in summer 2020, during the height of the pandemic. Trump also attempted to stop U.S. funding to the WHO. Former President Joe Biden stopped the country's removal from the WHO and renewed funding to the organization within the first weeks of his presidency. The United States has been a member of WHO since the emergence of the organization in 1948. The global health agency headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland is made up of 194 countries and health experts from around the world. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Related: Trump administration orders federal DEI employees be placed on leave. What happens next? The United States would be the only major power not a part of the organization. No other country has attempted to leave the world health agency except the Soviet Union during the Cold War, but they returned years later. The U.S. is the agency's largest funder. The United States gave $1.284 billion to the WHO in 2022 and in 2023, making up nearly a fifth of the organization's budget, according to NPR. The World Health Organization pleaded to the Trump administration that they reconsider their withdrawal. "For over seven decades, WHO and the USA have saved countless lives and protected Americans and all people from health threats. Together, we ended smallpox, and together we have brought polio to the brick of eradication. American institutions have contributed to and benefited from membership in WHO," said the health agency in a release posted on social media. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Many health experts warn that Trump's decision to remove the U.S. from the WHO would jeopardize the lives of people in the country. Dr. Ashish Jha, the Biden White Houses former COVID-19 response coordinator, called the decision a catastrophic mistake. The WHO has been a part of evaluating global health threats, testing new vaccines and medicines, coordinating the response to emerging health crisis and other health related research. Lawrence Gostin, a global public health expert and the faculty director of Georgetown Universitys ONeill Institute for National and Global Health Law, believes losing critical access on outbreaks would put many in grave danger. "This is the most cataclysmic decision," said Gostin. This will really leave our agencies like the CDC [Centers for Disease Control and Prevention] and NIH [National Institutes of Health] flying blind." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Gostin told USA TODAY, The withdrawal itself is going to isolate the United States. Itll isolate us diplomatically, and itll isolate us in pandemic response. This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Why did US withdraw from WHO? A look at Trump's order A committee of South Dakota legislators advanced a bill Tuesday at the Capitol in Pierre that would define lab-grown meat and require it to be clearly labeled. The state Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources proposed the legislation. Cheyenne Tant, a policy adviser for the department, explained it to legislators. South Dakota consumers deserve transparency when deciding whether to purchase a product grown in a lab versus products grown by our hardworking farmers and ranchers, Tant said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The House Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee voted 13-0 to send the bill to the full House of Representatives.The legislation describes lab-grown meat as cell-cultured protein and defines it as a product that is produced for use as human food, made wholly or in part from any cell culture or the DNA of a host animal, and grown or cultivated outside a live animal. The bill also says any product that contains cell-cultured protein without being clearly labeled as cell-cultured or lab-grown would be considered misbranded. That provision builds on a state law adopted in 2019 that prohibits the mislabeling of meat. Enforcement would fall to the state Animal Industry Board, Tant said, which could work with companies to change their labels or take steps to remove noncompliant products from South Dakota shelves. Nobody testified against the bill, and supporters represented diverse interests. Hunter Roberts, secretary of the Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources, called lab-grown meat gross. Several groups representing farmers and ranchers said they want transparency in labeling to differentiate their traditionally raised meat from lab-grown versions.Good Food Institute, a group that works to advance innovation in alternative proteins, also supported the bill. The nonpartisan, nonprofit organization was represented at the committee meeting by Erin Rees Clayton, a Pierre-based senior scientific adviser for the institute. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement She said producers of alternative proteins also want to differentiate their products. More: Biden commutes life sentence for South Dakota Native American activist Leonard Peltier Just as South Dakota farmers and ranchers are proud of their products, cultivated meat producers are proud of their products, too, Rees Clayton said. They want to celebrate the innovation and production processes behind the meat they produce. She said lab-cultivated meat has existed for a little more than a decade. It starts from a small sample of animal cells that are fed the sugars, water, proteins and vitamins needed to grow into muscle and fat. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Cultivated meat is meat at the cellular level, offering similar taste, texture and safety profiles, Rees Clayton said. Its just produced in a different way. She said the fledgling industry may someday be able to help satisfy the rising global populations demand for protein. It could also add resiliency to food supply chains, she said, because its less vulnerable to natural disasters and other unpredictable events that can affect traditional meat production. For now, Rees Clayton said, federal regulators have approved only two U.S. companies to produce and sell cultivated meat, and neither company has brought a product to the market yet. Rees Clayton failed to convince legislators to consider what she described as a minor amendment. It would add terms such as cell-cultivated or cultivated to the bills definition of lab-grown meat, which she said would better align the legislation with industry standards. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Some other states, including Florida and Alabama, have banned lab-grown meat. Nebraska is considering a ban. South Dakota Searchlight is part of States Newsroom, the nations largest state-focused nonprofit news organization. This article originally appeared on Watertown Public Opinion: South Dakota bill says lab-grown meat must be clearly labeled STOW Thirty-seven fire service leaders from throughout the state have graduated from the Massachusetts Firefighting Academys Chief Fire Officer Management Training Program. In a press release, state fire officials describe the program, which ran for four months, as being designed for new chief officers and chief officer candidates. It's delivered by the Massachusetts Firefighting Academy in collaboration with the UMass Boston Edward J. Collins Jr. Center for Public Management. The course provides intensive training in the managerial aspects of leading a municipal fire department through classroom instruction, out-of-class assignments and student presentations. Thirty-seven fire service leaders from throughout the state have graduated from the Massachusetts Firefighting Academys Chief Fire Officer Management Training Program. State Fire Marshal Jon M. Davine, a 2016 program graduate, praised it as being a valuable opportunity for new chiefs and rising officers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The rigorous instruction in such a wide variety of topics will help these graduates provide the leadership that their departments and communities deserve, Davine said in a statement. Completing the program is a major accomplishment and I want to congratulate all of them on their initiative and dedication to professional development. The program covers a wide range of topics essential for effective public sector management, including human resource management, ethics, executive leadership, governmental and organizational structures, information management, customer-focused strategic planning, legal issues, budgets and public finance, community awareness and labor relations. The curriculum is designed to help fire officers improve their ability to lead and manage personnel, understand employees needs and problems, communicate effectively to a variety of audiences and leverage inter-agency cooperation. The Massachusetts Firefighting Academy, a division of the Department of Fire Services, offers this program tuition-free. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Local graduates include: Deputy Chief Robert Provost, of the Bellingham Fire Department; Deputy Chief Will Gingras, of the Framingham Fire Department; Battalion Chief William Blanchard, of the Franklin Fire Department; Assistant Chief Brian Kelley, of the Holliston Fire Department; Deputy Chief Brian Harrington, of the Hudson Fire Department; Assistant Chief Jeffrey Gogan, of the Marlborough Fire Department; Deputy Chief Stephen Doucet, of the Westborough Fire Department. This story was created by reporter Beth McDermott, bmcdermott1@gannett.com, with the assistance of Artificial Intelligence (AI). Journalists were involved in every step of the information gathering, review, editing and publishing process. Learn more. This article originally appeared on MetroWest Daily News: 37 fire service leaders graduate from Management Training Program Jane Timken will serve as senator for Ohio's 29th District, which encompasses most of Stark County. Jane Timken, who served as the head of the state Republican Party and ran for U.S. Senate in 2022, has been chosen to fill a vacancy in the Ohio Senate. She will fill the opening created in the 29th Senate District in Stark County when Sen. Kirk Schuring, a Republican from Jackson Township and the second-longest serving lawmaker in the Ohio Legislature, died in November. "Jane has big shoes to fill replacing the legendary Kirk Schuring, but I have no doubt that she will be a fantastic senator for the 29th District," Senate President Rob McColley said Thursday in a prepared statement. "Jane Timken is a proven conservative who brings a unique skillset of economic development, public policy and politics to the Senate. I'm confident she will be an outstanding advocate for all Ohioans." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The 29th District encompasses most of Stark County, including Canton, Alliance, Canal Fulton, Louisville, Massillon and North Canton. "I'm incredibly honored to represent Stark County and the 29th District, and to follow in the footsteps and legacy of accomplishments left by my good friend Kirk Schuring," said Timken, 58. Schuring was in his 31st year in office. He held multiple leadership positions during his time in the General Assembly, including the senate's No. 2 leadership position president pro tempore, a title he held last year. He died Nov. 22 after a battle with cancer. More: 'Kirk was a statesman.' Kirk Schuring, Ohio's second-longest serving lawmaker, has died Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Timken will serve the remainder of Schuring's term, which runs through 2026. Timken served as the Ohio Republican Party chairman for four years. She is also a former vice-chair of the Stark County Republican Party and a Republican National Committeewoman. Timken will be officially elected to the position by the Republican members of the Ohio Senate at its next session Jan. 29. Stark County Republican Party Chairman Janet Weir Creighton celebrated Timken's selection. "I'm very pleased. Jane will do a fabulous job representing this district," she said. "She's well equipped to do the job; she understands government; she knows how to campaign; she can raise money; she's got great name recognition, and she's a winner." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Reach Grace at 330-580-8364 or gspringer@gannett.com. Follow her on X @GraceSpringer16. This breaking news story will be updated when new information is available. This article originally appeared on The Repository: Republican Jane Timken appointed to Ohio Senate A Spring Valley man on Tuesday, Jan. 21, pleaded guilty to a charge of second-degree murder in a Syracuse womans death, court records show. The man, Jhon Moises Chacaguasay-Ilbis, 21, a migrant from Ecuador living in Rockland County, also pleaded guilty to concealment of a human corpse after admitting in court that he strangled Joselyn Toaquiza, 21, and hid her body in a Syracuse park, according to court records and several media reports. Chacaguasay-Ilbis admitted to slaying Toaquiza, who was also from Ecuador, on June 18 during a celebration of Toaquiza's 21st birthday. Police found her body on June 22 in Lincoln Park in Syracuse following an investigation of a missing-person complaint. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Murder charge in Syracuse killing Spring Valley man charged with second-degree murder in Syracuse woman's death A sentencing hearing for Chacaguasay-Ilbis is scheduled for Feb. 14. As part of a plea deal, Judge Ted Limpert agreed to impose a sentence of no better than 22 years to life in prison, with a maximum of 25 years to life in prison, Syracuse.com reported. The killing and court case captured national media coverage last year when local politicians referenced it during debates over U.S. immigration policy. This article originally appeared on Rockland/Westchester Journal News: Spring Valley man pleads guilty to murder for strangling, hiding body CANTON Local Republican officials approve of President Donald Trump's order changing the name of North America's tallest mountain in Alaska back to Mount McKinley, in honor of Canton's favorite son and the nation's 25th president. I think its great and I just think dad would be just thrilled," said Stark County Commissioner Richard Regula, whose late father and Stark County's longtime congressman, Ralph Regula, fought for decades to keep the mountain's official name Mount McKinley. Richard Regula said that he didn't have a personal opinion of what the mountain's name should be but "as Trump said, McKinley was a tariff guy and a very progressive guy and (changing the name back to Mount McKinley) thats the way it should be. If thats what the president wants to do, I think he should be able to do it. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Janet Weir Creighton, the Stark County Republican Party chair, said President Barack Obama should never have changed the name of the mountain from Mount McKinley to Denali in 2015. "I'm a person who believes we should honor our history and our past," said Creighton, a former Stark County commissioner and former mayor of Canton. "Too many times, they want to tear down statues, rename buildings. Its part of who we are. Its the threads that are woven into the fabric of America. It should never have been changed. And Im delighted that its going to be Mount McKinley. No. 1: Denali from Wonder Lake, Alaska. Two bull moose feeding in Wonder Lake with the Alaska Range in the background, Denali National Park, Alaska. Trump mentions Mount McKinley in inauguration speech Trump praised McKinley in his inauguration speech on Monday. "President McKinley made our country very rich," he said. "Through tariffs. And through talent. He was a natural businessman. And gave (President) Teddy Roosevelt the money for many of the great things he did, including the Panama Canal." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump within hours signed an executive order that said that within 30 days, the interior secretary should reinstate the name Mount McKinley with the national park around it keeping the name Denali National Park and Preserve. The order also directed that the Gulf of Mexico be renamed Gulf of America. The statement in the order called Obama's renaming of the mountain to Denali in 2015 "an affront to President McKinley's life, his achievements, and his sacrifice." Alaska's U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, a Republican, expressed opposition to Trump's renaming of the mountain in her home state. You cant improve upon the name that Alaskas Koyukon Athabascans bestowed on North Americas tallest peak, Denali the Great One, the statement said. For years, I advocated in Congress to restore the rightful name for this majestic mountain to respect Alaskas first people who have lived on these lands for thousands of years. This is an issue that should not be relitigated. February 19, 2022, Alaska; Views of Denali National Park from George Parks highway (Alaska Route 3), February 19, 2022. Denali vs. Mount McKinley is a long controversy The controversy over the mountain's name dates back to 1975 when the Alaska legislature passed a resolution asking the U.S. interior secretary to change the name of the mountain to Denali. The National Park Service in 1977 recommended granting the request, and then-Interior Secretary Cecil B. Andrus backed the change. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A gold prospector had called the mountain Mount McKinley after McKinley became the Republican nominee for president in 1896. McKinley never visited Alaska or the mountain. The name became widely used. In 1917, more than 15 years after McKinley was assassinated, Congress officially established Mount McKinley National Park. Then-U.S. Rep. Ralph Regula, who took first took office in Congress in 1973, deployed a long series of legislative maneuvers from the late 1970s to when he retired in 2009 to block a name change for the mountain. He argued for more than 32 years that the mountain belonged to all Americans and not just Alaskans. And that renaming the mountain would be an affront to McKinley's memory. Related: Mountain-size battle between Stark, Alaska officials Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In 1980, Regula agreed to what he viewed as a compromise. Congress renamed the national park Denali National Park but kept the name of the mountain as Mount McKinley. Throughout the late 1970s and 1980s, Regula used his power as a senior Republican on the House Appropriations Committee to insert language into appropriation bills and other legislation prohibiting any federal funding from supporting a name change. Regula and his wife Mary finally visited the mountain and the national park in Alaska in 1986. In 1991, Alaska's U.S. Sen. Ted Stevens finally had enough. Amid federal budget negotiations, Stevens threatened to hold up funding for projects in Ohio, including $1.4 million for a coal gasification project in Alliance, if Regula continued to use appropriation bills to block renaming Mount McKinley. Regula stood down and removed the language from the House's version of the 1992 federal budget. But by then, the U.S. Board on Geographic Names had adopted a policy that it would not consider renaming a geographic feature if there was any pending congressional legislation on the issue. So each two-year term, Regula introduced a bill that said the mountain's name should remain Mount McKinley permanently. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement After Ralph Regula's retirement in 2009, then-Democratic Congressman Tim Ryan and later then-Republican Congressman Bob Gibbs, who both represented parts of Stark County, introduced similar bills. While Regula's, Ryan's and Gibbs' bills to keep the mountain's name Mount McKinley never became law, or even got a committee hearing, that was enough to get the board to back off a name change for about 24 years. The Obama administration's decision in 2015 to push the mountain's name change to Denali infuriated former Congressman Regula who died in 2017. Creighton said she doesn't understand the desire by some to erase the honoring of McKinley. She pointed to Arcata, California's decision to tear down a statue of McKinley in its city plaza in 2018 after some of the city's residents criticized McKinley's "imperialist" policies. The Timken Foundation bought the statue and paid to relocate it to downtown Canton where it was installed in 2023. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We have torn down so many buildings and taken down so many things throughout history that theres nothing left for future generations to learn about," Creighton said. Reach Robert at robert.wang@cantonrep.com. This article originally appeared on The Repository: Denali becomes Mount McKinley again. Stark GOP officials approve President Donald Trump on Monday signed an executive order requiring federal departments to order employees to return to the office five days a week a move he previously promised, along with a threat to fire those who don't comply. The executive order one of many Trump signed on Jan. 20 could affect thousands of civilian federal employees in Kentucky. "If people don't come back to work, come back into the office, they're going to be dismissed," Trump said during a fall press conference at Mar-a-Lago, his private club and personal residence. Trump at the time also pledged to challenge in court a Biden-era agreement allowing for remote work by Social Security employees. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Somebody in the Biden administration gave a five-year waiver of that, so for five years people don't have to come back into the office," he added. "It's ridiculous. It was like a gift to a union, and we're obviously going to be in court to stop it." U.S. President Donald Trump shows his signature on an executive order that he signed in front of supporters inside the Capital One Arena during ceremonies on the inauguration day of his second presidential term, in Washington, U.S. January 20, 2025. The Social Security Administration and more than 40,000 workers represented by the American Federation of Government Employees union reached a deal last fall that allows most of those employees to continue working remotely two to five days per week through 2029. Many more of the 2.3 million civilian federal workers could lose their jobs if Trump fulfills other campaign promises to shutter the Department of Education, and overhaul agencies including the Department of Justice and Health and Human Services. About half of the country's federal employees work fully in-person, while the other half are eligible for at least some remote work, according to the Office of Management and Budget. About 10% are fully remote. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Here's a look at what the order could mean in Kentucky. What does Trump's executive order say? Trump's order, signed Monday, is relatively brief: "Heads of all departments and agencies in the executive branch of Government shall, as soon as practicable, take all necessary steps to terminate remote work arrangements and require employees to return to work in-person at their respective duty stations on a full-time basis, provided that the department and agency heads shall make exemptions they deem necessary. "This memorandum shall be implemented consistent with applicable law." Is Trump's order being challenged? The American Federation of Government Employees, a union representing about 800,000 federal workers, filed a federal lawsuit Monday against the Trump administration and the Office of Management and Budget to ensure they comply with the Federal Advisory Committee Act. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement AFGE National President Everett Kelley told USA TODAY the union will push back. "What we worked for is not a gift, it's called negotiation. Telework and remote work are tools that have helped the federal government increase productivity and efficiency," said Kelley, citing Office of Management and Budget statistics that only 10% of federal workers are in fully remote positions. 'Will I have a job?' Federal workers full of uncertainty, fear over Trump plans How many federal employees are there in Kentucky? The federal government employs roughly 2.3 million civilians across the country. There are 23,118 federal civilian employees in Kentucky not including uniformed military personnel or federal contractors, according to the Congressional Research Service, as of December 2024. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Based on OMB figures showing 57% of all federal employees were eligible for remote or hybrid work, it's possible 13,000 people in Kentucky could be affected. The exact number of federal civilian employees who chose to work remotely in Kentucky last year wasn't listed in the OMB report to Congress. Story continues after photo gallery. How many employees does the Social Security Administration have? The Social Security Administration has a nationwide staff upwards of 60,000 employees, according to the agency. Numbers from the OMB report show more than 56,300 employees, or about 92% of the Social Security Administration's total staffing, teleworked in the previous fiscal year. How many Social Security offices are there in Kentucky? While it's unclear how many Social Security employees work remotely in Kentucky, the Social Security Administration's Atlanta regional office lists 26 Kentucky sites, which include: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ashland Bowling Green Campbellsville Corbin Danville Elizabethtown Florence Frankfort Harlan Hazard Henderson Hopkinsville Jackson Lexington Louisville Louisville East Madisonville Mayfield Maysville Middlesboro Owensboro Paducah Pikeville Prestonsburg Richmond Somerset What other federal offices are located in Kentucky? The U.S. General Services Administration's Southeast Sunbelt region manages approximately 1,000 employees at 600 federally-owned and 1,200 other buildings across eight states. Among the federal buildings in Kentucky are: Carl D. Perkins Federal Building & U.S. Courthouse in Ashland. William H. Natcher Federal Building & U.S. Courthouse in Bowling Green. The U.S. Courthouse in Covington. The Internal Revenue Service Center in Covington. J. C. Watts Federal Building in Frankfort. The Post Office & U.S. Courthouse in Lexington. The Federal Building & U.S. Courthouse in London. The U.S. Courthouse Annex in London. Gene Snyder U.S. Courthouse & Customhouse in Louisville. Romano Mazzoli Federal Building in Louisville. The Federal Building in Owensboro. The Federal Building & U.S. Courthouse in Paducah. Are there other offices represented in Kentucky? Yes, there are a variety of other offices and departments that operate in Kentucky. It's unclear how many employees work remotely or in person. What other states could be impacted by firing federal workers? The District of Columbia has 162,000 federal workers, California has 147,000, Virginia has 144,000, Maryland has 142,000 and Texas has 129,000. Others are reading: President Trump seethes at 'nasty' bishop who told him to 'have mercy,' demands apology Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 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 Louisville Courier Journal: Trump orders federal workers back to office in Kentucky, nationally BEIJING, Jan 23 (News On Japan) - Japanese anime has been gaining immense popularity in China over the past few years, creating what has now become a significant social phenomenon. Terms like "Guzi economy," referring to merchandise culture, have emerged, and buildings nicknamed "Shanghai's Akihabara" have appeared, showcasing rows of Japanese character-themed stores. This article dives into the stories of Chinese fans whose lives have been transformed by anime and explores the booming anime culture that fascinates people of all ages. In Shanghai, a six-story building packed with anime and manga merchandise has become a magnet for fans. Visitors flock to this bustling commercial center, which opened recently and is located along a busy thoroughfare. Inside, stores display a wide range of Japanese characters popular in Japan, and quotes from anime and manga, translated into Chinese, adorn the walls. The building, overflowing with anime-themed goods, has been dubbed "Shanghais Akihabara." One such fan is Ms. Tian, a 31-year-old woman who fell in love with anime during her early teens. "When I first saw Japanese anime on TV, I felt it was entirely different from Chinese animation. It was so fascinating that it inspired me to study Japanese," she said. Tian, who speaks fluent Japanese without having studied abroad, credits anime for shaping her life. She once worked as a store manager in the merchandise industry and now works in licensing for anime goods, a field she considers deeply rewarding. "Without anime, I can't imagine what my life would have been like. It truly changed everything for me," she said. The growing demand for anime goods has spurred a boom in what is referred to as the "Guzi economy." According to a market research firm, China's merchandise market for anime-related goods has doubled in the past five years, reaching an estimated 2.5 trillion yen. The fan base for anime and manga in China is estimated to exceed 500 million people. This boom has also led to a revival of commercial facilities. The six-story building in Shanghai was once struggling to attract visitors, but after introducing anime-themed shops, it saw a remarkable turnaround. Other traditional department stores in Shanghai are also experiencing a renaissance thanks to the rising appeal of anime merchandise. Japan's pop culture, including anime, is proving to be a powerful force internationally, with the potential to become a significant driver of overseas business. As the anime boom continues to grow, it demonstrates the vast influence of Japans creative content industry on global markets. Source: ABCTVnews FUKUOKA, Jan 23 (News On Japan) - Details of Fukuoka City's budget plan for the upcoming fiscal year have been revealed, highlighting new initiatives such as making school lunches free for elementary and junior high school students within the next year. According to sources, the citys initial general account budget is projected to reach a record 1.1 trillion yen to 1.13 trillion yen, marking the fifth consecutive year it has exceeded 1 trillion yen. Among the new measures is the elimination of school lunch fees for students at city-run elementary and junior high schools. Currently, the monthly cost of school lunches is 4,200 yen for elementary schools and 5,000 yen for junior high schools. Mayor Takashima has previously expressed a commitment to implementing this initiative. The budget also includes expanded child support, such as adding checkups for one-month-old and five-year-old children to the citys existing infant health programs. Additionally, the budget outlines other projects, including the expansion of ticket gates at Tojinmachi Station on the Fukuoka City Subway. This aims to ease congestion during events at the PayPay Dome. The plan also features the installation of air conditioning in gymnasiums at city-run elementary and junior high schools, further enhancing the learning environment for students. Source: FBS TOKYO, Jan 24 (News On Japan) - Former executives of the Sunshine Aquarium in Ikebukuro, Tokyo, including a former director and three others, have been referred to prosecutors on suspicion of fraudulently receiving management fees by misreporting the number of endangered turtles in their care. The group had been entrusted by the Japanese government to care for Burmese star tortoises, a critically endangered species, and received financial support for their management. Despite transferring 10 of the turtles to a former staff member, they failed to notify the government of the reduction in their inventory, allegedly continuing to receive management fees under false pretenses. Over the course of approximately 20 years, the fraudulent claims reportedly amounted to about 1.9 million yen. The turtles in question were handed over to a former employee, Masue Ueda (56), and her husband, Satoshi Ueda (57). The couple is accused of breeding the turtles and illegally selling them, leading to their arrest. According to reports, the former director and staff at the aquarium realized around ten years ago that they were receiving excessive management fees. Rather than correcting the issue, they attempted to conceal it by gradually lowering the reported number of turtles to match the declining count, fearing their management competence might come into question if the discrepancy were revealed. The case has drawn significant attention due to the involvement of a respected public institution like the Sunshine Aquarium and the illegal trade of endangered species. The authorities are continuing to investigate the couples alleged sales of the turtles and the extent of the managements involvement in the cover-up. Source: FNN TOKYO, Jan 24 (News On Japan) - An abandoned hotel in Tokyo's Kabukicho district has become a source of public concern due to the large amounts of trash accumulating in front of the building. The hotel, which has been closed and left in disrepair, has turned into a temporary shelter for a 69-year-old man originally from Hokkaido. The man, who claims to have permission to live there, has been staying at the hotel's entrance for several months. He insists he does not enter the main building, maintaining that his presence does not constitute illegal occupation. The trash in front of the hotel includes various household items, such as bicycles and aquariums, creating a scene that has frustrated both residents and local authorities. Shinjuku Ward has led multiple cleanup efforts at the site, spending nearly 1 million yen to date. However, the trash reappears quickly, turning the situation into a cycle that authorities are struggling to break. Notices have been sent to the propertys management, but the ward has yet to receive any response from the owners. The man living at the site has been in Kabukicho for over a decade and supplements his income by selling aluminum cans, earning about 120,000 yen monthly in addition to receiving welfare payments of over 100,000 yen. He explained that Kabukichos environment makes it convenient for him to collect and sell cans. Additionally, he openly admitted to using his extra income for pachinko, his favorite pastime, while stating that he avoids using welfare money for gambling. The man also spends on cigarettes, smoking over a pack a day, and takes care of pet goldfish, which he calls his "comfort" and spends up to 1,500 yen per fish. Despite his precarious living situation, he appears content and has no plans to leave the premises. Local residents, however, are growing increasingly irritated with the situation. Some described the area as filthy and expressed their desire for it to be cleaned up. The sheer volume of trash, combined with the inability to resolve the issue permanently, has made the situation a pressing concern for the neighborhood. Shinjuku Ward's Traffic and Transport Department, headed by Takeshi Kotani, noted the significant cleanup costs and expressed frustration over the lack of response from the hotels management. As the trash continues to pile up and tensions rise among local residents, it remains uncertain whether this issue will be resolved anytime soon. Public attention is now focused on how authorities will handle this ongoing problem. Source: FNN TOKYO, Jan 24 (News On Japan) - Japan is facing significant challenges in its food supply chain as new laws and rising prices create widespread concern among farmers and consumers. The recently introduced Food Supply Crisis Management Law, set to take effect on April 1, will prohibit farmers from leasing unused farmland, with severe penalties for violations. This change has sparked frustration among those who have relied on such leases to maintain self-sufficiency. Farmers and viewers alike expressed alarm over the implications of this law, which they feel undermines food security efforts and makes farming even more challenging. Viewers have shared numerous accounts of the growing difficulties in Japan's agricultural sector. One notable example involves rice farmers being severely underpaid, with some selling 10 kg of rice for as little as 2,200 yen, far below sustainable levels. A widely circulated video highlighting this issue has drawn public attention to the plight of farmers, who face rising production costs and insufficient returns. Many farmers are reportedly considering leaving the industry altogether, further exacerbating the food supply issue. Consumers across the country are feeling the impact of soaring vegetable prices. Reports indicate significant regional disparities, with prices for staples like cabbage and napa cabbage reaching as high as 1,000 yen each in Hyogo Prefecture, while in Kyoto, similar vegetables are sold for as little as 198 yen. Such differences highlight the uneven distribution of food resources and the strain on certain regions. Compounding these issues, fuel price hikes are making it more difficult for consumers to access affordable food options, especially in rural areas. In addition to price concerns, there is growing skepticism about the governments food supply management policies. Critics argue that the policies prioritize promoting imports over supporting domestic agriculture, citing evidence of increased rice exports. Government documents reveal a goal to generate 120 billion yen in rice export revenue this year, which has fueled speculation that domestic food supplies are being sacrificed to meet export targets. Such strategies have left many questioning the governments commitment to ensuring the stability of Japan's food system. In response to these challenges, some consumers have adopted creative coping strategies to manage rising food costs. These include traveling to rural farmers' markets for better prices, preserving vegetables through drying or pickling, and storing root vegetables in soil to extend their freshness. However, these efforts are limited by logistical barriers, such as high transportation costs, which make it difficult for everyone to access such solutions. Many viewers expressed frustration over the lack of support for farmers and called for greater transparency and accountability in government policies. Overall, the combined effects of new regulations, rising production costs, and surging consumer prices are creating a precarious situation for Japans food supply. Farmers are struggling to stay afloat, and consumers are grappling with higher prices and fewer affordable options. The disparity in food prices between regions, coupled with controversial government policies, has further intensified public concerns about the future of Japan's agriculture and food security. Viewer contributions have provided valuable insights into these challenges, underscoring the urgent need for comprehensive solutions that prioritize the well-being of both farmers and consumers. Source: ch As digital currencies gain mainstream adoption, business owners across industries are increasingly exploring the benefits of incorporating cryptocurrency into their operations. From enabling faster cross-border payments to attracting tech-savvy customers, cryptocurrencies present unique advantages. However, one of the most critical aspects that entrepreneurs need to address when integrating digital currencies into their businesses is cryptocurrency tax compliance. In a world where financial regulations are constantly evolving, staying ahead of tax obligations is essential. Ignoring cryptocurrency tax compliance can result in severe financial consequences, legal penalties, and damage to your businesss reputation. This article outlines why cryptocurrency tax compliance is crucial for modern business owners and offers insights into how they can effectively navigate this complex landscape. For more information on cryptocurrency taxes, please refer to this additional resource. The Growing Influence of Cryptocurrency in Business Cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin, Ethereum, and stablecoins have disrupted traditional finance, offering alternative ways to store, exchange, and transfer value. Many businesses are beginning to accept crypto payments for goods and services, while others are investing in digital currencies as part of their corporate strategy. This new frontier is exciting, but its also filled with legal uncertainties. Governments and regulatory bodies around the world are still working to establish clear frameworks for cryptocurrency taxation. As of now, countries such as the United States, the UK, Canada, and the EU have specific tax guidelines for crypto transactions. For business owners, understanding these regulations is crucial to avoid unexpected liabilities. The Risks of Ignoring Tax Compliance The most immediate consequence of neglecting cryptocurrency tax compliance is exposure to audits and penalties. The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) in the United States, for example, has made it clear that cryptocurrency is treated as property for tax purposes. This means every transaction involving cryptowhether its a payment for goods, an exchange of cryptocurrencies, or an investment saleis subject to reporting and taxation. In addition to the risk of audits, failure to comply can result in fines, interest on unpaid taxes, and, in extreme cases, criminal charges. The IRS has even issued John Doe summonses to cryptocurrency exchanges like Coinbase, requesting information about U.S. taxpayers who may not have reported their crypto holdings. Other countries have similar aggressive enforcement tactics. Beyond legal consequences, businesses that do not maintain clear crypto tax records could face reputational damage. Transparency and compliance are essential to building trust with customers, investors, and partners. A public tax misstep can tarnish a businesss brand, especially in an environment where consumers are increasingly concerned about ethical business practices. Key Tax Implications for Cryptocurrency Transactions To ensure compliance, its essential for business owners to understand how different types of crypto transactions are taxed. Here are the primary tax considerations: 1. Crypto Payments for Goods and Services When your business accepts cryptocurrency as payment for goods or services, its important to treat it as a taxable event. The IRS treats crypto payments as property, meaning any time you receive crypto in exchange for goods or services, you must calculate the fair market value (FMV) of the cryptocurrency at the time of the transaction. The difference between the purchase price and the FMV will be considered as taxable income, subject to standard income tax rates. 2. Crypto-to-Crypto Transactions If your business engages in crypto-to-crypto transactions (e.g., exchanging Bitcoin for Ethereum), these are also taxable events. Just like the sale of a stock or asset, you must report the gain or loss from the transaction. This requires knowing the acquisition cost (the price you paid for the cryptocurrency) and the fair market value at the time of the trade. 3. Mining and Staking Income For businesses that engage in cryptocurrency mining or staking, any rewards earned from these activities are taxable. The value of mined coins or staking rewards is treated as income, and businesses must report it as such. Additionally, if the mined or staked coins are later sold, any profit or loss will be subject to capital gains tax. 4. Capital Gains Taxes If your business holds cryptocurrency as an investment, any capital gains from selling or trading those assets will be taxed. The holding periodwhether the asset is held short-term (less than a year) or long-term (more than a year)determines the rate at which it is taxed. Short-term capital gains are generally taxed at a higher rate than long-term gains. Best Practices for Ensuring Crypto Tax Compliance Navigating the complexities of cryptocurrency tax reporting can be daunting, but by implementing the right strategies, business owners can stay compliant and avoid tax-related headaches. Here are a few best practices: 1. Keep Detailed Records For every crypto transaction, businesses must maintain comprehensive records. This includes the date of the transaction, the amount of crypto involved, the fair market value at the time of the transaction, the purpose of the transaction (payment, exchange, etc.), and the identities of the parties involved. Accurate record-keeping is essential for calculating gains, losses, and taxable income. 2. Use Tax Software Several software tools can help streamline crypto tax compliance, such as CoinTracker, TaxBit, and CryptoTrader.Tax. These platforms can automatically sync with crypto exchanges, track your transactions, and generate tax reports in compliance with local regulations. Leveraging such software can reduce the risk of human error and ensure more accurate filings. 3. Consult a Tax Professional Given the complex nature of cryptocurrency tax laws, its wise to work with a tax professional who has experience with digital currencies. A qualified accountant or tax advisor can guide you on how to report crypto transactions correctly, mitigate risks, and optimize your tax strategy. 4. Seek Advice from a Fiduciary In addition to consulting with tax professionals, business owners can also benefit from working with a fiduciary. A fiduciary is a financial advisor legally obligated to act in your best interest, putting your financial goals ahead of their own. Seeking guidance from a fiduciary who is well-versed in cryptocurrency can offer additional layers of protection. They can help you with broader financial planning, ensuring that your crypto tax obligations align with your overall business strategy, investment goals, and risk tolerance. Fiduciaries can also provide ongoing support to ensure your business adapts to changing regulations in the crypto space, helping you minimize liabilities and optimize tax planning. 5. Stay Updated on Regulations Cryptocurrency tax regulations are still evolving, and what may be compliant today could change in the future. Business owners should stay informed about any regulatory changes and ensure that their tax reporting processes adapt accordingly. Subscribing to cryptocurrency news platforms and participating in industry forums can help you stay ahead. Conclusion Cryptocurrency is transforming the way businesses operate, but with this innovation comes a complex web of tax obligations. Business owners who accept or invest in cryptocurrencies must prioritize tax compliance to avoid penalties and protect their reputation. By keeping accurate records, using the right software tools, consulting with tax professionals, and seeking advice from a fiduciary, entrepreneurs can navigate the challenges of cryptocurrency tax reporting effectively and focus on growing their businesses in this exciting new digital era. Staying ahead of the curve when it comes to tax compliance isnt just a legal obligationits an essential part of safeguarding your businesss financial health in an increasingly digital world. US President Donald Trump stepped up the pressure on Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin to make a peace deal with Ukraine Wednesday, threatening tougher economic measures if Moscow does not agree to end the war. Trumps warning in a Truth Social post came as the Republican seeks a quick solution to a grinding conflict that he had promised to end before even starting his second term. If we dont make a deal, and soon, I have no other choice but to put high levels of Taxes, Tariffs, and Sanctions on anything being sold by Russia to the United States, and various other participating countries, Trump said. Trump said he was not looking to hurt Russia and had always had a very good relationship with President Putin, a leader for whom he has expressed admiration in the past. All of that being said, Im going to do Russia, whose Economy is failing, and President Putin, a very big FAVOR. Settle now, and STOP this ridiculous War! ITS ONLY GOING TO GET WORSE. He added: Lets get this war, which never would have started if I were President, over with! We can do it the easy way, or the hard way and the easy way is always better. Its time to MAKE A DEAL.' Russia already faces crushing US sanctions over the war since invading Ukraine in 2022 and trade has slowed to a trickle. Trumps predecessor Joe Bidens administration imposed sweeping sanctions against Moscows energy sector earlier this month. But Trump a billionaire tycoon famed for his book The Art of the Deal and his administration reportedly believe there are ways of toughening measures to press Putin. The United States imported $2.9 billion in goods from Russia from January to November 2024 down sharply from $4.3 billion over the same period in 2023, according to the US Department of Commerce. Top US imports from Russia include fertilizers and precious metals. Destroying Russia It was Trumps toughest line on Putin since he returned to the White House this week, and comes despite fears that it was Kyiv rather than Moscow that he would strongarm into making a peace deal. During a White House press conference on Tuesday Trump said only that it sounds likely that he would apply additional sanctions if Putin did not come to the table. The US president however declined to say whether he would continue Bidens policy of sending billions of dollars in weaponry to help Ukraine. Were looking at that, he said at the press conference. Were talking to (Ukrainian President Volodymyr) Zelensky, were going to be talking to President Putin very soon. Trump has also said he expects to meet Putin with whom he had a summit in his first term in Helsinki soon. Prior to beginning his new inauguration on Monday, Trump had vowed to end the Ukraine war within 24 hours and before even taking office, raising expectations he would leverage aid to force Kyiv to make territorial concessions to Moscow. But his promised breakthrough has proved elusive. In unusually critical remarks of Putin on Monday, Trump said the Russian president was destroying Russia by not making a deal. Trump added that Zelensky had told him he wanted a peace agreement to end the war. Putin congratulated Trump on his inauguration for a second term on Monday. The Russian leader added that he was open to dialogue on the Ukraine conflict with Trumps incoming US administration, adding he hoped any settlement would ensure lasting peace. Trump has repeatedly praised Putin, whose hyper-masculine style and professed attachment to traditional values has increasingly found favor among some US Christian conservatives. US special counsel Robert Mueller and the FBI both investigated alleged collusion between Russia and Trumps 2016 presidential campaign which Trump in his post on Wednesday dubbed once again the Russia hoax. Mueller won convictions of six members of the Trump campaign but said he found no evidence of criminal cooperation with Russia by the Trump campaign. The Nigeria Police Force has announced the rescue of the wife of retired Assistant Inspector General of Police, Hakeem Odumosu, who was abducted about a week ago in the Arepo area of Ogun State. In a statement shared Thursday morning on Twitter, the Force Public Relations Officer, Olumuyiwa Adejobi, revealed that police operatives successfully rescued Mrs. Odumosu, neutralised her kidnappers, and recovered the ransom that had been used as bait. Adejobi, however, did not provide further details about the operation. He noted that the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, commended the efforts of the police operatives involved and praised the Commissioner of Police in Ogun State, Lanre Ogunlowo, for their success. The Nigeria Police Force remains committed to safeguarding Nigerian citizens and our dear country, Adejobi added in his statement. Recall VANGUARD reported four hooded heavily armed men suspected to be kidnappers abducted the Mrs. Odumosu, from her residence last Thursday. Eyewitnesses reported that the kidnappers, executing a well-coordinated attack, intercepted the wife of the Ex Police AIG as she was about to enter her compound at about 9:55pm on Thursday. Her Lexus SUV was forcibly stopped, and she was dragged out before being whisked away through a swampy area to an unknown location. The PDP in Rivers State has been facing several problems in the past few years. Photo: Facebook@Chief Press Secretary Govt House PH By Joshua Ogbologugo Some members of the National Working Committee (NWC) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have expressed support for the recent court ruling that nullified the partys congresses in Rivers State. The NWC members made their position known during a visit to Governor Siminalayi Fubara at the Government House in Port Harcourt on Wednesday night, where they also held a closed-door meeting with the Governor. The delegation included the PDP National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba. Speaking after the meeting, the National Treasurer, Ahmed Mohammed, reaffirmed Governor Fubaras status as the party leader in Rivers State. He described their visit as part of an effort to realign the party and strategize for a comeback in the 2027 elections. Mohammed stated their commitment to fostering unity, stability, and effective repositioning in the State. He also expressed the NWCs support for Ude Okoye, who was recently reinstated as the partys National Secretary by the Court of Appeal. Mohammed urged party stakeholders and governors to rally behind Okoye for the partys progress. The visit comes just days after PDP Youth leaders from across the country met with Governor Fubara in a bid to resolve internal party crises, with a focus on affirming his leadership in the state. The court ruling that nullified the Ward, Local, and State congresses, which were won by allies of the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has created ripples within the party. The congresses, held last year, were marred by conflicting court orders, with a State High Court restraining the exercise while a Federal High Court allowed it. Following the nullification, an interim committee emerged, saying it will oversee the leadership of the party in Rivers State. By Kayode Oyero Striking resident doctors in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) have accused FCT Minister Nyesom Wike of neglecting health facilities and workers welfare in the nations capital, Abuja. The President of resident doctors in the FCT, George Ebong, said though Wike has been busy fixing roads, he has abandoned government-owned health institutions in the nations capital with many in deplorable condition. Thats just where we have our concerns. The minister has been very busy with projects, fixing roads, and all of that. We feel that he should also focus on the hospitals right now, Ebong said on Channels Televisions Politics Today programme on Wednesday. We feel that we are the human abandoned project. No matter the things he does by fixing roads and bridges, the hospitals are the very first point of innovation and rehabilitation. They are hallowed ground; he cannot neglect them, he said. The doctors began a three-day warning strike on Wednesday over unpaid salaries, and allowances, among others after the expiration of a three-week ultimatum issued earlier. The development grounded activities at government hospitals in Abuja from Wuse to Asokoro, Maitama, Kubwa, Zuba, Kwali, Abaji, Nyanya, and others. Ebong said doctors sometimes dont have electricity to work, with no drugs in hospitals and no sufficient manpower. He complained that only one doctor man some hospitals in Abuja. Ebong said many doctors have not been paid their six months salaries despite working hard and taking on the responsibilities of four or more persons. I urge the minister to please try to ensure that all the wages are paid. I urge the minister to please visit all the ministers and see the state in which the hospitals are at the moment, he said. By Kazeem Biriowo The Federal Government has raised concerns as Nigeria has the highest usage rates of skin-lightening products globally, with a staggering 77% of Nigerian women using these products. It also sounded the alarm on the dangers of skin bleaching, calling it a public health problem that requires urgent attention. Speaking at a regional awareness-raising workshop in Libreville, Gabon, the Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr. Iziaq Adekunle Salako, while citing the World Health Organizations report, disclosed that Nigeria has the highest usage rates of skin-lightening products globally, with a staggering 77% of Nigerian women using these products. He also quoted Nigeria Opinion Institute (NOIPolls), a leading public opinion polling organization in Nigeria, which provided insights into public opinion and consumer markets and found that 64% of Nigerians believe skin bleaching is highly prevalent. NOIPolls with 97% believing it is common among Nigerian women. Studies among university students found a prevalence of between 62.4 and 64.9%. The awareness of skin bleaching (SB) is high at over 76%, with close to 40% believing that it makes one look beautiful and fashionable. High prevalence was influenced by peer pressure and societal perceptions of beauty. There is also a prevalent practice of using toning ( as a replacement) for bleaching and believing wrongly that toning is NOT harmful or less harmful. The Minister further noted that the widespread use of skin-lightening products in Nigeria is driven by deep-rooted societal pressures and perceptions that link lighter skin to beauty, success, and social mobility. He, however, said, these products contain harmful substances like mercury, hydroquinone, and steroids, which pose serious health risks, including skin damage, organ toxicity, and cancer. He said Nigerian government has taken proactive steps to address the issue, including the development of regulations to prohibit the use of harmful skin-bleaching agents and restrict the concentration of hydroquinone in cosmetic products. The government has also launched public sensitisation campaigns to educate citizens about the dangers of skin bleaching and promote the use of safe cosmetic products. Salako stressed the need for a multidisciplinary approach to address the complex issue of skin bleaching, involving dermatologists, environmental epidemiologists, and community health specialists. Despite the well-documented harmful effects, the use of skin bleaching products like creams, ointments, soap, pills, and injections is common among non-white populations throughout the world. It is particularly widespread in Africa, especially among women, and has been described by the WHO as a public health problem requiring urgent action. I must say that not only are men using SLP, men also tend to put pressure on women directly or indirectly to lighten their skin and therefore our campaigns must not exclude the menfolks. He also called on African governments to reinvigorate the cultural movement of black is beautiful to promote Afrocentric appreciation and challenge the pervasive Eurocentric beauty standards that drive the demand for skin-lightening products. The high prevalence of skin-whitening product usage in many parts of Africa, including Nigeria, highlights the urgent need for targeted public health campaigns, stricter regulatory enforcement, and community-based advocacy to address the root causes of this practice and promote the use of safe cosmetic products, he said. Preparations are well underway for the African Heads of State Energy Summit that will take place in Tanzanias capital Dar es Salaam on 27-28 January. The event aims to advance an ambitious plan to deliver electricity to 300 million Africans by 2030. The so-called Mission 300 Africa Energy Summit is a landmark event that will bring together over 1,500 delegates, including 13 African heads of state, representatives from the African Union, the African Development Bank Group (ADB), and the World Bank Group (WB). According to Noel Kaganda from Tanzanias Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the summit is a platform for governments, private sector leaders, development partners, and civil society to advance the continents electrification agenda, notably the goal of providing electricity access to 300 million people in Sub-Saharan Africa by 2030. In a bold step to address Africas persistent energy crisis, the summit will conclude with the signing of the Dar es Salaam Energy Declaration, committing African governments to advance universal energy access, promote renewable energy adoption, and attract private investment. Fifteen pilot countries, including Cote dIvoire, Democratic Republic of Congo, Mozambique, Nigeria, Tanzania, and Zambia, have been invited to endorse the Africa Energy Compact, an initiative to achieve universal energy access by 2030. These African states, which together account for more than half of the global population without electricity, will pledge reforms in five key areas low-cost power generation, regional energy integration, increased energy access, enabling private investment, and utility strengthening. Facing hurdles since 2020, the Renault factory on which the Algerian regime pinned high hopes braces for a total shutdown, marking an utter fiasco of the automotive industry in the Maghreb country, at a context of tense ties between Paris and Algiers. In 2012, Algerian authorities under then President Bouteflika convinced Renault to set up an assembly plant near Oran, hoping to emulate Moroccos success and diversify its gas and oil-dependent economy. However, the plant that was supposed to assemble 25.000 cars annually, fell short with only some 2400 cars made in 2023. The reasons are self-inflicted as Algeria implements a drastic import restriction policy, conditioning to the auto-maker to source 30% of its parts from Algerian suppliers. This condition left Renault Oran in tatters unable to fit its business model and quality requirements in the absence of credible local suppliers. With the unfolding of one of the worst political crises between France and Algeria, the latter has tried to implement some economic retaliation measures, such as reducing French imports. This has thwarted French investors including Renault, which sees no lucrative future for its Oran plant. Renault would thus follow the example of Hyundai and kia which closed their plants due to supply disruptions. The government under current President Tebboune has pushed these plants to close, accusing them of practicing disguised imports with a very low local sourcing rate. Instead of a top-down approach, Algeria had better start with a bottom-up strategy that consists in encouraging entrepreneurship in its state-dominated and rent-based economy. The lack of local companies that can supply car parts at competitive prices will continue to hamper any step to launch a car industry in the country. The low percentage of locally produced parts in Algerian car assembly plants is reflective of a lack of action on the upstream to attract foreign parts suppliers and encourage local enterprises to operate in the sector Gabon will hold its presidential elections on April 12, the first since the army took power in the country, the council of ministers announced. Gabons long-ruling President Ali Bongo was deposed in August, 2023, in a coup led by head of the presidential guard Brice Oligui Nguema, who took Gabons interim presidency. The coup was the eighth to take place in West and central Africa between 2020 and 2023. Gabon remains heavily reliant on its oil and mineral sectors. The country is home to significant reserves of crude oil and manganese, which are major sources of revenue. Despite having one of the highest GDPs per capita in Africa, nearly 40% of Gabonese live in poverty. The transitional government under Nguema has promised to stabilize the economy and prepare for democratic elections. The Spanish national who has been kidnapped in southern Algeria last week was freed at last by the Touareg Azawad separatist movement FLA, which offered him to the Algerian regime. Algerian rulers took all credit in an attempt to hide their utter failure to protect their borders from rampant Sahel terrorist groups. In a statement, the FLA said it interceded with local notables to release Spanish national Gilbert Navarro free, whom they handed to the Algerian authorities. The Algerian nomenklatura, from the army to the presidency, spoke about the release as an achievement of the Algerian army, in a headlong rush that denotes a desperate attempt to evade responsibility for failing to secure its border from terrorist groups. Both the FLA and the Algerian regime referred to abductors as belonging to organized crime, despite the fact that FLA is referring to the region of Menaka in Mali, which has become a hotspot of the Islamic State in the Sahel. This kidnapping and the release afterwards reflect the close links between Algeria and Touareg separatist groups as well as the connection between the two and terrorist groups in the Sahel. It also vindicates Malis recent denunciation of Algerian meddling in its domestic affairs and Algiers links to armed groups in the region. The kidnapping of the Spanish national took place few weeks after the slaughtering of a Swiss woman in Djanet, in Algerias south. The deteriorating security conditions in Algeria has prompted western embassies to warn against any travel to Algerias south. Instead of fighting real terrorists in its south, Algeria is busy sending scores of peaceful political opposition figures and Kabylie independence activists to jail on sham terrorism charges. In a further escalation of hostilities, M23 rebels have seized the town of Minova in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), a trade hub and key supply route for the provincial capital of Goma. The Congolese army acknowledged that the rebels had made breakthroughs in the towns of Minova and Bweremana, though it did not say if both had been captured. This development has triggered a mass exodus of people in the face of a new offensive by the rebel group, which has also taken strategically important mining towns of Lumbishi, Numbi and Shanje in North Kivu province in recent weeks, authorities said Tuesday (21 January). M23, or the March 23 Movement, is one of about 100 armed groups that have been vying for a foothold in DRCs mineral-rich eastern region, in a protracted conflict that has created one of the worlds largest humanitarian crises. Since its resurgence in 2022, the M23 armed group, composed of ethnic Tutsis who broke away from the Congolese army, has continued to gain ground in the countrys volatile east. The DRC, Western powers and the United Nations have repeatedly accused Rwanda of supporting M23 with troops and weapons, a claim that Rwanda denies. More than 237,000 people have been displaced by the fighting in eastern DRC since the beginning of this year, the UN refugee agency, UNHCR, said in its latest report. Egypt is in talks with the European Union (EU) to secure 4 billion ($4.2 billion) in financial assistance to support its ongoing reform efforts. The funds, which are expected to be allocated for budget support rather than specific projects, are part of Egypts broader strategy to stabilize its economy amid external challenges. Minister of Planning, Economic Development, and International Cooperation Rania Al Mashat confirmed on January 21 that the deal is anticipated to be finalized by June 2025. This potential agreement follows the EUs approval of a 7.4 billion funding package for Egypt in March 2024, which includes 5 billion in concessional loans, 1.8 billion in investments, and 600 million in grants over three years. The deal is part of a wider wave of support for Egypt, with the countrys finance minister Mohamed Maait highlighting a total of $20 billion in funding from international partners and multilateral lenders. Despite facing significant economic challenges, including a sharp decline in Suez Canal revenues and external instability affecting global trade, Egypt is pressing ahead with efforts to reduce its debt burden. Finance Minister Ahmed Kouchouk announced the countrys goal to raise nearly $3 billion by the end of the fiscal year in June 2025, as part of its ongoing economic recovery strategy. More than one million people have fled the conflict in Sudan, seeking refuge in neighboring South Sudan, according to the United Nations. In its latest update revealed January 22 on one of the worlds worst displacement crises, the UN reported that over 770,000 people have crossed through the Joda crossing on South Sudans northern border with Sudan in the past 21 months. Tens of thousands have also crossed at other points, bringing the total number of refugees to South Sudan to more than one million since the war erupted between the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) in April 2023, according to the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and the International Organization for Migration (IOM). The arrival of over a million people into South Sudan is a stark and sobering statistic, highlighting the increasing scale of this crisis, said Sanaa Abdalla Omer of UNHCR. The majority of those crossing the border are South Sudanese nationals who had previously fled civil war in the worlds newest country. Despite their own hardships, South Sudanese people continue to show remarkable generosity in hosting refugees, but Omer stressed that the country cannot shoulder this burden alone. Two transit centres in Renk County, which were designed to accommodate fewer than 5,000 people, are now sheltering over 16,000. The UN has called for increased support for both displaced people and the host communities, warning that South Sudans resourcessuch as healthcare, water, and shelterare dangerously overstretched. The European Parliament has called on the Algerian regime to release immediately and unconditionally the 75-year-old novelist who was arrested at Algiers airport in November after saying, in an interview with a French TV channel, that western territories of todays Algeria have been part of Morocco. The literary figure is facing charges of terrorism and undermining national unity for saying historical truths about the colonial history of Algerias borders. In a resolution adopted Thursday with an overwhelming majority of 533 votes in favor, 24 against and 48 abstentions, the MEPs urged the Algerian authorities to respect human rights and free, besides Boualem Sansal, journalist Abdelwakil Blamm, writer Tadjadit Mohamed, and all other activists, journalists, human rights defenders and people detained for exercising their right to freedom of opinion and expression in Algeria. The authorities must review all repressive laws restricting freedoms and the judiciarys independence, in order to protect the freedom of the press as enshrined in Article 54 of Algerias Constitution, said the MEPs in their resolution. They also denounced the human rights violations in Algeria and affirmed that a renewal of the EU-Algeria Partnership Priorities hinges on Algerias continued and substantial progress on respect for the rule of law. Members of the European Parliament said any future disbursements of EU funds to Algeria will depend on freedom of expression and democratic progress in this country, which risks serious sanctions if it continues escalating repression targeting human rights militants, political opponents, journalists, and intellectuals. Photo: Kayla Bartkowski/Getty Images President Donald Trump began his second term by fulfilling one of his most controversial campaign promises: issuing mass pardons and commutations to about 1,500 defendants who were sentenced for their actions in the U.S. Capitol riot on January 6, 2021. Among those receiving clemency are some of the most violent offenders from that day, including people charged with assaulting police officers using pieces of wood, a flag pole, and even officers own riot shields. But amid Democratic outrage over the move, most Republicans on Capitol Hill were ready to change the subject. (Though some did break with Trump on the matter.) There are better days ahead of us. Thats what were excited about. Were not looking backwards. Were looking forward, House Speaker Mike Johnson said at a Wednesday press conference. That posture lasted a few hours. Later on Wednesday, Johnson and the House Republican Conference announced the creation of a new committee focused on January 6. The panel, which will be a subcommittee of the House Judiciary Committee, will be chaired by Representative Barry Loudermilk of Georgia and is intended to continue House Republicans investigation into all events leading up to and after January 6. In a statement, Johnson praised his caucus for exposing the false narratives peddled by the politically motivated January 6 Select Committee and promised that work would continue. We are establishing this Select Subcommittee to continue our efforts to uncover the full truth that is owed to the American people, he said. Congressional Republicans have largely disavowed the findings of the previous January 6 committee formed in 2021, with many laying the blame on former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. In a likely preview of whats to come, Loudermilk said last year that additional footage from the evacuation of the Capitol that day showed that Pelosi mishandled the buildings security, claims that the former House leader has long disputed. For over three years, Nancy Pelosi has refused to take responsibility for her failure to secure the Capitol grounds on January 6, 2021. Instead, she has pushed the focus of the failure on President Trump, he said at the time. Meanwhile, Trump has made no attempts to shy away from his decision. CNN reports that there have been internal discussions in the Trump administration about potentially inviting some of the pardoned January 6 rioters to the White House for a meeting with Trump, though the outlet notes that a visit has not been officially planned or scheduled. It may seem like we have a predictable alternation of party power in Washington. But that may not be the case soon. Photo: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images The last six times the White House has changed its party ownership, the new president brought in a governing trifecta as well. That includes Bill Clinton in 1992, George W. Bush in 2000, Barack Obama in 2008, Donald Trump in 2016, Joe Biden in 2020, and Trump again in 2024. It has been like clockwork. So as Democrats lick their wounds and think ahead, should they draw reassurance from the fact that with Trump retiring in four years they should be able to flip the White House and both congressional chambers and have the kind of moment of overwhelming power and confidence that the GOP is enjoying right now? Maybe not. Yes, its entirely possible, even likely, that Trumps agenda will prove to be unpopular, counter-productive, or simply unfeasible, making a Democratic return to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue a decent bet (particularly since the incumbent party has now lost three straight presidential elections). History tells us that Democrats will probably flip control of the House in 2026, thanks to the extremely narrow margin of control Republicans won in 2024. But the Senate is another matter. Its not just that Republicans have a three-seat cushion (four so long as they have the vice-presidential tie-breaking vote) and yet another favorable landscape in 2026 only one Republican-held seat, belonging to the very durable Susan Collins of Maine, is in a state carried by Kamala Harris, while there are two Democrat seats, held by the particularly vulnerable Jon Ossoff in Georgia and by Gary Peters in Michigan, in states carried by Donald Trump. As Ron Brownstein explains, the Republican Senate majority is now becoming entrenched by an increasingly dominant GOP position in half the states. Twenty-five states have voted for Trump in all three of his presidential campaigns. Thats the most states either party has won in three consecutive presidential elections since 38 states backed Reagan in 1980 and 1984, and his vice-president and successor, George H.W. Bush, in 1988 Since 2016, Trump has shifted almost all of these states even further to the right. In 2024, he soared past 54 percent of the vote in every Trump 25 state except North Carolina, the only state among them that Democrats tried to be competitive in at all. (And even in North Carolina, he won an unexpectedly comfortable 183,000-vote victory.) Perhaps most significantly in shifting the Electoral College map, Trump has tipped Ohio and Florida the two most fiercely contested large battlegrounds of American politics from 1992 to 2012 solidly into the Republican camp. Last year, he won nearly 55 percent of the vote in Ohio and 56 percent in Florida. That was a big jump over Trumps vote share during his 2016 race of 51 percent in Ohio and 49percent in Florida. More alarmingly for Democrats, the increasing GOP margins in the 25 base states and the intensifying tendency toward straight-ticket voting has created a lot of down-ballot carnage. Republicans now control 24 of the legislatures in these states (and really control 25 given the conservative margins in the technically non-partisan Nebraska legislature) and 22 of the governorships. But the really bad news is in the Senate, Brownstein notes: Most important has been the GOPs success at consolidating Senate seats across these 25 states. After Trumps initial victory in 2016, Democrats still held seven of their 50 Senate seats, a number that grew to eight after Democrat Doug Jones won a 2017 special election in Alabama. But, even in a difficult election climate, Republicans beat four of those Democratic senators in 2018 (in Florida, Indiana, North Dakota and Missouri), ousted Jones in 2020, and dispatched the final three Trump 25 Democrats last year (beating incumbents Sherrod Brown in Ohio and Jon Tester in Montana, and capturing the open seat vacated by Democrat turned independent Joe Manchin in West Virginia). Now Republicans hold all 50 of the Senate seats from these states. Flipping Senate seats back in states like Alabama, Indiana, Missouri, Montana, North Dakota, or West Virginia would take a small miracle for Democrats. And Florida and Ohio arent looking much better. States can change in either direction, but were looking at long-term trends that seems more glacial in nature. The significance of this solid bloc of 25 Trump states may spill over into both House and presidential elections after the 2030 census, when current estimates suggest they will pick up ten House seats (and electoral votes) via reapportionment. States that have gone Democratic in all three Trump elections are expected to lose eight seats. This isnt a catastrophic forecast for Democrats, since they can certainly block future Republican trifectas; if they control the White House, they can get a lot done via executive orders and appointments. But until they solve the Senate puzzle, getting back the kind of power they had just four years ago with a narrowly held but very real trifecta isnt going to happen like some sort of predictable metronome. Thats entirely separate, moreover, from the many things that Trump and his congressional allies may do to make voting harder for those likely to vote against them. Democrats will need a different strategy designed to build a different coalition if they want the power to do big things fast. Vice-President Kamala Harris and Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff at the White House on her final day in office. Photo: Andrew Harnik/Getty Images This article was featured in One Great Story, New Yorks reading recommendation newsletter. Sign up here to get it nightly. On the final Friday of her vice-presidency, Kamala Harris partook in one last ritual. She looked disbelievingly as she walked into her ceremonial office in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building, across the street from the White House, and saw a large group of her former staffers arrayed in front of her desk. She was there to sign its drawer, just as more than a dozen of her predecessors had done. She peered out with a tight smile as she scanned the room and thanked the team for its years of labor. Harris promised not to recount the laundry list of our accomplishments. We know what they are. But she insisted, suddenly laughing, that the work was not done: You all know me, because we have spent long hours, long days and months and years together. It is not my nature to go quietly into the night. So dont worry about that. A low, brief chuckle rippled across the roomful of loyalists. She didnt elaborate. Then again, no one had asked. Behind Harris, her husband, Doug Emhoff, looked on with a labored grin of his own. As she approached the desk to sign it, he fished out his iPhone from a pocket and started taking photos. He captured her with Sharpie in hand, then a close-up of her signature, and then, at her urging, a selfie of the couple with the gathered aides. It was as if they needed their own documentation that they had been there. As the room emptied, Harriss pledge to her staff lingered in the air. A reporter tried asking what was next for the VP, and she demurred, saying shed keep you posted. It was the most she had said about the topic since losing to Donald Trump two months earlier, but she had given it more thought than she let on. Not long after the election, Harris privately began talking with family, longtime friends, and her most devoted aides about the path ahead. After a few weeks, her instructions to a few trusted advisers were clear: They should keep her options open and specifically not make any plans that could close the door to a 2028 presidential campaign. This only felt natural. Shed been running for the job since early 2019, and no one just walks away easily after getting as close as she just had. Of all the options open to Harris, maintaining a White Houseready future would require the most groundwork, so the instruction was mostly practical; an alternative interpretation would be to act like she could run again until she decides otherwise. But according to multiple people who are close with Harris and have spoken to her since November 5, she believes she has three plausible choices. Each would include personal and political obstacles, and each would require her to make a series of mutually exclusive decisions about her life in the coming months. She could run for president again in 2028 or she could run for governor of California in 2026 or she could close the door on electoral politics after two decades in office and 35 years in public service. Harris, who is 60, is hardly decided. In the first weeks after the election, friends occasionally found themselves listening as Harris, somewhere between frustrated and befuddled by her loss, asked questions about how Trump won and what her campaign could have done differently. Brian Brokaw, who advised Harris as she rose in California politics, says, Its a total psychological mindfuck. You have to convince yourself youre going to be president in order to prepare yourself, and then it doesnt happen, so theres a lot of processing thats taking place. And you have to deal with the angry donor class, you gotta sit back and watch as staff and consultants snipe at each other. Only recently has Harris seemed looser around close allies, less consumed by the questions of why she lost. Making up her mind about what comes next began informally not long after the election, when she and Emhoff retreated to Hawaii for a week. They holed up in a quiet Big Island rental featuring five bedrooms, a pool, and enough space that they never felt compelled to leave the property as they talked. She continued the casual discussions with an expanded circle of close associates when she got back home. Her friends and political allies contribute to a wide spectrum of opinions about her best next moves, ranging from another run at the presidency to a speedy retirement far from the nearest Wi-Fi router. But closer to her, advisers have made sure their counsel is almost entirely private. Harriss innermost circle of trust is the same as it has been for years and starts with family. Emhoff is joined by Harriss sister, Maya, a former policy adviser to Hillary Clinton who helped steer her ill-fated 2020 campaign; Mayas husband, Tony West, a former Obama Justice Department official turned top Uber lawyer and frequent campaign-trail sounding board; and their 40-year-old daughter, Meena. Rounding out the central brain trust are Harriss close friends Reginald Hudlin, a filmmaker, and his wife, Chrisette, who first set up Harris with Emhoff. Harris has also kept some of her recent aides especially close. Lorraine Voles and Sheila Nix, her official and campaign-side chiefs of staff, who are credited with reforming Harriss West Wing office and reputation in the second half of her term, are in the fold. So are former Joe Biden advisers Jen OMalley Dillon, who ran Harriss campaign, and Cedric Richmond, the former Congressional Black Caucus chairman who worked in the White House. She has also kept a handful of longtime advisers dating back to her time in California in the conversations as well as some veteran Democratic operatives who have offered her advice for years, like Minyon Moore, a former aide to the Clintons. In her final weeks as VP, as Harris heard unsolicited advice from donors, she reached out to some carefully selected allies to hear their thoughts, too. Among them was Hillary Clinton, the other would-be first woman president who lost to Trump and who also famously wrestled with how to manage life after her campaign. Harris has dropped no hints about her thinking and given no interviews, leading well-wishers who know her to float creative suggestions through intermediaries: Perhaps she could become some sort of portfolio-free stateswoman, or an above-the-fray adviser to Democrats in search of policy or political guidance, or simply a very rich member of many corporate boards. Other Democrats have less sparing advice: Maybe she should just go away. She held off on convening any formal discussions about the future while she finished her time in government, instead attending to the circumscribed duties of her lame-duck office and planning one last official trip to visit overseas military installations before canceling it to assist the administrations response to the California wildfires. But even as Harris performed her official duties, the topic of her future proved inescapable. In her final days in office, she called foreign leaders like Emmanuel Macron of France and Olaf Scholz of Germany, about maintaining support for NATO and for Ukraine in its war with Russia. She connected with a few others whom shed gotten to know well, including the presidents of Kenya and the Philippines, and received thanks from the prime ministers of Barbados and Jamaica. According to people familiar with the calls, some of the heads of state told Harris theyd been watching as she certified Trumps election and spoke of their relief at witnessing a peaceful transfer of power four years to the day after Trumps mob attacked the Capitol. All invited her to visit their countries as a private citizen. Most made sure not to hang up before asking her one last direct question: What, exactly, were her plans now? Waiting for Harriss successor, J.D. Vance, and his wife, Usha, on Monday. Photo: Nathan Howard/Reuters Harris wants space to think it all through, to see how the world and country react to Trumps return. In one scenario, her party might welcome Harris back as an important liberal voice for a dismal time especially if shes willing to articulate a clear vision for how Democrats should reconnect with the voters theyve lost. She has some goodwill to collect on; she did just earn 75 million votes and raise over $1 billion. She repeatedly says, We have lots of work to do. Lets keep at it, and so she is not shrinking back. She will find her way. She will know what to do. She has lots to offer, Susie Tompkins Buell, a major Democratic fundraiser and longtime Harris supporter, told me recently. The argument for acting like she might want to pursue the presidency again is straightforward. For one thing, its the same posture any Democrat eyeing 2028 might reasonably take at this point, especially since so little is known about how the country will reshape itself in response to Trump 2.0. Harris has more hands-on experience than any of the likely alternatives. If anyone wanted to argue that she already had her shot, Harris could argue that the campaign she just ran was hardly her own it was a frantic 100-day sprint abruptly inherited from Biden. Already, though, large swaths of Harriss own party have evinced desperation to move on entirely from the Biden years to something new not just in repudiation of the administration, of which Harris was a prominent part, but also of its preceding resistance-style response to the first Trump term, which put Harris on the national stage in the first place. Its no stretch to think that even her allies may feel they must confront this Trump-dominated world with a new set of champions who are free of Biden-era baggage. Not long before the inauguration, I was talking about the future with a longtime, very senior Democratic operative, someone who just recently had been optimistically planning out life under a Harris presidency. At one point I raised the topic of the VPs next moves. Oh, the operative said. I dont care. Harris has thus far been mostly spared in the blame game that has coursed through the party Democrats often reserve brutal treatment for their losers, and Biden has gotten the brunt of opprobrium for sticking around longer than he should have. Not one of the close Harris allies Ive spoken with expects this dynamic to last. Instead, they are bracing for a harsher reconsideration, some version of the unsparing friendly fire that tanked the reputations of John Kerry and Al Gore. The shit is still coming, one adviser told me. Its a very, very tough road ahead. One person who is intimately familiar with what thats like is Hillary Clinton, whom Harris started to get to know when she first got to Washington in 2017. She occasionally called the former secretary of State for advice as a senator, then as VP. The bond deepened last July when Biden abandoned his reelection campaign and the Clintons endorsed Harris almost immediately, beating other party machers like the Obamas and Nancy Pelosi. Since November, Harris and Clinton have spoken on multiple occasions about their exceedingly rare shared experience and about how to think through the future; in December, Harris quietly slipped out of her official residence at the Naval Observatory in Washington and over to Clintons home a few blocks away to chat and celebrate at a private reception for the former secretary of State after Biden awarded her the Medal of Freedom. A few days later, Harris was surprised to learn that Biden had told USA Today he still thought he could have won reelection. Harris had gone to great lengths not to distance herself from the unpopular Biden during the administration or while running the campaign she inherited from him, even infamously telling The View hosts that not a thing comes to mind that she would have done differently from her boss. Biden didnt elaborate on his analysis in the interview, but some around Harris couldnt help but wonder if he meant to blame her for Trumps victory. I did find it surprising, but I cant say Im shocked, one person close to her told me not long after. Though Biden and Harris almost always publicly appeared in lockstep, their loyalists at times clashed behind the scenes, and some close to Biden were hardly shy with their doubts about Harriss political viability. The ex-president and his closest advisers have remained raw over the way Democrats urged him aside last summer. When I asked how Harris herself had taken Bidens words, her associate spoke slowly and chose her words very deliberately. Its unfortunate, she said. Joe Biden and Harris stand for the The Star-Spangled Banner after Donald Trump was sworn in as the 47th president. Photo: Saul Loeb/Reuters In recent weeks, some people who have known Harris for years have reminisced about how happy she was when Air Force Two flew away from D.C. and approached California. Theyve talked about the time, a decade ago, when she was weighing whether to run for the Senate or the governorship. She chose Washington, but Sacramento had been on her mind for years, and it recently returned. A handful of Harriss California allies have encouraged her to consider that running the worlds fifth-largest economy might be a fitting final career move. News that she could run for governor next year was at first greeted cautiously back home. Though no one doubts she would be the immediate favorite in the race, some have questioned whether she would enjoy the specifics of the gig. Los Angeles Times columnist George Skelton was blunt: Shed probably be miserable in her work if she saw it as a consolation prize or a stepping stone back to the White House, he wrote, pointing out that shed have to confront the housing crisis, crime, a budget mess, homelessness, and a water shortage. This was before the fires. And a gubernatorial run would not be drama free. Harris would effectively be big-footing her friend, Lieutenant Governor Eleni Kounalakis, who is contending to be the states first woman governor. She would also potentially stymie former L.A. mayor Antonio Villaraigosas bid to be the states first Latino executive. Meanwhile, other possible candidates, including former congresswoman Katie Porter, state attorney general Rob Bonta, developer Rick Caruso, and Biden Health secretary Xavier Becerra, are waiting to see what Harris will do. There are ten people holding their breath out here, says Barbara Boxer, who preceded Harris in the U.S. Senate. Though she has frozen the field for now, most of Harriss allies in California and Washington have recently downplayed the likelihood of a run. Some advisers have argued to her that the governorship may be a huge job but its a step down from the vice-presidency. And no one believes she could realistically run for president again if she goes for governor first. You have to really want to do it, and I dont know the answer to the question: What is in her heart? says Boxer. Because theres a huge, huge difference between being governor or president. Californians looking for evidence that Harris might still opt for a prominent local role saw plenty on Monday, when she landed back in Los Angeles after handing over the vice-presidency. Her first stops, with Emhoff, were to thank firefighters and serve food to people whod been affected by the fires in Altadena. Local news dissected her appearance before she even got back to her own house in a neighborhood that had only recently been reopened to its residents. For a few days in January, Harris and Emhoff werent sure they would have a home to return to. Their place in Brentwood was inside an evacuation zone, and at times during the worst of the fires, Harris relied on neighbors for reports on the houses status. It survived. But another home has also been on Harriss mind. The couple has been seriously exploring the Manhattan apartment market so they can become a bit bicoastal. They have considered different kinds of uptown units Page Six was recently tipped off to Emhoffs tour of a big condo near Lincoln Center and have been working through logistical questions, including security concerns. (Former vice-presidents get six months of Secret Service protection, but that can occasionally be extended depending on risk levels.) A secondary East Coast base may be helpful for their travels. Harris is likely to give some paid speeches, and shes already fielded inquiries about writing a book. Emhoff, a lawyer, has spoken about taking on clients again and maintaining a public profile so he can keep up his work combating antisemitism. Harris has talked with staffers about setting up some sort of organization to fund her continuing work, but they havent settled on the nature of the work or the type of organization. Some aides have whispered about what her ongoing friendship with the billionaire philanthropist Laurene Powell Jobs could mean for her future: Perhaps she could join Jobss Emerson Collective in some advisory capacity. Nor has she decided on how many speeches to give or whether to write a book. If shes going to be thinking about running for president, it freezes everything for two years, says one person familiar with her thinking. Biden, for one, turned down a $38 million speaking contract after leaving the vice-presidency to avoid the perception of corruption ahead of his 2020 run; Harris, who has written two books, knows that a pre-campaign volume is a very different kind of read, and a much worse seller, than a post-career tell-all. Harris has no shortage of friends advocating for each of her options, including Door No. 3. She probably knows, deep down, that odds are shes not the right person to carry the mantle, because she just did, one former senior aide told me. She understands that timing is everything shes been a beneficiary of that through her whole career. So she probably understands that barring some unforeseen circumstance, people will probably want to move on to something new. A few hours earlier, another of her old high-level staffers had called to spell out why he was arguing for a soft drift into comfortable retirement. He could see the argument for another presidential run, he says, and thought she could win the governorship without breaking too much of a sweat. But, he continued, when you look at what the other options could be possibly losing a third presidential race, perhaps being miserable as governor as a private citizen, she could have a pretty good life. Photo-Illustration: Intelligencer; Photos: Alamy, Getty Staffers of The New Yorker who go into the office, as Conde Nast now requires them to do, have noticed something different in recent months: A documentary film crew has been showing up at the magazine with some regularity since September, sitting in on editorial meetings and interviewing people. Writers have been popping in for cameos, gamely acting out journalistic duties taking phone calls, striding down the halls that, to the amusement of their colleagues, are not always that interesting to watch. Still, how often does The New Yorker open its august doors to the public, much less a camera? Quite a while ago, I went and I met, I think for the first time, Ted Sarandos at Netflix, said New Yorker editor David Remnick. At a certain point he said, You know, there should be a documentary about The New Yorker. And I kind of filed that away. Then as we were approaching a hundred years, I kind of raised it. The Netflix documentary, directed by Marshall Curry and executive produced by Judd Apatow, is built around the months leading up the making of the 100th anniversary issue (out February 10) but also explores the history of the magazine through its most significant articles, covers, and cartoons. In addition to talking with a variety of editors and writers such as Francoise Mouly, the longtime editor of the covers, and Emma Allen, the cartoons editor the crew has been filming with Jon Lee Anderson in Damascus as he covered the fall of the Assad regime. Remnick, of course, is a central character. The crew was in his apartment on Monday, interviewing him while he took in Trumps triumphant inauguration. Ill confess, its an interesting and unnerving and instructive process to get written about, much less to get filmed, when youd spent your entire life on the other end of the pencil, as it were, said Remnick. He is also a central character in a parallel drama that has been unfolding while the crew has been shooting, and that has less to do with The New Yorkers history than its future. Remnick, 65, has been editor for more than a quarter of the century that The New Yorker is celebrating. There had been a general feeling that the 100th was a natural time for David to leave, one New Yorker staffer said. But I think that over the past couple of years, as it grew closer, instead of people being excited to speculate about who might be the next editor, they became much more defensive in those conversations like, Oh my God, what if he goes? My hope for the anniversary is that it propels another hundred years, quite frankly, Remnick told me. Ive been doing this job for a while and Im always mindful and any publication thats been around for a while is mindful you never want to be a museum of yourself. The centenary celebrations will include an exhibit at the New York Public Library featuring rare manuscripts, letters, and other archival materials; a Film Forum series of movies inspired by work from the magazines pages, such as In Cold Blood and Brokeback Mountain; and an exhibit of the magazines iconic covers. There will be an anniversary party for magazine staff and longtime contributors on February 25, at Jeans, the sceney restaurant on Lafayette with a subterranean club. The magazine itself will offer an anniversary-inspired issue every quarter, including one that is New Yorkthemed this spring, culminating with the release of the documentary toward the end of the year. But just as the magazine is going big on celebrating itself, Conde Nast has never been smaller, thrusting The New Yorkers succession issues into the spotlight and casting an anxious pall over the proceedings. After decades of being in the red and bankrolled by Conde Nasts powerful owner, S.I. Newhouse, The New Yorker is today, along with Vogue, one of Condes more successful titles. The publisher has over the past decade been in a kind of managed decline, struggling to find profits, centralizing key operations, and condensing publications when not shuttering them altogether. Pitchfork, as of last year, is overseen by GQ editor-in-chief Will Welch, and the editor-in-chief of Allure now also oversees Self. The New Yorker, with its loyal readership of 1.24 million paying subscribers across digital and print and intellectual prestige that continues to attract the industrys top writers and editors, is a bright spot. It is also something of a sanctuary inside Conde, spared the cost-cutting efforts that over the years have whittled down the empire Newhouse built. Until recently. In the fall of 2023, Conde cut nearly 300 people from across its dozens of titles, including, to the shock of The New Yorker, The New Yorker. Longtime satirist Andy Borowitz and culture editor Michael Agger were among the roughly dozen people laid off. This came after an earlier round of cuts in June during which four people at the magazine were laid off, prompting a staff protest. The physical magazine has correspondingly shrunk; Goings on About Town, which used to take up about six pages, is now only two pages. Meanwhile, The New Yorker first unionized in 2018, winning its first contract in 2021 and its second in 2024, bruising fights that divided staff and bred resentment. All of which adds more intrigue and pressure to the question of who will be steering the ship in the uncertain years to come. Remnick is loath to discuss any specifics related to succession planning, saying he is concentrated on the magazine now and the magazine in the future and all the things that magazine now means. He acknowledges his age I now get on the subway for a buck 45, and you should be jealous of that though shows no signs of slowing down, reporting from Israel and hosting The New Yorker Radio Hour on top of running the place. Guessing Remnicks successor is something of a parlor game among journalists, with the options ranging from The Atlantics Nick Thompson to the Paris Reviews Emily Stokes to the New York Reviews Emily Greenhouse (all New Yorker alums). There was a period, after the Me Too movement and the George Floyd protests, when people inside The New Yorker thought the successor would not be another white man. Maybe it would be Jelani Cobb, The New Yorker staff writer currently developing his management chops as the dean of Columbia Journalism School, or maybe even Jia Tolentino, one of the magazines most celebrated writers. But the pendulum seems to have swung back, Im told, as writers Patrick Radden Keefe and Evan Osnos, both white men, have seen their odds improve among staffers. Of course, the staffers dont get to choose their boss. That will be left up to the powers that be at Conde, no doubt with some input from Remnick himself, who started at the magazine as a staff writer in 1992, not long after the chaotic upheaval precipitated by Newhouses ouster of longtime editor William Shawn. Nothing is forever. I mean, only a fool would think otherwise, he told me. And Im mindful of a patch in New Yorker history where succession and aging grew into a crisis, and weve just lived through a political period where it did. That wont happen here. MAGA Enemy No.1. Photo: Kevin Lamarque/Reuters Everything about the Washington National Cathedral, from its vast Gothic architecture to its clergys vestments, suggests to the politicians who sometimes grace its pews that they are small players in the grand drama of human events shaped by an omnipotent God. But the most important pol in attendance at this weeks National Prayer Service, right there in the front row, was a newly re-inaugurated president for whom humility and self-restraint are alien concepts, and who has boldly asserted that God prevented his assassination in order to return him to power. So understandably, the clerical leader of the Cathedral, Bishop Mariann Budde, felt constrained in her sermon to beg Donald Trump for some Christian forbearance in how he carried out his vengeful mandate. She begged rather than commanded, using the time-honored language of Jesus Christ by way of enjoining compassion for the poor, the stranger, and those living in fear of state power: Let me make one final plea, Mr. President. Millions have put their trust in you and, as you told the nation yesterday, you have felt the providential hand of a loving God. In the name of our God, I ask you to have mercy upon the people in our country who are scared now. There are gay, lesbian, and transgender children in Democratic, Republican, and independent families, some who fear for their lives. The people who pick our crops and clean our office buildings; who labor in poultry farms and meatpacking plants; who wash the dishes after we eat in restaurants and work the night shifts in hospitals. They may not be citizens or have the proper documentation. But the vast majority of immigrants are not criminals. They pay taxes and are good neighbors. They are faithful members of our churches and mosques, synagogues, gurudwaras, and temples. I ask you to have mercy, Mr. President, on those in our communities whose children fear that their parents will be taken away. And that you help those who are fleeing war zones and persecution in their own lands to find compassion and welcome here. It was also understandable that Trump was annoyed by Buddes plea, along with the underlying suggestion that he does not personify Gods will for America in 2024. He was undoubtedly aware that the bishop had criticized him during his first term for using one of the churches of her diocese, the White Houseadjacent St. Johns, for a photo op in which he held up a Bible in righteous justification for his hard line on Black Lives Matters protesters. And here she was almost literally raining on his inaugural parade. But when he lashed out at her on Truth Social as a so-called bishop, a radical left hard line Trump hater, whose sermon was nasty in tone and not compelling or smart, he unleashed a lot of MAGA rage aimed not just at Budde but at those liberal Christians who similarly reject a reactionary, Trump-o-centric version of the faith. The New York Times Elizabeth Dias hit the nail on the head in depicting the outburst against Budde as representing a submerged iceberg rising to the surface: For nearly a decade, American Christianity has been torn apart in every possible way. Christians have fought over whether women should be allowed to preach. Over the place of gay people. The definition of marriage. The separation of church and state. Black Lives Matter. And at the heart of much of it has been Mr. Trumps rise as the de facto head of the modern American church, and the rise of right-wing Christian power declaring itself the one true voice of God. The National Prayer Service incident gave license to a lot of Trumps clerical allies to deny the legitimacy of any form of Christianity that does not comport with their culturally conservative views. Several uttered their condemnations in interviews with the conservative Washington Examiner: For the past four years, the Left has vilified biblically sound pastors for teaching what Scripture says about marriage, gender, and sexuality accusing them of preaching politics from the pulpit. Yet, on the very first day of Trumps return to the White House, a woke clergy member hijacks a church service to promote partisan rhetoric, personally attacks the President of the United States, and distorts the truth about illegal immigration, said pastor Lucas Miles, senior director of TPUSA Faith. Pastor John Amanchukwu, who has been vocal in his support for Trump in the past, took a harsher tone. Many fear a wolf in sheeps clothing, but there is nothing worse than a wolf in Bishop garments. Shes heretical, diabolical, and should have NEVER had the opportunity to minister in the presence of President Donald J. Trump, Amanchukwu said. Franklin Graham, who delivered one of the two official invocations at Trumps inauguration, was equally harsh: She is a socialist, activist, LGBTQ+ agenda, and thats, you know, so shes just wrong, he continued. So these are activists, and no question, they hate Trump. I dont know why they hate Trump. Trump stands for truth. So denying that Trump stands for truth is apparently grounds for excommunication from the broader community of Jesus Christ. Thats certainly what the extremely influential Pentecostal preacher and musician Sean Feucht suggested via his tweets from the service itself: We were all cringing in the room along with the President with how outrageous this was! This is not a church and she is not a pastor. Time to ditch this tradition of attending this place during the inauguration. Whos with me? pic.twitter.com/7gHru37ZCH Sean Feucht (@seanfeucht) January 21, 2025 Maybe these holy warriors will calm down. But for the moment, its clear that their relationship with Donald Trump, the most powerful person on the planet, is fully transactional. Hes using them to herd their flocks into the voting booth to back him despite occasional suspicions that hes more interested in self-promotion and worldly wealth than in doing Gods will. And they are using his authority to monopolize their own power within Christianity, by insisting that the only real Christians are MAGA Christians. These politicized right-wing believers bared their teeth in the reaction to Buddes decidedly Jesus-oriented plea to Trump for mercy. But their ultimate objective could well be to reduce the influence of liberal Christianity until its small enough to be drowned in a baptismal font, leaving loud-and-proud Christian nationalists as the monopoly proprietors of Americas largest religious tradition. Pete Hegseth, Donald Trumps choice to be Defense secretary. Photo: Jabin Botsford/The Washington Post/Getty Images Pete Hegseths nomination to be secretary of Defense in Donald Trumps new administration had been mired in controversy since he was first named, but he was still narrowly confirmed by the U.S. Senate on Friday night. The former Fox & Friends co-host had been dogged by reports of excessive drinking, financial mismanagement, and an allegation of sexual assault, all claims that Hegseth has denounced as anonymous smears. But Hegseth glided through his confirmation hearing bolstered by praise from the Republicans whose votes hed been courting. Additional reports on Hegseths behavior from members of his own family emerged, but did not sway enough GOP senators to make a difference. Hegseth confirmed by a historically slim margin Three Republican senators, Mitch McConnell, Susan Collins, and Lisa Murkowski, joined Democrats to vote against Hegseth on Friday night, forcing Vice President J.D. Vance to cast the tiebreaking vote. He was then confirmed 51-50. It was only the second time ever that a vice president had to cast a tie-breaking vote to confirm a cabinet nominee, and the narrowest margin ever for a Defense Secretary. It wasnt clear, ahead of the vote, whether or not North Carolina Republican Thom Tillis would support Hegseth, particularly after he sent additional questions to the nominee in the day before the vote. But Tillis ultimately did stick by Hegseth: From the beginning, I have been clear about my position: if President Trumps nominees were reported favorably out of the relevant committees, I would support their confirmation on the Senate floor absent new material information about their qualifications. Once Pete Hegseths Senator Thom Tillis (@SenThomTillis) January 25, 2025 Hegseth had himself arrived at the U.S. Senate, with his family in tow, ahead of the Friday night vote which was unusual. McConnell, for his part, said it was Hegseths answers regarding foreign aggression that lost his vote. What were the latest reports about Hegseths past? On Tuesday, NBC News reported that the Senate had received a sworn affidavit from Danielle Hegseth, his former sister-in-law, detailing new allegations of Hegseths troubling behavior. Rhode Island senator Jack Reed, the ranking member on the Senate Armed Services Committee, confirmed in a statement that the affidavit was received and that it spoke of incidents of alcohol abuse, threatening and abusive behavior toward his second wife, and repeated patterns of offensive public misconduct. Though he did not mention Danielle Hegseth by name, Reed said that she was interviewed by the FBI in December and that her testimony was not included in the final background check provided to the committee by the Trump transition team. As I have said for months, the reports of Mr. Hegseths history of alleged sexual assault, alcohol abuse, and public misconduct necessitate an exhaustive background investigation. I have been concerned that the background check process has been inadequate, and this affidavit confirms that fact, Reed said. The affidavit alleges that Hegseth abused alcohol regularly and was often so drunk that he passed out, threw up, and had to be carried out of family events and public settings, sometimes shouting sexually and racially offensive statements. It also claims that Hegseth engaged in threatening behavior toward his second wife, Samantha Hegseth, to the point that she devised an escape plan that involved texting a safe word to friends and family in case she needed assistance. NBC News notes that Samantha Hegseth denied that there was any physical abuse in her marriage in a statement to the outlet. CNN reported Wednesday that Samantha Hegseth had recently provided a new statement to the FBI following her ex-husbands confirmation hearing. According to a source familiar, she reportedly told the agency about Hegseths alcohol use, He drinks more often than he doesnt. What had the reaction been? Senator Joni Ernst of Iowa, a combat veteran who was seen as a pivotal vote, indicated that her support for Hegseth hadnt wavered in light of the latest allegations. His ex-wife has denied it. So it really doesnt go very far, she said, per HuffPost. It carries no weight. On Thursday, the Senate voted to advance Hegseths nomination, giving a preview of final vote that will held on Friday. With Republicans holding on to a slim margin of control in the chamber, they can only afford to lose three votes if all the Democrats oppose Hegseth. Only two senators opposed advancing Hegseths nomination: Collins and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska. Murkowski told CNN Thursday that she had concerns with his nomination. Hours later, she was out with a statement confirming that she will vote against Hegseth. The leader of the Department of Defense must demonstrate and model the standards of behavior and character we expect of all servicemembers, and Mr. Hegseths nomination to the role poses significant concerns that I cannot overlook, she said. After showing some hesitancy, Maine senator Susan Collins ultimately voted against moving forward with Hegseths nomination Thursday. While I appreciate his courageous military service and his ongoing commitment to our servicemembers and their families, I am concerned that he does not have the experience and perspective necessary to succeed in the job, she said in a statement. Kentucky senator Mitch McConnell had remained tight-lipped on whether hell back Trumps nominee. The former Republican Senate leader voted to advance Hegseths nomination. Two previous hold-outs, Senators Todd Young of Indiana and John Curtis of Utah, indicated their plans to vote for Hegseth, making his confirmation increasingly likely. Though Senate Republicans appeared to have the votes, Trump seemed to express some uncertainty about Hegseths chances Friday morning. Whatever it is, it is. Hes a good man. I dont know whats going to happen. You never know with those things. Petes a very good man. I hope he makes it. I hope he makes it, he said, per the Washington Post. It could be Elon Time in Washington very soon. Photo: Kenny Holston/Bloomberg/Getty Images We learned this week that the duumvirate of Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy in charge of the unofficial Department of Government Efficiency had lost one of its co-directors. Politico had a clever way of describing what happened: Elon Musk has already achieved his first cut at the so-called Department of Government Efficiency: his co-leader Vivek Ramaswamy. Musk, the tech tycoon and Donald Trump confidant, made it known that he wanted Ramaswamy out of DOGE in recent days, according to three people familiar with Musks preferences who, like others for this article, were granted anonymity to discuss them Just 69 days after Trump announced the team, Ramaswamy is now leaving DOGE and planning to announce a run for Ohio governor next week. Musks ability to ice out Ramaswamy, who for a variety of reasons had irked some Republicans in Trumps circle, is the latest sign of his influence in the incoming administration. This wasnt, however, just a penis-measuring contest between two of the bigger egos in Republican politics with the richest man winning. There was a substantive disagreement between Musk and Ramaswamy that had a major bearing on the power and glory of DOGE. Musk wanted a perch inside the White House and immediate results. Ramaswamy hewed to the original vision of DOGE as an unofficial, private-sector advisory group that would formulate its budget-cutting and regulation-slashing work over two years. That Musk won this fight was evidenced not only by Ramaswamys defenestration but by Donald Trumps decision to give DOGE the spot on the White House org chart currently held, as the Associated Press pointed out, by the U.S. Digital Service, an Obama-era entity created in the wake of the HealthCare.gov website debacle to modernize the governments approach to technology. Trumps order suggests a technology focus for DOGE, too, going forward, which could arguably narrow its originally lordly purview, as Business Insider observed: [I]ts stated mission is to update the federal governments software and IT systems a far cry from the vision Musk outlined of cutting up to $2 trillion in annual spending. I was disappointed to see the limited scope that DOGE is now responsible for, said Romina Boccia, the director of budget and entitlements policy at the libertarian Cato Institute. On the bright side, it may mean that it will be more likely to actually fulfill its mandate because its more targeted. On the other hand, Musk might well rationalize all sorts of massive changes in the size and structure of the federal government and its workforce as necessary to produce a 21st-century public sector. More to the point, being part of the Office of the White House carries all sorts of advantages for anyone planning a policy revolution, notes Business Insider: Making the new entity part of the government could allow it to more easily access information across agencies. The agency can also potentially do much of its work behind closed doors, even as some regulations on governmental disclosure will persist. Perhaps most important, being in the White House would place Musk and DOGE in close proximity to the central nerve center of executive-branch policy-making: the Office of Management and Budget, which not only prepares the presidents budget and other fiscal plans but reviews proposed federal regulations and will almost certainly be the vehicle for Trumps input into the huge budget-reconciliation bill (or bills; the number is still up in the air) that will implement most of his legislative agenda. As it happens, OMB director-designate Russell Vought, who authored Project 2025s radical chapter on the design of the executive branch, shares the Musk vision of a radically smaller federal government led by loyal Trump appointees. Assuming he is confirmed to the post he also held during part of the first Trump administration, Vought will arguably be the most powerful figure in the administration. If hes in an alliance with Musk and his vast troll army of social-media influencers, and Trump imposes their will on Congress, we could be looking at the most audacious redirection of federal policies and resources since the 1960s. So its possible DOGE under Musks unified direction could go small and narrow by focusing on IT systems, or could go big and scary by fulfilling its original mission of turning Washington upside down. If Musk and Vought begin eating lunch together often, look out! Starting today, same-sex marriage is officially legalized in Thailand. Its the first country in Southeast Asia to recognize marriage equality. pic.twitter.com/f3rgdI2ZE1 Pop Base (@PopBase) January 23, 2025 (*Changed to a new source because the old tweet was unavailable.) 63 58 ! pic.twitter.com/GuyPQf4US7 Girls Love On Air (@glonair) January 23, 2025 A beloved lesbian couple, locally cherished as Grandpa Kan and Grandma Tuk have come to register their marriage after more than 30 years of being together. https://t.co/s0NIthJDSH yammi (@sighyam) January 23, 2025 A gay couple from South Korea decided to formalise their union in Thailand on the first day of marriage equality taking effect. The vibe in Thailand right now is incredible. pic.twitter.com/XDBWjUwQgu yammi (@sighyam) January 23, 2025 Crying in a single ace woman My Thai friend just sent me this restaurants promotional poster! All married gays get to eat for free pic.twitter.com/4P7NG5mlvU yammi (@sighyam) January 23, 2025 After the new Marriage Equality Act was approved in June 2024, starting today (23 January of 2025), Thailand would be the first Southeast Asian country to legalize same-sex marriage. (Third if counting Asia as a whole, after Taiwan in 2019 and Nepal in 2024!) Hundreds of couples have come to register their marriage at their local districts. After 23 years together, Grandma Miaolan and Grandma Jaruk, who own a porridge shop together in Krabi, have registered their marriage today.A lesbian couple, Grandpa Kan and Grandma Tuk, who have been together for over 30 years also tied their knot today as well.A gay couple from South Korea has come to Thailand to formalise their marriage!ZEN (a Japanese restaurant in Thailand) is celebrating this amazing occasion by giving a FREE plate of salmon sashimi to all the married gays!Source: Twitter 1 DOL Orders Reinstatement of Worker Fired Over Safety Concerns Strasburg Rail Road Co. must reinstate and compensate an employee wrongfully fired for refusing to issue safety licenses to an unqualified manager. The U.S. Department of Labor has ordered Strasburg Rail Road Co., a Pennsylvania tourist railroad operator, to reinstate and compensate a former employee who was wrongfully terminated for raising safety concerns. According to a recent release, an OSHA investigation found that the company fired the worker after they refused to issue locomotive and conductor licenses to a management official who lacked the necessary qualifications. OSHA determined the dismissal violated the Federal Railroad Safety Act (FRSA), which protects employees who report safety or regulatory concerns. The OSHA investigation found Strasburg Rail Road Co. wrongfully terminated the employee for exercising their protected right to raise safety concerns, OSHA Regional Administrator Michael Rivera in Philadelphia said in a statement. This case underscores the critical importance of protecting workers who prioritize safety and comply with federal regulations. Retaliation against employees who stand up for safety will not be tolerated. The employee will receive $161,114 in back wages and interest, $10,000 in compensatory damages and $50,000 in punitive damages. The DOLs order also requires Strasburg Rail Road Co. to remove any incident record from the employees personnel file. Chartered in 1832, Strasburg Rail Road Co. is the oldest continuously operating railroad in the United States. The company operates five steam locomotives and offers scenic tours through Lancaster Countys Amish Country. China aims to maintain crude production in 2025 little changed from 2024, with output expected to come in above 200 million tons. In 2024, China's total oil and gas output exceeded 400 million tons of oil equivalent for the first time, the National Energy Administration (NEA) has revealed. Chinas crude production clocked in at 213 million tons (4.9 million barrels per day), while natural gas production was 246.4 billion cubic meters (bcm). Indias oil demand growth exceeded Chinas for the first time in 2024, and is expected to do so again in 2025. According to Kang Wu, global head of macro and oil demand research at SPGCI, Indias oil demand grew by 180,000 barrels per day in 2024, surpassing Chinas growth clip at 148,000 bpd. Indias oil demand is expected to increase by 3.2% Y/Y in 2025 compared to 1.7% by China. Over the past couple of decades, China has carried the lions share of global oil demand growth thanks to the countrys remarkable economic boom. However, that is beginning to change. The factors that helped sustain Chinas rapid growth since the global financial crisis are unlikely to be replicated in the next decade, particularly in sectors of property construction and local government investment. Indeed, Chinas economic slowdown has mainly manifested in the property sectors decline, hardly surprising considering that the industry represented 20 to 25 percent of GDP at its peak. Chinas booming electric vehicle sector is also displacing a significant chunk of oil demand. The countrys 10 millionth EV rolled off the production line in November, beating the 2023 production seven weeks before the years end. Chinese EV makers delivered 9.75 million units to mainland buyers between January and October, good for a robust 34% Y/Y increase. Helped by government subsidies of up to $2,800 apiece for trading in older cars for EVs as well as more fuel-efficient cars, China Passenger Car Association (CPCA) secretary-general Cui Dongshu has predicted that Chinas EV revolution will continue undeterred by a faltering economy. Sales of new energy vehicles (NEVs) in China overtook conventional auto sales for the first time ever in July, and now account for more than half of all units sold during the month. By Alex Kimani for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com While the exact cause remains unclear, the drop in exports highlights the potential impact of sanctions on Russia's oil trade. Two weeks after the Biden administration unveiled sanctions on Russian oil exporters and tankers, Russian oil exports from the countrys second-largest export facility on the Baltic Sea have unexpectedly plunged in the past several weeks, a slump that adds to wider questions about the nations petroleum flows as Western sanctions ramp up. According to Bloomberg, shipments from the Baltic port of Ust-Luga tumbled in the final two weeks of December, a period in which six out 14 scheduled cargoes failed to load. Russia then planned, and has so far exported, a much smaller amount this month than would be normal in January. Despite speculation it is related to the Biden executive order, there is no clear explanation for the slump, especially since Russia, which has become secretive about its oil flows since the war in Ukraine and ensuing Western sanctions, has refused to address the sharp drop. As noted above, on Jan. 10 the outgoing Biden administration announced the most aggressive sanctions on Russias oil trade since the war on Ukraine began, but even before then tankers used by Moscow were becoming increasingly restricted by Western measures, particularly vessels designated by Washington. Even though the wind-down period for dealing with the sanctioned barrels and vessels ends only on Feb. 27, there are already signs that Russian supplies could be squeezed by the latest measures, with buyers seeking cargoes elsewhere and tankers U-turning away the nations ports. The result has been the previously noted surge in Chinese shipping rates as Beijing scrambles to find alternative sources of oil. Notably, the drop from Ust-Luga predates the latest sanctions. In the first half of January, Russian crude flows from the port averaged about 277,000 barrels per day, a 44% drop from Decembers already-low levels, ship-tracking data compiled by Bloomberg show. This months flows from the port are on course to be the lowest since July 2021, with industry data seen by Bloomberg showing roughly what vessel tracking shows. The timing of the Ust-Luga plunge coincides with when an unspecified and temporary incident happened at the Unecha pump station to the east of Belarus that was reported by the Belta news agency at the time. The decline also comes when Ukraine has been targeting Russian energy infrastructure with drones. Ust-Luga itself was struck in early January although the incident didnt appear to cause any curtailment to crude flows. While there have been 11 storm days at Ust-Luga in the first half of January, Transneft doesnt normally cut planned flows because of expected adverse weather. Shipments from the nearby port of Primorsk are also on course to increase. Bloomberg also notes that there have been no ice-related conditions around Ust-Luga of the kind that sometimes affect exports, according to data from the Finnish Meteorological Institute. By Zerohedge.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com The U.S. last week stepped into the long-running embargo by the Baghdad-based Federal Government of Iraq (FGI) of independent oil exports from Iraqs semi-autonomous region of Kurdistan (KRI) centred in Erbil. These flows into Turkey were stopped on 25 March 2023 after the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) ordered Ankara to pay the FGI US$1.5 billion in damages for these allegedly unauthorised oil exports. U.S. State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller told local Iraqi news outlets that Washington has encouraged the historically pro-West Erbil and more pro-China Baghdad to reach a sustainable agreement on budgetary issues that would facilitate sustained oil production in the Kurdistan Region. The U.S. State Department added that political parties in the Kurdistan Region should form an inclusive government as this will enhance the Regions stability and economic advancement. Long-delayed parliamentary elections were finally held in the Region on 20 October, but no agreement has been made on the mechanism for forming a government. In response, Iraqi Parliaments Foreign Affairs Committee member Mukhtar Al-Mousawi told Iraqi news sources that: This blatant interference in Iraqs internal affairs, including the budget and other issues, cannot be ignored and must be formally rejected by the relevant government bodies, parliament, and political forces. He added: The financial and oil disputes between Baghdad and Erbil are internal matters, and no external party should interfere as such involvement only exacerbates the disagreements, so the U.S. State Department must avoid meddling. In the migraine-inducing complexity of Iraq politics, it is often difficult to see the proverbial wood for the trees. However, a clear path to the conclusion of the seemingly interminable disputes between the FGI and the KRI has long been signalled by Baghdad if the observer looked closely enough. It was even more clearly laid out on 3 August last year when Iraqi Prime Minister, Mohammed Al-Sudani stated that the new unified oil law -- run in every way that matters out of Baghdad -- will govern all oil and gas production and investments in both the FGI and KRI areas and will constitute a strong factor for Iraqs unity. To put it even more plainly, the Federal Government of Iraqs endgame is simply to end any independence for the Kurdistan Region and to roll it into a unified Iraq, as analysed in full in my latest book on the new global oil market order. The principal mechanism by which this will be done is to starve it of cash from its only significant source of income oil exports, and to a lesser degree those of gas. In this way, all troublesome political wranglings over budget disbursements will end, as will similarly time-consuming legal rumblings from international oil companies still operating in the Kurdistan Region, and the Federal Government of Iraq will keep all the money from oil and gas sales across the entire country. Baghdads key sponsors China and Russia fully support such a solution according to multiple senior sources in the Russian, Iranian and Iraqi regimes exclusively spoken to in recent months by OilPrice.com. As one such source put it: Iraq will be one unified country and by keeping the West out of energy deals there, the end of Western hegemony in the Middle East will become the decisive chapter in the Wests final demise. Aside from anything else from Baghdads perspective, the dispute centred on oil produced in the Kurdistan Region has not been properly settled since its emergence at the onset of the new system of governance in Iraq in 2003, immediately after the fall of Saddam Hussein. At that time, it was broadly agreed that the KRG would export a certain volume of oil from its own fields and Kirkuk via Iraqs State Organization for Marketing of Oil (SOMO) and would not independently sell oil from the fields on the international markets, as also detailed in my latest book. In return, Baghdad would disburse a certain level of payments to the KRG from Iraqs central budget. From 2003 to November 2014, there was constant dispute from both sides that the other had not met the terms of that understanding. In November 2014, however, a deal was struck between the FGI and the KRG in which the KRG agreed to export up to 550,000 barrels per day (bpd) of oil from its own fields and Kirkuk via SOMO and, in return, Baghdad would send 17% of the federal budget after sovereign expenses (around US$500 million at that time) per month in budget payments to the Kurds. This agreement which again functioned properly only sporadically was then superseded by an understanding reached between the KRG and the new Iraqi federal government formed in October 2018 centred on the 2019 national budget bill. This required the FGI to transfer sufficient funds from the budget to pay the salaries of KRG employees (along with other financial compensation) in exchange for the KRG handing over the export of at least 250,000 bpd of crude oil to SOMO. Since then, though, the FGI delivered the funding for the monthly salaries of the KRG employees less than reliably and the KRG delivered the agreed upon volume of oil to SOMO on the same ad hoc basis. Another recurrent sticking point for the two sides at that stage was a fundamental disagreement over the amount of budget dispersals and oil transfers that should be involved in the deal the same reason that the November 2014 deal did not survive intact for long. The situation was worsened by the yes referendum vote for independence in Kurdistan in September 2017, as also thoroughly analysed in my latest book. Before this, Kurdistan had been hoping to raise oil exports above 1 million bpd, becoming one of the worlds fastest growing oil regions and allowing for the full resumption of the November 2014 deal. After the yes vote, the basis of the deal became null and void when FGI and Iranian forces took back control of the oilfields in Kurdistan, including the major oil sites around Kirkuk. A that point the FGI argued that the Kirkuk fields had been occupied illegally in the first place, having been under Kurdish control only since 2014 when the Iraqi army collapsed in the face of ISIS. From then, the starting point of any negotiations for the FGI in Baghdad over budget disbursements to the KRG was that they should accord with the percentage share of the Kurdistan population in the overall population of Iraq. This, according to the FGI, was 12.67% a long way from the 17% of the federal budget after sovereign expenses that had been the cornerstone assumption of the November 2014 deal. The issue of the percentage share of the FGI Budget which should be disbursed to the KRI was apparently settled in the talks that led to the 2023-2025 Budget Agreement between the two sides. The figure arrived at stayed at 12.67% in direct allocations. However, as highlighted by non-resident senior fellow with the Atlantic Councils Iraq Initiative, Ahmed Tabaqchali, this share becomes larger when some of the KRIs related elements of sovereign expenditure are added to this percentage allocation. More specifically, in the 2023 budget proposal, the KRIs 12.67% share amounted to IQD14.8 trillion (US$11.3 billion), which increased to IQD16.6 trillion following related elements of sovereign expenditures. Consequently, the resultant effective share of the FGI Budget due the KRI rises to 14.76%. It is towards addressing this inherent discrepancy in the formula that the latest disagreements between the FGI and KRI have arisen. November saw the FGI Cabinet approve a proposal to amend the Article (that covers sovereign expenditures, in particular relating to transportation expenses. Crucially from the KRIs perspective, the figures that will be used in such Budget calculations will come from an internationally specialised consulting entity, as agreed upon by the Federal Ministry of Oil and the KRGs Ministry of Natural Resources, within 60 days of the laws enactment. It added: If no agreement is reached within this period, the Federal Council of Ministers will determine the consulting entity. The announcement then stated that oil produced in the Kurdistan region must be promptly delivered to SOMO or the Federal Ministry of Oil, and that, The Federal Ministry of Finance will provide an advance payment of US$16 per barrel to cover production and transportation costs, with final settlement occurring retroactively after the consulting entitys review is completed. In short, a senior energy sector source who works closely with KRI politicians exclusively told OilPrice.com last week, the KRG thinks the review and the outcome will be rigged against it by the FGI. Given this, there seems little prospect that the FGI and KRI will reach any sort of sustainable agreement any time soon and even less that the embargo on Kurdistan oil exports to Turkey will be lifted either. By Simon Watkins for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com President Trump enacted an earlier promise to reverse President Bidens ban on offshore drilling and open up drilling in Alaskas Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and National Petroleum Reserve. The moves came immediately after Trump was inaugurated as the 47th president of the United States on Monday, January 20. The slew of executive orders (EOs) signed by Trump included the repeal of 78 Biden-era executive actions and the withdrawal of the U.S. from the Paris Climate Treaty the latter also done under Trumps first presidential term. As reported by The Hill, Trump lifted some of Bidens former efforts to restrict oil and gas drilling on public lands and waters, though it could face legal hurdles. His new executive order seeks to rescind Bidens recent order to block 625 million acres offshore from oil and gas drilling including the entire Atlantic and Pacific coasts. It additionally revokes a March order that blocked 2.8 million acres in the Arctic Ocean from oil and gas drilling. Earlier this month Oilprice.com reported Trump saying he plans on day one to reverse immediately Bidens drilling ban on the entire eastern U.S. Atlantic coast and the Eastern Gulf of Mexico, the Pacific Coast along California, Oregon, and Washington, and the remaining portion of the Northern Bering Sea Climate Resilience Area in Alaska. "Banning offshore drilling will not stand," Trump said at Mar-a-Lago. On Monday at the Oval Office Trump laid out a sweeping plan to maximize oil and gas production, including by declaring a national energy emergency that would speed permitting, roll back environmental protections, and withdraw the United States from a 2016 international agreement to fight climate change. "America will be a manufacturing nation once again, and we have something that no other manufacturing nation will ever have: the largest amount of oil and gas of any country on Earth," Trump said during his inauguration speech. "And we are going to use it." A snippet from the EO Unleashing American Energy reads, It is the policy of the United States: to encourage energy exploration and production on Federal lands and waters, including on the Outer Continental Shelf, in order to meet the needs of our citizens and solidify the United States as a global energy leader long into the future; The executive order declaring a national energy emergency states: (b) To protect the collective national and economic security of the United States, agencies shall identify and use all lawful emergency or other authorities available to them to facilitate the supply, refining, and transportation of energy in and through the West Coast of the United States, Northeast of the United States, and Alaska. As Reuters points out, The moves signal a dramatic U-turn in Washingtons energy policy after former President Joe Biden sought for four years to encourage a transition away from fossil fuels in the world's largest economy. However, it remains to be seen whether Trumps policies will have any impact on U.S. oil and gas production, which is already at record levels following sanctions on Russia due to its 2022 invasion of Ukraine. Drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge is controversial. Opponents say the area is home to grizzly and polar bears, grey wolves and over 200 species of birds. But Republicans have long coveted the refuge as a source of oil and a way to bolster the local economy. The U.S. Geological Survey estimates it contains between 4.3 and 11.8 billion barrels of recoverable oil. The executive order directs the Interior Department to reinstate drilling rights that were revoked under the Biden administration. The Hill notes The order also seeks to open up other areas of Alaska to drilling and other industries. It also directs the administration to reverse Biden policies that limited drilling in Alaskas National Petroleum Reserve which was set aside in 1923 by President Harding as an emergency supply of oil for the Navy. After the invasion of Ukraine, Biden sold more than 180 million barrels of crude from the U.S. Strategic Petroleum Reserve. The record number of sales helped lower gasoline prices but sank the reserve to its lowest level in 40 years. As for whether Trumps energy-related executive orders will pass legal muster, it is unclear. During his first term, Trump tried to undo a similar move to protect certain areas of drilling issued under Obama, but he was stopped by a judge who ruled that the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act (OCSLA) gives presidents the right to block drilling but not to reinstate it. Legal experts quoted by Reuters say the question of whether a president can revoke a predecessor's decision to invoke OSLA and withdraw areas from mineral leasing and drilling remains legally unsettled. The issue will almost certainly face a legal challenge. Reuters notes that environmental groups sued Trump in 2017 over Trumps efforts to overturn Obamas protection of the Arctics Chukchi Sea, part of the Arctics Beaufort Sea off-limits to oil leasing, along with a large swath of Atlantic Ocean off the U.S. East Coast. Bidens order, meanwhile, is being challenged in court in two separate lawsuits. Also, Rigzone reported on January 20 that two Texas lawmakers have joined forces to push back against Bidens move to block oil and gas drilling. Senator Ted Cruz and Congressman Jodey Arrington introduced legislation to repeal Bidens Executive Order to ban drilling on over 625 million acres of offshore territory. According to BNN Bloomberg, there are no active oil and gas leases in federal waters in the Bering Sea or along the U.S. East Coast from Canada to the southern tip of Florida. About four dozen wells were drilled there in the 1970s and 80s. The last sales of leases was in 1983 and no oil has ever been produced from the region. Oil companies hold about a dozen leases in the Gulf of Mexico and roughly 30 in federal waters near southern California. By Andrew Topf for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com Trump has indicated he may use both sanctions and personal diplomacy to pressure Putin into making a deal. Both Putin and Zelenskiy have signaled they are open to negotiations, but significant obstacles remain. Trump's approach to the Ukraine war could involve pressuring Ukraine into a peace deal with Russia, increasing sanctions on Russia, or increasing military support to Ukraine. U.S. President Donald Trump wields significant influence over the next phase of the war in Ukraine, but how he plans to use it remains an open question. Trump vowed during his inaugural address on January 20 to be a "peacemaker" and promised on the campaign trail to quickly end the war in Ukraine, the recipient of billions in U.S. military aid. But his more transactional approach to diplomacy has also led to fears he could cut a deal with Russian President Vladimir Putin over Ukraine's head. "There is still concern that Trump will reach a deal with Putin and then tell Ukraine they must take it or he will suspend U.S. assistance to Ukraine," said Marie Dumoulin, a former French diplomat at the European Council on Foreign Relations. The new U.S. president's strategy for ending the war is still taking shape, but analysts said he has two broad paths forward. The first is to push Ukraine -- already grappling with manpower shortages and donor fatigue -- to the negotiating table by withholding pivotal military support and forcing it into a peace deal on unfavorable terms, a possibility Kyiv and most Western capitals consider a worst-case scenario. The other is to ramp up pressure on Russia with new sanctions and increased military assistance for Ukraine. "At this point, every option is still a possibility," Dumoulin said. Will Trump Strike A Deal With Putin? Both Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy have signaled they are open to negotiations, but it's unclear if Kyiv and Moscow are willing to make compromises. Putin initially wanted to capture Kyiv and install a government sympathetic to Moscow. The Kremlin also holds firm on its demands to keep swathes of occupied Ukrainian territory and limit the size of Ukraine's military. That's been a nonstarter for Kyiv, which calls for the restoration of its territory and the complete withdrawal of Russian forces. Zelenskiy, however, has said he could be open to freezing the war along the current front line in exchange for a pathway to NATO membership. Trump is also looking to leverage his relationship with Putin, who he praised in the past as a "savvy" strategist, and said he plans to meet face-to-face with the Russian leader. He's also called for Chinese leader Xi Jinping to play a larger role in bringing the war to an end, telling reporters on January 21 that he's pressed Xi and that he has "a lot ofpower, like we have a lot of power" to end the war but that "he's not done very much on that." Leveraging leader-to-leader connections seems to be part of the new administration's strategy. Beijing has remained officially neutral on the fighting but has sustained Russia's economy and boosted Moscow's war effort with a steady supply of dual-use goods. In calling out Xi, Trump appears to think his personal touch can make a difference. "From President Trump's perspective, you can't enter a deal if you don't have some type of relationship and dialogue with the other side. And we will absolutely establish that in the coming months," Mike Waltz, Trump's national-security adviser, said during a January 12 interview. Trump once again brought up his personal rapport with the Russian leader when speaking to reporters at the White House on January 20, saying he gets "along with [Putin] great. I would hope he wants to make a deal." But he also voiced criticism, a signal Trump could wield both a carrot and a stick in a bid to cut a deal with Moscow. "I think [Putin is] destroying Russia by not making a deal," Trump said. "I think Russia's going to be in big trouble." Oleksandr Motsyk, Ukraine's former ambassador to the United States, told RFE/RL that Kyiv should be prepared for a flurry of diplomacy and not be startled by outreach between Moscow and Washington. "The first stage of it will be that Ukraine talks to the United States and Russia talks to the United States," he said. "Then the United States looks at the positions of both parties, and based on that, can then make some proposals." What Tools Does Trump Have? But as momentum for talks picks up steam, Trump may also struggle to bring Russia to the negotiating table. Analysts say that despite the heavy losses suffered by Russia on the battlefield, Putin believes he is winning in Ukraine and has little incentive to budge. This may see Trump look to exercise leverage -- and that could include imposing harsher sanctions on Russia's economy. Prior to leaving office, the Biden administration imposed the most disruptive sanctions on Russia's oil trade by any Western power to date. Trump could aim to add to those measures. Scott Bessent, Trump's pick for treasury secretary, said during his January 16 confirmation hearing that he "100 percent" supports intensifying sanctions on Russian oil producers to bring Moscow "to the table," if Trump requests it. Trump alluded to the use of sanctions when speaking to reporters on January 21. Secretary of State Marco Rubio also said during his confirmation hearing that sanctions -- both applying and lifting them -- could enter discussions to end the nearly three-year war. While saying both Russia and Ukraine will have to make "concessions" to reach a peace deal, Rubio said "sanctions and the release of sanctions" would "have to be part of this conversation in terms of bringing about aresolution." Trump could also pressure Putin into talks by threatening increased military support for Ukraine and changing the dynamic on the battlefield. Whether Trump will elect this path remains to be seen, especially given that he promised on the campaign trail to pull financial support for Ukraine and criticized the Biden administration during his inaugural address for "unlimited funding to the defense of foreign borders." "Russia has never signaled a readiness to compromise," said Dumoulin, the former diplomat. "Trump's main options are to accept Moscow's conditions or look to change them." By RFE/RL More Top Reads From Oilprice.com The European Union is considering extending the binding natural gas storage targets for EU member states for at least another year after the current goals expire at the end of 2025, EU diplomats told Reuters on Thursday. In the wake of the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine and the halt to Russian pipeline gas supply to most EU countries, the European Commission adopted a target for EU natural gas storage levels to be 90% full by November 1 of each year, ahead of the winter. There are also intermediate targets for February 1, May 1, July 1, and September 1, 2025, as the EU looks to be prepared for the winter gas demand with nearly full storage sites. Each EU member state must have their storage filled to at least 90% by November 1, to ensure security of supply through refilled storage facilities for winter 2025-2026. The EU says that each year since the introduction of the Regulation during the energy crisis, the EU has exceeded its gas storage filling target. Referring to reports about extending the EU gas storage target scheme after 2025, a European Commission spokesperson told Reuters, We are looking into various options to ensure sufficient gas storage once the current regulation comes to an end. But the spokesperson declined to elaborate if extending the storage targets for another year would be the case. Ahead of this winter, EU gas storage was around 95% by the deadline of 1 November. This amounts to about 100 billion cubic meters (bcm) of gas in storage in the EU, representing around one-third of the EUs annual gas consumption. However, colder winter weather unlike the previous two milder winters and periods of low wind speeds in most of northwest Europe have been draining EU storage sites at their fastest pace in eight years. As of January 21, EU storage sites were 58.5% full, according to data from Gas Infrastructure Europe. In 2025, EU gas storage levels have been trending below last years levels and below the five-year average. By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com The European Unions sanctions against Russia, which are due to be renewed in the coming days, shouldnt be automatically extended, a senior official from Hungary said on Thursday, calling for a debate and throwing the renewal of the blocs sanctions in doubt. The EU ambassadors are expected to meet later this month, but a renewal of the sanctions on Russia needs to be unanimously approved by all 27 EU member states. Hungarys leader, Prime Minister Viktor Orban, has repeatedly called for the EU to re-think the sanctions, especially since Donald Trump was elected U.S. President. Trumps return to the White House has created a new situation, Hungarian Cabinet Minister Gergely Gulyas told reporters on Thursday, as quoted by Bloomberg. This new situation means that the EU sanctions renewal should not be automatic, Gulyas said. But President Trump has just said that Russia should start negotiations over ending the war in Ukraine, or face taxes, tariffs, and more sanctions. We can do it the easy way, or the hard way, President Trump posted on the social media platform Truth Social on Wednesday. Separately, the EU is said to be considering a gradual ban on EU imports of LNG from Russia. The EU no longer imports pipeline natural gas from Russia via Ukraine, after the latter refused to negotiate an extension to the transit gas deal that expired on December 31, 2024. The EU, however, has significantly boosted imports of Russian LNG in recent months. The rising share of Russias LNG in EU supply comes as a concern for several EU member states that have been pushing for ways to curb Europes reliance on Russian LNG cargoes. Now the EU is considering a gradual phase-out from Russias LNG. This could be done either in the form of sanctions or as part of a road map that the European Commission is expected to present in February, sources with knowledge of plans told Bloomberg last week. By Charles Kennedy for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com LNG exporter Indonesia has asked its buyers to accept delays to Indonesian LNG cargo exports this year, as the Southeast Asian country looks to meet rising domestic energy and gas demand, sources familiar with the plans told Bloomberg on Thursday. Indonesia, the sixth biggest exporter of LNG in the world, is estimated to have shipped about 300 cargoes in 2024, per vessel-tracking data compiled by Bloomberg. Indonesia has a new energy plan under which it will prioritize gas exploration and production to meet domestic demand. Over the next decade, Indonesia expects natural gas demand for electricity to jump, Energy Minister Bahlil Lahadalia said earlier this week. The orientation is to supply domestic demand. If that is not met, we will not permit exports, Lahadalia was quoted as saying. In addition, part of the BP-operated Tangguh LNG project in Indonesia was forced offline for days by an outage at the end of November. A trip at the third train at BPs facility in West Papua occurred earlier this week, Hudi Suryodipuro, a spokesperson for Indonesian regulator SKK Migas, said at the time. Reduced LNG shipments from Indonesia this year could tighten the market. With Europe going through its natural gas storage faster than in the previous seven years, it will need more LNG supply for the rest of the winter and during the summer, when it has to refill storage sites ahead of the 2025/2026 winter. In recent weeks, LNG traders have diverted U.S. cargoes en route to Asia toward Europe, where gas prices are higher and demand is greater with winter weather and the halt of Russian pipeline gas supply via Ukraine. At least seven U.S. LNG cargoes that were en route to Asia via the Cape of Good Hope have made abrupt U-turns in the South Atlantic this month and are now headed to European receiving terminals, according to data from commodities analysts ICIS quoted by the Financial Times. By Charles Kennedy for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com Italy looks to finalize by the end of 2027 plans and legislation that would allow a return to nuclear power generation after more than four decades, Italian Energy Security Minister and Environment Minister, Gilberto Pichetto Fratin, told Italian business daily Il Sole 24 Ore in an interview published on Thursday. Italy halted nuclear reactors after a referendum in 1987 following the Chornobyl disaster a year earlier. In 2011, Italians rejected again the use of nuclear power in yet another referendum. But Italys current government led by Giorgia Meloni said last year that it plans to adopt legislation to return to nuclear power with the latest generation of small modular reactors (SMRs), as part of efforts to decarbonize industry. These reactors are believed to be simpler and cheaper to build and install. Because of their smaller size, it is possible to install SMRs on sites that are not suitable for bigger reactors. They are also significantly cheaper and faster to build than conventional reactors and can be constructed incrementally to meet the growing energy demand of a site. Italy is ready to return to nuclear power, which is a crucial choice and will not replace renewables, but complement them, Pichetto said. Returning to nuclear is a move we can no longer delay and we should not waste this opportunity to play a leading role in the sector expected to be key for decarbonization and energy supply security in the coming decades, the minister added. Last year, Pichetto said that Italy is in talks with several companies, including U.S. Westinghouse and French EDF, for nuclear power cooperation. The companies could be partners in an Italian state-backed firm to build advanced nuclear reactors in Italy, the minister said in October. The scale of investment in nuclear power requires cooperation with several international players, Pichetto told reporters. By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com File photo Chinedu Ukabu, an Abuja-based taxi driver, on Friday appeared at a Karmo Grade I Area Court, Abuja, for allegedly stripping and assaulting a female passenger in public, NAN reports. Ukabu, who resides in Gwagwa Karmo village, Abuja, was arraigned on three counts of criminal force, assault and mischief. The prosecution, Mrs. Ijeoma Ukagha, told the court that the matter was reported on April 10 at the Utako Police Station Abuja, by the complainant, Chukwu Chinaza of 294, Owners Occupier Kubwa Abuja. Ukagha said that on the same date at about 3. 30 p.m. the complainant boarded the defendants taxi from Wuse Zone 3 to Berger roundabout. She said along the way, Chinaza had a little argument with the defendant, and, on getting to Berger bus stop, Ukabu, with criminal intention, forced the complainant out of the said car. In the process of pushing her from the car, Ukabu criminally and violently tore the complainants cloth valued at N25,000 and stripped her naked in the public, Ukagha said. She said the offence contravened the provisions of Sections 327 and 265 of the Penal Code. Ukabu, however, denied the allegations. The prosecutor prayed the court to grant her date to open her case against the defendant. The judge, Inuwa Maiwada, granted the defendant bail in the sum of N25,000 and one surety in like sum. Maiwada ordered that the surety must be a Grade Level 8 officer in the civil service and must reside within the jurisdiction of the court. The judge also said that the surety must present letter of appointment and current utility bill in his name to the court registrar. Maiwada, who said that the surety must present any valid means of identification as part of the bail condition, adjourned the case till May 15 for hearing. Speaker, Femi Gbajibiamila The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila has been spotted wearing what appears to be heavy bulletproof vest during the Independence day celebrations yesterday, in Abuja. The lawmaker could be seen walking on the redcarpet with the vest visibly showing. The situation has left Nigerians asking him what hes afraid of and who he is running away from. The awkward photo is now trending on social media. Nigeria celebrated its 59th independence yesterday. Cathleen Lockhart, a former staff attorney for Bexar County Probate Judge Veronica Vasquez, who is shown in 2023, alleges the judge terminated her in retaliation for complaining about negative treatment and a hostile work environment. Jerry Lara / San Antonio Express-News Bexar County Probate Judge Veronica Vasquez, shown in 2023, said she terminated staff attorney Cathleen Lockhart after issues with her "work product." courtesy Bexar County Probate Court Judge Veronica Vasquez is accused in a federal lawsuit of age and disability discrimination and retaliating against a former staff attorney. In the suit filed this week against Bexar County, attorney Cathleen Lockhart alleges she was fired by Vasquez within weeks of lodging complaints about negative treatment and a hostile work environment. She seeks at least $350,000 in damages. Vasquez, who is not a defendant in the lawsuit, has denied discrimination played a role in the termination. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Judge Vasquez has a proven track record of improving the lives for the elderly and those with special needs, San Antonio lawyer Steve Chiscano, who is representing the judge, said in an email. To avoid compromising the ongoing litigation involving Bexar County, my client will refrain from addressing the specific allegations raised in the case. It is important to clarify, however, that Judge Vasquezs role in an employees termination is carried out in consultation with and under the guidance and supervision of the Bexar County Human Resources Department. A spokesman said the county does not comment on pending litigation. Lockhart, who is 72, partially blind in one eye and requires hearing aids, worked for the court from September 2022 until August 2023, her suit says. She alleges she was terminated because of her age replaced by someone significantly younger. She also says circumstances overwhelmingly suggest she was terminated because of her disability. Lockhart says she submitted to the judge multiple complaints about Silvia Alvarez, described in the lawsuit as the court coordinator but listed on the courts website as administrative assistant. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Indeed, on a regular basis, Ms. Alvarez would consistently make comments about Ms. Lockharts age and disabilities, the suit says. This included Ms. Alvarez raising her hands to her ears and pretending not to hear anything, mocking Ms. Lockharts need for aural assistance. Believing Vasquez was not taking her concerns seriously, Lockhart complained to Allison Highley, Bexar Countys organization ombudsman, and Associate Probate Court Judge Carmen Samaniego. In near direct response to these complaints, Ms. Lockhart was retaliatory terminated in August of 2023 by Judge Vasquez, the suit says. In a June 5 affidavit attached to the lawsuit, Vasquez said she made the decision to terminate Lockhart on Aug. 1, 2023, because of issues with her work product, personnel problems, and complaints from attorneys that she had a bad attitude and was rude to them. Manuel Gonzalez III, the countys director of human resources, was present for the termination, she added. Advertisement Article continues below this ad I let Ms. Lockhart know that she was not the right fit for the staff attorney position and that today would be her last day, said Vasquez, a Democrat who was elected in 2018. A staff attorney is responsible for legal support, research and preparing cases for hearings and trials. Ms. Lockharts work, which I would rely on, was poorly crafted and incorrect at times, the judge said. Because the staff attorney position is so crucial to the flow of my court, I could not rely on Ms. Lockharts work to be done properly. In her lawsuit, Lockhart calls the allegations against her a pretextual veil to accomplish the alleged discrimination and retaliation. Of note, the Bexar County Probate Court has provided exactly no contemporaneous documentation of the Plaintiffs alleged poor performance or alleged poor behavior, she says. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Before going to court, Lockhart filed a charge of discrimination with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission as required. On Oct. 31, the agency issued a letter stating that it made no findings regarding the merits of her allegations but giving notice that she had the right to sue. By Oregon Campaign Watch, Western Liberty Network (WLN) has announced its 15th Annual Leadership Conference. The Conference will be on February 1st starting at 9 a.m. and will feature Guy Benson, a Fox News Contributor, talk show host, and columnist; Steve Moore, former President Trumps senior economic Advisor and Fox News Contributor; Andrey Illarionov, a Cato Institute member; and Christine Drazan, Oregon House Minority Leader, as key speakers. The conference also offers twenty training sessions led by some of Oregons Elected officials, such as State Senator Kim Thatcher, State Representative Ed Diehl, and more. The primary focus of the training sessions is how to win local office in the 2025 spring election, effectively lobby public officials during the 2025 Legislative Sessions, apply limited-government solutions to problems such as homelessness, food Insecurity, traffic congestion, etc., and how to govern effectively once elected/appointed to office. Here is the flyer the Western Liberty Network distributed, providing more conference details For more details about the conference and to register, head to Western Liberty Networks website. By Lars Larson NW and national radio host, President Harry Truman famously said Its amazing what you can accomplish when you dont care who gets the credit. Joe Biden ALWAYS cares who gets credit. Hamas terrorists in Gaza agreed to release 33 of the hostages theyve held the last 14 months. 3 Americans are among those who get their freedom back. The deal gives WAY too much to the terrorists. It trades the release of more than a thousand cold blooded killers from prison. It gives Hamas a ceasefire and an Israeli Defense Force pullout. They still hold dozens of hostages, both alive and dead. The deal was written May of last year but bumbling Biden couldnt budge it past the finish line. Then one week ago, President Trump spoke to Hamas in the only language Islamic terrorists understandrelease the hostages or all Hell will break out. Boom! Almost 3 dozen hostages WIN their freedom. Bidens own state department called Trumps involvement absolutely critical. Joe: not nearly so generous. When asked if Trump gets some of the credit, Biden shot back is that a joke? Im not surprised that only 33% of Americans approve of the job Joe has done and 58% disapprove. Thats the Rose City Rap. Join me at noon on KXL for 4 hours of Honestly provocative talk. Im Lars Larson 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: Ahmed Galal/Unsplash. Earth's climate changed dramatically during the Late Pleistocene and Early Holocene 130,000 to 7,000 years ago, when cold glacial cycles transitioned into the current warmer interglacial. Such a climatic evolution had considerable effects on the ecosystem and the organisms inhabiting it, with many large mammals going extinct and others experiencing reductions in body size. New research, published in Quaternary Science Reviews, has considered mammal fossils of gazelle, hare and fox from Jordan to examine these shifts in body size 24,000 to 7,500 years ago, crossing the PleistoceneHolocene transition. To do so, Professor Louise Martin of University College London's Institute of Archaeology and colleagues measured bones (osteometrics) collected from 19 archaeological sites in the Azraq Basin, Jordan. The studied material includes bones spanning the entire skeleton, even down to smaller elements such as the astragalus, which forms part of the ankle joint, and phalanges, which make up the "fingers" and "toes" of the animal. This basin is a semi-arid region, making it ideal for study as it is sensitive to environmental fluctuations and experiences less resource pressure from local communities. "Human impacts have obviously had the most devastating effects on wildlife worldwide, but we felt it was important to understand the effects of past climate changes and resource shifts on the wild animals in our case-study area, before being able to gauge the additional impacts of past human hunting and overhunting," Professor Martin explains. "All of the research team have worked as archaeologists in the Azraq Basin for many years, so they became interested in prehistoric landscapes and how environmental change impacted the wild fauna and past human interactions with wildlife. Therefore, our research is a step towards untangling both human and climatic processes." The researchers found two main body size reductions. First, they noted a diminution in all three mammalian taxa in the final Pleistocene period, particularly during the cold conditions of the Younger Dryas, 13,000 to 11,500 years ago. A second body size diminution in taxa occurred in the Holocene between 9,000 and 7,500 years ago. Such a phenomenon of diminution has variably been attributed to climatic and anthropogenic factors, with changing temperatures impacting thermoregulation for animals to maintain appropriate core internal temperatures, as well as vegetation growth patterns leading to resource limitations for foraging and competition with our ancestors transitioning from hunter-gatherer to agricultural lifestyles. During the second diminution between 9,000 and 7,500 years ago, gazelles experienced a sharp body size decline, which the researchers attribute to competition with a smaller Arabian species (Arabian sand gazelle) that may have shifted north as it was better adapted to the climate. This concurs with the fact that gazelles can migrate over long distances seasonally to find more favorable conditions for survival. Similarly, fox diminution from the Late Pleistocene through the Holocene is thought to be due to the introduction of a new smaller species to the region and dispersal of larger species. Meanwhile, the reduction of hare size tracks the pattern of the gazelle, but is delayed by a millennium, which Professor Martins says "may be because hares are much smaller with reduced foraging requirements, which buffers them from resource pressures of the relatively larger herbivores like gazelles." 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. For hares, body size decreases are considered to be due to intra-specific competition, as individuals within a species likely competed for resources and interbred. Coming to these conclusions required exploration of multiple factors to understand the long-term shifts and overall diminution in mammalian body sizes (especially gazelles) in the Azraq Basin area, as Professor Martin details. "We first asked whether we could be seeing changes from humans hunting primarily larger males to predominantly smaller females over time, but discounted this possibility through our osteometrical analyses. We also questioned whether human (over-)hunting may have pushed the size of gazelle down, but current evidence doesn't support such impacts, partly because we see the size diminution in gazelle, fox and hare, which suggests that broader ecological processes are involved. "We then considered, at least for gazelle and fox, that the early Holocene period in the Levant region may have witnessed faunal species distribution shifts. This is not a new idea, but hasn't been applied to Jordan's arid zone before. Our review of species adaptations and distributions for gazelles and foxes suggests that 'character displacement,' or between-species competition, is the most plausible explanation in our case-study area, with some Saharo-Arabian species shifting distributions north to increasingly warm and arid climates. "In the future, we hope that our proposal of a movement of Arabian mammals north into parts of the Levant in the Holocene might be tested with paleogenetic analyses using ancient DNA. Unfortunately, very arid environments have proven challenging for obtaining DNA results so far, but techniques are evolving all the time." Overall, here the research team suggests climate was the primary driver as all three mammalian taxa display coincident shifts in body size, which may instead reflect changes in foraging conditions and resource availability impacted by temperature and precipitation fluctuations, rather than severe hunting or habitat fragmentation by humans. More information: Louise Martin et al, Late Pleistocene-Holocene mammalian body size change in Jordan's Azraq Basin: A case for climate driven species distribution shifts, Quaternary Science Reviews (2024). DOI: 10.1016/j.quascirev.2024.109147 Journal information: Quaternary Science Reviews 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: Spatial pattern of nine climate zones in Central Europe through the last 500 years, with the expansion of red and orange (VWD, WD) areas indicating the spread of very hot and dry conditions less suitable for current agricultural crops, particularly since the mid-20th century. This has led to northward drift of the more productive (green) zones. Credit: Geophysical Research Letters (2024). DOI: 10.1029/2024GL112363 Droughts are a serious consequence of climate change, devastating ecosystems, along with the organisms and communities who inhabit them. Understanding the impact of this upon agricultural productivity is vital to ensure sustainable food supplies and local economies. New research, published in Geophysical Research Letters, has explored proxy and historical data to model changes in agricultural climate (agroclimate) over the last 2,000 years and through the rest of the 21st century. Dr. Max Torbenson, of Germany's Johannes Gutenberg University, and colleagues combined carbon and oxygen isotope data from oak tree rings with instrumental weather data (daily temperature, precipitation, windspeed, relative humidity and hours of sunshine), as well as climate projections. "Climate plays an important role in agricultural production," Dr. Torbenson explains. "To understand what the future might hold in terms of climate, we must first assess the past and the range of conditions that the natural system can produce. "Longer estimates, beyond the span of instrumental observations, are therefore crucial and tree ring-based reconstructions offer such information. The long oak tree ring isotope record from the Czech Republic is in many ways unique, in that it allows for the reconstruction of both temperature and rainfall separately." Within Central Europe, the researchers identified that more than half of agricultural land deemed highly productive in a long-term context has already been lost and will continue through the decades to come. Within the last 50 years, very hot and dry conditions have expanded in the southeast of Central Europe, affecting Slovakia, Austria and the Czech Republic. Consequently, the highest productivity zones for regional agriculture have shifted northwards and westwards. Projections through the rest of the 21st century highlight the expansion of hot and dry conditions throughout the entirety of west Slovakia, where the country could face significant challenges for current crop production. "The higher emissions scenario (the 'business as usual' scenario) would cause the biggest change to agroclimatic conditions, possibly pushing the whole region into the red," Dr. Torbenson says. "However, it is worth noting that different climate models produce different results; although the direction of change is the same, the magnitude varies quite considerably. Conversely, the results for the low emissions scenario suggest that the 21st century could be very favorable for agricultural production." Projections of agroclimate zone changes through the 21st century, with further expansion of unsuitable hot and dry conditions (red) and northwards drift of more productive (green) zones. By 2100, almost all of west Slovakia could face real challenges for crop growth. Credit: Geophysical Research Letters (2024). DOI: 10.1029/2024GL112363 As suitable conditions alter, the types of crops possible to grow may also change, meaning growers must adapt their practices and infrastructure to cater for these varying demands to optimize yield and productivity. The researchers note wine production could be positively affected as future conditions may be more favorable for grapevines. However, the production of "cash crops" such as sugar beet and cereals, including wheat, will likely suffer. Additionally, it could affect the health of grassland, which is open pasture for animal grazing. Adapting the crops grown may not always be possible as large-scale changes in land use could be unfeasible, such as deforestation to create new agricultural zones, or creating them on slopes. Just because the climate in the region may be suitable, the practicalities of crop cultivation might not be. Discover the latest in science, tech, and space with over 100,000 subscribers who rely on Phys.org for daily insights. Sign up for our free newsletter and get updates on breakthroughs, innovations, and research that matterdaily or weekly. The researchers also note case studies linking declines in agroclimate conditions with societal downturns. Extreme temperature changes in the late 1200s and early 1400s are both linked to historical records of famine in the Czech Republic. Meanwhile, records of poor grape harvests in the late 1500s are linked to anecdotal accounts of high social classes in Austria transitioning to drinking beer instead of wine. Indeed, this is part of ongoing investigations where Dr. Torbenson and colleagues are collaborating with Czech archaeologists to compare their records of past agroclimatic conditions to changes in local settlement dynamics. For now, this research is significant as the toll of temperature and precipitation changes on agricultural productivity could prove problematic in the face of rising food demand for an increasing global population, with some estimates suggesting it could increase by more than 50% by 2050. Furthermore, it is not only drought that can affect food security, as fertilization, crop rotation, flooding and growing season length can also factor into both short and long-term agricultural outputs. Therefore, understanding the range of potential issues facing the agricultural industry means strategies to help minimize impacts can be explored. More information: M. C. A. Torbenson et al, Past and Future ClimateDriven Changes of Agricultural Land in Central Europe, Geophysical Research Letters (2024). DOI: 10.1029/2024GL112363 Journal information: Geophysical Research 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: Photos of (a) PF2, (b) Build Flyer, (c) Mavic3, (d) a fan beneath the WXT532, (e) the HMP155 of PF2, and (f) a probe cap on the iMet-XQ2 sensor (showing water droplets on the cap). Credit: Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres (2024). DOI: 10.1029/2024JD041927 Climate change is making extreme weather events worse, empowering meteorological phenomena such as storms, hurricanes, heat waves, and droughts. Against this backdrop, numerical weather predictions (NWPs), which use complex mathematical models that simulate atmospheric conditions, have become critical to protect people and businesses from these events and other weather-borne disasters. Unsurprisingly, NWP models need a massive amount of daily data to make accurate predictions. While some of this data comes from satellite images and ground-based stations, a fine atmospheric vertical structure is collected by sensors mounted on weather balloons, released simultaneously every day by meteorological agencies worldwide. These snapshots of temperature, humidity, pressure, and wind at different altitudes provide a detailed, real-time picture of the atmosphere that helps scientists initialize NWP models. However, maintaining weather balloon observations is a costly and difficult task, which severely limits the spread and coverage of daily measurements. But what if inexpensive drones equipped with sensors could help support NWPs just like weather balloons do? In a recent study, a research team led by Professor Jun Inoue from the National Institute of Polar Research, Japan, conducted a two-month field campaign in Tsukuba City to investigate whether daily drone-based measurements could be seamlessly made and uploaded to support NWPs. The study was published in the Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres on January 16, 2025. "We instigated this field campaign to assess the feasibility of obtaining continuous daily measurements during a period of at least one month using uncrewed aircraft systems (UASs) or drones, to distribute the data in a format designated for NWP, and to evaluate data quality compared to that obtained using more conventional meteorological methods," says Prof. Inoue. During a two-month period, the research team tested three different types of drones. One of them was a meteorological hexacopter with a suite of built-in meteorological sensors, whereas the other two were commercial quadcopter drones onto which meteorological sensors were mounted. Researchers conducted daily measurements using drones over two months to gather meteorological data near an urban center in Japan. Their findings highlight the power of drones and similar unmanned aerial systems to support numerical weather predictions cost-effectively. Credit: Prof. Jun Inoue from the National Institute of Polar Research, Japan Because of flight regulations in urban areas, drones could only ascend to a maximum height of 900 m. Every day during the study period, members of the team would launch these drones at designated times and use a laptop to convert the gathered data into an appropriate format before uploading it. The researchers compared the data obtained using the drones with routine radiosonde data gathered nearby using weather balloons. Notably, air temperature, humidity, and wind speed measurements from drones did not differ significantly from those of weather balloons, underlining the potential of these devices to support NWP systems in a very cost-effective way. Moreover, data could be converted and uploaded within 30 minutes of making the measurements, which aligns well with current standard operational procedures. "The results of our field campaign showed that twice-daily UAS profiling is feasible from the viewpoint of data quality and data transfer for the NWP systems," says Prof. Inoue. "We also highlight that long-term data validation for each UAS using well-established reference instruments is critical to demonstrate the operational capability of drones for next-generation meteorological observation systems." The benefits of using inexpensive drones to make daily meteorological measurements are manifold. They can be easily implemented in sparse meteorological observation areas, such as polar regions, developing countries, and mountain areas, to complement conventional systems. Since special academic knowledge is not required, trained locals can conduct the necessary tasks and extend the range and density of meteorological data throughout the globe. In turn, this could significantly improve the accuracy of NWP systems, leading to accurate weather forecasting and, most importantly, disaster prevention via early warning. More information: Jun Inoue et al, Operational Capability of DroneBased Meteorological Profiling in an Urban Area, Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres (2024). DOI: 10.1029/2024JD041927 Journal information: Journal of Geophysical Research - Atmospheres Provided by Research Organization of Information and Systems Brooklynn Chandler Willy, who has been CEO and president of San Antonio-based Texas Financial Advisory, is now facing 11 more criminal charges. YouTube San Antonio investment adviser Brooklynn Chandler Willy's firm, Texas Financial Advisory, operated from a Stone Oak office before her arrest last month. The firm has since gone out of business. Patrick Danner/Staff/Patrick Danner/Staff photo Jailed San Antonio investment adviser Brooklynn Chandler Willy, arrested last month for allegedly obstructing a federal investigation into her business dealings, is facing 11 more criminal charges. In a new indictment handed up Wednesday by a federal grand jury, Willy was charged with six counts of wire fraud, two counts of engaging in financial transactions involving assets obtained from illegal activities and one count of securities fraud. She already faced three charges: obstruction of justice, aggravated identity theft and making a false statement. The new indictment adds additional counts of aggravated identity theft and making a false statement. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Mark Barrera, a lawyer representing Willy, said Thursday he was still reviewing the new charges and had not been able to confer with his client. He declined further comment. Willy has been locked up since Dec. 10, when she was arrested by FBI and IRS agents at her Stone Oak office. At a detention hearing a few days later, a judge ordered that she remain behind bars because she poses a substantial risk for obstructing justice. The obstruction charge relates to the investigation that led to the newest charges against Willy. Since her incarceration, her Texas Financial Advisory has shuttered its offices and her regular weekend radio shows on WOAI-AM and KTSA-AM and KTSA-FM have been pulled off the air. Advertisement Article continues below this ad In November 2023, the FBI and IRS began a criminal investigation into an investor fraud scheme allegedly involving Willy and Lubbock investment company Ferrum Capital LLC. The investigation began after an October 2023 report by the San Antonio Express-News that former clients had sued Willy, her firm and others over alleged violations of state securities law, fraud and breach of fiduciary duty. During the Dec. 12 detention hearing, an IRS agent testified that the criminal investigation involves a fraud scheme with at least 400 victims. Losses are in the tens of millions, the agent said. Willy pitched to clients what the lawsuits say were risky unregistered securities issued by Ferrum, which used the money to fund loans to Austin debt collection agency Collins Asset Group LLC to use for buying distressed accounts receivable, also known as bad debt. She assured her clients their investments were safe and profits were guaranteed, the suits said. The IRS agent testified about an elderly San Antonio couple who agreed to invest $500,000 with Ferrum using Willys Chandler Capital Holdings as the agent to execute and deliver the contract. The two, who made the investment in 2021, are identified in the indictment as Victim 1 and Victim 2. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Willy deposited the couples check with Chandler Capital but never sent any of the money to Ferrum, the agent said. The new indictment cites four other alleged victims, all of whom live in Texas. A married couple, identified as Victims 3 and 4, were convinced by Willy to invest in a company called Cold Moon Holdings, the indictment says. Their investment was supposed to be for purchase of bad debt and other business purposes. The couple invested more than $2 million, but it was never used to purchase bad debt or for business loans, the indictment says. Instead, Willy used the couples money to pay her associates, pay other purported investors and make interest payments to the pair, the indictment adds. Willy convinced another individual, identified as Victim 6, to invest $600,000 in business opportunities, the indictment says. Instead of being invested, Willy used this money for her benefit. Advertisement Article continues below this ad During the investigation, Willy provided a document titled a revolving line of credit agreement and a promissory note that appeared to be signed by her and Victim 6. The indictment says they were false. Victim 6 never signed the false revolving line of credit agreement and false promissory note nor agreed to their terms, the indictment adds. 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 Researchers tested five species of commonly hunted waterfowl in the northeast Atlantic Flyway and, in every sample, found contaminants that could impact the health of the birds, as well as the hunters and others who consume them. The study, published Jan. 15 in Science of the Total Environment and conducted in collaboration with the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) and other state agencies, found detectable levels of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and at least one organochlorine pesticide (OCP) and per- or polyfluoroalkyl substance (PFAS) in each bird sampled, in a representative group of more than 100 birds collected across four states and nine ecological regions. Among the findings, the researchers determined that current New York State Department of Health consumption advisoriesof two meals per month of waterfowlmay be appropriate, but some species are more or less contaminated than others. In risk assessments, the researchers found that some of the contaminants likely expose consumers to potential cancer risk, although how this risk compares to the consumption of other foods is unclear. Of the five species studied, Canada geese and wood ducks had lower levels of contaminants than mallards, American black ducks and American green-winged teal, probably due to differences in their feeding habits, the authors said. "The big picture is that these chemicals are out there, and wild animals are being exposed to them," said senior author Krysten Schuler, assistant research professor of public and ecosystem health, and wildlife disease ecologist for the Cornell Wildlife Health Lab in the College of Veterinary Medicine (CVM). "We're worried about it from the wildlife population standpoint: What do these chemicals mean for the birds? But then there's also the question of what it means for human consumption." Hunters in the four participating statesNew York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Connecticutharvest and consume more than a half-million wild-caught ducks and geese each year. But in New York, the guidance on safe consumption has not been updated since the early 1990s and doesn't include some of the birds most likely to be consumed. The new data can now be used by health departments in all four states to assess current guidelines and craft new human consumption recommendations, when necessary. "This provides a really good baseline," Schuler said. "We're not telling people what to eat or do. We're just providing the numbers." In the risk assessments, researchers found that the levels of mercury and OCPs detected posed minimal risk to health for hunters who follow the current guidance on consumption, but they found that the levels of PCBshuman-made chemicals that were banned in 1979may be more likely to pose health risks, including increased cancer risk, although the authors said that more research is needed. The thresholds for safe consumption are variable depending on the level of acceptable risk, they said. "We don't know what levels make a difference in birds or whether the different contaminants matter together or separately," said Brenda Hanley, co-author and research associate in the Department of Public and Ecosystem Health (CVM). "And we don't know how these animals compare to other wild animals that people harvest and eat." Discover the latest in science, tech, and space with over 100,000 subscribers who rely on Phys.org for daily insights. Sign up for our free newsletter and get updates on breakthroughs, innovations, and research that matterdaily or weekly. The study also lays the foundation for more research on how these contaminants affect the birds. "It's hard to know at what level these contaminants start to impact the bird's survival or reproductive success," said co-author Joshua Stiller, small game unit leader for NYSDEC, who initially brought the project to Schuler and her team. "But just understanding the current contaminant loads in these species is important, and we can get some ideas for future research to better understand the potential impacts on waterfowl populations." Much of the previous research on contaminants has looked at animals linked to known sources of pollution. To understand the contaminant levels at the population level, the researchers collected birds from various regions in each state. This required a massive collaborative effort, with help from state wildlife and conservation agencies, which deployed biologists to collect birds from hunters willing to participate. The biologists then sent the birds to the Wildlife Health Lab, where they were processed and sent on to other labs for further testing. "For each bird, we had somewhere between 200 and 300 columns of data," said first author David Dayan '23, who started working on the project as an undergraduate and did everything from handling and preparing the birds to high-level data analysis and assessment. "Trying to paint a coherent picture from all of these different perspectives and data points was a really interesting way to do science." In terms of conservation, Schuler said the widespread contamination of waterfowl is another warning sign. "These animals are constantly losing wetlands and habitats and being forced into less desirable locations," she said. "This just highlights the importance of protecting those areas for these species." More information: David B. Dayan et al, Environmental contaminants assessment for frequently harvested migratory waterfowl in the Northeast Atlantic flyway, Science of The Total Environment (2025). DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2025.178474 Journal information: Science of the Total Environment 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: Elizaveta Dushechkina from Pexels As Britain prepares to criminalize the creation of sexually explicit deepfakes, the government's announcement marks an important step forward in addressing online violence against women and girls (VAWG). However, this measure alone will not fully protect victims from the broader harm posed by technology-facilitated abuse. A stronger, more comprehensive legal framework is urgently needed to address this rising threat. On 7 January, the government unveiled plans to outlaw the non-consensual creation of sexually explicit deepfakes in its forthcoming Crime and Policing Bill. The legislation will also criminalize taking non-consensual intimate images and installing equipment to capture such images, expanding on existing offenses like voyeurism and upskirting. These measures reflect the government's commitment to fulfilling Law Commission recommendations and addressing intimate image-based abuse. But as the prevalence of online sexual abuse grows, so too must the ambition of our laws. Technology as an enabler of misogyny The digital age has amplified misogynistic behavior. Social media platforms and algorithms have been shown to promote extreme misogynistic content, often targeting impressionable young men. This phenomenon, sometimes described as "misogynist radicalization," parallels the methods used to recruit individuals to terrorism. Artificial intelligence tools that facilitate the creation of sexually explicit deepfakes represent a weapon in this arsenal of technology-facilitated abuse, enabling new forms of harm against women and girls. Statistics highlight the scale of the problem. The National Police Chiefs' Council reported in 2024 that VAWG-related crimes had risen by 37% between 2018 and 2023, with one in 12 women affected. Technology was used in 40% of these offenses. Child sexual exploitation and abuse (CSEA) cases have also surged, with more than half of such offenses committed by underage boys against underage victims. Deepfake tools exacerbate these issues, allowing perpetrators to turn everyday images into sexually explicit material without consent, thereby invading victims' private lives and causing immense psychological harm. The case for criminalizing deepfake creation and tools While the Online Safety Act 2023 introduced offenses prohibiting the sharing and threatening to share intimate imagesincluding deepfakesit does not currently criminalize the creation of such images without consent. This gap leaves victims vulnerable to harm even if the content is never shared publicly. The mere existence of sexually explicit deepfakes can damage a person's mental health, professional reputation, and ability to participate in online spaces. Moreover, it is crucial to address the availability of AI tools used to create deepfakes. Most perpetrators lack the technical expertise to create such content without these readily accessible technologies. Criminalizing the development, distribution, and promotion of these tools would significantly curtail the ability to produce deepfakes and prevent harm at its source. Expanding protections for non-consensual intimate images Current laws addressing the non-consensual taking of intimate images are limited to narrowly defined offenses such as voyeurism and upskirting. However, they fail to address the broader issue of possessing such images. For victims, the permanent deletion of intimate images is critical to ending the ongoing violation of their privacy. Possession laws would empower victims by ensuring that offenders cannot retain malicious power over them. 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. A call to action Deepfakes are not just a disturbing by-product of technological advancement; they are a malign expression of extreme misogyny and part of a continuum leading to real-world violence. Britain's new laws represent progress, but they must go further. Criminalizing the creation and possession of sexually explicit deepfakes and the tools used to produce them would provide much-needed protections for victims. Without such measures, we risk failing those most vulnerable to the harms of technology-facilitated abuse. Policymakers must act decisively to close these gaps and ensure the law keeps pace with the evolving challenges of the digital age. Only then can we effectively combat the epidemic of violence against women and girls and create a safer, more equitable society. 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 forever chemical had been linked to health problems and birth defects. A type of "forever chemical" linked to health problems and birth defects has been found in the tap water of many French cities and towns including Paris, according to a study released on Thursday. The TFA (trifluoroacetic acid) chemical was detected in 24 out of 30 samples taken, particularly in Paris, according to the survey carried out by consumer rights organization UFC-Que Choisir and the environmental group Future Generations. TFA is a type of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substance (PFAS), often called forever chemicals because they do not degrade easily. On top of that, in 20 out of 30 samples the concentrations of TFA exceeded European regulatory limits for 20 individual PFAS. Under European Union rules, from 2026 all drinking water must not exceed 500 nanograms per liter for all PFAS. NGOs are demanding that TFA be added to the list. Of the 30 cities and towns where water has been analyzed, the French capital's 10th district has the second highest concentration, at 6,200 nanograms per liter, behind Moussac in the south of France. The town of Bruxerolles in western France came in third, at 2,600 nanograms per liter. 'No miracle solution' The groups lamented that in France, TFA is "rarelyif eversought by regional health agencies during drinking water controls". "There is no miracle solution to offer consumers," Pauline Cervan, a toxicologist at Future Generations, told reporters on Thursday. "Bottled water is also contaminated and filters are not effective." In addition to TFA, the two groups analyzed the presence of other forever chemicals in the water. PFAS concentrations "remain in line with the standard chosen by France" where the limit is set at 100 nanograms/liter. But this standard is "much less stringent than those of other countries" such as the United States and Denmark, the groups said, adding that French standards are "far too unprotective" and are not based on "any solid toxicological data." If France were to apply the strictest standards and include TFA, 80 percent of the samples in the survey would be found to be non-compliant, said Olivier Andrault of UFC-Que Choisir. "We therefore need to act," he added. "At an individual level, it is impossible to escape PFAS," added Cervan. "So we need collective action by the public authorities." A bill aimed at restricting the manufacture and sale of PFAS, which was adopted at first reading by lawmakers in the spring of 2024, is due to be put to the vote again next month. 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: Credit: Joao Guerreiro from Pexels Over 20 years ago, then Indonesian president Megawati Soekarnoputri banned the export of sea sand from her archipelago nation. The ban was in response to the widespread environmental and economic damage it was causing. Unchecked sea sand exports destroyed 26 sand islands in Riau Province in Sumatra. In western Java's Banten Province, sand mining eroded the shoreline and destroyed coral reefs. Even after the ban, illegal sand mining continued but at a lesser rate. Where did the sand go? By and large, Singapore. As Indonesian islands shrank, its tiny but rich neighbor grew. Sea sand from Indonesia and other nations has been used to expand Singapore's land area by 24%. Before the trade was banned in 2002, more than 50 million tons of sand a year were shipped to Singapore. With Indonesian sand restricted, Singapore imported sand from Malaysia instead, until that nation, too, banned it in 2019. But now sea sand mining is set to return to Indonesia. In 2023, then-president Joko Widodo lifted the ban. Last year, the government listed seven areas around Indonesia where sand mining could resume. Up to 17 billion cubic meters of sand would be legally permitted to be extracted. This is bad news for the environmentand for fishers who will see their catches fall. The good news is there are emerging alternatives, such as sand from a clean by-product or co-product of metal-ore mining. Why has the ban been lifted? In defending the move, Widodo claimed renewed extraction would only be legal for sea-floor sediment, not sand, and removed to benefit ship movement. Mining expert Andang Bachtiar has pointed out the seven areas listed for extraction are not known for muddy sediment. Rather, some are relics of ancient rivers, full of sand ideal for coastal reclamation. As he told the Indonesia Business Post: "Some 20,000 to 10,000 years ago, ancient rivers ran across the Sunda Shelf, forming the sand that we see today. This old sand is better suited for coastal reclamation than the mud, clay, or silt that rivers currently carry [] The mining of prehistoric sand in shallow water has nothing to do with the silting of rivers today." Criticism of the government's plans has come from environmental organizations and coastal communities worried about damage to fisheries. 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 will the damage be? Extracting sea sand is done with dredging ships, which grab or suck up the sand from the bottom and store it. It's a destructive process, removing habitat for fish, invertebrates and plant life. It also creates clouds of sediment, which can settle on nearby coral reefs or make the water murky. An estimated 2.7 million Indonesians fish for a living and the nation of over 17,000 islands is one of the most reliant on fish in the world. But dredging for sea sand can trash fisheries. During the decades when sea sand mining was legal, dozens of islands in Riau Province disappeared due to sand extraction. Removing sand changes waves and currents, meaning islands can be eaten away. While sand mining is lucrative, the profits pale in comparison to the indirect costs. Analysis by Indonesian thinktank CELIOS estimates restarting exports will be a net loss to the domestic economy, with gains for business and government more than offset by losses to fishery catches and jobs. While we don't know where Indonesian sea sand would be sold, we do know Singapore's demand for sand is ongoing. By 2030, the government's goal is to be 30% larger than it was at independence. Over the last 20 years, Singapore has imported more than half a billion tons of sand. Globally, the world now uses 50 billion tons of sand, gravel, and crushed stone a year. There are better alternatives Sand is the second most-used commodity in the world, after water. According to a 2022 study, the world could run out of construction-grade sand by 2050. This is why the United Nations now considers sand extraction a crisis. The world will need alternatives. These can include crushed rock, recycled aggregates, recycled materials, and byproducts of industrial and mining processes. Our research team has explored one option in depth: OreSand, a type of manufactured sand resulting from the processing of mineral ores. This option is already being used to a limited extent. In 2023, for instance, Brazilian iron mining giant Vale produced a million tons of OreSand with plans to expand further. Indonesia could produce sand in the same way, given its large mining sector in metals such as nickel and copper. Adding a process to extract sand would conserve land and reducing the need for dedicated tailings dams or dumps. If Indonesia continues to green light sea sand extraction, it will soon see the damage donenot only to the environment, but to the fishers who will see their livelihood upended. 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: NASA JPL is readying for, clockwise from lower right, the launches of CADRE (its engineering models are seen here), Lunar Trailblazer, NISAR (seen in an artists concept), Sentinel-6B (artists concept), and SPHEREx, as well as the Mars gravity assist of Europa Clipper (artists concept). Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/BAE Systems/Lockheed Martin Space With 2024 receding into the distance, NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory is already deep into a busy 2025. Early in the new year, the Eaton Fire came close to JPL, destroying the homes of more than 200 employees, but work has continued apace to maintain mission operations and keep upcoming missions on track. Several missions managed by NASA JPL are prepping for launch this year. Most have been years in the making and launches are, of course, only part of the bigger picture. Other milestones are also on the docket for the federal laboratory, which Caltech manages for NASA. Here's a glimpse of what lies ahead this year. Mysterious universe Shaped like the bell of a trumpet and as big as a subcompact car, NASA's SPHEREx space observatory is aiming for the stars. Known formally as the Spectro-Photometer for the History of the universe, Epoch of Reionization and Ices Explorer, the mission will create four 3D maps of the entire sky in order to improve humanity's understanding of the universehow it expanded after the Big Bang, where ingredients of life can be found in ice grains, and much more. Target launch date: no earlier than Feb. 27 from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. The moon's icy secrets NASA's Lunar Trailblazer aims to help resolve an enduring mystery: Where is the moon's water? Scientists have seen signs suggesting it exists even where temperatures soar on the lunar surface, and there's good reason to believe it can be found as surface ice in permanently shadowed craters, places that have not seen direct sunlight for billions of years. Managed by NASA JPL and led by Caltech, the small satellite will help provide answers, mapping the moon's surface water in unprecedented detail to determine the water's abundance, location, form, and how it changes over time. The small satellite will hitch a ride, slated for late February, on the same launch as the Intuitive Machines-2 delivery to the moon through NASA's CLPS (Commercial Lunar Payload Services) initiative. Earth's changing surface A collaboration between the United States and India, NISAR is a major addition to the fleet of satellites studying our changing planet. Short for NASA-Indian Space Research Organisation Synthetic Aperture Radar, the mission's name is a nesting doll of acronyms, and the spacecraft is a nesting doll of capabilities: The first spacecraft to carry both L-band and S-band radars, it will see surface changes related to volcanoes, earthquakes, ice sheet motion, deforestation, and more in unprecedented detail after it launches in a few months' time. Sea level Targeting a November launch, Sentinel-6B will provide global sea surface height measurementssome of the most accurate data of its kind yetthat will improve climate models and hurricane tracking, as well as our understanding of phenomena like El Nino. A collaboration between NASA and ESA (European Space Agency), the spacecraft will take the baton from its twin, Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich, which launched in 2020. Together, the satellites are extending for another 10 years a nearly three-decade record of global sea surface height. Moon rover trio As a technology demonstration, the CADRE (Cooperative Autonomous Distributed Robotic Exploration) project marks another step NASA is taking toward developing robots thatby operating autonomouslycan boost the efficiency of future missions. The project team at JPL will soon be packing up and shipping CADRE's three suitcase-size rovers to Texas in preparation for their journey to the moon aboard a commercial lander through one of NASA's future CLPS deliveries. The rovers are designed to work together as a team without direct input from mission controllers back on Earth. By taking simultaneous measurements from multiple locations, they are meant to show how multirobot missions could enable new science and support astronauts. 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. Quantum technology Having arrived at the International Space Station in November, SEAQUE (Space Entanglement and Annealing QUantum Experiment) is testing two technologies thatif successfulcould enable communication using entangled photons between two quantum systems. The research from this experiment, which gets underway in 2025, could help develop the building blocks for a future global quantum network that would allow equipment such as quantum computers to transfer data securely across large distances. Gravity assist to reach Jupiter Launched this past October, Europa Clipper will arrive at Jupiter in 2030 to investigate whether an ocean beneath the ice shell of the gas giant's moon Europa has conditions suitable for life. The spacecraft will travel 1.8 billion miles (2.9 billion kilometers) to reach its destination. Since there are limitations on how much fuel the spacecraft can carry, mission planners are having Europa Clipper fly by Mars on March 1, using the planet's gravity as a slingshot to add speed to its journey. Provided by NASA 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: Generalized illustration of South Australia's historic and present shellfish reef ecosystems and oyster reef restoration practices. Simplified species assemblages include native and non-native ecosystem-forming bivalves, pelagic and demersal fishes, sessile organisms, and bivalve predators. Credit: Ocean & Coastal Management (2025). DOI: 10.1016/j.ocecoaman.2025.107540 When you slurp an exotic Pacific oyster or throw fresh seafood on the BBQ this weekend, spare a thought for our local shellfish reefsmost of which have been destroyed or forgotten. Coastal management and reef restoration has never been more important with shellfish reefs among the most impacted coastal ecosystems, warn South Australian marine biology experts at Flinders University. "As we approach the middle of the United Nation's Decade on Ecosystem Restoration, shellfish ecosystems have suffered enormous declines worldwide, including losses of up to 85% of oyster reefs, and South Australia is no exception," says Brad Martin, from the College of Science and Engineering, in a new article published in the journal Ocean and Coastal Management. The new research, led by Flinders Ph.D. candidate Brad Martin, trawled through historical and archival records tracking centuries of South Australia's shellfish management, reviving new information on past reef ecosystems and management practices. "This research offers a multi-species approach to guide shellfish reef restoration today," says Martin. "Successful conservation requires robust knowledge of ecosystem characteristics and the environmental stressors, to inform better coastal management, restoration targets and important community and other stakeholder support. Efforts to restore shellfish reefs have increased due to growing awareness of their loss and ecological importance." Flinders researchers analyzed data from the state's libraries, archives and newspaper articles that described South Australia's flat oyster (Ostrea angasi), razor clam (Pinna bicolor), and hammer oyster (Malleus meridianus) reefs. Oysters are classified as filter feeders that remove plankton and other organic particles from marine systems. As a result, shellfish reef losses have had significant outcomes for documented marine life and negative socio-economic impacts to coastal fisheries and communities. More than 140 shellfish reef locations were identified, which covered about 2,630 square kilometers of the state's coastal watersincluding approximately 887 sq km of former native oyster reefs, and temperate coral oyster reefs. Most of these shellfish reefs no longer exist today. Commercial wild oyster harvesting commenced in the 1840s, and more than 43 million oysters were consumed by the 1910s, based on historical shipping and landing records. The high demand and potential declines motivated South Australia's earliest fisheries legislation (in 1853) and marine restoration efforts, including fishery closures (est. 1875), shellfish translocation (est. 1887), and marine reserves (est. 1912). "We found successful, large-scale oyster reef restoration historically occurred in Port Lincoln and Kangaroo Island in the 1910s, and community awareness of the impacts of shellfish reef loss to local fisheries and other marine life including snapper and whiting. These provide important case studies for future restoration efforts." Community research and restoration efforts in SA include the Port River shellfish reef restoration with OzFish Unlimited, Flinders University Citizen Science Reef on Kangaroo Island and the Coffin Bay citizen science oyster reef project, which supports production of the native oyster and razorfish for future generations. Discover the latest in science, tech, and space with over 100,000 subscribers who rely on Phys.org for daily insights. Sign up for our free newsletter and get updates on breakthroughs, innovations, and research that matterdaily or weekly. The public is also encouraged to report records of existing shellfish ecosystems via citizen science programs such as iNaturalist or the Atlas of Living Australia. The historical records indicate that shellfish reefs, of multiple ecosystem-forming bivalves, ultimately diminished over the past 200 years or so due to cumulative impacts of destructive benthic fishing practices, changes in marine resource management and environmental stressors, such as droughts, runaway predation and disease, despite multiple legislative and restoration attempts to reverse the declines. "Past records indicate that razor clams or 'razorfish' (Pinna bicolor) were foundational to establishing multi-species shellfish reefs in South Australia by providing natural settlement surfaces for oysters," adds Martin. "While razor clams and hammer oyster ecosystems can still be found today, the data demonstrates that these ecosystems are understudied and diminished. Future studies may unlock additional restoration opportunities to revive South Australia's native shellfish." Flinders marine biologist Dr. Ryan Baring, a senior author on the paper, says, "There is a bias towards commercially popular species compared to the distribution and conservation status of our 'less loved' shellfish ecosystems, particularly razor clams, hammer oysters and native mussels, which co-occur in these reefs. "By reconstructing past shellfish reef distributions and socio-cultural connections, this review identifies evidence-based opportunities and key knowledge gaps to guide future research and management efforts," says Dr. Baring. More information: Brad Martin et al, Reviving shellfish reef socio-ecological histories for modern management and restoration, Ocean & Coastal Management (2025). DOI: 10.1016/j.ocecoaman.2025.107540 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: Proposed mechanisms of Na+ transport and inhibition in EhV-ATPase. Credit: Nature Structural & Molecular Biology (2024). DOI: 10.1038/s41594-024-01419-y A recent study by a team from Chiba University has demonstrated a promising approach for fighting antibiotic resistance by identifying a compound, V-161, that inhibits a sodium-pumping enzyme critical for VRE survival under alkaline conditions in the intestine while preserving beneficial bacteria. V-161, a novel compound targeting the Na+-V-ATPase enzyme in vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium (VRE), significantly reduces bacterial growth and colonization. This breakthrough offers hope for treating hospital infections and tackling the global threat of antibiotic-resistant bacteria. The work is published in the journal Nature Structural & Molecular Biology. The rise of antibiotic-resistant bacteria is a global health concern, with studies projecting more than 10 million deaths annually by 2050 due to these resistant infections. The World Health Organization (WHO) has identified 12 critical antibiotic-resistant pathogens, including vancomycin-resistant Enterococci (VRE), such as Enterococcus faecium (E. faecium). VRE causes severe hospital-acquired infections like endocarditis and sepsis and has developed resistance to multiple antibiotics, highlighting the urgent need for new antimicrobial treatments. In response to this crisis, a team of researchers led by Professor Takeshi Murata from the Graduate School of Science, Chiba University, Japan, has discovered a promising new compound, V-161, which effectively inhibits the growth of VRE. Their research examined a sodium-pumping enzyme found in these bacteria called Na+-transporting V-ATPase found in E. hirae, a close relative of E. faecium, used as a safer, more tractable model for studying the enzyme. The team consisted of Assistant Professor Kano Suzuki, first author from the Graduate School of Science, Chiba University; Associate Professor Yoshiyuki Goto from the Medical Mycology Research Center, Chiba University; Professor Toshiya Senda and Associate Professor Toshio Moriya from the Structural Biology Research Center, High Energy Accelerator Research Organization; and Professor Ryota Iino from the Institute for Molecular Science, National Institutes of Natural Sciences. The study hypothesized that Na+-transporting V-ATPase could play a key role in the development of an antibiotic that specifically targets VRE without affecting beneficial bacteria. Dr. Murata explains, "This enzyme helps pump sodium ions out of the cell, aiding in the survival of VRE, especially in alkaline environments like the human gut. This enzyme is absent in beneficial bacteria like lactobacilli, and while humans have a similar enzyme, it serves different functions. This makes the Na+-transporting V-ATPase in VRE an ideal target for selective antimicrobial treatments. "We screened over 70,000 compounds to identify potential inhibitors of the enzyme Na+-V-ATPase. Among these, V-161 stood out as a strong candidate, demonstrating significant effectiveness in reducing VRE growth under alkaline conditionsan environment critical for the survival of this resistant pathogen." 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. Further studies revealed that V-161 not only inhibited the enzyme function but also reduced VRE colonization in the mouse small intestine, highlighting its therapeutic potential. A major finding of this study was the high-resolution structural analysis of the membrane V0 domain of the enzyme, revealing detailed insights into how V-161 binds to it and disrupts the enzyme function. V-161 targets the interface between the c-ring and the a-subunit of the enzyme, effectively blocking sodium transport. This structural information is critical to understanding the workings of the compound and provides a foundation for developing drugs that target this enzyme. Dr. Murata explains, "The findings obtained from the structural analysis could be used for the development of treatments for other refractory bacteria and also form a basis for the development of important guidelines for future drug development. "We hope that the development of innovative treatments not only for VRE but also a wide range of drug-resistant bacteria will greatly advance the treatment of drug-resistant infections." While the results are promising, the study also notes that further research is needed to make V-161 even more effective and improve its efficacy against a broader range of bacterial strains. Despite these challenges, the findings mark a significant advancement in developing new therapeutic agents to combat VRE and other antibiotic-resistant bacteria. As part of ongoing efforts to refine V-161, the research team plans to test it against other bacterial strains to further assess its potential. Dr. Murata says, "We hope that these efforts will ultimately yield more effective treatments for infections caused by VRE and other drug-resistant bacteria, making a significant impact on the fields of infectious diseases and public health." The ultimate goal is to develop a new class of antibiotics that not only complements existing treatments but may also serve as a powerful solution to combat the escalating threat of antibiotic resistance. More information: Kano Suzuki et al, Na+-V-ATPase inhibitor curbs VRE growth and unveils Na+ pathway structure, Nature Structural & Molecular Biology (2024). DOI: 10.1038/s41594-024-01419-y Journal information: Nature Structural & Molecular Biology 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 Hughes Fire grew rapidly, but was coming under control after an all-night firefight. Firefighters who battled through the night to tame a new blaze that erupted near Los Angeles appeared to be making progress on Thursday, even as dangerous fire weather continued throughout Southern California. A massive response involving aircraft, bulldozers and 4,000 personnel had swung into action as flames raced across hillsides in Castaic, 35 miles (56 km) north of Los Angeles. Around 31,000 people were ordered to flee their homes, heaping misery on a region already reeling from the two deadly fires that ripped through America's second biggest city this month. The newly emerged Hughes Fire continued to grow overnight, and by Thursday had consumed 10,000 acres (4,050 hectares), but its rate of growth had slowed considerably after an explosive first few hours. Firefighters said the blaze was 14 percent containedan expression of how much of the perimeter they are confident is static. Bryan Lewis of the National Weather Service warned the strong winds that had fanned the flames would continue Thursday, gusting up to 50 miles (80 kilometers) an hour at times. But, he told AFP, there was good news in the forecast. "We're expecting those winds to drop off.... Then by tomorrow, like late morning, afternoon, the wind should be a lot better. "However, super, super dry conditions persist, with mostly single digit relative humidities across most of the area," he said describing conditions as "still dangerous." Rain Some much-needed rain at the weekend looked set to bring real relief to a region that has seen no significant precipitation for eight months, with up to half an inch (one centimeter) forecast for much of Los Angeles. "It's going to help in the near term. But, to really get us out of this fire season, we're going to need at least a couple more inches," Lewis said. Human activity, including the unrestricted burning of fossil fuels over decades, has warmed the planet and changed our weather patterns. That has left the wet periods wetter and the dry periods dryer, intensifying storms and making populations more vulnerable to disasters. Over the burn scars left by the horrific Palisades and Eaton Fire, which together consumed 40,000 acres (16,200 hectares) and killed more than two dozen people, officials were readying for possible mudslides and debris flows in the downpour. Workers in Los Angeles County have prepared sandbags, gravel and concrete barriers that can be deployed if the rain gets heavy. California Governor Gavin Newsom said he had prepositioned hundreds of personnel to try to head off problems caused by rain, including collapsing hillsides and poisonous chemicals being washed out of razed homes. "Without vegetation to anchor the soil, heavy rainfall can lead to sudden and fast-moving debris flows, which can destroy homes, block roads, and pose serious risks to life and property," his office said. "The state also works closely with its partners to prevent toxic runoff from entering waterways by installing physical filtration barriers." President Donald Trump, who continues to claim falsely that California could solve its water problems by simply turning a spigot, is expected in the region on Friday. Officials say he will meet firefighters and people who have been affected by the blazes. 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: Graphical Abstract. Credit: ACS Nano (2025). DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.4c15271 Nanoelectronics deal with extremely small electronic componentstransistors, sensors and circuits that can fit on the tip of a needle. This technology powers our everyday lives through devices such as computers, smartphones and medical tools. To improve the efficiencyand powerof these devices, scientists are searching for alternative materials to replace standard silicon-based semiconductors. A University at Buffalo-led study, published in the journal ACS Nano, explores how mixing two-dimensional materials with silicon might achieve this goal. The article suggests a better way to inject and transport electric chargesan advancement that showcases the significant potential of 2D materials in advancing future semiconductor technologies. "Our work investigates how emerging 2D materials can be integrated with existing silicon technology to enhance functionality and improve performance, paving the way for energy-efficient nanoelectronics," said the study's lead author Huamin Li, Ph.D., associate professor in the Department of Electrical Engineering. "More complex devices, like three-terminal transistors, can benefit from our discovery, achieving enhanced functionality and performance." Fei Yao, Ph.D., assistant professor in the Department of Materials Design and Innovation, is the study's co-lead author. "As scientists, we want to make the components smaller so that they can do more work in less space," she said. "This will allow us to create advanced technology that is more powerful and compact." Li and Yao collaborated with co-author Vasili Perebeinos, Ph.D., professor in the Department of Electrical Engineering. All three are members of UB's Center for Advanced Semiconductor Technologies, an interdisciplinary research center that develops cutting-edge microelectronics solutions while training the next generation of leaders for the semiconductor industry. Additional study co-authors, many of whom are experts in 2D materials, physics and nanoelectronics, work in China, Korea, Austria and Italy. "This collaboration highlights UB's leadership in cutting-edge semiconductor research and its ability to foster impactful international and interdisciplinary partnerships," Yao said. In the study, the team demonstrated that using thin 2D materials, like the semiconductor molybdenum disulfide (MoS 2 ), in combination with silicon, can create highly efficient electronic devices with excellent control over how an electrical charge is injected and transported. The presence of the 2D material between the metal and silicondespite the MoS 2 being less than one nanometer thickcan change how current electrical charge flows. "The 2D material mainly affects charge injection or how the charge enters the material, but doesn't really affect charge collection, or how the charge exits the material," Li said. "This happens regardless of the specific properties of the 2D material. So, whether you use semiconducting MoS 2 , semi-metal graphene, or insulator h-BN [hexagonal boron nitride], they can play different roles in the charge injection, but all behave similarly when it comes to the charge collection. Essentially, the 2D material in this special condition acts almost like it's invisible or has zero resistance for collecting charge." While integrating 2D materials with silicon is a promising path for next-generation electronics, Li said, significant challenges remain, particularly in understanding and engineering charge transport where the 2D material meets the 3D material. "Our study provides critical insights into the energy band structure and charge transport mechanisms at the 2D/3D interface, especially when 2D materials are scaled down to monolayers," he said. "Over time, this research could inspire the development of new 2D materials and device concepts, ultimately leading to more efficient and powerful electronic devices for everyday use." More information: Anthony Cabanillas et al, Enormous Out-of-Plane Charge Rectification and Conductance through Two-Dimensional Monolayers, ACS Nano (2025). DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.4c15271 Journal information: ACS Nano 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 space debris problem is only getting worse. The ESA says we lack the technology to deal with it. We may also lack the needed political cohesion. Credit: ESA The space debris problem won't solve itself. We've been kicking the can down the road for years as we continue launching more rockets and payloads into space. In the last couple of years, organizationsespecially the European Space Agencyhave begun to address the problem more seriously. Now they're asking this question: What will it take to reach zero space debris? At first glance, it may seem unreal, maybe naive. There are billions of pieces of space junk orbiting Earth, and more than 25,000 of those pieces are larger than 10 cm. Though small, these pieces are travelling fast and can cause significant damage when impacting satellites or space stations. What will it take to get rid of all this debris? The ESA has released the "Zero Debris Technical Booklet" to elucidate the challenges to a zero-debris future and propose solutions to get there. The booklet's development follows the signing of the Zero Debris Charter by members of the Zero-Debris community. "Despite several initiatives for space debris mitigation in recent years and modest improvements in public awareness, there is a general consensus that more ambitious actions are urgently needed from all space stakeholders to prevent, mitigate, and remediate debris," the report states. The report points out that the Guidelines for the Long-term Sustainability of Outer Space Activities of the United Nations Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space outlines how access to space is hindered by debris. The booklet defines zero debris targets and presents "technical needs, solutions and key enablers" that can help organizations achieve them. The obvious first step is to cease creating more debris. It begins with avoiding the unintentional release of debris. Exposure to the space environment can degrade materials during missions and beyond their end date, and unintentional impacts can also release debris. The booklet promotes the "Development of multi-layer insulation and coating technologies preventing long-term degradation of materials" and similar developments for materials that can resist impacts. Improved monitoring, simulations, and testing can help us get there. The booklet also points out the need for different propulsion technologies. Some propulsion technologies release enormous quantities of small particles. The booklet promotes the development of alternate propulsion systems based on things like electromagnetic tethers, momentum-transfer tethers, and drag or solar radiation pressure augmentation devices. This image shows the Tethered Satellite System (TSS). The tether generated electricity as it moved through Earths magnetic field and the electricity could be used to adjust the satellites orbit without the need for other propulsion. Image Credit: NASA Johnson Space Center (NASA-JSC), Public Domain The booklet also points out how improved Space Traffic surveillance and Coordination (STC) can help solve the problem. "Improved STC will help prevent collisions and reduce the occurrence of unnecessary collision avoidance maneuvers," the booklet states. That will require a technological solution, but different space agencies will also have to share information, which some will be more reluctant to do than others. The technical booklet explains that standardized guidelines will need to be developed and adopted for this to happen. 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. For existing debris, removal is the only solution. "For space objects which fail to de-orbit themselves for whatever reason, external means can be used to remove these objects from orbit," the booklet states. That begins with assessing defunct satellites to determine the best way to de-orbit them. Are they at risk of breaking up due to de-orbiting methods? Once assessed, we need to develop reliable and configurable methods to remove them. That means a technological approach will be needed, as will communication between different space-faring nations. The booklet states that this will require the "Development of interoperable interfaces and requirements that facilitate removal for different types and sizes of objects (e.g., large/Small Spacecraft, launcher stages and elements, constellation spacecraft), adapted for different orbital regions (e.g., LEO, MEO, GEO), for different Disposal strategies (e.g., controlled, uncontrolled re-entry, orbital transfer to graveyard orbit), and with easy adoption in mind," the booklet explains. De-orbiting systems could be as simple as deployable solar sails like the experimental Canadian Advanced Nanospace eXperiment-7 (CanX-7.) It was launched in 2016 and achieved a decay rate of 20/km per year. While the CanX-7 and other similar systems are passive, there are also designs for Active Debris Removal (ADR). One ADR system is Clearspace-1. It will demonstrate technologies for rendezvousing, capturing, and de-orbiting an end-of-life satellite called PROBA-1. After capture, both Clearspace-1 and PROBA-1 will plummet into Earth's atmosphere and be destroyed. Predicting and avoiding the risk of collisions between satellites and other objects in space is also part of the booklet. "The increasing amount of debris and the risk associated with collisions in orbit lead to an ever-increasing need for operators to carry out collision avoidance maneuvers," the booklet states. This can be partially addressed during the design phase but inevitably requires coordination. Again, the booklet calls for more cooperation between agencies. The effort needs a standardized set of guidelines for collision assessments and "methods to integrate collision risk assessments from multiple providers." When it comes to technology, collision avoidance and prediction will also benefit from the development of machine-learning algorithms, the development and uptake of optical and radio tracking aids, and a longer list of additional developments. The Technical Booklet summarizes our problem: Space Debris requires standardized methods to assess hazards, avoid hazards, and remove hazards. While the technology needed to address the space debris problem hasn't been thoroughly developed yet, there's little doubt that it will be. However, the needed technologies may not be the biggest obstacle to solving the space debris problem. The critical part is cooperation. Without cooperation, the problem will never be fully solved. However, cooperation can be in short supply. Our species is at least partly defined by our internecine squabbling and the tragedy of the commons. Different nations have different ideologies, politics, and leadership. Can we imagine Russia under Putin taking part in a cooperative effort to reduce space debris? How about China? North Korea? Iran? What's worse, some nations are actively creating more debris. In 2007, China conducted an anti-satellite missile test that destroyed a defunct satellite and created a massive amount of debris. In 2017, Russia did the same. India conducted a similar test in 2019, though they claim that it was at such a low altitude that the debris would quickly burn up in Earth's atmosphere. However, the US Strategic Command said the debris remained in space longer than India claimed. It doesn't seem likely that the planet's nations and space agencies will be cooperating any time soon, and even the once-reliable United States may eschew increased cooperation under its new leadership. Who knows? But just as with climate change and a host of other problems, we can only solve the space debris problem through cooperation. The ESA deserves credit for outlining the technical challenges and solutions to the problem. Though daunting, that may turn out to be the easy part. It's our politics that hamper the effort. Llano Estacado Winery in Lubbock is now under new ownership. Llano Estacado Winery The new owners of Llano Estacado Winery, billed as the largest and second-oldest winery in Texas, are pushing to expand the Lubbock business to the booming Hill Country and add more fine wines to their offerings. The group of investors who bought the winery plan to build a boutique hotel, restaurant, event center and tasting room on about 3.5 acres. The land they purchased is across East Ufer Street from the parking lot of the H-E-B store in Fredericksburg. They also are seeking to lease space along Main Street for another tasting room, said Kevin Glasheen, a personal injury attorney and real estate developer who is leading the group. They are also aggressively acquiring property along Texas 290, which is lined with wineries, Glasheen said. They bought about 20 acres near Hilmy Cellars in August and more deals are in the works. Advertisement Article continues below this ad We expect to be the largest presence there, Glasheen said, referring to the Hill Country. BEVERAGE BUSINESS: San Antonio breweries are closing or struggling to stay afloat Its a new chapter for the winery, which started in Lubbock in 1976. One of the early financiers was a Texas Tech University horticulturist who believed that West Texas soil could produce high-quality grapes for making wine, according to the winery. The business gradually grew, receiving awards for its wines while distributing its products across the U.S. and overseas, with sales surpassing 160,000 cases annually. Glasheens law firm has an office in Lubbock, he knew Llano Estacado winemaker Jason Centanni, and he owns a ranch outside Fredericksburg. He said he called the winery and asked the owners why they didnt have a presence on Texas 290. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The Hill Country has become a thriving winery tourism region in recent years thanks to its hilly terrain, abundant land for planting and growing various types of alcohol, booming population and economic incentives. The number of active winery permits jumped 625% between 2011 and 2021, according to the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission. HILL COUNTRY HEADLINES: Top stories from the booming region Glasheen suggested building a winery in the area and leasing it to Llano Estacado. At the time, Llano Estacado was owned by more than 100 small stockholders, including some who had served on the winerys board for years. Glasheen said they told him that some investors were getting older and preferred to sell the winery rather than try to expand it. They went back and forth, and ultimately, they won the argument, Glasheen said. The group of investors he put together recently bought Llano Estacado for an undisclosed price. They include Noe Valles, an attorney at Glasheens firm; AirisEle Vineyards co-owner and former Becker Vineyards general manager Bret Perrenoud; Aaron Handler, founder and managing partner at ElmCreek Ventures, a private investment firm; Ron Ross of Triple R Ranch and Winery; and retired Walmart executive Bryan Miller. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The winery has great potential for growth, but it takes investment, Glasheen said. The winemaking team has not changed, but Handler will now serve as CEO and Perrenoud as general manager. Mark Hyman retired from his role as president after 30 years at Llano Estacado. The new owners said Hyman increased the winerys retail distribution; it now accounts for 40% of wine retail sales in Texas. Llano has so much history, distribution, and the largest winemaking facility in the state. This is an incredible opportunity to build on that legacy. The new investment and energy from the ownership team are invigorating, Perrenoud said in a statement. Along with the Fredericksburg operations, the owners plan to open a tasting room at Lubbocks Cactus Alley shopping center, expand hospitality facilities at the Lubbock winery to host more events and tours, and increase distribution of its fine wines. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Many in the wine trade nationwide are struggling with a slump in sales in the wake of the pandemic as well as with climate change; higher production, distribution and borrowing costs; and customers drinking less or opting for cheaper beverages. Llano Estacado is primarily known for its wines sold in grocery stores, and Glasheen said introducing more fine wines will increase its reach. 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 Climate scientists are probably among those most aggrieved by Donald Trump's return as US president. Trump has scoffed at the increasingly dire warnings of these scientists and declared his enthusiasm for digging up and burning the coal, oil and gas that is overheating Earth. His empowerment of the far right dims prospects for collective solutions to collective problems, but what is he likely to change about US climate policy? Trump has not published a climate agenda. To discern his impact on domestic and international policy, we have to sift through statements, appointments to political positions and the record of his first term. Here, our academics glean grim portents for the years aheadand some continuities with supposedly pro-climate presidents of the past. 1. It's still 'drill, baby, drill' Trump's three-word campaign slogan, "drill, baby, drill", is intended to sum up his plans for the US oil and gas industry. It's also an apt summary of existing US energy policy. Since 2008, when Democrat Barack Obama was elected, oil production has soared from a 50-year low of 6.8 billion barrels a day to 19.4 billion in 2023. "The United States is already producing more crude oil than any country ever," says Gautam Jain, an energy and finance expert at Columbia University. "Oil and gas companies are buying back stocks and paying dividends to shareholders at a record pace, which they wouldn't do if they saw better investment opportunities." 2. We won't always have Paris (or even Rio) Trump withdrew the US from the 2015 Paris agreement on the first day of his second term (it took him six months to do it last time). Jain frets that he may go further and exit international negotiations entirely, by rescinding his country's membership of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, which was adopted in Rio de Janeiro in 1992. Rejoining would be "nearly impossible," Jain says, as a future president would need the consent of two-thirds of the Senate. The US risks dropping the mantle of climate leadership on China, he adds. A recent analysis by Oxford economists Matthew Carl Ives and Natalie Sum Yue Chung suggests that that ship may have sailed years ago. "China already processes most of the clean energy supply materials and has an advanced manufacturing base that is more capable of scaling up production to meet the rising demand," they say. 3. The bucks stop here? A US retreat from international climate diplomacy would afflict people who are particularly vulnerable to the mounting crisis in Earth's atmosphere. Jain highlights how Trump's predecessor Joe Biden donated several billions of dollars more towards renewable energy and adaptation in the developing world, compared with Trump in his first term. However, a 2023 study that estimated each country's "fair share" of this climate finance pot according to income, population size and historical emissions, issued this withering assessment while Biden was president: "Based on these metrics, we found that the US is overwhelmingly responsible for the climate finance shortfall," says environmental economist Sarah Colenbrander (University of Oxford). "The world's largest economy should be providing US$43.5 billion of climate finance a year. In 2021, it gave just US$9.3 billiona meager 21% of its fair share." 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. 4. Biden's green tax credits may endure Trump could keep some Biden-era investments in clean energy (tax breaks for investors in renewables, for example) as the benefits are accruing in Republican states, Jain says. He may still cut tax credits for people buying electric vehicles, though. This would slow the transition from combustion-engine transport by making it harder for people to afford an EV. (Biden's 100% tariff on Chinese-made EVs hasn't help either). 5. but his methane tax probably won't Jain predicts that the greatest damage inflicted by Trump will be to the regulation of fossil fuels and emissions. In his crosshairs is a federal charge for the release of methane from oil and gas wells and pipelines. Biden identified cutting methane emissions as a potential brake on the accelerating pace of global heating. That's because methane is a greenhouse gas that lingers in our atmosphere for decades instead of centuries like CO and is far more potent in trapping heat during that time. Reducing methane emissions could reduce climate change quicklya climate action lifeline we will be sorry to see thrown away. 6. The nuclear option Trump seems to have a soft spot for one low-carbon energy source: nuclear power. Perhaps because civil nuclear maintains the skills and supply chains needed for its military applications? 7. Up is down, left is right Democrats may regret making "trust the science" their dividing line against Trump. Eric Nast, an environmental governance expert at the University of Guelph, tracked how the first Trump administration altered language on US government websites. He expects Trump to disguise his regulation bonfire as "strengthening transparency" (blocking air pollution standards that rely on private health data) and championing "citizen science" (dismissing academics from advisory boards for private citizens rich in time and money, who might benefit from scrapping rules and limiting scrutiny). 8. Fighting fire with money Tesla's Elon Musk, Amazon's Jeff Bezos and Meta's Mark Zuckerberg attended Trump's second inauguration. Their presenceplus a pointed farewell speech by Bidenhas provoked murmurs of "oligarchy": rule by people whose immense wealth and influence has utterly captured ostensibly democratic societies. At the still-raging LA fires, an oligarch-friendly response to climate change has presented itself: firefighters-for-hire. "As public firefighters struggle to cope, affluent residents and businesses have turned to private firefighting services to protect their properties," says Doug Specht, a University of Westminster geographer. 9. Arctic relations What explains Trump's sudden interest in the Arctic? Oil, gas and critical minerals newly liberated by thawing ice in a region warming four times faster than the global average says engineer Tricia Stadnyk at the University of Calgary. "The second Trump administration is aware of both the new opportunities and risks as global temperatures shatter new records and thresholds, and an ice-free Arctic becomes a possibility," she says. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain On his first day back in office as United States president, Donald Trump gave formal notice of his nation's exit from the Paris Agreementa vital global treaty seeking to rein in climate change. Before signing the order, Trump declared his reasons to an arena of cheering supporters, describing the global agreement as an "unfair, one-sided Paris climate accord rip-off." Of course, this is not the first time Trump has withdrawn the US from the Paris dealhe did it in 2017, during his first term in office. On one hand, Trump's move is a huge blow to efforts to global climate action. The US is the world's second-biggest emitter of greenhouse gas pollution, after China. The country is crucial to the global effort to curb climate change. But given Trump's climate denialism, it's actually better that the US absent itself from international climate talks while he is in power. That way, the rest of the world can get on with the job without Trump's corrosive influence. A quick refresher on the Paris Agreement Signed by 196 nations in 2015, the Paris Agreement is the first comprehensive global treaty to combat climate change. Its overall goal is to hold the increase global temperatures to well below 2C above pre-industrial levels, and pursue efforts to limit the increase to 1.5C. Scientists say meeting the more ambitious 1.5C target is crucial, because crossing that threshold risks unleashing catastrophic climate change impacts, such as more frequent and severe droughts and heat waves. Under the agreement, each nation must make national plans to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to help reach the global temperature goals. These plans are known as "nationally determined contributions." What Trump's withdrawal means Under Trump's last presidency, the US was only out of the Paris deal for four months, due to the time it took for the retreat to take effect. President Joe Biden rejoined the agreement in early 2021. This time, the US withdrawal will become official more quicklyafter a year. Then, the US will join Iran, Libya and Yemen as the only United Nations countries not party to the agreement. The US can keep participating as a party to the Paris agreement until January 2026. That means it may try to negotiate at the COP30 climate change conference in Brazil this year. COP30 is a big deal. It is when each country is due to present its new nationally determined contributions. The US withdrawal means it is unlikely to bring a new contribution to the meetingif it attends at all. Should the US show up, its presence would potentially destabilize negotiations. That's why removing Trump-backed negotiators from the climate talks going forward is a good outcome. If the US stayed in the tent under Trump, its negotiators could, for example, agitate to weaken any deals struck at the meeting. We saw such tactics from Saudi Arabia at COP29 in Baku. The oil state repeatedly disrupted the talks and in one instance, sought to alter important text in the agreement without full consultation. With the US out of the way, the other parties to the Paris agreement have a better chance of progressing climate negotiations. At this stage, it doesn't appear other countries are preparing to follow Trump out the door. This is despite controversy at the COP29 talks when Argentinian president Javier Milei ordered his negotiators to withdraw only a few days in. Milei had previously described the climate emergency as a "socialist lie." At this stage, Trump has not withdrawn from the Paris Agreement's parent convention, the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change. So after it withdraws from the Paris deal, the US can still attend COP meetings, but only as an observer. 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. Onwards and upwards Of course, there are downsides to the US withdrawal from the Paris deal. Leaving the Paris agreement means the US is no longer required to provide annual updates on its greenhouse gas emissions. This lack of transparency makes it harder to determine how the world is tracking on emissions reduction overall. Under the Biden administration, the US contributed funding to help developing nations adopt clean energy and cope with climate change (albeit delivering less than it promised). Trump is expected to slash this funding. That will leave vulnerable nation states in an even more precarious position. While the US was technically only out of the Paris deal for a short period last time, the process was destabilizing. It weakened what was an unprecedented show of international solidarity and sent a damaging message about the importance of climate action. Trump's latest withdrawal is a similar blow to morale. It's particularly galling for Americans fighting for climate action, and those struggling with its devastating effectsmost recently, the unthinkable fires in Los Angeles. But Trump's withdrawal can easily be reversed by a new US president. And we can expect other parties to Paris, such as China and the European Union, to continue to play a leadership role, and others to fill the vacuum. What's more, as others have noted, Trump cannot derail global climate action. Investment in clean energy is now greater than in fossil fuels. When Trump last pulled out of Paris, many US state and local governments pressed ahead with climate policy; we can expect the same this time around. And the vast majority of the rest of the world is still pursuing emissions reduction efforts. So overall, the US exit from Paris is probably the best of a bunch of bad options. It mutes Trump's capacity to destabilize international climate action, allowing others to step into the breach. 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: Both countries are 'exploiting loopholes to allow logging in forests that should be safeguarded', said the WWF. Sweden and Finland, Europe's most forested countries, are not doing enough to protect their primary and old-growth forests, falling short of EU commitments, the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) said in a report Thursday. "Thousands of hectares of forests with high conservation value are logged each year, despite their importance for climate stability, biodiversity, and long-term ecological health," said the WWF. The two Nordic countries are "exploiting loopholes to allow logging in forests that should be safeguarded," the organization said in a statement. Private forest owners insist they are complying with current legislation and that their felling of trees is sensible. "Nobody cuts down trees just for the fun of it," Magnus Kindbom, forestry director at the Federation of Swedish Farmers (LRF), told AFP. "It's because there's a need in society. "And if we didn't use wood products, which have no negative impact on the climate, then we would have to use more fossil fuels, which always have a negative impact on the climate," he added. "That's the dilemma we face: how to find the best compromise between having access to more biomass to improve the climate, and understanding its impact on biodiversity." 'Dilemma' In Sweden, the forestry industry accounts for around 140,000 jobs according to the Swedish Forest Industries Federation, which represents companies in the pulp, paper and wood-processing industries. At the same time, foreststhe second largest carbon sink after the oceanshelp mitigate climate change, which for the WWF underlines the importance of preserving them. According to the EU's Nature Restoration Law, which came into force in August, 20 percent of natural areasincluding forests and marshesmust be restored by 2030 to the state they were in the 1950s. Sweden's government has show little ambition to protect "primary and old-growth forests on private lands," said the WWF said. This applies to all forests, whether natural or cultivated for forestry purposesnot just protected areas. "The current government has shown a low ambition to strictly protect primary and old-growth forests on private lands," the WWF said. "Consequently, Sweden has an ongoing loss of primary and old-growth forests due to clear-cutting," the environmental group argued. 'Rare' Sweden's Minister for Rural Affairs, Peter Kullgren, told AFP that the criticism was unfounded. "Sweden is a leader in forest protection," he said in a written statement. "Over 25 percent of Sweden's forests have already been taken out of production, and over 10 percent are already strictly protected. "This makes Sweden one of the EU countries closest to achieving the biodiversity goal" for 2030, he added. At the same time, Sweden's forests are far from what they were in 1950, according to a 2024 article published by Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences' (SLU) Swedish Species Information Centre. It argued that much of the biodiversity in the country's forests was not faring well. "Logging of high nature-value forests is one of the main reasons why forest species" are threatened, the article said. According to SLU, sufficiently ancient forests are now "rare" in Sweden and "only a few percent of productive forest land can be qualified as old in the biological sense". 2025 AFP